The effects of the trichothecene mycotoxins (acetyl T-2 toxin, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, palmityl T-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), deoxynivalenol (DON), and T-2 tetraol) on bovine platelet function were examined in homologous plasma stimulated with platelet activating factor (PAF). The mycotoxins inhibited platelet function with the following order of potency: acetyl T-2 toxin > palmityl T-2 toxin = DAS > HT-2 toxin = T-2 toxin. While T-2 tetraol was completely ineffective as an inhibitor, DON exhibited minimal inhibitory activity at concentrations above 10×10?4M. The stability of the platelet aggregates formed was significantly reduced in all mycotoxin treated platelets compared to that of the untreated PAF controls. It is suggested that the increased sensitivity of PAF stimulated bovine platelets to the more lipophilic mycotoxins may be related to their more efficient partitioning into the platelet membrane compared to the more hydrophilic compounds. 相似文献
Based on multiple large clinical trials conducted over the last decades guidelines for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantations have been evolving. The increase in primary prophylactic ICD implantations challenges us to be critical towards the indications in certain patient populations.
Methods
We retrospectively collected patient characteristics and rates of appropriate and inappropriate ICD therapy, appropriate and inappropriate ICD shock and mortality of all patients who received an ICD in the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU) over the years 2006–2011.
Results
A total of 1075 patients were included in this analysis (74 % male, mean age 61 ± 13 years, left ventricular ejection fraction 30 ± 13 %); 61 % had a primary indication and 58 % had ischaemic heart disease. During a mean follow-up period of 31 ± 17 months, 227 of the patients (21 %) received appropriate ICD therapy (149 (14 %) patients received an appropriate ICD shock). Females, patients with a primary prophylactic indication and patients with non-ischaemic heart disease experienced significantly less ICD therapy. Only a few patients (54, 5 %) received inappropriate ICD therapy; 33 (3 %) patients received an inappropriate ICD shock. Fifty-five patients died within one year after ICD implantation and were therefore, in retrospect, not eligible for ICD implantation.
Conclusion
Our study confirms the benefit of ICD implantation in clinical practice. Nevertheless, certain patients experience less benefit than others. A more patient-tailored risk stratification based on electrophysiological parameters would be lucrative to improve clinical benefit and cost-effectiveness. 相似文献
Rheumatic mitral stenosis continues to be prevalent in developing countries, notably in endemic areas. Over the last few decades, percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV) has been established as a lower-cost alternative treatment for mitral stenosis (MS) in low-to-middle-income countries. PBMV has also been suggested to be an effective and safe alternative treatment modality. This study aims to analyse the survival of rheumatic MS patients treated with PBMV compared with those treated with mitral valve surgery (MVS).
Methods
This study was a national, single-centre, longitudinal study using a survival analysis method in 329 consecutive patients suffering from rheumatic heart disease with severe MS who underwent PBMV compared with 142 consecutive patients with similar characteristics who underwent MVS between January 2011 and December 2016. Survival analysis and event-free duration were determined over a median follow-up of 24 months in the PBMV group and 27 months in the MVS group.
Results
The results showed that of the 329 consecutive patients in the PBMV group, 61 patients (18.5) had an event (6 patients died and 55 patients were hospitalised), and of the 142 consecutive patients in the MVS group, 19 patients (13.4%) had an event (5 patients died, and 14 patients were hospitalised). The hazard ratio was 0.631 (95% confidence interval, 0.376–1.058; P = 0.081). Longer short-term survival was found in the MVS group but was not statistically significant. Event-free survival was significantly longer in the MVS group (P = 0.002), by 5 months.
Conclusions
In this study, the efficacy and safety of PBMV was reconfirmed, as PBMV proved to be non-inferior to MVS in survival prognosis, but sustained event-free duration was significantly better in the MVS group than in the PBMV group.
Vascular smooth muscle cells can perform both contractile and synthetic functions, which are associated with and characterised by changes in morphology, proliferation and migration rates, and the expression of different marker proteins. The resulting phenotypic diversity of smooth muscle cells appears to be a function of innate genetic programmes and environmental cues, which include biochemical factors, extracellular matrix components, and physical factors such as stretch and shear stress. Because of the diversity among smooth muscle cells, blood vessels attain the flexibility that is necessary to perform efficiently under different physiological and pathological conditions. In this review, we discuss recent literature demonstrating the extent and nature of smooth muscle cell diversity in the vascular wall and address the factors that affect smooth muscle cell phenotype. (Neth Heart J 2007;15:100-8.) 相似文献
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an independent risk factor for the development of heart failure, coronary heart disease and stroke. LVH develops in response to haemodynamic overload, e.g. hypertension. LVH was originally thought to start as an adaptive and beneficial response required to normalise wall stress. However, this concept has been challenged by recent animal experiments suggesting that any degree of LVH is detrimental for the preservation of cardiac function and survival. If confirmed in humans, these findings imply that an increase in LV mass should be prevented, e.g. by lifestyle or pharmacological interventions. To facilitate and optimise interventions, the SMART Heart study was recently set up to develop a prediction model, also involving single nucleotide polymorphism data, for the identification of subjects at high risk of developing LVH in hypertension. For this purpose 1000 subjects with chronic hypertension will undergo cardiac MR imaging. In addition, this study allows the extrapolation of animal experimental genetic research into the human situation. (Neth Heart J 2007;15:295-8). 相似文献
We have recently found that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are targets for T-cell and B-cell reactivity in experimental
arthritis. In the present article, we investigate whether modulation of MMP-specific T-cell responses could influence the
course of adjuvant arthritis (AA). Lewis rats were treated nasally with MMP peptides prior to or after AA induction. Administration
of the MMP-10 or the MMP-16 peptide prior to AA induction reduced the arthritic symptoms. In contrast, administration of the
MMP-10 peptide after AA induction aggravated the arthritic symptoms. The present study shows the possible usefulness of MMP
peptides for immunotherapy. However, a clear understanding of proper timing of peptide administration is crucial for the development
of such therapies. 相似文献
Group B and C Neisseria meningitidis are the major cause of meningococcal
disease in the United States and in Europe. N . meningitidis
lipooligosaccharide (LOS), a major surface antigen, can be divided into 12
immunotypes of which L1 through L8 were found among Group B and C
organisms. Groups B and C but not Group A may sialylate their LOSs with
N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuNAc) at the nonreducing end because they
synthesize CMP-NeuNAc. Using sialic acid-galactose binding lectins as
probes in an ELISA format, six of the eight LOS immunotypes (L2, L3, L4,
L5, L7, and L8) in Groups B and C bound specifically to Maackia amurensis
leukoagglutinin (MAL), which recognizes NeuNAcalpha2- 3Galbeta1-4GlcNAc/Glc
sequence, but not to Sambucus nigra agglutinin, which binds
NeuNAcalpha2-6Gal sequence. The combination of SDS-PAGE and MAL-blot
analyses revealed that these six LOSs contained only the
NeuNAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-4GlcNAc trisaccharide sequence in their 4.1 kDa LOS
components, which have a common terminal lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT,
Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-3Galbeta1-4Glc) structure when nonsialylated as shown
by previous studies. The LOS-lectin binding was abolished when the LOSs
were treated with Newcastle disease viral neuraminidase which cleaves
alpha2-->3 linked sialic acid. Methylation analysis of a representative
LOS (L2) confirmed that NeuNAc is 2-->3 linked to Gal. Thus, these LOSs
structurally mimic certain glycolipids, i.e., paragloboside (LNnT-ceramide)
and sialylparagloboside and some glycoproteins in having LNnT and
N-acetyllactosamine sequences, respectively, with or without alpha2-->3
linked NeuNAc. The molecular mimicry of the LOSs may play a role in the
pathogenesis of N.meningitidis by assisting the organism to evade host
immune defenses in man.
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