An Efficient Dopant for Introducing Magnetism into Topological Insulator Bi2Se3.

In this work, we obtained an effective way to introduce magnetism into topological insulators, and successfully fabricated single crystal C-Bi2Se3. The structural, electrical and magnetic properties of non-magnetic element X (B, C and N) doped at Bi, Se1, Se2 and VDW gap sites of Bi2Se3 were studied by the first principles. It is shown that the impurity bands formed inside the bulk inverted energy gap near the Fermi level with C doping Bi2Se3. Due to spin-polarized ferromagnetic coupling, the time inversion symmetry of Bi2Se3 is destroyed. Remarkably, C is the most effective dopant because of the magnetic moment produced by doping at all positions. The experiment confirmed that the remnant ferromagnetism Mr is related to the C concentration. Theoretical calculations and experiments confirmed that carbon-doped Bi2Se3 is ferromagnetic, which provides a plan for manipulating topological properties and exploring spintronic applications.

Case Report: Giant Congenital Left Atrial Appendage Aneurysm Presenting With Acute Massive Cerebral Infarction and Refractory Atrial Fibrillation: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Background: Congenital left atrial appendage aneurysm (LAAA) is a rare cardiac anomaly with a variety of presentations, from being asymptomatic to potentially serious complications such as systemic thromboembolism and atrial tachyarrhythmia. Case Presentation: We report a case of congenital giant LAAA in a 35-year-old man presenting with acute massive cerebral infarction and atrial fibrillation (AF) with rapid ventricular rate. The AF was refractory to conventional antiarrhythmic agents, such as amiodarone and electrical cardioversion, but restored and maintained sinus rhythm after surgical resection of LAAA. The patient remained free of events and was in sinus rhythm during half-year follow-up. Conclusion: Giant LAAA has the potential causing serious complications and should be managed surgically in most cases.

The Histone Methyltransferase Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL) 3 May Play a Potential Role on Clinical Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Histone modifications play a critical role in the pathological processes of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). While the role and expression pattern of histone methyltransferases (HMTs), especially mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) families on DCM are unclear. To this end, twelve normal and fifteen DCM heart samples were included in the present study. A murine cardiac remodelling model was induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Real-time PCR was performed to detect the expression levels of MLL families in the mouse and human left ventricles. The mRNA level of MLL3 was significantly increased in the mouse hearts treated by TAC surgery. Compared with normal hearts, higher mRNA and protein level of MLL3 was detected in the DCM hearts, and its expression level was closely associated with left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVEDD) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). However, the expression level of other MLL families (MLL, MLL2, MLL4, MLL5, SETD1A, and SETD1B) had no obvious change between control and DCM hearts or remodeled mouse hearts. Furthermore, the di-methylated histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me2) but not H3K4me3 was significantly increased in the DCM hearts. The protein levels of Smad3, GATA4, EGR1, which might regulate by MLL3, were remarkably elevated in the DCM hearts. Our hitherto unrecognized findings indicate that MLL3 has a potential role on pathological processes of DCM via regulating H3K4me2 and the expression of Smad3, GATA4, and EGR1.

Aberrant Epicardial Adipose Tissue Extracellular Matrix Remodeling in Patients with Severe Ischemic Cardiomyopathy: Insight from Comparative Quantitative Proteomics.

There is ample evidence indicating that epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume and thickness is positively associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the exact pathological changes in the human EAT after myocardial ischemia remains largely unclear. In the current study, we applied a comparative quantitative proteomics to elucidate the altered biological processes in the EAT of ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) patients. A total of 1649 proteins were successfully quantified in our study, among which 165 proteins were significantly changed (ratio <0.8 or >1.2 fold and p < 0.05 in both repetitions) in EAT of ICM individuals. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that cardiac structure and cellular metabolism were over-represented among these regulated proteins. The hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes, extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction, phagosome, Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis, and PPAR signaling pathway were highlighted by the KEGG PATHWAY analysis. More importantly, we found that the proteins responsible for extracellular matrix organization were dramatically increased in EAT of ICM patients. In addition, the picrosirius red (PSR) staining results showed that the collagen fiber content was prominently increased, which indicated the EAT of ICM individuals underwent extracellular matrix remodeling and ERK1/2 activation maybe responsible for these pathological changes partially.

Leucine-rich repeat neuronal protein 4 (LRRN4) potentially functions in dilated cardiomyopathy.

Leucine-rich repeat neuronal protein-4 (LRRN4 or NLRR4) has been identified as a new member of LRRN family, which is a group of proteins that contain leucine-rich repeat domains and functioned as regulators in a variety of pathologic processes including cardiac remodeling. However, the exact pattern of expression and function of LRRN4 in the human hearts is still unclear. In our study, the western blot test and real-time PCR were performed to detect the LRRN4 level in hearts of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), ischemia heart disease (IHD) hearts respectively. Interestingly, the LRRN4 was highly expressed in donor hearts, but significantly reduced in hearts with DCM. While a comparable level of expression was detected in the IHD hearts when compared with donor hearts. Immunohistochemistry assay showed that LRRN4 was particularly expressed in cardiomyocytes and responsible for its decreased expression in the DCM hearts. Furthermore, we found LRRN4 was expressed in the ventricular cardiomyocytes of mice and apparently reduced after pressure overload treatment in the wild type mice. Therefore, our hitherto unrecognized findings provided the first evidence that the highly expressed LRRN4 is critical for maintaining morphology and function of heart. In addition to that, since its expression level decreased in DCM hearts but not IHD hearts, which indicated LRRN4 might be a therapeutic target clinically for DCM disease.

Structural identification of 4-benzyl-voglibose hydrochloride monohydrate using NMR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods.

The chemical structure studies on an important related substance of voglibose have been carried out using NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray crystallography. For the structure identification study, hydrochloride monohydrate of this compound was isolated and purified. Its molecular structure was characterized and analyzed using 1D (1H NMR, 13C NMR, and DEPT) and 2D (1H,1H-COSY, HSQC, HMBC, TOCSY, and ROESY) NMR spectra. The signal crystal structure was detected by X-ray crystallography. All results indicated this related substance of voglibose was C17H27NO7·HCl·H2O, 5,6-dideoxy-4-benzyl-5-{[2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethy]amino}-1-C-(hydroxymethyl)-D-epi-inositol hydrochloride monohydrate.

Breast cancer following augmentation mammaplasty with polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAG) injection.

Polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAG) as an implanted material for augmentation mammaplasty has been used for years in China. Many kinds of complications associated with PAAG use have been reported in the clinical literature. This report presents two cases of breast cancer occurring after injection of PAAG in augmented breasts. The delayed diagnosis and more aggressive disease due to PAAG injection should be cause for concern. It is very important to detect breast cancer early when it is covered by the induration of the injected gel and inflammation reaction after PAAG injection. PAAG injection for augmentation mammaplasty may affect the outcome of breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

[Appropriate extent of lymph node dissection for clinical I a stage non-small cell lung cancer].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: There is no agreement on the appropriate extent of lymph node dissection for lung cancer, especially for early non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study was to explore the appropriate extent of lymph node dissection for early NSCLC by investigating the metastasis regulations of hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes. METHODS: Forty-one clinical Ia stage NSCLC patients received lobectomy and systematic mediastinal lymphadenectomy in Tongji Hospital from Jan. 2002 to Dec. 2004. The removed lymph nodes were subjected for pathologic examination. The metastasis regulations of hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 295 groups of lymph nodes were removed. Among them, 42 (14.2%) groups had metastasis, including 33 groups of hilar lymph nodes and 9 of mediastinal lymph nodes. Four patients had mediastinal lymph node metastasis in the 7th station, 2 in the 5th station, 2 in the 9th station, and 1 in the 4th station. The patients with tumors in the upper lobe had metastasis in the 5th or 7th station lymph nodes; the patients with tumors in the middle or lower lobe had metastasis in the 4th, 7th, or 9th station. CONCLUSIONS: The metastasis regulations of hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes in Ia stage NSCLC is accordant to regional lymph node drainage regulations. Selective regional lymph node dissection might be applied in these patients, that is, upper mediastinal lymph node, not lower mediastinal lymph node, should be removed when the tumor is in the upper lobe without hilar or subcarinal lymph node metastasis, while all mediastinal lymph nodes should be removed when the tumor is in the middle or lower lobe.

[Needlescopic thoracic sympathectomy for palmar hyperhidrosis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of needlescopic thoracic sympathectomy for palmar hyperhidrosis. METHODS: From March 2004 to April 2005, 62 patients, including 23 men and 39 women with a mean age of 23 years (ranged from 12 to 53 years), underwent bilateral needlescopic thoracic sympathectomy. Among all the patients 8 cases had accompanied axillary hyperhidrosis. The degree of palmar sweating was moderate in 16 cases and severe in 46 cases. The sympathetic chain on the body of the second and third ribs in all patients was cauterized and divided; the chain on the fourth rib in those with axillary hyperhidrosis was also severed. Intraoperative changes in palmar temperature and blood flow were recorded. RESULTS: Sympathectomies were successful, and dry limbs were immediately achieved in all patients after surgery. There were no mortality or life-threatening complication, however 1 patient developed moderate pneumothorax which resolved soon after chest drainage. After all procedures, palmar blood perfusion increased significantly and mean palmar temperature elevated by 2.4 degrees C. The mean operative duration was 65 min, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was 1.2 days. No recurrence of palmar hyperhidrosis occurred after a mean follow-up of 6.3 months (ranged from 1 to 13 months). Compensatory sweating was found in 26 patients, but the symptoms were mostly tolerable and required no further treatment. CONCLUSION: Needlescopic thoracic sympathectomy is a safe and effective technique for palmar hyperhidrosis, which is less invasive than conventional video-assisted thoracic surgery.

[Improvement of reduction of prominent malar complex through an intraoral incision].

OBJECTIVE: To improve the technique of prominent malar complex reduction. METHODS: The improvements of the operation procedure included double-oblique osteotomy of the prominent malar complex, accessorial tiny preauricular incision and the way that the complex was moved upward, inward or posteriorly. The zygomatic body was fixed with microplate screw or steelwire. The jugal soft tissue was lifted to prevent facial slack. The method was used in 17 cases from June 2000 to April 2004. RESULTS: Postoperative follow up for 4 approximately 24 months showed satisfactory result in all the cases. CONCLUSIONS: This modified method resolved some problems in reduction malarplasty through an intraoral approach.

[Therapy experience and pathogeny analysis of intercurrent infection after augmentation mammaplasty].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pathogeny diagnosis, therapy and some possible method for prevention of intercurrent infection, after the operation of augmentation mammaplasty. METHODS: Comparing and analyzing the clinical representation and therapy of the seventeen intercurrent infecting case that we had, after the operation of the augmentation mammaplasty. The patients were treated by operating with different approaches. RESULTS: After the operation, all the infected patients recovered in a short while without back to surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The infection after augmentation mammaplasty will get an effective controlling result if take a timely operative therapy according to the position and character of the intercurrent infection. But some galactophore will shrink after the cure of infection.