AIM To explore the inhibitory effects of simv astatin on ROS generation and cardiac myocytes hypertrophy induced by ET-1. METHODS The study was performed with primary cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes. Intrace llular fluorescence signal was assayed by fluorescence convert microscope. The l evel of intracellular ROS was measured by the ROS-specific probe 2′, 7′-dich lorofluorescin diacetate (DCF-DA). The RNA content was determined by RNA-sensitive fluoresce nce probe propidium iodide (PI) and the total protein of cell was measured by th e methods of coomassie brilliant blue. The cell surface area was measured by ima ge analysis program. RESULTS ①Fluorescence intensity of intracel lular DCF-DA and myocyte hypertrophy increased by ET-1 in dose-dependent mann er. Antioxidant catalase(0 2 U?L -1 ) attenuated the ET-1-induced incre ase of fluorescence intensity of intracellular DCF-DA and myocyte hypertrophy.②Simvastatin inhibited the increase of fluorescence intensity of intracellular DCF-DA and cardiac myocyte hypertrophy induced by ET-1(10 -8 mol?L -1 )in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION ET-1 increases int racellular ROS in the cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes. Simvastatin inhibi ted the generation of ET-1-induced ROS and cardiomyocytes hypertrophy.

Objective To study the value of three dimensional dynamic contrast and digital subtraction MRI in diagnosing breast cancer.Methods 52 patients with breast diseases were enrolled in this study,including 27 malignant lesions and 36 benign lesions verified by histopathology.the morphologic features and enhancement kinetics of breast lesion on MRI were observed.The morphologic manifestation,early-phase enhancement rate,peak enhancement rate,peak time and time-signal intensity curve were evaluated.Results The benign lesions were mainly characterized by regular mass,well-defined border,internal septation,homogeneous enhancement,and the malignant lesions by irregular shape,speculated margin,rim enhancement,inhomogeneous enhancement.The early-phase enhancement rate,peak time and curve type were significantly different between breast benign and malignant lesions(P

Aim To study the effect of activating Sonic hedgehog( Shh) pathway on the function of endothelial progenitor cells ( EPCs ) in type 1 diabetic mice. Methods EPCs were isolated and cultured by density gradient method from diabetic mice. The effects of Shh N-terminal peptide and agonist SAG on EPCs prolifera-tion were evaluated by using the MTT colorimetric as-say. EPCs migration was measured by Transwell meth-od. EPCs tube formation ability was estimated by Matrigel . EPCs senescence activity was determined by β-galactosidase staining. Results Compared with control mice, the function of EPCs in type 1 diabetic mice was impaired. The proliferation, migration and tube formation of diabetic EPCs could be promoted by Shh peptide and agonist SAG. The senescence of dia-betic EPCs could be decreased by Shh peptide and ag-onist SAG. Conclusion Activating Shh signaling pathway can improve the impared function of diabetic EPCs in type 1 diabetic mice.

Objective:To summarize and analyze the disease characteristics of the patients in Chinese Level-II Hospital for UN Peacekeepers in Liberia,for offering some references to the pre-mission training of the successive contingents as well as the improvement of medical support to the peacekeeping mission.Methods:A statistical analysis was made of the case history of all the outpatients and inpatients received in Chinese Level-Ⅱ Hospital for UN Peacekeepers in Liberia from May 2004 to December 2005. Results:Out of the total of 7107 outpatients,2539(35.7%) were medical cases,1205(17.0%) surgical,1136(16.0%) dental,787(11.1%) dermatological and 763(10.7%) contagious cases.Malaria was the main type of contagious disease,which accounted for 86.1% of all the contagious cases.There were 39 cases of AIDS/HIV(acquired immunodeficiency syndrome / human immunodeficiency virus).Of the 453 inpatients,233(51.4%) were contagious and 166(36.7%) medical cases,and 185(40.8%) of the total number suffered from malaria.The average hospital stay was 5.2 days.Conclusion:Adequate drugs and equipments should be prepared for both common and special diseases in the peacekeeping mission area.During the pre-mission training at home,special emphasis should be laid on the prevention and treatment of common diseases and frequently occurring diseases,particularly on the diagnosis of and protection against AIDS.

Aim To investigate the role of physiological concentration of glucocorticoids on the inflammation mediator IL-6 expression in response to LPS in rat alveolar epithelial cells(CCL149).Methods The CCL149 were treated with LPS,H2O2 and glucocorticoid respectively.Flammtory mediator IL-6 protein expression was measured with ELISA,and the activity of histone deacetylase(HDAC) was measured using colorimetric HDAC activity assay kit.Results IL-6 protein levels were increased in cells exposed to 10 mg?L-1 LPS.Hydrocortisone decreased IL-6 protein expression induced by LPS.Such effect of hydrocortisone was blunt by HDAC inhibitor trichostatinA treatment(10 ?g?L-1).LPS decreased HDAC activity.Hydrocortisone increased HDAC activity.The expression of IL-6 protein induced by LPS was further enhanced by H2O2 treatment.Pretreatment with H2O2 resulted in the inhibition of antiflammtion effect of glucocorticoids.Conclusion Physiological concentration of glucocorticoids could suppress inflammatory response,and this effects requires recruitment of HDAC.Oxidants such as H2O2 may cause the failure of glucocorticoids to function effectively,and the reason may be related to the reduction of HDAC activity.This mechanism may contribute to the pathogenesis of pulmonary disorder.

AIM:ToinvestigatetheprotectiveeffectofquercetinonangiotensinⅡ(AngⅡ)-inducedcardio-myocyte hypertrophy and its possible mechanism .METHODS: Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was induced by AngⅡ ( 100 nmol/L) in primary neonatal cardiomyocytes and H 9c2 cells.The cells were treated with different concentration of querce-tin (10 μmol/L, 20 μmol/L and 40 μmol/L) for 48 h and then the cardiomyocyte surface areas were measured by immu-nofluorescence .Proteasome activity was detected by fluorescent peptide substrate .The phosphorylated levels of GSK-3α/βand Akt in H9c2 cells were determined by Western blot .RESULTS:Compared with control group , the cardiomyocyte sur-face areas were both increased in primary cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes and H 9c2 cells, while the surface areas were significantly decreased by quercetin , especially at concentration of 20 μmol/L compared with Ang Ⅱgroup (P<0.05). Compared with control group , the chymotrypsin-like, trypsin-like and caspase-like activities of proteasome were all in-creased in H9c2 cells (P<0.05).The trypsin-like and caspase-like activities of proteasome were inhibited by 20 μmol/L and 40 μmol/L quercetin , while chymotrypsin-like activity was inhibited only at 20 μmol/L of quercetin compared with AngⅡgroup (P<0.05).In addition, phosphorylated levels of GSK-3α-Ser21, GSK-3β-Ser9 and Akt-Ser473 in AngⅡgroup were all increased compared with control group , which were obviously inhibited by in 20 μmol/L and 40 μmol/L quercetin ( P<0.05 ) .CONCLUSION: Quercetin decreases cardiomyocyte hypertrophy through proteasome inhibition , which may be related to the inhibition of Akt and therefore increasing activation of GSK -3α/βin H9c2 cells.

AIM To examine whether pretreatment with simvastatin protects the heart against free radical injury. METHODS 1 1 diphenyl 2 picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) was used for triggering free radical injury in cardiac tissue. Simvastatin against free radical injury was investigated in a Langendorff fused rat heart. Left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), maximal velocity of increase of LVP (+d p /d t max ), heart rate (HR) coronary flow (CF) and malondialdehyde (MDA) formation in cardiac tissue were measured. RESULT In the DPPH free radical group, DPPH signficantly decreased LVDP, +d p /d t max , HR was slowed and CF was reduced. The formation of MDA was significantly enhanced. ( P

Objective To study the relationship between glycemic control and platelet parameters in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients. Methods Ninety patients newly diagnosed as type 2 diabetes and 90 healthy people were enrolled into the study. Their blood pressure, platelet parameters, including blood platelets count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), fasting blood glucose (FPG),HbA1c ,triglyceride ( TG ), total cholesterol ( TC ), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C ), low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) were examined and the data were analyzed. Results The level of FBG, TG, TC,MPV and PDW of patients newly diagnosed as type 2 diabetic were significantly higher than those of healthy people (t =6. 405,2. 069,2. 633,2. 178,2. 103 ;P =0. 001,0. 046,0. 010,0. 031 and 0. 043 respectively); The level of FBG, HbA1c, TC, TG, MPV and PDW in the diabetic patients, with their HbA1 c ＞ 7%, were significantly higher than the patients with HbA1c ≤ 7 % ( t = 5.691,2.013,2. 345,3. 467,4. 016,2. 893, P = 0. 001, 0. 038,0. 029,0. 013, 0. 004, 0. 026 ). There were positive correlations between MPV and HbA1c ( r = 0. 389 P =0. 020), MPV and PDW ( r = 0. 324 P = 0. 01 ) in diabetic patients, but no correlation between MPV and FBG,MPV and Systolic BP or MPV and Diastolic BP (Ps ＞ 0. 05 ). The level of FBG, HbA1c, TG, MPV and PDW decreased significantly in the diabetic patients with HbA1c ＞ 7% after treatment (t = 5. 591,2. 301,2. 410,2.204,2.105; P=0.001,0.031,0.023,0.035,0.041, respectively).Conclusion The platelet activity enhanced in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients, platelet activity can be recovered through glycemic control,which may prevent the role of platelet in diabetes complications in these patients.

Objective To evaluate the response of the lung tumor xenografts in nude mice to antiangiogenic treatment from perspectives of anatomic,vessel function,cellular and molecular level using the multimodality imaging techniques including optical imaging,dynamic contrast enhanced MRI(DCE-MRI)and diffusion weighted imaging(DWI).Methods The green fluorescent protein(GFP)was transplanted labeled using GFP-expressing NCI-H460 cells.After the transfection of GFP,NCI-H460 cells were implanted subcutaneously into nude mice.Ten days after implantion,12 nude mice whose tumor xenografts grew to 0.5-1.0 cm in the maximum diameter were randomly divided into 2 groups,and injected with phosphate-buffered saline and recombinant human endostatin respectively.Then the nude mice in the two groups underwent optical imaging,DCE-MRI and DWI.The volumes,photon counts,the quantitative MR vessel functional parameters including volume transfer constant(Ktrans),rate constant(Kep),volume of extravascular extracellular space(Ve)and maximum area under the enhancement curve(iAUC),and apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)values of the tumors were recorded.Then tumors were collected and observed using the transmission electron microscopy and pathology examination,including HE staining,microvessel density(MVD)and the expressions of vascular endothelial cell growth factor(VEGF).The Kep and VEGF expressions in experimental group and control group were compared with x2 text,and other values were compared with t test.The Pearson and Spearman test were used for analyzing the correlation of values in the two groups.Results Seven days after inoculation,the fluorescence signals were detected and grew with the growth of the tumors.On the 7 day after starting therapy,the photon counts of experimental group and control group were(2.51 ± 2.43)× 1010(photon/sec)and(5.77 ± 3.25)× 1010(photon/sec),respectively with no significant differences(t =1.964,P ＞0.05).Two sample t test showed that the tumor volumes in experimental group were smaller than those in control group[(365 ± 56)vs(987 ± 265)mm3,t =0.001,P ＜ 0.01].There was a positive correlation(r =0.673,P ＜ 0.05)between the photon counts and the volumes of the tumors.The mean Ktrans,Kep,Ve and iAUC of experimental group were:(0.055 ±0.012)min-1,0.335(0.184—0.894)min-1,0.297 ± 0.041 and 7.334 ± 3.930,and those for control group were:(0.117 ± 0.027)rin-1,0.417(0.324-1.736)min-1,0.326:±:0.062 and 13.280 ± 4.245.There were significant differences of Krans and iAUC(t =5.155,2.518,P ＜ 0.05)between experimental group and control group.And there was a positive correlation(r =0.715,P ＜ 0.0 1)between the values of iAUC and MVD,but not the expressions of VEGF(r =0.484,P ＞ 0.05).The values of ADC in experimental group were higher than that in control group[(791 ± 38)× 10-6 vs(737 ± 43)×10-6 mm2/s],and there were significant differences(t =-2.299,P ＜ 0.05).Two sample t test showed that the MVD in experimental group were lower than that in control group[(11.9 ± 4.8)vs(19.2 ±4.3)item/hpf,t =2.774,P ＜ 0.05].The VEGF expressions in experimental group were lower than that in control group(x2 =4.000,P ＞ 0.05).It was observed that some cells in experimental group had degenerated and apoptotic signs by the electron microscopy.Conclusions Evaluating the response of lung tumor xenografts to antiangiogenic treatment at anatomical,vessel functional,cellular and molecular level using the multimedality imagings is applicable.And it will be in favour of evaluating the therapeutic effect promptly.