To explore the association between alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and degenerative cardiac valvular calcification, the activity of ALP and the grades 0～Ⅳ degenerative calcified valves were determined by biochemical and immunocytochemical methods. ALP positive substance was present in the matrix around the foci of calcification and in the cytoplasm of fibroblasts. The bioactivity of ALP was much higher in grades Ⅰ and Ⅱ calcified valves than that in grades 0 and Ⅲ～Ⅳ calcified valves. The results indicate that the level of ALP bioactivity is predominantly dependent on the process of extruding matrix vesicles from senescent cells in the valves.

To investigate the cardioprotective effect of percutaneous transluminal myocardial laser revascularization (PTMR) and its mechanism, in the ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) model of in vivo porcine heart, the effect of PTMR on myocardial infarct size (IS) was observed using TTC method,and expression of heat shock protein (HSP) 70 and 86 in myocardium was detected with Western blotting. It was found that PTMR significantly limited the myocardial IS induced by I/R (32%?3% vs 56%?7% in control group, P

To evaluate the influence of known coronary artery disease(CAD)on perioperative cardiac events in elderly patients undergoing noncardiac surgery,3028 consecutive patients who underwent major noncardiac procedures, with or without a history of CAD, were analyzed in terms of types and nature of surgery, clinical history and perioperative cardiac complications. Among the patients CAD, there were more urologic operations, and clinical history of internal diseases compared with the patients without CAD. Patients with CAD had an increased odds ratio for myocardial ischemia and arrhythmia (OR, 20 3 [95% CI, 6 5 to 65 7] and OR, 7 4 [CI, 4 4 to 12 3]) during operation, and also for postoperative myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction, cardiogenic pulmonary edema and arrhythmia (OR, 8 3 [95% CI, 4 7 to 14 7], OR, 3 9 [95% CI, 1 2 to 12 2], OR, 7 9 [95% CI, 3 8 to 16 6] and OR, 1 7 [CI, 1 3 to 2 4]) compared with patients without CAD. The results indicated that elderly patients with CAD who underwent noncardiac surgery were more frequently associated with clinical history of internal diseases, and had a higher rate of major perioperative cardiac complications.

Objective To investigate the effects of FGF 2 on the intercellular communication in the cardiac myocytes. Methods The primary neonatal ventricular myocytes of rats were cultured with FGF 2 (0,1,10,100 and 1000ng/ml) for 1 or 4 days. Then the mean fluorescence recovery rate (MFRR, %/min) of these myocytes labeled with carboxyfluocein diacetate after photo bleaching was examined with laser scanning cytopmetry (ACAS Ultima). Results The MFRR levels of the myocytes cultured with FGF 2 (10 and 100ng/ml) groups for 1 day were significantly decreased compared with the control group, while no statistic changes were found among the other groups (FGF 2, 1 and 1000ng/ml) and the control. After FGF 2 exertion on the myocytes for 4 days, the increased cell number, enlarged cellular body and decreased MFRR level were found in the myocytes cultured with FGF 2 (10 and 100ng/ml) groups. And the decreased cell number, disarranged and shrunk cells and significantly increased MFRR level were gotten in the group (FGF 2 1000ng/ml) compared with the control group. Conclusion These results suggested the FGF 2 may have both short and long term effects on the cell cell communication in the cardiac myocytes mediated by gap junction, and be necessary to the cardiac myocyte coordination during the cell growth, differentiation and perhaps apoptosis.

AIM: This experiment is to investigate the effects of LPS on the organization and localization of VE-cadherin and F-actin in cultured human umbilical endothelial cells.METHODS: The human umbilical vein endothelial cell lines ECV-304 were incubated with LPS at different concentrations for 30 min. VE-cadherin was detected by immunofluorescence with primary mAb of VE-cadherin and FITC-conjugated secondary antibody. F-actin was detected with fluorescence staining with rodamine-phalloidin. RESULTS: At high concentration, LPS could induce reorganization of VE-cadherin with the formation of serrata cellular border and enlargement of intercellular gaps, which were apparently different from that in normal conditions with the high fluorescence intensity at cell-cell junction. F-actin depolymerization could also be induced by LPS at high concentration with the formation of stress fiber and filopodia. CONCLUSION: LPS(300 ?g/L) could induce reorganization of VE-cadherin and F-actin in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

AIM:To investigate whether renal function damage could be induced by acute lung injury(ALI)in aging rats. METHODS: 40 Wistar male rats were used for reproducing aging animal model. Aging rats were randomly divided into aging control; ALI group (Lipopolysaccharide, LPS, 5 mg/kg body weight, iv) and LPS group (same dosage LPS, intraventricle of left heart injection). The samples (blood, lung and kidney ) were collected at 2 or 6 hours after LPS or normal saline administration. RESULTS:Compared with aging control, in ALI group, creatinine (Cr) and urea nitrogen (BUN) contents in blood were increased significantly (all P