AIM　To study the effects of superoxide anion (O.2) on Ca2+ homeostasi and contractility in cultured bovine aortic smooth muscle cell. METHODS　Using Fura-2 fluorescence technique to determine Ca2+ level and collagen gel contraction system to analyze muscle contractility. RESULTS　ATP (10 μmol*L-1 )-induced Ca2+ transient was smaller in xanthine oxidase treated cells(X/XO) than control. The mean peak increment of ［Ca2+］i(△［Ca2+］i peak) and the time integral of the elevated ［Ca2+］i(∫△［Ca2+］i dt) for 5 min were decreased from (206.1±10.2) to (147.4±14.7) nmol·L-1,and from (12.2±0.5) to (9.8±0.8) μmol·L-1·s-1. Δ［Ca2+］i peak induced by thapsigargin（1 μmol·L-1 ）in Ca2+-free solution was not affected by X/XO, but was decreased from (27.3±1.0) nmol·L-1 to (13.5±1.0) nmol·L-1 in Ca2+-containing solution because of the activation of CRAC(△［Ca2+］i CRAC). X/XO accelerated the velocity of thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ leak from (78.7±3.4) s to (64.8±4.40) s. Gel contraction area in X/XO-treated cells induced by ATP or thapsigargin (in Ca2+ free solution and in Krebs solution)was decreased from 23.6%±4.6% to 7.4%±0.2%, from 3.5%±0.6% to -1.0%±0.5%, and from 7.9%±1.4% to -0.5%±0.7%, respectively. CONCLUTION　O.2 attenuats smooth muscle contraction by impairing some of Ca2+ mobilization pathways.

AIM To study the effects of superox- ide anion (O ) on Ca2+ homeostasi and contractility in cultured bovine aortic smooth muscle cell. METHODS Using Fura-2 fluorescence technique to determine Ca2+ level and collagen gel contraction system to analyze muscle contractility. RESULTS ATP (10 ?mol? L-1 )-induced Ca2+ transient was smaller in xanthine oxidase treated cells(X/XO) than control. The mean peak increment of [Ca2+ ]i (△[Ca2+ ], peak) and the time integral of the elevated [Ca2+ ], (∫ △[Ca2+ ]i dt) for 5 min were decreased from (206. 1 ? 10.2) to (147.4 ? 14.7) nmol? L-1, and from (12.2 ?0.5) to (9.8 ? 0.8) ?mol?L-1 .s-1. △ [Ca2+ ], peak induced by thapsigargin(1 ?mol. L- 1 ) in Ca2+ -free solution was not affected by X/XO, but was decreased from (27. 3 ? 1 .0) nmol? L－l to (13 .5 ? 1 .0 ) nmol? L- １ in Ca2+ -containing solution be cause of the activation of CRAC(△［Ｃa2+ ], CRAC). X/XO accelerated the velocity of thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ leak from (78.7 ? 3.4) s to (64.8 ? 4.40) s. Gel contraction area in X/XO-treated cells induced by ATP or thapsigargin (in Ca2+ free solution and in Krebs solution) was decreased from 23.6% ? 4.6% to 7.4% ?0.2%, from 3.5% ?0.6% to － l.0% ? 0.5%, and from 7.9% ? l.4% to － 0.5% ? 0.7%, respectively. CONCLUTION O2- attenuats smooth muscle contraction by impairing some of Ca2+ mobilization pathways.

We investigated annual changes with respect to the period taken from the onset of illness to the prescription of lower extremity orthoses in hemiplegic patients after stroke, retrospectively from 1992 to 2007, in an acute phase hospital. We subdivided the initial period into three parts : the period of time from onset to the beginning of rehabilitation (T1), from the beginning of rehabilitation to the beginning of rehabilitation in the training room (T2), and from the beginning of rehabilitation in the training room to prescription (T3). Analysis was made with respect to the relationship between each of the aforementioned periods and the prescription time. Furthermore, we also analyzed the relationship between the length of stay of patients who had been prescribed orthoses, and the prescription time. The prescription time was found to have gradually shortened over time ; moreover, the period in question shortened in a rapid way in 2001, as compared with previous years (p <0.05). T3 showed the highest correlation coefficient (r =0.99), and the length of stay also exhibited a high correlation coefficient (r =0.97). We assume that the annual changes in prescription time might have been due to various underlying factors, namely, social factors, such as a shortening of the length of stay, caused by the differentiation of roles among hospitals, as well as medical factors such as the development of acute phase rehabilitation, or changes in perception of the ways in which orthoses may be used for stroke patients by rehabilitation staff.