Aim To investigate the effect of angioten-sin 1-7 (Ang 1-7 )on the cardiac hypertrophy and my-ocardial fibrosis in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive rats and its possible mecha-nism.Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to establish DOCA-salt hypertensive model,which un-derwent uninephrectomy surgery and were subcutane-ously injected with a DOCA,and replaced drinking water with 1% saline solution for 4 weeks.DOCA-salt animals were implanted with osmotic minipumps, which delivered Ang 1-7 chronically for 4 weeks (200 ng ·kg-1 ·min-1 ).Arterial blood pressure,left ven-tricular function in rats,the area of myocardial cells in HE stained specimens,and the area of myocardial fi-brosis Sirius red staining specimens were measured. Real time PCR was used to detect the expression of at-rial natriuretic factor (ANF ) and β-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC)mRNA in heart,and TGF-β1 protein expression was observed by Western blot in myocardial tissue.Results In the first week,DOCA salt rat had a significant increase in arterial blood pressure,and reached a peak in the fourth week;while the left ven-tricular end-systolic pressure (LVESP),left ventricu-lar end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP ) and ventricular contraction the maximum rate of pressure rise (+dp/dt)had also undergone significant changes in DOCA salt rats. After chronic infusion of Ang 1-7 for 4 weeks,the arterial pressure,LVESP and LVEDP were significantly reduced and +dp/dt were increased sig-nificantly in DOCA salt rats (P<0.05 ,n=7 ).Ang 1-7 significantly reduced the cardiac index and myocar-dial cell area,as well as the up-regulated expression of ANF and β-MHC mRNA in DOCA salt rats (P <0.05 ,n =7 ).Meanwhile,Ang 1-7 also significantly decreased the perivascular fibrosis and interstitial fibro-sis area, and significantly inhibited the increase of TGF-β1 expression in DOCA salt rats (P<0.05 ,n=7 ).Conclusion These results indicate that Ang 1-7 has a cardioprotective effects through reducing arterial pressure and improving cardiac fibrosis and hypertro-phy in the DOCA-salt model of hypertension.

The clonal proliferations of multiple myeloma cells consist of several signaling pathways.It has been shown that cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway,an important intra-cellular messenger delivery system,is related to abnormal proliferation and apoptosis of malignant lymphoid cells including myeloma cells.Manipulating the cAMP signaling pathway could induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of various malignant lymphoid cells including myeloma cells,which involve mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis and cAMP-modulated changes of intra-cellular mediators.In-depth researches and analysis of cAMP-induced apoptosis in myeloma cells would provide potential targets and possible therapeutic means in the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Objective:To investigate the value of magnetic resonance imaging, CT and X ray radiography on preoperative diagnosis of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture and post-operation follow up of percutaneous kyphoplasty.Methods: A retrospectively analysis was adopted for 41 patients of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture, who were detected by X ray, MRI examination and CT analyze, respectively. And the values of 3 methods for preoperative diagnosis of osteoporotic vertebral fractures and X-ray in postoperative follow-up were analyzed. Results: For preoperative diagnosis of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, the accuracy rate of MRI, X-ray and CT were 100%(41/41), 65.85%(27/41) and 92.85%(13/14), respectively. Both of the accuracy rates of MRI and CT were higher than X-ray, and the differences were statistical significant (x2=16.882,x2=3.837;P<0.05); the difference of accuracy rate between MRI and CT was not significant (x2=2.983,P>0.05). After the third day of post-operative and during last follow up, anterior vertebral height and middle vertebral height were significantly higher than before operation (F=17.094,F=15.526,P<0.05); and the Cobb angle and the VAS score of lumbar back pain were lower than before operation, the difference was statistical significant (F=41.085,F=107.338;P<0.05).Conclusion: For preoperative diagnosis of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, the accuracy rate of MRI is the highest and X-ray is lowest. X-ray can be used to evaluate surgery effect during postoperative follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Most cases of early-onset familial Alzheimer disease (AD) are associated with presenilin-1 mutation, which mainly occurs in the 5th and 8th exons. Except for the onset age and family history, sporadic AD is basically the same as early-onset familial AD regarding clinical manifestations and pathological characteristics. Is its pathogenesis also related to the mutation of presenilin-1 gene?OBJECTIVE: To probe into the relationship between sporadic AD and presenilin-1 mutation.DESIGN: Case control analysis based on clinical diagnosis.SETTING: Neurology Department of the First Hospital Affiliated to Sun Yat-sen University.PARTICIPANTS: Outpatients who came to the Memory Obstacle Clinic of the First Hospital Affiliated to Sun Yat-sen University between April 1998 and June 2000 but without familial history of AD were selected and divided into 3 groups: [1] AD group: There were 68 cases confirmed as probable having AD according to the clinical diagnostic standard of NINCDS-ADRDA. [2] Vascular dimentia (VaD) group: There were 25 cases confirmed as probable having vascular dimentia according to the clinical diagnostic standard of NINCDS-ADRDA. [3] Normal control group: There were 20 healthy elders (spouses of some patients in the above two groups)without dimentia.METHODS: The conventional phenol extraction method was used to withdraw DNA from peripheral blood, and polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism analysis (PCR-SCCP) was applied to detect the mutation of the 5th and 8th exons in presenilin-1 gene.RESULTS: All the 5th and 8th exons in presenilin-1 gene were proved to be composed of two single strands and a double strand by PCR-SCCP analysis.No abnormal electrophoresis was found, suggesting no that mutation occurred.CONCLUSION: Sporadic AD differs from familial AD in pathogenicity;mutation does not occur or seldom occurs in the 5th and 8th exons in presenilin-1 gene, thereby cannot be considered as an important causive factor for sporadic AD.

Background and purpose:Despite the high remission rate in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) after the standard regimen, but often relapsed and resistant. It has been shown that modulation of cAMP can induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a variety of tumor cells, which has become an interesting approach to cancer therapy. This study aimed to investigate possible effects of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) analogue 8-(4-chlorophenylthio) adenosine 3’, 5’-cyclic monophosphate (8-CPT-cAMP) on multiple myeloma cells, provide direction to develop new drugs for the treatment of MM. Methods:The myeloma cell line U266 cells were treated with 8-CPT-cAMP of different concentrations. The proliferation of U266 cells was evaluated through cell counting kit (CCK-8) assay, lfow cytometry was used to analyze the changes of cell were distribution, apoptosis rate as well as mitochondrial transmem-brane potential (ΔΨm) in U266 cells before and after the treatment. Meanwhile, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot assay were used to detect expression levels of apoptosis regulators including caspase-8, caspase-9, Bcl-2 and Bax genes in U266 cells before and after the treatment. Results:The U266 cells were treated 5 days with 8-CPT-cAMP of different concentration, it was shown that 8-CPT-cAMP could signiifcantly inhibit cell growth of U266 cells in a concentration and time dependent manner, the IC50 of 8-CPT-cAMP was reduced obvious prolonged reaction time, and reached to 58.52μmol/L in the iffth day. The cell cycle of U266 cells was stopped in G0/G1 stage as the progress of concentration. It was showed statistical signiifcant difference associated with the cellular proliferation inhibition rate and apoptosis rate in different concentration and control (P<0.05). Meanwhile, 8-CPT-cAMP could induce mitochondrial transmembrane potential collapse in U266 cells. Compared with control groups, the levels of Bcl-2 mRNA transcripts and protein in U266 cells were reduced in 8-CPT-cAMP treated groups (P<0.05), while the levels of caspase-9, Bax mRNA transcription and the expression of Bax protein were increased in treatment groups, but the caspase-8 mRNA had no statistical signiifcant difference with controls. Conclusion:8-CPT-cAMP can inhibit the proliferation and promote apoptosis of myeloma cells, which might be mediated by caspase via mitochondrial pathway.

Objective:To sum up the characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid and brain CT findings of viral encephalitis in children, and provide guidance for clinical diagnosis and treatment of viral encephalitis.Methods: 117 cases of viral encephalitis were selected in our hospital and the results were analyzed by statistical analysis of cerebrospinal fluid and CT in children with viral encephalitis in order to compare the results of cerebrospinal fluid examination and CT examination.Results:Cerebrospinal fluid examination showed that the increased intracranial pressure were 52.14%(61/117), protein>0.5 g/L are 36.75%(43/117), elevated white blood cell levels were 57.26%(67/117), the neutrophils increased 33.33% (39/117), lymphocytes increased 31.62%(37/117), and the sugar concentration <3.3 mol/L are 14.53% (17/117). Head CT in the diagnosis of abnormalities in children were 98 cases, in which 21 were mild abnormal, 57 were moderately abnormal and 20 cases were severe abnormalities. Abnormal cerebrospinal fluid diagnosis rate of 94.02% was significantly higher than the rate of CT abnormalities 83.76% and the difference was statistically significant (x2=6.231,P<0.05).Conclusion: The abnormal rates of CT examination in the diagnosis of viral encephalitis were higher in patients with viral encephalitis. The combination of the two examinations could be more comprehensive than that of the patients with the disease and focus. It could be benefit for clinical treatment.

Objective: Observing the effect of injecting 5- Fu into the mass of breast hyper-plasia. Methods: We randomly divide the 80 mastopathy patients into two groups ,40 patients ac-cepted the 5- Fu local injection (experiment group),and 40 patients taken orally rubixiaopian and ta-moxifen(control group). The clinical effects of the breast pain and breast lump were observed. Re-sults: The total effect of 5- Fu local injection into the lump of the mastopathy patients was 92.5 % , while control group was 75.0% , its difference was significant(P0.05)in the treatment of mastopathy lump. Conclusion: 5- Fu local injection had obvious effects to breast pain and breast lump of mastopathy.

BACKGROUND: Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) has been widely used as medical implants and drug vehicle. Due to various factors involved in the degradation process, it is rather difficult to simulate the mass loss properties of PLGA.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mass loss properties of PLGA films, and observe the correlation between the stimulation and the factual measurement.DESIGN: Repeated measuring experiment. SETTING: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Dalian University of Technology.MATERIALS: PLGA 50:50, 70:30 and 75:25 with weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 63 000, 115 000 and 400 000 were purchased from Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical Polymer Materials, and 1,4-dioxane (analytically pure) was purchased from Tianjin No.1 Chemical Reagent Factory and used as solvent.METHODS: The experiments were carried out in the School of Materials Science and Engineering of Dalian University of Technology from April to July in 2006.①PLGA were dissolved in 1, 4-dioxane according to the mass ratio of 50:50, 70:30 and 75:25, and the solution were cast into 10 mm×10 mm×1 mm polymer films.②PLGA films were immersed in Hank's simulated body fluid (Ph 7.4) at 37 ℃, and then taken out every week (every 5 days for PLGA 50:50). The samples were washed and dried to measure the changes of number and Mw using gel permeation chromatography. Degradation velocity was also worked out. Meanwhile the mass loss properties of PLGA films were measured using electronic balance. Furthermore, an improved Monte Carlo method was applied to carry out the correlation analysis with experiment data. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ①degradation rates of PLGA with different ratios of lactic acid and glycolic acid.②the correlation coefficient between simulation results and experiment data.RESULTS: ①The degradation rates for PLGA at 50:50, 70:30 and 75:25 were 0.058 5, 0.016 6 and 0.010 1 /d (based on Mn), or 0.061 0, 0.017 5 and 0.008 5 /d (based on Mw), respectively.②Correlation coefficients between simulation results and experiment data for PLGA 50:50, 70:30 and 75:25 were 0.973 6, 0.987 4 and 0.990 3 correspondingly. CONCLUSION:The numerical simulation results for the mass loss properties of PLGA fit the experiment data well.

Aim To observe the effect of high salt stress on sympathetic nerve activity and brain Apelin and APJ system in pressure overload rats.Methods The suprarenal abdominal aorta was banded in male SD rats to create the pressure overload model.Four weeks later,the rats were fed a high-salt (8%NaCl)diet or a regular-salt (0.3% NaCl)diet for 1 week,and the hemodynamic changes of the rats were recorded.Sym-pathetic activity was evaluated by measuring 24 h uri-nary norepinephrine (NE)by ELISA.Real-time RCR and Western blot method were used to analyze the Ape-lin and APJ expression in the paraventricular nucleus of rats.In another protocol,ML22 1 or benzamil was intracerebroventricularly infused in the aorta banding rats fed with high-salt,and levels of 24 h urinary NE and cardiac index were recorded.In addition,normal SD rats were intracerebroventricularly infused with Na+-rich aCSF for 1 week,and the changes of blood pressure,24 h urine-NE and APJ expression levels were detected.Results In the pressure overload rats fed with high salt diet for 1 week,the mean arterial blood pressure (MAP),heart rate (HR),left ventric-ular end systolic pressure (LVESP),24 h urinary NE and APJ mRNA protein expression in paraventricular nuclear were significantly increased compared with those in control groups (P<0.05 ).However,the he-modynamics,24 h urinary NE and APJ expression showed no significant change in the sham rats fed a high salt diet.In addition,ICV infusion of APJ recep-tor antagonist ML221 or the ENaC antagonist benzamil significantly inhibited the 24 h urinary NE level and HW/BW ratio in the pressure overload rats fed high salt diet (P <0.01 ).Intracerebroventricular infusion of high Na+aCSF for 1 week in normotensive rats also significantly increased the MAP,HR,urinary-NE lev-els and brain APJ expression (P <0.0 1 ).Conclu-sions High salt increases the sympathetic nerve activ-ity in rats with pressure overload model, which is closely related to the brain APJ receptor expression and Na+sensitivity.Brain APJ receptor may be an impor-tant target in the development of salt sensitivity.

Objective To investigate the expressions of apoptosis associated protein 3 (APR3) and nuclear factor 3 of activated T-cell (NFAT3) in the tissue of epithelial ovarian tumors and its correlation with the clinicopathological features.Methods 92 patients with epithelial ovarian tumor were collected,23 cases with malignant tumor,24 cases with borderline tumor,45 cases with benign tumor.The expressions of APR3 and NFAT3 were detected by immunohistochemical methods,and the differences of different types of epithelial ovarian tumor were compared.The correlation of the expressions of APR3 and NFAT3 with the clinicopathological features of epithelial ovarian tumor was analyzed.The correlation of the expressions of APR3 with the expressions of NFAT3 in epithelial ovarian tumor was analyzed.Results The positive expression rate of APR3 in patients with malignant epithelial ovarian tumors (78.26％) was significantly higher than borderline tumors (41.67 ％) and benign tumors (22.22 ％),the differences were statistically significant (x2 =5.864,7.632,all P ＜ 0.05).The expression of APR3 in patients with malignant epithelial ovarian tumors was significantly correlated with differentiation,clinical stage,lymph node and abdominal organs metastasis and ascites (x2 =7.425,7.262,8.421,5.031,all P ＜ 0.05).The positive expression rate of NFAT3 in patients with malignant epithelial ovarian tumors (56.52％) was significantly higher than borderline tumors (29.17％) and benign tumors(17.78％),the differences were statistically significant (x2 =6.829,7.547,all P ＜0.05).The expression of NFAT3 in patients with malignant epithelial ovarian tumors was significantly correlated with differentiation,clinical stage,lymph node and abdominal organs metastasis (x2 =5.253,6.367,8.021,all P ＜ 0.05).The expressions of APR3 and NFAT3 in patients with malignant epithelial ovarian tumors were positively correlated (r =0.032,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The expressions of APR3 and NFAT3 in the tissue of malignant epithelial ovarian tumor obviously increase,are significantly correlated with differentiation,clinical stage,lymph node and abdominal organs metastasis and are positively correlated,and it may be correlated with the development and progression of malignant epithelial ovarian tumor.