Aim To investigate the role of [Ca 2+] i form different origins in the course of myocardial hypertrophy mediated by calcineurin (CaN)- nuclear activated T cell factor(NFAT 3) signal transduction.Methods The primarily cultured crdio myocyte were irritated with angiotensin(Ang) Ⅱ and ryanodine(RY) which Cause Ca 2+ inflow and release respectively. Then to observe the changes of (CaN)-NFAT 3 path way were then observed. Western blotting was employed to se mi-quantify CaN, NFAT 3 and zinic finger transcription factor(GATA 4). 3H-Leu incorporation was used as an index of myocyte hypertrophy. Cyclosporin A (CsA) was applied to restrain CaN-NFAT 3 pathway as a kind of CaN-selective antagonist.Results CaN, NFA T 3, GATA 4 expression significantly increased 1 and 3 days after the stimulation of cardiomyocytes with Ang Ⅱ and RY(10 -7 mol?L -1) as compared with that of a control group (P

Ecological charactcristics and biological specific feature of Helleborus thibetanus Fran ch. were briefly described and cultivation technique to transform the wild plant into itscultivated variety was studied to provide a basis for the protection and expliotation ofthe wild resource of H. thibetanus.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation in intervening constipation during chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.Method Ninety breast cancer patients undergone chemotherapy were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 45 cases in each group. The control group was intervened by conventional nursing care, while the treatment group was additionally intervened by transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation. The clinical efficacies were compared between the two groups.Result The total effective rate was 93.3% in the treatment group versus 73.3% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01).Conclusion Transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation can effectively inhibit the incidence of constipation during chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

Objective To investigate the pollution status of heating-ventilating-air conditioning(HVAC) systems in Shenyang public place. Methods The dust samples were collected and examined from the HVAC system in twelve hotels and ten shopping malls in Shenyang in March-June, 2004. Results Among HVAC systems in Shenyang public buildings, 71.51% of them were moderately polluted and 27.37% were seriously polluted. The rate of serious pollution of hotels was higher than that of shopping malls, the volume of dust in the air pipes in hotels was lager, but the amount of bacteria and fungi was less than that of shopping malls. Conclusion The HVAC systems of Shenyang public buildings have been seriously polluted.

To rapidly identify the compound Yiganling tablets from different manufacturers by near-infrared fibre-opti-cal spectroscopy and detect the content of silymarin. Methods:The ninety-three batches of compound Yiganling tablets from six manu-facturers were used as the analysis objects. Clustering analysis model of compound Yiganling tablets was established. The spectra were pretreated with the second derivative and vector normalization;the number of smoothing point was thirteen; the wavelength range was 9 000-4 100 cm-1;the distance between the spectra was Euclidean distance, the distance between the spectra and the class was the sum of square of the variance(Ward’s method). The quantitative model was established using the same samples. The spectra were pretreated with the first Derivative and vector normalization;the number of smoothing point was seventeen;the wavelength ranges were 9 100-7 300 cm-1 and 7 100-4 100 cm-1;the regression method was partial least squares ( PLS) algorithm. Results:The clustering model could identify the samples of training set, and validate the thirty spectra of test set accurately. For the quantitative model of the content of silymarin, the root mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV) was 0. 082 8 and the determination coefficient R2 was 97. 98%. The root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) was 0. 044 1 and the correlation coefficient R2 was 98. 95%. Conclu-sion:The clustering analysis and the quantitative model are rapid and simple, accurate and reliable, and can be applied in fast drug a-nalysis.

Object To gain a clear idea on the resources of medicinal plants of Cynanchum L (Asclepiadaceae) in Gansu Province Methods Field investigation, specimen collection, taxonomic study and literature retrieval were carried out Results The distribution, ecological environment and medicinal parts of 18 species and 1 variety of 6 sections, including 17 medicinal plants, 2 Gansu newly recorded species have been clarified Conclusion The investigation may prove to be useful for the utility and further study of Cynanchum L in Gansu Province

Objective To investigate the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)system and hypertrophy related genes in myocardial remodeling mechanism of patients with congestive heart failure(CHF).Methods Thirty-nine patients of mitral valve disease with CHF were randomly selected and 30 cases of healthy persons were included as controls.Cardiac function parameters were measured by echocardiography.Concentration of AngⅡ in plasma and myocardial tissues were determined by radio immunoassay.Immunoprecipitation was used to assay the protein expression and phosphorylation of c-jun NH2-terminal kinase(JNK),extracellular signal regulated kinase(ERK),P 38- mitogen-activated protein kinase(P 38-MAPK)in myocardial tissues;protein expression of c-myc,c-myb,c-jun was also determined by immunoprecipitation.Results Compared to the control group,the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was obvious in heart function class Ⅱ group(P0.05);phosphorylation of JNK was obvious in CHF groups(P0.05);there was no expression in control group.Conclusion MAPK activated by renin angiotensin system may play an important role by causing the protein expression of c-myc,c-myb,c-jun in myocardial remodeling in patients with CHF.

AIM: To investigate the effect of intracellular calcium free calcium ([Ca~(2+)]i) on zinic finger transcription factor (GATA_4) and fetal heart gene in cardiomyocytes. METHODS: Cardiomyocytes from fetal rat were cultured primarily. Angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ) and ryanodine (RY) were used to stimulate transmembrane calcium inflow and intracellular calcium release. Fura-2/AM ratio imagine analysis was applied to detect intracellular Ca~(2+) signal. Western blotting were used to measure calcineurin (CaN), nuclear activated T cell factor (NFAT_3), GATA_4 and ?-actin. RT-PCR was applied for observing ?-myosin heavy chain (?-MHC). RESULTS: AngⅡ and RY promoted intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca~(2+)]i) in cardiomyocytes (P

AIM: To explore the effects of levcromakalim(Lev) on pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (PAEC) and smooth muscle cells (PASMC) exposed to hypoxia and the mechanisms involved. METHODS: The effects of Lev on i, and expression of PKC ?, eNOS, iNOS and PDGF-B mRNA and protein levels were observed. The nitrite (NO- 2) and entothelin-1(ET-1) concentrations in supernatant in cultured PAEC and PASMC were measured. The proliferation and apoptosis of PASMC was also detected. RESULTS: When PASMC were exposed to hypoxia, Lev reduced concentration of ET-1 in cultured cell supernatant, lowed the expression of PKC ?, iNOS and PDGF-B both at mRNA and protein levels, decreased i concentration, increased proliferation and promoted the apoptosis in PASMC. However, in the presence of Lev, the i concentration was not changed in the hypoxic PAEC. The NO- 2 concentration in cultured cell supernant and expression of eNOS at mRNA and protein levels in hypoxic PASMC and PAEC were also unchanged. The downregulated ET-1 activity in PASMC and PAEC and proliferation in PASMC involved in the inhibition of PKC ? signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Lev reduce some disadvatage effect of hypoxia on PASMC and PAEC. The mechanism of Lev action may partly involve in the downregulation of PKC ? signaling functions.

AIM: To elucidate whether the mechanism that L-arginine can relieve hypoxia pulmonary hypertension involves inhibition of the activity of protein kinase C(PKC). METHODS: Twenty-one male Wistar rats were randomly divided into NS control, hypoxia and L-arginine(500 mg?kg -1 ?d -1 , ip) treatment groups. After two-weeks treatment, mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), mean systematic artery pressure (mSAP) and the ratio of the weight of right ventricle to that of left ventricle plus septum were measured, then two pulmonary arterial rings were isolated to be exposed to PDBu(a specific activator of PKC ) and observed: (1) The maximal response (P 1) to 500 nmol/L PDBu, the time required to achieve a half-maximal response to 500 nmol/L PDBu (t 1/2 ), the time during which the maximal response to 500 nmol/L PDBu maintained (T) and the isometric responses at different times (2, 4, 8, 12, 20, 40, 60, 80 min). The isometric response was represented as the percentage of the maximal response (P 0) of the same arterial ring to 5?mol/L phenylephrine hydrochloride (P 0%). (2) Dose-response curve in response to PDBu (10-11 000 nmol/L) and the dose producing a half-maximal response in the curve (EC 50 ). RESULTS: mPAP, RV/(LV+S), P 1, T and the isometric responses at 2, 4, 8, 20 min of NS control and L-arginine treatment groups were lower than those of hypoxic group respectively (P