AIM: Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, such as simvastatin, have been shown to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular morbidity and mortality by mechanisms unrelated to its lipid-lowering effect. Several studies have shown that simvastatin induces apoptosis in a varieties of cell lines including vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). The aim of this study was to investigate the signal pathways involved in apoptosis induced by simvastatin. METHODS: Cultured VSMC were treated with simvastatin. Calpain activity was determined by measuring Ca 2+ ionophore-specific calpain substrate (suc-LLVY-AMC), caspase-3 activation was detected by Western blot, and apoptotic changes were distinguished by annexin Ⅴ binding and DNA laddering. RESULTS: After incubated with 30 ?mol/L simvastatin for 8 h, calpain activity had a marked increase ( P

Objective To study the expression of forkhead box Q1(FOXQ1)in non‐small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) ,then investi‐gate clinical pathological characteristics of NSCLC and its prognosis in patients .Methods The expression of FOXQ1 in 84 cases of NSCLC(selected from June 2007 to December 2008 )was detected by immunohistochemistry(SP) .The correlations of the expres‐sion of FOXQ1 with clinic pathological features and survival time of the NSCLC patients were analyzed .Results The positive ex‐pression rate of FOXQ1 was 91 .7% (77/84) ,closely correlated with patients`histological type and TNM stage(P<0 .05) .The Cox multivariate analysis demonstrated that histological type ,TNM stage and FOXQ1expression were independent factors of NSCLC (P<0 .05) .Conclusion The expression of FOXQ1 may be highly expressed in NSCLC and negatively correlated with prognosis .

Objective:To study the characteristic of hearing loss in essential hypertension. Method:Sixty-eight cases (136 ears) of patients with essential hypertension were divided into two groups, i. e. group A, patients without retinal alteriosclerosis (35cases, 70 ears ) and group B, patients with retinal alterioselerosis (33cases, 66 ears ). The control group consisted of 30 cases (60 ears) of the same sex and same age. AH people were measured by pure tone audiometry and distortion product otoacoustic emissions. Result:The pure tone thresholds measured in group B hypertensive patients were significantly higher than in the normal controls (P<0. 05) , whereas pure tone thresholds in group A were not different from those in the control group(P>0. 05). From 1000 to 8 000 Hz , DPOAE amplitudes of hypertensive group A and group B were lower than that in control group(P<0. 01). Only on the frequency points of 4 000 Hz , the detection rate of DPOAE in group B was lower than that in control group (P<0. 05). Conclusion: Hypertension is a risk factor of degeneration of the hearing apparatus. The hearing function of hypertensive patients has probability to be impaired, although they do not feel hearing loss.

Heart Failure ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Phonocardiography ; methods

Objective To investigated the role of the autophagy lysosomal pathway in PD cells and the possible molecular mechanisms. Methods A dopaminergic neuronal injury model was induced by 6-OHDA in PC12 cells . Autophagosomes in PC12 cells were examined by transmission electronmicro-scopy( TEM ). The expression of LC3- Ⅱ , Cathepsin B were assayed by western blot analysis. Results TEM revealed that the autophagosomes were increased in PC12 cells after 6-OHDA treatment and appeared apoptosis. The LC3-Ⅱ (2h:52.57 ±2.27,4h:56.83 ±3.51,6h:73.43 ±5.41,12h:103.90 ±2.57,24h: 100.40 ±3.91 )and Cathepsin B expression ( model group: 113.80 ± 4.46; normal group 35.89 ± 3.40) were increased after 6-OH DA treatments (P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜ 0.01 ). Conclusion The results indicate that autophagy lysosome pathway is involved in 6-OHDA-induced cell death in PC12 cells.

OBJECTIVE:To determinate the release rate and in vitro transdermal rate of asarinin in Cancer pain cataplasm. METHODS:Using homemade devices and modified France diffusion,isolated skin of rats as barrier,normal saline as solvent,the content of asarinin was determined by HPLC. Release rate of Cancer pain cataplasm within 20,50,80 and 120 min and transder-mal amount within 2,4,8,12,24 h were investigated,and accumulative release rate and accumulative transdermal rate were cal-culated. RESULTS:Accumulative release rate by 120 min of asarinin in Cancer pain cataplasm was 73.01%;24 h in vitro transder-mal rate was 26.01%,and transdermal kinetics equation of asarinin was Q=5.717 7t1/2-0.385 4(r=0.979). CONCLUSIONS:Cancer pain cataplasm has good release and transdermal performance. Its transdermal kinetics is in line with Higuchi equation.

Objective To investigate the expressions of c-Fos,5-HT and spontaneous activities in single prolonged stress (SPS) stress rats,and to study the possible mechanism of posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD).Methods forty-eight male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups:Individual living + SPS group (IS group),Individual living+control group (IC group),Enriched environment+SPS group (ES group),Enriched environment+control group (EC group),control+SPS group(CS group),control group(C group),8 rats in each group,spontaneous activities were measured before the experiment and post experiment at week 1,2.And the expressions of c-Fos,5-HT in the hippocampus were examined by immunohistochemical staining.Results (1) Spontaneous activity:there were no differences of crossing number and distance among 6 groups before experiment (P＞0.05).On SPS 14 days the crossing number and distance of IS group (12.12±9.64,(2.71 ± 1.99)m) decreased compared with the CS group(45.25±8.37,(6.37± 1.18) m,P＜0.05),and ES group (69.75± 10.05,(10.69± 1.50) m)showed significant increase compared with CS group (P＜0.05).(2)5-HT:the expression of 5-HT in the hippocampus of IS group(0.1125±0.0095) was significantly higher than that in CS group(0.6138±0.0059,P＜0.05),menwhile lower in ES group(0.0495±0.0074,P＜0.05).(3)c-Fos:compared with CS group(0.3108±0.0074),the expression of c-Fos in the hippocampus of IS group(0.3585±0.0150,P＜0.05) significantly increased,but decreased in ES group (0.2613±0.0063,P＜ 0.05).Conclusion Enriched environmental can improve the level of activities in PTSD rats,and to reduce the the expression of c-Fos and 5-HT in the hippocampal neurons.

Objective:To investigate the protective effect of Yiqi Huazhi recipe Quqian granules on rat renal tubular cell apoptosis induced by lead poisoning. Methods:Totally 60 Wistar rats were divided into 2 groups, 12 in the control group and the others in the model group. Chronic lead poisoning model was made by drinking 0. 02% lead acetate water for 60 days. Then the lead poisoning rats were randomly divided into four groups, high-dose Quqian granules group (3. 0 g·kg-1·d-1), low-dose Quqian granules group (0. 6 g·kg-1 ·d-1 ) , positive control group ( calcium disodium edentate plus procaine, im, 50 mg·kg-1 ·d-1 ) and model group. Seven treatment courses were carried out in the first three groups with every 4-d as one course and 4-d withdrawal period between every two courses. After 60 days, the change of lead in blood and kidney was observed by atomic absorption spectrometry,the apoptosis of kidney tissues was studied by TUNEL, the expression of Bcl-2 protein was detected by immunohistochemical methods and the expression of p53 was studied by Western Blotting. Results:Compared with the control group, the body weight, hemoglobin and the expression of Bcl-2 in the model group were decreased significantly(P<0.01)those in, and Pb in blood(0.990 ±0.443)μg·ml-1, Pb in kidney(51.33 ± 5. 16)μg·ml-1 , the apoptosis of tubular epithelial cell(4. 148 ± 0. 414) and the expression of p53 protein (1. 868 ± 0. 139) were significantly higher (P<0. 05). Compared with the those in model group, the body weight, hemoglobin and Bcl-2 in high-dose group were increased significantly(P<0.01), and the blood lead level (0.082 ±0.015)μg·ml-1, the kidney lead level (6.38 ±0.97)μg ·ml-1 , the apoptosis of tubular epithelial cell(1. 412 ± 0. 109) and p53 protein expression(1. 164 ± 0. 172) were significantly lower (P<0. 05). Conclusion:Lead may induce high expression of p53,low expression of Bcl-2 and promote the apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells. It is proven that Yiqi Huazhi recipe Quqian granules can inhibit the expression increase of p53 and the expression de-crease of Bcl-2 resulting in the reduction of the renal tubular apoptosis to allivate the renal injury caused by lead.

Aim To investigate TY501′s role in bleo-mycin ( BLM )-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats. Methods Forty rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, including the sham operation, BLM, PFD, TY501(high and low dose) groups. After administra-tion of BLM intratracheally, PFD and TY501 were giv-en in each group daily, according to the dosage de-signed during 21 days. Lung coefficient, PaO2 were tested before killing the rats. The contents of ALB, ALP, LDH, GSH, HYP were detected by regent kit respectively. PCⅢ and COL4 were determined by ELISA. Results ( 1 ) Some indicators of alveolitis in early stage of IPF: the contents of lung coefficient in three treatment groups were lower and PaO2 was higher than those in BLM group ( P<0. 05 ); compared with BLM group, the contents of ALB, ALP, LDH in the treatment groups reduced on 21 st day ( P<0. 05 );the expression of GSH in BLM group was increased for feedback regulation and higher than the treatment groups and the sham operation group (P<0. 05);(2) some indicators of pulmonary interstitial fibrosis in late stage of IPF:the expressions of HYP, PCⅢand COL4 were reduced after the treatment. There were signifi-cant differences compared with BLM group ( P <0. 05 ) . Conclusions TY501 is valuable for the ther-apy of IPF, the same as the positive drug pirfenidone. TY501 attenuates BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis, which may be related to the affection of TGF-βpathway and inhibition of MMPs.

Objective To determine the median effective dose ( ED50 ) of 0?5% ropivacaine for ul?trasound?guided adductor canal saphenous nerve block. Methods Twenty?three patients of both sexes, aged 18-45 yr, weighing 50-85 kg, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical statusⅠ or Ⅱ, scheduled for elective arthroscopic meniscectomy, received an ultrasound?guided adductor canal saphenous nerve block. After successful location, 0?5% ropivacaine was injected. The sensory block of the area in?nervated by the saphenous nerve was assessed by pin?prick test. The dose of ropivacaine was determined by up?and?down technique. The initial dose of ropivacaine was set at 18 ml. Each time the dose increased∕de?creased in the next patient according to whether or not the sensory block of the area innervated by the saphe?nous nerve was complete, and the ratio between the two successive doses was 1 ∶ 1?2. The ED50 and 95%confidence interval of 0?5% ropivacaine for adductor canal saphenous nerve block were calculated by probit analysis. Results The ED50 (95% confidence interval) of 0?5% ropivacaine for ultrasound?guided adduc?tor canal saphenous nerve block was 10?7 ( 8?8-12?2) ml. Conclusion The ED50 of 0?5% ropivacaine for ultrasound?guided adductor canal saphenous nerve block is 10?7 ml.