Neprilysin(NEP)is a type Ⅱ integral membrane glycoprotein of the M13 zinc metalloprotease family．As a neuropeptide degrading enzyme,NEP has been discovered to possess an increasing amount of organ-specific functions from central nervous system to peripheral tissues since it was fimfly identified in 1974．For example,NEP has been shown to have an anti-tumour effect by inhibition of cell migration and proliferation while induction of an programmed cell death dependent of both its enzymatic activity and direct protein-protein interactions with key molecules involved in signal transduction pathways:NEP Was also implicated to have neuropmtective effect by preventing the accumulation of the neurotoxic amyloid β-peptide (Aβ)in brain．Through investigating the progression of various human diseases,impaired NEP expression and activity were found to occur frequently．Based on these findings,modulation of NEP levels in pathological cells is considered to be therapeutically applicable as a strategy to recover normal cell functions and thereafter relieve symptoms of diseases．Great research effort is being contributed to the study of regulatory mechanisms involved in expression and activity of this enzyme,and a number of encouraging results have already been achieved．Besides androgens,well-recognised regulators of NEP transcription in prostate,the female hormone oestrogen,aqueous extract of willow herb,components of green tea and neuropeptides bombesin,somatostatin as well as the intracellular domain of amyloid precursor protein were all shown to have a stimulatory effect on NEP expression and／or its activity．

OBJECTIVETo explore the possible mechanism of curcumin in inducing the apoptosis of breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231.

METHODCurcumin of different concentrations at 0, 10 25, 50, 100, 150, 200 micromol x L(-1) were used to intervene breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 for 24 hours. MTT was used to observe its effect on the proliferation of breast cancer cells. The flow cytometry was used to detect its effect on the cell apoptosis. The real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot was used to assess the expression levels of GRP78 and CHOP in breast cancer cells.

RESULTCurcumin could inhibit the proliferative ability of breast cancer cells by inducing them in a concentration-dependent manner. Curcumin could significantly increase the expression levels of GRP78 and CHOP in breast cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONCurcumin could induce the apoptosis of breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 by activating endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; drug effects ; Female ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Transcription Factor CHOP ; genetics ; metabolism

In order to quickly and accurately identify the onset and offset of the QRS complex in electrocardiogram (ECG) signal with different forms, a triple local transform method was employed in the present study to detect the suspected onset and offset points of QRS. The accurate onset and offset points of QRS complexes were selected according to the rules drawn by the trial process based on the characteristics of angle and amplitude constituted within these suspected points. The method makes full advantage of the angle and amplitude characteristics of the QRS complex, by which the results can be acquired with some simple arithmetic quickly, accurately and adaptively. The method was investigated with data from the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database and satisfactory results were obtained.
Algorithms ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; diagnosis ; Databases, Factual ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

Objective To investigate the direct effects of midazolam on vascular tension and the possible mechanism Methods Male Wistar rats weighing 200 250g were decapitated and the thoraco abdominal sect of aorta was removed and placed in modified Kreb's solution balanced with 95% O 2 and 5% CO 2 After removal of surrounding connective tissue and fat, the aorta was cut into rings 3 4mm in length The endothelium of some of the aorta rings were denuded Aorta rings were suspended in a 37℃ bath of Kreb's solution which was continuously balanced with 95% O 2 and 5% CO 2 One end of the ring was fixed and the other end was connected to a tension monitor through a tension transducer The intactness of endothelium was tested and confirmed by addition of phenylephrine(PE) first and then acetylcholine Aorta rings of each animal were divided into four groups: endothelium intact control group(Ⅰ); endothelium intact experiment group(Ⅱ);endothelium denuded control group(Ⅲ);and endothelium denuded experiment group(Ⅳ) The experiment was carried out in two parts: Part Ⅰ: the effect of midazolam (3?10 -6 ,10?10 -6 ,30?10 -6 ,100?10 -6 mol/L) on endothelium intact and denuded aorta rings which were precontracted with PE(10 -6 mol/L); part Ⅱ: before different concentrations of midazolam was added, the endothelium intact rings were pretreated with methylene blue(10 -5 mol/L) and the endothelium denuded rings were pretreated with verapamil(5?10 -6 mol/L) or teraethylammonium(TEA,5?10 -3 mol/L).Results The four concentrations of midazolam examined produced relaxation in both endothelium intact and denuded rings Relaxation of endothelium denuded rings was less than that of endothelium intact rings (P0 05) When pretreated with TEA, midazolam produced greater relaxation in endothelium denuded rings(P

Objective To evaluate the effects of percutanenous intrapulmonary injecti0n 0f IL-2 plus radiotherapy for lung cancer. Methods Twenty-two patients with inoperable non small cell lung cancer received percutanenous intrapulmonary injection of 100U ? 6 in 6 weeks; and radiation dose was 60 Gy/6wks. Results The total effective response rate (CR+PR) was 95. 4 % with the complete response rate (CR) of 40. 9 %. Couclusion Percutanenous intrapulmomary injection of IL-2 plus radiotherapy could improve the control rate of the patients with lung cancer.

0.01). Conclusion: Occlusal reduction might diminish the rate of postoperative pain following endodontic instrumentation.

Objective　To study the change of the serum lipoprotein(a)〔Lp(a)〕 and other lipid levels in the childhood simple obesity.Methods　The levels of serum Lp(a),cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-ch),low density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-ch),apoA-I and apoB were investigated in 42 simple obesity children and 30 control subjects.Results　The levels of serum Lp(a),TC,TG,HDL-ch，LDL-ch of obesity children were markedly higher than those of normal.Conclusion　Simple obesity children are at increased risk of the development of cardiovascular disease.

Visitation in ICU patients increases the risk of nosocomial infection, but it can meet the psychological needs of patients and their families and help patients with physical rehabilitation. The use of video visitation system, can realize not to enter the ICU unit can remote video visitation purposes, which can meet the needs of patients in ICU visitation, and can effectively reduce nosocomial infection. Video visitation system can be implemented by different ways. Through the researching and analyzing of the various video visiting ways, this article summarizes the advantages of each and the conditions of construction, and then points out that the hospital should choose the appropriate way based on the construction conditions of ICU, during its construction.

Objective To explore the relationship between the carotid artery atherosclerotic(CAA) plaque and its risk factors and cerebral infarction(CI).Methods 196 patients with CI(CI group) and 104 patients without CI(non-CI group) were examined by color Doppler ultrasonography on their carotid artery.The relationships were analysed between the CAA plaque with age,sex,accompany disease,smoking and alcohol drinking of all the pataints.Also,the distribution of different grade plaque was observed in each group.Results The incidences of CAA plaque were higher in patients with aged,accompainied hypertension,diabetes,abnormal blood-lipids and smoking(P

ObjectiveTo evaluate the significance of pirif orm aperture enlarge ment in transsphnoid approach microsurgery for pituitary macroadenomas.MethodsTranssphnoidal approach microsurgery through enlarged pyrifor m aperture was ca rried out in 96 patients with pituitary macroadenoma from March 1997 to October 2000.ResultsAmong the 96 patients, 65 (67 7%) underwent tot al removal of the tumor, 25 (26 0%) underwent subtotal removal (80%～90%), and 6 (6 3%) partial removal (