Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH)is a common clinical syndrome.The over-proliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs)is a hallmark of pulmonary vascular remodeling which is a critical and fundamental pathogenesis in the development of a variety of pulmonary artery hypertension.Here,we review the advances in studies on signaling transduction pathways mediating the proliferation of PASMCs and also introduce the existing approaches in inhibiting their proliferation and relevant research advances.

BACKGROUND:Measurement of cardiac troponin plays an important role in diagnosis of myocardial infarction.OBJECTIVE:To label the rabbit cardiac troponin C(cTnC) by a fluorescent probe 5-iodoaccetamidofluorescein(5-IAF),and to observe whether the 5-IAF can be used to study the interaction between cTnC and other contractile regulatory proteins.DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING:A randomized control experiment was performed at Department of Human Anatomy,Guangzhou Medical College,from January 2002 to December 2005.MATERIAL:Adult rabbits were provided by Experimental Animal Center of Guangzhou Medical College.METHODS:The rabbit cTnC DNA fragment was prepared with RT-PCR method.This gene fragment was cloned to pET expression vector by gene recombination technology.The site-directed mutagenesis were used to produce a mutant containing single cysteine at position 84 by replacing Cys35 with Ser,cTnC(C35S).The cTnC(C35S) was labeled by 5-IAF and 2-(4'-(iodoacetamido) anilino) naphthalene-6sulfonic acid(IAANS),Respectively.And then,the fluorescence emission(steady-state and time-resolved) was performed.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:The fluorescence properties of 5-IAF-labeled cTnC(C35S) and IAANS-labeled cTnC(C35S).RESULTS:The excitation of apo-cTnC(C35S)IAF was performed at 491 nm,and the emission peak was at 520 nm.Saturation of cTnC(C35S)IAF with Mg led to a 35% decrease in fluorescence intensity.Another 35% decrease with a 3 nm-blue shift was seen as the protein was saturated with Ca.The two-phase transitions of fluorescence emission from IAANS-labeled cTnC in response to Mg and Ca did not appear in fluorescence emission of 5-IAF-labeled cTnC.However,the Ca-induced conformational change in cTnC remained unchanged no matter which probe was used.Ca titration experiments showed that binding parameters derived from the fluorescence emission of the two probes were comparable.CONCLUSION:5-IAF is an appropriate probe that can be used to study the interaction between cardiac troponin C and other contractile regulatory proteins.

Objective To observe the effects of fluoride of different dose on the proliferation of the cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC). Methods The cells were treated with NaF at different doses. Cell counting, MTT colorimetry, flow cytometry (FCM) and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the endothelial cells activities. Results Compared with the fluoride free control, the positive rate of PCNA and Ki-67 were higher as NaF concentration was at 120-240 ?mol/L and were highest at 240 ?mol/L, the same was seen in the values of A and PI, as NaF concentration was at 600-960 ?mol/L,these indexes decreased. Conclusion In vitro, the low concentration of fluoride can promote the proliferative activity of HUVEC, whereas the high concentration can inhibit it.

Objective To study the effects of iodine on the proliferation activity of fibroblasts at different doses. Methods The cultured fibroblasts were treated with different dose iodine(100 ?g/L, 500 ?g/L, 1 000 ?g/L, 3 000 ?g/L, 5 000 ?g/L, 7 000 ?g/L, 9 000 ?g/L, 11 000 ?g/L)for 24 h and observe the morphology of fibroblast. MTT colorimetry was used to detect the fibroblast proliferation activity. Results Iodine could significantly increase the fibroblast proliferation activity at certain range of concentration (7 000 ?g/L). The proliferation activity was highest from 5 000 ?g/L to 7 000 ?g/L, the differences were significant compared with the iodine free control. Conclusion Iodine, the exposure level is 7 000 ?g/L.

Pressure sores result from many risk factors, which influence each other. In this paper, various aspects of the development of pressure sores in recent years were summarized, consisted of the main risk factors, pathogenesis, treatment and care methods. To control pressure sores should focus on prevention, and reflect the integrity and the target population.

Objective To evaluate the effects of exercise therapy in children with congenital heart disease. Methods To search databases such as PubMed, Medline, Science Direct, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang, VIP, China Biology Medicine for all the randomized controlled trials. After evaluating the quality of each article, the software of RevMan 5.3 were used to analyze. Results A total of 10 randomized controlled trials were included. Compared with the routine nursing, meta-analysis showed that exercise therapy can improve the peak oxygen uptake(MD=4.82,95%CI 2.25-7.39, P=0.0002) and the postoperative compliance (RR=2.84, 95%CI 1.75-4.63, P<0.01), shorten the postoperative hospital time(MD=- 4.41,95% CI - 6.15-- 2.68, P <0.01). Conclusions Exercise therapy can improve the pulmonary function and quality of life on children with congenital heart disease, shorten the postoperative hospital time, increasing the postoperative compliance. However, there were few research on present, so we need a large sample randomized controlled trials of long time to confirm the effects of exercise therapy.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects on post-stroke depression treated with acupuncture at the acu points based on ziwuliuzhu (the midnight-noon ebb-flow theory).

METHODSNinety-three patients were randomized into a comprehensive group, a ziwuliuzhu group and a prozac group, 31 cases in each group. In the ziwuliuzhu group, acupuncture was applied to the acupoints based on ziwuliuzhu, once a day, 5 times in a week. In the prozac group, fluoxertine hydrochloride (prozac) was prescribed for oral administration, once a day, 20 mg each time. In the comprehensive group, acupuncture based on ziwuliuzhu combined with the oral administration of prozac were adopted and the treatment frequency was the same as the ziwuliuzhu group and the prozac group. The 4-week treatment was taken as one session in the three groups and 6 sessions were required totally. The clinical efficacy and the Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD) score and the adverse reaction were compared among the 3 groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 96.8% (30/31) in the comprehensive group, better than 83.9% (26/31) in the ziwuliuzhu group and 80. 6% (25/31) in the prozac group (both P<0.05). In 4, 12 and 24 weeks of treatment, HAMD score was lower significantly than that before the treatment in the three groups (all P<0.05), and the score in the comprehensive group at each time point after treatment was lower than the other two groups (all P<0.05). In 4 and 12 weeks of treatment, there were not different significantly between the ziwuliuzhu group and the prozac group (both P>0.05). In 24 weeks of treatment, HAMD score in the ziwuliuzhu group was lower than that in the prozac group (P<0.05). For the adverse reaction, there were 2 cases in the comprehensive group, 6 cases in the prozac group and 0 case in the ziwzuliuzhu group.

CONCLUSIONThe comprehensive therapy of acupuncture at the acupoints based on ziwuliuzhu and oral administration of prozac is superior to either the simple oral administration of prozac or the ziwuliuzhu acu-puncture in terms of clinical efficacy and the improvements in depressive state. Regarding the clinical efficacy, the impact of simple ziwuliuzhu acupuncture is not different significantly as compared with the simple oral administration of prozac, but it is better than the simple oral administration of prozac in terms of the long-term HAMD score and safety.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Depression ; etiology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke ; complications ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To examine the effect of labor analgesia with ropivacaine on maternal serum prolactin, time of first eolostrum production and the rate of abundant lactation. Methods A total of 124 women of vaginal delivery were randomly divided into labor analgesia group (n = 75 ) and control group (n =49). Labor analgesia group received ropivacaine by patient-controlled epidural analgesia. Three ml ropivacaine (0.125% ) was injected through an epidural catheter and another 12 ml ropivacaine was injected 5 min later if there were no total spinal anesthesia. The block level of analgesia was controlled to be below T10 level. Then 5 ml (0.104 mg/min) ropivacaine per hour was continuously pumped till full dilation of ostium of the uterus. The control group consisted of women of normal spontaneous delivery with no pain relieving measure. The prolactin levels of antepartum, postpartum 0 h, 2 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h were determined by microparticle chemoluminescence. Starting time of lactation, the feeding times in 24 hours,the rate of abundant lactation, and neonatal weight 24 hours after delivery were recorded. Results ( 1 ) The serum prolactin of both groups increased instantly after delivery, reached a peak 2 hours after delivery and kept high levels 24 hours after delivery. (2)The prolactin levels of labor analgesia group [(19. 5±8.4)nmol/L and ( 14. 5 ± 5.6 ) nmol/L] were lower than those of control group [( 22.6±7. 2 ) nmol/L and ( 16. 9 ± 5.7 ) nmol/L] 2 and 24 hours after delivery ( P < 0. 05 ). ( 3 ) In labor analgesia group the starting time of lactation was within 24 hours after delivery in 73 cases (97%), lactation amount was abundant within 48 hours in 55 cases (73%) and newborn weight reduction in the first day after delivery was(57 ±42)g. In control group the starting time of lactation was within 24 hours after delivery in 45 cases (92%),lactation amount was abundant within 48 hours in 28 cases (57%) and newborn weight reduction in the first day after delivery was( 62±40)g. There were no differences between the two groups in the starting time of lactation, the rate of abundant lactation, and newborn weight reduction ( P > 0. 05 ). Conclusions ( 1 )Epidural anesthesia with ropivacaine might affect the secretion of prolactin, while the starting time and amount of lactation may be affected by other factors. (2) Prolactin increases after delivery, reaches a peak 2 hours after delivery and maintains high levels 2.4 hours after delivery, which contented necessary for lactation.

Objective To analyze Vitamin D nutritional status of children and their height growth relationship in Wanzhou dis-trict of Chongqing .Methods Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay method was used to detect serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25 (OH) D]concentrations in 2 727 Children from Wanzhou district of Chongqing ,analyzing the correlation of Vitamin D and children age ,gender ,height ,parental height and other factors .Results There was significant difference in serum level of 25(OH) D among different age groups(P<0 .01) ,there was significant difference between boys and girls among the same age groups of 5 months ,6 months ,4 years old ,5 years old .Children′s height consistented with the national average 4 -6 years ago in Wanzhou District ,but Since then ,gradually felled behind .After adjustment for age ,sex ,parental height ,measured seasonal and other factors ,serum 25 (OH) D concentration was positively correlated with height (r=0 .462 5 ,P<0 .01) .Conclusion 25(OH)D levels were closely re-lated with the development of children′s height .Thus ,children generally poor 25(OH)D nutritional status in Wanzhou district should arouse the attention of parents and clinicians .