To investigate the significance of cardiac damage in the patients with polymyositis (PM)/dermatomyositis (DM)，45 cases of PM/DM in our hospital from 1992 to 1998 were retrospectively analyzed in the aspects of the clinical data，muscle zymogram，X-ray plain films，electrocardiograph，ultrasonic cardiogram. It was found that cardiac damage (51.1 %) occurred in 23 out of 45 cases of PM/DM. Pericardium，cardiac muscle，endocardium and coronary artery were involved. Clinical manifestations were various. Among the cases of cardiac damage，3 died of heart failure. It was indicated that cardiac damage is the most common complication and also one of the common death causes of PM/DM.

Primary Sj?gren′s syndrome ( pSS) is a kind of chronic autoimmune disease affecting many organs of the body. The pathogenesis of pSS is still debated. Epstein-Barr virus(EBV), also called human herpesvirus-4, belongs to the herpesviridae family. Researchers have found that EBV is associated with pSS. With the deepening of researches, more evidences and opinions about the participation of EBV in the pathogenesis of pSS have emerged. EBV can cause the development of pSS in multiple ways. In this re-view, we summarize the roles of EBV in the pathogenesis of pSS.

0.05). The PCNA and Ki-67 expression of blood stasis syndrome is more evident than of Qi stagnation (P

Objective To study the perioperative nursing care of minimally invasive operation in the neurosurgical treatment of laterial flexure spasmodic torticollis (LaFST).Methods Minimally invasive operation was used to treat LaFST.The relationship of inducing factors and emotional factors with clinical manifestation of LaFST was investigated.To give perioperative psychological nursing,operation nursing and rehabilitation training and instruction.Results 72 cases were recovered (81.8％) among 88 cases.12 cases(13.6％) were markedly effective.4 cases(4.6％) showed progress.Conclusions The minimally invasive surgical treatrnent of selective resection of cervical spasmodic muscles and selective neurotomy of cervical nerve for LaFST is safe and effective.Strengthening of perioperative nursing and postoperative rehabilitation instruction is very important for patients' early recovery.

[Objective] To study the relationship between syndrome patterns of traditional Chinese medicine and bcl- 2 oncogene, p53 suppression gene mRNA expressions in precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PIGC). [Methods] Forty PLGC cases were endoscopically and pathologically confinned, including 24 cases of moderate dysplasia of gastric mucosa, 9 cases of severe dysplasia, 7 cases of incomplete colonic intestinal metaplasia. Of the 40 cases, 10 were complicated with Qi stagnation, 12 with stomach-heat, and 18 with blood stasis, mRNA expression of bcl- 2 oncogene and p53 suppression gene were detected in situ by molecular hybridization method. [Results] The mRNA overexpression of bcl- 2 oncogene and p53 suppression gene were found in PLGC, and the expression was gradually increased with the progress of lesions. In the complicated cases, the mRNA expression of bcl- 2 oncogene and p53 suppression gene were the least in the cases with Qi stagnation and less in the cases with stomach- heat than in the cases with blood stasis. [Conclusion] Abnormal mRNA expression of bcl- 2 oncogene and p53 suppression gene were found in PLGC cases and related with different complicated cases, indicating the specificity of different syndrome patterns.

To explore the expression and clinical significance of molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and plasma level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), HSP90 was detected in PBMC by Western blot assay and the plasma level of IL-6 was measured by ELISA in 38 SLE patients and 20 normal controls. The correlation analysis was performed between the SLE disease activity index (SLE-DAI) and the expression of HSP90 and IL-6. The results showed that there was increased expression of HSP90 in the SLE patients. The active SLE group exhibited higher HSP90 levels (0.82+/-0.10) than the inactive SLE group (0.54+/-0.09) (P<0.01). The expression of HSP90 in normal control group (0.37+/-0.11) showed significant statistical difference as compared to both the inactive and active SLE groups (P<0.01, P<0.01, respectively). The plasma level of IL-6 exhibited a significant increase in both the inactive and active SLE groups (28.99+/-1.74 pg/mL, 44.58+/-9.15 pg/mL, respectively) compared with normal control group (P<0.01, P<0.01, respectively). The expression of HSP90 and IL-6 in SLE patients showed significant positive correlation with SLEDAI scoring (r=0.80, P<0.01: r= 0.74, P<0.01, respectively). In addition, there was a positive correlation between the level of IL-6 and HSP90 in SLE patients (r=0.86, P<0.01). The increased expression of molecular chaperone HSP90 and IL-6 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of SLE by regulating autoimmunity.

Splenogastric hygropyrexia syndrome, a common syndome in clinical practice, responds well to the therapy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In view of the complexity of TCM syndrome formation, proceeding from different aspects such as Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, expression of inflammatory factors, mucosal protection and change in micro-ecosystem, the authors proposed that Hp infection in gastric mucosa, nuclear factor-kappa B activation, over-expression of heat shock protein 70, and "excessive evil, dyssplenism and confliction between healthy energy and evils" due to disequilibrium between Hp and lactobacillus acidophilus in gastric mucosa and coated tongue may be the important links in the formation of Hp related gastrosis with splenogastric hygropyrexia syndrome.

AIM:To investigate rat Urotensin-II(ra t U-II)-induced vasoconstriction of rat main pulmonary arteries and the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK). METHODS: The main pulmon ary artery was dissected from the male Sprague -Dawley rats and artery ring width was 3-4 mm. Concentration-response curves wer e gene rated to rat U-II(0 03 nmol/L-30 nmol/L).Inhibitor of MAPK,PD 98059(0 1 ?mol/ L -10 ?mol/L) were added into the medium after rat U-II(30 nmol/L)induced vasoc onstriction had reached plateau to construct the relaxant concentration-respons e curves and their EC 50 and E max . RESULTS: Rat U-II was a potent vasoconstrictor of isolated rat main pulmonary arteries [EC 50 =7 95?0 4 0, E max =(14 28?6 34)% of the response to 60 mmol/L KCl]; PD 98059 caused c oncentration-dependent relaxations of rat U-II precontracted arteries [EC 50 =5 91?0 45, E max =(81 39?13 65)%]. CONCLUSION: Rat U- II was a potent vasoconstrictor of rat main pulmonary arteries and this response was med iated through MAPK.

The relationship between glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) M1, T1 genotype and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was investigated. GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes in genomic DNA from 67 children with ALL and 146 healthy controls were analyzed by using the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The frequencies of GSTM1, M1-T1 null genotypes in ALL children were significantly higher than in the healthy controls (76.12% versus 52.74%, OR=2.856, P<0.001; 50.74% versus 24.66%, OR=3.148, P<0.001, respectively). However, there was no significant relationship between GSTT1 null genotype and ALL of children (61.19% versus 49.32%, OR=1.621, P>0.05). It was suggested that GSTM1 null genotype might be a risk genotype of childhood ALL, while there as no correlation between GSTT1 null genotype and childhood ALL.
Genotype ; Glutathione Transferase/*genetics ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Acute/*genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic/*genetics

In order to investigate the levels of stem cell factor (SCF) and its receptor c-kit protein and mRNA in pediatric aplastic anemia (AA) and their relevance to the pathogenesis, immunocytochemical and in situ hybridization were utilized to detect the expression of SCF and its receptor c-kit gene protein and mRNA, respectively in 59 children with AA and 51 normal controls. The relationship between SCF and c-kit and the pathogenesis of AA was analyzed subsequently. The results showed that the positive rate of SCF protein and mRNA expression in children with AA was significantly lower than that in healthy controls (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the positive rate of c-kit protein and mRNA expression between children with AA and control group (P > 0.05). It was concluded that the expression of SCF is significantly decreased in children with AA, which may be closely associated with the pathogenesis of the AA. c-kit may be unrelated to the development of pediatric AA. Therefore, AA in children may have abnormalities at SCF/c-kit signal transduction levels.
Anemia, Aplastic/etiology ; Anemia, Aplastic/*metabolism ; RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis ; RNA, Messenger/genetics ; Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor/*biosynthesis ; Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor/genetics ; Stem Cell Factor/*biosynthesis ; Stem Cell Factor/genetics