0.05 ).Linear correlation analysis indicated that the stroke volume determined by 2D-PW integral method and single-plane Simpson method correlated well with that determined by three-dimensional color Doppler echocardiography ( r = 0.72 , 0.82 ,respectively, P

Objective To investigate whether the Toxoplasma gondii can inhibit proliferation of human leukemia K562 cells and/or induce apoptosis of the cells in vitro. Methods K562 cells (5?104/ml) were harvested at mid-ex-ponential phase and planted in 96 well plates with 100 ?l each and in 50 ml culture bottles, 1.5 ml each. The cells were treated for 48 hours with different concentration of Toxoplasma tachyzoites. Growth inhibition rate was measured with MTT method. Apoptosis was detected through following ways: fluorescence microscopy with Hoechst 33 258 staining was used for observing the change of cell morphology, agarose electrophoresis was used to detect the DNA changes and FCM was used to observe sub-diploid. Results Toxoplasma can inhibit proliferation of K562 cells. K562 cells treated with Toxoplasma presented an inhibition rate of 17%, 28%, 48%, 50% and 55% under the tachyzoite concentration of 1?104, 2?104, 4?104, 8?104 and 16?104/ml respectively, with a significant difference to the control (t=3.606, 5.918, P

Objective To compare the performance of Mandarin screening version of hearing handicap inven-tory in elderly (HHIE-S)and the single question of hearing loss in the hearing screening in the old adults.Methods A total of 570 participants,aged from 50~85 years,of native Mandarin speakers were tested with standard pure tone audiometry (PTA),HHIE-S and single questionAre you now having difficulty in hearing?.HHIE-S>8 was taken as an indicator of hearing handicap.Sensitivity,specificity,negative predictive values and positive predic-tive values of both HHIE-S and single question inquiry when 0.5~4 kHz PTA average > 25 dB,>40 dB and >60 dB were compared.Results The prevalence was 83.9% (478)measured by PTA.The prevalence was 55.3%and 52.5% for HHIE-S and positive answer for single question,respectively.The sensitivity of HHIE-S when the participants grouped with 0.5~4 kHz PTA average > 25 dB,>40 dB and > 60 dB was 61%,85% and 96%, respectively,whereas the sensitivity of single question of the above 3 conditions was 58%,81% and 100%,respec-tively.The specificity of HHIE-S decreased with greater hearing loss.It was 72%,88% and 47% respectively for HHIE-S and 75%,61% and 50% for the single question.There was no significant difference either for sensitivity and specificity between the HHIE-S and the single question.Conclusion Both the Mandarin version of HHIE-S and single question are effective in the hearing screening of old adults.Depending on the purpose and availability of resources,one or both of them can be adopted.

Objective To study efficacy and safety of cilazapril in treating patients with essential hypertension.Method 115 patients with hypertension were divided randomly into two groups:59 were treated with cilazapril and 56 were treated with enalopril.All the patients were washed out for one week,then took 2.5 mg cilazapril or 10 mg enalapril once a day in each group respectively for 8 weeks.If blood pressure was not reduced 2 weeks later,hydrochlorothiazide was added. Result The effective rate of cilazapril and enalapril was 89.8% and 91.1% respectively.The SBP and DBP reduced from 153±15 mmHg and 104±9 mmHg to 131±11 mmHg and 91±8 mmHg respectively in cilazapril group,and from 155±12 mmHg and 102±10 mmHg to 139±14 mmHg and 90±9 mmHg respectively in enalapril group.There were no significant differences in two groups. No side effects were observed in two groups. Conclusion Cilazapril is an effective and safe agent in treatment of mild and moderate essential hypertesion.

AIM: To elucidate the relationship between the intracellular calcium concentration changes and left ventricular hypertrophy and function in the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). METHODS: Intracellular free calcium concentrations were measured by Fura 2 methodology and left ventricular function quantitated by cardiac catheterization in 20 SHR aged 10, 22, and 34 weeks and 20 age-matched Wistar-kyoto (WKY) rats. RESULTS: (1) The systolic blood pressure(SBP), intracellular calcium concentrations and left ventricular mass / body weight index ( LVM/BW) were significantly higher in all three age groups of SHR than the corresponding groups of WKY; (2) Compared with age-matched WKY groups, the peak left ventricular pressure descending rate(-d p /d t max ) decreased while left ventricular relaxation time constant (?)increased significantly in SHR aged 22 and 34 weeks. The peak left ventricular pressure ascending rate(d p /d t max ) and the left ventricular contractility index were significantly increased only in the 34 weeks SHR; (3) Intracellular calcium concentrations showed a positive correlation with LVM/BW,SBP,-d p /d t max and ?( r =0 47-0 83, P