Dual effects of ouabain on the regulation of proliferation and apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells: involvement of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase α-subunits and NF-κB.

Purpose: To elucidate the effect of ouabain on the regulation of proliferation and apoptosis of HUVECs and involvement of different Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase α-subunits and NF-κB.

Methods: HUVECs were isolated by collagenase perfusion, and MTT assays and cell cycle analysis were performed to study proliferation. NF-κB expression and function were examined by immunohistochemical staining and western blotting.

Effect of ouabain on myocardial remodeling in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ouabain (EO) on myocardial remodeling. Twenty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: the rats in the EO group (n=12) were intraperitoneally injected with EO daily and those in the control group (n=10) were injected with physiological saline daily. After 8 weeks the rats were sacrificed.

Using virtual reality environment to improve joint attention associated with pervasive developmental disorder.

The focus of this study is using data glove to practice Joint attention skill in virtual reality environment for people with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). The virtual reality environment provides a safe environment for PDD people. Especially, when they made errors during practice in virtual reality environment, there is no suffering or dangerous consequences to deal with.

Ouabain at pathological concentrations might induce damage in human vascular endothelial cells.

Aim: To examine the time- and dose-dependent effects of ouabain on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in vivo, and the changes in aortic endothelium and the different expression levels of Kv4.2 in vitro.

Methods: The proliferation of HUVEC and cell death were determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, the incorporation of [3H]TdR, trypan blue staining, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release.

Effects of shenmai injection on blood SOD activity and MDA level in senile patients with coronary heart disease.

In order to approach the effects of Shenmai Injection on SOD activity and MDA level in the senile patients with coronary heart disease, 48 cases, who had stenosis of over 70% in more than one branches of the coronary arteries, were assigned randomly into a treatment group (given Shenmai Injection plus the routine treatment) and a control group (given the routine treatment only). The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were determined before treatment and at the end of a 3-week treatment. The results showed that in the treatment group, the SOD activity was significantly increased (P<0.