Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate stimulated Cl- secretion in mouse trachea.

Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) is a derivate of tanshinone IIA, a lipophilic compound in Salvia miltiorrhiza. This study aimed to investigate the effect of STS on ion transport in mouse tracheal epithelium and the mechanisms underlying it. Short-circuit current (Isc) was measured to evaluate the effect of STS on transepithelial ion transport.

Brain natriuretic peptide for prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy after percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary angiography.

Background: Many methods reportedly prevent contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), but the effect of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) on CIN is unknown. In this study we investigated recombinant BNP use before coronary angiography (CA) or nonemergent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with unstable angina.

Methods: One thousand patients with unstable angina were prospectively evaluated.

[The experiment research on solution refractive index sensor based on tilted fiber Bragg grating].

The present paper analyzes the sensor's basic principle of the bare tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) and surface plasmon resonance sensor (SPR) that deposited nanoscale gold-coating on the surface of the cladding. We simulated the transmission spectrums and some order cladding mode of TFBG in different concentration solutions by Integration and optical fiber grating software OptiGrating. So by the graphic observation and data analysis, a preliminary conclusion was got that in a certain sensing scope, the cladding modes of TFBG shift slightly to right with the increasing the solution refractive index(SRI),and the relation between resonance peak caused by the coupling of core mode and a certain cladding mode and the SRI was linear.

[Status of glucose metabolism in Chinese essential hypertensive patients].

Objective: To investigate glucose metabolism status and its relationship with blood pressure, obesity, renal function and cardio-cerebral vascular events in Chinese essential hypertensive patients.

Methods: Essential hypertensive patients without diabetic history were enrolled in this cross-sectional survey. All patients filled in questionnaires and received physical examination and laboratory tests.

Efficacy and tolerability of a single-pill combination of amlodipine/valsartan in Asian hypertensive patients not adequately controlled with valsartan monotherapy.

This randomized, double-blind study evaluated efficacy of a single-pill combination of amlodipine/valsartan (Aml/Val) in Asian patients with hypertension not responding to Val 80 mg. Patients with mean sitting diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥90-≤110 mmHg were randomized to Aml/Val 5/80, Val 80, or Val 160 mg for 8 weeks. At week-8 endpoint, significantly greater reductions in BP were seen with Aml/Val 5/80 mg than valsartan monotherapies (p < 0.

[Efficacy and safety of intravenous levosimendan compared with dobutamine in decompensated heart failure].

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous levosimendan and dobutamine in patients with decompensated heart failure refractory to conventional medications.

Methods: Patients were recruited into this multicentre, randomised, positive-controlled and parallel-group study to receive either levosimendan or dobutamine therapy. In the levosimendan group, an initial loading dose of levosimendan of 12 microg x kg was infused over 10 min, followed by a continuous infusion of 0.

[Clinical predictability of the waist-to-hip ratio in assessing the risk factors of cardiovascular disease among public servants in Shijiazhuang city].

Objective: To assess the clinical predictability of waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) among female civil servants who had experienced risk factors of cardiovascular disease.

Methods: Data was gathered from 4153 female civil servants aged 21-91 y working at universities who were enrolled in health screening centre at the Second Hospital Attached to Hebei Medical University, in 2006. WHR quartiles were determined.

[Effects of remote preconditioning induced by skeletal muscle ischemia on myocardial cells apoptosis and roles of opioid receptors in pigs].

Aim: To investigate the effect on myocardial apoptosis and Bcl-2/Bax induced by remote preconditioning (RP) and to discuss the hypothesis from opioid receptors in pigs.

Methods: Skeletal muscle ischemia was performed in pigs by occlusion of the femoral artery (FAO) for 15 min followed by a 10 min of reperfusion. Infarction of the heart was induced by 40 min of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion followed by 120 min reperfusion.

Crosstalk between ERK1/2 and STAT3 in the modulation of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by cardiotrophin-1.

Background: The Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway and the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathway are the two major independent signal transduction pathways. However, it has recently been found that STAT3 may be negatively regulated by ERK1/2 in gp130-dependent signaling. Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), a potent novel hypertrophic cytokine, depends on gp130 to induce signaling and depends on STAT3 to exert hypertrophic effect.

Different contributions of STAT3, ERK1/2, and PI3-K signaling to cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by cardiotrophin-1.

Aim: To assess the contribution of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK-STAT3) pathway, extracellular signal-regulated kinases1/2 (ERK1/2) pathway, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) pathway to cardiomyocytes hypertrophy induced by cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), a new member of interleukin-6 (IL-6) family of cytokines.

Methods: STAT3, ERK1/2, and PI3-K were assessed by Western blot analysis. Activity of ERK1/2 was also confirmed by in-gel kinase assay.

[Myocardial protection and mechanism of Puerarin Injection on patients of coronary heart disease with ischemia/reperfusion].

Objective: To explore the protective effect and the mechanism of Puerarin Injection (PI) on myocardial ischemia reperfusion in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and angina pectoris (AP).

Methods: Seventy-eight patients with AP planned to receive the PTCA and stenting treatment were randomly divided and single-blindedly into the conventional group and the PI group. Based on the conventional treatment and pre-operational preparation, the PI group was given 200 ml of PI by intravenous dripping once a day, beginning from one week before operation, but to the conventional group, normal saline was given for instead.