[Research progress in pharmacological effects and chemical components of processed Angelicae Sinensis Radix products].

Angelicae Sinensis Radix is one of the main Chinese medicinal materials with both medicinal and edible values. It has the functions of tonifying and activating blood, regulating menstruation and relieving pain, and moistening intestines to relieve constipation. It is mainly produced in the southeastern Gansu province, and that produced in Minxian, Gansu is praised for the best quality. The chemical components of Angelicae Sinensis Radix mainly include volatile oils, organic acids, and polysaccharides, which have anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, immunomodulatory and other pharmacological effects. Therefore, this medicinal material is widely used in clinical practice. By reviewing the relevant literature, this study systematically introduced the research status about the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of processed Angelicae Sinensis Radix products, aiming to provide a theoretical reference and support for the future research, development, and clinical application of related drugs.

Magnetic properties and phase change features in Fe-doped Ge-Sb-Te.

The relationship between magnetic property and phase change features in Fe-doped Ge-Sb-Te has been studied. Fe-doped Ge-Sb-Te is a phase change magnetic material, which exhibits a fast phase change feature and different magnetic, optical and electrical properties between amorphous and crystalline states. However, the crystallization temperature increases and crystallization rate drops with an increase of Fe doping content. Fe doping content should be less than the solid solubility limit so that Fe-doped Ge-Sb-Te has both magnetic property and phase change features. Fe-doped Ge-Sb-Te at crystalline state shows p-type conduction and has a high hole concentration. The Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida indirect interaction via carriers is the origin of the ferromagnetism in Fe-doped Ge-Sb-Te.

[Investigation of ion channel mechanism for the regulatory volume decrease in lung adenocarcinoma cells].

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to observe the regulatory volume decrease (RVD) process in human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549) and to investigate its ion channel mechanism. METHODS: Electric measurement system of cell volume was used to detect the cell volume changes following exposure to hypotonic solution. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were applied to investigate the characteristics of the volume-sensitive Cl(-) channel in A549 cells. RESULTS: Extracellular hypotonicity induced cell swelling followed by a typical RVD process, which can be inhibited by Cl(-) channel blocker (NPPB 100 micromol/L) and K(+) channel blocker (CsCl 5 mmol/L). Meanwhile, a outward-rectifying chloride currents which was sensitive to NPPB and DIDs was recorded in A549 using the whole cell patch clamp. CONCLUSIONS: The human lung adenocarcinoma cells has RVD process which is dependent on the parallel activation of Cl(-) channel and K(+) channel. The volume-sensitive Cl(-) channel is involved in volume regulation of lung adenocarcinoma cells.

[Ion channel mechanism of regulatory volume decrease in human epithelial cells].

AIM: To observe the regulatory volume decrease (RVD) process of human intestine cells and investigate its ion channel mechanism. METHODS: Cultured human intestine cells were exposed to hypotonic solution and the cell volume was measured using Coulter Counter System. RT-PCR was explored to detect the mRNA expression of Ca(2+) -activated K+ channel. RESULTS: Human intestine cells showed a RVD process and this process could be blocked by Cl- channel blocker NPPB and K+ channel blocker TEA. Further results demonstrated the subtype of K+ channel involved in RVD was an intermediate-conductance, Ca(2+) -activated K+ channel (IK) because of its high sensitivity to clotrimazole. RT-PCR results also showed the expression of IK in this cell line. CONCLUSION: The RVD process of intestine cell was dependent on the parallel activation of Cl- channel and K+ channel. The subtype of K+ channel in volved in the RVD process was IK channel.

Functional expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid-related channels in chronically hypoxic human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells.

Transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channels are nonselective cation channels pertinent to diverse physiological functions. Multiple TRPV channel subtypes have been identified in different tissues and cloned. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of TRPV channels in hypoxia-induced proliferation of human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and its possible signal pathway. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot analysis were used to detect the expression of TRPV in human PASMCs. Cell number was determined with a hemocytometer. Cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]cyt) was measured with a dynamic digital Ca2+ imaging system. The mRNA of TRPV1-4 was detected in human PASMCs and chronic hypoxia up-regulated expression levels of the TRPV1 gene and protein. The ability to proliferate, the resting [Ca2+]cyt, and cyclopiazonic acid-induced capacitative Ca2+ entry in human PASMCs were enhanced significantly by chronic hypoxia compared with the control, and these effects were inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by capsazepine, a TRPV1 channel inhibitor. These results suggest that TRPV1 may be a critical pathway or mediator in chronic hypoxia-induced proliferation of human PASMCs.

Multispeed rewritable optical-recording method with an initialization-free phase-change disk.

A new method of multispeed rewritable optical recording is presented. An initialization-free phase-change optical disk is proposed as a candidate for multispeed rewritable optical recording. The simulated results of the initialization-free disk at different linear velocities show that the cooling rate increases from approximately 18.69% to 37.96%. A model that combines the crystallization acceleration effect due to the additional layers and the rapid cooling rate due to the initialization-free disk structure is proposed as the physical mechanism of the multispeed recording method with an initialization-free disk. The dynamic optical-recording properties of the initialization-free DVD-RAM disk at different recording speeds shows that the initialization-free phase-change optical-recording disk is compatible with a broad range of recording speeds from 3.49 to 12.21 m/s.