Statins: the new aspirin?

3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, or statins, have been described as the principal and the most effective class of drug to reduce serum cholesterol levels. Statin therapies have been shown to reduce cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction, stroke, and death, significantly, by altering vascular atherosclerosis development in patients with or without coronary artery disease symptoms. Extensive use of statins has led to the increase of some undesirable effects that are heavily counterbalanced by the benefits. Indeed, pleiotropic effects extend far beyond cholesterol reduction and involve non-lipid-related mechanisms that modify endothelial functions, immunoinflammatory responses, smooth muscle cell activation, proliferation and migration, atherosclerotic plaque stability, and thrombus formation. In this review, we describe in detail the targets and mechanisms of action of statins. Received 6 June 2002; received after revision 6 September 2002; accepted 6 September 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author.     

数字地形和景观数据的可视化

数字地形是指将地球表面的形态以数字的形式进行表达，它通过对地面坐标和高程的数字描述来实现。景观数据的可视化在这里主要指地球表面的一些自然要素，如植被、气候、水等要素在计算机环境下的2维和3维描述。     

Aktivität einiger Transaminasen in den mit SO2 behandelten Erbsen-Keimpflanzen

Summary Fifteen-day-old green pea seedlings were intoxicated 48 h by 1% gaseous sulphur dioxide and in their individual organs the activity of glutamate-oxalacetate (l-aspartate: 2-ketoglutarate-aminotransferase) and aspartate-pyruvate (l-alanine: oxalacetate-aminotransferase) transaminases estimated. The activity of glutamate-oxalacetate transaminase in the intoxicated seedlings was lowered in shoots by 77.8% and in roots by 78,9% as compared with the control plants. The activity of aspartate-pyruvate transaminase was lowered in shoots by 33.5%, in roots by 76% and in cotyledons by 54.5% in comparison with the control plants.     

Low dose oral cannabinoid therapy reduces progression of atherosclerosis in mice

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease, and is the primary cause of heart disease and stroke in Western countries. Derivatives of cannabinoids such as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) modulate immune functions and therefore have potential for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. We investigated the effects of THC in a murine model of established atherosclerosis. Oral administration of THC (1 mg kg(-1) per day) resulted in significant inhibition of disease progression. This effective dose is lower than the dose usually associated with psychotropic effects of THC. Furthermore, we detected the CB2 receptor (the main cannabinoid receptor expressed on immune cells) in both human and mouse atherosclerotic plaques. Lymphoid cells isolated from THC-treated mice showed diminished proliferation capacity and decreased interferon-gamma secretion. Macrophage chemotaxis, which is a crucial step for the development of atherosclerosis, was also inhibited in vitro by THC. All these effects were completely blocked by a specific CB2 receptor antagonist. Our data demonstrate that oral treatment with a low dose of THC inhibits atherosclerosis progression in the apolipoprotein E knockout mouse model, through pleiotropic immunomodulatory effects on lymphoid and myeloid cells. Thus, THC or cannabinoids with activity at the CB2 receptor may be valuable targets for treating atherosclerosis.     

The adrenocorticotropic action of a new synthetic pentacosapeptide

Résumé L'action adrénocorticotrope d'un polypeptide à 25 acides aminés, comprenant 3 modifications de structure par rapport à la séquence 1–25 de l'ACTH naturelle est étudiée et démontrée. La destruction enzymatique de ce pentacosapeptide paraît être plus lente dans le sang que dans les tissus musculaire et sous-cutané. L'augmentation de la dose injectée produit un allongement de la durée de stimulation de la cortico-surrénale.