OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of genipin on promoting brown adipose tissue activation and white adipose tissue browning. METHODS: The male C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups: normal control group, genipin group and cold-stimulus group.Genipin group were treated consecutively with genipin at a dose of 15 mg/kg once a day for 9 days, normal control group were treated with the saline.The mice with cold-stimulus were exposed to 4℃ environment for 5 days.Daily food amount and body weight were measured.Morphological changes were observed in the subscapular region, inguinal region and epididymis around the adipose tissue.The expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) was determined by real-time PCR and Western blot respectively. RESULTS: The wet weight of white fat in genipin-treated mice was decreased by 16% , and 28% in that of cold-stimulus mice, compared with the normal control group (P＜0.05).After treatments of genipin and cold-stimulus, the color of white adipose tissues was darker, and the size of lipid droplets in adipocytes was smaller, whereas the number was increased.Compared with the normal control group, UCP1 expression was increased obviously in fat tissues, including the subcutaneous and visceral white adipose tissues, and brown adipose tissue after treated with genipin and cold-stimulus (P＜0.05). CONCLUSION Genipin promoted activation of brown adipose tissue and browning of white adipose tissue by upregulating UCP1 expression, which could contribute to the loss of body weight against obesity.
Adipose Tissue, Brown ; drug effects ; Adipose Tissue, White ; drug effects ; Animals ; Cholagogues and Choleretics ; pharmacology ; Iridoids ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Obesity ; drug therapy ; Uncoupling Protein 1 ; drug effects ; Up-Regulation

Abstract The processs of female Osteoporosis and its prevention by Physical activity were simulated using anisotropic bone remodelling model with mechanostat combining with finite element method. The results show that bone mass declines slowly at the beginning, bone loss accelerates in postmenopause and bone mass declines 25. 84%-28.63% at the age of 60 and 38.50%-40.44% at the age of 80. Bone mass increases 3.05%-10.26% by an increase of 10%-20% in physical activity. The above results are consistent with clinical observations,which proves that declination of mechanical usage is the primary factor leading to osteoporosis, menopause quickens the process of female osteoporosis, physical activity can decelerate it.
Aged ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bone Remodeling ; Computer Simulation ; Exercise ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Models, Biological ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; prevention & control

The mortality rate of patients with cardiac arrest remains very high. At present, many unknown areas on cardiopulmonary resuscitation science need to be further investigated so as to provide scientific basis for the update of international guidelines of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and provide new ideas and new treatment means for improving the prognosis of patients. The standardization of research subjects is vital for any researches on cardiopulmonary resuscitation. From the standardized collection of data of patients with cardiac arrest, to the highly biomimetic manikins, and the construction of animal and cell models, each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Researchers can choose the appropriate research model according to their own experimental purposes.

AIMThe relationship between gastric acid secretion and ATP level, and regulation of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) mRNA expression by vagus nerve were studied in vagotomies rats.

METHODSWith the high selective vagotomy model, the gastric acidity was titrated to pH 7.0 with 0.1 mol/L NaOH solution and ATP contents were quantified by using fluorimetry. The expression of UCP2 mRNA was observed by using Northern blot in stomach of rats.

RESULTSBoth of gastric acidity and ATP contents in stomach body decreased significantly at 24 h after vagotomy. The expression of UCP2 mRNA was markedly increased as compared with sham operation group.

CONCLUSIONATP contents decreased and vagus nerve down-regulates expression of UCP2 mRNA in stomach corpus in vagotomies rats. The results indicates that vagus nerve could underlay the gastric acidity by inhibiting expression of UCP2 mRNA and increasing ATP contents in rats.

Adenosine Triphosphate ; metabolism ; Animals ; Gastric Acid ; secretion ; Ion Channels ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Mitochondrial Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Uncoupling Protein 2 ; Vagotomy ; Vagus Nerve ; metabolism

AIMTo investigate the protective effects of glucagon-like peptide 2(GLP-2) on intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in mice.

METHODSIntestinal ischemia/reperfusion model in mice were set up and 32 mice of Kunming species were divided randomly into 4 groups (n=8): Sham group, I/R group, I/R + GLP-2 group and I/R + glutamine group. The morphologic changes of intestinal mucosa were observed under LM. The villus height and crypt depth of intestine, the activity of diamine oxidase (DAO) in intestine and bacterial translocation rates of mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) were detected.

RESULTSCompared with sham operation group, the intestinal villi were sloughed in I/R group with decreased villus height and crypt depth (P < 0.01), the DAO activities were decreased (P < 0.01), and MLN bacterial translocation rates were increased (P < 0.05). While GLP-2 administration improved the villus damage, increased DAO activity (P < 0.01), and decreased MLN bacterial translocation rates (P < 0.05), compared with I/R group.

CONCLUSIONGLP-2 have protective effects on intestinal morphology and barrier function after ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Glucagon-Like Peptide 2 ; pharmacology ; Intestinal Mucosa ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Intestine, Small ; blood supply ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Reperfusion Injury ; pathology ; physiopathology

This project is to investigate the chemical constituents of ginsenosides from the flower buds of Panax ginseng. The compounds were isolated by using a variety of chromatographic methods including Diaion HP-20,silica gel,MCI gel and semi-preparative HPLC chromatography. Their structures were identified by NMR,and MS data. As a result,32 compounds were isolated from the extract of P. ginseng flower buds,and identified as ginsenoside Rk_3( 1),ginsenoside Rh_4( 2),ginsenoside Rh_8( 3),pseudoginsenoside Rc_1( 4),ginsenoside Rc( 5),ginsenoside Rb_2( 6),ginsenoside Rg_6( 7),20( E)-ginsenoside F_4( 8),ginsenoside Rb_1( 9),vinaginsenoside R_(16)( 10),ginsenoside Rh_6( 11),vinaginsenoside R_3( 12),5,6-didehydro-ginsenoside Rd( 13),vinaginsenoside R_4( 14),vinaginsenoside R_8( 15),ginsenoside Rf( 16),notoginsenoside E( 17),ginsenoside Ⅲ( 18),3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-3β,7β,12β,20 S-tetrahydroxydammar-5( 6),24-diene-20-O-β-D-glucopyranoside( 19),20( S)-ginsenoside Rg_2( 20),20( R)-ginsenoside Rg_2( 21),notoginsenoside R_2( 22),ginsenoside F_2( 23),quinquenoside I( 24),ginsenoside M_1( 25),quinquenoside L_(10)( 26),ginsenoside Rh_5( 27),ginsenoside Rg_5( 28),ginsenoside Rk_1( 29),20( R)-ginsenoside Rg_3( 30),oleanolic acid 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-( 1→2)-β-D-( 6'-methyl ester)-glucuronopyranoside( 31) and ginsenoside MC( 32). Among them,compounds 10,12,13,15,19,22,24,31 and 32 were isolated from P. ginseng for the first time,and compound 19 was a genuine ginsenoside firstly obtained by separation and identification,with NMR data that were also reported. Compounds 1-3,7,8,23,25-30 were isolated from P. ginseng flower buds for the first time.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Ginsenosides ; analysis ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Panax ; chemistry ; Saponins ; analysis

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction ; Femur/surgery*

AIMTo further explore the roles of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) or NO derivatives in complex partial seizures and generalized convulsions.

METHODSThe effect of pretreatment with L-nitroarginine (L-NNA), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), or L arginine (L-Arg), a precursor of NO on kainic acid (KA)-induced seizure in rats and the changes in the concentration of NO2 -/NO- in the hippocampus were determined.

RESULTSThe rats appeared with wet dog shakes (WDS) at 15 min and then occurred generalized convulsions during 1 h to 3 h after administration of KA (10 mg/kg i.p.). However, the pretreatment of L-NNA (50 mg/kg) so dramatically promoted and enhanced KA-induced behavioral seizures that the latency of generalized convulsion was shorten dramatically, and the mortality was greatly high. In contrast, the pretreatment with L-Arg (40 mg/kg) markedly delayed or weakened KA-induced behavioral changes, such as increasing latency of WDS and generalized convulsion, shortening time o f seizure and none of animal died during observed time. The concentration of NO2- /NO3- in the hippocampus increased immediately at 30 min and remained to 7 d after the administration of KA. Compared with control group (pretreatment with NS), the concentration of NO2- / NO3- in the hippocampus apparently increased at 3 h and 3 d after the administration of KA in the rats with L-Arg pretreatment.

CONCLUSIONThe endogenous NO (NO or NO derivatives) mediators may play an important role against excitotoxin induced seizures in rats.

Animals ; Arginine ; pharmacology ; Kainic Acid ; adverse effects ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitroarginine ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seizures ; chemically induced ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the roots of Stellera chamaejasme.

METHODThe chemical constituents were separated and purified by chromatographic method after solvent extraction and were identified by spectroscopic analysis.

RESULTTwo phenolic compounds were obtained and determined as stelleranol (1) and umbelliferone-7-O-glucoside (2).

CONCLUSIONCompound 1 was a new compound, and compound 2 was isolated from this plant for the first time.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Phenols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Thymelaeaceae ; chemistry

The objective of this work is to investigate how dilution rate and carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio affects lipid accumulation by Rhodosporidium toruloides AS 2.138 9 in continuous culture. Under steady-state conditions, the increase in dilution rate led to the decrease in lipid content and lipid yield. The highest lipid yield and lipid content at D = 0.02 h(-1) were 0.18 g lipid/g sugar and 57.1%, respectively, while the highest lipid productivity and biomass productivity were obtained at D = 0.14 h(-1). The increase in C/N ratio led to the increase in lipid content. The highest lipid content of 38% was obtained at C/N = 237. The highest lipid yield of 0.12 g lipid/g sugar was obtained at C/N = 92. However, the highest lipid productivity of 0.12 g/(L x h) was obtained at C/N = 32. No significant changes were observed in terms of fatty acid composition of the lipid produced under different C/N ratios, and these three fatty acids, palmitic acid, stearic acid and oleic acid, took over 85% in all samples.
Basidiomycota ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Batch Cell Culture Techniques ; Carbon ; metabolism ; Culture Media ; Fatty Acids ; metabolism ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Lipids ; biosynthesis ; Nitrogen ; metabolism ; Oleic Acid ; biosynthesis ; Palmitic Acid ; metabolism