OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between hepatic insulin resistance induced by high fat diet and the expression of genes involving hepatic glucose output.

METHODSNormal 8-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into two groups, i.e, normal chow group (NC, n = 10) and high fat diet group (HF, n = 10). They were fed for 28 weeks. Body weight and fasting blood glucose (FBG) were measured. At the end of the experiment, the rats were sacrificed and their fasting insulin (INS) and triglycerides (TG) were measured. Hepatic insulin sensitivity was measured by tissue uptake of 3H-2-deoxyglucose and the content of hepatic glycogen was measured using the anthrone method. Gene expression was investigated by using the semi-quantitative RT-PCR method.

RESULTSAs compared with NC group, CF group rats developed visceral obesity which was accompanied by higher plasma TG. FBG in CF group increased starting from the 18th week (NC 4.77+/-63 mmol/L vs HF 5.45+/-87 mmol/L, P < 0.05). The rate of uptake of 3H-2-deoxyglucose in livers decreased by 51% in the HF group. The content of hepatic glycogen increased by 92.4% (P < 0.01). The level of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and PGC-1a mRNA increased by 41.5% and 30.8%, respectively (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONA high fat diet induced expressions of PGC-1a and PEPCK. It suggests that gluconeogenesis may play a role in the increase of hepatic glucose output and FBG.

Animals ; Dietary Fats ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Insulin Resistance ; genetics ; Liver ; metabolism ; Liver Glycogen ; metabolism ; Male ; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha ; Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (ATP) ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of all trans retinoid acid (ATRA) inhibition of cell growth and induction of apoptosis in human retinoblastoma Y79 cells.

METHODSAntiproliferating effects of ATRA on Y79 cells were studied by (3)H-thymidine incorporation. Cell cycle analysis was performed by flow cytometry, apoptosis of the ATRA-treated cells was determined by DNA fragmentation analysis and JNK phosphorylation analyzed by Western blot.

RESULTSAfter 36h treatment of 1 micro mol/L ATRA, (3)H-thymidine incorporation decreased to 40% with Y79 cells arrested in G(0)/G(1) and Sub-G(1) peak appeared. DNA ladder was observed in DNA fragmentation analysis after 36h treatment of ATRA. Curcumin, a JNK blocker, blocked the apoptosis and the growth inhibition induced by ATRA. JNK was phosphorylated in 10 to 20 min.

CONCLUSIONATRA can induce the apoptosis in Y79 cells by phosphorylation of JNK, which suggests that ATRA may have clinical application prospects for treatment of retinoblastoma.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; physiology ; Phosphorylation ; Retinoblastoma ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Thymidine ; metabolism ; Tretinoin ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: To obtain the genetic polymorphism data of two STR loci D2S1399 and D5S2500 in Eastern Chinese Han population. METHODS: Blood samples or buccal swabs of unrelated Han individuals living in eastern China were analyzed using PCR-nature polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis-sliver staining method. RESULTS: 11 alleles of D2S1399 and 9 alleles of D5S2500 were observed in the samples respectively, the observed heterozygosity (Ho) values, the discrimination power (DP) values and the power of exclusion (PE) values of D2S1399 and D5S2500 is 0.745 and 0.807, 0.958 and 0.917, 0.554 and 0.643, respectively. CONCLUSION The result showed that D2S1399 and D5S2500 were highly informative loci and suitable for forensic application.
Alleles ; Asian People/genetics* ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Forensic Medicine ; Gene Frequency ; Genetics, Population ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Silver Staining ; Tandem Repeat Sequences

OBJECTIVEThis research reported the experience of early surgical treatment for infants with large atrial septal defects (ASD) or ventricular septal defects (VSD) complicated by pneumonia.

METHODSBetween January 2003 and January 2008, 39 infants with large ASD or VSD complicated by pneumonia were admitted to the Second Xiangya Hospital. Thirty-six patients underwent surgical repair within 7-10 days after pneumonia had been controlled. Mean age was 5.4+/-3.4 months and mean weight was 4.7+/-1.6 kg in the 36 patients. Three patients received conservative treatment due to uncontrolled lung infections.

RESULTSOf the 36 patients, 33 had successful surgery and 3 (8.3%) died of serious low cardiac output (n=1) or respiratory failure due to congenital tracheostenosis (n=2). The 33 survivors showed normal growth and development in a 6 month-5 year follow-up. Of the 3 patients receiving conservative treatment, 1 died of cardiopulmonary failure and 2 were discharged after the symptoms had been improved.

CONCLUSIONSWith increasing medical experience and technique, early surgical operation may be performed with good outcomes in infants with large ASD or VSD complicated by pneumonia.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; complications ; surgery ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; complications ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Pneumonia ; etiology ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology

Objective To determine whether the combination of traditional risk factors and quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) assessment could provide accurate prognostic information on a population-based study including 1137 adults with subclinical artherosclerosis and with coronary risk factors. Methods Participants underwent coronary angiography examination before the minimal stenotic diameters, segment diameters, percent stenosis, plaque areas. Other parameters were analyzed by the computer-assisted Coronary Angiography Analysis System. The Framingham Risk Score for each participant was assessed. During the 1 year follow-up period, all kinds of endpoint cardiovascular events were screened. Endpoint events were defined as death from coronary heart disease, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) or unstable angina pectoris. Results During the 1 year of follow-up period, a total of 124 participants developed an endpoint event, which was significantly associated with the Framingham Risk Score, calcium of plaques and the plaque areas (all Ps＜0.05).The QCA score incorporated with the QCA parameters was related to the endpoint events. The Framingham Risk Score was combined with QCA score through logistic regression for prediction of end-point events. Data from the ROC analysis showed the accuracy of this prediction algorithm was superior to the accuracy when variables themselves were used. The event-free survival rate was inferior to the control group in participates under high risk, when being screened with this prediction algorithm (P＜0.05). Conclusion The risk of cardiovascular attack in subclinical artherosclerosis individual seemed to be associated with the Framingham Risk Score, calcium of plaques and the plaque areas. When the traditional risk factors (the Framingham Risk Score) were combined with QCA, the new method could provide more prognostic information on those adults with subclinical artherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVETo explore the mental health status of residents scattered living in Anxian after Wenchuan earthquake so as to provide scientific basis for further mental health intervention.

METHODSA face to face interview was conducted among the scattered residents with designed questionnaire, which had three parts of the physical and emotional reaction, the relax methods and the social care and supports expected. Two-stage probability proportional to size (PPS) sample method was performed to sample 2184 from 0.44 million scattered residents in Anxian. On the basis of statistical description, mental health of different characteristics groups was compared.

RESULTSThree main symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorders in 2184 residents (11.23+/-3.44) were higher than the 103 fire victims in Hunan in 2003 (10.06+/-3.26), three factor scores of SCL-90 (5.76+/-1.74) were higher than normal in 1998 repair mode (n=23 891) (4.72+/-1.44), and the statistical difference was observed (t=10.77, P<0.05; t=706.04, P<0.05). Comparing the mental health of different groups, some significant differences were found by age, gender and education background.

CONCLUSIONThe earthquake disaster brought prevalent physical and emotional reaction. Elderly people, female, junior students need mental intervention immediately. Therefore, strengthen the mental education and assistance (especially in high risk groups) would be of more significance.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mental Health ; Middle Aged ; Sampling Studies ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the public health situation and needs in Anxian after Wenchuan earthquake so as to make an effective strategy for disease control and prevention.

METHODS69 concentrated settlements with 100 residents were investigated. Probability proportion to size was adopted for sampling of 2200 residents from 687 scattered households (about 440 000 scattered residents). The content of this survey included drinking water, food hygiene, environment sanitation, planning immunity and medical health service, disease surveillance and so on. SPSS 16.0 was used for data analysis, and statistical interpretation was used to describe the results.

RESULTS90.9% (31/66) resettled residents in Anxian lived in tents, 7.6% (5/66) lived in the movable-plate house, 93.3% (621/666) scattered households lived in tents and 71.9% (446/621) of them lived in tents which were built by residents themselves; the rate of drinking water disinfection in resettlement sites and scattered households were 97.1% (66/68) and 94.6% (650/687); 12.8% scattered residents had mouldy or food; 50% of resettlement sites raised animals; 43.6% (17/39) medical station didn't have bacterin inoculation service; 66.7% (10/15) lacked sufficient disinfection equipment; register rate was 50.0% (33/66) and report rate of symptoms and infectious diseases was 56.1% (37/66).

CONCLUSIONThere was still some risk of enteric and vector-borne diseases in Anxian, therefore, some tailored measures should be very important.

Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Environmental Monitoring ; Health Care Surveys ; Health Services ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Water Supply

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether electroacupuncture (EA) alleviates cognitive impairment by suppressing the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) signaling pathway, which triggers immune-inflammatory responses in the hippocampus of rats with vascular dementia (VaD). METHODS: The experiments were conducted in 3 parts and in total the Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 8 groups by a random number table, including sham, four-vessel occlusion (4-VO), 4-VO+EA, 4-VO+non-EA, sham+EA, 4-VO+lipopolysaccharide (LPS), 4-VO+LPS+EA, and 4-VO+TAK-242 groups. The VaD model was established by the 4-VO method. Seven days later, rats were treated with EA at 5 acupoints of Baihui (DV 20), Danzhong (RN 17), Geshu (BL 17), Qihai (RN 6) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6), once per day for 3 consecutive weeks. Lymphocyte subsets, lymphocyte transformation rates, and inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α) were measured to assess immune function and inflammation in VaD rats. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructure of nerve cells in the hippocampus. The levels of TLR4, MyD88, IL-6, and TNF-α were detected after EA treatment. TLR4/MyD88 signaling and cognitive function were also assessed after intracerebroventricular injection of TLR4 antagonist TAK-242 or TLR4 agonist LPS with or without EA. RESULTS: Compared with the 4-VO group, EA notably improved immune function of rats in the 4-VO+EA group, inhibited the protein and mRNA expressions of TLR4 and MyD88 in the hippocampus of rats, reduced the expressions of serum IL-6 and TNF-α (all P<0.05 or P<0.01), and led to neuronal repair in the hippocampus. There were no significant differences between the 4-VO+LPS+EA and 4-VO+EA groups, nor between the 4-VO+TAK-242 and 4-VO+EA groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS EA attenuated cognitive impairment associated with immune inflammation by inhibition of the TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway. Thus, EA may be a promising alternative therapy for the treatment of VaD.
Animals ; Dementia, Vascular/therapy* ; Electroacupuncture ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Immunity ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism*

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are highly prevalent diseases and are closely associated, with NAFLD being present in the majority of T2DM patients. In Asian traditional medicine, Mori Cortex is widely used for the treatment of diabetes and hyperlipidemia. However, whether it has a therapeutic effect on T2DM associated with NAFLD is still unknown. The present study showed that the oral treatment with Mori Cortex extract (MCE; 10 g·kg·d) lowered the blood lipid levels and reversed insulin resistance (IR) in high fat-diet/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes in rats. The expression levels of sterol receptor element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and carbohydrate-responsive element binding protein (ChREBP), which are involved in steatosis in NAFLD rats, were measured in the liver samples. MCE decreased the protein and mRNA expression levels of SREBP-1c and ChREBP. In conclusion, down-regulation of SREBP-1c and ChREBP might contribute to the protective effect of MCE on hepatic injury and IR in the rats with T2DM associated with NAFLD.
Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors ; genetics ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Diet, High-Fat ; adverse effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Down-Regulation ; drug effects ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; physiology ; Lipid Metabolism ; drug effects ; genetics ; Liver ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Male ; Morus ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; blood ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Streptozocin