In order to investigate of the effects of rapid rotating shift work on physiological stress, the activities of urinary Na+, K+, Cl- were measured in 14 rotational shift nurses, during day shifts(8AM-4PM, n=4), evening shifts(4PM-12MN, n=5), and night shifts(12MN-8AM, n=5) in hospital twenty students attending nursing college a used as control group. Urine specimens were collected in 30 minutes before and after work on the second day of shift work. In day shift nurses, Na+ activity was 137mM at 8AM and increased to 206mM at 4PM, whereas K+ activity was 42mM at 8AM and no significant change at 4PM. Cl- activity was changed from 234mM to 344mM at 4PM at 8AM. In the evening shift, Na+ activity was 117mM at 4PM and 140mM at 12MN, K+ activity was 22mM and 32mM, respectively. Cl- activity was 169mM and changed to 270mM. During the night shift, Na+ activity was 128mM at 12MN and changed to 161mM at 8AM, K+ activity was 42mM at 12MN and 8AM, and Cl- activity was from 303mM and changed to 355mM. In general, the urinary ion activities seemed to increase after work, however there were no significant changes in ion activities except the Na+ increase in day shift. The mean of the activities of K+ and Cl- before and after work during the day and night shift were significantly higher than those in control group(P<0.05). K+ activities were also higher than that of evening shift(P<0.05). However, there was no difference in Na+ activity among the control group and three shifts. There was a significant relationship among urinary Na+, Cl- and K+ in the control group and rotating shift nurses except between Na+ and K+ in shift. The relationship between Na+ and Cl- was low in shift work and there was no significant relationship between Na+ and K+ in shift, suggesting that the active regulation K+ and/or Na+ in response to stress upon the shift work disrupted the ratio of urinary Na+ to K+ and also lowered the relationship between K+ and Cl-. These results suggest that nurses working the day shift were overloaded and under stress, and the night shift interfered with the physiological rhythm of the nurses.
Humans ; Nursing ; Stress, Physiological

Introduction: Stress in the work place is a global major risk factor to worker’s health, which triggers the workers to be poorly motivated and less productive. Objectives: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of job stress and its associated factors among Universiti Putra Malaysia staff. Methods: This is a cross sectional study involving 511 academic and non-academic staff of Universiti Putra Malaysia in Serdang. Probability proportionate to size was used for calculating the required sample size. Results: The overall prevalence of stress was 21.7% (21.0% among male and 23.0% among female). The variables found to be significantly associated with stress were: Job demand, coworker support, depression, anxiety, focus and venting of emotion and self-blame (p<0.05). The findings revealed that UPM staffs are exposed to a range of specific stressors such as work stressor: job demand, lack of social support such as co-worker support and supervisor support, psychological stressors such as depression and anxiety, coping such as focus and venting of emotion and self-blame. Work stressor such as job demand was the main predictor of stress (p value = 0.001). Conclusion: The overall prevalence of job stress was 21.7%. The predictors job stress were job demand, lack of support from co-worker and supervisor, depression, anxiety and use of avoidance focused coping.
Quality of Life ; Stress, Physiological

In order to reveal feasibility of different concentrations of Ca2+ and SA on Platycodon grandiflorum under high temperature stress, the effects of Ca2+ on physiological index and related photosynthetic parameters were studied. Pot cultured P. grandiflorum leaves under the same outdoor conditions were sprayed with CaCl2 and SA separately, and then placed in the high incubator [35 degrees C/25 degrees C (day/night), light intensity 3 600 lx], and sprayed with distilled water at 25 degrees C and under high temperature stress were set as the control. The related photosynthesis, relative conductivity, contents of proline, malondialdehyde, soluble protein, activities of SOD and CAT, ASA and GSH content were measured. The results show that the 6 mmol x L(-1) CaCl2 and 1.5 mmol x L(-1) SA enhanced the activities of SOD and CAT, the contents of proline and soluble protein, and effectively reduced the damage of heat stress on cell membrance. At the same time, the exogenous Ca2+ and SA increased the contents of chlorophyll and carotenoid, the efficiency of leaf photosynthesis and ASA and GSH content, and thus effectively resisted the oxidative stress caused by high temperatures, but with the increasing concentration of spraying, P. grandiflorum decreased the ability to resist high temperature stress. In conclusion, the foliage spraying CaCl2 and SA could reduce the damage of high temperature stress on P. grandiflorum leaves.
Calcium ; metabolism ; Hot Temperature ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Photosynthesis ; Plant Leaves ; metabolism ; Platycodon ; metabolism ; Salicylic Acid ; metabolism ; Stress, Physiological

AIMTo explore the influence of cold strss on DNA oxidative damage of lung in chicken.

METHODSTook 15-day-old healthy chicks as the experimental object, carried on the cold stress (12 +/- 1 degrees C) to process. Detected the change of the MDA content, SOD and GSH-Px activity of the lung, and performed KCl-SDS precipitation method and fluorescence detection method to identify the influence of cold strss on DNA-protein crosslinks (DPC) and DNA-DNA crosslinks (DDC) of lung cell in different time.

RESULTSThe results were as follow: with the time lapsing during acute cold stress, MDA content gradually increased, the SOD and GSH-Px activity of the lung increased compared with their control group at each stress time point, and the lung cell DPC and DDC coefficient were all gradually increased with the time lapsing.

CONCLUSIONCold stress could bring about destruction in the lung tissue oxidation-antioxidant balance, and causes the oxidation damage of DNA.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Chickens ; Cold Temperature ; DNA Damage ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Oxidative Stress ; physiology ; Stress, Physiological ; physiology

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are antioxidant enzymes that protect cells from oxidative stress by reducing intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In mammalian cells, the six Prx isoforms are ubiquitously expressed in diverse intracellular locations. They are involved in the regulation of various physiological processes including cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, immune response and metabolism as well as intracellular ROS homeostasis. Although there are increasing evidences that Prxs are involved in carcinogenesis of many cancers, their role in cancer is controversial. The ROS levels in cancer cells are increased compared to normal cells, thus promoting cancer development. Nevertheless, for various cancer types, an overexpression of Prxs has been found to be associated with poor patient prognosis, and an increasing number of studies have reported that tumorigenesis is either facilitated or inhibited by regulation of cancer-associated signaling pathways. This review summarizes Prx isoforms and their basic functions, the relationship between the expression level and the physiological role of Prxs in cancer cells, and their roles in regulating cancer-associated signaling pathways.
Apoptosis ; Carcinogenesis ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Peroxiredoxins ; Physiological Processes ; Prognosis ; Protein Isoforms ; Reactive Oxygen Species

Heart ; physiology ; Humans ; Stress, Physiological

The oxidative response of Bacillus sp F26 to different forms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) stress including H2O2, O2- * and OH * were investigated by using diverse generating source of ROS, which were characterized by synthesis of antioxidative enzymes. It was shown that the responses of cells to oxidative stress are largely dependent on species, mode (instantaneous and continual) and intensity of stress. Higher synthesis rate of catalase (CAT) is crucial for Bacillus sp F26 to resist H2O2 stress. The damage of H2O2 to cell was minor if CAT can efficiently decompose H2O2 entering into cell, furthermore, the response can stimulate cell growths and sugar consumption. Conversely, cell growth and synthesis of antioxidative enzymes are greatly inhibited when the intensity of H2O2 stress overwhelms the cell capability of clearing H2O2. Due to the difference in mode and effect on cells between O2- * and H2O2, higher synthesis rates of CAT and superoxide dismutase (SOD) couldn't guarantee cells to eliminate H2O2 and O2- * efficiently. Therefore, the toxicity to cells induced by intracellular O2- * is more severe than H2O2 stress. Unlike response to H2O2 and O2- *, OH stress significantly inhibited cell growth and synthesis of antioxidative enzymes due to the fact OH * is most active ROS. Our results indicated that Bacillus sp F26 will show diverse biological behaviour in response to H2O2, O2- * and OH * of stress due to the discrepancy in chemical property. In order to survive in oxidative stress, cells will timely adjust their metabolism to adapt to new environment including regulating synthesis level of antioxidative enzymes, changing rates of cells growth and substrate consumption.
Adaptation, Physiological ; Bacillus ; enzymology ; metabolism ; physiology ; Catalase ; biosynthesis ; Oxidative Stress ; physiology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; analysis ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; biosynthesis

Many aging male suffer various andropause symptoms including loss of physical and mental activities. This study evaluated the putative alleviative effects of CRS-10 dandelion and rooibos extract complex (CRS-10) on the symptoms of andropause. The survival rate of TM3 Leydig cells (TM3 cells) treated with CRS-10 was measured based on typical physiological stress. After daily intake of CRS-10 for 4 weeks, the level of testosterone, physical activity and both the number and activity of sperm in older rats (18 weeks) were measured. Furthermore, thirty males were surveyed with AMS (Aging Males' Symptoms) questionnaire after intake of 400 mg of CRS-10. Overall, CRS-10 protected TM3 cells from serum restriction and oxidative stress via activation of ERK and Akt pathways. The level of testosterone and activation of spermatogenesis in rats were significantly enhanced. In addition, physical locomotion was markedly improved. Daily intake of 400 mg of CRS-10 improved the quality of life among agingmale respondents, according to a clinical survey using the AMS. The results indicate the potential of CRS-10 as a safe and efficacious natural substance for reducing or alleviating andropause symptoms.
Aging ; Andropause ; Animals ; Aspalathus ; Humans ; Leydig Cells ; Locomotion ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Oxidative Stress ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rats ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa ; Stress, Physiological ; Survival Rate ; Taraxacum ; Testosterone

Aging-dependent cellular behaviors toward extrinsic stress are characterized by the confined localization of certain molecules to either nuclear or perinuclear regions. Although most growth factors can activate downstream signaling in aging cells, they do not in fact have any impact on the cells because the signals cannot reach their genetic targets in the nucleus. For the same reason, varying apoptotic stress factors cannot stimulate the apoptotic pathway in senescent cells. Thus, the operation of a functional nuclear barrier in an aging-dependent manner has been investigated. To elucidate the mechanism for this process, the housekeeping transcription factor Sp1 was identified as a general regulator of nucleocytoplasmic trafficking (NCT) genes, including various nucleoporins, importins, exportins and Ran GTPase cycle-related genes. Interestingly, the posttranslational modification of Sp1 is readily influenced by extrinsic stress, including oxidative and metabolic stress. The decrease in SP1 O-GlcNAcylation under oxidative stress or during replicative senescence makes it susceptible to proteosomal degradation, resulting in defective NCT functions and leading to nuclear barrier formation. The operation of the nuclear barrier in aging provides a fundamental mechanism for cellular protection against stress and promotes survival at the expense of growth via stress-sensitive transcriptional control.
Aging ; Cell Aging* ; GTP Phosphohydrolases ; Housekeeping ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Karyopherins ; Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins ; Oxidative Stress ; Protein Processing, Post-Translational ; Stress, Physiological ; Transcription Factors

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study addressed the question whether the composition of supposedly 'healthy' or 'unhealthy' dietary regimes has a calorie-independent short-term effect on biomarkers of metabolic stress and vascular risk in healthy individuals. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Healthy male volunteers (age 29.5 +/- 5.9 years, n = 39) were given a standardized baseline diet for two weeks before randomization into three groups of different dietary regimes: fast food, Mediterranean and German cooking style. Importantly, the amount of calories consumed per day was identical in all three groups. Blood samples were analyzed for biomarkers of cardiovascular risk and metabolic stress after two weeks of the baseline diet and after two weeks of the assigned dietary regime. RESULTS: No dietary intervention affected the metabolic or cardiovascular risk profile when compared in-between groups or compared to baseline. Subjects applied to the Mediterranean diet showed a statistically significant increase of uric acid compared to baseline and compared to the German diet group. Plasma concentrations of urea were significantly higher in both the fast food group and the Mediterranean group, when compared to baseline and compared to the German diet group. No significant differences were detected for the levels of vitamins, trace elements or metabolic stress markers (8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, malondialdehyde and methylglyoxal, a potent glycating agent). Established parameters of vascular risk (e.g. LDL-cholesterol, lipoprotein(a), homocysteine) were not significantly changed in-between groups or compared to baseline during the intervention period. CONCLUSIONS: The calorie-controlled dietary intervention caused neither protective nor harmful short-term effects regarding established biomarkers of vascular or metabolic risk. When avoiding the noxious effects of overfeeding, healthy individuals can possess the metabolic capacity to compensate for a potentially disadvantageous composition of a certain diet.
Biomarkers* ; Cooking ; Diet ; Diet, Mediterranean ; Fast Foods* ; Humans ; Lipoprotein(a) ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; Oxidative Stress ; Plasma ; Pyruvaldehyde ; Random Allocation ; Stress, Physiological ; Trace Elements ; Urea ; Uric Acid ; Vitamins ; Volunteers