Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Diet, High-Fat ; Ghrelin ; blood ; Lipids ; blood ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of melatonin on the gastrointestinal motility and plasma levels of the stress hormone in overtraining rats.

METHODThirty adult SD rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 10): control group, over-training group, melatonin intervention group. 30 min before each training, rats in the control and over-training groups were fed with normal saline (15 mg/kg) once a day and 5 times per week, while rats in the melatonin intervention group were administrated with melatonin, perfusion in the intervention group (15 mg/kg). Excessive training group and melatonin intervention group rats were subjected to excessive training at 5 times a week for 6 weeks. After 6 weeks, the gastric emptying rate, small intestinal propulsion ratio and levels of plasma motilin (MTL) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), cortisol (CORT) and catecholamines (CA) were observed in all groups.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the gastric emptying rate, small intestinal propulsion ratio and levels of plasma MTL, CORT and CA were increased significantly (P < 0.01) while the content of CGRP was reduced (P < 0.01) in over-training group. After treated with melatonin, this trend was reversed, that was, the gastric emptying rate, small intestinal propulsion ratio and levels of plasma MTL, CORT and CA were surpressed significantly (P < 0.01) while the content of CGRP was improved obviously (P < 0.01) in over-training group.

CONCLUSIONMelatonin plays an important role in protecting gastrointestinal tract from dysfunction, in which MTL, CGRP, CORT and CA are all involved.

Animals ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; blood ; Catecholamines ; blood ; Fatigue ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Hydrocortisone ; blood ; Melatonin ; pharmacology ; Motilin ; blood ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stress, Physiological

Objective To observe the effect of exercise on insulin resistance induced by a high fat diet and to explore the underlying mechanism.Methods Thirty healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal control group (NC group) and a high-fat group (HF group),fed with normal chow and a high fat diet respectively.Eighteen weeks later,insulin resistance had appeared in the HF group.The HF group was then randomly subdivided into a high-fat diet control group (HC group,fed a high fat diet) and an exercise group (HE group,fed a high fat diet and subjected to swimming training for 6 weeks).After 24 weeks,an insulin sensitivity index was calculated.Serum free fatty acid (FFA) and skeletal muscle triglyceride (TG) were detected.Phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate kinase-α (AMPKα) in skeletal muscle was detected by Western blotting.Results At twenty-four weeks the insulin sensitivity of the HC group had decreased significantly compared to the NC group.Serum FFA level and skeletal muscle TG content had both increased.Average phosphorylation of AMPKα in the HC group decreased to 48.7% of the NC group average.Compared to the HC group,insulin sensitivity and phosporylation of AMPK-α were elevated significantly in the HE group.Serum FFA level and skeletal muscle TG content were both lower.However,compared to the NC group,both serum FFA level and skeletal muscle TG content had increased in the HE group,while insulin sensitivity and phosphorylation of AMPKα had significantly decreased.Conclusions Exercise can significantly improve insulin resistance induced by a high-fat diet through decreasing serum FFA level and ectopic li-pid accumulation in skeletal muscle.

Adult ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Boronic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Bortezomib ; Humans ; Male ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; Pyrazines ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

Background Lowing intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only effective treating method in glaucoma.Making sure the change of optic disc parameters and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness(RNFLT) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients after IOP reduced can provide objective evidence for evaluating the effect of lowing-IOP on the function of optic nerve.Objective The present study was to evaluate the change of optic disc parameters and RNFLT in POAG patients after trabeculectomy,and analyze the affecting factors of image parameters.Methods A serial case-observational study was adapted.Forty eyes of 39 patients with POAG underwent trabeculectomy were recruited in the study.IOP was examined and perimetry was performed before operation and 2 weeks,1 month,3 months,6 months and 1 year after surgery.Optical parameters and RNFLT were measured using Heidelberg retina tomography (HRT) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in above-mentioned time points.The correlations between lowing-IOP range or disease severity and optical disc parameters or mean RNFLT (mRNFLT) were analyzed by Pearson linear correlation.Results Mean IOP of the 40 eyes was (32.77±8.64) mmHg before operation and (12.45 ±3.65) mmHg,(13.05±3.90) mmHg,(13.42± 3.33) mmHg,(14.22± 2.60) mmHg and (14.74±2.46)mmHg 2 weeks,1 month,3 months,6 months and 1 year after operation,with a significant difference among various time points (F=13.73,P =0.00).However,no significant difference was seen in the mean defect of perimetry among the different time points (F=1.02,P=0.41).The cup area (CA),cup/disc area ratio (C/DAR),cup volume (CV),mean cup depth (MCD),cup shape measurement (CSM),horizontal C/D,vertical C/D,rim area (RA),rim/disc area ratio (R/DAR),height variation contour (HVC),rim volume (RV),mRNFLT,RNFL cross sectional area (RNFLA) were gradually improved after operation in comparison with before operation.One year after operation,RV,CSM,mRNFLT,RNFLA were still increased,but vertical C/D was reduced after operation than that of before (P＜0.05).No significant differences were found in the whole mRNFLT and superior quadrant mRNFLT,inferior quadrant mRNFLT,nasal quadrant mRNFLT and temporal quadrant mRNFLT among before and after operation (F=1.63,P=0.16; F=0.51,P=0.77; F=1.44,P=0.20;F=1.02,P=0.32; F=1.31,P=0.30).Positive correlations were found between lowing-IOP range and the improvement of RV,CSM,vertical C/D (r =0.45,P =0.02; r=0.41,P=0.04; r=0.58,P=0.00),and negative correlations were seen between absolute value of MD and the improvement of RV,CSM 1 year after operation (r=-0.43,P=0.03; r=-0.62,P=0.00).Conclusions Reduction of IOP after trabeculectomy results in the reversal of optic disc parameters.The improvement of the optic disc parameters may be a protective factor for progression of glaucomatous optical nerve damage.

This article introduced the development and application effect appraisal of Microbial Engineering CAI courseware for bio-engineering specialization. The courseware focuses on knowledge system integrity, content-rich and gives prominence to the key points. Pictures, animation and video, and audio effects are also utilized appropriately to achieving stimulate students interest in learning and then improve teaching and learning performance. The courseware concentrates on core content of the course, such as fermentation parameters detection and automatic control, and fermentation equipments. The courseware was manufactured using the Powerpoint software. Animation was established with Flash 4 software and the scanning pattern was edited using Adobe photoshop. And chapters of the courseware were composed and administrated using Courseware Master Software. A two-year survey showed that 85% of students satisfied with this courseware.

Animals ; Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Carcinoma, Lewis Lung ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Injections ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Beverages ; Exercise ; Female ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Physical Endurance ; Students

Objective To study whether p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38MAPK) signal pathway were activated in the process of tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) which then induces rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) to synthesize matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and look for the relative mechanisms of how TWEAK was involved in the destruction of articular bones and cartilage. Methods RA FLS were primarily cultured and stimulated with TWEAK. FLS were pretreated with SB203580 or not. ELISA was used to detect the concentration of MMP-1 in cell-cultured supernatant. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of p-p38MAPK and P65 in RA FLS. Results TWEAK (100 ng/ml) could induce RA FIS to synthesize MMP-1. SB203580 could partially inhibite the expression of MMP-1 producted by RA FLS which was induced by TWEAK. TWEAK could make p38MAPK phosphorylated and increase the expression of P65 protein in the cell nucleus. Conclusion TWEAK induces RA FLS to synthesize MMP-1. In this process, p38MAPK signal transduction pathway is activated and then induce the expression of NF-κB.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Peitu Shengjin Recipe (PSR) on nutritional states and immune functions of stable phase chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.

METHODSTotally 62 stable phase COPD patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group (30 cases) and the control group (32 cases). All patients inhaled Seretide (50/500 µg), twice per day. Besides, patients in the treatment group additionally received PSR, one dose per day. After three months of treatment, the COPD assessment test (CAT) score, the index of nutritional states [including body mass index (BMI) , thickness of skin fold (TSF), mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC), serum albumin, serum prealbumin], and immune functions (including IgA, IgM, and IgG) were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSBy the end of the treatment, the CAT score decreased more obviously in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The improvement of BMI, TSF, MAMC, serum albumin, and serum prealbumin was better in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05). IgM and IgG also increased more in the treatment group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in IgA between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAdditionally use of PSR could improve nutritional states and immune functions of stable phase COPD patients to some extent. Meanwhile, it also could improve their health related quality of life.

Body Mass Index ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Nutritional Status ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Quality of Life ; Serum Albumin