OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Zhenqing Recipe (ZQR) on non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), and the expression of hepatic salt-inducible kinase 1 (SIK1) and sterol-regulatory element binding protein-ic (SREBP-lc) in type 2 diabetes rats.

METHODSA rat model of type 2 diabetes was established by high fat/sucrose diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of small dose streptozotocin (STZ) . Modeled rats were randomly divided into the model group, the ZQR group, and the metformin group, 8 in each group. Eight rats were recruited as a normal control group. ZQR at the daily dose of 12 g crude drugs/kg was administered to rats in the ZQR group by gastrogavage. Metformin suspension at the daily dose of 150 mg/kg was administered to rats in the metformin group by gastrogavage. Equal volume of distilled water was administered to rats in the normal control group and the model group. All medication lasted for 12 weeks. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), free fatty acid (FFA), serum triglyceride (TG), serum total cholesterol (TC), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were detected. The body weight and wet liver weight were weighed, and the liver weight index calculated. The liver TG content was measured. The pathological changes of liver and the expression of SIK1 were observed by HE staining and immunohistochemistry. The mRNA and protein expression of SIK1 and SREBP-1c were detected using RT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, FBG, FFA, TG, TC, ALT, AST, liver weight index, and liver TG contents significantly increased (P < 0.01); liver steatosis was severe, the mRNA and protein expression of SIK1 obviously decreased (P < 0.01); mRNA and protein expression of SREBP-1c increased (P < 0.01). After drug therapy, compared with the model group, FBG, FFA, TG, TC, ALT, AST, and liver weight index significantly decreased, liver TG contents significantly decreased, the mRNA and protein expression of SIK1 obviously increased, while mRNA and protein expression of SREBP-1c obviously decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in the ZQR group and the metformin group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); and the pathological changes were also improved. All the indices were improved more in the ZQR group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn this experiment, we found that the expression of SIK1 decreased in NAFL rats with type 2 diabetes. ZQR could alleviate lesion of NAFL type 2 diabetes rats possibly by up-regulating hepatic SIK1 expression at mRNA and protein levels.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Fatty Liver ; complications ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 ; metabolism

AIMTo study the possibility that responses of fever and discharge of neurons in PVN to intraperitoneal administration of LPS are mediated by vagal afferents.

METHODSRectal temperature of rat was detected by digital temperature detecting instrument. Glass micropipette placed in PVN was used to record unit discharges of neurons in it, before and after LPS was injected into PVN in normal rats and vagotomy rats.

RESULTSThe rectal temperature change value in vagotomy LPS group was significantly decreased compared with that in sham LPS group, and there was striking difference between them (P < 0.05). The discharges of neurons in PVN was increased in the normal rat in response to LPS. The discharges of neurons in PVN had no significant change in the vagotomy rats in response to LPS.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicate that vagus nerve may be one of the pathways of peripheral LPS signal communicating to CNS.

Animals ; Diaphragm ; innervation ; Fever ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Male ; Neurons ; physiology ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Vagotomy, Truncal

Objective To analyse the causes of perinatal death and explore the preventive measures to reduce the perinatal mortality.Methods The cases with perinatal death in this hospital from January 2005 to December 2006 were reviewed to analyse the causes of death by categorization and sum-up.Results There were 166 cases with perinatal death and the mortality rate was 27.08‰,including 126 cases with fatal death,which accounted for 75.90%.In the analysis of dead causes,the first one was birth defects,which suffered 69 cases,41.57% of all,and mostly were with fetus edema syndrome.The cord factors had been elevated to the second cause,which suffered 51 cases,30.72% of all.Conclusion Improving the consciousness of gestational monitoring and self-care,strengthening the prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling,controlling the perinatal birth defects,monitoring mother and fetus by poly-parameter and stopping the pregnancy in time can reduce perinatal death effectively.

Objective To investigate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of ampicillin-sulbactam,clindamycin and cefoperazone a- gainst common clinical isolates.Methods MICs of these three antibiotics were determined by E test.Results Ampicillin-sulbae- tam showed inhibition rate of 100% for methicillin susceptible S.aureus (MSSA),E.faecalis,Group A Streptococcus,H. influenzae,penicillin-susceptible S.pneumoniae (PSSP),M.catarrhalis and anaerobes (including 10 strains of Bacteroid spp.,2 strains of P.aches,1 strain of E.lentum,1 strain of Fusobacterium innocuum,and 2 strains of Peptostreptococcus spp.).Ampicillin-sulbactam was active against 86.7% of extended-spectrum?-lactamase non-producing K.pneumoniae (NES- BL-KPN) and 53.3% of non ESBL-producing E.coli (NESBL-ECO).Ampicillin-sulbactam only inhibited 23.3% of A.bau- mannii isolates and 25.0% of E.faecium isolates.For MSSA,anaerobes,PSSP and group A Streptococcus,about 60.0%, 31.2%,30.0% and 10.0% of the isolates were susceptible to clindamycin,respectively.For MSSA,NESBL-ECO and NES- BL-KPN,96.7% to 100% of the isolates were susceptible to cefoperazone.About 40.0% of P.aeruginosa isolates were sus- ceptible to cefoperazone.No A.baumannii isolate was susceptible to cefoperazone.Conclusions The ampicillin-sulbactam has good antimicrobial activity against MSSA,E.faecalis,Group A Streptococcus,NESBL-KPN,H.influenzae,PSSP,M.ca- tarrhalis and anaerobes.In this study,clindamycin is active against 60% of MSSA isolates.Most of other species are relatively resistant to clindamycin.Cefoperazone shows good activity against MSSA,NESBL-ECO,and NESBL-KPN.These three anti- microbial agents can be used as empirical treatment for community-acquired infections.

Objective To explore the relationship between free fatty acid(FFA)composition and other glucose and lipid metabolic parameters in patients with metabolic syndrome(MS)in community. Methods Serum FFA profile was measured with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry in 158 patients with varied metabolic syndrome components(MSC),including 61 with MS and 97 at high-risk for MS,and 43 control subjects,with diagnostic criteria by the International Diabetes Federation(IDF).Results Patients with MS had higher parameters of polyunsaturated fatty acid(PUFA)and n6PUFA,as compared to the patients at high risk and normal subjects(P0.05). Among the high-risk group,those with diabetes had increased linoleic acid,n6PUFA and total fatty acid (TFA),and decreased saturated fatty acid(SFA)/TFA,as compared to those without diabetes(P

OBJECTIVETo explore the factors influencing insulin resistance in children with different nutritional status during pubertal development.

METHODSThree hundred children with simple obese aged 7 to 17 years, and 300 normal healthy children and 300 children with malnutrition, matched for age (+/- 3 months) and height (+/- 2 cm), were selected. Fasting serum levels of leptin, insulin, glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured for them.

RESULTSLevels of fasting serum insulin in obese children, except for boys at Tanner stage I and girls at Tanner stage II, were higher than those in normal and malnutrition children (P < 0.01). Average serum level of leptin in obese boys and girls at varied Tanner stages was higher than that in normal children, and higher in normal children than that in children with malnutrition (P<0.01). Serum level of TG in obese children [(1.53 +/- 0.13) mmol/L] was higher than that in normal ones [(1.12 +/- 0.10) mmol/L] and in children with malnutrition [(1.03 +/- 0.09) mmol/L]. There was no significant difference in levels of fasting blood glucose and other blood lipids between the three groups of children. Insulin sensitivity decreased with pubertal development and its index reversely correlated with Tanner stage and serum level of leptin (r=-0.27 and -0.36, respectively, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONObesity (BMI), serum level of leptin and pubertal development were independent risk factors for insulin resistance in children aged 7 to 17 years.

Adolescent ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Estradiol ; blood ; Growth Hormone ; metabolism ; Humans ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Leptin ; blood ; physiology ; Male ; Malnutrition ; blood ; Obesity ; blood ; physiopathology ; Puberty ; physiology ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the shade-endurance property of Glycyrrhiza uralensis and provide rationale for the practice of inter-cropping G. uralensis with trees.

METHODBlack shading nets were used to provide five different environments of light intensities (light penetration rates of 100%, 75%, 65%, 50% and 25%, respectively). To assess the shade-endurance capacity of G. uralensis, several aspects were evaluated, including growth characters, physiological and ecological characters, biomass, and chemical contents.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONG. uralensis is a light-favored plant. The growth indices such as plant height, stem diameter, leaves number, root diameter, biomass, and daily average photosynthetic rate (Pn) are highest when light permeation rate is 100%. All these indices decrease when light intensity decreases. However, G. uralensis possesses shade-endurance capacity to some degree; it adapts to the shading environment by increasing the leaf area and chlorophyll contents. Shading has no obvious effect on the absolute light energy utilization rate (Eu) or Fv/Fm ratio. The influence of shading on the chemical contents of G. uralensis is obvious.

Adaptation, Physiological ; Chlorophyll ; analysis ; Glycyrrhetinic Acid ; analysis ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; chemistry ; growth & development ; physiology ; Photosynthesis ; Plant Components, Aerial ; anatomy & histology ; Plant Leaves ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; physiology ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development ; physiology ; Sunlight ; Trees ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the polymorphism in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene involved in folate metabolism is associated with Down syndrome (DS).

METHODSOne hundred Chinese mothers who gave birth to babies with DS and 100 control mothers were chosen. Genotype of MTHFR 677 was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and concentration of plasma homocysteine (HCY) was measured by chemiluminescence.

RESULTSThe MTHFR 677T allele frequency was significantly different among case mothers, compared with control mothers (P=0.002); the odds ratio for the heterozygous CT genotype was 2.12 (95%CI: 1.14-3.94), whereas for the homozygous TT genotype, the odds ratio was 3.43 (95%CI:1.41-8.36). The mean plasma HCY concentration [(9.04 +/- 3.85) mu mol/L] of cases was significantly different from that of controls [(6.53 +/- 2.06) mu mol/L](P <0.01). The presence of the 677C>T substitution in one or both alleles was associated with increased plasma HCY both in case mothers and control mothers (P < 0.01). Interestingly, although both being MTHFR 677CC, the plasma HCY concentrations were higher in case mothers than in control mothers, the increase was not dependent on MTHFR genotype (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONOur results provide evidences that plasma HCY and genetic polymorphism in gene of folate pathway are risk factors for mothers to have a DS child in China.

Adult ; Alleles ; Base Sequence ; Case-Control Studies ; Down Syndrome ; blood ; enzymology ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Folic Acid ; metabolism ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Homocysteine ; blood ; Humans ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; genetics ; Mutation ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Pregnancy

Objective To observe the sequence of fat deposit and its relationship with insulin resistance in SD rats fed by high fat diet.Methods Normal 8-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into normal chow (NC,n=40)and high fat diet(HF,n=40)groups.Triglyceride(TG)in serum,liver and muscle were measured;glucose infusion rate(GIR)and the mRNA level of genes related to lipid metabolism in liver and muscle were determined in different stages.GIR was detected by eugiyeemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp for evaluating the insulin sensitivity.Gene expression was determined by real-time PCR.Results(1)As compared with NC group,serum TG was not increased after high fat feeding for4 and 8 weeks,it began to increase after 12 weeks [0.52(0.15-1.00) mmol/L vs O.31(0.09-0.53)retool/L, P0.05)in skeletal muscle.After 8 weeks,the expression of ACC1 in liver in HF group was increased by 20.6%,CPT-1 was decreased by 27.1%(P

Objective To judge method performance of routine biochemistry parameters on Roche Modular PPI testing system by using westgard's method evaluation decision chart.Methods We assessed imprecision(CV)from internal quality control and inaccuracy(bias)from external quality control evaluation.Combined estimates of imprecision and inaccuracy by plotting imprecision as the x-coordinate and inaccuracy as the y-coordinate to locate an expected operating point of every item on the chart.By comparing this operating point with allowable total errors(TEa),we can decide whether the performance is acceptable or not.Results In the 27 different parameters tested,imprecision and bias of calcium were 0.08 mmol/L and 0.06 mmol/L respectively,its performance was marginal.The imprecision of creatinine,urea,glucose, sodium,chloride and phosphorus were 3.20%,2.13%,1.52%,0.89 mmol/L,1.10% and 1.55%,the bias were 4.79%,0.96%,4.63%,0.80 mmol/L,1.74% and 4.13% respectively,their performance was good.M1 other 20 items were of excellence performance.Conclusions Routine biochemistry parameters on Roche Modular PPI testing system possessed good precision and accuracy,and their performance were acceptable.To judge method performance of biochemistry testing system by using westgard' s method evaluation decision chart was easy to do and suited for clinical laboratory.