Agmatine ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Analgesia ; methods ; Animals ; Injections, Spinal ; Male ; Morphine ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study expression of proto-oncogenes c-fos and its accompanying gene c-jun in osteoblasts activated by action of excessive fluoride in vivo and in vitro.

METHODSExperimental Wistar rats were exposed to sodium fluoride (NaF) added to their drinking water, and NaF was also added in cell culture supernatant for osteoblast-like cells in vitro. Expression of both mRNA and protein of c-fos and c-jun in bone-tissue of rats with chronic fluorosis and cultured osteoblast-like cells were determined by hybridization in situ, Western blot and immunohistochemistry at varied time periods after exposure.

RESULTSSodium fluoride could stimulate the proliferation of osteoblast in rats with chronic fluorosis and induce expression of both c-fos and c-jun in all envelops of the spine bone, as compared with its control group. Value of optical absorption in mRNA expression of c-fos and c-jun was 139.63 and 126.37, respectively, in rats with NaF plus high-calcium, significantly lower than that in control group with high-calcium only (107.74 and 117.48, respectively) (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that protein level of c-fos and c-jun was significantly higher in rats with NaF plus high-calcium than that in control rats with high-calcium only, with values of optical absorption of 139.16, 131.15, 149.98 and 149.19 (P < 0.05), respectively, and protein level of c-fos and c-jun was significantly higher in rats with NaF plus low-calcium than that in control rats with low-calcium only, with values of optical absorption of 117.24, 111.46, 132.46 and 129.79 (P < 0.05), respectively. Western blotting showed that level of protein expression of c-fos and c-jun in periosteal osteoblasts was significantly higher in all rat groups with NaF than that in all control groups, with values of optical absorption of 123.32, 116.60, 115.97 and 108.30, respectively. mRNA expression of c-fos and c-jun in osteoblast-like cells treated with NaF for 12 h increased obviously, and remained at high level 48 h after exposure, with values of optical absorption of 114.80, 161.14, 118.20, and 150.41, respectively, as compared with that in control group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSExposure to excessive fluoride could stimulate activation and proliferation of both osteoblasts in rats and cultured osteoblast-like cells in vitro, and cause enhanced expression of mRNA and protein of both c-fos and c-jun. Over-expression of c-fos could play an important role in development and proliferation of skeletal lesions in rats with chronic fluorosis.

Animals ; Bone Diseases ; metabolism ; pathology ; Calcium ; pharmacology ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Fluoride Poisoning ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gene Expression ; Male ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sodium Fluoride ; pharmacology

A new aporphine alkaloid (1), together with five known analogues (2-6), has been isolated from the branch of Litsea greenmaniana by using various chromatographic techniques. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic data analysis ( MS, IR, 1D and 2D NMR) as 2,9-dihydroxy-1,10-dimethoxy-4,5-dihydro-7-oxoaporphine (1), laurotetanine (2), N-methyllaurotetanine (3), isodomesticine (4), isocorydine (5), and norisocorydine (6). Compound 1 was a new compound, and compounds 2-6 were obtained from this plant for the first time.
Alkaloids ; chemistry ; Aporphines ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Litsea ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

To study the dynamic change law of bioactive constituents from Polygonum multiflorum, and to explore the optimal harvest period of P. multiflorum. Determination of stilhene glucoside, anthraquinones and catechin from P. multiflorum in different harvest times by MEKC-DAD, and principal component analysis (PCA) was used to comprehensive evaluation for bioactive constituents. There are obvious differences among the contents of active ingredients in various collecting periods samples, the content of stilbene glucoside was the highest in November, the total content of combined anthraquinone was the highest in November and December, the content of catechin was the highest in September. The comprehensive evaluation index obtained with principal component analysis showed that the sample collected in November is significantly higher than those with other samples. The optimal harvest period of P. multiflorum is November.
Electrophoresis ; Fallopia multiflora ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Time Factors

Objective An analysis was conducted to investigate the iodine nutrition level of children aged 8 - 10 in low-coverage area of iodized salt of Yushu Qinghai province for providing a scientific basis for the development of effective preventive measures. Methods Yushu, Chengduo, Nangqian and Zaduo counties with higher non-iodized salt coverage rate in Yushu Qinghai province were chosen as survey counties in 2009. Three townships were selected in each county, and 2 primary schools were selected in each township and 40 urine samples of children aged 8-10 were collected randomly in each primary school. The content of urinary iodine was analyzed by As-Ce catalytic spectrophotometery. Results Median urinary iodine of children aged 8 - 10 in Nangqian and Zaduo was < 100 μg/L. The percentage of median urinary iodine < 50 μg/L in Yushu was over 20%. Median urinary iodine of children aged 10 in Zaduo was 81.5 μg/L, the percentage of median urinary iodine < 50 μg/L of children aged 9 and 10 was over 20%. The percentage of median urinary iodine < 50 μg/L in children aged 9 and 10 of Yushu was over 20%. Median urinary iodine of girls in Zaduo was 87.1 μg/L, the percentage of median urinary iodine < 50 μg/L of boys in Zaduo was over 20%. The percentage of median urinary iodine < 50 μg/L of girls in Yushu was over 20%. Conclusions The iodine nutrition level of children aged 8 - 10 in Nangqian, Zaduo and Yushu counties were very low due to the impact of non-iodized salt. We propose salt market in the region to strengthen management and improve the coverage and consumption rates of iodized salt to improve the level of iodine nutrition for effective prevention of iodine deficiency disorders.

Objective To evaluate the effects of unsupported arm exercise in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Methods Databases such as Cochrane Library,PubMed,EMbase,CNKI and WanFang were searched to recruit eligible randomized controlled trials.The effects of unsupported arm exercise was determined by meta-analysis with RevMan 5.3 after data extraction and quality appraisal.Results Totally 11 RCTs were finally recruited.The results of meta-analysis supported the effectiveness of unsupported arm exercise on improving dyspnea in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease[WMD=-0.76,95％CI(-l.33,-0.20),P=0.008],as well as the effectiveness on enhancing upper arm activity [WMD=25.75,95％CI (10.45,41.05),P=0.0010] and exercise tolerance [WMD=33.98,95％CI (10.20,57.76),P=-0.005].While it failed to support the effectiveness on improving lung function and quality of life(P＞0.05).Conclusion Unsupported arm exercise is effective to improve dyspnea,enhance upper arm activity and exercise tolerance,and is worth introducing in rehabilitation exercise in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.However,the effects on lung function,quality of life are still inconclusive.Strict designed,multi-centered RCTs with large sample size are needed in the future to gain reliable effectiveness of unsupported arm exercise.

Objective: To investigate the present situation of spiritual health and empathy of undergraduate nursing students, and explore the correlation between them. Methods: Convenient sampling was used and 498 senior nursing students were recruited from 2 universities in Shandong Province. They were investigated using the general questionnaire, the Spiritual Health Scale Short Form and Chinese version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Results: The total score of spiritual health was (92.87±12.28), the 5 dimensions of the item score from high to low were connection to others (4.46±0.62), meaning derived from living (4.15±0.69), self-understanding (4.03±0.72), transcendence (3.95±0.74) and religious attachment (2.60±1.08). The total score of Interpersonal Reactivity Index was (57.50±8.35), the 5 dimensions of the item score from high to low were perspective taking (2.78±0.61), empathy concern (2.72±0.56), fantasy (2.61±0.57), personal distress (2.32±0.78). Nursing students’ spiritual health score and empathy was positively correlated (r=0.334, P<0.01). Regression analysis, single-child (B=0.202, P<0.05), exercise habit (B=0.363, P<0.01), religious belief (B=0.381, P<0.01), academic performance (B=0.205, P<0.05), nursing career in the future (B=0.285, P<0.01) were the influencing factors of nursing students′ spiritual health. Conclusions Spiritual health is closely related to empathy; the higher the level of spiritual health, the higher the empathy ability. It suggests that nursing educators can improve nursing students′ empathy by improving the spiritual health of nursing students.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Wnt3a on proliferation and, activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and their the expression of the transforming growth factor beta (TGFb) and /Smad signaling factors of rat hepatic stellate cells line in vitro using a rat HSC line.

METHODSSynchronized HSC-T6 cells were stimulated with various concentrations of recombinant Wnt3a (50, 100, 200, 250 and 300 ng/mL). Unstimulated cells served as controls. Edu Effects on proliferation were determined by EdU (5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine) incorporation assay and fluorescence microscopy.analysis was used to observe the proliferation of the hepatic stellate cells stimulated by different concentration of recombinant Wnt3a, and the Effects on the protein expression of TGFb/Smad signaling factors was assessed by western blot detection (gray-value analysis) of alpha-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA), a-SMA, TGFb1, Smad3, and and Smad7; glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was detected as the normalization control in the hepatic stellate cells was observed by Western blot analysis .The correlation was also observed. The significance of inter-group differences was assessed by one-way ANOVA, and correlations were determined using bivariate statistical modeling.

RESULTSIn general, HSC The proliferation of hepatic stellate cells increased after the addition of in response to Wnt3a stimulation for 24 h, reaching its peak at the maximum proliferation rate was observed with the 200 ng/mL Wnt3a concentration (63.00+/-2.30%), and it increased dramatically compared with those in which was significantly higher than the proliferation rates of the unstimulated control cells, and the cells stimulated with 50, 100 and 150 ng/mLl group (P less than 0.05), but the increase was not significantly different from that in the compared cells stimulated with 250 and 300 ng/mLl group,it had no obvious increase(P more than 0.05).; The Wnt3a stimulation also led to time-dependent increases in the protein expressions of a-SMA, TGFb1, and Smad3 increased with the addition of Wnt3a and the extension of time . For all three, The maximal amount of increased protein expression all reached to the was maximal produced by stimulation when hepatic stellate cells were treated by with 300 ng/mLl Wnt3a for 48 h hours,and the rations of(normalized gray- values:s of a-SMA, 1.0860+/-0.0101; TGFb1, 1.0346+/-0.0118; Smad3, to GAPDH were 1.0860+/-0.0101, 1.0346+/-0.0118, 1.0306+/-0.0122)respectively. However in contrast, the Wnt3a stimulation led to concentration- and time-dependent decreases in Smad7 expression varied inversely, with to them with the minimal ration of it to GAPDH the maximal decrease occurring with 300 ng/mL Wnt3a for 48 h (0.7736+/-0.0139) after being treated by 300 ng/ml Wnt3a for 48h. The comparison was remarkably discrepant, (P less than 0.05).There were positive correlations between a-SMA expression and was found to be positively correlated to TGFb1, Smad3 (r=0.968, P less than 0.05) and; Smad3 (r=0.997, P less than 0.01), but a-SMA and Smad7 had negatively correlated to Smad7 ion(r=0.960, P less than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWnt3a can increase the stimulates proliferation as well as and activation of rat the hepatic stellate cells HSCs , and upregulate modifies the expression of TGFb/Smad signaling factors, of the hepatic stellate cells, and which may promote the hepatic fibrosis.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; Smad Proteins ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; metabolism ; Wnt3A Protein ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in VEGF gene with the risk of endometriosis and adenomyosis.

METHODSGenotypes were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method in 344 endometriosis patients, 174 adenomyosis patients, 360 frequency-matched control women of endometriosis and 199 frequency-matched control women of adenomyosis.

RESULTSNo significant difference was found in allele frequencies and genotype distributions of the -460C/T polymorphism between patients (endometriosis and adenomyosis) and control women (all P value > 0.05). However, there were significant differences in genotype and allele distributions of the VEGF -1154G/A polymorphism between patients (endometriosis and adenomyosis) and control women (all P value < 0.05). The genotype frequencies of the VEGF -1154 AA, GA, and GG in endometriosis patients and control women were 1.7%, 28.8%, 69.5% and 5.8%, 32.8%, 61.4%, respectively; and the A and G allele frequencies in the two groups were 16.1%, 83.9% and 22.2%, 77.8%, respectively. The genotype frequencies of the VEGF -1154 AA, GA, and GG in adenomyosis patients and control women were 2.9%, 23.6%, 73.6% and 7.0%, 34.2%, 58.8%, respectively; and the A and G allele frequencies in the two groups were 14.7%, 85.3% and 24.1%, 75.9% respectively. Compared with GA+ AA genotype, GG genotypes could significantly increase the risk of endometriosis (OR:1.43,95%CI:1.05-1.96) and adenomyosis (OR:1.95,95%CI:1.26-3.03).

CONCLUSIONThe VEGF -1154G/A polymorphism was associated with susceptibility to endometriosis and adenomyosis, and the GG genotype could significantly increase the risk of developing endometriosis and adenomyosis. However, the VEGF -460C/T polymorphism was not associated with susceptibility to endometriosis and adenomyosis in the population studied.

5' Untranslated Regions ; Adult ; Biophysical Phenomena ; Endometriosis ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo detect the changes in intestinal mucosal permeation in rats with methotrexate-induced small intestinal damage and investigate the protective effects of Changyanqing decoction.

METHODSRat enteritis model was established by methotrexate (MTX) and sodium chloride. The rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) group and Changyanqing decoction group, and Changyanqing decoction (100 mg/kg) or saline was administered daily in the corresponding groups by gastric irrigation for 6 days. The disease activity index (DAI), colonic mucosal damage index (CMDI) and histological score (HS) of the rats were observed and evaluated. The levels of mRNA expressions of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta were detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The expression of IL-10 was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and IkappaB expression was determined with Western blotting.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, the model group showed significantly increased DAI, CMDI and HS. The DAI, CMDI, and HS in rats treated with Changyanqing decoction were significantly decreased in comparison with those in the model group (P<0.01). The expressions of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta were significantly higher in MTX-treated group than in the control group. The expression of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNA in the Changyanqing group and NAC group were significantly lower, but IL-10 significantly higher than those of the MTX group. In MTX group, obvious NF-kappaB activation was observed, whose expression was significantly stronger in the cell nuclei, and the IkappaB in the cytoplasm was markedly degraded.

CONCLUSIONChangyanqing decoction offers protection on intestinal mucosa by inhibiting NF-kappaB activation to reduce TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNA expressions and increase IL-10 expression.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-10 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Intestinal Mucosa ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Intestine, Small ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism