Objective To observe the effect of short-term treatment with metfbrmin on psychological distress and metabolic feature in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).Methods Ninety women were diagnosed as cases of PCOS based on the 2003 Rotterdam criteria.These patients were divided into three groups:group A,consisted of 26 subjects treated with mefformin only; group B,36 cases treated with metformin plus Dane-35 ; and group C,28 cases treated with placebo and Dane-35.The treatment was carried out for 3 months.Clinical and metabolic parameters were observed.The psychological distress was evaluated by the hospital anxiety and depression scale(HAD scale).Results Compared with group C,patients in group A and B showed significantly lower body mass index(BMI),waist circumference (WC),waist-hip ratio (WHR),serum fasting insulin,homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR),total cholesterol (TC),triglyceride (TG),low density lipoproteincholesterol(LDL-C) levels as well as anxiety and depression scores,but higher high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (all P＜0.05).Compared with group A,patients in Group B had significantly higher WC,WHR,and LDL-C levels(all P＜O.05).No significant differences in BMI,TG,HDL-C,anxiety and depression scores were found between group A and B (all P＞0.05).In group A,a positive correlation was found between the changes of metabolic feature (BMI,WHR,and HOMA-IR) and the changes of anxiety and depression scores (all P ＜0.05).Conclusion Short-term treatment with metformin will benefit patients with polycystic ovary syndrome,regarding psychological distress and metabolic features.

Adult ; Diatomaceous Earth ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Pneumoconiosis ; etiology

Twelve anaerobic fungal strains isolated from rumen and faeces of ruminants were screened for xylanase prodution. Isolate A4 strain identified as Neocallimastix had the highest xylanase activity among all isolates. With rice straw, corn straw , peanut straw and filter paper as fermentation substrates, the activities of xylanase by A4 were14.31 U/mL, 11.39 U/mL, 6.99 U/mL, 13.38 U/mL, respectively. The effect of cell-free rumen fluid and yeast extract on xylanase production was tested. The results showed that the concentration level of cell-free rumen fluid had no significant effect on xylanase production. However as yeast extract concentration decreased from 1.0 g/L to 0,5 g/L , the enzyme activity decreased significantly ( P

To study the preventive effect of Grifola frondosa on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The rat model of NASH was established by feeding high-fat diets for 12 weeks and intervened with 0.5 g · kg(-1) · d(-1) and 1.0 g · kg(-1) · d(-1) of C. frondosa powder suspensions. The degrees of hepatocyte fatty degeneration and inflammation were observed under the optical microscope with routine HE staining. The NAFLD activity scores (NAS) were calculated. Serum ALT, AST and hepatic TG and CHOL were tested by the biochemical method. The hepatic MDA was examined by thiobarbituric acid method. The hepatic SOD was tested by the xanthine oxidase test. The hepatic GSH-PX activity was determined by the dithio-nitrobenzoic acid method. Hepatic TNF-α and IL-6 were detected by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The NASH model group induced by high-fat diets showed higher hepatic NAS, ser- um ALT, AST, CHOL and hepatic TG, CHOL, MDA, TNF-α, IL-6 (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) and lower serum TG and hepatic SOD, GSH-PX (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) than the normal control group. After being intervened with different doses of G. frondosa, the NASH group revealed significantly lower hepatic NAS, serum ALT and hepatic TG, CHOL, MDA, TNF-α and IL-6 (P < 0.05) and higher hepatic SOD, GSH-PX (P < 0.05) than the model group. G. frondosa may prevent the further development of NASH by improving the disorder of lipid metabolism in rats with NASH induced by high-fat diets, relieving the level of oxidative stress and reducing the generation of inflammatory cytokines.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Grifola ; chemistry ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the spatial learning and memory ability,the changes of indicators of oxidative stress,and their relationship in transgenic APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease(APP/PS1 mice). Methods The spatial learning and memory ability were assessed by Morris water maze test,and the activity or content of SOD, GSH-PX, MDA, and protein carbonyl in brain tissues were measured by ELISA in the APP/PS1 and wild type (WT) mice. Furthermore, the relationship between the learning and memory performances and the indicators of oxidative stress was examined. Results No significant difference in the spatial learning was observed between the APP/PS1 and WT mice (P ＜0. 05). The spatial memory which was measured as the percentage of time traveling in the targeted quadrant to the total traveling time was significantlydeclined in the APP/PS1 mice(29. 02 ± 4. 27) % as compared with the WT mice(47. 39 ± 6. 01) %(t =0. 000 ,P ＜0. 05). The percentage of length of traveling in the targeted quadrant to the total length traveled was significantly lower in the APP/PS1 mice(28. 85 ±3.77)% compared with the WT mice(46. 70 ±5.60)% (t =0. 000,P ＜0. 05). These findings indicated that the spatial learning and memory ability of APP/PS1 mice was significantly decreased compared to WT mice. There was no significant difference in activity or content of SOD,GSH-PX,and MDA in brain tissues between the APP/PS1 and WT mice (P ＜ 0. 05), while the content of protein carbonyl was significantly elevated in the APP/PS1 mice (2. 67 ±0. 19) than in the WT mice (2. 38 ±0. 15)(t = 0. 008, P ＜ 0. 05). Correlation analysis revealed that the elevated protein carbonyl was negatively correlated with the percentage of length traveled in the targeted quadrant(r = - 0. 639, P ＜ 0. 05) and the percentage of time traveled in the targeted quadrant(r = - 0. 636 ,P ＜ 0. 05). Conclusion The spatial memory impairment was negatively correlated with the elevated protein carbonyl in the APP/PS1 mice, suggesting that protein carbonylation caused by oxidative stress might play an important role in the development of memory impairment in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease.

Base Sequence ; DNA, Neoplasm ; genetics ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain ; Genes, Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains ; genetics ; Interferon Regulatory Factors ; metabolism ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; genetics ; metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Neprilysin ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6

Lactic acid production and antagonistic property of five strains of LAB isolated from piglet intestine were investigated. The results showed that among all strains L5 exhibited the most rapid production and highest amount of lactic acid in the culture. Consequently, the pH in L5 culture showed the fast decline, with the final value significantly lower than those of other cultures. Strain L1 showed the least production of lactic acid and highest pH among all strains. Culture supernatants of the five strains showed different degrees of antagonistic effect against pathogenic E. coli K88, K99, 987P, O141, E1, and S. aureus. When taking out the effect of the acid, the culture supernatants still showed 22%～53% inhibitory effect, suggesting that the bacteria produced other inhibitory substances apart from lactic acid. The inhibitory effect of the culture supernatant was above 92% after heat treatment and above 85% when treated with proteases.

OBJECTIVETo propose a simple and practical method for preparing a mouse model of oligo-astheno-terato-spermia/azoospermia, and to offer a methodological suggestion for the studies on the related mechanism of spermatogenesis and evaluation of medication efficacy by observing the early changes of testis morphology after 5-fluorouracil treatment.

METHODSMice were injected with a single dose of 5-flourouracil at 250 mg/kg via the tail vein, and their testes were harvested and paraffin sections prepared before and 3, 7, 11 and 14 d after the injection to be observed for the morphological changes by hematoxylin and eosin staining.

RESULTSThe numbers of spermatocytes/spermatids were progressively reduced inside the testis seminiferous tubules of the mice at 3, 7 and 11 d after the 5-fluorouracil injection, and the tubule walls became thinner, which reached the nadir at 11 d, with evident swelling and crazing of the seminiferous tubules. At 14 d, the swelling almost disappeared and spermatocytes became repopulated, while the flaws still existed in the seminiferous tubules and no mature sperm were seen.

CONCLUSIONOne-dose injection of 5-fluorouracil via the tail vein might be a simple and effective method for preparing the animal model of reproductive function damage induced by chemotherapeutic medication.

Animals ; Fluorouracil ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Testis ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo prepare zinc-modified carbonated hydroxyapatite (Zn-CHA) coating material via sol-gel method and explore the influence of zinc substitution on physical and chemical properties of biomaterial samples.

METHODSTwo kinds of samples with different zinc content and Ca/P molar ratio were prepared. One was fabricated with 4% zinc and the Ca/P molar ratio was 1.67. Another was prepared with 8% zinc and the (Ca+Zn)/P molar ratio was 1.67. The coating samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, the zinc ions releasing ability of the coating samples were investigated by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).

RESULTSXRD results revealed that the coating samples contained hydroxyapatite phase. After determination by FTIR, the biomaterial samples were found to contain carbonate and resemble biological apatites. High homogeneous and porous surfaces of coating samples were observed in SEM micrographs. According to the results of dissolution test, zinc was incorporated into hydroxyapatite lattice structure or surface absorbed when calcium was insufficient or sufficient respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe results demonstrate that phase-pure zinc-modified carbonated hydroxyapatite might be prepared through simple sol-gel method and have favorable antibacterial effect.

Apatites ; Biocompatible Materials ; Durapatite ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; X-Ray Diffraction ; Zinc

OBJECTIVETo study the cell biocompatibility of porous biphasic calcium phosphate nanocomposite in vitro.

METHODSBone marrow mesenchymal cell (BMSCs) obtained from SD rat bone marrow were in vitro induced and proliferated. Afler their osteoblast phenotypes were verified, BMSCs were seeded onto prepared porous biphasic calcium phosphate nanocomposite (Experiment group) and common porous hydroxyapatite (Control group). The cell adhesion was evaluated by scanning electron microscope. Synthesis of alkaline phosphatase enzyme (ALP) and osteocalcin were detected and cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry.

RESULTSBMSCs could fully attach to and extend on the material in experiment and control group, Moreover, experiment group were superior to control group in adhesion, proliferative abilities and osteogenic activity.

CONCLUSIONBMSCs can differentiate to osteoblast phenotype; the porous biphasic calcium phosphate nanocomposite as bone tissue engineering scaffold has good cell biocompatibility.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Bone and Bones ; Cell Adhesion ; Durapatite ; Hydroxyapatites ; Materials Testing ; Nanocomposites ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocalcin ; Rats ; Tissue Engineering ; Tissue Scaffolds