Acclimatization ; physiology ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Chickens ; Cold Temperature ; Endocrine Glands ; physiology ; Female ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of citric acid stimulation on salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), total protein (TP), salivary flow rate, and pH value between Pi deficiency (PD) children and healthy children, thereby providing evidence for Pi controlling saliva theory.

METHODSTwenty PD children were recruited, and 29 healthy children were also recruited at the same time. Saliva samples from all subjects were collected before and after citric acid stimulation. The sAA activity and amount, TP contents, salivary flow rate, and pH value were determined and compared.

RESULTS(1) Citric acid stimulation was able to significantly increase salivary flow rate, pH value, sAA activities, sAA specific activity and sAA amount (including glycosylated and non-glycosylated sAA amount) in healthy children (P<0.05), while it could markedly increase salivary flow rate, pH value, and glycosylated sAA levels in PD children (P<0.05); (2) Although there was no statistical difference in determined salivary indices between the two groups (P>0.05), salivary indices except salivary flow rate and glycosylated sAA levels decreased more in PD children. There was statistical difference in sAA activity ratio, sAA specific activity ratio, and the ratio of glycosylated sAA levels between PD children and healthy children (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONPD children had decreased response to citric acid stimulation.

Child ; Citric Acid ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Saliva ; Salivary alpha-Amylases ; metabolism ; alpha-Amylases

Objective: To optimize preparation techniques for Herba E pimedii flavonoid phytosomes (EFP) and explore their suitable pharmaceutics. Methods: To optimize the preparation conditions by means of unifo rm design and step regression, prepare Herba Epimedii total flavonoid phytosomes by means of solvent evaporation and investigate the accumulative dissolution of different ratios of EFP-PVP precipitates by means of dissolution release. Resu lt: The optimized preparation conditions are as follows: solvent-tetrahydrofura n, lecithin to PVP-2.5 times, temperature-40　℃ and reaction-3 hours. Oil/wa ter apparent partition coefficient of icariin was enhanced more than 4 times by phospholipid. The accumulative dissolution of Herba Epimedii flavonoids of EFP- PVP precipitate was significantly higher than that of its physical mixture and H erba Epimedii extract tablet. Conclusion: Phospholipid can ef fectively enhance the oil/water apparent partition coefficient of icariin, and P VP can improve the dissolution of Herba Epimedii phytocomes, but the pharmacokin etics needs further study.

Objective To determine if pregnancy affects the toxicity of bupivacaine and to investigate the effect of Shenfu injectio,a preparation of Chinese herbal medicine,on central nervous system and cardiac toxicity of bupivacaine in pregnant rats.Methods Twenty-four SD rats weighing 320-360 g were assigned to 3 groups(n =8 each):Ⅰ non-pregnant control group,Ⅱ pregnant control group and Ⅲ Shenfu injectio pretreatment group. The animals were anesthetized with isoflorane(2%-4%)-O_2 inhalation which was stopped before bupivacaine infusion was started.Femoral artery was canunlated for MAP monitoring and blood sampling and femoral vein was cannulated for bupivacaine infusion.MAP,HR and ECG were continuously monitored.All animals in the 3 groups received continuous infusion of 5% bupivacaine at 2 mg?kg~(-1).min~(-1).In group Ⅲ Shenfu injectio 10 ml?kg~(-1) was injected intraperitoneally(IP)30 min before bupivacaine infusion whereas in the two control groups(group Ⅰ and Ⅱ)equal volume of normal saline was injected IP instead of Shenfu injectio.The duration between the beginning of bupivacaine infusion and onset of convulsion/arrhythmia(QRS≥90 ms)/asystol was recorded and the amount of bupivacaine infused was calculated.Results There was no significant difference in the amount of bupivacaine causing convulsion and asystol between group Ⅰ and Ⅱ but the amount of bupivacaine causing arrhythmia was significantly larger in group Ⅰ(non-pregnant) than in group Ⅱ(pregnant control group)(P＜0.05).The amount of bupivacaine causing convulsion,arrhythmia and asystole was significantly larger in Shenfu injectio pretreatment group(group Ⅲ)than in pregnant control group(group Ⅱ)(P＜0.05 or 0.01).Conclusion Bupivacaine- induced cardiotoxicity is increased in pregnant rats and Shenfu injectio pretreatment can reduce the systemic toxicity of bupivacaine in pregnant rats.

BACKGROUND:Angiotensin II receptor antagonists have been found to exerct a stronger protective effect on bone than angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of different concentrations of irbesartan (angiotensin II receptor antagonist) on the differentiation and mineralization of mouse preosteoblasts. METHODS:Mouse preosteoblast cel lines MC3T3-E1 in logarithmic phase were selected and cultured in the osteogenic induction medium containing 0 (control group), 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 mmol/L irbesartan, respectively. Ten days later, the cel differentiation was observed by alkaline phosphatase staining. The mineralization was observed by alizarin red staining after 21 days of culture. mRNA expressions of osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase and Runt-associated transcription factor 2 in osteoblasts were detected by real-time PCR at 1, 4, 7, 14 and 21 days of culture. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The activity of alkaline phosphatase in al the irbesartan groups (0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1) was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05), which was the most obvious in 0.01 mmol/L. The number and area of calcium nodules in each irbesartan group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05), especial y in 0.01 mmol/L. Compared with the control group, 0.01 mmol/L irbesartan significantly upregulated the mRNA expressions of osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase and Runt-associated transcription factor 2 (P<0.05). These results suggest that 0.01 mmol/L irbesartan significantly promotes the differentiation and mineralization of osteoblasts.

ObjectiveTo explore the pathogenesis and syndrome differentiation of Pi-deficiency syndrome (PDS) from microRNA (miRNA) levels through screening and bioinformatic analysis of serum miRNA expression in PDS patients. MethodsFour hyperlipemia patients with PDS, 4 hyperlipemia patients with Pi-Wei damp-heat syndrome (PWDS) and 5 healthy volunteers were recruited. Their serum RNA was used in miRNA quantitative PCR array experiment. Serum miRNA expression profiles in PDS patients were screened to perform bioinformatic analysis. ResultsNine candidate miRNAs (6 upregulated and 3 downregulated) were screened from PDS patients. These miRNAs were able to clearly distinguish among PDS patients, PWDS patients and healthy volunteers. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed 83 target genes controlled by 6 up-regulated miRNAs were significantly enriched in 7 pathways, which were mainly involved in cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, pathogens of infectious diseases, immune/inflammatory-related signaling pathway and pancreatic cancer; and 365 target genes controlled by 3 down-regulated miRNAs were significantly enriched in 5 pathways, which were mainly involved in signaling pathways of neurotrophin and phosphatidylinositol, RNA transport, and metabolisms of inositol phosphate and amino acid. ConclusionOur findings provide potential miRNA biomarkers for clinical syndrome differentiation of PDS patients, as well as information for understanding and studying the pathogenesis of PDS patients.

Objective To explore sex differences of salivary α-amylase activity (sAA), flow rate, pH value and correlation between sAA activity and flow rate. Methods Saliva samples were collected from 105 healthy volunteers before and after citric acid stimulation. Salivary sAA activity, flow rate and pH value were determined for each samples, and the correlation between sAA activity and flow rate was analyzed. The sex differences of the indices mentioned above were analyzed. Results Citric acid stimulation significantly increased salivary sAA activity, flow rate and pH value, with flow rate undergoing the greatest increase (P <0.01). No significant sex differences in sAA activity, flow rate or pH value were found at baseline, stimulation or acute responses (delta value) to citric acid stimulation. For female subjects, significant positive correlations were found between sAA activity and flow rate in unstimulated and stimulated saliva, between sAA activity delta value and flow rate delta value (P <0.05), and their coefficients kept relatively stable. For male subjects, significantly positive correlation was only found between stimulated sAA activity and flow rate (P <0.01). Conclusion Our study indicates that no sex difference in the sAA activity, flow rate or pH value at basal and acute responses to citric acid stimulation. However, certain sex difference is indicated in correlation between sAA activity and flow rate.

The total RNA was extracted from ginseng leaves of Panax ginseng. The Cu/Zn-SOD gene was amplified via RT-PCR and the pET-28(a)-Cu/Zn-SOD expression vector was constructed. The pET-28 (a)-Cu/Zn-SOD recombinant plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) competent cells and was induced by IPTG in order to select optimal induction of expression conditions. The target protein was purified by the nickel ions (Ni ) affinity chromatography and the target protein enzyme activity was determinated by the xanthine oxidase method. The similarity of the Cu/Zn-SOD gene sequences and the Cu/Zn-SOD gene sequences of Korean ginseng in NCBI was 99. 00%. The target protein expression level was about 44.42%, and the molecular weight was 16.30 kDa after the pET-28(a)-Cu/Zn-SOD recombinants were induced by IPTG. The purified Cu/Zn-SOD protease activity reached 10,596.69 U x mg(-1). The P. ginseng pET-28(a)-Cu/Zn-SOD prokaryotic expression vector was built by the method of molecular biology, which provided the foundation for studying the Cu/Zn-SOD biology function.
Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Engineering ; methods ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Panax ; enzymology ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis ; Superoxide Dismutase ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism

Objective To determine levels of serum Leptin,insulin like growth factor-1(IGF-1),interleukin-6(IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-?) in newborn infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE).Methods The asphyxiated and normal term neonates were included.The HIE group contained 45 cases and control group 20 cases.Serum Leptin,IGF-1,IL-6 and TNF-? levels were measured by a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results In asphyxiated term neonates,serum Leptin,IGF-1,IL-6 and TNF-? levels were significantly higher or lower than those in control group(all P

OBJECTIVETo analyze the metabolic levels of energy and substance in chronic superficial gastritis (CSG) patients of Pi deficiency syndrome (PDS) and of Pi-Wei hygropyrexia syndrome (PWHS), including lipid, protein, nucleic acid, carbohydrate, trace element, and energy metabolism, and to study the pathogenesis mechanism of PDS from substance and energy metabolisms.

METHODSRecruited were 8 CSG patients who visited at First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from June 2004 to March 2005, including 4 patients of PDS and 4 of PWHS. Their gastric mucosae were used for experiments of DNA microarray. The dual-channel DNA microarray data were bioinformatically analyzed by BRB ArrayTools and IPA Software.

RESULTSObtained were fifty-six differentially expressed genes involved in substance and energy metabolisms with the expression fold more than 2, including 11 genes up-regulated and 45 genes down-regulated. Of them, genes correlated to lipid metabolism included CRLS1, LRP11, FUT9, GPCPD1, PIGL, SULT1A4, B3GNT1, ST8SIA4, and ACADVL, mainly involved in the metabolic processes of fatty acid, cholesterol, phospholipids, and glycolipid. Genes correlated to protein metabolism included ASRGL1, AARSD1, EBNA1BP2, PUM2, MRPL52, C120RF65, PSMB8, PSME2, UBA7, RNF11, FBXO44, ZFYVE26, CHMP2A, SSR4, SNX4, RAB3B, RABL2A, GOLGA2, KDELR1, PHPT1, ACPP, PTPRF, CRKL, HDAC7, ADPRHL2, B3GNT1, ST8SIA4, DDOST, and FUT9, mainly involved in the biosynthesis processes of protein, ubiquitination, targeted transport and post-translation modification. Genes correlated to nucleic acid metabolism included DFFB, FLJ35220, TOP2A, SF3A3, CREB3, CRTC2, NR1D2, MED6, GTF2IRD1, C1ORF83, ZNF773, and ZMYND11, mainly involved in DNA replication and repair, transcription regulation. Genes correlated to carbohydrate metabolism included AGL, B3GNT1, FUT9, ST8SIA4, SULT1A4, DDOST, and PIGL, mainly involved in glucogen degradation and glycoconjugate biosynthesis. Genes correlated to trace element metabolism included COMMD1, SLC39A6, FTL, CHRFAM7A, SCGN, and S100A6, mainly involved in ion metabolisms of copper, zinc, ferri, and calcium. Genes correlated to energy metabolism included AK3 and COX7B, mainly involved in mitochondria structure and oxidative phosphorylation processes.

CONCLUSIONThe metabolic levels of energy and substance including lipid, protein, nucleic acid, carbohydrate, and trace element were obviously reduced in patients of PDS, which might be an important pathogenesis mechanism for its occurrence.

Adult ; Energy Metabolism ; genetics ; Female ; Gastritis ; diagnosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Transcriptome