Objective To examine the change of body weight (BW) and blood pressure (BP) in obese rats, clarify relationships between BP and BW and other factors. Methods Male Spraque-Dawley rats were fed either with normal diet (ND) or high calorie diet (HC) for 20 weeks. BW and BP of tail artery were observed biweekly and tetraweekly respectively; serum leptin and fasting insulin (FINS) were detected by enzyme-linked immunoadsordent assay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA) respectively. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and free fatty acid(FFA) were measured by conventional means. Results BW, abdominal fat weight (AFW), ratio of abdominal fat weight to body weight (RF/W), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), serum levels of leptin and FINS, FPG, FFA increased in the HD group after 20 weeks diet intervention (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). SBP was strongly correlated with BW, leptin, FINS and FFA (P＜0.05), DBP was correlated with FFA (r=0.47, P＜0.05). In addition, leptin was positively correlated with BW, AFW, RF/W, FINS and FFA (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). Conclusion In this study of high calorie-diet induced rats, the gain of BW is accompanied by increased BP. The obese rats have hyperleptinemia, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia which may have important effects on the development of obesity-related hypertension. RF/W is the key factor in which affect serum leptin level.

AIMTo establish a method for determinate of the inhibitory activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril by high performance capillary electrophoresis.

METHODSThe characteristic absorptive wavelength of hippuric acid determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometer is 228 nm. The method employed a melted capillary column, 50 mmol.L-1 phosphoric acid (pH 8.3) buffer solution, inject pressure 4.8 kPa, inject time 3 s, separation voltage 20 kV and detection wavelength 228 nm.

RESULTSThe reactant and resultant was separated completed within 7 min. IC50 of captopril was 0.019 mumol.L-1. Captopril is a competitive inhibitor, which was proved by enzyme reaction dynamics.

CONCLUSIONThe method was shown to be accurate, simple and rapid and can be used for determination of the inhibitory activity of captopril.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Captopril ; pharmacology ; Electrophoresis, Capillary ; methods ; Hippurates ; analysis ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; metabolism

AIMTo investigate the effect of abrogating heat shock protein (HSP) 70 expression by antisense HSP70 oligonucleotides treatment on human androgen-independent prostate cancer cell line PC-3m growth.

METHODSPC-3m cells were treated with 0-16 mmol/L antisense HSP70 oligomers for 0-100 hr. Cell growth inhibition was analyzed using a trypan blue dye exclusion test. Apoptotic cells were detected and confirmed by flow cytometric analysis and DNA fragmentation analysis. The protein expression of HSP70 and bcl-2 affected by antisense HSP70 oligomers were determined using Western blot.

RESULTSAntisense HSP70 oligomer induced apoptosis and then inhibited proliferation of PC-3m cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Ladder-like patterns of DNA fragments were observed in PC-3m cells treated with 10 mmol/L antisense HSP70 oligomer for 48 hr or 8 mmol/L for 72 hr on agarose gel electrophoresis. Antisense HSP70 oligomer pretreatment enhanced the subsequent induction of apoptosis by heat shock in PC-3m cells. In addition, undetectable HSP70 expression was observed at a concentration of 10 mmol/L antisense HSP70 oligomer treatment for 48 hr or 8 mmol/L for 72 hr in Western blot, which was paralleled by decreased expression levels of anti-apoptotic protein bcl-2.

CONCLUSIONHSP70 antisense oligomer treatment abrogates the expression of HSP70, which may disrupt HSP70-bcl-2-interactions and further down-regulate bcl-2 expression, in turn inducing apoptosis and inhibiting cell growth in PC-3m cells.

Androgens ; physiology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; DNA, Neoplasm ; biosynthesis ; isolation & purification ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Humans ; Kinetics ; Male ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; pharmacology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Human gut microbiota plays a key role in the development of obesity. Intestinal flora can regulate energy absorption and nutrition metabolism, increasing the energy harvesting from diet. Alteration of gut flora produces excessive lipopolysaccharide, which, when absorbed into the blood, can induce inflammatory reactions and promote the high-fat diet-associated obesity and metabolic syndrome. Intestinal flora increase visceral fat deposition by lowering the expression of Fiaf in intestinal mucosa. Different immune status also affects the intestinal flora.The gut microbiota is hypothesized to be an environmental factor that contributes to obesity; by interacting with factors such as host and diet, it adjusts the energy metabolism. Antibiotics or probiotics may alter the composition of intestinal microflora and improve the metabolic syndrome, and thus provides new treatment options.
Animals ; Diet, High-Fat ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; microbiology ; Humans ; Inflammation ; etiology ; Mice ; Obesity ; microbiology ; therapy ; Probiotics ; therapeutic use

Iodine, an essential component of the hormones produced by the thyroid gland, is widely but unevenly distributed in the earth's environment. Great difference exists in the iodine nutritional status of populations residing in different region. Both iodine deficiency and iodine excess can injure the thyroid gland. Iodine deficiency tigers endemic goiter, cretinism, and hyperthyroidism, while iodine excess can result in high iodine goiter, chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, iodine-induced hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism; also, iodine deficiency or excess may affect the histological type of thyroid cancer. In 1996, China began to implement the universal salt iodization policy, which has basically eliminated the iodine deficiency disorders nationwide; however, it also caused the changes in the spectra of other thyroid diseases including iodine-induced hyperthyroidism, autoimmune thyroid disease, and papillary thyroid carcinoma. Individualized iodine nutritional status assessment for the populations, particularly those with thyroid diseases, will be beneficial.
China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Iodine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; deficiency ; Sodium Chloride, Dietary ; adverse effects ; Thyroid Diseases ; epidemiology ; etiology

Guanylate-binding protein 1 (GBP1) is an interferon induced protein, that belongs to the guany late-binding protein family. GBP1 is widely involved in anti-infection immune responses, anti-tumor activity and various biological reactions. Recent studies have proved that IFN-alpha, IFN-beta, IFN-gamma, IL1alpha, IL1beta, TNF-alpha and LPS can induce GBP1 expression; hence, the diverse biological functions of GBP1 have been gradually deduced and exploited. Many studies have been performed over recent years to understand the exact mechanisms that underlie the anti-infection and anti-tumor properties of GBP1. This review describes the molecular structure, biological activity, anti-infective properties and other functions of GBP1, in order to provide insights into the divergent roles of GBP1 in the regulation of various biological processes.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; metabolism ; Antiviral Agents ; metabolism ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interferons ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the prognostic effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with local advanced gastric cancer.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed prognosis in 191 patients with advanced gastric cancer, of whom 71 were treated with NAC and 120 received surgery only between February 2007 and July 2013. Postoperative complication rate was recorded. Survival by clinicopathological features, pathological T and N stages, and histopathological tumor regression was retrospectively compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAccording to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, none of the 71 patients in the NAC followed by surgery group showed complete response, 36 showed partial response, 25 had stable disease, and 10 had progressive disease. The chemotherapy response rate was 50.7%; the disease control rate was 85.9%. Grade 3/4 adverse events were seen in less than 20% patients, with acceptable toxicities. No difference was found in the overall postoperative complication rates between the two groups (7 versus 22 cases, P=0.18). Median survival time was significantly different, at 54 months in the NAC combined with surgery group and 25 months in the surgery-only group (P=0.025).

CONCLUSIONIn patients with operable gastric adenocarcinomas, NAC can significantly improve overall survival without increasing surgical complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology

Objective To study the expression and phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase(FAK) in rat's au- tologous vein graft and the olmesartan modulating effect.Methods Autologous external jugular veins were grafted to common carotid arteries in 40 male Sprague Dawley rats.After surgery,rats were randomly assigned to the fol- lowing groups:sham;control;olmesartan treatment(10mg/kg.d by gavage);or physiological saline.The intimal thickness,the I/M in vein grafts was quantitated by HE stain.The expression and phosphorylation of focal adhe- sion kinase were assessed by Western-blotting,PCNA and ?-smooth muscle actin were measured by immunohisto- chemistry.Results Neointimal hyperplasia in control group was characterized by significantly increased intimal thickeness I/M(P

To develop Students' Practical Ability according to the teaching requirement and culture aim of preventive medicine major,the teaching plan,teaching content,teaching methods,and experimental check-ing methods were explored and the experimental teaching pattern of medical microbiology adapted to pre-ventive medicine major was constructed.The investigation showed that the experimental teaching pattern helped to cultivate the students' operating ability,thinking of scientific research and ability of aggregate and solving analysis.Moreover,it helped to develop the students' co-operative consciousness and team spirit.It indicated that the new pattern was superior to the traditional experimental teaching.

Objective To compare the pharmacognosy characteristics of aerial roots of Ficus microcarpa Linn.f. and Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem.. Methods Fresh aerial roots were harvested and were used as the experimental samples. Stereoscopy was used for the observation of macroscopic appearance of Ficus microcarpa Linn.f. and Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem.,and the microscope was used for the examination of their microscopic features of the velamen surface, cross section of root tip, cross section and longitudinal section of the posterior root, and powder. Results The appearance characteristics of the two species were as follows:the number of aerial roots of Ficus microcarpa Linn. f. was more,and the diameter was smaller than that of Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem. The root tips of Ficus microcarpa Linn. f. aerial roots were light yellow turning to yellow-white, covered with gray or yellowish-white lenticels;the root tips of Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem. aerial roots were light yellow or yellow, covered with gray lenticels. Microscopic identification results of the two plants were as follows:the primary xylems of transverse section of root tips and posterior roots of Ficus microcarpa Linn.f. and Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem. were different,the former being five to seven heptarch,and the latter being six to eleven heptarch. Both of the two species had non-articulated unbranched laticifers in their longitudinal section of posterior root, and the diameter of Ficus. elastica Roxb. ex Hornem. was slightly larger than that of Ficus microcarpa Linn. f.. The powder of Ficus microcarpa Linn. f. was red brown,with spiral and pitted vessels;Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem. was yellow brown,with single small and large pitted vessels,and the color of its fiber was shallow or nearly colorless or even transparent, with lines of cluster crystal. Conclusion The results will provide evidence for the identification , exploitation and utilization of Ficus microcarpa Linn . f . and Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem.