OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of extracellular regulating kinase (ERK) signaling pathway on the secretion of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in cultured rat hippocampal neurons induced by stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1).

METHODSThe hippocampal neurons of newborn SD rats were cultured and identified in vitro; the phosphorylation level of ERK1/2 was examined by Western blot; ELISA was used to detect the effect of PD98059, a ERK1/2 specific blocker on GABA secretion of cultured hippocampal neurons and Western blot were adopted to measure the protein expression levels of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD65/67) and gamma aminobutyric acid transporter (GAT); after blocking ERK1/2 signaling pathway with PD98059; RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of GAT-1 and GAD65 after treated with PD98059.

RESULTSThe levels of ERKl/2 phosphorylation were increased significantly by SDF1 acting on hippocampal neurons, and CX-CR4 receptor blocker AMD3100, could inhibit SDF-1 induced ERK1/2 activation; SDF-1 could inhibit the secretion of GABA in cultured hippocampal neurons, and ERK1/2 specific inhibitor PD98059, could partly reverse the inhibition of GABA secretion by SDF-1. The effects of SDF-1 on cultured hippocampal neurons was to decrease the mRNA genesis of glutamic acid decarboxylase GAD65 and GABA transporter GAT-1, besides, ERK inhibitor PD98059 could effectively flip the effect of SDF-1. The results of Western blot showed that SDF-1 could inhibit the protein expression of GAT-1 and GAD65/67 in hippocampal neurons and the inhibition of GAT-1 and GAD65/67 protein expression could be partially restored by ERK1/2 blocker.

CONCLUSIONSDF-1 acts on the CXCR4 of hippocampal neurons in vitro, and inhibits the expression of GAD by activating the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, and this may represent one possible pathway of GABA secretion inhibition.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cells, Cultured ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; pharmacology ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Glutamate Decarboxylase ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; metabolism ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; secretion

Objective To investigate the effect of arsenic trioxide(As_2 O_3)nanoparticles on rabbit vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro in comparison with normal form As_2 03.Methods The rabbit vascular smooth muscle cells were cultured in vitro.Nano and normal forms of As_2O_3 with drug concentrations of 3?mol/L were added into the cells.Cell proliferation curve was drawn according to the light absorption values of MTT test.Flow cytometry was applied to observe the apoptosis.DNA was extracted and underwent electrophoresis.Results Cell proliferation treated with the 3?mol/L concentration of As_2O_3 was inhibited. Cell growth was inhibited markedly with increased treatment time,and the inhibition effect of nano drug form seemed stronger than that of normal form.MTT light absorption values of cells treated at 24,48 and 72 h showed statistically significant difference(H=10.934,15.039,15.539,P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of the rate of morphologically normal sperm (MNS) on the clinical outcomes of conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) in patients with one retrieved oocyte.

METHODSFrom January 2013 to January 2015, a total of 256 couples with one retrieved oocyte underwent conventional IVF in our center. According to the rate of MNS, the patients were divided into two groups: MNS < 4% (134 cycles) and MNS ≥ 4% (122 cycles). We compared the rates of no transferrable embryo cycles, fertilization, cleavage, normal fertilization, abnormal fertilization, high-quality embryo and transferrable embryo between the two groups. A total of 75 fresh embryo transfer cycles were performed, 43 in the MNS < 4% group and the other 32 in the MNS ≥ 4% group. We also compared the rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy and abortion between the two groups.

RESULTSThere were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the rates of no transferrable embryo cycles, fertilization, cleavage, normal fertilization, abnormal fertilization, high-quality embryo and transferrable embryo (P > 0.05). The rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy and abortion exhibited no remarkable differences either in the fresh embryo transfer cycles between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe rate of MNS does not affect the clinical outcomes of conventional IVF in patients with one retrieved oocyte.

Abortion, Spontaneous ; Cleavage Stage, Ovum ; Embryo Implantation ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Single Embryo Transfer ; statistics & numerical data ; Sperm Count ; Spermatozoa ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of seasons, blood types and semen parameters on the cryosurvival rate of frozen-thawed spermatozoa from sperm donors.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the influence of seasons, blood types, abstinence period, semen volume, sperm morphology, and pre-freeze sperm motility and concentration on the cryosurvival rate of frozen-thawed sperm in 4 088 semen samples from Shaanxi Human Sperm Bank.

RESULTSThe cryosurvival rate of the post-thaw sperm was correlated negatively with the progressive motility of the pre-freeze sperm (r = -0.262, P < 0.01), but positively with pre-freeze sperm concentration (r = 0.247, P < 0.01), and it was significantly higher in the 6-day abstinence group ([70.2 +/- 5.4]%) than in the other abstinence groups (P < 0.01), so was it in the normal sperm morphology rate > 20% group ([71.4 +/- 5.1]%) than in the others (P < 0.01). The survival rate of the post-thaw sperm was not correlated with seasons, blood types, and semen volume (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSperm motility, concentration and morphology and the abstinence period of sperm donors may be valuable predictors of the cryosurvival rate of post-thaw sperm, but no correlation was found between the survival rate and seasons, blood types and semen volume.

Adult ; Cryopreservation ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Semen Preservation ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; Young Adult

Research on the association between maternal periodontal disease and the risk of preeclampsia has generated inconsistent results. This meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between maternal periodontal disease and the risk of preeclampsia. A literature search of PubMed and Embase was performed to identify relevant papers published before March 2013. Only observational studies that assessed maternal periodontal disease and the risk of preeclampsia were selected. Patients' periodontal status was examined at different time points during pregnancy or after delivery (at 14-32 weeks of gestation, within 48 h prior to or within 5 days after delivery). Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for cases and controls. Cases were defined as women with concurrent hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks of gestation. Eleven studies involving 1118 women with preeclampsia and 2798 women without preeclampsia were identified and analyzed. Women with periodontal disease before 32 weeks of gestation had a 3.69-fold higher risk of developing preeclampsia than their counterparts without periodontal disease (OR=3.69; 95% CI=2.58-5.27). Periodontal disease within 48 h prior to delivery was associated with a 2.68-fold higher risk of preeclampsia (OR=2.68; 95% CI=1.39-5.18). Pregnant women with periodontal disease within 5 days after delivery had a 2.22-fold higher risk of preeclampsia than women without periodontal disease (OR=2.22; 95% CI=1.16-4.27). In conclusion, this meta-analysis suggests that maternal periodontal disease is an independent predictor of preeclampsia.

Cathepsin B from Helicoverpa armigera (HCB) belongs to the group of cysteine proteinases. HCB is proved being involved in the degradation of yolk proteins during embryonic development,which is an acidic preferring enzyme and is resistant to SDS. The expression of the proenzyme may offer a model for investigating the activation of the enzyme. The HCB gene was constructed into pPIC9K and expressed in Pichia pastoris KM71 strain . After induction by methanol, HCB was expressed and secreted into the medium. The molecular weight of the recombinant procathepsin B was determined as about 38 kDa. The expressed product was confirmed to be HCB by immunoblotting assay using specific rabbit anti-HCB polyclonal antibody. The activity of the product was assayed by in situ hydrolysis (gelatin-SDS-PAGE). These results showed that HCB with proteolytic activity was expressed in P. pastoris KM71. This proenzyme can be used for further research on the activation of the proenzyme or industrial production.

Objective:To observe the effect of tuina exercise on simple obesity in college students.Methods:Fifty-seven college students with simple obesity were divided into two groups according to the stratified randomization method.Twenty-eight in the tuina exercise group were trained in tuina exercise;while 29 in the auricular acupoint sticking group were treated with acuricular acupoint sticking.The tuina exercise group was trained once every other day,and 10 times made one course.The auricular acupoint sticking was replaced once every 4 d,and 5 times made one course.After 2-course treatment,the total therapeutic effect,weight,body mass index (BMI),waist and hip circumferences,serum total cholesterol (TC),triglyceride (TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were assessed.Results:The total therapeutic effect was 86.2％ in the auricular acupoint sticking group and 85.7％ in the tuina exercise group.There was no significant difference between the two groups (P＞0.05).After treatment,the weight,BMI,waist and hip circumferences were decreased and the differences were statistically significant (all P＜0.05).The waist and hip circumferences in the tuina exercise group were lower than those in the auricular acupoint sticking group,showing statistically significant differences (all P＜0.05).After treatment,there were no significant intra-group differences in TC,TG,HDL-C and LDL-C in the two groups (all P＞0.05),and the between-group differences were not significant (all P＞0.05).Conclusion:Tuina exercise has reliable effect in treating obesity.It can produce more significant improvements in waist and hip circumferences than auricular acupoint sticking.But no obvious effect is shown in blood lipid indicators.

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents from the roots and rhizome of Cynanchum atratum.

METHODThe chemical constituents were isolated and repeatedly purified by silica gel chromatography and the structures were elucidated by the NMR spectra and physicochemical properties.

RESULTTwelve compounds were obtained and nine of them were identified as 2, 4-dihyroxyacetophe none (1), 2, 6-dihyroxyacetophenone (2), 4-hydroxybenzenemethanol (3), benzoic acid (4), beta-amyrin acetate (5), palmitic acid (6), beta-sitosterol (7), beta-daucosterol (8), glaucogenin C-3-O-alpha-D-oleandropyranosyl-(1 --> 4)-beta-D-digitoxopyranosyl-(1 -->4)-alpha-D-oleandropyranoside (9).

CONCLUSIONSeven compounds were obtained from C. atratum for the first time.

Benzoic Acid ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Chromatography, Gel ; Cynanchum ; chemistry ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Palmitic Acid ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Silica Gel ; Silicon Dioxide

The paper is aimed to establish a methods for identication of pearl powder and conch powder from different origins. Hermetic aluminum pan was used to encapsulate samples. The optimal testing conditions were: heating rate 10 degrees C x min(-1), sample weight 3 mg and nitrogen gas flow rate 40 mL x min(-1). The enthalpy values of pearl powder and conch powder was obvious different. Identication of pearl powder and conch powder by DSC is a practical method for its accuracy, convenience and practificality.
Animal Shells ; chemistry ; Animals ; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; methods ; China ; Discriminant Analysis ; Pinctada ; chemistry ; classification ; Powders ; chemistry

AIMTo observe the change of potassium current on cultured neurons differentiated from hippocampus neural stem cells of the newborn rat.

METHODSNeural stem cells from newborn rat hippocampus were cultured in vitro and passaged continuously. Differentiation of the cell was induced by serum and removing mitogens. After differentiation cells were plated on plastic dishes and cultured for 1 d, 7 d, 14 d and 21 d. Whole-cell voltage patch clamp recording was used respectively to detect voltage-dependent K+ current.

RESULTSAfter 1 d culture, no current was detected, and on the 7th d, 14th d, 21st d after differentiation, the amplitude of K+ currents was (18.077 +/- 2.789)pA/pF, (13.099 +/- 2.742)pA/pF, (34.045 +/- 8.067)pA/pF at +50 mV. The recorded K+ current included two components that could be blocked by TEA and 4-AP separately, assumed the slowly inactivating delayed rectifier K+ current (IK) and the fast inactivating transient outward K+ current (IA).

CONCLUSIONThe function of potassium channels on the hippocampus neural stem cells of the newborn rat approaches mature gradually when the time of differentiation becomes longer in vitro.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cells, Cultured ; Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels ; physiology ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; Neural Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; physiology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channels ; physiology ; Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley