Objective This study aimed to efficiently reduce the release of radon from water bodies to protect the environment. Methods Based on the sizes of the experimental setup and modular float,computational fluid dynamics(CFD)was used to assess the impact of the area coverage rate,immersion depth,diffusion coefficient,and radon transfer velocity at the gas-liquid interface on radon migration and exhalation of radon-containing water.Based on the numerical simulation results,an estimation model for the radon retardation rate was constructed.The effectiveness of the CFD simulation was evaluated by comparing the experimental and simulated variation values of the radon retardation rate with the coverage area rates. Results The effect of radon transfer velocity on radon retardation in water bodies was minor and insignificant according to the appropriate value;therefore,an estimation model of the radon retardation rate of the coverage of a radon-containing water body was constructed using the synergistic impacts of three factors:area coverage rate,immersion depth,and diffusion coefficient.The deviation between the experimental and simulated results was<4.3%. Conclusion Based on the numerical simulation conditions,an estimation model of the radon retardation rate of covering floats in water bodies under the synergistic effect of multiple factors was obtained,which provides a reference for designing covering floats for radon retardation in radon-containing water.

BackgroundIn the current society, infertility related to age has become a social problem. The in vitro fertilization (IVF) success rate in women with poor ovarian response (POR) is very low. Dandelion extract T-1 (DE-T1) is an effective component of the extract from the leaves and stems of Taraxacum officinale, which is one of the medicines used in some patients with POR, but its molecular mechanism remains unclear.

MethodsFollowing IVF, ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) of sixty patients were extracted and divided into normal ovarian response (NOR) and POR groups. GCs were cultured in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner with DE-T1, proliferation of GCs was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, and mRNA levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R), luteotropic hormone receptor (LHR), follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), LHR, and CYP19A1 (aromatase) were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Progesterone and estradiol (E2) concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

ResultsThe cell viability gradually increased with the progressive increase in the DE-T1 concentration. Compared with the control group (without DE-T1), the mRNA expressions of FSHR, LHR, IGF-1R, and CYP19A1 were upregulated after the addition of DE-T1, especially in the 2.5% DE-T1 group (P < 0.01). The expression of IGF-1R was upregulated approximately 25 times (24.97 ± 4.02 times) in the POR group with 2.5% DE-T1. E2 and progesterone levels increased with the increasing DE-T1 concentration. There were highly significant differences in the E2 and progesterone secretion between the NOR and POR groups (P < 0.01).

ConclusionDE-T1 may promote steroid hormone synthesis by promoting GC proliferation and upregulating GC receptor expression, thereby improving ovarian endocrine function.

A new benzaldehyde, 3-hydroxy-4-(4-(2-hydroxyethyl) phenoxy) henzaldehyde(1), together with six known compounds, including isovanillic acid(2), pyrocatechol(3), glutinosalactone A(4), chrysoeriol(5), apigenin(6) and luteolin(7) were isolated from aerial part of Rehmannia glutinosa. The compounds were isolated by macroporous resin, silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and HPLC chromatographies. The chemical structures of 1-7 were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis (MS, 1D NMR and 2D NMR).
Benzaldehydes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Rehmannia ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

BACKGROUNDDiabetes mellitus is associated with coronary dysfunction, contributing to a 2- to 4-fold increase in the risk of coronary heart diseases. The mechanisms by which diabetes induces vasculopathy involve endothelial-dependent and -independent vascular dysfunction in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of vascular large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK) channel activities in coronary dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

METHODSUsing videomicroscopy, immunoblotting, fluorescent assay and patch clamp techniques, we investigated the coronary BK channel activities and BK channel-mediated coronary vasoreactivity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

RESULTSBK currents (defined as the iberiotoxin-sensitive K(+) component) contribute (65 ± 4)% of the total K(+) currents in freshly isolated coronary smooth muscle cells and > 50% of the contraction of the inner diameter of coronary arteries from normal rats. However, BK current density is remarkably reduced in coronary smooth muscle cells of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, leading to an increase in coronary artery tension. BK channel activity in response to free Ca(2+) is impaired in diabetic rats. Moreover, cytoplasmic application of DHS-1 (a specific BK channel b(1) subunit activator) robustly enhanced the open probability of BK channels in coronary smooth muscle cells of normal rats. In diabetic rats, the DHS-1 effect was diminished in the presence of 200 nmol/L Ca(2+) and was significantly attenuated in the presence of high free calcium concentration, i.e., 1 mmol/L Ca(2+). Immunoblotting experiments confirmed that there was a 2-fold decrease in BK-b(1) protein expression in diabetic vessels, without altering the BK channel α-subunit expression. Although the cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration of coronary arterial smooth muscle cells was increased from (103 ± 23) nmol/L (n = 5) of control rats to (193 ± 22) nmol/L (n = 6, P < 0.05) of STZ-induced diabetic rats, reduced BK-b(1) expression made these channels less sensitive to intracellular Ca(2+), which in turn led to enhanced smooth muscle contraction.

CONCLUSIONSOur results indicated that BK channels are the key determinant of coronary arterial tone. Impaired BK channel function in diabetes mellitus is associated with down-regulation of BK-b(1) expression and reduction of the b(1)-mediated BK channel activation in diabetic vessels.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Coronary Vessels ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Electrophysiology ; Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels ; metabolism ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To investigate the changes of open probability (Po) of large conductance Ca2+ -activated K + channel (BK channel ) in diabetic coronary smooth muscle cells and elucidate the underlying cellular electrophysiology mechanisms of coronary dysfunction.Methods Rat coronary smooth muscle cells were isolated from control group and diabetic group.BK single channel currents were recorded by patch clamp technique in inside-out configuration.Open probabilities were calculated and compared between two groups.After exposure to DHS-1,a specific BK channel activator,Po at 0.2 and 1 μmoL/L free Ca2+ were compared between control and diabetic groups.Results In the presence of 0.2 μmol/L free Ca2+,the Po at baseline was significantly lower in diabetic rats than in control rats (0.0032 ± 0.0012 vs.0.095 ±0.036,P ＜ 0.05).Cytoplasmic application of DSH-1 significantly increased the Po to 0.335 ±0.096 (P ＜0.05 vs.baseline) in control rats,whereas DSH-1 had no effect in diabetic rats ( Po =0.022 ±0.018,P＞0.05 vs.baseline).In the presence of 1 μmol/L free Ca2+,the Po at baseline was also significantly lower in diabetic rats than in control rats (0.210 ± 0.055 vs.0.458 ± 0.077,P ＜ 0.05 ).Cytoplasmic application of DHS-1 further robustly enhanced Po to 0.823 ± 0.019 (P ＜ 0.05 vs.baseline) in control rats and to 0.446 ± 0.098 in diabetic rats ( P ＜ 0.05 vs.baseline of diabetic rats; P ＜ 0.05 vs.control rats with DHS-1 ).Conclusion The decrease of Po of BK single channel in coronary smooth muscle cells may be a potential cause for coronary dysfunction in diabetic rats.

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the correlation between scoliosis angle and the asymmetric index of degenerative lumbar scoliosis, the degree of intervertebral disc degeneration, decreased bone density.

METHODSAs a retrospectively study, a total of 96 patients with degenerative lumbar scoliosis were retrospectively enrolled from January 2002 to August 2010 as scoliosis group, meanwhile 96 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis matched in gender, age and body mass index (BMI) were selected as control group. All patients were studied with plain radiographs, MRI and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at presentation. Radiographic measurements include Cobb angle, the height of the convex and concave side of the apical disc and the contiguous disc superiorly and inferiorly, the height of the convex and concave side of the apical and the contiguous vertebral body superiorly and inferiorly in scoliosis group, the height of L(2-3), L(3-4), L(4-5) discs and the height of L(2-4) vertebral body in control group. The average relative signal intensity of lumbar intervertebral disc and cerebrospinal fluid in T2WI sagittal image was measured in apex intervertebral disc and adjacent discs by Adobe Photoshop 6.0 in scoliosis group, which was measured in L(2-3), L(3-4), L(4-5) disc in control group. The bone density of lumbar, femoral neck, trochanter, and Ward's triangle regions were measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTSThe intervertebral disc height in convex side was greater than the height in the concave side [(40 ± 7) mm vs. (28 ± 7) mm, P < 0.01], the vertebral body height in convex side was greater than the height in the concave side [(76 ± 12) mm vs. (72 ± 10) mm, P = 0.016] in scoliosis group. There was significant statistically difference in the degenerative degree of intervertebral discs between two groups (P = 0.003). There was significant statistically difference of the average T-value and the rate of osteoporosis between two groups (P < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the asymmetric disc index, the degenerative degree of intervertebral disc and osteoporosis were the predominant correlative factors, which affected the development of degenerative lumbar scoliosis.

CONCLUSIONSDegenerative lumbar scoliosis is always accompanied by the height asymmetry of intervertebral discs and vertebral body from convex and concavity sides. There is positive correlation between the angle of scoliosis and the asymmetric disc index, the degeneration of intervertebral disc, and negative correlation between the angle of scoliosis and the bone density (T-value).

Aged ; Bone Density ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; pathology ; Linear Models ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Stenosis ; pathology

OBJECTIVESTo analyze the correlation between intervertebral disc-endplate degeneration and bony construction parameter and to explore its roles in adult degenerative scoliosis.

METHODSThe imaging data of 79 patients with adult degenerative scoliosis from March 2005 to March 2010 were retrospectively reviewed as the study group. The imaging data of 41 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were selected as the control group. The vertebral body and intervertebral height in both sides on frontal X-ray, and the facet joint orientation in both sides on CT scan were measured respectively. The average vertebral body height, average intervertebral disc height and average facet orientation were regarded as bony structural parameters. The quantitative grading methods were used in the intervertebral disc and endplate degeneration. The relationship of bony construction parameter and intervertebral disc-endplate degeneration, and the relationship of bony construction parameter and Cobb's angle of scoliosis were analyzed by comparing all bony construction parameters in both groups.

RESULTSAnalyzed by paired-t test, the intervertebral height, vertebral body height and facet joint orientation between convex and concave sides of the study group were of significant difference (t = 3.411, 2.623 and 2.085, P < 0.05). The intervertebral height between convex and concave sides of the control group were of significant difference (t = 3.276, P < 0.01), while the vertebral body height and the facet joint orientation were of no statistical significance (t = 1.572 and 1.493, P > 0.05). By linear correlation and regression analysis, the asymmetric degree of bony construction parameter showed good correlation with the score of intervertebral disc-endplate degeneration (-1 < r < 1, P < 0.05), which was positively correlated with Cobb's angle of scoliosis (0 < r < 1, P < 0.05). Linear regression existed between asymmetric degree of bony construction parameter and Cobb's angle (F = 427.342, P < 0.01). The regression function was obtained: Cobb's angle = -8.904+8.136 × IAD + 3.274 × VAD-0.713 × FAD (IAD: intervertebral asymmetry degree, VAD: vertebral asymmetry degree, FAD: facet joint asymmetry degree).

CONCLUSIONSThe asymmetric change of bony construction exists in adult degenerative scoliosis, which significantly correlated with intervertebral disc-endplate degeneration and Cobb's angle of scoliosis. The asymmetric bony construction parameter probably plays a biomechanical role in the progression of scoliosis, which maybe the reason for the asymmetric degeneration of intervertebral disc-endplate.

Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; pathology ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Scoliosis ; pathology

Hallermann's Syndrome ; Humans ; Infant ; Male

Child, Preschool ; Coffin-Lowry Syndrome ; diagnosis ; psychology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Male

Cerebral Palsy ; physiopathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Infant ; Motor Activity ; Posture ; Walking