Simultaneous analysis of alkamides and caffeic acid derivatives for the identification of Echinacea purpurea,Echinacea angustifolia,Echinacea pallida and Parthenium integrifolium roots

A reversed-phase HPLC method was developed using a computer simulation program for the identification of dried roots of Echinacea purpurea, E. angustifolia, E. pallida and Parthenium integrifolium. Hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds were analysed simultaneously leading to a two-fold decrease in analysis time compared to traditional HPLC methods.     

Identification of PKCalpha isoform-specific effects in cardiac myocytes using antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotides

Members of the mammalian protein kinase C (PKC) superfamily play key regulatory roles in multiple cellular processes. In the heart, PKC signaling is involved in hypertrophic agonist-induced gene expression and hypertrophic growth. To investigate the specific function of PKC signaling in regulating cardiomyocyte growth, we used antisense oligonucleotides to inhibit PKC alpha, the major isozyme present in the neonatal heart. Transfection of cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes with antisense PKCalpha oligonucleotides resulted in a marked reduction in both PKCalpha mRNA and protein levels. PKCalpha antisense treatment also reduced phenylephrine (PE)-induced PKC activity and perinuclear translocation of PKCalpha. Antisense inhibition of PKCalpha led to reduction of PE-induced increase in skeletal alpha-actin mRNA levels and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) secretion but had no significant effects on PE-induced beta-myosin heavy chain, ANP, or B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) gene expression. On the other hand, antisense PKCalpha treatment attenuated endothelin-1-induced increase in ANP and BNP peptide secretion, whereas endothelin-1-induced gene expression of ANP and BNP remained unchanged. The hypertrophic agonist-induced growth of cardiomyocytes, characterized by increased [(3)H]leucine incorporation, was not affected with antisense PKCalpha treatment. Furthermore, we found that PE-induced increase in extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity was partially inhibited by antisense PKCalpha treatment, implicating ERK as a downstream mediator for PKCalpha signaling. These results indicate that PKCalpha isozyme is involved in hypertrophic signaling in cardiomyocytes and provide novel strategies for future studies to identify other cellular targets controlled selectively by PKCalpha or other PKC isozymes.     

Periodontal treatment needs in a follow-up study among adults with diabetes in Finland

We assessed changes in periodontal treatment needs among patients with diabetes and the risk factors involved in this phenomenon. The sample consisted of 120 dentate subjects, all of whom were regular patients at the Salo Regional Hospital Diabetes Clinic. They underwent periodontal examination in 1999 and were re-examined in 2001. The drop-out rate was 4%. Clinical periodontal examination included identification of visible plaque, the presence of calculus, and use of the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN) index. Diabetes-related factors consisted of information about duration of diabetes, complications, and HbA1c values. Oral health-related factors were collected by questionnaire. The CPITN index proved to be insensitive to change. Pathological pockets (CPITN 3 or 4) were found in 80% of subjects (n = 115) and 48% of sextants (n = 627); in 1999, the corresponding rates were 77% and 49%. The tooth-based individual CPITN index (code 3 or 4) revealed periodontal deterioration in 38 patients. Smoking and infrequent interdental cleaning were significant factors explaining periodontal deterioration in logistic regression. Risk factors should be taken into account when planning prevention, treatment, and supportive periodontal therapy strategies. In diabetes care, the common risk factor approach can be implemented to promote oral health among individuals with diabetes.     

Effects of calcium and plant sterols on serum lipids in obese Zucker rats on a low-fat diet

Ca may interfere with fat and cholesterol metabolism through formation of insoluble soaps with fatty and bile acids in the intestine. In the present study, we examined the effects of different dietary Ca levels on the serum lipid profile and cholesterol metabolism in obese Zucker rats fed a low-fat diet. We also tested whether dietary Ca interfered with the lipid-lowering effects of a pine oil-derived plant sterol mixture. Increase in dietary Ca intake from 0.2 to 0.8%, and further to 2.1% (w/w) dose-dependently decreased serum total cholesterol (r -0.565, P=0.002, n 27), LDL-cholesterol (r -0.538, P=0.006, n 25), and triacylglycerol (r -0.484, P=0.014, n 25) concentrations, and increased HDL-cholesterol (r -0.478, P=0.016, n 25) and HDL: LDL cholesterol (r 0.672, P<0.001, n 25) in rats fed a 1% cholesterol diet. Analysis of serum campesterol: cholesterol and sitosterol: cholesterol suggested that Ca dose-dependently increased intestinal cholesterol absorption (r 0.913, P<0.001, n 18), whereas serum desmosterol: cholesterol and lathosterol: cholesterol indicated that Ca dose-dependently increased endogenous cholesterol synthesis (r 0.691, P=0.003, n 18). Therefore, the decrease of serum LDL-cholesterol appeared to be due to Ca-induced increase in the conversion of cholesterol to bile acids. The increase in Ca intake did not interfere with the beneficial effects of plant sterols on serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol concentrations. The high-Ca diet with plant sterol supplementation further increased the HDL-cholesterol concentration and HDL: LDL cholesterol. The present findings indicate that the beneficial effects of dietary Ca on the serum lipid profile during a low-fat diet are dose-dependent, and resemble those of bile acid sequestrants. Increased dietary Ca did not impede the lipid-lowering effects of natural plant sterols.     

Comparison of dietary and non-dietary risk factors in overweight and normal-weight Chinese adults

The aim of the present study was to compare the differences in dietary and non-dietary factors contributing to normal weight and overweight among urban Chinese adults. Two cross-sectional population surveys were carried out in Tianjin, one of the largest cities in China. A total of 2631 subjects aged 25-64 years were selected by random stratified cluster sampling; 398 men and 490 women were overweight, and 886 men and 857 women were of normal weight. The diet was assessed by food weighing plus consecutive individual 3 d food records. Health-related behaviours and anthropometry were assessed. The overweight group had significantly higher mean daily intakes of energy and carbohydrate than the normal-weight group. Overweight men also had significantly higher mean daily intakes of protein and fat than normal-weight men. Age, daily intakes of energy and carbohydrate, and marital status were positively associated with overweight, while occupational and commuting physical activity, as well as smoking, were inversely associated with overweight among both genders. Daily intakes of protein, fat and alcohol were positively related to the incidence of being overweight among men. People with 7-12 years education were more likely to be overweight compared with those with less than 6 years of education. High intakes of energy and carbohydrate among both genders, as well as high intakes of protein and fat among men, and lower levels of occupational and commuting physical activity, being a non-smoker, and partly higher socio-economic status were related to a greater incidence of being overweight in this population.     

Hippocampal A beta 42 levels correlate with spatial memory deficit in APP and PS1 double transgenic mice

We investigated the role of hippocampal amyloid pathology in spatial learning impairment of a new mouse line carrying mutated human amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin-1 (PS1) transgenes. The APP + PS1 mice were tested in spatial navigation in the water maze and in position discrimination in the T-maze at ages of 3-4 and 11-12 months, before and after the appearance of first amyloid plaques. The APP + PS1 mice were impaired in water maze acquisition and retention only at the age of 11-12 months, but performed equally to controls in the T-maze task at both ages. In the impaired older age group, the levels of total Abeta1-42 in the hippocampus of APP + PS1 mice correlated negatively with the retention score. Here we show for the first time that the age-dependent impairment in memory retention in the traditional water maze of APP + PS1 mice correlates with the amount of total Abeta in hippocampus even at a stage when the amyloid deposits cover less than 1% of the hippocampal volume.     

Initial rightward orienting bias in clinical tasks: normal subjects and right hemispheric stroke patients with and without neglect

In order to develop the diagnosis of hemi-inattention in patients with right hemispheric cerebrovascular accident (RCVA), the initial starting point of cancellation performance was studied in seven commonly used visual cancellation tasks, an Object Finding task, and a blindfold Tactuo-motor search task. The subject groups consisted of 34 patients with RCVA and 31 healthy subjects. Patients were divided into groups of contralateral neglect and no neglect. One additional case of ipsilesional neglect and one of nonlateralised attentional disorder in relation to early orienting bias, are reported. Patients with contralateral neglect showed a strong tendency to start their cancellation performance on the right. Also, half of the nonneglect patient group demonstrated right bias in initiating their cancellation performance, suggesting the presence of a subclinical hemi-inattention group. Contrary to expectations, also a small proportion of normal subjects were right-biased. Task dependent differences in the assessment of early rightward orienting bias were found.