Phenethyl Isothiocyanate Protects against High Fat/Cholesterol Diet-Induced Obesity and Atherosclerosis in C57BL/6 Mice

This study concerns obesity-related atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, and chronic inflammation. We studied the anti-obesity and anti-atherosclerosis effects of phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) and explored their underlying mechanisms. We established an animal model of high fat/cholesterol-induced obesity in C57BL/6 mice fed for 13 weeks. We divided the mice into five groups: control (CON), high fat/cholesterol (HFCD), HFCD with 3 mg/kg/day gallic acid (HFCD + G), and HFCD with PEITC (30 and 75 mg/kg/day; HFCD + P30 and P75). The body weight, total cholesterol, and triglyceride were significantly lower in the HFCD + P75 group than in the HFCD group. Hepatic lipid accumulation and atherosclerotic plaque formation in the aorta were significantly lower in both HFCD + PEITC groups than in the HFCD group, as revealed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. To elucidate the mechanism, we identified the expression of genes related to inflammation, reverse cholesterol transport, and lipid accumulation pathway in the liver. The expression levels of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), liver-X-receptor α (LXR-α), and ATP binding cassette subfamily A member 1 (ABCA1) were increased, while those of scavenger receptor A (SR-A1), cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36), and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) were decreased in the HFCD + P75 group compared with those in the HFCD group. Moreover, PEITC modulated H3K9 and H3K27 acetylation, H3K4 dimethylation, and H3K27 di-/trimethylation in the HFCD + P75 group. We, therefore, suggest that supplementation with PEITC may be a potential candidate for the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis and obesity.     

扶正解毒通络法治疗糖尿病足

目的观察扶正解毒通络法治疗糖尿病足(气血亏虚、湿毒内蕴证)患者的临床疗效。方法将90例糖尿病足(WagnerⅡ级或Ⅲ级),中医辨证属气血亏虚、湿毒内蕴证的患者随机均分成3组。其中治疗组A 30例,治疗组B 30例,对照组 30例。对照组予以西医内科常规治疗和蚕食清创,治疗组A在对照组基础上联用扶正解毒、通络生肌膏外用,治疗组B在治疗组A基础上内服中药汤剂。对比3组患者治疗前后中医证候积分、ABI、TcPO2、CRP、ALB、感觉阈值、创面面积等变化。4周为1个疗程,共治疗3个疗程。结果单纯西医内科常规治疗和蚕食清创的对照组临床总有效率为66.7%,加用中药膏外用的治疗组A临床总有效率83.3%;而内服汤药联合外用膏药治疗组B临床总有效率为90.0%,治疗组疗效明显优于对照组。3组治疗前后中医证候积分、ABI、CRP、ALB、感觉阈值、创面面积变化均有明显差异,治疗组明显优于对照组。治疗组均未出现不良反应。结论中药内外联用治疗糖尿病足(WagnerⅡ级或Ⅲ级)气血亏虚、湿毒内蕴证者疗效显著,在改善患者临床症状、创面面积及下肢循环、神经损伤等方面较单纯中医外治和单纯西医常规治疗疗效确切。     

Up-regulation of transferrin receptor 1 in chronic hepatitis C: Implication in excess hepatic iron accumulation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS:: To clarify the mechanism of excess hepatic iron accumulation in chronic hepatitis C, we investigated the expressions of transferrin receptor 1 and divalent metal transporter 1 in hepatocytes, both of which are involved in cellular iron uptake, in relation to the degree of hepatic iron accumulation and hepatic fibrosis by immunohistochemistrical study. METHODS:: Forty-six hepatic tissues with chronic hepatitis C and five normal hepatic tissues were examined. Chemical detection of hepatic iron accumulation was performed by Perl's Prussian blue stain. The immunohistochemistrical study was performed by avidin-biotin complex method with alkaline phosphatase. RESULTS:: In chronic hepatitis C: (1) Hepatic iron accumulation was significantly increased in relation to the advance of the fibrosis. (2) Divalent metal transporter 1 decreased significantly in relation to the advance of hepatic fibrosis. (3) Transferrin receptor 1 expression was always detected, although not in normal hepatic tissues; there was no relation between expression levels and the degree of hepatic fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS:: These data demonstrated that the transferrin receptor 1 expression was up-regulated irrespective of the degree of hepatic iron accumulation, suggesting that the up-regulation of transferrin receptor 1 might act as one of the key mechanisms implicated in the accumulation of hepatic iron in chronic hepatitis C.     

CO2浓度升高对不同水分养分条件下小麦幼苗生长的影响--测试文章

设置了5个氮素浓度梯度（N₀、N₁、N₂、N₃、N₄）、3个PEG（P₀、P₁、P₂）浓度梯度以及2个CO₂浓度（370±50 μmol·mol^-1; 700±50 μmol·mol^-1）水平的盆栽试验,探究了小麦幼苗生长、物质积累与分配以及植株水分条件的变化规律。结果表明：小麦幼苗株高、地上部干重、根干重、生物量以及叶水势的最大值以及高浓度CO₂的最大刺激作用均出现在处理N₁P₀; 而根长和根冠比的最大值分别出现在处理N₀P₀和N₁P₂,高浓度CO₂的最大刺激值也分别出现在处理N₀P₀和N₁P₂; 适宜养分条件下,高浓度CO₂能够最大限度地促进小麦幼苗的生长,同时高浓度CO₂通过提高小麦幼苗叶水势,一定程度上缓解了低浓度PEG胁迫的不利影响。因此,未来CO₂浓度升高将对水肥条件好的小麦产生促进作用,可缓解轻度水分不足的不利影响,而对严重干旱胁迫下小麦的生长作用不明显。     

Validity of cardiometabolic index,lipid accumulation product,and body adiposity index in predicting the risk of hypertension in Chinese population

Objectives: Adiposity, defined by higher cardiometabolic index (CMI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), and body adiposity index (BAI), has conferred increased metabolic risk. However, the incremental utility of CMI, LAP, and BAI in association with prevalent hypertension has not been well described in a population-based setting. We hypothesized that CMI, LAP, and BAI would provide important insight into hypertension risk.

Methods: Blood pressure (BP), fasting lipid profiles, and anthropometric parameters were recorded in a cross-sectional study of 11,400 participants (mean age, 54 years; 53% women) from China. Logistic regression models were used to assess associations of CMI, LAP, and BAI with prevalent hypertension.

BAI was evaluated according to hip (cm)/[height (m)^1.5]-18; LAP was calculated separately for men [(WC-65) × TG] and women [(WC-58) × TG]; and CMI was defined by TG/HDL-C × waist-to-height ratio.

Results: CMI, LAP, and BAI were independently correlated with higher SBP and DBP, with nonstandardized (B) coefficients ranging from 1.827 to 4.590 mmHg and 1.475 to 2.210 mmHg (all P < 0.001). After adjustment for hypertension risk factors and potential confounders, CMI, LAP, and BAI, modeled as continuous measures, carried hypertension odds (95% CI) of 1.356 (1.259–1.459), 1.631 (1.501–1.771), and 1.555 (1.454–1.662) in women, respectively, per SD increment. In men, each SD increase in CMI, LAP, and BAI experienced a 31%, 65%, and 53% higher hypertension risk, respectively. Moreover, among women, the odds ratio (95% CI) for hypertension were 2.318 (1.956–2.745), 3.548 (2.985–4.217), and 3.004 (2.537–3.557) in the 4th quartile vs the first quartile of CMI, LAP, and BAI, respectively. For men, the corresponding figures were 2.200 (1.838–2.635), 3.892 (3.238–4.677), and 3.288 (2.754–3.927), respectively.

Conclusion: Measurements of CMI, LAP, and BAI provide a more complete understanding of hypertension risk related to variation in body fat distribution and pinpoint hypertensive participants in great risk of cardiovascular disease in the future.     

Is lipid accumulation product a better cardiovascular risk predictor in elderly individuals than anthropometric measures?

IntroductionPopulation aging is associated with increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases that have a significant impact on overall morbidity and mortality. Insulin resistance (IR) and visceral obesity are risk factors for vascular damage and cardiometabolic diseases.AimsEstimating the correlation between lipid accumulation product (LAP) and IR in elderly individuals and comparing them to traditional anthropometric indices.MethodsCross-sectional study comprising 411 individuals >60 years, who were treated in a primary care service. Body mass index (BMI), neck circumference (NC), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), arm circumference (AC), sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were recorded. IR was estimated based on HOMA-IR (homeostasis model assessment IR index). LAP^a index was calculated as [WC-65]×[triglyceride (TG)] in men, and as [WC-58]×[TG] in women, whereas LAP^b was calculated by using the minimum WC values recorded for the current sample, i.e., 61.5 cm for women and 71.5 cm for men.ResultsThere was correlation among LAP^a (0.506), LAP^b (0.515) and HOMA-IR. LAP was better correlated to HOMA-IR and showed higher area under the curve than BMI, NC, WHR and SAD. Based on the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, LAP^b≥47.40 and LAP^a≥52.5 were the best cut-off values used to identify individuals with IR presenting 68.8% and 68.2% sensitivity, and 68.6% and 68.6% specificity, respectively.ConclusionLAP may be a useful and simple clinical marker to assess cardiometabolic risk factors in the elderly population treated at a primary care service.     

应用微核实验和彗星电泳实验评价氯化镧90d喂养对小鼠遗传毒性作用

[目的]应用微核实验和彗星电泳实验评价氯化镧亚慢性染毒致小鼠遗传毒性作用. [方法]将100只SPF级ICR小鼠随机分为5组:4个氯化镧染毒组和1个对照组,每组20只,雌雄各半.5个剂量组分别以灌胃的方式给予不同浓度的氯化镧溶液(0、10、20、50和100 mg/kg).每周染毒6次,连续染毒13周后,取小鼠外周血进行彗星实验及镧含量的测定,取小鼠骨髓观察骨髓细胞微核率. [结果]镧染毒剂量达50 mg/kg时,彗星细胞的尾长及尾部DNA含量与对照组相比,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05),小鼠骨髓细胞微核率与对照组相比,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).4个氯化镧染毒组血液中均有不同程度的镧的蓄积,与对照组相比,差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05). [结论]稀土镧元素可以在血液中蓄积,具有一定的遗传毒性.