Predictive performance of obesity indexes for the risk of high blood pressure in an adult population

Background and objectives

Comparisons of predictive performance of various anthropometric measures in high blood pressure have not been investigated. This study aimed at evaluating and comparing the predictive power of Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Adiposity index (BAI) and A Body Shape Index (ABSI) for predicting hypertension in adults.

高山红景天多糖的硫酸化修饰及DPPH自由基清除活性研究

目的优选高山红景天多糖(RSP)的最佳硫酸化修饰条件,提高RSP的抗氧化活性。方法利用氯磺酸-吡啶法对RSP进行了硫酸化修饰,并通过单因素实验确定了硫酸化反应的最佳工艺条件;应用红外光谱(IR)和扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对RSP和硫酸化高山红景天多糖(S-RSP)的理化性质进行了分析;通过测定RSP和S-RSP对1,1-二苯基-2-三硝基苯肼(DPPH)自由基的清除能力,考察了S-RSP的取代度(DS)与多糖抗氧化活性之间的关系。结果当氯磺酸与吡啶的体积比为1∶4、反应时间为2 h、反应温度为60℃时,制得的S-RSP的含硫量最大值为18.83%,取代度最大值为2.38。RSP经硫酸化修饰后,增强了其抗氧化活性,S-RSP的DS与DPPH自由基清除能力存在一定的正比例关系。结论氯磺酸与吡啶的体积比影响S-RSP的DS大小;RSP经硫酸化修饰后通过改变多糖的极性而增加了其抗氧化能力。     

LC-MS/MS分析银杏二萜内酯葡胺注射液在人尿液中的代谢产物

目的:研究银杏二萜内酯葡胺注射液在人尿液中的主要代谢产物及其代谢途径。方法:3名受试者静脉滴注银杏二萜内酯葡胺注射液后收集0~6 h的尿样,分别按酸化和不酸化样品处理后,以液相色谱-串联质谱法(LC-MS/MS)对样品进行分析。采用ACE C_(18)-AR色谱柱(4.6 mm×150 mm,3μm),酸性HPLC条件流动相Ⅰ为乙腈-0.4%甲酸铵水溶液(p H3.2)梯度洗脱,中性HPLC条件流动相Ⅱ为乙腈-水梯度洗脱,流速0.7 m L·min~(-1)。通过比较空白尿样和给药后尿样的总离子流和提取离子流色谱图以及各个色谱峰的保留时间、准分子离子和二级碎片离子,分析银杏内酯A(GA),银杏内酯B(GB)和银杏内酯K(GK)在人体内可能的代谢产物。结果:除原型药外,共鉴定了12个代谢产物,其中GA相关的代谢产物有6个,包括5个Ⅰ相和1个Ⅱ相代谢产物;GB相关的有4个,包括1个Ⅰ相和3个Ⅱ相代谢产物;GK相关的有2个,包括1个Ⅰ相和1个Ⅱ相代谢产物。结论:GA在人体内主要的代谢途径为羟基化和内酯环水解,并可进一步共价结合成硫酸酯;GB主要的代谢途径为羟基化和内酯环水解,并可进一步共价结合成硫酸酯、葡萄糖醛酸苷或谷胱甘肽结合物;GK在人体内主要的代谢途径为甲基化葡萄糖醛酸结合反应。     

The roles of the N-terminal portions of various tachykinins in promoting salivation

OBJECTIVES: In order to determine the active sites for salivation of various tachykinins, the regulatory roles of the N-terminal portion of various newly-synthesized tachykinins were studied after i.p. injection of rats using the submandibular glands as model organs. METHODS: N-shortened oligopeptides from kassinin, eledoisin, neurokinins A (NKA) and NKB were synthesized by the multipin peptide synthesis method. Amino acids were eliminated one by one to form octa- to undeca-peptides adjoining the inactive or less active heptapeptides and various heptapeptides, in which an amino acid in position 8 (Xaa8), numbering as in an undecapeptide, was replaced with Tyr, Phe, Ile or Val. RESULTS: The N-terminal amino acids in positions 1 to 4 could be activators or inhibitors, depending on whether the C-terminal heptapeptide was inactive or less active. The Xaa8 residue, in combination with amino acids in positions 5 and 6, seemed to be very important in determining the sialogogic activity of a heptapeptide. The discrimination between NKA and NKB appeared due to the N-terminal amino acid sequence in positions I to 4 including Phe or Ser in position 6. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the N-terminal amino acids in positions I to 4 serve as either activators or inhibitors depending upon the sialogogic activity of the C-terminal heptapeptide, in which particular amino acids in positions 5, 6 and 8 regulate its activity.     

Evidence that cyclosporin A administration induces the formation of new cementum-like islets inside the gingival connective tissue

Two groups of 3 male Sprague-Dawley rats were given orally 30 mg/kg/d of vehicle (control group) or cyclosporin-A (experimental group) solution for 14 wk. The rats were anesthetized, tissues fixed by intracardiac perfusion of fixative solution and jaws dissected, demineralized, processed for Epon inclusion and cut by semi-thin serial sections. Histological examination revealed the presence of several islets located paravascularly inside the gingival connective tissue in the proximity of the root surfaces. The structure of these new cementum-like islets (NCLIs) was either compact and homogeneous or heterogeneous, but identical to that of the adjacent new cementum (NC) deposits. Histomorphometric evaluation indicated that the volume and the external surface of the NCLIs varied from 2354 to 679,497 μm³ and from 465 to 47,517 μm², respectively. These observations (a) suggest that CsA stimulates possibly paravascular progenitor cells which secrete in situ a NC-like material and (b) provides further evidence about the high potential of CsA to induce NC formation.     

HLA-DR4 and salivary immunoglobulin A reactions to oral streptococci

The aim of this study was to describe and compare salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibody reactions to extracts of strains of three oral streptococci in human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR4-positive and -DR4-negative subjects. Whole paraffin-stimulated saliva samples were collected from 27 apparently healthy subjects. Previous HLA typing showed that 20 subjects were DR4 positive and 7 were DR4 negative. HLA-DRB1*04 subtyping was performed among the DR4-positive subjects. Whole-cell antigen extracts from Streptococcus mutans (KPSK 2), Streptococcus sobrinus (OMZ 65) and Streptococcus parasanguis (Nt 62) were separated in SDS-PAGE. The antigens were immunoblotted with diluted saliva (Western blot), scanned and analyzed in a computer system. All immunoblot bands were recorded in DR4-positive and DR4-negative saliva pools, and bands with an optical density >or=0.1 were selected for analysis in individual salivas. The DR4-negative subjects in general had more immunoblot bands and more distinct bands than did the DR4-positive subjects. A higher concentration of total IgA in saliva was correlated with more bands, especially to antigens separated from S. mutans. When the number of bands was calculated per IgA unit, significant differences were observed between DR4-positive and DR4-negative salivas. This was particularly seen for S. mutans and S. parasanguis. As the number of bands was analyzed in relation to DR4 subgroups, DRB1*04, there was a lower salivary IgA activity to S. mutans in the DRB1*0401 and *0404. The variable level of correlation previously demonstrated for S. mutans colonisation and serologically defined DR4 positive subjects might be explained by the heterogeneity in this group, and the relation should be sought on a subgroup level.     

T‐cell independent production of salivary secretory IgA after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children

This study examined the recovery of secretory IgA (S‐IgA) in saliva after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in 35 children and young people between the ages of 3 and 27 years (mean = 13.6), and compared this recovery with that of serum immunologic constituents. Reference values for human salivary S‐IgA in saliva were obtained from 77 healthy control subjects between the ages of 7 and 25 years (mean = 11.4). In the 35 patients, a nadir of secretory IgA concentrations in saliva (S‐IgA) was observed between the 3rd and the 4th month, and a return to normal values 1 year after HSCT. Serum IgA concentrations reached their nadir in the 6th month, and normalized in the 18 months after HSCT. The recovery of T‐helper cells (CD4⁺/3⁺) was also delayed to beyond 18 months. We found a significant correlation between the reconstitution pattern of S‐IgA and that of T‐helper lymphocytes, but no correlation was found between the post‐transplant evolutions of S‐IgA and serum IgA, or between S‐IgA and T‐helper cells. The recovery of S‐IgA was more rapid than that of serum IgA and appeared to be T‐helper cell independent.