Pinealectomy interferes with the circadian clock genes expression in white adipose tissue

Melatonin, the main hormone produced by the pineal gland, is secreted in a circadian manner (24‐hr period), and its oscillation influences several circadian biological rhythms, such as the regulation of clock genes expression (chronobiotic effect) and the modulation of several endocrine functions in peripheral tissues. Assuming that the circadian synchronization of clock genes can play a role in the regulation of energy metabolism and it is influenced by melatonin, our study was designed to assess possible alterations as a consequence of melatonin absence on the circadian expression of clock genes in the epididymal adipose tissue of male Wistar rats and the possible metabolic repercussions to this tissue. Our data show that pinealectomy indeed has impacts on molecular events: it abolishes the daily pattern of the expression of Clock, Per2, and Cry1 clock genes and Pparγ expression, significantly increases the amplitude of daily expression of Rev‐erbα, and affects the pattern of and impairs adipokine production, leading to a decrease in leptin levels. However, regarding some metabolic aspects of adipocyte functions, such as its ability to synthesize triacylglycerols from glucose along 24 hr, was not compromised by pinealectomy, although the daily profile of the lipogenic enzymes expression (ATP‐citrate lyase, malic enzyme, fatty acid synthase, and glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase) was abolished in pinealectomized animals.     

金水宝片联合依诺肝素对维持性血液透析患者血脂代谢的影响

目的：探究金水宝片联合依诺肝素对维持性血液透析患者血脂代谢的影响。方法：选取2018年12月至2019年3月马鞍山十七冶医院血液净化中心进行透析的患者154例作为研究对象，根据用药不同分为对照组和观察组,每组77例。对照组常规应用依诺肝素抗凝，观察组在对照组抗凝基础上加用金水宝片，各组均干预3个月，比较2组患者血脂变化及持续血液透析并发症发生情况。结果：治疗后，观察组患者三酰甘油、总胆固醇及低密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平下降，高密度脂蛋白胆固醇升高，与治疗前比较差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05），与对照组治疗后比较，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；观察组总并发症发生率明显低于对照组，2组比较差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；2组患者维持性血液透析不良反应发生率均较低，组间比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论：金水宝片联合依诺肝素有助于改善维持性血液透析患者血脂代谢水平，降低维持性血液透析相关并发症，值得临床推广应用。     

2 121例老年急性冠脉综合征患者血清脂类浓度的分析

目的分析60岁以上老年人血清脂类水平的参考值,并探讨急性冠脉综合征与血脂指标的相关性.方法将3 766例健康成人分为≤60岁和＞60岁的两个年龄段,采用生物化学的方法测量他们的血脂水平,找出60岁以上老年人的脂类参考值.同时分析2 121例老年急性冠脉综合征病人的脂类指标.结果 60岁以上老年人血脂参考值为:TC 4.65±1.96×1.05mmol/L;TG 1.02±1.96×0.45mmol/L;HDL-C 1.47±1.96×0.40mmol/L;LDL-C 2.98±1.96×0.56mmol/L;ApoA1 1.32±1.96×0.25g/L;ApoB 0.99±1.96×0.35g/L,并且急性心肌梗死和不稳定性心绞痛病人血清脂类各项指标之间没有显著性差异.结论血清LDL-C/HDL-C＞5和TG ≥1.9mmol/L这两项联合指标比其他单独指标与老年人急性冠脉综合征关系更密切.     

Effect of norethisterone acetate on serum lipid and lipoprotein parameters as well as on blood coagulation in female monkeys (M. fascicularis)

The effects of daily oral administration of a high dose of 10 mg norethisterone acetate (NET-Ac.)/kg/day over 14 weeks on serum lipid and lipoprotein parameters as well as on blood coagulation were investigated in female monkeys (M. fascicularis). Measurements of lipids and lipoprotein cholesterol were performed in weeks —5 and — 1 before treatment and in weeks 4, 8 and 12 after treatment. In addition, various blood coagulation and fibrinolytic parameters were determined in weeks 11–14 after treatment with NET-Ac. Furthermore, the serum levels of norethisterone (NET) were determined in order to monitor the real systemic compound exposure and revealed that C_max and AUC (0–3 h) values reached for norethisterone in this experiment in monkeys were about 25 times higher than those obtained after an oral contraceptive dose of NET-Ac. in women.

The results of lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol determinations showed decreases in serum total lipids, phospholipids, triglycerides and total cholesterol associated with similar decreases in HDL-, LDL- and VLDL-cholesterol fractions after NET-Ac.-treatment in monkeys. These effects were observed from week 4 onwards and maintained their magnitude up to week 12 after treatment. Since both HDL- and LDL-cholesterol fractions decreased, the HDL/LDL-ratio remained almost unchanged. Thus, the results obtained in this study after high-dose treatment with NET-Ac. in monkeys did not indicate any changes of lipid and lipoprotein parameters which in humans are supposed to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular lesions, namely a decrease in HDL- and increase in LDL-cholesterol fractions.

The results of blood coagulation and fibrinolytic parameters showed increased antithrombin-III and plasminogen levels besides minor changes in other parameters, thus indicating that NET-Ac. -treatment does not contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular thrombotic events in the cynomolgus monkey.     

Reactive oxygen species and human spermatozoa: physiology and pathology

The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the pathophysiology of human sperm function has been emphasized in recent years. ROS production in semen has been associated with loss of sperm motility, decreased capacity for sperm–oocyte fusion and loss of fertility. There is a current presumption that the most prolific source of ROS in sperm suspensions is an NADPH oxidase located in leukocytes or in spermatozoa which produces superoxide which is further converted to peroxide by the action of superoxide dismutase. Hydrogen peroxide has been recognized as the most toxic oxidizing species for human spermatozoa, which are very sensitive to lipid peroxidation owing to the high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in their plasma membrane, though this is not the sole mechanism by which sperm function might be impaired by ROS. Although the excessive production of ROS is detrimental to human spermatozoa, there is a growing body of evidence which suggests that ROS are also involved in the physiological control of some sperm functions. This review focuses on the nature and source of the ROS generated by human spermataozoa as well as their operational mechanisms and their effects, which may be detrimental or beneficial.     

地塞米松促胎儿肺成熟的三种用药方式对母体糖代谢的影响

【目的】探讨地塞米松的用药方式对孕妇糖代谢的影响。【方法】对 1999年 9月至 2 0 0 1年 1月在本院住院的15 0名不同用药方式使用地塞米松促胎儿肺成熟的孕妇进行研究 ,在用药前及用药后 18～ 2 4h抽取肘前静脉血查空腹血糖、血浆C肽 ,糖负荷后 2h血糖、血浆C肽。【结果】使用地塞米松后 ,空腹血糖值、糖负荷后 2h血糖值、空腹C肽及糖负荷后 2hC肽值较用药前高 ;用药方式对母体空腹血糖值和空腹C肽值的影响差异无统计学意义 (P >0 0 5 ) ,对母体糖负荷后 2h血糖值和糖负荷后 2hC肽值的影响差异有统计学意义 (P <0 0 5 ) ;不同糖代谢状态的受试者使用地塞米松后 ,空腹C肽值、糖负荷后 2hC肽值的改变差异有统计学意义 (P <0 0 5 )。【结论】孕妇使用地塞米松促胎儿肺成熟对母体的糖代谢均有一定程度的影响 ,用药过程中和用药后需严密监测母体血糖和胎儿宫内状况     

The effect of interleukin-1 on iron metabolism in rats

The effect of interleukin-1 on iron metabolism in rats was evaluated. Plasma iron decreased from 184 +/- 16 micrograms/dl (mean +/- SE) to 24 +/- 12 at 6 hours after interleukin-1 intramuscular administration in non-fasting rats and 109 +/- 6 micrograms/dl to 12 +/- 1 micrograms/dl in fasting rats, which was significantly lower than in control rats. Ferrokinetic studies showed a more rapid disappearance rate and lower iron turnover in interleukin-1-injected rats. The release of iron from the mononuclear phagocyte system to plasma was studied at 3 h after interleukin-1 administration. Although the percent of radioactivity in plasma of the total injected dose was 3.2 +/- 0.6% in interleukin-1, which was significantly lower than in the control rats (5.4 +/- 0.6%) at 9 h after intravenous injection of 59Fe chondroitin ferrous sulfate, there was no difference between the amount of 59Fe released from the mononuclear phagocyte system over the first 9 h in interleukin-1 and control rats. These data appear to imply that iron release is unimpaired but that, for some reason, there is an enhanced rate of clearance of the 59Fe once it has been released from the mononuclear phagocyte system into the plasma.     

Lipid extract from completely sporoderm‐broken germinating Ganoderma sinensis spores elicits potent antitumor immune responses in human macrophages

Ganoderma sinensis has been used widely in Oriental countries for the prevention and treatment of various diseases including cancer. Previous studies have shown that the lipid extract from Ganoderma exhibits direct cytotoxicity against tumor cells. Here, it is reported that the lipid extract from germinating G. sinensis spores, at lower concentrations that have no direct tumoricidal activity, induce potent antitumor immune responses in human monocytes/macrophages. Upon stimulation with the lipid extract, monocytes/macrophages exhibited markedly increased production of proinflammatory cytokines and surface expression of costimulatory molecules. Conditioned medium from stimulated cells effectively suppressed the growth of tumor cells. Apparently, the lipid extract triggered macrophage activation via a mechanism different from that associated with LPS. Moreover, it was observed that the lipid extract could partially re‐establish the antitumor activity of the immunosuppressive tumor‐associated macrophages. These results indicated that in addition to its direct tumoricidal activity, the lipid extract from G. sinensis spores could exert antitumor activity by stimulating the activation of human monocytes/macrophages. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Golgi study on brain of macular mutant mouse as a model of Menkes kinky hair disease

Summary This study was undertaken to elucidate, using the Golgi method, the neuropathological change in the brain of the macular mutant mouse, whose hemizygote (Ml/y) is considered to be a model of Menkes kinky hair disease (MKHD). The hemizygote mice gradually lost weight after 10 days of age and died with emaciation and seizure around day 15. The normal littermate (+/y) was well developed. In the cerebrum, the arborization of pyramidal neurons in the layer V of the Ml/y was the same as that in the +/y on day 10. However, development of arborization in the Ml/y was delayed in comparison with that in the +/y on days 12 and 14. Purkinje cells with several somal sprouts were observed in the cerebellum in both the Ml/y and +/y on day 7. The somal sprouts in the +/y had regressed gradually by day 12, while they were still in the anterior and middle lobes of the Ml/y on day 14. Additionally, the trunks of Ml/y stem dendrites became thicker and a cactus formation was recognized on the branching portion of the dendrites on day 14. Arborization of these abnormal Purkinje cells was distinctly poor compared with that in the +/y. These results suggest that the growth of the neurons is delayed in the Ml/y and simultaneously their cytoskeletal developments are disturbed, especially in the Purkinje cells. There is a close similarity in many respects to the neuropathological change in MKHD.