The effects of (+)-Gossypol on 11β-HSD and the concentration of corticosterone and dehydrocorticosterone in mice serum and tissues

11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) plays an important part in mediating glucocorticoid action, catalyzing the interconversion of corticosterone (B) and dehydrocorticosterone (A) in rodents. The aim of our study is to investigate the effects of (+)-gossypol (G+) on 11β-HSD. Adult ICR mice were given B and B + (G+) by intraperitoneal injection. The activity of 11β-HSD was evaluated by measuring the ratio of A and B, meanwhile the effects of (+)-gossypol on the conversion rate of B to A was determined with HPLC. Serum A/B levels of the B+(G+) group decreased by 2.42, 7.32, 17.85, 31.39, and 40.02 % compared to the B group at each measured time interval. A/B levels at 1 h for the B + (G+) group decreased by 43.78, 21.29 and 34.47% in liver, kidney and adrenal glands, respectively, in comparison to the B group. However, (+)-gossypol had no effect on brain and testis. (+)-Gossypol was an inhibitor of 11β-HSD.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

The effects of (+)-Gossypol on 11β-HSD and the concentration of corticosterone and dehydrocorticosterone in mice serum and tissues

11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) plays an important part in mediating glucocorticoid action, catalyzing the interconversion of corticosterone (B) and dehydrocorticosterone (A) in rodents. The aim of our study is to investigate the effects of (+)-gossypol (G+) on 11β-HSD. Adult ICR mice were given B and B + (G+) by intraperitoneal injection. The activity of 11β-HSD was evaluated by measuring the ratio of A and B, meanwhile the effects of (+)-gossypol on the conversion rate of B to A was determined with HPLC. Serum A/B levels of the B+(G+) group decreased by 2.42, 7.32, 17.85, 31.39, and 40.02 % compared to the B group at each measured time interval. A/B levels at 1 h for the B + (G+) group decreased by 43.78, 21.29 and 34.47% in liver, kidney and adrenal glands, respectively, in comparison to the B group. However, (+)-gossypol had no effect on brain and testis. (+)-Gossypol was an inhibitor of 11β-HSD.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

The effects of (+)-Gossypol on 11β-HSD and the concentration of corticosterone and dehydrocorticosterone in mice serum and tissues

11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) plays an important part in mediating glucocorticoid action, catalyzing the interconversion of corticosterone (B) and dehydrocorticosterone (A) in rodents. The aim of our study is to investigate the effects of (+)-gossypol (G+) on 11β-HSD. Adult ICR mice were given B and B + (G+) by intraperitoneal injection. The activity of 11β-HSD was evaluated by measuring the ratio of A and B, meanwhile the effects of (+)-gossypol on the conversion rate of B to A was determined with HPLC. Serum A/B levels of the B+(G+) group decreased by 2.42, 7.32, 17.85, 31.39, and 40.02 % compared to the B group at each measured time interval. A/B levels at 1 h for the B + (G+) group decreased by 43.78, 21.29 and 34.47% in liver, kidney and adrenal glands, respectively, in comparison to the B group. However, (+)-gossypol had no effect on brain and testis. (+)-Gossypol was an inhibitor of 11β-HSD.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Functional analysis of two arabidopsis purple acid phosphatases : AtPAP2 and AtPAP9

published_or_final_versionBiological SciencesDoctoralDoctor of Philosoph

Functional analysis of two arabidopsis purple acid phosphatases : AtPAP2 and AtPAP9

abstractBiological SciencesDoctoralDoctor of Philosoph

Feed forward rf control system of the accelerator test facility

We report a scheme to control the amplitude and phase of the rf accelerating field in a klystron driven electron linac. The amplitude and phase distribution within the rf pulse can be controlled to follow specified functions to reduce the energy spread of the electron beam being accelerated. The scheme employs fast beam energy and phase detectors and voltage-controlled electronic attenuator and phase shifter in the amplifier chain. The control voltages of these devices are generated by arbitrary function generators. The function generators' outputs are calculated numerically using an algorithm which takes into consideration the desired target function and the deviation (due to load variations or system parameter drift) from the target function. Results of preliminary tests on producing flat rf power and phase pulses from a high power klystron indicate that amplitude variation of {plus minus}0.2% and phase variation of {plus minus}1{degree} can be readily achieved. 4 refs., 3 figs

Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana containing increased levels of ATP and sucrose is more susceptible to Pseudomonas syringae.

Disease resistance exerts a fitness cost on plants, presumably due to the extra consumption of energy and carbon. In this study, we examined whether transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana with increased levels of ATP and sucrose is more resistant or susceptible to pathogen infection. Lines of A. thaliana over-expressing purple acid phosphatase 2 (AtPAP2) (OE lines) contain increased levels of ATP and sucrose, with improved growth rate and seed production. Compared to wild type (WT) and pap2 lines, the OE lines were more susceptible to several Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) strains carrying AvrRpm1, AvrRpt2 AvrRps4, AvrPtoB, HrcC and WT strain DC3000. The increased susceptibility of the OE lines to Pst strains cannot solely be attributed to the suppressed expression of R-genes but must also be attributed to the suppression of downstream signaling components, such as MOS2, EDS1 and EDS5. Before infection, the levels of salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) precursor OPDA were similar in the leaves of OE, pap2 and WT plants, whereas the levels of JA and its derivative JA-Ile were significantly lower in the leaves of OE lines and higher in the pap2 line. The expression of JA marker defense gene PDF1.2 was up-regulated in the OE lines compared to the WT prior to Pst DC3000 infection, but its expression was lower in the OE lines after infection. In summary, high fitness Arabidopsis thaliana exhibited altered JA metabolism and broad suppression of R-genes and downstream genes as well as a higher susceptibility to Pst infections

Phthalate levels and low birth weight: A nested case-control study of Chinese newborns

Objective: To assess maternal-fetal exposure to phthalates and investigate whether in utero phthalate exposure is associated with low birth weight (LBW). Study design: A total of 201 newborn-mother pairs (88 LBW cases and 113 controls) residing in Shanghai were enrolled in this nested case-control study during 2005-2006. Maternal blood, cord blood, and meconium specimens were collected and analyzed for phthalates by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Nonparametric tests were used to compare demographic characteristics in cases and controls. Conditional logistic regression and Spearman correlation were used to analyze the association between phthalate exposure and LBW. Results: No significant differences in gestational age, prepregnancy body mass index, prenatal care, vitamin supplementation, or socioeconomic levels were found between the LBW and control infants. More than 70% of the biosamples had quantifiable levels of phthalates, with higher levels in the LBW infants compared with the controls. Prenatal di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) exposure was associated with LBW, and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) was negatively associated with birth length. After adjusting for the potential confounders, DBP concentrations in the highest quartile were associated with an increased risk of LBW. Conclusions: Newborns in China are ubiquitously exposed to phthalates; significantly higher phthalate levels were detected in LBW cases compared with controls. In utero DBP and DEHP exposures were associated with LBW in a dose-dependent manner. Prenatal phthalate exposure may be a risk factor for LBW

Mediating effects of general self-efficacy on the relationship between the source of meaning in life and prosocial behaviours in vocational college nursing students: A cross-sectional study.

ObjectivesTo examine the mediating effect of general self-efficacy on the relationship between the source of meaning in life (SML) and prosocial behaviours in vocational college nursing students.MethodsBetween March and June 2019, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted, and 799 nursing students from three vocational colleges completed the Source of Meaning in Life Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale and Prosocial Behaviours Scale. Data were analyzed using structural equation modelling and statistical analysis by SPSS (version 23.0, IBM).ResultsThe average SML, general self-efficacy and prosocial behaviours scores of the 799 nursing students were 6.43±0.83, 2.48±0.59 and 3.69±0.62, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that SML, general self-efficacy and prosocial behaviours were positively correlated (PConclusionsEducators should focus on cultivating nursing students' cognition and experience of meaning in life and their efficacy in life, study and work, which can improve students' "people-oriented" service and prosocial behaviour and the quality of nursing services