Effect of Taoren-Quyu decoction on endometriosis in rats

Purpose: To study the effect of traditional Chinese Medicine formula Taoren-Quyu decoction (TQD) on endometriosis. Method: Fifty female Wistar rats were randomly separated into five groups (10 rats/group): normal control, model (untreated) group, positive control (danazol), 200 mg/kg/day (low dose) or 400 mg/kg/day (high dose). All rats were prepared into endometriosis except for normal control rats. TDQ groups rats were orally administered of TQD for 5 weeks. After treatment, the rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The number of total endometriotic lesions were counted. Serum levels of cancer antigen 125 (CA-125), interleukin 13 (IL-13), interleukin 18 (IL-18) and peritoneal fluid tumor necrosis factoralpha (TNF-α) were measured by ELISA kits. Result: Compared with control rats, TQD reduced the number of total endometriotic lesions significantly (12.7 ± 1.2, p < 0.01), as well as serum levels of CA-125 (6.4 ± 1.2 U/mL), IL-18 (118.6 ± 7.4 pg/mL), IL13 (6.3 ± 0.8 pg/mL) and peritoneal fluid TNF-α (231.5 ± 11.7 pg/mL) (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The results reveal that TQD exerts anti-endometriotic effect in rats by inhibiting inflammatory factors. Therefore, TQD has potentials for use in the treatment of endometriosis

The katanin microtubule severing protein in plants

Katanin is a heterodimeric microtubule (MT) severing protein that uses energy from ATP hydrolysis to generate internal breaks along MTs. Katanin p60, one of the two subunits, possesses ATPase and MT-binding/ severing activities, and the p 80 subunit is responsible for targeting of katanin to certain subcellular locations. In animals, katanin plays an important role in the release of MTs from their nucleation sites in the centrosome. It is also involved in severing MTs into smaller fragments which can serve as templates for further polymerization to increase MT number during meiotic and mitotic spindle assembly. Katanin homologs are present in a wide variety of plant species. The Arabidopsis katanin homolog has been shown to possess ATP-dependent MT severing activity in vitro and exhibit a punctate localization pattern at the cell cortex and the perinuclear region. Disruption of katanin functions by genetic mutations causes a delay in the disappearance of the perinuclear MT array and results in an aberrant organization of cortical MTs in elongating cells. Consequently, katanin mutations lead to defects in cell elongation, cellulose microfibril deposition, and hormonal responses. Studies of katanin in plants provide new insights into our understanding of its roles in cellular functions. © 2007 Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences

Disruption of cortical microtubules by overexpression of green fluorescent protein-tagged α-tubulin 6 causes a marked reduction in cell wall synthesis

It has been known that the transverse orientation of cortical microtubules (MTs) along the elongation axis is essential for normal cell morphogenesis, but whether cortical MTs are essential for normal cell wall synthesis is still not clear. In the present study, we have investigated whether cortical MTs affect cell wall synthesis by direct alteration of the cortical MT organization in Arabidopsis thaliana. Disruption of the cortical MT organization by expression of an excess amount of green fluorescent protein-tagged α-tubulin 6 (GFP-TUA6) in transgenic Arabidopsis plants was found to cause a marked reduction in cell wall thickness and a decrease in the cell wall sugars glucose and xylose. Concomitantly, the stem strength of the GFP-TUA6 overexpressors was markedly reduced compared with the wild type. In addition, expression of excess GFP-TUA6 results in an alteration in cell morphogenesis and a severe effect on plant growth and development. Together, these results suggest that the proper organization of cortical MTs is essential for the normal synthesis of plant cell walls. © 2006 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences

The Effect of Calcium and Phosphorous on Growth, Feed Efficiency, Mineral Content and Body Composition of Brown Marbled Grouper (Epinephelus Fuscoguttatus) Juvenile

The objectives of this study were to know concentration of calcium (Ca) and posphorus (P) in feed for growth, feed efficiency, proximate composition of the body and mineral content of brown marbled grouper juvenile. The study was conducted in the Center for Brackiswater Aquaculture Development, Takalar with randomized completed design 6 x 3 with the treatment of Ca and P supplement in feed i.e., (A) the supplement of 0 g/kg Ca and 0 g/kg P, (B) the supplement of 6 g/kg Ca and 0 g/kg P, (C) the supplement of 0 g/kg Ca and 6 g/kg P, (D) the supplement of 6 g/kg Ca and 6 g/kg P, (E) the supplement of 12 g/kg Ca and 6 g/kg P, and (F) the supplement of 18 g/kg Ca and 6 g/kg P. The result showed that P supplement with doses of 6 g/kg and Ca of 0 g/kg in feed are significantly affects on relative growth, feed efficiency, proximate composition and mineral content of brown marbled grouper juvenile

Brain natriuretic peptide suppresses pain induced by BmK I, a sodium channel-specific modulator, in rats.

Background: A previous study found that brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) inhibited inflammatory pain via activating its receptor natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPRA) in nociceptive sensory neurons. A recent study found that functional NPRA is expressed in almost all the trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons at membrane level suggesting a potentially important role for BNP in migraine pathophysiology. Methods: An inflammatory pain model was produced by subcutaneous injection of BmK I, a sodium channel-specific modulator from venom of Chinese scorpion Buthus martensi Karsch. Quantitative PCR, Western Blot, and immunohistochemistry were used to detect mRNA and protein expression of BNP and NPRA in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and dorsal horn of spinal cord. Whole-cell patch clamping experiments were conducted to record large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BKCa) currents of membrane excitability of DRG neurons. Spontaneous and evoked pain behaviors were examined. Results: The mRNA and protein expression of BNP and NPRA was up-regulated in DRG and dorsal horn of spinal cord after BmK I injection. The BNP and NPRA was preferentially expressed in small-sized DRG neurons among which BNP was expressed in both CGRP-positive and IB4-positive neurons while NPRA was preferentially expressed in CGRP-positive neurons. BNP increased the open probability of BKCa channels and suppressed the membrane excitability of small-sized DRG neurons. Intrathecal injection of BNP significantly inhibited BmK-induced pain behaviors including both spontaneous and evoked pain behaviors. Conclusions: These results suggested that BNP might play an important role as an endogenous pain reliever in BmK I-induced inflammatory pain condition. It is also suggested that BNP might play a similar role in other pathophysiological pain conditions including migraine

Flavonoids and volatiles in Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat flower from Tongxiang County in China

Flavonoids and volatiles in a traditional herbal medicine Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat flower were determined by HPLC and GC/MS, respectively. Eight flavonoids and fifty eight volatiles were identified. Luteolin-7-glucoside and quercitrin were the most abundant flavonoids and they amounted for 85.7% of the total detected flavonoids. -Humulene was the most abundant volatile and ledene oxide-(I) the next abundant one and the two volatiles were 16.3 and 9.0% of total volatiles, respectively. The bioactivities of the partial components in C. morifolium Ramat flower were discussed. It is considered that the health benefits of C. morifolium Ramat might be related to its abundant flavonoids and volatiles

A Multicenter prospective study of poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (AMPAS): observational registry study

BACKGROUND: Poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is associated with very high mortality and morbidity. Our limited knowledge on predictors of long-term outcome in poor-grade patients with aSAH definitively managed comes from retrospective and prospective studies of small case series of patients in single center. The purpose of the AMPAS is to determine the long-term outcomes in poor-grade patients with different managements within different time after aSAH, and identify the independent predictors of the outcome that help guide the decision on definitive management. METHODS/DESIGN: The AMPAS study is a prospective, multicenter, observational registry of consecutive hospitalized patients with poor grade aSAH (WFNS grade IV and V). The aim is to enroll at least 226 poor-grade patients in 11 high-volume medical centers (eg, >150 aSAH cases per year) affiliated to different universities in China. This study will describe poor grade patients and aneurysm characteristics, treatment strategies (modality and time of definitive management), hospitalization complications and outcomes evolve over time. The definitive management is ruptured aneurysm treatment. Outcomes at 3, 6, 12 months after the management were measured using the Glasgow Outcome Scale and the Modified Rankin Scale. DISCUSSION: The AMPAS is the first prospective, multicenter, observational registry of poor grade aSAH with any management. This study will contribute to a better understanding of significant predictors of outcome in poor grade patients and help guide future treatment of the worst patients after aSAH. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-TNRC-10001041