Propofol induces apoptosis by activating caspases and the MAPK pathways, and inhibiting the Akt pathway in TM3 mouse Leydig stem/progenitor cells.

Propofol is an anesthetic agent moderating GABA receptors in the nervous system. A number of studies have demonstrated that propofol exerts a negative effect on neural stem cell development in the neonatal mouse hippocampus. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no study available to date illustrating whether neonatal exposure to propofol affects Leydig stem/progenitor cell development for normal male reproductive development and functions, and the regulatory mechanism remains elusive. In the present study, TM3 cells, a mouse Leydig stem/progenitor cell line, was treated with propofol. The data illustrated that propofol significantly reduced TM3 cell viability. TM3 subG1 phase cell numbers were significantly increased by propofol assayed by flow cytometric analysis. Annexin V/PI double staining assay of the TM3 Leydig cells also demonstrated that propofol increased TM3 cell apoptosis. In addition, cleaved caspase­8, ­9 and ­3 and/or poly(ADP­ribose) polymerase (PARP) were significantly activated by propofol in the TM3 cells. Furthermore, the expression levels of phospho­JNK, phospho­ERK1/2 and phospho­p38 were activated by propofol in the TM3 cells, indicating that propofol induced apoptosis through the mitogen­activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Additionally, propofol diminished the phosphorylation of Akt to increase the apoptosis of TM3 cells. On the whole, the findings of the present study demonstrate that propofol induces TM3 cell apoptosis by activating caspases and MAPK pathways, as well as by inhibiting the Akt pathway in TM3 cells. These findings illustrate that propofol affects the viability of Leydig stem/progenitor cells possibly related to the development of the male reproductive system.

[An investigation of the diet preferences of patients with metabolic syndrome who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery].

BACKGROUND: The coronary artery disease (CAD) patients are not free of disease recurrence following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. There may be risk of restenosis or occlusion in coronary blood flow. Risk reduction, such as diet control, is needed for long-term vascular patency. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the diet preferences of post coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: A cross-section research design and purposive sampling were conducted in this study. The study was conducted at a general hospital in northern Taiwan. A total of 104 samples recruited. And given a respondent demographics questionnaire and Chinese food frequency questionnaire. Eata were managed and analyzed using SPSS 17.0 software. RESULTS: We found that postoperative patients ate less vegetables and milk and more fried food. They also used cooking oil more frequently. CONCLUSION: We recommend that patients after CABG surgery take more vegetables with less fried food and cooking oil. They should improve their diet preferences and eating habit. More than half of the patients have meals prepared by their spouses. More emphasis should be focused on improving the health knowledge of those who prepare food. We hope this result can provide more information about postoperative diet education for medical staff and help patients and their families consume a diet richer in healthy foods.

[Quality of life and related factors in metabolic syndrome patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting surgery].

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is a high-prevalence health problem worldwide. In Taiwan, some 16.1-20.4% of males and 13.3-15.3% of females have been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. Cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death in Taiwan, and metabolic syndrome is a recognized risk factor for coronary artery disease. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is currently the most recommended treatment for coronary artery disease. In Taiwan, approximately 6,300 individuals underwent CABG surgery in 2007. PURPOSE: Research has found metabolic syndrome to be associated with poor outcomes following CABG. However, research focusing on quality of life in metabolic syndrome patients who have undergone CABG is lacking. The purpose of this study was to explore the quality of life of such patients in order to address this gap in understanding. METHODS: The cross-sectional quantitative research design with purposive sampling used for this study employed two instruments, including the Short Form 36-Health Survey and a demographic questionnaire. Seventy patients were recruited from a medical center in northern Taiwan. Data were analyzed using SPSS, Version 17.0 software. Data analysis addressed percentages, means, standard deviations, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVAs and Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS: With regard to SF-36 Taiwan version scores, results showed participant mean scores for general health and social functions to be higher than those of the general population, and, in keeping with this, the mean scores for limited role function due to emotional problems and physical pain due to the operation were lower. Nevertheless, overall, the mean score for physical functions was lower than that for the general population, as were mean scores for vitality and mental health. Metabolic syndrome indicators were significantly associated with gender, age, education level, and religious affiliation. In addition, quality of life differed significantly by gender, marital status, meal arrangements, and alcohol consumption. Finally, lower blood pressure was correlated with vitality and mental health. CONCLUSIONS: It is hoped that study findings will increase awareness among healthcare providers regarding quality of life in metabolic syndrome patients who have undergone CABG. Based on study results, healthcare providers may design specific interventions for this particular population in order to achieve optimal quality of life.

Leisure physical activity and quality of life after coronary artery bypass graft surgery for patients with metabolic syndrome in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this correlational study was to explore the physical activity and quality of life of postcoronary artery bypass graft patients with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: Seventy patients were recruited via purposive sampling. Data were collected through three instruments: a demographic questionnaire, the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire, and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-Health Survey. The data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 17.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL), and data analysis included percentages, means, standard deviations, correlation coefficients, and forward regressions. RESULTS: Patients with a higher level of physical activity tended to have better quality of life. Our findings also indicated that the total Modifiable Activity Questionnaire score and age explained 15.1% of the variance in the physical component summary of quality of life, and 13.6% of the variance in the mental component summary of quality of life. CONCLUSION: Based on this research, nursing staff should develop physical activity-related interventions to promote quality of life.

Expression of CP4 EPSPS in microspores and tapetum cells of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is critical for male reproductive development in response to late-stage glyphosate applications.

Plants expressing Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (CP4 EPSPS) are known to be resistant to glyphosate, a potent herbicide that inhibits the activity of the endogenous plant EPSPS. The RR1445 transgenic cotton line (current commercial line for Roundup Ready Cotton) was generated using the figwort mosaic virus (FMV) 35S promoter to drive the expression of the CP4 EPSPS gene, and has excellent vegetative tolerance to glyphosate. However, with high glyphosate application rates at developmental stages later than the four-leaf stage (late-stage applications: applications that are inconsistent with the Roundup labels), RR1445 shows male sterility. Another transgenic cotton line, RR60, was generated using the FMV 35S promoter and the Arabidopsis elongation factor-1alpha promoter (AtEF1alpha) for the expression of CP4 EPSPS. RR60 has excellent vegetative and reproductive tolerance to applications of glyphosate at all developmental stages. Histochemical analyses were conducted to examine the male reproductive development at the cellular level of these cotton lines in response to glyphosate applications, and to investigate the correlation between glyphosate injury and the expression of CP4 EPSPS in male reproductive tissues. The expression of CP4 EPSPS in RR60 was found to be strong in all male reproductive cell types. Conversely, CP4 EPSPS expression in RR1445 was low in pollen mother cells, male gametophytes and tapetum, three crucial male reproductive cell types. Our results indicate that the FMV 35S promoter, although expressing strongly in most vegetative tissues in plants, has extremely low activity in these cell types.

The carboxyterminal processing protease of D1 protein: expression, purification and enzymology of the recombinant and native spinach proteins.

The carboxyterminal processing protease of D1 protein (CtpA) is predicted to be an excellent target for a general broad-spectrum herbicide. The gene for spinach CtpA has been expressed in Escherichia coli. The expressed protein that was found mainly in inclusion bodies has been purified and refolded on a nickel-chelate column. Active recombinant CtpA was recovered. Two assays for CtpA activity were developed, a medium-throughput HPLC assay using a fluorescent substrate and a high-throughput assay based on fluorescence polarization capable of application in a high-throughput 96-well plate format. This high-throughput assay was developed to screen chemistry for CtpA inhibitors. Native spinach CtpA was partially purified and the native and recombinant enzymes were compared kinetically for their K(m) and V(max) values using different peptide substrates. Native CtpA partially purified from spinach was shown to have similar kinetic properties to recombinant CtpA. Antibodies developed against the recombinant protein were used to estimate the in planta abundance of the native enzyme in spinach. Since only a small proportion of the recombinant protein is refolded during isolation and it appears that only a small proportion of this enzyme is active, size-exclusion chromatography and light scattering experiments were performed on rCtpA in order to gain insight into its structure and the reasons why most of the protein is not active. The use of rCtpA to screen for herbicidal compounds and the more general question of how good a herbicide target the enzyme is are discussed.