Shift work influences the outcomes of Chlamydia infection and pathogenesis.

Shift work, performed by approximately 21 million Americans, is irregular or unusual work schedule hours occurring after 6:00 pm. Shift work has been shown to disrupt circadian rhythms and is associated with several adverse health outcomes and chronic diseases such as cancer, gastrointestinal and psychiatric diseases and disorders. It is unclear if shift work influences the complications associated with certain infectious agents, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and tubal factor infertility resulting from genital chlamydial infection. We used an Environmental circadian disruption (ECD) model mimicking circadian disruption occurring during shift work, where mice had a 6-h advance in the normal light/dark cycle (LD) every week for a month. Control group mice were housed under normal 12/12 LD cycle. Our hypothesis was that compared to controls, mice that had their circadian rhythms disrupted in this ECD model will have a higher Chlamydia load, more pathology and decreased fertility rate following Chlamydia infection. Results showed that, compared to controls, mice that had their circadian rhythms disrupted (ECD) had higher Chlamydia loads, more tissue alterations or lesions, and lower fertility rate associated with chlamydial infection. Also, infected ECD mice elicited higher proinflammatory cytokines compared to mice under normal 12/12 LD cycle. These results imply that there might be an association between shift work and the increased likelihood of developing more severe disease from Chlamydia infection.

Astragalus injection inhibits the expression of JNK3 after hypoxia/hypoglycemia and reoxygenation in hippocampal neurons of rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effect of astragalus injection on the expression of JNK3(c-jun N terminal kinase)protein and JNK3 mRNA interrelated by apoptosis after hypoxia/hypoglycemia and reoxygenation in hippocampal neurons of rats.Methods The hippocampal neurons cultured for eight days were divided into four groups:normal control group,hypoxia/hypoglycemia and reoxygenation group,astragalus injection group and astragalus solution group.Hypoxia/hypoglycemia and reoxygenation group,astragalus injection group and astragalus solution group were treated with hypoglycemia and reoxygenation after being deprived of oxygen and glucose for 30 minutes.Methods of Western blot,ELISA and RT-PCR were used respectively to measure the expression of JNK3 mRNA after hypoxia/hypoglycemia and reoxygenation 0,0.5,2,6,24,72,120 h.Results Compared with normal control group,the mean optic density(MOD)of expression of JNK3 protein and activation of JNK3 protein in hippocampal neurons of rats every time points increased obviously in hypoxia/hypoglycemia and reoxygenation group except 120 h(P<0.05);compared with hypoxia/ hypoglycemia and reoxygenation group,MOD of expression of JNK3 mRNA and activation of JNK3 protein in hippocampal neurons of rats every time points decreased obviously except 120 h in astragalus injection group (P<0.05);compared with hypoxia/hypoglycemia and reoxygenation group,there was no difference in astragalus solution group.Compared with normal control group,MOD of expression of JNK3 mRNA in hippocampal neurons of rats every time points increased obviously in hypoxia/hypoglycemia and reoxygenation group(P<0.05);compared with hypoxia/ hypoglycemia and reoxygenation group,MOD of expression of JNK3 mRNA in hippocampal neurons of rats every time points decreased obviously in astragalus injection group except 120 h(P<0.05);compared with hypoxia/hypoglycemia and reoxygenation group,there was no difference in astragalus solution group.Conclusion Astragalus injection can inhibit the expression of JNK3 mRNA after hypoxia/hypoglycemia and reoxygenation,moreover,it can inhibit the expression of JNK3 protein and decrease the activation of JNK3 protein,accordingly it inhibits hippocampal neuronal apoptosis.

Effects of NH4(+)-N/NO3(-)-N ratio in applied supplementary fertilizer on nitrogen metabolism, photosynthesis and growth of Isatis indigotica / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of NH4(+)-N/NO3(-)-N ratios in the applied supplementary fertilizer on the growth, nitrogen metabolis related enzymes activity and photosynthetic characteristics of Isatis indigotica.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The sand culture experiment was conducted, and seedling of I. indigotica was fertilized with the mixed nutrition that containing the Hoagland's macro elements and the Aron's micro elements, the additional 63 mmol N was supplementary with the NH4(+)-N/NO3(-)-N ratio of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The biomass of I. indigotica increased at first when the supplementary N of NH4(+)-N/NO3(-)-N ratio changed from 100:0 to 50:50 and decreased afterwards. The maximum value was at 50:50 and the minimum at 100: 0. With increasing the ratio of NO3(-)-N, the activity of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase increased and then decreased and the relationship between the activity and the ratio could be described with an approximate parabola curve. The net photosynthetic rate of I. indigotica was the highest at the NH4(+)-N/NO3(-)-N ratio of 75:25 and the lowest at 100:0.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Increasing the NO3(-)-N ratio properly was beneficial to promote the growth and improve the activity of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase and net photosynthetic rate of I. indigotica.</p>

Effect of Xiaoyingqiangjitang on the Motor End-plate of Skeletal Muscle in Hyperthyroid Myopathy / 中国康复理论与实践

@#Objective To observe the effect of Xiaoyingqiangjitang on the ultrastructure of motor end-plate of skeletal muscle in rats with hyperthyroid myopathy, and changes of acetylcholin esterase (AchE).Methods The 36 healthy female Wistar rats were randomly divided into the normal control group (n=6), and model group, Chinese medicine treated group and saline control group (all n=10). All animals in the model group, Chinese medicine treated group and saline control group were treated with group given L-thyroxine intraperitoneal injection for 42 days to establish the animal model of hyperthyroid myopathy. The animals of the Chinese medicine treated group were treated with Xiaoyngqiangjitang for 30 days after L-thyroxine intraperitoneal injection. The enzyme activity of AchE and ultrastructure of motor end-plate were observed by light and electron microscopes.Results The enzyme activity and content in the group of hyperthyroid myopathy was decreased, the reaction products of AchE located in synapse became weaker and distributed heterogeneously, the junction infolding of motor end-plate became smaller and shorter, the mitochondria in axon terminal became vacuolated. After given Chinese medicine, the enzyme activity and content increased, the junction folding, the mitochondria showed normal ultrastructural appearance.Conclusion Xiaoyingqiangjitang can improve the function of skeletal muscle in hyperthyroid myopathy by recovering the enzyme activity of AchE and ultrastructures of motor end-plate.

Effects of Xiaoyingqiangji Decoction on Mitochondria in Skeletal Muscle of Hyperthyroid Myopathy / 中国康复理论与实践

@#Objective To observe the effect of Xiaoyingqiangji decoction on mitochondria in skeletal muscle of hyperthyroid myopathy. Methods Healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: the group of hyperthyroid myopathy were given L-thyroxine intraperitoneal injection for 42 d; Chinese medicine treated group were treated with Xiaoyingqiangji decoction for 30 d after L-thyroxine injection; the saline control group were given saline solution for 30 d after L-thyroxine injection; normal control group were given saline solution. Then the skeletal muscles were obtained and the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) were measured. The ultrastructural changes were observed with TEM. Results The activity and content of SDH in the group of hyperthyroid myopathy decreased, and the cristae of mitochondria ruptured and even disappeared. After given Chinese medicine, the activity and content of SDH increased, while the mitochondria showed normal ultrastructural appearance. Conclusion Xiaoyingqiangji decoction can improve the function of skeletal muscles in hyperthyroid myopathy by recovering enzyme activity and mitochondria structure.

Excessive Apoptosis in Neuroepithelium Induced by Passive Smoking / 环境与健康杂志

Objective To investigate the apoptosis in neural epithelium induced by passive smoking. Methods By using the nuclear fast red-crystal violet staining method and situ TUNEL technology, the quantitative changes of apoptosis in neural epithelium in gold hamster were analyzed. Results Excessive apoptosis and less cell division were observed in neural epithelium compared with the control group. On 9th days of pregnancy, there were most apoptosis cells, the apoptosis index was 9.82 ?3.35 which is statically significant compared with control group (P

Inhibition of breviscapine on apoptosis of cultured myocardial cell of neonatal rat / 中成药

AIM:To investigate the inhibition of breviscapine on apoptosis of cultured myocardial cell of neonatal rat induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation. METHODS:Myocardial cell hypoxia/reoxygenation model was established by culturing primary myocardial cells of neonatal rats in vitro. Cultured myocardial cells were divided into 5 groups:control group,hypoxia/reoxygenation group and 3 groups pretreated with breviscapine of final concentration 25,50 and 100 mg/L,respectively. The cell viability was measured with MTT; apoptotic rates were determined by AnnexinV-FITC/PI; the expression of Bcl-2 was detected by immunohistochemical method. Expressions of Cytochrome C (CytC) and Caspase-3 were detected by Western blot. RESULTS:Compared with the control group,the viability of myocardial cell decreased and apoptosis rate elevated after hypoxia/reoxygenation. However after pretreatment with 25,50 and 100 mg/L breviscapine,respectively. Cell viabilities increased and apoptotic rates lowered,and the protective effect on myocardial cell had concentration-dependent. In addition,Expression of Bcl-2 decreased but Caspase-3 activity and CytC release increased in myocardial cells induced hypoxia/reoxygenation. Pretreated with breviscapine,expression of Bcl-2 elevated but Caspase-3 activity and CytC release reduced obviously. CONCLUSION:It is associated with the increase in Bcl-2 expression,inhibition of CytC release and Casepase-3 activity that breviscapine could significantly protect myocardial cell against apoptosis induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation.