Alteration of the intestinal barrier and GLP2 secretion in Berberine-treated type 2 diabetic rats.

For centuries, Berberine has been used in the treatment of enteritis in China, and it is also known to have anti-hyperglycemic effects in type 2 diabetic patients. However, as Berberine is insoluble and rarely absorbed in gastrointestinal tract, the mechanism by which it works is unclear. We hypothesized that it may act locally by ameliorating intestinal barrier abnormalities and endotoxemia. A high-fat diet combined with low-dose streptozotocin was used to induce type 2 diabetes in male Sprague Dawley rats. Berberine (100 mg/kg) was administered by lavage to diabetic rats for 2 weeks and saline was given to controls. Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance improved in the Berberine group, although there was no significant decrease in blood glucose. Berberine treatment also led to a notable restoration of intestinal villi/mucosa structure and less infiltration of inflammatory cells, along with a decrease in plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) level. Tight junction protein zonula occludens 1 (ZO1) was also decreased in diabetic rats but was restored by Berberine treatment. Glutamine-induced glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP2) secretion from ileal tissue decreased dramatically in the diabetic group but was restored by Berberine treatment. Fasting insulin, insulin resistance index, plasma LPS level, and ZO1 expression were significantly correlated with GLP2 level. In type 2 diabetic rats, Berberine treatment not only augments GLP2 secretion and improves diabetes but is also effective in repairing the damaged intestinal mucosa, restoring intestinal permeability, and improving endotoxemia. Whether these effects are mechanistically related will require further studies, but they certainly support the hypothesis that Berberine acts via modulation of intestinal function.

Comparative proteomic analysis of beta-catenin-mediated malignant progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

beta-catenin has emerged as a key regulator of Wnt signaling pathway, which plays an important role in the development and progression of various cancers. Its accumulation in nucleus of the esophagus squamous epithelium might be the crucial step for the carcinogenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). To detect the proteins correlated with beta-catenin function, we used the established cell lines of pGen-3-con (Eca109 cells transfected by control vector) and pGen-3-CTNNB1 (Eca109 cells transfected by beta-catenin siRNA) as cell models for further analysis. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis technology was performed to separate the proteins of pGen-3-con and pGen-3-CTNNB1 cell lines, respectively. The differential protein spots were analyzed by software analysis, subjected to in-gel digestion, and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Consequently, 13 differentially expressed proteins between the two cell lines were identified, of which 14-3-3sigma, prohibitin, and nm23-H1 were further verified by western blotting and quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Then, the tissue microarray and immunohistochemical analysis were employed to research their relationship in ESCC and their corresponding normal mucosa tissues. The upregulation of prohibitin or the downregulation of 14-3-3sigma and nm23-H1 proteins was significantly associated with the proliferation, invasion depth, and lymph node metastasis of ESCC. There were statistically significant correlations between the expression of beta-catenin and the three proteins. The results presented here might provide potential protein markers to elucidate the mechanism of beta-catenin-mediated biologic characteristics for ESCC.

Room temperature SnO2 thin film gas sensor fabricated on Si nanospikes.

The SnO2 thin film CO gas sensors have been fabricated on silicon nanostructured surface made using a femtosecond pulsed laser irradiation. The measurement shows a significant response to the CO gas at room temperature. While a SnO2 sensor fabricated on a flat surface shows no response when CO gas exists at room temperature. The high area/volume ratio and sharp structures of the nanospikes enhance the sensitivity of SnO2 at room temperature.

Mutation analysis of the FLCN gene in Chinese patients with sporadic and familial isolated primary spontaneous pneumothorax.

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is a common manifestation of Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome caused by folliculin gene (FLCN) mutation, which is also found in isolated familial PSP cases. A complete genetic analysis of FLCN was performed in 102 unrelated Chinese patients with isolated PSP and 21 of their family members. Three novel mutations (c.924_926del, c.1611_1631del and c.1740C>T) and a previously reported mutation (c.1733insC) were identified in five familial and five sporadic PSP patients. Of the 21 family members of patients with PSP including 3 previous considered as sporadic, 4 (19%) had history of at least one episode of PSP and 9 (43%) were FLCN mutant carriers without PSP. Seven of the nine (78%) mutant carriers had pulmonary cysts detected by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). Although c.924_926del and c.1611_1631del were found in eight patients from the same geographic district, haplotype analysis demonstrated that they did not share the same affected haplotype, thus excluding common ancestry. This study first demonstrates that FLCN mutation contributes to not only familial but also 'apparently sporadic' patients with isolated PSP. It suggests that mutation analysis and HRCT scan may be recommended for first-degree family members of PSP patients with FLCN mutations, irrespective of their family history status of PSP.

Analgesic efficacy of pre-operative etoricoxib for termination of pregnancy in an ambulatory centre.

INTRODUCTION: Etoricoxib is a second generation cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor with a rapid-onset time and a long duration of action. It is ideal for providing pre-emptive analgesia for ambulatory surgeries. We hypothesised that pre-operative etoricoxib can decrease the use of fentanyl post-operatively, when compared with placebo in patients undergoing termination of pregnancy. We also compared their pain scores, time to discharge, side effects and satisfaction with analgesia post-operatively. METHODS: After approval by the hospital research ethics committee and receipt of informed written consent, we recruited 40 American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification I and II patients scheduled for elective first trimester termination of pregnancy. Patients were randomly allocated to receive either oral etoricoxib 120 mg (Group E, n=20) or placebo tablet (Group P, n=20) pre-operatively. A blinded observer evaluated the post-operative pain scores, need for supplementary analgesia, side effects and satisfaction scores. Sample size was calculated (power of 0.8 and alpha=0.05) to detect a 20 percent difference in fentanyl usage. Amount of fentanyl used, pain scores and satisfaction scores were analysed using non-parametric tests. The incidence of side effects was analysed using chi-squared test. RESULTS: Etoricoxib 120 mg significantly decreased the amount of fentanyl required after termination of pregnancy compared to placebo (0 microg/patient, interquartile range [IQR] 0-25 versus 50 microg/patient, IQR 0-50, p-value is less than 0.05). Patients who received etoricoxib 120 mg also had significantly lower pain scores than the placebo group at time of discharge (8 +/- 11 versus 1 +/- 3, p-value is less than 0.05) and at six hours post operation (8 +/- 12 versus 0 +/- 0, p-value is less than 0.01). There was no difference in their side effects, and time to discharge and overall satisfaction were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Pre-operative administration of oral etoricoxib 120 mg decreased the use of fentanyl and pain scores after minor gynaecological surgery without significant side effects.

[Identification of quantitative trait loci associated with fruit traits in watermelon [Citullus lanantus (Thanb) Mansf] and analysis of their genetic effects].

In this study, we mapped and characterized quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting watermelon fruit traits. A total of 118 F2 progenies derived from the cross 97103 (which is a cultivar with higher total soluble solids concentration, thin rind, susceptible to Fusarium wilt disease) x PI296341(which is a wild germplasm with lower total soluble solids concentration, thick rind, resistant to Fusarium wilt disease) were used to construct a 96-markers map in watermelon. By using interval mapping 4 QTLs for total soluble solids concentration, 5 QTLs for hardness of rind, 2 QTLs for thickness of rind, 3 QTLs for weight of simple fruit, and 6 QTLs for weight of one thousand grain seeds were identified. In addition, the explained variations, additive effects and dominance effects for all detected QTLs were analyzed.

[Protection from anoxic myocardial injury in fetal mouse heart culture by selenium].

Fetal hearts taken from the 17 day pregnant mice were cultured in minimum essential medium (MEM) + 0.5 ug ml of Na2SeO, and in MEM alone with oxygen for 24 h, and then the hearts in groups were exposed to 15, 20, 30, 40 min, 1 h, 3h and long term of anoxia respectively. The results showed that the survival and beating of the cultured fetal mouse hearts with anoxia were prolonged by selenium. Using lanthanum as a marker, we found that after 20 min of anoxia, this electroopaque marker remained extracellular in the selenium-treated hearts, however, intracellular lanthanum could be found in the control hearts, entering selectively into the swelling mitochondria. During the same period of anoxia, ACPase reaction products could be only found in the lysosomes and in the Golgi complex in the selenium-treated hearts, but a lot of reaction products deposited in cytoplasm in the control hearts. By electron microscopy, at 40 min of anoxia, there were swelling of mitochondria, with cristae partially lost and plasma-membrane changed and so on. Generally normal ultrastructure was observed in the selenium-treated hearts at 40 min of anoxia. The cytoplasm was rich in ribosomes and the sarcoplasmic reticulum with a rough face. There events showed that cellular membrane and membrane-bound organelles appeared to be well protected target by the selenium. Therefore, selenium may play an important role in the synthesis of protein.