Potential probiotics Lactobacillus casei K11 combined with plant extracts reduce markers of type 2 diabetes mellitus in mice.

AIMS: Probiotics and plant extracts have been used to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The study aimed to explore the effect of the interaction between potential probiotics and bitter gourd extract (BGE) or mulberry leaf extract (MLE) on T2DM. METHODS AND RESULTS: Potential probiotics were tested for their gastrointestinal tract viability and growth situation combined with BGE and MLE in vitro. The diabetes model was constructed in C57BL/6 mice, and the potential effect and mechanism of regulating blood glucose were verified. Hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE), gas chromatography (GC), ELISA, and RT-PCR were also used for analysis. The results showed that Lactobacillus casei K11 had outstanding gastrointestinal tract viability and growth situation with plant extracts. Administration of L. casei K11 combined with BGE and MLE significantly reduced blood glucose levels and ameliorated insulin resistance in diabetic mice than the administration of Lactobacillus paracasei J5 combined with BGE and MLE. Moreover, in L. casei K11 combined with BGE and MLE groups, lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and proinflammatory cytokine levels were regulated. Furthermore, the results indicated that L. casei K11 combined with BGE and MLE improved free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2) upregulation, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion, and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels. CONCLUSIONS: These findings showed that L. casei K11 combined with BGE and MLE modified the SCFA-FFAR2-GLP-1 pathway to improve T2DM. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study identified a new modality for evaluating interactions between potential probiotics and plant extracts. Our findings revealed that L. casei K11 combined with BGE and MLE significantly promoted the SCFA-FFAR2-GLP-1 pathway to inhibit T2DM.

[Intravenous sedation with midazolam and propofol target controlled infusion on patients'perioperative anxiety under the mandibular third molar extraction].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether midazolam with propofol target controlled infusion (TCI) intravenous sedation during the mandibular third molar extraction influences patients'perioperative anxiety. METHODS: The subjects were patients who planned to undergo the mandibular third molar extraction in Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, whose state anxiety inventory (SAI) scores were≥38 at the initial visit. They were divided into intravenous sedation group (IVS) and local anesthesia group (LA) on the basis of the planned intravenous sedation. Each group was divided into two subgroups according to the overall SAI scores at the initial visit: IVS-I, LA-I (SAI: 38-50) and IVS-II, LA-II (SAI: 51-80). The anxiety before and after the surgery was evaluated by the SAI scores at the initial visit (T1), before surgery (T2) and 7 days after surgery (T3). The anxiety during the surgery was evaluated by the heart rate, blood pressure and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores. RESULTS: There were no significant differences on SAI at T1, T2, and T3 in the two groups (P>0.05). The heart rate, blood pressure and VAS pain scores of IVS group were significantly lower than those of LA group during the surgery (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Intravenous sedation with midazolam and propofol TCI was effective on the patients' anxiety during the third molar extraction, which successfully made the patients more comfortable and their heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation more stable during the surgery. But there were no significant differences on the patients'anxiety at the initial visit (T1), before surgery (T2) and 7 days after surgery (T3) according to the SAI scores in the two groups.

Exogenous bFGF promotes articular cartilage repair via up-regulation of multiple growth factors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the roles of exogenous basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the repair of full-thickness articular cartilage defects in rabbits. DESIGN: In the present study, a double-layered collagen membrane sandwiched with bFGF-loaded-nanoparticles between a dense layer and a loose layer was implanted into full-thickness articular cartilage defects in rabbits. By grafting the membrane in a different direction, the dense layer or the loose layer facing the surface of the subchondral bone, the effects of the released bFGF on the defects and the profiles of nine growth factors (GFs) in synovial fluid (SF) were investigated using histological methods and antibody arrays, respectively. RESULTS: In the group with the loose layer facing the surface of the subchondral bone, fast release of bFGF was observed, and early high levels of endogenous transforming growth factor-ß2 (TGF-ß2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), bFGF, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), BMP-3, and BMP-4 in SF were detected by antibody arrays, especially on day 3. Chondrocyte-like cells were also observed in this group at an early stage. As a result, this group showed better levels of repair, as compared to the other groups in which low GF levels were detected at an early stage, and chondrocyte-like cells appeared much later. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that exogenous bFGF promotes articular cartilage repair by up-regulating the levels of multiple GFs, but administration at an early stage is required.

Correlation of mercury with selenium in human hair at a typical mercury-polluted area in China.

The levels of mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) and their correlation in human scalp hair of 29 pairs of pregnant women and their newborns living at a high-Hg and low-Se area, the Second Song-Hua-Jiang River System, have been studied by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Our results indicate that the Hg level in infant hair samples are roughly close to that in their mothers, whereas the Se level in infants is much higher. Furthermore, the molar ratios of Se/Hg in newborns are also 40% higher than those in mothers. It demonstrates that infants are able to absorb more selenium from their mothers' bodies to protect against or alleviate the intoxication of Hg. This "autoprotective mechanism" likely plays a critical role during fetal development. The possible chemical species of Hg and Se in hair is also discussed.

Observations on the treatment of coronary heart disease by kuo guan qu yu ling.

Based on the therory of promoting flow of qi and dispersing blood stasis, the KUO GUAN QU YU LING coronary--dilating and stagnation--dispersing) powder in capsules were prepared for the treatment of 60 cases of coronary heart disease. After a 30 day course of treatment, cardiac ischemia was improved in 64.7% and the symptom of angina pectoris was relieved in 61.7% of the patients. This drug also acted to reduce blood lipids and to improve left cardiac function. Pharmacological study indicated that this preparation improved the tolerance of cardiac muscle against anoxia and prevented ventricular fibrillation and cardiac damage from ischemia.

Effect of (-)- and (+)-gossypol on fertility in male rats.

(+)-Gossypol has neither antifertility effect nor toxicity at the dosage of 30 mg/kg orally for 14 days in male rats, but slight damage was found in the germinal epithelium of the testis in animals dosed for 4 weeks. (-)-Gossypol at 30 mg/kg orally for 7 days clearly had an antifertility effect in male rats. It appears that (-)-gossypol is the active stereoisomer of racemic gossypol.

Effects of gossypol acetic acid on rat luteal cells in vitro.

The action of gossypol acetic acid (GAA) on 125I-hCG binding, gonadotropin-stimulated cAMP accumulation and progesterone production was investigated utilizing rat ovaries. Incubation of luteal cells for 3 h with increasing concentration of GAA caused a significant inhibition of gonadotropin-stimulated steroidogenesis. The inhibitory effect of GAA was concentration dependent. GAA at concentrations of 10-30 micrograms/ml reduced cAMP formation in response to hCG. It was shown that the activity of adenylate cyclase of luteal cells was inhibited by 10 micrograms/ml GAA. GAA at a concentration of 30 micrograms/ml was found to have an inhibitory effect on 8Br-cAMP-stimulated progesterone production. GAA did not affect 125I-hCG binding to LH receptor on the luteal cell surface. These results suggest that in luteal cells GAA inhibits steroidogenesis at the step of gonadotropin-stimulated cAMP formation. Adenylate cyclase of luteal cells was inhibited.