[Efficacy of 1 384 cases of peritoneal carcinomatosis underwent cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy].

Objective: Peritoneal carcinomatosis refers to a group of heterogeneous (primary or secondary) malignancies in the surface of the peritoneum. Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a comprehensive treatment strategy aiming at peritoneal carcinomatosis. This study analyzed the efficacy and safety of CRS+HIPEC in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, and explored prognostic factors. Methods: In this descriptive case-series study, the clinicopathological data of 1384 consecutive patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis treated in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University (330 patients) and Shijitan Hospital of Capital Medical University (1054 patients) from January 2004 to January 2020 were collected retrospectively. Treatment patterns of CRS+HIPEC characteristics (operative time, number of resected organs, number of stripped peritoneum, number of anastomosis, and HIPEC regimens), safety [blood loss volume, postoperative severe adverse event (SAE) and treatment outcome], survival time and prognostic factors influencing survival were analyzed. The SAE was defined as grade III-IV adverse event according to the Peritoneal Surface Oncology Group International Textbook. Perioperative period was defined from the day of CRS+HIPEC to postoperative 30th day. OS was calculated from the day of CRS+HIPEC to the date of death or the last follow-up. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and log-rank test was used for comparison between groups. Cox regression model was used to identify the prognostic factors. Results: Among 1384 peritoneal carcinomatosis patients, 529 (38.2%) were male; median age was 55 (10-87) years old; median body mass index (BMI) was 22.6 kg/m(2); peritoneal carcinomatosis of 164 (11.8%) patients were from gastric cancer, 287 (20.7%) from colorectal cancer, 356 (25.7%) from pseudomyxoma peritonei, 90 (6.5%) from malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, 300 (21.7%) from gynecological cancer or primary peritoneal carcinoma, and 187 (13.5%) from retroperitoneal sarcoma, lung cancer, breast cancer, and other rare tumors. The median duration of CRS+HIPEC was 595 (90-1170) minutes, median number of resected organs was 2 (0-10), median number of resected peritoneal area were 4 (0-9), median peritoneal cancer index (PCI) was 21(1-39). Completeness of cytoreduction (CC) score of 0-1 was observed in 857 cases (61.9%). Regarding HIPEC regimens, there were 917 cases (66.3%) with cisplatin plus docetaxel, 183 cases (13.2%) with cisplatin plus mitomycin, 43 cases (3.1%) with adriamycin plus ifosfamide, and the other 240 cases (17.3%) with modified regimens. Perioperative SAE developed in 331 peritoneal carcinomatosis patients (23.9%) with 500 cases, of whom 21 patients (1.5%) died during the perioperative period due to ineffective treatment, while the others recovered after active treatment. During median follow-up time of 8.6 (0.3-82.7) months, there were 414 deaths (29.9%). The median OS was 38.2 months (95% CI: 30.6-45.8), and the 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rate was 73.5%, 50.4% and 39.3%, respectively. The median OS of peritoneal carcinomatosis patients from gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, pseudomyxoma peritonei, malignant peritoneal mesothelioma and female genital cancer or primary peritoneal carcinomatosis was 11.3 months (95% CI: 8.9-13.8), 18.1 months (95% CI: 13.5-22.6), 59.7 months (95% CI: 48.0-71.4), 19.5 months (95% CI: 6.0-33.0) and 51.7 months (95% CI: 14.6-88.8), respectively, and the difference among groups was statistically significant (P<0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the primary gastric cancer (HR=4.639, 95% CI: 1.692-12.724), primary colorectal cancer (HR=4.292, 95% CI: 1.957-9.420), primary malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (HR=2.741, 95% CI: 1.162-6.466), Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score of 60 (HR=4.606, 95% CI: 2.144-9.895), KPS score of 70 (HR=3.434, 95% CI: 1.977-5.965), CC score of 1 (HR=2.683, 95% CI: 1.440~4.999), CC score of 2-3 (HR=3.661,95% CI: 1.956-6.852) and perioperative SAE (HR=2.588, 95% CI: 1.846-3.629) were independent prognostic factors influencing survival with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). Conclusions: CRS+HIPEC is an effective integrated treatment strategy for patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, which can prolong survival with acceptable safety. Preoperative evaluation of patients' general condition is necessary and CRS+HIPEC should be carefully considered to perform for patients with preoperative KPS score <80. During the operation, the optimal CRS should be achieved on condition that safety is granted. In addition, it is necessary to prevent perioperative SAE to reduce the risk of death in peritoneal carcinomatosis patients.

Effect of inorganic phosphate supplementation on egg production in Hy-Line Brown layers fed 2000 FTU/kg phytase.

Phytase has long been used to decrease the inorganic phosphorus (Pi) input in poultry diet. The current study was conducted to investigate the effects of Pi supplementation on laying performance, egg quality and phosphate-calcium metabolism in Hy-Line Brown laying hens fed phytase. Layers (n = 504, 29 weeks old) were randomly assigned to seven treatments with six replicates of 12 birds. The corn-soybean meal-based diet contained 0.12% non-phytate phosphorus (nPP), 3.8% calcium, 2415 IU/kg vitamin D3 and 2000 FTU/kg phytase. Inorganic phosphorus (in the form of mono-dicalcium phosphate) was added into the basal diet to construct seven experimental diets; the final dietary nPP levels were 0.12%, 0.17%, 0.22%, 0.27%, 0.32%, 0.37% and 0.42%. The feeding trial lasted 12 weeks (hens from 29 to 40 weeks of age). Laying performance (housed laying rate, egg weight, egg mass, daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio) was weekly calculated. Egg quality (egg shape index, shell strength, shell thickness, albumen height, yolk colour and Haugh units), serum parameters (calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D), tibia quality (breaking strength, and calcium, phosphorus and ash contents), intestinal gene expression (type IIb sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporter, NaPi-IIb) and phosphorus excretion were determined at the end of the trial. No differences were observed on laying performance, egg quality, serum parameters and tibia quality. Hens fed 0.17% nPP had increased (P < 0.01) duodenum NaPi-IIb expression compared to all other treatments. Phosphorus excretion linearly increased with an increase in dietary nPP (phosphorus excretion = 1.7916 × nPP + 0.2157; R2 = 0.9609, P = 0.001). In conclusion, corn-soybean meal-based diets containing 0.12% nPP, 3.8% calcium, 2415 IU/kg vitamin D3 and 2000 FTU/kg phytase would meet the requirements for egg production in Hy-Line Brown laying hens (29 to 40 weeks of age).

Effects of Bacillus subtilis and antibiotic growth promoters on the growth performance, intestinal function and gut microbiota of pullets from 0 to 6 weeks.

The development of digestive organs and the establishment of gut microbiota in pullets play an important role throughout life. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Bacillus subtilis (BS) on growth performance, intestinal function and gut microbiota in pullets from 0 to 6 weeks of age. Hy-line Brown laying hens (1-day-old, n = 504) were randomly allotted into four diets with a 2 × 2 factorial design: (1) basal diet group (control); (2) antibiotics group (AGP), the basal diet supplemented with 20 mg/kg Bacitracin Zinc and 4 mg/kg Colistin Sulphate; (3) BS group, the basal diet supplemented with 500 mg/kg BS and (4) mixed group, the basal diet supplemented with both AGP and BS. As a result, when BS was considered the main effect, BS addition (1) reduced the feed conversion ratio at 4 to 6 weeks (P < 0.05); (2) decreased duodenal and jejunal crypt depth at 3 weeks; (3) increased the villus height : crypt depth (V : C) ratio in the duodenum at 3 weeks and jejunal villus height at 6 weeks and (4) increased sucrase mRNA expression in the duodenum at 3 weeks as well as the jejunum at 6 weeks, and jejunal maltase and aminopeptidase expression at 3 weeks. When AGP was considered the main effect, AGP supplementation (1) increased the V : C ratio in the ileum at 3 weeks of age; (2) increased sucrase mRNA expression in the duodenum at 3 weeks as well as the ileum at 6 weeks, and increased maltase expression in the ileum. The BS × AGP interaction was observed to affect average daily feed intake at 4 to 6 weeks, and duodenal sucrase and jejunal maltase expression at 3 weeks. Furthermore, dietary BS or AGP addition improved caecal microbial diversity at 3 weeks, and a BS × AGP interaction was observed (P < 0.05) for the Shannon and Simpson indexes. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus was found to be higher in the mixed group at 3 weeks and in the BS group at 6 weeks. Moreover, Anaerostipes, Dehalobacterium and Oscillospira were also found to be dominant genera in pullets with dietary BS addition. In conclusion, BS could improve intestinal morphology and change digestive enzyme relative expression and caecum microbiota, thereby increasing the efficiency of nutrient utilization. Our findings suggested that BS might have more beneficial effects than AGP in the study, which would provide theoretical evidence and new insight into BS application in layer pullets.

[The beginning of modern nursing education: the first hospital nursing school in the United States at New England Hospital for Women and Children].

In 1872, New England Hospital for Women and Children was established as the first hospital nursing school in the United States, which became the beginning of modern nursing education in the United States. Its establishment and development were influenced by Nightingale's nursing educational thought, and were also closely related to the work of two American female doctors. The establishment of New England Hospital for Women and Children nursing school made it possible to train professional nurses through formal nursing education, and laid the foundation for the development of nursing education in the United States.

1α-Hydroxycholecalciferol improves the growth performance and up-regulates the mRNA expression of vitamin D receptor in the small intestine and kidney of broiler chickens.

1α-Hydroxycholecalciferol (1α-OH-D3) is a vitamin D derivative. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of 1α-OH-D3 on the growth and the mRNA expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in the small intestine and kidney of chickens. A total of 240 males of one-day-old Ross 308 broilers was randomly assigned to 4 treatments with 5 replicates of 12 birds per replicate. Three levels of 1α-OH-D3 (1.25, 2.5, and 5 µg/kg) were added to a basal diet containing 0.50% calcium (Ca), 0.25% non-phytate phosphorus (NPP), and without supplemental cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). The control diet contained 1.00% Ca, 0.45% NPP, and 25 µg/kg cholecalciferol. Dietary 1α-OH-D3 levels linearly improved the average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), femur and tibia mineralization, and plasma Ca concentration, and retained Ca and total phosphorus (tP) amounts in broilers from 1 to 21 d of age (P < 0.05). In addition, 1α-OH-D3 also linearly up-regulated the mRNA expression levels of VDR in the duodenum as well as those of VDR and sodium-phosphate cotransporter NaPi-IIa and NaPi-IIc in the kidney of broilers (P < 0.05). However, 1α-OH-D3 did not affect the mRNA levels of 25-hydroxylase in the liver or NaPi-IIb in the duodenum (P > 0.05). No differences were observed in the ADFI, ADG, bone length, plasma mineral concentration, retained tP amount, or the mRNA levels of the above genes (except for VDR in the kidney) between the birds fed the diet with 5 µg/kg 1α-OH-D3 and the birds fed the control diet (P > 0.05). By contrast, the weight, ash weight, ash percentage, and Ca percentage of the bone, retained Ca amount, and the mRNA level of VDR in the kidney were lower in the birds fed the diet with 5 µg/kg 1α-OH-D3 than in the birds fed the control diet (P < 0.05). These data indicate that 1α-OH-D3 up-regulates the gene expression of VDR in the small intestine and kidney at the transcriptional level, thereby improving the growth performance and bone mineralization of broiler chickens from 1 to 21 d of age.

Effects of dietary leucine and phenylalanine on pancreas development, enzyme activity, and relative gene expression in milk-fed Holstein dairy calves.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with leucine and phenylalanine on pancreas development, enzyme activity, and related gene expression in male Holstein calves. Twenty male Holstein calves [1 d of age, 38 ± 3 kg of body weight (BW)] were randomly assigned to 1 of the following 4 treatment groups with 5 calves in each group: control, leucine supplementation (1.435 g/L of milk), phenylalanine supplementation (0.725 g/L of milk), and leucine and phenylalanine (1.435 + 0.725 g/L of milk). The diets were made isonitrogenous with the inclusion of alanine in each respective treatment. The feeding trial lasted for 8 wk, including 1 wk for adaption and 7 wk for the feeding experiment. Leucine tended to increase the concentration of total pancreatic protein (mg/kg of BW). Phenylalanine increased the concentrations of plasma insulin, cholecystokinin, and pancreatic DNA (mg/g) and the expression of trypsin gene but decreased the pancreatic protein:DNA ratio and tended to decrease the pancreas weight (g/kg of BW). No differences were observed in total pancreatic DNA (mg/pancreas and mg/kg of BW), pancreatic protein (mg/pancreas), or activities of α-amylase, trypsin, and lipase. The relative expression levels of the genes encoding α-amylase and lipase did not differ among the 4 groups. The supplementation of both leucine and phenylalanine showed an interaction on the pancreas weight (g and g/kg of BW) and a tendency of an interaction on the pancreatic protein concentration (mg/g of pancreas and mg/kg of BW) and the plasma glucose concentration. Leucine tended to increase the size of the pancreatic cells, whereas phenylalanine tended to increase the number of pancreatic cells. However, neither AA affected the activities of the pancreatic enzymes of the calves. These results indicate that leucine and phenylalanine supplementation in milk-fed Holstein calves differentially affect pancreatic growth and development.

Relative biological value of 1α-hydroxycholecalciferol to 25-hydroxycholecalciferol in broiler chicken diets.

This study was conducted to evaluate the relative biological value (RBV) of 1α-hydroxycholecalciferol (1α-OH-D3) to 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH-D3) in one- to 21-day-old broiler chickens fed calcium (Ca)- and phosphorus (P)-deficient diets. On the d of hatch, 450 male Ross 308 broiler chickens were weighed and randomly allotted to 9 treatments with 5 replicates of 10 birds per replicate. The basal diet contained 0.50% Ca and 0.25% non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) but was not supplemented with cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). The levels of Ca and NPP in basal diets were lower than those recommended by NRC (1994). 25-OH-D3 was fed at zero, 1.25, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 µg/kg, and 1α-OH-D3 was fed at 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, and 5.0 µg/kg. The RBV of 1α-OH-D3 to 25-OH-D3 based on vitamin D intake was determined by the slope ratio method. Results showed that 25-OH-D3 or 1α-OH-D3 improved the growth performance and decreased the mortality in one- to 21-day-old broilers. A linear relationship was observed between the level of 25-OH-D3 or 1α-OH-D3 and mineralization of the femur, tibia, or metatarsus. The RBV of 1α-OH-D3 to 25-OH-D3 were 234, 253, and 202% when the weight, ash weight, and Ca percentage of femur were used as criteria. The corresponding RBV of 1α-OH-D3 to 25-OH-D3 were 232 to 263% and 245 to 267%, respectively, when tibia and metatarsus mineralization were used as criteria. These data indicate that when directly feeding a hormonally active form of vitamin D as 1α-OH-D3 proportionally less is needed than when using the precursor (25-OH-D3) in diets deficient in Ca and P.

[Effect of Tripterygium wilfordii polycoride upon inflammation and TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway in ulcerative colitis rats model].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Tripterygium wilfordii polycoride (TWP) on ulcerative colitis (UC), and its intervention effect on toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) signaling pathway, thus to investigate its possible mechanism. METHODS: Trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)/ethanol enema method was used to set up the UC rat model. With random number table, 90 male Wistar rats were divided into normal control group, model group, TWP low, medium and high dose group (3, 6, 12 mg/kg, respectively) and azathioprine (AZA) group (6 mg/kg), with 15 rates in each group. Four days after enema, rates in each group were given corresponding drug lavage for 14 consecutive days. Disease activity index (DAI), colon gross morphological damage and histological grading of each group were observed. Using Western blot and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR method, the TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway-related proteins in UC rat intestinal tissue were detected, namely TLR4, MyD88, tumor necrosis factor receptor related factor 6 (TRAF-6), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß). RESULTS: The DAI, colon gross morphological damage, and histological grading of the model group were significantly higher than that of the normal control group (all P<0.01), indicating successful establishment of UC model. The DAI, colon gross morphological damage and histological grading of the TWP high dose group were lower than those of the model group (0.87±0.25 vs 1.60±0.76, 3.93±1.94 vs 5.40±2.21, 5.45±2.73 vs 13.27±3.50, P<0.05). Compared with the normal control group, the mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4, MyD88, TRAF-6, NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-1ß in the model group rats were significantly increased (all P<0.01); which were significantly decreased in the TWP high dose group compared with model group rats (mRNA: 2.166±0.475 vs 5.647±0.275, 1.295±0.087 vs 3.774±0.418, 1.125±0.188 vs 2.535±0.320, 1.201±0.152 vs 2.082±0.077, 1.525±0.218 vs 3.094±0.022, 1.797±0.257 vs 17.152±0.145; protein: 0.252±0.010 vs 0.277±0.008, 0.172±0.002 vs 0.213±0.005, 0.233±0.006 vs 0.248±0.003, 0.099±0.003 vs 0.122±0.007, 0.238±0.002 vs 0.252±0.005, 0.235±0.003 vs 0.245±0.006, all P<0.05), also decreased in the AZA group (all P<0.01); and there were no significant differences between the TWP high dose group and the AZA group (all P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TWP can alleviate intestinal inflammation, promote healing of mucosa, showing a therapeutic effect for UC. One of its mechanisms may be through inhibiting the expression of TLR4, affecting the expression of TRAF-6, which is downstream to MyD66 signaling pathway, thus to suppress the activation of NF-κB and reduce the release of inflammatory factor such as TNF-α and IL-1ß.

Cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy with lobaplatin and docetaxel to treat synchronous peritoneal carcinomatosis from gastric cancer: Results from a Chinese center.

BACKGROUND: This work was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) with lobaplatin and docetaxel to treat peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) from gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: A total of 50 consecutive GC PC patients treated by 52 CRS+HIPEC procedures with lobaplatin 50 mg/m(2) and docetaxel 60 mg/m(2) in 6000 mL of normal saline at (43 ± 0.5) °C for 60 min. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoints were perioperative safety profiles. RESULTS: At the median follow-up of 22.5 (range, 5.1-50.7) months, the median OS was 14.3 (95% CI 7.6-21.0) months, and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 58%, 40%, and 32%, respectively. Mortality and serious adverse event (grade 3-5) morbidity rates in postoperative 30 days were 0.0% and 23.1%, respectively. Univariate analysis identified 4 parameters with significant effects on OS: completeness of cytoreduction (CC) 0-1, normal (N) the preoperative tumor markers level (TM), adjuvant chemotherapy ≥6 cycles, and peritoneal cancer index ≤20. However, multivariate analysis identified CC0-1, perioperative TM (N), adjuvant chemotherapy ≥6 cycles as the independent predictor for better survival. CONCLUSIONS: CRS+HIPEC with lobaplatin and docetaxel to treat selected GC PC could improve OS, with acceptable perioperative safety.

Dietary supplementation with N-carbamylglutamate increases the expression of intestinal amino acid transporters in weaned Huanjiang mini-pig piglets.

Weaning is associated with reduced intestinal absorptive capacity in piglets. Our previous study indicated that dietary supplementation with N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) enhanced growth performance and improved intestinal function in weaned piglets. The present study was conducted to test the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with NCG may increase the growth performance of weaned piglets by regulating the expression of intestinal nutrient transporters, thus enhancing nutrient absorption. Twenty-four Huanjiang mini-pig piglets weaned at 21 d of age (3.17 ± 0.21 kg average BW) were randomly assigned to 2 dietary treatments consisting of a basal diet and the basal diet with 0.1% NCG supplementation for a 14-d period with 6 pens per treatment and 1 male and 1 female per pen. On d 14, 1 piglet was randomly selected from each pen for blood and tissue sampling. Dietary NCG supplementation enhanced (P < 0.05) growth rate and the efficiency of feed use in weaned Huanjiang mini-pig piglets. The NCG-supplemented diet increased (P < 0.05) mRNA expression levels of Slc6a19, Slc7a9, and Slc1a1 and the protein abundance of ASCT2, B(0)AT1, b(0,+)AT, y(+)LAT1, and EAAC1 in the jejunum. Furthermore, the contents of low density lipoprotein, ammonia, urea nitrogen, and AA as well as the activity of alkaline phosphatase in plasma were all altered (P < 0.05) by supplementation with NCG. These findings indicate that dietary supplementation with NCG may improve intestinal absorptive function in weaned piglets by increasing the expression of AA transporters in the intestine.

Dietary L-arginine supplementation reduces abdominal fat content by modulating lipid metabolism in broiler chickens.

This study investigated the effects of different levels of dietary L-arginine (L-Arg) supplementation on the abdominal fat pad, circulating lipids, hepatic fatty acid synthase (FAS) gene expression, gene expression related to fatty acid ß-oxidation, and the performance of broiler chickens. We tested whether the dietary L-Arg levels affected the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism in order to reduce body fat deposition. A total of 192 broiler chickens (Cobb 500) aged 21 days with an average BW of 920 ± 15 g were randomly assigned to four groups (six broilers per replicate and eight replicates per treatment). The control group was fed a basal diet, whereas the treatment groups were fed basal diets supplemented with 0.25%, 0.50%, or 1.00% L-Arg for 3 weeks. The average daily feed intake, average daily gain and feed : gain ratio were not affected by the dietary L-Arg levels. However, chickens supplemented with L-Arg had lower abdominal fat content, plasma triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) concentrations, hepatic FAS mRNA expression and increased heart carnitine palmitoyl transferase1 (CPT1) and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (3HADH) mRNA expression. These findings suggest that the addition of 0.25% L-Arg may reduce the plasma TC concentration by decreasing hepatic 3-hydroxyl-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase mRNA expression. This may lower the plasma TG and abdominal fat content by suppressing hepatic FAS mRNA expression and enhancing CPT1 and 3HADH (genes related to fatty acid ß-oxidation) mRNA expression in the hearts of broiler chickens.

Treatment of municipal wastewater using a contact oxidation filtration separation integrated bioreactor.

A new contact oxidation filtration separation integrated bioreactor (CFBR) was used to treat municipal wastewater. The CFBR was made up of a biofilm reactor (the upper part of the CFBR) and a gravitational filtration bed (the lower part of the CFBR). Polyacrylonitrile balls (50mm diameter, 237 m(2)/m(3) specific surface, 90% porosity, and 50.2% packing rate) were filled into the biofilm reactor as biofilm attaching materials and anthracite coal (particle size 1-2mm, packing density 0.947 g/cm(3), non-uniform coefficient (K(80)=d(80)/d(10))<2.0) was placed into the gravitational filtration bed as filter media. At an organic volumetric loading rate of 2.4 kg COD/(m(3)d) and an initial filtration velocity of 5m/h in the CFBR, the average removal efficiencies of COD, ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen and turbidity were 90.6%, 81.4%, 64.6% and 96.7% respectively, but the treatment process seemed not to be effective in phosphorus removal. The average removal efficiency of total phosphorus was 60.1%. Additionally, the power consumption of the CFBR was less than 0.15 kWh/m(3) of wastewater treated, and less than 1.5 kWh/kg BOD(5) removal.

Dietary sodium deprivation evokes activation of brain regional neurons and down-regulation of angiotensin II type 1 receptor and angiotensin-convertion enzyme mRNA expression.

Previous studies have indicated that the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is implicated in the induction of sodium appetite in rats and that different dietary sodium intakes influence the mRNA expression of central and peripheral RAAS components. To determine whether dietary sodium deprivation activates regional brain neurons related to sodium appetite, and changes their gene expression of RAAS components of rats, the present study examined the c-Fos expression after chronic exposure to low sodium diet, and determined the relationship between plasma and brain angiotensin I (ANG I), angiotensin II (ANG II) and aldosterone (ALD) levels and the sodium ingestive behavior variations, as well as the effects of prolonged dietary sodium deprivation on ANG II type 1 (AT1) and ANG II type 2 (AT2) receptors and angiotensin-convertion enzyme (ACE) mRNA levels in the involved brain regions using the method of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results showed that the Fos immunoreactivity (Fos-ir) expression in forebrain areas such as subfornical organ (SFO), paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei (PVN), supraoptic nucleus (SON) and organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT) all increased significantly and that the levels of ANG I, ANG II and ALD also increased in plasma and forebrain in rats fed with low sodium diet. In contrast, AT1, ACE mRNA in PVN, SON and OVLT decreased significantly in dietary sodium depleted rats, while AT2 mRNA expression did not change in the examined areas. These results suggest that many brain areas are activated by increased levels of plasma and/or brain ANG II and ALD, which underlies the elevated preference for hypertonic salt solution after prolonged exposure to low sodium diet, and that the regional AT1 and ACE mRNA are down-regulated after dietary sodium deprivation, which may be mediated by increased ANG II in plasma and/or brain tissue.

Brain glucose-sensing mechanisms: ubiquitous silencing by aglycemia vs. hypothalamic neuroendocrine responses.

Interest in brain glucose-sensing mechanisms is motivated by two distinct neuronal responses to changes in glucose concentrations. One mechanism is global and ubiquitous in response to profound hypoglycemia, whereas the other mechanism is largely confined to specific hypothalamic neurons that respond to changes in glucose concentrations in the physiological range. Although both mechanisms use intracellular metabolism as an indicator of extracellular glucose concentration, the two mechanisms differ in key respects. Global hyperpolarization (inhibition) in response to 0 mM glucose can be reversed by pyruvate, implying that the reduction in ATP levels acting through ATP-dependent potassium (K-ATP) channels is the key metabolic signal for the global silencing in response to 0 mM glucose. In contrast, neuroendocrine hypothalamic responses in glucoresponsive and glucose-sensitive neurons (either excitation or inhibition, respectively) to physiological changes in glucose concentration appear to depend on glucokinase; neuroendocrine responses also depend on K-ATP channels, although the role of ATP itself is less clear. Lactate can substitute for glucose to produce these neuroendocrine effects, but pyruvate cannot, implying that NADH (possibly leading to anaplerotic production of malonyl-CoA) is a key metabolic signal for effects of glucose on glucoresponsive and glucose-sensitive hypothalamic neurons.

Cerulenin mimics effects of leptin on metabolic rate, food intake, and body weight independent of the melanocortin system, but unlike leptin, cerulenin fails to block neuroendocrine effects of fasting.

Cerulenin and a related compound, C75, have recently been reported to reduce food intake and body weight independent of leptin through a mechanism hypothesized, like leptin, to involve hypothalamic nutrition-sensitive neurons. To assess whether these inhibitors act through mechanisms similar to mechanisms engaged by leptin, ob/ob and Ay (agouti) mice, as well as fed and fasted wild-type mice, were treated with cerulenin. Like leptin, cerulenin reduced body weight and food intake and increased metabolic rate in ob/ob mice, and cerulenin produced the same effects in wild-type mice, whereas lithium chloride, at doses that produce conditioned taste aversion, reduced metabolic rate. However, in contrast to leptin, cerulenin did not prevent effects of fasting on plasma corticosterone or hypothalamic levels of neuropeptide Y, agouti-related peptide, pro-opiomelanocortin, or cocaine- and amphetamine-related peptide mRNA. Also, in contrast to leptin, cerulenin was highly effective to reduce body weight in Ay mice, in which obesity is caused by blockade of the melanocortin receptor. These data demonstrate that cerulenin produces metabolic effects similar to effects of leptin, but through mechanisms that are independent of, or down-stream from, both leptin and melanocortin receptors.

[Determination of beberine hydrochloride and puerarin in tangwei capsules by RP-HPLC of gradient elution method].

A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic gradient elution method was developed for the determination of beberine hydrochloride and puerarin in Tangwei capsules. Separation was obtained by using Hypersil ODS (150 mm x 4.6 mm i.d., 5 microns) column and mobile phase of methanol and acetic acid, triethylamine water solution. Detection was performed with UV detector at 230 nm. The column temperature was 35 degrees C. The calibration curves were linear within the range of 0.18 microgram-1.66 micrograms for beberine hydrochloride (n = 5, r = 0.9999) and 0.09 microgram-0.89 microgram for puerarin (n = 5, r = 0.9998). The recovery and RSD of beberine hydrochloride were 98.2% and 1.6% and those of puerarin were 97.5% and 1.8%, respectively.

Identification of a human histone acetyltransferase related to monocytic leukemia zinc finger protein.

We describe here the identification and functional characterization of a novel human histone acetyltransferase, termed MORF (monocytic leukemia zinc finger protein-related factor). MORF is a 1781-residue protein displaying significant sequence similarity to MOZ (monocytic leukemia zinc finger protein). MORF is ubiquitously expressed in adult human tissues, and its gene is located at human chromosome band 10q22. MORF has intrinsic histone acetyltransferase activity. In addition to its histone acetyltransferase domain, MORF possesses a strong transcriptional repression domain at its N terminus and a highly potent activation domain at its C terminus. Therefore, MORF is a novel histone acetyltransferase that contains multiple functional domains and may be involved in both positive and negative regulation of transcription.

[Determination of loganin in Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. by TLC scanner].

The content of loganin extracted from Cornus of ficinalis was determined directly on a CS-930 TLC scanner. The method is simple and sensitive, and can serve as an index for checking the quality of C. of ficinalis.

[Chemical constituents of Sageretia theezans Brongn].

Six compounds were isolated from Sageretia theezans and identified as friedeline (1), syringic acid (2), beta-sitosterol (3), daucosterol (4), gluco-syringic acid (5) and taraxerol (6) on the basis of spectral data (1H-NMR, IR, MS) and physico-chemical constants. Among them, compounds 5 and 6 were obtained from the species for the first time.

[Studies on the chemical constituents of Annona squamosa].

Twelve compounds were isolated from Annona squamosa. Their structures were identified as liriodenine (AS-1), moupinamide (AS-2), -(-)-kauran-16 alpha-ol-19-oic acid (AS-3), 16 beta, 17-dihydroxy-(-)-kauran-19-oic acid (AS-4), anonaine (AS-5), 16 alpha, 17-dihydroxy-(-)-kauran-19-oic acid (AS-6), (-)-isokaur-15(16)-en-17,19-dioic acid (AS-7), squamosamide (AS-8), 16 alpha-methoxy-(-)-kauran-19-oic acid (AS-9), sachanoic acid (AS-10), (-)-kauran-19-al-17-oic acid (AS-11), daucosterol (AS-12). Among them, AS-8 is a new amide, AS-9 is a new natural product.