The energy budget and fat accumulation in striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) during post-lactation.

Adaptive adjustments of energy intake and body fat play an important role in allowing animals' to meet the energy demands of thermoregulation during cold conditions and reproduction. Body fat is usually metabolized during lactation, which is one of the most energetically demanding activities of female mammals, however the effect of this on the energy budget and body fat regulation after lactation remains unclear. We compared the energy intake and body fat of female striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) fed either a high-fat or low-fat diet for 21 days after the end of lactation (post-lactation, PL) to those of virgin controls. Serum leptin levels and the expression of hypothalamic orexigenic and anorexigenic neuropeptide genes were also measured and compared. Although lactating females consumed significantly more food, they had significantly lower body fat than virgin controls. The energy intake and body fat levels of the PL females were, however, significantly higher than those of virgin females. This was particularly true for the PL females that were fed high-fat diet. These females had significantly higher serum leptin concentrations, but lower hypothalamic leptin receptor gene expression, than virgin females. Neither orexigenic nor anorexigenic neuropeptide levels in the hypothalamus differed significantly between the PL and virgin females. This suggests that a negative energy balance during lactation drives fat accumulation after lactation. Furthermore, leptin resistance may occur after the end of lactation, causing females to consume more food, and accumulate more fat, than virgin females.

Betulin efficiently suppresses the process of an experimental Listeria monocytogenes infection as an antagonist against listeriolysin O.

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a widespread foodborne intracellular pathogen that invades a variety of cells, causing abortions and severe human diseases. After internalization into host cells, pore-forming cytolysin listeriolysin O (LLO) disrupts the phagosome, which allows the bacterium to survive and colonize the cytoplasm, providing the bacterium the chance to infect neighboring cells. Betulin is an extracted natural compound from birch bark with diverse pharmacological activities. Here, we showed that LLO-induced rabbit red blood cell lysis in vitro was inhibited by preincubation with betulin, which suppressed the oligomerization process. Infectious assays performed with human monocyte macrophages indicated that betulin significantly protected cells against Lm-induced cell injury. In addition, Balb/c mice were used to perform a general infection, and betulin administration obviously inhibited organ damage and bacterial burden in livers and spleens of infected mice. In conclusion, betulin obviously inhibited Lm-induced cell injury in vitro and protected against infection in vivo through an antivirulence effect. Our results showed betulin as a new candidate against listeriosis by targeting LLO and highlight the potential of natural product-based medicine to be applied in the treatment of pathogenic infections.

[Matrix formulation of chaizhi cataplasma optimized by D-optimal mixture design combined with multiple mechanical indicators and its in vitro evaluation].

To optimize the matrix formulation of Chaizhi cataplasma (CC) and investigate its release and transdermal absorption properties in vitro. The optimized matrix formulation of cataplasma containing liquid herbal extract is determined by using D-optimal mixture design, with initial bonding strength, endurance bonding strength and gel strength as the evaluating indicators. Modified Franz diffusion cells were used to study the in vitro release and transdermal absorption of geniposide in CC. The optimized matrix formulation of CC contained NP700, aluminum glycinate, tartaric acid, glycerin, PVPK90 and water (9∶0.7∶0.8∶30∶5∶30.5). Cumulative release rate of geniposide in CC was (77.02±3.73)% in 24 h. The percutaneous penetration rate of geniposide was 7.25 µg•cm⁻²â€¢h⁻¹ and the 24 h permeated amount was (156.22±4.90) µg•cm⁻². The optimized CC prepared by the D-optimal mixture design showed a good adhesion and formability. The in vitro release of the geniposide in CC was in accordance with the first order equation, while its in vitro transdermal absorption was close to the zero order equation.

[Comparison of essential oil from Mentha haplocalyx and menthol used as penetration enhancers].

The aim of this paper was to investigate and compare the penetration-enhancing characteristics of menthol and essential oil from Mentha haplocalyx(M.haplocalyx oil) on the transdermal absorption of the complex traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) components. A series of TCM components were selected as model drugs based on their lipophilicity (logP value), namely osthole(OT, logP=3.85), tetramethylpyrazine(TMP, logP=2.34), ferulic acid(FA, logP=1.26), puerarin(PR, logP=-0.35) and geniposide(GP, logP=-1.01), in order to simply and characterize the TCM complex components system. Transdermal experiment in vitro was employed to investigate and compare the penetration-enhancing characteristics of menthol and M.haplocalyx oil on the transdermal absorption of these model drugs. Meanwhile, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) was used to further compare the effect of menthol and M. haplocalyx oil on the molecular structure of stratum corneum(SC). The results showed that both of menthol and M.haplocalyx oil at proper concentration could promote the transdermal absorption of the selected model drugs. After application of menthol, the drug logP values gradually tended to have negative linear relationship with the logarithm of penetration enhancement ratio(ER); while after application of M.haplocalyx oil, the logP values tended to have parabolic relationship with the logarithm of ER. However, both menthol and M.haplocalyx oil exhibited higher efficiency for the drugs with relative low lgP value(ie hydrophilic drugs), with similar penetration-enhancing characteristics between these two. Infrared spectroscopy results showed that menthol and M.haplocalyx oil could affect the skin barrier functions mainly via stratum corneum lipids, with similar effect intensity, and this was consistent with the results of transdermal experiment in vitro. Thus, Menthol had similar penetration-enhancing characteristics with M.haplocalyx oil, and had same effect on the SC molecular structure. Therefore, as transdermal penetration enhancer, the menthol with single composition could be considered to replace M.haplocalyx oil with complex compositions.

[Effect of terpene penetration enhancer and its mechanisms on membrane fluidity and potential of HaCaT keratinocytes].

The aim of this paper was to investigate the effect of terpene penetration enhancers on membrane fluidity and membrane potential using HaCaT keratinocytes, and study the potential mechanisms of these terpene compounds using as natural transdermal penetration enhancer. Six terpene compounds, namely menthol, limonene, 1,8-cineole, menthone, terpinen-4-ol and pulegone, were chosen in this study on account of their good penetration-enhancement activities. The cytotoxicity of these terpene compounds was measured using an MTT assay. The fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) technique was employed to measure the change of membrane fluidity of HaCaT cells. The flow cytometer was used to study the alteration of membrane fluidity of HaCaT cells, and investigate the effect of terpene compounds on intracellular Ca2+. It was found that 6 terpene compounds possessed low cytotoxicity in comparison to the well-established and standard penetration enhancer azone. Those terpene compounds could significantly enhance HaCaT cells membrane fluidity and decrease HaCaT cells membrane potentials. Meanwhile, after treated with various terpene compounds, the Ca2(+)-ATPase activity and intracellular Ca2+ of HaCaT cells was decreased significantly. Terpene penetration enhancers perhaps changed the membrane fluidity and potentials of HaCaT cells by altering the Ca2+ balance of the cell inside and outside, resulting in the low skin permeability to increase the drug transdermal absorption.

[Researches of soil normalized difference water index (NDWI) of Yongding River based on multispectral remote sensing technology combined with genetic algorithm].

Basin soil type, moisture content and vegetation cover index are important factors affecting the basin water of Yongding River, using traditional sampling method to investigate soil moisture and the watershed soil type not only consuming a lot of manpower and material resources but also causing experimental error because of the instrument and other objective factors. This article selecting the Yongding River Basin-Beijing section as the study area, using total station instruments to survey field sampling and determination 34 plots, combined with 6 TM image data from 1978 to 2009 to extract soil information and the relationship between region's soil type, soil moisture and remote sensing factors. Using genetic algorithms normalization to select key factors which influenced NDWI, which is based on the green band and near-infrared bands normalized ratio index, usually used to extract water information in the image. In order to accurate screening and factors related to soil moisture, using genetic algorithms preferred characteristics, accelerate the convergence by controlling the number of iterations to filter key factor. Using multiple regression method to establish NDWI inversion model, which analysis the accuracy of model is 0.987, also use the species outside edges tree to meet accuracy test, which arrived that soil available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content and longitude correlation is not obvious, but a positive correlation with latitude and soil, inner precision researched 87.6% when the number of iterations to achieve optimal model calculation Maxgen. Models between NDWI and vegetation cover, topography, climate ect, through remote sensing and field survey methods could calculate the NDWI values compared with the traditional values, arrived the average relative error E is -0.021%, suits accord P reached 87.54%. The establishment of this model will be provide better practical and theoretical basis to the research and analysis of the watershed soil moisture and organic of Yongding River.

[Single-agent Xeloda in the treatment of recurrent and metastatic breast cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and adverse reactions of Xeloda in the treatment of recurrent and metastatic breast cancer. METHODS: This clinical study was designed to treat 69 patients with recurrent and metastatic breast cancer with Xeloda, 2500 mg/m(2)/d, twice daily for 2 weeks followed by a 1-week rest period, repeated every 3 weeks. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients received Xeloda for more than 1 cycle. The overall response rate (CR + PR) was 16.0%, clinical benefit rate (CR + PR + SD > or = 24 months) was 27.5%, disease control rate (CR + PR + SD) was 75.4%. The median time to failure (TTF) was 3 months (range: 0.7 - 11 months). The median time to progression (TTP) was 2 months (range: 0.7 - 11 months). The median duration of response (CR + PR) was 6 months (range: 4 - 11 months). The most common treatment-related adverse events were hand-foot syndrome (HFS) that occurred in 60.8% (42/69) patients mostly as grade I-II. Fifty-five percent (22/40) of patients who had received high dose preventive Vit B6 developed HFS without grade III; while 69% (20/29) of patients who had not received such treatment did develop HFS including 2 patients with grade III. However, there was not significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Xeloda is an effective and well tolerated treatment in patients with recurrent and metastatic breast cancer. The symptoms of HFS may be relieved by high dose Vit B6 as prevention.