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Aging changes in the very elderly cardiac disease are associated with physiological and pathological changes, however, all observed changes in aging are associated with a deterioration of cardiorespiratory fitness function. For example, hypertension and cardiorespiratory disease make difficult distinctions between normal aging changes and the effects of underlying resveratrol supplements processes. Cardiorespiratory fitness-independent changes in resveratrol intake are still unclear. This review aimed to discuss whether the aging-associated cardiorespiratory fitness changes in the heart can be reversed by resveratrol supplements, and the mechanisms of cardiorespiratory fitness. Aging led to apoptosis and fibrosis-related protein expression increased, however, cardiorespiratory fitness had revered more functions. Resveratrol supplements in combination with cardiorespiratory fitness had a good enhanced mitochondrial function in aging including IL-6, STAT3, MEK5, and MEK1/ERK1 increased. Resveratrol supplements also induced survival signals and downregulation of apoptosis signaling in aging. Therefore, we suggest resveratrol has enhanced cardiorespiratory fitness to combine their function in repressed aging.

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is associated with referring to enhance oxygen transport capacity to respiratory systems and increasing oxygen transport circulatory to skeletal muscle to produce energy. The aim of this report on the health-related CRF in the oxygen transport system-mediated physiological nitric oxide (NO) functional adaptations. Therefore, we want to know that swimming exercise-induced improvements in CRF resulted in increased oxygen transport capacity during physical activity of the respiratory systems. Therefore, the oxygen circulatory transport system is related to NO signaling and has been associated with various pathophysiologic functions and neuronal activity. Besides mediating normal functions, NO is implicated in inflammation and hypertension disease states. Swimming exercise is a good way to increase the rate of metabolism. Swimming exercise improves heart rate and oxygen circulatory, and increases the rate of metabolism and burning of heat. In this context, this review summarizes the roles of NO in improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness.

The ketogenic diet and walking exercise training interventions are two key public health lifestyle factors. The potential of combined lifestyle factors interventions focused on getting to compliance in diet and exercise. A balanced ketogenic diet and regular exercise interventions is key modifiable factor to the prevention and management of community older frailty and skeletal muscle sarcopenia. Influence health across the lifespan and reduction of the risk of premature death through several biochemistry mechanisms. Community older group’s lifestyle factors interventions contribute identity in their natural living environment. While the older health benefits of walking exercise training interventions strategies are commonly to study, combining ketogenic diet and walking exercise interventions can induce greater benefits in community older groups.

Sarcopenic obesity is a skeletal muscle weight loss disease. It has happened at an elderly age. A ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate (5%), moderate protein (15%), and a higher-fat diet (80%) can help sarcopenic obese patients burn their fat more effectively. It has many benefits for muscle and fat weight loss. A ketogenic diet can be especially useful for losing excess body fat without hunger and for improving type 2 diabetes. That is because of only a few carbohydrates in the diet, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketones. Ketone bodies can replace higher ATP energy. This diet forces the human body to burn fat. This is a good way to lose fat weight without restriction.

The ketogenic diet and walking exercise training activity are two key public health lifestyle factors. The potential of combined lifestyle factors interventions focused on getting to compliance in forced exercise. A balanced ketogenic diet and regular exercise activity is a key modifiable factor to the prevention and management of chronic diseases. Influence health across the lifespan and reduction of the risk of premature death through several biological mechanisms. Community older group’s lifestyle factors interventions contribute identity in their natural living environment. While the older health benefits of walking exercise training strategies are commonly to study, combined ketogenic diet and walking exercise interventions have induced greater benefits in community older groups.

The senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) has about half the normal lifespan of a rodent. Therefore, we determined whether the different age degrees has rapid physiological senescence with the same interaction function and mechanism of exercise and supplementary resveratrol intake by SAMP8 mice liver. Histological of aging related liver disease was examined SAMP8 mice by hematoxylin-eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining.Apoptosis was determined by TUNEL staining. The mechanism proteins expression of p-PI3K/PI3K, p-Akt/Akt, Bad, cytochrome c, Bcl 2, ERK1, IL-6, STAT3, MEK5, p-ERK5/ERK5, FGF2, and MMP2/9 were examined by western blot. Results showed that the 3- and 6-month-old SAMP8 mice liver, the senescence-accelerated liver cross-sections observed adipocytes, collagen, and apoptosis cells appear, but lower occurs by exercise, supplementary resveratrol, and their combination. Combination exercise and supplementary resveratrol at the 6-month-old SAMP8 mice has significant increase ratio by p-PI3K/PI3K compared to 3-month-old SAMP8 mice liver (p

Nicotine is active in highly cisplatin-resistant cancer cells; however, there is little evidence for its resistant activity in lung cancer with cisplatin. Many mechanisms of cisplatin resistance have been proposed. The mechanisms of the nicotine treatment of cisplatin-resistant lung cancer for histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) activity is unknown. Nicotine was used to analyze cisplatin-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cancer cell growth. Western blot was used to analyze cell cycle-related proteins. Cancer cell viability (cell survival) was measured with MTT assay. HDAC1 transfected NSCLC cells were used to analyze the direct binding between cytosol and nucleus distribution. Here, using cell viability and migration methods we firstly found nicotine regulated cisplatin-resistant NSCLC cells growth by targeting HDAC1. Expression of cisplatin was negatively correlated with HDAC1. And HDAC1 inhibitor, VPA, in the NSCLC cancer cells were predicted. Further experiments confirmed that HDAC1 directly targeted E2F and cisplatin. Besides, HDAC1 and cisplatin inhibited NSCLC cell growth and reduced expression of E2F and Cyclin E proteins. The use of nicotine compromised cisplatin-induced E2F suppression and cancer cell growth. NSCLC cancer cells co-transfected with nicotine and HDAC1 had a higher cell cycle proliferation. Taken all together, cisplatin interferes with DNA replication kills the cancer cell fastest proliferation; however, nicotine increased detoxification of cisplatin, inhibition of apoptosis and DNA repair, induced cisplatin resistance.

Nicotine exposure may affect NSCLC is associated with lung cancer in humans. Whether nicotine exhibits carcinogenesis promoted activities in tumor growth still unknown. Nicotine is known to have dichotomous effects on cancer biology, acting like a pro- or anti-carcinogenesis agent. There are different functions between adenocarcinoma and squamous NSCLC cancer cells. Excess generation of nicotine may inhibit mitochondrial metabolism, protein modification, and DNA cleavage. Materials and Methods: We used the H520 NSCLC line obtained from human lung epithelial cells to detected nicotine growth and toxicity using MTT assay and western blotting. The concentration of nicotine stimulated cell growth to correspond to low concentration, while high concentration was cytotoxic. Results: According to MTT assay results, at 1.0 μM nicotine has significantly enhanced the H520 cell viability (%). Nicotine induced lung cancer carcinogenesis through mechanisms of α7nAchR, EGFR, HDAC2/4/5, Cyclin D/Cyclin E, Bcl-2, p-Akt, and inflammatory proteins of NF-KappaB and COX2 increases at 1.0 μM. Apoptosis proteins were decreases at 1.0 μM nicotine by p21, p27, c-jun, and p38α using western blotting. Nicotine stimulates tumor growth is mediated through α7nicotinic-acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChR), possibly involving inflammation. On the other hand, at high nicotine concentrations (> 1.0 μM) with consistent cytotoxic effects and appeared to be due to direct cell kill. Nicotine can prevent apoptosis induced by NSCLC. Conclusion: Therefore, the effects on chemotherapeutics by NSCLC malignant cell lines, nicotine in concentrations as low as 1.0 μM decreased. These mechanisms are responsible for the genotoxic effects caused by nicotine. This leads to downstream effects on decreased apoptosis, increased cell proliferation and transformation. The malignant NSCLC cells respond to the treatment with nicotine in lung cancer, the nicotine-mediated induction of growth may provide one of its links to α7nAchR or EGFR.

In this study, a rat carotid balloon injury-animal model was used to elucidate the temporal relation of hypertrophy in the progression of cardiac damage and the role of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I survival pathway on course of the cardiac damage. Rats were subjected to carotid balloon-injury and examined at different time points. We further studied the heart-weight/body-weight-ratio, histology and protein expression to understand the pathological events associated with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) induced damages. Protein expression analysis showed increased levels of IGF-I signaling pathway and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway after 2 h and after 2 d of carotid balloon injury. On the other hand, apoptosis signaling pathways were enhanced after 14 d of carotid balloon injury. According to the results, rat carotid balloon injury significantly induced IGF-I survival signaling and compensated hypertrophy pathway during the initial period of injury however after 14 d the proteins involved in apoptotic cell death were elevated and the proteins of the survival pathway and compensatory hypertrophy were significantly reduced.

This article reviews the clinical studies on acupuncture in the treatment of asthma, chronic bronchitis, and acute exacerbation and stable phase of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in China over the past 10 years, and the results suggest that acupuncture has a good clinical effect. At present, there are still several problems in related clinical studies, including lacking of standard operation procedure for acupuncture, unreasonable design of control group, and low quality of clinical research. Therefore, in the future, top-level design should be standardized and large-sample multicenter clinical studies should be conducted to provide stronger evidence of evidence-based medicine for acupuncture in the treatment of respiratory diseases.

Sarcopenic obesity is a progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength with increases in adiposity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of resveratrol on obesity or sarcopenia to potential therapy risk for skeletal muscle declines in physical function. C57BL/6J male mice were fed either a high-fat diet for 4 weeks and resveratrol (low-, middle-, and high-dose) for 8 weeks to express the obesity effect. Samp8 mice sarcopenia skeletal muscle functional deterioration expressed an age-associated decline. Resveratrol (150 mg/Kg BW, daily) was administered by oral gavage two times a week one month of the experimental period. Exercise training based on adaptations in the muscle is training twice a week for 4 weeks. The skeletal muscles from mice in each group were analyzed by H&E staining, TUNEL and western blot analysis to determine mitochondrial function expression, apoptosis and relative fibrosis signaling. Results of the present study indicate that resveratrol in obesity skeletal muscle is linked to an increase in the expression of mitochondrial function involved in Bcl-2 and PI3K/AKT. On the other hand, resveratrol attenuates sarcopenia Samp8 mice, the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and mitochondrial function involved in Bad, caspase 3 and IL-6/ERK1. However, exercise training not find a significant difference in sarcopenia skeletal muscles SAMP8 mice. Exercise training didn’t induce sarcopenia skeletal muscle hypertrophy in sarcopenic SAMP8 mice. Therefore, we suggest that resveratrol as a therapeutic potential in the combination of sarcopenia and obesity, the state called sarcopenic obesity.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the aging-associated changes in the heart can be reversed by exercise or resveratrol in the mechanisms of aging related hypertrophy and apoptosis. Morphological variables of aging assessed on histopathologic of cardiac changes were stained with hematoxylin-eosin stain. Apoptosis-related proteins from mitochondrial or cytosolic organelles including Caspase 9, Bad, Caspase 3, Caspase 8, Fas and FADD, and aging-related decline proteins including IGF-1, PI3K, P-PI3K, AKT, P-AKT and MTOR were detected by western blot. Aged rats had an increased LV mass, extracellular space and total collagen content, after exercise training or resveratrol intake, we found combining exercise training and resveratrol intake suppressed extracellular space and total collagen content. Exercise training, but not resveratrol, suppressed IGFI/ PI3K/Akt aging-related decline signaling pathway. Exercise training and combining resveratrol improves mitochondrial function in the aging rat hearts, anti- Bad and Caspase 9 apoptosis related proteins. Exercise training and resveratrol suppressed cytosolic apoptosis signaling pathway. We suggest that exercise training and resveratrol intake have different functions in repressed aging.

Poyang Lake region is the largest freshwater lake impacted area in China. Quantitative analysis of trade-off and synergy in ecosystem service is of great significance for realizing regional sustainable development. Based on multi-source data of remote sensing, soil, meteorology and DEM, we quantitatively measured food supply service, soil conservation service and water yield service in Poyang Lake region from 2005 to 2015, and analyzed their spatiotemporal patterns and evolution characteristics. The spatial and temporal characteristics of trade-off and synergy between services on the scale of 1 km×1 km were analyzed by using correlation analysis, hot spot analysis and spatial mapping method. The differences of ecosystem services and their relationships in the perspective of land use were studied. The results showed that food supply service increased, soil conservation service decreased, and water yield service increased first and then decreased during the study period. In terms of spatial distribution, food supply service presented "low-high-low-high" in the northwest-southeast direction, soil conservation service was concentrated in high and low values, and water yield service was high in south and low in north. There were trade-off relationships between food supply and soil conservation, and between food supply and water yield. There was synergistic relationship between soil conservation and water yield. Moreover, the relationship between food supply and soil conservation showed a spatial pattern of synergy in northern but trade-off in southern region. There was a clear spatial trade-off between food supply and water yield, and from north to south the relationship between soil conservation and water yield existed synergy-tradeoff-synergy differentiation, like a "sandwich". Among different land use types, there was a significant synergy between cultivated land and food supply, garden land and soil conservation, water area and water yield, but trade-off relationships between construction land and three services. The relationship between food supply and soil conservation and water yield was mainly trade-off in different land use types. The relationship between soil conservation and water yield was synergy in cultivated land, garden land, grassland and construction land, but was trade-off in water and unused land. The hot spots of multiple ecosystem services in the Poyang Lake region were mainly in the eastern and sou-thern plain areas, with a decreasing trend.鄱阳湖地区是中国最大淡水湖影响的区域,定量分析其生态系统服务权衡与协同关系对实现区域可持续发展具有重要意义.本研究首先基于遥感、土壤、气象、数字高程模型(DEM)等多源数据,定量测算2005—2015年鄱阳湖地区食物供给服务、土壤保持服务和产水服务,分析服务的时空格局及演变特征;然后运用相关分析、冷热点分析、空间制图方法探析1 km×1 km尺度上服务间权衡与协同关系的时空特征,并研究土地利用视角下生态系统服务及其相互关系的差异.结果表明: 研究期间,鄱阳湖地区食物供给服务增加,土壤保持服务减少,产水服务先增后减.空间分布上,食物供给服务在西北-东南方向上呈现“低-高-低-高”的分布格局,土壤保持服务呈现高低值集聚分布的空间格局,产水服务表现为南高北低的空间分布.鄱阳湖地区食物供给与土壤保持、食物供给与产水量是权衡关系,土壤保持与产水量是协同关系.食物供给与土壤保持呈现北部协同、南部权衡的空间格局,食物供给与产水量之间在空间上呈现出明显的权衡关系,土壤保持与产水量之间从北至南呈现协同-权衡-协同的“夹心式”分异规律.不同土地利用类型间,耕地与食物供给、园林地与土壤保持、水域与产水量之间均存在极显著协同关系,建设用地与3种服务皆是权衡关系.食物供给服务与土壤保持服务和产水服务之间在不同土地利用类型中皆以权衡为主,土壤保持与产水服务在耕地、园林地、草地及建设用地中以协同关系为主、在水域和未利用地中则以权衡关系为主.鄱阳湖地区多重生态系统服务热点区主要在东部和南部平原区,呈减少趋势.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important component of farming systems and global carbon cycle. Accurately estimating SOC stock is of great importance for assessing soil productivity and modeling global climate change. A newly built 1:50 000 soil database of Zhejiang Province containing 2 154 geo-referenced soil profiles and a pedological professional knowledge-based (PKB) method were used to estimate SOC stock up to a depth of 100 cm for the Province. The spatial patterns of SOC stocks stratified by soil types, watershed (buffer analysis), topographical factors, and land use types were identified. Results showed that the soils in Zhejiang covered an area of 100 740 km 2 with a total SOC stock of 831.49 × 10 6 t and a mean SOC density of 8.25 kg m −2 , excluding water and urban areas. In terms of soil types, red soils had the highest SOC stock (259.10 × 10 6 t), whereas mountain meadow soils contained the lowest (0.15 × 10 6 t). In terms of SOC densities, the lowest value (5.11 kg m −2 ) was found in skel soils, whereas the highest value (45.30 kg m −2 ) was observed in mountain meadow soils. Yellow soils, as a dominant soil group, determined the SOC densities of different buffer zones in Qiantang River watershed because of their large area percentage and wide variation of SOC density values. The area percentages of various soil groups significantly varied with increasing elevation or slope when overlaid with digital elevation model data, thus influencing the SOC densities. The highest SOC density was observed under grassland, whereas the lowest SOC density was identified under unutilized land. The map of SOC density (0–100 cm depth) and the spatial patterns of SOC stocks in the Province would be helpful for relevant agencies and communities in Zhejiang Province, China.

The contradiction between the increasing integration of colleges and universities and the high degree of professionalism of industry demand for talents has become increasingly prominent, making the cultivation of innovative applied talents oriented to the industry demand become the important issue to be addressed urgently. The purpose of this project is to explore a mode of cultivating application-oriented and innovative talents who conform to the needs of regional economic development. The author puts forward the structure of “two libraries, six platforms” as the cultivating model, in order to effectively realize the seamless connection and cultivation of innovative talents among universities, enterprises and the government.

As we know, our traditional classroom teaching still focuses on knowledge learned purely. However, with the further development of the reform of classroom teaching, in order to improve the teaching effect, we should pay more attention to episodic memory. It has been demonstrated that the process of memorizing knowledge is the transition from episodic memory to semantic memory. Apart from this, episodic memory can preferably motivate the formation of semantic memory. Our teachers could create a positive and vivid scene to inspire the students’ association and help them study effectively instead of teaching knowledge tediously and simply. And this kind of episodic memory can also motivate the transition from episodic memory to the formation of semantic memory.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common outcome of obesity characterized with the accumulation of triacylglycerols, increase in tissue apoptosis and fibrosis. This study was performed to determine the effect of a lipolysis stimulating peptide-VHVV to reduce the NAFLD related effects in mice liver induced by high fat diet (HFD). Five groups of mice (n = 8), control fed with standard chow; HFD-induced obese control and three treatment groups with high/moderate/low dose VHVV-treatment, were used to evaluate the effect of VHVV. HFD fed mice exhibited heavier body weight than those with control chow diet. However, the levels of triacylglycerol and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol were significantly reduced in mice administered with low, moderate and high doses of VHVV. VHVV-administration also suppressed the HFD-induced hepatic apoptosis and fibrosis related proteins. Our results indicate that VHVV attenuate hepatic lipid accumulation and ameliorate inflammation related events in HFD fed mice to suppress apoptosis and fibrosis.

To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture therapy in improving pulmonary functions and clinical symptoms of pneumoconiosis patients.A total of 120 pneumoconiosis patients were randomly divided into acupuncture group (n=59) and control group (n = 61). The patients of the control group were ordered to take Acetylcysteine capsule (200 mg/time, t.i.d.) for 12 consecutive weeks and the patients of the acupuncture group received both acupuncture (twice a week) and Acetylcysteine capsule for 12 consecutive weeks. The used acupoints were Baihui (GV 20), Tanzhong (CV 17), Zhongwan (CV 12), Qihai (CV 6), and bilateral Kongzui (LU 6), Taiyuan (LU 9), Yuji (LU 10), Zusanli (ST 36), Fenglong (ST 40), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Feishu (BL 13), Xinshu (BL 15), Ganshu (BL 18), Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23) and Geshu (BL 17) and stimulated by needle-twirling reducing or reinforcing techniques. The pulmonary functions including spirometric forced vital capacity(FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1), FEV 1/FVC, and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) were detected by using a Medgraphics Cardio 2 Combined VO 2/ECG Exercise System. The severity of cough and shortness of breath (SOB) was detected by Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the patient's health status was assessed using Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test (CAT score, 0-40 points).Compared with pretreatment in the same one group, FE1 level and FEV 1/FVC after 12 weeks' treatment were obviously increased in both the control and acupuncture groups (P0.05), while the CAT scores at the 12th week, the cough and SOB scores at the 6th, 12th and 16th week after the treatment were decreased notably in both groups (P0.05), and the cough and SOB scores of the acupuncture group were significantly lower than those of the control group (P0.05). No significant changes were found in the FVC and DLCO levels in both groups (P0.05).Acupuncture therapy can improve symptoms of cough, shortness of breath, as well as pulmonary functions in pneumoconiosis patients.

Consumption of rice is the main source of micronutrients to human in Asia. A paddy field with unknown anthropogenic contamination in Deqing County, Zhejiang Province, China was selected to characterize the spatial variability and distribution of micronutrients in rice grain and soil. A total of 96 paired soil and rice grain samples were collected at harvest. The micronutrients in the soil samples were extracted by diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA). The mean micronutrient concentrations in rice grain were 3.85 μg Cu g −1 , 11.6 μg Fe g −1 , 39.7 μg Mn g −1 , and 26.0 μg Zn g −1 . The mean concentrations were 2.54 μg g −1 for DTPA-Cu, 133.5 μg g −1 for DTPA-Fe, 30.6 μg g −1 for DTPA-Mn, and 0.84 μg g −1 for DTPA-Zn. Semivariograms showed that measured micronutrients in rice grain were moderately dependent, with a range distance of about 110 m. The concentrations of the DTPA-extractable micronutrients all displayed strong spatial dependency, with a range distance of about 60 m. There was some resemblance of spatial structure between soil pH and the grain Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn. By analogy, similar spatial variation was observed between soil organic matter (SOM) and DTPA-extractable micronutrients in the soil. Kriging estimated maps of the attributes showed the spatial distributions of the variables in the field, which is beneficial for better understanding the spatial variation of micronutrients and for potentially refining agricultural management practices at a field scale.

The aim of this study was to establish the effective hepatoprotective properties of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) in fibrotic rat liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PHx). Fibrosis was induced in rats by ethanol (EtOH, 5 ml/kg) administration for 6, 24, 72, and 168 h. The rats were then fed four TCMs (1 g/kg/day, Codonopsis pilosula (CP), Salvia miltorrhiza Bunge (SMB), Bupleurum kasi (BK), and Elephantopus scaber L (ESL)) to Spraque-Dawley rats for 6, 24, 72 and 168 h, respectively. Surgical 70% cirrhotic fibrosis PHx was then conducted at 6, 24, 72, and 168 h. The effects on liver regeneration were examined to estimate and measure hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), focal adhesion kinase (FAK), Cyclin D1, Cyclin E, and retinoblastoma protein (pRb) protein expression using Western blotting analysis. Cyclin D1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, TIMP-2 and TIMP-3 mRNA by Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were analyzed in cirrhotic fibrosis rats. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), Cyclin D1, Cyclin E, pRb and E2F mRNA expression levels were determined in fibrotic rats following PHx using RT-PCR. We found elevated glutamyl oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamyl pyrubic transaminase (GPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gammaglutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), glutathione (GSH), nonprotein sulfhydryl (NPSH) and total bilirubin in serum after 6 h EtOH administration. These levels were progressively decreased over 168 h. Total protein and albumin were reduced in serum after 6 h administration and then progressively increased. In contrast, tissues disorder histology and morphology were determined in liver sections. After rats were fed TCMs we found that SMB extraction not only induced HGF, FAK, Cyclin D1, and pRb protein expression and Cyclin D1 mRNA increases, but also reduced MMP-2 and MMP-9 after 24 and 72 h post injury. In the cell cycle S phase the Cyclin E protein expression was increased by ESL. CP induced TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and TIMP-3 mRNA increases in fibrotic rats. We detected liver regeneration in fibrotic rats. We also found that the liver regeneration index increased from 6 to 168 h post PHx. After 168 h fibrotic liver regeneration rats exhibited reduced TGF-β1 mRNA expression and enhanced Cyclin D1, Cyclin E, pRb and E2F mRNA expression. TCMs play a crucial role in the early mediating process in fibrotic rat liver regeneration after PHx.

Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) images in 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994 and 2001 were used to quantify the land use and land cover changes (LUCC) in the Zhejiang coastal region with a stratified unsupervised classification technique in conjunction with visual interpretation and to attempt an identification of the socioeconomic driving forces. In level I an overall accurate classification was achieved using a modified Anderson's I/II/III-level classification scheme. The overall accuracy of the land use classification at Anderson level I were 89.7% (1985), 91.6% (1993), and 90.4% (2001). The most rapid land use change was a dramatic increase in urban or built-up areas, which quadrupled from 1985 to 2001. Over 90% of this newly expanded built-up area was originally paddy fields or other croplands. In different parts of the Zhejiang coastal region, urban land expansion was spatially uneven. Temporally, land use development did not stabilized, and the two study periods of time (1985{1993 and 1993{2001) had different transition styles. Socioeconomic factors, such as gross domestic product, total population, and financial expenditure, were all highly correlated with the expansion of urban or built-up areas. Based on the degree of urban sprawl and socioeconomic factors, cities and towns were further divided into six subgroups, which may help decision makers improve land use for the region.

Little is known about the pathogenesis of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy caused by periodontitis pathogens. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 activities and cellular morphology were measured by gelatin zymography and immunofluorescence after P. gingivalis-medium treatment with or without SB203580 (p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade [p38] inhibitor), U0126 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase [MAPKK] inhibitor), LY294002 (phosphoinositide 3-kinase [PI3K] inhibitor), cyclosporin A (CsA; calcineurin inhibitor), SP600125 (c-Jun N-terminal kinase [JNK] inhibitor), proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-1, or anti-inflammatory IL-10 in cultured cardiomyoblast H9c2 cells.P. gingivalis medium increased MMP-9 activities and cellular sizes (+87%) of H9c2 cells, whereas Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans medium and Prevotella intermedia medium had no effects. The increased activity of MMP-9 treated with P. gingivalis medium was not mediated through p38, extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK), PI3K, calcineurin, and JNK signaling pathways and was not inhibited by IL-10. However, the hypertrophy of H9c2 cells induced with P. gingivalis medium was reduced by administration of SB203580 (-37%), U0126 (-35%), LY294002 (-49%), CsA (-49%), and SP600125 (-24%).Our findings suggest that P. gingivalis medium elevated MMP-9 activity and induced cardiomyoblast hypertrophy. However, P. gingivalis-induced H9c2 cell hypertrophy was mediated through p38, ERK, PI3K, calcineurin, and JNK signaling pathways, which are in a totally different regulatory pathway from P. gingivalis-elevated MMP-9 activity. These findings provide evidence that P. gingivalis infection activated multiple factors via different pathways to induce the development of hypertrophy of H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells.

This study was designed to determine the effects of 17beta-estradiol (E2) in overcoming the cardiac over-loading and cardiac fibrosis in rats. E2 (100 ng/kg) or oil was applied in female Sprague-Dawley rats with or without bilateral ovariectomy and with or without coarctation of the abdominal aorta after 4 or 8 days. By post-operative day 4, the heart weight, the left ventricular weight, the latent form of MMP-2 in rat hearts with or without the ovary intact had significantly increased while these changes were reversed after E2 treatment. Although animals with the ovaries intact overcame the hypertrophic effects and the consumption of MMP-2, these effects were not restored in ovariectomized animals in which more fibrosis could be found by day 8. Among the IGF-I signaling, the levels of IGF-I, the activities of PI3K-Akt for cardiomyocyte survival, and MEK-ERKs for non-cardiomyocyte proliferation pathways had significantly increased by day 4. These increasing trends were enhanced by E2 treatment. However, down-regulation was only observed on day 8 in ovariectomized animals. Similarly, elevated expressions of the steady-state mRNA of IGF-I, IGF-IR, and Cox vb were observed on day 4 in animals with the ovaries intact and these expressions were enhanced by E2 treatment. In contrast, down-regulation on day 8 in ovariectomized animals was not enhanced by E2. The calcineurin/NFAT-3 pathway was suppressed on day 4 but was elevated on day 8 in ovariectomized animals. These findings indicate that signaling pathways may be plausible mechanisms for the cardiac protective effects of E2 administration.

Background: Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Aging is a physiological process that involves progressive impairment of normal heart functions due to increased vulnerability to damage. This study examines secondhand smoke exposure in aging rats to determine the age-related death-survival balance. Methods: Rats were placed into a SHS exposure chamber and exposed to smog. Old age male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 10 cigarettes for 30 min, day and night, continuing for one week. After 4 weeks the rats underwent morphological and functional studies. Left ventricular sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin for histopathological examination. TUNEL detected apoptosis cells and protein expression related death and survival pathway were analyzed using western blot. Results: Death receptor-dependent apoptosis upregulation pathways and the mitochondria apoptosis proteins were apparent in young SHS exposure and old age rats. These biological markers were enhanced in aging SHS-exposed rats. The survival pathway was found to exhibit compensation only in young SHS-exposed rats, but not in the aging rats. Further decrease in the activity of this pathway was observed in aging SHS-exposed rats. TUNEL apoptotic positive cells were increased in young SHS-exposed rats, and in aging rats with or without SHS-exposure. Conclusions: Aging reduces IGF-I compensated signaling with accelerated cardiac apoptotic effects from second-hand smoke.

Partial hepatectomy (PHx) is a liver regeneration physiological response induced to maintain homeostasis. Liver regeneration evolved presumably to protect wild animals from catastrophic liver loss caused by toxins or tissue injury. Silymarin (Sm) ability to stimulate liver regeneration has been an object of curiosity for many years. Silymarin has been investigated for use as an antioxidant and anticarcinogen. However, its use as a supportive treatment for liver damage is elusive. In this study, we fed silymarin (Sm, 25 mg/kg) to male Sprague-Dawley rats for 7 weeks. Surgical 2/3 PHx was then conducted on the rats at 6 hrs, 24 hrs, and 72 hrs. Western blot and RT-PCR were conducted to detect the cell cycle activities and silymarin effects on hepatic regeneration. The results showed that silymarin enhanced liver regeneration by accelerating the cell cycle in PHx liver. Silymarin led to increased G1 phase (cyclin D1/pRb), S phase (cyclin E/E2F), G2 phase (cyclin B), and M phase (cyclin A) protein and mRNA at 6 hrs, 24 hrs, and 72 hrs PHx. HGF, TGFα, and TGFβ1 growth factor expressions were also enhanced. We suggest that silymarin plays a crucial role in accelerated liver regeneration after PHx.

As an important component of the carbon pool of terrestrial ecosystem, soil carbon pool plays a key role in the studies of greenhouse effect and global change. By using a 1:50000 soil database, the organic carbon density in the 0-100 cm layer of 277 soil species in Zhejiang Province was estimated, and the soil organic carbon (SOC) density and storage in the whole Province as well as the spatial distribution of the SOC density and storage in the main soil types of the Province were analyzed. In the whole Province, the SOC density ranged from 5 kg.m-2 to 10 kg.m-2. Among the main soil types in the Province, humic mountain yellow soil had the highest SOC density (52.80 kg.m-2), whereas fluvio-sand ridge soil had the lowest one (1.82 kg.m-2). Red soil and paddy soil had the largest SOC storages, with the sum accounting for 63.8% of the total SOC storage in the Province. The total area of the soils in the Province was 100784.19 km2, the estimated SOC storage was 875. 42 x 10(6) t, and the estimated SOC density was averagely 8.69 kg.m-2. The analysis with the superposition digital elevation model showed that the SOC density presented an obvious variation trend with the changes of elevation, slope gradient, and aspect.

Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is increased the risk of heart disease included atherosclerosis and coronary disease. Aging is a physiology process involving progressive impairment of normal heart functions, due to an increasing vulnerability, which reduces the ability of survive. However, it is not clear pathological condition in aging exposure to SHS. The aim of this study was to examine SHS exposure in aging-related disease. The rats were placed in SHS exposure chamber and exposed to 10 cigarettes for 30 min, twice a day, 5 days/ one week for 1 month. After 4 weeks secondhand smoke exposure, rats left ventricular (LV) underwent morphological and function study with echocardiography. Histopathology of left ventricular sections were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin staining and related left ventricular hypertrophy protein expression levels by Western blot analysis. After 4 weeks SHS exposure, LV weight showed significant increased. On the other hand, from echocardiography result, we found EF (%) and FS (%) were apparently decreased in aging SHS exposure. IVS, LVID and LVPW at diastolic diameters were increased in aging SHS exposure. However, in aging systolic diameters always preserved. Here we did not show that. Moreover, we observed enlargement morphology of the LV and LV well thickness of increase. In addition, we found LV hypertrophy marker protein, calcineurin/NFATc4, was only increased in aging and aging SHS exposure. Our study suggests that SHS exposure and aging will altercate left ventricular hypertrophy.

Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PHx) is a physiological response for maintaining homeostasis. The aim of this study is to investigate effects ofElephantopus scaber L.-(ESL-) induced liver regeneration on growth factors (HGF and IGF-1), cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis suppressed. In this study, we fed five Chinese medicinal herbs (1 g/kg/day),Codonopsis pilosula(CP, Dangshen),Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge(SMB, Danshen,),Bupleurum kasi(BK, Chaihu),Elephantopus scaber L.(ESL, Teng-Khia-U), and Silymarin (Sm, 25 mg/kg) for 7 days to male Spraue-Dawley rats. Then surgical 2/3 PHx was conducted and liver regeneration mechanisms were estimated on the following 24 hrs and 72 hrs. The activities of growth factors (HGF and IGF-I) and cell cycle proteins were measured by Western blot and RT-PCR. Histological analysis and apoptosis were detected by H&E stain and TUNEL. The results showed that extraction ofElephantopus scaber L.(ESL) and Silymarin (Sm, positive control) were increased protein expression levels of HGF and IGF-1 which leads into cell cycle. These results suggest that the ESL plays a crucial role in cell cycle-induced liver regeneration and apoptosis. These results suggested that the ESL plays a crucial role in cell cycle-induced liver regeneration and suppressed hepatocytes apoptosis.

To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture therapy for aura-absence migraine.A total of 60 aura-absence migraine outpatients who signed an informed consent participated in the present study. They were randomized into medication group and acupuncture group (n = 30/group) according to a randomized number table and their visiting sequence. Patients of acupuncture group were treated by acupuncture of Ashi-point, Baihui (GV 20), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Shuaigu (GB 8), Fengchi (GB 20), Benshen (GB 13) and Lieque (LU 7). The acupuncture needles were retained for 30 min after "Deqi", and the treatment was conducted once daily, 6 times every week and continuously for 4 weeks. Patients of the medication group were treated with oral administration of Flunarizine (10 mg/time, once every night) for 4 weeks. The SF-36 Quality-of-Life Instrument (SF-36) and integral scores of headache were measured before and after the treatment.In comparison with the pre-treatment, scores of physical functioning (PF), role-physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), social functioning (SF), role-emotional (RE), vitality (VT), mental-health (MH) and general health (GH) of SF-36 in both medication and acupuncture groups were increased significantly (P0.05), and those of PF, RP and BP of the acupuncture group were significantly higher than the scores of the medication group (P0.05). The integral scores of headache were decreased significantly in both medication group and acupuncture group (P0.05), and those of the acupuncture group were remarkably lower than the scores of the medication group after the treatment (P0.05). Of the two 30 migraine patients in the medication and acupuncture groups, 1 (3.33%) and 9 (30.00%) were cured, 1 (3.33%) and 2 (6.67%) had a marked improvement in their symptoms, 9 (30.00%) and 8 (26.67%) were effective, 19 (63. 33%) and 11 (36.67%) were ineffective, with the total effective rates being 36.67% and 63.33%, respectively. The cure rate and the total effective rate of the acupuncture group were significantly higher than those of the medication group (P0.05).Acupuncture therapy can raise the migraineurs' life quality, lessen the times and severity of headache attack, and its therapeutic effect is superior to that of medication.

To observe the therapeutic effect of acu-moxibustion for ordinary psoriasis, so as to find a better curative method for it.A total of 60 cases of psoriasis were equally randomized into medication group[(8. 67 - 6. 53) months in duration of disease, (39. 25+/- 10. 21) years in age] and acu-moxibustion group [(9. 16 7. 37) months in duration of disease, and (37. 38 +/- 11. 36) years in age] according to a random number table. For patients of acu-moxibustion group, main acupoints used were Feishu (BL13), Geshu (BL17), Ganshu (BL18), Pishu (BL 20) and Shenshu (BL 23), combined with other acupoints [Hegu (LI 4), Weizhong (BL 40), etc. ] according to the affected part of the body. Moxibustion was applied to Shenshu (BL 23) and the injured skin area for about 3 min every time. Acu-moxibustion treatment was given once every other day continuously for 12 weeks. Patients of the medication group were treated with oral administration of Acitretin capsules (20 mg/d, for 12 weeks). The therapeutic effect was evaluated by using psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) scoring method. Results After the treatment, the integrative scores of PASI in both medication and acu-moxibustion groups decreased significantly (P0. 01), and that of the acu-moxibustion group was significantly lower than that of the medication group (P0. 05). Of the both 30 psoriasis patients in the medication and acu-moxibustion groups, 1 (3. 33%) and 4 (13. 33%) were cured basically, 15 (50. 00%) and 17 (56. 67%) were improved significantly, 12 (40. 00%) and 6 (20. 00%) were effective, and 2 (6. 67%) and 3 (10. 00%) invalid, with the effective rates being 93. 33% and 90. 00%, respectively. The cured plus markedly effective rate of the acu-moxibustion group was significantly higher than that of the medication group (P0. 05).Acu-moxibustion therapy is effective in the treatment of psoriasis and is remarkably superior to that of medication.

To investigate the changes of cardiomyocyte inflammation and fibrosis factors in heart of carotid artery balloon injury inflammatory rat model. Using rat carotid artery balloon injury model to detect left ventricular characteristics at 2 h, 2 days and 14 days after surgery using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) gross stain, Masson's trichome stain and Western blot analysis for inflammatory and fibrosis-induced factors, tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), JNK1, P38α, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), SP1 and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) protein expressions. The rat carotid arteries were injured after 2 h, 2 days and 14 days. Balloon-angioplasty to HE stain results showed the increasing trend of left ventricular wall at 2 h and 2 days; then, the left ventricular wall became thinner, and the left ventricular chamber became enlarged and dilated after 14 days of carotid artery balloon injury. In addition, the Masson's trichome stain results showed that the left ventricular section has fibrosis-related blue staining (collagen) at 2 and 14 days after rat carotid artery balloon injury, and became even more severe at 14 days. Furthermore, we observed the protein expression level changs, which include TNFα, JNK1, P38α, CTGF, SP1 and TGFβ using Western blotting assay. All proteins were induced at 2 h, 2 days and then reached the maximal level at 14 days. The vessel inflammation was associated with cardiac inflammatory and fibrosis effects during or after carotid artery balloon injury.

To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture in the treatment of post-stroke depression (PSD) in the light of syndrome differentiation.A total of 300 PSD patients were randomized into acupuncture group and medication group, with 150 cases in each group. For patients of acupuncture group,Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Baihui (GV 20), Shenting (GV 24), etc. were punctured combined with other acupoints according to different syndromes, once daily for 2 months. For patients of medication group, fluoxetine (20 mg/d) was administered orally,continuously for 2 months. Hamilton's depression scale (HAMD) was used to evaluate changes of PSD patients' state after the treatment.After the treatment, the scores of HAMD in both groups decreased significantly (P0.05), and that of acupuncture group was remarkably lower than that of medication group (P0.05). Of the two 150 PSD patients in medication and acupuncture groups, 35 (23.3%) and 16 (10.7%) cases were cured, 82 (54.7%) and 41 (27.3%) had a marked improvement, 17 (11.3%) and 57 (38.0%) had an improvement, and 16 (10.7%) and 36 (24.0%) were ineffective, with the total effective rates being 89.3% and 76.0% respectively. Chi-square test showed that the therapeutic effect of acupuncture was significantly superior to that of medication group (P0.05).Acupuncture is effective in improving post-stroke depression in PSD patients.

Background: Aging is associated with physiological or pathological left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) cardiac changes. Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is associated with pathological LVH. The action mechanism in cardiac concentric hypertrophy from SHS exposure is understood, but the transition contributed from SHS exposure is not. To determine whether exposure to SHS has an impact on age-induced LVH we examined young and old hamsters that underwent SHS exposure in a chamber for 30 mins. Methods: Morphological and histological studies were then conducted using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson’s trichrome staining. Echocardiographic analysis was used to determine left ventricular wall thickness and function. LVH related protein expression levels were detected by western blot analysis. Results: The results showed that both young and aged hamsters exposed to SHS exhibited increased heart weights and left ventricular weights, left ventricular posterior wall thickness and intraventricular septum systolic and diastolic pressure also increased. However, left ventricular function systolic and diastolic pressure deteriorated. H&E and Masson’s trichrome staining results showed LV papillary muscles were ruptured, resulting in lower cardiac function at the myocardial level. LV muscle fiber arrangement was disordered and collagen accumulation occurred. Concentric LVH related protein molecular markers increased only in young hamsters exposed to SHS. However, this declined with hamster age. By contrast, eccentric LVH related proteins increased in aging hamsters exposed the SHS. Pro-inflammatory proteins, IL-6, TNF-α, JAK1, STAT3, and SIRTI expression increased in aging hamsters exposed to SHS. Conclusions: We suggest that SHS exposure induces a pro-inflammatory response that results in concentric transition to aging eccentric LVH.