A partnership development process assessment scale for public health nurses in Japan.

Objective: The objective of this study was to develop and test a Partnership Development Process Assessment (PDPA) scale for content and construct validity and internal consistency reliability. This is needed to document and evaluate community health partnership development processes between public health nurses and community-based organizations in Japan.

Design: The study was conducted in three phases.

Endogenous prostaglandins E2 and F 2alpha serve as an anti-apoptotic factor against apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha in mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.

Adipocytes can function as endocrine cells secreting a variety of adipocytokines including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. Treatment of cultured mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes with TNF-alpha induced apoptosis, as was evident from increases in nuclear condensation and caspase-3 activity, but differentiated adipocytes during the maturation phase showed resistance to apoptosis by TNF-alpha. Antioxidants effectively reduced TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in preadipocytes, indicating the involvement of reactive oxygen species.

Control of life cycle of mouse adipogenic 3T3-L1 cells by dietary lipids and metabolic factors.

Adipocytes function not only as in the storage and mobilization of lipids but also as endocrine cells by secreting tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), free fatty acids, and other cytokines. To study the effects of dietary lipids and metabolic factors on the control of the life cycle of adipocytes, we utilized mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes that could be induced to differentiate into adipocytes. To evaluate the role of endogenous prostaglandins (PGs) in the adipogenic changes, we examined the effect of specific inhibitors of cyclooxygenase (COX).