Ginkgo biloba extract enhances c-jun expression and attenuates motoneuron death induced by root avulsion

AIM: To investigate the influence of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb761) on c-jun expressions and motoneurons survival following root avulsion. METHODS: One hundred and eighty adult Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly divided into control and EGb761 groups. Immediately after avulsion of C5-T1 nerve roots, the rats were injected ip with either 1 mL of EGb761 25 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 or the same volume of normal saline, and the treatment repeated everyday. At 4 h to 6 weeks following avulsion, the C7 spinal segments of all rats were collected and prepared for c-jun immunocytochemistry and neutral red stain. The numbers of c-jun positive and survival motoneurons were counted and compared between two groups at each time point. RESULTS: In control rats following avulsion, c-jun positive motoneurons appeared at 4 h, reached its maximum at 1 d and declined to 2 weeks. Avulsion-induced motoneurons death started at 2 weeks, climbed to its maximum at 4 weeks-6 weeks. In EGb761 treated rats, both numbers of c-jun positive and survival motoneurons were more than that in control group at each time point. CONCLUSION: EGb761 attenuates avulsion-induced motoneurons death, and this effect may be related to up-regulation of c-jun gene in avulsed motoneurons.     

Changes of potassium currents in rabbit ventricle with healed myocardial infarction

AIM: To elucidate the mechanism of arrhythmia in healed myocardial infarction (HMI), and to investigate the changes of action potential duration (APD),transient outward potassium current (I_to), delayed rectifier potassium current (I_K) and inward rectifier potassium current (I_K1) of left ventricular myocytes in noninfarcted zone of HMI. METHODS: 12 rabbits were randomly assigned in two groups: HMI group (thoracotomy and ligation of the circumflex coronary); sham-operated group (thoracotomy but no conorary ligation). 3 months after operation, whole cell patch clamp technique was used to record APD, I_to, I_K and I_K1 of ventricular myocytes in non-infarcted zone. RESULTS: Membrane capacitance was larger in HMI group than that in sham-operated group. Action potential duration was lengthened significantly in HMI group and early after depolarization (EAD) appeared in HMI group. The densities of I_to, I_K,tail and I_K1 were reduced significantly in HMI group (P<0.01), from (6.72±0.42) pA/pF, (1.54±0.13) pA/pF and (25.6±2.6) pA/pF in Sham-operated group to (4.03±0.33) pA/pF, (1.14±0.11) pA/pF and (17.6±2.3) pA/pF, respectively. CONCLUSION: The reduced densities of I_to, I_K,tail and I_K1 in ventricular myocytes of non-infarcted zone in HMI are responsible for the prolongation of APD and the presentation of EAD, which play important roles in the malignant arrhythmia of HMI.     

北京春季沙尘天气特征和预报

根据北京地区资料分析了沙尘的年代变化、月变化,春季是沙尘天气的高发期并以浮尘和扬沙为主。造成沙尘天气的冷空气主要有三条路径,它与蒙古气旋、冷锋、高空急流等大尺度天气系统紧密相连。     

The mechanism of apoptosis induced by homoharringtonine in HL-60 cells

AIM: To study the signal transduction pathway of apoptosis initiation induced by homoharringtonine in HL-60 cells. METHODS: After establishing the model of apoptosis initiation induced by homoharringtonine in HL-60 cells, at the point of apoptosis initiation, molecular caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bax and Fas/FasL were measured with flow cytometry and transmission electron microscope. ERK2 and P38 expression in HL-60 cells were detected by using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The model of apoptosis initiation induced by homoharringtonine was established in HL-60 cells. At the point of apoptosis initiation, upregulation of caspase-3 and decrease in Bcl-2/Bax were observed. However, the expression of Fas/FasL did not significantly change. ERK2 expression decreased and P38 expression increased. CONCLUSIONS: Caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bax and mitogen activated protein kinase pathways were involved in signal transduction of apoptosis initiation induced by homoharringtonine in HL-60 cells.     

The research development of endothelial progenitor cells

Endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) is a kind of directional cell that is able to differentiate to endothelial cell. The role of EPC is associated not only with vasculogenesis during embryonic development but also with physiological organ maintenance and angiogenesis during postnatal and adult period. There is a good clinical therapeutic prospective use for EPC in the treatment of ischemia diseases and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis.     

Effects of fosinopril,captopril and valsartan on the expressionof tissue factor in human monocytes

AIM: To investigate the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), fosinopril, captopril and angiotensin II AT₁ antagonists, valsartan on tissue factor (TF) expression on monocytes induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). METHODS: Mononuclear leukocytes from normal delivered female umbilical veins were incubated with bacterial LPS in presence or absence of different ACE inhibitors .At the end of incubation, the cells were disrupted by 3 freeze-thaw cycles. TF procoagulant activity was assessed by a one-stage clotting assay. RT-PCR was used to check TF mRNA expression, and GAPDH mRNA was used for parallel assay. RESULTS and CONCLUSION: The results showed that increased expression of TF mRNA induced by LPS was inhibited by fosinopril, captopril and valsartan, respectively, and the procoagualant activity of monocytes was also reduced.     

Influence of irbesarten on renal hypertrophy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats LIU Bi-cheng,LUO Dong-dong,ZHANG Xiao-liang.

AIM: To investigate the influence of irbesartan (Irb), a new angiotensin II receptor 1 antagonist, on renal hypertrophy in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal group (Group N, n=7), diabetic group (Group DN, n=6) and irbesartan treated group (Group DNI, n=7). In the experimental group, after the rats subjected to uninephrectomy, STZ was given by peritoneally injection at bolus dose of 50 mg/kg to induce diabetes. Blood glucose (BG), body weight (BW), urinary albumin excretion (Ualb), 24 hour proteinuria (24 h Upro) were measured at week 4, 8, 12, respectively. By the end of experiment at week 12, creatinine clearance (Ccr), kidney weight (KW), indicator of renal hypertrophy (KW/BW), renal total protein content (RTP), glomerular area (AG) and glomerular volume (VG) as well as glomerular basement membrane (GBM) were determined by semi-quantitative pathology technique. RESULTS: It was showed that there was no significant difference in BG between group DN and DNI, while Irb significantly reduced the increasing of Ualb, 24 h Upro in diabetic rats compared to control group (P＜0.01, respectively). Furthermore, Irb markedly inhibited the increasing of KW, KW/BW, RTP, A_G, V_G in diabetic rats (P＜0.05, P＜0.01, respectively). Of interest, Irb significantly prevented the increasing of GBM in diabetic rats. CONCLUSION: Irb exerts its early renal protective action by reducing proteinuria and inhibiting renal hypertrophy as well as the thickening of GBM.     

野大麦、羊草的光合和蒸腾作用特性比较及利用方式的研究

在外界适宜的环境条件下设置13个光照梯度,对人工草地上的一年生羊草和一年生野大麦植株叶片进行光模拟实验。实验证明,光照强度的改变对这两种植物叶片的叶温、气孔导度、胞间CO2浓度、蒸腾作用及光合作用等生理指标存在不同的影响。野大麦植株的叶温始终比羊草低,在高光强照射下具有更强的调节叶温的能力,两者叶温最大差值为1.24℃;与羊草相比,光强对野大麦叶片的气孔运动影响较大,其气孔导度与胞间CO2浓度显著高于羊草。野大麦光合速率、日间暗呼吸、蒸腾速率强,用水效率值(WUEph)低。依据测量数据及其它相关指标,提出生产实践中野大麦适于放牧利用,而羊草适于割草利用。     

天然食品防腐剂作用机理研究进展

食品防腐一直是食品和畜产品加工业所面临的难题 ,在化学防腐剂和传统的物理除菌方法受到种种限制的同时 ,天然食品防腐剂的研究和应用进入了一个新领域 ,也逐渐显示其优势。本文从天然食品防腐剂的作用模式及其微生物对这些防腐剂的抗性机制出发 ,讨论既能满足消费者需求又能有效防腐的新的食品保护剂领域的趋向以及需要解决的问题     

抗鸡传染性喉气管炎重组鸡痘病毒基因工程疫苗同居感染试验

疫苗的接触传播是疫苗免疫接种需要考虑的重要因素,为了检测重组鸡痘病毒载体疫苗水平传播的能力,对隔离条件下饲养的SPF鸡用重组鸡痘病毒基因工程疫苗接种,同时设立非免疫对照鸡,饲养期间特意延长清粪时间以增加感染的机会,1个月之后攻击传染性喉气管炎WG株强毒和鸡痘102株强毒,疫苗免疫鸡全部获得保护,而非免疫鸡则全部发病.在试验动物饲养场的自然条件下,将免疫鸡和试验对照两组鸡饲养在同一个鸡舍内,让疫苗毒的传播更接近自然条件.在每个月的攻毒试验中,对照鸡都没有获得对鸡痘和传染性喉气管炎强毒的保护.在疫苗免疫期间进行连续5个月的跟踪检测,同居未免疫鸡没有检测到抗传染性喉气管炎病毒gB抗体.这些实验结果表明抗鸡传染性喉气管炎重组鸡痘病毒基因工程疫苗不能通过接触传播.