Cross talk of CCK8 and EGF in mouse neurons

AIM: To explore the mechanism of signaling transduction and cross talk between cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK₈) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) in mouse neurons and to observe the effect of CCK₈ in coordination with EGF on neuron growth and cell viability. METHODS: For determining which kind of CCK receptor mediated the phosphorylation of EGF receptor, the cultured neurons were randomly divided into control group, CCK₈ stimulation group, CCK_A receptor antagonist group, CCK_B receptor antagonist group, and CCK_A+CCK_B receptor antagonist group. Control and stimulation groups were stimulated with DMEM and CCK₈ (10^-7 mol/L) for 5 min, respectively, while antagonist groups were pre-incubated with different types of receptor antagonists (10^-8 mol/L) for 10 min and followed by stimulating the neurons with CCK₈. For observing the effect of CCK₈ and EGF on the phosphorylation of EGFR in neurons and on neuron growth and cell viability, the cultured neurons were randomly divided into control group, CCK₈ stimulation group, EGF stimulation group and CCK₈+EGF stimulation group, which were stimulated with DMEM, CCK₈ (10^-7 mol/L), EGF (40 μg/L) and CCK₈+EGF for 5 min, respectively. Reactions were terminated by freezing the neurons in liquid nitrogen and the phosphorylated EGFR was detected by Western blotting. Meanwhile, the viability of the neurons was observed by MTT method after stimulated for 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h. RESULTS: The phosphorylation levels of EGFR were decreased in the neurons treated with either of the two CCK receptor antagonists, and more obvious decrease was observed when the two CCK receptor antagonists were used in combination. Compared with control group, the phosphorylation levels of EGFR in the neurons were significantly increased(P<0.05) after stimulated with CCK₈ or EGF, and the increase was more remarkable in CCK₈+EGF stimulation group. CCK₈ or EGF improved the viability and prolonged the life span of the neuron, and synergism of these two reagents was observed. CONCLUSION: Both CCK_A and CCK_B receptors are involved in the phosphorylation of EGFR in the neurons stimulated by CCK₈, and the type A receptor may play a more important role. There is cross-talk between CCK₈ and EGF signaling pathways in neurons. The signaling cross-talk between CCK₈ and EGF may be the underlying molecular mechanism responsible for the synergistic effect on the neuron growth and viability in vitro.     

Grape seed proanthocyanidin regulates expression of GSTM through Nrf2 in renal tissues of STZ-induced diabetic rats

AIM: To investigate the potential mechanisms of renoprotective effect of grape seed proanthocyanidin (GSP) on diabetic nephropathy.METHODS: Male Wistar rats were injected with 1% streptozotocin (STZ) intravenously to induce diabetes mellitus (DM). The diabetic rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: diabetes group (DM group) and GSP treatment group (GSP group, GSP 250 mg·kg^-1·d^-1). The normal Wistar rats served as control (C group). Body weight (BW), systolic pressure, kidney weight/body weight (KW/BW), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and 24 h urine protein were determined 24 weeks after STZ intervention. The pathological changes of the renal tissues were observed. The protein levels of glutathione S-transferase mu (GSTM) and nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the renal tissues were determined by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Compared with C group, BW in diabetic rats decreased (P<0.01). The levels of systolic pressure, FPG, HbA1c, KW/BW, 24 h urine protein, BUN and SCr in DM group were higher than those in C group (P<0.01). After treated with GSP, the levels of systolic pressure, KW/BW, 24 h urine protein, BUN and SCr in DM rats were lower than those in DM rats without treatment (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The pathological changes were ameliorated in GSP group. The expression of GSTM and Nrf2 was up-regulated in the kidneys of diabetic rats and down-regulated to the normal levels after GSP treatment. CONCLUSION: The renoprotective effect of GSP is associated with the down-regulation of GSTM through modulating the expression of Nrf2.     

Effect of all-trans-retinoic acid on the proliferation and expression of α-SMA in human embryonic lung fibroblasts

AIM: To investigate the effects of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) on the proliferation and differentiation of transforming growth factor β₁(TGF-β₁)-stimulated human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HFL-I).METHODS: The HFL-I cells were cultured in vitro and were pretreated with ATRA for 3 days at the concentrations of 0.1 μmol/L, 1 μmol/L and 10 μmol/L. The proliferation of HFL-1 cells was detected by MTT method. The mRNA expression of α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) in HFL-I cells stimulated with TGF-β₁ for 0 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h was detected by RT-PCR and the protein expression of α-SMA at the time points of 1,3 and 5 days was detected by Western blotting. The mRNA expression of α-SMA in HFL-I cells pretreated with different concentrations of ATRA for 24 h was detected the by RT-PCR and the protein expression at time point of 3rd day was detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: Different concentration of ATRA inhibited the proliferation of HFL-I in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). Both mRNA and protein expression of α-SMA in HFL-I cells pretreated with TGF-β₁ was up-regulated (P<0.05). ATRA down-regulated the mRNA and protein expression of α-SMA induced by TGF-β₁ in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: ATRA inhibits the proliferation and TGF-β₁-stimulated differentiation in HFL-I cells by down-regulating the mRNA and protein expression of α-SMA.     

北京市蔬菜价格变动的特征及影响因素

以北京市蔬菜价格的变动为研究对象,采用2007年6月～2011年1月北京市蔬菜总体或分品种的按月平均价格数据,分析了蔬菜价格变动的长期趋势、季节波动和超常波动等特征。在此基础上,运用多元回归模型对北京市蔬菜价格变动的影响因素进行了分析。结果表明,蔬菜上市量、农用生产资料价格、季节、自然灾害等因素均对北京市蔬菜价格有影响。     

Elephant-induced structural changes in the vegetation and habitat selection by large herbivores in an African savanna

African elephants can affect the quality of the habitat of other species by breaking or uprooting trees and shrubs in savannas. Their effect on vegetation has been widely studied but less is known about the effects of such vegetation changes on other animals. We studied how changes in the vegetation caused by elephants influence the selection of microhabitats by five African herbivore species (giraffe, kudu, steenbok, impala, and zebra) in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. There was no clear significant effect of overall elephant-induced vegetation changes on microhabitat selection except for the small species (steenbok and impala) that used vegetation modified by elephants preferentially. This is consistent with a medium-term browsing facilitation hypothesis. More subtle possible effects were detected for larger browsers (giraffe and kudu). They selected areas with broken and uprooted plants and avoided coppiced areas. All of the browsers selected sites characterized by plants uprooted and broken by elephants, which were associated with a higher visibility, and ultimately a better probability of detecting an approaching predator, suggesting that perceived predation risk plays an important role in microhabitat selection. These results illustrate how elephants can initiate indirect effects that influence microhabitat selection by other herbivores. Understanding the indirect effects of elephants through changes in food availability and predation risk thus needs further investigation. The results of this study do not provide support for the hypothesis that elephant-induced changes in the structure of habitats have caused the declines in the populations of the other herbivores in the study area.     

广东沿岸牡蛎体内总汞含量变动趋势及其健康风险评价

为保障水产品质量安全和保护广东近岸海洋生态环境,于2004—2010年对广东沿岸17个主要港湾的海水养殖牡蛎进行了采样,运用原子荧光光谱法监测其总汞含量,并结合1989—1993年的历史监测数据分析了广东近岸海域总体及粤东、珠江口和粤西三大主要海区牡蛎体内汞的时空分布规律,应用单因子指数法和人体暴露风险系数法（HQ）评价了牡蛎体汞含量对人体暴露的健康风险。结果表明,1989—2010年广东沿海牡蛎体内汞含量的检出率为100%,变化范围为（0.080±0.114）mg·kg-（1湿重,下同）。单因子指数评价结果与风险系数（HQ）评价结果一致。上世纪80年代末（1989年）广东海域牡蛎体内汞含量处于污染水平,健康风险系数较大（HQ=3.39×10-2）;90年代（1991—1993年）牡蛎体内汞含量逐年降低,健康风险显著降低（HQ=2.23×10-2,P〈0.05）;2004年以来,全海域的牡蛎体内汞含量一直稳定地维持在较低水平（[0.012±0.006）mg·kg-1];粤东、珠江口海域牡蛎体内含量稳定下降,粤西海域降幅有所减小。2006—2010年,人均摄取牡蛎软组织20g·d-1,每年食用200d,食用20a后,在人均寿命70岁的时间内,其健康风险系数HQ为0.13×10-2,食用安全,不存在潜在的危害性,食用广东沿海牡蛎对人体日均总汞允许摄入限量的贡献率仅为0.13%。     

斜坡单元划分在彭阳县地质灾害危险性区划中的应用

斜坡单元是滑坡、崩塌等地质灾害发育的基本单元,能够综合体现各种控制与影响因素的作用,适用于地质灾害危险性区划。阐述了斜坡单元划分的基本原理,基于ArcGIS,采用斜坡单元作为评价单元,对彭阳县地质灾害进行了危险性区划,分区结果具有较好的准确性和预测性。斜坡单元划分方法可为地质灾害危险性区划提供参考,具有现实的防灾减灾意义。     

工业区河涌污染与生态危害评价——以佛山三水大塱涡涌为例

在对工业区大塱涡涌水质及底泥重金属进行调查与分析的基础上,评价了底泥重金属潜在生态危害。结果表明,大塱涡涌水体COD、氨氮、总磷、DO与重金属Cr均超过地表水Ⅴ类水体标准,属于劣Ⅴ类水体;底泥重金属Cu、Zn与Cd平均含量超出土壤环境质量三级标准,且重金属Cu、Zn、Pb平均含量超过农用污泥污染物控制标准,该河段疏浚底泥不宜作为肥料直接施用于农田;大塱涡涌表层底泥重金属的潜在生态危害程度总体为强,几种重金属潜在生态危害平均程度从大到小为：Cd〉Cu〉Pb〉Zn〉Cr。     

Precipitation or water capacity indices? An analysis of the benefits of alternative underlyings for index insurance

Eastern Germany is often hit by drought causing income risk for crop farmers. Index-based risk management instruments could help crop farmers to reduce their farm income risk. Such instruments have some important advantages over damage-based insurance, like e.g. less moral hazard and adverse selection. At the same time they typically have a high level of basis risk. Up to now, mainly precipitation-based weather derivatives have been discussed as an appropriate risk management instrument for farmers in Germany. As a potentially more effective alternative, we propose water capacity-based index insurance. In order to show the benefits of a precipitation-based and water capacity-based index insurance, several contract designs are compared. Using a whole farm risk program planning approach, we show that for an average agricultural producer in Eastern Germany water capacity-based index insurance offers greater benefits than precipitation-based index insurance.     

典型丘陵地带耕地集约利用水平评价研究—以重庆市为例

运用因子分析法对重庆市自直辖以来的耕地集约利用状况进行了实证分析,拟为提高集约利用水平提供建议。研究结果表明,1997-2000年为重庆市耕地集约利用水平迅速提高阶段;2000-2004年为短期波动阶段,其中2002年达到峰值;2004-2006年为集约利用水平一度降低阶段;2006-2008年为逐步提高阶段。提高耕地集约利用水平必须尽快确立国家标准与规程,克服障碍因素影响,坚持内部挖潜,实现可持续性发展。