Astragalus polysaccharide attenuates free fatty acid-induced toxicity by activating AMPK in C2C12 myoblasts

AIM: To examine the effects of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) on the toxicity of free fatty acids (FFAs) in C2C12 myoblasts. METHODS: C2C12 cells were randomly divided into 5 groups: control group, APS group, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR)group,FFAs group and FFAs+APS group. MTT assay was used to observe the viability of C2C12 cells. C2C12 cells pretreated with FFAs at concentration of 0.25 mmol/L for 24 h were exposed to APS at dose of 200 mg/L for 24 h. The expression of total AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), phosphorylated AMPK (p-AMPK) and phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase (p-ACC) was examined by Western blotting. The content of AMP and ATP was determined by HPLC. The structural changes of the mitochondria were examined by transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: The results of MTT assay indicated that APS improved the viability of C2C12 cells pretreated with FFAs. In FFAs+APS group, the ratio of AMP/ATP was increased after treatment with APS. No difference of total AMPK expression in C2C12 cells between APS group and FFAs group was observed. However, the expression of p-AMPK and p-ACC increased in APS group as compared with FFAs group. The results of transmission electron microscopy indicated that APS improved the vacuolar degeneration of mitochondria resulted from treatment with FFAs in C2C12 cells. CONCLUSION: In C2C12 cells, APS attenuates FFA-induced lipotoxity via a mitochondria-and AMPK-dependent mechanism.     

高温胁迫下不同大花蕙兰品种叶片游离脯氨酸累积的差异与耐热性的关系

选择大花蕙兰垂花型、软枝型、硬枝型共7个品种,进行离体叶片高温胁迫后叶片游离脯氨酸含量的测定,探讨脯氨酸含量变化与大花蕙兰品种耐热性的关系。结果表明：耐热性较强的品种在高温胁迫下,叶片游离脯氨酸含量相对增长率高于耐热性较弱的品种。高温胁迫下叶片游离脯氨酸含量相对增长率,可作为判断大花蕙兰品种耐热性的参考指标之一。     

茶多酚体外氧化产物颜色稳定性及对PC-3细胞生长的影响

以红茶中提取的茶黄素粗提物、绿茶多酚为对照,利用紫外扫描技术、UV-Vis法及MTT法研究了绿茶多酚纳米固定化多酚氧化酶体外氧化产物的颜色稳定性、自由基清除能力和对前列腺癌细胞PC-3生长的抑制作用。在不同pH值条件下,茶黄素粗提物和绿茶多酚纳米固定化酶体外氧化产物的紫外吸收光谱的变化趋势相似,碱性增加,吸光度增加;绿茶多酚、茶黄素粗提物及绿茶多酚纳米固定化酶体外氧化产物对DPPH·自由基均有明显清除作用,绿茶多酚纳米固定化酶体外氧化产物清除效果较绿茶多酚和茶黄素粗提物强;茶黄素粗提物及绿茶多酚纳米固定化酶体外氧化产物对PC-3细胞的生长都有抑制作用,绿茶多酚纳米固定化酶体外氧化产物优于茶黄素粗提物。因此,绿茶多酚纳米碳酸钙固定化酶体外氧化产物中茶黄素保持了红茶中茶黄素所具有的良好生物学活性。     

Analyses on Stability of Saturated-Unsaturated Bank Slope with Revetment During Rise and Fall of River Level

The bank slope failure is closely related to the rise and fall of river level generally. In order to analysis the influence of the rise and fall of river level on Jin’an River bank slope stability in Fuzhou, the saturated-unsaturated seepage of bank slope with revetment was modelled based on the engineering geological condition of some bank of Jin’an River, and the effect of rise and fall of river induced by the DRWWOS(Drawing River Water to Wash Out Sewage) project on bank slope stability was studied. The results show the silt lying on the slope toe impedes pore water change, manifesting as in its sphere of influence river water is hard to flow into the bank when river rises, and the pore water pressure can not dissipate in time when drawdown. The faster the river rises, the more stable the bank slope becomes. On the contrary, the larger river level falling rate is more likely to leads to bank slope failure. Due to the poor bank drainage performance, the frequent rise and fall of river level results in pore water pressure increasing further, then impairing the bank slope stability. During DRWWOS project, the river level falling rate control and pore water pressure dissipation must be paid enough attention to. Also, replacing silt lying on the slope toe by good permeable material is a good choice to reinforce the bank slope.     

西藏自治区森林枯落物碳储量估算

利用典型样地采样,建立了枯落物碳密度与厚度关系方程,并结合森林资源连续清查的样地坡度与枯落物厚度因子,估算出西藏自治区森林枯落物碳储量.结果表明,西藏自治区丰富的森林植被生产了巨大的枯落物层碳库,有机碳分解和碳库消耗缓慢.研究该部分碳库状况,为估算和评价陆地生态系统碳储量并据此制定相应的对策提供了基础数据.     

Changes in the content of free sulphydryl groups during postharvest wheat and flour maturation and their influence on technological quality

The main aim of this study was to determine the changes in free sulphydryl content during postharvest wheat and flour maturation. The content of free sulphydryl groups was determined from wet gluten over 50 days of wheat postharvest maturation and over 14 days of flour maturation by varying incubation temperatures (30 and 37 °C) and incubation times (0, 45, 90 and 135 min). The amount of free sulphydryl groups increased during postharvest wheat and flour maturation as well as with the increase in temperature and gluten incubation time. The additional aim of this study was to find the interrelation between the content of free sulphydryl groups and selected parameters of technological quality by means of Principal Component Analysis. During wheat/flour maturation, the strengthening of protein structure was observed manifested by the increase in gluten index and Mixolab protein network weakening (C2), and changes in dough resistance as well. The incubation temperature of 37 °C affected the weakening of protein structure manifested by the decrease in gluten index and resistance, and increase in extensibility. Strong differentiation of examined varieties in terms of selected quality indicators was observed upon pre-defined maturation period, probably due to the expression of their intrinsic properties.     

Characterization of Influence of Manure Handling System and Feeding on the Level of Ammonia Release Using a Simple Method in Cow Houses

The effects of manure handling system and feeding of dairy cows were studied using a simple method to analyse the level of ammonia release in cow stables. Two ratios based on the balances of ammonia and sensible heat, and ammonia and carbon dioxide, respectively, in animal houses were determined and considered to give characteristic levels of the release of ammonia in relation to the animal density independently of the ventilation rate. This required measurements of ammonia, carbon dioxide and temperature with hand-held instruments in the buildings and in outside air. In total, 34 dairy herds were investigated in the south of Sweden. The results clearly demonstrated higher release of ammonia from free stall barn with liquid manure than from conventional tie stall barn with solid manure. There was a clear effect of the content of crude protein, gram per kg dry matter, in the total feed ration on ammonia release in tie stall barn with liquid manure.     

Concentrations and Flow of Free Amino Acids in Ruminal and Duodenal Liquid of Dairy Cows in Relation to Feed Composition,Time of Feeding and Level of Feed Intake

The main purpose of this study was to examine sources of variation in free amino acids (FAA) in the rumen and their relative contribution to the total duodenal amino acid supply. Six cannulated lactating dairy cows fed three concentrate mixtures differing in ruminally degradable intake protein (101, 114 and 134 g kg^-1 dry matter) at two levels of intake (19.3 vs 9.8 kg dry matter day^-1     

Recent Advances in Breeding Disease Resistant Pines / ONLANGSE VORDERINGS IN DIE TEELT VAN SIEKTE-BESTANDE DENNEBOME

Recent results in breeding disease resistant pines are discussed. Breeding for disease resistance is economically feasible and could be initiated in South Africa if it becomes necessary, provided that adequate personnel is appointed.     

城市公园免费前后生态环境容量对比分析——以昆明市西华公园为例

城市公园在城市美化和改善生态环境方面发挥着重要的作用,是城市居民的主要休闲游憩场所。随着城市公园的免费开放,剧增的游客给公园生态环境带来了不小的冲击。通过对昆明市西华公园免费开放前后生态环境容量的对比分析,探讨公园生态环境的承载力和再生力,以及如何在特定的生态区域内人为提高环境容量,改善生态环境容量因游客量剧增带来的矛盾,探寻城市居民与生态环境双赢的方式。