Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice. Mitochondrial oxidative stress is supposed to contribute to development, progression and self-perpetuation of AF. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is the major molecule mediating mitochondrial oxidative stress damage. ROS can alter the redox status of various molecular targets, which quite specifically leads to functional alterations of ion channel activity or activation of a variety of redox sensitive signal transduction pathways. Eventually, it leads to atrial electrical remodeling and promotes the development of AF. Therefore, mitochondrial oxidative stress pathways may be a new target for the therapy of atrial fibrillation.     

方草捆集捆机设计与试验

为解决方草捆捡拾效率低、费用高,长途运输难等问题,设计了方草捆集捆机。该机由底盘、捡拾器、推草机构、举草机构、压绳器和卸草机构等部件组成,基于EPEC2024搭建了控制系统,只需单人驾驶和操作,通过变量泵、马达和油缸驱动各部件快速实现对方草捆的捡拾、挤压和捆扎。按照作业功能对各结构部件采用分模块设计,通过计算各液压回路的流量保证作业速度和作业效率,匹配硬件电路并使用Codesys编写程序控制作业流程。分别在内蒙古自治区赤峰市和辽宁省黑山县对方草捆和秸秆方捆进行了捡拾及捆扎的场地试验,结果表明:整机最大牵引车速达到20.5 km/h,作业时系统最大流量为101.6 L/min,一次能实现12个方草捆的捆扎。方草捆的集捆成捆率达到89.5%,纯工作小时内集捆生产率为12大捆/h,同等条件下与人工捡拾方式相比,捡拾效率提高了34.5%,人工费用降低了62.5%,综合费用降低了18.2%,而且增强了对自然环境的适应性,缩短了长途运输的准备周期,满足实际生产的使用要求。     

基于拉格朗日法的抛物线形复合渠道的水力最佳断面

针对标准抛物线形渠道渠口宽、深度大、难以适应大中型渠道等问题,提出了一种新型平方抛物线形渠坡和水平渠底的抛物线形复合渠道,同时推导出了抛物线复合渠道水力要素计算公式,并以水深、水面宽度和水平渠底宽度为变量,利用拉格朗日乘数法建立求最优解的迭代方程,借助Mathcad数学软件进行计算,推导出了抛物线复合渠道水力最佳断面情况下流量和水深的关系式以及水深、水面宽度、过水断面面积和湿周的计算公式。通过实例计算,当流量Q为12 m~3/s时,在水力最佳断面情况下抛物线复合渠道的水深H0为2.263 m,水面宽度B0为4.538 m,过水断面面积A0为7.463 m~2。结果表明,相同流量下抛物线复合渠道的过水断面面积比梯形渠道减小了1.67%,比弧脚梯形渠道减小了0.84%,比抛物线形渠道减小了1.05%,表明抛物线形复合渠道是更为优越的渠道断面形式。     

酵母免疫多糖对受免斑点叉尾(鮰)免疫应答的增强作用

在饲料中添加定量的酵母免疫多糖,投喂注射接种了福尔马林灭活的嗜水气单胞菌(Aeromonas hydrophila)菌苗的斑点叉尾(鮰)(Ictalurus punctatus),28 d后通过测定供试鱼的增重量、血清中凝集抗体效价、溶菌酶活性、谷丙转氨酶活性(SGPT)、血清总蛋白含量、白细胞吞噬活性以及活菌攻毒后的免疫保护率(RPS),探讨了酵母免疫多糖对受免斑点叉尾(鮰) 免疫应答的增强作用.结果表明,用添加200.0 mg/(kg·d)酵母免疫多糖的饲料投喂受免斑点叉尾(鮰),不仅可以使受免斑点叉尾(鮰) 对灭活嗜水气单胞菌的免疫应答水平提高,增强抵抗嗜水气单胞菌人工感染的能力,而且还具有一定的促进生长和改善肝功能的作用.     

U型渠道移动式流线型量水槽扩散段水力特性及结构优化方法

移动式量水槽较固定式具有不易淤积、可移动多处重复使用等优点,流线型外形的量水槽水力性能好,量水槽的扩散段对水力性能影响大,然而当前还缺乏扩散段的设计原理与方法方面的研究。为了研究量水槽结构型式对水力特性的影响,为流线型量水槽结构设计提供理论指导,该研究建立D40U型渠道模拟模型,其后用FLOW-3D对35、45和55 L/s流量下的半椭圆+半椭圆、半椭圆+抛物线、半椭圆+圆弧、半椭圆+Myring曲线和鱼形量水槽进行模拟,结合原型试验验证数值模拟效果,进而探讨扩散段设计原则与方法。最后基于isight平台对水力性能较好的半椭圆+ Myring曲线和鱼形量水槽进行结构优化。结果表明,45 L/s流量下数值模拟与试验水深相对误差为0.1%~1.3%,上游、喉口和下游断面流速相对误差分别为0.19%~6.63%、0.06%~6.15%和0.02%~6.22%,模拟结果精度高。5种量水槽上游佛汝德数均小于0.5,最大壅水高度为5.71 cm,均满足测流精度和渠道安全要求。其中,半椭圆+Myring曲线量水槽水头损失和壅水高度最低,半椭圆+半椭圆量水槽临界淹没度最高,佛汝德数最小。量水槽扩散段设计原则为：在略微减少临界淹没度的条件下,扩散段前半段设计为曲率较大的曲线,以降低上游壅水高度;后半段设计为曲率相反且曲率较小的曲线,以改善过流流态,平顺水流,降低水头损失。优化后的半椭圆+Myring曲线和鱼形前半段曲率增大,后半段曲率减小,壅水高度和佛汝德数均有所降低,水头损失分别降低5.5%和6.3%,优化后曲线线型满足扩散段设计原则。研究可为流线型量水槽结构设计与优化提供理论指导。     

A native picrotoxin-resistant GABA-gated chloride channel receptor subtype in cockroach neurons

Among insect GABA receptors, the GABA-gated chloride channel subtype is insensitive to bicuculline and has been thought to be composed of two populations because of differences in chloride conductance increase, GABA and picrotoxin (PTX) sensitivity. To characterize this possible diversity in GABA-gated chloride channels, electropharmacological experiments were performed on giant interneuron synaptic GABA receptors and on somatic GABA receptors of dorsal unpaired median (DUM) neuron and fast coxal depressor (D_f) motoneuron of the cockroach Periplaneta americana (L). Electrophysiological assays performed at cercal-afferent giant interneuron synapses demonstrated that a biphasic increase in membrane conductance, in response to long-lasting (30 s) neuropilar microapplication of GABA, could be explained by the existence of two GABA-operated chloride channel receptor subtypes. The low stable membrane conductance increase, representing less than 30% of the maximum reached during the early transient phase, was not desensitized quickly. It was reproduced by neuropilar microapplication of cis-4-aminocrotonic acid (CACA) and, in contrast to the fast phase, was not antagonized by bath application of 10⁻⁵ M PTX. Long-lasting (3 min) pneumatic pressure application of GABA on the cell body of motoneuron D_f evoked a fast transient hyperpolarization followed by a slower phase of further hyperpolarization. PTX (10⁻⁵ M ) blocked the fast transient phase and revealed a slow stable hyperpolarization. PTX (10⁻⁴ M ) blocked the major part of the remaining GABA response. The slow hyperpolarization was reproduced by application of CACA. Similar effects of GABA and CACA were recorded on DUM neuron cell bodies. All of these observations are consistent with the possible existence of two GABA-gated chloride channel subtypes in the insect CNS. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Evaluation of potassium permanganate against an experimental subacute infection of Flavobacterium columnare in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque)

An experiment was performed to evaluate the efficacy of potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) as a prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of an experimental subacute infection of Flavobacterium columnare in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus . Fish were cutaneously abraded and divided into five treatment groups: (i) challenged by waterborne exposure to F. columnare and not treated with KMnO₄ (positive control), (ii) challenged and simultaneously treated with KMnO_4, (iii) challenged and treated with KMnO₄ at 1, 6 and 9 days post-challenge, (iv) not challenged and treated with KMnO₄ at 1, 6 and 9 days post-challenge (first negative control) and (v) not challenged and not treated (second negative control). The dosing of KMnO₄ was 2.0 mg L⁻¹ above the potassium permanganate demand for 2 h duration. The survival of the group challenged and simultaneously treated with KMnO₄ (99%) was significantly higher than the positive control (78%) and was not significantly different from the negative control groups. The challenged fish treated with KMnO₄ post-challenge had 7% higher survival than the positive control (85% compared with 78%), but that difference was not statistically significant. The results demonstrate that KMnO₄ has a clear prophylactic value but probably a marginal therapeutic value once the infection has established.     

Cutaneous antibodies from channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), immune to Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich) may induce apoptosis of Ich theronts

This study explored the existence of apoptosis (programmed cell death) in Ichthyophthirius multifiliis Fouquet (Ich) theronts and determined the effect of cutaneous antibodies in skin culture fluid from fish immune to Ich on theront apoptosis. Apoptosis was detected in theronts and was clearly distinguished by fluorescent microscopy after staining with acridine orange and propidium iodide. The apoptotic theronts showed characteristic chromatin condensation and nuclear fragments containing chromatin pieces. The externalization of phosphatidylserine on the plasma membrane of apoptotic theronts was detected with fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated annexin using flow cytometry. Theront apoptosis was induced using the skin culture fluid from fish immune to Ich, which contained cutaneous antibodies against Ich. The highest apoptosis appeared in theronts exposed to immune skin culture fluid at a 1:10 dilution, compared with those at 1:20 and 1:40 dilutions. A direct correlation was noted between the percentage of apoptotic theronts and exposure duration to immune skin culture fluid. The study indicated that antibody reaction with theronts (immobilization) played an important role in theront apoptosis, but it could not be excluded that other components released from the excised skin had effects on theronts.     

Seasonally tracking vertical and horizontal distribution of unionid mussels (Pronodularia japanensis): implications for agricultural drainage management

• 1. The vertical and horizontal distribution of unionoid mussels (Pronodularia japanensis) were examined in spring, late summer and winter for different size classes, including juveniles (<20 mm) and large adults (>50 mm), in an agricultural drainage channel in Central Japan.
• 2. A large number of small‐sized juveniles were found at the surface (0–3 cm depth) in spring, whereas approximately half of the adults remained in the deep layer (3–8 cm depth). Most individuals were found in the surface layer irrespective of size classes in summer, and approximately 70% of all individuals descended to the deep layer in winter.
• 3. Horizontal distribution did not substantially change across seasons and high density patches were consistently found in the areas where substrate appeared to be stable or hydraulically sheltered. Spatial distribution of small juveniles was relatively well predicted by the abundance of adults.
• 4. The size–frequency distribution was multi‐modal in three seasons and estimated numbers of newly recruited juveniles were highly variable in recent years, suggesting that juveniles were rarely found owing to irregular reproduction and/or recruitment not the overlooked habitat preferred by small‐sized juveniles.
• 5. As P. japanensis is characterized by the behaviour of burrowing down to a depth of ～10 cm, maintaining the processes of sediment deposition appears to be one of the critical criteria for the conservation of mussel habitats in agricultural drainage channel systems, which are commonly lined with smooth concrete materials. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

     

斑点叉尾鮰病毒囊膜蛋白ORF6在昆虫细胞中的表达

为构建基于杆状病毒表达系统的CCV新型亚单位疫苗,将CCV的囊膜蛋白基因ORF6克隆至杆状病毒转座载体pFastBacTM 1质粒中,并将阳性重组转座质粒转化进含穿梭载体Bacmid的感受态细胞DH10Bac中,获得重组子rBacmid-ORF6。在脂质体介导下将该重组子转染sf9昆虫细胞,获得重组杆状病毒AC-ORF6。AC-ORF6感染的sf9昆虫细胞,经超薄切片电镜观察,可见重组杆状病毒呈多粒包埋,经间接免疫荧光、Western-blotting检测,CCV的ORF6蛋白可以在感染了AC-ORF6的sf9细胞中表达。研究表明,获得了插入ORF6基因的重组杆状病毒,并且该基因可以在重组杆状病毒介导下在昆虫细胞中表达,从而为基于CCV ORF6的杆状病毒亚单位疫苗研究奠定了基础。