Effect of galectin-3 on ventricular remodeling in rabbits with ischemic cardiac insufficiency

AIM:To investigate the relationship between galectin-3(Gal-3) and myocardial fibrosis,and to clarify the role of Gal-3 in ventricular remodeling in rabbits with ischemic cardiac insufficiency.METHODS:A rabbit model of ischemic cardiac insufficiency was established by ligation of the anterior descending branch of the coronary artery.The 20 rabbits were randomly divided into sham operation group and cardiac insufficiency group by random number table method.After 4 weeks of coronary artery ligation,the cardiac function was measured by cardiac echocardiogram.Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of Gal-3,type I collagen and type Ⅲ collagen at mRNA and protein levels in the myocardium.The serum Gal-3 contents were measured by ELISA.HE staining and Masson staining were used to observe the degree of fibrosis development in myocardial tissues after infarction.RESULTS:Compared with sham operation group,the mRNA expression of Gal-3 in cardiac insufficiency group was significantly increased.At the same time,type I collagen,type Ⅲ collagen and collagen type I/Ⅲ ratio were also increased significantly.The protein contents of Gal-3,type I collagen and type Ⅲ collagen were increased significantly.The serum Gal-3 levels were significantly increased.The pathological changes were observed in cardiac insufficiency group as the myocardial cell morphological disorder and marked hyperplasia of fibrous tissue were seen.CONCLUSION:Gal-3 aggravates myocardial fibrosis in rabbits with ischemic cardiac insufficiency,and promotes the ventricular remodeling and the occurrence of heart failure.     

An evaluation of the injury and short-term survival of bonefish (Albula spp.) as influenced by a mechanical lip-gripping device used by recreational anglers

Mechanical lip-gripping devices are becoming popular among recreational anglers as a means of holding fish for hook removal and photos prior to release in an effort to minimize scale or slime loss from handling. To date, however, there has been no actual evaluation of the consequences of using such a device on the health and survival of the fish. Using wild adult bonefish (Albula spp.) as the test organism, we assessed the impact of a commonly used mechanical lip-gripping device on fish injury, behavior, and survival in a seawater laboratory. Upon further review, this sentence would be more accurate if it read “A detailed assessment of injury and short-term (<48 h) mortality was conducted for bonefish handled with a mechanical lip-gripping device for 30 s either while being restrained horizontally in water or held vertically in the air. A control group was also handled, but only with bare hands. Although no fish died after 48 h, the lip-gripping device caused mouth injuries to 80% of bonefish restrained in the water and 100% of bonefish held in the air, always when fish thrashed while being held. Some of the injuries were severe (40%) and included separating the tongue from the floor of the mouth, creating tears and holes in the soft tissue of the lower jaw, and splitting the mandible. Anglers should use caution when using mechanical lip-gripping devices for bonefish, at least until additional studies are conducted to help tease apart how the risk of injury using mechanical lip-gripping devices on less exhausted individuals compares to the risk of post-release mortality for fish exercised to exhaustion.     

2007～2008年榨季广西甘蔗霜冻发生危害规律的调查

对广西主要受灾蔗区县调查结果显示：2007～2008榨季霜冻是霜害和长期低温冰冻雨雪天气危害混合发生．以低温冰冻雨雪天气危害为主,具有范围广、强度较大、持续时间长、灾害影响较重等特点。甘蔗各器官受害顺序是蔗茎基部组织（生长带）→心叶→生长点→尾部侧芽→蔗叶。霜害及低温冰冻雨雪天气对甘蔗地上（下）部蔗芽发（株）未发现实质性严重危害,或蔗茎组织受伤对甘蔗发芽（株）无实质影响：甘蔗糖厂所造成的甘蔗蔗糖分损失达0．57％（绝对值）。受害程度与品种、土壤水分状况、地理位置等因素有关。各品种（系）抗寒能力顺序是：桂糖28、桂糖27、桂糖26、桂糖24、桂糖20、桂糖21、桂糖25、柳城03—182、桂糖03—2287、粤糖00—236、园林4〉台优1、桂引9、桂糖22、桂糖99—181、桂糖02—761、桂糖03—351〉新台糖16、桂柳01—07、桂糖99-107〉桂糖02—237、桂糖02—467、桂糖02—963、桂糖03—1403、桂糖03—2603、新台糖22、粤糖96—86、赣蔗95—108、园林6。甘蔗蔗茎组织损伤具有可恢复性。茎节伤害率是反映甘蔗受霜冻危害后品种抗寒能力较敏感、直观简便、易观察操作的指标。     

落叶松褐锈病防治指标与测报技术的研究

落叶松褐锈病对林木当年生长无明显影响,但对第二年生长影响显著。连年发病损失量剧增;不同病情指数（Ｘ）每公顷材积生长损失量为Ｙ＝１９４／１＋ｅ５４９３３７－００６８９３Ｘ;该病为害指标———病情指数为３６。立木林价、防治效果和成本分别为Ｃ、Ｑ、Ｅ时,防治指标方程为：１９４Ｃ［１／１＋ｅ５４９３３７－００６８９３Ｘ－１／１＋ｅ５４９３３７－００６８９３（１－Ｑ）Ｘ］－Ｅ＝０;前一年９月份降水量（Ｘ３）、当年５月份平均气温（Ｘ１）和８月份相对湿度（Ｘ２）为测报因子。预测区域平均病情指数Ｙ＝５１８５＋３２５９６Ｘ１－０４２１０５Ｘ２＋００８６２７Ｘ３±６９。     

侧柏种鳞提取物对离体蟾蜍心肌收缩力的影响

[目的]探讨侧柏种鳞提取物对动物心血管功能的作用。[方法]观察了不同浓度的侧柏种鳞提取物对蟾蜍离体心脏活动的影响。[结果]使用0.04～0.10ml侧柏种鳞提取物饱和溶液灌流离体蛙心,可使心肌收缩力逐渐增强;当灌流体积达到0.15ml时,蛙心肌收缩力反而明显下降。[结论]侧柏种鳞提取物对动物心血管功能具较强的调控作用。     

辽宁阜新农村居民心肌梗死的流行病学特征及危险因素调查

目的了解北方农村地区成年人群心肌梗死的流行病学特征和相关危险因素,为北方农村地区心肌梗死的防治和干预提供科学依据。方法采用随机分层整群抽样对辽宁省阜新地区的7个乡镇≥35岁30214名农村常驻(≥5年)成年人进行了调查。由培训过的医师对调查对象进行了血压测量和常见心肌梗死危险因素资料的收集。结果辽宁省农村居民心肌梗死患病率为0.29%,标化率为0.28%;男性患病率为0.26%(标化率0.25%),女性患病率为0.32%(标化率0.31%),性别间差异无显著性(χ2=0.90,P=0.342)。随着年龄和血压分级的增高,心肌梗死患病率呈明显增高趋势。多元Logistic逐步回归分析表明年龄、超重、肥胖、高血压家族史、高血压、吸烟和爱吃咸食等因素是心肌梗死患病的危险因素。其中肥胖人群患心肌梗死的调整优势比是体质正常人群的6.08倍(95%CI为2.84～13.03)。结论辽宁省农村居民心肌梗死患病率较高,肥胖、高血压是心肌梗死最显著的危险因素,而许多居民对心肌梗死危险因素的防治知识非常匮乏。应提高农村居民对心肌梗死危险因素和相关知识的认识度,以降低心肌梗死的患病危险性。     

Expression of GAP-43 mRNA and protein following brachial plexus avulsion injury

AIM:To investigate the expression of GAP-43 mRNA and protein of the motor neurons in spinal cord following the brachial plexus avulsion injury. METHODS:In the present study, three kinds of models of brachial plexus avulsion injury were made: right C₇ anterior root avulsion (group A), C₇ anterior root avulsion with right C₅-T₁ posterior roots breaking (group B), right C₇ anterior root avulsion with hemi-transect between C₅ and C₆ segment of spinal cord (group C). The expression of GAP-43 mRNA in anterior horn of spinal cord was detected at 14 days after operation by SYBR green quantification RT-PCR technique. The amounts of GAP-43 positive neurons in spinal cord were detected at 1, 3, 7 and 14 days after operation by immunohistochemistry technique. RESULTS:In control group, the expression of GAP-43 mRNA was very low in anterior horn. By 14 days after operation, the expression of GAP-43 mRNA was evidently up-regulated compared with control group. GAP-43 positive neuron was observed in control group at 1st day and 3rd day after operation. GAP-43 positive neurons appeared at 7th day and peaked at 14th day after operation. The expression of GAP-43 mRNA and protein were maximum in group C, group B was the lowest. CONCLUSION:The expression of GAP-43 mRNA and GAP-43 protein were up-regulated following brachial plexus injury. The expression of GAP-43 protein results from the recombination of proteins. GAP-43 is closely related to the axon regeneration and functional reconstruction.     

Effects of PPARα and fenofibrate on actue myocardial damage induced by isoproterenol in rats

AIM:To investigate the effects and mechanism of PPARα and its actor fenofibrate (FF) on injury caused by myocardial ischemia in rats. METHODS:The experimental animals were randomly divided into control group, isoprenaline (ISO) group and FF group. Actue myocardial injury caused by intraperitoneal injection of isoprenaline to induce ischemia was established. The following changes were measured: the level of creatine kinase (CK) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum, the activity of myocardial myoperoxidase (MPO), the changes of serum TNF-α by ELISA and the level of PPARα mRNA by RT-PCR. RESULTS:As compared with ISO group, FF depressed significantly the release of CK and LDH in serum, alleviated significantly myocardial inflammation, depressed the changes of serum TNF-α, obviously increased the level of PPARα mRNA in the isoprenaline-induced injury in rat heart (P<0.01). CONCLUSION:These results suggest that FF may inhibit myocardial inflammation and exert protective effects on the acute myocardial ischemia injury induced by ISO in rats. PPARα may mediate the modulation of the inflammatory reaction.     

Role of calcium activated potassium channel in cardioprotection induced by anoxic postconditioning in isolated rat heart

AIM:To investigate whether calcium activated potassium channel (KCa) and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) contribute to cardioprotective effect elicited by anoxic postconditioning.METHODS:The isolated perfused hearts of male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 30 min global anoxic followed by 120 min reoxygenation. Formazan content of myocardium was measured at 490 nm spectrophotometrically,and the level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the coronary effluent was detected. The absorbance of isolated heart mitochondria at 520 nm was determined. RESULTS:Anoxic postconditioning increased formazan content,reduced LDH release,improved the hemodynamic parameters of the left ventricular developed pressure,maximal rise/fall rate of left ventricular pressure,left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and rate pressure product and attenuated the decrease of coronary flow during reperfusion. Pretreatment with paxilline (1 μmol/L) inhibited the effect of anoxic postconditioning. The opening of mPTP was suppressed in the mitochondria isolated from A/R hearts treated with anoxic postconditioning.CONCLUSION:The findings indicate that in the isolated rat heart,anoxic postconditioning protects myocardium against anoxic/reoxygenation injury via inhibiting KCa and the mPTP opening.     

Effects of diabetes on ischemic/reperfusion injury and cell apoptosis in rats myocardium via alterations in peroxynitrite

AIM: To determine the effects of different-term streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetes on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and cell apoptosis in rats myocardial via alterations in myocardial peroxynitrite.METHODS: The models of I/R injury were induced by occlusion and reperfusion of the left descending coronary artery (LDCA) in rats.I/R-induced infarct size was determined using triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining.Quantified caspase-3 expression was used to represent apoptosis by Western blotting analysis.Peroxynitrite formation as indicated by nitrotyrosine level was measured by morphometric analysis.RESULTS: Two weeks after STZ treatment,infarct size (35.00%±3.00%) was smaller in 2 weeks diabetic hearts (2WKD) as compared with time-matched control group (2WKC) (51.00%±3.30%),whereas after 16 weeks of diabetes (16WKD),the infarct size (61.00%±3.00%) was bigger in the diabetic hearts as compared with the 16WKC group (50.00%±2.00%,P<0.05).After I/R,caspase-3 expression was lower in 2WKD+I/R group (A value：481±77) than that in 2WKC+I/R group (A value：1033±46),while caspase-3 was higher in the 16WKD+I/R group (A value：1206±78) than that in 16WKC+I/R group (A value：940±72,P<0.05).Nitrotyrosine was lower in 2WKD hearts (A value：211±13) than that in controls (A value：409±12),but was higher in 16WKD group (A value：506±37) compared with controls (A value：378±46,P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Short- and long-term STZ induced diabetes exerts opposite influences on myocardial I/R injury and cell apoptosis,and these contradictory influences may depend on different alterations in myocardial peroxynitrite.