Objective To investigate the protective effects of pretreatment with valsartan, an angiotensin Ⅱ type 1 receptor blocker, on the brain against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Methods Thirty-six healthy male C57BL/6J mice aged 10-12 weeks weighing 20-25 g were randomly divided into 2 groups (n - 18 each): valsartan group (V) and control group (C). In group V valsartan 2 mg?kg-1 dissolved in 2.5% NaHCO3 100 ?l was given intraperitoneally (i.p. ) every day for 10 days before experiment while in group C 2.5% NaHCO3 100?l without valsartan was given. The animals were anesthetized with intraperitoneal pentobarbital 40 mg?kg-1. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was produced by inserting an 8-0 nylon thread with rounded end into the left internal carotid artery and advancing it cranially until resistance was felt. MCAO was maintained for 1 h. The nylon thread was then withdrawn for reperfusion. A laser doppler blood flow detector (Omegaflo FLO-C1, Omegawave Co, Netherlands) was used to detect local cerebral blood flow (LCBF) at central and marginal infarct area [LCBF (%) = LCBF during I/R / baseline LCBF ? 100% ]. The model of MCAO was considered established when LCBF at central infarct area was 20% lower than the baseline value. LCBF was measured 10 min before MCAO (T0, baseline), as soon as MCA was occluded (T1) at 10, 30, 50 min of ischemia (T2-4) and at 10, 30, 60 min of reperfusion (T5-7) . MAP was measured immediately before valsartan administration, at T0 and T5. Neurological function deficit (NFD) was evaluated and scored (0 = no deficit, 4 = worst result) at 23 h after reperfusion was started . After evaluation of NFD the animals were anesthetized again and killed. The brains were removed. Cerebral water content was measured [cerebral water content (%) = (wet weight - dry weight) / wet weight ? 100%]. Infarct area was measured. Mortality rate was recorded.Results Pretreatment with valsartan did not affect MAP significantly but significantly reduced infarct area, brain water content, NFD and mortality rate and improved focal cerebral blood flow after MCAO. Conclusion Valsartan pretreatment can decrease cerebral infarct area induced by MCAO through improvement of focal cerebral blood flow after MCAO.

Objective To understand the virus-carrying status and infection condition of Culicoides in Yunnan province.Methods Culicoides, cattle serum samples and pig serum samples were collected in Qujing City in Yunnan province from Sep.to Nov.in 2011; the supernatant of Culicoides was inoculated in C6/36 cells to isolate virus.Suspected isolates were identified by molecular biology techniques and titers of virus antibodies in pigs and cattles serum samples were tested by VN.Results 8 300 short tarsal Culicoides (8 300/18 160) and 7 100 Ryukyu Culicoides (7 100/18 160) were identified among 18 160 Culicoides specimens.Two suspected virus strains were isolated and designated as SC093 and SC233.The nucleotide sequence homology of VP2, VP4 and VP8 sequences with Banna virus Chinese strain ( Accession number:AF134526) is up to 99%.1 out of 200 (1/200) cattle serum samples was antibody positive against Banna virus with 0.5%positive rate.And the neutralizing antibody titers of SC093 and SC233 with above Banna virus antibody positive cattle serum were 160 and 40.10 out of 535 ( 10/535 ) pig serum samples were antibody positive against Banna virus with 1.7%positive rate.And the neutralizing antibody titers of SC093 and SC233 with above Banna virus antibody positive pig serum samples were 80-320 and 20-80 respectively.Conclusions The SC093 and SC233 virus strains isolated from Shizong were identified to be Banna virus and it could cause infection in pigs and cattles.This is the first report that Banna virus was isolated from Culicoides.

Bluetongue virus is an arbovirus that seriously harms ruminants such as sheep,this study aims to investigate the molecular mechanism of bluetongue virus infection and host cell interferon antiviral immune response.The study was conducted to characterize the mRNA expression of inter-feron pathway genes by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR,as well as Western blot analysis of MDA5,TRAF3,RIG-Ⅰ,and TBK1 protein expression in BHK-21 cells induced by BTV with a multiplicity of infections(MOI)of 1 for 18,24,and 36 h.The results showed that the most pro-nounced changes in the expression of interferon signaling pathway genes were observed at 24 h of induction,the gene mRNA expression levels of the IFN-α,IFN-β,RIG-Ⅰ,TBK1,MDA5,VISA,and TRAF3 genes were upregulated.However,the mRNA expression levels of IKKε and TRAF6 genes were downregulated.At the protein level,MDA5 and TBK1 proteins were upregulated while RIG-1 and TRAF3 proteins were downregulated,which showed that BTV infection induces a typeⅠ interferon immune response in BHK-21 cells.This study lays the foundation for further exploring the antiviral immunity mechanism of IFN-Ⅰ signaling pathway regulatory genes in host cells infected with BTV infection.