Animals ; Carbon Disulfide ; adverse effects ; Light ; Male ; Neurons ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Noise ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Patients with hypoxia pulmonary hypertension (HPH) are often accompanied by dyspnea, fatigue, and headache. With the development of the disease, the right ventricle gradually collapses and eventually leads to death. Hypoxic pulmonary vascular remodeling is an important pathological basis of HPH, and the remodeled pulmonary vessels will form permanent thickening. The mechanism of hypoxic pulmonary vascular remodeling is relatively complex. At present, there are few studies on drugs for pulmonary vascular remodeling on the market, mainly focusing on the alleviation of pulmonary vasoconstriction. It was found that hypoxia induces calcium overload in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), resulting in the proliferation of PASMCs. The main mechanisms include: ① abnormal expression of calcium pumps; ② abnormal calcium channels in the plasma membrane of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells; ③ overexpression of calcium-sensitive receptors in cells; ④ the expression of Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger type-1 was abnormal. This review summarized several mechanisms of hypoxia induced calcium overload leading to pulmonary artery remodeling, hoping to provide a new idea for the treatment of HPH.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of aluminum citrate (AC), rare earth compounds (REC) and sodium selenite (SS) on the surface elements of chrysotile fibers and the inhibitory mechanisms of three compounds for chrysotile-induced biological activities.

METHODSAfter being soaked in 250, 500 and 1000 microg/ml aluminum citrate solutions, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 microg/ml mixed rare earths solutions or 125, 250, 500 and 1000 microg/ml sodium selenite solutions for 10 min or 1 hour, the fabrication and the levels of surface elements of chrysotile fibers were determined.

RESULTSAluminum citrate, mixed rare earths or sodium selenite all could be adsorbed by chrysotile fibers. After pretreatment of chrysotile fibers with aluminum citrate, mixed rare earths or sodium selenite solutions for 10 min or 1 hour, the corresponding elements or ion on the surface of chrysotile fibers increased with the increase of concentration of the solutions.

CONCLUSIONPretreatment of chrysotile with aluminum citrate, mixed rare earths or sodium selenite solutions can change the fabrication and the levels of surface elements of chrysotile fibers, and inhibit the biological activities of chrysotile by "sealing" some "active sites" on the surface of chrysotile fibers.

Asbestos, Serpentine ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Citric Acid ; chemistry ; Metals, Rare Earth ; chemistry ; Sodium Selenite ; chemistry

Objective　In view of the fact that asbestos is not only a key occupational hazard, but also an important environmental pollutant, it is necessary to develop a proper method to decrease the carcinogenecity of asbestos fibers. This study was designed to determine if the surface modification of chrysotile asbestos fiber (CAF) with rare earth compounds (REC) can ameliorate CAF-induced DNA damages in human embryo lung (HEL) cells. Methods　After incubation with REC solution at different concentrations at room temperature for 1 h, natural and REC-pretreated CAF was added to cell culture at various doses. At the selected time as the experiment designed, DNA damages of the HEL cells were detected by Unscheduled DNA Synthesis (UDS) and Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (SCGE) assays. Results　The UDS induced by natural CAF was elevated with the increase of CAF doses. There was a good dose-response relationship between the UDS and the amount of CAF in the medium and the coefficient of correlation (R) was 0.958 at P<0.05. In REC-pretreated CAF groups, the UDS declined with the increase of REC doses. Both catalase (CAT) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) also reduced the CAF-induced enhancement of UDS. In SCGE assay, CAF induced DNA chain breakage and the magnitude of DNA chain breakage increased in a dose-dependent manner and the coefficient of correlation (R) was 0.992 at p<0.01, while REC-pretreated CAF significantly decreased the induction of DNA chain breakage in a dose-dependent manner(r=0.989, p<0.05). Conclusion　It can be concluded that CAF-induced DNA damages in HEL cells may be partly mediated by oxygen derivatives, and the surface modification of CAF with REC might hide critical sites on the fiber surface, thereby reducing the fiber-mediated production of oxygen derivation and lowering the CAF-induced UDS and DNA chain breakage in HEL cells.

Objective To explore the effect of recovery sleep on the executive function after 36 h of total sleep deprivation by event related potential technology.Methods Thirteen healthy male college students participated in two trials. At the first trial normal sleep as control was investigated. At the second trial participants experienced 36 h of sleep deprivation and then accepted 8 h recovery sleep. In each trial six Go/Nogo tests were employed to test the executive control function and the ERP data were recorded. Results There was no statistical difference in behavior and ERP results at each time point as the subjects had normal sleep. After 36 h of sleep deprivation, the behavior results were statistically significant when compared to the baseline. The amplitude and latency of Nogo-N2, Nogo-P3 on Fz electrode, the amplitude and latency of Nogo-P3 on Cz electrode showed statistical significance when compared to the baseline. After 8 h recovery sleep, the average correct reaction time and the Go correct reaction rate had statistical significance compared to 36 h value. The amplitude of Nogo-N2 and Nogo-P3 had no statistical significance compared to the baseline.However,it was of statistical significance[(-6.80 3.95)vs(-3.37 2.63)μV,(10.63±6.62)vs(5.63±5.45)μV,(9.49±7.37)vs(6.08±6.56)μV] compared to 36 h value. The latency of the recovery value of Nogo-N2 and Nogo-P3 was statistically significant[(254.14±15.55)vs(243.08±13.97)ms(382.14±41.07)vs(349.17±30.36)ms,(369.86±26.48)vs(347.48±29.24)ms]compared to the baseline.Conclusion As the time of sleep deprivation is prolonged, the executive function is impaired and the executive function is not completely recovered after 8 h recovery sleep.

Objective: To observe the effects of herb-partitioned moxibustion and ginger-partitioned moxibustion on the growth of colon tumors in rats with colitis-associated colon cancer (CACC), and explore the mechanism of moxibustion intervening CACC through the purinergic receptor P2X ligand-gated ion channel 7 (P2X7R)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway. Methods: A total of 26 male Sprague-Dawley rats were selected. According to the random number table method, 6 rats were selected as the normal group. The remaining 20 rats were injected intraperitoneally with azoxymethane (AOM) combined with oral dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to prepare the CACC model. After the model was successfully established, 2 rats were randomly selected for model identification. The remaining 18 rats which were successfully modeled were randomly divided into a model group, a herb-partitioned moxibustion group and a ginger-partitioned moxibustion group, with 6 rats in each group. Moxibustion intervention was performed in the herb-partitioned moxibustion group and the ginger-partitioned moxibustion group at Qihai (CV 6) and bilateral Tianshu (ST 25). Moxibustion was performed twice at each point each time, once a day, at a 1-day interval after 6 consecutive interventions, for a total of 30 interventions. After intervention, the colon tumor load, pathological change and histopathological score were observed. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of VEGF, P2X7R, phospho-STAT3 (p-STAT3), and nuclear factor-kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65) proteins in rat colon tissue. Western blot was used to detect the levels of p-STAT3 and NF-κB p65 proteins in rat colon tissue. Results: Compared with the normal group, the colon tumor load and histopathological score in the model group were significantly increased (both P<0.001), and different grades of dysplasia were observed in colon tissue from the model group, reaching the degree of adenocarcinoma; the expression level of P2X7R protein in colon tissue was significantly decreased (P<0.001), and the expression levels of p-STAT3, NF-κB p65 and VEGF proteins were significantly increased (all P<0.001) in the model group. Compared with the model group, the colon tumor load, colon histopathological score and the levels of p-STAT3, NF-κB p65 and VEGF proteins in colon tissue were significantly decreased (all P<0.05) in the herb-partitioned moxibustion group and the ginger-partitioned moxibustion group while the expression levels of P2X7R protein in colon tissue were significantly increased (both P<0.05). Conclusion: Both herb-partitioned moxibustion and ginger-partitioned moxibustion can reduce the colon tumor load in CACC rats and delay the progression of colon adenomas. The mechanism may be mediated by the P2X7R/STAT3 pathway to inhibit STAT3 phosphorylation, thereby reducing VEGF protein expression.

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M .hyopneumoniae) and Mycoplasma hyorhinis (M .hyorhinis) infections are common in China .To investigate the prevalence of M .hyorhinis and M .hyopneumoniae in Jiangsu Province of China ,a mo-lecular epidemiological survey was conducted from 399 nasal swab samples of unvaccinated pigs using nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (nested PCR) .Nasal swab samples were collected from Jiangquhai porcine lean (JQHPL) strain pigs and other West-ern breeds .Clinical samples were taken from each pig and divided into different groups based on ages of pigs (7 ,14 ,21 ,28 , and 35 days) .Results indicated that the prevalence of M .hyorhinis was 70 .9% from different herds in Jiangsu Province in China ,while the prevalence of M .hyopneumoniae was 13 .5% .M .hyorhinis infection was more common in pigs for less than 5 weeks of age compared to M .hyopneumoniae infection .Co-infection was also observed in 30 samples (7 .5% ) in which both M .hyorhinis and M .hyopneumoniae were detected .The M .hyorhinis infection increased as the animals grew from 7 to 35 days .The M .hyopneumoniae infection did not change significantly as the pigs grew older .Significant difference of M .hyorhi-nis infection was observed between other Western breeds and JQHPL pigs (P<0 .001) .JQHPL pigs appear to be more sensi-tive to the M .hyorhinis infection as compared to the other Western breeds .However ,there is no obvious relationship between the breed type and M .hyopneumoniae infection (P>0 .05) .

OBJECTIVETo analyze the genetic diversity of wild Rehmannia glutinosa and evaluate and compare random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter sample sequence repeat (ISSR) for analysis of R. glutinosa accessions.

METHODTwo molecular markers, RAPD and ISSR were used for analyzing 55 wild R. glutinosa accessions.

RESULTAverage 16.00 and 19.08 bands were amplified by RAPD primers and ISSR primers respectively, and the percentage of polymorphic bands were 89.58% and 94.32% respectively; Fifty-five R. glutinosa accessions categorized into 7 clusters were identified by unweighted pair-group method, arithmetic average (UPGMA) method.

CONCLUSIONA high level of genetic diversity of wild Rehmannia glutinosa was displayed at DNA level, and genetic diversity coefficient of R. glutinosa from different production areas was 0.63-0.98, and ISSR marker can detect higher genetic diversity of R. glutinosa germplasms than RAPD marker.

Genetic Variation ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique ; methods ; Rehmannia ; classification ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo compare difference in character between wild germplasm and cultivar of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch.

METHODField test and statistical analysis were applied.

RESULTThe results showed that the plant height and leave weight of individual plant in cultivar were decreased significantly comparing to wild germplasm, and the output was increased significantly. The leave length was reduced. The leave width, the catalpol content in leave and polysaccharides and reducing sugar content in cultivar was increased not significantly. Whereas the catalpol content and the water extract content in cultivar were equal to wild germplasm.

CONCLUSIONThe plant height and leave weight of individual plant of R. glutinosa was decreased significantly in cultivar, but the active compounds content not changed obviously.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Glucosides ; metabolism ; Iridoid Glucosides ; Iridoids ; metabolism ; Plant Leaves ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Rehmannia ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate autogenous vein grafts and inside-out vein grafts as conduits for the defects repair in the rabbit facial nerves.

METHODSThe 10 mm segments of buccal division of facial nerve were transected for 48 rabbits in this study. Then the gaps were immediately repaired by autogenous vein grafts or inside-out vein grafts in different groups. All the animals underwent the whisker movement test and electrophysiologic test during the following 16 weeks at different time points postoperatively. Subsequently, the histological examination was performed to observe the facial nerve regeneration morphologically.

RESULTSAt 8 weeks after operation, the facial nerve regeneration has significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in electrophysiologic test and histological observation. However, at the end of this study, 16 weeks after operation, there was no significant difference between inside-out vein grafts and standard vein grafts in enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration.

CONCLUSIONThis study suggest that both kinds of vein grafts play positive roles in facial nerve regeneration after being repaired immediately, but the autogenous inside-out vein grafts might accelerate and facilitate axonal regeneration as compared with control.

Animals ; Axons ; physiology ; Facial Nerve ; physiology ; surgery ; Facial Nerve Injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Nerve Regeneration ; physiology ; Rabbits ; Transplantation, Autologous ; methods ; Veins ; transplantation