Objective To investigate the MR imaging technique and features of acute radiation- induced hepatic injury with superparamagnetic iron oxide(SPIO)enhancement in a rabbit model.Methods On the 10th day after half-liver single 40 Gy X-ray irradiation,MR imaging before and after SPIO administration and pathologic study of 12 adult rabbits were performed.Results On the 10th post-irradiation day,TSE T_2 WI before SPIO enhancement,the irradiated liver of two rabbits showed relatively higher signal, and 1 showed slightly lower signal.With SPIO enhancement,the irradiated livers of 9 rabbits were found to be abnormal,manifesting as higher or slightly higher areas on multiple MR imaging sequences,especially the TFE T_1 WI sequence.Histological specimen with HE stain under light microscopy revealed occlusive injury of central veins(veno-occlusive disease,VOD)in each irradiated liver to some extent.Electron microscopy investigation of the irradiated liver disclosed intracellular edema,fibrin deposition,and widening of the Disse-space.Conclusion The early pathologic feature of the irradiated liver is occlusive injury of the central vein.MR imaging with SPIO enhancement is effective to valuate the early irradiation-induced liver injury.

Objective To investigate the effect of telmisartan on the oxidative stress induced by high glucose in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) in vitro.Methods HUVEC were cocultured with telmisartan (1?10~(-6) mol/L) and various concentration of glucose(5,30 mmol/L) for 0,12,24,36,48 h respectively. The level of MDA in the supernatants of cultured endothelial cells was measured by thiobarbituric acid test,SOD was determined by xanthine oxidase test.The protein expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptors ? (PPAR-?) in HUVEC 24 h was assessed by Western blot after treatments.Results High glucose significantly increase the levels of MDA (before:1.2?0.06 vs after:1.6?0.1 mmol/mL,P

Synaptic plasticity of barrel cortex is one of the most widely studied topics in neuroscience in recent years. The primary somatosensory cortex of the rodent has a good topology character,which provides an ideal experimental model for plasticity study. This system displays very strong experience-dependent plasticity both during development and in adulthood. The changes of sensory cortex's neural circuit can induce experience-dependent plasticity. In the synaptic level,thalamocortical synapse is considered to be the main location of plasticity. In the circuit level,both synapses from layer 4 to layer 2/3 and those within layer 2/3 are also the necessary parts of achieving synaptic plasticity in primary somatosensory cortex. The GABAergic inhibitory circuit may be involved in this plasticity of S1, but the exact mechanism remains unknown.
Animals ; Neural Pathways ; physiology ; Neuronal Plasticity ; Somatosensory Cortex ; physiology ; Synapses ; physiology ; Thalamus ; physiology ; Vibrissae ; physiology

Objective To study the effects of cooking practice education on their status of nutrient intake and blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) over 60 years old.Methods Four-hour cooking practice education lecture was offered per month for 57 patients with T2DM over 60-year old based on balance diet and food exchange list,with features including requiring patients joining the lecture with their family members together,demonstration of raw and fresh dietary materials and cooked food,choice of food to eat by the patients themselves according to their own dietary regimen.Sixty patients with T2DM who were only educated by outpatient department of nutrition for 35 minutes were selected as control.After twelve months of education,indices such as scores of awareness of knowledge of food exchange list,status of nutrient intake and blood glucose control,and so on,were compared between the two groups to evaluate the effects of cooking practice education.Results After 12- month education,score of knowledge of food exchange list in the experiment group increased significantly,as compared to that in the control group.Intake of energy [(6304?826) kJ] and fat [(46?6) g] decreased significantly in the experimental group [(6921?860) kJ and (63?9) g,respectively],and fasting blood glucose [(7.1?0.8) mmol/L],postprandial blood glucose [(11.2?1.1) mmol/L] and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c [(6.2?0.5)%] were decreased significantly,as compared to those in the control group [(7.8?0.9) mmol/L,(12.4?1.2) mmol/L,and (6.5?0.7)%)],respectively.Conclusions Cooking practice education is effective to correctly use diet regimen and improve status of nutrient intake and control of blood glucoses for over-60-year patients with T2DM.

Biodiesel fuel produced with the enzyme-catalyzed esterification and transesterification of high acid value waste oil through ultrasonic assistant was explored. Propyl oleate, biodiesel, converted from high acid value waste oil and 1-proponal catalyzed with immobilized lipases from Candida antarctica and Aspergillus oryzae in conditions of ultrasonic assistant. Commercial immobilized lipase Novozym 435 from C. antarctica was used as biocatalyst catalyzing high acid value waste oil and 1-proponal esterification and transesterification to propyl oleate under the ultrasonic assistant conditions and different conditions such as lipases amounts, initiatory molar ratio of propanol to oil, frequency of ultrasonic and power of ultrasonic were investigated and optimized. It is revealed that the enzymatic activity of Novozym435 is enhanced and, in particular, enzyme-catalyzed transesterification activity is enhanced obviously under the ultrasonic assistant conditions. Low frequency and mild energy ultrasonic is a key factor for enhancing enzymatic activity, emulsifying oil-propanol system and accelerating the speed of produce diffusing in the system. Under the optimal ultrasonic assistant reaction conditions, such as Novozym435 amounts 8% by oil quantity, initiatory molar ratio of propanol to oil 3:1, frequency of ultrasonic 28 KHz, power of ultrasonic 100 W and temperature of water batch 40-45 degrees C, the conversion ratio to propyl oleate reached to 94.86% in 50 mins in comparison with the highest conversion ratio to propyl oleate 84.43% under the conventional mechanical agitation conditions. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that various short chain linear and branched alcohols (C1-C5) show high conversion ratio to fatty acid alkyl esters (biodiesel) under the optimal ultrasonic assistant reaction conditions. On the other hand, ultrasonic energy is propitious to reduce the adsorption of product propyl oleate, by-product glycerol and other emplastics in system on the surface of immobilized lipase Novzym435 and recyclable Novozym435 possess clean appearances, well decentralizations, no agglomeration and easy washing and well operational stability.
Bioelectric Energy Sources ; Catalysis ; Esterification ; Gasoline ; Lipase ; chemistry ; Ultrasonics ; Waste Disposal, Fluid ; methods

Nine triterpenes compounds were isolated from the male flowers of Eucommia ulmoides by recrystallization and chromatographic techniques over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and RP-18 gel. Their chemical structures were identified on the basis of spectral analysis and as 3-oxo-12-en-ursane-28-O-α-L-arabinofuranosyl (1 --> 6) -β-D-glucopyranoside (1), 2α, 3β-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid(28 --> 1) -β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (2), ursolic acid (3), α-amyrin (4), uvaol (5), ursolic acid acetate (6), 3-O-acetate oleanoic acid (7), betulinic acid (8), and betulinol (9). Compound 1 was a new compound, and compounds 2, 4-7 were isolated from the Eucommiu genus for the first time. Cytotoxic activity was tested for all the compounds against K562 and HepG2 cells. The results showed that only compound 3, exhibited cytotoxic activity.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Eucommiaceae ; chemistry ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Triterpenes ; analysis ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of lentivirus-mediated RNA interference targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) gene on the proliferation, migration and apoptosis of leukemic cell line U937.

METHODSShort hairpin RNAs (shRNA) targeting VEGFR-1 was synthesized and cloned into pRNAT-U6.2 lentiviral vector. The expression vectors were transfected into 293T cell line to produce packaged lentivirus. After infected with the packaged lentivirus, the expression of VEGFR-1 gene of U937 cells at mRNA and protein level was detected by real-time PCR and Western blot. VEGF production by the cells was determined by ELISA. Cell proliferation and survival under regular culture and in the presence of cytarabine (Ara-C) was determined by CCK-8 assay. Migration assays were performed by 5 µm pore transwell inserts.

RESULTSThe lentiviral shRNA vector targeting VEGFR-1 was successfully constructed and transfected into U937 cells. The shRNA vector effectively inhibited the expression of VEGFR-1 gene in U937 cell line at mRNA and protein levels. As compared to that of the control, the proliferation rate of U937-shVEGFR-1 cells reduced; The VEGF production and migrated cell number of U937-shVEGFR-1 cells decreased dramatically. After treated with Ara-C, the inhibition rate and apoptotic rate of U937-shVEGFR-1 cells increased significantly. The number of migrated cells in the KD group under regular culture and in the presence of VEGF was markedly lower than that in the NC group and CON group. Bevacizumab could decrease the number of migrated cells in the NC group and CON group, but could not in the KD group.

CONCLUSIONSLentivirus-mediated RNA interference targeting VEGFR1 gene reduces the proliferation, migration of U937 cell line and enhances its sensitivity to Ara-C.

Apoptosis ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Gene Silencing ; Humans ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; U937 Cells ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo construct a red fluorescent shuttle vector controlled by recA operon promoter to transform Streptococcus mutans.

METHODSThe promoter of recA was amplified from Streptococcus mutans UA159, and connected to plasmid pDsRed2-N1 to construct pRred with a red fluorescent coding gene, which was then inserted into the shuttle vector pDL276 to construct pLRred.

RESULTSpLRred was successfully constructed, and Escherichia coli transformed with the pLRred plasmid could express reporter gene DsRed.

CONCLUSIONSThe recombination plasmid pLRred can be used in the further research of the expression of cariogenic virulence factor gene by Streptococcus mutans in biofilm.

Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Fluorescent Dyes ; Genes, Essential ; Genes, Reporter ; Genetic Vectors ; Luminescent Proteins ; genetics ; Operon ; Plasmids ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Rec A Recombinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Streptococcus mutans ; genetics ; Transformation, Bacterial

This study was aimed to explore the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on erythropoiesis and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Using flow cytometry, colony forming assay, blood cell counter, fluorescent real-time quantitation PCR, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the changes in the bone marrow cells (BMCs) proliferation cycle, CFU-E and BFU-E counts, the peripheral blood erythroid related parameters, kidney EPO, BMC GM-CSF, spleen EPO receptor (EPOR) mRNA expression, and serum EPO, GM-CSF, and IL-1 concentrations were all determined after NGF was injected intramuscularly into the thigh of mice, meanwhile the change of BFU-E and CFU-E counts and its relationship with EPO, IL-3 were investigated. The results indicated that the cell proportion in S+G2/M phase, the CFU-E and BFU-E counts of BMCs and the spleen EPOR mRNA expression in injection of NGF (7.5 microg/kg) for 7 days were significantly higher than that in injection of physiological saline for 13-19 days; red blood cell, hemoglobin, and reticulocyte counts increased as well. In vitro, NGF stimulated a dose-dependent increase of CFU-E colonies formation in the semisolid culture system with or without exogenous EPO; the colony counts in the system with NGF alone were significantly higher than that in the system with exogenous EPO alone. The BFU-E counts in the system with exogenous NGF and IL-3 were significantly higher than that in the system with exogenous EPO and IL-3. It is concluded that the NGF promotes the responsibility of hematopoietic cells to EPO and activates the same signal transduction pathway as EPO in hematopoietic cells, and then accelerates the BMCs into mitosis, the HSCs differentiating into erythroid cells, and CFU-E and BFU-E formation.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Erythrocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Erythropoiesis ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; blood ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nerve Growth Factor ; pharmacology

AIMTo investigate the toxic response in auditory cortex of guinea pigs caused by cis-platinum (DDP), and the protective role of melatonin in this effect.

METHODSCis-platinum and melatonin were injected peritoneally. LDH, MDA, NO in the auditory cortex were detected by spectrophotometeR.

RESULTSThe body weight of the guinea pigs was diminished by peritoneal injection of Cis-platinum for 7 days (P < 0.01). Peritoneal injection of Cis-platinum induced the increased leakage of LDH (P < 0.05 vs injection of normal saline). This effect was reduced by injection of MT (P < 0.05). The content of MDA in the auditory cortex was also increased because of injection of Cis-platinumv for 7 days (P < 0.01) and MT reduced this effect (P < 0.05). The change of NO in the auditory cortex was not statistically significant after injection of Cis-platinum or Cis-platinum with MT.

CONCLUSIONPeritoneal injection of Cis-platinum could destroy neurons in the auditory cortex. This effect could be reduced by melatonin by an anti-free radials mechanism.

Animals ; Auditory Cortex ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cisplatin ; antagonists & inhibitors ; toxicity ; Female ; Free Radical Scavengers ; pharmacology ; Guinea Pigs ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Melatonin ; pharmacology ; Neurons ; drug effects ; pathology ; Random Allocation