Relationship of Intracellular Free Ca^(2+) Concentration and Calcium-activated Chloride Channels of Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells in Rats under Hypoxic Conditions

To investigate the relationship between intracellular free Ca^2＋ concentration （[Ca^2＋ ]i ） and calcium-activated chloride （Clca） channels of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells （PASMCs） in rats under acute and chronic hypoxic conditions, acute hypoxia-induced contraction was observed in rat pulmonary artery by using routine blood vascular perfusion in vitro. The fluorescence Ca^2＋ indicator Fura-2/AM was used to observe [Ca^2＋ ]i of rat PASMCs under normal and chronic hypoxic condition. The effect of Clca channels on PASMCs proliferation was assessed by MTT assay. The Clca channel blockers niflumic acid （NFA） and indaryloxyacetic acid （IAA-94） exerted inhibitory effects on acute hypoxia-evoked contractions in the pulmonary artery. Under chronic hypoxic condition, [Ca^2＋ ]i was increased. Under normoxic condition, [Ca^2＋ If was （123.634-18.98） nmol/ L, and in hypoxic condition, [Ca^2＋]i wag （281. 754-16.48） nmol/L （P〈0. 01）. Under normoxic condition, [Ca^2＋ ]i showed no significant change and no effect on Clca channels was observed （P〉 0. 05）. Chronic hypoxia increased [Ca^2＋ ]i which opened Clca channels. The NFA and IAA-94 blocked the channels and decreased [Ca^2＋ ]i from （281.75± 16.48） nmot/L to （117.66 ±15.36） nmol/L （P〈0.01）. MTT assay showed that under chronic hypoxic condition NFA and IAA-94 decreased the value of absorbency （A value） from 0. 459±0. 058 to 0. 224±0. 025 （P〈0. 01）. Hypoxia increased [Ca^2＋ ]i which opened Cl~ channels and had a positive-feedback in [Ca^2＋ ]i. This may play an important role in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. Under chronic hypoxic condition, Clca channel may play a part in the regulation of proliferation of PASMCs.

Free radicals, apparent activation energy, and functional groups during low-temperature oxidation of Jurassic coal in Northern Shaanxi

Correlations among free radicals, apparent activation energy, and functional groups during lowtemperature oxidation of Jurassic coal in Northern Shaanxi were investigated by examining three coal samples collected from the Ningtiaota, Jianxin, and Shigetai coal mines. Free radical concentrations at less than 120 ℃ were investigated by electron spin resonance experiments while the thermogravimetric experiments were conducted to analyze apparent activation energies. In addition, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was employed to study the spectrum of functional groups generated in coal. The results indicated that, in decreasing order, the apparent activation energies were Shigetai 〉Jianxin 〉 Ningtiaota, indicating that, from 50 to 120 ℃, the Ningtiaota coal sample most easily absorbed and reacted with oxygen while the most resistant was the Shigetai coal sample. Free radical concentrations and line heights increased with increased temperature, and the line width and Lande factor showed irregular fluctuations. Functional group variations were different among these coals, and the phenol and alcohol-associated OHs, carboxyls, and aromatic ring double bonds might have had a major impact on free radical concentrations. These results were meaningful for better consideration and management of coal oxidation at low temperatures.

Surrogate potency assays:Comparison of binding profiles complements dose response curves for unambiguous assessment of relative potencies

Surface plasmon resonance(SPR) systems are widely used for detailed characterization of antibody activities including antigen and Fc-receptor binding. During the later stages of development, where the focus is to ensure that established critical quality attributes(CQAs) are maintained during cell culture,purification and formulation processes, analysis is simplified, and relative potencies are often determined. Here, simulation of binding data revealed that relative potency values, determined via parallel line analysis(PLA) and half maximal effective concentration(EC50) analysis accurately reflect changes in active concentration only if binding kinetics remain unchanged. Changes in the association rate constant shifted dose response curves, and therefore relative potencies, in the same way as changes in analyte concentration do. However, for interactions characterized by stable binding, changes in the dissociation rate constant did not result in any shift, suggesting that this type of change may go unnoticed in the dose response curve. Thus, EC50 and PLA analyses of dose response curves obtained with an anti-TNF-α antibody were complemented with the Biacore functionality for sensorgram comparison analysis, whereby changes in antigen and Fc-receptor binding profiles could be detected. Next, analysis of temperature stressed TNF-α antibody revealed that calibration free concentration analysis(CFCA) data correlated perfectly with relative potency values. Together, these results demonstrate that combinations of SPR based dose response curves, sensorgram comparison and CFCA can be used to strengthen the confidence in relative potency assessments, and suggest that SPR can potentially be used as a surrogate potency assay in the quality control of biotherapeutic medicines.

Two New Species of Freshwater Shrimps from Hunan Province,China (Decapoda:Atyidae:Caridina)

Two new freshwater atyid shrimps, Caridina angustipes sp nov.and C clavipes sp nov.from Hunan Province,China are described. C angustipes sp nov.is similar to C baojingensis Guo,He et Bai,1992,but with longer rostrum,15-27 dorsal teeth,3-6 ventral teeth,and straighter inner margin of endopods in male 1st pleopods. C clavipes sp nov.is similar to C angustipes ,but with narrower distal and fewer spines on inner margin of endopds in male 1st pleopods,and shorter and thinner appendix masculina in male 2nd pleopods with only 1 spine on inner lateral margin and 4 spines in apex.The holotypes are deposited in Shanghai Fisheries University.Some representative paratypes are deposited in Foshan Science and Technology College.

VKORC1 genotypes are associated with response to warfarin but free warfarin concentration during initial anticoagulation in healthy Chinese volunteers

Background The genetic variations in VKORC1 modulate the stable responses to warfarin administration. But the role of VKORC1 polymorphisms during the initial anticoagulation and elimination period in the Hart Chinese population is not clear. Methods Twenty-four healthy Chinese volunteers were grouped according to their VKORC1 genotype. Twelve subjects were in the 3 mg group and 12 in the 6 mg group. VKORC1 genotypes were determined by a polymerase chain reaction （PCR） based restriction fragment length polymorphism （RFLP） assay and sequencing. The international normalized ratio （INR） was measured with an ACL9000 coagulation analyser. Plasma free warfarin concentration was measured with LC/MS/MS. Results In the initial anticoagulation period, the -1639AG and 1173TC carriers compared with the -1639AA and 1173TT carriers had a low INR value. The differences between genotypes with regard to INR values were more obvious in the 3 mg subjects （P 〈0.05）, and were not significantly different among the 6 mg subjects （P〉0.05）. On the contrary, no significant difference of plasma free warfarin concentration between genotypes was observed in each dosage group. It took 96 hours for the INR value and 144 hours for the free warfarin plasma concentration to come back to baselines after the last dose. No significant difference among genotypes and dosing groups was detected in the elimination phase （P〉0.05）. Conclusion VKORC1 polymorphisms are associated with differences in the initial response to warfarin when given at fixed doses, without affecting, as expected, its plasma concentration.

Determination of free ceftriaxone concentration and its application in predicting lung tissue concentration

The purpose of this study was to establish a method for determining the free concentration of ceftriaxone based on hollow fiber centrifugal ultrafiltration(HFCF-UF)technology in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)for free pharmacokinetic studies and the prediction of ceftriaxone concentrations in lung tissue.This method only required centrifugation for a short time,and the filtrate could be injected directly for HPLC analysis without further treatment.The specificity,linearity,precision and stability of this method were validated for quantification of free ceftriaxone.Under the optimized conditions,the absolute recoveries were more than 92.5%.The intraday and interday precision RSDs were less than 3.6%.Additionally,nonspecific adsorption(NSB)between the analyte and the ultrafiltration membrane was considered.This method was successfully applied to the analysis of the free ceftriaxone concentration in rat plasma and lung tissue.The free ceftriaxone concentration of lung tissue could be predicted by using the linear formula Cfl=Cfp(0.342 x–0.0129)(x:time).This method also provides a reliable alternative for accurate monitoring of the free ceftriaxone concentration in therapeutic drug monitoring(TDM).

Changes of neuronal calcium channel following brain damage induced by injection of pertussis bacilli in rats

Objective: To explore changes of neuronal calcium channel following brain damage induced by injection of pertussis bacilli in rats, and to investigate the relationship between cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i) in the synaptosome and Ca 2+ ATPase activities of mitochondria. Methods: The level of [Ca 2+ ] i in the synaptosome and Ca 2+ ATPase activities of mitochondria in the acute brain damage induced by injection of pertussis bacilli (PB) in rat was determined and nimodipine was administrated to show its effects on [Ca 2+ ] i in the synaptosome and on alteration of Ca 2+ ATPase activity in the mitochondria. Seventy three rats were randomly divided into four groups, ie, normal control group (Group A), sham operation control group (Group B), PB group (Group C) and nimodipine treatment group (Group D). Results: The level of [Ca 2+ ] i was significantly increased in the PB injected cerebral hemisphere in the Group C as compared with that in the Group A and the Group B at 30 minutes after injection of PB. The level of [Ca 2+ ] i was kept higher in the 4 hours and 24 hours subgroups after the injection in the Group C (P< 0.05 ). In contrast, the Ca 2+ ATPase activities were decreased remarkably among all of the subgroups in the Group C. Nimodipine, which was administered after injection of PB, could significantly decrease the [Ca 2+ ] i and increase the activity of Ca 2+ ATPase (P< 0.05 ). Conclusions: The neuronal calcium channel is opened after injection of PB. There is a negative correlation between activities of Ca 2+ ATPase and [Ca 2+ ] i. Nimodipine can reduce brain damage through stimulating the activities of Ca 2+ ATPase in the mitochondria, and decrease the level of [Ca 2+ ] i in the synaptosome. Treatment with nimodipine dramatically reduces the effects of brain damage induced by injection of PB.