Cumulative Toxicity of Residue Degradation Products of Penicillin Bacteria

[Objective] The research aimed to discuss the accumulation of toxic slag of penicillin bacteria residue degradation products and explore its ability to meet the aquaculture industry as a protein feed into development and utilization conditions.[Method] Through the sub-acute toxicity tests in mice strains,which were fed by different doses of penicillin bacteria residue degradation products （3% and 6%） under continuous observation of 15 weeks,recording a weekly mouse weight and death,and sampling executed after the test,animal liver and kidney function were blood test,taking heart,liver,spleen,kidney weighing,as well as liver and kidney pathology observed in the optical microscope.[Result] There were no significant differences （P 0.05） between the test group mice body weight,mortality and liver and kidney function and the control group within 15 weeks.Low-dose test group could be seen the liver cells,renal tubular epithelial nuclei broken,and a small number of liver and kidney cells with mild edema.High-dose test group could be seen in liver tissue of mice nuclei fragmentation and a fat droplets,the majority of liver cells,edema,and only a small number of liver cells,there were no significant changes.Renal portal area showed inflammatory cell infiltration,renal tubular epithelial cells,edema and necrosis.[Conclusion] In this experimental condition,the degradation products of penicillin bacteria residue played a mild toxcity on organ parenchymal cells in mice.

Inhibitory effects of grape procyanidins on free radical-induced cell damage in rat hepatocytes in vitro

AIM： To study the protective effect of grape procyanidins on oxidative injury induced by ethanol and carbon tetrachloride in rat hepatocytes. METHODS： Normal rat hepatocytes as well as cells damaged by ethanol or carbon tetrachloride were incubated with different doses of grape procyanidins for 24 h. Cell proliferation, apoptosis and TNFα mRNA expression were subsequently determined using MTT assay, cell death ELISA and in situ hybridization. RESULTS： Proliferative levels of the control cells from ethanol and CCh injury groups significantly decreased while apoptosis and TNFα mRNA expression significantly increased compared to the normal control and grape procyanidins co-treatment groups （0.455 ± 0.051 vs 0.318 ±0.045, P 〈 0.05）. In comparison with the normal control, 50 and 100 mg/L grape procyanidins significantly stimulated cell growth, with a better effect observed with 100 mg/L grape procyanidins. CONCLUSION： Grape procyanidins inhibit the hepatocyte damage induced by ethanol and carbon tetrachloride, and stimulate normal hepatocyte proliferation.

Effects of Artesunate on Tracheal Smooth Muscle from the Guinea-pig

Artesunate is a derivative of qinghaosu, with a sesquiterpene structure. The specific action and the clinical uses of artesunate are on the preliminary stage. On the one hand, artesunate has specific action of both antiinflammation and antivirus, and also has protective effect on the pulmonary alveolar macrophages, which may be advantageous to the treatment of the airway non specific inflammation of asthma. On the other hand, qinghaosu has the activities to relax vascular smooth muscle and to cause hypotension. The expectorant action, the antitussive action and the antiasthmatic action of qinghaosu were reported. Artesunate may also have antiasthmatic activity, because the antimalarial potency of artesunate is stronger than that of qinghaosu, and Artesunate can block Ca 2+ influx by inhibiting calcium dependent chloride current. The main aims of this paper are to investigate the site, the mode, and the mechanism of artesunate action on isolated tracheal smooth muscle from the guinea pig. The isolated tracheal smooth muscle and isolated aortic strip circle were suspended in 10 ml Thornton and 5 ml Krebs solution gassed with 95% O 2+5% CO 2 at 37℃ respectively, and stretched with an initial tension of 1.5 g. After a stabilization period of over two hours, drug effects were plotted from cumulative doses. The tension changes were recorded by a forcedisplacement transducer connected to a two pen recorder (XWTD 264 made in Shanghai Dahua Apparatus Factory). Our experiments on isolated tracheal smooth muscle have demonstrated that artesunate is able to relax tracheal smooth muscle by its action on the tracheal smooth muscle cells. In concentrations ranging from 10 pmol·L 1 to 100 nmol·L 1 , artesunate can reduce the tone of the trachea in a concentration dependent manner. Its pD 2 is 8.76±0.74 (epithelium removed, n=6) and its potency is seventy four percent of isoprenaline′s. Artesunate is able to antagonize noncompetitively the effects of spasmogens like acetylcholine and histamine on trachea in a concentration dependent fashion, its pD′ 2 is 9.99±0.71 (n=8) and 11.69±0.53 (n=8), respectively. Timolol, a non selective blocker of the beta adrenergic receptors, does not inhibit the relaxant action of artesunate on trachea (n=6). Artesunate is also able to antagonize the constrictive effect on the trachea by KCl 100 mmol·L 1 in a concentration dependent manner, and its IC 50 is 0.81±0.67 nmol·L 1 (n=6). In the experiment of antagonizing the contractive action on trachea by acetylcholine 100 μmol·L 1 , artesunate was found to be more potent than nicardipine (n=7, P <0.01). Their inhibition rates (%) were 67.51±13.06% and 23.71±11.94% respectively. Nicardipine had no synergistic effect on the potency of artesunate (only increase the inhibition rate of artesunate from 65.71±11.06% to 73.94±11.78%, P>0.05, n=7). Artesunate had no effect on specific binding of 3H QNB on M 3 subtype of mAChR of salivary gland of rats (n=3). In the experiment of isolated aortic strip circle from the rats, artesunate did not block the intracellular Ca 2+ release, but partially inhibited Ca 2+ influx induced by phenylephrine 10 μmol·L 1 in a concentration dependent fashion. Its IC 50 was 1.64±0.38 mmol·L 1 (n=7). The intracellular Ca 2+ transient was determined using Fura 2 by fluorospectrophotometer (RF 5000 made in Japan). The excitation wavelengths were 340 and 380 nm and the emission wavelength was 510 nm. The intracellular Ca 2+ levels were calculated using the formula∶ [Ca 2+ ] i=Kd [(R t R min )/(R max R t)]×(Sf2/Sb2). In the cultured traheal smooth muscle cells, artesunate 100 μmol 1 had no effects on both intracellular Ca 2+ release and nonvoltagedepended Ca 2+ influx induced by cyclopiazonic acid (a Ca 2+ pump inhibitor of endoplasmic reticulum) 10 μmol·L 1 (n=3) (which was determined by using Fura 2). The cyclic AMP levels of the tracheal tissue were

Inactivation of Salmonella Species on New Mexico Green Chile Peppers by Flame Roasting

Salmonella spp. have been implicated in foodborne disease outbreaks involving chile peppers, usually in combination foods such as chile rellenos, salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole and others where the source of contamination is uncertain. Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028 was used in this study to artificially inoculate green chile peppers. Green chile peppers were weighed and artificially contaminated by applying the calculated inoculation volumes of 4 o,L per g of pepper. No presumptive salmonellae were found on any of the peppers prior to inoculation with S. Typhimurium. Twenty inoculated chiles were transferred to a custom built lab-scale roaster and then flame roasted for five minutes until they were blistered on the surface, as is commonly at New Mexico supermarkets. The surface temperature of representative chiles was measured with an infrared thermometer. Flame roasting of green chile peppers is effective in reducing bacterial contaminants on fresh green chile peppers. Based on the TSAYE counts where inoculated chile peppers had a mean plate count of 7.21 and the roasted chile peppers 2.71 and 2.75, a 4.5 log reduction was seen. Results reveal the effectiveness of flame roasting on the microbiological safety and quality of roasted green chile peppers.

EVALUATION OF RAT MODEL OF CHRONIC GLAUCOMA BY LIGATING EPISCLERAL VEINS

Objective To develop and evaluate the rat model of chronic glaucoma by episcleral veins ligation （EVL）. Methods Experimental glaucoma was induced unilaterally in 28 male Sprague-Dawley rats by ligating two episcleral veins. Intraocular pressure （10P） in rats was measured by a Goldmann applanation tonometer under 3 % pentobarbital sodium anesthesia. The optic nerve head and retinal vasculature were assessed by repeated fundus examinations. The amount of optic nerve axons was assessed by Image-Pro Plus image analysis system in a masked fashion. Results lOP without EVL was （ 19.21 ± 1.23） mmHg, whereas the EVL eyes gained about 1.8-fold higher 10P[ （33.96 ±2. 73） mmHg]after EVL immediately （ P 〈 0. 001 ）. The elevated IOP gradually decreased over time. However, the differences were kept significant up to 8 weeks after EVL. The lOP was reduced to similar levels as contralateral eyes at 12 and 16 weeks after EVL. The glaucomatous optic nerve excavation appeared in EVL eyes at 8 weeks after EVL, and the optic nerve excavation enlarged gradually with the increasing post-operation time. The amount of optic nerve axons also significantly decreased in EVL eyes at 8 weeks after EVL, and the amount of axons decreased gradually with the increasing post-operation time. Conclusion Increase of lOP caused by EVL represents a useful and efficient model of experimental glaucoma in rats.

The mixture of procyanidins extracted from the lotus seed pod and bilobalide ameliorates scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice

Objective To study the co-effect of procyanidins extracted from the lotus seed pod （LSPC） and bilobalide （BIL） on ameliorating scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in young mice. Methods Fifty male Kunming mice with similar learning and memory capabilities were selected by Morris water maze test and were randomized into 5 groups （n=10 in each group）： control group, scopolamine group, L-（LSPC＋BIL） group （50 mg/kg LSPC＋10 mg/kg BIL）, M-（LSPC＋BIL） group （100 mg/kg LSPC＋20 mg/kg BIL）, H-（LSPC＋BIL） group （150 mg/kg LSPC＋30 mg/kg BIL）. Scopolamine model with impaired learning and memory was established by scopolamine treatment （1 mg/kg）, and after 10 min mice were tested. In L-, M-, and H- （LSPC＋BIL） groups, mice were treated with LSPC and BIL ig. for 30 days, while mice in the other 2 groups were treated with normal saline ig. instead. After the 30-day＇s treatment, the co-effect of LSPC and BIL on learning and memory was tested by Morris water maze and the step-down avoidance tests. Results The memory impairment caused by scopolamine in young mice could be ameliorated by co-treatment of LSPC and BIL, as indicated by significantly shorter escape latency and swimming distance in the Morris water maze test, when compared with those in the scopolamine group. In the step-down avoidance test, mice in all the 3 dose groups showed significantly smaller number of errors and longer latency than mice in the scopolamine group did. Conclusion Co-treatment of LSPE and BIL can ameliorate scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in young mice.

我钓到一条鱼

爸爸:杰克!我钓到一条鱼!杰克:是一只鞋。爸爸:没关系。我们今天会钓到一条鱼的。要钓鱼,就必须要有耐心。杰克:为什么必须要有耐心?爸爸:因为必须等待,直到鱼儿来吃鱼饵。杰克:然后就可以收线了?钓竿:是的,而且妈妈就会有新鲜的鱼来烹调了。

Amomum villosum induces longitudinal bone growth in adolescent female rats

OBJECTIVE:This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Amomum villosum on longitudinal bone growth.METHODS:Adolescent female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups and treated for 4 days:control(distilled water,p.o.),recombinant human growth hormone(rhGH;100 μg/kg,s.c.),and A.villosum(500 mg/kg,p.o.) groups.On day 3,tetracycline(20 g/kg,i.p.) was injected for growth plate identification.On days 2,3 and 4,5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine(BrdU)(50 mg/kg,i.p.) was injected to label proliferating cells.On day 5,tibias were dissected and fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde,dehydrated,and sectioned for immunohistochemistry and histomorphometry.RESULTS:The rate of bone growth in the A.villosum and rhGH groups increased to(410 ± 44) and(389 ± 46) μm/day(P<0.01),respectively,as compared with the control(330.7 ± 34.7) μm/day.The thickness of the growth plates also increased to(591 ± 37) and(598 ± 32) μm,respectively,as compared with the control(524± 89) μm(P<0.001).The number of BrdU-positive cells in the chondrocytes of the A.villosum and rhGH groups was also significantly higher(126±24) and(143±18) cells/mm 2,respectively) than in the control(109 ± 25) mm 2(P<0.05).Insulin-like growth factor-1 and bone morphogenetic protein-2 in the A.villosum and rhGH groups were highly expressed in the growth plate as compared with the control samples,indicating increased bone formation.CONCLUSIONS:A.villosum could be used to treat growth retardation during adolescence.

The song remains the same： Juvenile Richardson＇s ground squirrels do not respond differentially to mother＇s or colony member＇s alarm calls

Alarm calls are emitted by Richardson＇s ground squirrels Urocitellus richardsonii in response to avian and terrestrial predators. Conspecifics detecting these calls respond with increased vigilance, promoting predator detection and evasion, but in doing so, lose time from foraging. That loss can be minimized if alarm call recipients discriminate among signalers, and weight their response accordingly. For juvenile ground squirrels, we predicted that the trade-off between foraging and vigilance could be optimized via selective response to alarm calls emitted by their own dam, and/or neighboring colony members over calls broad- cast by less familiar conspecifics. Alarm calls of adult female Richardson＇s ground squirrels were elicited in the field using a predator model and recorded on digital audio tape. Free-living focal juveniles were subjected to playbacks of a call of their mother, and on a separate occasion a call from either another adult female from their own colony, or an adult female from another colony. Neither immediate postural responses and escape behavior, nor the duration of vigilance manifested by juveniles differed with exposure to alarm calls of the three adult female signaler types. Thus, juveniles did not respond preferentially to alarm calls emitted by their mothers or colony members, likely reflecting the high cost of ignoring alarm signals where receivers have had limited opportunity to establish past signaler reliability [Current Zoology 58 （5）： 773-780, 2012].

Artemisinin ameliorated proteinuria in rats with adriamycin-induced nephropathy through regulating nephrin and podocin expressions

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of artemisinin against proteinuria and glomerular filtration barrier damage in rats with adriamycin-induced nephropathy,and the potential mechanism underpinned the action.METHODS:Forty adriamycin rats were randomly divided into two groups with the ratio of 1︰3;the small-number group served as control group(n=10),and the rats in the large-number group were treated with adriamycin to induce nephropathy;then they were further randomly assigned into 3subgroups:benazepril group(n=10),artemisiningroup(n=10),and adriamycin group(n=10).The benazepril group and artemisinin group were treated with benazepril suspl(5.0 mg/kg daily)and artemisinin suspl(150 mg/kg daily)respectively after being modeled;those in the control group and adriamycin group were intragastrically administered an equivalent volume of distilled water every day.The treatment after model establishment lasted for a total of 4 weeks.The 24 h uric protein,blood biochemicals,renal pathological changes,renal ultrastrutural changes,Nephrin and Podocin proteins and gene expressions were measured by Coomassie brilliant blue assay,completely automatic biochemical analyzer,light microscope,electron microscopy,Western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction,respectively.RESULTS:The rats in adriamycin group showed a significant increase in 24 h uric protein excretion,serum total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),serum creatinine(Scr)and decrease in albumin(Alb)(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Compared with adriamycin group,artemisinin could reduce uric protein excretion,decrease the serum TC,TG elevation,increase the serum Alb level,up-regulate the expressions of Nephrin and Podocin(P<0.05 or P<0.01),but no statistical significance effects on the levels of BUN,Scr in artemisinin group(P>0.05).The renal pathological and ultrastrutural observation indicate that artemisinin could attenuate the severity of foot process effacement and fusion in the nephropathic rats.CONCLUSION:Artemisinin might have an effect on the nephropathy in rats caused by adriamycin,which may be at least partly correlated with attenu-ation of the severity of foot process effacement and fusion,up-regulation of the expressions of Nephrin and Podocin in the glomeruli in the rats.

Melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cell loss and behavioral analysis in the Thy1-CFP-DBA/2J mouse model of glaucoma

In this study, the role of melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells （mRGCs） in the glaucoma-induced depressive behavioral response pattern was investigated. The CFP-D2 transgenic glaucoma animal model from five age groups was used in this study. Immunohistochemical labeling, quantitative analysis of mRGC morphology, open field test （OFT）, and statistical analysis were used. In comparison with C57 BL/6 mice, the age-matched CFP-D2 mice had significantly elevated intraocular pressure （lOP）. We observed parallel morphological changes in the retina, including a reduction in the density of cyan fluorescent protein- （CFP） expressing cells （cells mm^-2 at 2 months of age, 1309±26; 14 months, 878±30, P〈0.001）, mRGCs （2 months, 48_＋3; 14 months, 19±4, P〈0.001）, Brn3b-expressing RGCs （2 months, 1283±80; 14 months, 950±31, P〈0.001）, Brn-3b expressing mRGCs （5 months, 50.17%±5.5%; 14 months, 12.61%±3.8%, P〈0.001）, and reduction in the dendritic field size of mRGCs （mm^2 at 2 months, 0.077±0.015; 14 months, 0.065±0.015, P〈0.05）. CFP-D2 mice had hyperactive locomotor activity patterns based on OFT findings of the total distance traveled, number of entries into the center, and time spent in the center of the testing apparatus. The glaucoma induced hyperactive response pattern could be associated with dysfunctional mRGCs, most likely Brn-3b-positive mRGCs in CFP-D2 mice.

Conversion of female germline stem cells from neonatal and prepubertal mice into pluripotent stern cells

Pluripotent stem cells derived from neonatal or adult testes are a useful tool to examine the mechanisms of pluripotency and a resource for cell-based therapies. However, therapies usingthese cells will only benefit males but not females. Recently, female germline stem cells （FGSCs） were discovered in ovaries. Whether FGSCs can be converted into pluripotent stem cells, similar to spermatogonial stem cells, is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that female embryonic stem-like cells （fESLCs） can be generated within 1 month from the stably proliferating FGSCs cultured in embryonic stem cell （ESC） medium, fESLCs exhibit properties similar to those of ESCs in terms of marker expression and differentiation potential. Thus, our findings suggest that generation of patient-specific fESLCs is feasible and provides a foundation for personalized regenerative applications.