Effects of Batroxobin on Spatial Learning and Memory Disorder of Rats with Temporal Ischemia and the Expression of HSP32 and HSP70

The effect of Batroxobin on spatial memory disorder of left temporal ischemic rats and the expression of HSP32 and HSP70 were investigated with Morri`s water maze and immunohistochemistry methods. The results showed that the mean reaction time and distance of temporal ischemic rats in searching a goal were significantly longer than those of the sham-operated rats and at the same time HSP32 and HSP70 expression of left temporal ischemic region in rats was significantly increased as compared with the sham-operated rats. However, the mean reaction time and distance of the Batroxobin-treated rats were shorter and they used normal strategies more often and earlier than those of ischemic rats. The number of HSP32 and HSP70 immune reactive cells of Batroxobin-treated rats was also less than that of the ischemic group. In conclusion, Batroxobin can improve spatial memory disorder of temporal ischemic rats; and the down-regulation of the expression of HSP32 and HSP70 is probably related to the attenuation of ischemic injury.

Overexpression of heme oxygenase-1 protects smooth muscle cells against oxidative injury and inhibits cell proliferation

To investigate whether the expression of exogenous heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene within vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) could protect the cells from free radical attack and inhibit cell proliferation, we established an in vitro transfection of human HO-1 gene into rat VSMC mediated by a retroviral vector. The results showed that the profound expression of HO-1 protein as well as HO activity was 1.8- and 2.0-fold increased respectively in the transfected cells compared to the non-transfected ones. The treatment of VSMC with different concentrations of H2O2 led to the remarkable cell damage as indicated by survival rate and LDH leakage. However, the resistance of the HO-1 transfected VSMC against H2O2 was significantly raised. This protective effect was dramatically diminished when the transfected VSMC were pretreated with ZnPP-IX, a specific inhibitor of HO, for 24 h. In addition, we found that the growth potential of the transfected cells was significantly inhibited directly by increased activity of HO-1, and this effect might be related to decreased phosphorylation of MAPK. These results suggest that the overexpression of introduced hHO-1 is potentially able to reduce the risk factors of atherosclerosis, partially due to its cellular protection against oxidative injury and to its inhibitory effect on cellular proliferation.

A new synthesis of A-nor-△^(3(5),9(10)) estradiene-2,17-dione

A-nor-Δ3(5),9(10)-estradiene-2,17-dione 1,a potential precursor for synthesis of some new steroidalcontraceptives,was synthesized from 3β-hydroxy-5α-chloro-6β,19-epoxy-androstane-17-one 6 as the sterting mater al,which is the key intermediate of steroidal contraceptive of norethindrone,in an overall yield of 25% in 5 steps through the sequence of 5 reactions:(i) oxidative dccyclization,(ii) decarhoxylative cyclization,(iii) reductive decy clization,(iv) dehydroxy methylation,(v) deacetoxylation

Nonseparating Independent Sets and Maximum Genus of Graphs

A subset I of vertices of an undirected connected graph G is a nonseparating independent set(NSIS)if no two vertices of I are adjacent and GI is connected.Let Z(G)denote the cardinality of a maximum NSIS of G.A nonseparating independent set containing Z(G)vertices is called the maximum nonseparating independent set.In this paper,we firstly give an upper bound for Z(G)of regular graphs and determine Z(G)for some types of circular graphs.Secondly,we show a relationship between Z(G)and the maximum genus M(G)of a general graph.Finally,an important formula is provided to compute Z(G),i.e.,Z(G)=Σx∈I dI(x)+2(M(G-I)-γM(G))+(ξ(G-I)-ξ(G));where I is the maximum nonseparating independent set and ξ(G)is the Betti deficiency(Xuong,1979)of G.