Effect of excess boron on summer and winter squash

The boron tolerance of two summer squash cultivars (Cucurbita pepo L. Aristocrat Zucchini and Peter Pan Scallop) and one winter squash cultivar (Cucurbita moschata Poir. Butter boy) was determined in large, outdoor sand cultures. Boron treatments were imposed by irrigation with culture solutions that contained 1.0, 3.0, 6.0, 9.0, 12.0, or 15.0 mg B L^-1. Relative fruit yields of Zucchini, Scallop, and Butter boy were reduced 5.2%, 9.8%, and 4.3% with each unit (mg L^-1) increase in soil solution B (B_sw)>2.7, 4.9, and 1.0 mg B L^-1, respectively. Reduced yields of all cultivars were attributed to a reduction in fruit number and not fruit size. Boron concentrations in leaves and fruit were directly correlated to B_sw.     

Mechanisms towards compensation of long-term haemopoietic injury in mice after 5 Gy irradiation:In vivo andin vitro enhancement of superoxide anion production by granulocytes

This paper analyzes the long-term (6 and 12 months) function of mouse granulocytes after total body irradiation with a single dose (5 Gy) of X-rays. Superoxide anion production has been investigated in granulocytes from peripheral blood, and also in those harvested from long term bone marrow cultures, with the aim of correlating the environmental damage induced by radiation with the functional properties of granulocytes. Anin vivo andin vitro enhancement of superoxide anion production and protein levels in granulocytes from irradiated mice is described. The presence of some colony stimulating factor in the supernatant of cultures from irradiated mice could play an important role in the priming of granulocytes.     

Innervation of the synovial membrane of the cats joint capsule

Summary Results of investigations on the occurrence of nerve fibres and endings in the synovial membrane of the knee and elbow joint in the cat are reported. The stratum synoviale contains only autonomic fibres, running in the adventitia of arteries.Free nerve endings are lacking in the stratum synoviale. Simple Pacinian corpuscles with an inner core are occasionally observed in the border zone between the stratum synoviale and fibrosum. The ultrastructure of these endorgans resembles that of Pacinian corpuscles in the hairless and hairy skin of the cat.     

Lipid peroxidation in purified plasma membrane fractions of rat liver in relation to the hepatoxicity of carbon tetrachloride

Preparations of rat liver sinusoidal plasma membrane have been tested for their ability to metabolize the hepatotoxin carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) to reactive free radicals in vitro and compared in this respect with standard preparations of rat liver microsomes. The sinusoidal plasma membranes were relatively free of endoplasmic reticulum-associated activities such as the enzymes of the cytochrome P450 system and glucose-6-phosphatase. CCl4 metabolism was measured as (i) covalent binding of [14C]-CCl4 to membrane protein, (ii) electron spin resonance spin-trapping of CCl3. radicals and (iii) CCl4-induced lipid peroxidation. By all of these tests, purified sinusoidal plasma membranes were found unable to metabolize CCl4. The fatty acid composition of the plasma membranes was almost identical to that of the microsomal preparation and both membrane fractions exhibited similar rates of the lipid peroxidation that was stimulated non-enzymically by gamma-radiation or incubation with ascorbate and iron. The absence of CCl4-induced lipid peroxidation in the plasma membranes seems to be due, therefore, to an absence of CCl4 activation rather than an inherent resistance to lipid peroxidation. We conclude that damage to the hepatocyte plasma membrane during CCl4 intoxication is not due to a significant local activation of CCl4 to CCl3. within that membrane.     

Transient Iron-Overload with Bleomycin-Detectable Iron Present During Cardiopulmonary Bypass Surgery

Extracorporeal circulation of blood during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery exposes cells to non-physiological surfaces and shear stress which can activate several regulatory cascades, and neutrophils to release superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. Shear stresses generated by pumps and suction systems cause lysis of red blood cells and the release of haemoglobin. Together the release of reactive forms of oxygen and haemoglobin can lead to the appearance of low molecular mass chelatable iron (bleomycin-detectable iron). All patients undergoing open heart surgery appear to release iron to plasma transferrin, increasing its iron saturation. In 13% of patients, however, the transferrin became fully iron-saturated, and by the end of open-heart surgery we could detect bleomycin-chelatable iron in the plasma. Saturation of transferrin with iron eliminates its iron-binding antioxidant properties, which can result in a stimulation of iron-dependent radical damage to selected detector molecules.     

The role of SIRT2 in vascular-related and heart-related diseases: A review

At present, cardiovascular disease is one of the important factors of human death, and there are many kinds of proteins involved. Sirtuins family proteins are involved in various physiological and pathological activities of the human body. Among them, there are more and more studies on the relationship between sirtuin2 (SIRT2) protein and cardiovascular diseases. SIRT2 can effectively inhibit pathological cardiac hypertrophy. The effect of SIRT2 on ischaemia-reperfusion injury has different effects under different conditions. SIRT2 can reduce the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which may help to reduce the severity of diabetic cardiomyopathy. SIRT2 can affect a variety of cardiovascular diseases, energy metabolism and the ageing of cardiomyocytes, thereby affecting heart failure. SIRT2 also plays an important role in vascular disease. For endothelial cell damage used by oxidative stress, the role of SIRT2 is bidirectional, which is related to the degree of oxidative stress stimulation. When the degree of stimulation is small, SIRT2 plays a protective role, and when the degree of stimulation increases to a certain level, SIRT2 plays a negative role. In addition, SIRT2 is also involved in the remodelling of blood vessels and the repair of skin damage.     

Effect of MCI-186 on Postischemic Reperfusion Injury in Isolated Rat Heart

MCI-186 (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one) is a newly developed antioxidant which has been shown to reduce brain edema in cerebral ischemia through inhibition of the lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid. However, its effect on myocardial reperfusion injury after prolonged ischemia has not yet been demonstrated. We compared the mode of the effect of MCI-186 and recombinant human CuZn superoxide dismutase (rh-SOD) in isolated perfused rat hearts subjected to 60-min ischemia followed by 60-min reperfusion. Left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), necrotic area and the release of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and endogenous CuZn superoxide dismutase (endoge-SOD) were measured to evaluate myocardial damage. The decrease in left coronary flow (CBF) was measured as an index of the damage of left coronary circulation. MCI-186 (17.5 mg/L) was perfused for 10 min in the MCI group and rh-SOD (70 mg/L) was perfused during the reperfusion period in the SOD group starting 5 min prior to reperfusion. The release patterns of CPK and endoge-SOD were analyzed to elucidate the difference in the mode of protection of MCI-186 and rh-SOD. The LVDP remained higher in both MCI and SOD groups than that of control (76 ± 1, 77 ± 2 and 69 ± 1% of preischemic value, respectively). The necrotic area was significantly attenuated in both MCI and SOD groups compared with that in the control group (16 ± 1,14 ± 1 and 32 ± 170, respectively, p<0.05). Total CPK release was lower in both MCI and SOD groups thfn in the control (78 ± 7, 100 ± 2 and 116 ± 4 × 10³ units/g myocardium respectively). The decrease in CPK release was more marked in the MCI group than that in the SOD group (p<0.05). The reduction in CBF was significantly attenuated by the treatment with rh-SOD or MCI-186, but the effect was much higher in the SOD group than in the MCI group (69 ± 5, 58 ± 2, and 48 ± 2% in SOD, MCI and control groups, respectively). The release pattern of endoge-SOD was identical to that of CPK and thus this did not distinguish the mode of effect of MCI-186 from that of rh-SOD. These results indicate that MCI-186 reduces reperfusion injury in isolated perfused hearts with prolonged ischemia and the effect is more closely related to the reduction of myocyte damage than the preservation of the coronary circulation.     

Injury Delays Stem Cell Apoptosis after Radiation in Planarians

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奶油栓孔菌子实体多糖的理化性质、抗氧化活性与保肝作用

本研究旨在探讨奶油栓孔菌子实体多糖（TLFPS）的化学性质和酒精性肝损伤的保护作用。首先用水提醇沉法提取得到多糖,通过化学组成分析、紫外吸收光谱法、傅里叶红外光谱法和刚果红染色法对多糖结构进行初步表征,以DPPH、ABTS、超氧阴离子自由基的清除能力和铁离子还原能力为指标评价了多糖体外抗氧化能力,在小鼠急性肝损伤之前连续灌喂多糖8d,比较各组小鼠血清和肝的相关生化指标以及组织病理切片来确定多糖对酒精性肝损伤小鼠的保护作用。结果显示：多糖具有β-吡喃糖环结构,含有较高含量的糖醛酸和硫酸根基团,空间构型不具备三股螺旋结构。在体外抗氧化活性方面,多糖对DPPH、ABTS和超氧阴离子自由基均有良好的清除活性,铁离子还原能力也呈良好的剂量依赖性。在小鼠保肝实验中,与模型组相比,多糖能够显著延长小鼠的醉酒时间和缩短醒酒时间,降低了酒精性肝损伤小鼠的肝指数,并且显著降低血清中谷丙转氨酶（alanine aminotransferase,ALT）、谷草转氨酶（aspartate aminotransferase,AST）、甘油三酯（triglyceride,TG）、总胆固醇（total cholesterol,TC）和肝脏中丙二醛（malondialdehyde,MDA）的含量,同时明显提高了肝脏中超氧化物歧化酶（superoxide dismutase,SOD）和过氧化氢酶（catalase,CAT）的活性。结果证实奶油栓孔菌子实体多糖具有良好的抗氧化能力,可以减轻由酒精引起的急性肝细胞损伤,而且对机体的毒害作用很小。肝组织病理切片也进一步证实了奶油栓孔菌多糖的保肝活性。研究结果不仅丰富了奶油栓孔菌的药用价值,而且对多糖在功能食品领域的应用提供了药效基础。