Effects of acupuncture on declined cerebral blood flow,impaired mitochondrial respiratory function and oxidative stress in multi-infarct dementia rats

Brain energy disorders and oxidative stress due to chronic hypoperfusion were considered to be the major risk factors in the pathogenesis of dementia. In previous studies, we have demonstrated that acupuncture treatment improved cognitive function of VaD patients and multi-infarct dementia (MID) rats. Acupuncture therapy also increased the activities of glycometabolic enzymes in the brain. But it is not clear whether acupuncture treatment compensates neuronal energy deficit after cerebral ischemic through enhancing the activities of glucose metabolic enzymes and preserving mitochondrial function, and whether acupuncture neuroprotective effect is associated with activations of mitochondrial antioxidative defense system. So, the effect of acupuncture therapy on cognitive function, cerebral blood flow (CBF), mitochondrial respiratory function and oxidative stress in the brain of MID rats was investigated in this study. The results showed that acupuncture treatment significantly improved cognitive abilities and increased regional CBF of MID rats. Acupuncture elevated the activities of total SOD, CuZnSOD and MnSOD, decreased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide anion, regulated the ratio of reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in mitochondria, and raised the level of the respiratory control index (RCI) and P/O ratio and the activities of mitochondrial respiratory enzymes of MID rats. These results indicated that acupuncture treatment improved cognitive function of MID rats; and this improvement might be due to increased CBF, which ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction induced by ischemia and endogenous oxidative stress system of brain.     

Near ultraviolet light inactivation of dihydroxyacid dehydratase in Escherichia coli

The effects of near ultraviolet (NUV) light on a NUV chromophore-containing oxidant-sensitive enzyme, dihydroxyacid dehydratase (DHAD), were measured in seven strains of Escherichia coli. The strains differed in production of the oxidant-defense enzymes, superoxide dismutases (Fe-SOD and Mn-SOD), and catalases HPI and HPII. With the stress of aerobic growth but without NUV exposure, the strains lacking either Fe or Mn SOD or both SODs had 57%, 25%, and 12%, respectively, of the DHAD-specific activity of the parent (K12) strain. Under the same conditions, the catalase strains that were wild type, overproducing, and deficient had comparable DHAD-specific activities. When aerobic cultures were exposed for 30 min to NUV with a fluence of 216 J/m²/s at 310–400 nm, the percentage decreases in DHAD-specific activities were similar (ranging from 75% to 89%) in strains with none, either, or both SODs missing, and in the catalase-overproducing strain. However, the decreases were only 58% and 52% in the strain with catalase missing and in its parent, respectively. The NUV-induced loss of DHAD enzyme activity was not accompanied by any detectable loss of the DHAD protein as measured by polyclonal antibody to DHAD.     

Thermal tolerance and recovery behaviour of Thorectes lusitanicus (Coleoptera,Geotrupidae)

1. Population differences in physiological responses are examined in Thorectes lusitanicus, an endemic Iberian dung beetle species, by submitting individuals of different populations to the same experimental and acclimation conditions. 2. An infrared thermography protocol was used, consisting of three assays: start of activity, cold response, and heat response. Individuals of 12 populations were studied and the comparative explanatory capacities of several environmental factors in relation to the observed inter‐population differences were examined. 3. The heating rate from chill coma to the beginning of activity was the variable with the highest discrimination power among the studied populations, accounting for 94% of the observed variance. Regarding the heat response, only six of the 16 thermal variables reached significance (inter‐population differences accounted for 52–74% in these six thermal parameters). 4. From the three considered environmental factors (Mediterranean climate, land cover, and trophic characteristics) only land cover characteristics remain statistically significant, affecting the cold response of individuals. 5. Thorectes lusitanicus is a species characterised by a high diversity of thermotolerance and recovery traits across populations with a low degree of association with broad environmental factors. Finally, it is suggested that the apterous character of this species could be a determinant factor explaining the high diversity of ecophysiological traits related to thermal stress tolerance and the recovery time.     

Inhibition of palmitate‐induced GADD34 expression augments apoptosis in mouse insulinoma cells (MIN6)

Saturated fatty acids like palmitate induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in pancreatic beta‐cells, an event linked to apoptotic loss of β‐cells in type 2 diabetes. Sustained activation of the ER stress response leads to expression of growth arrest and DNA damage‐inducible protein 34 (GADD34), a regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 1. In the present study, we have used small interfering RNA in order to knockdown GADD34 expression in insulin‐producing MIN6 cells prior to induction of ER stress by palmitate and evaluated its consequences on RNA‐activated protein kinase‐like ER‐localized eIF2alpha kinase (PERK) signalling and apoptosis. Salubrinal, a specific inhibitor of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) dephosphorylation, was used as a comparison. Salubrinal treatment augmented palmitate‐induced ER stress and increased GADD34 levels. Both GADD34 knockdown and salubrinal treatment potentiated the cytotoxic effects of palmitate as evidenced by increased DNA fragmentation and activation of caspase 3, with the fundamental difference that the former did not involve enhanced levels of GADD34. The data from this study suggest that sustained activation of PERK signalling and eIF2α phosphorylation sensitizes insulin‐producing MIN6 cells to lipoapoptosis independently of GADD34 expression levels. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coping with drought: diapause plasticity in katydid eggs at high,mid-, and low elevations

1. Semi-arid rangeland productivity is limited by precipitation, and yet droughts are projected to increase in frequency and duration with unknown impacts on insect populations. As some katydids prolong diapause and remain in an egg bank as a blastoderm for multiple growing seasons, is it possible that drought could prolong diapause and promote outbreaks by synchronising embryonic development and hatching of Mormon crickets, Anabrus simplex, after moisture is restored? 2. In this study, a high-elevation Wyoming population (WY) was compared with a mid-elevation Idaho (ID) and a low-elevation Oregon population (OR). It was predicted that eggs from the drier ID and OR habitats would be more tolerant of desiccation. Developmental state and water loss of eggs were measured after drought treatments, and when moisture was restored. 3. The two drier treatments had significantly more WY eggs prolonging diapause until after drought ended compared with the two wetter treatments. Whether WY eggs developed in the second or subsequent warm periods was independent of drought treatments. Significantly fewer OR embryos developed in the driest treatment compared with the others, whereas almost all ID eggs developed irrespective of the drought treatment. 4. In conclusion, Mormon crickets can delay embryonic development to improve drought tolerance. Although drought did not synchronise development and hatching, diapause plasticity allowed insects to cope and await more favourable conditions. 5. Unexpectedly, eggs from WY (the highest, wettest site) were more tolerant, because postponing development resulted in less water loss than in developed embryos. OR egg loss was also reduced by prolonging diapause, relative to ID, which developed in even the driest conditions.     

Subordination stress in Nile tilapia and its effect on plasma lysozyme activity

Dominant Nile tilapia had significantly higher lysozyme activity than did subordinate fishes (α=0·05). Plasma lysozyme level was not correlated with sex, parental origin, rearing length, weight, condition factor or rearing density.     

Anti-oxidative effects of silkworm storage protein 1 in HeLa cell

Silkworm hemolymph contains unique proteins that exhibit anti-apoptotic activity in mammalian cells. Among them, 30 K protein, which is one of the major anti-apoptotic molecules in silkworm hemolymph, has been well investigated. However, little is known about the biological functions of storage protein 1 (SP1), another main protein in silkworm hemolymph. In this study, the anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative activities of SP1 were analyzed. A stable cell line expressing SP1 was constructed, which showed strong anti-apoptotic effect induced by staurosporine treatment. In addition, the cell line exhibited resistance to oxidative stress caused by hydrogen peroxide. For practical applications of SP1, recombinant SP1 was produced in Escherichia coli, and the supplementation of recombinant SP1 into culture medium exhibited anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative activities. In addition, SP1 was found to be a cell-penetrating protein and localized in the cytosol as well as on the plasma membrane. The findings showed that SP1 itself is not an anti-oxidant; rather, it mediates intracellular anti-oxidative activity. In conclusion, the cellular resistance of SP1 to apoptosis and oxidative stress will provide a new strategy that could be utilized in the bio-industry for the production of biologics as well as for the development of anti-aging cosmetics.     

Determination of phenolic compounds and diterpenes in roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Salvia przewalskii by two LC–MS tools: Multi-stage and high resolution tandem mass spectrometry with assessment of antioxidant capacity

Comparative phytochemical analyses of hydroalcoholic (50% EtOH) extracts from roots of S. miltiorrhiza (SM) and S. przewalskii (SP) were performed using two complementary LC–MS systems: the first system HPLC-DAD-MSⁿ an ion trap mass spectrometer and the second system consisted high resolution MS/MS Orbitrap mass spectrometer. The individual compounds were identified using a previously published approach via comparison of the exact molecular masses, mass spectra and retention times to those of standard compounds, online available databases and literature data. Moreover, the determination of antioxidative activities of extracts by DPPH and FRAP methods was carried out. Analysis allowed to identify 39 chemical compounds in extracts from both species. Extract from root of SP differs from SM in the presence of several metabolites such as: przewalskinic acid and their derivatives, przewaquinone C, przewaquinonate A, glycosides of rosmarinic acid, methyltanshinonate, whereas tanshinones, salvianolic acids and lithospermic acids occurred in both species. Moreover, it was shown that hydroalcoholic extract from roots of SM exerted stronger antioxidant properties in a FRAP test (max. 323.92 μM Fe²⁺/L) and in DPPH test (max. 78.64 nM TE) in comparison with SP extract.     

Evolving anisotropy and degree of elastolytic insult in abdominal aortic aneurysms: Potential clinical relevance?

Accurately estimating patient-specific rupture risk remains a primary challenge in timing interventions for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). By re-analyzing published biaxial mechanical testing data from surgically repaired human AAAs, material anisotropy emerged as a potentially important determinant of patient-specific lesion progression. That is, based on a new classification scheme, we discovered that anisotropic aneurysmal specimens correlated with increased patient age at surgery when compared with more isotropic specimens (79.7 vs. 70.9 years, p<0.002), despite no significant difference in maximum diameter. Furthermore, using an idealized axisymmetric, finite-element growth and remodeling model of AAA progression, we found that both the initial axial extent of elastin loss and ongoing damage to elastin in the shoulder region of the AAA directly affected the degree of anisotropy as the lesion evolved, with more extensive insults increasing the anisotropy. This effect appeared to be mediated by alterations in axial loading and subsequent differences in orientation of deposited collagen fibers. While the observed increased age before surgical intervention may suggest a potential benefit of anisotropic remodeling, future biaxial tests coupled with pre-surgical data on expansion rates and detailed theoretical analyses of the biostability of a lesion as a function of anisotropy will be required to verify its clinical relevance to patient-specific rupture risk.