Effects of cod liver oil on tissue antioxidant pathways in normal and streptozotocin-diabetic rats

Lipid disorders and increased oxidative stress may exacerbate some complications of diabetes mellitus. Previous studies have implicated the beneficial effects of some antioxidants, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the protection of cells from the destructive effect of increased lipids and lipid peroxidation products. This study, therefore, was designed to investigate the effects of cod liver oil (CLO, Lysi Ltd. Island), which comprises mainly vitamin A, PUFAs, EPA and DHA. Effects were monitored on plasma lipids, lipid peroxidation products (MDA) and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) and catalase in heart, liver, kidney and lung of non-diabetic control and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced-diabetic rats. Two days after STZ-injection (55 mg kg(-1) i.p.), non-diabetic control and diabetic rats were divided randomly into two groups as untreated or treated with CLO (0.5 ml kg(-1) rat per day) for 12 weeks. Plasma glucose, triacylglycerol and cholesterol concentrations were significantly elevated in 12-week untreated-diabetic animals; CLO treatment almost completely prevented these abnormalities in triacylglycerol and cholesterol, but hyperglycaemia was partially controlled. CLO also provided better weight gain in diabetic animals. In untreated diabetic rats, MDA markedly increased in aorta, heart and liver but was not significantly changed in kidney and lung. This was accompanied by a significant increase in both GSHPx and catalase enzyme activities in aorta, heart, and liver of diabetic rats. In kidney and lung, diabetes resulted in reduced catalase while GSHPx was significantly activated. In aorta, heart, and liver, diabetes-induced changes in MDA were entirely prevented by CLO treatment. In the tissues of CLO-treated diabetic animals, GSHPx activity paralleled those of control animals. CLO treatment also caused significant improvements in catalase activities in every tissue of diabetic rats, but failed to affect MDA and antioxidant activity in control animals. The current study suggests that the treatment of diabetic rats with CLO provides better control of glucose and lipid metabolism, allows recovery of normal growth rate, prevents oxidative/peroxidative stress and ameliorates endogenous antioxidant enzyme activities in various tissues. Because CLO contains a plethora of beneficial compounds together, its use for the management of diabetes-induced complications may provide important advantages.     

胡颓子属5种植物果实主要类胡萝卜素成分及含量

利用高效液相色谱法对华东地区常见的胡颓子属(Elaeagnus) 4种生态型的胡颓子(E. pungens)、2个变种的大叶胡颓子(E. macrophylla)、蔓胡颓子(E. glabra)、银果胡颓子(E. magna)和佘山胡颓子(E. argyi) 9个样品成熟果实所含主要类胡萝卜素成分及含量进行了检测。结果表明, 5种胡颓子属植物成熟果实中的主要类胡萝卜素成分为番茄红素, 且在不同种间含量差异显著, 含量最高的是浙江嵊州的胡颓子, 其值为(259.89±26.22) µg·g^-1FW, 最低的是佘山胡颓子, 其含量为(91.19±7.74) µg·g^-1FW; 其中4种生态型的胡颓子的番茄红素含量都较高。研究表明这5种胡颓子属植物果实富含番茄红素, 是一类珍贵的天然番茄红素资源, 具有较大的市场开发应用价值。研究结果为揭示果实高积累番茄红素的机理提供了理想的研究材料。     

植物铜转运蛋白的结构和功能

铜(Cu)是植物必需的微量营养元素, 参与植物生长发育过程中的许多生理生化反应。Cu缺乏或过量都会影响植物的正常新陈代谢过程。因此, 植物需要一系列Cu转运蛋白协同作用以保持体内Cu离子的稳态平衡。通常, Cu转运蛋白可分为两类, 即吸收型Cu转运蛋白(如COPT、ZIP和YSL蛋白家族)和排出型Cu转运蛋白(如HMA蛋白家族), 主要负责Cu离子的跨膜转运及调节Cu离子的吸收和排出。然而, 最近有研究表明, 有些Cu伴侣蛋白家族可能是从Cu转运蛋白家族进化而来, 且它们在维持植物细胞Cu离子稳态平衡中也具重要功能。该文对Cu转运蛋白和Cu伴侣蛋白的表达、结构、定位及功能等研究进展进行综述。     

多效唑(PP333)对美洲商陆毛状根生长和商陆皂苷甲产生的影响

为了探究植物生长调节剂多效唑(PP333)调控药用植物美洲商陆(Phytolacca americana)毛状根生长和次生代谢的可能性, 设计实验并探讨PP333对美洲商陆毛状根生长及其商陆皂苷甲含量的影响。结果表明, 与对照相比, PP333使毛状根根尖及侧根表面呈浅红色, 侧根变得短而粗, 且随着培养基内PP333浓度的升高, 根表面颜色加深。培养基中添加0.5-5.0 mg·L^-1 PP333能促进毛状根中商陆皂苷甲的产生, 其中以1.0 mg·L^-1 PP333的效果最好, 其商陆皂苷甲含量达6.22 mg·g^-1 DW, 约为对照的1.94倍。PP333能提高毛状根苯丙氨酸裂解酶(PAL)的活性, 并可能通过对PAL酶活性的调节来促进毛状根中商陆皂苷甲的产生。     

THE ARAGONIAN VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF XIACAOWAN,JIANGSU──9. OCHOTONIDAE (LAGOMORPHA, MAMMALIA)

ochotonidaeThomas,l897AlloptoxDaw8on,l96lAlloptoxsihongensis8p.nov.(Figs.lAi6)HolotypeArightp3,V884o.7.Paratypesldp3,V884o.l;3p3,V884o.3,5,6;1p4,V884O.9;2ml/m2,V884o.l2,16;Afragmentof1eftmandiblewithp4,V884O.l8;thefrontpartofrightman-diblewithi2,p3-p4,V884o.24;2I2,V884O.21,23;4P3,V884O-31-33,56;P4,V884o.27;AfragmentofleftupperjawwithP3-M1,V884o-57;2M2,V884o.5o,53.TypelocalityS0nglinzhuang,Sih0ngC0unty,Jiangsu.StratumtypicumandageXiaca0wanFormation,.EarIyMi0cene(Shan-wangian),eq…     

NEOGENE MAMMALIAN BIOSTRATIGRAPHY IN CHINA:PAST,PRESENT,AND FUTURE

INTRODUCTIoNThedevelopmentoftheNeogenebiostratigraphyofChinawasoneoftheearliestgoalsoftheCenozoicResearchLaboratoryoftheGeologicalSurveyofChina,pre-decessoroftoday'sInstituteofVertebratePaleontologyandPaleoanthropologyaVPP).Therationaleforsuchstudies1iesintheuniversalobjectiveofestablishingthenatureandtempooffaunalchangeinaregionandinadjacentregionsthatarelinkedzoogeographically.Eventuallythedataareusedtoincorporatelocaleventsintotheglobalhistoryoffaunalchange.Besidesthisgoal,thereis…     

Admixture mapping of an allele affecting interleukin 6 soluble receptor and interleukin 6 levels

Circulating levels of inflammatory markers can predict cardiovascular disease risk. To identify genes influencing the levels of these markers, we genotyped 1,343 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 1,184 African Americans from the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study. Using admixture mapping, we found a significant association of interleukin 6 soluble receptor (IL-6 SR) with European ancestry on chromosome 1 (LOD 4.59), in a region that includes the gene for this receptor (IL-6R). Genotyping 19 SNPs showed that the effect is largely explained by an allele at 4% frequency in West Africans and at 35% frequency in European Americans, first described as associated with IL-6 SR in a Japanese cohort. We replicate this association (P<1.0x10-12) and also demonstrate a new association with circulating levels of a different molecule, IL-6 (P<3.4x10-5). After replication in 1,674 European Americans from Health ABC, the combined result is even more significant: P<1.0x10-12 for IL-6 SR, and P<2.0x10-9 for IL-6. These results also serve as an important proof of principle, showing that admixture mapping can not only coarsely localize but can also fine map a phenotypically important variant.     

高野山龙头草——中国唇形科植物新记录

报道了中国唇形科龙头草属一新分布种——高野山龙头草.该种的主要特点:植株矮小,高10～20cm,茎细弱,不具匍匐茎;花萼筒状,具15脉,花冠二唇形,下唇中裂片舌状,具有紫红色斑块,顶端2浅裂,侧裂片长圆形,长为中裂片的1/3;子房4裂,被毛.凭证标本保存于浙江农林大学标本馆(ZJFC).     

外源ALA、SNP和Spd对NaCl胁迫下桔梗种子萌发特性的影响

以药用植物桔梗为研究对象,通过测定不同浓度的ALA、SNP和Spd对NaCl胁迫下桔梗种子发芽势、发芽率、萌发指数和平均根长等萌发指标的影响,寻找提高桔梗种子及幼苗在盐胁迫条件下抗性能力的途径.实验结果表明,75 mmol·L-1 NaCl胁迫下的桔梗种子萌发受到显著抑制,但是用不同浓度的ALA、SNP和Spd对桔梗种...     

Methicillin-susceptible ST398 Staphylococcus aureus responsible for bloodstream infections: an emerging human-adapted subclone?

In the course of an annual 3-month bloodstream infections (BSI) survey conducted during a four-year period in 31 healthcare institutions located in three noncontiguous French regions, we report 18 ST398 Staphylococcus aureus BSI. ST398 BSI incidence showed a seven-fold increase during the study period (0.002 per 1,000 patient days in 2007 vs. 0.014 in 2010). ST398 BSI isolates differed from the pig-borne multiresistant clone: 17/18 BSI isolates were methicillin susceptible and none was of t011, t034 or t108 pig-borne spa-types. ST398 BSI isolates had homogenous resistance patterns (15/18 with only Ery(r)) and prophagic content (all harboured the hlb-converting Sau3int phage). The clustering of BSI and pig-borne isolates by spa-typing and MLVA, the occurrence of Sau3int phage in BSI isolates and the lack of this phage in pig-borne isolates suggest that the emergence of BSI isolates could have arisen from horizontal transfer, at least of the Sau3int phage, in genetically diverse MSSA ST398 isolates. The acquisition of the phage likely plays a role in the increasing ability of the lysogenic ST398 isolates to colonize human. The mode of acquisition of the non pig-borne ST398 isolates by our 18 patients remains unclear. ST398 BSI were diagnosed in patients lacking livestock exposure and were significantly associated with digestive portals of entry (3/18 [16.7%] for ST398 vs. 19/767 [2.5%] for non ST398 BSI; p?=?.012). This raises the question of possible foodborne human infections. We suggest the need for active surveillance to study and control the spread of this human-adapted subclone increasingly isolated in the hospital setting.