Chemical constituents of Euphorbia marschalliana Boiss

Acetone extract of aerial parts of Euphorbia marschalliana collected from Iran has been subjected to different chromatography techniques for fractionation and purification. The stereo-structures of the myrsinol esters 15-O-acetyl-3-O-propionyl-5-O-butanoyl-7-O-nicotinoylmyrsinol (1) and 15-O-acetyl-3,5-O-dibutanoyl-7-O-nicotinoylmyrsinol (2) have been probed using ROESY spectroscopy and modified for the stereochemistry at C-6, C-12 and C-13. Beta-sitosterol (3), 29-norcycloart-5-ene (4), 5,8-lanostadiene-3beta-ol (5), 3beta,24(S),25-trihydroxycycloartane (6), 3beta,24(R),25-trihydroxycycloartane (7) and 24-methylenecycloartan-3beta-ol (8) were identified for the first time in this plant.     

Protocol for Three-dimensional Confocal Morphometric Analysis of Astrocytes

As glial cells in the brain, astrocytes have diverse functional roles in the central nervous system. In the presence of harmful stimuli, astrocytes modify their functional and structural properties, a condition called reactive astrogliosis. Here, a protocol for assessment of the morphological properties of astrocytes is presented. This protocol includes quantification of 12 different parameters i.e. the surface area and volume of the tissue covered by an astrocyte (astrocyte territory), the entire astrocyte including branches, cell body, and nucleus, as well as total length and number of branches, the intensity of fluorescence immunoreactivity of antibodies used for astrocyte detection, and astrocyte density (number/1,000 µm²). For this purpose three-dimensional (3D) confocal microscopic images were created, and 3D image analysis software such as Volocity 6.3 was used for measurements. Rat brain tissue exposed to amyloid beta_1-40 (Aβ_1-40) with or without a therapeutic intervention was used to present the method. This protocol can also be used for 3D morphometric analysis of other cells from either in vivo or in vitro conditions.     

GSTM1 and GSTT1 Null Polymorphisms and Childhood Acute Leukemia Risk: Evidence from 26 Case-Control Studies

Several molecular epidemiological studies have been conducted to examine the association between glutathione S-transferase mu-1 (GSTM1) and glutathione S-transferase theta-1 (GSTT1) null polymorphisms and childhood acute leukemia; however, the conclusions remain controversial. We performed an extensive meta-analysis on 26 published case-control studies with a total of 3252 cases and 5024 controls. Crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval were used to assess the strength of association between childhood acute leukemia risk and polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1. With respect to GSTM1 polymorphism, significantly increased risk of childhood acute leukemia was observed in the overall analysis (OR = 1.30; 95%CI, 1.11-1.51). Furthermore, a stratification analysis showed that the risk of GSTM1 polymorphism are associated with childhood acute leukemia in group of Asians (OR = 1.94; 95%CI, 1.53-2.46), Blacks (OR = 1.76; 95%CI, 1.07-2.91), ALL (OR = 1.33; 95%CI, 1.13-1.58), ‘< 100 cases and <100 controls’ (OR = 1.79; 95%CI, 1.21-2.64), ‘≥ 100 cases and ≥ 100 controls’ (OR = 1.25; 95%CI, 1.02-1.52), and population-based control source (OR = 1.40; 95%CI, 1.15-1.69). With respect to GSTT1 polymorphism, significant association with childhood acute leukemia risk was only found in subgroup of Asian. This meta-analysis supports that GSTM1 null polymorphism is capable of causing childhood acute leukemia susceptibility.     

Protective immunity against Leishmania major induced by Leishmania tropica infection of BALB/c mice

Leishmania (L.) tropica is a causative agent of human cutaneous and viscerotropic leishmaniasis. Immune response to L. tropica in humans and experimental animals are not well understood. We previously established that L. tropica infection induces partial protective immunity against subsequent challenge infection with Leishmania major in BALB/c mice. Aim of the present study was to study immunologic mechanisms of protective immunity induced by L. tropica infection, as a live parasite vaccine, in BALB/c mouse model. Mice were infected by L. tropica, and after establishment of the infection, they were challenged by L. major. Our findings shows that L. tropica infection resulted in protection against L. major challenge in BALB/c mice and this protective immunity is associated with: (1) a DTH response, (2) higher IFN-γ and lower IL-10 response at one week post-challenge, (3) lower percentage of CD4⁺ lymphocyte at one month post-challenge, and (4) the source of IFN-γ and IL-10 were mainly CD4⁻ lymphocyte up to one month post-challenge suggesting that CD4⁻ lymphocytes may be responsible for protection induced by L. tropica infection in the studied intervals.     

观看、在场与公共视觉伦理影响：论当代景观空间的剧场性

当风景园林与戏剧艺术相关联时,并非仅指代表象化的、空洞无味的形式语言,而是可以具备更丰富、更深层的关系。对深层关联的剖析和揭示,有助于从多个视角进行学科认知和帮助设计实践。将“剧场性”一词置于风景园林学科语境时,可以从 “在场”和“观看”两个层面进行解读：形式向度上,它以观者身体的出席为实现前提;内涵向度上,它强调观看行为背后的意图与观念。不仅如此,在工业与科技崛起、社会关系产生变革的时代背景下,公共空间关系也相应变化,公共视觉的建构与传播成为实现社会伦理影响的重要手段。相应地,公共景观空间作为承载全民性“在场”的“观看”行为的剧场性空间,需要考虑如何通过营造手段实现大众意识的引导。基于以上内涵关联,以“剧场性”作为切入视角便会发现,社会公正、审美引导和潜在信息传播可以被提炼为当代景观空间营造中公共视觉伦理转向的3个关键词。它们的价值在物质空间中以视觉话语的形式体现,而隐含在其后的公民权利宣言和自然伦理教育与引导,则以无形的方式传播到更远的地方。