Protective effects of pre-germinated brown rice diet on low levels of Pb-induced learning and memory deficits in developing rat

Lead (Pb) is a known neurotoxicant in humans and experimental animals. Numerous studies have provided evidence that humans, especially young children, and animals chronically intoxicated with low levels of Pb show learning and memory impairments. Unfortunately, Pb-poisoning cases continue to occur in many countries. Because the current treatment options are very limited, there is a need for alternative methods to attenuate Pb toxicity. In this study, the weaning (postnatal day 21, PND21) rats were randomly divided into five groups: the control group (AIN-93G diet, de-ionized water), the lead acetate (PbAC) group (AIN-93G diet, 2 g/L PbAC in de-ionized water), the lead acetate + WR group (white rice diet, 2 g/L PbAC in de-ionized water; PbAC + WR), the lead acetate + BR group (brown rice diet, 2 g/L PbAC in de-ionized water; PbAC + BR) and the lead acetate + PR group (pre-germinated brown rice diet, 2 g/L PbAC in de-ionized water; PbAC + PR). The animals received the different diets until PND60, and then the experiments were terminated. The protective effects of pre-germinated brown rice (PR) on Pb-induced learning and memory impairment in weaning rats were assessed by the Morris water maze and one-trial-learning passive avoidance test. The anti-oxidative effects of feeding a PR diet to Pb-exposed rats were evaluated. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined by flow cytometry. The levels of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate were determined by HPLC. Our data showed that feeding a PR diet decreased the accumulation of lead and decreased Pb-induced learning and memory deficits in developing rats. The mechanisms might be related to the anti-oxidative effects and large amount of GABA in PR. Our study provides a regimen to reduce Pb-induced toxicity, especially future learning and memory deficits in the developing brain.     

Development of Fatal Intestinal Inflammation in MyD88 Deficient Mice Co-infected with Helminth and Bacterial Enteropathogens

Infections with intestinal helminth and bacterial pathogens, such as enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, continue to be a major global health threat for children. To determine whether and how an intestinal helminth parasite, Heligomosomoides polygyrus, might impact the TLR signaling pathway during the response to a bacterial enteropathogen, MyD88 knockout and wild-type C57BL/6 mice were infected with H. polygyrus, the bacterial enteropathogen Citrobacter rodentium, or both. We found that MyD88 knockout mice co-infected with H. polygyrus and C. rodentium developed more severe intestinal inflammation and elevated mortality compared to the wild-type mice. The enhanced susceptibility to C. rodentium, intestinal injury and mortality of the co-infected MyD88 knockout mice were found to be associated with markedly reduced intestinal phagocyte recruitment, decreased expression of the chemoattractant KC, and a significant increase in bacterial translocation. Moreover, the increase in bacterial infection and disease severity were found to be correlated with a significant downregulation of antimicrobial peptide expression in the intestinal tissue in co-infected MyD88 knockout mice. Our results suggest that the MyD88 signaling pathway plays a critical role for host defense and survival during helminth and enteric bacterial co-infection.     

Primary Care Detection of Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults with Type-2 Diabetes: The ADD-CKD Study (Awareness,Detection and Drug Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease)

This US, multicenter, observational study assessed the CKD prevalence in adult patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and characterized the proportion of detected and undiagnosed CKD in the primary care setting using the following: a clinician survey; a patient physical exam and medical history; a single blood draw for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and glycosolated hemoglobin (HbA1c); urine dipstick for protein; urine albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR); two patient quality of life questionnaires; and a 15-month medical record review. The study consisted of 9339 adults with T2DM and 466 investigator sites. Of the 9339 enrolled, 9307 had complete data collection for analysis. The 15-month retrospective review showed urine protein, urine ACR, and eGFR testing were not performed in 51.4%, 52.9% and 15.2% of individuals, respectively. Of the 9307 patients, 5036 (54.1%) had Stage 1–5 CKD based on eGFR and albuminuria; however, only 607 (12.1%) of those patients were identified as having CKD by their clinicians. Clinicians were more successful in diagnosing patients with Stage 3–5 CKD than Stages 1 and 2. There were no differences in clinicians’ likelihood of identification of CKD based on practice setting, number of years in practice, or self-reported patients seen per week. Awareness or patient self-reported CKD was 81.1% with practitioner detection versus 2.6% in the absence of diagnosis. Primary care of T2DM demonstrates recommended urine CKD testing is underutilized, and CKD is significantly under-diagnosed. This is the first study to show CKD detection is associated with awareness.     

铜藻岩藻黄素提取及纯化工艺研究

为了对岩藻黄素的提取、纯化进行系统研究,进而为高纯度岩藻黄素的工业化生产提供研究基础,筛选了适用于提取铜藻（Sargassum horneri）鲜藻中岩藻黄素的有机溶剂,并通过单因素实验和正交实验确定了最佳的提取溶剂浓度、提取温度、提取时间、料液比等工艺参数。随后采用硅胶柱层析法进行纯化,并通过单因素实验确定了最佳的硅胶柱床高度、上样量和洗脱流速。最后采用制备液相法对经层析纯化的岩藻黄素进一步纯化。结果表明,有机溶剂萃取的最佳工艺条件为：甲醇浓度90%,提取温度50 ℃,提取时间1 h,料液比1∶10,此条件下岩藻黄素提取率达到(0.258 9±0.003 6) mg·g-1鲜重（FW）［(1.078 8±0.015 0) mg·g-1干重（DW）］。硅胶柱层析的最佳工艺条件为：硅胶柱床高度10 cm,上样量6 g,洗脱流速10 mL·min-1,此条件下岩藻黄素得率为0.176 5 mg·g-1FW（0.735 3 mg·g-1 DW）,纯度为87.01%±0.88%。经制备液相进一步纯化后,岩藻黄素得率为0.127 1 mg·g-1 FW（0.529 4 mg·g-1 DW）,纯度为99.27%±0.22%。研究所用工艺简单,岩藻黄素得率高,为高纯度岩藻黄素的制备提供了实验基础。     

GLay: community structure analysis of biological networks

SUMMARY: GLay provides Cytoscape users an assorted collection of versatile community structure algorithms and graph layout functions for network clustering and structured visualization. High performance is achieved by dynamically linking highly optimized C functions to the Cytoscape JAVA program, which makes GLay especially suitable for decomposition, display and exploratory analysis of large biological networks. AVAILABILITY: http://brainarray.mbni.med.umich.edu/glay/.     

Duvira Antarctic polysaccharide inhibited H1N1 influenza virus-induced apoptosis through ROS mediated ERK and STAT-3 signaling pathway

Background

The H1N1 influenza virus causes acute respiratory tract infection, and its clinical symptoms are very similar to those of ordinary influenza. The disease develops rapidly. If the flu is not treated, complications such as pneumonia, respiratory failure, and multiple organ damage can occur, resulting in a high fatality rate. Influenza virus mutates rapidly. At present, there is no specific drug for H1N1, so it is an urgent need for clinical care to find new drugs to treat H1N1.

Materials and methods

The polysaccharide derived from Durvillaea Antarctica green algae has a certain antiviral effect. In this study, the results of CCK-8, apoptosis cycle detection, JC-1 and Western blotting proved that Duvira Antarctic polysaccharide (DAPP) has the ability to inhibit H1N1 infection.

Results

CCK-8 test showed that the DAPP with concentration at 32 μg/mL had no toxicity to MDCK cells. In addition, DAPP reduced cell apoptosis by inhibiting the ERK signaling pathway. Meanwhile, DAPP could increase the expression of STAT3 and significantly inhibited proinflammatory cytokines.

Conclusions

In summary, these results suggested that DAPP may be potential with the ability to resist the H1N1 influenza virus.