Proteomic Analysis of the Effects of Aged Garlic Extract and Its FruArg Component on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Neuroinflammatory Response in Microglial Cells

Aged garlic extract (AGE) is widely used as a dietary supplement, and is claimed to promote human health through anti-oxidant/anti-inflammatory activities with hypolipidemic, antiplatelet and neuroprotective effects. Prior studies of AGE have mainly focused on its organosulfur compounds, with little attention paid to its carbohydrate derivatives, such as N-α-(1-deoxy-D-fructos-1-yl)-L-arginine (FruArg). The goal of this study is to investigate actions of AGE and FruArg on antioxidative and neuroinflammatory responses in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated murine BV-2 microglial cells using a proteomic approach. Our data show that both AGE and FruArg can significantly inhibit LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in BV-2 cells. Quantitative proteomic analysis by combining two dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) with mass spectrometry revealed that expressions of 26 proteins were significantly altered upon LPS exposure, while levels of 20 and 21 proteins exhibited significant changes in response to AGE and FruArg treatments, respectively, in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. Notably, approximate 78% of the proteins responding to AGE and FruArg treatments are in common, suggesting that FruArg is a major active component of AGE. MULTICOM-PDCN and Ingenuity Pathway Analyses indicate that the proteins differentially affected by treatment with AGE and FruArg are involved in inflammatory responses and the Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress response. Collectively, these results suggest that AGE and FruArg attenuate neuroinflammatory responses and promote resilience in LPS-activated BV-2 cells by suppressing NO production and by regulating expression of multiple protein targets associated with oxidative stress.     

滇川干暖河谷种子植物区系成分研究

本文论及滇川干暖河谷种子植物区系成分由科级到种级的研究结果。所统计分析的植物共６９２个种,分属于３３６个属,１１１个科。科级区系成分中,明显以亚热带科为主,暖温带科次之,热带科很少。属级区系成分中,热带属多于温带属,有１４个特有属。热带科属偏多说明本河谷历史上有过以热带区系为主体时期和近代区系发源于热带。种级区系成分中,有中国特有种４２１种,占６１．９０％,其次是温带种多于热带种。干暖河谷的植物区系标志种有１５８种,分三个等级,一级为本河谷特有种,有１８种,二级１０３种,三级３７种。干暖河谷的特有区系成分和各级植物区系标志种均较好地反映本河谷区系演化的近代趋势及其独特性。     

云南巧家金沙江干热河谷的植被分类

采用法瑞植物社会学学派的排表法对巧家干热河谷的植被进行系统分类,并以数量分类方法(组平均法)进行验证,结果将当地植被划分为一个群目(order)、两个群属(alliance)、四个群丛(association)。本文还详细探讨了当地植被的生境及区系、生态学特征,同时对比了当地植被与元谋干热河谷植被的异同。     

不同品种来源广藿香叶表皮毛特征比较分析

叶表皮毛特征作为药用植物的"微性状"特征,被越来越多地应用于植物学分类研究中,表皮毛的生长发育状态可以直接影响药材的整体品质。广藿香主要含有挥发油成分,叶表皮毛中的腺毛是其挥发油的主要合成分泌场所,而非腺毛可以起到保护作用,影响其长势和产量。为了探讨叶表皮毛特征在广藿香品种鉴别方面的意义,该研究以8个不同品种来源以及2个采收期(6月末和10月末)的广藿香的顶叶、第4对生叶及底叶为材料,采用水合氯醛透化法制片,于光学显微镜下观察拍照,使用Microsoft Excel 2019统计数据,采用SPSS 23.0统计学软件对叶表皮毛密度、腺毛直径进行方差分析、主成分分析和聚类分析。结果表明:同一品种来源,不同采收期的广藿香叶表皮毛密度有显著性差异,6月末采收的广藿香叶表皮毛密度显著低于10月末采收的;根据叶表皮毛(非腺毛、头状腺毛、盾状腺毛)密度及腺毛直径,可将相同采收期的8个不同品种来源广藿香分为4类,且可以将已知品种来源的南香、肇香和牌香分开,与传统分类结果有着很好的一致性。叶表皮毛密度和腺毛直径在广藿香的分类中具有一定的参考意义,并为广藿香药材品质形成机制的研究提供参考。     

Two-photon collagen crosslinking in ex vivo human corneal lenticules induced by near-infrared femtosecond laser

Myopia and keratoconus have become common corneal diseases that threaten the quality of human vision, and keratoconus is one of the most common indications for corneal transplantation worldwide. Collagen crosslinking (CXL) using riboflavin and ultraviolet A (UVA) light is an effective approach for treating ophthalmic disorders and has been shown clinically not only to arrest further progression of keratoconus but also to improve refractive power for cornea. However, CXL surgery irradiated by UVA has various potential risks such as surface damage and endothelial cell damage. Here, near-infrared femtosecond laser-based two-photon CXL was first applied to ex vivo human corneal stroma, operating at low photon energy with high precision and stability. After two-photon CXL, the corneal stiffness can be enhanced by 300% without significantly reducing corneal transparency. These findings illustrate the optimized direction that depositing high pulses energy in corneal focal volume (not exceeding damage threshold), and pave the way to 3D CXL of in vivo human cornea with higher safety, precision, and efficacy.