Optimization and validation of an alternative method to evaluate total reactive antioxidant potential

The total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP) is one of the methods most employed to estimate the antioxidant capacity of samples in vitro. This method is based on the quenching of luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence derived from the thermolysis of 2,2′-azo-bis(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride (AAPH) as the free radical source. However, this method can present limitations when the sample does not present a lag phase. In addition, there are no studies regarding TRAP assay validation. In this context, the aim of this work was to optimize and validate this method and to propose another evaluation method using the area under the curve (AUC). The main condition established was the need for the stabilization of the system, at 7000 s, before the addition of the antioxidant to be tested. Both evaluation methods were validated using Trolox (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid) as a calibrator in the range of 50 to 250 nM, and all parameters showed satisfactory results: specificity, linearity (r > 0.99), precision (intra and interassay relative standard deviations <5%), robustness, and the limits of detection and quantitation (low and similar for both methods). The main advantage of the use of AUC is to evaluate the antioxidant potential of samples that do not present lag phase.     

Rejoinder

Article http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bimj.4710360113 Letter to the editor http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bimj.200810429     

温针灸联合平衡针刀对椎动脉型颈椎病患者椎动脉血流、颈椎关节活动度及生活质量的影响

摘要 目的：探讨椎动脉型颈椎病（CSA）患者应用温针灸联合平衡针刀治疗对椎动脉血流、颈椎关节活动度及生活质量的影响。方法：选取首都医科大学附属北京中医医院于2020年1月-2023年1月收治的150例CSA患者,按治疗方案的不同进行分组,对照组（75例）行温针灸治疗,研究组（75例）行温针灸联合平衡针刀治疗,对比两组疗效、生活质量、颈椎关节活动度、颈椎功能、椎动脉血流指标。结果：研究组96.00%（72/75）治疗总有效率高于对照组81.33%（61/75）（P＜0.05）;研究组治疗后左椎动脉收缩期峰值血流速度、右椎动脉收缩期峰值血流速度高于对照组（P＜0.05）;研究组治疗后3周屈伸活动角度、旋转活动角度高于对照组（P＜0.05）;研究组治疗后1周、2周及3周NDI评分较对照组均更低（P＜0.05）;研究组治疗后健康调查简表（SF-36）各项评分高于对照组（P＜0.05）。结论：CSA应用温针灸联合平衡针刀治疗,可改善颈椎关节活动度,促进颈椎功能恢复,有利于椎动脉血流状况改善,并提高生活质量。     

The induction of chromosome aberrations in mouse dictyate oocytes by X-rays and chemical mutagens.

Oocytes were collected from female mice and matured in vitro to Metaphase I during the first or third week after treatment with a dose of 400 rad X-rays, 1.6 mg/kg triethylenemelamine (TEM) or 75 mg/kg isopropylmethanesulphonate (IPMS). In week 1 the mean number of oocytes per female was similar for all treatments but in week 3 irradiated females yielded fewer oocytes than the chemically treated or control females. In week 1 the proportion of oocytes maturing was smaller in irradiated females than in the other groups but in week 3 was similar in all groups.Structural chromosome aberrations, scored in the Metaphase I oocytes, were of the chromatid or isochromatid type and involved gaps, breaks, fragments, intrachanges and interchanges. Aberration frequency did not increase with time after either of the chemical mutagens but after irradiation was higher in the third week than in the first week. The aberration yield from IPMS-treated females was similar at both sampling times, while a lower yield was recorded in week 3 following TEM treatment than in week 1.     

Construction of Equi-replicated Balanced Block Designs with Block Sizes Exceeding the Number of Treatments

In this note it is shown that the block design with incidence matrix Ñ = [NN… N], where N = c_1hN_h + c_oh (11′–N_h). c_oh and c_1h are any non-negative integers and N_h,h = 1, 2,…,p, are incidence matrices of balanced incomplete block designs with the same number of treatments t, is a balanced block design with the block sizes exceeding the number of treatments. In derivation the matrix M₀, introduced by CALIński (1971) is utilized.     

On the survival of a gene represented in a founder population

Gene survival in a population which increases without density dependence is considered using a generalization of the Moran model for haploid individuals. It is shown that situations where ultimate homozygosity is certain and where there is a non-zero probability of balanced polymorphism are both possible. Necessary and sufficient conditions in terms of the mean of the population growth distribution are given which determine which of these situations holds.     

Equi-replicated balanced block designs generated by a balanced matrix

In this paper it is shown that if N= \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop \sum \limits_{i = 1}^{S_h} $\end{document} c_ihN_ih, where c_ih are some non-negative integer numbers and N_ih are such incidence matrices that A_h = \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop \sum \limits_{i = 1}^{S_h} $\end{document} i N_ih is a balanced matrix defined by SHAH (1959), for h = 1, 2,…, p, then a block design with an incidence matrix Ñ = [N, N,…,N] is an equi-replicated balanced block design. Here the balance of a block design is defined in terms of the matrix M₀ introduced by CALI?SKI (1971).     

Isolation of Cancer Stem Cells From Human Prostate Cancer Samples

The cancer stem cell (CSC) model has been considerably revisited over the last two decades. During this time CSCs have been identified and directly isolated from human tissues and serially propagated in immunodeficient mice, typically through antibody labeling of subpopulations of cells and fractionation by flow cytometry. However, the unique clinical features of prostate cancer have considerably limited the study of prostate CSCs from fresh human tumor samples. We recently reported the isolation of prostate CSCs directly from human tissues by virtue of their HLA class I (HLAI)-negative phenotype. Prostate cancer cells are harvested from surgical specimens and mechanically dissociated. A cell suspension is generated and labeled with fluorescently conjugated HLAI and stromal antibodies. Subpopulations of HLAI-negative cells are finally isolated using a flow cytometer. The principal limitation of this protocol is the frequently microscopic and multifocal nature of primary cancer in prostatectomy specimens. Nonetheless, isolated live prostate CSCs are suitable for molecular characterization and functional validation by transplantation in immunodeficient mice.