Procedures for rat in situ skeletal muscle contractile properties

There are many circumstances where it is desirable to obtain the contractile response of skeletal muscle under physiological circumstances: normal circulation, intact whole muscle, at body temperature. This includes the study of contractile responses like posttetanic potentiation, staircase and fatigue. Furthermore, the consequences of disease, disuse, injury, training and drug treatment can be of interest. This video demonstrates appropriate procedures to set up and use this valuable muscle preparation. To set up this preparation, the animal must be anesthetized, and the medial gastrocnemius muscle is surgically isolated, with the origin intact. Care must be taken to maintain the blood and nerve supplies. A long section of the sciatic nerve is cleared of connective tissue, and severed proximally. All branches of the distal stump that do not innervate the medial gastrocnemius muscle are severed. The distal nerve stump is inserted into a cuff lined with stainless steel stimulating wires. The calcaneus is severed, leaving a small piece of bone still attached to the Achilles tendon. Sonometric crystals and/or electrodes for electromyography can be inserted. Immobilization by metal probes in the femur and tibia prevents movement of the muscle origin. The Achilles tendon is attached to the force transducer and the loosened skin is pulled up at the sides to form a container that is filled with warmed paraffin oil. The oil distributes heat evenly and minimizes evaporative heat loss. A heat lamp is directed on the muscle, and the muscle and rat are allowed to warm up to 37°C. While it is warming, maximal voltage and optimal length can be determined. These are important initial conditions for any experiment on intact whole muscle. The experiment may include determination of standard contractile properties, like the force-frequency relationship, force-length relationship, and force-velocity relationship. With care in surgical isolation, immobilization of the origin of the muscle and alignment of the muscle-tendon unit with the force transducer, and proper data analysis, high quality measurements can be obtained with this muscle preparation.     

人高迁移率族蛋白B1，高迁移率族蛋白B1 A box和B box的原核表达、 纯化及高迁移率族蛋白B1多克隆抗血清的制备

目的:获取重组人高迁移率族蛋白B1(HMGB1),HMGB1Abox和Bbox的纯化蛋白,制备HMGB1的多克隆抗血清。方法:采用PCR方法扩增人HMGB1,HMGB1的Abox和Bbox目的基因片段,构建原核表达载体,进行原核表达与蛋白纯化,然后用HMGB1免疫新西兰大白兔,制备多克隆抗血清。采用ELISA检测抗血清效价,用免疫组化检测HMGB1在小鼠肝损伤组织中的表达。结果:成功构建了人HMGB1,HMGB1的Abox和Bbox原核表达载体pET28-HMGB1、pET28-Abox、pET28-Bbox,在E.coli BL21中表达,镍亲和层析柱提纯,获取纯净目的蛋白。HMGB1免疫新西兰大白兔后,抗血清效价为1:2,000,000,具有高度特异性。免疫组化显示小鼠坏死肝组织HMGB1表达增加。结论:本研究获得了人HMGB1以及HMGB1的Abox和Bbox的纯化蛋白,制备了人HMGB1的多克隆抗血清,为HMGB1的结构、组织表达谱及其功能的研究奠定了基础。     

Glucansucrases: mechanism of action and structure-function relationships

Glucansucrases are produced principally by Leuconostoc mesenteroides and oral Streptococcus species, but also by the lactic acid bacteria (Lactococci, Lactobacilli). They catalyse the synthesis of high molecular weight D-glucose polymers, named glucans, from sucrose. In the presence of efficient acceptors, they catalyse the synthesis of low molecular weight oligosaccharides. Glucosidic bond synthesis occurs without the mediation of nucleotide activated sugars and cofactors are not necessary. Glucansucrases have an industrial value because of the production of dextrans and oligosaccharides and a biological importance by their key role in the cariogenic process. They were identified more than 50 years ago. The first glucansucrase encoding gene was cloned more than 10 years ago. But the mechanism of their action remains incompletely understood. However, in order to synthesise oligosaccharides of biological interest or to develop vaccines against dental caries, elucidation of the factors determining the regiospecificity and the regioselectivity of glucansucrases is necessary. The cloning of glucansucrase encoding genes in addition to structure-function relationship studies have allowed the identification of important amino acid residues and have shown that glucansucrases are composed of two functional domains: a core region (ca. 1000 amino acids) involved in sucrose binding and splitting and a C-terminal domain (ca. 500 amino acids) composed of a series of tandem repeats involved in glucan binding. Enzymology studies have enabled different models for their action mechanism to be proposed. The use of secondary structure prediction has led to a clearer knowledge of structure-function relationships of glucansucrases. However, mainly due to the large size of these enzymes, data on the three-dimensional structure of glucansucrases (given by crystallography and modelling) remain necessary to clearly identify those features which determine function.     

微生态制剂在早期结直肠癌根治术后的作用

目的 探讨微生态制剂在早期结直肠癌(CRC)根治术后的作用,并为此类患者提供一种术后康复支持疗法。 方法 选取2017年6月-2019年6月于本院接受早期CRC根治术术后97例患者作为研究对象,采用随机数字表分为观察组50例和对照组47例。两组术后均接受常规治疗,观察组在对照组基础上接受双歧杆菌三联活菌胶囊治疗,比较两组治疗前后细胞免疫指标、肠道微生态复杂度及属水平相对丰度、肠道菌群OTU数量、肠道黏膜屏障功能。 结果 治疗后观察组NK细胞、CD3+T、CD4+T、CD4+/CD8+T均提高(P+T治疗前后相近(P>0.05);治疗后对照组上述指标与治疗前差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05),观察组NK细胞、CD3+T、CD4+T、CD4+/CD8+T均高于对照组(P0.05);治疗后观察组Chao1指数、Shannon指数、肠道菌群OTU数量均高于对照组(P结论 微生态制剂可有效改善早期CRC患者根治术后的细胞免疫水平,有效纠正早期CRC术后患者肠道菌群失调,增强早期CRC根治术后患者肠黏膜屏障功能。     

银杏叶的研究开发概况

本文对银杏叶的化学、药理、临床和制剂等进行了综述。     

An optimized protocol for the production of high purity maltose

An economical protocol, which is simple, rapid and reproducible for the production of maltose by enzymatic hydrolysis of tapioca starch, has been optimized. The protocol involves liquefaction of 35% (w/w) tapioca starch by bacterial -amylase at 78±2°C to 3 to 5% (w/w) reducing sugars, followed by maximal (85±3% w/w maltose equivalent) saccharification with barley -amylase and pullulanase at 50°C for 24 to 30 h. The post-saccharification recovery protocol comprised decolourization by charcoal, de-dextrinization by denatured spirit precipitation, de-ionization by passage through cation and anion exchangers and dehydration by vacuum drying. A white crystalline maltose powder was obtained with specifications comparable to commercial high purity maltose. The protocol yields at least 60% (w/w) recovery of maltose and is suitable for use by the pharmaceutical industry. The protocol is unique in that it utilizes cheap and easily hydrolysed tapioca starch, leaves no mother liquor, enabling higher recovery of maltose, and allows almost quantitative recovery of limit maltodextrins, a value-added marketable by-product.     

抑咽侧体素基因在大猿叶虫生殖滞育准备中的功能分析

[目的]本研究旨在明确大猿叶虫Colaphellus bowringi促咽侧体素(allatotropin,AT)和抑咽侧体素(allatostatin,AST)基因的分子特征,分析其在该虫生殖和滞育过程中的表达差异,并探究其在大猿叶虫生殖滞育准备中的功能.[方法]利用前期建立的大猿叶虫转录组数据库,鉴定大猿叶虫CbA...     

Collection fluid helps preservation in voided urine cytology

Objectives:  Degenerative change caused by delay in processing contributes to false-negative and false-positive diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma in cytology. The aim of the study was to see if the use of a collection fluid for urine samples made a significant difference to urine cytology diagnosis, and if one was better suited for routine use in the hospital laboratory. Three cell collection fluids were evaluated by analysing the preservation and degeneration of cells in urine samples, as was the routine preparation which did not use a collection fluid.
Methods:  In the design study 50 voided urine specimens were taken at random from the hospital haematuria clinic. Three commercially available collection fluids cytolyt^TM, cytospin^® and cytoRich^®Blue and the hospital's routine conventional preparation of urine were compared. The degree of degeneration, and so preservation, was assessed by a table of chosen criteria; then ranked and analysed by Friedman's nonparametric test, at P  = 0.05. A second table showing the cell content of each slide was also made.
Results:  These showed no significant diagnostic difference between the collection fluids, but there was a significant difference between the collection fluids and the routine preparation. Minor differences that do not affect diagnosis, such as crystals and ghost red blood cells, were noted in cytospin^® and cytoRich^®Blue.
Conclusion:  It is recommended that a collection fluid is used. This choice should be made after health and safety issues and cost are considered.     

Polyclonal antibody against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Manduca sexta</Emphasis> chitinase and detection of chitinase expressed in transgenic cotton

The chitinase gene of Manduca sexta was cloned into the expression vector, pET-28a, and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) host cells. The protein product was expressed in inclusion bodies. After denaturation and renaturation procedures using a Ni²⁺-NTA affinity chromatography column, soluble chitinase was obtained. The authenticity of the renatured protein was confirmed by Western blotting. Polyclonal antibodies to the purified protein were raised in rabbits. The antibody reacted specifically with the expressed chitinase and was used to quantify its presence in transgenic cotton being developed to resist attack by various insects.Revisions requested 24 September 2004; Revisions received 18 November 2004     

Preparation of new amino acid complex nanoparticles of bismuth and leucine

Summary. The new amino acid complex nanoparticles of bismuth and leucine can be prepared very easily by a room temperature solid–solid reaction. The various characterizations indicate that the formula of the complex is BiCl[(CH₃)₂CHCH₂CHNH₂COO]₂1.5H₂O. The crystal structure of the solid complex belongs to monoclinic system with the lattice parameters: a = 1.6036 nm, b = 1.9903 nm, c = 2.1979 nm and β=108.06°. The new solid complex is nanoparticles with average size about 80 nm.