Preliminary assessment of perchlorate in ecological receptors at the Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant (LHAAP), Karnack, Texas

There have been increasing human health and ecological concerns about ionic perchlorate (ClO₄) since it was detected in drinking water sources in 1997. Perchlorate is known to affect thyroid function, causing subsequent hormone disruption and potential perturbations of metabolic activities. According to current estimates, perchlorate is found in the surface or groundwater of 14 states, including Texas. Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant, located in east central Texas, was a facility historically associated with perchlorate-containing propellants and rocket motors. Subsequently, perchlorate contamination in ground and surface waters at the facility has been reported. Soil, sediment, water, vegetation, and animal tissue samples were collected from several locations within the plant for a preliminary site assessment of perchlorate contamination. Perchlorate concentrations ranged from 555–5,557,000ppb in vegetation, 811–2038ppb in aquatic insects, below detection limits (ND) to 207ppb in fish, ND-580ppb in frogs, and ND–2328ppb in mammals.Consistent with our hypothesis, aquatic organisms inhabiting perchlorate-contaminated surface water bodies contained detectable concentrations of perchlorate. Additionally, terrestrial organisms were exposed through pathways not necessarily related to contaminated surface waters. Therefore, these data demonstrate that aquatic and terrestrial species are exposed to perchlorate in the environment. To our knowledge, this represents the first incidence of perchlorate exposure among wild animals reported in the scientific literature.An erratum to this article can be found at     

岑王老山自然保护区药用植物资源分析

通过查阅相关文献,确定岑王老山自然保护区有药用植物186科666属1186种,并对保护区药用植物资源的特点进行了分析,提出了保护的建议和对策。     

松针提取物对高脂血症大鼠载脂蛋白的影响

目的探讨松针提取物对实验性高脂血症大鼠的预防作用及机制。方法清洁级近交系40日龄Wistar雄性大鼠40只,根据体重随机分成4组,每组10只：正常对照组饲喂基础饲料;高脂饲料对照组饲喂高脂饲料;松针提取物低、高剂量干预组饲喂高脂饲料,并分别给予50、150mg／kgBW松针提取物灌胃,另两组大鼠给予同体积生理盐水灌胃,连续用药10周。分别于实验前及实验的第5、10周末禁食12h后眶静脉取血,测定血清总胆固醇（TC）、甘油三酯（TG）、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL—C）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL—C）、载脂蛋白B（ApoB）、载脂蛋白A—I（ApoA—I）,末次取血后将实验大鼠处死,取主动脉及肝脏组织作形态学检查。结果与高脂对照组比较,高剂量松针提取物干预组TC、TG、LDL—C、ApoB、ApoB／ApoA—I显著降低（P〈0．01）,HDL—C、ApoA—I显著升高（P〈0．05）。与高脂对照组比较,松针提取物组干预组大鼠肝脂肪空泡明显缩小,动脉斑块缩小,两干预组相比,高剂量松针提取物干预组效果更明显（P〈0．05）。结论松针提取物具有降低ApoB、ApoB／ApoA—I,阻止动脉硬化早期主动脉粥样硬化发展的作用。原花青素是发挥此作用的主要物质。     

火焰原子吸收光谱法测定猪血提取物中铁的含量

目的：建立火焰原子吸收光谱法测定猪血提取物中铁含量,为制订科学合理的猪血提取物的质量标准提供依据。方法：样品经过湿法消解,采用火焰原子吸收光谱法测定铁含量。结果：铁在0~2.5μg/ml浓度范围内线性关系良好,r=0.9998;方法检出限低,精密度高,重现性好,平均回收率为103.5%（n=9）;RSD为4.1%。结论：该方法准确、灵敏,可用于测定猪血提取物中铁的含量。     

栽培与野生羌活中4种化合物含量及抗炎作用比较

目的:比较栽培与野生羌活中4种化合物含量以及抗炎作用。方法:应用高效液相色谱(HPLC)法测定栽培与野生羌活中羌活醇、异欧前胡素、阿魏酸、佛手柑内酯的含量。复制二甲苯致小鼠耳廓肿胀模型和角叉菜胶致大鼠足跖肿胀模型,观察栽培与野生羌活水提液与醇提液对炎症模型动物肿胀度的影响。结果:栽培羌活所含4种成分含量大多高于野生羌活。野生羌活(班玛、壤塘、康定、西宁)、栽培羌活(岷县、渭源)水提液可显著抑制二甲苯致小鼠耳廓肿胀,其中栽培羌活(渭源)水提液效果最好;野生羌活(班玛、阿坝、壤塘、康定、西宁)醇提液、栽培羌活(岷县、渭源)醇提液可显著抑制角叉菜胶致大鼠足跖肿胀,其中栽培羌活(岷县)醇提液效果最好。结论:栽培羌活在化学成分含量及抗炎效果方面均等同于或强于野生品。     

祁州漏芦不同溶剂提取物对急性肝损伤模型小鼠的保护作用

目的:研究祁州漏芦(以下简称"漏芦")不同溶剂提取物对急性肝损伤模型小鼠的保护作用。方法:60只KM种小鼠随机分为正常对照(等容生理盐水)组、模型(等容生理盐水)组、联苯双酯(100 mg/kg)组、漏芦乙醇粗提物(200 mg/kg)组、漏芦正丁醇提取物(200 mg/kg)组和漏芦水提取物(200 mg/kg)组。灌胃给药,每天1次,连续7 d。末次给药1 h后,一次性腹腔注射300 mg/kg对乙酰氨基酚(APAP)以复制小鼠急性肝损伤模型。比色法检测小鼠血清丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、碱性磷酸酶(ALP)、白蛋白(ALB),肝匀浆丙二醛(MDA)、还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GPx)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶(GST),肝线粒体Na+-K+-ATP酶(Na+-K+-ATPase)、Ca2+-Mg2+-ATP酶(Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase)水平。结果:与正常对照组比较,模型组小鼠血清ALT、AST和ALP活性增强,ALB含量降低;肝组织MDA含量增加,CAT、GPx、SOD、GST活性减弱,GSH含量减少;肝线粒体Na+-K+-ATPase和Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase活性减弱,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。与模型组比较,漏芦乙醇粗提物组小鼠血清ALT、AST活性减弱,ALB含量增加,肝匀浆MDA含量减少,GSH含量增加,CAT、GPx、SOD、GST活性增强,肝线粒体Na+-K+-ATPase和Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase活性增强,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);漏芦正丁醇提取物组小鼠血清ALT、AST、ALP活性减弱,ALB含量增加,肝匀浆MDA含量减少,GSH含量增加,CAT、GPx、SOD、GST活性增强,肝线粒体Na+-K+-ATPase和Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase活性增强,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);漏芦水提取物组小鼠血清ALT、AST活性减弱,ALB含量增加,肝匀浆MDA含量减少,GSH含量增加,GPx、GST活性增强,肝线粒体Na+-K+-ATPase和Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase活性增强,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:漏芦不同溶剂提取物对APAP致小鼠急性肝损伤具有保护作用,其机制可能与其抗氧化作用有关。     

Phase I clinical trial of O-acetylated pectin conjugate,a plant polysaccharide based typhoid vaccine

Background

Typhoid fever remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the developing countries. Vi capsular polysaccharide conjugate vaccine demonstrated safety and efficacy in young children in high endemic regions. A novel typhoid conjugate vaccine based on plant polysaccharide pectin was studied in a phase I trial.

Methods

Fruit pectin, having the same carbohydrate backbone structure as Vi, was purified from citrus peel and used as the polysaccharide source to prepare a semi-synthetic typhoid conjugate vaccine. Pectin was chemically O-acetylated (OAcPec) to antigenically resemble Vi and conjugated to carrier protein rEPA, a recombinant exoprotein A from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 25 healthy volunteers, 18–45 years old, were injected once with OAcPec-rEPA. Safety and IgG antibodies reactive with Vi and pectin were analyzed.

Results

No vaccine associated serious adverse reaction was reported. Six weeks after the injection of OAcPec-rEPA, 64% of the volunteers elicited >4-fold rise of anti-Vi IgG. At 26 weeks the level declined, but the difference between the levels at 6 and 26 weeks are not statistically significant. There is a direct correlation between the level of anti-Vi IgG before and after the injection (R² = 0.96). The anti-Vi IgG can be absorbed by Vi, but not by pectin. There was no corresponding increase of anti-pectin after the injection, indicating the antibody response to OAcPec-rEPA was specific to Vi. There is no Vi-rEPA data in US adults for comparison of immune responses. The OAcPec-rEPA elicited significantly less IgG anti-Vi in US adults than those by Vi-rEPA in Vietnamese adults.

Conclusion

The O-acetylated pectin conjugate, a plant based typhoid vaccine, is safe and immunogenic in adult volunteers.ClinicalTrial.gov identifier: NCT00277147, NIH Protocol ID number: OH06-CH-0070, FDA BB Investigation New Drug (IND) number 6989.     

核电站事故的公众防护行动

随着核能发展不断推进,居住在核电站周围的公众数量越来越多,但是他们普遍缺乏对核辐射的基础知识,对核事故的防护行动也知之甚少。而及时、正确的防护行动可以将核电站事故对公众的健康危害降到最低。本文介绍了核电站事故后,公众的防护行动：隐蔽、体表污染去污、撤离、服用稳定性碘、食品和饮用水控制、个人防护措施、宠物照料、心理援助等,以指导公众在事故后开展正确的自救与互救,提高公众对核电站事故的应急响应能力。     

Comparative study of the insecticidal activity of a high green plant (Spinacia oleracea) and a chlorophytae algae (Ulva lactuca) extracts against Drosophila melanogaster fruit fly

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