Protective effects of Terminalia arjuna against Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity

Terminalia arjuna has been marked as a potential cardioprotective agent since vedic period. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of butanolic fraction of Terminalia arjuna bark (TA-05) on Doxorubicin (Dox)-induced cardiotoxicity. Male wistar rats were used as in vivo model for the study. TA-05 was administered orally to Wistar rats at different doses (0.42 mg/kg, 0.85 mg/kg, 1.7 mg/kg, 3.4 mg/kg and 6.8 mg/kg) for 6 days/week for 4 weeks. Thereafter, all the animals except saline and TA-05-treated controls were administered 20 mg/kg Dox intraperitonially. There was a significant decrease in myocardial superoxide dismutase (38.94%) and reduced glutathione (23.84%) in animals treated with Dox. Concurrently marked increase in serum creatine kinase-MB (CKMB) activity (48.11%) as well as increase in extent of lipid peroxidation (2.55-fold) was reported. Co-treatment of TA-05 and Dox resulted in an increase in the cardiac antioxidant enzymes, decrease in serum CKMB levels and reduction in lipid peroxidation as compared to Dox-treated animals. Electron microscopic studies in Dox-treated animals revealed mitochondrial swelling, Z-band disarray, focal dilatation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) and lipid inclusions, whereas the concurrent administration of TA-05 led to a lesser degree of Dox-induced histological alterations. These findings suggest that butanolic fraction of Terminalia arjuna bark has protective effects against Dox-induced cardiotoxicity and may have potential as a cardioprotective agent.     

Temporal effect of Guanxin No. 2 on cardiac function, blood viscosity and angiogenesis in rats after long-term occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery

AIM: Cardiac infarction is one of the main causes of death in both developing and developed countries over past decades. Currently available approaches for treating patients with this disease are not satisfactory. Traditional Chinese medicines have been increasingly paid attention to. The aim of this study was to characterize the dynamic protective effects of Guanxin No. 2 decoction (GX II) on cardiac dysfunction combined with the blood viscosity and myocardial hypertrophy parameters in myocardial infarction (MI) rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (180-200 g) were randomly divided into three groups: sham-operated, coronary artery ligation (CAL), and CAL plus GX II (GX II, 10.0 g raw materials/kg/d, bid, p.o.). The experiment was carried out at 4 time points as the 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 28th day after ligation. RESULT: It was found that on the one hand, GX II could significantly improve the heart function, and remarkably decrease infarct size and inhibit ventricular remodeling. On the other hand, GX II showed some unique effects such as angiogenesis which was induced in the left ventricular tissue. This result was consistent with the finding of an augmented vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in this area. CONCLUSIONS: The studies demonstrated that GX II exerted extensively beneficial cardioprotective effect on CAL rats, it might stimulate angiogenesis of ischemic region to compensate blood supply to the heart via upregulated VEGF expression.     

DNA条形码技术在生物分类中的应用

DNA条形码技术是通过使用DNA序列对物种进行快速、准确识别的技术。目前在动物分类中最常使用的基因序列是线粒体细胞色素C氧化酶Ⅰ亚基（mtCOⅠ）。该技术的出现可以为研究物种的进化规律、遗传变异、系统发育以及生物多样性等提供理论依据。为了让更多非生物分类学研究者了解并将其应用于更多的领域,本文概述了DNA条形码技术的工作流程、技术特点以及在生物分类中的应用和对未来的展望。     

五子衍宗丸含药血清对活性氧致大鼠精子活力下降的保护作用

目的观察五子衍宗丸含药血清对活性氧致大鼠精子活力下降的保护作用。方法收集8只SD大鼠附睾精子,将精子分为正常组、活性氧组、五子衍宗丸含药血清低剂量组、五子衍宗丸含药血清中剂量组、五子衍宗丸含药血清高剂量组、维生素C组,除正常组外,各组均与活性氧体外共孵育,其中五子衍宗丸含药血清低、中、高剂量组和维生素C组分别同时加入相应血清和维生素C,30min后取精子,采用计算机辅助精子分析系统观察精子运动参数的变化。结果五子衍宗丸含药血清低、中、高剂量组精子活力、精子活率、直线运动速度(VSL)、平均路径速度(VAP)、曲线运动速度(VCL)与活性氧组比较显著升高(P<0.05),但仍显著低于正常组和维生素C组(P<0.05)。结论五子衍宗丸含药血清对活性氧造成的精子活力下降具有一定的保护作用。     

α_1—抗胰蛋白酶异质体的测量新方法及其临床意义的探讨

本文对a_1-抗胰蛋白酶异质体的检测方法(小扁豆凝集素亲合交叉免疫电泳法)进行改进。改进后的方法操作流程短、成本低、结果清晰、操作简便、不需预测a_1-抗胰蛋白酶总浓度,适合于临床广泛应用。本文用该法对原发性肝癌、转移性肝癌,其它器官癌肿、肝硬化及正常人血清中的a_1-抗胰蛋白酶异质体进行分析,发现小扁豆凝集素结合型a_1-抗胰蛋白酶百分比(LCA-R-AAT％)原发性肝癌组明显高于其它各组,以LCA-R-AAT(％)>25％为阳性标准,则原发性肝癌诊断的敏感性、特异性、准确性分别为80.6％、86.2％和84.3％,与小扁豆凝集素结合型甲胎蛋白联合检测,可使原发性肝癌诊断的敏感性提高至100％(P<0.05),特异性和准确性分别为82.8％和89.9％(P均>0.05),表明LCA-R-AAT(％)的检测对原发性肝癌的诊断及鉴别诊断有一定的价值。     

弱精子症患者和健康男性精浆中超氧化物歧化酶与丙二醛测定及其临床意义

目的：观察在精子活动力低下和正常的人精浆中超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）及丙二醛（MDA）的含量变化,探讨活性氧自由基在弱精子症发生中的作用。方法：收集加例A、B级精子低于20％的弱精子症患者（实验组）和30例精子活力正常健康成年男性（对照组）的精液,采用黄嘌呤氧化法、比色法测定精浆中SOD活性和过氧化脂质降解产物MDA含量变化。结果：与正常组比较。弱精子症患者精液中SOD活性明显降低,MDA明显升高。结论：弱精子症的发生可能与活性氧自由基增多有关。提高机体的抗氧化能力可能有助于改善精子的功能。     

蒙古高原鼠种及地理分布

目的掌握蒙古高原范围内鼠种及地理分布情况,为鼠类监测及相关鼠传疾病的防治提供基础信息。方法搜集蒙古高原范围内公开发表的刊物和书刊相关材料,以及既往鼠类调查资料,进行整理、汇总、核对、补充和完善。结果跨中国、蒙古国、俄罗斯三国的蒙古高原范围内发现啮齿动物85种;其中,中国内蒙古自治区境内报道59种,蒙古国境内52种,俄罗斯西伯利亚地区67种;已发现染疫过的啮齿动物34种,中国内蒙古自治区境内报道27种,蒙古国境内14种,俄罗斯西伯利亚地区9种。结论跨中国、蒙古国、俄罗斯三国的蒙古高原分布鼠种多,染疫鼠种也多,具有传播鼠疫的风险,今后在疫源地的监测和宿主动物的检疫工作中应有足够的重视。     

广西边境口岸鼠类本底调查及探讨

目的 全面掌握中越边境口岸鼠类的种类和组成,为口岸鼠类科学管理提供基础资料.方法 采用夹夜法和笼夜法捕获鼠类.结果 东兴口岸捕获鼠类4种498只,凭祥口岸捕获14种756只,水口口岸捕获6种75只,龙邦口岸捕获8种173只,褐家鼠为各口岸的优势鼠种.结论 褐家鼠是各口岸重点监测和控制的对象.     

Novel Bacteriophage Specific against Staphylococcus epidermidis and with Antibiofilm Activity

Staphylococcus epidermidis has emerged as the most important pathogen in infections related to indwelling medical devices, and although these infections are not life-threatening, their frequency and the fact that they are extremely difficult to treat represent a serious burden on the public health system. Treatment is complicated by specific antibiotic resistance genes and the formation of biofilms. Hence, novel therapeutic strategies are needed to fight these infections. A novel bacteriophage CUB-EPI_14 specific to the bacterial species S. epidermidis was isolated from sewage and characterized genomically and phenotypically. Its genome contains a total of 46,098 bp and 63 predicted genes, among which some have been associated with packaging and lysis-associated proteins, structural proteins, or DNA- and metabolism-associated proteins. No lysogeny-associated proteins or known virulence proteins were identified in the phage genome. CUB-EPI_14 showed stability over a wide range of temperatures (from −20 °C to 50 °C) and pH values (pH 3–pH 12) and a narrow host range against S. epidermidis. Potent antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities were observed when the phage was tested against a highly susceptible bacterial isolate. These encouraging results open the door to new therapeutic opportunities in the fight against resilient biofilm-associated infections caused by S. epidermidis.