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Essential oil of Actinidia macrosperma, a catnip response kiwi endemic to China
ZHAO Yun-peng, WANG Xiao-yun, WANG Zhi-can, LU Yin, FU Cheng-xin, CHEN Shao-yuan
Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE B (Biomedicine & Biotechnology), 2006, 7(9 ): 6-.
https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2006.B0708
Objective: To identify compounds that may be responsible for catnip response of Actinidia macrosperma, and compare chemical compositions in the wild and in vitro regenerated plants. Methods: GC-MS and relative retention indices with n-alkanes as reference points were used for compound identification, and component relative percentage was calculated based on GC peak areas without using correction factors. Results: There are 28 compounds (92.72%) and 15 compounds (93.88%) identified in the essential oils from the wild and regenerated plants, respectively. Dihydronepetalactone, iridomyrmecin, and dihydroactinidiolide, which are believed to be attractive to felines, are present in both wild and regenerated plants. Actinine was not detected, and beta-pheylethyl alcohol was only present in wild plant. In addition, short-chain enol derivatives, messengers in chemical communication, are commonly present in wild plant of A. macrosperma, but absent in regenerated one. Conclusion: Dihydronepetalactone, iridomyrmecin, and dihydroactinidiolide are responsible for the catnip response of A. macrosperma.
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Carvedilol protected diabetic rat hearts via reducing oxidative stress
HUANG He, SHAN Jiang, PAN Xiao-hong, WANG Hui-ping, QIAN Ling-bo
Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE B (Biomedicine & Biotechnology), 2006, 7(9 ): 9-.
https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2006.B0725
Oxidative stress plays a dominant role in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. Bcl-2 gene has close connection with antioxidant stress destruction in many diseases including diabetes. Carvedilol, an adrenoceptor blocker, also has antioxidant properties. To study the effect of carvedilol on the antioxidant status in diabetic hearts, we investigated carvedilol-administrated healthy and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. After small and large dosage carvedilol-administered for 5 weeks, hemodynamic parameters, the levels of malondialdehyde, activities of antioxidant enzymes and expression of Bcl-2 mRNA in the cardiac tissues were measured. The diabetic rats not only had cardiac disfunction, weaker activities of antioxidant enzymes, but also showed lower expression of Bcl-2. Carvedilol treatment increased activities of antioxidant enzymes and expression of Bcl-2 in healthy rats as well as diabetic rats. These results indicated that carvedilol partly improves cardiac function via its antioxidant properties in diabetic rats.
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Non-occupational lead exposure and hypertension in Pakistani adults
RAHMAN Sohaila, KHALID Nasir, ZAIDI Jamshed Hussain, AHMAD Shujaat, IQBAL Mohammad Zafar
Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE B (Biomedicine & Biotechnology), 2006, 7(9 ): 10-.
https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2006.B0732
Hypertension is one of the most prevalent diseases in the developed and developing countries. Based on the long historical association and the provocative findings of blood pressure effects at low level of lead exposure a study was carried out to determine if an association existed between low blood lead concentration and hypertension. In this study the effects of low-level exposure to lead on blood pressure were examined among 244 adults using atomic absorption spectrometer. For quality assurance purpose certified reference materials i.e., Animal blood A-13, Bovine liver 1577 and cotton cellulose V-9 from IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and NIST (National Institute of Standard Technology) were analyzed under identical experimental conditions. The mean age of hypertensive adults was 52 years (range 43~66). The mean values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were (209±11.7) (range 170~250) and (117±3.9) (range 105~140) mmHg respectively. Blood lead concentration ranged from 78~201 µg/L with a mean of 139 µg/L and 165~497 µg/L with a mean of 255 µg/L in normal and hypertensive adults respectively. Increase in systolic blood pressure was significantly predictive with increase in blood lead levels. Body mass index (BMI) and lipid profile including total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride correlated with blood pressure.
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Dynamics of vascular volume and hemodilution of lactated Ringer’s solution in patients during induction of general and epidural anesthesia
LI Yu-hong, LOU Xian-feng, BAO Fang-ping
Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE B (Biomedicine & Biotechnology), 2006, 7(9 ): 11-.
https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2006.B0738
Objective: To investigate the dynamics of vascular volume and the plasma dilution of lactated Ringer’s solution in patients during the induction of general and epidural anesthesia. Methods: The hemodilution of i.v. infusion of 1000 ml of lactated Ringer’s solution over 60 min was studied in patients undergoing general (n=31) and epidural (n=22) anesthesia. Heart rate, arterial blood pressure and hemoglobin (Hb) concentration were measured every 5 min during the study. Surgery was not started until the study period had been completed. Results: General anesthesia caused the greater decrease of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) (mean 15% versus 9%; P<0.01) and thereby followed by a more pronounced plasma dilution, blood volume expansion (VE) and blood volume expansion efficiency (VEE). A strong linear correlation between hemodilution and the reduction in MAP (r=−0.50; P<0.01) was found. At the end of infusion, patients undergoing general anesthesia retained 47% (SD 19%) of the infused fluid in the circulation, while epidural anesthesia retained 29% (SD 13%) (P<0.001). Correspondingly, a fewer urine output (mean 89 ml versus 156 ml; P<0.05) and extravascular expansion (454 ml versus 551 ml; P<0.05) were found during general anesthesia. Conclusion: We concluded that the induction of general anesthesia caused more hemodilution, volume expansion and volume expansion efficiency than epidural anesthesia, which was triggered only by the lower MAP.
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Surveillance of viral contamination of invasive medical instruments in dentistry
ZHOU Linfu, ZHU Hai-hong, LIN Jun, HU Minjun, CHEN Feng, CHEN Zhi
Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE B (Biomedicine & Biotechnology), 2006, 7(9 ): 12-.
https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2006.B0745
Objective: To investigate the viral contamination of invasive medical instruments in dentistry and to provide health administrative institutions with surveillance data. Methods: Sterilized samples were randomly collected from the department of dentistry to detect HBV-DNA, HCV-RNA, HIV-RNA and HBsAg. Results: Of the invasive medical instruments that were sterilized with 2% glutaraldehyde, one of the samples was positive for HBV-DNA, and another sample was positive for HBsAg. Conclusion: Though massive virus contamination of invasive medical instruments in dentistry has been reduced to a low level, the occurrence of contamination still remains.
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Effects of levobupivacaine and bupivacaine on rat myometrium
LI Zi-gang, ZHOU Liang, TANG Hui-fang
Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE B (Biomedicine & Biotechnology), 2006, 7(9 ): 14-.
https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2006.B0757
Objective: To study the effect of levobupivacaine and bupivacaine on the contractility of isolated uterine muscle strips from pregnant and non-pregnant female rats. Methods: Full-thick myometrial strips were prepared from 18- to 21-day pregnant (n=8) and non-pregnant rats (n=7). After contractions became regular, strips were exposed to cumulative concentrations of the two drugs from 10−8 to 10−4 mol/L, amplitude and frequency of the uterine contraction was recorded. Results: Two local anesthetics caused a concentration dependent inhibition on contractility of myometrial strips from pregnant and non-pregnant rats. In the myometrium from non-pregnant rats, −logIC50 of levobupivacaine and bupivacaine were 4.85 and 4.25 respectively. In the myometrium from pregnant rats, similar concentrations of levobupivacaine and bupivacaine were observed, −logIC50 were 2.7 and 2.9 respectively. Levobupivacaine produced an increase in amplitude of contractions, while bupivacaine showed an increased trend in frequency. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that levobupivacaine and bupivacaine may inhibit myometrium contractility. The inhibitory effect of levobupivacaine or bupivacaine is not enhanced by gestation in rat. Levobupivacaine may have more positive influence than bupivacaine in pregnant myometrium.
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Effect of selected fungi on the reduction of gossypol levels and nutritional value during solid substrate fermentation of cottonseed meal
ZHANG Wen-ju, XU Zi-rong, SUN Jian-yi, YANG Xia
Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE B (Biomedicine & Biotechnology), 2006, 7(9): 690-695.
https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2006.B0690
The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of six individual strains of fungi on the reduction of gossypol levels and nutritional value during solid substrate fermentation of cottonseed meal (CSM). Six groups of disinfected CSM substrate were incubated for 48 h after inoculation with either of the fungi C. capsuligena ZD-1, C. tropicalis ZD-3, S. cerevisae ZD-5, A. terricola ZD-6, A. oryzae ZD-7, or A. niger ZD-8. One not inoculated group (substrate) was used as a control. Levels of initial and final free gossypol (FG), crude protein (CP), amino acids (AA) and in vitro digestibility were assayed. The experiment was done in triplicate. The experimental results indicated that microbial fermentation could greatly decrease (P<0.05) FG levels in CSM. The detoxification efficiency differed between the species of microorganisms applied. From the perspective of reducing CSM potential toxicity, C. tropicalis ZD-3 was most successful followed by S. cerevisae ZD-5 and A. niger ZD-8. They could reduce FG levels of CSM to 29.8, 63.07 and 81.50 mg/kg based on DM (dry matter), respectively, and their detoxification rates were 94.57%, 88.51% and 85.16%, respectively. If crude protein, amino acids content and their in vitro digestibility were also taken into account, A. niger ZD-8 may be the best choice. The CP content of CSM substrate fermented by C. tropicalis ZD-3 and A. niger ZD-8 were improved by 10.76% and 22.24%; the TAA (total amino acids) contents were increased by 7.06% and 11.46%, and the EAA (essential amino acids) were raised by 7.77% and 12.64%, respectively. Especially, the levels of methionine, lysine and threonine were improved greatly (P<0.05). The in vitro CP digestibility of CSM fermented by C. tropicalis ZD-3 and A. niger ZD-8 was improved by 13.42% and 18.22%, the TAA were increased by 17.75% and 22.88%, and the EAA by 16.61% and 21.01%, respectively. In addition, the in vitro digestibility of methionine, lysine and threonine was also improved greatly (P<0.05).
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Yield and quality responses of citrus (Citrus reticulate) and tea (Podocarpus fleuryi Hickel.) to compound fertilizers
WANG Rui, SHI Xue-gen, WEI You-zhang, YANG Xiao-e, UOTI Juhani
Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE B (Biomedicine & Biotechnology), 2006, 7(9): 696-701.
https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2006.B0696
Experiments were carried out with citrus (Citrus reticulate) and tea (Podocarpus fleuryi Hickel.) to study the effects of compound fertilizers on their yields and quality. In the citrus experiment, application of compound fertilizers increased available P, K and Mg contents in soil but decreased alkali-hydrolyzable N contents in soil and N, P and K contents in leaves. In the tea experiment, application of compound fertilizers increased available P, K and Mg contents in soil and N, P, K and Mg contents in leaves but decreased alkali-hydrolyzable N in soil compared with the urea treatment. Application of compound fertilizers could improve the quality of citrus and tea, increase their yields and enhance their economical profits significantly. Compared with the control, application of compound fertilizers increased citrus yields by 6.31, 12.94 and 17.69 t/ha, and those of tea by 0.51, 0.86 and 1.30 t/ha, respectively. Correspondingly, profits were increased by 21.4% to 61.1% for citrus and by 10.0% to 15.7% for tea. Optimal rates of compound fertilizers were recommended for both crops.
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Edaravone protects PC12 cells from ischemic-like injury via attenuating the damage to mitochondria
SONG Ying, LI Meng, LI Ji-cheng, WEI Er-qing
Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE B (Biomedicine & Biotechnology), 2006, 7(9): 749-756.
https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2006.B0749
Background: Edaravone had been validated to effectively protect against ischemic injuries. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of edaravone by observing the effects on anti-apoptosis, regulation of Bcl-2/Bax protein expression and recovering from damage to mitochondria after OGD (oxygen-glucose deprivation)-reperfusion. Methods: Viability of PC12 cells which were injured at different time of OGD injury, was quantified by measuring MTT (2-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) staining. In addition, PC12 cells’ viability was also quantified after their preincubation in different concentration of edaravone for 30 min followed by (OGD). Furthermore, apoptotic population of PC12 cells that reinsulted from OGD-reperfusion with or without preincubation with edaravone was determined by flow cytometer analysis, electron microscope and Hoechst/PI staining. Finally, change of Bcl-2/Bax protein expression was detected by Western blot. Results: (1) The viability of PC12 cells decreased with time (1~12 h) after OGD. We regarded the model of OGD 2 h, then replacing DMEM (Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium) for another 24 h as an OGD-reperfusion in this research. Furthermore, most PC12 cells were in the state of apoptosis after OGD-reperfusion. (2) The viability of PC12 cells preincubated with edaravone at high concentrations (1, 0.1, 0.01 μmol/L) increased significantly with edaravone protecting PC12 cells from apoptosis after OGD-reperfusion injury. (3) Furthermore, edaravone attenuates the damage of OGD-reperfusion on mitochondria and regulated Bcl-2/Bax protein imbalance expression after OGD-reperfusion. Conclusion: Neuroprotective effects of edaravone on ischemic or other brain injuries may be partly mediated through inhibition of Bcl-2/Bax apoptotic pathways by recovering from the damage of mitochondria.
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16 articles
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