Search

The housefly larvae (Musca domestica) vermireactor is capable of highly efficient waste reduction for swine manure management; however, effectiveness of larvae-vermicompost land utilization and the associated impact on soil environment are poorly understood. This study, which integrated incubation pot experiments and field plot tests on a chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium) farm, was designed to investigate soil biochemical and microbial functions in response to inorganic fertilizer (NPK), vermicompost (VC) application, and/or combination of inorganic fertilizer and vermicompost (I + V). Pot experiments indicated that available soil nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) were significantly higher (21%-43%, 206%-306%, and 35%-36%, respectively) with VC treatment compared to NPK treatment; meanwhile, soil organic carbon (C), N and P mineralization was increased by 46%-57%, 53%-70%, and 30%-113%, respectively. Vermicompost application increased soil highly labile organic C by 19% to 42%. Vermicompost also enhanced soil enzymatic activities: 37%-68% for dehydrogenase, 22%-107% for urease, and 3.4%-56% for phosphatases, but activities of soil β-1,4-glucosidase and β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase were reduced by 17%-53% and 24%-42%, respectively. Compared to pot experiment, continuous land application of vermicompost overwhelmingly caused soil nutrient accumulation, increased soil C stock and microbial biomass, enhanced soil mineralization, and improved C-, N-, and P-related enzymatic activities. Co-inertia analysis indicated that soil fertility indices positively correlated with most microbiological indices. This work reveals VC as a new biofertilizer for crop production and highlights its merit on soil health improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schiff base butyltin complexes C1 ∼ C3 have been synthesized via the reaction of dibutyltin oxide with the substituted salicylaldehyde-o-aminophenol Schiff base ligands (L1 ∼ L3), respectively. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis, 1H NMR, 13C NMR spectra and the crystal structures have been determined by X-ray diffraction. The anticancer activity of the Schiff base ligands L1 ∼ L3 and complexes C1 ∼ C3 against five species of cancer cells which are MCF7, Colo205, NCI-H460, Hela and HepG2 were tested respectively, the tests showed that C3 exhibited significant anticancer activity for the cancer cells in comparison with other complexes. The interaction between C3 and calf thymus DNA were studied by fluorescence, UV-Vis and Viscosity experiment, the results show that the interaction of C3 with calf thymus DNA was intercalation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusion: The auditory brainstem response (ABR) wave I threshold, latency and amplitude are insensitive to spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) degeneration, but are sensitive to the degeneration of Schwann cells and can estimate the status of Schwann cells in a neural degeneration mouse model. The thorough pre-operative ABR assessment would be helpful in predicting cochlear implant performance. Objectives: This study aimed in finding a non-invasive electrophysiological method to evaluate the status of the auditory nerve and the Schwann cells in sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and auditory neuropathy (AN) ears, and providing useful information for candidates screening and outcome prediction in cochlear implantation. Methods: The frequency-specific acoustic ABR was recorded in mice. The immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the SGNs and Schwann cells in mice cochlea. The correlations between ABR wave I metrics and SGNs, Schwann cells were investigated. Results: In SNHL and AN mice cochlea, statistically significant correlations between ABR wave I thresholds, latencies and amplitudes at 8, 16, and 32 kHz and their corresponding SGNs densities were found only in wave I amplitude at 8 kHz. While the ABR wave I metrics at all three frequencies showed strong significant correlations with their corresponding Schwann cells densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed in fully investigating the toxicities of ouabain to mouse cochlea and the related cellular environment, and providing an optimal animal model system for cell transplantation in the treatment of auditory neuropathy (AN) and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Methods: Different dosages of ouabain were applied to mouse round window. The auditory brainstem responses and distortion product otoacoustic emissions were used to evaluate the cochlear function. The immunohistochemical staining and cochlea surface preparation were performed to detect the spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs), Schwann cells and hair cells. Results: Ouabain at the dosages of 0.5 mM, 1 mM and 3 mM selectively and permanently destroyed SGNs and their functions, while leaving the hair cells relatively intact. Ouabain at 3 mM resulted in the most severe SGNs loss and induced significant loss of Schwann cells started as early as 7 days and with further damages at 14 and 30 days after ouabain exposure. Conclusions: The application of ouabain to mouse round window induces damages of SGNs and Schwann cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, this study established a reliable and accurate animal model system of AN and SNHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We examined the prevalence and risk factors of migraine among the She population. The prevalence of migraine among She Chinese in Fujian province is high. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional survey. Subjects completed a questionnaire that collected demographic and clinical data related to migraine. Physical examination and clinical laboratory tests were performed. Data were analyzed by regression analysis. Results: Of the 5519 subjects enrolled, 2377 were male (43.1%) and 3142 female (56.9%). Of these, 581 (10.53%) experienced migraine annually, including 6.18% of males and 13.82% of females. Highest prevalence rate was among those aged 40-49 years (11.28%). The 141 (24.3%) subjects who had migraine with aura had higher incidence of family history of headache than those without aura (38.5% vs 19.9%, P < 0.0001). Conclusion: Female gender and insomnia are possible risk factors for migraine in the She population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective --To investigate the inhibitory effect of cyclosporin A on p-glycoprotein function in peripheral nerves (VIIth, VIIIth and sciatic nerves). Material and Methods --Male mdr1a (-/-) and mdr1a (+/+) FVB mice were used. Doxorubicin (30 mg/kg) was administered intravenously with or without i.p. administration of cyclosporin A (200 mg/kg). Vinblastine (5 mg/kg) was also administered intravenously with or without i.p. administration of cyclosporin A (200 mg/kg). Results --Tissue concentrations of doxorubicin and vinblastine in peripheral nerves of the mdr1a (+/+) mice pretreated with 200 mg/kg cyclosporin A were significantly higher than those in the mdr1a (+/+) mice administered doxorubicin or vinblastine alone, suggesting that cyclosporin A inhibited the efflux pump function of p-glycoprotein in the peripheral nerves. In the mdr1a (-/-) mice, tissue concentrations of doxorubicin and vinblastine in peripheral nerves were also significantly higher than those in the mdr1a (+/+) mice administered doxorubicin or vinblastine alone. Based on these results, it is suggested that p-glycoprotein plays an important role in blood-nerve barrier function by preventing side-effects induced by neurotoxic drugs. Conclusion --When doxorubicin and vinblastine are co-administered with cyclosporin A, the patient should be carefully monitored because peripheral nerve disorders may be induced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although doxorubicin [adriamycin (ADM)] ototoxicity has not been detected to date, it has been reported that neurotoxicity in the central nervous system was induced by chemotherapy with ADM in patients receiving chronic cyclosporin A (CsA) treatment. ADM ototoxicity may be induced by combination therapy with CsA because extrusion of ADM from the inner ear by p-glycoprotein (p-gp), which acts as an extrusion pump and is expressed on the surface of endothelial cells of capillary blood vessels, might be inhibited by CsA, resulting in significant accumulation of ADM in the inner ear. ADM (10 mg kg) was administered to FVB mice either with or without CsA (200 mg kg). Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were recorded before and after treatment. ABR changes were not observed in mice treated with either ADM or CsA alone. Threshold elevation, elongation of wave I-V latencies and interpeak latencies of waves I-II, I-III, I-IV and I-V were detected in mice treated with ADM in combination with CsA. These changes reached their peak values 3 weeks after treatment, and then recovered to pre-treatment levels. In normal mice, ADM is extruded by p-gp from the inner ear and auditory pathway, thus preventing hearing disorder. However, ADM ototoxicity was induced by combination therapy with CsA, indicating that CsA has an inhibitory action on p-gp function in the auditory pathway, including the inner ear. After organ transplantation, therefore, clinical administration of ADM in combination with CsA should be performed with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the expression and function of mdr1a p-glycoprotein in peripheral nerves, including the VIIth and VIIIth nerves, using mdr1a p-glycoprotein gene knockout mice [mdr1a(-/-) mice] and wild-type mdr1a(+/+) mice. P-glycoprotein expression in capillary endothelial cells of the peripheral nerve tissues was detected by immunohistochemical and RT-PCR analyses in mdr1a(+/+) mice but not in mdr1a(-/-) mice. Pharmacokinetic analyses indicated that, compared to mdr1a(+/+) mice, mdr1a(-/-) mice showed a significantly higher accumulation of p-glycoprotein substrate drugs such as vinblastine and doxorubicin, which are neurotoxic. Tissue concentrations of vinblastine and doxorubicin were lower in the order of the brain, peripheral nerves and most other organs. However, increased accumulation was not detected after administering another neurotoxic drug, cisplatin, indicating that p-glycoprotein is selective at extruding drugs. These data indicate that mdr1a p-glycoprotein, which acts as an efflux pump, might play an important role in the blood-nerve barrier to prevent side effects induced by neurotoxic p-glycoprotein substrate drugs. The participation of p-glycoprotein in the blood-nerve barrier is considered to represent a new functional mechanism of this barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]