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Objective: To assess the feasibility of evaluating myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in mouse with targeted myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE)., Methods: Phospholipid microbubbles targeted to P-selectin (MBp) and control microbubbles (MBc) were created by conjugating monoclonal antibody against murine P-selectin or isotype control antibody with the lipid shell via "avidin-biotin" bridging. Ten mice with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion were injected intravenously of MBp and MBc in a random order with a 30 min interval. After 5 min of intravenous injection of microbubble, targeted MCE imaging was performed in all mice. And then the video intensity (VI) was determined., Results: A significant ultrasonic enhancement was observed in ischemic region of MBp-group. Increment in VI value of ischemic region in MBp-group was great and it amounted to (26.0 +/- 6.2) U. However, increment in VI value of ischemic region in MBc-group was minor and it was merely (9.1 +/- 0.9) U. Difference was evident in ischemic region between of two groups (P < 0.05). In both MBp-group and MBc-group, the VI value of ischemic region was significantly greater than that of non-ischemic region (6.5 +/- 1.0) U vs (6.4 +/- 0.8) U (P < 0.05). There was no obvious difference in the VI of non-ischemic region between two groups., Conclusion: Molecular imaging of P-selectin with targeted contrast echocardiography can effectively evaluate myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Fractional aerosol coefficients (FAC) are used in conjunction with measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOC) during ozone episodes to estimate the formation potential of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) in the summertime of Beijing. The estimation is based on the actual atmospheric conditions of Beijing, and benzene and isoprene are considered as the precursors of SOA. The results show that 31 out of 70 measured VOC species are SOA precursors, and the total potential SOA formation is predicted to be 8.48 microg/m3, which accounts for 30% of fine organic particle matter. Toluene, xylene, pinene, ethylbenzene and n-undecane are the 5 largest contributors to SOA production and account for 20%, 22%, 14%, 9% and 4% of total SOA production, respectively. The anthropogenic aromatic compounds, which yield 76% of the calculated SOA, are the major source of SOA. The biogenic alkenes, alkanes and carbonyls produce 16%, 7% and 1% of SOA formation, respectively. The major components of produced SOA are expected to be aromatic compounds, aliphatic acids, carbonyls and aliphatic nitrates, which contribute to 72%, 14%, 11% and 3% of SOA mass, respectively. The SOA precursors have relatively low atmospheric concentrations and low ozone formation potential. Hence, SOA formation potential of VOC species, in addition to their atmospheric concentrations and ozone formation potential, should be considered in policy making process of VOCs control.

It is generally known that low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) accelerates peripheral nerve tissue regeneration. However, the precise cellular mechanism involved is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine how the Schwann cells respond directly to LIPUS stimuli. Thus, we investigated the effect of LIPUS on cell proliferation, neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression in rat Schwann cells. Schwann cells were enzymatically isolated from postnatal 1-3 day rat sciatic nerve tissue and cultured in the six-well plate. The ultrasound was applied at a frequency of 1 MHz and an intensity of 100 mW/cm(2) spatial average temporal average for 5 minutes/day. The control group was cultured in the same way but without the administration of ultrasound. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that more than 98% of the experimental and control cells were positive for S-100, NT-3, and BDNF. With 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) assay, the stimulated cells also exhibited an increase in the rate of cell proliferation on days 4, 7, 10, and 14. Further investigation found that mRNA expression of NT-3 was significantly upregulated in experimental groups compared with the control 14 days after the LIPUS stimulation (the ratio of NT-3/beta-actin was 0.56 +/- 0.13 vs. 0.41 +/- 0.09, P < 0.01), whereas the mRNA expression of BDNF was significantly downregulated in experimental groups compared with the control (the ratio of BDNF/beta-actin was 0.51 +/- 0.05 vs. 0.60 +/- 0.08, P < 0.05). These results demonstrated that the application of LIPUS promotes cell proliferation and NT-3 gene expression in Schwann cells, and involved in the alteration of BDNF gene expression., (Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Microsurgery 2009.)

The crystal structure of the title compound, [Ni(C(3)H(4)N(2))(6)][Ni(C(3)H(4)N(2))(3)(H(2)O)(3)](C(12)H(6)O(4))(2), contains uncoordinated naphthalene-dicarboxyl-ate dianions and two kinds of Ni(II) complex cations, both assuming distorted octa-hedral geometries. One Ni(II) ion is located on an inversion center and is coordinated by six imidazole mol-ecules, while the other Ni(II) ion is located on a twofold rotation axis and is coordinated by three water mol-ecules and three imidazole mol-ecules in a mer-NiN(3)O(3) arrangement. The naphthalene-dicarboxyl-ate dianion links both Ni(II) complex cations via O-H⋯O and N-H⋯O hydrogen bonding, but no π-π stacking is observed between aromatic rings in the crystal structure. One imidazole ligand is equally disordered over two sites about a twofold rotation axis; one N atom and one water O atom have site symmetry 2.

In the title compound, {[Cu(C(12)H(6)O(4))(C(3)H(4)N(2))(2)(H(2)O)]·2H(2)O}(n), the Cu(II) cation is coordinated by two naphthalene-1,4-dicarboxyl-ate (naph) dianions, two imidazole mol-ecules and one water mol-ecule in a distorted square-pyramidal geometry. The Cu-O bond distance in the apical direction is 0.509 (3) Å longer than the mean Cu-O bond distance in the basal plane. The naph dianion bridges two Cu(II) cations, forming a one-dimensional polymeric chain. The coordinated water mol-ecule is hydrogen-bonded to the carboxylate groups and imidazole ligands of adjacent polymeric chains, forming a three-dimensional supra-molecular structure. No π-π stacking is observed in the crystal structure. One solvent water molecule is disordered equally over two positions.

In the crystal structure of the title compound, [Mn(C(3)H(4)N(2))(6)][Mn(C(3)H(4)N(2))(3)(H(2)O)(3)](C(12)H(6)O(4))(2), there are uncoordinated naphthalene-dicarboxyl-ate dianions and two kinds of Mn(II) complex cations, both assuming a distorted octa-hedral geometry. One Mn(II) cation is located on an inversion center and is coordinated by six imidazole mol-ecules, while the other Mn(II) cation is located on a twofold rotation axis and is coordinated by three water mol-ecules and three imidazole units. The naphthalene-dicarboxyl-ate dianions are linked to both Mn(II) complex cations via O-H⋯O and N-H⋯O hydrogen bonding, but no π-π stacking is observed between aromatic rings in the crystal structure.

The title compound, [Co(4)(C(4)H(4)O(5))(4)(C(7)H(6)N(2))(8)]·20H(2)O, consists of tetra-nuclear Co(II) complexes and disordered uncoordinated water mol-ecules. The tetra-meric complex mol-ecule has symmetry. While two benzimidazole mol-ecules and a tridentate malate dianion coordinate a Co(II) ion, the carboxylate O atom from an adjacent malate dianion bridges the Co(II) ions to complete a distorted octa-hedral coordination geometry. The tridentate malate dianion chelates the Co(II) ion, and the chelate six- and five-membered rings show half-chair and envelope configurations, respectively. A face-to-face separation of 3.494 (9) Å between parallel benzimidazole ligands indicates the existence of π-π stacking between adjacent complexes. The crystal structure also involves N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

The crystal structure of the title compound, [Co(C(7)H(5)O(3))(C(12)H(8)N(2))(2)(H(2)O)](C(7)H(5)O(3))·5H(2)O, consists of Co(II) complex cations, uncoordinated hydroxy-benzoate anions and uncoord-inated water mol-ecules. The Co(II) ion is coordinated by two phenanthroline ligands, a water mol-ecule and a 3-hydroxy-benzoate anion, and displays a distorted octa-hedral geometry. π-π stacking is observed between parallel phenanthroline ligands, the face-to-face separations being 3.454 (19) and 3.435 (7) Å. An extensive hydrogen-bonding network helps to stabilize the crystal structure. The hydroxybenzoate ligand is disordered over two positions, with site occupancy factors 0.6 and 0.4. One solvent water molecule is also disordered over two positions, with site occupancy factors 0.6 and 0.4.

The major obstacle to successful treatment of gastric cancer is chemotherapy resistance. Our study was designed to investigate the role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway in the development of chemoresistance in gastric cancer. In the present study, elevated Akt expression and Akt phosphorylation (Ser 473), as well as decreased PTEN expression were observed in 28 cases of gastric cancer tissues. Etoposide and doxorubicin stimulated Akt and PI3K activities in 2 gastric cancer cell lines (BGC-823 and SGC-7901), and the activities were concentration and time-dependent. Up-regulation of PTEN expression in BGC-823 cells by PEAK8-PTEN transient transfection obviously decreased the basal and anticancer drugs induced Akt activities, then sensitized BGC-823 cells to etoposide and doxorubicin. Pretreatment of BGC-823 and SGC-7901 cells with wortmannin, a PI3K inhibitor, attenuated cells's resistance to etoposide and doxorubicin. In addition, pretreatment of wortmannin blocked etoposide and doxorubicin induced IkappaB-alpha degradation, NFkappaB activation, phosphorylation of Akt, MDM-2 and forkhead transcription factors. Wortmannin pretreatment also promoted the accumulation of p27/Kip, but inhibited the Mcl-1 expression. Furthermore, wortmannin promoted etoposide and doxorubicin induced caspase-3, caspase-9 activation and poly ADP-ribose polymerase cleavage. Taken together, the observations indicate the PI3K/Akt pathway plays an important role in the chemoresistance of gastric cancer cells. A new strategy for combined chemotherapy of gastric cancer should be designed to more specifically block PI3K/Akt pathway and then decrease the amount of resistant cells., (Copyright 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

To determine the etiologic agents of two atypical pneumonia human cases in Hunan Province in 2005-2006 and to study their pathogenic potential, the patients' respiratory tract samples and sera were collected. The respiratory tract samples were tested by real-time RT-PCR and RT-PCR methods, and the sera by hemagglutination-inhibition assay. Virus was isolated from case 2 and its genome was sequenced and analyzed. Results showed the H5 nucleic acid tests of two cases were positive. The H5-specific antibody titer of the convalescence serum of case 1 showed a 4-fold greater rise than that of the acute phase. And case 2's antibody titer of acute phase was negative. The two atypical pneumonia cases were confirmed as the avian influenza A (H5N1) infection cases. Viral strain A/Hunan/1/2006 was isolated from case 2. Phylogenetic and molecular analysis suggested that 8 gene segments of A/Hunan/1/2006 originated from avian viruses. And A/Hunan/1/2006 was similar with viruses isolated from avian in Hunan Province. The isolated virus did not recombine with human influenza viruses and no obvious variation was observed.

V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalysts with different vanadium and tungsten loadings were prepared by impregnation method. The activities of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO with NH3 were measured and surface characteristics of those samples were characterized. It is found that both the surface areas and catalytic activities are influenced by vanadium loadings. When the vanadium loadings increased from 1% to 8%, the catalyst surface areas decreased by 16 m2/g, while the highest activity temperature was reduced by about 100 degrees C. Tungsten acts as stabilizer and promoter of the SCR catalyst. When the vanadium loading was 1%, an increase of tungsten loadings from 0 to 6% resulted in the decrease of the catalyst surface areas by only 3 m2/g, while the activity window was expanded to both high and low temperature range each by about 50 degrees C. Vanadium and tungsten loadings have an effect on the surface VOx, but do not change the surface crystal structure of the catalysts.

Objective: To investigate the recovery of rat transected spinal cord injury after implantation of Schwann cells combined with poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)., Methods: Schwann cells were expanded, co-cultured with PLGA for 9 days in vitro, and then analyzed with scanning electron microscope (SEM). Rat spinal cord at the level of T(9) was transected. Schwann cells labeled with BrdU and PLGA scaffold were implanted to injury site. After 1, 3, 6 months, BrdU/MBP immunohistochemistry double staining, semi-thin sections stained thionin and ultra-thin section were performed to investigate myelin renew. BBB open field locomotion, motor evoked potential (MEP), compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) were recorded., Results: Schwann cells grew well on PLGA under SEM. BrdU/MBP double positive cells would been seen, remyelination was thin and formed by Schwann cells at 6 months later under electron microscope (EM). BBB behavioral tests revealed no significant difference in recovery comparing with experiment group and control group. The results of MEP, CMAP and SEP showed no significant improvement in the conduction of spinal cord., Conclusions: There are the compatibility between Schwann cells and PLGA. Although remyelination was found in morphology, function conduction of spinal cord failed to be established.

Objective: To compare the immuno-protection induced by the recombinant BCG vaccine of Toxoplasma gondii GRA4 gene (rBCG-GRA4) and SAG2 gene (rBCG-SAG2) in BALB/c mice., Methods: 108 SPF BALB/c mice were divided into 6 groups: PBS, BCG, rBCG, rBCG-GRA4, rBCG-SAG2 and rBCG-GRA4+SAG2, each with 18 mice. Each mouse was injected by 100 microl corresponding materials for 2 times. Blood was taken from tail vein before inoculation. 4,6 and 8 weeks after inoculation, spleen was moved and blood was taken from orbit vein of 3 mice from each group for the detection of cytokines, IgG and IgM antibodies, T lymphocyte subgroups and transformation efficiency. 3 weeks after the last inoculation, 9 mice from each group were challenged intraperitoneally with 50 tachyzoites of T. gondii RH strain and their survival time was observed., Results: rBCG vaccine of T. gondii induced immune response. The value of CD3+ CD4+/CD3+CD8+ of group BCG-GRA4+SAG2 was the highest (14.06+/-1.17) in the 4th week; the IgG titer in the BCG-GRA4+SAG2 group was the highest (0.18+/-0.02) in the 6th week and the IgM titer in the BCG-SAG2 group was the highest (0.82+/-0.05) in the 8th week. The average survival time of the mice in BCG-SAG2 group was about 8.61 days after challenged with tachyzoites, and that of the PBS control group, 7.33 days. The average survival time in the 3 immunized groups was one day longer than that of the control., Conclusion: The rBCG vaccine of T. gondii shows certain immuno-protection in mice.

The effect of ammonium sulfate aerosol on the photochemical reaction of toluene/NO(x)/air mixture was evaluated with Tsinghua Smog Chamber facility. The results indicate that the presence of concentrated preexisting ammonium sulfate aerosol shortens the time to reach maximum PM (particle matter) concentration and increases the aerosol yield of toluene. And under the presence of high concentrated ammonium sulfate aerosol seed, the concentration of aerosol does not have significant effects on NO(x), NO and O3 variation, but affects the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). The SOA yield increases with the increasing initial ammonium sulfate seed concentration (< 160 microg x m(-3)). From the minimum 7.2% to the maximum 11.7%, the percentage increase of SOA yield is more than 60%.

Objective: To study the transplantation efficacy of neural stem cells (NSCs) and Schwann cells (SC) in a rat model of spinal cord contusion injury., Methods: Multipotent neural stem cells (NSCs) and Schwann cells were harvested from the spinal cords of embryonic rats at 16 days post coitus and sciatic nerves of newborn rats, respectively. The differential characteristics of NSCs in vitro induced by either serum-based culture or co-culture with SC were analyzed by immunofluorescence. NSCs and SCs were co-transplanted into adult rats having undergone spinal cord contusion at T9 level. The animals were weekly monitored using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan locomotor rating system to evaluate functional recovery from contusion-induced spinal cord injury. Migration and differentiation of transplanted NSCs were studied in tissue sections using immunohistochemical staining., Results: Embryonic spinal cord-derived NSCs differentiated into a large number of oligodendrocytes in serum-based culture upon the withdrawal of mitogens. In cocultures with SCs, NSCs differentiated into neuron more readily. Rats with spinal cord contusion injury which had undergone transplantation of NSCs and SCs into the intraspinal cavity demonstrated a moderate improvement in motor functions., Conclusions: SC may contribute to neuronal differentiation of NSCs in vitro and in vivo. Transplantation of NSCs and SCs into the affected area may be a feasible approach to promoting motor recovery in patients after spinal cord injury.

Cu-Mg-Al hydrotalcite mixed oxide was prepared by co-precipitation. The mixed oxide and its procurer were characterized by XRD. NO, storage performance and decomposition of the stored NO, over the catalyst were investigated by NO, storage experiment at constant temperature, temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and temperature programmed surface reaction (TPSR), respectively. The results indicate that Cu-Mg-Al hydrotalcite mixed oxide has a good performance of NO, storage. The formed nitrate can be decomposed to gaseous NOx rapidly in the investigated temperature range of 160-360 degrees C, and a small amount of gaseous NO, can be reduced by C3 H6 with increasing the concentration of C3 H6 in the inlet gas.

New pillared clay catalysts were studied for NO removal by hydrocarbon in the presence of oxygen. The purpose of this work is to study the deactivation of Cu/Al-Ce-PILC in the SCR of NO. Montmorillonite was pillared by multi oligomeric hydroxyl cation to synthesize Al-Ce-PILC and treated by (NH4) 2SO4, then it was used as catalyst support. Cu/Al-Ce-PILC catalyst was prepared by impregnation and applied to the SCR of NO by C3 H6. The NO conversion to N2 reached its maximum of 56% at 350 degrees C and decreased to 22% at 700 degrees C. To study the deactivation of Cu/Al-Ce-PILC in the SCR of NO at high temperature, the fresh and post-reaction catalysts were characterized by XPS, TPR, TGA, Py-IR and DSC. The results showed that only Cu+ species existed on the fresh catalyst pretreated in hydrogen, while another species CuO was detected on the post-reaction catalyst. The loss of structural hydroxyl and SO4(2-) on Al-Ce-PILC weakened the surface acidity of the catalyst at high reaction temperature. Furthermore, the coke deposition on the catalyst covered part of the active sites and blocked the pores of the catalyst. The deactivation of Cu/Al-Ce-PILC may be due to the combined effects of CuO formation, the decrease on acidity and the coke deposition, which facilitated propylene combustion and inhibited NO reduction.

Objective: To investigate whether there is neogenesis of myelin sheath and neuron after transplantation of Schwann cells into cerebral hemorrhage lesion., Methods: Schwann cells were expanded, labeled with BrdU in vitro and transplanted into rat cerebral hemorrhage with blood extracted from femoral artery and then injected into the basal nuclei. Double immunohistochemistry staining and electron microscopy were used to detect the expression of BrdU/MBP and BrdU/GAP-43 and remyelination., Results: BrdU/MBP double positive cells could be seen at 1 week up to 16 weeks after transplantation of Schwann cells. Thin remyelination was observed under electron microscope. GAP-43 positive cells appeared after 12 weeks and were found more in Hippocamp., Conclusions: Grafted Schwann cells participate in remyelination and promoter nerve restore in rat cerebral hemorrhage.

Nanometer particles composed of manganese oxides (Nano-MnO(x)), which prepared by rheological phase reaction method, show superior low-temperature SCR activity for NO with NH3 in the presence of excess O2. In experiments, the NO conversion is 98.25% at 80 degrees C, and nearly 100% NO could be converted in 100 - 150 degrees C. Due to the reason of competing adsorption, H2O has a slight impact on the activity and the deactivation of SO2 is reversible. The experiments implied that the superior low-temperature catalytic activity of Nano-MnO(x) was mainly due to its high BET specific areas and poor crystallinity.

Background: To determine the etiologic agent of an atypical pneumonia human case admitted to Xiangtan City hospital, Hunan Province in Oct. 2005., Methods: The patient's respiratory tract samples and serum were collected. Throat swabs were tested by microneutralization and hemagglutination-inhibition assays., Results: The results of nucleic acid detection of all respiratory samples were negative and virus isolation was also negative. The H5-specific antibodies of convalescence showed a 4-fold greater rise than acute phase., Conclusion: The atypical pneumonias case was confirmed as the first human case of avian influenza A (H5N1) infection in the mainland of China.

Objective: To ascertain the causation of a family cluster involving two undefined pneumonia cases, a 12-year-old girl and her brother, reported October, 2005 in Xiangtan county, Hunan province., Methods: Information on epidemiology and clinical manifestation of the cases was collected from interviewing the keyman and referring to related medical records. The environment exposure of the cases to their households and the timeline of the illness were reproduced, using this information. Medical check-up was undergone among the close contacts of the cases and on sick/dead poultry. Throat swab of the cases were collected and tested by both RT-PCR and real-time PCR to detect viral nucleic acids of A/H5N1, and were then inoculated into special pathogen free (SPF) embryonated hens' eggs. Serum of the cases including acute and convalescent phases were also collected and tested by microneutralization and haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) assays to detect H5-specific antibodies., Results: Both the girl and her brother developed fever 2 and 4 days after sudden deaths of chickens being raised in the same house. Both of them had developed pneumonia and the girl died from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) complicated with multi-organ failure. The boy survived and subsequently discharged from hospital. An eighth-day serum from the girl tested H5 antibody negative, while 4-fold and greater increased in antibody titers were detected in serum from the boy using microneutralization and HI assays in sequential acute and convalescent sera. Of 192 cases, only one doctor who cared for the girl during hospitalization had upper respiratory symptoms but tested negative for H5N1 by microneutralization assay., Conclusion: The boy was the first confirmed human case of avian influenza A (H5N1) in the mainland of China and his sister was diagnosed clinically. The most probable explanation of these two cases was that the transmission of H5N1 virus from infected poultry within the same household environment. No evidence of human-to-human transmission was noted in the family cluster.

Alumina-supported indium catalysts with different metal loadings were prepared by various methods including impregnation, co-precipitation and sol-gel. Activity tests were carried out on the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO by propene in excess O2 over the catalysts. And the effects of oxygen concentration in reaction gas feed on catalytic activities were examined. The results show that In/Al2O3 catalysts possess high deNO2 activity, and the preparation methods have obvious effects on catalytic activities. The catalysts prepared by co-precipitation or sol-gel method exhibited high NO, conversion to N2 about 90%; the impregnation samples have poor activities, the highest conversion rate not exceeding 60%. The O2 concentration in gas feed has significant effects on the highest conversion rates of NOx reduction and the corresponding reaction temperatures. Along with the increasing of O2 concentration, the temperatures mentioned above declined. The introduction of water into the gas feed depressed greatly the deNO2 activities of In/Al2O3 catalysts. Compared to many other metals as active components of deNOx catalysts, indium has a prominent different behavior that the respective best metal loadings of the catalysts prepared by these three diverse preparation methods have little difference, being all around 1% to approximately 2%.

Proinflammatory mediators are important in the pathogenesis of IBD, which are regulated by activation of NF-kappaB. The aim of this study was to investigate whether melatonin reduces inflammatory injury and inhibits proinflammatory molecule and NF-kappaB in rats with colitis. Rat colitis model was established by TNBS enema. NF-kappaB p65, TNF-alpha, ICAM-1, and IkappaBalpha in colon tissue were examined by immunohistochemistry, EMSA, RT-PCR, and Western blot analysis. Expression of proinflammatory molecule and activation of NF-kappaB were upregulated and IkappaB level decreased in rats with colitis. Melatonin reduces colonic inflammatory injury through downregulating proinflammatory molecule mediated by NF-kappaB inhibition and blockade of IkappaBalpha degradation.

Aim: To investigate the effects of garlicin on apoptosis and expression of bcl-2 and bax in lymphocytes in rat model of ulcerative colitis (UC)., Methods: Healthy adult Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes, weighing 180+/-30 g, were employed in the present study. The rat model of UC was induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) enema. The experimental animals were randomly divided into garlicin treatment group (including high and low concentration), model control group, and normal control group. Rats in garlicin treatment group and model control group received intracolic garlicin daily at doses of 10.0 and 30.0 mg/kg and equal amount of saline respectively 24 h after colitis model was induced by alcohol and TNBS co-enema. Rats in normal control group received neither alcohol nor only TNBS but only saline enema in this study. On the 28th d of the experiment, rats were executed, the expression of bcl-2 and bax protein was determined immunohistochemically and the apoptotic cells were detected by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate fluorescence nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. At the same time, the rat colon mucosal damage index (CMDI) was calculated., Results: In garlicin treatment group, the positive expression of bcl-2 in lymphocytes decreased and the number of apoptotic cells was more than that in model control group, CMDI was lower than that in model control group. The positive expression of bax in lymphocytes had no significant difference., Conclusion: Garlicin can protect colonic mucosa against damage in rat model of UC induced by TNBS enema.

A gain-of-function Arabidopsis mutant was identified via activation tagging genetic screening. The mutant exhibited clustered ectopic floral buds on the surface of inflorescence stems. The mutant was designated as sef for stem ectopic flowers. Our detailed studies indicate that the ectopic flower meristems are initiated from the differentiated cortex cells. Inverse PCR and sequence analysis indicated that the enhancer-containing T-DNA from the activation tagging construct, SKI015, was inserted upstream of the previously cloned WUS gene encoding a homeodomain protein. Studies from RT-PCR, RNA in situ hybridization and transgenic plant analysis further confirmed that the phenotypes of sef are caused by the overexpression of WUS. Our results suggest that overexpression of WUS could trigger the cell pluripotence and reestablish a new meristem in cortex. The type of new meristems caused by WUS overexpression was dependent upon the developmental and physiological stages of a plant. With the help of some undefined factors in the reproductive organs the new meristems differentiated into floral buds. In a vegetative growth plant, however, only the new vegetative buds can be initiated upon the overexpression of WUS. These studies provide new insights of WUS on flower development.

Aim: To investigate the role of NF-kappaB in the pathogenesis of TNBS-induced colitis in rats., Methods: Thirty-two healthy adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups of eight each: normal, NS, model I, model II groups in our study. Rat colitis model was established through 2-,4-,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) enema. At the end of four weeks, the macroscopical and histological changes of the colon were examined and mucosa myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities assayed. NF-kappaB p65 expression was determined by Western blot assessment in cytoplasmic and nuclear extracts of colon tissue, and the expressions of TNF-alpha and ICAM-1 protein in colon tissue were examined by immunohistochemistry. The relativities between expression of NF-kappaB p65 and other parameters were analyzed., Results: TNBS enema resulted in pronounced pathological changes of colonic mucosa in model II group (macroscopic and histological injury indices 6.25+/-1.39 and 6.24+/-1.04, respectively), which were in accordance with the significantly elevated MPO activity (1.69+/-0.11). And the nuclear level of NF-kappaB and expression of TNF-alpha, ICAM-1 in rats of model II group were higher than that of normal control (9.7+/-1.96 vs 1.7+/-0.15, 84.09+/-14.52 vs 16.03+/-6.21, 77.69+/-8.09 vs 13.41+/-4.91 P<0.01), Linear correlation analysis revealed that there were strong correlations between the nuclear level of NF-kappaB and the tissue positive expression of TNF-alpha and ICAM-1, MPO activities, macroscopical and histological indices in TNBS-induced colitis, respectively (r = 0.8235, 0.8780, 0.8572, 0.9152, 0.8247; P<0.05)., Conclusion: NF-kappaB plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis, which might account for the up-regulation the expression of TNF-alpha and ICAM-1.

Aim: Activation of transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) has been shown to play a role in cell proliferation, apoptosis, cytokine production, and oncogenesis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether NF-kappaB was constitutively activated in human colorectal tumor tissues and, if so, to determine the role of NF-kappaB in colorectal tumorigenesis, and furthermore, to determine the association of RelA expression with tumor cell apoptosis and the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L)., Methods: Paraffin sections of normal epithelial, adenomatous and adenocarcinoma tissues were analysed immunohistochemically for expression of RelA, Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L) proteins. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) was used to confirm the increased nuclear translocation of RelA in colorectal tumor tissues. The mRNA expressions of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L) were determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. Apoptotic cells were detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate fluorescence nick end labeling (TUNEL) method., Results: The activity of NF-kappaB was significantly higher in adenocarcinoma tissue in comparison with that in adenomatous and normal epithelial tissues. The apoptotic index (AI) significantly decreased in the transition from adenoma to adenocarcinoma. Meanwhile, the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L) protein and their mRNAs were significantly higher in adenocarcinoma tissues than that in adenomatous and normal epithelial tissues., Conclusion: NF-kappaB may inhibit apoptosis via enhancing the expression of the apoptosis genes Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L). And the increased expression of RelA/nuclear factor-kappaB plays an important role in the pathogenesis of colorectal carcinoma.

In the study, a series of SnO2/Al2O3 catalysts with various Sn loading were prepared by three different methods (impregnation, co-precipitation and single step sol-gel) and their catalytic activities for the selective reduction of NOx with propene were investigated. It was found that the catalyst preparation method as well as the Sn loading exerted a significant influence on the catalyst activity. Catalysts prepared by sol-gel method exhibited the highest activity toward NOx reduction and the optimal Sn loading is 5%. 5% SnO2/Al2O3 catalyst prepared by sol-gel method was found to be less inhibited by the presence of H20 than those prepared by other methods. Even in the co-presence of H2O and SO2, it still showed the highest activity. The increase of oxygen and propene concentration promotes the NOx reduction, respectively.

The catalytic activities of alumina-supported Ag, Co and Cu for selective reduction of NO with propene as reductant in the presence of excess oxygen were investigated. The catalytic performances of single-component catalysts with different metal loadings and of samples prepared by various methods such as mechanical mixing, one-step impregnation, two-step impregnation, etc. were studied. The experimental results showed that the Ag exhibited the highest conversion of NO to N2 (approximately 89% with 2% loading, wt.) among single-component catalysts, the lower was Co, and the lowest was Cu. The sequence of the temperature for the maximum conversion was on the order of Cu < Co < Ag. For Ag catalysts, the activities between samples of identical loadings prepared by one-step and two-step impregnation were almost the same. The activities of mixed samples were not the simple sum of the single-component catalysts. The mixed Ag-Co sample possessed the highest activity (80% above). The activities of the combinatorial samples declined comparatively to some extent. The activities of one-step impregnation samples descended more markedly and the highest conversion was only over 30%.

Catalytic properties of Ag/Al2O3, In/Al2O3, Sn/Al2O3, Co/Al2O3, Pt/Al2O3 and a two-stage catalyst composed of Ag/Al2O3 and Pt/Al2O3 were investigated for the selective reduction of NO by C3H6 or C2H5OH in excess oxygen. The Ag/Al2O3 showed the highest NO reduction activity among the catalysts studied. A substantial amount of CO was formed over alumina-based transient metal oxides. HC and CO oxidations over Pt/Al2O3 occurred in relatively low temperatures, compared with the other catalysts. The sequential use of Ag/Al2O3 and Pt/Al2O3 was effective to broaden the temperature window for the reduction of NO, to improve oxidation of HC and CO and to inhibit the formation of N2O and CH3CHO.