Search

Supplementary Tables 1-4, Figure Legend from Association of Specific Genotypes in Metastatic Suppressor HTPAP with Tumor Metastasis and Clinical Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The phosphatidic acid phosphatase HTPAP has been defined as a metastatic suppressor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but little is known about its function or potential applications as a prognostic marker. In this study, we analyzed patterns of HTPAP genetic variation and gene expression in 864 patients who underwent HCC resection, assessing these patterns for correlations to tumor metastasis potential. Focusing on two tagSNPs that were selected (+357G/C and +1838A/G), we found that only the +357G/C genotype was significantly associated with HTPAP mRNA and protein expression levels and the probability of metastasis. In an independent cohort of 665 HCC patients, we determined that the +357G/C genotype was associated with shorter time to recurrence and overall survival. Together, these results indicated that the HTPAP tagSNP +357 GG+GC genotypes may influence HCC metastatic potential and clinical prognosis by down-regulating HTPAP expression. Extending these results, a global expression profiling analysis identified 41 genes including the pro-inflammatory genes IL-8 and TLR2 that were significantly overexpressed in the +357 GG+GC group, as possible coregulated markers with HTPAP. Together, our findings identify an HTPAP genotype and associated gene expression pattern that favors metastasis progression and that could be used to predict tumor metastasis and prognosis in HCC patients. Cancer Res; 71(9); 3278–86. ©2011 AACR.

Supplementary Figure 1 from Association of Specific Genotypes in Metastatic Suppressor HTPAP with Tumor Metastasis and Clinical Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

A new exceptionally-preserved Cambrian biota, with fossils belonging to multiple phyla, has recently been found from the middle part of the Longha Formation, near Fulu Village, southeastern Yunnan, South China, and is named the Fulu biota. Groups recovered so far include polymerid trilobites, agnostoids, large bivalved arthropods, bradoriid arthropods, echinoderms, brachiopods, priapulids (worms), hyoliths, macroscopic algae, and trace fossils. The arthropods dominate the biota and are highly diverse with echinoderms second in diversity. The associated agnostoids provide a precise late Guzhangian Age (late Miaolingian Epoch) for the biota, indicating that the biota occurs stratigraphically about halfway between the occurrences of the Kaili and the Guole biotas of South China, from both of which the new Fulu biota differs significantly in faunal components. Guzhangian biotas preserving poorly mineralized tissues and complete echinoderms have been previously unknown in Gondwana until now; thus, the discovery of Fulu biota provides a unique window into life at this critical time interval.

Light is an important environmental factor for plant growth and development. Phytochrome B (phyB), a classical red/far-red light receptor, plays vital role in controlling plant photomorphogenesis and light-induced stomatal opening. Phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) accumulates rapidly and triggers a series of physiological and molecular events during the responses to multiple abiotic stresses. Recent studies showed that phyB mutant synthesizes more ABA and exhibits improved tolerance to salt and cold stress, suggesting that a crosstalk exists between light and ABA signaling pathway. However, whether ABA signaling components mediate responses to light remains unclear. Here, we showed that SnRK2.6 (Sucrose Nonfermenting 1-Related Protein Kinase 2.6), a key regulator in ABA signaling, interacts with phyB and participates in light-induced stomatal opening. First, we checked the interaction between phyB and SnRK2s, and found that SnRK2.2/2.3/2.6 kinases physically interacted with phyB in yeast and in vitro. We also performed co-IP assay to support that SnRK2.6 interacts with phyB in plant. To investigate the role of SnRK2.6 in red light-induced stomatal opening, we obtained the snrk2.6 mutant and overexpression lines, and found that snrk2.6 mutant exhibited a significantly larger stomatal aperture under red light treatment, while the two independent overexpression lines showed significantly smaller stomatal aperture, indicative of a negative role for SnRK2.6 in red light-induced stomatal opening. The interaction of SnRK2.6 with red light receptor and the negative role of SnRK2.6 in red light-induced stomatal opening provide new evidence for the crosstalk between ABA and red light in guard cell signaling.

Salidroside (Sal) is a natural antioxidant that elicits cardioprotective and neuroprotective effects in vivo and in vitro; however, its impact on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of salidroside against segmental (70%) warm hepatic I/R injury in rats. Animals were randomized into Sham, Sham+salidroside pretreatment (Sal), Sham+Sal+carboxyatractyloside (CATR), Sham+CATR, I/R, I/R+Sal, I/R+Sal+CATR and I/R+CATR groups. The hepatic artery, left portal vein and median liver lobes were occluded for 60min and then unclamped to allow reperfusion. Pretreatment with salidroside (20mg/kg/day for 7 days, intraperitoneally) significantly decreased serum alanine aminotransferase (sALT) and serum aspartate aminotransferase (sAST) levels after 6h and 24h of reperfusion and protected the liver against I/R-induced injury. However, this protective effect could be reversed by CATR, a mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opener (5mg/kg 30min before I/R insult, intraperitoneally). Mechanistic studies have revealed that salidroside inhibits glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β) activity and enhances the NF-E2-related factor (Nrf2)-dependent antioxidant response by activating the Akt signaling pathway, thereby reducing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation, increasing MPTP resistance and preventing apoptosis by suppressing cytochrome c release and caspase activation during reperfusion. Therefore, salidroside ameliorates hepatocyte death and apoptosis through activation of the GSK-3β/Nrf2-dependent antioxidant response and subsequent MPTP inhibition. These results provide experimental evidence supporting the clinical use of salidroside for hepatoprotection in surgical settings.

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth response and vegetation restoration prospect of seedlings of five oak species for the phytoremediation of lead/zinc (Pb/Zn) mine tailings. Seedlings of Quercus imbricaria, Q. coccinea, Q. pagoda, Q. shumardii, Q. fabri were transplanted into pots containing Pb/Zn mine tailings to comparatively examine their biomass, root morphology, absorption and transfer characteristics of nutrient elements and heavy metals 30 months later. The results showed that all the seedlings could survive in the Pb/Zn tailings after 30 months. The biomass of Q. coccinea and Q. fabri decreased in Pb/Zn tailings compared with the control, while no significant difference were found for other three species. Compared with the control, root biomass was increased to some extent in Pb/Zn tailings except Q. coccinea. The lateral root morphological parameters were reduced only for Q. coccinea . Under heavy metal stress, nutrient concentrations of root and stem of oak seedlings did not change compared with the control. Generally, the concentrations of heavy metals in plant tissues were low, and the values of bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF) were less than 1. Q. pagoda could accumulate more Cd, with concentrations of 22.4 and 15.1 mg·kg通过盆栽试验,评价栎属植物在铅锌尾矿中的生长响应及植被恢复前景.分析比较了覆瓦栎、猩红栎、樱皮栎、舒玛栎和白栎5种栎树幼苗在铅锌矿砂中生长30个月后的生物量、根系形态及其对营养元素和重金属的吸收及转移特征.结果表明: 5种栎树在矿砂中均能生长,其中,猩红栎和白栎的生物量较对照有下降趋势,其他3种栎树的生长与对照相比无显著差异;栎树根系生物量均较对照有不同程度增加(猩红栎除外),且仅猩红栎侧根形态学参数较对照有所减少.重金属胁迫下,栎树根系和茎中营养元素浓度较对照无显著变化.5种栎树体内重金属浓度均较低,且其生物富集系数和转移系数均小于1.但樱皮栎叶片和茎中Cd浓度分别为22.4和15.1 mg·kg

When plants encounter environmental stresses, phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) accumulates quickly and efficiently reduces water loss by inducing stomatal closure. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an important regulator in ABA-induced stomatal closure, and ROS generation is modulated by multiple components in guard-cell ABA signaling. ROP interactive CRIB-containing protein 7 (RIC7) has been found to negatively regulate ABA-induced stomatal closure. However, the molecular details of the RIC7 function in this process are unclear. Here, by using two RIC7 overexpressing mutants, we confirmed the negative role of RIC7 in ABA-induced stomatal closure and found that guard cells of RIC7 overexpressing mutants generated less H(2)O(2) than the wild type with ABA treatment, which were consistent with the reduced expression levels of ROS generation related NADPH oxidase genes AtRBOHD and AtRBOHF, and cytosolic polyamine oxidase genes PAO1 and PAO5 in the RIC7 overexpressing mutants. Furthermore, external applied H(2)O(2) failed to rescue the defects of stomatal closure in RIC7 overexpressing mutants. These results suggest that RIC7 affects H(2)O(2) generation in guard cells, and the function of H(2)O(2) is dependent on RIC7 in ABA-induced stomatal closure, indicative of interdependency between RIC7 and H(2)O(2) in ABA guard-cell signaling.

The Balang Formation (Cambrian Stage 4) of eastern Guizhou, China, yields slender, sinuous, and branching ichnofossils associated with shells of hyolithids. The trace-makers, of speculative identity, are inferred to have been feeding on decaying soft parts of hyolithids and on the microbial halos formed around decaying bodily remains. The comprehensive observation of hyolithid shells and their associated traces suggests that the hyolithid shells may have been moved some distance after scavenging began. This preservational pattern can address some issues relating to hyolith preservation of the Balang Formation.

Propofol pretreatment before reperfusion, or propofol conditioning, has been shown to be cardioprotective, while its mechanism is unclear. The current study investigated the roles of endocannabinoid signaling in propofol cardioprotection in an in vivo model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and in in vitro primary cardiomyocyte hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury. The results showed that propofol conditioning increased both serum and cell culture media concentrations of endocannabinoids including anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) detected by LC-MS/MS. The reductions of myocardial infarct size in vivo and cardiomyocyte apoptosis and death in vitro were accompanied with attenuations of oxidative injuries manifested as decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS), malonaldehyde (MDA), and MPO (myeloperoxidase) and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) production. These effects were mimicked by either URB597, a selective endocannabinoids degradation inhibitor, or VDM11, a selective endocannabinoids reuptake inhibitor. In vivo study further validated that the cardioprotective and antioxidative effects of propofol were reversed by selective CB2 receptor antagonist AM630 but not CB1 receptor antagonist AM251. We concluded that enhancing endogenous endocannabinoid release and subsequent activation of CB2 receptor signaling represent a major mechanism whereby propofol conditioning confers antioxidative and cardioprotective effects against myocardial I/R injury.

Summary Aims The intravenous anesthetic propofol caused episodic memory impairments in human. We hypothesized propofol caused episodic-like spatial memory retention but not acquisition impairments in rats and rescuing cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) signaling using selective type IV phosphodiesterase (PDEIV) inhibitor rolipram reversed these effects. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into four groups: control; propofol (25 mg/kg, intraperitoneal); rolipram; and rolipram + propofol (pretreatment of rolipram 25 min before propofol, 0.3 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). Sedation and motor coordination were evaluated 5, 15, and 25 min after propofol injection. Invisible Morris water maze (MWM) acquisition and probe test (memory retention) were performed 5 min and 24 h after propofol injection. Visible MWM training was simultaneously performed to resist nonspatial effects. Hippocampal CREB signaling was detected 5 min, 50 min, and 24 h after propofol administration. Results Rolipram did not change propofol-induced anesthetic/sedative states or impair motor skills. No difference was found on the latency to the platform during the visible MWM. Propofol impaired spatial memory retention but not acquisition. Rolipram reversed propofol-induced spatial memory impairments and suppression on cAMP levels, CaMKIIα and CREB phosphorylation, brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and Arc protein expression. Conclusions Propofol caused spatial memory retention impairments but not acquisition inability possibly by inhibiting CREB signaling.

Osteopontin (OPN) plays a crucial role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis. However, little is known about the impact of OPN polymorphisms on cancer progression. In this study, we first identified the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the OPN promoter region by direct sequencing in 30 HCCs, and then evaluated the prognostic values of the selected ones in two large cohorts of 826 HCC patients. The identified SNPs were functionally analyzed using in vitro and in vivo assays and their correlations with OPN levels were also evaluated. Only SNP at locus -443 and their related haplotypes (Ht2: -1748A/-616G/-443T/-155* [*indicates base deletion]; Ht3: -1748A/-616G/-443C/-155*) were significantly associated with overall survival (OS) and time to recurrence (TTR). The patients with the -443TT/TC genotype or Ht2 had a shorter OS and TTR compared with those with -443CC genotype or Ht3. This was further confirmed in the validation cohort. Moreover, this correlation remained significant in patients with small HCCs (≤5 cm). Multivariate analyses indicated that the prognostic performance of the -443 genotypes (OS, P = 0.031; TTR, P = 0.005) and their related haplotypes (OS, P = 0.002; TTR, P = 0.001) was independent of other clinicopathological factors. The Ht2 and -443TT genotype could significantly increase the promoter transcriptional activity and expression level of OPN compared with the Ht3 or -443CC genotype, and lead to an obvious increase in both in vitro invasion and in vivo tumor growth and lung metastasis of HCC cells (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The genetic variation at locus -443 of the OPN promoter plays important roles in the regulation of OPN expression and cancer progression of HCCs, which is a novel determinant and target for HCC metastasis and prognosis. (HEPATOLOGY 2013)

Effective recognition of viral infections and subsequent triggering of antiviral innate immune responses are essential for the host antiviral defense, which is tightly regulated by multiple regulators, including microRNAs (miRNAs). A previous study showed that miR-466l upregulates IL-10 expression in macrophages by antagonizing RNA-binding protein tristetraprolin-mediated IL-10 mRNA degradation. However, the ability of miR-466l to regulate antiviral immune responses remains unknown. Here, we found that interferon-alpha (IFN-α) expression was repressed in Sendai virus (SeV)- and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-infected macrophages and in dendritic cells transfected with miR-466l expression. Moreover, multiple IFN-α species can be directly targeted by miR-466l through their 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR). This study has demonstrated that miR-466l could directly target IFN-α expression to inhibit host antiviral innate immune response.

Our previous study has identified HTPAP as a novel metastasis suppressor from chromosome 8p which is often deleted in metastatic HCC. We sought to further evaluate the expression levels of transcript variants of HTPAP (HTPAP-1, HTPAP-2 and HTPAP-3) in 67 HCC tumor tissues and 11 normal liver tissues by RT-PCR with specific TaqMan probes and primer sets, and explore their association with HCC metastasis and survival. We found that the expression levels of three HTPAP transcript variants were quite different in HCCs. Only HTPAP-1 was found to be significantly associated with HCC metastasis (P = 0.00053), overall survival (P = 0.0023) and time to recurrence (P = 0.010) of HCC. Patients with a lower expression of HTPAP-1 were inclined to accompany intrahepatic metastases and tumor thrombi (P

The effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on the growth and metastasis of human malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are controversial, and the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood. The aim of this study was to explore the role of MSC in the progression of HCC. We investigated the effect of MSC on in vitro proliferation and invasion and in vivo tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis of MHCC97-H HCC cells with a high metastatic potential. The mRNA and protein levels of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGFβ1) and MMP, and their association with the effects of MSC on HCC cells were also evaluated. Co-culture of MHCC97-H cells with MSC conditioned medium significantly enhanced in vitro proliferation but inhibited invasiveness. Following MSC treatment of a nude mouse model bearing human HCC, the MSC were predominantly located in the HCC tissues. Compared with controls, MSC-treated mice exhibited significantly larger tumors (3080.51 ± 1234.78 mm(3) vs 2223.75 ± 1000.60 mm(3), P = 0.045), but decreased cellular numbers of lung metastases (49.75 ± 18.86 vs 227.22 ± 74.67, P = 0.046). Expression of TGFβ1 and MMP-2 was significantly downregulated in the MSC-treated HCC cells. TGFβ siRNA concurrently downregulated expression of TGFβ and MMP-2 in HCC cells and blocked the MSC-induced proliferation and invasiveness of MHCC97-H cells. The MSC enhanced tumor growth but significantly inhibited the invasiveness and metastasis of HCC, possibly through downregulation of TGFβ1. These findings suggest that MSC could be useful in controlling metastatic recurrence of HCC.

In our previous study, osteopontin (OPN) was identified as one of the leading genes that promote the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanism by which OPN promotes metastasis of HCC is not understood. In this study, RNA interference mediated by viral vectors-which could induce a long-lasting down-regulation in gene expression-was applied to analyze the role of OPN in metastasis of HCC. Three lentiviral vectors encoding microRNA against OPN, Lenti.OPNi-1, Lenti.OPNi-2, and Lenti.OPNi-3, were constructed and found to down-regulate the OPN level by 62%, 78%, and 95%, respectively, in HCCLM3 cells which had an overexpression of OPN and a higher metastatic potential. Consequently, both Lenti.OPNi-2 and Lenti.OPNi-3 induced a significant decrease in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and urokinase plasminogen activator expression, and led to an obvious inhibition of both in vitro invasion and in vivo lung metastasis of HCCLM3 cells (P0.001). Moreover, Lenti.OPNi-3, rather than Lenti.OPNi-2, could also suppress in vitro proliferation and in vivo tumor growth of HCCLM3. Smaller detectable tumors were found in only 50% of mice after implantation of Lenti.OPNi-3-transfected HCCLM3 cells (341 +/- 502.6 mm(3) versus3500 mm(3) in controls; P0.001). Lenti.OPNi-3, not Lenti.OPNi-2, significantly suppressed the MEK/ERK1/2 pathway in HCCLM3 cells. Recombinant OPN was found to induce translocation of p65 into the nucleus of HCC cells and activation of MMP-2 and MEK/ERK/1/2, which were suppressed by the nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate.OPN plays an important role in metastasis as well as tumor growth of HCC, in which different minimum threshold levels of OPN are needed. These effects may occur through activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase and NF-kappaB pathways, and MMP-2. OPN could be a hopeful target for the control of HCC.

Purpose: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a frequent complication in postoperative period. The aim of the current meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of dexmedetomidine on PONV. Methods: Two researchers independently searched PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The meta-analysis was performed with Review Manager. Results: Eighty-two trials with 6,480 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Dexmedetomidine reduced postoperative nausea (Risk Ratio (RR) = 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.50 to 0.73) and vomiting (RR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.36 to 0.64) compared with placebo, with an effective dose of 0.5 ug/kg (RR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.34 to 0.62) and 1.0 ug/kg (RR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.75), respectively. The antiemetic effect can only be achieved intravenously, not epidurally or intrathecally. The efficacy of dexmedetomidine was similar to that of widely used agents, such as propofol, midazolam etc., but better than opioid analgesics. Moreover, application of dexmedetomidine reduced intraoperative requirement of fentanyl (Standard Mean Difference = -1.91, 95% CI: -3.20 to -0.62). Conclusions: The present meta-analysis indicates that dexmedetomidine shows superiority to placebo, but not to all other anesthetic agents on PONV. And this efficacy may be related to a reduced consumption of intraoperative opioids.

Background: This study was aimed at determining the effects and safety of Da-Cheng-Qi decoction (DCQD) or DCQD combined with conservative therapy in patients with intestinal obstruction.Materials and Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and several other databases were searched. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of DCQD or DCQD plus conservative therapy in patients with intestinal obstruction were eligible. Therapeutic effect was estimated by the improvement of clinical manifestations and diagnostic imaging; dichotomous/ordinal data assessment of overall response to therapy, adverse effects; or continuous variable were identified, including time to first bowel movement, time to first flatus, length of hospital stay.Results: Sixty eligible RCTs including 6,095 patients were identified. Response rate: (1) DCQD versus conservative therapy (6 RCTs, 361 patients, RR of respond =1.13; 95% CI 0.97 to 1.31). (2) DCQD plus conservative therapy versus conservative therapy (48 RCTs, 4,916 patients,RR of respond =1.25 which favoured DCQD plus conservative therapy; 95% CI 1.20 to 1.30). Treatment effect remained similar when RCTs at high risk of bias were excluded. Time to first flatus postoperatively: (1) DCQD versus conservative therapy (2 RCTs, 240 patients, SMD=-3.65; 95% CI -8.17 to 0.87). (2) DCQD plus conservative therapy versus conservative therapy (11 RCTs, 1,040 patients, SMD=-2.09 which favoured DCQD plus conservative therapy; 95% CI -3.04 to -1.15).Conclusion: DCQD combined with conservative therapy may increase the success rate of conservative therapy for intestinal obstruction significantly and can shorten the duration of postoperative ileus in patients undergoing abdominal surgery compared with conservative therapy alone.Key words: Da-Cheng-Qi-Tang; Intestinal Obstruction; Ileus; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction; Meta-Analysis.Introduction

The seeds from ten Hibiscus hamabo provenance families were treated with concentrated sulfuric acid for different durations (0, 10, 15, and 20 min) , and the seed germination rate, germination energy, and germination index, as well as the seed relative water adsorption rate, soluble sugar and starch contents, and alpha-amylase activity during the germination, were determined, aimed to study the effects of treating with concentrated sulfuric acid on the seed germination of H. hamabo and the differences of the seed germination among different H. hamabo provenance families. After treated with concentrated sulfuric acid, the seed germination rate, germination energy, and germination index increased significantly, and the germination time shortened remarkably. Treating with concentrated sulfuric acid for 15 minutes had the best effect, i. e., the germination rate, germination energy, and germination index were up to 95.7%, 91.3%, and 13.28, respectively, and the germination time was the shortest. The seed germination rate, germination energy, and germination index differed significantly with different provenance families, the highest germination index (15.13) being 2.12 times of the lowest germination index (7.15), and the highest germination energy (98.0%) being 1.77 times of the lowest one (55.5%). Treating with concentrated sulfuric acid accelerated the physiological and biochemical processes of seed germination, and the relative water absorption rate, soluble sugar content, and a-amylase activity were decreased after an initial increase, with the maximum at the early stage of germination. There was a significant negative relationship between the seed starch content and the seed germination index.

The phosphatidic acid phosphatase HTPAP has been defined as a metastatic suppressor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but little is known about its function or potential applications as a prognostic marker. In this study, we analyzed patterns of HTPAP genetic variation and gene expression in 864 patients who underwent HCC resection, assessing these patterns for correlations to tumor metastasis potential. Focusing on two tagSNPs that were selected (+357G/C and +1838A/G), we found that only the +357G/C genotype was significantly associated with HTPAP mRNA and protein expression levels and the probability of metastasis. In an independent cohort of 665 HCC patients, we determined that the +357G/C genotype was associated with shorter time to recurrence and overall survival. Together, these results indicated that the HTPAP tagSNP +357 GG+GC genotypes may influence HCC metastatic potential and clinical prognosis by down-regulating HTPAP expression. Extending these results, a global expression profiling analysis identified 41 genes including the pro-inflammatory genes IL-8 and TLR2 that were significantly overexpressed in the +357 GG+GC group, as possible coregulated markers with HTPAP. Together, our findings identify an HTPAP genotype and associated gene expression pattern that favors metastasis progression and that could be used to predict tumor metastasis and prognosis in HCC patients. Cancer Res; 71(9); 3278–86. ©2011 AACR.

The effects of hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 (HES130/0.4) on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and its mechanism are uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of HES 130/0.4 on myocardial I/R injury.Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to sham-operation group (S group), ischemia-reperfusion group (I/R group), albumin-I/R group (A-I/R group) and HES130/0.4-I/R group (H-I/R group). The fluids were administered at 25 minutes after ischemia. H-I/R group was given 7.5 ml/kg of HES 130/0.4; I/R group and A-I/R group received the same volume of normal saline and 5% albumin, respectively. The rats in S group were sham operated and received the same fluid as I/R group. After 30 minutes of ischemia and 3 hours of reperfusion, blood samples were taken for cytokines assay, myocardium was excised for detection of NF-κB activity and myocardial infarction areas were taken for immunohistochemical analysis.Hemodynamic parameters of H-I/R group were better than I/R and A-I/R groups at all designated time points. The results of 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium (TTC) and HE staining were better in the H-I/R group. Myeloperoxidase (MPO), NF-κB activity and concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β were elevated markedly in I/R groups. HES130/0.4 lessened the release of TNF-α and IL-1β consistent with the reduction of MPO activity, and HES 130/0.4 inhibited the activity of NF-κB in H-I/R group. The number of apoptotic cells in the H-I/R group was also significantly reduced compared with I/R and A-I/R groupHES130/0.4 has a protective effect on I/R injured myocardium, probably by inhibiting NF-κB activity, reducing the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and interfering with the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes.

The photosynthetic characteristics of Quercus acutissima from Feixian, Chuzhou and Wanyuan provenances were investigated under NaCl stress at 5 concentrations. For the three provenances, their leaf chlorophyll a (Chl a) and chlorophyll b (Chl b) contents and net photosynthetic rate (Pn) decreased with increasing salt stress, among which, the maximal decrement of Chl a content was 21.5%-36.1% for Feixian provenance, and 3.5%-19.8% for Wanyuan provenance. The diurnal variation of Pn, in control groups had a single peak, and no midday photosynthetic depression was observed. Under high salt stress, all the provenances presented midday photosynthetic depression. Path analysis indicated that the major factors affecting Pn were vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and leaf temperature (Tl) , while the minor factors were stomatal conductance (Gs) , intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), and photosynthetically active radiation (PARi). In the control groups, the photosynthetic characteristics mainly depended on the climate factors of provenance location. Based on the variations of leaf chlorophyll contents and Pn among the provenances under different salt stress, Wanyuan provenance had the highest salt tolerance, followed by Chuzhou provenance, and Feixian provenance.

By using GIS and RS techniques and RUSLE, the rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), vegetation and management factor (C), and slope length and steepness factor (LS) around Hangzhou Bay of Zhejiang Province, China were calculated to make a comprehensive sensitivity evaluation of soil erosion in the study area. In the meantime, the contribution of each natural factor, i. e., rainfall, soil texture, slope, and elevation, was analyzed, and a new approach, overlapping and ordering method, was developed to identify the key affecting factors in the given sensitive areas. In the study area, soil erosion was mainly at non-sensitive and low sensitive levels. The percentages of the areas with different soil erosion sensitivity varied with the strength of the affecting factors. Soil erosion sensitivity increased with increasing rainfall and slope, and the percentage of the area with high soil erosion sensitivity was the largest at elevation 200-500 meters. The overlapping and ordering method was a practicable approach in identifying the key affecting factors in given sensitive areas, being helpful to understand the mechanisms causing soil erosion.

There has been considerable interest in researching the regulatory mechanisms that control the synthesis of interleukin (IL)-12, which plays a central role in the differentiation of T-helper-1 cells. In this study, we performed a series of transient transfection experiments designed to elucidate the functional rela- tionship between the IL-12 promoter-specific transcription factors (Ets2 and Sp1) and histone acetylation modification in IL-12 regulation mediated by p300 and various histone deacetylases (HDACs). Results pre- sented in this report demonstrated that the transcription factors Ets2 and Sp1 acted synergistically with p300 to activate the human IL-12 promoter. The histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity of p300 was required for this synergic effect, because the adenovirus E1A protein inhibited the synergy. Conversely, HDACs re- pressed the synergic effect of transcription factors and histone acetylation on the activation of IL-12, while p300 was able to rectify it. These data indicated that Ets2 and Sp1 worked concertedly and synergistically with p300 in the regulation of human IL-12 expression.

Distribution and configuration of nucleolar DNA in the nucleolus of pea (Pisum sativum) were analyzed using cytochemical NAMA-Ur DNA specific stain method. The results showed that nucleolar DNA distributed in FC and juncture of FC/DFC in the forms of surrounding FC. rDNA in different positions existed in either condensed or uncondensed forms. Nucleolus-associated chromatin outside nucleolus extended in the periphery of FC via channels in the nucleolus.