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Aim: It has been reported that glial cells are involved in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). According to our previous research, Scutellaria barbata flavonoids (SBFs) can protect the neuronal disorder and memory impairment for AD-like rats, while the effect of SBFs on the glial cells disorder in AD-like rats has been less well studied. The effects of SBFs on astrocytes(ASs), microglial cells (MGs) and oligodendrocytes (Ols), as well as heat shock proteins 70 (Hsp70) and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) were investigated in the present study. Methods: The successful model rats, screened by Morris water maze, were daily orally administrated with 35, 70 and 140 mg/kg SBFs for 36 d. The numbers of brain’s astrocytes (ASs), microglial cells (MGs) and oligodendrocytes (Ols) were examined by immunohistochemistry. The cortical glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), leukocyte common antigen (LCA) (CD45), Claudin 11 and heat shock proteins 70 (Hsp70) protein expression were assayed by Western blotting, and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) mRNA expression was analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results: Compared with the sham-operated group, the number of ASs and MGs in the brain was significantly increased in the model group (P Conclusions: SBFs can dramatically improve the abnormal changes in glial cells of the brains of rats, induced by composited Aβ, which may be utilized as a helpful treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.

This article uses the literature material method, interview method, questionnaire survey method, mathematical statistics and other research methods, on six ordinary institutions of higher learning in the Nanchang city in Jiangxi province, Jiangxi normal University, Nanchang University, Jiangxi normal University of science and technology, east China Jiaotong University, Nanchang institute of technology, Nanchang institute of technology, 300 college students of sports lifestyle in the investigation and analysis, from college students' interest in sports, sports consumption, sports, health consciousness, such as Angle analysis, and aimed at college students' sports life style these existing problems, and puts forward related suggestions.

This paper takes 8 communities in Xinjian district of Nanchang city who participate in morning and evening physical exercise as the research object. The research methods mainly include literature, questionnaire, field survey and statistical analysis. The age, gender, location and items of the people who often take part in physical exercise in the community in Xinjian district of Nanchang city were investigated and analyzed. Conclusions: (1) There is a lack of sports equipment and venues for people to exercise in the newly-built communities in Nanchang. People who often participate in exercise mainly choose public welfare venues for exercise, while fewer people choose fee-paying venues for exercise. (2) People who often participate in physical exercise in Xinjian district of Nanchang city mainly take morning exercise and evening exercise in their choice of exercise time. More women than men participate in physical exercise regularly. At the same time, the elderly people mainly participate in physical exercise, followed by children and young people, and the middle-aged people participate in physical exercise least.

In this study, literature, expert interviews, mathematical statistics and bone age assessment methods were used to study 2,347 athletes participating in the 2017 youth sports competitions in Jiangxi province. The results show that sports training has a significant effect on the bone age of young athletes, and precocity of bones is easy to occur. The effect was not significant in early childhood, but significant in adolescence.

The inclined inserting-type sand fence is a novel sand retaining wall adopted along the Lanxin High-Speed Railway II in Xinjiang for controlling and blocking sand movement. To verify the effectiveness of the new fence structure for sand prevention, a wind tunnel test was used for flow field test simulation of the sand fence. The results indicate that the inclined inserting-type sand fence was able to deflect the flow of the sand and was able to easily form an upward slant acceleration zone on the leeward side of the sand fence. As shown by the percentage change in sand collection rates on the windward side and the leeward side of the sand fence, the sand flux per unit area at 4 m height in the slant upward direction increased on the leeward side of the inclined inserting-type sand fence. By comparing the flow fields, this site is an acceleration zone, which also reaffirms the correspondence of wind–sand flow fields with the spatial distribution characteristic of the wind-carried sand motion. The field sand collection data indicates that under the effects of the inclined inserting-type sand fence, the sandy air currents passing in front and behind the sand fence not only changed in quality, but the grain composition and particle size also significantly changed, suggesting that the inclined inserting-type sand fence has a sorting and filtering effect on the sandy air currents that passed through. The fence retained coarse particulates on the windward side and fine particulates within the shade of the wind on the leeward side.

A hanging-type sand-retaining wall is a very common sand-blocking fence structure used to prevent sand movement. This type of wall is widely used along the Qinghai–Tibet and Gobi desert railways in Xinjiang, Western China. To analyze the characteristics of wind-sand flow fields under the effect of such a sand fence structure, a wind tunnel test and a field test were carried out. The wind tunnel test showed the zoning characteristics of the flow fields under the effect of the hanging-type sand-retaining wall, and the field test provided the sediment transport data for effective wind-proof interval and the sand resistance data in the front and behind the sand-retaining wall. The consistency of the wind-sand flow fields with the spatial distribution characteristic of wind-carried sand motion was verified by the correspondences of the acceleration zone in the flow field and the negative elevation points of the percentage variations of the sand collection rate. The spatial distribution characteristic of the field sand collection data further showed the spatial structural characteristic of the sandy air currents under the action of the hanging-type sand-retaining wall and the sand resistance characteristic of the sand-retaining wall. This systematic study on the wind-sand flow fields under the control of the hanging-type sand-retaining wall provides a theoretical basis for the rational layout of sand control engineering systems and the efficient utilization of a hanging-type sand-retaining wall.

To study the correlation of the gene expressions of Chk1 and Chk2 with sperm concentration and motility.According to sperm concentration and motility (percentage of progressively motile sperm), we divided 80 semen samples into four groups of equal number: normal control, oligozoospermia (OS), asthenospermia (AS), and oligoasthenozoospermia (OAS). We detected the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and viability and determined the expressions of Chk1 and Chk2 in the sperm by RT-PCR and Western blot.Statistically significant differences were not found in sperm DFI among the control, OS, AS, and OAS groups (21.24±6.93, 19.67±7.64, 21.52±6.92, and 19.28±11.55, P0.05), but observed in sperm concentration, progressive motility, and viability between the DFI30% and DFI ≤30% groups (P0.01). Compared with the normal control, sperm viability was remarkably decreased in the OS, AS, and OAS groups (［83.48±9.87］% vs ［63.86±9.16］%, ［50.45±16.99］%, and ［39.21±15.74］%, P0.05). RT-PCR showed remarkable differences among the control, OS, AS, and OAS groups in the relative expression level of Chk1 mRNA (0.73±0.22, 0.62±0.14, 1.03±0.39, and 0.92±0.071, P0.01), which was correlated positively with sperm concentration (b = 80.661, P0.01) but negatively with sperm motility (b = －19.275, P0.01), as well as in that of Chk2 mRNA (0.66±0.30, 0.27±0.09, 0.59±0.19, and 0.42 ± 0.11, P0.01), which was correlated negatively with sperm concentration (b = －90.809, P0.01) but positively with sperm motility (b = 27.507, P0.01). The relative expression levels of the Chk1 protein were significantly different among the four groups (0.63±0.05, 0.42±0.03, 1.13±0.08, and 0.87±0.07, P0.01), which was correlated positively with sperm concentration (b = 55.74, P0.01) but negatively with sperm motility (b =－22.649, P0.01), and so were those of the Chk2 protein (1.23±0.36, 0.37±0.16, 0.87±0.08, and 0.68±0.12, P0.01), which was correlated negatively with sperm concentration (b =－53.001, P0.01) but positively with sperm motility (b = 16.676, P0.01).Chk1 and Chk2 are significantly expressed in human sperm. In case of sperm DNA damage, up-regulated Chk1 expression may enhance sperm apoptosis and lead to asthenospermia, while increased Chk2 expression may inhibit spermatogenesis and result in oligospermia.目的： 研究精子中细胞周期检测点激酶1/2（Chk1和Chk2）基因的表达对精子浓度及活力的影响。方法： 将精液样本根据精子浓度和活力（前向运动精子百 分率）分为正常对照组、少精子症组、弱精子症组和少弱精子症组，每组20例。分别检测各组精子DNA碎片指数（DFI）、精子存活率，采用RT-PCR和Western印迹方法 分别检测各组精子Chk1、Chk2的表达。 结果： ①4组DFI分别为21.24±6.93、19.67±7.64、21.52±6.92、19.28±11.55，无显著差异 (P0.05)；4组精子存活率分别为（83.48±9.87）%、（63.86±9.16）%、（50.45±16.99）%、（39.21±15.74%），与正常对照组相比，其余3 组均有显著下降(P均0.05)；②DFI30%和DFI≤30%两组精子的浓度、活力和精子存活率之间的差异有统计学意义(P0.01)；③RT-PCR检测结果显示 ，4组Chk1 mRNA相对表达量分别为 0.73±0.22、0.62±0.14、1.03±0.39、0.92±0.071，各组间比较差异有显著性(P0.01)，其与精子浓度 呈正相关（b=80.661,P0.01），与精子活力呈负相关（b=－19.275,P0.01）；4组Chk2 mRNA相对表达量分别为 0.66±0.30、0.27±0.09、 0.59±0.19、0.42±0.11，各组间比较差异有显著性(P0.01)，其与精子浓度呈负相关（b=－90.809,P0.01），与精子活力呈正相关 （b=27.507,P0.01）。④Western印迹结果显示，4组Chk1 蛋白相对表达量分别为0.63±0.05、0.42±0.03、1.13±0.08、0.87±0.07，各组间 比较差异有显著性(P0.01)，其与精子浓度呈正相关（b=55.74,P0.01），与精子活力呈负相关（b=－22.649,P0.01）；4组Chk2 蛋白相对表达量分别为 1.23±0.36、0.37±0.16、0.87±0.08、0.68±0.12，各组间比较差异有显著性(P0.01)，其与精子浓度呈负相关（b=－53.001,P0.01） ，与精子活力呈正相关（b=16.676,P0.01）。结论： Chk1和 Chk2在人类精子中均有显著表达，在精子DNA出现损伤后，Chk1表达的增强可能促进了精子的凋亡 导致弱精子症，而Chk2表达的增强则可能抑制了精子的生成而导致少精子症。.

Based on detailed long-term data of wind regimes collected from typical ventilation sites along the railways in the Gobi area of Xinjiang, this study systematically analyzes the characteristics of the disastrous wind-sand environment along the railways by combining gradient sand sampling data collected by a wind-drift sand monitoring system and site survey data. Wind direction and speed rose diagrams revealed the prevailing wind direction in each wind area along the railways, and this is the wind direction from which the maximum frequency of sandstorms occurred. Drift potential characteristic parameters (RDP, RDD) and the direction variability (RDP/DP) showed that each wind area along the Gobi railway featured a long wind period, with strong power in a single wind direction. The special geological environment of the Gobi determines the wind-drift sand that features gravel of large grain size and unsaturation, which are different from the wind-drift sand in deserts. With increasing wind velocity, the density of the wind-drift sand increased steadily; however, at a certain critical value, the density surged. This study on the wind-sand environment of the Gobi has significance for railway safety. The critical value of wind velocity corresponded to an abrupt increase in the wind-drift sand density and should be taken into account during the planning process of railway safety passage, since this will lead to a decrease in frontal visual distance, and an associated decrease in safety. Additionally, the specific features of wind-drift sand activities, such as the abruptness and higher than usual sand height, should be considered during the process of designing sand-damage-control engineering measures.

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway (QTR) is the longest high-altitude railway in the world, which is frequently damaged by windblown sand. In order to prevent the sand damage, we constructed a sand-damage–prevention engineering system along the QTR. This was the first time a windblown-sand-prevention system was constructed in such a high-cold and arid environments; because of this, our work necessitated adjustments during the application of a number of different sand-damage–prevention engineering techniques. Based on detailed wind data and in situ observations of windblown sand, as well as systematic field measurements along the QTR, these sand-damage–prevention engineering measures were evaluated quantitatively and semi-quantitatively in this study. The results can be used to guide the design of sand-control structures, improve the existing sand-damage–prevention engineering system and optimize the structural performance of various sand-damage–prevention engineering measures.

Wind-shield walls decrease the velocity of wind-drift sand flow in transit. This results in sand accumulating in the wind-shadow zone of both windshield wall and track line, causing severe sand sediment hazard. This study reveals the characteristics of sand accumulation and the laws of wind-blown sand removal in the wind-shadow areas of three different types of windshield walls, utilizing three-dimensional numerical simulations and wind tunnel experiments and on-site sand sediment tests. The results revealed the formation of apparent vortex and acceleration zones on the leeward side of solid windshield walls. For uniform openings, the vortex area moved back and narrowed. When bottom-opening windshield walls were adopted, the track-supporting layer at the step became a conflux acceleration zone, forming a low velocity vortex zone near the track line. At high wind speeds, windshield walls with bottom-openings achieved improved sand dredging. Considering hydrodynamic mechanisms, the flow field structure on the leeward side of different types of windshield structures is a result of convergence and diffusion of fluids caused by an obstacle. This convergence and diffusion effect of air fluid is more apparent at high wind velocities, but not obvious at low wind velocities.

Based on the large number of field surveys and long-term monitoring data of Hongceng, Hongliu and MengliuDong monitoring points, the wind-sand flow movement characteristics along the railway in Gobi area was analyzed. The shielding effect of the wind-break wall was evaluated by the methods of numerical simulation and field test. Conclusions drawn as followings: the wind-sand flow movement in Gobi area is characterized by stable of direction, seasonal, high-velocity,long-term,and shorting of starting-up time and moresand content. Numerical simulation shows that the wind flow form a large vortex region on the leeward side of wall, the flow field elements occurs significant changes. Both field test data and numerical simulations indicated that 3.0m height of wind-break wall meet the requirement of shielding wind-sand flow.

A field experiment was conducted to study the selectiveness of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Güenée (commonly known as the rice leaffolder or rice leafroller) towards five rice varieties (Yangfujing 8, Yangdao 6, Shanyou 136, Huaidao 9 and Ningjing 1) and three weed species (Echinochloa crusgalli, Leptochloa chinensis and Leersia hexandra). The results showed that the rice varieties carried significantly higher numbers of C. medinalis moths and eggs than the weed species. Among the rice varieties, Yangfujing 8 was associated with a higher moth number. However, there was little difference in the number of C. medinalis eggs among the rice varieties. Additionally, a laboratory experiment was performed to investigate the olfactory response of female C. medinalis towards volatile compounds from different rice varieties, as well as its oviposition preference towards these rice varieties. The volatiles of Yangfujing 8, Yangdao 6 and Shanyou 136 attracted C. medinalis similarly to those of TN1. In contrast, the volatiles of Huaidao 9 and Ningjing 1 clearly deterred C. medinalis. Nevertheless, C. medinalis did not exhibit clear oviposition preference towards any of the five tested rice varieties.

With plastics resistance to degradation in nature and lack of effective recycling practice, it has resulted in a serious threat to the environment. Concerns about the environmental pollution caused by plastics have led to serious demands for biodegradable plastic materials made from renewable source. Starch is a biopolymer that has been being an attractive alternative for packaging material. A general overview on the microstructures of starch is given in this essay. The modified methods in biodegradable starch-based films are reviewed, which include physical, chemical and enzymic modification. Physical modification involves ultrasonic, mechanical treatment and addition of additives, such as plasticizer and coupling agent. Chemical modification consists of etherification, esterification, cross-linking, grafting and oxidation. Enzymic modification includes debranching reaction of starch debranching enzyme which contains pulullanase and isoamylase. The biodegradation of starch-based films and the prospects of their future are also detailed.

Let G be a real semisimple Lie group with finite center. Let  0 =  0 ⊕  0 be a Cartan decomposition for the Lie algebra  0 of G. Let  (resp., , ) be the complexification of  0 (resp.,  0,  0). Let  0 =  0 ⊕  0 be a fundamental Cartan subalgebra of  0. Then  0 ⊂  0 is a Cartan subalgebra of  0. Let Z() and Z() be, respectively, the centers of the universal enveloping algebras of  and . There is a homomorphism ζ: Z() → Z(), which plays an important role in Huang and Pandžic's proof of a conjecture of Vogan on Dirac cohomology. The map ζ is defined by the restriction map via Harish–Chandra isomorphisms, where W(,) and W(,) are the Weyl groups of  and , respectively. Kostant generalizes the result of Huang and Pandžic to the case where  is an arbitrary reductive subalgebra of . In Kostant's work, the map where  is a Cartan subalgebra of  contained in , plays a similar role as the restriction map described above. In this article we determine the images of restriction maps for ...

To study the effect of tea polyphenols (TP) on the apoptosis of germ cells in rats with experimental varicocele.Thirty-two adolescent male Wistar rats were randomly and equally divided into groups A (sham-operation), B (high-dose TP), C (low-dose TP), and D (experimental left varicocele). Experimental varicocele was induced by partial ligation of the left renal vein in the latter three groups of rats. The animals in groups A and D were fed with normal saline, while those in B and C with TP at 40 and 10 mg per kg per d, respectively, all for 4 weeks. Then, all the rats were sacrificed and the left testes harvested for determination of the expression of HIF-1, Bcl-2, Bax, CytC, and caspase-3 by immunohistochemistry and measurement of the apoptosis index (AI) of spermatogenic cells.The expression of Bcl-2 was higher in groups B and C than in D but lower than in A (P0.05), and lower in C than in B (P0.05). However, the expressions of HIF-1, Bax, CytC, and caspase-3 were lower in groups B and C than in D but higher than in A (P0.05), and higher in C than in B (P0.05). The AI of spermatogenic cells was the lowest in group A, higher in D than in the other groups but lower in B than in C (P0.05).TP can reduce the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells in a dose-dependent manner in varicocele rats.

To study the effect of flavonoids isolated from aerial parts of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (SSF) on cerebral damage induced by okadaic acid (OA) in rats.OA was microinjected into the right lateral ventricle of male rats at a dose of 200 ng kg(-1) twice with a 3-day interval between injections to establish a model of Alzheimer's-disease-like cerebral damage. Neuronal morphology was observed with thionin staining and the expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and β-amyloid peptide 1-40 (Aβ1-40) were monitored via immunohistochemistry. The level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured using spectrophotometry.The results showed that OA-treated rats exhibited marked neuronal damage accompanied by increased levels of Aβ1-40 peptide and MDA accumulation, decreased GFAP protein expression and reduced GSH-Px and LDH activity in the brain. SSF at three doses (25, 50 and 100 mg kg(-1)) dramatically reversed the OA-induced changes in the brains of rats.SSF-mediated amelioration of OA-induced neuronal damage in rats provides a rationale for assessing SSF as a means of to reducing tau hyperphosphorylation and Aβ expression in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Molecular geometries of nitrogen squaric acid and its dimeric derivative were optimized at RHF/6-311+G** and RB3LYP/6-311+G** levels of theory. The gas-phase acidity and aromaticity of them were estimated by use of free energy of deprotonation, aromatic stabilization energies (ASE)-based on different homodesmotic reaction schemes, geometry, magnetism-based NICS, NICS(1), and Λ. The calculated Δ G 1 ( 298 K ) 0 and Δ G 2 ( 298 k ) 0 suggests that the two molecules are all organic acid, and dimeric derivative is a stronger organic acid. The geometric, energetic, and magnetic criteria indicate nitrogen squaric acid is aromatic, and the dimer should only be considered as partly aromatic.

Previous studies reported that the total flavonoids from the stems and leaves of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (TFSS) could enhance and improve learning and memory abilities in experimental animals, and reduce the neuronal pathologic alterations induced by some reagents in mice. The present study examined whether TFSS can improve memory dysfunction, neuronal damage, and abnormal free radicals induced by permanent cerebral ischemia in rats. The permanent cerebral ischemic model in rats was produced by bilateral ligation of the common carotid arteries. The influence of permanent cerebral ischemia on learning and memory was determined in the Morris water maze. The neuronal damage in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex was assessed by the neuronal morphologic observations. The contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO), and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex were measured using thiobarbituric acid, nitrate reductase, xanthine-xanthine oxidase, and ammonium molybdate spectrophotometric methods, respectively. In learning and memory performance tests, cerebral ischemic rats always required a longer latency time to find the hidden platform and spent a shorter time in the target quadrant in the Morris water maze. TFSS 17.5-70 mg.kg(-1) daily orally administered to ischemic rats for 20 d, from day 16-35 after operation differently reduced the prolonged latency and increased swimming time spent in the target quadrant. In neuronal morphologic observations, daily oral TFSS 17.5-70 mg.kg(-1) for 21 d, from day 16-36 after operation markedly inhibited the ischemia-induced neuronal damage. In addition, the increased contents of MDA and NO, and SOD activity, and the decreased activity of CAT in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex induced by cerebral ischemia were differently reversed. The reference drug piracetam (140 mg.kg(-1) per day for 20-21 d) similarly improved impaired memory and neuronal damage but had no significant effects on free radicals in ligated rats. TFSS can improve memory deficits and neuronal damage in rats after permanent cerebral ischemia, which may be beneficial in the treatment of cerebrovascular dementia.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of flavonoid, isolated from aerial parts of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (SSF), on memory deficits, neuronal degeneration and abnormal energy metabolism induced by permanent global ischemia in rats. The global ischemia was produced in female Sprague-Dawley rats by permanent occlusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries. The permanent global ischemia in rats resulted in a significantly increased latency of the rat to find the hidden platform and a decreased swimming distance from the target quadrant in the Morris water maze task. The pathological changes in the neurons of ischemic rats, observed in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, included neuron loss, neuron swelling, nuclear shrinkage or disappearance, neuronophagia and reduced density of Nissl bodies in the neuron. Moreover, the levels of lactate and ATPase activity in ischemic rats were notably increased and decreased, respectively, in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex as compared with sham-operated rats. Daily oral administration of SSF (35 mg/kg, 19-20 days) dramatically reduced the decrease in learning and memory, attenuated neuronal injury and improved abnormality of energy metabolites in rats induced by global ischemia. These findings suggest that SSF may be beneficial for the treatment of vascular dementia.

For the principle test a 3-stage reconnection coilgun was built. It has a 64 mm bore, length of 330 mm and a projectile weight of 1 kg. The muzzle velocity is about 100 m/s. The value of the capacitors of the driver coils are 4480, 3000 and 715 /spl mu/F with initial voltages 3.3, 3.6 and 6.0 kV respectively. The agreement of the results between the test and the analysis is good. The performances of AC and DC work modes are compared. DC mode means that a shunt circuit is inserted into each driver coil circuit to prevent current reversal. In the test, visible plastic deformations of the armature occur and it was confirmed by computer simulation.

To study the effects of flavonoid, isolated from aerial parts of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (SSF), on memory impairment, neuronal damage, free radicals and energy metabolite disorders in aged rats.Approximately 25-month-old rats were used to establish the ageing model. The cognition of the rats was determined using the Morris water maze, neuronal morphology was observed by light/electron microscope, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase were measured by spectrophotometry.In the Morris water maze task, the aged rats always took longer latency to find the hidden platform and spent less time swimming in the target quadrant than those of young control rats. The light/electron microscopic observations found significant neuropathological changes in the aged rats' brain. In addition, the production of MDA and the activity of SOD, LDH and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of the aged rats showed critical abnormal changes. However, pre-treatment of the aged rats with SSF (35-140 mg kg(-1)) for 16-21 days dramatically improved cognitive dysfunction, neuropathological changes and biochemical abnormalities.These results indicate that the beneficial effects of SSF on memory impairment and neuronal damage in aged rats may be important for the treatment of senile dementia and for delaying the ageing processes.

Cerebral hypoxia is known to be involved in many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and cerebrovascular dementia. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of flavonoids from aerial part of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (SSF) on potassium cyanide (KCN) -induced hypoxic cytotoxicity in rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC12, and to understand the probable mechanism.The rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC12 was subjected to hypoxia by 200 microM KCN for 30 min. The cytotoxicity of KCN was assessed by cell viability assay, morphological observation, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, malondialdehyde (MDA) production, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Na+-K+-ATPase measurements. The effects of SSF on the changes induced by KCN in PC12 cells were detected.Treatment of PC12 cells with 200 micriM KCN for 30 min increased cell death when compared with control, as assayed by MTT reduction, morphological observation and lactate dehydrogenase release measurement. These cell lesions were accompanied by disorders in SOD and Na+-K+-ATPase activities as well as MDA production. In contrast, the PC12 cells pre-treated with SSF for 24 h prior to 200 microM KCN exposure have shown protection against hypoxic toxicity. The KCN - induced decreased cell viability and activities of SOD and Na+-K+-ATPase, as well as increased MDA production were reversed by SSF pre-treatment.SSF exerted neuroprotections against KCN - induced hypoxic cytotoxicity in PC12 cells and the probable mechanisms involved free radicals and energy metabolism. Our findings may have implications in future in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

The investigation of the exact traveling wave solutions to the nonlinear evolution equations plays an important role in the study of nonlinear physical phenomena. To understand the mechanisms of those physical phenomena, it is necessary to explore their solutions and properties. The Wronskian technique is a powerful tool to construct multi-soliton solutions for many nonlinear evolution equations possessing Hirota bilinear forms. In the process of utilizing the Wronskian technique, the main difficulty lies in the construction of a system of linear differential conditions, which is not unique. In this paper, we give a universal method to construct a system of linear differential conditions.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important mediators in a number of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The neuroprotective effects of flavonoids from the stems and leaves of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (SSF) against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced rat pheochromocytoma line PC12 injury were evaluated by cell lesion, free radicals and ATPase disorders. Following a 30 min exposure of the cells to H2O2 (100 microm), a marked decrease in cell survival and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Na+-K+-ATPase as well as an increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) production and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release were observed. Pretreatment of the cells with SSF (18-76 microg/mL) prior to H2O2 exposure notably elevated the cell survival and activity of SOD and Na+-K+-ATPase, and lowered the MDA level and LDH release. Neuroprotection by SSF was also observed in animal models. The present results indicated that SSF exerts neuroprotective effects against H2O2 toxicity, which might be of importance and might contribute to its clinical efficacy for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease.

Flavonoids from the stems and leaves of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, an antioxidant, markedly improve memory impairments and neuronal injuries. In the present study, primary cortical neurons of rats were exposed to potassium cyanide to establish a model of in vitro neural cell apoptosis. Inhibition of apoptosis by flavonoids from the stems and leaves of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi at concentrations of 18.98, 37.36, and 75.92 μg/mL was detected using this model. These flavonoids dramatically increased cell survival, inhibited cell apoptosis and excessive production of malondialdehyde, and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase in primary cortical neurons exposed to potassium cyanide. The flavonoids from the stems and leaves of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi were originally found to have a polyhydric structure and to protect against cerebral hypoxia in in vitro and in vivo models, including hypoxia induced by potassium cyanide or cerebral ischemia. The present study suggests that flavonoids from the stems and leaves of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi exert neuroprotective effects via modulation of oxidative stress, such as malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase disorders induced by potassium cyanide.