Investigation of α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of wheat bran and germ

Postprandial hyperglycaemia is a primary risk factor in the development of Type 2 diabetes. α-Glucosidase inhibitors that reduce postprandial hyperglycaemia have a key role in the treatment of Type 2 pre-diabetic states and also have the potential to reduce the progression to complications of diabetes. Epidemiological studies showed that risk for Type 2 diabetes mellitus was decreased with consumption of whole grains. The bran and germ of whole wheat are major components of whole grain consumption and are widely accepted as important ingredients in many low glycaemic index (GI) foods. In this study, the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of wheat bran and germ was investigated. The active compounds were screened using an in vitro enzyme-inhibitory assay guided fractionation. Potent α-glucosidase inhibitory compounds from wheat germ were identified as phosphatidic acids, 1,2-dilinoleoylglycero-3-phosphate and 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-glycero-3-phosphate. The low GI property of whole grain wheat could be attributed to these α-glucosidase inhibitory phosphatidic acids, which have the potential to prevent or treat Type 2 diabetes.     

鲟鱼头汤对产后缺乳大鼠泌乳功能的促进作用

目的：研究经蒸煮后高压液化熬制鲟鱼头汤的催乳功效。方法：将Wistar母鼠随机分为空白组（生理盐水）、缺乳模型组（溴隐亭）、阳性对照组（乳清蛋白鲈鱼粉）和实验组（鲟鱼头汤）,每组6只,对哺乳期Wistar母鼠进行连续14 d灌胃,考察其体质量和泌乳量变化。通过苏木精伊红染色、免疫组化分析、酶联免疫吸附测定与实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应等方法测定母鼠乳腺组织形态、相关激素与蛋白表达水平。结果：实验组母鼠乳腺的腺管与腺泡中可以观察到棕黄色阳性显色蛋白分泌物数量增多,乳腺小叶间脂肪结缔组织数量减少,相较于模型组有明显恢复。与模型组相比,实验组母鼠每小时泌乳量、乳腺相对质量以及仔鼠窝重净增率均显著提高（P<0.05）,母鼠血清与乳腺组织中催乳素（prolactin,PRL）、催乳素受体（prolactin receptor,PRLR）、β-酪蛋白（β-casein,β-CN）、α-乳清蛋白（α-lactalbumin,α-LA）水平及乳糖合成酶（lactose synthase,LS）和脂肪酸合成酶（fatty acid synthase,FAS）活力也显著提升（P<0.05）。乳腺...     

白藜芦醇对KKAy小鼠体质量和脂肪分布的影响及机制

目的:观察白藜芦醇(resveratrol,res)对KKAy小鼠体质量和脂肪分布的影响,并探讨其中机制。方法:将36只8周龄KKAy小鼠分成3组,其中两组KKAy小鼠分别饲喂添加白藜芦醇(以饲料质量2、4g/kg添加)的AIN93G饲料,另外以12只同周龄C57BL/6J小鼠为对照。观察干预12周后白藜芦醇对小鼠体质量及皮下脂肪、附睾脂肪分布的影响;Western blot实验检测不同组小鼠附睾及皮下脂肪组织中沉默信息调节因子1(silent information regulator 1,sirt-1)、过氧化物增殖物受体γ(peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorγ,PPARγ)和CCAAT增强子结合蛋白α(CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteinα,C/EBPα)蛋白表达水平。结果:白藜芦醇干预可以在不影响摄食量的情况下减轻KKAy小鼠体质量,与模型组相比,高剂量res组小鼠体质量降低,且脂肪组织的质量及与脂肪组织系数降低;附睾及皮下脂肪组织中sirt-1的表达升高,PPARγ及C/EBPα蛋白表达水平降低。结论:白藜芦醇可以减轻肥胖小鼠...     

Preventive approach against drug-induced pulmonary fibrosis through the suppression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition

A number of drugs induce pulmonary injury and subsequently lead to serious lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis as the adverse drug reactions. However, an effective preventive approach against drug-induced pulmonary fibrosis has not been established due to poor understanding of common preventive targets in a variety of drugs showing pulmonary toxicity. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a cellular phenotypic change of the epithelial to mesenchymal state, contributes to the development of pulmonary fibrosis through the conversion of damaged alveolar epithelium into myofibroblasts. As several drugs with pulmonary toxicity have been reported to induce EMT, EMT serves as a bridge between the drugs and pulmonary fibrosis. Accumulated evidence supports the potential of EMT as a preventive target against drug-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Additionally, since there are mechanistic differences between the main pharmacological effect and EMT induced by the drug, prevention based on EMT suppression would be possible and would contribute to continuous clinical treatment with the drug to avoid EMT-mediated serious pulmonary fibrosis. Furthermore, targeting EMT seems to be adequate for exerting a preventive effect since EMT in damaged alveolar epithelial cells occurs prior to the development of the pathophysiological state of the whole lung in a bleomycin-induced lung injury rat model. This viewpoint deals with the benefits and perspectives of preventive approaches against druginduced pulmonary fibrosis through the suppression of EMT, which has rarely been addressed.     

Partial Sperm beta1 Integrin Subunit Deletion Proves Its Involvement in Mouse Gamete Adhesion/Fusion

We have previously shown, using antibodies, that the sperm alpha6beta1 integrin is involved in mouse gamete fusion in vitro. Here we report the conditional knockdown of the sperm Itgb1 gene. It induced a drastic failure of sperm fusogenic ability with sperm accumulation in the perivitelline space of in vitro inseminated oocytes deleted or not for the Itgb1 gene. These data demonstrate that sperm, but not oocyte, beta1 integrin subunit is involved in gamete adhesion/fusion. Curiously, knockdown males were fertile in vivo probably because of the incomplete Cre-mediated deletion of the sperm Itgb1 floxed gene. Indeed, this was shown by Western blot analysis and confirmed by both the viability and litter size of pups obtained by mating partially sperm Itgb1 deleted males with females producing completely deleted Itgb1 oocytes. Because of the total peri-implantation lethality of Itgb1 deletion in mice, we assume that sperm that escaped the Itgb1 excision seemed to be preferentially used to fertilize in vivo. Here, we showed for the first time that the deletion, even partial, of the sperm Itgb1 gene makes the sperm unable to normally fertilize oocytes. However, to elucidate the question of the essentiality of its role during fertilization, further investigations using a mouse expressing a recombinase more effective in male germ cells are necessary.     

京杭大运河沉船爆破实践

利用非接触爆破与接触爆破相结合、集团装药与直列装药相结合的综合爆破技术拆除一艘钢筋混凝土结构的沉船。介绍了该工程的组织准备、爆破方案设计、装药的加工和防水处理、装药定位方法、起爆线路 ,安全措施等。作者简评了爆破效果 ,并概述了对这项爆破拆除工程的体会