Visual Cortex Engagement in Retinitis Pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a family of inherited disorders caused by the progressive degeneration of retinal photoreceptors. There is no cure for RP, but recent research advances have provided promising results from many clinical trials. All these therapeutic strategies are focused on preserving existing photoreceptors or substituting light-responsive elements. Vision recovery, however, strongly relies on the anatomical and functional integrity of the visual system beyond photoreceptors. Although the retinal structure and optic pathway are substantially preserved at least in early stages of RP, studies describing the visual cortex status are missing. Using a well-established mouse model of RP, we analyzed the response of visual cortical circuits to the progressive degeneration of photoreceptors. We demonstrated that the visual cortex goes through a transient and previously undescribed alteration in the local excitation/inhibition balance, with a net shift towards increased intracortical inhibition leading to improved filtering and decoding of corrupted visual inputs. These results suggest a compensatory action of the visual cortex that increases the range of residual visual sensitivity in RP.     

Development of COMPAS,Computer Aided Process Flowsheet Design and Analysis System of Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing

A computer aided process flowsheet design and analysis system, COMPAS has been developed in order to carry out the flowsheet calculation on the process flow diagram of nuclear fuel reprocessing. All of equipments, such as dissolver, mixer-settler, and so on, in the process flowsheet diagram are graphically visualized as icon on a bitmap display of UNIX workstation. Drawing of a flowsheet can be carried out easily by the mouse operation. Not only a published numerical simulation code but also a user's original one can be used on the COMPAS. Specifications of the equipment and the concentration of components in the stream displayed as tables can be edited by a computer user. Results of calculation can be also displayed graphically. Two examples show that the COMPAS is applicable to decide operating conditions of Purex process and to analyze extraction behavior in a mixer-settler extractor.     

数字化进退针装置在显微注射中的应用实验

针对显微注射中微注射针刺膜速度慢和定位精度差等问题,研制了一种基于惯性力与摩擦力交替作用的细胞工程用数字化选退针装置。利用该装置搭建了数字化显微注射实验系统。以昆明系小鼠为实验动物,对其卵母细胞进行了数字化显微注射实验研究。以细胞变形率和刺膜效率为评价指标,分析了数字化进退针装置驱动电压和频率等参数对实验效率的影响,通过实验优化了其控制参数。结果表明,小鼠卵母细胞数字化显微注射具有高的实验效率,达149枚／h。实验证实,数字化进退针装置满足细胞显微注射的要求。     

Zingiber officinale extract exhibits antidiabetic potential via modulating glucose uptake, protein glycation and inhibiting adipocyte differentiation: an in vitro study

BACKGROUND: Ginger, the rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae), a perennial herbaceous plant is native to Southern Asia. Study was aimed to evaluate antioxidant and antidiabetic potential of ginger extract and its characterization. Possible mode of action to elicit antidiabetic activity was also evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ethyl acetate extract of ginger (EAG) was evaluated for its antioxidant activity in terms of DPPH radical scavenging potential with an IC₅₀ value of 4.59 µg/ml. Antidiabetic activity of EAG was evaluated by estimating antiglycation potential (IC₅₀ 290.84 µg/ml). HPLC profiling of EAG revealed the presence of phenolic components, gingerol and shoagol as major constituents. After determining sub‐toxic concentration of EAG (50 µg/ml), efficacy of extract to enhance glucose uptake in cell lines were checked in L6 mouse myoblast and myotubes. EAG was effective at 5 µg/ml concentration in both cases. Antibody based studies in treated cells revealed the effect of EAG in expressing Glut 4 in cell surface membrane compared to control. CONCLUSION: The antidiabetic effect of ginger was experimentally proved in the study and has concluded that the activity is initiated by antioxidant, antiglycation and potential to express or transport Glut4 receptors from internal vesicles. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of goat milk enriched with oligosaccharides on microbiota structures,and correlation between microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in the large intestine of the mouse

In this study, we explored the effects of combining goat milk and oligosaccharides on the large intestine environment of mice. A combination of goat milk with each of 3 oligosaccharides—stachyose, fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS), and a prebiotics mix—were independently fed to mice. We investigated composition changes in the microbiota of the large intestine using 16S rRNA gene sequencing; measured short-chain fatty acid content using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; and performed a Spearman correlation analysis between microorganisms and short-chain fatty acids. Our results showed that microbial diversity in the large intestine decreased significantly in the FOS group. In terms of α diversity, microbial richness significantly declined in all 3 treatment groups; in terms of β diversity, the intestinal microbial structures clearly changed in the FOS group. The abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus increased markedly in the FOS group compared with the other groups. Functional predictions showed that FOS reduced intestinal bacterial infections and improved the endocrine and immune systems. Spearman correlation analysis showed that propionic, isobutyric, and valeric acids were all positively correlated with certain microbiota. Our findings suggest that FOS-enriched goat milk is beneficial for improving the large intestine environment in the host.     

冠突散囊菌与木霉混合发酵液醇提物对小鼠巨噬细胞RAW264.7免疫调节的影响

为进一步开发冠突散囊菌的药理活性,该研究将冠突散囊菌与木霉共同发酵,通过不同体积分数的乙醇对混合发酵液化学活性部位进行追踪,并结合液质联用（LC-MS）技术对活性部位化合物组成进行分析,通过四氮甲基唑蓝（MTT）比色法、中性红吞噬实验及酶联免疫吸附测定方法分别研究冠突散囊菌与木霉混合发酵液活性部位对小鼠巨噬细胞RAW264.7增殖、吞噬以及分泌细胞因子的能力的影响。结果表明,冠突散囊菌与木霉混合发酵液体积分数70%乙醇提取部位有较好的免疫活性,该部位含有大黄素、芥子碱等生物活性成分。与阳性对照组脂多糖相比,500 μg/mL冠突散囊菌与木霉混合发酵液的体积分数70%乙醇提物能够使小鼠巨噬细胞RAW264.7增殖率提高12%,增强小鼠巨噬细胞RAW264.7吞噬中性红的能力,并能促进NO及细胞因子IL-6、TNF-α的分泌。     

三种麻醉剂对小鼠离体子宫平滑肌收缩性影响的比较

目的探讨氨基甲酸乙酯、戊巴比妥钠、水合氯醛3种麻醉剂对小鼠离体子宫平滑肌收缩性的影响。方法将制备的小鼠离体子宫标本置入37℃低钙洛氏液,用BL-410生物机能实验系统记录加麻醉剂前、后及更换低钙洛氏液后各10min的收缩曲线,测量收缩频率和收缩强度,计算运动指数。结果3种麻醉剂对子宫平滑肌的收缩频率、收缩强度、运动指数都有明显的抑制作用,去除麻醉剂后都可恢复收缩。水合氯醛的抑制作用最强,为完全抑制,去除麻醉剂后很长时间才能恢复收缩;戊巴比妥钠的抑制作用最弱,去除麻醉剂后很快恢复收缩,且收缩强度和运动指数的恢复率都最高。3种麻醉剂在抑制率、恢复率上大都呈现量-效关系。结论在以动物子宫为研究对象的实验中宜用戊巴比妥钠作为麻醉剂。