Studies on interaction of acid-treated nanotube titanic acid and amino acids / 生物医学工程学杂志

Nanotube titanic acid (NTA) has distinct optical and electrical character, and has photocatalysis character. In accordance with these qualities, NTA was treated with acid so as to enhance its surface activity. Surface structures and surface groups of acid-treated NTA were characterized and analyzed by Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FT-IR). The interaction between acid-treated NTA and amino acids was investigated. Analysis results showed that the lengths of acid-treated NTA became obviously shorter. The diameters of nanotube bundles did not change obviously with acid-treating. Meanwhile, the surface of acid-treated NTA was cross-linked with carboxyl or esterfunction. In addition, acid-treated NTA can catch amino acid residues easily, and then form close combination.

Protective effects of melatonin on learning and memory in rats by noise stress / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the effect of melatonin(MT) on the behavior of rats treated with noise stress and the related bio-mechanism. Methods Fifty rats were randomly divided into a blank group,two experimental groups and two control groups. The blank group was untreated. The experimental and control groups were exposed to 120dB noise stress for 1 day or 3 days, 8 hours per day, and treated with 15 mg/kg melatonin by intraperitoneal injection,or the same volume of physiological saline 30 minutes before noise stress. After noise stress,the rats' behavior was measured by open field test, learning and memory ability of rats was investigated with the method of Morris water maze and then nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the rats were measured by TBA and Griess method respectively. Results No matter noise stress time was 1 day or 3 days, the excitability and explorative behavior of the 2 experimental groups(total movement distance (TMD) (1322.50 ± 504.32) cm, (1819.55 ± 458.37) cm, faster movement time (FMT) (68.49 ± 23.90) s, (87.34 ± 16.01) s, distance to center (DTC) (63.56 ± 2. 75) cm, (60. 13 ±1.87)cm, inner toriod time(ITT) (7.87 ±2.06)s,(9.60 ±2.89)s) in the open field test decreased significantly compared with those of the control group (TMD (2042.03 ± 449. 19) cm, (2325.73 ± 384.90) cm,FMT (109.32 ±21.84)s,(124.65 ± 16.74)s, DTC (58.00± 1.53)cm,(55.05 ±5.13)cm, ITT (12.84 ±3.62) s, (14.92 ± 2.75) s, P ＜ 0. 05, P ＜ 0.01);the escape latency of the experimental groups (( 10. 69 ±3.37) s, (18.87 ± 4.74) s) in Morris water maze was significantly shorter than that of the control group (( 23.86± 7.66)s, (33.55 ± 7.20)s, P＜ 0.05, P＜0.01). The contents of NO or MDA in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the experimental groups (NO in cerebral cortex (3.35 ± 0.40) μmol/gprot, (4.50 ± 0.41) μmol/gprot, NO in hippocampus (2.24 ±0.18) μmol/gprot,(3.15 ±0.21) μmol/gprot, MDA in cerebral cortex(1.34 ±0.44)nmol/mgprot, (2.39 ± 0. 18) nmol/mgprot, MDA in hippocampus (0. 13 ± 0. 07) nmol/mgprot, (0.53 ± 0. 10)nmol/mgprot) were lower than those of the control group (NO in cerebral cortex (3.35 ± 0. 40) μmol/mgprot,(5.03 ± 0.44)μmol/mgprot, NO in hippocampus (2.93 ± 0. 31) μmol/gprot, (3.38 ± 0.24) μmol/gprot, MDA in cerebral cortex (2.24 ± 0.26) nmol/mgprot, (4.21 ± 0.21) nmol/mgprot, MDA in hippocampus (0.47 ± 0.29)nmol/mgprot, (1.33 ± 0. 187) nmol/mgprot, P ＜ 0.05, P ＜ 0. 01) respectively and the contents of SOD in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the experimental groups (in cerebral cortex (763.95 ± 214.36) U/mgprot, (491.33 ±35.85) U/mgprot, in hippocampus (817.02 ± 232.39) U/mgprot, (644.85 ± 28.02) U/mgprot) were higher than those of the control group(in cerebral cortex (556.50 ± 101.51) U/mgprot, (327.35 ± 30.54) U/mgprot, in hippocampus (279.74 ± 117.02) U/mgprot, (108.75 ± 15.52) U/mgprot, P ＜ 0.05, P＜ 0.01) respectively. Conclusion Melatonin is effective in improving the ability of learning and memory in the rats of noise stress,possibly by inhibiting the increase of NO and MDA and increasing the SOD activity in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the rats.