[Methods for Creating Medium and Large Animal Models of Peripheral Atherosclerosis].

Atherosclerosis (AS) is the main pathological basis for the occurrence of many vascular diseases and has a strong association with metabolic syndrome. Peripheral arterial diseases caused by AS have high morbidities and mortalities but lack still effective treatment. AS animal models are highly valuable for research on peripheral arteriosclerotic diseases. While small and medium AS animal models based on high-fat feeding and balloon injuries have been successfully established,few literatures have described the creation of large animal models for AS treatment. This article elucidates the current methods for creating medium and large animal models of peripheral atherosclerotic disease,with an attempt to further promote the clinical translation of AS treatment research.

Rhynchophylline ameliorates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury through the modulation of mitochondrial mechanisms to mediate myocardial apoptosis.

Rhynchophylline (RP), the primary active ingredient of Uncaria rhynchophylla, has an anti­hypertensive effect and protects against ischemia­induced neuronal damage. The present study aimed to examine the roles and mechanisms of RP in myocardial ischemia­reperfusion (MI/R) injury of rat cardiomyocytes. Cell viability, reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and cell apoptosis were examined by a Cell Counting Kit­8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. An ELISA was performed to assess the expression of oxidative stress markers. Spectrophotometry was used to detect the degree of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) openness. Western blotting and reverse transcription­ quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays were used to evaluate the associated protein and mRNA expression, respectively. The present results demonstrated that RP increased the cell viability of MI/R­induced cardiomyocytes, and suppressed the MI/R­induced apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. Additionally, RP modulated the Ca2+ and MMP levels in MI/R­induced cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, RP decreased the oxidative stress and mPTP level of MI/R­induced cardiomyocytes. It was additionally observed that RP affected the apoptosis­associated protein expression and regulated the mitochondrial­associated gene expression in MI/R­induced cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, RP ameliorated MI/R injury through the modulation of mitochondrial mechanisms. The potential effects of RP on the protection of MI/R­induced apoptosis of cardiomyocytes suggest that RP may be an effective target for MI/R therapy.

Effects of Lithium and 2,4-Dichlorophenol on Zebrafish: Circadian Rhythm Disorder and Molecular Effects.

The aim of this study was to investigate lithium and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP)-induced circadian rhythm disorder and their genome-wide effects in zebrafish. Zebrafish larvae were exposed to 250 ppm LiCl (n = 40) or 20 ppm 2,4-DCP. RNA was subsequently extracted and determined quantitatively. The mRNA levels of circadian clock-related genes, including clock1a, bmal1b, per2, and per1b, were determined. Microarray datasets were generated and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. The mRNA levels of some upregulated and downregulated DEGs were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Finally, gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was applied to determine the roles of the DEGs. The mRNA expression levels of circadian rhythm-related genes in the daily cycle were significantly affected after incubation of zebrafish with LiCl and 2,4-DCP. Many genes were differentially expressed during the light phase (97 h) and RT-PCR validation tests revealed that the expression patterns of DEGs were in accordance with those obtained by microarray analysis. GO functional enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs in LiCl- and 2,4-DCP-treated groups were associated with signal transduction and development. Collectively, our findings indicate that LiCl and 2,4-DCP could affect signal transduction pathways and immune response, thereby inducing circadian rhythm disorder.

Impact of different general anesthesia on T-lymphocyte subsets in patients underwent laparoscopic colon cancer resection / 中国内镜杂志

Objective To study the impact of different general anesthesia on T-lymphocyte subsets in patients underwent laparoscopic colorectal resection. Methods 80 patients with laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection were selected from March 2008 to June 2012. According to the difference of general anesthesia, there were 28 patients (Group A). There were 27 patients (group C) who underwent general anesthesia. Patients of the three groups were examined for the level of T lymphocyte subsets during anesthesia. Results CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ levels were significantly decreased in all the three groups after general anesthesia, CD4+/CD8+ and NK cells in group B were significantly decreased, and CD4+/CD8+ in group C was significantly decreased. The levels of T1 and T2 in group B were significantly lower than those in group A, and the levels of CD3+ and CD8+ in group C were significantly lower than those in group A, and the other indexes except T2 were significantly lower than those of group A, and group C T1 CD8+ was significantly lower than that in group B, NK cells were significantly higher than those in group B, and CD4+in T2 was significantly higher than that in group B. Conclusion Intravenous general anesthesia has the least effect on T lymphocyte subsets in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection, and the effect on immune function is the slightest.

Impact of different general anesthesia on T-lymphocyte subsets in patients underwent laparoscopic colon cancer resection / 中国内镜杂志

Objective To study the impact of different general anesthesia on T-lymphocyte subsets in patients underwent laparoscopic colorectal resection. Methods 80 patients with laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection were selected from March 2008 to June 2012. According to the difference of general anesthesia, there were 28 patients (Group A). There were 27 patients (group C) who underwent general anesthesia. Patients of the three groups were examined for the level of T lymphocyte subsets during anesthesia. Results CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ levels were significantly decreased in all the three groups after general anesthesia, CD4+/CD8+ and NK cells in group B were significantly decreased, and CD4+/CD8+ in group C was significantly decreased. The levels of T1 and T2 in group B were significantly lower than those in group A, and the levels of CD3+ and CD8+ in group C were significantly lower than those in group A, and the other indexes except T2 were significantly lower than those of group A, and group C T1 CD8+ was significantly lower than that in group B, NK cells were significantly higher than those in group B, and CD4+in T2 was significantly higher than that in group B. Conclusion Intravenous general anesthesia has the least effect on T lymphocyte subsets in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection, and the effect on immune function is the slightest.

Stochastic effects in adaptive reconstruction of body damage: implied the creativity of natural selection.

After an injury occurs, mechanical/biochemical loads on muscles influence the composition and structure of recovering muscles; this effect likely occurs in other tissues, cells and biological molecules as well owing to the similarity, interassociation and interaction among biochemical reactions and molecules. The 'damage and reconstruction' model provides an explanation for how an ideal cytoarchitecture is created by reducing components not suitable for bearing loads; in this model, adaptive changes are induced by promoting the stochasticity of biochemical reactions. Biochemical and mechanical loads can direct the stochasticity of biochemical reactions, which can in turn induce cellular changes. Thus, mechanical and biochemical loads, under natural selection pressure, modify the direction of cell- and tissue-level changes and guide the formation of new structures and traits, thereby influencing microevolution. In summary, the 'damage and reconstruction' model accounts for the role of natural selection in the formation of new organisms, helps explain punctuated equilibrium, and illustrates how macroevolution arises from microevolution.

[Effects of heavy metals pollution on paddy soil aggregates composition and heavy metals distribution].

Topsoil samples were collected from a polluted and an adjacent non-polluted paddy field in the Taihu Lake region of China. Different particle size fractions of soil aggregates were separated by low-energy dispersion procedure, and their mass composition and Pb, Cd, Hg, and As concentrations were determined. Under heavy metals pollution, the mass composition of sand-sized fractions reduced, while that of clay-sized fractions increased. The concentrations of test metals in different particle size fractions differed, with the highest in < 0.002 mm fraction, followed by in 2-0.2 mm fraction. In 0.02-0.002 mm and 0.2-0.02 mm fractions, all the test metals were relatively deficient, with an enrichment index of 0.56-0.96. The present study showed that the aggregation of fine particles could be depressed by heavy metals pollution, which in turn, led to a relative increase in the mass composition of fine particles and the associated allocation of heavy metals in weakly aggregated silt particles, and further, increased the risks of heavy metals translocation from polluted farmland into water and atmosphere. Further studies should be made on the impacts of heavy metals pollution on soil biophysical and biochemical processes and related mechanisms.

[Effect of planting densities on yields and zinc and cadmium uptake by Sedum plumbizincicola].

A field plot experiment was conducted to study the effects of planting densities on the growth and heavy metals uptake by Sedum plumbizincicola. The results showed that yields of Sedum plumbizincicola were enhanced with the increase of planting density; however, there was no further increase when planting density was too high. With planting density increasing from 1.1 x 10(5) plants per hm2 to 4.4 x 10(5) plants per hm2, Cd and Zn uptake of aboveground Sedum plumbizincicola increased from 0.208 kg x hm(-2) to 0.631 kg x hm(-2), from 13.2 kg x hm(-2) to 58.7 kg x hm(-2), respectively; yet, there was no significant enhancement between the planting density of 4.4 x 10(5) plants per hm2 and 1.0 x 10(6) plants per hmb2. When planting density was 4.4 x 10(5) plants per hm2, the Cd and Zn removal rates in contaminated soil were 21.1%, 4.60%, respectively. Appropriate planting density would benefit Cd and Zn uptake of aboveground Sedum plumbizincicola, and shorten phytoremediation period.

[Subcellular distribution and chemical forms of Cd and Zn in Sedum jinianum].

With water culture and by using differential centrifugation technique and sequential extraction, the subcellular distribution and chemical forms of Cd and Zn in the root, stem and leaf of Sedum jinianum were studied. In treatment 10 micromol Cd x L(-1), most of Cd in S. jinianum was in the soluble fraction of cell; while in treatment 100 miromol Cd x L(-1), the Cd in root was mainly deposited on cell wall, the Cd in stem was mainly on cell wall and in soluble fraction, and over 90% of Cd in leaf were in soluble fraction. In treatment 100 micromol Cd x L(-1), the proportion of Cd on the cell walls of root, stem and leaf increased, while that in soluble fraction decreased. In treatments 1 and 800 micromol Zn x L(-1), the Zn in root, stem and leaf mainly presented in soluble fraction; while in treatments with the Zn level between 1.0 and 800 micromol x L(-1), there were no differences in the proportions of Zn in the soluble fraction and on the cell walls of root, stem and leaf. Very low proportions of Cd and Zn were found in cell organelle. The Cd in the root, stem and leaf was predominated with NaCl- and water-extractable forms, while Zn in the plants were existed in numerous chemical forms.