catena-Poly[[diaqua­(2,2′-bipyridine-κ2 N,N′)zinc]-μ-2,2′-[1,4-phenylene­bis(sulfanedi­yl)]diacetato-κ2 O:O′]

In the polymeric title complex, [Zn(C10H8O4S2)(C10H8N2)(H2O)2]n, the Zn2+ ion lies on a twofold rotation axis and exhibits an octa­hedral environment, in which it is coordinated by two trans O atoms from two symmetry-related 2,2′-[1,4-phenyl­enebis(sulfanedi­yl)]diacetate anions, two N atoms from one 2,2′-bipyridine ligand, and two cis O atoms from water mol­ecules. The dihedral angle between the two pyridine rings is 11.5 (1)°. Adjacent Zn2+ ions are bridged in a monodentate manner by the diacetate anions, forming a chain structure extending parallel to [101], and are further linked into the final three-dimensional structure by O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the coordinating water mol­ecules as donor and the non-coordinating carboxyl­ate O atoms as acceptor atoms

Effect of Buyanghuangwu recipe on exhausted mice skeletal muscle mitochondrial ultrastructure and function

目的  通过建立小鼠游泳运动疲劳模型，探讨补阳还五汤（BYHWT）对运动性疲劳小鼠骨骼肌线粒体超微结构及蛋白AMPK表达的影响。方法  实验选用健康雄性清洁级SD小鼠48只，随机均分为对照组和补阳还五汤低、中、高剂量组，每组12只。常规饲料喂养外，BYHWT低、中、高剂量组分别给予12.5ｇ/kg、25.0ｇ/kg、50.0ｇ/kg的BYHWT灌胃，对照组给予等量生理盐水，连续给药7天，采用负重游泳实验建立小鼠力竭模型。用透射电镜观察骨骼肌细胞线粒体超微结构，Real-time PCR法测定骨骼肌AMPK蛋白表达。结果  运动性疲劳小鼠骨骼肌线粒体数量明显减少，线粒体空泡样变，嵴断裂显著，核染色质浓缩边集、核缩小、核膜增厚，而补阳还五汤药物干预后，骨骼肌线粒体形态趋于正常；模型组大鼠骨骼肌组织AMPK蛋白表达水平较正常对照组、补阳还五汤组明显降低，差异有显著性（P＜0.05），而正常对照组和补阳还五汤组间差异无显著性（P＞0.05）。结论  补阳还五汤具有一定的抗运动性疲劳作用，其机制可能与其减少线粒体损伤，增强线粒体功能，增加骨骼肌AMPK蛋白表达有关。Objective: Discusses the influence that Buyanghuangwu recipe for exercise-induced fatigue mice skeletal muscle mitochondrial ultrastructure and the influence of AMPK protein expression, by establishing mice swimming exercise fatigue model. Methods: 48 SD mice of healthy male at clean level were chose to do experiments, randomly divided into control group and BYHWR low, medium and high group, each group of 12. Regular feed, BYHWR low, medium and high group were given 12.5g/kg, 25.0g/kg, 50.0g/kg for BYHWR to fill the stomach, the control group given amount of normal saline, administered continuously for 7d, weight loading swimming experiment is adopted to establish the mice model of exhaustion. Skeletal muscle cells are observed by transmission electron microscope mitochondria ultrastructure, Real-time PCR method skeletal muscle AMPK protein expression. Results: The number of mitochondria in skeletal muscle of exercise-induced fatigue mice decreased significantly, mitochondrial vacuole degeneration, rupture of mitochondria were obvious, nucleus chromatin concentrated edge set, nucleus contracted and nuclear membrane thickened. After intervention of BYHWR, skeletal muscle The expression of AMPK protein in the skeletal muscle of the model group was significantly lower than that of the normal control group and the group of BYHWR group (P<0.05). The expression of AMPK protein in the normal control group and BYHWR group was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: BYHWR group has certain resistance exercise fatigue, and its mechanisms potentially increase AMPK protein expression in skeletal muscle, reduce mitochondrial damage, and strengthen the function of mitochondria

Discriminating different scenarios to account for the cosmic e±e^\pm excess by synchrotron and inverse Compton radiation

The excesses of the cosmic positron fraction recently measured by PAMELA and the electron spectra by ATIC, PPB-BETS, Fermi and H.E.S.S. indicate the existence of primary electron and positron sources. The possible explanations include dark matter annihilation, decay, and astrophysical origin, like pulsars. In this work we show that these three scenarios can all explain the experimental results of the cosmic $e^\pm$ excess. However, it may be difficult to discriminate these different scenarios by the local measurements of electrons and positrons. We propose possible discriminations among these scenarios through the synchrotron and inverse Compton radiation of the primary electrons/positrons from the region close to the Galactic center. Taking typical configurations, we find the three scenarios predict quite different spectra and skymaps of the synchrotron and inverse Compton radiation, though there are relatively large uncertainties. The most prominent differences come from the energy band $10^4\sim 10^9$ MHz for synchrotron emission and $\gtrsim 10$ GeV for inverse Compton emission. It might be able to discriminate at least the annihilating dark matter scenario from the other two given the high precision synchrotron and diffuse $\gamma$-ray skymaps in the future.Comment: published in Pr

Effects of condensed tannins from Leucaena on methane reduction, rumen fermentation and populations of methaogens and protozoa in vitro

Different levels of purified condensed tannins (CT) extracted from Leucaena leucocephala hybrid-Rendang (LLR) were investigated for their effects on CH4 production, rumen fermentation parameters such as pH, dry matter (DM) degradability, N disappearance and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations, as well as on populations of rumen methanogenic archaea and protozoa in vitro. Purified CT concentrations of 0 (control), 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 mg, and 500 mg of oven dried guinea grass (Panicum maximum) with 40 ml of buffered rumen fluid were incubated for 24 h using an in vitro gas production procedure. Total gas (ml/g DM) decreased at a decreasing rate (linear P < 0.01; quadratic P < 0.05) with increased levels of CT inclusion. CH4 production (ml/g DM) decreased at a decreasing rate (linear P < 0.01; quadratic P < 0.01) with increasing levels of CT. Total VFA concentration (mmol/L) decreased at a decreasing rate (linear P < 0.01; quadratic P < 0.01) with increasing CT inclusions. In vitro DM degradation and N disappearance declined linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing levels of CT. Estimates of rumen methanogenic archaea and protozoa populations using microbiological methods and real-time PCR assay showed linear reductions in total methanogens (P < 0.01) and total protozoa (P < 0.01) with increasing levels of CT. Methanogens in the order Methanobacteriales also declined, but with quadratic and cubic aspects. Results suggest that CT from LLR at a relatively low level of 15 mg of CT/500 mg DM reduce CH4 production by 47%, with only 7% reduction in degradation of feed DM. However, higher CT inclusions, while further reducing CH4 emissions, have substantive negative effects on DM digestibility

In vitro study on human cytomegalovirus affecting early pregnancy villous EVT's invasion function

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the most common pathogen in uterus during pregnancy, which may lead to some serious results such as miscarriage, stillbirth, cerebellar malformation, fetus developmental retardation, but its pathogenesis has not been fully explained. The hypofunction of extravillous cytotrophoblast (EVT) invasion is the essential pathologic base of some complications of pregnancy. c-erbB-2 is a kind of oncogene protein and closely linked with embryogenesis, tissue repair and regeneration. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) is one of the key enzymes which affect EVT migration and invasion function. The expression level changes of c-erbB-2, MMP-2 and MMP-9 can reflect the changes of EVT invasion function.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To explore the influence of HCMV on the invasion function of EVT, we tested the protein expression level changes of c-erbB-2, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in villous explant cultured in vitro infected by HCMV, with the use of immunohistochemistry SP method and western blot. We confirmed that HCMV can reproduce and spread in early pregnancy villus; c-erbB-2 protein mainly expressed in normal early pregnancy villous syncytiotrophoblast (ST) remote plasma membrane and EVT, especially remote EVT cell membrane in villous stem cell column, little expressed in ST proximal end cell membrane and interstitial cells; MMP-2 protein primarily expressed in early pregnancy villous EVT endochylema and rarely in villous trophoblast (VT), ST and interstitial cells; MMP-9 protein largely expressed in early pregnancy villous mesenchyme, EVT and VT endochylema. Compared with control group, the three kinds of protein expression level in early pregnancy villus of virus group significantly decreased (P < 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>HCMV can infect villus in vitro and cause the decrease of early pregnancy villous EVT's invasion function.</p

Prevalence of insomnia symptoms and their associated factors in patients treated in outpatient clinics of four general hospitals in Guangzhou, China

Background: Data on the prevalence of insomnia symptoms in medical outpatient clinics in China are lacking. This study examined the prevalence of insomnia symptoms and their socio-demographic correlates in patients treated at medical outpatient clinics affiliated with four general hospitals in Guangzhou, a large metropolis in southern China. Method: A total of 4399 patients were consecutively invited to participate in the study. Data on insomnia and its socio-demographic correlates were collected with standardized questionnaires. Results: The prevalence of any type of insomnia symptoms was 22.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): 20.9–23.3%); the prevalence of difficulty initiating sleep was 14.3%, difficulty maintaining sleep was 16.2%, and early morning awakening was 12.4%. Only 17.5% of the patients suffering from insomnia received sleeping pills. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that male gender, education level, rural residence, and being unemployed or retired were negatively associated with insomnia symptoms, while lacking health insurance, older age and more severe depressive symptoms were positively associated with insomnia symptoms. Conclusions: Insomnia symptoms are common in patients attending medical outpatient clinics in Guangzhou. Increasing awareness of sleep hygiene measures, regular screening and psychosocial and pharmacological interventions for insomnia are needed in China. Trial registration: ChiCTR-INR-16008066. Registered 8 March 2016

Inhibiting Aspergillus flavus growth and degrading aflatoxin B1 by combined beneficial microbes

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a type of toxin produced by Aspergillus flavus, which has a negative effect on animal production and economic profits. In order to inhibit A. flavus growth and degrade aflatoxin, the optimal  proportion of beneficial microbes such as Lactobacillus casei, Bacillus subtilis and Pichia anomala were selected. The results show that AFB1 production and mycelium weight of A. flavus was decreased by more than 34 folds (161.05 vs. 4.69 µ/L) and 7.7 folds (6.98 vs. 0.90 mg/ml) with the free-cell supernatants of L. casei and B. subtilis (P&lt;0.05), respectively. The optimal proportion of L. casei, B. subtilis and P. anomala was 2:1:2 for inhibiting A. flavus growth determined by 3x3 orthogonal design. Based on the optimal proportion of three microbial species, the maximum AFB1 degradation was during 24 to 48 h incubation (P&lt;0.05). When three species of beneficial microbes were mixed with yeast cell wall and oligosaccharide, both of them could not help the microbes in AFB1 degradation. The combined microbial incubation showed that AFB1 contents in the supernatant and cells were 10.25 (P&lt;0.05) and 3.34 µg/L, lower than the control group (68.55 µg/L), indicating that most of the AFB1 were degraded by the microbes and only a little of them were absorbed and deposited in microbial cells.Key words: Aspergillus flavus, aflatoxin B1 detoxification, beneficial microbes, yeast cell wall, oligosaccharide

PAMELA data and leptonically decaying dark matter

Recently PAMELA released their first results on the positron and antiproton ratios. Stimulated by the new data, we studied the cosmic ray propagation models and calculated the secondary positron and antiproton spectra. The low energy positron ratio can be consistent with data in the convection propagation model. Above $\sim 10$ GeV PAMELA data shows a clear excess on the positron ratio. However, the secondary antiproton is roughly consistent with data. The positron excess may be a direct evidence of dark matter annihilation or decay. We compare the positron and anti-proton spectra with data by assuming dark matter annihilates or decays into different final states. The PAMELA data actually excludes quark pairs being the main final states, disfavors gauge boson final states. Only in the case of leptonic final states the positron and anti-proton spectra can be explained simultaneously. We also compare the decaying and annihilating dark matter scenarios to account for the PAMELA results and prefer to the decaying dark matter. Finally we consider a decaying neutralino dark matter model in the frame of supersymmetry with R-parity violation. The PAMELA data is well fitted with neutralino mass $600\sim 2000$ GeV and life time $\sim 10^{26}$ seconds. We also demonstrate that neutralino with mass around 2TeV can fit PAMELA and ATIC data simultaneously.Comment: 24 pages, 7 figures, 4 tables. v2: The new version includes the ATIC result which shows that decaying dark matter can interpret PAMELA and ATIC simultaneously; more references adde

Novel targeting of PEGylated liposomes for codelivery of TGF-β1 siRNA and four antitubercular drugs to human macrophages for the treatment of mycobacterial infection: a quantitative proteomic study

Tuberculosis (TB) is still a major public health issue in developing countries, and its chemotherapy is compromised by poor drug compliance and severe side effects. This study aimed to synthesize and characterize new multimodal PEGylated liposomes encapsulated with clinically commonly used anti-TB drugs with linkage to small interfering RNA (siRNA) against transforming growth factor-&beta;1 (TGF-&beta;1). The novel NP-siRNA liposomes could target THP-1-derived human macrophages that were the host cells of mycobacterium infection. The biological effects of the NP-siRNA liposomes were evaluated on cell cycle distribution, apoptosis, autophagy, and the gene silencing efficiency of TGF-&beta;1 siRNA in human macrophages. We also explored the proteomic responses to the newly synthesized NP-siRNA liposomes using the stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture approach. The results showed that the multifunctional PEGylated liposomes were successfully synthesized and chemically characterized with a mean size of 265.1 nm. The novel NP-siRNA liposomes functionalized with the anti-TB drugs and TGF-&beta;1 siRNA were endocytosed efficiently by human macrophages as visualized by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the liposomes showed a low cytotoxicity toward human macrophages. There was no significant effect on cell cycle distribution and apoptosis in THP-1-derived macrophages after drug exposure at concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 62.5 &mu;g/mL. Notably, there was a 6.4-fold increase in the autophagy of human macrophages when treated with the NP-siRNA liposomes at 62.5 &mu;g/mL. In addition, the TGF-&beta;1 and nuclear factor-&kappa;B expression levels were downregulated by the NP-siRNA liposomes in THP-1-derived macrophages. The Ingenuity Pathway Analysis data showed that there were over 40 signaling pathways involved in the proteomic responses to NP-siRNA liposome exposure in human macrophages, with 160 proteins mapped. The top five canonical signaling pathways were eukaryotic initiation factor 2 signaling, actin cytoskeleton signaling, remodeling of epithelial adherens junctions, epithelial adherens junction signaling, and Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitor signaling pathways. Collectively, the novel synthetic targeting liposomes represent a promising delivery system for anti-TB drugs to human macrophages with good selectivity and minimal cytotoxicity