Expression and localisation of FSHR, GHR and LHR in different tissues and reproductive organs of female yaks

Background: This study aimed to investigate the expression and localisation of fol­licle stimulating hormone receptor/growth hormone receptor/luteinising hormone receptor (FSHR/GHR/LHR) in different tissues and examine the regulatory effects of FSHR/GHR/LHR in the reproductive organs of female yaks during luteal phase. Materials and methods: The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry assays were utilised to analyse the expression and localisation of FSHR/GHR/LHR in different tissues on female yaks. Results: The qRT-PCR results showed that the mRNA expressions of FSHR/GHR/ /LHR were significantly different in the non-reproductive organs (p < 0.01); the highest expression level was observed in the kidney, cerebellum and lung, whereas the lower expression level was observed in the liver and spleen. Im­munohistochemistry assay results showed that FSHR/GHR/LHR were located in kidney tubules, Purkinje cells, cerebellar medulla, alveolar cells and hepato­cytes. In addition, the expression levels of FSHR and GHR were considerably higher than LHR in the reproductive organs of female yaks during luteal phase (p < 0.01). FSHR/GHR/LHR were located in cardiac muscle cells, cerebellar medulla, and theca cell lining of reproductive organs. Furthermore, the expression level of FSHR was higher than those of GHR and LHR in all examined tissues. Conclusions: Therefore, the expression and localisation of FSHR/GHR/LHR possibly helped to evaluate the effects of them in tissue specific expression on female yaks, investigate the function and mechanism of FSHR/GHR/LHR in the reproductive organs of female yaks during luteal phase. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 2: 301–309

Spectrophotometric study of the charge transfer complexation of tranexamic acid with 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane

A simple, sensitive and accurate spectrophotometric method for the determination of tranexamic acid (TXA) has been developed. The method was based on the charge transfer reaction between TXA as n-electron donor and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) as π-acceptor resulting in highly coloured stable complex, which showed maximum absorption band at wavelength of 419 nm. The formation of such complex was also confirmed by infrared measurement. The stoichiometry of the complex was found to be 1:1 between donor and acceptor as determined by Job’s continuous variation method and straight line method. The thermodynamic parameters were calculated as association constant KCT of 5109 mol−1 and Gibbs free energy ΔG° of 22.22 kJ mol−1. Different variables affecting the CT reaction were carefully studied and optimized. At the optimum reaction conditions, Beer’s law was obeyed in a concentration range of 1-18 µg mL−1 of TXA using TCNQ reagent and the limit of detection was 0.2 µg mL−1. Different analytical parameters, namely molar absorptivity (ε), relative standard deviation, correlation coefficient, limit of detection, and Sandell sensitivity, were calculated. The developed method could be applied successfully for the determination of TXA in its pharmaceutical dosage forms with a good precision and accuracy compared to the official method. KEY WORDS: Tranexamic acid, 7,7,8,8-Tetracyanoquinodimethane, Charge transfer complex, Spectrophotometry Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2014, 28(2), 187-194.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v28i2.

Ethanolic extracts of Sophora moorcroftiana seeds induce apoptosis of human stomach cancer cell line SGC-7901 in vitro

The seeds of Sophora moorcroftiana are used in Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of verminosis, infectious diseases, and anti-inflammation. To investigate the antitumor and induction ofapoptosis activity of Sophora moorcroftiana seeds, the ethanolic extracts from the seeds was prepared and added into the culture of human stomach cancer cell line SGC-7901 in vitro. The proliferation and apoptosis of cells treated with the ethanolic extracts were assessed by tetrazolium salt reduction (MTT) assay, fluorescence microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, flow cytometry and agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA fragmentation. The results showed that the growth of SGC-7901 cells was strongly inhibited by the ethanolic extracts at the concentration ranging between 0.31-5.00 mg/ml, and the apoptosis of treated cells was induced at the concentration of 1.25, 2.50, and 5.00 mg/ml in vitro.This suggested that the ethanolic extracts from S. moorcroftiana seeds contain potent antitumor fraction(s) on human stomach cancer SGC-7901 cells

Enhanced cytosolic delivery and release of CRISPR/Cas9 by black phosphorus nanosheets for genome editing

A biodegradable two-dimensional (2D) delivery platform based on loading black phosphorus nanosheets (BPs) with Cas9 ribonucleoprotein engineered with three nuclear localization signals (NLSs) at C terminus (Cas9N3) is successfully established. The Cas9N3-BPs enter cells effectively via membrane penetration and endocytosis pathways, followed by a BPs biodegradation-associated endosomal escape and cytosolic releases of the loaded Cas9N3 complexes. The Cas9N3-BPs thus provide efficient genome editing and gene silencing in vitro and in vivo at a relatively low dose as compared with other nanoparticle-based delivery platforms. This biodegradable 2D delivery platform offers a versatile cytosolic delivery approach for CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein and other bioactive macromolecules for biomedical applications

Quantum Phase Diffusion in a Small Underdamped Josephson Junction

Quantum phase diffusion in a small underdamped Nb/AlO$_x$/Nb junction ($\sim$ 0.4 $\mu$m$^2$) is demonstrated in a wide temperature range of 25-140 mK where macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) is the dominant escape mechanism. We propose a two-step transition model to describe the switching process in which the escape rate out of the potential well and the transition rate from phase diffusion to the running state are considered. The transition rate extracted from the experimental switching current distribution follows the predicted Arrhenius law in the thermal regime but is greatly enhanced when MQT becomes dominant.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl

Controlling suction by vapour equilibrium technique at different temperatures, application to the determination of the water retention properties of MX80 clay

Problems related to unsaturated soils are frequently encountered in geotechnical or environmental engineering works. In most cases, for the purpose of simplicity, the problems are studied by considering the suction effects on volume change or shear strength under isothermal conditions. Under isothermal condition, very often, a temperature independent water retention curve is considered in the analysis, which is obviously a simplification. When the temperature changes are too significant to be neglected, it is necessary to account for the thermal effects. In this paper, a method for controlling suction using the vapour equilibrium technique at different temperatures is presented. First, calibration of various saturated saline solutions was carried out from temperature of 20 degrees C to 60 degrees C. A mirror psychrometer was used for the measurement of relative humidity generated by saturated saline solutions at different temperatures. The results obtained are in good agreement with the data from the literature. This information was then used to determine the water retention properties of MX80 clay, which showed that the retention curve is shifting down with increasing of temperature