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Objective: This study aimed to explore the feasibility of low-frequency electric field assisted controlled freezing-point storage (CFPS) technology improving the quality of shrimp. Methods: Low-frequency electric field was applied on the basis of controlled freezing-point storage (LFEF+CFPS) to preserve prawns, and the contents of malondialdehyde and salt soluble protein, as well as the changes of Ca2+-ATPase activity, pH value, shear force, color difference and protein molecular weight of prawns were monitored. Results: Compared with the conventional CFPS, the LFEF+CFPS had no significant effect on the content of malondialdehyde, salt-soluble protein, pH, shear force and color of prawn meat. However, after 3 days of storage, LFEF + CFPS treatment significantly inhibit the decrease of Ca2+-ATPase activity, and the Ca2+-ATPase activity of LFEF+CFPS treatment group stored for 15 days was 2.20 times that of the CFPS treatment group. In addition, LFEF + CFPS treatment significantly inhibited the decrease in the density of myosin heavy chain, actin and tropomyosin bands. Conclusion: Compared with conventional CFPS treatment, LFEF + CFPS treatment significantly inhibited the decrease of Ca2+-ATPase activity and protein degradation, maintained the stability of protein structure and properties, and slowed down the deterioration of prawn meat quality.

Mycorrhizal fungi are an important member of soil microorganisms, not only rich in genetic diversity and species diversity, but also in functional diversity, which mainly manifest in: 1) affecting the origin, evolution, and distribution of terrestrial plants, 2) promoting plant growth and development, 3) enhancing plant tolerance against environmental stress, 4) remedying polluted and degraded soils, 5) promoting agricultural, forestry, and animal husbandry production, and 6) maintaining ecological equilibrium and stabilizing ecosystem and its sustainable productivity. With the development of technique and research, more functions contributed by mycorrhizal fungi would be discovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the developmental potential of embryos at different developmental days and provide evidence for blastocyst culture of non-top quality cleavage stage embryos in frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles., Methods: The clinical data of 687 FET cycles were retrospectively analyzed. According to the embryo freezing time, the patients were divided into day 5 (D5) blastocyst group (n=87), day 6 (D6) blastocyst group (n=111) and day 3 cleavage-stage embryo (D3) group (n=489) with hormone replacement cycles or natural cycles for endometrial preparation. The clinical pregnancy rates, miscarriage rates, and implantation rates were compared between the 3 groups., Results: The clinical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate and implantation rate per transfer were 58.6%, 9.8%, and 42.9% in D5 group, 32.4%, 19.4%, and 23.3% in D6 group, and 44.9%, 16.4%, and 26.9% in D3 group, respectively. The clinical pregnancy rate and implantation rate were significantly higher in D5 group than in the other two groups (P<0.05)., Conclusion: The D5 blastocysts derived from non-top quality D3 embryos after cryopreservation can have better clinical outcomes than those derived from D3 cleavage-stage embryos and D6 blastocysts, and are therefore a better option than D3 cleavage-stage embryos in FET cycles.

Objective: To test the different contrctile responses of extracellular nucleotides, such as ATP, UTP and nucleotide uridine adenosine tetraphosphate (Up4A) in gastric longitudinal muscle (LM) and circular muscle (CM). Examined the effect of P2X and P2Y receptor antagonists (in this study, we used IP5I and suramin) and cyclooxygenase inhibitor (indomethacin) on Up4A induced contractile responses in LM and CM., Methods: The rats were sacrificed and the stomachs were opened to gain LM and CM. Using organ bath system to assess contrctile responses of smooth muscle., Results: Up4A could induce contractile responses in both CM and LM, which were similar with ATP and UTP. IP5 did not attenuate Up4A could induce contractions in both LM and CM, but suramin and indomethacin significantly inhibited Up4A contraction in CM, but not in LM., Conclusion: Our results suggest that extracellular nucleosides and their inhibitors induce different responses between LM and CM.

αGal, a xenotransplantations antigen (XTA), can lead to hyper acute reaction (HAR) in xenotransplantation. α-Galactosidase from B. fragilis is a novel galactosidase belong to CAZy GH110 which can clear the terminal αGal from branched and linear oligosaccharides. This study was purposed to investigate the removal effect of a novel α-galactosidase on α-Gal XTA on surface of red blood cells. The αGal XTA from the red blood cells of cattle, pig, dog and rabbit was digested by using recombinant α-galactosidase; the α-Gal antigens on surface of cells was detected by flow cytometry. The results showed that the XTA was disappeared completely or mainly. It is concluded that the novel α-galactosidase is a potential enzyme to remove the XTA on the surface of xenotransplants and can be used to overcome the HAR in xenotransplantation.

Abstract: Mycorrhizal fungi are an important member of soil microorganisms, not only rich in genetic diversity and species diversity, but also in functional diversity, which mainly manifest in: 1) affecting the origin, evolution, and distribution of terrestrial plants, 2) promoting plant growth and development, 3) enhancing plant tolerance against environmental stress, 4) remedying polluted and degraded soils, 5) promoting agricultural, forestry, and animal husbandry production, and 6) maintaining ecological equilibrium and stabilizing ecosystem and its sustainable productivity. With the development of technique and research, more functions contributed by mycorrhizal fungi would be discovered.

Objective: To study the effect of allicin on invasion and metastasis of human colon cancer cell line LoVo in vitro and furthermore elucidate its anticancer mechanisms., Methods: MTT assay was used to test dynamically the effect of cell growth inhibition. The inhibitory effects of allicin on movement, adhesiveness and invasiveness of LoVo cells were evaluated by the migratory test, adhesion test and Transwell chamber experiment. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (real-time RT-PCR) was performed to quantify the mRNA expression of MMP-2, TIMP-2, CD147, VEGF, nm23-H1, HPA and uPAR., Results: Allicin had inhibitive effects on growth of LoVo cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. Allicin at non-cytotoxic concentration (3 and 6 microg/ml) could obviously suppress the movement, adhesion and invasive capability of LoVo cells. In the allicin-treated group (3 and 6 microg/ml), after 24 hours, the inhibition rates of migratory time were 24% and 50% (t = 4.543, 12.348, P = 0.010, 0.001), the inhibition rates of adhesion were 19% and 28% (t = 6.145, 6.355, P = 0.004, 0.003), the inhibition rates of migration were 28% and 46% (t = 8.065, 28.435, both P < 0.01), and the inhibition rates of invasion were 44% and 65% respectively (t = 21.274, 26.288, both P < 0.01). Allicin at non-cytotoxic concentration could down-regulate the mRNA levels of VEGF, uPAR and HPA in a dose-dependent manner in LoVo cells (t = 7.129, 6.764, 8.497, P = 0.002, 0.002, 0.001) while the mRNA levels of TIMP-2, CD147 and nm23-H1 remained basically unchanged with the same treatment (t = 0.341, 1.889, 0.914, P = 0.059, 0.132, 0.412). The expression of MMP-2 had not been detected in LoVo cells., Conclusion: Allicin in vitro inhibits invasion and metastasis of human colon carcinoma cell LoVo at non-cytotoxic concentration through down-regulating the expression of VEGF, uPAR and HPA mRNA.

Objective: To investigate whether apoptosis is one of the mechanism in the immune response of inner ear,and to detect the expression of Fas, FasL, Bcl-2 and Bax in the inner ears., Methods: Sixteen healthy, female guinea pigs were employed in the experiment. Sensitized systematically with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), the KLH-immunized animals were inoculated with the same antigen, and the control animals were injected PBS through cochlea basal turn. The animals were sacrificed at 7 day after inner ear vaccination. Transmission electron microscopy was used to detect inner ear apoptotic cells, and paraffin sections of cochlea from animals were stained using a terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay to identify inner ear cells undergoing apoptosis. Immunohistochemistry method was used to detect the expression of Fas, FasL, Bcl-2 and Bax in the inner ears., Results: The observation of electron microscopy had shown the features characteristic of apoptotic cells in the KLH-immunized inner ears but not in the control inner ears. TUNEL-positive cells were found in the KLH-immunized inner ears but not in the control inner ears. The positive cells were the hair cells in Corti's organ, and the marginal cells in the stria vascularis and the neurons in the spiral ganglion. Moreover under morphological analysis by light microscope, these cells had the features characteristic of apoptosis. High expression of Fas and FasL could be detected in Corti's organ, the stria vascularis, the spiral ligament and the neurons of the spiral ganglion in the KLH-immunized inner ears. A low expression of Fas could be detected in the stria vascularis and the neurons of the spiral ganglion in the control inner ears, but no cells staining positive for FasL were found in the control inner ears. No cells staining positive for Bcl-2 were found in the KLH-immunized animals but moderate expression of Bcl-2 could be detected in Corti's organ, the lateral wall and the neurons of the spiral ganglion in the control inner ears. High expression of Bax could be detected in Corti's organ, the lateral wall and the neurons of the spiral ganglion in the KLH-immunized inner ears. A low expression of Bax could be detected in the neurons of the spiral ganglion and no cells staining positive for Bax were found in Corti's organ, the lateral wall in the control inner ears., Conclusions: These findings suggest apoptosis is involved in the pathogenesis of the immune response of inner ear and Fas- FasL pathway is one of important signal transportation of the course and Bcl-2 and Bax have a critical role in the regulation of apoptotic cell death induced by the immune response of inner ear.