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Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), such as programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), have been widely applied in clinical and scientific research. Despite their effective antitumor effects in clinical tumor therapy, most tumors are still resistant to ICIs and long-term benefits are lacking. In addition, tumor patients complicated with interstitial lung disease limit the application of ICI therapy. Therefore, for these cases, there is an urgent need to develop new methods to relieve lung complications and enhance the efficacy of ICI therapy. Nintedanib, a potent triple angiokinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of progressive fibrotic interstitial lung disease. However, its immunotherapy synergy properties and mechanism are still pending further exploration. Methods: To explore the therapeutic potential of nintedanib and αPD-L1 combination therapy, MC38, LLC, and 4T1 tumor models were used to investigate antitumor and antimetastatic activities in vivo. An idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis-tumor bearing model was used to evaluate the effect of the synergy therapy on tumor model complicated with lung disease. Moreover, RNA-seq, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry were utilized to analyze the effect of combination treatment on the tumor microenvironment. The bioactivity following different treatments was determined by western blotting, CCK-8, and flow cytometry. Results: In this study, nintedanib and αPD-L1 synergy therapy exhibited significant antitumor, antimetastatic and anti-pulmonary fibrosis effects. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that these effects included promoting vessel normalization, increasing infiltration and activation of immune cells in tumors, enhancing the response of interferon-gamma, and activating the MHC class I-mediated antigen presentation process. Moreover, our results showed an increased expression of PD-L1 and promoted phosphorylation of STAT3 after nintedanib (1 µM) treatment. Conclusion: The combination of nintedanib and αPD-L1 increased ICI therapy responses, relieved lung complications and further activated the tumor immune microenvironment; thus, exhibiting a notable antitumor effect. Accordingly, the nintedanib synergy strategy is expected to be a promising candidate therapy for tumor patients complicated with interstitial lung disease in clinical practice.

Treatment of thoracic tumors with radiotherapy can lead to severe cardiac injury. We investigated the effects of dexrazoxane, a USFDA-approved cardioprotective drug administered with chemotherapy, on radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) in a rat model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were irradiated with a single dose of 20 Gy to the heart and treated with dexrazoxane at the time of irradiation and for 12 subsequent weeks. Dexrazoxane suppressed radiation-induced myocardial apoptosis and significantly reversed changes in serum cardiac troponin I levels and histopathological characteristics six months post-radiation. Treatment with dexrazoxane did not alter the radiosensitivity of thoracic tumors in a tumor formation experiment using male nude Balb/C mice with tumors generated by H292 cells. Dexrazoxane reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species in rat cardiac tissues, but not in tumors in nude mice. Transcriptome sequencing showed that IKBKE, MAP3K8, NFKBIA, and TLR5, which are involved in Toll-like receptor signaling, may be associated with the anti-RIHD effects of dexrazoxane. Immunohistochemistry revealed that dexrazoxane significantly decreased NF-κB p65 expression in cardiomyocytes. These findings suggest dexrazoxane may protect against RIHD by suppressing apoptosis and oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes.

Purpose: To explore whether a cross-talk exists between PARP inhibition and PD-L1/PD-1 immune checkpoint axis, and determine whether blockade of PD-L1/PD-1 potentiates PARP inhibitor (PARPi) in tumor suppression.Experimental Design: Breast cancer cell lines, xenograft tumors, and syngeneic tumors treated with PARPi were assessed for PD-L1 expression by immunoblotting, IHC, and FACS analyses. The phospho-kinase antibody array screen was used to explore the underlying mechanism of PARPi-induced PD-L1 upregulation. The therapeutic efficacy of PARPi alone, PD-L1 blockade alone, or their combination was tested in a syngeneic tumor model. The tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and tumor cells isolated from syngeneic tumors were analyzed by CyTOF and FACS to evaluate the activity of antitumor immunity in the tumor microenvironment.Results: PARPi upregulated PD-L1 expression in breast cancer cell lines and animal models. Mechanistically, PARPi inactivated GSK3β, which in turn enhanced PARPi-mediated PD-L1 upregulation. PARPi attenuated anticancer immunity via upregulation of PD-L1, and blockade of PD-L1 resensitized PARPi-treated cancer cells to T-cell killing. The combination of PARPi and anti-PD-L1 therapy compared with each agent alone significantly increased the therapeutic efficacy in vivo.Conclusions: Our study demonstrates a cross-talk between PARPi and tumor-associated immunosuppression and provides evidence to support the combination of PARPi and PD-L1 or PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade as a potential therapeutic approach to treat breast cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 23(14); 3711–20. ©2017 AACR.

Vascularization and efficient perfusion are long-standing challenges in cardiac tissue engineering. Here we report engineered perfusable microvascular constructs, wherein human embryonic stem cell-derived endothelial cells (hESC-ECs) are seeded both into patterned microchannels and the surrounding collagen matrix. In vitro, the hESC-ECs lining the luminal walls readily sprout and anastomose with de novo-formed endothelial tubes in the matrix under flow. When implanted on infarcted rat hearts, the perfusable microvessel grafts integrate with coronary vasculature to a greater degree than non-perfusable self-assembled constructs at 5 days post-implantation. Optical microangiography imaging reveal that perfusable grafts have 6-fold greater vascular density, 2.5-fold higher vascular velocities and >20-fold higher volumetric perfusion rates. Implantation of perfusable grafts containing additional hESC-derived cardiomyocytes show higher cardiomyocyte and vascular density. Thus, pre-patterned vascular networks enhance vascular remodeling and accelerate coronary perfusion, potentially supporting cardiac tissues after implantation. These findings should facilitate the next generation of cardiac tissue engineering design., Heart grafts need good vascularization to survive. Here, the authors engineer perfusable constructs of human embryonic stem cell-derived endothelial cells seeded in collagen matrix in patterned microchannels that form anastomosed vessels in vitro and have increased coronary vascular perfusion on transplantation in rats.

Hypertension is the most prevalent chronic disease and a risk factor for various diseases. Although its mechanisms and therapies are constantly being updated and developed, they are still not fully clarified. In recent years, novel gut microbiota and its metabolites have attracted widespread attention. It is strongly linked with physiological and pathological systems, especially TMA and TMAO. TMA is formed by intestinal microbial metabolism of choline and L-carnitine and converted into TMAO by FMO3. This paper collected and collated the latest researches and mainly discussed the following four parts. It introduced gut microbiota; provided a focus on TMA, TMA-producing bacteria, and TMAO; summarized the alternations in hypertensive patients and animals; discussed the mechanisms of TMAO with two respects; and summarized the regulatory factors may be as new interventions and therapies of hypertension. And, more relevant studies are still prospected to be accomplished between hypertension and TMA/TMAO for further clinical services.

The aim of this study was to provide a sensitive model animal for studying hyperuricemia. Male uricase-deficient rats, named Kunming-DY rats, were raised for 130 days, or orally administered with purines and other chemicals. Serum uric acid (SUA) in the animals was assayed, and the UA level in their organs and their 24-h excretion was determined. Genes in the jejunum, ileum, kidney and liver related to UA synthesis and transportation were detected by quantitative RNA sequencing. Uricase-deficient rats have a high level of SUA and are sensitive to xanthine, adenosine, inosine, allopurinol, and alcohol. Besides, the high level of SUA in male uricase-deficient rats was stable, much higher than that in wild-type rats but similar to that in men. The distribution pattern of UA in uricase-deficient rats’ organs was different from that in wild-type rats. The kidney, liver, and small intestine were the top three organs where UA distributed, but the UA in the small intestine, colon, lung, thymus, and brain was less affected by uricase deficiency, indicating that these organs are constitutive distribution organs in UA. The 24-h UA excreted by a uricase-deficient rat was about five times higher than that excreted by a wild-type rat. However, the 24-h UA excreted through feces was not significantly changed. Both the urine volume and UA in uricase-deficient rats significantly increased, and more than 90% of UA was excreted via urine. The expression of xanthine dehydrogenase was not upregulated. Some genes of transporter associated with uric acid excretion in the kidney were significantly regulated, though not sufficient to explain the increase in SUA. In conclusion, male uricase-deficient rats’ UA metabolism is similar to that of men. The elevation of SUA in uricase-deficient rats is caused by uricase deficiency, and uricase-deficient rats are a sensitive model for studying hyperuricemia.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients have a high risk of developing lung cancer, with few treatment options available. Pirfenidone, an antifibrotic agent approved for the treatment of IPF, has been demonstrated to suppress the TGFβ signaling and modulate the expression of immune-related genes. However, for lung cancer patients with comorbid IPF, whether pirfenidone has any synergetic effect with immune checkpoint inhibitors has not been investigated. In this study, we showed that pirfenidone monotherapy attenuated tumor growth with an increased T cell inflammatory signature in tumors. Co-administration of pirfenidone with PD-L1 blockades significantly delayed the tumor growth and increased survival, compared with the effect of either treatment alone. Combination therapy promoted gene expression with a unique signature associated with innate and adaptive immune response resulted in the infiltration of immune cells and optimal T cell positioning. Furthermore, we showed a great benefit of combination therapy in alleviating the pulmonary fibrosis and reducing the tumor growth in a tumor-fibrosis model. Our results collectively demonstrated that pirfenidone facilitated antitumor immunity and enhanced the efficacy of PD-L1 blockades. It may act as an adjuvant to immunotherapy in cancer treatment, particularly, in lung cancer patients with preexisting IPF.

To understand the relationship between soil fauna and microorganism in the detrital food chain during litter decomposition, leaf litters of poplar (Populus simonii) and fargesia (Fargesia spathacea) in a subalpine forest of western Sichuan were taken as study objects. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFAs) biomarker method was used to determine the effects of soil fauna on the abundance, structure and diversity of microbial community during the decomposition of leaf litter of two species from April 2016 to April 2018 with in situ control experiment. The results showed that the presence of soil fauna significantly affected the microbial PLFAs content during the decomposition of both species, reducing the PLFAs content in the first 240 days and increasing the PLFAs content in the 360 to 480 days. Soil fauna participation reduced the ratio of fungi to bacteria in the decomposition of poplar litter, and increased the ratio of gram-positive bacteria (G为了解凋落物分解过程中碎屑食物链土壤动物与微生物的相互联系,本研究以川西亚高山森林杨树和箭竹凋落叶为对象,通过原位控制试验,于2016年4月至2018年4月采用磷脂脂肪酸(PLFAs)生物标记法,研究了土壤动物对两种凋落叶分解过程中微生物丰度、群落结构和多样性的影响.结果表明: 土壤动物的参与显著影响两个树种凋落叶分解过程中微生物PLFAs含量,降低了分解前240天的PLFAs含量,增加了分解360~480 d的PLFAs含量;土壤动物的参与降低了杨树分解过程中的真菌/细菌比值,增加了革兰氏阳性菌(G

Two new species with peculiar pigmentation of the genus Homidia from Guangdong Province, Southern China are described here, Homidia chroma sp. nov. and Homidia leniseta sp. nov. H. chroma is characterized by chrome pigmentation on lateral side of terga, two macrochaetae on medial abdominal segment (Abd.) III and six macrochaetae on postero-medial Abd. IV, up to 68 sensory chaetae present on Abd. IV, and five apical smooth chaetae on posterior face of ventral tube. H. leniseta is easily identified by unique colour pattern, smooth labial chaetae l2, G1–4 and H1–3, and short trichobothria on Abd. II–IV. Illustrations of adults of this two new species, chaetotaxy of the first instar larvae of H. chroma and subadults of H. leniseta are provided herein.

In this study, we propose a novel implementation of optical coherence tomography-based angiography combined with ex vivo perfusion of fixed hearts to visualize coronary microvascular structure and function. The extracorporeal perfusion of Intralipid solution allows depth-resolved angiographic imaging, control of perfusion pressure, and high-resolution optical microangiography. The imaging technique offers new opportunities for microcirculation research in the heart, which has been challenging due to motion artifacts and the lack of independent control of pressure and flow. With the ability to precisely quantify structural and functional features, this imaging platform has broad potential for the study of the pathophysiology of microvasculature in the heart as well as other organs.

Accurate measurement of edema volume is essential for the investigation of tissue response and recovery following a traumatic injury. The measurements must be noninvasive and repetitive over time so as to monitor tissue response throughout the healing process. Such techniques are particularly necessary for the evaluation of therapeutics that are currently in development to suppress or prevent edema formation. In this study, we propose to use optical coherence tomography (OCT) technique to image and quantify edema in a mouse ear model where the injury is induced by a superficial-thickness burn. Extraction of edema volume is achieved by an attenuation compensation algorithm performed on the three-dimensional OCT images, followed by two segmentation procedures. In addition to edema volume, the segmentation method also enables accurate thickness mapping of edematous tissue, which is an important characteristic of the external symptoms of edema. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first method for noninvasively measuring absolute edema volume.

Radiation pneumonitis is a common complication of thoracic irradiation for lung cancer patients. The healthy gut microbiota plays an important role in the local mucosal defense process as well as pulmonary immunomodulation of the host. However, the effect of the intestinal microbiota on radiation pneumonitis is not well understood. Here we studied how the intestinal microbiota affected the host response to radiation pneumonitis. C57BL/6 mice were administered antibiotics to induce disequilibrium in the gut microbiota, and subsequently irradiated. We found that the intestinal microbiota served as a protective mediator against radiation pneumonitis, as indicated by decreased body weight and increased mortality in antibiotic-treated mice. In mice with gut microbiota disequilibrium, more serious pathological lung damage was observed at two and four weeks postirradiation. Fecal microbiota transplantation into irradiated mice led to improvement from radiation-induced inflammation two weeks postirradiation. High-throughput sequencing of murine feces displayed conversion of flora diversity, bacterial composition and community structure in the absence of normal intestinal flora. We filtered the potentially important species among the gut microbiota and considered that the tissue-type plasminogen activator might be involved in the inflammatory process. This study reveals that the gut microbiota functions as a protective regulator against radiation pneumonitis. Additionally, fecal microbiota transplantation was shown to alleviate lung injury in the irradiated model. The protective role of the healthy gut microbiota and the utilization of the gut-lung axis show potential for innovative therapeutic strategies in radiation-induced lung injury.

Radiation-induced complications of the respiratory system are a common side effect of thoracic radiotherapy with no viable treatment option. Here, we investigated the potential therapeutic effect of the orphan drug pirfenidone for treating radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis. C57BL/6 mice received a single fraction of 16 Gy to the thorax and were subsequently treated with 300 mg/kg/day pirfenidone for four weeks. Survival and body weight of the mice were quantified. Micro-CT in vivo lung imaging was performed to dynamically observe the developmental process of pulmonary fibrosis. The lungs were excised at the end of the experiment and evaluated for histological changes. Compared to the irradiated mice that received no pirfenidone, mice treated with pirfenidone after irradiation had an extended median survival time (>140 days vs. 73 days, P < 0.01). The accumulation of collagen and fibrosis in lung tissues after irradiation was decreased with pirfenidone treatment. Pirfenidone also reduced the expression of TGF-β1 and phosphorylation of Smad3 in lung tissues. The dose level of Pirfenidone used in this study attenuated pulmonary fibrosis and prolonged the life span of irradiated mice. It may offer a promising approach to treat or minimize radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

The burrows of small mammals are one of the obvious landscapes in the forest floor, and play important roles in understanding the distribution patterns of small mammals and their ecological functions in the high-frigid regions. Therefore, the burrow selection and habitat characteristics of small mammals were investigated in an alpine forest of eastern Tibet Plateau from July to September in 2015. The results indicated that the average density of small mammals burrow was 182.8 entrances per hectare. Forest vegetation had significant effects on burrow entrances density, which showed the order of coniferous vegetation (328.6 burrow entrances per hectare)broad-leaved and coniferous mixed vegetation (160.0 burrow entrances per hectare)shrubbery (125.0 burrow entrances per hectare)broad-leaved vegetation (81.5 burrow entrances per hectare)bamboo ve-getation (66.7 burrow entrances per hectare). Mann-Whitney U Test and PCA analysis displayed that the arbor canopy, arbor height, arbor DBH, arbor density, ground-plant cover, fallen log cover, fallen log density and shrub height in the small mammals utilized habitat plots were significantly higher than those in other habitat plots (P0.05). Compared with other factors, arbor was the primary factor in dominating the selection of small mammal burrows, showing the contribution rate with 44.8%. The following dominant factors were fallen log and shrub, with the contribution rates being 23.2% and 13.9%, respectively. In summary, there were numerous small mammal burrows in the alpine forest floor, which were primarily dominated by vegetation and fallen logs.高寒森林地表的小型兽类洞穴是生态系统重要的景观特征,对于认识小型兽类的分布格局及其生态功能具有重要意义.为此,以青藏高原东缘典型高寒森林生态系统小型兽类洞穴为对象,于2015年夏季(7—9月)研究了其地表分布与生境特征.结果表明: 小型兽类洞穴平均洞口密度为182.8个·hm

Rationale: The mitochondrial permeability transition pore is a well-known initiator of cell death that is increasingly recognized as a physiological modulator of cellular metabolism. Objective: We sought to identify how the genetic deletion of a key regulatory subunit of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, cyclophilin D (CypD), influenced endothelial metabolism and intracellular signaling. Methods and Results: In cultured primary human endothelial cells, genetic targeting of CypD using siRNA or shRNA resulted in a constitutive increase in mitochondrial matrix Ca 2+ and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). Elevated matrix NADH, in turn, diminished the cytosolic NAD + /NADH ratio and triggered a subsequent downregulation of the NAD + -dependent deacetylase sirtuin 1 (SIRT1). Downstream of SIRT1, CypD-deficient endothelial cells exhibited reduced phosphatase and tensin homolog expression and a constitutive rise in the phosphorylation of angiogenic Akt. Similar changes in SIRT1, phosphatase and tensin homolog, and Akt were also noted in the aorta and lungs of CypD knockout mice. Functionally, CypD-deficient endothelial cells and aortic tissue from CypD knockout mice exhibited a dramatic increase in angiogenesis at baseline and when exposed to vascular endothelial growth factor. The NAD + precursor nicotinamide mononucleotide restored the cellular NAD + /NADH ratio and normalized the CypD-deficient phenotype. CypD knockout mice also presented accelerated wound healing and increased neovascularization on tissue injury as monitored by optical microangiography. Conclusions: Our study reveals the importance of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in the regulation of endothelial mitochondrial metabolism and vascular function. The mitochondrial regulation of SIRT1 has broad implications in the epigenetic regulation of endothelial phenotype.

Background Arteriogenesis describes the active growth of the pre-existing collateral arterioles, which is a crucial tissue-saving process in occlusive vascular diseases. New method We propose to use optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based microangiography (OMAG) to monitor arteriogenesis following artery transection in mouse ear and focal stroke in mouse brain. Results Our longitudinal mouse ear study shows that the growth phase of arteriogenesis, indicated by changes in collateral vessel diameter and velocity, occurs between 12 and 24 h after vessel transection. Additionally, the magnitude of local inflammation is consistent with the time course of arteriogenesis, judging by the tissue thickness measurement and lymphatic vessel signals in OCT. In the mouse brain study, collateral vessel morphology, blood flow velocity and directionality are identified, and an activation of the collateral flow at the arteriolo-arteriolar anastomoses (AAA) is observed during stroke. Comparison with existing methods In comparison with histology and fluorescence imaging, OCT/OMAG is completely non-invasive and capable of producing consistent results of longitudinal changes in collateral vessel morphology and vasodynamics. Conclusion OCT/OMAG is a promising imaging tool for longitudinal study of collateral vessel remodeling in small animals. This technique can be applied in guiding the in vivo experiments of arteriogenesis stimulation to treat occlusive vascular diseases, including stroke.

We demonstrate in vivo volumetric optical microangiography at ∼ 200 volumes/s by the use of 1.6 MHz Fourier domain mode-locking swept source optical coherence tomography and an effective 36 kHz microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanner. We propose an intervolume analysis strategy to contrast the dynamic blood flow signal from the static tissue background. The proposed system is demonstrated by imaging cerebral blood flow in mice in vivo. For the first time, imaging speed, sensitivity, and temporal resolution become possible for a direct four-dimensional observation of microcirculations within live body parts.

The cDNAs encoding glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were cloned and sequenced from the liver of three Chinese carps with different tolerance to hepatotoxic microcystins, phyto-planktivorous silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis), and herbivorous grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus). Using genome walker method, a 750 bp 5`-flanking region of the silver carp GPx gene was obtained, and several potential regulatory elements were identified in the promoter region of the GPx gene. The silver carp GPx gene was widely expressed in all tissues examined. Despite phylogenetic analysis, assigning this newly described carp GPx to the group of mammalian GPx2, the carp GPx seems more similar to GPx1 from a physiological point of view. The constitutive expression pattern of the three carp liver GPx gene, shows a positive relationship with their tolerance to microcystins.

The full-length neuropeptide Y (NPY) cDNA of Chinese perch Siniperca chuatsi was 704 bp in length, and contained a 300 bp open reading frame encoding a prepro-NPY with 99 amino acids. The predicted prepro-NPY peptide contained a putative signal peptide of 28 amino acids and a mature NPY of 36 amino acids, followed by the proteolytic processing site Gly-Lys-Arg and 35 amino acids that comprise the C-terminal peptide of NPY. Amino acid alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicate that the predicted Chinese perch prepro-NPY (composed of 99 amino acids) had high identities to the prepro-NPY of acanthomorph fishes (93-95%), whereas it had much lower identities to the prepro-NPY (composed of 96 or 97 amino acids) of cyprinid fishes (59-60%) or mammals (57-63%). Chinese perch NPY gene consists of four exons and three introns. The ratio of intron 2 to intron 3 was over 14 in Chinese perch NPY gene, whereas this ratio was below 4 in zebrafish and mammalian NPY gene. The total size of the Chinese perch NPY gene was 2223 bp, which was only about 28% of the size of NPY gene in higher vertebrate. Analysis of a 1622 bp promoter region of Chinese perch NPY gene, revealed a typical TATA box, a GC box and an untypical CAAT box, located at 84 bp, 101 bp and 303 bp upstream of the start codon respectively. Three STAT binding site-like elements (TCCAGTA) which were necessary for the leptin-induced transcriptional control of rat NPY gene were identified. In consistence to the effect of cortisol on fish brain NPY mRNA expression, four glucocorticoid-responsive elements were detected. Besides the highest expression in brain, substantial level of Chinese perch NPY mRNA expression was detected in the spleen and liver, and trace level of NPY mRNA expression was also detected in the adipose tissue, intestine and muscle. These results indicated that Chinese perch NPY might be involved in the food intake control by leptin and cortisol system, and diversification of NPY signaling should exist between acanthomorph fishes and cyprinid fishes as well as mammals.

To explore the alterations of apoptosis factor Bcl-2/Bax in the early Parkinson's disease (PD) rats and the protective effect of scorpion venom derived bioactive peptide.Healthy male SD rats (180-220 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 10): early PD model group, sham operation group, scorpion venom derived bioactive peptide control group, scorpion venom derived bioactive peptide therapy group. 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was used to prepare the early PD rat model. The immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 and further explore the mechanism of anti-apoptosis regarding the neuroprotective effect of scorpion venom derived bioactive peptide.The results indicated that compared with the control rats, the immunostaining of Bax in the brain increased significantly while that of Bcl-2 decreased significantly in the lesion side of 6-OHDA treated rats. Interestingly, scorpion venom derived bioactive peptide could attenuate the above abnormal changes.Up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2 could participate in the early stage of PD and the anti-apoptotic mechanism could be involved in the neuroprotective effect exerted by scorpion venom derived activity peptide regarding the dopaminergic neuron in the early stage.

In order to understand the relationship between litter decomposition and soil fauna diversity during snow cover season, litterbags with plant debris of Actinothuidium hookeri, Cystopteris montana, two representative understory plants in the alpine timberline ecotone, and their mixed litter were incubated in the dark coniferous forest, timberline and alpine meadow, respectively. After a snow cover season, the mass loss and soil fauna in litterbags were investigated. After decomposition with a snow cover season, alpine meadow showed the highest mass loss of plant debris in comparison with coniferous forest and timberline, and the mass loss of A. hookeri was more significant. The mixture of two plants debris accelerated the mass loss, especially in the timberline. A total of 968 soil invertebrates, which belonged to 5 classes, 10 orders and 35 families, were captured in litterbags. Acarina and Collembola were the dominant groups in plant debris. The numbers of individuals and groups of soil faunal communities in litter of timberline were higher than those of alpine meadow and dark coniferous forest. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) indicated that the groups of soil animals were related closely with the average temperature, and endemic species such as Isoptera and Geophilomorpha were observed only in coniferous forest, while Hemiptera and Psocoptera only in.the alpine meadow. The diversity of soil faunal community was more affected by plant debris varieties in the timberline than in the coniferous forest and alpine meadow. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the average temperature and snow depth explained 30.8% of the variation of litter mass loss rate, soil animals explained 8.3%, and altogether explained 34.1%. Snow was one of the most critical factors impacting the decomposition of A. hookeri and C. montana debris in the alpine timberline ecotone.

We demonstrate the use of an ultra-high speed swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) to achieve optical microangiography (OMAG) of microcirculatory tissue beds in vivo. The system is based on a 1310 nm Fourier domain mode locking (FDML) laser with 1.6MHz A-line rate, providing a frame rate of 3.415 KHz, an axial resolution of ~10 µm and signal to noise ratio of 102 dB. Motion from blood flow causes change in OCT signals between consecutive B-frames acquired at the same location. Intensity based inter-frame subtraction algorithm is applied to extract blood flow from tissue background without any motion correction. We demonstrate the capability of this 1.6 MHz OCT system for 4D optical microangiography of in vivo tissue at a volume rate of 4.7 volumes/s (volume size: 512×200×720 voxels).

AIM: To investigate the effects of Recql5 deficiency on liver injury induced by lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine (LPS/D-Gal). METHODS: Liver injury was induced in wild type (WT) or Recql5-deficient mice using LPS/D-Gal, and assessed by histological, serum transaminases, and mortality analyses. Hepatocellular apoptosis was quantified by transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay and Western blot analysis of cleaved caspase-3. Liver inflammatory chemokine and cytochrome P450 expression was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. Neutrophil infiltration was evaluated by myeloperoxidase activity. Expression and phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, p65, and H2A.X was determined by Western blot. Oxidative stress was evaluated by measuring malondialdehyde production and nitric oxide synthase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione reductase activity. RESULTS: Following LPS/D-Gal exposure, Recql5-deficient mice exhibited enhanced liver injury, as evidenced by more severe hepatic hemorrhage, higher serum aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase levels, and lower survival rate. As compared to WT mice, Recql5-deficient mice showed an increased number of apoptotic hepatocytes and higher cleaved caspase-3 levels. Recql5-deficient mice exhibited increased DNA damage, as evidenced by increased γ-H2A.X levels. Inflammatory cytokine levels, neutrophil infiltration, and ERK phosphorylation were also significantly increased in the knockout mice. Additionally, Recql5-deficicent mice exhibited increased malondialdehyde production and elevated inducible nitric oxide synthase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione reductase activity, indicative of enhanced oxidative stress. Moreover, CYP450 expression was significantly downregulated in Recql5-deficient mice after LPS/D-Gal treatment. CONCLUSION: Recql5 protects the liver against LPS/D-Gal-induced injury through suppression of hepatocyte apoptosis and oxidative stress and modulation of CYP450 expression.

Liver genes related to phase I and phase II detoxification, as well as inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, were cloned, and their response to microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure via intraperitoneal injection, was determined in a phytoplanktivorous fish, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The cloned full-length cDNA of tilapia soluble glutathione S-transferase (sGST) was classified as alpha-class GST based on their amino acid sequence identity with other species. The tilapia sGST clone was 861 bp in length, and contained a 25 bp 5'-UTR, a 167 bp 3'-UTR and an open reading frame of 669 bp, encoding a polypeptide of 222 amino acids. Using genome walker method, a 366 bp 5'-flanking sequence of tilapia sGST gene was further obtained, and the possible regulatory elements were identified. Partial cDNA sequences of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) were also obtained by PCR using degenerate primers from tilapia liver. To study the transcriptional response of liver genes to microcystin treatment, tilapia were respectively exposed to a single 50 microg kg(-1) body weight (bwt) dose of pure MC-LR, a single 2 mg kg(-1) bwt dose of LPS and a co-exposure MC-LR and LPS (50 microg kg(-1) bwt+2 mg kg(-1) bwt), and were then sacrificed at 24 h post-exposure. Using beta-actin as external control, a significant increase (about 80%) in sGST mRNA expression was found in response to the MC-LR exposure after 24 h (P0.05), indicating the importance of sGST in microcystin detoxification. A slight decrease of sGST mRNA expression was observed in the liver of tilapia, exposed to LPS and MC-LR+LPS. It seems that the LPS response element (LPSRE), identified in the promoter region of tilapia sGST gene, may be functional at a rather low level. In contrast, the levels of cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) mRNA expression were found to keep unchanged to either MC-LR, or LPS, or MC-LR+LPS treatment, indicating that unlike the phase II enzyme (sGST), the phase I enzyme (CYP1A) might not play an important role in the detoxification process of microcystins. Although not significant, the mRNA expression level of GPX tended to increase in the liver of tilapia exposed to both MC-LR and LPS (P0.05). In addition, a significant increase in UCP2 mRNA expression was observed in the liver of tilapia exposed to LPS (P0.05), as well as an obvious but not significant increase in MC-LR exposure group. We suggest that phase II detoxification enzyme, instead of phase I detoxification enzyme, might be responsible for the strong tolerance of the phytoplanktivorous fish to microcystins, and hepatocyte proteins coping with oxidative stress (GPX and UCP2), might also have some auxiliary effect. In addition, the rather low and insignificant response of tilapia sGST gene to the inhibitory effect of LPS exposure, might possibly be critical to the phytoplanktivorous fish to utilize toxic blue-green algae.

The full-length cDNA of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) was obtained from liver. The grass carp UCP2 cDNA was determined to be 1152 bp in length with an open reading frame that encodes 310 amino acids. Five introns (Intron 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) in the translated region, and partial sequence of Intron 2 in the untranslated region of grass carp UCP2 gene were also obtained. Gene structure comparison between grass carp and mammalian (human and mouse) UCP2 gene shows that, the UCP2 gene structure of grass carp is much similar to that of human and mouse. Partial UCP2 cDNA sequences of bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) and mud carp (Cirrhinus molitorella), were further determined. Together with the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) UCP2 sequence from GenBank (AJ243486), multiple alignment result shows that the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the UCP2 gene, were highly conserved among the five major Chinese carps that belong to four subfamilies. Using beta-actin as control, the ratio UCP2/beta-actin mRNA (%) was determined to be 149.4 +/- 15.6 (common carp), 127.4 +/- 22.1(mud carp), 96.7 +/- 12.7 (silver carp), 94.1 +/- 26.8 (bighead carp) and 63.7 +/- 16.2 (grass carp). The relative liver UCP2 expression of the five major Chinese carps, shows a close relationship with their food habit: benthos and detritus-eating fish (common carp and mud carp) > planktivorious fish (silver carp and bighead carp) > herbivorous fish (grass carp). We suggest that liver UCP2 might be important for Chinese carps to detoxify cyanotoxins and bacteria in debris and plankton food.

Two full-length cDNAs encoding glutathione S-transferase (GST) were cloned and sequenced from the hepatopancreas of planktivorous silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis). The silver carp and bighead carp GST cDNA were 920 and 978 bp in length, respectively, and both contained an open reading frame that encoding 223 amino acids. Partial GST cDNA sequences were also obtained from the liver of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus), crucian carp (Carassius auratu), mud carp (Cirrhinus molitorella), and tilapia (Oreochromis nilotica). All these GSTs could be classified as alpha-class GSTs on the basis of their amino acid sequence identity with other species. The three-dimensional structure of the silver carp GST was predicted using a computer program, and was found to fit the classical two-domain GST structure. Using the genome walker method, a 875-bp 5'-flanking region of the silver carp GST gene was obtained, and several lipopolysaccharide (LPS) response elements were identified in the promoter region of the phytoplanktivorous fish GST gene, indicating that the GST gene expression of this fish might be regulated by LPS, released from the toxic blue-green algae producing microcystins. To compare the constitutive expression level of the liver GST gene among the six freshwater fishes with completely different tolerance to microcystins, beta-actin was used as control and the ratio GST/beta-actin mRNA (%) was determined as 130.7 +/- 6.6 (grass carp), 103.1 +/- 8.9 (bighead carp), 92.6 +/- 15.0 (crucian carp), 72.3 +/- 7.8 (mud carp), 58.8 +/- 11.5 (silver carp), and 33.6 +/- 13.7 (tilapia). The constitutive expression level of the liver GST gene clearly shows that all the six freshwater fishes had a negative relationship with their tolerance to microcystins: high-resistant fishes (phytoplanktivorous silver carp and tilapia) had the lowest tolerance to microcystins and the high-sensitive fish (herbivorous grass carp) had the highest tolerance to microcystins. Taken together with the reciprocal relationship of constitutive and inducible liver GST expression level in some of the tested fish species to microcystin exposure, a molecular mechanism for different microcystin detoxification abilities of the warm freshwater fishes was discussed.

Neuroprotective effect of scorpion venom on Parkinson's disease (PD) has already been reported. The present study was aimed to investigate whether scorpion venom heat resistant peptide (SVHRP) could attenuate ultrastructural abnormalities in mitochondria and oxidative stress in midbrain neurons of early-stage PD model. The early-stage PD model was established by injecting 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) (20 μg/3 μL normal saline with 0.1% ascorbic acid) into the striatum of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats unilaterally. The rats were intraperitoneally administered with SVHRP (0.05 mg/kg per day) or vehicle (saline) for 1 week. Two weeks after 6-OHDA treatment, the rats received behavior tests for validation of model. Three weeks after 6-OHDA injection, the immunoreactivity of dopaminergic neurons were detected by immunohistochemistry staining, and the ultrastructure of neuronal mitochondria in midbrain was observed by electron microscope. In the meantime, the activities of monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the mitochondria of the midbrain neurons, as well as the inhibitory ability of hydroxyl free radical and the antioxidant ability in the serum, were measured by corresponding kits. The results showed that 6-OHDA reduced the optical density of dopaminergic neurons, induced damage of mitochondrial ultrastructure of midbrain neurons, decreased SOD activity, increased MAO-B activity and MDA content, and reduced the antioxidant ability of the serum. SVHRP significantly reversed the previous harmful effects of 6-OHDA in early-stage PD model. These findings indicate that SVHRP may contribute to neuroprotection by preventing biochemical and ultrastructure damage changes which occur during early-stage PD.

Previous epilepsy-related gene screen identified a spontaneous recurrent seizure (SRS)-related gene named epilepsy-related gene (ERG1) that encodes N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein (NSF). To explore whether spatial learning memory deficits are relevant to SRS and whether hippocampal NSF expression is altered by SRS, we used the kainic acid (KA)-induced epilepsy animal model. SRS was monitored for 3 weeks after injection of a single convulsive dose of KA. KA-treated rats with SRS, KA-treated rats without SRS, and saline-treated rats were then measured in Morris water maze. In this spatial learning task, KA-treated rats with SRS performed poorer compared to those without SRS and those treated with saline. During the subsequent probe trials, KA-treated rats with SRS spent less swim path and time in the target quadrant but more swim path and time in the opposite quadrant, and showed fewer platform crossings. Moreover, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry showed that both ERG1/NSF mRNA and NSF immunoreactive expression were down-regulated in the CA1 and dorsal dentate gyrus cells (dDGCs) of the hippocampus, and interestingly, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactive dopamine (DA) neurons were lost in ventral tegmental area (VTA) in the KA rats with SRS. These data demonstrate that SRS impairs spatial learning memory and suggest that the down-regulation of NSF expression pattern in the hippocampus and the loss of DA neurons in VTA might contribute to the spatial learning memory deficits induced by SRS.

We have investigated the role of ginsenoside Re (Re) in preventing 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced apoptosis of the substantia nigra neurons in the mouse model of Parkinson's disease (PD). C57BL mice have been administrated i.s.c. with MPTP to establish the PD model. Pretreatment groups were given different doses of Re (6.5, 13, 26 mg kg(-1)) i.g. for 13 days. Transmission electron microscope (TEM), tyrosine hydroxythase (TH) immunostaining and TDT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining have been used to observe the damage of substantia nigral neurons. To measure the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), Bcl-2, Bax protein and expression of Bcl-2, Bax gene, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization have been explored respectively. Western blot analysis has been performed with anti-caspase-3. Pretreatment with Re (13, 26 mg kg(-1)) markedly increases TH-positive neurons and decreases the TUNEL-positive ratio compared with the MPTP model group. Furthermore, Re could enhance the expression of Bcl-2 protein and Bcl-2 mRNA, but reduce the expression of Bax, Bax mRNA, and iNOS, and weaken the cleavage of caspase-3. In summary, ginsenoside Re showed protection from MPTP-induced apoptosis in the PD model mouse nigral neurons and this effect may be attributable to upregulating the expression of Bcl-2 protein, downregulating the expression of Bax, and iNOS protein, and inhibiting the activation of caspase-3.

Optical microangiography (OMAG) has been extensively utilized to study three-dimensional tissue vasculature in vivo. However, with the limited image resolution (∼10 μm ) of the commonly used systems, some concerns were raised: (1) whether OMAG is capable of providing the imaging of capillary vessels that are of an average diameter of ∼6 μm ; (2) if yes, whether OMAG can provide meaningful quantification of vascular density within the scanned tissue volume. Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) is capable of depth-resolved high-resolution (∼1 μm ) imaging of biological tissue structures. With externally labeled plasma, the vascular network including single capillaries can be well visualized. We compare the vascular images of in vivo mouse brain acquired by both OMAG and MPM systems. We found that within the penetration depth range of the MPM system, OMAG is able to accurately visualize blood vessels including capillaries. Although the resolution of OMAG may not be able to 100% resolve two closely packed tiny capillaries in tissue, it is still capable of visualizing most of the capillaries because there are interstitial tissue spaces between them. We believe our validation results reinforce the application of OMAG in microvasculature-related studies.

A field experiment was conducted using the litterbag method to quantify the contribution of soil fauna to litter mass loss of Salix paraplesia, Sabina saltuaria, Betula albosinensis and Abies faxoniana during different key periods of the decomposition process of the first year (from November 2011 to October 2012). The results showed that the mass loss rate showed S. paraplesiaB. albosinensisA. faxonianaS. saltuaria, and the rate in the growing season was greater than in the freeze-thaw season. The contribution rate of soil fauna to the mass decomposition displayed as S. saltuaria (26.7%)A. faxoniana (18.8%)B. albosinensis (15.7%)S. paraplesia (13.2%), which was higher in the freeze-thaw season than in the growing season for litter of B. albo-sinensis and A. faxoniana while vice versa for litter of B. albosinensis and A. faxoniana. The contribution of soil fauna was mainly related to organic C, P and N/P in the freeze-thaw season, while N, C/N, lignin and lignin/cellulose in the growing season.

Scorpion venom heat-resistant peptide (SVHRP) is a component purified from Buthus martensii Karsch scorpion venom. Although scorpions and their venom have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to treat chronic neurological disorders, the underlying mechanisms of these treatments remain unknown. We applied SVHRP in vitro and in vivo to understand its effects on the neurogenesis and maturation of adult immature neurons and explore associated molecular mechanisms. SVHRP administration increased the number of 5-bromo-2’-dexoxyuridine (BrdU)-positive cells, BrdU- positive/neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN)-positive neurons, and polysialylated-neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM)-positive immature neurons in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and subgranular zone (SGZ) of hippocampus. Furthermore immature neurons incubated with SVHRP-pretreated astrocyte-conditioned medium exhibited significantly increased neurite length compared with those incubated with normal astrocyte-conditioned medium. This neurotrophic effect was further confirmed in vivo by detecting an increased average single area and whole area of immature neurons in the SGZ, SVZ and olfactory bulb (OB) in the adult mouse brain. In contrast to normal astrocyte-conditioned medium, higher concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) but not nerve growth factor (NGF) or glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) was detected in the conditioned medium of SVHRP-pretreated astrocytes, and blocking BDNF using anti-BDNF antibodies eliminated these SVHRP-dependent neurotrophic effects. In SVHRP treated mouse brain, more glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells were detected. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry revealed increased numbers of GFAP/BDNF double-positive cells, which agrees with the observed changes in the culture system. This paper describes novel effects of scorpion venom-originated peptide on the stem cells and suggests the potential therapeutic values of SVHRP.

An investigation was conducted on the population structure of soil arthropod community in the 3-, 8-, 14-, 31-, and 40-years old Pinus massoniana plantations in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in spring (May) and autumn (October), 2011, aimed to search for the scientific management of the plantation. A total of 4045 soil arthropods were collected, belonging to 57 families. Both the individual density and the taxonomic group number of the soil arthropod community decreased obviously with increasing soil depth, and this trend increased with increasing stand age. The dominant groups and ordinary groups of the soil arthropod community varied greatly with the stand age of P. massoniana plantation, and a significant difference (P0.05) was observed in the individual density and taxonomic group number among different age P. massoniana plantations. In comparison with other stand age P. massoniana plantations, 3years old P. massoniana plantation had a significant difference in the structure and diversity of soil arthropod community, and the similarity index of the soil arthropod community was lower. The individual density, taxonomic group number, and diversity of soil arthropod community were the highest in 8-years old P. massoniana plantation, and then, decreased obviously with increasing stand age. It was suggested that the land fertility of the P. massoniana plantations could be degraded with increasing stand age, and it would be appropriate to make artificial regulation and restoration in 8-years old P. massoniana plantation.

Aims Understanding myofibrillogenesis is essential for elucidating heart muscle formation, development, and remodelling in response to physiological stimulation. Here, we report the dynamic assembly process of contractile myosin filaments onto myofibrils in a live cardiomyocyte culture during myofibrillogenesis. Methods and results Utilizing a custom-built, two-photon excitation fluorescence and second harmonic generation imaging system equipped with an on-stage incubator, we observed new sarcomere additions in rat neonatal cardiomyocytes during 10 h of on-stage incubation. The new sarcomere additions occurred at the side of existing myofibrils, where we observed mature myofibrils acting as templates, or at the interstice of several separated myofibrils. Conclusions During sarcomeric addition, myosin filaments are assembled onto the premyofibril laterally. This lateral addition, which proceeds stepwise along the axial direction, plays an important role in the accumulation of Z-bodies to form mature Z-disks and in the regulation of sarcomeric alignment during maturation.

In order to quantify the contribution of soil fauna to the decomposition of birch (Betula albosinensis) leaf litter in subalpine forests in western Sichuan of Southwest China during freeze-thaw season, a field experiment with different mesh sizes (0.02, 0.125, 1 and 3 mm) of litterbags was conducted in a representative birch-fir (Abies faxoniana) forest to investigate the mass loss rate of the birch leaf litter from 26 October, 2010 to 18 April, 2011, and the contributions of micro-, meso- and macro-fauna to the decomposition of the leaf litter. Over the freeze-thaw season, 11.8%, 13.2%, 15.4% and 19.5% of the mass loss were detected in the litterbags with 0.02, 0. 125, 1 and 3 mm mesh sizes, respectively. The total contribution of soil fauna to the litter decomposition accounted for 39.5% of the mass loss, and the taxa and individual relative density of the soil fauna in the litterbags had the similar variation trend with that of the mass loss rate. The contribution rate of soil fauna to the leaf litter mass loss showed the order of micro-meso-macro-fauna, with the highest contribution of micro-fauna (7.9%), meso-fauna (11.9%), and macro-fauna (22.7%) at the onset of freezing stage, deeply frozen stage, and thawing stage, respectively. The results demonstrated that soil fauna played an important role in the litter decomposition in subalpine forests of western Sichuan during freeze-thaw season.

We developed a novel addressable discrete-line-scanning multiphoton microscope with high lateral and axial resolutions based on a spatial light modulator. Our discrete-line-focus design eliminates the cross talk that occurs in conventional one-dimensional line-scanning multiphoton microscopies. Additionally, a phase-only spatial light modulator is able to scan only a sample's target area by generating a specific discrete line focus according to the shape and location of the target area. Compared with other multiphoton microscopies, this technique shortens scanning time and minimizes photodamage by concentrating scanning energy and dwell time on the area of interest.

We developed a hybrid two-photon excitation fluorescence-second harmonic generation (TPEF-SHG) imaging system with an on-stage incubator for long-term live-cell imaging. Using the imaging system, we observed the addition of new sarcomeres during myofibrillogenesis while a cardiomyocyte was spreading on the substrate. The results suggest that the TPEF-SHG imaging system with an on-stage incubator is an effective tool for investigation of dynamic myofibrillogenesis.

In order to understand the decomposition characteristics of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus grandis) -alder (Alnus formosana) mixed litters and the roles of soil fauna in the decomposition process, litter samples of the two tree species were collected from the Suji Town of Leshan, Sichuan Province, and mixed with different proportions. The mixtures were put in 6-, 30-, and 260-mesh litterbags to investigate their mass loss and the dynamics of soil faunal community during the process of decomposition. Different proportion mixtures all presented the same decomposition pattern, i. e., decomposed rapidly in early period and slower in later period. The mixtures had the highest decomposition rate in 6-mesh litterbag, followed by in 30-mesh, and in 260-mesh litterbag. In the litterbags with same meshes, the decomposition rate of different proportion mixed litters also varied. In 6-mesh litterbag, the durations for the decomposition of the litters had slight difference; while in 30- and 260-mesh litterbags, the durations for pure E. grandis and A. formosana litters getting 95% mass loss had a difference of 1175 and 908 days, respectively. During the decomposition of the litters, soil macrofauna had an obvious change in community structure. In early period, Psocoptera dominated; in mid period, Opisthopora dominated; in later period, Coleoptera dominated; and by the end, Diptera dominated. This study provided important information to understand the material cycling in eucalyptus-alder mixed plantation.

Predation and predatory behavior of Blattisocius dolichus on Radopholus similis were tested both in experimental arenas and on potted plants. Predation occurred in all active stages of B. dolichus. Blattisocius dolichus preferred live R. similis when offered together with Caneorhabditis elegans and dead R. similis in a choice test. Consumption rate was affected by temperature, prey density and duration of starvation. Maximum consumption rates were observed at 25 °C, for both adult males and females after being starved for 96 and 72 h, respectively. Consumption rate increased with increasing prey density until satiation was reached, when the predator–prey ratio was 1:250 for both male and female predators. Anthurium andraeanum seedlings, artificially infested with R. similis (1,000 per pot), were used to evaluate the biological control efficiency of B. dolichus. The nematode density decreased by 66 % 10 days after a release of 500 mites per pot.

To understand the effects of slope location on the community structure of soil fauna in Eucalyptus grandis plantation, an investigation was made on the soil fauna in 3 E. grandis plantations at different slope locations in the hilly area of Sichuan Province from January to October 2009. A total of 39,2762 individuals were observed, belonging to 146 groups, 7 phyla, 16 classes, and 31 orders. The community composition, trophic group, diversity, and seasonal dynamics of soil fauna in the plantations all varied with slope. The abundance of macro-fauna, xeric meso- and micro-fauna, saprophagous macro-fauna, and omnivorous xeric meso- and micro-fauna increased with the decrease of slope, indicating that soil fauna had sensitive responses to the soil environmental factors affected by slope. Significant differences in the diversity of soil saprophagous macro-fauna and hygrophilous meso- and micro-fauna were observed at different slope locations, suggesting that these two faunal groups could be used as the indicators of the habitat heterogeneity of E. grandis plantations at different slope. Overall, slope location had definite effects on the community structure and distribution of soil fauna in the E. grandis plantations, but the effects were not statistically significant.

To investigate the protective effect of nicotine on dopaminergic neurons and its mechanisms in mice with Parkinson's disease (PD) induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP).C57BL/6J mice were injected with MPTP for 8 days to establish PD model. Nicotine was given for 10 days in the pretreatment group. Animals were examined behaviorally with the pole test and traction test. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were investigated by the immunocytochemistry (ICC) method. The ultrastructural changes of caudate nucleus(CN) were observed by electron microscope.The results showed that pretreatment nicotine could improve the dyskinesia of PD mice markedly. Simultaneously, TH (P0.01) neurons and GABA (P0.05) neurons were much more in the pretreatment group when compared with those in the model group. The ultrastructural injury of the pretreatment group was also ameliorated.Nicotine has a protective effect on the dopaminergic neurons in the MPTP-treated mice.

Using Strain C57/BL of COX-2 deficient mice, the effect of Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) on dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease (PD) mice induced by intraperitoneal injections of MPTP-HCl were investigated by immunocytochemistry(ICC) .We found that the mortality in COX-2 heterozygous mice is much lower than that in wild type mice (P0.01) after injection of MPTP (30 mg/kg/day). The result of semiquantitative immunocytochemical staining showed that the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactive neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) declined more significantly in MPTP-treated wild type mice than that in COX-2 heterozygotes mice (P0.01).COX-2 may be related with lesion of dopaminergic neurons in the SNc of PD.

To investigate the causative role of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and nitric oxide (NO) in neurotoxicity of beta-amyloid (Abeta) and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD).Using behavioral and neuropathological methods, we observed the effects of Abeta(1-40) injection into hippocampi on rats learning and memory in Y maze and on the neuropathology in hippocampi. The intervention by intraperitoneal administration of aminoguanidine (AG), a selective inducible NOS (iNOS) inhibitor, and 7-nitroindazole (7-NI), a selective neuronal NOS (nNOS) inhibitor, in the neurotoxicity of Abeta(1-40) was studied then.The capability of acquisition and retrieval in Y maze and local neurons in hippocampus of the rats were impaired significantly after Abeta(1-40) injection. Intraperitoneal administration of AG, but not 7-NI, could prevent the damages caused by Abeta(1-40) injection above-mentioned.iNOS/NO participates in the mechanisms of Abeta-induced neurotoxicity and may play an important role in the pathogenesis of AD.

To investigate the effects of scorpion venom heat-resistant protein (SVHRP) on kainic acid induced-damage of cultured primitive rat hippocampal neuropeptide Y-nergic neurons.We observed morphological changes, celluar vigor, NPY-immunoreactivity and NPY mRNA expression by means of Thionine staining, MTT assay, immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR, respectively, on the primitively cultured Sprague-Dawley rat hippocampal neuron treated with KA and SVHRP for 24 h.MTT assay and morphologic analysis showed that SVHRP markedly increased neuron survival-rate, and protected them from kA-induced damage. The expression of NPY-immunoreactivity and NPY mRNA in SVHRP group increased obviously compared with other groups.SVHRP protected the primitively cultured hippocampal neurons from KA-induced neuroexcitotoxicity and promoted the expression of NPY.

In order to understand the variations of soil faunal diversity under different natural alpine vegetations in West Sichuan, an investigation was made on the soil faunal communities under alpine coniferous forest, shrub, and meadow from August 2008 to June 2009. A total of 48343 individuals were collected, belonging to 7 phyla, 16 classes, 31 orders and 117 families. There was a great difference in the dominant groups of soil macro-fauna, and a significant difference (P0.05) in the number of soil faunal groups under different vegetations. Both the individual density and the group number of soil fauna decreased obviously with increasing soil depth, and were significantly higher (P0.01) in moss layer than in litter layer in coniferous forest. Significant difference (P0.01) was also observed in the density-group index among the three vegetations. The maximum biomass of soil macro-fauna was found in June. Jacard indices indicated that disturbed meadow had the lowest similarity of soil faunal community with the other vegetations. It was suggested that vegetation type had significant effects on the community structure of soil fauna, while aspect, altitude, and disturbance also had definite effects.