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[Objectives] To understand how cold tolerance is influenced by altitude and ice nucleating active bacteria (INA) in high altitude environments. Methods: Field conditions were simulated in a laboratory to study the effects of varying the super-cooling point (SCP) and freezing point (FP) of Evergestis extimalis.Results: Super cooling point declined gradually with altitude. For example, the SCP of E. extimalis from Le Du (1 900 m ASL), Xing Ning (2 300 m ASL) and Huang Yuang (3 010 m ASL) were 12.30, 13.39 and14.56, respectively. Variation of SCP and freezing point were correlated with local temperature. The SCP of E. extimalis increased after INA treatment. E. extimalis in the following treatment groups; INA1-1 (Pseudomonas syringae), INA2-1 (P. syringae), INA3-1 (Erwinia pyrifoliae) and the control, had SCPs of -10.72, -13.73, -14.04 and -14.39, respectively in Feb. 2014. Mortality in the INA1-1, INA2-1, INA3-1 treatment groups and the control were 29.09%-36.17%,33.16% and 27.44%, respectively on Nov. 2013.Conclusion: The SCP of E. extimalis decreased with increasing altitude. INA treatment dramatically reduced mortality and increased the SCP of E. extimalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Effects of analgesia effect of ambulatory labor analgesia and its influence on the mother and fetus. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 177 cases of pregnant women in our hospital from September 2012 to September 2013. According to the mode of delivery, the cases were divided into painless delivery group (n=83) and conventional delivery group (n=94), and compared the two groups in the labor pain score, birth process and newborn situation. Results: Cesarean section rate was significantly lower in painless childbirth group than that in conventional delivery group; the first stage in painless childbirth group is shorter than the conventional delivery group,the second stage of labor was significantly prolonged compared with that in the conventional delivery group (P<0.05), third stage has no significant statistical difference in two groups (P>0.05); painless childbirth pregnant woman the production process of VAS scores were significantly lower than that of conventional delivery group (P<0.05); and the incidence of neonatal Apgar score of two groups of fetal distress were no significant statistical difference (P>0.05); the two group of postpartum hemorrhage and the incidence of bleeding volume were not significantly difference (P>0.05); conventional delivery group no untoward reaction of postpartum, painless labor group 4 cases of orthostatic hypotension (5.6%), 3 cases of lower extremity muscle weakness (4.2%), were after symptomatic treatment in 3 h mitigation. Conclusions: Ambulatory labor analgesia can significantly reduce maternal pain of the production process, and will not lead to severe postpartum complications, fetal harm, is an effective, safe childbirth analgesia method, is worthy of clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effects of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) on insulin signaling in skeletal muscle cells of rat with sepsis., Methods: SD rats were randomly divided into two groups: control group and sepsis group.Sepsis model was reproduced by cecal ligation and puncture in sepsis group. At 8, 16, 24, 48 and 72 h after operation, the gastrocnemius was harvested. Conventional HE staining was used to observe the morphology of skeletal muscle cells. IRS-1 protein and tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 and Ser(307) phosphorylation of IRS-1 were detected by Western Blotting and immuno-precipitation. Activities of NF-kappaB in skeletal muscle cells were detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay., Results: Tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 in sepsis group was significantly lower than in control group (P < 0.01), while Ser(307) phosphorylation of IRS-1 in sepsis group was significantly higher than in control group (P < 0.01). In sepsis group, NF-kappaB activity in skeletal muscle cells was significantly higher than in control group (P < 0.01). There was significant negative correlation between activity of NF-kappaB and tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 (r = 0.972, P < 0.01). There was significant positive correlation between activities of NF-kappaB and Ser(307) phosphorylation of IRS-1 (r = 0.969, P < 0.01)., Conclusions: There is no inflammatory cell infiltrate in skeletal muscle cells with sepsis. But the activity of NF-kappaB in skeletal muscle cells is obviously enhanced, and it is closely related with disorder of insulin signaling in skeletal muscle cells of rat with sepsis.

Objective: The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) play a key role as immune response modulators and suppressors of immunologic functions, such as lymphocyte proliferation, cytokine production, and cell surface molecular expression in T lymphocytes, monocytes, and natural killer cells. However, little is known about the effect of omega-3 PUFAs on dendritic cells (DCs). We studied the effect of omega-3 PUFAs on DCs and the related intracellular signal transduction pathway., Methods: Dendritic cells were generated from human peripheral blood monocytes in the presence of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factors and interleukin (IL)-4 and treated with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexanoic acid (DHA), and stearic acid for 24 h. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used for maturation of the DCs. The expressions of CD40, CD80, CD86, and human leukocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR) were analyzed by flow cytometry; production of IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The proliferative ability of allogeneic T cells stimulated by DCs was evaluated by tritiated thymidine ((3)H-TdR). Western blot analysis of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase was conducted., Results: The omega-3 PUFAs reduced expression levels of costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 and major histocompatibility complex HLA-DR. IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels decreased significantly in the EPA and DHA groups. EPA and DHA also significantly reduced the proliferative ability of allogeneic T cells stimulated by DCs. The omega-3 PUFAs significantly inhibited LPS-induced p38 phosphorylation., Conclusion: The omega-3 PUFAs may inhibit LPS-induced DC maturation and upregulate cytokine production. Impaired p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activity is a potential critical intracellular signaling transduction mechanism.

Strictosidine synthase (STR) is the key enzyme involved in early steps of biosynthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids. STR catalyzes the condensation of tryptamine with secologanin into strictosidine. The gene encoding STR targeted to different subcellular compartments was transiently expressed in the tobacco leaves. In vitro STR enzymatic activity was measured by the depletion of tryptamine indicated by fluorescence. The results showed that the recombinant STR was effectively expressed as soluble protein in three subcellular compartments-chloroplast, vacuole and endoplasmic reticulum in the leaves of tobacco by Western blot analysis and STR enzymatic assay.