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The aim of this study was to compare the functional characteristics of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from a sheep model of traumatic temporomandibular joint (TMJ) fibrous and bony ankylosis. A sheep model of bilateral TMJ trauma-induced fibrous ankylosis on one side and bony ankylosis on the contralateral side was used. MSCs from fibrous ankylosed callus (FA-MSCs) or bony ankylosed callus (BA-MSCs) at weeks 1, 2, 4, and 8 after surgery were isolated and cultured. MSCs derived from the bone marrow of the mandibular condyle (BM-MSCs) were used as controls. The MSCs from the different sources were characterized morphologically, phenotypically, and functionally. Adherence and trilineage differentiation potential were presented in the ovine MSCs. These cell populations highly positively expressed MSC-associated specific markers, namely CD29, CD44, and CD166, but lacked CD31 and CD45 expressions. The BA-MSCs had higher clonogenic and proliferative potentials than the FA-MSCs. The BA-MSCs also showed higher osteogenic and chondrogenic potentials, but lower adipogenic capacity than the FA-MSCs. In addition, the BA-MSCs demonstrated higher chondrogenic, but lower osteogenic capacity than the BM-MSCs. Our study suggests that inhibition of the osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiations of MSCs might be a promising strategy for preventing bony ankylosis in the future.

Largemouth bass (大口黑鲈(

High-throughput gene expression profiling has recently emerged as a promising technique that provides insight into cancer subtype classification and improved prediction of prognoses. Immune/inflammatory-related mRNAs may potentially enrich genes to allow researchers to better illustrate cancer microenvironments. Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OC-SCC) exhibits high morbidity and poor prognosis compared to that of other types of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and these differences may be partially due to differences within the tumor microenvironments. Based on this, we designed an immune-related signature to improve the prognostic prediction of OC-SCC. A cohort of 314 OC-SCC samples possessing whole genome expression data that were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was included for discovery. The GSE41613 database was used for validation. A risk score was established using immune/inflammatory signatures acquired from the training dataset. Principal components analysis, GO analysis, and gene set enrichment analysis were used to explore the bioinformatic implications. When grouped by the dichotomized risk score based on the signature, this classifier could successfully discriminate patients with distinct prognoses within the training and validation cohorts (P<0.05 in both cohorts) and within different clinicopathological subgroups. Similar somatic mutation patterns were observed between high and low risk score groups, and different copy number variation patterns were also identified. Further bioinformatic analyses suggested that the lower risk score group was significantly correlated with immune/inflammatory-related biological processes, while the higher risk score group was highly associated with cell cycle-related processes. The analysis indicated that the risk score was a robust predictor of patient survival, and its functional annotation was well established. Therefore, this bioinformatic-based immune-related signature suggested that the microenvironment of OC-SCC could distinguish among patients with different underlying biological processes and clinical outcomes, and the use of this signature may shed light on future OC-SCC classification and therapeutic design.

OBJECTIVES To study the technical feasibility of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in evaluating femoral head perfusion in a rabbit model of steroid-induced femoral head osteonecrosis. METHODS Twenty rabbits were divided randomly into a control group (n = 8) and an experimental group (n = 12). Rabbits in the experimental group were induced by lipopolysaccharide and methylprednisolone to build a model of steroid-induced femoral head osteonecrosis. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound examinations were performed at 3 and 5 weeks after induction. Then, pathologic examinations and microvessel density (MVD) calculations were performed on the excised rabbit femoral heads. RESULTS The MVD of the experimental group decreased significantly 3 and 5 weeks after induction compared with that of the control group. According to the CEUS examination results, significant differences existed in the ascending slope, descending slope, mean transit time, and time to peak between the groups at 5 weeks (P

The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the differences in quality of life (QOL) outcomes between the conventional obturator prostheses (COP) and the pedicled submental artery island flap (SAIF) in the reconstruction of Brown IIb maxillary defects.The QOL of 116 eligible patients who had a lapse ≥ 12 months after the cancer-related maxilla ablation was evaluated by the University of Washington quality of life scale (UW-QOL), Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck (PSS-HN), and Obturator Functioning Scale (OFS).Patients in the SAIF group reported statistically and clinically significant higher overall QOL scores but lower chewing scores in the UW-QOL scale when compared with those in the COP group (P 0.05). Clinically significantly higher scores were also observed in the recreation and anxiety domains in the UW-QOL scale for the SAIF group, but there was no statistical significances. The COP group reported more complaints about the nasal leakage when swallowing and the shape of the upper lip, and had a stronger willingness to avoid family or social events in the OFS (P 0.05).For patients with Brown IIb defects, SAIF reconstruction can achieve reduced nasal leakage when swallowing, improved upper-lip contour, increased social activity, and superior overall QOL than COP. The inferior chewing function in the SAIF group indicated the need for dental rehabilitation with a conventional denture or osseointegrated implants.

In order to improve the performance of the blind source separation (BSS) algorithm, this paper proposes a four-system adaptive coupling BSS algorithm based on variable momentum term and variable step size. The algorithm improves the convergence rate and steady-state error by adaptively coupling two medium systems. The first medium system is composed of two subsystems with different step sizes and the same large momentum term, and the convergence rate is faster. The second medium system is composed of two subsystems with different step sizes and the same small momentum term, and the steady-state error is smaller. Simulation results show that the convergence rate of the algorithm is faster and the steady-state error is smaller.

To investigate the effect of Jiarong Tablets (JRT) on the testicular morphology and function of rats with late-onset hypogonadism (LOH).LOH models were established in 8 eighteen-month-old male SD rats, treated intragastrically with distilled water (the model control group, n = 4) or JRT at 0.375 g/kg/d, qd (the JRT group, n = 4), and another 5 two-month-old normal male SD rats were also given distilled water by gavage (normal control group), all for 28 days. Then all the rats were weighed and sacrificed for measurement of the serum T level and pathological and electron microscopic examination of the testis tissue.Compared with the normal controls, the LOH models showed significantly decreased testis coefficient (P0.05) and serum T level (［3.40 ± 0.06］ vs ［5.88 ± 0.46］ ng /ml, P0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in the model control and JRT groups in the body weight and testis coefficient (P0.05), but the serum T level (［4.50 ± 0.78］ ng/ml) was remarkably decreased in the latter (P0.05). In comparison with the model controls, the rats treated with JRT exhibited increases in the sperm count in the seminiferous tubules and the amount of testicular interstitial cells. Electron microscopy revealed a markedly increased number of mitochondria in the JRT-treated animals, with some mitochondrial sheaths and cristae but no obvious mitochondrial edema.Jiarong Tablets can elevate the serum T level and improve the testicular morphology and ultrastructure of LOH rats.

BACKGROUND The type of traumatic temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis depends on the degree of severity of TMJ trauma. Here, we performed comprehensive differential molecular profiling between TMJ fibrous and bony ankylosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS Six sheep were used and a bilateral different degree of TMJ trauma was performed to induce fibrous ankylosis in one side and bony ankylosis in the other side. The ankylosed calluses were harvested at days 14 and 28 postoperatively and analyzed by Affymetrix OviGene-1_0-ST microarrays. DAVID was used to perform the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis for the different expression genes (DEGs). The DEGs were also typed into protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks to get the interaction data. Ten DEGs, including 7 hub genes from PPI analysis, were confirmed by real-time PCR. RESULTS We found 90 and 323 DEGs at least 2-fold at days 14 and 28, respectively. At day 14, bony ankylosis showed upregulated DEGs, such as TLR8, SYK, NFKBIA, PTPRC, CD86, ITGAM, and ITGAL, indicating a stronger immune and inflammatory response and cell adhesion, while genes associated with anti-adhesion (PRG4) and inhibition of osteoblast differentiation (SFRP1) had higher expression in fibrous ankylosis. At day 28, bony ankylosis showed increased biological process related to new bone formation, while fibrous ankylosis was characterized by a prolonged immune and inflammatory reaction. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a differential gene expression profile between TMJ fibrous and bony ankylosis. Further study of these key genes may provide new ideas for future treatment of TMJ bony ankylosis.

Screening of trait-associated molecular markers can be used to enhance the efficiency of selective breeding. Previously, we produced the first high-density genetic linkage map for the mandarin fish (

To clone bHLH( basic helix-loop-helix) gene from Carthamus tinctorius,analyze the expression level in different plant tissues and construct the plant expression vector. The bHLH1 gene was cloned by RT-PCR techniques,and the protein characteristics were analyzed by bioinformatics,and phylogenetic tree was constructed. The expression of bHLH1 gene in different tissues and the roots after inoculated by Fusarium oxysporum were analyzed using real time-PCR,and the plant expression vector p BASTA-bHLH1 was constructed. The obtained ORF sequence of bHLH1 gene was 897 bp,encoded a protein of 298 amino acids. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree analyses showed that C. tinctorius bHLH1 had a certain homology with other species of amino acids,and was the most similar to the amino acid sequence of tobacco. Real-time PCR results showed significant differences,CtbHLH1 gene in red flower petals in different tissues and different flowering period had remarkable difference in expression level,its high amount expressed in petals,flowers third day after blossom expressed the highest quantity,at the end of the flowering the expression quantity is low. In addition,it is expressed in the root,and the expression in the stem and leaves is extremely low. The bHLH1 gene of C. tinctorius is successfully cloned,and the expression is analyzed. The plant expression vector p BASTA-bHLH is constructed.

A novel Eu(III)–Ag(I) coordination polymer [Eu2Ag(μ4-oPyIDC)2(NO3)(H2O)]n (H3oPyIDC = 2-(pyridine-3-yl)-1H-imidzole-4,5-dicarboxylate, 1) was formed based on a planar hexanuclear heterometallic Eu4Ag2 secondary building unit. The planar hexanuclear secondary building blocks are interconnected to a 3D framework with pcu topology. The luminescence property of compound 1 is also investigated.

Estrogen levels change closely related with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) of the occurrence and development, estrogen play a regulatory role for IBS through various channels, such as emotional reactions, gastrointestinal motility, gastrointestinal hormones and brain - intestinal shaft. Estrogen receptors (ERs) of the gastrointestinal tract mainly in mast cells, intestinal allergy, infection can activate mast cells, a direct result of the clinical symptoms of IBS patients. Suggesting that mast cells in the gastrointestinal tract is likely to be involved in the pathogenesis of IBS estrogen important mediating link. In this paper, research of ERs estrogen and IBS were reviewed.

Highly-uniform TiO2/SnO2 nanorod incorporated into conductive carbon matrix (sr-TSC) is synthesized by a facile unprecedented hydrothermal method. In the method, citric acid and ethylene glycol are introduced as carbon source and solvent. The sr-TSC electrode achieves a reversible capacity of 410 mAh g−1 for up to 60 cycles at 300 mA g−1 current density, and demonstrates an enhanced cyclic performance and excellent rate capability relative to SnO2 nanoparticles. The results indicate that the composite could be a promising anode candidate for lithium ion batteries.

With the rapid development of electronic science and computer science, the large scale integrated circuit applied in the military, economic and social life is more and more widely. Because the DDR SDRAM has twice the SDRAM memory data rate, now has been widely used. The DDR memory controller design for the DDR SDRAM and the connection between the FPGA provides a solution [3]. This paper analyzes the current international technology trends and storage controller DDR2 SDRAM controller detailed technical specifications. DDR2 SDRAM controller configuration based on register information units, with automatic initialization, to determine priorities, to generate the DDR2 command sequence, and other functions, also can undertake signal control and data reading and writing.

The limitations of both grid-connection control and var optimization for improving the voltage of the distribution network with DGs are pointed out in this paper. Thus, it is proposed that the integration of grid-connection control and var optimization for complementary advantages becomes necessary. A model of var optimization based on genetic algorithm is designed, and analysis of examples is carried out by use of MATLAB. Meanwhile, control models of grid-connected inverters based onP-fdroop control andP-δdroop control are designed, whose characteristics are compared by simulations done on MATLAB/Simulink. Results show the validity of the supposed var optimization technique and grid-connection control technique.

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are still a major health threats worldwide. Traditional surveillance methods involving manual surveillance by infection control practitioners (ICPs) for data collection processes are laborious, inefficient, and generate data of variable quality. In this study, we sought to evaluate the impact of surveillance and interaction platform system (SIPS) for HAIs surveillance compared to manual survey in tertiary general hospitals. Methods: A large multi-center study including 21 tertiary general hospitals and 63 wards were performed to evaluate the impact of electronic SIPS for HAIs. Results: We collected 4,098 consecutive patients and found that the hospitals installed with SIPS significantly increased work efficiency of ICPs achieving satisfactory diagnostic performance of HAIs with 0.73 for sensitivity, 0.81 for specificity and 0.81 area under the curve (AUC). However, there were significant heterogeneity own to regions, time of SIPS installation, departments and sample size. Conclusions: SIPS significantly improved ICPs efficiency and HAIs monitoring effectiveness, but there were shortcomings such as untimely maintenance and high cost.

Intelligent parking management development platform based on LabVIEW imitates parking access control system, smart regional guidance system, parking information inquiry system and alarm information inquiry system. The system achieves kinds of functions, such as fast access, time charges, intelligent guidance, security alarm and so on. The development platform for intelligent parking management system can be applied to develop new features for the system. The platform simulates that the parking system combines the Internet of Things technology using the LabVIEW database connectivity tools package. It can develop new functions including urban parking guidance and smart reverse seeking cars in adapt to smart city development.

Two 2D 4d-4f heterometallic coordination polymers, [LnAg(Py26DC)2(H2O)3]·3H2O [Ln = Nd (1), La (2); H2Py26DC = pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid], and one 2D lanthanide homometallic coordination polymer, [Ln(Py25DC)(ox)0.5(H2O)2] [Ln = Tm (3); H2Py25DC = pyridine-2,5-dicarboxylic acid; ox = oxalate], were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Both complexes 1 and 2 are isostructural and exhibit 3-connected 2D heterometallic layer structures with the Schlafli symbol of (82·10), whereas complex 3 represents an extended 2D homometallic network structure with (4,4) topology.

This paper studies the trajectory generation problem for quadrotors. The quadrotor is an excellent vehicle for internal surveillance, search and remote inspection. Bezier polynomials are used to parameterize the states, inputs and performance index. The trajectory generation problem is formulated as a quadratic programming (QP) problem. Galerkin's projection method is used to impose the dynamics as an equality constraint. Linearization of the quadrotor's model is used to get a linear constraint of the coefficient. To deal with the uncertainty of the state measurements, the quadrotor's model is linearized about some operating points closed to the measurement of the initial state instead of the measurement of the initial state. For every local linear model a QP problem is solved. Then a fuzzy inference system is constructed to determine the coefficients. Simulations are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed trajectory generation method.

Transgenic technique provides a new way for fish breeding. Stable lines of growth hormone gene transfer carps, salmon and tilapia, as well as fluorescence protein gene transfer zebra fish and white cloud mountain minnow have been produced. The fast growth characteristic of GH gene transgenic fish will be of great importance to promote aquaculture production and economic efficiency. This paper summarized the progress in transgenic fish research and ecological assessments. Microinjection is still the most common used method, but often resulted in multi-site and multi-copies integration. Co-injection of transposon or meganuclease will greatly improve the efficiency of gene transfer and integration. "All fish" gene or "auto gene" should be considered to produce transgenic fish in order to eliminate misgiving on food safety and to benefit expression of the transferred gene. Environmental risk is the biggest obstacle for transgenic fish to be commercially applied. Data indicates that transgenic fish have inferior fitness compared with the traditional domestic fish. However, be-cause of the genotype-by-environment effects, it is difficult to extrapolate simple phenotypes to the complex ecological interactions that occur in nature based on the ecological consequences of the transgenic fish determined in the laboratory. It is critical to establish highly naturalized environments for acquiring reliable data that can be used to evaluate the environ-mental risk. Efficacious physical and biological containment strategies remain to be crucial approaches to ensure the safe application of transgenic fish technology.

Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Microglia, the resident immune cells in the central nervous system, are pivotal in the inflammatory reaction. Activated microglia can induce expression of inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) and release significant amounts of nitric oxide (NO) and TNF-alpha, which can damage the dopaminergic neurons. Catalpol, an iridoid glycoside, contained richly in the roots of Rehmannia glutinosa, was found to be neuroprotective in gerbils subjected to transient global cerebral ischemia. But the effect of catalpol on inflammation-mediated neurodegeneration has not been examined. In this study, microglia in mesencephalic neuron-glia cultures were activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the aim of the study was to examine whether catalpol could protect dopaminergic neurons from LPS-induced neurotoxicity. The results showed that catalpol significantly reduced the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS), TNF-alpha and NO after LPS-induced microglial activation. Further, catalpol attenuated LPS-induced the expression of iNOS. As determined by immunocytochemical analysis, pretreatment by catalpol dose-dependently protected dopaminergic neurons against LPS-induced neurotoxicity. These results suggest that catalpol exerts its protective effect on dopaminergic neurons by inhibiting microglial activation and reducing the production of proinflammatory factors. Thus, catalpol may possess therapeutic potential against inflammation-related neurodegenerative diseases.

Background Traditional radiography is limited in its ability to give reliable information on the number and morphology of root canals. The application of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) provides a non-invasive three-dimensional confirmatory diagnosis as a complement to conventional radiography. The aim of this study was to evaluate the root and canal morphology of mandibular premolars in a western Chinese population using CBCT scanning. Methods The sample included 149 CBCT images comprising 178 mandibular first premolars and 178 second premolars. The tooth position, number of roots and canals, and canal configuration according to Vertucci’s classification were recorded. Results The results showed that 98% of mandibular first premolars had one root and 2% had two roots; 87.1% had one canal, 11.2% had two canals and 0.6% had three canals. The prevalence of C-shaped canals was 1.1%. All mandibular second premolars had one root; 97.2% had one canal and 2.2% had two canals. The prevalence of C-shaped canals was 0.6%. Conclusions The prevalence of multiple canals in mandibular first premolars was mainly of Type V, and mandibular second premolars had a low rate of canal variation in this western Chinese population. Root canal bifurcation occurred at the middle or apical third in most bicanal mandibular premolars. CBCT scanning can be used in the management of mandibular premolars with complex canal morphology.

A strain of grass carp reovirus was isolated from sick grass carp with symptoms of haemorrhage in Guangdong province in 2009. The strain was tentatively named as GCRV-GD108 because it was isolated from grass carp and possessed 11 segments of dsRNA. Complete genome sequence analysis showed that significant differences existed between GCRV-GD108 and GCRV, as well as other known species of aquareovirus. In this study, molecular characteristics of diseased grass carp collected from different farms in Guangdong, Fujian and Hunan provinces were assayed. Based on the sequences of the 11 segments of GCRV-GD108, PCR primers corresponding to each of the segments were designed and synthesized. Total RNA of the diseased fish was extracted and used as templates of RT-PCR reaction. Specific amplification bands were obtained from all of the samples whereas no band was produced from GCRV standard strain. While using the primers specific to GCRV produced specific band in GCRV standard strain rather than in these collected samples. Sequencing of the amplification products showed that these samples displayed high similarities with each other (95.2%-99.4%), and they also shared high sequence similarities with that of GCRV-GD108 (95.0%-99.8%), suggesting that these samples shared similar molecular characteristics with those of GCRV-GD108, and were quite different from GCRV as well as the known species of genus aquareovirus. The results indicated that there are different molecular types of reovirus existed in the pond-cultured grass carp in China, and GCRV-GD108 is a representative strain in southern China, therefore great attention should be paid in order to control the disease efficiently, especially in vaccine preparation. Two pairs of primers were chosen to establish a duplex PCR assay method by combining each pair of the primers specific to GCRV-GD108 with the GCRV primer pair respectively. The duplex PCR assay method will enable the identification of GCRV-GD108 or GCRV by only a single PCR reaction.

Transgenic technique provides a new way for fish breeding. Stable lines of growth hormone gene transfer carps, salmon and tilapia, as well as fluorescence protein gene transfer zebra fish and white cloud mountain minnow have been produced. The fast growth characteristic of GH gene transgenic fish will be of great importance to promote aquaculture production and economic efficiency. This paper summarized the progress in transgenic fish research and ecological assessments. Microinjection is still the most common used method, but often resulted in multi-site and multi-copies integration. Co-injection of transposon or meganuclease will greatly improve the efficiency of gene transfer and integration. "All fish" gene or "auto gene" should be considered to produce transgenic fish in order to eliminate misgiving on food safety and to benefit expression of the transferred gene. Environmental risk is the biggest obstacle for transgenic fish to be commercially applied. Data indicates that transgenic fish have inferior fitness compared with the traditional domestic fish. However, be-cause of the genotype-by-environment effects, it is difficult to extrapolate simple phenotypes to the complex ecological interactions that occur in nature based on the ecological consequences of the transgenic fish determined in the laboratory. It is critical to establish highly naturalized environments for acquiring reliable data that can be used to evaluate the environ-mental risk. Efficacious physical and biological containment strategies remain to be crucial approaches to ensure the safe application of transgenic fish technology.

We investigated the association of the Val66Met gene polymorphism in the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) gene with aggressive behavior among Southern Han Chinese schizophrenia patients. We used polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism to determine the genotypes and the Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) to measure aggressive behavior. No significant differences in genotype or allele distribution of Val66Met were identified between aggressive and non-aggressive schizophrenia patients.

The aim of this study was to determine the consistency and inconsistency between the periapical radiography (PR) and cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) in evaluating the length of root canal obturations (RCOs) in vivo.Thirty-six maxillary and mandibular first and second molars yielding 109 obturated root canals with available PR and CBCT images were analyzed. The inclusion criterion was that the RCO extended 0-2 mm short of the radiographic apex on PR images. Teeth having root canal calcification, apical resorption, or poor quality PR/CBCT images were excluded. Agreement and disagreement between the 2 imaging modalities for obturation length were analyzed using the χ(2) test.A total of 30.3% of the RCOs evaluated by PR as having adequate length were diagnosed by CBCT to have inadequate length. Among these, 13.8% were overextended and 16.5% underextended as diagnosed by CBCT. When the distance from the filling tip to the radiographic apex was 0.5 to 1 mm on the PR image, the discordance rate was the lowest (11.1%) in all evaluated distance groups, significantly lower than with distances of 0-0.5 mm and 1.5-2 mm (P.01). When RCOs were diagnosed as terminating at the facial/lingual side, overextension was the main evaluation result by CBCT in the disagreement evaluation with PR and significantly more frequent than those at the mesial/distal/central side (P.01).CBCT evaluated 30.3% of the RCOs with radiographically adequate length as inadequate. When the RCOs radiographically terminated 0.5-1 mm short of the apex, the evaluation rated adequate for obturation length was comparatively reliable.

Software assurance process is a process workflow with the most intensive knowledge application in the whole software development process. Therefore, it makes the software assurance process more complex than the common development of software’s functional process. To solve this problem, the paper, based on the concept that software process management is software, presents the software process management tool SAPM, which implements organization-level software assurance process. On this basis, the software assurance process management tool ensures that the assurance process is integrated into the management process.

C-type lectins can specifically recognize sugars on the surface of microorganisms and cause a series of immune responses to effectively resist pathogenic invasions. In previous work in our laboratory, we obtained a C-type lectin from Helicoverpa armigera (Ha-lectin). It has two different carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs) CRD1 and CRD2 arranged in tandem. In this study, recombinant CRD1 and CRD2 were expressed separately in Escherichia coli and purified. They have the ability to agglutinate Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungi in the presence of Ca2+. They also have different spectra of sugar binding abilities. The rHa-lectin, rCRD1 and rCRD2 could inhibit the growth in quantity of Bacillus thuringiensis in vivo by increasing hemocyte phagocytosis. These results suggested that Ha-lectin and its two domains could function as a pattern recognition receptor or an opsonin in vivo to promote the hemocyte phagocytosis of pathogens and protect the insect from bacterial infection.

The neuroprotective effects of catalpol, an iridoid glycoside present in the roots of Rehmannia glutinosa, on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+))-induced oxidative stress in cultured mesencephalic neurons, especially dopaminergic neurons, were investigated. Exposure of mesencephalic neurons to 10microM MPP(+) induced a leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and decreased cell viability, measured with the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Catalpol increased neuron viability and markedly attenuated MPP(+)-induced dopaminergic neuron death in a dose-dependent manner. In order to clarify the neuroprotective mechanism of catalpol, mitochondrial function, the activities of endogenous antioxidants and the lipid peroxide content were measured. The results indicated that catalpol prevented the MPP(+)-induced inhibition of complex I activity and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. In addition, catalpol reduced the content of lipid peroxide and increased the activity of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Taken together, the above results suggest that catalpol may be a candidate drug for the treatment of oxidative stress-induced neurodegenerative disease.