scholarly journals Effects of Xin-Ji-Er-Kang on Anticardiovascular Remodeling in L-NAME Induced Hypertensive Mice and Its Potential Mechanisms

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Li Wang ◽  
Guo-wei Cai ◽  
Ling Ding ◽  
Juan Hu ◽  
Yong-xue Zhang ◽  
...  

Background. Xin-Ji-Er-Kang (XJEK) shows protective effects on the myocardial ischemic diseases in our previous reports. We hypothesized that XJEK may exert preventing effects on L-NAME induced hypertensive mice by ameliorating oxidative stress (OS) and endothelial dysfunction (ED). Methods. After treatment with XJEK for four weeks, cardiac function and cardiovascular pathology changes were evaluated. Then, endothelial-dependent vascular relaxation and serum NO, eNOS, AMDA, SOD, MDA content, and cardiac tissue eNOS expression were detected. Results. The hypertensive mice displayed distinct cardiovascular remodeling including increased HW/BW index (4.7 ± 0.33 versus 5.2 ± 0.34), cross-section area, and collagen deposition. In addition, ED was found manifested by decreased serum NO (20.54 ± 8.05 versus 6.29 ± 2.33), eNOS (28.34 ± 2.36 versus 20.37 ± 2.30), content, and decreased eNOS expression in cardiac tissue and damaged endothelium-dependent diastolic function. Moreover, OS was detected confirmed by decreased SOD activity and increased MDA content in serum. However, treatment with XJEK for 4 wk could reverse cardiovascular remodeling (HW/BW index normalized from 5.2 ± 0.34 to 4.59 ± 0.25), ameliorate and preserve endothelial function (NO: 16.67 ± 7.24 versus 6.29 ± 2.33; eNOS: 16.67 ± 7.24 versus 6.29 ± 2.33), and suppress OS. Conclusion. XJEK has protective effects against cardiovascular remodeling in L-NAME induced hypertensive mice.

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (08) ◽  
pp. 1613-1629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan-Jiao Xu ◽  
Zao-Qin Yu ◽  
Cheng-Liang Zhang ◽  
Xi-Ping Li ◽  
Cheng-Yang Feng ◽  
...  

The present study was designed to assess the effects and potential mechanisms of ginsenosides on 17[Formula: see text]-ethynyelstradiol (EE)-induced intrahepatic cholestasis (IC). Ginsenoside at doses of 30, 100, 300[Formula: see text]mg/kg body weight was intragastrically (i.g.) given to rats for 5 days to examine the effect on EE-induced IC. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bile acid (TBA) were measured. Hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were determined. Protein expression of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-[Formula: see text], IL-6 and IL-1[Formula: see text] was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Results indicated that ginsenosides remarkably prevented EE-induced increase in the serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP and TBA. Moreover, the elevation of hepatic MDA content induced by EE was significantly reduced, while hepatic SOD activities were significantly increased when treated with ginsenosides. Histopathology of the liver tissue showed that pathological injuries were relieved after treatment with ginsenosides. In addition, treatment with ginsenosides could significantly downregulate the protein expression of TNF-[Formula: see text], IL-6 and IL-1[Formula: see text] compared with EE group. These findings indicate that ginsenosides exert the hepatoprotective effect on EE-induced intrahepatic cholestasis in rats, and this protection might be attributed to the attenuation of oxidative stress and inflammation.


PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8507
Author(s):  
Zilajiguli Xikeranmu ◽  
Ji Ma ◽  
Xiaoning Liu

Insects have developed a complex network of enzymatic antioxidant systems for handling reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during stress. Superoxide dismutases (SODs) play a determinant role in balancing ROS in insect. However, studies devoted to SODs functions in insects under cold stress are limited. In the present study, we attempted to identify and characterize a mitochondrial manganese SOD (mMn-SOD) from the desert beetle Micordera punctipennis (denoted as MpmMn-SOD) and explore its protective effects on bacteria cells under cold stress. MpmMn-SOD is composed of 202 amino acids with conserved domains required for metal ions binding and enzyme activity. RT-qPCR experiments revealed that the expression of MpmMn-SOD was ubiquitous but tissue-specific and was induced by cold stress. An E. coli (BL21) system was applied to study the function of MpmMn-SOD. The MpmMn-SOD gene was cloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-32a to generate a recombinant plasmid pET-32a(MpmMn-SOD). After transformation of the plasmid into E. coli BL21, the fusion protein Trx-His-MpmMn-SOD was overexpressed and identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. Antioxidant activity assay showed that the death zones of the transformed bacteria BL21 (pET32a-mMn-SOD) were smaller in diameter than the control bacteria BL21 (pET32a). Survival curves under −4 °C showed that BL21 (pET32a-mMn-SOD) had significant enhanced cold resistance compared to BL21 (pET32a). Its SOD activity under −4 °C had a significant negative correlation (r = − 0.995) with superoxide anion O2•− content. Accordingly, under cold stress BL21 (pET32a-mMn-SOD) had lower electric conductivity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content than BL21 (pET32a). Taken together, our results showed that cold stress stimulated the expression of MpmMn-SOD in M. punctipennis. The E. coli cells that overexpress MpmMn-SOD increase their resistance to cold stress by scavenging ROS, and mitigate potential cell damage caused by ROS under cold conditions.


Author(s):  
Hatice Tunca ◽  
Ali Doğru ◽  
Feray Köçkar ◽  
Burçin Önem ◽  
Tuğba Ongun Sevindik

Azadirachtin (Aza) used as insecticide due to inhibiting growth of insects and preventing them from feeding on plants. To understand the effects of contamination of this insecticide on phototrophs, and to determine the responses of these organisms against these insecticides are extremely important in understanding how the ecosystem is affected. In this study, chlorophyll-a amount, OD 560 and antioxidant parameters (total SOD, APX, GR, Proline, MDA and H2O2) were determined in order to understand the effect of Aza on Arthrospira platensis Gomont. Aza was applied between 0–20 μg mL−1 concentrations for 7 days in the study. Enzyme analysis was conducted at the end of the 7th day. There was a statistically significant decrease in the absorbance of OD560 and the chlorophyll-a content in A. platensis cultures exposed to the Aza (0–20 μg mL−1) during 7 days due to the increase in pesticide levels. SOD activity decreased at 8, 16 and 20 μg mL−1 concentrations; GR enzyme activity showed a significant decrease compared to the control at a concentration of 20 μg mL−1. APX activity did not change significantly compared to control. The MDA content increased significantly at 16 and 20 μg mL−1 concentrations. The H2O2 content significantly increased at 12, 16 and 20 μg mL−1 concentrations (p < 0.05) while the free proline content decreased at 4 μg mL−1 concentration (p < 0.05). As a result, regarding the Aza concentrations used in this study may be a step to prevent pesticide pollution in the environment.


2018 ◽  
pp. 36-39
Author(s):  
N Ikramov ◽  
T Majidov

The article brings up data on sediment diversity at watercourse bed and on their movement in the form of ridges. The ridge form movement of sediment leads to the reduction of reservoir volume and canal cross section area, which has an effect on their carrying capacity, filling of pump station forechambers and hydroelectric station pressure basins with sediment. The presence of sediment in flow leads to abrasive deterioration of pumps, water motors and pressure pipes and to other negative consequences. Research work tasks on the study of these effects have been examined with the purpose of preventing such negative consequences. On the basis of laboratory data diagrams and relationships were obtained for ridge length, height and movement velocity vs. sediment hydraulic and geometric sizes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 13-20
Author(s):  
Jitka Blažková ◽  
František Paprštein ◽  
Lubor Zelený ◽  
Adéla Skřivanová ◽  
Pavol Suran

The cropping of six sweet cherry cultivars that originated in the Research and Breeding Institute of Pomology at Holovousy, and a standard one, ‘Burlat’, were evaluated on three rootstocks in the period of 2007–2017. Trees planted in a spacing of 1.5 m × 5.0 m were trained as tall spindle axes utilising their natural tendency to develop a central leader. On the standard rootstock, P-TU-2, ‘Tim’ was the most productive with a mean total harvest of 47.6 kg per tree. ‘Sandra’ yielded the most on the PHLC rootstock with 56.2 kg per tree and ‘Helga’ yielded the most on Gisela 5 with a mean total harvest of 55.9 kg per tree. The mean impact of the rootstock on the tree vigour, measured upon the trunk cross section area, ranged from 148.4 cm2 on the standard rootstock P-TU-2 to 114.1 cm2 on the PHLC and 125.2 cm2 on Gisela 5 . On the standard rootstock P-TU-2, the most vigorous one according to this criterion was ‘Jacinta’ (178.0 cm2) whereas ‘Justyna’ (109.7 cm2) was the least vigorous. On the PHLC, the most vigorous was ‘Sandra’ (147.2 cm2) and the least was ‘Amid’ (94.0 cm2). The other tree characteristics were mainly dependant on the cultivar and minimally, or not at all, influenced by the rootstock vigour.


Author(s):  
Alexis Giauque ◽  
Maxime Huet ◽  
Franck Clero ◽  
Sébastien Ducruix ◽  
Franck Richecoeur

Indirect combustion noise originates from the acceleration of nonuniform temperature or high vorticity regions when convected through a nozzle or a turbine. In a recent contribution (Giauque et al., 2012, “Analytical Analysis of Indirect Combustion Noise in Subcritical Nozzles,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbies Power, 134(11), p. 111202) the authors have presented an analytical thermoacoustic model providing the indirect combustion noise generated by a subcritical nozzle when forced with entropy waves. This model explicitly takes into account the effect of the local changes in the cross-section area along the configuration of interest. In this article, the authors introduce this model into an optimization procedure in order to minimize or maximize the thermoacoustic noise emitted by arbitrarily shaped nozzles operating under subsonic conditions. Each component of the complete algorithm is described in detail. The evolution of the cross-section changes are introduced using Bezier's splines, which provide the necessary freedom to actually achieve arbitrary shapes. Bezier's polar coordinates constitute the parameters defining the geometry of a given individual nozzle. Starting from a population of nozzles of random shapes, it is shown that a specifically designed genetic optimization algorithm coupled with the analytical model converges at will toward a quieter or noisier population. As already described by Bloy (Bloy, 1979, “The Pressure Waves Produced by the Convection of Temperature Disturbances in High Subsonic Nozzle Flows,” J. Fluid Mech., 94(3), pp. 465–475), the results therefore confirm the significant dependence of the indirect combustion noise with respect to the shape of the nozzle, even when the operating regime is kept constant. It appears that the quietest nozzle profile evolves almost linearly along its converging and diverging sections, leading to a square evolution of the cross-section area. Providing insight into the underlying physical reason leading to the difference in the noise emission between two extreme individuals, the integral value of the source term of the equation describing the behavior of the acoustic pressure of the nozzle is considered. It is shown that its evolution with the frequency can be related to the global acoustic emission. Strong evidence suggest that the noise emission increases as the source term in the converging and diverging parts less compensate each other. The main result of this article is the definition and proposition of an acoustic emission factor, which can be used as a surrogate to the complex determination of the exact acoustic levels in the nozzle for the thermoacoustic shape optimization of nozzle flows. This acoustic emission factor, which is much faster to compute, only involves the knowledge of the evolution of the cross-section area and the inlet thermodynamic and velocity characteristics to be computed.


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