Same impact momentum causes different degrees of spinal cord injury

The weight-drop impact is widely used in making animal model of spinal cord injury （SCI）. But there has not yet been an appropriate unit for the quantification of the impact. In this study, we compared the degrees of the spinal cord injury caused by weight-drop impact with the same momentum but different combinations of drop weight and drop height, in order to test whether ＂momentum＂ is capable of being the unit for the quantification of weight- drop impact. Thirty adult rats were randomly allocated to three groups and were injured with 5 g-10 cm （group A）, 10g-2.5 cm （group B） and 15 g-l.ll cm （group C） impacts with the same momentum to the spinal cord, respectively. Open-field locomotor function was evaluated using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan （BBB） locomotor rat- ing scale. The percentage of spared tissue area （STA） at the epicenter, and 500, 1000 and 1500 gm from the epicenter was calculated using serial sections stained by hematoxylin and eosin. As a result, the behavioral recovery （BBB scores） and the STA percentage were similar in group B and group C. However, the BBB score in group A was significantly lower than that in groups B and C at the same time point post injury. The STA percentage was signifi- cantly less and the lesion/cavity length was significantlygreater in group A than in groups B and C. These suggested that the 5 g-10 cm weight-drop impact, compared with the other two impacts with different weights and heights, caused a greater damage of the spinal cord when the momentum was the same. So, these impacts with the same momentum but different weights and drop heights cause different degrees of spinal cord injury. Momentum alone is inadequate to be the unit for the qualification of weight- drop impact and to be used to predict the extent of injury.     

Cooperation in an asymmetric volunteer’s dilemma game with relatedness

What motivates some members of a social group to voluntarily incur costs in order to provide for the common good? This question lies at the heart of theoretical and empirical studies of cooperative behavior. This is also the question that underlies the classic volunteer’s dilemma model, which has been previously explored in scenarios where group members are related or interact asym- metrically. Here we present a model that combines asymmetry and relatedness, showing that the probability of volunteerism in such systems depends closely on both the degree of asymmetry and level of relatedness between interacting individuals. As has been shown in previous volunteer’s dilemma models, the payoff ratio and overall group size also influence the probability of volunteerism. The probability of volunteerism decreases with increasing group size or decreasing cost-to-benefit ratio of the coplayers; in the presence of asymmetrical interactions, subordinate players were more likely to offer public goods than the dominant player. More asymmetrical interactions decrease the probability of volunteerism of the dominant player; overall volunteerism increases with increasing relatedness.     

Facile immobilization of heparin on bioabsorbable iron via mussel adhesive protein (MAPs)

Motivated by adhesive proteins in mussels, strategies using dopamine to modified surface have become particularly attractive. In the present work, we developed a novel and convenient method to modify the biodegradable Fe plates with heparin. Iron was first treated by a facile one-step p H-induced polymerization of dopamine, and then a high density heparin was successfully grafted onto the surface via coupling with polydopamine(PDA) active layer. Heparin immobilization contributed much longer blood clotting coagulation time than the pure Fe sample, and hence reduced the risk of thrombosis. Cell viability tests suggested that the heparin modified Fe plates were more favorable to the proliferation of ECV304 cells. In summary, the heparin modified Fe plates with good anti-thrombus properties and inhibiting the proliferation of VSMC cells provide great prospects for biodegradable iron.     

In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Protein Drug Release Properties of Chitosan/Heparin Mlcrospheres

Chitosan/heparin microspheres were prepared using the water-in-oil emulsification solvent evaporation technique. The microsphere diameters were controlled by selecting the fabrication process parameters. Scanning electron micrographs showed that the chitosan/heparin microspheres were regular and the surface morphology was smooth. Fourier transform infrared showed that the chitosan amino groups reacted with heparin carboxylic groups to form acylamides in the microspheres. Analysis of the microsphere cytotoxicity showed that they had no cytotoxic effect and behaved very similar to the negative control （polystyrene）. To analyze the protein drug release profiles of the microspheres, bovine serum albumin was loaded as a model drug into the microspheres and released in vitro. Marked retardation was observed in the BSA release profiles. The results show that chitosan/heparin microspheres may provide a useful controlled release protein drug system for used in pharmaceutics.     

Effects of different types of palatal lateral excisions on growth and development of maxilla and dental arch

Objective： This study aimed to explore the effects of different types of palatal lateral excisions on the growth and development of the maxilla and dental arch, and to investigate the underlying mechanisms. Methods： A total of 112 3-week-old Sprague-Dawley （SD） male rats were randomly divided into a control and 3 experimental groups： the mucoperiosteal denudation group, the mucosal flap excision group, and the periosteum excision group. In the experimental groups, bilateral mucoperiosteal, mucosal flap and periosteum were excised respectively in the lateral one half of the palate. Four rats in each group were randomly chosen for sacrifice every two weeks. The maxilla was dissected following the excision. The widths of the maxilla and dental arch were measured and the histological phenomena were investigated at different phases. At the same time, 12 animals in each group were sequentially injected with calcein every two weeks. Three animals in each group, whose fluorescent labeling was used, were sacrificed for investigating bone formation at Week 8 following injection. Results： （1） Each experimental group presented the constriction of the maxilla and dental arch. The upper first molars in the experimental groups inclined medially. The mucoperiosteal denudation group showed the largest degree of effect followed by the periosteum excision group. The indices of the mucosal flap excision group, which retained the structures of the periosteum layer, had the most approximate values to the control group; （2） Different histological changes among the experimental groups were detected. The fibers penetrated into the palatal bone as Sharpey＇s fibers in the mucoperiosteal denudation group. The pattern of bone deposition was the bundle type. Sharpey＇s fibers were not found in the mucosal flap and periosteum excision groups and the depositions of palatal bone were the lamellar type as those in the control group; （3） The rates of bone deposition in the experimental groups decreased compared with the     

Behavior and adrenal activity in a group of zoo golden snub-nosed monkeys, Rhinopithecus roxellana, following social structure change

The effects of individual removal by zoo managers on behavior and fecal glucocorticoid changes in snub-nosed monkeys(Rhinopithecus roxellana) were investigated at Beijing Zoo.The results showed that the effect of the removal of three subordinate individuals(DD,male,4 years;XZZ,male,3 years and LL,female,3 years) from a group varied across the remaining group members that may be related to individual’s social status,gender and age.The dominant male was impacted less than subordinate individuals in both the frequency and time duration for the four main behavioral categories.The frequency of stereotypic behavior significantly decreased in the dominant female after the removal of three animals(Z= 2.862,P=0.003).Fluctuations were found in both the behavioral frequency and time duration in other remaining individuals.These findings suggest that small,socially stable groups were somewhat resilient to changes in member composition.Moreover,the cortisol level did not change significantly in the remaining members.An alternative method of hormone assay using fecal samples for vulnerable animals was presented,and that may be useful for monitoring wild golden monkeys and other endangered species of animal.     

In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Protein Drug Release Properties of Chitosan/Heparin Microspheres

Chitosan/heparin microspheres were prepared using the water-in-oil emulsification solvent evapo- ration technique. The microsphere diameters were controlled by selecting the fabrication process parame- ters. Scanning electron micrographs showed that the chitosan/heparin microspheres were regular and the surface morphology was smooth. Fourier transform infrared showed that the chitosan amino groups reacted with heparin carboxylic groups to form acylamides in the microspheres. Analysis of the microsphere cytotox- icity showed that they had no cytotoxic effect and behaved very similar to the negative control (polystyrene). To analyze the protein drug release profiles of the microspheres, bovine serum albumin was loaded as a model drug into the microspheres and released in vitro. Marked retardation was observed in the BSA re- lease profiles. The results show that chitosan/heparin microspheres may provide a useful controlled release protein drug system for used in pharmaceutics.     

Determining Compatibilities of Reactive Dyes in Pad Dyeing

Compatibilities of reactive dyes were conventionally shown by exhausting curves. But the change of proportion of dyes in padding dyebath was difficult for pad dyeing to be described by these curves. In this paper, a kind of simulation of pad dyeing process was used to determine dyestuff compatibility in pad dyeing for ramie and linen fabrics. Seven reactive dyes were divided into three groups and tested. The group with Cibacron Yellow C - 2R, Red C - R, and Blue C - R showed very good compatibility both for ramie and linen, and the other two groups of dyes gave out correspondingly low compatibilities in the pad dyeing tests. The results of the method for determining the compatibility of dyes displayed good consistency with the actul pad dyeing process.     

A new biselector chiral stationary phase derived from tartaric acid and its enantioseparation evaluation

Two chiral selectors were synthesized from tartaric acid. The selectors were simultaneously immobilized on 3-aminopropyl silica gel to obtain a new biselector chiral stationary phase (CSP) in order to determine the influence of selector structure of biselector CSPs on the chiral recognition capability. For comparison, the single-selector CSP was also prepared. The biselector CSP shows an improved overall chiral recognition capability in comparison with the single-selector CSP. During the enantioseparation, temporary diastereoisomers are likely formed by complexation between a chiral analyte and the two selectors on the biselector CSP. The functional groups in the two selectors are complementary in electronic effect and/or in steric hindrance for the chiral recognition.     

Mesoderm induction in early Xenopus embryos by heparin-binding growth factors

In early embryonic development the basic body plan arises because cells in different regions become programmed to follow different developmental pathways. We have proposed that in the early amphibian embryo this process of regional specification arises from the action of three different inducing factors, or morphogens, but we have not until now had any idea of their chemical nature. In this paper we report that pure basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), at very low concentrations and with high specificity, closely mimics the effect of the ventrovegetal (VV) signal and that the transmission of the natural VV signal can be blocked by heparin, suggesting that it may be a heparin-binding factor such as bFGF.     

氨基酸定点突变碱性成纤维生长因子的稳定性

为了提高碱性成纤维生长因子的体外稳定性,分析比较了野生型人碱性成纤维细胞生长因子（hbFGF）和半胱氨酸（Cys）定点突变型hbFGF的生物活性、肝素结合能力、体外聚合程度和聚合成分,以及两种蛋白单体的表面静电分布和溶剂可及表面面积．结果表明,突变型hbFGF保持了野生型hbFGF的生物活性以及肝素结合能力,并显著了降低了体外聚合程度,而单体三维结构中的静电分布和溶荆可及表面面积变化不明显,由此可见,Cys突变影响了hbFGF的共价聚合,而对非共价聚合影响不大．     

Crystal structure of fibroblast growth factor receptor ectodomain bound to ligand and heparin

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are a large family of structurally related proteins with a wide range of physiological and pathological activities. Signal transduction requires association of FGF with its receptor tyrosine kinase (FGFR) and heparan sulphate proteoglycan in a specific complex on the cell surface. Direct involvement of the heparan sulphate glycosaminoglycan polysaccharide in the molecular association between FGF and its receptor is essential for biological activity. Although crystal structures of binary complexes of FGF-heparin and FGF-FGFR have been described, the molecular architecture of the FGF signalling complex has not been elucidated. Here we report the crystal structure of the FGFR2 ectodomain in a dimeric form that is induced by simultaneous binding to FGF1 and a heparin decasaccharide. The complex is assembled around a central heparin molecule linking two FGF1 ligands into a dimer that bridges between two receptor chains. The asymmetric heparin binding involves contacts with both FGF1 molecules but only one receptor chain. The structure of the FGF1-FGFR2-heparin ternary complex provides a structural basis for the essential role of heparan sulphate in FGF signalling.     

Neuronal cell-cell adhesion depends on interactions of N-CAM with heparin-like molecules

Cell-cell interactions are of critical importance during neural development, particularly since the migration of neural cells and the establishment of functional interactions between growing axons and their target cells has been suggested to depend upon cell recognition processes. Neurone-neurone adhesion has been well studied in vitro, and is mediated in part by the neural cell adhesion molecule N-CAM. N-CAM-mediated cell-cell adhesion has been postulated to occur by a homophilic binding mechanism, in which N-CAM on the surface of one cell binds to N-CAM on a neighbouring cell. Studies in our laboratory have identified a cell surface glycoprotein, now known to be N-CAM, which participates in cell-substratum interactions in the developing chicken nervous system. Although this adhesion involves a homophilic binding mechanism, the binding of the cell surface proteoglycan heparan sulphate to the glycoprotein is also required. This raises the question of whether the binding of heparan sulphate to N-CAM is also required for cell-cell adhesion. Here we show that the binding of retinal probe cells to retinal cell monolayers is inhibited by heparin, a functional analogue of heparan sulphate, but not by chondroitin sulphate. Monoclonal antibodies that recognize two different domains on N-CAM, the homophilic-binding and heparin-binding domains, inhibit cell-cell adhesion. The heparin-binding domain isolated from N-CAM by selective proteolysis also inhibits cell-cell adhesion when bound to the probe cells.     

Photoreceptor degeneration in inherited retinal dystrophy delayed by basic fibroblast growth factor

Numerous inherited retinal degenerations exist in animals and humans, in which photoreceptors inexplicably degenerate and disappear. In RCS rats with inherited retinal dystrophy, the mutant gene is expressed in the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell, and leads to the loss of photoreceptor cells. Photoreceptors can be rescued from degeneration if they are juxtaposed to wild-type RPE cells in experimental chimaeras or by the transplantation of RPE cells from normal rats. In both cases, the rescue effect extends beyond the immediate boundaries of the normal RPE cells, suggesting trophic action of a diffusible factor(s) from the normal RPE cells. We considered that the fibroblast growth factors, aFGF and bFGF, might have such a trophic role as they are found in the retina and RPE cells; bFGF acts as a neurotrophic agent after axonal injury in several regions of the central nervous system, and bFGF induces retinal regeneration from developing RPE cells. Here we report that subretinal injection of bFGF results in extensive rescue of photoreceptors in RCS rats for at least two months after the injection, and that intravitreal injection of bFGF results in even more widespread rescue, across almost the entire retina. The findings demonstrate for the first time that bFGF can act as a survival-promoting neurotrophic factor in a hereditary neuronal degeneration of the central nervous system.     

影响肝素钠稳定性因素的研究

文章研究了温度、pH值、光照、抗氧化剂、氧化剂和离子强度等因素对肝素钠的稳定性影响。结果表明,肝素钠适宜低温条件下保存;最适pH为7-8;抗氧化剂Vc和光照对肝素钠稳定性均无显著影响;氧化剂H_2O_2和高离子强度对肝素钠的稳定性影响较大,而亚硫酸氢钠对肝素钠的稳定性的影响较小。     

肝素化聚乙烯醇-海藻酸钙材料的制备及抗凝血性能初探

以戊二醛为交联剂,盐酸为催化剂将肝素以共价键的形式接枝在聚乙烯醇（ Ｐ Ｖ Ａ） － 海藻酸钙网状聚合物中通过正交试验,确定了肝素、戊二醛和盐酸在接枝反应的用量在保证材料机械强度的前提下,肝素在聚乙烯醇－ 海藻酸钙的接枝率为７０ ％ 一系列血液相溶性试验证明,材料对人血浆蛋白的吸附量少,对人血的溶血度为３ ．９ ％ ,人血复钙时间比空白对照延长１２５ ｓ ,凝血时间延长１７４０ ｓ从扫描电镜（ Ｓ Ｅ Ｍ） 上只看到材料吸附少量蛋白颗粒,没有网状、块状的蛋白形成用新西兰兔进行材料的埋植实验,所得到切片结果表明,材料不会引起肌纤维坏死,没有明显的白细胞浸润和血管充血现象, Ａ Ｐ Ｃ 阳性颗粒少,具有较好的组织相容性     

米曲氨基酰化酶的纯化及固定化酶法拆分D,L-丙氨酸

利用硫酸铵分级与双水相萃取结合的方法从米曲霉中提取米曲氨基酰化酶,并将其固定在ＤＥＡＥ－ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＡ－２５上,用于拆分Ｄ,Ｌ－丙氨酸,并对该酶及固定化酶的酶学性质进行研究     

大鼠脑损伤海马神经干细胞bFGF表达及三七总皂苷的作用研究

目的探讨脑损伤对神经干细胞bFGF阳性细胞表达的影响及三七总皂苷的作用。方法通过免疫细胞化学的方法检测脑损伤后以及给予三七总皂苷后新生大鼠海马神经干细胞bFGF阳性细胞的表达。结果三七总皂苷可促进缺血再灌注组的bFGF阳性细胞的数目明显增多。缺血组1h、2h的bFGF阳细胞计数均多于正常组;模型组6h后阳性细胞计数开始低于正常组,具有统计学意义。24h给药组的bFGF阳性细胞的面密度和光密度均高于模型组,有显著性差异伙0.001）,具有统计学意义。结论体外模拟脑缺血在一定时间内能引起海马神经干细胞内的bFGF水平上调,三七总皂苷对bFGF水平的上调具有促进作用。