Antitumor activities of D-glucosamine and its derivatives

The growth inhibitory effects of D-glucosamine hydrochloride （GlcNH2-HCl）, D-glucosamine （GlcNH2） and N-acetyl glucosamine （NAG） on human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells in vitro were investigated. The results showed that GlcNH2.HCl and GlcNH2 resulted in a concentration-dependent reduction in hepatoma cell growth as measured by MTT （3-（4,5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl）-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide） assay. This effect was accompanied by a marked increase in the proportion of S cells as analyzed by flow cytometry. In addition, human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells treated with GlcNH2-HCl resulted in the induction of apoptosis as assayed qualitatively by agarose gel electrophoresis. NAG could not inhibit the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells. GlcNH2-HCl exhibited antitumor activity against Sarcoma 180 in Kunming mice at dosage of 125-500 mg/kg, dose of 250 mg/kg being the best. GlcNH2-HCl at dose of 250 mg/kg could enhance significantly the thymus index, and spleen index and could promote T lymphocyte proliferation induced by ConA. The antitumor effect of GlcNH2-HCl is probably host-mediated and cytocidal.     

Protective paracrine effect of mesenchymal stem cells on cardiomyocytes

Objective  The aim of this study was to test the protective effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on cardiomyocytes in vitro and to investigate the anti-apoptotic signaling pathway. Methods  MSCs from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were separated and cultured. MSC medium was collected from MSCs cultured in serum-free Dulbecco’s modified eagle medium (DMEM) under hypoxia. Cultured cardiomyocytes from neonatal SD rats were exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) and treated with MSC medium. The apoptotic cardiomyocytes were stained with Annexin-V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), Hoechst 33342 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL). The mitochondrial transmembrane potential of cardiomyocytes was assessed using a fluorescence microscope. The expression of Bcl-2, Bax, cytochrome C, apoptosis-induced factor (AIF), and caspase-3 was tested by Western blot analysis. Results  Our data demonstrated that MSC medium reduced H/R-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and reduced the release of cytochrome C and AIF from mitochondria into the cytosol. Conclusion  MSCs protected the cardiomyocytes from H/R-induced apoptosis through a mitochondrial pathway in a paracrine manner. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30670868) and the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province, China (No. R206007)     

紫丝晕粉缀鲜花——《红楼梦》“配角”艺术谫论（上）

麝月、宝蟾、秦钟、板儿是《红楼梦》人物画廊中的小配角,读者或许已经忘记了他们的存在。如果从《红楼梦》整体艺术上去观察,“配角”或许地位卑微、故事不多,但他们有自己的灵魂、有自己的性格、有自己的感情,乃至他们有自己的命运结局。因此对“配角”艺术的研究,不仅为读者全面鉴赏这部名著人物形象提供了有益的帮助,而且可以深化人们对整部小说思想艺术成就的认识和理解。     

论《红楼梦》中贾政的“严父”形象

《红楼梦》中的贾政,是一个与贾宝玉彼此对立、相互参照的人物形象,这个形象体现了作者卓越的艺术创造力。作为荣国府的家长,贾政对宝玉的要求是全面而严格的,这一“严父”形象的思想性格、内在感情与真实心态及其社会历史、文化本质,具有独特的审美意蕴和文学价值。     

简论黔东特区精神及其时代意义

1934年5月,红三军从洪湖革命根据地突围后,进入了贵州东北部,在贵州的沿河、德江、印江、松桃及四川的秀山、酉阳等相邻地区建立了黔东特区革命根据地。红三军和当地土家民族等各族人民在与国民党反动派的斗争中,形成了不畏艰难、勇往直前的拼搏精神;相互支持、相互配合的团结精神;服从命令、顾全大局的整体精神;英勇顽强、不计得失的牺牲精神,这些精神是推动黔东地区各族人民乃至全国各族人民全面建设小康社会的精神动力,具有重要的时代意义。     

论《红楼梦》中的男仆群像

文章通过梳理《红楼梦》中与男性奴仆有关的故事情节,探讨形态各异的男仆在复杂的社会关系中的各种矛盾冲突,尝试从这一群体与全书的现实主义精神及悲剧意蕴的关系,及其与全书的叙事结构、情节的推进等方面的关系进行探讨,以期对这一人物群体有较为全面的把握。     

陈济棠与红军的交往及其“让道”原因

广东军阀陈济棠在20世纪20年代末曾建立过半独立政权,与中央国民政府分庭抗衡长达数年。1934年,中央红军在长征前曾利用陈济棠与蒋介石的矛盾,与陈济棠进行过秘密谈判与合作。最终,陈济棠避免了与红军武力冲突,保存了自身的军事实力;红军得到陈济棠“让道”,较顺利地走出了长征第一步。     

晚清参与1899年海牙保和会始末

1899年清政府派团参加在荷兰海牙举行的第一次保和会,会后决定批准海牙公约中的三约。但由于1900年的庚子之乱,清政府未完成批准条约的工作,直至1904年才加入国际红十字会并批准第一次保和会三约。海牙保和会之参与,是中国外交现代化的滥觞,并推动了中国红十字人道主义事业的发展。     

Making Connections for Future Directions: Taking religion seriously in the sociology of education

This article argues that a problem for the contemporary sociology of education is that it has operated within a 'secularisation of consciousness paradigm'. This has limited both the depth and the scope of its intellectual enquiries. Sociological analysis which elides a religious dimension not only presents an over-simplified view of social relations in 'the Modern West', but it also fails to make an authentic engagement with many socio-cultural and educational situations internationally, where God is far from dead. The article suggests various ways forward for a reorientation of sociological writing and research.