Assessment of oxidative stress and effect of antioxidant supplementation during radiotherapy in carcinoma of upper digestive tract

Oxidative stress was studied by estimating plasma levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), beta carotene, vitamin E and erythrocytic superoxide dismutase(E-SOD) activity in 50 cases of carcinoma of upper digestive tract which included carcinoma of oral cavity, pharynx and oesophagus. While plasma MDA level was found to be increased (3.5±1.0 nmole/ml), a significant decrease in beta carotene (81.2±14.5mg%), vitamin E (8.5±1.1 mg/L) level and E-SOD activity (657.0±80.6 U/G Hb) were observed in carcinoma of upper digestive tract. Patients were treated with radiotherapy which itself was toxic enough and produced its deleterious effects by generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). As antioxdiants can detoxify ROS, beneficial effect if any, of antioxidant administration during radiotherapy was studied in two groups of patients, group A (n=5, supplemented with antioxidants) and group B (n=5, without antioxidant supplementation). Plasma MDA level was found to be elevated in both the groups but the increase in group B was significant, compared to pretreatment level. Further, body weight was found to be significantly decreased in group B patients, which was maintained in group A patients. Moreover, group A patients showed significant elevation in beta carotene concentration, thus showing beneficial effect of administration of antioxidants during radiotherapy without disturbing the desirable therapeutic effect of radiotherapy.     

喀斯特洞穴景区旅游环境容量研究——以织金洞为例

喀斯特地区自然、人文景观独特,旅游资源丰富,生态环境比较脆弱,如何在旅游开发中使旅游地的环境系统免遭不可修复的损坏,实现区域社会、经济、生态的持续、健康发展,是喀斯特风景名胜区面临的难题之一.旅游环境容量是旅游业可持续发展的重要判据之一.目前,我国针对洞穴类风景区的旅游环境容量研究尚属空白.以我国典型的喀斯特风景名胜区--织金洞景区为例,定量研究了该景区的旅游环境容量,可知织金洞还可进一步提高旅游开发强度.     

Mechanism of Antidiabetic Action of Compound GII Purified from Fenugreek (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trigonella foenum graecum</Emphasis>) Seeds

To study the mechanism of action of water soluble compound GII purified from fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) seeds which was shown earlier to have antidiabetic effect in the subdiabetic, moderately and severely diabetic rabbits. In rabbits (1–1.5 kg bw) diabetes was induced by intravenous injection of 80 mg/kg bw of alloxan. They were fed with GII at a dose of 50 mg/kg bw daily once in the morning for 15 days in the subdiabetic and moderately diabetic and 30 days in the severely diabetic rabbits. Serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), LDL + VLDL cholesterol [(LDL + VLDL)C], HDL cholesterol [(HDL)C], total tissue lipids, glycogen and enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism (glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, polyol pathway) hexokinase, glucokinase, pyruvate kinase, malic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphatase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase and antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase were estimated. Liver and kidney function parameters were also estimated. Treatment with GII for 15 days in the subdiabetic and moderately diabetic rabbits and for 30 days in the severely diabetic rabbits (i) decreased the elevated lipids TC, TG, (LDL + VLDL)C and increased the decreased (HDL)C, (ii) decreased the elevated liver and heart total lipids, TC and TG, (iii) increased the decreased liver and muscle glycogen, (iv) increased the decreased hexokinase, glucokinase, pyruvate kinase, malic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, (v) decreased the increased glucose-6-phosphatase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, aldose reductase. Results thus show that treatment with GII compound purified from fenugreek seeds for 15 days in the subdiabetic and moderately diabetic and 30 days in the severely diabetic rabbits corrects the altered serum lipids, tissue lipids, glycogen, enzymes of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, glycogen metabolism, polyol pathway and antioxidant enzymes. Histopathological abnormalities (fatty infiltration and other cellular changes) seen in the pancreas, liver, heart and kidneys were repaired after treatment with GII. In fact partially damaged pancreas was repaired. Liver and kidney function test results were normal in the GII treated animals indicating that GII treatment is safe and free from any side effects.     

Effect on growth and productivity of lutein from the chlorophyta microalga,strain MCH of Muriellopsis sp., when grown in sea water and outdoor conditions at the Atacama Desert

BackgroundMicroalgae are microorganisms that produce various products, for example, pigments, mainly carotenoids. This study aimed to used the strain of Muriellopsis sp. and to evaluate their behavior when grown in freshwater and seawater, along with indoor and outdoor conditions for both cultures. Growth of the strain was evaluated by determining its biomass, lutein productivity with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and antioxidant activity by using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrilhydrazil (DPPH method).ResultsMuriellopsis sp. strain in indoor cultures showed an increased antioxidant activity. In outdoor conditions, both cultures showed increased cells number, concentration of biomass, and lutein productivity. The percentage of lutein obtained from the strain MCH in indoor conditions was 25 times higher than that reported for calendula, reaching 0.75% of lutein in Muriellopsis sp. cultured in seawater, followed by 0.6% in Muriellopsis sp., cultures in freshwater at day 12 of both cultures. These values exceed that of microalgae Scenedesmus almeriensis, which reaches 0.53% lutein.ConclusionsThe results show that the native strain of the Atacama Desert is one of the largest producers of lutein as compared to those reported to date. The study demonstrated the feasibility of producing this carotenoid with well-known properties to prevent some diseases due to its high nutritional value. Muriellopsis sp. cultivation in open-air seawater is a good precedent for developing mass production of this species in an area where freshwater is scarce and costly.How to cite: Cruz-Balladares V, Marticorena P, Riquelme C. Effect on growth and productivity of lutein from the chlorophyta microalga, strain MCH of Muriellopsis sp., when grown in sea water and outdoor conditions at the Atacama Desert. Electron J Biotechnol 2021;54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2021.09.001     

论我国农业科技成果转化的影响因素

农业科技成果的转化已成为我国农业发展的重要影响因素,总体来说,我国农业科技成果的转化率偏低,这已成为各界关注的重要问题。本文分析并总结了影响我国农业科技成果转化因素的相关文献,并着重探讨了我国农民的技术吸收能力和农民的信息获取等因素对农业科技成果转化的影响。     

Antioxidant and lipid lowering activities of Indian black tea

Indian black tea; CTC leaf and dust, produced by Tata Tea Limited, Kolkata, (India) was studiedin vitro as potential scavenger of oxygen free radicals. Super oxide anions were generated in a system containing xanthine—xanthine oxidase (enzymic system) and by NADH- phenozine methosulphate (non enzymic system). Anions were assayed in terms of uric acid formation and reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium salt, which were shown to be suppressed by tea extracts. Extracts from both leaf and dust also inhibted the formation of hydroxyl radicalsin vitro in the enzymic system comprising hypoxanthine—Cu⁺²—sodium ascorbate and xanthine oxidase and in non enzymic system of deoxyribose—Cu⁺²—sodium ascorbate and H₂O₂ as well as the Cu⁺² induced lipid peroxidation in human low density lipoprotein. Feeding with black tea in normal rats for sixty days increased their antioxidant activity and their liver microsomes were shown to be protected against peroxidation of lipids as stimulated by metal ions with enzymic or non enzymic reactants. Furthermore feeding with tea extracts in normal as well as triton WR—1339 induced hyperlipidemic rats caused decrease in their plasma levels of total cholesterol, phospholipids and triglycerides. The antioxidant and lipid lowering activities of both extracts from CTC leaf and dust tea was comparable and may be due to the presence of natural products like catechin and others.     

The Bicycle Assembly Line Game

“The Bicycle Assembly Line Game” is a team‐based, in‐class activity that helps students develop a basic understanding of continuously operating processes. Each team of 7–10 students selects one of seven prefigured bicycle assembly lines to operate. The lines are run in real‐time, and the team that operates the line that yields the highest revenue wins. Students learn through discovery “What drives output rate?”; “How is capacity managed relative to market demand?”; and “Why does inventory accumulate?” Because task times are constant, the game provides a nice lead‐in to the topic of line balancing. This game has been successfully used in both undergraduate‐ and MBA‐level operations management courses.     

氯化镧对铝胁迫下大豆幼苗抗氧化能力及光合性能的影响

目的:探究镧对大豆铝胁迫的缓解效应;方法:以铝敏感大豆BD2为材料,进行50μmol/L铝胁迫处理,然后添加不同浓度氯化镧(10、100和1000 mg L/L)测定大豆幼苗抗氧化及光合指标;结果:与对照组相比较,铝胁迫导致大豆幼苗根系伸长率、根冠比、鲜重及干重显著降低,叶片SOD、POD活性显著降低,且MDA含量显著升高,叶绿素与类胡萝卜素含量、光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度及胞间CO_2浓度也均显著下降;而与铝胁迫处理相比,不同浓度镧处理对大豆幼苗根长、鲜重与干重、SOD与POD活性有不同程度地促进作用,并显著降低MDA含量,同时提高叶绿素与类胡萝卜素含量,增强光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度和胞间CO_2浓度,其中以10 mg/L镧处理效果最好;结论:适宜浓度的镧处理能够通过增强大豆幼苗的抗氧化能力,提高其光合性能,提高大豆幼苗对铝胁迫的适应能力,有效缓解铝对大豆幼苗生长的毒害。     

Effects of osmotic stress on antioxidant enzymes activities in leaf discs of P<Subscript>SAG12</Subscript>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">IPT</Emphasis> modified gerbera

Leaf senescence is often caused by water deficit and the chimeric gene PSA612-1PT is an auto-regulated gene delaying leaf senescence. Using in vitro leaf discs culture system, the changes of contents of chlorophylls, carotenoids, soluble protein and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance （TBARS） and antioxidant enzymes activities were investigated during leaf senescence of PSA612-1PT modified gerbera induced by osmotic stress compared with the control plant （wild type）. Leaf discs were incubated in 20%, 40% （w/v） polyethylene glycol （PEG） 6 000 nutrient solution for 20 h under continuous light [ 130 μmol/（m^2·s）]. The results showed that the contents of chlorophylls, carotenoids and soluble protein were decreased by osmotic stress with the decrease being more pronounced at 40% PEG, but that, at the same PEG concentration the decrease in the transgenic plants was significantly lower than that in the control plant. The activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, catalases （CAT）, ascorbate peroxidase （APX）, guaiacol peroxidase （GPX） and dehydroascorbate reductase （DHAR） were stimulated by PEG treatment. However, the increases were higher in PSA612-IPT transgenic plants than in the control plants, particularly at 40% PEG treatment. Lipid peroxidation （TBARS content） was increased by PEG treatment with the increase being much lower in transgenic plant than in the control plant. It could be concluded that the increases in the activities ofantioxidant enzymes including SOD, CAT, APX, GPX and DHAR were responsible for the delay of leaf senescence induced by osmotic stress.     

抗氧化维生素对运动员免疫力调节机制研究

运动能力的高低,从宏观上讲与机体心肺功能、骨骼肌的强壮程度等有关,从微观上讲与细胞抗氧化功能密切相关。VA、VE、Vc具有较好的抗氧化特性,且适量补充此3种维生素不仅从抗氧化方面而且从不同层面上调节机体免疫力,进而对提高机体运动能力有一定的辅助作用。