[Effects of benzo(a)pyrene exposure on oxidative stress and ATPase in the hippocampus of rats].

Objective: To investigate the effects of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) exposure on the behaviors and hippocampal oxidative stress and ATPase in rats and the molecular mechanism of neurobehavioral toxicity of B[a]P.

Methods: A total of 120 male SD rats (21 days old) were randomly and equally assigned to five groups: blank control group, vegetable oil (solvent control) group, and 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg B[a]P exposure groups.

Chemoresistance to 5-fluorouracil induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition via up-regulation of Snail in MCF7 human breast cancer cells.

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is commonly used to treat breast cancer; however, it becomes increasingly ineffective with tumor progression. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process whereby cells acquire morphologic and molecular alterations facilitating tumor metastasis and progression. Emerging evidence associates chemoresistance with acquisition of EMT in cancer.

Pretreatment efficiency and structural characterization of rice straw by an integrated process of dilute-acid and steam explosion for bioethanol production.

The combined pretreatment of rice straw using dilute-acid and steam explosion followed by enzymatic hydrolysis was investigated and compared with acid-catalyzed steam explosion pretreatment. In addition to measuring the chemical composition, including glucan, xylan and lignin content, changes in rice straw features after pretreatment were investigated in terms of the straw's physical properties. These properties included crystallinity, surface area, mean particle size and scanning electron microscopy imagery.

Characterization and structure evolution of Ca-Al-CO3 hydrotalcite film for high temperature CO2 adsorption.

In this work, monodispersed layered double hydroxide (Ca-Al LDHs) nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal coprecipitation. Uniform thin films of layered double hydroxide on porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) substrates were formed by a direct precipitation process in a homogeneous suspension containing monodispersed Ca-Al layered double hydroxide nanoparticles. It was found that the formation of a designed hydrotalcite-like phase is strongly dependent on the [Ca(2+)]/[Al(3+)] ratios, and that a minor CaCO3 phase could possibly form simultaneously, which is attributed to the greater insolubility of CaCO3 and the incompatibility of the ionic size of Al and Ca.

Surgical procedures for hepatolithiasis.

Background/aims: The aim of this study is to explore the surgical treatment for hepatolithiasis.

Methodology: Data of 1431 consecutive patients who underwent surgical treatment from January 2000 to December 2006 in West China Hospital were collected retrospectively and analyzed. Surgical procedures included T-tube insertion combined intraoperative cholangioscopic removal of intrahepatic stones, hepatectomy, cholangiojejunostomy and liver transplantation.

[Inhibiting effect of Shuang-huang-lian microemulsion on cytokines of carrageenan induced pleuritis in rats].

Objective: To explore the anti-inflammatory effect and possible mechanism of Shuang-huang-lian (SHL) microemulsion.

Method: Rat model of pleuritis was established by thoracic injecting 0.2 mL of 1% carrageenan.

Effect of ruminal administration of Escherichia coli wild type or a genetically modified strain with enhanced high nitrite reductase activity on methane emission and nitrate toxicity in nitrate-infused sheep.

The effects of two kinds of Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain, wild-type E. coli W3110 and E.

Effects of yeast culture and galacto-oligosaccharides on ruminal fermentation in holstein cows.

Four nonlactating, ruminally cannulated Holstein cows were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square design, balanced for residual effects, to evaluate the effects of supplementing dairy cow diets with yeast culture (Trichosporon sericeum; YC), galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), or the mixture of YC and GOS on ruminal fermentation, microbial N supply, in situ degradation, and energy and nitrogen metabolism. Treatments were arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial as follows: 1) basal diet, 2) basal diet plus 10 g/d YC, 3) basal diet plus 2% GOS, 4) basal diet plus a mixture of 10 g/d YC and 2% GOS. Nitrogen losses in urine were lower, and retained N was higher, for cows supplemented with a mixture of YC and GOS.

[Cytotoxic effects of changrolin, lidocaine and amiodarone on ultrastructure of cultured rat beating cardiac myocytes].

Ultrastructural and morphological alterations of cultured rat beating cardiac myocytes treated with changrolin (CRL), lidocaine (Lid), and amiodarone (Ami) were studied. After the cultures were treated with CRL 100 micrograms/ml for 24 h, the beating of the myocytes stopped, the configuration and fine structure were destroyed, while the nuclei showed pyknotic deformation and reduced in size. The membrane and structures of mitochondria were disrupted and myofibrils fragmented and disrupted.