Exogenous Catalase and Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Improve Survival and Regeneration and Affect Oxidative Stress in Cryopreserved Dendrobium nobile Protocorm-like Bodies

BACKGROUND

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative damage is responsible for viability loss in plant tissues following cryopreservation. Antioxidants may improve viability by preventing or repairing the injury.

OBJECTIVE

This work aimed at studying the effect of catalase (CAT) and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), which are involved in ROS metabolism and are differentially expressed during pollen cryopreservation, for cryopreservation of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. 'Hamana Lake Dream' protocorm-like bodies (PLBs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Different concentrations of exogenous CAT or PDH were added at the loading, PVS2 treatment, unloading steps during vitrification-cryopreservation of PLBs. Their survival and regeneration were evaluated and correlated with physiological oxidative indexes.

RESULTS

PLB survival increased significantly when CAT and PDH were added separately to the unloading solution at a suitable concentration. CAT at 400 U·ml^-1 increased PLB survival and regeneration by 33.5 and 14.6 percent respectively. It had no impact on the production of superoxide anion radical (·O2-) and on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, but it reduced the hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and enhanced ascorbic acid (AsA) and endogenous CAT levels compared to PLBs cryopreserved using the standard vitrification protocol (CK1). PDH at 0.1 U·ml^-1 significantly improved PLB survival (by 2.5 percent), but it had no marked effect on regeneration compared to the CK1 group. It induced the same variations in ·O2-, AsA and endogenous CAT levels that were observed following CAT addition. However, PDH did not affect the H₂O₂ and MDA content but significantly increased SOD activity.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that the addition of 400 U·ml^-1 CAT and 0.1 U·ml^-1 PDH at the unloading step increased survival of cryopreserved PLBs and that this improvement was associated with scavenging of H₂O₂ and the repair of oxidative damage. Exogenous CAT also significantly improved PLB regeneration after cryopreservation, while PDH had no obvious effect. The effect of exogenous CAT on PLB survival and regeneration was stronger than that of PDH, which may be due to the increased SOD activity by PDH addition.

[Spontaneous ovulation in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer cycles using gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist: a large-sample retrospective study]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the premature spontaneous ovulation rates in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles using gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-ant) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a), as well as the risk factors for premature spontaneous ovulation.

METHODS

The rates of premature spontaneous ovulation in a total of 10 612 cycles using GnRH-ant or GnRH-a were compared. Matched case-controlled study and binary logistic regression model were conducted to analyze the risk factors for premature spontaneous ovulation.

RESULTS

The spontaneous ovulation rate in the whole for GnRH-a cycles was 0.15% (13/8 514), compared with a 1.62% (34/2 098) in GnRH-ant cycles (P<0.01). Further matched controlled study and regression analyze found out that higher basal FSH level was a predominant risk and prediction factor for spontaneous ovulation (OR=1.20, P=0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

In GnRH-ant cycles, spontaneous ovulation rate is about 10 times than which in GnRH-a cycles. Diminished ovarian function is a predominate risk factor for premature spontaneous ovulation.

Tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (Tph-1)-targeted bone anabolic agents for osteoporosis

Tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (Tph-1), the principal enzyme for peripheral serotonin biosynthesis, provides a novel target to design anabolic agents for osteoporosis. Here, we present a design, synthesis of a novel series of ursolic acid derivatives under the guidance of docking technique, and bioevaluation of the derivatives using RBL2H3 cells and ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Of the compounds, 9a showed a potent inhibitory activity on serotonin biosynthesis. Further investigations revealed that 9a, as an efficient Tph-1 binder identified by SPR (estimated KD: 6.82 μM), suppressed the protein and mRNA expressions of Tph-1 and lowered serotonin contents in serum and gut without influence on brain serotonin. Moreover, oral administration of 9a elevated serum level of N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type 1 (P1NP), a bone formation marker, and improved bone microarchitecture without estrogenic side effects in ovariectomized rats. Collectively, 9a may serve as a new candidate for bone anabolic drug discovery.

Safety and radiation-enhancing effect of sodium glycididazole in locoregionally advanced laryngeal cancers previously treated with platinum-containing chemotherapy regimens: A preliminary report

PURPOSE

To determine the safety and radiation-enhancing effect of sodium glycididazole in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (stage T3-4,N0-3,M0) with conventional radiotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with locoregional advanced laryngeal cancer (stage T3-4,N0-3,M0) were included: group 1(control, n=30)were not administered of sodium glycididazole; group 2 (test, n=30) received sodium glycididazole at a dose of 700 mg/m(2) intravenous infusion 30 minutes before radiotherapy three times a week. Surrogate end-points of efficacy were tumor and nodal size. Safety parameters were vomiting, nausea, mucositis, laryngeal edema, esophagus and skin reaction, dysphagia, dyspnea, neurological deficit. Patients were evaluated weekly during treatment for 7 weeks and thereafter monthly for 3 months.

RESULTS

In the test, the overall response rate was 88.89% (95%CI, 71.00-97.00%) at 7 weeks and 92.59% (95%CI, 76.00 to 99.00%) at 1 month of follow-up. In the control, the overall response rate was 62.5% (95%CI, 41.00 to 81.00%) at 7 weeks and 58.33% (95%CI, 37.00 to 78.00%) at 1 month of follow-up. The short-term locoregional response rate was better in the test group at 7 weeks (p=0.027) and at 1 month (p=0.005) of follow-up. The test group had significantly more nausea and vomiting in weeks 1 (p=0.047), 2 (p=0.007), and 3 (p=0.01) of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The study indicates sodium glycididazole is an effective radiation-enhancing agent that improves short-term locoregional control and is well tolerated in patients with locoregionally advanced laryngeal cancer.

An epidemiological study of behaviour problems in school children in urban areas of Beijing

A total of 2432 primary school children, aged 7-14 yrs. in urban areas of Beijing, were evaluated with the Children's Behaviour Questionnaire developed by Rutter. The frequency of behaviour problems in primary school was 8.3%-7.4% antisocial behaviour and 0.62% neurotic behaviour. Behaviour problems were higher in boys than girls: antisocial behaviour was dominant in boys, while neurotic behaviour was common in girls. The frequency of behaviour problems varied significantly with the different social environments in which the children were brought up, but were not different between one-child families and those with more children.