[Landscape pattern and its dynamics in typical oasis-desert transitional zone of Minqin Region in 1960-2005].

By using ERDAS and GIS techniques, a systematic analysis was made on the landscape pattern and its dynamics in typical oasis-desert transitional zone of Minqin Region in 1960-2005. Forest land and cultivated land were the dominant factors leading to the landscape change. During the research period, oasis expanded toward the periphery by 2-3 km, and the transitional zone moved toward desert, with its width increased from 4 km in 1960 to about 9 km in 1987 and decreased rapidly then. In 1978-1987, the landscape change reached the historically highest level; but after 1998, the landscape pattern became relatively stable. In the whole transitional zone, the period with higher fragmented index occurred in 1978-1987, during which, the quickest variation among patch types was observed. The fragmentized regions were located in the area 2 km from oasis and in the forestation area. In 1960-1987, arbor forest tended to vanish. Shrubbery area increased widely before 1987, and decreased sharply since then. The intensity of land reclamation kept increasing in 1960-1998 but decreased after 1998, while the abandon rate had a trend of linear increase during the research period.

The antitumor and antioxidative activities of polysaccharides isolated from Isaria farinosa B05.

The water-soluble intra-polysaccharides WIPS1 and water-soluble extra-polysaccharides WEPS1 were isolated from Isaria farinosa B05 through ethanol precipitation and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Their characteristics were determined by chemical analysis, gas chromatography, GPC and IR spectroscopy. The results show that WIPS1 contained 90.3% carbohydrate, 8.00% uronic acid, 7.15% protein and three kinds of monosaccharides including mannose, galactose and glucose with a molar ratio of 8.0:4.8:1.0. WEPS1 contained 93.4% carbohydrate, 8.06% uronic acid, 4.40% protein and three kinds of monosaccharides including mannose, galactose and glucose with a molar ratio of 21.6:4.7:1.0. WIPS1 and WEPS1 had a molecular weight of 42 and 208kDa, respectively. The in vivo tests in mice indicate that WIPS1 and WEPS1 had significant antitumor and antioxidative activities to some extent.

[Expression of androgen receptor protein in hormone refractory prostate cancer].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: It was reported that androgen receptor (AR) gene amplification was found in hormone refractory prostate (HRPC) and it has been thought to be a possible molecular mechanism for the treatment failure. In this article, the expression of AR protein before and after hormone therapy was examined quantitatively in order to further clarify the relationship between AR expression and the genesis of HRPC. METHODS: AR protein content was determined using radioligand binding assay before and after hormone therapy in 28 patients with advanced prostate cancer. RESULTS: The average levels of AR protein before and after hormone therapy were 390.0 +/- 204.1 fmol/mg protein and 690.4 +/- 444.0 fmol/mg protein, respectively (P < 0.001). In 10 patients whose diseases recurred in 12 months after therapy, the mean levels of AR protein before and after therapy were 398.2 +/- 199.5 fmol/mg protein and 448.2 +/- 274.1 fmol/mg protein, respectively (P > 0.20). In other 18 patients with response duration more than 12 months, the mean levels of AR protein before and after therapy were 386.4 +/- 212.3 fmol/mg protein and 824.9 +/- 468.6 fmol/mg protein, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The elevation of AR protein level was most likely to occur in the prostatic tumors that had good response to hormone therapy and might be involved in the genesis of HRPC.

[Induction of CuZn-SOD mRNA expression and activity by PGMS in rat liver].

AIM: To study the effect of propylene glycol mannate sulfate (PGMS) on induction of CuZn-SOD. METHODS: Wistar rats were given PGMS p.o. at different doses (0, 18.9, 37.8 and 75.6 mg.kg-1.d) for ten days. Then the rats were sacrificed and the total RNA was extracted from the livers. The total RNA samples were loaded on a 1% agarose gel to detect the quality of total RNA. RT-PCR was applied to study the expression of CuZn-SOD mRNA in rat livers. The amplified products were detected by the 1.5% agarose gel electrophoresis. Simultaneously, the CuZn-SOD activities in rat liver were determined by nitrite method. RESULTS: The total RNA extracted from rat livers was integrated without being decomposed by RNase. The level of CuZn-SOD mRNA of the high-dosage group (75.6 mg.kg-1.d) was higher than that of the control group (0 mg.kg-1.d) (P < 0.01); the CuZn-SOD activities of the high-dosage group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.001) and the CuZn-SOD activities of the middle- (37.8 mg.kg-1.d) and low-dosage groups (18.9 mg.kg-1.d) were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: PGMS can increase the CuZn-SOD activities as well as CuZn-SOD on mRNA level. Therefore, it is possible for PGMS to counteract Atherosclerosis (AS) by inducing the expression of CuZn-SOD.

[Effect of propylene glycol mannate sulfate on blood lipids and lipoprotein lipase in hyperlipidemic rat].

AIM: To study the effect of propylene glycol mannate sulfate (PGMS) on blood lipids and lipoprotein lipase in hyperlipidemic rat, and its anti-hyperlipidemic mechanism. METHODS: PGMS was administered ig at different doses (37.8 mg.kg-1.d-1 and 75.6 mg.kg-1.d-1) to hyperlipidemic rats for three weeks and blood serum was obtained after starved 12 h. Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were examined. The mRNA expression of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in liver, spleen and artery was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: PGMS significantly decreased the levels of TC, TG and LDL-C and increased that of HDL-C in hyperlipidemic serum dose-dependently. PGMS was shown to increase the level of LPL mRNA expression, which is related directly to the controlling effects of PGMS on blood lipids. CONCLUSION: PGMS modulated blood lipids by promoting mRNA expression of LPL. This may be one important mechanism of PGMS to modulate blood lipids.