Genetic analysis and QTL mapping for pericarp thickness in maize (Zea mays L.).

Proper pericarp thickness protects the maize kernel against pests and diseases, moreover, thinner pericarp improves the eating quality in fresh corn. In this study, we aimed to investigate the dynamic changes in maize pericarp during kernel development and identified the major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for maize pericarp thickness. It was observed that maize pericarp thickness first increased and then decreased. During the growth and formation stages, the pericarp thickness gradually increased and reached the maximum, after which it gradually decreased and reached the minimum during maturity. To identify the QTLs for pericarp thickness, a BC4F4 population was constructed using maize inbred lines B73 (recurrent parent with thick pericarp) and Baimaya (donor parent with thin pericarp). In addition, a high-density genetic map was constructed using maize 10 K SNP microarray. A total of 17 QTLs related to pericarp thickness were identified in combination with the phenotypic data. The results revealed that the heritability of the thickness of upper germinal side of pericarp (UG) was 0.63. The major QTL controlling UG was qPT1-1, which was located on chromosome 1 (212,215,145-212,948,882). The heritability of the thickness of upper abgerminal side of pericarp (UA) was 0.70. The major QTL controlling UA was qPT2-1, which was located on chromosome 2 (2,550,197-14,732,993). In addition, a combination of functional annotation, DNA sequencing analysis and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) screened two candidate genes, Zm00001d001964 and Zm00001d002283, that could potentially control maize pericarp thickness. This study provides valuable insights into the improvement of maize pericarp thickness during breeding.

Purification and Structure Characterization of the Crude Polysaccharide from the Fruiting Bodies of Butyriboletus pseudospeciosus and Its Modulation Effects on Gut Microbiota.

Polysaccharides from the species of Boletaceae (Boletales, Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota) are economically significant to both functional foods and medicinal industries. The crude polysaccharide from Butyriboletus pseudospeciosus (BPP) was prepared, and its physicochemical properties were characterized through the use of consecutive experimental apparatus, and its impact on the gut microbiota of Kunming mice was evaluated. Analyses of the structure characteristics revealed that BPP was mainly composed of Man, Glc, and Gal, possessing the pyranose ring and ß/α-glycosidic linkages. TG analysis exhibited that BPP had great heat stability. The SEM observation performed demonstrated that BPP appeared with a rough, dense, and porous shape. Through the BPP intervention, the serum and fecal biochemical index in mice can be improved obviously (p < 0.05). The abundance of beneficial microbiota in the BPP-treated group was significantly increased, while the abundance of harmful microbiota was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Based on the Tax4Fun, we also revealed the relationship between the species of gut microbiota and showed that the high dose of BPP has significantly changed the functional diversities compared with those in other groups (p < 0.05). The results suggest that B. pseudospeciosus could serve as potential functional food or medicine.

Microstructure and Properties of Densified Gd2O3 Bulk.

In this work, Gd2O3 bulks were sintered at temperatures ranging from 1400 °C to 1600 °C for times from 6 h to 24 h, and their microstructure and properties were studied for a wider application of materials in thermal barrier coatings. The densification of the Gd2O3 bulk reached 96.16% when it was sintered at 1600 °C for 24 h. The elastic modulus, hardness, fracture toughness and thermal conductivity of the bulks all increased with the rise in sintering temperature and extension of sintering time, while the coefficient of thermal expansion decreased. When the Gd2O3 bulk was sintered at 1600 °C for 24 h, it had the greatest elastic modulus, hardness, fracture toughness and thermal conductivity of 201.15 GPa, 9.13 GPa, 15.03 MPa·m0.5 and 2.75 W/(m·k) (at 1100 °C), respectively, as well as the smallest thermal expansion coefficients of 6.69 × 10-6/°C (at 1100 °C).

Physiological and Molecular Characteristics of Southern Leaf Blight Resistance in Sweet Corn Inbred Lines.

Southern corn leaf blight is one of the most widespread foliar diseases in maize-producing areas worldwide and can seriously reduce the yield and quality of sweet corn. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the disease in sweet corn have not been widely reported. In this study, two sweet corn inbred lines, resistant K13 (RK13) and susceptible K39 (SK39), were used to explore the disease resistance mechanism of southern leaf blight. We observed morphological characteristics and assessed the changes in protective enzymatic activity in sweet corn leaves after inoculation of C. heterostrophus. RNA-seq was performed to elucidate the transcriptional dynamics and reveal the key pathways involved in southern leaf blight resistance without pathogens (Mock) and at 1 and 3 days post inoculation (1 and 3 dpi). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the SK39 group (including three pairwise combinations: SK39-0d_vs_SK39-1d, SK39-1d_vs_SK39-3d and SK39-1d_vs_SK39-3d), the RK13 group (including three pairwise combinations: RK13-0d_vs_RK13-1d, RK13-1d_vs_RK13-3d and RK13-1d_vs_RK13-3d), and the SK39_vs_RK13 group (including three pairwise combinations: SK39-0d_vs_RK13-0d, SK39-1d_vs_RK13-1d, and SK39-3d_vs_RK13-3d). In our study, 9455 DEGs from the RK13 group, 9626 from the SK39 group, and 9051 DEGs from the SK39_vs_RK13 group were obtained. Furthermore, 2775, 163, and 185 DEGs were co-expressed at SK39_vs_RK13, RK13, and SK39, respectively. A functional analysis of the DEGs revealed that five pathways-i.e., photosynthesis, plant hormone signal transduction, MAPK signaling pathway, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites-and transcription factor families play crucial roles in disease resistance. The results from the present study enabled the identification of the JA and SA signaling pathways, which are potentially involved in the response to southern leaf blight in maize. Our findings also highlight the significance of ZIM transcription factors and pathogenesis-related (PR) genes during pathogen infection. This study preliminarily explored the molecular mechanisms of the interaction between sweet corn and C. heterostrophus and provides a reference for identifying southern leaf blight resistance genes in the future.

Integrative analysis of transcriptome and miRNAome reveals molecular mechanisms regulating pericarp thickness in sweet corn during kernel development.

Pericarp thickness affects the edible quality of sweet corn (Zea mays L. saccharata Sturt.). Therefore, breeding varieties with a thin pericarp is important for the quality breeding of sweet corn. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pericarp development remain largely unclear. We performed an integrative analysis of mRNA and miRNA sequencing to elucidate the genetic mechanism regulating pericarp thickness during kernel development (at 15 days, 19 days, and 23 days after pollination) of two sweet corn inbred lines with different pericarp thicknesses (M03, with a thinner pericarp and M08, with a thicker pericarp). A total of 2,443 and 1,409 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in M03 and M08, respectively. Our results indicate that phytohormone-mediated programmed cell death (PCD) may play a critical role in determining pericarp thickness in sweet corn. Auxin (AUX), gibberellin (GA), and brassinosteroid (BR) signal transduction may indirectly mediate PCD to regulate pericarp thickness in M03 (the thin pericarp variety). In contrast, abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinin (CK), and ethylene (ETH) signaling may be the key regulators of pericarp PCD in M08 (the thick pericarp variety). Furthermore, 110 differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMIs) and 478 differentially expressed target genes were identified. miRNA164-, miRNA167-, and miRNA156-mediated miRNA-mRNA pairs may participate in regulating pericarp thickness. The expression results of DEGs were validated by quantitative real-time PCR. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms regulating pericarp thickness and propose the objective of breeding sweet corn varieties with a thin pericarp.

Effect of Gd2O3 Addition on the Microstructure and Properties of Gd2O3-Yb2O3-Y2O3-ZrO2 (GYYZO) Ceramics.

Gd and Yb elements have high chemical stability, which can stabilize the solid solution in ZrO2. Gd2O3 and Yb2O3 have high melting points, and good oxidation resistance in extreme environments, stable chemical properties. Therefore, Gd2O3 and Yb2O3 were added to ZrO2 to stabilize oxides, improve the high temperature stability, and effectively decrease the thermal conductivity at high temperature. In this work, 5 wt% Yb2O3 and 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt% Gd2O3 were doped into 8 wt% Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 (8YSZ) powders as thermal barrier coating materials, and sintered at 1650 °C for 6 h, 12 h, 24 h. The effects of Gd2O3 addition on the microstructure, density, thermal conductivity, hardness, and fracture toughness of Gd2O3-Yb2O3-Y2O3-ZrO2 (GYYZO) bulk composite ceramics were investigated. It was found that the densification of the 8YSZ bulk and GYYZO bulk with 15 wt% Gd2O3 reached 96.89% and 96.22% sintered at 1650 °C for 24 h. With the increase of Gd2O3 addition, the hardness, elastic modulus and fracture toughness of the GYYZO bulk increased and the thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient of the GYYZO bulk decreased. GYYZO bulk with 15 wt% Gd2O3 sintered at 1650 °C for 24h had the highest hardness, elastic modulus and fracture toughness of 15.61 GPa, 306.88 GPa, 7.822 MPa·m0.5, and the lowest thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient of 1.04 W/(m·k) and 7.89 × 10-6/°C at 1100 °C, respectively. The addition of Gd2O3 into YSZ could not only effectively reduce the thermal conductivity but also improve the mechanical properties, which would improve the thermal barrier coatings' performances further.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Regulatory Networks during the Maize Ear Shank Elongation Process.

In maize, the ear shank is a short branch that connects the ear to the stalk. The length of the ear shank mainly affects the transportation of photosynthetic products to the ear, and also influences the dehydration of the grain by adjusting the tightness of the husks. However, the molecular mechanisms of maize shank elongation have rarely been described. It has been reported that the maize ear shank length is a quantitative trait, but its genetic basis is still unclear. In this study, RNA-seq was performed to explore the transcriptional dynamics and determine the key genes involved in maize shank elongation at four different developmental stages. A total of 8145 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 729 transcription factors (TFs). Some important genes which participate in shank elongation were detected via function annotation and temporal expression pattern analyses, including genes related to signal transduction hormones (auxin, brassinosteroids, gibberellin, etc.), xyloglucan and xyloglucan xyloglucosyl transferase, and transcription factor families. The results provide insights into the genetic architecture of maize ear shanks and developing new varieties with ideal ear shank lengths, enabling adjustments for mechanized harvesting in the future.

Development of a nanobody-based immunoassay for the sensitive detection of fibrinogen-like protein 1.

Immune checkpoint inhibition is an important strategy in cancer therapy. Blockade of CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 is well developed in clinical practice. In the last few years, LAG-3 has received much interest as an emerging novel target in immunotherapy. It was recently reported that FGL1 is a major ligand of LAG-3, which is normally secreted by the liver but is upregulated in several human cancers. FGL1 is a crucial biomarker and target for cancer immunotherapy. As the efficacy of immunotherapy is limited to specific types of patients, the subset of patients needs to be selected appropriately to receive precise treatment according to different biomarkers. To date, there is no test to accurately assess FGL1 expression levels. Nanobodies have some outstanding features, such as high stability, solubility and affinity for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Here, we report the development and validation of a rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective nanobody-based immunoassay for the detection of FGL1 in human serum. In this study, human FGL1 recombinant protein was expressed and purified for the first time as an immunized antigen. Then, we constructed a nanobody phage display library and screened several nanobodies that bind FGL1 with high affinity. We selected two nanobodies targeting different epitopes of FGL1, one as a capture and the other conjugated with HRP as a probe. The double nanobody-based sandwich ELISA to detect the concentration of FGL1 showed a good response relationship in the range of 15.625-2000 ng/mL, and the recoveries from the spiked sample were in the range of 78% and 100%. This assay could be used as a potential approach for evaluating FGL1 expression for patient stratification and for predicting the therapeutic efficacy of targeting the LAG3/FGL1 axis.

Metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and hepatic disposition of xanthones and saponins on Zhimu treatments for exploratively interpreting the discrepancy between the herbal safety and timosaponin A3-induced hepatotoxicity.

Timosaponin A3, a saponin in Zhimu, elicited hepatotoxicity via oxidative stress. However, the clinical medication of Zhimu has been historically regarded as safe, probably associated with the antioxidants it contains. However, the related information on the in vivo levels of timosaponin A3 and antioxidants remained unclear on Zhimu treatments. Therefore, a combination of the in vitro metabolism, including microbiota-mediated and liver-mediated metabolism, and in vivo pharmacokinetics and hepatic disposition, was conducted for three xanthones (neomangiferin, mangiferin, and norathyriol) and three saponins (timosaponin B2, timosaponin B3, and timosaponin A3) on Zhimu treatments. Consequently, following oral administration of Zhimu decoction to rats, those saponins and xanthones were all observed in the plasma with severe liver first-pass effect, where mangiferin was of the maximum exposure. Despite the ignorable content in the herb, timosaponin A3 elicited sizable hepatic exposure as the microbiota-mediated metabolite of saponins in Zhimu. The similar phenomenon also occurred to norathyriol, the microbiota-mediated metabolite of xanthones. However, the major prototypes in Zhimu were of limited hepatic exposure. We deduced the hepatic collection of norathyriol, maximum circulating levels of mangiferin, and timosaponin B2 and mangiferin interaction may directly or indirectly contribute to the whole anti-oxidation of Zhimu, and then resisted the timosaponin A3-induced hepatotoxicity. Thus, our study exploratively interpreted the discrepancy between herbal safety and timosaponin A3-induced hepatotoxicity. However, given the considerable levels and slow eliminated rate of timosaponin A3 in the liver, more attention should be paid to the safety on the continuous clinical medication of Zhimu in the future.

A conductive sodium alginate and carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel doped with polypyrrole for peripheral nerve regeneration.

Polymer materials with electrically conductive properties have good applications in their respective fields because of their special properties. However, they usually exhibited poor mechanical properties and biocompatibility. In this work, we present a simple approach to prepare conductive sodium alginate (SA) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) polymer hydrogels (SA/CMCS/PPy) that can provide sufficient help for peripheral nerve regeneration. SA/CMCS hydrogel was cross-linked by calcium ions provided by the sustained release system consisting of d-glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) and superfine calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and the conductivity of the hydrogel was provided by doped with polypyrrole (PPy). Gelation time, swelling ratio, porosity and Young's modulus of the conductive SA/CMCS/PPy hydrogel were adjusted by polypyrrole content, and the conductivity of it was within 2.41 × 10-5 to 8.03 × 10-3 S cm-1. The advantages of conductive hydrogels in cell growth were verified by controlling electrical stimulation of cell experiments, and the hydrogels were also used as a filling material for the nerve conduit in animal experiments. The SA/CMCS/PPy conductive hydrogel showed good biocompatibility and repair features as a bioactive biomaterial, we expect this conductive hydrogel will have a good potential in the neural tissue engineering.

Single- and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of inhaled indacaterol in healthy Chinese volunteers.

Indacaterol is an inhaled, ultra-long-acting ß2-agonist that provides 24-h bronchodilation with once-daily dosing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. This study evaluated the pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of multiple daily inhaled doses of indacaterol 150 or 300 µg once daily in healthy Chinese volunteers. This was a single-center, randomized, double-blind, multiple-dose, parallel-group study, placebo-controlled trial including two doses of indacaterol: 150 and 300 µg. Serum indacaterol was quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with a lower limit of quantification of 0.01 ng/mL. The pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed using non-compartmental analysis and included C max, T max, and AUC0-24h on Day 1 and AUC0-24h,ss, C max,ss, C min,ss, C av,ss, T max,ss, T 1/2, T 1/2,acc, CL/F, V z/F, and R acc on Day 14 (after repeated once-daily doses). Safety analyses were recorded using physical examination, biochemical tests, and ECG. Indacaterol steady state was achieved after 12-14 days of daily dosing. The mean effective half-life of indacaterol (based on drug accumulation at steady state) was 33.9 and 35.8 h for 150 and 300 µg, respectively. Systemic exposure to indacaterol increased 1.27 and 1.34-fold between the 150- and 300-µg doses on Day 1 (first dose) and Day 14 (repeated dose), respectively. Indacaterol 150 and 300 µg were safe and well tolerated in these volunteers. The pharmacokinetics of multiple inhaled doses of indacaterol 150 and 300 µg (for 14 days) were consistent with moderate systemic accumulation at steady state after repeated once-daily inhalation in healthy Chinese volunteers.

[Identification on Xanthium sibiricum from different habitats by FTIR fingerprint patterns].

OBJECTIVE: To establish an FTIR method to identify Xanthium sibiricum from different habitats. METHODS: FTIR spectra of Xanthium sibiricum from different habitats were analyzed,and the similarity of different fingerprint spectra and the chemical pattern recognition were calculated and analyzed according to the wave numbers of peaks. RESULTS: Different FTIR spectra of 10 different habitats of Xanthium sibiricum were obtained,and the similarities were all above 0. 96. CONCLUSION: This method can be used for identification on Xanthium sibiricum from different habitats. The results of similarity calculation and chemical pattern recognition further prove the feasibility of this method.

[Identification on Solanum lyratum by FT-IR fingerprint patterns and similarity degree of different fingerprint patterns].

OBJECTIVE: To provide a FT-IR new method to identify different habitats of Solanum lyratum. METHODS: Analyzed FT-IR patterns of Solanum lyratum from different habitats, and the similarity of different fingerprint patterns was calculated and analyzed according to the wave numbers of peaks searched. RESULTS: Obtained the different FT-IR pattern of 5 different habitats of Solanum lyraturn. CONCLUSION: This method can be used for identifications on different habitats of Solanum lyratum. The results of similarity calculation further prove the feasibility of this method.

Preparation, characterization and in vitro release study of a glutathione-dependent polymeric prodrug Cis-3-(9H-purin-6-ylthio)-acrylic acid-graft-carboxymethyl chitosan.

In this work, an amphiphilic polymeric prodrug Cis-3-(9H-purin-6-ylthio)-acrylic acid-graft-carboxymethyl chitosan (PTA-g-CMCS) was designed and synthesized. In aqueous solution, this grafted polymer can self-assemble into spherical micelles with a size ranging from 104 to 285 nm and zeta potential ranging from -12.3 to -20.1 mV. For the release study, less than 24% of 6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) was released from PTA-g-CMCS1 in the media containing 2 and 100 µM glutathione (GSH), whereas 37%, 54% and 75% of 6-MP was released from the media with GSH of 1, 2 and 10mM, respectively. Besides, pH and drug content of the polymeric prodrug only presented slight influence on the 6-MP release. MTT assay demonstrated that this system had higher inhibition ratio on HL-60 cells (human promyelocytic leukemia cells) in the presence of GSH and lower cytotoxicity on mouse fibroblast cell line (L929). Therefore, this nano-sized system is glutathione-dependent, and it can be employed as a potential carrier for the controlled release of 6-MP.

[Identification on Solanum lyratum by X-ray diffraction Fourier fingerprint and similarity analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To provide an X-ray diffraction (XRD) method for identifying different medicinal parts of Solanum lyratum. METHODS: Analyzed X-ray diffraction Fourier patterns of different parts of Solanum lyratum, and the similarity degree of different fingerprint was calculated and analyzed according to the position (2 theta value)of peaks searched. RESULTS: Different X-ray diffraction Fourier patterns of different medicinal parts of Solanum lyratum were obtained. CONCLUSION: This method can be used for identifying different medicinal parts of Solanum lyratum. The results of similarity calculation further proves the feasibility of this method.

Evaluation of differential representative values between Chinese hamster cells and human lymphocytes in mitomycin C-induced cytogenetic assays and caspase-3 activity.

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, its lung fibroblasts (V79), and human lymphocytes are routinely used in in vitro cytogenetic assays, which include micronuclei (MN), sister chromatid exchange (SCE), and chromosome aberration (CA) assays. Mitomycin C (MMC), a DNA cross-link alkylating agent, is both an anticancer medicine and a carcinogen. To study the differential representative values of cell types in MMC-treated cytogenetic assays and its upstream factor, cysteine aspartic acid-specific protease (caspase)-3. Among the chosen cell types, lymphocytes expressed the highest sensitivity in all three MMC-induced assays, whereas CHO and V79 showed varied sensitivity in different assays. In MN assay, the sensitivity of CHO is higher than or equal to V79; in SCE assay, the sensitivity of CHO is the same as V79; and in CA assay, the sensitivity of CHO is higher than V79. In-depth analysis of CA revealed that in chromatid breaks and dicentrics formation, lymphocyte was the most sensitive of all and CHO was more sensitive than V79; and in acentrics and interchanges formation, lymphocyte was much more sensitive than the others. Furthermore, we found caspase-3 activity plays an important role in MMC-induced cytogenetic assays, with MMC-induced caspase-3 activity resulting in more sensitivity in lymphocytes than in CHO and V79. Based on these findings, lymphocyte will make a suitable predictive or representative control reference in cytogenetic assays and caspase-3 activity with its high specificity, positive predictive value, and sensitivity.

Cardioprotective effects of luteolin during ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

BACKGROUND: Antioxidants effectively reduce ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. The cardioprotective effects of luteolin, a flavonoid that exhibits antioxidant properties and is widely available in many fruits and vegetables, were examined in rats subjected to myocardial IR injury. METHODS AND RESULTS: Rats were subjected to myocardial ischemia or reperfusion injury to evaluate the antiarrhythmic effects of luteolin. Myocardial infarct size was determined histochemically with triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining of the left ventricle. Luteolin was administered intravenously 15min before occlusion of the coronary artery. The incidence and duration of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation and mortality during myocardial ischemia were significantly reduced by luteolin (10µg/kg). Similarly, luteolin (1µg/kg) reduced ventricular arrhythmias and mortality during the reperfusion phase. Pretreatment with luteolin decreased plasma lactate dehydrogenase and nitric oxide (NO) levels. Luteolin (10µg/kg) significantly reduced the myocardial infarct size, as well as malondialdehyde production in tissue samples of myocardial IR injury. Luteolin also downregulated inducible NO synthase protein and mRNA expression, but did not significantly alter neuronal NO synthase or endothelial NO synthase expression. CONCLUSIONS: Luteolin is capable of protecting the myocardium against IR injury. The actions of luteolin are at least partly mediated through downregulation of NO production and its own antioxidant properties.

[Optimization for formulation matrix proportion of xiangyu cataplasm by uniform design].

OBJECTIVE: To optimize the matrix formulation of cataplasm used to cure infantile diarrhea. METHODS: The optimum proportion of matrix for the preparation technology process of cataplasm was selected by uniform design and SPSS regression analysis. A check-up for adhibition , peeling strength, nonflowing, content of cream was founded. RESULTS: The best matrix's prescription gelatin: CMC-Na: PANA: kaolin: aluminum trichloride: citric acid: PVP K-30: PEG400: trimethylene glycol: tween-80 was 0.25 : 0.1 : 0.2 : 1.5 : 0.4 : 0.6 : 0.8 : 2 : 1 : 0.5. CONCLUSION: The preparation technique of cataplasm is feasible, and its quality is steerable, it is a safe and effective transdermal-drug delivery system.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester ameliorates cerebral infarction in rats subjected to focal cerebral ischemia.

The effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an antioxidant derived from propolis, on the infarct volume elicited by focal cerebral ischemia were studied on Long-Evans rats. Cerebral infarction was induced by microsurgical procedures with ligation of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) and clipping of bilateral common carotid arteries (CCA) for 60 min. The rats were sacrificed 24 h later and serial brain slices of 2 mm thickness were taken and stained for the measurement of infarct area. CAPE was administered intravenously 15 min before MCA occlusion. Pretreatment of CAPE (0.1, 1 and 10 microg/kg) significantly reduced the total infarct volume from 169.6 +/- 14.5 mm3 (control) to 61.0 +/- 24.1 mm3 (0.1 microg/kg CAPE), 47.4 +/- 9.1 mm3 (1 microg/kg CAPE), and 42.4 +/- 8.7 mm3 (10 microg/kg CAPE), respectively. Plasma nitric oxide (NO) content was significantly increased in rats subjected to focal cerebral ischemia. It is concluded that CAPE possesses neuroprotective properties in focal cerebral ischemia injury in rats possibly through its antioxidant effect and/or via the upregulation of NO production.