OBJECTIVETo determine the effects of Jiji decoction (Traditional Chinese Medicine) on the cognitive function and oxidative stress in mice with vascular dementia (VD) induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.

METHODSThirty-two mice were randomly divided into nonnal group (n = 8), sham group (operation, but no cerebral ischemia/reperfusi6n, n = 8), model group (vascular dementia model induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion, n = 8), and Jiji decoction-treated group (vascular dementia model plus treatment with Jiji decoction, n = 8). Fourteen days of treatment after operation, the cognitive behavior was measured in step-through test, spatial probe test and platform test. Afterwards, to assess the levels of oxidative stress, the activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) and content of malonaldehyde (MDA) in brain of these mice were measured.

RESULTSData from step-through test indicated that the escaping latency of Jiji decoction-treated group was prolonged and the error counts were decreased significantly ( P <0.01) compared with those of model group. Data from spatial probe test indicated that the time of entering darkroom, the time of climbing height and the time of entering bright room in Jiji decoction-treated group were shortened and the counts of climbing height were increased (P < 0.05-0.01) significantly compared with those of model group. Data from platform test showed that the escaping latency of Jiji decoction-treated group was prolonged significantly (P < 0.01) compared with that of model group. Compared with normal and sham group, the activity of SOD was decreased and the content of MDA was increased in model group significantly (P < 0.01). Compared with those of model group, the levels of SOD and MDA in Jiji decoction-treated group were improved significantly (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONJiji decoction could improve cognitive function of VD mice. Its mechanism might be related with the inhibition of oxidative stiess in the brain.

Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cerebral Infarction ; physiopathology ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Dementia, Vascular ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

Objective：To observe the inhibitory effects of pr obucol on nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）-like activity of vascular smooth mus cle cells(VSMCs). Methods:The effects of probucol and H2O2 on NF-κB-like activity of VSMCs were investigated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay(EMSA). Results:NF-κB activation of VSMCs could be induced by H2O2 or new born calf serum(NCS) for 72 h, the gray-measure of the protein bindings measured through computer scanning was 63.9 and 46.6 respe c tively. NF-κB activity of VSMCs stimulated by H2O2 or NCS might be prevent ed by 100 μmol/L probucol, the inhibitory rate was 37.1%, 14.8% respectively. Conclusion:probucol can inhibit NF-κB activity of VSMCs stim ulated by NCS or H2O2. These effects of probucol might help to re duce development of atheroclerosis and restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Objective To observe whether the expression of interferon-regulatory factor genes are re- lated to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods The clinical data of 45 SLE patients and 37 normal controls were collected.Total RNA of peripheral blood was extracted and transcripted into cDNA.Sybr green dye based real-time quantitative PCR method was used to compare the expression (indicated as-??Ct value) of IRFI,IRF4,IRF8 in patients with SLE and those in the controls.Results The levels of IRF1,IRF4 and IRF8 mRNA were-3.90?0.19,-8.04?0.25 and 3.60?0.15 respectively in normal controls.In SLE patients, IRF4 mRNA expression was -8.82?0.18,higher than that in normal (P=0.011).But IRF8 mRNA expression was 3.09?0.13,lower than that in normal (P=0.012).Conclusion Abnormal IRF mRNA expression is found in the peripheral blood of SLE patients.IRFs may play roles in the pathogenesis of SLE by affecting the differen- tiation of Th cells.

At present, cancer is still one of the most serious threats to human health. Despite the wide application of multiple cancer therapies in clinical practice, the therapeutic effects of most cancers are still far from satisfactory. In recent years, the discovery of regulated cell death may be a good first step on the road to treat cancer. Ferroptosis is triggered by lipid peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids in cell membrane catalyzed by iron ion. It has been widely concerned as an emerging target for cancer therapy. With the booming of biomedical nanotechnology, ferroptosis as an emerging therapeutic target has attracted extensive attention. Here, we review the advance on the intersection of ferroptosis and biomedical nanotechnology. First, the research background of ferroptosis and nano-preparation as well as the feasibility of ferroptosis-based nano-drug delivery systems (nano-DDS) for cancer treatment are presented and analyzed. Then, the strategies for inducing ferroptosis based on nano-DDS are summarized, mainly including: the promotion of Fenton reaction, the inhibition of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX-4) and the restriction of the cysteine-glutamate exchange transporter (system Xc^-). Furthermore, the combination therapy strategies based on biomedical nanotechnology induced ferroptosis are also discussed. Finally, we shine the spotlight on the prospects and challenges of ferroptosis-based nanotherapeutics in clinical application.

Objective To investigate the prevalence and risk factor of Ofloxacin resistance among the tuberculosis patients in Shanghai.Methods Totally 447 isolates resistant to anyone of first-line drug (Isoniazid,Rifampicin,Streptomycin and Ethambutol) and 151 randomly selected isolates susceptible to all above drugs were collected from district tuberculosis(TB) hospitals in Shanghai during 2009 to 2010.All 598 isolates were subject to Ofloxacin sensitive test.Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine risk factors of Ofloxacin resistance.DNA sequencing was applied to study the mutation characteristics in gyrA and gyrB among Ofloxacin resistant isolates.Results Seventy-two(16.1%) of the 447 drug-resistant isolates were found resistant to Ofloxacin,and the Ofloxacin resistant rate among multiple drug-resistant (MDR) isolates was 39.6%(44/111).Ofloxacin resistance was also found in 4(2.6%) of the 151 drug sensitive isolates.Logistic regression analysis showed that first-line drug-resistance MDR(resistant to at least rifampin and isoniazid) and poly-drug resistance(resistance to two or more first-line drugs but not MDR) had significant effect on Ofloxacin resistance(OR = 19.5、5.6,95% CI:6.4 - 59.4、1.7 - 18.1,all P＜ 0.05);re-treatment(OR = 2.3,95 % CI:1.2 -4.0,P＜ 0.05),and a higher age(OR = 1.03,95 % CI:1.0 1 - 1.05,P＜ 0.05)were also significantly associated with Ofloxacin resistance.Resistance mutations in the gyrA and gyrB genes were detected in 62 of 76(81.6%) isolates with phenotypic Ofloxacin-resistance. Conclusions The Ofloxacin resistance rate in Shanghai MDR-TB patients is significantly higher than the pan-susceptible TB patients.Risk factors of ofloxacin resistance are MDR,poly-resistant,retreated patients,age.Among them,MDR has the highest strength of association.

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether Candida albicans-native phospholipomannan (PLM) induce an inflammation response through Toll-like receptor(TLRé2 in human acute monocytic leukemia cell line (THP-1) cells.

METHODSHuman THP-1 monocytes were challenged with PLM in vitro. The mRNA expressions of TLR2, TLR4, proinflammatory cytokine [interleukin(IL)-6], and chemokine (IL-8) were assayed by real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The secretions of IL-6 and IL-8 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of TLR2 was analyzed with Western blot.

RESULTSPLM increased the mRNA expressions and secretions of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6) and chemokines (IL-8) in THP-1 cells (all P=0.0000). PLM up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of TLR2 (P=0.0000), whereas the mRNA level of TLR4 was not altered. PLM hydrolyzed with β-D-mannoside manno hydrolase failed to induce gene and protein expressions of TLR2, IL-6, and IL-8. Anti-TLRS-neutralizing antibody blocked the PLM-induced secretions of IL-6 and IL-8 in THP-1 cells (P = 0.0003, P = 0.0010).

CONCLUSIONCanidada albicans-native PLM may contribute to the inflammatory responses during Candida infection in a TLR2-dependent manner.

Candida albicans ; chemistry ; Cells, Cultured ; Glycolipids ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Monocytes ; drug effects ; immunology ; metabolism ; Toll-Like Receptor 2 ; metabolism ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; metabolism

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been broadly investigated and shown to exert many preventive and therapeutic actions besides their important role in maintenances human health and normal development. In mammals, the level of omega-3 PUFAs is relatively too low compared with omega-6 PUFAs, which metabolically and functionally distinct from omega-3 PUFAs and often have important opposing physiological functions. Either the inefficiency of omega-3 PUFAs or the excess of omega-6 PUFAs will cause many healthy problems. So methods have been sought to increase the amount of omega-3 PUFAs and to improve the omega-6/omega-3 ratio in body. In this study, the sFat-1 gene, which putatively encodes a omega-3 fatty acid desaturase, was chemically synthesized according to the sequence from Caenorhabditis briggssae (with codon usage modified), and constructed into a mammal expression vector pcDNA3. 1-sFat1-EGFP. This vector was introduced into CHO cells by lipid-mediated transfection, and it's expression quickly and effectively elevated the cellular omega-3 PUFAs (from 18-carbon to 22-carbon) contents and dramatically improved the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 PUFAs. Cellular lipids extracts from stably selected cells were analyzed with GC-MS and the results showed that amount of total omega-6 PUFAs dropped from 48.97% (in GFP cells)to 35.29% (in sFat-1 cells), whereas the amount of total omega-3 PUFAs increased from 7.86% to 24.02%, respectively. The omega-6/omega-3 ratio also dropped from 6.23 to 1.47. These data demonstrates the Caenorhabditis briggssae omega-3 Fatty Acid Desaturase gene, sFat-1, was synthesized successfully and can produce omega-3 PUFAs by using the corresponding omega-6 PUFAs as substrates, which shows its potential for use in the production of omega-3 PUFAs in transgenic animals.
Animals ; CHO Cells ; Caenorhabditis ; enzymology ; genetics ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Fatty Acid Desaturases ; genetics ; physiology ; Fatty Acids ; analysis ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of intraportal vein anticoagulation for the prevention of portal vein thrombosis after portaazygous devascularization and splenorenal shunt. Methods In this study 67 patients of portal hypertension undergoing surgery were randomly divided into two groups,receiving respectively intraportal vein heparin injection by 100 U?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)?7 d in group A (32 patients)and placebo in group B(35 patients).Portal vein thrombosis,the recurrent bleeding after operation and portal hypertensive gastropathy were compared between the two groups.Results The occurrence of portal vein thrombosis after operation in group A(0)was significantly lower than that in group B(20%,X~2=5.169,P

The paper introduces the rebuilding target of the performance management information system for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) project.By expounding on system architecture,function realization,security design and its application of virtual private channel and electronic signature technology based on secure socket layer,it points out that the system helps promote the informatization building of performance management for TCM project.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of erectile dysfunction (ED) in rat models with chronic renal failure (CRF).

METHODSChronic renal failure was induced by adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, which were subjected to an excisional 5/6 nephrectomy. The rats in NCRF group and CRF group were divided into three groups randomly. Injected with apomorphine(APO, 80 microg/kg), penile erections of three groups were observed and noted by the 2nd week, 4th week respectively and 6th week from the 14th day of 5/6 nephrectomy and experimental models of ED with CRF were selected; NOS activity was examined and the microstructures of penile were observed under optical microscope with computer configuration image analysis system in selected rat models.

RESULTSCompared with the controls, the areas of smooth muscle and NOS activity in the penile cavernous tissue of ED rats with CRF decreased significantly (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) , and collagen fibers slightly increased, and these alterations had close correlations with the duration of CRF. The

CONCLUSIONSPenile erection is seriously affected in rats with CRF. The decreases of areas of blood sinus had no obvious changes. the number of smooth muscles and NOS activity might be the most important factors.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Erectile Dysfunction ; enzymology ; pathology ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; complications ; pathology ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth ; diagnostic imaging ; Nephrectomy ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Penis ; diagnostic imaging ; enzymology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ultrasonography