Objective To explore the mechanism that gold nanorods trigger apoptosis in cancer cells.Methods Gold nanorods was synthesized by gold seed growing method, and its characterization was detected; gold nanorods on cell proliferation-toxicity were evaluated by CCK-8 Kit and apoptosis were detected by flow; mitochondrial membrane potential were tested by JC-1 and activation of Caspase 9 and Caspase 3 were detected by western blot. Results The results found that gold nanorods had nontoxic to normal cells, but highly toxic to tumor cells; and with the increasing of gold nanorods’ working time, the percentage of apoptotic cancer cells was increasing; in addition to, normal cells’ mitochondrial membrane potential did not change, but cancer cells had a significant reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential.Conclusion This study proves that gold nanorods induce apoptosis through the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.

Human tumor necrosis factor alpha (hTNF-alpha) is one of the most important inflammatory cytokines that acts as a mediator in inflammatory and immune response and plays a key role in host defense against infection. The over expression of hTNF-alpha is associated with serious consequences, such as shock, hypotension, thrombus, septicemia and even death. It has been implicated in many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, chronic heart failure and septic shock. Inhibiting the bio-activity of hTNF-alpha is one of the strategy for the treatment of these diseases. Compared with traditional recombinant protein drugs, small molecule drugs have many advantages, such as high affinity, low immunogenecity and low cost. Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) is a powerful method for the selection of oligonucleotides that bind with high affinity and specificity to target proteins. Such oligonucleotides are called aptamers, and are potential therapeutics for blocking the activity of pathologically relevant proteins. To obtain oligonucleotide aptamers specifically binding to TNF, a 40nt random DNA combinatorial library flanked by 31nt fixed sequences was chemically synthesized. The random library was amplified with PCR and subjected to selection by SELEX protocol against hTNFalpha. After incubation of the library with hTNFalpha, the mixture was blotted onto Immobilon-NC transfer membrane. The no-specific binding was washed away and the hTNFa binding aptamers were eluted and detached from the target protein. The eluted oligo nucleotides were amplified with PCR and served as the DNA library for the next round selection. After 12 rounds of such selection, the selected aptamers were cloned to pGEM-T vector. Positive clones were identified by restriction enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing. Oligo DNA were synthesized according to the sequence data and tested for their activities. Binding activity of the aptamers to hTNFalpha were detected by ELISA and dot blot with biotin-streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase system. Mouse L929 cells were used to test the anti-hTNFa activity of the DNA aptamers. The aptamers were incubated with hTNFalpha and added to the L929 cells. The results were read under microscope and with MTT staining. It was shown that these DNA aptamers bound to hTNFalpha with high affinity, and can inhibit the cytotoxicity of hTNFalpha on cell culture. The affinity of these aptamers are different and may related to their structure. These ssDNA aptamers are potential for the treatment and diagnosis of hTNFalpha related diseases.
Animals ; Aptamers, Nucleotide ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Biotin ; chemistry ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gene Library ; Humans ; Mice ; Protein Binding ; SELEX Aptamer Technique ; methods ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; toxicity

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study is to observe the effect of combined amiodarone and antiarrhythmic peptide (AAP10) use on the incidence of induced ventricular arrhythmias in healed myocardial infarction (MI) rabbits.

METHODSTwenty Japanese rabbits underwent thoracotomy without coronary artery ligation (Sham, group A), the middle left circumflex branch were ligated to induce MI in 180 Japanese rabbits. Eight weeks after operation, 124 rabbits survived MI operation and were divided into four groups: control group (group B, n = 31), amiodarone group (group C, n = 31), AAP10 group (group D, n = 31) and amiodarone plus AAP10 group (group E, n = 31). The A and B and D groups were treated with saline 2 ml/d, the C and E groups were treated with 2 ml saline containing amiodarone 100 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1). All rabbits were examined by echocardiogram at 12 weeks after operation, then anesthetized by sodium barbital, the left wedge ventricular preparations were cannulated and artery perfused by Tyrode's solution in vitro in the absence (Group A, B and C) and presence of AAP10 (500 nmol/L, Group D and E). The volume electrocardiogram, QT Interval, QRS interval, effective refractory period (ERP), the T-peak to T-end interval (T(p-e)), and ventricular tachycardia episodes induced by programmed stimulation were recorded. The T(p-e)/QT ratio was calculated. After perfusion, gap junctions protein connexin 43 (Cx43) expression was detected by Western blot and immunofluorescence.

RESULTSThe incidence of induced ventricular tachycardia episodes of group A, B, C, D, E was 0, 62.5%, 26.9%, 40.0%, 22.2% respectively. The incidence of induced ventricular tachycardia episodes of group E was less than group B. The T(p-e)/QT ratio in group B, C, D were greater than in group A. The T(p-e)/QT ratio of group E was less than group B. The myocardial Cx43 in the group B was down-regulated and disorganized compared to group A, up-regulated in group C and E compared to group B, up-regulated in group E compared to group D. The Cx43 in the heart of group D and E were well organized than in group B and C.

CONCLUSIONSThe artery perfused rabbits wedge preparations with healed myocardial infarction with high incidence of induced ventricular tachycardia episodes are good platform for ventricular arrhythmias research. Combined amiodarone and AAP10 use could decrease the T(p-e)/QT ratio and the incidence of induced ventricular tachycardia episodes. Amiodarone and AAP10 have synergistic effects on upregulating Cx43 and preventing ventricular arrhythmias in this rabbit model of healed myocardial infarction.

Amiodarone ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; etiology ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Oligopeptides ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rabbits ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo determine the feasibility and accuracy of detecting numerical chromosomal abnormalities by high-flux sequencing analysis of free fetal DNA from maternal plasma.

METHODSHigh-flux sequencing was applied to analyze fetal chromosome sequence copy numbers in 153 pregnant women. Fetal karyotyping was also carried out on amniocentesis samples.

RESULTSSix cases were detected with fetal chromosomal abnormalities by high-flux sequencing analysis, among which five were confirmed by karyotyping to be chromosomal aneuploidies (47,XYY; 45,X; 47,XY,+18; 47,XY,+21 and 47,XY,+13), 1 case was confirmed to be structural rearrangement, i.e., 46,XY,der(13;21)(q10;q10),+21. Furthermore, 3 chromosomal polymorphisms (one 46,XY,21p+ and two 46,XY,Yqh-) were identified. The two methods yielded similar results on fetal chromosome copy number detection.

CONCLUSIONHigh-flux sequencing analysis of free DNA derived from maternal plasma is efficient for detecting fetal chromosomal aneuploidies, and is non-invasive, highly sensitive and specific. It therefore has a broad application in antenatal diagnosis.

Adult ; Amniocentesis ; methods ; Aneuploidy ; Chromosome Disorders ; diagnosis ; genetics ; DNA ; chemistry ; genetics ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; Young Adult

This paper explains the mechanism of the mutual switching between physiological sleep and wakefulness from the aspects of the sleep circadian system and the sleep homeostasis system. In the circadian rhythm system, with the suprachiasmatic nucleus as the core, the anatomical connections between the suprachiasmatic nucleusand various systems that affect sleep are summarized, starting from the suprachiasmatic nucleus, passing through the four pathways of the melatonin system, namely, subventricular area of the hypothalamus, the ventrolateral nucleus of the preoptic area, orexin neurons, and melatonin, then the related mechanisms of their regulation of sleep and wakefulness are expounded. In the sleep homeostasis system, with adenosine and prostaglandin D2 as targets, the role of hypnogen in sleep arousal mechanisms in regulation is also expounded.

The present study aimed to explore the mechanism of the sweating of Dipsacus asper on content changes of triterpene sa-ponins by detecting the total triterpene saponins and the index component asperosaponin Ⅵ in the crude and sweated D. asper, and analyzing the differentially expressed proteins by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification(iTRAQ) combined with LC-MS/MS. After sweating, the content of total triterpene saponins decreased manifestly, while that of asperosaponin Ⅵ increased significantly. As revealed by the iTRAQ-LC-MS/MS analysis, 140 proteins with significant differential expression were figured out, with 50 up-regulated and 90 down-regulated. GO analysis indicated a variety of hydrolases, oxido-reductases, and transferases in the differential proteins. The results of activity test on two differentially expressed oxido-reductases were consistent with those of the iTRAQ-LC-MS/MS analysis. As demonstrated by the analysis of enzymes related to the triterpene saponin biosynthesis pathway, two enzymes(from CYP450 and UGT families, respectively, which are involved in the structural modification of triterpene saponins) were significantly down-regulated after sweating. The findings suggested that sweating of D. asper presumedly regulated triterpene saponins by affecting the expression of downstream CYP450 s and UGTs in the biosynthesis pathway of triterpene saponins of D. asper.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Dipsacaceae ; Humans ; Saponins ; Sweating ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Triterpenes

Humans ; Consensus ; Hypersensitivity ; Desensitization, Immunologic/adverse effects* ; Immunotherapy/adverse effects* ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Allergens

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.
Female ; Humans ; Adolescent ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Smell ; COVID-19/complications* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Incidence ; Olfaction Disorders/etiology* ; Taste Disorders/etiology* ; Prognosis