Natural biocompatible nanomaterials such as self-assembled triterpene natural small molecule products with favorable anticancer activity show great potential for biomedical application. However, the mechanisms of their molecular self-assembled structures have not been investigated systematically, while there are still few reports of the natural active carrier for drug delivery. Herein, in this work, we further explored the molecular assembly mechanism and common regularity of tetracyclic triterpenes ergosterol, stigmasterol as well as pentacyclic triterpenes glycyrrhetinic acid and ursolic acid, which suggested that the coplanarity and orderliness of molecular arrangements which are speculated to be responsible for their self-assembly into the spherical, rod-like or lamellar nanostructure. Besides, ergosterol (ET) with better anticancer activity was chosen as a representative substance for construction of the synergistic antitumor nanodrug. By intermolecular hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking, chemotherapeutic drug paclitaxel (PTX) was encapsulated into ET-PTX NPs successfully. Then, the anti-cancer efficacy of the tumor-bearing mice was evaluated according to the protocol approved by the Experimental Animal Research Center of Harbin Medical University. The resulting nanodrug exhibited excellent biosafety and enhanced in vivo anticancer activity efficiency of 52.3%, higher than free PTX (29.4%) or ET NPs (32.5%) alone, further verifying the potential medical application value of triterpene natural products. This work provides not only a theoretical basis for exploring the self-assembly behavior of small molecule natural products, but also a promising perspective for the fabrication of active natural biocompatible nanodrug delivery systems for synergistic antitumor therapy and other biomedical applications.

0.05).However,the sex distribution was different between the two groups(P

Chronic Disease ; Constipation ; surgery ; Humans

Objective To evaluate the value of color Doppler flow imaging(CDFI) in the diagnosis of congenital coronary artery fistula (CAF).Methods Thirteen consecutive patients ranging in age from 8 to 68 years underwent conventional transthoracic echocardiography,which depicts their origin, course, and drainage site. Results Right CAFs were detected in 8 patients: four of them had drainages to the left ventricle, two to the main pulmonary artery, one to the right ventricle(RV) and the other to the right atrium(RA). CAFs arising from the left coronary artery were noted in five patients: three of them had drainages to the main pulmonary, and the other two to the RA and RV respectively. The origin and the course were precisely defined and the drainage site was clearly depicted in all thinteen patients. The diagnosis of the thirteen patients was confirmed by coronary angiography, and eight of them received surgical treatment. Conclusions CDFI offers a simple, useful and reliable technique in diagnosis of CAF.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Bridged-Ring Compounds ; poisoning ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rodenticides ; poisoning

Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; chemically induced ; prevention & control ; Cats ; Endothelin-1 ; adverse effects ; Medulla Oblongata ; drug effects ; Metoprolol ; pharmacology ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; pharmacology

Objective To observe the effects of Toxoplasma lysate antigen(TLA)on growth inhibition and tumor angiogenesis in mice B16 melanoma.Methods Twenty mice bearing B16 melanoma were established by subcutaneous inoculating with B16 cells and were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group 0.1 ml TLA was administered once every two days for the treatment group starting on the seventh day after inoculation.and an equivalent volume of sterile saline was administered similarly in the control group.The mice were sacrificed on 21 th day after the tumor cells was injected.The anti-tumor effects of TLA were observed by measuring the size and weight of tumor.The microvessel density(MVD)and expression of vascdar endotheilial growth factor(VEGF)were observed by immunohistochemical method.Results TLA Can markedly inhibit the B16 melamoa growth in mice.The volume and weight of the tumors in the experimental group were significantly decreased compared with the control group(P＜0.05),and the turnout inhibitory rate was 49.6%.The MVD of experimental group and control was(44.4000±4.7888)and(31.9000±2.6012)respectively,and with a significant difference between two groups(P＜0.05).The VEGF in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion TLA can inhibit the growth of the B16 melanoma in mice.suggesting that the anti-tumor effect induced by TLA via a possible antianigionesis mechanism.

Objective To analyze subclinical changes of left ventricular deformation by using two-dimensional (2-D) speckle tracking imaging (STI) in primary mitral regurgitation (MR) and to identify sensitive parameters of left ventricular deformation that reflect reduction of left ventricu-lar function after mitral valve repair.Methods We evaluated patients with primary MR who underwent mitral valve repair between May 2013 and June 2015.According to the reduction in ejection fraction (EF),the MR patients were divided into MR1 (EF reduction of ≤10％) and MR2 groups (EF reduction of ＞10％).The parameters of left ventricular deformation were measured by using 2-D STI.Results Compared with the MR1 group,the MR2 group had increased global longitudinal strain (GLS;P ＜ 0.05).A positive correlation was found between postoperative EF reduction and left ventricular intemal dimension at end-diastole,left ventricular internal dimension at end-systole,end-diastohc volume,left ventricular mass index,regurgitant volume,and GLS (P ＜ 0.05).GLS showed a diagnostic value in predicting EF reductions of ＞ 10％.Conclusion STI is useful for evaluating the postoperative reduction of left ventricular function in primary MR patients and thus is helpful for optimizing surgical timing.

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of calcium antagonists on anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) injury of cardiomyocytes. METHODS: Primary-cultured cardiomyocytes were divided into four groups, namely A/R, A/R+nifedipine(Nif), A/R+ruthenium red(Ru)+heparin (Hep) and control groups. The following parameters were measured in all groups: intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca 2+ ]i), cardiac cell viability, ATP content, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the medium, PKC and MAPK activity and -Leucine(-Leu) incorporation. RESULTS: In comparison with A/R group, A/R+nifedipine(Nif) and A/R+ruthenium red(Ru)+heparin (Hep) groups showed a marked decrease in [Ca 2+ ]i and LDH content, and a significant increase in cell viability ,ATP content, activity of PKC and MAPK and -Leu incorporation(P

AIM: To investigate the effects of intracellular free calcium ([Ca 2+ ]i) from different resources on the proliferation mediated by mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). METHODS: Cultured VSMCs were used in all experiments. Calcium influx was stimulated by angiotension Ⅱ(AngⅡ). The release of intracellular calcium stores was induced by inositol trisphosphate(IP 3) and ryanodine(RY). MAPK activity was measured by [?- 32 P]-ATP incorporation , MAPK protein expression by western blot, VSMCs proliferation by -Leucine(-Leu) and -Thymidine(-TdR) incorporation. RESULTS: Compared to the control VSMCs, AngⅡ, IP 3 and RY significantly increased [Ca 2+ ]i concentration , activity of MAPK and its protein content in VSMCs. The promotion of -Leu and -TdR incorporation in VSMCs was also observed ( P