Nitric oxide (NO), which is involved in the regulation of the cardiovascular system, nervous system, immune system, reproductive system, digestive system and other physiological activities, is an important biological substance with activity. Under normal physiological conditions, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) can precisely regulate the nervous system NO production, release, diffusion and inactivation processes. But an excess of NO associates with the development of cerebral ischemia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's psychosis nervous system diseases, while inhibition of nNOS activity can regulate the content of NO in vivo, and produce a therapeutic effect on some of the nervous system diseases. This review mainly describes the structure and regulation of nNOS and recent developments of small molecule inhibitors of nNOS.
Alzheimer Disease ; physiopathology ; Brain Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Parkinson Disease ; physiopathology

Effects of different drying methods including sun drying, steamed, boiled, constant temperature drying (at 40, 50, 60 °C) on appearance, hardness, rehydration ratio, dry rate, moisture, total ash, extractive and polysaccharides contents were studied to provide the basis of standard processing method for Tulipa edulis bulbus. The results showed that the treatments of sun drying and 40 °C drying showed higher rehydration ratios, but lower dry rate, higher hardness, worse color, longer time and obvious distortion and shrinkage in comparison with other drying methods. The treatments of 60 °C constant temperature drying resulted in shorter drying time, lower water and higher polysaccharides content. Drying time is shorter and appearance quality is better in the treatment of steaming and boiling compared with other treatments, but the content of extractive and polysaccharides decreased significantly. The treatments of 50 °C constant temperature drying led to similar appearance quality of bulb to commercial bulb, and it resulted in lowest hardness and highest dry rate as well as higher rehydration ratio, extractive and polysaccharides content, moderate moisture and total ash contents among these treatments. Based on the results obtained, 50 °C constant temperature drying is the better way for the processing of T. edulis bulbus.
Color ; Desiccation ; methods ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; analysis ; Quality Control ; Tulipa ; chemistry ; Water ; analysis

This study was aimed to investigate the proliferation activities and phenotype changes of DC, CIK and DC-CIK, and their cytotoxicity against hepatocarcinoma cells in co-culture of DC with CIK. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were isolated from healthy adult donors. After incubation of PBMNC for 2 hours, DCs were induced from adherent cells by some cytokines and CIKs were generated from non-adherent cells. Mature DCs were harvested after incubation for 9 days, and then were co-cultured with CIK at ratio of 1:5 for 3 days. The cytotoxicity activity against SMMC-7721 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line was detected by MTT assay. The results showed that CIK cells were able to lyse SMMC-7721 hepatocellular carcinoma cells at low ratios of effector to target. This effect was significantly enhanced by co-culture with DCs. It is concluded that CIK cells have high lytic activity against 7721 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, which can be enhanced by co-culture with DC. DC-CIK cells are highly effective immune cells.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; immunology ; pathology ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated ; cytology ; immunology ; Liver Neoplasms ; immunology ; pathology

AIMNineteen compounds related to salicylic acid were evaluated for their in vitro activity of inhibiting beta-lactamase isolated from a resistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and their structure-activity relationships were examined.

METHODSNitrocefin method was used.

RESULTSThe 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of salicylic acid inhibiting beta-lactamase was 22 mmol x L(-1); four analogs had IC50 lower than that of salicylic acid; fifteen analogs had IC50 higher than that of salicylic acid.

CONCLUSIONExamination of the structure-activity relationships of the compounds revealed that carboxyl group and adjoining hydroxyl group were active group, and replacement of adjoining hydroxyl by carboxyl increased activity nearly 4-fold. Moreover, addition of a sulfonic group at C-5 and nitro group at C-3, 5 of benzenoic ring of salicylic acid resulted in a 2-fold to 3-fold increase in activity, addition of a amino group at C-5 of benzenoic ring of salicylic acid decreased activity, add addition of -Cl or -F at C-2,4 position of benzenoic ring of benzoic acid did not show activity.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cephalosporins ; metabolism ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; enzymology ; Salicylates ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; beta-Lactamases ; isolation & purification ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) phosphorylation in HepG(2) cells in relation to HepG(2) cell survival under continuous low dose-rate irradiation.

METHODSHepG(2) cells were exposed to equivalent irradiation doses delivered at either a continuous low dose-rate (7.76 cGy/h) or a high dose-rate (4500 cGy/h), and the phosphorylated ATM proteins and surviving fraction of HepG(2) cells after the exposures were compared.

RESULTSThe phosphorylation of ATM protein was maximal at 0.5 Gy irradiation delivered at either a high doserate or a continuous low doserate. As the radiation dose increased, ATM protein phosphorylation decreased under continuous low dose-rate irradiation, but remained stable under high dose-rate irradiation. With comparable ATM protein phosphorylation induced by continuous low dose-rate irradiation and high dose-rate irradiation, there was no significant difference in the surviving fraction of HepG(2) cells (P>0.05), but at a significantly lower ATM protein phosphorylation level than that induced by high dose-rate irradiation, continuous low dose-rate irradiation resulted in increased cell killing (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONContinuous low dose-rate irradiation increases HepG(2) cells radiosensitivity as compared with high dose-rate irradiation. Increased cell killing following continuous low dose-rate irradiation is associated with reduced phosphorylated ATM protein, and inhibition of ATM phosphorylation may increase the radiosensitivity of HepG(2) cells.

Animals ; Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; radiation effects ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Humans ; Mice ; Phosphorylation ; radiation effects ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Radiation Tolerance ; radiation effects ; Time Factors ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of dendritic cells (DC) co-cultured with cytokine induced killer (CIK) cells on cytotoxicity against K562 and K562 drug-resistant (K562/ADM) cells.

METHODSPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC) isolated from healthy adult donors were induced to obtain CIK cells and DC respectively and then these two kinds of cells were co-cultured. The cytotoxicity of the co-cultured cells against K562 and K562/ADM cells was measured with MTT assay.

RESULTSThe cytotoxicity CIK cells alone to K562 and K562/ADM cells was (20.0 +/- 1.2)% - (61.1 +/- 2.2)% and (17.5 +/- 2.1)% - (45.2 +/- 3.3)% respectively at low effector to target ratios (2.5 - 20.0). This effect was significantly enhanced by co-culturing with DCs being (25.2 +/- 2.3)% - (70.9 +/- 4.1)% and (22.4 +/- 2.7)% - (62.3 +/- 5.0)%.

CONCLUSIONCIK cells showed high cytotoxicity against K562 and K562/ADM cells and the activity could be enhanced by co-culturing with DC.

Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; K562 Cells

OBJECTIVETo investigate the manifestation and diagnostic value of multislice spiral CT (MSCT) and MRI imaging in detection of tumor recurrence after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSThe clinical data of 161 consecutive HCC patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-nine HCC patients were classified by pTNM according to the "Pittsburgh criteria". MSCT and MRI findings of tumor recurrence after liver transplantation were evaluated retrospectively in 29 stage II-IVb HCC patients. The recurrence site and relapse interval between liver transplantation and recurrence were analyzed.

RESULTSLung tumor recurrence were found in 21 cases, presented as cotton-like lesions in a diameter of 2 - 3 cm, with a clear margin and homogeneous density. Pleural tumor recurrence was detected in 4 cases. Liver tumor recurrence were found in 9 cases, which can be divided into four subtypes: multinodular in 4 cases, diffuse lesion in 2 cases, huge mass in 2 cases, and uninodular in 1 case. Two cases showed tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava and portal vein. Lymph node tumor recurrence was found in 9 cases, presented as multiple nodules at hepatic hilum, lesser peritoneal sac, posterior mediastinum, retroperitoneum, or around pancreatic head, and accompanied with merging and necrosis in one case. Bone tumor recurrence were found as osteolytic destruction in 4 cases, and accompanied with adjacent soft-tissue mass in 2 cases. The recurrence sites of the 29 cases were as following: lung (21 cases, 72.4%), liver (9 cases, 31.0%), lymph nodes (9 cases, 31.0%), bone (4 cases, 13.8%) and other sites (3 cases, 10.3%). Lung tumor recurrence was found in all the 10 stage IVb patients with tumor recurrence after liver transplantation, significantly more frequent than that in stage IVa patients (P = 0.023). After liver transplantation, all 25 patients with stage III approximately IVb HCC developed recurrence within one year, but in the 4 cases with stage II HCC at one year later (P = 0.009).

CONCLUSIONThe results of our study show that in hepatocellular carcinoma patients after liver transplantation, the lung and pleura are the most frequent site of recurrence, followed by liver, lymph node and bone as the second and third sites. The Stage IVb hepatocellular carcinoma should be regarded as a contradiction for liver transplantation due to rapid recurrence. Tumor recurrence occurs later in stage II HCC than in stage III approximately IVb patients. MSCT and MRI are of significant importance in diagnosis and formulating operation plan in HCC patients with recurrence after liver transplantation.

Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; secondary ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Liver Transplantation ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; secondary ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating ; Pleural Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; secondary ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods