Gentianopsis barbata (G. barbata) represents a significant plant species with considerable ornamental and medicinal value in China. This investigation sought to elucidate the primary constituents within the plant and investigate their pharmacological properties. Fifty triterpenoids (1-50), including nine previously undescribed compounds (1, 2, 7, 10, 20, 28, 29, 37, and 41) were isolated and characterized from the whole plants of G. barbata. Notably, compounds 1 and 2 exhibited the novel 3,4;9,10-diseco-24-homo-cycloartane triterpenoid skeleton. The isolated triterpenoids demonstrated substantial anti-inflammatory activity through inhibition of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) cytokine secretion in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages, and hepatoprotective effects by preventing tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced oxidative injury in HepG2 cells. These results demonstrate both the presence of diverse triterpenoids in G. barbata and their therapeutic potential for inflammatory and hepatic conditions, providing scientific evidence supporting the clinical application of this traditional Mongolian medicinal plant.
Triterpenes/isolation & purification* ; Mice ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/isolation & purification* ; Animals ; Humans ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Hep G2 Cells ; Interleukin-6/genetics* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics* ; Medicine, Mongolian Traditional ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Protective Agents/isolation & purification* ; Liver/drug effects* ; Gentianaceae/chemistry* ; Plant Extracts/chemistry* ; Molecular Structure

Objective:To investigate the correlation between triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index on admission and unfavorable outcomes of patients with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI) at 6 months postinjury.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 277 patients with msTBI admitted to Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Nantong University from January 2019 to December 2022, including 208 males and 69 females, aged 18-88 years [(57.0±15.1)years]. Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores on admission were 3-8 points in 168 patients and 9-12 points in 109. According to the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) assessment at 6 months after injury, there were 121 patients with unfavorable outcomes (GOSE≤4 points) and 156 with favorable outcomes (GOSE≥5 points). The following indicators of the patients were recorded, including gender, age, history of diabetes, cause of injury, admission GCS, GCS motor score (GCSM), pupillary light reflex, worst Marshall CT classification within the first 24 hours after admission, admission TyG index, Mean Amplitude of Glycemic Excursions (MAGE) within 24 hours after admission, GCSM decline≥2 points within 72 hours after admission, craniotomy or not after admission, and prognosis, etc. TyG index served as the exposure variable focused in this study, which was calculated with fasting triglycerides and fasting blood glucose within 24 hours after admission. The 6-month prognosis of the patients was designated as the outcome variable of the study. After the patients were divided into different groups according to the three quantiles of the TyG index and unfavorable or favorable outcomes, the univariate analysis was conducted on watch variables, and variables with statistically significant differences were included in directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) for further identification of confounding variables. Factors which were found with no statistical significance in the univariate analysis but might affect insulin resistance after injury according to the authors′ previous researches were also included in the DAGs analysis. Three Logistic regression models were designed (Model 1 without correction, Model 2 with core variables of International Mission for Prognosis and Analysis of Clinical Trials in Traumatic Brain Injury (IMPACT) corrected, and Model 3 with confounding variables screened by DAGs corrected) to analyze whether the TyG index was an independent risk factor for the prognosis of msTBI patients. The optimal Logistic regression model was selected and then restricted cubic spline (RCS) was employed to investigate the relationship between the TyG index and the unfavorable outcomes.Results:The univariate analysis suggested that there were significant differences in gender, history of diabetes, MAGE, GCSM decline, and prognosis among the three quantiles of the TyG index ( P<0.05 or 0.01). Significant differences in age, history of diabetes, GCSM, pupillary light reflex, Marshall CT classification, TyG index, MAGE and GCSM decline were observed between unfavorable and favorable outcome groups ( P<0.05 or 0.01). The results of Logistic regression analysis that identified the confounding variables that influenced the correlation between the TyG index and unfavorable prognosis with DAGs suggested that a high TyG index level was significantly correlated with unfavorable outcomes in msTBI patients. Moreover, Model 3 that was corrected with confounding variables screened by DAGs had an optimal goodness-of-fit and adaptability. Model 3-based further RCS analysis indicated that the risk of unfavorable outcomes following msTBI may increase approximately linearly with the increase in TyG index within a certain range (TyG index<9.79). Conclusions:A high TyG index level on admission is the identified as an independent risk factor for unfavorable outcomes of patients with msTBI at 6 months postinjury. As the TyG index level increases, the risk of unfavorable outcomes also rises and may show a linear increasing trend within a certain range (TyG index<9.79).

Objective To study the effects of nano silver (Ag) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) on the content of nucleic acid in staphylococcus aureus in order to explore their antibacterial mechanisms.Methods After preparation of beef extract peptone liquid cultures,the effects of minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of nano Ag and TiO2 on staphylococcus aureus strains were determined.With the 1/2 MICs nano Ag and TiO2,the contents of DNA and RNA macromolecules from staphylococcus aureus cultures were measured to determine the damage degree of staphylococcus aureus cell membranes by ultraviolet spectrophotometer,and then the fluorescence intensities of the staphylococcus aureus cells were observed under fluorescence microscope and the fluorescence values were tested by fluorescence spectrophotometer to determine the contents of nucleic acid DNA and RNA.Results The MICs of nano Ag and TiO2 were 1.6 mg/mL and 5.781 μg/mL.After treatment with the 1/2 MICs nano Ag and TiO2,nano Ag group and TiO2 group were compared with the control group (culture fluid without adding antibacterial agent),respectively,and there were no significant differences in the contents of DNA and RNA macromolecules from staphylococcus aureus cultures between n anoAg group and control group as well as between TiO2 group and control group were (P＞0.05),and there were significant decreases in fluorescence intensities and the contents of nucleic acid DNA and RNA (P＜0.01).Conclusions Nano Ag and TiO2 had obvious antibacterial effects on staphylococcus aureus and the antibacterial properties of nano Ag was stronger than that of TiO2.The antibacterial mechanisms of nano Ag and TiO2 against staphylococcus aureus may be associated with the inhibition of the synthesis of nucleic acid DNA and RNA,inhibiting protein synthesis and then bacterial growth.

Objective: To investigate the influence of occupational aluminum exposure on cognitive function and glutamate receptor protein expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes in workers and the possibility of glutamate receptor being used as a biomarker for cognitive impairment in aluminum workers. Methods: From October to December, 2014, cluster sampling was performed to select 121 workers in aluminum electrolysis workshop as exposure group and 231 workers in thermoelectric workshop and logistics department as control group. Mini-Mental State Examination, clock drawing test, digit span test (DST) , verbal fluency test (VFT) , and Fuld Object-Memory (FOM) Evaluation were used to analyze cognitive function. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to measure plasma aluminum level as an exposure indicator. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the content of glutamate receptor proteins in peripheral blood lymphocytes, including the subunits of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor NR1, NR2A, and NR2B and metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1) . The correlation between cognitive function indices and the content of glutamate receptor proteins was analyzed. Results: There was no significant difference in plasma aluminum level between the control group and the exposure group (132.52±80.40 μg/L vs 182.88±72.32 μg/L, P>0.05) . According to the plasma aluminum level, the study subjects were divided into control group and low-, medium-, and high-level plasma aluminum groups, and there were significant differences in plasma aluminum level between these groups (all P<0.01) . The high-level plasma aluminum group had a significantly lower memory ability score than the control group and the low- and medium-level plasma aluminum groups (all P<0.05) . The high-level plasma aluminum group had lower DST and digital span forward (DSF) scores than the control group and the low-and medium-level plasma aluminum groups. The low-, medium-, and high-level plasma aluminum groups had lower digital span backward (DSB) scores than the control group. The medium-and high-level plasma aluminum groups had lower VFT scores than the control group and the low-level plasma aluminum group. The high-level plasma aluminum group had significantly lower expression of NR1 and NR2A proteins than the control group and the low-and medium-level plasma aluminum groups, and the medium- and high-level plasma aluminum groups had significantly higher expression of mGluR1 protein than the control group and the low-level plasma aluminum group (all P<0.05) . The expression of NR1 and NR2A proteins was negatively correlated with plasma aluminum level (r=-0.475 and -0.692, both P<0.05) , andthe expression of mGluR1 protein was positively correlated with plasma aluminum level (r=0.756, P<0.05) . The expression of NR1 protein was positively correlated with DSF, DSB, DST, and VFT scores (r_s=0.213, 0.249, 0.271, and 0.228, all P<0.05) , and the expression of NR2A protein was positively correlated with VFT score (r_s=0.206, P<0.05) . Conclusion Occupational aluminum exposure may affect workers’ memory function, and the expression of NR1 and NR2A in peripheral blood lymphocytes is correlated with cognitive function indices and can be used as biomarkers for cognitive impairment in aluminum workers.

OBJECTIVEIn this research, we have observed changes of PHF8、H3K9me2、BDNF, and their regulatory roles in changing the amplitude value of LTP in hippocampus due to aluminum exposure so that we can discuss the impact on the learning and memory that caused by chronic aluminum exposure.

METHODSForty healthy SPF grade SD male rats were randomly divided into four groups by weight, including control group and low, medium, high dose aluminum exposed group, each group had 10 rats. The exposed rats drank water containing different doses of aluminum chloride (AlCl3) (2、12、72 mg/kg Al(3+)) for 90 d. We measured LTP in hippocampus by electrophysiological grapier and detected the expression of PHF8、H3K9me2、BDNF by western-blot.

RESULTSElectrophysiological measurements shows that compared with that of control group, the average of fEPSPs was decreased at different time points in all exposed groups (P<0.01) . The results of western-bolt test demonstrated that the expression of PHF8 in the exposed groups were significantly lower than those of control group (P<0.01) . And the expression the of H3K9me2 of medium and high dose groups were significantly higher than control group (P<0.05) . While the expression of BDNF of medium and high dose groups were decreased compared with the control group (P<0.05) .

CONCLUSIONChronic aluminum exposure can reduce the LTP via the route of PHF8-H3K9me2-BDNF in the hippocampus of rats, which then may impair the ability of learning and memory.

Aluminum ; toxicity ; Aluminum Compounds ; toxicity ; Animals ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; metabolism ; Chlorides ; toxicity ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Histone Demethylases ; metabolism ; Learning ; drug effects ; Long-Term Potentiation ; drug effects ; Male ; Memory ; drug effects ; Pilot Projects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the association between serum aluminium level and methylation of the promoter region of amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene in workers engaged in aluminium electrolysis.Methods In 2012,366 electrolysis workers in an aluminium factory were enrolled as exposure group (working years ＞10 and age ＞40 years) and divided into low-exposure group and high-exposure group based on the median serum aluminium level.Meanwhile,102 workers in a cement plant not exposed to aluminium were enrolled as control group.Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure serum aluminium level,methylation specific PCR was used to measure the methylation rate of the promoter region of APP gene,and ELISA was used to measure the protein expression of APP in lymphocytes in peripheral blood.Results The exposure group had a significantly higher serum aluminium level than the control group(45.07 μg/L vs 30.51 μg/L,P＜0.01).The exposure group had a significantly lower methylation rate of the promoter region of APP gene than the control group (18.85％ vs 25.49％,P=0.025),and the high-exposure group had a significantly lower methylation rate of the promoter region of APP gene than the low-exposure group (15.84％ vs 21.85％,P＜0.05).The exposure group had a significantly higher protein expression of APP in lymphocytes in peripheral blood than the control group (66.73 ng/ml vs 54.17 ng/ml,P＜0.05);compared with the low-exposure group (65.39 ng/ml),the high-exposure group showed an increase in the protein expression of APP in lymphocytes in peripheral blood (67.22 ng/ml),but there was no significant difference between these two groups (P＞0.05).The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that with reference to the control group,low aluminium exposure (OR=1.86,95％CI 1.67～3.52) and high aluminium exposure (OR=2.98,95％CI 1.97～4.15) were risk factors for a reduced methylation rate of the promoter region of APP gene.Conclusion Reduced methylation of the promoter region of APP gene may be associated with increased serum aluminium level,and downregulated methylation of the promoter region of APP gene may accelerate APP gene transcription.

Objective To investigate the association between serum aluminium level and methylation of the promoter region of amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene in workers engaged in aluminium electrolysis.Methods In 2012,366 electrolysis workers in an aluminium factory were enrolled as exposure group (working years ＞10 and age ＞40 years) and divided into low-exposure group and high-exposure group based on the median serum aluminium level.Meanwhile,102 workers in a cement plant not exposed to aluminium were enrolled as control group.Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure serum aluminium level,methylation specific PCR was used to measure the methylation rate of the promoter region of APP gene,and ELISA was used to measure the protein expression of APP in lymphocytes in peripheral blood.Results The exposure group had a significantly higher serum aluminium level than the control group(45.07 μg/L vs 30.51 μg/L,P＜0.01).The exposure group had a significantly lower methylation rate of the promoter region of APP gene than the control group (18.85％ vs 25.49％,P=0.025),and the high-exposure group had a significantly lower methylation rate of the promoter region of APP gene than the low-exposure group (15.84％ vs 21.85％,P＜0.05).The exposure group had a significantly higher protein expression of APP in lymphocytes in peripheral blood than the control group (66.73 ng/ml vs 54.17 ng/ml,P＜0.05);compared with the low-exposure group (65.39 ng/ml),the high-exposure group showed an increase in the protein expression of APP in lymphocytes in peripheral blood (67.22 ng/ml),but there was no significant difference between these two groups (P＞0.05).The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that with reference to the control group,low aluminium exposure (OR=1.86,95％CI 1.67～3.52) and high aluminium exposure (OR=2.98,95％CI 1.97～4.15) were risk factors for a reduced methylation rate of the promoter region of APP gene.Conclusion Reduced methylation of the promoter region of APP gene may be associated with increased serum aluminium level,and downregulated methylation of the promoter region of APP gene may accelerate APP gene transcription.

We describe a modified technique for the in vitro study of human spermatozoal penetration into hamster oocytes which is easier to master and more simple to perform and needs no complicated facilities.It comprises the following aspects:1 The hamster oviduct is stained with 1％ neutral red agar slics, so that the opening of the oviduct is easy to find and easy to be inserted with needle for flushing eggs.2. A special small tube,3 cm long with a diameter of 0.5 cm is used for fertilization instead of plastic dish with paraffin oil covering the media.3. Ordinary incubator is used rather than CO_2 incubator. With these procedures, the sperm penetration rates we got were 75％, 25％, 40％, 80％ and 46％ respectively in 5 experiments. It could meet the needs to evaluate the fertilizing capacity of human spermatozoa.