High-definition and robust visualization of latent fingerprints utilizing ultrabright aggregation-induced emission of iridium developer.

Creation of AIEgens with high brightness is compactly related to acquiring optimum AIE capabilities and still faces challenges. This study proposes an ingenious structurally regulative approach for preparing ultrabright AIEgens, taking iridium complexes as the model. The incremental rotational activity of substituents obtained by fine adjustment of the stereoscopic configuration efficaciously activates the AIE of iridium complexes and synchronously imparts high-brightness luminescence. Subsequently, benefitting from the ultrabright AIE, high-resolution visualization of latent fingerprints (LFPs) is achieved on diverse substrates by transient immersion in a solution of the AIE-active iridium complex (Ir3) for 60 s. The LFPs stained by Ir3 are integral and distinct enough to possess level 1-3 detail features, which allow precisely realizing personal identification. The LFP photograph emerges inconspicuous attenuation of contrast when aged under ambient light for 10 days and then being continuously irradiated with high-power ultraviolet light for 1 h, reflecting extraordinary aging resistance. Notably, the ultrabright AIE of Ir3 with room-temperature phosphorescence feature successfully achieves enhanced visualization of local fingerprint details with ultrahigh contrast. This LFP visualization protocol based on the ultrabright AIEgens is practical and provides a reliable solution for forensic investigations in actual scenarios.

Genetic diversity and main functional composition of Lingzhi strains from main producing areas in China.

In this study, we used genotyping by sequencing (GBS) to examine the genetic diversity of 22 strains of Lingzhi and the quality differences in 15 fruit bodies of Lingzhi from different Chinese regions. The phylogenetic trees of 22 strains were constructed based on ITS (Internal transcribed spacer) and SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism). Moisture, ash, water-soluble extracts, alcohol-soluble extracts, polysaccharides, and triterpenoids from 15 fruit bodies of Lingzhi were detected and analyzed based on Chinese Pharmacopoeia and the US Pharmacopoeia references. Moreover, the monosaccharide composition of polysaccharides was studied using PMP-HPLC, and the effect of polysaccharides on the proliferation rate of splenocytes was investigated in vitro. The identification results of these strains by the phylogenetic trees which were constructed based on ITS sequences and SNPs showed that most of the strains applied in the main producing areas of Lingzhi in China were accurate except for a few inaccurate strains. The moisture, ash, water and alcohol soluble extractive, polysaccharide and triterpenoid content of all samples were meet the requirements of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, while the polysaccharide and triterpenoid content of less than half of the samples meet the requirements of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia. The polysaccharide extracted from these samples have different effects on the proliferation rate of spleen cells. To sum up, this is the first study that reported on the differences in Lingzhi strains from the main producing areas in China. The quality of some fruit bodies did not meet the pharmacopeia requirements, and wrong strains were used in some production areas; thus, strains should be given special attention before legal processing.

Journey of Poly(ethylene Glycol) in Living Cells.

As the gold standard for stealth polymer materials, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) has been widely used in drug delivery with excellent properties such as low toxicity, reduced immunogenicity, good water solubility, and so forth. However, lack of understanding for the fate of PEG and PEGylated delivery systems at the cellular level has limited the application of PEGylated molecules in diagnosis and therapy. Here, we chose linear PEG 5k as a representative model and focused on the internalization behavior and mechanism, intracellular trafficking, sub-cellular localization, and cellular exocytosis of PEG and PEGylated molecules in living cells. Our investigation showed that PEG could be internalized into cells in 1 h. The internalized PEG was localized to lysosome, cytosol, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria. Importantly, the fate of PEG in cells could be regulated by conjugating different small molecules. PEGylated rhodamine B (PEG-RB) as the positively charged macromolecule was internalized into cells by micropinocytosis and then transported in lysosomes, ER, and mitochondria via vesicles sequentially. In contrast, PEGylated pyropheophorbide-a (PEG-PPa) as the negatively charged macromolecule was internalized into cells and transported to lysosomes ultimately. PEGylation slowed down the exocytosis process of RB and PPa and significantly prolonged their residence time inside the cells. These findings improve the understanding of how PEG and PEGylated molecules interact with the biological system at cellular and sub-cellular levels, which is of significance to rational PEGylation design for drug delivery.

Inhibitory effect of triterpenoids from the mushroom Inonotus obliquus against α-glucosidase and their interaction: Inhibition kinetics and molecular stimulations.

Bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of a series of triterpenoids (1-46) including 12 new ones (1-12) from the mushroom Inonotus obliquus. The structures of all the compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis as well as by comparison with literature data. Triterpenoids 1-3, 6, 7, 16, 24, 25, 27, 38, 43, 44 and 46 showed strong α-glucosidase inhibition, with IC50 values from 11.5 to 81.8 µM. Their structure-activity relationships were discussed. Inonotusol F (24) showed the strongest inhibitory activity and it presented noncompetitive inhibition against α-glucosidase. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics stimulation further demonstrated that GLU302 and PHE298 were key amino acids for the inhibition of inonotusol F (24) towards α-glucosidase. This study indicates the vital role of triterpenoids in explaining hypoglycemic effect of Inonotus obliquus and provides important evidence for further development and utilization of this mushroom.

4-Methoxydalbergione is a potent inhibitor of human astroglioma U87 cells in vitro and in vivo.

Astroglioma is the most common primary tumor in the central nervous system without effective treatment strategies. Temozolomide (TMZ) is a chemotherapeutic drug to treat astroglioma but exhibits low potency and has side effects. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new compounds to treat astroglioma. Dalbergia sissoo Roxb was the source of Dalbergia odorifera in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and has been clinically used as an anti-tumor medicine. 4-Methoxydalbergione (4MOD) is purified from Dalbergia sissoo Roxb., and shows an inhibitory effect on osteosarcoma, but its effects on astroglioma have not been reported. Here, we evaluate its anti-astroglioma effects on both in vitro and in vivo models. In cultured astroglioma U87 cells, 4MOD inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Compared with TMZ, 4MOD exhibited a tenfold greater potency of anti-astroglioma effects. 4MOD effectively stalled the cell cycle in G2 phase. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) showed that 4MOD upregulated 158 genes and downregulated 204 genes that are mainly enriched in cell membrane, cell division, cell cycle, p53, TNF, and MAPK signaling pathways, which may underlie its anti-tumor mechanisms. In a nude mouse xenograft model transplanted with U87 cells, 10 mg/kg 4MOD slowed down tumor growth rate, while at 30 mg/kg dose, it reduced tumor size. Collectively, this study demonstrates that 4MOD is a potent native compound that remarkably inhibits U87 astroglioma growth in both in vitro and in vivo models.

Improvement in Psychological Condition of Patients With Persistent Moderate-Severe Allergic Rhinitis by Drug Therapy Combined With Psychological Intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of drug treatment combined with psychological intervention on mental disorders in patients with persistent moderate-severe allergic rhinitis. METHODS: Sixty patients with persistent moderate-severe allergic rhinitis who met the criteria were randomly divided into 2 groups: control group and experimental group. The control group was only given medication, whereas the experimental group was given psychological intervention on the basis of the same medication. Cognitive behavioral therapy was used for psychological intervention. After 12 weeks of treatment, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) were used to evaluate the changes in anxiety, depression, and quality of life before and after treatment. RESULTS: The SAS and SDS scores of the control group after treatment were lower than those before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant. Similarly, the SAS and SDS scores of the experimental group after treatment were lower than those before treatment with statistically significant difference. In addition, after treatment, the SAS and SDS scores of the experimental group were statistically lower than those of the control group. The results of RQLQ showed that the scores of each dimension in the control group after treatment were lower than those before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant. Similar results were found in the experimental group. After treatment with these 2 different schemes, the RQLQ scores of sleep, nonnasal/eye symptoms, and emotion in the experimental group were statistically lower than those in the control group. CONCLUSION: Drug therapy or drug therapy combined with psychological intervention can alleviate anxiety and depression of patients with persistent moderate-severe allergic rhinitis and improve their quality of life. Moreover, based on the effect of improving mental disorder and quality of life of patients, drug therapy combined with psychological intervention is better than drug treatment alone.

Allergic sensitization in patients with rhinitis and bronchial asthma in Ningxia region of China.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma are common allergic diseases. The pattern of dominant allergens depends on the degree of urbanization and the geographic region. The present study characterized the allergens of patients with allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma in Ningxia region of China. METHODS: A total of 309 patients were enrolled in this study. Western blotting assays were performed of the serum samples to evaluate allergen-specific IgE antibody for inhaled and ingested allergens. Statistical analysis was performed to compare the positive rate among different subgroups. RESULTS: Among the 309 patients, 221 of them had positive test results. There were 157 positive cases for ingested allergens and 174 positive cases for inhaled allergens. No significant differences in positive rates were found between the ingested and inhaled allergens. Among the inhaled allergens, Artemisia was the most frequent allergen, followed by fungi and dog hair. Cashew was the most common ingested allergen, followed by crab, mango, and beef. Further analysis showed no significant differences in positive rate between males and females. However, significant differences in positive rate of inhaled and ingested allergens were found between children (1-13 years old) and adults (above 18 years old) (P < .05), while no significant differences were found between the children and teenagers (14-18 years old). For the comparison between teenagers and adults, significant difference in positive rate was found only in the ingested allergen. CONCLUSION: This study provided the characteristics of allergens in Ningxia population, providing clinical and epidemiological data for prevention and treatment of the diseases in the region.

Correlation between IL-17A expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and cells and pathogenesis of NPC in endemic areas.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the correlation between the expression of IL-17A in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and cells and the occurrence and development of NPC was also investigated. METHODS: Forty-five NPC biopsy specimens from January 2014 to January 2016 were selected. Forty-five NPC tissue specimens and 45 chronic nasopharyngitis tissue samples were detected by immunohistochemistry. Statistical methods were used to analyze the correlation between IL-17A expression and the clinicopathological variables of NPC. The NPC patients were followed up. The levels of IL-17A mRNA in 40 NPC tissue specimens and 45 chronic nasopharyngitis tissue samples were detected by real-time PCR. IL-17A expression in 15 NPC tissue specimens and chronic nasopharyngitis tissue samples was further detected by Western blotting assays. RESULTS: IL-17A expression in NPC tissues was significantly higher than that of chronic nasopharyngitis tissues (P < 0.05). IL-17A was expressed in the nucleus and cytoplasm of both NPC tissues and chronic nasopharyngitis tissues. Stage III + IV NPC, tumor volume ≥ 50 mm, and hepatic envelope invasion and cervical lymph node metastasis were associated with significantly higher IL-17A levels versus stage I + II NPC, tumor size < 50 mm, no membrane invasion and lack of cervical lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). IL-17A was statistically associated with tissue differentiation, serum EBV-lgA levels, and EBV infection. IL-17A-positive patients had significantly longer median survival versus IL-17A-negative patients (21.0 vs. 13.0 months, log-rank test: P < 0.05). Furthermore, 65% (26/40) of NPC tissue samples had significantly higher IL-17A mRNA levels than chronic nasopharyngitis (P < 0.05). IL-17A expression was significantly higher in NPC ≥ 50 mm, stage III + IV NPC and NPC with cervical lymph node invasion than its corresponding chronic nasopharyngitis tissue. CONCLUSION: IL-17A may be involved in the regulation of various malignant biological behaviors of NPC, which is closely related to the occurrence and development of NPC.

Molecular detection of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers in circulating tumor cells from pancreatic cancer patients: Potential role in clinical practice.

AIM: To evaluate the clinical properties of three subpopulations of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) undergoing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients. METHODS: We identified CTCs for expression of the epithelial cell marker cytokeratin or epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) (E-CTC), the mesenchymal cell markers vimentin and twist (M-CTC), or both (E/M-CTC) using the CanPatrol system. Between July 2014 and July 2016, 107 patients with PDAC were enrolled for CTC evaluation. CTC enumeration and classification were correlated with patient clinicopathological features and outcomes. RESULTS: CTCs were detected in 78.5% of PDAC patients. The number of total CTCs ranged from 0 to 26 across all 107 patients, with a median value of six. CTC status correlated with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, distant metastasis, blood lymphocyte counts, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that patients with ≥ 6 total CTCs had significantly decreased overall survival and progression-free survival compared with patients with < 6 total CTCs. The presence of M-CTCs was positively correlated with TNM stage (P < 0.01) and distant metastasis (P < 0.01). Additionally, lymphocyte counts and NLR in patients without CTCs were significantly different from those in patients testing positive for each CTC subpopulation (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Classifying CTCs by EMT markers helps to identify the more aggressive CTC subpopulations and provides useful evidence for determining a suitable clinical approach.

The dependence of oxygen sensitivity on the molecular structures of Ir(iii) complexes and their application for photostable and reversible luminescent oxygen sensing.

Three Ir(iii) complexes IrC1, IrC2, and IrC3 substituted with 4-(diphenylamino)phenyl (TPA), 4-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl (Cz1), and 9-phenyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl (Cz2) moieties were prepared and fully characterized as phosphorescent emitters. In comparison with Ir(ppy)3, introduction of TPA, Cz1, and Cz2 moieties strongly improved the oxygen sensitivities of IrC1-IrC3. Short-decayed IrC1 with I 0/I 100 of 168.6 and K app SV of 202.2 bar-1 in THF exhibited the highest sensitivity for oxygen. TPA and Cz moieties caused remarkable collision radius variations of the Ir(iii) complexes with 2.13 ± 0.08 for σ IrC1/σ Ir(ppy)3 , 1.24 ± 0.06 for σ IrC2/σ Ir(ppy)3 , and 1.54 ± 0.08 for σ IrC3/σ Ir(ppy)3 . For demonstrating the dependence of oxygen sensitivity on the molecular structure of the oxygen-sensitive probes (OSPs), the delocalization of spin populations (DSPs) has been applied for the first time to confirm the collision radius variations of Ir(iii) complexes. Remarkable DSPs were found on the TPA, Cz1, and Cz2 moieties with the spin population (percentage of the spin population) of 0.23210 (11.61%), 0.08862 (4.43%), and 0.13201 (6.60%), respectively. And strong linear correlations (R 2 = 0.997) between the collision radius variations and spin population on TPA and Cz moieties were apparent. The DSPs could be used to describe the dependence of oxygen sensitivity on the molecular structure of the OSPs. For achieving real-time oxygen sensing, the photostability, oxygen sensing performance, and operational stability of IrC1-IrC3 and Ir(ppy)3 immobilized in ethyl cellulose (EC) were investigated. The IrC1-EC film demonstrated outstanding photostability after 60 min of irradiation and excellent operational stability for continuous oxygen monitoring with no attenuation of the original emission intensity in 4000 s. This study quantified and analyzed the dependence of oxygen sensitivity on the molecular structure of Ir(iii) complexes for the first time and illustrated a feasible approach to achieve high-efficiency sensors for real-time monitoring of oxygen.

Selective sensing and visualization of pesticides by ABW-type metal-organic framework based luminescent sensors.

A new ABW-type luminescent metal-organic framework (MOF) namely (H3O)[Zn2L(H2O)]·3NMP·6H2O (1), constructed with eco-friendly Zn2+ and the multicarboxylate intraligand (LH5) was designed, synthesized and fully characterized by X-ray single-crystal diffraction, steady-state absorption and emission spectroscopy, and SEM observations. The MOF-based suspension sensor 1 (NMP) demonstrated high sensitivity to low-concentration pesticides of chlorothalonil (CTL), nitrofen (NF), trifluralin (TFL), and 2,6-dichloro-4-nitroaniline (DCN), which was assigned to the synergistic effect of the photoinduced electron transfer and the fluorescence resonance energy transfer. With the highest luminescent detection efficiency (K SV up to 11.194 µmol-1 and LOD down to 2.93 ppm) to DCN, 1 (NMP) was successfully applied for the selective sensing of DCN. The MOF-based film sensor 1 (film) illustrated the selective visualization sensing of trace amounts of DCN. In addition, based on the high saturated vapor pressure of TFL and the unique bathochromic shift effect to the emission maxima of 1, the MOF-based luminescent vapor sensing device 1 (LED) successfully exhibited operability for sensing of TFL vapor. The results illustrated a feasible approach to construct new MOF-based luminescent sensors for selective sensing and visualization of pesticides.

Nicotine induced autophagy of Leydig cells rather than apoptosis is the major reason of the decrease of serum testosterone.

A new report has shown that nicotine exposure can decrease serum testosterone by apoptosis in Leydig cells; however, in our previous studies, we have almost never observed apoptosis there. The purpose of this study is to ensure whether apoptosis or autophagy in Leydig cells occurred. Our results confirmed again that the concentration of testosterone in the sera of nicotine-treated mice statistically decreased (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the data of single cell transcriptome indicated that the expression of autophagy-related genes was increased after nicotine exposure. Likewise, chemical and immune-histological staining demonstrated that autophagy of the Leydig cells increased after nicotine treatment rather than apoptosis. Apoptosis mainly exists in spermatids. Further, the expression of autophagy-related genes, such as Beclin1 and LC3, were up-regulated after nicotine exposure (P < 0.05). Additionally, the data of transmission electron microscopy showed more autophagosomes in the Leydig cells of the nicotine-exposed groups than the cells of the control groups. Moreover, immunofluorescent staining of LC3 in the TM3 Leydig cell line indicated that rapamycin and nicotine exposure up-regulates the autophagy phenotype/process and down-regulates their testosterone synthesis. In addition, the methylation level of the promoter region of TCL1 is increased in the nicotine-treated group compared to the control group, consequently decreasing the expression of TCL1. In conclusion, the autophagy in Leydig cells induced by nicotine, which is set by the hyper-methylation of the TCL1 promoter region via the TCL1-mTOR-autophagy signaling pathway.

The influence of molecular structure on collision radius for optical sensing of molecular oxygen based on cyclometalated Ir(iii) complexes.

Three triphenylamine (TPA) substituted cyclometalated Ir(iii) complexes IrA1, IrA2, and IrA3 based on Ir(ppy)3 were synthesized and applied as phosphorescent probes for the monitoring of molecular oxygen. The phosphorescence intensity of all the Ir(iii) complexes in tetrahydrofuran (THF) was gradually quenched with an increase of oxygen concentration. The increase of TPA substituents on the meta-position of 2-phenylpyridine (IrA1-IrA3) gradually improved the oxygen sensitivity of cyclometalated Ir(iii) complexes. IrA3 showed the highest oxygen sensitivity in THF with a K app SV of 204.8 bar-1 and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.27 mbar. The relationship between molecular structure and the collision radiuses (σ) of all the Ir(iii) complexes has been investigated on the basis of the Demas model and the fundamental expression of luminescence quenching systems by oxygen. The ratio of collision radiuses are σ IrA1/σ Ir(ppy)3 = 1.27 ± 0.05, σ IrA2/σ Ir(ppy)3 = 1.72 ± 0.10, and σ IrA3/σ Ir(ppy)3 = 2.13 ± 0.07, respectively. The introduction and increase of TPA substituents can obviously increase the collision radiuses of cyclometalated Ir(iii) complexes which leading to potential oxygen sensitivity. And the incremental effect of collision radiuses caused by the introduction of TPA substituents resulted in outstanding oxygen sensitivity of IrA3. The results demonstrate for the first time evidence between molecular structure and oxygen sensitivity of the emitters for optical sensing.

Relationship between gut microbiota and type 2 diabetic erectile dysfunction in Sprague-Dawley rats.

In order to investigate the relationship between gut microbiota and type 2 diabetic erectile dysfunction (T2DED), we analyzed the characteristics of gut microbiota in the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with T2DED. Thirty-five SD rats were randomly divided into two groups: control group (n=15) with normal diet, and experimental group (n=20) with construction of T2D model. Faecal and serum samples were collected at 2nd and 8th week after establishment of T2D model, respectively. Faecal samples were used for analysis of gut microbiota, and serum samples for detection of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and inflammatory factors like interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-2, IL-10, and monocyte chemoattractantprotein-1 (MCP-1). The main compositions of gut microbiota were Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes at the phylum level, and Oscillospira, Allobaculum, Bacteroides, Ruminococcus, SMB53, Prevotella, Coprococcus, Sutterella and Blautia at the genus level with relatively higher abundance in all SD rats. The relative abundance of Enterococcus, Corynebacterium, Aerococcus, Facklamia (opportunistic pathogens in most case) increased, and that of Allobaculum, Bifidobacterium, Eubacterium, Anaerotruncus (beneficial bacteria) decreased in T2DED group as compared with that at 2nd week after establishment of T2D model (T2D2 group). The serum contents of TMAO, LPS, IL-1, IL-2, IL-10 and MCP-1 in T2DED group were significantly higher than those in control group. The gut microbiota of T2DED rats was inhibited. The gut microbiota of T2DED rats had changed, as the relative abundance of beneficial bacterium was decreased while that of opportunistic pathogens was increased. The variations of gut microbiota might lead to inflammation and prompt the emergence of erectile dysfunction in the rats with T2D. TMAO might play an important role in the formation of T2DED.

Total triterpenoids from Ganoderma Lucidum suppresses prostate cancer cell growth by inducing growth arrest and apoptosis.

In this study, one immortalized human normal prostatic epithelial cell line (BPH) and four human prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP, 22Rv1, PC-3, and DU-145) were treated with Ganoderma Lucidum triterpenoids (GLT) at different doses and for different time periods. Cell viability, apoptosis, and cell cycle were analyzed using flow cytometry and chemical assays. Gene expression and binding to DNA were assessed using real-time PCR and Western blotting. It was found that GLT dose-dependently inhibited prostate cancer cell growth through induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G1 phase. GLT-induced apoptosis was due to activation of Caspases-9 and -3 and turning on the downstream apoptotic events. GLT-induced cell cycle arrest (mainly G1 arrest) was due to up-regulation of p21 expression at the early time and down-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) and E2F1 expression at the late time. These findings demonstrate that GLT suppresses prostate cancer cell growth by inducing growth arrest and apoptosis, which might suggest that GLT or Ganoderma Lucidum could be used as a potential therapeutic drug for prostate cancer.

Effect of bajijiasu isolated from Morinda officinalis F. C. how on sexual function in male mice and its antioxidant protection of human sperm.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: In recent years, the physiological aspects of human fertility have been seriously influenced by the interactions of genetic and environmental factors. Almost one in 20 males has been affected by male infertility, providing a great challenge and an opportunity to use natural compounds as alternatives to chemical drugs with comprehensive adverse effects. However, ample evidences are scanty to support the physiological mechanisms of natural compounds used to treat male infertility. In traditional Chinese medicine, Morinda officinalis F. C. How is widely used as a herb that invigorates the kidneys and supports yang, the original energy in the human body, to resist diseases and in treating male infertility. In this study, we evaluated whether bajijiasu isolated from the roots of M. officinalis F.C. How is a potential agent for the treatment of male infertility. MATERIALS AND METHOD: In this study, both normal and kidney-yang-deficient mice were administered bajijiasu orally at different concentrations. To determine the pharmacological mechanism of bajijiasu, we observed the sexual behavior and genital organ coefficients, determined their serum hormone levels, analyzed their sperm quality parameters, and examined histopathological sections from them. We also used enzymatic assays to determine the effects of bajijiasu on superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde. Confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the changes in the DNA of H2O2-damaged human sperm after treatment with bajijiasu in vitro. RESULTS: Our results showed that bajijiasu enhanced the sexual behavior of both normal and kidney-yang-deficient mice. It also markedly increased the testosterone concentrations, reduced the levels of cortisol, improved the quality of the sperm, and counteracted the histopathological impairment induced by hydroxyurea in the kidney-yang-deficient mice. The enzymatic assay and Raman spectra showed that bajijiasu protects the DNA of sperm from damage by H2O2. CONCLUSION: Bajijiasu is a potential androgen-like drug that modulates hormone levels to some extent without producing reproductive-organ lesions, enhances the sexual function of male mice, and protects the DNA of human sperm from H2O2 damage. Thus, bajijiasu is an active ingredient of M. officinalis F.C. How that improves the human reproductive capacity.

Rare earths exposure and male infertility: the injury mechanism study of rare earths on male mice and human sperm.

The weight; testis/body coefficient; levels of LDH, SDH, SODH, G-6PD, and testosterone; cell cycle; and cell apoptosis of the male mice were influenced after being treated with 200 mg/[kg/day] of rare earths suspension for 3 weeks. The "Raman fingerprints" of the human sperm DNA exposed to 0.040 mg/ml CeCl3 were very different from those of the untreated; the Raman bands at 789 cm(-1) (backbone phosphodiester), PO4 backbone at 1,094 cm(-1), methylene deformation mode at 1,221 cm(-1), methylene deformation mode at 1,485 cm(-1), and amide II at 1,612 cm(-1), of which intensities and shifts were changed, might be the diagnostic biomarkers or potential therapeutic targets. The injury mechanism might be that the rare earths influence the oxidative stress and blood testosterone barrier, tangle the big biomolecule concurrently, which might cause the testicular cells and vascular system disorder and/or dysfunction, and at the same time change the physical and chemical properties of the sperm directly.

Antioxidative protective effect of icariin on the FeSO4/H 2O 2-damaged human sperm based on confocal raman micro-spectroscopy.

Oxidative stress is implicated in male infertility and significantly higher reactive oxygen species are detected in 25% of infertile males. Although different agents of various alternative medicines, including traditional Chinese medicine, have been tried with varying success, evidence remains limited on whether and how much herbs or supplements might help increase the anti-oxidant ability of the sperm. This study examined the anti-oxidative effects of icariin, a flavonoid isolated from Herba Epimedii, on the human sperm. We prepared the FeSO4/H2O2-damaged human sperms, which were co-cultured with icariin in vitro, and then observed the changes of the sperm by employing Raman micro-spectroscopy. The results showed that Raman mapping with a 514 nm excitation laser allowed clear differentiation of the nucleus, neck, and, in particular, the mitochondria-rich middle piece of a human sperm cell. The effect of icariin on different organelles of the sperm was quantified by localized spectral Raman signatures obtained within milli-seconds, and icariin could keep the "Raman fingerprint" of the human sperm the same as the control groups, suggesting that icariin could protect the human sperm from being damaged by FeSO4/H2O2. Icariin may serve as a tonifying and replenishing agent of herbal origin for enhancing reproductive functions.

Protective effects of bajijiasu in a rat model of Aß25₋35-induced neurotoxicity.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVENCE: Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) caused by neurons and/or myelin loss lead to devastating effects on patients׳ lives. Although the causes of such complex diseases have not yet been fully elucidated, oxidative stress, mitochondrial and energy metabolism dysfunction, excitotoxicity, inflammation, and apoptosis have been recognized as influential factors. Current therapies that were designed to address only a single target are unable to mitigate or prevent disease progression, and disease-modifying drugs are desperately needed, and Chinese herbs will be a good choice for screening the potential drugs. Previous studies have shown that bajijiasu, a dimeric fructose isolated from Morinda officinalis radix which was used frequently as a tonifying and replenishing natural herb medicine in traditional Chinese medicine clinic practice, can prevent ischemia-induced neuronal damage or death. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In order to investigate whether bajijiasu protects against beta-amyloid (Aß25₋35)-induced neurotoxicity in rats and explore the underlying mechanisms of bajijiasu in vivo, we prepared an Alzheimer׳s disease (AD) model by injecting Aß25-35 into the bilateral CA1 region of rat hippocampus and treated a subset with oral bajijiasu. We observed the effects on learning and memory, antioxidant levels, energy metabolism, neurotransmitter levels, and neuronal apoptosis. RESULTS: Bajijiasu ameliorated Aß-induced learning and memory dysfunction, enhanced antioxidative activity and energy metabolism, and attenuated cholinergic system damage. Our findings suggest that bajijiasu can enhance antioxidant capacity and prevent free radical damage. It can also enhance energy metabolism and monoamine neurotransmitter levels and inhibit neuronal apoptosis. CONCLUSION: The results provide a scientific foundation for the use of Morinda officinalis and its constituents in the treatment of various AD. Future studies will assess the multi-target activity of the drug for the treatment of AD.

Raman spectroscopy as an ex vivo noninvasive approach to distinguish complete and incomplete spermatogenesis within human seminiferous tubules.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential clinical application of Raman spectroscopy (RS) as a tool that may identify spermatogenesis within human seminiferous tubules. DESIGN: RS scanning of human testicular tissue at different maturational stages; immunohistochemistry study and metabolomic analysis of nonobstructive azoospermic/obstructive azoospermic testes. SETTING: State-owned hospital. PATIENT(S): Fifty-two patients with clinical indications of nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) and obstructive azoospermia (OA) who underwent infertility evaluation and treatment. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT(S): Raman spectra of seminiferous tubules, thickness of lamina propria (LP), immunohistochemistry of type I, III, and IV collagens and laminin, metabolites of human testes. RESULT(S): Tubules of OA patients had spectral intensities below 2,000 (au), while tubules of NOA patients had higher intensities, depending on the degree of spermatogenesis. RS was able to separate samples of NOA and OA testicular tissue with a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 85.71%. The LP of NOA tubules were thickened and had increased deposition of type I and type III collagens. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) detected 12 metabolites that showed significant differences between NOA and OA testes. CONCLUSION(S): RS can noninvasively distinguish seminiferous tubules with complete and incomplete spermatogenesis and may serve as a novel and potentially useful tool to guide surgeons performing micro-testicular sperm extraction to improve sperm retrieval.