Dimethyl Sulfoxide Provides Three Different Units in Synthesis of Chroman-4-ones Containing Sulfur and a Quaternary Carbon Center under HOAc Conditions.

HOAc-promoted construction of chroman-4-ones with a sulfur atom and an α-carbonyl quaternary carbon center directly from ortho-hydroxyacetophenones and DMSO is described. In these unique reactions, DMSO is activated by HOAc and provides three different units (CH2, CH2OH, and CH2SMe) in the target molecules. This reaction displays good substrate scope and reaction yields with a series of substitutes. The mechanism showed that the three units were formed in sequential order.

First report of the prevalence and genetic characterization of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in Yunling cattle in Yunnan Province, southwestern China.

Yunling cattle is an unique cattle breed distributed in Yunnan Province, southwestern China. It is yet to know whether Yunling cattle are infected with Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp.. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the prevalence and characterize the assemblages of G. duodenalis and species of Cryptosporidium spp. in Yunling cattle in Yunnan province. The overall prevalence of G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. were 10.49% (41/391) and 0.77% (3/391), respectively. The age was considered as the risk factor for Yunling cattle infection with G. duodenalis (χ2 = 8.082, OR = 2.56, P = 0.004). Two assemblages of G. duodenalis, assemblage A (n = 1) and assemblage E (n = 40), were identified by amplification of the ß-giardin (bg) and glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) gene loci using the nested PCR methods. Furthermore, Cryptosporidium andersoni (n = 1) and Cryptosporidium ryanae (n = 2) were detected by nested PCR targeting the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene. This is the first report of G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in Yunling cattle in China, which provided baseline date for further studies of the prevalence, genetic identity, and public health potential of these parasites in Yunling cattle.

Efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil in the treatment for IgA nephropathy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

AIM: IgA nephropathy is virtually known as the most common glomerulopathy to end-stage renal failure in the world. Mycophenolate mofetil is a selective immunosuppressant widely used in organ transplantation, yet its tolerance and effectiveness in IgAN is controversial. METHODS: This is a systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis, searching PubMed, Embase, Te Cochrane Library, Science Citation Index, Ovid evidence-based medicine, Chinese Biomedical Literature and Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals. Screen out randomized controlled trials on patients with biopsy-proven IgA nephropathy and analysis mycophenolate mofetil treatment regimens used for therapy of IgA nephropathy. Complete remission and partial remission, doubling of creatinine level, proteinuria, incidence of end-stage kidney disease, infection, Cushing syndrome, diabetes, hepatic dysfunction or gastrointestinal symptoms, neurologic or visual ambiguity, acne, and alopecia were observed. RESULTS: Nine relevant trials were conducted with 587 patients enrolled. In Mycophenolate mofetil or plus medium/low-dose steroid comparing full-dose steroid alone or placebo, there was no significant difference. The risk of Cushing syndrome and diabetes had been significantly lowered with Mycophenolate mofetil-treated patients, while the risk of infection had been increased. CONCLUSIONS: Mycophenolate mofetil therapy did not differ in reducing proteinuria and Scr in patients with IgAN who had persistent proteinuria, while having fewer Cushing syndrome and diabetes risk and more infection risk. However, larger randomized studies are needed to reveal these results.

DGUOK-AS1 promotes cell proliferation in cervical cancer via acting as a ceRNA of miR-653-5p.

Cervical cancer (CC) holds the second highest incidence and is the fourth dominating cause of cancer-induced death in women. It has been widely accepted that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in pathological and physiological activities of CC. However, the research of lncRNAs is still in the initial stage. The biological function of lncRNA deoxyguanosine kinase antisense RNA 1 (DGUOK-AS1) in human cancers has not been reported yet. We found that DGUOK-AS1 was aberrantly upregulated in cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC) tissues through TCGA database. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) also verified the high expression of DGUOK-AS1 in CC cell lines. Loss-of-function assays indicated that DGUOK-AS1 silence repressed CC cell growth. In addition, dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) experiments validated the binding relation between miR-653-5p and DGUOK-AS1 or EMSY. Results of the rescue assays elucidated that EMSY overexpression or miR-653-5p downregulation reversed the suppressive function of DGUOK-AS1 knockdown on cell growth and DNA repair in CC. To sum up, this research highlighted that DGUOK-AS1 could promote CC cell proliferation via serving as a ceRNA of miR-653-5p to release EMSY, which might inspire us to discover novel strategies for CC treatment. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: DGUOK-AS1 knockdown hinders proliferation of CC cells. DGUOK-AS1 sequesters miR-653-5p to elevate EMSY in CC. EMSY is required for DGUOK-AS1 to induce cell proliferation and repress DNA damage in CC.

Optical image encryption based on biometric keys and singular value decomposition.

We propose an asymmetric optical image cryptosystem based on biometric keys and singular value decomposition (SVD) in the Fresnel transform domain. In the proposed cryptosystem, the biometric keys are palmprint phase mask generated by a palmprint, a chaotic phase mask, and an amplitude truncated Fourier transform, which can provide the cryptosystem with more data security due to the uniqueness of the palmprint. Two images are first encoded into a complex function, which then is modulated by the palmprint phase mask. A Fresnel transform and then an SVD operation are performed on the modulated result. The SVD operation is used to generate private secret keys, which makes the encryption secret keys and decryption secret keys different, and thus the encryption process and decryption process are different. In addition, multiple images are encrypted into a real-valued ciphertext, making it convenient to transport and record. Numerical simulation results have demonstrated that our proposed encryption system has robustness against statistical, occlusion, noise, and chosen-plaintext attacks.

Prevalence and genotype distribution of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in farmed raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in Shandong Province, eastern China.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a common microsporidian species, which can infect humans and various species of animals. However, little is known about E. bieneusi prevalence and genotypes in farmed raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in Shandong Province, China. In this study, a total of 356 fecal samples were collected from farmed raccoon dogs in Weihai, Weifang, and Yantai cities in Shandong Province, China. A total of 23 (6.5%) samples were E. bieneusi-positive by nested PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA. Statistical analysis showed that E. bieneusi prevalence in male raccoon dogs was higher than that in female raccoon dogs, and the highest E. bieneusi prevalence was detected in adult raccoon dogs. Sequence analysis revealed four known E. bieneusi genotypes (D, type IV, CHG1, and Peru8), and type IV (11/23) was the predominant genotype. The genotypes type IV, Peru8, and CHG1 were reported in raccoon dogs for the first time in China. Phylogenetic analysis showed that three human-pathogenic genotypes (D, type IV, and Peru8) were clustered into group 1, and the CHG1 belonged to group 2. These findings expand the current understanding of E. bieneusi prevalence and genotype distribution in raccoon dogs in China. Our study also shows that raccoon dogs are hosts for E. bieneusi belonging to several genotypes, including zoonotic ones, highlighting the possibility of transmission of this pathogen between raccoon dogs and humans.

Molecular characterization of Eimeria spp. and Blastocystis in rabbits in Shandong Province, China.

Eimeria spp. and Blastocystis are the common parasites that parasitize the intestinal tract of rabbits, which can seriously threaten the health of rabbits and lead to economic losses to the rabbit industry. However, information about the prevalence and transmission of these two parasites in rabbits is limited in China. The objective of this study was to survey the prevalence of Eimeria spp. and Blastocystis in rabbits in Shandong Province. A total of 616 rabbit fecal samples were collected from two cities (Rizhao and Weihai) in Shandong Province, eastern China, and Eimeria spp. and Blastocystis were identified by polymerase chain reaction based on species-specific markers. The prevalence of Eimeria spp. was 20% (123/616) and the Blastocystis prevalence was 0.97% (6/616). Five different Eimeria species (Eimeria intestinalis, E. perforans, E. magna, E. media, and E. irresidua) and the ST4 subtype of Blastocystis were identified in rabbits by sequence analysis. This is the first report of Blastocystis prevalence and subtype ST4 in rabbits in Shandong Province. The findings provide baseline data for the prevention and control of Eimeria spp. and Blastocystis in rabbits in Shandong Province, China.

Prevalence and Subtypes of Blastocystis in Alpacas, Vicugna pacos in Shanxi Province, China.

Blastocystis, an enteric protist, has been reported to be an important cause of protozoal gastrointestinal manifestations in humans and animals worldwide. Animals harboring certain Blastocystis subtypes (STs) may serve as a potential source of human infection. However, information about the prevalence and genetic diversity of Blastocystis in alpacas is limited. In the present study, a total of 366 fecal samples from alpacas in Shanxi Province, northern China, were examined for Blastocystis by PCR amplification of the small subunit rRNA gene, followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The prevalence of Blastocystis in alpacas was 23.8%, and gender difference in the prevalence of Blastocystiswas observed. The most predominant Blastocystis ST was ST10, followed by ST14 and ST5. The detection of ST5, a potentially zoonotic genotype, indicates that alpacas harboring ST5 could be a potential source of human infection with Blastocystis. These data provide new insight into the prevalence and genetic diversity of Blastocystis in alpacas.

Occurrence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in Chinese Tan sheep in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a zoonotic parasite which is considered to be an opportunistic pathogen of humans and animals. A number of studies have reported E. bieneusi infection in various animals. However, no information is available on the occurrence of E. bieneusi in Tan sheep, a unique indigenous sheep species in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. The objectives of the present study were to examine the prevalence and identify the genotypes of E. bieneusi in Tan sheep in China. A total of 1014 fecal specimens of Tan sheep from six farms in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region were examined by nested PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The total prevalence of E. bieneusi was 12.2% (124/1014), ranging from 0.5 to 22.2% on six farms. Sequence analysis identified 10 genotypes of E. bieneusi, including three known genotypes, BEB6, COS-I, and CHG13, and seven novel genotypes designated as NX1 to NX7, which all belonged to group 2 by phylogenetic analysis. This is the first report describing the prevalence of E. bieneusi in Tan sheep, and the new genotypes identified in the current study expand the genotype distribution of E. bieneusi. These findings provide baseline data and have implications for the epidemiology and control of E. bieneusi infection in Tan sheep.

Modular synthesis of (E)-cinnamaldehydes directly from allylarenes via a metal-free DDQ-mediated oxidative process.

An efficient synthesis of (E)-cinnamaldehydes by a metal-free DDQ-mediated oxidative transformation of allylarenes was developed. The protocol provides a practical method to prepare diverse (E)-cinnamaldehydes with broad functional group tolerance in good to excellent yields, including easy access to natural products randainal and geranyloxy sinapyl aldehyde from plant extracts. Finally, the mechanism of a single-electron transfer process was proposed.

Mapping and comparative proteomic analysis of the starch biosynthetic pathway in rice by 2D PAGE/MS.

KEY MESSAGE: Our results not only provide a comprehensive overview of the starch biosynthetic pathway in the developing endosperm but also reveal some important protein markers that regulate the synthesis of starch. In human diets, rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important source of starch, a substantial amount of which is accumulated in developing endosperm. A better understanding of the complicated pathways involved in starch biosynthesis is needed to improve the yield and quality of rice and other cereal crops through breeding. One pure line rice mutant, SA0419, was induced from a wild-type rice, TNG67, by sodium azide mutagenesis; therefore, TNG67 and SA0419 share the same genetic background. SA0419 is, however, a unique glutinous rice with a lower amylose content (8%) than that of TNG67 (20%), and the grains of SA0419 develop earlier and faster than those of TNG67. In this study, we used a comparative proteomic analysis to identify the differentially expressed proteins that may explain the differences in starch biosynthesis and the characteristics of TNG67 and SA0419. A gel-based proteomic approach was applied to profile the expressed proteome in the developing endosperm of these two rice varieties by nano-LC/MS/MS. Several over-expressed proteins were found in SA0419, such as plastidial ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), phosphoglucomutase (PGM), pyrophosphate-fructose 6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (PFP), 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK), pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK), starch branching enzymes (SBE) and starch debranching enzyme (SDBE), with those proteins mainly being involved in the pathways of starch metabolism and PPDK-mediated gluconeogenesis. Those over-expressed enzymes may contribute to the relatively early development, similar starch accumulation and rapid grain filling of SA0419 as compared with TNG67. This study provides a detailed biochemical description of starch biosynthesis and related information regarding a unique starch mutant that may assist future research efforts to improve the yield and quality of grain and starch in rice through breeding.

Electroacupuncture Treatment Alleviates Central Poststroke Pain by Inhibiting Brain Neuronal Apoptosis and Aberrant Astrocyte Activation.

Electroacupuncture (EA) is reported to effectively relieve the central poststroke pain (CPSP). However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The present study investigated the detailed mechanisms of action of EA treatment at different frequencies for CPSP. A CPSP model was established with a single collagenase injection to the left ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus. The EA-treated groups then received EA treatment at frequency of 2, 2/15, or 15 Hz for 30 min daily for five days. The pain-related behavioral responses, neuronal apoptosis, glial activation, and the expression of pain signal transmission-related factors (ß-catenin, COX-2, and NK-1R) were assessed using behavioral tests, Nissl staining, TUNEL staining, and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. The low-frequency EA treatment significantly (1) reduced brain tissue damage and hematoma sizes and (2) inhibited neuronal apoptosis, thereby exerting abirritative effects. Meanwhile, the high-frequency EA treatment induced a greater inhibition of the aberrant astrocyte activation, accompanied by the downregulation of the expressions of COX-2, ß-catenin, and subsequently NK-1R, thereby alleviating inflammation and producing strong analgesic effects. Together, these findings suggest that CPSP is closely related to pathological changes of the neocortex and hippocampus. EA treatments at different frequencies may exert abirritative effects by inhibiting brain neuronal apoptosis and aberrant astrocyte activation in the brain.

[Sesamin Preconditioning Attenuates Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in Rats Through Activation of Akt/eNOS Signaling Pathway].

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of sesamin on myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury in rats, and to study the possible mechanism. Methods: 50 SD rats were randomly divided into control group, sham operated group, model group, high-dose sesamin group( 160 mg / kg) and low-dose sesamin group( 80 mg / kg),with 10 rats in each group. Rats in sesamin groups were administered intragastrically with sesamin for 7 d. Then all rats except those in sham operated group were subjected to myocardial ischemia-myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury model by coronary artery ligation for 40 min and subsequent reperfusion for 120 min. Serum cardiac troponin Ⅰ( c TnⅠ) and lactate dehydrogenase( LDH),levels of total antioxidant capacity( TAOC) and nitric oxide( NO) in serum and myocardial tissues,Caspase-3 activity in myocardial tissues were detected by colorimetric assay. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL assay. Phosphorylation level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase( eNOS) and Protein kinase B( Akt), protein expression of superoxide dismutase( SOD) in cardiac tissue were determined by Western blot. Results: Pretreatment with sesamin significantly ameliorated myocardial injury in rats which induced myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury by reduced levels of serum c TnⅠand LDH( P <0. 05 or P < 0. 01). Supplementation with sesamin resulted in a significant increasing of total antioxidant capacity and NO level in serum and myocardial tissues and cardiomyocyte apoptosis( P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01),and remarkable decrease the Caspase-3 activity in myocardial tissues and cardiomyocyte apoptosis( P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01). Sesamin significantly up-regulated the protein expression of SOD in cardiac tissues, and the levels of phosphorylated eNOS and Akt increased notably( P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01). Conclusion: Pretreatment with sesamin effectively ameliorated myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury in rats, and the mechanism might be related to enhancing its antioxidant capacity and the activation of Akt / eNOS signaling pathway and subsequent increase of NO synthesis and suppression of cardiac myocyte apoptosis.

[The effect of Salvianolic Acid B on the Apoptosis of HUVECs Induced by Intermittent High Glucose].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Salvianolic acid B (Sal B) on the apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by intermittent high glucose and to explore the possible mechanisms. Methods: HUVECs were preincubated with Sal B for 24 h, followed by incubation with intermittent high glucose (IHG, 5.5 mmol/L 12 h, 33.3 mmol/L 12 h) for 72 h. The viability of the HUVECs was determined by MTT assay, and the cells apoptosis was measured flow cytometry, respectively. The levels of nitric oxide (NO), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), malondialdehyde (MDA), and Caspase-3 activity were determined by colorimetric method. Intracellular ROS was evaluated by fluorescent microscopy. The protein levels of NOX4, p-eNOS, BAX, and BCL-2 were determined by Western-blot. Results: Pretreatment with Sal B significantly ameliorated IHG-induced cells injury as was manifested by increased cell viability, up-regulated eNOS activation, and promoted the release of NO in HUVECs (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Sal B evidently suppressed IHG-induced cell apoptosis, down-regulated the expression of BAX protein and up-regulated the expression of BCL-2 protein. The activity of Capase-3 was also significantly reduced. Pre-incubation with Sal B led to a significant enhancement of antioxidant capacity and a reduction of NOX4 protein expression, accompanied by a remarkable decrease of intracellular ROS and MDA content (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Conclusion: Sal B is capable of suppressing IHG-induced injury and apoptosis in HUVECs, which might be attributed to the attenuation of oxidative stress, regulation of BCL-2/BAX protein expression, and subsequent suppression of Caspase-3 activity.

Rapid identification of anti-inflammatory compounds from Tongmai Yangxin Pills by liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry and chemometric analysis.

We present an integrated approach to rapidly identify anti-inflammatory compounds of TongmaiYangxin Pills (TMYXP), a botanical drug for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry was used to analyze the chemical composition of TMYXP. Eighty compounds of TMYXP including flavonoids, coumarins, iridoid glycosides, saponins, and lignans, were identified unambiguously or tentatively. After the rapid isolation and bioassay, 18 fractions of TMYXP were obtained and their anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. We performed chemometric analysis to reveal the correlation between the chemical and pharmacological information of the fractions to facilitate the identification of active compounds. To verify the reliability of the proposed method in discovering active components from a complex mixture, activities of seven compounds, which were positively or negatively related to bioactivity according to calculation, were validated in vitro. Results indicated that six active compounds with high R values exerted certain anti-inflammatory effects in a dose-dependent manner with IC50 values of 53.6-204.1 µM. Our findings suggest that the integrated use of identification based on high-resolution mass spectrometry and chemometric methods could rapidly identify active compounds from complex mixture of natural products.

[Screening of active compounds with myocardial protective effects from Tongmai Yangxin pill].

OBJECTIVE: Based on cell model and HPLC-MS technology, to screen myocardial protection active compounds from traditional patent medicine Tongmai Yangxin pill (TMYXP). METHODS: Fractions of TMYXP were prepared by high performance liquid preparation technology. The cardioprotective effects of prepared fractions were tested on H2O2 oxidation-damaged H9c2 myocardiocytes. The active components were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry. The possible active compounds were putatively identified by comparison of their MS ions and molecular weight with literatures. RESULTS: Ten TMYXP components presented significant myocardial protective activities, 5 of which were investigated and presented good dose-effect relationships. Their median effective concentrations (EC50) were respectively 11.66, 17.44, 13.10, 7.332, 15.15 µg/mL. Totally, 11 potential active compounds were analyzed and identified, including Glycyrrhizic acid, Glycycoumarin, Licoisoflavone, Ophiopogonin D', Licoricon, Gancaonin L, Neoglycyrol, Emodin, Angeloylgomisin H, Angeloylgomisin Q and Glyasperin A. CONCLUSION: The myocardial protection active compounds of TMYXP were screened successfully.

[Effect of Danzhi Jiangtang Capsule on Myocardial Fibrosis in Diabetic Rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Danzhi Jiangtang Capsule on myocardial fibrosis in diabetic rats with fluctuated blood glucose and the possible mechanisms implicated. METHODS: Following induction of diabetes with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ), rats were administered with insulin or glucose at different time during a day to induce blood glucose fluctuation. After treatment with Danzhi Jiangtang Capsule for six weeks, rats were sacrificed and the hearts were collected for the determination of cardiac mass index. Cardiac levels of angiotensin II (Ang II), type I and type III collagens and transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) were assayed by ELISA. Levels of Smad3 phosphorylation and protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 ( MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) were determined by Western blot analysis. Total antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in cardiac tissues were measured colorimetrically. RESULTS: Treatment with Danzhi Jiangtang Capsule for six weeks significantly reduced cardiac mass index and cardiac levels of type I and type III collagens (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Levels of Ang II, TGF-ß1 and Smad3 phosphorylation in cardiac tissues were also decreased markedly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Supplementation with Danzhi Jiangtang Capsule resulted in an evident up-regulation of MMP-2 protein and down-regulation of TIMP-2 protein expression in cardiac tissues (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). In addition, Danzhi Jiangtang Capsule significantly enhanced total antioxidant capacity in diabetic rats, while cardiac content of MDA was decreased markedly( P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Danzhi Jiangtang Capsule significantly ameliorated myocardial fibrosis in diabetic rats with fluctuated blood glucose, which might be derived from enhancement of antioxidant capacity, suppression of RAS and TGF-ß1/Smad3 signaling pathway and regulation of MMP-2/TIMP-2 protein expression.

[Effect of Serum Containing Sesamin on Angiotensin II-Induced Apoptosis in Rat Cardiomyocytes].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of serum containing sesamin on angiotension II (Ang II)-induced apoptosis in rat cardiomyocytes and the possible mechanisms. METHODS: H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes were preincubated with serum containing sesamin or blank serum for 12 h, followed by incubation with Ang II for 24 h. Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay and cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometric analysis. Protein expression of BCL-2, BAX, Caspase-3, p47phox and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was determined by Western blot analysis. Levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured colorimetrically. RESULTS: Preincubation with serum containing sesamin significantly improved cell viability and suppressed cell apoptosis in H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes exposed to Ang II (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), with the expression of BAX, Caspase-3 and p47phox protein down-regulated and BCL-2 and SOD protein up-regulated markedly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The levels of T-AOC were effectively increased in serum containing sesamin groups, while the levels of intracellular ROS and MDA contents were decreased significantly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Control serum had no influence on the above mentioned measurements. CONCLUSION: Sesamin is capable of suppressing Ang II-induced apoptosis in H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes, which might be derived, at least partly, from amelioration of oxidative stress, regulation of BAX/BCL-2 protein expression and suppression of Caspase-3 protein expression.

Comparative proteomic analysis of early salt stress responsive proteins in roots and leaves of rice.

Growth and productivity of rice (Oryza sativa L.) are severely affected by salinity. Understanding the mechanisms that protect rice and other important cereal crops from salt stress will help in the development of salt-stress-tolerant strains. In this study, rice seedlings of the same genetic species with various salt tolerances were studied. We first used 2DE to resolve the expressed proteome in rice roots and leaves and then used nanospray liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry to identify the differentially expressed proteins in rice seedlings after salt treatment. The 2DE assays revealed that there were 104 differentially expressed protein spots in rice roots and 59 in leaves. Then, we identified 83 proteins in rice roots and 61 proteins in rice leaves by MS analysis. Functional classification analysis revealed that the differentially expressed proteins from roots could be classified into 18 functional categories while those from leaves could be classified into 11 functional categories. The proteins from rice seedlings that most significantly contributed to a protective effect against increased salinity were cysteine synthase, adenosine triphosphate synthase, quercetin 3-O-methyltransferase 1, and lipoxygenase 2. Further analysis demonstrated that the primary mechanisms underlying the ability of rice seedlings to tolerate salt stress were glycolysis, purine metabolism, and photosynthesis. Thus, we suggest that differentially expressed proteins may serve as marker group for the salt tolerance of rice.

Effect of acupotomy combined with electroacupuncture on knee function of patients with knee osteoarthritis. / åˆƒé’ˆç»“åˆç”µé’ˆæ²»ç–—å¯¹è†å ³èŠ‚éª¨å ³èŠ‚ç‚Žæ‚£è€ è†å ³èŠ‚åŠŸèƒ½çš„å½±å“.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical effect of combined therapy of acupotomy and electroacupuncture (EA) with the simple application of EA on knee osteoarthritis (KOA), and their influence on knee function. METHODS: Sixty-eight KOA patients were randomly divided into 2 groups, an acupotomy group and an EA group. In the acupotomy group, the combined therapy of acupotomy and EA was adopted. In the EA group, EA was simply used, delivered once every two days, 3 treatments a week；and the duration of treatment was 4 weeks. In the acupotomy group, besides the treatment as the EA group, acupotomy was combined once weekly, and the duration of treatment was 4 weeks. Separately, before and after treatment, and in 4 and 12 weeks after treatment completion (1-month and 3-month follow-up), the results of the timed up and go test (TUG), the 9-step stair climb test (9-SCT) and the knee function (Western Ontario and McMaster University osteoarthritis index visualization scale ［WOMAC］) were measured in the two groups. RESULTS: By the intention-to-treat analysis, the results of TUG, 9-SCT and WOMAC scores were reduced after treatment and in 1-month and 3-month follow-up when compared with those before treatment in the patients of the two groups (P<0.05). Compared with the EA group at the same time point, TUG results were decreased after treatment and in 1-month follow-up, and WOMAC score was reduced after treatment in the acupotomy group. WOMAC score in 1-month follow-up was reduced when compared with that before treatment within the acupotomy group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Either the simple application of EA or the combined therapy of acupotomy and EA can improve knee function, but the combined therapy obviously increases the walking speed and relieves the symptoms such as joint pain and morning stiffness. The treatment with acupotomy and EA is safe and effective on KOA and the long-term effect is satisfactory.