Effects of hypercaloric diet-induced hyperinsulinemia and hyperlipidemia on the ovarian follicular development in mice.

Long-term hypercaloric diets may adversely affect the development of ovarian follicles. We investigated the effects of high sugar (HS), high fat low sugar (HFLS), and high fat normal sugar (HFNS) diets on the ovarian follicle development in mice fed with these diets as compared to those fed with normal diet (control) for 180 days. Body weight, gonadal fat, glucose, lipid, insulin, estrous cycle, sex hormones and ovarian tissues were examined, and metabolism-related protein expression in the ovaries was evaluated by immunoblotting. The mice fed with hypercaloric diets showed hyperinsulinemia and hyperlipidemia, and exhibited heavier body and gonadal fat weights, longer estrous cycles, and fewer preantral and antral follicles than mice fed with normal diet. The sex hormone levels in the blood were similar to those in controls, except for significantly elevated estradiol levels in the HS diet group. The AMPKα phosphorylation was reduced, while AKT phosphorylation and caspase-3 levels were increased in the ovarian tissues of mice in all three hypercaloric diet groups than those in control. Taken together, the results suggest hyperinsulinemia and hyperlipidemia as possible mechanisms that impair the development of ovarian follicles in response to long-term exposure to unhealthy hypercaloric diets.

Synthesis and antitumor activity of α,ß-unsaturated carbonyl moiety- containing oleanolic acid derivatives targeting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Oleanolic acid (OA) and its semi-synthetic derivatives have been reported to have a wide range of biological activities. The introduction of electrophilic Michael acceptor group can increase the reactivity of OA to cellular targets and thus improve the anti-tumor activity. In this work, a series of novel α,ß-unsaturated carbonyl derivatives of OA were designed and synthesized. Their in vitro cytotoxic activity against MCF-7, HepG2 and HeLa cells were tested. Most derivatives exhibited improved cell growth inhibitory activity, especially for 3d with an IC50 of 0.77 µM in MCF-7 cells. Moreover, 3d inhibited the migration of MCF-7 and HeLa cells at the concentration of 4 µM. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that 3d induced cell apoptosis and S phase arrest in a concentration-dependent manner. Western blotting experiment demonstrated that 3d inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR. These results suggest that this series of OA derivatives bearing exocyclic methylene ketone pharmacophore are promising anticancer agents as potential PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitors.

A preliminary analysis of microRNA as potential clinical biomarker for schizophrenia.

MicroRNAs (miRNA, miR) have been implicated as promising blood-based biomarkers for schizophrenia patients. This study aimed to clinically validate miRNA as potential schizophrenia biomarkers. Plasma levels of 10 miRNAs were analyzed using qPCR in a cohort of 61 schizophrenia patients and 62 normal controls, as well as 25 patients particularly selected for a six-week antipsychotic treatment course. Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Global Assessment Scale (GAS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) were administered to assess the clinical symptoms. The results demonstrated that a panel of miRNAs consisting of miR-30e, miR-181b, miR-34a, miR-346 and miR-7 had significantly increased expression levels with significant combined diagnostic value (AUC:0.713; sensitivity:35.5%; specificity:90.2%). In response to pharmacological treatment, expression levels of miR-132, miR-181b, miR-432 and miR-30e were significantly decreased. In addition, the improvement of clinical symptomatology was significantly correlated with the changes of miR-132, miR-181b, miR-212 and miR-30e expression levels. Furthermore, the decreases of plasma levels of miR-132 and miR-432 were significantly greater in high-effect subgroup than those in low-effect subgroup after six-week treatment course. We conclude that miR-30e, miR-181b, miR-34a, miR-346 and miR-7 combined as a panel are potentially useful non-invasive biomarkers for schizophrenia diagnosis. Markers miR-132, miR-181b, miR-30e and miR-432 are potential indicators for symptomatology improvements, treatment responses and prognosis for schizophrenia patients.

[Impact of H2S on oxidized-low density lipoprotein-stimulated nuclear factor-κB in human monocytes/macrophage and its mechanisms].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on oxidized-low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-stimulated NF-κB pathway in human monocytes/macrophages and its mechanisms. METHODS: THP-1 cells were induced to differentiate into macrophages by incubation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) . The human monocytes/macrophages were divided into 4 groups: control group, ox-LDL group, ox-LDL + H2S 100 µmol/L group and ox-LDL + H2S 500 µmol/L group. The expression of IκBα and phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 in the cells were detected by Western blotting. The expression of IκBα and nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in the cells were observed by laser confocal method. The interaction between NF-κB p65 and IκBα in the nuclear extracts was detected by coimmunoprecipitation method. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 in the human monocytes/macrophages of ox-LDL group was increased significantly (0.855 ± 0.116 vs. 0.502 ± 0.218, P=0.046), while the expression of IκBα in the cells of the ox-LDL group was decreased (0.612 ± 0.216 vs. 0.997 ± 0.167, P=0.029). Compared with the ox-LDL group, the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 in the cells of the ox-LDL + H2S 100 µmol/L group and the ox-LDL + H2S 500 µmol/L group was decreased significantly (0.424 ± 0.225 vs. 0.855 ± 0.116, P=0.020; 0.378 ± 0.071 vs. 0.855 ± 0.116, P=0.011, respectively), while the expressions of IκBα in the cells of the ox-LDL + H2S 100 µmol/L group and the ox-LDL + H2S 500 µmol/L group were increased (1.037 ± 0.111 vs. 0.612 ± 0.216, P=0.015; 1.046 ± 0.084 vs. 0.612 ± 0.216, P=0.013, respectively). The results from laser confocal method demonstrated that the IκBα expression in the cytoplasma of cells in the ox-LDL group was lower than that in the control group, and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in the cells of the ox-LDL group was higher than that in the control group. The IκBα expression in the cytoplasma of cells in the ox-LDL+ H2S 100 µmol/L group and ox-LDL + H2S 500 µmol/L group was higher than that in the ox-LDL group, and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in the cells of ox-LDL group was lower than that in the ox-LDL group. The coimmunoprecipitation experiment showed that no IκBα integrated with NF-κB p65 was detected in the nuclear extracts of cells in the control group, a small amount of IκBα integrated with NF-κB p65 was detected in the nuclear extracts of cells in the ox-LDL group, but a large amount of IκBα integrated with NF-κB p65 was detected in the nuclear extracts of cells in the ox-LDL+H2S 100 µmol/L group and the ox-LDL + H2S 500 µmol/L group. CONCLUSION: H2S inhibited the activation of NF-κB p65 pathway in the ox-LDL-induced human monocytes/macrophages. The mechanisms might involve the prevention of the degradation of IκBα, then the inhibition of the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65, thus promoting the IκBα integrated with NF-κB p65 in the nuclei, and then inhibiting the activity of NF-κB.

Comparison of Effects of Liuzijue Exercise and Conventional Respiratory Training on Patients after Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of Liuzijue exercise (LE) for the clinical effect in patients after cardiac surgery. METHODS: Totally 120 patients who underwent cardiac surgery and were admitted to the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between July and Oclober, 2022 were allocated to the LE group, the conventional respiratory training (CRT) group, and the control group by a random number table at a ratio of 1:1:1; 40 patients in each group. All patients received routine treatment and cardiac rehabilitation. LE group and CRT group respectively performed LE and CRT once a day for 30 min for 7 days. Control group did not receive specialized respiratory training. The forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, peak inspiratory flow rate, peak expiratory flow rate, maximum inspiratory pressure, maximum expiratory pressure, modified Barthel index (MBI), and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) were evaluated before, after 3 and 7 days of intervention. In addition, the postoperative length of hospital stay (LOS) and the adverse events that occurred during the intervention period were compared. RESULTS: A total of 107 patients completed the study, 120 patients were included in the analysis. After 3 days of intervention, the pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, MBI and HAM-A of all 3 groups improved compared with that before the intervention (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the control group, pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength were significantly improved in the CRT and LE groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). MBI and HAM-A were significantly improved in the LE group compared with the control and CRT groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). On the 7th day after intervention, the difference was still statistically significant (P<0.01), and was significantly different from that on the 3rd day (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In addition, on the 7th day of intervention, the pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength in the LE group were significantly improved compared with those in the CRT group (P<0.01). MBI and HAM-A were significantly improved in the CRT group compared with the control group (P<0.01). There were no significant differences in postoperative LOS among the 3 groups (P>0.05). No training-related adverse events occurred during the intervention period. CONCLUSIONS: LE is safe and feasible for improving pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, the ability to complete activities of daily living and for relieving anxiety of patients after cardiac surgery (Registration No. ChiCTR2200062964).

Treatment Progress in Diminished Ovarian Reserve: Western and Chinese Medicine.

Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), generally defined as a decreased number or quality of oocytes, has a significant impact on quality of life and fertility in women. In recent years, the incidence of DOR has been increasing and the ages of patients are younger. The search for an effective DOR treatment has emerged as one of the preeminent research topics in reproductive health. An effective DOR therapy would improve ovarian function, fertility, and quality of life in patients. In this review we evaluated DOR treatment progress both in Western medicine and Chinese medicine, and elucidated the characteristics of each treatment.

A local outbreak of dengue caused by an imported case in Dongguan China.

BACKGROUND: Dengue, a mosquito-borne febrile viral disease, is found in tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world. Since the first occurrence of dengue was confirmed in Guangdong, China in 1978, dengue outbreaks have been reported sequentially in different provinces in South China transmitted by peridomestic Ae. albopictus mosquitoes, diplaying Ae. aegypti, a fully domestic vector that transmits dengue worldwide. Rapid and uncontrolled urbanization is a characteristic change in developing countries, which impacts greatly on vector habitat, human lifestyle and transmission dynamics on dengue epidemics. In September 2010, an outbreak of dengue was detected in Dongguan, a city in Guangdong province characterized by its fast urbanization. An investigation was initiated to identify the cause, to describe the epidemical characteristics of the outbreak, and to implement control measures to stop the outbreak. This is the first report of dengue outbreak in Dongguan, even though dengue cases were documented before in this city. METHODS: Epidemiological data were obtained from local Center of Disease Control and prevention (CDC). Laboratory tests such as real-time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), the virus cDNA sequencing, and Enzyme-Linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were employed to identify the virus infection and molecular phylogenetic analysis was performed with MEGA5. The febrile cases were reported every day by the fever surveillance system. Vector control measures including insecticidal fogging and elimination of habitats of Ae. albopictus were used to control the dengue outbreak. RESULTS: The epidemiological studies results showed that this dengue outbreak was initiated by an imported case from Southeast Asia. The outbreak was characterized by 31 cases reported with an attack rate of 50.63 out of a population of 100,000. Ae. albopictus was the only vector species responsible for the outbreak. The virus cDNA sequencing analysis showed that the virus responsible for the outbreak was Dengue Virus serotype-1 (DENV-1). CONCLUSIONS: Several characterized points of urbanization contributed to this outbreak of dengue in Dongguan: the residents are highly concentrated; the residents' life habits helped to form the habitats of Ae. albopictus and contributed to the high Breteau Index; the self-constructed houses lacks of mosquito prevention facilities. This report has reaffirmed the importance of a surveillance system for infectious diseases control and aroused the awareness of an imported case causing the epidemic of an infectious disease in urbanized region.

[Research status and trends of acupuncture and moxibustion for cancer：a bibliometric analysis based on CiteSpace and VOSviewer].

To analyze the research status of acupuncture and moxibustion for cancer at home and abroad in the past 45 years by using bibliometric and scientific knowledge map methods，and explore the development trends in future. The literature of acupuncture and moxibustion for cancer was retrieved from CNKI and Web of Science (WOS) till December 31, 2020 since the database establishment, and CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were used to perform visual map analysis through cooperation network, keyword co-occurrence, keyword timeline, keyword emergence and other methods. Totally, 1 585 literature in CNKI and 1 564 literature in WOS were included, and the annual publication amount showed a fluctuating upward trend. Cooperation between countries was centered on China and the United States, and there was relatively little cooperation among different institutions. The analysis of keyword and cited literature showed that researches focused on the control of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy on cancer complications and adverse reactions of western medicine. The main research types in WOS were systematic review and randomized controlled trial (RCT), while in CNKI was review, depth studies on mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion for cancer were rare. The concern about the quality of life of cancer patients may become research emphasis in the field of acupuncture and moxibustion for cancer in future, and the research scope tends to integrative and holistic oncology.

[Hydrogen and oxidative stress injury--from an inert gas to a medical gas].

Oxidative stress is intensive cellular oxidation caused by redundant reactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals. Redundant ROS causes DNA fracture, lipid peroxidation and protein inactivation, thus leading to severe cell damage. Recent studies have shown that hydrogen is a good anti-oxidant. It selectively reduces the hydroxyl radical, the most cytotoxic of ROS; however, it does not react with other ROS, which play physiological roles. As a result, it could protect tissues against oxidative stress injuries, such as ischemia/reperfusion injury of the heart, liver and intestine, cisplatin nephrotoxicity, sepsis and colon inflammation. As a medical gas, hydrogen may have a prospect for far-reaching clinical application.

Quinoline-2-thione-based fluorescent probes for selective and sensitive detections of mustard gas and its analogues.

Sulfur mustard (SM, also called as mustard gas (HD)) is a persistent and highly toxic gas used as chemical weapon in wars and military conflicts. Moreover, owing to its simple structure and easy synthesis, it is the most likely chemical agent used by terrorists. For this reason, it is vital important to develop a facile, rapid and reliable detection system for SM. In this paper, we have developed four quinoline-2-thiones as fluorescent probes, 2a-2d, for the detection of SM and its analogues, half sulfur mustard (CEES) and a nitrogen mustard NH1. In the presence of KOH, these quinoline-2-thiones deprotonated to quinoline-2-thiophenol anions, which react with SM and its analogues rapidly to form quinoline-2-thiethers with highly efficient fluorescence, giving turn-on fluorescence response. The sensing products with CEES were isolated and fully characterized, thereby, the sensing mechanism was firmly established. The fluorescent probes with 4-trifluoromethyl group, 2b and 2d, exhibit rapid response to SM, CEES and NH1 (within 1 min at 60 °C for CEES and NH1), high sensitivity (limit of detection, 50 nM for SM and 20 nM for NH1) and high selectivity. Furthermore, polymer film test strips were fabricated with probe-embedded poly(ethylene oxide) for the detection of CEES vapor. These test strips displayed a rapid response (<4 min) to gaseous CEES with high sensitivity (0.2 ppm) and high selectivity. These results show that fluorescent probes 2b and 2d have a good application prospect in the field detection of mustard gas.

A persistent outbreak of varicella in a primary school in Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the epidemiological features of a school varicella outbreak in Dongguan City, China, to identify the reasons underlying persistent spread, and to assess the effectiveness of the varicella vaccine. METHODS: We identified all cases during the outbreak. We described the outbreak epidemic course and examined the influence of the following variables on the outbreak: sleeping in the dormitory, eating in school, taking school transportation, hand-washing habits, morning examinations, and effectiveness of case isolation. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI) of contracting varicella. RESULTS: A total of 92 varicella cases were reported, accounting for 5.53% (92/1663) of all students. Among cases, 64.13% (59/92) were vaccinated. The outbreak lasted for 93 days and occurred in six generations. Vaccination coverage was between 78.05% and 85.67%. The varicella vaccine was effective in 56.63% of recipients (95% CI: 35.49-70.84%). Vaccine effectiveness significantly decreased after 4-6 years. CONCLUSIONS: The varicella vaccine was unable to prevent virus spread even with high vaccination coverage. Delayed and inefficient isolation of cases was the primary cause of the persistent outbreak.

[Discussion on registry study of acupuncture-moxibustion for malignant pleural effusion].

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is one of the common complications of tumor. Acupuncture-moxibustion therapy has several advantages for treatment of MPE. Acupuncture is regarded as a complex individualized intervention, and its characteristics of TCM is difficult to be reflected by strict randomized controlled trials. The registry study provides more possibilities for the data collection of individualized diagnosis and treatment under the guidance of the overall concept and syndrome differentiation, and is more suitable for data management and collection of large samples and multi-center trials in the real-world study. It has become an opportunity to carry out real-world study of acupuncture for MPE. There are many challenges in the registry study of acupuncture for MPE. However, it is of great significance to collect real-world data of acupuncture for MPE to improve the clinical effect of MPE and provide a new clinical research method for acupuncture in tumors and related complications.

[HIV prevalence and its correlation among the community-based drug users in Dongguan in 2008].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the HIV epidemic and its correlation among the community-based drug users in Dongguan, Guangdong province. METHODS: In 2008, 13 drug users were identified as seeds in Dongguan. Respondent driven sampling was applied to recruit community-based drug users. A structured questionnaire was used for a face to face interview. Intravenous blood samples were collected for the measurement of HIV, HCV and syphilis antibodies. RDS analysis tool (RDSAT) was applied for adjusting the estimates and bivariate analysis. RESULTS: A total of 303 drug users were recruited within 15 weeks and 300 blood samples were collected. After RDSAT adjustment, the prevalence rates of HIV, HCV and syphilis were 14.7% (95%CI: 6.1% - 25.4%), 63.2% (95%CI: 55.7% - 71.7%), and 4.7% (95%CI: 1.8% - 8.2%) respectively. The HIV prevalence rates among those who were HCV seropositive, migration, younger than 26 years at their first drug use, and ever shared needles or syringes were 22.9% (95%CI: 10.8% - 37.0%), 26.9% (95% CI: 11.4% - 44.9%), 19.9% (95%CI: 8.3% - 35.7%), and 29.1% (95%CI: 12.3% - 45.1%) respectively. The proportions of the drug users who were enrolled at methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) of local residency, migration were 20.9% (95%CI: 4.1% - 44.6%), 2.3% (95%CI: 0.0% - 7.0%) respectively. CONCLUSION: The HIV epidemic among the community-based drug users in Dongguan is serious. Drug users who are HCV seropositive, migration, younger than 26 years at their first drug use, and ever shared needles or syringes are more likely to be HIV seropositive.

[Adjuvant therapy of moxibustion combined with Wenyang Lishui formula for peritoneal effusion of ovarian malignant tumors].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of adjuvant therapy of moxibustion combined with Wenyang Lishui formula for peritoneal effusion of ovarian malignant tumors. METHODS: Sixty patients with peritoneal effusion of ovarian malignant tumors were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The patients in the control group were treated with intravenous infusion of paclitaxel liposome at the first day and cisplatin at the 2nd to 4th day, 21 days as a course of treatment, and 4 courses were given. Based on the treatment of the control group, the patients in the observation group were treated by moxibustion combined with Wenyang Lishui formula. Moxibustion was applied at Mingmen (GV 4), Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23), Shenque (CV 8), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Zhongwan (CV 12), Shuifen (CV 9), Qihai (CV 6) and Zhongji (CV 3), each acupoint for 30 min, once a day for 12 weeks. Wenyang Lishui formula was taken twice orally, one dose a day, 2 weeks as a course of treatment, and 6 courses were given. The levels of , , and / in peripheral blood were measured before and after 12-week treatment in the two groups. The changes of peritoneal effusion volume and Karnofsky performance status scale (KPS) score before and after treatment were compared between the two groups, and the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated. RESULTS: The symptom improvement rate was 96.7% (29/30) and overall effective rate was 86.7% (26/30) in the observation group, which were significantly superior to those in the control group [80.0% (24/30) and 56.7% (17/30), P<0.05]. After treatment, the levels of , and / in peripheral blood were significantly increased in the observation group (P<0.01), there was no significant difference in the control group before and after treatment (P>0.05), and the increase in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the volume of peritoneal effusion in the two groups was decreased (P<0.01), and the reduced volume in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, KPS scores were increased significantly in both two groups (P<0.01), and the increase in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The incidence rate of adverse reactions in the observation group was lower than that in the control group [23.3% (7/30) vs 53.3% (16/30), P<0.05]. CONCLUSION: Moxibustion combined with Wenyang Lishui formula could effectively improve the immune function, reduce the volume of peritoneal effusion, improve the symptom improvement rate, overall effective rate and the quality of life, and reduce the incidence of adverse reactions in chemotherapy of patients with peritoneal effusion of ovarian malignant tumors.

Evaluation of Local Injection of Bevacizumab against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Xenograft Tumors.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Bevacizumab (BVZ) is a recombinant humanized antibody that inhibits the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and is used for the treatment of various types of cancer. BVZ is primarily given by the intravenous drip (I.V.), which often leads to low efficacy and various side effects. Therefore, the present study was to evaluate the effect of local delivery of BVZ against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) xenograft tumors. METHODS: Mice 4T1 TNBC cells were engrafted in female BALB/c mice. After the tumors reached about 5 mm (diameter), animals were treated with BVZ through the local injection from four directions around the tumors. The tumor growth, survival and potential mechanisms of action were evaluated. RESULTS: The growth and microvessel density of engrafted tumors were dramatically reduced with the tumor inhibition rate of 32.8 ± 3%. No obvious side effects were observed. The expression of VEGFA, VEGF receptor (VEGFR), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4) and Integrin-5 was significantly reduced in TNBC tumor tissues. In contrast, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2 was significantly upregulated in xenograft tumors. Additionally, local delivery of BVZ led to the reduction of VEGFA and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in the serum. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis revealed that the proteins altered by the local delivery of BVZ were associated with angiogenesis and regulation of cell migration. CONCLUSION: This study provided evidence associated with local delivery of BVZ against TNBC tumors supporting the use of BVZ local injections to overcome some of the disadvantages associated with I.V. therapy with BVZ.

A method for preparing ferric activated carbon composites adsorbents to remove arsenic from drinking water.

Iron oxide/activated carbon (FeO/AC) composite adsorbent material, which was used to modify the coal-based activated carbon (AC) 12 x 40, was prepared by the special ferric oxide microcrystal in this study. This composite can be used as the adsorbent to remove arsenic from drinking water, and Langmuir isotherm adsorption equation well describes the experimental adsorption isotherms. Then, the arsenic desorption can subsequently be separated from the medium by using a 1% aqueous NaOH solution. The apparent characters and physical chemistry performances of FeO/AC composite were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Batch and column adsorption experiments were carried out to investigate and compare the arsenic removal capability of the prepared FeO/AC composite material and virgin activated carbon. It can be concluded that: (1) the main phase present in this composite are magnetite (Fe(3)O(4)), maghemite (gamma-Fe(2)O(3)), hematite (alpha-Fe(2)O(3)) and goethite (alpha-FeO(OH)); (2) the presence of iron oxides did not significantly affect the surface area or the pore structure of the activated carbon; (3) the comparisons between the adsorption isotherms of arsenic from aqueous solution onto the composite and virgin activated carbon showed that the FeO/AC composite behave an excellent capacity of adsorption arsenic than the virgin activated carbon; (4) column adsorption experiments with FeO/AC composite adsorbent showed that the arsenic could be removed to below 0.01 mg/L within 1250 mL empty bed volume when influent concentration was 0.5mg/L.

Thermodynamics and kinetics of cadmium adsorption onto oxidized granular activated carbon.

Cadmium sorption behavior of granular activated carbon oxidized with nitric acid was systematically studied by sets of the equilibrium and time-based experiments under various conditions. The cadmium adsorption capacity of oxidized granular activated carbon enlarged with an increase in pH, and reduced with an increase in ionic strength. Experimental data were evaluated to find out kinetic characteristics. Adsorption processes were found to follow pseudo-second order rate equation. Adsorption isotherms correlate well with the Langmuir isotherm model and the maximum sorption capacity of cadmium evaluated is 51.02 micromol/g. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated based on Van't Hoff equation. Equilibrium constant Kd was evaluated from Freundlich isotherm model constants, Langmuir isotherm model constants, and isotherms, respectively. The average change of standard adsorption heat DeltaH0 was -25.29 kJ/mol. Negative DeltaH0 and DeltaG0 values indicate the adsorption process for cadmium onto the studied activated carbon is exothermic and spontaneous. The standard entropy DeltaS0 was also negative, which suggests a decrease in the freedom of the system.

[Changes of central AMPA receptor subunits and related protein mRNA expression in immobilization stressed rats and effect of Xiaoyaosan on them].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunit and related regulatory protein mRNA expression in the hippocampus and amygdala in immobilization stressed rats and effect of Xiaoyaosan (XYS) on them. METHODS: Immobilization model rats were established by binding for 3 h per day and intervened with XYS, the expression of AMPA receptor subunit (GluR1-4), N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor (NSF) and protein interacting with C-kinase 1 (PICK1) mRNA expression in model rats' CA1 and CA3 regions of hippocampus, dentate gyrus and amygdala were detected on day 7 and day 21 after modeling. RESULTS: On day 7, expression of GluR1 mRNA was significantly decreased in CA1 region (P < 0.05) and increased in CA3 region and amygdala (all P < 0.05); expression of GluR2 and GluR3 mRNA in amygdala (all P < 0.05) and GluR4 mRNA in CA1 region (P < 0.01) significantly increased, but the expression of NSF and PICK1 mRNA in amygdala only showed an increasing trend. XYS showed effective regulation on GluR4 mRNA in CA1 region (P < 0.01) and GluR1-3 mRNA expression (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in amygdala. On day 21, the expression of GluR4 mRNA in CA1 region (P < 0.05) and GluR2 mRNA in dentate gyrus (P < 0.05) markedly lowered and expression of GluR1 mRNA in amygdala increased (P < 0.01); XYS significantly regulated the expression of GluR1 and GluR4 mRNA in CA1 region (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Repeated stress in a short time shows effect on expression of AMPA receptor subunit mRNA stronger than chronic stress. The regulation of XYS to AMPA receptor subunit mRNA expression were obvious in hippocampal CA1 region and amygdala.

RNA interference-mediated gene silencing of cyclophilin A enhances the radiosensitivity of PAa human lung adenocarcinoma cells in vitro.

Radiotherapy is currently the major therapeutic strategy for patients with lung cancer. However, radioresistance and various side effects continue to present challenging issues for this form of treatment. A recent study demonstrated that cyclophilin A (CyPA) was overexpressed in non-small cell lung cancer and, therefore, presents a novel potential therapeutic target. In addition, gene-radiotherapy is a novel method for cancer treatment. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate the potential effect of CyPA silencing on radiosensitivity in human lung adenocarcinoma in vitro. The stable CyPA-silencing lung adenocarcinoma (PAa) cell line was generated using lentivirus-mediated small hairpin RNAs. The knockdown of CyPA was determined using fluorescent microscopy and western blot analysis. Cells were irradiated using various doses of cobalt-60 (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 Gy). The radiosensitizing effects were determined by a clonogenic survival assay. Apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were evaluated using flow cytometry. Silencing of CyPA significantly increased the apoptosis of PAa cells. In addition, the radiosensitivity of cells was markedly enhanced following CyPA silencing. Furthermore, silencing of CyPA, in combination with irradiation, induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. Taken together, the data suggest that the silencing of CyPA, combined with radiation therapy, may increase the therapeutic efficacy of lung cancer treatment through regulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis-associated signaling pathways.

Macrolide therapy in cryptogenic organizing pneumonia: A case report and literature review.

Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) is a pulmonary disorder associated with nonspecific clinical presentations. The macrolide class of antimicrobial agents is widely used to treat infectious and inflammatory respiratory diseases in humans. The present study reports a case of COP that was effectively treated with azithromycin in combination with glucocorticoid. A literature review of similar cases is also presented. It was found that all COP patients in the literature received macrolide treatment, including six cases with unknown clinical outcomes. For the remaining 29 patients, 20 patients initially received the macrolide as a single therapy and 4/5 of them (16 cases) were cured with a treatment time of 3-14 months, while 1/5 (4 cases) showed no improvement after treatment for 1 month and were switched to a glucocorticoid or combination treatment with a glucocorticoid, after which the disease was finally well-controlled. Side-effects of macrolide were rare. Based on this analysis, it is recommended that macrolides can be used as a first-line therapy in patients with mild COP. For patients with recurrent COP, it is suggested that macrolides should be used as an adjunctive therapy with other treatments, such as a glucocorticoid.