Selective separation of magnolol using molecularly imprinted membranes.

Molecularly imprinted membranes (MIMs) for selective separation of magnolol were prepared by thermal polymerization using magnolol as the template, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the cross-linker, 2,2-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the initiator, organic solvent as the porogen, methacrylamide (MAM) and acrylic acid (AA) as the functional monomers and cellulose acetate as the agglutinant. Commercial filter paper was used as the supporting material. The effects of different porogens and the ratio of functional monomers on the binding and recognition capacity of MIMs were investigated, and the morphology of the membranes was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the MIMs have the highest selectivity to magnolol when the ratio of MAM/AA was 1:4 and tetrahydrofuran (THF) with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was used as the porogen. The morphology of the imprinted membranes after template extracting is much rougher with big cavities than that of the non-imprinted membranes (NIMs) and the imprinted membranes before template extracting. The MIMs can selectively separate the magnolol.

Sodium fluoride exposure triggered the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps.

In recent years, numerous studies paid more attention to the molecular mechanisms associated with fluoride toxicity. However, the detailed mechanisms of fluoride immunotoxicity in bovine neutrophils remain unclear. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) is a novel immune mechanism of neutrophils. We hypothesized that sodium fluoride (NaF) can trigger NETs activation and release, and investigate the related molecular mechanisms during the process. We exposed peripheral blood neutrophils to 1 mM NaF for 120 min in bovine neutrophils. The results showed that NaF exposure triggered NET-like structures decorated with histones and granule proteins. Quantitative measurement of NETs content correlated positively with the concentration of NaF. Mechanistically, NaF exposure increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and phosphorylation levels of ERK, p38, whereas inhibiting the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) compared with control neutrophils. NETs formation is induced by NaF and this effect was inhibited by the inhibitors diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI), U0126 and SB202190. Our findings described the potential importance of NaF-triggered NETs related molecules, which might help to extend the current understanding of NaF immunotoxicity.

Misdiagnosis of ligamentoid fibromatosis of the small mesenteric: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Ligamentoid fibromatosis is a rare borderline tumor that occurs in the muscles, fascia, and aponeurosis. It is a kind of soft tissue tumor of fibrous origin, also known as invasive fibromatosis, desmoid fibroma, neurofibromatosis, etc. The tumor is between benign and malignant tumors and rarely has distant metastasis. Its characteristics are mainly local invasion, destruction and growth and easy recurrence. The World Health Organization defines it as a fibroblast cloning value-added lesion originating from deep soft tissue, which causes local invasion and growth leading to tissue reconstruction, extrusion and destruction of important structures and organs. The incidence rate accounts for 0.03% of all tumors and less than 3% of all soft tissue tumors. Definite diagnosis mainly depends on postoperative pathology. Surgical resection is still the main way to treat the disease, and a variety of nonsurgical treatment methods are auxiliary. Combined treatment can effectively reduce the risk of postoperative recurrence. CASE SUMMARY: The patient is a 57-year-old female. One week ago, she accidentally found a mass in the left upper abdomen while lying flat. There was no abdominal pain and abdominal distention, no fever, no black stool and blood in the stool and no nausea and vomiting. She had a 10-year history of glaucoma on the left side, underwent hysterectomy for uterine fibroids 5 years ago, had no hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, hepatitis or tuberculosis, had no history of smoking and had been drinking for 20 years. CONCLUSION: Accurate preoperative diagnosis is difficult, surgical resection is the main treatment, and a variety of nonsurgical treatment methods are auxiliary. Combined treatment can effectively reduce the risk of postoperative recurrence. The prognosis is still good, and the risk of recurrence of secondary surgery is greatly increased.

Zearalenone Induces Estrogen-Receptor-Independent Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Release in Vitro.

Zearalenone (ZEA) is a non-steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin synthesized in Fusarium species, mainly Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum, and it has strong estrogenic activity and causes genotoxic effects, reproductive disorders, and immunosuppressive effects. Neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) has been studied for many years. Initially, NET was considered a form of the innate response that combats invading microorganisms. However, NET is involved in a series of pathophysiological mechanisms, including thrombosis, tissue necrosis, autoinflammation, and even autoimmunity. We recently found that polymorphonuclear neutrophils response to ZEA exposure by undergoing NET formation. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in this process remain poorly characterized. Here, we analyze whether estrogen receptors (ERs) can affect NET formation after ZEA stimulation. The involvement of ERs is investigated with the selective ER antagonists. Moreover, we investigate the mechanisms of NET formation using immunofluorescence staining, fluorescence microplate, and western blot analysis. Our results show that ERs (ERα and ERß) are not involved in ZEA-induced NET formation, but reactive oxygen species (ROS), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and p38 are postulated to be involved. Specifically, we provide data demonstrating that ZEA-induced ROS may promote activation of ERK and p38 as well as subsequent NET release. We are the first to demonstrate this new mechanism of ZEA-induced NET formation, which may help in understanding the role of ZEA in overexposure diseases and provide a relevant basis for therapeutic applications.

Spatial Distribution of Pancreatic Stones in Chronic Pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to establish a standard to describe the spatial distribution of pancreatic stones in chronic pancreatitis (CP). METHODS: Two hundred forty-seven CP patients with pancreatic stones from June to December 2012 were enrolled. Two-dimensional images from coronal projection of 3-dimensional computed tomography images of pancreatic stones were gained. The number (n) of all stones and the geometric standard deviation (σ) of distances between the centroid of all stones and the centroids of every stone that represented the spatial distribution nonuniformity were calculated by Stone Reconstruction and Identification Programming System. RESULTS: The mean value of n and σ were 13.6 and 22.5; n > 13.6 and σ > 22.5 were determined as "multistones" and "nonuniform," respectively. Compared with alcoholic CP, idiopathic CP was less prone to multistones (odds ratio [OR], 0.310) and more prone to nonuniform (OR, 3.247). Pancreatic pseudocyst (OR, 2.211) in CP course was a risk factor of multistones, whereas diabetes mellitus in first-/second-/third-degree relatives (OR, 0.382) was a protective factor. Age at diagnosis of pancreatic stones (OR, 1.022) was a risk factor of nonuniformity. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with idiopathic CP, alcoholic CP patients were prone to more pancreatic stones that distribute more uniformly.

Mechanochemical-assisted extraction and antioxidant activities of kaempferol glycosides from Camellia oleifera Abel. meal.

A mechanochemical-assisted extraction (MCAE) method was proposed and investigated for the fast extraction of two kaempferol glycosides (kaempferol-3-O-[2-O-ß-D-galactopyranosyl-6-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl]-ß-D-glucopyranoside and kaempferol-3-O-[2-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-6-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl]-ß-D-glucopyranoside) from Camellia oleifera Abel. meal. The effects of operating parameters in terms of NaOH content, grinding time, extraction time, and ratio of solution to solid were evaluated by means of response surface methodology (RSM). Under the optimal conditions with a ratio of material to NaOH of 20:1 (g/g), a milling time of 15 min, and a ratio of solution to solid of 20:1 (mL/g) for 60 min, the maximum extraction yields of the two kaempferol glycosides reached 13.34 and 13.83%, respectively. The antioxidant activity of kaempferol glycosides extract was assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay and ferric thiocyanate (FTC) assay. Compared with the heat reflux extraction (HRE) method, the yield and the antioxidant activities of the extracts from MCAE with water as solvent were higher and stronger.