Uncovering eco-friendly design in the ancient bronze goose-and-fish lamp: an unnoticeable gap boosts ventilation.

The bronze goose-and-fish lamp exhibited in the national museum of China is a 2,000-y-old artifact once used for indoor lighting by nobility in the Western Han dynasty (206 BCE TO 25 CE). The beauty of this national treasure arises from its elegant shape vividly showing a goose catching fish with beautiful colors painted over the whole body. Beyond the artistic and historical value, what enchants people most is the eco-design concept of this oil-burning lamp. It is widely believed that the smoke generated by burning animal oil can flow into the goose belly through its long neck, then be absorbed by prefilled water in the belly, hence mitigating indoor air pollution. Although different mechanistic hypotheses such as natural convection and even the siphon effect have been proposed to qualitatively rationalize the above-claimed pollution mitigation function, due to the absence of a true scientific analysis, the definitive mechanism remains a mystery. By rigorous modeling of the nonisothermal fluid flow coupled with convection-diffusion of pollutant within and out of the lamp, we discover that it is the unnoticeable gap between goose body and lamp tray (i.e., an intrinsic feature of the multicompartmental design) that can offer definitive ventilation in the lamp. The ventilation is facilitated by natural convection due to oil burning. Adequate ventilation plays a key role in enabling pollution mitigation, as it allows pollutant to reach the goose belly, travel over and be absorbed by the water.

Effect of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in combination with cytoreductive surgery on the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal metastasis often occurs in patients with colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis, and the prognosis is poor. A large body of evidence highlights the beneficial effects of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) on survival, but to date, there is little consensus on the optimal treatment strategy for patients with colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of CRS + HIPEC on survival and provide reference for the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis is reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Knowledge, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were screened from inception of the review to March 11, 2022. Ten studies were included in qualitative and quantitative analysis. RESULTS: A total of 3200 patients were enrolled in the study, including 788 patients in the CRS and HIPEC groups and 2412 patients in the control group, of which 3 were randomized controlled trials and 7 were cohort studies. The 3 randomized controlled studies were of high quality, and the quality scores of the 7 cohort studies were all 7 or above, indicating high quality. The results showed that the OS of CRS + HIPEC group was higher than that of control group (HR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.38-0.73; P < 0.00001, I2 = 82.9%); the heterogeneity of the studies was large. The subgroup analysis showed that the OS of CRS and HIPEC group was higher than that of PC group (HR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.30-0.47; P = 0.215, I2 = 31%) and higher than that in CRS group (HR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.49-1.07; P = 0.163, I2 = 44.8%); the heterogeneity of the studies was low. In the OPEN group, the OS of THE CRS and HIPEC groups was higher than that in the control group (HR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.38-0.70; P = 0.353, I2 = 3.9%); OPEN group showed lower heterogeneity. The OS of 60-100-min group was higher than that in the control group (HR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.49-0.88; P = 0.172, I2 = 37.4%); the heterogeneity of the studies was low. Sensitivity analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the results of the combined analysis after each study was deleted. The results of publication bias showed that the P-value of Egger and Begg tests was 0.078 > 0.05, indicating that there is no publication bias. CONCLUSIONS: CRS + HIPEC can improve the survival rate of patients with colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis.

Perioperative nutrition management for gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed and the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Malnutrition is a substantial problem in patients with gastric cancer, associated with poor treatment tolerance and increased morbidity. It has also been recognized as an independent prognostic factor in individuals with cancer. Early detection of malnutrition and effective perioperative nutrition intervention play an important role in the treatment of gastric cancer. Nutrition screening and assessment are the first steps in nutrition management and provide a basis for further nutrition support. Several tools, including the Nutrition Risk Screening-2002 and Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment, have been developed for nutrition screening and assessment. Effective nutrition support can significantly improve nutritional and immune status, reduce the incidence of postoperative complications, and accelerate recovery. The aim of this review was to focus on preoperative nutrition risk screening and assessment, and perioperative nutrition support, which may serve as a framework of perioperative nutrition management for gastric cancer.

Carrier-free nanoparticles of camptothecin prodrug for chemo-photothermal therapy: the making, in vitro and in vivo testing.

BACKGROUND: Nanoscale drug delivery systems have emerged as broadly applicable approach for chemo-photothermal therapy. However, these nanoscale drug delivery systems suffer from carrier-induced toxicity, uncontrolled drug release and low drug carrying capacity issues. Thus, to develop carrier-free nanoparticles self-assembled from amphiphilic drug molecules, containing photothermal agent and anticancer drug, are very attractive. RESULTS: In this study, we conjugated camptothecin (CPT) with a photothermal agent new indocyanine green (IR820) via a redox-responsive disulfide linker. The resulting amphiphilic drug-drug conjugate (IR820-SS-CPT) can self-assemble into nanoparticles (IR820-SS-CPT NPs) in aqueous solution, thus remarkably improving the membrane permeability of IR820 and the aqueous solubility of CPT. The disulfide bond in the IR820-SS-CPT NPs could be cleaved in GSH rich tumor microenvironment, leading to the on demand release of the conjugated drug. Importantly, the IR820-SS-CPT NPs displayed an extremely high therapeutic agent loading efficiency (approaching 100%). Besides, in vitro experimental results indicated that IR820-SS-CPT NPs displayed remarkable tumor cell killing efficiency. Especially, the IR820-SS-CPT NPs exhibited excellent anti-tumor effects in vivo. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted, which have indicated that the design of IR820-SS-CPT NPs can provide an efficient nanotherapeutics for chemo-photothermal therapy. CONCLUSION: A novel activatable amphiphilic small molecular prodrug IR820-SS-CPT has been developed in this study, which integrated multiple advantages of GSH-triggered drug release, high therapeutic agent content, and combined chemo-photothermal therapy into one drug delivery system.

Characterization of astrocytes and microglial cells in the hippocampal CA1 region after transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats treated with Ilexonin A.

Ilexonin A is a compound isolated from the root of Ilex pubescens, a traditional Chinese medicine. Ilexonin A has been shown to play a neuroprotective role by regulating the activation of astrocytes and microglia in the peri-infarct area after ischemia. However, the effects of ilexonin A on astrocytes and microglia in the infarct-free region of the hippocampal CA1 region remain unclear. Focal cerebral ischemia models were established by 2-hour occlusion of the middle cerebral artery in rats. Ilexonin A (20, 40 or 80 mg/kg) was administered immediately after ischemia/reperfusion. The astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein, microglia marker Iba-1, neural stem cell marker nestin and inflammation markers were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot assay. Expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 1ß were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in the hippocampal CA1 tissue. Astrocytes were activated immediately in progressively increasing numbers from 1, 3, to 7 days post-ischemia/reperfusion. The number of activated astrocytes further increased in the hippocampal CA1 region after treatment with ilexonin A. Microglial cells remained quiescent after ischemia/reperfusion, but became activated after treatment with ilexonin A. Ilexonin A enhanced nestin expression and reduced the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 1ß in the hippocampus post-ischemia/reperfusion. The results of the present study suggest that ilexonin A has a neuroprotective effect in the hippocampus after ischemia/reperfusion, probably through regulating astrocytes and microglia activation, promoting neuronal stem cell proliferation and reducing the levels of pro-inflammatory factors. This study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, China.

Controlling the rheological properties of W1/O/W2 multiple emulsions using osmotic swelling: Impact of WPI-pectin gelation in the internal and external aqueous phases.

The purpose of this study was to create W1/O/W2 Multiple Emulsions by controlled osmotic swelling, and gelation of whey protein isolate (WPI) and high methoxy pectin (HMP) microspheres in internal and external acidic aqueous phases. Three different kinds of W1/O/W2 multiple emulsions (ME) were prepared, with 8 wt.% Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) in their oil phases, with WPI and HMP in internal and external aqueous phases (250 mM NaCl, pH 3.5): (i) ME1: The inner aqueous phase (W1) contained 40% buffer solution, while W2 consisted of 10% WPI and 2% HMP; (ii) ME2: W1 contained 10% WPI, with 2% HMP (250 mM NaCl) in W2; (iii) ME3: 10% WPI and 2% HMP in W1, while W2 contained 1% Tween 80. The original multiple emulsions were diluted by different factors (1:0 to 1:5 with citrate buffer solution), and subject to thermal treatment from 25 to 90 °C to compare their microstructural and rheological properties. It was observed that the ME1 emulsion had higher viscosity and shear modulus than for other emulsions. After dilution however, the shear viscosity of ME3 was higher than ME1 and ME 2 at intermediate shear rates, which showed that the emulsions were osmotically well controlled in internal aqueous phases. Optical and confocal microscopy also supported our rheological measurements with evidence of WPI-HMP gelation, and osmotic swelling, in original and in swollen multiple emulsions. The results of this work may provide useful information about the encapsulation of bioactive compounds, in internal and external aqueous phases, for the development of healthier reduced-fat products in food industry.

Responses of soil nutrients and biological characteristics to nitrogen deposition in Hulun Buir Grassland, China.

Studies on effects of nitrogen deposition were mainly focused on temperate grasslands in Inner Mongolia of China. In addition, there are substantial differences between the present simulation methods and the natural nitrogen deposition. A three-year experiment was carried out to compare the effects of simulation methods (common urea and slow-released urea) and nitrogen deposition rates (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200 and 300 kg N·hm-2·a-1) on soil nutrients and biological characteristics in Hulun Buir Grassland. We found that simulated nitrogen deposition had significant influences on soil chemical properties, biological properties and enzyme activities. With the increases of nitrogen deposition, soil pH declined with the greatest extent of 0.2 units, while the highest concentrations of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) increased by 5-7 times and 12%-36%, respectively. There was a decline trend for soil total phosphorus (TP) and organic phosphorus (TOP). Microbial biomass and metabolic activity increased firstly and then decreased. Moderate simulated nitrogen deposition rates significantly increased soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus related enzyme activities. Compared to common urea, using slow-released urea to simulate nitrogen deposition decelerate the decline of soil pH and the increase of dissolved nutrients, and smoothed the change of microbial biomass, metabolic activity, and nitrogen hydrolyzed enzyme activities. Overall, the results confirmed that continuous nitrogen input caused the decline of soil pH and the increase of bioavailable carbon and nitrogen, and then changed microbial biomass and activity.

Investigation of the effects of mechanical treatments on cellular structure integrity and vitamin C extractability of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) by LF-NMR.

Extraction of nutrients from plants is an important unit operation in the food and biological industries. The target nutrient is usually spatially distributed throughout the plant tissue. The intact cell wall and adhering membranes are the main resistances to molecular diffusion. Therefore, disintegration of the intact structure, which in turn increases the permeability of adhering membranes, can significantly improve the nutrient extraction yield and efficiency. In this study, different physical treatments (homogenization, high pressure homogenization, and ball mill grinding) were applied to investigate their effects on the tissue microstructure and the release of vitamin C. The changes in the microstructure were reflected by LF-NMR based on T2 distribution, particle size distribution, and microscopy images. The extraction yield of vitamin C obtained by high-pressure homogenization was increased by 75.69% for floret and 28.84% for stalk, respectively, as compared to that obtained by mechanical homogenization. The degradation of vitamin C was significant due to prolonged operation of the ball mill grinding method although the integrity of the tissues was similar to that of the high-pressure homogenization-treated tissues. This study confirms that the degree of tissue disintegration has a positive correlation with the release of the nutrient (vitamin C) within a limited operating time. LF-NMR has been proven to be an effective method to study the impact of different physical treatments on the cellular structure integrity of plant-originated food materials.

[Huangqi Danshen decoction attenuates isoproterenol-induced myocardial remodeling via STIM1, TRPC1, CaN and NFATc3 pathways in rats].

To investigate the inhibitory effect of Huangqi Danshen decoction (HDD) on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial remodeling and explore its effect on STIM1, TRPC1, CaN and NFATc3 expressions. ISO (2.5 mg•kg⁻¹â€¢d⁻¹×14 d) was given by subcutaneous injection to establish myocardial remodeling models in rats, and then were randomly divided into control group, ISO model group, HDD5 group (HDD 5 g•kg⁻¹â€¢d⁻¹+ISO), and HDD10 group (HDD 10 g•kg⁻¹â€¢d⁻¹+ISO). After intervention for 4 weeks, the heart mass index (HW/BW) and the left ventricular mass index (LVW/BW) were calculated; the structure of myocardium was observed by echocardiography; the pathological changes of myocardium were observed by HE staining; levels of BNP, CaN and CaM kinases II in serum were detected by ELISA, and the protein expression levels of STIM1, TRPC1, p-CaN, p-NFATc3, and NFATc3 in left ventricular tissues were detected by Western blot. The results showed that the HW/BW and LVW/BW in ISO group were greater than those in HDD5 group and HDD10 group (P<0.05); Echocardiography showed that HDD inhibited ISO-induced increase in LVEDD and LVESD; ELISA results showed that HDD could significantly inhibit the increase of BNP, CaN and CaM kinases II levels in serum of rats with ISO-induced myocardial remodeling (P<0.01). Western blot results showed that STIM1, TRPC1, p-CaN, p-NFATc3 and NFATc3 expression levels were increased in the myocardial tissues of ISO group rats, and after HDD administration, the above expression levels were decreased in group ISO, HDD for myocardial tissue after administration of STIM1, TRPC1, p-CaN, p-NFATc3 and NFATc3 expression decreased (P<0.05). Our findings indicated that HDD can attenuate the myocardial remodeling induced by ISO, and its mechanism may be related to down-regulating the expression levels of STIM1, TRPC1, CaM kinases II, p-CaN/CaN and p-NFATc3/NFATc3.

[Analysis and evaluation of chemically induced artificial agarwood].

In this study,the content of ethanol extraction of agarwood were performed following the method of Chinese Pharmacopoeia(ChP 2015 edition). The chromatographic fingerprints were established by GC-MS. Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM）(version 2012) was employed to calculate the similarity of each chromatogram of agarwood. The ratios of sum peak area in the range of 170-270 min and 0-100 min of individual chromatogram were calculated using square peaks to normalization. AMDIS and RI were employed to identify the common and different peaks. Correlation coefficient P(corr) combined with Variable important in projection(VIP) value was employed to screen the different representative components based on OPLS-DA analysis. Grey related degree and TOPSIS were used to evaluate the quality of artificial agarwoods. The results showed that more than 10.0% of the ethanol extract content was found in 15 batches of artificial agarwoods among the total 18. The similarity of 18 batches artificial agarwoods was 0.439-0.779. The peak area ratios of two intervals were in the range of 0.307-13.254. The 9 common components and 8 different components were identified. Meanwhile, 2% salicylic acid is the best inducer based on grey related degree and TOPSIS. Grey related degree and TOPSIS can be used to evaluate the quality of artificial agarwoods rapidly. These results provide a reference data to evaluate the qualityof artificial agarwood.

Thermal Aggregation of Calcium-Fortified Skim Milk Enhances Probiotic Protection during Convective Droplet Drying.

Probiotic bacteria have been reported to confer benefits on hosts when delivered in an adequate dose. Spray-drying is expected to produce dried and microencapsulated probiotic products due to its low production cost and high energy efficiency. The bottleneck in probiotic application addresses the thermal and dehydration-related inactivation of bacteria during process. A protective drying matrix was designed by modifying skim milk with the principle of calcium-induced protein thermal aggregation. The well-defined single-droplet drying technique was used to monitor the droplet-particle conversion and the protective effect of this modified Ca-aggregated milk on Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. The Ca-aggregated milk exhibited a higher drying efficiency and superior protection on L. rhamnosus GG during thermal convective drying. The mechanism was explained by the aggregation in milk, causing the lower binding of water in the serum phase and, conversely, local concentrated milk aggregates involved in bacteria entrapment in the course of drying. This work may open new avenues for the development of probiotic products with high bacterial viability and calcium enrichment.

Rheological and microstructural properties of porcine gastric digesta and diets containing pectin or mango powder.

Hydrated polysaccharides and their assemblies are known to modulate gastric emptying rate due to their capacity to change the structural and rheological properties of gastric contents (digesta). In the present study, we investigated the rheological and microstructural properties of gastric digesta from pigs fed with diets incorporating mango powder or pectin, and compared results with those from hydrated diets of the same water content, in order to investigate the origins for rheological changes in the pig stomach. All of the hydrated diets and gastric digesta were particle-dominated suspensions, generally showing weak gel or more solid-like behavior with the storage modulus (G') always greater than loss modulus (G") under small deformation oscillatory measurements, and with small deformation viscosity greater than steady shear viscosity (i.e. non-Cox-Merz superposition). Although significant rheological differences were observed between the hydrated diets, rheological parameters for gastric digesta were similar for all diets, indicative of a rheological homeostasis in the pig stomach. Whilst the addition of gastric mucin (20mg/mL) to control and mango diets altered the rheology to match the gastric digesta rheology, the effect of mucin on the pectin-containing diet was negligible. The viscous effect of pectin also hindered the action of alpha amylase as observed from relatively less damaged starch granules in pectin digesta compared to mango and control digesta. Based on the experimental findings that the rheology of gastric digesta differs from hydrated diets of the same water content, the current study revealed composition-dependent complex behavior of gastric digesta in vivo, suggesting that the rheology of food products or ingredients may not necessarily reflect the rheological effect when ingested.

Ilexonin A Promotes Neuronal Proliferation and Regeneration via Activation of the Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway after Cerebral Ischemia Reperfusion in Rats.

Aims. Ilexonin A (IA), a component of the Chinese medicine Ilex pubescens, has been shown to be neuroprotective during ischemic injury. However, the specific mechanism underlying this neuroprotective effect remains unclear. Methods. In this study, we employed a combination of immunofluorescence staining, western blotting, RT-PCR, and behavioral tests, to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in IA regulation of neuronal proliferation and regeneration after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in rodents. Results. Increases in ß-catenin protein and LEF1 mRNA and decreases in GSK3ß protein and Axin mRNA observed in IA-treated compared to control rodents implicated the canonical Wnt pathway as a key signaling mechanism activated by IA treatment. Furthermore, rodents in the IA treatment group showed less neurologic impairment and a corresponding increase in the number of Brdu/nestin and Brdu/NeuN double positive neurons in the parenchymal ischemia tissue following middle cerebral artery occlusion compared to matched controls. Conclusion. Altogether, our data indicate that IA can significantly diminish neurological deficits associated with cerebral ischemia reperfusion in rats as a result of increased neuronal survival via modulation of the canonical Wnt pathway.

Neuroprotective effects of Ilexonin A following transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats.

Ilexonin A is a compound isolated from the root of a plant commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible protective mechanism of Ilexonin A in rats subjected to occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO). Transient focal cerebral ischemia was induced by 2 h of MCAO, followed by reperfusion. Ilexonin A at doses of 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg were administered via intraperitoneal injection immediately following ischemia/reperfusion. The expression levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ionized calcium­binding adapter molecule­1 (Iba­1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fetal liver kinase­1 (Flk­1) and Nestin were examined using immunostaining and Western blot analysis of the peri­infarct region following ischemia/reperfusion. Ilexonin A significantly decreased the infarct volume and improved neurological deficits in a dose­dependent manner. The expression levels of VEGF, Flk­1 and Nestin were significantly increased in the rats treated with Ilexonin A, compared with the rats administered with saline. Following treatment with Ilexonin A, a higher number of GFAP­positive astrocytes were found in the Ilexonin A­treated rats at 1, 3 and 7 days, compared with the rats exposed to ischemia only, however, there were fewer astrocytes at 14 days, compared with the ischemia group. Ilexonin A significantly decreased the protein expression of Iba­1. The results of the present study suggested that the protective effects of Ilexonin A were associated with revascularization, neuronal regeneration, and the regulation of astrocyte and microglia cell activation.

Exploring the protective effects of calcium-containing carrier against drying-induced cellular injuries of probiotics using single droplet drying technique.

Protective carriers that encapsulate probiotics in spray drying could improve the survival ratio of dried cells through different mechanisms. Unveiling the protective mechanism of each carrier will contribute to a rational design of high performance carrier formulation. This study utilized single droplet drying (SDD) technique to investigate the effects of calcium cation in varied carrier formulation. Inactivation histories of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) in different carriers were compared, and cellular injury history of probiotics during droplet drying was studied for the first time. Adding 1mM CaCl2 to lactose carrier protected cell viability, mitigated cellular injuries, and enhanced regrowth capability as drying progressed, demonstrating the positive effect of Ca2+ with possible mechanism of stabilizing sub-cellular structures. At later drying stages, cell survival in Lac/Ca carrier was increased by 0.5-1.5 log on selective media compared to lactose carrier. Supplementing calcium-binding agents lowered the protective effect, shortening the initiation of rapid cell inactivation down to 120s of drying. Adding CaCl2 to trehalose carrier barely improved cell survival, indicating that the protective effect could be influenced by carrier formulation. Pure trehalose carrier exerted excellent protection on LGG, supporting cells to regrow in liquid rich medium even after 180s of drying. The protection of trehalose may stem from stabilization of sub-cellular structures, which possibly overlap the effect of Ca2+. The findings suggested that high performance carrier formulation might be developed by combining carrier materials with different protective mechanisms, for maximizing the survival of active dry probiotics in industrial spray drying operation.

Increasing expression of substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide in synovial tissue and fluid contribute to the progress of arthritis in developmental dysplasia of the hip.

INTRODUCTION: Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a common musculoskeletal disorder that has pain and loss of joint function as major pathological features. In the present study, we explored the mechanisms of possible involvement and regulation of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the pathological and inflammatory processes of arthritis in DDH. METHODS: Blood, synovial tissue and fluid samples were collected from patients diagnosed with different severities of DDH and from patients with femoral neck fracture. Levels of SP, CGRP and inflammatory cytokines in synovium and synovial fluid (SF) in the different groups were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Correlations between neuropeptides and inflammatory cytokines in SF were evaluated by partial correlation analysis. The proinflammatory effects of SP and CGRP on synoviocytes obtained from patients with moderate DDH were investigated in vitro by real-time PCR and ELISA. The mechanisms of those effects were evaluated by Western blot analysis and nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) DNA binding assay. RESULTS: Significantly increased levels of neuropeptides and inflammatory cytokines were observed in synovium and SF from patients in the severe DDH group compared with the moderate DDH and control groups. In moderate DDH samples, SP in SF correlated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and CGRP in SF correlated with TNF-α and interleukin (IL)-10. In the severe DDH group, SP in SF correlated with interleukin (IL)-1ß, TNF-α and IL-10. CGRP in SF correlated with TNF-α. Additionally, SP might have had obvious proinflammatory effects on synoviocytes through the activation of NF-κB. CONCLUSIONS: The upregulation of SP and CGRP in synovium and SF might participate in the inflammatory process of arthritis in DDH. The activation of the NF-κB pathway seems indispensable in the proinflammatory effect of SP on synoviocytes. This original discovery may indicate a potential clinical drug target and the development of innovative therapies for DDH.

Antiretrogradation in cooked starch-based product application of tea polyphenols.

UNLABELLED: Retrogradation in cooked starch-based products is a significant hindrance in extending the shelf life of these products as they become progressively hard to bite over short time periods (say 1 or 2 months). In this study, the effects of tea polyphenols (TPs) on cooked amylopectin-rich cassava starch have been investigated. Cassava starch was mixed with TPs and then gelatinized to form starch gels. The obtained gels were stored for up to 80 d and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), hardness test, color analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results of XRD show that the formation of long-range ordered structure of amylopectin was retarded by the interaction of TPs with amylopectin via hydrogen bond. The results of hardness test show that the accelerating increase in the hardness of cassava starch gel was retarded by the addition of TPs. The increase in hardness versus time can be correlated well using a single-parameter exponential equation. The increase in hardness, variations in color, and FT-IR spectrum of the TPs treated samples during storage with TPs were relatively small, suggesting that the retrogradation of starch is inhibited by TPs. This work presents an opportunity of antiretrogradation in the related products. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Retrogradation of cooked-starch-based products is still one of the most frequently encountered problems in food industry, which causes many problems such as hardening and syneresis of the products. The potential application of tea polyphenols (TPs) as antiretrogradation additives is demonstrated in this work. Experimental results show that the addition of TPs retards the retrogradation of cassava starch during long-term storage remarkably.

Effect of lianhuaqingwen capsules on airway inflammation in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by a chronic inflammatory response that is worsened by acute exacerbations. Lianhuaqingwen (LHQW) has anti-inflammatory and immune regulatory functions and may inhibit the airway inflammation that occurs during an acute exacerbation of COPD. In this study, 100 participants were recruited and randomly assigned, 1 : 1, to the LHQW and the conventional groups, which were treated, respectively, with LHQW capsules and conventional Western medicine or only conventional Western medicine. The scores of the CAT scale and levels of inflammatory cytokines in blood and sputum were measured during treatment. In addition, subjects were subdivided into high-risk and low-risk subgroups. The CAT scores in the LHQW group and high-risk subgroup were clearly improved from the 5th day, but the other groups improved only after treatment was completed. Expression levels of IL-8, TNF- α , IL-17, and IL-23 in the sputum and of IL-8 and IL-17 in the blood were significantly decreased after treatment, and similar results were found in subgroups. These data suggested that LHQW capsules can accelerate the improvement of AECOPD patients, especially for the high-risk subgroup, and the mechanism of action may be related to the decreased release of inflammatory mediators.

Hemorrhagic pure sensory strokes in the thalamus and striatocapsular area: causes, clinical features and long-term outcome.

BACKGROUND: Although there have been sporadic reports of patients with hemorrhagic pure sensory strokes (HPSS) in the thalamus and striatocapsular areas, the causes, clinical featuring and long-term outcome have not been adequately investigated. METHODS: We recruited 7 consecutive patients without hemiparetic stroke who had HPSS in the thalamic and striatocapsular areas. A CT scan was performed to verify brain imaging patterns, and their causes, clinical featuring and long-term outcome were observed. RESULTS: We studied 7 patients who had HPSS in the thalamic and striatocapsular areas as seen in CT scans. The 7 patients had hypertension, and small hemorrhages were found in the thalamus of 2 patients and in the posterior quarter of the posterior limb of the internal capsule in 4 patients; only 1 patient had a microhemorrhage in the thalamus. The volume of the hemorrhages ranged from 0.3 to 6.3 ml, with a mean of 2.3 ± 1.9 ml. Three patients showed a decreased sense of spinothalamic modality, and position and vibration senses were spared. Four patients showed a sensory deficit of both spinothalamic and medial lemniscal type. The outcomes were excellent and without post-stroke pain in all patients. CONCLUSION: HPSS in the thalamus and striatocapsular area are usually small hemorrhages or microhemorrhages from rupturing of the microvessels or the branches of small vessels. HPSS only have an impact on the adjacent sensory nucleus or pathway, and have a good outcome without post-stroke pain.

[Influence of Aloe polysaccharide on proliferation and hyaluronic acid and hydroxyproline secretion of human fibroblasts in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Aloe polysaccharide on proliferation and hyaluronic acid and hydroxyproline secretion of human fibroblasts in vitro. METHODS: The fibroblasts were treated with different doses of polysaccharide (0, 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 mg/L). Subsequently, cell proliferation was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, cell cycle by flow cytometry, evaluation of the Aloe polysaccharide toxic effect by acridine orange-ethidium bromide staining, evaluation of the cell injury by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay, and the collagen synthesis by (3)H-proline incorporation. In addition, hyaluronic acid and hydroxyproline levels in the supernatants of cultured fibroblasts were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The proliferation of fibroblasts was induced with polysaccharide in a dose-dependent manner, reaching its highest level on 5th day. Meanwhile, the percentage of cells at phase G(0)/G(1) was decreased, while that at phases G(2)/M and S was increased significantly in Aloe polysaccharide-treated groups as compared with those in the control group (P<0.05). Additionally, the apoptosis of the fibroblasts showed no differences among all groups. The collagen synthesis was increased and cell injury decreased in polysaccharide-treated groups as compared with those in control group (P<0.05), while the levels of hyaluronic acid and hydroxyproline in the supernatants of fibroblasts treated with polysaccharide were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The Aloe polysaccharide promotes both the proliferation of fibroblasts and the production of hyaluronic acid and hydroxyproline in fibroblasts. This indicates that the Aloe polysaccharide may play an important role in the extracellular matrix remodeling during wound healing.