Multifunctional biomimetic hydrogel dressing provides anti-infection treatment and improves immunotherapy by reprogramming the infection-related wound microenvironment.

The advancement of biomaterials with antimicrobial and wound healing properties continues to present challenges. Macrophages are recognized for their significant role in the repair of infection-related wounds. However, the interaction between biomaterials and macrophages remains complex and requires further investigation. In this research, we propose a new sequential immunomodulation method to enhance and expedite wound healing by leveraging the immune properties of bacteria-related wounds, utilizing a novel mixed hydrogel dressing. The hydrogel matrix is derived from porcine acellular dermal matrix (PADM) and is loaded with a new type of bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBG) doped with magnesium (Mg-MBG) and loaded with Curcumin (Cur). This hybrid hydrogel demonstrates controlled release of Cur, effectively eradicating bacterial infection in the early stage of wound infection, and the subsequent release of Mg ions (Mg2+) synergistically inhibits the activation of inflammation-related pathways (such as MAPK pathway, NF-κB pathway, TNF-α pathway, etc.), suppressing the inflammatory response caused by infection. Therefore, this innovative hydrogel can safely and effectively expedite wound healing during infection. Our design strategy explores novel immunomodulatory biomaterials, offering a fresh approach to tackle current clinical challenges associated with wound infection treatment.

Interactive effects of dispositional mindfulness and PETTLEP imagery training on basketball shooting performance: A randomized controlled trial.

The purpose of this study was to examine the interactive effects of dispositional mindfulness and visualized PETTLEP imagery training on basketball mid-range shooting performance and retention. Seventy-three participants (M age = 20.32 ± 1.09) with high/low dispositional mindfulness (high n = 35; low n = 38) selected out of 302 college students were randomly assigned into the following six groups: (a) high mindfulness internal imagery (H-II, n = 13); (b) high mindfulness external imagery (H-EI, n = 11); (c) high mindfulness control (H-CO, n = 11); (d) low mindfulness internal imagery (L-II, n = 13); (e) low mindfulness external imagery (L-EI, n = 12); and (f) low mindfulness control (L-CO, n = 13). Participants engaged in a pretest to measure their basketball shooting performance, then participated in a 6-week (3 times/per-week) intervention, plus a posttest and retention test. A three-way 2 (high/low mindfulness) X 3 (treatments: internal-, external imagery, and control) X 3 (measurement time: pretest, posttest, and retention) mixed ANOVA statistical analysis found dispositional mindfulness interacted with treatments and measurement time. The main effects showed high dispositional mindfulness performed better than low dispositional mindfulness, and internal imagery training performed better than external imagery training on mid-range basketball performance at retention. The 3-way interaction indicated that when using either internal or external imagery, high dispositional mindfulness performed better than low mindfulness on retention but not posttest. For 2-way interaction, high dispositional mindfulness performed better than low dispositional mindfulness on retention but not posttest. Our results extended current knowledge on sport imagery and dispositional mindfulness and gained several theoretical implications for researchers. The limitations, future research directions, and practical implications were also discussed.

Hybrid 2D-CMOS microchips for memristive applications.

Exploiting the excellent electronic properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials to fabricate advanced electronic circuits is a major goal for the semiconductor industry1,2. However, most studies in this field have been limited to the fabrication and characterization of isolated large (more than 1 µm2) devices on unfunctional SiO2-Si substrates. Some studies have integrated monolayer graphene on silicon microchips as a large-area (more than 500 µm2) interconnection3 and as a channel of large transistors (roughly 16.5 µm2) (refs. 4,5), but in all cases the integration density was low, no computation was demonstrated and manipulating monolayer 2D materials was challenging because native pinholes and cracks during transfer increase variability and reduce yield. Here, we present the fabrication of high-integration-density 2D-CMOS hybrid microchips for memristive applications-CMOS stands for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor. We transfer a sheet of multilayer hexagonal boron nitride onto the back-end-of-line interconnections of silicon microchips containing CMOS transistors of the 180 nm node, and finalize the circuits by patterning the top electrodes and interconnections. The CMOS transistors provide outstanding control over the currents across the hexagonal boron nitride memristors, which allows us to achieve endurances of roughly 5 million cycles in memristors as small as 0.053 µm2. We demonstrate in-memory computation by constructing logic gates, and measure spike-timing dependent plasticity signals that are suitable for the implementation of spiking neural networks. The high performance and the relatively-high technology readiness level achieved represent a notable advance towards the integration of 2D materials in microelectronic products and memristive applications.

Comprehensive analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics to illustrate the underlying mechanism of helenalin against hepatic fibrosis.

This study aimed to investigate the protective mechanisms of helenalin on hepatic fibrosis. In brief, rats were intragastrically administrated with 50% CCl4 for 9 weeks to induce liver fibrosis, followed by treatment with various agents for 6 weeks. The effects of helenalin on hepatic injury were assessed by pathological examinations. The potential targets were predicted by the "Drug-Disease" bioinformatic analysis and then verified by multiple experiments. Moreover, the underlying mechanism was investigated by transcriptomics and metabolomics as a whole. The results showed that helenalin significantly alleviated hepatocyte necrosis and hepatic injury, as proved by the pathological examinations. Also, helenalin markedly attenuated hepatocyte apoptosis by regulating the expression of caspase-3 and Bcl-2 families. Besides, helenalin could significantly reduce collagen accumulation, as evidenced by the decreased contents of collagen, hyaluronic acid and laminin. Moreover, helenalin significantly down-regulated the phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt, FAK, mTOR and P70S6K, and PTEN protein expression, suggesting that helenalin inhibited the PI3K/Akt signaling cascade. Meanwhile, helenalin inhibited the NF-κB signaling pathway by reducing the phosphorylation of IκBα, NF-κB p65 and IKKα/ß, alleviating inflammation response. Interestingly, the analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics indicated that helenalin inhibited the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway by down-regulating the target genes (CHKA, ETNPPL, LYPLA1, PCYT2, PLD4 and PNPLA6), ultimately ameliorating hepatocyte damage. In conclusion, helenalin ameliorates hepatic fibrosis by regulating the PI3K/Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways and the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway.

Folium Ginkgo extract and tetramethylpyrazine sodium chloride injection (Xingxiong injection) protects against focal cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion injury via activating the Akt/Nrf2 pathway and inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

CONTEXT: Folium Ginkgo extract and tetramethylpyrazine sodium chloride injection (Xingxiong injection) is a compound preparation commonly used for treating cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion injury in ischaemic stroke in China. However, its potential mechanisms on ischaemic stroke remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study explores the potential mechanisms of Xingxiong injection in vivo or in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned to five groups: the sham (normal saline), the model (normal saline) and the Xingxiong injection groups (12.5, 25 or 50 mL/kg). The rats were subjected to 2 h of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by reperfusion for 14 d. Xingxiong injection was administered via intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection immediately after ischaemia induction for 14 d. Afterwards, rats were sacrificed at 14 d induced by administration of Xingxiong injection. RESULTS: Xingxiong injection significantly reduces infarct volume (23%) and neurological deficit scores (93%) compared with the MCAO/R group. Additionally, Xingxiong injection inhibits the loss in mitochondrial membrane potential (43%) and reduces caspase-3 level (44%), decreases NOX (41%), protein carbonyl (29%), 4-HNE (40%) and 8-OhdG (41%) levels, inhibits the expression of inflammatory factors, such as TNF-α (26%), IL-1ß (34%), IL-6 (39%), MCP-1 (36%), CD11a (41%) and ICAM-1 (43%). Moreover, Xingxiong injection can increase p-Akt/Akt (35%) and Nrf2 (47%) protein expression and inhibit NLRP3 (42%) protein expression. CONCLUSIONS: Xingxiong injection prevents cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion injury via activating the Akt/Nrf2 pathway and inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome. These findings provide experimental evidence for clinical use of drugs in the treatment of ischaemic stroke.

Vinegar extract ameliorates alcohol-induced liver damage associated with the modulation of gut microbiota in mice.

Vinegar extract is rich in phenolic compounds, which can prevent free radical-induced diseases. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of vinegar extract on gut microbiota in alcohol-treated mice and their correlation with alcohol-induced liver damage. These results showed that vinegar extract regulated the gut microbiota composition and improved intestinal homeostasis through increasing the expression levels of ZO-1, occludin, claudin-1, Reg3b, and Reg3g in alcohol-treated mice. In addition, vinegar extract inhibited the alcohol-induced production of ROS and inflammatory factors. Moreover, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, Akkermansia, and Lactobacillus showed a significant positive correlation with Reg3b, Reg3g, ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1 and a negative correlation with hepatic inflammation and oxidative stress parameters. However, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Butyricimonas, Parabacteroides, and Bilophila exhibited the opposite effect. These findings suggest that vinegar extract modulates gut microbiota and improves intestinal homeostasis, and can be used as a novel gut microbiota manipulator against alcohol-induced liver damage.

Comparing the insertion and ventilation of laryngeal mask airway according to the patient's head position and muscle relaxation use. A prospective clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the insertion and ventilation of the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) classic while using different head positions with or without muscle relaxant. METHODS: This is a double-blind randomized clinical trial. Patients scheduled for ureteral calculus surgery at Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai, China were recruited between November 2017 and November 2018. A total of 132 adults were consecutively selected. Patients were randomly divided into 4 groups according to head positioning and muscle relaxant use. An 8-cm-high pillow was used to achieve the sniffing position. The insertion time, initial peak pressure (Ppeak), mean pressure (Pmean) of the airway during intermittent positive pressure ventilation (primary endpoint) and fiberoptic score of the LMA position (secondary endpoint) were evaluated via electronic bronchoscopy through the mask bar. All adverse events were recorded. Results: Data were analyzed by ANOVA, 2-way ANOVA, Chi-squared, Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The insertion time required for the first attempt, fiberoptic score, Ppeak and Pmean did not differ among the groups. However, the incidence of adverse events in groups not using muscle relaxant was higher than in those using muscle relaxant. Conclusion: Use of a sniffing position and muscle relaxant slightly eased the insertion of the LMA but did not affect the fiberoptic score or ventilation parameters. Using a muscle relaxant, but not the sniffing position, reduced the incidence of adverse effects.

Alisol A attenuates high-fat-diet-induced obesity and metabolic disorders via the AMPK/ACC/SREBP-1c pathway.

Obesity and its associated metabolic disorders such as diabetes, hepatic steatosis and chronic heart diseases are affecting billions of individuals. However there is no satisfactory drug to treat such diseases. In this study, we found that alisol A, a major active triterpene isolated from the Chinese traditional medicine Rhizoma Alismatis, could significantly attenuate high-fat-diet-induced obesity. Our biochemical detection demonstrated that alisol A remarkably decreased lipid levels, alleviated glucose metabolism disorders and insulin resistance in high-fat-diet-induced obese mice. We also found that alisol A reduced hepatic steatosis and improved liver function in the obese mice model.In addition, protein expression investigation revealed that alisol A had an active effect on AMPK/ACC/SREBP-1c pathway. As suggested by the molecular docking study, such bioactivity of alisol A may result from its selective binding to the catalytic region of AMPK.Therefore, we believe that Alisol A could serve as a promising agent for treatment of obesity and its related metabolic diseases.

The sedimentary record of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Yamzho Yumco Lake: evolution of local sources and adsorption dynamic in the Tibetan Plateau.

With the rapid increase in anthropogenic activities, the local emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in background regions, such as the Tibetan Plateau (TP), have attracted great attention. The deposition of PAHs in lake sediments provides a historical evolutionary record of such compounds in these regions. To investigate the evolution of PAHs in the TP, two sedimentary cores from Yamzho Yumco Lake were collected and dated at high resolution, and the concentrations of 16 PAHs and sediment properties were also analyzed. The total concentrations of the 16 PAHs ranged from 6.52 to 57.97 ng/g (dry weight) in YC1 and from 0.91 to 4.57 ng/g (dry weight) in YC2. According to the methods of principal component analysis (PCA) followed by multilinear regression analysis (MLRA), four sources of PAHs in the sediments were qualitatively and quantitatively identified, such as petroleum combustion, petrogenic, coal combustion, and biomass burning. Thus, the historical evolution of PAHs was summarized. In addition, the transported distance from local PAH emission sources was found to greatly affect the composition and concentration of PAHs in sites YC1 and YC2. Specifically, local sources contributed a greater proportion of heavy molecular weight (HMW) PAHs in YC1 and a higher proportion of light-molecular-weight (LMW) PAHs in YC2. Moreover, fine particles (size < 20 µm) were found to play a significant role in adsorbing PAHs in sediments. Furthermore, ∑16PAHs in sediments were linearly correlated with the percentage of fine particles (size < 20 µm). This study provides a first example to investigate the historical evolution of PAH local emission in background regions by using lake sedimentary records, especially in the TP. Specifically, different local sources were identified using the methods of PCA followed by MLRA, and PAHs in TP sediments were predominantly adsorbed by fine particles rather than by total organic carbon (TOC) because the amount of TOC was limited.

Huo Xue Tong Luo capsule ameliorates osteonecrosis of femoral head through inhibiting lncRNA-Miat.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of treating various bone diseases including osteoporosis and osteonecrosis etc. In clinical treatment, Huo Xue Tong Luo capsule (HXTL capsule) containing Peach kernel, Safflower carthamus, Angelica sinensis, Ligusticum wallichii etc, is one of the mostly used prescriptions for treating osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) with promising effects. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify the underlying molecular mechanism of how HXTL capsule exerts its function to ameliorate ONFH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All femoral bone tissues were collected during surgeries. Rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) were used. Quantitative real time PCR was used to check the relative expression levels of genes. ChIP assay was performed to evaluate the binding of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 in Miat promoter. RESULTS: We showed that HXTL capsule promoted osteogenesis in rat MSCs as demonstrated by quantitative real time PCR and Alizarin Red S staining. Then we found silencing the endogenous lncRNA-Miat could promote osteogenesis of rMSCs. In addition, the ChIP assay showed that HXTL capsule significantly increased occupancy of H3K27me3 and decreased H3K4me3 in promoter regions of Miat, meaning HXTL capsule inhibited Miat expression through histone modifications. At last, by examining the femoral heads samples obtained from patients with ONFH during total hip arthroplasty surgery, we found the RNA level of hMiat in necrotic tissue was much higher than that of normal tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our study shows that lncRNA-Miat might play an important role in pathogenesis of ONFH, and HXTL capsule can promote osteogenesis to ameliorate ONFH through inhibiting the transcriptional expression of Miat, at least partially.

Pterostilbene inhibits nutrient metabolism and induces apoptosis through AMPK activation in multiple myeloma cells.

Multiple myeloma (MM) cells are characterized by an abnormal nutrient metabolism that is distinct from normal plasma cells. Pterostilbene (PTE), a bioactive component of blueberries, has been demonstrated to induce apoptosis in multiple types of cancer cell. The present study evaluated whether PTE treatment affected the survival of MM cells from a metabolic perspective, and the potential mechanisms of this. It was observed that the administration of PTE induced apoptosis, which was mediated by the increased activation of AMP­activated protein kinase (AMPK). Once activated, AMPK decreased the expression and/or activity of key lipogenic enzymes, including fatty acid synthase and acetyl­CoA carboxylase. In addition, the activation of AMPK suppressed the downstream substrate, mechanistic target of rapamycin, which dephosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 4E­binding protein 1, leading to a general decrease in mRNA translation. Pre­treatment with the AMPK inhibitor compound C prior to PTE treatment compromised the anti­myeloma apoptosis effect, suggesting the critical role of AMPK in mediating PTE­induced cell toxicity. Consistent results were obtained in vivo. Finally, autophagy was adaptively upregulated subsequent to PTE treatment; the pro­apoptotic efficacy of PTE was potentiated once autophagic flux was inhibited by 3­methyladenine. Taken together, these data demonstrated that PTE exerts anti­tumor effects on MM cells via AMPK­induced nutrient suppression.

Diet-Induced Circadian Enhancer Remodeling Synchronizes Opposing Hepatic Lipid Metabolic Processes.

Overnutrition disrupts circadian metabolic rhythms by mechanisms that are not well understood. Here, we show that diet-induced obesity (DIO) causes massive remodeling of circadian enhancer activity in mouse liver, triggering synchronous high-amplitude circadian rhythms of both fatty acid (FA) synthesis and oxidation. SREBP expression was rhythmically induced by DIO, leading to circadian FA synthesis and, surprisingly, FA oxidation (FAO). DIO similarly caused a high-amplitude circadian rhythm of PPARα, which was also required for FAO. Provision of a pharmacological activator of PPARα abrogated the requirement of SREBP for FAO (but not FA synthesis), suggesting that SREBP indirectly controls FAO via production of endogenous PPARα ligands. The high-amplitude rhythm of PPARα imparted time-of-day-dependent responsiveness to lipid-lowering drugs. Thus, acquisition of rhythmicity for non-core clock components PPARα and SREBP1 remodels metabolic gene transcription in response to overnutrition and enables a chronopharmacological approach to metabolic disorders.

[Development of FTIR fingerprint for identification of armand clematis stem (Chuanmutong) and related herbs].

Armand clematis stem (Clematidis Armandii Caulis, Chuanmutong) is a widely used Chinese herb to disinhibit urine and relieve stranguria. It is difficult to be identified owing to its various macroscopic feature and unknown characteristic compounds. Thus, total of 24 Chuanmutong samples and 7 related herbs including four manshurian aristolochia stem (Aristolochiae Manshuriensis Caulis, Guanmutong) and three akebia stem (Akebiae Caulis, Mutong) samples were collected and analyzed in the range of 4 000 - 400 cm⁻¹ by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and two-dimensional infrared correlation spectroscopy (2D-FTIR) techniques. The FTIR spectra of 24 Chuanmutong samples are consistent in the spectrum profiles, position and intensity of characteristic peaks. 20 of the 24 Chuanmutong samples were randomly selected as calibration samples to calculate and simulate mean spectrum. This mean spectrum is named as FTIR fingerprint of Chuanmutong with characteristic peaks at 3 412, 2 932, 1 739, 1 639, 1 509, 1 456, 1 426, 1 376, 1 332, 1 261, 1 159, 1 035, 897 ,609 cm⁻¹. Meanwhile, the limited level (Mean-3σ=0.992 6) to identify true or false Chuanmutong by correlation coefficient of FTIR spectra was calculated based on the 20 Chuanmutong calibration samples. Then, the rest 4 Chuanmutong, 4 Guanmutong and 3 Mutong samples were used as validation samples to evaluate the identification efficacy. The result shows that the FTIR spectra of 4 Chuanmutong validation samples were similar to the fingerprint. Their correlation coefficients of FTIR spectra were over the limited level and accepted as Chuanmutong. However, the spectra of Guanmutong and Mutong were significantly different from Chuanmutong fingerprint. The correlation coefficients of Guanmutong (0.902 1-0.940 4, n=4) and Mutong (0.954 9-0.978 9, n=3) FTIR spectra were less than the limited level and rejected from Chuanmutong. Furthermore, the number, position and intensity of auto-peaks on the 2D-FTIR were drastically different among the three herbs. It is concluded that the developed FTIR fingerprinting can be rapidly and accurately identify Chuanmutong and differentiate from related herbs.

Evaluating kinase ATP uptake and tyrosine phosphorylation using multiplexed quantification of chemically labeled and post-translationally modified peptides.

Cancer biologists and other healthcare researchers face an increasing challenge in addressing the molecular complexity of disease. Biomarker measurement tools and techniques now contribute to both basic science and translational research. In particular, liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (LC-MRM) for multiplexed measurements of protein biomarkers has emerged as a versatile tool for systems biology. Assays can be developed for specific peptides that report on protein expression, mutation, or post-translational modification; discovery proteomics data rapidly translated into multiplexed quantitative approaches. Complementary advances in affinity purification enrich classes of enzymes or peptides representing post-translationally modified or chemically labeled substrates. Here, we illustrate the process for the relative quantification of hundreds of peptides in a single LC-MRM experiment. Desthiobiotinylated peptides produced by activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) using ATP probes and tyrosine-phosphorylated peptides are used as examples. These targeted quantification panels can be applied to further understand the biology of human disease.

Combination treatment with whole body vibration and a kidney-tonifying herbal Fufang prevent osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the ability of whole body vibration (WBV) with the kidney-tonifying herbal Fufang (Bushen Zhuanggu Granules, BZG) to prevent osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats. METHODS: Fifty 6-month-old female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five groups: sham-operated (SHAM), ovariectomized (OVX), OVX with WBV (OVX + WBV), OVX with BZG (OVX + BZG), OVX with both WBV and BZG (OVX + WBV + BZG). The SHAM group received normal saline. After 12 weeks of treatment, the rats were killed, their serum concentrations of osteopontin (OPN), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand RANKL and bone turnover markers assayed and bone mineral density (BMD), histomorphometry and bone strength evaluated. RESULTS: Concentrations of OPN were significantly lower in the SHAM, OVX + WBV and OVX + WBV + BZG groups at 12 weeks, whereas concentrations of RANKL had decreased significantly in the SHAM, OVX + WBV, OVX + BZG and OVX + WBV + BZG groups. In the OVX + WBV, OVX + BZG and OVX + WBV + BZG groups the amount of bone turnover had been significantly antagonized. Compared with OVX group, BMD, % trabecular area (Tb.Ar), number of trabeculae (Tb.N) and assessed biomechanical variables were higher in OVX+WBV group, whereas and BMD, %Tb.Ar, Tb.N, maximal load and yield load were higher in the OVX + BZG group. All tested indices were significantly lower in the OVX + WBV and OVX + BZG groups than in the OVX + WBV + BZG group. CONCLUSION: Either WBV or BZG alone prevents OVX-induced bone loss. However, BZG enhances the effect of WBV by further enhancing BMD, bone architecture and strength.

Germacrone induces apoptosis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells through inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway.

Previous studies have shown that STAT3 plays a vital role in the genesis and progression of cancer. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway and germacrone-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. HepG2 cells were incubated with germacrone for 24 h, the protein expression of p-STAT3, STAT3, p-JAK2 and JAK2 was detected by Western Blotting, and RT-PCR was used to determine the expression of STAT3, p53, Bcl-2 and Bax at transcriptional levels. Besides that, HepG2 cells were pre-treated with AG490 or IL-6 for 2 h, and then incubated with germacrone for 24 h. The expression of p-JAK2, JAK2, p-STAT3, STAT3, p53, Bax and Bcl-2 was detected by Western blotting. The activity of HepG2 cells was tested by MTT assay. The apoptosis of HepG2 cells and levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were flow cytometrically measured. The results showed that germacrone exposure decreased p-STAT3 and p-JAK2 and regulated expression of p53 and Bcl-2 family members at the same time. Moreover, IL-6 enhanced the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway and therefore attenuated the germacrone-induced apoptosis. Suppression of JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway by AG490, an inhibitor of JAK2, resulted in apoptosis and an increase in ROS in response to germacrone exposure. We therefore conclude that germacrone induces apoptosis through the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway.

Anti-tumor effect of germacrone on human hepatoma cell lines through inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest and promoting apoptosis.

Germacrone is one of the main bioactive components in the traditional Chinese medicine Rhizoma curcuma. In this study, the anti-proliferative effect of germacrone on the human hepatoma cell lines and the molecular mechanism underlying the cytotoxicity of germacrone were investigated. Treatment of human hepatoma cell lines HepG2 and Bel7402 with germacrone resulted in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner as measured by MTT assay, flow cytometric and fluorescent microscopy analysis, while much lower effect on normal human liver cell L02 was observed. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that germacrone induced G2/M arrest in the cell cycle progression that was associated with an obvious decrease in the protein expression of cyclin B1 and its activating partner CDK1 with concomitant inductions of p21. Hoechst 33258 and Annexin V/PI staining results showed that the total cell number in apoptosis associated with a dose-dependent up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2/Bcl-xl was increased. In the meantime, the up-regulation of p53 and reactive oxygen species increase were observed, which suggested that germacrone might be a new potent chemopreventive drug candidate for liver cancer via regulating the expression of proteins related to G2/M cell cycle and apoptosis, and p53 and oxidative damage may play important roles in the inhibition of human hepatoma cells growth by germacrone.

Application of gold nanoparticles/TiO2 modified electrode for the electrooxidative determination of catechol in tea samples.

A gold nanoparticles/TiO(2) composite modified Indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode has been constructed to study the electrochemical behaviour of catechol (CC) and hydroquinone (HQ) using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Increasing of separation of the oxidative peak potentials and peak current for CC and HQ in pH 6.0 phosphate buffer solution (PBS), make it suitable for selected determination of CC. After the optimization of the conditions, CC was determined by DPV and the linear range is from 1.0×10(-7) to 5.0×10(-4) mol L(-1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.999 and limit of detection as 5.0×10(-8) mol L(-1). Interference and stability study showed a satisfactory result. The proposed method has been applied to determine catechol in tea samples, and comparing with the chromatography the results are satisfactory.

[Advances in biomechanical studies on functional training for the treatment of fractures].

Functional training is put a very high position in the treatment of fractures by Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The influences of functional training during fracture healing are very important. Functional training will begin after reduction and fixation and it represents the principle of the combination of functional training and fixation in the fracture treatment by TCM. Functional training makes kinds of favourable stress, which can accelerate the healing of fracture, but the incorrect functional training makes shear strength or torsion and so on, which may make interfere fracture healing. So, the biomechanical studies on functional training of the fracture are becoming a focus of fracture treatment.

Effects of the Chinese drugs for activating blood circulation on plasma TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1alpha contents in rabbits with glucocorticoid-induced femoral head necrosis.

In the femoral head necrosis model rabbit induced by endotoxin combined with methylprenisolone, the dynamical changes of plasma TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1alpha contents were observed. As a result, microscopic examination showed that in the model group, bone trabeculae became fine, empty bone lacunae increased, and osteoblasts in number decreased; the ratio of TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1alpha was out of balance, and these changes worsened gradually with the lapse of time; Compound Sheng Mai Cheng Gu Capsules could reverse femoral head necrosis, protect the vascular endothelial cells, recover the balance of TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1alpha. It is concluded that the hormone-induced femoral head necrosis is closely related with blood stasis, and that the Chinese drugs for activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis can prevent the femoral head from development of necrosis.