Correlation analysis of carotid artery intima-media thickness, serum 25(OH)D and men with erectile dysfunction.

Our goal is to investigate the connection between serum 25(OH)D and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) in men with erectile dysfunction (ED).Serum 25(OH)D and CIMT were measured in 124 participants with erectile dysfunction and 39 healthy controls. The relationship between them and different patient-related parameters and disease-related parameters was studied. Compared with the control group and mild ED group, the level of serum 25(OH)D in moderate ED group and severe ED group decreased significantly(P<0.05). The CIMT values of moderate ED group and severe ED group were higher than those of the control group(P<0.05). The CIMT value of severe ED group was significantly higher than that of mild ED group(P<0.05). IIEF-5 score was positively correlated with serum 25(OH)D level, but negatively correlated with CIMT value(P<0.05). After adjusting for the influence of confounding factors, The CIMT values, 25(OH)D and IIEF-5 score were substantially associated(P<0.05). The serum level of 25(OH)D and IIEF-5 score were positively correlated, while the CIMT values and IIEF-5 score were negatively correlated. The level of serum 25(OH)D should be analyzed in men with ED, especially in patients with vasculogenic ED, and supplementation is recommended for those who were with vitamin D deficiency.

Diverse polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols with anti-neuroinflammatory activity from Hypericum beanii.

A phytochemical investigation on the roots of Hypericum beanii resulted in the isolation of six new polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (PPAPs), hyperberlones A-F, along with fourteen known analogues. The structural characterization of these compounds was carried out by analyzing the HRESIMS data, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, and gauge-independent atomic orbital (GIAO) NMR calculations. Hyperberlone A (1) was a caged PPAP with a rare tricyclo[4.3.1.03,8]decane carbon skeleton. It was deduced to be biosynthetically generated from hyperbeanol C (8) through key Paternò-Büchi reaction, radical cascade cyclizations, and retro-aldol reaction. Compounds 4, 6, 7, 9, 14, and 16 exhibited significant nitric oxide (NO) production inhibitory effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV-2 microglial cells with IC50 values of 6.11-25.28 µM. Moreover, compound 4 significantly decreased the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in LPS-induced BV-2 microglia, as well as the phosphorylation of JNK.

[Identification of origin plant of Uygur medicine mulberry based on DNA barcode].

To provide molecular evidence for medical material identification, we analyzed the nucleotide sequence of ITS2, psbA-trnH gene in Morus genus plants and commercial products which were obtained from different places in Xinjiang. The sequence of ITS2 and psbA-trnH in fifty-one samples were amplified and sequenced, MEGA 6.0 was used to analyze the intra- and interspecific K-2P distances, neighbor-joining (NJ) tree was used to constructing clustering tree. ITS2 sequence analyzed results showed that there is no intra-specific variation among Morus alba, M. alba var. tatarica and M. nigra, but 13 variations sites were exist between M. alba and M. nigra and their inter-specific K-2P distances was 0.04, which indicated that there had significant variation in them. We didn't find informative variation sites between Morus genus plants and commercial products, and we also found that M. nigra can be distinguished from other two species by NJ Tree. PsbA-trnH analysis results showed there was only one variation site between M. alba and M. nigra, but insertion or deletion variation were remarkable evidence among M. alba, M. alba var. tatarica and M. Nigra. Inter-specific variation was accordance with intra-specific variation of commercial products. So ITS2 and psbA-trnH gene were important marker for M. alba, M. alba var. tatarica and M. nigra identification. This study provided important evidence for Uygur medicine identification and market supervision.

[Dihydroartemisinin inhibits proliferation of pancreatic cancer JF-305 cells by regulating expression of apoptosis related proteins and production of reactive oxygen species].

To investigate the effect of dihydroartemisinin on apoptosis of human pancreatic cancer cell line JF-305 and the role of reactive oxygen species(ROS) in the apoptosis of JF-305 cells induced by dihydroartemisinin. MTT assays were used to detect effect of different concentrations of dihydroartemisinin on cells proliferation of JF-305 lines. Cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry, and the apoptotic morphology was observed by Hoechst 333258 fluorescence staining. Annexin V fluorescence staining was used to detect the apoptosis changes of JF-305 cells, while DCFH-DA was used to detect the changes of ROS during apoptosis process. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression changes of Bax, Bcl-2, Cleaved caspase-3, Cleaved caspase-9 and Cyto C. As compared with the control group, the JF-305 cells proliferation was inhibited significantly(P<0.05) after treatment with different concentrations of dihydroartemisimin for 48 h; cell cycle was blocked in the G2/M phase; apoptotic morphology of nuclear condensation, aggregation, and fragmentation was found, and the apoptosis ratio was increased(P<0.05). DCFH-DA detection showed that the cell ROS was increased significantly after dihydroartemisinin treatment(P<0.05). Western blot results showed that the expression of Bcl-2 protein was down-regulated; the expression of Bax protein was up-regulated; the ration of Bax/Bcl-2 was increased and the protein expression levels of Cleaved caspase-3, Cleaved caspase-9 and Cyto C were increased after dihydroartemisinin treatment. Therefore, dihydroartemisinin could induce apoptosis of JF-305 cells, and the possible mechanism may be related to the formation and increasing of ROS.

[Effect of Qidan Granule on PMC Derived Peptide Content and Structure of Hippocampal CA1 Region in Microwave Radiated Rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the protection of high intensity microwave radiation on hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) activity and hippocampal CA1 structure in rats and the protectiveeffect of Qindan Granule (QG) on radiation injured rats. METHODS: Totally 48 Wistar rats were randomlydivided into 8 groups, i.e., the normal control group, post-radiation day 1, 7, and 10 groups, 7 and 10days prevention groups, day 7 and 10 treatment groups, 6 in each group. Rats in prevention groups wererespectively administered with QG liquid (1 mL/100 g, 4. 75 g crude drugs) for 7 days and 10 days bygastrogavage and then microwave radiation. Then preventive effect for radiation injury was statisticallycalculated with the normal control group and the post-radiation day 1 group. Rats in treatment groupswere firstly irradiated, and then administered with QG liquid (1 mL/100 g, 4.75 g crude drugs). Finally preventive effect for radiation injury was statistically calculated with the normal control group, post-radiation day 7 and 10 groups. Contents of corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH), beta endorphin (beta-EP), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) were detected. Morphological changes and structure of hippocampal CA1 region were observed under light microscope. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, contents of CRH and beta-EP significantly decreased in each radiation group. Serum contents of ACTH and beta-EP significantly increased in post-radiation day 1 and 7 groups (P < 0.05). Compared with radiation groups, beta-EP content in serum and pituitary significantly increased, and serum ACTH content significantly decreased in prevention groups (P < 0.05). Pituitary contents of CRH and beta-EP significantly increased in prevention groups. Serum contents of ACTH, beta-EP, and HSP70 were significantly lower in day 7 treatment group than post-radiation day 7 group (P < 0.05). Morphological results showed that pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region arranged in disorder, with swollen cells, shrunken and condensed nucleus, dark dyeing cytoplasm, unclear structure. Vessels in partial regions were dilated with static blood; tissues were swollen and sparse. In prevention and treatment groups pathological damage of hippocampal CA1 region was obviously attenuated; neurons were arranged more regularly; swollen, pycnotic, or deleted neuron number were decreased; vascular dilatation and congestion was lessened. CONCLUSION: QG could affect HPAA function and activity of high intensity microwave radiated rats, showing certain preventive and therapeutic effects of microwave radiated rats by adjusting synthesis and release of partial bioactive peptides and hormones in HPAA, improving pathological injury in hippocampal CA1 region.

Identification of insecticidal constituents of the essential oils of Dahlia pinnata Cav. against Sitophilus zeamais and Sitophilus oryzae.

The aim of this research was to determine the chemical composition of the essential oils of Dahlia pinnata, their insecticidal activity against Sitophilus zeamais and Sitophilusoryzae and to isolate insecticidal constituents. Based on bioactivity-guided fractionation, active constituents were isolated and identified as D-limonene, 4-terpineol and α-terpineol. Essential oils and active compounds tested exhibited contact toxicity, with LD50 values ranging from 132.48 to 828.79 µg/cm(2) against S. zeamais and S. oryzae. Essential oils possessed fumigant toxicity against S. zeamais and S. oryzae with LC50 from 14.10 to 73.46 mg/L. d-Limonene (LC50 = 4.55 and 7.92 mg/L) showed stronger fumigant toxicity against target insects. 4-Terpineol (88 ± 8%) and d-limonene (87 ± 5%) showed the strongest repellency against S. zeamais and S. oryzae, respectively. The results indicate that essential oils and insecticidal constituents have potential for development into natural fumigants, insecticides or repellents for control of the stored-product insect pests.

[Impacts of climate warming on nine element contents in Mongolian drug Agi using ICP-AES].

Global warming has become a fact of life, and the night temperature increase higher than during the day. In the present research, to explore the effects of climate warming on element contents of plants, ICP-AES was used for the direct determination of nine kinds of element contents of reproductive branches and vegetative branches of the Mongolian drug Agi, which grew in the day, night and diurnal warming field. The results of the study show that the responses of reproductive branches and vegetative branches to day, night and diurnal warming were not significant different, but the negative response was greater than the positive response. The effects of day warming on the element contents were not significant, but night warming lower the contents of Al, Fe and Mn significantly. There was interaction between day warming and night warming.