Enhancing wastewater remediation by drinking water treatment residual-augmented floating treatment wetlands.

In this study, the involvement of aluminum-based drinking water treatment residual (DWTR) as substrate in floating treatment wetland (FTW) to enhance its treatment performance was firstly proposed and trialed. A laboratory scale DWTR-FTW fed with synthetic wastewater containing COD, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and mineral salts was operated in three stages of unplanted (1-30 days), planted (31-60 days) and aerated (61-135 days) modes. The results showed that the average removal rates of COD, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) in stage 3 were 88%, 85%, and 90.2%, respectively, indicating the outstanding purification performance of DWTR-FTW in comparison of traditional FTWs. The embedded DWTR enriches the biomass and robustly adsorbs P, while aeration supplies sufficient dissolved oxygen for the microorganism. The results revealed that 7.022 g P was accumulated in DWTR, which is 400 times higher than that in sediment and plants during the experimental period, reflecting that DWTR adsorption is the major P removal pathway in DWTR-FTW. Overall, DWTR-FTW could significantly remove pollutants, especially P, and provide an alternative pathway to enhance purification performance of FTW.

Tocotrienol supplementation suppressed bone resorption and oxidative stress in postmenopausal osteopenic women: a 12-week randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial.

Tocotrienols have shown bone-protective effect in animals. This study showed that a 12-week tocotrienol supplementation decreased concentrations of bone resorption biomarker and bone remodeling regulators via suppressing oxidative stress in postmenopausal osteopenic women. INTRODUCTION: Tocotrienols (TT) have been shown to benefit bone health in ovariectomized animals, a model of postmenopausal women. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of 12-week TT supplementation on bone markers (serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), urine N-terminal telopeptide (NTX), serum soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (sRANKL), and serum osteoprotegerin (OPG)), urine calcium, and an oxidative stress biomarker (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)) in postmenopausal women with osteopenia. METHODS: Eighty-nine postmenopausal osteopenic women (59.7 ± 6.8 year, BMI 28.7 ± 5.7 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to three groups: (1) placebo (430 mg olive oil/day), (2) low TT (430 mg TT/day, 70% purity), and (3) high TT (860 mg TT/day, 70% purity). TT, an extract from annatto seed with 70% purity, consisted of 90% delta-TT and 10% gamma-TT. Overnight fasting blood and urine samples were collected at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks for biomarker analyses. Eighty-seven subjects completed the 12-week study. RESULTS: Relative to the placebo group, there were marginal decreases in serum BALP level in the TT-supplemented groups over the 12-week study period. Significant decreases in urine NTX levels, serum sRANKL, sRANKL/OPG ratio, and urine 8-OHdG concentrations and a significant increase in BALP/NTX ratio due to TT supplementation were observed. TT supplementation did not affect serum OPG concentrations or urine calcium levels throughout the study period. There were no significant differences in NTX level, BALP/NTX ratio, sRANKL level, and sRANKL/OPG ratio between low TT and high TT groups. CONCLUSIONS: Twelve-week annatto-extracted TT supplementation decreased bone resorption and improved bone turnover rate via suppressing bone remodeling regulators in postmenopausal women with osteopenia. Such osteoprotective TT's effects may be, in part, mediated by an inhibition of oxidative stress. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02058420. TITLE: Tocotrienols and bone health of postmenopausal women.

DNMT3A-mediated down-regulation of microRNA-105 promotes gastric cancer cell proliferation.

OBJECTIVE: It has been well-established that microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of short non-coding RNA molecules, play an important role in the development of gastric cancer. In the present study, we focused on miR-105, a novel miRNA not previously linked to gastric cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 36 paired surgically resected gastric cancer tissues and matched adjacent normal tissues were used to detect the expression of miR-105. AGS cells were used to overexpress or silence of miR-105 and to determine its effect on several tumorigenic properties. A cell proliferation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to analyze the incorporation of BrdU during DNA synthesis of AGS cells. Total cDNA from AGS cells was used to amplify the 3'-UTR of YY1 by PCR and luciferase activity was determined using the Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay System RESULTS: We found that expression of miR-105 was reduced in gastric cancer tissues, compared with adjacent normal tissues, due to hypermethylation at its promoter region. Overexpression of miR-105 suppressed, whereas its inhibition promoted cell viability and proliferation. We further identified Yin Yang 1 (YY1) as a direct target of miR-105, by which miR-105 exerted its anti-proliferative role. Moreover, we found that DNMT3A was responsible for the down-regulation of miR-105 in gastric cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that miR-105 inhibits gastric cancer cell proliferation and progression, which might provide a therapeutical target for cancer therapy.

Efficacy and safety of aspirin combined with warfarin after acute coronary syndrome : A meta-analysis.

A comprehensive meta-analysis was performed to investigate whether the combination of high-/low-dose of aspirin and various intensities of warfarin (W) offer greater benefit than aspirin (ASA) alone. A total of 14 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) having 26,916 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) met inclusion criteria. The efficacy and safety of all outcomes which included myocardial infarction (MI), all-cause death, stroke, and bleeding were calculated. The overall outcomes analysis showed there was no significant difference in the risk of MI (relative ratio [RR] 0.959, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.78-1.04, P = 0.308), stroke (RR 0.789, 95 % CI 0.57-1.09, P = 0.145), and all-cause death (RR 1.007, 95 % CI 0.93-1.09, P = 0.87) between the combination group and ASA group. The subgroup analysis suggested that ASA (≤100 mg/day) plus W (mean international normalized ratio [INR] 2.0-3.0) decreased the risk rate of stroke (RR 0.660, 95 % CI 0.50-0.87, P = 0.003). There was a lower risk of MI (RR 0.605, 95 % CI 0.47-0.77, P < 0.0001) as well as stroke (RR 0.594, 95 % CI 0.45-0.79, P < 0.0001) between W (INR 2.0-3.0) combined with ASA (mean dose ≥100 mg/day) and ASA. However, the risk of major bleeding (RR 1.738, 95 % CI 1.45-2.08, P < 0.0001) and minor bleeding (RR 2.767, 95 % CI 2.12-3.61, P < 0.0001) was almost doubled in the combined groups. Compared with ASA, high-dose aspirin with moderate-intensity warfarin (INR 2.0-3.0) may better reduce the risk of MI and stroke but confer an increased risk of bleeding.

The effect of motor imagery with specific implement in expert badminton player.

Motor skill can be improved with mental simulation. Implements are widely used in daily life and in various sports. However, it is unclear whether the utilization of implements enhances the effect of mental simulation. The present study was designed to investigate the different effects of motor imagery in athletes and novices when they handled a specific implement. We hypothesize that athletes have better motor imagery ability than novices when they hold a specific implement for the sport. This is manifested as higher motor cortical excitability in athletes than novices during motor imagery with the specific implement. Sixteen expert badminton players and 16 novices were compared when they held a specific implement such as a badminton racket and a non-specific implement such as a a plastic bar. Motor imagery ability was measured with a self-evaluation questionnaire. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to test the motor cortical excitability during motor imagery. Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) in the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) and extensor carpi radialis muscles were recorded. Athletes reported better motor imagery than novices when they held a specific implement. Athletes exhibited more MEP facilitation than novices in the FDI muscle with the specific implement applied during motor imagery. The MEP facilitation is correlated with motor imagery ability in athletes. We conclude that the effects of motor imagery with a specific implement are enhanced in athletes compared to novices and the difference between two groups is caused by long-term physical training of athletes with the specific implement.

Effect of green tea and Tai Chi on bone health in postmenopausal osteopenic women: a 6-month randomized placebo-controlled trial.

UNLABELLED: Postmenopausal women with osteopenia received green tea polyphenols (GTP) supplement and/or Tai Chi exercise for 6 months. Bone turnover biomarkers, calcium metabolism, and muscle strength were measured. This study showed that GTP supplementation and Tai Chi exercise increased bone formation biomarkers and improved bone turnover rate. Tai Chi exercise increased serum parathyroid hormone. GTP supplementation, Tai Chi exercise, and the combination of the two all improved muscle strength in postmenopausal women with osteopenia. INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated the effect of GTP supplementation and Tai Chi (TC) exercise on serum markers of bone turnover (bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, BAP, and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, TRAP), calcium metabolism, and muscle strength in postmenopausal osteopenic women. METHODS: One hundred and seventy-one postmenopausal osteopenic women were randomly assigned to four groups: (1) placebo (500 mg starch/day), (2) GTP (500 mg GTP/day), (3) placebo + TC (placebo plus TC training at 60 min/session, three sessions/week), and (4) GTP + TC (GTP plus TC training). Overnight fasting blood and urine samples were collected at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months for biomarker analyses. Muscle strength was evaluated at baseline, 3, and 6 months. One hundred and fifty subjects completed the 6-month study. RESULTS: Significant increases in BAP level due to GTP intake (at 1 month) and TC (at 3 months) were observed. Significant increases in the change of BAP/TRAP ratio due to GTP (at 3 months) and TC (at 6 months) were also observed. Significant main effect of TC on the elevation in serum parathyroid hormone level was observed at 1 and 3 months. At 6 months, muscle strength significantly improved due to GTP, TC, and GTP + TC interventions. Neither GTP nor TC affected serum TRAP, serum and urinary calcium, and inorganic phosphate. CONCLUSION: In summary, GTP supplementation and TC exercise increased BAP and improved BAP/TRAP ratio. TC exercise increased serum parathyroid hormone. GTP supplementation, TC exercise, and the combination of the two all improved muscle strength in postmenopausal women with osteopenia.

Green tea polyphenols attenuate deterioration of bone microarchitecture in female rats with systemic chronic inflammation.

UNLABELLED: Green tea polyphenols (GTP) are promising agents for preventing bone loss. GTP supplementation sustained microarchitecture and improved bone quality via a decrease in inflammation. Findings suggest a significant role for GTP in skeletal health of patients with chronic inflammation. INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated whether GTP can restore bone microstructure along with a molecular mechanism in rats with chronic inflammation. A 2 [placebo vs. lipopolysaccharide (LPS)]× 2 [no GTP vs. 0.5% GTP (w/v) in drinking water] factorial design was employed. METHODS: Female rats were assigned to four groups: placebo, LPS, placebo + GTP, and LPS + GTP for 12 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated by examining changes in bone microarchitecture using histomorphometric and microcomputed tomographic analyses and by bone strength using the three-point bending test. A possible mechanism was studied by assessing the difference in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression in tibia using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: LPS lowered trabecular volume fraction, thickness, and bone formation in proximal tibia while increasing osteoclast number and surface perimeter in proximal tibia and eroded surface in endocortical tibial shafts. GTP increased trabecular volume fraction and number in both femur and tibia and periosteal bone formation rate in tibial shafts while decreasing trabecular separation in proximal tibia and eroded surface in endocortical tibial shafts. There was an interaction between LPS and GTP in trabecular number, separation, bone formation, and osteoclast number in proximal tibia, and trabecular thickness and number in femur. GTP improved the strength of femur, while suppressing TNF-α expression in tibia. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, GTP supplementation mitigated deterioration of bone microarchitecture and improved bone integrity in rats with chronic inflammation by suppressing bone erosion and modulating cancellous and endocortical bone compartments, resulting in a larger net bone volume. Such a protective role of GTP may be due to a suppression of TNF-α.

Water extract of Zizyphus Jujube attenuates ischemia/reperfusion-induced liver injury in rats (PP106).

AIMS: Ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injuries in the liver remain important clinical problems. Free oxygen radicals and nitrosative stress have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis I/R-related liver injury. The purpose of this study was to characterize the effects of an extract of Zizyphus Jujube (ZJ), which has strong antioxidant effects, on I/R-induced liver injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ischemia (I) was induced in rat livers by clamping the common hepatic artery and portal vein for 40 minutes, after which flow was restored, and the liver was reperfused for 90 minutes. Blood samples were collected prior to I and after reperfusion to assay blood levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), oxygen radical (OH), and nitric oxide (NO). In the pharmacologic intervention group a water extract of the fruit of ZJ was administered orally to rats (100 mg/mL for 7 days) that were subsequently exposed to the I/R liver injury. RESULTS: The data showed that reperfusion (R) of the liver produced increases in blood concentrations of ALT (41.9+/-8.2 vs 338.0+/-89.6; P<.01; N=7) and LDH (317+/-129 vs 4073+/-950; P<.001; N=7). Oxygen radicals (55.1+/-14.3 vs 262.4+/-60.3; P<.001; N=7) and NO (69.3+/-14.9 vs 121.6+/-27.1; P<.01; N=7) also increased significantly in this R group. In the ZJ intervention group the liver injury, oxidative stress, and nitrosative stress were all significantly attenuated. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that I/R-induced liver injury with white blood cell activation, oxidative stress, and nitrosative stress. Pretreatment with an extract of ZJ, which shows high antioxidant effects, significantly attenuated the I/R-induced liver injury.

Synergistic effects of green tea polyphenols and alphacalcidol on chronic inflammation-induced bone loss in female rats.

UNLABELLED: Studies suggest that green tea polyphenols (GTP) or alphacalcidol is promising agent for preventing bone loss. Findings that GTP supplementation plus alphacalcidol administration increased bone mass via a decrease of oxidative stress and inflammation suggest a significant role of GTP plus alphacalcidol in bone health of patients with chronic inflammation. INTRODUCTION: Studies have suggested that green tea polyphenols (GTP) or alphacalcidol are promising dietary supplements for preventing bone loss in women. However, the mechanism(s) related to the possible osteo-protective role of GTP plus D(3) in chronic inflammation-induced bone loss is not well understood. METHODS: This study evaluated bioavailability, efficacy, and related mechanisms of GTP in combination with alphacalcidol in conserving bone loss in rats with chronic inflammation. A 12-week study of 2 (no GTP vs. 0.5% GTP in drinking water) × 2 (no alphacalcidol vs. 0.05 µg/kg alphacalcidol, 5×/week) factorial design in lipopolysaccharide-administered female rats was performed. In addition, a group receiving placebo administration was used to compare with a group receiving lipopolysaccharide administration only to evaluate the effect of lipopolysaccharide. RESULTS: Lipopolysaccharide administration resulted in lower values for bone mass, but higher values for serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, and mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and cyclooxygenase-2 in spleen. GTP supplementation increased urinary epigallocatechin and epicatechin concentrations. Both GTP supplementation and alphacalcidol administration resulted in a significant increase in bone mass, but a significant decrease in serum TRAP levels, urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels, and mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and cyclooxygenase-2 in spleen. A synergistic effect of GTP and alphacalcidol was observed in these parameters. Neither GTP nor alphacalcidol affected femoral bone area or serum osteocalcin. CONCLUSION: We conclude that a bone-protective role of GTP plus alphacalcidol during chronic inflammation bone loss may be due to a reduction of oxidative stress damage and inflammation.

Antilisterial activity of hops beta acids in broth with or without other antimicrobials.

Hops beta acids (HBA) are parts of hops flowers used to preserve wort and provide flavor in beer, and are reported as having antimicrobial properties. This study evaluated the antilisterial activity of HBA alone or in combination with other known antimicrobials in a culture broth medium. Listeria monocytogenes (10-strain mixture) was inoculated (2.6 to 2.8 log CFU/mL) into tryptic soy broth supplemented with 0.6% yeast extract (TSBYE) without (control) or with HBA (0.5 to 5.0 microg/mL), potassium lactate (1.0%), sodium diacetate (0.25%), or acetic acid (0.1%), alone or in combination with HBA (0.5 to 3.0 microg/mL). Survival/growth of the pathogen during storage at 4 degrees C (35 d), 10 degrees C (20 d), or 25 degrees C (2 d) was periodically monitored by spiral plating onto tryptic soy agar plus 0.6% yeast extract. As expected, TSBYE without antimicrobials (control) supported rapid pathogen growth with growth rates of 0.40, 2.88, and 9.58 log CFU/mL/d at 4, 10, and 25 degrees C, respectively; corresponding Y(end) values exceeded 9.0 log CFU/mL at 35, 20, and 2 d storage. HBA used alone (1.0 to 5.0 microg/mL) inhibited growth of L. monocytogenes at all 3 temperatures, with inhibition being more pronounced at higher concentrations and at the lower storage temperature (4 degrees C). The antilisterial activity of HBA (0.5 to 3.0 microg/mL) was enhanced when combined with sodium diacetate, acetic acid, or potassium lactate, achieving complete inhibition at 4 degrees C when 3.0 microg/mL HBA were used in combination with each of the above antimicrobials. Overall, HBA exhibited promising antilisterial activity in a broth medium and further studies are needed to investigate its potential antilisterial effects in food products.

Protective effect of green tea polyphenols on bone loss in middle-aged female rats.

UNLABELLED: Recent studies have suggested that green tea polyphenols (GTP) are promising agents for preventing bone loss in women. Findings that GTP supplementation resulted in increased urinary GTP concentrations and bone mass via an increase of antioxidant capacity and/or a decrease of oxidative stress damage suggest a significant role of GTP in bone health of women. INTRODUCTION: Recent studies suggested that green tea polyphenols (GTP) are promising agents for preventing bone loss in women. However, the mechanism related to the possible protective role of GTP in bone loss is not well understood. METHODS: This study evaluated bioavailability, mechanisms, bone mass, and safety of GTP in preventing bone loss in middle-aged rats without (sham, SH) and with ovariectomy (OVX). A 16-week study of 2 (SH vs. OVX) x 3 (no GTP, 0.1% GTP, and 0.5% GTP in drinking water) factorial design using 14-month-old female rats (n = 10/group) was performed. An additional 10 rats in baseline group were euthanized at the beginning of study to provide baseline parameters. RESULTS: There was no difference in femur bone mineral density between baseline and the SH+0.5% GTP group. Ovariectomy resulted in lower values for liver glutathione peroxidase activity, serum estradiol, and bone mineral density. GTP supplementation resulted in increased urinary epigallocatechin and epicatechin concentrations, liver glutathione peroxidase activity and femur bone mineral density, decreased urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and urinary calcium levels, but no effect on serum estradiol and blood chemistry levels. CONCLUSION: We conclude that a bone-protective role of GTP may contribute to an increase of antioxidant capacity and/or a decrease of oxidative stress damage.

The eukaryotic DNMT2 genes encode a new class of cytosine-5 DNA methyltransferases.

DNMT2 is a subgroup of the eukaryotic cytosine-5 DNA methyltransferase gene family. Unlike the other family members, proteins encoded by DNMT2 genes were not known before to possess DNA methyltransferase activities. Most recently, we have shown that the genome of Drosophila S2 cells stably expressing an exogenous Drosophila dDNMT2 cDNA became anomalously methylated at the 5'-positions of cytosines (Reddy, M. N., Tang, L. Y., Lee, T. L., and Shen, C.-K. J. (2003) Oncogene, in press). We present evidence here that the genomes of transgenic flies overexpressing the dDnmt2 protein also became hypermethylated at specific regions. Furthermore, transient transfection studies in combination with sodium bisulfite sequencing demonstrated that dDnmt2 as well as its mouse ortholog, mDnmt2, are capable of methylating a cotransfected plasmid DNA. These data provide solid evidence that the fly and mouse DNMT2 gene products are genuine cytosine-5 DNA methyltransferases.

Testing non-additivity of biological activity in a combinatorial library.

Combinatorial chemistry offers new opportunities to generate and analyze QSAR data. Traditional QSAR attempts to correlate activity with structure. With combinatorial chemistry, it is possible to correlate activity directly with the reagents used in a combinatorial library. If one can determine which reagents lead to the compounds of highest activities, it may then be possible to predict active compounds in virtual libraries of 10(6) to 10(10) compounds. This would greatly facilitate library design and provide confidence that the best compounds are being considered for synthesis. An important question is whether the activity of a product molecule can be considered as a sum of its components. This is referred to as additivity between reagents. If there is non-additivity, it is necessary to identify and include the non-additive terms in the model in order to improve QSAR models. Presented here are methods for developing QSAR models relating compound activity to reagents and a method for detecting the second effects of side-chain non-additivity. If the reagents in a library are shown to be additive in their contribution to activity, simple QSAR based on additive models can be applied confidently to reagents. Testing non-additivity can also guide the synthesis of the library. If the contributions are shown to be additive then the strategy for library synthesis may be shifted to include many reagents of a given type but not to make all combinations. The result is more efficient use of resources. In the analysis of percent inhibition data of a combinatorial library an additive model using reagents as descriptors yields a R(2) of 0.43. Application of this method is probably appropriate for HTS single point data while methods employing topological or pharmacophore based descriptors would be necessary to adequately model IC50 data.

Antioxidants may mitigate the deterioration of coronary arteritis in patients with Kawasaki disease unresponsive to high-dose intravenous gamma-globulin.

During the early stages of Kawasaki disease, a marked increase in oxygen-free-radicals (OFRs), which are produced by activated polymorphonuclear cells, may induce coronary arteritis. Early use of high-dose intravenous gamma-globulin (IVIG) and aspirin effectively blocked this deteriorating course of coronary arteritis; however, late use of IVIG, even using a high-dose schedule, did not achieve the same efficacy. The causes and reactions to the scenario of IVIG refractoriness have rarely been mentioned in the literature. We present an 11-month-old male infant with Kawasaki disease and deteriorating coronary arteritis owing to late use of IVIG who showed dramatic responsiveness to the addition of alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid. We also discuss the possible mechanism.

Interactions of selenium compounds with other antioxidants in DNA damage and apoptosis in human normal keratinocytes.

Selenite (SeL) or selenomethionine (SeM) are the most common selenium (Se) compounds taken as dietary antioxidants to reduce oxidative stress. Because the public may frequently supplement Se compounds at high doses, the possible pro-oxidant effect of Se becomes a concern. SeL and SeM have entirely different pharmacokinetic effects based on dose-related cytotoxicity. Our laboratory has shown previously that high doses of SeL resulted in cytotoxicity and induction of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in DNA of primary human keratinocytes (NHK), compared with those treated with the same doses of SEM: Besides Se compounds, other dietary antioxidants, such as vitamin (Vit) C or Vit E, are often supplemented and taken together with Se compounds. However, the cellular effects of these interactions of Se with antioxidants are still unknown. In addition, copper is commonly present in drinking water, food, soil, or the environment to increase the possibility of subchronic toxicity. Copper has been shown to inhibit SeL-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in human colonic carcinoma cells. The present study was designed to investigate the interactive effects of SeL or SeM plus Vit C, trolox (a water-soluble Vit E), or copper sulfate (CuSO(4)) on cell viability and induction of 8-OHdG adduct formation in DNA of NHK. NHK cells were treated with no Se, SeL (126.6 microM Se), or SeM (316.6 microM Se) plus two doses each of Vit C (2.27 and 4.45 microM), trolox (40 and 80 microM), or CuSO(4) (7.85 and 15.7 microM) for 24 h. Coincubation of Vit C or CuSO(4) with SeL appeared to protect NHK against SeL-induced cytotoxicity. However, synergistic effects were observed between SeL and trolox resulting in enhanced cytotoxicity. On the other hand, SeM + Vit C, SeM + trolox, and SeM + CuSO(4) did not affect cell viability. In the absence of Se supplementation, Vit C, trolox, or CuSO(4) alone did not induce 8-OHdG adduct formation, regardless of dose. When NHK cells were coincubated with SeL (126.6 microM Se) and Vit C or CuSO(4), they protected NHK from SeL-induced DNA damage with a reduction in 8-OHdG generation. In contrast, treatment of SeL + trolox elevated generation of 8-OHDG: Furthermore, treatments of SeM plus trolox or CuSO(4) elevated 8-OHdG adduct formation. In terms of apoptosis measured as internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, copper protected NHK against SeL-induced apoptosis in cultured NHK. These data suggest that the use of CuSO(4) may play a protective role in SeL-induced cytotoxicity, DNA oxidative damage, and apoptosis and that there may be potentially deleterious interactions among common high-dose antioxidant supplements taken by the public.

A novel agarofuran sesquiterpene, celahin D from Celastrus hindsii Benth.

A novel agarofuran sesquiterpene polyol ester, 1beta,2beta,6alpha,15beta-tetracetoxy-8 beta,9alpha-dibenzoyloxy-beta- dihydroagarofuran (celahin D) (1), two known analogues of 1,1beta-acetoxy-8beta,9alpha-dibenzoyloxy-4al pha6alpha-dihydroxy-2beta(alphamethylbutanoyloxy)-beta-++ +dihydroagarofuran (2) and beta-acetoxy-8beta,9alpha-dibenzoyloxy-6alpha-hy droxy-2beta(alpha -methylbutanoyloxy)-beta-dihydroagarofuran (3), and a known cytotoxic sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloid, emarginatine E (4) were isolated from the stems of Celastrus hindsii Benth. Three known triterpenes, loranthol (5), lupenone (6) and friedelinol (7) were also obtained from the titled plant. Structural elucidation of compound 1 was established by 2D NMR spectra.

[Anisodamine in prevention and treatment of sepsis of severely burned patients].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the preventive effect of anisodamine on possible sepsis of patients with major burns and the effect of anisodamine on patients with sepsis. METHODS: Forty-two patients with extensive burn admitted to our burn institute from April 1998 to November 1999 were divided randomly into two groups: treatment group (T group) and control group (C group). In the T group, all 20 patients received fluid resuscitation regimen with anisodamine, and in the C group, 22 patients received the regimen with no anisodamine. A tonometry catheter was positioned in the stomach, connecting with the automatic gas analysis machine (Datex-Engstrom Corporation, Dutch) for determining gastric intramucosal pH (pHi). The plasma concentrations of diamine oxidase (DAO) and endotoxin were measured. Correlation analysis between pHi, DAO and endotoxin were made respectively during early stage of postburn. All the parameters in 7 patients with sepsis before and after administration of anisodamine were compared with those in 6 patients with sepsis without use of anisodamine. RESULTS: The incidence of sepsis in the T group was lower (20.0%) than that in C group (40.9%). The gastric pHi value in the early period of postburn was significantly higher in the T group than in the C group (P < 0.05). Concurrently, the plasma concentrations of DAO and endotoxin were significantly lower in the T group than in the C group (P < 0.05 or 0.01). A significant negative correlation was seen between the gastric pHi and respective values of DAO, endotoxin (P < 0.05 or 0.01). There were a decrease in gastric pHi, and an increase in plasma DAO and endotoxin level in patients with septic episode; however all the parameters after administration of anisodamine were improved compared with those in septic patients without use of anisodamine. CONCLUSIONS: Intestinal ischemic injury plays an important role in provoking sepsis during early postburn period. Anisodamine is effective in restoring intestinal circulation both in the shock phase and after the development of sepsis.

Microtensile strength of composite bonded to hot-pressed ceramics.

PURPOSE: The objective of this in vitro study employing the microtensile test was to test the hypothesis that the tensile bond strength of hot-pressed ceramics to composite is controlled by the ceramic microstructure and the ceramic surface treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hot-pressed IPS Empress (E1) and IPS Empress 2 (E2) ceramic blocks were polished with 1-micron alumina abrasive and treated as follows: group 1: 9.6% hydrofluoric acid (HF) on E1; group 2: 4% acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) on E1; group 3: silane (S) on E1; group 4: HF + S on E1; group 5: APF + S on E1; group 6: HF on E2; group 7: APF on E2; group 8: S on E2; group 9: HF + S on E2; group 10: APF + S on E2. The surfaces as described above were then treated with Scotchbond Multi-Purpose Plus and covered with composite (Z-100). From the blocks obtained in this manner, specimens for microtensile testing were created by sectioning. Twenty bar specimens for each group were loaded to failure under tension using an Instron testing machine. RESULTS: Mean tensile bond strength (MPa) and standard deviation values are as follows: (1) 9.9 +/- 1.2; (2) 0; (3) 27.2 +/- 4.8; (4) 20.6 +/- 3.0; (5) 13.6 +/- 4.5; (6) 41.7 +/- 6.7; (7) 19.1 +/- 2.6; (8) 30.1 +/- 5.3; (9) 56.1 +/- 4.1; (10) 36.9 +/- 3.9. All fractures occurred within the adhesion zone. SEM images of chemically etched specimens revealed that HF produced greater surface degradation and greater bond strength than APF for both E1 and E2 ceramics. The mean bond strength of groups 6 through 10 (E2) was significantly greater than that of groups 1 through 5 (E1) for each treatment condition. CONCLUSION: The tensile fracture resistance of the composite-ceramic adhesion zones is controlled primarily by ceramic microstructure and ceramic surface treatment.