[Ligusticum cycloprolactam inhibits IL-1ß-induced apoptosis and inflammation of rat chondrocytes via HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway].

Chondrocytes are unique resident cells in the articular cartilage, and the pathological changes of them can lead to the occurrence of osteoarthritis(OA). Ligusticum cycloprolactam(LIGc) are derivatives of Z-ligustilide(LIG), a pharmacodynamic marker of Angelica sinensis, which has various biological functions such as anti-inflammation and inhibition of cell apoptosis. However, its protective effect on chondrocytes in the case of OA and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. This study conducted in vitro experiments to explore the molecular mechanism of LIGc in protecting chondrocytes from OA. The inflammation model of rat OA chondrocyte model was established by using interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß) to induce. LIGc alone and combined with glycyrrhizic acid(GA), a blocker of the high mobility group box-1 protein(HMGB1)/Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB) signaling pathway, were used to intervene in the model, and the therapeutic effects were systematically evaluated. The viability of chondrocytes treated with different concentrations of LIGc was measured by the cell counting kit-8(CCK-8), and the optimal LIGc concentration was screened out. Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis detection kit was employed to examine the apoptosis of chondrocytes in each group. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was employed to measure the expression of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2), prostaglandin-2(PGE2), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α) in the supernatant of chondrocytes in each group. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), caspase-3, HMGB1, TLR4, and NF-κB p65. The mRNA levels of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB p65, and myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88) in chondrocytes were determined by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR). The safe concentration range of LIGc on chondrocytes was determined by CCK-8, and then the optimal concentration of LIGc for exerting the effect was clarified. Under the intervention of IL-1ß, the rat chondrocyte model of OA was successfully established. The modeled chondrocytes showed increased apoptosis rate, promoted expression of COX-2, PGE2, and TNF-α, up-regulated protein levels of Bax, caspase-3, HMGB1, TLR4, and NF-κB p65 and mRNA levels of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB p65, and MyD88, and down-regulated protein level of Bcl-2. However, LIGc reversed the IL-1ß-induced changes of the above factors. Moreover, LIGc combined with GA showed more significant reversal effect than LIGc alone. These fin-dings indicate that LIGc extracted and derived from the traditional Chinese medicine A. sinensis can inhibit the inflammatory response of chondrocytes and reduce the apoptosis of chondrocytes, and this effect may be related to the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. The pharmacological effect of LIGc on protecting chondrocytes has potential value in delaying the progression of OA and improving the clinical symptoms of patients, and deserves further study.

Iron regulatory protein from the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis: characterization, function and assessment as a protective antigen.

BACKGROUND: Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites with different host specificities and are capable of pathogen transmission. Iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) play crucial roles in iron homeostasis in vertebrates. However, their functions in ticks remain poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the characteristics, functions, molecular mechanisms, and the vaccine efficacy of IRP in the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. RESULTS: The full-length complementary DNA of IRP from Haemaphysalis longicornis (HlIRP) was 2973 bp, including a 2772 bp open reading frame. It is expressed throughout three developmental stages (larvae, nymphs, and adult females) and in various tissues (salivary glands, ovaries, midgut, and Malpighian tubules). Recombinant Haemaphysalis longicornis IRP (rHlIRP) was obtained via a prokaryotic expression system and exhibited aconitase, iron chelation, radical-scavenging, and hemolytic activities in vitro. RNA interference-mediated IRP knockdown reduced tick engorgement weight, ovary weight, egg mass weight, egg hatching rate, and ovary vitellin content, as well as prolonging the egg incubation period. Proteomics revealed that IRP may affect tick reproduction and development through proteasome pathway-associated, ribosomal, reproduction-related, and iron metabolism-related proteins. A trial on rabbits against adult Haemaphysalis longicornis infestation demonstrated that rHlIRP vaccine could significantly decrease engorged weight (by 10%), egg mass weight (by 16%) and eggs hatching rate (by 22%) of ticks. The overall immunization efficacy using rHlIRP against adult females was 41%. CONCLUSION: IRP could limit reproduction and development in Haemaphysalis longicornis, and HlIRP was confirmed as a candidate vaccine antigen to impair tick iron metabolism and protect the host against tick infestation. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of light qualities on growth and physiological-biochemical traits of Scutellaria baicalensis.

Canopy spectral composition significantly affects growth and functional traits of understory plants. In this study, we explored the optimal light condition suitable for enhancing Scutellaria baicalensis's yield and quality, aiming to provide scientific reference for the exploitation and utilization of medicinal plant resources in the understory of forests. We measured the responses of growth, morphology, biomass allocation, physiological traits, and secon-dary metabolites of S. baicalensis to different light qualities. S. baicalensis was cultured under five LED-light treatments including full spectrum light (control), ultraviolet-A (UV-A) radiation, blue, green, and red light. Results showed that UV-A significantly reduced plant height, base diameter, leaf thickness, leaf area ratio, and biomass of each organ. Red light significantly reduced base diameter, biomass, effective quantum yield of photosystem Ⅱ (ФPSⅡ), and total flavonoid concentration. Under blue light, root length and total biomass of S. baicalensis significantly increased by 48.0% and 10.8%, respectively, while leaf number and chlorophyll content significantly decreased by 20.0% and 31.6%, respectively. The other physiological and biochemical traits were consistent with their responses in control. Our results suggested that blue light promoted photosynthesis, biomass accumulation, and secondary metabolite synthesis of S. baicalensis, while red light and UV-A radiation negatively affected physiological and biochemical metabolic processes. Therefore, the ratio of blue light could be appropriately increased to improve the yield and quality of S. baicalensis.

Effects of nanoscale zinc oxide treatment on growth, rhizosphere microbiota, and metabolism of Aconitum carmichaelii.

Trace elements play a crucial role in the growth and bioactive substance content of medicinal plants, but their utilization efficiency in soil is often low. In this study, soil and Aconitum carmichaelii samples were collected and measured from 22 different locations, followed by an analysis of the relationship between trace elements and the yield and alkaloid content of the plants. The results indicated a significant positive correlation between zinc, trace elements in the soil, and the yield and alkaloid content of A. carmichaelii. Subsequent treatment of A. carmichaelii with both bulk zinc oxide (ZnO) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) demonstrated that the use of ZnO NPs significantly enhanced plant growth and monoester-type alkaloid content. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for these effects, metabolomic analysis was performed, resulting in the identification of 38 differentially expressed metabolites in eight metabolic pathways between the two treatments. Additionally, significant differences were observed in the rhizosphere bacterial communities, with Bacteroidota and Actinobacteriota identified as valuable biomarkers for ZnO NP treatment. Covariation analysis further revealed significant correlations between specific microbial communities and metabolite expression levels. These findings provide compelling evidence that nanoscale zinc exhibits much higher utilization efficiency compared to traditional zinc fertilizer.

[Variation and interaction mechanism between active components in Rheum officinale and rhizosphere soil microorganisms under drought stress].

To explore the changes and the reaction mechanisms between soil microecological environment and the content of secon-dary metabolites of plants under water deficit, this study carried out a pot experiment on the 3-leaf stage seedlings of Rheum officinale to analyze their response mechanism under different drought gradients(normal water supply, mild, moderate, and severe drought). The results indicated that the content of flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, and alkaloids in the root of R. officinale varied greatly under drought stresses. Under mild drought stress, the content of substances mentioned above was comparatively high, and the content of rutin, emodin, gallic acid, and(+)-catechin hydrate in the root significantly increased. The content of rutin, emodin, and gallic acid under severe drought stress was significantly lower than that under normal water supply. The number of species, Shannon diversity index, richness index, and Simpson index of bacteria in the rhizosphere soil were significantly higher than those in blank soil, and the number of microbial species and richness index decreased significantly with the aggravation of drought stresses. In the context of water deficit, Cyanophyta, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadetes, Streptomyces, and Actinomyces were the dominant bacteria in the rhizosphere of R. officinale. The relative content of rutin and emodin in the root of R. officinale was positively correlated with the relative abundance of Cyanophyta and Firmicutes, and the relative content of(+)-catechin hydrate and(-)-epicatechin gallate was positively correlated with the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. In conclusion, appropriate drought stress can increase the content of secondary metabolites of R. officinale from physiological induction and the increase in the association with beneficial microbe.

Nanomaterial-Based Antivascular Therapy in the Multimodal Treatment of Cancer.

Abnormal tumor vasculature and a hypoxic tumor microenvironment (TME) limit the effectiveness of conventional cancer treatment. Recent studies have shown that antivascular strategies that focus on antagonizing the hypoxic TME and promoting vessel normalization effectively synergize to increase the antitumor efficacy of conventional therapeutic regimens. By integrating multiple therapeutic agents, well-designed nanomaterials exhibit great advantages in achieving higher drug delivery efficiency and can be used as multimodal therapy with reduced systemic toxicity. In this review, strategies for the nanomaterial-based administration of antivascular therapy combined with other common tumor treatments, including immunotherapy, chemotherapy, phototherapy, radiotherapy, and interventional therapy, are summarized. In particular, the administration of intravascular therapy and other therapies with the use of versatile nanodrugs is also described. This review provides a reference for the development of multifunctional nanotheranostic platforms for effective antivascular therapy in combined anticancer treatments.

Single-cell RNA datasets and bulk RNA datasets analysis demonstrated C1Q+ tumor-associated macrophage as a major and antitumor immune cell population in osteosarcoma.

Background: Osteosarcoma is the most frequent primary bone tumor with a poor prognosis. Immune infiltration proved to have a strong impact on prognosis. We analyzed single-cell datasets and bulk datasets to confirm the main immune cell populations and their properties in osteosarcoma. Methods: The examples in bulk datasets GSE21257 and GSE32981 from the Gene Expression Omnibus database were divided into two immune infiltration level groups, and 34 differentially expressed genes were spotted. Then, we located these genes among nine major cell clusters and their subclusters identified from 99,668 individual cells in single-cell dataset GSE152048 including 11 osteosarcoma patients. Especially, the markers of all kinds of myeloid cells identified in single-cell dataset GSE152048 were set to gene ontology enrichment. We clustered the osteosarcoma samples in the TARGET-OS from the Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments dataset into two groups by complete component 1q positive macrophage markers and compared their survival. Results: Compared with the low-immune infiltrated group, the high-immune infiltrated group showed a better prognosis. Almost all the 34 differentially expressed genes expressed higher or exclusively among myeloid cells. A group of complete component 1q-positive macrophages was identified from the myeloid cells. In the bulk dataset TARGET-OS, these markers and the infiltration of complete component 1q-positive macrophages related to longer survival. Conclusions: Complete component 1q-positive tumor-associated macrophages were the major immune cell population in osteosarcoma, which contributed to a better prognosis.

PEIGel: A biocompatible and injectable scaffold with innate immune adjuvanticity for synergized local immunotherapy.

Intratumoral immunotherapeutic hydrogel administration is emerging as an effective method for inducing a durable and robust antitumor immune response. However, scaffold hydrogels that can synergize with the loaded drugs, thus potentiating therapeutic efficacy, are limited. Here, we report a ternary hydrogel composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylenimine (PEI)‒a cationic polymer with potential immunoactivation effects, and magnesium ions‒a stimulator of the adaptive immune response, which exhibits an intrinsic immunomodulation function of reversing the immunologically "cold" phenotype of a murine breast tumor to a "hot" phenotype by upregulating PD-L1 expression and promoting M1-like macrophage polarization. PEI hydrogel (PEIGel) encapsulating an immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) inhibitor‒anti-PD-L1 antibody (α-PDL1) exhibits synergistic effects resulting in elimination of primary tumors and remote metastases and prevention of tumor relapse after surgical resection. A preliminary mechanistic study revealed a probably hidden role of PEI in modulating the polyamine metabolism/catabolism of tumors to potentiate the immune adjuvant effect. These results deepen our understanding of the innate immune activation function of PEI and pave the way for harnessing PEI as an immune adjuvant for ICB therapy.

2D Black Phosphorus-Based Cytomembrane Mimics with Stimuli-Responsive Antibacterial Action Inspired by Endotoxin-Associated Toxic Behavior.

Biomimetic membrane materials have been widely explored and developed for drug loading and tissue engineering applications due to their excellent biocompatibility and abundant reaction sites. However, novel cytomembrane mimics have been lacking for a long time. In this study, black phosphorus (BP) was used as the foundation for a new generation of promising cytomembrane mimics due to its multiple similarities to cytomembranes. Inspired by the dual function of endotoxins on membranes, we prepared a BP-based cytomembrane mimic with controllable antibacterial ability via electrostatic interaction between BP and [1-pentyl-1-quaternary ammonium-3-vinyl-imidazole]Br ([PQVI]Br). The release of PQVI could be manipulated in different conditions by adjusting the electrostatic force, thereby achieving controllable antibacterial ability. This report confirms the possibility of using BP as a new material to mimic cytomembranes and provides a new concept of controllable antibacterial action based on endotoxins.

Efficacy of Acupuncture for Herpes Zoster: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of acupuncture in patients with herpes zoster (HZ) based on current randomized clinical trials (RCTs). METHODS: Five databases were screened for RCTs published until August 2019. Studies that assessed the efficacy of acupuncture when used as an independent intervention for HZ were included. The outcomes of interest were pain intensity, as assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS), incrustation time, decrustation time, and incidence of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). RESULTS: In total, 21 RCTs were included in this research. Compared with antiviral therapy, acupuncture was associated with a reduction in VAS score by 16.13, incrustation time by 1.86 days, decrustation time by 2.19 days, and incidence of PHN by 83%. According to a meta-regression analysis, the main sources of heterogeneity were sample size and duration of treatment. There was no publication bias except on decrustation time. A sensitivity analysis showed that the outcomes were relatively stable and reliable. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture may be effective for patients with HZ. Nevertheless, this finding should be validated by conducting high-quality trials with a larger sample size.

Folic Acid Supplementation in Chinese Peri-conceptional Population: Results from the SPCC Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and determinants of folic acid (FA) supplementation in Chinese couples planning for pregnancy and in women during early pregnancy. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study based on the Shanghai PreConception Cohort (SPCC) study. Data on FA supplementation and socio-demographic features were collected using questionnaires. Couples visiting clinics for pre-pregnancy examination and pregnant women at < 14 gestational weeks were recruited in Shanghai, China, between March 2016 and September 2018. RESULTS: Among the pregnancy planners, 42.4% (4,710/11,099) women and 17.1% (1,377/8,045) men used FA supplements, while 93.4% (14,585/15,615) of the pregnant women used FA supplements. FA supplement use was higher in female pregnancy planners who were older ( RR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.08-1.18), had higher education ( RR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.53-1.92), and were residing in urban districts ( RR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01-1.11) of FA supplementation; female pregnancy planners with alcohol consumption ( RR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.90-0.99) had lower odds of FA supplementation. In early pregnancy, women with higher educational level ( RR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.03-1.06), who underwent pre-pregnancy examination ( RR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.03) had higher odds of using an FA supplement; older aged ( RR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.98-0.99), and multigravida ( RR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.96-0.98) had lower odds of FA supplementation. CONCLUSION: Although the majority of pregnant women took FA supplements, more than half of the women planning for pregnancy did not. Urgent strategies are needed to improve pre-conception FA supplementation.

AIEgen-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Gated by Cyclodextrin-Modified CuS for Cell Imaging and Chemo-Photothermal Cancer Therapy.

A novel multifunctional drug delivery system has been constructed by assembling per-6-thio-ß-cyclodextrin-modified ultrasmall CuS nanoparticles (CD-CuS) onto fluorescent AIEgen-containing mesoporous silica nanoparticles (FMSN). The CD-CuS nanoparticles are anchored on the surface of benzimidazole-grafted FMSN, acting as a gatekeeper and photothermal agent. The prepared blue-emitting nanocomposite (FMSN@CuS) exhibits good biocompatibility and cell imaging capability. Anticancer drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) molecules are loaded into FMSN@CuS, and zero prerelease at physiological pH (7.4) and on-demand drug release at an acidic environment can be achieved due to the pH-responsive gate-opening of CD-CuS only at an acidic condition. The FMSN@CuS nanocomposite can generate obvious thermal effect after the exposure of 808 nm laser, which can also accelerate the DOX release. Meanwhile, the fluorescence intensity of DOX-loaded FMSN@CuS increases with the release of DOX, and the intracellular drug release process can be tracked according to the change of luminescence intensity. More importantly, DOX-loaded FMSN@CuS displays efficient anticancer effects in vitro upon 808 nm laser irradiation, demonstrating a good synergistic therapeutic effect via combining enhanced chemotherapy and photothermal therapy.

Efficacy and safety of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F for CKD in Mainland China: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) is a promising Chinese traditional medicine used to significantly reduce proteinuria and improve renal function. However, its efficacy and safety in treatment of chronic kidney disease need to be further explored in order to promote its application in clinics. This review compared the efficacy and safety of TwHF with the placebo, conventional Western medicine and other immunosuppressive medicine in a range of kidney disorders. One hundred three randomized controlled trials were included. TwHF therapy decreased 24-hr proteinuria by 0.59 g/day (95% confidence interval [CI; -0.68, -0.50]), serum creatinine level by 1.93 µmol/L (95% CI [-3.69, -0.17]), and blood urea nitrogen level by 0.24 mmol/L (95% CI [-0.41, -0.07]); increased the total effective rate by 27% (95% CI [1.24, 1.30]); and decreased the incidence of adverse reactions by 19% (95% CI [0.68, 0.96]) overall. Meta regression results showed that the duration of therapy and mean age of participants were the major sources of high heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that our statistic results were relatively stable and credible. The present findings suggested that TwHF possibly has nephroprotective effects by decreasing proteinuria, serum creatinine level, and blood urea nitrogen level and no more adverse reactions compared with control group in most kidney disorders. However, these findings still need to be further confirmed by high-quality trials.

A Highly Selective and Sensitive Fluorescence Detection Method of Glyphosate Based on an Immune Reaction Strategy of Carbon Dot Labeled Antibody and Antigen Magnetic Beads.

A sensitive fluorescence detection method for glyphosate (GLY) was established based on immune reaction. First, carbon dot labeled antibodies (lgG-CDs) which were able to specifically identify glyphosate were prepared with the environmentally friendly carbon dots (CDs) and glyphosate antibody (lgG). lgG-CDs could be used to in situ visualize the distribution of glyphosate in plant tissues. In order to eliminate the effects of excess lgG-CDs on the determination of GLY, antigen magnetic beads Fe3O4-GLY based on magnetic nanoparticles Fe3O4 and glyphosate were constructed and utilized to couple with the excess lgG-CDs. After magnetic separation to remove antigen magnetic beads, there was a linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity of lgG-CDs and the logarithmic concentration of glyphosate in the range of 0.01-80 µg/mL with a detection limit of 8 ng/mL. The method was used for the detection of glyphosate in Pearl River water, tea, and soil samples with satisfactory recovery ratio between 87.4% and 103.7%.

Curcumin combined with oxaliplatin effectively suppress colorectal carcinoma in vivo through inducing apoptosis.

Studies have shown chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic effects of several curcumin-based combinatorial treatments on colorectal cancer cells. However, their in vivo effects remain unclear. This study has demonstrated the therapeutic effect of curcumin and oxaliplatin, alone or in combination, on subcutaneously xenografted LoVo human colorectal cancer cells in immunodeficient (nu/nu) mice in vivo. Combinatorial administration of curcumin and oxaliplatin evidently inhibited the growth of colorectal cancer in nude mice, which was significantly more effective than either agent alone. Curcumin combined with oxaliplatin treatment induced apoptosis, accompanied by ultrastructural changes and cell cycle arrest in S and G2/M phases. Further mechanism analysis indicated that while the number of apoptotic tumor cells and the expression of Bax, caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) increased significantly, the expression of Bcl-2, survivin, HSP70, pro-caspase-3, and pro-PARP were dramatically suppressed in tumor cells after the treatment with combinatorial curcumin and oxaliplatin for 22 days. Taken together, the present study has demonstrated that administration of combined curcumin and oxaliplatin effectively suppressed colorectal carcinoma in vivo through inducing apoptosis and thus may provide an effective treatment for colorectal carcinoma.

Preparation for malaria resurgence in China: approach in risk assessment and rapid response.

With the shrinking of indigenous malaria cases and endemic areas in the People's Republic of China (P.R. China), imported malaria predominates over all reported cases accounting for more than 90% of the total. On the way to eliminate malaria, prompt detection and rapid response to the imported cases are crucial for the prevention of secondary transmission in previous endemic areas. Through a comprehensive literature review, this chapter aims to identify risk determinants of potential local transmission caused by the imported malaria cases and discusses gaps to be addressed to reach the elimination goal by 2020. Current main gaps with respect to dealing with potential malaria resurgence in P.R. China include lack of cross-sectoral cooperation, lack of rapid response and risk assessment, poor public awareness, and inadequate research and development in the national malaria elimination programme.

China-Africa cooperation initiatives in malaria control and elimination.

Malaria has affected human health globally with a significant burden of disease, and also has impeded social and economic development in the areas where it is present. In Africa, many countries have faced serious challenges in controlling malaria, in part due to major limitations in public health systems and primary health care infrastructure. Although China is a developing country, a set of control strategies and measures in different local settings have been implemented successfully by the National Malaria Control Programme over the last 60 years, with a low cost of investment. It is expected that Chinese experience may benefit malaria control in Africa. This review will address the importance and possibility of China-Africa collaboration in control of malaria in targeted African countries, as well as how to proceed toward the goal of elimination where this is technically feasible.

Isolation of liquiritigenin-4'-apiosyl-glucoside and liquiritin from the root of Glycyrrhiza uralensis by high-performance centrifugal partition chromatography.

High-performance centrifugal partition chromatography (HPCPC) combined with ultraviolet detection was employed for the separation and purification of flavonoids from Glycyrrhiza. At the detection wavelength of 276 nm, two flavonoids, liquiritigenin-4'-apiosyl-glucoside and liquiritin, were successfully separated by HPCPC with an optimized two-phase solvent system composed of ethyl acetate-ethanol-water (1:0.1:1, v/v/v). The purity of these compounds was 95.0 and 97.1%, respectively, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Their structures were identified by electrospray ion source mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS(n)) in the negative ion mode.

Curcumin inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of human colorectal cancer cells by activating the mitochondria apoptotic pathway.

Curcumin, a natural plant extract from Curcuma longa, is known for its anti-carcinogenic and chemopreventive effects on a variety of experimental cancer models. In this study, we evaluated the effects of curcumin and elucidated its mechanism in human colorectal carcinoma cells. Cell viability assay showed that curcumin significantly inhibited the growth of LoVo cells. Curcumin treatment induced the apoptosis accompanied by ultra-structural changes and release of lactate dehydrogenase in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, treatment with 0-30 µg/mL curcumin decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential and activated the caspase-3 and caspase-9 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Nuclear and annexin V/PI staining showed that curcumin induced the apoptosis of LoVo cells. FACS analysis revealed that curcumin could induce the cell cycle arrest of LoVo cells at the S phase. Furthermore, western blotting analysis indicated that curcumin induced the release of cytochrome c, a significant increase of Bax and p53 and a marked reduction of Bcl-2 and survivin in LoVo cells. Taken together, our results suggested that curcumin inhibited the growth of LoVo cells by inducing apoptosis through a mitochondria-mediated pathway.

Effects of music therapy on anxiety of patients with breast cancer after radical mastectomy: a randomized clinical trial.

AIM: This paper is a report of a clinical trial of the effects of music therapy on anxiety of female breast cancer patients following radical mastectomy. BACKGROUND: There is insufficient evidence on the effects of music therapy on state anxiety of breast cancer patients following radical mastectomy. METHODS: A Hall's Core, Care, and Cure Model-based clinical trial was conducted in 120 female breast cancer patients from March to November 2009. A randomized controlled design was utilized. The patients were randomly allocated to the experimental group (n = 60) received music therapy in addition to routine nursing care, and the control group (n = 60) only received routine nursing care. A standardized questionnaire and the State Anxiety Inventory were applied. The primary endpoint was the state anxiety score measured at pretest (on the day before radical mastectomy) and at three post-tests (on the day before patients were discharged from hospital, the second and third time of admission to hospital for chemotherapy respectively). RESULTS: The pretest score revealed that the majority of the patients had a moderate level (77·5%) and 15% had severe level of state anxiety. The repeated-measure ancova model analysis indicated that the mean state anxiety score was significantly lower in the experimental group than those in the control group at each of the three post-test measurements. The mean difference between the experimental and control group together with 95% confidence intervals were -4·57 (-6·33, -2·82), -8·91 (-10·75, -7·08) and -9·69 (-11·52, -7·85) at the 1st post-test, 2nd post-test and 3rd post-test respectively. CONCLUSION: Music therapy is found to have positive effects on decreasing state anxiety score.