Zwitterion modified cochlear implants resist postoperative infection and inflammation.

The cochlear implant (CI), an advanced electronic device replacing the entire cochlear function, is the ultimate treatment for over 466 million people with disabling hearing loss. Infection after cochlear implantation is a common and worrisome complication despite the routine administration of the antibiotic. The bacterial biofilms formed on the surface of CI are the main cause of antibiotic failure. To solve this problem, we developed a copper-containing zwitterionic coating consisting of anti-adherent poly sulfobetaine methacrylate (PSB) and steadfast polydopamine (PDA). CuSO4/H2O2. was added to accelerate this co-deposition reaction and enhance the anti-bacterial property. The preparation method was simple, rapid, and suitable for clinical use. In our in vitro and in vivo studies, the PSB/PDA(Cu) coating showed high biocompatibility, and conferred CI implants excellent anti-inflammatory, strong anti-bacterial effects, and great anti-biofilm properties to representative Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. These findings implied that the PSB/PDA(Cu) coating was a unique anti-bacterial strategy for enhancing CI performance.

Exploring the memory: existing activity-dependent tools to tag and manipulate engram cells.

The theory of engrams, proposed several years ago, is highly crucial to understanding the progress of memory. Although it significantly contributes to identifying new treatments for cognitive disorders, it is limited by a lack of technology. Several scientists have attempted to validate this theory but failed. With the increasing availability of activity-dependent tools, several researchers have found traces of engram cells. Activity-dependent tools are based on the mechanisms underlying neuronal activity and use a combination of emerging molecular biological and genetic technology. Scientists have used these tools to tag and manipulate engram neurons and identified numerous internal connections between engram neurons and memory. In this review, we provide the background, principles, and selected examples of applications of existing activity-dependent tools. Using a combination of traditional definitions and concepts of engram cells, we discuss the applications and limitations of these tools and propose certain developmental directions to further explore the functions of engram cells.

Pesimquinolones produced by Penicillium simplicissimum and their inhibitory activity on nitric oxide production.

Eight undescribed quinolone alkaloids, pesimquinolones A-H, as well as six known compounds, were isolated from the solid culture broth of the fungus Penicillium simplicissimum. Their chemical structures were characterized by combined analyses of NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Pesimquinolones A-G are the first examples of naturally occurring quinolone alkaloids possessing a limonene moiety. Their anti-inflammatory activities on LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in adherent cells were evaluated. Pesimquinolones A, E, G, and H showed promising suppressive effect on the production of NO with IC50 values of 1.94, 1.29, 1.20, and 1.23 µM, respectively.

Overexpression of Salusin-α Inhibits Vascular Intimal Hyperplasia in an Atherosclerotic Rabbit Model.

Inhibiting vascular endothelial foam is the focus of clinical attention. Using SonoVue (an ultrasound contrast agent), the salusin-α gene was transfected into the arterial intima of an atherosclerotic rabbit model induced by a high-fat diet in this study. Subsequently the model of blood lipid indexes, the pathological structure of the intima, and changes in molecules regulating atherosclerosis were investigated. The high-density lipoprotein C and apolipoprotein A values in the salusin-α gene overexpression (P) group were higher than those in the salusin-α gene interference (RP) group (P < 0.05), whereas the total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein C, and apolipoprotein B values were reversed. Rabbits in the P group showed significantly thinner vascular intimal thickness than that of other experimental groups (P < 0.05). The expression of positive regulators of atherosclerosis (ABCA1, ABCG1) was higher in the P group than that in the RP group (P < 0.05), and the opposite effect was observed for negative regulators (ACAT1, CD36). Thus, our results showed that the overexpression of salusin-α gene inhibited the proliferation of the vascular intima, thereby throwing some light on understanding the mechanism how salusin-α gene expression interfered with the foaming of vascular intimal cells.

Clinically controlled study on children's infectious mononucleosis treated by Chinese medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Chinese drugs for the treatment of children's infectious mononucleosis (CIM). METHODS: Sixty CIM patients were assigned into the treated group and the control group, patients in the treated group were administered with Chinese herbal decoction, and those in the control group were treated with intravenous dripping of ganciclovir 10 mg/kg per day, for a treatment course of 14 days. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 96.0% in the treated group and 97.1% in the control group, showing insignificant difference between groups. The efficacy in the treated group was superior to that in the control group on the fever clearance time (3.0+/-1.5 days vs 4.9+/-3.9 days ) and the disappearance time of cervical lymph node swelling (0.8+/-1.0 score vs 1.5+/-1.2 score), showing statistical significance (all P<0.05). T-cell subsets were markedly improved in both groups after treatment. Adverse reaction occurred in four cases of the control group. CONCLUSION: Using Chinese herbs for clearing heat, removing toxin, activating blood circulation, and dissolving stasis is effective and safe for the treatment of CIM. It can effectively improve the clinical symptoms and shows a certain effect on immune regulation.

Clinical application and analysis of hepatitis C virus NS3 antigen detection by ELISA in human serum.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen assays have been produced to exclude infectious donations collected during the preseroconversion window phase (PWP). For the same purpose, we evaluated the specificity and sensitivity of a novel hepatitis C virus NS3 antigen detection immunoassay and the application of this assay in clinical diagnosis. METHODS: Samples from 77 healthy subjects, 173 anti-HCV positive patients and 3708 hepatitis patients other than HCV positive were tested with the HCV NS3 antigen assay. Some HCV NS3 antigen positive samples were further validated with HCV-RNA, neutralization and immunodot assays. Twenty-five sequential samples from 11 HCV NS3 antigen positive patients were subjected to kinetic study. RESULTS: Only 48 (1.3%) of 3708 anti-HCV negative samples were positive for HCV NS3 antigen. Among them, 44 of 3030 samples from patients only infected with HBV were HCV NS3 antigen positive, 4 of the 445 samples from patients infected with other type hepatitis were HCV NS3 antigen positive. In addition, 42 (24.3%) of 173 anti-HCV positive samples were HCV NS3 antigen positive and all 77 samples from healthy subjects were negative to HCV NS3 antigen assay. Of the 15 HCV NS3 antigen positive samples, 9 (60%) were HCV-RNA positive. The neutralization and positive percentage of immunodot assay for 23 HCV NS3 antigen positive sera were 87.0% (20/23) and 69.6% (16/23) respectively. Of the 25 sequential samples from 11 HCV NS3 antigen positive patients, there was a negative correlation between the OD values and the duration of test (r = -0.989, P < 0.05), and there were correlations among their HCV NS3 antigen, HCV-RNA and anti-HCV titres. The anti-HCV antibodies of two sera were detected while their OD values of HCV NS3 antigen decreased gradually. CONCLUSIONS: The HCV NS3 antigen detection assay showed perfect specificity and high sensitivity. Thus, it would be useful and economical as a routine test in laboratories for early diagnosis of HCV infection and prevention.