Combined glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor therapy with ticagrelor for patients with acute coronary syndrome.

This study was to compare the efficacy and safety of combined glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GPI) and ticagrelor versus ticagrelor in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). An observational study was conducted using the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-ACS project. Totally, 13,264 patients with ACS and received combination therapy or ticagrelor therapy were analyzed. The primary outcome was the composite of major cardiovascular events (MACE: all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction [MI], stent thrombosis, cardiogenic shock, and ischemic stroke), and secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, MI, stent thrombosis, cardiogenic shock, and ischemic stroke. The multivariable adjusted analysis indicated that combination therapy was associated with an increased risk of major cardiovascular events (MACE) (P = 0.001), any bleeding (P<0.001), and major bleeding (P = 0.005). Moreover, the multivariable adjusted for propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis suggested that combination therapy produced additional risk of MACE (P = 0.014), any bleeding (P<0.001), and major bleeding (P = 0.005). Moreover, PSM analysis suggested that combination therapy was associated with greater risk of stent thrombosis (P = 0.012) and intracranial bleeding (P = 0.020). Combined GPI and ticagrelor therapies did not have any beneficial effects on MACE, stent thrombosis, intracranial bleeding, any bleeding, or major bleeding.

Determination of phthalate esters in airborne particulates by heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalyzed aromatic hydroxylation fluorimetry.

The environmental contaminants phthalic acid esters (PAEs) were determined by aromatic hydroxylation fluorimetry combined with heterogeneous photo-Fenton process in the presence of vermiculite supported BiFeO3 (VMT-BiFeO3). In strong alkaline solution, PAEs were hydrolyzed into phthalates with no fluorescence, which then reacted with hydroxyl free radicals produced in photo-Fenton process catalyzed by VMT-BiFeO3 to form the fluorescent hydroxyl phthalates. The fluorescence intensity was proportional to the concentration of PAEs with the maximum excitation and emission wavelength of 300nm and 417nm, respectively. A good linear relationship can be obtained in the range of 3.8×10-7 to 4.8×10-5molL-1 for DEP with correlation coefficient of 0.9997, and the sensitivity of the method was high with detection limit of 5.43×10-8molL-1. The method has been successfully applied to determine total PAEs in airborne particulates with satisfactory results.

The Inhibition of Oxidised Low-Density Lipoprotein-Induced Apoptosis of Macrophages by Recombinant Human Brain Natriuretic Peptide and the Underlying Mechanism.

OBJECTIVE: Macrophage apoptosis plays a key role in atherosclerotic plaque rupture. This study investigated the effects of recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) on oxidised low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced macrophage apoptosis and explored the underlying mechanism. METHODS: A model of ox-LDL-induced macrophage injury was established to evaluate the role of BNP. Flow cytometry was employed to detect apoptosis and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (x0394;x03A8;m), and confocal microscopy was used to determine cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Additionally, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and colourimetry were used to detect the mRNA expression and activity, respectively, of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). RESULTS: Ox-LDL induced macrophage apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner, and maximum apoptosis occurred at 100 µg/ml ox-LDL (45.62 ± 2.76 vs. 6.84 ± 1.94%; p < 0.05). Conversely, BNP suppressed macrophage apoptosis, with a maximal effect at 10-9 mol/l (18.56 ± 1.79%; p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, intracellular ROS levels increased, x0394;x03A8;m decreased, SOD mRNA expression and activity decreased and MDA mRNA expression and content increased in the 100-µg/ml ox-LDL group (527.30 ± 36.20 vs. 100.00 ± 0.00%, 3.01 ± 0.52 vs. 9.67 ± 0.51%, 0.53 ± 0.18 vs. 1.00 ± 0.00, 256.6 ± 8.20 vs. 355.8 ± 9.58 U/ml, 1.59 ± 0.23 vs. 1.00 ± 0.00 and 29.4 ± 1.68 vs. 5.94 ± 0.51 nmol/ml; p < 0.05); these effects were significantly counteracted by 10-9 mol/l BNP (237.30 ± 30.62%, 6.55 ± 1.57%, 0.90 ± 0.07, 310.4 ± 2.97 U/ml, 1.14 ± 0.10, 20.54 ± 1.55 nmol/ml; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: BNP attenuates ox-LDL-induced macrophage apoptosis by suppressing oxidative stress and preventing x0394;x03A8;m loss.

[Heavy metals content and pollution risk assessment of cropland soils around a pesticide industrial park].

By the method of concentric circle distribution method, a total of 183 topsoil samples were collected from 30-km2 area around a pesticide industrial park in south Jiangsu Province, with the content and pollution index of soil Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Hg and As analyzed. The average contents of Hg, Cu, Cd, and Pb in the top soils were higher than those of the natural background values, and the contents of Hg and Cu were the highest. Taking the national standard II as the assessment criterion, the average pollution index values of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and As in the top soils were all below 1, while those of the Hg and Cu were 1.59 and 1.05, respectively. In the southeast and northwest to the pesticide industrial park, soil heavy metals contamination was more serious, and, with the increasing distance to the park, the contents of soil Cd, Ni, Pb, Cr, As, Hg, Zn, and Cu increased first and then decreased to a stable level. The comprehensive pollution index of test metals indicated that the areas 200-1000 meter around the industrial park were of high risk in soil heavy metals contamination, while the areas 1000 meter beyond were safety. By using geostatistics and GIS, it was found that the pollution index of the eight heavy metals had significant spatial variability. Based on the principal component analysis and correlation analysis, it was speculated that the Zn, Ni, Cr, Pb, and As were mainly from soil parent materials, while the Hg, Cu, and Cd were mainly related to human activities.

Study on colon-specific 5-Fu pH-enzyme Di-dependent chitosan microspheres.

Colon-specific drug delivery systems (CDDS) can improve the bioavailability of drug through the oral route. A novel formulation for oral administration using pH-enzyme Di-dependent chitosan mcirospheres (MS) and 5-Fu as a model drug has been investigated for colon-specific drug delivery by the emulsification/chemical cross-linking and coating technique, respectively. The influence of polymer concentration, ratio of drug to polymer, the amount of crosslinking agent and the stirring speed on the encapsulation efficiency, particle size in microspheres were evaluated. The best formulation was optimized by an orthogonal design. Drug release studies under conditions mimicking stomach to colon transit have shown that the drug was protected from being released in the physiological environment of the stomach and small intestine. The plasma concentrations of 5-Fu after oral administration of coated chitosan MS to rats were determined and compared with that of 5-Fu solution. The in vivo pharmacokinetics study of 5-Fu loaded pH-enzyme Di-dependent chitosan MS showed sustained plasma 5-Fu concentration-time profile. The in vitro release correlated well with the pharmacokinetics profile. The results clearly demonstrated that the pH-enzyme Di-dependent chitosan MS is potential system for colon-specific drug delivery of 5-Fu.