Changes in Sympathetic Innervation of Rat Caudal Artery in Experimental Myocardial Infarction. Effect of Semax Peptide.

Activation of the sympathetic nervous system aggravates the course of myocardial infarction. Semax peptide moderated the degree of this activation and prevented the increase in the density of sympathetic endings in rat caudal artery in 28 days after ischemia or ischemia/reperfusion. The peptide reduced the density of α-adrenoreceptors in the caudal artery of rats with myocardial infarction. Semax produced no effect on ß-adrenoreceptors in both experimental models. The experiments on isolated segments of the caudal artery revealed reduced vascular responsiveness to electrical stimulation and norepinephrine infusion in rats treated with Semax after ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Nanodiamond for biolabelling and toxicity evaluation in the zebrafish embryo in vivo.

Nanodiamond (ND) has been proposed for various biomedical applications, including bioimaging, biosensing and drug delivery, owing to its physical-chemical properties and biocompatibility. Particularly, ND has been demonstrated as fluorescence- and Raman-detectable labels in many cellular models. Different surface functionalization methods have been developed, varying the ND's surface properties and rendering the possibility to attach biomolecules to provide interaction with biological targets. For this, toxicity is of major concern in animal models. Aside from cellular models, a cost-effective animal test will greatly facilitate the development of applications. In this study, we use the rapid, sensitive and reproducible zebrafish embryo model for in vivo nanotoxicity test. We optimize the conditions for using this animal model and analyze the zebrafish embryonic development in the presence of ND. ND is observed in the embryo in vivo using laser confocal fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging. Using the zebrafish model for a safety evaluation of ND-based nanolabel is discussed.

Bionic restorative system: its potential value in caries therapy.

Dental defect caused by dental caries is usually restored by fillings, inlays or onlays at the present day. Although the therapeutic effects of these methods have already been confirmed, complications occasionally set in, such as pulp injury, fracture and secondary caries. Bionic dental organic center possesses similar functions of the natural dental organic center. So we put forward a hypothesis that bionic organic center can be transplanted onto the conditioned pulpal walls of the prepared cavity and a specific filling material, which the cavity will be filled with, provides oxygen, nutrition and raw materials for it to regenerate the lost odontal tissue in vivo. The regenerated odontal tissue which has similar properties of the healthy odontal tissue will restore the defect and it will be combined with the residual odontal tissue tightly, not only in physical structure but also in function. Then the teeth suffering from dental caries could live and function like healthy ones.

Bionic dental pulp: its potential value following root canal therapy.

Dental pulp can provide nutrition for teeth. The teeth after root canal therapy without pulp will turn frailer because of dehydration, and it may be easily broken. Bionic dental pulp possesses similar components of the healthy dental pulp. So we put forward a hypothesis that bionic dental pulp can be filled into root canals to provide nutrition for teeth like healthy pulp. Then the life-span of teeth after root canal therapy could increase.

Impact of supplement with Lactobacillus- and Bifidobacterium-containing yogurt on triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication.

AIM: To test whether supplements of Lactobacillus- and Bifidobacterium-containing yogurt (AB-Yogurt) affect the success of Helicobacter pylori eradication. METHODS: One hundred and sixty H. pylori-infected patients were randomized into a triple-plus-yogurt group or a triple-only group, receiving 1 week of triple therapy with and without supplements of AB-Yogurt, respectively. In the triple-plus-yogurt group, AB-Yogurt was continued for 4 weeks after triple therapy. Eight weeks later, patients were assessed for the success of H. pylori eradication. The stool samples of 22 randomly selected patients, 11 from each group, were provided on enrolment, at the first week and at the fifth week for evaluation of the percentage of Bifidobacterium in anaerobes. RESULTS: By intention-to-treat analysis, the triple-plus-yogurt group had a higher H. pylori eradication rate than the triple-only group (91% vs. 78%, P < 0.05). The per protocol H. pylori eradication rates were similar for both groups (93.5% vs. 89%, P = N.S.). Only patients supplemented with AB-Yogurt showed restoration of the percentage of Bifidobacterium in the anaerobes of stools at the fifth week to the level in the stools on enrolment. CONCLUSIONS: Supplement with AB-Yogurt can improve the intention-to-treat eradication rates of H. pylori, and can restore the depletion of Bifidobacterium in stools after triple therapy.

[Pharmacological actions of hyphae body of Auricularia auricula (L. ex Hook) Underw and its alcoholic extract].

The percent peripheral blood T lymphocytes were elevated and HC50 reduction induced by cyclophosphamide was recovered after the hyphae body of Auricularia auricula had been ip administered in mice. The action of blood platelet agglutination in rats induced by ADP was inhibited and the time of erythrocytic electrophoresis in mice was shortened after the alcoholic extract had been ig administered.