Ultrasensitive quantification of trace amines based on N-phosphorylation labeling chip 2D LC-QQQ/MS / 药物分析学报

Trace amines(TAs)are metabolically related to catecholamine and associated with cancer and neuro-logical disorders.Comprehensive measurement of TAs is essential for understanding pathological pro-cesses and providing proper drug intervention.However,the trace amounts and chemical instability of TAs challenge quantification.Here,diisopropyl phosphite coupled with chip two-dimensional(2D)liquid chromatography tandem triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry(LC-QQQ/MS)was developed to simul-taneously determine TAs and associated metabolites.The results showed that the sensitivities of TAs increased up to 5520 times compared with those using nonderivatized LC-QQQ/MS.This sensitive method was utilized to investigate their alterations in hepatoma cells after treatment with sorafenib.The significantly altered TAs and associated metabolites suggested that phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolic pathways were related to sorafenib treatment in Hep3B cells.This sensitive method has great potential to elucidate the mechanism and diagnose diseases considering that an increasing number of physiological functions of TAs have been discovered in recent decades.

Efficacy of modified anterior robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy with preservation of Retzius space in 10 cases / 现代泌尿外科杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the safety, feasibility and clinical efficacy of modified anterior robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALRP) with preservation of Retzius space. 【Methods】 The clinical data of 10 patients who underwent RALRP using the modified anterior approach to preserve the Retzius space in our hospital during June 2021 and March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including the preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative and follow-up data. 【Results】 All operations were successful without conversion to open surgery. The average operation time (robotic arm operation time) was (98.6±47.7) min, blood loss (105.0±57.3) mL, postoperative drainage tube indwelling time (5.3±1.3) d, postoperative urinary catheter indwelling time (7.2±0.8) d, and postoperative hospital stay (9.2±2.2) d. Urinary continence was achieved immediately after removal of the urinary catheter in 6 patients, 2 patients recovered 2 weeks after extubation, and 2 patients recovered 3 months after extubation. Postoperative pathology showed pT2a stage in 1 case, pT2b stage in 2 cases, and pT2c stage in 7 cases; Gleason score was 6-7 points; all postoperative resection margins were negative. During the follow-up of 3-12 months, no tumor recurrence was observed, and no patient was readmitted due to surgical complications. 【Conclusion】 RALRP with modified anterior approach to preserve the Retzius space is safe and feasible, with no serious complications during and after surgery, and the early postoperative urinary continence effect is comparable to that of the posterior approach.

Edible Bird's Nest Regulates Hepatic Cholesterol Metabolism through Transcriptional Regulation of Cholesterol Related Genes.

Objective: Hypercholesterolemia is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Side effects associated with the use of pharmaceutical agents can cancel out their benefits. Dietary management of hypercholesterolemia is, therefore, receiving much attention due to fewer side effects. In this study, we explored the effectiveness of edible bird's nest (EBN) in the prevention of hypercholesterolemia in rats. Methods: High-cholesterol diet (HCD) (4.5% cholesterol and 0.5% cholic acid) with or without EBN (low (2.5%) or high dose (20%)) was given to rats for 12 weeks, and their weights were observed. Simvastatin (10 mg/kg/day) was administered for the same period as a control drug. Serum and tissue samples were collected at the end of the study, from which biochemical parameters (lipid profiles, oxLDL, liver enzymes, urea, creatinine, uric acid, and lipase activity) and hepatic mRNA levels were measured. Results: The HCD group had higher levels of serum lipids, liver enzymes, uric acid, urea, and lipase activity compared with those of the other groups. The hepatic mRNA levels of cholesterol metabolism genes (APOB, PCSK9, HMGCR, LDLR, and CYP7A1) in the HCD group also tended toward increased cholesterol production and reduced cholesterol clearance. EBN, especially the highest dose, attenuated the HCD-induced changes, partly through improving the transcriptional regulation of hepatic cholesterol metabolism genes with fold changes of 0.7, 0.6, 0.5, 1.7, and 2.7, respectively, in comparison to the HCD group. In fact, EBN produced better results than simvastatin. Conclusion: Thus, the results suggest that EBN can regulate cholesterol metabolism and, therefore, be a source of functional ingredients for the management of hypercholesterolemia.

Status and prospect of CAR-T cell therapy for prostate cancer / 中华泌尿外科杂志

At present, the treatment of advanced tumors has entered the immune era, and immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown good efficacy in prostate cancer. Cellular immunotherapy such as CAR-T therapy (chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy) has shown excellent results in hematological and digestive system malignancies, but its efficacy in urinary system tumors is not yet clear. This review will explain the current status and application prospects of CAR-T in the treatment of prostate cancer, including target selection, predicament, and function enhancement strategies of CAR molecules in prostate cancer, aiming to open up new perspectives for cellular immunotherapy of prostate cancer and ideas.

Clinical characteristics in patients with acute coronary syndrome and analysis of prognostic factors / 重庆医学

Objective To study the clinical characteristics in the patients with different types of acute coronary syndrome(ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the factors affecting the PCI treatment.Methods A total of 377 inpatients with ACS undergoing PCI in this hospital from January 2014 to March 2015 were selected,including 172 cases of ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (ST-ACS) group and 205 cases of non-ST-elevation ACS (NST-ACS group).The baseline data and detection indexes were collected,the GRACE score on admission was calculated,the database was established,regular follow-up was performed,and the prognosis was analyzed.Results The smoking history,emergency PCI,coronary angi-ography TIMI grade ≤ 1,H MGB1,GRACE score,heart rate on admission,white blood cell(WBC) count,neutrophil ratio,lymphocyte ratio,monocytes ratio,absolute neutrophil count,high density lipoprotein,apolipoprotein b,number of lesion vessels and left ventricular ejection fraction had statistical differences between the ST-ACS group and NST-ACS group (P ＜ 0.05);the correlation analysis showed that HMGB1 and GRACE score were significantly correlated (r=0.836,P＜0.01).The 2-year follow-up results showed that the previous myocardialinfarction and PCI history,Killip grade(Ⅱ-Ⅳ),coronary angiography TIMI grade≤ 1,HMGB1,GRACE score,mean platelet volume,age and number of lesion vessels had differences between the end point event occurrence group and end point event non-occurrence group (P＜0.05).The Logistic regression analysis showed that HMGB1,GRACE score,age,previous PCI histoty,Killip grade (Ⅱ-IV) were the independent risk factors for cardiovascular events (P ＜ 0.05).The Cox survival analysis showed that HMGB1,previous PCI history,Killip grade (Ⅱ-Ⅳ) were the independent risk factors for cardiovascular events (P＜0.05).The ROC survival curve showed that the accuracy of HMGB1 was good,the areas under the curve was 0.844 (95％CI:0.803-0.885,P＜0.05),the critical value predicting the end point events was 480.44 ng/mL.Conclusion HMGB1 has difference between the ST-ACS group and NST-ACS group,and has a good correlation with GRACE score.

The roles of high mobility group box1 and GRACE score in clinical prognosis of acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing selective percutaneous coronary intervention / 实用医学杂志

Objective To investigate the impact of high mobility group box1 and GRACE score on the clinical prognosis of patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing selective percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods A total of 380 consecutive patients initially diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome undergoing selec-tive PCI between January 2014 and March 2015 were included,with 200 of them assigned into low high mobility group box1(HMGB1<445 ng/mL)and the other 180 patients into high mobility group box1(HMGB1≥445 ng/mL).The baseline characteristics and laboratory indexes were collected on admission,GRACE score were calculat-ed at admission.The difference between the high and low high mobility group box1 were analzyed and the influenc-ing factors of patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing selective percutaneous coronary intervention were studied. The mean follow-up period was 24 months,and the clinical end points were deaths from various causes and readmission for coronary heart disease. Results There were significantly differences statistically between the groups of high and low high mobility group box1 in clinical diagnosis. lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2, GRACE score,mean platelet volume,red cell distribution width,age,and left ventricular ejection fraction(P <0.05). The correlation analysis showed that HMGB1 was significantly related to lipoprotein associated phospholi-pase A2 and GRACE score,with the correlation coefficents of 0.575,0.836,respectively(P<0.05).COX analy-sis showed that HMGB1,lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2,GRACE score had statistical significance for survival outcomes(P<0.05),and the area under the ROC curve drawn by combining the three was 0.851(95% CI 0.811 ~ 0.891,P < 0.05). Conclusion There was a good correlation between HMGB1 and GRACE score. HMGB1 is a good predictor of clinical outcomes in the patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing elective PCI treatment.

Thymoquinone-rich fraction nanoemulsion (TQRFNE) decreases Aß40 and Aß42 levels by modulating APP processing, up-regulating IDE and LRP1, and down-regulating BACE1 and RAGE in response to high fat/cholesterol diet-induced rats.

Though the causes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are yet to be understood, much evidence has suggested that excessive amyloid-ß (Aß) accumulation due to abnormal amyloid-ß precursor protein (APP) processing and Aß metabolism are crucial processes towards AD pathogenesis. Hence, approaches aiming at APP processing and Aß metabolism are currently being actively pursued for the management of AD. Studies suggest that high cholesterol and a high fat diet have harmful effects on cognitive function and may instigate the commencement of AD pathogenesis. Despite the neuropharmacological attributes of black cumin seed (Nigella sativa) extracts and its main active compound, thymoquinone (TQ), limited records are available in relation to AD research. Nanoemulsion (NE) is exploited as drug delivery systems due to their capacity of solubilising non-polar active compounds and is widely examined for brain targeting. Herewith, the effects of thymoquinone-rich fraction nanoemulsion (TQRFNE), thymoquinone nanoemulsion (TQNE) and their counterparts' conventional emulsion in response to high fat/cholesterol diet (HFCD)-induced rats were investigated. Particularly, the Aß generation; APP processing, ß-secretase 1 (BACE1), γ-secretases of presenilin 1 (PSEN1) and presenilin 2 (PSEN2), Aß degradation; insulin degrading enzyme (IDE), Aß transportation; low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) and receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) were measured in brain tissues. TQRFNE reduced the brain Aß fragment length 1-40 and 1-42 (Aß40 and Aß42) levels, which would attenuate the AD pathogenesis. This reduction could be due to the modulation of ß- and γ-secretase enzyme activity, and the Aß degradation and transportation in/out of the brain. The findings show the mechanistic actions of TQRFNE in response to high fat and high cholesterol diet associated to Aß generation, degradation and transportation in the rat's brain tissue.

Beneficial effects of TQRF and TQ nano- and conventional emulsions on memory deficit, lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant status, antioxidants genes expression and soluble Aß levels in high fat-cholesterol diet-induced rats.

The study determined the effect of thymoquinone rich fraction (TQRF) and thymoquinone (TQ) in the forms of nano- and conventional emulsions on learning and memory, lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant status, antioxidants genes expression and soluble ß-amyloid (Aß) levels in rats fed with a high fat-cholesterol diet (HFCD). The TQRF was extracted from Nigella sativa seeds using a supercritical fluid extraction system and prepared into nanoemulsion, which later named as TQRF nanoemulsion (TQRFNE). Meanwhile, TQ was acquired commercially and prepared into thymoquinone nanoemulsion (TQNE). The TQRF and TQ conventional emulsions (CE), named as TQRFCE and TQCE, respectively were studied for comparison. Statin (simvastatin) and non-statin (probucol) cholesterol-lowering agents, and a mild-to-severe Alzheimer's disease drug (donepezil) were served as control drugs. The Sprague Dawley rats were fed with HFCD for 6 months, and treated with the intervention groups via oral gavage daily for the last 3 months. As a result, HFCD-fed rats exhibited hypercholesterolaemia, accompanied by memory deficit, increment of lipid peroxidation and soluble Aß levels, decrement of total antioxidant status and down-regulation of antioxidants genes expression levels. TQRFNE demonstrated comparable effects to the other intervention groups and control drugs in serum biomarkers as well as in the learning and memory test. Somehow, TQRFNE was more prominent than those intervention groups and control drugs in brain biomarkers concomitant to gene and protein expression levels. Supplementation of TQRFNE into an HFCD thus could ameliorate memory deficit, lipid peroxidation and soluble Aß levels as well as improving the total antioxidant status and antioxidants genes expression levels.

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma (PPARγ) as a Target for Concurrent Management of Diabetes and Obesity-Related Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily of ligand-inducible transcription factors that regulate adipogenesis, lipid metabolism, cell proliferation, inflammation and insulin sensitization. Abnormalities in PPARγ signaling have been associated with obesity, diabetes and cancer. The use of agonists to manage these diseases has been limited by their side effects. Accordingly, dual or pan agonists targeting the PPARα or PPARα and PPARδ, respectively, in addition to the PPARγ have been developed to overcome these side effects. This review details the shared PPARγ-dependent mechanisms between obesity-related cancers and diabetes and their potential therapeutic values. METHOD: We performed a systematic literature search through pubmed, Scopus and google scholar for articles on PPARγ-dependent signaling in diabetes or cancer. RESULTS: There is growing co-occurrence of obesity-related cancers and diabetes, necessitating the use of effective therapies with the least amount of side effects for concurrent management of these diseases, by targeting potentially shared PPARγ-dependent mechanisms including abnormalities of the wnt/ß-catenin, lysosomal acid lipase, inflammatory and cell cycle pathways, and the plasminogen activator system. Taking advantage of the multiple docking sites of the PPARγ and the pleiotropic nature of its signaling, structure-activity relationship and molecular docking studies have provided insights into designer PPARγ agonists or dual PPARα/γ agonists that modulate PPARγ signaling and negate side effects of full PPARγ agonists. CONCLUSION: Effective therapies, possibly devoid of side effects, for concurrent management of obesity-related cancers and diabetes can be developed through diligent structure-activity and molecular docking studies.

N-Acetylneuraminic acid attenuates hypercoagulation on high fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: N-Acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), a type of sialic acid, has close links with cholesterol metabolism and is often used as a biomarker in evaluating the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, most studies on the health implications of Neu5Ac have focused on its effects on the nervous system, while its effects on cardiovascular risk factors have largely been unreported. Thus, the effects of Neu5Ac on coagulation status in high fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemic rats were evaluated in this study. METHODS: Sprague Dawley male rats were divided into five different groups and fed with HFD alone, HFD low-dose Neu5Ac, HFD high-dose Neu5Ac, HFD simvastatin (10 mg/kg day), and normal pellet alone. Food was given ad libitum while body weight of rats was measured weekly. After 12 weeks of intervention, rats were sacrificed and serum and tissue samples were collected for biochemistry and gene expression analysis, respectively. RESULTS: The results showed that Neu5Ac could improve lipid metabolism and hyperlipidemia-associated coagulation. Neu5Ac exerted comparable or sometimes better physiological effects than simvastatin, at biochemical and gene expression levels. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicated that Neu5Ac prevented HFD-induced hyperlipidemia and associated hypercoagulation in rats through regulation of lipid-related and coagulation-related genes and, by extension, induced metabolite and protein changes. The implications of the present findings are that Neu5Ac may be used to prevent coagulation-related cardiovascular events in hyperlipidemic conditions. These findings are worth studying further.

N-Acetylneuraminic Acid Supplementation Prevents High Fat Diet-Induced Insulin Resistance in Rats through Transcriptional and Nontranscriptional Mechanisms.

N-Acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) is a biomarker of cardiometabolic diseases. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that dietary Neu5Ac may improve cardiometabolic indices. A high fat diet (HFD) + Neu5Ac (50 or 400 mg/kg BW/day) was fed to rats and compared with HFD + simvastatin (10 mg/kg BW/day) or HFD alone for 12 weeks. Weights and serum biochemicals (lipid profile, oral glucose tolerance test, leptin, adiponectin, and insulin) were measured, and mRNA levels of insulin signaling genes were determined. The results indicated that low and high doses of sialic acid (SA) improved metabolic indices, although only the oral glucose tolerance test, serum triglycerides, leptin, and adiponectin were significantly better than those in the HFD and HFD + simvastatin groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the results showed that only high-dose SA significantly affected the transcription of hepatic and adipose tissue insulin signaling genes. The data suggested that SA prevented HFD-induced insulin resistance in rats after 12 weeks of administration through nontranscriptionally mediated biochemical changes that may have differentially sialylated glycoprotein structures at a low dose. At higher doses, SA induced transcriptional regulation of insulin signaling genes. These effects suggest that low and high doses of SA may produce similar metabolic outcomes in relation to insulin sensitivity through multiple mechanisms. These findings are worth studying further.

High fat diet-induced inflammation and oxidative stress are attenuated by N-acetylneuraminic acid in rats.

BACKGROUND: Serum sialic acid levels are positively correlated with coronary artery disease and inflammation. Although sialic acid is a non-specific marker, it is considered sensitive likely due to its influence in sialylation of glycoprotein structures all over the body. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that dietary supplementation with N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), a type of sialic acid, will have profound effects on high fat diet- (HFD-) induced inflammation and oxidative stress in view of the widespread incorporation of sialic acid into glycoprotein structures in the body. METHODS: HFD-fed rats with or without simvastatin or Neu5Ac (50 and 400 mg/kg/day) were followed up for 12 weeks. Lipid profiles, and markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha), insulin resistance (serum insulin and adiponectin, oral glucose tolerance test and homeostatic model of insulin resistance) and oxidative stress (total antioxidant status and thiobarbituric acid reactive species) in the serum and liver were determined, while mRNA levels of hepatic antioxidant and inflammation genes were also quantified. Serum levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, urea, creatinine and uric acid were also assessed. RESULTS: HFD feeding caused hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance, and worsened liver and kidney functions. HFD feeding also potentiated inflammation and oxidative stress, partly through modulation of hepatic gene expression, while Neu5Ac especially at higher doses and simvastatin attenuated HFD-induced changes, although Neu5Ac showed better outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the present results, we surmised that Neu5Ac can prevent HFD-induced inflammation and oxidative stress, and may in fact be useful in the prevention of hyperlipidemia-associated inflammation and oxidative stress. However, the translational implications of these findings can only be determined after long-term effects are established. Hence, the use of Neu5Ac on obesity-related diseases requires additional attention.

Edible Bird's Nest attenuates high fat diet-induced oxidative stress and inflammation via regulation of hepatic antioxidant and inflammatory genes.

BACKGROUND: Edible Bird's nest (EBN) is an antioxidant-rich supplement that is popular in many parts of Asia. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties have been reported using in vitro system. This paper aimed to determine the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of EBN in in high fat diet induced rats model. METHODS: We evaluate if those properties can be translated in rats. High fat diet (HFD) was fed to rats for 12 weeks to determine its effects on oxidative stress and inflammation, and compared with HFD + Simvastatin and HFD + EBN (2.5 or 20 %). Weights were measured weekly, while serum and hepatic markers of oxidative stress (total antioxidant status and TBARS) and inflammation (interleukin 6 [IL-6], C-reactive protein [CRP] and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]) were determined at the end of the intervention. In addition, transcriptional changes in hepatic antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase) and inflammation (C-reactive protein, chemokine [C-C] motif 2, nuclear factor kappa beta 1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha) genes were evaluated. RESULTS: The results showed increases in oxidative stress (raised TBARS and lowered total antioxidant status) and inflammatory markers (raised CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α) in HFD induced rats with corresponding attenuation of antioxidant gene expression and potentiation of inflammatory gene expression. EBN on the other hand attenuated the HFD-induced inflammation and oxidative stress and produced overall better outcomes in comparison with simvastatin. CONCLUSIONS: In aggregate, the results support the evidence-based utilization of EBN as a supplement for preventing obesity-related inflammation and oxidative stress in rats. These promising results can open up opportunities for translating the benefits of EBN to humans.

Edible bird's nest attenuates procoagulation effects of high-fat diet in rats.

Edible bird's nest (EBN) is popular in Asia, and has long been used traditionally as a supplement. There are, however, limited evidence-based studies on its efficacy. EBN has been reported to improve dyslipidemia, which is closely linked to hypercoagulation states. In the present study, the effects of EBN on high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced coagulation in rats were evaluated. Rats were fed for 12 weeks with HFD alone or in combination with simvastatin or EBN. Food intake was estimated, and weight measurements were made during the experimental period. After sacrifice, serum oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), adiponectin, leptin, von willibrand factor, prostacyclin, thromboxane and lipid profile, and whole blood coagulation indices (bleeding time, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, red blood count count, and platelet count) were estimated. Furthermore, hepatic expression of coagulation-related genes was evaluated using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The results indicated that EBN could attenuate HFD-induced hypercholesterolemia and coagulation similar to simvastatin, partly through transcriptional regulation of coagulation-related genes. The results suggested that EBN has the potential for lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease-related hypercoagulation due to hypercholesterolemia.

Edible Bird's Nest Prevents High Fat Diet-Induced Insulin Resistance in Rats.

Edible bird's nest (EBN) is used traditionally in many parts of Asia to improve wellbeing, but there are limited studies on its efficacy. We explored the potential use of EBN for prevention of high fat diet- (HFD-) induced insulin resistance in rats. HFD was given to rats with or without simvastatin or EBN for 12 weeks. During the intervention period, weight measurements were recorded weekly. Blood samples were collected at the end of the intervention and oral glucose tolerance test conducted, after which the rats were sacrificed and their liver and adipose tissues collected for further studies. Serum adiponectin, leptin, F2-isoprostane, insulin, and lipid profile were estimated, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance computed. Effects of the different interventions on transcriptional regulation of insulin signaling genes were also evaluated. The results showed that HFD worsened metabolic indices and induced insulin resistance partly through transcriptional regulation of the insulin signaling genes. Additionally, simvastatin was able to prevent hypercholesterolemia but promoted insulin resistance similar to HFD. EBN, on the other hand, prevented the worsening of metabolic indices and transcriptional changes in insulin signaling genes due to HFD. The results suggest that EBN may be used as functional food to prevent insulin resistance.

Effects of edible bird's nest on hippocampal and cortical neurodegeneration in ovariectomized rats.

The aim of this research is to investigate whether edible bird's nest (EBN) attenuates cortical and hippocampal neurodegeneration in ovariectomized rats. Ovariectomized rats were randomly divided into seven experimental groups (n = 6): the ovariectomy (OVX) group had their ovaries surgically removed; the sham group underwent surgical procedure similar to OVX group, but ovaries were left intact; estrogen group had OVX and received estrogen therapy (0.2 mg kg(-1) per day); EBN treatment groups received 6%, 3%, and 1.5% EBN, respectively. Control group was not ovariectomized. After 12 weeks of intervention, biochemical assays were performed for markers of neurodegeneration, and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of oxidative stress-related genes in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of the brain were analysed. Caspase 3 (cysteine-aspartic proteases 3) protein levels in the hippocampus and frontal cortex were also determined using western blotting. The results show that EBNs significantly decreased estrogen deficiency-associated serum elevation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), and they changed redox status as evidenced by oxidative damage (malondialdehyde content) and enzymatic antioxidant defense (superoxide dismutase and catalase) markers. Furthermore, genes associated with neurodegeneration and apoptosis were downregulated in the hippocampus and frontal cortex by EBN supplementation. Taken together, the results suggest that EBN has potential for neuroprotection against estrogen deficiency-associated senescence, at least in part via modification of the redox system and attenuation of AGEs.

In vitro bioaccessibility and antioxidant properties of edible bird's nest following simulated human gastro-intestinal digestion.

BACKGROUND: Edible birds' nest (EBN) is reported to be antioxidant-rich. However, the fate of its antioxidants after oral consumption is not yet reported. To explore this, we hypothesized that EBN antioxidants are released from their matrix when subjected to in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion. METHODS: EBN samples were extracted using hot water (100°C) with or without subsequent sequential enzymatic digestion using pepsin (10,000 units), pancreatin (36 mg) and bile extracts (112.5 mg). Additionally, pH changes (8.9 to 2 and back to 8.9) similar to the gut were applied, and a 10 KDa dialysis tubing was used to simulate gut absorption. The antioxidant capacities of the water extracts of EBN before and after digestion were then determined using ABTS and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays, while the protective effects of the EBN samples against hydrogen peroxide-induced toxicity in HEPG2 cells were determined using MTT assay and acridine orange (AO)/propidium iodide (PI) staining. RESULTS: Antioxidant assays (ABTS and ORAC) showed that the undigested EBN water extract had little antioxidant activity (1 and 1%, respectively at 1000 µg/mL) while at similar concentrations the digested samples had significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced antioxidant activities, for samples inside (38 and 50%, respectively at 1000 µg/mL) and outside (36 and 50%, respectively at 1000 µg/mL) the dialysis tubing, representing absorbed and unabsorbed samples, respectively. Cell viability and toxicity assays also suggested that the EBN extracts were non-toxic to HEPG2 cells (cell viabilities of over 80% at 1000 µg/mL), while AOPI showed that the extracts protected HEPG2 cells from hydrogen peroxide induced-toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings, it is likely that EBN bioactives are released from their matrix when digested in the gut and then absorbed through the gut by passive-mediated transport to exert their functional effects. However, there is need to confirm these findings using in vivo systems to determine their clinical significance.

Therapeutic effect of intracoronary versus intravenous bolus tirofiban in elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective To analyze the therapeutic effect of intracoronary versus intravenous bolus tirofiban on myocardial perfusion and major cardiovascular events (MACE) in elderly patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and explore the optimal route of tirofiban application. Methods From July 2009 to July 2010, 120 NSTE-ACS patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI ) were consecutively enrolled in this study. They were randomly divided into two groups: intracoronary (60 cases) versus intravenous (60 cases) bolus tirofiban. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow, TIMI myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG) and MACE 30 days after PCI were observed. Results The incidence of TIMI flow and TMPG 3 grade in intracoronary group were higher than in intravenous group [53(88.3%) vs. 38(63.3%); 53(88.3%) vs. 40(66.7%), respectively, both P＜0.05]. However, MACE incidence and bleeding complications during hospital 30 days after PCI had no significant difference between the two groups [1 (1.7%) vs. 0; 3(5.0%) vs. 5(8.3%)], which were not statistically significant (P＞0.05). Conclusions Intracoronary bolus tirofiban before PCI more effectively increases coronary blood flow and myocardium blush than intravenous route in elderly NSTE-ACS patients.