Absorbability, mechanism and structure-property relationship of three phenolic acids from the flowers of Trollius chinensis.

The absorption properties, mechanism of action, and structure-property relationship of three phenolic acids isolated from the flowers of Trollius chinensis Bunge, namely, proglobeflowery acid (PA), globeflowery acid (GA) and trolloside (TS), were investigated using the human Caco-2 cell monolayer model. The results showed that these three phenolic acids were transported across the Caco-2 cell monolayer in a time and concentration dependent manner at the Papp level of 10-5 cm/s, and their extent of absorption correlated with their polarity and molecular weight. In conclusion, all three of these compounds were easily absorbed through passive diffusion, which implied their high bioavailability and significant contribution to the effectiveness of T.

Network inference from AP-MS data: computational challenges and solutions.

Protein-protein interaction is of primary importance to understand protein functions. In recent years, the high-throughput AP-MS experiments have generated a large amount of bait-prey data, posing great challenges on the computational analysis of such data for inferring true interactions and protein complexes. To date, many research efforts have been devoted to developing novel computational methods to analyze these AP-MS data sets.

Pentafluorobenzyl esterification of haloacetic acids in tap water for simple and sensitive analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with negative chemical ionization.

Chlorine is the most widely used disinfectant for control of waterborne diseases in drinking water treatment. It can react with natural organic matter in water and form haloacetic acids (HAAs). For analysis of HAA levels, derivatization with diazomethane is commonly recommended as the standard methodology in Japan.

Recent advances in the discovery of N-myristoyltransferase inhibitors.

N-Myristoyltransferase (NMT) is a cytosolic monomeric enzyme present in eukaryotes such as fungi and protozoa, but is not found in prokaryotes. The attachment of a 14-carbon saturated fatty acid, myristate, from myristoyl-CoA (14:0 CoA) to the N-terminal glycine residue in a specific set of cellular proteins is commonly called protein N-myristoylation. The myristoylation reaction catalyzed by the enzyme myristoyl CoA:NMT is both necessary for the growth of various organisms and conclusive for cellular proliferation.

Toll-like receptor 4 knockout protects against isoproterenol-induced cardiac fibrosis: the role of autophagy.

Background: Toll-like receptor 4 participates in the process of acute heart injury. The underlying mechanisms of its protection are multifactorial, but we hypothesized that toll-like receptor-mediated autophagy control plays a vital role. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of autophagy on cardiac fibrosis.

The association between the phenotype of excessive daytime sleepiness and blood pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.

Objective: Investigate the clinical features and the blood pressure (BP) pattern of the phenotype of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in OSAHS.

Methods: A total of 508 Chinese adults with suspected OSAHS were referred to our sleep laboratory from October 2009 to May 2012. On the same night of polysomnography (PSG), the levels of blood pressure were measured before sleeping (bedtime BP) and immediately after waking up in the next morning (morning BP).

Fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation changes in monkeys with spinal cord injury: a resting-state fMRI study.

Purpose: Although functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has revealed that spinal cord injury (SCI) causes anomalous changes in task-induced brain activation, its effect during the resting state remains unclear. The aim of this study is to explore the changes of the brain resting-state function in non-human primates with unilateral SCI.

Materials And Methods: Eleven adult female rhesus monkeys were subjected to resting-state fMRI: five with unilateral thoracic SCI and six healthy monkeys, to obtain the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) of the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast signal to determine the influence of SCI on the cerebral resting-state function.

Atrophy and primary somatosensory cortical reorganization after unilateral thoracic spinal cord injury: a longitudinal functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

The effects of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) on the changes in the central nervous system (CNS) over time may depend on the dynamic interaction between the structural integrity of the spinal cord and the capacity of the brain plasticity. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used in a longitudinal study on five rhesus monkeys to observe cerebral activation during upper limb somatosensory tasks in healthy animals and after unilateral thoracic SCI. The changes in the spinal cord diameters were measured, and the correlations among time after the lesion, structural changes in the spinal cord, and primary somatosensory cortex (S1) reorganization were also determined.

A genetically modified broad-spectrum strain of Bacillus thuringiensis toxic against Holotrichia parallela, Anomala corpulenta and Holotrichia oblita.

Cry8Ea1 from Bacillus thuringiensis strain Bt185 has insecticidal activity against Holotrichia parallela. Cry8Ca2 from strain HBF-1 is effective against Anomala corpulenta. Cry8Ga1 from strain HBF-18 is toxic to H.

MAPK mediates inflammatory response and cell death in rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells in an ischemia-reperfusion model of lung transplantation.

Background: Hypoxia-reoxygenation of cultured macrovascular endothelial cells is used to study ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-related cellular and molecular changes; however, these models do not accurately depict events in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) during conventional lung retrieval and transplantation. We used rat PMVECs in a new non-hypoxic cell-based lung transplantation model to assess these events.

Methods: To simulate cold storage, rat PMVECs were preserved in 95% O2-5% CO2 at 4°C for 6 hours in low-potassium dextran solution.

Diffusion tensor tractography of residual fibers in traumatic spinal cord injury: a pilot study.

Background And Purpose: In clinical studies, evaluating residual fiber tracts in spinal cord injuries poses serious difficulties, whereas diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can assess alterations in fiber structural integrity. For this reason, this study aimed to determine changes in the structural integrity of residual fiber tracts via fractional anisotropy (FA) variations and fiber-tracking patterns in patients with chronic traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI).

Materials And Methods: T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted imaging was performed on four traumatic SCI patients and three healthy volunteers using a 3.

Effects of epithelial cell injury of the lower respiratory tract in the pathogenesis of allergic responses in a rat model.

Background: Asthma is a complex disease involving genetic and environment interactions. Atopy is a strong risk factor for asthma. The airway epithelium not only forms a physical barrier but also provides immune defense against harmful materials.

Involvement of TLR2 and TLR4 and Th1/Th2 shift in inflammatory responses induced by fine ambient particulate matter in mice.

Epidemiologic studies have reported the association between fine particles (aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm; PM2.5) and health effects, but the immunological mechanisms are not clear.

A sensitive graphene oxide-DNA based sensing platform for fluorescence "turn-on" detection of bleomycin.

A sensitive and selective fluorescent sensing platform for bleomycin (BLM) was developed based on BLM-induced DNA strand scission and the difference in affinity of graphene oxide for single-stranded DNA containing different numbers of bases in length.

Crystal violet as a G-quadruplex-selective probe for sensitive amperometric sensing of lead.

A sensitive and selective amperometric sensing platform for lead (Pb(2+)) was developed based on a Pb(2+)-induced G-rich DNA conformational switch from a random-coil to G-quadruplex (G4) with crystal violet as the G4-binding indicator.

Pharmacokinetics of Cyclosporine A in Chinese heart transplant recipients.

Aim: To determine the steady state concentration and the pharmacokinetics of Cyclosporine A (CsA) in heart transplant recipients.

Methods: A single dose of 100 mg CsA capsules twice daily was given to five heart transplant recipients of steady state. The concentrations of CsA in plasma were determined by streptavidin peroxidase fluorescent polarization immunoassay.

Simple colorimetric sensing of trace bleomycin using unmodified gold nanoparticles.

A simple colorimetric sensing platform for trace bleomycin (BLM) was proposed with the unmodified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as the sensing element. BLM has multiple N-donor functionality and exhibited strong coordination effect on AuNPs, which made it possible for the occurrence of ligand exchange of BLM with the weakly surface-bound citrate ions on AuNPs. Meanwhile, the positively charged BLM molecules further neutralized the surface charge, leading to increased van der Waals attractive force among AuNPs for rapid aggregation.

BMP7 induces the differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cells into chondrocytes.

Injured articular cartilage has a poor capacity for spontaneous healing. So far, a satisfactory solution to repair the injured cartilage has not been found, but transgenic therapy might be a promising treatment. This study aims to evaluate the potential of transfecting bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7), a secretory protein, into bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), in inducing the differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells into chondrocytes in vitro.

Construction of a Bacillus thuringiensis engineered strain with high toxicity and broad pesticidal spectrum against coleopteran insects.

A newly engineered strain, denominated BIOT185, was constructed through integrating the cry8Ca2 gene into the endogenous plasmid of BT185 (contains cry8Ea1) by homologous recombination. The thermosensitive plasmid vector was eliminated by the rising temperature of recombinant cultures. No antibiotic gene or other unnecessary genes were introduced to the new strain.

Crocin and geniposide profiles and radical scavenging activity of gardenia fruits (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis) from different cultivars and at the various stages of maturation.

The major components of gardenia fruits are geniposide and water soluble pigment crocins. In this study, we investigate crocins and geniposide profiles of gardenia fruits from different cultivars and at the various stages of maturation. DPPH scavenging activity of gardenia fruits from different cultivars and at the various stages of fruit maturation was also assayed.

Spectroscopic, stability and radical-scavenging properties of a novel pigment from gardenia.

A novel pigment, named gardecin, has been isolated from gardenia fruits, together with another five known crocins. The pigment, which possessed a structure which is unique among crocins, was characterised using spectrometric techniques, particularly 1D and 2D NMR. The NMR assignments were based on data from (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, DEPT, (1)H-(1)H COSY, NOESY, HMQC and HMBC measurements.