[Electroacupuncture down-regulates expression of ADAMTS-4 of intervertebral disc in rats with lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation on the levels of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-4 (ADAMTS-4) protein in the lumbar intervertebral disc tissue and serum in prolapsed lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (PLIDD) rats, so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD).

Methods: A total of 48 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into sham operation (＝12), model (＝18) and EA (＝18) groups. The PLIDD model was established by puncturing the lumbar discs (L4-L5, L5-L6) with a gauge-22 syringe needle.

Enhanced interaction in TiO/BiVO heterostructures via MXene TiC-derived 2D-carbon for highly efficient visible-light photocatalysis.

Heterostructured photocatalysts play a significant role in the removal of contaminants by decreasing the recombination of the photo-induced charges. Herein, we presented novel TiO/C/BiVO ternary hybrids employing a 2D layered TiC MXene precursor, overcoming the lattice mismatching of TiO/BiVO binary heterostructures simultaneously. Raman and XPS analyses proved the strong coupling effects of TiO, carbon and BiVO components, and the heterostructures were identified from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results.

Luteolin suppresses inflammation through inhibiting cAMP-phosphodiesterases activity and expression of adhesion molecules in microvascular endothelial cells.

Luteolin, an anti-inflammatory ingredient found in the Chinese herb Folium perillae, can inhibit not only the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-phosphodiesterases (PDEs) activity of neutrophils, but also the expression of lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 in neutrophils, both of which result in a decrease in the adhesion between neutrophils and microvascular endothelial cells. However, the effect of luteolin on the cAMP-PDEs activity and expression of adhesion molecules in endothelial cells are not clear. In the present study, primary rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells and a lipopolysaccharide-induced rat acute pneumonia model were used to explore the role of luteolin on cAMP-PDEs activity, expression of adhesion molecules, and leukocyte infiltration.

Luteolin Partially Inhibits LFA-1 Expression in Neutrophils Through the ERK Pathway.

Luteolin inhibits the adhesion of neutrophils to microvascular endothelial cells and plays an important anti-inflammatory role, owing to its mechanism of suppressing the expression of lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) in the neutrophils. Our study deals with the different signaling pathways participating in LFA-1 expression in neutrophils along with the regulation of luteolin in order to elucidate new anti-inflammatory targets of luteolin, thus providing a basis for clinical applications. In our study, neutrophils were separated using density gradient centrifugation and the cAMP levels were determined using ELISA.

Electroacupuncture improves microcirculation and neuronal morphology in the spinal cord of a rat model of intervertebral disc extrusion.

Most studies on spinal cord neuronal injury have focused on spinal cord tissue histology and the expression of nerve cell damage and repair-related genes. The importance of the microcirculation is often ignored in spinal cord injury and repair research. Therefore, in this study, we established a rat model of intervertebral disc extrusion by inserting a silica gel pad into the left ventral surface of T13.

Influence of Paeonia lactiflora roots extract on cAMP-phosphodiesterase activity and related anti-inflammatory action.

Background: Paeonia lactiflora root (baishao in Chinese) is a commonly used herb in TCM. Research has shown baishao to have positive pharmacological actions, including, particularly, anti-inflammatory properties. In this paper we studied the influence of baishao extract on cAMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity and related anti-inflammatory action to identify new pharmacologic action for its clinically widespread use.

[Synthesis and photoluminescent properties of core/shell structure ZnS : Mn/SiO2 nanocrystals].

Mn-doped ZnS nanopatricles synthesized by solvothermal method were successfully coated with SiO2 shells of various thicknesses by hydrolysis reaction of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy images (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra. When the ZnS : Mn nanoparticles were coated with SiO2 shells, an obvious increase in particle size and a clear shell of SiO2 can be observed.

Synthesis and characterization of the water-soluble silica-coated ZnS:Mn nanoparticles as fluorescent sensor for Cu(2+) ions.

Silica-coated ZnS:Mn nanoparticles were synthesized by coating hydrophobic ZnS:Mn nanoparticles with silica shell through microemulsion. The core-shell structural nanoparticles were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) images and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) measurements. Results show that each core-shell nanoparticle contains single ZnS:Mn nanoparticle within monodisperse silica nanospheres (40nm).

[Preparation and spectrum properties of ZnS : Ag nanocrystals].

In the present paper, ZnS : Ag nanoparticles were prepared with simple chemicals by hydrothermal method. XRD patterns indicated that the products have cubic zinc blende crystal structure. The particle diameters were calculated using the Scherer's formula, and the particle size showed a nonlinear increase with the rise of reaction temperature.

Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of Core/Shell ZnS:Mn/ZnO Nanoparticles.

In this paper the influence of ZnO shell thickness on the luminescence properties of Mn-doped ZnS nanoparticles is studied. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that the average diameter of ZnS:Mn nanoparticles is around 14 nm. The formation of ZnO shells on the surface of ZnS:Mn nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) images, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements.