Cationic Glycopolymers with Aggregation-Induced Emission for the Killing, Imaging, and Detection of Bacteria.

Cationic glycopolymers with structures similar to those of typical poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) were synthesized the quaternization reaction of poly(4-vinyl pyridine) with halogen-functionalized d-mannose and tetraphenylethylene units. Such postpolymerization modification provided PILs with aggregation-induced emission effect as well as specific carbohydrate-protein recognition with lectins such as concanavalin A. The interactions between cationic glycopolymers and different microorganisms, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative , were used for the killing, imaging, and detection of bacteria.

Synthetic glycopolypeptides as potential inhibitory agents for dendritic cells and HIV-1 trafficking.

Multivalent binding is a key for many critical biological processes and unique recognition and specificity in binding enables many of different glycans and proteins to work in a great harmony within the human body. In this study, the binding kinetics of synthetic glycopolypeptides to the dendritic cell lectin DC-SIGN and their inhibition potential for DC-SIGN interactions with the gp120 envelope glycoprotein of HIV-1 (gp120) are investigated.

Silibinin attenuates allergic airway inflammation in mice.

Allergic asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease regulated by coordination of T-helper2 (Th2) type cytokines and inflammatory signal molecules. Silibinin is one of the main flavonoids produced by milk thistle, which is reported to inhibit the inflammatory response by suppressing the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Because NF-κB activation plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of allergic inflammation, we have investigated the effect of silibinin on a mouse ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma model.

Cyclodextrin-centred star polymers synthesized via a combination of thiol-ene click and ring opening polymerization.

The synthesis of cyclodextrin-centred star polymers via thiol-ene addition of per-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin (CD-(SH)(7)) with vinyl terminated polymers is described. The obtained thiol-ene product was employed as an initiator for ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL).

[Anthocyanidin inhibits immunoglobulin E-mediated allergic response in mast cells].

This study is to investigate the anti-allergic effect of anthocyanidin and to explore its possible mechanism. The experiments of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction (PCA) and colorimetry were used to determine the effect of anthocyanidin on degranulation of mast cells in vivo. For in vitro study, various concentrations of anthocyanidin (100, 50 and 25 micromol x L(-1)) were added to the culture medium of mast cells cultured with 100 microg x L(-1) of dinitrophenyl (DNP) specific IgE overnight.

Cornuside suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory mediators by inhibiting nuclear factor-kappa B activation in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Cornuside, a secoiridoid glucoside compound, was isolated from the fruit of Cornus officinalis SIEB. et ZUCC. Cornuside has been reported to possess immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities.

Activation of JAK2/STAT pathway in cerebral cortex after experimental traumatic brain injury of rats.

The janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) is one of the main pathways downstream of cytokine receptors and growth factor receptors by transducing signals from cell surface to the nucleus. In this study, we aimed to survey the role of JAK2/STAT pathway in the progress of TBI. Right parietal cortical contusion in rats was induced by the Feeney free falling model.

Expression of myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (Myd88) in the cerebral cortex after experimental traumatic brain injury in rats.

A growing body of evidence indicates that Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and Interleukin-1 (IL-1) family have been shown to be involved in the damaging inflammatory processes associated with stroke, infection, neoplasia, and other diseases in the central nervous system. Myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (Myd88) is a critical adaptor protein that transmits signals for TLRs and IL-1 family. Therefore, this study aimed to detect the expression of Myd88 protein and mRNA in a rat weight-dropping trauma model and to clarify the role of Myd88 after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Protective effect of cornuside against carbon tetrachloride-induced acute hepatic injury.

This study elucidated the effects of cornuside on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced hepatotoxicity. Rats were treated intraperitoneally with 0.5 mL/kg of CCl₄.

Sodium valproate for prevention of early posttraumatic seizures.

Objective: To assess the preventive effect of sodium valproate on early posttraumatic seizures in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients.

Methods: The retrospective study was based on 159 patients with TBI treated at Department of Neurosurgery, Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Command enrolled between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009. The in-hospital section of the retrospectively collected database includes information on age, sex, initial Glasgow Coma Score (GCS), results of CT scanning, operation, usage of sodium valproate, seizures in the first week after injury and outcome.

[Molecular characterization and evolutional analysis of liportein lipase and hepatic lipase gene in Chinese Sturgeon and other six freshwater fishes].

In order to study the structural, functional and molecular evolutional relationship of fish liportein lipase (LPL) and hepatic lipase (HL) genes, seven liver LPL and HL cDNA partial sequences were isolated from Acipenser sinensis, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Aristichthys nobilis, Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Cirrhinus molitorella, Oreochromis niloticus, Channa maculate by RT-PCR. Three full-length cDNA sequences of LPL, HL of Acipenser sinensis and LPL of Hypophthalmichthys molitrix were obtained by RACEs. From the sequence analysis and homologous results, the amino acid sequences of LPL and HL are relatively conserved in mammals, birds and fishes.

Molecular characterization of glutathione peroxidase gene from the liver of silver carp, bighead carp and grass carp.

The cDNAs encoding glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were cloned and sequenced from the liver of three Chinese carps with different tolerance to hepatotoxic microcystins, phytoplanktivorous silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis), and herbivorous grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus). Using genome walker method, a 750 bp 5'-flanking region of the silver carp GPx gene was obtained, and several potential regulatory elements were identified in the promoter region of the GPx gene. The silver carp GPx gene was widely expressed in all tissues examined.

Molecular characterization of neuropeptide Y gene in Chinese perch, an acanthomorph fish.

The full-length neuropeptide Y (NPY) cDNA of Chinese perch Siniperca chuatsi was 704 bp in length, and contained a 300 bp open reading frame encoding a prepro-NPY with 99 amino acids. The predicted prepro-NPY peptide contained a putative signal peptide of 28 amino acids and a mature NPY of 36 amino acids, followed by the proteolytic processing site Gly-Lys-Arg and 35 amino acids that comprise the C-terminal peptide of NPY. Amino acid alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicate that the predicted Chinese perch prepro-NPY (composed of 99 amino acids) had high identities to the prepro-NPY of acanthomorph fishes (93-95%), whereas it had much lower identities to the prepro-NPY (composed of 96 or 97 amino acids) of cyprinid fishes (59-60%) or mammals (57-63%).

Bis(2,4-dibromo-6-formyl-phenolato-κO,O')copper(II).

In the title compound, [Cu(C(7)H(3)Br(2)O(2))(2)], the Cu(II) atom, which lies on an inversion centre, is coordinated by four O atoms from two chelating bidentate 2,4-dibromo-6-formyl-phenolate ligands in a slightly distorted square-planar coordination geometry. In the crystal structure, short inter-molecular Br⋯Br [3.516 (4) and 3.

[Changes of trace elements in regional lymph nodes of gastric carcinoma].

Objective: To explore the relationship between the changes of trace elements and lymphatic metastasis in gastric carcinoma.

Methods: Trace elements including Fe, Mg, Mn, Ca, Cu, Zn, Se were measured in primary gastric carcinoma and regional lymph nodes from 40 patients with gastric carcinoma, and compared among the primary tumor, metastatic, and non-metastatic nodes.

Results: There were no significant differences in the contents of Fe, Mg, Mn and Ca among primary gastric tumors, regional lymph nodes with or without metastasis (P=0.

Inhibitory effects of Houttuynia cordata water extracts on anaphylactic reaction and mast cell activation.

The present study was investigated the effect of Houttuynia cordata THUNB water extract (HCWE) on mast cell-mediated anaphylactic reactions. The mast cell-mediated anaphylactic reaction is involved in many allergic diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis. HCWE has been used as a traditional medicine in Korea and is known to have an antioxidant and anti-cancer activities.

Inhibitory effects of epigallocatechin gallate on compound 48/80-induced mast cell activation and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a principle phenolic antioxidant found in a variety of plants, including green and black tea. The anti-allergic effect of EGCG is unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of EGCG on compound 48/80-induced mast cell activation and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis.

[Comparison between two methods for staining DNA of apoptotic spermatozoa].

Objective: To compare two fluorochrome staining methods for the assessment of sperm quality.

Methods: Washed sperm cells were incubated in 0, 0.15, or 15 micromol/L camptothecin (CAM), or 0.