Anti-Inflammatory Triterpenoids from the Maximin LPS-Stimulated RAW264.7 Cells.

Maxim is widely distributed in China and used as a traditional herbal medicine to induce childbirth, ease the pain of labor, rectify delayed or irregular menstruation, alleviate heavy bleeding and pain during menstruation, and treat external injuries and irregular menses. According to our detailed chemical investigation, three new triterpene derivatives (⁻), together with seven known compounds, were isolated from the root and rhizome of Maxim. Their structures were elucidated by 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopic analysis and physio-chemical methods.

Mechanism research of Bu-Shen-Huo-Xue formula against renal fibrosis in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy via E-cadherin, α-SMA, and TGF-β1 .

Objective: Renal fibrosis generally results in renal failure during the end stage of chronic renal diseases. There are many cell factors including E-cadherin, α-SMA, and TGF-β1 influencing deposition of extracellular matrix and leading to renal fibrosis. As the most important and widely-used therapy for various diseases in China for thousands of years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) provides a novel treatment for renal fibrosis.

Clinical characteristics of sleep disorders in patients with Parkinson's disease.

In order to investigate the sleep quality and influencing factors in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), 201 PD patients were enrolled and underwent extensive clinical evaluations. Subjective sleep evaluation was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). It was found that poor sleep quality (77.

[Protein and mRNA expression of CTGF, CYR61, VEGF-C and VEGFR-2 in bone marrow of leukemia patients and its correlation with clinical features].

This study was aimed to investigate the mRNA and protein expression of CTGF, CYR61, VEGF-C and VEGFR-2 in bone marrow of patients with leukemia, and to analyze the role and clinical significance of these 4 factors in genesis and development of leukemia, infiltration and metastasis of leukemic cells. A total of 100 cases of newly diagnosed leukemia, 26 cases of acute leukemia in complete remission and 30 controls were enrolled in this study. The mononuclear cells of bone marrow were collected, the mRNA and protein expression levels of CTGF, CYR61, VEGF-C, VEGFR-2 in leukemia patients and controls were detected by real time PCR and Western blot, respectively.

Protective Effects of Bu-Shen-Huo-Xue Formula against 5/6 Nephrectomy-Induced Chronic Renal Failure in Rats.

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a serious disease related to increasing incidence and prevalence as well as decline in quality of life. Bu-Shen-Huo-Xue formula (BSHX), one of traditional herbal formulations, has been clinically employed to treat CRF for decades, but the mechanisms involved have not been investigated. In the present study, we investigated the effects of BSHX on some closely related parameters in 5/6 nephrectomy CRF rats.

αν and β1 Integrins mediate Aβ-induced neurotoxicity in hippocampal neurons via the FAK signaling pathway.

αν and β1 integrins mediate Aβ-induced neurotoxicity in primary hippocampal neurons. We treated hippocampal neurons with 2.5 µg/mL 17E6 and 5 µg/mL ab58524, which are specific αν and β1 integrin antagonists, respectively, for 42 h prior to 10 µM Aβ treatment.

[Rapid detection of residual cyclohexanone in disposable medical devices by ultraviolet photoionization ion mobility spectrometry (UV-IMS)].

In the manufacture of disposable PVC medical devices, cyclohexanone is frequently used as an adhesive reagent, which can be released into the tube airspace or stored solution and thus may cause some adverse effects on patients in therapy. In this paper, an ultraviolet photoionization ion mobility spectrometry (UV-IMS) technique has been developed to detect cyclohexanone through monitoring the gas composition within a package of infusion sets. The concentrations of cyclohexanone were prepared by means of exponential dilution method, and the experiments show that the UV-IMS has a limit of detection at 15 ppb and its measurable linear dynamics range is over three orders of magnitude.

[Expression of CYR61, CTGF, VEGF-C, VEGFR-2 mRNA in bone marrow of leukemia patients and its clinical significance].

The study was aimed to detect the levels of CYR61, CTGF, VEGF-C, VEGFR-2 mRNA in bone marrow (BM) of leukemia patients and investigate the interaction of CYR61, CTGF, VEGF-C, VEGFR-2 proteins in occurrence, development, infiltration and metastasis of leukemia and its clinical significance, to find a new tumor marker for diagnosis and treatment of leukemia with some new directions. 74 patients with leukemia were enrolled in this study, 38 out of them were males and 36 were females, aged from 6 to 77 years old with the median age of 45 years old. In the control group, 7 males and 5 females, aged from 16 to 78 years old with the median age of 46.

[Detection of metal residue in aqueous solutions by electrolyte cathode atmospheric glow discharge emission spectroscopy].

Toxic metal elements in waters and wastewaters contaminate the environment and greatly threaten the health of human beings, therefore developing a rapid monitor for metal residues in aqueous solutions is urgently required. In the present work, a new homemade apparatus of electrolyte cathode atmospheric glow discharge emission spectroscopy was developed and described. It can detect and discriminate many kinds of trace mental elements by atomic emission spectrum from atmospheric pressure liquid cathode glow discharge.

[Characterization of an atmospheric pressure DC microplasma jet].

In the present work, a simply designed and easy made micrometer plasma jet device operating under atmospheric pressure was characterized. The microplasma jet operates in many kinds of working gas at atmospheric pressure, such as Ar, He, N2 etc, and is powered by a direct current power source. It can generate high current density glow discharge.

[Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in bone marrow cells of leukemia patients and its association with angiogenesis].

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the angiogenesis of bone marrow in leukemia patients. 51 patients with newly diagnosed acute leukemia were taken as study objects, 18 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the control group. Bone marrow microvessel density (MVD) in bone marrow biopsy tissue section was determined with immunohistochemistry method, the vascular endothelial growth factor level in serum was detected with ELISA method and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in bone marrow cells was assayed by flow cytometry.

[Spectroscopic study of atmospheric pressure argon DC microdischarge].

Microhollow cathode discharge or microdischarge is an efficient method to generate plasma in a high pressure gas. In the present work, the emission spectra were observed in an atmospheric pressure argon direct current microdischarge apparatus, using a stainless steel capillary as the cathode, and a stainless steel mesh as the anode. It was shown that all of the seventeen argon spectral lines arose from electronically excited argon atom 4p-4s transition in the wavelength range of 690-860 nm.

[Ion mobility spectrometry for the isomeric volatile organic compounds].

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is based on determining the drift velocities, which the ionized sample molecules attain in the weak electric field of a drift tube at atmospheric pressure. The drift behavior can be affected by structural differences of the analytes, so that ion mobility spectrometry has the ability to separated isomeric compounds. In the present article, an introduction to IMS is given, followed by a description of the instrument used for the experiments to differentiate isomeric compounds.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons aggravate antigen-induced nasal blockage in experimental allergic rhinitis.

It has been hypothesized that air pollution has played a role in the increase in allergy prevalence. However, it remains unclear what exact roles are played by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are encountered in the environment in the form of air pollution, in allergic rhinitis. Thus, we examined whether benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and 1-nitropyrene (1-NP), representative PAHs, aggravate allergic rhinitis symptoms, using a guinea-pig model.

Determination of alcohol compounds using corona discharge ion mobility spectrometry.

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is a very fast, highly sensitive, and inexpensive technique, it permits efficient monitoring of volatile organic compounds like alcohols. In this article, positive ion mobility spectra for six alcohol organic compounds have been systematically studied for the first time using a high-resolution IMS apparatus equipped with a discharge ionization source. Utilizing protonated water cluster ions (H2O)n H+ as the reactant ions and clean air as the drift gas, alcohol organic compounds, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, 1-pentanol and 2-octanol, all exhibit product ion characteristic peaks in their respective ion mobility spectrometry, that is a result of proton transfer reactions between the alcohols and reaction ions (H2O)n H+.

Nasal blockage induced by oral administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in a guinea-pig model of allergic rhinitis.

To elucidate the mechanisms underlying nasal symptoms in patients with aspirin hypersensitivity, we evaluated the effects of orally administered non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on the nasal patency of guinea pigs with cedar pollen-induced chronic allergic rhinitis. Indomethacin (10 mg/kg) administered 1 h before a pollen challenge amplified the antigen-induced nasal blockage. More interestingly, even in the absence of the pollen challenge, indomethacin induced nasal blockage at 30 min at 4 h after administration.

[Discharge ion mobility spectrometry of ketonic organic compounds].

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is a sensitive technique for fast on-line monitoring trace volatile organic compounds based upon the mobilities of gas phase ions at ambient pressure in weak electric field. In the present work, protonated water reactant ions were successfully prepared, and eight ketones were studied on a homemade high-resolution IMS apparatus using a discharge ionization source. The reduced mobility values of all ions were derived from the observed ion mobility spectra.