Mitochondrial K channel-mediated autophagy contributes to angiotensin II-induced vascular dysfunction in mice.

Background And Aim: The present study aimed to investigate whether the mitochondrial K channel contributes to angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced vascular dysfunction, the development of hypertension, and atherosclerosis.

Methods And Results: ApoE (-/-) mice fed a high-fat diet were chronically infused with Ang II for eight weeks and concomitantly treated with losartan (ARB), apocynin, or 5-hydroxy decanoate (5-HD), or 3-methyladenine (3-MA). Systolic blood pressure was measured, and pathological changes of aortic or liver tissue were observed.

Shape-Tunable BaTiO Crystals Presenting Facet-Dependent Optical and Piezoelectric Properties.

BaTiO octahedra, edge-, and corner-truncated cubes, and cubes with four tunable sizes from 132 to 438 nm are synthesized by a solvothermal growth approach. Acetic acid treatment can cleanly remove BaCO impurity. Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra help to confirm the particles have a tetragonal crystal structure.

Gao-Zi-Yao improves learning and memory function in old spontaneous hypertensive rats.

Aims: Gao-Zi-Yao has long been a unique way for treating various diseases. The present study is to explore the effect of Gao-Zi-Yao on learning and memory function in old spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR) and its possible mechanism.

Method: Male old SHR were received different doses of Gao-Zi-Yao for 4 weeks.

Effects of Bushen-Tiaojing-Fang on the pregnancy outcomes of infertile patients with repeated controlled ovarian stimulation.

Bushen-Tiaojing-Fang (BSTJF) is commonly used to treat infertility. This study investigated the effects of BSTJF on the pregnancy outcomes of patients with repeated controlled ovarian stimulation (COS), on mitochondrial function, and on oxidative stress in ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) and follicular fluid (FF). The samples and clinical data of 97 patients, including 35 in the control group, 29 in the placebo group and 33 in the BSTJF group, were collected for this study.

Autophagy contributes to angiotensin II induced dysfunction of HUVECs.

Background: Signal transduction of Angiotensin II (Ang II) induced autophagy and its role in Ang II-induced dysfunction of HUVECs are still unclear.

Methods: HUVECs are stimulated with different doses of Ang II (10-9-10-5 mol/L) for different time (6-48 hours). Autophagy-related protein markers: LC3, Beclin-1 and SQSTM1/p62 are measured by western blot.

[Guilingji Capsules reduce 900 MHz collphone electromagnetic radiation-induced testicular oxidative damage and downregulate Prdx2 protein expression in the rat testis].

Objective: To investigate the relationship of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from 900 MHz cellphone frequency with testicular oxidative damage and its influence on the Prdx2 protein expression in the rat testis, and to explore the mechanism of Guilingji Capsules (GC) alleviating oxidative damage to the testis tissue.

Methods: Fifty healthy SD male rats were randomly divided into five groups of equal number, sham-EMR, 4-h EMR, 8-h EMR, 4-h EMR+GC and 8-h EMR+GC and exposed to 900 MHz EMR (370 μW/cm2) for 0, 4 or 8 hours daily for 15 successive days. The rats of the latter two groups were treated intragastrically with GC suspension and those of the first three groups with pure water after exposure to EMR each day.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulation Huangqi Jianzhong Tang Improves Cardiac Function after Myocardial Infarction in Rats.

Huangqi Jianzhong Tang (HQJZT) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula consisting of seven different herbs: Radix Astragali, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Ramulus Cinnamomi, Fructus Jujubae, Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma Praeparata Cum Melle, Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens, and Saccharum Granorum. The present study aims to evaluate the possible effects of HQJZT on cardiac function in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and related mechanism. AMI model was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery followed by one-week HQJZT treatment.

Antihypertensive properties of a traditional Chinese medicine GAO-ZI-YAO in elderly spontaneous hypertensive rats.

Aim: The present study aims to investigate the antihypertensive effect and the underlying mechanism of GAO-ZI-YAO, one of the traditional Chinese medicines, in elderly spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR).

Methods: 12-month-old male SHRs were randomly divided into five groups on the basis of treatment with different doses of GAO-ZI-YAO or angiotensin II receptor-1 blocker (ARB, Irbesartan) for four weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), and serum levels of nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1), angiotensin II (Ang II), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-6, and tumor necrotic factor (TNF)-α were measured.

Sodium Tanshinone II Sulfonate A Ameliorates Hypoxia-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) remains a prevalent disease globally. Sodium tanshinone II sulfonate A (STS) has been used in clinical treatment of PH.

Aims: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of sodium STS treatment on hypoxia-induced PH and related mechanisms.

Advanced glycosylated end products restrain the osteogenic differentiation of the periodontal ligament stem cell.

Background/purpose: Many studies have confirmed that periodontal disease interacts with diabetes. The aim of this study was to examine whether the advanced glycosylated end products (AGEs), which are generated by diabetics, have important effects on the osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs).

Materials And Methods: In this study PDLSCs were isolated from the periodontal ligaments of extracted third molar teeth.

Open-Ring Butenolides from a Marine-Derived Anti-Neuroinflammatory Fungus Y10.

To investigate structurally novel and anti-neuroinflammatory natural compounds from marine-derived microorganisms, the secondary metabolites of Y10, a fungus separated from the sediment of the coast in the South China Sea, were studied. Three new compounds (⁻), with novel open-ring butenolide skeletons, were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the culture medium. In addition, a typical new butenolide, asperteretal F (), was found to dose-dependently inhibit tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) generation with an IC of 7.

Cardioprotective Effects of Serca2a Overexpression Against Ischemiareperfusion- induced Injuries in Rats.

Aims: The aim of the present study was to assess how genetically increased Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (Serca2a) expression affects cardiac injury after Ischemia/Reperfusion (I/R) exposure and the related mechanisms involved.

Methods And Results: Rats were subjected to Left Anterior Descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion for 30 min followed by a 24-hour reperfusion. Cardiac function analysis revealed that cardiac function dramatically improved in Serca2a transgenic rats, (Serca2aTG) rats, compared to Wild Type (WT) rats.

The modified Yi qi decoction protects cardiac ischemia-reperfusion induced injury in rats.

Background: To investigate the effects and involved mechanisms of the modified Yi Qi decoction (MYQ) in cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (IR) induced injury.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a 30-min coronary arterial occlusion followed by reperfusion, low or high dose decoction of MYQ was administrated orally for 1 week or 1 month.

Results: Both in 1 week and 1 month IR rat groups, cardiac function indexes were significantly impaired compared with sham group rats, accompanied with higher ratio of infarct size to risk size, decreased expressions of sodium calcium exchanger (NCX1) and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase (Serca2a), and different expressions of autophagic proteins, Beclin-1 and LC3.

Protective effects of tanshinone IIA sodium sulfonate on ischemia-reperfusion-induced myocardial injury in rats.

Objectives: This study investigated the protective effect of tanshinone IIA sodium sulfonate (TSS) on ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) induced cardiac injury, and the underlying mechanism of action.

Materials And Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a 30-min coronary arterial occlusion followed by 24 hours' reperfusion. Half an hour before the left coronary artery ligation, rats were pretreated with TSS in three different dosages (15, 30, 70 mg/kg, IP).

Effects of Extracts from Tiaozhi Granule and Its Components on Expression of Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I.

Sera from the rats with different drug treatments (atorvastatin, Tiaozhi granule, or its extracts) were collected. LO-2 cells or HepG2 cells were pretreated with different sera as the following groups randomly: (1) blank control group, (2) positive control group (atorvastatin group), (3) Tiaozhi granule water extract groups, (4) Tiaozhi granule alcohol extract groups, and (5) alcohol extracts for each component: , L., and .

[Retention and resuspension of atmospheric particles with two common urban greening trees].

The purification mechanisms of plant leaves with atmospheric particles include adsorption, resuspension, rainwater leaching and absorption. However, few studies focused on the resuspension process of atmospheric particles suspending on the surface of leaves, and the correlation between content of adsorbed particles and content of elements in the leaves. Therefore, two common greening tree species, Platanus acerifolia and Magnolia grandiflora, were selected to analyze the atmospheric particles contents on the leaf surface, the leaf mineral element content, and the resuspension ratios.

[Protective effect of Liuweidihuang Pills against cellphone electromagnetic radiation-induced histomorphological abnormality, oxidative injury, and cell apoptosis in rat testes].

Objective: To observe the effect of Liuweidihuang Pills in relieving cellphone electromagnetic radiation-induced histomorphological abnormality, oxidative injury, and cell apoptosis in the rat testis.

Methods: Thirty adult male SD rats were equally randomized into a normal, a radiated, and a Liuweidihuang group, the animals in the latter two groups exposed to electromagnetic radiation of 900 MHz cellphone frequency 4 hours a day for 18 days. Meanwhile, the rats in the Liuweidihuang group were treated with the suspension of Liuweidihuang Pills at 1 ml/100 g body weight and the other rats intragastrically with the equal volume of purified water.

Role of the renin-angiotensin system, renal sympathetic nerve system, and oxidative stress in chronic foot shock-induced hypertension in rats.

Objective: The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and renal sympathetic nerve system (RSNS) are involved in the development of hypertension. The present study is designed to explore the possible roles of the RAS and the RSNS in foot shock-induced hypertension.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups: control, foot shock, RSNS denervation, denervation plus foot shock, Captopril (angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor, ACE inhibitor) plus foot shock, and Tempol (superoxide dismutase mimetic) plus foot shock.

Efficacy and safety of Huxin formula in patients after CABG: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized clinical trial.

Background: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is widely used in the treatment of coronary artery disease. A multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Huxin Formula post CABG.

Patients And Methods: 270 inpatients with coronary heart disease participated in this study.

Contribution of the renin-angiotensin system in chronic foot-shock induced hypertension in rats.

Aims: Chronic foot shock has been demonstrated to induce hypertension. The present study was designed to explore whether the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a role in this process and the possible mechanisms involved in chronic-foot-shock-induced hypertension.

Main Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a two-week foot shock with or without an angiotensin II (Ang II) type 1 receptor blocker (ARB, candesartan) or an angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI, captopril).

Inhibition effects of benzylideneacetone, benzylacetone, and 4-phenyl-2-butanol on the activity of mushroom tyrosinase.

Tyrosinase (EC 1.14.18.

[Effect of American Ginseng Capsule on the liver oxidative injury and the Nrf2 protein expression in rats exposed by electromagnetic radiation of frequency of cell phone].

Objective: To observe the effect of American Ginseng Capsule (AGC) on the liver oxidative injury and the Nrf2 protein expression in the liver tissue of rats exposed by 900 MHz cell phone electromagnetic radiation.

Methods: Totally 40 male SD rats were randomly divided into the normal control group, the model group, the Shuifei Jibin Capsule (SJC) group, and the AGC group,10 in each group. Rats in the normal control group were not irradiated.

Diethyl [(4-nitrobenzamido)(phen-yl)meth-yl]phospho-nate.

In the title compound, C18H21N2O6P, the dihedral angle between the benzene and phenyl rings is 85.1 (2)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked via pairs of N-H⋯O(=P) hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers with graph-set notation R 2 (2)(10).