Post-injury administration of NAAG peptidase inhibitor prodrug, PGI-02776, in experimental TBI.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) leads to a rapid and excessive increase in glutamate concentration in the extracellular milieu, which is strongly associated with excitotoxicity and neuronal degeneration. N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG), a prevalent peptide neurotransmitter in the vertebrate nervous system, is released along with glutamate and suppresses glutamate release by actions at pre-synaptic metabotropic glutamate autoreceptors. Extracellular NAAG is hydrolyzed to N-acetylaspartate and glutamate by peptidase activity.

Effects of bagging on volatiles and polyphenols in "Wanmi" peaches during endocarp hardening and final fruit rapid growth stages.

Fruits of the late-ripening peach cultivar "Wanmi" were bagged at the early period of fruit endocarp hardening, and the bags were removed 1 wk before maturity harvest. The effects of bagging on volatile compounds and polyphenols were studied. Total volatiles and the sum of C(6) compounds, esters from bagged fruits were significantly lower than from nonbagged fruits from the beginning of the final rapid fruit growth stage to maturity.

Influence of polyols on the formation of iron oxide nanoparticles in solvothermal system.

We reported a simple solvothermal route in phase-controllable synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles by using polyols as solvent. Magnetite and hematite are selectively synthesized while Fe(NO3)3.9H2O is used as single iron source and without any additives.

Recombinant E. coli LLO/OVA induces murine BMDCs maturation via TLR4 and NOD1 receptor and promotes specific cytotoxic T cell immunity.

Objective: To explore the immune stimulation effect of recombinant E.coli LLO/OVA on mice bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) and T lymphocytes in vitro.

Methods: After BMDCs stimulated by E.

Metabolic profiling of GuanXin II prescription based on metabolic fingerprinting and chemical analysis.

A sensitive LC/MS method was established to investigate the in vivo metabolism of GuanXin II prescription, a five-component Chinese herbal medicine formulation. Rat plasma, bile, urine, and feces were collected and analyzed following oral administration of the water decoction. A total of 50 compounds were identified, including 17 prototypes and 33 metabolites underwent methylation, oxidation, hydrolysis, sulfate conjugation, glucuronide conjugation, and glutathion conjugation.

Optimizing ultrasonic ellagic acid extraction conditions from infructescence of Platycarya strobilacea using response surface methodology.

The infructescence of Platycarya strobilacea is a rich source of ellagic acid (EA) which has shown antioxidant, anticancer and antimutagen properties. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the conditions for ultrasonic extraction of EA from infructescence of P. strobilacea.

Effect of magnesium cation on the interfacial properties of aqueous salt solutions.

Sodium chloride solutions have been used extensively as a model of seawater in both theoretical and experimental studies of the chemistry of sea salt aerosol. Many groups have found that chloride anions are present at the air-solution interface. This observation has been important for the development of a mechanism for the heterogeneous production of molecular chlorine from chloride in sea salt aerosol.

Dual structural color mechanisms in a scarab beetle.

The cuticle of a Mycterophallus cetoniine scarab species displays both red iridescence due to a multilayer reflector mechanism and rainbow iridescence due to a superimposed diffraction grating mechanism. This is the first reported example of an animal possessing two independent classes of structural colors arising from interference at the wavelengths of visible light. In this work, the Mycterophallus cuticle is characterized by light microscopy, spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy.

Phenolic extracts from Acacia mangium bark and their antioxidant activities.

Phenolic compounds are present at very high concentrations in the bark of Acacia mangium. These compounds are known to have strong antioxidant activity and thus different beneficial effects on human health. Phenolic compounds in bark of A.

Surface biocompatible modification of polypropylene by entrapment of polypropylene-block-poly(vinylpyrrolidone).

A macromolecular surface modifier, namely polypropylene-block-poly(vinylpyrrolidone) copolymer, could diffuse preferably onto the surface and effectively increased the biocompatibility of PP. The blood and cell compatibilities of PP and PP-b-PVP/PP blend films were evaluated by determination of the extent of platelet adsorption, plasma recalcification time, hemolysis rate and cell proliferation using smooth muscle cells from rabbit aorta. The results revealed that the blood and cell compatibilities of PP were improved significantly by entrapment of a few PP-b-PVP copolymers in PP.

Photoanisotropic polarization gratings beyond the small recording angle regime.

Polarization gratings can be realized by polarization holographic recording in photoanisotropic materials. In this paper, we study two types of polarization gratings. One is recorded with two orthogonally circularly (OC) polarized beams and the other one with two orthogonally linearly (OL) polarized beams.

Expression and regulation mechanisms of Sonic Hedgehog in breast cancer.

Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) plays an essential role in vertebrate organogenesis as well as the development of some cancers, including breast cancer. The aim of the present study was to characterize more precisely its role in breast carcinogenesis and elucidate its regulation mechanisms. The expression of Shh was investigated in 97 breast carcinomas and 22 paired non-tumorous tissues (distant from the primary tumor) by immunohistochemistry and in four breast cell lines by Western blotting.

(E)-2-(4-tert-Butyl-phen-yl)-1-(4-chloro-1-ethyl-3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)-2-cyano-ethenyl 2,2-dimethyl-propano-ate.

In the title compound, C(24)H(30)ClN(3)O(2), the dihedral angle between the aromatic rings is 30.78 (10)°.

Interactions between anti-ErbB2 antibody A21 and the ErbB2 extracellular domain provide a basis for improving A21 affinity.

Anti-ErbB2 antibodies are well researched for the therapy of ErbB2-overexpressing tumors. The therapeutic potential and efficacy of these antibodies are closely related to their affinities to ErbB2. Previously we reported that an anti-ErbB2 antibody A21 targeting a conformational epitope comprising several loops in ErbB2 extracellular subdomain I and II could inhibit the proliferation of ErbB2-overexpressing cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Protocatechuic acid inhibits rat pheochromocytoma cell damage induced by a dopaminergic neurotoxin.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) with the presence of alpha-synuclein inclusions termed Lewy bodies. The aggregation of alpha-synuclein into oligomeric species affects neuronal viability, having a causal role in the development of PD. The neuroprotective effects of protocatechuic acid (PAc) have been reported.

Anti-apoptotic action of hydrogen sulfide is associated with early JNK inhibition.

The mechanism of action of Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) as a novel endogenous gaseous messenger and potential cardioprotectant is not fully understood. We therefore investigated the prevention of cardiomyocyte apoptosis by exogenous H(2)S and the signaling pathways leading to cardioprotection. Using a simulated ischemia-reperfusion (I/Re) model with primary cultured rat neonatal cardiomyocytes, I/Re induced a rapid, time-dependent phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), with significant elevation at 0.

Water structure at the air-aqueous interface of divalent cation and nitrate solutions.

The water surface structure of aqueous magnesium, calcium, and strontium nitrate solutions with six to seven water molecules on average solvating each ion was investigated using vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy. Raman (polarized) and infrared spectroscopies were used for understanding solvation effects. Infrared reflection spectra were analyzed to further understand the VSFG data.

[Expression of cytokines in murine BMDCs induced by recombinant E.coli LLO/OVA via TLR4 and NOD1 receptors].

Aim: To investigate the relationship between the activation of pattern recognition receptors and the cytokines expression of dendritic cells.

Methods: After bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) were pulsed by E.coli LLO/OVA, the mRNA expression of pattern recognition receptors and the downstream NF-kappaB signal pathway associated molecules were detected by microarray hybridization and RT-PCR; the expression of costimulatory molecules, MHC class II and cytokines were determined by flow cytometry and ELISA.

Totally transumbilical endoscopic cholecystectomy without visible abdominal scar using improved instruments.

Objective: The major barrier to transumbilical endoscopic surgery is external interference between the instrument handles around the umbilicus. We describe technique of totally transumbilical endoscopic cholecystectomy using improved instruments.

Methods: New trocars (5 and 3 mm in diameter, respectively) without proximal seal system on the sleeves were designed for this procedure.

Characterization of chemical constituents in Guan Xin II decoction by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry.

Guan Xin II decoction (GX II) is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula for the treatment of coronary heart diseases. However, the comprehensive chemical analysis of the formulated GX II is not clarified yet. An HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn method was established to analyze GX II and its five component herbs, respectively.

Characterization of the diffraction efficiency of polymer-liquid-crystal-polymer-slices gratings at all incidence angles.

Recently, a novel holographic diffraction grating made of polymer slices alternated to homogeneous films of nematic liquid crystal (POLICRYPS) was realized. We study the optical performance of the POLICRYPS gratings by both numerical simulations and experiments. Characterization of the grating at normal and conical reading mount are performed.

Aqueous divalent metal-nitrate interactions: hydration versus ion pairing.

Nitrate aqueous solutions, Mg(NO(3))(2), Ca(NO(3))(2), Sr(NO(3))(2), and Pb(NO(3))(2), are investigated using Raman spectroscopy and free energy profiles from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Analysis of the in-plane deformation, symmetric stretch, and asymmetric stretch vibrational modes of the nitrate ions reveal perturbation caused by the metal cations and hydrating water molecules. Results show that Pb(2+) has a strong tendency to form contact ion pairs with nitrate relative to Sr(2+), Ca(2+), and Mg(2+), and contact ion pair formation decreases with decreasing cation size and increasing cation charge density: Pb(2+) > Sr(2+) > Ca(2+) > Mg(2+).

Transumbilical endoscopic surgery: a preliminary clinical report.

Objective: There has been great interest in natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) in recent years. We report another new approach--transumbilical endoscopic surgery (TUES)--which we have performed in 40 cases for liver cysts (3), bleeding ascites (1), chronic appendicitis (10), and gallbladder diseases (26).

Methods: Transumbilical endoscopic liver cyst fenestration, abdominal cavity exploration, appendectomy, and cholecystectomy were performed in a total of 40 patients.

Metabolic analysis of four phenolic acids in rat by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A liquid chromatography-diode array detection-electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (LC-DAD-ESI-MS(n)) method was established for the analysis of danshensu, caffeic acid, ferulic acid and isoferulic acid in rat plasma, bile, urine and feces after oral administration or intravenous injection. Liquid-liquid extraction was employed for the preparation of biosamples, and the chromatographic separation was carried out using an Agilent Zorbax Extend C(18) reversed phase column and acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid as the mobile phase.