Total Glucosides of Paeony Regulate Immune Imbalance Mediated by Dermal Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Psoriasis Mice.

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of total glucosides of paeony (TGP) on psoriasis based on the immunomodulatory effect of dermal mesenchymal stem cells (DMSCs).

Methods: A total of 30 male BALB/c mice were divided into 6 groups (n=5 in each) by a random number table method, including control, psoriasis model (model, 5% imiquimod cream 42 mg/d), low-, medium- and high-dose TGP (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, L, M-, and H-TGP, respectively), and positive control group (2.5 mg/kg acitretin).

Long-term LDR exposure may induce cognitive impairments: A possible association through targeting gut microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Environmental and occupational low-dose radiation (LDR) exposure may be harmful for health but the previous reports regarding effect of LDR on cognition are contradictory. Here we investigated the effect of long-term LDR exposure on cognition. In this study, male Balb/c mice' cognitive functions were tested at 15 weeks after being exposed to 0.

Dosimetric Comparisons of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy and Tomotherapy for Early T-Stage Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Purpose: To compare the dosimetric differences between volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and helical tomotherapy (HT) in treating early T-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Method: Ten patients with early T-stage NPC who received tomotherapy using simultaneously integrated boost (SIB) strategies were replanned with VMAT (RapidArc of Varian, dual-arc). Dosimetric comparisons between the RapidArc plan and the HT plan included the following: (1) D98, homogeneity, and conformity of PTVs; (2) sparing of organs at risk (OARs); (3) delivery time and monitor units (MUs).

Resveratrol inhibits proliferation, promotes differentiation and melanogenesis in HT-144 melanoma cells through inhibition of MEK/ERK kinase pathway.

The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of resveratrol on the viability of HT-144 melanoma cells and formation of melanin. MTT assay was used for analysis of cell viability and western blot for determination of phospho-Mek 1/2, phospho-Erk 1/2 (Tyr-204), Mitf, PBG-D and p-CREB-1 expression. MTT assay results showed that treatment of HT-144 cells with various doses of resveratrol led to a concentration dependent inhibition of proliferation.

[Expression and purification of Toxoplasma gondii GRA4 gene in prokaryotic system].

Objective: To construct a prokaryotic expression system containing the dense granule protein 4 (GRA4) of Toxoplasma gondii, purify the expressed protein and detect its immunogenicity.

Methods: The specific fragment of GRA4 gene was amplified by PCR. After subcloning the prokaryotic expression recombinant pET-GRA4, the expressed product was purified with His Bind affinity chromatography and analyzed by Western blot.

[High efficiency expression and antigenicity analysis of the SAG2 gene from Toxoplasma gondii RH strain].

Objective: To make high efficiency expression of the SAG2 gene from Toxoplasma gondii RH strain in E. coli and study the antigenicity of the expressed product.

Methods: The SAG2 gene fragment of T.