Sortilin deletion in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus ameliorates depressive-like behaviors in mice via regulating ASM/ceramide signaling.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common psychiatric disorder characterized by persistent mood despondency and loss of motivation. Although numerous hypotheses have been proposed, the possible pathogenesis of MDD remains unclear. Several recent studies show that a classic transporter protein, sortilin, is closely associated with depression.

Liquid-Phase Manipulation Securing Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of AgSe.

Developing n-type materials with high peak and/or average ZT (ZT is the figure of merit) is an urgent need for the lower ZT of the existing n-type BiTeSe materials compared with the p-type BiSbTe materials. Here, we demonstrate that liquid-phase sintering can lead to lowered thermal conductivity and an improved power factor in n-type AgSe, which originates from the greatly lowered electronic thermal conductivity attributed to the decreased mobility and improved Seebeck coefficients because of increased effective mass. Benefiting from this, the maximum ZT (ZT) of ∼1.

CTLA-4 polymorphisms are associated with treatment outcomes of patients with multiple myeloma receiving bortezomib-based regimens.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) are important risk factors associated with autoimmune diseases and malignancies. This study explored the association of CTLA-4SNPs with the development of myeloma and evaluated the outcome of patients receiving bortezomib-based regimens in relation to CTLA-4SNPs. Peripheral blood samples from 86 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and 154 healthy controls were obtained to investigate CTLA4 polymorphisms.

Effects of ethanol extract of Bombax ceiba leaves and its main constituent mangiferin on diabetic nephropathy in mice.

The present study was designed to explore the mechanism by which ethanol extract of Bombax ceiba leaves (BCE) and its main constituent mangiferin (MGF) affect diabetic nephropathy by combating oxidative stress. Oral administration of BCE and MGF to normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice were carried out. Fasting blood glucose, 24-h urinary albumin, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen were tested, histopathology, and immunohistochemical analysis of kidney tissues were performed.

Methylation pattern of preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.

Preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma (), a tumor-associated antigen, is overexpressed in a variety of hematologic malignancies with a great variation in expression. The majority of patients with acute myeloid leukemia () 1-eight-twenty one () AML and a certain number of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) have an abnormally high increase in expression level. The landscape of methylation requires evaluation in order to determine the most relevant sites and the exact association of its methylation with expression level and type of disease.

Antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant effects of standard ethanol extract of Bombax ceiba leaves in high-fat-diet- and streptozotocin-induced Type 2 diabetic rats.

The present study aimed at exploring the therapeutic potential of standard extract of Bombax ceiba L. leaves (BCE) in type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM). Oral administration of BCE at doses of 70, 140, and 280 mg·kg, to the normal rats and the high-fat-diet- and streptozotocin-induced T2DM rats were carried out.

Phenolic metabolite profiles and antioxidants assay of three Iridaceae medicinal plants for traditional Chinese medicine "She-gan" by on-line HPLC-DAD coupled with chemiluminescence (CL) and ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS.

An on-line analysis method by HPLC-DAD coupled with chemiluminescence (CL) and ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS was established for simultaneous detection and identification of antioxidants in three original plants of traditional Chinese medicine "She-gan". Two new isoflavonoid glycosides, along with 48 known compounds, including isoflavonoid glycosides and their aglycones, xanthones, flavones and other phenolic compounds, were identified or tentatively identified from the rhizomes of three Iridaceae plants, namely, Belamcanda chinensis, Iris tectorum and Iris dichotoma, which were used as "She-gan" in China. Among those compounds, isoflavone glycosides of iristectorigenin A and its isomers exhibited obviously inhibit CL, which suggested their strong free radical scavenging activity.

Co-precipitation synthesis of nanostructured Cu3SbSe4 and its Sn-doped sample with high thermoelectric performance.

Large-scale fabrication of nanostructured Cu3SbSe4 and its Sn-doped sample Cu3Sb0.98Sn0.02Se4 through a low-temperature co-precipitation route is reported.

Monitoring the source of mesenchymal stem cells in patients after transplantation of mismatched-sex hematopoietic stem cells plus third-party cells.

Background: In bone marrow transplant patients, the microenvironment in bone marrow is damaged after chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Subsequent to allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with clinically successful engraftments, the source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) remains controversial. To further verify the stimulatory effect of the simultaneous transplantation of cells from second donors on engraftment success for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in support of donor MSCs engraftments, the aim of this study is to monitor the dynamics of the engraftment of bone marrow-derived MSCs in patients after transplantation with mismatched-sex hematopoietic stem and third-party cells.

Tectorigenin Attenuates Palmitate-Induced Endothelial Insulin Resistance via Targeting ROS-Associated Inflammation and IRS-1 Pathway.

Tectorigenin is a plant isoflavonoid originally isolated from the dried flower of Pueraria thomsonii Benth. Although its anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperglycosemia effects have been well documented, the effect of tectorigenin on endothelial dysfunction insulin resistance involved has not yet been reported. Herein, this study aims to investigate the action of tectorigenin on amelioration of insulin resistance in the endothelium.

New isoflavones with cytotoxic activity from the rhizomes of Iris germanica L.

Two new compounds, 5-methoxy-3',4'-dihydroxy-6,7-methylenedioxy-4H-1-benzo-pyran-4-one(iriskashmirianin A) (1) and 5,3'-dihydroxy-3-(4'-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-6,7-methylenedioxy-4H-1-benzo-pyran-4-one (germanaism H) (2), along with eight known compounds (3-10), were isolated from the rhizomes of Iris germanica L. The cytotoxicities of these compounds were tested using Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC) cancer cell line by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazoli-umbromide (MTT) and ATP assays. The results showed that these compounds possessed antiproliferative effects on EAC cell line.

Application of an efficient strategy for discovery and purification of bioactive compounds from Chinese herbal medicines, a case study on the Puerariae thomsonii Flos.

In this study, an efficient strategy based on bioassay-guided fractionation, high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-Q/TOF-MS) and high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was established to screen and purify bioactive compounds from Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs). This screening system was efficient and successfully applied to reveal anti-prostate cancer candidates from Puerariae thomsonii Flos. As a result, an active fraction with strong in vitro anti-prostate cancer activity was obtained, and the main compounds in the fraction were purified by HSCCC, giving 82 mg of tectoridin, 36 mg of tectorigenin-7-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside and 64 mg of tectorigenin.

A new lignan with anti-HBV activity from the roots of Bombax ceiba.

A new lignan bombasinol A (1), together with three known compounds was obtained from the ethanol (95%) extract of roots of Bombax ceiba L. through its being subjected to silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 chromatography. Their structures were elucidated as 4-(4-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)hexahydrofuro[3,4-c]furan-1-yl)-2-methoxy-phenol (1), 5,6-dihydroxymatairesinol (2), (+)-pinoresinol (3) and matairesinol (4) on the basis of spectroscopic methods, including 1-D and 2-D NMR (HSQC and HMBC) experiments and by comparison of the data with those previously reported literatures.

Quantitative chimerism kinetics in relapsed leukemia patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Chimerism analysis is an important tool for the surveillance of post-transplant engraftment. It offers the possibility of identifying impending graft rejection and recurrence of underlying malignant or non-malignant disease. Here we investigated the quantitative chimerism kinetics of 21 relapsed leukemia patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Quantitative assessment of hematopoietic chimerism by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction of sequence polymorphism systems after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Analysis of changes in recipient and donor hematopoietic cell origin is extremely useful to monitor the effect of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and sequential adoptive immunotherapy by donor lymphocyte infusions. We developed a sensitive, reliable and rapid real-time PCR method based on sequence polymorphism systems to quantitatively assess the hematopoietic chimerism after HSCT.

Methods: A panel of 29 selected sequence polymorphism (SP) markers was screened by real-time PCR in 101 HSCT patients with leukemia and other hematological diseases.

Characterization and determination of the major constituents in Belamcandae Rhizoma by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS(n).

Belamcandae Rhizoma, derived from the rhizome of Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC., has been used as traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of coughing and pharyngitis.

[Chronic hepatic damage in acute promyelocytic leukemia patients treated with tetra-arsenic tetra-sulfide].

Objective: To investigate the chronic hepatic damage in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients long-term treated with tetra-arsonic tetra-sulfide (As(4)S(4)).

Methods: The periodical liver biochemical examinations and ultrasonography results and hepatic fibrosis indicators (P III NP and type IV collagen) of patients were analysed.

Results: 106 APL patients treated with As(4)S(4), the median follow-up time was 36 months (6 - 72).

[Mechanism of tetra-arsenic tetra-sulfide in inducing apoptosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia cells].

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of tetra-arsenic tetra-sulfide (As4S4) in inducing apoptosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells.

Methods: The gene expression patterns in NB4 cells pre- and post-treatment with As4S4 were analyzed by cDNA microarray, and differentially expressed genes related with apoptosis were identified. The mRNA expression levels of these apoptosis related genes in the peripheral blood of APL patients treated with As4S4 pre- and post-remission were examined by RT-PCR.

[Arsenic absorption and retention in acute promyelocytic leukemia patients treated with tetra-arsenic tetra-sulfide].

The objective of this study was to investigate arsenic absorption and retention in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients treated with tetra-arsenic tetra-sulfide (As(4)S(4)). Arsenic concentrations in samples from APL patients were quantitatively determinated by Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The results showed that blood arsenic level was 51.