Methyl salicylate 2--β-d-lactoside alleviates the pathological progression of pristane-induced systemic lupus erythematosus-like disease in mice via suppression of inflammatory response and signal transduction.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with a high incidence rate and insufficient therapy worldwide, is a complex disease involving multiple organs characterized primarily by inflammation due to deposition of immunocomplexes formed by production of autoantibodies. The mechanism of SLE remains unclear, and the disease still cannot be cured. We used pristane to induce SLE in female BALB/c mice.

Salvianolic acid A attenuates vascular remodeling in a pulmonary arterial hypertension rat model.

Aim: The current therapeutic approaches have a limited effect on the dysregulated pulmonary vascular remodeling, which is characteristic of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). In this study we examined whether salvianolic acid A (SAA) extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine 'Dan Shen' attenuated vascular remodeling in a PAH rat model, and elucidated the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: PAH was induced in rats by injecting a single dose of monocrotaline (MCT 60 mg/kg, sc).

Brazilin isolated from the heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan L induces endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxation of rat aortic rings.

Aim: Brazilin is one of the major constituents of Caesalpinia sappan L with various biological activities. This study sought to investigate the vasorelaxant effect of brazilin on isolated rat thoracic aorta and explore the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: Endothelium-intact and -denuded aortic rings were prepared from rats.

Gait speed measure: the effect of different measuring distances and the inclusion and exclusion of acceleration and deceleration.

The purposes of this study were to examine the effects of different distances and the inclusion and exclusion of acceleration and deceleration distances on the measurement of self-paced and fastest gait speeds in younger and older adults. The self-paced and fastest gait speeds of younger and older adults were measured over 4-m and 10-m walkways with the acceleration and deceleration distances included and excluded in the measuring distance. The results indicated gait speeds (both self-paced and fastest) measured over different distances were comparable only if a distance for acceleration and deceleration was excluded from the measuring distance to obtain stable and comparable gait speeds.