Pseudolaric acid B attenuates atherosclerosis progression and inflammation by suppressing PPARγ-mediated NF-κB activation.

Aims/objective: Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease of large arteries characterized with chronic inflammation and aberrant immune response. Pseudolaric acid B (PB) has been found to exert multiple effects by inhibiting inflammatory response. However, there is no comprehensive assessment of the effects of PB on atherosclerosis using relevant in vivo and in vitro models.

Discordance Between VASP Phosphorylation and Platelet Aggregation in Defining High On-Clopidogrel Platelet Reactivity After ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

To investigate potential clinical characteristics associated with discordance between platelet vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein phosphorylation (VASP-P) flow cytometry (FCM) assay and light transmission aggregometry (LTA) in defining high on-clopidogrel platelet reactivity (HPR) after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In this study, platelet responsiveness was measured by the above 2 methods simultaneously on day 1 and on day 6 of STEMI onset in 90 consecutive patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The FCM-derived platelet reactivity index and LTA-derived platelet aggregation rate were both significantly reduced after dual antiplatelet therapy on day 6.

Design, synthesis and insecticidal activity of novel hydrocarbylidene nitrohydrazinecarboximidamides.

Background: Neonicotinoids, among the most important pesticides in recent decades, have played pivotal roles in controlling agricultural pests. However, the toxicity to some environmentally beneficial insects is a cause of concern. The development of novel insecticides safer to these insects is increasingly urgent.

Hypoglycemic Activity of Polysaccharides from Sweet Corncob on Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

A water-soluble polysaccharide (SCP-80-I) was isolated from sweet corncob using microwave-assisted compound-enzyme extraction and column chromatography. SCP-80-I is composed mainly of arabinose, mannose, glucose, and galactose in a molar ratio of 0.369:0.

Genetic and Pharmacologic Inhibition of the Chemokine Receptor CXCR2 Prevents Experimental Hypertension and Vascular Dysfunction.

Background: The recruitment of leukocytes to the vascular wall is a key step in hypertension development. Chemokine receptor CXCR2 mediates inflammatory cell chemotaxis in several diseases. However, the role of CXCR2 in hypertension development and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown.

Th17/Treg Imbalance Induced by Dietary Salt Variation Indicates Inflammation of Target Organs in Humans.

The functions of T helper 17 (Th17) and regulatory T (Treg) cells are tightly orchestrated through independent differentiation pathways that are involved in the secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines induced by high-salt dietary. However, the role of imbalanced Th17/Treg ratio implicated in inflammation and target organ damage remains elusive. Here, by flow cytometry analysis, we demonstrated that switching to a high-salt diet resulted in decreased Th17 cells and reciprocally increased Treg cells, leading to a decreased Th17/Treg ratio.

Dynamic changes of mononuclear phagocytes in circulating, pulmonary alveolar and interstitial compartments in a mouse model of experimental silicosis.

Context: Silicosis is a devastating, irreversible lung fibrosis condition exposed to crystalline silica. The mononuclear phagocyte system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of silicosis.

Objective: The present study was aimed to explore the dynamic changes of mononuclear phagocytes in circulating, pulmonary alveolar and interstitial compartments in experimental silicosis model.

Inflammatory monocyte/macrophage modulation by liposome-entrapped spironolactone ameliorates acute lung injury in mice.

Aim: To examine the therapeutic/preventive potential of liposome-encapsulated spironolactone (SP; Lipo-SP) for acute lung injury (ALI) and fibrosis.

Materials & Methods: Lipo-SP was prepared by the film-ultrasonic method, and physicochemical and pharmacokinetic characterized for oral administration (10 and 20 mg/kg for SP-loaded liposome; 20 mg/kg for free SP) in a mouse model bleomycin-induced ALI.

Results: Lipo-SP enhanced bioavailability of SP with significant amelioration in lung pathology.

The influence of different anticoagulants and time-delayed sample processing and measurements on human monocyte subset and monocyte-platelet aggregate analyses.

Background: Measuring human monocyte subsets (CD14++CD16-, CD14++CD16+, and CD14 + CD16++) and subset-specific monocyte-platelet aggregates (MPA) is vulnerable to analytical bias due to unavailability of a standardized methodology. We aimed to address this issue by focusing on the impacts of time-delayed sample processing and measurement between two commonly used anticoagulants.

Methods: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)- and sodium citrate (SC)-anticoagulated blood samples from 12 healthy donors were subject to either delayed (2-h delay, kept at 4°C) or immediate processing (without fixation) before four-color flow cytometry (FCM) analysis.

The Emerging Role of miR-223 in Platelet Reactivity: Implications in Antiplatelet Therapy.

Platelets are anuclear cells and are devoid of genomic DNA, but they are capable of de novo protein synthesis from mRNA derived from their progenitor cells, megakaryocytes. There is mounting evidence that microRNA (miRNA) plays an important role in regulating gene expression in platelets. miR-223 is the most abundant miRNAs in megakaryocytes and platelets.

BOLD-MRI evaluation of subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue oxygenation status: effect of dietary salt intake.

To investigate the feasibility of blood oxygen level dependent magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-MRI) in evaluating human subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue (AT) oxygenation status, as well as their responses to dietary salt loading/depletion, we enrolled 16 healthy subjects [mean body mass index (BMI): 24.8 ± 2.7 kg/m(2)] to conduct a dietary intervention study, beginning with a 3-day run-in period for usual diet, followed by a 7-day high-salt diet (≥ 15 g NaCl/day) and a 7-day low-salt diet (≤ 5 g NaCl/day).

Neutrophil extracellular traps in ischemia-reperfusion injury-induced myocardial no-reflow: therapeutic potential of DNase-based reperfusion strategy.

Emerging evidence suggests a potential role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in linking sterile inflammation and thrombosis. We hypothesized that NETs would be induced during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R), and NET-mediated microthrombosis may contribute to myocardial "no-reflow". Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into I/R control, DNase (DNase I, 20 μg/rat), recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA, 420 μg/rat), DNase + rt-PA, and sham control groups after 45-min myocardial ischemia.

Toxicity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, and reduced graphene oxide to zebrafish embryos.

Objective: This study was aimed to investigate the toxic effects of 3 nanomaterials, i.e. multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), graphene oxide (GO), and reduced graphene oxide (RGO), on zebrafish embryos.

Temporal and spatial characterization of mononuclear phagocytes in circulating, lung alveolar and interstitial compartments in a mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary injury.

The mononuclear phagocyte system, including circulating monocytes and tissue resident macrophages, plays an important role in acute lung injury and fibrosis. The detailed dynamic changes of mononuclear phagocytes in the circulating, lung alveolar and interstitial compartments in bleomycin-induced pulmonary injury model have not been fully characterized. The present study was designed to address this issue and analyzed their relationships with pulmonary pathological evolution after bleomycin challenge.

Spironolactone attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary injury partially via modulating mononuclear phagocyte phenotype switching in circulating and alveolar compartments.

Background: Recent experimental studies provide evidence indicating that manipulation of the mononuclear phagocyte phenotype could be a feasible approach to alter the severity and persistence of pulmonary injury and fibrosis. Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) has been reported as a target to regulate macrophage polarization. The present work was designed to investigate the therapeutic potential of MR antagonism in bleomycin-induced acute lung injury and fibrosis.

CT-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of spinal osteoid osteoma.

Background: This study evaluated the feasibility, efficacy and safety of CT-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation in patients with spinal osteoid osteoma.

Methods: Two patients suffered spinal osteoid osteoma were treated with CT-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation under local anesthesia. Lesions located in sacral vertebrae and cervical vertebrae, which were adjacent to nerve root and spinal canal respectively.

Changes in morphology and activity of transglutaminase following cross-linking and immobilization on a polypropylene microporous membrane.

Transglutaminase (TGase) was cross-linked with glutaraldehyde, and cross-linked crystalline transglutaminase was immobilized on a polypropylene microporous membrane by UV-induced grafting. Immobilized enzyme activity were calculated to be 0.128 U/cm² polypropylene microporous membrane.

Residues and dissipation dynamics of molluscicide metaldehyde in cabbage and soil.

The dissipation of metaldehyde on cabbage and in soil was studied and half-life (DT(50)) was estimated in a field study carried out at three different locations. Metaldehyde was sprayed on cabbage at 937.5 and 1406.

(3R*)-Methyl 3-[(2S*)-4,6-dimethoxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-2-yl]-2-methoxycarbonyl-3-phenylpropionate.

The title compound, C(29)H(28)O(9), was isolated from the reaction of 4,6-dimeth-oxy-2-(4-methoxy-phen-yl)-3-benzofuran and α-methoxy-carbonyl-cinnaminate. The two aromatic rings form a dihedral angle of 22.7 (1)°.

5-(4-Fluoro-phen-yl)-2-furylmethyl N-(2,6-difluoro-benzo-yl)carbamate.

The title compound, C(19)H(12)F(3)NO(4), was synthesized by the reaction of 5-(4-fluoro-phen-yl)-2-furan-methanol and 2,6-difluoro-benzoyl-isocyanate. The seven atoms of the fluorophenyl group are disordered over two positions with site occupancy factors ca 0.6 and 0.