Induced regulatory T cells remain suppressive capability on effector T cells and synovial fibroblasts in collagen-induced arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disorder initiated by inflammatory synovitis. Hyperproliferation of destructive synovial fibroblasts (SFs) is one of the pathogenic mechanisms of RA. Abnormalities in regulatory T cells (Tregs) may also play a critical role in this progression.

Effectiveness of the fruit of Rosa odorata sweet var. gigantea (Coll. et Hemsl.) Rehd. et Wils in the protection and the healing of ethanol-induced rat gastric mucosa ulcer based on Nrf2/NF-κB pathway regulation.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Rosa odorata Sweet var. gigantea (Coll. et Hemsl.

The Role of Potassium Channels in Chronic Stress-Induced Brain Injury.

Chronic stress-induced brain injury (CSBI) is the organic damage of brain tissue caused by long-term psychological and environmental stress. However, there is no effective drug for the treatment of CSBI. The present study aimed to investigate possible mechanisms of CSBI and to explore related therapeutic targets.

DIM mitigates the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by maintaining the stability and suppressive function of regulatory T cells.

Recent studies have revealed that indoles, dietary ligands of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), have immunomodulatory characteristics of balancing the differentiation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and Th17 cells in multiple autoimmune diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potency of the indole, 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), on the stability and suppressive function of Tregs in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Furthermore, we used the AhR antagonist CH223191 to verify that DIM exerts its effects on Tregs through the activation of AhR.

The extract from the roots of var. (Coll. et Hemsl.) Rehd. et Wils attenuates DSS-induced ulcerative colitis by regulating the Nrf2/NF-κB signaling pathways.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic non-specific inflammatory bowel disease. Many natural medicines or ethnic drugs have been proven to be effective and beneficial in the treatment of UC. Among these, the root of var.

Evaluation of three different artificial agarwood-inducing methods from Aquilaria sinensis using antimicrobial activity.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effect of three different approaches for artificially inducing the formation of agarwood over time in young Aquilaria sinensis trees using antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial activity was determined by a two-fold serial dilution method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against a panel of microorganisms (two bacterial strains, Staphylococcus aureus and anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and seven fungal strains: Penicillium melinii, Penicillium adametzi, Penicillium urticae, Penicillium notatum, Paecilomyces varioti, Mucor saturninus Hagem and Aspergillus niger). The results showed that artificial agarwood obtained by comprehensive stimulated method (formic acid plus fungal inoculation) and extended longer inducing time have better antimicrobial activity, which is similar to the result of chemical analysis.

Analysis of 23 Y-STR loci in Chinese Jieyang Han population.

Genetic polymorphisms of 23 Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y-STR) were investigated by PowerPlex® Y23 System in 328 unrelated male participants from Jieyang, Guangdong Province of China. A total of 293 haplotypes were obtained, and the haplotype diversity (HD) and discrimination capacity (DC) were 0.9991 and 0.

Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) protects ovariectomized rats fed with high-saturated fat-sucrose diet from bone loss.

Unlabelled: Dietary patterns may interfere with the efficacy of herbal intervention. Our results demonstrated the protective effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza aqueous extract (SMA) on bone metabolism were influenced by levels of dietary fat and sucrose in ovariectomized (OVX) rats through its actions on attenuating lipid deposition and oxidative stress in rats.

Introduction: Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM), also known as Danshen, has been tested as an osteoporosis treatment in a series of small, short human trials that generally report improvements in bone property.

A High-Saturated-Fat, High-Sucrose Diet Aggravates Bone Loss in Ovariectomized Female Rats.

Background: Estrogen deficiency in women and high-saturated fat, high-sucrose (HFS) diets have both been recognized as risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Studies on the combined actions of these 2 detrimental factors on the bone in females are limited.

Objective: We sought to determine the interactive actions of estrogen deficiency and an HFS diet on bone properties and to investigate the underlying mechanisms.

[Role of p38MAPK/eNOS signaling pathway in the inhibition of AGEs-induced apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells by glucagon-like peptide-1].

Objective: To investigate the role of p38MAPK signaling pathway in the mechanism by which glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) inhibits endothelial cell damage induced by AGEs.

Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were divided into control group, AGEs group, GLP-1 group, AGEs+GLP-1 group, AGEs+inhibitor group, and AGEs+GLP-1+inhibitor group. The expressions of p-p38MAPK/p38MAPK and p-eNOS/eNOS protein were examined by Western blotting, and the cell apoptosis rates were tested by flow cytometry.

Annual economic burden of hepatitis B virus-related diseases among hospitalized patients in twelve cities in China.

A nationwide survey of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated economic burden has not previously been performed in China. The purpose of this study was to examine the direct, indirect, and intangible costs of HBV-related diseases within the span of one year. A random sample was taken from specialty and general hospitals across 12 cities in six provinces of China.

Stigmasterol protects against Ang II-induced proliferation of the A7r5 aortic smooth muscle cell-line.

Excessive proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells is a crucial event in the pathogenesis of several cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and restenosis. In this study, we reported that stigmasterol was effective in inhibiting vascular cell proliferation exemplified by using A7r5 cells stimulated by Ang II. Mechanism analysis showed that this inhibiting effect mainly occurred by the arrest of the cell-cycle and promotion of apoptosis.

[Advances of treatment for nature killer/T-cell lymphoma].

NK/T cell lymphoma (NKTCL) is a rare type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, occurs more frequently in Asia and Latin America. In China, NKTCL accounts for 30.1% in T-NHL and is highly related with EBV (Epstein-Barr virus) infection.

Investigating the optimal size of anticancer nanomedicine.

Nanomedicines (NMs) offer new solutions for cancer diagnosis and therapy. However, extension of progression-free interval and overall survival time achieved by Food and Drug Administration-approved NMs remain modest. To develop next generation NMs to achieve superior anticancer activities, it is crucial to investigate and understand the correlation between the physicochemical properties of NMs (particle size in particular) and their interactions with biological systems to establish criteria for NM optimization.

Ethanolic extract of rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. (chuanxiong) enhances endothelium-dependent vascular reactivity in ovariectomized rats fed with high-fat diet.

The rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. (LC), also known as chuanxiong, is a very common herb widely used to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. It is also used as a major ingredient in soups for regular consumption to promote good health.

[Preliminary screening tests of molluscicidal effect of extracts from Eucalyptus leaves].

Objective: To investigate the molluscicidal effects of extracts from five Eucalyptus leaves collected from Guangdong Province, China.

Methods: According to the WHO recommended indoor immersed method, the molluscicidal effects of extracts from five Eucalyptus leaves with 250, 100, 10 mg/L of water extraction, alcohol precipitation and organic solvent extraction were investigated.

Results: The dose-effect relationship showed that all the mortality rates of Oncomelania hupensis reached 80% with the volatile oil from five Eucalyptus leaves immersed at the concentrations of 100 mg/L for 48 h, and the mortality rates were both 93.

[Study on the extraction process of total flavonoids from Psoralea corylifolia by enzyme-assisted technique].

Objective: To study the optimum extraction process of total flavonoids from Psoralea coryl folia by cellulose-assisted technique.

Methods: Based on single-factor experiments, the effects of pH value, temperature of enzymatic hydrolysis, time of enzymatic hydrolysis and enzyme amount on the extraction yields of total flavonoids from Psoralea corylifolia were studied by response surface methodology.

Results: The optimum enzyme-assisted extraction process was: pH value 4.

[Study on chemical constituents from Anoectochilus chapaensis].

Objective: To investigate the chemical constituents from the whole herbs of Anoectochilus chapaensis.

Methods: The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by repeated column chromatographies with silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and preparative TLC. Their structures were identified by their physiochemical property and spectral data.

[Research advances on circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium].

Circumsporozoite protein (CSP) is found in all the mature malaria parasites, which forms a dense coat on the sporozoite's surface. CSPs contain approximately 400 amino acids and are organized into three domains: an N-terminal domain containing a conserved pentapeptide called region I, a highly repetitive species-specific central domain, and a C-terminal domain containing another conserved sequence called region II. It has been reported that the CSP fulfills vital roles in invading to the mosquito's salivary glands, binding sporozoite to liver cells, and inactivating host cell protein synthesis machinery.

[Study on the effects of different compatibility of guizhi decoction on component of volatile oil from Cinnamomum cassia by GC-MS].

Objective: To study the changes of volatile oil from different compatibility of Guizhi decoction and explore their connection.

Methods: The volatile oil of Cinnamomum cassia and different compatibility of Guizhi decoction extracted by steam distillation were analyzed by GC-MS.

Results: The main components of volatile oil in Cinnamomum cassia were found in different compatibility of Guizhi decoction and they accounted the most amount of total volatile oil,but the contents of the main components were decreased, there were more components existed in different compatibility of Guizhi decoction than those in Cinnamomum cassia, the new components came from Zingiber officinale mostly.

[Tadalafil improves total testosterone, IIEF score and SEP in old and middle-aged males with late-onset hypogonadism].

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of tadalafil combined with testosterone undecanoate on late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) in old and middle-aged males.

Methods: A total of 125 old and middle-aged (40 to 60 years) males with LOH were randomly assigned to a treatment group (n = 65) and a control group (n = 60) to be treated with tadalafil + testosterone undecanoate and testosterone undecanoate alone, respectively. We compared the levels of total testosterone (T), IIEF scores and the patients' sexual encounter profile (SEP) diaries before and 4 weeks after medication.

[Allelopathy of Andrographis paniculata vegetative].

Objective: Andrographis paniculata at vegetative stage were analyzed for the allelopathic effect on cabbage (Brassica chinensis), Radis (Raphanus sativus), and Desmodium styracifolium, and provided the theory reference for their application of compounding planting pattern in practice.

Methods: Water extracts of Andrographis paniculata root, stem and leaf were used to dispose Brassica chinensis, Raphanus sativus and Desmodium styracifolium seeds, young seedlings.

Results: There were allelopathic effect of water extracts of Andrographis paniculata on seed germination of Brassica chinensis, Raphanus sativus and Desmodium styracifolium, but there were difference on allelopathic effect.