Protective effect and its mechanism of codonopsis pilosula polysaccharide on memory consolidation disorder induced by cycloheximide in mice

OBJECTIVE To investigate the protective effect of Codonopsis Pilosula Polysaccharide(CPPS)on improving of the memory consolidation disorder induced by Cycloheximide and its possible mechanisms in mice.METHODS The mice was divided into five groups,as normal control group,cycloheximid model group,piracetam positive control group,CPPS 300 mg·kg^(-1) group,and CPPS150 mg·kg^(-1) group.The mice respectively were given saline,piracetam,and CPPS for 15 d.The memory consolidation disorder model in mice was established by ip.Cyclohexylamine,and orally administered CPPS(300 mg·kg^(-1) or 150 mg·kg^(-1))every day.Then experimental groups were subjected Morris Water Maze test.Western blotting analysis were used to analysis the expression of Ca MKⅡ/CREB signaling pathways.RESULTS Morris water maze experiment showed that cyclohexylamine can cause memory consolidation disorder(P<0.01),and giving piracetam and CPPS(300 mg·kg-1)can improve spatial memory impairment in mice(P<0.05,P<0.01).Western blotting experiment results show that compared with normal control group,Ca MKⅡand CREB contents of brain in model group mice had significant decreased(P<0.001);Compared with model group,Ca MKⅡand CREB contents of brain tissue in piracetam and CPPS groups increased significantly(P<0.05,P<0.01,P<0.001).CONCLUSION Cycloheximide can induce the memory consolidation disorder,and its effect in mice related to Ca MK/CREB signaling pathways.CPPS can improved this memory disorder by influence Ca MKⅡ/CREB signaling pathways.

Biofilm Alterations on the Stepwise Acquisition of Fluconazole-resistant Candida Albicans Isolates

Objectives:By assessing and comparing the phenotypic changes on the stepwise acquisition of fluconazole resistant Candida albicans isolates,we could find and describe the relationship between drug resistance and biofilm formation ability in a series of clonal strains.Methods:We performed antifungal susceptibility of five drugs(fluconazole,itraconazole,voriconazole,caspofungin and amphotericin B)to further verify the antifungal activity of the six isolates in vitro.Then we combined hyphal formation assay,cell surface hydrophobicity test positively related to adherence ability,and biofilm assays in vitro to observe and compare the phenotypic characteristics of our six clonal strains.Results:Biofilm capability is enhanced for four drug-intermediate strains,whereas the initial susceptible strain and the final resistant strain are both poor in adherence,hyphal growth and biofilm formation.Conclusions:It was suggested that the biofilm formation ability were not absolutely related to the degree of fluconazole resistance.

Characteristics of Cutaneous and Subcutaneous Infectious Granuloma at a Signal Center in China: A Five-Year Retrospective Study

Objective:Cutaneous and subcutaneous infectious granulorna (CSIG) is a broad group of inflammatory conditions that share important similarities in granulomatous reaction pattem and nonspecific clinical presentation.Here,we conducted the retrospective study to identify the clinical,pathological,and epidemiological correlations of CSIG cases at a signal center in China.Methods:Data of patients diagnosed with CSIG between January 1,2011 and December 31,2015 were retrospectively collected,including socio-demographic information,pathogen diagnosis,clinical features,pathological results,treatment,and prognosis.Results:This study included 256 patients (137 males and 119 females) with a mean age of 52 years.Infections were more common in those aged over 40 years old (76.17%).The most common pathogens were Mycobacterium leprae (26.56%),Sporothrix schenckii (23.83%),and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (15.63%).Mycobacterium marinum (8.98%) accounted for51.11% of nontuberculous mycobactedal contagion.Lesions were most common in the distal extremities (32.03%).The predominant clinical forms were plaques (61/142,42.96%) and nodules (41/142,28.87%).Conclusions:Various pathogens were responsible for the CSIG cases in this study,with M.leprae being the most common.CSIG should be considered as a likely diagnosis for patients with lesions on exposed parts of the body that present as plaques or nodules and has a history of trauma.

Itraconazole Promotes Macrophage M1 Polarization and Phagocytic Capacity of Macrophage to Candida Albicans

Objective: The present study was designed to evaluate whether and how itraconazole affects the macrophage polarization and its reactivity to Candida albicans. Methods: Cell toxicity of itraconazole was measured using cell counting kit-8 assay in RAW264.7 cells. The cell models were induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), interleukin (IL)-4, or Candida albicans. Levels of cytokines secreted by RAW246.7 treated with itraconazole were detected by Luminex or Cytometric Bead Array compared to the controls without itraconazole treatment, and the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase and arginase (Arg) were determined by Western blot. Phagocytosis ability was measured by both flow cytometry and fluorescence microscope. The Student's t test and one-way analysis of variance were used to calculate the differences between groups. Results: In comparison to the control, itraconazole inhibited the growth of the cells in both a time- and a dosedependent manner. Increased secretion of IL-6 (0.25μmol/L ITZ [538.03±60.23pg/mL, P<0.05], 0.5μmol/L [550.32 ±47.87 pg/mL, P<0.05] and 1 μmol/L [626.95±75.24pg/mL, P<0.01] vs. control [370.43±33.98pg/mL]) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (1μmol/L ITZ vs. control: 2521.51±444.06pg/mL vs. 1617.85±94.57 pg/mL, P<0.05) were detected in the LPS-induced cell model with itraconazole treatment. In the cells induced by IL-4, itraconazole increased the secretion of IL-6 (1μmol/L ITZ vs. control: 528.33±11.60pg/mL vs. 466.99±28.32 pg/mL, P<0.05), TNF-α (1μmol/L ITZ vs. control: 4.85±0.32pg/mL vs. 4.30±0.19 pg/mL, P<0.05), and IL-1β (0.25μmol/L [325.95±13.97pg/mL, P<0.05], 0.5μmol/L [332.38±11.97pg/mL, P<0.05] and 1μmol/L [334.35±16.23 pg/mL, P<0.05] vs. control [291.62±17.03pg/mL]), and reduced the secretion of IL-10 (1μmol/L ITZ vs. control: 7.21±0.68 pg/mL vs. 9.11±0.14pg/mL, P<0.05). The secretion of IL-6 (1μmol/L ITZ vs. control: 38.34±1.36pg/mL vs. 32.32± 0.84pg/mL, P<0.05) and TNF-α (1μmol/L ITZ vs. control: 1060.17±80.16pg/mL vs. 890.84±52.82 pg/mL, P<0.01) was improved in Candida albicans-stimulated RAW264.7 cells under the treatment of itraconazole, while the secretion of IL-4 (0.5μmol/L [2.86±0.20 pg/mL, P<0.05] and 1μmol/L [2.24±0.33 pg/mL, P<0.001] vs. control [3.91±0.23 pg/mL]) and IL-10 (1μmol/L ITZ vs. control: 19.46±2.05pg/mL vs. 25.67±1.95pg/mL, P<0.05) decreased. In all three activated patterns, itraconazole enhanced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (P<0.01) and slightly inhibited the Arg-1 expression (P<0.05). Phagocytosis ability of RAW264.7 cells at 1μmol/L ITZ treatment was increased by 7.53%±2.21% (P<0.01) and 9.73%±2.03% (P<0.01) at the ratio of cells: yeast of 1:4 and 1:8, respectively, in comparison to the control group.Itraconazole improved M1 polarization of RAW264.7 cells and enhanced the phagocytic capacity of RAW264.7 to Candida albicans, indicating a significant immunological enhancement. The study improves the understanding of undergoing mechanisms related to the anti-tumor and anti-infection effects of itraconazole.

Trichorrhexis nodosa examined by scanning electron microscopy

Introduction Trichorrhexis nodosa (TN), one of the most common hair shaft anomalies, was first identified by Samuel Wilks in 1852(1)As either a congenital or acquired hair shaft disorder, TN is characterized by fragile and easily broken hair accompanied by frayed cortical fibers and loss of the cuticle(2)Complete fracture of the hair shaft subsequently occurs. Moreover, hair shaft fragility may increase the risk of developing TN. Congenital TN, including trichothiodystrophy[3], argininosuccinic aciduria[4], Menkes syndrome[5] and trichohepatoenteric syndrome[6], is rare in the clinical setting. Acquired TN, which is provoked by hair injury secondary to physical or chemical trauma (usually physical trauma), is often overlooked in daily life. We herein reported a case of TN in a woman with androgenetic alopecia.

Cutaneous Metastasis of Uterine Cervical Carcinoma with a Cellulitis-Like Presentation

Introduction The reported incidence of cutaneousmetastasis from internal carcinoma ranges from 0.7%to 10%,with wide variability across different studies.Although cervical carcinoma is a very common malignant tumor in women,the frequency of cutaneous metastasis from cervical carcinoma is less than 2%.1 Usually,metastasis occurs at a site adjacent to the primary carcinoma,and the most common clinical presentation of the metastasis is a nodule.Cervical carcinomas almost always metastasize to the abdomen wall,vulva,or anterior chestwall.To the best of our knowledge,reports of a facial cellulitis-like metastasis of cervical carcinoma are relatively rare in the published literature.Herein,we report the case of aChinesewoman,whohad a twoyearshistory of cervical carcinoma and a developed facial metastasis presenting as a cellulitis-like lesion.