Pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor as a target for protecting against apoptotic neuronal death and mitochondrial damage in ischemia

Focal ischemic stroke（FIS）results from the lack of blood flow in a particular region of the brain and accounts for about 80%of all human strokes.Although tremendous efforts have been made in translational research,the treatment strategies are still limited.Tissue plasminogen activator is the only FDA-approved drug currently available for acute stroke treatment,

Cyclosporin A protects Balb/c mice from liver damage induced by superantigen SEB and D-GaIN

AIM To investigate the pathogenic effect ofSEB and D-GalN on liver and the protection ofcyclosporin A, the relationship between hepaticapoptosis and necrosis and the possiblemechanism of acute hepatic necrosis.METHODS After staphylococcal enterotoxin B(SEB ) mixed with D--galactosamine (D-GaiN )were injected intraperitoneally into Balb/c miceand those previously treated with cyclosporin A,blood samples were collected and livers wereisolated at 2, 6, 12 and 24 h. Patterns othepatocellular death were studiedmorphologically and biochemically, circulatingcytokines (TNF-a, IFN--y ) and mice mortalitywithin 24h was assessed.RESU’LTS The SEB could induce the typicalapoptotic changes of hepatocytes, the D-GaiNcould induce hepatocytes apoptosis anddegeneration at the same time, and the micehaving received the SEB + D-GaiN injectionsdeveloped apoptosis at 2 and 6 h, but after 12 hhepatocytes were characterized by severein jury, whereas all the examinations in thecyclosporin A treated mice were normal.CONCLUSION Hepatic cell apoptosis might berelated to necrosis, and massive hepatocyteapoptosis is likely the initiating step of acutehepatic necrosis in mice. The effects induced bySEB and D--GaiN on hepatocytes might bemediated by T cells, and could be prevented bycyclosporin A.

Galantamine protects against beta amyloid peptide-induced DNA damage in a model for Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer’s disease（AD）is the most common type of dementia in elderly population.With a growing aging population not only in the United States but also in the worldwide,AD constitutes an emergent public health problem.

Protective Effect of Vitamin E on Liver Damage Induced by 2-Chloro-1, 3-butadiene

The present study was performed to determine the influence of lipid peroxidation and perturbance of Ca2+ homeostasis on liver damage induced by 2-chloro-1, 3-butadiene (CBD) and the protective effects of vitamin E in Wistar rats. Animals were given intraperitoneally different doses (8,40 or 200 mg·kg-1 daily) of CBD for 21 days, and the following dose-dependent events were observed: liver damage, significant increase in liver lipid peroxides, and decreases in activities of erythrocytic glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The pretreatment of rats with vitamin E (po 150 mg·kg-1) before administering CBD (iP 60 mg·kg-1 ) daily for 21 days prevented the following CBD-induced changes, the increase in serum cholylglycine (CG), hepatic LP, hepatic mitochondrion LP, hepatic oxidized glutathione (GSSG) (while the significant increase of reduced glutathione (GSH) was not affected) and the decrease in activities of erythrocytic SOD and hepatic mitochondrial calcium sequestration. These results suggest that lipid peroxidation and perturbance of Ca2+ homeostasis appear to contribute to the hepatotoxicity of CBD, and vitamin E might prevent the liver damage induced by CBD. The decrease in activities of GSH-Px and SOD in erythrocytes might be used as biomarkers for adverse effects of CBD on defense system against lipid peroxidation.

Top coal caving mining technique in thick coal seam beneath the earth dam

It is important to study the mining technology under structures for raising the coal resources recovery ratio. Based on the geological and mining conditions, the top coal caving harmonic mining technique in thick coal seam beneath the earth dam was put forward and studied. The 5 factors such as the panel mining direction, panel size, panel location, panel mining sequence and panel advance velocity were taken into account in this technique. The dam movement and deformation were predicted after the thick coal seam mining and the effects of mining on the dam were studied. By setting up the surveying stations on the dam, the movement and deformation of the dam were observed during mining. By taking some protective measures on the dam, the top coal caving mining technique in thick coal seam beneath the earth dam was carried out successfully. The study demonstrates that harmonic mining in thick coal seam is feasible under the dam. The safety of the earth dam after mining was ensured and the coal resources recovery ratio was improved.

Clinical Study on Protective Effect of Xinmaitong Capsule on Damage of Vascular Endothelial Cells

Objective: To assess the effect of Xinmaitong (XMT) capsule in treating coronaryheart disease (CHD). Methods: Thirty-eightpatients of coronary heart disease with myocardial ischemia were divided randomly intoXMT group (20 cases) and control group (18cases). Conventional western medical therapywas given to both groups and the XMT groupreceived additional XMT treatment. Thechanges of endothelin (ET ) and calcitoningene-related peptide (CGRP) levels, ST segment of ECG and clinical symptoms aftertreatment in all the patients were observed.Data of 14 healthy persons were taken as normal control. Results: The ET level of all patients was significantly higher than that of thenormal control (P < 0. 001 ), and level ofCGRP in patients was not different from normal control significantly (P > 0. 05 ). Aftertreatment, results showed that: (1 ) The ETlevels and the scores of clinical symptoms ofboth groups decreased significantly (P <0. 01 ), and ST segment elevated markedly(P< 0. 01) as compared with before treatment, and the changes revealed more evidentin XMT group in comparison with those of thecontrol group (P < 0.05 - 0.01 ). (2 ) Thelevel of CGRP was significantly increased inXMT group (P < 0. 01 ) while unchanged inthe control group (P > 0. 05 ). Conclusions:There is severe damage of vascular endothelialcells in CHD patients. XMT could not only reduce significantly the plasma ET content, butalso enhance markedly the production and release of CGRP, so it has a good anti--ischemiceffect, which may be closely related with itsaction on improving the function of vascularendothelial cells and regulating metabolism ofET and CGRP.

Natural and unnatural anthraquinones isolated from the ethanol extract of the roots of Knoxia valerianoides

Eight new 9,10-anthraquinones(1-8)including three acetonide derivatives of 3-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-9,10-anthraquinones(68)were isolated from an ethanol extract of the roots of Knoxia valeriamoides.On the basis of chemical transformation reactions of the co-occurring 14 and 15 combined with HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS analysis of the extracts,the previously and newly isolated 2-methoxymethy-and 2-ethoxymethyl-9,10-anthraquinones(4,5,and 9-13),as well as the 3-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-9,10-anthraquinone acetonide derivatives(68),were shown to be solvolytic artifacts.In the in vitro assays,compound 4 was active to protect hepatocyte(WB-F344)damage.

Biotransformation of soy whey into a novel functional beverage by Cordyceps militaris SN-18

Soy whey,a liquid nutritional by-product of soybean manufacture,is rich in proteins,oligosaccharides and isoflavones.Soy whey can be used to produce functional beverages,instead of discarding it as a waste.In this study,unfermented soy whey(USW)and Cordyceps militaris SN-18-fermented soy whey(FSW)were investigated and compared for their physicochemical and functional properties by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)and DNA damage assay.Results show that C.militaris SN-18 fermentation could increase the contents of essential amino acids,total phenolic and flavonoid and isoflavone aglycones and eliminate the oligosaccharides in soy whey.Furthermore,C.militaris SN-18 could significantly enhance the ABTS radical scavenging ability,reducing power and ferric reducing power of soy whey,and its fermented products could prominently attenuate Fenton reaction-induced DNA damage.These findings indicate that soy whey can potentially be converted into a novel soy functional beverage by C.militaris SN-18 fermentation.