Abstract Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease associated with inflammation. Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide (PSP) is a major group of active components isolated from Polygonatum sibiricum with broad activities including anti-inflammatory effect. However, the role of PSP in OA is unclear. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of PSP on IL-1β-induced inflammatory response in primary human OA chondrocytes. The results showed that PSP improved cell viability of chondrocytes in response to IL-1β induction. The increased levels of several inflammatory mediators including nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in IL-1β-induced chondrocytes were attenuated by PSP in a dose-dependent manner. The IL-1β-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and IL-6, were mitigated by PSP in chondrocytes. Besides, PSP also suppressed the production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), including MMP-1, MMP-3 and MMP-13 in IL-1β-stimulated chondrocytes. Furthermore, the IL-1β-induced activation of NF-κB signaling pathway in chondrocytes was also prevented by PSP. These findings suggested that PSP alleviated IL-1β-induced inflammatory response in chondrocytes via inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway.

Abstract Objective: To investigate the effect of Shenfu (SF) injection on donor heart preservation. Methods: Twelve pigs were randomly divided into SF group (n=6) and control group (n=6). After eight hours of perfusion, the differences in hemoglobin, the expression of Bcl-2 and BAX, and changes in the myocardial ultrastructure were compared to illustrate the effects of SF injection in heart preservation. Results: The differences in free hemoglobin between the SF group and the control group were statistically significant (P=0.001), and there was significant interaction of groups with times (P=0.019), but the perfusion time may not be associated with the hemoglobin concentration (P=0.616). According to Western blotting analysis, the expression of Bcl-2 was higher in the SF group than in the control group, while the expression of BAX was not different between the two groups. As to ultrastructural changes, both groups exhibited mitochondrial swelling and myofilament lysis, but the degree of damage in the SF group was smaller. Conclusion: Our study suggests that the application of SF injection for heart preservation may protect against cardiomyocytes and erythrocytes apoptosis, and Bcl-2 protein may play a role in these physiological processes.

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the mechanism of Periplaneta americana extract promoting intestinal mucosal repair of OXZ-induced colitis in rat. Methods: All experiments used an equal number of male and female SD rats (n=48). We injected OXZ into the colon to induce UC rat model. To determine the optimal concentration of P. Americana's extract (PA-40), it was classified into low (L), medium (M), and high (H) doses. After OXZ treatment, each drug was administered by enema for 7 consecutive days. Rats were divided into the following 6 groups: (1) Saline treatment group (NC), (2) OXZ treatment UC model group (MC), (3) OXZ + budesonide group (BUN), (4) OXZ + PA-40 L group, (5) OXZ + PA-40 M group, (6) OXZ + PA-40 H group. Disease activity index (DAI) scores, colon length, histopathological score, serum cytokine level (IL-4, IL-10, iNOS, tNOS), and amount of MPO, EGF, IL-13 in colonic mucosa were measured. Results: PA treatment had a significant healing effect on the OXZ-colitis model and significantly reduced the lesioned area, especially in the PA-40H groups. PA treatment did not alter the expression of IL-10 and MPO level, but increased EGF (epidermal growth factor) and decrease IL-13 in the colonic tissue. PA inhibited the rise of NOSs (nitric oxide synthase) and decreased the serum IL-4 level. Conclusions: The data suggest that Periplaneta americana extract may be a potential compound for the treatment of colonic lesions. The mechanism may be related to inhibiting the secretion of IL-13 and promoting the formation of EGF.

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the effect of intravascular cooling on renal function after resuscitation. Methods: Twenty four pigs were randomized into three groups (n=8 in each group): therapeutic hypothermia group (TH group), normothermia group (NH group) and sham operation group (SHAM group). After 6 minutes of untreated VF, CPR was performed. Upon ROSC, the TH group received the intravascular cooling. The NH and SHAM group did not undergo therapeutic hypothermia. Haemodynamic parameters were recorded. The bloods were analyzed for serum creatinine (sCr), CysC and NGAL. The kidney was surgically removed observe pathologic changes under a light microscope. Results: The sCr increased in both TH and NH groups after ROSC, compared to baseline. Between two groups, the sCr and creatinine clearance (Cc) showed lower level in the TH group. The urine volume per hour in the TH group were higher during cooling. After resuscitation, NGAL and CysC in the NH group were higher than in the TH group. Under the light microscope, compared with the TH group, the renal injury was prominent in the NH group. Conclusion: Mild hypothermia had a protection to renal ischemia reperfusion injury after resuscitation.

Abstract Dunaliella salina, a single-celled marine alga with extreme salt tolerance, is an important model organism for studying fundamental extremophile survival mechanisms and their potential practical applications. In this study, two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) was used to investigate the expression of halotolerant proteins under high (3 M NaCl) and low (0.75 M NaCl) salt concentrations. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) and bioinformatics were used to identify and characterize the differences among proteins. 2D-DIGE analysis revealed 141 protein spots that were significantly differentially expressed between the two salinities. Twenty-four differentially expressed protein spots were successfully identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF MS, including proteins in the following important categories: molecular chaperones, proteins involved in photosynthesis, proteins involved in respiration and proteins involved in amino acid synthesis. Expression levels of these proteins changed in response to the stress conditions, which suggests that they may be involved in the maintenance of intracellular osmotic pressure, cellular stress responses, physiological changes in metabolism, continuation of photosynthetic activity and other aspects of salt stress. The findings of this study enhance our understanding of the function and mechanisms of various proteins in salt stress.

The Wx gene primarily influences the physiochemical properties changes of rice (Oryza sativa L.) To improve the grain qualities of the cv. Y58S with low amylose content (AC) value, the genetic effect of Wx gene was explored on quality traits. With the BC3F2 genetic population of Y58S line associated with different AC value as the materials, this study reported the genetic effect of three different Wx alleles (Wxª, Wx in, Wx b) under near-isogenic background. It was shown that Wx had major effects on the quality traits, and the genetic effect value was in the order Wxª > Wx in > Wx b. In addition, during the course of physiochemical properties changes of higher AC rice cultivars determined by Wxª or Wx in allele, accompanied by the increasing of AC, gel consistency and head milled rice recovery would be decreased in combination with the rising of chalky traits, all of which resulted in substantial fluctuations on quality traits (p < 0.01). However, the genetic law was not evident for Wx b allele. Therefore, except for the major gene Wx, the minor genes in the regulative network of starch-synthesis might be utilized for quality improvement.

Methylenediphosphonic Acid (MDP) was found to be a simple, cheap and reusable heterogeneous catalyst for the acetylation of structurally diverse alcohols, phenols and amines with acetic anhydride under solvent-free conditions at room temperature. This method showed preferential selectivity for the acetylation of the amino group in the presence of hydroxyl group. The method is very mild and the yields were in excellent.

Das cascas do caule de Pongamia pinnata foram isolados dois novos compostos, 3-metoxi-(3<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>,4<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-diidro- 3<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-hidroxi-4<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-acetoxi)-2<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>,2<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-dimetilpirano-(7,8:5 <FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>,6<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>)-flavona e 3-metoxi-(3<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>,4<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-diidro-4<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>- hidroxi-3<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-acetoxi)-2<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>,2<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-dimetilpirano-(7,8:5 <FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>,6<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>)-flavona, juntamente com seis compostos conhecidos, óxido de cariofileno, obovatachalcona, 8-hidroxi-6-metoxi-3-pentil-1H- isocromeno-1-ona, 6,7,2,2-dimetilcromono-8,gama,gama-dimetilalilflavonona, isolonchocarpin, ovaliflavanona A. Suas estruturas foram determinadas a partir da interpretação de dados espectroscópicos.

From the stem bark of Pongamia pinnata, two new compounds, 3-methoxy-(3<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>,4<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-dihydro- 3<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-hydroxy-4<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-acetoxy)-2<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>,2<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-dimethylpyrano-(7,8:5 <FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>,6<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>)-flavone and 3-methoxy-(3<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>,4<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-dihydro-4<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>- hydroxy-3<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-acetoxy)-2<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>,2<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>-dimethylpyrano-(7,8:5 <FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>,6<FONT FACE=Symbol>²</FONT>)-flavone, were isolated, along with six known compounds, caryophyllene oxide, obovatachalcone, 8-hydroxy-6-methoxy-3-pentyl-1H-isochromen-1-one, 6,7,2,2-dimethylchromono-8,gamma,gamma-dimethylallylflavanon e, isolonchocarpin, ovaliflavanone A. Their structures were determined on the basis of the spectroscopic data interpretation.