Abstract Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic benefits of Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) on blood-brain barrier (BBB) vulnerability after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and identify its potential action of mechanisms on TBIinduced injuries. Methods: The rat TBI model was performed by using a controlled cortical impact device. The BBB permeability induced by TBI was measured through Evans Blue dye superflux and western blotting or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for tight junctional proteins (TJPs). The post-TBI changes in oxidative stress markers, inflammatory response and neuron apoptosis in brain tissue were also tested. Results: Herein, the results showed that HSYA acutely attenuated BBB permeability via increasing the production of the TJPs, including occludin, claudin-1 and zonula occludens protein 24 h after TBI. Additionally, HSYA could suppress the secretion of proinflammatory factors, such as interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), and also concurrently down-regulate the expression of inflammation-related Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor kappa-B (TLR4/NF-kB) protein. These HSYA challenged changes were accompanied by the decreased TBI induced oxidative stress markers and inhibited the expression of apoptosis proteins Bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9. Conclusions: Taken together, all findings suggested that HSYA (30 mg/kg) are against TBI through improving the integrity in BBB, which are associated with the antioxidant, anti-inflammation and antiapoptosis via the probable mechanism of down-regulation of the TLR4/NF-kB pathway, and its in-detail protective mechanisms are under study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a 10-year proof-of-concept smoking cessation research program evaluating the reach of online health interventions throughout the Americas. METHODS: Recruitment occurred from 2002 - 2011, primarily using Google.com AdWords. Over 6 million smokers from the Americas entered keywords related to smoking cessation; 57 882 smokers (15 912 English speakers and 41 970 Spanish speakers) were recruited into online self-help automated intervention studies. To examine disparities in utilization of methods to quit smoking, cessation aids used by English speakers and Spanish speakers were compared. To determine whether online interventions reduce disparities, abstinence rates were also compared. Finally, the reach of the intervention was illustrated for three large Spanish-speaking countries of the Americas-Argentina, Mexico, and Peru-and the United States of America. RESULTS: Few participants had utilized other methods to stop smoking before coming to the Internet site; most reported using no previous smoking cessation aids: 69.2% of Spanish speakers versus 51.8% of English speakers (P < 0.01). The most used method was nicotine gum, 13.9%. Nicotine dependence levels were similar to those reported for in-person smoking cessation trials. Overall observed quit rate for English speakers was 38.1% and for Spanish speakers, 37.0%; quit rates in which participants with missing data were considered to be smoking were 11.1% and 10.6%, respectively. Neither comparison was significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic use of evidence-based Internet interventions for health problems could have a broad impact throughout the Americas, at little or no cost to individuals or to ministries of health.

OBJETIVO: Describir un programa de investigación de 10 años sobre el abandono del hábito de fumar, en forma de estudio demostrativo preliminar, en el que se evaluó el alcance de las intervenciones de salud en línea en todo el continente americano. MÉTODOS: El período de captación comprendió del año 2002 al 2011, fundamentalmente mediante el programa AdWords de Google. Más de seis millones de fumadores del continente americano introdujeron palabras clave relacionadas con el abandono del hábito de fumar; se captaron 57 882 fumadores (15 912 de habla inglesa y 41 970 de habla hispana) para los estudios de intervención de autoayuda automatizada en línea. Con objeto de analizar las disparidades en la utilización de los métodos para dejar de fumar, se compararon las ayudas para dejar de fumar utilizadas por los fumadores de habla inglesa y de habla hispana. A fin de determinar si las intervenciones en línea reducen las disparidades, también se compararon las tasas de abstinencia. Por último, se ilustró el alcance de la intervención en tres extensos países de habla hispana de la región de las Américas (Argentina, México y Perú) y en los Estados Unidos. RESULTADOS: Fueron pocos los participantes que habían utilizado otros métodos para dejar de fumar antes de entrar en el sitio de internet; la mayor parte de ellos notificaron que no habían utilizado ningún tipo de ayuda para dejar de fumar anteriormente: 69,2% de los hispanoparlantes frente a 51,8% de los angloparlantes (P < 0,01). El método más utilizado fue el chicle de nicotina (13,9%). Los niveles de dependencia de la nicotina fueron similares a los notificados en los estudios presenciales de abandono del hábito de fumar. La tasa global de abandono general observada en los angloparlantes fue de 38,1% y en los hispanoparlantes de 37,0%; las tasas de abandono en los participantes considerados como fumadores por falta de datos fueron de 11,1% y 10,6%, respectivamente. Ninguna de las comparaciones mostró diferencias significativas. CONCLUSIONES: El uso sistemático de intervenciones mediante internet basadas en datos probatorios y dirigidas a problemas de salud podría tener una amplia repercusión en todo el continente americano, con un costo nulo o escaso para las propias personas o los ministerios de salud.