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Saffron, the most expensive spice in the world, is comprised of the dried and dark red stigma of Crocus sativus L. flowers of the Iridaceae family. It is mainly used as a spice for imparting color, fragrance, and flavor to food but its medicinal and dyeing properties were also well known. In the USA, saffron products are used as dietary supplements for mood elevation, relaxation, weight loss, and to increase metabolism. The paper describes two analytical methods for the determination of crocetin esters, picrocrocin, safranal in saffron samples, and dietary supplements for inclusion in a monograph under development by the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Method validation showed satisfactory results in linearity, precision, and recovery. The content of picrocrocin, safranal, and crocetin esters ranged from 0.6–10.2%, 0.02–0.22%, and 2.8–25.6%, respectively, for thirty-seven stigma samples. Twenty-nine dietary supplements were analyzed. No saffron compounds were found in 16 (55%) of these products. Flower of Carthamus tinctorius and fruit of Gardenia jasminoides were the main adulterants detected in dietary supplements. Summarily, 60 compounds, including five standards were tentatively identified from saffron stigma, style, and petal samples using high-resolution mass spectrometry. Principle component analysis was used to discriminate between saffron stigma samples and dietary supplements. The results indicated that commercial products are of variable quality and the analytical method is suitable for quality assessment of a variety of both raw materials and finished dietary supplements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local anesthetics (LAs) are a class of drugs, which have wide applications in the treatment of post-operative pain care management. Long-acting LAs that can be given as a single dose analgesic are desperately needed. The prepared sulfobutylether β-cyclodextrin (SCD)/hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels were characterized by Fourier transform infrared and X-ray diffraction patterns. The as-prepared SCD/HA hydrogels greatly enhanced their swelling behavior and in vitro degradation properties. Furthermore, a scanning electron microscope reported that the surface morphology of the Lidocaine (LDC)-loaded SCD/HA hydrogels was smooth, and a significant change in porosity was observed after the addition of LDC (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% w/v). The occurrence of cross-linking between the LDC and SCD/HA hydrogels was studied through rheological analysis. Approximately 94% of lidocaine (LDC) was released from the SCD/HA-LDC formulations by 24 h. The cytotoxicity of SCD/HA-LDC was studied against fibroblast (3T3) cells. SCD/HA-LDC showed a prolonged in vitro release and lower cytotoxicity when compared to free LDC. Furthermore, in vivo evaluation of the anesthetic properties in animal models showed that the SCD/HA-LDC showed a significantly prolonged analgesic effect when compared to free LDC. Moreover, the SCD/HA-LDC exhibited good biodegradability and biocompatibility in histological analyses. Overall, the findings suggest that the LDC-loaded SCD/HA hydrogels had a synergistic impact in prolonging analgesia without generating toxicity, and hence might be used as a long-acting analgesia therapeutic care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effects of biodiversity on community function and services are frequently studied in the history of ecology, while the response of individual species to biodiversity remains great elusive. In this study, we determined the biodiversity effects on community productivity as well as species level plant mass and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) metabolism of eight submerged plants. These macrophytes in Lake Erhai were selected and planted in a water depth of one meter along a diversity gradient of 1, 2, 4 or 8 species. Then, the community productivity or species level plant mass, soluble protein, free amino acid and soluble carbohydrate were correlated to species richness to determine the biodiversity effects on community and single species. Results: The results showed that the community level biomass was positively correlated to plant species richness although the species level plant mass of individual species responded differently to the overall plant species richness. Namely, only one plant mass positively correlated to species richness and the others decreased or showed no significant correlation with the increase of species richness. The soluble proteins of most macrophytes were positively correlated to species richness; however, both the free amino acid and soluble carbohydrate of the plants were negatively or not significantly correlated to species richness. Conclusions: These results indicated that the selection effects might dominate in our aquatic communities and the negative impacts of biodiversity on C and N metabolism of the macrophytes increased with the increase of species richness, which might result from the strong competition among the studied species. The biodiversity effects on the plant mass, and C and N metabolism of individual submerged species were first reported in this study, while more such field and control experiments deserve further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of mild moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and to explore the role of mild moxibustion in relieving pain, reducing stiffness and improving joint dysfunction in patients with KOA.Methods: Eighty patients with KOA were randomly allocated into either a moxibustion group or a medication group by the random number table, with 40 cases in each group. The moxibustion group used mild moxibustion at Neixiyan (EX-LE 5), Dubi (ST 35), Xuehai (SP 10) and Liangqiu (ST 34), 30 min each time, 3 times a week; the medication group was given celecoxib capsule (celebrex), 0.2 g each time, once a day. Both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The visual analog scale (VAS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) scores were evaluated before and after treatment. The efficacy of the two groups was compared after treatment.Results: After treatment, the overall efficacy of the moxibustion group was significantly different from that of the medication group (P<0.05). The VAS and WOMAC scores of the two groups were lower than those before treatment (both P<0.01). The changes in the VAS and WOMAC scores after treatment in the moxibustion group were significantly different from those in the medication group (both P<0.05). After treatment, in single item of WOMAC, the changes in pain and joint dysfunction in the moxibustion group were more statistically significant than those in the medication group (both P<0.05).Conclusion: Mild moxibustion and oral celebrex can reduce the VAS and WOMAC scores of patients with KOA. Mild moxibustion is superior to oral celebrex in relieving pain and improving joint function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experimental model of combined allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome (CARAS) has shown that CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODNs) are potential inhibitors of type 2 helper cell-driven inflammatory responses. Currently available CpG-ODNs modestly inhibit allergic responses in CARAS, while a combination strategy for upper airway treatment by co-administration of CpG-ODNs and glucocorticoids may show good efficacy. This study aimed to assess the therapeutic effects of CpG-ODNs combined with budesonide (BUD) on upper and lower-airway inflammation and remodeling in mice with CARAS induced by chronic exposure to ovalbumin (OVA), exploring the possible underlying molecular mechanisms. A BALB/c mouse model of chronic CARAS was established by systemic sensitization and repeated challenge with OVA. Treatment with CpG-ODNs or BUD by intranasal administration was started 1 h after OVA challenge. Then, nasal mucosa and lung tissues were fixed and stained for pathologic analysis. The resulting immunologic variables and TSLP-DC-OX40L axis parameters were evaluated. Both CpG-ODNs and BUD intranasal administration are effective on reducing Th2-type airway inflammation and tissue remodeling. Co-administration of CpG-ODNs and BUD was more effective than each monotherapy in attenuating upper and lower-airway inflammation as well as airway remodeling in chronic CARAS. Notably, combination of CpG-ODNs with BUD modulated the TSLP-DC-OX40L axis, as demonstrated by decreased TSLP production in the nose and lung, alongside decreased TSLPR and OX40L in DC. Intranasal co-administration of CpG-ODNs and BUD synergistically alleviates airway inflammation and tissue remodeling in experimental chronic CARAS, through shared cellular pathways, as a potent antagonist of the TSLP-DC-OX40L axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the odds of colorectal adenoma (CRA) in colorectal cancer screening participants with different body mass index (BMI) levels, and examine if this association was different according to gender and ethnicity. The EMBASE and MEDLINE were searched to enroll high quality observational studies that examined the association between investigator-measured BMI and colonoscopy-diagnosed CRA. Data were independently extracted by two reviewers. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the summary odds ratio (SOR) for the association between BMI and CRA. The Cochran’s Q statistic and I2 analyses were used to assess the heterogeneity. A total of 17 studies (168,201 subjects) were included. When compared with subjects having BMI < 25, individuals with BMI 25–30 had significantly higher risk of CRA (SOR 1.44, 95% CI 1.30–1.61; I2 = 43.0%). Subjects with BMI ≥ 30 had similarly higher risk of CRA (SOR 1.42, 95% CI 1.24–1.63; I2 = 18.5%). The heterogeneity was mild to moderate among studies. The associations were significantly higher than estimates by previous meta-analyses. There was no publication bias detected (Egger’s regression test, p = 0.584). Subgroup analysis showed that the magnitude of association was significantly higher in female than male subjects (SOR 1.43, 95% CI 1.30–1.58 vs. SOR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07–1.24; different among different ethnic groups (SOR 1.72, 1.44 and 0.88 in White, Asians and Africans, respectively) being insignificant in Africans; and no difference exists among different study designs. In summary, the risk conferred by BMI for CRA was significantly higher than that reported previously. These findings bear implications in CRA risk estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a chronic debilitating autoimmune blistering disease that frequently occurs in the elderly population. Previous studies have suggested a high morbidity and mortality associated with BP. However, relatively few studies have investigated prognostic factors of BP mortality, and they showed considerably various results. This meta-analysis aimed to quantitatively assess the association between several potential prognostic factors and risk of mortality in bullous pemphigoid. A comprehensive search was performed using Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Cohort studies that assessed prognostic factors of BP mortality were included. Random-effects model was utilized to calculate the pooled hazard ratio (HR). Publication bias was evaluated qualitatively by constructing a funnel plot and quantitatively by conducting Egger's test. 14 studies were included comprising 2499 patients. Combined HRs suggested that advanced age (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.34-1.97), presence of circulating antibodies (HR 1.77, 95% CI 1.20-2.62), concomitant dementia (HR 2.01, 95% CI 1.22-3.33), and concomitant stroke (HR 1.86, 95% CI 1.29-2.67) have an unfavorable impact on patient survival. Gender, disease extent, mucosal involvement, and indirect immunofluorescence result were not shown to be linked to mortality by our analysis. This study indicated that BP patients with older age, circulating antibodies, dementia, and stroke are at greater risk of mortality. Clinicians should be aware of this association and utilize this information in patient education and treatment process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new iridoid glycoside; 6- O- β-D-xylopyranoside-shanzhiside methyl ester ( 1) along with six known compounds; shanzhiside methyl ester ( 2), lamalbid ( 3), geniposidic acid ( 4), theveside ( 5), verbascoside ( 6) and arenarioside ( 7) were isolated from the roots of Lantana montevidensis. The structures of the compounds were determined through 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data analysis, HRESIMS, electronic circular dichorism and UPLC-UV/MS method. The total extract, chloroformic ( F1) and aqueous ( F2) fractions together with the isolated compounds were tested for their antimicrobial, antiprotozoal, antiplasmodial, anti-inflammatory, monoamine oxidase inhibition and cell viability activities in addition to free radical scavenging activity using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The phenylpropanoid compounds ( 6 and 7) resulted in a potent antioxidant activity. Total methanolic extract together with the aqueous fraction ( F2) showed decrease in reactive oxidative stress with 57 and 66%, respectively, while the chloroformic fraction ( F1), together with the total methanolic extract, showed a decrease in iNOS with IC values 5 and 30 μg/mL, respectively. Compounds 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7 showed inhibition in the reactive oxidative stress with values 50, 60, 57, 63, and 52%, respectively. Both F1 and F2 fractions demonstrated measurable inhibition of MCF-7 breast cancer cell growth, with IC value 0.3 mg/mL. Compounds 2 and 7 showed mild monoamine oxidase inhibition. None of the tested compounds showed antimicrobial, antiplasmodial or antiprotozoal activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kudzu ( Pueraria lobata) is an aggressive invasive species and has brought great loss world-widely. Though it is originated in China, it has not been considered as a weed in China. While more and more articles report its destructive effects on the native community throughout the whole country. We conducted an experiment to validate whether kudzu could endanger its native ecosystem and wanted to find the reason of its fast spreading from 2008 to 2010. Concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, water content, irradiance, pH, species number and aboveground biomass in the three sub-communities (Kudzu, Mixed and NonKudzu) were analyzed. Meanwhile, light irradiance and coverage of kudzu at 0, 25, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 2000 m distance from the road surface verge were also measured. The results showed that kudzu evidently lowed the species biodiversity and obviously changed the water, light and nutrient cycles in its expanding area. Kudzu's rapid expansion is mainly because it can get full available space and light for growth by reason of anthropogenic disturbances. Our results indicated that Kudzu was a potential weed in China if great land changes from human activities are continuing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifteen configurations and adsorption energies of the adsorption sites of BH∙∙∙HCN on Co(100) and Co(110) surfaces were investigated using the density functional theory. The results show that after BH∙∙∙HCN is adsorbed, although there is no general behavior for the H∙∙∙H distances, the adsorption energies of BH∙∙∙HCN are always far stronger than those of H on Co surfaces, suggesting that the dihydrogen-bonded complex, one kind of prospective material for reversible hydrogen storage, can be tightly adsorbed on the surfaces of metals. Thus, the attempts to store the significant amounts of H can be successful by the way that the dihydrogen-bonded complexes are adsorbed on the surfaces of metals. The stability and binding mechanism was analyzed by the Mulliken charge population and reduced density gradients (RDGs) methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mimic of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSODm) has been synthesized and reported to have anti-inflammatory properties. However, whether MnSODm has anti-inflammatory effects on colitis and any underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. This study was to investigate therapeutic effects and mechanism of MnSODm on 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) induced colitis model in rats. Rats were intragastrically administered MnSODm (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) per day for 7 days after colitis was induced by TNBS. After treated with MnSODm, the colonic macroscopic and microscopic damage scores and colonic weight/length ratios were significantly decreased compared with colitis model group. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, malonyldialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 levels in colon tissues were also significantly decreased in MnSODm treatment groups. However, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity significantly increased and phosphorylated inhibitory kappa B-alpha (IκBα), inhibitor kappa B kinase (IKKα/β), and nuclear factor-kappa Bp65 (NF-κBp65) as well as Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and myeloid differentiation actor 88 (MyD88) in the colonic mucosa were significantly inhibited by MnSODm treatment. Thus, MnSODm was protective against colitis via antioxidant activity and by inhibiting inflammatory mediators by down-regulating TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathways. These data suggest a potential therapeutic effect of MnSODm in colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the remediation of heavy-metal-polluted cropland soil is a considerable problem. In this study, in situ immobilization field experiment was conducted by planting rice ( Oryza sativa L.) in low Cd-contaminated paddy soil to determine the optimal soil amendment that would reduce the accumulation of Cd in brown rice. GL (main component is alkaline residue), FG (main components are Si and Ca), and SH (main component is lime) were utilized as amendments. The remediation effects of the amendments on the soil and rice were investigated, and the potential mechanisms of reducing Cd availability to rice were analyzed. Amendment application significantly increased the soil pH value, reduced the DTPA-extractable Cd concentrations, and shifted Cd species from the exchangeable Cd fractions to the carbonate-bound, Fe-Mn oxides and residual fractions in paddy soil. For the plant, amendment application apparently increased the concentrations of Ca in rice plants, which could compete with Cd in root uptake. Besides, amendment application also effectively restricted the translocation of Cd from roots to shoots and consequently led to a notable decrease of Cd concentration in brown rice. These results demonstrated that the FG ameliorant could be effective in reducing Cd bioavailability and accumulation in rice grown on low Cd-contaminated paddy soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercritical fluid chromatography was used to resolve and determine ginkgolic acids (GAs) and terpene lactones concurrently in ginkgo plant materials and commercial dietary supplements. Analysis of GAs (C13:0, C15:0, C15:1, and C17:1) was carried out by ESI (−) mass detection. The ESI (−) spectra of GAs simply displayed only the [M-H] pseudo-molecular ions, and selected ion monitoring (SIM) for those ions was used for the quantification. Analysis of terpene lactones (ginkgolides A, B, C, J and bilobalide) was complicated by in-source collision-induced dissociation (IS-CID) in the ESI source. Thus, MS analysis could be influenced by the fragmentation pattern produced by the IS-CID. However, it was established that the fragmentation pattern, measured by ion survival yield (ISY), was independent of analyte concentration or matrix at a fixed cone voltage in the ESI source. Therefore, MS with SIM mode was applicable for the analysis of these analytes. The reported method provided consistent and sensitive analysis for the analytes of interest. The LOQs and LODs were determined to be below 100 and 40 ng/mL for GAs and 1 μg/mL and 400 ng/mL for terpene lactones, respectively. Intra- and inter-day precisions were found to be satisfactory with RSDs being below 5.2 %. Analyte recoveries ranged from 87 to 109 %. The developed method was successfully applied to the analysis of 11 ginkgo plant samples and 8 dietary supplements with an analysis time of less than 12 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracellular metal elements exist in mammalian cells with the concentration range from picomoles per litre to micromoles per litre and play a considerable role in various biological procedures. Element provided by different species can influence the availability and distribution of the element in a cell and could lead to different biological effects on the cell's growth and function. Zinc as an abundant and widely distributed essential trace element, is involved in numerous and relevant physiological functions. Zinc homeostasis in cells, which is regulated by metallothioneins, zinc transporter/SLC30A, Zrt-/Irt-like proteins/SLC39A and metal-response element-binding transcription factor-1 (MTF-1), is crucial for normal cellular functioning. In this study, we investigated the influences of different zinc species, zinc sulphate, zinc gluconate and bacitracin zinc, which represented inorganic, organic and biological zinc species, respectively, on cell cycle, viability and apoptosis in MDAMB231 cells. It was found that the responses of cell cycle, apoptosis and death to different zinc species in MDAMB231 cells are different. Western blot analysis of the expression of several key proteins in regulating zinc-related transcription, cell cycle, apoptosis, including MTF-1, cyclin B1, cyclin D1, caspase-8 and caspase-9 in treated cells further confirmed the observed results on cell level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new UHPLC-UV method has been developed for the simultaneous analysis of seven alkaloids [ajmaline ( 1), yohimbine ( 2), corynanthine ( 3), ajmalicine ( 4), serpentine ( 5), serpentinine ( 6), and reserpine ( 7)] from the root samples of Rauwolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz. The chromatographic separation was achieved using a reversed phase C column with a mobile phase of water and acetonitrile, both containing 0.05 % formic acid. The seven compounds were completely separated within 8 min at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min with a 2-μL injection volume. The method is validated for linearity, accuracy, repeatability, limits of detection (LOD), and limits of quantification (LOQ). Seven plant samples and 21 dietary supplements claiming to contain Rauwolfia roots were analyzed and content of total alkaloids ( 1- 7) varied, namely, 1.57-12.1 mg/g dry plant material and 0.0-4.5 mg/day, respectively. The results indicated that commercial products are of variable quality. The developed analytical method is simple, economic, fast, and suitable for quality control analysis of Rauwolfia samples and commercial products. The UHPLC-QToF-mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (ESI) interface method is described for the confirmation and characterization of alkaloids from plant samples. This method involved the detection of [M + H] or M ions in the positive mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginkgo biloba is one of the most widely sold herbal supplements and medicines in the world. Its popularity stems from having a positive effect on memory and the circulatory system in clinical studies. As ginkgo popularity increased, non-proprietary extracts were introduced claiming to have a similar phytochemical profile as the clinically tested extracts. The standardized commercial extracts of G. biloba leaf used in ginkgo supplements contain not less than 6 % sesquiterpene lactones and 24 % flavonol glycosides. While sesquiterpene lactones are unique constituents of ginkgo leaf, the flavonol glycosides are found in many other botanical extracts. Being a high value botanical, low quality ginkgo extracts may be subjected to adulteration with flavonoids to meet the requirement of 24 % flavonol glycosides. Chemical analysis by ultra high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed that adulteration of ginkgo leaf extracts in many of these products is common, the naturally flavonol glycoside-rich extract being spiked with pure flavonoids or extracts made from another flavonoid-rich material, such as the fruit/flower of Japanese sophora ( Styphnolobium japonicum), which also contains the isoflavone genistein. Recently, genistein has been proposed as an analytical marker for the detection of adulteration of ginkgo extracts with S. japonicum. This study confirms that botanically authenticated G. biloba leaf and extracts made therefrom do not contain genistein, and the presence of which even in trace amounts is suggestive of adulteration. In addition to the mass spectrometric approach, a high performance thin layer chromatography method was developed as a fast and economic method for chemical fingerprint analysis of ginkgo samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new lattice hydrodynamic model is proposed in two-lane traffic systems, considering multiple information of preceding cars. Multiple density difference and multiple flux difference effects are considered to improve traffic stability and reduce energy consumption. Stability condition is acquired by applying linear stability theory. Nonlinear analysis is conducted, the mKdV equation is derived, and the kink-antikink solution is obtained from the mKdV equation near the critical point. Numerical simulation validates theoretical analysis that the more information the drivers obtain, the smoother the traffic flow becomes, and the more the energy consumptions are reduced. Even it is found that considering only one preceding car with the combination of two types of information is better to improve traffic flow as well as save energy than considering three cars ahead with single type of information. This signifies that multiple density difference and multiple flux difference can enlarge the stable region and suppress traffic congestion as well as save energy effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation is particularly strong in huge hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, it is unclear whether the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), as an inflammatory-related marker, can predict survival of patients with huge HCC. In this study, we enrolled 291 patients with huge HCC (diameter over 10 cm) who were undergoing repeated transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) at our institute. The baseline PLR was calculated from complete serum blood counts before the first chemoembolization. We found that a baseline PLR cutoff value over 150 best predicted huge HCC survival. The 12, 24, and 36 months survival rates in the high PLR group (22.6, 8.1, and 4.1 %, respectively) were significantly lower than in the low PLR group (35.6, 22.4, and 14 %, respectively). Thus, a significant difference was found in overall survival (log-rank test, p < 0.0001). Univariate analyses indicated a high PLR ( p < 0.0001) was predictor of poor survival, and multivariate Cox analyses further showed that a high PLR ( p = 0.002) was an independent factor that predicted worse survival. In conclusion, for patients with huge HCC, a high baseline PLR is a useful predictor of poor survival in patients undergoing chemoembolization. Additional anti-inflammatory or anti-platelet treatments, in combination with TACE, may improve survival in HCC patients with high PLR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been used as a curative therapy for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, relatively little is known about the long-term outcome of RFA for small HCC in a background of hepatitis B infection, which is common among the Chinese population. Between May 2001 and May 2012, 837 patients with HCC nodules ≤3 cm treated with RFA were enrolled in this study. We evaluated long-term survival rates, local tumor progression rates, complications and the prognostic factors. Among 1020 tumor nodules in 837 patients, complete ablation was achieved in 98.8 % (1008/1020) and the 1-, 3-,5-, and 10-year overall survival rates were 91, 71, 54, and 33 %, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that tumor number [ P = 0.003, hazard ratio (HR) 1.523, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.158-2.004], Child-Pugh grade ( P = 0.001, HR 3.089, 95 % CI 2.238-4.266), and serum-glutamyltranspeptidase level ( P = 0.002, HR 1.576, 95 % CI 1.251-1.985) were independent predictors of overall survival. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year recurrence-free survival rates were 74, 44, 30, and 15 %, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that serum α-fetoprotein level ( P = 0.041, HR 1.249, 95 % CI 1.028-1.517) and tumor number ( P = 0002, HR 1.449, 95 % CI 1.143-1.836) were independent predictors of recurrence-free survival. There were no procedure-related patient deaths and major complications occurred in 0.59 % (5/837) of patients. RFA achieved comparable long-term overall survival rates to those of surgical resection with fewer major complications and could therefore be considered as an alternative option for curative treatment of patients with small liver cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new lattice model by considering the multiple density difference effect in the two-lane traffic systems. We derive the stability condition and the mKdV equation near the critical point by the linear and nonlinear analysis, respectively. The results of the theoretical analysis manifest that the stable region is enlarged and traffic congestion is suppressed. Also, energy consumption and traffic emission are analyzed and are reduced by multiple density difference effect. The reason is that with considering more vehicles, more comprehensive information could be obtained for drivers to increase speed. This will be helpful to enhance the stability and reduce energy consumption as well as traffic emission. Numerical simulations validate theoretical analysis. We also discover that multiple density difference effect of three sites ahead is enough to improve traffic flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is the most common bacterium in sepsis and pneumonia involving gram-positive bacteria. Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is a cell wall component of gram-positive bacteria. It is a potent inducer of inflammatory mediators in human dendritic cells, human pulmonary epithelial cells, and murine macrophages. However, the effect of LTA on human alveolar macrophages (AMs) which are the major effector cells in host defense against respiratory tract infections has hardly been studied. Statins have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidative, anticoagulant, and antibacterial activities. These effects may be contributed to reduce the markers of systemic inflammation. Emerging retrospective studies have demonstrated that statin use decreased the mortality of pneumonia. However, the precise mechanisms responsible for these effects are unclear. The purpose of this study is to define the role of S. aureus LTA in human AMs and the effects of simvastatin (SV) on LTA-stimulated human AMs. The results showed that LTA induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), IL-8 mRNA expression, and suppressed IL-10 mRNA expression in human AMs. Simultaneously, LTA induced human AMs apoptosis. These effects were parallel with the up-regulation of the expression of NF-κB-P65 protein in the LTA-stimulated human AMs. The above effects of LTA on human AMs were inhibited significantly by SV. These data indicate that S. aureus LTA induces potent pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic effects on human AMs and statins exert anti-inflammatory effects by mediating inhibition of NF-κB activation and cytokine mRNA expression in human AMs. These results may explain, in part, the mechanisms responsible for favorable effects of statins on pneumonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solubility of hexamethylene bis(methylcarbamate) in water, dimethylcarbonate, ethanol, ethyl acetate and toluene was measured using a dynamic method at temperatures ranging from 293.15 to 333.15 K. A laser detecting system was used to monitor the disappearance of solid hexamethylene bis(methylcarbamate) in a solid + liquid mixture. The effects of solvents and temperature on the solubility of hexamethylene bis(methylcarbamate) are discussed. The solubility data of hexamethylene bis(methylcarbamate) were fitted using Apelblat's semi-empirical equation. The dissolution enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs energy of hexamethylene bis(methylcarbamate) were calculated using the van't Hoff equation and the Gibbs equation. The results show that Apelblat's semi-empirical equation well correlated the solubility data. The dissolution process is endothermic, entropy driven and non-spontaneous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cooperativity effects between the O/N–H∙∙∙F – anionic hydrogen-bonding and O/N–H∙∙∙O hydrogen-bonding interactions and electrostatic potentials in the 1:2 (F –:N-(Hydroxymethyl)acetamide (signed as “ha”)) ternary systems are investigated at the B3LYP/6-311++G** and MP2/6-311++G** levels. A comparison of the cooperativity effect in the “F –∙∙∙ha∙∙∙ha” and “FH∙∙∙ha –∙∙∙ha” systems is also carried out. The result shows that the increase of the H∙∙∙O interaction energy in the O–H∙∙∙O–H, N–H∙∙∙O–H or N–H∙∙∙O = C link is more notable than that in the O–H∙∙∙O = C contact upon ternary-system formation. The cooperativity effect is found in the complex formed by the O/N–H∙∙∙F – and O/N–H∙∙∙O interactions, while the anti-cooperativity effect is present in the system with only the O/N–H∙∙∙F – H-bond or the “FH∙∙∙ha –∙∙∙ha” complex by the N –∙∙∙H–F contact. Atoms in molecules (AIM) analysis and shift of electron density confirm the existence of cooperativity. The most negative surface electrostatic potential ( VS,min) correlates well with the interaction energy E′ int.(ha∙∙∙F–) and synergetic energy Esyn., respectively. The relationship between the change of VS,min (i.e., Δ VS,min) and Esyn. is also found. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a non-toxic metal to humans, zinc is essential for cell proliferation, differentiation, regulation of DNA synthesis, genomic stability and mitosis. Zinc homeostasis in cells, which is crucial for normal cellular functioning, is maintained by various protein families including ZnT (zinc transporter/SLC30A) and ZIP (Zrt-, Irt-like proteins/SLC39A) that decrease and increase cytosolic zinc availability, respectively. In this study, we investigated the influences of a specific concentration range of ZnSO on cell cycle and apoptosis by flow cytometry, and cell viability by MTT method in MDAMB231, HepG2 and 293 T cell lines. Fluorescent sensors NBD-TPEA and the counterstain for nuclei Hoechst 33342 were used to stain the treated cells for observing the localisation and amount of Zn via laser scanning confocal microscope. It was found that the influence manners of ZnSO on cell cycle, apoptosis and cell viability in various cell lines were different and corresponding to the changes of Zn content of the three cell lines, respectively. The significant increase on intracelluar zinc content of MDAMB231 cells resulted in cell death, G1 and G2/M cell cycle arrest and increased apoptotic fraction. Additionally, the mRNA expression levels of ZnT and ZIP families in the three cell lines, when treated with high concentration of ZnSO, increased and decreased corresponding to their functions, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comparative study of anatomy of leaves, stems and roots of three species of Plumbago, namely P. auriculata Lam., P. indica L. and P. zeylanica L. by light microscopy. The paper also provides qualitative and quantitative analysis of the naphthoquinone, plumbagin-a major constituent present in these species-using UPLC-UV. Microscopic examinations revealed the presence of distinctive differences in the anatomical features of the leaf, stem and root of the three species, and these can thus be used for identification and authentication of these species. UPLC-UV analysis showed the highest concentration of plumbagin in the roots of P. zeylanica (1.62 % w/w) followed by the roots of P. indica (0.97 % w/w) and then P. auriculata (0.33-0.53 % w/w). In contrast, plumbagin was not detected in the stems and leaves of P. indica and in the leaves of P. auriculata, whereas very low concentrations (<0.02 % w/w) of plumbagin were detected in the stems and leaves of P. zeylanica and in the stems of P. auriculata. HPTLC fingerprints of the leaf and root of the three species exhibited distinguishable profiles, while those of the stems were undifferentiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yohimbine is the major alkaloid found in the stem bark of yohimbe, Pausinystalia johimbe (Rubiaceae), an evergreen tree native to Africa. The objectives of the current study were to provide a detailed anatomy of yohimbe bark, as well as to determine the quantity of yohimbine in the raw yohimbe products sold online. Twelve commercial raw materials of yohimbe were analyzed by microscopic and ultra performance liquid chromatography-UV-MS methods. The study revealed that three samples were probably adulterated and four other samples contained various levels of impurities. Yohimbine was not detected in one sample, whereas its presence in other samples was found to be in the range 0.1-0.91%. The present work also provides a detailed anatomy of the stem bark of yohimbe, with light and scanning electron microscopy images, for proper identification and authentication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by oxidative and nitrosative stress and neutrophil infiltration. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of ginsenoside Rd (GRd) in rats with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced recurrent UC. After UC was twice-induced by intracolonic injection of TNBS, rats were intragastrically administered different doses of GRd per day for 7 days. The colonic lesions and inflammation were evaluated both histologically and biochemically. Compared with the TNBS group, GRd treatment facilitated recovery of pathologic changes in the colon after induction of recurrent UC, as evidenced by a significant reduction of colonic weight/length ratio and macroscopic and microscopic damage scores ( p < 0.01). The myeloperoxidase and inducible nitric oxide synthase activities with malonyldialdehyde and nitric oxide levels in colonic tissues were significantly decreased in the GRd group compared with those in the TNBS group ( p < 0.01). GRd treatment was associated with remarkably increased superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities. Results showed a valuable effect of GRd against TNBS-induced recurrent UC by inhibiting neutrophil infiltration and promoting the antioxidant capacity of the damaged colonic tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COX-2 induces the proliferation and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma. In the present study, the role of the COX-2 gene in the tongue cancer cell proliferation and invasion was investigated. A short hairpin RNA (shRNA)method was used to knock down COX-2 gene expression and investigate the relationship between COX-2 and VEGF-C, and the role of the COX-2 gene for proliferation and invasion was also investigated in the tongue cancer cell Tca8113. COX-2 gene overexpressed in tongue cancer cell line. Suppressing the expression of COX-2 by shRNA could decrease cell proliferation comparing with control shRNA. Nevertheless, depressing COX-2 gene expression by shRNA reduced VEGF-C expression on both mRNA and protein levels. VEGF-C gene expression could be regulated by COX-2 gene. Our results suggested that COX-2 played essential roles in the proliferation and metastasis of tongue cancer, and COX-2 could serve as a potential chemotherapy target for tongue cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

method based on elemental analyser-isotope ratio mass spectrometer (EA-IRMS) was developed for the identification of the geographical origins of Schisandra fruits which are used as traditional Chinese medicines and important food materials. A total of 96 authentic samples from seven provinces in China were collected and subjected to stable carbon isotope ratio analysis (SCIRA), and the results showed that there were significant differences between the mean δC values of samples from different origins. By using single analyte δC, the Schisandra fruits from northeast China and south China could potentially be discriminated. A follow-up study will combine trace elements with stable isotope ratios to analyse a larger set of samples, to confirm the discrimination capability of C and to enhance the discrimination between close geographical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple and specific analytical methods for the quantitative determination of sesquiterpenoids from various species of Artemisia plant samples were developed. By LC–UV, LC–ELSD, the separation was achieved by reversed-phase chromatography on a C18 column with water and acetonitrile both containing 0.025% trifluoroacetic acid as the mobile phase. In the LC–MS system, trifluoroacetic acid was replaced by 0.1% formic acid. The wavelength used for quantification of sesquiterpenoids with a diode array detector was 205 nm. The limits of detection by LC–MS was found to be 5, 10, 25, 50, 50 ng mL−1. The limits of detection by LC–UV and LC–ELSD were found to be 5.0, 3.0, 100, 100, 7.5 μg mL−1, by LC–UV and 50, 25, 30, 100 and 75 μg mL−1 by LC–ELSD. LC–mass spectrometry coupled with electrospray ionization (ESI) interface is described for the identification and quantification of sesquiterpenoids in various plant samples. This method involved the use of the [M + H]+ ions of sesquiterpenoids in the positive ion mode with extractive ion monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and specific analytical method for the quantitative determination of shikimic acid from the methanol extract of the fruits of Illicium species and from various plant samples was developed. The LC–UV separation was achieved by reversed-phase chromatography on a C18 column with potassium dihydrogen phosphate and methanol as the mobile phase. In the LC–MS method, the separation was achieved by a C12 column using water and acetonitrile, both containing 0.1% acetic acid as the mobile phase. The methods were successfully used to study the percentage compositions of shikimic acid present in nine species of Illicium and various other plant samples. The detector response was linear with concentrations of shikimic acid in the range from 1.0–500.0 μg mL−1 by LC–UV and 100–1000 ng mL−1 by LC–MS. Mass spectrometry coupled with electrospray ionization interface is described for the identification of shikimic acid in various plant samples. This method involved the use of the [M-H]− ions of shikimic acid at m/z 173.0455 (calculated mass) in the negative ion mode with extractive ion monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

总结项丛刺法在椎动脉型颈椎病治疗中的作用。 将2001 年至2004 年 间收治的椎动脉型颈椎病的患者随机分为单纯药物治疗的对照组50 例与药物治疗加以项丛刺的针药组50 例进行治疗。 与对照组相比, 针药组的临床治愈率明显提高 ( P<0.05)。 在椎动脉型颈椎病的治疗上药物治疗配合项丛刺治疗可明显提高疗效。 To summarize the efficacy of nape multiple acupuncture for treating vertebral artery type of cervical spondylosis. Patients with vertebral artery type of cervical spondylosis who visited from 2001 to 2004 were randomly divided into a control group of 50 cases receiving simple medication and an acupuncture plus medication group of 50 cases receiving medication plus nape multiples acupuncture. Compared with the control group, the clinical cure rate was significantly increased in the acupuncture plus medication group ( P<0.05). Medication plus nape multiple acupuncture can obviously improve the therapeutic effect on vertebral artery type of cervical spondylosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In weed management, using native parasites to control exotic weeds is considered a better alternative than classical biological control. But the risk must be assessed because of the potential damage caused by these agents. We conducted this project to investigate the mechanism driving the choice of a native obligate parasite, Cuscuta australis, between the exotic, Humulus scandens, and native plants as its host through field and pot experiments. The results showed that C. australis preferred the exotic weed over native (naturalized) hosts and caused a notable reduction in the biomass of H. scandens in the field. In contrast, the results of the pot experimentindicated that C. australis preferred a mix of native (naturalized) hosts over the exotic weed. Both texperiments indicated that the parasitic preference of C. australis was induced more by light irradiance than plant water, carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents, indicating that the native parasite can only be used to control H. scandens when the exotic weed forms mono-cultures or dominates the community. Accordingly, induction and release of C. australis to control H. scandens should be conducted with great caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]