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Electrical engineering and electronics is a professional basic course that is just involved for students. It has many teaching contents and is difficult to learn. Moreover, the course develops rapidly and is widely used. In the teaching process, it shows strong conceptuality, many theories, and flexible circuit changes. It is difficult to understand, difficult to remember and difficult to learn. The traditional teaching model can no longer meet the demand, and the teaching model needs to be reformed urgently. This article takes the design of a digital electronic clock that is closely connected to real life as the subject task. The teacher puts forward the requirements. By training students to consult materials, discuss with classmates, design circuits, error correction and rectification, and simulation, the learning process is deepened. The knowledge and understanding of the theoretical knowledge of the circuit part have tested the students’ ability to apply what they have learned in the classroom to practice, which has improved the students’ interest in learning and the ability to think independently, laying a good foundation for cultivating students’ ability to learn for life.

Engineering education model of CDIO is the latest achievement of international engineering education reform. CDIO focus on cultivating the engineering consciousness of the students.It is a major challenge to achieve the complete class teching in so less class hour casued by the adujusting of the professional talent cultivating plan. This paper introduces education reform of electrical engineering and electronics based on CDIO. It takes the three-person answering circuit as an example to design the teaching mode of CDIO.

Power factor depends on the circuit parameters. Too low power factor will cause a series of problems, so it is important for the development of the national economy to improve the power factor of the power grid. In this paper, the method of improving power factor is designed and verified by Multisim simulation software. It will be great help to understand the method and significance of improving power factor.

Objective NOD-like receptor family caspase recruitment domain family domain-containing 5 (NLRC5) is involved in the development of cancer. Our objective was to explore the role of NLRC5 in the progression of endometrial cancer (EC). Methods The roles of NLRC5 in migration and invasion of AN3CA EC cells were examined by cell wound-healing assay, Transwell migration, and invasion analysis. Overexpression of NLRC5 was achieved with NLRC5 plasmid, and knockdown of NLRC5 was achieved using small interfering (si)RNA-NLRC5 in AN3CA cells. The expression of NLRC5 was detected by immunohistochemical, western blot, and quantitative real-time PCR. LY294002 was used to inhibit the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway. Results NLRC5 was downregulated in EC tissue compared with normal endometrium. Overexpression of NLRC5 led to upregulation of cell migration and invasion in AN3CA cells and expression of matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-9. Inhibition of NLRC5 restricted migration and invasion of AN3CA cells and expression of MMP9. Overexpression of NLRC5 promoted the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Inhibiting PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by using LY294002 blocked the positive role of NLRC5 in migration and invasion of AN3CA cells and expression of MMP9. Conclusions These results demonstrate that NLRC5 promotes EC progression by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Postharvest ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation can modulate the accumulation of bioactive compounds with many pharmacological effects in plants. Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) is a UV-B tolerant crop which has a high medical value. The effects of UV-B on bioactive compounds in its flowers have been reported, while very few studies focused on the leaves and stems. Therefore, the effects of postharvest UV-B radiation on basic physiological traits and bioactive compounds (polysaccharides and secondary metabolites) in the leaves, stems and flowers of honeysuckle were investigated in this study. In this study, the leaves, stems and flowers of honeysuckle were exposed to UV-B radiation (0, 8.4 and 22.4 μW cm−2) for different times (2, 4, 6 and 8 h), and variables were detected after 24 h after they were able to get a repair time. The results showed that the contents of chlorophyll, carotenoid, soluble sugar, and the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in postharvest leaves were increased after UV-B treatment. But the malonaldehyde (MDA) content in leaves decreased when the duration of UV-B treatment lasted for 4 h. Besides, the contents of polysaccharide, total polyphenols, total flavonoid, and chlorogenic acid in different organs all increased significantly and reached a peak under the UV-B1 (8.4μW cm−2) treatment for 2 h, whereas they reached the lowest point under the 6 h of UV-B2 (22.4μW cm−2) exposure according to the heat map analysis. Interestingly, the Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the total flavonoid content was positively correlated with the chlorogenic acid content in the flowers of honeysuckle, and the total flavonoid content was negatively correlated with the contents of chlorophyll, CAT and carotenoid in plant leaves. In a word, the secondary metabolites and polysaccharide of honeysuckle can be increased by postharvest UV-B, and the quality can be improved by adjusting its physiological traits. In addition, the content of bioactive substances is correlated with the physiological traits. The results will provide a basis for improving the medicinal values of honeysuckle by postharvest UV-B treatment.

Aim The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Illness Perception Questionnaire–Revised (IPQ-R) in patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Methods A total of 256 patients with SUI and 76 patients with myoma of the uterus were recruited to complete the Chinese IPQ-R. For the reliability, the key tests included Cronbach's α coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficients. For the validity, the key tests included factor analysis, Spearman's correlation coefficient, and the Student's t-test. Results Cronbach's α values ranged from 0.68 to 0.90 for each subscale and the intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.80 to 0.94. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed that the seven-factor structure as proposed by the original IPQ-R fit the data poorly. Although removal of three items improved the model's fit, the goodness-of-fit statistics were still below acceptable standards. We identified an acceptable seven-factor solution from the 38 items on Illness Beliefs using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), which accounted for 68.12% of the variance. For the concurrent validity, Consequences and Emotional Representation both had good correlations with anxiety and depression (r = 0.52–0.62) and better quality of life (r = 0.58–0.73). The inter-correlation coefficient of the seven factors ranged from 0.05 to 0.59, suggesting acceptable discriminant validity. There were significant differences on the scale scores of Disease Identity (t = 9.39, P

Pd-Catalyzed denitrogenative functionalizations of benzotriazoles with alkenes and 1,3-dienes have been developed, which enable the rapid access of diverse ortho-amino styrenes and 2-vinylindolines, respectively. This study shows the great potential of benzotriazoles as a [1C]-synthon in cross-coupling reactions and an aza-[3C]-synthon in cycloaddition reactions.

Dendrobium moniliforme (Dendrobium moniliforme (L.) Sw.) is a drought-tolerant crop, and it is a precious herbal and widely used as health care medicine and food around Asia. Drought stress can affect the growth and secondary metabolites of plants, thus, the current study was performed to investigate the changes on basic physiological processes and accumulation of secondary metabolite by drought and re-water in dendrobium moniliforme. Dendrobium moniliforme was grown in four kinds of drought intensity and was exposed for 20 days, then gave it a re-water operation in different stages (day 0,5,10,15,20). Results indicated that the leaf water content was significantly decreased under drought stress, and it was increased under the mild and moderate drought stress upon re-watering. And the carotenoids content was increased the most under severe drought stress, the total chlorophyll content at the early stage was increased under drought stress. The CAT (catalase) activity was decreased significantly and it was increased upon re-watering at the early stage of the drought stress. However, it did increase the polysaccharide, flavonoids, and alkaloids contents in stems. Additionally, POD (peroxidase) activity and MDA (Malondialdehyde) content were significantly increased in leaves of dendrobium moniliforme under some treatments. These results demonstrate that dendrobium moniliforme can adapt to the drought stress by changing the physiology, and the secondary metabolites were improved under drought stress or re-watering.

Autophagy is a conserved cellular self-digestion pathway for maintenance of homeostasis under basal and stressed conditions. Autophagy plays pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of many diseases, such as aging-related diseases, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers. Of special note is that accumulating data suggest an intimate relationship between autophagy and ovarian carcinoma. Autophagy is well identified to act as either as a tumor-suppressor or as a tumor-promoter in ovarian carcinoma. The exact function of autophagy in ovarian carcinoma is highly dependent on the circumstances of cancer including hypoxic, nutrient-deficient, chemotherapy and so on. However, the mechanism underlying autophagy associated with ovarian carcinoma remains elusive, the precise role of autophagy in ovarian carcinoma also remains undetermined. In this review, we tried to sum up and discuss recent research achievements of autophagy in ovarian cancer. Moreover, waves of novel therapies ways for ovarian carcinoma based on the functions of autophagy were collected.

In Ordos Basin, gas exploration practice indicated that the spatial distribution of Ordovician paleotrough played an important role in gas reservoirs quality. In order to optimize exploration target, the paleotrough distribution was studied by fractal theory. There are three procedures in practical operation. Firstly, the relationship between reservoir quality and paleotrough distribution was analyzed. Secondly, the fractal distribution of paleotrough was proved by mathematical method; moreover, the mechanism of fractal distribution was discussed from the views of the tectonic background and geologic agent. Based on the above study, exploration potential was finally targeted with the consideration of paleotrough effects and geological settings. The results showed that reservoir physical property was strongly promoted by the fractal distributed paleotrough, and south Yulin is a favorable target area owing to its advantage for paleotrough fractal development and good gas accumulation background. Combining fractal theory of modern mathematics with gas exploration practice, the study provided a quantitative method for paleotrough description and also provided a new perspective in natural gas exploration.

In order to improve the hydrophilicity and immune activity of the polysaccharide from Dendrobium nobile Lindl., non-thermal plasma was used to treat the polysaccharide. It was found that the hydrophilicity of the polysaccharide plasma-treated was significantly enhanced. Infrared spectra showed that the content of OH in the molecule increased significantly, and the monosaccharide ring changed from β-pyran sugar to β-furan sugar. The detection of SEM, AFM and TEM showed that the degree of cross-linking of surface molecules increased, and the arrangement of the polysaccharide was more compact and orderly. In vitro cell tests showed that the polysaccharide plasma-treated significantly improve the phagocytosis ability of RAW264.7, and promote the secretion of cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1. However, the cell proliferation test indicated that the polysaccharide did not increase the concentration of cytokines by promoting cell proliferation. RT-PCR showed that the polysaccharide plasma-treated could promote the expression of IL-1β at the transcriptional level. These results showed that non-thermal plasma treatment can effectively enhance the hydrophilicity of the polysaccharide and enhance its immune activity in vitro. Therefore, it can be inferred that the non-thermal plasma technology can be applied to the modification of active polysaccharides and will promote active polysaccharides to work better.

Guided by our biosynthetic hypothesis, pericoannosins C-F, four new PKS-NRPS hybrid metabolites, were discovered from the endophytic fungus Periconia sp. F-31. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic data and electronic circular dichroism analyses. Preliminary biological evaluation revealed that pericoannosins C-D exhibited anti-HIV activities with IC50 values of 15.5 and 13.5 μM. Furthermore, the bioinspired syntheses of pericoannosins C-E have also been completed with high efficiency.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific disorder characterized by the onset of hypertension and proteinuria with onset after the 20th week of gestation. The pathogenesis of PE is attributed to increased trophoblast cell death and poor trophoblast migration/invasiveness. This study investigates the function of microRNA-23a (miR-23a) in PE and its effects on migration and invasion of trophoblast cells HTR-8/SVneo. We found higher expression of miR-23a in placental tissue samples from PE pregnant women compared to samples from normal pregnant women. Enhancing miR-23a expression by its specific mimic reduced HTR-8/SVneo cell migration and invasion and increased HTR-8/SVneo cell apoptosis. The dual-luciferase reporter gene assay revealed miR-23a binding with HDAC2. We found that HDAC2 was poorly expressed in placental tissue samples from PE pregnant women, and its expression correlated inversely with miR-23a expression. HTR-8/SVneo cells showed diminished HDAC2 expression upon miR-23a elevation and increased HDAC2 expression upon miR-23a inhibition. Lentivirus-mediated HDAC2 knockdown mimicked the effects of miR-23a on HTR-8/SVneo cells and led to NF-κB activation. Similarly, HDAC2 overexpression and NF-κB inhibition both abrogated the effects of miR-23a on HTR-8/SVneo cells, suggesting that miR-23a reduced HTR-8/SVneo cell migration and invasion and increased HTR-8/SVneo cell apoptosis by HDAC2 inhibition and NF-κB activation. In summary, these results support a novel role of miR-23b in invasion and apoptosis of trophoblast cells, and imply that targeting miR-23b may be a new avenue for treating PE.

Endometriosis is a common gynecologic disease defined as the presence of ectopic endometrial tissues on the ovaries and pelvic peritoneum, and it is a significant cause of pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea and infertility of women in their reproductive age. However, the etiology of endometriosis remains obscure. In recent years, a growing body of evidence validated that hypoxia developed a close relationship with endometriosis and the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α) was increased significantly in the development of endometriosis. Furthermore, inhibiting the expression of HIF-1α contributed to suppress endometriosis progression, suggesting HIF-1α plays a critical function in endometriosis. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which HIF-1α associates with endometriosis are still undefined. In this brief review, we had a general understanding of HIF-1α firstly, and then we tried to sum up the collective knowledge of HIF-1α in endometriosis. Finally, we will discuss kinds of novel therapeutic approaches to endometriosis based on the functions of HIF-1α.

After the completion of fracturing construction in unconventional oil and gas fields, the phenomenon of water hammer oscillation in the process of pump stopping during fracturing construction will lead to the inaccuracy of reflecting the trend of pressure transformation and increase the difficulty of fracturing effect evaluation in the process of fracturing construction. Therefore, three filtering methods, Savitzky-Golay filter, FFT filter and wavelet transform filter, are used to calibrate the measured pressure in this paper It is found that the method of wavelet transform can achieve the most ideal effect by comparing with the measured data. The field example of well X1 in Ordos Basin proves that the method of wavelet transform can accurately reflect the trend of pressure transformation. This method is of great significance to improve the evaluation of post pressure effect in the process of fracturing construction.

Background: Previous studies have revealed that edible fungi are rich in polysaccharides, which typically have strong biological activity. Pholiota nameko is one of the main cultivated edible fungi and an important economic crop. Objectives: In order to screen a polysaccharide with antioxidant activity from Pholiota nameko. Methods and Materials: A water-soluble acidic P. nameko polysaccharide (PNP) was found from extraction with alkaline water. After purification by chromatography, the structural features of PNP were analyzed by chromatographic, spectral, & nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic analyses and the content of sulfate & uronic acid in PNP was determined concurrently. Results: The content of sulfate and uronic acid was 1.756 and 7.173 w/w, respectively. The molecular weight of PNP was 1.05 × 106 Da by gel permeation chromatography. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and NMR spectra displayed that the following sugar chains might be present in PNP: β-1,4-D-Manp, →4)-β-D-Manp-(1→, β-1,3-D-Glcp, β-D-Xylp-(1→. Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant activity showed that PNP had a strong scavenging ability to scavenge ABTS+, hydroxyl, and superoxide anion radicals. The results of our in vivo experiments exposed that PNP might significantly lessen the formation of malondialdehyde. High levels of PNP can meaningfully increase the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase activity in mice serum. In addition, PNP can significantly increase the activity of GSH-Px, effectively protect the structure and function of the cell membrane. Conclusion: PNP has antioxidant effect and can be explored as a potential antioxidant.

To comprehensively evaluate the clinical efficacy of hemoperfusion (HP) combined with continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH) on acute paraquat poisoning (APP).Literatures of Chinese and English randomized controlled trials (RCTs), case control and cohort study on HP combined with CVVH in the treatment of APP from the PubMed, Embase, Wanfang, and CNKI up to November 2017 were enrolled (the subjects were16 years old). The obtained literatures were strictly screened and evaluated in quality, and data such as mortality, the life time of dead patients, inefficiency rate, incidence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were extracted. Meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 5.3.Twenty-one studies were included with 2 222 subjects, among whom 976 subjects were in HP combined with CVVH group (experimental group) and 1 246 subjects in HP group (control group). Compared with control group, the mortality in experimental group were significantly decreased [43.77% (362/827) vs. 55.26% (604/1 093), odds ratio (OR) = 0.68, 95% confidential interval (95%CI) = 0.56-0.82, P = 0.000 1], the life time of death patients was significantly prolonged [mean difference (MD) = 4.63, 95%CI = 2.60-6.66, P0.000 01], incidence of MODS [25.93% (70/270) vs. 55.36% (155/280), OR = 0.26, 95%CI = 0.14-0.49, P0.000 1], and incidence of ARDS [30.37% (82/270) vs. 51.07% (143/280), OR = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.30-0.61, P0.000 01], and inefficiency rate [8.72% (13/149) vs. 34.64% (53/153), OR = 0.17, 95%CI = 0.09-0.34, P0.000 01] were significantly reduced. Funnel chart showed that except the publication bias of mortality rate, there were less publication bias about other indicators among studies.HP combined with CVVH can significantly reduce the mortality of patients with APP compared with HP alone on the whole, prolong the life time and reduce the occurrence of MODS and ARDS, thus improving the treatment efficiency.

According to many information management systems' generating PDF report problems, this paper proposes a solution based on JAVA and designs the PDF report automatic generation system. It combines of Freemarker and some open source JAVA libraries, realizing to efficiently generating PDF report through templates and data filling, and it uses PDFBox to solve the problem of the pages of report directory. It removes the repeated work and greatly reduces the development cost.

A polysaccharide DOTP-80 from Dioscorea opposita Thunb was obtained by using the method of acid water-extraction and ethanol-precipitation. After being purified by chromatography, the structure characteristics of DOTP-80 were established. Based on the calibration curve obtained with standard dextrans, the molecular weight of the polysaccharide fraction DOTP-80 was calculated to be 123 kDa. The results of Infrared spectrum (FT-IR) indicated that the polysaccharide contained the α-configuration of sugar units. GC-MS analysis revealed that DOTP-80 was mainly composed of mannose and glucose. Alloxan-induced diabetic rats and mice models were developed to evaluate the in vivo hypoglycemic activity of the polysaccharide. The results indicated that a high dose DOTP-80 (400 mg/kg) had strong hypoglycemic activity. Moreover, DOTP-80 could increase the level of antioxidant enzymes (SOD) activity in alloxan-induced diabetic mice and stimulate an increase in glucose disposal in diabetic rats. Therefore, the polysaccharide DOTP-80 should be evaluated as a candidate for future studies on diabetes mellitus.

Cannabinoids are promising therapies to support neurogenesis and decelerate disease progression in neuroinflammatory and degenerative disorders. Whether neuroprotective effects of cannabinoids are sustainable during persistent viral infection of the CNS is not known. Using a rodent model of chronic viral encephalitis based on Borna Disease (BD) virus, in which 1 week treatment with the general cannabinoid WIN 55,212-2 has been shown to be neuroprotective ( Solbrig et al., 2010 ), we examine longer term (2 week treatment) effects of a general (CB1 and CB2) cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 (1 mg/kg ip twice per day) or a specific (CB2) cannabinoid receptor agonist HU-308 (5 mg/kg ip once daily) on histopathology, measures of frontostriatal neurogenesis and gliogenesis, and viral load. We find that WIN and HU-308 differ in their ability to protect new BrdU+ cells. The selective CB2 agonist HU increases BrdU+ cells in prefrontal cortex (PFC), significantly increases BrdU+ cells in striatum, differentially regulates polydendrocytes vs. microglia/macrophages, and reduces immune activation at a time WIN-treated rats appear tolerant to the anti-inflammatory effect of their cannabinoid treatment. WIN and HU had little direct viral effect in PFC and striatum, yet reduced viral signal in hippocampus. Thus, HU-308 action on CB2 receptors, receptors known to be renewed during microglia proliferation and action, is a nontolerizing mechanism of controlling CNS inflammation during viral encephalitis by reducing microglia activation, as well as partially limiting viral infection, and uses a nonpsychotropic cannabinoid agonist.

Objective: In order to investigate the antioxidant activities of polysaccharides (BPL-1 and BPL-2), one of the most important functional constituents in Brasenia schreberi was isolated from the external mucilage of B. schreberi (BPL-1) and the plant in vivo (BPL-2). This paper examines the relationship between the content of sulfuric radicals and uronic acid in BPL and the antioxidant activity of BPL. Materials and Methods: The free radicals, 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+) and 1,1-diphnyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH-), were used to determine the antioxidant activity of BPL. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy of BPL-1 and BPL-2 revealed typical characteristics of polysaccharides. Results: The two sample types had different contents. This was proved by their different adsorption peak intensities. The IC50 values of BPL-1 (31.189 mg/ml) and BPL-2 (1.863 mg/ml) showed significant DPPH radical scavenging activity. Based on the quantification of ABTS radical scavenging, the IC50 value of BPL-1 (5.460 mg/ml) was higher than that of BPL-2 (0.239 mg/ml). Therefore, in terms of the reducing power, the IC50 value of BPL-1 was too high to determine, and the IC50 value of BPL-2 was found to be 50.557 mg/ml. Hence, the antioxidant activity and total reducing power were high, and they were greater in BPL-2 than in BPL-1. In addition, BPL-2 was found to have more sulfuric radicals and uronic acid than BPL-1. Conclusion: The contents of sulfuric radicals and uronic acid are significantly correlated to the antioxidant activity and reducing power of BPL; the more sulfuric radicals and uronic acid, the more antioxidant activity and reducing power BPL has. SUMMARY The water-soluble crude polysaccharides obtained from the external mucilage and the Brasenia schreberi plant in vivo were confirmed to have high contents of sulfuric radicals and uronic acid Both BPL-1 and BPL-2 exhibited antioxidative activity and reducing power, and their antioxidative activity gradually improved with increasing concentrations The content of sulfuric radicals and uronic acid in BPL-1 and BPL-2 might explain their high antioxidant activity. Abbreviations used: BPL-1:Polysaccharide were isolated from the external mucilage of B. Schreberi ; BPL-2: Polysaccharide were isolated from the plant in vivo of B. schreberi ; BPL:Polysaccharide were isolated from B. Schreberi .

The role of IL-17A is important in protection against lung infection with Chlamydiae, an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen. In this study, we explored the producers of IL-17A in chlamydial lung infection and specifically tested the role of major IL-17A producers in protective immunity. We found that γδT cells and Th17 cells are the major producers of IL-17A at the early and later stages of chlamydial infection, respectively. Depletion of γδT cells in vivo at the early postinfection (p.i.) stage, when most γδT cells produce IL-17A, failed to alter Th1 responses and bacterial clearance. In contrast, the blockade of IL-17A at the time when IL-17A was mainly produced by Th17 (day 7 p.i.) markedly reduced the Th1 response and increased chlamydial growth. The data suggest that the γδ T cell is the highest producer of IL-17A in the very early stages of infection, but the protection conferred by IL-17A is mainly mediated by Th17 cells. In addition, we found that depletion of γδ T cells reduced IL-1α production by dendritic cells, which was associated with a reduced Th17 response. This finding is helpful to understand the variable role of IL-17A in different infections and to develop preventive and therapeutic approaches against infectious diseases by targeting IL-17A.

A water-soluble polysaccharide (BEBP) was extracted from Boletus edulis Bull using hot water extraction followed by ethanol precipitation. The polysaccharide BEBP was further purified by chromatography on a DEAE-cellulose column, giving three major polysaccharide fractions termed BEBP-1, BEBP-2 and BEBP-3. In the next experiment, the average molecular weight (Mw), IR and monosaccharide compositional analysis of the three polysaccharide fractions were determined. The evaluation of antioxidant activities both in vitro and in vivo suggested that BEBP-3 had good potential antioxidant activity, and should be explored as a novel potential antioxidant.

The hygiene hypothesis has suggested an inhibitory effect of infections on allergic diseases, but the related mechanism remains unclear. We recently reported that DCs played a critical role in Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette–Guerin (BCG)-mediated inhibition of allergy, which depended on IL-12 and IL-10-related mechanisms. Here, we tested the hypothesis that BCG infection could modulate the function of DC subsets, which might in turn inhibit allergic responses through different mechanisms. We sorted CD8α+ and CD8α− DCs from BCG-infected mice and tested their ability to modulate Th2-cell responses to ovalbumin (OVA) using in vitro and in vivo approaches. We found that both DC subsets could inhibit the allergic Th2-cell response in both a DC:T-cell co-culture system and after adoptive transfer. These subsets exhibited different co-stimulatory marker expression and cytokine production patterns and were different in inducing Th1 and Treg cells. Specifically, we found that CD8α+ DCs produced higher IL-12, inducing higher Th1 cell response, while CD8α− DCs expressed higher ICOS-L and produced higher IL-10, inducing CD4+CD25+FoxP3+Treg cells with IL-10 production and membrane-bound TGF-β expression. The finding suggests that one infection may inhibit allergy by both immune deviation and regulation mechanisms through modulation of DC subsets.

The antioxidant activities in vitro and in vivo assays of the four extracts from the herb ofAstragalus were investigated. 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and reducing power assays were used to evaluate the antioxidant activities of the extracts in vitro. The effect of ethyl acetate extracts (EAE) in reducing oxidative stress in mice was evaluated. From the results of antioxidant assays in vitro, EAE was found to have the highest antioxidant activity. The antioxidant assay results showed that high doses of EAE significantly decrease the MDA level and increase the SOD activity of mice in vivo. These studies in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that the extract EAE fromAstragalus has significant antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities. In summary, the results exhibited that the Astragalus could be used as a rich source of potentially natural antioxidants. Key words: Astragalus, free radical, antioxidant activity.

A water-soluble crude polysaccharide (DFHP) obtained from the aqueous extracts of the stem of Dendrobium fimhriatum Hook.var.oculatum Hook through hot water extraction followed by ethanol precipitation, was found to have an average molecular weight (Mw) of about 209.3 kDa. Monosaccharide analysis revealed that DFHP was composed of mannose, glucose and galactose in a content ratio of 37.52%; 43.16%; 19.32%. The investigation of antioxidant activity in vitro showed that DFHP is a potential antioxidant.

Four water-soluble polysaccharides (DNP1-1, DNP2-1, DNP3-1 and DNP4-2) were obtained from the aqueous extracts of the stems of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. by hot water extraction, ethanol precipitation, and fractionated by DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography. The evaluation of tumor inhibition and immunomodulatory activity suggested that DNP4-2 could significantly increase the immune index, and strongly promote the secretion of IL-2, TNF-α and IFN-γ, and also decrease the concentrations of MDA in blood serum. DNP4-2 should be explored as a potential anti-tumor drug. Key words: Dendrobium nobile Lindl., immune stimulating, polysaccharide.

Three water-soluble polysaccharides (DDP1-1, DDP2-1 and DDP3-1) were obtained from the aqueous extracts of the stems of Dendrobium denneanum by hot water extraction, ethanol precipitation, and fractionated by DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography. The main structure characterizations and anti-tumor activities of three fractions were evaluated in this paper. The results showed DDP1-1 with 12.50 mg/kg could significant inhibit the increment of the tumor, increase immune index of S180 mice, and also strongly promote the secretion of IL-2, TNF-α and IFN-γ. Therefore, results of these studies demonstrated the polysaccharide DDP1-1 has strong anti-tumor and immunomodulation abilities. Key words: Immunomodulating, Dendrobium denneanum, polysaccharide, anti-tumor.

Inducible co-stimulator ligand (ICOSL) is a rather newly defined co-stimulatory molecule, which, through interaction with ICOS expressed on T cells, plays an important role in T-cell activation, differentiation and function. T(h)2-type immune responses are critical for the development and maintenance of allergic responses including asthma. Using knockout (KO) mice, we have assessed the role of ICOSL in allergic airway inflammation and responsiveness using a standard mouse asthma model induced by ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization and challenge. Our data show that OVA-treated ICOSL KO mice exhibit significantly less lung eosinophilic infiltration, histopathology, mucus production and virtually no airway hyperresponsiveness in contrast to wild-type (Wt) counterparts. Serum antibody analysis showed that antigen-specific IgG1, IgG2a and IgE titers in ICOSL KO mice were significantly lower than those of Wt controls. Also, CD4(+) T cells isolated from ICOSL KO mice produced less T(h)2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and IL-13) but more T(h)1 (IFN-γ) and IL-17 than their Wt controls. Taken together, we conclude that ICOSL plays an important role in predisposing individuals to allergic airway hyperresponsiveness by enhancing IgE antibody class switching and T(h)2 cytokine production and diminishing the T(h)17 response and airway eosinophilia.

The water-soluble crude polysaccharide (DDP) obtained from the aqueous extracts of the stem of Dendrobium denneanum through hot water extraction followed by ethanol precipitation, was found to have an average molecular weight (Mw) of about 484.7 kDa. Monosaccharide analysis revealed that DDP was composed of arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose and galactose in a molar ratio of 1.00:2.66:8.92:34.20:10.16. The investigation of antioxidant activity both in vitro and in vivo showed that DDP is a potential antioxidant.

Chronic CNS infection by several families of viruses can produce deficits in prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatal function. Cannabinoid drugs have been long known for their anti-inflammatory properties and their ability to modulate adult neuro and gliogenesis. Therefore, we explored the effects of systemic administration of the cannabinoid agonist WIN55,212-2(WIN) on prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatal cytogenesis in a viral model of CNS injury and inflammation based on Borna Disease (BD) virus encephalitis. Active BrdU(+) progenitor populations were significantly decreased 1 week after BrdU labeling in BD rats [p0.001 compared to uninfected (NL) controls] while less than 5% of BrdU(+) cells colabeled for BDV protein. Systemic WIN (1mg/kg i.p. twice daily×7 days) increased the survival of BrdU(+) cells in striatum (p0.001) and PFC of BD rats, with differential regulation of labeled oligodendroglia precursors vs microglia/macrophages. WIN increased the percentage of BrdU(+) oligodendrocyte precursor cells and decreased BrdU(+) ED-1-labeled phagocytic cells, without producing pro- or antiviral effects. BDV infection decreased the levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) in striatum (p0.05 compared to NL rats), whereas 2-AG levels were unchanged. Our findings indicate that: 1) viral infection is accompanied by alterations of AEA transmission in the striatum, but new cell protection by WIN appears independent of its effect on endocannabinoid levels; and 2) chronic WIN treatment alters the gliogenic cascades associated with CNS injury, promoting oligodendrocyte survival. Limiting reactive gliogenesis and macrophage activity in favor of oliogodendroglia development has significance for demyelinating diseases. Moreover, the ability of cannabinoids to promote the development of biologically supportive or symbiotic oligodendroglia may generalize to other microglia-driven neurodegenerative syndromes including NeuroAIDS and diseases of aging.

Crude water-soluble polysaccharides were extracted from the stem of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. using boiling-water. The polysaccharides were successively purified by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-200 column, giving four major polysaccharide fractions termed DNP1-1, DNP2-1, DNP3-1, DNP4-2. The gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analysis showed that the average molecular weight (Mw) of polysaccharides (DNP1-1, DNP2-1, DNP3-1, DNP4-2) were approximately 136 kDa, 27.7 kDa, 11.8 kDa and 11.4 kDa, respectively. Monosaccharides analysis revealed the dominance of mannose, glucose, galactose, and smaller amounts of rhamnose, arabinose and xylose in the four polysaccharides. The evaluation of antioxidant activity suggested that DNP4-2 had good potential for scavenging activity of ABTS radical, and higher scavenging activity of hydroxyl radical and DPPH radical than the other polysaccharides, and should be explored as a novel potential antioxidant. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A water-soluble polysaccharide (DNP), isolated from the aqueous extracts of the stem of Dendrobium nobile Lindl., was found to have an average molecular weight (Mw) of about 8.76 x 10(4)Da. Monosaccharides analysis revealed that DNP was composed of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose and galactose in a molar ratio of 1.00:2.80:2.20:30.76:117.96:31.76. The evaluation of antioxidant activity in vitro revealed that DNP is a novel potential antioxidant. The NMR spectra suggested that the main structure of DNP was possible as the predicted main structure of DNP from Dendrobium nobile, (fig. 5).

Although their contribution to host defense against extracellular infections has been well defined, IL-17 and Th17 are generally thought to have limited impact on intracellular infections. In this study, we investigated the role and mechanisms of IL-17/Th17 in host defense against Chlamydia muridarum, an obligate intracellular bacterium, lung infection. Our data showed rapid increase in IL-17 production and expansion of Th17 cells following C. muridarum infection and significant detrimental impact of in vivo IL-17 neutralization by anti-IL-17 mAb on disease course, immune response, and dendritic cell (DC) function. Specifically, IL-17-neutralized mice exhibited significantly greater body weight loss, higher organism growth, and much more severe pathological changes in the lung compared with sham-treated control mice. Immunological analysis showed that IL-17 neutralization significantly reduced Chlamydia-specific Th1 responses, but increased Th2 responses. Interestingly, the DC isolated from IL-17-neutralized mice showed lower CD40 and MHC II expression and IL-12 production, but higher IL-10 production compared with those from sham-treated mice. In two DC-T cell coculture systems, DC isolated from IL-17-neutralized mice induced higher IL-4, but lower IFN-γ production by Ag-specific T cells than those from sham-treated mice in cell priming and reaction settings. Adoptive transfer of DC isolated from IL-17-neutralized mice, unlike those from sham-treated mice, failed to protect the recipients against challenge infection. These findings provide in vivo evidence that IL-17/Th17 plays an important role in host defense against intracellular bacterial infection, and suggest that IL-17/Th17 can promote type 1 T cell immunity through modulating DC function.

Three polysaccharide fractions (DDP1-1, DDP2-1 and DDP3-1) were successfully purified from the crude polysaccharide of Dendrobium denneanum by DEAE-Cellulose and Sephadex G-200 column chromatography. The average molecular weights (Mws) of these fractions were 51.5, 26.1 and 6.95 kDa, respectively. Monosaccharide components analysis indicated that DDP1-1 and DDP2-1 were composed of arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose and galactose in a molar ratio of 1.00:2.82:57.11:140.82:7.76 and 1.00:1.62:1.18:77.5:7.79. DDP3-1 was composed of arabinose, mannose, glucose and galactose in a molar ratio of 1.00:1.03:8.84:2.00. On the basis of antioxidant test in vitro, DDP2-1 exhibited the highest antioxidant ability among these samples.

A supramolecular hydrogel based on D-amino acids, which resists hydrolysis catalyzed by proteinase K and offers long-term biostability, exhibits controlled release in vivo, as proved by the pharmacokinetics of encapsulated 125I tracers and the SPECT imaging of the hydrogel-encapsulated 131I tracers. As the first in vivo imaging investigation of the drug release properties of the supramolecular hydrogel, isotope encapsulation serves as a valid, useful assay for characterizing the controlled release properties of supramolecular hydrogels in vivo. Our results indicate that supramolecular hydrogels promise new biomaterials for controlled drug release.

It has been long proposed that exposure to environmental factors early in life may have an educating effect on the development of immune regulatory functions. However, experimental studies on this issue are limited and the related molecular and cellular basis remains unclear. Here we report that neonatal exposure to killed bacteria (Chlamydia muridarum, originally called Chlamydia trachomatis mouse pneumonitis (MoPn)) changed the pattern of the hosts' immune responses to a model allergen (OVA) in adulthood. This was associated with altered phenotype and function of DC. We found that DC from adult mice treated neonatally with UV-killed MoPn exhibited distinct patterns of surface marker and TLR expression and cytokine production from control mice (DC from adult mice neonatally treated with vehicle, (Sham-DC)). More importantly, DC from adult mice treated neonatally with UV-killed MoPn induced significantly lower type-2 antigen-specific T-cell responses than Sham-DC shown in DC:T co-culture experiments in vitro and in adoptive transfer experiments in vivo. In addition, depletion of T cells in vivo largely abolished the phenotypic and functional alterations of DC caused by bacterial exposure, suggesting the involvement of T cell in this process. Our study demonstrates a central role of DC in linking the early-life exposure to microbial products and the balanced development of immune regulatory functions and the involvement of T cells in imprinting of the DC function.

We previously showed an important role of natural killer T cells (NKT) in skewing the adaptive T cell immunity to Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn), an intracellular bacterial lung infection, but the mechanism remains unclear.To investigate the underlying mechanism by which NKT modulate T cell responses in chlamydial pneumonia.We examined the effect of NKT activation in modulating DC function, especially in generating protective immunity against Cpn infection using combination of NKT knockout (KO) mice and specific NKT activation approaches.We found that NKT activation in vivo after Cpn infection induces phenotypic and functional changes in dendritic cells (DC). DC from NKT-deficient mice showed reduced CD40 expression and IL-12 production, whereas enhancing NKT activation using alpha-GalCer increased CD40 expression and IL-12 production. Co-culture of DC with NKT enhanced bioactive IL-12p70 production by DC in a CD40L-, IFN-gamma-, and cell-cell contact-dependent manner. Further, co-culture of T cells with DC isolated from infected wild-type (WT) and NKT-deficient mice induced type-1 and type-2 responses, respectively, while DC from alpha-GalCer-treated, infected mice led to enhanced type-1 responses. Moreover, upon adoptive transfer, DC from infected WT mice induced strong type-1 immunity, whereas those from knockout mice induced type-2 responses and increased disease severity upon challenge infection.Our results provide direct evidence of the critical role of NKT activation in the functional modulation of DC for the development of protective immunity in a clinically relevant respiratory infection.

Interleukin (IL)-13 plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. Passive administration of its monoclonal antibody or soluble receptor to block overproduced IL-13 has been proven to be effective in controlling airway allergic responses in animal models, but these approaches have disadvantages of short half-lives, high costs, and possible adverse effects.We sought to develop a novel therapeutic strategy through constructing an IL-13 peptide-based vaccine for blocking IL-13 on a persistent effect basis and to evaluate its in vivo effects using a murine model.To break self-tolerance, truncated hepatitis B core antigen was used as a carrier. Vaccine was prepared by inserting a peptide derived from the receptor binding site of mouse IL-13 into the immunodominant epitope region of the carrier using gene recombination methods. Mice received vaccine subcutaneously three times, and then subjected to intraperitoneal sensitization and intranasal challenge with ovalbumin. Control animals received carrier or saline in place of vaccine.The vaccine presented as virus-like particles and induced sustained and high titered IL-13-specific IgG without the use of conventional adjuvant. Vaccination significantly suppressed ovalbumin-induced inflammatory cell number, and IL-13 and IL-5 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids. Serum total and ovalbumin-specific IgE were also significantly inhibited. Moreover, allergen-induced goblet cell hyperplasia, lung tissue inflammatory cell infiltration, and pulmonary hyperresponsiveness to inhaled methacholine were significantly suppressed in vaccinated mice.Our data indicate that IL-13 peptide-based vaccines could be an effective therapeutic approach in the treatment of asthma.

We previously identified follicular dendritic cell secreted protein (FDC-SP), a small secreted protein of unknown function expressed in human tonsillar germinal centers (GC). To assess potential in vivo activities of FDC-SP, transgenic mice were generated to constitutively express FDC-SP in lymphoid tissues. FDC-SP transgenic mice show relatively normal development of immune cell populations, with the exception of a small increase in mature follicular B cells, and normal lymphoid tissue architecture. Upon immunization with a T-dependent Ag, FDC-SP transgenic mice were capable of producing an Ag-specific Ab; however, the titers of Ag-specific IgG2a and IgE were significantly reduced. GC responses after immunization were markedly diminished, with transgenic mice showing decreased numbers and sizes of GCs but normal development of follicular dendritic cell networks and normal positioning of GCs. FDC-SP transgenic mice also showed reduced production of Ag-specific IgG3 Ab after immunization with a type II T-independent Ag, suggesting that the FDC-SP can also regulate the induction of B cell responses outside the GC. Purified FDC-SP transgenic B cells function normally in vitro, with the exception of blunted chemotaxis responses to CXCL12 and CXCL13. FDC-SP can induce the chemotaxis of CD40-stimulated nontransgenic B cells and can significantly enhance B cell migration in combination with chemokines, indicating that FDC-SP may function in part by regulating B cell chemotaxis. These results provide the first evidence for immunomodulatory activities of FDC-SP and implicate this molecule as a regulator of B cell responses.

E2F is a family of transcription factors that recognized to regulate the expression of genes essential for a wide range of cellular functions, including cell cycle progression, DNA repair, DNA replication, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. E2F1, the most classic member of the E2F family, exhibits a complex role in tumor development regulation. In recent years, a growing body of data suggested an intimate relationship between E2F1 and ovarian carcinoma. And E2F1 was well identified to play dual functions and serve as a useful prognostic indicator in ovarian carcinoma. However, the mechanism underlying E2F1 associated with ovarian carcinoma remains elusive. It is necessary to clarify the fundamental role of E2F1 in ovarian carcinoma. In this review, we tried to sum up the knowledge of E2F1, including its structure and related mechanism. We also attempt to absorb the research achievements and collect the mechanism of E2F1 in ovarian carcinoma.

We conducted this review to summarize the short-term and long-term efficacy of several midurethral sling procedures on quality of life (QoL) improvement based on incontinence-specific QoL measures in clinical trials among women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). We searched MEDLINE (January 1966 to March 2015), EMBASE (January 1988 to March 2015), and the Cochrane Incontinence Group Specialised Register (March 2015). Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible in this analysis. We identified 13 different condition-specific instruments in the included 31 RCTs; the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI), the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ), and Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Incontinence Sexual Function Questionnaire-12 (PISQ-12) were the most frequently used methods to measure QoL among women with SUI. We found that the improvement in sexual function (as assessed by PISQ-12) score was significantly higher in the single-incision slings group than in the TO-TVT group (WMD 1.06; 95 % CI 0.58–1.54); the post-operative pain visual analogue scale scores in the single-incision slings group was significantly lower than that in the TO-TVT group (WMD −1.59; 95 % CI −2.28 to −0.89). TO-TVT-treated patients had significantly greater reductions in total UDI scores (WMD 2.28; 95 % CI 1.77–2.80) and total IIQ scores (WMD 0.89; 95 % CI 0.26–1.52) than TVT-treated patients. The reduction in the total UDI score was significantly higher in the RP-TVT group than in the TO-TVT group (WMD −1.00; 95 % CI −1.65 to −0.35). Subgroup analysis of the total UDI score showed a significantly greater improvement in TO-TVT-treated patients than in TVT after long-term follow-up (>30 months), but no differences were detected after short-term follow-up (12–15 or 6 months). Our meta-analysis indicated that consistent use of the UDI and IIQ with or without the PISQ-12 might promote options for comparisons between trials. Single-incision slings were associated with significantly higher improvement in sexual function and lower post-operative pain compared with standard midurethral slings, and the long-term efficacy of TO-TVT was superior to the TVT procedure in terms of reducing the distress caused by incontinence symptoms.

Chlamydial infections are serious public health concerns worldwide. In this study, we examined the role of dendritic cell (DC) subsets in inducing protective immunity against chlamydial infection using an adoptive transfer approach. We found that CD11c+CD8α+ (double-positive, DP) DC, compared with CD11c+CD8α− (single-positive, SP) DC isolated from infected mice, are more potent inducers of protective immunity. Specifically, mice pretreated with DPDC from infected mice, upon infection with Chlamydia trachomatis mouse pneumonitis (MoPn), experienced significantly less severe body weight loss and in vivo chlamydial growth. Analysis of MoPn-driven cytokine production by immune cells revealed that mice that were treated with DPDC produced significantly higher levels of Th1 (TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-12) but lower levels of Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13)-related cytokines than the recipients of SPDC following infection challenge. Moreover, DPDC-treated mice displayed significantly higher levels of MoPn-specific IgG2a production and delayed-type hypersensitivity responses compared with SPDC-treated mice. Furthermore, DPDC isolated from infected mice produced higher amounts of IL-12 and IL-10 in vitro in comparison with SPDC. These data indicate that CD8α+ DC have a significantly higher capacity in inducing protective immunity compared with CD8α− DC, demonstrating the crucial role of DC1-like cells in eliciting protection against C. trachomatis infection

Our previous study has shown that the adoptive transfer of dendritic cells (DCs) freshly isolated from Chlamydia-infected mice (iIDCs), unlike those from control naive mice (iNDCs), can inhibit systemic and cutaneous eosinophilia induced by OVA exposure. In the present study, we examined the mechanism by which iIDC inhibits allergen-specific Th2 cell differentiation in vitro and in vivo. The study revealed that iIDCs exhibited higher surface expression of CD8α and the ICOS ligand (ICOS-L), as well as higher IL-10 and IL-12 production than iNDCs. In vitro DC:CD4+ T cell coculture experiments showed that iIDCs could inhibit allergen-specific Th2 cell differentiation and that the inhibitory effect could be abolished by the blockage of IL-10 or IL-12 activity. More interestingly, the coblockade of IL-10 and the ICOS-L showed synergistic effect in enhancing allergen-driven Th2 cytokine production. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of iIDCs, but not iNDCs, to OVA sensitized mice significantly inhibited airway eosinophilia and mucus overproduction following intranasal challenge with OVA. Overall, the data demonstrate a critical role played by ICOS-L-expressing and IL-10-producing DCs from Chlamydia-infected mice in the infection-mediated inhibition of allergic responses.

Free radicals are involved in the pathogenesis of acute liver injury induced by thioacetamide (TAA). We investigated the effects of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) combined with/without vitamins C and E on TAA-induced acute liver injury in rats. TAA was given intraperitoneally (200 mg kg−1). Antioxidant treatments (SAMe, 25 mg kg−1; vitamin C, 100 mg kg−1; vitamin E, 200 mg kg−1, intraperitoneal) were given 1 h later. Liver histology, enzymology, and ability to release hepatic insulin-sensitizing substance (HISS) were assessed. TAA caused liver tissue injury, increased liver enzymes, and decreased insulin sensitivity (p < 0.01). Blockade of HISS release by atropine did not further decrease insulin sensitivity in rats with TAA insult, indicating that the decrease in insulin sensitivity was HISS dependent. Treatment with SAMe alone or vitamins C+E slightly improved liver histology but not the changes in liver enzymes and insulin sensitivity. Combined treatment with SAMe plus vitamins C+E greatly protected the liver from tissue injury, the increase in liver enzymes, and the decrease in insulin sensitivity. In conclusion, acute liver injury causes HISS-dependent insulin resistance (HDIR). There are synergistic antioxidative effects among the antioxidants, SAMe and vitamins C and E, that protect the liver from TAA-induced HDIR, suggesting that antioxidant treatment may best be done using a balanced “cocktail.”