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Desilked silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) pupae oil has been identified as a valuable source of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). However, direct consumption is a food safety issue due to the presence of sn-1,3 triacylglycerols (TAGs), including palmitic acid (PA). A simple, selective and safe conversion to structured triacylglycerols (STAGs) with high UFA content is highly desirable. Novel STAGs with low PA and high α-linolenic acid (ALA), oleic acid (OA) and linoleic acid (LA) content were synthesized from silkworm pupae oil using a solvent-free system catalyzed by Lipozyme RM IM. Crystallization and melting profiles were determined using thermograms, and optimal conditions involved an enzyme load of 7%, a silkworm pupae oil TAG to OA molar ratio of 1:5, and a reaction temperature of 60°C. The content of PA and stearic acid decreased from 41.04 to 20.11%, while UFAs increased from 61.12 to 77.88%. The STAGs exhibited lower crystallization (−15.44°C) and melting (−23.47°C) profiles than TAGs (4.64 and −5.58°C, respectively). 1 Practical applications The presented methods using a solvent-free system enable STAGs to be synthesized using a natural substrate (desilked silkworm pupae oil). A simple, selective and safe conversion to STAGs with high UFA content and low PA content is highly desirable. This STAG is rare in nature and chemical synthesis is cumbersome. This STAG could be applied as a clinical treatment for nutritional enhancement with a beneficial effect on human health because of the high content of the ALA. Novel structure triacylglycerols (STAGs) with low palmitic acid and rich in oleic acid and linoleic acid were synthesized from silkworm pupae oil and oleic acid, through solvent-free enzymatic interesterification catalyzed by Lipozyme RM IM. Under the optimal conditions, the content of palmitic acid and stearic acid decreased from 41.04 to 20.11% in the sn-1, 3 positions, and the content of unsaturated fatty acids (including palm stearin, oleic acid, linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid) increased from 61.12 to 77.88%. The STAGs could be added into milk fat substitutes, which may be useful as nutrition enhancers for infants and may decrease obesity.

A new species of the genus Phytophthora was isolated from stream water in the subtropical forests of China during a survey of forest Phytophthora from 2011 to 2013. This new species is formally described here and named Phytophthora pseudopolonica sp. nov. This new homothallic species is distinct from other known Phytophthora species in morphology and produces nonpapillate and noncaducous sporangia with internal proliferation. Spherical hyphal swellings and thin-walled chlamydospores are abundant when the species is kept in sterile water. The P. pseudopolonica sp. nov. forms smooth oogonia with paragynous and sometimes amphigynous antheridia. The optimum growth temperature of the species is 30 °C in V8-juice agar with β-sitosterol, yet it barely grows at 5 °C and 35 °C. Based on sequences of the internal transcribed spacer and the combined β-tubulin and elongation factor 1α gene sequence data, isolates of the new species cluster together into a single branch and are close to Phytophthora polonicabelonging to clade 9.

Di'ao Xinxuekang (XXK) is an herbal product in China and the Netherlands that has been clinically shown to attenuate atherosclerosis; however, the underlying antiatherosclerotic mechanism remains unclear. Because of its role in cholesterol homeostasis, reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is a potential target for these beneficial effects. This study investigated the effects of XXK on RCT and related proteins. After treating ApoE-deficient mice with XXK for 8 weeks, we observed an increase in the expression level of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 and ATP-binding cassette transporter G1, which in turn stimulated cholesterol efflux and reduced aortic atherosclerotic lesion area. XXK also increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) synthesis by modulating the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ/liver X receptor α/ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 pathway and promoted HDL maturity by increasing serum lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase. In addition, XXK improved the selective uptake of HDL-cholesteryl ester by increasing the expression of scavenger receptor class B type I. This is the first study to show that XXK confers a regulation of RCT, at least in part, by improving HDL synthesis, maturation, and catabolism.

This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of EGb761, a Ginkgo Biloba extract, against brain death-induced kidney injury. Sixty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups: sham, brain-death (BD), BD + EGb b48h (48 hours before BD), BD + EGb 2 h (2 hours after BD), BD + EGb 1 h, and BD + EGb 0.5 h. Six hours after BD, serum sample and kidney tissues were collected for analyses. The levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine significantly elevated in the BD group than in sham group. In all the EGb761-treated BD animals except for the BD + Gb 2 h group, the levels of BUN and serum creatinine significantly reduced (all P

Hong-Mei Liu,1,2,* Ya-Fei Zhang,1,2,* Yan-Dong Xie,1,2 Yi-Fan Cai,1,2 Bai-Yang Li,1,2 Wen Li,3 Ling-Yu Zeng,4 Yu-Ling Li,4 Ru-Tong Yu1,2 1Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, 2Department of Neurosurgery, Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, 3Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, 4Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Here, we report the hypoxia-responsive ionizable liposomes to deliver small interference RNA (siRNA) anticancer drugs, which can selectively enhance cellular uptake of the siRNA under hypoxic and low-pH conditions to cure glioma. For this purpose, malate dehydrogenase lipid molecules were synthesized, which contain nitroimidazole groups that impart hypoxia sensitivity and specificity as hydrophobic tails, and tertiary amines as hydrophilic head groups. These malate dehydrogenase molecules, together with DSPE-PEG2000 and cholesterol, were self-assembled into O'1,O1-(3-(dimethylamino)propane-1,2-diyl) 16-bis(2-(2-methyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethyl) di(hexadecanedioate) liposomes (MLP) to encapsulate siRNA through electrostatic interaction. Our study showed that the MLP could deliver polo-like kinase 1 siRNA (siPLK1) into glioma cells and effectively enhance the cellular uptake of MLP/siPLK1 because of increased positive charges induced by hypoxia and low pH. Moreover, MLP/siPLK1 was shown to be very effective in inhibiting the growth of glioma cells both in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, the MLP is a promising siRNA delivery system for tumor therapy. Keywords: hypoxia responsive, cellular uptake, siRNA delivery, ionizable liposome, hypoxic conditions

In order to improve the authenticity of human-computer interaction in the virtual scene, the data glove is used. Aimed at this sensor input device for the characteristic of multiple-joints, the collection and calibration method of original data are discussed. By analyzing the movement characteristics of human hand, mapping from human hand to virtual hand is accomplished. By embedding OSG in MFC, with the intersect vector method and map projection method, invoking the 3D ship engine room and interactive effect of people roaming in the scene are reached. And at last, by using the data glove, the interventional manipulation of virtual objects in the virtual scene is implemented.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) shows the highest invasive and metastatic features among head and neck cancers. Distant metastasis remains the predominant mode of treatment failure in NPC patients. The role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in NPC progression is not fully understood. In this study, we explored whether IL-6 could promote the migration and invasion activity of NPC cell lines, as well as whether the effect of IL-6 on cell migration and invasion is mediated through regulating the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9. Our results revealed that IL-6 and its receptors are broadly expressed in various NPC cell lines including HNE1, HONE1, CNE1, CNE1-LMP1 and 5-8F. Exogenous IL-6 enhanced cell proliferation slightly, but promoted cell migration and invasion significantly in both HNE1 and CNE1-LMP1 cell lines. In addition, an elevation in the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 could be induced by IL-6 stimulation. On the contrary, combining treatment with monoclonal anti-human IL-6R antibody (anti-IL-6R mAb) resulted in decreased proliferation, migration and invasion capabilities of NPC cells. Anti-IL-6R mAb also inhibited the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in IL-6-stimulated HNE1 and CNE1-LMP1 cells. In summary, our data suggested that IL-6 mainly promotes the cell migration and invasion of NPC cells. The effect of IL-6 on cell migration and invasion may be mediated through regulation of the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Thus, IL-6 or its related signaling pathways may be a promising target for preventing and inhibiting NPC metastasis.

Purpose To identify bioactive equivalent combinatorial components (BECCs) in herbal medicines. The exact composition of effective components in herbal medicines is often elusive due to the lack of adequate screening methodology. Herein, we propose a hypothesis that BECCs accounting for the whole efficacy of original herbal medicines could be discovered from a complex mixture of constituents. Methods We developed a bioactive equivalence oriented feedback screening method and applied it to discover the BECCs from an herbal preparation Cardiotonic Pill (CP). The operations include chemical profiling of CP, followed by an iterative loop of determining, collecting and evaluating candidate BECCs. Results A combination of 18 compounds was identified as BECCs from CP, which accounts for 15.0% (w/w) of original CP. We have demonstrated that the BECCs were as effective as CP in cell models and in a rat model of myocardial infarction. Conclusions This work answers the key question of which are real bioactive components for CP that have been used in clinic for many years, and provides a promising approach for discovering BECCs from herbal medicines. More importantly, the BECCs could be extended to improve quality control of herbal products and inspire an herbal medicines based discovery of combinatorial therapeutics. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11095-013-1283-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objective Myocardial infarction (MI) is a cause of high morbidity and mortality in the world. Sodium tanshinone IIA sulphonate (STS) has been well used in Oriental medicine for treating cardiovascular diseases, however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Alterations of circulating lipid profiles, increased fatty acid β-oxidation and oxidative stress play most important roles in the pathogenesis of MI. The present study aims to elucidate whether STS possesses cardioprotective effect against MI driven by isoproterenol (ISO), and to investigate its potential mechanisms of action. Methods MI was induced by subcutaneous injection of ISO (85 mg/kg at interval of 24 h for 2 consecutive days) to rats. The rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: (1) control; (2) ISO; (3) STS (16 mg/kg) +control; (4–6) STS (16, 8, 4 mg/kg) +ISO. Results Our study showed that STS could ameliorate cardiac dysfunction and variation of myocardial zymogram, up-regulate antioxidant systems, and maintain the levels of circulating lipids driven by supramaximal doses ISO as well. Moreover, modulation of redox-sensitive extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2)/Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC)/carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) 1 pathways were involved in STS induced cardioprotection. Conclusions STS exerts strong favorable cardioprotective action. Additionally, the properties of STS, such as anti-dyslipidemia, anti-oxidant and inhibition of fatty acid β-oxidation, may be the mechanisms underlying the observed results.

This research used multivariate statistical analysis to evaluate the tolerance of 11 tomato cultivars to low light at the seedling stage. The low-light condition (200–420 μmol/m2 s) was simulated by a shade net. It was found that 11 of 16 character indices of different cultivars, such as dropping angle, bend degree, and accumulation of leaf area, showed a significant difference by using multiple variance analysis. After factor analysis, the 11 character indices could be summarized into 5 main factors with a cumulative contribution rate of 84.968 %. According to the factor scores after varimax rotation, the 11 tomato cultivars could be classified into three categories by using cluster analysis. The severely low-light-sensitive cultivars were T1, T5, T6, T10, and T11 and the moderately low-light-sensitive cultivars were T4, T7, and T9. Cultivars T2, T3, and T8 were resistant to low light. In accordance with the appraisal result, the light-sensitive cultivars T5 and T10, the moderately low-light-sensitive cultivar T4, and the low-light-tolerant cultivar T8 were randomly selected to observe the variation in the ultrastructure of leaves of different tomato cultivars with the aid of a transmission electron microscope (TEM). In chloroplasts of T5 and T10, membranes were heavily damaged and mitochondria were vacuolated, whereas the chloroplast structure of T4 was slightly damaged and its mitochondria grew normally. In the chloroplasts of T8, the organelle membranes were intact, the degree of thylakoid stacking was high, and mitochondria grew normally. Our results showed that multivariate statistical analysis of low-light tolerance in tomatoes has certain scientific applicability.

Purpose: This article describes strategies for recruiting and retaining Chinese elders in a longitudinal research study related to hypertension management. Design: Chinese participants were recruited for a pilot, longitudinal intervention study. The information presented represents observations on both the recruitment process and participant retention. Results: Recruiting via convenience sampling, offering frequent incentives, and having culturally competent research staff were important in this study with Chinese elders as participants. Among the various approaches used, the highest recruitment rate (50% [11/22]) was obtained from personal referrals with a retention rate of 91% (20/22) over a 6-month intervention period. Conclusion/Practice Implication: Personal referral is the best approach for recruiting Chinese elders in the study. In addition, frequent incentives and reminder calls are helpful in retaining participants.

With the purpose of resolving the contradiction between economic growth and environmental deterioration, this paper, using carbon emission as an example, analyzes the critical factors in current industry policies, builds a model for system dynamics, simulates the impacts of different policies on the economy, energy and environment under various scenarios, and gives suggestions on the optimal design of policies. It is shown that: (I) the adjustment of industrial structure and energy taxation according to prices are helpful in delaying the economic recession, but energy taxation according to quantity and the carbon tax within a short period will inhibit the economic growth. (II) Only the adjustment of energy structure has a significant impact on energy intensity. (III) The implementation of carbon tax and the adjustment of energy structure are the most significant two factors in changing carbon intensity, and the latter is the best option because of no significant negative effect in economy. But, carbon tax should be carried out gradually in the long run. (IV) The advantage of human capital is shown in the comparison of investment structure, which provides a basis direction for investment in the future. (V) The transformation of energy tax collection modes plays its regulatory role in rationally exploiting energy and protecting environment.

// Min Luo 1 , Wei Sun 1 , Cheng Wu 1 , Linli Zhang 1 , Dongbo Liu 1 , Wenwen Li 1 , Qi Mei 1 and Guoqing Hu 1 1 Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China Correspondence to: Qi Mei, email: borismq@hotmail.com Guoqing Hu, email: gqhu@tjh.tjmu.edu.cn Keywords: nasopharyngeal carcinoma, serum marker, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, survival, prognosis Received: September 20, 2016 Accepted: June 02, 2017 Published: June 28, 2017 ABSTRACT Background: Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) which plays an important role in tumor initiation, invasion, drug resistance is strongly associated with poor prognosis in patients with cancers. This study was designed to estimate whether pretreatment serum GGT could predict the clinical outcome of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. Results: An optimal cutoff value was identified as 23 U/L for GGT. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis demonstrated that elevated GGT was correlated with shorter local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) (HR, 4.163; 95% CI, 1.690-10.251; p=0.023), progression-free survival (PFS) (HR, 3.119; 95% CI, 1.955-4.976; p=0.031) and overall survival (OS) (HR, 2.811; 95% CI, 1.614-4.896; p=0.007). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 374 patients with NPC. Kaplan–Meier method was used to calculate and compare the prognosis. The Cox proportional hazards model was applied to carry out univariate and multivariate analyses. Conclusion: Pretreatment GGT can be a novel and independent prognostic biomarker for patients with NPC.

Racial ethnic minorities are one of the fastest growing populations in Taiwan. In recent years, there has been an increase in literature addressing the efficacy of home blood-pressure (BP) management that uses telemedicine interventions in general healthcare and community settings. However, no study or systematic literature review has yet assessed the effectiveness of using telemedicine HTN interventions in Taiwan's indigenous, new-immigrant, and other minority populations.The purpose of the present paper is to review the current literature on the use of telemedicine interventions to assist HTN management among racial ethnic minorities.A comprehensive literature search was conducted for full-text articles that were published between January 2000 and December 2015 using the following databases: PubMed, WEB of Science, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to NursingAllied Health Literature), PsycINFO, Science Direct, ProQuest, Medline, Cochrane Library, National Dissertations and Theses, and airiti Library. The search used the following key search terms both alone and in combination: hypertension, blood pressure, management, telemedicine, telehealth, ehealth, and digital health. The studies were thoroughly assessed under the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A total of 6 articles met the criteria for using keywords related to racial ethnic minority populations and were used in the present review.Findings of this systematic review show that telemedicine interventions significantly improve HTN management. The intervention that combined home telemonitoring with culturally competent nurse counseling calls was identified as the best intervention for reducing BP. As the current literature on this topic is limited to African-Americans, more research is necessary to validate our findings.Future studies should target racial ethnic minorities in Taiwan in order to better understand how to provide culturally appropriate, telemedicine-based HTN management to Taiwan's minority populations. Further studies with a long-term follow-up plan, randomized controlled trials, and larger sample sizes are required to support these results.探討應用遠距醫療協助少數族群高血壓管控之成效—系統性文獻回顧.台灣少數族群是高血壓人數快速成長的族群之一。近年來，健康照護單位運用遠距醫療（telemedicine）作為居家血壓監控已逐漸盛行，但大多數集中在主流族群，鮮少關注少數族群，如：原住民族與移民族裔，以及缺乏系統性文獻回顧探討遠距醫療之成效。.本文透過系統性文獻回顧，探討應用遠距醫療協助成年少數族群高血壓管控之成效。.利用國內外相關資料庫包括：PubMed、Web of Science、CINAHL（Cumulative Index to NursingAllied Health Literature）、PsycINFO、Science Direct、ProQuest、MEDLINE、Cochrane Library、airiti Library華藝線上圖書館等資料庫，針對2000年1月至2015年12月之間發表的全文文章進行廣泛性文獻查證。單獨或合併使用關鍵字：高血壓（hypertension）、血壓（blood pressure）、管控（management）、遠距醫療（telemedicine）、電子健康（telehealth）、e化健康（ehealth）、以及數位化健康（digital health）進行檢索，選出研究族群為少數族群的文獻。以Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses （PRISMA）建議步驟評定文獻品質，最後篩選出六篇納入分析。.本系統性文獻回顧結果發現，以遠距醫療為基礎的護理措施，能顯著改善少數族群血壓，尤以合併居家遠距監控和具文化能力（culturally competent）護理師諮詢電話的整合性介入方式更具成效，且多種成效指標應同時進行測量。但目前文獻多侷限於非裔美國人之研究，結果是否可適用於台灣少數族群，還需待更多研究進行探討。.未來宜針對台灣少數族群，進一步發展具文化適切性遠距醫療血壓管理，並嚴謹地以長期追蹤研究設計、盲化、大規模的隨機控制試驗，驗證並更新此實證結果。.

Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) treatment protected ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury from apoptosis via B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bax and nitric oxide (NO) releasing., Extracorporeal pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) has shown the ability to regenerate tissue by promoting cell proliferation. In the present study, we investigated for the first time whether PEMF treatment could improve the myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and uncovered its underlying mechanisms. In our study, we demonstrated for the first time that extracorporeal PEMF has a novel effect on myocardial I/R injury. The number and function of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were increased in PEMF treating rats. The in vivo results showed that per-treatment of PEMF could significantly improve the cardiac function in I/R injury group. In addition, PEMF treatment also reduced the apoptosis of myocardial cells by up-regulating the expression of anti-apoptosis protein B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and down-regulating the expression of pro-apoptosis protein (Bax). In vitro, the results showed that PEMF treatment could significantly reduce the apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in primary neonatal rat cardiac ventricular myocytes (NRCMs) induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). In particular, PEMF increased the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), which might be closely related to attenuated cell apoptosis by increasing the releasing of nitric oxide (NO). Therefore, our data indicated that PEMF could be a potential candidate for I/R injury.

This study was designed to clarify the neuroprotective effects of tanshinone IIA (TSA) following cerebral ischemic insult. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were operated upon to achieve a middle cerebral artery occlusion to cause transient focal cerebral ischemia, which were then randomly divided into the sham-operated control group and cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) groups receiving a 2 h occlusion. The treatment groups received daily intraperitoneal injections of high or low doses of TSA, for 7 or 15 days. NeuN immunostaining revealed neuronal loss following I/R, which was partially prevented with subsequent TSA dosing. Protein disulfide isomerase and adenosine triphosphatase (Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase) levels were all depressed by means of I/R. TSA treatment markedly reversed the depression of all indices examined. The intensity of microglial activation, as evidenced with CD11b staining, was increased by means of cerebral artery occlusion, but this was partially reversed with subsequent TSA treatment. TSA may affect neuroprotection by way of minimizing deficits in energy metabolism and reduction of the extent of cell death within affected regions.

Aims and objective. To characterise a Taiwanese population and to examine the prevalence of antihypertensive medication non-adherence and how the cultural/clinical factors were associated with non-adherence in Taiwan. Background. Antihypertensive medication non-adherence is a significant clinical issue in the United States. However, little is known about hypertension (HTN) control and cultural/clinical factors related to non-adherence in Taiwan. Design. A convenience sample survey design was used. Method. Data were gathered from a convenience sample of 200 subjects recruited from a large teaching hospital. Medication non-adherence and cultural/clinical factors were recorded using various self-administered questionnaires, and blood pressure was taken twice for each participant. Results. The mean age of the participants was 60·4 (SD 11·5 years) including 62% men. Two-thirds had less than a high school education (64·5%), and the majority of them were married (86·0%) and lived with family or close friends (93·5%). The average length of HTN diagnosis was 8·6 years (SD 9·0 years). Medication non-adherence rate was 47·5%, and uncontrolled HTN rate was 49·0%. Some participants (17·0%) used Chinese herbs for treating their disease (e.g. cough) and promoting health in addition to their regular antihypertensive medications. Two factors were found to be statistically significant for predicting medication non-adherence: Lower Perceived Susceptibility to Specific Diseases [OR = 1·15 (95%CI, 1·01–1·31)] and Longer Length of HTN Diagnosis [OR = 1·06 (95%CI, 1·01–1·12)]. Conclusions. Taiwanese at risk of non-adherence included those who perceived lower susceptibility to specific diseases and had been diagnosed with HTN for a longer time. Those using herbs need to be studied for an impact of herbs on their adherence behaviour. Relevance to clinical practice. These findings can help guide the development of culturally sensitive and clinically appropriate nursing interventions for HTN management in Taiwan.

This paper introduces several applications of machine vision technology. With paneled CCD as the image sensor, the two-dimensional pictures of sample under study are inputted to a computer via the image grabbing card. After the preprocessing to the original image, image segmentation and feature extraction are carried on the target image, and the parameter value is figured out. The method is suitable for the parameter detection of the size, surface defect and color information, and have vast of application foreground.

Microautophagy, the non-selective lysosomal degradative process, involves direct engulfment of cytoplasmic cargo at a boundary membrane by autophagic tubes, which mediate both invagination and vesicle scission into the lumen. With its constitutive characteristics, microautophagy of soluble substrates can be induced by nitrogen starvation or rapamycin via regulatory signaling complex pathways. The maintenance of organellar size, membrane homeostasis, and cell survival under nitrogen restriction are the main functions of microautophagy. In addition, microautophagy is coordinated with and complements macroautophagy, chaperone-mediated autophagy, and other self-eating pathways. Three forms of selective microautophagy, including micropexophagy, piecemeal microautophagy of the nucleus, and micromitophagy, share common ground with microautophagy to some degree. As the accumulation of experimental data, the precise mechanisms that govern microautophagy are becoming more appreciated. Here, we review the microautophagic molecular machinery, its physiological functions, and relevance to human diseases, especially in diseases involving multivesicular bodies and multivesicular lysosomes.

The effect of Ti(IV) on the degradation efficiency of acetic acid by O3/H2O2 was investigated. The removal rate of acetic acid by O3/H2O2 increased from 8.0% to 62.9% after 30 min when Ti(IV) was added to acetic acid solution at pH 2.8. The optimized parameters were as follows: the pH of acetic acid solution less than 5.0; the mass concentration ratios of H2O2 to Ti(IV), and to acetic acid about 40:1, and 3:50, respectively. The analysis of the kinetics of acetic acid degradation using the relative method showed that Ti(IV)/H2O2/O3 produced more hydroxyl radicals than did H2O2/O3.

A method for analyzing the textural features of image is put forward by using the wavelet decomposition. That is used to measure color difference of ceramic tiles on-line. A linear array color CCD camera is used to grab the image of ceramic tiles, and then the image is pretreated. Two level wavelet decomposition is used on the ceramic tile image, and the energy feature of each sub-graph is extracted. The energy feature will be used as a feature matrix,and it can be carried out the classfication according to minimum distance classifier. It can reflect spatial relationship of color more effectively, when contrast with the color histogram, which is used as a traditional method. Experiments show that it is effective using wavelet analysis on image processing,and the sort results are approximately in accordance with the artificial detection.

Concanavalin A (ConA), a Ca(2+)/Mn(2+)-dependent and mannose/glucose-binding legume lectin, has drawn a rising attention for its remarkable anti-proliferative and anti-tumor activities to a variety of cancer cells. ConA induces programmed cell death via mitochondria-mediated, P73-Foxo1a-Bim apoptosis and BNIP3-mediated mitochondrial autophagy. Through IKK-NF-κB-COX-2, SHP-2-MEK-1-ERK, and SHP-2-Ras-ERK anti-angiogenic pathways, ConA would inhibit cancer cell survival. In addition, ConA stimulates cell immunity and generates an immune memory, resisting to the same genotypic tumor. These biological findings shed light on new perspectives of ConA as a potential anti-neoplastic agent targeting apoptosis, autophagy and anti-angiogenesis in pre-clinical or clinical trials for cancer therapeutics.

Polygonatum cyrtonema lectin (PCL) has been drawing rising attention due to its remarkable bioactivities. Whereas, large-scale isolation and purification of PCL from Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua is not feasible due to the extremely low propagation rate of this plant. Herein, an alternative method to produce large amount of PCL by Escherichia coli expression system was proposed, and recombinant Polygonatum cyrtonema lectin (rPCL) was successfully obtained under the optimized conditions (OD600 = 0.6, 30 °C, 0.5 mM IPTG, pH 7.2). Subsequent SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF analysis confirmed that the molecular mass of rPCL was approximate to 12 kDa. After further identification of rPCL by Western blot and N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis, the comparisons of hemagglutinating and carbohydrate-binding activities as well as the anti-viral and apoptosis-inducing properties between rPCL and native Polygonatum cyrtonema lectin (nPCL) were made. It was verified that the bioactivities of rPCL were relatively weaker than that of nPCL. Moreover, for future exploring three-dimensional structure and structure–bioactivity relationship of rPCL, circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy, preliminary crystallization and X-ray diffraction were determined. Taken together, these findings provide novel evidence that rPCL could replace nPCL as a potential anti-tumor and anti-viral protein in possible medical application and large-scale pharmaceutical industry.

A method of the classifying of ceramic tiles’ color difference is proposed, and the online detection system based on linear array color CCD sensors is designed. After the image of tile grabbed by CCD is transformed to the HIS color model, a series of image processing and analyzing methods are used to calculate the eigenvalue of sample. The minimum distance classifier is used to carry out tiles’ classifying. Experimental results show the method is effective.

Aim. This paper is a report of a study of the extent to which demographic characteristics, medication-related factors, hypertension-related knowledge and medication adherence predict systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Background. Little is known about predictors of hypertension control in Chinese elders. Methods. A longitudinal study with a 3-month follow-up was conducted with 90 Chinese immigrants to the United States of America aged ‡65 years and recruited from 2006 to 2007. The independent variables were measured at baseline. Blood pressure was measured at 3 months. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent effects of seven variables on change in blood pressure at 3 months. Results. Participants ranged in age from 66 to 92 years (Mean 76AE7, SD 6AE6). The overall regression model for systolic blood pressure was statistically significant (R 2 =0 AE32, F =4 AE37, P < 0AE01). A higher number of prescribed oral medications (sr 2 =0 AE06, t =2 AE42, P =0 AE02) and lower medication adherence (sr 2 =0 AE07, t = 2AE60, P =0 AE01) were statistically significant determinants of an increased systolic blood pressure. The overall regression model for diastolic blood pressure was statistically significant (R 2 =0 AE21, F =2 AE39, P =0 AE03). Male gender (sr 2 =0 AE06, t =2 AE26, P =0 AE03) and lower medication adherence (sr 2 =0 AE11, t = 3AE03, P < 0AE01) were statistically significant determinants of an increased diastolic blood pressure. Conclusion. A greater number of prescribed medications and lower adherence predicted higher level of systolic blood pressure. Male gender and lower adherence were significantly associated with higher level of diastolic blood pressure. These predictors should be considered when designing interventions to help Chinese elders achieve better hypertension management.

In this paper, a new concept named “Closed-loop Manufacturing System” (CLMS) is proposed. The Workpiece Machining Precision PID Control Model (WMPPCM) is outlined firstly, in which PID model expressions are structured and the role of proportion, integration, differential adjustment are analyzed. Then, the experimental method of WMPPCM is established to verify the feasibility and validity of this model. In the experiment, WMPPCM could be utilized to estimate the trend of processing error so as to conduct the adjustment before production. It is also proved that WMPPCM in CLMS has a significant effect on error compensation, which builds up the theoretical foundation for paper research on CLMS in terms of WMPPCM.

In this article, a new concept named ‘Closed-loop Manufacturing System’ (CLMS) is introduced. The Workpiece Machining Precision PID Control Model (WMPPCM) is proposed and described. PID error compensation model expressions are structured. The experimental method of WMPPCM is established. In the experiment, WMPPCM could be utilized to estimate the trend of machining error so as to conduct the adjustment before production. The experiment has verified the feasibility and validity of WMPPCM. The experiments have also proved that WMPPCM can decrease machining error more effectively then traditional CNC machining method.

Murine olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) promote central nervous system axonal regeneration in models of spinal cord injury. We investigated whether OECs could induce a neuroplastic effect to improve the neurological dysfunction caused by hypoxic/ischemic stress. In this study, human OECs/olfactory nerve fibroblasts (hOECs/ONFs) specifically secreted trophic factors including stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha). Rats with intracerebral hOEC/ONF implantation showed more improvement on behavioral measures of neurological deficit following stroke than control rats. [18F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose PET (FDG-PET) showed increased glucose metabolic activity in the hOEC/ONF-treated group compared with controls. In mice, transplanted hOECs/ONFs and endogenous homing stem cells including intrinsic neural progenitor cells and bone marrow stem cells colocalized with specific neural and vascular markers, indicating stem cell fusion. Both hOECs/ONFs and endogenous homing stem cells enhanced neuroplasticity in the rat and mouse ischemic brain. Upregulation of SDF-1alpha and CXCR4 in hOECs/ONFs promoted neurite outgrowth of cocultured primary cortical neurons under oxygen glucose deprivation conditions and in stroke animals through upregulation of cellular prion protein (PrP C) expression. Therefore, the upregulation of SDF-1alpha and the enhancement of CXCR4 and PrP C interaction induced by hOEC/ONF implantation mediated neuroplastic signals in response to hypoxia and ischemia.

Title. Hypertension control, predictors for medication adherence and gender differences in older Chinese immigrants Aim. This paper is a report of a study to explore the relationship between demographic and cultural factors and antihypertensive medication adherence in older Chinese immigrants. Background. Hypertension is a well-known controllable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases worldwide, but only 20–80% of patients who take antihypertensive medications adhere adequately to their treatment regimen. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted between 2002 and 2003, with a convenience sample of 75 older men and 69 older women (n = 144, response rate 80%). Medication adherence was defined as ≥80% of the total score on the Morisky scale. Findings. Age (75·2 ± 5·7 vs. 75·9 ± 7·0 years, P = 0·51) and length of stay in the United States of America (12·7 ± 6·4 vs. 12·7 ± 6·6 years, P = 0·97) were similar for men and women. More men were married (85% vs. 46%, P

This study investigated the antioxidative effect of S-propargyl-cysteine (SPRC) on nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) by treating mice fed a methionine and choline deficient (MCD) diet with SPRC for four weeks. We found that SPRC significantly reduced hepatic reactive oxygen species (ROS) and methane dicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA) levels. Moreover, SPRC also increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. By Western blot, we found that this protective effect of SPRC was importantly attributed to the regulated hepatic antioxidant-related proteins, including protein kinase B (Akt), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and cystathionineγ-lyase (CSE, an enzyme that synthesizes hydrogen sulfide). Next, we examined the detailed molecular mechanism of the SPRC protective effect using oleic acid- (OA-) induced HepG2 cells. The results showed that SPRC significantly decreased intracellular ROS and MDA levels in OA-induced HepG2 cells by upregulating the phosphorylation of Akt, the expression of HO-1 and CSE, and the translocation of Nrf2. SPRC-induced HO-1 expression and Nrf2 translocation were abolished by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002. Moreover, the antioxidative effect of SPRC was abolished by CSE inhibitor DL-propargylglycine (PAG) and HO-1 siRNA. Therefore, these results proved that SPRC produced an antioxidative effect on NAFLD through the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

The purpose of this study was to describe gender differences in predictors for antihypertensive medication adherence in Chinese immigrants. A cross-sectional design was used with recruitment with a convenience sample of 100 men and 100 women with hypertension. Measurements for demographics, cultural factors, clinical factors, and medication adherence were self-administered by the participants. Blood pressure was checked twice. A multivariate logistic regression was used to establish a parsimonious prediction model for medication adherence. It was found that in men, longer length of stay in the United States was a predictor for nonadherence. The predictor of nonadherence in women was lower perceived benefits of antihypertensive medications. To increase adherence in women, the benefits of antihypertensive medications should be emphasized. For men who have lived in the United States for 12 years or more, their adherence should be closely monitored.

Industrial sectors have resulted in a large amount of pollution. Environmental degradation problem requires more indepth research on relationships between different sectors' economic output and pollutant emissions. This paper analyzes the relationship between industrial economy and ecology. On the basis of it, the driving factors of industrial sectors' pollution emissions are analyzed. Firstly, decoupling elasticity of industrial sectors in Jiangsu province during 2004–2013 is analyzed by Tapio decoupling model. And then, the industrial sectors are classified into three types according to the different decoupling elasticity. Finally, the three types of industrial sectors' driving factors of industrial solid waste output are decomposed by LMDI method. The results show that: industrial sectors in Jiangsu province are divided into strong decoupling sectors, weak decoupling sectors and expansive negative decoupling sectors; economic development significantly promotes the increase of industrial solid waste output of all sectors; technology improvement and industrial structure largely decrease industrial solid waste output of strong decoupling sectors and weak decoupling sectors; however, technology improvement accelerates industrial solid waste output of expansive negative decoupling sectors; the role of industrial structure factor changes from restraint to promotion of expansive negative decoupling sectors.

To observe the ultrastructure of adult Gnathostoma doloresi worms isolated from wild boar by using scanning electron microscope (SEM), and analyze its phylogenetic relationships based on ITS2 and COXI gene sequences.Two adult G. doloresi worms were fixed by glutaraldehyde and osmium peroxide. Ultrastructural characters of those samples were observed under SEM. Amplification and sequencing of the ITS2 and COXI genes were performed following the extraction of total genomic DNA. Sequence analysis was performed based on multiple alignments and phylogenetic analysis was made by Neighbor-Joining method using MEGA 6.0.The bottle-shaped adult worm covered with numerous small spines. The cervical groove connected head bulb and body without spines. There was obvious distinction in body spines which surround cervical papillae and swollen area in the middle part of the body. The fragments of ITS2 (418 bp) and COXI (381 bp) gene were obtained by PCR combined with sequencing, and were registered to the GenBank database with the accession No. of JN408329 and JN408299, respectively. The BLAST results showed that, two sequences had 99% and 98% consistency with G. doloresi ITS2 (GenBank accession No. AB181156) and COX1 (No. AB180100) gene sequences, respectively. The phylogenetic tree indicated that the two G. doloresi worms were at the same clade with a bootstrap value at 100% and 85% based on the ITS2 and COXI sequences, respectively. G. doloresi and G. hispidum were also clustered together.The results provide adequate information for the SEM morphological data of adult G. doloresi worms, and its phylogenetic relationship.

We previously found hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to be a new proangiogenic factor. However, the mechanisms underlying the cardiovascular effect of this small gas molecule remain largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to identify the essential microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in the transduction of H2S signals in vascular endothelial cells (ECs). The expression of miR-640 and its signaling elements, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), hypoxia inducible factor 1-α (HIF1A), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), was measured using quantitative PCR and Western blotting. Overexpression and inhibition of miR-640 were performed to clarify their roles in mediating the effect of H2S. In addition, knockdown of VEGFR2, HIF1A, and mTOR was performed using siRNAs, dominant negative mutants, or inhibitors to examine their roles in the transduction of the H2S signals. miR-640 levels decreased in vascular ECs that were treated with H2S, whereas overexpression of miR-640 blunted the proangiogenic effect of H2S. Knockdown of either VEGFR2 or mTOR blunted the downregulation of miR-640 and the proangiogenic effect induced by H2S. In addition, miR-640 bound to the 3′-UTR of HIF1A mRNA and then inhibited the expression of HIF1A. The inhibition could be recovered by treating cells with H2S. Thus we concluded that miR-640 plays a pivotal role in mediating the proangiogenic effect of H2S; H2S acts through downregulation of the expression of miR-640 and increasing the levels of HIF1A through the VEGFR2-mTOR pathway.

Human gnathostomiasis is an emerging food-borne parasitic disease caused by nematodes in the genus Gnathostoma. In spite of their significance as pathogens, these parasites remain poorly understood at the molecular level. In the present study, we sequenced the mitochondrial (mt) genome of G. spinigerum, which infects a range of definitive hosts including dogs, cats, tigers, leopards and humans. The mt genome of G. spinigerum is 14,079 bp in size and shows substantial changes in gene order compared to other nematodes studied to date. Phylogenetic analyses of mt genome sequences by Bayesian inference (BI) revealed that the infraorder Gnathostomatomorpha (represented by G. spinigerum) is closely related to the infraorder Ascaridomorpha. G. spinigerum is the first species from the infraorder Gnathostomatomorpha for which a complete mt genome has been sequenced. The new data will help understand the evolution, population genetics and systematics of this medically important group of parasites.

This study aimed to observe the effects of Tanshinone IIA(Tan IIA) treatment on the expression levels of brain tissue NeuN, Nissl body, IκB, GFAP and NF-κB in Alzheimer's disease (AD) rats to explore the possible anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective mechanisms of Tan IIA. Thirty healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into three groups: Sham group, AD+vehicle control group, and AD+Tan IIA group. The models of AD were established by injecting Aβ1-42 into the hippocampus of rats. Tagged position and the expression levels of Aβ1-42 were observed by immunohistochemistry staining to prove the success of the model of AD. Brain tissues of all groups were collected after Tan IIA treatment and paraffin sections were prepared to assess pathological changes and expression levels of GFAP, IκB and NF-κB by both immunohistochemistry and western blotting. After Aβ1-42 injection, the expression levels of GFAP and NF-κB were significantly stronger in the AD+vehicle control group than those in the AD+Tan IIA group and the sham group (P

Abelson interactor protein 1 (Abi1) is a key regulator of actin reorganization and lamellipodia formation. Because of its role in cell migration, Abi1 has been implicated in tumor progression. In the present study, we investigated the role of Abi1 in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) by analyzing its expression and correlation with clinicopathological and survival data. We evaluated the expression of Abi1 in 223 paraffin-embedded EOC specimens by immunohistochemistry and 46 frozen EOC samples by Western blot and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis. Results showed that Abi1 protein and mRNA expression was significantly higher in EOC tissue compared with noncancerous tumors and normal ovaries (P < .05). Moreover, high level of Abi1 expression was significantly correlated with advanced stage, high grade, elevated Ca-125 level, and suboptimal surgical debulking (P < .05). By Western blot analysis, Abi1 was expressed in highly invasive cells compared with weakly invasive cells (P < .05). Immunofluorescence was performed to demonstrate Abi1 expression in SKOV3 cells. Additionally, upregulation of Abi1 significantly correlated with shorter survival (P < .05). Most importantly, multivariate analysis showed that Abi1 overexpression is an independent prognostic factor, complementary to clinical stage and residual tumor size. In conclusion, our findings suggest that Abi1 acts as a tumor-promoting gene in EOC progression, which may lead to unfavorable prognosis. Abi1 may serve as a potential effective prognostic marker for EOC.

We make theoretical comparisons among five coefficients—Cronbach’s α, Revelle’s β, McDonald’s ω h , and two alternative conceptualizations of reliability. Though many end users and psychometricians alike may not distinguish among these five coefficients, we demonstrate formally their nonequivalence. Specifically, whereas there are conditions under which α, β, and ω h are equivalent to each other and to one of the two conceptualizations of reliability considered here, we show that equality with this conceptualization of reliability and between α and ω h holds only under a highly restrictive set of conditions and that the conditions under which β equals ω h are only somewhat more general. The nonequivalence of α, β, and ω h suggests that important information about the psychometric properties of a scale may be missing when scale developers and users only report α as is almost always the case

OBJECTIVE: Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) or, more accurately, chronic non-suppurative destructive cholangitis, is a chronic cholestatic liver disease that is considered to have an autoimmune basis. In most patients, PBC is characterized by the presence of M2 antibodies. The major autoantigens recognized by M2 antibodies are members of the 2-oxo-acid dehydro­genase complex, including pyruvate dehydrogenase complex E2 (PDC-E2), branched chain 2-oxo-acid dehydrogenase complex E2 (BCOADC-E2), 2-oxo-glutarate dehydrogenase complex E2 (OGDC-E2), E1 subunits of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and protein X of the PDC. The aim of this study was to express the immunodominant epitopes of BCOADC-E2, PDC-E2 and OGDC-E2 separately, to create a triple hybrid clone (designated as BPO) containing epitopes of three autoantigens, and to use BPO as a tool for the detection of M2 antibodies specific for primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). METHODS: The cDNA fragments from human sources encoding the M2-reactive epitopes of BCOADC-E2, PDC-E2 and OGDC-E2 were amplified using reverse transcription−polymerase chain reaction with total RNA extracted from human peripheral mononuclear blood cells. The fragments were cloned into pQE-30 and then transferred into plasmid Escherichia coli M15. Transformants were induced by isopropylthio-β-d-galactoside and confirmed with sodium dodecyl sulfate−polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blotting. RESULTS: Four specific proteins produced from the transformants containing the fused plasmid were shown to have antigenic reactivity with PBC sera, but not with normal control sera. CONCLUSIONS: We succeeded in expressing three immunodominant epitopes and a hybrid clone, which can be used as a powerful and specific tool for the detection of M2-specific autoantibodies in the diagnosis of PBC.

Previously, we showed that treatment with celecoxib obviously inhibited proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of its anticancer effect on NPC have not been fully clarified. The present in vitro study was performed to investigate the mechanisms involved in the anticancer effect of celecoxib in NPC. NPC cell line HONE1 was treated with celecoxib at varying concentrations. The antiproliferation effect of celecoxib on the HONE1 cell line was assessed with methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Western blot analysis of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), phosphorylated STAT3(Y705) (pSTAT3(Y705)), Survivin, Mcl-1, Bcl-2 and Cyclin D1 was carried out at various concentration of celecoxib for 48 h in HONE1 cell line. Western blot analysis of Protein Kinase B (AKT), phosphorylated AKT (pAKT) was performed at increasing doses of celecoxib for 48 h in HNE1, CNE1-LMP1 and HONE1 cells. The results showed that celecoxib inhibited proliferation of HONE1 cell line in a dose-dependent manner. Celecoxib inhibited the activation of STAT3 phosphorylation in HONE1 cells and the downstream genes of STAT3 (Survivin, Mcl-1, Bcl-2 and Cyclin D1) were downregulated after treatment with celecoxib. Furthermore, celecoxib could inhibit AKT phosphorylation in HNE1, CNE1-LMP1 and HONE1 cell lines. These data suggested that celecoxib was a promising agent for the chemoprevention and treatment of NPC.

To inspect the third stage larvae of Gnathostoma in imported Monopterus albus, and identify its species.Ten batches of M. albus imported to Shanghai were detected for nematode Gnathostoma from January 2010 to March 2011. Fifty-two M. albus imported from the Philippines (25), Indonesia (24) and Bangladesh (3) were sampled (3-10/batch), which were dissected, minced, and digested. The suspension was filtered with 10 mesh screen to take the deposit. The complete parasites were picked out under stereoscope followed by morphological identification. The rate and intensity of infection were calculated. Genomic DNA of Gnathostoma was extracted to amplify internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS-2) and cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) by PCR, the product of which was analyzed by electrophoresis and sequencing. The sequences were aligned with corresponding sequences in GenBank.The third stage larvae of Gnathostoma were detected in M. albus from Indonesia and Philippines with infection rate of 36.0% (9/25) and 50.0% (12/24) and average infectiosity of 7.8 (70/9) and 2.8 (34/12), respectively. No Gnathostoma was found in M. albus imported from Bangladesh. Under microscope, the larvae showed one cephalic bulb with 4 rings of hooklets on it, cross striations and small spines on the body surface. The front body spines were bigger and denser, while the rear spines were smaller and sparser. It had 1 cervical papilla and 4 cervical capsules. Morphological characteristics were similar to the third stage larvae of G. spinigerum. PCR results showed that the length of the ITS-2 and cox1 PCR products was 647 bp and 441 bp, respectively. Sequence alignment analysis showed that the two PCR products had 99%-100% consistency with G. spinigerum ITS-2 (GenBank Accession No. AB181155 and Z97175) and cox1 (GenBank Accession No. AY501388, AB180099, and AB551552).All the larvae detected in M. albus imported from the Philippines and Indonesia have been identified as G. spinigerum.

Celecoxib is a selective inhibitor of COX-2, whose connection with the development and progression of human tumors has been extensively studied. So far, however, its anti-metastatic effect is poorly understood in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The current study aimed to observe the effect of celecoxib on invasion and migration of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines and investigate the potential mechanism in vitro. Human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines HNE1, HONE1, SUNE1-5-8F were exposed to different concentrations of celecoxib. MTT assay was used to study its anti-proliferation effect, transwell assay wound healing repair assay were performed to investigate the invasiveness and migration capability after treatment with celecoxib. The activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was measured by gelatin zymography. MTT assay showed that celecoxib inhibited HNE1, HONE1, and SUNE1-5-8F cells growth. Wound healing repair assay and transwell assay showed that cell metastatic ability was suppressed after treatment with celecoxib. Celecoxib had a significant inhibitory effect on the activity of MMP-2/9 in a dose-dependent manner in HNE1, HONE1 and SUNE1-5-8F cell lines. These data demonstrated that celecoxib-induced suppression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity might be involved in the inhibition of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines invasion and migration.

Objective The protective effect of sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) pretreatment against experimental myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) has been demonstrated previously, however its therapeutic effects and mechanism of action still remain unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the therapeutic time window and potential mechanism of STS action on myocardial I/R injury in a rat model of myocardial I/R. Methods Rats received 30 min ischemia by complete ligation of the left ascending coronary artery, and then were reperfused for 24 h. STS (8 mg/kg) was administered intravenously 15 min before and at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6 h after reperfusion. The infarct size and several consequences of myocardial I/R including myocardial zymogram, antioxidant status, cardiac function and microstructure disorder were evaluated 24 h after reperfusion. Furthermore, the effect of STS on heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protein expression and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation were also evaluated. Results In the present study, the time point of optimal cardioprotective effect of STS was within 2 h after reperfusion, with declining effect at 4 h and no effect at 6 h after the onset of reperfusion. In addition, STS-mediated cytoprotection against oxidative stress and inflammatory responses was correlated with an increased HO-1 activity.. Conclusions STS could ameliorate cardiac dysfunction and variation of myocardial zymogram, up-regulate antioxidant systems. Moreover, modulation of HO-1 was involved in STS induced cardioprotection..