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Antioxidant activities of five essential oils (cinnamon, thyme, clove, lavender and peppermint oils) and their major components (eugenol, thymol, linalool, and menthol) were evaluated on scavenging DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1 picrylhydrazyl) free radicals, inhibiting polyunsaturated fatty acid oxidation in fish oil emulsion (FOE), and reducing oxidative stress in human red blood cells (RBC). The essential oils from cinnamon, thyme, clove and their main components, eugenol and thymol, exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in the FOE and RBC systems. It was found that the antioxidant activity of essential oils was positively correlated to the content of eugenol and thymol, while lavender and peppermint oils and their main components, linalool and menthol, had very low antioxidant activity. Compared with scavenging DPPH free radical activity, the antioxidant activity in FOE and RBC systems could better reflect the actual antioxidant potential of essential oil in preventing lipid oxidation and reducing oxidative stress in biological system.

Present investigation determines the protective effect of Cinnamtannin A2 against chronic renal failure (CRF). 5/6 nephrectomized rat model was used to induced CRF by removing the kidneys and rats were treated with Cinnamtannin A2 10 mg/kg, i.p. for the period 30 days. Nephroprotective effect Cinnamtannin A2 was assessed by estimating the biochemical parameters of renal function test and cytokines in the serum of nephractomized rats. Oxidative stress parameters were estimated in the kidney tissue and western blot assay and qRT-PCR assay was performed to determine the expression of protein in renal tissue of nephractomized rats. Moreover histopathology study was done to observe the tubular injury. Data of the report reveals that treatment with Cinnamtannin A2 ameliorates the altered level of creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), Kidney Injury Molecule-1 (KIM-1) and cytokines in the serum and microalbuminurea in the urine of 5/6 nephrectomized rat. Oxidative stress level was reduced in Cinnamtannin A2 treated group than CRF group. Moreover treatment with Cinnamtannin A2 attenuates the altered expression of proteins involved in Nrf2-Keap1 pathway in the kidney tissue of 5/6 nephrectomized rat. Result of histopathology reveals that tubular injury score was reduced in the kidney tissue of Cinnamtannin A2 treated group than CRF group. In conclusion, data of the report suggest that treatment with Cinnamtannin A2 ameliorates the level of KIM1 and NAGL in 5/6 nephractomized rats by regulating Nrf2- Keap1 pathway.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) increases the risk of chronic kidney disease. Atorvastatin (ATV)-loaded lipid bilayer-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (L-AMSNs) were synthesized, and their physicochemical parameters were characterized. L-AMSNs exhibited excellent stability; it did not increase in size over time, indicating that the lipid membrane coating prohibited mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) coalescence. Results: The rate of drug release differed significantly between AMSNs and L-AMSNs at all tested time points. A remarkable improvement in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) viability was observed after treatment with L-AMSNs; the malondialdehyde (MDA) level was significantly reduced compared to control cells. The extent of apoptosis was only 15% that of control H2O2-treated cells. L-AMSNs induced a remarkable decrease in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α and interleukin [IL]-6), showing the therapeutic potential of nanocarrier-based ATV. L-AMSNs significantly increased the superoxide dismutase level and decreased the MDA level, indicating superior anti-inflammatory activity under conditions of oxidative stress. The L-AMSN showed a remarkable improvement in the outer stripe of outer medulla (OSOM) region and maintained the tubular structure of the kidney tissue. Besides, kidney injury score of L-AMSN is significantly lower compared to that of LPS-AKI and ATV indicating the excellent therapeutic efficacy of nanoparticulate system based L-AMSN. Conclusions: Nanoparticles system-based L-AMSNs maintained the tubular structure of kidney tissue, indicating excellent therapeutic efficacy. After clinical translation, L-AMSNs could serve as a promising treatment for AKI.

The present study was conducted to determine the protective effect of articaine (ART) in an lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) animal model. The results suggest ART causes a significant decrease in serum blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and serum cystatin C level, showing a protective effect against LPS-induced AKI. This has been further supported by histopathological findings of kidney tissues. The level of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β in serum and kidney tissues was remarkably inhibited by ART in a dose-dependent manner. ART causes a significant reduction of malondialdehyde and increases the activities of glutathione and superoxide dismutase with an increase in dose as compared to the LPS-treated group. Moreover, the ART-treated group showed dose-dependent inhibition of LPS-induced nuclear factor-κB activation and TLR4 expression as confirmed by Western blot analysis. The level of Bcl-2 family genes (Bcl-2 and Bax) was restored near to normal by ART. Collectively, all the above results indicated that ART had protective effects against LPS-induced AKI by blocking inflammatory and oxidative responses.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious condition that affects bodily function; however, there is no effective therapy in clinical practice. MCC950, a selective NOD-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome inhibitor, has been reported to alleviate canonical and non-canonical NLRP3 inflammasome activation of the inflammatory response in vitro and in vivo. However, the effect of MCC950 treatment on neurological post-SCI recovery remains unclear. In this study, we assessed the pharmacological effect of MCC950 on an experimental SCI model in vivo and neuronal injury in vitro. We found that MCC950 improved the grip strength, hind limb movements, spinal cord edema, and pathological injury in the SCI mice. We demonstrated that it exerted this effect by blocking NLRP3 inflammasome assembly, including NLRP3-ASC and NLRP3-Caspase-1 complexes, as well as the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18. Moreover, we found that MCC950 reduced spinal neuron injury and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, which had been induced by oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) or lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in vitro. In conclusion, our findings indicate that MCC950 alleviates inflammatory response and improves functional recovery in the acute mice model of SCI by blocking NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and alleviating downstream neuroinflammation. Therefore, these findings could prove useful in the development of effective therapeutic strategies for the treatment and prognosis of SCI.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of fatty acid binding protein-5 (FABP-5) gene on the proliferation, apoptosis and invasion of human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells. The viability, apoptosis and cell invasion of SGC-7901 cells before and after FABP5 knockdown were taken as the study objects, design and synthesis of siRNA interference sequence were conducted according to FABP-5 mRNA coding sequences, and SGC-7901 cells were transiently transfected. The human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells were divided into three groups: FABP-5 siRNA group, negative control group and blank control group. FABP-5 gene mRNA and protein expression levels were detected by RT-PCR and western blot analysis. The CCK-8 assay was used to detect in vitro cell proliferation, flow cytometry (FCM) was used to detect changes in cell cycle and apoptosis in each group, TUNEL staining was used to detect apoptosis in each group, and the cell invasion chamber assay was used to detect cell invasiveness in each group. Each test was repeated three times. The results of the RT-PCR and western blot analysis showed that, expression of FABP-5 mRNA and protein in the FABP-5 siRNA group was significantly decreased compared with the negative and blank control groups. The cell growth rate in the FABP-5 siRNA group was significantly retarded, cell cycle was arrested in G0/G1 phase, the number of cells in S phase was reduced, and compared with the negative and blank control groups, the apoptotic rate in the FABP-5 siRNA group was significantly increased (P

Acute renal infarction (ARI) is an uncommon disease and delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis often leads to rapid deterioration of the patient. As patients with atrial fibrillation and left atrial myxomas are at risk of developing ARI due to cardiogenic thromboembolism, it is pivotal for clinicians to make a correct diagnosis and start a timely treatment. The present study reported on the case of a 68-year-old man who suffered from ARI secondary to thromboembolism associated with atrial fibrillation and left atrial myxomas. His renal function deteriorated rapidly after the onset of the attack. He was treated with anti-coagulant agents with excellent results. Classical anti-coagulation therapy remains to be the effective and safe treatment of ARI.

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is one of the best markers for the activation of astrocytes (AS) following injury or stress in the central nervous system (CNS). The purpose of this study was to examine the expression of GFAP and 14-3-3ε in rat AS subjected to hypoxia. We established primary cultures of AS from cerebral cortex of neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats as a model of glucose deficiency and hypoxia/ischemia-reperfusion. We analyzed the activated astrocyte markers GFAP and 14-3-3ε by western blot analysis and found that both increased over time, starting at 4 h and reaching the highest level at 72 h, at the end of the experiment. GFAP and 14-3-3ε protein localization by double-labeling immunofluorescence showed elevated expression and co-localization in the cytoplasm of AS. GFAP and 14-3-3ε expression remained elevated in AS 72 h after stress conditions, which is possibly related to the excessive activation and dysfunction of the CNS in chronic injuries.

Background Virtual reality (VR) technology has developed rapidly in recent years and has been applied in many fields, including medical education. A meta-analysis was performed to compare the examination pass rate of medical students educated using VR and those receiving traditional education to evaluate the teaching effect of VR in medical education. Methods The PubMed, Springer Link, Science Direct, and Wiley Online Library were searched from inception to May 2020. Articles meeting the inclusion criteria were then evaluated, relevant information extracted and a meta-analysis conducted. Students were allocated to a VR group, those trained using VR technology, and a traditional education group, those who received a traditional medical education. Results Six studies were included in the meta-analysis. The results indicate a significant difference between the pass rate of students educated using VR and those receiving traditional medical education. The odds ratios and confidence intervals of individual studies and our meta-analysis are illustrated with a forest plot. Conclusions Students in the VR group performed better than those in the traditional education group. Teaching with VR may enhance student learning in medical education. Medical schools should consider making greater use of VR when educating students.

The content stability of commonly used control genes is considered to vary significantly in different independent experimental systems, either in the expression of RNA expression or in the level of DNA content. The present study aimed to examine a panel of six common control genes, including β‑globin (HBB), telomerase (TERT), glyceraldehyde‑3‑phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), albumin (ALB), β‑actin (ACTB) and T cell receptor γ (TRG), in order to evaluate and validate the most reliable control genes for quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in investigations for the analysis of fetal‑derived DNA and maternal‑derived DNA in maternal plasma to enable non‑invasive prenatal assessment. Plasma DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of 20 pregnant femals (gestational age, 18.67 ± 0.58 weeks) using a QIAamp DNA mini kit. Electrophoresis was performed to separate the fetal‑derived DNA and the maternal‑derived DNA at the 300bp position. qPCR was then performed, followed by geNorm‑, NormFinder‑ and BestKeeper‑based analyses to evaluated the content stabilities of the six candidate control genes in the fetal‑derived DNA and maternal‑derived DNA. The subsequent analysis of the experimental data revealed that HBB was expressed in the maternal‑ and fetal‑derived DNA together and in the maternal‑derived DNA alone. In addition, GAPDH in the fetal‑derived DNA enabled efficient normalization for qPCR investigations in the maternal plasma DNA.

Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) has become a frequently used strategy in gene expression studies. The relative quantification method is an important and commonly used method for the evaluation of RT-qPCR data. The key aim of this method is to identify an applicable internal reference gene. However, there are currently no data concerning the expression of reference genes for gene analysis in human tongue carcinoma cell lines and tissues. In the present study, screening was performed using 12 common reference genes, which were selected in order to provide an experimental basis for the investigation of gene expression in human tongue carcinoma. Tca-8113 and CAL-27 cell lines and a total of 8 tongue carcinoma tissue samples were investigated. The gene expression stability and the applicability of the 12 reference gene candidates were determined using the geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper software programs. The results from the three software programs were demonstrated to be variable following comparison. The recommended combinations were 5'-aminolevulinate synthase 1 + glucuronidase β + ribosomal protein L29 (RPL29) for the cell line + tissue group, β-2-microglobulin + RPL29 for the cell line group and peptidylprolyl isomerase A + hydroxymethylbilane synthase + RPL29 for the tissue group. These recommended internal reference genes may improve the accuracy of relative quantitation analysis of target gene expression performed by the RT-qPCR method in further gene expression research on human tongue carcinoma.

The expression and correlation analysis of the regenerating gene family member 4 (RegIV) and vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF-A and VEGF-C) in metastatic spinal tumors were studied. Fifteen patients with metastatic spinal tumors who underwent operation in our hospital from January 2011 to January 2013 were selected into this study. The expression level of tumor tissues in patients with spinal metastasis and RegIV, VEGF-A and VEGF-C of the corresponding paracancer normal tissue samples were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining method and the correlation between the expression of RegIV, VEGF-A and VEGF-C was analyzed. qRT-PCR results showed that the expression of RegIV was increased (P

Puerarin is a natural isoflavone isolated from plants of the genus Pueraria and functions as a protector against cerebral ischemia. We hypothesized that puerarin can be involved in the repair of peripheral nerve injuries. To test this hypothesis, doses of 10, 5, or 2.5 mg/kg per day puerarin (8-(β-D-Glucopyranosyl-7-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one) were injected intraperitoneally into mouse models of sciatic nerve injury. Puerarin at the middle and high doses significantly up-regulated the expression of growth-associated protein 43 in the L4-6 segments of the spinal cord from mice at 1, 2, and 4 weeks after modeling, and reduced the atrophy of the triceps surae on the affected side and promoted the regeneration of nerve fibers of the damaged spinal cord at 8 weeks after injury. We conclude that puerarin exerts an ongoing role to activate growth-associated protein 43 in the corresponding segment of the spinal cord after sciatic nerve injury, thus contributing to neural regeneration after sciatic nerve injuries.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to determine the expression stabilities of 12 common internal reference genes for the relative quantitation analysis of target gene expression performed by reverse transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in human laryngeal cancer.MethodsHep-2 cells and 14 laryngeal cancer tissue samples were investigated. The expression characteristics of 12 internal reference gene candidates (18S rRNA, GAPDH, ACTB, HPRT1, RPL29, HMBS, PPIA, ALAS1, TBP, PUM1, GUSB, and B2M) were assessed by RT-qPCR. The data were analyzed by three commonly used software programs: geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper.ResultsThe use of the combination of four internal reference genes was more appropriate than the use of a single internal reference gene. The optimal combination was PPIA + GUSB + RPL29 + HPRT1 for both the cell line and tissues; while the most appropriate combination was GUSB + RPL29 + HPRT1 + HMBS for the tissues.ConclusionsOur recommended internal reference genes may improve the accuracy of relative quantitation analysis of target gene expression performed by the RT-qPCR method in further gene expression research on laryngeal tumors.