Cordyceps cicadae extracts ameliorate renal malfunction in a remnant kidney model

Background and Objectives  

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing public health problem with an urgent need for new pharmacological agents. Cordyceps cicadae is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and has potential renoprotective benefits. The current study aimed to determine any scientific evidence to support its clinical use.     

Osteoinduction by Ca-P biomaterials implanted into the muscles of mice

The osteoinduction of porous biphasic calcium phosphate ceramics (BCP) has been widely reported and documented, but little research has been performed on rodent animals, e.g., mice. In this study, we report osteoinduction in a mouse model. Thirty mice were divided into two groups. BCP materials (Sample A) and control ceramics (Sample B) were implanted into the leg muscle, respectively. Five mice in each group were killed at 15, 30, and 45 d after surgery. Sample A and Sample B were harvested and used for hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, and Alizarin Red S staining to check bone formation in the biomaterials. Histological analysis showed that no bone tissue was formed 15 d after implantation (0/5) in either of the two groups. Newly-formed bone tissues were observed in Sample A at 30 d (5/5) and 45 d (5/5) after implantation; the average amounts of newly-formed bone tissues were approximately 5.2% and 8.6%, respectively. However, we did not see any bone tissue in Sample B until 45 d after implantation. Bone-related molecular makers such as bone morphogenesis protein-2 (BMP-2), collagen type I, and osteopontin were detected by IHC staining in Sample A 30 d after implantation. In addition, the newly-formed bone was also confirmed by Alizarin Red S staining. Because this is the report of osteoinduction in the rodent animal on which all the biotechnologies were available, our results may contribute to further mechanism research.     

Changes of paired-pulse evoked responses during the development of epileptic activity in the hippocampus

Dysfunction of inhibitory synaptic transmission can destroy the balance between excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs in neurons, thereby inducing epileptic activity. The aim of the paper is to investigate the effects of successive excitatory inputs on the epileptic activity induced in the absence of inhibitions. Paired-pulse orthodromic and antidromic stimulations were used to test the changes in the evoked responses in the hippocampus. Picrotoxin (PTX), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A (GABA_A) receptor antagonist, was added to block the inhibitory synaptic transmission and to establish the epileptic model. Extracellular evoked population spike (PS) was recorded in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. The results showed that the application of PTX induced a biphasic change in the paired-pulse ratio of PS amplitude. A short latency increase of the second PS (PS2) was later followed by a reappearance of PS2 depression. This type of depression was observed in both orthodromic and antidromic paired-pulse responses, whereas the GABAergic PS2 depression [called paired-pulse depression (PPD)] during baseline recordings only appeared in orthodromic-evoked responses. In addition, the depression duration at approximately 100 ms was consistent with a relative silent period observed within spontaneous burst discharges induced by prolonged application of PTX. In conclusion, the neurons may ignore the excitatory inputs and intrinsically generate bursts during epileptic activity. The depolarization block could be the mechanisms underlying the PPD in the absence of GABA_A inhibitions. The distinct neuronal responses to stimulations during different epileptic stages may implicate the different antiepileptic effects of electrical stimulation.     

二项式系数展开的新方法

本文通过构造k级等差数列的方法,创造性地给出了(a-b)n和(a+b)n系数展开新方法.     

Inflammatory Cytokines,Apoptotic, Tissue Injury and Remodeling Biomarkers in Children with Congenital Heart Disease

The present study aims to evaluate specific biomarkers involved in congenital heart disease (CHD), and whether there is a significant differences between the levels of these biomarkers in the cyanotic CHD (CCHD) and acyanotic CHD (ACHD). We prospectively measured tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), vasoendothelial growth factor (VEGF), troponin T, creatin kinase MB (CKMB), and Caspase 3 levels in 120 consecutive children with CHD (60 cyanotic and 60 a cyanotic with age 1:4 years), and 30 healthy control children. Significant elevated levels of inflammatory markers; TNF-α, IL-6 and CRP was detected in CHD, with percentage increase in cyanotic than a cyanotic subjects as compared to the normal one. Apoptotic biomarker; caspase 3 showed also significant increases in CCHD than ACHD. In addition, tissue injury mechanisms included troponin T and CKMB, exhibited significant increase in cyanotic than a cyanotic CHD. The present results demonstrate also, significant enhancement in remodeling process (VEGF), in cyanotic than a cyanotic patients. Thus, it could be concluded that, the children with CCHD were shown to have elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines, caspase 3, troponin T, and CKMB as these biomarkers may implicated in cardiac functional status.     

慢性乙型肝炎中医药治疗进展

慢性乙型肝炎（chronic hepatitis B,CHB）是临床的常见病、多发病,中医药在治疗慢性乙型肝炎有着丰富的临床经验。文章通过近几年来中医药在诊治慢性乙型肝炎的有关著作与文献资料的分析概括,阐述了慢性乙型肝炎的病因病机,辨证分型,专方专药治疗,总结了中医药的临床治疗近况。     

Unterhaltsanspruch,Ernsthaftigkeit und Zielstrebigkeit des Studiums,unzumutbare Belastung Unterhaltspftlichtiger

Ein Studium gilt auch dann als zielstrebig und erfolgreich betrieben, wenn die durchschnittliche Studiendauer einzelner Studienabschnitte überschritten wurde und daher vorübergehend Familienbeihilfe und Unterhaltsanspruch erloschen waren. Aus der Erfüllung der Kriterien für den Bezug der Familienbeihilfe kann im Allgemeinen abgeleitet werden, dass ein Studium ernsthaft und zielstrebig betrieben wird. Die Grenze für die (Un-)Zumutbarkeit der Belastung des Unterhaltspflichtigen bildet die jeweilige durchschnittliche Gesamtstudiendauer.     

氰化物中毒的生化机理

从氰化物的结构、细胞色素氧化酶的结构及典型呼吸链中生物氧化过程探讨氰化物中毒的机理。并提出中毒的机理在于CN-和细胞色素氧化酶结合,使酶的结构改变,不能再从底物获得电子,中断整个生物氧化过程,使细胞摄取能量严重不足,导致人和动物体因缺乏能量而死亡。