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Abstract: Aloperine has been shown to inhibit 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) induced allergic contact dermatitis in BALB/c mice. In the present study, we further investigated the effect of aloperine on DNFB-induced atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice. NC/Nga mice elicited atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions after the topical application of DNFB. Aloperine treatment significantly inhibited dermatitis index and ear thickness in DNFB-treated NC/Nga mice in a dose-dependent manner. Eosinophils, mast cells infiltration into the ears and plasma level of immunoglobulin (Ig) E were also suppressed by aloperine treatment. Finally, cytokine (interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-γ) productions in ear biopsies homogenates were significantly elevated after DNFB challenge. Topical application of aloperine increased the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10 level, while it reduced other cytokines production in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these data suggest that aloperine may be one of the effective therapeutic agents for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Allergic contact dermatitis is a prototypic T-cell-mediated cutaneous inflammatory response. Multiple cell types, inflammatory mediators and cytokines are involved in the regulation of immunologic and inflammatory processes in allergic contact dermatitis. Aloperine is an isolated alkaloid found in the plant of Sophora alopecuroides L. It has been clinically proved effective in China for a long time for skin inflammatory diseases such as allergic contact dermatitis. However, the mechanism of aloperine on allergic contact dermatitis is largely unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aloperine on 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced allergic contact dermatitis in BALB/c mice and the possible underlying mechanisms. The results showed that topical application of DNFB on the ear provoked typical allergic contact dermatitis with ear swelling and ear erythema in BALB/c mice. Treatments with 1% aloperine suppressed DNFB-induced increase in ear thickness and ear erythema. Moreover, 1% aloperine treatment significantly decreased the up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) induced by DNFB in ear biopsy homogenates. Our findings suggest that aloperine greatly improves the DNFB-induced allergic contact dermatitis in mice. The therapeutic mechanism might be related to the reduction of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 production induced by DNFB. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To study the interaction between gatifloxacin (GT), metal ions (Cu2+, Cd2+, Co2+, Mg2+) and calf thymus DNA under condition of physiology pH, UV absorption and fluorescence methods were adopted. Result shows that metal ions and DNA are able to react with GT in ground state. In further research, by studying the influence of metal ions on binding of GT with DNA in metal ions–GT–DNA ternary system, we found that influential mechanism of Mg2+ on the binding of GT with DNA may be different from the other three. Mg2+ can act as a bridge in the binding of GT''s carboxyl/carbonyl with DNA phosphate in certain concentration range; while Cu2+, Cd2+, Co2+ can combine directly with GT by reaction between GT carboxyl/carbonyl and DNA base, and enhance the binding ability of GT with DNA. The influence extent and type depend not only on the binding site of DNA with metal ions (phosphate or base), but also the binding ability of which. The stronger the binding ability of metal ions with DNA base is, the larger their promotion to binding of GT with DNA is. The order of metal ions’ influential ability on the binding of GT–DNA is identical to the binding ability order of metal ions with DNA base, that is: Cu2+ >Cd2+ >Co2+ >Mg2+. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mg2+ and Cd2+ have different binding capacity to sparfloxacin, and have different combination modes with calf thymus DNA. Selecting these two different metal ions, the influence of them on the binding constants between SPFX and calf thymus DNA, as well as the related mechanism have been studied by using absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The result shows that Cd2+ has weak binding capacity to SPFX in the SPFX-Cd2+ binary system, but can decrease the binding between SPFX and DNA obviously in SPFX-DNA-Cd2+ ternary system. Mg2+ has strong binding capacity to SPFX. It can increase the binding between SPFX and DNA at concentrations <0.01mM, and decrease the binding between them at concentrations >0.01mM. Referring to the different modes of Mg2+ and Cd2+ binding to DNA, the mechanism of the influence of metal ions on the binding between SPFX and DNA has been proposed. SPFX can directly bind to DNA by chelating DNA base sites. If a metal ion at certain concentration mainly binds to DNA bases, it can decrease the binding constants between SPFX and DNA through competing with SPFX. While if a metal ion at certain concentration mainly binds to phosphate groups of DNA, it can increase the binding constants by building a bridge between SPFX and DNA. The influence direction of metal ions on the binding between quinolone and DNA relays on their binding ratio of affinity for bases to phosphate groups on DNA. Our result supports Palumbo''s conclusion that the binding between SPFX and the phosphate groups is the precondition for the combination between SPFX and DNA, which is stabilized through stacking interactions between the condensed rings of SPFX and DNA bases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cr(III) and Cr(VI) have different binding capacity with sparfloxacin, and have different combination modes with calf thymus DNA. Selecting these two different metal ions, the influence of them on the binding constants between sparfloxacin (SPFX) and calf thymus DNA, as well as the related mechanism has been studied by using absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The result shows that Cr(III) has weaker binding capacity to SPFX in the SPFX–Cr(III) binary system, but influences the binding between SPFX and DNA obviously in SPFX–DNA–Cr(III) ternary system. However, although Cr(VI) has a stronger binding capacity to SPFX, it has no effect on the binding between SPFX and DNA. Referring to the different modes of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) binding to DNA, the mechanism of the influence of metal ions on the binding between SPFX and DNA has been proposed. SPFX can directly bind to DNA by chelating DNA base sites. If a metal ion at certain concentration binds mainly to DNA bases, it can decrease the binding constants between SPFX and DNA through competing with SPFX. While if a metal ion at certain concentration mainly binds to phosphate groups of DNA, it can increase the binding constants by building a bridge between SPFX and DNA. If a metal ion at certain concentrations binds neither to bases nor phosphate groups in DNA, it will have no effect on the binding constant between SPFX and DNA. Our result supports Palumbo’s conclusion that the binding between SPFX and the phosphata groups is the precondition for the combination between SPFX and DNA, which is stabilized through stacking interactions between the condensed rings of SPFX and DNA bases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The quantitative influence of Cu(II) on the interaction of eukaryotic DNA with sulfite (SO3 2−), which is a derivative of sulfur dioxide in the human body, was studied using ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectrometry. The results showed that under physiological pH conditions, SO3 2− reacted weakly with DNA at concentrations of up to 10−1 M, at which point a rapid increase in the reaction constant and the reaction number of SO3 2− with DNA was observed. The addition of Cu(II) at concentrations ranging from 6.67×10−4 to 3.33×10−3 M to DNA–SO3 2− binary systems increased the reaction constant of SO3 2− with DNA 41- to 115-fold at a low concentration of SO3 2− (10−3 M), and 4- to 84-fold at an intermediate concentration of SO3 2− (10−2 M), but had little influence on the reaction number of SO3 2− with DNA compared with the absence of Cu(II). When the concentration of SO3 2− reached 10−1 M, the presence of Cu(II) reduced the reaction number but had no effect on the reaction constant of SO3 2− with DNA. These results show that the efficiency of SO3 2− is increased in the presence of Cu(II) at high concentrations of SO3 2−. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cu(II) and Mg(II) have different binding capacity with daunomycin, and have different combination mode with DNA. Selecting these two different metal ions, the influence of them on the binding constant of adriamycin with DNA and the related mechanism has been studied by using absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The result showed that Mg(II) has weaker binding capacity with the drug comparing Cu(II), but both Mg(II) and Cu(II) can obviously reduce the binding constant of DNA with the drug. Addition of Cu(II) to the drug–DNA binary system can cause the reduction of fluorescence in the system, but addition of Mg(II) to it can cause the enhancement of fluorescence in some conditions. This show that the influence of Cu(II) and Mg(II) on the binding of the drug with DNA may be by a different mechanism. According to the main function of Mg(II) to bind with the phosphate groups on DNA, it can be deduced that for the interaction of the aglycon portion of the drug into the base pairs of DNA, the electrostatic binding between amine group of the drug with the phosphate group on DNA is a prerequisite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper discussed the quantitative influence of Cu(II) on the interaction between horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and sulfite (SO3 2−), which is a derivate of sulfite dioxide in human bodies, by using fluorescence spectrum and ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectrometry in vitro. The results show that under the conditions of physiological pH and room-temperature, Cu(II) can bind strongly with both the protein part and the ferroporphyrin part in HRP at a low concentration (10−4 molL−1), and the combination constants are 2.047×103 and 7.66×102 Lmol−1, respectively. Under the same conditions, SO3 2− at low concentrations (<0.15molL−1) has little quenching for the fluorescence of HRP at 330nm, and the combination constant is 0.108Lmol−1. While the fluorescence intensity at 440nm enhance gradually with the increased concentration of SO3 2− (<0.1molL−1), and the combination constant is 8.219Lmol−1. These indicate that SO3 2− at low concentration has little reaction with the enzyme protein part in HRP but obvious reaction with the ferroporphyrin part in HRP. After SO3 2− at low concentrations is added into the HRP-Cu(II) binary system, the reaction constants between SO3 2− and the enzyme protein part in HRP increase rapidly. Compared with the absence of Cu(II), the combination constant of SO3 2− with the enzyme protein part in HRP increases nearly 70 times with a certain Cu(II) concentration (5.0×10−4 molL−1) in the system. However, the presence of Cu(II) in the system has little effect on the reaction constants between SO3 2− and the ferroporphyrin part in HRP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights • A seven-color panel including CD34 and TdT was built to detect MRD in T-ALL. • The panel could be applied to >97% T-ALL patients independent of initial phenotype. • Only one MRD false-negative result occurred because of antigen shifts. • MRD positive detected by the panel at post-HSCT could effectively predict relapse. Abstract A seven-color panel was used to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) via flow cytometry (FCM). Its availability and clinical significance were studied in T-ALL patients with newly diagnosed (n = 64), relapsed (n = 48) and morphologically complete remission (n = 103). The following four features were used to identify immature cCD3+ T cells: CD34+, TdT+, but mCD3-/dim+, and CD45dim+. Among these features, either TdT or CD34 expression was the most useful and were found in 93.8% of patients at diagnosis and 86.7% of patients who relapsed. Although some of the immature markers had disappeared in 23 of 59 cases after therapy, only one case presented with a false negative MRD. Of the 74 consecutive patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), MRD-positive patients showed a higher relapse rate, a higher cumulative incidence of relapse at 4 years and a shorter median relapse-free survival than MRD-negative patients at post-HSCT(72.7% vs 17.3%, P = 0.000; 100% vs 19.9%, P < 0.0001; and 16 months vs undefined, P < 0.0001). We demonstrated that this panel could be applied to>97% of T-ALL patients to detect MRD and predict relapse after allo-HSCT even in the absence of the initial immunophenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Context: Studies over the past 20 years have revealed that there are fibrous connective tissues between the suboccipital muscles, nuchal ligament, and cervical spinal dura mater (SDM). This fibrous connection with the SDM is through the posterior atlanto-occipital or atlantoaxial interspaces and is called the myodural bridge (MDB). Researchers have inferred that the MDB might have important functions. It was speculated that the function of MDB might be related to proprioception transmission, keeping the subarachnoid space and the cerebellomedullary cistern unobstructed, and affecting the dynamic circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid. In addition, clinicians have found that the pathologic change of the MDB might cause cervicogenic or chronic tension-type headache. Previous gross anatomical and histologic studies only confirmed the existence of the MDB but did not reveal the fiber properties of the MDB. This is important to further mechanical and functional research on the MDB.Purpose: Multiple histologic staining methods were used in the present study to reveal the various origin and fiber properties of the MDB. Muscles and ligaments participating in forming the MDB at the posterior atlanto-occipital or atlantoaxial interspaces were observed, and the fiber properties of the MDB were confirmed. The present study provides a basis for speculating the tensile force values of the MDB on the SDM and a morphologic foundational work for exploring the physiological functions and clinical significances of the MDB.Study Design: Anatomical and histologic analyses of suboccipital structures that communicate with the SDM at the posterior atlanto-occipital or atlantoaxial interspaces were carried out.Methods: Multiple histologic staining methods were used to evaluate the histologic properties and composition of the MDB at the posterior atlanto-occipital or atlantoaxial interspaces in five formalin-fixed head-neck human specimens.Results: The results show that the MDB traversing the atlanto-occipital interspace originated from the rectus capitis posterior minor (RCPmi). The MDB traversing the atlantoaxial interspace originated mainly from the RCPmi, rectus capitis posterior major, and obliquus capitis inferior. These fibers form the vertebral dural ligament in the atlantoaxial interspace and connect with SDM. The MDB is mainly formed by parallel running type I collagen fibers; thus, suboccipital muscle could pull SDM strongly through the effective force propagated by the MDB during head movement.Conclusions: Myodural bridge is mainly formed by parallel running type I collagen fibers; thus, it can transmit the strong pull from the diverse suboccipital muscles or ligaments during head movement. The results of the present study will serve as a basis for further biomechanical and functional MDB research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigated the change of hazardous materials in coking wastewater at different treatment stages (anaerobic, anaerobic/aerobic, anaerobic/aerobic/photo degradation, anaerobic/aerobic/ozone oxidation treatment) and the effects of them on the development of maize embryos and the activity of amylase and protease in maize seeds. Moreover the interaction of refractory organic matters in the wastewater at different treatment stages with amylase and protease also were determined in vitro. The results show that the biodegradable and the refractory organic compounds in the wastewater both can affect maize embryo development (germination inhibition rate is 19.3% for biodegradable organic compounds). As the treatment stage preceding, the inhibition effect of coking wastewater on the development of the maize embryo (for germination inhibition rates change from 49.3% to 24.6%) and on enzymatic activity (inhibition rates change from 63.9% to 22.4% for amylase) decreases gradually, but the photo-degradation treatment to anaerobic/aerobic effluent can increase its toxicity. The changes in the ability of the refractory organic compounds to bind with enzyme proteins, combined with the analysis of the organic components by GC/MS, show that in the process of coking wastewater treatment no new toxic chemicals were produced. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]