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Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NOX) is widely expressed in brain tissue including neurons, glia, and endothelia in neurovascular units. It is a major source of oxidants in the post-ischemic brain and significantly contributes to ischemic brain damage. Inflammation occurs after brain ischemia and is known to be associated with post-ischemic oxidative stress. Post-ischemic inflammation also causes progressive brain injury. In this study we investigated the role of NOX2 in post-ischemic cerebral inflammation using a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion model in mice. We demonstrate that mice with NOX2 subunit gp91phox knockout (gp91 KO) showed 35–44% less brain infarction at 1 and 3 days of reperfusion compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Minocycline further reduced brain damage in the gp91 KO mice at 3 days of reperfusion. The gp91 KO mice exhibited less severe post-ischemic inflammation in the brain, as evidenced by reduced microglial activation and decreased upregulation of inflammation mediators, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α, inducible nitric oxide synthases, CC-chemokine ligand 2, and CC-chemokine ligand 3. Finally, we demonstrated that an intraventricular injection of IL-1β enhanced ischemia- and reperfusion-mediated brain damage in the WT mice (double the infarction volume), whereas, it failed to aggravate brain infarction in the gp91 KO mice. Taken together, these results demonstrate the involvement of NOX2 in post-ischemic neuroinflammation and that NOX2 inhibition provides neuroprotection against inflammatory cytokine-mediated brain damage.

Objective To explore the safety and effect of angioplasty with Apollo stent for symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis. Methods Twenty⁃two symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis patients (24 arteries) underwent Apollo stent placement. The follow⁃up period was 3-28 months (average 14 months). Successful rate, perioperative complications, pre ⁃ and post ⁃ operative National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), in⁃sent restenosis (ISR), stroke recurrence and case⁃fatality rate were asessed. Results Procedural and clinical success was achieved in 22 (91.67% ) target vessels. The degree of stenosis was reduced from the baseline of (73.23 ± 9.59)% to (4.12 ± 9.17)% after stenting (t = 3.325, P = 0.005). No perioperative complications occurred. Neural function was improved (NIHSS score: postoperation, 0.59 ± 1.35 vs. preoperation, 0.59 ± 1.74; t = 2.718, P = 0.015). No in⁃stent restenosis was seen by CT angiography (CTA). No patients had stroke recurrence or died. Conclusion Angioplasty and stenting with Apollo stent for treating symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis is safe and effective. DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2011.02.016

The relationship between lumbar facet joint (LFJ) osteoarthritis (OA) and back pain remains unclear. An OA model associated with joint pain was successfully induced by monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) in rat knees. We aimed to establish an experimental OA model with facet-mediated mechanical hyperalgesia in the LFJ in rats. Methods: We established a rat experimental model of LFJ OA with facet-mediated mechanical hyperalgesia by injection of MIA into a single facet joint. After injection, changes in the LFJ structure were assessed histologically and mechanical hyperalgesia in the hind paw was determined using the von Frey test. In addition, interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α levels in the synovium were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the inhibitory effects of celecoxib and gabapentin on mechanical hyperalgesia were evaluated. Results: Progressive cartilage degeneration and changes in subchondral bone were observed after injection. A biphasic pattern of mechanical hyperalgesia was noted in the hind paw. The concentrations of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α were significantly increased only on Days 1 and 3 when compared with controls. Celecoxib was effective only on Day 3 and ineffective on Days 21 and 35, whereas gabapentin kept its inhibitory effect on Days 3, 21 and 35. Conclusion: An experimental LFJ OA model associated with facet-mediated mechanical hyperalgesia can be established by intra-articular injection of MIA. This model might provide a useful tool for further study to ascertain the complex mechanism of facet joint pain.

Plant ferritin represents a novel class of iron supplement, which widely co-exists with phenolic acids in a plant diet. However, there are few reports on the effect of these phenolic acids on function of ferritin. In this study, we demonstrated that cinnamic acid derivatives, as widely occurring phenolic acids, can induce iron release from holo soybean seed ferritin (SSF) in a structure-dependent manner. The ability of the iron release from SSF by five cinnamic acids follows the sequence of Cinnamic acid > Chlorogenic acid > Ferulic acid > p-Coumaric acid > Trans-Cinnamic acid. Fluorescence titration in conjunction with dialysis results showed that all of these five compounds have a similar, weak ability to bind with protein, suggesting that their protein-binding ability is not related to their iron release activity. In contrast, both Fe2+-chelating activity and reducibility of these cinnamic acid derivatives are in good agreement with their ability to induce iron release from ferritin. These studies indicate that cinnamic acid and its derivatives could have a negative effect on iron stability of holo soybean seed ferritin in diet, and the Fe2+-chelating activity and reducibility of cinnamic acid and its derivatives have strong relations to the iron release of soybean seed ferritin.

Background and objective There is still no standard regiment for the treatment of advanced elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study is to explore the best method for the advanced elderly NSCLC patients by analyzing the efficacy and toxicity of cisplatin combined chemotherapy, docetaxel chemotherapy and the best support care (BSC). Methods One hundred and fifty elderly NSCLC patients (≥65 years) with different treatments from March 2003 to March 2007 in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Results The objective response rate (ORR) was 41.2% in cisplatin combined chemotherapy, which was significantly higher than 20.0% in docetaxel chemotherapy (P 0.05). Grade 3-4 toxicity was more serious in cisplatin combined group than that in docetaxel group (P 0.05), which may due to the more serious toxicity. Docetaxel chemotherapy should be one of the standard regiment for the elderly NSCLC patients.

Under the background of the slowdown in macroeconomic growth and the gradual liberalization of the power system reforming market, the competition pressure of power grid companies in the electricity sales market has intensified, and the growth of power sales is not optimistic. It is necessary to conduct research and analysis of electricity sales. This paper conducts the analysis with the following steps: first, determines the leading, coincident, lagging economic indicators based on multi-factor correlation analysis, then synthesizes early warning index, forecasts electricity sales, finally, achieves early warning of external risks to improve the company's management quality of the electricity sales.

A novel method for the synthesis of aurones from benzofuran-3(2H)-one by condensation with aromatic aldehydes is described. The anticancer activity of the synthesized compounds was evaluated by MTT assay and among the series of 15 compounds, (Z)-2-(4-methylbenzylidene) benzofuran-3(2H)-one (3e) and (Z)-2-(4-chlorobenzylidene) benzofuran-3(2H)-one (3f) were found to be most promising inhibitors against two breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7. Further, the mechanism of action of these two compounds (3e and 3f) was studied by evaluating their effect on the cell cycle phase distribution, apoptosis induction by Hoechst staining as well as mitochondrial membrane potential loss using flow cytometry. The two compounds exhibited a time-dependent cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase. The two compounds induced a potent apoptotic effect in MCF-7 cancer cells showing chromatin condensation or dense staining fragmentation called apoptotic bodies, which implied an early apoptotic event. These two compounds also induced a potent loss in mitochondrial membrane potential.

It remains uncertain if the contralesional primary sensorimotor cortex (CL_PSMC) contributes to motor recovery after stroke. Here we investigated longitudinal changes in the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the CL_PSMC and their association with motor recovery. Thirteen patients who had experienced subcortical stroke underwent a series of resting-state fMRI and clinical assessments over a period of 1 year at 5 time points, i.e., within the first week, at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year after stroke onset. Thirteen age- and gender-matched healthy subjects were recruited as controls. The CL_PSMC was defined as a region centered at the voxel that had greatest activation during hand motion task. The dynamic changes in the rsFCs of the CL_PSMC within the whole brain were evaluated and correlated with the Motricity Index (MI) scores. Compared with healthy controls, the rsFCs of the CL_PSMC with the bilateral PSMC were initially decreased, then gradually increased, and finally restored to the normal level 1 year later. Moreover, the dynamic change in the inter-hemispheric rsFC between the bilateral PSMC in these patients was positively correlated with the MI scores. However, the intra-hemispheric rsFC of the CL_PSMC was not correlated with the MI scores. This study shows dynamic changes in the rsFCs of the CL_PSMC after stroke and suggests that the increased inter-hemispheric rsFC between the bilateral PSMC may facilitate motor recovery in stroke patients. However, generalization of our findings is limited by the small sample size of our study and needs to be confirmed.