Policosanol (PC) is a mixture of long-chain fatty alcohols that exhibits multiple biological activities, such as reducing blood lipid and cholesterol levels, lowering blood pressure, and extenuating liver inflammation. To assess PC’s impact on cognitive behavior and function, PC was prepared from Ericerus pela wax using a reduction method and analyzed using gas chromatography (GC). A total of 60 mice were randomly divided into six groups of 10 animals each: control (0.5% CMC-Na solution, i.g.), model (0.5% CMC-Na solution, i.g.), donepezil (3 mg/kg, i.g.), PC low- (2 g/kg, i.g.), medium (4 g/kg, i.g.), and high- (6 g/kg, i.g.) dose groups. All the groups were administered daily for 28 consecutive days. There were four parameters—escape latency, crossings of platform, swimming distance, and time spent in the target quadrant—that were recorded to evaluate the cognitive performance of mice in the Morris Water Maze (MWM). After MWM testing, the levels of acetylcholine (ACh), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH) that were present in brain tissue were determined using assay kits. The GC data showed that PC consisted of four major components: tetracosanol (14.40%), hexacosanol (48.97%), octacosanol (25.40%), and triacontanol (4.80%). In the MWM test, PC significantly decreased the escape latency (p < 0.05) and increased the crossings of the platform (p < 0.05) and swimming distance (p < 0.05) and time in the target quadrant (p < 0.05) in rodents compared to that in the model group. Moreover, PC increased the levels of ACh, SOD, and GSH; inhibited AChE; and reduced MDA in the brain tissue of the tested animals. This is the first report to evaluate the efficacy of PC for cognitive behavior and function in animals. Our findings demonstrate that PC from E. pela wax is likely to exert an enhancing effect on learning and memory by promoting the cholinergic system and attenuating oxidative stress, which will provide a new insight into the efficacy of PC and expand its application in the food, nutraceutical, and beverage industries.
Postmenopausal osteoporosis, caused by ageing and oestrogen deficiency, seriously threatens women's physical and mental health. Postmenopausal osteopenia is the transition from healthy bone to osteoporosis, and it may be the key period for preventing bone loss. Moxibustion, a physical therapy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, has potential benefits for osteoporosis treatment and prevention, but it has not been adequately studied. This study aims to explore the clinical effects and safety of moxibustion in delaying bone loss in postmenopausal women.In this parallel-design, randomised, patient-blind and assessor-blind, controlled clinical study, 150 women with osteopenia at low fracture risk will be randomly assigned to a moxibustion treatment (MT) group or a placebo-moxibustion control (PMC) group in a 1:1 ratio. In addition to the fundamental measures (vitamin D3 and calcium) as recommended by the guidelines, participants of the two groups will receive MT or PMC treatment for 42 sessions over 12 months. The primary outcome will be the bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine at the end of the 12-month treatment, and secondary outcomes will be the BMD of the femoral neck and total hip, T-scores, bone turnover markers, serum calcium levels, serum magnesium levels, serum phosphorus levels, serum parathyroid hormone levels and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, intensity of bone pain, quality of life, incidence of osteoporosis and fractures, usage of emergency drugs or surgery, participant self-evaluation of therapeutic effects and the rate of adverse events. All statistical analyses will be performed based on the intention-to-treat and per-protocol principle.Ethics approval has been obtained from the Ethics Committee on Biomedical Research, West China Hospital of Sichuan University (permission number: 2021-1243). The results are expected to be published in peer-reviewed journals.ChiCTR2100053953.
Owing to the insufficient guidance of new bone formation in orthopedic and craniomaxillofacial surgery, construction of a guided bone regeneration membrane to support vascularized bone regeneration remains a challenge. Herein, an electrospun asymmetric double-layer polycaprolactone/collagen (PCL/Col) membrane modified by metal-organic framework (MOF) crystals is developed. The optimization of the PCL/Col weight ratio (1:1 and 1:1.5) enables the composite membrane with a balanced tensile strength (only fell by 49.9% in wet conditions) and a controlled degradation rate (completely degraded at 12 weeks). The MOF crystals can provide a pH-responsive release of Zn2+ ions. In vitro experiments indicate that the barrier layer functions to prevent the infiltration of fibrous connective tissue. The MOF crystal layer functions to enhance osteogenesis and angiogenesis in vitro. Using a rat calvarial defect model, the MOF crystals exhibit a sign of osteoinductivity along with blood vessel formation after 8 weeks post-surgery. Strikingly, when assessed in a chick chorioallantoic membrane model, the MOF modified membrane demonstrates a significant angiogenic response, which can be envisaged as its outstanding merits over the commercially Col membrane. Therefore, the MOF crystals represent an exciting biomaterial option, with neovascularization capacity for bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Abstract Multi-model combination treatment of malignant tumors can make up for the shortcomings of single treatment through multi-target and multi-path to achieve more ideal tumor treatment effect. However, the mutual interference of different drugs in the delivery process in vivo and the difficulty of effective drug accumulation in tumor cells are the bottlenecks of combined therapy. To this project, light-responsive liposomes loading doxorubicin (DOX) and chlorin e6 (Ce6) (DOX-Ce6-Lip) without mutual interference were engineered by thin film hydration method. This kind of nano-drug delivery system increased the drugs concentration accumulated in tumor sites through enhanced permeability and retention effect, and reduced the toxic and side effects of drugs on normal tissues in vivo . In addition, after entering the tumor cells, Ce6 produced a large number of reactive oxygen species under 660 nm NIR laser irradiation, which further oxidized the unsaturated fatty acid chain in the liposomes and caused the collapse of the liposomes, thus realizing the stimulus-responsive release of Ce6 and DOX. The concentrations of DOX and Ce6 in the tumor cells rapidly reached the peak and achieved a more effective combination of chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Consequently, DOX-Ce6-Lip followed by 660 nm NIR irradiation achieved an efficient tumor growth inhibition of 71.90 ± 3.14%, indicating the versatile potential of chemotherapy and PDT. In conclusion, this study provides a delivery scheme for drugs with different solubilities and an effectively combined anti-tumor therapy method.
Development of antimicrobial nanomaterials is one of the most attractive strategies for eliminating the major threat of pathogenic bacteria to public health. In this work, we developed a simple impregnation-reduction method for the synthesis of Ag-doped hierarchical ZIF-8 (Ag/H-ZIF-8) nanocomposite. The nanocomposite was characterized by several techniques and its antibacterial activity was investigated. The Ag nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed in the porous ZIF-8 with narrow size distribution. Consequently, the resulting Ag/H-ZIF-8 nanocomposite showed significantly enhanced antibacterial activities compared to the single ZIF-8 or Ag nanoparticles. Furthermore, the composite is biocompatible, because no obvious toxicity was observed on Hepatic epithelial cells. This study offers a new approach for the design of hybrid antimicrobial nanomaterials that have great potentials in practical disinfections.
Objective: To explore the treatment measure of rhabdomyolysis caused by snake bites, and provide guidance for further prevention and control of snake bites. Methods: To retrospectively analyze the 841 cases of serpentine bites in our hospital from January 2006 to July 2017; 127 cases of patients with rhabdomyolysis syndrome were screened out, and their clinical manifestations, laboratory results, related treatment and prognosis were analyzed. Results: 127 cases patients were rhabdomyolysis out of 841 cases, 28 cases patients developed acute renal failure; treatment measures included local wound treatment, application of tetanus antitoxin, anti-snake venom serum, anti-infection, fluid “hydration” and diuretic, alkaline urine and hybrid renal replacement therapy. 112 cases were cured, improved conditions in 9 cases, 3 cases of death, 3 cases uncured. The improvement rate of is 95.26% after treatment. Conclusion: The rhabdomyolysis had a high incidence in snake bite patients, severe cases often developed acute renal failure. Serum myopsin and related biochemical blood tests could be used to diagnose rhabdomyolysis quickly. Combined treatment methods are the main measure to increase the cured rate and decrease the death rate.
Currently, according to statistical data showed by world health organization, the aging problem has been becoming an extraordinary serious social challenge. China has become one of the countries with the largest elderly population and the fastest growth in the word. Compared with the traditional one-to one between therapist and patient, this paper proposed an intelligent bridge-style movement rehabilitation robot. The rehabilitation robot assisted patients to complete the bridge-style movement via auxiliary mechanism. Then, applying muscle parameters and skeletal muscle carried out the simulation analysis of the auxiliary mechanism. The results proved that the auxiliary mechanism performs well in the process of auxiliary bridge-style movement.
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