Synthesis, in vitro macrophage response and detoxification of bamboo charcoal beads for purifying blood

Bamboo charcoal beads (BCBs) were formed by coprecipitating bamboo charcoal particles with chitosan in alkaline solution. The amount of chitosan in the BCBs and their surface properties were measured. When 13-52 mg BCBs were exposed to RAW 264.7 macrophages, the amount of nitric oxide released and the cell viability were close to those of the blank. The amount of cytokine IL-6 secreted by macrophages did not depend on the dose of BCBs but macrophages secreted more TNF-alpha in response to higher doses of BCBs. However, the cytokine levels were relatively low, suggesting the favorable biocompatibility of BCBs. In adsorption experiments, BCBs adsorbed and released bovine serum albumin at particular concentrations, whereas BCBs adsorbed L-phenylalanine without a sign of release. This difference is attributed to the hydrophilicity and the pore size of the BCBs. Finally, the potential of BCBs as biocompatible adsorbents in blood detoxification is considered. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 94A: 1133-1140, 2010

Health-Related Quality of Life and Self-Efficacy of Managing Behavior Problems for Family Caregivers of Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease Patients

[[abstract]]Background: Little is known about the differences in patients' behavioral problems and health outcomes of family caregivers of patients with vascular dementia (VaD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: A secondary analysis of baseline data on a subsample of caregiver-dementia patient dyads in a randomized clinical trial. Results: Family caregivers of VaD patients reported higher self-efficacy than caregivers of AD patients in handling verbally nonaggressive and verbally aggressive behaviors. Caregivers of VaD patients had poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL) than caregivers of AD patients considering role disability due to physical health problems, bodily pain, social function, and physical component summary. Greater self-efficacy was associated with better mental health-related outcomes for family caregivers of VaD patients, and better self-care ability of VaD patients was associated with better caregiver mental health-related outcomes. Caring for a patient with more severe dementia predicted poor physical health-related outcomes in role disability due to physical health problems, but better overall mental health (mental component summary) for caregivers. Conclusion: This study is the first to examine and compare the behavioral problems of AD and VaD patients in a Chinese population, along with their family caregivers' self-efficacy and health outcomes. Family caregivers of patients with VaD might warrant specific attention to their HRQoL, with interventions developed to enhance their self-efficacy

Structural and biological characterization of mastoparans in the venom of Vespa species in Taiwan

Mastoparans, a family of small peptides, are isolated from the wasp venom. In this study, six mastoparans were identified in the venom of six Vespa species in Taiwan. The precursors of these mastoparans are composed of N-terminal signal sequence, prosequence, mature mastoparan, and appendix glycine at C-terminus. These mature mastoparans all have characteristic features of linear cationic peptides rich in hydrophobic and basic amino acids without disulfide bond. Therefore, these peptides could be predicted to adopt an amphipathic a-helical secondary structure. In fact, the CD (circular dichroism) spectra of these peptides show a high content a-helical conformation in the presence of 8 mM SDS or 40% 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE). All mastoparans exhibit mast cell degranulation activity, antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and -negative bacteria tested, various degree of hemolytic activity on chicken, human, and sheep erythrocytes as well as membrane permeabilization on Escherichia coil BL21. Our results also show that the hemolytic activity of mastoparans is correlated to mean hydrophobicity and mean hydrophobic moment. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Transplantation of Endothelial Progenitor Cells as Therapeutics for Cardiovascular Diseases

With better understanding of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), many therapeutic approaches to cardiovascular diseases have been developed. This article will review novel research of EPCs in promoting angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, and endothelialization, as a design for future clinical treatment. Cell therapy has the potential to supply stem/progenitor cells and multiple angiogenic factors to the region of ischemia. The efficacy of EPC transplantation may be impaired by low survival rate, insufficient cell number, and impaired function in aging and diseases. Combination of EPCs or cells primed with growth factors or genetic modification may improve the therapeutic efficacy. The molecular mechanism involved in EPC repairing processes is essential. Thus, we have also addressed the molecular mechanism of mobilization, homing, and differentiation of EPCs. The potential of therapeutic neovascularization, angiogenic factor therapy, and cell transplantation have been elucidated. Based on past experience and actual knowledge, future strategies for EPC therapy will be proposed in order to fully exploit the potential of EPC transplantation with clinical relevance for cardiovascular disease applications

The application of stem cells in the treatment of ischemic diseases

Ischemia causes oxygen deprivation, cell injury and related organ dysfunction. Although ischemic injury may be local, it involves many biochemical changes in different cell types. The ability of stem cells to differentiate into different cell lineages provides the possibility of their use in treating a variety of diseases requiring tissue repair or reconstitution, such as stroke, ischemic retinopathy, myocardial infarction, ischemic disorders of the liver, ischemic renal failure, and ischemic limb dysfunction. Several cell types including embryonic stem cells, various progenitor and stem cells of hematopoietic or mesenchymal origin have been used in attempts to reconstitute injured tissue. Xenologous or autologous stem cells may be administered either through the peripheral vascular system or directly by regional injection. The stem cells are then guided to the infarct site by homing signals. Either by cell differentiation or paracrine effects, stem cells or progenitor cells participate in the reconstruction of a favorable microenvironment resulting in neovascularization and tissue regeneration that eventually improve the physiological function of organs with ischemic damage

Houttuynia cordata Thunb extract induces apoptosis through mitochondrial-dependent pathway in HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells

The Houttuynia cordata Thunb (HCT) extract has been used as a traditional Chinese herb medicine and as well as an effective drug for treating allergic inflammation for thousands of years. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity of HCT and its molecular mechanisms in the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29. HCT inhibited HT-29 cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner by MTT assay. Treatment with 450 mu g/ml of HCT for 48 and 72 h led to DNA damage and apoptosis by DAPI staining and comet assay. HCT increased reactive oxygen species production and decreased the levels of mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) in HT-29 cells by flow cytometry analysis. HCT caused the release of cytochrome c, Apaf-1, pro-caspase-9 and AIF from mitochondria via a decrease of the MMP. The decrease of MMP was then associated with a decrease in the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and activation of caspase-9 and -3 by Western blotting and caspase activity assay. Caspase-9 and -3 inhibitors almost completely suppressed HCT-induced caspase-9 and -3 activities. Our results demonstrated that the HCT-induced apoptosis in human colon adeno-carcinoma cell line HT-29 might be related to a mitochondrial- dependent pathway

Ceramide and Toll-Like Receptor 4 Are Mobilized into Membrane Rafts in Response to Helicobacter pylori Infection in Gastric Epithelial Cells

Helicobacter pylori infection is thought to be involved in the development of several gastric diseases. Two H. pylori virulence factors (vacuolating cytotoxin A and cytotoxin-associated gene A) reportedly interact with lipid rafts in gastric epithelial cells. The role of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated signaling in response to H. pylori infection has been investigated extensively in host cells. However, the receptor molecules in lipid rafts that are involved in H. pylori-induced innate sensing have not been well characterized. This study investigated whether lipid rafts play a role in H. pylori-induced ceramide secretion and TLR4 expression and thereby contribute to inflammation in gastric epithelial cells. We observed that both TLR4 and MD-2 mRNA and protein levels were significantly higher in H. pylori-infected AGS cells than in mock-infected cells. Moreover, significantly more TLR4 protein was detected in detergent-resistant membranes extracted from H. pylori-infected AGS cells than in those extracted from mock-infected cells. However, this effect was attenuated by the treatment of cells with cholesterol-usurping agents, suggesting that H. pylori-induced TLR4 signaling is dependent on cholesterol-rich microdomains. Similarly, the level of cellular ceramide was elevated and ceramide was translocated into lipid rafts after H. pylori infection, leading to interleukin-8 (IL-8) production. Using the sphingomyelinase inhibitor imipramine, we observed that H. pylori-induced TLR4 expression was ceramide dependent. These results indicate th

First Thelazia callipaeda infestation report in a dog in Taiwan

An ocular Thelazia callipaeda infestation was found in a male domestic dog in Taiwan during regular examination. This is the first report of the parasite from pet animal in Taiwan. The infested dog showed normal bodily condition but slight conjunctival congestion. This parasite has been reported in humans in southeast Asia, China and Korea. In 1998, first human case was reported in the central area of Taiwan. The dogs infected with T. callipaeda may have important implication in the infestation of this parasite to humans as reservoir hosts