Preparation and characterization of sustained release microcapsules of grape polyphenols with porous cornstarch, alginate sodium, and chitosan / 中草药

Objective: In order to improve the stability of grape polyphenols and strengthen slow-release effect, the study on micro- capisulazed grape polyphenols was carried out through the complex coacervation method using porous cornstarch as core material carrier. Methods: With the embedding rate as main index, the effect of all factors on the microencapsulation of grape polyphenols was investigated through the single factor test and orthogonal test, and its preparation technology was also optimized. Results: The best preparation technology was as follows: The experiment materials were 10 mL grape polyphenols solution of 25 mg/mL, 1.5 g porous cornstarch, 30 mL sodium alginate solution of 0.03 g/mL, 50 mL chitosan solution of 0.01 g/mL, and 50 mL calcium chloride solution of 0.05 g/mL, at pH value of 3.5. The microcapsules' appearance was superior with size distribution of the main in 600-850 μm, the embedding rate was 83.2%, and they had very good releasing property in simulated gastric and simulated intestinal environment. Conclusion: The product appearance and embedding rate of grape polyphenols microcapsules which used porous cornstarch as core material carrier and sodium alginate-chitosan as wall materials are better than those only used sodium alginate and chitosan as wall materials. Furthermore, the inclusion complex is proved to be successfully prepared by its structural characterization which is gotten from FTIR and scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Panax notoginseng saponins inhibits atherosclerotic plaque angiogenesis by down-regulating vascular endothelial growth factor and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase subunit 4 expression / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the mechanism of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS), an effective component extracted from Panax notoginseng, on atherosclerotic plaque angiogenesis in atherosclerosis-prone apolipoprotein E-knockout (ApoE-KO) mice fed with high-fat, high-cholesterol diet.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty ApoE-KO mice were divided into two groups, the model group and the PNS group. Ten normal C57BL/6J mice were used as a control group. PNS (60 mg/kg) was orally administered daily for 12 weeks in the PNS group. The ratio of plaque area to vessel area was examined by histological staining. The tissue sample of aortic root was used to detect the CD34 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression areas by immunohistochemistry. The expression of VEGF and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase subunit 4 (NOX4) were measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment with PNS, the plaque areas were decreased (P<0.05). CD34 expressing areas and VEGF expression areas in plaques were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Meanwhile, VEGF and NOX4 mRNA expression were decreased after treatment with PNS. VEGF and NOX4 protein expression were also decreased by about 72% and 63%, respectively (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PNS, which decreases VEGF and NOX4 expression, could alleviate plaque angiogenesis and attenuate atherosclerosis.</p>

Effect of aluminum trichloride on abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein in SH-SY5Y cells / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of aluminum trichloride on the abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein in SH-SY5Y cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>SH-SY5Y cells were assigned to control group and aluminum trichloride exposure groups (200, 400, and 800 µmol/L Al(3+)). The cell morphology was observed after 48 hours of exposure; the cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay; total protein was extracted from the cells, and the expression of phospho-tau (p-tau) 181, 231, 262, and 396 and tau 5 was measured by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>As the Al(3+) concentration rose, the number of living SH-SY5Y cells decreased, and the synapses of the cells retracted. The viability of cells exposed to 800 µmol/L Al(3+) was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The 200, 400, and 800 µmol/L Al(3+) exposure groups showed significantly higher expression of p-tau 181, 231, and 396 and tau5 than the control group (P < 0.05), and the 800 µmol/L Al(3+) exposure group showed significantly higher expression of p-tau 262 than the control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Under the present experimental conditions, aluminum trichloride has toxic effect on SH-SY5Y cells and can lead to abnormal expression of p-tau 181, 231, and 396 and tau 5 at low Al(3+) concentration.</p>

Effect of aluminum exposure on cognitive function in electrolytic workers and its influential factors / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To clarify the effect of aluminum exposure on the cognitive function in electrolytic workers and the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among them by prevalence survey, and to investigate its influential factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-six retired workers from the electrolysis workshop of an electrolytic aluminum plant were selected as an aluminum exposure group, while 70 retired workers from a flour mill in the same region were selected as a control group. MCI patients were screened out by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); the blood aluminum level was measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry; multivariate statistical analysis was used to investigate the influential factors for MMSE scores and the correlation between blood aluminum level and MCI prevalence.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The aluminum exposure group showed a significantly higher blood aluminum level than the control group (25.18 ± 2.65 µg/L vs 9.97 ± 2.83 µg/L, P < 0.01). The total MMSE score of the aluminum exposure group (26.13 ± 2.57) was significantly lower than that of the control group (27.89 ± 1.91) (P < 0.05), particularly the scores on time and place orientation, short-term memory, calculation ability, and language skill (P < 0.05). The detection rate of MCI was significantly higher in the aluminum exposure group (18.2%) than in the control group (5.7%) (P < 0.01). The main influential factors for MMSE scores were gender, age, education level, and blood aluminum level. The logistic regression analysis indicated that the MCI prevalence was significantly correlated with blood aluminum level in the study population (OR = 1.168, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Long-term exposure to aluminum can cause cognitive disorders in electrolytic workers and may be one of the risk factors for MCI. Advanced age, male, low education level, and high blood aluminum level may be high-risk factors for cognitive impairment.</p>

Application of benchmark dose on occupational epidemiology research in lead exposure / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To use the data of occupational epidemiology to estimate the benchmark dose (BMD) of renal dysfunction induced by lead.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Blood lead was considered as an exposure biomarker, while urinary total protein (TP), urinary beta(2)-microglobulin (beta(2)-MG) and urinary N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) were considered as effect biomarkers reflecting the damage of renal function. The dichotomized (binary) data was used as effect endpoints. The BMD and BMD lower limit (BMDL) of blood lead were estimated at the 10% benchmark response using BMDS version 1.3.1.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was an increased prevalence of hyper-TP-uria, hyper-beta(2)-MG-uria and hyper-NAG-uria with an increasing blood lead concentration. There was obviously dose-response relationship between blood lead and TP, beta(2)-MG and NAG, respectively. The BMD and BMDL of blood lead affecting renal function were estimated to be 323.6 - 754.3 microg/L and 274.2 - 541.5 microg/L. The BMDL of blood lead was ranged from low to high as NAG, TP and beta(2)-MG. The urinary NAG activity might be served as a sensitive biomarker in detecting early renal dysfunction.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It should be feasible to use the BMD approach to set up the reference dose (RfD) and reference concentration (RfC). BMD approach might provide a new and better way for setting up the RfD/RfC.</p>