Chitosan-poly(m-phenylenediamine)@Fe3O4 nanocomposite for magnetic solid-phase extraction of polychlorinated biphenyls from water samples.

A extraction medium based on chitosan-poly(m-phenylenediamine) (CS-PPD) @Fe3O4 nanocomposite was synthesized by chemical polymerization of m-phenylenediamine in the presence of chitosan coated magnetic nanocomposite, and for the first time, used as the sorbent for the magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of seven polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB28, PCB52, PCB101, PCB118, PCB138, PCB153, and PCB180) at trace levels in water samples. Gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used for PCBs quantification and detection. Several factors related to MSPE efficiencies, such as type and amount of sorbent, extraction time, sample pH, and desorption conditions were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, an excellent linearity was observed in the range of 1.0-200 ng L(-1) for PCB180, 0.5-200 ng L(-1) for the other six PCBs with the correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9954 to 0.9993. The good recoveries at spiked levels of 10.0, 20.0, and 50.0 ng L(-1) were obtained in the range of 94%-108%, and the coefficients of variations were less than 6%. The proposed method was feasible, rapid, and easy to operate for the trace analysis of the PCBs in local aquaculture water, livestock breeding water, and sewage water samples.

[Effect of Panax notoginseng saponins on liver drug metablic enzyme activity, mRNA and protein expressions in rats].

To study the effect of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on liver drug metabolic enzyme activity, mRNA and protein expressions in rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into nine groups. After administration of the test drugs, their liver microsomes, liver total RNA and total protein were extracted to detect the regulating effect of PNS on liver drug metabolic enzyme activity-related subtype enzymatic activity, mRNA and protein expression by substrate probe, quantitative PCR and Western Blot technology. The result of this experiment was that PNS could significantly induce CYP1A2 and CYP2E1 enzyme activity, mRNA expression, CYP2E1 protein expression level. PNS significantly induced CYP3A mRNA expression, but with no significant effect in CYP3A enzyme activity level. PNS had no significant effect CYP1A1 and CYP2B mRNA expressions and enzyme activity levels. PNS had selective regulations on different P450 subtypes, and the major subtypes were CYP1A2 and CYP2E1. In clinical practice, particularly in the combination with CYP1A2 and CYP2E1 metabolism-related drugs, full consideration shall be given to the possible drug interactions in order to avoid potential toxic and side effects. Meanwhile, whether the induction effect of CYP2E1 gets involved in ginsenoside's effect incavenging free radicals deserves further studies.

Luminescent 2D bismuth-cadmium-organic frameworks with tunable and white light emission by doping different lanthanide ions.

The first luminescent Bi-Cd-organic framework, Bi2Cd(2,6-pdc)4(H2O)2·H2O (2,6-H2pdc = pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate), has been synthesized by using bismuth (Bi) oxides and cadmium (Cd) salts as metal sources under hydrothermal conditions. Tunable and white light luminescence was obtained through the doping of different Ln(3+) ions into the Bi-Cd-organic framework.

Ferulic acid protects lymphocytes from radiation-predisposed oxidative stress through extracellular regulated kinase.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to investigate the radioprotective effect of ferulic acid (FA) on irradiated lymphocytes and discover the possible mechanisms of protection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lymphocytes were pretreated for 12 h with FA (0.001-0.1 µM) and then exposed to 3 Gy radiation. Cell apoptosis, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and signal pathway was analysed. RESULTS: Irradiation increased cell death, DNA fragmentation and intracellular ROS. Pretreatment with FA significantly reversed this tendency and attenuated the irradiation-induced ROS generation. Furthermore, several anti-apoptotic characteristics of FA were determined, including the ability to diminish cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration, inhibit caspase-3 activation and cytochrome c translocation, upregulate B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and downregulate Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) in 3 Gy-irradiated lymphocytes. Signal pathway analysis showed FA decreased the activation of extracellular regulated kinase (ERK), which had been activated by radiation. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that FA had a radioprotective effect through the ERK pathway to inhibit apoptosis and oxidation, and it may be an effective candidate for treating radiation diseases associated with oxidative stress.