Electrochemical sensor for Isoniazid based on the glassy carbon electrode modified with reduced graphene oxide-Au nanomaterials.

A sensitive electrochemical sensor has been fabricated to detect Isoniazid (INZ) using reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and Au nanocomposites (RGO-Au). RGO-Au nanocomposites were synthesized by a solution-based approach of chemical co-reduction of Au(III) and graphene oxide (GO), and were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). The Au nanoparticles separate the RGO sheets in the precipitate and prevent RGO sheets from aggregation upon π-π stacking interactions. RGO-Au nanocomposites were used to modify the glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The electrochemical properties of RGO-Au/GCE were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and the RGO-Au/GCE exhibited remarkably strong electrocatalytic activities towards INZ. Under the optimized conditions, there was linear relationships between the peak currents and the concentrations in the range of 1.0×10(-7)M to 1.0×10(-3)M for INZ, with the limit of detection (LOD) (based on S/N=3) of 1.0×10(-8)M for INZ.

[A Meta analysis: mother to infant transmission of hepatitis B virus via different combined immunoprophylaxis delivery modes].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of different combined immunoprophylaxis delivery modes on mother to infant transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV). METHODS: Six hundred and ninety-six relevant literatures were collected by systematic literature search. Meta-analysis was applied to seven selected literatures that met the criteria and to assess the influence on the infant HBV transmission via different delivery patterns by infants combined immunoprophylaxis. RESULTS: A total of 1435 cases from seven studies which met the criteria were included. The positive rate of HBV was 7.34% (61/831) among the 831 infants in the vaginal delivery group and 4.80% (29/604) among the 604 infants in the caesarean section group. There was no statistically difference between the two groups (OR = 0.70, 95%CI: 0.45 - 1.11, Z = 1.52, P = 0.13). CONCLUSION: There was no significant effect of delivery modes on infant infectious rate of HBV by infants' passive and active immunization.

Propofol attenuation of renal ischemia/reperfusion injury involves heme oxygenase-1.

AIM: To examine the protective effect of propofol in renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and the role of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in this process. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: (i) sham-operated group; (ii) I/R group; and (iii) propofol group. Bilateral renal warm ischemia for 45 min was performed. After 2, 6, and 24 h reperfusion, blood samples and kidneys were collected for assessment of renal injury, and HO-1 expressions were analyzed by immunohistochemical analysis, RT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: Blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels in the propofol group were significantly lower than that in the I/R group at 24 h after reperfusion. The mean histological score by Palleros standard showed that propofol significantly attenuated renal I/R injury after 6 h reperfusion. Propofol increased HO-1 mRNA and protein levels 2 h after reperfusion, whereas HO-1 expressions were present at exceedingly low levels in the I/R group and the sham-operated group at same time point. Propofol also markedly increased HO-1 mRNA and protein levels than I/R at 6 and 24 h after reperfusion. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that propofol mitigates renal I/R injury in rats. This protection may be partly through the induction of the HO-1 expression.

Effect of atorvastatin on non-ischemic heart failure and matrix metalloproteinase-2 and 9 in rats.

AIM: To examine the role of atorvastatin on volume-overload-induced heart failure and to test the hypothesis that atorvastatin inhibits MMP-2 and 9 expression in heart failure with non-ischemic etiology. METHODS: Arteriovenous (AV) fistula-treated rats were administered with atorvastatin (3 mg/kg/d) or vehicle for 17 weeks. Ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure were assessed by echocardiography, B-type natriuretic peptide BNP mRNA level and morphological measurement. MMP-2, 9 expression were measured by Western blot and zymography. RESULTS: Atorvastatin decreased left ventricular end diastolic diameter from 6.86+/-0.51 mm to 6.28+/-0.37 mm (P<0.05), increased fractioning shortening from 41.4%+/-4.5% to 52.7%+/-4.2% (P<0.01), decreased ratio of BNP/GAPDH mRNA level from 0.43+/-0.03 to 0.27+/-0.03 (P<0.05). Similar data were observed for morphological measurement. Protein expression and enzyme activity of MMP-2 and 9 in the left ventricle tissue were significantly increased 18 weeks after surgery and atorvastatin also prevented those changes. CONCLUSION: Left ventricular remodeling induced by AV fistula was profoundly changed by atorvastatin treatment. Hypertrophy was attenuated and global function was improved. These positive effects of atorvastatin on heart failure were associated with decreased MMP-2 and 9 protein expression and enzyme activity.

Effects of ulinastatin on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

AIM: To investigate the effect and possible mechanism of ulinastatin on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 45-min bilateral renal ischemia, treated with intravenously 12,500 U ulinastatin at 30 min prior to ischemia and at the beginning of reperfusion, compared with a nontreated group without ulinastatin and a sham-operation group without bilateral renal ischemia. After 0 h, 2 h, 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h of reperfusion, serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen were measured for the assessment of renal function, renal sections were used for histologic grading of renal injury, for immunohistochemical localization of Bcl-2 and heat shock protein 70. Renal ultrastructure was observed through a transmission electron microscope. RESULTS: Ulinastatin significantly reduced the increase in blood urea nitrogen and creatinine produced by renal ischemia-reperfusion, suggesting an improvement in renal function. Ulinastatin reduced the histologic evidence of renal damage associated with ischemia-reperfusion and accompanied with an up-regulation in the expression of Bcl-2 protein, but it had no significant effect on the expression of HSP 70. Ulinastatin also significantly reduced kidney ultrastructure damage caused by renal ischemia-reperfusion. CONCLUSION: The protease inhibitor, ulinastatin, reduced the renal dysfunction and injury associated with ischemia-reperfusion of the kidney. The protective effect of ulinastatin might be associated with the up-regulation of Bcl-2 expression and the effect on membrane fragility.

[Effects of ulinastatin on renal ultrastructure after ischemia-reperfusion in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of ulinastatin on renal function and ultrastructure changes after renal ischemia-reperfusion in rats. METHODS: Acute ischemic renal injury model was established (45 min of bilateral renal ischemia and reperfusion for 24 h). Thirty Male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham operation group (control group or group C, without renal ischemia), renal ischemia-reperfusion group (ischemia-reperfusion group or group I, without ulinastatin), renal ischemia-reperfusion and ulinastatin intravenous injection group (ulinastatin group or group U). BUN level, serum creatinine values and renal ultrastructure were measured. RESULTS: Serum creatinine (167 +/- 39) micromol/L and BUN concentration (21 +/- 7) mmol/L in group I were significantly higher than those in group U: serum creatinine (116 +/- 13) micromol/L and BUN concentration (14.1 +/- 2.6) mmol/L (P < 0.05). The renal ultrastructure was greatly injured in group I, meanwhile, it was obviously ameliorated in group U. CONCLUSION: Ulinastatin greatly improved renal function and provides remarkable protection on renal ultrastructure after ischemia-reperfusion of kidney in rats.

Therapeutic effect of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and percutaneous injection of acetic acids on primary liver cancer.

BACKGROUND: The resection rate of primary liver tumor in China is only about 20%. A lot of patients with moderate and advanced liver tumor may lose the chance of operation. The objective of present research was to study the efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with percutaneous injection of chemical agents and acetic acids in the treatment of patients with primary liver cancer (PLC). METHODS: Thirty-three patients with middle and advanced stage of PLC were divided into two groups: percutaneous injection of chemical agents and acetic acids (15 patients, group A) and TACE (18 patients, group B). RESULTS: Tumor diameter and serum AFP level reduced to 86.6% and 83.3% in group A, and 55.5% and 40% in group B, respectively. There was significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01). The 1, 2, 3, 4-year survival rates of group A were 96.7%, 86.6%, 51.3%, 33.3%, respectively and in group B were 66.7%, 44.4%, 16.7%, 0%, respectively (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: TACE combined with percutaneous injection of chemical agents and acetic acids is efficacious to increase the survival rate of patients with PLC.