Silk Nanofibril-Palygorskite Composite Membranes for Efficient Removal of Anionic Dyes.

To develop membrane materials with good performance for water purification that are green and low cost, this work reports an organic-inorganic composite membrane composed of silk nanofibrils (SNFs) and palygorskite (PGS). To improve the stability of the the composite membrane, genipin was used as a crosslinking agent to induce the conformational transition of SNF chains from random coils to ß-sheets, reducing the swelling and hydrolysis of the membrane. The separation performance can be adjusted by tailoring the component ratio of the nanomaterial. The results showed that these membranes can effectively remove anionic dyes from water, and they exhibit excellent water permeability. The SNF-based membrane had strong mechanical and separation properties, and the PGS could tune the structure of composite membranes to enhance their permeability, so this green composite membrane has good prospects in water treatment and purification applications.

[Efficacy and mechanism of acupuncture combined with Tongxieyaofang for diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome of liver depression and spleen deficiency].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture at lower-he acupoints and front-mu acupoints combined with Tongxieyaofang (TXYF) for diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) of liver depression and spleen deficiency, and to explore its possible mechanism. METHODS: A total of 123 IBS-D patients with syndrome of liver depression and spleen deficiency were randomly divided into an acupuncture+TXYF group, a TXYF group and a medication group, 41 cases in each group. The patients in TXYF group were treated with oral administration of TXYF, three times a day. The patients in acupuncture+TXYF group were treated with oral administration of TXYF and routine acupuncture at Shangjuxu (ST 37), Tianshu (ST 25), Taichong (LR 3), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Zusanli (ST 36), once a day. The patients in medication group were treated with oral administration of pinaverium bromide, 50 mg, three times a day. All the treatment was given for four weeks. The total score of TCM syndrome scale, self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores as well as the expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), vasoactive peptide (VIP) and MAPK signal pathway indicators of ERK1 mRNA and ERK2 mRNA were compared before and after treatment; the clinical effect was also compared. RESULTS: After treatment, the total score of TCM syndrome scale and SAS and SDS scores in each group were significantly reduced (P<0.05), and the scores in the acupuncture+TXYF group were lower than those in TXYF group and medication group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 87.8% (36/41) in the acupuncture+TXYF group, which was higher than 78.0% (32/41) in the TXYF group and 68.3% (28/41) in the medication group (P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of CGRP and VIP in each group were decreased (P<0.05), and the levels in the acupuncture+TXYF group were lower than those in the TXYF group and the medication group (P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of ERK1 mRNA and ERK2 mRNA in each group were decreased (P<0.05), and the levels in acupuncture+TXYF group were lower than those in medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The acupuncture at lower-he acupoints and front-mu acupoints combined with TXYF could effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms, improve anxiety and depression in IBS-D patients with syndrome of liver depression and spleen deficiency, and its mechanism may be related to regulating the expression of ERK1 mRNA and ERK2 mRNA in MAPK signaling pathway, and reducing the serum levels of CGRP and VIP.

[Effect of Modified Danggui Yinzi on Delayed Allergy in Model Mice with Qi-Blood Deficiency Syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Danggui Yinzi (DY) on delayed allergy in model mice with qi-blood deficiency syndrome (QBDS). METHODS: QBDS model was established in 48 Kuming mice of SPF grade by using reserpine and acetophenone hydrazine. Forty of them were then randomly divided into the model group, the loratadine group, the high dose DY group, the middle dose DY group, and the low dose DY group, 8 in each group. Another 8 in line with the same standard were recruited as a blank group. Mice in high, middle, and low dose DY groups were administered with DY concentrated solution at 60, 30, 15 g/kg by gastrogavage. Mice in the loratadine group were administered with loratadine solution at 1.66 mg/kg by gastrogavage. Equal volume of normal saline was administered to mice in the model group and the blank group by gastrogavage. All medication was given once per day for 1 successive week. Except those in the blank group, the rest mice were evenly smeared with 1% DNCB solution on the abdomen. Five days after skin allergy, 1% DNCB solution was smeared to right ear of all mice to stimulate allergic reaction. Mice in the blank group were smeared in the same way without allergenic reaction. The auricle swelling and the inhibition ratio were determined at 24 h after attack. Blood was collected from orbit and serum IgE level detected using double-antibody sandwich ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with the blank group, auricle swelling obviously increased and serum IgE level was obviously elevated in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, auricle swelling obviously decreased and serum IgE level was obviously reduced in the 3 dose DY groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Meanwhile, the auricle swelling degree was superior in high and middle dose DY groups to that in the loratadine group (P < 0.05). The inhibition ratio of auricle swelling was sequenced from high to low as 67.3% in the high dose DY group, 56.0% in the middle dose DY group, 48.1% in the low dose DY group, 47.3% in the loratadine group. CONCLUSIONS: DY could inhibit auricle swelling and lower serum IgE level. It also could inhibit delayed allergic reaction in model mice with QBDS to some extent.