Analysis of the Dose-Response Effects of Physical Activity on Cardiocerebrovascular and All-Cause Mortality in Hypertension.

Background: Leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MV-PA) has been consistently regarded as a protective factor to prevent and treat hypertension. However, the effect of different levels of MV-PA against cardiocerebrovascular and all-cause mortality in hypertension is still unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the dose relationships of MV-PA on these adverse outcomes in hypertension. Methods: In the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2006, participants with hypertension were enrolled and classified into inactive (0 MET-h/week), low-active (0 < to < 7.5 MET-h/week), and high-active (≥ 7.5 MET-h/week) groups. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was conducted with a hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). To further explore the association between different levels of MV-PA and adverse outcomes, Kaplan-Meier survival curves, subgroup analysis, and restricted cubic spline curves were performed. Results: During a median 10.93-year follow-up, 1,510 and 347 patients had died from any causes and cardiocerebrovascular, respectively. The high-active group had the highest event-free survivals of all outcomes compared with low-active and inactive groups. A multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that the high-active and low-active groups were associated with reduced risks of all-cause [HR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.60-0.82; 0.76 (0.68-0.86), respectively] and cardiocerebrovascular mortality [0.56 (0.41-0.77); 0.63 (0.50-0.81), respectively] compared with the inactive group. Subgroup analysis and restricted cubic spline curves showed that MV-PA surpassing 15 MET-h/week could decrease the risks of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality with inverse relationships, which was not the case for cerebrovascular mortality, indicating a U-shaped association. Conclusion: Our study suggests that highly active MV-PA of 7.5 to < 15 MET-h/week was associated with the lowest risks of cardiocerebrovascular and all-cause mortality in hypertension.

Sesquiterpenes from the roots of Illicium oligandrum.

Two new sesquiterpenes, oligandrin (1) and oligandric acid (2), together with three analogues, tashironin A (3), tashironin (4), and oplodiol (5), were isolated from the roots of Illicium oligandrum. The structures of new compounds were determined based on 1D and 2D NMR experiments and X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 represents a presumed biosynthetic precursor of seco-prezizaane sesquiterpenes which consists of a novel 6/6/5 tricarbocyclic skeleton. Compound 2 is the first example of chamipinene-type sesquiterpene possessing a 6/4/6 tricyclic system from the genus Illicium. Compounds 1-5 were evaluated in vitro for their activity against coxsackie virus B3 (CVB3), influenza virus A/Hanfang/359/95 (H3N2), and influenza virus A/FM/1/47 (H1N1). Compound 1 showed selective antiviral activity against CVB3 with IC50 value of 11.11 µM.

Antiviral spirooliganones A and B with unprecedented skeletons from the roots of Illicium oligandrum.

Two novel spirooliganones A (1) and (2), a pair of spiro carbon epimers, with a rare dioxaspiro skeleton were isolated from the roots of Illicium oligandrum. The structures were fully determined by spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods, especially modified Mosher's method, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Spirooliganone B was found to exhibit more potent activities against coxsackie virus B3 and influenza virus A (H3N2) (IC50 3.70-5.05 µM) than spirooliganone A. The biosynthetic pathway involving a hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of the epimers was proposed.

[The protective effect of different doses of dexamethasone on acute kidney injury induced by sepsis in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of different doses of dexamethasone (DEX) on sepsis induced acute kidney injury (AKI). METHODS: One hundred and thirty healthy male Kunming mice were randomly divided into sham group, sepsis group, physiological-dose DEX group (0.12 mg/kg), stress-dose DEX group (1.2 mg/kg), and high-dose DEX group (12 mg/kg). The sepsis model was reproduced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method. Histopathological changes in the kidney were observed at 24 hours and 48 hours after CLP. The expressions of glucocorticoid receptor-α (GR-α) in the kidney were detected by immunohistochemistry. The levels of GR-α mRNA and nuclear factor-ΚB (NF-ΚB) mRNA were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) in the plasma were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Compared with sham group mice, sepsis mice showed serious impairment in renal tubules. The mRNA and protein expression of GR-α were decreased, and NF-ΚB mRNA, plasma TNF-α and IL-1ß were elevated. Compared with sepsis group, the histopathological changes in the kidney were mitigated with different levels in groups treated with different doses of DEX. GR-α protein and mRNA were up-regulated, NF-ΚB mRNA and plasma TNF-α, IL-1ß were down-regulated obviously. The best effect could be seen in physiological DEX group [AKI score: 24 hours 1.480±0.334 vs. 3.040±0.517, 48 hours 1.840±0.167 vs. 3.400±0.400; GR-α protein (A value): 24 hours 0.102±0.009 vs. 0.088±0.005, 48 hours 0.103±0.008 vs. 0.085±0.006; GR-α mRNA: 24 hours 0.0400(0.0300, 0.0400) vs. 0.0100(0.0093, 0.0100), 48 hours 0.0350(0.0300, 0.0475) vs. 0.0100(0.0010, 0.0138); NF-ΚB mRNA: 24 hours 0.009±0.001 vs. 0.012±0.000,48 hours 0.011±0.000 vs. 0.013±0.001; TNF-α: 24 hours 105.84±3.84 ng/L vs. 135.52±4.49 ng/L, 48 hours 111.35±3.67 ng/L vs. 141.22±4.46 ng/L; IL-1ß: 24 hours 45.71±2.93 ng/L vs. 64. 12±3.62 ng/L, 48 hours 57.04±3.04 ng/L vs. 74.87±3.67 ng/L; P<0.05 or P<0.01]. CONCLUSIONS: DEX given in physiological-dose could increase renal GR-α level and alleviate the sepsis induced kidney injury. The protective effect was much better than that of high dose DEX.

Prenylated C6-C3 compounds from the roots of Illicium henryi.

Eleven prenylated C(6)-C(3) compounds, illihenryifunones A, B (1, 2), illihenryifunol A (3), illihenryipyranol A (4), illihenryiones A-G (5-11), and three known prenylated C(6)-C(3) compounds (12-14), were isolated from the roots of Illicium henryi. Structures of 1-11 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including NMR, HRESIMS, and CD. The absolute configuration of the 11,12-diol moiety in 5 was determined by observing its induced circular dichroism after addition of Mo(2)(OAc)(4) in DMSO. The absolute configuration of C-11 in 4 was determined as S based on the Rh(2)(OCOCF(3))(4)-induced CD data; the absolute configuration of 3 was determined as R by comparison of its experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD). The antioxidant activities of compounds 1-14 were also evaluated. Compound 4 exhibited strong antioxidant activity with an IC(50) value of 2.97±1.30 µM, whereas compounds 3 and 8 showed antioxidant activities with IC(50) values of 44.36±0.30 and 48.00±2.01 µM, respectively.

Sesquiterpenes and neolignans from the roots of Illicium dunnianum.

Two new sesquiterpenes, dunnianoside I (1) and 8'-oxo-6-hydroxy-dihydrophaseic acid methyl ester (2), a new glycoside, dunnianoside J (3), two new neolignans, dunnianeolignans A-B (4, 5), together with 10 known compounds (6-15), were isolated from the roots of Illicium dunnianum. The structures of these new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, and chemical methods. Compounds 7, 8, and 13-15 exhibited potent antioxidant activities against Fe²âº-cystine-induced rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation, with IC50 values ranging from 4.2 ± 0.4 to 38.4 ± 2.6 µM.

Thickness measurement of insulation coating by NIR spectrometry based on boosting-KPLS.

A novel thickness measurement method for surface insulation coating of silicon steel based on NIR spectrometry is explored. The NIR spectra of insulation coating of silicon steel were collected by acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) NIR spectrometer. To make full use of the effective information of NIR spectral data, discrete binary particle swarm optimization (DBPSO) algorithm was used to select the optimal wavelength variates. The new spectral data, composed of absorbance at selected wavelengths, were used to create the thickness quantitative analysis model by kernel partial least squares (KPLS) algorithm coupled with Boosting. The results of contrast experiments showed that the Boosting-KPLS model could efficiently improve the analysis accuracy and speed. It indicates that Boosting-KPLS is a more accurate and robust analysis method than KPLS for NIR spectral analysis. The maximal and minimal absolute error of 30 testing samples is respectively--0.02 microm and 0.19 microm, and the maximal relative error is 14.23%. These analysis results completely meet the practical measurement need.

[The effect of low-dose hydrocortisone on the expression of glucocorticoid receptor alpha of the septic kidney and its protective effect on kidney in rat].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of low dose glucocorticoid(GC) on sepsis induced acute kidney injury(AKI) in rat. METHODS: Eighty healthy Wistar male rats were randomly divided into sham group (n=10), AKI model group (AKI group, n=35)and hydrocortisone treatment group(HC group, n=35),according to random digital table. Septic AKI model was reproduced using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). After the procedure hydrocortisone 6 mg/kg was injected via sublingual vein in HC group. At 24 hours after the procedure, blood was obtained and the animals were sacrificed in all groups. Pathological changes in the kidney were observed with hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining. The expressions of glucocorticoid receptor alpha (GR-α) and nuclear transcription factor-ΚB (NF-ΚB) in the kidney were assessed by immunohistochemistry. The levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukins (IL-1ß, IL-6,IL-10) in the plasma were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). RESULTS: ¹ The difference in survival rates in AKI group and HC group showed no statistical significance (42.8% vs. 48.6%,P>0.05). ² Renal tubular epithelial cells were swollen and exfoliated, with loss and vacuolation of tubular brush border under light microscope in AKI group. Pathological changes in renal tubules in HC group were alleviated. ³ Compared with AKI group, the expression of GR-α was increased [absorbance (A) value: 0.35 ± 0.05 vs. 0.25 ± 0.05,P<0.01] and the expression of NF-ΚB was decreased in HC group (A value: 0.23 ± 0.04 vs.0.34 ± 0.04,P<0.01). Compared with AKI group, the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6 were lowered [TNF-α (ng/L): 94.25 ± 7.96 vs. 118.24 ± 6.63; IL-1ß (ng/L): 19.14 ± 1.99 vs. 28.91 ± 6.81; IL-6 (ng/L): 66.32 ± 1.99 vs. 85.70 ± 11.54; all P <0.01] and the level of IL-10 (ng/L) was elevated (98.33 ± 6.68 vs. 88.59 ± 7.34,P<0.01) in HC group. CONCLUSION: A low dose of hydrocortisone can inhibit the activity of NF-ΚB, possibly by means of increasing the expression of renal GR-α in septic rats. Accordingly it reduces the production of pro-inflammatory factors which participate in sepsis. So it effectively inhibits inflammation in sepsis and protects the kidney in septic rats.

Four new phenolic diglycosides from the roots of Illicium oligandrum.

Four new phenolic diglycosides (1-4), named illoliganoside A-D, and three known glycosides (5-7), were isolated from the roots of Illicium oligandrum. The structures of the new diglycosides were determined on the basis of HRMS, NMR spectroscopic, and chemical methods. The anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities for 1-7 were evaluated.

Prenylated C6-C3 compounds with molecular diversity from the roots of Illicium oligandrum.

Eleven prenylated C(6)-C(3) compounds, illioliganpyranone A (1), illioliganfunone A-D (2-5), and illioliganone D-I (6-11), together with five known prenylated C(6)-C(3) compounds (12-16), were isolated from roots of Illicium oligandrum. The structures of 1-11 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS, and CD experiments. Possible biosynthetic pathways to compounds 1-16 derived from a common precursor of 5-allylbenzene-1,2,4-triol were postulated. All compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic activities against five human cancer cell lines (HCT-8, Bel-7402, BGC-823, A549 and A2780). Compound 15 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against HCT-8, BGC-823, A549, and A2780 cell lines with IC(50) values of 0.30-2.57 µM. Compound 16 showed moderate selective cytotoxicity against sensitive A2780 cells with IC(50) value of 1.38 µM.

Prenylated C6-C3 compounds from the fruits of Illicium simonsii.

Two new prenylated C(6)-C(3) compounds, 4-epi-illicinone E-12-shikimate (1) and 3-hydroxyillifunone B (2), together with five known prenylated C(6)-C(3) compounds (3-7), were isolated from the fruits of Illicium simonsii. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR, CD spectra, and ESI-MS analysis.