Phenolic composition, antioxidant, cytotoxic activities and cardioprotective effect of hydroalcoholic extract from aerial-parts of Hypericum attenuatum Fisch. ex Choisy.

This study investigated phenolic metabolites, antioxidant, cytotoxic and cardioprotective effects of the hydroalcoholic extract from the aerial parts of Hypericum attenuatum Fisch. ex Choisy. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extract were 132.40 ± 2.06 mg GAE/g and 101.46 ± 1.47 mg QE/g respectively. The extract exhibited antioxidant activities with an EC50 value against DPPH radical of 0.099 ± 0.03 mg/mL and a FRAP value of 1.22 ± 0.086 mmol/L Fe2+. The extract could protect H9c2 cardiomyoblasts from the injury of H2O2, while it restored the H9c2 cell viability to 82.69 ± 2.33% at 100 µg/mL. The extract possessed cytotoxicity on MGC803, C666-1 and SW620 cells with IC50 values of 69.77 ± 2.43 µg/mL, 74.97 ± 1.08 µg/mL and 58.91 ± 1.81 µg/mL, respectively. Moreover, it could promote apoptosis of the tested cancer cells. This research provided useful information for the utilization of H. attenuatum as herbal medicine.

Subcapsular renal haematoma after ureteroscopic lithotripsy: a single-centre, retrospective study in China.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence, predisposing factors, diagnosis and management of subcapsular renal haematoma (SRH) after ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URSL). DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: Shandong Provincial Hospital, a 4500-bed tertiary hospital in China. PARTICIPANTS: The data from 1535 consecutive patients treated with URSL (including rigid URSL and flexible URSL) between January 2015 and October 2020 were retrospectively analysed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: SRH after URSL confirmed via CT. The characteristics, operative data and outcomes of these patients were documented and compared. RESULTS: Six patients were confirmed to have an SRH after URSL on CT. The total incidence of SRH after URSL was 0.39%. The incidences of SRH after rigid URSL and flexible URSL were 0.38% and 0.41%, respectively. Unendurable ipsilateral flank pain and a significant decrease in haemoglobin after surgery were the typical clinical manifestations of SRH after URSL. There were no significant differences in age, sex, history of diabetes mellitus, preoperative hypertension, body mass index, stone laterality or perfusion pressure (p>0.05). However, SRH was significantly associated with the stone size, stone location, degree of hydronephrosis and operative duration (p<0.01). One patient was managed conservatively without further intervention, percutaneous drainage was performed in four patients and one patient underwent emergency angiography. No patients died of SRH. CONCLUSIONS: SRH is a rare but potentially serious complication of URSL. Severe hydronephrosis and a thin renal cortex preoperatively and prolonged operative duration are strong predisposing factors for SRH. Laparoscopic ureterolithotomy should be considered as an alternative surgery for patients with severe ureteral tortuosity. SRH is treated based on patients' clinical manifestations. Most patients can be managed with conservative treatment or percutaneous drainage alone.

[Changes of total flavonoids and rutin contents in different parts of wild and cultivated Hypericum attenuatum ].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the content of total flavonoids and rutin in different parts of wild and cultivated Hypericum attenuatum. METHODS: Ethanol ultrasonic extraction method was used to extract total flavonoids and rutin in different parts of Hypericum attenuatum. With rutin as reference substance, UV spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatography were applied to deter- mine the total flavonoids and rutin content in Hypericum attenuatum samples (leaves, stems and flowers). RESULTS: There were great differences between the total flavonoids in different parts of Hypericum attenuatum that the content of flavonoids in the wild one was leaves > flowers > stems; The content of flavonoids in the cultivated was leaves > flowers > fruits > stems. The content of flavonoids in each part of cultivated Hypericum attenuatum was higher than that in the wild,but did not reach a statistically significant level,while the difference of content of rutin was extremely significant. CONCLUSION: There are differences between the content of flavonoids in different parts of Hypericum attenuatum. The highest content is found in leaves and the lowest in stems. The content of flavonoids in cultivated Hypericum attenuatum is higher than that in the wild.

The effects of warming and nitrogen addition on soil nitrogen cycling in a temperate grassland, northeastern China.

BACKGROUND: Both climate warming and atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition are predicted to affect soil N cycling in terrestrial biomes over the next century. However, the interactive effects of warming and N deposition on soil N mineralization in temperate grasslands are poorly understood. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A field manipulation experiment was conducted to examine the effects of warming and N addition on soil N cycling in a temperate grassland of northeastern China from 2007 to 2009. Soil samples were incubated at a constant temperature and moisture, from samples collected in the field. The results showed that both warming and N addition significantly stimulated soil net N mineralization rate and net nitrification rate. Combined warming and N addition caused an interactive effect on N mineralization, which could be explained by the relative shift of soil microbial community structure because of fungal biomass increase and strong plant uptake of added N due to warming. Irrespective of strong intra- and inter-annual variations in soil N mineralization, the responses of N mineralization to warming and N addition did not change during the three growing seasons, suggesting independence of warming and N responses of N mineralization from precipitation variations in the temperate grassland. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Interactions between climate warming and N deposition on soil N cycling were significant. These findings will improve our understanding on the response of soil N cycling to the simultaneous climate change drivers in temperate grassland ecosystem.