Effects of low-dose B vitamins plus betaine supplementation on lowering homocysteine concentrations among Chinese adults with hyperhomocysteinemia: a randomized, double-blind, controlled preliminary clinical trial.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that daily supplementation with low-dose B vitamins plus betaine could significantly reduce plasma homocysteine concentrations in Chinese adults with hyperhomocysteinemia and free from background mandatory folic acid fortification. METHODS: One hundred apparently healthy adults aged 18-65 years with hyperhomocysteinemia were recruited in South China from July 2019 to June 2021. They were randomly assigned to either the supplement group (daily supplementation: 400 µg folic acid, 8 mg vitamin B6, 6.4 µg vitamin B12 and 1 g betaine) or the placebo group for 12 weeks. Fasting venous blood was collected at baseline, week 4 and week 12 to determine the concentrations of homocysteine, folate, vitamin B12 and betaine. Generalized estimation equations were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Statistically significant increments in blood concentrations of folate, vitamin B12 and betaine after the intervention in the supplement group indicated good participant compliance. At baseline, there were no significant differences in plasma homocysteine concentration between the two groups (P = 0.265). After 12-week supplementation, compared with the placebo group, there was a significant reduction in plasma homocysteine concentrations in the supplement group (mean group difference - 3.87; covariate-adjusted P = 0.012; reduction rate 10.1%; covariate-adjusted P < 0.001). In the supplement group, the decreased concentration of plasma homocysteine was associated with increments of blood concentrations of both folate (ß = -1.680, P = 0.004) and betaine (ß = -1.421, P = 0.020) after 12 weeks of supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: Daily supplementation with low-dose B vitamins plus betaine for 12 weeks effectively decreased plasma homocysteine concentrations in Chinese adults with hyperhomocysteinemia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03720249 on October 25, 2018. Website: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03720249 .

Dual-modal polypeptide-containing contrast agents for magnetic resonance/fluorescence imaging.

Dual-modal magnetic resonance/fluorescent imaging (MRI/FI) attracts moreandmoreattentions in diagnosis of tumors. A corresponding dual-modal imaging agent with sufficient tumor sensitivity and specificity should be matched to improve imaging quality. Tripeptide (RGD) and pentapeptide (YIGSR) were selected as the tumor-targeting groups and attached to gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) and rhodamine B (RhB), and then make two novel polypeptide-based derivatives (RGD-Gd-DTPA-RhB and YIGSR-Gd-DTPA-RhB), respectively. These derivatives were further characterized and their properties, such as cell uptake, cell cytotoxicity, MRI and FI assay, were measured. YIGSR-Gd-DTPA-RhB and RGD-Gd-DTPA-RhB had high relaxivity, good tumor-targeting property, low cell cytotoxicity and good red FI in B16F10 melanoma cells. Moreover, YIGSR-Gd-DTPA-RhB and RGD-Gd-DTPA-RhB possessed high uptake to B16F10 melanoma, and then achieve highly enhanced FI and MRI of tumors in mice for a prolonged time. Therefore, YIGSR-Gd-DTPA-RhB and RGD-Gd-DTPA-RhB can be applied as the potential agents for tumor targeted MRI/FI in vivo.

Al18 F labeled sulfonamide-conjugated positron emission tomography tracer in vivo tumor-targeted imaging.

An ideal positron emission tomography (PET) tracer should be highly extractable by the tumor tissue or organ that contains low toxicity and can provide high-resolution images in vivo. In this work, the aim was to evaluate the application of Al18 F-labeled 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid containing sulfonamide group (18 F-Al-NOTA-SN) as a potential tumor-targeting signal-enhanced radioactive tracer in PET. SN as a tumor-targeting group was incorporated to NOTA to make a ligand. Subsequently, this ligand reacted with Na18 F and AlCl3 to produce a compound 18 F-Al-NOTA-SN. This compound was further characterized and its property in regard to cell cytotoxicity assay, microPET imaging, biodistribution, cell uptake assay, and tumor selectivity in vitro and in vivo, was also investigated. 18 F-Al-NOTA-SN possessed low cell cytotoxicity and uptake to COS-7 and 293T healthy cells and high cell cytotoxicity and uptake to MDA-MB-231, HepG2, and HeLa tumor cells in vitro. Moreover, 18 F-Al-NOTA-SN showed good tumor-targeting property and high PET signal enhancement of HeLa tumors, liver, and kidneys in mice, as well as the uptake ratios of tumor to blood and tumor to muscle, were 4.98 and 3.87, respectively. 18 F-Al-NOTA-SN can be accepted to be kidney and liver eliminated earlier and show a potential tumor-targeting signal-enhanced radioactive tracer in PET.

Quantification of Furosine (Nε-(2-Furoylmethyl)-l-lysine) in Different Parts of Velvet Antler with Various Processing Methods and Factors Affecting Its Formation.

Furosine (Nε-(2-furoylmethyl)-l-lysine) is formed during the early stages of the Maillard reaction from a lysine Amadori compound and is frequently used as a marker of reaction progress. Furosine is toxic, with significant effects on animal livers, kidneys, and other organs. However, reports on the formation of furosine in processed velvet antler are scarce. In this study, we have quantified the furosine content in processed velvet antler by using UPLC-MS/MS. The furosine contents of velvet antler after freeze-drying, boiling, and processing without and with blood were 148.51⁻193.93, 168.10⁻241.22, 60.29⁻80.33, and 115.18⁻138.99 mg/kg protein, respectively. The factors affecting furosine formation in processed velvet antler, including reducing sugars, proteins, amino acids, and process temperature, are discussed herein. Proteins, amino acids, and reducing sugars are substrates for the Maillard reaction and most significantly influence the furosine content in the processed velvet antler. High temperatures induce the production of furosine in boiled velvet antler but not in the freeze-dried samples, whereas more furosine is produced in velvet antler processed with blood, which is rich in proteins, amino acids, and reducing sugars, than in the samples processed without blood. Finally, wax slices rich in proteins, amino acids, and reducing sugars produced more furosine than the other parts of the velvet antler. These data provide a reference for guiding the production of low-furosine velvet antler and can be used to estimate the consumer intake of furosine from processed velvet antler.

[Correlation of K-ras Gene Mutations with the Protein Expressions of TAK1 and MAP4K2 in Colorectal Cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation of K-ras gene mutations with the protein expressions of transforming growth factor-ß activating kinase 1 (TAK1) protein and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase 2 (MAP4K2) protein in colorectal cancer. METHODS: K-ras gene mutations were detected by DNA sequencing analysis, and the expressions of TAK1 protein and MAP4K2 protein were detected by immunohistochemical method in 76 cases of colorectal cancer tissues. RESULTS: In 76 cases of colorectal cancer tissues, the mutation rate of K-ras gene was 32.89% (25 cases), and K-ras gene mutations were correlated with the degrees of cell differentiation ( P<0.05). The positive rates of TAK1 protein and MAP4K2 protein were 48.68% and 46.05%, respectively. The protein expressions of TAK1 and MAP4K2 were positively correlated with the degrees of cell differentiation and lymph node metastases, respectively ( P<0.05). There was no correlation between K-ras gene mutation and either TAK1 protein or MAP4K2 protein expression ( P>0.05). In 25 cases of colorectal cancer with K-ras mutation, the expression of TAK1 protein was positively correlated with the expression of MAP4K2 protein ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION: K-ras gene mutation, TAK1 and MAP4K2 protein expressions were related to the degree of differentiation of colorectal cancer, but not to the depth of invasion. In colorectal cancer with K-ras gene mutation, the expression of TAK1 protein was positively correlated with the expression of MAP4K2 protein.

Simultaneous Determination of Nε-(carboxymethyl) Lysine and Nε-(carboxyethyl) Lysine in Different Sections of Antler Velvet after Various Processing Methods by UPLC-MS/MS.

Nε-(Carboxymethyl) lysine (CML) and Nε-(carboxyethyl) advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and are frequently used as markers of AGE formation. AGEs, such as CML and CEL, have harmful effects in the human body and have been closely linked to many diseases such as diabetes and uremia. However, details on the contents of CML and CEL after applying different antler velvet processing methods are lacking. In this research, a robust lysine (CEL) are two typical UPLC-MS/MS method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of CML and CEL in various sections of antler velvet processed with different methods. In addition, factors affecting the CML and CEL contents are discussed. The CML contents of antler velvet after freeze-drying, boiling, processing without blood, and processing with blood were 74.55⁻458.59, 119.44⁻570.69, 75.36⁻234.92, and 117.11⁻456.01 µg/g protein, respectively; the CEL contents were 0.74⁻12.66, 11.33⁻35.93, 0.00⁻6.75, and 0.00⁻23.41 µg/g protein, respectively. The different contents of CML and CEL in the different samples of antler velvet result from the different interactions of the protein and lysine at different temperatures. These data can be used to estimate the potential consumer intake of CML and CEL from antler velvet and for guiding producers on how to reduce the production of CML and CEL.

Early Course of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a Population-Based Inception Cohort Study From 8 Countries in Asia and Australia.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing in Asia, but little is known about disease progression in this region. The Asia-Pacific Crohn's and Colitis Epidemiology Study was initiated in 2011, enrolling subjects from 8 countries in Asia (China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand) and Australia. We present data from this ongoing study. METHODS: We collected data on 413 patients diagnosed with IBD (222 with ulcerative colitis [UC], 181 with Crohn's disease [CD], 10 with IBD unclassified; median age, 37 y) from 2011 through 2013. We analyzed the disease course and severity and mortality. Risks for medical and surgical therapies were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: The cumulative probability that CD would change from inflammatory to stricturing or penetrating disease was 19.6%. The cumulative probabilities for use of immunosuppressants or anti-tumor necrosis factor agents were 58.9% and 12.0% for patients with CD, and 12.7% and 0.9% for patients with UC, respectively. Perianal CD was associated with an increased risk of anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy within 1 year of its diagnosis (hazard ratio, 2.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-8.09). The cumulative probabilities for surgery 1 year after diagnosis were 9.1% for patients with CD and 0.9% for patients with UC. Patients with CD and penetrating disease had a 7-fold increase for risk of surgery, compared with patients with inflammatory disease (hazard ratio, 7.67; 95% confidence interval, 3.93-14.96). The overall mortality for patients with IBD was 0.7%. CONCLUSIONS: In a prospective population-based study, we found that the early course of disease in patients with IBD in Asia was comparable with that of the West. Patients with CD frequently progress to complicated disease and have accelerated use of immunosuppressants. Few patients with early stage UC undergo surgery in Asia. Increasing our understanding of IBD progression in different populations can help optimize therapy and improve outcomes.

Endophytic Bacillus cereus Effectively Controls Meloidogyne incognita on Tomato Plants Through Rapid Rhizosphere Occupation and Repellent Action.

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.), which cause severe global agricultural losses, can establish a special niche in the root vascular cylinder of crops, making them difficult to control. Endophytic bacteria have great potential as biocontrol organisms against Meloidogyne incognita. Three endophytic bacteria were isolated from plant tissues and showed high nematicidal activity against M. incognita second-stage juveniles (J2) in vitro. The gyrB gene sequence amplification results indicated that the three isolates were Bacillus cereus BCM2, B. cereus SZ5, and B. altitudinis CCM7. The isolates colonized tomato roots rapidly and stably during the colonization dynamic experiment. Three pot experiments were designed to determine the potential of three endophytic bacterial isolates on control of root-knot nematodes. The results showed that the preinoculated B. cereus BCM2 experiment significantly reduced gall and egg mass indexes. The inhibition ratio of gall and egg mass was up to 81.2 and 75.6% on tomato roots and significantly enhanced shoot length and fresh weight. The other two experiments with inoculated endophytic bacteria and M. incognita at the same time or after morbidity had lower inhibition ratios compared with the preinoculated endophytic bacteria experiment. The confocal laser-scanning microscopy method was used to further study the possible mechanism of endophytic bacteria in the biocontrol process. The results showed the localization pattern of the endophytic bacteria B. cereus BCM2-(str')-pBCgfp-1 in tomato root tissues. Root tissue colonized by endophytic bacteria repelled M. incognita J2 infection compared with the untreated control in a repellence experiment. We isolated an endophytic B. cereus strain that stably colonized tomato and controlled M. incognita effectively. This strain has potential for plant growth promotion, successful ecological niche occupation, and M. incognita J2 repellent action induction. It plays an important role in endophytic bacteria against root-knot nematodes.

The association between the ring finger protein 213 (RNF213) polymorphisms and moyamoya disease susceptibility: a meta-analysis based on case-control studies.

A number of studies assessed the association of ring finger protein 213 (RNF213) gene polymorphisms with moyamoya disease (MMD), but the results were not entirely consistent. This meta-analysis was performed to explore the relationship between RNF213 polymorphisms and moyamoya disease in Asian population. A systematic search from the PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI web of science, CNKI, China CBM and WANFANG DATA databases was conducted to retrieve published studies until March 2015. Statistical analyses were performed using the STATA12.0 software. Fixed or random effects model, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias were used to improve the comprehensive analysis. Eight papers including 904 MMD patients and 2258 controls were recruited in the meta-analysis. rs112735431 was closely associated with the risk of MMD among Asian population in all genetic models (dominant model: OR 103.39, 95 % CI 52.25-204.55, P = 1.69e-40; recessive model: OR 16.45, 95 % CI 6.00-45.10, P = 5.33e-08; additive model: OR 61.49, 95 % CI 22.07-171.33, P = 3.32e-15), especially in the Japanese population. Subgroup analysis revealed highly statistically significant higher risk in the patients with family histories. Although another polymorphism rs148731719 showed no significant association with the MMD, rs138130613 was found to be related to the higher risk in Chinese population (dominant model: OR 8.34, 95 % CI 1.72-40.47, P = 0.008). Our meta-analysis strengthens RNF213 rs112735431 is closely associated with the increased risk of MMD in Japanese, and the screening combined with rs112735431 and rs138130613may improve the detection rate for MMD in China.

Environmental risk factors in inflammatory bowel disease: a population-based case-control study in Asia-Pacific.

OBJECTIVE: The rising incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in Asia supports the importance of environmental risk factors in disease aetiology. This prospective population-based case-control study in Asia-Pacific examined risk factors prior to patients developing IBD. DESIGN: 442 incident cases (186 Crohn's disease (CD); 256 UC; 374 Asians) diagnosed between 2011 and 2013 from eight countries in Asia and Australia and 940 controls (frequency-matched by sex, age and geographical location; 789 Asians) completed an environmental factor questionnaire at diagnosis. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted ORs (aOR) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: In multivariate model, being breast fed >12 months (aOR 0.10; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.30), antibiotic use (aOR 0.19; 0.07 to 0.52), having dogs (aOR 0.54; 0.35 to 0.83), daily tea consumption (aOR 0.62; 0.43 to 0.91) and daily physical activity (aOR 0.58; 0.35 to 0.96) decreased the odds for CD in Asians. In UC, being breast fed >12 months (aOR 0.16; 0.08 to 0.31), antibiotic use (aOR 0.48; 0.27 to 0.87), daily tea (aOR 0.63; 0.46 to 0.86) or coffee consumption (aOR 0.51; 0.36 to 0.72), presence of hot water tap (aOR 0.65; 0.46 to 0.91) and flush toilet in childhood (aOR 0.71; 0.51 to 0.98) were protective for UC development whereas ex-smoking (aOR 2.02; 1.22 to 3.35) increased the risk of UC. CONCLUSIONS: This first population-based study of IBD risk factors in Asia-Pacific supports the importance of childhood immunological, hygiene and dietary factors in the development of IBD, suggesting that markers of altered intestinal microbiota may modulate risk of IBD later in life.

[Strong and tunable field enhancement obtained by periodic rectangular pit structure].

The authors have designed a novel type of periodic rectangular pit nanostructure substrate based on the surface plasmon principle. Finite element method was employed to simulate the optical near-field distribution. Strongly enhanced field whose electric intensity Emax/E0 can be as high as 20 at resonance frequency appears around pithead of the periodic structure. As the period of structure, pit length l, width w and environment change, the authors observe the regular shifting of plasmon resonant wavelength which can cover the range from 500 to 1000 nm. The red shifts of SPR resonance peaks are increased with the increment of period Px when incident light is polarized along x axis. An abrupt decrease in localized electric field in the pit is observed as incident wavelength approaches Px. This is due to the satisfaction of wave vector matching condition and the excitation of propagating SPP. SPR resonance peaks also red shifts with the increment on pit length l and environment dielectric refractive index, presenting a linear dependence with pit length l. While the resonance peaks are blue shifted with the increment of pit width w. The results presented in this paper will provide a way to tune the plasmon resonant wavelength. Inspired by Jain's report, SPR resonance peaks' shifting with the changing of structure parameters can be explained by viewing the rectangular pit nanostructure as combination of two pairs of dipole-dipole coupling models along x and y axis respectively.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization combined with microwave coagulation therapy and the perioperative care for patients with hepatocellural carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To explore the value of artificial hydrothorax microwave coagulation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy in the treatment of ultrasound-invisible malignant tumors in the hepatic dome (mainly hepatocellular carcinoma/HCC) and the perioperative care for the patients. METHODS: Sixty-eight patients with malignant liver tumors in the hepatic dome were treated with a combination therapy of TACE and microwave coagulation via an artificially induced hydrothorax. Their perioperative condition was under close observation and the nursing care was intensified. Paracentesis of the chest was successfully carried out via the positioning of ultrasound and guidance of microwave to the tumor site, so that the tumor could be treated with cold cycle microwave coagulation therapy. RESULTS: After treatment, 3/68 patients (4.4%) achieved complete tumor ablation, while 59/68 (86.8%) achieved tumor ablation >50% or tumor shrinkage >30%. Another 6/68 patients (8.8%) achieved tumor ablation <50% or tumor shrinkage <30%. Of 45 patients, 42 (93.3%) obtained a reduction of AFP level >50% post-therapy, 28/37 patients (75.7%) achieved a reduction of CEA level >50%, 23/29 patients (79.3%) achieved a reduction of CA19-9 level> 50%; 3/68 patients (4.4%) survived for 4 to 6 months, 31/68 (45.6%) survived >6 months and 34/68 (50%) survived >12 months. No bleeding, liver failure, infection or needle tract seeding occurred after the operation, and no treatment-related deaths occurred. CONCLUSION: Microwave coagulation combined with TACE for HCC in the hepatic dome is safe and effective. Perioperative observation and nursing care can not only reduce the complications but also improve the therapeutic effect and the patient quality of life.

Incidence and phenotype of inflammatory bowel disease based on results from the Asia-pacific Crohn's and colitis epidemiology study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are becoming more common in Asia, but epidemiologic data are lacking. The Asia-Pacific Crohn's and Colitis Epidemiology Study aimed to determine the incidence and phenotype of IBD in 8 countries across Asia and in Australia. METHODS: We performed a prospective, population-based study of IBD incidence in predefined catchment areas, collecting data for 1 year, starting on April 1, 2011. New cases were ascertained from multiple overlapping sources and entered into a Web-based database. Cases were confirmed using standard criteria. Local endoscopy, pathology, and pharmacy records were searched to ensure completeness of case capture. RESULTS: We identified 419 new cases of IBD (232 of ulcerative colitis [UC], 166 of Crohn's disease [CD], and 21 IBD-undetermined). The crude annual overall incidence values per 100,000 individuals were 1.37 for IBD in Asia (95% confidence interval: 1.25-1.51; 0.76 for UC, 0.54 for CD, and 0.07 for IBD-undetermined) and 23.67 in Australia (95% confidence interval: 18.46-29.85; 7.33 for UC, 14.00 for CD, and 2.33 for IBD-undetermined). China had the highest incidence of IBD in Asia (3.44 per 100,000 individuals). The ratios of UC to CD were 2.0 in Asia and 0.5 in Australia. Median time from symptom onset to diagnosis was 5.5 months (interquartile range, 1.4-15 months). Complicated CD (stricturing, penetrating, or perianal disease) was more common in Asia than Australia (52% vs 24%; P = .001), and a family history of IBD was less common in Asia (3% vs 17%; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: We performed a large-scale population-based study and found that although the incidence of IBD varies throughout Asia, it is still lower than in the West. IBD can be as severe or more severe in Asia than in the West. The emergence of IBD in Asia will result in the need for specific health care resources, and offers a unique opportunity to study etiologic factors in developing nations.

Diagnostic significance of diffusion-weighted MRI in patients with cervical cancer: a meta-analysis.

The aim of this meta-analysis is to demonstrate whether diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) could assist in the precise diagnosis of cervical cancer or not. Both English and Chinese electronic databases were searched for potential relevant studies followed by a comprehensive literature search without any language restriction. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of the included trials. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and its corresponding 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) were calculated in this meta-analysis. We chose Version 12.0 STATA statistical software to analyze our statistical data. Thirteen eligible cohort studies were selected for statistical analysis, including 645 tumor tissues and 504 normal tissues. Combined SMD of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) suggested that the ADC value in cervical cancer tissues was significantly lower than that of normal tissue (SMD = 2.80, 95 % CI = 2.64 ~ 2.96, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis stratified by ethnicity indicated a higher ADC value in the normal tissues compared to the cancer tissues in both the Asian and Caucasian subgroups (Asians: SMD = 2.83, 95 % CI = 2.64 ~ 3.02, P < 0.001; Caucasians: SMD = 2.73, 95 % CI = 2.45 ~ 3.01, P < 0.001, respectively). The results from the subgroup analysis by MRI machine type revealed a statistically significant difference in ADC value between normal cervical tissue and tumor tissues among all of the six MRI machine type subgroups (all P < 0.05). The main finding from our meta-analysis revealed that increased signal intensity on DWI and decreased signal on ADC seem to be useful in the diagnosis of cervical cancer. DWI could therefore be an important imaging tool in potentially identifying patients with cervical cancer.

[Experimental study and mechanism research of 701 diedazhentonggao on acute and chronic soft tissue injury in rabbit].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect and mechanism of 701 Diedazhentonggao on acute and chronic soft tissue injury in rabbit. METHODS: The rabbit model of acute and chronic soft tissue injury were established by heavy hammer blow method. The tissue damage scored, pain threshold value and blood rheology were detected, and histopathological and inflammatory cytokines in damaged tissue and gene chip were observed. RESULTS: 701 Diedazhentonggao significantly improved the acute soft tissue injury symptoms, increased the pain threshold, reduced the score values of local damage, improved subcutaneous ecchymosis symptoms, reduced the content of inflammatory cytokines in damaged tissue, repaired the injuried tissue, and reduced blood viscosity and the content of IL-1 and 5-HT. But the contents of IL-6 and PGE2 in acute soft tissue injury were not reduced. The gene chip study expressed the drug interfered the pathway of IL-1R and white blood cell cling. 701 Diedazhentonggao also improved the chronic soft tissue injury symptoms and the main performance on anti-inflammatory effect, and reduced the contents of IL-6, IL-1 and 5-HT, but it had little effet on reducing the contents of PGE2, Fbg, blood and histopathological examination. CONCLUSION: 701 Diedazhentonggao has ameliorative effect on acute and chronic soft tissue injury, but the effect on acute soft tissue injuries is better than on chronic soft tissue injuries, and its mechanism may be related to reducing the contents of IL-1, IL-6, 5-HT and other related inflammatory mediators.

PPARγ agonist from Chromolaena odorata.

A phytochemical investigation of Chromolaena odorata resulted in the isolation of five new compounds, 5aα,6,9,9aß,10-pentahydro-10ß-hydroxy-7-methylanthra[1,2-d][1,3]dioxol-5-one (1), 1,2-methylenedioxy-6-methylanthraquinone (2), 3-hydroxy-1,2,4-trimethoxy-6-methylanthraquinone (3), 3-hydroxy-1,2-dimethoxy-6-methylanthraquinone (4), and 7-methoxy-7-epi-medioresinol (5), together with 12 known compounds, odoratin (6), 3ß-acetyloleanolic acid (7), ursolic acid (8), ombuin (9), 4,2'-dihydroxy-4',5',6'-trimethoxychalcone (10), (-)-pinoresinol (11), austrocortinin (12), tianshic acid (13), cleomiscosin D (14), (-)-medioresinol (15), (-)-syringaresinol (16), and cleomiscosin A (17). All the compounds were evaluated for their PPARγ transactivation activity, and compound 6 showed moderate activity with an EC(50) value of 3.10 µM.

Antitumour activities of sesquiterpene lactones from Inula helenium and Inula japonica.

Eight sesquiterpene lactones were isolated from the roots of Inula helenium and flowers of I. japonica. Among them, isoalantolactone (3) and santamarine (6) exhibited significant growth inhibitory activities against gynecologic cancer cell lines, while others weakly inhibited the growth of the cell lines (IC50 < or = 100 microM). In addition, 3 significantly inhibited the tumour growth of S180 tumour-bearing mice. Compounds 3 and 6 were not toxic to human embryonic lung fibroblast cells in vitro. These results demonstrated that the antitumour activities are closely related to the structures of the compounds, that is, an alpha-exomethylene-gamma-lactone ring is necessary for these activities.

{5,10,15,20-Tetra-kis[4-(hex-yloxy)phen-yl]porphyrinato}nickel(II).

The mol-ecule of the title compound, [Ni(C(68)H(76)N(4)O(4))], is located on a crystallographic inversion center. The Ni-N distances within the square-shaped coordination environment are 1.951 (2) and 1.954 (2) Å. Three terminal C atoms in one of the hexyl groups are disordered over two sets of sites, with site-occupancy factors of 0.615 (13) and 0.385 (13).

[Impact of liver steatosis on antiviral effects of pegylated interferon-alpha in patients with chronic hepatitis B].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of hepatic steatosis on virologic response in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients treated with pegylated interferon-alpha (PEG-IFNa). METHODS: Ninety-six naive patients positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and with biopsy-proven CHB were administered PEG-IFNa-2a or PEG-IFNa-2b for 48 weeks. Virologic response (HBeAg clearance and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA less than 5 log10 copies/ml) and biochemical response (alanine transaminase (ALT) normalization) were compared between patients with (n=34) and without (n=62) steatosis. RESULTS: The HBV DNA titer in the steatosis group was significantly lower than that of the non-steatosis group (6.961.27 vs. 7.541.28 log10 copies/ml; t=2.161, P=0.033). After 48 weeks of PEG-IFNa treatments, there was no significant difference in HBeAg seroconversion or the percentage of undetectable HBV DNA (less than 3 log10 copies/ml) between steatosis and non-steatosis patients. However, the steatosis patients presented with a significantly lower complete response rate (virologic response plus biochemical response) compared to non-steatosis patients (26.5% vs. 48.4%; x² =4.373, P=0.037). Of the 45 CHB patients with undetectable HBV DNA after 48 weeks of treatment, seven did not achieve ALT normalization. The rate of patients with non-biochemical response was significantly higher in the steatosis group than in the non-steatosis group (33.3% vs. 6.67%; P=0.032). CONCLUSION: Hepatic steatosis does not affect the virologic response, but does affect the biochemical response in CHB patients treated with PEG-IFNa for 48 weeks.

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus enteritis: A literature review.

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) enteritis is a rare disease that has not been well described. Owing to the similarities between CAEBV enteritis and inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, it is easy to be misdiagnosed and mistreated in clinical practice, resulted in complications and even death in severe cases. Through a literature review, this study aimed to summarize the clinical characteristics, pathological features, examinations, and treatment strategies of CAEBV enteritis and its similarities and differences with inflammatory bowel diseases.