Bibliometric analysis of phosphogypsum research from 1990 to 2020 based on literatures and patents.

The demand together with the urgency of phosphogypsum (PG) treatment will pose significant challenges for many countries. This research aims to explore the research progress of PG, including basic status, cooperation situation, research fields, and development trends, based on the Web of Science database through bibliometric analysis of publications (articles and patents) from 1990 to 2020. The results show that academic research on PG originated early, but the number of patents grew quickly. China is a global leader in terms of the number of publications and plays a significant role in international cooperation. The knowledge of PG has remained concentrated in the fields of natural radioactivity, cement paste backfilling, soil, crystal morphology, and synthetic gas. However, academic hotspots focus on the microstructure of chemical processes and various environmental impacts; patents and hot technologies are based on the production of refractory materials, ceramics, surface materials, cement mortar, and composite materials. The academic frontiers of PG will be centered on exploiting the methods of recovering rare earth elements from PG, the conditions of ion solidification/stabilization in PG, the impact of reaction conditions on product quality, and the reaction mechanism at the micro-level. The frontiers of patents need to focus on the improvement of manufacturing equipment, new wall materials, and chemically modified polymer materials. Envisaging the number of articles and patents to be published in the future, architectural research has a large room for improvement. This paper conducts an in-depth analysis of PG and provides information on the technological development prospects and opportunities, which is helpful for researchers engaged in PG management.

Oncologic Outcomes of Radical Prostatectomy and High-Dose Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy with Androgen-Deprivation Therapy for Relatively Young Patients with Unfavorable Intermediate-Risk Prostate Adenocarcinoma.

PURPOSE: To estimate the oncologic outcomes of radical prostatectomy (RP) and high-dose intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with short-term androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) in relatively young men with unfavorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer, as defined by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN-UIR-PC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We enrolled relatively young men (≤65 years) from the Taiwan Cancer Registry who had been diagnosed as having NCCN-UIR-PC and who had received RP or high-dose IMRT (at least ≥72 Gy) with short-term ADT (4-6 months). After propensity score matching of the confounders, Cox proportional regression was used to model the time from the index date (i.e., date of diagnosis) to all-cause death, biochemical failure (BF), locoregional recurrence (LRR), and distant metastasis (DM). RESULTS: The corresponding adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of the risk of all-cause death, BF, LRR, and DM were 2.76 (1.36-5.60, p = 0.0050), 2.74 (1.72-4.84, p < 0.0001), 1.28 (1.09-1.90, p = 0.0324), and 2.11 (1.40-4.88, p = 0.0052), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: RP is superior to high-dose IMRT with short-term ADT in terms of oncologic outcomes for relatively young men with UIR-PC.

Association of Coffee Intake With Survival in Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

IMPORTANCE: Several compounds found in coffee possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and insulin-sensitizing effects, which may contribute to anticancer activity. Epidemiological studies have identified associations between increased coffee consumption and decreased recurrence and mortality of colorectal cancer. The association between coffee consumption and survival in patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of coffee consumption with disease progression and death in patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This prospective observational cohort study included 1171 patients with previously untreated locally advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer who were enrolled in Cancer and Leukemia Group B (Alliance)/SWOG 80405, a completed phase 3 clinical trial comparing the addition of cetuximab and/or bevacizumab to standard chemotherapy. Patients reported dietary intake using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire at the time of enrollment. Data were collected from October 27, 2005, to January 18, 2018, and analyzed from May 1 to August 31, 2018. EXPOSURES: Consumption of total, decaffeinated, and caffeinated coffee measured in cups per day. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Among the 1171 patients included in the analysis (694 men [59%]; median age, 59 [interquartile range, 51-67] years). The median follow-up time among living patients was 5.4 years (10th percentile, 1.3 years; IQR, 3.2-6.3 years). A total of 1092 patients (93%) had died or had disease progression. Increased consumption of coffee was associated with decreased risk of cancer progression (hazard ratio [HR] for 1-cup/d increment, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-1.00; P = .04 for trend) and death (HR for 1-cup/d increment, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.89-0.98; P = .004 for trend). Participants who consumed 2 to 3 cups of coffee per day had a multivariable HR for OS of 0.82 (95% CI, 0.67-1.00) and for PFS of 0.82 (95% CI, 0.68-0.99), compared with those who did not drink coffee. Participants who consumed at least 4 cups of coffee per day had a multivariable HR for OS of 0.64 (95% CI, 0.46-0.87) and for PFS of 0.78 (95% CI, 0.59-1.05). Significant associations were noted for both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Coffee consumption may be associated with reduced risk of disease progression and death in patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer. Further research is warranted to elucidate underlying biological mechanisms.

Plasma 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and Survival in Patients with Advanced or Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Findings from CALGB/SWOG 80405 (Alliance).

PURPOSE: Previous studies have suggested that higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels are associated with decreased colorectal cancer risk and improved survival. However, the influence of vitamin D status on disease progression and patient survival remains largely unknown for patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We prospectively collected blood samples in 1,041 patients with previously untreated advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer participating in a randomized phase III clinical trial of first-line chemotherapy plus biologic therapy. We examined the association of baseline plasma 25(OH)D levels with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for prognostic factors and confounders. RESULTS: At study entry, 63% of patients were vitamin D deficient (<20 ng/mL) and 31% were vitamin D insufficient (20-<30 ng/mL). Higher 25(OH)D levels were associated with an improvement in OS and PFS (P trend = 0.0009 and 0.03, respectively). Compared with patients in the bottom quintile of 25(OH)D (≤10.8 ng/mL), those in the top quintile (≥24.1 ng/mL) had a multivariable-adjusted HR of 0.66 (95% CI, 0.53-0.83) for OS and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.66-1.00) for PFS. The improved survival associated with higher 25(OH)D levels was consistent across patient subgroups of prognostic patient and tumor characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: In this large cohort of patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer, higher plasma 25(OH)D levels were associated with improved OS and PFS. Clinical trials assessing the benefit of vitamin D supplementation in patients with colorectal cancer are warranted.

Shotgun Proteomics and Quantitative Pathway Analysis of the Mechanisms of Action of Dehydroeffusol, a Bioactive Phytochemical with Anticancer Activity from Juncus effusus.

Dehydroeffusol (DHE) is a phenanthrene isolated from the Chinese medicinal plant Juncus effusus. Biological evaluation of DHE reveals in vitro and in vivo anticancer effects. We performed a shotgun proteomic analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to investigate the changes in the protein profiles in cancer cells upon DHE treatment. DHE affected cancer-associated signaling pathways, including NF-κB, ß-catenin, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Through quantitative pathway and key node analysis of the proteomics data, activating transcription factor 2 (ATF-2) and c-Jun kinase (JNK) were found to be the key components in DHE's modulated biological pathways. Based on the pathway analysis as well as chemical similarity to estradiol, DHE is proposed to be a phytoestrogen. The proteomic, bioinformatic, and chemoinformatic analyses were further verified with individual cell-based experiments. Our study demonstrates a workflow for identifying the mechanisms of action of DHE through shotgun proteomic analysis.

Using the Chinese herb Scutellaria barbata against extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections: in vitro and in vivo studies.

BACKGROUND: No animal model studies have been conducted in which the efficacy of herbal compounds has been tested against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections. Very few antibiotics are available for the treatment of pulmonary infections caused by extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (XDRAB). To find alternative treatments, traditional Chinese herbs were screened for their antimicrobial potential. METHODS: The present study screened 30 herbs that are traditionally used in Taiwan and that are commonly prescribed for heat clearing and detoxification. The herbs with antibacterial activities were analysed by disc diffusion assays, time-kill assays and a murine lung infection model. RESULTS: Of the 30 herbs tested, only Scutellaria barbata demonstrated 100% in vitro activity against XDRAB. Furthermore, we compared the antibacterial effect of the S. barbata extract with that of colistin, and the S. barbata extract showed better antibacterial effect. In the XDRAB pneumonia murine model, we compared the antimicrobial effects of the orally administered S. barbata extract (200 mg/kg, every 24 h), the intratracheally administered colistin (75,000 U/kg, every 12 h), and the control group. The bacterial load in the lungs of the treatment group that received the oral S. barbata extract showed a significant decrease in comparison to that in the lungs of the control group. In addition, histopathological examinations also revealed better resolution of perivascular, peribronchial, and alveolar inflammation in the oral S. barbata extract-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: Our in vitro and in vivo data from the animal model support the use of S. barbata as an alternate drug to treat XDRAB pulmonary infections. However, detailed animal studies and clinical trials are necessary to establish the clinical utility of S. barbata in treating XDRAB pulmonary infections.

Amelioration of estrogen-deficiency-induced obesity by Ocimum gratissimum.

Objectives: Menopausal transition in women initiates with declining estrogen levels and is followed by significant changes in their physiological characteristics. These changes often lead to medical conditions, such as obesity, which is correlated with chronic low-grade/subclinical inflammation. Ocimum gratissimum L. is a food spice or traditional herb in many countries; the plant is rich in antioxidants, which possess anti-inflammation activities and multitude of other therapeutic functions. Methods: In this study, we evaluated effects of O. gratissimum extract (OGE) in preventing obesity by using ovariectomized (OVX) animal models to mimic menopausal women. Methods: OVX rats showed increase in body weight and in adipocyte size in perigonadal adipose tissue (p <0.05) and decrease in uterus weight. By contrast, OGE (0.2 mg/ml) significantly reduced body weight gain and adipocyte in OVX rats and showed insignificant changes in uterus weight. Further investigation indicated that OGE exerted no influence on levels of dorsal fat, serum total cholesterol, and serum triacylglycerol and on serum biochemical factors, calcium, phosphorus, and glucose. Conclusion: These findings suggested that OGE dietary supplements may be useful in controlling body weight of menopausal women.

Pinicolol B from Antrodia cinnamomea induces apoptosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The medicinal mushroom Antrodia cinnamomea possesses anticancer properties but the active compounds responsible for these effects are mostly unknown. AIM OF THE STUDY: We aimed to identify novel A. cinnamomea compounds that produce cytotoxic effects on cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using ethanol extraction and chromatography, we isolated the lanostanoid compound lanosta-7,9(11),24-trien-3ß,15α,21-triol (1) from cultured A. cinnamomea mycelium. Cytotoxicity and pro-apoptotic effects of compound 1 were evaluated using the MTS assay and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. RESULTS: Compound 1 produced cytotoxic effects on the nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines TW02 and TW04, with IC50 values of 63.3 and 115.0µM, respectively. On the other hand, no cytotoxic effects were observed on non-tumorigenic nasopharyngeal epithelial cells (NP69). In addition, compound 1 induced apoptosis in TW02 and TW04 cells as revealed by flow cytometry analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate for the first time the presence of pinicolol B in A. cinnamomea mycelium and suggest that this compound may contribute to the anticancer effects of A. cinnamomea.

Transfer of Therapeutic Genes into Fetal Rhesus Monkeys Using Recombinant Adeno-Associated Type I Viral Vectors.

Neuromuscular disorders such as Pompe disease (glycogen storage disease, type II), result in early and potentially irreversible cellular damage with a very limited opportunity for intervention in the newborn period. Pompe disease is due to deficiency in acid α-glucosidase (GAA) leading to lysosomal accumulation of glycogen in all cell types, abnormal myofibrillogenesis, respiratory insufficiency, neurological deficits, and reduced contractile function in striated muscle. Previous studies have shown that fetal delivery of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) encoding GAA to the peritoneal cavity of Gaa-/- mice resulted in high-level transduction of the diaphragm. While progression of other genetic disorders may occur later in life, the potential of fetal gene delivery to avoid the onset of irreversible damage suggests it is an attractive option for many inherited diseases. In this study, rhesus monkey fetuses were administered 4.5 × 1012 particles of rAAV type 1 expressing human GAA (rAAV1-CMV-hGAA), human α-1-antitrypsin (rAAV1-CBA-hAAT), or human mini-dystrophin (rAAV1-CMV-miniDMD) in the late first trimester using an established intraperitoneal ultrasound-guided approach. Fetuses were monitored sonographically and newborns delivered at term for postnatal studies. All animals remained healthy during the study period (growth, hematology, and clinical chemistry), with no evidence of adverse effects. Tissues were collected at a postnatal age of 3 months (∼7 months post-fetal gene transfer) for immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative PCR. Both the diaphragm and peritoneum from vector-treated animals were strongly positive for expression of human GAA, AAT, or dystrophin by IHC, similar to findings when reporter genes were used. Protein expression in the diaphragm and peritoneum correlated with high vector copy numbers detected by real-time PCR. Other anatomical areas were negative, although the liver showed minimal evidence of human GAA, AAT, and DMD, vector genomes. In summary, delivery of rAAV vectors provided stable transduction of the muscular component of the diaphragm without any evidence of adverse effects.

Amelioration of estrogen deficiency-induced obesity by collagen hydrolysate.

Objectives: Menopausal transition with declining estrogen levels significantly affects the physiological properties of women and consequently contributes to a series of medical conditions, including obesity. Obesity is a crucial risk factor associated with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and breast cancer. Increasing dietary protein content improves satiety and energy expenditure. Thus, we hypothesize that supplementing with collagen, a common dietary protein, may alleviate menopause-induced obesity. Methods: We used ovariectomized (OVX) rats to mimic a menopausal human. The body weight of OVX rats significantly increased compared with that of sham-operated rats (P<0.05), but uterus weight was decreased. Adipocyte size in perigonadal adipose tissue also increased (P<0.05). Results: By contrast, OVX rats supplemented with aqueous collagen hydrolysate (2.5 mg/mL) exhibited significant attenuation in body weight gain and adipocyte enlargement (P<0.05), but insignificant change in uterus weight. Further investigation indicated that collagen hydrolysate supplementation insignificantly affected the levels of dorsal fat, serum total cholesterol, and serum triacylglycerol. Levels of serum biochemical factors, calcium, phosphorus, and glucose were also insignificantly altered by collagen hydrolysate supplementation. Conclusion: Collagen hydrolysate supplementation reduced body weight gain and adipocyte enlargement in response to ovariectomy but slightly affected blood lipids, calcium, and glucose in both sham-operated and OVX rats. Collagen hydrolysate supplementation is beneficial in ameliorating estrogen deficiency-induced obesity and its associated risk factors.

Anemone altaica Induces Apoptosis in Human Osteosarcoma Cells.

In the past decade, no significant improvement has been made in chemotherapy for osteosarcoma (OS). To develop improved agents against OS, we screened 70 species of medicinal plants and treated two human OS cell lines with different agent concentrations. We then examined cell viability using the MTT assay. Results showed that a candidate plant, particularly the rhizomes of Anemone altaica Fisch. ex C. A. Mey aqueous extract (AAE), suppressed the viability of HOS and U2OS cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that AAE significantly increased the amount of cell shrinkage (Sub-G1 fragments) in HOS and U2OS cells. Moreover, AAE increased cytosolic cytochrome c and Bax, but decreased Bcl-2. The amount of cleaved caspase-3 and poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) were significantly increased. AAE suppressed the growth of HOS and U2OS through the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Data suggest that AAE is cytotoxic to HOS and U2OS cells and has no significant influence on human osteoblast hFOB cells. The high mRNA levels of apoptosis-related factors (PPP1R15A, SQSTM1, HSPA1B, and DDIT4) and cellular proliferation markers (SKA2 and BUB1B) were significantly altered by the AAE treatment of HOS and U2OS cells. Results show that the anticancer activity of AAE could up-regulate the expression of a cluster of genes, especially those in the apoptosis-related factor family and caspase family. Thus, AAE has great potential as a useful therapeutic drug for human OS.

Application of an importance-performance analysis approach to evaluate an acupuncture treatment information system.

Acupuncture treatment has become increasingly popular worldwide, but it is not without risk to the patient. Most physicians in Taiwan have adopted a computerized physician order entry system for traditional Chinese medicine. Use of such a system can prevent some adverse events related to a paper-based system but increases other unexpected risks. This study is the first to introduce a patient safety-based acupuncture treatment information system that integrates advanced healthcare devices to reduce the risks associated with acupuncture treatment using a computerized physician order entry system for traditional Chinese medicine. The acupuncture treatment information system considerably improved patient safety and increased clinicians' workflow efficiency. The importance-performance analysis indicated that improvement in the vital sign measurement function was of the highest priority. In conclusion, acupuncture treatment--the demand for which is increasing--can be performed more safely using an acupuncture treatment information system.

Effect of antihistamine as an adjuvant treatment of isotretinoin in acne: a randomized, controlled comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Isotretinoin has been frequently used for acne therapy. However, it has limitation in acceptance because of its adverse effects. Although antihistamine recently revealed to decrease the lipogenesis, evidence is lacking regarding the clinical relevance of antihistamine in the treatment of acne. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and tolerability of antihistamine as an adjuvant treatment of isotretinoin. METHODS: Forty patients with moderate acne were included in this randomized, controlled comparative study. Twenty patients were treated with isotretinoin and 20 patients were treated with additional antihistamine, desloratadine. Assessment was made at baseline, after 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: At week 12, compared with isotretinoin only group, isotretinoin with additional antihistamine group showed more statistically significant decrease in acne lesion counts (non-inflammatory lesions: 44.8% vs. 17.8%; inflammatory lesions: 55.8% vs. 22.9%; total lesions: 45.6% vs. 18.7%; all P < 0.05). Significant decrease was also observed in the score of global acne grading system and the measured value of sebum and erythema. Moreover, acne flare during the treatment occurred less frequently and adverse events of isotretinoin were more tolerable in additional antihistamine group. CONCLUSIONS: This results provide early evidence that antihistamine has a synergic effect with minimizing the side-effect of isotretinoin, and may be used as an adjuvant treatment of moderate acne.

Perceived tonal continuity through two noise bursts separated by silence.

Three experiments measured the perceived continuity of two pure tones "flankers" through a masker containing a silence. Experiment 1 used a 2I-2AFC procedure; one interval contained two noise bursts separated by a silent gap, and the other contained two noise bursts separated by a tone of the same duration as the silence. Discrimination between masker conditions was very accurate when the flankers were absent but was impaired substantially when the flankers were present. This was taken as evidence that illusory flanker continuity during the silent gap was heard as similar to the physical presence of a tone in the gap. In experiment 2, performance remained poor when the flankers were frequency glides aligned along a common trajectory. Performance improved significantly when the flankers were misaligned in trajectory. In experiment 3, listeners rated directly perceived flanker continuity. Strong continuity was reported in the silent gap conditions for which poor performance had been observed in experiments 1 and 2. These findings show that continuity may be heard through a masker that cannot mask a physically continuous tone but can mask the flankers' offset and onset. The results are explained in terms of the perceptual grouping of onsets and offsets of the flankers.

Shikonin induces apoptosis through reactive oxygen species/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway in osteosarcoma cells.

Shikonin, a major ingredient in the Chinese traditional herb Lithospermum erythrorhixon, exhibits multiple biological functions including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects. In this study, we delineated the molecular mechanisms of shikonin in the apoptosis of 143B osteosarcoma cells. Shikonin reduced the cell viability of 143B cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The IC(50) at 24 h and 48 h for 143B cells was 4.55 and 2.01microM, respectively. A significantly elicited hypodiploid cell population was found in cells treated with 2, 4, and 8microM shikonin for 24 h. Moreover, treatment with shikonin induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, increased extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation, decreased B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl2) expression, and was accompanied by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Pretreatment with the antioxidant agent N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) not only reversed shikonin-induced ROS generation but also significantly attenuated the cytotoxic effects of shikonin in 143B cells. Furthermore, NAC attenuated shikonin-induced ERK phosphorylation. Taken together, our results reveal that shikonin increased ROS generation and ERK activation, and reduced Bcl2, which consequently caused the cells to undergo apoptosis. Therefore, shikonin may be a promising chemotherapeutic agent for osteosarcoma treatment.

Structure, photophysical properties, and DFT calculations of selenide-centered pentacapped trigonal prismatic silver(I) clusters.

Undecanuclear silver clusters [Ag(11)(mu(9)-Se)(mu(3)-Br)(3){Se(2)P(OR)(2)}(6)] (R = Et, (i)Pr, (2)Bu) were isolated from the reaction of [Ag(CH(3)CN)(4)](PF(6)), NH(4)[Se(2)P(OR)(2)], and Bu(4)NBr in a molar ratio of 4:3:1 in CH(2)Cl(2) at -20 degrees C. Clusters were characterized by elemental analysis, NMR spectroscopy ((1)H, (31)P, and (77)Se), positive FAB mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallography of the isopropyl derivative. Structural elucidations revealed that the Ag(11)Se core geometry of clusters is a selenide-centered, slightly distorted 3,3,4,4,4-pentacapped trigonal prism surrounded by six diselenophosphato ligands, each in a tetrametallic tetraconnective (mu(2), mu(2)) coordination mode, and three mu(3)-bromide anions. All compounds exhibited orange luminescence both as a solid and in solution. The electronic structure of these clusters was studied by DFT calculations, and their optical properties were rationalized through a TDDFT investigation. The computed metrical parameters of the clusters were consistent with the corresponding X-ray data of [Ag(11)(mu(9)-Se)(mu(3)-Br)(3){Se(2)P(O(i)Pr)(2)}(6)] . The theoretical investigations affirmed that the low-energy absorptions as well as emissions were due to transitions from an orbital mostly of a selenophosphate ligand/central Se atom character to an orbital of metal character.

Comparison of growth and differentiation of fetal and adult rhesus monkey mesenchymal stem cells.

The goal of this study was to compare the growth and differentiation potential of fetal and adult rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) mesenchymal stem cells (rhMSCs). rhMSCs were obtained from healthy early third-trimester fetal (n = 3) and adult (n = 3) rhesus monkey bone marrow. Fetal rhMSCs were plated at 10, 50, 100, or 1,000 cells/cm(2) in medium containing 10% or 20% infant monkey serum (IMS) or fetal bovine serum (FBS). Fetal rhMSCs grown at 1,000 cells/cm(2) in 20% FBS showed faster growth rates and differentiation toward adipogenic, chondrogenic, and osteogenic lineages when compared to other culture conditions and to adult cells (p < 0.05). Fetal rhMSC showed higher population doubling times (11.3 +/- 0.5) when compared to adult cells (7.3 +/- 0.8) during the first three passages. Adult rhMSC did not grow beyond the third passage under all culture conditions, including those supplemented with insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, IGF-II, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). After the third passage, adult rhMSC cultures were observed with large syncytia and with evidence of apoptosis. Cells obtained from these cultures tested positive for simian foamy virus (SFV) by PCR, RT-PCR, and immunofluorescent assay. Adult rhMSCs cultured with 10 microM tenofovir, an antiviral agent, showed normal growth and differentiation for over 20 population doublings. These findings suggest that: (1) fetal rhMSCs possess greater self-renewal and differentiation potential when compared to adult cells; and (2) SFV can inhibit proliferation of adult rhMSCs in culture, whereas the addition of tenofovir can successfully suppress SFV replication in vitro and result in resumed growth.

Acute urethritis and arthritis-dermatitis syndrome due to Neisseria meningitidis.

Acute urethritis and arthritis-dermatitis syndrome after sexual contact are often assumed to be caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae. We report a case of arthritis-dermatitis syndrome in a 32-year-old man who presented with generalized maculopapular and petechial skin lesions and polyarthritis. Acute urethritis developed 1 week after oro-genital sexual contact with a sex worker about 3 weeks before admission. No pathogen was found on smear of urethral discharge and skin lesions, but Gram-negative diplococci were noted in joint fluid, and blood culture yielded N. meningitidis. His condition improved gradually after repeated arthrocentesis and antibiotic therapy with ceftriaxone followed by ciprofloxacin. Oro-genital contact is a transmission route for N. meningitidis infection manifesting as acute urethritis and arthritis-dermatitis syndrome.

Anti-inflammatory activity of aucubin by inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha production in RAW 264.7 cells.

To elucidate a possible mechanism for the anti-inflammatory action of iridoid glycosides, the effects of both aucubin (AU) and its hydrolyzed product (H-AU) by beta-glucosidase treatment were studied on the production of TNF-alpha in RAW 264.7 cells. H-AU suppressed the production of both mRNA for TNF-alpha and subsequent TNF-alpha protein in the culture, but AU did not. The production of TNF-alpha protein was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner with an IC (50) of 9.2 microM. In addition, treatment with H-AU blocked both the I-kappa B alpha degradation and the translocation of NF-kappa B from the cytosol fraction to the nuclear fraction (55 % inhibition) in the culture. However, treatment with H-AU did not affect the intracellular level of cAMP formed by forskolin treatment in human monocytes U937 culture, implying that there is no influence on the cAMP level in other cell systems. The present study indicates a possible justification for those medicinal plants containing iridoid glycoside that have been used for the treatment of inflammation.

Anti-acne effects of Oriental herb extracts: a novel screening method to select anti-acne agents.

The acne-therapeutic effects of Oriental herb extracts were investigated in terms of antichemotactic effect on polymorphonuclear leucocytes, antilipogenic actions, antibacterial activity against Propionibacterium acnes and resistance induction potency in the bacteria. The ethanol extract (0.01%) of Angelica dahurica markedly suppressed neutrophil chemotaxis, comparable to the effect of erythromycin (0.01%), whereas a strong antilipogenic effect was obtained with rhizoma coptidis (Coptis chinensis) extract (0.01%), leading to a higher efficacy than that of retinoic acid (0.01%). Interestingly, only Glycyrrhiza glabra showed a remarkable antibacterial activity against P. acnes, resulting in negligible induction of resistance, in comparison with a marked development of resistance in the bacteria treated with erythromycin. We suggest that an appropriate formulation containing A. dahurica, rhizoma coptidis and G. glabra could be helpful for the prevention and treatment of acne lesions.