Vitamin D and narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy for chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus.

BACKGROUND: In addition to improving the serum vitamin D balance, narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy can effectively treat chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus (CKD-aP). We investigated the degree of CKD-aP amelioration according to changes in the serum vitamin D level after NB-UVB phototherapy. METHODS: This was a before-after clinical study in patients with refractory CKD-aP on hemodialysis. NB-UVB phototherapy was administered thrice weekly for 12 weeks. The response of CKD-aP to NB-UVB phototherapy was assessed as the change in pruritus intensity over time. A rapid response was defined as a reduction in the visual analog scale (VAS) score of ≥50% within the first 6 weeks of NB-UVB phototherapy. RESULTS: We included 34 patients in this study. Although serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations increased significantly, by a median of 17.4 ng/mL, after the phototherapy course, other serologic parameters did not change. NB-UVB phototherapy reduced the VAS score for pruritus intensity over time significantly more in patients with Δ25(OH)D of >17.4 ng/mL than in patients with Δ25(OH)D of ≤17.4 ng/mL (p = 0.001). Ten patients were rapid responders. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that Δ25(OH)D was independently associated with rapid response (odds ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.63; p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The effect of NB-UVB phototherapy on patients with CKD-aP correlated with their increase in serum vitamin D levels. Further well-designed clinical and experimental studies are needed to clarify the relationship between NB-UVB phototherapy and serum vitamin D levels in patients with CKD-aP.

Anti-asthmatic effects of Phlomis umbrosa Turczaninow using ovalbumin induced asthma murine model and network pharmacology analysis.

BACKGROUND: Phlomis umbrosa Turczaninow has been used as a tradition herbal medicine for treating various inflammatory diseases. PURPOSE: In present study, we explored the effects of P. umbrosa on asthma induced by ovalbumin (OVA) and elucidated the mechanism via in vivo verification and network pharmacology prediction. METHODS: The animals were intraperitoneally injected OVA on day 1 and 14, followed by OVA inhalation on days 21, 22, and 23. The animals were daily treated P. umbrosa extract (PUE, 20 and 40 mg/kg) by oral gavage from day 18 to day 23. RESULTS: PUE significantly decreased airway hyperresponsiveness, eosinophilia, and the production of inflammatory cytokines and OVA specific immunoglobulin E in animals with asthma, along with a reduction in airway inflammation and mucus secretion in lung tissue. In network analysis, antiasthmatic effects of PUE were closely related with suppression of mitogen-activated protein kinases and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Consistent with the results from network analysis, PUE suppressed the phosphorylation of ERK and p65, which was accompanied by a decline in MMP-9 expression. CONCLUSION: Administration of PUE effectively reduced allergic responses in asthmatic mice, which was associated with the suppressed phosphorylation of ERK and p65, and expression of MMP-9. These results indicate that PUE has therapeutic potential to treat allergic asthma.

A tri-coil bellows-type round window transducer with improved frequency characteristics for middle-ear implants.

A number of methods to drive the round window (RW) using a floating mass transducer (FMT) have been reported. This method has attracted attention because the FMT is relatively easy to implant in the RW niche. However, the use of an FMT to drive the RW has been proven to produce low outputs at frequencies below approximately 1 kHz. In this study, a new tri-coil bellows-type transducer (TCBT), which has excellent low frequency output and is easy to implant, is proposed. To design the frequency characteristics of the TCBT, mechanical and electrical simulations were performed, and then a comparative analysis was conducted between a floating mass type transducer (like the FMT) and a fixed type transducer (like the TCBT). The features of the proposed TCBT are as follows. First, the TCBT's housing is fixed to the RW niche so that it does not vibrate. Second, the internal end of a tiny bellows is connected to a vibrating three-pole permanent magnet located within three field coils. Finally, the rim of the bellows bottom is attached to the end of the housing that hermetically encloses the three field coils. In this design, the only vibrating element is the bellows itself, which efficiently drives the RW membrane. To evaluate the characteristics of this newly developed TCBT, the transducer was installed in the RW niche of temporal bones and the velocity of the stapes was measured using a laser Doppler vibrometer. The experimental results indicate that the TCBT can produce 100, 111, and 129 dB SPL equivalent pressure outputs at below 1 kHz, 1-3 kHz, and above 3 kHz, respectively. Thus, the TCBT with one side coupled to the RW via a bellows will be easy to implant and offer better performance than an FMT.

The Complete Chloroplast Genome of the Hare's Ear Root, Bupleurum falcatum: Its Molecular Features.

Bupleurum falcatum, which belongs to the family Apiaceae, has long been applied for curative treatments, especially as a liver tonic, in herbal medicine. The chloroplast (cp) genome has been an ideal model to perform the evolutionary and comparative studies because of its highly conserved features and simple structure. The Apiaceae family is taxonomically close to the Araliaceae family and there have been numerous complete chloroplast genome sequences reported in the Araliaceae family, while little is known about the Apiaceae family. In this study, the complete sequence of the B. falcatum chloroplast genome was obtained. The full-length of the cp genome is 155,989 nucleotides with a 37.66% overall guanine-cytosine (GC) content and shows a quadripartite structure composed of three nomenclatural regions: a large single-copy (LSC) region, a small single-copy (SSC) region, and a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions. The genome occupancy is 85,912-bp, 17,517-bp, and 26,280-bp for LSC, SSC, and IR, respectively. B. falcatum was shown to contain 111 unique genes (78 for protein-coding, 29 for tRNAs, and four for rRNAs, respectively) on its chloroplast genome. Genic comparison found that B. falcatum has no pseudogenes and has two gene losses, accD in the LSC and ycf15 in the IRs. A total of 55 unique tandem repeat sequences were detected in the B. falcatum cp genome. This report is the first to describe the complete chloroplast genome sequence in B. falcatum and will open up further avenues of research to understand the evolutionary panorama and the chloroplast genome conformation in related plant species.

Global Profiling of Various Metabolites in Platycodon grandiflorum by UPLC-QTOF/MS.

In this study, a method of metabolite profiling based on UPLC-QTOF/MS was developed to analyze Platycodon grandiflorum. In the optimal UPLC, various metabolites, including major platycosides, were separated well in 15 min. The metabolite extraction protocols were also optimized by selecting a solvent for use in the study, the ratio of solvent to sample and sonication time. This method was used to profile two different parts of P. grandiflorum, i.e., the roots of P. grandiflorum (PR) and the stems and leaves of P. grandiflorum (PS), in the positive and negative ion modes. As a result, PR and PS showed qualitatively and quantitatively different metabolite profiles. Furthermore, their metabolite compositions differed according to individual plant samples. These results indicate that the UPLC-QTOF/MS-based profiling method is a good tool to analyze various metabolites in P. grandiflorum. This metabolomics approach can also be applied to evaluate the overall quality of P. grandiflorum, as well as to discriminate the cultivars for the medicinal plant industry.

Effect of High-Dose Statin Therapy on Drug-Eluting Stent Strut Coverage.

OBJECTIVE: The influence of high-dose statin therapy on the serial stent healing process has not been fully investigated. Using optical coherence tomography, the effect of high-dose statin therapy on stent strut coverage was evaluated in drug-eluting stent-treated patients. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Sixty patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups according to the statin dose (atorvastatin 40 mg as high-dose statin therapy [n=29] versus pravastatin 20 mg as low-dose statin therapy [n=31]). Serial optical coherence tomographic evaluation post procedure and at the 3-month and 12-month follow-ups was performed in 50 patients with 54 stents (23 atorvastatin-treated patients versus 27 pravastatin-treated patients). The percentage of uncovered struts was defined as the ratio of uncovered struts/total struts. The primary end point was the percentage of uncovered struts at the 12-month follow-up. The secondary end point was the percentage of uncovered struts at the 3-month follow-up and the comparative percentage change (Δ) of uncovered struts at the 3- and 12-month follow-ups between the different dose statin therapies. The percentage of uncovered struts was 7.4% (range, 4.3%-10.4%) in atorvastatin-treated patients versus 10.6% (range, 5.7%-22.6%) in pravastatin-treated patients at the 3-month follow-up (P=0.13) and 1.3% (0.3%-3.8%) versus 2.5% (0.9%-9.7%), respectively, at the 12-month follow-up (P=0.01). The percentage Δ of uncovered struts from 3 to 12 months of follow-up was -7.9±8.5% in atorvastatin-treated patients versus -9.3±12.5% in pravastatin-treated patients (P=0.67). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that high-dose statin therapy might provide a beneficial effect for the vascular healing process after drug-eluting stent implantation.

Efficacy of early intensive rosuvastatin therapy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (ROSEMARY Study).

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether early high-dose potent statin therapy in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention can reduce infarct size compared with conventional low-dose statin therapy. In a randomized placebo-controlled multicenter trial, 185 patients were assigned either to an early high-dose rosuvastatin group (n = 92, rosuvastatin 40 mg before treatment plus maintenance for 7 days) or to a conventional low-dose rosuvastatin group (n = 93, placebo before treatment plus rosuvastatin 10-mg maintenance for 7 days). Serial cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed during the acute (3 to 7 days) and chronic (3 months) phases. The primary end point was relative infarct volume assessed by MRI at 3 months. Baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups, except hypertension, which was more prevalent in the high-dose group. Serial MRI data were available for 121 patients (high-dose group n = 54 and low-dose group n = 67). The relative infarct volumes in the acute (23.0 ± 9.5% vs 20.5 ± 11.7%, p = 0.208) and chronic (15.9 ± 8.3% vs 15.8 ± 9.7%, p = 0.943) phases were not different between the groups. No differences between groups were observed for periprocedural microvascular circulation evaluated by Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction flow grade, myocardial blush grade, ST-segment resolution, microvascular obstruction on cardiac MRI, or clinical outcomes. In conclusion, early high-dose rosuvastatin therapy in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention did not improve periprocedural myocardial perfusion or reduce infarct volume measured by MRI compared with the conventional low-dose rosuvastatin regimen.

Protective effects of pine bark extract on developmental toxicity of cyclophosphamide in rats.

This study investigated the protective effects of pine bark extract (Pycnogenol®, PYC) against cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced developmental toxicity in rats. A total of 44 mated females were randomly assigned to the following four experimental groups: (1) vehicle control, (2) CP, (3) CP&PYC, or (4) PYC. All dams were subjected to a Caesarean section on day 20 of gestation, and fetuses were examined for morphological abnormalities. Oxidative stress analysis was performed on maternal hepatic tissues. CP treatment caused decreased fetal and placental weights and increased embryonic resorptions and fetal malformations. In addition, an increased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and decreased reduced glutathione (GSH) content and catalase activity were observed in the hepatic tissues. On the contrary, PYC treatment during pregnancy significantly ameliorated the CP-induced embryo-fetal developmental toxicity in rats. Moreover, MDA and GSH concentrations and catalase activity in hepatic tissues were not affected when PYC was administered in conjunction with CP. These results suggest that repeated administration of PYC has beneficial effects against CP-induced embryo-fetal developmental toxicity in rats, and that the protective effects of PYC may be due to both inhibition of lipid peroxidation and increased antioxidant activity.

The clinical outcomes of proton beam radiation therapy for retinoblastomas that were resistant to chemotherapy and focal treatment.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical results of proton beam radiation therapy (PBRT) for treatment of retinoblastoma. METHODS: Children with retinoblastoma who were treated with chemotherapy and focal treatment such as brachytherapy and thermotherapy but showed no response or developed recurrences later received PBRT. The PBRT strategy was designed to concentrate the radiation energy to the retinoblastoma and spare the surrounding healthy tissue or organs. RESULTS: There were three patients who received PBRT. The first patient received PBRT because of an initial lack of tumor regression with chemotherapy and brachytherapy. This patient showed regression after PBRT. The second patient who developed recurrence of retinoblastoma as diffuse infiltrating subretinal seeding was taken PBRT. After complete regression, there was recurrence of tumor and the eye was enucleated. The third patient had unilateral extensively advanced retinoblastoma. Initial chemotherapy failed and tumor recurred. The tumor responded to PBRT and regressed significantly. However, the eye developed sudden multiple recurrences, so we had to perform enucleation. CONCLUSIONS: PBRT for retinoblastoma was effective in cases of showing no response to other treatment modalities. However, it should be carefully applied when there was recurrence of diffuse infiltrating subretinal seeding or extensively advanced retinoblastoma initially.

Synergistic antiinflammatory effects of pinitol and glucosamine in rats.

This study evaluated the antiinflammatory activities of pinitol and glucosamine either alone or in combination against carrageenan- and cotton pellet-induced acute and subacute inflammation in rats. Five groups were included in each of the acute and subacute inflammation studies: the vehicle control group, positive control group (aminopyrine 100 mg/kg), pinitol group (20 mg/kg), glucosamine group (25 mg/kg) and a pinitol (20 mg/kg) and glucosamine (25 mg/kg) combination group. When 20 mg/kg of pinitol was administered to the rats, paw edema induced by the carrageenan injection was significantly suppressed and the level of granuloma formation induced by the cotton pellet implantation was slightly reduced. When 25 mg/kg of glucosamine was administered, paw edema caused by the acute inflammation was slightly reduced and the level of granuloma formation caused by the subacute inflammation was strongly suppressed. Although the combined application of pinitol and glucosamine did not have an additional antiinflammatory effect on the paw edema caused by acute inflammation, it did have an increased antiinflammatory effect on the formation of granuloma induced by subacute inflammation. Therefore, pinitol and glucosamine have an antiinflammatory effect on acute and subacute conditions. Moreover, a synergistic antiinflammatory effect against subacute inflammation was observed when the two chemicals were administered in combination.