Horsfielenigans A and B, Two Rearranged Lignans with Anti-Inflammatory Effects from Horsfieldia kingii.

Seven lignans were isolated from 70 % aqueous acetone extracts of the twigs and leaves of Horsfieldia kingii. Among these, new compounds 1-3 were identified by spectroscopic techniques, with horsfielenigans A and B (1 and 2) being particularly noteworthy for their rare ß-benzylnaphthalene skeleton, where compound 1 contains an oxabicyclo[3,2,1]octane moiety. In vitro evaluation of bioactivity against nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-activated RAW264.7 macrophages revealed inhibitory effects by 1 (IC50 =7.3 µM) and 2 (IC50 =9.7 µM).

Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Levosimendan in the Treatment of Severe Sepsis Complicated with Septic Cardiomyopathy.

INTRODUCTION: Sepsis is a medical condition characterized by acute organ dysfunction and uncontrolled inflammation. Organ dysfunction in sepsis is the primary cause of mortality in patients with myocardial dysfunction. Levosimendan is a vasodilating and inotropic agent used in patients with acute heart failure and has resulted in decreased morbidity and mortality in these patients. Our main objective is to examine levosimendan's efficacy in treating severe sepsis complicated with septic cardiomyopathy. METHODS: We systematically searched five databases, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library and BioMed Central, for articles and publications from their inception to 2023. Our study adopted the PICOS approach in identifying suitable publications during the systematic search. Inclusion criteria included randomized, controlled trials utilizing levosimendan in adult patients diagnosed with septic shock or severe sepsis. We excluded non-English publications and non-randomized controlled trials. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) scale was used to assess the methodological quality, while the risk of bias was assessed through the Cochrane Risk of bias tool. All statistical analyses were performed using RevMan version 5.4. RESULTS: Eight studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the analysis. There was a statistically significant positive effect on cardiac input in patients treated with levosimendan compared to those treated with dobutamine (p < 0.001). Similarly, there were positive effects on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (p < 0.001) and left ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI) (p < 0.001). We observed a significant reduction in mortality (p < 0.01) and serum levels of lactic acid (p < 0.01). DISCUSSION: Levosimendan is a calcium sensitizer associated with an influx of calcium ions and activation of ATP-dependent potassium channels that increases myocardial contractility contractions, enhances vasodilation and improves oxygen supply to the cells and tissues. CONCLUSION: Levosimendan is highly efficacious and safe in the management of sepsis and sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy.

Effects of laparoscopic splenectomy on surgical site wound infection in patients with spleen rupture: A meta-analysis.

A meta-analysis was performed to compare the effects of laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) and open splenectomy (OS) for splenic rupture on postoperative surgical site wound infections and postoperative complications. A comprehensive computerised search was conducted for studies comparing LS with OS for the treatment of splenic rupture in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP, and Wanfang databases, with the search including studies published in any language between the creation of the databases and August 2023. Two researchers independently screened the literature and extracted the data. Literature quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and the included data were collated and analysed using Stata 17.0 software for meta-analysis. Twenty-two studies involving 1545 patients were included. LS was superior to OS in the following aspects: reduced risk of postoperative surgical site wound infection (OR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.11-0.34, p = 0.000), shortened hospital stay (standardised mean difference = -1.73, 95% CI: -2.05 to -1.40, p = 0.000), and reduced postoperative complication rate (OR = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.16-0.31, p = 0.000). Compared with OS, LS has a lower rate of postoperative wound infection, shorter hospital stay, and reduced rate of postoperative complications. LS is safe and effective for the treatment of splenic rupture and can be promoted clinically.

Ruthenium Complex Suppresses Proliferation of Residual Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Incomplete Radiofrequency Ablation Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an effective therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, incomplete radiofrequency ablation (IRFA) can promote the progression of residual cancer cells, which is a serious problem in the clinical application of RFA. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the mechanism and countermeasures of the progression of residual tumors after IRFA. Our previous study confirmed that IRFA can activate the hypoxia/ autophagy pathway of residual tumors in mice and then induce the proliferation of residual tumor cells. Additionally, we found a metal ruthenium complex [Ru(bpy)2(ipad)](ClO4)2 (Ru, where bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine and ipad = 2-(anthracene-9,10-dione-2-yl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) can effectively inhibit hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α) and has good anti-tumor effect in a hypoxic environment; however, whether Ru could suppress the proliferation of residual tumor cells after IRFA is unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study intends to evaluate the effect of Ru in suppressing the proliferation of residual hepatocellular carcinoma after IRFA in a mice model. METHODS: The Hepa1-6 xenograft mouse model was established in C57BL/6 mice to simulate clinical IRFA. H&E staining was used to evaluate the biosafety of major organs in the treated mice. TUNEL assay was employed to assess the antitumor effect. Immunohistochemically and immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect the expression of HIF-1α and autophagy-related proteins. The ELISA assay was used to examine the cytokines of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin 10 (IL-10). RESULTS: Our findings revealed that the residual tumor relapsed via the HIF-1α/LC3B/P62 autophagy- related pathway after IRFA, while Ru could suppress this process. In addition, it was demonstrated that Ru could effectively activate the immune system of the mice and reverse the tumor immune suppression microenvironment after IRFA. CONCLUSION: The ruthenium complex Ru could suppress the proliferation of residual hepatocellular carcinoma cells after IRFA in the mice model. This study introduces a novel approach that combines the use of ruthenium complexes with IRFA, offering a potential solution to address the reoccurrence of residual liver cancer following IRFA in clinical settings.

Comparison of dobutamine and levosimendan for treatment of sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Levosimendan and dobutamine are extensively used to treat sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy. Previous studies on whether levosimendan is superior to dobutamine are still controversial. We performed a protocol for systematic review and metaanalysis to compare the efficacy and safety of levosimendan versus dobutamine for the treatment of sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy. METHODS: This protocol follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol statement. We will search the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Weipu Journal Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. The search time will be set from database establishment to February 2022. After literature screening, 2 reviewers will extract data from the respects of general information, methodology, and results. Risk of bias is assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for randomized controlled trials. We will apply RevMan 5.4 software for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The results will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal once completed. CONCLUSION: Septic patients with myocardial dysfunction may partly benefit from levosimendan than dobutamine, mainly embodied in cardiac function improvement.