Comparative transcriptome analysis of experimental cryptorchidism: of mice and cynomolgus monkeys.

In most mammalian species, the testis descends from the abdomen into the scrotum during fetal or neonatal life. The failure of testicular descent, a pathological condition known as cryptorchidism, has long been the subject of scientific interest in a wide range of fields, including medicine, developmental biology, and evolutionary biology. In this study, we analyzed global gene expression changes associated with experimental cryptorchidism in mice by using RNA-seq. A total of 453 differentially expressed genes were identified, of which 236 genes were upregulated, and 217 genes were downregulated. Gene ontology, pathway, and gene network analysis highlighted the activation of inflammatory response in experimental cryptorchidism. By examining the promoter regions of differentially expressed genes, we identified 12 causal transcription factors. In addition, we also induced experimental cryptorchidism in two cynomolgus monkeys and performed RNA-seq. A cross-species comparison was performed at the gene expression level. Our study provides a valuable resource for further understanding the molecular mechanisms of cryptorchidism in mammals.

The Effects of Sevoflurane vs. Propofol for Inflammatory Responses in Patients Undergoing Lung Resection: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objective: Inflammatory cytokines are increased during one-lung ventilation in patients undergoing lung resection, and this increase can be fatal. Propofol and sevoflurane are the main anesthetics used for these patients. Unfortunately, there is no consensus on the best choice of an anesthetic agent concerning an inflammatory response in patients undergoing lung resection. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the effects of propofol and sevoflurane on the inflammatory response in patients undergoing lung resection. Methods: We searched electronic databases to identify randomized controlled trials comparing the effects of different anesthetics (sevoflurane vs. propofol) on the inflammatory response. The primary outcome concerned the concentration of systemic inflammatory cytokines. The secondary outcomes concerned the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from the dependent and independent lung. Random effects analysis of the meta-analyses were performed to synthesize the evidence and to assess the concentrations of inflammatory factors in the sevoflurane and propofol groups. Results: Eight trials involving 488 participants undergoing lung resection with one-lung ventilation were included. There was no significant difference in the concentrations of systemic interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, or tumor necrosis factor α between the sevoflurane and propofol groups. Compared with the propofol group, BAL levels of IL-6 in the dependent ventilated lung were decreased in the sevoflurane group (three trials, 256 participants; standardized mean difference [SMD], -0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.90 to -0.11; p = 0.01; I 2 = 46%). The BAL levels of IL-6 in the independent ventilated lung were also decreased by sevoflurane (four trials, 362 participants; SMD, -0.70; 95% [CI], -0.93 to -0.47; p < 0.00001; I 2 = 0%). Conclusions: There was no difference in the systemic inflammatory response between the sevoflurane and propofol groups. However, compared with propofol, sevoflurane can reduce the local alveolar inflammatory response. Additional research is necessary to confirm whether the inflammatory response is direct or indirect.

1,1'-(Ethane-1,2-di-yl)bis-(indoline-2,3-dione).

The mol-ecule of the title compound, C(18)H(12)N(2)O(4), is situated on a crystallographic centre of symmetry. The mol-ecule has a zigzag structure, with two parallel symmetry-related indoline-2,3-dione fragments linked by an ethyl-ene group at each N atom. In the crystal, the mol-ecules stack in columns along the b axis. There are two such columns in the structure. The mol-ecules within each column are parallel; however, the mol-ecules in the two columns differ in the respective orientation of the indoline-2,3-dione fragments. In one column, they are approximately parallel to (112), while in the other they are approximately parallel to (12). The inter-planar angle between the indoline-2,3-dione fragments in the two columns is 80.83 (3)°. The mol-ecules within each column are related by mutual displacement of their centres of symmetry, that is (0, ±1/2, ±1/2). The packing between the mol-ecules is provided by weak inter-actions only, viz. C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds and π-π [centroid-centroid distance = 3.8745 (8) Å] and C=O⋯π inter-actions.

Chemical constituents of Saxifraga stolonifera (L.) Meeb / 药学学报

To study the chemical constituents of Saxifraga stolonifera (L.) Meeb., chromatographic techniques were applied to separate and purify the compounds, and their structures were confirmed on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral data. Ten compounds were isolated and identified as 5-O-methylnorbergenin (1), 3, 4-dihydroxyallylbenzene-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), (7R, 8S)-4, 9, 9'-trihydroxyl-3-methoxyl-7, 8-dihydrobenzofuran-1'-propylneolignan-3'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-beta-D-galactopyranoside (4), kaempferol-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (5), (3S, 5R, 6R, 7E, 9R)-3, 5, 6, 9-tetrahydroxy-7-megastigmane (6), benzyl-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7), p-hydroxyacetophenone (8), pyrogallic acid (9) and p-hydroxyphenol (10). Compound 1 is a new compound. Compounds 2-10 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Effects of ginkgolides injection on experimental cerebral ischemia in mice and rats / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of ginkgolides injection on experimental cerebral ischemia and its related mechanism of action.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The middle cerebral artery occlusion (MACO) model was induced by the FeCl3-occluding method to explore the protective effects of ginkgolides injection on the score of neurological deficits, the rate of cerebral infarction and the histomorphology of cerbral ischemia in rats. Thrombosis formation in vivo was induced by adrenaline-collagen in mice to explore the antithrombotic effect. Platelet aggregation was induced by ADP and hemorrheological parameters with hyper-viscosity by dextran T-500 were used to explore the effects of antiplatelet aggregation and decreasing viscosity of blood.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Ginkgolides injection could markedly decrease the infarct size and behavior deficits score, inhibit the thrombus formation in mice, decrease blood viscosity and ameliorate hemorrheological parameters in rat.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ginkgolides injection has the protective effects on focal cerebral ischemia, and its mechanism may be relative to its inhibition of platelet-dependent thrombosis and amelioration of hemarheological partments.</p>