Toad venom: A comprehensive review of chemical constituents, anticancer activities, and mechanisms.

Toad venom, a traditional natural medicine, has been used for hundreds of years in China for treating different diseases. Many studies have been performed to elucidate the cardiotonic and analgesic activities of toad venom. Until the last decade, an increasing number of studies have documented that toad venom is a source of lead compound(s) for the development of potential cancer treatment drugs. Research has shown that toad venom contains 96 types of bufadienolide monomers and 23 types of indole alkaloids, such as bufalin, cinobufagin, arenobufagin, and resibufogenin, which exhibit a wide range of anticancer activities in vitro and, in particular, in vivo for a range of cancers. The main antitumor mechanisms are likely to be apoptosis or/and autophagy induction, cell cycle arrest, cell metastasis suppression, reversal of drug resistance, or growth inhibition of cancer cells. This review summarizes the chemical constituents of toad venom, analyzing their anticancer activities and molecular mechanisms for cancer treatments. We also outline the importance of further studies regarding the material basis and anticancer mechanisms of toad venom.

[Chaotic Features on Excess/Deficiency Syndrome of Chronic Stable Angina Pectoris Based on Analyzing Approximate Entropy of Heart Rate Variability].

Objective To analyze the chaotic degree of excess/deficiency syndrome (ES/DS) in chronic stable angina pectoris (CSAP) patients by observing 24-h dynamic changes of approximate en- tropy index of heart rate variability per hour, and to observe dynamic changing features. Methods From November 2009 to June 2011, a total of 187 CSAP patients were assigned to ES (36 cases) , DS (42 ca- ses) , intermingled syndrome of deficiency and excess (109 cases, abbreviated as intermingled ES/DS) according to TCM syndrome differentiation standards.24 h dynamic electrocardiograms were collected u- sing USA DMS dynamic ECG, which was then divided into 24 continuous period by hour. The approximate entropy algorithm (by hour) was respectively calculated. The approximate entropy diurnal variation trend was analyzed in patients with different TCM syndromes. These results were controlled with 30 healthy subjects who had normal physical examinations at the same hospital. Results The approximate entropy mean value of each hour throughout the day was lower, as compared with the healthy group (F=7. 847, P <0. 01). Although no statistical difference existed among ES, DS, intermingled ES/DS (F =1. 585, P = 0. 208), the approximate entropy mean value showed the tendency of ES >intermingled ES/DS > ES. From 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. on the next day, the variation tendency of four-group curves all showed that the approximate entropy level changed as time went by (F =2. 655, P <0. 01). Besides, the approximate en- tropy diurnal variation of ES, DS, intermingled ES/DS showed a similar trend (F =1. 011 ,P =0. 457) , but different from the healthy group (F = 1. 583, P = 0. 003). The curve in the healthy group showed "two peaks and one valley" type [one peak from 10:00 to 14:00, and the other peak from 22:00 to 02:00]. The curve for ES, DS, intermingled ES/DS showed an inverted dipper type [only a peak at night, and a relatively stable curve from 8:00 to 19:00]. Compared with the normal group, the day peak disappeared in CSAP patients, and the daytime approximate entropy was significantly reduced (F = 10. 315, P <0. 01). Conclusions Compared with the healthy group, the approximate entropy of CSAP patients decreased, which means the chaotic degree reduced. The adaptability of the cardiovascular system to external envi- ronment changes was weakened, which was more obviously seen at daytime than at night. The chaotic degree showed gradually decreasing trend (ES > DS >intermingled DS/ES).

[Stability of short-cut nitrification using immobilized ammonia-oxidizing bacteria].

The ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were immobilized by copolymer with cell proliferation technology. The effects of NH(4+) -N load, HRT, free ammonia (FA) and organic matter on short-cut nitrification process were studied. The results showed that when influent NH(4+) -N load were 100 mg/L, 150 mg/L and 200 mg/L respectively, effluent NH(4+) -N concentration was less than 10 mg/L. When the system run for 3 h, 6 h and 12 h, corresponding to influent NH(4+) -N concentration of 25.8 mg/L, 51.1 mg/L and 93.3 mg/L respectively, NH(4+) -N concentration was low in effluent with high short-cut nitrification efficiency. The HRT could be adjusted to optimize the system operation with variation of influent NH(4+) -N concentration. The results also indicated that the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were restrained while free ammonia concentration was over 9 mg/L. The activity of the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria could be enhanced under existence of low-molecular-weight organic compounds, but the short-cut nitrification efficiency was little affected. In addition, the short-cut nitrification and denitrification could be realized with existence of organic compounds during the experiment.

Different features of ventricular arrhythmias and the RR-interval dynamics in atrial fibrillation related to the patient's clinical characteristics: an analysis using RR-interval plotting.

The clinical features of ventricular arrhythmia and RR-interval dynamics in AF-patients remain unresolved. We successively plotted points on an X-Y plain as (X, Y) = (RRn, RRn + 1) from the consecutive RR-intervals of Holter ECGs. Eighty of 175 AF-patients were thus diagnosed to have ventricular arrhythmia based on the different plotting patterns between ventricular premature contractions (VPCs) and aberrations. Different characteristics of the RR-interval dynamics before VPCs were observed such as fixed or variable coupling, and a regular or irregular RR-interval sequence. Malignant arrhythmias occurred more frequently in AF-patients with variable coupling VPCs and/or an irregular RR-interval sequence before VPCs than in those with the fixed coupling VPCs and/or the regular RR-interval sequence before VPCs. The RR-interval plotting method enabled us to distinguish different types of VPCs which were related to the clinical characteristics of the AF-patients.