Flavin mononucleotide regulated photochemical isomerization and degradation of zeatin.

cis-Zeatin (cZ), a cytokinin often overlooked compared to trans-zeatin (tZ), can now be controlled in live cells and plants through a new biocompatible reaction. Using flavin photosensitizers, cZ can be isomerized to tZ or degraded, depending on the presence of a reducing reagent. This breakthrough offers a novel approach for regulating plant growth through chemical molecules.

A Novel Ultrafiltrate Extract of Propolis Exerts Anti-inflammatory Activity through Metabolic Rewiring.

Thousands of years ago, humans started to use propolis because of its medicinal properties, and modern science has successfully identified several bioactive molecules within this resinous bee product. However, a natural propolis extract which has been removed the adhesive glue and preserved propolis bioactive compounds is urgently needed to maximise the therapeutic opportunities. In this study, a novel ultrafiltrate fraction from Brazilian green propolis, termed P30K, was demonstrated with anti-inflammatory properties, both in vitro and in vivo. Total flavonoids and total phenolic acids content in P30K were 244.6 mg/g and 275.8 mg/g respectively, while the IC50 value of inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) was 8.30 µg/mL. The anti-inflammatory activity of P30K was furtherly corroborated in experimental models of lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced acute liver and lung injury. Mechanistically, integrated GC-MS and LC-MS based serum metabolomics analysis revealed that P30K modulated citrate cycle (TCA), pyruvate, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism pathways to inhibit secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Results of network pharmacology and molecular docking suggested that P30K targeted catechol-O-methyltransferases (COMT), 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (HSD11B1), and monoamine oxidases (MAOA and MAOB) to promote cellular metabolomic rewiring. Collectively, our work reveals P30K as an efficient therapeutic agent against inflammatory conditions and its efficacy is related to metabolic rewiring.

Retrograde type A aortic dissection during or after thoracic endovascular aortic repair: a single center 16-year experience.

Objective: This article aims to investigate the incidence rate of retrograde type A aortic dissection (RTAD) and the risk factors of RTAD in relation to thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Methods: Patients with thoracic aortic disease who underwent TEVAR at Henan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2004 to December 2019 were enrolled in the present research. The risk factors associated with RTAD following TEVAR using univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: During the study period, A total of 1,688 TEVAR patients were included in this study, and of these, 1,592 cases were included in the type B aortic dissection (TBAD) group, and 96 cases were included in the non-TBAD group. There were 1,230 cases of aortic dissection and 362 cases of aortic intramural hematoma and/or penetrating ulcer in the TBAD group. The non-TBAD group included 68 cases of thoracic aortic aneurysm, 21 cases of thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm, and seven cases of congenital aortic coarctation. The overall incidence rate of RTAD was 1.1% (18/1,688) in patients, all of which occurred in the TBAD group. The cohort comprised 18 RTAD patients with an average age of 56.78, consisting of 13 males and 5 females. Among them, 13 individuals exhibited hypertension. Ten instances happened within the TEVAR perioperative period, including two cases during the surgery, six cases occurred within three months, two cases occurred after one year, and the longest interval was 72 months following TEVAR. TEVAR was successfully implemented in 17 patients, while the operation technique was temporarily altered in one case. The new entry position for RTAD was identified as the proximal region of the stent graft (SG) in 13 patients, while in five cases, the entry site was more than 2 cm away from the proximal region of the SG. 17 cases were at the greater curvature of the aorta, and one case was at the lesser curvature. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the SG oversizing ratio is a relevant risk factor for RTAD. However, ascending aortic diameter, aortic arch type, SG type, and anchored region were not directly related to the occurrence of RTAD. Conclusion: RTAD is a rare yet catastrophic complication. It could occur both during the procedure, early and late postoperative periods. Maintaining an appropriate SG oversizing ratio is crucial to minimize the risk of RTAD.

[Processing Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex with ginger juice: process optimization based on AHP-CRITIC weighting method and composition changes after processing].

The weight coefficients of appearance traits, extract yield of standard decoction, and total content of honokiol and magnolol were determined by analytic hierarchy process(AHP), criteria importance though intercrieria correlation(CRITIC), and AHP-CRITIC weighting method, and the comprehensive scores were calculated. The effects of ginger juice dosage, moistening time, proces-sing temperature, and processing time on the quality of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex(MOC) were investigated, and Box-Behnken design was employed to optimize the process parameters. To reveal the processing mechanism, MOC, ginger juice-processed Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex(GMOC), and water-processed Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex(WMOC) were compared. The results showed that the weight coefficients of the appearance traits, extract yield of standard decoction, and total content of honokiol and magnolol determined by AHP-CRITIC weighting method were 0.134, 0.287, and 0.579, respectively. The optimal processing parameters of GMOC were ginger juice dosage of 8%, moistening time of 120 min, and processing at 100 ℃ for 7 min. The content of syringoside and magnolflorine in MOC decreased after processing, and the content of honokiol and magnolol followed the trend of GMOC>MOC>WMOC, which suggested that the change in clinical efficacy of MOC after processing was associated with the changes of chemical composition. The optimized processing technology is stable and feasible and provides references for the modern production and processing of MOC.

[Protective effects of salidroside on vascular endothelial cells in rats with frostbite after chronic hypoxia].

Objective: To investigate the protective effects of salidroside on endothelial cells in rats with frostbite after chronic hypoxia. Methods: Healthy male SD rats, randomly divided into 3 groups with 10 rats in each group, which included the sham injury group, the model group, and the model +salidroside group. The rats in each group were placed in a composite low-pressure chamber to simulate a environment with a pressure of 54.1 kpa and a temperature of 23~25°C. The rats were exposed to hypoxia under these conditions for 14 days, during the experimental time the rats in the model+salidroside group were treated with 50 mg/kg salidroside daily. After the rats were removed from the low-pressure chamber, except for the sham injury group, frozen iron sheets were applied tightly to the back of the rats for 30 s, supplemented with low temperature for frostbite modeling. Blood and skin tissues were collected at 12 hours after modeling for testing. The structural changes in tissue and vascular endothelial cells were observed in the frostbite region. Vascular endothelial cell particulate EMP levels were detected. The levels of ICAM-1, sEPCR, vWF, ET-1 and NO secretion were determined. The expression levels of HIF-1α, p-PI3K, p-Akt and VEGF were detected by Western blot. Results: Salidroside could effectively reduce skin collapse in frostbitten areas. It could reduce the injury of frostbitten tissues, and improve the subcutaneous tissue necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration. The autophagy of vascular endothelial cells was reduced. Compared with the model group (0.250±0.165)%, the expression of EMPs in the model+salidroside group (2.453±0.196)% was increased significantly (P＜0.01). In addition, the contents of NO (2.622±0.219)pg/ml was also significantly higher than that of the model group (1.616±0.152)pg/ml (P＜0.01), and the content of vWF (233.50±13.43)pg/ml was lower than that of the model group (315.60±8.78)pg/ml (P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in the levels of ICAM-1, sEPCR and ET-1. Salidroside significantly decreased the expressions of p-PI3K, p-Akt, VEGF and HIF-1α protein in vascular endothelial cells of rats with frostbite (P＜0.01). Conclusion: Salidroside can reduce endothelial cell damage, reduce endothelial cell autophagy and promote endothelial cell regeneration. Based on the PI3K/Akt pathway, salidroside has a good protective effect on endothelial cells of rats with frostbite after chronic hypoxia.

Femoral epithelioid hemangioendothelioma detected with magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography/computed tomography: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is an uncommon low-grade aggressive vascular tumor. It can occur in almost all locations, but is rarely encountered in bone. CASE SUMMARY: We report a 23-year-old man who presented with left hip pain with no obvious cause. X-ray revealed bone destruction in the left femoral neck with sclerosis at the edges of the lesions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed bone destruction in the medullary cavity of the left femoral head and neck. 18F-deoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging showed bone destruction in the left ischium, acetabulum, and left femoral head neck, accompanied by increased radioactive uptake; the maximum standard uptake value was 4.2. Histopathologic examination revealed spindle-shaped mesenchymal tissue hyperplasia with scattered epithelioid cells. The patient underwent left femoral head replacement surgery. No signs of recurrence were observed as of the 18-mo follow-up. CONCLUSION: The definitive diagnosis of femoral EHE can be established aided by the MRI and PET/CT findings.

IL­6 plays a crucial role in epithelial­mesenchymal transition and pro­metastasis induced by sorafenib in liver cancer.

Interleukin­6 (IL­6) is involved in various biological responses, including tumor progression, metastasis and chemoresistance. However, the role and molecular mechanism of IL­6 in the treatment of sorafenib in liver cancer remain unclear. In the present study, through western blot analysis, Transwell assay, flow cytometric assay, ELISA analysis and immunohistochemistry it was revealed that sorafenib promoted metastasis and induced epithelial­mesenchymal transition (EMT) in liver cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, and significantly increased IL­6 expression. Endogenous or exogenous IL­6 affected metastasis and EMT progression in liver cancer cells through Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling. Knocked out IL­6 markedly attenuated the pro­metastasis effect of sorafenib and increased the susceptibility of liver cancer cells to it. In conclusion, the present results indicated that IL­6/STAT3 signaling may be a novel therapeutic strategy for liver cancer.

[Correlation between appearance characteristics and intrinsic quality of Gastrodiae Rhizoma].

Totally 21 batches of Gastrodiae Rhizoma pieces from various habitats with different appearance characteristics were analyzed. Five active components( gastrodin,4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol,parishin B,parishin C,and parishin A) were determined by UPLC. Polysaccharide content was determined by phenol sulfuric acid method. And the content of alcohol extracts was determined. The correlation between appearance characteristics and active components,polysaccharide content and amount of alcohol extracts of Gastrodiae Rhizoma pieces was statistically analyzed by SPSS 19. 0 software. And the five active components in the 21 Gastrodiae Rhizoma pieces were clustered by using the Ward' s method in SPSS 19. 0 software. The study found that inconspicuous keratinous Gastrodiae Rhizoma had a low content of each component,and the degree of keratin was positively correlated with the content of each component and the extract,with no significant correlation with the polysaccharide content. In the cluster analysis,the 21 batches were divided into three groups,except the second group whose gastrodin content was significantly higher than the special conditions of other groups. According to the content of the five active components,19 batches of Gastrodiae Rhizoma pieces were classified into two groups with obvious keratin and no obvious keratin. In terms of color,with the deepening of brown color,the content of each component showed a downward trend. The grading of decoction pieces of Gastrodiae Rhizoma shall give full consideration to the color and texture. And the combination of chemical composition and appearance characteristics is an indicator to evaluate the product specification standards.

[Study on quality of standard decoction of Coptidis Rhizoma based on traditional decoction process].

In order to determine the quality evaluation method for standard decoction of Coptidis Rhizoma,15 batches of standard decoction of Coptidis Rhizoma were prepared by using standardized process. Parameters such as traits,p H value,indicative component content,fingerprint similarity,composition transfer rate and dry extract rate were selected as the indexes for quality evaluation. Similarity evaluation and cluster analysis were performed for HPLC fingerprint of standard decoction,and mathematical model was used to study the correlation between dry extract rate,berberine content,berberine transfer rate in standard decoction and berberine content in decoction pieces. The results showed that the similarity of fingerprints was greater than 0. 99 for these 15 batches of standard decoctions of Coptidis Rhizoma. In cluster analysis,the standard decoctions of Coptidis Rhizoma from 4 producing areas were classified into 3 categories,consistent with the content determination results,indicating that there were quality differences among different producing areas.R2 in three linear regression mathematical models established was all greater than 0. 9,with significant difference. The validation of three batches of data showed that the models had good accuracy. Therefore,this model can be used to predict the quality of standard decoction prepared from different Coptidis Rhizoma pieces. In the standard decoction process established in this study,the integrity of the traditional process was greatly preserved,and the established quality evaluation method could be used to comprehensively examine the quality of the standard decoction,which can provide a demonstration for the related research of water extraction preparation containing Coptidis Rhizoma pieces.

[Quality evaluation of multi-components simultaneous determination and fingerprint of Gardeniae Fructus from different regions].

An analysis method was established by UPLC fingerprint and then applied to simultaneous determination of multiple compounds in Gardeniae Fructus from different areas in China. Samples were separated on a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18( 2. 1 mm×50 mm,1. 7 µm) column with 0. 1% formic acid-water and acetonitrile solution as gradient mobile phase at a flow rate of 0. 4 m L·min-1 at various wavelengths. The similarity of samples was over 0. 95 with ″Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine( 2012 edition) ″. The UPLC common fingerprints for 32 batches were established with 19 common peaks identified. The samples were divided into 3 groups analyzed by HCA and PCA. Five components were identified as the main compositions which caused the differences of chemical constituents in the samples from different areas with partial least squares discriminant analysis( PLS-DA). The content of the total components in each area was Zhejiang > Fujian > Jiangxi > Sichuan. This method was accurate and viable,could be used to evaluate the quality of Gardeniae Fructus.

Estradiol-17ß regulates the expression of insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 via estradiol receptors in spotted scat (Scatophagus argus).

Insulin-like growth factors (Igf1 and Igf2) play a key role in growth and development of vertebrates. In mammals, the expression of IGFs is regulated by estradiol-17ß (E2) via estrogen receptors (ESRs). The expression of igfs can also be regulated by E2 in fish, while comparative study of this is still lacking. The present study examined tissue distribution of igfs and hepatic expression of igfs and esrs during gonad development in Scatophagus argus by real-time PCR. Serum E2 concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The hepatic expression of igfs and esrs at gonadal phase III, incubated with either E2 (0.1, 1 or 10 µM) alone or in combination with estrogen receptor antagonists-fulvestrant, MPP or PHTPP, was measured. igf1 and igf2 expressed highest in liver of both sexes. Igf1, esr1 and esr2b expressions and serum E2 concentration increased, while igf2 and esr2a expressions decreased, during ovary development. Igfs and esrs expressions increased while serum E2 concentration maintained low during testis development. In females, E2 incubation enhanced the expressions of igf1 and esr1 but inhibited that of igf2 and esr2a. Both fulvestrant and MPP inhibited up-regulation effect of E2 on igf1 and esr1. Fulvestrant enhanced down-regulation effect of E2 on igf2 and esr2a, but MPP conversely. In males, E2 incubation enhanced the expressions of igfs, esr1 and esr2a. Fulvestrant and MPP inhibited up-regulation effect of E2 on igfs and esr1. PHTPP inhibited igf1 and esr2 expressions in both sexes. Our results indicated that the expression of igfs is regulated by E2 via Esrs in S. argus.

[Technology optimization of Gardeniae Fructus processed with ginger juice and composition changes after processing].

To optimize the technology of Gardeniae Fructus processed with ginger juice,establish fingerprints and simultaneously determine seven compounds( geniposidic acid,chlorogenic acid,genipin-1-ß-D-gentiobioside,geniposide,rutin,crocin Ⅰ,and crocin Ⅱ) by using ultra high performance liquid chromatography( UPLC). Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18( 2. 1 mm×50 mm,1. 7µm) column was used with acetonitrile and 0. 1% formic acid solution as mobile phase for gradient elution at the flow rate of 0. 4 m L·min-1. The data was comprehensively processed and analyzed with similarity evaluation,principal component analysis( PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis( PLS-DA) methods. Twenty common peaks were identified in this study,and the similarity of samples was over 0. 97. The results of PCA and PLS-DA showed that there were differences in chemical compositions and contents between the raw Gardeniae Fructus and those processed with ginger juice,with 9 potential differentiated chromatographic peaks. After being processed with ginger juice,the contents of chlorogenic acid,crocin Ⅰ and crocin Ⅱ were less than before and the contents of other four compositions were higher than before. The optimized preparation for Gardeniae Fructus processed with ginger juice was stable and feasible. The methods of UPLC fingerprints and simultaneous determination of seven components can be effectively carried out to distinguish Gardeniae Fructus and Gardeniae Fructus processed with ginger juice.

Weighted Measurement Fusion Particle Filter for Nonlinear Systems with Correlated Noises.

The multi-sensor information fusion particle filter (PF) has been put forward for nonlinear systems with correlated noises. The proposed algorithm uses the Taylor series expansion method, which makes the nonlinear measurement functions have a linear relationship by the intermediary function. A weighted measurement fusion PF (WMF-PF) was put forward for systems with correlated noises by applying the full rank decomposition and the weighted least square theory. Compared with the augmented optimal centralized fusion particle filter (CF-PF), it could greatly reduce the amount of calculation. Moreover, it showed asymptotic optimality as the Taylor series expansion increased. The simulation examples illustrate the effectiveness and correctness of the proposed algorithm.

miR-182-5p promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression by repressing FOXO3a.

BACKGROUND: High frequency of recurrence is the major cause of the poor outcomes for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). microRNA (miR)-182-5p emerged as a high-priority miRNA in HCC and was found to be related to HCC metastasis. Whether the expression of miR-182-5p in tumor tissue correlated with early recurrence in HCC patients underwent curative surgery was unknown. METHODS: Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization (ISH) were conducted to assess the expression of miR-182-5p in HCC cells and tissues. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), transwell assays were performed to detected cells proliferation and migration ability. Flow cytometry assays were used to detect cell apoptosis rate, and xenograft model was employed to study miR-182-5p in HCC growth and lung metastasis. The target of miR-182-5p was validated with a dual-luciferase reporter assay and western blotting. Immunohistochemistry, immumoblotting, and immunoprecipitation were performed to test relative protein expression. RESULTS: We showed that high expression of miR-182-5p in tumor tissues correlated with poor prognosis as well as early recurrence in HCC patients underwent curative surgery. miR-182-5p enhanced motility and invasive ability of HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. miR-182-5p directly targets 3'-UTR of FOXO3a and repressed FOXO3a expression, activating AKT/FOXO3a pathway to promote HCC proliferation. Notably, miR-182-5p activated Wnt/ß-catenin signaling by inhibiting the degradation of ß-catenin and enhancing the interaction between ß-catenin and TCF4 which was mediated by repressed FOXO3a. CONCLUSIONS: Consistently, miR-182-5p can be a potential predictor of early recurrence for HCC patients underwent curative surgery, and FOXO3a plays a key mediator in miR-182-5p induced HCC progression.

Effect of TALEN-mediated IL-6 knockout on cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and anti-cancer therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC-LM3) cells.

PURPOSE: To determine the exact effect of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) on tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and anti-cancer therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: IL-6 was disrupted by transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN) in HCCLM3 cells, and was used to evaluate the role of IL-6 on tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and key signaling pathways involved in sorafenib and/or IFNα therapy. RESULTS: IL-6 has no direct effect on cell proliferation and invasion but promotes cell apoptosis and up-regulate IL-33 and VEGF-A expression. IL-6 could attenuate the anti-proliferation effect by sorafenib and combination therapy but facilitate the pro-apoptosis of the combination therapy and augment the pro-invasive effect induced by single treatment. IL-6 could down-regulate p-STAT3, however up-regulate the p-MEK/p-ERK and NF-kB/iNOS expression, and it also facilitated the promotion on p-JAK2 and p-MEK/p-ERK by either sorafenib or IFN-α. in vivo study, IL-6 significantly promotes tumor growth. The combination treatment showed the highest inhibition on tumor growth which is derived from HCCLM3-IL6(-) cells. CONCLUSIONS: IL-6 has no direct effect on cell proliferation and invasion but promotes tumor cell apoptosis in vitro study. Sorafenib and combination therapies are suitable for HCC cells with low or no IL-6 expression confirmed in vivo study.

Isolation and characterization of adult mammary stem cells from breast cancer-adjacent tissues.

Normal adult mammary stem cells (AMSCs) are promising sources for breast reconstruction, particularly following the resection of breast tumors. However, carcinogenic events can potentially convert normal AMSCs to cancer stem cells, posing a safety concern for the use of AMSCs for clinical tissue regeneration. In the present study, AMSCs and autologous primary breast cancer cells were isolated and compared for their ability to differentiate, their gene expression profile, and their potential to form tumors in vivo. AMSCs were isolated from normal tissue surrounding primary breast tumors by immunomagnetic sorting. The pluripotency of these cells was investigated by differentiation analysis, and gene expression profiles were compared with microarrays. Differentially expressed candidate genes were confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses. The in vivo tumorigenicity of these cells, compared with low-malignancy MCF-7 cells, was also investigated by xenograft tumor formation analysis. The results revealed that AMSCs isolated from normal tissues surrounding primary breast tumors were positive for the stem cell markers epithelial-specific antigen and keratin-19. When stimulated with basic fibroblast growth factor, a differentiation agent, these AMSCs formed lobuloalveolar structures with myoepithelia that were positive for common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen. The gene expression profiles revealed that, compared with cancer cells, AMSCs expressed low levels of oncogenes, including MYC, RAS and ErbB receptor tyrosine kinase 2, and high levels of tumor suppressor genes, including RB transcriptional corepressor 1, phosphatase and tensin homolog, and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A. When injected into nude non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency-type mice, the AMSCs did not form tumors, and regular mammary ductal structures were generated. The AMSCs isolated from normal tissue adjacent to primary breast tumors had the normal phenotype of mammary stem cells, and therefore may be promising candidates for mammary reconstruction subsequent to breast tumor resection.

Chlorella vulgaris Induces Apoptosis of Human Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC) Cells.

OBJECTIVE: Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris), a unicellular green microalga, has been widely used as a food supplement and reported to have antioxidant and anticancer properties. The current study was designed to assess the cytotoxic, apoptotic, and DNA-damaging effects of C. vulgaris growth factor (CGF), hot water C. vulgaris extracts, inlung tumor A549 and NCI-H460 cell lines. METHODS: A549 cells, NCI-H460 cells, and normal human fibroblasts were treated with CGF at various concentrations (0-300 µg/ml) for 24 hr. The comet assay and γH2AX assay showed DNA damage in A549 and NCI-H460 cells upon CGF exposure. Evaluation of apoptosis by the TUNEL assay and DNA fragmentation analysis by agarose gel electrophoresis showed that CGF induced apoptosis in A549 and NCI-H460 cells. RESULTS: Chlorella vulgaris hot water extract induced apoptosis and DNA damage in human lung carcinoma cells. CONCLUSION: CGF can thus be considered a potential cytotoxic or genotoxic drug for treatment of lung carcinoma.

Pooled analysis for surgical treatment for isolated adrenal metastasis and non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review and pooled analysis investigated outcomes and prognostic factors in Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who underwent surgical treatment for an isolated adrenal metastasis and the primary NSCLC. METHODS: A literature search of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases was conducted for relevant retrospective studies in patients with NSCLC and isolated adrenal metastatic lesions treated with lobectomy or pneumonectomy and adrenalectomy. Outcome measures were overall, 1-, 2- and 5-year survival rates stratified by synchronous versus metachronous adrenal metastasis and according to lymph node status, pathology and relative location of the metastasis to the primary tumour. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated and differences in survival were assessed by a log-rank test. RESULTS: Thirteen studies involving 98 patients were included in this analysis. The median overall survival was 18 months, and the 1-, 2- and 5-year survival rates were 66.5, 40.5 and 28.2%, respectively. Patients with metachronous adrenal metastasis had a significantly better prognosis than patients with synchronous adrenal metastasis (P < 0.05). Patients classified as negative for lymph node metastasis had a significantly better prognosis than patients classified as positive for lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). Pathology (squamous carcinoma versus adenocarcinoma) and the relative location of the metastasis to the primary tumour (ipsilateral adrenal metastasis or contralateral adrenal metastasis) had no significant influence on prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: NSCLC patients with isolated adrenal metastasis undergoing surgical treatment for the primary tumour and adrenal metastasis could achieve a significant survival benefit, especially if they have metachronous adrenal metastasis or are negative for lymph node metastasis.

[Antiemetic activity of effective extract and bioactive compounds in ginger].

To investigate the antiemetic effect of the active extract (ginger ether extract, GEE) and its bioactive compounds in ginger, the pica vomiting model in rats and the gastric emptying model in mice were used to observe the antiemetic effect of GEE in cisplatin-induced pica and gastric emptying, and the main components in GEE were detected by RP-HPLC; in vitro, the antagonist effect of GEE and the four components in it were explored by the contraction of guinea-pig ileum induced by SR57227A and carbachol. The results showed that the amount of Kaolin ingested by rats were declined significantly in all the three groups of GEE (25,50,100 mg•kg⁻¹) (P<0.01), while cisplatin-induced gastric emptying in mice was also suppressed in all the three groups (P<0.01), and 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol,10-gingerol and 6-shogaol were found mainly in GEE by RP-HPLC; the maximum contraction of isolated guinea-pig ileum could be reduced by addition of GEE (2.3, 4.6, 11.5 mg•L⁻¹), 6-gingerol,8-gingerol,10-gingerol or 6-shogaol (1, 2, 5 µmol•L⁻¹) when the concentration of SR5727A was 1×10⁻5 mol•L⁻¹ and that of carbachol was 1×10⁻4 mol•L⁻¹ (P<0.05, P<0.01). In conclusion, 5-HT3 and M3 receptors could be antagonized by GEE and its bioactive compounds 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol and 6-shogaol, which may be correlated with the antiemetic mechanism of ginger maybe related to it.

Subclavian steal syndrome decreases neurogenesis in the cerebellar cortex and affects cognitive function in rabbits.

Subclavian steal syndrome (SSS) is a condition characterized by a steno-occlusive impairment of the proximal subclavian artery. The majority of patients with SSS are asymptomatic, while symptomatic patients present with neurological symptoms. SSS is a risk factor for cerebral ischemia, which reacts badly upon cognitive function; however, it remains unknown whether SSS is able to cause progressive cognitive impairment. In the present study, the potential effects of SSS on cognitive function were investigated using atherosclerotic rabbits as a model of SSS. A total of 48 male New Zealand rabbits were divided into the control, sham and SSS groups. The results of eyeblink experiments indicated no significant differences among the three groups; however, SSS did appear to exert a negative impact on neurogenesis in the cerebellar cortex. In order to further clarify the mechanisms underlying this SSS-mediated reduction in cell proliferation, the energy metabolism, immune function and oxidative stress statuses were evaluated by determining the levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, malondialdehyde, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, CuZn-superoxide dismutase and catalase. The results showed that the levels of extracellular ATP in the cerebellar cortex had decreased, while levels of adenosine had also decreased. These findings suggest that SSS is able to inhibit neurogenesis in the cerebellar cortex by decreasing the extracellular ATP levels. Furthermore, these changes may result in an impairment of the cognition of the rabbits. The early diagnosis and treatment of SSS may, therefore, prevent or mitigate cognitive impairment in the future.