Ameliorative effect of anisodamine (654-1/654-2) against myocardial dysfunction induced by septic shock via the NF-κB/NLRP-3 or the PI3K-AKT/NF-κB pathway.

BACKGROUND: Septic shock, an extremely dangerous condition that causes impairment of organ function, always largely contributes to mortality in intensive care units. The impact of septic shock-induced organ damage on morbidity and mortality is substantially influenced by myocardial dysfunction. However, it remains unclear whether and in what manner anisodamine (654-1/654-2) ameliorates myocardial dysfunction caused by septic shock. PURPOSE: This study is the pioneering investigation and validation about the protective efficacy of anisodamine (654-1/654-2) against LPS-induced myocardial dysfunction in septic shock rats. It also aims to explore the differences in the underlying molecular mechanisms of both drugs. METHODS: A septic shock model was established in SD rats by after tail vein administration of LPS. 64 rats were distributed into eight groups, such as LPS group, control group, LPS+654-1 group (1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg), and LPS+654-2 group (1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg). The hemodynamics, echocardiography, immunohistochemical analysis, TEM, TUNEL assay, and H&E staining were utilized to assess the septic shock model and myocardial function. Lactic acid, inflammatory markers (IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α), endothelial injure markers (SDC-1, HS and TM) and myocardial injury markers (CK, c-TNT and NT-pro BNP) were assessed using ELISA or biochemical kits. Additionally, the mechanisms of 654-1/654-2 were analyzed using RNA-seq and bioinformatics, and validated using western blotting and RT-PCR. RESULTS: Administration of 654-1/654-2 significantly restored hemodynamics and improved myocardial and endothelial glycocalyx injury in septic shock rats. Furthermore, 654-1/654-2 dose-dependently reduced plasma levels of lactic acid, inflammatory cytokines, and markers of endothelial and myocardial injury. Analyses using RNA-seq, WB and RT-PCR techniques indicated that 654-1/654-2 could mitigate myocardial and endothelial injury by inhibiting the NF-κB and NLRP-3 pathways, and activating the PI3K-AKT pathway. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrated that 654-1/654-2 could alleviate myocardial damage in septic shock rats. Specifically, 654-1 inhibited the NF-κB/NLRP-3 pathway, whereas 654-2 promoted the PI3K-AKT pathway and inhibited the NF-κB pathway, effectively mitigating the inflammatory response and cell apoptosis.

Targeting endothelial cells with golden spice curcumin: A promising therapy for cardiometabolic multimorbidity.

Cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) is an increasingly significant global public health concern. It encompasses the coexistence of multiple cardiometabolic diseases, including hypertension, stroke, heart disease, atherosclerosis, and T2DM. A crucial component to the development of CMM is the disruption of endothelial homeostasis. Therefore, therapies targeting endothelial cells through multi-targeted and multi-pathway approaches hold promise for preventing and treatment of CMM. Curcumin, a widely used dietary supplement derived from the golden spice Carcuma longa, has demonstrated remarkable potential in treatment of CMM through its interaction with endothelial cells. Numerous studies have identified various molecular targets of curcumin (such as NF-κB/PI3K/AKT, MAPK/NF-κB/IL-1ß, HO-1, NOs, VEGF, ICAM-1 and ROS). These findings highlight the efficacy of curcumin as a therapeutic agent against CMM through the regulation of endothelial function. It is worth noting that there is a close relationship between the progression of CMM and endothelial damage, characterized by oxidative stress, inflammation, abnormal NO bioavailability and cell adhesion. This paper provides a comprehensive review of curcumin, including its availability, pharmacokinetics, pharmaceutics, and therapeutic application in treatment of CMM, as well as the challenges and future prospects for its clinical translation. In summary, curcumin shows promise as a potential treatment option for CMM, particularly due to its ability to target endothelial cells. It represents a novel and natural lead compound that may offer significant therapeutic benefits in the management of CMM.

Alpinia katsumadai Hayata Volatile Oil Is Effective in Treating 5-Fluorouracil-Induced Mucositis by Regulating Gut Microbiota and Modulating the GC/GR Pathway and the mPGES-1/PGE2/EP4 Pathways.

This study was aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of AKHO on 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced intestinal mucositis in mice. Mouse body weight, diarrhea score, and H&E staining were applied to judge the therapeutic effect of AKHO. 16S rDNA and nontargeted metabolomics have been used to study the mechanism. WB, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry were adopted to validate possible mechanisms. The results demonstrated that AKHO significantly reduced diarrhea scores and intestinal damage induced by 5-FU in mice. AKHO lowered the serum levels of LD and DAO, and upregulated the expressions of ZO-1 and occludin in the ileum. Also, AKHO upregulated the abundance of Lactobacillus in the gut and suppressed KEGG pathways such as cortisol synthesis and secretion and arachidonic acid metabolism. Further validation studies indicated that AKHO downregulated the expressions of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1), and PGE2 receptor EP4, as well as upregulated the expression of glucocorticoid (GC) receptor (GR), leading to improved intestinal epithelial barrier function. Taken together, AKHO elicited protective effects against 5-FU-induced mucositis by regulating the expressions of tight junction proteins via modulation of GC/GR and mPGES-1/PGE2/EP4 pathway, providing novel insights into the utilization and development of this pharmaceutical/food resource.

Glycated albumin as a biomarker for diagnosis of diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Glycated albumin (GA), the non-enzymatic glycation product of albumin in plasma, became a glycemic marker in the beginning of the 21st century. The assay is not affected by hemoglobin levels and reflects the glycemic status over a shorter period as compared to HbA1c measurements. Thus, GA may contributes as an intermediate glucose index in the current diabetes mellitus (DM) diagnostic system. AIM: To search and summarize the available data on glycated albumin measurements required for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), among others, were systematically searched. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool was applied for the assessment of quality, and the bivariate model was used to pool the sensitivity and specificity. The hierarchical summary receiver operator characteristic curves (HSROC) model was utilized to estimate the summary receiver operating characteristics curve (SROC). Sensitivity analysis was performed to investigate the association of the study design and patient characteristics with the test accuracy and meta-regression to find the source of heterogeneity. RESULTS: Three studies regarding gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and a meta-analysis of 16 non-GDM studies, comprising a total sample size of 12876, were included in the work. Results reveal that the average cut-off values of GA reported for the diagnosis of GDM diagnosis was much lower than those for non-GDM. For non-GDM cases, diagnosing DM with a circulating GA cut-off of 14.0% had a sensitivity of 0.766 (95%CI: 0.539, 0.901), specificity of 0.687 (95%CI: 0.364, 0.894), and area under the curve of 0.80 (95%CI: 0.76, 0.83) for the SROC. The estimated SROC at different GA cut-off values for non-GDM exhibited that the average location parameter lambda of 16 non-GDM studies was 2.354 (95%CI: 2.002, 2.707), and the scale parameter beta was -0.163 (95%CI: -0.614, 0.288). These non-GDM studies with various thresholds had substantial heterogeneity, which may be attributed to the type of DM, age, and body mass index as possible sources. CONCLUSION: Glycated albumin in non-DM exhibits a moderate diagnostic accuracy. Further research on the diagnostic accuracy of GA for GDM and combinational measurements of GA and other assays is suggested.

Iodide-enhanced Cu-MOF nanomaterials for the amplified colorimetric detection of Fe3.

In this paper, a novel colorimetric strategy based on iodide ion (I-) and Cu-MOF catalysis was developed for simple, low-cost, and naked-eye detection of Fe3+. Both I- and MOFs display catalytic activity toward peroxidase substrate 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). Adsorption and embedding of I- in Cu-MOF generates Cu-MOF/I with a three-dimensional porous structure that exhibits higher specific surface area, providing more active sites to facilitate interaction with TMB, resulting in enhanced catalytic efficiency. Reports have shown that Fe3+ can oxidize TMB in the absence of H2O2. We found that as Fe3+ concentration increases, the color of the system gradually deepens and the UV absorption peak gradually increases, thus providing a colorimetric sensor for quantitative Fe3+ detection. The detection limit (LOD) obtained in the presence of I- is 200 nM; however, in the absence of I-, the LOD is approx. 10 µM. Thus, the sensing system is ideal for signal amplified analysis of Fe3+. In the presence of various interfering metal ions, the developed sensing system displays excellent selectivity. Additionally, the practical application to Fe3+ detection in real samples is explored.

Iodide-enhanced Co/Fe-MOFs nanozyme for sensitively colorimetric detection of H2S.

In this paper, a simple, rapid, and low-cost colorimetric method was designed based on Co/Fe-MOFs-iodide composite for the quantitative detection of H2S. It is know that iodide can improve the catalytic activity of bimetallic porous material Co/Fe-MOFs via adsorption into the framework of MOFs. Herein, we demonstrate a novel strategy to enhance the peroxidase-like activity of MOFs. Compared to horseradish peroxidase (HRP), the kinetic measurement results show that Co/Fe-MOFs-iodide exhibits excellent affinity to substrates, promoting electron transfer. Due to the synergetic effect of Co/Fe-MOFs and iodide, and rapid electron transfer process, Co/Fe-MOFs-iodide demonstrates improved peroxidase-like activity. As a proof-of-concept application, a novel, highly sensitive H2S colorimetric method is established with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.33 nM. In the absence of iodide, LOD is approx. 200-fold higher than that of the amplified colorimetric assay. The proposed method can also accurately detect traces of H2S in serum samples.

Fe-MOFs as signal probes coupling with DNA tetrahedral nanostructures for construction of ratiometric electrochemical aptasensor.

A ratiometric electrochemical aptasensor is proposed for the detection of thrombin. In the sensor, the iron metal-organic frameworks (Fe MOFs)-labeled aptamer as signal tags was used as signal probe (SP), and the electrolyte solution [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- was utilized as an inner reference probe (IR). In the presence of thrombin, the signal of Fe-MOFs can be detected. Meanwhile, the signal of [Fe(CN)6]3-/4-IR almost remains stable. Accordingly, thrombin concentration can be monitored with the ratio response of IFe-MOFs-SP/I[Fe(CN)6]3-/4--IR. The proposed ratiometric biosensor owns a strong ability to eliminate the disturbance that arises from different DNA loading densities, environmental impact and instrumental efficiency. DNA nanotetrahedron (NTH) with three-dimensional (3D) scaffold can effectively eliminate nonspecific adsorption of DNA and protein. The accessibility of target molecules and loading amounts of signal substances could be increased because of the enhanced mechanical rigidity of well-designed 3D NTH. Thus, detection reproducibility and sensitivity can be further improved. Moreover, the biosensor only requires conjugation with one electroactive substance. The modification procedure can be greatly simplified. The biosensor owns high sensitivity with the detection limit of 59.6 fM. We expect that it will emerge as a generalized ratiometric sensor that may be useful for detecting target analytes.

Selection and Validation of Reference Genes for mRNA Expression by Quantitative Real-Time PCR Analysis in Neolamarckia cadamba.

Neolamarckia cadamba is an economically-important fast-growing tree species in South China and Southeast Asia. As a prerequisite first step for future gene expression studies, we have identified and characterized a series of stable reference genes that can be used as controls for quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) expression analysis in this study. The expression stability of 15 candidate reference genes in various tissues and mature leaves under different conditions was evaluated using four different algorithms, i.e., geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder. Our results showed that SAMDC was the most stable of the selected reference genes across the set of all samples, mature leaves at different photosynthetic cycles and under drought stress, whereas RPL10A had the most stable expression in various tissues. PGK and RPS25 were considered the most suitable reference for mature leaves at different developmental stages and under cold treatment, respectively. Additionally, the gene expression profiles of sucrose transporter 4 (NcSUT4), and 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase 3 (NcNCED3) were used to confirm the validity of candidate reference genes. Collectively, our study is the first report to validate the optimal reference genes for normalization under various conditions in N. cadamba and will benefit the future discovery of gene function in this species.

Associations between Body Composition Indices and Metabolic Disorders in Chinese Adults: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Obesity induces dyslipidemia, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and inflammatory state, which results in atherogenic processes, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. We usually use body composition indices, such as body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), waist circumference-height ratio (WHtR), and waist-hip ratio (WHR) to reflect the obesity. The aim of this large population-based cross-sectional study was to investigate the associations between body composition indices and metabolic parameters in Chinese adults. METHODS: A total of 12,018 Chinese adults were included. Body composition indices, such as BMI, BFP, WHtR, and WHR, and metabolic parameters, such as systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2 h postprandial blood glucose (2h PBG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting insulin (FINS), insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and white blood cell count (WBC), were measured and analyzed. All analyses were stratified by gender. RESULTS: All body composition indices and metabolic parameters except 2h PBG differed significantly between males and females (all P < 0.001). BMI was positively associated with SBP, DBP, LDL-C, TC, TG, FBG, 2h PBG, HbA1c, FINS, HOMA-IR, hs-CRP, and WBC, and inversely associated with HDL-C; similar relationships were identified between the metabolic parameters and BFP, WHtR, and WHR. In the multivariate analysis, the odds of impaired glucose regulation, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and increased hs-CRP were 1.36, 1.92, 3.44, and 1.27 times greater in the overweight group than those in the normal weight group, respectively, and 1.66, 3.26, 7.53, and 1.70 times greater in the obese group than those in the normal weight group, respectively. The odds of dyslipidemia and hs-CRP were 1.29 and 1.38 times greater in the BFP ≥28.0% group than in the BFP <28.0% group, respectively. The odds of dyslipidemia, HOMA-IR, and hs-CRP were 1.55, 1.26, and 1.48 times greater in the WHtR ≥0.96 group than in the WHtR <0.96 group, respectively. Among males, the odds of HOMA-IR were 1.46 times greater in the WHR ≥0.54 group than in the WHR <0.54 group. Similar results were observed in females. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified positive associations between all evaluated body composition indices and metabolic parameters in Chinese adults. Among the body composition indices, BMI predicted four of the five evaluated metabolic disorders in both gender groups.

Complexes of nickel(II) and copper(II) with 1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxylic acid and of cobalt(III) with 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-carboxylic acid.

Because of their versatile coordination modes and strong coordination ability for metals, triazole ligands can provide a wide range of possibilities for the construction of metal-organic frameworks. Three transition-metal complexes, namely bis(µ-1,2,4-triazol-4-ide-3-carboxylato)-κ3N2,O:N1;κ3N1:N2,O-bis[triamminenickel(II)] tetrahydrate, [Ni2(C3HN3O2)2(NH3)6]·4H2O, (I), catena-poly[[[diamminediaquacopper(II)]-µ-1,2,4-triazol-4-ide-3-carboxylato-κ3N1:N4,O-[diamminecopper(II)]-µ-1,2,4-triazol-4-ide-3-carboxylato-κ3N4,O:N1] dihydrate], {[Cu2(C3HN3O2)2(NH3)4(H2O)2]·2H2O}n, (II), (µ-5-amino-1,2,4-triazol-1-ide-3-carboxylato-κ2N1:N2)di-µ-hydroxido-κ4O:O-bis[triamminecobalt(III)] nitrate hydroxide trihydrate, [Co2(C3H2N4O2)(OH)2(NH3)6](NO3)(OH)·3H2O, (III), with different structural forms have been prepared by the reaction of transition metal salts, i.e. NiCl2, CuCl2 and Co(NO3)2, with 1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxylic acid or 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-carboxylic acid hemihydrate in aqueous ammonia at room temperature. Compound (I) is a dinuclear complex. Extensive O-H...O, O-H...N and N-H...O hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking interactions between the centroids of the triazole rings contribute to the formation of the three-dimensional supramolecular structure. Compound (II) exhibits a one-dimensional chain structure, with O-H...O hydrogen bonds and weak O-H...N, N-H...O and C-H...O hydrogen bonds linking anions and lattice water molecules into the three-dimensional supramolecular structure. Compared with compound (I), compound (III) is a structurally different dinuclear complex. Extensive N-H...O, N-H...N, O-H...N and O-H...O hydrogen bonding occurs in the structure, leading to the formation of the three-dimensional supramolecular structure.

Synthesis, crystal structures and luminescence properties of seven mononuclear zinc(II), cadmium(II), cobalt(II) and nickel(II) complexes with 5-(4-methylphenyl)-3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole.

Due to their versatile coordination modes and metal-binding conformations, triazolyl ligands can provide a wide range of possibilities for the construction of supramolecular structures. Seven mononuclear transition metal complexes with different structural forms, namely aquabis[3-(4-methylphenyl)-5-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazolato-κ2N1,N5]zinc(II), [Zn(C14H11N4)2(H2O)], (I), bis[5-(4-methylphenyl)-3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-κ2N3,N4]bis(nitrato-κO)zinc(II), [Zn(NO3)2(C14H12N4)2], (II), bis(methanol-κO)bis[3-(4-methylphenyl)-5-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazolato-κ2N1,N5]zinc(II), [Zn(C14H11N4)2(CH4O)2], (III), diiodidobis[5-(4-methylphenyl)-3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-κ2N3,N4]cadmium(II), [CdI2(C14H12N4)2], (IV), bis[5-(4-methylphenyl)-3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-κ2N3,N4]bis(nitrato-κO)cadmium(II), [Cd(NO3)2(C14H12N4)2], (V), aquabis[3-(4-methylphenyl)-5-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazolato-κ2N1,N5]cobalt(II), [Co(C14H11N4)2(H2O)], (VI), and diaquabis[3-(4-methylphenyl)-5-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazolato-κ2N1,N5]nickel(II), [Ni(C14H11N4)2(H2O)2], (VII), have been prepared by the reaction of transition metal salts (ZnII, CdII, CoII and NiII) with 3-(4-methylphenyl)-5-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole (pymphtzH) under either ambient or hydrothermal conditions. These compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. All the complexes form three-dimensional supramolecular structures through hydrogen bonds or through π-π stacking interactions between the centroids of the pyridyl or arene rings. The pymphtzH and pymphtz- entities act as bidentate coordinating ligands in each structure. Moreover, all the pyridyl N atoms are coordinated to metal atoms (Zn, Cd, Co or Ni). The N atom in the 4-position of the triazole group is coordinated to the Zn and Cd atoms in the crystal structures of (II), (IV) and (V), while the N atom in the 1-position of the triazolate group is coordinated to the Zn, Co and Ni atoms in (I), (III), (VI) and (VII).

Prophylactic use of an infrarenal abdominal aorta balloon catheter in pregnancies complicated by placenta accreta.

This study evaluated the surgical and neonatal outcomes of 71 patients diagnosed with placenta accreta before caesarean section with or without placement of a prophylactic abdominal aorta balloon catheter. This study took place at our hospital from January 2013 to May 2015. Thirty patients had a prophylactic balloon catheter inserted (balloon group), and 41 patients did not receive the intervention (control group). The mean estimated blood loss and decrease in haemoglobin after surgery was significantly lower in the balloon group than in the control group. No significant difference was found in duration of operation, transfusion, or percentage requirement of caesarean hysterectomy. The incidence of catheterisation-related complications was 3.3%. One patient had pain in her right leg, caused by an ultrasound-confirmed haematoma in the front wall of the right common femoral artery. No significant difference was found in the rate of surgery-related complications and neonatal outcomes between the groups. Prophylactic placement of an infrarenal abdominal aorta balloon catheter in patients with placenta accreta can effectively reduce intraoperative haemorrhage, without causing any obvious adverse maternal or neonatal outcomes. Impact statement Prophylactic placement of endovascular balloon catheters for controlling intraoperative haemorrhage in women with placenta accreta has been a topic of debate for nearly 2 decades. The most common type of occlusion is internal iliac artery balloon occlusion, only a few studies have focused on intraoperative aortic balloon occlusion This retrospective case-control study included relatively large number of cases and the result shown this technique can effectively reduce intraoperative haemorrhage in patients with placenta accreta, without causing any obvious adverse maternal or neonatal outcomes. It provides another safe and effective method for intraoperative haemorrhage control and even uterine preservation.

Cardiac Complications in 38 Cases of Kawasaki Disease with Coronary Artery Aneurysm Diagnosed by Echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: The long-term prognosis of patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) complicated by coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the complications of KD with CAAs. METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and complications of 38 KD patients with CAAs who were treated and underwent regular follow-up with echocardiography between January 1989 and May 2013. RESULTS: During a period of 29 days to 19 years after disease onset, complications seen included coronary stenosis and occlusion (six patients), thrombosis (17 patients), myocardial infarction (six patients), and calcification of CAAs (seven patients). Rupture of giant CAAs occurred in two patients and caused sudden death in one of these patients at 29 days and in the other patient at 5 months after disease onset. A total of seven deaths occurred, with five deaths caused by myocardial infarction. Three of these had undiagnosed incomplete KD or had not received regular treatment, while two experienced sudden death after several asymptomatic myocardial infarctions. CONCLUSION: Cardiac complications of KD with CAAs include thrombosis, coronary stenosis, myocardial infarction, sudden death, and calcification. Although rare, rupture of giant CAAs is fatal and might occur earlier after the onset of disease. Mortality occurred primarily in the earlier cases when anticoagulant therapy was insufficient and in patients who did not receive regular treatment. Echocardiography can provide reliable information for assessing the progression and prognosis of this condition.

Synthesis and crystal structures of two coordination polymers and a binuclear cadmium(II) complex containing 3- and 4-aminobenzoate ligands.

Due to their wide range of coordination modes and versatile conformations when binding to metal atoms, multicarboxylate ligands are of interest in the design of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Three Cd(II) complexes, namely catena-poly[diammonium [[chloridocadmium(II)]-di-µ-chlorido-[chloridocadmium(II)]-bis(µ-3-aminobenzoato)-κ(3)N:O,O';κ(3)O,O':N]], {(NH4)[CdCl2(C7H6NO2)]}n, (I), catena-poly[[[aquacadmium(II)]-bis(µ-4-aminobenzoato)-κ(3)N:O,O';κ(3)O,O':N] monohydrate], {[Cd(C7H6NO2)2(H2O)]·H2O}n, (II), and di-µ-acetato-κ(4)O:O'-bis[(4-aminobenzoato-κ(2)O,O')(2,2'-bipyridine-κ(2)N,N')cadmium(II)], [Cd2(CH3COO)2(C7H6NO2)2(C10H8N2)2], (III), with different stuctural forms are reported. Complex (I) has a one-dimensional ladder structure, with strong N-H···O and weak N-H···Cl hydrogen bonds linking the cations and anions in the three-dimensional supramolecular structure. Complex (II) has a one-dimensional chain structure. Extensive O-H···O and N-H···O hydrogen bonds between the anionic ligands and the solvent water molecules and π-π stacking interactions between the centroids of the benzene rings lead to the three-dimensional supramolecular structure. Complex (III) is a binuclear molecule which is extended into a three-dimensional supramolecular structure via strong N-H···O and weak C-H···O hydrogen bonds.

Fish Oil Supplements Lower Serum Lipids and Glucose in Correlation with a Reduction in Plasma Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 and Prostaglandin E2 in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Associated with Hyperlipidemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

UNLABELLED: Fish oil has been used effectively in the treatment of cardiovascular disease via triglyceride reduction and inflammation modulation. This study aimed to assess the effects of fish oil on patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) associated with hyperlipidemia. Eighty participants with NAFLD associated with hyperlipidemia were randomly assigned to consume fish oil (n=40, 4 g/d) or corn oil capsules (n=40, 4 g/d) for 3 months in a double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Blood levels of lipids, glucose and insulin, liver enzymes, kidney parameters and cytokines at baseline and the end of the study were measured. Seventy people finished the trial. Plasma concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid significantly increased in the fish oil group after intervention. After adjustment for age, gender and BMI, fish oil significantly decreased fasting serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglyceride, apolipoprotein B and glucose (by (mean±SD) 0.49±0.43 mmol/L, 0.58±0.89 mmol/L, 0.28±0.33 g/L and 0.76±0.56 mmol/L, respectively, P<0.05), as well as alanine aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase levels (by (median (interquartile)) 9.0(0.5, 21.5) and 7.0(2.2, 20.0) IU/L, respectively, P<0.05), significantly increased serum adiponectin levels (by 1.29±0.62 µg/mL, P<0.001), and reduced serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α, leukotrienes B4, fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), cytokeratin 18 fragment M30 and prostaglandin E2 (by 1.70±1.18 pg/mL, 0.59±0.28 ng/mL, 121±31 pg/mL, 83±60 IU/L and 10.9±2.3 pg/mL, respectively, P<0.001). Corn oil had no effect except for increasing serum creatinine concentrations by 7.7±8.9 µmol/L (P=0.008). The effects of fish oil on lipids, glucose and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase were positively correlated with the reductions of serum FGF21 and prostaglandin E2 concentrations after adjustment for age, gender and BMI (r = 0.275 to 0.360 and 0.261 to 0.375, respectively, P<0.05). In conclusion, our findings suggest that fish oil can benefit metabolic abnormalities associated with NAFLD treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR-TRC-12002380.

Association of EZSCAN values with arterial stiffness in individuals without diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND: The EZSCAN test was recently developed to screen for early dysglycemia through an assessment of sudomotor function. Given the associations of dysglycemia and autonomic dysfunction with the development of arterial stiffness, EZSCAN may also detect early arterial stiffness. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of EZSCAN with arterial stiffness across blood glucose levels. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 5532 participants without diabetes or established cardiovascular disease were evaluated with EZSCAN. Their central systolic blood pressure (cSBP), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and ankle-brachial index (ABI) were also measured. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to assess the association between the EZSCAN value and the cSBP, baPWV, and ABI measurements in all of the participants, with additional subgroup analysis that separated participants into a normal glucose tolerance (NGT) group and an impaired glucose regulation (IGR) group. The frequency of the IGRs increased with quartiles of the EZSCAN value (P for trend <0.0001). The levels of cSBP and baPWV increased while the levels of ABI decreased across quartiles of EZSCAN value in both NGT and IGR individuals (P for trend <0.0001 for all). In multivariable analyses, the EZSCAN value was positively associated with cSBP (log-transformed beta = 8.20, P<0.0001) and baPWV (log-transformed beta = 1.82, P<0.0001) but inversely associated with ABI (log-transformed beta = -0.043, P<0.0001) and was independent of conventional factors. Further adjustment for fasting and postprandial glucoses did not attenuate the associations. The results were also unchanged when stratified by IGR. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: The EZSCAN results were associated with arterial stiffness independent of conventional factors, blood glucose levels, and glucose tolerance status, suggesting a probable link between the EZSCAN value and arterial stiffness through autonomic dysfunction. The EZSCAN test may help us detect the development of arterial stiffness in high risk individuals to prevent unfavorable cardiovascular events.

The colonization patterns of different fungi on roots of Cymbidium hybridum plantlets and their respective inoculation effects on growth and nutrient uptake of orchid plantlets.

Cymbidium hybridum is one of the most popular pot orchids and cut flowers worldwide. However, the long vegetative growth period and the discordant blooming retarded its mass production. The mixotrophic nutritional mode of some chlorophyllous Cymbidium suggested the essential role of mycorrhizal fungi in the growth of adult green orchids. Here 34 root-associated endophytes were obtained from wild and cultivated Cymbidium and eight strains exhibited obvious growth-promoting effects on the C. hybridum plantlets with increasing root number, root diameter or new bud initiation. Among these, three isolates CL01, ZH3A-3 and CY5-1 with distinct cultural traits and colonization patterns showed better growth-promoting effects. Internal transcribed spacer sequence analyses and morphological observation revealed isolate CL01 belonged to Tulasnella-like Rhizoctonia, ZH3A-3, Umbelopsis nana and CY5-1, Scytalidium lignicola. Microscopic study showed isolate CL01 formed typical orchid mycorrhiza and isolate CY5-1 formed pseudo-mycorrhiza with orchid, whereas hyphae of isolate ZH3A-3 aggregated in the host velamen cells at regular intervals and caused the hypertrophied nucleus and aggregated cytoplasm of neighboring host cell. These three isolates significantly enhanced the increased percentage of total fresh weight of plantlets compared with un-inoculated control (83, 99 and 75%, respectively). In addition, isolate CL01 increased the N, P, Zn, Cu, Fe contents and ZH3A-3 significantly improved K, Ca, Cu, Mn contents of the symbiotic plantlets compared with control. These results suggested that the mass production of C. hybridum and related orchids could be improved by different beneficial fungi from its parents.

[Study on curcumin-induced apoptosis in ovarian cancer resistant cell lines COC1/DDP].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect and possible mechanism of curcumin to induce apoptosis in ovarian cancer resistant cell lines COC1/DDP. METHODS: COC1/DDP cells were treated with different concentration of curcumin, with or without the combination of chemotherapy drugs cisplatin (DDP) and paclitaxel (PIX) for 48 hours. The growth inhibition rates of COC1/DDP cells were studied by MTT method, and the apoptotic ratios were measured with flow cytometry. The expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase catalytic subunit (PI3KCA) mRNA was studied by RT-PCR in curcumin treated cells, DDP treated cells and their combination treated cells. RESULTS: After the treatment of different concentration of curcumin for 48 hours, the growth inhibition rates and the apoptotic rate of COC1/DDP cells were gradually increased accordingly with increasing curcumin concentration. Furthurmore, curcumin in combination with chemotherapy drug obtained higher inhibition rate and apoptosis rate than single chemotherapy drug did (P < 0.05). The expression of PI3KCA mRNA of COC1/DDP cells treated with curcumin combined DDP was much lower than that treated only with DDP (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Curcumin can increase the apoptotic rate of COC1/DDP cells, so has synergistic effect on with chemotherapy drugs on the induction of cell apoptosis. Its possible mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of PI3KCA.

Characterization of patients and its relationship with medical complaints.

BACKGROUND: Patient characteristics may be an internal factor influencing patient complaints, but in China patient characterization is restricted to patient satisfaction surveys, and few studies have considered the relationship between patient characteristics and patient complaints. The aim of this research was to determine the reasons for complaints. METHODS: In this study, we analyzed the characteristics of hospitalized patients and explored their relationship with medical complaints. RESULTS: The significant factors were age (P = 0.045), hospital cost (P = 0.003), household nature (P < 0.001), and education (P < 0.001). The complaint rate decreased when the patients' age increased (regression coefficient, -0.606; OR, 0.545, and 95%CI, 0.301 - 0.987). The complaint rate increased with an increase in hospital cost (regression coefficient, 0.818; OR, 2.266; and 95%CI, 1.320 - 3.889). Patients from non-agricultural households had a higher complaint rate (regression coefficient, 1.051; OR, 2.861; and 95%CI, 1.611 - 5.082). Patients with higher education levels had lower complaint rates (regression coefficient, -0.944; OR, 0.389; and 95%CI, 0.234 - 0.647). CONCLUSION: The survey confirms that older patients and patients with higher education levels had lower complaint rates, while non-agricultural population and patients with higher hospital expenses had higher complaint rates.

[Expression of SATB1 and BRMS1 in ovarian serous adenocarcinoma and its relationship with clinieopathological features].

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression and clinical significance of SATB1, BRMS1 in Ovarian serous adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Immanohistochemistrical SP method was used to detect the expression of SATB1, BRMS1 in 11 cases of normal ovarian tissue and 11 cases of benign ovarian tumor and 10 cases of ovarian borderline tumor and 53 cases ovarian serous adenocarcinoma. RESULTS: The expression of SATB1 in ovarian serous adenocarcinoma (86.8%) was significantly higher than those of normal ovarian tissues (0) and benign ovarian tumor tissues (36.4%), P < 0.05, and there was no difference between ovarian borderline tumor (70%) and ovarian serous adenocarcinoma, P > 0.05. The expression of BRMS1 in ovarian serous adenocarcinoma (28. 3%) was significantly lower than those in normal ovarian tissues (100%) and benign ovarian tumor tissues (81.8%), P < 0. 05, and there was no difference between ovarian borderline tumor (60%) and ovarian serous adenocarcinoma, P > 0.05. The inverse correlation between the expression of SATB1 and BRMS1 was observed (r = -0.387, P < 0.05). The expression of SATB1 was correlated with surgical stage and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05), BRMS1 was correlated with surgical stage, lymph node metastasis and tumor size (P < 0.05); SATB1 and BRMS1 had no correlation with the patients whether menopause or not, histopathological grading, ascites (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: SATB1 and BRMS1 might play an important role in the development and lymph node metastasis of ovarian cancer.