Effects of the oxoaporphine alkaloid hernandonine on dengue virus. Evidence for its mechanisms of action.

BACKGROUND: Dengue, caused by the dengue virus (Orthoflavivirus dengue, encompassing DENV types 1-4), is a member of the Flaviviridae family. The symptoms of dengue range from subclinical or mild manifestations to potentially fatal complications. The management of severe dengue is exceptionally challenging due to the absence of effective antiviral medications. In this context, natural products, whether in the form of pure compounds or standardized plant extracts, have emerged as a promising source for the development of novel antiviral therapeutics. Hernandonine, an oxoaporphine alkaloid found in Hernandia nymphaeifolia (C. Presl) Kubitzki. serves both as a metabolite and an inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase. PURPOSE: This study investigated the ability of hernandonine to inhibit DENV infection and explored its potential mechanisms. STUDY DESIGN: To assess the in vitro anti-DENV activity, cells or induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cerebral organoids were exposed to hernandonine before or after infection with DENV. Along with hernandonine, the endocytosis modulators, genistein, wortmannin, Methyl-ß-cyclodextrin (MßCD) and lovastatin, were used in the assays. METHODS: The DENV infectivity and virion production in cells or cerebral organoids treated with compounds were determined. Various methods, including cell and cerebral organoids imaging, protein and gene detection were conducted to explore their antiviral mechanisms. RESULTS: The results revealed notable antiviral properties of hernandonine, particularly in inhibiting DENV during the early stages of infection. Mechanistic analysis demonstrated that, akin to genistein, wortmannin, methyl-ß-cyclodextrin (MßCD), and lovastatin, hernandonine exerted an influence on cholesterol-rich lipid rafts. It also restrained the pseudopodial movement ability of cells, potentially through the downregulation of cytoskeleton and endocytosis regulatory genes or protein expression. Moreover, hernandonine's virucidal activity was demonstrated. Hernandonine's inhibition of DENV infection was further validated in a disease-relevant iPSC-derived cerebral organoids model, a novel DENV-2 infection system worthy of further application. CONCLUSION: This study evidenced the potential of hernandonine as a novel candidate in the fight against DENV infection.

Association of body mass index with asthma occurrence and persistence in adolescents: A retrospective study of NHANES (2011-2018).

Objective: To investigate the association of body mass index (BMI) with asthma and analyze the risk factors of asthma persistence among overweight/obese adolescents and those with a high risk for obesity. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, adolescents aged 11-17 years with complete general information and asthma diagnoses were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database. For adolescents without self-reported asthma, we performed matching according to age and sex at a case-to-control ratio of 1:3. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify independent predictors of asthma occurrence followed by constructing a nomogram and comparing its efficacy to independent factors in predicting asthma occurrence. Besides, associations of BMI with asthma occurrence and persistence were evaluated. Finally, we obtained risk factors for asthma persistence in overweight/obese individuals and those at a high risk for obesity. Results: Totally 753 adolescents with asthma and 2259 adolescents without asthma were included to analyze the occurrence of asthma. BMI and Hispanic Ethnicity were independent predictors of asthma occurrence and were included in nomogram construction. BMI had an efficiency comparable to that of the nomogram model in predicting asthma occurrence, which is superior to that of Hispanic Ethnicity. Of the 753 adolescents diagnosed with asthma, 464 were still diagnosed with asthma of at least a year's duration. Interestingly, BMI may have the ability to predict asthma persistence. Further, Hispanic Ethnicity and household income were significantly related to asthma occurrence among overweight/obese and high-risk obese individuals. Conclusions: High BMI could independently predict increased asthma occurrence. Additionally, BMI may play an essential role in predicting asthma persistence. This study may help improve the diagnosis and reduce the occurrence of asthma.

Study on index components and fingerprints of crude and processed Siegesbeckia Herbs / 中国中药杂志

The change of kirenol, darutigenol and darutoside in Siegesbeckia and its first to ninth processed products were studied, and the ten fingerprints were compared, which provided the experimental basis for the study of Siegesbeckia processing tech- nology. The samples were analysed by HPLC on a SunFire-C18 column (4.6 mm x 150 mm, 5 μm) with gradient elution of acetonitrile (0.1% formic acid)-water (0.1% formic acid) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). Column temperaturewas 30 °C and the detected wavelength was 215, 320 nm. The calibration curves of kirenol, darutigenol and darutoside were linear in the range of 2.180-26.16, 2.900-34.80, and 1.012-6.072 mg x L(-1), respectively, and the average recoveries were 96.4%, 97.2% and 96.3% wit RSD 2.2%, 1.7% and 2.4%. This method was simple, the result was stable and had good repeatability, recovery and precision. The re- sult was the basis of the chemical contents variation in the processing of Siegesbeckia Herbs and further clarifying the effect of the changing.

Quality survey of different species of clematidis radix et rhizoma / 中国中药杂志

Quality survey of different species of Clematidis Radix et Rhizoma was made by determining the content of hederagenin and oleanolic acid from Clematidis Radix et Rhizoma. The result showed that only a few samples of Clematis chinensis met the quality standard for Clematidis Radix et Rhizoma in Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2010 Edition.

Diurnal variations in solar ultraviolet radiation at typical anatomical sites / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an important environmental factor that affects human health. The understanding of diurnal variations of UV radiation at anatomical sites may be helpful in developing ways to protect humans from the harmful effects of UV radiation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In order to characterize the diurnal variations, the UV exposure values were measured at 30 min intervals by using Solar-UV Sensors and a rotating manikin in Shenyang city of China (41 degrees 51'N, 123 degrees 27'E). Measurement data for four representative days (in each of the four seasons respectively) were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The diurnal variations in solar UV radiation at the shoulder, the forehead and the chest were similar to those associated with a horizontal control measurement. However, the diurnal variations at the eye and the cheek exhibited bimodal distributions with two peaks in spring, summer and autumn, and a unimodal distribution in winter. The UV exposure peaks at the eye and the cheek were measured at solar elevation angles (SEA) of about 30 degrees and 40 degrees , respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The protection of some anatomical sites such as the eye from high UV exposure should not be focused solely on the periods before and after noon, especially in the places and seasons with high SEA.</p>