Risk factors of disease activity and renal damage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical features of patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and explore the risk factors of disease activity and renal damage.

Methods: A retrospective study involving 194 patients were performed. Patients were divided into lupus nephritis (LN) group (63.

Association Between Passive Smoking and Menstrual Discomfort: A Cross-Sectional Study of 2,571 Non-smoking Chinese Nurses.

Introduction: Menstrual discomfort affects women's quality of life, which is an important public health issue. Evidence confirming the link between passive smoking and menstrual discomfort is limited. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the aforementioned topic on the basis of a cross-sectional study of 2,571 non-smoking Chinese nurses.

Association Between Passive Smoking and Health Among Chinese Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study aimed to investigate the association between passive smoking and physical and psychological health in Chinese nurses. Participants of this cross-sectional study comprised 2,484 non-smoking nurses. Passive smoking and demographic information were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire.

Association between night shift and sleep quality and health among Chinese nurses: A cross-sectional study.

Aim: To explore the sleep quality among Chinese nurses and identify the association between night shift and sleep quality and health.

Background: Chinese nurses have many night shifts; the effect of it regarding nurses' sleep quality and health is still not being explored.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study.

Condensed Tannins from Longan Bark as Inhibitor of Tyrosinase: Structure, Activity, and Mechanism.

In this study, the content, structure, antityrosinase activity, and mechanism of longan bark condensed tannins were evaluated. The findings obtained from mass spectrometry demonstrated that longan bark condensed tannins were mixtures of procyanidins, propelargonidins, prodelphinidins, and their acyl derivatives (galloyl and p-hydroxybenzoate). The enzyme analysis indicated that these mixtures were efficient, reversible, and mixed (competitive is dominant) inhibitor of tyrosinase.

Proanthocyanidins purified from fruit pericarp of Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels as efficient tyrosinase inhibitors: structure evaluation, inhibitory activity and molecular mechanism.

Fruit pericarp of Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels, a food waste, was selected as a raw material for proanthocyanidins. The proanthocyanidins' structures were integrally analyzed using three methods: matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), high performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS) and C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).

Structure characterization and anti-tyrosinase mechanism of polymeric proanthocyanidins fractionated from kiwifruit pericarp.

To provide information on the structure, activity, and structure-activity relationship of kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) pericarp proanthocyanidins (PAs), they were separated into three fractions. These fractions were further identified by MALDI-TOF MS and HPLC-ESI-MS methods. Spectra results revealed that they are complex mixtures of B-type propelargonidins, procyanidins, procyanidins gallate, and prodelphinidins.

Antioxidant and antityrosinase proanthocyanidins from Polyalthia longifolia leaves.

In the present study the structure of proanthocyanidins from Polyalthia longifolia leaves was characterized with (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance, high performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analyses. The results showed that the proanthocyanidins were mixture of homopolymers of B-type procyanidins with degree of polymerization up to 14-mer. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of the proanthocyanidins was studied through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) free-radical scavenging activities, and ferric reducing/antioxidant power assays.

Isolation and purification of condensed tannins from flamboyant tree and their antioxidant and antityrosinase activities.

Flamboyant tree, a kind of medicinal plant, was studied as a source of condensed tannins. The antioxidant activities of the condensed tannins from the leaf, fruit, and stem bark of flamboyant tree were screened by ABTS radical and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity methods. The results indicated that these compounds possessed potent antioxidant activity.

Condensed tannins from Ficus virens as tyrosinase inhibitors: structure, inhibitory activity and molecular mechanism.

Condensed tannins from Ficus virens leaves, fruit, and stem bark were isolated and their structures characterized by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The results showed that the leaves, fruit, and stem bark condensed tannins were complex mixtures of homo- and heteropolymers of B-type procyanidins and prodelphinidins with degrees of polymerization up to hexamer, dodecamer, and pentadecamer, respectively. Antityrosinase activities of the condensed tannins were studied.

Structure characterization of proanthocyanidins from Caryota ochlandra Hance and their bioactivities.

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) from Caryota ochlandra fruit pericarp and fruit flesh were characterized by (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance, high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry techniques. The fruit pericarp and flesh PAs were complex mixtures of homo- and heteropolymers of B-type procyanidins and prodelphinidins both with degrees of polymerization up to dodecamer. Their antioxidant and antityrosinase activities were investigated.

Optimization of extraction of phenolics from leaves of Ficus virens.

In this research, the conditions for extraction of phenolics from leaves of Ficus virens were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The extraction abilities of phenolics (EAP) and flavonoids (EAF), the 2,2-diphenyl-1-pierylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical scavenging potential, and the ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) were used as quality indicators. The results of single-factor experiments showed that temperature, ethanol concentration, extraction time, and the number of extraction cycles were the main influencing variables, and these provided key information for the central composite design.

Reversible and competitive inhibitory kinetics of amoxicillin on mushroom tyrosinase.

In the present work, we investigated the inhibitory effects of amoxicillin, a bacteriolytic β-lactam antibiotic drug, on the rate of monophenol hydroxylation and o-diphenol oxidation catalyzed by mushroom tyrosinase. The results showed that amoxicillin could inhibit both monophenolase and diphenolase activities. For monophenolase activity, the inhibition on reaction rate was dose-dependent, while the influence on lag period was not obvious.

Antityrosinase and antimicrobial activities of furfuryl alcohol, furfural and furoic acid.

The inhibitory kinetics of furfuryl alcohol, furfural and furoic acid on mushroom tyrosinase have been investigated. The results showed that these furan compounds were reversible inhibitors of the enzyme. Furthermore, furfuryl alcohol and furfural were found to be mixed-type inhibitors while furoic acid is uncompetitive inhibitor.

NMR, HPLC-ESI-MS, and MALDI-TOF MS analysis of condensed tannins from Delonix regia (Bojer ex Hook.) Raf. and their bioactivities.

The structures of the condensed tannins isolated from leaf, fruit, and stem bark of Delonix regia (Bojer ex Hook.) Raf. have been investigated with (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance ((13)C NMR) and high performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS) coupled with thiolysis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analyses.