Beneficial effects of natural Jeju groundwaters on lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats.

Background: Groundwater is believed to possess many beneficial effects due to its natural source of various minerals. In this study, we examined the effects of natural Jeju groundwater S1 (Samdasoo™), S2 and S3 pumped up from different locations of Jeju Island, Korea, along with local tap water, on body weight gain, serum lipids and lipoproteins, and liver histopathology in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats.

Materials/methods: Rats were randomly and equally divided into 6 groups.

New sesquiterpenic acids from Inula wissmanniana.

Eight new (1-8) and two known (9 and 10) sesquiterpenic acids featuring α-methylene-γ-carboxyl units were isolated from the whole plants of Inula wissmanniana, along with two new germacranolides (11 and 12). Their structures were elucidated based on detailed spectroscopic analysis, including HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR, and X-ray crystallography. Notably, the skeleton of 1 was firstly discovered from nature, while that of 2 was discovered for the second time.

Two novel lignans from Gaultheria yunnanensis.

Two new lignans, 9-salicyl-(+)-isolariciresinol (1) and gaultheroside G (2), together with seven known compounds, were isolated from the ethanolic extract of the whole plant of Gaultheria yunnanensis. Their structures were determined by extensive NMR and MS analyses. Gaultheroside G (2) was found to have an unusual ether linkage between the 2 and 9' positions of aryl-tetralin lignan skeleton.

Primary small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the mediastinum: computed tomography and histopathological correlation.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to describe the computed tomographic (CT) and histopathological characteristics of neuroendocrine carcinomas of the mediastinum and to improve the diagnostic accuracy for these tumors.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 9 patients with histopathologically confirmed primary small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the mediastinum.

Results: Of the 9 tumors, 6 (67%) were located in the anterior-middle mediastinum; 2, in the anterior-middle-posterior mediastinum; and 1, in the middle-mediastinum.

Radiation-induced changes in normal-appearing gray matter in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a magnetic resonance imaging voxel-based morphometry study.

Introduction: Evidence is accumulating that temporal lobe radiation necrosis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy (RT) could involve gray matter (GM). The purpose of the study was to assess the radiation-induced GM volume differences between NPC patients who had and had not received RT and the effect of time after RT on GM volume differences in those patients who had received RT.

Methods: We used magnetic resonance imaging voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to assess differences in GM volume between 30 NPC patients with normal-appearing whole-brain GM after RT and 15 control patients with newly diagnosed but not yet medically treated NPC.

[Effects of Chinese fir litter on soil organic carbon decomposition and microbial biomass carbon].

By using 13C stable isotope tracer technique, this paper studied the effects of Chinese fir litter addition on the soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition, microbial biomass carbon, and dissolved organic carbon in 0-5 cm and 40-45 cm layers. The decomposition rate of SOC in 40-45 cm layer was significantly lower than that in 0-5 cm layer, but the priming effect induced by the Chinese fir litter addition showed an opposite trend. The Chinese fir litter addition increased the soil total microbial biomass carbon and the microbial biomass carbon derived from native soil significantly, but had less effects on the soil dissolved organic carbon.

Inula sesquiterpenoids: structural diversity, cytotoxicity and anti-tumor activity.

Introduction: The plants of the genus Inula (Asteraceae) are widely distributed throughout Europe, Africa and Asia, and many of these plants have long been used in folk medicine. This genus is a rich source of sesquiterpenoids, which exhibit a wide range of biological activities. Recently, a series of bioactive sesquiterpenoid dimers, with unusual carbon skeletons, have been reported and these have gathered considerable interest.

Ardipusilloside I induces apoptosis by regulating Bcl-2 family proteins in human mucoepidermoid carcinoma Mc3 cells.

Background: Ardisia pusilla A. DC., family Myrsinaceae, is a traditional Chinese medicine named Jiu Jie Long with a variety of pharmacological functions including anti-cancer activities.

Bioactive eudesmane and germacrane derivatives from Inula wissmanniana Hand.-Mazz.

Phytochemical investigation of Inula wissmanniana Hand.-Mazz. afforded 21 eudesmane and germacrane derivatives, including rare 4,5-secoeudesman-12,5-olide, eudesman-12,5-olide, 3,4-secoeudesman-12-oic acid, and germacra-4-en-12,6-olides.

Generation of prostate tumor-initiating cells is associated with elevation of reactive oxygen species and IL-6/STAT3 signaling.

How prostate cancer is initiated remains a topic of debate. In an effort to establish a human model of prostate carcinogenesis, we adapted premalignant human prostate EPT2-D5 cells to protein-free medium to generate numerous tight prostate spheres (D5HS) in monolayer culture. In contrast to EPT2-D5 cells, the newly generated D5HS efficiently formed large subcutaneous tumors and subsequent metastases in vivo, showing the tumorigenicity of D5HS spheres.

[Effect of acupuncture on serum MIP-2 and MIP-2 mRNA expressions in isolated Fei and Dachang of severe acute pancreatitis induced acute lung injury rats in the acute phase].

Objective: To observe effect of acupuncture on serum macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and MIP-2 mRNA expressions in isolated Fei and Dachang of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) induced acute lung injury (ALI) rats in the acute phase.

Methods: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, i.e.

Selective cytotoxicity, inhibition of cell cycle progression, and induction of apoptosis in human breast cancer cells by sesquiterpenoids from Inula lineariifolia Turcz.

Four new sesquiterpenoid dimers (lineariifolianoids E-H, 1-4), five new sesquiterpenoids (5-9), and seven known sesquiterpenoids (10-16) were isolated from the aerial parts of Inula lineariifolia Turcz. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data analysis and X-ray diffraction studies. The compounds were then evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity against two human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and one normal breast cell line (MCF-10A).

[The compared study in detecting the recurrence and metastases of breast cancer patients post treatment between (18)F-FDG PET/CT and conventional workup].

Objective: This study is to investigate the clinical role of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in detecting the recurrence and metastases of patients with breast cancer post treatment, compared to the conventional imaging technology, such as CT, MRI, and ultrasound.

Methods: The reports of FDG PET/CT whole body scans and conventional imaging technology, such as CT, MRI, and ultrasound, performed from Jan to Aug 2011 on 70 patients with breast cancer post treatment were retrospectively reviewed.The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of 2 groups in detecting the recurrence and metastases were calculated and compared.

Simultaneous determination of aurantio-obtusin, chrysoobtusin, obtusin and 1-desmethylobtusin in rat plasma by UHPLC-MS/MS.

A sensitive and reliable ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of four active components of Semen Cassiae extract (aurantio-obtusin, chrysoobtusin, obtusin and 1-desmethylobtusin) in rat plasma after oral administration. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an Agilent Poroshell 120 C18 column with gradient elution using a mobile phase that consisted of acetonitrile-ammonium acetate in water (30 mm) at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of phenyl substituted polyoxygenated xanthone derivatives as anti-hepatoma agents.

A series of novel derivatives of phenyl substituted tetramethoxy xanthone were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and non-tumor hepatic cells. Among these derivatives, compound 6 was more potent than positive control 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) on QGY-7703 and SMMC-7721 cells with IC50 values of 6.27 μM, 7.

Construction of 2-substituted-3-functionalized benzofurans via intramolecular Heck coupling: application to enantioselective total synthesis of daphnodorin B.

A novel approach was developed for the synthesis of 2-substituted-3-functionalized benzofurans, using an intramolecular Heck reaction which was further applied in the first enantioselective total synthesis of Daphnodorin B.

Identification and structural characterization of dimeric sesquiterpene lactones in Inula japonica Thunb. by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization with multi-stage mass spectrometry.

Rationale: Dimeric sesquiterpene lactones (DSLs) exhibit more 'biological friendly' and 'drug-like' molecular features than their monomers. Identification of DSLs is important to uncover potential lead compounds for the development of new anti-inflammatory and anticancer drugs.

Methods: High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-MS(n) ) in positive-ion mode was developed to analyze structurally related groups of DSLs in the species of Inula japonica Thunb.

Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors of the head and neck.

Background: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare tumor of mesenchymal origin that commonly occurs in the lung. Because of its non-specific clinical and imaging features, IMT is often misdiagnosed as a malignant tumor. There have been few imaging reports on IMT of the head and neck.

[Efficacy and safety evaluation of fire needling for rats with rheumatoid arthritis].

Objective: To explore the therapeutic effect and safety of fire needling on rat with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: Forty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a methotrexate (MTX) group and a fire needling group, 10 rats in each group. The 0.

Hepatocellular carcinoma: clinical study of long-term survival and choice of treatment modalities.

Aim: To analyze the prognostic factors of 5-year survival and 10-year survival in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, and to explore the reasons for long-term survival and provide choice of treatment modalities for HCC patients.

Methods: From January 1990 to October 2012, 8450 HCC patients were included in a prospective database compiled by the Information Center after hospital admission. Long-term surviving patients were included in a 10-year survival group (520 patients) and a 5-year survival group (1516 patients) for analysis.

Effects of allicin on hyperhomocysteinemia-induced experimental vascular endothelial dysfunction.

This study was designed to investigate the effect and mechanism of allicin on hyperhomocysteinemia-induced experimental vascular endothelial dysfunction in rats. Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: the normal control rats (NC), the high-methionine-diet rats (Met), the high-methionine-diet rats treated with folic acid, vitaminB₆ and vitaminB₁₂ (Met+F), or with low-dose allicin (Met+L), or with high-dose allicin (Met+H). After 6 weeks, we collected blood samples of all groups to determine plasma endothelin (ET), serum homocysteine (Hcy), nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and detected the expression of basic fibroblast growth factors (bFGF), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the aorta.

Two novel innovanoside dimers from Daphne aurantiaca and a concise total synthesis of diinnovanoside A.

Chemical examination of the methanolic extract from the stem bark of Daphne aurantiaca led to the isolation of two innovanoside dimers (1 and 2) with an unusual four-membered cyclobutane ring, together with the isoinnovanoside 3. Their chemical structures and configurations were elucidated by extensive spectral analysis and synthesis.

Five new sesquiterpene lactones from Inula hupehensis.

Four new pseudoguaianolides (1-4), one new guaianolide (5), together with ten known compounds (6-15) were isolated from the aerial parts of Inula hupehensis. Their structures were elucidated mainly on the basis of 1D and 2D spectroscopic methods and circular dichroism analysis. In addition, compounds 1-10 and 13 were tested for their inhibitory effects against LPS-induced NO production in RAW264.