Association of Visit-to-Visit Variabilities in Metabolic Factors with Chronic Kidney Disease in Chinese Adults Living in Shanghai.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the association of visit-to-visit variabilities in metabolic factors with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Shanghai community residents.

Methods: We used data from a cohort study of community residents who participated in three examinations in 2008, 2009, and 2013, respectively. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level, blood pressure (BP), and lipid levels were determined in 2,109 participants at all three visits, and CKD was evaluated between the second and the third visits.

First report on the prevalence of Fasciola hepatica in the endangered Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus) in China.

Background: Fasciola hepatica is an important zoonotic parasite that causes fasciolosis in a broad range of animals. No information is available about the prevalence of F. hepatica in Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus), an endangered species in the world.

The Relationship between C-Reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio and Disease Activity in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CRP/ALB), inflammatory markers, and parameters from the complete blood count (CBC) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and their associations with disease activity.

Methods: A total of 876 IBD patients, composed of 275 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 601 patients with Crohn's disease (CD), were included in this retrospective study, and the serum C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin (ALB), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and CBC parameters were measured. To explore the disease activity, the Mayo score and Crohn disease activity index were used to assess UC and CD patients, respectively.

Effect of tea polyphenols on the oral and intravenous pharmacokinetics of ticagrelor in rats and its in vitro metabolism.

Green tea is widely consumed as a beverage and/or dietary supplement worldwide, resulting in the difficulty to avoid the comedication with ticagrelor for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients receiving antiplatelet therapy. This study was designed to investigate the effect of the most abundant content in green tea, tea polyphenols on the oral and intravenous pharmacokinetics of ticagrelor in rats and its in vitro metabolism. Rats were orally treated with either saline or tea polyphenol extracts (TPEs) dissolved in saline once daily for 6 consecutive days.

Novel in vitro dynamic metabolic system for predicting the human pharmacokinetics of tolbutamide.

Liver metabolism is commonly considered the major determinant in drug discovery and development. Many in vitro drug metabolic studies have been developed and applied to understand biotransformation. However, these methods have disadvantages, resulting in inconsistencies between in vivo and in vitro experiments.

No Association Between Calcium Channel Blockers and Survival in Patients with Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Any association between calcium channel blockers (CCBs) and survival in cancer patients remains unclear and the results of related studies are conflicting. The objective of the study was to investigate the association between calcium channel blocker (CCB) use and survival in cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library for studies published before January 2016 with terms related to CCBs and survival in cancer patients.

Amiloride sensitizes human pancreatic cancer cells to erlotinib in vitro through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Aim: Blockade of EGFR by EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as erlotinib is insufficient for effective treatment of human pancreatic cancer due to independent activation of the Akt pathway, while amiloride, a potassium-sparing diuretic, has been found as a potential Akt inhibitor. The aim of this study was to investigate the anticancer effects of combined amiloride with erlotinib against human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro.

Methods: Cell proliferation, colony formation, cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed in 4 human pancreatic cancer cell lines Bxpc-3, PANC-1, Aspc-1 and CFPAC-1 treated with erlotinib or amiloride alone, or in their combination.

Recombinant expression of different mutant K-ras gene in pancreatic cancer Bxpc-3 cells and its effects on chemotherapy sensitivity.

K-ras is a member of ras gene family which is involved in cell survival, proliferation and differentiation. When a mutation occurs in ras gene, the activation of Ras proteins may be prolonged to induce oncogenesis. However, the relationship between K-ras mutation and clinical outcomes in pancreatic cancer patients treated with chemotherapy agents is still under debate.

[Expression of Smad proteins in the process of liver fibrosis in mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum].

Objective: To study the expression of Smads proteins involved in TGF-beta1 signal transduction during the process of liver fibrosis in BALB/c mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum.

Methods: Thirty-four BALB/c mice were each infected with (20 +/- 1) S. japonicum cercariae.

IFN-γ inhibits liver progenitor cell proliferation in HBV-infected patients and in 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine diet-fed mice.

Background & Aims: Proliferation of liver progenitor cells (LPCs) is associated with inflammation and fibrosis in chronic liver diseases. However, how inflammation and fibrosis affect LPCs remains obscure.

Methods: We examined the role of interferon (IFN)-γ, an important pro-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic cytokine, in LPC expansion in HBV-infected patients and in mice challenged with 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC)- or choline-deficient, ethionine-supplemented (CDE) diet as well as in primary LPCs and LPC cell line.

Preclinical assessment of the distribution, metabolism, and excretion of S-propargyl-cysteine, a novel H2S donor, in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Aim: To study the distribution, metabolism and excretion of S-propargyl-cysteine (SPRC), a novel hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donor, after oral administration in rats.

Methods: Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The tissue distribution of [(35)S] SPRC-derived radioactivity was measured using a liquid scintillation counter.

Rapid allele-specific PCR method for CDA 79A>C (K27Q) genotyping: a useful pharmacogenetic tool and world-wide polymorphism distribution.

Background: The CDA 79A>C (K27Q, rs2072671) functional SNP has recently shown a crucial role in the pharmacogenetics of cytidine-based anticancer drugs widely administered to different subsets of patients. Current gold standard in screening for the CDA rs2072671 is the sequence-based genotyping method. Here we developed a novel, rapid Allele-Specific PCR method for CDA rs2072671 genotyping.

Long-term antifibrotic action of interferon-γ treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Background: The first priority in treating fibrosis is to eliminate the causes that result in liver injury, e.g., hepatitis B and C virus.

Population pharmacokinetic study of cyclosporine in Chinese renal transplant recipients.

Purpose: To establish the population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model of cyclosporine (CsA) in Chinese renal transplant recipients and evaluate the influence of various indexes including CYP3A5 and MDR1 genetic polymorphism on pharmacokinetic parameters.

Methods: Trough (C(0)) and peak (C(2)) CsA concentration were monitored conventionally after renal transplantation. C(0) and C(2) were collected for 5 months in 146 patients.

Establishment of high-performance liquid chromatography and enzyme multiplied immunoassay technology methods for determination of free mycophenolic acid and its application in Chinese liver transplant recipients.

The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between methods of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and enzyme multiplied immunoassay technology (EMIT) for determination of total mycophenolic acid (tMPA) and free (fMPA) concentration and to study pharmacokinetics of fMPA in Chinese liver transplant recipients. An HPLC method with fluorometric detection and an EMIT assay were established to determine fMPA in plasma ultrafiltrates. Pharmacokinetic parameters of tMPA and fMPA in 51 patients were estimated.

[Identification of the active material of anti-hepatic fibrosis from Amydae Carapax].

Objective: To identify the active material of anti-hepatic fibrosis from Amydae Carapax.

Methods: Membrane separation technology was adopted to screen active fraction in Amydae Carapax, and the active components were isolated from the active fraction using gel chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. The purified active components in Amydae Carapax were further analyzed using 4700 series time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

[Analysis of oxygen atmospheric band in dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure].

The emission spectra of pure oxygen in dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure were observed. Comparison between experimental and fitting spectra of oxygen A band (b 1Sigmag(+) --> X 3Sigmag(-)) (0, 0) was used to determine the gas temperature, and the electronic temperature was calculated from O I lines. The causation of oxygen A band in atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge was discussed by means of analysis of producing and quenching approaches.

The effects of drying following heat shock exposure of the desert moss Syntrichia caninervis.

Desert mosses are components of biological soil crusts (BSCs) and their ecological functions make assessment and protection of these mosses a high-ranking management priority in desert regions. Drying is thought to be useful for desert mosses surviving heat shock. In this study, we investigated the role of drying by monitoring the responses of physiological characters and asexual reproduction in the typical desert moss Syntrichia caninervis.

Visible light induced photodegradation and phototoxicity of phloxine B and uranine.

Objective: To determine the visible light-induced photodegradation kinetics of two xanthene photosensitizers, phloxine B and uranine, in solution and on the surface of silica TLC plates, and to examine the phototoxicity of residues of degradation, which could provide valuable safety data on the two photosensitizers and other xanthene chemicals when applied in the environment.

Methods: UV-Vis absorption during photodegradation was monitored with a Unico 2102 spectrophotometer. Organic content of samples was measured with a Shimadzu TOC 4100.

The enhanced adsorption of dibenzothiophene onto cerium/nickel-exchanged zeolite Y.

The investigations for selective adsorption of dibenzothiophene (DBT) over Ce/Ni-loaded Y zeolites with the emphasis on the effect of Ce as a cocation in the Ni-loaded Y zeolite are carried out in an attempt to produce more effective adsorbents for the desulfurization from transportation fuels. The promotional effects of Ce and coexisting toluene in the model fuel as well as contact time and adsorbent dose on the adsorptive performance were examined. The sulfur uptake strongly depends on the amount of Ce in the zeolite structure.