Updated pharmaceutical progress on plant antibiotic rhein and its analogs: Bioactivities, structure-activity relationships and future perspectives.

Rhein, as a plant antibiotic, demonstrates a broad spectrum of pharmacological effects. Nevertheless, its limited water solubility, low bioavailability, and potential hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity making it difficult to directly become a medicine, thereby imposing significant constraints on its clinical application. In recent decades, extensive researches have been proceeded on the multifaceted structural modifications of rhein, resulting in notable improvements on pharmacological activities and druggabilities.

An Evaluation of Sex-Specific Pharmacokinetics and Bioavailability of Kokusaginine: An In Vitro and In Vivo Investigation.

Kokusaginine is a bioactive ingredient extracted from L., which has a range of biological activities. Its pharmacokinetic (PK) properties are particularly important for clinical applications; however, they have not been fully elucidated.

Intravoxel incoherent motion and enhanced T2*-weighted angiography for preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: To investigate the value of the combined application of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) and enhanced T2*-weighted angiography (ESWAN) for preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials And Methods: 76 patients with pathologically confirmed HCC were retrospectively enrolled and divided into the MVI-positive group (n=26) and MVI-negative group (n=50). Conventional MRI, IVIM, and ESWAN sequences were performed.

Ghrelin improves endothelial function and reduces blood pressure in Ang II-induced hypertensive mice: Role of AMPK.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction is a major pathophysiology observed in hypertension. Ghrelin, a key regulator of metabolism, has been shown to play protective roles in cardiovascular system. However, whether it has the effect of improving endothelial function and lowering blood pressure in Ang II-induced hypertensive mice remains unclear.

Curcumin suppresses cell proliferation and reduces cholesterol absorption in Caco-2 cells by activating the TRPA1 channel.

Background: Curcumin (Cur) is a bioactive dietary polyphenol of turmeric with various biological activities against several cancers. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Intestinal cholesterol homeostasis is associated with CRC.

A Novel Heterozygous Variant in a Neurofibromatosis-Noonan Syndrome Patient with Growth Hormone Deficiency: A Case Report.

Neurofibromatosis-Noonan syndrome (NFNS), a rare autosomal-dominant hereditary disease, is characterized by clinical manifestations of both neurofibromatosis type 1 () and NS. We present a case of NFNS with short stature caused by a heterozygous nonsense variant of the gene. A 12-year-old boy was admitted because of short stature, numerous café-au-lait spots, low-set and posteriorly rotated ears, sparse eyebrows, broad forehead, and inverted triangular face.

Highly Efficient I Sorption, CO Capture, and Catalytic Conversion by Introducing Nitrogen Donor Sites in a Microporous Co(II)-Based Metal-Organic Framework.

Recently, the development of porous absorbents for efficient CO and I capture has attracted considerable attention because of severe global climate change and environmental issues with the nuclear energy. Hence, a unique porous metal-organic framework (MOF), {[Co(L)]·DMF·2HO} (, DMF = ,-dimethylformamide) with uncoordinated N atoms was rationally constructed via using a heterofunctional 4,6-bis(4'-carboxyphenyl)pyrimidine (HL) linker. Interestingly, exhibits exceptional properties for I sorption, CO capture, and catalytic conversion.

Highly efficient simultaneous removal of HCHO and elemental mercury over Mn-Co oxides promoted Zr-AC samples.

MnCo/Zr-AC prepared by impregnation method was investigated on the simultaneous removal of HCHO and Hg. The samples were characterized by BET, SEM, XRD, H pulse chemisorption, H-TPR, XPS, Hg-TPD and in-situ DRIFTS. Thereinto, the optimal MnCo/Zr-AC achieved 99.

Insight into the effect of SO on the Hg removal performance over a 1V-8Ce/AC sorbent at low temperatures.

The influences of SO on Hg° removal over the 1V-8Ce/AC sorbent were systematically investigated at low temperatures. The experimental results showed that SO has a dual effect on Hg° removal, that is, SO has both a promoting effect and an inhibiting effect on Hg° removal. The SO transient response experiment indicated that SO could not only react with Hg° to promote the removal of Hg° but also react with the active components and poison the sorbent.

Correlation between the subchondral bone marrow lesions and cartilage repair tissue after matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte implantation in the knee: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The contribution of the subchondral bone in the development and progression of osteoarthritis (OA) has long been recognized, but its role in cartilage repair procedures has only recently attracted more attention.

Purpose: To explore the correlation between the cartilage repair tissue (RT) and the subchondral bone marrow lesions (BMLs) after matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI) in the knee joint.

Material And Methods: A total of 30 patients who underwent MACI in the knee from January 2015 to June 2018 and follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan were recruited in this study.

Promotional removal of gas-phase Hg over activated coke modified by CuCl.

Impregnating CuCl on AC (activated coke) support to synthesize xCuCl/AC showed superior activity with higher 90% Hg removal efficiency at 80-140 °C, as well as a lower oxygen demand of 2% O for Hg removal. The acceleration on Hg removal was observed for NO and SO. The BET, SEM, XRD, XPS, TPD, and FT-IR characterizations revealed that the larger surface area, sufficient active oxygen species and co-existence of Cu and Cu may account for the efficient Hg removal.

Catalytic removal of toluene over manganese oxide-based catalysts: a review.

It is necessary to control the emissions of toluene, which is hazardous to both human health and the atmosphere environment and has been classified as a priority pollutant. Manganese oxide-based (Mn-based) catalysts have received increased attention due to their high catalytic performance, good physicochemical characteristic, availability in various crystal structures and morphologies, and being environmentally friendly and low cost. These catalysts can be classified into five categories, namely single manganese oxide, Mn-based composite oxides, Mn-based special oxides, supported Mn-based oxides, and Mn-based monoliths.

Organic Emitters with a Rigid 9-Phenyl-9-phosphafluorene Oxide Moiety as the Acceptor and Their Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Behavior.

With the 9-phenyl-9-phosphafluorene oxide (PhFlOP) moiety as the acceptor (A) and various donors (D), a series of new organic emitters have been synthesized with a D-A-D configuration. Their photophysical and electrochemical behaviors and electroluminescent (EL) performances have been characterized in detail. The photophysical results have indicated that the PhFlOP-based emitters with acridyl, phenoxazyl, and phenothiazyl as donors show efficient, thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) behavior, especially for the TADF emitter with the phenoxazyl donor possessing an exceptionally high rate constant of reverse intersystem crossing () of 6.

Association of Overt and Subclinical Hyperthyroidism During Weeks 4-8 with Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes.

Although increasing data suggest that hyperthyroidism is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, there are only a few reports with different conclusions on whether the mild transient reduction in thyrotropin (TSH) with or without free thyroxine (FT4) elevation during the early stage of pregnancy also causes adverse pregnancy outcomes. We analyzed data from 3,783 women in this study from August 2011 to December 2013. Participants completed a questionnaire survey.

[Study on drop-out from antiretroviral therapy among adult HIV-infected individuals in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province].

Objective: To examine the proportion and reasons of drop-out from antiretroviral therapy (ART) among 8 367 adult HIV-infected individuals in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province.

Methods: All adult HIV-infected patients receiving ART before September 30 of 2014 were examined for the situation of drop-out from ART.

Results: The proportion of drop-out from ART among adult HIV-infected patients in Dehong prefecture was 14.

[Study on HIV viral load in plasma and drug resistance among AIDS patients receiving antiretroviral treatment in Dehong prefecture,Yunnan province].

Objective: To understand HIV rival suppression and drug resistance (HIVDR) among AIDS patients who were receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province.

Methods: All AIDS patients who were aged over 15 years and with experience more than six months on ART by the end of 2012 in Dehong prefecture, were enrolled to receive testing for HIV viral load in plasma and genetic mutations associated with HIVDR.

Results: A total of 4 390 AIDS patients were qualified for the study according to the selection criteria, of whom 3 964 (90.

Acoustic reconstruction of the velocity field in a furnace using a characteristic flow model.

An acoustic method can provide a noninvasive, efficient and full-field reconstruction of aerodynamic fields in a furnace. A simple yet reasonable model is devised for reconstruction of a velocity field in a cross section of a tangential furnace from acoustic measurements based on typical physical characteristics of the field. The solenoidal component of the velocity field is modeled by a curved surface, derived by rotating a curve of Gaussian distribution, determined by six characteristic parameters, while the nonrotational component is governed by a priori knowledge.

[Survival analysis on 3103 HIV/AIDS patients receiving antiretroviral treatment in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province].

Objective: To determine the survival rate of HIV/AIDS patients after receiving free antiretroviral treatment in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on all the HIV/AIDS patients aged over 16 years who had started antiretroviral treatment during January 2007 throughout December 2009 in Dehong prefecture.

Results: A total of 3103 HIV/AIDS patients had received antiretroviral treatment during the study period.

Development and validation of a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of xanthinol in human plasma and its application in a bioequivalence study of xanthinol nicotinate tablets.

A sensitive, rapid liquid chromatographic-electrospray ionization mass spectrometric method for the determination of xanthinol in human plasma was developed and validated. Xanthinol nicotinate in plasma (0.5 mL) was pretreated with 20% trichloroacetic acid for protein precipitation.

Sensitive HPLC-ESI-MS method for the determination of tiotropium in human plasma.

A sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS) assay is established for the determination of tiotropium in human plasma using benzyltriethylammonium chloride as the internal standard (IS). After being treated with C(18) cartridges, plasma samples are separated by HPLC on a reversed-phase C(18) column with a mobile phase of 40mM ammonium acetate buffer-methanol (56:44, v/v). Tiotropium is determined in a single-quadrupole MS.

HPLC-APCI-MS for the determination of teprenone in human plasma: method and clinical application.

A sensitive high performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS) method for the determination of teprenone (GGA) in human plasma using menatetrenone as the internal standard (I.S.) was established.

Simultaneous determination and pharmacokinetic study of roxithromycin and ambroxol hydrochloride in human plasma by LC-MS/MS.

Background: Although roxithromycin and ambroxol HCl were often administered concomitantly for the treatment of respiratory infections, the pharmacokinetic interactions between them have not been reported. We investigated the interactions between these drugs in health male Chinese volunteers by LC-MS/MS in human plasma.

Methods: The pharmacokinetics were studied in 12 healthy male Chinese volunteers after an overnight fast by a single oral dose, 4-way crossover design with a period of 7-day washout.

Inhibitory effects of astragaloside IV on diabetic peripheral neuropathy in rats.

Astragaloside IV (AGS-IV), a new glycoside of cycloartane-type triterpene isolated from the root of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge, has been used experimentally for its potent immune-stimulating, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative actions. A recent study has shown AGS-IV to be an aldose-reductase inhibitor and a free-radical scavenger.

The antioxidative effects of astragalus saponin I protect against development of early diabetic nephropathy.

It has been known that oxidative stress plays an important role in the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). The antioxidative effects of Astragalus saponin I (AS I) were studied in vitro and in vivo. In the presence of high glucose and H2O2, the total antioxidative capability, catalase, reduced glutathione, and superoxide dismutase level of rat mesangial cells were significantly decreased, and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) mRNA level, collagen IV, and laminin level were significantly increased.