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Background: Pregnancy in acromegaly is uncommon and still in debate for fear of tumor progression or potential threat to both mother and fetus's health. Besides, the data for pregnancy complications in uncontrolled acromegaly is limited. Thus, the objective of this study was to summarize pregnancy safety and disease courses after pregnancy in acromegalic patients and review their clinical characteristics based on disease activity in the literature. Methods: An evaluation of eight acromegalic women from Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) with 11 pregnancies was conducted. We also summarized a literature review of 82 disease-active pregnancies and 63 disease-controlled pregnancies with acromegaly. A second analysis was conducted to compare pregnancy courses and outcomes in different disease activities. Results: Before pregnancy, all patients had macroadenomas and underwent pituitary surgery. Pregnancy occurred at a median of 6 years (4–10) after the diagnosis of acromegaly. Assisted reproductive therapy was needed in 42.9% of participants. No cases had a premature birth or congenital malformations. Biochemical control was achieved in 50% of females before pregnancy and 75% at the last follow-up after delivery. Data analysis showed no differences in the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) or pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) between acromegaly-active or acromegaly-controlled groups. The GDM prevalence in patients diagnosed during pregnancy (33.3%) was higher than that in patients diagnosed before pregnancy (4.8%) (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Pregnancy without biochemical control in acromegaly and receiving medical treatment during pregnancy are not rare and generally safe for the fetus. There could be a higher prevalence of PIH in acromegalic pregnancies. The treatment of acromegaly and related complications can be managed with regular follow-up after pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Renal organic ion transporters and uromodulin (UMOD) play the important roles in renal urate excretion and function. Hyperuricemia is considered as a risk factor for the development of renal dysfunction. The flavonoid quercetin in diets exerts the hypouricemic and nephroprotective effects. Purposes: To evaluate the effects of quercetin on renal organic ion transporters and UMOD in hyperuricemic mice. Methods: Kun-Ming mice were divided into normal and hyperuricemic groups receiving water, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg quercetin, 5 mg/kg allopurinol, respectively. Hyperuricemic mice were orally gavaged with 250 mg/kg oxonate daily for 1 week. Quercetin and allopurinol were orally gavaged on the day when oxonate or water was given 1 h later. After 1 week, serum uric acid, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen concentrations, excretion of urate and creatinine, and fractional excretion of uric acid were measured. The mRNA and protein levels of renal urate transporter 1 (mURAT1), glucose transporter 9 (mGLUT9), organic anion transporter 1 (mOAT1) and organic cation/carnitine transporters (mOCT1, mOCT2, mOCTN1 and mOCTN2) in mice were analyzed. Simultaneously, UMOD levels in serum, urine and kidney, as well as renal UMOD mRNA expression were detected. Results: Quercetin significantly restored oxonate-induced abnormalities of these biochemical indexes compared with normal vehicle group. Furthermore, it remarkably prevented expression changes of renal organic ion transporters and UMOD, and UMOD level alteration in hyperuricemic mice. Conclusions: These results suggest that quercetin has the uricosuric and nephroprotective actions mediated by regulating the expression levels of renal organic ion transporters and UMOD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attempted synthesis of sterically demanding tris-β-diketiminate complexes of europium led to oxidation–coupling of β-diketiminates and the formation of the THF-solvated divalent europium complex Eu(L2,6-Me2)2(THF) (L2,6-Me2= [{N(2,6-Me2C6H3)C(Me)}2CH]−), while the normal tris-β-diketiminate complex Eu(L2-Me)3for the less bulky ligand L2-Me([{N(2-MeC6H4)C(Me)}2CH]−) was isolated by the same procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Murayaquinones B-E (1 – 4) were isolated from an insect derived actinobacterium. • Structures of new compounds were elucidated by analysis their spectroscopic data. • Murayaquinone D exhibited cytotoxic activities against six cancer cell lines. Chemical study of the insect-derived bacterium, Streptomyces sp. NA4286, led to the discovery of four new polyketides, murayaquinones B-E (1 – 4), together with a known compound, murayaquinone (5). The structures of new compounds (1 – 4) were determined by extensive analysis of their NMR and HRESIMS data. The absolute configuration of (+)- 1 and (−)- 1 was assigned through comparison of experimental and calculated ECD spectra. Murayaquinone D (3) exhibited potent cytotoxic activities against six human cancer cell lines with IC 50 values ranging from 1.03 to 9.99 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]