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Three undescribed alkaloids (+)-9-hydroxy- N -acetylnordicentrine (1), illigeparvinine (2), and deca-(2 E ,4 Z)-2,4-dienoic acid 4-hydroxy-2-phenethyl amide (3), along with 19 known analogues (4 – 22), were isolated from the ethnic medicinal plant Illigera parviflora. Their structures were established using NMR, MS, and other spectroscopic analyses as well as X-ray diffraction. Moderate inhibition of human gastric carcinoma (MGC-803) and breast adenocarcinoma (T-47D) cell lines proliferation was observed for actinodaphnine (4) with IC 50 values of 28.74 and 11.65 μM, respectively. These findings contribute new anticancer potential compounds and expand the chemical diversity known from the valuable traditional medicinal plant I. parviflora. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The six biogenic amines in sausage and cheese were analyzed by HPLC with UV detection after off-line derivatization with dansyl chloride, 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl chloride, benzoyl chloride and dabsyl chloride, respectively. The results showed that both the off-line 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl and dabsyl derivatization were not suitable for HPLC analysis of biogenic amines when batch injection was used because the derivatives were instable, whereas both the off-line dansyl and benzoyl derivatization were suitable for HPLC analysis of biogenic amines when batch injection was used, but the latter needed to maintain the derivatives at 4 °C to ensure that benzoylated tyramine was not degraded when waiting for the analysis. The off-line dansyl derivatization had an obvious advantage in the analysis of biogenic amines in sausage and cheese samples by HPLC combined with batch injection because the method has a wider linear range and higher sensitivity, accuracy, precision and stability of the derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depletion of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) is certified in the stomach of diabetic patients. Though electroacupuncture (EA) at ST36 is an effective therapy to regulate gastric motility, the mechanisms of EA at ST36 on gastric emptying and networks of ICC remain to be elucidated. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of EA on gastric emptying and on the alterations of ICC networks. Rats were randomized into the control, diabetic rats (DM), diabetic rats with sham EA (DM+SEA), diabetic rats with low frequency EA (DM+LEA) and diabetic rats with high frequency EA groups (DM+HEA). The expression of c-kit in each layer of gastric wall was assessed by western blotting. The proliferation of ICC was identified by immunolabeling of c-kit and Ki67 as the apoptosis of ICC was examined by TUNEL staining. The results were as follows: (1) Gastric emptying was severely delayed in the DM group, but accelerated in the LEA and HEA group, especially in the LEA group. (2) The expression of c-kit in each layer was reduced apparently in the DM group, but also up-regulated in the LEA and HEA group. (3) Plentiful proliferated ICC (c-kit+/Ki67+) forming bushy networks with c-kit+ cells were observed in the LEA and HEA group, while the apoptotic cells (c-kit+/TUNEL+) were hardly captured in the LEA and HEA group. Collectively, low and high frequency EA at ST36 rescue the damaged networks of ICC by inhibiting the apoptosis and enhancing the proliferation in the stomach of diabetic rats, resulting in an improved gastric emptying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3-Phenyllactic acid (3-PLA) is a bioactive compound with broad-spectrum antibacterial and antifungal activity and several desirable pharmacological properties. In this study, 351 lactic acid bacterial strains isolated from naturally fermented Chinese vegetable samples were analyzed for their 3-PLA-producing ability, and three strains showing the greatest 3-PLA-producing ability were selected for further optimizing the fermentation conditions to enhance their 3-PLA yields. The results showed that all the strains were able to produce 3-PLA in MRS broth, but there were considerable variations in their 3-PLA-producing ability among the strains and among the species. Lactobacillus crustorum showed significantly higher 3-PLA-producing ability than the other species. In particular, L. crustorum NWAFU 1078 produced up to 45.2 mmol/L 3-PLA with a 73% substrate conversion rate under the optimized fermentation conditions that the culture was inoculated into MRS broth supplemented with 60 mmol/L phenylpyruvic acid as a substrate, 5.0% CaCO 3 as a neutralizer and incubated for 48 h at 30 °C. This study indicates the possibility of the biotransformation of phenylpyruvic acid by L. crustorum NWAFU 1078 for highly efficient 3-PLA production. • Lactic acid bacilli produced more 3-phenyllactic acid (3-PLA) than lactic acid cocci. • L. crustorum species produced highest 3-PLA among the 12 species of lactobacilli. • L. crustorum NWAFU 1078 produced 45.2 mmol/L 3-PLA under the optimal conditions. • L. crustorum genome harbors 3 L- and 3 D-lactate dehydrogenase genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To examine clinical characteristics of heterozygote and double heterozygote of three rare mutations [Hb Constants Spring(Hb CS), Hb Westmead (Hb WS) and Hb Quong Sze(Hb QS)] among alpha-thalassemia patients in Guangxi province, China. Methods: 135 alpha-thalassemia patients, and 40 controls, were included in this study. Routine examination of blood and hemoglobin electrophoresis were performed. The alpha-thalassemia mutations were detected using Gap-PCR and reverse dot-blotting. Results: There were no clinical symptoms in three heterozygote groups and the double heterozygote group of αCSα/αWSα. MCV and MCH in the heterozygote group of Hb QS were significantly lower than those in other heterozygote groups (Hb CS and Hb WS)(P<0.05). However, there was mild clinical symptoms in the double heterozygote group of αCSα/αQSα, while MCV and MCH were also significantly lower than those in other heterozygote groups (Hb CS and Hb WS) (P<0.05). Conclusions: The heterozygote Hb CS, heterozygote Hb WS and double heterozygote αCSα/αWSα are the silent carrier in clinical manifestations, the heterozygote Hb QS is the thalassemia trait, and the double heterozygote αCSα/αQSα is similar to the HbH disease. It is important to note this variability of clinical manifestations of those double heterozygotes in genetic consultation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the millipede Sphaerotheriidae sp. has been studied. The genome is 14,970 bp long and contains the typical complement of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and 2 ribosomal RNA genes. Gene order in Sphaerotheriidae sp. mitogenome is assumed to represent the myriapod ground pattern, which is shared by myriapod-chelicerate clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This work aims to comprehensively characterize hotspots and frontier landscapes concerning diabetes-specific distress from 2000 to 2018. Materials and Methods. Firstly, diabetes-specific distress-related literature was retrieved and downloaded from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). Secondly, WoSCC self-contained toolkits and GraphPad Prism7 were conducted to analyze general characteristics, including literature products, countries, institutes, authors, and journal resource. Finally, CiteSpace V Toolkits was put forward to implement advanced analysis, consisting of keyword-term frequency and co-occurrence, references-cited frequency and co-occurrence, and burst detection for keyword terms and references cited, which uncovers the hotspots and frontiers of diabetes-specific distress. Results. After preprocessing, our study included a total of 1051 papers concerning diabetes-specific distress. Publication outputs increased smoothly year by year. Compared with other journals, diabetic medicine delivered the largest number of documents. The United States occupied the leading positions, and the most productive institution was the University of California System in terms of literature products. Fisher L. has the highest references-cited frequency. Prevalence of diabetes-specific distress, diabetes-specific distress and glycemic control, diabetes-specific distress and depression comorbidity, and diabetes-specific distress and risk factors were the research hotspots, whereas the measure of diabetes-specific distress and latent and serious/severe diabetes-specific distress was the research frontiers. Conclusions. Overall, our study may inspire researchers to show great interest in diabetes-specific distress in the next few years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title compound, C17H24N2O3S, has been synthesized from 2-bromo-4,4-dimethyl-1-(2,4,5-trimethoxy­phen­yl)pentan-3-one via cyclization by thio­urea, acidification by hydrogen bromide which is the by-product of the cyclic reaction, and then neutralization by an aqueous solution of ammonia. Geometric parameters are in the usual ranges. The dihedral angle between the benzene ring and the thiazole ring is 65.9 (2)°. The crystal structure shows N—H⋯N and N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pleural fibrosis is barely reversible and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Pleural mesothelial cells (PMCs) which have apical-basal polarity play a key role in pleural fibrosis. Loss of cell polarity is involved in the development of fibrotic diseases. Partition defective protein (PAR) complex is a key regulator of cell polarity. However, changes of PMC polarity and PAR complex in pleural fibrosis are still unknown. In this study, we observed that PMC polarity was lost in fibrotic pleura. Next we found increased Lethal (2) giant larvae (Lgl) bound with aPKC and PAR-6B competing against PAR-3A in PAR complex, which led to cell polarity loss. Then we demonstrated that Lgl1 siRNA prevented cell polarity loss in PMCs, and Lgl1 conditional knockout (ER-Cre +/− Lgl1 flox / flox ) attenuated pleural fibrosis in a mouse model. Our data indicated that Lgl1 regulates cell polarity of PMCs, inhibition of Lgl1 and maintenance of cell polarity in PMCs could be a potential therapeutic treatment approach for pleural fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pleural fibrosis is associated with various inflammatory processes such as tuberculous pleurisy and bacterial empyema. There is currently no ideal therapeutic to attenuate pleural fibrosis. Some pro-fibrogenic mediators induce fibrosis through inflammatory processes, suggesting that blockage of these mediators might prevent pleural fibrosis. The MeT-5A human pleural mesothelial cell line (PMC) was used in this study as an in vitro model of fibrosis; and intra-pleural injection of bleomycin with carbon particles was used as an in vivo mouse model of pleural fibrosis. Calpain knockout mice, calpain inhibitor (calpeptin), and angiotensin (Ang) II type 1 receptor (AT 1 R) antagonist (losartan) were evaluated in prevention of experimental pleural fibrosis. We found that bleomycin and carbon particles induced calpain activation in cultured PMCs. This in vitro response was associated with increased collagen-I synthesis, and was blocked by calpain inhibitor or AT 1 R antagonist. Calpain genetic or treatment with calpeptin or losartan prevented pleural fibrosis in a mouse model induced by bleomycin and carbon particles. Our findings indicate that Ang II signaling and calpain activation induce collagen-I synthesis and contribute to fibrotic alterations in pleural fibrosis. Inhibition of Ang II and calpain might therefore be a novel strategy in treatment of pleural fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel composite system, containing Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles and Phanerochaete chrysosporium together with its secretion oxalate, was developed for phenol degradation. Fe 3 O 4 played an important role in the composite system as they could efficiently enhance phenol degradation when coexisted with oxalate under light. The maximal phenol degradation efficiency (93.41%) under solar light was detected at 0.5 g L −1 Fe 3 O 4 , while it reached a peak (40.36%) at 0.7 g L −1 Fe 3 O 4 under dark. Additionally, oxalate was found to be strongly dependent on Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles concentration, ranging from 26.27 to 32.78 mM. And adequate oxalate could enhance phenol degradation due to the participation of oxalate in the photocatalytic process. Furthermore, phenol degradation efficiency increased with the increase of phenol concentration. Besides, the contribution of manganese peroxidase (MnP) to phenol degradation was greater than that of lignin peroxidase (LiP). Cluster analysis indicated that MnP and oxalate could be the main factors that influenced phenol degradation. Importantly, both the biodegradation and photocatalysis played part in the degradation process. These findings proposed a new method of treatment of phenol wastewater and could provide useful references for more efficient treatment of phenol wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Segmental zoster paresis (SZP) of limbs, characterized by focal weakness of extremity, is recognized as a rare complication of herpes zoster (HZ). The following study analyzes the clinical characteristics and data from electromyography and MRI scans in patients with motor weakness after zoster infection.Methods: One thousand three hundred ninety-three patients from our database (Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital) suffering from HZ were retrospectively reviewed from June 2015 to July 2017. Patients who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for SZP were included in the analysis. The clinical characteristics, as well as electromyography findings and MRI scans were analyzed.Results: SZP was present in 0.57% of patients with HZ (8/1393). The average age of symptom onset in 8 SZP patients was 69 years old (SD: 13, range 47-87). The severity of muscle weakness ranged from mild to severe. The electrophysiological testing revealed the characteristics of axonopathy. Radiculopathy (2/8), plexopathy (2/8), radiculoplexopathy (3/8) and combined radiculopathy and mononeuropathy (1/8) were also identified. MRI revealed hyperintensity of the affected spinal dorsal horns, nerve roots or peripheral nerves.Conclusions: SZP is associated with obvious limb weakness, nerve axons lesions and localization to nerve roots, plexus or peripheral nerves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]