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(1) Background: A tophus is a clinical manifestation of advanced gout, and in some patients could lead to joint deformities, fractures, and even serious complications in unusual sites. Therefore, to explore the factors related to the occurrence of tophi and establish a prediction model is clinically significant. (2) Objective: to study the occurrence of tophi in patients with gout and to construct a predictive model to evaluate its predictive efficacy. (3) Methods: The clinical data of 702 gout patients were analyzed by using cross-sectional data of North Sichuan Medical College. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze predictors. Multiple machine learning (ML) classification models are integrated to analyze and identify the optimal model, and Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) interpretation was developed for personalized risk assessment. (4) Results: Compliance of urate-lowering therapy (ULT), Body Mass Index (BMI), course of disease, annual attack frequency, polyjoint involvement, history of drinking, family history of gout, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were the predictors of the occurrence of tophi. Logistic classification model was the optimal model, test set area under curve (AUC) (95% confidence interval, CI): 0.888 (0.839–0.937), accuracy: 0.763, sensitivity: 0.852, and specificity: 0.803. (5) Conclusions: We constructed a logistic regression model and explained it with the SHAP method, providing evidence for preventing tophus and guidance for individual treatment of different patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Alocasia macrorrhiza has been used as a folk medicine for cancer treatment in the Southwest of China. Aim of the study: The purpose of this study is to confirm the anticancer activity of aqueous extract of alocasia macrorrhiza against hepatic cancer and to elucidate its mechanism of action. Materials and methods: Human normal liver cells and hepatocellular carcinoma cells were tested in vitro for cytotoxicity, colony formation inhibition, EdU incorporation, AO/EB staining apoptotic cells, apoptotic DNA fragmentation, and cell cycle distribution in response to alocasia macrorrhiza extract. The mRNA and protein expressions of PPARγ, Cyclin D1, Rb, P21, Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 were detected through RT-PCR and Western blotting; the tumor growth inhibition in vivo was tested by oral administration of the extract. Results: Alocasia macrorrhiza aqueous extract exhibited proliferation inhibition and apoptosis effects on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro, inhibited hepatoma growth in vivo. Conclusion: Alocasia macrorrhiza extract has potential cytotoxic and apoptotic effect on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and inhibits hepatoma growth in vivo, its mechanism of action might be associated with the inhibition of DNA synthesis, cell cycle (G0/G1) arrest, apoptosis induction through up-regulation the mRNA and protein expressions of PPARγ, Rb, Bax and capase-3genes and down-regulation of the expressions of Cyclin D1 and Bcl-2 genes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Apple polyphenol relieves mean pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary vessel resistance in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension model of rat. • After apple polyphenol administration, both endothelium intact and removed pulmonary vessel rings constricted by KCl or phenylephrine are relaxed. • Apple polyphenol up-regulates Ca2+ efflux and K+ influx in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell. • Apple polyphenol reduces pulmonary artery endothelium cell injury and apoptosis under hypoxia, and up-regulates NO level by enhancing endothelial nitric oxide synthase. Abstract Aim This study aims to test the effect of apple polyphenol (APP) on hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and explore its possible underlying mechanisms. Methods and results Rats were treated with control, APP, hypoxia (8 h/d), hypoxia + APP. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary vessel resistance (PVR) were examined. Phenylephrine (PE)-pretreated pulmonary vessel rings were prepared for observation of APP administration. eNOS, sGC inhibitors (L-NAME, MB), Ca2+ channel blockers (NiCl 2 , Calhex231), K+ channel blockers (4-AP, 5-HD, TEA, BaCl 2) were applied to pulmonary vessel rings and pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC). Flow cytometry analysis and CCK-8 assay were applied to detect apoptosis of pulmonary artery endothelium cell (PAEC). Caspase-3, NO, eNOS, iNOS were detected in PAEC. APP reversed mPAP and PVR elevation in vivo. Contraction of pulmonary vessel rings with/without endothelium induced by hypoxia were inhibited by APP. APP effect was hindered by L-NAME or MB, and could be reduced by K+channel blockers. Further, APP was found to decrease cytosolic Ca2+ in PASMC and protect PAEC from apoptosis. In PAEC, Caspase-3, iNOS were decreased and NO, eNOS were increased after APP administration. Conclusions APP reverses pulmonary vasoconstriction through enzyme expression and cation channel activities, thus has effects of PASMC relaxation and PAEC protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithocarpus polystachyus leaves have been used as tea beverage and folk medicine for healthy care in the Southwest of China. The purpose of this study is to investigate the anticancer activity of Lithocarpus polystachyus Rehd leaf aqueous extract (LPAE) and to explore the possible mechanism of its activity. Growth inhibition effects of LPAE breast cancer were tested in vitro and in vivo. The possible mechanism of its activity was analyzed with cell biological and molecular biological assays. After LPAE treatment, the proliferation and colony formation of cancer cells decreased; apoptotic cells increased; DNA fragmentations were evident; mRNA and protein expressions of PPARγ, Bax, and caspase-3 genes increased and expressions of cyclin D1 and Bcl-2 genes decreased; in vivo experiment, LPAE inhibited human beast cancer growth. The findings in this experimental study suggested that LPAE has potential cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on human breast cancer cells in vitro and inhibits the cancer growth in vivo, and its mechanism of activity might be associated with apoptosis induction of cancer cells through upregulation of the mRNA and protein expressions of PPARγ, Bax, and capase-3 genes and downregulation of the expressions of cyclin D1 and Bcl-2 genes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]