Search

Purpose: The study object was to determine the relationship between leptin and diabetes. Methods: We searched for the literature on the relationship between leptin and diabetes from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CNKI databases. We carried out the meta‐analysis by calculating the Std. Mean Difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to study the relationship between leptin and diabetes. We performed the Chi‐square‐based Q test and I2 statistics to evaluate the potential heterogeneity, and the sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the stability of our results. Moreover, Begg's test was performed to evaluate the publication bias. Results: There are 10 studies in this study for meta‐analysis, which include 1879 patients (diabetic (n = 1024); and nondiabetic patients (n = 855)). The results indicated that the levels of serum leptin were significantly increased in patients with diabetes (SMD = 1.78, 95% CI [0.81, 2.76]), especially those with gestational diabetes mellitus compared with controls (SMD = 3.03, 95% CI [1.21, 4.86]). However, the results showed that there was no difference in serum leptin levels between type 2 diabetes and controls (SMD = 0.34, 95% CI [−1.06, 1.74]). Conclusions: Our analysis indicated that the levels of serum leptin were significantly elevated in patients with diabetes especially those with gestational diabetes mellitus compared with controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug solubility plays a significant role in the development of drug formulation. The objectives of this work are to improve the solubility and dissolution rate of vortioxetine (VT) by preparing its inclusion complexes (ICs) with β‐Cyclodextrin (β‐CD) and γ‐Cyclodextrin (γ‐CD). The ICs were prepared in 1:1 M ratio via recrystallization method and characterized by P‐XRD, FT‐IR, 1H NMR, 2D NOESY, and DSC. Further, the crystal structure of VT‐β‐CD was analyzed by SC‐XRD. P‐XRD data obtained for ICs describe the crystalline pattern. The DSC analysis shows change in the thermal behavior of VT, CDs and ICs. FT‐IR analysis shows shifting of frequencies in ICs when compared with the pristine VT drug and CDs. The 2D NOESY in DMSO‐d6 indicates weak interaction between the VT and CD molecules. The crystal structure of VT‐β‐CD consists of one guest VT, one host CD, and nine water molecules in the crystal lattice. The solubility of ICs was significantly improved in distilled water, pH 1.2 acidic, and phosphate buffer pH 6.8 medium, as compared with the solubility of the pristine VT drug. The in vitro dissolution rate of ICs in different dissolution media was investigated, which was higher than that of the commercial product of VT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial and temporal characteristics of the factors influencing metro passenger flow are basic phenomena reflecting the environment‐land relationship. Existing studies tend to focus more on the characteristics of metro trips and the static built environment. One of the outstanding contributions of this paper is to expand the scope of the factors influencing the built environment of metro stations and explore the spatial differentiation and pattern characteristics of the static and dynamic environments. This paper provides additional empirical insights into spatiotemporal influencing factors of metro mobility patterns from the dynamic perspective. The results show spatial and temporal heterogeneity between four types of metro stations and their influencing factors. 21.59% of the stations are in in active areas, while the distribution of parking lots has a positive effect on metro passenger flow; 29.55% of the stations belong to integrated residential areas, and the number of residential areas is the dominant factor in such agglomerations; 38.64% of the areas belong to work areas, and such areas have the highest work‐related coefficients, but the work variable in the central city has a certain inhibiting effect; 10.23% of the stations are in commercial areas, which are mainly distributed within the central urban area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoformulations of mononuclear Pt complexes cis‐PtCl2(PPh3)2 (1), [Pt(PPh3)2(L−Cys)] ⋅ H2O (3, L−Cys=L‐cysteinate), trans‐PtCl2(PPh2PhNMe2)2 (4; PPh2PhNMe2=4‐(dimethylamine)triphenylphosphine), trans‐PtI2(PPh2PhNMe2)2 (5) and dinuclear Pt cluster Pt2(μ‐S)2(PPh3)4 (2) have comparable cytotoxicity to cisplatin against murine melanoma cell line B16F10. Masking of these discrete molecular entities within the hydrophobic core of Pluronic® F‐127 significantly boosted their solubility and stability, ensuring efficient cellular uptake, giving in vitro IC50 values in the range of 0.87–11.23 μM. These results highlight the potential therapeutic value of Pt complexes featuring stable Pt−P bonds in nanocomposite formulations with biocompatible amphiphilic polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chishui River is the last free‐flowing tributary of the upper Yangtze River, China, which has an important role in fish conservation. This study aimed to explore the spatial organisation of fish assemblages in this river. Field sampling was conducted biannually between 2015 and 2017 at 41 sites from its headwater and downstream. One hundred and twenty‐two fish species were captured, including 34 endemic, 15 threatened and six exotic species. Fish assemblages varied significantly along the longitudinal gradient. Based on cluster and ordination analyses, 41 sampling sites could be divided into five site‐groups, corresponding to the headwater, upstream, midstream, downstream and the Xishui‐branch, respectively. The splitting of fish assemblages was consistent with the geographical divisions. However, fish species changed gradually along the longitudinal gradient rather than abruptly, which was consistent with the River Continuum Concept (RCC). In the headwaters and upstream, fish assemblages were mainly dominated by cold‐water and rheophilic species, while in the lower stretches, fish assemblages were dominated by warm‐water and limnophilic species. According to null models, fish assemblages were significantly nonrandomly structured at the basin scale, but randomly structured at the regional scale. This study is an important step in understanding the assembly rules of fish assemblages in this free‐flowing river and provides useful information for future fish conservation and ecological restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Aims: We aimed to explore effects of bone marrow stromal cell antigen‐1 (BST1) rs4698412 allelic variant on brain activation and associative clinical symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods: A total of 49 PD patients and 47 healthy control (HC) subjects were recruited for clinical evaluations, blood samples collection for genotypes, and resting‐state functional MRI (rs‐fMRI) scans. Based on BST1 rs4698412 allelic variant (G → A), participants were further divided into 18 PD‐GG, 31 PD‐GA/AA, 20 HC‐GG, and 27 HC‐GA/AA carriers, which respectively indicated subjects carrying ancestral or risk allele in that locus in PD or HC. Two‐way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was applied to investigate main effects and interactions between PD and BST1 rs4698412 allelic variant on brain function via amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuations (ALFF). Spearman's correlations were then utilized to detect associations between interactive brain regions and clinical symptoms. Results: Compared to HC subjects, PD patients exhibited increased ALFF values in left cerebellum_8 and cerebellum_9. Significant interaction was in right lingual gyrus, where there were the lowest ALFF values and ALFF values were only negatively associated with Timed Up and Go (TUG) test time in PD‐GA/AA subgroup. Conclusion: BST1 rs4698412‐modulated lingual gyrus functional alterations could be related to gait and balance dysfunction in PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Aims: To investigate the efficacy of chitin biological absorbable catheters in a rat model of autologous nerve transplantation. Methods: A segment of sciatic nerve was removed to produce a sciatic nerve defect, and the sural nerve was cut from the ipsilateral leg and used as a graft to bridge the defect, with or without use of a chitin biological absorbable catheter surrounding the graft. The number and morphology of regenerating myelinated fibers, nerve conduction velocity, nerve function index, triceps surae muscle morphology, and sensory function were evaluated at 9 and 12 months after surgery. Results: All of the above parameters were improved in rats in which the nerve graft was bridged with chitin biological absorbable catheters compared with rats without catheters. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that use of chitin biological absorbable catheters to surround sural nerve grafts bridging sciatic nerve defects promotes recovery of structural, motor, and sensory function and improves muscle fiber morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message Residual periosteum developed periosteal bone formation in the pocket 10 years after cranioplasty, lumpectomy was conducted on the left lower abdomen under local anesthesia. Pathological sections revealed abundant osteocytes and mature bone matrix, and confirmed the bone formation on the residual periosteum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The aim of this study is to further uncover the neural basis of postural instability gait disorder ( PIGD) subtype of Parkinson's disease. Methods With F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET ( FDG- PET), brain glucose metabolism of patients with PIGD (n = 15) was compared with healthy controls (n = 17) and tremor-dominant ( TD) patients (n = 15), and the correlation between metabolism and PIGD symptoms was also assessed. Within PIGD symptom-correlated hypometabolic areas, the relationship of functional connectivity ( FC) with motor and cognitive symptoms was examined by using functional MRI. Results Compared with controls, patients with PIGD displayed a distributed pattern of brain hypometabolism including striatal, frontal, and parietal areas. Relative to the pattern of TD patients, the pattern of patients with PIGD had additional metabolic decreases in caudate and inferior parietal lobule ( IPL, Brodmann area [ BA] 40). In PIGD group, the metabolic reductions in IPL ( BA 40), middle frontal gyrus ( MFG, BA 9) and fusiform gyrus ( FG, BA 20) were associated with severe PIGD symptoms. Regions showing such correlation were chosen for further seed-based FC analysis. Decreased FC within the prefrontal-parietal network (between the MFG and IPL) was associated with severe PIGD symptoms. Conclusion The involvement of the caudate, FG, and prefrontal-parietal network may be associated with the prominent gait impairments of PIGD subtype. Our findings expand the pathophysiological knowledge of PIGD subtype and provide valuable information for potential neuromodulation therapies alleviating gait disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new lycopodium alkaloids, huperserramines A-C ( 1- 3, resp.), along with 15 known ones, lycopodine-6 α,11 α-diol ( 4), lycoposerramine H ( 5), lycoposerramine I ( 6), lycopodine-6 α-ol ( 7), lycoposerramine M ( 8), diphaladine A ( 9), lycoposerramine K ( 10), lycoposerramine W ( 11), huperzine M ( 12), luciduline ( 13), phlegmariuine N ( 14), huperzine A ( 15), huperzine B ( 16), lycodine ( 17), and lycoposerramine R ( 18), were isolated from the whole plant of Huperzia serrata. Their structures were established by spectroscopic methods, including 2D-NMR and MS analyses. All the isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and α-glucosidase. As a result, lycopodine-6 α,11 α-diol ( 4) exhibited more potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity ( IC50 148±5.5 μ M) than the positive control acarbose ( IC50 376.3±2.7 μ M). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pd nanocubes dispersed on graphene oxide were prepared by the reduction of PdCl42−. In this method,graphene oxideactedasboth surfactant and support.The as-prepared Pd nanocubes/graphene oxidecatalyst exhibited higher electrocatalytic activity and stability than a commercial Pd/C catalyst for methanol and formic acid oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new metabolites, norcyclocitrinol A ( 1), erythro-11 α-hydroxyneocyclocitrinol ( 2), and pesudocyclocitrinol A ( 3), along with six known analogs, i.e., neocyclocitrinols A-D ( 4- 7, resp.), cyclocitrinol ( 8), and 24-epicyclocitrinol ( 9), were isolated and identified from the culture broth of Penicillium chrysogenum P1X, a fungal endophyte of Huperzia serrata. Compounds 1- 9 were identified by spectroscopic methods to share the same C25-steroid skeleton featuring an unusual bicyclo[4.4.1] A/ B ring system. In particular, 1 represents the first example of a C25 steroid with a bisnor C-atom side chain. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against HeLa and HepG2 cell lines. However, none of them exhibited a significant cytotoxicity at a concentration of 20 μ M. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) induced senescence in hematopoietic stem cells (HCs). Mouse Sca-1+ HCs were separated and purified using the magnetic activated cell sorting technique. Ox-LDL induced significant senescence in HCs measured by SA-β-Gal staining, and reduced CFU-Mix colony-forming capacity, arresting cells at G0/G1 phase. In agreement with the cell cycle arrest, ox-LDL markedly reduced the expression of CDK4, cyclin D, and cyclin E. As possible contributing factors for cell senescence, ox-LDL also induced cellular oxidative stress and reduced telomerase activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new polyketide derivatives, huaspenones C and D ( 1 and 2, resp.), were isolated from the cultures of an endophytic fungus Peyronellaea sp. HS-12, derived from the stems of Huperzia serrata. They share N-bearing furan-3(2 H)-one backbone, and 2 has an unprecedented furo[3,2- c]pyridine skeleton. Their structures including the absolute configuration were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis combined with quantum-chemical calculations. (2 E,4 E)-6-hydroxy-2-methylocta-2,4-dienoic acid ( 3), a key intermediate of the biosynthesis of 1 and 2, was also obtained from the endophyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]