Search

A meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the correlation between calcium intake and the risk of brain tumors (especially glioma). The PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched for relevant papers on the association between calcium intake and glioma as of August 22, 2021. The odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated using a random-effects model. Egger's test was conducted to assess publication bias. The meta-analysis includes four studies. The meta-analysis showed that calcium intake and the risk of brain tumors have a significant negative relationship (OR = 0.28; 95% CI: 0.11 to 0.72; P = 0.008). Dose-response analysis showed that for every 100 mg/day increase in calcium intake, the risk of glioma decreased by 7% (OR = 0.93; 95% CI: 0.88 to 0.98). In addition, compared with humans without calcium intake, when calcium intake is 455 mg/day, 800 mg/day and 1000 mg/day, the risk of glioma is 0.65 (95% CI 0.43, 0.97), 0.55 (95% CI 0.37, 0.82) and 0.37 (95% CI 0.15, 0.86). There is a significant negative association between calcium intake and brain tumors (especially gliomas), but more high-quality studies are needed to verify these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The root of Croton crassifolius has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), called Radix Croton Crassifolius, and commonly known as "Ji Gu Xiang" in Chinese. Its medicinal value has been recorded in several medical books or handbooks, such as "Sheng Cao Yao Xing Bei Yao", "Ben Cao Qiu Yuan" and "Zhong Hua Ben Cao". It has been traditional employed for treating sore throat, stomach-ache, rheumatism and cancer. At present, there are limited studies on the evaluation of low-polarity extracts of roots in C. crassifolius. Consequently, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antitumor effect of the low-polarity extract of C. crassifolius root. Extracts were obtained by supercritical fluid extraction. The extracts were tested for antitumor effects in vitro on several cancer cell lines. A CCK-8 kit was used for further analysis of cell viability. A flow cytometer and propidium iodide staining were used to evaluate the cell cycle and apoptosis. Hoechst staining, JC-1 staining and the fluorescence probe DCFH-DA were used to evaluate apoptotic cells. Molecular mechanisms of action were analyzed by quantitative RT‒PCR and Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry was used for the evaluation of xenograft tumors in male BALB/c mice. Finally, molecular docking was employed to predict the bond between the desired bioactive compound and molecular targets. Eleven diterpenoids were isolated from low-polarity C. crassifolius root extracts. Among the compounds, chettaphanin II showed the strongest activity (IC 50 = 8.58 μM) against A549 cells. Evaluation of cell viability and the cell cycle showed that Chettaphanin II reduced A549 cell proliferation and induced G2/M-phase arrest. Chttaphanin II significantly induced apoptosis in A549 cells, which was related to the level of apoptosis-related proteins. The growth of tumor tissue was significantly inhibited by chettaphanin II in experiments performed on naked mice. The antitumor mechanism of chettaphanin II is that it can obstruct the mTOR/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in A549 cells. Molecular docking established that chettaphanin II could bind to the active sites of Bcl-2 and Bax. Taken together, the natural diterpenoid chettaphanin II was identified as the major antitumor active component, and its potential for developing anticancer therapies was demonstrated for the first time by antiproliferation evaluation in vitro and in vivo. [Display omitted] • Eleven diterpenoids were obtained from the SFE extract of C. crassifolius roots. • Chettaphanin II showed the strongest antitumor activity against A549 cells. • Chettaphanin II inhibited A549 cell proliferation and arrested cells in G2/M-phase. • Chettaphanin II induced A549 cell apoptosis by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. • Chettaphanin II significantly inhibited the growth of tumor tissue in nude mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five diarylpentanol derivatives including two new compounds stellerasme A (1), stellerasme B (2) were isolated from the aerial parts ofStelleropsis tianschanica. Their structures were elucidated by various spectroscopic techniques (UV, IR, MS, CD, 1D and 2D NMR). All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity activity against HeLa and KB cell lines, and compound1showed selective activities against HeLa cell line with an IC50value of 7.4 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Four new phenolic acids, clerodens A–D ( 1 – 4 ) possessing an unusual bicycle [2.2.2] octane moiety were isolated from the whole plants of Clerodendranthus spicatus . Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods, including NMR, MS, and ECD data. All isolates were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7, and compound 4 showed significant inhibitory activities with IC 50 value of 6.8 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusions: The long-term quality of life of adolescents with chronic rhinosinusitis improved significantly after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), and endoscopic sinus surgery showed certain benefits for adolescent patients. The selection of appropriate patients may further improve the surgical outcomes and quality of life. Objective: To analyze the long-term quality of life in adolescents (12-18 years) with chronic rhinosinusitis after endoscopic sinus surgery, and to evaluate the value of endoscopic sinus surgery in adolescent patients. Methods: From 2003 to 2008, 729 adolescents with chronic sinusitis underwent endoscopic sinus surgery in our department; 270 of these patients were included in the study. Their quality of life was assessed before and within 3-8 years after the surgery using the SNOT-20 scale and was compared with that of healthy individuals of the same age. Results: The SNOT-20-based assessment showed that the overall quality of life differed significantly before and after surgery ( p = 0.000) and that some symptoms (dizziness, sense of facial oppression, sleep difficulty, embarrassment, and fatigue) had no significant differences before and after surgery ( p > 0.05). Preoperative and postoperative symptoms (dizziness, sense of facial oppression, sleep difficulty, embarrassment, and fatigue) showed no significant differences between the healthy population and treated patients ( p > 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective A detection method with high efficiency and accuracy is urgently needed in clinical work. The purpose of our study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay for intestinal tuberculosis (ITB). Methods We searched PubMed and 4 other databases from their establishment to July 19, 2022, for published essays of diagnostic performance in which Xpert MTB/RIF was used to test patients with clinically suspected ITB. An assessment of the quality of the selected literature was conducted using QUADAS-2. We built forest plots by MetaDiSc software. Results The pooled Xpert MTB/RIF sensitivity was 48%, and the specificity was 99%. Moreover, the positive likelihood ratio for ITB diagnosis was 21.61. The negative likelihood ratio was 0.54. There were substantial variations between the study estimates of sensitivity (I 2 = 87.6%) and specificity (I 2 = 82.4%). Conclusion Intestinal TB is detected with limited diagnostic sensitivity by Xpert MTB/RIF but with high specificity. An Xpert-positive result may facilitate the rapid identification of ITB cases. Nevertheless, a negative result has less certainty in excluding the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of the reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for rapid detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in community or primary-care settings. Method We systematically searched the Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases. We conducted quality evaluation using ReviewManager software (version 5.0). We then used MetaDisc software (version 1.4) and Stata software (version 12.0) to build forest plots, along with a Deeks funnel plot and a bivariate boxplot for analysis. Result Overall, the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio were 0.79, 0.97, and 328.18, respectively. The sensitivity for the subgroup with RNA extraction appeared to be higher, at 0.88 (0.86–0.90), compared to the subgroup without RNA extraction, at 0.50 (0.45–0.55), with no significant difference in specificity. Conclusion RT-LAMP assay exhibited high specificity regarding current SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, its overall sensitivity was relatively moderate. Extracting RNA was found to be beneficial in improving sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-derived natural products have been the highly significant sources of novel antitumor agents. The cassane-type diterpenes of genusCaesalpiniahave been reported to bear antiproliferative activities toward different types of cancer cells. In this study, we evaluated the antineoplasmic activities of 16 natural origin cassane-type diterpenes isolated from the CHCl3extract of the seeds ofC. minaxin pituitary adenomas cells and identified caesalpin G (CAG) showed the strongest cytotoxicity. Moreover, we further investigated the structure–activity relationship and molecular mechanism of these derivatives systematically. The results confirmed the unsaturated lactone-type ring, hydroxyl at C-7, and alkenyl at C-11 or C-14 functionality as critical for anticancer activity in this family of natural products. In addition, the mechanism experiments also demonstrated unfolded protein response and ER stress and Wnt/β-catenin pathway were involved in the CAG-induced apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective. To explore the effect of high-quality nursing based on comprehensive nursing on postoperative quality of life and satisfaction of patients with malignant glioma. Methods. From September 2017 to May 2020, 86 patients with malignant glioma treated in our hospital were recruited and assigned (1 : 1) to receive either comprehensive nursing (comprehensive group) or high-quality nursing plus comprehensive nursing (high-quality group). Outcome measures included preoperative and postoperative self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) scores, self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores, quality of life, and nursing satisfaction. Results. High-quality nursing plus comprehensive nursing was associated with significantly lower SAS and SDS scores versus comprehensive nursing alone (P < 0.05). Patients receiving high-quality nursing plus comprehensive nursing showed higher quality of life scores versus those only given comprehensive nursing (P < 0.05). High-quality nursing plus comprehensive nursing resulted in higher nursing satisfaction of the patients versus comprehensive nursing alone (P < 0.05). Conclusion. High-quality nursing can relieve the negative emotions of patients with malignant glioma and significantly enhance their quality of life, thereby improving the nursing satisfaction of patients with nursing, so it is worthy of clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Race disparities exist in bone metastasis (BM) development and survival in lung cancer (LC) patients. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was used to investigate different patterns of BM development and survival in different races. Design: LC patients with BM were identified from the database from 2010 to 2014. Risk factors were investigated by univariable and multivariable logistic regression. Potential factors for prognosis were evaluated by univariable and multivariable Cox regression. Results: Asian and Pacific Islander (API) patients presented the highest prevalence of BM (24.6%), followed by white (20.7%) and black patients (19.9%) (χ2 = 78.74; p <.001). After adjusting for the demographic and clinical factors, API race was independently associated with a high risk of BM development. The median survival times for the API, white and black LC patients with BM were 16 months (95% CI: 15.2–16.8), 11 months (95% CI: 10.9–11.1) and 10 months (95% CI: 9.7–10.3), respectively, with significant differences (p <.001). Multivariable Cox regression showed that API race was positively associated with greater overall survival compared with white and black patients. Male gender, larger tumor size, lymph node involvement, lower tumor differentiated grade, and the presence of lung, liver and brain metastases were independently associated with a high risk of developing BM and worse survival with LC across all races. Age, income, insurance and histological types had different impacts on BM among different races. Conclusion: Homogeneous and heterogeneous associated factors for BM were revealed among different races. Individualized screening and treatment should be performed race-specifically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new ursane-type triterpene, cymosic acid (1) together with two known compounds, 3β,19α-dihydroxy-2-oxo-12-ursen-28-oic acid (2) and 2α,19α-dihydroxy-3-oxo-12-ursen-28-oic acid (3), were isolated from Rosa cymosa Tratt. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated by analyzing its 1H and 13C NMR, 1H–1H COSY, HSQC, HMBC, NOESY, and HR-ESI-MS values. The three compounds were found to display moderate inhibitory activities against nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophage cell lines, RAW 264.7 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 075 study evaluated the feasibility of enrolling and retaining men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) from Kenya, Malawi, and South Africa. During the study follow-up, 21 participants acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (seroconverters). We analyzed HIV subtype diversity, drug resistance, transmission dynamics, and HIV superinfection data among MSM and TGW enrolled in HPTN 075. Methods HIV genotyping and drug resistance testing were performed for participants living with HIV who had viral loads >400 copies/mL at screening (prevalent cases, n = 124) and seroconverters (n = 21). HIV pol clusters were identified using Cluster Picker. Superinfection was assessed by a longitudinal analysis of env and pol sequences generated by next-generation sequencing. Results HIV genotyping was successful for 123/124 prevalent cases and all 21 seroconverters. The major HIV subtypes were A1 (Kenya) and C (Malawi and South Africa). Major drug resistance mutations were detected in samples from 21 (14.6%) of 144 participants; the most frequent mutations were K103N and M184V/I. Phylogenetic analyses identified 11 clusters (2–6 individuals). Clusters included seroconverters only (n = 1), prevalent cases and seroconverters (n = 4), and prevalent cases only (n = 6). Superinfections were identified in 1 prevalent case and 2 seroconverters. The annual incidence of superinfection was higher among seroconverters than among prevalent cases, and was higher than the rate of primary HIV infection in the cohort. Conclusions This report provides important insights into HIV genetic diversity, drug resistance, and superinfection among MSM and TGW in sub-Saharan Africa. These findings may help to inform future HIV prevention interventions in these high-risk groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. West Africa has witnessed the unprecedented outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD). The Ebola virus (EBOV) can cause Ebola hemorrhagic fever, which is documented as the most deadly viral hemorrhagic fever in the world. RT-PCR had been suggested to be employed in the detection of Ebola virus; however, this method has high requirements for laboratory equipment and takes a long time to determine Ebola infection. Although Xpert Ebola is a fast and simple instrument for the detection of Ebola virus, its effect is still unclear. This study is aimed at evaluating the accuracy of Xpert Ebola in diagnosing Ebola virus infection. Methods. Using the keywords "Xpert" and "Ebola virus", relevant studies were retrieved from the database of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane. RT-PCR was employed as a reference standard to evaluate whether the study is eligible to be included in the meta-analysis. Data from these included studies were extracted by two independent assessors and were then analyzed by the Meta-DiSc 1.4 software to produce the heterogeneity of sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SP), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), and diagnostic advantage ratio (DOR) of the study. The results of pooled analysis were plotted, together with the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve plotted by calculating the area under the curve (AUC). Generated pooled summary estimates (95% CIs) were calculated for the evaluation of the overall accuracy of this study. Results. Five fourfold tables were made from the four studies that were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity of Xpert Ebola was 0.98 (95% confidence interval (CI) (0.95, 0.99)), and the pooled specificity was 0.98 (95% CI (0.97, 0.99)). The pooled values of positive likelihood ratio was 53.91 (95% CI (12.82, 226.79)), with negative likelihood ratio being 0.04 (95% CI (0.02, 0.08)) and diagnostic odds ratio being 2649.45 (95% CI (629.61, 11149.02)). The AUC was 0.9961. Conclusions. Compared with RT-PCR, Xpert Ebola has high sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, it is a valued alternative method for the clinical diagnosis of Ebola virus infection. However, the Xpert Ebola test is a qualitative test that does not provide quantitative testing of EBOV concentration. Whether it can completely replace other methods or not calls for further evidences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. High mortality associated with carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria (CP-GNB) has evolved into a global health threat. Rapid and accurate detection as well as prompt treatment are of great significance in this case. Xpert Carba-R, a multiple qualitative analysis designed to detect five clinically relevant carbapenem-resistant gene families within one hour, is regarded as reliable, accurate, and easy-to-operate. This study is to present a systematic evaluation of the performance of Xpert Carba-R in detecting carbapenemase genes in GNB suspected for carbapenemase production. Methods. We searched and screened the literature on "Xpert Carba-R" in the database of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library, employing two independent evaluators to collect data, respectively. Then, statistical analysis of the data obtained was performed by the Stata 12.0 software to measure the accuracy of Xpert Carba-R assay in detecting the carbapenemase genes in GNB. Results. We screened a total of 1767 Gram-negative bacillus isolates documented in 9 articles. The precision of the detection of OXA-48 carbapenemase genes was 100%; that of NDM = 100 %; that of VIM = 100 %. When it came to KPC, the precision rate was 100%; that of IMP = 99 %. The overall accuracy of the detection of carbapenemase genes was 100%. Conclusions. Xpert Carba-R assay demonstrates a 100% precision in identifying carbapenemase genes in GNB. It can be seen that Xpert Carba-R method is an effective tool for early clinical detection, which is suitable for the detection of carbapenase gene in GNB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The pathogenesis of invasive aspergillosis (IA) is still unknown, but its progression is rapid and mortality rate remains high. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) galactomannan (GM) analysis has been used to diagnose IA. This study is aimed at making an accurate estimate of the whole accuracy of BALF-GM in diagnosing IA. Methods. After a systematic review of the study, a bivariate meta-analysis was used to summarize the specificity (SPE), the sensitivity (SEN), the positive likelihood ratios (PLR), and the negative likelihood ratios (NLR) of BALF-GM in diagnosing IA. The overall test performance was summarized using a layered summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve. Subgroup analysis was performed to explore the heterogeneity between studies. Results. A total of 65 studies that are in line with the inclusion criteria were included. The summary estimates of BALF-GM analysis are divided into four categories. The first is the proven+probable vs. possible+no IA, with an SPE, 0.87 (95% CI, 0.85-0.98); SEN, 0.81 (95% CI, 0.76-0.84); PLR, 9.78 (5.78-16.56); and NLR, 0.20 (0.14-0.29). The AUC was 0.94. The BALF-GM test for proven+probable vs. no IA showed SPE, 0.88 (95% CI, 0.87-0.90); SEN, 0.82 (95% CI, 0.78-0.85); PLR, 6.56 (4.93-8.75); and NLR, 0.24 (0.17-0.33). The AUC was 0.93. The BALF-GM test for proven+probable+possible vs. no IA showed SPE, 0.82 (95% CI, 0.79-0.95); SEN, 0.59 (95% CI, 0.55-0.63); PLR, 3.60 (2.07-6.25); and NLR, 0.31 (0.15-0.61). The AUC was 0.86. The analyses for others showed SPE, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.83-0.87); SEN, 0.89 (95% CI, 0.86-0.91); PLR, 6.91 (4.67-10.22); and NLR, 0.18 (0.13-0.26). The AUC was 0.94. Conclusions. The findings of this BALF-GM test resulted in some impact on the diagnosis of IA. The BALF-GM assay is considered a method for diagnosing IA with high SEN and SPE. However, the patients' underlying diseases may affect the accuracy of diagnosis. When the cutoff is greater than 1, the sensitivity will be higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 074 evaluated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention interventions for people who inject drugs (PWID) in Indonesia, Ukraine, and Vietnam. Study interventions included support for HIV infection and substance use treatment. The study enrolled index participants living with HIV and injection partners who were not living with HIV. Seven partners acquired HIV infection during the study (seroconverters). We analyzed the phylogenetic relatedness between HIV strains in the cohort and the multiplicity of infection in seroconverters. Methods Pol region consensus sequences were used for phylogenetic analysis. Data from next-generation sequencing (NGS, env region) were used to evaluate genetic linkage of HIV from the 7 seroconverters and the corresponding index participants (index-partner pairs), to analyze HIV from index participants in pol sequence clusters, and to analyze multiplicity of HIV infection. Results Phylogenetic analysis of pol sequences from 445 index participants and 7 seroconverters identified 18 sequence clusters (2 index-partner pairs, 1 partner-partner pair, and 15 index-only groups with 2–7 indexes/cluster). Analysis of NGS data confirmed linkage for the 2 index-partner pairs, the partner-partner pair, and 11 of the 15 index-index clusters. The remaining 5 seroconverters had infections that were not linked to the corresponding enrolled index participant. Three (42.9%) of the 7 seroconverters were infected with more than 1 HIV strain (3–8 strains per person). Conclusions We identified complex patterns of HIV clustering and linkage among PWID in 3 communities. This should be considered when designing strategies for HIV prevention for PWID. Clinical Trials Registration NCT02935296. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Influenza virus mainly causes acute respiratory infections in humans. However, the diagnosis of influenza is not accurate based on clinical evidence, as the symptoms of flu are similar to other respiratory virus. The lateral-flow assay is a rapid method to detect influenza virus. But the effectiveness of the technique in detecting flu viruses is unclear. Hence, a meta-analysis would be performed to evaluate the accuracy of LFA in detecting influenza virus. Methods. Relevant literature was searched out in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases with the keywords "lateral flow assay" and "flu virus". By Meta-DiSc software, pooled sensitivity, pooled specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), summary receiver operating characteristic curve (SROC), and area under the curve (AUC) can be calculated. Results. This meta-analysis contains 13 studies and 24 data. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of the influenza virus detected by LFA were 0.84 (95% CI: 0.82-0.86) and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.97-0.98), respectively. The pooled values of PLR, NLR, DOR, and SROC were 32.68 (17.16-62.24), 0.17 (0.13-0.24), 334.07 (144.27-773.53), and 0.9877. No publication bias was found. Conclusions. LFA exhibited high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing influenza virus. It is a valuable alternative method which can diagnose influenza virus quickly. However, more evidence is required to confirm whether LFA is comparable to traditional methods for detecting the virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inability to access health services when needed is a critical barrier to HIV prevention, treatment and care among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW). Using data collected in HPTN 075, we explored factors associated with any experienced healthcare-related stigma. HPTN 075 was a cohort study to assess the feasibility of recruiting and retaining MSM and TGW in clinical trials in sub-Saharan Africa. Of 401 MSM and TGW enrolled at four sites (Kisumu, Kenya; Blantyre, Malawi; Cape Town, Soweto, South Africa) 397 contributed to the analysis (79.9% cis-gender and 20.1% TGW). Of these, (45.3%; 180/397) reported one or more of healthcare-related stigma experiences. Most frequently reported experiences included fear to seek healthcare services (36.3%) and avoiding seeking such services because of the discovery of MSM status (29.2%). Few men and TGW (2.5%) reported having been denied health services because of having sex with men. In multivariable analysis, more participants in Soweto [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.60] and fewer participants in Blantyre (AOR = 0.27) reported any healthcare-related stigma experiences, in comparison to participants in Kisumu. MSM and TGW that did not have a supportive gay community to rely on were more likely to report any healthcare-related stigma experiences (AOR = 1.46), whereas MSM and TGW who reported high social support and who never had engaged in transactional sex were less likely to report such experiences (AOR = 0.76 and AOR = 0.43, respectively). Our results suggest that encouraging support groups for MSM and TGW as well as training and sensitizing healthcare staff, and the general community, on MSM and TGW health issues and cultural competence may reduce stigma, improve access to healthcare, which could ultimately reduce HIV transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new bis-γ-pyrone polypropionate compound onchidione II (1), together with three known compounds, was isolated from a marine pulmonate mollusc Onchidium struma, collected at Hainan Island of China. The structure of new compound was determined by extensive spectroscopic analyses including IR, 1D and 2D NMR techniques, and chemical methods. Compounds 1–4 were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against human tumor cell lines HepG-2, A549, and MCF-2. The results showed that compounds 1 and 2 were moderate cytotoxic against HepG-2, A549, and MCF-2 cell lines, with IC50 values from 13.2 to 22.4 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Several studies have reported the association of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) with vitamin D deficiency. This study aimed to evaluate serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25 (OH) D) levels in native Chinese postmenopausal women with de novo idiopathic BPPV and to investigate the possible relationship between the occurrence of BPPV and low 25 (OH) D levels. Methods: This retrospective study comprised of 85 postmenopausal women with de novo idiopathic BPPV and 80 age-matched healthy controls. All subjects had bone mineral density (BMD) and serum 25 (OH) D levels measurements recorded, and the results were compared. Results: The prevalence of reduced BMD (T score <−1.0) was significantly higher in female patients with BPPV than in healthy controls (71.8% vs. 51.2%, p = .004). The mean serum 25 (OH) D levels were also significantly lower in female patients with BPPV than in healthy controls (19.1 ± 5.2 vs. 22.5 ± 5.8, p < .001). The regression analyses demonstrated that vitamin D deficiency was associated with BPPV with an odds ratio of 2.1 (95% confidence interval = 1.1-3.1, p = .031). Conclusion: Our study suggests that low 25 (OH) D may be a risk factor for BPPV in postmenopausal women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new steroidal glycosides ponasteroside C (1) and ponasteroside D (2) were isolated from the aerial parts ofLepidogrammitis drymoglossoides. Their structures were elucidated by various spectroscopic techniques (IR, HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR). All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against HeLa and HCT-8 cell lines, and compounds1and2showed mild activity against all the test cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Two novel diterpenes, norcaesalpinin I (1) featuring an unusual ring C-contracted dinorcassane and caesalpinin U (2) possessing a highly oxygenated furanocassane skeleton were isolated from the seeds of Caesalpinia minax. Their structures were determined by different spectroscopic methods. A plausible biosynthetic pathway of 1 was proposed. The cytotoxic activity of compounds 1 and 2 against HepG2 and HeLa human tumor cell lines was evaluated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Four novel diterpenes possessing rare five-membered peroxide ring, aphanaperoxides E–H (1–4), were isolated from stem bark of Aphanamixis polystachya. Their structures including the absolute configuration were elucidated by spectroscopic data and CD analysis. The cytotoxicities of the isolated compounds against a panel of human cancer cell lines were evaluated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]