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Honokiol (HK) and magnolol (MAG) are typical representatives of neolignans possessing a wide range of biological activities and are employed as traditional medicines in Asia. In the past few decades, HK and MAG have been proven to be promising chemical scaffolds for the development of novel neolignan drugs. This review focuses on recent advances in the medicinal chemistry of HK and MAG derivatives, especially their structure-activity relationships. In addition, it also presents a comprehensive summary of the pharmacology, biosynthetic pathways, and metabolic characteristics of HK and MAG. This review can provide pharmaceutical chemists deeper insights into medicinal research on HK and MAG, and a reference for the rational design of HK and MAG derivatives., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Exploring the clinical value of multiparametric magnetic resonance (Mp-MRI)-cognitive fusion method of targeted transperineal prostate puncture combined with rapid pathological diagnosis. Patients with suspected prostate cancer admitted to our hospital from 2022.01 to 2023.05 were selected as the study subjects, and Mp-MRI was performed and the suspected lesions were scored by the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS). The enrolled patients were randomly divided into the transperineal prostate targeted puncture plus rapid pathology group (experimental group) and the transperineal prostate systematic combined targeted puncture plus conventional pathology group (control group), and the positive puncture rate, pathological findings, and complications were analyzed to compare the differences between the two groups. A total of 100 patients were enrolled, 53 in the experimental group [age 55-89 years, (73.17±7.79) years; tPSA 7.01-100 μg/L, mean 21.34 (12.38, 44.42) μg/L]and 47 in the control group [age 60-87 years, (71.96±7.07) years; tPSA 6.11-98.82 μg/L, mean 18.77 (9.04, 38.09) μg/L], and there was no significant difference between the two groups in the diagnostic positivity rate of overall PCa and clinically significant PCa ( P> 0.05); there was no significant difference in the highest Gleason score of pathological tissues between the two groups ( P >0.05); the number of cases of medically induced sarcoid hematuria in the experimental group were significantly reduced compared with the control group ( P< 0.05). In terms of biopsy pain score (VAS), patients in the experimental group experienced less pain than those in the control group ( P <0.05). The Mp-MRI-cognitive fusion method of transperineal targeted prostate puncture combined with rapid frozen section pathological examination can provide rapid and accurate pathological results, reduce the chance of post-puncture complications, and alleviate the pain caused by puncture sampling, which has high clinical value.

A new tetrahydroimidazopyridine named butyl (5 R ,6 R ,7 S ,8 S )-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-6,7,8-trihydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)imidazo[1,2- a ]pyridine-2-carboxylate( 1 ), together with eight known compounds ( 2 - 9 ), were isolated from the fermentation broth of a marine-derived fungus Paraconiothyrium sp. YK-03. Their chemical structures were elucidated by extensive analysis of one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, HR-ESIMS and optical rotation. Among these compounds, compound 1 represented a rare tetrahydroimidazopyridine, and compounds 2 - 7 were isolated from the Paraconiothyrium species for the first time. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for compound 1 was proposed.

Cyclodepsipeptides are a large family of peptide-related natural products consisting of hydroxy and amino acids linked by amide and ester bonds. A number of cyclodepsipeptides have been isolated and characterized from fungi and bacteria. Most of them showed antitumor, antifungal, antiviral, antimalarial, and antitrypanosomal properties. Herein, this review summarizes the recent literatures (2010-2022) on the progress of cyclodepsipeptides from fungi and bacteria except for those of marine origin, in order to enrich our knowledge about their structural features and biological sources., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Liu, Ou-Yang, Lu, Guo, Dai, Li, Yu and Pei.)

Three undescribed santalane-type sesquiterpenoids (parasantalenoic acids A-C) and two undescribed epimeric isobenzofuranones (paraphthalides A and B) were isolated from cultures of the marine mud-associated fungus Paraconiothyrium sporulosum YK-03. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of the extensive spectroscopic and crystal X-ray diffraction data, combined with ECD calculations and comparison. Santalane-type sesquiterpenoids have been firstly found in the Paraconiothyrium species. Parasantalenoic acids A-C represent three rare polyhydroxylated santalane-type sesquiterpenoid carboxylic acids, and parasantalenoic acid A represents the first example of 2-chlorinated santalane-type sesquiterpenoid. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for parasantalenoic acids A-C was proposed. Additionally, the anti-neuroinflammatory activities of parasantalenoic acids A-C were investigated by evaluating their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 microglia cells. Among them, parasantalenoic acid C showed significant anti-neuroinflammatory activity with an inhibition of 86.45 ± 2.45% at 10 μM., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Three undescribed lignan glycosides, echiunines E-G (1-3), as well as eight known compounds (4-11) were isolated from Fritillaria verticillata Willd. Among them, compounds 1-3 were a series of lignan glycosides reported for the first time from genus Fritillaria. Their structures were elucidated by analyses of extensive spectroscopic data and comparison of the NMR data with those reported previously, the absolute configuration of compounds were further confirmed by calculated ECD method. The NO release inhibitory effects of compounds were evaluated in LPS-activated RAW264.7 macrophages. Compounds 7-8 showed inhibitory acitivities in a dose-dependent manner., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

To address the problems of low accuracy and slow convergence of traditional multilevel image segmentation methods, a symmetric cross-entropy multilevel thresholding image segmentation method (MSIPOA) with multi-strategy improved pelican optimization algorithm is proposed for global optimization and image segmentation tasks. First, Sine chaotic mapping is used to improve the quality and distribution uniformity of the initial population. A spiral search mechanism incorporating a sine cosine optimization algorithm improves the algorithm's search diversity, local pioneering ability, and convergence accuracy. A levy flight strategy further improves the algorithm's ability to jump out of local minima. In this paper, 12 benchmark test functions and 8 other newer swarm intelligence algorithms are compared in terms of convergence speed and convergence accuracy to evaluate the performance of the MSIPOA algorithm. By non-parametric statistical analysis, MSIPOA shows a greater superiority over other optimization algorithms. The MSIPOA algorithm is then experimented with symmetric cross-entropy multilevel threshold image segmentation, and eight images from BSDS300 are selected as the test set to evaluate MSIPOA. According to different performance metrics and Fridman test, MSIPOA algorithm outperforms similar algorithms in global optimization and image segmentation, and the symmetric cross entropy of MSIPOA algorithm for multilevel thresholding image segmentation method can be effectively applied to multilevel thresholding image segmentation tasks., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Zhang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Backgroud: The ECG profile of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) includes ST-segment elevation (STE) that may lead to misdiagnosis of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This pseudo-STEMI may bring non-essential treatment. We aimed to confirm the ECG differences between HCM featured with pseudo-STEMI and acute STEMI., Material and Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 59 HCM cases (Group A) and 56 acute STEMI cases (Group B). Based on the locations of STE, all the patients were divided into four subgroups, including HCM with STE in anterior leads (Group A1), anterior STEMI (Group B1), HCM with STE in inferior leads (Group A2) and inferior STEMI (Group B2). Several ECG parameters were compared between these subgroups., Results: ECG parameters significantly differed between these groups, especially the number of leads with TWI. We evaluated the diagnostic value of ECG profiles for those groups. ROC analysis showed that for Group A vs. Group B, number of leads with TWI showed the highest AUC value of 0.805 and its cutoff of 2.5, with 76.3% sensitivity and 76.8% specificity. For Group A1 vs. Group B1, it showed the highest AUC value of 0.801 and its cut-off point was 2.5, with 77.1% sensitivity and 79.1% specificity. For Group A2 vs. Group B2, it showed the highest AUC value of 0.822 and the cut-off value was 4.5, with 54.5% sensitivity and 92.3% specificity., Conclusion: ECG plays a valid tool to distinguish "Pseudo-STEMI" HCM from acute STEMI, especially number of leads with TWI., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors declare that they have no conflflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Recent studies have proposed three lymphatic drainage systems in the brain, that is, the glymphatic system, the intramural periarterial drainage pathway, and meningeal lymphatic vessels, whose roles in various neurological diseases have been widely explored. The glymphatic system is a fluid drainage and waste clearance pathway that utilizes perivascular space and aquaporin-4 protein located in the astrocyte endfeet to provide a space for exchange of cerebrospinal fluid and interstitial fluid. The intramural periarterial drainage pathway drives the flow of interstitial fluid through the capillary basement membrane and the arterial tunica media. Meningeal lymphatic vessels within the dura mater are involved in the removal of cerebral macromolecules and immune responses. After ischemic stroke, impairment of these systems could lead to cerebral edema, accumulation of toxic factors, and activation of neuroinflammation, while restoration of their normal functions can improve neurological outcomes. In this review, we summarize the basic concepts of these drainage systems, including drainage routes, physiological functions, regulatory mechanisms, and detection technologies. We also focus on the roles of lymphatic drainage systems in brain injury after ischemic stroke, as well as recent advances in therapeutic strategies targeting these drainage systems. These findings provide information for potential novel strategies for treatment of stroke., Competing Interests: None

Fruit-picking robots are one of the important means to promote agricultural modernization and improve agricultural efficiency. With the development of artificial intelligence technology, people are demanding higher picking efficiency from fruit-picking robots. And a good fruit-picking path determines the efficiency of fruit-picking. Currently, most picking path planning is a point-to-point approach, which means that the path needs to be re-planned after each completed path planning. If the picking path planning method of the fruit-picking robot is changed from a point-to-point approach to a continuous picking method, it will significantly improve its picking efficiency. The optimal sequential ant colony optimization algorithm(OSACO) is proposed for the path planning problem of continuous fruit-picking. The algorithm adopts a new pheromone update method. It introduces a reward and punishment mechanism and a pheromone volatility factor adaptive adjustment mechanism to ensure the global search capability of the algorithm, while solving the premature and local convergence problems in the solution process. And the multi-variable bit adaptive genetic algorithm is used to optimize its initial parameters so that the parameter selection does not depend on empirical and the combination of parameters can be intelligently adjusted according to different scales, thus bringing out the best performance of the ant colony algorithm. The results show that OSACO algorithms have better global search capability, higher quality of convergence to the optimal solution, shorter generated path lengths, and greater robustness than other variants of the ant colony algorithm., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Zhang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

In this work, four new cyclodepsipeptides, fusarihexins C-E ( 1 - 3 ) and enniatin Q ( 4 ), four new cyclopentane derivatives, fusarilins A-D ( 5 - 8 ), together with eight known compounds ( 9 - 16 ), were isolated from cultures of the endophytic fungus Fusarium sp. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by analysis of HRMS and NMR spectroscopic data. The absolute configurations were determined using Marfey's method, a modified Mosher's method, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and ECD analysis. The antitumor activities of the isolated compounds in vitro were evaluated. Cyclodepsipeptides displayed cytotoxicities against the Huh-7, MRMT-1, and HepG-2 cell lines. Compounds 4 , 9 , 10 , and 12 with IC 50 values of 1.0-9.1 μM exhibited the most potent cytotoxicities against the three cell lines as compared to the positive control-5-fluorouracil. Compounds 1 - 3 and 11 exhibited moderate cytotoxic activities (IC 50 values of 10.7-20.1 μM).

Oleanolic acid (OA), a ubiquitous pentacyclic oleanane-type triterpene isolated from edible and medicinal plants, exhibits a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities and tremendous therapeutic potential. However, the undesirable pharmacokinetic properties limit its application and development. Numerous researches on structural modifications of OA have been carried out to overcome this limitation and improve its pharmacokinetic and therapeutic properties. This review aims to compile and summarize the recent progresses in the medicinal chemistry of OA derivatives, especially on structure-activity relationship in the last few years (2010-2021). It gives insights into the rational design of bioactive derivatives from OA scaffold as promising therapeutic agents., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Alsophila spinulosa, as a rare tree fern with potential medicinal value, has attracted extensive attention. Herein, the physicochemical properties, antioxidant and anti-aging activities of polysaccharide from A. spinulosa leaf (ALP) were investigated. ALP was composed of galactose, arabinose, glucose, rhamnose, galacturonic acid, mannose, and fucose. (1→), (1→6), and (1→2) bond types were the primary glycosidic bond in ALP. Surprisingly, ALP displayed the wonderful activity of antioxidant and anti-aging, including excellent scavenging ability against DPPH and ABTS radicals in vitro; prolonging the life span, improving activity of antioxidative enzymes (SOD and CAT), and decreasing the level of ROS, MDA in Caenorhabditis elegans. Meanwhile, ALP promoted DAF-16 to move into the nuclear. Overall, our results illustrated that ALP could be further developed as a functional food ingredient., (© 2022 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

For our interest in the potential biologically active and structurally unique steroidal glycosides, continued phytochemical investigation of Cynanchum taihangense was carried out; twelve new seco-pregnane glycosides, cynataihosides I-L ( 1 - 4 ), M-T ( 7 - 14 ), and two known glycosides, glaucoside A ( 5 ) and atratcynoside F ( 6 ), were isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of Cynanchum taihangense . Two new aglycones were found among compounds 10 , 11 , 13 , and 14 . The structures of the glycosides were elucidated based on 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data, HR-ESI-MS analysis, and chemical evidence. The cytotoxicity of compounds against three human tumor cell lines (HL - 60, THP-1, and PC-3) were evaluated by MTT assay. Compound 11 displayed significant cytotoxicity against THP-1 and PC-3 cell line with IC 50 values of 5.08 and 22.75 μm, respectively. Compounds 3 and 14 exhibited moderate and selective cytotoxicity on HL - 60 and THP-1 with IC 50 values of 17.78 and 16.02 μm, respectively.

The secondary metabolites of Fusarium sporotrichioides , an endophytic fungus with anti-tumor activity isolated from Rauvolfia yunnanensis Tsiang, were investigated. Five trichothecenes, including one previously undescribed metabolite, were isolated and identified. Their structures were elucidated by means of extensive spectroscopic methods; the absolute configuration of compound 1 was determined by the ECD method. Surprisingly, 8-n-butyrylneosolaniol ( 3 ) exhibited stronger anti-tumor activity than T-2 toxin against Huh-7 cell line, with an IC 50 value of 265.9 nM. 8-n-butyrylneosolaniol ( 3 ) promoted apoptosis induction in Huh-7 cells. Moreover, cell cycle analysis showed that cell cycle arrest caused by 8-n-butyrylneosolaniol ( 3 ) at the G2/M phase resulted in cell proliferation inhibition and pro-apoptotic activity. Further studies showed a significant decrease in mitochondrial membrane permeabilization and a significant increase in ROS generation, which led to the activation of caspase cascades and subsequent cleavage of PARP fragments. In conclusion, 8-n-butyrylneosolaniol ( 3 ) induced cell apoptosis in Huh-7 cells via the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic signaling pathway, which could be a leading compound for anti-tumor agents.

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is regarded as a large database containing hundreds to thousands of chemical constituents that can be further developed as clinical drugs, such as artemisinin in Artemisia annua. However, effectively exploring novel candidates is still a challenge faced by researchers., Purpose: In this work, an integrated strategy combining chemical profiling, molecular networking, chemical isolation, and activity evaluation (CMCA strategy) was proposed and applied to systematically characterize and screen novel candidates, and Forsythiae fructus (FF) was used as an example., Study Design: It contained four parts. First, the chemical compounds in FF were detected by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS) with data-dependent acquisition, and further, the targeted compounds were screened out based on an in-house database. In the meantime, the representative MS/MS fragmentation behaviors of different chemical structure types were summarized. Second, homologous constituents were grouped and organized based on feature-guided molecular networking, and the nontargeted components with homologous mass fragmentation behaviors were characterized. Third, the novel compounds were isolated and unambiguously identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Finally, the anti-angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) activities of isolated chemical constituents were further evaluated by in vitro experiments., Results: A total of 278 compounds were profiled in FF, including 151 targeted compounds and 127 nontargeted compounds. Among them, 16 were unambitiously identified by comparison with reference standards. Moreover, 25 were classified into potential novel compounds. Two novel compounds were unambiguously identified by using conventional chromatographic methods, and they were named phillyrigeninside D (peak 254) and forsythenside O (peak 155). Furthermore, the ACE2 activity of the compounds in FF was evaluated by modern pharmacological methods, and among them, suspensaside A was confirmed to present obvious anti-ACE2 activity., Conclusion: Our work provides meaningful information for revealing potential FF candidates for the treatment of COVID-19, along with new insight for exploring novel candidates from complex systems., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Eight undescribed polyhydroxylated bergamotane-type sesquiterpenoids with bicyclic, tricyclic and tetracyclic systems, namely sporulamides A-D, sporulosoic acids A-B and sporuloketals A-B, along with three known analogs were isolated from cultures of the marine mud-associated fungus Paraconiothyrium sporulosum YK-03. The chemical structures of these sesquiterpenoids were elucidated by the extensive spectroscopic techniques of NMR and HR-ESI-MS. Assisted by the X-ray crystallography analysis and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopic calculation and comparison, their absolute configurations were established. Sporuloketals A-B represent two rare tetracyclic bergamotanes. It's the first time that ECD empirical rules have been successfully verified and applied for determining the absolute configurations of these bergamotane-type sesquiterpenoids., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the efficacy and safety of Montgomery T-tube (T-tube) placement for benign complex subglottic tracheal stenosis. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 29 patients with benign complex subglottic tracheal stenosis receiving T-tube placement in Beijing Tiantan Hospital from May 2015 to December 2019. The causes were postintubation tracheal stenosis [27 cases (93.1%), including 21 cases (72.4%) of tracheal stenosis after tracheotomy, 6 cases (20.7%) of tracheal stenosis after tracheal intubation], cervical post-traumatic tracheal stenosis (1 case, 3.4%) and tuberculous tracheal stenosis (1 case, 3.4%), respectively. Three-dimensional reconstruction of tracheal computerized tomography (CT) and bronchoscopy were used to grade the stenosis according to Cotton-Myer classification system before bronchoscopic intervention. The degree of stenosis was Cotton-Myer grade Ⅱ (7 cases, 24.1%), grade Ⅲ (11 cases, 37.9%) and grade Ⅳ (11 cases, 37.9%), respectively. All cases received placement of T-tubes and follow-up. Fisher's exact test was used for comparison between groups. Results: T-tube placement was performed 39 times in 29 patients. T-tubes were successfully placed for 24 cases (82.8%). The main complication during the operation was tracheal mucosal tear (6 cases, 20.7%), which resolved in all cases within 2 weeks. The main postoperative complication was secretion retention (27 cases, 93.1%), which was relieved after home nebulization treatment in 26 cases; and followed by granulation hyperplasia, especially located in T-tube upper margin (12 cases, 41.4%), of which 8 cases were cured after bronchoscopic intervention. None of the patients had T-tube migration. There were no statistically significant differences in the success rate of T-tube placement and the incidence of major complications in patients with benign complex subglottic tracheal stenosis with different degrees of stenosis. After 18 months to 24 months of follow-up, attempt was made to remove the T-tube in 9 patients but failed in 4 patients. The failure was due to collapse of the airway after the T-tube was removed. Conclusion: T-tube placement is a safe and reliable treatment for benign complex subglottic tracheal stenosis with high efficiency and manageable complications.

Gut microbiota plays important roles in several metabolic processes, such as appetite and food intake and absorption of nutrients from the gut. It is also of great importance in the maintenance of the health of the host. However, much remains unknown about the functional mechanisms of human gut microbiota itself. Here, we report the identification of one anticancer gut bacterial strain AD16, which exhibited potent suppressive effects on a broad range of solid and blood malignancies. The secondary metabolites of the strain were isolated and characterized by a bioactivity-guided isolation strategy. Five new compounds, streptonaphthalenes A and B (1-2), pestaloficins F and G (3-4), and eudesmanetetraiol A (5), together with nine previously known compounds, were isolated from the effective fractions of AD16. Structures of the new compounds were established by 1D and 2D NMR and MS analysis, and the absolute configurations were determined by the CD method. The analysis of network pharmacology suggested that 3, 2, and 13 could be the key components for the anti-NSCLC activity of AD16. In addition to the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, the proteoglycans in cancer pathway could be involved in the anti-NSCLC action of AD16., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wang, Wang, Wang, Ma, Zhou, Zhuang, Zhang, Li, Pei and Liu.)

Aim: To investigate the effect of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aures) lysates (SALs) on herpes simplex virus type-I (HSV1) infection in human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells and in a mouse model of HSV1 keratitis., Methods: HCE, Vero, HeLa, and BV2 cells were infected with HSV1 [HSV1 f strain, HSV1f; HSV-1-H129 with green fluorescent protein (GFP) knock-in, HSV1g]. Pre- or post-infection, SAL at various concentrations was added to the culture medium for 24h. GFP fluorescence in HSV1g or plaque formation by HSV1f were examined. The effects of heat-treated SAL, precooled acetone-precipitated SAL, and SAL subjected to ultrafiltration (100 kDa) were evaluated. The effects of other bacterial components and lysates on HSV1 infection were also tested, including lipoteichoic acid (LTA), peptidoglycan (PGN), staphylococcal protein A (SPA), and α-hemolysin from S. aureus (α-toxin) as well as lysates from a wild-type S. aureus strain, S. epidermidis , and Escherichia coli (W-SAL, SEL, and ECL, respectively). In addition, SAL eye drops were applied topically to BALB/c mice with HSV1 keratitis, followed by in vivo observations., Results: The cytopathic effect, plaque formation (HSV1f), and GFP expression (HSV1g) in infected cells were inhibited by SAL in a dose-dependent manner. The active component of SAL (≥100 kDa) was heat-sensitive and retained activity after acetone precipitation. In HSV1g-infected cells, treatment with LTA-sa, α-toxin, PGN-sa, or SPA did not inhibit GFP expression. SAL, W-SAL, and SEL (but not ECL) decreased GFP expression. In mice with HSV1 keratitis, SAL reduced corneal lesions by 71%., Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that SAL can be used to inhibit HSV1 infection, particularly keratitis. Further studies are needed to determine the active components and mechanism underlying the effects of SAL., (International Journal of Ophthalmology Press.)

Four previously undescribed glutamic acid derivatives, verticillamines A-D (1-4), together with six known compounds (5-10) were isolated from the bulbs of Fritillaria verticillate Willd. The structures of (1-10) were established on the basis of UV, IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR, and the absolute configurations of compounds (1-4) were determined by calculated ECD methods. Among them, compounds (1-3) were rare 2-methyl-γ-lactam alkaloid derivatives. Moreover, both γ-lactam alkaloids (1-5) and pyrrolidine alkaloids (6-7) were discovered in Fritillaria for the first time. Compound 8 exhibited moderate cytotoxic activities against A2780 and HepG 2 cells, with IC 50 values of 11.7 ± 5.2 μM and 25.6 ± 2.8 μM., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

As our ongoing chemical investigation, two new pregnane steroidal glycosides, cynataihosides G ( 1 ), with a new aglycone, and H ( 2 ) were isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of Cynanchum taihangense . Their structures were elucidated on the basis of 1 D and 2 D NMR spectral data, HR-ESI-MS analysis and qualitative chemical methods. The compounds were subjected to detect the cytotoxicity against three human tumor cell lines (HL-60, THP-1 and PC-3). The compounds displayed no significant cytotoxicity.Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2019.1672682.

Background: Self-expanding Y metal stent insertion is a safe and effective palliative method for malignant lesions involving the lower trachea, tracheal carina, and the main-stem bronchi. However, the length and degree of airway stenosis in different patients tend to vary, which leads to a call for a customized Y stent that could achieve a better treatment effect., Methods: This retrospective analysis included patients who received customized self-expanding bare metallic Y stents for malignant carinal stenosis at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University between January 2007 and June 2020. CT scans and initial bronchoscopy were performed to provide reliable data for stent selection and size customization. Data on technical success, clinical success, and follow-up were analyzed., Results: A total of 36 patients (26 males and 10 females; median age, 61 years; age range, 30-83 years) were enrolled. Technical success was 97.2% (35/36), while clinical success was 97.2% (35/36). There was no procedure-related mortality. Out of 35 patients, 4 (11.4%) had stent-associated complications that did not affect the procedure of stent insertion. Re-stenosis of the stent due to tumor progression was the main mid- and long-term stent-related complication (65% and 57.1%, respectively), followed by stent fractures (5% and 14.3%, respectively)., Conclusions: The current study described the design and insertion of customized self-expanding bare metal Y-stents and demonstrated the feasibility of their use for maintaining tracheal and main-stem bronchus patency in malignant carinal stenosis. This approach could be used as a bridging method before commencing adjuvant therapy and final palliative therapy for the relief of symptoms.

Background and Objective: Glucose fluctuation (GF) has been reported to induce renal injury and diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the mechanism still remains ambiguous. Mitochondrial energy metabolism, especially aerobic glycolysis, has been a hotspot of DN research for decades. The activation of HIF-1α/miR210/ISCU/FeS axis has provided a new explanation for aerobic glycolysis. Our previous studies indicated quercetin as a potential therapeutic drug for DN. This study aims to evaluate levels of aerobic glycolysis and repressive effect of quercetin via HIF-1α/miR210/ISCU/FeS axis in a cell model of GF. Methods: The mouse glomerular mesangial cells (MCs) were exposed in high or oscillating glucose with or without quercetin treatment. Cell viability was measured by CCK8 assay. Aerobic glycolysis flux was evaluated by lactate acid, pH activity of PFK. Apoptosis level was confirmed by Annexin V-APC/7-AAD double staining and activity of caspase-3. TNF-α and IL-1β were used to evaluate inflammation levels. Results: GF deteriorated inflammation damage and apoptosis injury in MCs, while quercetin could alleviate this GF-triggered cytotoxicity. GF intensified aerobic glycolysis in MCs and quercetin could inhibit this intensification in a dose-dependent manner. Quercetin prevented activities of two FeS-dependent metabolic enzymes, aconitase, and complex I, under GF injury in MCs. The mRNA expression and protein contents of HIF-1α were increased after GF exposure, and these could be alleviated by quercetin treatment. Knockdown of ISCU by siRNA and Up-regulating of miR-210 by mimic could weaken the effects of quercetin that maintained protein levels of ISCU1/2, improved cell viability, relieved inflammation injury, decreased apoptosis, and reduced aerobic glycolysis switch in MCs. Conclusion: Quercetin antagonizes GF-induced renal injury by suppressing aerobic glycolysis via HIF-1α/miR-210/ISCU/FeS pathway in MCs cell model. Our findings contribute to a new insight into understanding the mechanism of GF-induced renal injury and protective effects of quercetin., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Xu, Liu, Li, Ye, Zha, Li, Zhao, Pu, Bao, Chen, Yu and Pei.)

Two new xanthones, oxisterigmatocystins J and K (1-2), and two new anthraquinones, versicolorins D and E (3-4), were isolated from solid cultures of the fungus Penicillium sp. DWS10-P-6, together with twelve known compounds (5-16). Their structures, including their absolute configurations, were characterized on the basis of extensive 1D NMR, 2D NMR, MS and CD spectral data. The cytotoxic activities of compounds 1-12 against HL-60, MDA-MB-231 and PC-3 cells were also evaluated. Compounds 4 and 5 showed significant cytotoxic activity against the HL-60 cell line with IC 50 values of 1.65 μM and 1.05 μM, respectively., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Objective: To assess the biomechanical properties that influence wrist fracture, so as to provide the theoretical basis for simulation experiments to aid the optimal design of wrist protectors., Methods: Six cadaveric wrists were included as experimental specimens. Wrist specimens wearing wrist protectors formed the experimental group and unprotected wrist specimens formed the control group. The wrist specimens were axially loaded under physiological loads and the stress magnitude and distribution of the experimental and control groups were obtained. A three-dimensional wrist finite element model of a healthy volunteer was developed to verify the rationality and effectiveness of the cadaveric wrist models., Results: Under normal physiological loads, the stress on the radioulnar palmar unit was high and manifested in the form of pressure, while the stress on the radioulnar dorsal unit was lower and manifested in the form of tension. The stresses on the radial distal palmar, ulnar distal palmar, radial distal dorsal, ulnar distal dorsal, radial proximal palmar and ulnar proximal palmar units in the experimental group were less than those in the control group., Conclusion: Under physiological loads, wearing a wrist protector can reduce the stress on the radioulnar distal palmar, radioulnar proximal palmar and radioulnar distal dorsal units, while having no obvious effect on the radioulnar proximal dorsal units.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported as a diagnostic markers for sepsis, and miRNAs have also been found to play a regulatory role in sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the regulatory effect and mechanism of miR-34b-3p on AKI remains elusive. First, sepsis mice with AKI was established via cecal ligation puncture (CLP), and verified through hematoxylin-eosin staining, determination of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6/1β and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Data showed that CLP-induced mice demonstrated increased ALT, BUN, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 with injured pathological morphology of kidney tissues. Second, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment elevated TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 contents in rat mesangial cells (RMCs). MiR-34b-3p was downregulated in both CLP-induced mice and LPS-induced RMCs. Third, target gene of miR-34b-3p was verified as ubiquitin-like protein 4A (UBL4A), and UBL4A was upregulated in LPS-induced RMCs. MiR-34b-3p could inhibit UBL4A expression and decreased TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 contents in LPS-induced RMCs, while overexpression of UBL4A counteract with the suppressive effects of miR-34b-3p on the protein expression. Moreover, transcriptional activity of UBL4A-induced NF-κB was decreased by miR-34b-3p. Lastly, in vivo injection of miR-34b-3p agomir improved CLP-induced kidney tissues injury with declined ALT, BUN, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and UBL4A. In general, miR-34b-3p overexpression could alleviate AKI in sepsis mice through downregulation of UBL4A/NF-κB, providing potential therapeutic strategy for AKI., (© 2020 The Authors. The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia on behalf of Kaohsiung Medical University.)

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of interventional bronchoscopy for the treatment of scarring airway stenosis and to analyze the influencing factors related to the success rate. Methods: Between January 2013 to December 2016, 301 patients with scarring airway stenosis treated by interventional bronchoscopy in 18 tertiary hospitals were reviewed retrospectively. The methods of interventional bronchoscopy included electric knife cutting, laser cauterization, balloon dilation, cryotherapy, local drug usage and/or stenting. Airway stenosis characteristics and patients' performance status at baseline and after interventional bronchoscopy were recorded. The interval days between the first two interventional bronchoscopy treatment (maintained patency time) and the final treatment efficacy were recorded. Results: The clinical stability rate of interventional bronchoscopy for the treatment of scarring tracheal stenosis was 67.8% (204/301) . Stenosis sites ( OR 1.548; 95% CI: 1.038-2.307, P= 0.032) , dyspnea index ( OR 2.140; 95% CI: 1.604-2.855, P< 0.001) , and interventional method ( OR 0.458; 95% CI: 0.267-0.787, P= 0.005) were independent predictors associated with the efficacy of interventional bronchoscopy treatment. Stenosis sites ( OR 1.508; 95% CI: 1.273-1.787, P< 0.001) , stenosis grade ( OR 1.581; 95% CI: 1.029-2.067, P= 0.001) , anesthesia method ( OR 1.581; 95% CI: 1.029-2.067, P< 0.001) , and local drug usage ( OR 1.304; 95% CI: 1.135-1.497, P< 0.001) were independent predictors associated with the maintained patency time after first interventional bronchoscopy treatment. Conclusion: Interventional bronchoscopy is a useful treatment method for scarring airway stenosis. Enough attention should be paid to influencing factors in order to improve treatment efficacy during the treatment process.

Phytochemical investigation of 95% ethanol extract of the fruit of Forsythia suspensa resulted in the isolation of two new furofuran lignan glycoside derivatives pinoresinoside A ( 1 ) and phillyrigeninside A ( 2 ), along with three known ones. Their structures were established based on extensive spectroscopic data analyses and comparison with literature data. Absolute configuration of 1 was determined by CD method. In addition, compounds 1 and 2 were revealed to show in vitro cytotoxicity against human tumor cell lines (SGC-7901, MCF-7 and HepG2), with IC 50 values ranging from 16.77 to 37.35 µM. [Formula: see text].

(+) Benzomalvins E ( 1 ) and (-) Benzomalvins E ( 2 ), a pair of epimeric derivatives, together with three known benzomalvins ( 3-5 ), were isolated from solid cultures of a interrhizospheric fungus Penicillium sp. SYPF 8411. The planar structure of (+) Benzomalvins E ( 1 ) has been previously reported. While, the absolute configuration of compound 1 was established by X-ray crystallographic analysis for the first time. The planar structure of the new compound 2 were elucidated by detailed interpretation of their HR ESI-TOF MS and NMR spectroscopic data. The absolute configuration of compound 2 was established by Rh 2 (OCOCF 3 ) 4 -induced CD spectral data and the electronic circular dichroic (ECD) method. Furthermore, the epimerization induced by pH, temperature and H 2 O was revealed. Benzomalvins ( 1-3, 5 ), a type of indoximod, enhanced the cytotoxic capability of 5-fluorouracil against A549.

Two new compounds, (7 R, 2 E, 5 E )-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,5-octadienedioic-8-methyl ester ( 1 ) and neovasipyridone G ( 3 ), together with a new natural product compound (7 R, 2 E, 5 E )-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,5-octadienedioic acid ( 2 ), and six known compounds ( 4-9 ) were isolated from Penicillium sp. SYPF7381. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, and the absolute configurations of compounds 1 and 2 were determined by optical rotation. The absolute configuration of compound 3 was determined by means of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. In addition, the in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of all compounds were assayed in RAW 264.7 cells by assessing LPS-induced NO production. Furthermore, the structure-antiinflammation activity relationships for these isolated compounds were summarized based on the experimental as well as the docking results.

The sensitivity of myocardium is enhanced to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury under PM2.5 exposure. It is still under prelude for lncRNA-miRNA pair in the study of aggravated myocardial I/R injury under PM2.5 exposure. In this study, we first built a rat model of 30 min ischemia and 24 h reperfusion followed PM2.5 (6.0 mg/kg) exposure. We found PM2.5 exposure could obviously aggravate I/R injury in the fields of myocardium damage, apoptosis levels and cardiac function which were evaluated by TTC staining, TUNEL and echocardiography, respectively. Then, based on results of sequencing and RT-qPCR, we selected NONRATT003473.2 in the follow-up experiments and named this lncRNA as PM2.5 exposure aggravated myocardial I/R injury lncRNA (PEAMIR). Consistent with the results rat model, we confirmed PEAMIR to be a protective lncRNA against PM + HR triggered damages in H9c2 cells. Next, according to the bioinformatics analysis from miRanda database and a series of gain- and loss-of-function experiments, we proved PEAMIR to be a ceRNA for miR-29b-3p to inhibit cardiac inflammation and apoptosis. Finally, using Target-Scan database, the conserved binding sites for miR-29b-3p was identified in the 3'UTR of PI3K (p85a), a key protein of apoptosis. Our subsequent experiments validated the regulatory relationship between PEAMIR-miR-29b-3p ceRNA pair and PI3K (p85a)/Akt/GSK3b/p53 cascade pathway. In conclusion, our study demonstrated the role and mechanism of PEAMIR in the augment of I/R injury under PM2.5 exposure, suggesting a promising strategy for the prevention and treatment of I/R injury under PM2.5 exposure.

As part of our continuing efforts to explore bioactive compounds from natural resources, a new iridoid glycoside, adoxosidic acid-6'-oleuroperic ester ( 1 ), together with one known phenylethanoid glycoside ( 2 ) and two known flavonoid glycosides ( 3-4 ) were isolated from the fruit of Forsythia suspensa . The structure of the new compound ( 1 ) was elucidated through 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data and HR-ESIMS. Interestingly, compound 1 was a monoterpene ester of one iridoid glycoside. Compounds 2-4 were identified as calceolarioside A ( 2 ), kaempferol-3- O -rutinoside ( 3 ), kampferol-3- O -robinobioside ( 4 ) on the basis of NMR spectroscopic data analyses and comparison with the data reported in the literature. The antiviral activity aganisist influenza A (H5N1) virus of compound 1 was studied as well.

Background: Vitamin E, which is critically important in the whole process of reproduction, can antagonize the oxidative stress caused by the oxygen free radicals and antioxidant imbalance and regulate normal physiological function of the reproductive system. The effect of short-term supplementation of vitamin E on outcomes of infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) when they underwent ovulation induction with clomiphene citrate (CC) and human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) remains unknown., Methods: This was a retrospective cohort clinical trial from October 2015 to April 2017. A total of 321 PCOS cases underwent ovulation induction with CC and HMG. Patients in group A (n = 110) did not receive vitamin E while patients in group B (n = 105) and group C (n = 106) received oral treatment of vitamin E at 100 mg/day during follicular phase and luteal phase, respectively., Results: It was observed no significant differences of ovulation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and ongoing pregnancy rate among the three groups. It was interesting that dosage of HMG were significant lower in group B compared with those in group A and group C (P<0.05)., Conclusions: A short-term supplementation of vitamin E can improve oxidative stress, and reduce exogenous HMG dosage to lower the economic cost with a similar pregnancy rate in the ovulation induction cycle. However, the supplementation does not alter the pregnancy rate in the ovulation induction cycle., Trial Registration: ChiCTR-OOC-14005389, 2014.

Six new ellagitannins, brevipetins B-G ( 5 and 7 - 11 ), and a new phenolic glucoside, brevipetin A ( 4 ), along with six known compounds were isolated from the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Cleidion brevipetiolatum . Their structures and absolute configurations were determined by spectroscopic analyses, chemical methods, and TD-DFT-ECD calculations. Compounds 5 - 11 exhibited NO inhibitory effects with IC 50 values of 1.9-8.2 μM, and 9 showed the most potent inhibitory effect (IC 50 : 1.9 μM). An in vivo anti-inflammatory assessment of 9 showed that it exerts therapeutic effects in both the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) models at 50 mg/kg oral administration. The enhanced protein and mRNA expression levels of iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase) and COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were dose-dependently suppressed by 9 . An anti-inflammatory mechanistic study revealed that 9 suppressed NF-κB activity by inhibiting IκBα phosphorylation and blocking translocation of p65 from the cytosol to the nucleus. Therefore, 9 might have the potential to be developed as a lead compound for relieving rheumatoid arthritis.

A new fumiquinazoline-type alkaloid 2-methyl-versiquinazoline C (1), together with six known compounds (2-7), was isolated from Aspergillus flavipes PJ03-11 using OSMAC method. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, and the absolute configuration of compound 1 was determined by the experimental and calculated ECD data. In addition, the cytotoxic activities against three human cancer cell lines (HL-60, THP-1, and PC-3) were evaluated.

Seven new drimane-type sesquiterpenoids, namely the sporulositols A - D ( 1 - 4 ), 6-hydroxydiaporol ( 5 ), seco -sporulositol ( 6 ) and sporuloside ( 7 ) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of fermentation broth for a marine-derived fungus Paraconiothyrium sporulosum YK-03. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of extensive spectroscopic data, and the absolute configurations were established by crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and comparisons of circular dichroism data. Among them, sporulositols A - E ( 1 - 4 ) and seco -sporulositol ( 6 ) represent the first five examples of a unique class of drimanic mannitol derivatives, while compounds 6 and 7 may represent two new series of natural drimanes, possessing an aromatic ring with a rare 4,5-secodrimanic skeleton and an unusual CH 3 -15 rearranged drimanic α-D-glucopyranside, respectively. Furthermore, the origin of mannitol moiety was investigated by reliable HPLC and NMR analyses.

Malignant carinal stenosis is a disease process that is not always suitable for treatment with a Y-shaped stent. When one of the main bronchi is completely obstructed and cannot be recanalized, or its distal lung tissue has lost function, inserting a Y-shaped stent is infeasible. In this complex condition, a cone-shaped stent is selected to maintain the patency of the trachea and the other main bronchus. The efficacy of the bare cone-shaped Micro-Tech stent to treat malignant carinal stenosis was evaluated in the current study. The medical records of 47 patients with malignant carinal stenosis who underwent Micro-Tech stent placement between January 2004 and October 2017 in Beijing Tian Tan Hospital (Beijing, China) were analyzed retrospectively. A total of 47 bare Micro-Tech stents (28 Y-shaped and 19 cone-shaped) were successfully inserted in the patients. Following stent placement, immediate satisfactory results were achieved in all patients, especially an improvement of dyspnea (100%), cough (81.1%) and stridor (100%). The Karnofsky scores were significantly increased (P<0.001), and the American Thoracic Society Dyspnea Index values were significantly decreased (P<0.001). Following a median of 88 days, initial bronchoscopic interventions were performed for tumor overgrowth (84.6%), stent fracture (7.7%) and granulation tissue (7.7%). Restenting was performed in two patients due to tumor progression (n=1) and stent fracture (n=1). Removal of a Y-shaped stent was attempted in one patient, but failed, as the stent had become partly embedded in the airway mucosa. In conclusion, cone-shaped Micro-Tech stent placement maintained tracheal-unilateral main bronchus patency and benefitted patients with malignant carinal stenosis in whom Y-shaped stents were not suitable for insertion.

Seven new guanacastane-type diterpenoids, namely dahlianes E-K (1-7), and three known ones (8-10) were isolated from the cultures of the fungus Verticillium dahliae. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic data analysis along with Rh 2 (OCOCF 3 ) 4 - and Mo 2 (OAc) 4 -induced electronic circular dichroism (ECD) experiment. Dahliane G showed an 80-fold potentiation effect on the sensitization of doxorubicin at the concentration of 15 μM when screening the reversal activity on doxorubicin-resistant human breast cancer cells (MCF-7/DOX)., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: This study aimed to explore a feasible method of anesthesia for painless bronchoscopy. Methods: A total of 120 patients receiving flexible bronchoscopy in Beijing Tiantan Hospital during the period from February, 8, 2018 to May, 4, 2018, were randomly divided into 3 groups, including group A (using lidocaine for local anesthesia), group B (using lidocaine + midazolam + fentanyl), and group C (using lidocaine + propofol + sufentanil). There were 41 patients in group A, 38 in group B and 41 in group C. The changes in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate and pulse oxygen saturation(SpO(2)) in each group were recorded in different points of time. The safety of different methods of anesthesia was observed by recording vital signs and adverse events. Moreover, the visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to observe the patient's tolerance and satisfaction of the operation. Results: The intraoperative systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in group C were significantly lower than those in group A and B ( P< 0.05). Six cases in group C had hypotension, 3 of whom required vasoactive drugs. The differences of SpO(2) between the 3 groups showed no statistical significance ( P> 0.05), while patients in group C were prone to decrease in SpO(2). Eighteen patients in group C had hypoxemia during operation. But after treated with improving ventilation, the SpO(2) of those patients could be restored to normal. Compared with those in group C, patients in group A and group B showed significant discomfort, cough, and more pharyngeal pain ( P< 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the degree of cough and pain between group A and group B ( P> 0.05). Most patients in group C had no uncomfortable sensation during the operation ( P< 0.05), and the willingness to re-examination was significantly higher than that in group A and group B ( P< 0.05). Conclusion: Propofol combined with sufentanil could achieve better painless effect, improve patient comfort and tolerance, and reduce intraoperative memory, but was prone to causing hypoxemia and hypotension. The decline of intraoperative SpO(2) could be corrected by establishing artificial airway, while the decrease of blood pressure could be corrected by applying vasoactive drugs, which were relatively safe.

Background: Primary pulmonary malignancies (PPMs) and non-pulmonary malignancies (PNPMs) may result in airway stenosis requiring stenting. This study aimed to compare and evaluate the clinical features and stent placement outcomes of airway stenosis caused by PPMs and PNPMs., Methods: A total of 141 patients with malignant airway stenosis who underwent Micro-Tech stent placements between January 2004 and October 2017 at Department of Respiratory Medicine, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University were divided into PPM (n = 100) and PNPM groups (n = 41). Patients' clinical features and stent placement outcomes were collected and analyzed. Chi-square test was used to compare the categorical variables, while independent- or paired-sample t test was used to compare the continuous variables., Results: There were no significant differences in age, sex, treatment history, respiratory symptoms, and incidence of obstructive pneumonia between groups. Multiple airway involvement (63.0% vs. 31.7%; χ = 11.459, P = 0.001) and atelectasis (17.0% vs. 2.4%; χ = 5.536, P = 0.019) were more common in the PPM group, while extraluminal obstruction (24.4% vs. 6.0%; χ = 8.033, P = 0.005) was more common in the PNPM group. Before stenting, the American Thoracic Society Dyspnea Index (ADI) and Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) scores showed no significant differences between groups (all P > 0.05). After stenting, a satisfactory rate of symptom improvement was achieved in both groups (98.0% and 100.0% in the PPM and PNPM groups, respectively; χ = 0.016, P = 0.898); ADI and KPS scores, which showed no significant differences between groups (all P > 0.05), were significantly improved in each group (all P < 0.001). Complications after stenting could be effectively managed using bronchoscopic procedures., Conclusions: Among cases of malignant airway stenosis requiring stenting, those caused by PPM are more likely to involve multiple airways and are associated with atelectasis, while those caused by PNPM are more likely to cause extraluminal obstruction. Micro-Tech stent placement has the same immediate effect in terms of improvement in respiratory symptoms and performance status for both malignant airway stenosis caused by PPM and that caused by PNPM.

Seven undescribed phenylspirodrimane derivatives, stachybochartins A-G (1-7), and four known analogues (8-11) were isolated from the endophytic fungus Stachybotrys chartarum obtained from Pinellia ternata . Stachybochartins A-D are four rare C-C-coupled dimeric derivatives and stachybochartin G features a seco-bisabosqual skeleton. Their structures and configurations were elucidated via spectroscopic analysis, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, the ECD exciton chirality method and the modified Mosher's method. Stachybochartins A-D and G displayed cytotoxic activities against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and U-2OS osteosarcoma cells, with IC 50 values ranging from 4.5 to 21.7 μM. Stachybochartins C and G exerted strong anti-proliferative activities against U-2OS cells in concentration- and time-dependent manners and induced apoptosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Three new tetralol analogs, myrochromanols A-C (1-3), together with 11 known trichothecenes (4-14), were isolated from a soil fungus Myrothecium verrucaria HL-P-1. The structures of the three new compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis including HRESIMS, NMR, and ECD calculation. All of the new compounds were tested for their anti-inflammatory activity and cytotoxicity. Compounds 1 and 3 inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production in BV2 cells with IC 50 values of 26.04 and 25.80 μM, respectively.

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli (ST 36) and Neiguan (PC 6) on stress responses of patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery., Methods: A total of 40 patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery were randomized into conventional treatment group (control) and EA group ( n ＝20 in each group). Patients of the EA group received conventional treatment (pre- and post-surgical fasting, measures for gastrointestinal decompression, parenteral nutrition support, and patient controlled analgesia pump, etc.) and EA stimulation (2 Hz, 30 min) of bilateral ST 36 and PC 6 (twice after surgery, at an interval of 6 h), and patients of the control group received conventional treatment only. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score was used to assess the patients' pain severity and the blood glucose levels were detected once every 4－6 h within 24 h after operation. Serum cortisol (Cort) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels were detected by chemiluminescence method, and serum D-lactic acid level (for assessing gastrointestinal mucosal injury) was assayed by ELISA., Results: After the treatment, the levels of serum Cort, ACTH, D-lactate acid and the highest blood glucose were significantly lower in the EA group than those in the control group ( P <0.05, P <0.01), suggesting a reduction of stress reactions after EA. But no significant difference was found between the control and EA groups in the VAS score ( P >0.05)., Conclusion: EA at ST 36 and PC 6 can alleviate stress responses and reduce intestinal mucosal damage in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.

Six new diphenyl ethers ( 1 ⁻ 6 ) along with eleven known analogs were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of a marine-derived Aspergillus sydowii guided by LC-UV-MS. Their structures were unambiguously characterized by HRESIMS, NMR, as well as chemical derivatization. Compounds 1 and 2 are rare diphenyl ether glycosides containing d-ribose. The absolute configuration of the sugar moieties in compounds 1 ⁻ 3 was determined by a LC-MS method. All the compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicities against eight cancer cell lines, including 4T1, U937, PC3, HL-60, HT-29, A549, NCI-H460, and K562, and compounds 1 , 5 , 6 , and 8 ⁻ 11 were found to exhibit selective cytotoxicity against different cancer cell lines.

Objective: To expolre the indications, safety, advantages and disadvantages of performing artificial pneumothorax prior to medical thoracoscopy. Methods: Data of 152 patients undergoing medical thoracoscopy for pleural diseases in the Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from April 2007 to September 2014 were studied through retrospective analysis. According to the performance of artificial pneumothorax prior to medical thoracoscopy, the pleural space adhesions and the pleural effusions, patients were grouped into artificial pneumothorax group (107 cases) and non-artificial pneumothorax group (45 cases), adhesion group (102 cases) and non-adhesion group (50 cases), and few or no pleural effusion group (94 cases) and massive pleural effusion group (58 cases), respectively. The incidence of complications such as subcutaneous emphysema, pleural reaction, infection, aeroembolism and pulmonary injury/hemorrhage in different groups were compared, and the vital signs of patients were observed. Results were compared using the Chi square test. Results: After thoracoscopic examination, the definite diagnosis rates of artificial pneumothorax group and non- artificial pneumothorax group were 83.2% (89/107) and 93.3% (42/45) respectively, which showed no significant difference (χ(2)=2.744, P= 0.098). Three cases of subcutaneous emphysema occurred in the artificial pneumothorax group, while all these 3 cases belonged to adhesion group, and one of them belonged to few or no pleural effusion group, and 2 of them belonged to massive pleural effusion group. No subcutaneous emphysema cases were observed in the non-adhesion group. In the non-artificial pneumothorax group, one case of lung trauma caused by trocar was observed, which belonged to adhesion group and few or no pleural effusion group; no lung puncture wound cases were observed in massive pleural effusion group and non-adhesion group. Other complications related to artificial pneumothorax and thoracoscopy, such as pleural reaction, infection, air embolism and pulmonary injury/hemorrhage, were not observed. No significant changes were found between the vital signs of patients before and after artificial pneumothorax. Conclusion: For pleural effusion or pleural disease patients with pleural space adhesion, the performance of artificial pneumothorax prior to operation was recommended. Artificial pneumothorax was not recommended for patients without pleural space adhesions.

As a part of our continuing research for bioactive constituents from Cynanchum limprichtii Schltr., two new C 21 steroidal glycosides limproside A (1) and limproside B (2) were isolated from the roots of Cynanchum limprichtii. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopic data as well as HR-ESI-MS analysis. The cytotoxicity of two compounds against two selected human cancer cell lines was assayed.

Two new 13,14:14,15-disecopregnane-type C 21 steroidal glycosides, namely komarosides R (1) and S (2), along with four known compounds (3-6), were obtained from the 95% ethanol extract of the whole herbs of Cynanchum komarovii Al.Iljinski (Asclepiadaceae). The structures of new compounds were elucidated on the basis of 1D, 2D NMR spectroscopic data and acid hydrolysis. Compounds 1 and 2 showed potent inhibitory activities against human leukemia cell line (HL-60) with IC 50 values being 6.2 and 17.6 μM, respectively, compared to the positive control 5-fluorouracil (6.4 μM).