Composition and Morphology of Nanocrystals in Urines of Lithogenic Patients and Healthy Persons

The composition and morphology of nanocrystals in urines of healthy persons and lithogenic patients were comparatively investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was shown that the main composition of urinary nanocrystals in healthy persons were calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD), uric acid, and ammonium magnesium phosphate (struvite). However, the main compositions of urinary nanocrystals in lithogenic patients were struvite, β-tricalcium phosphate, uric acid, COD, and calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM). According to the XRD data, the size of nanocrystals was calculated to be 23∼72 nm in healthy urine and 12∼118 nm in lithogenic urine by Scherer formula. TEM results showed that the nanocrystals in healthy urine were dispersive and uniform with a mean size of about 38 nm. In contrast, the nanocrystals in lithogenic urine were much aggregated with a mean size of about 55 nm. The results in this work indicated that the urinary stone formation may be prevented by diminishing the aggregation and the size differentiation of urinary nanocrystals by physical or chemical methods

Poly[diaqua-1κ2 O-bis[μ3-2-(1H-tetra­zol-5-yl)benzoato(2−)]dicadmium(II)]

The title compound, [Cd2(C8H4N4O2)2(H2O)2]n, is a coordination polymer prepared by the hydro­thermal reaction of cadmium(II) chloride and 2-(1H-tetra­zol-5-yl)benzoic acid. Two types of coordinated cadmium cations exist in the structure. One is located on a twofold axis and is coordinated by four O and two N atoms from four symmetry-related ligands, forming a trigonal-prismatic coordination polyhedron. The other is located on an inversion center and is octa­hedrally coordinated by two N and two O atoms from two ligands in equatorial sites, and two water mol­ecules in axial sites. The organic ligand bridges three Cd atoms, through a carboxyl­ate group and two N atoms of the tetra­zolate unit. This mode of coordination results in a two-dimensional framework. The crystal structure is stabilized by inter­molecular O—H⋯O and O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds

Anti-hyperuricemic effect of Plantago depressa Willd extract in rats

Purpose: To investigate the effects of Plantago depressa Willd. extract (PDWE) on hyperuricemia in rats.Methods: The effect of PDWE was investigated in hyperuricemic rats induced by potassium oxonate. PDWE were fed to hyperuricemic rats daily at a dose of 160, 320 and 640 mg/kg for 10 days; allopurinol (5 mg/kg) was given as positive control. Serum and urine levels of uric acid and creatinine were determined by colorimetric method.Results: PDWE inhibited xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity in serum (16.36 ± 1.16 U/L, p < 0.05) and liver (72.15 ± 5.26 U/g protein, p < 0.05), and also decreased levels of serum uric acid (2.43 ± 0.59 mg/L, p < 0.05), serum creatinine (0.42 ± 0.15 μmol/L) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN, 9.58 ± 0.72 mmol/L, p < 0.05), but increased levels of urine uric acid (39.23 ± 8.22 mg/L, p < 0.05) and urine creatinine (32.24 ± 1.69 mmol/L, p < 0.05) in the renal tissue of hyperuricemic rats.Conclusion: PDWE exerts uricosuric action by regulating renal urate transporters to ameliorate renal dysfunction in hyperuricemic rats.Keywords: Plantago depressa Willd., Hyperuricemic, Renal urate transporters, Renal dysfunction, Uricosuric actio

Mongolian Medicine Honghu-Qiqige Ethanol Extract Exhibits Anti-Inflammation Role in Arthritis

Objective: To explore the therapeutic effects of Honghu-Qiqige on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats and the pharmacological mechanism. Methods: We evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of Honghu-Qiqige’s ethanol extract on CIA, to our knowledge, for the first time. The level of pro-inflammatory cytokine was determined by an ELISA. The expression of TNF-α and IL-1β was analyzed by RT-PCR. Additionally, the expression level of NF-kBP65 was evaluated using the Western blot method. Results: Ethanol extract of Honghu-Qiqige significantly reduced the secretion of TNF-α and IL-1β in RAW264.7 cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharides. The expressions of IL-1β mRNA, TNF-α mRNA, and NF-kBP65 protein were inhibited in all dose ranges used (5, 20, and 50 μg/ml). The protective effect of the extract on RAW 264.7 macrophage inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide was preliminarily confirmed, and the mechanism may be related to the NF-kBP65 pathway. The same results were obtained in vivo experiments. Conclusion: All these results suggest that Honghu-Qiqige ethanol extract has potential to develop drugs to treat arthritis

Stent Selection for Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Drainage of Pancreatic Fluid Collections: A Multicenter Study in China

Aims. We attempted to establish some guidelines for the selection of transmural stents during endoscopic drainage of PFCs by retrospective review of the clinical data obtained from three tertiary hospitals. Patients and Methods. Clinical data of 93 patients with attempted endoscopic drainage of symptomatic PFCs were obtained through chart review and prospective follow-up. Results. Treatment success for acute pseudocyst (n=67), chronic pseudocyst (n=9), and WOPN (n=17) was 95.3%, 100%, and 88.2%, respectively (P=0.309). Clinical success for single-stent drainage was 93.9% (46/49) versus 97.4% (37/38) for multiple-stent drainage (P=0.799). Secondary infection for single-stent drainage was 18.4% (9/49) versus 5.3% (2/38) for multiple-stent drainage (P=0.134). Secondary infection for stent diameter less than or equal to 8.5 F was 3.4% (1/29) versus 17.2% (10/58) for stent diameter larger than or equal to 10 F (P=0.138). Conclusion. EUS-guided transmural drainage is an effective therapy for PFCs. Single-stent transmural drainage of PFCs is enough and does not seem to influence clinical success. The number or diameter of stents does not seem to be associated with secondary infection

Serum Peptidome Patterns of Colorectal Cancer Based on Magnetic Bead Separation and MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry Analysis

Background. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in the world, identification of biomarkers for early detection of CRC represents a relevant target. The present study aims to determine serum peptidome patterns for CRC diagnosis. Methods. The present work focused on serum proteomic analysis of 32 health volunteers and 38 CRC by ClinProt Kit combined with mass spectrometry. This approach allowed the construction of a peptide patterns able to differentiate the studied populations. An independent group of serum (including 33 health volunteers, 34 CRC, 16 colorectal adenoma, 36 esophageal carcinoma, and 31 gastric carcinoma samples) was used to verify the diagnostic and differential diagnostic capability of the peptidome patterns blindly. An immunoassay method was used to determine serum CEA of CRC and controls. Results. A quick classifier algorithm was used to construct the peptidome patterns for identification of CRC from controls. Two of the identified peaks at m/z 741 and 7772 were used to construct peptidome patterns, achieving an accuracy close to 100% (>CEA, P<0.05). Furthermore, the peptidome patterns could differentiate validation group with high accuracy. Conclusions. These results suggest that the ClinProt Kit combined with mass spectrometry yields significantly higher accuracy for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of CRC