Is interleukin-18 associated with polycystic ovary syndrome?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent research show that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may have an association with low-grade chronic inflammation, IL-18 is considered as a strong risk marker of inflammation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To investigate serum IL-18 concentrations in PCOS patients and focus on its relationship between obesity and insulin resistance (IR). Sixty consecutive women with PCOS and thirty controls were recruited. Serum level of IL-18 and fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) were measured.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Serum levels of IL-18 was significantly higher in the PCOS group than in the control group. Serum level of IL-18 was higher in the PCOS group with IR than in the PCOS group without IR. Serum level of IL-18 was higher in obese PCOS patients than in lean PCOS patients. Serum level of IL-18 was higher in lean PCOS patients than in the lean control group. Serum level of IL-18 in the PCOS group was positively related to BMI, IR index and T.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>IL-18 level was increased in PCOS patients, and correlated with insulin resistance, obesity and hyperandrogenism.</p

{μ-6,6′-Dimeth­oxy-2,2′-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]diphenolato}-μ-nitrato-dinitratoeuropium(III)zinc(II)

In the title heteronuclear ZnII–EuIII complex [systematic name: {6,6′-dimeth­oxy-2,2′-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]diphenolato-κ4 O 1,O 1′,O 6,O 6′:2κ4 O 1,N,N′,O 1′}-μ-nitrato-1:2κ2 O:O′-dini­trato-1κ4 O,O′-europium(III)zinc(II)], [EuZn(C18H18N2O4)(NO3)3], with the hexa­dentate Schiff base compartmental ligand N,N′-bis­(3-methoxy­salicyl­idene)ethyl­enediamine (H2 L), the Eu and Zn atoms are triply bridged by two phenolate O atoms of the Schiff base ligand and one nitrate ion. The five-coordinate Zn atom is in a square-pyramidal geometry with the donor centers of two imine N atoms, two phenolate O atoms and one of the bridging nitrate O atoms. The EuIII center has a ninefold coordination environment of O atoms, involving the phenol­ate O atoms, two meth­oxy O atoms, two O atoms from two nitrate ions and one from the bridging nitrate ion. Weak inter­molecular C—H⋯O inter­actions generate a two-dimensional double-layer structure

Quality evaluation of cortex berberidis from different geographical origins by simultaneous high performance liquid chromatography combined with statistical methods

Purpose: To develop an effective method for evaluating the quality of Cortex berberidis from different geographical origins.Methods: A simple, precise and accurate high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was first developed for simultaneous quantification of four active alkaloids (magnoflorine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine, and berberine) in Cortex berberidis obtained from Qinghai, Tibet and Sichuan Provinces of China. Method validation was performed in terms of precision, repeatability, stability, accuracy, and linearity. Besides, partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were applied to study the quality variations of Cortex berberidis from various geographical origins.Results: The proposed HPLC method showed good linearity, precision, repeatability, and accuracy. The four alkaloids were detected in all samples of Cortex berberidis. Among them, magnoflorine (36.46 - 87.30 mg/g) consistently showed the highest amounts in all the samples, followed by berberine (16.00 - 37.50 mg/g). The content varied in the range of 0.66 - 4.57 mg/g for palmatine and 1.53 - 16.26 mg/g for jatrorrhizine, respectively. The total content of the four alkaloids ranged from 67.62 to 114.79 mg/g. Moreover, the results obtained by the PLS-DA and ANOVA showed that magnoflorine level and the total content of these four alkaloids in Qinghai and Tibet samples were significantly higher (p &lt; 0.01) than those in Sichuan samples.Conclusion: Quantification of multi-ingredients by HPLC combined with statistical methods provide an effective approach for achieving origin discrimination and quality evaluation of Cortex berberidis. The quality of Cortex berberidis closely correlates to the geographical origin of the samples, with Cortex berberidis samples from Qinghai and Tibet exhibiting superior qualities to those from Sichuan.Keywords: Tibetan medicine, Cortex berberidis, Origin discrimination, Quality evaluation, Magnoflorine, Palmatine, Berberine, Jatrorrhizin

外用喜疗妥致严重皮肤反应1例

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and prognosis of local severe cutaneous reactions as result of the treatment with Hirudoid. Methods: One case of severe cutaneous reactions as result of the treatment with Hirudoid was reported and the relevant literatures were reviewed. Results: The site of puncture of left arm occurred non-leakage phlebitis with local pain after chemotherapy. The patient was applied the Hirudoid to the affected areas 2 times daily. After 2 days, local skin felt a kind of burning pain and it seems to be getting worse. The skin lesions began as pruritic red macules or papules. It became swelled and bleeding after scratching. We considered that the cutaneous reactions were an allergic response to Hirudoid. We discontinued the Hirudoid and desensitization treatment was used on cure, but it failed to respond to the medical treatment. A hot compress with 50% magnesium sulphate solution can reduce swelling and alleviate pain. Scales of skin peel off and weaved the new skin after 10 days. Conclusion: The case of local severe cutaneous reactions as result of the treatment with Hirudoid is very rare. A hot compress with 50%  magnesium sulphate solution can help to relieve the discomfort. 目的  探讨外用喜疗妥致严重皮肤反应的临床特征及治疗和预后。方法  报道1例外用喜疗妥致严重皮肤反应患者的临床资料并结合相关文献进行分析。结果  患者，女，60岁，化疗后穿刺部位左侧手臂出现非渗漏性静脉炎，局部疼痛。给予喜疗妥每日2次外涂。2天后，患者突感涂抹局部烧灼样疼痛，并可见大片红色斑丘疹奇痒难忍，抓挠后充血肿胀。考虑喜疗妥过敏所致，立即停用喜疗妥，并应用脱敏治疗，效果不佳，局部颜色由红色渐变为暗紫色且肿痛剧烈，给予50%硫酸镁溶液湿热敷。3天后患者症状逐渐减轻，肿胀消退，10天后患处皮肤全部脱落并被新的完好皮肤覆盖。结论  外用喜疗妥致严重皮肤反应非常罕见，50%硫酸镁溶液热敷患处皮肤，可以缓解肿痛，消除症状

Branched DNA-based Alu quantitative assay for cell-free plasma DNA levels in patients with sepsis or systemic inflammatory response syndrome

AbstractCell-free circulating DNA (cf-DNA) can be detected by various of laboratory techniques. We described a branched DNA–based Alu assay for measuring cf-DNA in septic patients. Compared to healthy controls and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) patients, serum cf-DNA levels were significantly higher in septic patients (1426.54 ± 863.79 vs 692.02 ± 703.06 and 69.66 ± 24.66 ng/mL). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of cf-DNA for normal vs sepsis and SIRS vs sepsis were 0.955 (0.884-1.025), and 0.856 (0.749-0.929), respectively. There was a positive correlation between cf-DNA and interleukin 6 or procalcitonin or Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II. The cf-DNA concentration was higher in intensive care unit nonsurviving patients compared to surviving patients (2183.33 ± 615.26 vs 972.46 ± 648.36 ng/mL; P < .05). Branched DNA–based Alu assays are feasible and useful to quantify serum cf-DNA levels. Increased cf-DNA levels in septic patients might complement C-reactive protein and procalcitonin in a multiple marker format. Cell-free circulating DNA might be a new marker in discrimination of sepsis and SIRS

Evolution of gaseous disk viscosity driven by supernova explosion in star-forming galaxies at high redshift

Motivated by Genzel et al.'s observations of high-redshift star-forming galaxies, containing clumpy and turbulent rings or disks, we build a set of equations describing the dynamical evolution of gaseous disks with inclusion of star formation and its feedback. Transport of angular momentum is due to "turbulent" viscosity induced by supernova explosions in the star formation region. Analytical solutions of the equations are found for the initial cases of a gaseous ring and the integrated form for a gaseous disk, respectively. For a ring with enough low viscosity, it evolves in a slow processes of gaseous diffusion and star formation near the initial radius. For a high viscosity, the ring rapidly diffuses in the early phase. The diffusion drives the ring into a region with a low viscosity and start the second phase undergoing pile-up of gas at a radius following the decreased viscosity torque. The third is a sharply deceasing phase because of star formation consumption of gas and efficient transportation of gas inward forming a stellar disk. We apply the model to two $z\sim 2$ galaxies BX 482 and BzK 6004, and find that they are undergoing a decline in their star formation activity.Comment: To appear in ApJ, 5 figure