A new flavonone, named as (2R, 3S)-pinobanksin-3-cinnamate(1), together with six known compounds, pinocem-brin (2), pinobanksin (3), 3-O-acetylpinobanksin (4), galangin (5), kumatakenin(6), and 3-methylkaempferol (7), were isolated from a 95% ethanol extract of seeds of Alpinia katsumadai through a combination of various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis. Compound 1 exhibits a potent neuroprotective effect against the corticosterone-damaged PC12 cells, which may be underlying the effect by scavenging intracellular ROS.
Alpinia ; chemistry ; Animals ; Cell Death ; drug effects ; Cholestenones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cinnamates ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; DNA Fragmentation ; drug effects ; Neuroprotective Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; PC12 Cells ; Rats ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Seeds ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the aberrant methylation of fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene and to explore possible relationship between the aberrant methylation of FHIT and clinicopathological features in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSThe hypermethylation of FHIT was detected by the methylation specific PCR (MSP) method in 45 patients with HCC (tumoral and nontumoral tissue), 14 cases of normal livers and 4 HCC cell lines (SK-Hep-1, Hep-G2, Hep-3B and Huh7). The correlation of FHIT methylation and clinicopathological features was analyzed.

RESULTSThe frequencies of hypermethylation of FHIT in tumoral and nontumoral tissue, normal liver and cell lines were 71.1%, 64.4%, 14.3% and 75.0%, respectively. A significant relation between hypermethylation of FHIT and poor survival was present (P = 0.0430).

CONCLUSIONSHypermethylation of FHIT is a frequent and early event in HCC, it might relate to a poor prognosis for patients with HCC.

Acid Anhydride Hydrolases ; genetics ; Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; pathology ; surgery ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; Prognosis

Using a fluidized bed as immobilization system, mixed culture methanotrophic attached-films were developed on diatomite particles. The Methane Monooxygenase (MMO) activity was found to increase obviously as soon as the lag phase ended. Greater than 90% of the MMO activity in the bed was attached. Biofilm concentration of 3.3-3.7 mg dry weight cell/g DS was observed. Batch experiments were performed to explore the possibility of producing epoxypropane by a cooxidation process. The effect of methane on the oxidation of propene to epoxypropane and the effect of propene on the growth of methanotroph were also studied. In continuous experiments, optimum mixed gaseous substrates (methane: 35%; propene: 20%; oxygen: 45%) were continuously circulated through the fluidized bed reactor to remove product. Initial epoxypropane productivity was 110-150 mumol/d. The bioreactor operated continuously for 25 d without obvious loss of epoxypropane productivity.
Adhesins, Bacterial ; physiology ; Biofilms ; growth & development ; Bioreactors ; microbiology ; Cells, Immobilized ; drug effects ; enzymology ; microbiology ; Epoxy Compounds ; metabolism ; Methane ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Methylococcaceae ; drug effects ; enzymology ; growth & development ; Methylosinus ; drug effects ; enzymology ; growth & development ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxygenases ; metabolism ; Propane ; metabolism ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of a new platelet function test PFA P2Y (PFA-200) in monitoring clopidogrel treatment for cardiovascular disease in elderly patients.

METHODSFifty-six elderly patients receiving clopidogrel therapy in the Department of Cardiology of General Hospital of PLA from March to August in 2016 and 85 healthy volunteers were recruited for analysis. All the subjects underwent PFA P2Y, LTA (light transmittance aggregometry) and TEG (Thromboelastograph) tests, and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to test the associations between test results. The agreement among the 3 platelet function test methods was assessed using Cohen's kappa coefficient.

RESULTSCorrelation coefficient (r) was -0.701 (P<0.001) between PFA P2Y and LTA, and 0.475 (P<0.001) between PFA P2Y and TEG. The agreement was 75% between PFA P2Y and LTA and 67.9% between PFA P2Y and TEG. The κ value was 0.434 (P=0.001) between PFA P2Y and LTA and 0.242 (P=0.046) between PFA P2Y and TEG. With ADP-induced maximum platelet aggregation rate of LTA >50% as the laboratory clopidogrel resistance, the cut-off value of PFA P2Y was 119 s (AUC=0.733) with a sensitivity of 75.6% and a specificity of 73.3%.

CONCLUSIONPFA P2Y has a moderate correlation and agreement with LTA, but has a poor correlation and agreement with TEG. PFA P2Y can be useful for assessing the effects of clopidogrel therapy and the association of the cut-off value (119 s) with the long-term clinical ischemic events needs be confirmed in further study.

Biological Assay ; Blood Coagulation Tests ; Blood Platelets ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Platelet Aggregation ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Platelet Function Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ticlopidine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use