Curcumol, as an important component of Curcuma Rhizoma, has anti-virus, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and other pharmacological activities, which has attracted more and more attentions in anti-tumor research area. The progress on the natural source, anti-tumor mechanism, structural modification, and anti-tumor evaluation of curcumol are reviewed in this paper, which will provide a novel strategy for its further structural optimization.

OBJECTIVEHypertension is one of the most common disorders in adults. Although it may be already present in children and adolescents, it does not often have clinical pictures. There is a lack of data on the blood pressure in children in Beijing area. This study was conducted to investigate the present situation of blood pressure of children and adolescents in Beijing area.

METHODSChildren and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years in 4 urban and 3 rural areas of Beijing were involved in the study at random. Blood pressure (BP) was measured three times with the use of mercury sphygmomanometery, and the means of the last two BP value were recorded. Systolic BP (SBP) was determined by the first Korotkoff sound, and diastolic BP (DBP) by the fourth Korotkoff sound.

RESULTSAltogether, 20 780 (99.6%) individuals with complete records were studied, including 10 582 from urban and 10 198 from rural areas; 10 398 were males and 10 382 were females. BP of boys was higher than that of girls [SBP: (106 +/- 12) mm Hg vs. (101 +/- 11) mm Hg, u = 27.14, P < 0.01; DBP: (67 +/- 9) mm Hg vs. (65 +/- 8) mm Hg, u = 14.14, P < 0.01]. BP of both boys and girls increased with age. However, SBP had a larger magnitude of increase than that of DBP. Both SBP and DBP of urban children were lower than those of rural children [SBP: (103 +/- 12) mm Hg vs. (104 +/- 12) mm Hg, u = 2.55, P < 0.05; DBP: (66 +/- 8) mm Hg vs. (67 +/- 9) mm Hg, u = 6.73, P < 0.01]. There was a positive correlation between BP and age, height, weight and BMI. SBP had a stronger relationship with each variable than DBP did. Among children aged 6 - 18 years, about 8.1% were found to have hypertension according to the criteria of blood pressure of children and adolescents by age and by gender of 1987 in Beijing.

CONCLUSIONSThe present study provided with the current information and characteristics of blood pressure of children and adolescents in Beijing area. The blood pressure was correlated with sex, age, body height, body weight and BMI of children and adolescents.

Adolescent ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; Body Height ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Child ; Diastole ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; Hypotension ; physiopathology ; Male ; Rural Population

BACKGROUNDBerberine is one of the main constituents of Coptidis rhizoma (CR) and Cortex phellodendri. In this study, we investigated the beneficial effects of berberine on renal function and its possible mechanisms in rats with diabetic nephropathy (DN).

METHODSMale Wistar rats were divided into three groups: normal, diabetic model, and berberine treatment groups. Rats in the diabetic model and berberine treatment groups were induced to diabetes by intraperitonal injection with streptozotocin (STZ). Glomerular area, glomerular volume, fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Cr) and urine protein for 24 hours (UP24h) were measured using commercially available kits. Meanwhile, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum, activity of aldose reductase (AR) and the expression of AR mRNA and protein in kidney were detected by different methods.

RESULTSThe results showed that oral administration of berberine (200 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) significantly ameliorated the ratio of kidney weight to body weight. Glomerular area, glomerular volume, FBG, BUN, Cr and UP24h were significantly decreased in the berberine treatment group compared with the diabetic model group (P < 0.05). Berberine treatment significantly increased serum SOD activity and decreased the content of MDA compared with diabetic model group (P < 0.05). AR activity as well as the expression of AR mRNA and protein in the kidney was markedly decreased in the berberine treatment group compared with diabetic model group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThese results suggested that berberine could ameliorate renal dysfunction in DN rats through controlling blood glucose, reduction of oxidative stress and inhibition of the activation of the polyol pathway.

Aldehyde Reductase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Animals ; Berberine ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; Male ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Streptozocin

BACKGROUNDThe properties of subchondral bone influence the integrity of articular cartilage in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). However, the characteristics of subchondral bone alterations remain unresolved. The present study aimed to observe the dynamic alterations in the microarchitecture, mineralization, and mechanical properties of subchondral bone during the progression of OA.

METHODSA medial meniscal tear (MMT) operation was performed in 128 adult Sprague Dawley rats to induce OA. At 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks following the MMT operation, cartilage degeneration was evaluated using toluidine blue O staining, whereas changes in the microarchitecture indices and tissue mineral density (TMD), mineral-to-collagen ratio, and intrinsic mechanical properties of subchondral bone plates (BPs) and trabecular bones (Tbs) were measured using micro-computed tomography scanning, confocal Raman microspectroscopy and nanoindentation testing, respectively.

RESULTSCartilage degeneration occurred and worsened progressively from 2 to 12 weeks after OA induction. Microarchitecture analysis revealed that the subchondral bone shifted from bone resorption early (reduced trabecular BV/TV, trabecular number, connectivity density and trabecular thickness [Tb.Th], and increased trabecular spacing (Tb.Sp) at 2 and 4 weeks) to bone accretion late (increased BV/TV, Tb.Th and thickness of subchondral bone plate, and reduced Tb.Sp at 8 and 12 weeks). The TMD of both the BP and Tb displayed no significant changes at 2 and 4 weeks but decreased at 8 and 12 weeks. The mineral-to-collagen ratio showed a significant decrease from 4 weeks for the Tb and from 8 weeks for the BP after OA induction. Both the elastic modulus and hardness of the Tb showed a significant decrease from 4 weeks after OA induction. The BP showed a significant decrease in its elastic modulus from 8 weeks and its hardness from 4 weeks.

CONCLUSIONThe microarchitecture, mineralization and mechanical properties of subchondral bone changed in a time-dependent manner as OA progressed.

Animals ; Collagen ; metabolism ; Male ; Osteoarthritis ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; X-Ray Microtomography

The correct thoughts and principles of diagnosis and treatment of chronic refractory wounds need to be formulated. Through the relevant domestic and international consensus and based on clinical experience, the Thoughts and principles of diagnosis and treatment of chronic refractory wounds in China is proposed. It is considered that in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic refractory wounds, in the case of fully understanding the patient′s medical history, the following thoughts and principles should be complied in order. (1) Pay attention to the cleanliness of the wound after being cleaned. (2) Reasonably perform debridement to avoid being " excessive" or " not thorough". (3) Reasonably perform examination, diagnosis, and differential diagnosis of pathogenic factors. (4) Treat according to etiology. (5) Find comorbidities and prevent adverse outcomes. (6) Select the correct wound treatment method reasonably and timely. When the conservative wound care treatment is considered, pay attention to embodying the concept of etiological treatment, treat the wound according to the principles of safety, phase, selectivity, and effectiveness, and make a reasonable choice of continuing conservative treatment or surgical treatment in time after completing the preparation of the wound bed. When surgical treatment is considered, pay attention to the selection of reasonable surgical method and donor site, pay attention to the healing rate of surgical wound site and the outcome of donor site, and give reasonable protection to the wound site after surgery. (7) Carry out rehabilitation treatment after wound healing and related health education.

Objective: Moxifloxacin (MFX) shows good activity against and can be a possible antibiotic therapy to treat infection; however, other studies have shown a lower or no activity. We aimed to evaluate MFX activity against using zebrafish (ZF) model . Methods: A formulation of labeled with CM-Dil was micro-injected into ZF. Survival curves were determined by recording dead ZF every day. ZF were lysed, and colony-forming units (CFUs) were enumerated. Bacteria dissemination and fluorescence intensity in ZF were analyzed. Inhibition rates of MFX and azithromycin (AZM, positive control) were determined and compared. Results: Significantly increased survival rate was observed with different AZM concentrations. However, increasing MFX concentration did not result in a significant decrease in ZF survival curve. No significant differences in bacterial burdens by CFU loads were observed between AZM and MFX groups at various concentrations. Bacterial fluorescence intensity in ZF was significantly correlated with AZM concentration. However, with increasing MFX concentration, fluorescence intensity decreased slightly when observed under fluorescence microscope. Transferring rates at various concentrations were comparable between the MFX and AZM groups, with no significant difference. Conclusion MFX showed limited efficacy against using ZF model. Its activity needs to be confirmed.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Moxifloxacin ; pharmacology ; Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous ; drug therapy ; Mycobacterium abscessus ; drug effects ; Zebrafish

Objective: To assess the feasibility and validity of the establishment of a modified channel for extraperitoneal robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) through single incision. METHODS: From November 2020 to January 2021, 35 cases of localized PCa were treated by extraperitoneal RARP through single incision in our center. All the operations were performed by the same surgeon, none via the multichannel port for the establishment of the channel. We recorded and analyzed the intra- and postoperative parameters, operation cost, complications, pathological findings and follow-up data. RESULTS: All the operations were successfully completed, without conversion to open surgery or additional channels, or serious postoperative complications, the time for establishing the extraperitoneal space averaging 25.4 (20.0－45.0) min, the operation time 67.3 (35.0－125.0) min, intraoperative blood loss 75.5 (60.0－150.0) ml, time to first postoperative anal exhaust 26 (8－48) h, and postoperative hospital stay 7.89 (7－10) d. Postoperative pathology showed adenocarcinoma in all the cases, with Gleason score (GS) 3+3 in 9 (25.7%), GS 3+4 in 9 (25.7%), GS 4+3 in 8 (22.9%), and GS ≥ 8 in 9 (25.7%) of the cases, 23 (65.7%) in the CONCLUSIONS The establishment of the modified channel for extraperitoneal RARP through single incision is a safe and feasible procedure, with the advantages of good cosmesis, fast recovery, effective tumor control and continence, no serious postoperative complications, and less cost.、.
Blood Loss, Surgical ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Prostatectomy ; Robotic Surgical Procedures ; Robotics

Simiao Yong'an Decoction is a classic prescription for treating gangrene. Modern medical evidence has proven that Si-miao Yong'an Decoction has therapeutic effects on atherosclerosis(AS), vascular occlusion angeitides, and hypertension, while its pharmacodynamic mechanism remains unclear. The evidence of network pharmacology, molecular docking, literature review, and our previous study suggests that luteolin and kaempferol are two major flavonoids in Simiao Yong'an Decoction and can inhibit macrophage inflammation and exert anti-AS effects. However, due to lack of the metabolism studies in vivo, little is known about the metabolic characteristics of luteolin and kaempferol. This study employed ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometry(UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS/MS) and relevant software to identify the metabolites and metabolic pathways of luteolin and kaempferol in rat plasma, urine, and feces, after oral administration of luteolin and kaempferol, respectively. After the administration of luteolin, 10, 11, and 3 metabolites of luteolin were detected in the plasma, urine, and feces, respectively. After the administration of kaempferol, 9, 3, and 1 metabolites of kaempferol were detected in the plasma, urine, and feces, respectively. The metabolic pathways mainly involved methylation, glucuronidation, and sulfation. This study enriches the knowledge about the pharmacological mechanism of luteolin and kaempferol and supplies a reference for revealing the metabolic process of other flavonoids in Simiao Yong'an Decoction, which is of great significance for elucidating the pharmacological effects and effective substances of this decoction in vivo.
Rats ; Animals ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Luteolin/analysis* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Kaempferols/analysis* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Molecular Docking Simulation