A chemical investigation of secondary metabolites (SMs) from Aspergillus nidulans resulted in the identification of five novel dioxopiperazine (DKP)-diphenyl ether hybrids, designated as diphenylemestrins A-E (1-5). These compounds 1-5 represent the first known dimers combining DKP and diphenyl ether structures, with compound 4 featuring an uncommon dibenzofuran as the diphenyl ether component. The structural elucidation and determination of absolute stereochemistry were accomplished through spectroscopic analysis and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Notably, diphenylemestrin C (3) exhibited moderate cytostatic activity against NB4 cells, with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value of 21.99 μmol·L^-1, and induced apoptosis at higher concentrations.
Aspergillus nidulans/metabolism* ; Diketopiperazines/pharmacology* ; Molecular Structure ; Phenyl Ethers/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Line, Tumor

Objective:To explore the differential diagnostic value of ultrasonic elastography for breast nodules with acoustic attenuation.Methods:A total of 105 cases with breast nodules with posterior echo attenuation from June 2017 to October 2019 in Shenzhen People′s Hospital were enrolled. Routine ultrasound examination and elastography were performed and maximum of elastography(Emax), mean of elastography value(Emean), minimum of elastography value(Emin) and strain ratio of fat/strain ratio of nodules(B/A) were recorded. With the pathological results as the diagnosed gold standard, elastic parameters different between benign and malignant breast nodules with posterior echo attenuation were compared. And the Emax value of elastic imaging was analyzed by the ROC curve.Results:There were 65 cases of benign nodules and 40 cases of malignancy. The difference of ultrasound E imaging were statistically significant for judging benign and malignant breast nodules with acoustic attenuation( P<0.05). When Emax 95 kPa was set as the cut-off value for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignat breast nodules, the area under the ROC curve was 0.817, and the sensitivity was 88% and the specificity was 72%. Conclusions:Ultrasonic elastrography is of great value for differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast nodules with acoustic attenuation, and it is important for the decision making of clinical treatment plan.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effects on incomplete intestinal obstruction treated with the adjuvant therapy of acupuncture and moxibustion.

METHODSUsing the retrospective analysis, 80 patients of incomplete intestinal obstruction were divided into an observation group and a control group, 40 cases in each one. In the control group, the routine treatment was given, such as fasting, gastrointestinal decompression, parenteral nutrition, infection prevention with antibiotics and enema laxative. In the observation group, on the basis of the treatment as the control group, acupuncture was applied at bilateral Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37) and Xiajuxu (ST 39); moxibustion was used at left Yangchi (TE 4), Zhongwan (CV 12), Qihai (CV 6) and Guanyuan (CV 4). The treatment was given once a day, 30 min each time. The average days of treatment, the surgical transfer rate, the time to first flatus, the recovery time of defecation and the time of solid food intake were observed in the patients of the two groups.

RESULTSThe average days of treatment in the observation group was obviously less than that in the control group (<0.05). The surgical transfer rate in the observation group was obviously lower than that in the control group (<0.05). The time to first flatus, the recovery time of defecation and the time of solid food intake were all obviously earlier than those in the control group (all <0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe adjuvant therapy of acupuncture and moxibustion achieves the significant therapeutic effects on incomplete intestinal obstruction, shortens the treatment duration and reduces the surgical transfer rate and the patient's economic burden.

Objective To investigate the effects of T-type calcium channel inhibitors (ProTx-1,micromolar Ni2+ and Mibefradil) on Monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in rats.Methods Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups:normal control group,MCT group,ProTx-1 group,micromolar Ni2+ group and Mibefradil group (8 cases in each group).The right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP),the right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI),and the index of pulmonary vascular remodeling(MA％) were measured on day 28 after MCT-treatment.Western blot was used to detect the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA) and Cleaved Caspase-3 in pulmonary artery.Results (1)RVSP and RVHI in MCT group were significandy higher than those in the other 4 groups (F =21.55,P ＜ 0.01;F =15.63,P ＜ 0.01).The two indexes in 3 intervention groups were higher than those in normal control group (all P ＜ 0.05),nevertheless,significantly lower than those in MCT group,and 3 intervention groups showed no significant differences (all P ＞ 0.05).(2) MA％ in normal control group [(23.43 ± 1.95) ％] was lower than that in MCT group [(80.42 ± 4.30) ％],ProTx-1 group [(60.35 ± 3.83)％],micromolar Ni2+ group[(62.44 ± 3.81)％] and Mibefradil group[(58.66 ± 4.23)％] (F =216.2,P ＜ 0.01);3 intervention groups showed no significant differences (all P ＞ 0.05),however,they were all significantly lower than that in MCT group.(3) The expression of PCNA in MCT group was higher than that in normal control group,meanwhile,3 intervention groups were significantly lower than that in MCT group.The expression of Cleaved Caspase-3 in MCT group was higher than that in normal control group,nevertheless,3 intervention groups showed no significant changes compared with MCT group,respectively.Conclusions T-type calcium channel inhibitors could ameliorate the progression of MCT-PAH in rats,mainly through suppressing the proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells.