Correction to: Effect of JAK inhibitors on high- and low-density lipoprotein in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Clinical Rheumatology -     

Complete genome sequence of narcissus late season yellows virus infecting Chinese narcissus in China

The complete genome sequence of a Chinese narcissus isolate of narcissus late season yellows virus from Zhangzhou, China (NLSYV-ZZ), was determined to be 9,651 nucleotides in length, excluding the 3'-terminal poly (A) tail, by amplification and sequencing of virus RNA. The viral genome contains a single long open reading frame of 9,315 nucleotides encoding a polyprotein of 3,105 amino acids. The polyprotein was predicted to be cleaved into ten mature proteins by three viral proteases. Complete genome sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis indicated that NLSYV-ZZ was most closely related to narcissus yellow stripe virus (NYSV), which was also isolated from narcissus. These viruses shared 69.9 % identity in their complete nucleotide sequences and 77.0 % identity in their polyprotein amino acid sequences.     

Toxic effects of Fusarium mycotoxin butenolide on rat myocardium and primary culture of cardiac myocytes.

Mycotoxin toxicosis has been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of Keshan disease (KD), an endemic cardiomyopathy prevailing in some regions of China. Butenolide (4-acetamido-4-hydroxy-2-butenoic acid gamma-lactone, CAS No. 16275-44-8), a mycotoxin produced by several Fusarium species such as Fusarium tricinctum and Fusarium graminearum, is frequently detected from the cereals in the endemic areas of KD. The present study is undertaken to investigate whether this mycotoxin can induce myocardial damage. Exposure of primary culture of cardiac myocytes to butenolide resulted in significant cytotoxicity, manifested by changes in cell morphology and decreases in cell viability. Consistent with the in vitro findings, distinct myocardial toxicity in vivo was observed after administration of rats by gavage with butenolide (10 and 20 mg/kg/day) for 2 months, and the myocardial injuries were characterized by focal necrosis of myocardium and fragmentation of myofiber. Butenolide also induced significant oxidative damage to the myocardium in vitro evidenced by a concentration-dependent lipid peroxidation in the myocardial homogenates, whereas antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and glutathione (GSH) provided significant protections against this oxidative effect. Taken together, these results clearly reveal that butenolide possesses the potential to induce myocardial toxicity. The present findings may reinforce the hypothesis that toxicosis by mycotoxins is one of the etiological factors for KD.     

Development and validation of a HPLC method for the analysis of promethazine hydrochloride in hot-melt extruded dosage forms

A simple and rapid stability-indicating HPLC method was developed for determination of promethazine hydrochloride (PMZ) in hot-melt extruded (HME) films and sustained release tablets. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a 150 mm x 4.6 mm i.d., 3 microm particle size, C8 (2) column with acetonitrile-25mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), 50:50 (v/v) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL min(-1). Quantitation was achieved with UV detection at 249 nm based on peak area. The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy, robustness specificity, limits of detection and quantitation according to ICH guidelines. Specificity was validated by subjecting the drug to acid, base, oxidative, reductive and dry heat degradations. None of the degradation products obtained by forced degradation interfered with the PMZ peak. The method was successfully applied for assessing the stability of the drug in the HME films and sustained release tablet formulations. In addition, uniformity of PMZ content in HME films was also determined using the method developed. Excipients present in either of the dosage forms analyzed did not interfere with the analysis indicating the specificity of the method. Due to its simplicity and accuracy, the method is suitable for application to various dosage forms.     

脾气虚、肝郁脾虚及胃实热证患者阿魏酸药代动力学特征比较

目的:应用药代动力学(pharmacokinetics,PK)方法研究中医证本质,探讨脾气虚、肝郁脾虚及胃实热证患者体内阿魏酸(ferulicacid,FA)的PK特征。方法:选择21例健康自愿者、20例肝郁脾虚证患者、22例脾气虚证患者和19例胃实热证患者,予以口服自拟加味逍遥散后,采用高效液相色谱法观察血清FA的PK参数。结果:与健康自愿者比较,脾虚证患者的吸收速度常数和消除速度常数均下降,表观一级吸收速率常数升高;肝郁脾虚证患者的吸收速度常数、消除速度常数和表观一级吸收速率常数均下降;胃实热证患者的消除速度常数和表观一级吸收速率常数均升高;差异有统计学意义。结论:脾气虚证患者PK特征表现为吸收速度加快,分布和排泄减慢;肝郁脾虚证患者PK特征表现为吸收、分布和排泄均减慢;胃实热证患者PK特征表现为吸收和排泄加快。提示三种中医证型患者的PK特征存在差异。     

Fluid flow-induced increase in inward Ba2+ current expressed in HEK293 cells transiently transfected with human neuronal L-type Ca2+ channels

Mechanical forces can alter the gating of several kinds of ion channels in many types of cells, but the mechanisms underlying the mechanosensitivity are not clearly understood. To date, there are very few reports on mechanosensitivity of Ca2+ channels, particularly neuronal Ca2+ channels. We examined the mechanical sensitivity of human recombinant L-type Ca2+ channels in response to fluid flow. Neuronal L-type Ca2+ channels (Ca(v) 1.2) were expressed transiently in HEK293 cells using expression cDNA clones of human alpha1C, alpha2delta, and beta subunits along with green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter protein. Current (I(Ba)) through these heterologously-expressed channels was measured using whole cell recording technique with 20 mM Ba2+ as charge carrier. Transfected cells were exposed to a constant, increased fluid flow from a separate pipette during current recording. The L-type I(Ba) was found to be very sensitive to the flow-induced shear forces. Peak current amplitude increased by as much as approximately 50% during fluid flow as compared to that in the absence of fluid pressure. However, no change was observed in the amplitude of the average current during the final 5 ms of the 150-ms voltage step. Current amplitude promptly returned to normal control levels upon stopping fluid flow. The current-voltage relationship was not altered by fluid flow. The flow-induced increase in current amplitude exhibited an apparent shift in steady-state inactivation toward more negative potentials; inactivation was faster but was not voltage dependent. Activation was slightly faster under flow. Thus, increased mechanical tension associated with fluid flow can alter the fundamental properties of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, even for channels which might not normally be exposed to fluid flow shear forces in their native environment.     

高度近视薄角膜患者LASIK术后3a疗效观察

目的:通过研究角膜相对较薄的高度近视患者LASIK术后的远期效果,进一步探讨LASIK术中保留角膜基质床厚度与术后疗效的关系,以及可能影响术后屈光回退的因素.方法:选2001-01/2002-10在我院行LASIK手术的高度近视相对薄角膜患者21例39眼,查术后3a的视力、眼压、屈光状态、角膜曲率及中央角膜厚度,并与术前及术后早期数据进行统计学比较分析.结果:术后3a无1例出现继发圆锥角膜改变,术后视力0.8以上25眼,占64%,术后视力与术前最佳矫正视力间呈低度正相关.术后3a与早期视力无显著性差异,但屈光与角膜曲率有明显增加.术后3a屈光回退量≥1.00D30眼,占77%,屈光回退量与术前屈光度呈负相关,与患者年龄、术后角膜曲率的改变和实际角膜厚度与预留角膜厚度的差值呈正相关.结论:高度近视薄角膜患者LASIK术后的远期稳定性较低,可预测性较差,术后屈光回退可能与术前屈光、年龄、角膜厚度和曲率的改变有关.本组患者今后是否会继发圆锥角膜的改变仍需进一步观察研究.     

Comparative effects of methylmercury and Hg(2+) on human neuronal N- and R-type high-voltage activated calcium channels transiently expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells

Expression cDNA clones of alpha1B-1 or alpha1E-3 subunits coding for human neuronal N-(Cav2.2) or R-subtype (Cav2.3) Ca2+ channels, respectively, was combined with alpha2-bdelta and beta3-a Ca2+ channel subunits, and transfected into human embryonic kidney cells for transient expression to determine whether specific types of neuronal voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels are affected differentially by methylmercury (MeHg) and Hg2+. For both Ca2+ channel subtypes, MeHg (0.125-5.0 microM) or Hg2+ (0.1-5 microM) caused a time- and concentration-dependent reduction of current. MeHg caused an initial, rapid component and a subsequent more gradual component of inhibition. The rapid component of block was completed between 100 and 150 s after beginning treatment. At 0.125 to 1.25 microM, MeHg caused a more gradual decline in current. Apparent IC50 values were 1.3 and 1.1 microM for MeHg, and 2.2 and 0.7 microM for Hg2+ on N- and R-types, respectively. For N-type current, effects of Hg2+ were initially greater on the peak current than on the sustained current remaining at the end of a test pulse; subsequently, Hg2+ blocked both components of current. For R-type current, Hg2+ affected peak and sustained current approximately equally. Kinetics of inactivation also seemed to be affected by Hg2+ in cells expressing N-type but not R-type current. Washing with MeHg-free solution could not reverse effects of MeHg on either type of current. The effect of Hg2+ on N- but not R-type current was partially reversed by Hg2+-free wash solution. Therefore, different types of Ca2+ channels have differential susceptibility to neurotoxic mercurials even when expressed in the same cell type.