BMX‐001, a novel redox‐active metalloporphyrin,improves islet function and engraftment in a murine transplant model

Islet transplantation has become a well‐established therapy for select patients with type 1 diabetes. Viability and engraftment can be compromised by the generation of oxidative stress encountered during isolation and culture. We evaluated whether the administration of BMX‐001 (MnTnBuOE‐2‐PyP⁵⁺ [Mn(III) meso‐tetrakis‐(N‐ b ‐butoxyethylpyridinium‐2‐yl)porphyrin]) and its earlier derivative, BMX‐010 (MnTE‐2‐PyP [Mn(III) meso‐tetrakis‐(N‐methylpyridinium‐2‐yl)porphyrin]) could improve islet function and engraftment outcomes. Long‐term culture of human islets with BMX‐001, but not BMX‐010, exhibited preserved in vitro viability. Murine islets isolated and cultured for 24 hours with 34 μmol/L BMX‐001 exhibited improved insulin secretion (n = 3 isolations, P < .05) in response to glucose relative to control islets. In addition, 34 μmol/L BMX‐001–supplemented murine islets exhibited significantly reduced apoptosis as indicated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling, compared with nontreated control islets (P < .05). Murine syngeneic islets transplanted under the kidney capsule at a marginal dose of 150 islets revealed 58% of 34 μmol/L BMX‐001–treated islet recipients became euglycemic (n = 11 of 19) compared with 19% of nontreated control islet recipients (n = 3 of 19, P < .05). Of murine recipients receiving a marginal dose of human islets cultured with 34 μmol/L BMX‐001, 92% (n = 12 of 13) achieved euglycemia compared with 57% of control recipients (n = 8 of 14, P = .11). These results demonstrate that the administration of BMX‐001 enhances in vitro viability and augments murine marginal islet mass engraftment.     

Brazilian Intragastric Balloon Consensus Statement (BIBC): practical guidelines based on experience of over 40,000 cases

Background

Intragastric balloons (IGBs) are a minimally invasive option for obesity treatment, acting as a space-occupying device and leading to weight loss through increased satiety. This device has been growing in popularity owing to its safety profile and good weight loss results. However, there are no published guidelines that standardize the technical aspects of the procedure.

Health care priorities for menopausal women with a history of breast cancer

BACKGROUND: The opinion of breast cancer survivors and their physicians about long-term health, especially menopause, is not well understood. METHODS: Seventy-three patients and 22 physicians answered questions regarding medical follow-up and menopause. RESULTS: One third of specialists preferred follow-up of 5 years or less, while 59% preferred 10 years or longer; 46% of patients preferred follow-up for 10 years or longer. Physicians preferred that primary care physicians supervise menopausal health (55%), but patients disagreed (30%). Physicians cited heart health most important, followed by skeletal health and climacteric symptoms. Physicians believed that climacteric symptoms were patients' leading concern, but patients cited heart health, followed by skeletal health and cognitive dysfunction. Neither patients nor physicians advocated estrogen use. CONCLUSIONS: Differences of opinion exist between breast cancer patients and specialists regarding follow-up and management of menopause. However, both patients and physicians prefer prolonged surveillance by a cancer specialist, with attention to heart and skeletal health issues.     

Pleiotropic Effects of Inhibitors of the RAAS in the Diabetic Population: Above and Beyond Blood Pressure Lowering

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are indispensable therapeutic agents for treating hypertension and proteinuria in patients with diabetes mellitus. Studies have shown that the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) has effects on various organ systems, including the central nervous system, heart, and kidneys. Angiotensin II has major deleterious effects on vascular compliance, vascular relaxation, and plasma markers of inflammation, which are surrogate markers of cardiovascular disease. Evidence is established from major trials that ACE inhibitors and ARB therapy improve these surrogate markers and reduce cardiovascular disease, renal disease, and stroke. Accumulating evidence also supports the newer class of medication, the direct renin inhibitor aliskiren, as beneficial in hypertensive persons with diabetes mellitus. In this article, we review the mechanisms through which inhibitors of the RAAS benefit persons with hypertension and decrease the development of cardiovascular and renal disease above and beyond blood pressure lowering.     

甘草次酸类化合物的制备和抗肿瘤活性研究

目的制备18α-和18β-甘草次酸类复合物,并对体外抗癌活性进行研究。方法以18β-甘草次酸(Ⅰ)为起点,进行构型转化得到其光学异构体18α-甘草次酸(Ⅱ),再经C30-位羧基的甲酯化分别得到18β-甘草次酸甲酯(Ⅲ)和18-α-甘草次酸甲酯(Ⅳ),并与环磷酰胺的抗癌活性体内代谢产物——二氯磷酰氮芥偶联而得2个抗癌复合物18β-甘甲磷氮芥(Ⅴ)和18α-甘甲磷氮芥(Ⅵ);用四大光谱法(NMR、MS、IR、UV)对各化合物的化学结构进行鉴定分析;利用人类肝癌细胞株BEL-7402为体外实验模型,用MTT法观察各化合物对人肝癌细胞增殖的抑制活性;抗肿瘤药物顺铂作为阳性对照物。结果对化合物的合成工艺进行优化;18α-甘草次酸的构象转化得率为45%;目标化合物18β-甘甲磷氮芥(Ⅴ)和18α-甘甲磷氮芥(Ⅵ)的产率分别为35%和25%。所制备的甘草次酸衍生物中,化合物Ⅱ和Ⅵ对BEL-7402肿瘤细胞的增殖显示明显强的抑制活性,浓度在5～500μg/mL范围内,对肿瘤细胞增殖的抑制率分别为2.6%～86%及1.3%～50.1%;在相同条件下,对照物顺铂的抑制率为20.0%～73.41%。结论目标化合物的制备中磷酰酯化反应的条件控制(无水、物料比1∶1.25,温度65℃和反应时间3～4h)是合成关键;化合物Ⅱ和Ⅵ在中高浓度时,与顺铂具有较类似的抑制肝癌细胞增殖活性。甘草次酸类化合物的构型转化及与抗癌基团偶联可能提高其抗癌潜力。     

新疆苦豆子中黄酮类化学成分的研究

目的研究新疆苦豆子中黄酮类化学成分。方法采用大孔吸附树脂、聚酰胺柱层析法、SephadexLH-20柱色谱法及重结晶等方法对苦豆子中黄酮类化学成分进行研究,根据化合物的理化性质和光谱数据鉴定其结构。结果从新疆苦豆子中分离得到3种化合物,化学结构用一维和二维核磁共振技术分别鉴定为3′,4′-二羟基异黄酮-7-O-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖苷(Ⅰ)、7,3′-二羟基二氢黄酮-4′-O-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖苷(Ⅱ)、芦丁(Ⅲ)。结论化合物Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ为首次从新疆苦豆子中分离得到。     

新疆中药民族药应用型人才培养模式研究

对新疆医科大学药学院药学专业用人单位进行调研,介绍项目调查的研究方法、过程及主要结果,找出现有人才培养模式的问题与不足,为新疆高素质药学应用型人才培养模式研究奠定基础。     

Prevalence and degree of sexual dysfunction in a sample of women seeking bariatric surgery

BackgroundSexual functioning has been shown to be impaired in women who are obese, particularly those seeking bariatric surgery. However, most previous studies evaluating sexual function in these populations have not used validated measures. We used the validated Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) to assess the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in a sample of >100 women evaluated for bariatric surgery.MethodsThe FSFI was administered to reportedly sexually active women during their preoperative evaluation. The scores for the individual FSFI domains (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain) ranging from 0 (or 1.2) to 6 were summed to produce a FSFI total score (range 2–36). A FSFI total cutoff score of ≤26.55 was used to identify participants with FSD. The participants' FSFI total and domain scores were compared with previously published norms available for women diagnosed with female sexual arousal disorder and healthy controls.ResultsOf the 102 women, 61 (59.8%) had FSFI total scores of ≤26.55, indicative of FSD. Older age and menopause were associated with FSD. Compared with published norms, bariatric surgery candidates had FSFI domain scores that were lower than those of the control group (all P values < 0.0001) but greater than those of the female sexual arousal disorder group (all P values < 0.0001), except for desire, for which the scores were similar.ConclusionWomen seeking bariatric surgery are clearly a population with substantial sexual function impairment, with 60% of participants reporting FSD. These findings highlight the need to initiate routine assessment of sexual functioning in this population and examine whether the weight loss after bariatric surgery contributes to a reversal of FSD.