Xanthii Fructus Inhibits Inflammatory Responses in LPS-Stimulated Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages

Xanthii Fructus (XF) is an herb widely used in medicine for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory pathologies. In this study, using mouse peritoneal macrophages, we have examined whether XF affects nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-12p40 production induced by interferon (IFN)-γ and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). XF inhibits IFN-γ and LPS-induced NO production in a dose dependent manner. The decrease in NO synthesis was reflected as a decreased amount of inducible NO synthase protein. Furthermore, we also found that XF inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α production. However, treatment of XF in peritoneal macrophages had no effect on IL-12p40 production. These findings suggest that XF may be used in controlling macrophages-mediated inflammatory diseases.     

Longitudinal Changes in Insulin Resistance,Beta-Cell Function and Glucose Regulation Status in Prediabetes

Background

The changes in insulin resistance and insulin secretion and their association with changes in glucose regulation status in Asians with prediabetes remain uncertain.

Higher circulating sphingosine 1-phosphate levels are associated with lower bone mineral density and higher bone resorption marker in humans

Context: Several in vivo and in vitro studies suggest that sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is known to act as a coupling factor, to stimulate osteoclastogenesis, to control the migration of osteoclast precursors between the blood and bone, and to stimulate the proliferation, migration, and survival of osteoblasts. Objective: Using the determination of circulating S1P levels, we investigated which kinds of processes may be primarily affected by S1P in humans. Design and Setting: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in two clinical units in Korea. Participants: Men (n = 86), premenopausal women (n = 94), and postmenopausal women (n = 357) participated in the study. Main Outcome Measures: We measured S1P levels and their relationships with bone mineral density, biochemical bone turnover markers, and uncoupling indices. Results: S1P levels were significantly higher in the postmenopausal women than in the premenopausal women and men. High S1P concentrations were significantly associated with low bone mineral density values at some femur sites in the postmenopausal women (P = 0.015 to 0.049), at the lumbar spine in the premenopausal women (P = 0.017), and at all sites in men (P = 0.001 to 0.036) after adjustments with multiple covariates. S1P levels were positively correlated with bone resorption markers (P = 0.003 to 0.049), but not with formation markers in postmenopausal women. Higher S1P levels were associated with lower uncoupling indices (P = <0.001 to 0.048) in postmenopausal women. Conclusion: These findings suggest that S1P may primarily affect bone resorption, resulting in bone loss.     

8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine: not mere biomarker for oxidative stress, but remedy for oxidative stress-implicated gastrointestinal diseases

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) attack guanine bases in DNA easily and form 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG),which can bind to thymidine rather than cytosine,based on which,the level of 8-OHdG is gen-erally regarded as a biomarker of mutagenesis conse-quent to oxidative stress.For example,higher levels of 8-OHdG are noted in Helicobacter pylori-associated chronic atrophic gastritis as well as gastric cancer.However,we have found that exogenous 8-OHdG can paradoxically reduce ROS production,attenuate thenuclear factor-κB signaling pathway,and ameliorate the expression of proinflammatory mediators such as interleukin (IL)-1,IL-6,cyclo-oxygenase-2,and induc-ible nitric oxide synthase in addition to expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NOX)-1,NOX organizer-1 and NOX activator-1 in vari-ous conditions of inflammation-based gastrointestinal (GI) diseases including gastritis,inflammatory bowel disease,pancreatitis,and even colitis-associated carci-nogenesis.Our recent finding that exogenous 8-OHdG was very effective in either inflammation-based or oxidative-stress-associated diseases of stress-related mucosal damage has inspired the hope that synthetic 8-OHdG can be a potential candidate for the treatment of inflammation-based GI diseases,as well as the pre-vention of inflammation-associated GI cancer.In this editorial review,the novel fact that exogenous 8-OHdG can be a functional molecule regulating oxidative-stress-induced gastritis through either antagonizing Rac-guanosine triphosphate binding or blocking the signals responsible for gastric inflammatory cascade is introduced.     

Safety and efficacy of propofol anesthesia for pediatric target-controlled infusion in children below 3 years of age: a retrospective observational study

Background: Although the requirement of propofol in children is increasing, propofol for induction and maintenance of anesthesia below 3 years old has not been approved in Korea. This study can provide a clinical evidence to increase the range of approval.

Research design and methods: We reviewed the medical records of patients below 3 years of age who underwent surgery between September 2013 and December 2016. Safety was evaluated on the basis of vital signs, and laboratory findings and efficacy were evaluated on the basis of the bispectral index (BIS). Adverse events were examined.

Results: A total of 109 patients anesthetized with propofol (propofol group) were compared with 109 patients with volatile anesthetics (volatile group) after propensity score matching. There was a difference in the proportion of patients showing decreased systolic pressure (P < 0.001) and heart rate (P = 0.03), but there was no difference in diastolic pressure (P = 0.238), mean arterial pressure (P = 0.175) during surgery. After surgery, there was no difference in all vital signs and the proportion patients who experienced adverse events of two groups.

Conclusions: Propofol anesthesia by target-controlled infusion was effective and didn’t show serious propofol-related perioperative adverse events.     

The application of SFDI and LSI system to evaluate the blood perfusion in skin flap mouse model

Lasers in Medical Science - The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the blood perfusion to tissues for detecting ischemic necrosis can be quantitatively monitored by spatial frequency domain...