Inverse Association of N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide with Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure

Background

Metabolic syndrome has been shown to be associated with lower levels of plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (Nt-proBNP) in the general population. We sought to elucidate the relationship between Nt-proBNP and components of metabolic syndrome in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).

Methods

Fasting blood samples were obtained from 93 patients in our institution. Plasma levels of Nt-proBNP and other biochemical data were measured. The New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification system (I-IV) was used to define the functional capacity of CHF. Metabolic syndrome and its components were defined using diagnostic criteria from the International Diabetes Federation.

Results

Forty-nine patients (52.7%) had CHF. There was a positive correlation between plasma Nt-proBNP levels and NYHA functional capacity in CHF patients. Plasma Nt-proBNP levels increased significantly with each increasing NYHA class of the disease. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in CHF patients was higher than that in patients without CHF. Most importantly, we found that plasma Nt-proBNP levels were lower in CHF patients with metabolic syndrome attributable to inverse relationships between plasma Nt-proBNP and body mass index (β = −0.297), plasma triglyceride (β = −0.286) and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR; β = −0.346). Fasting glucose to insulin ratio (FGIR, an insulin sensitivity index) was positively associated with plasma Nt-proBNP levels (β = 0.491), and was the independent predictor of plasma Nt-proBNP levels in CHF patients.

Conclusions

Plasma Nt-proBNP levels are inversely associated with metabolic syndrome in CHF patients. Reduced plasma Nt-proBNP levels in CHF patients may lead to impaired lipolysis and metabolic function, and may contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome in CHF patients.     

128-Slice Acceletated-Pitch Dual Energy CT Angiography of the Head and Neck: Comparison of Different Low Contrast Medium Volumes

Background

Our study aims to evaluate the image quality and feasibility of 128-slice dual-energy CTA (DE-CTA) for supra-aortic arteries using reduced amounts of contrast medium (CM).

Methods

A prospective study was performed in 54 patients receiving CTA of the head and neck with a 128-slice dual-source CT system. Patients were randomized into two groups with a volume of either 40 mL of CM (Group I) or 50 mL of CM (Group II). Arterial and venous enhancements were recorded for quantitative assessment. Qualitative assessments for images without bone removal (BR) were based on a) the visualization of the circle of Willis and b) streak artifacts due to residual CM in the subclavian or internal jugular veins ipsilateral to injection of CM. Qualitative assessment of dual-energy images using BR was based on the presence of bone remnants and vessel integrity. Quantitative data was compared using the Student t test. The χ² test was used for the qualitative measurements of streak artifacts in veins while the Mann-Whitney U test was used for the qualitative measurements of images with BR.

Results

Arterial and venous attenuation was significantly higher in Group II (P=0.000). Image quality regarding the circle of Willis was excellent in both groups (3.90±0.30 for Group I and 4.00±0 for Group II) . Imaging of the internal jugular veins was scored higher in Group I (1.87±0.72) compared with Group II (1.48±0.51) (P=0.021). Within Group I using BR, mean scores for bone remnants did not differ significantly (P>0.05) but mean scores of vessel integrity (P<0.05) did.

Conclusions

Contrast-enhanced head and neck CTA is feasible using a scan protocol with low amounts of contrast medium (40 mL) on a 128-slice dual-energy CTA. The 40-mL protocol provides satisfactory image quality before and after dual-energy bone-removal post-processing.     

BCRP/ABCG2 Inhibition Sensitizes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Sorafenib

The multikinase inhibitor, sorafenib (Nexavar®, BAY43-9006), which inhibits both the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway and several receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), has shown significantly therapeutic benefits in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, not all HCC patients respond to sorafenib well and new therapeutic strategies to optimize the efficacy of sorafenib are urgently required. Overexpression of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2) mediates the drug-efflux of several tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) to attenuate their efficacy. This study aimed to investigate the role of BCRP/ABCG2 in the sensitivity of HCC to sorafenib. Our data showed that BCRP/ABCG2 mediated the efflux of sorafenib. Co-treatment with a BCRP/ABCG2 inhibitor greatly augmented the cytotoxicity of sorafenib in HCC cells. Similar results were also achieved by the competitive inhibitor of BCRP/ABCG2, gefitinib, in combination with sorafenib. These results suggest not only that BCRP/ABCG2 is a potential predictor for the sorafenib sensitivity in HCC, but also that blockage of BCRP/ABCG2 may be a potential strategy to increase the response of HCC cells to sorafenib.     

The History and Advances of Reversible Terminators Used in New Generations of Sequencing Technology

DNA sequencing using reversible terminators, as one sequencing by synthesis strategy, has garnered a great deal of interest due to its popular application in the second-generation high-throughput DNA sequencing technology. In this review, we provided its history of development, classification, and working mechanism of this technology. We also outlined the screening strategies for DNA polymerases to accommodate the reversible terminators as substrates during polymerization; particularly, we introduced the "REAP" method developed by us. At the end of this review, we discussed current limitations of this approach and provided potential solutions to extend its application.     

Culturable actinomycetes from desert ecosystem in northeast of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

In this study, 53 actinomycetes strains were isolated from desert ecosystems located in northeast of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and grouped into four RFLP patterns. Twenty-six actinomycetes with obvious morphology differences were chosen for phylogenetic diversity study and antimicrobial testing. As a result, the 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that these strains belonged to Streptomyces, Micromonospora, Saccharothrix, Streptosporangium and Cellulomonas, and that most of the strains had antimicrobial bioactivity. The PKS and NRPS genes detection indicated diversified potential bioactive products of actinomycetes in this ecosystem. Among these strains, Sd-31 was chosen to study the bioactive products using HPLC-MS because of its optimum antimicrobial bioactivity. The result showed that it might produce Granatomycin A, Granatomycin C, and an unknown compound.     

Investigation of the binding network of IGF-I on the cavity surface of IGFBP4

Insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) control bioactivity and distribution of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) through high-affinity complex of IGFBP and IGF. To get more insight into the binding interaction of IGF system, the site-directed mutagenesis and force-driving desorption methods were employed to study the interaction mechanism of IGFBP4 and IGF-I by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. In IGF-I, residues Gly7 to Asp12 were found to be the hot spots and they mainly anchored on the N-domain of IGFBP4. The contact area, the shape and size of protein, the surroundings of the binding site, the hydrophobic and electrostatic interaction between the two proteins worked as a complex network to regulate the protein-protein interaction. It was also found that the unfolding of the helix was not inevitable in the mutant, and it could be regulated by careful selection of the substituted amino acid.

Electronic, magnetic and optical properties of Cu, Ag, Au-doped Si clusters

The structural, optical and magnetic properties of Cu, Ag, Au-doped Si₇ Clusters have been systematically investigated using density functional theory calculations. The global optimized structures of Cu, Ag, Au-doped Si clusters are predicted to have a lower HOMO–LUMO gap and higher magnetic moment. M-doping (M?=?Cu, Ag, Au) in Si cluster widens a range of adsorption wavelength, especially Au-doping. The characteristics in electronic density of states (DOSs) show that C_5v-Si₆Cu has a big asymmetrical spin-up and spin-down. The average atomic moment is 0.428 mμ_B per atom for the Si₆Cu cluster with C_5v symmetry, while the average paramagnetic moment is 0.143 mμ_B per atom for other M-doped (M?=?Cu, Ag, Au) Si₇ clusters.     

Predicting the preferred conformations of luteolin-4′-O-β-D-glucoside in gas phase: a comparison of two computational approaches

A tree-step computational approach has been applied to determine the lowest-energy conformers of luteolin-4′-O-β-D-glucoside (L4′G). Fifty-seven starting structures of the L4′G have been built, and then by performing with density functional theory (DFT) optimizations and second-order Møller-Plesset (MP2) calculations, the preferred conformations of L4′G are predicted. In order to test the accuracy of the computational approach, a hybrid Monte-Carlo multiple minimum (MCMM)/quantum mechanical (QM) approach is applied to determine the favorable conformers of L4′G. The alternative classification is employed to put similar conformations into the same catalogue according to the dihedral angles among the luteolin rings, glycosidic dihedral angles, and the orientations of hydroxyl and hydroxymethyl groups. The low-energy conformations are located after the optimizations at the HF/6-31G(d) and B3LYP/6-311+G(d) levels. Compared with the hybrid MCMM/QM approach, the tree-step computational approach not only remains accurate but also saves a lot of computing resources.

Chemical Constituents from a Soil‐Derived Actinomycete,Actinomadura miaoliensis BCRC 16873, and Their Inhibitory Activities on Lipopolysaccharide‐Induced Tumor Necrosis Factor Production

An investigation on the secondary metabolites from the BuOH extract of the fermentation broth of the thermotolerant polyester‐degrading actinomycete Actinomadura miaoliensis BCRC 16873 was carried out. One previously undescribed α‐pyrone (=pyran‐2‐one) derivative, designated as miaolienone ( 1 ), and a new butanolide, miaolinolide ( 2 ), together with 13 known compounds, 3 – 15 , were obtained. Their structures were established on the basis of extensive 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR analyses in combination with HR‐MS experiments. In addition, the isolated compounds 1 – 15 were evaluated for the inhibitory effects of the isolates on the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF‐α) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Among the isolates, 1 and 2 significantly inhibited TNF‐α production in U937 cells in vitro, and the IC₅₀ values were 0.59 and 0.76 μM , respectively. Compounds 3 – 5 displayed moderate inhibitory activities on LPS‐induced TNF‐α production.     

Pierisformotoxins A – D,Polyesterified Grayanane Diterpenoids from Pieris formosa and Their cAMP‐Decreasing Activities

Four highly acylated diterpenoids, designated as pierisformotoxins A–D ( 1 – 4 , resp.), along with 26 known compounds, were isolated from the flowers of Pieris formosa. Among them, pierisformotoxins A and B ( 1 and 2 , resp.) were new highly acylated grayanane diterpenoids, of which the five‐membered ring A has undergone an oxidative cleavage between C(3) and C(4), followed by lactonization, to give rise to a five‐membered lactone ring between C(3) and C(5), differing from the previously reported grayanane diterpenoids with a 5/7/6/5 ring system. Results of the cAMP‐regulation‐activity assay showed that pierisformotoxin C ( 3 ) at 10 μM (inhibitory ratio (IR): 10.1%) or 2 μM (9.8%), and pierisformotoxin B ( 2 ) at 50 μM (13.9%) significantly decreased the cAMP level in N1E‐115 neuroblastoma cells (p<0.05).