A Novel Symbiotic Formulation Reduces Obesity and Concomitant Metabolic Syndrome in Rats by Raising the Relative Abundance of Blautia.

Obesity is regarded as an abnormal or excessive buildup of fat that may be bad for health and is influenced by a combination of intestinal flora, genetic background, physical activity level and environment. Symbiotic supplementation may be a realistic and easy therapy for the reversal of obesity and associated metabolic problems. In this study, we chose two Bifidobacterium species, three Lactobacilli species and four prebiotics to make a new symbiotic formulation. High or low doses of the symbiotic were administered to rats, and biochemical indicators were recorded to assess the biological effects in a high-fat-diet-induced rat model. The underlying mechanisms were explored by integrating 16S rRNA sequencing with an extensively targeted metabolome. High-dose symbiotic supplementation was effective in reducing obesity and concomitant metabolic syndrome. The high-dose symbiotic also significantly increased the abundance of Blautia, which was negatively correlated with taurocholic acid and the main differential metabolites involved in amino acid and bile acid metabolism. While the low-dose symbiotic had some therapeutic effects, they were not as strong as those at the high dose, demonstrating that the effects were dose-dependent. Overall, our novel symbiotic combination improved plasma glucose and lipid levels, shrunk adipocyte size, restored liver function, increased the abundance of Blautia and adjusted bile acid and amino acid metabolism.

Four new phenolic glycosides from Dobinea delavayi.

Three new benzophenone glycosides, 2-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-6,3',4'-trihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (1), 4'-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-2,4,6,3'-tetramethoxybenzophenone (2) and 2-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-4'-hydroxy-6-methylbenzophenone (3), and a new flavonoid glycoside 5'-hydroxyombuoside (6), along with three known phenolic glycosides 4-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-2,6,4'-trihydroxybenzophenone (4), mangiferin (5), and ombuoside (7), were isolated from the 80% ethanol extract of roots of Dobinea delavayi. Their structures were determined by the comprehensive analyses of the physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data (1D NMR, 2D NMR, and HR-ESI-MS). Cytotoxicity and in vitro antimalarial activity of compounds 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7 were evaluated by MTT colorimetric assay and ß-hematin formation inhibition assay, respectively.

Flavonoids from Scutellaria likiangensis Diels and their antimalarial activities.

Two new flavonoid glycosides scutelikiosides A and B (13 and 23), along with twenty-one known compounds from the 75% ethanol extract of roots of Scutellaria likiangensis Diels. Their structures were determined by the comprehensive analyses of the spectroscopic data (1D NMR, 2D NMR, HRESIMS, and CD) and physicochemical properties. Compounds 4-14, 17-19, 21, and 22 were evaluated for their in vivo antimalarial activities against Plasmodium yoelii BY265RFP in mice. Compound 17 exhibited significant activity close to artemisinin with an inhibition ratio of 29.2%, and compounds 6, 9-12, 14, 18, 19, and 22 exhibited moderate antimalarial activities with inhibition ratios ranging from 10.2% to 20.0% at a dose of 25 mg/kg/day. In addition, a summary of preliminary structure-activity relationship of isolated flavonoids for in vivo antimalarial activity was described.

Dibenzofurans from Crataegus oresbia and their lipid-lowering activity.

Three new dibenzofurans, 2-hydroxy-3,4-dimethoxydibenzofuran (1), 2,8-dihydroxy-3,4,9-trimethoxydibenzofuran (5) and 2-hydroxy-3,4,6,8-tetramethoxydibenzofuran (6), together with three known dibenzofurans 1-hydroxy-2,3,4-trimethoxydibenzofuran (2), 2-hydroxy-3,4,6-trimethoxydibenzofuran (3) and 1,6-dihydroxy-2,3,4-trimethoxydibenzofuran (4), were isolated from the twigs and leaves of Crataegus oresbia. Their structures were identified by the comprehensive analyses of the physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data (NMR and HR-ESI-MS). Compounds 1-3 showed significant in vitro lipid-lowering activities, especially compound 3 was stronger than simvastatin.

An unusual colonic mass in a phlebosclerosis patient.

A 47-year-old man with idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis presented to our hospital because of a 2-month history of diarrhea and edema of both lower limbs. Contrastenhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed a 2-cm mass of mixed density in the ascending colon. On coloscopy, a solid, ulcerated, semi-pedunculated, lobulated protruding mass of 3.5×3.5×1.5 cm was observed and removed with hot snare polypectomy. Histologic examination demonstrated a hamartomatous polyp with normal epithelium and an inflammatory infiltrate with dilated, mucus-filled cystic glands in the lamina propria, indicating a juvenile polyp.

Sesquiterpenoids and their glycosides from Dobinea delavayi (Baill.) Baill.

Eight undescribed sesquiterpenoids, including two eudesmane glycosides dobinosides A and B, five eudesmane aglycones dobinins Q-U, and one germacrane dobinin P, were isolated from the 80% ethanol extract of roots of Dobinea delavayi. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic data (1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS) and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Dobinoside A, dobinins Q and R, as well as six reported eudesmane sesquiterpenoids, were evaluated for their in vivo antimalarial activities against Plasmodium yoelii BY265RFP in mice. A summary of preliminary structure-activity relationship of eudesmane sesquiterpenoids for in vivo antimalarial activity was described.

A New Antimalarial Noreudesmane Sesquiterpenoid from Dobinea delavayi.

One previously undescribed angeloylated noreudesmane sesquiterpenoid, dobinin O (1), along with four known eudesmane sesquiterpenoids (2-5) were isolated from the peeled roots of Dobinea delavayi. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic data analyses. In addition, compound 1 exhibited moderate antimalarial activity against Plasmodium yoelii BY265RFP with the inhibition ratio of 17.8 ± 13.3% at the dose of 30 mg/kg/day.

Preoperative administration of bevacizumab is safe for patients with colorectal liver metastases.

AIM: To assess the impact of preoperative neoadjuvant bevacizumab (Bev) on the outcome of patients undergoing resection for colorectal liver metastases (CLM). METHODS: Eligible trials were identified from Medline, Embase, Ovid, and the Cochrane database. The data were analyzed with fixed-effects or random-effects models using Review Manager version 5.0. RESULTS: Thirteen nonrandomized studies with a total of 1431 participants were suitable for meta-analysis. There was no difference in overall morbidity and severe complications between the Bev + group and Bev - group (43.3% vs 36.8%, P = 0.06; 17.1% vs 11.4%, P = 0.07, respectively). Bev-related complications including wound and thromboembolic/bleeding events were also similar in the Bev + and Bev - groups (14.4% vs 8.1%, P = 0.21; 4.1% vs 3.8%, P = 0.98, respectively). The incidence and severity of sinusoidal dilation were lower in patients treated with Bev than in patients treated without Bev (43.3% vs 63.7%, P < 0.001; 16.8% vs 46.5%, P < 0.00, respectively). CONCLUSION: Bev can be safely administered before hepatic resection in patients with CLM, and has a protective effect against hepatic injury in patients treated with oxaliplatin chemotherapy.

[Surgical treatment in advanced endometrial carcinoma.].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical value of operation in advanced endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out in 78 patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma received operation in our hospital from Jan.1, 1997 to Dec. 31, 2007. The basic operation procedures were included total hysterectomy, adnexectomy, omentectomy, appendectomy and resection of metastatic lesions located in abdomino-pelvic cavity. The criteria of satisfied operation was considered that the sizes of residual leision was smaller than or equal to 2 cm, which was used to evaluate the effect of operation. The prognostic factors were also analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 78 cases, the rate of ideal cytoreductive surgery was 83% (65/78), included 23 cases of no residual leisions, 42 cases of residual leisions size smaller than or equal to 2 cm, while 13 cases of residual leisions size larger than 2 cm. The survival rate of 1-year, 3-year and 5-year were 91% (61/67), 55% (28/51) and 28% (10/36), respectively. The results by single factor analysis shown that the survival rate were correlated with prognostic factors included extent of disease, ascites, size of residual lesions, circles of chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: It is important value for advanced endometrial carcinoma to ideal cytoredutive surgery followed by combined chemotherapy, while radiotherapy no further therapeutic effects.