Morphological Correlation between the Diameters of the Left Main Coronary Artery and its Branches Measured by QCA and Derived by Finet's Law.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Stenting or angioplasty of coronary arteries as interventional management requires knowledge about the morphology of the coronary tree, including luminal diameters. OBJECTIVE: This work aimed to study the diameters of the left main coronary artery and its branches measured by QCA in relation to the diameters derived by Finet's law. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, retrospective, hospital-based study. The number of angiograms used was 357. The diameters of the left main coronary artery (LM1), left anterior interventricular artery (LAD1), and left circumflex artery (LCx1) were measured by QCA. The diameter of LM1 was measured by 5 mm before its termination, and the diameters of LAD1 and LCx1 were obtained by 5 mm from their origins. Finet's law was used to calculate the diameters of LM2, LAD2 and LCx2 using the QCA measurements. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 53.3±8.8 years. Female patients represented 58.9%. The mean diameter of the left main coronary using QCA was 3.75±0.85 mm, and the diameter calculated using Finet's law was 3.89±0.80 mm. The diameters of LAD1 and LCx1 were larger than those calculated with Finet's law. The Z-test showed a significant difference between the diameter of the LM1 calculated by Finet's law; both diameters were positively associated. The diameters of LAD1 and LAD2 showed a non-significant correlation (r = 0.0653, P = 0.259526) and a negative correlation between LCx1 and LCX2 (r = -0.2659, P = 0.00001). The Z-test showed a significant difference in the diameter of LAD and LCx measured by QCA and Finet's law. CONCLUSION: An association was found between the diameter of LM measured by QCA and calculated with Finet's law; the diameter calculated by Finet's law was larger. The diameters of LAD and LCx measured by QCA were larger than those calculated by Finet's law. A positive correlation existed between the diameters measured by QCA and Finet's law, and they had significant differences. Finet's law can assist in the selection of stent size. Despite the literature about Finet's law, generalising its use requires more studies on different ethnicities.

Noncoding RNAs endogenously rule the cancerous regulatory realm while proteins govern the normal.

Cancers evolve from normal tissues and share an endogenous regulatory realm distinctive from that of normal human tissues. Unearthing such an endogenous realm faces challenges due to heterogeneous biology data. This study computes petabyte level data and reveals the endogenous regulatory networks of normal and cancers and then unearths the most important endogenous regulators for normal and cancerous realm. In normal, proteins dominate the entire realm and trans-regulate their targets across chromosomes and ribosomal proteins serve as the most important drivers. However, in cancerous realm, noncoding RNAs dominate the whole realm and pseudogenes work as the most important regulators that cis-regulate their neighbors, in which they primarily regulate their targets within 1 million base pairs but they rarely regulate their cognates with complementary sequences as thought. Therefore, two distinctive mechanisms rule the normal and cancerous realm separately, in which noncoding RNAs endogenously regulate cancers, instead of proteins as currently conceptualized. This establishes a fundamental avenue to understand the basis of cancerous and normal physiology.

FINET: Fast Inferring NETwork.

OBJECTIVES: Numerous software has been developed to infer the gene regulatory network, a long-standing key topic in biology and computational biology. Yet the slowness and inaccuracy inherited in current software hamper their applications to the increasing massive data. Here, we develop a software, FINET (Fast Inferring NETwork), to infer a network with high accuracy and rapidity from big data. RESULTS: The high accuracy results from integrating algorithms with stability-selection, elastic-net, and parameter optimization. Tested by a known biological network, FINET infers interactions with over 94% precision. The high speed comes from partnering parallel computations implemented with Julia, a new compiled language that runs much faster than existing languages used in the current software, such as R, Python, and MATLAB. Regardless of FINET's implementations with Julia, users with no background in the language or computer science can easily operate it, with only a user-friendly single command line. In addition, FINET can infer other networks such as chemical networks and social networks. Overall, FINET provides a confident way to efficiently and accurately infer any type of network for any scale of data.

Diterpenoid alkaloids from Aconitum brevicalcaratum as autophagy inducers.

A new C19 diterpenoid alkaloid, brevicanine (1) and six known ones (2-7) were isolated from Aconitum brevicalcaratum (Finet et Gagnep.) Diels. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses. The cytotoxicity of those compounds was investigated against HCT116 human cancer cell line, which showed none of them possessing considerable anti-proliferative activities. To evaluate the autophagy effect of compounds 1-7, Western blot was used to detect the expression of autophagic marker by stimulating human cancer HCT116 cells. The results showed that compound 6 induced protective autophagy in HCT116 cells. Mechanistic insight showed that compound 6 induced protective autophagy through p53 activation, ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK signaling cascade.

GC-MS analysis of the low polarity components in the stems of Uvaria macrophylla Roxb. var. microcarpaChamp.Finet et Gagnep / 国际药学研究杂志

Objective: To investigate the low polarity components in the stems of Uvaria macrophylla Roxb. var.microcarpa(Champ.)Finet et Gagnep.(Annonaceae). Methods: The dry stems of the title plant were extracted by re-fluxing with 95% ethylalcohol(80℃),and the obtained aqueous alcohol solution was evaporated to remove alcohol,andthen the ethyl alcohol extracts were extracted with petroleum ether(PE)to obtain a PE extract. The chemical constitu-ents in the PE extract were analyzed by GC-MS and identified by comparison of the obtained MS data with the standardmass spectral data. The relative contents in percentage were calculated for the constituents using the area normalizationmethod. Results: Ten compounds were identified,in which the palmitic acid(16.76%),4(14)- 11- eucalypene(15.31%),and selinene(14.45%)were the main components. Conclusion: The low polarity components in the stemsof Uvaria macrophylla Roxb. var. microcarpa(Champ.)Finet et Gagnep. mainly consisted of naphthalenes(31%),fol-lowed by sesquiterpenoids(29.76%).

Exploration into the Anti-Rheumatoid Arthritis Mechanism of Ethyl Acetate Extract from Kadsura longipedunculata Finet et Gagnep / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To research the effect and mechanism of ethyl acetate extract from Kadsura longipedunculata Finet et Gagnep. METHODS: The 70 SD male rats were randomly divided into 7 groups: normal control group, model group, tripterginum glycosides(TG) group, dexamethasone(DXM) group, ethyl acetate extract from Kadsura longipedunculata Finet et Gagnep. low, medium and high dosage groups(0.063, 0.126, 0.252 g·kg-1·d-1), the CIA(collagen induced arthritis) model of rats was adopted. Under 28 days intragastric administration, the rats' state, weight, degree of paw swelling, arthritis index and pathological changes of ankle joints were observed. Their serologic contents of interleukin 1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) were examined by means of ELISA, and the expression of NF-κB p65 mRNA in joint synovial tissues were tested via quantitative Real-time PCR method. RESULTS: The ethyl acetate extract from Kadsura longipedunculata Finet et Gagnep. is found obviously effective in inhibiting CIA rats' paw swelling, decreasing serologic content of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, as well as the expression of NF-κB p65 mRNA in synovial tissues.Its effect is dosage-related, and stronger than that of TG, weaker than that of DXM. CONCLUSION: Kadsura longipedunculata Finet et Gagnep. is, to some extent, effective against RA, the mechanism of which is related to the transcription of NF-κB p65.

Sesquiterpenes constituents from fruits of Michelia yunnanensis / 中草药

Objective: To study the chemical constituents from fruits of Michelia yunnanensis. Methods: The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by column chromatographies on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data. Results: Twelve compounds were isolated from methanol extract of the fruits of M. yunnanensis and the structures were identified as 13-methoxy-11β, 13-dihydrocostunolide (1), lanuginolide (2), tulipinolide (3), lipiferolide (4), costunolide (5), parthenolide (6), 11β, 13-dihydroparthenolide (7), 4α, 5β-epoxy-13-methoxy-11βH-germacra-1 (10)-en-12, 6α-olide (8), cyperusol C (9), aromadendra-4β, 10α-diol (10), 9-oxonerolidol (11), and 11, 13-dehydrocompressanolide (12). Conclusion: Compound 1 is isolated as a new natural product. 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR data of compounds 1 and 2 are reported for the first time. Except compound 6, other compounds are isolated from this plant for the first time.

Lignans and triterpenoids from roots of Kadsura longipedunculata / 中草药

Objective: To study the chemical constituents from the roots of Kadsura longipedunculata. Methods: The constituents were isolated and purified by various chromatographic methods, and the structures were identified on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Results: Fifteen compounds including 10 lignans and five triterpenoids were isolated from the roots of K. longipedunculata and the structures were identified as (2S,3S)-4,4-bis (3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-1-butanol (1), (2S,3S)-4,4-bis (4-hydroxy-3- methoxyphenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-1-butanol (2), kadangustin K (3), benzoyloxokadsuranol (4), propoxyloxokadsuranol (5), kadsutherin C (6), heteroclitin E (7), schiarisanrin C (8), heteroclitin J (9), kadsuphilin J (10), propindilactone J (11), kadcoccilactone C (12), kadsuphilactone B (13), wuweizidilactone D (14), and wuweizidilactone H (15). Conclusion: All compounds are isolated from K. longipedunculata for the first time, and compounds 1, 2, 11, and 14 are isolated from the genus Kadsura Kaempf. ex Juss. for the first time, compounds 1 and 2 are new natural products.

Rapid identification on chemical constituents in roots of Paeonia delavayi var. lutea by UPLC-Q-TOF-MSE combined with UNIFI informatics platform / 中草药

Objective: To rapidly identify the chemical constituents of Paeonia delavayi var. lutea roots by ultra-high performance liquid coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MSE) and UNIFI informatics platform. Methods: Time-dependent MSE data-acquistion mode was applied to acquire mass spectrometric data, and then the chemical constituents were identified by automatic identification and artificial identification. Results: Totally 57 compounds were identified, including monoterpene glycosides, phenolic acids, tannins, paeonols, and triterpenes. Conclusion: UPLC-Q-TOF-MSE combined with UNIFI database could be used to rapidly and comprehensively characterize the chemical constituents of P. delavayi var. lutea roots. This study provides a reference for quality control of P. delavayi var. lutea roots and clarifying the material basis of its efficacy.

Inhibition of the Calcineurin Pathway by Two Flavonoids Isolated from Miliusa sinensis Finet & Gagnep.

In order to discover plant-derived signaling pathway inhibitors with antifungal properties, a two-component screening system utilizing the calcineurin and Hog1 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways responsible for the virulence networks of Cryptococcus neoformans was employed, owing to the counter-regulatory actions of these pathways. Of the 1,000 plant extracts tested, two bioactive compounds from Miliusa sinensis were found to act specifically on the calcineurin pathway of C. neoformans. These compounds, identified as pashanone and 5-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavanone, exhibited potent antifungal activities against various human pathogenic fungi with minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 4.0 to >128 µg/ml.

Rapid identification of dye adulteration in Kadsura longipedunculata by paper-based SERS / 药学实践杂志

Objective To establish a paper-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method for the detection of dyed K adsura longipedunculata Finet et Gagnep .Methods Supported silver nanoparticles on filter paper were synthesized simply by soaking method .In addition ,factors including enrichment ratio of silver nanoparticles ,the enhancement effect and sta-bility of the SERS device were investigated .Results The K adsura longipedunculata Finet et Gagnep ,dyed by Erythrosine or Acid Red at low concentration had been detected successfully .Conclusion Combined with the paper device and SERS ,the ap-proach was rapid and non-destructive which could be used to identification of dyed K adsura longipedunculata Finet et Gagnep .

Chemical constituents from roots of Kadsura longipedunculata / 中草药

Objective: To study the chemical constituents from the roots of Kadsura longipedunculata. Methods: The constituents were isolated and purified by various chromatographic methods, and the structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. Results: Sixteen compounds were isolated from the roots of K. longipedunculata and the structures were identified as pinobatol (1), leptolepisol B (2), 7S,8R-erythro-4,7,9,9'-tetrahydroxy-3,3'-dimethoxy-8-O-4'-neolignan (3), 2,3-bis-(α-hydroxy-4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl)-butane-1,4-diol (4), (7'S,8R,8'S)-4,4',9-trihydroxy-3,3',5-trimethoxy-9'-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-2,7'-cyclo-lignan (5), aviculin (6), ent-isolariciresinol (7), lawsorosemarinol (8), (+)-anwulignan (9), isolariciresinol-2α-O-β-D-xyloside (10), procyanidin B3 (11), prodelphinidin B3 (12), (-)-gallocatechin (13), (+)-catechin (14), abscisic acid-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (15), and (-)-oleuropeic acid 8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (16). Conclusion: Compounds 1-8, 11-13, 15, and 16 are isolated from the plants of Kadsura Kaempf. ex Juss. for the first time.