Two new di-tert-butyl-type compounds from a saline-lake derived Streptomyces sp. XZB42.

Two novel di-tert-butyl-type structures (1-2), and five known compounds (3-7) were isolated from the chemical investigations of a saline lake actinomycete, Streptomyces sp. XZB42. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive NMR spectroscopic analysis, HRESIMS data, GIAO (gauge-including atomic orbitals) NMR and specific optical rotation (SOR).

Hidronefrosis como manifestación inusual y distractora en el diagnóstico de una vasculitis ANCA positiva. A propósito de un caso / Hydronephrosis as an unusual and distracting manifestation in the diagnosis of ANCA-positive vasculitis. About a case

La nefropatía obstructiva se considera una manifestación inusual en las vasculitis ANCA. Se presenta el caso de un masculino de 38 años, con granulomatosis con poliangitis e hidronefrosis unilateral, y revisión de la literatura. Masculino de 38 años, sano, quien consulta por cuadro subagudo de odinofagia, síntomas constitucionales y lesión renal aguda anúrica. Inicialmente con hallazgo de hidronefrosis izquierda, manejado como nefropatía obstructiva, que eventualmente desarrolla hemorragia alveolar difusa, distrés respiratorio y fallece debido a un síndrome de distrés respiratorio agudo severo refractario asociado a su granulomatosis con poliangitis. La nefropatía obstructiva es una manifestación inusual de las vasculitis ANCA asociadas. Es importante la sospecha diagnóstica en estos cuadros multisistémicos para no dilatar el tratamiento inmunosupresor conjunto con el resto de las terapias requeridas.

Obstructive nephropathy is considered an unusual presentation in ANCA-associated vasculitis. The following case describes a 38-year-old male with granulomatosis with polyangiitis and unilateral hydronephrosis, as well as a literature review. A 38-year-old male with an unremarkable medical background presents with a 3-week history of odynophagia, constitutional symptoms and anuric kidney injury. Initially managed as an obstructive nephropathy due to a left hydronephrosis finding, the patient eventually develops a diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, acute respiratory distress and perishes due to granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Obstructive nephropathy is an unusual manifestation of ANCA-associated vasculitis. Diagnostic suspicion is important in these multisystem pictures so as not to delay immunosuppressive treatment together with the rest of the required therapies.

Overexpression of G Protein-Coupled Receptor 40 Protects Obesity-Induced Cardiomyopathy Through the SIRT1/LKB1/AMPK Pathway.

Obesity has become a serious global public health problem, and cardiomyopathy caused by obesity has recently gained attention. As an important protein involved in glucose and lipid metabolism, G protein-coupled receptor 40 (GPR40) exerts cardioprotective effects in some disease models. This study aimed to explore whether GPR40 plays a protective role in obesity-induced cardiomyopathy. We established an obesity model by feeding rats with a high-fat diet, and H9c2 cells were stimulated with palmitic acid to mimic high fat stimulation. Overexpression of GPR40 was achieved by infection with lentivirus or cDNA plasmids. Obesity-induced cardiac injury models exhibit cardiac dysfunction, myocardial hypertrophy, and collagen accumulation, which are accompanied by increased inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. However, GPR40 overexpression attenuated these alterations. The anti-inflammatory effect of GPR40 may be by inhibiting the nuclear factor-κB pathway, and the antioxidative stress may occur as a result of nuclear transcription factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 pathway activation. In terms of the mechanisms of GPR40 against obese cardiomyopathy, GPR40 overexpression not only activated the sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)-liver kinase B1 (LKB1)-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway but also enhanced the binding of SIRT1 to LKB1. The antifibrotic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative stress, and antiapoptotic effects of GPR40 overexpression were inhibited by SIRT1 small interfering RNA. In conclusion, GPR40 overexpression protects against obesity-induced cardiac injury in rats, possibly through the SIRT1-LKB1-AMPK pathway.

A novel sound-blocking structure based on the muffler principle for rib-sparing transcostal high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment.

The main challenge in transcostal high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy is minimising heat deposition in the ribs while ensuring that a sufficient dose is delivered to the target region. Current approaches rely on expensive multichannel phased-array systems to turn the individual transducer on and off according to either geometrical arrangements or complicated wave calculations. To protect the ribs from heating, the ultrasound energy must not only not reach the ribs, but must also not accumulate in front of the ribs. The research in this paper proposes a different approach, of attaching a sound-blocking structure in front of the rib cage with similar effects to those of an engine exhaust muffler. The sound-blocking structure is based on the muffler principle to prevent ultrasound energy from reaching the ribs and reduce the amount of energy reflected back to the applicator. Finite element simulations with a 0.5-MHz transducer of the overall sound fields and temperature distribution showed that the ultrasound pressure and energy level would decrease behind the novel sound-blocking structures, thereby resulting in a lower temperature at the ribs than at the tumour. Without the protecting structure, the rib temperature reached 104.19 °C whereas with the structure it reached only 37.86 °C. An experimental set-up using porcine ribs with a phantom was also developed to validate the concept, which showed that the rib temperature reached 73 °C without protection within 1 min of ablation time whereas it reached 36.5 °C with the device. The tumour region in the tests reached 51 °C and 49 °C with and without protection, respectively.