Threshold value of anti-Mullerian hormone for the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome in Chinese women.

OBJECTIVE: We intended to establish the threshold for anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in China. METHODS: A total of 771 women (653 with PCOS and 118 healthy controls) were enrolled. The serum AMH, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), FSH/LH, prolactin, estradiol, testosterone (T), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), 17α-OH progesterone (17α-OHP), fasting insulin (INS), fasting glucose, free androgen index (FAI%) and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index were analyzed, and the diagnostic utility of AMH, LH/FSH, T and INS was established using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves. With AMH, LH/FSH, T and INS as independent variables, a logistic regression model was established, and the ROC curve for combined detection was fitted with the probability value of the model. RESULTS: The serum level of FSH, LH, LH/FSH, AMH, FAI%, 17α-OHP, fasting INS, T, SHBG, DHEA-S and HOMA-IR were altered in the PCOS patients. The best compromise between sensitivity and specificity was found at an AMH cut-off level of 8.16 ng/ml and 5.89 ng/ml for the age groups 20-29 and 30-39 years, with the corresponding area under the curve being 0.846 and 0.865 respectively. The area under the ROC curve for combined detection was 0.951, which was significantly greater than that of each index. Finally, the concentration of AMH was associated with FSH, LH, LH/FSH, T, and ovarian volume in PCOS patients. CONCLUSION: The optimal AMH diagnostic threshold for PCOS was 8.16 ng/ml (20-29 years) and 5.89 ng/ml (30-39 years) in the Chinese population of this study. Moreover, serum AMH, LH/FSH, T and INS could be used in combination to improve the diagnostic specificity and sensitivity for the detection of PCOS.

Study on antitubercular constituents from the seeds of Nigella glandulifera.

Two new compounds with five known compounds have been isolated from EtOH extract of the seeds of Nigella glandulifera. On the basis of their spectroscopic and chemical evidence, the new compounds were elucidated as methoxynigeglanine (1) and 6-methoxythymol-3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (4). Compounds 1-4 showed moderate antitubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Rv with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 32-250 µg/mL.

Cajaninstilbene acid relaxes rat renal arteries: roles of Ca2+ antagonism and protein kinase C-dependent mechanism.

Cajaninstilbene acid (CSA) is a major active component present in the leaves of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. The present study explores the underlying cellular mechanisms for CSA-induced relaxation in rat renal arteries. Vascular reactivity was examined in arterial rings that were suspended in a Multi Myograph System and the expression of signaling proteins was assessed by Western blotting method. CSA (0.1-10 µM) produced relaxations in rings pre-contracted by phenylephrine, serotonin, 9, 11-dideoxy-9α, 11α-epoxymethanoprostaglandin F(2α) (U46619), and 60 mM KCl. CSA-induced relaxations did not show difference between genders and were unaffected by endothelium denudation, nor by treatment with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, indomethacin, ICI-182780, tetraethylammonium ion, BaCl(2), glibenclamide, 4-aminopyridine or propranolol. CSA reduced contraction induced by CaCl(2) (0.01-5 mM) in Ca(2+)-free 60 mM KCl solution and by 30 nM (-)-Bay K8644 in 15 mM KCl solution. CSA inhibited 60 mM KCl-induced Ca(2+) influx in smooth muscle of renal arteries. In addition, CSA inhibited contraction evoked by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, protein kinase C agonist) in Ca(2+)-free Krebs solution. Moreover, CSA reduced the U46619- and PMA-induced phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC) at Ser19 and myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1) at Thr853 which was associated with vasoconstriction. CSA also lowered the phosphorylation of protein kinase C (PKCδ) at Thr505. In summary, the present results suggest that CSA relaxes renal arteries in vitro via multiple cellular mechanisms involving partial inhibition of calcium entry via nifedipine-sensitive calcium channels, protein kinase C and Rho kinase.

Synthesis, molecular docking, and biofilm formation inhibitory activity of 5-substituted 3,4-dihalo-5h-furan-2-one derivatives on Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) colonize on most wounds and live as biofilm, which causes antibiotic resistance and wounds unhealed. To investigate the effects of 5-substituted 3,4-dihalo-5H-furan-2-one compounds on biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa, a set of 5-(aryl-1'-hydroxy-methyl)- or 5-(aryl-2-methylene)-3,4-dihalo-5H-furan-2-one compounds were designed and synthesized. Their inhibitory activities on biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa were studied by MIC assay, quantitative analysis of biofilm inhibition, and observation of biofilm formation with SEM. It was found that compounds 2i, 3f, 3i showed remarkable effects of biofilm formation inhibition on P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, molecular docking was performed to identify the key structural features of these compounds with the binding site of LasR receptor.