Anti-Oxidant,Anti-Hemolytic Effects of Crataegus aronia Leaves and Its Anti- Proliferative Effect Enhance Cisplatin Cytotoxicity in A549 Human Lung Cancer Cell Line

Objective: For Arabian traditional medicine, Crataegus aronia syn. Azarolus (L) Bosc. ex DC (Rosaceae) is widely used to treat diabetes, sexual weakness, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The anti-cancerous and anti-hemolysis effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of this plant have never been investigated before. The present study aims to evaluate the biological activities of the hydroalcoholic extract of Crataegus aronia leaves in combination with cisplatin, one of the most widely employed chemotherapeutics, on A549 human lung cancer cell line. Methods: The anti-oxidant and anti-proliferative activities of leaves, fruits, seeds of C. aronia were investigated by DPPH method and MTT assay; respectively. Cell migration activity was investigated by wound healing and by cell aggregation assays. The effect of C. aronia in inducing cell cycle arrest along with activating cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry and Western blot assays, respectively. Results: Our results showed that C. aronia leaves (C. aronia L.) had the highest anti-oxidant and anti-proliferative activities. The leaves extract was potent against hemolysis of the human erythrocytes and showed elevated decrease in migration by reducing wound healing migration and by increasing cell aggregation. Finally, C. aronia L. treatment exhibited apoptotic activity on A549 cells by the down-regulation of PARP-1, caspase-3 and Bcl-2 proteins and by increasing the percentage of A549 cells in sub G0 cell cycle. Moreover, the co-treatment of C. aronia L. and cisplatin remarkably sensitised A549 cells to cisplatin. Conclusion: The results suggested that C. aronia L. could be used as a potential treatment against human lung cancer exhibiting minimal side effects on human health.     

A population-based study of testicular cancer risk among children and young adults from Norway and Utah,USA

Similar family-based cancer and genealogy data from Norway and Utah allowed comparisons of the incidence of testicular cancer (TC), and exploration of the role of Scandinavian ancestry and family history of TC in TC risk. Our study utilizes data from the Utah Population Database and Norwegian Population Registers. All males born during 1951–2015 were followed for TC until the age of 29 years. A total of 1,974,287 and 832,836 males were born in Norway and Utah, respectively, of whom 2,686 individuals were diagnosed with TC in Norway and 531 in Utah. The incidence per year of TC in Norway (10.6) was twice that observed in Utah (5.1) for males born in the last period (1980–1984). The incidence rates of TC in Utah did not differ according to the presence or absence of Scandinavian ancestry (p = 0.669). Having a brother diagnosed with TC was a strong risk factor for TC among children born in Norway and Utah, with HR = 9.87 (95% CI 5.68–17.16) and 6.02 (95% CI 4.80–7.55), respectively; with even higher HR observed among the subset of children in Utah with Scandinavian ancestry (HR = 12.30, 95% CI 6.78–22.31). A clear difference in TC incidence among individuals born in Norway and descendants of Scandinavian people born in Utah was observed. These differences in TC rates point to the possibility of environmental influence. Family history of TC is a strong risk factor for developing TC in both populations.     

How does measurement of platelet P-selectin compare with other methods of measuring platelet function as a means of determining the effectiveness of antiplatelet therapy?

Measurement of P-selectin on activated platelets as a means of measuring platelet function utilizing the technology described here has the advantage of not requiring immediate access to specialist equipment and expertise. Blood samples are activated, fixed, stored, and transported to a central laboratory for flow cytometric analysis. Here we have compared P-selectin with other more traditional approaches to measuring platelet function in blood and/or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) from patients with acute coronary syndromes on treatment for at least 1 month with either aspirin and clopidogrel or aspirin with prasugrel. The comparators were light transmission aggregometry (LTA), VerifyNow and Multiplate aggregometry (for determining the effects of aspirin) and LTA, VerifyNow and Multiplate together with the BioCytex VASP phosphorylation assay (for the P2Y₁₂ antagonists). The P-selectin Aspirin Test revealed substantial inhibition of platelet function in all but three of 96 patients receiving aspirin with clopidogrel and in none of 51 patients receiving aspirin and prasugrel. The results were very similar to those obtained using LTA. There was only one patient with high residual platelet aggregation and low P-selectin expression. The same patients identified as “non-responders” to aspirin also presented with the highest residual platelet activity as measured using the VerifyNow system, although not quite as well separated from the other values. With the Multiplate test only one of these patients clearly stood out from the others. The results obtained using the P-selectin P2Y₁₂ Test in 102 patients taking aspirin and clopidogrel were similar to the more traditional approaches in that a wide scatter of results was obtained. Generally, high values seen with the P-selectin P2Y₁₂ Test were also high with the LTA, VerifyNow, Multiplate, and BioCytex VASP P2Y₁₂ Tests. Similarly, low residual platelet function using the P2Y₁₂ test was seen irrespective of the testing procedure used. However, there were differences in some patients. Prasugrel was always more effective than clopidogrel in inhibiting platelet function with none of 56 patients (P-selectin and VerifyNow), only 2 of 56 patients (Multiplate) and only 3 of 56 patients (Biocytex VASP) demonstrating high on-treatment residual platelet reactivity (HRPR) defined using previously published cut-off values. The exception was LTA where there were 11 of 56 patients with HRPR. It remains to be seen which experimental approach provides the most useful information regarding outcomes after adjusting therapies in treated patients.     

2015—2018年西安市百日咳流行特征分析

目的 分析西安市2015—2018年百日咳流行病学特征，为预防和控制百日咳传播提供参考。方法 采用描述流行病学方法，对中国疾病预防控制信息系统中2015—2018年期间西安市百日咳报告病例和此期间西安市百日咳哨点监测病例的数据进行统计学分析。结果 西安市2015—2018年共报告百日咳确诊病例1 635例，发病率分别为3.97/10万、4.11/10万、4.85/10万和5.28/10万，发病有逐年上升趋势（χ2趋势 = 21.719，P＜0.001）；高发季为3—8月（2015—2018年分别占该年度总发病数的75.73%、66.76%、78.97%和80.27%）；以3～6月龄发病比例最高（2015—2018年分别占该年度总发病数的50.58%、48.60%、48.36%和41.22%）；未全程接种疫苗患儿所占比例最大（2015—2018年分别为36.26%、23.74%、42.76%和33.73%），未到接种年龄就发病所占比例有逐年升高趋势（χ2趋势 = 10.302，P = 0.001），无免疫史患儿比例呈逐年降低趋势（χ2趋势 = 36.088，P＜0.001）；3种实验室检测方法中荧光PCR的检出率最高（40.12%）；传播模式除了散发病例，出现了家庭聚集现象，且所有流行病学相关病例均被漏诊或误诊。结论 西安市近年来百日咳发病率有明显上升趋势，＜6月龄婴儿为主要发病人群，百日咳的日常监测仍有待加强，且其家庭聚集式传播现象值得关注。     

血小板GPⅡb/Ⅲa 受体抑制剂(A辅剂)在血栓弹力图血小板聚集功能检测中的应用

目的评估以功能性纤维蛋白原(功纤杯)检测结果为标准的血栓弹力图(TEG)血小板聚集功能检测中在巴曲酶杯(A杯)内加入血小板GPⅡb/Ⅲa受体抑制剂(A辅剂)对检测结果的影响。方法从2019年12月~2020年5月在本院神经内科、心内科、综合科和康复科就诊、做TEG血小板聚集功能检测的患者中收集100(人)份全血标本,根据TEG测得的A杯血块强度(MA)值(mm)将血标本分为MA<25组(n=50)和MA≥25组(n=50),2组再各细分为A杯组(各自为n=50)、A辅剂组(在A杯中加入A辅剂)(各自为n=50)、功纤杯组(各自为n=50)3个亚组,各亚组均检测2次;比较各亚组间的血小板二磷酸腺苷(ADP)与花生四烯酸(AA)途径抑制率的线性相关(R2)、血小板抑制率的差异,以及3个亚组间ADP与AA途径药物疗效判读结果的一致性。结果 1)MA<25 mm组,血小板ADP及AA途径抑制率(%)A杯、A辅剂与功纤杯3个亚组分别为32.00±17.44 vs 30.19±17.44 vs 30.07±16.18,24.3±33.53 vs 22.53±30.9 vs 22.37±31.2(均为R2>0.975);2)MA≥25 mm组,血小板ADP及AA途径抑制率(%)A杯、A辅剂与功纤杯3个亚组分别为34.34±33.59 vs 18.45±24.42 vs 18.01±24.33,23.19±39.33 vs 8.48±21.75 vs 8.31±21.7(其中A杯组与A辅剂组比较均为R2<0.8,A辅剂组与功纤杯组均为R2>0.975);3)以功纤杯组检测结果为标准,A杯组与A辅剂组间ADP和AA途径药物疗效判读正确率分别为82%(41/50)vs 100%(50/50)、84%(42/50)vs 100%(50/50)(P<0.05),而A辅剂组与功纤杯组之间2种途径药物疗效判读结果一致(P>0.05)。结论在TEG的血小板聚集功能检测中A杯内添加A辅剂可以有效抑制A杯中非特异激活的血小板,真实反映纤维蛋白原的功能,故提高了其血小板抑制率检测结果的准确性。     

Resistin is elevated in cystic fibrosis sputum and correlates negatively with lung function

Background

Resistin is an immunometabolic mediator that is elevated in several inflammatory disorders. A ligand for Toll-like receptor 4, resistin modulates the recruitment and activation of myeloid cells, notably neutrophils. Neutrophils are major drivers of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease, in part due to the release of human neutrophil elastase- and myeloperoxidase-rich primary granules, leading to tissue damage. Here we assessed the relationship of resistin to CF lung disease.

Effects of age,gender and menstrual cycle on platelet function assessed by impedance aggregometry

Platelets are needed to prevent or arrest bleeding and aggregate at the site of injury upon vascular damage. Platelets express receptors for estrogens which might affect the function of the platelets and their hemostatic ability. The aim was to identify possible differences in platelet function related to age, gender, and phases of the menstrual cycle by use of impedance aggregometry with Multiplate. In the first part of the study, platelet function was assessed in 60 healthy individuals (30 men and 30 women) in each of three age groups (20–25, 40–45, and 60–65 years). In the second part of the study, the platelet function was analyzed on four occasions during the menstrual cycle in women without oral contraceptives (OCs) (n = 17) and compared to 19 women on OCs and 18 men of similar age (20–40 years). For the women on OCs, aggregation was analyzed once during the tablet-free week and once late during the period with OCs. The men were sampled once. Women of younger age (<45 years) had significantly higher agonist-induced aggregation response than both men and post-menopausal women (60–65 years). The agonist-induced aggregation response did not differ between phases of the menstrual cycle or OC use. The results suggest that estradiol and/or progesterone affect spontaneous aggregation since it was found to be lowest in the mid-luteal phase. Spontaneous aggregation was significantly lower in women on OCs than in both men and women without OCs. Our findings indicate that fertile age is associated with higher aggregation response capacity of the platelets, possibly to prevent excessive bleeding during menstruation, but this response capacity is not altered during the menstrual cycle or by use of OCs.     

LDL aggregation susceptibility is higher in healthy South Asian compared with white Caucasian men

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