Anti-inflammatory constituents from a sea anemone-derived fungus Arthrinium arundinis MA30

In this study, preliminary field-sampling of bioactive fungal strains and bioassay-guided selection were conducted. A number of fungal strains were isolated from sea anemones along the northeastern coast of Badouzi, Keelung, Taiwan. Among them, Arthrinium arundinis MA30 showed significant anti-inflammatory activity and was thus selected for further chemical investigation. After a series of purification and isolation using different chromatographic techniques on the fermented products of A. arundinis MA30, thirty-one compounds were identified, five of which were previously unreported, including arthrinoic acid, hexylaconitic anhydride methyl ester, (3S,8R)-8-hydroxy-3-carboxy-2-methylenenonanoic acid, and arthripenoids G and H. These compounds were subjected to comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis. Of all the isolates, 1,3,5,6-tetrahydroxy-8-methylxanthone and arthripenoid C demonstrated the most distinctive inhibitory activities against nitric oxide production in mouse microglial BV-2 cells, with their respective inhibitory rates being 71% and 81% at 10 μM concentration, and their respective IC50 values were further determined to be 5.3 ± 0.6 and 1.6 ± 0.4 μM. These compounds showed no significant cytotoxicity, and curcumin was used as a positive control in this study.

Edge State, Band Topology, and Time Boundary Effect in the Fine-Grained Categorization of Chern Insulators

We predict novel topological phases with broken time-reversal symmetry supporting the coexistence of opposite chiral edge states, which are fundamentally different from the photonic spin-Hall, valley-Hall, and higher-order topological phases. We find a fine-grained categorization of Chern insulators, their band topologies characterized by identical Chern numbers are completely different. Furthermore, we prove that different topologies cause zeros in their Bloch wave function overlaps, which imprint the band gap closing and appear at the degenerate points of topological phase transition. The Bloch wave function overlaps predict the reflection and refraction at a topological time boundary, and the overlap zeros ensure the existence of vanishing revival amplitude at critical times even though different topologies before and after the time boundary have identical Chern numbers. Our findings create new opportunities for topological metamaterials, uncover the topological feature hidden in the time boundary effect as a probe of topology, and open a venue for the exploration of the rich physics originating from the long-range couplings.

Anti-Lymphangiogenic Terpenoids from the Heartwood of Taiwan Juniper, Juniperus chinensis var. tsukusiensis

To look in-depth into the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Taiwan juniper, this study investigated the chemical profiles and anti-lymphangiogenic activity of Juniperus chinensis var. tsukusiensis. In this study, four new sesquiterpenes, 12-acetoxywiddrol (1), cedrol-13-al (2), α-corocalen-15-oic acid (3), 1,3,5-bisaoltrien-10-hydroperoxy-11-ol (4), one new diterpene, 1β,2β-epoxy-9α-hydroxy-8(14),11-totaradiene-3,13-dione (5), and thirty-three known terpenoids were successfully isolated from the heartwood of J. chinensis var. tsukusiensis. The structures of all isolates were determined through the analysis of physical data (including appearance, UV, IR, and optical rotation) and spectroscopic data (including 1D, 2D NMR, and HRESIMS). Thirty-four compounds were evaluated for their anti-lymphangiogenic effects in human lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs). Among them, totarolone (6) displayed the most potent anti-lymphangiogenic activity by suppressing cell growth (IC50 = 6 ± 1 µM) of LECs. Moreover, 3β-hydroxytotarol (7), 7-oxototarol (8), and 1-oxo-3β-hydroxytotarol (9) showed moderate growth-inhibitory effects on LECs with IC50 values of 29 ± 1, 28 ± 1, and 45 ± 2 µM, respectively. Totarolone (6) also induced a significant concentration-dependent inhibition of LEC tube formation (IC50 = 9.3 ± 2.5 µM) without cytotoxicity. The structure-activity relationship discussion of aromatic totarane-type diterpenes against lymphangiogenesis of LECs is also included in this study. Altogether, our findings unveiled the promising potential of J. chinensis var. tsukusiensis in developing therapeutics targeting tumor lymphangiogenesis.

MDF-Net: A Multi-Scale Dynamic Fusion Network for Breast Tumor Segmentation of Ultrasound Images

Breast tumor segmentation of ultrasound images provides valuable information of tumors for early detection and diagnosis. Accurate segmentation is challenging due to low image contrast between areas of interest; speckle noises, and large inter-subject variations in tumor shape and size. This paper proposes a novel Multi-scale Dynamic Fusion Network (MDF-Net) for breast ultrasound tumor segmentation. It employs a two-stage end-to-end architecture with a trunk sub-network for multiscale feature selection and a structurally optimized refinement sub-network for mitigating impairments such as noise and inter-subject variation via better feature exploration and fusion. The trunk network is extended from UNet++ with a simplified skip pathway structure to connect the features between adjacent scales. Moreover, deep supervision at all scales, instead of at the finest scale in UNet++, is proposed to extract more discriminative features and mitigate errors from speckle noise via a hybrid loss function. Unlike previous works, the first stage is linked to a loss function of the second stage so that both the preliminary segmentations and refinement subnetworks can be refined together at training. The refinement sub-network utilizes a structurally optimized MDF mechanism to integrate preliminary segmentation information (capturing general tumor shape and size) at coarse scales and explores inter-subject variation information at finer scales. Experimental results from two public datasets show that the proposed method achieves better Dice and other scores over state-of-the-art methods. Qualitative analysis also indicates that our proposed network is more robust to tumor size/shapes, speckle noise and heavy posterior shadows along tumor boundaries. An optional post-processing step is also proposed to facilitate users in mitigating segmentation artifacts. The efficiency of the proposed network is also illustrated on the "Electron Microscopy neural structures segmentation dataset". It outperforms a state-of-the-art algorithm based on UNet-2022 with simpler settings. This indicates the advantages of our MDF-Nets in other challenging image segmentation tasks with small to medium data sizes.

Chemical Constituents with Anti-Lipid Droplet Accumulation and Anti-Inflammatory Activity from Elaeagnus glabra

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a type of steatosis caused by excess lipids accumulating in the liver. The prevalence of NAFLD has increased annually due to modern lifestyles and a lack of adequate medical treatment. Thus, we were motivated to investigate the bioactive components of Formosan plants that could attenuate lipid droplet (LD) accumulation. In a series of screenings of 3000 methanolic extracts from the Formosan plant extract bank for anti-LD accumulation activity, the methanolic extract of aerial parts of Elaeagnus glabra Thunb. showed excellent anti-LD accumulation activity. E. glabra is an evergreen shrub on which only a few phytochemical and biological studies have been conducted. Here, one new flavonoid (1), two new triterpenoids (2 and 3), and 35 known compounds (4-38) were isolated from the ethyl acetate layer of aerial parts of E. glabra via a bioassay-guided fractionation process. Their structures were characterized by 1D and 2D NMR, UV, IR, and MS data. Among the isolated compounds, methyl pheophorbide a (37) efficiently reduced the normalized LD content to 0.3% with a concentration of 20 μM in AML12 cell lines without significant cytotoxic effects. 3-O-(E)-Caffeoyloleanolic acid (13) and methyl pheophorbide a (37) showed inhibitory effects on superoxide anion generation or elastase release in fMLP/CB-treated human neutrophils (IC50 < 3.0 μM); they displayed effects similar to those of the positive control, namely, LY294002. These findings indicate that E. glabra can be used for developing a new botanical drug for managing LD accumulation and against inflammation-related diseases.

Early T-cell precursor lymphoblastic leukaemia with monocytic morphology negative for CD3 by flow cytometry: A diagnostic challenge solved by immunohistochemistry

No abstract available.

[Factors influencing bilirubin elevation and its correlation with UGT1A1 gene polymorphism in the early postoperative period of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt]

Objective: To investigate the factors influencing total bilirubin elevation and its correlation with UGT1A1 gene polymorphism in the early postoperative period of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). Methods: 104 cases with portal hypertension and esophageal variceal hemorrhage (EVB) treated with elective TIPS treatment were selected as the study subjects and were divided into a bilirubin-elevated group and a normal bilirubin group according to the total bilirubin elevation level during the early postoperative period. Univariate analysis and logistic regression were used to analyze the factors influencing total bilirubin elevation in the early postoperative period. PCR amplification and first-generation sequencing technology were used to detect the polymorphic loci of the UGT1A1 gene promoter TATA box, enhancer c.-3279 T > G, c.211G > A, and c.686C > A. Logistic regression was used to analyze the correlation of four locus alleles and genotypes with elevated total bilirubin in the early postoperative period. Results: Among the 104 cases, 47 patients were in the bilirubin elevated group, including 35 males (74.5%) and 12 females (25.5%), aged (50.72 ± 12.56) years. There were 57 cases in the normal bilirubin group, including 42 males (73.7%) and 15 females (26.3%), aged (51.63 ± 11.10) years. There was no statistically significant difference in age (t = -0.391, P = 0.697) and gender (χ(2) = 0.008, P = 0.928) between the two groups of patients. Univariate analysis revealed that preoperative alanine transaminase (ALT) level (χ(2) = 5.954, P = 0.015), total bilirubin level (χ(2) = 16.638, P < 0.001), MELD score (χ(2) = 10.054, P = 0.018), Child-Pugh score (χ(2) = 6.844, P = 0.022), and postoperative portal vein branch development (χ(2) = 6.738, P = 0.034) were statistically significantly different between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative ALT level, total bilirubin level, and portal vein branch development after TIPS were correlated with the elevated total bilirubin in the early postoperative period. The polymorphism of the c.211G > A locus of the UGT1A1 gene correlation had elevated total bilirubin in the early postoperative period of TIPS. The risk of elevated total bilirubin was increased in the population carrying allele A (P = 0.001, OR = 4.049) in the early postoperative period. Allelic polymorphisms in the TATA box promoter region and enhancer c.-3279 T > G and c.686C > A had no statistically significant difference between the bilirubin-elevated group and the normal bilirubin group. Conclusion: The preoperative ALT level, total bilirubin level, and portal vein branch development are correlated with the elevated total bilirubin in early postoperative patients. The polymorphisms of the UGT1A1 gene and enhancer c.211G > A are correlated with the occurrence of elevated total bilirubin in the early postoperative period of TIPS. Allele A carrier may have a higher risk of elevated total bilirubin in the early postoperative period.

In vitro and in silico studies of 7'',8''-buddlenol D anti-inflammatory lignans from Carallia brachiata as p38 MAP kinase inhibitors

Excessive macrophage activation induces the release of high levels of inflammatory mediators which not only amplify chronic inflammation and degenerative diseases but also exacerbate fever and retard wound healing. To identify anti-inflammatory molecules, we examined Carallia brachiata-a medicinal terrestrial plant from Rhizophoraceae. Furofuran lignans [(-)-(7''R,8''S)-buddlenol D (1) and (-)-(7''S,8''S)-buddlenol D (2)] isolated from the stem and bark inhibited nitric oxide (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀): 9.25 ± 2.69 and 8.43 ± 1.20 micromolar for 1 and 2, respectively) and prostaglandin E₂ (IC₅₀: 6.15 ± 0.39 and 5.70 ± 0.97 micromolar for 1 and 2, respectively) productions in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells. From western blotting, 1 and 2 suppressed LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in a dose-dependent manner (0.3-30 micromolar). Moreover, analysis of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway showed decreased p38 phosphorylation levels in 1- and 2-treated cells, while phosphorylated ERK1/2 and JNK levels were unaffected. This discovery agreed with in silico studies which suggested 1 and 2 bound to the ATP-binding site in p38-alpha MAPK based on predicted binding affinity and intermolecular interaction docking. In summary, 7'',8''-buddlenol D epimers demonstrated anti-inflammatory activities via p38 MAPK inhibition and may be used as viable anti-inflammatory therapies.

Chemical investigations and cytotoxic effects of metabolites from Antrodia camphorata against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Antrodia camphorata is used as a medicinal fungus in Taiwan to treat fatigue, food intoxication, and enhance liver function. Here we identified fermented metabolic components from the mycelium of A. camphorata KH37 and explored their anti-hepatoma potentials with study models of human hepatoblastoma cell lines. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the solid fermentation powder of A. camphorata KH37 led to the isolation of one new quinonol, antroquinonol Z (1), and nine known compounds (2-10). Treatment with 10 μM antrocamols LT1 (2) or LT3 (3) reduced cell viability of HepG2 and Huh-7 cells to about 60% in 48 hours. Antroquinonol Z (1) exhibited mild cytotoxicity against Huh-7 cells in 48 and 72 hours. Interestingly, two fractions showed cytotoxicity in HepG2 and Huh-7 cells, even better than compounds isolated from these fractions. The significant cytotoxicity of partially purified samples from A. camphorata KH37 exhibited a potential for developing alternative or complementary therapeutics against hepatoma.

Chemical Constituents and Bioactive Principles from the Mexican Truffle and Fermented Products of the Derived Fungus Ustilago maydis MZ496986

To look in-depth into the traditional Mexican truffle, this study investigated the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of field-collected corn galls and the fermentate of its pathogen Ustilago maydis MZ496986. Here, we established the chemical profiles of both materials via the gradient HPLC-UV method and successfully identified six previously unreported chemical entities, ustilagols A-F (1-6), and 17 known components. Compounds 3, 5, and 9 exhibited potent nitric oxide production inhibitory activities in murine brain microglial BV-2 cells (IC₅₀ = 6.7 ± 0.5, 5.8 ± 0.9, and 3.9 ± 0.1 μM) without cytotoxic effects. DIMBOA (9) also attenuates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated NF-κB activation in RAW 264.7 macrophages (IC₅₀ = 58.1 ± 7.2 μM). Ustilagol G (7) showed potent antiplatelet aggregation in U46619-stimulated human platelets (IC₅₀ = 16.5 ± 5.3 μM). These findings highlighted the potential of corn galls and U. maydis MZ496986 fermentate as functional foods for improving inflammation-related discomforts and vascular obstruction.

Chemical constituents and their anti-neuroinflammatory activities from the bark of Taiwan incense cedar, Calocedrus formosana

One undescribed C40 terpenoid, calomacroquinoic acid; four undescribed diterpenes, 5α,6α-epoxy-7α-hydroxyferruginol, 15-ethoxysugiol, 7-methoxy-6,7-secoabieta-8,11,13-triene-6,12-diol, and ethyl 7,8-secoabieta-11,14-dioxo-7-ate; two compounds isolated from Nature for the first time, 6β,7α-dihydroxyferruginol and 12-O-methyltaxochinon; and six known compounds were successfully identified from the bark of Taiwan incense cedar Calocedrus formosana. Structures of all isolates were elucidated by physical data (appearance, ultraviolet, infrared, specific rotation, and X-ray) and spectroscopic data (1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance, and high-resolution electron ionization mass spectrometry). The biosynthetic pathway of calomacroquinoic acid is also described in the current study. Nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 microglia cells was inhibited by 6,7-dehydroferruginol, 7α,11-dihydroxy-12-methoxy-8,11,13-abietriene, and trans-communic acid. Altogether, the bark of C. formosana possessed several potential natural therapeutics against inflammation-related neuronal diseases.

Towards Sustainable Medicinal Resources through Marine Soft Coral Aquaculture: Insights into the Chemical Diversity and the Biological Potential

In recent decades, aquaculture techniques for soft corals have made remarkable progress in terms of conditions and productivity. Researchers have been able to obtain larger quantities of soft corals, thus larger quantities of biologically active metabolites, allowing them to study their biological activity in many pharmacological assays and even produce sufficient quantities for clinical trials. In this review, we summarize 201 secondary metabolites that have been identified from cultured soft corals in the era from 2002 to September 2022. Various types of diterpenes (eunicellins, cembranes, spatanes, norcembranes, briaranes, and aquarianes), as well as biscembranes, sterols, and quinones were discovered and subjected to bioactivity investigations in 53 different studies. We also introduce a more in-depth discussion of the potential biological effects (anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial) and the mechanisms of action of the identified secondary metabolites. We hope this review will shed light on the untapped potential applications of aquaculture to produce valuable secondary metabolites to tackle current and emerging health conditions.

Undescribed alkyne-geranylcyclohexenetriols from the endophyte Diaporthe caulivora 09F0132 and their anti-melanogenic activity

To explore valuable endophytic fungus from Formosan Lauraceous plants as natural medicinal products, the fungus, Diaporthe caulivora isolated from leaves of Neolitsea daibuensis, was investigated. Through a thorough investigation of the ethanolic extract of the solid fermentation of D. caulivora 09F0132, six undescribed alkyne-geranylcyclohexenetriols, caulivotrioloxins A-F, one undescribed trichopyrone, diapopyrone, two undescribed sesquiterpenes, caulibysins A-B, one compound firstly isolated from the natural source, 3-O-desmethyl phomentrioloxin, and eight known compounds have been successfully identified. The absolute configuration of caulibysin A was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and those of (3R,8S)-5,7-dihydroxy-3-(1-hydroxyethyl)phthalide and (3S,8S)-5,7-dihydroxy-3-(1-hydroxyethyl)phthalide were determined by circular dichroism (CD) spectra. Among the isolated compounds, caulivotrioloxin A concentration-dependently decreased the cellular melanin contents and tyrosinase activities in mouse melanoma B16-F10 cells, suggesting the anti-melanogenic potentials. The anti-melanogenic effects of caulivotrioloxin A involved the decrease in the protein expressions of melanogenic enzymes, including tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2. Taken together, these results suggested that the isolates from D. caulivora could be served as natural melanogenesis inhibitors for cosmeceutical applications.

Prinsepiae Nux Extract Activates NRF2 Activity and Protects UVB-Induced Damage in Keratinocyte

Ultraviolet B (UVB) is one of the most important environmental factors that cause extrinsic aging through increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the skin. Due to its protective roles against oxidative stress, nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor (NRF2) has been traditionally considered as a target for skin aging prevention. Here, we identified the extract of Prinsepiae Nux, a top-grade drug listed in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, as a potent NRF2 activator by high-throughput screening. A bioassay-guided fractionation experiment revealed that NRF2-activating components were concentrated in the 90% methanol (MP) fraction. MP fraction significantly increased the expression of NRF2 and HO-1 protein and upregulated HO-1 and NQO1 mRNA expression in HaCaT cells. Moreover, MP fraction pre-treatment dramatically reversed UVB-induced depletion of NRF2 and HO-1, accumulation of intracellular ROS, NF-κB activation, and the upregulation of pro-inflammatory genes. Finally, the qualitative analysis using UPLC-tandem mass spectroscopy revealed the most abundant ion peak in MP fraction was identified as α-linolenic acid, which was further proved to activate NRF2 signaling. Altogether, the molecular evidence suggested that MP fraction has the potential to be an excellent source for the discovery of natural medicine to treat/prevent UVB-induced skin damage.

The Potential Implications of Hydrogen Sulfide in Aging and Age-Related Diseases through the Lens of Mitohormesis

The growing increases in the global life expectancy and the incidence of chronic diseases as a direct consequence have highlighted a demand to develop effective strategies for promoting the health of the aging population. Understanding conserved mechanisms of aging across species is believed helpful for the development of approaches to delay the progression of aging and the onset of age-related diseases. Mitochondrial hormesis (or mitohormesis), which can be defined as an evolutionary-based adaptive response to low-level stress, is emerging as a promising paradigm in the field of anti-aging. Depending on the severity of the perceived stress, there are varying levels of hormetic response existing in the mitochondria called mitochondrial stress response. Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a volatile, flammable, and toxic gas, with a characteristic odor of rotten eggs. However, H₂S is now recognized an important gaseous signaling molecule to both physiology and pathophysiology in biological systems. Recent studies that elucidate the importance of H₂S as a therapeutic molecule has suggested its protective effects beyond the traditional understanding of its antioxidant properties. H₂S can also be crucial for the activation of mitochondrial stress response, postulating a potential mechanism for combating aging and age-related diseases. Therefore, this review focuses on highlighting the involvement of H₂S and its sulfur-containing derivatives in the induction of mitochondrial stress response, suggesting a novel possibility of mitohormesis through which this gaseous signaling molecule may promote the healthspan and lifespan of an organism.

Different types of components obtained from Monascus purpureus with neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory potentials

The mold Monascus has been used as a natural food coloring agent and food additive for more than 1000 years in Asian countries. In Chinese herbology, it was also used for easing digestion and antiseptic effects. Through a thorough investigation of a citrinin-free strain: M. purpureus BCRC 38110, four azaphilones, three benzenoids, one benzofuranone, one 5',6'-dihydrospiro[isochromane-1,2'-pyran]-4'(3'H)-one derivative, two steroids, and six tetralones have been successfully identified. Among them, monapyridine A (1), monatetralones A-E (2-6), and monabenzofuranone (7) were first reported. Their structures were characterized by 1D and 2D NMR, UV, IR, and HRESIMS analyses. With a series of bioactivity screening, monascuspirolide B (14) and ergosterol peroxide (16) exhibited concentration-dependent attenuation of the paclitaxel-induced neurite damage of mouse dorsal root ganglion neurons. The interleukin (IL)-1β-induced release of inflammatory cytokines IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in human chondrosarcoma cells was inhibited by monapurpureusone (8) and monascuspirolide B (14). Altogether, M. purpureus BCRC 38110 possessed potentials as natural therapeutics against inflammatory osteoarthritis and paclitaxel-induced neurotoxicity.

Investigations into Chemical Components from Monascus purpureus with Photoprotective and Anti-Melanogenic Activities

Monascus species are asexually or sexually reproduced homothallic fungi that can produce a red colorant, specifically the so-called red yeast rice or Anka, which is used as a food ingredient in Asia. Traditional experiences of using Monascus for treating indigestion, enhancing blood circulation, and health remedies motivate us to investigate and repurpose Monascus-fermented products. Here, two new 5H-cyclopenta[c]pyridine type azaphilones, 5S,6S-monaspurpyridine A (1) and 5R,6R-monaspurpyridine A (2), two new xanthonoids, monasxanthones A and B (3 and 4), one new naphthalenone, monasnaphthalenone (5), and one new azaphilone, monapurpurin (6), along with two known compounds were isolated from the 70% EtOH extract of a citrinin-free domesticated strain M. purpureus BCRC 38110. The phytochemical properties of the xanthonoid and naphthalenone components were first identified from Monascus sp. differently from the representative ingredients of polyketide-derived azaphilones. UVB-induced cell viability loss and reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction in human keratinocytes were attenuated by monascuspirolide B (7) and ergosterol peroxide (8), indicating their photoprotective potentials. Ergosterol peroxide (8) decreased the melanin contents and tyrosinase activities of mouse melanocytes, depending on the concentration, suggesting their anti-melanogenic effects. In conclusion, six new and two known compounds were isolated from M. purpureus BCRC 38110, and two of them exhibited dermal protective activities. The results revealed the novel potential of M. purpureus for developing natural cosmeceutics against skin photoaging.

[Using text mining to identify gap in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome related information dissemination between the official channel delivery and the needs of adolescents]

Objective: The study intends to identify gap in HIV/AIDS awareness dissemination between the official channel delivery and the needs of adolescents. Methods: We crawled all the HIV/AIDS queries from "Baidu zhidao" till June 11st, 2018. "Baidu zhidao" inquiry and information form official public service announcement (abbreviated for "official delivery" hereafter) were the data source for comparative analysis. We categorized the text data into four kinds, "prevention", "testing and treatment", "symptoms and infection" and "legalization and policies" according to official categorization. Word segmentation was used for text mining and word frequency statistics, as well word cloud was used for word frequency visualization (all based on a comparison after removing the useless words). Results: Of the official delivery, the proportion of prevention category accounted for 32.3% (n=162) (ranks 1^st), and the proportion of legalization and policies category was 14.1% (n=71). While among the "Baidu zhidao" inquiry information, the proportion of testing and treatment category accounted for 51.7% (n=51 264), and the proportion of prevention category accounted for 11.4% (n=11 272). The frequencies of same terms/ repeated terms of two channels accounted for 60% (59.3%-63.9%) of each category among the official delivery, of which, the proportion of interest terms comparatively less and more diverse in "Baidu zhidao" inquiries. The proportion of the terms frequency of each category was about 45% in "prevention, testing and treatment", 34.3% (n=14 781) in "symptoms and infection" and 17.0% (n=5 744) in "legalization and policies", respectively. Conclusion: A big gap was identified between the available official source and inquiries' term, especially word frequency discrepancy between "legalization and policies" and "prevention" categories. It underscore the necessity for the official channel to address the needs and interests of adolescents in the future.

Phytochemical Investigation and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of the Leaves of Machilus japonica var. kusanoi

In a series of anti-inflammatory screenings of lauraceous plants, the methanolic extract of the leaves of Machilus japonica var. kusanoi (Hayata) J.C. Liao showed potent inhibition on both superoxide anion generation and elastase release in human neutrophils. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the leaves of M. japonica var. kusanoi led to the isolation of twenty compounds, including six new butanolides, machinolides A–F (1–6), and fourteen known compounds (7–20). Their structures were characterized by 1D and 2D NMR, UV, IR, CD, and MS data. The absolute configuration of the new compounds were unambiguously confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses (1, 2, and 3) and Mosher’s method (4, 5, and 6). In addition, lignans, (+)-eudesmin (11), (+)-methylpiperitol (12), (+)-pinoresinol (13), and (+)-galbelgin (16) exhibited inhibitory effects on N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine/cytochalasin B (fMLP/CB)-induced superoxide anion generation in human neutrophils with IC₅₀ values of 8.71 ± 0.74 μM, 2.23 ± 0.92 μM, 6.81 ± 1.07 μM, and 7.15 ± 2.26 μM, respectively. The results revealed the anti-inflammatory potentials of Formosan Machilus japonica var. kusanoi.

Frequent loss of CD10 expression in follicular lymphoma with leukaemic presentation

INTRODUCTION

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is usually a nodal lymphoma expressing CD10, rarely with leukaemic presentation (FL-LP).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We searched for FL-LP in our institution from 2000 to 2018 and characterised the neoplastic cells by flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Thirteen (6.1%) of 212 FL cases were FL-LP, all de novo neoplasms. The leukaemic cells were small in 12 cases and large in one. All had concurrent FL, mostly (92%; 12/13) low-grade. The single case with large leukaemic cells had a concurrent primary splenic low-grade FL and a double-hit large B-cell lymphoma in the marrow.

RESULTS

CD10 was expressed in the leukaemic cells in 38% (5/13) cases by flow cytometry and in 77% (10/13) cases in tumours (p= 0.0471). IGH/BCL2 reciprocal translocation was identified in 85% (11/13) cases. Most patients were treated with chemotherapy. In a median follow-up time of 36 months, nine patients were in complete remission. The 2- and 5-year survival rates were at 100% and 83%, respectively. In this study, we characterised a series of de novo FL-LP in Taiwan. All patients had concurrent nodal and/or tissue tumours, which might suggest that these patients seek medical help too late.

CONCLUSION

The lower CD10 expression rate by flow cytometry than by immunohistochemistry might be due to different epitopes for these assays. Alternatively, loss of CD10 expression might play a role in the pathogenesis of leukaemic change. The clinical course of FL-LP could be aggressive, but a significant proportion of the patients obtained complete remission with chemotherapy.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antibacterial Activity Constituents from the Stem of Cinnamomum validinerve

One new dibenzocycloheptene, validinol (1), and one butanolide firstly isolated from the natural source, validinolide (2), together with 17 known compounds were isolated from the stem of Cinnamomum validinerve. Among the isolates, lincomolide A (3), secosubamolide (7), and cinnamtannin B1 (19) exhibited potent inhibition on both superoxide anion generation (IC₅₀ values of 2.98 ± 0.3 µM, 4.37 ± 0.38 µM, and 2.20 ± 0.3 µM, respectively) and elastase release (IC₅₀ values of 3.96 ± 0.31 µM, 3.04 ± 0.23 µM, and 4.64 ± 0.71 µM, respectively) by human neutrophils. In addition, isophilippinolide A (6), secosubamolide (7), and cinnamtannin B1 (19) showed bacteriostatic effects against Propionibacterium acnes in in vitro study, with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values at 16 μg/mL, 16 μg/mL, and 500 μg/mL, respectively. Further investigations using the in vivo ear P. acnes infection model showed that the intraperitoneal administration of the major component cinnamtannin B1 (19) reduced immune cell infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 at the infection sites. The results demonstrated the potential of cinnamtannin B1 (19) for acne therapy. In summary, these results demonstrated the anti-inflammatory potentials of Formosan C. validinerve during bacterial infections.

Chemical Constituents with GNMT-Promoter-Enhancing and NRF2-Reduction Activities from Taiwan Agarwood Excoecaria formosana

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered to be a silent killer, and was the fourth leading global cause of cancer deaths in 2018. For now, sorafenib is the only approved drug for advanced HCC treatment. The introduction of additional chemopreventive agents and/or adjuvant therapies may be helpful for the treatment of HCC. After screening 3000 methanolic extracts from the Formosan plant extract bank, Excoecaria formosana showed glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT)-promoter-enhancing and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2)-suppressing activities. Further, the investigation of the whole plant of E. formosana led to the isolation of a new steroid, 7α-hydroperoxysitosterol-3-O-β-d-(6-O-palmitoyl)glucopyranoside (1); two new coumarinolignans, excoecoumarin A (2) and excoecoumarin B (3); a new diterpene, excoeterpenol A (4); and 40 known compounds (5-44). Among them, Compounds 38 and 40-44 at a 100 μM concentration showed a 2.97 ± 0.27-, 3.17 ± 1.03-, 2.73 ± 0.23-, 2.63 ± 0.14-, 6.57 ± 0.13-, and 2.62 ± 0.05-fold increase in GNMT promoter activity, respectively. In addition, Compounds 40 and 43 could reduce NRF2 activity, a transcription factor associated with drug resistance, in Huh7 cells with relative activity of 33.1 ± 0.2% and 45.2 ± 2.5%. These results provided the basis for the utilization of Taiwan agarwood for the development of anti-HCC agents.