Elastase inhibitory activity of quinoline Analogues: Synthesis, kinetic mechanism, cytotoxicity, chemoinformatics and molecular docking studies

Herein, we have synthesized quinoline united various Schiff base derivatives (Q1-Q13) and systematically characterized them using diverse analytical practices such as ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, FT-IR and LC-MS respectively. All of the target compounds that have been synthesized were tested for elastase inhibition, and the findings were compared to the standard drug oleanolic acid. Among the entire series, compound Q11 (IC₅₀ = 0.897 ± 0.015 µM) exhibit most promising elastase inhibitory activity than oleanolic acid (Standard) having an IC₅₀ value of 13.426 ± 0.015 µM. Also, the utmost effectivecompound Q11 was used for kinetic mechanism investigation based on in-vitro data, from which it has been concluded that compound Q11 inhibits elastase competitively. Furthermore, utilizing the MTT test approach, the most effective compounds were assessed for cytotoxicity on B16F10 melanoma cells. From the cytotoxicity experiment, the most potent compound did not display any hazardous response against B16F10 melanoma cells despite being treated at high concentrations. Additionally, the molecular docking study was settled to govern the binding interaction pattern among an enzyme and inhibitors.

Clinical characteristics and treatments of multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) can occur in association with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is not easy to differentiate MIS-C from severe COVID-19 or Kawasaki disease based on symptoms. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and laboratory characteristics of MIS-C.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We searched PubMed/Medline for case series and reports of MIS-C published until June 20, 2020. From a total of nine articles involving 45 cases, various clinical and laboratory data were extracted. Each target case was evaluated by using different diagnostic criteria.

RESULTS

The average age at onset of MIS-C was 8.6 years. In 80% of cases, the age of patients ranged from 5 to 15 years. Fever (100%) and shock (82%) were the most common presenting symptoms. Sixty percent of cases met the diagnostic criteria for typical or atypical Kawasaki disease. Biomarkers indicative of inflammation, coagulopathy, or cardiac injury were characteristically elevated as follows: ferritin (mean: 1,061 ng/mL), CRP (217 mg/L), ESR (69 mm/hr), IL-6 (214.8 pg/mL), TNFα (63.4 pg/mL), D-dimer (3,220 ng/mL), PT (15.5 s), troponin I (1,006 ng/L), and BNP (12,150 pg/mL). Intravenous immunoglobulin was administered in all target cases, and inotropic agents were commonly used as well. No case of death was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that MIS-C is a serious condition that presents with fever, rash, as well as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal symptoms. Although it is challenging to differentiate MIS-C from Kawasaki disease or severe COVID-19, initiation of appropriate treatments through early diagnosis is warranted.

Inhibitors of EYA3 Protein in Ewing Sarcoma

Objective:

Among sarcomas, Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is characterized as a highly malignant type of bone tumor caused by the fusion of EWS RNA Binding Protein-1 (EWSR1)/ Friend leukemia integration 1 (FLI1) genes. The product of fusion gene gives rise to EWSR1/FLI1 which activates the activity of Eyes absent homolog 3 (EYA3) which causes tumor growth and angiogenesis. EYA3 is now considered as a therapeutic drug target for EWS . The study was designed to gather potential inhibitors for the EYA3 target using medicinal compounds.

Methods:

In this study, we have obtained a list of medicinal compounds from the NuBBE database and downloaded their structural information. Then insilico screening analysis of >2,000 medicinal compounds was performed with PyRX virtual drug screening software to discover potential inhibitors for the treatment of EWS.

Results:

Our investigation revealed that Sorbifolin and 1,7-Dihydroxy-3-methylanthracene-9.10-dione show interactive affinity for EYA3 active residues. Moreover, these compounds have adequate toxicity, can induce cytotoxicity in EWS cells, and are capable of regulating the expression of genes activated by EWSR1/FLI1.

Conclusion:

Our study concluded that Sorbifolin and 1,7-Dihydroxy-3-methylanthracene-9.10-dione are promising drug candidates for the treatment of EWS and should be further subjected to invitro testing.

Identification of medicinal compounds as potential inhibitors for mutated isocitrate dehydrogenases against chondrosarcoma

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Virtual screening of 5000 novel medicinal compounds procured two compounds (5-galloylquinic acid and artocarpetin) capable of establishing interaction with both mutated IDH1 and IDH2 proteins implicated in chondrosarcoma.

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Cell lining prediction studies revealed that both 5-galloylquinic acid and artocarpetin sensitizes chondrosarcoma cell lines and has good cytotoxic influence on CHSA8926 and CHSA0011 cells.

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These compounds possess high acute toxicity values to incite adverse reaction and organ damage in rodents.

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ITGAV, CAPRIN-1, CCL5 COG5 and TNFRSF10B gene are successfully downregulated that are involved in the metastasis inflammation and chondrogenesis by these compounds.

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TP53 expression enhancer, free radical scavenger, MAP kinase stimulant, MM9 expression inhibitor and chemo preventive agent were some biological properties predicted by Prediction of Activity Spectra for substances (PASS) database.

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Artocarpetin had good ADME and druglikness properties as compared to 5-galloylquinic acid, as this compound had low bioavailability score and one lipinski violation for druglikness.

Chondrosarcoma is the third most common cartilaginous bone tumour that is insusceptible to radio- and chemotherapy and it is inclined to metastasis. These resistant qualities are facilitated by mutant variants of isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDH) 1–2 enzyme. These mutant enzymes promote oncogenesis of chondrocytes by changing their epigenetic wardrobe leading to tumour formation. Presently, there are lack of drugs available to be exploited as a remedy for this disease. On the other hand, majority of chemotherapeutic drugs induce cytotoxicity in the cancer cells at the cost of harming surrounding healthy cells, jeopardizing human life. The current study is focused on screening various medicinal compounds against IDH1 and IDH2 combined with insilico gene expression, cancer cells cytotoxicity and ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity) studies to elucidate the molecular mechanism against chondrosarcoma and also to uncover pharmacokinetic profile of these compounds. Screening of 5000+ compounds filtered two efficacious compounds (Artocarpetin and 5-Galloylquinic acid) capable of establishing hydrogen bond connections with both IDH variants. Other studies showed that these compounds downregulate ITGAV, CARPIN1, CCL5 and COG5 and TNFRSF10B gene that reduces chondrogenesis and inflammation, Artocarpetin and 5-galloylquinic acid are TP53 expression enhancer and inhibit MM9 expression that promote immunomodulation and apoptosis in these cancers. These compounds are both active against CHSA8926 and CHSA011 cell line of chondrosarcoma. However, the ADME profile of 5-galloylquinic acid is slightly unsatisfactory based on druglikness and bioavailability score criteria as compared to artocarpetin. Both of these compounds are class-5 chemicals and require high doses to elicit adverse response. Our results suggest that artocarpetin and 5-galloylquinic acid are efficacious drug candidates and could be further exploited to validate these findings in vitro.

Characteristics and outcomes of emergency department patients with a foreign body that entered through the ear, nose or mouth: a 10-year retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Foreign bodies in the ear, nose and throat commonly necessitate emergency department visits.

METHOD

This retrospective study was conducted on emergency department visits from January 2010 to December 2019 to determine characteristics and clinical prognoses of ENT patients. Patients were divided into three groups according to foreign-body entry route; patient characteristics and clinical findings were compared between groups.

RESULTS

Of 676 142 emergency department visits, 10 454 were because of ENT-related foreign bodies. The mean (± standard deviation) age of subjects was 24.0 (± 23.4) years, and 5176 patients were male (49.5 per cent). The most common entry route was the mouth (74.5 per cent). Most patients (97.1 per cent) were discharged after emergency treatment. Intensive care and in-hospital mortality occurred only in the mouth group.

CONCLUSION

Clinical findings differ depending on foreign-body entry route. After emergency treatment, most patients were discharged; some cases presented serious complications.

Exploring Aromatic Medicinal Compounds for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Purpose: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a lethal neurodegenerative condition, in which motor neurons start to degenerate due to the accumulation of protein aggregates in the neuron cytoplasm. The formation of aggregates causes neurotoxicity, facilitated by the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the transactive response DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43). Therapies used to treat ALS manage secondary symptoms, but do not stop the activity of the rogue NTD domain of TDP-43. Therefore, new drug candidates should be designed to deal efficiently with this disease by inhibiting the domains involved in the development of ALS. This study determined the chemical affinity of aromatic medicinal compounds with NTD. Screening of 1323 medicinal compounds was conducted with PYRX 0.9 software against NTD. Compounds obtained from this analysis were further used to predict absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxic (ADMET) properties and their effect on major gene targets of ALS. Results: From 1300 + compounds, acetovanillone showed binding affinity for NTD and had good ADMET and drug likeness attributes. This compound reduced the expression of CXCL2, NOP56, and SOD1 genes implicated in ALS pathogenesis. Conclusion: These results concluded that acetovanillone is a candidate drug for in vitro and clinical studies into the exploitation of drugs within ALS therapeutics.

Pharmacological Role of Ostericum koreanum: A Short Viewpoint

Ostericum koreanum Maxim., a perennial medicinal plant native to Asian countries, is traditionally exploited in Korean Oriental and Chinese Herbal Medicine. It has been used in the treatment of neuralgia, respiratory problems, and joint pain due to its rich content of phytochemicals. Therefore, the significant role of compounds present in O. koreanum should not be overlooked to explore and develop drugs against diseases. The purpose of this review is to provide a reference for researchers and to describe the phytochemical constituents and pharmacological activity of O. koreanum. In this mini review, we have collected the data from 1980 to 2020 regarding the phytochemicals present and pharmacological activities of this plant. Our findings indicated that this plant possesses a rich source of phytochemicals that have significant pharmacological activities, such as anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, anti-influenza, anti-cancer, and neuroprotective. These phytochemicals have promising pharmacological activity which should be further explored for the treatment of various diseases.

Combination of Limosilactobacillus fermentum MG4231 and MG4244 attenuates lipid accumulation in high-fat diet-fed obese mice

We investigated the anti-obesity effect and the underlying mechanisms of action of human-derived Limosilactobacillus fermentum MG4231, MG4244, and their combination, in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. Administration of the Limosilactobacillus strains decreased body weight gain, liver and adipose tissue weight, and glucose tolerance. Serum levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and leptin were reduced, while adiponectin increased. The administration of Limosilactobacillus strains improved the histopathological features of liver tissue, such as hepatic atrophy and inflammatory penetration, and significantly reduced the content of triglyceride in the liver. Limosilactobacillus administration discovered a significant reduction in the size of the adipocytes in the epididymal tissue. Limosilactobacillus treatment significantly reduced the expression of important regulators in lipid metabolism, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α, fatty acid synthase (FAS), adipocyte-protein 2, and lipoprotein lipase in the epididymal tissue. Also, Limosilactobacillus lowered sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1-c and FAS in the liver tissue. Such changes in the expression of these regulators in both liver and epididymis tissue were caused by Limosilactobacillus upregulating phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Therefore, we suggest that the use of the combination of L. fermentum MG4231 and MG4244, as probiotics could effectively inhibit adipogenesis and lipogenesis from preventing obesity.

3 Epidemiology of running-related injuries in the Korean population: a cross-sectional survey of 1046 runners

Aims

Running is the oldest form of exercise in human history and the most popular exercise in the world.1 While running can improve physical fitness and reduce chronic health problems such as obesity and cardiovascular disease, it is also associated with injuries in lower extremities.2 However, because there was no consensus definition of running-related injury, the prevalence and incidence of running-related injuries had been reported to vary between 19% and 92%.3 Moreover, epidemiology of running-related injuries in Asian populations has been rarely investigated. Therefore, this study was first to use the consensus definition of running-related injuries published in 20153 and investigated the epidemiology of running-related injuries in the Korean population.

Methods

In cross-sectional design, an online survey was circulated among various running communities in Korea. The questionnaire contained information on presence and location of pain attributed to running, demographic characteristics, weekly running mileage, training intensity, running pace, type of shoes, foot strike, reason for running, and exercise experience prior to running.

Results

Among 1046 runners (male=624, female 422) who responded, 94.7% experienced some kind of pain while running, but only 37% were categorized to have running-related injuries. The most common site of injury was the knee followed by ankle. Exercise experience prior to running (OR 1.57 95% CI 1.13–2.21), setting of specific running goals (OR 1.57 95% CI 1.08–2.27), and mileage increases from 20–30 km to 30–40 km (OR 1.66 95% CI 1.06–2.63) were associated with significant increases in running-related injuries.

Conclusion

In order to avoid running-related injuries, runners should be careful in increasing weekly mileage. Moreover, runners with previous exercise experience may need to approach running more cautiously. Setting goals may be motivating but at the same time can increase the risk of running-related injuries.

References

Videbæk S, Bueno AM, Nielsen RO, Rasmussen S. Incidence of running-related injuries per 1000 h of running in different types of runners: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports medicine 2015;45(7):1017–26.

Van Gent R, Siem D, van Middelkoop M, Van Os A, Bierma-Zeinstra S, Koes B. Incidence and determinants of lower extremity running injuries in long distance runners: a systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2007;41(8):469–80.

Yamato TP, Saragiotto BT, Lopes AD. A consensus definition of running-related injury in recreational runners: a modified Delphi approach. Journal of orthopaedic & sports physical therapy 2015;45(5):375–80.

Prognostic Utility of Disproportionately Enlarged Subarachnoid Space Hydrocephalus in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Treated with Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus is a specific radiologic marker for idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus. However, controversy exists regarding the prognostic utility of disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus.

PURPOSE

Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence of disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus and its predictive utility regarding prognosis in patients treated with ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery.

DATA SOURCES

We used MEDLINE and EMBASE databases.

STUDY SELECTION

We searched for studies that reported the prevalence or the diagnostic performance of disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus in predicting treatment response.

DATA ANALYSIS

The pooled prevalence of disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus was obtained. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus to predict treatment response were obtained. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to explain heterogeneity among the studies.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Ten articles with 812 patients were included. The pooled prevalence of disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus was 44% (95% CI, 34%-54%). The pooled prevalence of disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus was higher in the studies using the second edition of the Japanese Guidelines for Management of Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus compared with the studies using the international guidelines without statistical significance (52% versus 43%, P = .38). The pooled sensitivity and specificity of disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus for prediction of treatment response were 59% (95% CI, 38%-77%) and 66% (95% CI, 57%-74%), respectively, with an area under the curve of 0.67 (95% CI, 0.63-0.71).

LIMITATIONS

The lack of an established method for assessing disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus using brain MR imaging served as an important cause of the heterogeneity.

CONCLUSIONS

Our meta-analysis demonstrated a relatively low prevalence of disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus and a poor diagnostic performance for treatment response.

Novel 1,3,4-oxadiazole compounds inhibit the tyrosinase and melanin level: Synthesis, in-vitro, and in-silico studies

In this research work, we have designed and synthesized some biologically useful of 1,3,4-Oxadiazoles. The structural interpretation of the synthesized compounds has been validated by using FT-IR, LC-MS, HRMS, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR techniques. Moreover, the in-vitro mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory potential of the target compounds was assessed. The in-vitro study reveals that, all compounds demonstrate an excellent tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Especially, 2-(5-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-ylthio)-N-phenylacetamide (IC₅₀ = 0.003 ± 0.00 µM) confirms much more significant potent inhibition activity compared with standard drug kojic acid (IC₅₀ = 16.83 ± 1.16 µM). Subsequently, the most potent five oxadiazole compounds were screened for cytotoxicity study against B16F10 melanoma cells using an MTT assay method. The survival rate for the most potent compound was more pleasant than other compounds. Furthermore, the western blot results proved that the most potent compound considerably decreased the expression level of tyrosinase at 50 µM (P < 0.05). The molecular docking investigation exposed that the utmost potent compound displayed the significant interactions pattern within the active region of the tyrosinase enzyme and which might be responsible for the decent inhibitory activity towards the enzyme. A molecular dynamic simulation experiment was presented to recognize the residual backbone stability of protein structure.

Do fever-relieving medicines have anti-COVID activity: an in silico insight

Aim: The present study was performed to determine the inhibitory interaction of fever-relieving medicines with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) essential proteins. Materials & methods: Structure-based drug repositioning was performed using PYRX 0.9 and these drugs were directed toward the predicted active site of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein receptor-binding domain, main protease and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Results: Results showed that acetaminophen and naproxen have considerable inhibitory activity and show a high affinity for active residues of these proteins. The prediction of activity spectra for substances (PASS) studies showed that these drugs are anti-inflammatory, antiviral and immunostimulant. Conclusion: Hence, it is proven that these drugs have antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and can stimulate the immune and anti-inflammatory response against this disease.

Development and Validation of a Deep Learning-Based Automatic Brain Segmentation and Classification Algorithm for Alzheimer Disease Using 3D T1-Weighted Volumetric Images

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Limited evidence has suggested that a deep learning automatic brain segmentation and classification method, based on T1-weighted brain MR images, can predict Alzheimer disease. Our aim was to develop and validate a deep learning-based automatic brain segmentation and classification algorithm for the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease using 3D T1-weighted brain MR images.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A deep learning-based algorithm was developed using a dataset of T1-weighted brain MR images in consecutive patients with Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment. We developed a 2-step algorithm using a convolutional neural network to perform brain parcellation followed by 3 classifier techniques including XGBoost for disease prediction. All classification experiments were performed using 5-fold cross-validation. The diagnostic performance of the XGBoost method was compared with logistic regression and a linear Support Vector Machine by calculating their areas under the curve for differentiating Alzheimer disease from mild cognitive impairment and mild cognitive impairment from healthy controls.

RESULTS

In a total of 4 datasets, 1099, 212, 711, and 705 eligible patients were included. Compared with the linear Support Vector Machine and logistic regression, XGBoost significantly improved the prediction of Alzheimer disease (P < .001). In terms of differentiating Alzheimer disease from mild cognitive impairment, the 3 algorithms resulted in areas under the curve of 0.758-0.825. XGBoost had a sensitivity of 68% and a specificity of 70%. In terms of differentiating mild cognitive impairment from the healthy control group, the 3 algorithms resulted in areas under the curve of 0.668-0.870. XGBoost had a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 80%.

CONCLUSIONS

The deep learning-based automatic brain segmentation and classification algorithm allowed an accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer disease using T1-weighted brain MR images. The widespread availability of T1-weighted brain MR imaging suggests that this algorithm is a promising and widely applicable method for predicting Alzheimer disease.

Uremic solutes of indoxyl sulfate and p-cresol enhance protease-activated receptor-2 expression in vitro and in vivo in keratinocytes

OBJECTIVES

Uremic pruritus is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The retention of uremic solutes is thought to be associated with uremic pruritus. Meanwhile, activation of protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) has been suggested to play an important role in pruritus. The present study was performed to investigate the effects of uremic solutes on the expression of PAR-2 in the skin.

METHODS

Indoxyl sulfate (IS), p-cresol (PC), and uremic sera from CKD patients were used to stimulate PAR-2 expression in normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs). Also, NHEKs were additionally pretreated with soybean trypsin inhibitor to evaluate its inhibitory effect on PAR-2 expression. Patterns of cutaneous PAR-2 expression were investigated in skin samples from five CKD patients and CKD mice.

RESULTS

In NHEKs, IS, PC, and sera from CKD patients significantly induced PAR-2 mRNA and protein expression. Soybean trypsin inhibitor significantly decreased PAR-2 mRNA and protein expression in NHEKs treated with IS, PC, and CKD sera. NHEKs treated with IS and PC exhibited significant increases in protease activity. Skin from both CKD patients and mice exhibited marked upregulation of PAR-2 expression compared to control skin.

CONCLUSIONS

Results from the present study suggest that uremic solutes either directly or indirectly affect PAR-2 expression in the skin of CKD subjects, potentially playing an important role in the pathogenesis of uremic pruritus.

An international collaborative evaluation of central serous chorioretinopathy: different therapeutic approaches and review of literature. The European Vitreoretinal Society central serous chorioretinopathy study

PURPOSE

To study and compare the efficacy of different therapeutic options for the treatment of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR).

METHODS

This is a nonrandomized, international multicentre study on 1719 patients (1861 eyes) diagnosed with CSCR, from 63 centres (24 countries). Reported data included different methods of treatment and both results of diagnostic examinations [fluorescein angiography and/or optical coherent tomography (OCT)] and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before and after therapy. The duration of observation had a mean of 11 months but was extended in a minority of cases up to 7 years. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the different therapeutic options of CSCR in terms of both visual (BCVA) and anatomic (OCT) improvement.

RESULTS

One thousand seven hundred nineteen patients (1861 eyes) diagnosed with CSCR were included. Treatments performed were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops, laser photocoagulation, micropulse diode laser photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy (PDT; Standard PDT, Reduced-dose PDT, Reduced-fluence PDT), intravitreal (IVT) antivascular endothelial growth factor injection (VEGF), observation and other treatments. The list of the OTHERS included both combinations of the main proposed treatments or a variety of other treatments such as eplerenone, spironolactone, acetazolamide, beta-blockers, anti-anxiety drugs, aspirin, folic acid, methotrexate, statins, vitis vinifera extract medication and pars plana vitrectomy. The majority of the patients were men with a prevalence of 77%. The odds ratio (OR) showed a partial or complete resolution of fluid on OCT with any treatment as compared with observation. In univariate analysis, the anatomical result (improvement in subretinal fluid using OCT at 1 month) was favoured by age <60 years (p < 0.005), no previous observation (p < 0.0002), duration less than 3 months (p < 0.0001), absence of CSCR in the fellow eye (p = 0.04), leakage outside of the arcade (p = 0.05) and fluid height >500 μm (p = 0.03). The OR for obtaining partial or complete resolution showed that anti-VEGF and eyedrops were not statistically significant; whereas PDT (8.5), thermal laser (11.3) and micropulse laser (8.9) lead to better anatomical results with less variability. In univariate analysis, the functional result at 1 month was favoured by first episode (p = 0.04), height of subretinal fluid >500 μm (p < 0.0001) and short duration of observation (p = 0.02). Finally, there was no statistically significant difference among the treatments at 12 months.

CONCLUSION

Spontaneous resolution has been described in a high percentage of patients. Laser (micropulse and thermal) and PDT seem to lead to significant early anatomical improvement; however, there is little change beyond the first month of treatment. The real visual benefit needs further clarification.

Simvastatin abolishes nitric oxide- and reactive oxygen species-induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression by blocking the nuclear factor κB pathway in rabbit articular chondrocytes

Nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been shown to be linked with numerous diseases, including osteoarthritis (OA). Our study aimed to examine the effect of simvastatin on NO- or ROS-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in OA. Simvastatin has attracted considerable attention since the discovery of its pharmacological effects on different pathogenic processes, including inflammation. Here, we report that simvastatin treatment blocked sodium nitroprusside (SNP)- and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β)-induced COX-2 production. In addition, simvastatin attenuated SNP-induced NO production and IL-1β-induced ROS generation. Treatment with simvastatin prevented SNP- and IL-1β-induced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activity. Inhibiting NO production and ROS generation using N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and NG-monomethyl- l-arginine ( l-NMMA), respectively, accelerated the influence of simvastatin on NF-κB activity. In addition, NAC blocked SNP and simvastatin-mediated COX-2 production and NF-κB activity but did not alter IL-1β and simvastatin-mediated COX-2 expression. l-NMMA treatment also abolished IL-1β-mediated COX-2 expression and NF-κB activation, whereas SNP and simvastatin-mediated COX-2 expression were not altered compared with the levels in the SNP and simvastatin-treated cells. Our findings suggested that simvastatin blocks COX-2 expression by inhibiting SNP-induced NO production and IL-1β-induced ROS generation by blocking the NF-κB pathway.

Evaluation of hepatic injury in acute carbon monoxide-poisoned patients in emergency department

Introduction:

The affinity of hemoglobin for carbon monoxide (CO) is 250 times higher than that for oxygen. Therefore, exposure to CO leads to a reduction in oxygen delivery to tissues, resulting in cellular hypoxia and affects whole body. Hepatic dysfunction in critically ill patients is related to poor outcome, but few studies have been conducted on this subject that occurs after CO poisoning. This study aims to conduct a study of hepatic injury in CO-poisoned patients in emergency department (ED).

Methods:

This retrospective observational study collected data from patients who were diagnosed with acute CO poisoning at the ED between June 2011 and May 2018 in local tertiary-care hospital (Wonju, Republic of Korea). The primary end point of this study was to describe the prevalence of hepatic injury in acute CO-poisoned patients. The secondary goals were to investigate the recovery trends of hepatic injury caused by acute CO poisoning and the relation to neurologic outcome and mortality.

Results:

Eight hundred ninety-four patients were enrolled in the final analysis, 128 cases (14.3%) had subclinical hepatic injury and 15 (1.6%) cases had hepatic injury. The relationship with mortality was not statistically significant. However, the hepatic injury group was higher incidence of intensive care unit admission and other complications. Patients in the hepatic injury group recovered through conservative management within 1 week of being admitted to the ED.

Conclusions:

While CO-induced hepatic injury is relatively uncommon, it can be associated with complications and poor neurologic outcome. However, CO-induced hepatic injury was not found to have a statistically significant effect on mortality rate.

Inhibitory effects on melanogenesis by thymoquinone are mediated through the β‑catenin pathway in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells

Thymoquinone (TQ) is a component found in the seeds of Nigella sativa, an annual plant growing on the Mediterranean coast, and is known for its anticancer and anti‑inflammatory effects. However, to date, at least to the best of our knowledge, limited studies are available examining the molecular mechanisms through which TQ inhibits melanogenesis. Accordingly, this study aimed to treat B16F10 mouse melanoma cells with TQ to investigate its apparent effects and its molecular regulatory mechanisms. Treatment of the B16F10 cells with 10, 15 and 20 µM of TQ for 48 h resulted in a dose‑dependent decrease in the expression of microphthalmia‑associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase expression and tyrosinase activity, and these treatments simultaneously led to a decrease in the protein expression and transcription of β‑catenin, a Wnt signaling pathway protein. Pre‑treatment of the cells with the proteasome inhibitor, MG132, to confirm the inhibition of melanogenesis through the β‑catenin pathway by TQ treatment resulted in an increase in the expression of β‑catenin that was initially reduced by TQ, and the expression and activity of MITF and tyrosinase also increased. Pre‑treatment with LiCl, which is known to inactivate glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) by inducing the phosphorylation of the Ser‑9 site, resulted in an increased phospho‑GSK3β expression accompanied by β‑catenin that was initially reduced by TQ, and the recovery of the expression and activity of tyrosinase was also confirmed. The transfection of S37A cDNA into B16F10 cells that overexpress β‑catenin resulted in the recovery of β‑catenin expression that was initially reduced by TQ, and this treatment also recovered the expression and activity of tyrosinase. When zebrafish eggs were treated with 1, 2.5 and 5 µM of TQ at 10 h following fertilization, their melanin content decreased in a dose‑dependent manner. On the whole, these findings demonstrated that the inhibition of melanogenesis in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells by TQ treatment resulted from the inhibition of the β‑catenin pathway and confirmed that TQ treatment inhibited melanogenesis in zebrafish.