Metabolic profiles of the Flos Abelmoschus manihot extract by intestinal bacteria from the normal and CKD model rats based on UPLC‐Q‐TOF/MS

Flos Abelmoschus manihot is a traditional herbal medicine widely used in clinical practice to tackle chronic kidney disease (CKD) for thousands of years. Nowadays, many studies indicate that gut bacteria are closely related to the progression of CKD and CKD‐related complications. In this study, a UPLC‐Q‐TOF/MS method coupled with the MetaboLynx™ software was established and successfully applied to investigate the metabolites and metabolic profile of Flos A. manihot extract by intestinal bacteria from normal and CKD rats. Eight parent components and eight metabolites were characterized by their protonated ions. Among these compounds, 15 were detected in the two group samples while M16 was only determined in the CKD model samples. Compared with the quercetin‐type glycosides, fewer myricetin‐type and gossypetin‐type metabolites were obtained in the two group samples. These metabolites suggested that deglycosylation and methylation are the major metabolic pathways of Flos A. manihot extract. Few differences of metabolite classes were observed in the two group samples. However, the concentrations of aglycones such as quercetin, myricetin and gossypetin in the normal samples were notably higher than those in the CKD model samples. The results are important in unravelling the pharmacological effects of A. manihot and clarifying its mechanism of action in vivo .     

空气—乙炔原子吸收法测定胆管结石中钠和钙含量

用火焰原子吸收法测定人体胆结石中的钠和钙,方法快速、灵敏和精确,钠和钙的回收率为95～101%,变异系数小于3.6%。     

Estimation of the porous structure of active carbons

Active carbons from apricot, plum, peach, and grape stones were prepared. The analysis of adsorption isotherms of benzene vapor showed that the active carbons obtained from fruit stones have highly homogeneous microporous structures withW ₀ 0.30 cm³ g^–1,E ₀ 24.5 kJ mol^–1, andx ₀ 0.42 nm, and they contain ultramicropores along with micropores.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1934–1936, October, 1995.This study was financially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Project No. 94-03-09550).     

Alternatives for the reduction of Cu(II) ion levels in hemodialysis membranes produced from sugar-cane bagasse

The objective of the present study was to seek alternatives for the reduction of Cu(II) ion levels in hemodialysis membranes produced by the cuprammonium process. The alternatives used were: (a) replacement of the solvent Cu(NH₃)₄(OH)₂, used in the original process, with Cu(EDA)₂(OH)₂, and (b) increasing the reflux time of the bagasse purification process from 1.5 to 3.0 h. The experimental results were obtained by analysis of Cu(II) content in the membranes by atomic absorption, by complexometry via UV/Vis spectroscopy of the solutions of filter paper, bagasse and lignin, and by monitoring the various stages of the purification process (by FTIR and by loss of mass), i.e. pretreatment with 0.25 M NaOH followed by treatment with 4.2 M EDA and reflux with EtOH/HNO₃ (20%, v/v). The results showed that the Cu(II) content in the membranes decreased with the use of the Cu(EDA)₂(OH)₂ solvent, that the purification process could not be improved further since cellulose degradation was observed, and that the Cu(II) content in the membranes produced was still to high for their use for hemodialysis treatment.     

Polymorphisms in two genes, IL-1B and ACE, are associated with erythropoietin resistance in Korean patients on maintenance hemodialysis

Genetic polymorphisms may be linked to inter-individual differences in erythropoietin (EPO) resistance. We investigated the -511C/T polymorphism of the IL-1B gene and the I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene for any association with EPO resistance index (ERI) in maintenance hemodialysis patients (n=167). Because EPO responsiveness is multi-factorial, we also included other possible influences (age, sex, time on dialysis, ACE inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker use, ferritin, transferrin saturation, intact PTH, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, albumin, Kt/V, and presence of diabetes mellitus) on ERI in our analyses. Multiple regression analysis showed significant association of the IL-1B-511CC and ACE DD polymorphisms with ERI (P=0.038 and P=0.004 in the recessive model, respectively). The combination (C) of alleles of two loci showed that C1 (I-T) was significantly associated with ERI in the co-dominant and recessive models (P=0.005 and P=0.0001, respectively). Subjects who did not carry C1 showed significantly decreased ERI (10.10+/-5.15 IU/kg weight/g hemoglobin) compared to other study subjects (C1/C1 and C1/-; 12.97+/-4.90 and 15.12+/-7.43 IU/kg weight/g hemoglobin, respectively). Our study indicates that the IL-1B-511C/T and ACE I/D polymorphisms may be useful genetic markers of EPO requirement in hemodialysis patients. These findings might also provide a new perspective on therapeutic approaches to the treatment of end stage renal disease patients with anemia.     

Characterization of monumental carbonate stones by thermal analysis (TG, DTG and DSC)

Thermogravimetry (TG), derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), were found to be suitable instrumental techniques for the study of monumental rocks because they need small amounts of sample and provide extensive qualitative and quantitative information. From DTG curves, the calcite/dolomite ratio in the samples as well as the differences between limestones and dolomites can be quantitatively determined. DSC curves are adequate for the identification of the degradation products in the monumental stones since they are usually salts (sometimes hydrates) which present first-order processes under 600°C. This technique makes it possible to carry out quantitative and semiquantitative analysis of the degradation of monumental rocks since it provides data about its mineralogic composition.     

大鼠肾脏汞结合金属硫蛋白的联用技术表征研究

通过凝胶色谱(SEC)及反相液相色谱(RPC)分别与电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)和电喷雾电离质谱(ESI-MS)联用的技术，对灌喂HgCl₂大鼠的肾组织中诱导的多金属结合金属硫蛋白(MT)的结构进行表征分析。通过SEC-ICP-MS曲线上的金属信号及紫外检测的MT光谱吸收特征，可确认组织提取液中MT在色谱曲线上的位置。与对照组相比，灌喂HgCl₂大鼠肾中Hg-MT的诱导量显著增加，与此同时，Cu-MT在染毒组的诱导量也相应增加，说明MT在染汞大鼠肾脏中起着对汞的解毒和对铜的调节作用。MT样品提取物经葡聚糖凝胶(G-75)柱分离纯化并用透析法脱盐后，用细内径反相色谱柱分离，进行梯度洗脱，并与ESI-MS联用，可获得总离子流色谱图及与色谱峰对应的质谱图，通过对质谱信号的解析及参考脱金属MT构型的有关报道，对汞诱导大鼠肾组织MT的不同亚型和次亚型分子结构进行推断。结果证明，在灌喂HgCl₂大鼠的肾组织中存在着一系列汞结合的MT形态。     

Determination of mycophenolic acid in human plasma by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and its pharmacokinetic application in kidney transplant patients

To implement and validate an analytical method by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC MS/MS) to quantify mycophenolic acid (MPA) in kidney transplant patients. Quantification of MPA was performed in an ACQUITY UPLC H Class system coupled to a Xevo TQD detector and it was extracted from plasma samples by protein precipitation. The chromatographic separation was achieved through an ACQUITY HSS C₁₈ SB column with 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile (60:40 vol/vol) as mobile phase. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by non‐compartmental analysis of MPA plasma concentrations from 10 kidney transplant patients. The linear range for MPA quantification was 0.2–30 mg/L with a limit of detection of 0.07 mg/L; the mean extraction recovery was 99.99%. The mean intra‐ and inter‐day variability were 2.98% and 3.4% with a percentage of deviation of 8.4% and 6.6%, respectively. Mean maximal concentration of 10 mg/L at 1.5 h, area under the concentration–time curve of 36.8 mg·h/L, elimination half‐life of 3.9 h, clearance of 0.32 L/h/kg and volume of distribution of 1.65 L/kg were obtained from MPA pharmacokinetics profiles. A simple, fast and reliable UPLC–MS/MS method to quantify MPA in plasma was validated and has been applied for pharmacokinetic analysis in kidney transplant patients.     

肌球蛋白Ⅱ缺失细胞胞质分裂机制研究

哺乳动物细胞胞质分裂过程中伴随着一系列形态学改变,随着分裂沟不断收缩,形成连接两个子细胞的细胞间桥.间桥不断拉长、变细,直至断裂、生成两个子细胞.采用细胞力学和形态学测量及分析方法,通过施加肌球蛋白Ⅱ抑制剂,定量研究了NRK细胞间桥变细动力学;采用细胞免疫荧光技术,检测了早期胞质分裂肌动蛋白的分布,揭示肌球蛋白Ⅱ缺失细胞胞质分裂可能的机制.结果表明:施加肌球蛋白Ⅱ抑制剂的NRK细胞,其整体形态学和细胞间桥形态学曲线明显不同于0.3%DMSO组.根据流体力学特性和所测量的力学参数对曲线进行模拟发现,表面张力对肌球蛋白Ⅱ抑制组细胞的间桥动力学曲线轨迹影响很大.研究结果提示由细胞力学特性决定的拉普拉斯压力和细胞运动共同参与了肌球蛋白Ⅱ缺失细胞胞质分裂的调节.