[Association between unhealthy lifestyles and hyperuricemia in occupational population and modification effect of hypertension and dyslipidemia].

Objective: To understand the relationship between unhealthy lifestyle and hyperuricemia, as well as the modification effects of hypertension and dyslipidemia in occupational population and provide a theoretical basis for the prevention of hyperuricemia. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, based on baseline data from the Southwest Occupational Population Cohort from China Railway Chengdu Group Co., Ltd., which included the population in 28 prefectures from Sichuan Province and Guizhou Province, and 33 districts (counties) from Chongqing Municipality between October and December 2021. This study collected the information about the demographics characteristics, lifestyles, and prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases of the study subjects through questionnaire, physical measurement and laboratory biochemical test. The unhealthy lifestyle score was scored based on smoking, alcohol consumption, dietary patterns, physical activity, and low weight or overweight, with higher scores being associated with more unhealthy lifestyles. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between unhealthy lifestyle score, smoking, alcohol consumption, other factors and hyperuricemia, and the stratified analysis was used to explore the modification effect of hypertension and other diseases on the relationship between unhealthy lifestyle and hyperuricemia. Results: A total of 11 748 participants were included in this study, the prevalence of hyperuricemia was 34.4%. Multivariate logistic regression model showed that current/previous smoking, current/previous alcohol consumption and BMI abnormality were risk factors for hyperuricemia, and the unhealthy lifestyle score showed a "cumulative" effect on the risk for hyperuricemia, with higher score increasing the risk of hyperuricemia, and the OR increased from 1.64 (95%CI: 1.34-2.00) to 2.89 (95%CI: 2.39-3.50). Stratified analysis showed that unhealthy lifestyles had a greater impact on the risk for hyperuricemia in people with hypertension and dyslipidemia. Conclusions: The coexistence of multiple unhealthy lifestyles might increase the risk of hyperuricemia, and this effect was stronger in participants with hypertension and dyslipidemia. Timely correction of unhealthy lifestyles, and control of hypertension and dyslipidemia might reduce the risk for hyperuricemia.

Risk factors of common bile duct stones recurrence and nomogram for predicting recurrence after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: a dual-center retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Common bile duct stone (CBDS) is one of the common diseases in the digestive system, for which endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a treatment procedure. However, the risk factors for CBDS recurrence after ERCP remains unclear. This study aims to compare the risk factors of CBDS recurrence after ERCP, and to set up a nomogram model to predict the long-term risk. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 355 patients was reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for recurrence. The R packages were used for the model building. The validation set contained 100 patients. RESULTS: The patients were divided into three subgroups: treated by cholecystectomy after ERCP (11.76% recurrence rate), treated without surgery after ERCP (19.70%), and with a prior history of cholecystectomy (43.64%). Each of them has different independent risk factors, and high body mass index (BMI) is correlated with an increased risk among all the subgroups. A prior history of cholecystectomy is a candidate factor that increases the risk of CBDS recurrence in patients older than 60 years, with a greater BMI, or receiving ERCP combined with EPBD. We built a nomogram model to predict the risk of long-term CBDS recurrence based on the risk factors including age, BMI, CBD diameter, the number of CBDS, and the gallbladder- or biliary tract-related events. CONCLUSIONS: CBDS recurrence is related to congenital and anatomical factors. Cholecystectomy would not be helpful to prevent CBDS recurrence, and a prior history of cholecystectomy may indicate a high risk of recurrence.

[Effects of time of recombinant luteinized hormone supplementation on pregnancy outcomes of women with advanced reproductive age during follicular-phase long protocol].

Objective: To investigate the effects of supplementation of recombinant luteinized hormone (rLH) and its timing on pregnancy outcomes of patients at 35 years or older with follicular-phase long protocol. Methods: Clinical data of women undergoing in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection with follicular-phase long protocol was collected and retrospectively analyzed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2017 to December 2019. There were 558 patients at 35 years or older included in this study, and they were divided into three groups: group A was patients with only recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH) stimulation (127 cycles), group B was patients with rFSH plus rLH supplementation in the mid-follicular phase (141 cycles), and patients in group C received combined rFSH and rLH from the first day of ovarian stimulation (290 cycles). The basic characteristics of patients of each group were observed and the effects of ovarian simulation and pregnancy outcomes were compared among the three groups. Logistic regression model was performed to explore the association between different groups and pregnancy outcomes. Results: The basic characteristics such as age, duration of infertility, body mass index (BMI) and serum basic follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) were comparable among the three groups (all P>0.05). Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), antral follicles count (AFC) and basic luteinized hormone (LH) were significantly lower in group C compared to group A and group B (all P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in initiation dosage, total dosage and duration of gonadotropin (Gn) among the three groups (all P<0.01), the initiation dosage, total dosage and duration of Gn were higher in group C than the other two groups. The number of oocytes retrieved and available embryos were significantly lower in group B and group C than group A (all P<0.001). In fresh embryo transfer cycles, significantly higher implantation rate (45.3%, 117/258) and clinical pregnancy rate (52.6%, 111/211) were found for group C when compared with group A and group B (P=0.036, P=0.006). The live birth rate in fresh embryo transfer cycles was comparable among the three groups (P=0.098). The implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate in the subsequent frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles did not differ significantly among the three groups (all P>0.05). There were no significantly differences in the cumulative pregnancy rate and the cumulative live birth rate among the three groups (all P>0.05). After adjusted for age, BMI, AMH, AFC, basic FSH and LH, total Gn dosage, endometrial thickness at transfer, number of oocytes retrieved, number of embryos transferred and stage of embryo transferred, in fresh embryo transfer cycles, the clinical pregnancy rate (adjusted OR=2.793, 95%CI: 1.512-5.162, P<0.001) and live birth rate (adjusted OR=2.324, 95%CI: 1.241-4.351, P=0.008) were higher in group C, while clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate were similar between group B and group A in fresh embryo transfer cycles (all P>0.05); there was no significant difference in cumulative live birth rate among the three groups (P>0.05). Conclusions: The supplementation of rLH from the first day of ovarian stimulation improves the pregnancy outcomes of patients at 35 years or older in fresh embryo transfer cycles during follicular-phase long protocol. However, the supplementation of rLH has no benefit on cumulative live birth rate.

[Real-world study evaluating the incidence of liver damage conditions in patients with primary liver cancer using immune checkpoint inhibitor-based combination therapy].

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of immune checkpoint inhibitor-based combination therapy-induced liver damage in patients with primary liver cancer. Methods: Clinical data of 65 hospitalized cases of primary liver cancer treated with programmed cell death-1 its ligand programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) antibody in the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 1, 2018 to March 31, 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The degree of liver injury before and after treatment was assessed according to CTCAE v5.0. Patients were grouped according to gender, age, presence or absence of cirrhosis, baseline Child-Pugh score, BCLC stage, and treatment regimen to compare the incidence of liver injury under different conditions. The χ (2) test or rank-sum test was used for comparison among multiple groups. Results: 46 cases (70.77%) had liver damage of any grade according to the CTCAE V5.0 criteria during the treatment and observation period. All 6 cases who received standardized anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) treatment developed liver damage. 10 (15.38%), 15 (23.08%), 19 (29.23%), and 2 (3.08%) cases had grade 1, 2, 3, and 4 liver damage respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of liver damage between male and female patients (68.33% and 100%, P = 0.180). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of liver damage among different age groups (P = 0.245). The incidence of liver damage in cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic group was 72.22%, and 63.64% (P = 0.370), respectively. The incidence of liver damage in patients with baseline Child-Pugh class A, B, and C were 71.43%, 61.11% and 100%, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.878). The incidence of liver damage was not statistically significantly different under different BCLC stages (P = 1.000). The incidence of liver damage in the PD-1/PD-L1 antibody monotherapy, PD-1/PD-L1 antibody combined with targeted drug therapy, and PD-1/PD-L1 antibody combined with TACE/radiofrequency ablation treatment group were 60.00%, 67.85%, and 86.67%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of liver damage between the treatment regimen (P = 0.480). Conclusion: Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy-induced liver damage is common in patients with primary liver cancer; however, it rarely severely endangers the patient's life. Additionally, patient's gender, age, presence or absence of cirrhosis, baseline liver function, BCLC stage and the immunotherapy regimen has no effect on the incidence of immune-related liver damage.

Supraclavicular lymph node recurrence after radical surgery: is epidermal growth factor receptor a predictive marker?

The aim of this study was to evaluate the rare postoperative supraclavicular metastasis originating from oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to discuss epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a potential predictive marker. Tumour specimens of OSCC patients divided into three groups were included: supraclavicular metastasis (n = 8), conventional cervical metastasis (n = 28), no metastasis (n = 48). Basic information and EGFR expression were compared among these groups and the data were analysed to identify potentially related risk factors for supraclavicular metastasis. In the supraclavicular metastasis group (n = 8), all primary tumours were T1-T2 and located in the tongue and buccal region; five of eight cases were pathologically N0. The median interval from the primary tumour resection to the development of supraclavicular metastases was 21.5 months. All related deaths (5/8) occurred within 2 years. In the supraclavicular metastasis group, EGFR expression was highest in the supraclavicular metastases, followed by cervical lymph nodes, and was lowest in the primary tumours (P = 0.39). In contrast, in the conventional metastasis group and the N0 group, EGFR expression was higher in the primary tumours than in the lymph nodes (P < 0.01). Supraclavicular metastasis of OSCC is infrequent and associated with a poor prognosis. EGFR might predict the occurrence of supraclavicular metastasis.

[Comparison of early outcome between one-stage hybrid technique and frozen elephant thunk technique in the treatment of Stanford A aortic dissection involving the arch].

Objective: To analyze the early outcome of one-stage hybrid technique in the treatment of Stanford type-A aortic dissection involving the arch and compare its therapeutic efficacy with the classical frozen elephant trunk technique (FET). Methods: A total of 106 patients with Stanford type-A aortic dissection involving the arch in Department of Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, 1st Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from October 2015 to October 2019 was collected. All patients in this group were treated with one-stage hybrid technique (modified arch debranching technique) without deep hypothermia circulation. Meanwhile, 30 patients with Stanford type A dissection involving the arch who underwent FET from January 2014 to September 2015 were collected. The therapeutic effects of the two surgical methods were analyzed and compared. Results: The age [M (Q1, Q3)] of 106 patients in hybrid group was 49.0 (40.0, 55.0) years, including 89 males and 17 females. The age [M(Q1, Q3)] of 30 patients in FET group was 49.5 (41.5, 65.3) years, including 24 males and 6 females. The time [M(Q1, Q3)] of using ventilator in hybrid group was 56.0 (38.0, 72.0) h, which was shorter than 127.0 (92.0, 145.0) h in FET group (P<0.001). The incidence of cerebral infarction in hybrid group was 2.8% (3 cases), which was lower than 13.3% (4 cases) in FET group (P=0.042); the incidence of postoperative renal insufficiency in hybrid group was 7.5% (8 cases), which was lower than 23.3% (7 cases) in FET group (P=0.023); the ICU time [M (Q1, Q3)] in hybrid group was 8.0 (6.0, 10.0) d, which was shorter than 14.0 (8.3, 24.0) d in FET group (P<0.001). Conclusion: Compared with FET, one-stage hybrid technology is safer and more effective in the treatment of Stanford type A aortic dissection involving the arch. Its short-term therapeutic efficacy appears good.

[Root canal anatomy of maxillary second premolars at various ages observed by cone-beam CT].

Objective: To observe the morphological changes of root canals in maxillary second premolars at various ages by using cone-beam CT (CBCT) in order to provide imaging and theoretical reference for clinical treatments. Methods: The digital CBCT data of the maxillary second premolars in 440 cases from the patients in Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University during March 2011 and December 2017 were collected. The CBCT images were divided into 4 groups according to the patients' ages: groups ≤20, 21-40, 41-60 and>60 years old, respectively. Changes of morphologies of root canals with aging including such parameters as types of the root canal, incidence of double root canals in single rooted teeth, distance between both root canal orifices of double rooted canals, and morphological change of the cross section of roots. Chi-square test and liner trend test were adopted in statistical analysis in the present study. Results: Most maxillary second premolars had only one root [95.2% (419/440)]. Type Ⅰ of the root canals was the most common type [57.3% (252/440)], and the following prevalent groups were type Ⅱ[16.8% (74/440)], type Ⅳ [10.2% (45/440)] and type Ⅲ [8.9% (39/440)]. The distribution of type Ⅰ~Ⅳ of the root canals were significantly different amongst various aged groups (P<0.05). Along with aging, the percentages of type Ⅰ decreased while type Ⅱ increased. However, there were no remarkable changes of type Ⅲ and type Ⅳ observed. The incidence of double canal in single rooted teeth gradually increased with aging especially in 20-year-old and above groups, e.g. 13.1% (13/99) in group of ≤20 years old and 45.0% (86/191) in group of 21-40 years old. However, there was no significant increase observed after the age of 40. The distance between two root canal orifices of double rooted canals became shorter with aging except in groups of 40-year-old and above. The morphologies of the cross sections of root canals in most groups were flat shaped [57.8% (1 121/1 938)] and oval shape [31.3% (607/1 938)]. Along with aging, the percentage of circular shape gradually increased while flat and oval shapes decreased. Conclusions: The morphology of root canal could be clearly showed by the CBCT images. Most maxillary second premolars had only one root and one apical foramen. Along with aging, the morphology of the root canals became more and more complicated.

[Expression discordances and clinical values of ER, PR, HER-2 and Ki-67 in primary and metastatic breast cancer].

Objective: To investigate the expression discordances of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor2 (HER-2) and Ki-67 in primary and metastatic breast cancer specimens and explore the clinical significances. Methods: Biopsies of metastatic lesions were performed in 203 patients with breast cancer recurrence and metastasis indicated by physical examination and/or imaging examination. We confirmed pathological properties and assessed the expressions of ER, PR, HER-2 and Ki-67 in primary and metastatic lesions, their relationships with prognosis were also analyzed. Results: Biopsy failed in 3 patients, the pathology and immunohistochemitry results of metastatic lesions were not obtained. One person was diagnosed as tuberculosis and another was primary lung cancer. Among the 198 cases of primary and metastatic lesions, the discordance rates of ER, PR, HER-2 and Ki-67 were 27.3%, 34.3%, 11.8% and 15.1%, respectively.The expressions of ER, HER-2 and Ki-67 were not significantly different between the primary and metastatic lesions, however, the expressions of PR were more likely to turn negative in the metastases (P<0.001). The disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with ER, PR positive, HER-2 negative and low expression of Ki-67 in metastatic lesion was much longer (P<0.05). Conclusions: The expressions of ER, PR, HER-2 and Ki-67 in metastatic lesions are associated with the prognosis of breast cancer patients.Their expression discordances between primary and metastatic lesions can guide the treatment and evaluate the risks of recurrence and prognosis.

How patent law reform can improve affordability and accessibility of medicines in South Africa: Four medicine case studies.

South Africa (SA) is in the process of amending its patent laws. Since its 2011 inception, Fix the Patent Laws, a coalition of 40 patient groups, has advocated for reform of SA's patent laws to improve affordability of medicines in the country. Building on two draft policies (2013, 2017) and a consultative framework (2016) for reform of SA's patent laws, Cabinet approved phase 1 of the Intellectual Property Policy of the Republic of South Africa on 23 May 2018. Fix the Patent Laws welcomed the policy, but highlighted concerns regarding the absence of important technical details, as well as the urgent need for government to develop bills, regulations and guidelines to provide technical detail and to codify and implement patent law reform in the country. In this article, we explore how reforms proposed in SA's new intellectual property policy could improve access to medicine through four medicine case studies.

[Evaluation of the influenza vaccine effectiveness among children aged 6 to 72 months based on the test-negative case control study design].

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine among children aged 6 to 72 months. Methods: The test-negative case control study was conducted based on available surveillance data which was from China Influenza Surveillance Information system (CSIS). From October 2016 to April 2017 and from October 2017 to April 2018,1 161 cases aged 6-72 months with influenza-like illness in Yongkang and Yiwu city, were selected as the study subjects, and the cases with influenza test-positive were selected as the case group (403 cases). Test-negative subjects were selected as control group (758 cases). The etiology and immunization data of the subjects were obtained from CSIS and Immune Information and Management System (IIMS) respectively. Vaccine effectiveness was estimated using multivariate logistic regression model,and the mixed effects of non-randomized control in TNCC study were equalized by using the propensity score (PS) method in the statistical analysis. Results: The age of the subjects was (2.44±1.60) years,and there were 681 boys (58.66%). The age of case group was (2.62±1.58) years, and there were 246 boys (61.04%). The case group was including of 237 cases (58.81%) of influenza A (H3N2), 92 cases (22.83%) of influenza A (H1N1) pmd09, 62 cases (15.38%) of influenza B(Victoria) lineage, 11 cases (2.73%) of influenza B (Yamagata) lineage and one case (0.25%) co-infection of influenza [A(H(3)N(2))+B (Victoria)]. The mean age of the control group was (2.35±1.61) years,and there were 435 boys (57.39%). Overall vaccine effectiveness (VE) against all type influenza for two seasons combined was 58% (95%CI: 31%-74%). An analysis by age groups showed 68% (95%CI:41%-82%) of the VE estimate among children aged 36-72 months while it was 28%(95%CI:-80%-71%)of the VE estimate among children aged 6-35 months. The VE estimate value was 54% (95%CI:16%-75%) against all type influenza and 65% (95%CI:24%-83%) against influenza A (H(3)N(2)) during the 2016-2017 season. During the 2017-2018 season, the VE estimate value was 69% (95%CI:18%-88%) against all type influenza. Conclusion: Influenza vaccine is effective in preventing influenza virus infection during the flu season,especially the effect among children aged 36-72 months is higher compared to that among children aged 6-35 months.

Polymorphisms of the prolactin gene and their association with egg production traits in two Chinese domestic ducks.

1. Prolactin (PRL) as a polypeptide hormone which plays a crucial role in egg production traits. 2. Polymorphisms of the PRL gene were analysed with DNA sequencing and polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism methods in two Chinese domestic laying duck breeds (Jinding, n = 400, Youxian, n = 400, respectively). 3. The results showed that one polymorphism was detected (A-412G) in intron 1 of the PRL gene, with three genotypes: AA, AG and GG. Association analysis showed that the ducks with the GG genotype had significantly greater egg production and egg weight than those with AG and AA genotype (p < 0.05). Hence, the 412A > G polymorphism of the PRL gene in intron 1 is a potentially valuable genetic marker for laying duck breeding programmes.

Causes of ozone pollution in summer in Wuhan, Central China.

In August 2016, continuous measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and trace gases were conducted at an urban site in Wuhan. Four high-ozone (O3) days and twenty-seven non-high-O3 days were identified according to the China's National Standard Level II (∼100 ppbv). The occurrence of high-O3 days was accompanied by tropical cyclones. Much higher concentrations of VOCs and carbon monoxide (CO) were observed on the high-O3 days (p < 0.01). Model simulations revealed that vehicle exhausts were the dominant sources of VOCs, contributing 45.4 ±â€¯5.2% and 37.3 ±â€¯2.9% during high-O3 and non-high-O3 days, respectively. Both vehicle exhausts and stationary combustion made significantly larger contributions to O3 production on high-O3 days (p < 0.01). Analysis using a chemical transport model found that local photochemical formation accounted for 74.7 ±â€¯5.8% of the daytime O3, around twice the regional transport (32.2 ±â€¯5.4%), while the nighttime O3 was mainly attributable to regional transport (59.1 ±â€¯9.9%). The local O3 formation was generally limited by VOCs in urban Wuhan. To effectively control O3 pollution, the reduction ratio of VOCs to NOx concentrations should not be lower than 0.73, and the most efficient O3 abatement could be achieved by reducing VOCs from vehicle exhausts. This study contributes to the worldwide database of O3-VOC-NOx sensitivity research. Its findings will be helpful in formulating and implementing emission control strategies for dealing with O3 pollution in Wuhan.

Ischemic preconditioning protects brain from ischemia/reperfusion injury by attenuating endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis through PERK pathway.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of cerebral ischemic preconditioning which can decrease brain ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The focal cerebral ischemia rat was selected as the experimental model. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) positive cells in ischemic penumbra were assessed after cerebral reperfusion. We assessed terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) positive cells and measured the expressions of phosphorylation PERK (p-PERK), glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), activating transcription factor-4 (ATF4) and caspase-12 in ischemic penumbra after cerebral reperfusion. RESULTS: We showed that the infarct sizes can be reduced due to the preconditioning under the influence of brain ischemia after reperfusion. The effect of preconditioning on the expression of ER stress proteins suggested the expressions of the 4 proteins p-PERK, ATF4, caspase-12 and GRP78 in the penumbra cortex by immunohistochemistry and Western blot increased after cerebral ischemia. Significant reduction of the number of TUNEL-positive cells was in the penumbra cortex of the preconditioning group. CONCLUSIONS: We found that cerebral ischemic preconditioning can protect the brain from I/R injury by inhibiting ER stress-induced apoptosis; the pathway of PERK is involved.

[Disparities of sex on cancer incidence and mortality in Jiashan county, Zhejiang province,1990-2014].

Objective: This study aimed to describe the sex disparities on cancer incidence and mortality in Jiashan population. Methods: All data concerning incident and death cases of cancers were gathered from the database of Cancer Registry in Jiashan county. Data from the 2010 China census was used as the standard population. Sex-specific age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs), mortality rates (ASMRs) per 100 000 persons for all cancers and types of each cancer were calculated for the years of 1990 to 1999, 2000 to 2009, 2010 to 2014, and 1990 to 2014. In addition, the corresponding male-to-female incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and mortality rate ratios (MRRs) were also calculated. Results: The ASIR of all cancers was 226.13/10(5) for the whole period of 1990 to 2014, with 266.04/10(5) for males and 187.22/10(5) for females, respectively. The corresponding IRR was 1.42 (95%CI: 1.39-1.46), with significant difference noticed in the incidence rates between males and females (P<0.05). The ASMR of all cancers was 155.39/10(5), with 206.55/10(5) for males and 104.98/10(5) for females, respectively. The corresponding MRR was 1.97 (95% CI: 1.91-2.03), with significant difference between males and females (P<0.05). Among all the cancer types, only gallbladder cancer and thyroid cancer showed female predominance in both incidence and mortality, with male predominance in all the remaining cancers. Conclusion: Finding from our study suggested that a male predominance in both incidence and mortality for a majority of cancers in Jiashan population.

Development of stable Pickering emulsions/oil powders and Pickering HIPEs stabilized by gliadin/chitosan complex particles.

In this paper, we demonstrate the use of gliadin/chitosan complex particles (GCCPs) as particulate stabilizers of oil-in-water emulsions of natural oils and water. For this purpose, we fabricated GCCPs through a facile anti-solvent procedure and demonstrated their usage in the formation of Pickering emulsions and Pickering high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs). The GCCPs can be used to produce surfactant-free o/w Pickering emulsions and Pickering HIPEs; unfortunately these emulsions were labile to coalescence. NaCl addition and/or pH regulation, and the combination were used to modify the surface wettability of the complex particles to achieve stable emulsions. The microstructures, e.g., interfacial frameworks, GCCP partition between the continuous phase and interfacial region, and the state of the droplets, of Pickering emulsions were visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), confirming that the inclusion of NaCl and slightly adjusting pH toward 4.0 and/or 5.0 benefited the adsorption and accumulation of colloid particles at the droplet surface to form an engineered interfacial structure, bridging droplets together through a percolating layer of colloidal particles at the oil/water interface. A schematic representation for the formation route of the emulsions is proposed to relate the physical performance and rheological property with the interfacial structures and aggregate behaviors in the Pickering system stabilized by the complex particles. Interestingly, direct freeze-drying of the emulsions transformed unstable Pickering emulsions into stable oil powders. This study opens a promising route based on Pickering HIPEs or oil powders to structure liquid oils into solid-like fats without artificial trans-fat, which outlines new directions for future fundamental research.

Administration of resveratrol enhances cell-cycle arrest followed by apoptosis in DMBA-induced skin carcinogenesis in male Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVE: Resveratrol (RES), present in fruits and plants, is a natural compound that has been shown various medicinal properties, including protection of cardiovascular disease and cancer risk. However, the effects of RES on skin cancer have not been investigated. The present work was designed to explore the anticancer potential of RES against chemical-induced skin carcinogenesis in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Skin carcinogenesis were induced in male Wistar rats by a single topical application of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) and 2 weeks later, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) were topically applied thrice a week to promote skin carcinogenesis. RES at a dose of 1 or 2 mg/kg body weight/week were administered to DMBA treated rats. The effects of RES on DMBA-modified cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis and protein expressions were analyzed by flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: RES treatment caused a significant reduction of DMBA-induced tumor occurrence, tumor volume and tumor weight, as compared to DMBA control group. Further, RES treatment increases G2/M arrest and apoptosis by modulating cell-cycle and apoptosis regulated genes such as p53, p21, caspase-3, bax, survivin, cyclin-B and cdc-2 when compared with DMBA control group. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the anticancer effect of RES is associated with regulation of cell-cycle and apoptosis in skin cancer, thereby attenuating skin cancer growth. Hence, these findings suggest that RES may be a therapeutic agent for skin cancer treatment.