Biosynthesis of CuTe Nanorods with Large Molar Extinction Coefficients for NIR-II Photoacoustic Imaging.

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) in the second near-infrared region (NIR-II), due to deeper tissue penetration and a lower background interference, has attracted widespread concern. However, the development of NIR-II nanoprobes with a large molar extinction coefficient and a high photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) for PAI and photothermal therapy (PTT) is still a big challenge. In this work, the NIR-II CuTe nanorods (NRs) with large molar extinction coefficients ((1.31 ± 0.01) × 108 cm-1·M-1 at 808 nm, (7.00 ± 0.38) × 107 cm-1·M-1 at 1064 nm) and high PCEs (70% at 808 nm, 48% at 1064 nm) were synthesized by living Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) cells as biosynthesis factories. Due to the strong light-absorbing and high photothermal conversion ability, the in vitro PA signals of CuTe NRs were about 6 times that of indocyanine green (ICG) in both NIR-I and NIR-II. In addition, CuTe NRs could effectively inhibit tumor growth through PTT. This work provides a new strategy for developing NIR-II probes with large molar extinction coefficients and high PCEs for NIR-II PAI and PTT.

Biosynthesis of NIR-II Ag2Se Quantum Dots with Bacterial Catalase for Photoacoustic Imaging and Alleviating-Hypoxia Photothermal Therapy.

Developing the second near-infrared (NIR-II) photoacoustic (PA) agent is of great interest in bioimaging. Ag2Se quantum dots (QDs) are one kind of potential probe for applications in NIR-II photoacoustic imaging (PAI). However, the surfaces with excess anions of Ag2Se QDs, which increase the probability of nonradiative transitions of excitons benefiting PA imaging, are not conducive to binding electron donor ligands for potential biolabeling and imaging. In this study, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) cells are driven for the biosynthesis of Ag2Se QDs with catalase (CAT). Biosynthesized Ag2Se (bio-Ag2Se-CAT) QDs are produced in Se-enriched environment of S. aureus and have a high Se-rich surface. The photothermal conversion efficiency of bio-Ag2Se-CAT QDs at 808 and 1064 nm is calculated as 75.3% and 51.7%, respectively. Additionally, the PA signal responsiveness of bio-Ag2Se-CAT QDs is ≈10 times that of the commercial PA contrast agent indocyanine green. In particular, the bacterial CAT is naturally attached to bio-Ag2Se-CAT QDs surface, which can effectively relieve tumor hypoxia. The bio-Ag2Se-CAT QDs can relieve heat-initiated oxidative stress while undergoing effective photothermal therapy (PTT). Such biosynthesis method of NIR-II bio-Ag2Se-CAT QDs opens a new avenue for developing multifunctional nanomaterials, showing great promise for PAI, hypoxia alleviation, and PTT.

Highly accelerated multi-shot intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging in brain enabled by parametric POCS-based multiplexed sensitivity encoding.

Recently, intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has also been demonstrated as an imaging tool for applications in neurological and neurovascular diseases. However, the use of single-shot diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging for IVIM DWI acquisition leads to suboptimal data quality: for instance, geometric distortion and deteriorated image quality at high spatial resolution. Although the recently commercialized multi-shot acquisition methods, such as multiplexed sensitivity encoding (MUSE), can attain high-resolution and high-quality DWI with signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance superior to that of the conventional parallel imaging method, the prolonged scan time associated with multi-shot acquisition is impractical for routine IVIM DWI. This study proposes an acquisition and reconstruction framework based on parametric-POCSMUSE to accelerate the four-shot IVIM DWI with 70% reduction of total scan time (13 min 8 s versus 4 min 8 s). First, the four-shot IVIM DWI scan with 17 b values was accelerated by acquiring only one segment per b value except for b values of 0 and 600 s/mm2 . Second, an IVIM-estimation scheme was integrated into the parametric-POCSMUSE to enable joint reconstruction of multi-b images from under-sampled four-shot IVIM DWI data. In vivo experiments on both healthy subjects and patients show that the proposed framework successfully produced multi-b DW images with significantly higher SNRs and lower reconstruction errors than did the conventional acceleration method based on parallel imaging. In addition, the IVIM quantitative maps estimated from the data produced by the proposed framework showed quality comparable to that of fully sampled MUSE-reconstructed images, suggesting that the proposed framework can enable highly accelerated multi-shot IVIM DWI without sacrificing data quality. In summary, the proposed framework can make multi-shot IVIM DWI feasible in a routine MRI examination, with reasonable scan time and improved geometric fidelity.

Comparative Cytological and Gene Expression Analysis Reveals That a Common Wild Rice Inbred Line Showed Stronger Drought Tolerance Compared with the Cultivar Rice.

Common wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.) is an important germplasm resource containing valuable genes. Our previous analysis reported a stable wild rice inbred line, Huaye3, which derives from the common wild rice of Guangdong Province. However, there was no information about its drought tolerance ability. Here, we assessed the germination characteristics and seedling growth between the Dawennuo and Huaye3 under five concentrations of PEG6000 treatment (0, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%). Huaye3 showed a stronger drought tolerance ability, and its seed germination rate still reached more than 52.50% compared with Dawennuo, which was only 25.83% under the 20% PEG6000 treatment. Cytological observations between the Dawennuo and Huaye3 indicated the root tip elongation zone and buds of Huaye3 were less affected by the PEG6000 treatment, resulting in a lower percentage of abnormalities of cortical cells, stele, and shrinkage of epidermal cells. Using the re-sequencing analysis, we detected 13,909 genes that existed in the genetic variation compared with Dawennuo. Of these genes, 39 were annotated as drought stress-related genes and their variance existed in the CDS region. Our study proved the strong drought stress tolerance ability of Huaye3, which provides the theoretical basis for the drought resistance germplasm selection in rice.

The effect of Qigong-based therapy on patients with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study was to evaluate the effects of Qigong on clinical motor symptoms, walking ability, and balance of patients with Parkinson's disease. DATA SOURCES: Seven electronic databases (MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL, SportDiscus, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Database) were searched from inception to June 28, 2020. METHODS: Two reviewers independently selected and extracted the data from studies with randomized controlled trial, and effect sizes were calculated by employing random-effect models with 95% confidential interval (CI). We used Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale to evaluate the quality of included studies. RESULTS: A total of seven studies with 325 participants (180 males and 145 females) were included in this meta-analysis. Results of this meta-analysis showed that Qigong had significantly positive effects on motor symptoms (SMD = 0.59, 95% CI [0.24, 0.93]), walking ability (SMD = 0.78, 95% CI [0.10, 1.47]), and balance (SMD = 0.72, 95% CI [0.23, 1.20]) in patients with Parkinson's disease. Subgroup analysis showed Qigong exercise had significant difference on improving motor symptoms and walking ability compared to passive control (P < 0.01), and no significant difference compared to active control. Subgroup analysis of Qigong exercise revealed a significant difference on balance compared to both active and passive control (P < 0.05). In addition, meta-regression result indicated that the effect of Qigong exercise on motor symptoms was influenced by age. CONCLUSION: The findings from current meta-analysis supported Qigong exercise as a beneficial alternative therapy may contribute to increasing motor function, walking ability, and balance for patients with Parkinson's disease.

Wnt16 attenuates osteoarthritis progression through a PCP/JNK-mTORC1-PTHrP cascade.

OBJECTIVES: Wnt16 is implicated in bone fracture and bone mass accrual both in animals and humans. However, its functional roles and molecular mechanism in chondrocyte differentiation and osteoarthritis (OA) pathophysiology remain largely undefined. In this study, we analysed its mechanistic association and functional relationship in OA progression in chondrocyte lineage. METHODS: The role of Wnt16 during skeletal development was examined by Col2a1-Wnt16 transgenic mice and Wnt16fl/fl;Col2a1-Cre (Wnt16-cKO) mice. OA progression was assessed by micro-CT analysis and Osteoarthritis Research Society International score after anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) surgery with Wnt16 manipulation by adenovirus intra-articular injection. The molecular mechanism was investigated in vitro using 3D chondrocyte pellet culture and biochemical analyses. Histological analysis was performed in mouse joints and human cartilage specimens. RESULTS: Wnt16 overexpression in chondrocytes in mice significantly inhibited chondrocyte hypertrophy during skeletal development. Wnt16 deficiency exaggerated OA progression, whereas intra-articular injection of Ad-Wnt16 markedly attenuated ACLT-induced OA. Cellular and molecular analyses showed that, instead of ß-catenin and calcium pathways, Wnt16 activated the planar cell polarity (PCP) and JNK pathway by interacting mainly with AP2b1, and to a lesser extend Ror2 and CD146, and subsequently induced PTHrP expression through phosphor-Raptor mTORC1 pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that Wnt16 activates PCP/JNK and crosstalks with mTORC1-PTHrP pathway to inhibit chondrocyte hypertrophy. Our preclinical study suggests that Wnt16 may be a potential therapeutic target for OA treatment.

Evaluation of Magnetic Nanoparticle-Labeled Chondrocytes Cultivated on a Type II Collagen-Chitosan/Poly(Lactic-co-Glycolic) Acid Biphasic Scaffold.

Chondral or osteochondral defects are still controversial problems in orthopedics. Here, chondrocytes labeled with magnetic nanoparticles were cultivated on a biphasic, type II collagen-chitosan/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) scaffold in an attempt to develop cultures with trackable cells exhibiting growth, differentiation, and regeneration. Rabbit chondrocytes were labeled with magnetic nanoparticles and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron (TEM) microscopy, and gene and protein expression analyses. The experimental results showed that the magnetic nanoparticles did not affect the phenotype of chondrocytes after cell labeling, nor were protein and gene expression affected. The biphasic type II collagen-chitosan/poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid scaffold was characterized by SEM, and labeled chondrocytes showed a homogeneous distribution throughout the scaffold after cultivation onto the polymer. Cellular phenotype remained unaltered but with increased gene expression of type II collagen and aggrecan, as indicated by cell staining, indicating chondrogenesis. Decreased SRY-related high mobility group-box gene (Sox-9) levels of cultured chondrocytes indicated that differentiation was associated with osteogenesis. These results are encouraging for the development of techniques for trackable cartilage regeneration and osteochondral defect repair which may be applied in vivo and, eventually, in clinical trials.

[Research progress of computer-aided diagnosis in cancer based on deep learning and medical imaging].

The dramatically increasing high-resolution medical images provide a great deal of useful information for cancer diagnosis, and play an essential role in assisting radiologists by offering more objective decisions. In order to utilize the information accurately and efficiently, researchers are focusing on computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) in cancer imaging. In recent years, deep learning as a state-of-the-art machine learning technique has contributed to a great progress in this field. This review covers the reports about deep learning based CAD systems in cancer imaging. We found that deep learning has outperformed conventional machine learning techniques in both tumor segmentation and classification, and that the technique may bring about a breakthrough in CAD of cancer with great prospect in the future clinical practice.

Effects of wheelchair Tai Chi on physical and mental health among elderly with disability.

A 12-week Wheelchair Tai Chi 10 Form (WTC10) intervention was conducted among elderly with disability to examine the effect of this WTC10 intervention on selected physical and mental health variables. Thirteen (age 87.23 ± 6.71) in the WTC10 intervention group and 15 (age 89.73 ± 6.31) in the control group completed the study. Independent t-tests and paired t-tests were employed to examine the differences between groups and within groups, respectively, at pretest and post-test. The WTC10 intervention group showed significant improvements in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, shoulder external rotation, left trunk rotation and total trunk rotation after the intervention. A 12-week WTC10 intervention had positive effects on blood pressure, range of motion at the shoulder and trunk, physical activity, and mental health among the elderly with disability. WTC10 is a feasible and safe exercise for the elderly with disability.

Dihydromyricetin improves glucose and lipid metabolism and exerts anti-inflammatory effects in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized controlled trial.

Ampelopsis grossedentata, a medicinal and edible plant, has been widely used in China for hundreds of years, and dihydromyricetin is the main active ingredient responsible for its various biological actions. We investigated the effects of dihydromyricetin on glucose and lipid metabolism, inflammatory mediators and several biomarkers in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In a double-blind clinical trial, sixty adult nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients were randomly assigned to receive either two dihydromyricetin or two placebo capsules (150 mg) twice daily for three months. The serum levels of alanine, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, glucose, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and apolipoprotein B, and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index were significantly decreased in the dihydromyricetin group compared with the placebo group. In the dihydromyricetin group, the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, cytokeratin-18 fragment and fibroblast growth factor 21 were decreased, whereas the levels of serum adiponectin were increased at the end of the study. We conclude that dihydromyricetin supplementation improves glucose and lipid metabolism as well as various biochemical parameters in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and the therapeutic effects of dihydromyricetin are likely attributable to improved insulin resistance and decreases in the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, cytokeratin-18, and fibroblast growth factor 21.

Psychometric Properties of the Attitudes toward Physical Activity Scale: A Rasch Analysis Based on Data From Five Locations.

This article describes the development and validation of the Attitudes toward Physical Activity Scale (APAS) to measure the attitudes, beliefs, and self-efficacy toward physical activity by children at the primary school level. The framework included: physical fitness, self-efficacy, personal best goal orientation in physical activity, interest in physical activity, importance of physical activity, benefits of physical activity, contributions of video exercise to learning in school subjects, contributions of video exercise to learning about health and environmental support. The sample comprised of 630 school students between grades 1 and 7 from five countries, namely Lithuania (29%), Poland (26%), Serbia (19%), Singapore (16%) and Zimbabwe (11%). Rasch analysis found empirical evidence in support of measurement validity of the APAS in terms of Rasch item reliabilities, unidimensionality, effectiveness of response categories, and absence of gender differential item functioning (DIF). The validation of the APAS according to the Rasch model meant that a dependable tool was established for gauging programme effectiveness of intervention programs on physical activity of primary school children in classroom settings at various geographical locations globally.

HRDE-2 drives small RNA specificity for the nuclear Argonaute protein HRDE-1.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a conserved gene silencing process that exists in diverse organisms to protect genome integrity and regulate gene expression. In C. elegans, the majority of RNAi pathway proteins localize to perinuclear, phase-separated germ granules, which are comprised of sub-domains referred to as P granules, Mutator foci, Z granules, and SIMR foci. However, the protein components and function of the newly discovered SIMR foci are unknown. Here we demonstrate that HRDE-2 localizes to SIMR foci and interacts with the germline nuclear Argonaute HRDE-1 in its small RNA unbound state. In the absence of HRDE-2, HRDE-1 exclusively loads CSR-class 22G-RNAs rather than WAGO-class 22G-RNAs, resulting in inappropriate H3K9me3 deposition on CSR-target genes. Thus, our study demonstrates that the recruitment of unloaded HRDE-1 to germ granules, mediated by HRDE-2, is critical to ensure that the correct small RNAs are used to guide nuclear RNA silencing in the C. elegans germline.

Coordinated development of green finance and green technology innovation in China: from the perspective of network characteristics and prediction.

Under the path of sustainable development, the key to achieving green and low-carbon transformation lies in green technology innovation (GTI), and how to effectively coordinate the relationship between green finance (GF) and GTI is an issue worth studying. This paper constructed an evaluation system of GF and GTI and combined them with the coupled coordination degree model to explore their coordination of Chinese provinces from 2012 to 2019. Then, the core network evolution and spatial structure characteristics of GTI and GF were studied using the modified gravity model. Finally, based on the link prediction, the general future network prediction is made to provide guidance and direction for the future GTI and GF development and construction. The results found that the coordination level between GF and GTI has been continuously improved from 0.356 to 0.436. The core network structure is keeping changing with their connection becoming more complex, and there is still room for optimization. Network centrality characteristics show that the spatial spillover effects are stronger in the more economically developed regions. The overall network possibility prediction shows the potential network connections in different urban agglomerations. This paper provides a certain reference role for China and developing countries to predict the GF and GTI cooperation network development in the future.

A natural compound induced cardiogenic differentiation of endogenous MSCs for repair of infarcted heart.

An intra-myocardial injection of a cardiogenic factor (cardiogenin) was reported to induce myocardial regeneration of exogenous mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) origin. In this study, replacement of the dangerous intra-myocardial injection with a safe method and whether the endogenous MSCs contribute to the cardiogenin-mediated myocardial regeneration were investigated. Bone marrow transplantation with labeled MSCs was performed in rats, which were subsequently subject to a permanent ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery one week after the transplantation. The rats were then treated with the cardiogenin through oral administration for 2 weeks. We not only demonstrated the substantial therapeutic effects of cardiogenin on myocardial infarction through an oral administration, but also provided direct evidences that the bone marrow derived endogenous MSCs are the major cellular source of the regenerating myocardium. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggested that miR-9 and its target E-cadherin may be required for intercalated disc formation.

Low back pain and osteoarthritis pain: a perspective of estrogen.

Low back pain (LBP) is the world's leading cause of disability and is increasing in prevalence more rapidly than any other pain condition. Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and facet joint osteoarthritis (FJOA) are two common causes of LBP, and both occur more frequently in elderly women than in other populations. Moreover, osteoarthritis (OA) and OA pain, regardless of the joint, are experienced by up to twice as many women as men, and this difference is amplified during menopause. Changes in estrogen may be an important contributor to these pain states. Receptors for estrogen have been found within IVD tissue and nearby joints, highlighting the potential roles of estrogen within and surrounding the IVDs and joints. In addition, estrogen supplementation has been shown to be effective at ameliorating IVD degeneration and OA progression, indicating its potential use as a therapeutic agent for people with LBP and OA pain. This review comprehensively examines the relationship between estrogen and these pain conditions by summarizing recent preclinical and clinical findings. The potential molecular mechanisms by which estrogen may relieve LBP associated with IVD degeneration and FJOA and OA pain are discussed.

Comparative analysis of transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery versus laparoendoscopic single-site sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse: A propensity score matching study.

Purpose: To compare the safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic sacrocolpopexy (vNOTES-SC) and laparoendoscopic single-site sacrocolpopexy (LESS-SC) for pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Method: Ninety-four patients with POP who underwent vNOTES-SC or LESS-SC from October 2016 to November 2018 were included. The propensity score matching method was used for 1:1 matching between the two surgery groups. After matching, the general perioperative indicators, surgical complications, and the subjective and objective therapeutic effects of the two groups 3 years post-surgery were analyzed. Results: After matching, 36 patients in each group were included, exhibiting balanced and comparable baseline data and an average follow-up of 48.6 ± 7.44 months. The operation time and postoperative hospitalization days were significantly reduced in the vNOTES-SC group (P < 0.05). However, perioperative complication incidence was not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05). Additionally, no significant differences were detected in de novo stress urinary incontinence (16.7% vs. 13.9%), de novo overactive bladder (de novo OAB, 8.3% vs. 0.0%), urination disorder (2.8% vs. 0.0%), defecation disorder (0.0% vs. 2.8%), lumbosacral pain (0.0% vs. 2.8%), or mesh complication (2.8% vs. 5.6%) incidences between the vNOTES-SC and LESS-SC groups (P > 0.05). Prolapse recurrence was not reported in either group. The quantitative description of pelvic organ position (POP-Q), Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 (PFIQ-7), and Patient Global Impression of Improvement scale (PGI-I) scores showed improvement after the operation, but no significant differences were observed between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The 3-year follow-up revealed that vNOTES-SC and LESS-SC had similar complications and efficacy rates. Compared with LESS-SC, vNOTES-SC resulted in shorter operation time and fewer postoperative hospitalization days (corresponding to the enhanced recovery after surgery [ERAS] concept), along with better cosmetic results without a scar. Therefore, our study findings suggest that clinicians should choose the surgery method based on the specific situation, and we recommend choosing vNOTES-SC when both surgeries are suitable.

Near-infrared-IIb emitting single-atom catalyst for imaging-guided therapy of blood-brain barrier breakdown after traumatic brain injury.

The blood-brain barrier breakdown, as a prominent feature after traumatic brain injury, always triggers a cascade of biochemical events like inflammatory response and free radical-mediated oxidative damage, leading to neurological dysfunction. The dynamic monitoring the status of blood-brain barrier will provide potent guidance for adopting appropriate clinical intervention. Here, we engineer a near-infrared-IIb Ag2Te quantum dot-based Mn single-atom catalyst for imaging-guided therapy of blood-brain barrier breakdown of mice after traumatic brain injury. The dynamic change of blood-brain barrier, including the transient cerebral hypoperfusion and cerebrovascular damage, could be resolved with high spatiotemporal resolution (150 ms and ~ 9.6 µm). Notably, the isolated single Mn atoms on the surface of Ag2Te exhibited excellent catalytic activity for scavenging reactive oxygen species to alleviate neuroinflammation in brains. The timely injection of Mn single-atom catalyst guided by imaging significantly promoted the reconstruction of blood-brain barrier and recovery of neurological function after traumatic brain injury.

Green finance network evolution and prediction: fresh evidence from China.

Green finance has become an important reform force to promote the sustainable development of China's economy. Therefore, it has a great significance for in-depth analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of regional green finance development, to further promote it by clarifying and predicting the regional differences and dynamic evolution trends. Based on this, this paper will select the relevant index from 2001 to 2020 to construct China Green Finance Core Network (CGFCN) in different years by using Space-L method at the first, then analyze its network characteristics and spatial evolution pattern in depth, and finally predict the future development trend of CGFCN by link prediction. The research results show that: firstly, the evolution of CGFCN is mainly divided into three stages: rapid development, stable development and optimal development, and the closeness of CGFCN is constantly improving. Besides, two strong relationship networks are gradually forming, that is Beijing-Tianjin region and the Yangtze River Detla region. Secondly, with the development of green finance, the community division has changed. It is mainly divided into four communities, named the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei leading community, the eastern provincial community, the Yangtze River Delta community and the central and southern joint community. Different communities will have different integration in different periods. Thirdly, the future development direction of green finance network is mainly Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and Yangtze River Delta regions, and their outward radiation are mainly shown in the eastern coastal and central regions, which also have strong development potential. In this regard, it is proposed to coordinate development across provinces to speed up the "urban integration" of green finance services; Establish an efficient community development mechanism and promote the interconnection of green finance markets and infrastructure between different regions; Strengthen the resource flow among regions and coordinate the resource competition of green finance.

In vivo induction of apoptosis by fucoxanthin, a marine carotenoid, associated with down-regulating STAT3/EGFR signaling in sarcoma 180 (S180) xenografts-bearing mice.

Previous in vitro researches have showed that fucoxanthin, a natural carotenoid isolated from sargassum, can inhibit proliferation or induce apoptosis in human neuroblastoma, hepatoma, leukemia, colon carcinoma, prostate cancer or urinary bladder cancer cells. But the precise mechanism by which fucoxanthin exerts anticarcinogenic effects is not yet fully understood. In this study, we performed an in vivo study to investigate the anti-tumor effect and mechanisms of fucoxanthin on xenografted sarcoma 180 (S180) in mice. Results revealed that fucoxanthin significantly inhibited the growth of sarcoma at the dose of 50 or 100 mg/kg. TUNEL analysis showed that the number of positive cells in the fucoxanthin-treated group was higher than that in the control group. Western blotting analysis also revealed the suppressed expression of bcl-2 and enhanced expression of cleaved caspase-3 by fucoxanthin. In addition, immunohistochemistry analysis and Western blotting analysis showed that fucoxanthin significantly decreased the expressions of survivin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Most importantly, fucoxanthin inhibited the expressions of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and STAT3 and phosphorylated STAT3 proteins. These results indicated that in vivo induction of apoptosis by fucoxanthin is associated with down-regulating STAT3/EGFR signaling in S180 xenografts-bearing mice.

Biological properties of acidic cosmetic water from seawater.

This current work was to investigate the biological effects of acidic cosmetic water (ACW) on various biological assays. ACW was isolated from seawater and demonstrated several bio-functions at various concentration ranges. ACW showed a satisfactory effect against Staphylococcus aureus, which reduced 90% of bacterial growth after a 5-second exposure. We used cultured human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to test the properties of ACW in inflammatory cytokine release, and it did not induce inflammatory cytokine release from un-stimulated, normal PBMCs. However, ACW was able to inhibit bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory cytokine TNF-α released from PBMCs, showing an anti-inflammation potential. Furthermore, ACW did not stimulate the rat basophilic leukemia cell (RBL-2H3) related allergy response on de-granulation. Our data presented ACW with a strong anti-oxidative ability in a superoxide anion radical scavenging assay. In mass spectrometry information, magnesium and zinc ions demonstrated bio-functional detections for anti-inflammation as well as other metal ions such as potassium and calcium were observed. ACW also had minor tyrosinase and melanin decreasing activities in human epidermal melanocytes (HEMn-MP) without apparent cytotoxicity. In addition, the cell proliferation assay illustrated anti-growth and anti-migration effects of ACW on human skin melanoma cells (A375.S2) indicating that it exerted the anti-cancer potential against skin cancer. The results obtained from biological assays showed that ACW possessed multiple bioactivities, including anti-microorganism, anti-inflammation, allergy-free, antioxidant, anti-melanin and anticancer properties. To our knowledge, this was the first report presenting these bioactivities on ACW.