Antioxidant and Hypoglycemic Activity of Sequentially Extracted Fractions from Pingguoli Pear Fermentation Broth and Identification of Bioactive Compounds.

Pear fruits have been reported to contain abundant bioactive compounds and exhibit antidiabetic activity. In this study, Pingguoli pear (Pyrus pyrifolia cv.'Pingguoli') fermentation broth was sequentially extracted by five solvents with increasing polarity (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water) to evaluate its antioxidant and hypothermic activities, and then the main compounds of the fraction with the highest activity were assessed, which might be responsible for such activities. The results showed that the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) exhibited the highest antioxidant activity according to DPPH (IC50 = 0.238 mg/mL), ABTS (IC50 = 0.293 mg/mL), and FRAP (IC50 = 0.193 mg/mL) assays. The in vitro hypoglycemic activity assay showed that EAF exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect, with IC50 values of 0.34 and 0.95 mg/mL for α-amylase and α-glucosidase, respectively. The glucose consumption in HepG2 cells treated with EAF was significantly increased to 252%, compare with control group. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis implied that the main compounds, 3'-C-glucosylisoliquiritigenin, robustside D, caffeic acid, and chlorogenic acid may be potential candidates for the antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities of the EAF. This study suggested that EAF of Pingguoli pear fermentation broth could be utilized for development of potential functional food and antidiabetic agents.

Comparative Effectiveness of 755-nm Picosecond Laser, 755- and 532-nm Nanosecond Lasers for Treatment of Café-au-Lait Macules (CALMs): A Randomized, Split-Lesion Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Many types of lasers have been used to treat café-au-lait macules (CALMs) since the introduction of the selective photothermolysis theory. However, the efficacy and safety of picosecond lasers, compared with those of nanosecond lasers, have not been researched. To compare the efficacy and safety of 755 nm picosecond laser (PS-755 nm), Q-switched (QS) Alexandrite 755 nm nanosecond laser (QS-755 nm), and QS Nd:YAG 532 nm nanosecond laser (QS-532 nm) for treating CALMs. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients received several treatments at 3-month intervals. Lesions were divided into two or three approximately equal parts, which were randomly treated with PS-755 nm, QS-755 nm, and QS-532 nm. The safety and efficacy of three lasers were determined based on blinded visual assessments and self-reports of patients three months after the comparative trial. RESULTS: Visual assessment 3 months after the comparative trial revealed that there was no statistically significant difference among the sites treated by QS-755 nm (2.84 ± 1.11), QS-532 nm (2.63 ± 1.06), and PS-755 nm (2.74 ± 1.05) lasers. Five (26.32%) of 19 patients showed lesion recurrence. Adverse effects included acneiform miliaris, hypopigmentation, and hyperpigmentation, which were resolved within 12 months. Five (26.32%) of 19 patients who showed lesion recurrence 1-5 months after laser treatment had lightened or cleared at least 50% of the lesion. 46.67% of patients were satisfied or very satisfied with the outcome of the overall treatment. CONCLUSIONS: PS-755 nm, QS-755 nm, and QS-532 nm laser treatments were equally effective in treating and improving CALMs. PS-755 nm caused fewer adverse effects. Individuals can react differently to different types of lasers. Patch tests should be conducted before the treatment. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Prospective, open-label, rater-blinded and self-controlled pilot study of the treatment of proliferating superficial infantile hemangiomas with 0.5% topical timolol cream versus 595-nm pulsed dye laser.

Topical timolol and 595-nm pulsed dye laser (PDL) are both widely used in the treatment of superficial infantile hemangiomas (IH). However, to date, there is no reliable study comparing the therapeutic outcomes between the two treatment options. We designed the present study to evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of timolol cream and PDL in the treatment of superficial proliferating IH. Twenty-one patients with superficial IH were included in the study. Each lesion was divided into two regions; one part was treated with 0.5% topical timolol cream four times daily, and the other part was treated monthly with PDL. Both treatments were continued for 2-6 months. Five independent and blinded assessors were asked to judge the results in both the topical timolol-treated and PDL-treated parts by comparing photographs taken before and after treatment. Both treatments resulted in significant clinical improvements after 3.39 sessions in the 2-month follow up. The average visual evaluation showed that PDL had significantly better results than topical timolol (6.55 ± 2.26 to 4.98 ± 2.92, P < 0.01). No patients experienced permanent side-effects during the treatment. Our short-term study revealed that PDL had better results compared with topical timolol cream application in the treatment of superficial proliferating IH. Further studies with longer follow-up time and larger sample size are required to validate our findings.

A novel injectable borate bioactive glass cement as an antibiotic delivery vehicle for treating osteomyelitis.

BACKGROUND: A novel injectable cement composed of chitosan-bonded borate bioactive glass (BG) particles was evaluated as a carrier for local delivery of vancomycin in the treatment of osteomyelitis in a rabbit tibial model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The setting time, injectability, and compressive strength of the borate BG cement, and the release profile of vancomycin from the cement were measured in vitro. The capacity of the vancomycin-loaded BG cement to eradicate methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-induced osteomyelitis in rabbit tibiae in vivo was evaluated and compared with that for a vancomycin-loaded calcium sulfate (CS) cement and for intravenous injection of vancomycin. RESULTS: The BG cement had an injectability of >90% during the first 3 minutes after mixing, hardened within 30 minutes and, after hardening, had a compressive strength of 18 ± 2 MPa. Vancomycin was released from the BG cement into phosphate-buffered saline for up to 36 days, and the cumulative amount of vancomycin released was 86% of the amount initially loaded into the cement. In comparison, vancomycin was released from the CS cement for up 28 days and the cumulative amount released was 89%. Two months post-surgery, radiography and microbiological tests showed that the BG and CS cements had a better ability to eradicate osteomyelitis when compared to intravenous injection of vancomycin, but there was no significant difference between the BG and CS cements in eradicating the infection. Histological examination showed that the BG cement was biocompatible and had a good capacity for regenerating bone in the tibial defects. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that borate BG cement is a promising material both as an injectable carrier for vancomycin in the eradication of osteomyelitis and as an osteoconductive matrix to regenerate bone after the infection is cured.