Enhancing air treatment through controlled fabrication of transition metal-doped titanium dioxide nanocomposites for photocatalytic toluene degradation.

Rapid industrial growth and urbanization have resulted in a significant rise in environmental pollution issues, particularly indoor air pollutants. As a result, it is crucial to design and develop technologies and/or catalysts that are not only cost-effective but also promising high performance and practical applicability. However, achieving this goal has been so far remained a challenging task. Herein, a series of transition metal M - TiO2 (M = W, Fe, Mn) nanocrystals was prepared for photocatalytic degradation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), i.e., toluene. Of the nanocomposites tested, W-TiO2 showed significantly improved photocatalytic activity for VOC degradation under UV irradiation compared to the others. In particular, the optimized W dopant amount of 0.5 wt% resulted in the outstanding degradation performance of toluene (96%) for the obtained W-TiO2(0.5%) nanocomposite. Moreover, W-TiO2(0.5%) nanocomposite exhibited good stability for 32 h working under high toluene concentration (10 ppm) compared to the pristine TiO2. The current work demonstrates the potential usage of M - TiO2 nanocrystals, particularly W-TiO2(0.5%), as a promising photocatalyst for efficient VOCs degradation.

Role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in preventing gastrointestinal cancers: current status and future perspectives.

INTRODUCTION: Although inflammation is defensive and healing process that maintains organ homeostasis, unresolved inflammation can lead to diseases. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially n-6 PUFAs abundant in Western diet, are precursors of pro-inflammatory mediators, whereas n-3 PUFAs possess anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, interest in the cancer-preventive effect of n-3 PUFAs is increasing. Areas covered: We have observed significant reductions of gastrointestinal tumorigenesis in the Fat-1 transgenic mouse as evidenced that the decrease in Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric tumorigenesis, colon, biliary, and pancreatic cancer was seen in Fat-1 mice producing n-3 PUFAs. However, despite many studies showing benefits, evidence-based medicine regarding molecular pathology, epidemiology, and clinical achievement of cancer prevention of n-3 PUFAs are still limited. Expert commentary: Primary deficiency of eicosapentaenoic acids and docosahexaenoic acids in Western diets can explain the risk of cancer development and the importance of n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio in reducing cancer risk. Alteration of cell membrane composition during carcinogenesis is particularly important, due to increased rate of lipid/cholesterol synthesis in cancerous tissues. Here, we discuss that direct incorporation of n-3 PUFAs in the cell membrane corrects abnormal cellular proliferation and decreases inflammation-associated carcinogenesis. This is exemplified by cancer-preventive effects of n-3 PUFAs as fat sources for gastrointestinal cancers.

Emerging Targets to Relieve Fat Stress-Induced Liver Diseases: UDCA, Tocotrienol, ω-3 PUFAs, and IgY Targeted NPC1L1 Cholesterol Transporter.

Fat stress-induced liver disease is a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome initiated by excess fat accumulation and encompasses a wide spectrum of diseases from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a precursor lesion progressing to more aggressive liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the incidence of these fat stress-induced liver diseases is rapidly increasing worldwide in parallel with the growing epidemics of obesity and metabolic diseases, its exact pathogenesis is not well defined. Although obesity, sedentary life-style, altered dietary pattern, insulin resistance, altered intestinal barrier function, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress have been acknowledged as contributing factors because of the indefinite pathogenesis of metabolic diseases, the only reliable treatment is lifestyle intervention composed of restrictive diet and exercise. Additionally, some existing medications such as pioglitazone and antioxidants such as vitamin E were reported to be effective; in this review, several novel agents especifically targeting nonalcoholic fatty liver disease pathogenesis under clinical trial will be introduced. These include an NPC1L1 blocker (ezetimibe), which significantly improved histological and symptomatic scores associated with steatohepatitis and fibrosis; clofibrate, phentoxyfylline, ursodeoxycholic acid, and tocopherol, all of which are prescribed to relieve fat stress; and additional IgY targeted NPC1L1, tocotrienol, ursodeoxycholic acid, and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are actively under investigation to confirm the safety of long-term use.

Pathologic Femoral Neck Fracture Due to Fanconi Syndrome Induced by Adefovir Dipivoxil Therapy for Hepatitis B.

In Fanconi syndrome, hypophosphatemic osteomalacia is caused by proximal renal tubule dysfunction which leads to impaired reabsorption of amino acids, glucose, urate, and phosphate. We present a rare case of a 43-year-old Korean male who was found to have insufficiency stress fracture of the femoral neck secondary to osteomalacia due to Fanconi syndrome. He had been receiving low-dose adefovir dipivoxil (ADV, 10 mg/day) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection for 7 years and he subsequently developed severe hypophosphatemia and proximal renal tubule dysfunction. The incomplete femoral neck fracture was fixed with multiple cannulated screws to prevent further displacement of the initial fracture. After cessation of ADV and correction of hypophosphatemia with oral phosphorus supplementation, the patient's clinical symptoms, such as bone pain, muscle weakness, and laboratory findings improved.

Overview of gastrointestinal cancer prevention in Asia.

"War on cancer" was declared through the National Cancer Act by President Richard Nixon in 1971, but cancer statistics from the American Cancer Society and other sources indicated the failure of this war, suggesting instead focus on the message that a "prevention strategy" might be much more effective than cancer treatment. While cancer statistics notoriously showed sharp increases in incidence as well as in mortality concurrent with economic growth in Asia, fortunately Asian countries benefit from plentiful resources of natural compounds, which can prevent cancer. Just like cancer chemotherapeutics targeted to kill cancer cells in Western countries, natural agents activating molecular mechanisms for cancer prevention, reversion of premalignant tumors, and even ablation of cancer stem cells, are very abundant in Asia. Currently, these natural agents are under very active investigations targeting the hallmarks of cancer prevention, including selective induction of apoptosis in cancer cells, suppression of growth factors or their signaling, suppression of cell proliferation and of cancer-promoting angiogenesis, induction of mesenchymal-epithelial transition, and disruption of the tumor microenvironment, developing promising cancer preventive agents. However, Asia is the most populous continent in the world and some Asian countries do not have the resources to implement cancer screening programs for early detection or treatment. In addition, despite the excellent cancer preventive screening strategies in some Asian countries, well-designed clinical trials for cancer prevention are somewhat delayed compared to Western countries. In this review article, several phytochemicals/phytoceuticals produced and studied in different Asian countries will be introduced, including Korean red ginseng (pride of Korea), curcumin (Indian spice for life), black or green tea (popular in Japan/Sri Lanka), genistein from tofu (famous Chinese food), diallylsulfide or S-allylcysteine (garlic, popularly consumed as a food ingredient in many Asian countries), capsaicin, 6-gingerol, flavopiridol, and silymarin (abundant in various Asian foods). Whereas in Western countries cancer chemotherapeutics involve strategies not only to block the growth of the primary tumor, but also to inhibit its progression to metastatic disease, the endless pursuit of effective agents for cancer prevention may be a unique and featured strategy in Asia. More active efforts for clinical application of these principles should be supported.

Effects of medicinal herb tea on the smoking cessation and reducing smoking withdrawal symptoms.

Medicinal herbs (21 species) were screened for the antioxidant activity and nicotine degradation activity (NDA) in vitro. Eleven of them with higher antioxidant activity and NDA were selected for preparation of the medicinal herb tea (MHT) and the effects of MHT on smoking cessation and reducing smoking withdrawal symptoms were evaluated in 100 male human smokers. Among these medicinal herbs, Eugenia aromaticum and Astragalus membranaceus Bunge showed the highest antioxidant activity (IC50 of 30.0 microg/mL) and NDA (1.81), respectively. MHT showed relatively high antioxidant activity (IC50 of 50.6 microg/mL) and NDA (1.23). The urinary cotinine level, a metabolite of nicotine, increased in the first 2 weeks and greatly decreased from the 2nd to 4th week in the MHT taking group, which indicates that MHT accelerates the conversion of nicotine into cotinine. Human groups taking MHT for 4 weeks underwent reduced smoking withdrawal symptoms compared to the non-MHT taking subjects, and 38% of subjects taking MHT succeeded in smoking cessation, while only 12% of non-MHT taking subjects succeeded in quitting smoking.