Comparative efficacy of 2% minoxidil alone against combination of 2% minoxidil and low-level laser therapy in female pattern hair loss-A randomized controlled trial in Chinese females.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of combination of 655 nm low level laser helmet device with topical 2 % minoxidil solution at FPHL in Chinese population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Randomized, parallel, controlled, single-blind clinical trial was conducted. FPHL subjects were randomly allocated into 2 % minoxidil group and combination group. The 2 % minoxidil group received 1 ml topical 2 % minoxidil solution twice daily for 24 weeks. The combination group received 1 ml topical 2 % minoxidil solution twice daily together with 20 min 655 nm low-level laser helmet once every other day for 24 weeks. Hair parameters in two scalp areas including midscalp and vertex were evaluated at baseline, 12th week and 24th week. RESULTS: In midscalp area, the combination group showed a lower increase in intermediate hair percentage than 2 % minoxidil group, which was statistically significant. Besides, the combination group had statistically significant increase than 2 % minoxidil group in mean hair diameter. Reported relative adverse events included slightly hair loss (27.8 %), desquamation (19.0 %), pruritus (15.2 %), seborrhea (2.5 %) and hypertrichosis (2.5 %). CONCLUSION: In our trial, LLLT was demonstrated as a useful supplementary treatment for FPHL and the combination with 2 % minoxidil accomplished better improvement in intermediate hair enlargement and hair diameter of midscalp for FPHL.

Source-specific ecological and health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the adjacent coastal area of the Yellow River Estuary, China.

Industrialization and urbanization have led to increasing levels of PAH pollution in highly urbanized estuaries and their adjacent coastal areas globally. This study focused on the adjacent coastal area of the Yellow River Estuary (YRE) and collected surface seawater, surface sediment, and clams Ruditapes philippinarum and Mactra veneriformis at four sites (S1 to S4) in May, August, and October 2021 to analyze the source-specific ecological and health risks and bioeffects. The findings revealed that the main sources of PAHs were traffic emission (25.2% to 28.5%), petroleum sources (23.3% to 29.5%), coal combustion (24.7% to 27.5%), and biomass combustion (19.8% to 20.7%). Further, the PMF-RQ and PMF-ILCR analyses indicated that traffic emission was the primary contributor to ecological risks in seawater and health risks in both clam species, while coal combustion was the major contributor in sediment. Taken together, it is recommended to implement control strategies for PAH pollution following the priority order: traffic > coal > petroleum > biomass, to reduce the content and risk of PAHs in the YRE.

Ayanin, a natural flavonoid inhibitor of Caseinolytic protease, is a promising therapeutic agent to combat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat. The dramatic increase of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections emphasizes the need to find new anti-infective agents with a novel mode of action. The Caseinolytic protease (ClpP) is a central virulence factor in stress survival, virulence, and antibiotic resistance of MRSA. Here, we found ayanin, a flavonoid isolated from Callicarpa nudiflora, was an inhibitor of MRSA ClpP with an IC50 of 19.63 µM. Using quantitative real-time PCR, ayanin reduced the virulence of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) by down-regulating the level of some important virulence factors, including agrA, RNAⅢ, hla, pvl, psmα and spa. The results of cellular thermal shift assay and thermal shift assay revealed a binding between ayanin and ClpP. Molecular docking showed that ASP-168, ASN-173 and ARG-171 were the potential binding sites for ClpP binding to ayanin. ClpP mutagenesis study further indicated that ARG-171 and ASN-173 were the main active sites of ClpP. The affinity constant (KD) value of ayanin with ClpP was 3.15 × 10-5 M measured by surface plasmon resonance. In addition, ayanin exhibited a significant therapeutic effect on pneumonia infection induced by S. aureus in mice in vivo, especially in combination with vancomycin. This is the first report of ayanin with in vivo and in vitro efficacy against S. aureus infection. In conclusion, ayanin is a promising therapeutic agent to combat MRSA infections by targeting ClpP.

A pilot study of limb stimulation for the treatment of neonatal apnea.

This study explored the feasibility effect and safety of the limb stimulation (LS) for the treatment of neonatal apnea (NAP).The cases of 30 eligible premature infants with NAP were included in this retrospective study. These cases were equally divided into an intervention group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The infants in both groups received caffeine treatment. Moreover, cases in the intervention group also received LS for a total 30 hours, while the subjects in the control group did not receive LS during this period. The primary outcome included apnea frequency (number of episodes per 24 hours), and apnea rate. The secondary outcomes consisted of desaturation (number of episodes per 24 hours), and heart rate (beats per minute). Additionally, adverse events were also documented during the treatment period.After treatment, LS did not show better outcomes in apnea frequency (P = .48), apnea rate (P = .33), desaturation (P = .55), and heart rate (P = .41). Furthermore, no significant differences of all adverse events were found between 2 groups.The results of this pilot study demonstrated that LS might be not efficacious for premature infants with NAP.

[Intermittent convulsions for 1.5 years and psychomotor retardation in a girl].

The study reports a girl with pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy. The girl was admitted at the age of 2 years because of intermittent convulsions for 1.5 years and psychomotor retardation. She had a history of "hypoxia" in the neonatal period. At the age of 5 months recurrent epileptic seizures occurred. The child was resistant to antiepileptic drugs, and had many more seizures when she got cold or fever. She also had a lot of convulsive status epilepticus. No discharges were found during several video-EEG monitorings. Cerebral MRI examinations showed normal results. So Dravet syndrome was clinically suspected. ALDH7N1 gene mutation analysis revealed two heterozygote mutations, and pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy was thus confirmed. Seizures were generally controlled after pyridoxine supplementation.

Tomato juice supplementation in young women reduces inflammatory adipokine levels independently of body fat reduction.

OBJECTIVES: Lycopene is a carotene and phytochemical known to protect against metabolic diseases. It is found in red fruits and vegetables, predominantly tomatoes. This study aimed to show the supplementation effect of tomato juice on indices associated with metabolic health and adipokine profiles in generally healthy people. METHODS: A total of 30 young females (20- to 30-years-old) with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 20 were recruited, of whom 25 completed the entire study. The subjects continued with their normal diet and exercise schedule, but were given 280 mL of tomato juice (containing 32.5 mg of lycopene) daily for 2 mo. Metabolic indices, including anthropometric data and serum levels of glucose, lipids, adipokines, lycopene, and antioxidants, were compared pre- and postintervention. RESULTS: Tomato juice supplementation significantly reduced body weight, body fat, waist circumference, BMI, and serum levels of cholesterol, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and thiobarbituric reactive substances, while significantly increasing serum levels of adiponectin, triglyceride, and lycopene. When subjects were stratified by body fat change, i.e., reduction or non-reduction (including increase or no change), the tomato juice-induced reduction in waist circumference, serum cholesterol, and MCP-1 levels and increase in adiponectin and lycopene levels were seen in both subgroups. The changes in waist circumference, cholesterol, MCP-1, and adiponectin levels remained significant after adjusting for each covariable individually, with the exception of lycopene. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that daily tomato juice supplementation reduces waist circumference, as well as serum cholesterol and inflammatory adipokine levels in young healthy women and that these effects are unrelated to body fat changes.

[Radiofrequency catheter ablation of arrhythmias in pediatric patients guided by three-dimensional mapping system].

OBJECTIVE: To explore safety, indications and advantages of mapping and ablation of arrhythmia in children guided by Carto and Ensite system. METHODS: Guided by Carto system, radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) was performed on 8 pediatric patients with tachycardia whose mean age was (6.2 + or - 1.7) years, mean weight was (18.0 + or - 2.0) kg. Guided by Ensite system, RFCA was performed on 10 pediatric patients with arrhythmia, 8 of them were ablated guided by Ensite Array system: 6 cases with premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), 2 cases with right atrial tachycardia, their mean age was (11.3 + or - 1.2) years, and mean weight (40.0 + or - 5.0) kg. The other two cases with W-P-W syndrome were ablated guided by Ensite Navx system. RESULT: Guided by Carto system, 8 cases were successfully mapped and ablated: 6 cases had incision atrial tachycardia, 1 case had left atrial tachycardia and 1 case had right atrial tachycardia. In 1 case with incision atrial tachycardia the condition recurred after 3 months, and was ablated again successfully. Guided by Ensite Array system, 6 cases with PVCs (in 2 originating from the right ventricular inflow tract and in 4 originating from the right ventricular outflow tract) and 2 cases with right atrial tachycardia were successfully mapped and ablated, PVCs of the first 6 cases were reduced from (32 333 + or - 4509) 24 h to (0-4)/24 h after ablation. In 1 case with automatic atrial tachycardia, mapping could not be done by Ensite Array system, because P wave could not be identified from T wave. Single bolus of adenosine 20 mg was given within 30 s to let ventricles stop for 2 s (cardio-ventricular pacing standby) until T wave vanished, mapping and ablation were operated again successfully, but another atrial tachycardia occurred 1 day later. Guided by Ensite Navx system, 2 cases with W-P-W syndrome were successfully ablated, operation under X-rays lasted for 8 and 10 min. In none of the 9 patients the disease recurred after follow-up for 6 months. CONCLUSION: Carto system is suitable for mapping and ablation in pediatric patients with continuous tachycardia, especially with incision atrial tachycardia; Ensite Array system fits children older than 10 years with right heart discontinuous arrhythmia; and Ensite NavX system can set up model and display endocardial anatomic structure quickly. Compared with two-dimensional mapping system, the three-dimensional mapping system (Carto and Ensite) can display the origin of arrhythmia and activation sequence clearly, decrease difficulty of operation efficiently and diminish operation time under X-ray.

Magic number silicon dioxide-based clusters: laser ablation-mass spectrometric and density functional theory studies.

The magic number silica clusters [(SiO(2))(n)O(2)H(3)](-) with n = 4 and 8 have been observed in the XeCl excimer laser (308 nm) ablation of various porous siliceous materials. The structural origin of the magic number clusters has been studied by the density functional theoretical calculation at the B3LYP/6-31G** level, with a genetic algorithm as a supplementary tool for global structure searching. The DFT results of the first magic number cluster are parallel to the corresponding Hartree-Fock results previously reported with only small differences in the structural parameters. Theoretical calculation predicts that the first magic number cluster (SiO(2))(4)O(2)H(4) and its anion [(SiO(2))(4)O(2)H(3)](-) will most probably take pseudotetrahedral cage-like structures. To study the structural properties of the second magic number cluster, geometries of the bare cluster (SiO(2))(8), the neutral complex cluster (SiO(2))(8)O(2)H(4), and the anionic cluster [(SiO(2))(8)O(2)H(3)](-) are fully optimized at the B3LYP/6-31G** level, and the corresponding vibrational frequencies are calculated. The DFT calculations predict that the ground state of the bare silica octamer (SiO(2))(8) has a linear chain structure, whereas the second magic number complex cluster (SiO(2))(8)O(2)H(4) and its anion [(SiO(2))(8)O(2)H(3)](-) are most probably a mixture of cubic cage-like structural isomers with an O atom inside the cage and several quasi-bicage isomers with high intercage interactions. The stabilization of these structures can also be attributed to the active participation of the group of atoms 2O and 4H (3H for the anion) in chemical bonding during cluster formation. Our theoretical calculation gives preliminary structural interpretation of the presence of the first and second magic number clusters and the absence of higher magic numbers.