Difference of Esophageal Motility and Reflux Characteristics in Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and Chronic Cough (CC) and the Impact of Standardized Drug Therapy.

This study aimed to explore the difference between esophageal motility and reflux characteristics in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and chronic cough (CC) and the effect of standardized drug therapy. Eighty-four patients diagnosed with GERD in The First People's Hospital of Hangzhou from December 2020 to December 2022 were enrolled in this study. They were divided into an observation group (Obs group, patients with GERD + CC, n = 26 cases) and a control group (control group, patients with typical GERD, n = 58 cases). Reflux symptom integral questionnaire, cough symptom integral questionnaire, high-resolution esophageal manometry (HRM), and 24-hour esophageal pH/impedance monitoring were performed. The upper esophageal sphincter pressure at resting (UESP) and distal systolic score (DCI) in the Obs group were much lower. They exhibited differences with P < .05 than those in the control group. The total numbers of proximal reflux, proximal weak acid reflux, proximal non-acid reflux, weak acid reflux, and gas-liquid mixed reflux in the Obs group were more. They showed a difference with P < .05 than those in the control group. After a standard treatment, the reflux symptom score of patients with GERD + CC was greatly lower than those of patients with typical GERD (P < .05). Ineffective esophageal motility (IEM) was dominant in patients with GERD +CC. HRM and 24-hour pH/impedance monitoring can objectively evaluate the properties of esophageal motility and reflux, respectively, which had a guiding significance for individual patient treatment.

Efficacy of Black Gold, Delicate Pulse Light, Super Photon Skin Rejuvenation for Pigmented Dermatoses.

Context: Pigmented dermatoses are skin diseases characterized by pigmentation changes in the skin's surface due to abnormal melanocyte production. Photon-skin-rejuvenation technology can be effective for the management of facial pigmented dermatoses. Black Gold Delicate Pulse Light (DPL) Super Photon Skin Rejuvenation therapy is a new technology based on traditional photo rejuvenation. Objective: The study intended to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of DPL therapy in the management of targeted pigmented skin diseases, such as melasma, solar lentigines, and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation. Design: The research team conducted a prospective cohort study. Setting: The study took place at Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China. Participants: Participants were 130 patients with facial pigmented dermatoses treated at the hospital between February 2021 and December 2021. Interventions: The research team assigned participants to one of two groups, with 65 participants in each group: (1) the control group, the intense pulsed light (IPL) group, who received IPL treatment, and (2) the intervention group, the DPL group, who received black gold DPL super photon skin rejuvenation. Both groups received the treatments once a month for 6 months. Outcome Measures: At baseline and postintervention for both groups, the research team: (1) collected 5 ml of fasting venous blood from participants and measured serum concentrations of melatonin (MEL), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); (2) assessed the degree of reduction of facial pigmentation using the Visia skin test and each participant's clinical results and calculated total efficacy; and (3) monitored and recorded adverse events. Results: Compared to the IPL group, the DPL group: (1) had greater symptom mitigation of the facial pigmented dermatosis, as evinced by significantly lower serum MEL (P = .001) and ET-1 (P = .020) concentrations and higher VEGF levels (P = .001); (2) for participants with freckles (P = .045), cafe-au-lait spots (P = .021), or post-acne hyperpigmentation (P = .029), had a significantly higher total efficacy; and (3) had a lower incidence of adverse events (P = .041). Conclusions: Black Gold DPL Super Photon Skin Rejuvenation offers a significantly higher safety profile and treatment efficacy for pigmented-skin diseases compared to IPL treatment. These promising results suggest potential for its use in clinical practice, but clinical adoption requires future trials.

Taraxasterol attenuates melanoma progression via inactivation of reactive oxygen species-mediated PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Background: Taraxasterol (TX), a pentacyclic triterpene, is one of the main active constituents isolated from Taraxacum officinale. A growing number of studies have reported that TX exhibits a wide range of biological activities such as anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and neuro-protective effects. Recently, TX has been demonstrated to be a potential drug candidate for treatment of some types of cancers. However, the specific role of TX in melanoma remains unclear.Purpose: In this study, we aimed at exploration of the effect of TX on melanoma cell viability, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as well as the underlying mechanisms.Research design: A375 and SK-MEL-28 cells were treated with various concentrations of TX for different times. Cell viability was measured using CCK-8 assay. Cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. Transwell assays were performed to measure cell migration and invasion. The expression of E-cadherin, α-catenin, N-cadherin, vimentin, p-PI3K, PI3K, p-Akt and Akt was detected using western blot.Results: The study showed that TX induced A375 and SK-MEL-28 cell apoptosis. Furthermore, exposure to TX inhibited A375 and SK-MEL-28 cell migration and invasion. Besides, the EMT process was reversed in A375 and SK-MEL-28 cells after TX treatment. We also observed that TX reduced the protein expression of p-PI3K and p-Akt; thus, inhibiting activity of the PI3K/Akt pathway in A375 and SK-MEL-28 cells. In addition, TX treatment increased the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in A375 and SK-MEL-28 cells, and treatment with the ROS scavenger NAC significantly rescued TX-induced down-regulation of p-PI3K and p-Akt in A375 and SK-MEL-28 cells.Conclusions: In conclusion, our study demonstrated that TX induced ROS accumulation followed by inactivation of the PI3K/Akt pathway and subsequently attenuated melanoma progression, suggesting that TX may be a potential candidate for treatment of melanoma.

Analysis of drugs illegally added into Chinese traditional patent medicine using surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

Illegal chemicals, which could cause unpredictable side effects, may be added into traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for a rapid healing effect. In this report, a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) analysis method for five kinds of illegally added drugs (rosiglitazone maleate, phenformin hydrochloride, metformin hydrochloride, pioglitazone hydrochloride and sibutramine hydrochloride) in Chinese traditional patent medicine (CTPM) has been demonstrated, including simultaneous detections of drug mixtures with CTPM. Silver colloidal, prepared by a sodium citrate reaction, was used as a SERS substrate. The optimum pH condition for each drug has also been explored because of its combined effect on protonation, surface charge, repulsion of an analyte and nanoparticles. Furthermore, the simultaneous detection of two or three kinds of these chemicals has been carried out. Characteristic peaks are employed for qualitative analysis. This is the first research using SERS for the analysis of drug mixtures in CTPM without any separation process.

[Lymph node micrometastases and expression of metastasis-related gene proteins in patients with colorectal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To study lymph node micrometastases (LNMM), expression of nm23-H(1), MMP(9), TIMP(2) proteins, and their relationship and clinical significance in patients with stage Dukes B colorectal cancer. METHODS: Thirty patients with stage Dukes B colorectal cancer were studied. LNMM in these patients was detected by immunohistochemical anti-cytokeratin 20 (CK20) staining. The expression of nm23-H(1), MMP(9) and TIMP(2) proteins in primary tumors was examined by Strept-avidin-biotin complex method. Clinical-pathological data and survival of each patient were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: (1) The positive dyeing of CK20 was observed in 26.7% for cases and in 7.8% for lymph nodes of 30 patients with stage Dukes B colorectal cancer. (2) Different expression of nm23-H(1) and MMP(9) proteins in the patients between stage Dukes B and stage Dukes CD was observed (P < 0.05). The decreased nm23-H(1) expression, and/or the increased MMP(9) expression in primary stage Dukes B tumors were significantly associated with LNMM (P < 0.05). Sensitivity and specificity for detection of LNMM by using nm23-H(1) or MMP(9) were respectively 62.5% and 81.8% or 75.0% and 69.8%. If by combining nm23-H(1) with MMP(9), specificity for detection of LNMM became 90.9%. The expression of TIMP(2) protein was not related with stage Dukes and LNMM. (3) The percent of tumor recurrence and/or metastasis for the stage Dukes B patients with LNMM was significantly higher than that for the patients without LNMM (P < 0.05), but the survival percent for the patients with LNMM was significantly lower than that for the patients without LNMM. The outcome for the patients with nm23-H(1) (-) LNMM (+) or MMP(9) (+) LNMM (+) was significantly worse than that for patients with nm23-H(1) (+) LNMM (-) or MMP(9) (+) LNMM (-) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: LNMM is detected by immunohistochemical anti-CK20 staining. The expression of nm23-H(1) and MMP(9) in primary stage Dukes B tumors was significantly associated with LNMM. The outcome in the LNMM patients with nm23-H(1) (-) and/or MMP(9) (+) were worse. Combining examination of CK20 for lymph nodes with expression of nm23-H(1) and MMP(9) for primary tumors is of important clinical significance for staging of Dukes, selection of adjuvant treatment and evaluation of prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer.