Using a Cellular System to Directly Assess the Effects of Cosmetic Microemulsion Encapsulated DeoxyArbutin.

DeoxyArbutin (dA) is a tyrosinase inhibitor that has effective skin-lightening activity and has no obvious cytotoxicity toward melanocytes. With the aim of directly evaluating the effects of microemulsions containing dA on cells, we developed oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsions with relatively lower cytotoxicities by using polysorbate-series surfactants. Measurement of the transparent properties and particle size analysis at different storage time periods revealed that the developed microemulsions were stable. Moreover, the developed microemulsions had direct effects on B16-F10 mouse melanoma cells. The anti-melanogenesis activities of dA-containing microemulsions were evidently better than that of the free dA group. The results demonstrated that the developed microemulsion encapsulating dA may allow the use of deoxyArbutin instead of hydroquinone to treat dermal hyperpigmentation disorders in the future.

The critical role of titanium cation in the enhanced performance of P2-Na0.5Ni0.25Mn0.60Ti0.15O2 cathode material for sodium-ion batteries.

Tremendous effort has been devoted to develop durable electrode materials for sodium ion batteries. This work focuses on enhancing the reversibility of a cathode material Na0.5Ni0.25Mn0.75O2 by adopting the titanium cation doping strategy. The obtained P2-Na0.5Ni0.25Mn0.60Ti0.15O2 material shows smooth charge-discharge curves upon suppressing the Na+/vacancy ordering effect via the partial substitution of Mn4+ for Ti4+, and enhanced cycling performance. It exhibits a reversible capacity of 138 mA h g-1 at 0.5C, as well as a high rate capacity of 81 mA h g-1 at 5C between a cut-off voltage of 2 and 4 V, while long-term cycling stability is demonstrated with a capacity retention of 84% over 200 cycles. An enhanced cycling stability is also observed when the voltage is between 2 and 4.2 V. The feasibility of constructing a symmetrical Na-ion full cell with Na0.5Ni0.25Mn0.60Ti0.15O2 as cathode and anode electrodes is also demonstrated. The titanium cation doping results in reduced charge transfer impedance and an enhanced sodium cation diffusion coefficient, thus suggesting an efficient strategy to obtain a durable cathode material for sodium ion batteries.

Silencing pancreatic adenocarcinoma upregulated factor (PAUF) increases the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma upregulated factor (PAUF) is a new oncogene that activates signaling pathways that play a critical role in resistance to gemcitabine. We thus speculated that PAUF also plays a role in resistance to gemcitabine of pancreatic cancer cells. We established BxPC-3 cell lines with stable PAUF knockdown (BxPC-3_shPAUF) and controls (BxPC-3_shCtrl) and evaluated sensitivity to gemcitabine in vitro by MTT and flow cytometry. We established a xenograft model of human pancreatic cancer to examine PAUF function in gemcitabine resistance in vivo. Gene chip microarrays were performed to identify differentially expressed genes in BxPC-3_shPAUF and BxPC-3_shCtrl cells. Silencing PAUF increased the sensitivity of BxPC-3 cells to gemcitabine in vitro and in vivo. PAUF-knockdown BxPC-3 cell lines treated with gemcitabine showed increased proliferation inhibition and apoptosis compared with controls. Gemcitabine exhibited a more pronounced effect on reduction of BxPC-3_shPAUF tumors than BxPC-3_shCtrl tumors. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) assays confirmed a significantly higher apoptotic rate of BXPC-3_shPAUF tumors compared with BXPC-3_shCtrl tumors. Gene array showed that PAUF function in gemcitabine sensitivity might involve MRP2, MRP3, MDR1, PIK3R1, and NFkB2 genes. PAUF could be considered as a key molecular target for sensitizing pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine.

Preparation and Evaluation of Nanoemulsion Formulation Containing Kojic Acid and Kojyl 3-aminopropylphosphonic Acid.

BACKGROUND: The kojyl 3-aminopropylphosphonic acid (KAP) was synthesized by kojic acid (KA) with a 3-aminopropylphosphonic acid. Which is more stable than KA and showed better skin penetration and anti-pigmentation efficacy in melanocytes. However, up till now, there have been no studies aimed at incorporating KAP into an emulsion system and evaluating its effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: We develop a novel skin-lightening agent using KAP as the active ingredient and a low-cytotoxic nanoemulsion as the delivery system in this study. METHOD: The sorbitan monooleate and polysorbate surfactants with polyethylene glycol (PEG) co-surfactant were used to generate a nanoemulsion system. RESULT: The transparency and particle size stability over various storage times indicate that the formulated nanoemulsions are suitable for long-term storage. Besides, results demonstrate that the anti-pigmentation function of KA and KAP-containing nanoemulsions (NE-KA and NEKAP) evidently outperformed that of the non-packed KA and KAP group. Despite having the lowest concentration among other treatments, NE-KAP was able to reduce melanin content to approximately 80% of the blank. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that this newly developed nanoemulsion containing KAP could potentially serve as a sustainable alternative to hydroquinone for treating dermal hyperpigmentation disorders in future applications.

Copper and Zirconium Codoped O3-Type Sodium Iron and Manganese Oxide as the Cobalt/Nickel-Free High-Capacity and Air-Stable Cathode for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Considering the abundance of iron and manganese within the Earth's crust, the cathode O3-NaFe0.5Mn0.5O2 has shown great potential for large-scale energy storage. Following the strategy of introducing specific heteroelements to optimize the structural stability for energy storage, the work has obtained an O3-type NaFe0.4Mn0.49Cu0.1Zr0.01O2 that exhibits enhanced electrochemical performance and air stability. It displays an initial reversible capacity of 147.5 mAh g-1 at 0.1C between 2 and 4.1 V, a capacity retention ratio exceeding 69.6% after 100 cycles at 0.2C, and a discharge capacity of 70.8 mAh g-1 at a high rate of 5C, which is superior to that of O3-NaFe0.5Mn0.5O2. The codoping of Cu/Zr reserves the layered O3 structure and enlarges the interlayer spacing, promoting the diffusion of Na+. In addition, the structural stability and air stability observed by Cu-doping is well maintained via the incorporation of extra Zr favoring a highly reversible phase conversion process. Thus, this work has demonstrated an efficient strategy for developing cobalt/nickel-free high-capacity and air-stable cathodes for sodium-ion batteries.

Adjuvant transarterial chemoembolization following radical resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A multi-center retrospective study.

Background and Aims: The prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) after radical resection is far from satisfactory, but the effect of postoperative transarterial chemoembolization (p-TACE) remains controversial. This multi-center retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical value of p-TACE and identify the selected patients who would benefit from p-TACE. Methods: Data of ICC patients who underwent radical resection with/without p-TACE therapy was obtained from 12 hepatobiliary centers in China between Jan 2014 and Jan 2017. Overall survival (OS) was set as the primary endpoint, which was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method before and after propensity score matching (PSM). Subgroup analysis was conducted based on the established staging system and survival risk stratification. Results: A total of 335 patients were enrolled in this study, including 39 patients in the p-TACE group and 296 patients in the non-TACE group. Median OS in the p-TACE group was longer than that in the non-TACE group (63.0 months vs. 18.0 months, P=0.041), which was confirmed after 1:1 PSM (P=0.009). According to the 8th TNM staging system, patients with stage II and stage III stage would be benefited from p-TACE (P=0.021). Subgroup analysis stratified by risk factors showed that p-TACE could only benefit patients with risk factors <2 (P=0.027). Conclusion: Patients with ICC should be recommended to receive p-TACE following radical resection, especially for those with stage II, stage III or risk factors <2. However, the conclusion deserved further validation.

Short-term application of low-dose growth hormone in surgical patients: effects on nitrogen balance and blood glucose.

AIM: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in postoperative patients. METHODS: A total of 48 consecutive patients undergoing abdominal operations were randomized to receive either subcutaneous rhGH (0.15 IU/kg) or placebo (menstruum) injections daily for 7 d after surgery. The two groups had similar nutritional intake. Blood samples for serum fibronectin, albumin, prealbumin, transferrin and the total lymphocyte count, as well as glucose levels were collected to study the rhGH effect. Basal laboratory evaluation, and nutritional status were estimated on d 1 before as baseline and d 3 and 10 after operation using standard laboratory techniques. Nitrogen balance was measured from d 3 to 9 after operation. RESULTS: The cumulative nitrogen balance was significantly improved in rhGH group compared with the placebo group (11.37 +/- 16.82 vs -9.11 +/- 17.52, P = 0.0003). Serum fibronectin was also significantly higher in the rhGH group than in the placebo group (104.77 +/- 19.94 vs 93.03 +/- 16.03, P < 0.05), whereas changes in serum albumin, prealbumin, transferrin and total lymphocyte counts were not statistically significant. Mean blood glucose levels were significantly higher in the rhGH group from d 3 to 6 after operation. CONCLUSION: If blood glucose can be controlled, low-dose growth hormone together with hypocaloric nutrition is effective on improving positive nitrogen balance and protein conservation and safe is in postoperative patients.

[The study of eco-nutrition applied to postoperative patients with colorectal diseases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of eco-nutrition on postoperative patients with colorectal diseases. METHODS: 32 patients undergoing the colorectal operation were randomized into the eco-nutrition enteral nutrition (EEN) group and the normal enteral nutrition (NEN) group. A series parameters, including gastrointestinal symptom, diarrhea and diarrhea score, intestinal flora ratio, inflammatory status markers, immune function markers et al. , were measured before and after the operation. RESULTS: (1) Compared with the NEN group, the EEN group had less days with getting flatulence and abdominal pain (P<0. 05). At 6th day the EEN group had a less occurrence of flatulence and abdominal pain (P<0. 05). 0 The EEN group had less occurrences of diarrhea at the 6th day (P<0. 05). In the EEN group, the total occurrences and days of diarrhea were lower than those in the NEN group (P<0. 05), and the mean diarrhea scores were also lower at 6th day (P <0. 05). ( Intestinal flora ratios were higher in the EEN group at 6th day (P<0. 05). CONCLUSION: The econutrition application to postoperative patients with colorectal diseases is beneficial in alleviating gastrointestinal symptom and diarrhea, and correcting intestine flora disturbance.

Glutamine dipeptide for parenteral nutrition in abdominal surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

AIM: To assess the clinical and economical validity of glutamine dipeptide supplemented to parenteral nutrition (PN) in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. METHODS: A meta-analysis of all the relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed. The trials compared the standard PN and PN supplemented with glutamine dipeptide in abdominal surgery. RCTs were identified from the following electronic databases: the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE and ISI web of knowledge (SCI). The search was undertaken in April 2006. Literature references were checked by computer or hand at the same time. Clinical trials were extracted and evaluated by two reviewers independently. Statistical analysis was performed by RevMan4.2 software from Cochrane Collaboration. A P value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Nine RCTs involving 373 patients were included. The combined results showed that glutamine dipeptide has a positive effect in improving postoperative cumulative nitrogen balance (weighted mean difference (WMD = 8.35, 95% CI [2.98, 13.71], P = 0.002), decreasing postoperative infectious morbidity (OR = 0.24, 95% CI [0.06, 0.93], P = 0.04), shortening the length of hospital stay (WMD= -3.55, 95% CI [-5.26, -1.84], P < 0.00001). No serious adverse effects were found. CONCLUSION: Postoperative PN supplemented with glutamine dipeptide is effective and safe to decrease the infectious rate, reduce the length of hospital stay and improve nitrogen balance in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Further high quality trials in children and severe patients are required, and mortality and hospital cost should be considered in future RCTs with sufficient size and rigorous design.

Benign giant-cell tumor of the common bile duct: a case report.

Primary giant-cell tumors rarely arise in the common bile duct. We herein report a case of primary giant-cell tumor of the common bile duct. The patient was an 81-year-old male who was diagnosed with a well-defined 1.2-cm mass projecting into the lumen of the middle common bile duct. Excision of the gallbladder and extrahepatic bile duct and a Roux-en-Y cholangiojejunostomy were performed. Histologically, the tumor had no association with carcinomas of epithelial origin and was similar to giant-cell tumors of the bone. The tumor consisted of a mixture of mononuclear and multinucleated osteoclast-like giant cells. The mononuclear cells showed no atypical features, and their nuclei were similar to those of the multinucleated giant cells. CD68 was expressed on the mononuclear and multinucleated osteoclast-like giant cells, whereas CD163 immunoreactivity was restricted to the mononuclear cells. Six months after the operation, the patient was still alive and had no recurrence. The interest of this case lies in the rarity of this entity, the difficulty of preoperative diagnosis, and this tumor's possible confusion with other malignant tumors.

[Effect of Caveolin-1 on growth and apoptosis of human breast carcinoma cell line Hs578T/Dox].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Caveolin-1 is a marker protein of caveolae which is related with oncogenesis as a signal transduction hinge. This study was to investigate the effect of Caveolin-1 on the growth and apoptosis of doxorubicin-resistant human breast carcinoma cell line Hs578T/Dox. METHODS: Plasmids pCI-neo-caveolin-1 and pCI-neo-vector (control) were transfected into Hs578T/Dox cells, respectively. The expression of Caveolin-1 was detected by Western blot. Cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay. Cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry (FCM). Colony formation potential on soft agar was evaluated. Cell apoptosis was detected by FCM when cells were cultured for 48 h or cultured with staurosporine for 8 h. RESULTS: Caveolin-1 was overexpressed in Hs578T/Dox-cav-1 cells. The proliferation of Hs578T/Dox-cav-1 cells was obviously promoted when compared with that of Hs578T/Dox-vector cells (P<0.01). Colony size was larger in Hs578T/Dox-cav-1 group than in Hs578T/Dox-vector group. More colonies were formed in Hs578T/Dox-cav-1 group as compare with those in Hs578T/Dox-vector group (983.6+/-75.0 vs. 700.8+/-78.9, P<0.01). The proportions of cells at S and G2/M phases were higher in Hs578T/Dox-cav-1 group than in Hs578T/Dox-vector group. The proliferation rate of Hs578T/Dox-cav-1 cells was also higher than that of Hs578T/Dox-vector cells [(76.6+/-4.0)% vs. (58.0+/-4.1)%]. Over-expressed Caveolin-1 significantly reduced apoptosis index when the cells were cultured for 48 h [(5.7+/-0.5)% vs. (11.3+/-0.8)%] or cultured with staurosporine for 8 h [(13.8+/-1.2)% vs (21.4+/-1.9)%]. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of Caveolin-1 protein may promote the growth and anti-apoptosis ability of Hs578T/Dox cells.

[Impact of growth hormone with hypocaloric nutrition on nitrogen balance and blood glucose in patients after gastrointestinal operation].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) combined with hypocaloric nutrition on nitrogen balance and blood glucose in patients after gastrointestinal operation. METHODS: Forty-eight patients undergone abdominal operations were randomly divided into either subcutaneous rhGH (0.15 IU/kg) or placebo (menstruum) injection daily for 7 days postoperatively. These two groups had similar nutritional intakes. Body weight, blood cell count, liver and renal function, plasma albumin, prealbumin, transferrin and fibronectin were measured at day 1 before operation as baseline and day 3 and day 10 after operation by standard laboratory techniques. Nitrogen balance and blood glucose were measured from day 3 to day 9 after operation. RESULTS: At postoperative day 10, the cumulative nitrogen balance and the level of plasma fibronectin were significantly higher in rhGH group [13.21 g,(104.77+/-19.94) mg/L] than those in placebo group [-6.88 g, (93.03+/-16.03) mg/L] (P<0.05). Furthermore, at day 4 and from day 6 to day 9 after operation, daily nitrogen balance was higher in rhGH group than that in control group (P<0.05). Mean blood glucose level was significantly higher in rhGH group from day 3 to day 6 after operation [(7.68+/-2.15) vs (5.95+/-2.34) mmol/L, P<0.05]. But hyperglycemia could be controlled well by insulin treatment. CONCLUSION: Growth hormone combined with hypocaloric nutrition is effective and safe in promoting positive nitrogen balance and protein synthesis in post-operative patients, which is also beneficial to the improvement of nutritional status and prognosis.