Photodynamic therapy-mediated hypericin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers against vulvovaginal candidiasis

Introduction and Aim: The indiscriminate use and adverse effects of the main conventional antifungal agents compromise the effectiveness of treating vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), mainly caused by the species Candida albicans. This study evaluated the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and the in vitro and in vivo anti-candida potential of the hypericin (HYP)-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC). Materials and Methods: Empty NLC and NLC-HYP were characterized by the dynamic light scattering technique and transmission electron microscopy to evaluate the average particle size distribution and its morphologies. The in vitro inhibition photodynamic effect of the systems was tested to reduce the planktonic viability of C. albicans. The therapeutic assay photodynamic of the systems was performed to treat VVC in mice. Results: Empty NLC and NLC-HYP presented values of average hydrodynamic diameter, polydispersity index, and ζ-potential from 136 to 133 nm, 0.16 to 0.22, and -18 to -30 mV, respectively, on day 30. Microscopically, the systems showed spherical morphologies and nanoscale particles. Furthermore, in the in vitro inhibition assay, the treatment of PDT with NLC-HYP (NLC-HYP+) showed a significant reduction of the C. albicans planktonic viability compared to YNB negative control after 5 min of LED light irradiation. In the in vivo therapeutic assay, the antifungal group (vaginal antifungal cream) and NLC-HYP+ evaluated in the dark and by PDT, respectively, had a significant log₁₀ reduction in fungal burden compared to the infected group on day 8 of the VVC treatment. Conclusion: Due to the in vitro and in vivo anti-candida potential, PDT-mediated systems can be an effective strategy in VVC therapy.     

Factorial study of the effects of atorvastatin and fish oil on dyslipidaemia in visceral obesity

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidaemia may account for increased risk of cardiovascular disease in central obesity. Pharmacotherapy is often indicated in these patients, but the optimal approach remains unclear. We investigated the effects of atorvastatin and fish oil on plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels, including remnant-like particle-cholesterol and apolipoprotein C-III, in dyslipidaemic men with visceral obesity. METHODS: We carried out a 6-week randomized, placebo-controlled, 2 x 2 factorial intervention study of atorvastatin (40 mg day(-1)) and fish oil (4 g day(-1)) on plasma lipids and lipoproteins in 52 obese men (age 53 +/- 1 years, BMI 33.7 +/- 0.55 kg m(-2)) with dyslipidaemia and insulin resistance. Treatment effects were analysed by general linear modelling. RESULTS: Atorvastatin had significant main effects in decreasing triglycerides (-0.38 +/- 0.02 mmol L(-1), P = 0.002), total cholesterol (-1.89 +/- 0.17 mmol L(-1), P = 0.001), LDL-cholesterol (-1.78 +/- 0.14 mmol L(-1), P = 0.001), remnant-like particle-cholesterol (-0.08 +/- 0.04 mmol L(-1), P = 0.035), apolipoprotein B (-49 +/- 4 mg dL(-1), P = 0.001), apolipoprotein C-III (-12.6 +/- 6.1 mg L(-1), P = 0.044) and in increasing HDL-cholesterol (+0.10 +/0- 0.04 mmol L(-1), P = 0.007). Fish oil had significant main effects in decreasing triglycerides (-0.38 +/- 0.11 mmol L(-1), P = 0.002) and in increasing HDL-cholesterol (+0.07 +/- 0.04 mmol L(-1), P = 0.041). There were no significant changes in weight or insulin resistance during the study. CONCLUSIONS: Atorvastatin and fish oil have independent and additive effects in correcting dyslipidaemia in viscerally obese men. Improvement in abnormalities in remnant lipoproteins may occur only with use of atorvastatin. Combination treatment with statin and fish oil may, however, offer an optimal therapeutic approach for globally correcting dyslipidaemia in obesity.     

Fish oil prevents colon cancer by modulation of structure and function of mitochondria

Cancer cells are more susceptible to metabolic perturbations due to impaired electron transport chain (ETC) that promote uncontrolled proliferation. Mitochondria play a pivotal role in bioenergetics and apoptosis, hence are considered as a promising target in tumor cell eradication. Therefore, the present study is designed to elucidate chemopreventive action of fish oil (FO) in combination with corn oil (CO) on mitochondria in colorectal cancer (CRC). Male Wistar rats were divided into groups depending on dietary regimen—Control group, FO + CO(1:1) and FO + CO(2.5:1). These groups were further subdivided depending on whether these received a weekly intraperitoneal injection of ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) or N,N-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride (DMH) for a period of 4 weeks. The animals sacrificed 48 h and 16 weeks after EDTA/DMH treatment constituted initiation and post-initiation phase respectively. The structural and functional alterations in mitochondria were evaluated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and by assaying electron transport chain (ETC) enzymes. Mitochondrial lipid composition and cholesterol levels were also assessed. DMH treatment led to mitochondrial degeneration, disrupted cristae and a significant decrease in ETC complexes suggestive of metabolic reprogramming. Moreover, an increase in cholesterol and cardiolipin (CL) levels in post-initiation phase led to evasion of apoptosis. FO in both the ratios resulted in stabilization and increase in number of mitochondria, however, FO + CO(2.5:1) + DMH group also exhibited mitophagy and crystolysis alongwith altered dynamics in ETC which facilitated apoptosis. It also decreased cholesterol and CL levels to increase apoptosis. Fish oil targets mitochondria in a dose dependent manner that augments apoptosis and hence attenuates carcinogenesis.     

平阳霉素碘油乳剂动脉内栓塞治疗原发性大肝癌初探

目的回顾性评价平阳霉素碘油乳剂（PLE）经肝动脉化疗栓塞治疗原发性大肝癌的安全性、技术成功率及临床疗效，以期提高患者生活质量及生存率。方法对20例原发性大肝癌患者实施超选择性肿瘤滋养动脉PLE栓塞治疗。随机抽取前期用丝裂霉素碘油乳剂（MLE）治疗的24例原发性大肝癌患者作为对照组，比较两组病例治疗后肿瘤大小、肿瘤血管的改变及生存率等变化。结果研究组较对照组术后肿瘤缩小更明显（X^2=7．51，P〈O．05），甲胎蛋白水平下降显著（X^2=8.290，P〈0．05）。研究组6、12、24、36个月生存率分别为95％（19／20）、70％（14／20）、30％（6／20）和20％（4／20），对照组6、12、24、36个月生存率分别为80％（19／24）、54％（13／24）、21％（5／24）和13％（3／24），两组生存率比较，差异有统计学意义。结论PLE超选择性肿瘤滋养动脉栓塞治疗原发性大肝癌安全，治疗效果明显，其疗效明显优于MLE栓塞治疗。     

构造油气藏与特低—超低渗岩性油藏测井评价饱和度多学科结合方法与应用

20世纪90年代以来在构造油藏砂岩含油气层的测井饱和度综合评价及分布等方面研究取得重要成果,它也是多学科结合评价油气层的关键技术之一。文章简要阐述了压汞资料与半渗透隔板毛细管压力—岩电联测实验法计算饱和度方法,在系统研究钻井液侵入各类油层对电测井影响基础上开展的“岩石物理研究经验模型”,特别是咸水钻井液侵入校正方法,介绍了2000年以来在特低—超低渗岩性油藏油层测井饱和度综合评价方法的研究进展。     

小儿卵黄囊瘤的超声检查

小儿卵黄囊系胚源性恶性肿瘤,好发于生殖腺、骶尾部及体后壁中线附近。本院超声诊断卵黄囊瘤30例,超声图像显示了肿瘤的部位及大小,为选择手术方案及评估化疗效果提供了图像依据。     

芳香调息缓解护生考试焦虑的研究

目的 探讨芳香调息法缓解护生考试焦虑的作用.方法 选取考试焦虑得分(TAI)大于均分2个标准差护生60名,随机分为观察组和对照组各30名.对照组不进行干预,观察组临睡前吸入芳香精油,同时仰卧调息,2次/d,15 min/次.结果 观察组TAI 总分及情绪性维度得分显著低于对照组(均P＜0.05).结论 芳香调息法能有效改善护生考试焦虑,且主要通过改善考试焦虑中的情绪性因子缓解焦虑.     

血管紧张素Ⅱ对小鼠足细胞小窝蛋白1表达的影响

目的 观察血管紧张素Ⅱ（AngⅡ）刺激及氯沙坦干预对足细胞小窝蛋白1（caveolin-1）表达的影响,探讨caveolin-1在足细胞损伤中的作用.方法 体外培养永生化小鼠足细胞（MPC）,AngⅡ（10-6mol/L）刺激不同时间（3 h、6h、12 h和24 h）;Losartan（10-6 mol/L）提前预处理3h后与AngⅡ（10-6 mol/L）共孵育6h,Hoechst-33342检测足细胞凋亡率,Western-blot法检测各组细胞caveolin-1蛋白表达,免疫荧光检测caveolin-1及其磷酸化水平.结果 ①AngⅡ刺激3h,足细胞即开始发生凋亡,随着刺激时间的延长,足细胞凋亡明显增多（P＜0.05）.②AngⅡ刺激不同时间caveolin-1表达总量无明显改变（P＞0.05）,从3h开始,caveolin-1磷酸化水平明显增高（P＜0.05）.③Losartan干预后caveolin-1磷酸化水平明显降低（P＜0.05）.结论 caveolin-1可能在AngⅡ诱导的足细胞损伤中发挥着重要的作用.     

MR findings of hepatic cavernous hemangioma after intraarterial infusion of iodized oil

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed on five tumors of three patients who had hepatic hemangiomas. Four tumors were given an intraarterial infusion of 3–8 ml of iodized oil, while one tumor was not. MR images were obtained at 2.0 or 0.5 T. A single spin echo sequence with TE of 30 ms and TR of 500 ms and a double echo sequence with TEs of 60 and 150 ms and TR of 2000 ms, were used to produce relatively T1-, T2-weighted, and heavily T2-weighted images, respectively. Follow-up MR imaging was done 1–5 months after infusion of iodized oil. On relatively T1 weighted images, hemangiomas showed iso or hypointensity. On T2-weighted images, all tumors showed hyperintensity. However, on heavily T2-weighted images, tumors with iodized oil showed heterogeneous, slight hyperintensity, while tumors without iodized oil showed characteristic appearance of marked hyperintensity in hemangiomas. In hepatic cavernous hemangiomas with intraarterial infusion of iodized oil, familiarity with this unusual MR intensity of tumors on heavily T2-weighted images is useful to avoid the incorrect diagnosis and to reduce the frequency of inappropriate hepatic resection.     

地沟油对小鼠肝肾功能及脂肪代谢的影响

目的观察摄食地沟油对小鼠肝肾功能及脂肪代谢的影响。方法将72只小鼠平均分为6组,其中地沟油组与食用油组各3组,按照5、10和20μL/g剂量的地沟油或食用油连续隔天给予小鼠灌胃8周,比较两组小鼠灌胃前后丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、血尿素氮(BUN)、血肌酐(Scr)、甘油三酯(TG)和总胆固醇(TC)水平。结果地沟油的水分含量、酸价和过氧化值指标均超标。连续灌胃8周后,5μL/g剂量地沟油组小鼠ALT明显高于食用油组(P0.05);10μL/g剂量地沟油组小鼠AST高于食用油组(P0.05)。5、10和20μL/g剂量地沟油组小鼠Scr均高于同剂量食用油组(P0.05);10和20μL/g剂量地沟油组小鼠BUN均高于同剂量食用油组(P0.05);但相同剂量地沟油和食用油组小鼠的TG和TC未见统计学差异(P0.05)。结论连续8周摄食地沟油对小鼠肝、肾功能均有明显损害作用。