Potential Antioxidant,Antiinflammatory, and Proapoptotic Anticancer Activities of Kakadu Plum and Illawarra Plum Polyphenolic Fractions

Kakadu plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana Exell, Combretaceae) and Illawarra plum (Podocarpus elatus Endl., Podocarpaceae) extracts were fractionated, using a bioassay-guided approach and screened for antioxidant activity [oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assays] and antiinflammatory activity (nitrite concentration and prostaglandin E₂ release in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated murine macrophages). Among 8 fractions obtained from KP and 5 fractions obtained from IP, fraction KPF5 from KP exhibited superior activity in all assays, with an ORAC value of 3,776 ± 603 μmol Trolox/g DW and a CAA value of 52.2 ± 8.6 μmol quercetin equivalents/g DW. In addition, KPF5 further demonstrated an upregulation of the Nrf2/Keap1 ratio in Hep G2 cells. KPF5 also inhibited the expression of COX-2 and iNOS in LPS-activated murine macrophages, potentially through the NF-κB, p44/42 mitogen activated protein kinase and Akt pathways. KPF5 also induced apoptosis and DNA damage in HT-29 cells, as determined by the cytokinesis block micronucleus cytome assay.     

Physicochemical and Mechanical Properties of Bis-GMA/TEGDMA Dental Composite Resins Enriched with Quaternary Ammonium Polyethylenimine Nanoparticles

Modification of dental monomer compositions with antimicrobial agents must not cause deterioration of the structure, physicochemical, or mechanical properties of the resulting polymers. In this study, 0.5, 1, and 2 wt.% quaternary ammonium polyethylenimine nanoparticles (QA-PEI-NPs) were obtained and admixed with a Bis-GMA/TEGDMA (60:40) composition. Formulations were then photocured and tested for their degree of conversion (DC), polymerization shrinkage (S), glass transition temperature (T_g), water sorption (WS), solubility (SL), water contact angle (WCA), flexural modulus (E), flexural strength (σ), hardness (HB), and impact resistance (a_n). We found that the DC, S, Tg, WS, E, and HB were not negatively affected by the addition of QA-PEI-NPs. Changes in these values rarely reached statistical significance. On the other hand, the SL increased upon increasing the QA-PEI-NPs concentration, whereas σ and a_n decreased. These results were usually statistically significant. The WCA values increased slightly, but they remained within the range corresponding to hydrophilic surfaces. To conclude, the addition of 1 wt.% QA-PEI-NPs is suitable for applications in dental materials, as it ensures sufficient physicochemical and mechanical properties.     

Chemical Structure and Microstructure Characterization of Ladder-Like Silsesquioxanes Derived Porous Silicon Oxycarbide Materials

The aim of this work was to synthesize porous ceramic materials from the SiOC system by the sol-gel method and the subsequent pyrolysis. The usage of two types of precursors (siloxanes) was determined by Si/C ratio in starting materials. It allows us to control the size of the pores and specific surface area, which are crucial for the potential applications of the final product after thermal processing. Methyltrimethoxysilane and dimethyldiethoxysilane were mixed in three different molar ratios: 4:1, 2:1, and 1:1 to emphasize Si/C ratio impact on silicon oxycarbide glasses properties. Structure and microstructure were examined both for xerogels and obtained silicon oxycarbide materials. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis was performed to confirm that obtained materials are porous and Si/C ratio in siloxanes precursors affects porosity and specific surface area. This kind of porous ceramics could be potentially applied as gas sensors in high temperatures, catalyst supports, filters, adsorbents, or advanced drug delivery systems.     

Erythema nodosum: an experience of 10 years

In this study, we investigated clinical features, aetiology, prospective follow-up results and also factors favouring secondary erythema nodosum (EN) in patients with EN. A total of 50 patients (mean age 38 y) with a diagnosis of EN between 1993 and 2002 in our clinic were included in the study prospectively. A biopsy was performed in 30 of the patients. Patients were considered to have secondary EN when an underlying condition was found, and to have primary (or idiopathic) EN when no such condition was found. For the diagnosis of the underlying diseases, diagnostic criteria and/or diagnostic methods were used. Categorical variables were compared by using chi2 test. The majority of the patients were female (6F/1M) and 54% of cases had a determined aetiology. The foremost aetiology was primary tuberculosis (18%) followed in decreasing order by a poststreptococcal (16%), sarcoidosis (12%), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) (4%), Beh?et's disease (2%), and pregnancy (2%). All the patients were followed for a mean duration of 7 y. The nodosities relapsed every y in 74% of idiopathic EN patients but in only 1 (Beh?et's disease) of the secondary ones. Factors favouring secondary EN were as follows: prolonged fever, cough, sore throat, not relapsing EN, abnormal chest X-ray, leukocytosis, an erythrocyte sedimentation rate of higher than 50 mm/h and a CRP value of higher than 6 times the upper limit of normal. All the patients had bed rest and the majority was given naproxen. The outcomes were usually favourable within 7 d. The patients with an underlying disease were given specific treatment. EN has been associated with numerous diseases. In order to reduce cost and duration of diagnosis, every centre should determine its own most frequent aetiological factors. Factors favouring secondary EN should also be determined. Our study revealed primary tuberculosis, streptococcal pharyngitis, sarcoidosis, IBD, and Beh?et's syndrome as the main aetiologies of EN.     

Late diabetes complications and non-dipping phenomenon in patients with Type 1 diabetes

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) has been thought to underlie the loss of normal nocturnal blood pressure dipping, which is associated with a higher risk for nephropathy in Type 1 diabetes. Previous analyses also suggest however that nephropathy is a major predictor of subsequent CAN. OBJECTIVE: To investigate links between non-dipping phenomenon (NDP) and complications, particularly CAN and nephropathy. METHODS: 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed on 61 consecutively recruited subjects (mean age: 38.5+/-8.1, mean duration: 29.5+/-8.2 years) from the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications cohort (658 subjects with childhood onset Type 1 diabetes diagnosed between 1950 and 80). NDP was diagnosed if nocturnal fall of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure was <10% of the average daytime blood pressure. CAN was detected by abnormal (20 microg/min) albumin excretion rate (AER) in at least two of three timed urines. RESULTS: Non-dippers (n=17) had greater LDLc (p=0.012) and AER (p=0.052) and a higher frequency of nephropathy (OR=3.6, 95% CI=1.0-12.6) and proliferative retinopathy (OR=5.1, 95% CI=1.3-20.3) compared to the 44 dippers. CAN and NDP were not associated. In multivariate analyses, adjusting for CAN, proteinuria was significantly related to NDP (OR=3.6, 95% CI=1.0-12.6), an association that further modeling suggests was related to interactions between nephropathy, LDLc and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest a strong link between NDP and proteinuria which is independent of CAN and may be modified by LDLc and hypertension.     

Molecular Decoration of Ceramic Supports for Highly Effective Enzyme Immobilization—Material Approach

A highly effective method was developed to functionalize ceramic supports (Al₂O₃ powders and membranes) using newly synthesized spacer molecules. The functionalized materials were subsequently utilized for Candida antarctica lipase B enzyme immobilization. The objective is to systematically evaluate the impact of various spacer molecules grafted onto the alumina materials will affect both the immobilization of the enzymes and specific material surface properties, critical to enzymatic reactors performance. The enzyme loading was significantly improved for the supports modified with shorter spacer molecules, which possessed higher grafting effectiveness on the order of 90%. The specific enzyme activity was found to be much higher for samples functionalized with longer modifiers yielding excellent enantioselectivity >97%. However, the enantiomeric ratio of the immobilized lipase was slightly lower in the case of shorter spacer molecules.     

Low recurrence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma following ledipasvir and sofosbuvir treatment in a real‐world chronic hepatitis C patients cohort

The aims of the present study were to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) with or without ribavirin in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in patients with advanced liver disease and to analyse whether the use of LDV/SOF treatment is associated with a new occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during and after LDV/SOF treatment. The Turkish Early Access Program provided LDV/SOF treatment to a total of 200 eligible CHC patients with advanced liver disease. The median follow‐up period was 22 months. All patients were Caucasian, 84% were infected with genotype 1b, and 24% had a liver transplantation before treatment. The sustained virological response (SVR12) was 86.0% with ITT analysis. SVR12 was similar among patients with Child‐Pugh classes A, B and C disease and transplant recipients. From baseline to SVR12, serum ALT level and MELD score were significantly improved (P < 0.001). LDV/SOF treatment was generally well tolerated. Only one patient developed a new diagnosed HCC. Seventeen of the 35 patients, who had a history of previous HCC, developed HCC recurrence during the LDV/SOF treatment or by a median follow‐up of 6 months after treatment. HCC recurrence was less commonly observed in patients who received curative treatment for HCC compared with those patients who received noncurative treatment (P = 0.007). In conclusion, LDV/SOF with or without ribavirin is an effective and tolerable treatment in CHC patients with advanced liver disease. Eradication is associated with improvements in liver function and a reduced risk of developing a new occurrence of HCC.