Ethyl lactate as a potential green solvent to extract hydrophilic (polar) and lipophilic (non-polar) phytonutrients simultaneously from fruit and vegetable by-products

Phytonutrients extracted from natural resources are receiving much attention among researchers due to their highly antioxidative characteristics which prevent several degenerative diseases including cardiovascular diseases and cancers. These nutraceutical compounds can be used in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products as natural antioxidants, preservatives, colourants and functional foods. Huge volume of food wastes are generated from the processing industry and these low-value food residues are rich in various phytonutrients worth recovering. This approach of valorisation reduces the generation of food wastes and is cost-effective considering the cheap feedstock, reduced waste management expenses and high market value of extracted compounds. In light of the health and safety risks posed by commonly used organic extraction solvents derived from the petrochemical industry, there is a need to recover the phytonutrients using green, sustainable and efficient solvents that are safe for human consumption. This work discusses ethyl lactate as a safe, green, efficient and potentially cheap solvent to recover phytonutrients from fruit and vegetable by-products. Ethyl lactate is compared with other organic solvents commonly used from the aspects of safety, environmental impacts and efficiency. Current challenges when employing ethyl lactate are also discussed.     

Emerging from their burrow: Hedgehog pathway inhibitors for cancer

Introduction: Cancer treatment is moving away from conventional cytotoxic drugs and towards agents that target specific proteins and mechanisms important to cancer development or survival. The Hedgehog Pathway (HhP) is a signal transduction pathway and its constitutive activation is tumorigenic in basal cell carcinoma (BCC). The HhP enables phenotypic flexibility, and channels tumor-stroma interactions. As a result, it is over-expressed in numerous cancers as well as in the tumor microenvironment and may represent a promising therapeutic target.

Areas covered: In this article, we review the rationale for targeting HhP and its role as an oncogenic driver, in tumor epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and in the tumor microenvironment and describe the results of preclinical and clinical studies involving HhP inhibitors.

Expert opinion: HhP activation plays an important role in both the tumor microenvironment and tumor EMT which can lead to treatment resistance for a number of different malignancies. In addition to standard use in BCC, several HhP inhibitors are in preclinical, early, and mid-stage clinical development for other solid and hematologic malignancies.     

Revisiting the Hydrogen Storage Behavior of the Na-O-H System

Solid-state reactions between sodium hydride and sodium hydroxide are unusual among hydride-hydroxide systems since hydrogen can be stored reversibly. In order to understand the relationship between hydrogen uptake/release properties and phase/structure evolution, the dehydrogenation and hydrogenation behavior of the Na-O-H system has been investigated in detail both ex- and in-situ. Simultaneous thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis coupled to mass spectrometry (TG-DTA-MS) experiments of NaH-NaOH composites reveal two principal features: Firstly, an H₂ desorption event occurring between 240 and 380 °C and secondly an additional endothermic process at around 170 °C with no associated weight change. In-situ high-resolution synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction showed that NaOH appears to form a solid solution with NaH yielding a new cubic complex hydride phase below 200 °C. The Na-H-OH phase persists up to the maximum temperature of the in-situ diffraction experiment shortly before dehydrogenation occurs. The present work suggests that not only is the inter-phase synergic interaction of protic hydrogen (in NaOH) and hydridic hydrogen (in NaH) important in the dehydrogenation mechanism, but that also an intra-phase H^δ+… H^δ– interaction may be a crucial step in the desorption process.     

NT-proBNP reflects right ventricular structure and function in pulmonary hypertension.

The aim of the current study was to investigate whether alterations in N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) reflect changes in right ventricular structure and function in pulmonary hypertension patients during treatment. The study consisted of 30 pulmonary hypertension patients; 15 newly diagnosed and 15 on long-term treatment. NT-proBNP, right heart catheterisation and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging measurements were performed, at baseline and follow-up. There were no significant differences between newly diagnosed patients and those on treatment at baseline or follow-up with respect to NT-proBNP, haemodynamics and right ventricular parameters. Relative changes in NT-proBNP during treatment were correlated to the relative changes in right ventricular end-diastolic volume index (r = 0.59), right ventricular mass index (r = 0.62) and right ventricular ejection fraction (r = -0.81). N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide measurements reflect changes in magnetic resonance imaging-measured right ventricular structure and function in pulmonary hypertension patients. An increase in N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide over time reflects right ventricular dilatation concomitant to hypertrophy and deterioration of systolic function.     

手术治疗跟骨塌陷性骨折

目的　评估跟骨塌陷性骨折手术治疗的效果。方法　 1996年 5月～ 2 0 0 0年 6月共手术治疗跟骨塌陷性骨折 15例 ,8例内固定 ,7例植骨 ,平均随访 14个月 ,参照AOFAS评分对患者有否疼痛、步态、距下关节活动 ,是否支架辅助、术后X线照片等加以评估。结果　两组结果无明显差异。 2例手术切口皮缘坏死 ,6例疗效为优 ,9例为良。结论　跟骨塌陷性骨折手术解剖复位能取得好的效果     

电视纵隔镜手术在肺癌分期中的应用价值

背景与目的　随着新辅助治疗方案的提出,以及人们逐渐认识到CT和PET等检查在肺癌分期中的局限性,纵隔镜手术在肺癌分期中的价值日益受到人们的重视。本研究旨在探讨电视纵隔镜手术在肺癌纵隔淋巴结分期中的应用价值。方法　回顾性总结2001年9月至2004年6月60例经电视纵隔镜检查的肺癌患者的临床资料,其中颈部电视纵隔镜手术52例,胸骨旁电视纵隔镜手术2 例,颈部加胸骨旁电视纵隔镜手术6例。术前所有患者胸部CT均发现纵隔淋巴结肿大(直径大于1.0 cm)。结果　本组60 例患者,经电视纵隔镜检查证实纵隔淋巴结转移(阳性)者42例,未见纵隔淋巴结转移(阴性)者18例。纵隔淋巴结阳性者放弃手术,予以化疗;阴性者中转开胸行肺叶切除或肺楔形切除加纵隔淋巴结清扫,术后病理证实17 例纵隔淋巴结未见转移,1例隆凸后淋巴结可见癌转移(电视纵隔镜检查假阴性)。电视纵隔镜手术敏感性、特异性和准确性分别为97.7%、100%和98.3%。本组术中发生无名动脉撕裂1 例,并发症发生率为1.7%(1/60)。无围手术期死亡。结论　电视纵隔镜手术安全、可靠,可作为明确肺癌分期的常规方法。     

无水酒精阻滞大鼠腹腔神经丛后脊髓、孤束核C-FOS和NOS-1的表达

目的:通过免疫组化的方法研究无水酒精阻滞大鼠腹腔神经丛后脊髓和延髓孤束核内CFOS和NOS1的表达。材料和方法:对70只Wistar大鼠实施手术,建立实验动物模型。分5组于术后不同时间取得脊髓和延髓样本,并用标准方法对其进行CFOS和NOS1免疫组化染色,观察脊髓和延髓孤束核CFOS和NOS1的表达。结果:无水酒精阻滞后脊髓后角、延髓孤束核神经元细胞内均有CFOS和NOS1表达。结论:无水酒精阻滞腹腔神经丛后,短时间内脊髓后角和延髓孤束核内CFOS和NOS1表达阳性,表明FOS和NOS1与内脏信息在脊髓水平的传导有关。CFOS和NOS1参与了内脏信息在孤束核内的传导。