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.     

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.     

对诊断PADAM的游离睾酮指数的评估

目的 评价诊断中老年男子部分雄激素缺乏综合征（PADAM）的游离睾酮指数（FTI）.方法 对129例45岁以上健康男性的FTI进行年龄相关分析.以推算的游离睾酮（CFT）值为依据,对FTI进行有效性检验.结果 男子在中老年期FTI与增龄呈明显的负相关.FTI敏感性97.78%,特异性58.33%.结论 计算简单的FTI可用于PADAM病人的筛选和随访,尤其对70岁以上男子是血清FT较为有效的参数.     

Working‐correlation‐structure identification in generalized estimating equations

Selecting an appropriate working correlation structure is pertinent to clustered data analysis using generalized estimating equations (GEE) because an inappropriate choice will lead to inefficient parameter estimation. We investigate the well‐known criterion of QIC for selecting a working correlation structure, and have found that performance of the QIC is deteriorated by a term that is theoretically independent of the correlation structures but has to be estimated with an error. This leads us to propose a correlation information criterion (CIC) that substantially improves the QIC performance. Extensive simulation studies indicate that the CIC has remarkable improvement in selecting the correct correlation structures. We also illustrate our findings using a data set from the Madras Longitudinal Schizophrenia Study. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

再次泪囊鼻腔吻合术的临床分析

本文报告了１０例慢性泪囊炎患者，行泪囊鼻腔吻合术后，发生吻合口阻塞，再次行泪囊鼻腔吻合术，手术治愈率１００％。并就其阻塞的原因、防止方法、治疗方法进行了讨论     

对诊断PADAM的血清游离睾酮界限值的初探

目的探寻诊断中老年男子部分雄激素缺乏综合征(PADAM)血清游离睾酮(FT)的界限值。方法根据60例45岁以上健康男性完成伊斯坦布尔症状量表(ISS)与视听性刺激(AVSS)时阴茎勃起监测结果进行分组,计算AVSS勃起功能正常组推算的游离睾酮(CFT)值的参考范围。结果AVSS勃起功能正常组CFT的中位数为0．37(0．20～0．52)nmol/L,异常组的中位数为0．25(0．12～0．40)nmol/L,z=2．25,P＜0．05,差别有显著性意义。两组性功能症状的差别也有极显著性意义(P＜0．01)。CFT的界限值是0．20nmol/L。结论研究用ISS和AVSS勃起功能正常对象的血清FT值,可为诊断PADAM建立界限值。     

腰椎间盘突出症治疗方法与肌电图变化的相关性研究

腰椎间盘突出症(lumbar disc herniation，LDH)是导致腰腿痛的主要病因，本研究对具有典型临床症状、相应体征及MR或CT等影像学资料确诊的LDH，采用规范化非手术治疗，经规范化保守治疗无效者选用手术治疗，治疗前后均行肌电图(elec-tromyograptly，EMG)检查，旨在探讨肌电图变化与治