Search

Background: Phakomatosis pigmentovascularis (PPV) is a rare congenital syndrome. Only a few studies have reported the treatment of PPV, including a case using photodynamic therapy (PDT) to treat PPV‐associated port‐wine stains (PWS). Objective: To investigating the efficacy and adverse effects of hemoporfin‐PDT in PPV‐associated PWS. Methods: The efficacy and adverse effects in patients with PPV who underwent two sessions of hemoporfin‐PDT from January 2019 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Twenty patients were included (13 females, 7 males, age range: 2–31 years; mean: 8.20 ± 8.92 years). Two, nine, seven, and two patients had PPV types Ia, IIa, IIb, and IIIa, respectively. After two treatments, the visual evaluation indicated the color of the PWS in 4, 5, 6, and 5 patients showed poor, fair, good, and excellent improvements, respectively. The combined good and excellent improvement rates in patients with PWS and pigmentary nevus overlapping in the same treatment area and in patients with PWS in the treatment areas only were 33.3% versus 87.5%, respectively, and were significantly different (p = 0.02). Minor side effects, such as edema, scabbing, hyperpigmentation, and blistering, were observed in some patients after PDT. Conclusion: Hemoporfin‐PDT is an effective treatment for PPV‐associated PWS. Patients with PWS and pigmentary nevus overlapping in the same treatment area showed poorer efficacy than patients with PWS in the treatment areas only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Noninvasive energy‐based device (NI‐EBD) aesthetic procedures has recently gained widespread usage for treating various skin conditions, enhancing skin texture and performing rejuvenation‐related procedures. However, practically all NI‐EBD procedures result in variable degrees of damage to the skin barrier, inducing pathological and physiological processes such as oxidative stress and inflammation, and only a small percentage of individuals possess the innate ability to restore it. Objective: To introduce the concept of integrated skincare and establish standardized operational procedures for perioperative integrated skincare, and furnish a theoretical basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment performed by professional medical aestheticians. Methods: The author leveraged domestic and international guidelines, clinical practice expertise and evidence‐based research, adapting them to suit the specific circumstances in China. Results: The consensus were provided four parts, including concept and essence of integrated skincare, integrated skincare significance during the perioperative phase of NI‐EBD procedures, active ingredients and functions of effective skincare products, standardized perioperative skincare procedure for NI‐EBD procedures and precautions. For the standardized perioperative skincare procedure, four recommendations were listed according to different stages during NI‐EBD procedures. Conclusion: These recommendations create the 'Expert Consensus on Perioperative Integrated Skincare for Noninvasive Energy‐Based Device Aesthetic Procedures in Clinical Practice in China'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is the most common non‐scarring alopecia disorder. Given its increasing incidence and onset during adolescence, AGA significantly impacts both the physical and psychological well‐being of affected individuals. Emerging evidence suggests a pivotal role of metabolites in AGA. This study aims to elucidate the causal relationship between metabolites and AGA using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Methods: We conducted a two‐sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) analysis based on a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) to assess the causality of 452 metabolites on AGA. The main approach employed for inferring causal effects was inverse variance weighted (IVW), which was complemented by MR‐Egger regression, weighted median, as well as MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR‐PRESSO) approaches. Additionally, sensitivity analyses were performed to ensure result robustness. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected as instrumental variables (IVs) in GWAS dataset comprising 452 metabolites. Results: Notably, we identified Scyllo‐inositol and Alpha‐ketoglutarate as the most potent protective factors against AGA, while Heme* and 2‐palmitoylglycerophosphocholine* emerged as significant risk factors for AGA. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis revealed no heterogeneity in these findings. Conclusions: Overall, our research suggests a potential causal link between metabolites and AGA, offering a more comprehensive insight into the pathogenesis of AGA and present additional strategies for prevention and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the use of dermoscopy, a diagnostic tool, to evaluate the efficacy of treatment for facial port-wine stains (PWS). The study included 61 patients with untreated facial PWS who underwent photodynamic therapy. The researchers used dermoscopy to quantify the efficacy of the treatment by analyzing vessel density and color improvement. They found that vessel density positively correlated with the color of PWS, and changes in vessel density could be used to reflect changes in PWS color. The accuracy and reliability of dermoscopy assessment were compared to visual and colorimeter assessments, and dermoscopy assessment was found to be more consistent with visual assessment, suggesting it may be more suitable for people of East Asian descent. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: Baricitinib is a small‐molecular drug that selectively inhibits the Janus Kinase (JAK) 1 and 2. However, it showed various efficiency and safety in treating moderate‐to‐severe alopecia areata (AA). This study was to describe the real‐world effectiveness of baricitinib in treating moderate‐to‐severe refractory AA. Methods: Patients who were affected by moderate‐to‐severe AA and reported no shrinkage in the alopecia area after 6 months of conventional treatment were enrolled in the retrospective study. The patients were treated with baricitinib orally for at least 24 weeks. The severity of alopecia was evaluated at the end of 4, 12, and 24 weeks of treatment. Results: The 32 patients included 23 females and nine males, with a median duration of AA of 14.5 months. Among them, 28 patients received baricitinib 2 mg per day for 24 weeks while the other four patients increased the daily dose from 2 to 4 mg after the first 12 weeks due to the unobvious hair restoration. SALT value showed a significant decrease from baseline at week 12 and 24 (64.45 [44.68–100.00] vs. 26.80 [13.40–62.32], p < 0.0001 and 64.45 [44.68–100] vs. 9.40 [4.85–34.95], p < 0.0001). After 24 weeks of treatment, 50% of patients had an improvement of ≥2 points in IGA scores from the baseline, and IGA scores of 68.75% of patients were less than 2. Conclusion: This 24‐week research showed that baricitinib had favorable clinical efficacy and safety in treating moderate‐to‐severe AA, which is worthy of attention and expectation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Sturge–Weber syndrome (SWS) is a rare condition associated with a GNAQ gene mutation, which affects neural crest cells. A pulsed dye laser (PDL) is a first-line therapy for SWS, but its outcomes are worse than those in patients with port-wine stains (PWS). Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising therapeutic option for PWS. However, its use for PWS associated with SWS has rarely been studied. Aims To investigate the therapeutic and adverse effects of photodynamic therapy in treating SWS–associated PWS. Methods Patients with SWS and matched patients with large size facial PWS were included in this study. Both colorimetric assessment and visual evaluation were conducted to evaluate patients' responses to treatment. Results Colorimetric assessment (blanching rate) and visual evaluation (scores of colour improvement) showed that after two PDT treatments, the SWS and PWS groups had similar treatment responses (21.2% vs. 29.8%; 3.39 vs. 3.65; P = 0.18, P = 0.37). However, there was a significant difference in efficacy between patients with SWS with and without a treatment history (12.4 and 34.9%, respectively; P = 0.02), as well as between patients with lesions located on the central and lateral faces (18.5 and 36.8%, respectively; P = 0.01). Both the SWS and PWS groups experienced minor adverse effects, and the frequency of these effects was not significantly different between the two groups. Limitation The study was limited by a small sample size and the possibility of later onset of glaucoma. In addition, false-negative magnetic resonance imaging screening results for SWS could not be ruled out due to the young age of some participants. Conclusion Photodynamic therapy is a safe and effective therapeutic option for SWS–associated PWS. Patients without a treatment history, and lesions on the lateral face, responded well, demonstrating good efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate whether increased levels of lipids-related metabolites (LRMs) result in androgenic alopecia (AGA). Patients and Methods: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was designed, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) respectively related to nine LRMs were selected from the genome-wide association study (GWAS) dataset. An MR analysis was performed to assess the causal association between LRMs and AGA. Results: Through the fixed-effect inverse variance weighting (IVW) method, MR analysis indicated that Apolipoprotein B (ApoB), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) had a causal relationship with AGA. No obvious heterogeneity or pleiotropy was observed. Conclusion: The risk of AGA increases significantly when the serum levels of ApoB, LDL, and VLDL increase. This causal relationship is solid and free of interference from confounding factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hair diseases may present with hair loss, hirsutism, hair melanin abnormalities and other manifestations. Hair follicles are known as mini‐organs that undergo periodic remodeling, and their constant regeneration in vivo reflects interesting anti‐aging functions. Telomerase prevents cellular senescence by maintaining telomere length, but its excessive proliferation in cancer cells may also induce cancer. However, the effects of telomerase in hair growth have rarely been reported. Methods: In this study, we reviewed the role of telomerase in hair growth and the effects of hair disorders through literature search and analysis. Results: There is growing evidence that telomerase plays an important role in maintaining hair follicle function and proliferation. Changes in telomerase levels in hair follicles have also been found in a variety of hair disorders. Conclusion: Telomerase plays a positive role in hair growth and is expected to become a new target for the treatment of alopecia or other hair diseases in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common cause of hair loss in adults. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of topical generic 5% new minoxidil foam (NMF) versus 5% minoxidil Rogaine® foam in male patients with AGA. A randomized, double-blind, controlled, phase III, equivalence trial in 10 centers in China between December 25, 2019, and June 28, 2021, was performed. In total, 417 men patients (≥18 years) with AGA were randomized to receive 5% NMF (211 patients) or 5% Rogaine® foam (206 patients) 1 g two times daily for 24 weeks. The primary outcome was the changes in nonvellus target area hair counts (TAHC) from baseline to week 24. Equivalence was concluded if the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the treatment difference between the 5% NMF and Rogaine® groups was within (−8.00, 8.00). After 24 weeks of treatment, the mean difference in the change of nonvellus TAHC between the 5% NMF group and the Rogaine® group was −3.85 ± 1.62 hair/cm2 in full-analysis set (FAS) and −3.96 ± 1.68 hair/cm2 in per-protocol set (PPS), and the 95% CI of mean difference was (−7.03, −0.67) in FAS and (−7.26, −0.66) in PPS. No significant differences were found between the two groups in hair diameter, the ratio of terminal hair to vellus hair, the global photographic assessment by investigators, and adverse events (all P > 0.05). 5% NMF is as effective as Rogaine® in increasing hair density and hair diameter in AGA patients and was found to be safe. This trial is registered with CTR20191708. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the chemical compositions of essential oils (EOs) from ten taxa belonging to the Pinus genus. The studied taxa that grow wildly in China, and the EOs were extracted by steam distillation; the chemical compositions were isolated and characterized by GC-MS. Eighty-one components, representing over 92.10% of the EOs, were identified. The main constituents of EOs were α-pinene (6.44%–53.00%), β-caryophyllene (2.43%–24.64%), β-pinene (0.00%–22.32%), δ-cadinene (2.56%–17.56%), germacrene D (0.74%–11.38%), and camphene (0.78%–10.48%). Furthermore, we determined the total phenolic content (TPC) of the EOs, with the values from 26.50 to 60.01 mg eq GAE/mL EO. DPPH free radical scavenging activity (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and ABTS radical cation scavenging activity (ABTS) were used to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of the EOs, and the obtained values were ranged from 499.15 to 1,272.75 mmol eq Trolox/mL EO, 1,255.67 to 3,857.93 mmol eq Trolox/mL EO, and 370.81 to 1,677.19 mmol eq Trolox/mL EO, respectively. The results showed that all of the EOs studied had strong antioxidant activity, and these pine plants could be used as natural antioxidants in functional food and pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoids are important polyphenols, and widely distributed in plants. Anthocyanidin reductase (ANR), a precursor enzyme in (-)- epicatechin synthesis, could play an important role in anthocyanins biosynthesis. In the present study, the ANR gene was cloned from Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon. Compared with VvANR (GenBank Accession No. NM_001280956.1), they differed in only 4 bp and shared similarity of 99.6%. The ANR protein belongs to the cl33424 Superfamily. In addition, many light-responsive elements and abiotic stress-related elements (ABRE, MYB, WRKY, etc.) were found in the promoter region of the ANR gene. STRING analysis predicted that VvMYBPA1 and VvMYBPAR may be involved in regulating the expression of the ANR gene. Different UV-C irradiation times were used for Cabernet Sauvignon berries during grape berry development, and the comparison analysis showed that UV-C irradiation improved significantly the accumulation of catechin and epicatechin during 20–50 days after full bloom, especially, under UV-C irradiation for 5 min. Furthermore, UV-C irradiation for 5 min had a greater effect on the expression of the ANR gene, the accumulation of catechin and epicatechin, and the enzymatic activity of ANR than UV-C irradiation for 10 min. Through the virus-induced gene silencing system, the ANR-silenced grape leaves were chlorotic, in which the contents of catechin and epicatechin were both significantly lower than those in the control, showing a very significant difference, respectively. In summary, our results demonstrated that the ANR gene played a crucial role in the accumulation of epicatechin in grapes, and its expression was upregulated by UV-C irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Quinoa porridge is becoming popular among Asian for its nutritional values; hence, it is important to understand its aroma characteristics. RESULTS: Volatile compounds in porridge of 30 quinoa varieties were determined by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry combined with headspace‐solid phase micro‐extraction. In total, 53 volatile compounds were detected and grouped into 14 alkanals, four alcohols, seven ketones, 10 alkanes, 10 acids and esters, and eight heterocycles. The relative content of alkanes (22.97%), acids and esters (44.33%) was comparatively high, although alkanals (11.75%) may dominate the aroma. Most of the compounds were similar with respect to types and numbers, although they varied in amount, whereas 11 compounds varied significantly among different varieties. The 30 varieties could be divided into eight groups based on the concentrations of volatile compounds, although the same varieties would be divided into four groups if based on the relative odour activity values of twelve variable aroma compounds. CONCLUSION: Nine compounds were identified as the main contributors to the quinoa porridge aroma, including hexanal, 1‐octen‐3‐ol, 2‐pentylfuran, nonanal, (E,E)‐2,4‐decadienal and 6,10‐dimethyl‐5,9‐undecadien‐2‐one. Heptanal, benzeneacetaldehyde and decanal may play roles in harmonizing the overall aroma. It is also interesting to note that 6,10,14‐trimethyl‐2‐pentadecanone, with a slightly fatty aroma, showed a high content in all varieties. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chenin Blanc, cultivated in cool climate regions, was chosen to evaluate the impact of different maceration techniques on polyphenolic profiles and volatile compounds. Control with no skin contact ( CK), cold maceration ( CM), cryogenic maceration ( CR), separate fermentation before blending ( SFB) and extended skin contact during fermentation ( ESF) were the five maceration techniques being studied. SFB and ESF techniques resulted in significantly increased polyphenolic compounds compared to the control ( P < 0.05), while CM and CR maceration techniques resulted in almost no effect. Meanwhile, for aromatic components, the maximum change was observed in ESF wine, which had significantly highest levels of terpenes, alcohols, esters and acids. However, compared with control wine, CR wine had higher levels of terpenes and esters and SFB wine had higher levels of terpenes and alcohols. This study provides information about prefermentation techniques and additional options for oenologists to produce Chenin Blanc wines with different characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hair follicle cycling can be divided into the following three stages: anagen, catagen, and telogen. The molecular signals that orchestrate the follicular transition between phases are still unknown. To better understand the detailed protein networks controlling this process, proteomics and bioinformatics analyses were performed to construct comparative protein profiles of mouse skin at specific time points (0, 8, and 20 days). Ninety-five differentially expressed protein spots were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF as 44 proteins, which were found to change during hair follicle cycle transition. Proteomics analysis revealed that these changes in protein expression are involved in Ca2+-regulated biological processes, migration, and regulation of signal transduction, among other processes. Subsequently, three proteins were selected to validate the reliability of expression patterns using western blotting. Cluster analysis revealed three expression patterns, and each pattern correlated with specific cell processes that occur during the hair cycle. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis indicated that the differentially expressed proteins impacted multiple biological networks, after which detailed functional analyses were performed. Taken together, the above data may provide insight into the three stages of mouse hair follicle morphogenesis and provide a solid basis for potential therapeutic molecular targets for this hair disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased over the past few decades. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common allergic disease, for which there is currently no known cure. Administration of probiotics in early life may be an effective method to prevent AD, but very little is known about its long-time preventive effect. In this research, a meta-analysis has been conducted to evaluate the long-term effect of early-life supplementation with probiotics on preventing AD. Meta-analysis was performed by the Review Manager version 5.2 software. Risk ratio and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by a fixed effect model. Six trials and a total of 1955 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The combined risk ratio of the meta-analysis comparing probiotics with placebo for investigating the long-term preventive effect of AD was 0.86 (95% CI 0.77–0.96), which demonstrates that probiotics is likely to produce long-term prevention of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To eliminate pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB) residue in PCNB-contaminated environment, the degradation potential of Pseudomonas putida QTH3 to PCNB was evaluated in this study. Peudomonas putida QTH3 could grow well in mineral salt medium (MSM) containing PCNB as sole carbon and was able to degrade PCNB efficiently, whereas the degradation rate of P. putida QTH3 to PCNB increased gradually, and reached 49.84% in 35 days. The degradation rates of P. putida QTH3 to 13 tested organochlorine compounds found to be 10.85%–42.51% after 14 days. The metabolites during PCNB biodegradation by P. putida QTH3 were identified as catechol, 2, 3, 5, 6-tetrachloroaniline (TCA), 2, 3, 4, 5- TCA, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-pentachloroaniline (PCA) and pentachlorothioanisole (PCTAs). Furthermore, possible degradation pathway of PCNB by P. putida QTH3 was proposed. The degradation rates of intracellular enzyme and extracellular enzyme were 44.73% and 8.93% after incubation with 100 mg L−1 PCNB for 30 min, respectively. Thus, intracellular enzyme is a major enzyme responsible for PCNB degradation. The results indicate that P. putida QTH3 can be a suitable organism for the degradation of PCNB, and facilitate its potential for the bioremediation of the environments contaminated with major organochlorine compounds used during this study. • Peudomonas putida QTH3 has great potential for degrading PCNB. • Two possible bacterial degradation pathways of PCNB were proposed. • The intracellular enzyme from the bacterial suspension could degrade PCNB. • P. putida QTH3 could use for bioremediation of PCNB-polluted environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 107 cases of facial contact dermatitis, routine Finn chamber epicutaneous tests with TROLAB European. Standard Allergens (ESAs) were performed. Sixty-one (57%) had positive reaction. The most frequent contact allergens were paraphenylenediamine dihydrochloride (16%), followed by fragrance mix (15%), and nickel sulfate(13%) . The major sensitized contactants were rims of spectacles, hair dyes, cosmetic creams, and topical medications. Among the cases caused by cosmetic cream, the positive allergens were fragrance mix, formaldehyde, wood alcohols, and balsam of Peru. In ten season-incidence cases in which ESAs and cosmetic cream epicutaneous tests were negative, the chamber and scratch-chamber tests were performed using five kinds of pollen. The results show that all chamber tests were negative, but two cases with scratch-chamber tests were positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNA 165 and 166 (miR165/166) is composed of nine members and targets five members ( PHB , PHV , REV , ATHB8 and ATHB15 ) of the HD-ZIP III transcription factor family. Mutants generated by traditional methods could hardly reveal the overall functions of miR165/166 in plant development. In this study, the expressions of all miR165/166 members were simultaneously blocked by over-expressing STTM165/166-31 in Arabidopsis and tomato for functional dissection of miR165/166 family. Following a down-regulation of over 90% endogenous miR165/166, the target HD-ZIP III genes were correspondingly up-regulated in the STTM transgenic Arabidopsis and tomato plants. Notably, the STTM165/166-31 over-expressed Arabidopsis and tomato displayed pleiotropic effects on development which were not frequently observed in previously identified genetic mutants of either individual miR165/166 gene or any of the five target genes. Furthermore, the transgenic Arabidopsis showed increased IAA content and decreased IAA sensitivity accompanied by enhanced expressions of genes responsible for auxin biosynthesis and signaling, suggesting possible roles of auxin in mediation of miR165/166-regulated processes. Importantly, the transgenic Arabidopsis exhibited the improved behavior under salt stress. Overall, such diverse variations in plant development and physiological process revealed by STTM165/166 demonstrate a key role of miR165/166-mediated network in regulating plant development and responses to abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are currently emerged as important regulators in psoriasis. Psoriasis is characterized by hyperproliferation and impaired differentiation of keratinocytes in skin lesions. miR-194 is a well-known regulator of cell proliferation and differentiation. However, the role of miR-194 in psoriasis pathogenesis remains unclear. In this study we aimed to investigate the role of miR-194 in keratinocyte hyperproliferation and differentiation. We found that miR-194 was significantly downregulated in psoriasis lesional skin. Overexpression of miR-194 inhibited the proliferation and promoted the differentiation of primary human keratinocytes, whereas miR-194 suppression promoted the proliferation and inhibited their differentiation. Bioinformatic analysis predicted that the Grainyhead-like 2 (GRHL2) was a target gene of miR-194, which we further validated with a dual-luciferase reporter assay, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and Western blot analysis. The effect of miR-194 on cell proliferation and differentiation was significantly reversed by overexpression of GRHL2. Moreover, the expression of miR-194 and GRHL2 was inversely correlated in psoriasis lesional skin. Taken together, our results suggest that miR-194 inhibits the proliferation and promotes the differentiation of keratinocytes through targeting GRHL2. The downregulation of miR-194 expression may contribute to the pathogenesis of psoriasis and targeting miR-194 may represent a novel and potential therapeutic strategy for psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• VOCs from strain ZL3 exhibited excellent antifungal activities. • The VOCs had potential against postharvest gray mold. • Twenty-three VOCs were detected by using SPME coupled with GC–MS. Postharvest gray mold is the most devastating fungal disease, and could lead to enormous losses on Chinese cherry. To formulate an effective and environment friendly management strategy for postharvest gray mold, an endophytic bacterial strain ZL3 with excellent antifungal activity was screened by using dual culture method. Strain ZL3 was identified as Pseudomonas chlororaphis based on 16S rRNA and gyrB gene sequence analysis. The maximum percent of mycelial growth inhibition (PGI) of VOCs to B. cinerea was up to 97.23% under the antifungal conditions (temperature of 31.96 °C, pH of 6.74 and glucose of 25.96 g/L) optimized by using Box-Behnken Design (BBD) of response surface method (RSM). The biological efficiency of VOCs was performed on cherry fruit at 0 °C for 21 d and 25 °C for 7 d. At 25 °C and 0 °C, the disease incidence reduced to 31.67% and 21.67%, whereas the lesion diameter decreased to 0.60 cm and 0.32 cm, respectively. Additionally, twenty-three VOCs, including 6 alkanes, 4 aldehydes and ketones, 4 alcohols, 4 alkenes, 3 acids & esters, 1 aromatic compound, and 1 sulfur compound, were detected by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). It is noticed that most VOCs, except for 1, 10-undecadiene and 1-dodecene, demonstrated significant differences among different collection time. The results of this work suggested that strain ZL3 could be used as a promising biocontrol agent to control postharvest gray mold on Chinese cherry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common skin disease characterized by progressive hair loss, with negative psychological impacts on patients, especially young people. The primary pathogenesis of AGA involves the action of 5α-reductase converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, leading to gradual miniaturization of genetically susceptible hair follicles. Finasteride inhibits type II 5α-reductase, while dutasteride simultaneously inhibits type I and type II 5α-reductase. Currently, finasteride is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of AGA, but its efficacy remains poor in some patients., Objectives: This article aims to review the treatment of androgenetic alopecia with dutasteride. Oral dutasteride, intradermal injection of dutasteride (mesotherapy) and other related treatment methods are included., Methods: We performed a Medical Subject Heading search in the PubMed database using "androgenetic alopecia" and "dutasteride"., Conclusions: Compared to finasteride, oral dutasteride has better efficacy and comparable tolerability, and most adverse events are mild and reversible, making it an effective treatment option for AGA. Mesotherapy with dutasteride is a therapeutic option to reduce the systemic adverse effects of the drug, but there are no standardized treatment protocols and large-scale clinical trials. Microneedling combined with dutasteride solution also has its own unique efficacy for treating AGA. Liposomes or nanoparticles of dutasteride are still under development and may become a more optimized topical formulation in the future., (S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) is a rare condition associated with a GNAQ gene mutation, which affects neural crest cells. A pulsed dye laser (PDL) is a first-line therapy for SWS, but its outcomes are worse than those in patients with port-wine stains (PWS). Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising therapeutic option for PWS. However, its use for PWS associated with SWS has rarely been studied. Aims To investigate the therapeutic and adverse effects of photodynamic therapy in treating SWS-associated PWS. Methods Patients with SWS and matched patients with large size facial PWS were included in this study. Both colorimetric assessment and visual evaluation were conducted to evaluate patients' responses to treatment. Results Colorimetric assessment (blanching rate) and visual evaluation (scores of colour improvement) showed that after two PDT treatments, the SWS and PWS groups had similar treatment responses (21.2% vs. 29.8%; 3.39 vs. 3.65; P = 0.18, P = 0.37). However, there was a significant difference in efficacy between patients with SWS with and without a treatment history (12.4 and 34.9%, respectively; P = 0.02), as well as between patients with lesions located on the central and lateral faces (18.5 and 36.8%, respectively; P = 0.01). Both the SWS and PWS groups experienced minor adverse effects, and the frequency of these effects was not significantly different between the two groups. Limitation The study was limited by a small sample size and the possibility of later onset of glaucoma. In addition, false-negative magnetic resonance imaging screening results for SWS could not be ruled out due to the young age of some participants. Conclusion Photodynamic therapy is a safe and effective therapeutic option for SWS-associated PWS. Patients without a treatment history, and lesions on the lateral face, responded well, demonstrating good efficacy.

To develop an effective and environmentally safe strategy to control postharvest gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea , Bacillus siamensis strain YJ15 isolated from blueberry was used to test the biocontrol potential. It is interesting to find that the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from strain YJ15 exhibited significant antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea as well as 11 other plant-pathogenic fungi, with a percentage of mycelial growth inhibition from 74.96 to 92.81%. Additionally, VOCs from strain YJ15 could reduce significantly the disease incidence and lesion diameter with the increasing of fermentation time, indicating great biocontrol potential for controlling blueberry postharvest gray mold. Furthermore, the VOCs were collected by using headspace solid-phase microextraction fiber, and the composition of VOCs was further revealed by using gas chromatography coupled with quadruple mass spectrometry. In total, 24 kinds of VOCs, including 5 alkanes, 2 aldehydes, 3 ketones, 5 alcohols, 1 alkene, 5 acids and esters, 2 aromatic compounds, and 1 sulfur compound, were emitted at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after inoculation. Among these VOCs, eight antifungal VOCs could inhibit mycelial growth of B. cinerea . It is important to highlight that, although 1-butanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol were the most abundant compounds, 2-ethylhexanol, 1-heptanol, and 1,3-xylene have proved to be more toxic to B. cinerea than 3-methyl-1-butanol, propanethioic acid, 2,2-dimethyl-, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, 2-heptanone, and 1-butanol, which provide new, promising biofumigants for the control of postharvest gray mold caused by B. cinerea .

Raddeanin A (RA) has indicated suppressive effects on various human tumor cells, and insufficient vitamin D was associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) persistence and gynecological tumors. However, combined effects of RA and vitamin D on HPV-positive cells remain elusive. Herein, we aimed to investigate the combined effects of RA and 1ɑ,25(OH) 2 D 3 (VD3) on cellular viability and modulation of HPV18E6/E7, programmed cell death 1 ligand (PD-L1) and vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression in HeLa cells in vitro . HeLa cells were treated with RA alone or VD3 combined with RA. Cell viability was measured using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), and apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were used to determine the gene/protein expression levels. The autophagosomes were observed by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The result showed that cell viability was inhibited by RA, and apoptosis in HeLa cells treated with RA was elevated accordingly. The expression of Bax, Cleaved-caspase-3, Cleaved-caspase-9 and Cleaved-PARP increased, and Bcl-2 decreased. The autophagy was induced by RA, as evidenced by elevated autophagosomes and the increased LC3-II/I ratio and Beclin-1. The expression of HPV18E6/E7, PD-L1 and VDR was reduced by RA. Moreover, RA combined with VD3 had a stronger effect on HeLa cells than RA alone. In conclusion, RA inhibits HeLa proliferation and induces apoptosis and autophagy via suppressing HPV18E6/E7, PD-L1 and VDR, and VD3 showed reinforced effects of RA on HeLa cells. Therefore, combined usage of VD3 with RA might be a potential novel immunotherapy strategy for HPV-related diseases.

Background: Quinoa porridge is becoming popular among Asian for its nutritional values; hence, it is important to understand its aroma characteristics., Results: Volatile compounds in porridge of 30 quinoa varieties were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with headspace-solid phase micro-extraction. In total, 53 volatile compounds were detected and grouped into 14 alkanals, four alcohols, seven ketones, 10 alkanes, 10 acids and esters, and eight heterocycles. The relative content of alkanes (22.97%), acids and esters (44.33%) was comparatively high, although alkanals (11.75%) may dominate the aroma. Most of the compounds were similar with respect to types and numbers, although they varied in amount, whereas 11 compounds varied significantly among different varieties. The 30 varieties could be divided into eight groups based on the concentrations of volatile compounds, although the same varieties would be divided into four groups if based on the relative odour activity values of twelve variable aroma compounds., Conclusion: Nine compounds were identified as the main contributors to the quinoa porridge aroma, including hexanal, 1-octen-3-ol, 2-pentylfuran, nonanal, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal and 6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-one. Heptanal, benzeneacetaldehyde and decanal may play roles in harmonizing the overall aroma. It is also interesting to note that 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone, with a slightly fatty aroma, showed a high content in all varieties. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.)