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Carotenoids are increasingly used as naturally occurring food colorants. For application as beverage colorants, fat-soluble carotenoids are formulated into dispersion systems via nanoparticle (NP) formation. In recent years, the antioxidant properties of carotenoids have gained immense recognition for their preventive health benefits, thereby highlighting further interest in their development as functional food ingredients. Although functional carotenoids in dispersion-based formulations are desirable, knowledge regarding the structural and optical properties of NPs of carotenoids other than those of β-carotene, and methods to efficiently produce and compare NPs of various carotenoids, remain scarce. In this study, NPs of β-carotene, lycopene, astaxanthin, and lutein were prepared using a simple reprecipitation method, with a focus on understanding the variations in the molecular self-assembly influenced by the quality of solvent used during reprecipitation. This study presents the novel finding that the terminal groups of carotenoids significantly affect the intermolecular interactions, thereby altering the structural and optical properties of the resulting NPs. Our findings are expected to contribute to the development of new technologies for controlling the color of carotenoids based on the crystal structure of the NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study develops a confocal Raman microspectroscopy system that is combined with a laser trapping technique and applied it to aqueous solutions (H2O and D2O) of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA), which is well-known as a representative thermo-responsive polymer. The fundamental mechanism underlying the transformation of the higher order structure of a polymer by radiation pressure is discussed.

• Curcumin and polyglycerol fatty acid ester have abbreviated as CUR and PGFE. • A novel amorphous CUR formulation with PGFE has stably enhanced water solubility. • The amorphous CUR has greatly improved absorbability. • The amorphous CUR has significantly reduced blood triglyceride concentrations. • As the mechanism, PGFE has suppressed CUR-CUR interaction and diffusion rate of CUR. Curcumin (CUR), a polyphenol, is an attractive component of functional foods, owing to various physiological activities. However, CUR is highly hydrophobic, insoluble in water, and difficult to absorb in the body. Here, we report an amorphous CUR formulation containing the dispersant polyglycerol fatty acid ester (PGFE), demonstrating high and stable water solubility. Improved water solubility enhanced the absorbability of CUR in our amorphous formulation along with enhanced triglyceride inhibition, compared to that in a commercial formulation. Nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) analysis revealed that PGFE reduced CUR-CUR interaction, resulting in higher dispersion and improved solubility of CUR. Taylor dispersion analysis showed a lower diffusion coefficient of CUR in the highly water-soluble formulation (with PGFE) than that in the low water-soluble formulation (without PGFE), which prevents recontact and recrystallization of CUR, which is trapped by PGFE. Overall, the amorphous CUR with high solubility could be used as a promising functional food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxicity assessment of the food colorant Gardenia jasminoides Ellis at dietary exposures of 0.0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1.5%, 3.0% and 5.0% included measures of T-cell- dependent antibody response, neurotoxicity, and clinical and anatomic pathology in Sprague Dawley rats during mating, gestation, lactation, postnatal development, and following weaning for up to 12 months including 3- and 6-month interim evaluations. Blue coloration of the gastrointestinal tract, mesenteric lymph nodes and kidneys was present in treated rats only at necropsy with minimal blue coloration at the lowest dose and without histopathological correlates in any of the tissues. There was good survival with no consistent treatment-related changes in hematology, clinical chemistry, enhanced evaluation of lymphoid tissues, or tissue histopathology at interim and final time points. T-cell dependent antibody response and neurotoxicity screening were negative in treated rats. The no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) was determined to be 5.0% gardenia blue (2,854.5 and 3,465.4 mg/kg/day in parental males and females, respectively, prior to mating; 3,113.5 and 4,049.6 mg/kg/day in male and female offspring, respectively, following up to 12 months of exposure., (©2023 The Japanese Society of Toxicologic Pathology.)

An 89-year-old woman presented to our clinic with a complaint of a wound in the left nipple. The pathological diagnosis via skin biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma. A physical examination, mammography, ultrasonography, and CT scan revealed a mass in the left nipple. However, a definite diagnosis could not be established by skin biopsy. Left breast-conserving surgery and sentinel lymph node biopsy were performed for diagnosis and treatment. Histological examination revealed a scirrhous type invasive ductal carcinoma in the left nipple and areola with skin invasion and lymph node metastasis. Radiation and hormone therapy were used as adjuvant therapy. She is alive with no local recurrence for 5 months post surgery. Since ductal carcinoma of the nipple is uncommon, we present this case report along with a review of the relevant literature.

An 83-year-old woman received 8 courses of chemotherapy(mogamulizumab)for adult T cell leukemia in the hematolo- gy department of our hospital, after which she achieved complete remission and was followed up with chemotherapy(VP/ MST: sobuzoxane/etoposide)as an outpatient. Later, diarrheal symptoms appeared, and detailed examinations led to a diagnosis of cancer of the ascending colon. Although no distal metastasis was found, breast cancer was also revealed in the C area of the right breast. The general status of the patient was favorable; thus, right pectoral muscle-conserving mastectomy and concomitant sentinel lymph node biopsy were performed through laparoscope-assisted extended right hemicolectomy. The postoperative course was favorable, and she was discharged on hospital day 7. The excised tumors were pathologically diagnosed as stageⅠ breast cancer and stage Ⅲa colorectal cancer. Chemotherapy(VP/MST)was administered without adjuvant chemotherapy. Presently, 18 months after surgery, complete remission of adult T cell leukemia has been maintained, without metastasis and recurrence of cancer of the ascending colon and breast cancer.

The safety of epirubicin (75 mg/m(2)), 5-fluorouracil (500 mg/m(2)) plus cyclophosphamide (500 mg/m(2)) (FEC75 therapy) and docetaxel (75 mg/m(2)) plus cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m(2)) (TC therapy) every three weeks as neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy was evaluated. Six or 9 patients received FEC75 or TC therapy, respectively. The nadir of white blood cells and neutrocyte counts in FEC75 and TC therapy were after 11-15 days and 8-11 days of chemotherapy, respectively. On the other hand, those of monocyte and reticulocyte counts were after 8-11 and 4-8 days for FEC75 and TC therapy, respectively. This suggests that there is a lag time in these parameters for the evaluation of myelosuppression in each chemotherapy regimen, resulting in the prediction of the degree of myelotoxicity by these profiles. Although 2 patients who received TC therapy encountered febrile neutropenia, the symptoms were improved by quinolones, and so granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was not needed. In addition, remarkable non-hematological side effects were not observed, and, therefore, almost all chemotherapy was performed as scheduled. From these results, FEC75 and TC therapy are considered to be safe.

A 56-year-old man with bilateral swelling of lacrimal glands was admitted to our hospital. He was diagnosed as autoimmune pancreatitis with Mikulicz' s disease presenting the swelling of lacrimal glands, submandibular glands and the pancreas head and tail. Treatment with systemic prednisolone resulted in improvement of the swelling of these glands and pancreas. On the immunohistochemical examination, infiltration of CD4- and CD8-positive T lymphocytes was detected in the lacrimal gland, the submandibular gland, the gall bladder and the pancreas. Infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells was detected in the submandibular gland, the gall bladder and the pancreas. These results may suggest the presence of common etiology between autoimmune pancreatitis and Mikulicz' s disease.