Hybrid Filaments from Saccaharina lattisima Biomass: Engineering of Alginate Properties with Maleic Anhydride Grafted Linseed Oil.

Linseed oil was graft modified with maleic anhydride and introduced into alginate by co-extrusion, producing alginate hybrid filaments. A straightforward grafting of maleic anhydride onto the oil backbone produced the modified oil. Additional esterification with n-dodecanol was also investigated. The structures of the modified oils were verified with 2D-NMR. The modified oil was mixed with alginate and extruded into CaCl2, forming thin filaments with diameters in the 130-260 µm range. The impact of oil integration into the alginate filaments was assessed, with special emphasis on stress-at-break, and compared to values predicted by an empirical model relating the "stress to alginate concentration" ratio to prevailing conditions during filament drawing. Analogous alginate filaments were prepared with hydrochloric-, oxalic- and phytic acid calcium salts for comparison with alginate-oil hybrids to reveal the induced impact, with respect to the composition and charge, on the tensile performance.

Gut dysbiosis and serotonin: intestinal 5-HT as a ubiquitous membrane permeability regulator in host tissues, organs, and the brain.

The microbiota and microbiome and disruption of the gut-brain axis were linked to various metabolic, immunological, physiological, neurodevelopmental, and neuropsychiatric diseases. After a brief review of the relevant literature, we present our hypothesis that intestinal serotonin, produced by intestinal enterochromaffin cells, picked up and stored by circulating platelets, participates and has an important role in the regulation of membrane permeability in the intestine, brain, and other organs. In addition, intestinal serotonin may act as a hormone-like continuous regulatory signal for the whole body, including the brain. This regulatory signal function is mediated by platelets and is primarily dependent on and reflects the intestine's actual health condition. This hypothesis may partially explain why gut dysbiosis could be linked to various human pathological conditions as well as neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Celiac plexus block increases quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is a malignant disease with a high mortality rate and severe pain that is challenging to manage. To reduce the excruciating abdominal pain, opioids and adjuvant agents are conventionally used. OBJECTIVES: PRNCPB is a treatment of neural therapy. The number of studies assessing the effect on patients' QoL is limited and inconsistent. With this study, we intended to address this issue. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective nonrandomized study with a series of cases of unresectable pancreatic cancer was conducted. SETTING: The study was performed at our pain clinic under real life conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total number of 16 patients with severe abdominal pain were enrolled in the study all of whom had responded to combined systemic analgesic therapy inadequately and had intolerable side effects contraindicating further increase in dose. The efficacy of this invasive, palliative analgesic procedure was evaluated 35 days after PRNCPB was performed. Primary outcomes were changed in pain intensity using the VAS questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were improved in QoL using the SF-36 questionnaire. Changes in pain medications and adverse reactions were monitored. RESULTS: After PRNCPB patients experienced a significant decrease (P=0.002) in pain intensity as shown by the VAS score, and a decreased opiate demand. Their QoL scores considering effect sizes also improved (P<0.001). No complications attributable to PRNCPB were observed during the study period. Additionally, no adverse drug reactions were observed. LIMITATIONS: Detection, observation, and reporting bias can be estimated as moderate. Selection bias was not detected. CONCLUSION: Our results give preliminary evidence that PRNCPB might be helpful as an additional treatment to conventional pain management in end-stage pancreatic cancer patients. PRNCPB seems to improve QoL in these patients in a time frame of at least 5 weeks after intervention.

Long-term tumor-free survival in a metastatic pancreatic carcinoma patient with FOLFIRINOX/Mitomycin, high-dose, fever inducing Viscum album extracts and subsequent R0 resection: A case report.

RATIONALE: Metastatic pancreatic cancer has a dismal prognosis. Many patients seek integrative care as an add-on to their conventional cancer treatment. Viscum album extracts (VAE)-widely used as an adjunct to cancer treatment-have cytotoxic, apoptogenic, and immune stimulatory properties. A statistically significant survival benefit has been demonstrated for VAE in advanced pancreatic cancer. PATIENT CONCERNS AND DIAGNOSIS: A 28-year old patient presented with painless jaundice and was subsequently diagnosed as pancreatic adenocarcinoma with liver metastases. INTERVENTIONS: He was treated with FOLFIRINOX/Mitomycin, hyperthermia and fever-inducing VAE. OUTCOMES: Subsequently, the liver metastases regressed. Surgical intervention involved successful R0-resection of the primary tumor, as well as an atypical liver resection. A relapse was again treated with FOLFIRINOX/Mitomycin and hyperthermia. As of publication of this report, 49 months after initial diagnosis, the patient exhibits good condition, and is unrestricted in quality of life (till publication). LESSONS: This case demonstrates the favorable outcome of a patient with metastatic pancreatic cancer following treatment with chemotherapy, integrative medicine, and surgical excision. As other positive outcomes in pancreatic cancer patients are related to inflammatory events, we presume the immunologic effects of VAE to have contributed to the favorable outcome here. Based on this case, and the other positive results of VAE use in pancreatic cancer, further investigations seem highly worthwhile.

High-Performance Filaments from Fractionated Alginate by Polyvalent Cross-Linking: A Theoretical and Practical Approach.

A series of alginate fractions with significant differences in molecular weight and uronic acid compositions were produced by consecutive fractionation and converted to thin and strong cross-linked polymer filaments via extrusion into calcium, aluminum, or polyaluminum (PolyAl) polyvalent solutions followed by drawing and drying. Models were elaborated to relate the alginate uronic acid composition to the tensile performance in both the wet gel filament and the dry filament states. The wet gel model was compared to the theory of the unidirectional elongation of charged polyelectrolyte gels based on the classical rubber elasticity of dilated polymer networks, extended to include the contributions of non-Gaussian chain extensions and the effect of electrostatic interactions. The theory of equilibrium swelling pressure was applied to describe the observed shrinkage of the alginate gels following immersion in a polyvalent solution. Congruent with the theoretical model of charged gels, the tensile performance of the gel filaments prepared from CaCl2 depended on the compositional ratio of guluronic acid dyads in the alginate fraction multiplied by the alginate concentration, while the tensile behavior of wet gel filaments prepared by AlCl3 instead resembled that of elastic solid materials and depended only on the alginate concentration. The dry filament tensile properties were greatly dependent on the preparation conditions, particularly the ratio of stress to alginate concentration and the nature of the ions present during filament drawing. The PolyAl solution effectively caused shrinkage of alginate to a strong extent, and the resulting filaments behaved as highly stiff materials able to withstand stresses of approximately 500 MPa and having elastic moduli as high as 28 GPa.

Cyclic fractionation process for Saccharina latissima using aqueous chelator and ion exchange resin.

A new approach to process Saccharina latissima algal biomass was developed using sodium citrate and a polyvalent cation-specific resin to sequentially extract the alginate into several usable fractions. The fractionation was performed in a cyclic manner, utilizing a stepwise removal of the native polyvalent ions present in the algae to isolate fractions of alginate with different solubility in the presence of these ions. Sodium citrate was used in different concentrations in the extraction solution to remove polyvalent cations to adjust the alginate liberation while AMBERLITE IRC718 resin was added to further remove these ions and regenerate the extraction solution. Alginate was recovered by acid precipitation and analyzed for its uronic acid composition and molecular weight, and the carbohydrate compositions of the insoluble and soluble parts of the algal biomass residue were determined. Finally, the fractionation method was assessed with a life cycle analysis to determine the energy and water efficiency as well as the greenhouse gas emissions and the results were compared to conventional alkaline extraction. The results indicate that the energy and water use as well as the emissions are considerably lower for the cyclic extraction in comparison with the conventional methods.

Integrative versus Conventional Therapy of Chronic Otitis Media with Effusion and Adenoid Hypertrophy in Children: A Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic otitis media with effusion (COME) and adenoid hypertrophy (AH) are common entities in the pediatric population. The conventional treatment approach (conventional medicine; COM) involved mainly surgery after a period of close observation. In this study, we aimed to introduce an integrative, non-invasive approach (integrative medicine; IM) for COME, AH, and associated episodes of recurrent acute otitis media, and compared outcomes with conventional treatment. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, non-randomized study in an integrative primary care pediatric practice and a conventional pediatric otolaryngological clinic, where treatment modality was determined by patient preference. Out of a total 101 patients aged 1-8 years, integrative therapy was chosen by 46, and conventional treatment by 55. All patients had COME and AH diagnosed by an otolaryngologist and had moderate to severe hearing impairment. COM treatment was based on close observation over time, nasal decongestants and surgical intervention. In contrast, the IM involved a complex personalized approach with non-invasive interventions, non-allopathic medications, diet and patient education. RESULTS: The number of surgical interventions (adenoidectomy, pressure-equalization tube insertion, myringotomy) was significantly less in the IM cohort (1 of 28 vs. 15 of 35 in the COM group, p < 0.001). The frequency of antibiotic use was significantly less in the IM group (p < 0.001). The frequency of analgesic use was also significantly less in the IM group (p = 0.029). Improvement in tympanometric measures (normal A-type curve) was higher in IM patients compared to expected spontaneous remission during the observation period. Improvement in audiometric measures (intact hearing) of IM patients was also higher than expected compared to spontaneous remission during the observation period. CONCLUSION: Compared to conventional treatment, integrative treatment of patients with COME and AH showed significantly lower invasive surgical intervention rates and significantly decreased antibiotic and analgesic use. The integrative treatment was effective, safe and well tolerated.

Multicomponent fractionation of Saccharina latissima brown algae using chelating salt solutions.

A fractionation strategy for Saccharina latissima algal biomass was developed utilizing chelating extraction salt solutions to mediate the liberation of algal components. Alginate, cellulose, laminarin, mannitol, protein, and inorganic salts were quantified in the fractions to reveal their individual dissolution patterns. Chelation power was identified as a key parameter for liberating alginate and increasing the yield of extracted components. The most efficient fractionation was achieved using aqueous sodium citrate as the extraction solution, producing an alginate-rich soluble fraction and a salt-poor insoluble fraction rich in cellulose and protein. Extractions at decreased pH were shown to be beneficial because they decreased the M/G ratio of the extracted alginate and concentrated the protein in the insoluble fraction from which it can easily be recovered; these effects could be achieved by switching the traditional sodium carbonate extraction solution with salts that have chelation capacity at lower pH. A cyclic extraction demonstrated that the sodium citrate solution can be reused for multiple alginate extractions with the buildup of the concentrations of other valuable components in the solution.