Pre-harvest application of sodium nitroprusside enhances storage root quality in red beet cultivated under normal and drought conditions.

BACKGROUND: The role of nitric oxide (NO) in plant stress tolerance, as well as in increasing post-harvest quality, has been extensively demonstrated in several fruits and vegetable crops; however, the effects of its pre-harvest application on post-harvest quality are still poorly documented. Therefore, the pre-harvest application of NO in red beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) plants cultivated under well-watered and drought conditions was evaluated to assess whether it improves the post-harvest quality of their storage roots. Red beet plants cultivated under well-watered (80% of water holding capacity) or drought condition (15% of water holding capacity) were sprayed weekly with water (control) or 100 µmol L-1 sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an NO donor. Sixty-six days after sowing, red beet roots were harvested, and root yield, total sugar yield, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, proteins, lipids, root ashes, root moisture, soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, vitamin C, total phenolics, total betalains, betacyanins, betaxanthins and antioxidant capacity were determined. RESULTS: While drought led to a reduction in root yield, sugars, lipids and titratable acidity, it increased phenolic compounds, betalains and the antioxidant capacity of beets. SNP reversed the negative effects of drought on sugar, lipid and organic acid contents and increased antioxidant capacity independent of stress. CONCLUSION: Pre-harvest SNP treatment reversed drought-induced yield reductions in beets, while boosting bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity. It also enhanced vitamin C content independently, indicating its dual role in stress mitigation and beet quality improvement. Future research should explore other crops and stress conditions. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Visible Light in the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris.

Acne vulgaris, a prevalent dermatological disorder, frequently affects individuals' self-perception and general psychosocial functioning. The growing demand for home-based light therapy devices prompted a systematic review to assess the efficacy of visible light in acne treatment. Overall, 35 studies were included, representing 1185 cases of acne vulgaris (mean age: 23.7 years; sex: 63% female). A total of 69% of the included studies were level 2 evidence. Overall, 92% of patients achieved partial remission of their acne lesions using visible light therapy. Among the patients who experienced a partial remission of their acne, 46% experienced a reduction of 0% to 50% in their acne lesions, while 33% and 12% experienced reductions of 51% to 74% and 75% to 99%, respectively. Notably, blue light emerged as the predominant treatment modality in this context, used in around 64% of the cases. A total of 95% of the patients who were treated with blue light experienced a partial clearance of acne lesions; 44% experienced a reduction of 0% to 50% in their acne lesions, while 42% and 9% experienced reductions of 51% to 74% and 75% to 99%, respectively. Overall, the average total lesion count improved by 43% at week 4 compared to the baseline. The average number of treatment sessions was 22 (range 1-112 sessions). On average, treated patients responded within a period of 4 weeks. Commonly reported side effects included skin irritation and erythema. This review highlights the potential of visible light therapy in acne treatment. Head-to-head studies are needed to compare the efficacy of visible light compared to existing therapies for the treatment of acne.

Genome-wide analysis of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) laccase gene family and its functions in response to abiotic stress.

BACKGROUND: Laccase (LAC) gene family plays a pivotal role in plant lignin biosynthesis and adaptation to various stresses. Limited research has been conducted on laccase genes in common beans. RESULTS: 29 LAC gene family members were identified within the common bean genome, distributed unevenly in 9 chromosomes. These members were divided into 6 distinct subclades by phylogenetic analysis. Further phylogenetic analyses and synteny analyses indicated that considerable gene duplication and loss presented throughout the evolution of the laccase gene family. Purified selection was shown to be the major evolutionary force through Ka / Ks. Transcriptional changes of PvLAC genes under low temperature and salt stress were observed, emphasizing the regulatory function of these genes in such conditions. Regulation by abscisic acid and gibberellins appears to be the case for PvLAC3, PvLAC4, PvLAC7, PvLAC13, PvLAC14, PvLAC18, PvLAC23, and PvLAC26, as indicated by hormone induction experiments. Additionally, the regulation of PvLAC3, PvLAC4, PvLAC7, and PvLAC14 in response to nicosulfuron and low-temperature stress were identified by virus-induced gene silence, which demonstrated inhibition on growth and development in common beans. CONCLUSIONS: The research provides valuable genetic resources for improving the resistance of common beans to abiotic stresses and enhance the understanding of the functional roles of the LAC gene family.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of acne vulgaris, rosacea, and hidradenitis suppurativa supports high-dose dietary zinc as a therapeutic agent.

Acne vulgaris, rosacea, and hidradenitis suppurativa are enduring inflammatory skin conditions that frequently manifest with akin clinical attributes, posing a considerable challenge for their distinctive diagnosis. While these conditions do exhibit certain resemblances, they also demonstrate distinct underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and treatment modalities. Delving into both the molecular parallels and disparities among these three disorders can yield invaluable insights for refined diagnostics, effective management, and targeted therapeutic interventions. In this report, we present a comparative analysis of transcriptomic data across these three diseases, elucidating differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways specific to each ailment, as well as those shared among them. Specifically, we identified multiple zinc-binding proteins (SERPINA1, S100A7, S100A8, S100A9 and KRT16) as consistently highly upregulated genes across all three diseases. Our hypothesis suggests that these proteins could bind and sequester zinc, potentially leading to localized zinc deficiency and heightened inflammation. We identified high-dose dietary zinc as a promising therapeutic approach and confirmed its effectiveness through validation in an acne mouse model.

Differential Gene Expression in Contrasting Common Bean Cultivars for Drought Tolerance during an Extended Dry Period.

Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), besides being an important source of nutrients such as iron, magnesium, and protein, are crucial for food security, especially in developing countries. Common bean cultivation areas commonly face production challenges due to drought occurrences, mainly during the reproductive period. Dry spells last approximately 20 days, enough time to compromise production. Hence, it is crucial to understand the genetic and molecular mechanisms that confer drought tolerance to improve common bean cultivars' adaptation to drought. Sixty six RNASeq libraries, generated from tolerant and sensitive cultivars in drought time sourced from the R5 phenological stage at 0 to 20 days of water deficit were sequenced, generated over 1.5 billion reads, that aligned to 62,524 transcripts originating from a reference transcriptome, as well as 6673 transcripts obtained via de novo assembly. Differentially expressed transcripts were functionally annotated, revealing a variety of genes associated with molecular functions such as oxidoreductase and transferase activity, as well as biological processes related to stress response and signaling. The presence of regulatory genes involved in signaling cascades and transcriptional control was also highlighted, for example, LEA proteins and dehydrins associated with dehydration protection, and transcription factors such as WRKY, MYB, and NAC, which modulate plant response to water deficit. Additionally, genes related to membrane and protein protection, as well as water and ion uptake and transport, were identified, including aquaporins, RING-type E3 ubiquitin transferases, antioxidant enzymes such as GSTs and CYPs, and thioredoxins. This study highlights the complexity of plant response to water scarcity, focusing on the functional diversity of the genes involved and their participation in the biological processes essential for plant adaptation to water stress. The identification of regulatory and cell protection genes offers promising prospects for genetic improvement aiming at the production of common bean varieties more resistant to drought. These findings have the potential to drive sustainable agriculture, providing valuable insights to ensure food security in a context of climate change.

Desulfovibrio vulgaris caused gut inflammation and aggravated DSS-induced colitis in C57BL/6 mice model.

BACKGROUND: Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is a potential pathogen usually detected in patients with gastrointestinal diseases. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a metabolic byproduct of SRB, was considered the main causative agent that disrupted the morphology and function of gut epithelial cells. Associated study also showed that flagellin from Desulfovibrio vulgaris (DVF), the representative bacterium of the Desulfovibrio genus, could exacerbate colitis due to the interaction of DVF and LRRC19, leading to the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, we still have limited understanding about the change of gut microbiota (GM) composition caused by overgrowth of SRB and its exacerbating effects on colitis. RESULTS: In this study, we transplanted D. vulgaris into the mice treated with or without DSS, and set a one-week recovery period to investigate the impact of D. vulgaris on the mice model. The outcomes showed that transplanted D. vulgaris into the normal mice could cause the gut inflammation, disrupt gut barrier and reduce the level of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Moreover, D. vulgaris also significantly augmented DSS-induced colitis by exacerbating the damage of gut barrier and the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, for instance, IL-1ß, iNOS, and TNF-α. Furthermore, results also showed that D. vulgaris could markedly change GM composition, especially decrease the relative abundance of SCFAs-producing bacteria. Additionally, D. vulgaris significantly stimulated the growth of Akkermansia muciniphila probably via its metabolic byproduct, H2S, in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, this study indicated that transplantation of D. vulgaris could cause gut inflammation and aggravate the colitis induced by DSS.

Association between genetically proxied PPARG activation and psoriasis vulgaris: a Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a common autoimmune disease in clinical practice, and previous observational studies have suggested that PPARG agonists such as Pioglitazone may be potential therapeutic agents. However, due to interference from various confounding factors, different observational studies have not reached a unified conclusion. We aim to evaluate the potential use of PPARG agonists for treating psoriasis from a new perspective through drug-targeted Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study includes data on 8,876 individuals for acute myocardial infarction from GWAS, and LDL cholesterol data from 343,621 Europeans. FinnGen contributed psoriasis vulgaris data for 403,972 individuals. The DrugBank10 databases function to identify genes encoding protein products targeted by active constituents of lipid-modifying targets. A two-sample MR analysis and summary-data-based MR (SMR) analysis estimated the associations between expressions of drug target genes and symptoms of psoriasis vulgaris. A multivariable MR study was further conducted to examine if the observed association was direct association. RESULTS: SMR analysis revealed that enhanced PPARG gene expression in the blood (equivalent to a one standard deviation increase) was a protective factor for psoriasis vulgaris (beta = -0.2017, se = 0.0723, p = 0.0053). Besides, there exists an MR association between LDL mediated by PPARG and psoriasis vulgaris outcomes (beta = -3.9169, se = 0.5676, p = 5.17E-12). These results indicate that PPARG is a therapeutic target for psoriasis, suggesting that psoriasis may be a potential indication for PPARG agonists. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that therapeutic activation of PPARG helps suppress the development of psoriasis. Psoriasis may be a new indication for PPARG agonists, such as Pioglitazone. In the future, new anti-psoriatic drugs could be developed targeting PPARG.

Utility of C4d Immunohistochemistry in the Diagnosis of Esophageal Pemphigus Vulgaris.

Aims. To assess the utility of C4d immunohistochemistry for esophageal pemphigus vulgaris. Methods and results. We searched for patients with a history of esophageal pemphigus vulgaris who had esophageal biopsies for routine hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. A total of 8 biopsies from 7 patients were available. We also identified 18 non-pemphigus esophageal biopsies for controls. C4d immunohistochemistry was performed on each biopsy. Five of 6 (83%) biopsies with classic pemphigus vulgaris histologic findings were positive for intercellular staining at the basal layer. The negative biopsy was in a patient that had recently received high-dose corticosteroid treatment for a flare. Two biopsies with atypical histologic features for pemphigus vulgaris had negative C4d staining but positive direct immunofluorescence (DIF) studies. Various nonspecific C4d staining patterns were observed in the controls, but none showed the intercellular staining pattern that was observed in pemphigus vulgaris. Conclusions. Suprabasal clefting with acantholysis and "tombstone effect" are described histologic features of pemphigus vulgaris on H&E. However, procedural artifact may mimic these findings. Currently, the gold standard for pemphigus vulgaris is DIF, which is not always available because it cannot routinely be performed on formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue. Our study shows that C4d immunohistochemistry may be a useful adjunct in evaluating esophageal pemphigus vulgaris.

Mechanisms of pollen wall development in Lysimachia vulgaris.

Exine, this complex sporopollenin-containing and highly variable among taxa envelope of the male gametophyte, consists of two layers, ectexine and endexine. We traced in detail the pollen wall development in Lysimachia vulgaris (Primulaceae), with emphasis on driving forces and critical ontogenetic time. By observation on the sequence of the emergent patterns and by analysis of their substructure with TEM, we intended to clarify the obvious and not-obvious ways of exine construction and to find out the common features in pattern development in other representatives in living nature. The ectexine and endexine ontogeny follows the main stages observed in many other species: first, the appearance of microspore plasma membrane invaginations with isotropic contents within, changed later to anisotropic state; then successive appearance of spherical, rod-like, and lamellate units in the periplasmic space. The lamellate endexine appears unusually early in the exine development. All these elements and their aggregations are manifestation of well-known physical phenomena: phase separation and micellar self-assembly. A consideration of similar surface patterns in very remote taxa suggests the participation in their development of some general nature phenomena as the lows of space-filling operations.

Evaluation of Depression, Self-esteem, Anxiety, and Dermatological Quality of Life Index in Adolescent Acne Patients: A Case-Control Study.

Objectives: Acne vulgaris is a common skin condition that affects adolescents and can have a significant impact on their mental health. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the depression and anxiety symptoms, self-esteem and dermatological quality of life indexes of adolescent patients with acne vulgaris. Methods: A total of 160 patients aged between 10 and 19 years with acne vulgaris and 100 healthy controls were included in the study. All participants completed the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS), Beck Adolescent Anxiety Scale (BAAS), and Coopersmith Self-Esteem Survey Scale (CSES), alone and independently. The dermatologists evaluated the acne disease severity of the study group using the Global Acne Grading System, while the Children's Dermatological Quality of Life Index (CDLQI) was evaluated in the same group. Age, gender, and scale results of all participants were recorded on case report forms for further analysis. Results: The study group had significantly higher RADS (27.5% vs 12.5%, p=0.003) and BAAS scores (80% vs 64%, p=0.001) than the control group. The percentage of patients with CSES scores below 20 in the study group was significantly higher than the control group (p=0.001). Higher RADS and BAAS scores were associated with higher CDLQI scores (p=0.001, p=0.001, respectively), while higher CSES scores were associated with lower CDLQI scores (p=0.001). Conclusion: The study shows that acne vulgaris has a significant impact on the depression, anxiety, and self-esteem levels of adolescent patients. Dermatologists should pay attention to the psychological well-being of patients and provide psychiatric evaluation if necessary.

Microbial and physicochemical changes in green bell peppers treated with ultrasonic-assisted washing in combination with Thymus vulgaris essential oil nanocapsules.

In this study, the effect of Thymus vulgaris essential oil (TVO) nanoemulsion (NE, 500 mg/L) in combination with ultrasound (ultrasound-NE) on the microbial and physiological quality of green bell pepper was investigated. The TVO-NE droplet size and zeta potential were 84.26 nm and - 0.77 mV, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of the TVO and TVO-NE against E. coli and S. aureus were about 0.07 and 7 g/L, respectively. The NE-ultrasound treatment exhibited the lowest peroxidase activity and respiration rate with no detrimental effect on texture, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, pH, and TSS. Although the NE-ultrasound treatment showed the highest weight loss and electrolytic leakage, it exhibited the best visual color and appearance. The NE-ultrasound treatment descended the total viable/mold and yeast counts significantly compared to control. Results showed that treating the bell peppers with NE-ultrasound can result in bell peppers with good postharvest quality and extended shelf life.

Immunostimulatory effects of Toll-like receptor ligands as adjuvants in establishing a novel mouse model for pemphigus vulgaris.

BACKGROUND: The meticulous selection of appropriate vaccine adjuvants is crucial for optimizing immune responses. Traditionally, pemphigus vulgaris (PV), an autoimmune disorder, has been modelled using complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). In this study, we aimed to discern potential variations in immune responses elicited by Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands as compared to CFA. METHODS: A comprehensive investigation was conducted, comparing the effects of these adjuvants in conjunction with ovalbumin or desmoglein-3. Flow cytometry was employed to analyse distinct cell subsets, while enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay quantified antigen-specific antibodies and cytokine levels. Histological examination of harvested skin tissues and transcriptome analysis of skin lesions were performed to identify differentially expressed genes. RESULTS: TLR ligands demonstrated efficacy in inducing PV-like symptoms in wild-type mice, in contrast to CFA. This underscored the substantial impact of the adjuvant on self-antigen tolerance. Furthermore, we proposed an enhanced method for establishing a PV model through adoptive transfer, substituting CFA with TLR ligands. Our results revealed that in contrast to the perception that CFA being the most potent immunopotentiator reported, CFA promoted regulatory T cells (Treg), follicular regulatory T cells and IL-10-producing neutrophils, whereas TLR ligands downregulated CCL17 and IL-10. This suggested potential implications for the recruitment and activation of Treg subsets. While B cell and CD8+ T cell responses exhibited similarity, CFA induced less activation in dendritic cell subsets. A novel mouse model of PV and systemic comparison of immunostimulatory effects of adjuvants were provided by this study. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic comparison of CFA and TLR ligands shed light on the distinctive properties of these adjuvants, presenting innovative mouse models for the investigation of pemphigus. This study significantly contributes to adjuvant research and advances our understanding of PV pathogenesis. KEY POINTS/HIGHLIGHTS: Immunization with desmoglein 3 and Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands effectively induces pemphigus symptoms in wild-type mice, whereas complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) fails. TLR ligands heightened the autoreactivity of donor cells in the adoptive transfer pemphigus model. CFA promoted regulatory T cells and IL-10-producing neutrophils, whereas TLR ligands downregulated CCL17 and IL-10, leading to more effective immune responses.

Hot water mobilizes the metabolism of energy, soluble sugar, cell wall, and phenolics to cope with chilling injury in postharvest snap beans.

BACKGROUND: Snap beans (Phaseoulus vulgaris L.) are very sensitive to low temperature during postharvest storage. Pitting, rusting, and water-soaked patches are typical chilling injury (CI) symptoms of snap beans. The appearance of these symptoms reduces the storage quality of snap beans. The energy, soluble carbohydrates, cell wall, and phenolic metabolisms of refrigerated snap beans and their relationship to CI treated with 35 °C hot water (HW) were investigated. RESULTS: HW treatment reduced CI index and electrolyte leakage and increased the contents of soluble solids, titratable acidity, and chlorophyll. HW treatment maintained higher activities of proton ATPase, calcium ATPase, and cytochrome c oxidase, which resulted in the accumulation of more adenosine triphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, and energy charge. The accumulation of soluble sugar induced by HW treatment was correlated with the stimulation of sucrose phosphate synthase and sucrose synthase. The prevention effect of HW treatment on the degradation of cell wall components was related to the inhibition of pectin methylesterase and cellulase. HW-induced phenol accumulation is associated with an increase in shikimate dehydrogenase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, cinnamate-4-hydroxylase, and 4-coumarine-coenzyme A ligase, as well as a decrease in polyphenol oxidase. CONCLUSION: The alleviating effect of HW on CI is due to its regulation of energy, soluble sugar, cell wall, and phenolic metabolism. Therefore, HW treatment may be an effective means to reduce CI of snap beans. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Egg white hydrolysate peptides act as antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents for acne.

A simple method to generate antibacterial peptides by alkaline hydrolysis of hen egg whites is reported. The method reproducibly generates short peptides with molecular weight of less than 14.4 kDa that exhibit low to no cytotoxicity on RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, but do inhibit the bacterial growth of Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and antibiotic-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), while also reducing nitric oxide production from heat-killed C. acnes-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Peptidomics revealed at least thirty peptides within the complex mixture, of which eight were evaluated individually. Three peptides (PK8, EE9 and RP8) were potent anti-inflammation and antibacterial agents, but notably the complex egg white hydrolysate (EWH) was more effective than the individual peptides. Electron microscopy suggests the antibacterial mechanism of both the hydrolysate and the selected peptides is through disruption of the cell membrane of C. acnes. These findings suggest that EWH and EWH-derived peptides are promising candidates for infection and inflammation treatment, particularly in managing acne and combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria like MRSA.

A Successful Switch From Ustekinumab to an Extended Dosing Interval of Guselkumab Without Induction in a Patient With Psoriasis Vulgaris.

Psoriasis vulgaris, also known as plaque-type psoriasis, is the most common form of psoriasis. It is characterized by erythematous plaques covered with scales. Among the available treatments, the fully human monoclonal antibodies ustekinumab (UST) and guselkumab (GUS) have low immunogenicity. Additionally, GUS has not been found to have a significant risk of inducing the development of clinically relevant neutralizing antibodies. Therefore, we sometimes consider switching to GUS when UST is insufficiently effective. However, switching to another biological agent usually requires an induction phase, potentially incurring additional costs. We herein present the first case of a successful transition from UST 90 mg to an extended dosing interval of GUS without an induction phase. This approach may be a viable and cost-saving option, especially for patients with relatively low disease activity.

Inflammatory Back Pain and Psoriasis: Expecting Spondyloarthritis, Discovering Lymphoma.

Inflammatory back pain is a characteristic of spondyloarthritis. It is not, however, an exclusive symptom of inflammatory rheumatic diseases as it can also be associated with non-inflammatory entities. Infrequently, the etiology can be found in neoplastic conditions such as malignant lymphoma. Even in the presence of comorbidities indicatory of underlying rheumatic disease, like psoriasis vulgaris, the clinician should not be led astray. It is essential to pay attention to contradictory findings, as treatment crucially differs depending on diagnosis. Herein, we report on a psoriasis patient who presented with characteristic inflammatory back pain and deceptive imaging results. While the patient was initially thought to suffer from an inflammatory rheumatic disease with axial involvement, it was the accompanying atypical circumstances, particularly her age, that instantly challenged the diagnosis of axial psoriatic arthritis. She was eventually diagnosed with stage IV follicular lymphoma that manifested with rare and exclusively extranodal lesions and spondyloarthritis-like morphology. This case effectively demonstrates the importance of a thorough diagnostic workup and how certain clinical factors, such as the patient's age, should be considered when confronted with inflammatory back pain.

A study on the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of the Artemisia vulgaris L. extract and its fractions.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Vietnamese people use mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L.) to treat arthritis and gout. Our previous research shows that mugwort contains flavonoids, and its extract possesses antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. However, no publications have been on the xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of mugwort and acute anti-inflammatory activity in vivo. AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to verify the antioxidant, xanthine oxidase inhibitory, and anti-inflammatory capabilities of mugwort extract in vitro and in vivo, isolate phyto-compounds from potential bioactive fractions, and then evaluate their potential in inhibiting xanthine oxidase. METHODS: According to established methods, the extract and the active flavonoids were obtained using different chromatographic techniques. DPPH, ABTS, reducing power, and H2O2 elimination were used to evaluate antioxidant activity. The model of LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells was used to measure the inhibition of NO production. The carrageenan-induced paw oedema model was used to assess acute inflammation in mice. In vitro, xanthine oxidase inhibition assay was applied to investigate the effects of extract/compounds on uric acid production. Chemical structures were identified by spectral analysis. RESULTS: The assessment of the acute inflammatory model in mice revealed that both the 96% ethanol and the 50% ethanol extracts significantly decreased oedema in the mice's feet following carrageenan-induced inflammation. 96% ethanol extract exhibited a better reduction in oedema at the low dose. The analysis revealed that the ethyl acetate fraction had the highest levels of total polyphenols and flavonoids. Additionally, this fraction demonstrated significant antioxidant activity in various assays, such as DPPH, ABTS, reducing power, and H2O2 removal. Furthermore, it displayed the most potent inhibition of xanthine oxidase, an anti-inflammatory activity. Five phytochemicals were isolated and determined from the active fraction such as luteolin (1), rutin (2), apigenin (3), myricetin (4), and quercetin (5). Except for rutin, the other compounds demonstrated the ability to inhibit effective xanthine oxidase compared to standard (allopurinol). Moreover, quercetin (5) inhibited NO production (IC50 21.87 µM). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that extracts from A. vulgaris effectively suppressed the activity of xanthine oxidase and exhibited antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, potentially leading to a reduction in the production of uric acid in the body and eliminating ROS. The study identified mugwort extract and bioactive compounds derived from Artemisia vulgaris, specifically luteolin, apigenin, and quercetin, as promising xanthine oxidase inhibitors. These findings suggest that further development of these compounds is warranted. At the same time, the above results also strengthen the use of mugwort to treat gout disease in Vietnam.

A Case of an Autoimmune Blistering Disease: Pemphigus Vulgaris.

Pemphigus vulgaris is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by the formation of intraepithelial blisters that clinically appear as erosions and flaccid bullae on the skin and mucus membranes. Herein, we report a case of pemphigus vulgaris in an elderly male. He was initially misdiagnosed by his primary care provider and given topical lidocaine and acetaminophen with hydrocodone, without improvement in symptoms. This delay in treatment caused a worsening of his condition. The patient presented to our dermatology office two months after his primary care visit and reported worsening blisters and pain. Clinically he presented with flaccid bullae, crusted erosions, and erythematous plaques on the chest, back, abdomen, arms, and legs, and a tender oral ulcer. Two punch biopsies were obtained and sent for direct immunofluorescence and routine histology. The biopsy results confirmed the diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris. Our patient achieved clearance after four weeks of oral prednisone and maintained clearance after a slow prednisone taper and the addition of mycophenolate mofetil 1g twice daily. We aim to bring awareness of the clinical presentation and treatment regimen of pemphigus vulgaris to prevent misdiagnosis and delayed care.

Investigating Propionibacterium acnes antibiotic susceptibility and response to bacteriophage in vitro and in vivo.

Introduction: A total of 94 Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) isolates were obtained from a hospital in Beijing to evaluate their susceptibility to erythromycin, clarithromycin, doxycycline, and minocycline. As well as the determination of the effectiveness of P. acnes phages in vitro and in P. acnes-induced lesions mouse model. Methods: Patients with acne vulgaris (AV) were enrolled from August 2021 to October 2022. Standard methods were employed for specimen collection, culture, and identification of P. acnes. Susceptibility testing was conducted using E-strips for erythromycin, clarithromycin, minocycline, and doxycycline. Phage culture and identification followed standard procedures. A mouse model with P. acnes-induced skin lesions was established, and data was analyzed using χ 2 test. Results: The results showed that all isolates were susceptible to minocycline and doxycycline, while 53 (56.4%) and 52 (55.3%) isolates were susceptible to erythromycin and clarithromycin, respectively. Interestingly, younger patients and those with lower acne severity exhibited reduced resistance. Phage cleavage rates ranged from 88.30 to 93.60%. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis was conducted on eight randomly selected P. acnes isolates, and the IA-2 subtype was used in experiments to address P. acnes-induced lesions in mice. Phage therapy proved effective in this model. Discussion: This study highlights the high susceptibility of P. acnes to doxycycline and tetracycline, while erythromycin and clarithromycin exhibited elevated resistance. Additionally, P. acnes phages demonstrated high cleavage rates and potential effectiveness in treating P. acnes-induced lesions. These findings suggest promising avenues for further exploration of phage therapy in acne treatment.

Engineered Chlorella vulgaris improves bioethanol production and promises prebiotic application.

Microalgal biomass for biofuel production, integration into functional food, and feed supplementation has generated substantial interest worldwide due to its high growth rate, non-competitiveness for agronomic land, ease of cultivation in containments, and presence of several bioactive molecules. In this study, genetic engineering tools were employed to develop transgenic lines of freshwater microalga Chlorella vulgaris with a higher starch content, by up-regulating ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), which is a rate-limiting enzyme in starch biosynthesis. Expression of the Escherichia coli glgC (AGPase homolog) gene in C. vulgaris led to an increase in total carbohydrate content up to 45.1% (dry cell weight, DCW) in the transgenic line as compared to 34.2% (DCW) in the untransformed control. The starch content improved up to 16% (DCW) in the transgenic alga compared to 10% (DCW) in the control. However, the content of total lipid, carotenoid, and chlorophyll decreased differentially in the transgenic lines. The carbohydrate-rich biomass from the transgenic algal line was used to produce bioethanol via yeast fermentation, which resulted in a higher ethanol yield of 82.82 mg/L as compared to 54.41 mg/L from the untransformed control. The in vitro digestibility of the transgenic algal starch revealed a resistant starch content of up to 7% of total starch. Faster growth of four probiotic bacterial species along with a lowering of the pH of the growth medium indicated transgenic alga to exert a positive prebiotic effect. Taken together, the study documents the utilization of genetically engineered C. vulgaris with enriched carbohydrates as bioethanol feedstock and functional food ingredients.