An interpretable machine learning model for predicting 28-day mortality in patients with sepsis-associated liver injury.

Sepsis-Associated Liver Injury (SALI) is an independent risk factor for death from sepsis. The aim of this study was to develop an interpretable machine learning model for early prediction of 28-day mortality in patients with SALI. Data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC-IV, v2.2, MIMIC-III, v1.4) were used in this study. The study cohort from MIMIC-IV was randomized to the training set (0.7) and the internal validation set (0.3), with MIMIC-III (2001 to 2008) as external validation. The features with more than 20% missing values were deleted and the remaining features were multiple interpolated. Lasso-CV that lasso linear model with iterative fitting along a regularization path in which the best model is selected by cross-validation was used to select important features for model development. Eight machine learning models including Random Forest (RF), Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, Extreme Gradient Boost (XGBoost), K Nearest Neighbor, Support Vector Machine, Generalized Linear Models in which the best model is selected by cross-validation (CV_glmnet), and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) were developed. Shapley additive interpretation (SHAP) was used to improve the interpretability of the optimal model. At last, a total of 1043 patients were included, of whom 710 were from MIMIC-IV and 333 from MIMIC-III. Twenty-four clinically relevant parameters were selected for model construction. For the prediction of 28-day mortality of SALI in the internal validation set, the area under the curve (AUC (95% CI)) of RF was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.73-0.86), and which performed the best. Compared with the traditional disease severity scores including Oxford Acute Severity of Illness Score (OASIS), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II), Logistic Organ Dysfunction Score (LODS), Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS), and Acute Physiology Score III (APS III), RF also had the best performance. SHAP analysis found that Urine output, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), minimal Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS_min), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and admission_age were the five most important features affecting RF model. Therefore, RF has good predictive ability for 28-day mortality prediction in SALI. Urine output, CCI, GCS_min, BUN and age at admission(admission_age) within 24 h after intensive care unit(ICU) admission contribute significantly to model prediction.

Efficiency of Protective Interventions on Irinotecan-Induced Diarrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Irinotecan is widely used in the treatment of various solid tumors, but the adverse effects from it, especially diarrhea, limit its use. Several clinical trials of prophylactic treatment of irinotecan-induced diarrhea (IID) have been ongoing, and some of the data are controversial. This encouraged us to conduct a meta-analysis of the effects of interventions on preventing IID. METHOD: This systematic review was conducted based on the PRISMA statement. We performed literature searches from PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library. The number registered in PROSPERO is CRD42022368633. After searching 1034 articles in the database and references, 8 studies were included in this meta-analysis. RESULT: The RR of high-grade diarrhea and all-grade diarrhea were 0.31 (I2 = 51%, 95% CI: 0.14-0.69; P = .004) and .76 (I2 = 65%, 95% CI: 0.62-0.93; P < .008) respectively, thus the use of intervention measures for preventing IID is effective, and the risk reduction of high-grade diarrhea was more significant. Subgroup analysis revealed that the monotherapy group (RR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.21-1.13, I2 = 0%) and combination therapy group (RR: 0.14, 95% CI: 0.06-0.32, I2 = 0%) in the risk of high-grade diarrhea had no significant heterogeneity within the groups, and traditional herbal medicines (Kampo medicine Hangeshashin-to, PHY906 and hot ironing with Moxa Salt Packet on Tianshu and Shangjuxu) were effective preventive measures (RR:0.20, 95% CI: 0.07-0.60, I2 = 0%). The Jadad scores for traditional herbal medicines studies were 3, and the follow-up duration was only 2 to 6 weeks. CONCLUSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that preventive treatments significantly reduced the risk of high-grade and all-grade diarrhea, confirming the efficacy in the incidence and severity of IID, among which traditional herbal medicines (baicalin-containing) provided a protective effect in reducing the severity of IID. However, the traditional herbal medicines studies were of low quality. Combined irinotecan therapy can obtain better preventive effects than monotherapy of IID. These would be helpful for the prevention of IID in clinical practice.

Genome analysis of the mpox (formerly monkeypox) virus and characterization of core/variable regions.

Since smallpox was eradicated in 1980, the monkeypox virus (MPXV) has emerged as the most threatening orthopoxvirus in the world. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the currently published complete genome sequences of the monkeypox virus. The core/variable regions were identified through core-pan analysis of MPXV. Besides single-nucleotide polymorphisms, our study also revealed that specific genes, multi-copy genes, repeat sequences, and recombination fragments are primarily distributed in the variable region. This result suggests that variable regions are not only more susceptible to single-base mutations, but also to events such as gene loss or gain, as well as recombination. Taken together, our results demonstrate the genomic characteristics of the core/variable regions of MPXV, and contribute to our understanding of the evolution of MPXV.

Single-cell transcriptome sequencing reveals heterogeneity of gastric cancer: progress and prospects.

Gastric cancer is one of the most serious malignant tumor and threatens the health of people worldwide. Its heterogeneity leaves many clinical problems unsolved. To treat it effectively, we need to explore its heterogeneity. Single-cell transcriptome sequencing, or single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), reveals the complex biological composition and molecular characteristics of gastric cancer at the level of individual cells, which provides a new perspective for understanding the heterogeneity of gastric cancer. In this review, we first introduce the current procedure of scRNA-seq, and discuss the advantages and limitations of scRNA-seq. We then elaborate on the research carried out with scRNA-seq in gastric cancer in recent years, and describe how it reveals cell heterogeneity, the tumor microenvironment, oncogenesis and metastasis, as well as drug response in to gastric cancer, to facilitate early diagnosis, individualized therapy, and prognosis evaluation.

Pentagalloyl Glucose: A Review of Anticancer Properties, Molecular Targets, Mechanisms of Action, Pharmacokinetics, and Safety Profile.

Pentagalloyl glucose (PGG) is a natural hydrolyzable gallotannin abundant in various plants and herbs. It has a broad range of biological activities, specifically anticancer activities, and numerous molecular targets. Despite multiple studies available on the pharmacological action of PGG, the molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of PGG are unclear. Here, we have critically reviewed the natural sources of PGG, its anticancer properties, and underlying mechanisms of action. We found that multiple natural sources of PGG are available, and the existing production technology is sufficient to produce large quantities of the required product. Three plants (or their parts) with maximum PGG content were Rhus chinensis Mill, Bouea macrophylla seed, and Mangifera indica kernel. PGG acts on multiple molecular targets and signaling pathways associated with the hallmarks of cancer to inhibit growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis of several cancers. Moreover, PGG can enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy by modulating various cancer-associated pathways. Therefore, PGG can be used for treating different human cancers; nevertheless, the data on the pharmacokinetics and safety profile of PGG are limited, and further studies are essential to define the clinical use of PGG in cancer therapies.

Adaptable graphitic C6N6-based copper single-atom catalyst for intelligent biosensing.

Self-adaptability is highly envisioned for artificial devices such as robots with chemical noses. For this goal, seeking catalysts with multiple and modulable reaction pathways is promising but generally hampered by inconsistent reaction conditions and negative internal interferences. Herein, we report an adaptable graphitic C6N6-based copper single-atom catalyst. It drives the basic oxidation of peroxidase substrates by a bound copper-oxo pathway, and undertakes a second gain reaction triggered by light via a free hydroxyl radical pathway. Such multiformity of reactive oxygen-related intermediates for the same oxidation reaction makes the reaction conditions capable to be the same. Moreover, the unique topological structure of CuSAC6N6 along with the specialized donor-π-acceptor linker promotes intramolecular charge separation and migration, thus inhibiting negative interferences of the above two reaction pathways. As a result, a sound basic activity and a superb gain of up to 3.6 times under household lights are observed, superior to that of the controls, including peroxidase-like catalysts, photocatalysts, or their mixtures. CuSAC6N6 is further applied to a glucose biosensor, which can intelligently switch sensitivity and linear detection range in vitro.

Activation of xanthine oxidase by 1,4-naphthoquinones: A novel potential research topic for diet management and risk assessment.

Oral intake of 1,4-naphthoquinones could be a potential risk factor for hyperuricemia and gout via activation of xanthine oxidase (XO). Herein, 1,4-naphthoquinones derived from food and food-borne pollutants were selected to investigate the structure and activity relationship (SAR) and the relative mechanism for activating XO in liver S9 fractions from humans (HLS9) and rats (RLS9). The SAR analysis showed that introduction of electron-donating substituents on the benzene ring or electron-withdrawing substituents on the quinone ring improved the XO-activating effect of 1,4-naphthoquinones. Different activation potential and kinetics behaviors were observed for activating XO by 1,4-naphthoquinones in HLS9/RLS9. Molecular docking simulation and density functional theory calculations showed a good correlation between -LogEC50 and docking free energy or HOMO-LUMO energy gap. The risk of exposure to the 1,4-naphthoquinones was evaluated and discussed. Our findings are helpful to guide diet management in clinic and avoid adverse events attributable to exposure to food-derived 1,4-naphthoquinones.

A comparative investigation of catalytic mechanism and domain between catechol-O-methyltransferase isoforms by isomeric shikonin and alkannin.

The differences in catalytic mechanism and domain between the soluble (S-COMT) and membrane-bound catechol-O-methyltransferase (MB-COMT) are poorly documented due to the unavailable crystal structure of MB-COMT. Considering the enzymatic nature of S-COMT and MB-COMT, the challenge could be solvable by probing the interactions between the enzymes with the ligands with minor differences in structures. Herein, isomeric shikonin and alkannin bearing a R/S -OH group in side chain at the C2 position were used for domain profiling of COMTs. Human and rat liver-derived COMTs showed the differences in inhibitory response (human's IC50 and Ki values for S-COMT < rat's, 5.80-19.56 vs. 19.56-37.47 µM; human's IC50 and Ki values for MB-COMT > rat's) and mechanism (uncompetition vs. noncompetition) towards the two isomers. The inhibition of the two isomers against human and rat S-COMTs was stronger than those for MB-COMTs (S-COMT's IC50 and Ki values < MB-COMT's, 5.80-37.47 vs. 40.01-111.8 µM). Additionally, the inhibition response of alkannin was higher than those of shikonin in no matter human and rat COMTs. Molecular docking stimulation was used for analysis. The inhibitory effects observed in in vitro and in silico tests were confirmed in vivo. These findings would facilitate further COMT-associated basic and applied research.

Sanguinarine inhibits melanoma invasion and migration by targeting the FAK/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway.

CONTEXT: Sanguinarine (SAG) is the most abundant constituent of Macleaya cordata (Willd.) R. Br. (Popaceae). SAG has shown antimammary and colorectal metastatic effects in mice in vivo, suggesting its potential for cancer chemotherapy. OBJECTIVE: To determine the antimetastatic effect and underlying molecular mechanisms of SAG on melanoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CCK8 assay was used to determine the inhibition of SAG on the proliferation of A375 and A2058 cells. Network pharmacology analysis was applied to construct a compound-target network and select potential therapeutic targets of SAG against melanoma. Molecular docking simulation was conducted for further analysis of the selected targets. In vitro migration/invasion/western blot assay with 1, 1.5, 2 µM SAG and in vivo effect of 2, 4, 8 mg/kg SAG in xenotransplantation model in nude mice. RESULTS: The key targets of SAG treatment for melanoma were mainly enriched in PI3K-AKT pathway, and the binding energy of SAG to PI3K, AKT, and mTOR were -6.33, -6.31, and -6.07 kcal/mol, respectively. SAG treatment inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion ability of A375 and A2058 cells (p < 0.05) with IC50 values of 2.378 µM and 2.719 µM, respectively. It also decreased the phosphorylation levels of FAK, PI3K, AKT, mTOR and protein expression levels of MMP2 and ICAM-2. In the nude mouse xenograft model, 2, 4, 8 mg/kg SAG was shown to be effective in inhibiting tumour growth. CONCLUSIONS: Our research offered a theoretical foundation for the clinical antitumor properties of SAG, further suggesting its potential application in the clinic.

Adverse event profiles of adjuvant treatment with opicapone in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Opicapone, a novel third-generation catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitor, has demonstrated efficacy in Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients with end-of-dose motor fluctuations. Objective: This study aimed to compare the short-term (<6 months) and long-term (≥6 months) tolerability of opicapone adjuvant treatment in PD patients. Method: Electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane library were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. The end points included any treatment-related adverse events (TEAEs), serious TEAEs (SAEs) and treatment discontinuation. A random-effects model was used to generate overall incidences of TEAE. Results: Three RCTs, three RCT extension studies and three open-label studies involving 2177 PD patients were evaluated. In the short-term studies, there were reports of TEAEs with an incidence of ≥5% in individuals treated with opicapone 50 mg, including dyskinesia (14.1%), elevated blood creatine phosphokinase levels (8.0%) and urinary tract infection (6.0%). Any TEAEs, SAEs and treatment discontinuation all occurred at rates of 62.9%, 4.8% and 9.3%, respectively. TEAEs with opicapone 50 mg that were reported by more than 5% of patients in long-term studies included dyskinesia (16.1%), dry mouth (12.1%), medication effect decreased (12.1%), PD exacerbated (7.8%), blood creatine phosphokinase level raised (7.4%), nausea (6.1%) and insomnia (5.1%). The incidence of any TEAEs, SAEs and treatment discontinuation were, correspondingly, 73.2%, 8.7% and 8.4%. Conclusion: These studies demonstrated that opicapone was generally well-tolerated and had a low risk of adverse events, suggesting that it could be a valuable therapeutic choice for people with PD.

ANI analysis of poxvirus genomes reveals its potential application to viral species rank demarcation.

Average nucleotide identity (ANI) is a prominent approach for rapidly classifying archaea and bacteria by recruiting both whole genomic sequences and draft assemblies. To evaluate the feasibility of ANI in virus taxon demarcation, 685 poxviruses were assessed. Prior to the analysis, the fragment length and threshold of the ANI value were optimized as 200 bp and 98 per cent, respectively. After ANI analysis and network visualization, the resulting sixty-one species (ANI species rank) were clustered and largely consistent with the groupings found in National Center for Biotechnology Information Virus [within the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Master Species List]. The species identities of thirty-four other poxviruses (excluded by the ICTV Master Species List) were also identified. Subsequent phylogenetic analysis and Guanine-Cytosine (GC) content comparison done were found to support the ANI analysis. Finally, the BLAST identity of concatenated sequences from previously identified core genes showed 91.8 per cent congruence with ANI analysis at the species rank, thus showing potential as a marker gene for poxviruses classification. Collectively, our results reveal that the ANI analysis may serve as a novel and efficient method for poxviruses demarcation.

Polymeric carbon nitride-based materials: Rising stars in bioimaging.

Polymeric carbon nitrides (CN), due to their unique physicochemical properties, versatile surface functionalization, ultra-high surface area, and good biocompatibility, have attracted considerable interest in diverse biomedical applications, such as biosensors, drug delivery, bioimaging, and theranostics. In this review, the recent advances in bioimaging of CN-based nanomaterials are summarized according to the imaging modalities, including optical (fluorescence and Raman) imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), photoacoustic imaging (PAI), computed tomography (CT), and multimodal imaging. The pros and cons of CN bioimaging are comprehensively analyzed and compared with those in previous reports. In the end, the prospects and challenges of their future bioimaging applications are outlooked.

The Gut Microbiome and Sex Hormone-Related Diseases.

The role of the gut microbiome has been a hot topic in recent years. One aim of this review is to shed light on the crosstalk between sex hormones and the gut microbiome. Researchers have observed a sex bias of the composition of the gut microbiome in mice and have proved that sex differences influence the composition of the gut microbiome, although the influence is usually obscured by genetic variations. Via cell studies, animal studies and some observational studies in humans, researchers have confirmed that the gut microbiome can be shaped by the hormonal environment. On other hand, some theories suggest that the gut microbiota regulates the levels of sex hormones via interactions among its metabolites, the immune system, chronic inflammation and some nerve-endocrine axes, such as the gut-brain axis. In addition, bidirectional interactions between the microbiome and the hormonal system have also been observed, and the mechanisms of these interactions are being explored. We further describe the role of the gut microbiome in sex hormone-related diseases, such as ovarian cancer, postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP), polycystic ovary syndrome and type 1 diabetes. Among these diseases, PMOP is described in detail. Finally, we discuss the treatments of these diseases and the application prospects of microbial intervention.

Genomic analysis of Poxviridae and exploring qualified gene sequences for phylogenetics.

The members of the Poxviridae family are globally distributed all over the world and can cause infectious diseases. Although genome sequences are publicly available for representative isolates of all genera, studies on the criteria for genome-based classification within the Poxviridae family have rarely been reported. In our study, 60 Poxviridae genomes were re-annotated using Prokka. By using BLAST filtration and MCScanX, synteny and similarity of whole genomic amino acid sequences were visualized. According to the analysis pattern, the Chordopoxvirinae and Entomopoxvirinae subfamilies can be subdivided into five and two categories respectively, which is consistent with the phylogenetic tree constructed based on whole genomic amino acid sequences and Poxvirus core genes. Finally, four genes (Early transcription factor, DNA-directed RNA polymerase, RNA polymerase-associated transcription-specificity factor and DNA-dependent RNA polymerase) were selected from Poxvirus core genes by substitution saturation analysis and phylogenetic tree verification. Phylogenetic trees constructed based on single gene and concatenated sequences of the four selected genes showed that the classification of subgroups was consistent with the phylogenetic trees based on genome. Conclusion: a new method based on the similarity of whole genomic amino acid sequences was proposed for Poxviridae taxon demarcation, and the use of the four selected qualified genes will help make phylogenic identification of newly discovered Poxviridae isolates more convenient and accurate.

Barrett's Esophagus and Intestinal Metaplasia.

Intestinal metaplasia refers to the replacement of the differentiated and mature normal mucosal epithelium outside the intestinal tract by the intestinal epithelium. This paper briefly describes the etiology and clinical significance of intestinal metaplasia in Barrett's esophagus. This article summarizes the impact of intestinal metaplasia on the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of Barrett's esophagus according to different guidelines. We also briefly explore the basis for the endoscopic diagnosis of intestinal metaplasia in Barrett's esophagus. The identification techniques of goblet cells in Barrett's esophagus are also elucidated by some scholars. Additionally, we further elaborate on the current treatment methods related to Barrett's esophagus.

Plumbagin can potently enhance the activity of xanthine oxidase: in vitro, in vivo and in silico studies.

BACKGROUND: Abnormally elevated xanthine oxidase (XO) activity has been verified to cause various pathological processes, such as gout, oxidative stress injury and metabolic syndrome. Thus, XO activators may exhibit above potential toxicological properties. Plumbagin (PLB) is an important active compound in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), while its obvious toxic effects have been reported, including diarrhea, skin rashes and hepatic toxicity. However, the potential toxicity associated with enhancement of XO activity has not been fully illuminated so far. METHODS: The present study investigated the effect of PLB on XO activity by culturing mouse liver S9 (MLS9), human liver S9 (HLS9), XO monoenzyme system with PLB and xanthine. Then, the molecular docking and biolayer interferometry analysis were adopted to study the binding properties between PLB and XO. Finally, the in vivo acceleration effect also investigated by injected intraperitoneally PLB to KM mice for 3 days. RESULTS: PLB could obviously accelerate xanthine oxidation in the above three incubation systems. Both the Vmax values and intrinsic clearance values (CLint, Vmax/Km) of XO in the three incubation systems increased along with elevated PLB concentration. In addition, the molecular docking study and label-free biolayer interferometry assay displayed that PLB was well bound to XO. In addition, the in vivo results showed that PLB (2 and 10 mg/kg) significantly increased serum uric acid levels and enhanced serum XO activity in mice. CONCLUSION: In summary, this study outlines a potential source of toxicity for PLB due to the powerful enhancement of XO activity, which may provide the crucial reminding for the PLB-containing preparation development and clinical application.

Safety and Efficacy of Anticoagulation in Patients with Cirrhosis: A Meta-Analysis.

Background and Aims: Portal vein thrombosis is a serious adverse event that occurs during liver cirrhosis. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the safety and efficacy of anticoagulant therapy and prophylactic anticoagulant therapy in cirrhosis patients with (/without) portal vein thrombosis. Methods: Eligible comparative studies were identified by searching the following electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CNKI. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals using fixed-effects models. Recanalization and thrombus progression were defined as the primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included adverse events and death mortality. Results: A total of 3479 patients were included in this analysis. Compared with the control group, the recanalization rate in the anticoagulant therapy group was increased (P < 0.00001) in patients with cirrhosis and portal vein thrombosis without increasing adverse events. Multiple use of enoxaparin in small doses is safer than single large doses (P=0.004). Direct oral anticoagulants are more effective (P < 0.00001) and safer than traditional anticoagulants. Prophylactic anticoagulant therapy can effectively prevent portal vein thrombosis formation (P < 0.00001). Conclusions: Anticoagulation therapy can treat or prevent portal vein thrombosis in patients with liver cirrhosis and is a relatively safe treatment.

Long non­coding RNAs: Key regulators involved in metabolic reprogramming in cancer (Review).

Metabolism is defined as the biochemical processes that produce or consume energy in living organisms. Otto Warburg suggested that cancer is a metabolic disease, thus metabolic reprogramming is widely considered as an emerging hallmark of cancer cells. Long non­coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are defined as transcripts >200 nucleotides with limited protein coding potential, are involved in cancer metabolism. lncRNAs can control pathophysiological processes of cancer by regulating gene expression at epigenetic, transcriptional and post­transcriptional levels. The process of tumorigenesis is usually accompanied by alterations in metabolic patterns, involving glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, the pentose phosphate signaling pathway, glutamine metabolism and lipid metabolism, which is also known as metabolic reprogramming. The present review summarized the functions of lncRNAs in cancer metabolism and discussed how the dysregulation of lncRNAs contributed to metabolic reprogramming and tumorigenesis, which may provide novel therapeutic targets for cancer.

Design and applications of a novel fluorescent probe for detecting glutathione in biological samples.

This study aimed to develop a novel and practical fluorescent method for GSH detection in complex biological samples. To this end, a series of coumarin-based fluorescent probes was designed and synthesized using various aliphatic halogens as the sensing group. By using a new evaluation method of GSH/Cys/Hcy coexisting conditions, the probe with chloropropionate (CBF3) showed a high selectivity, excellent sensitivity, good stability for GSH detection. The reaction mechanism is proposed as nucleophilic substitution/cyclization and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), which was confirmed by LC-MS and NMR analysis, as well as density functional theory calculations. In addition, CBF3 was demonstrated to be competent not only for the quantitative detection of GSH in real serum samples, but also for sensing GSH changes in different oxidative stress models in living cells and nematodes. This study showed a practical strategy for constructing GSH-specific fluorescent probes, and provided a sensitive tool for real-time sensing of GSH in real biological samples. The findings would greatly facilitate further investigations on GSH-associated clinical diagnosis and biomedical studies.

A Water-Soluble Fluorescent Probe for the Selective Sensing of Ag+ and its Application in Imaging of Living Cells and Nematodes.

In this study, an imidazole-coumarin based fluorescent probe was developed for the selective and sensitive detection of Ag+ in aqueous solution. Using a combination of Job plot, NMR titrations, and DFT calculations, the binding properties between Ag+ and the probe were deeply investigated, and the results revealed a 1:1 binding stoichiometry between the probe and Ag+ with a binding constant of 1.02 × 106 M-1. The detection limit was found to be 150 nM, which satisfies the requirement for the quantitative detection of Ag+ in real water samples. Moreover, the new probe, Ic, was successfully applied to sense Ag+ in HeLa and HepG2 cells as well as in C. elegans, indicating that it could be a useful tool for the environmental monitoring of Ag+ pollution. These results demonstrated that Ic could serve as a high-efficiency and low-cost fluorescent probe for tracking Ag+ in an aquatic environment and biological organisms.