Current research status of tumor cell biomarker detection.

With the annual increases in the morbidity and mortality rates of tumors, the use of biomarkers for early diagnosis and real-time monitoring of tumor cells is of great importance. Biomarkers used for tumor cell detection in body fluids include circulating tumor cells, nucleic acids, protein markers, and extracellular vesicles. Among them, circulating tumor cells, circulating tumor DNA, and exosomes have high potential for the prediction, diagnosis, and prognosis of tumor diseases due to the large amount of valuable information on tumor characteristics and evolution; in addition, in situ monitoring of telomerase and miRNA in living cells has been the topic of extensive research to understand tumor development in real time. Various techniques, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, immunoblotting, and mass spectrometry, have been widely used for the detection of these markers. Among them, the detection of tumor cell markers in body fluids based on electrochemical biosensors and fluorescence signal analysis is highly preferred because of its high sensitivity, rapid detection and portable operation. Herein, we summarize recent research progress in the detection of tumor cell biomarkers in body fluids using electrochemical and fluorescence biosensors, outline the current research status of in situ fluorescence monitoring and the analysis of tumor markers in living cells, and discuss the technical challenges for their practical clinical application to provide a reference for the development of new tumor marker detection methods.

Inflammatory factors are crucial for the pathogenesis of post-traumatic osteoarthritis confirmed by a novel porcine model: "Idealized" anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction" and gait analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether idealized anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (IACL-R) restores normal gait features, and whether inflammatory factors are involved in the pathogenesisof post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). METHODS: Fourteen mature female minipigs were allocated to a sham group (n = 7) or an IACL-R group (n = 7). Load asymmetry during gait was recorded using a pressure-sensing walkway measurement system to evaluate the gait features of the right knee joint before and after surgery. Inflammatory factors (including interleukin [IL]-1α, IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, tumor necrosis factor-α, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) in synovial fluid were measured using Luminex assays before and after surgery. Cartilage integrity and the subchondral bone plate of the right knee were evaluated using histology and imaging at 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Swing time and stance time returned to their preoperative values on day 31, while maximum force, contact area, peak force ,and impulse returned to their preoperative values on day 45 after the surgery in the IACL-R group (P = 0.073, 0.053, 0.107, 0.052, 0.152, and 0.059, respectively).Thus, IACL-R restored normal gait. Compared with their preoperative concentrations, all tested inflammatory factors showed significantly increased concentrations in the synovial fluid in the IACL-R group, especially at 3, 7, and 15 days postoperatively. X-ray, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and histological data showed severe cartilage damage in the IACL-R model. CONCLUSION: IACL-R restored normal gait features but caused significant cartilage damage, indicating that significantly elevated inflammatory factors maybe crucial for the pathogenesis of PTOA.

Single-step synthesis of layered double hydroxides ultrathin nanosheets.

A novel single-step approach was developed to prepare large-scale MgAl-LDHs ultrathin nanosheets. The key point of the successful realization was that we employed a high concentration of H(2)O(2). Oxygen molecules, derived from in situ decomposition of H(2)O(2), were speculated to be the decisive factor leading to complete separation of LDHs layers. The ultrathin nanosheets were characterized by XRD, TEM, AFM, FT-IR, and TG-DSC. The results indicated that the thickness of these nanosheets was about 1.44 nm, which was almost in perfect agreement with the theoretical thickness of two LDHs layers. From the TG-DSC curves, the weight loss of these exfoliated MgAl-LDHs ultrathin nanosheets at 500°C was 18.5%, which was much smaller compared to the 32.3% weight loss of unexfoliated MgAl-LDHs.