Highly sensitive SERS detection in a non-volatile liquid-phase system with nanocluster-patterned optical fiber SERS probes.

The use of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy for the detection of substances in non-volatile systems, such as edible oil and biological cells, is an important issue in the fields of food safety and biomedicine. However, traditional dry-state SERS detection with planar SERS substrates is not suitable for highly sensitive and rapid SERS detection in non-volatile liquid-phase systems. In this paper, we take contaminant in edible oil as an example and propose an in situ SERS detection method for non-volatile complex liquid-phase systems with high-performance optical fiber SERS probes. Au-nanorod clusters are successfully prepared on optical fiber facet by a laboratory-developed laser-induced dynamic dip-coating method, and relatively high detection sensitivity (LOD of 2.4 × 10-6 mol/L for Sudan red and 3.6 × 10-7 mol/L for thiram in sunflower oil) and good reproducibility (RSD less than 10%) are achieved with a portable Raman spectrometer and short spectral integration time of 10 s even in complex edible oil systems. Additionally, the recovery rate experiment indicates the reliability and capability of this method for quantitative detection applications. This work provides a new insight for highly sensitive and rapid SERS detection in non-volatile liquid-phase systems with optical fiber SERS probes and may find important practical applications in food safety and biomedicine.

Temperature-insensitive broadband optical parametric chirped pulse amplification based on a tilted noncollinear QPM design.

Ultrafast pulsed laser of high intensity and high repetition rate is the combined requisite for advancing strong-field physics experiments and calls for the development of thermal-stable ultrafast laser systems. Noncollinear phasing matching (PM) is an effective solution of optimizing the properties of optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) to achieve broadband amplification or to be temperature-insensitive. But as a cost, distinct noncollinear geometries have to be respectively satisfied. In this paper, a noncollinear quasi-phase-matching (QPM) scheme of both temperature- and wavelength-insensitive is presented. With the assistance of the design freedom of grating wave vector, the independent noncollinear-angle requirements can be simultaneously realized in a tilted QPM crystal, and the temperature-insensitive broadband amplification is achieved. Full-dimensional spatial-temporal simulations for a typical 1064 nm pumped mid-IR OPCPA at 3.4 µm are presented in detail. Compared with a mono-functional temperature-insensitive or broadband QPM scheme, the presented QPM configuration shows a common characteristic that simultaneously optimizes the thermal stability and the gain spectrum. Broadband parametric amplification of a ∼40 fs (FWHM) pulsed laser is achieved with no signs of gain-narrowing. Both of the beam profiles and the amplified spectra stay constant while the temperature is elevated by ∼100°C. Finally, influence of the QPM grating errors on the gain spectrum is discussed.

Surgical Ligation for the Treatment of an Unusual Presentation of Type II Abernethy Malformation.

Abernethy malformation is a very rare congenital vascular malformation consisting of diversion of portal blood away from liver, and it is commonly associated with multiple congenital anomalies. Here, we present a case of a male from China with nonspecific abdominal pain associated with an unusual pattern of type II Abernethy malformation, whose was diagnosed with a portosystemic shunt via a giant portal-inferior vena cava fistula (17.22 mm in diameter). The patient underwent a surgical ligation of the portocaval shunt and recovered well. We believe that this is the first case of a type II Abernethy malformation presenting as a portosystemic shunt via the giant portal-inferior vena cava fistula.

A long non-coding RNA TSLD8 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma by stabilizing WWOX.

The hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common and highly aggressive malignancy especially in China. Accumulating data have shown a critical role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) during cancer progression. However, the function of lncRNA TSLD8 remains elusive. By lncRNA profiling, we identify a novel lncRNA termed TSLD8 in HCC. TSLD8 expression is significantly lowered in HCC tissues and cell lines. TSLD8 facilitates migration and viability in SMMC-7721 and HepG2 cells. Furthermore, TSLD8 can interact with WWOX and protect WWOX from proteasome-mediated degradation. Using PuPGEA-based nanocomplex for gene delivery, we found that co-delivery of TSLD8 and WWOX may exhibit synergistic and additive effects to inhibit HCC progression. PuPGEA-based nanocomplex delivery does not substantially alter the blood chemistries (e.g. alkaline phosphatase, blood urea nitrogen, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase) or initiate immune responses implying a safe strategy. Collectively, our current study has identified a novel tumor suppressive lncRNA TSLD8 which exerts its tumor suppressive function by stabilizing WWOX. Co-delivery of TSLD8 and WWOX via PuPGEA-based nanocomplexes might provide promising therapeutics for eradicating HCC.

Efficacy of Postoperative Adjuvant Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Mesenchymal Circulating Tumor Cell.

BACKGROUND: We demonstrated that postoperative mesenchymal circulating tumor cell (mCTC) in peripheral blood were independent risk factors for the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after radical resection. However, few studies have been conducted on the efficacy and survival benefit of postoperative adjuvant transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (PA-TACE) for patients with mCTC-positive HCC. We evaluated the effect of PA-TACE on the prognosis of mCTC-positive/mCTC-negative HCC patients. METHODS: A total of 261 HCC patients from February 2014 to December 2017 undergoing curative hepatectomy were included in this study. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates, overall survival (OS) rates, and prognostic factors were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: The results showed that 57.8% (59/102) mCTC-positive and 43.4% (69/159) mCTC-negative patients underwent PA-TACE. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that PVTT (HR 2.370; 95% CI, 1.535-3.660; P < 0.001), BCLC stage (B+C) (HR 3.871; 95% CI, 2.544-5.892; P < 0.001), mCTC (HR 1.414; 95% CI, 1.276-1.622; P < 0.001), and without PA-TACE (HR 1.724; 95% CI, 1.152-2.580; P = 0.008) were independent risk factors for poor RFS. Meanwhile, PVTT (HR 1.744; 95% CI, 1.261-2.412; P = 0.001), multinodularity (HR 1.416; 95% CI, 1.069-1.876; P = 0.015), mCTC (HR 1.612; 95% CI, 1.471-1.796; P < 0.001), and without PA-TACE (HR 1.311; 95% CI, 1.010-1.701; P = 0.042) were independent risk factors for poor OS. Both RFS (P = 0.004) and OS (P = 0.045) in mCTC-positive patients who received PA-TACE were significantly improved relative to those who underwent hepatic resection alone. Among 102 mCTC-positive patients, the mCTC-positive rate was significantly lower in patients treated with PA-TACE than in those treated with liver resection alone (46.4% vs. 88.4%, P = 0.031). No differences were observed in DFS and OS among the mCTC-negative patients with or without PA-TACE. Early recurrence was more likely to occur in patients without PA-TACE (P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: PA-TACE was a safe intervention and could effectively prevent tumor recurrence and improve the survival of mCTC-positive HCC patients.