An efficient differential sensing strategy for phenolic pollutants based on a nanozyme with polyphenol oxidase activity.

To realize the efficient differential sensing of phenolic pollutants in sewage, a novel sensing strategy was successfully developed based on a nanozyme (GMP-Cu) with polyphenol oxidase activity. Phenolic pollutants can be oxidized using GMP-Cu, and the oxidation products reacts subsequently with 4-aminoantipyrine to produce a quinone-imine compound. The absorption spectra of final quinone-imine products that resulted from different phenolic pollutants showed obvious differences, which were due to the interaction difference between GMP-Cu and phenolic pollutants, as well as the different molecular structures of the quinone-imine products from different phenolic pollutants. Based on the difference in the absorption spectra, a novel differential sensing strategy was developed. A genetic algorithm was used to select the characteristic wavelengths at different enzymatic reaction times. Hierarchical cluster analysis and PLS-DA algorithms were utilized for the discriminant sensing of seven representative phenolic pollutants, including hydroquinone, resorcinol, catechol, resorcinol, phenol, p-chlorophenol, and 2,4-dichlorophenol. A scientific wavelength selection algorithm and a recognition algorithm resulted in the successful identification of phenolic pollutants in sewage with a discriminant accuracy of 100%, and differentiation of the phenolic pollutants regardless of their concentration. These results indicated that a sensing strategy can be used as an effective tool for the efficient identification and differentiation of phenolic pollutants in sewage.

Microfluidic Preparation of Janus Microparticles With Temperature and pH Triggered Degradation Properties.

Based on the phase separation phenomenon in micro-droplets, polymer-lipid Janus particles were prepared on a microfluidic flow focusing chip. Phase separation of droplets was caused by solvent volatilization and Janus morphology was formed under the action of interfacial tension. Because phase change from solid to liquid of the lipid hemisphere could be triggered by physiological temperature, the lipid hemisphere could be used for rapid release of drugs. While the polymer we selected was pH sensitive that the polymer hemisphere could degrade under acidic conditions, making it possible to release drugs in a specific pH environment, such as tumor tissues. Janus particles with different structures were obtained by changing the experimental conditions. To widen the application range of the particles, fatty alcohol and fatty acid-based phase change materials were also employed to prepare the particles, such as 1-tetradecanol, 1-hexadecanol and lauric acid. The melting points of these substances are higher than the physiological temperature, which can be applied in fever triggered drug release or in thermotherapy. The introduction of poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) enabled the formation of multicompartment particles with three distinct materials. With different degradation properties of each compartment, the particles generated in this work may find applications in programmed and sequential drug release triggered by multiple stimuli.

KRAS, YWHAE, SP1 and MSRA as biomarkers in endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: We demonstrated that drinking hydrogen-rich water (HRW) inhibits endometrial tumor growth in our previous work. This research is to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between HRW and purified water groups in a xenograft mouse model of endometrial cancer (EC). METHODS: Samples were analyzed using tandem mass tags (TMTs) coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). DEPs were identified using bioinformatics to determine potential molecular functions and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. RESULTS: In total, 11 DEPs were identified in the HRW group relative to the control. The up-regulated proteins included Gatad1, Ttyh3, Nek4, Dyrk2, and Gimap1, while the down-regulated proteins included SP1, Msl1, Plekha7, Dtwd2, MSRA, and KRAS. Gene Ontology (GO) annotations and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were associated with the binding region, biological regulation, endocrine resistance, estrogen signaling, choline metabolism in cancer and human cytomegalovirus infection. Furthermore, network analysis indicated that KRAS and MSRA interact with YWHAE. KRAS, YWHAE and SP1 were strongly expressed, while MSRA was weak expressed in atypical hyperplasia and EC tissue as well as in HRW group in xenograft tumor tissue. CONCLUSIONS: KRAS, YWHAE, SP1 and MSRA might be regarded as focused biomarkers to assess the prognosis of EC.

Chinese herb mix Tiáo-Geng-Tang possesses antiaging and antioxidative effects and upregulates expression of estrogen receptors alpha and beta in ovariectomized rats.

BACKGROUND: Herb mixtures are widely used as an alternative to hormonal therapy in China for treatment of the menopausal syndrome. However, composition of these herb mixtures are complex and their working mechanism is often unknown. This study investigated the effect of Tiáo-Geng-Tang (TG-decoction), a Chinese herbal mixture extract, in balancing female hormones, regulating expression of estrogen receptors (ERs), and preventing aging-related tissue damage. METHODS: Ovariectomized 5-month-old female rats were used to model menopause and treated with either TG-decoction or conjugated estrogen for 8 weeks. Estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured in serum and in the hypothalamus. Hypothalamic expression of estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta were studied by real-time PCR and western blotting. Total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), oxidation indicator superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and tissue damage parameter malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured using standard assays. Aging-related ultrastructural alterations in mitochondria were studied in all animals by transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: TG-decoction-treatment elevated E2 and lowered FSH in serum of ovariectomized rats. The potency and efficacy of TG-decoction on the hypothalamus was generally weaker than that of conjugated estrogens. However, TG-decoction was superior in upregulating expression of ERα and ß. TG-decoction increased hypothalamic SOD and T-AOC levels and decreased MDAlevels and mitochondrial damage in hypothalamic neurons. CONCLUSIONS: TG-decoction balances female hormones similarly to conjugated estrogens but less effectively. However, it is superior in up regulating ERα and ß and exhibits antioxidative antiaging activities. Whilst it shares similar effects with estrogen, TG-decoction also seems to have distinctive and more complex functions and activities.