Red Room-Temperature Phosphorescence Supramolecular Assemblies Based on Cucurbit[7]uril: Reversible Temperature Stimulation Response and Cell-Specific Silver Ion Imaging.

Solid-state materials with efficient room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) emission have been widely used in materials science, and organic RTP-emitting systems with heavy-metal doping in aqueous solutions have attracted much attention in recent years. A novel supramolecular interaction was induced by host-guest assembly using cucurbit[7]uril (Q[7]) as the host and brominated naphthalimide phosphor as the guest. This interaction was further enhanced through synergistic chelation stimulated by analytical silver ion complexation. This approach facilitated the system's structural rigidity, intersystem crossing, and oxygen shielding. We achieved deep red phosphorescence emission in aqueous solution and ambient conditions along with quantitative determination of silver ions. The new complex exhibited good reversible thermoresponsive behavior and was successfully applied for the first time to target phosphorescence imaging of silver ions in the mitochondria of A549 cancer cells. These results are beneficial for constructing novel RTP systems with stimulus-responsive luminescence in aqueous solution, contributing to future research in bioimaging, detection, optical sensors, and thermometry materials.

Losartan Attenuates Insulin Resistance and Regulates Browning Phenomenon of White Adipose Tissue in ob/ob Mice.

Insulin resistance (IR) is a villain role to the pathology of fatty liver diseases implicated in adipose tissue dysfunction, which is characterized by lipid droplets (LDs) accumulation and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) related macrophage infiltration. HIF1α is required for its lipogenic actions in adipocytes, while and it regulates M1 and M2 polarization features of macrophages. Losartan has been shown to be an insulin sensitizer in obese states, actions involving in HIF1α signaling. However, the exact mechanisms accounting for these effects have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, GTT, ITT, and HOMA-IR were identified losartan alleviated IR signaling in obese mice. This alleviation may through inhibits HIF1α by suppressing STAT3-NF-κB signaling, which, in turn, revealed HIF1α-dependent decreases the angiogenesis pathway in adipose tissue, including regulation of VEGF and TGFßR2 levels. In white adipose tissue, a set of lipogenesis-related genes, Srebp1, Fas, and Scd-1 were markedly downregulated after losartan intervention, as well as reduced LDs size and LD-associated proteins, perilipin family proteins (PLINs) compared with obese mice. Losartan abolished macrophage infiltration with upregulation of M2 and inhibition of M1 macrophage markers in obese mice. Our data suggest that losartan attenuated obese-induced fatty liver, linked to alleviating inflammation in adipose tissues and a shift in M1/M2 macrophage balance. Furthermore, losartan might improve mitochondria biogenesis by upregulating SIRT1, PGC1α, UCP1, and mRNA of Tfam, Cd137, Tmem26, Ucp1 expression in white adipose tissue compared with the obese group. Taken together, losartan may improve IR and adipose dysfunction by inhibiting lipotoxicity and HIF1α pathways.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis caused by Campylobacter Coli in cirrhotic patient: A rare case report (CARE-compliant).

INTRODUCTION: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a fatal infection in patients. It often happens in patients with cirrhosis, cancer or diabetes, and is caused mostly by Enterobacteriaceae. Here we report a rare case of SBP caused by Campylobacter Coli (C coli) infection, which was identified promptly by the matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and received adequate therapy sooner after. PATIENT CONCERNS: In the present study, we reported a 46-year-old male with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh class C) and type 2 diabetes mellitus presented with a 1-day history of fever and abdominal pain. DIAGNOSIS: Based on the clinical examinations, the patient was diagnosed with SBP and the pathogen was quickly identified as C coli by the matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), a rare causative pathogen of SBP. INTERVENTIONS: The patient received a 10-day antibiotic treatment with Ciprofloxacin 400 mg every 12 hours, and recovered successfully. OUTCOMES: The patient had a successful treatment outcome. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated a new possible infectious cause of SBP by C Coli, which was rarely seen in liver cirrhosis but mostly found in immunocompromised patients. Thus, it might raise an idea of microorganism screening of broader types that might also induce SBP for immunocompromised patients.

Physalin B induces G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in A549 human non-small-cell lung cancer cells by altering mitochondrial function.

Physalin B (PB) is one of the major constituents of Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii, a well-known Chinese traditional herb. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that PB exhibits significant antiproliferative and apoptotic activity in A549 human lung cancer cells in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analyses indicated that PB-induced G2/M arrest through down-regulation of cyclin B1 and cell division control protein cyclin-dependent kinase 1, and up-regulation of p21. The reduction in the level of cyclin B1/cyclin-dependent kinase 1 complex down-regulated oxidative phosphorylation multisubunit activity to reduce mitochondrial energetic homeostasis. Moreover, defects in mitochondrial ATP synthesis and mitochondrial membrane potential were found in PB-treated cell lines. These abnormalities led to an increase in intracellular superoxide and apoptosis. Thus, as an inhibitor of mitochondrial energetic homeostasis, PB demonstrates potent antitumor activities and may be developed as an alternative therapeutic agent against non-small-cell lung cancer.

A turn-on supramolecular fluorescent probe for sensing benzimidazole fungicides and its application in living cell imaging.

A cucurbit[8]uril-based turn-on supramolecular fluorescent probe between cucurbit[8]uril (Q[8]) and pyronine Y (PyY) (designated 2PyY@Q[8]) in acidic aqueous solution showed a remarkable fluorescence 'turn-on' response to benzimidazole fungicides such as thiabendazole, fuberidazole and carbendazim. The 2PyY@Q[8] fluorescent probe can be used to detect benzimidazole fungicides with high sensitivity and selectivity with a detection limit of ~10-8mol/L. A good linear relationship of emission intensity at ~580nm for benzimidazole fungicides at concentrations of 0.4-5.0µmol/L was observed. The proposed sensing mechanism was investigated using 1H NMR spectroscopy combined with density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level. The cell imaging study showed that the 2PyY@Q[8] complex could be used to image benzimidazole fungicide in prostate cancer (PC3) cells, which may help to elucidate relevant biological processes at the molecular level.

Breast cancer molecular subtypes of Uygur and Han in Xinjiang of China.

PURPOSE: To compare the difference between Uygur and Han patients with breast cancer in molecular subtype. METHODS: 4 immunohistochemical (IHC) markers (ER, PR, HER-2 and KI-67) were used to divide Uygur and Han breast cancer patients into 4 subtypes (Luminal A, Luminal B, HER-2 over expression and Basal-like), respectively. statistical analysis were used to evaluate difference in molecular subtype characteristics by race, tumor size, age of onset, menstruation and birth status, histological grade and lymph node metastasis. RESULTS: There is no statistical difference on the molecular subtypes between Han and Uygur. But some characteristics about four subtypes between Han and Uygur have statistical difference like age onset of the Her-2 overexpression cases, subtypes of age less than 35 years, menarche age of the Basal-like cases and tumor size of the Luminal A cases. Between Han and Uygur there is statistical difference on the menarche age, number of childbirths, and tumor size. The HER-2 overexpression and Basal-like subtypes were more likely to be grade III tumors both of Han and Uygur. Between 4 molecular subtypes of Han there have statistical difference in number of metastasis lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS: Our result shows that there are some significant differences between Uygur and Han in the pathological features as well as molecular subtypes. Correct understanding the difference of breast cancer between Uygur and Han can provide guidance for clinical practice.

[Role of arginase-1 expression in distinguishing hepatocellular carcinoma from non-hepatocellular tumors].

OBJECTIVE: To study the role of arginase-1 (Arg-1) expression in differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Arg-1 staining pattern in clear cell neoplasm (HCC and non-HCC) and Arg-1 expression in non-hepatocellular tumors. METHODS: Seventy-eight cases of HCC (including 8 cases of clear cell type and 70 cases of non- clear cell type) and 246 cases of non-hepatocellular neoplasms (including 29 cases of metastatic tumors such as breast cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma, 77 cases of tumors with clear cell changes such as malignant melanoma, clear cell renal cell carcinoma and alveolar soft part sarcoma, and 140 cases of other types of tumors such as ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma, pituitary tumor and thyroid papillary carcinoma) were studied.Immunohistochemical study for Arg-1 was performed on the paraffin-embedded tumor tissue. RESULTS: In HCC, Arg-1 demonstrated both cytoplasmic and nuclear staining, with an overall sensitivity of 96.2% (75/78).In well, moderately and poorly differentiated HCC, the sensitivity was 15/15, 100% (41/41) and 86.4% (19/22), respectively. That was in contrast to negative staining for Arg-1 in all the 29 cases of metastatic tumors studied. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of Arg-1 in distinguishing HCC from metastatic tumors was 96.2%, 100%, 100% and 90.6%, respectively. Cytoplasmic and membranous staining was observed in clear cell type of HCC. The overall sensitivity of Arg-1 expression in the 77 cases of tumors with clear cell changes was 14.3% (11/77), including 8/15 for malignant melanoma, 2/4 for ovarian clear cell carcinoma and 1/1 gall bladder adenocarcinoma with clear cell component.In malignant melanoma and ovarian clear cell carcinoma, only cytoplasmic staining was demonstrated. There was no expression of Arg-1 in the 140 cases of other tumor types studied. CONCLUSIONS: Arg-1 is a sensitive and specific marker for HCC.It is a potentially useful immunohistochemical marker in distinguishing HCC from metastatic tumors. Though also expressed in malignant melanoma and ovarian clear cell carcinoma, Arg-1 shows a different staining pattern as compared with that in HCC.

[Clinicopathologic significance of ß-catenin protein and loss of heterozygosity on 10q in medulloblastoma].

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of ß-catenin protein and the status of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromsome 10q in medulloblastoma, with clinical correlation. METHODS: Immunohistochemical study for ß-catenin protein was carried out in 50 cases of medulloblastoma encountered in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University during the period from 2002 to 2011, including 32 cases of classic medulloblastoma, 13 cases of desmoplastic medulloblastoma and 5 cases of medulloblastoma with extensive nodularity. The status of LOH on 10q was also detected by fluorescence in-situ hybridization. The clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic parameters were studied by Kaplan-Meien and Cox analysis. RESULTS: The rates of expression of ß-catenin protein in classic medulloblastoma, desmoplastic medulloblastoma and medulloblastoma with extensive nodularity were 53.1% (17/32), 4/13 and 1/5, respectively. The rate of LOH on 10q was 33.3% (8/24) in classic medulloblastoma and 2/11 in desmoplastic medulloblastoma. There was no statistically significant difference between the two tumor types. Univariate analysis showed that the expression of ß-catenin protein (P = 0.022), lack of LOH on 10q (P = 0.020), extensiveness of tumor resection (P < 0.01), radiotherapy (P = 0.002) and chemotherapy (P < 0.01) represented important prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Medulloblastoma with expression of ß-catenin protein and without LOH on 10q carries a better prognosis. Assessment of these parameters is helpful in evaluating prognosis and subsequent patient management.

Direct determination of hydrogen cyanide in cigarette mainstream smoke by ion chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection.

The determination of hydrogen cyanide in cigarette mainstream smoke has been achieved by ion chromatography (IC) with pulsed amperometric detection (PAD). The proposed method of totally trapping whole cigarette mainstream smoke by Cambridge filters, which are treated with sodium hydroxide/ethanol solution, possesses the advantage of fast analysis time over the widespread used solution absorption method. The possible co-existing interferents are evaluated under the optimized detection conditions and excellent recoveries of cyanide are obtained. The cyanide content of absorption solution can be directly determined by the optimized IC-PAD method without any pretreatments. The linear range is 0.0147-2.45 µg/mL with R² value of 0.9997. The limit of the detection is 3 µg/L for a 25 µL injection loop. The overall relative standard deviation of the method is less than 5.20% and the recovery range from 94.3% to 101.0%. The results obtained from the developed method are in good agreement with that of continuous flow analyzer (CFA) method.