Copper(II)-Silver(I) Macrocyclic Metal-Organic Framework: A Highly Efficient Reusable Triplet Oxygen Collector and Singlet Oxygen Generator.

The generation of highly reactive oxygen (1O2) is very significant for a variety of applications such as degradation, bleaching, chemical synthesis, photodynamic therapy for tumor treatment, and others. Herein, we report a novel peroxide-dianion-embedded bimetallic macrocycle, [O22-@Ag4Cu4L4]2+ (2), that can completely release the inserted peroxide dianion as the singlet oxygen (1O2) via a H+-assisted disproportionation process in methanol. Notably, the resulting empty Ag4Cu4L4(ClO4)4 (3) is able to trap oxygen (3O2) from air and fixes it in the macrocycle host as a peroxide dianion; furthermore, it releases it as 1O2 again in the presence of H+. So, the bimetallic macrocycle [Ag4Cu4L4]4+ herein behaves as a highly efficient reusable triplet oxygen receptor and singlet oxygen generator.

Endoscopic prelacrimal recess approach adjunct with vestibular sulcus incision: case report of a minimally invasive access to remove infratemporal fossa tumor.

To remove tumor located at anterolateral-inferior of infratemporal fossa (ITF) with purely transnasal approach is still a great challenge because of the over lateral angulation. The aim of this study is to present our initial experience--endoscopic prelacrimal recess approach adjunct with vestibular sulcus incision as a simple and minimally invasive approach to remove tumor in this area. Tumor in anterolateral ITF can be well explored via endoscopic prelacrimal recess approach; a simple vestibular sulcus incision provides a second access for two-surgeon co-operation, so tumor can be removed conveniently with minimal invasion. It is a viable alternative to endoscopic extended medial maxillectomy approach or open approaches to this area.

Objective assessment of persistent rhinitis in Chinese and its relationship with serum indicators.

Persistent rhinitis (PR) is a chronic disease that affects millions of people. However, it lacks of a useful method, which can indicate the actual severity of the inflammation in PR patients. This study was designed to seek an examination which could reflect the actual severity of PR disease. The serum Phadiatop test, ECP level, four-phase rhinomanometry, and acoustic rhinometry were assessed in 91 adult patients with PR and 10 healthy controls. The serum total IgE was determined in some of the patients and all of the controls. The patients were divided into four groups: ARWO, ARWTO, NARWO and NARWTO. 40% (22/55) of AR and 33.3% (13/36) of NAR patients never complained of persistent nasal obstruction. Serum ECP levels were increased in the ARWO group. Serum total IgE was significantly elevated in the AR groups. MCA(1-Min) and MCA(1-T) were significantly reduced in the ARWO, ARWTO, and NARWO groups. NV(6-Min) and NV(6-T) were decreased in all PR groups, but only some of these differences were significant. In the ARWO group, MCA(2-Min) (r = -0.252), MCA(2-T) (r = -0.377), NV(6-Min) (r = -0.32), and NV(6-T) (r = -0.311) had significant relationships with serum ECP. We recommend acoustic rhinometry as a useful routine tool for the diagnosis of PR, even among patients without persistent subjective nasal obstruction. This technique might reveal the actual status of nasal congestion. An elevated serum ECP level might indicate severe AR and is negatively correlated with the results of acoustic rhinometry.

The utility of repeated computed tomography to track a foreign body penetrating the esophagus to the level of the thyroid gland.

OBJECTIVE: Foreign body (FB) ingestion is a common problem in otolaryngology. One uncommon complication of FB ingestion is penetration to the level of the thyroid gland. To our knowledge, only 21 such cases have been reported in the literature. Here, we report a case of an esophageal FB penetrating to the level of the right thyroid gland. CASE REPORT: The patient was a 38-year-old woman in whom an esophageal FB penetrated to the level of the right thyroid gland. We traced the path to the thyroid gland using repeated computed tomography (CT) scans and demonstrated the importance of multiplanar reconstruction in locating the FB and formulating a precise surgical plan. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first report of repeat CT scans being used to demonstrate the migratory route, over time, of a FB penetrating through the esophagus to the level of the thyroid gland. Our results suggest that multiplanar reconstruction may play a key role in the precise diagnosis of a FB at the level of the thyroid gland and may help surgeons choose the best approach for removal.

Transnasal endoscopic repair of acquired posterior choanal stenosis and atresia.

BACKGROUND: There are congenital and acquired choanal atresias and many approaches have been used for their repair. We assessed the clinical effect of power instrument, endoscopic repair of acquired choanal stenosis and atresia. METHODS: Nineteen patients, aged from 32 to 61 years, with acquired choanal stenosis and atresia (from trauma in 5 cases and from radiotherapy after nasopharyngeal carcinoma in 14; 6 bilateral and 13 unilateral cases), underwent transnasal endoscopic repair of choanal stenosis and atresia. No patient had stenting. Antibiotic and local glucocorticoid were administered postoperatively. RESULTS: Eighteen patients remained free of symptoms for 12 - 40 months after the surgery, and the diameter of the neochoana was more than 1 cm after the procedure. One patient required revision surgery and recovered completely with no restenosis at 12 months after the second surgery. There were no postoperative complications. Histology of the resected tissue revealed respiratory epithelial-lined stromal tissue with chronic inflammation, edema and fibrosis, but no tumor cells. CONCLUSIONS: Transnasal endoscopic approach is a useful procedure for the repair of acquired choanal stenosis and atresia: it is highly successful, safe and effective with swift recovery and short time of hospitalization. It is very important in postoperative care to remove any granulation or polyps at the site of the neochoana at that time.

Palatine tonsil schwannoma: correlation between clinicopathology and computed tomography features.

We describe the case of a 37-year old male who presented with a schwannoma in his right palatine tonsil. The tumour and tonsil were surgically removed transorally. Tonsillar schwannomas are slow growing, and the main symptoms were a foreign body feeling in the throat, dysphagia and snoring. The presence of a round, well-defined mass lesion with heterogeneous density on computed tomography (CT) may aid in differentiation from other tonsillar tumours. The CT findings in the reported case were different to those of schwannomas in other locations; the particular CT manifestations of tonsillar schwannomas seem to relate to the various pathological changes seen within the tumour.

[Clinical significance of angiopoietin-2 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and its clinical significance in oral squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: The expression of Ang-2 mRNA was measured by real-time RT-PCR, and the expression of Ang-2 protein in tissue samples was detected by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: The mean dCt value of Ang-2 mRNA expression in the cancer tissue was 6.86 +/- 1.37, significantly lower than that in the paired adjacent non-cancerous tissue (7.95 +/- 2.08, P < 0.05), indicating a significantly higher expression of Ang-2 mRNA in the cancerous tissue than that in the adjacent non-cancerous tissue. The distribution of Ang-2 protein was found not only in the vascular endothelial cells but also in tumor cells. Semi-quantitative analysis revealed that the expression of Ang-2 protein in tumor specimens (53.6%) was significantly higher than that (24.0%) in the paired adjacent non-cancerous tissue (P < 0.05), the result was well consistent with that measured by RT-PCR. The dCt value of Ang-2 mRNA expression was 6.48 +/- 1.16 in the patients with metastasis in lymph nodes versus 7.16 +/- 1.49 in those without, with a non-significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). As regards the clinical stages, no significant difference was found between the expressions of Ang-2 mRNA in stage I + II (7.11 +/- 1.63) and stage III + IV cases (6.49 +/- 1.10, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Angiopoietin-2 protein is expressed not only in vascular endothelial cells, but also in tumor cells, suggesting that angiopoietin-2 may take part in angiogenesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma. However, our results that high expression of angiopoietin-2 mRNA is not correlated with lymph node metastasis and clinical stages, needs to be further verified in a large scale study.

Gene transfer into primary cultures of fetal neural stem cells by a recombinant adenovirus carrying the gene for green fluorescent protein.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the transduction efficiency of a recombinant adenovirus carrying the gene for green fluorescent protein (Ad-GFP) into the primary cultures of fetal neural stem cells (NSCs) by the expression of GFP. METHODS: The Ad-GFP was constructed by homologous recombination in bacteria with the AdEasy system; NSCs were isolated from rat fetal hippocampus and cultured as neurosphere suspensions. After infection with the recombinant Ad-GFP, NSCs were examined with a fluorescent microscopy and a flow cytometry for their expression of GFP. RESULTS: After the viral infection, flow cytometry analysis revealed that the percentage of GFP-positive cells was as high as 97.05%. The infected NSCs sustained the GFP expression for above 4 weeks. After differentiated into astrocytes or neurons, they continued to express GFP efficiently. CONCLUSION: We have successfully constructed a viral vector Ad-GFP that can efficiently infect the primary NSCs. The reporter gene was showed fully and sustained expression in the infected cells as well as their differentiated progenies.

[Value of 18F-FDG metabolic imaging in diagnosis and treatment of head and neck tumors and its mechanism study].

OBJECTIVE: To study the value of (18)F-FDG dual-head tomography with coincidence (DHTC) and single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) coincidence imaging in diagnosis and treatment of head and neck tumors and mechanism thereof and analyze the value of glucose transporter proteins in the mechanism of increased uptake glucose of head and neck malignant tumor. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with head and neck tumors were examined by CT or MRI and underwent (18)F-FDG DHTC and coincidence imaging. The results of these 2 different methods were compared. Fresh tissues of 38 patients with malignant tumors of the head-and-neck underwent RT-PCR and immunohistochemical examination. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of (18)F-FDG coincidence imaging and registration with integrated CT (SPECT/CT) in diagnosis of the head and neck tumors was 100.0%, 87.5%, and 96.0% respectively, all significantly higher than those of the anatomical imaging (64.7%, 50.0%, and 60.0% respectively, all P < 0.05). For the lesions on the same site, SPECT/CT could diagnose exactly the primary tumor site of neck metastasis in four cases and diagnose the malignancy or benignancy of other four cases that anatomical imaging (CT/MRI) could not diagnose exactly. (18)F-FDG coincidence imaging and registration with integrated CT could find extra lesions of tumors. The results of RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry showed that the mRNA expression and protein expression of Glut-1 and Glut-3 were higher in the head and neck cancer than that in the normal tissue of head and neck or in the adjacent tissue (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: (18)F-FDG coincidence imaging and registration with integrated CT can be as a prospective tool that can judge the malignancy or benignancy of head and neck tumor, and stage and classify the tumor, and distinguish recurrence or necrosis of tumor after treatment by surgery or radiotherapy, and detect unknown primary tumor. The abnormal expressions of Glut-1 and Glut-3 may be correlated with the increased uptake of glucose of head and head cancer.

[Analysis of misdiagnosis of laryngeal tuberculosis: a report of 16 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To further understand the clinical features of laryngeal tuberculosis and to reduce the rate of misdiagnosis. METHODS: Sixteen cases of laryngeal tuberculosis from Feb. 1998 to Aug 2006 were retrospectively studied. The clinical features and the causes underlying misdiagnosis were analyzed. RESULTS: The disease was more common in the elderly. The clinical manifestations of the infection were various and atypical. The lesions commonly involved the vocal cord (12/16 cases). Local manifestations were mainly proliferation lesions such as mass and granulation. CONCLUSION: Attention should be paid to the clinical features of laryngeal tuberculosis. Thorough examination should be carried out and early biopsy can avoid misdiagnosis.

Different roles of Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin in different subtypes of nasal polyps.

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a multifactorial disease. The pathogenesis of CRSwNP remains unclear. This study was designed to investigate the role of inflammation and Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin (SE) in this disease. The study included a total of 74 patients with CRSwNP and 6 controls. A serum Phadiatop assay was conducted to detect atopy status, and serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and total immunoglobulin (Ig)E levels were determined using ELISA. SEA, SEB, total IgE, ECP and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels in nasal tissue supernatant were measured using ELISA. The results indicated that 15 (22.1%) patients had systemic allergies. On the basis of the ECP/MPO ratio, the patients were divided into an eosinophilic CRSwNP group (n=18) and a non-eosinophilic CRSwNP group (n=56). The total ECP/MPO ratio was 0.572, with a notable bias toward neutrophilic inflammation. The supernatant ECP and MPO levels were elevated in the CRSwNP group compared with the control group, but no significant difference in the serum total IgE and ECP levels were observed between the CRSwNP and control groups. In addition, the non-eosinophilic and eosinophilic CRSwNP groups showed significant elevations in supernatant total IgE, SEA and SEB levels compared with the control group. Thus, it may be concluded that allergy is a common pathogenesis of CRSwNP, and neutrophilic inflammation is present in most Chinese CRSwNP patients. Additionally, local indicators reflect the inflammatory status more accurately than do serum indicators. SEs may act as an infection factor rather than as a superantigen in Chinese non-eosinophilic CRSwNP patients. Thus, long-term antibiotic therapy may be an option for Chinese non-eosinophilic CRSwNP patients.

A case report of an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the neck: A focus on the computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) of the neck are rare, with only a few patients reported in the literature. The present study discusses the clinical manifestations, radiographic characteristics and management of these tumors, with a focus on imaging modalities. A case of IMT of the neck is presented and the associated literature is reviewed. In total, seven patients in seven English-language studies, including the present case, and one patient in one Chinese-language study were found. On CT scans, all tumors appeared as soft-tissue densities. Upon magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), all tumors displayed a heterogeneous hypointense-isointense signal on T1-weighted sequences and an isointense-hyperintense signal on T2-weighted sequences. All tumors showed enhancement on enhanced CT and MR images. The imaging features of the neck IMTs can be summarized as follows: i) When enhanced, the tumor displays enhancement on CT and MR images; ii) MRI is superior to CT scans in the differential diagnosis of this disease; iii) in general, the lesion displays a hypointense-isointense signal on T1-weighted sequences and an isointense-hyperintense signal on T2-weighted sequences; iv) due to the fibrous tissue in the tumor, delayed enhancement may be observed on gadolinium-enhanced MR images; and v) due to its benign or intermediate features, the tumor is usually a well-defined mass.

Understanding of the low temperature auto-oxidation scheme of sec-alcohols based on a Cu(II)-MOF with open metal sites.

A Cu(II)-MOF (1') with open metal sites was readily obtained by removing the coordinated water molecule at 120 °C. It can be used as a probe to evidence the sec-alkyl hydroperoxide species generated from room temperature sec-alcohol auto-oxidation in air. The formed alkyl hydroperoxides can be effectively catalyzed by 1' to decompose into molecular oxygen and corresponding sec-alcohols under ambient conditions.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome caused by uncommon tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is always caused by anatomic abnormalities, including nasal cavity, pharynx, and neuromuscular dysfunctions, leading to airway narrowing. OSAS associated with a mass in the aerodigestive tract is rare. In the present study, we report OSAS caused by 9 cases of preoperative uncommon tumors in the aerodigestive tract. Two tumors in the parapharyngeal space were pleomorphic adenoma, one oropharyngeal tumor was mucoepidermoid carcinoma, one tumor in the right tonsil was schwannoma, and five tumors were non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Of the five NHL cases, one in the nasopharynx was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, two were mantle cell lymphoma, one was chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, and one was NHL. Tumors in the aerodigestive tract should be considered in the differential diagnosis of OSAS upon exacerbation of snoring or sudden gasping. Further examinations should be performed, including a routine workup (computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging) and positron emission tomography/CT.

Cu(II)4L4 coordination-driven molecular container: a reusable visual colorimetric sensor for Ag(I) ions.

A Cu4L4 square-like molecular container which can be a reusable visual sensor for Ag(+) is reported. The present results can be a useful stepwise approach for the construction of the heterometallic supramolecular complexes with potential applications.

Effect of the vascular endothelial growth factor expression level on angiopoietin-2-mediated nasopharyngeal carcinoma growth.

BACKGROUND: The overexpression of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) has both pro-tumorigenic and anti-tumorigenic effects. However, the mechanisms of this protein's dual effects are poorly understood, and it remains unclear how Ang-2 cooperates with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In the current study, we investigated the effects of Ang-2 overexpression on nasopharyngeal carcinoma growth in the presence of different levels of VEGF. METHODS: Ang-2 was introduced into the CNE2 cell line by liposome transfection, and the expression of endogenous VEGF was inhibited by microRNA-mediated RNA interference. CNE2 cells expressing varying levels of Ang-2 and VEGF were injected subcutaneously into the flanks of nude mice. Tumor growth was measured, and vessels from the harvested tumors were analyzed. RESULTS: The overexpression of Ang-2 had no obvious effect on CNE2 tumor growth in the presence of endogenous VEGF but significantly inhibited CNE2 tumor growth when the expression of endogenous VEGF was silenced, and the Ang-2/VEGF ratio is negatively correlated with tumor growth. Ang-2 overexpression decreased the percentage of α-SMA-positive cells around the tumor vessels but reduced the microvessel density only in the absence of VEGF. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the effects of Ang-2 on nasopharyngeal carcinoma are highly dependent on the level of VEGF expression, Ang-2/VEGF ratio may offer a novel therapeutic approach for treating human cancer.

Giant osteomas of the ethmoid and frontal sinuses: Clinical characteristics and review of the literature.

Giant osteomas of the ethmoid and frontal sinuses ary very rare, with only a few dozen cases reported in the literature. Given their rarity, the clinical characteristics and treatment of this disease remain controversial. In this study, the clinical presentation and surgical methods used to treat three patients with giant osteomas of the ethmoid and frontal sinuses are described, combined with a review of the literature from 1975 to 2011. In total, 45 patients with giant osteomas arising from the ethmoid and frontal sinuses (including the present cases) have been reported in 41 articles. Headache and ocular signs are the most common symptoms. This disease often leads to intracranial or intraorbital complications. The main treatment for giant osteoma is surgery via an external approach. The outcome of surgery for giant osteoma is good, with rare recurrence, no malignant transformation and few persistent symptoms.

Serum eosinophil cationic protein level in Chinese subjects with nonallergic and local allergic rhinitis and its relation to the severity of disease.

BACKGROUND: Nonallergic rhinitis (NAR) is a common disease, and local allergic rhinitis (LAR) is a newly described entity that is called "entopy" in recent years. However, the etiology and incidence of NAR and LAR are uncertain. This study evaluates the incidence of LAR in Chinese subjects and serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels in patients with NAR and LAR and its relationship with symptom scores. METHODS: Positive skin-prick tests (SPT), nasal allergen provocation testing (NAPT) to Dermatophagoides farinae (DF), serum Phadiatop tests, and symptom score evaluations were performed in 147 patients with nonatopic persistent rhinitis. LAR was diagnosed by positive NAPT to DF results. The serum ECP level was measured using the UniCAP100 automated system by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Pharmacia Diagnostics, Uppsala, Sweden). RESULTS: Twelve patients were diagnosed with LAR, and 135 patients were diagnosed with NAR. There was no statistical difference of the visual analog scale scores between the two groups. Serum ECP was significantly increased in the patients with NAR. Serum ECP in the LAR group showed no difference compared with the NAR group or the controls. In the NAR group, nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, and total scores had close and statistically significant relationships with serum ECP level. CONCLUSION: The present study provides the first evidence that LAR exists in Chinese subjects. This study also suggests that eosinophils and ECP take part in the pathogenesis of NAR. A local examination for ECP and specific IgE in nasal lavage fluid or secretions in patients with LAR should be performed in a future study.

Factors associated with recurrence and therapeutic strategies for sinonasal Rosai-Dorfman disease.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to explore the factors associated with the recurrence of Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinus. METHODS: In this study, we conducted a review of the English-language literature published between 1969 and 2010 on the recurrence of and treatment strategies for sinonasal RDD. RESULTS: To our knowledge, 126 cases of RDD have been reported to date. Of the 126 patients, 32 (25.4%) had no recurrence or were alive with no evidence of disease; remission occurred in only 1 patient (0.7%); 69 patients (54.8%) had a recurrent, persistent, or progressive course; and 6 patients (4.8%) died from the disease. In patients with recurrent, persistent, and progressive disease, there was no significant tendency for lymph node involvement. CONCLUSION: Sinonasal RDD is generally described as benign. However, recurrence and fatal outcome have been reported. Our results suggest that the initial modality may affect the recurrence of RDD.

Bacterial biofilms in chronic rhinosinusitis and their relationship with inflammation severity.

AIMS: To identify the presence of bacterial biofilms on mucosal specimens from chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients, and evaluate their relationship with severity of CRS. METHODS: A prospective study of biofilms presence on 24 CRS patients compared with 12 controls was designed. The presence of biofilms was determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and associations with the preoperative Lund-MacKay CT scores, Johansson endoscopic scores, and the history of ESS were assessed. RESULTS: Biofilms were found in 13/24 CRS patients (54.2%) but in only 1/12 controls (8.3%; P<0.01). CRS patients with and without biofilms had similar preoperative Lund-MacKay CT and Johansson endoscopic scores (P>0.05). Patients with revision ESS showed a tendency of higher biofilms incidence (5/7, 71.4%) than those undergoing their first procedure (8/17, 47.1%), but did not reach a significant difference (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The higher incidence of biofilms in CRS patients suggests a role in the pathogenesis of CRS, but no correlation with severity of CRS.