Synthesis of Visible Light Excitable Carbon Dot Phosphor-Al2 O3 Hybrids for Anti-Counterfeiting and Information Encryption.

The preparation of room temperature phosphorescent carbon dots still faces great challenges, especially in the case of carbon dots endowed of visible-light excitable room temperature phosphorescence (RTP). To date, a limited number of substrates have been exploited to synthesize room temperature phosphorescent carbon dots, and most of them can emit RTP only in solid state. Here, the synthesis of a composite obtained from the calcination of green carbon dots (g-CDs) blended with aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3 ) is reported. The resultant hybrid material g-CDs@Al2 O3 exhibits blue fluorescence and green RTP emissions in an on/off switch process at 365 nm. Notably, this composite manifests strong resistance to extreme acid and basic conditions up to 30 days of treatment. The dense structure of Al2 O3 formed by calcination contributes to the phosphorescent emission of g-CDs. Surprisingly, g-CDs@Al2 O3 can also emit yellow RTP under irradiation with white light. The multicolor emissions can be employed for anti-counterfeiting and information encryption. This work provides a straightforward approach to produce room temperature phosphorescent carbon dots for a wide range of applications.

Dual Specificity Phosphatase 12 Regulates Hepatic Lipid Metabolism Through Inhibition of the Lipogenesis and Apoptosis Signal-Regulating Kinase 1 Pathways.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Due to the growing economic burden of NAFLD on public health, it has become an emergent target for clinical intervention. DUSP12 is a member of the dual specificity phosphatase (DUSP) family, which plays important roles in brown adipocyte differentiation, microbial infection, and cardiac hypertrophy. However, the role of DUSP12 in NAFLD has yet to be clarified. Here, we reveal that DUSP12 protects against hepatic steatosis and inflammation in L02 cells after palmitic acid/oleic acid treatment. We demonstrate that hepatocyte specific DUSP12-deficient mice exhibit high-fat diet (HFD)-induced and high-fat high-cholesterol diet-induced hyperinsulinemia and liver steatosis and decreased insulin sensitivity. Consistently, DUSP12 overexpression in hepatocyte could reduce HFD-induced hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, and inflammation. At the molecular level, steatosis in the absence of DUSP12 was characterized by elevated apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), which mediates the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and hepatic metabolism. DUSP12 physically binds to ASK1, promotes its dephosphorylation, and inhibits its action on ASK1-related proteins, JUN N-terminal kinase, and p38 MAPK in order to inhibit lipogenesis under high-fat conditions. Conclusion: DUSP12 acts as a positive regulator in hepatic steatosis and offers potential therapeutic opportunities for NAFLD.

Behavioral responses of two captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to a continuous 50 kHz tone.

At present, the fundamental frequencies of signals of most commercially available acoustic alarms to deter small cetaceans are below 20 kHz, but it is not well ascertained whether higher frequencies have a deterrent effect on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Two captive bottlenose dolphins housed in a floating pen were subjected to a continuous pure tone at 50 kHz with a source level of 160 ± 2 dB (re 1 µPa, rms). The behavioral responses of dolphins were judged by comparing surfacing distance relative to the sound source, number of surfacings, and number of echolocation clicks produced, during forty 15 min baseline periods with forty 15 min test periods (four sessions per day, 40 sessions in total). On all 10 study days, surfacing distance and the number of surfacings increased while click production decreased during broadcasts of test sound. The avoidance threshold sound pressure level for a continuous 50 kHz tone for the bottlenose dolphins, in the context of this study, was estimated to be 144 ± 2 dB (re 1 µPa, rms). The results indicated that a continuous 50 kHz tonal signal can deter bottlenose dolphins from an area.

[Bcl-XL antisense oligodeoxynucleotide sensitizes human esophageal cancer cell line to 5-fluorouracil].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the Bcl-XL antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ASODN) in suppressing the Bcl-XL expression and increasing the sensitivity of esophageal cancer cell line EC9706 to 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu). METHODS: The proliferation inhibitory rate of EC9706 was assessed by MTT, the expression of Bcl-XL was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot, and the apoptotic changes were examined by acridine orange (AO) fluorescent staining and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS: In the group of ASODN combined with 5-Fu, the proliferation inhibitory rate of esophageal cancer cells was 71.58%, the expression inhibitory rate of Bcl-XL mRNA was 81.25%, the expression of Bcl-XL protein was decreased significantly. The apoptosis rates detected by AO fluorescent staining and flow cytometry were 69.5% and (63.32 +/- 9.23)%, respectively. There were significant differences as compared with the cell control group, the vacuity control group, the N-ODN group, the ASODN group and the 5-Fu group, respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Bcl-XL ASODN combined with 5-Fu can effectively inhibit the proliferation of esophageal cancer cells in vitro. Bcl-XL ASODN can significantly increase the sensitivity of esophageal cancer cells to 5-Fu through suppressing the expression of Bcl-XL.

[Inhibitory effects of transfected Bcl-XL antisense oligodeoxynucleotide on proliferation of esophageal cancer cells and growth of human esophageal carcinoma in nude mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the biologic effects of Bcl-XL antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ASODN) transfected into cultured esophageal carcinoma cells and human esophageal carcinoma xenograft in nude mice. METHODS: Cationic liposome-mediated ASODN was used to transfect esophageal carcinoma cells. RT-PCR, Western blot, MTT assay, flow cytometry and in-situ apoptosis cells detection (TUNEL detection) were used to systematically study the biological effects of the transfected cells in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: MTT assay showed that the proliferation of esophageal carcinoma cells in the ASODN group decreased significantly as compared with control (P < 0.05), along with a 57.3% inhibitory rate of Bcl-XL mRNA, a significant decrease of Bcl-XL protein and the apoptosis rates of (31.1 +/- 5.8)% and 35.0% by flow cytometry and TUNEL assay, respectively (P < 0.01, as compared with controls). The growth of human esophageal carcinoma in nude mice was also significantly inhibited in the ASODN group (P < 0.05), along with a significant decrease of Bcl-XL mRNA and protein expression, and also an enhanced apoptosis of the tumor cells in nude mice. CONCLUSIONS: Bcl-XL ASODN can effectively inhibit the proliferation of esophageal carcinoma cells in vitro and the growth of the tumor in vivo. The suppression of Bcl-XL expression by ASODN may offer both a therapeutic approach and an important theoretic foundation for gene therapy against esophageal carcinoma.