A ratiometric fluorescence sensor for tetracycline detection based on two fluorophores derived from Partridge tea.

Blue fluorescent carbon dots (PCDs) were prepared by hydrothermal method with Partridge tea. The ethanol extract of Partridge tea (PEE) was found to emit red fluorescence. Thus, a novel ratiometric sensor was constructed by simply mixing the two fluorophores derived from Partridge tea. The presence of tetracycline (TET) at lower concentrations enhanced the emission peak at 508 nm of PCDs and had a negligible effect on the emission peak at 680 nm of PEE. TET at higher concentrations led to  quenching  both the fluorescence of PCDs and PEE via inner filter effect and fluorescence resonance energy transfer, separately. Good linearities for the detection of TET were obtained in the ranges 0.67 to 15.00 µM and 33.33 to 266.67 µM, with limit of detection of 0.095 µM. The sensor was successfully applied to detect TET in lake water and milk samples with good recoveries ranging from 93.27 ± 4.04% to 107.30 ± 6.16%. This study provided a simple, selective, sensitive, rapid, and environmentally friendly method of monitoring TET residues in the environment and food.

Postoperative Adjuvant Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy With FOLFOX in Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Microvascular Invasion: A Multicenter, Phase III, Randomized Study.

PURPOSE: To report the efficacy and safety of postoperative adjuvant hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) with 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with microvascular invasion (MVI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this randomized, open-label, multicenter trial, histologically confirmed HCC patients with MVI were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive adjuvant FOLFOX-HAIC (treatment group) or routine follow-up (control group). The primary end point was disease-free survival (DFS) by intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis while secondary end points were overall survival, recurrence rate, and safety. RESULTS: Between June 2016 and August 2021, a total of 315 patients (ITT population) at five centers were randomly assigned to the treatment group (n = 157) or the control group (n = 158). In the ITT population, the median DFS was 20.3 months (95% CI, 10.4 to 30.3) in the treatment group versus 10.0 months (95% CI, 6.8 to 13.2) in the control group (hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.81; P = .001). The overall survival rates at 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years were 93.8% (95% CI, 89.8 to 98.1), 86.4% (95% CI, 80.0 to 93.2), and 80.4% (95% CI, 71.9 to 89.9) for the treatment group and 92.0% (95% CI, 87.6 to 96.7), 86.0% (95% CI, 79.9 to 92.6), and 74.9% (95% CI, 65.5 to 85.7) for the control group (hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.36 to 1.14; P = .130), respectively. The recurrence rates were 40.1% (63/157) in the treatment group and 55.7% (88/158) in the control group. Majority of the adverse events were grade 0-1 (83.8%), with no treatment-related death in both groups. CONCLUSION: Postoperative adjuvant HAIC with FOLFOX significantly improved the DFS benefits with acceptable toxicities in HCC patients with MVI.

Optical Microfiber with a Gold Nanorods-Black Phosphorous Nanointerface: An Ultrasensitive Biosensor and Nanotherapy Platform.

The detection and therapy of cancers in the early stage significantly alleviate the associated dangers. Optical devices offer new opportunities for these early measures. However, the clinical translation of the existing methods is severely hindered by their relatively low sensitivity or unclear physiological metabolism. Here, an optical microfiber sensor with a drug loading gold nanorod-black phosphorous nanointerface, as an ultrasensitive biosensor and nanotherapy platform, is developed to meet the early-stage requirement. With interface sensitization and functionalization of the hybrid nanointerface, the microfiber sensor presents an ultrahigh sensing performance, achieving the selective detection of the HER2 biomarker with limits of detection of 0.66 aM in buffer solution and 0.77 aM in 10% serum. It can also distinguish breast cancer cells from other cells in the early stage. Additionally, enabled by the interface, the optical microfiber is able to realize cellular nanotherapy, including photothermal/chemotherapy with pump laser coupling after diagnosis, and evaluate therapy results in real time. The immobilization of the interface on the optical microfiber surface prevents the damage to normal cells induced by nanomaterial enrichment, making the device more efficient and intelligent. This study opens up a new avenue for the development of smart optical platforms for sensitive biosensing and precision therapy.

A randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled clinical trial of minodronate tablet in postmenopausal Chinese women with osteoporosis / 中华妇产科杂志

Objective:To verify the efficacy and safety of daily oral minodronate in postmenopausal women with established osteoporosis.Methods:In this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, 262 postmenopausal women were enrolled. Patients were randomized to receive daily oral minodronate 1 mg with supplements of 500 mg calcium and 200 U vitamin D 3 ( n=130) or placebo ( n=132) with daily supplements of 500 mg calcium and 200 U vitamin D 3, for 48 weeks. The primary endpoint was the average bone mineral density (BMD) change in the lumbar vertebrae 48 weeks post-treatment. Secondary outcome measures was the incidence of vertebral fractures. Safety assessments included the rate of adverse events. Results:At the end of 48 weeks treatment, the average BMD change rate from baseline were: full analysis set results: (3.52±4.82)% in the minodronate group and (2.00±5.74)% in the placebo group; per-protocol set results: (3.99±5.05)% in the minodronate group and (2.07±6.20)% in the placebo group; the differences were all significant (all P<0.05). Vertebral fracture occured in 3 patients (2.3%, 3/132) in the placebo group, and 1 case (0.8%, 1/130) in the minodronate group ( P>0.05). The incidence of adverse events was 71.5% (93/130) in the minodronate group and 78.0% (103/132) in the placebo group ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Minodronate is effective and safe in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis without severe side effects.

Xiaoyao San, a Chinese herbal formula, ameliorates depression-like behavior in mice through the AdipoR1/AMPK/ACC pathway in hypothalamus / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#Depression and metabolic disorders have overlapping psychosocial and pathophysiological causes. Current research is focused on the possible role of adiponectin in regulating common biological mechanisms. Xiaoyao San (XYS), a classic Chinese medicine compound, has been widely used in the treatment of depression and can alleviate metabolic disorders such as lipid or glucose metabolism disorders. However, the ability of XYS to ameliorate depression-like behavior as well as metabolic dysfunction in mice and the underlying mechanisms are unclear.@*METHODS@#An in vivo animal model of depression was established by chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). XYS and fluoxetine were administered by gavage to the drug intervention group. Depression-like behaviors were analyzed by the social interaction test, open field test, forced swim test, and elevated plus maze test. Glucose levels were measured using the oral glucose tolerance test. The involvement of certain molecules was validated by immunofluorescence, histopathology, and Western blotting. In vitro, hypothalamic primary neurons were exposed to high glucose to induce neuronal damage, and the neuroprotective effect of XYS was evaluated by cell counting kit-8 assay. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting were used to evaluate the influences of XYS on adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1), adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) and other related proteins.@*RESULTS@#XYS ameliorated CSDS-induced depression-like behaviors and glucose tolerance impairment in mice and increased the level of serum adiponectin. XYS also restored Nissl bodies in hypothalamic neurons in mice that exhibited depression-like behaviors and decreased the degree of neuronal morphological damage. In vivo and in vitro studies indicated that XYS increased the expression of AdipoR1 in hypothalamic neurons.@*CONCLUSION@#Adiponectin may be a key regulator linking depression and metabolic disorders; regulation of the hypothalamic AdipoR1/AMPK/ACC pathway plays an important role in treatment of depression by XYS.

A novel treatment strategy using indocyanine green for transarterial chemoembolization in BCLC stage C hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to propose a strategy based on indocyanine green (ICG) (SBI) to provide better clinical guidelines for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatments for Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage C hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 2005 to December 2012, 112 BCLC stage C HCC patients initially treated with TACE were investigated, randomly divided into a training cohort (n = 79) and validation cohort (n = 33). In training group, the patients were grouped based on their 15 minutes ICG retention rate (ICG R15), different chemo drugs and dose of lipidol in TACE. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed in subgroups. Strategy based on ICG was built and verified in validation group. RESULTS: For those patients with ICG R15 values >10%, the lipiodol ≤10 mL group showed better survival than the lipiodol >10 mL group. For those patients with ICG R15 values ≤10%, the group that received triple-drug chemotherapy treatments with lipiodol diameter ratio values between 1 and 3 showed better survival than the other group. Patients who conformed with the SBI had better survival times than those who did not conform with the SBI, in both the training cohort (median OS 10.3 vs 5.1 months; P < .001; median PFS, 3.3 vs 2.1 months; P = .006) and the validation cohort (median OS 8.9 vs 7.1 months; P = .087; median PFS, 6.6 vs 2.3 months; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The SBI is suitable and may provide survival benefits for TACE treatments in BCLC stage C HCC patients.

Single-molecule detection of biomarker and localized cellular photothermal therapy using an optical microfiber with nanointerface.

For early-stage diagnostics, there is a strong demand for sensors that can rapidly detect biomarkers at ultralow concentration or even at the single-molecule level. Compared with other types of sensors, optical microfibers are more convenient for use as point-of-care devices in early-stage diagnostics. However, the relatively low sensitivity strongly hinders their use. To this end, an optical microfiber is functionalized with a plasmonic nanointerface consisting of black phosphorus-supported Au nanohybrids. The microfiber is able to detect epidermal growth factor receptor (ErbB2) at concentrations ranging from 10 zM to 100 nM, with a detection limit of 6.72 zM, enabling detection at the single-molecule level. The nanointerface-sensitized microfiber is capable of differentiating cancer cells from normal cells and treating cancer cells through cellular photothermal therapy. This work opens up a possible approach for the integration of cellular diagnosis and treatment.

Effects of Nutrition Intervention on Total and Cancer Mortality: 25-Year Post-trial Follow-up of the 5.25-Year Linxian Nutrition Intervention Trial.

Background: A beneficial effect of supplementation with selenium, vitamin E, and beta-carotene was observed on total and cancer mortality in a Chinese population, and it endured for 10 years postintervention, but longer durability is unknown. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in Linxian, China, from 1986 to 1991; 29 584 residents age 40 to 69 years received daily supplementations based on a factorial design: Factors A (retinol/zinc), B (riboflavin/niacin), C (vitamin C/molybdenum), and/or D (selenium/vitamin E/beta-carotene), or placebo for 5.25 years, and followed for up 25 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the intervention effects on mortalities were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Through 2016, the interventions showed no effect on total mortality. The previously reported protective effect of Factor D against total mortality was lost 10 years postintervention. The protective effect of Factor D for gastric cancer was attenuated (HR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.85 to 1.01), but a newly apparent protective effect against esophageal cancer was found for Factor B (HR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.85 to 1.00, two-sided P = .04). Other protective/adverse associations were observed for cause-specific mortalities. Protective effects were found in people younger than age 55 years at baseline against non-upper gastrointestinal cancer death for Factor A (HR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.69 to 0.92) and against death from stroke for Factor C (HR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.82 to 0.96). In contrast, increased risk of esophageal cancer was found when the intervention began after age 55 years for Factors C (HR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.30) and D (HR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.07 to 1.34). Conclusions: Multiyear nutrition intervention is unlikely to have a meaningful effect on mortality more than a decade after supplementation ends, even in a nutritionally deprived population. Whether sustained or repeat intervention would provide longer effects needs further investigation.

Preparation and evaluation of novel mesoporous molecular sieve of baicalin surface molecularly imprinted polymers / 中国中药杂志

Taking mesoporous molecular sieve MCM-41 as a substrate, baicalin (BA) as template, acrylamide (AM) as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a cross-linking agent, ethanol as solvent, under thermal polymerization initiator of azobis isobutyronitrilo (AIBN) , a kind of selective recognition of baicalin surface molecularly imprinted polymer was synthesized. The surface morphologies and characteristics of the MIPs were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The adsorption properties of polymer microsphere for the template were tested by the dynamic adsorption equilibrium experiments and static adsorption equilibrium experiments. The experiment showed that the imprinting process was successfully and the well-ordered one-dimensional pore structure of MCM-41 was still preserved. Furthermore, molecularly imprinted polymers had higher selective ability for BA, then provided a new method for the efficient separation and enrichment of baicalin active ingredients from medicinal plants Scutellaria baicalensis.

Green Tea Polyphenols Attenuate High-Fat Diet-Induced Renal Oxidative Stress through SIRT3-Dependent Deacetylation / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Fifty male Wistar rats were fed a standard chow diet or a high-fat (HF) diet, and different concentrations of green tea polyphenols (GTPs) (0.8, 1.6, and 3.2 g/L) were administered in the drinking water. We found that the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the HF diet group was significantly higher than that in the control (CON) group (P<0.05). Decreased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α and sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) expression, and increased manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) acetylation levels were also detected in the HF diet group (P<0.05). GTP treatment upregulated SIRT3 and PPARα expression, increased the pparα mRNA level, reduced the MnSOD acetylation level, and decreased MDA production in rats fed a HF diet (P<0.05). No significant differences in total renal MnSOD and PPAR-γ coactivator-1α (PGC1-α) expression were detected. The reduced oxidative stress detected in kidney tissues after GTP treatment was partly due to the higher SIRT3 expression, which was likely mediated by PPARα.

[Cytotoxic effect of lappaconitine on non-small cell lung cancer in vitro and its molecular mechanism].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the proliferation inhibitory effect of Lappaconitine (LAP) on non-small cell lung cancer cell line A549 cells in vitro and its possible mechanism. METHODS: A549 cell was cultured with different concentrations of LAP. Cellular proliferation was determined with MTT. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected with FCM technology. The Cyclin E1 gene expression was checked by Real-time Quantitative PCR method. RESULTS: LAP could inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. LAP could induce apoptosis of A549 cell. Cell cycle was stopped at the G1 + G0 phase by LAP with FCM technology. With the increasement of LAP concentration, the ratio of G1 + G0 phase was increased and the ratio of S phase and G2 + M phase was decreased; The apoptotic rate was gradually increased, and the Cyclin E1 gene expression was down-regulated. CONCLUSION: LAP has the inhibitory effect on the growth of A549 cells, which is related to the cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase, apoptosis and down-regulation of Cyclin E1 gene expression.

Uncovering a broad class of fluorescent amine-containing compounds by heat treatment.

Amine-containing compounds including polymers, oligomers and small molecules, without conventional fluorophores, are found to emit strong visible fluorescence after a one-step heat treatment. Furthermore, our results demonstrate for the first time that not only tertiary amine groups but also primary and secondary amine groups can act as fluorescent moieties.

Study on inhibitory effect of different extract fractions from longdan xiegan decoction on biofilms of Candida albicans / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the inhibitory effect of different extract fractions from Longdan Xiegan decoction on biofilms of Candida albicans, and discuss its possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The micro-dilution method and the XTT reduction assay were adopted to explore the antifungal activity of different extract fractions from Longdan Xiegan decoction and detect the inhibitory effect of different extracts on biofilms of C. albicans. The expression quantity of the adhesion related gene ALS1 and hypha formation SUN41 were detected by qRT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The MICs of extracts from Longdan Xiegan decoction, including petroleum ether, water, butanol, methanol and ethyl acetate, against C. albicans were > 1 000, > 1 000, > 1 000, 125, 125 mg x L(-1). The SMIC50 against biofilms of C. albicanswere > 1 000, > 1000, > 1 000, 500, 500 mg x L(-1). The SMIC50 were > 1 000, > 1 000, > 1 000, > 1 000 and 1 000 mg x L(-1). 1 000 mg x L(-1) ethyl acetate extracts could considerably inhibit the expression of the adhesion related gene ALS1 and hypha formation SUN41.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The ethyl acetate extract showed the greatest activity against Candida albicans biofilms.</p>

Reversal effect of Stephania tetrandra-containing Chinese herb formula SENL on multidrug resistance in lung cancer cell line SW1573/2R120.

This research is aimed on reversing multidrug resistance (MDR) of chemotherapy in lung cancer. According to our previous research, chemotherapeutic drugs resistance in lung cancer is mainly due to high expression of multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) gene and activation of caspases. The effect of stephania tetrandra-containing Chinese herbal formula, namely Supplement Energy and Nourish Lung (SENL), is effective in enhancing efficacy and reducing toxicity of chemotherapy in lung cancer. However, the underlying mechnism is largely unknown. To understand whether and how SENL herbs function on multidrug-resistance lung cancer cells, we treated a multidrug resistance lung cancer cell line, SW1573/2R120 with SENL herbs alone or together with a chemotherapeutic drug, Adriamycin (ADM). We observed that SENL herbs had a significant synergistic effect with ADM in inhibiting the growth of SW1573/2R120 cells. SENL alone and particularly together with ADM could significantly increase cell apoptotic death via mitochondria- and caspase-dependent pathway. Furthermore, we showed that SENL herbs could reverse drug resistance of lung cancer cells by decreasing MRP expression and increasing accumulation of intracellular ADM, which in turn increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to ADM. Taken together, the mechanism underlying reversal effect of drug resistance by SENL treatment was reported here and further systematical investigation on SENL herbs may lead to solve drug resistance in lung cancer chemotherapy.

[Effect of supplement energy and nourish lung herbs on drug-resistance lung cancer with mechanisms of mitochondrial and caspase signal].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of supplement energy and nourish lung (SENL) herbs on the growth of drug-resistance lung cancer cells, expression of multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) and mechanisms of mitochondrial and Caspase signal. METHODS: Drug-resistance lung cancer cell line SW1573/2R120 was treated with SENL herbs and Adriamycin. Cellular toxicity with MTT colorimetric assay, expression of MRP protein with flow microscopy, the fluorescence intensity of mitochondria membrane potetional and Ca2+ with laser confocal microscopy, the activities of caspase-3 and caspase-8 with colorimetric assay were detected. RESULTS: Compared with control group, cellular inhibitory rate was increased obviously, expression of MRP protein was decreased, mitochondria membrane potetional and intracellular Ca2+ were decreased, the activities of caspase-3 and caspase-8 were increased in the group of SENL herbs. CONCLUSION: SENL herbs can interfere and reverse drug resistance in lung cancer by the mechanism of decreasing mitochondria membrane potetional and increasing the activities of caspase-3 and caspase-8.

Congenital intestinal malrotation in children / 中国综合临床

Objective To summarize reasonable therapeutic measures by analyzing the characteristics of tardive intestinal malrotation in childhood. Methods Clinical data of 23 definitely diagnosed cases of intestinal mal-rotation from 1998 to 2008 were studied retrospectively. Results All of 23 patients were processed through plain ab-dominal radiograph;9 were examined with barium meal;2 were examined with barium enema;20 were examined by abdominal Doppler and 13 were examined by abdominal computer tomography. There were 18 patients who got final diagnosis preoperatively and the rate of final diagnosis was 78.3%. All of the cases were cured with Ladd's operative method. Conclusion Because tardive intestinal malrotation has various clinical manifestations,it is more difficult to diagnose than congenital intestinal malrotation in children. The main causes of death are intestinal volvulus and/or necrosis. At present,surgery is a traditional therapeutic way. Ladd procedure is the main traditional way to treat mal-trotation.

Magnetic resonance behavior of lipiodol--an experimental study / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To describe the characteristics of magnetic resonance (MR) signals generated by lipiodol and to assess the influence on MR imaging of hepatoma nodule.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Pure lipiodol and lipiodol emulsions mixed with 76% urografin in different ratio were imaged by both CT and MR; quantitative T(1) and T(2) measurements of lipiodol were performed. Fourty-one SD rats with transplanted walker-256 sarcoma in liver were randomly divided into six groups: 0.4-0.6 ml lipiodol emulsion was infused via hepatic artery in experimental groups by means of laparotomy under celiac anesthesia. The changes in MRI signal of hepatoma nodule were observed.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>In vitro, iodized oil demonstrated high signal on T(1)-weighted images when performed at 37 degree, but all could be suppressed by the fat saturation sequence, and showed very low signal on T(2)-weighted images. The characteristic of MR signal with ultra fluid lipiodol was different from that of iodized oil (P<0.01), showing short T(1) and long T(2) signal; the high signal on T(1)-weighted images was only partially suppressed by the fat saturation sequence. With descending ratio of lipiodol in emulsion, the signal behavior was gradually similar to urografin (r -0.958, P<0.01). When rats were transarterially infused with emulsion, the intensity of the signal on MRI was nearly the same as that in the control rats, but when lipiodol was injected out of the hepatic artery and accumulated in lymphadenopathy, it demonstrated a signal similar to fat; the high intensity signal was maintained on T(1)-weighted images and T(2)-weighted images.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There are little changes in MR signal intensity when the lipiodol is accumulated in the tumor nodules. MR behavior of lipiodol is determined by its deposit area.</p>