Kinetically and thermodynamically controlled one-pot growth of gold nanoshells with NIR-II absorption for multimodal imaging-guided photothermal therapy.

Since the successful clinical trial of AuroShell for photothermal therapy, there is currently intense interest in developing gold-based core-shell structures with near-infrared (NIR) absorption ranging from NIR-I (650-900 nm) to NIR-II (900-1700 nm). Here, we propose a seed-mediated successive growth approach to produce gold nanoshells on the surface of the nanoscale metal-organic framework (NMOF) of UiO-66-NH2 (UiO = the University of Oslo) in one pot. The key to this strategy is to modulate the proportion of the formaldehyde (reductant) and its regulator / oxidative product of formic acid to harness the particle nucleation and growth rate within the same system. The gold nanoshells propagate through a well-oriented and controllable diffusion growth pattern (points → facets → octahedron), which has not been identified. Most strikingly, the gold nanoshells prepared hereby exhibit an exceedingly broad and strong absorption in NIR-II with a peak beyond 1300 nm and outstanding photothermal conversion efficiency of 74.0%. Owing to such superior performance, these gold nanoshells show promising outcomes in photoacoustic (PA), computed tomography (CT), and photothermal imaging-guided photothermal therapy (PTT) for breast cancer, as demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo.

[Effects of Qilan Prescription on the proliferation and apoptosis of human prostate cancer DU145 cells and its action mechanism].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of different concentrations of Qilan Prescription (QLP) on the proliferation and apoptosis of human PCa DU145 cells and its underlying mechanism. METHODS: We treated human PCa DU145 cells with QLP at 400, 200, 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25, 3.125 or 1.56 µg/ml for 24, 48 and 72 hours respectively. Then we observed the morphological changes of the cells, examined their viability by CCK-8 assay, detected their cell cycle and apoptosis by flow cytometry, and determined the protein expressions of cyclin D1, Bax, Bcl-2 and cleaved-caspase 3 in the DU145 cells by Western blot, followed by comparison of the parameters with those obtained from the blank control group. RESULTS: QLP significantly inhibited the growth, reduced the contour clarity and adhesion ability of the DU145 cells at the concentrations of 100, 200 and 400 µg/ml, and markedly decreased the activity of the cells at 200 and 400 µg/ml, most significantly at 400 µg/ml. The number of the G2-phase DU145 cells was dramatically increased in all the concentration groups (P < 0.01), so was the total number of apoptotic DU145 cells (P < 0.01), while that of the S-phase cells remarkably decreased in the 400 µg/ml QLP (P < 0.01) and 200 µg/ml QLP (P < 0.05) groups. The expression of the cyclin D1 protein was significantly down-regulated in the 400 µg/ml QLP group (P < 0.01). That of Bcl-2 was also down-regulated (P < 0.01) while those of Bax and cleaved-caspase 3 up-regulated in the 400 and 200 µg/ml QLP groups (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: QLP can inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of human PCa DU145 cells, which may be associated with its effects of down-regulating the expression of the cell cycle-related protein cyclin D1, disrupting the Bax-Bcl-2 balance, and up-regulating the expression of cleaved-caspase 3.

Cyclization/hydrolysis of 1,5-enenitriles initiated by sulfonyl radicals in the aqueous phase in the presence of the I2/TBHP system.

A novel cyclization/hydrolysis of 1,5-enenitriles for the synthesis of valuable pyrrolidine-2,4-diones in the aqueous phase using I2 as the catalyst and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as the oxidant is reported. In the presence of the I2/TBHP system, sulfonyl hydrazides produce sulfonyl radicals, which undergo radical addition, intramolecular cyclization, hydrogen abstraction, and hydrolysis to give the final products. The use of the inexpensive and environmentally friendly I2/TBHP catalytic oxidation system in the aqueous phase makes it a benign and sustainable strategy.

[Comparative study on free and bound phenolic acids before and after drying of Salvia miltiorrhiza].

There were significant differences in phenolic acid content between fresh and dried Salvia miltiorrhiza before and after drying. That is to say, the content of phenolic acid in S. miltiorrhiza significantly increased with the increase of dehydration during the drying process.In order to investigate the differences and transformation of free and bound phenolic acids before and after the drying process of S.miltiorrhiza, we studied hydrolysis method, hydrolysates and hydrolysis regularity of phenolic acids in S.miltiorrhiza. UPLC method was used to determine four main hydrolysates of bound phenolic acids, namely danshensu, caffeic acid dimer(SMND-309), caffeic acid, przewalskinic acid A(prolithosperic acid), and three main free phenolic acids in S.miltiorrhiza, namely rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid, salvianolic acid B. The results of the acid-base hydrolysis experiment of salvianolic acid showed that the alkaline hydrolysis effect was significantly better than acid hydrolysis. The optimal alkaline hydrolysis condition was hydrolysis at 70 ℃ for 4 h with 2 mol·L~(-1) NaOH solution containing 1% ascorbic acid(Vit C). The hydrolysates of free phenolic acids were the same with the hydrolysates of bound phenolic acids. Fresh S.miltiorrhiza contains a low level of free phenolic acids and a high level of bound phenolic acids, which were exactly opposite to dried S.miltiorrhiza. It was suggested that a large amount of bound phenolic acids was accumulated during the growth of S.miltiorrhiza. These bound phenolic acids were coupled with polysaccharides on the cytoderm through ester bonds to form insoluble phenolic acids, which was not easy to be detected by conventional methods. However, during drying and dehydration processes, the bound phenolic acids were converted to a large amount of free phenolic acids under the action of the relevant enzyme.

[Study on dynamic changes of chemical constituents during different drying processes of Salvia miltiorrhiza].

There is no consensus on the drying methods of Salvia miltiorrhiza in ancient and modern times,especially on the content of phenolic acid in fresh S. miltiorrhiza. In order to further explore the content of main components in fresh S. miltiorrhiza and study the dynamic changes during the drying process,the content of main components was used as the index in this study to evaluate the processing method,drying method,correlation between dehydration rate and component content for fresh S. miltiorrhiza. In addition,the sealed and unsealed parallel control groups were set to carry out verification test during the drying process. UPLC method was used for determination of seven main components including rosmarinic acid,lithosperic acid,salvianolic acid B,cryptotanshinone,tanshinoneⅠ,methylene salianolate and tanshinone ⅡAin S. miltiorrhiza. The results showed that the fresh S. miltiorrhiza contained low levels of phenolic acid,and the content of phenolic acid increased significantly with the increase of dehydration rate during drying process,while the change of tanshinone was not obvious. In the comparison of three drying methods,we found that drying at 50 ℃ was better than drying in the sun,and drying in the sun was superior to drying in the shade. So,drying at 50 ℃ was the best drying method. The correlation between dehydration and phenolic acid content of S. miltiorrhiza was analyzed by verification test and SPSS software,which further proved that the dehydration rate was significantly positively correlated with the content of phenolic acid components. This study provides reference for the production processing and drying methods of S. miltiorrhiza medicinal materials,which is of great significance for improving the quality of S. miltiorrhiza.

[3 + 2] Annulation of Vinyl Azides with Aldehydes for the Synthesis of 3-Oxazolines via the [CO + CCN] Strategy.

Despite the widespread utilizable value of 3-oxazolines, mild and efficient access to such a class of unique structures still remains, to date, a challenge. Herein, we present a [3 + 2] annulation strategy, guided by the retrosynthetic principle of [CO + CCN], that utilizes vinyl azides as the CCN module and aldehydes as the CO module. This approach enables the efficient construction of the 3-oxazoline framework with remarkable features, including operational simplicity, environmental friendliness, and high efficiency. Notably, it solely requires the addition of inexpensive and readily available N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) and air oxygen to obtain the desired product. It also provides a new way to generate the hydroxyl radical, which is produced by the homolysis of peroxycarboxylic acid. In addition, control experiments, X-ray crystallographic analysis, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations afford evidence for the key intermediates (hydroxyl radical, carboxyl radical, imine radical, hydroxyl substituted amide derivatives), further confirming the path for realization of 3-oxazolines.

[Experimental study on the stimulation effect of temperature and capsaicin on oral mucosa of rats].

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effects of different temperatures and capsaicin solution on changes of morphology and inflammatory factor expressions in the oral mucosa. METHODS: The oral mucosa of rats was stimulated with normal saline (NS) and capsaicin solution at 25, 45, and 55 ℃ respectively for 4 weeks, and then the rats were sacrificed with chloral hydrate. H-E staining and immunohistochemical staining of the oral mucosa were prepared. The morphological changes of oral mucosa epithelium were observed and the expressions of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8 were detected. SPSS 22.0 software package was used for statistical analysis, and Graphpad Prism 8.0 software was used for statistical graphing. RESULTS: When stimulated with NS and capsaicin solution at different temperatures, the results of H-E staining showed that there was no distinct injury in the mucosal epithelium at 25 ℃ and 45 ℃. Histopathological changes were observed in the oral mucosa at 55 ℃. The expressions of IL-6 and IL-8 in the epithelium were significantly increased (P＜0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 55 ℃ NS solution and 55 ℃ capsaicin solution stimulated oral mucosa of the rats and caused infiltration of inflammatory cells in the lamina propria of the oral mucosa. They also stimulated the oral mucosa of rats, resulting in a significant increase in the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 in the oral mucosal epithelium. The effect of capsaicin on IL-8 expression was enhanced with increasing temperature.

Visible-Light-Catalyzed Tandem Radical Addition/1,5-Hydrogen Atom Transfer/Cyclization of 2-Alkynylarylethers with Sulfonyl Chlorides.

A novel visible-light-catalyzed tandem radical addition/1,5-hydrogen atom transfer/cyclization cascade of 2-alkynylarylethers with sulfonyl chlorides in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran was developed under photocatalyst- and additive-free conditions. This reaction relies on unique energy transfer and solvent-radical relay strategies to generate sulfonyl radicals for the preparation of a series of sulfonyl-functionalized dihydrobenzofurans in moderate to high yields catalyzed by visible light or solar radiation.

[The effect of the acupuncture intervention of dredging Governor Vessel and regulating mentality for the medication treatment of post-stroke depression].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the differences in onset time and the overall efficacy of the acupuncture therapy of dredging Governor Vessel and regulating mentality combined with fluoxetine and the fluoxetine for post-stroke depression(PSD). METHODS: Sixty-three patients were randomly divided into an acupuncture intervention of dredging Governor Vessel and regulating mentality group(acupuncture and medication group, 33 cases) and a control group (medication group, 30 cases). In the medication group, 20 mg fluoxetine was used by oral administration, once a day at 7:00 in the morning, continuously for 4 weeks. In the acupuncture and medication group, based on the oral administration of fluoxetine, the acupuncture intervention of dredging Governor Vessel and regulating mentality was applied mainly at Baihui(GV 20), Fengfu(GV 16), Shenting(GV 24), Shuigou(GV 26), Dazhui(GV 14) and Shendao(GV 11), once a day, 6 times a week, continuously for 4 weeks. Twenty-four items in Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD), modified Edinburgh Scandinavia Stroke Scale(MESSS) and activity of daily life scale(ADL, Barthel index, BI) were used before and after 2-week and 4-week treatment. The efficacy was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: After 2-week treatment, the HAMD score and the MESSS score in the acupuncture and medication group were obviously decreased and the BI score was apparently increased(all P<0. 01). In the medication group, however, the score of every scale was not statistically different from that before treatment(P'>0. 05). After 4-week treatment, HAMD scores and MESSS scores in the two groups were obviously decreased and the BI scores I were apparently increased(all P<0. 01). After 2-week and 4-week treatment, the HAMD scores and the MESSS scores in the acupuncture and medication group were lower than those in the medication group and the BI scores were higher than those in the medication group(P<0. 01, P<0. 05). The total effective rate of anti-depression (97. 0%, 32/33) the total effective rate of nerve function impairment(90. 9%, 30/33) and the total effective rate of daily life activity(97. 0% 32/33) in the acupuncture and medication group were better than 80. 0% (24/30), 80. 0%(24/30), 83. 3%(25/30) in the medication group(all P<0. 05). CONCLUSION: The acupuncture therapy of dredging Governor Vessel and regulating mentality could reduce the onset time of anti-depression medicine treatment of PSD and enhance the overall efficacy. Therefore, it enhances the clinical compliance.

[Assay of Acinetobacter SPP drug-resistance by Kirby-Bauer and Etest method].

OBJECTIVE: To study the drug-resistance of Acinetobacter spp and observe whether antibiotic-beta- lactamase inhibitor complexing agent enhances the sensitivity of the drug-resistant bacteria to the antibiotics. METHODS: Susceptibility tests to the antibiotics were performed for 60 isolated strains of Acinetobacter spp with Kirby-Bauer (K-B) and Etest methods. RESULTS: The drug-resistance rate of the strains to cefoperazone, ampicillin, ticarcillin and piperacillin exceeded 55.0%, and antibiotic-beta-lactamase inhibitor complexing agents evinced better antibacterial activity than antibiotics used alone (P < 0.001). The 2 antibiotic complexes incorporating sulbacta had more potent antibacterial activity than the complexes incorporating clavulanate (2 agents) and tazobactam (1 agent), with the mean ranks of 7.38, 6.43, 5.57, 5.47 and 5.50 respectively. Cefoperazone combined with sulbacta produced a reduction in MIC(90) and MIC(50) that were only 4.69% and 0.59% of the MIC(50) of cefoperazone, and in addition, sulbacta caused cefoperazone- and ampicillin-resistant rates to reduce from both 75.0% to 5.0% and 24.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Acinetobacter spp is resistant to a wide spectrum of commonly-used antibiotics, but cefoperazone in combination with sulbacta can obviously enhance antibacterial potency, suggesting the primary role of this regimen in fighting Acinetobacter spp infections in hospital.

Effects of ultrasound-combined microbubbles on hippocampal AchE fibers in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect of ultrasound-combined microbubbles on hippocampal acetylcholinesterase (AchE) fibers in rats. METHODS: According to random digits table, 60 SD rats were divided into two groups, marrow stromal cells (MSCs) intracranial transplantation group and MSCs intracranial transplantation + ultrasonic microbubbles group. Marrow stromal cells were cultivated and isolated in vitro; 12 weeks after transplantation, spatial learning and memorizing abilities of rats were assessed by Morris water maze; AchE staining method was used to observe changes in density and appearance of AchE staining positive fibers in hippocampal CA1 region. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in spatial learning and memorizing abilities of rats in MSCs intracranial transplantation + ultrasonic microbubbles group. Hippocampal AchE staining suggested an increase in the density of AchE staining positive fibers in MSCs intracranial transplantation group; the fibers were regular, intact and dense. Density of hippocampal AchE positive fibers was negatively correlated with the escape latent period and was positively correlated with percentage of the time needed to cross each platform quadrant. CONCLUSIONS: Better promotion of spatial learning and memorizing abilities of rats in MSCs intracranial transplantation + ultrasonic microbubbles group may be related with the protective effect of ultrasound-combined microbubbles on hippocampal acetylcholine fibers.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in Chinese children with autism spectrum disorders.

In recent years, increasing evidence has shown that children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have lower levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH) D] relative to healthy controls. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the serum 25(OH) D levels in Chinese children with ASD. From January 2012 to December 2012, consecutive patients with ASD admitted to the Department of Neurology were identified. Clinical information was collected. Serum levels of 25(OH) D were measured at baseline. ASD severity was assessed at admission using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale total score. The results indicated that the mean serum 25(OH) D levels were significantly lower in autistic children as compared with normal cases (P=0.002). There was a significant negative relationship between circulating serum 25(OH) D levels and the severity of autism evaluated according to Childhood Autism Rating Scale Scores (P=0.000), after adjustment for the possible covariates such as age, sex, BMI, serum levels of calcium, phosphate, and magnesium, and seasons. After adjusting for all other possible covariates, 25(OH) D levels that remained can be seen as an independent predictor of ASD with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.23 (95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.37). These results indicate that lower 25(OH) D levels may be independently associated with severity of ASD among Chinese patients, and lower serum 25(OH) D levels could be considered as an independent risk factor for ASD.