A water-stable dual-responsive Cd-CP for fluorometric recognition of hypochlorite and acetylacetone in aqueous media.

One novel cadmium(II)-coordination polymer [Cd3L2(datrz)(H2O)3] (CP 1) is controllably synthesized by surmising the astute combination of semi-rigid tricarboxylate acid 4-(2',3'-dicarboxylphenoxy) benzoic acid (H3L) and auxiliary ligand 3,5-diamino-1,2,4-triazole (datrz). Structure analysis shows that CP 1 has a two-dimensional (2D) layer structure with a 5-nodal (43) (44·62) (45·64·8) (45·6) (47·66·82) topology. Further investigations reveal that CP 1 shows superordinary water stability and good thermal stability. The fluorescent explorations suggest that the as-synthesized CP 1 could emit blue light centered at 485 nm, attributing to ligand-based emission. In terms of sensing investigations, CP 1 could act as a fluorescent sensor for detecting hypochlorite (ClO-) and acetylacetone (acac) through fluorescence turn-off process in aqueous solution, and the detection limit could reach 0.18 µM and 0.056 µM, respectively. Further research reveals that it is more likely the N-H···O-Cl hydrogen bonds between -NH2 groups of the triazole ligands and O atoms of ClO- plays the key role in the system, which may serve as a bridge for the energy transfer, leading to fluorescence quenching of the chemosensor. While the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) combined with inner filter effect (IFT) should be responsible for the turn-off fluorescence of CP 1 triggered by acac.

Gout of feet and ankles in different disease durations: diagnostic value of single-source DECT and evaluation of urate deposition with a novel semi-quantitative DECT scoring system.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the diagnostic performance of single-source dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) based on gemstone spectral imaging technology (including Discovery CT750HD and Revolution CT) in patients with suspected feet/ankles gouty arthritis, and evaluate the urate deposition with a novel semi-quantitative DECT scoring system. METHODS: A total of 196 patients were consecutively included. Feet and ankles were evaluated in all patients by single-source DECT scan. The 2015 EULAR/ACR criteria were used as the reference for the diagnosis of gout. The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of DECT for the diagnosis of gout in the early (≤1 year), middle (1-3 years), and late (> 3 years) disease durations were calculated. Besides, a novel semi-quantitative DECT scoring system was assessed for the measurement of urate deposition, and the correlation between the scores and the clinical and serological data were also evaluated. Moreover, the influences of artifacts on the diagnostic performance of DECT were also determined. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of DECT in 196 patients were 38.10, 96.43%, and 0.673 in the early-stage group; 62.96, 100.00%, and 0.815 in the middle-stage group; and 77.55, 87.50%, and 0.825 in the late-stage group, respectively. The overall diagnostic accuracies in the AUC of DECT (Discovery CT750HD and Revolution CT) in the middle and late stages of gout were higher than that in the early stage of gout. Besides, the monosodium urate crystals were deposited on the first metatarsophalangeal joints and ankles/midfeet. Age, the presence of tophus, bone erosion, and disease duration considerably affected the total urate score. No statistical difference in the positive detection of nail artifact, skin artifact, vascular calcification, and noise artifact was found between the case and control groups. CONCLUSION: DECT (Discovery CT750HD and Revolution CT) showed promising diagnostic accuracy for the detection of urate crystal deposition in gout but had limited diagnostic sensitivity for short-stage gout. Longer disease duration, the presence of tophus, and bone erosion were associated with the urate crystal score system. The artifacts do not remarkably affect the diagnostic performance of DECT in gout.

Gout of feet and ankles in different disease durations: diagnostic value of single-source DECT and evaluation of urate deposition with a novel semi-quantitative DECT scoring system

Abstract Objectives: To investigate the diagnostic performance of single-source dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) based on gemstone spectral imaging technology (including Discovery CT750HD and Revolution CT) in patients with suspected feet/ankles gouty arthritis, and evaluate the urate deposition with a novel semi-quantitative DECT scoring system. Methods: A total of 196 patients were consecutively included. Feet and ankles were evaluated in all patients by single-source DECT scan. The 2015 EULAR/ACR criteria were used as the reference for the diagnosis of gout. The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of DECT for the diagnosis of gout in the early (≤1 year), middle (1-3 years), and late (> 3 years) disease durations were calculated. Besides, a novel semi-quantitative DECT scoring system was assessed for the measurement of urate deposition, and the correlation between the scores and the clinical and serological data were also evaluated. Moreover, the influences of artifacts on the diagnostic performance of DECT were also determined. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of DECT in 196 patients were 38.10, 96.43%, and 0.673 in the early-stage group; 62.96, 100.00%, and 0.815 in the middle-stage group; and 77.55, 87.50%, and 0.825 in the late-stage group, respectively. The overall diagnostic accuracies in the AUC of DECT (Discovery CT750HD and Revolution CT) in the middle and late stages of gout were higher than that in the early stage of gout. Besides, the monosodium urate crystals were deposited on the first metatarsophalangeal joints and ankles/midfeet. Age, the presence of tophus, bone erosion, and disease duration considerably affected the total urate score. No statistical difference in the positive detection of nail artifact, skin artifact, vascular calcification, and noise artifact was found between the case and control groups. Conclusion: DECT (Discovery CT750HD and Revolution CT) showed promising diagnostic accuracy for the detection of urate crystal deposition in gout but had limited diagnostic sensitivity for short-stage gout. Longer disease duration, the presence of tophus, and bone erosion were associated with the urate crystal score system. The artifacts do not remarkably affect the diagnostic performance of DECT in gout.

[Effects of melittin on expressions of mitochondria membrane protein 7A6, cell apoptosis-related gene products Fas and Fas ligand in hepatocarcinoma cells].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of melittin on the expressions of mitochondria membrane protein 7A6, cell apoptosis-related gene products Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) in hepatocarcinoma cells in vitro and to study the mechanisms of melittin in inducing apoptosis of hepatocarcinoma cells. METHODS: BEL-7402 cell line was treated with melittin in vitro. The expressions of mitochondria membrane protein 7A6, cell apoptosis-related gene products Fas and FasL were detected by flow cytometry. Fas and FasL mRNAs were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. RESULTS: The expression rates of mitochondria membrane protein 7A6 of BEL-7402 hepatocarcinoma cells in 8, 16, 32 microg/ml melittin-treated and control groups were 4.89%, 17.74%, 11.45% and 1.02%, respectively. The expression of Fas protein was up-regulated by melittin, while FasL expression did not change. RT-PCR results showed that Fas mRNA expression was up-regulated by 32 microg/ml melittin and FasL mRNA expression was not observed. CONCLUSION: The effects of melittin in inducing hepatocarcinoma cell apoptosis may be related with up-regulating the expressions of mitochondria membrane protein 7A6 and Fas protein.