Interaction of germanium analogue of organic isonitrile with Cu(I) imide in side-on mode.

[NHC → GeN(Ar)Cu2NAr]2, the formal adduct of germanium analogue of organic isonitrile [GeNAr] with Cu(I) imide [(Cu2NAr)2] (Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) was prepared from the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) stabilized acyclic germylene Ge[N(H)Ar]2 by reacting with two equivalents of nBuLi and CuCl(PPh3)3. As elucidated by X-ray crystal structural characterization, the two separated [GeNAr] moieties interacted with [(Cu2NAr)2] core in the side-on mode.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of cardiac surgery associated-acute kidney injury progressed to chronic kidney disease in adults: A retrospective, observational cohort study.

Introduction: To retrospectively investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of cardiac surgery associated-acute kidney injury (CS-AKI) progressed to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adults and to evaluate the performance of clinical risk factor model for predicting CS-AKI to CKD. Methods: In this retrospective, observational cohort study, we included patients who were hospitalized for CS-AKI without a prior CKD [estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 ml · min-1·1.73 m-2] at Central China Fuwai Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020. Survived patients were followed up for 90 days, the endpoint was CS-AKI to CKD, and then divided them into two groups (with or without CS-AKI to CKD). The baseline data including demographics, comorbidities, renal function, and other laboratory parameters were compared between two groups. The logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for CS-AKI to CKD. Finally, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to evaluate the performance of the clinical risk factor model for predicting CS-AKI to CKD. Results: We included 564 patients with CS-AKI (414 males, 150 females; age: 57.55 ± 11.86 years); 108 (19.1%) patients progressed to new-onset CKD 90 days after CS-AKI. Patients with CS-AKI to CKD had a higher proportion of females, hypertension, diabetes, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, low baseline eGFR and hemoglobin level, higher serum creatinine level at discharge (P < 0.05) than those without CS-AKI to CKD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that female sex(OR = 3.478, 95% CI: 1.844-6.559, P = 0.000), hypertension (OR = 1.835, 95% CI: 1.046-3.220, P = 0.034), coronary heart disease (OR = 1.779, 95% CI: 1.015-3.118, P = 0.044), congestive heart failure (OR = 1.908, 95% CI: 1.124-3.239, P = 0.017), preoperative low baseline eGFR (OR = 0.956, 95% CI: 0.938-0.975, P = 0.000), and higher serum creatinine level at discharge (OR = 1.109, 95% CI: 1.014-1.024, P = 0.000) were independent risk factors for CS-AKI to CKD. The clinical risk prediction model including female sex, hypertension, coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, preoperative low baseline eGFR, and higher serum creatinine level at discharge produced a moderate performance for predicting CS-AKI to CKD (area under ROC curve = 0.859, 95% CI: 0.823-0.896). Conclusion: Patients with CS-AKI are at high risk for new-onset CKD. Female sex, comorbidities, and eGFR can help identify patients with a high risk for CS-AKI to CKD.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Reaction of Digermylenes.

A series of digermylenes R(EGeL)2 (L=CH[C(Me)N(Ar)]2 , Ar=2,6-iPr2 C6 H3 ; E=O, R=1,3-C6 H4 (1), 1,4-C6 H4 (2), Me2 C(CH2 )2 (3); E=NH, R=1,4-C6 H4 (4), 1,4-C6 H10 (5); E=C(O)O, R=1,3-C6 H4 (6)) were synthesized by the reactions of L'Ge (L'=HC[C(CH2 )N(Ar)]C(Me)N(Ar), Ar=2,6-iPr2 C6 H3 ) with selected diphenols, diol, diamines, and o-/m-phthalic acids, respectively. Treatment of digermylene 1,3-C6 H4 (OGeL)2 (1) with sulfur, selenium and CuX (X=Cl, Br, I) led to the formation of 1,3-C6 H4 [OGe(S)L]2 (8), 1,3-C6 H4 [OGe(Se)L]2 (9), and (CuX)2 [1,3-C6 H4 (OGeL)2 ]2 (X=Cl (10), Br (11), I (12)), respectively. The obtained products were characterized by melting point, elemental analysis, FT-IR, 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Homogeneous polyporus polysaccharide inhibits bladder cancer by polarizing macrophages to M1 subtype in tumor microenvironment.

BACKGROUND: Polyporus polysaccharide (PPS), an active ingredient of traditional Chinese medicinal Polyporus umbellatus, has multiple biological functions, such as anti-cancer, immune-regulating and hepatoprotective activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism of homogeneous polyporus polysaccharide (HPP) activated macrophages in the treatment of bladder cancer. METHODS: 100 ng/mL Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was used to induce THP-1 human leukemic cells as a macrophage model. Then macrophages derived from THP-1 were treated with different concentrations of HPP (1, 10 and 100 µg/mL). Flow cytometry and RT-PCR were used to detected the expression of CD16, CD23, CD86, CD40 and interleukin (IL)-Iß, iNOS mRNA. ELISA was used to test the change of IL-1ß and TNF-α in macrophage after the treatment with HPP. The conditioned medium from HPP-polarized macrophages was used to detect the effect of activated macrophages on bladder cancer. MTT assay, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay, flow cytometry, Transwell assay, and Western blot analysis were used to detect the effects of polarized macrophages on the viability, proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of bladder cancer cells. Western blot was also used to analysis the change of JAK2/NF-κB pathway protein. RESULTS: HPP promoted the expression of pro-inflammatory factors, such as IL-Iß, TNF-α and iNOS, and surface molecules CD86, CD16, CD23, and CD40 in macrophages and then polarized macrophages to M1 type. Results demonstrated that activated macrophages inhibited the proliferation of bladder cancer cells, regulated their apoptosis, and inhibited migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT). JAK2/NF-κB pathways were downregulated in the anti-bladder cancer process of activated macrophages. CONCLUSION: The findings indicated that HPP inhibited the proliferation and progression of bladder cancer by the polarization of macrophages to M1 type, and JAK2/NF-κB pathway was downregulated in the process of anti-bladder cancer.

Urinary Proteomic Characteristics of Hyperuricemia and Their Possible Links with the Occurrence of Its Concomitant Diseases.

Hyperuricemia (HUA), a chronic disease caused by metabolic disorders of purine, is often accompanied by other diseases such as gout, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and hyperlipidemia. However, little is known about the relationship between HUA and these diseases on the protein level. We performed label-free liquid chromatography MS/MS spectrometry analysis of urine samples from 26 HUA patients and 25 healthy controls, attempting to establish the possible protein links between HUA and these diseases by profiling urine proteome. A total of 2119 proteins were characterized in sample proteomes. Among them, 11 were found decreased and 2 were found increased in HUA samples. Plausible pathways found by enrichment analysis of these differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) include the processes for insulin receptor recycling and lipid metabolism, suggesting potential links between HUA and T2DM and hyperlipidemia. The abundance changes of three key proteins (VATB1, CFAD, and APOC3) involved in these processes were validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In conclusion, our result provides proteomic evidence, for the first time, that the aberrant pathways enriched by described key DEPs are closely related to the incidence of HUA and its concomitant diseases.

High-Temperature-Annealed Flexible Carbon Nanotube Network Transistors for High-Frequency Wearable Wireless Electronics.

Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are potential active materials for fast-growing flexible/wearable applications with low-power dissipation, especially suitable for increasingly important radio-frequency (RF) wireless biosensor systems. However, the operation frequency of the existing flexible carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNT-FETs) is far below the current state-of-the-art GSM spectrum frequency band (typical 850 MHz) for near-field wireless communication applications. In this paper, we successfully conduct a 900 °C annealing process for the flexible CNT-FETs and hence significantly improve their operation frequency up to 2.1 gigahertz (GHz), making it possible to cover the current GSM spectra for integrated wireless sensor systems. The high-temperature annealing process significantly improves the electrical characteristic of the flexible CNT-FETs by removing the surfactant impurities of the SWNT materials. The obtained flexible CNT-FETs exhibit record transconductance (gm) as high as 48 µS/µm. Despite an applied strain level of 2%, a characteristic frequency of over 1 GHz is observed. Further demonstration of GHz performance is also exhibited for flexible RF integrated circuits (ICs) such as frequency multipliers and mixers, which are the fundamental components for wireless applications. This work offers a new pathway for realizing SWNT-based wearable wireless GHz sensor systems with power efficiency.

Nobiletin potentiates paclitaxel anticancer efficacy in A549/T xenograft model: Pharmacokinetic and pharmacological study.

BACKGROUND: Nobiletin (N), a polymethoxylated flavone from citrus fruits, enhanced anti-cancer effects of paclitaxel (PTX) in multi-drug resistance (MDR) cancer cells via inhibiting P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in our previous report. But the in vivo chemo-sensitizing effect of nobiletin is unknown. Moreover, considering the nonlinear pharmacokinetics and narrow therapeutic window of PTX, drug-drug interaction should be explored for using nobiletin with PTX together. PURPOSE: In this study, we wanted to explore whether nobiletin could affect the pharmacokinetic (PK) behavior of PTX and reverse drug resistance in vivo as well as the corresponding mechanisms. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Accurate and sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method was developed for the detection of PTX, and was applied to the pharmacokinetic study in rats. In vivo anti-MDR tumor study was carried out with A549/T xenograft nude mice model. Immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis were used for evaluating the levels of P-gp, Nrf2, and AKT/ERK pathways in MDR tumors. RESULTS: Nobiletin significantly enhanced the therapeutic effects of PTX, and inhibited the MDR tumor sizes in the A549/T xenograft model, while PTX or nobiletin alone did not. We found that nobiletin increased the PTX concentrations in tumor tissues but did not affect the PK behavior of PTX. Notably, Nrf2 and phosphorylation of AKT/ERK expression in MDR tumor tissues were significantly inhibited by giving nobiletin and PTX together. However, nobiletin did not affect the expression of P-gp. CONCLUSION: Nobiletin reversed PTX resistance in MDR tumor via increasing the PTX content in the MDR tumor and inhibiting AKT/ERK/Nrf2 pathways, but without affecting the systematic exposure of PTX, indicating that nobiletin may be an effective and safe MDR tumor reversal agent.

200 GHz Maximum Oscillation Frequency in CVD Graphene Radio Frequency Transistors.

Graphene is a promising candidate in analog electronics with projected operation frequency well into the terahertz range. In contrast to the intrinsic cutoff frequency (fT) of 427 GHz, the maximum oscillation frequency (fmax) of graphene device still remains at low level, which severely limits its application in radio frequency amplifiers. Here, we develop a novel transfer method for chemical vapor deposition graphene, which can prevent graphene from organic contamination during the fabrication process of the devices. Using a self-aligned gate deposition process, the graphene transistor with 60 nm gate length exhibits a record high fmax of 106 and 200 GHz before and after de-embedding, respectively. This work defines a unique pathway to large-scale fabrication of high-performance graphene transistors, and holds significant potential for future application of graphene-based devices in ultra high frequency circuits.

Benzocyclobutene (BCB) Polymer as Amphibious Buffer Layer for Graphene Field-Effect Transistor.

Owing to the scattering and trapping effects, the interfaces of dielectric/graphene or substrate/graphene can tailor the performance of field-effect transistor (FET). In this letter, the polymer of benzocyclobutene (BCB) was used as an amphibious buffer layer and located at between the layers of substrate and graphene and between the layers of dielectric and graphene. Interestingly, with the help of nonpolar and hydrophobic BCB buffer layer, the large-scale top-gated, chemical vapor deposited (CVD) graphene transistors was prepared on Si/SiO2 substrate, its cutoff frequency (fT) and the maximum cutoff frequency (fmax) of the graphene field-effect transistor (GFET) can be reached at 12 GHz and 11 GHz, respectively.

Rapid Identification of Legionella Pathogenicity by Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.

OBJECTIVE: To establish Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) can be used as a rapid and reliable method to distinguish virulent strain and mild strain of L. pneumophila. METHODS: Mortality data were collected from company departments through administrative documents, death certificates, etc. Trend analyses of cancer mortality were performed on the basis of 925 cancer deaths between 2001 and 2010. RESULTS: Our results indicated that the peaks of high virulence strains reached ⋝4000. This criterion was verified by subsequent cell experiments. In addition, we also conducted SERS rapid identification on the virulence of several collected clinical strains and obtained accurate results. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that the established SERS protocol can be used as a rapid and reliable method to distinguish virulent and mildly virulent strains of L. pneumophila, which can be further used in clinical samples.