G-triplex/hemin DNAzyme mediated colorimetric aptasensor for Escherichia coli O157:H7 detection based on exonuclease III-assisted amplification and aptamers-functionalized magnetic beads.

Escherichia coli O157: H7 (E. coli O157: H7) is one of the most common foodborne pathogens and is widespread in food and the environment. Thus, it is significant for rapidly detecting E. coli O157: H7. In this study, a colorimetric aptasensor based on aptamer-functionalized magnetic beads, exonuclease III (Exo III), and G-triplex/hemin was proposed for the detection of E. coli O157: H7. The functional hairpin HP was designed in the system, which includes two parts of a stem containing the G-triplex sequence and a tail complementary to cDNA. E. coli O157: H7 competed to bind the aptamer (Apt) in the Apt-cDNA complex to obtain cDNA. The cDNA then bound to the tail of HP to trigger Exo III digestion and release the single-stranded DNA containing the G-triplex sequence. G-triplex/hemin DNAzyme could catalyze TMB to produce visible color changes and detectable absorbance signals in the presence of H2O2. Based on the optimal conditions, E. coli O157: H7 could be detected down to 1.3 × 103 CFU/mL, with a wide linear range from 1.3 × 103 to 1.3 × 107 CFU/mL. This method had a distinguished ability to non-target bacteria, which showed good specificity. In addition, the system was successfully applied to detect E. coli O157: H7 in milk samples.

Adult localized Langerhans cell histiocytosis: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare clonal proliferative disease of Langerhans cells with unknown pathogenesis. An increasing number of clinicians recognize that LCH has a wide clinical spectrum and a highly varied course. Adults rarely develop LCH. Here, we report a case of adult localized LCH. CASE SUMMARY: A 32-year-old woman presented with plaques and ulcers on the vulva and crissum, accompanied by pain that persisted for more than one year. Physical examination revealed a red-infiltrating plaque with ulcerations and exudates in the vulva and crissum. Pathological examination revealed a diffuse infiltration of lymphocytes, eosinophilic granulocytes, and histiocytoid cells in the superficial dermis. Proliferative histiocytoid cells showed mild atypia, partly with kidney-shaped nuclei. Immunohistochemical examination showed that the histiocytoid cells were positive for S100 protein and CD1 and weakly positive for CD68 (20% +), with a Ki-67 index of 30%. Laboratory tests did not reveal any other systemic damage. The patient was diagnosed with adult localized LCH and was prescribed oral prednisone (20 mg) once daily. The skin lesions gradually improved and are still being followed-up. CONCLUSION: Adult localized LCH is rare and must be differentiated from other common conditions.

Size Control and Biological Properties of PAMAM-Cored Multiarm Block Copolymers.

Size is one of the crucial factors influencing the biological properties of nanomedicines. However, the size control of nanomaterials is still very challenging, and the size effect on their biological properties is worth studying. Herein, we present the synthesis and size control of a series of multiarm block copolymers with the third-generation PAMAM (G3 PAMAM) as the core. The multiarm copolymers were synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydride of the l-glutamic acid-5-tert-butylester [Glu(OtBu)-NCA] monomer with the amine-terminated PAMAM as the initiator, followed by the synthesis of the poly(carboxybetaine) (PCB) block via the atom transfer radical polymerization of the 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate monomer, the reaction with tert-butyl bromoacetate, and the deprotection of the tert-butyl ester groups. The polyglutamic acid (PGA) block provided abundant reactive groups for the functionalization of the multiarm block copolymers, and the PCB block imparted excellent water solubility and anti-protein adsorption capability. We synthesized three multiarm copolymers with diameters of 15, 24, and 41 nm, respectively, by tuning the polymerization degrees of the arms. Doxorubicin was coupled to the PGA block through the acylhydrazone linkage, which resulted in a pH-sensitive drug release and a drug loading of over 20%. We systematically investigated the size effects on their cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, endocytic pathway, biodistribution, tumor penetration, and antitumor activity. This work is helpful for the design of polymeric nano-drug carriers for tumor therapy.

Enhanced recovery after surgery care to reduce surgical site wound infection and postoperative complications for patients undergoing liver surgery.

This study comprehensively assessed the effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) on wound infection and postoperative complications in patients undergoing liver surgery. The PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP, and Wanfang electronic databases were searched to collect published studies on the use of ERAS in liver surgery until December 2022. Literature selection was performed independently by two investigators according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and quality evaluation and data extraction were performed. RevMan 5.4 software was used in this study. Compared with the control group, the ERAS group showed a significantly lower incidence of postoperative wound infection (odds ratio [OR]: 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41-0.84, P = .004) and overall postoperative complication rate (OR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.33-0.57, P < .001) and significantly shorter postoperative hospital stay (mean difference: -2.30, 95% CI: -2.92 to -1.68, P < .001). Therefore, ERAS was safe and feasible when applied to liver resection, reducing the incidence of wound infection and total postoperative complications, and shortening the length of hospital stay. However, further studies are required to investigate the impact of ERAS protocols on clinical outcomes.

A ratiometric near-infrared fluorescence/photoacoustic dual-modal probe with strong donor dithienopyrrole for in vivo nitric oxide detection.

Integrating the imaging techniques of near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) and photoacoustic (PA) can make up for each other and provide more useful medical information. Ratiometric imaging activated by disease-associated biomarkers can further augment imaging specificity. However, very few studies have employed the NIRF/PA dual-modal ratiometric imaging to improve the accuracy and specificity of disease diagnosis to date. In this paper, we present the synthesis of a nitric oxide (NO)-activated ratiometric NIRF/PA dual-modal nanoprobe RAPNP for in vivo NO imaging. The ratiometric imaging function was achieved jointly by a NO/acidity-responsive molecule DTP-BTDA and a nonresponsive fluorophore DTP-BBTD. In these fluorophores, the dithienopyrrole (DTP) moiety had strong electron-donating ability and imparted strong intramolecular charge transfer and relatively long emission wavelengths. The BTDA moiety in DTP-BTDA could be rapidly oxidized by NO under weak acidic environments, achieving the NIRF and PA signal activation. By using RAPNP as a contrast agent, we achieved the ratiometric detection of the endogenous NO in inflammatory bowel disease by NIRF/PA dual-modal imaging. This work provides the first case of the NIRF/PA dual-signal ratiometric probe for the real-time detection of NO in vivo.

Fluorination Effects on the Drug Delivery Property of Cylindrical Polymer Brushes.

Fluorination has been widely applied to improving the properties of small-molecule drugs. However, relatively little is known about the effects of fluorination on the drug delivery property of nanomaterials. In this paper, we synthesized a fluoroalkane-modified cylindrical polymer brush (CPB) BCPB-F and an alkane-modified analogue BCPB-H. Doxorubicin (DOX) was used as a model drug and was loaded onto the CPBs through a pH-responsive acylhydrazone linkage. High drug loading and good water solubility were achieved. The in vitro and in vivo experiments suggested that fluorination played an important role in improving the cellular uptake, blood circulation, tissue permeability, and tumor targeting ability of CPBs. Due to these superiorities, the DOX-loaded BCPB-F exhibited excellent antitumor efficacy and eradicated the tumors of mice after five-dose treatments. The well-defined structures of the drug-free and drug-loaded CPBs guaranteed the accuracy of the results. This work demonstrates that fluorination is a promising strategy to improve the overall properties of nanomedicines.

The Biosafety Evaluation for Crustaceans: A Novel Molluscicide PBQ Using against Oncomelania hupensis, the Intermediate Host of Schistosoma japonica.

A new formulation (suspension concentrate, SC) of PBQ [1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(pyridin-3-yl) urea] was used in water network schistosomiasis-endemic areas to test its molluscicidal efficacy and the acute toxicity to crustaceans. PBQ (20% SC), 26% metaldehyde, and niclosamide suspension concentrate [MNSC (26% SC)] were used both in ditch and field experiments for the molluscicidal efficacy comparison. Acute toxicity tests of two molluscicides were conducted using Neocaridina denticulate and Eriocheir sinensis. Both in the field and ditch experiments, PBQ exhibited comparable molluscicidal efficacy with MNSC. At doses of 0.50 g/m3 and 0.50 g/m2, the snail mortalities were more than 90% three days after PBQ (20% SC) application. Compared with previous tests, PBQ (20% SC) exhibited higher molluscicidal activity than PBQ (25% wettable powder, 25% WP) used in Jiangling and showed similar mollucicidal activity to PBQ (25% WP) used in Dali and Poyang Lake. The 96 h LC50 value of MNSC against Eriocheir sinensis was 283.84 mg a.i./L. At the concentration of PBQ (20% SC) 1000 mg a.i./L, all Eriocheir sinensis were alive. The 96 h LC50 values of PBQ and MNSC against Neocaridina denticulate were 17.67 and 14.05 mg a.i./L, respectively. In conclusion, PBQ (20% SC) had a comparable molluscicidal efficacy with MNSC (26% SC) and PBQ (25% WP). Furthermore, it showed lower toxicity to the crustacean species, better solubility, no floating dust, and convenience for carriage. PBQ (20% SC) was suitable for controlling snails in the water network schistosomiasis-endemic areas.

pH-sensitive hyaluronic acid-targeted prodrug micelles constructed via a one-step reaction for enhanced chemotherapy.

Although many chemotherapy prodrugs have been developed for tumor therapy, non-targeted delivery, uncontrolled release and tedious construction procedure of prodrugs still limit their clinical application in tumor treatment. In this work, hyaluronic acid (HA) which has tumor-targeting ability was used to conjugate to antitumor drug podophyllotoxin (PPT) to construct a pH-sensitive prodrug named HA-CO-O-PPT just via a one-step esterification reaction. The HA-CO-O-PPT spontaneously assembled into nano spherical micelles in aqueous medium, which had outstanding serum stability and blood compatibility. The obtained prodrug micelles (named HP micelles) exhibited a pH-responsive drug release mode with cumulative release reaching 81.2% due to their dissociation in response to acid stimulus, and had a high cellular uptake efficiency beyond 97% owing to HA receptor-mediated targeting. Furthermore, it was found that the prodrug micelles showed excellent antitumor activities in vivo with the tumor inhibition ratio up to 85% and negligible systemic toxicity. Accordingly, the pH-responsive HP micelles constructed by a simple one-step reaction, could be a promising candidate as a chemotherapeutic agent for cancer therapy.

Endemic situation of schistosomiasis in Suzhou City from 2010 to 2020 / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To analyze the endemic status of schistosomiasis in Suzhou City from 2010 to 2020, so as to provide the evidence for formulating the future schistosomiasis control strategy. Methods The data pertaining to the endemic status of schistosomiasis in Suzhou City from 2010 to 2020 were retrieved from the annual schistosomiasis control report, the information management platform of schistosomiasis (parasitic diseases) in Jiangsu Province and the Parasitic Diseases Control Information Management System of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, including snail survey data, snail control data and schistosomiasis examination data, and were retrospectively reviewed. Differences of proportions were tested for statistical significance with chi-square test, and the trends in proportions were evaluated using the chi-square test for trends. Results Elimination of schistosomiasis was achieved in Suzhou City in 2018, and there were 3.528 9 million residents living in schistosomiasis-endemic villages of 81 townships in 9 counties. A total of 707 600 labor-days were used for snail survey in 11 586 village-times in Suzhou City from 2010 to 2020, covering 18 572.73 hm2, and snail habitats were detected with an area of 68.61 hm2, including emerging snail habitats of 37.30 hm2. A total of 23 144 snails were dissected, and no Schistosoma japonicum infection was detected. Reemerging and emerging snail habitats were predominantly found in inlands. During the period from 2010 to 2020, snail control was performed in Suzhou City for 71 000 labor-times, and snail control was done covering 269.34 hm2 through chemical treatment and covering 3.48 hm2 through environmental improvements. A total of 674 002 person-times received serological tests for S. japonicum infections in Suzhou City from 2010 to 2020, with seroprevalence of 0.38%, and a total of 33 835 person-times received stool examinations, with no egg-positives identified. The sero-prevalence of S. japonicum infections appeared an overall tendency towards a rise in Suzhou City from 2010 to 2020 (χ2 = 129.48, P < 0.001). The sero-prevalence of S. japonicum infections appeared high among local residents in 2016, and remained stable in other years, while the sero-prevalence of S. japonicum infections appeared an overall tendency towards a rise among mobile populations (χ2 = 54.11, P < 0.001). There were 278 800 and 175 202 serological tests among local residents and mobile populations in Suzhou City from 2013 to 2020, and 0.50% and 0.35% sero-prevalence rates were detected, respectively. The sero-prevalence of S. japonicum infections was significantly higher among local residents than among mobile populations in Suzhou City (χ2= 54.76, P < 0.001). Conclusions There is a risk of rebound of schistosomiasis in Suzhou City. Integrated control should be reinforced to prevent the risk of rebound of schistosomiasis in Suzhou City.

Evaluation of fluoride adsorption in solution by synthetic Al2 O3 /CeO2 : A fixed-bed column study.

A highly efficient fluoride adsorbent Al2 O3 /CeO2 was synthesized in this work and used it to fluoride removal in the fixed-bed adsorption through changing the different experimental conditions (influent F- concentration, flow velocity, and bed heights). The adsorption capacity was 9.72 mg/g. In addition, the Adams-Bohart and Thomas models were used to fit and evaluate the column breakthrough curve of fluoride removal process by Al2 O3 /CeO2 , and the correlation coefficients (R2 ) of the Thomas model were close to 1 under all experimental conditions. The structure of Al2 O3 /CeO2 and the adsorption mechanism were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), N2 adsorption and desorption isotherm, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Moreover, the adsorption of fluoride (F- ) was mainly through metal binding (MF) and hydroxyl binding (AlOH⋯F) on the surface of the Al2 O3 /CeO2 . Furthermore, the regeneration and coexisting anions studies of Al2 O3 /CeO2 were carried out, and the efficiency of adsorption was still above 70% after five cycles. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Removal of fluoride was studied by fixed-bed experiment, and the adsorption capacity of composite Al2 O3 /CeO2 was 9.72 mg/g. The metal complex played important role in fluoride removal and reusability makes a long-term application for fluoride adsorption. Fluoride wastewater is pumped to the fixed-bed column, and fluoride ions are absorbed by Al2 O3 /CeO2 through fluoride metal complex and aluminum hydrofluoride.

Critical Risk Indicators (CRIs) for the electric power grid: a survey and discussion of interconnected effects.

The electric power grid is a critical societal resource connecting multiple infrastructural domains such as agriculture, transportation, and manufacturing. The electrical grid as an infrastructure is shaped by human activity and public policy in terms of demand and supply requirements. Further, the grid is subject to changes and stresses due to diverse factors including solar weather, climate, hydrology, and ecology. The emerging interconnected and complex network dependencies make such interactions increasingly dynamic, posing novel risks, and presenting new challenges to manage the coupled human-natural system. This paper provides a survey of models and methods that seek to explore the significant interconnected impact of the electric power grid and interdependent domains. We also provide relevant critical risk indicators (CRIs) across diverse domains that may be used to assess risks to electric grid reliability, including climate, ecology, hydrology, finance, space weather, and agriculture. We discuss the convergence of indicators from individual domains to explore possible systemic risk, i.e., holistic risk arising from cross-domain interconnections. Further, we propose a compositional approach to risk assessment that incorporates diverse domain expertise and information, data science, and computer science to identify domain-specific CRIs and their union in systemic risk indicators. Our study provides an important first step towards data-driven analysis and predictive modeling of risks in interconnected human-natural systems.

A Dendron-Based Fluorescence Turn-On Probe for Tumor Detection.

Specifically amplifying the emission signals of optical probes in tumors is an effective way to improve the tumor-imaging sensitivity and contrast. In this paper, the first case of dendron-based fluorescence turn-on probes mediated by a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism is reported. Dendrons up to the fourth generation with a hydrophilic oligo(ethylene glycol) scaffold are synthesized by a solid-phase synthesis strategy, and show precise and defect-free chemical structures. To construct the fluorescence turn-on probe, one Cy5.5 molecule is conjugated to the focal of a G3 dendron through a robust linkage and eight Black Hole Quencher 3 (BHQ-3) molecules are conjugated to its periphery through a PEG chain bearing a reductively cleavable disulfide linkage. By in vitro and in vivo experiments, it is demonstrated that the fluorescence of the dendron-based probe can be activated effectively and rapidly in the reductive environments of tumor cells and tissues, and the probe thus exhibits amplified tumor signals and weak normal tissue signals. Compared with the reported nanoscale turn-on probes, the dendron-based probe has several significant advantages, such as well-defined chemical structure, precisely controllable fluorophore/quencher conjugation sites and ratio, desirable chemical stability, and reproducible pharmacokinetic and pharmacological profiles, and is very promising in tumor detection.

Efficacy and safety of fire needle therapy for blood stasis syndrome of plaque psoriasis: protocol for a randomized, single-blind, multicenter clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Fire needle therapy is a characteristic treatment in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). An increasing number of studies have indicated that fire needle treatment for psoriasis provides satisfactory results with few side effects and a low recurrence rate. We herein describe the protocol for a multicenter, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial that will provide high-quality evidence on the efficacy and safety of fire needle therapy for plaque psoriasis. METHODS: Ninety-two patients with blood stasis syndrome (BSS) of plaque psoriasis will be enrolled and randomly assigned to receive fire needle therapy (intervention group) or fire needle control therapy (control group) once a week for 4 weeks. The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score will serve as the major efficacy index, while the body surface area (BSA), Physician Global Assessment (PGA) score, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score, patient-reported quality of life (PRQoL), visual analog scale (VAS) score for itching, TCM symptom score, and relapse rate will be assessed as secondary outcomes. The PASI score, BSA, PGA score, and VAS score for itching will be evaluated at baseline and during the 4-week treatment and follow-up periods. DLQI score, PRQoL, and TCM symptom score will be assessed at baseline and during the treatment period. Recurrence will be evaluated during the follow-up period. Safety assessments include vital sign monitoring, routine blood tests, blood biochemistry, routine urine tests, pregnancy tests, physical examinations, and adverse-event recording. SAS software will be used for data analysis. The data network platform will be designed by the data management center of Nanjing Ningqi Medical Technology Co., Ltd. DISCUSSION: It is believed that fire needle therapy can activate the meridians, promote blood circulation, and regulate skin immunity. BSS of plaque psoriasis is related to not only immune dysfunction but also poor or stagnant blood flow. We anticipate that the results of the trial described in this protocol will provide strong evidence for the safety and efficacy of fire needle therapy for BSS of plaque psoriasis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03953885 . Registered on May 15, 2019. Name: Fire Needle Therapy on Plaque Psoriasis with Blood Stasis Syndrome.

Improving Quantum Yield of a NIR-II Dye by Phenylazo Group.

Understanding structure-fluorescence correlation is very helpful for the design of fluorescent probes. In this paper, a donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) type NIR-II fluorophore with benzobisthiadiazole as the acceptor and triphenyl amine as the donor, and its three derivatives bearing respectively amino, tert-butyloxycarbonyl amino and phenylazo groups in donor moieties, are synthesized. Their electronic structures and optical properties are investigated via theoretical and experimental studies. It is found that all the three types of substituents significantly influence its fluorescent properties and the phenylazo groups dramatically enhance its quantum yield (QY). To achieve biological applications and maintain high QY in aqueous environments, the phenylazo-containing fluorophore is encapsulated in polystyrene-co-poly(ethylene glycol) micelles. The obtained fluorescent micelles have a QY of ≈3.51% in 1000-1500 nm in aqueous medium that is among the highest of the organic NIR-II probes reported so far for biological imaging. The high QY enables the in vivo imaging of the micelle-administered mice to be conducted with high speed and quality. As an application example, ultrafast NIR-II imaging of intravenously injected mice is performed and used to determine their cardiac cycle and heart rate. The micelles also significantly accumulate in tumors after tail-vein injection and exhibit great application potentials in tumor detection.

Oral Taodan granules for mild-to-moderate psoriasis vulgaris: protocol for a randomized, double-blind, multicenter clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease with high recurrence rates and increasing incidence. Patients require long-term medication to reduce symptoms and prevent disease progression. Therefore, the development of treatments with high efficiency and low rate of adverse events is of utmost importance. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays an outstanding role in reducing disease symptoms and improving quality of life. The aim of this trial is to clarify the treatment efficacy, safety, and control of disease recurrence in patients with psoriasis with blood-stasis syndrome treated with Taodan granules (TDKL). METHODS: This trial is a five-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study planned to transpire between September 1, 2019, and December 31, 2021. A sample size of 216 participants (108 per group) with mild-to-moderate psoriasis will be randomly assigned to receive TDKL or placebo twice per day, 7 days per week, for 8 weeks. The study duration will be 17 weeks, including a 1-week screening period, 8 weeks of intervention, and another 8 weeks of follow-up. The primary outcomes are improvement in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score and recurrence rate after 8 weeks of treatment. Secondary outcomes include body surface area affected and the scores for the Physician Global Assessment, Dermatology Life Quality Index, pain-related quality of life, pain on the visual analogue scale, and TCM syndromes. The number, nature, and severity of adverse events will be carefully recorded. DISCUSSION: The study results will help clarify the safety and efficacy of TDKL as treatment for psoriasis with respect to both disease regression and recurrence rate. We expect that this study will provide high-quality evidence with important public health implications that may alter the approach to psoriasis management in China. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT03942198).

[Imported schistosomiasis haematobia in Suzhou City: a case report].

OBJECTIVE: To report the diagnosis and treatment of an imported case of schistosomiasis haematobia. METHODS: The patient's medical records were collected, and the clinical features, laboratory diagnosis, epidemiological survey, diagnosis and treatment were analyzed. RESULTS: The patient had arrived to Sudan and Egypt for many times and had a history of contact with the infested water. After returning to China, the patient reported a gross hematuria with unknown causes. Cystoscopy showed neoplasms in the bladder, and pathologic examinations showed chronic granulomatous inflammation with infiltration of plenty of plasma cells, and parasite eggs. Serological test showed positive for the dipstick dye immunoassay, and the microscopic examination of urine sediment revealed Schistosoma haematobium eggs. Following praziquantel treatment for a month, S. haematobium eggs were still detected in the urine. The case was treated with praziquantel again and cured without adverse reactions. CONCLUSIONS: Health education should be strengthened among China-aid-African workers to improve the awareness of self-protection. In addition, the diagnosis and treatment should be improved in medical professionals to achieve a timely definitive diagnosis.

Length effects of cylindrical polymer brushes on their in vitro and in vivo properties.

Understanding the relationship between the morphology and biological performance of nanomaterials is very important for their biomedical applications. However, most of the published research focused on spherical systems. The biological properties of the anisotropic nanomaterials have not been studied enough. In this study, we synthesized three sets of cylindrical polymer brushes (CPBs) with different lengths (∼34, 60 and 119 nm) by taking advantage of controlled radical polymerization and Cu(i)-catalyzed alkyne-azide click chemistry. These CPBs had one-dimensional wormlike morphology, the same chemical structure and diameter, desirable water solubility, abundant amino groups and narrowly distributed lengths. These characteristics encouraged us to study length effects on their in vitro and in vivo properties. We demonstrated that longer CPBs had higher cellular uptake, lower tissue permeability, shorter blood circulation time, lower tumor accumulation and rapider body clearance than their shorter counterparts. This work might provide important guidance for the design of biomedical nanomaterials.

Therapeutic Prospects in Preeclampsia - A Mini-Review.

BACKGROUND: Preeclapmsia (PE) is characterized by early onset symptoms such as elevated blood pressure, proteinuria and edema in the pregnant woman, and may result in seizures in the affected female. Currently, there are no therapeutic drugs available to treat this condition, but there are interventions to regulate the symptoms based on the gestational period of the fetus, although the largely favored option is delivery of the fetus and placenta. OBJECTIVE: A search for biomolecules associated with PE was conducted so as to identify diagnostic markers and therapeutic leads. RESULTS: The literature search resulted in the identification of biomolecules such as Corin and Placental Protein 13 (PP13), among others that are associated with PE. Thereby, giving an insight into the various mechanistic pathways involved in the causation of PE. However, it is also evident that PE cannot be solely attributed to any single mechanism but is due to an interplay of different factors that have led to the development of this disease condition. CONCLUSION: The identified biomarkers would ultimately help in understanding this complex disease and perhaps lead to the discovery of potential effective molecular targets for clinical trials, thereby providing a valuable therapeutic option for affected pregnant women.

NIR-II Dye-Labeled Cylindrical Polymer Brushes for in Vivo Imaging.

Although many types of second near-infrared (NIR-II) dyes have been developed, the NIR-II dye bearing a single reactive group, which is indispensable for specifically labeling nanomaterials or biofunctional molecules, is still lacking. In this work, a donor-acceptor-donor type NIR-II dye named IR1032 bearing an amino group was synthesized and used to covalently label cylindrical polymer brushes. The labeled polymer brushes (named brushes1032) had densely grafted poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains and exhibited a wormlike morphology. In aqueous medium, brushes1032 had an emission peak at 1032 nm and a quantum yield (QY) of ∼0.13% measured with IR 26 as a reference (QY = 0.05%). We demonstrated that the dense PEG chains in brushes1032 were greatly favorable for their QY by separating the fluorophores and shielding them from the interactions with water. After being injected intravenously into tumor-bearing mice, brushes1032 showed high tumor accumulation and provided high-resolution fluorescence imaging, exhibiting great application potentials in tumor detection.

Laparoscopic hepatectomy in a patient with uncontrolled polycythaemia vera.

This case report describes the peri-operative course of a patient with uncontrolled polycythaemia vera who underwent a laparoscopic hepatectomy for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Polycythaemia vera is a chronic condition that results in erythrocytosis and puts patients at risk of peri-operative complications including thrombotic events and paradoxical haemorrhage. Little evidence exists on the ideal peri-operative management of uncontrolled polycythaemia vera when the proposed procedure carries a high risk of haemorrhage. Our patient presented with a pre-operative haemoglobin of 197 g.l-1 (haematocrit 65%) and was not phlebotomised pre-operatively. Intra-operatively he lost 2700 ml of blood, reducing his haematocrit to 48%, and then suffered fatal thrombotic complications postoperatively. The patient did not receive any blood product transfusions during his peri-operative course. We review the available evidence to guide the peri-operative management of patients with polycythaemia vera. The inherent risks of thrombosis and haemorrhage associated with polycythaemia vera need to be weighed against the specific surgical and transfusion-related risks. Phlebotomy to achieve a pre-operative haematocrit under 45% is recommended and intra-operative phlebotomy shows promise for reducing blood loss during hepatectomies. Management of postoperative erythrocytosis may be an important and underappreciated aspect of reducing the peri-operative risk of thrombosis in patients with polycythaemia vera.