RuZn NPs with electroactivity and oxidase-like property for dual-mode anti-cancer drug monitoring.

6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) as the effective anti-cancer drug was used for the treatment of Crohn's disease and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, but the response to maintenance therapy was variable with individual differences. In order to control the dosage and decrease the side effects of 6-MP, a sensitive and stable assay was urgently needed for 6-MP monitoring. Herein, RuZn NPs with electrochemical oxidation property and oxidase-like activity was proposed for dual-mode 6-MP monitoring. Burr-like RuZn NPs were prepared and explored to not only exhibit an electrochemical oxidation signal at 0.78 V, but also displayed excellent oxidase-like performances. RuZn NPs were utilized for the dual-mode monitoring of 6-MP, attributing to the formation of Ru-SH covalent bonding. The colorimetric method showed good linearity from 10 µM to 5 mM with the limit of detection (LOD) of 300 nM, while the electrochemical method provided a higher sensitivity with the LOD of 37 nM in range from 100 nM to 200 µM. This work provided a new way for the fabrication of dual-functional nanotags with electroactivity and oxidase-like property, and opened a dual-mode approach for the 6-MP detection applications with complementary and satisfactory results.

Dynamic Observation of Lung Nodules on Chest CT Before Diagnosis of Early Lung Cancer.

Objective: Early recognition and diagnosis of lung cancer can help improve the prognosis of patients. However, early imaging patterns of malignant lung nodules are not fully clear. To understand the early imaging signs of malignant lung cancer nodules, the changes of the lung nodules before diagnosis were dynamically observed and analyzed. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study observed dynamic changes of lung nodules before pathological confirmation with consecutive regular chest CT examination from January 2003 to December 2018. At least 3 follow-up CT scans were performed in all cases, and the interval between each follow-up was about 1 year. The size, density, and morphological signs of the nodules were evaluated based on the CT axial image, and a reverse line chart or scatter plot with the diagnosis time as coordinate origin was constructed. Results: A total of 55 lung nodules in 53 patients (mean age, 58.40 years ±11.43 [standard deviation]; 20 women) were accessed. The follow-up time was 5.96 ± 2.68 years. The average diameters in maximum slice of the lesion at baseline and last scan were 6.83 ± 2.92 mm and 16.65 ± 7.34 mm, respectively. According to the reverse line chart, the nodule growth curve segments within 4 years from the last scan showed an ascending shape, and those beyond 4 years showed a flat shape. There are 90.9% (50/55) GGN and 9.1% (5/55) SN when the lesion first appears, and 21.8% (12/55) GGN, 38.2% (21/55) PSN, and 40% (22/55) SN in the last scan. There are 12.7% (7/55) and 98.2% (54/55) nodules with poor morphological signs at baseline and last scan, respectively. Conclusion: At the time node close to the diagnosis, the growth curve showed an upward pattern; the proportion of PSN and SN rose as the main density types; and the appearance of poor morphological signs of nodules increased. When a persistent lung nodule starts to show a malignant change, a further diagnostic workup is warranted.