EVA1A, a novel and promising prognostic biomarker in colorectal cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of EVA1A as a prognostic biomarker for Colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: The study utilized public databases to analyze the difference in Evala mRNA expression between CRC tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues. Additionallymunohistochemical staining was performed on 90 paired tissue samples to detect EVA1A expression. The relationship between EVA1A and clinicopathological features was examined, and a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was conducted. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were employed to identify prognostic factors affecting the overall survival (OS) of CRC patients. Results: The analysis revealed a significant increase in Evala mRNA expression in CRC tumor cells compared to normal controls from public databases (P< 0.05). Immunohistochemical staining further confirmed a significant upregulation of EVA1A expression in CRC tissues (P< 0.05). High EVA1A expression was associated with age, pathological M stage, total tumor stage, and Carbohydrate antigen CA19-9 (CA19-9). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a significant association between high EVA1A expression and poor OS. Univariate and multivariate analysis identified EVA1A as an independent risk factor for CRC prognosis. Conclusion: The study suggests that EVA1A is increased in CRC tumor tissues and may serve as a potential biomarker for poor prognosis in CRC.

MicroRNA-219 alleviates glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in cultured hippocampal neurons by targeting calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II gamma.

Septic encephalopathy is a frequent complication of sepsis, but there are few studies examining the role of microRNAs (miRs) in its pathogenesis. In this study, a miR-219 mimic was transfected into rat hippocampal neurons to model miR-219 overexpression. A protective effect of miR-219 was observed for glutamate-induced neurotoxicity of rat hippocampal neurons, and an underlying mechanism involving calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II γ (CaMKIIγ) was demonstrated. miR-219 and CaMKIIγ mRNA expression induced by glutamate in hippocampal neurons was determined by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). After neurons were transfected with miR-219 mimic, effects on cell viability and apoptosis were measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and flow cytometry. In addition, a luciferase reporter gene system was used to confirm CaMKIIγ as a target gene of miR-219. Western blot assay and rescue experiments were also utilized to detect CaMKIIγ expression and further verify that miR-219 in hippocampal neurons exerted its effect through regulation of CaMKIIγ. MTT assay and qRT-PCR results revealed obvious decreases in cell viability and miR-219 expression after glutamate stimulation, while CaMKIIγ mRNA expression was increased. MTT, flow cytometry, and caspase-3 activity assays showed that miR-219 overexpression could elevate glutamate-induced cell viability, and reduce cell apoptosis and caspase-3 activity. Moreover, luciferase CaMKIIγ-reporter activity was remarkably decreased by co-transfection with miR-219 mimic, and the results of a rescue experiment showed that CaMKIIγ overexpression could reverse the biological effects of miR-219. Collectively, these findings verify that miR-219 expression was decreased in glutamate-induced neurons, CaMKIIγ was a target gene of miR-219, and miR-219 alleviated glutamate-induced neuronal excitotoxicity by negatively controlling CaMKIIγ expression.

Modifying the mechanical properties of gold nanorods by copper doping and triggering their cytotoxicity with ultrasonic wave.

We proposed the use of copper (Cu) doping to modify the mechanical properties of gold nanorods (AuNRs) and demonstrated the triggering of the cytotoxicity of Cu-doped AuNRs with ultrasonic wave. The mechanical properties of Cu-doped AuNRs were analyzed theoretically by using the density-function calculation and it was found that Cu-Au bond is much weaker than Au-Au bond. In experiments, AuNRs without and with Cu doping were synthesized and they were found to be low cytotoxic to both human liver hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells and normal liver cells (L02). It was found that Cu-doped AuNRs can be broken into small gold nanoparticles (<5 nm) under high-power ultrasonic wave while undoped AuNRs were quite stable, although the amount of Cu doped into AuNRs was quite small (0.2%). The small gold nanoparticles are found to be with high toxicity to HepG2 cells. The cellular viability of the HepG2 cells dropped to nearly zero after being incubated with Cu-doped AuNRs (50 nM), which had been treated with a 300-W ultrasonic wave. Our findings suggest a novel method for modifying the mechanical properties of AuNRs and especially for triggering their cytotoxicity which is quite useful for in vitro therapy of cancer cells.

Controlling the Two-Photon-Induced Photon Cascade Emission in a Gd(3+)/Tb(3+)-Codoped Glass for Multicolor Display.

We reported the first observation of the two-photon-induced quantum cutting phenomenon in a Gd(3+)/Tb(3+)-codoped glass in which two photons at ~400 nm are simultaneously absorbed, leading to the cascade emission of three photons in the visible spectral region. The two-photon absorption induced by femtosecond laser pulses allows the excitation of the energy states in Gd(3+) which are inactive for single-photon excitation and enables the observation of many new electric transitions which are invisible in the single-photon-induced luminescence. The competition between the two-photon-induced photon cascade emission and the single-photon-induced emission was manipulated to control the luminescence color of the glass. We demonstrated the change of the luminescence color from red to yellow and eventually to green by varying either the excitation wavelength or the excitation power density.

Efficient blue light emission from In0.16Ga0.84N/GaN multiple quantum wells excited by 2.48-µm femtosecond laser pulses.

We report on the efficient blue light emission from In0.16Ga0.84N/GaN multiple quantum wells excited by femtosecond laser pulses with long wavelengths ranging from 1.24 to 2.48 µm. It is found that the trap states in GaN barrier layers lead to an efficient cascade multiphoton absorption in which the carriers are generated through simultaneous absorption of n (n=1 and 2) photons to the trap states, followed by simultaneous absorption of m (m=3, 4, and 5) photons to the conduction band. The dependence of the upconversion luminescence on excitation intensity exhibits a slope between n and n+m, which is in good agreement with the prediction based on the rate equation model.

A cyanine based fluorophore emitting both single photon near-infrared fluorescence and two-photon deep red fluorescence in aqueous solution.

Optical imaging provides an indispensable way to locate tumors in their early stages with high sensitivity and signal to background ratio. A heptamethine cyanine based fluorophore that emits both single photon near-infrared fluorescence and two-photon deep red fluorescence under physiological conditions was developed. Linear and nonlinear photophysical properties of this fluorophore were investigated and it demonstrated the capability to label lysosomes in cancer cells. The advantages of this fluorophore, including tolerable cytotoxicity, high fluorescence quantum yield, and the ability to emit both near-infrared single photon fluorescence and deep red two photon fluorescence in aqueous solution, give it potential to be used in intra-operatively optical image-guided tumor excision followed by two-photon fluorescence microscopy biopsy analysis after a single administration.

Exceptionally strong multiphoton-excited blue photoluminescence and lasing from ladder-type oligo(p-phenylene)s.

We report the synthesis and investigation of multiphoton absorption properties of a novel series of diphenylamino-end-capped ladder-type oligo(p-phenylene)s which exhibit greatly enhanced and efficient multiphoton (from two- to five-photon) upconverted blue photoluminescence with which the record-high intrinsic three-photon absorption cross-section of 4.56 × 10(-76) cm(6) s(2) in the femtosecond regime has been obtained. Exceptionally efficient two- to five-photon-excited lasing in the blue region has also been demonstrated in which the highest two-photon-excited lasing efficiency of 0.34% has been achieved.

Efficient two- to five-photon excited violet emission of calix[4]arene-based multiple donor-acceptor assembly.

Remarkably strong multiphoton, from two- to five-photon, upconverted violet fluorescence is first observed on a calix[4]arene-based multi-dipolar assembly which is strongly enhanced as compared to that of the corresponding dipolar counterparts.

[Spectral properties of carbazole molecules and three-photon induced lasing].

Spectral properties of a series of new heterocyclic molecules were studied in the present work. The spectral experimental results show that the two-photon absorption cross-sections of these new molecules are dependent on their charge transfer dipole moments, which relate to the donor acceptor end groups. At high density pumping, the spectral and temporal properties of the high directional emission of a new molecule with two-photon absorption cross-section of 617.3 GM demonstrate that three-photon induced lasing occurs.

A solvothermally in situ generated mixed-ligand approach for NLO-active metal-organic framework materials.

The synthesis and crystal structures of two new NLO-active coordination polymers, [Zn(2-pc)(4-pc)] and [Cd(2-pc)(4-pc)(H(2)O)]xN(2)H(4) (2-pc = 2-pyridine carboxylate, 4-pc = 4-pyridine carboxylate), bridged by in situ generated mixed ligands under solvothermal treatment is described.

Homochiral crystallization of helical coordination chains bridged by achiral ligands: can it be controlled by the ligand structure?

Homochiral/heterochiral crystallizations of helical chiral polymer chains bridged by achiral poly-pyridyl ligands dependent on the structures of the bridging ligands and independent on the solvent are described, implying a possible strategy to design achiral crystals of helical chains using chiral bridging ligands.