Construction of Mn doped Cu7S4 nanozymes for synergistic tumor therapy in NIR-I/II bio-windows.

In photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemodynamic therapy (CDT) of cancer, poor performance of nanoagents severely impaired the therapeutic effect of cancer. To solve the problem, we proposed and constructed a novel Mn doped Cu7S4 phothermal nanoagent both in the first near-infrared (NIR-I) and the second near- infrared (NIR-II) windows in this work, which exhibited high photothermal conversion efficiency of 40.3% at 808 nm (NIR-I window) and 33.4% at 1064 nm (NIR-II window), as well as outstanding pH-sensitive catalytic performance (peroxidase-like catalytic activity and Fenton-like catalytic activities). The as-prepared Mn doped Cu7S4 could be used to load chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (DOX) after modified by folic acid. Both in vitro and in vivo studies indicated that it could be used as nanoagent for chemodynamic therapy (CDT)/photothermal therapy (PTT)/ chemotherapy of cervical carcinoma. This study thus provided an NIR-I/NIR-II/pH responsive nanoagent for potential synergistic therapy of deep-seated tumors.

Association between non-high-density lipoprotein to high-density lipoprotein ratio and reversion to normoglycemia in people with impaired fasting glucose: a 5-year retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between the non-high-density lipoprotein to high-density lipoprotein ratio (non-HDL-c/HDL-c ratio) and changes in glycemic status as well as the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been well established. However, there is a lack of evidence concerning the association between the non-HDL-c/HDL-c ratio and the reversal of normoglycemia in individuals with impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Therefore, this study aimed to examine the connection between the non-HDL-c/HDL-c ratio and the likelihood of reverting to normoglycemia among people with IFG. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study examined data collected from 15,524 non-selective participants with IFG at the Rich Healthcare Group in China between January 2010 and 2016. The Cox proportional-hazards regression model was used to investigate the connection between the baseline non-HDL-c/HDL-c ratio and the probability of reverting to normoglycemia. We were able to discover the non-linear association between the non-HDL-c/HDL-c ratio and reversion to normoglycemia using a Cox proportional hazards regression model with cubical spline smoothing. We also performed several sensitivity and subgroup analyses. A competing risk multivariate Cox regression was utilized as well to examine the development to diabetes as a competing risk for the reversal of normoglycemic events. RESULTS: In our study, a total of 15,524 individuals participated, with a mean age of 50.9 ± 13.5 years, and 64.7% were male. The average baseline non-HDL-c/HDL-c ratio was 2.9 ± 0.9. Over a median follow-up period of 2.9 years, we observed a reversion rate to normoglycemia of 41.8%. After adjusting for covariates, our findings revealed a negative association between the non-HDL-c/HDL-c ratio and the likelihood of reverting to normoglycemia (HR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.69-0.74). Notably, we identified a non-linear relationship between the non-HDL-c/HDL-c ratio and the probability of transitioning from IFG to normoglycemia. We found an inflection point at a non-HDL-c/HDL-c ratio of 3.1, with HRs of 0.63 (95% CI 0.69, 0.74) on the left side and 0.78 (95% CI 0.74, 0.83) on the right side of the point. Competing risks multivariate Cox's regression, sensitivity analysis, and subgroup analysis consistently supported our robust results. CONCLUSION: Our study has revealed a negative and non-linear relationship between the non-HDL-c/HDL-c ratio and reversion to normoglycemia in Chinese people with IFG. Specifically, when the non-HDL-c/HDL-c ratio was below 3.1, a significant and negative association with reversion to normoglycemia was observed. Furthermore, keeping the non-HDL-c/HDL-c ratio below 3.1 significantly elevated the probability of returning to normoglycemia.

Fabrication of a Novel Au Star@AgAu Yolk-Shell Nanostructure for Ovarian Cancer Early Diagnosis and Targeted Therapy.

Purpose: A novel CYPA-targeted, SiO2 encapsulated Au star@AgAu yolk-shell nanostructure (YSNS) was synthesized and used for ovarian cancer early diagnosis and therapy. Methods: Diverse spectroscopic and microscopic methods were utilized to investigate the pattern of the yolk-shell nanostructure. In addition, in vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out. Results: It can be found that the ratio of HAuCl4 and AgNO3 played a critical role in the constitution of the yolk-shell nanostructure. The as-prepared yolk-shell nanostructure showed excellent SERS performance, which could be utilized as SERS substrate for specific sensitivity analysis of ovarian cancer markers cyclophilin A (CYPA) with detectable limit of 7.76*10-10 µg/mL. In addition, the as-prepared yolk-shell nanostructure possessed outstanding photothermal performance, which could be used as photothermal agent for ovarian cancer therapy. Experiments in vitro and in vivo proved that the as-prepared yolk-shell nanostructures are ideal candidate for early diagnosis and therapy for ovarian cancer in one platform. Conclusion: This work holds promise to offer a new method for the detection and therapy of ovarian cancer in the early stage.

Construction of a novel nano-enzyme for ultrasensitive glucose detection with surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

Fabricating more sensitive, stable and low-cost nanomaterials for the detection of glucose is important for the disease diagnosis and monitoring. Herein, we established a nanocomposite (polypyrrole bridging GO@Au@MnO2) as a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanoprobe for the quantitative detection of glucose in trace serum. Each component in the nanocomposites played an irreplaceable role in SERS detection of glucose. Polypyrrole (PPy) could act as Raman signal and extra SERS signal molecules didn't need to be introduced; Graphene oxide (GO) and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) could enhance Raman signal of PPy; Au NPs also acted as glucose oxidase, which can oxidize glucose to produce gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide(H2O2); Manganese oxide (MnO2) further enhanced Raman signal of PPy and responded to hydrogen peroxide, which will induce the decrease of Raman intensity of PPy. Thus, glucose can be quantified according to Raman signal output of PPy, which displayed a liner range from 1 to 10 µM, with detectable limit of 0.114 µM. Because of the merits in sensitivity, convenience and versatility, the novel method shows large potential space for disease-related substance detection in the future.

Synthesis of manganese-oxide and palladium nanoparticles co-decorated polypyrrole/graphene oxide (MnO2@Pd@PPy/GO) nanocomposites for anti-cancer treatment.

Design and fabrication of novel multifunctional nanomaterials as novel "theranostic nanoagents"with high efficiency and low side effects is important for cancer treatment. Herein, we synthesized manganese-oxide and palladium nanoparticle-co-decorated polypyrrole/graphene oxide (MnO2@Pd@PPy/GO) nanocomposites, which could be used as a novel "theranostic nanoagent" for cancer treatment. Various spectroscopic and microscopic characterizations of the synthesized MnO2@Pd@PPy/GO nanocomposites suggest that the nanocomposites are assembled sequentially by graphene oxide, polypyrrole, palladium nanoparticles and manganese-oxide nanoplates. Further research revealed that the nanocomposites had excellent photothermal conversion performance (reached near 50 °C after 10 min of irradiation), pH responsive enzymatic-like catalytic activity and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performance (r 1 = 7.74 mM-1 s-1 at pH 5.0 and glutathione (GSH)). Cell experiments also testified that combined cancer treatment (the viability of cancer cells is 30%) with photothermal therapy (PTT, the viability of cancer cells is 91% only with irradiation) and chemodynamic therapy (CDT, the viability of cancer cells is 74.7% only with nanocomposites) guided by MRI was achieved when the as-prepared nanocomposites were employed as theranostic nanoagents. This work could provide some new ideas for the controllable synthesis and application of multicomponent nanomaterials.

Identification of immune-related biomarkers in embryos with neural tube defects via a bioinformatics analysis.

Background: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are one of the most common types of birth defects. Oral folic acid (FA) prophylaxis is currently available, but the pathogenesis of NTDs is not fully understood. We conducted this study to examine the role of the immune landscape of NTDs and identify novel diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers. Methods: We downloaded the GSE33111 data set of 12 NTD embryos and 12 healthy embryos in the same period of fetal development from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We compared the healthy embryos and NTD embryos to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We also performed a functional enrichment analysis of the DEGs using the clusterProfiler package. We extracted the top 10 ranked genes as hub immune-related biomarkers. We then used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to determine the expression levels of the hub immune-related genes and the accuracy of the diagnosis of NTDs. Finally, we analyzed the immune landscape of the NTD embryos and healthy embryos via a single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Results: A total of 611 DEGs were identified by the differential analysis, including 95 immune genes. The functional enrichment analysis indicated that Epstein-Barr virus infection, antigen processing and presentation, inflammatory bowel disease, and type I diabetes mellitus were associated with NTDs. The results of the expression level analysis showed that the hub immune-related genes were more highly expressed in the NTD embryos than the healthy embryos. Additionally, the ROC curve analysis also indicated that the expression levels of the 10 hub immune-related genes were highly accurate in the diagnosis of NTDs [area under the curve (AUC) range, 0.708-0.812]. The immune infiltration analysis demonstrated that 20 of the 28 immune cell types were more highly infiltrated in the NTD embryos than the healthy embryos. Conclusions: Immune-related genes are important regulators of the occurrence and development of NTDs.

Tumor microenvironment-responsive versatile "Trojan horse" theranostic nanoplatform for magnetic resonance imaging-guided multimodal synergistic antitumor treatment.

A natural killer (NK)-92 cell membrane-camouflaged mesoporous MnO2-enveloped Au@Pd (Au@Pd@MnO2) nanoparticles (denoted as APMN NPs)-based versatile biomimetic theranostic nanoplatform was developed for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-guided multimodal synergistic antitumor treatments. In this core-shell nanostructure, an Au@Pd core induced near-infrared (NIR)-activatable hyperthermal effects and nanozyme catalytic activity, while a mesoporous MnO2 shell not only afforded a high drug-loading capability, tumor microenvironment (TME)-triggered MR imaging and drug release, but also endowed catalase-, glutathione peroxidase-, and Fenton-like activities. Furthermore, the NK-92 cell membrane camouflaging endowed the NPs with enhanced tumor-targeting capability, immune escape function, and membrane protein-mediated tumoral uptake property. The doxorubicin-loaded APMN (D-APMN) NPs exhibited TME-responsive drug release properties. Furthermore, the cellular uptake, in vivo MR imaging, and NIR thermal imaging confirmed the active tumor-targeting capability and TME-responsive MR imaging property of these biomimetic NPs. An antitumor efficacy test, histological analyses, and blood biochemical profiles suggested that the developed D-APMN NPs possessed a high antitumor activity and biosafety in tumor-bearing nude mice. Therefore, the developed APMN NPs held great potential as an intelligent and comprehensive theranostic nanoplatform for tumor-specific bioimaging and TME-responsive multimodality treatment based on photothermal therapy, chemodynamic therapy, and chemotherapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Exploring intelligent and comprehensive theranostic nanoplatforms to integrate tumor-specific bioimaging and TME-responsive multimodal therapy effectively is a challenge. Herein, we successfully developed a new kind of NK-92 cell membrane-camouflaged mesoporous MnO2-enveloped Au@Pd nanoparticles (APMN NPs)-based versatile biomimetic theranostic nanoplatform for the potential MR imaging-guided multimodal synergistic antitumor treatments. These NPs could integrate unique structural, optical, multiple-catalytic, paramagnetic, and biological merits of NK-92 cell membrane, Au@Pd cores and mesoporous MnO2 shell in a single nanoplatform. The NK-92 cell membrane camouflaging endowed the NPs with enhanced tumor-targeting capability, immune escape function, and membrane protein-mediated tumoral uptake property. The new information obtained from this study may be beneficial to promote the development of novel TME-responsive versatile "Trojan horse" theranostic nanoplatforms for efficient MR imaging-guided multimodal synergistic treatment.

One-step fabrication of Au-Ag alloys and its application for catalysts and SERS sensors.

Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles (NPs) with controllable size and composition were synthesized by a facile, one-pot hydrothermal method. Various characterization techniques including TEM, UV-vis, EDX, HAADF-STEM and XPS were used to discuss the influencing factors for the size and composition of Au-Ag alloy NPs. It is obvious that the size and composition of Au-Ag alloy NPs could be adjusted by the experimental parameters. Catalytic and SERS performance of the Au-Ag alloy NPs were further investigated. Ideal catalytic and SERS performance could be also obtained via optimizing the size and composition of Au-Ag alloy. This work is of importance in theory research and practical application of the noble metal nanocomposites.

CEBPB knockdown sensitizes nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells to cisplatin by promoting the expression of serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type 5.

Serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type 5 (SPINK5) has been indicated to act as a prognostic predictor for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. However, its specific role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a malignancy that has a high propensity for chemoresistance, remains largely obscure. We, thus, sought to investigate the importance of SPINK5 expression in regulating chemoresistance in NPC. Differentially expressed genes in NPC were screened using the cancer genome atlas-head and neck squamous cell carcinoma database and microarray analysis. SPINK5 was downregulated in NPC tissues and cells. After SPINK5 upregulation, the cells treated with cisplatin showed reduced cell survival and the ability to migrate, invade and metastasize. Mechanistically, the transcription factors regulating SPINK5 were queried through the JASPAR website, followed by dual-luciferase and Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay validation. CCAAT enhancer-binding protein (CEBP) beta (CEBPB) bound to the SPINK5 promoter region in NPC cells. The silencing of CEBPB enhanced the expression of SPINK5. CEBPB overexpression reversed the inhibitory effects of cisplatin on NPC cell malignant phenotype in the presence of SPINK5 overexpression. In conclusion, CEBPB silencing promoted chemoresistance of NPC cells via activating SPINK5, signifying that targeting CEBPB was a new approach to enhance the chemotherapy efficacy in NPC.

SERS-Based Immunoassay Enhanced with Silver Probe for Selective Separation and Detection of Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers.

PURPOSE: Developing a sensitive SERS-based method to quantitatively detect serum biomarkers (Aß1-42 and P-Tau-181) for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: In this study, a novel SERS-based sandwich immunoassay, which consists of tannin-capped silver nanoparticles and magnetic graphene oxide (Fe3O4@GOs), was developed. We firstly applied this method for the detection of protein standards in buffer solution, obtaining the regression equation. Then, its potential value on real serum samples of AD was further explored. RESULTS: The detection linear range of Aß1-42 and P-Tau-181 protein standards were observed to range from 100 pg mL-1 to 10 fg mL-1, 100 pg mL-1 to 1 fg mL-1 respectively. We finally explored clinical application of the proposed method in 63 serum samples. As a result, P-tau-181 differentiated AD from non-AD dementia patients (AUC = 0.770), with a more favored ROC than Aß1-42 (AUC = 0.383). CONCLUSION: The developed SERS-based immunoassay is successfully applied to the determination of Aß1-42 and P-Tau-181 in human serum specimens, which provides a promising tool for the early diagnosis of AD.

Antiangiogenic effect of arsenic trioxide in HUVECs by FoxO3a-regulated autophagy.

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) has been shown to have antitumor effect in different tumors, although the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Autophagy plays a critical role in tumorigenesis and cancer therapy and has been found to be activated by ATO in different cells. However, the role of autophagy in the antitumor effect of ATO has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of autophagy in the antiangiogenic effect of ATO in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro and its underlying mechanism. Our data showed that ATO suppresses angiogenesis and induces autophagy in HUVECs through upregulation of forkhead box protein O3 (FoxO3a). Co-incubated with autophagy inhibitor or knockdown of FoxO3a effectively inhibited ATO-induced autophagy and reversed the antiangiogenic effect of ATO, indicating that ATO-induced autophagy plays an antiangiogenic role in HUVECs. Our results highlight the importance of autophagy in the antiangiogenic effect of ATO and provide an improved understanding of the function of ATO.

Association of Evaluated Glomerular Filtration Rate and Incident Diabetes Mellitus: A Secondary Retrospective Analysis Based on a Chinese Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have revealed that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant risk factor for insulin resistance and diabetes. However, few studies are on the association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and incident diabetes, especially in the Chinese population with eGFR>60 mL/min·1.73 m2. This study explored the relationship between eGFR and incident diabetes in a large cohort in the Chinese community. METHODS: This study was a retrospective cohort study. A total of 1,99,435 adults from Rich Healthcare Group in China were studied, including all medical records for participants who received a health check from 2010 to 2016. The target-independent and target-dependent variables were eGFR measured at baseline, and incident diabetes mellitus appeared during the follow-up. After testing the proportion hypothesis, Cox proportional hazards regression was used to investigate the association between eGFR and incident diabetes. A Cox proportional hazards regression with cubic spline functions and smooth curve fitting (the cubic spline smoothing) was used to identify non-linear relationships between eGFR and the risk of diabetes. Additionally, we also performed subgroup analysis and a series sensitivity analysis. It was stated that the data had been uploaded to the DATADRYAD website. RESULT: After adjusting gender, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), smoking and drinking status, and family history of diabetes, the result showed that eGFR was negatively associated with incident diabetes [HR = 0.986, 95% CI (0.984, 0.988)]. A non-linear relationship was detected between eGFR and incident diabetes, with an inflection point of eGFR of 98.034 mL/min·1.73 m2. The effect sizes and the confidence intervals (Cis) on the left and right sides of the inflection point were 0.998 (0.993, 1.003) and 0.976 (0.972, 0.980), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed a stronger association in the population with FPG <6.1 mmol/L, BMI <24 kg/m2, SBP <140 mmHg, DBP <90 mmHg and family history without diabetes. The same trend was also seen in women and the population who never smoke. CONCLUSION: Estimated glomerular filtration rate is independently associated with incident diabetes. The relationship between eGFR and incident diabetes is also non-linear. eGFR is strongly related to incident diabetes when eGFR was above 98.034 mL/min·1.73 m2.

Fluorescence imaging-guided cancer photothermal therapy using polydopamine and graphene quantum dot-capped Prussian blue nanocubes.

In recent years, imaging-guided photothermal tumor ablation has attracted intense research interest as one of the most exciting strategies for cancer treatment. Herein, we prepared polydopamine and graphene quantum dot-capped Prussian blue nanocubes (PB@PDA@GQDs, PBPGs) with high photothermal conversion efficiency and excellent fluorescence performance for imaging-guided cancer treatment. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis), fluorescence spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to characterize their morphology and structures. The photothermal conversion efficiency and therapeutic effect were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Results revealed that this nanoagent had excellent biocompatibility and enhanced the photothermal effect compared to blue nanocubes (PBs) and polydopamine-capped Prussian blue nanocubes (PB@PDA, PBPs). Therefore, our study may open a new path for the production of PB-based nanocomposites as theranostic nanoagents for imaging-guided photothermal cancer treatment.

Preparation of Ag/TiO2 nanocomposites with controlled crystallization and properties as a multifunctional material for SERS and photocatalytic applications.

Ag/TiO2 nanocomposites with controlled crystallization and properties were prepared by a simple solvothermal method. By using the same raw materials with different ratio and reaction conditions, the morphologies and crystallization of nanocomposites can be tuned. The components of the products were analyzed by TEM and XRD methods respectively. The as-prepared Ag/TiO2 nanocomposites were used as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate to be evolved for detection of environmental organic dyes pollutants (CV and RhB) with excellent recyclability. Furthermore, it also showed enhanced catalytic performance of nitrophenol compounds (4-NP). After that, the Ag/TiO2 nanocomposites were also used as an active substrate and a superior catalyst for reduction of 4-NTP monitored by Raman spectroscopy.

MicroRNA-192 promotes the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma through targeting RB1 and activating PI3K/AKT pathway.

BACKGROUND: The dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been found in diseases and cancers, including microRNA-192 (miR-192). This study was designed to investigate the role of miR-192 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) progression. METHODS: The expression levels of miR-192 and some genes were assessed by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The function of miR-192 was investigated through MTT, Transwell, and dual-luciferase reporter assays. RESULTS: The expression of miR-192 was increased in NPC tissues, and high miR-192 expression predicted poor prognosis in NPC patients. Functionally, upregulation of miR-192 promoted NPC cell migration, invasion, and growth. Furthermore, miR-192 activated EMT and PI3K/AKT pathway to regulate NPC progression. In addition, miR-192 directly targeted RB1 and suppressed its expression in NPC. Moreover, overexpression of RB1 weakened the promoted effect of miR-192 in NPC. CONCLUSION: miR-192 promoted cell viability and metastasis in NPC through suppressing RB1 expression and activating PI3K/AKT pathway.

miR-140-5p targeted FGF9 and inhibited the cell growth of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Increasing evidence has suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in the initiation and development of cancers. Here, we found that miR-140-5p was significantly downregulated in both laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) tissues and cell lines. Decreased expression of miR-140-5p was significantly associated with the metastasis of LSCC. Overexpression of miR-140-5p inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of LSCC cells. Mechanistically, the fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) was identified as the target of miR-140-5p. miR-140-5p bound the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of FGF9 and suppressed the expression of FGF9 in LSCC cells. Additionally, the level of FGF9 was upregulated in LSCC tissues and negatively correlated with the expression of miR-140-5p. Restoration of FGF9 attenuated the suppressive role of miR-140-5p in regulating the growth of LSCC cells. Collectively, these results indicated that the tumor suppressive function of miR-140-5p in LSCC was partially exercised by modulating the expression of FGF9.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of p16 protein in nasopharynx cancer patients: A PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: p16 protein is significantly down-regulated in several cancers, which reveals that it may be a potential biomarker for cancers. However, the clinicopathological and prognostic value of p16 protein in nasopharynx cancer patients remains unclear. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the relationships of p16 protein expression with the clinicopathological features and prognosis of nasopharynx cancer. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Chinese CNKI were searched to obtain eligible data. The relationships of p16 protein expression with risk, clinicopathological features, and prognosis of nasopharynx cancer were analyzed with stata 14.0 software. The pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI (confidence interval) and hazards ratio (HR) with 95% CI were calculated to evaluate the association between p16 protein expression and nasopharynx cancer. RESULTS: A total of 28 studies with 2612 nasopharynx cancer patients were included in the meta-analysis. p16 protein expression was significantly associated with the risk, lymph node metastasis, TNM-stage (tumor-node-metastasis), distant metastasis, and T stage of nasopharynx cancer (Risk, OR = 17.82, 95% CI = 11.20-28.35; Lymph node metastasis, OR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.42-3.14; TNM-stage, OR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.54-3.28; Distant metastasis, OR = 3.43, 95% CI = 1.55-7.58; T-stage, OR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.27-2.33). The negative rate of p16 protein expression in control group was 8.77%, while the negative rate of p16 protein expression in the nasopharynx cancer tissue was 63.78%. However, no significant associations of p16 expression with the overall survival and progression-free survival of nasopharynx cancer were found. CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis revealed that downregulated p16 expression was significantly associated with the risk, lymph node metastasis, TNM-stage, distant metastasis, and T stage of nasopharynx cancer. No significant association between p16 protein expression and prognosis of nasopharynx cancer was found. However, additional high-quality and multicenter studies should be conducted to validate these findings in the future.

Synthesis of uniform Ag nanosponges and its SERS application.

With the aid of amino acid, various Ag nanostructures were successfully synthesized via the reaction between silver nitrate and hydrazine hydrate at room temperature. The as-prepared products were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the morphology of the as-prepared Ag products depended on the sorts of amino acid and solvents. The uniform Ag nanosponges could be obtained in glycol with aid of glycine. Using rhodamine 6G (R6G) as probe, the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) performance was also investigated, which showed that the uniform Ag nanosponges exhibited an intensive and enhanced Raman scattering. Pazufloxacin mesilate (PM) were detected conveniently using these uniform nanosponges as SERS substrates. The present work might afford some guidance for the rationally controllable synthesis of other metal nanomaterials.

Fish SAMHD1 performs as an activator for IFN expression.

As a host limiting factor, Sterile Alpha Motif and Histidine-Aspartate Domain 1 protein (SAMHD1) is associated with IRF3-mediated antiviral and apoptotic responses in mammals. However, the antiviral mechanism of SAMHD1 remains indistinct in fish. In this study, we found the expression of Ctenopharyngodon idella SAMHD1 (MF326081) was up-regulated after transfection with poly I:C (dsRNA analog), B-DNA or Z-DNA into C. idella kidney cells (CIKs), but these expression profiles had no obvious change when the cells were incubated with these nucleic acids. These data may indicate that CiSAMHD1 participates in the intracellular PRR-mediated signaling pathway rather than extracellular PRR-mediated signaling pathway. Subcellular localization assay suggested that a part of over-expressed CiSAMHD1 were translocated from nuclear to cytoplasm when C. idella ovary cells (COs) were transfected with poly I:C, B-DNA or Z-DNA. Nucleic acid pulldown assays were performed to investigate the reason for nuclear-cytoplasm translocation of CiSAMHD1. The results showed that CiSAMHD1 had a high affinity with B-DNA, Z-DNA and ISD-PS (dsRNA analog). In addition, co-IP assays revealed the interaction of CiSAMHD1 with CiSTING (KF494194). Taken together, all these results suggest that grass carp SAMHD1 performs as an activator for innate immune response through STING-mediated signaling pathway.

Pt-Pd Bimetal Popcorn Nanocrystals: Enhancing the Catalytic Performance by Combination Effect of Stable Multipetals Nanostructure and Highly Accessible Active Sites.

Exploration of highly efficient electrocatalysts is significantly urgent for the extensive adoption of the fuel cells. Because of their high activity and super stability, Pt-Pd bimetal nanocrystals have been widely recognized as one class of promising electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction. This article presents the synthesis of popcorn-shaped Pt-Pd bimetal nanoparticles with a wide composition range through a facile hydrothermal strategy. The hollow-centered nanoparticles are surrounded by several petals and concave surfaces. By exploring the oxygen reduction reaction on the carbon supported Pt-Pd popcorns in perchloric acid solution, it is found that compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst the present catalysts display superior catalytic performances in aspects of catalytic activity and stability. More importantly, the Pt-Pd popcorns display minor performance degradations through prolonged potential cycling. The enhanced performances can be mainly attributed to the unique popcorn structure of the Pt-Pd components, which allows the appearance and long existence of the high active sites with more accessibility. The present work highlights the key roles of accessible high active sites in the oxygen reduction reaction, which will ultimately guide the design of highly durable Pt-Pd catalysts.