Anticancer Activity of New Na(I) Complex on Retinoblastoma Cells via Inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway.

Here, through applying 2,6-bis(4'-carboxyl-phenyl)pyridine (HL), a rigid ligand featuring both carboxylic acid and pyridine groups, a new coordination polymer containing Na(I) has been generated with the reaction between HL ligand and NaNO in a water and DMF mixed solvent, and its chemical composition is [NaL]. Furthermore, the antiproliferative activity of Na(I) complex against the HXO-Rb44 retinoblastoma cells was detected with CCK-8 assay. Hoechst staining along with Annexin V-FITC/PI revealed that Na(I) complex induces the HXO-Rb44 retinoblastoma cells apoptosis.

Epidemic of wild-origin H1NX avian influenza viruses in Anhui, China.

Background: As the natural hosts of avian influenza viruses (AIVs), aquatic and migratory birds provide a gene pool for genetic transfer among species and across species, forming transient "genome constellations." This work describes the phylogenetic dynamics of H1NX based on the complete molecular characterization of eight genes of viruses that were collected from 2014 to 2015 in Anhui Province, China.

Methods: Hemagglutination and hemagglutination inhibition tests were used to determine the hemagglutination (HA) activity of the HA subtypes.

Mannan-modified adenovirus targeting TERT and VEGFR-2: A universal tumour vaccine.

Antigen-presenting cells including dendritic cells (DCs) express mannan receptors (MR) on their surface, which can be exploited in cancer therapy by designing immune-stimulatory viruses coated with mannan-modified capsids that then bind to DCs and initiate a potent immune response. Although the combination of anti-angiogenesis and cancer immunotherapy agents has a synergistic antitumor effect, more effective strategies for delivering such combinations are still required. Here we report the design and application of mannan-modified adenovirus that expresses both telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2).

The effect of chronic stress on anti-angiogenesis of sunitinib in colorectal cancer models.

Epidemiological and experimental evidence has shown that psychological stress can propel cancer progression. However, its role in anti-angiogenic therapy is not well understood. We previously found that exogenous norepinephrine attenuated the effect of sunitinib, a multi-targeted anti-angiogenic agent, in a mouse melanoma model.

Exogenous norepinephrine attenuates the efficacy of sunitinib in a mouse cancer model.

Background: Sunitinib alone exhibits satisfactory efficacy in several mouse homografts and xenografts but unsatisfactory efficacy in many kinds of solid tumors in clinic. Different from animals, receiving a diagnosis of cancer impacts chronic stress on patients. Here, we examine whether norepinephrine (NE), one of the most potent stress related hormones, leads to the difference in the efficacy of sunitinib between clinical and preclinical trials.

Mannan-modified adenovirus encoding VEGFR-2 as a vaccine to induce anti-tumor immunity.

Purpose: Dendritic cell (DC) vaccines are a promising immunotherapeutic approach for treatment and prevention of cancer. While this methodology is widely accepted, it also has some limitations. Antigen-presenting cells including DCs express the mannan receptor (MR).

Electrophoretic deposition polymerization of diacetylenes with tunable structure.

Serial novel chiral polydiacetylenes (PDAs) are efficiently prepared at room temperature by the controllable electrophoretic deposition of diacetylenes with tunable structure as designed from easily available starting materials. The colorimetrically reversible properties of PDAs in the range between 25 and 85 °C are influenced by the different amino acid moiety in the PDAs as anticipated. The PDA containing aromatic ring is much better for the colorimetrically reversible properties, while irreversible thermochromism is displayed for the PDA with the structure of the longer methylene units in the main chain of amino acid moiety.

A prospective longitudinal study evaluating a T-cell-based assay for latent tuberculosis infection in health-care workers in a general hospital in Beijing.

Background: The health-care workers (HCWs) are at high risk of acquiring infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The objectives of this study were to compare the performance of the T-SPOT.TB and tuberculin skin test (TST) for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), evaluate diagnostic concordance and risk factors for LTBI, and observe the progression to active tuberculosis (TB) disease among HCWs in a general hospital in Beijing.

Major causes of fever of unknown origin at Peking Union Medical College Hospital in the past 26 years.

Background: Despite the recent advances in medicine, fever of unknown origin (FUO) remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge even to expert physicians. To increase the knowledge of FUO, we conducted a retrospective study to investigate the causes of FUO and the change of major causes of FUO during the past 26 years.

Methods: The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed from 997 patients with FUO hospitalized at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) between January 2004 and October 2010.

Blood collection procedures influence contamination rates in blood culture: a prospective study.

Background: Blood culture contamination is a significant adverse event. The aim of this project was to evaluate the efficacy of a strict blood collection procedure in reducing the blood culture contamination rate.

Methods: A prospectively controlled study was performed in two different medical areas in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) for 16 months (from May 2006 to September 2007).

[An analysis of 100 cases of tuberculosis first presenting as fever of unknown origin in a general tertiary hospital].

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics of tuberculosis (TB) first presenting as fever of unknown origin (FUO).

Methods: The clinical data of 100 cases of FUO, diagnosed as TB finally, among in-patients in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were analyzed retrospectively.

Results: (1) Sites of TB:there were 39 patients with merely pulmonary TB, 28 patients with merely extrapulmonary TB, and 33 patients with both pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB.

[A clinical analysis of 25 cases of prosthetic valve endocarditis].

Objective: To report the clinical characteristics of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE).

Methods: All 25 cases of definite PVE (Duke criteria) diagnosed at our hospital between January 1992 to December 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 7 cases were pathologically confirmed and the others were clinically confirmed with either 2 major criteria or 1 major and ≥ 3 minor criteria.

Longitudinal observation of an interferon gamma-released assay (T-SPOT.TB) for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in AIDS patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Background: T-SPOT.TB is a novel test for tuberculosis infection with higher sensitivity and specificity than the traditional tuberculin skin test (TST). However, there are no longitudinal data in the literature evaluating T-SPOT.

[Clinicopathological analysis of nine cases of small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix].

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics, therapy and prognostic factors of small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix (SCCC).

Methods: Nine patients with SCCC underwent radical hysterectomy at the Cancer Hospital of CAMS between 2000 to 2009. Clinical and pathological data were analyzed, and the related literature was reviewed.

A novel one-dimensional zinc coordination polymer containing 4-methylbenzoate and 4,4-bipyridine.

The title compound, catena-poly[[tris(mu-4-methylbenzoato)-kappa(2)O:O;kappa(4)O:O'-(4-methylbenzoato-kappa(2)O,O')dizinc(II)]-mu-4,4'-bipyridine-kappa(2)N:N'], [Zn(2)(C(8)H(7)O(2))(4)(C(10)H(8)N(2))](n), is a novel coordination polymer. The asymmetric unit contains two unique Zn(II) ions, four 4-methylbenzoate ligands and one 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bpy) ligand, all in general positions. The four 4-methylbenzoate ligands link the two Zn(II) centres to form a dinuclear unit, with a Zn.

Bis(2,2'-bipyridine-κN,N')(4-methyl-benzoato-κO,O')copper(II) iodide hemihydrate.

The title compound, [Cu(C(8)H(7)O(2))(C(10)H(8)N(2))(2)]I·0.5H(2)O, was obtained by the hydro-thermal reaction of copper(I) iodide, 4-methyl-benzoic acid and 2,2'-bipyridine. The initial reactant of Cu(I) was oxidized to Cu(II).

Diaqua-bis(4-methyl-benzoato-κO)zinc(II).

The Zn atom in the title mononuclear complex, [Zn(C(8)H(7)O(2))(2)(H(2)O)(2)], lies on a special position of site symmetry 2. The carboxyl-ate group binds in a monodentate manner so that the geometry is best described as tetra-hedral. Adjacent mol-ecules are linked by O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional network.

[Clinical characteristics of 143 Chinese HIV/AIDS patients].

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients in China.

Methods: Totally 143 HIV/AIDS patients who were first diagnosed in Peking Union Medical College Hospital form January 1988 to April 2006 were enrolled in this study. Clinical characteristics were retrospectively analyzed.

[A clinical analysis of 57 cases of abdominal tuberculosis].

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics and diagnosis methods of abdominal tuberculosis.

Methods: The clinical characteristics of abdominal tuberculosis in 57 cases proved by histopathology between 1958-2004 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: There were 39 cases of tuberculosis of the liver, 5 cases of the spleen, 8 cases of the pancreas, 3 cases of the stomach, 1 case involved both liver and spleen and 1 case involved both liver and stomach.

[A clinical analysis of 22 cases of Pneumocystis pneumonia in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome].

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics, therapeutical approaches and outcome of Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in patients with AIDS.

Methods: The clinical data of 22 PCP patients with AIDS who were treated in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1992 to October 2004 were analyzed, including the routes of HIV infection, clinical profiles, immunological status, chest radiological characteristics, therapeutic managements and outcome.

Results: (1) Of the 22 PCP patients, 16 were male and 6 female.

[A clinical review of 449 cases with fever of unknown origin].

Objective: To investigate the causes of fever of unknown origin (FUO).

Methods: The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed from patients with FUO hospitalized in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2000 to December 2003. During that period of time, 449 cases fulfilled the criteria of FUO.

[Dynamics of T lymphocyte subsets in SARS patients].

Objective: To study dynamics of T lymphocyte subsets in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Methods: Sequential anti-coagulated blood samples were collected from 46 cases of SARS patients during the 1st week, the 2nd week, the 3rd-5th week and the 8th-12th week after the infection. T lymphocyte subsets including CD3+CD4+ cells, CD3+CD8+ cells, naive CD4+ cells (CD4+CD45RA+CD62L+) and activated CD8+ cells (CD8+CD38+) were detected by 3-color flow cytometry.

[Dynamic changes of plasma cytokine levels in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome].

Objective: To elucidate the mechanism of strong inflammatory response in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients.

Methods: 24 patients managed with a standard corticosteroid protocol developed by Peking Union Medical College Hospital were followed up for 2 months and their clinical outcomes were documented. Plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12 p70, interferon gamma (IFN gamma), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) were determined by quantitative ELISA during the course of disease respectively.