Marine Staurosporine Analogues: Activity and Target Identification in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer with high mortality and drug resistance and no targeted drug available at present. Compound , a staurosporine alkaloid derived from sp. NBU3142 in a marine sponge, exhibits potent anti-TNBC activity.

Antibacterial oxygenated ergostane-type steroids produced by the marine sponge-derived fungus sp.

Two oxygenated ergostane-type steroids including one new compound, 3-hydroxy-5,6-methoxyergosta-7,22-dien-15-one () along with a known analogue ergosta-6,22-dien-3,5,8-triol () were isolated from the crude extracts of the marine sponge-derived fungus sp. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of combined NMR and MS spectroscopic methods. Compound was a marine ergostane-type steroid with two methoxy groups at C-5 and C-6, respectively.

A high-precision synchronous signal acquisition device.

The synchronous and accurate acquisition of multiple features of states is key to assessing the state of power equipment. The highest recorded accuracy of currently available synchronous signal measuring devices in intelligent substations is the 0.2 class, which cannot satisfy the requirements of power equipment such as voltage and current transformers.

A dual-mode nanoparticle based on natural biomaterials for photoacoustic and magnetic resonance imaging of bone mesenchymal stem cells .

Stem cell imaging is critical to elucidate the homing, distribution, survival, and repair mechanisms and to evaluate the therapeutic effects of engrafted stem cells. Unfortunately, unimodal imaging of stem cells does not simultaneously satisfy all current requirements owing to their intrinsic limitations. Obviously, bimodal or multimodal imaging of stem cells is a promising strategy for circumventing this issue.

Efficacy Evaluation and Tracking of Bone Marrow Stromal Stem Cells in a Rat Model of Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI) and dynamically monitor engrafted BMSCs in vivo for the early prediction of their therapeutic effects in a rat model.

Methods: A rat model of RIRI was prepared by clamping the left renal artery for 45 min. One week after renal artery clamping, 2 × 10 superparamagnetic iron oxide- (SPIO-) labeled BMSCs were injected into the renal artery.

A promising magnetic resonance stem cell tracer based on natural biomaterials in a biological system: manganese(II) chelated to melanin nanoparticles.

Background: Melanin and manganese are both indispensable natural substances that play crucial roles in the human body. Melanin has been used as a multimodality imaging nanoplatform for biology science research because of its natural binding ability with metal ions (eg, Cu, Fe, and Gd). Because of its effects on T1 signal enhancement, Mn-based nanoparticles have been used in magnetic resonance (MR) quantitative cell tracking in vivo.

Effective tracking of bone mesenchymal stem cells in vivo by magnetic resonance imaging using melanin-based gadolinium nanoparticles.

Tracking transplanted stem cells is necessary to clarify cellular properties and improve transplantation success. In this study, we designed and synthesized melanin-based gadolinium (Gd )-chelate nanoparticles (MNP-Gd ) of ∼7 nm for stem cell tracking in vivo. MNP-Gd possesses many beneficial properties, such as its high stability and sensitivity, shorter T1 relaxation time, higher cell labeling efficiency, and lower cytotoxicity compared with commercial imaging agents.

Oryzamides A-E, Cyclodepsipeptides from the Sponge-Derived Fungus Nigrospora oryzae PF18.

Three new cyclohexadepsipeptides, oryzamides A-C (1-3), two isolation artifacts, oryzamides D (4) and E (5), and the known congener scopularide A (6), all possessing a rare 3-hydroxy-4-methyldecanoic acid (HMDA) substructure, were isolated from the mycelial extract of the sponge-derived fungus Nigrospora oryzae PF18. Their planar structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with the literature data. The absolute configurations were determined using the advanced Marfey's method and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

Hypocrol A, a new tyrosol derivative from a sponge-derived strain of the fungus Hypocrea koningii.

In continuation of our search for new antibacterial and antioxidant metabolites from sponge-derived fungi, one new tyrosol derivative, hypocrol A (1), together with four known congeners, trichodenol B (2), 4-hydroxyphenethyl acetate (3), 4-hydroxyphenethyl tetradecanoate (4) and 1-oleyltyrosol (5), was isolated from the strain Hypocrea koningii PF04. Their planar structures were unequivocally elucidated by spectroscopic methods and comparison with the literature data. All the compounds displayed weak antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S.

Effects of Magnetically Guided, SPIO-Labeled, and Neurotrophin-3 Gene-Modified Bone Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Rat Model of Spinal Cord Injury.

Despite advances in our understanding of spinal cord injury (SCI) mechanisms, there are still no effective treatment approaches to restore functionality. Although many studies have demonstrated that transplanting NT3 gene-transfected bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is an effective approach to treat SCI, the approach is often low efficient in the delivery of engrafted BMSCs to the site of injury. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of magnetic targeting of NT3 gene-transfected BMSCs via lumbar puncture in a rat model of SCI.

New Furan and Cyclopentenone Derivatives from the Sponge-Associated Fungus Hypocrea Koningii PF04.

Two new furan derivatives, hypofurans A and B (1 and 2), and three new cyclopentenone derivatives, hypocrenones A-C (3-5), along with seven known compounds (6-12), were isolated from a marine fungus Hypocrea koningii PF04 associated with the sponge Phakellia fusca. Among them, compounds 10 and 11 were obtained for the first time as natural products. The planar structures of compounds 1-5 were elucidated by analysis of their spectroscopic data.

New Metabolites from the South China Sea Sponge Diacarnus megaspinorhabdosa.

Chemical investigation on CH2Cl2 extract of the marine sponge Diacarnus megaspinorhabdosa resulted in the isolation of two new farnesylacetone derivatives 1-2, a new γ-lactone 3, a known dinorditerpenone 4 and four known norsesterterpene peroxides 5-8. Their structures were elucidated by using one and two dimensional (1D and 2D)-NMR, high resolution-electrospray ionization (HR-ESI)-MS, and comparison with the literature. Compounds 1 and 2 were cis/trans-olefinic isomers and determined through nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) experiment.

Visual bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in the repair of spinal cord injury.

An important factor in improving functional recovery from spinal cord injury using stem cells is maximizing the number of transplanted cells at the lesion site. Here, we established a contusion model of spinal cord injury by dropping a weight onto the spinal cord at T7-8. Superparamagnetic iron oxide-labeled bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were transplanted into the injured spinal cord via the subarachnoid space.

High expression of transform growth factor beta 1 in gastric cancer confers worse outcome: results of a cohort study on 184 patients.

Background/aims: Transform growth factors beta (TGFbeta) plays different roles at different stages of tumor development. TGFbeta1 is one isoform of TGFbeta, with complex secretion mechanism and bidirectional functions. This study was to investigate TGFbeta1 expression and its clinical significance in different clinicopathological subgroups of gastric cancer (GC) patients.

Long term follow up and retrospective study on 533 gastric cancer cases.

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is the third leading cause of cancer death in China and the outcome of GC patients is poor. The aim of the research is to study the prognostic factors of gastric cancer patients who had curative intent or palliative resection, completed clinical database and follow-up.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 533 GC patients from three tertiary referral teaching hospitals from January 2004 to December 2010 who had curative intent or palliative resection, complete clinical database and follow-up information.

Transplantation of neurotrophin-3-expressing bone mesenchymal stem cells improves recovery in a rat model of spinal cord injury.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of transplanting neutrophin-3 (NT-3)-expressing bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in a rat model of spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods: Forty-eight adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to three groups: the control, BMSC, and NT-3-BMSC groups. BMSCs were infected with NT-3-DsRed or DsRed lentivirus and injected into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) via lumbar puncture (LP) 7 days after SCI in the NT-3-BMSC and BMSC groups, respectively.

Tumor invasion unit in gastric cancer revealed by QDs-based in situ molecular imaging and multispectral analysis.

In tumor tissues, cancer cells, tumor infiltrating macrophages and tumor neo-vessels in close spatial vicinity with one another form tumor invasion unit, which is a biologically important tumor microenvironment of metastasis to facilitate cancer invasion and metastasis. Establishing an in situ molecular imaging technology to simultaneously reveal these three components is essential for the in-depth investigation of tumor invasion unit. In this report, we have developed a computer-aided algorithm by quantum dots (QDs)-based multiplexed molecular imaging technique for such purpose.

Lymph node ratio is a better prognosticator than lymph node status for gastric cancer: A retrospective study of 138 cases.

To study the clinical significance of lymph node ratio (LNR) in gastric cancer (GC), this study analyzed 613 patients with GC who underwent surgical resection. Of 613 patients with GC, 138 patients who had >15 lymph nodes (LNs) resected and radical resection were enrolled into the final study. All major clinicopathological data were entered into a central database.