Localization matters: a nuclear targeting two-photon absorption iridium complex in photodynamic therapy.

We present a two-photon (2P, 800 nm) PDT cyclometalated Iridium(iii) complex (Ir-Es) that targets the intracellular nucleus. The complex is capable of migrating sequentially from the nucleus to mitochondria and inducing dual-damage under light exposure. This study suggests that with minor modification of the terminal moieties of complexes, their final intracellular destinations and PDT efficiency can be significantly impacted.

Significance of Glypican-3 (GPC3) Expression in Hepatocellular Cancer Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND Primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor that is common China. Early diagnosis is of great significance for improving treatment efficiency. GPC3 level is closely related to HCC occurrence.

Screening and evaluating of long noncoding RNAs in the puberty of goats.

Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in regulating animal development, however, their function in the onset of puberty in goats remain largely unexplored. To identify the genes controlling the regulation of puberty in goats, we measured lncRNA and mRNA expression levels from the hypothalamus.

Results: We applied RNA sequencing analysis to examine the hypothalamus of pubertal (case; n = 3) and prepubertal (control; n = 3) goats.

Efficacy of compound Kushen injection plus radiotherapy on nonsmall-cell lungcancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the benefits of compound Kushen injection (CKI) combined with radiotherapy for nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Materials And Methods: We searched nine electronic databases and six gray literature databases comprehensively until June 2015. Two reviewers independently selected and assessed the included trials according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

[Research progress on application of DNA barcoding technique in Culicidae taxonomy].

DNA barcoding technique is a fast and accurate method for species identification. The DNA barcoding based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit Ⅰ (COⅠ) has recently been successfully applied for species identification of Culicidae. In this paper, we introduce the technique and principle of DNA barcoding, application and limitation of the technique based on CO I gene for species identification, as well as research development on applications of other molecular makers such as COⅡ,16S RNA, and the first and the second internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) in species identification and to assist the COⅠ gene in identifying Culicidae species.

Tree-Structured Nuclear Norm Approximation with Applications to Robust Face Recognition.

Structured sparsity, as an extension of standard sparsity, has shown the outstanding performance when dealing with some highly correlated variables in computer vision and pattern recognition. However, the traditional mixed (L1, L2) or (L1, L∞) group norm becomes weak in characterizing the internal structure of each group since they cannot alleviate the correla-tions between variables. Recently, nuclear norm has been vali-dated to be useful for depicting a spatially structured matrix variable.

Robust Image Regression Based on the Extended Matrix Variate Power Exponential Distribution of Dependent Noise.

Dealing with partial occlusion or illumination is one of the most challenging problems in image representation and classification. In this problem, the characterization of the representation error plays a crucial role. In most current approaches, the error matrix needs to be stretched into a vector and each element is assumed to be independently corrupted.

Effects of osteogenic protein-1 on intervertebral disc regeneration: A systematic review of animal studies.

Osteogenic protein (OP)-1 delivery into discs has achieved some success in disc regeneration in animals, though conflicting outcomes exist. This study aimed to systematically review the animal studies that assessed the effect of OP-1 on disc regeneration. Relevant literature was searched in the following databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI) and Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (CBM).

An antimicrobial peptide with an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogen for studying bacterial membrane interactions and antibacterial actions.

A fluorescence technique to investigate the interactions between bacterial membranes and an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogen-decorated AMP (TPE-AMP) was reported. Our simple and fast method consists of mixing TPE-AMP and bacterial suspensions and recording the fluorescence signals by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy in a "non-washing" manner.

Differences in Clinical and Laboratory Features for Different Genotypes of Orientia tsutsugamushi in Guangzhou, Southern China.

Purpose: To describe the genotypes distribution of Orientia tsutsugamushi, in Guangzhou, and explore differences in clinical and laboratory features among genotypes.

Method: We collected blood or eschar samples of all scrub typhus cases reported in 2013 from 10 district hospitals positive for PCR. We further tested the PCR-positive samples for DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis.

[The regulatory role of Wnt signaling pathway in the proliferation and activation of memory T cells].

Objective To study the regulatory effect of Wnt signaling pathway on the activation and proliferation of memory T cells (TMs). Methods We established the mouse model of skin allograft transplantation (BALB/c-C57BL/6), and then we sorted and cultured immature dendritic cells (imDCs), mature dendritic cells (mDCs) and TMs from the C57BL/6 mice by immunomagnetic bead cell sorting. The imDCs or mDCs loading antigens from BALB/c mice were co-cultured with TMs in a 96-well plate or Transwell plate (MLR).

Antischistosomiasis Liver Fibrosis Effects of Chlorogenic Acid through IL-13/miR-21/Smad7 Signaling Interactions In Vivo and In Vitro.

This study investigated the antischistosomiasis liver fibrosis effects of chlorogenic acid (CGA) on interleukin 13 (IL-13)/microRNA-21 (miR-21)/Smad7 signaling interactions in the hepatic stellate LX2 cell line and schistosome-infected mice. The transfection was based on the ability of the GV273-miR-21-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and GV369-miR-21-EGFP lentiviral system to up- or downregulate the miR-21 gene in LX2 cells. The mRNA expression of miR-21, Smad7, and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and the protein expression of Smad7, CTGF, Smad1, phosphor-Smad1 (p-Smad1), Smad2, p-Smad2, Smad2/3, p-Smad2/3, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) receptor I, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was assayed.

Solid-phase extraction-stepwise elution (SPE-SE) procedure for isolation of dissolved organic matter prior to ESI-FT-ICR-MS analysis.

Characterization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) at the molecular level will greatly improve our understanding of its bio-geochemical role in controlling the fate of contaminants in the environment, and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) is the most powerful analytical technique for this purpose. Before FT-ICR-MS analysis, isolation, desalination and concentration of DOM are necessary, and solid-phase extraction (SPE) is the most widely applied pretreatment procedure. However, some molecular information is lost using conventional SPE methods.

Effect of Radix Stemonae concentrated decoction on the lung tissue pathology and inflammatory mediators in COPD rats.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common and frequently occurring respiratory disease. At present, western medicine treatment of COPD mainly focuses on symptomatic treatment. Using Chinese medicines or integrated Chinese and Western medicines to treat stable COPD has significant efficacy.

Estrogen Enhances Matrix Synthesis in Nucleus Pulposus Cell through the Estrogen Receptor β-p38 MAPK Pathway.

Background/aims: Matrix homeostasis within the disc nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue is important for disc function. Increasing evidence indicates that sex hormone can influence the severity of disc degeneration. This study was aimed to study the role of 17β-estradiol (E2) in NP matrix synthesis and its underlying mechanism.

DNA Methylation Patterns in the Hypothalamus of Female Pubertal Goats.

Female pubertal development is tightly controlled by complex mechanisms, including neuroendocrine and epigenetic regulatory pathways. Specific gene expression patterns can be influenced by DNA methylation changes in the hypothalamus, which can in turn regulate timing of puberty onset. In order to understand the relationship between DNA methylation changes and gene expression patterns in the hypothalamus of pubertal goats, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing and RNA-sequencing analyses were carried out.

A Controlled Release Codelivery System of MSCs Encapsulated in Dextran/Gelatin Hydrogel with TGF-3-Loaded Nanoparticles for Nucleus Pulposus Regeneration.

Mesenchymal stem cell- (MSC-) based therapy is regarded as a potential tissue engineering strategy to achieve nucleus pulposus (NP) regeneration for the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). However, it is still a challenge to induce MSC differentiation in NP-like cells when MSCs are implanted into the NP. The purpose of this study was to construct poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles as carriers for TGF-3 controlled release and establish a codelivery system of a dextran/gelatin hydrogel with the nanoparticles for long-term processing of discogenesis differentiation.

Efficacy and safety of down-titration versus continuation strategies of biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with low disease activity or in remission: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of down-titration (dose reduction/tapering) strategies compared with continuation of biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who achieved and maintained low disease activity or remission.

Methods: We searched the following electronic database up to March 2016: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and conference proceedings of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and European League against Rheumatism (EULAR). Our meta-analysis included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of RA patients with low disease activity or in remission that compared down-titration treatment with continuation treatment.

Factors associated with clinical outcome in 25 patients with avian influenza A (H7N9) infection in Guangzhou, China.

Background: Guangzhou reported its first laboratory-confirmed case of influenza A (H7N9) on January 10, 2014. A total of 25 cases were reported from the first wave of the epidemic until April 8, 2014. The fatality rate was much higher than in previous reports.

Role of Nesfatin-1 in the Reproductive Axis of Male Rat.

Nesfatin-1 is an important molecule in the regulation of reproduction. However, its role in the reproductive axis in male animals remains to be understood. Here, we found that nesfatin-1 was mainly distributed in the arcuate nucleus (ARC), paraventricular nucleus (PVN), periventricular nucleus (PeN), and lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) of the hypothalamus; adenohypophysis and Leydig cells in male rats.

Matrix homeostasis within the immature annulus fibrosus depends on the frequency of dynamic compression: a study based on the self-developed mechanically active bioreactor.

Evidence suggests that mechanical load is related to structural destruction of disk annulus fibrosus (AF) either in adult disk degeneration or in child disk acute injury. Both biochemical and biomechanical properties are different between immature and mature disks. However, the effects of mechanical compression on immature AF are not fully clear.

Role of Wnt3a expressed by dendritic cells in the activation of canonical Wnt signaling and generation of memory T cells during primary immune responses.

The presence of memory T cells (Ts) hinders transplant survival. Dendritic cells (DCs) induce the generation of Ts during primary immune responses. However, the specific mechanisms are unclear.

Synthesis of Polydopamine Functionalized Reduced Graphene Oxide-Palladium Nanocomposite for Laccase Based Biosensor.

Graphene based 2D nanomaterials have attracted increasing attention in biosensing application due to the outstanding physicochemical properties of graphene. In this work, palladium nanoparticles (Pd) loaded reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hybrid (rGO-Pd) was synthesized through a facile method. Laccase (Lac) was immobilized on rGO-Pd by utilizing the self-polymerization of dopamine, which generated polydopamine (PDA).

Facile synthesis of boehmite/PVA composite membrane with enhanced adsorption performance towards Cr(VI).

A novel boehmite/PVA composite membrane (BPCM) with remarkably enhanced adsorption performance towards Cr(VI) was successfully synthesized from Al(NO3)3·9H2O using HAc as the peptizing agent via a facile sol-gel method. The physicochemical properties of the BPCM, the boehmite powder (BP) without PVA and a commercial boehmite powder (CBP) were comparatively characterized by XRD, TGA-DSC, FT-IR and XPS. Batch adsorption experiments showed that the adsorption performance of the BPCM is much better than those of BP and CBP.