Molecular SPECT/CT Profiling of Claudin18.2 Expression In Vivo: Implication for Patients with Gastric Cancer.

Zolbetuximab (IMAB362), a monoclonal antibody targeting Claudin18.2 (CLDN 18.2), demonstrates a significant clinical benefit in patients with advanced gastroesophageal cancers.

Biotin-conjugated Ru(II) complexes with AIE characteristics as mitochondria-targeted photosensitizers for enhancing photodynamic therapy by disrupting cellular redox balance.

The potential use of Ru(II) complexes as photosensitizers (PSs) in photodynamic therapy (PDT) has gained significant attention. In comparison with fluorophores with aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ), fluorophores with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics exhibit sustained fluorescence and dispersibility in aqueous solutions. PSs with AIE characteristics have received much attention in recent years.

and antitumor activity of novel half-sandwich ruthenium complexes containing quinoline derivative ligands.

A series of half-sandwich ruthenium complexes containing quinoline derivative ligands was synthesized, which had excellent antitumor toxicity toward a variety of cell lines and could localize lysosomes. The damage of lysosomes promotes the release of cathepsin B and initiates downstream apoptotic cascade signals. The increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (Δ) synergistically amplified the damage degree of lysosomes.

De Novo Mutations Contributes Approximately 7% of Pathogenicity in Inherited Eye Diseases.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe genotype-phenotype associations and novel insights into genetic characteristics in a trio-based cohort of inherited eye diseases (IEDs).

Methods: To determine the etiological role of de novo mutations (DNMs) and genetic profile in IEDs, we retrospectively reviewed a large cohort of proband-parent trios of Chinese origin. The patients underwent a detailed examination and was clinically diagnosed by an ophthalmologist.

Design, synthesis, and LFA-1/ICAM-1 antagonist activity evaluation of Lifitegrast analogues.

The interaction between Lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) and intercellular-adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) plays important roles in the cell-mediated immune response and inflammation associated with dry eye disease. LFA-1/ICAM-1 antagonists can be used for the treatment of dry eye disease, such as Lifitegrast which has been approved by the FDA in 2016 as a new drug for the treatment of dry eye disease. In this study, we designed and synthesized some new structure compounds that are analogues to Lifitegrast, and their biological activities were evaluated by in vitro cell-based assay and also by in vivo mouse dry eye model.

Esculetin protects human corneal epithelial cells from oxidative stress through Nrf-2 signaling pathway.

Dry eye formation often originates from oxidative damage to the ocular surface, which can be caused by external environment or internal pathologic factors. Esculetin (6, 7-dihydroxycoumarin) is a natural product found in many plants, and has been reported to have multiple pharmacological activities. The objective of our present study is to investigate if esculetin could protect the corneal epithelial cells from oxidative damages and its underlying antioxidant molecular mechanisms.

Portable Handheld Slit-Lamp Based on a Smartphone Camera for Cataract Screening.

Purpose: As part of plans to provide help to people in remote and poor areas who have no medical resources, a portable slit-lamp based on a smartphone was proposed. This would help in early screening of cataract diseases.

Methods: This means a microlens is designed that would work with a phone's camera.

Tribulus terrestris Ameliorates Oxidative Stress-Induced ARPE-19 Cell Injury through the PI3K/Akt-Nrf2 Signaling Pathway.

Oxidative stress on retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells has been confirmed to play a crucial role in the development and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or other retinal degenerative diseases. Tribulus terrestris (TT) is a Chinese traditional herb medicine, which has been used for the treatment of ocular diseases for many centuries. In this study, we investigated the underlying mechanisms of TT and examined its ability to protect and restore the human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) against HO-induced oxidative stress.

Lysosome-targeted chemotherapeutics: Anticancer mechanism of N-heterocyclic carbene iridium(III) complex.

N-heterocyclic carbenes-modified half-sandwich iridium(III) complex [(η-CMeCHCH)Ir(C^C)Cl]PF (C1) (where C^C is a N-heterocyclic carbene ligand) can effectively prevent the proliferation of human cervical cancer cells. Here, this study aims to investigate the in-deep anticancer effects of this complex on non-small cell lung cancer cells and explore the underlying molecular mechanism. MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay showed that iridium(III) complex had potent cytotoxicity studies towards non-small cell lung cancer cells (A549), human lung squamous cells (L78), human cervical cancer cells (Hela) and human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B).

Health risk assessment and bioaccessibilities of heavy metals for children in soil and dust from urban parks and schools of Jiaozuo, China.

Urban parks and schools sever as the mainly activity areas for children, but risk assessment posed by heavy metals (HMs) from soil and dust in these area has rarely been investigated. In this study, six urban parks and seven schools in Jiaozuo, China, were taken as research objects to understand the contamination level and bioaccessibility of HMs from soil and dust in urban parks and schools. The results indicated that Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, As, Ni and Co from soil and dust were above the background values, especially Zn and Cd in dust, and As and Cd in soil.

Theranostic Lysosomal Targeting Anticancer and Antimetastatic Agents: Half-Sandwich Iridium(III) Rhodamine Complexes.

Two rhodamine-modified half-sandwich Ir(III) complexes with the general formula [(Cp)Ir(ĈN) Cl] were synthesized and characterized, where Cp is 1-biphenyl-2,3,4,5-tetramethylcyclopentadienyl (Cp). Both complexes showed potent anticancer activity against A549, HeLa, and HepG2 cancer cells and normal cells, and altered ligands had an effect on proliferation resistance. The complex enters cells through energy dependence, and because of the different ligands, not only could it affect the anticancer ability of the complex but also could affect the degree of complex lysosome targeting, lysosomal damage, and further prove the antiproliferative mechanism of the complex.

Triphenylamine-appended cyclometallated iridium(III) complexes: Preparation, photophysical properties and application in biology/luminescence imaging.

Four triphenylamine (TPA)-appended cyclometallated iridium(III) complexes were designed and synthesized. Photophysical properties of these complexes were studied, and density functional theory (DFT) was utilized to analyze the influence of the ancillary ligands (TPA-modified bipyridine) to these complexes. The introduction of TPA units could effectively adjust the lipid solubility of complexes (logP), and endowed complexes with potential bioactivity (anticancer, antibacterial and bactericidal activity), especially in the field of anticancer (the best value of IC is 4.

New Organometallic Tetraphenylethylene⋅Iridium(III) Complexes with Antineoplastic Activity.

Iridium(III) complexes have attracted more and more attention in the past few years because of their potential antineoplastic activity. In this study, four Ir complexes of the types [(η -Cp )Ir(N^N)Cl]PF (complexes 1 and 2) and [Ir(Phpy) (N^N)]PF (complexes 3 and 4) have been synthesized and characterized. They exhibit potential antineoplastic activity towards A549 cells, especially in the case of complex 1 [IC =(3.

Differences in the risk assessment of soil heavy metals between newly built and original parks in Jiaozuo, Henan Province, China.

Differences in the concentrations of heavy metals between newly built and original parks remain incompletely understood. In this work, two newly built and four original parks in Jiaozuo, China, were taken as research objects. Using the geo-accumulation index, ecological risk assessment index and human health risk model, differences in heavy metal pollution between the two types of parks were determined.

Adaptive response of reproduction to high-altitude hypoxic stress by altering mRNA expression of hypoxia-inducible factors in female yaks ().

Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are oxygen-dependent transcriptional activators, but there is little information about their role in yak () reproduction. The present study, for the first time, investigated the adaptive mechanism of yak reproduction to high-altitude hypoxic stress by comparing the expression of HIF mRNAs between female yaks at high-altitude and cattle at low-altitude. Hypothalamus, anterior pituitary, oviduct, ovary and uterus tissue samples were collected from five adult female yaks and cattle.

Rhodamine-modified fluorescent half-sandwich iridium and ruthenium complexes: potential application as bioimaging and anticancer agents.

Most half-sandwich metal anticancer complexes are non-fluorescent, which results in an uncertain mechanism of action (MoA). We designed and synthesized eight fluorescent half-sandwich iridium (Ir) and ruthenium (Ru) complexes by introducing rhodamine derivatives into the N^N-chelating ligand. These complexes have features of bio-imaging and anticancer agents and may merit future development as novel anticancer agents.

Mst1 facilitates hyperglycemia-induced retinal pigmented epithelial cell apoptosis by evoking mitochondrial stress and activating the Smad2 signaling pathway.

Hyperglycemia induces retinal pigmented epithelial cell apoptosis and mitochondrial stress via poorly understood mechanisms. The goal of our current study is to explore whether mammalian sterile 20-like kinase 1 (Mst1) is involved in the pathogenesis of hyperglycemia-mediated retinal pigmented epithelial cell apoptosis by triggering mitochondrial abnormalities and activating the Smad2 signaling pathway. Retinal pigmented epithelial ARPE-19 cells were presented with a high-glucose challenge in vitro.

Protection of Kaempferol on Oxidative Stress-Induced Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cell Damage.

The protection of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) injury plays an important role in the prevention of or in delaying the pathological progress of retinal degeneration diseases, like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa. Oxidative stress has been identified as a major inducer of RPE injury, which eventually could lead to a loss of vision. Kaempferol is a natural flavonoid widely distributed in many edible plants, fruits, and traditional medicines and has been reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities.

Triphenyltin(IV) acylhydrazone compounds: Synthesis, structure and bioactivity.

Four new triphenyltin(IV) acylhydrazone compounds of the type PhSnCHCHCONHN=R (where Ph = phenyl; R = isopropyl, isobutyl, cyclopentyl and cyclooctyl) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectrum (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum (NMR) and mass spectrum (MS). The crystal structures were determined and showed that tin atoms were four-coordinated and adopted a pseudo-tetrahedron configuration. Tin(IV) compounds show excellent bovine serum albumin (BSA) binding properties, and can oxidize nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotid (NADH) to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which inducing apoptosis effectively.

Triphenylamine-Appended Half-Sandwich Iridium(III) Complexes and Their Biological Applications.

Organometallic half-sandwich Ir complexes of the type [(η -Cp )Ir(N^N)Cl]PF (Cp : Cp* or its phenyl Cp or biphenyl Cp derivatives; N^N: triphenylamine (TPA)-substituted bipyridyl ligand groups) were synthesized and characterized. The complexes showed excellent bovine serum albumin (BSA) and DNA binding properties and were able to oxidize NADH to NAD (NAD=nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) efficiently. The complexes induced apoptosis effectively and led to the emergence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells.

Traditional uses and pharmacological properties of phytochemicals.

is a genus of . 500 species in the family Lamiaceae and widely distributed throughout the whole world. Up to now, many species of this genus have been described in various indigenous systems of medicine and are used in preparation of folklore medicines for the treatment of various life-threatening diseases, and more than eleven species of the genus have been very well studied for their chemical constituents and biological activities, and 283 compounds, including monoterpene and its derivatives, sesquiterpene, diterpenoids, triterpenoids, flavonoid and flavonoid glycosides, phenylethanoid glycosides, steroids and steroid glycosides, cyclohexylethanoids, anthraquinones, cyanogenic glycosides, and others have been isolated and identified.

Half-sandwich ruthenium(ii) complexes containing N^N-chelated imino-pyridyl ligands that are selectively toxic to cancer cells.

Chemotherapy is limited by its poor selectivity towards cancer cells over normal cells. Herein, we designed half-sandwich ruthenium imino-pyridyl complexes [(η-bz)Ru(N^N)Cl]PF to achieve selective cytotoxicity to cancer cells. This kind of ruthenium complex has unique characteristics and is worthy of further exploration in the design of new anticancer drugs.

Quality of life and near vision impairment due to functional presbyopia among rural Chinese adults.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of near-vision impairment on visual functioning and quality of life in a rural adult population in Shenyang, northern China.

Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among persons aged 40+ years, during which functional presbyopia (correctable presenting near vision < 20/50 [N8] at 40 cm) was assessed. Near-vision-related quality of life and spectacle usage questionnaires were administered by trained interviewers to determine the degree of self-rated difficulty with near tasks.

Presbyopia and near-vision impairment in rural northern China.

Purpose: Presbyopia limits activities of daily living, but population-based data from rural China are scarce.

Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in 2009 among all persons aged 40+ years in a rural area near Shenyang, China. Distance and near VA were measured using logMAR E charts.