Enhancing the Photosensitivity of Hypocrellin A by Perylene Diimide Metallacage-Based Host-Guest Complexation for Photodynamic Therapy.

The development of supramolecular hosts which can efficiently encapsulate photosensitizers to improve the photodynamic efficacy holds great promise for cancer therapy. Here, we report two perylene diimide-based metallacages that can form stable host-guest complexes with planar conjugated molecules including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and photosensitizers (hypocrellin A). Such host-guest complexation not only prevents the aggregation of photosensitizers in aqueous environments, but also offers fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the metallacage to the photosensitizers to further improve the singlet oxygen generation (Φ = 0.

Hepatoprotective effect of diammonium glycyrrhizinate and neuroprotective effect of piperazine ferulate on AmB-induced liver and kidney injury by suppressing apoptosis in vitro and in vivo.

Amphotericin B (AmB) induced liver and kidney injury is often responsible for hepatic and renal dysfunction. Therefore, the protection strategy on liver and renal functions in patients treated with AmB should be emphasized. In this paper, diammonium glycyrrhizinate (DG) and piperazine ferulate (PF) were taken as the research object to study its hepatoprotective and neuroprotective effect on AmB-induced liver and kidney damage in vitro and in vivo.

Intelligent gold nanocluster for effective treatment of malignant tumor via tumor-specific photothermal-chemodynamic therapy with AIE guidance.

Precise and efficient therapy of malignant tumors is always a challenge. Herein, gold nanoclusters co-modified by aggregation-induced-emission (AIE) molecules, copper ion chelator (acylthiourea) and tumor-targeting agent (folic acid) were fabricated to perform AIE-guided and tumor-specific synergistic therapy with great spatio-temporal controllability for the targeted elimination and metastasis inhibition of malignant tumors. During therapy, the functional gold nanoclusters (AuNTF) would rapidly accumulate in the tumor tissue due to the enhanced permeability and retention effect as well as folic acid-mediated tumor targeting, which was followed by endocytosis by tumor cells.

Intelligent nanoreactor coupling tumor microenvironment manipulation and HO-dependent photothermal-chemodynamic therapy for accurate treatment of primary and metastatic tumors.

Tumor microenvironment (TME), as the "soil" of tumor growth and metastasis, exhibits significant differences from normal physiological conditions. However, how to manipulate the distinctions to achieve the accurate therapy of primary and metastatic tumors is still a challenge. Herein, an innovative nanoreactor (AH@MBTF) is developed to utilize the apparent differences (copper concentration and HO level) between tumor cells and normal cells to eliminate primary tumor based on HO-dependent photothermal-chemodynamic therapy and suppress metastatic tumor through copper complexation.

Dauricine attenuates Oct4/sonic hedgehog co-activated stemness and induces reactive oxygen species-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis via AKT/β-catenin signaling in human neuroblastoma and glioblastoma stem-like cells.

Neuroblastoma and glioblastoma are primary malignant tumors of the nervous system, with frequent relapse and limited clinical therapeutic drugs. The failure of their treatment is due to the tumor cells exhibiting cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs) properties. Octamer binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) is involved in mediating CSLCs, our previous work found that Oct4-driven reprogramming of astrocytes into induced neural stem cells was potentiated with continuous sonic hedgehog (Shh) stimulation.

Expression of PGRMC1 in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and its molecular mechanism for regulating ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis and glucolipid metabolism.

Objectives: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine diseases in women with reproductive age, which is associated with hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, and ovulatory dysfunction. Progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1) can mediate progesterone to inhibit the apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells and the growth of follicles, and to induce glucolipid metabolism disorder in ovarian granulosa cells, which is closely related to the occurrence and development of PCOS. This study aims to determine the expression of PGRMC1 in serum, ovarian tissue, ovarian granulosa cells, and follicular fluid in PCOS patients and non-PCOS patients, analyze the value of PGRMC1 in diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of PCOS, and investigate its molecular mechanism on ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis and glucolipid metabolism.

Association between preconception anti-androgen therapy and pregnancy outcomes of patients with PCOS: A prospective cohort study.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) not only increases fertility challenges for women of reproductive age, but also leads to increased complications during pregnancy and even affects the birth weight of newborns. Also, hyperandrogenemia is associated with lower pregnancy rates and lower live birth rates and may even play a role in preterm delivery and pre-eclampsia in patients with PCOS. However, it is still controversial whether PCOS patients are treated with androgen-lowering therapy before pregnancy.

A case of polycystic ovary syndrome with inevitable miscarriage and multi-site venous thrombosis caused by hereditary protein C deficiency.

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects up to 18% of reproductive-aged women and raises the risk of venous thromboembolic disease (VTE), due to metabolic features and an apparent fibrinolytic state. Recent studies have shown an increased risk of VTE (1.5- to 2-fold) in patients with PCOS as compared to those without PCOS.

Proteomics analysis of potential serum biomarkers for insulin resistance in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

The aim of the present study was to identify potential serum biomarkers for insulin resistance (IR) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by comparing the differences in serum protein expression levels between PCOS patients with and without IR. PCOS patients aged from 18 to 35 years were recruited at Guangdong Women and Children's Hospital from January, 2013 to February, 2014. A total of 218 PCOS patients were enrolled and divided into the insulin resistance (PCOS‑IR) and non‑insulin resistance (PCOS‑NIR) groups according to their homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance.

Effectiveness and safety assessment of drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol tablet in treatment of PCOS patients: a single center, prospective, observational study.

Background: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of 3 mg drospirenone and 20 μg ethinyl estradiol tablet (3 mg DRSP/20 μg EE) in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods: This single center, prospective observational study was conducted in 140 patients with PCOS. They were prescribed 3 mg DRSP/20 μg EE in a 24/4/ regimen for 3 months.

Chronic nodules of sigmoid perforation caused by incarcerated intrauterine contraception device.

Rationale: It is extremely rare for an intrauterine contraception device (IUD) to cause uterine perforation and Sigmoid perforation for a long time without being detected.

Patient Concerns: We present a case of a patient who has suffered from abdominal pain after 4 years of placement of an IUD, and found that the IUD was incarcerated by ultrasound.

Diagnoses: Laparoscopic and hysteroscopic examination revealed that the incarcerated IUD caused uterine perforation and sigmoid perforation for a long time.

Investigations on the mechanism of progesterone in inhibiting endometrial cancer cell cycle and viability via regulation of long noncoding RNA NEAT1/microRNA-146b-5p mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Progesterone is often used to protect the endometrium and prevent endometrial cancer. An intensive study on its molecular mechanism in endometrial cancer would contribute to the development of more promising therapies. Relevant lncRNAs and mRNAs expression data in endometrial cancer cell line Ishikawa pretreated and post-treated with progesterone were derived from Gene Expression Omnibus (accession no.

Photochemical Vapor Generation of Tellurium: Synergistic Effect from Ferric Ion and Nano-TiO.

Photochemical vapor generation (PVG) is emerging as a promising analytical tool for Te determination, thanks to its efficient matrix separation, and simple and green procedure. However, the low PVG generation efficiency of Te is the bottleneck for its wide application in environmental samples containing trace Te. Herein, we reported a high efficient PVG for Te determination by synergistic effect of ferric ion and nano-TiO.

The Role of Heat Shock Protein 90B1 in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogenetic disorder in women that is characterized by arrested follicular growth and anovulatory infertility. The altered protein expression levels in the ovarian tissues reflect the molecular defects in folliculogenesis. To identify aberrant protein expression in PCOS, we analyzed protein expression profiles in the ovarian tissues of patients with PCOS.

Breastfeeding patterns of primiparous mothers in Hong Kong.

Background: An understanding of patterns of breastfeeding is necessary for the effective implementation of breastfeeding promotion and intervention programs. In Hong Kong, little current data have been gathered on women's breastfeeding rates. The objective of this study was to determine how patterns of breastfeeding, maternal demographics, and maternal employment affect continuation of breastfeeding in primiparous women in Hong Kong.