Quantitative Detection of Orthotopic Liver Cancer in Mice Using Indocyanine Green and Dynamic Diffuse Fluorescence Tomography Imaging.

Orthotopic tumor model has become an essential tool for studying drug biodistribution and tumor progression over time owing to the rapid development of in vivo imaging and immunological science. Dynamic diffuse fluorescence tomography (DFT) is a promising imaging modality that can map the three-dimensional distribution of a fluorophore within the object and capture the metabolic parameters of fluorophores in vivo. It has been widely applied in tumor detection, drug development, and efficacy evaluation.

Dual-Drug Loaded Nanobubbles Combined with Sonodynamic and Chemotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy.

Purpose: Chemotherapy remains the primary therapeutic approach for advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). The therapeutic effect of chemotherapy is limited and the toxic side effects are serious. The aim of this study is to develop a nanobubble that is ultrasonically responsive to reduce the toxic side effects of direct chemotherapy.

Comparative Assessment of In Vitro Xanthine Oxidase and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities of Cultured Cambial Meristematic Cells, Adventitious Roots, and Field-Cultivated Ginseng.

, a traditional Chinese medicine with a history spanning thousands of years, faces overexploitation and challenges related to extended growth periods. Tissue-cultured adventitious roots and stem cells are alternatives to wild and field-cultivated ginseng. In this study, we assessed the in vitro xanthine oxidase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of saponin extracts among cultured cambial meristematic cells (CMC), adventitious ginseng roots (AGR), and field-cultivated ginseng roots (CGR).

IR780-based diffuse fluorescence tomography for cancer detection.

IR780 iodide is a commercially available targeted near-infrared contrast agent for in vivo imaging and cancer photodynamic or photothermal therapy, whereas the accumulation, dynamics, and retention of IR780 in biological tissue, especially in tumor is still under-explored. Diffuse fluorescence tomography (DFT) can be used for localization and quantification of the three-dimensional distribution of NIR fluorophores. Herein, a homemade DFT imaging system combined with tumor-targeted IR780 was utilized for cancer imaging and pharmacokinetic evaluation.

Biotransformation of American Ginseng Stems and Leaves by an Endophytic Fungus sp. and Its Effect on Alzheimer's Disease Control.

Background: Common ginsenosides can be transformed into rare ginsenosides through microbial fermentation, and some rare ginsenosides can prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study aimed to transform common ginsenosides into rare ginsenosides through solid-state fermentation of American ginseng stems and leaves (AGSL) by an endophytic fungus and to explore whether fermented saponin extracts prevent AD.

Methods: The powders of AGSL were fermented in a solid state by endophytic fungus.

Dynamic ultrasound molecular-targeted imaging of senescence in evaluation of lapatinib resistance in HER2-positive breast cancer.

Background: Prolonged treatment of HER2+ breast cancer with lapatinib (LAP) causes cellular senescence and acquired drug resistance, which often associating with poor prognosis for patients. We aim to explore the correlation between cellular senescence and LAP resistance in HER2+ breast cancer, screen for molecular marker of reversible senescence, and construct targeted nanobubbles for ultrasound molecular imaging to dynamically evaluate LAP resistance.

Methods And Results: In this study, we established a new cellular model of reversible cellular senescence using LAP and HER2+ breast cancer cells and found that reversible senescence contributed to LAP resistance in HER2+ breast cancer.

Optimization of Fermentation Conditions and Product Identification of a Saponin-Producing Endophytic Fungus.

Background: Some fungal endophytes isolated from may present a new method of obtaining saponins. This experiment aimed to optimize the total saponin yield produced through in vitro fermentation by an endophytic fungus and analyze its saponin species in the fermented extract.

Methods: Fermentation protocols were optimized with a uniform design and verified through regression analysis to maximize the total saponin yield.

Apoptin and apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 plasmid-assisted multi-functional nanoparticles in hepatocellular carcinoma therapy.

Cancer drugs usually have side effects in chemotherapy. Apoptin, a protein recognized by its good therapeutical effect on tumors and innocuous to body, is employed to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As our previous data shown, the efficiency of apoptin protein might be limited by the protein of apaf-1.

High-resolution 3D nanoprinting based on two-step absorption via an integrated fiber-coupled laser diode.

Three-dimensional (3D) laser nanoprinting with high resolution and low cost is highly desirable for fabricating arbitrary 3D structures with fine feature size. In this work, we use a 405-nm integrated fiber-coupled continuous wave (cw) laser diode to establish an easy-to-build 3D nanoprinting system based on two-step absorption. Two-dimensional (2D) gratings with a sub-150-nm period and 3D woodpile nanostructures with a lateral period of 350 nm have been printed at a low speed.

Self-assembly of amphiphilic polyelectrolytes in trivalent salt solution.

Multivalent salt plays important roles in polyelectrolyte (PE) systems. Some special effects, such as ion mediated electrostatic correlation and reentrant condensation can be induced in the presence of multivalent salt. In this work, the self-assembly behaviors of diblock PEs in trivalent salt solutions are mainly investigated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and partial results are qualitatively verified by experiments.

Impact of Asymptomatic Neurosyphilis on Patients Quality of Life and Social Stigma.

Background/objectives: Neurosyphilis is a disease caused by when it invades the central nervous system. Asymptomatic neurosyphilis (ANS) is one of the most common types of neurosyphilis, however it is often misdiagnosed. This study aimed to explore the impact of ANS on patient's quality of life and social stigma.

Biochemical and Metabolomic Responses of Antarctic Bacterium sp. O5 Induced by Copper Ion.

Heavy metal pollution in the Antarctic has gone beyond our imagination. Copper toxicity is a selective pressure on Planococcus sp. O5.

Targeting delivery of synergistic dual drugs with elastic PEG-modified multi-functional nanoparticles for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy.

Integration of multiple advantages in one system has been leveraged to overcome multiple biological barriers in anti-tumor therapeutic strategies. In this study, multi-functional nanoparticles (MFNPs) are constructed by layer-by-layer method. MFNPs are modified with pH-responsive elastic PEG-GPC3MAb (glypican-3 monoclonal antibody), which draws back into PEG layer in blood and normal tissues; and stretches out of MFNPs surface in the acidic tumor microenvironment.

sp. nov., isolated from the seawater of the South Atlantic Ocean.

A Gram-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming, aerobic and short rod-shaped bacterial strain R32, was isolated from seawater of the South Atlantic Ocean. Strain R32 grew at 10-40 °C (optimum 28 °C), at pH 6.0-8.

Positive psychological intervention for anxiety, depression and coping in subjects addicted to online games.

Background: Addiction to online games is not uncommon. The patients usually refuse to take medications and present with affective symptoms such as anxiety, depression and negative coping styles. Psychological intervention based on positive psychology is a promising treatment for such patients.

Study of the Photoluminescence Characteristics of 4,4'-((1,1')-Quinoxaline-2,3-diylbis(ethene-2,1-diyl))bis(,dimethylaniline).

A comparative investigation on the photophysical properties of a quinoxaline derivative 4,4'-((1,1')-quinoxaline-2,3-diylbis(ethene-2,1-diyl))bis(,-dimethylaniline) (QDMA2) was performed by employing many spectroscopies. Based on the pump-dump/push-probe measurement, it is found that a solvent-stabilized charge-transfer state can participate in the relaxation of excited QDMA2 with increasing solvent polarity. Meanwhile, the aggregated QDMA2 molecules were engineered into the organic light-emitting diode test, which showed a correlated color temperature value of 1875 K.

Diversity and Antiaflatoxigenic Activities of Culturable Filamentous Fungi from Deep-Sea Sediments of the South Atlantic Ocean.

Despite recent studies, relatively few are known about the diversity of fungal communities in the deep Atlantic Ocean. In this study, we investigated the diversity of fungal communities in 15 different deep-sea sediments from the South Atlantic Ocean with a culture-dependent approach followed by phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequences. A total of 29 fungal strains were isolated from the 15 deep-sea sediments.

Scanning Ultrafast Spectral Dynamics of Triphenylamine-Modified Vinylbenzothiazole Derivative: Role of Solvent Polarity and Temperature.

The photophysical properties of a donor-acceptor compound based on triphenylamine-modified vinylbenzothiazole derivative (BTTM) are investigated by multispectral techniques. Based on the pump-probe and pump-dump/push-probe technique, it is found that the hybridized localized excited (LE) and charge transfer (CT) state (HLCT) participates in the relaxation process of excited BTTM. The excited state is the LE-dominated HLCT state in cyclohexane; then it evolves to the CT-dominated HLCT state in a high polarity solvent.

Erratum: Artificial Mushroom Sponge Structure for Highly Efficient and Inexpensive Cold-Water Steam Generation.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1002/gch2.201800035.

Artificial Mushroom Sponge Structure for Highly Efficient and Inexpensive Cold-Water Steam Generation.

A bioinspired structure of an artificial mushroom, made of the common polyvinyl alcohol sponge coated with charcoal, is fabricated, with high efficiency in generating cold water steam of ≈73% under 1 sun illumination, due to very high light absorption, efficient water supply, and low heat loss. In addition, the structure is very inexpensive, and thus ideal for applications in portable cold (boil-free) steam generators for water purification and desalination.

Isolation of a novel deep-sea Bacillus circulus strain and uniform design for optimization of its anti-aflatoxigenic bioactive metabolites production.

The deep-sea bacterium strain FA13 was isolated from the sediment of the South Atlantic Ocean and identified as Bacillus circulans based on 16S ribosomal DNA sequence. Through liquid fermentation with five media, the cell-free supernatant fermented with ISP2 showed the highest inhibition activities against mycelial growth of Aspergillus parasiticus mutant strain NFRI-95 and accumulation of norsolorinic acid, a precursor for aflatoxin production. Based on ISP2, uniform design was used to optimize medium formula and fermentation conditions.

Dual-Targeting Nanoparticles: Codelivery of Curcumin and 5-Fluorouracil for Synergistic Treatment of Hepatocarcinoma.

Chemotherapy has been the standard for cancer therapy, but the nonspecific cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents and drug resistance of tumor cells has limited its efficacy. However, multidrug combination therapy and targeting therapy have resulted in enhanced anticancer effects and have become increasingly important strategies in clinical applications. In this study, a biotin-/lactobionic acid-modified poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol) (BLPP) copolymer was synthesized, and curcumin- and 5-fluorouracil-loaded nanoparticles (BLPPNPs/C + F) were prepared to enhance the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Facile synthesis of BCNO quantum dots with applications for ion detection, chemosensor and fingerprint identification.

Boron carbon oxynitride quantum dots (BCNO QDs) with blue emission were prepared via the template of SBA-15 (a typical mesoporous silica). A modulated photoluminescence sensor was developed based on the different quenching effects of Cu or Hg ions on the luminescence intensity of BCNO QDs. The Cu or Hg ions have an interaction with BCNO QDs due to the electrons transfer between the BCNO and Cu or Hg ions, and the detection limit of Cu or Hg ion concentration can be as less as 10 nM.