Water-Soluble Lipophilic Near-Infrared Region II Fluorophores for High-Brightness Lipid Layer and Lipid Droplets Imaging Applications.

Fluorescence imaging in the second near-infrared region (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) has garnered considerable attention for displaying the biological information of deep tissues. However, the lack of biocompatible contrast agents with bright NIR-II emission has hampered the precise clinical application of deep tissue imaging. Here, a lipophilic enhancement strategy employing donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) molecules, introducing long alkoxy chains and quaternary ammonium salts for the development of highly bright water-soluble NIR-II fluorophores (BBTD-2C-N), is described.

Lachnoclostridium intestinal flora is associated with immunotherapy efficacy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: Effective biomarkers for assessing anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy efficacy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) are still lacking. The human gut microbiota has been shown to influence clinical response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy in many cancers. However, the relationship between the gut microbiota and the efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma has not been determined.

Adding Concurrent Chemotherapy Significantly Improves the Survival of Stage II-IVb Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients Treated With Concurrent Anti-EGFR Agents.

Objective: Anti-EGFR Targeted agents were found to be capable of modulating the antitumor immunity in head and neck cancer and become more and more frequently used in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC). We aimed to explore whether adding concurrent chemotherapy influences the survival outcome of patients with stage II-IVb NPC treated with concurrent anti-EGFR agents and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and explore other prognostic factors for the patients.

Materials And Methods: A total of 656 stage II-IVb NPC patients treated with concurrent anti-EGFR agents plus IMRT between January 2011 and November 2015 were enrolled.

Endoscopic Nasopharyngectomy Combined With Internal Carotid Artery Pretreatment for Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Objective: Salvage endoscopic nasopharyngectomy (ENPG) is a reasonable choice for resectable recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (rNPC). However, in past decades, complete removal of the tumor was not feasible when the recurrent lesion was adjacent to the internal carotid artery (ICA). The present article introduces innovative strategies to ensure sufficient surgical margins while avoiding accidental injury to the ICA.

Facile Synthesis of Imidazolium-Based Block Copolypeptides with Excellent Antimicrobial Activity.

Antimicrobial polypeptides are promising mimics of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with low risks of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Polypeptides with facile and efficient production, high antimicrobial activity, and low toxicity toward mammalian cells are highly desirable for practical applications. Herein, triblock copolypeptides with chloro groups (PPG-PCPBLG) and different main-chain lengths were synthesized via an ultrafast ring-opening polymerization (ROP) using a macroinitiator, namely poly(propylene glycol) bis(2-aminopropyl ether), and purified or nonpurified monomer (i.

Guanidine-rich helical polypeptides bearing hydrophobic amino acid pendants for efficient gene delivery.

Non-viral gene delivery vectors with high transfection efficiency both in vitro and in vivo and low cytotoxicity are highly desirable for clinical applications. Herein, a series of guanidine-rich polypeptides bearing hydrophobic amino acid pendants was efficiently prepared via the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between azido decorated polypeptide and propargyl functionalized guanidinium and N-acetylamino acids. CD analysis indicated α-helical conformations of all resulting polypeptides in aqueous solution.

Transition of Conformation and Solubility in β-Sheet-Structured Poly(l-cysteine)s with Methylthio or Sulfonium Pendants.

Poly(l-cysteine)s with methylthio pendants (PMTLCs) were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of a new l-cysteine-based -carboxyanhydride. The thioether bonds of PMTLC can be readily oxidized by HO yielding water-soluble PMTLC. The methylthio groups can undergo an alkylation reaction using methyl iodide and a subsequent ion-exchange reaction yielding sulfonium-based polypeptides (PPLC-DMS-X, where X = I, BF).

Transoral Robotic Retropharyngeal Lymph Node Dissection in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma With Retropharyngeal Lymph Node Recurrence.

Objectives: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients with retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) recurrence typically undergo reirradiation and experience severe radiotoxicity. Salvage open surgery is challenging because gaining access to the retropharyngeal space is complex and risky. Thus, only several centers can perform this procedure, and complications are common.

Transcervical endoscopic retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) dissection in nasopharyngeal carcinoma with RPLN recurrence.

Background: Surgical access for retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) dissection is difficult. We aimed to examine the efficacy of transcervical endoscopic RPLN dissection (TSE-RPLND) for recurrent RPLN in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods: From April 2013 to February 2019, a total of 31 patients with NPC diagnosed with RPLN recurrence underwent TSE-RPLND.

Synthesis and Properties of Mono- or Diamine-Initiated Imidazolium-Based Cationic Polypeptides.

A series of cationic polypeptide imidazolium conjugates were prepared by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of γ-4-(3-chloropropoxycarbonyl)benzyl-- glutamic acid-based -carboxyanhydride (CPBLG-NCA) initiated by various mono- or diamine initiators and subsequent side-chain modification with high grafting efficiency. Rapid and controlled ROP was achieved by polymerizing CPBLG-NCA in a dichloromethane/NaHCO/HO solvent mixture with the amine initiators. The resulting polypeptides bearing imidazolium iodide pendants showed reversible upper critical solution temperature (UCST)-type thermoresponsive properties in both ethanol and DI water while the polypeptides with tetrafluoroborate counter-anions showed a UCST in phosphate buffer saline (PBS).