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microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non‐coding, small RNAs that play an important role in diverse biological processes and diseases. By regulating the expression of eukaryotic genes post‐transcriptionally in a sequence‐specific manner, miRNAs are widely used to design synthetic RNA switches. However, most of the RNA switches are often dependent on the corresponding ligand molecules, whose specificity and concentration would affect the efficiency of synthetic RNA circuits. Here, a fused transcriptional repressor Gal4BD‐Rluc based gene‐switch system Gal‐miR for miRNA visualization and gene regulation is described. By placing a luciferase downstream gene under the control of endogenous miRNA machinery, the Gal‐miR system makes the conversion of miRNA‐mediated gene silencing into a ratiometric bioluminescent signal, which quantitatively reflected miRNA‐206 activity during myogenic differentiation. Moreover, it demonstrates that this gene‐switch system can effectively inhibit breast cancer cell viability, migration and invasion under the control of specific miRNAs by replacing the downstream gene with melittin functional gene. The study proposes a powerful modular genetic design for achieving precise control of transgene expression in a miRNA responsive way, as well as visualizing the dynamics of miRNA activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is a highly lethal cancer associated with a rapidly rising incidence and a poor prognosis. Alantolactone, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from inula helenium, has anti‐inflammatory, antimicrobial, neuroprotective activities, and anticancer properties. Objective: In the present study, the anticancer effects of alantolactone on the human EAC cells were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Methods and findings: After treated with alantolactone, the cell viability of KYAE‐1, KYAE‐2, OE19, and OE33 cells reduced significantly compared with that of the control cells. Alantolactone induced apoptosis of the EAC cell lines by inhibiting the protein expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2). Furthermore, the apoptosis‐inducing effect of alantolactone was enhanced by Nrf2 knockdown while reduced by overexpression of Nrf2. Antioxidant α‐tocopherol and glutathione can protect EAC cell lines against alantolactone. A xenograft nude mice model showed that alantolactone can inhibit EAC growth in vivo. Conclusions: Alantolactone inhibits oesophageal adenocarcinoma cells through Nrf2‐mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) increment. Alantolactone maybe a potential therapeutical candidate for treating EAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radiative cooling of butterfly wing scales hierarchy has great value in understanding how poikilotherms adapt to the environment and developing bionic materials. However, it remains unclear what the cooling system is like and how the variation of hierarchy affects the cooling efficiency. Therefore, the correlation between the variations of the structure and emissivity of scale hierarchy is thoroughly investigated in Tirumala limniace (Cramer, 1775), whose thermal properties are highly heterogeneous among different wings and regions but similar between males and females. Patterns were deduced from the biological and model simulation experiments. The scale hierarchy varies at the micro‐ to nanolevel on both surface and section, corresponding to the variating emissivity. Scales on wing veins and margins have large nanostructured units with small lumens and are distinctly thickened, which bring extraordinarily high emissivity. The variations of light and dark scales, respectively, lead to the high emissivity of the middle region of wings and the front wings. Generally, the elevation of the inner surface area and the thickness of the chitin is the key to enhancing the cooling efficiency. For the first time, the effects of the variation of hierarchy toward emissivity of the mid‐infrared spectrum are systematically clarified. It is demonstrated that wing scales integrally differentiate in coping with the heterogeneous cooling needs, which may benefit in balancing multifunctions and the development toward the adaptation to the abiotic environment. The study provides insights into the comprehensive thermoregulation system of butterflies and the further development of radiative cooling materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early detection and complete resection of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are crucial to improving patient survival and prognosis. However, specifically targeted imaging probes for OSCC detection are limited. Our study aimed to synthesize a novel near‐infrared fluorescence (NIRF) probe for precision detection and fluorescence image‐guided surgery in OSCC. Bioinformatics data indicated that glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) is highly expressed in patients with OSCC. We demonstrated high and specific GLUT1 expression upon immunohistochemical staining of samples from 20 patients with OSCC. The specific expression of GLUT1 was further validated in both human OSCC cell lines and OSCC tumor xenografts. Based on these findings, the GLUT1 inhibitor WZB117 was utilized to synthesize a novel NIRF imaging probe, WZB117‐IR820. The fluorescence molecular imaging data revealed that WZB117‐IR820 could specifically bind to the tumor areas in an orthotopic OSCC mouse model after intravenous injection and could be further applied for precision fluorescence image‐guided surgery with no residual tumor in the orthotopic CAL27‐fLUC mouse tumor model. For further clinical translational application in patients with OSCC, precise delineation of OSCC tumor areas was achieved after topical application of the WZB117‐IR820 imaging probe and was validated by histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. In conclusion, we synthesized a novel fluorescent imaging probe, WZB117‐IR820, which has potential clinical applications for early detection and fluorescence image‐guided surgery in OSCC with no observable toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a congenital heart defect rarely diagnosed beyond infancy. We present a 9-year-old girl who had once been diagnosed as congenital coronary artery fistula. Echogenic mitral chordae tendineae, multiple coronary collaterals within the ventricular septum and free ventricular wall, and a shunting flow from the left coronary artery into the pulmonary artery were prominent echocardiographic features of ALCAPA. Reimplantation of the left coronary artery directly onto the aorta achieved a favorable outcome with regression of left ventricular size and alleviation of mitral regurgitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological tests reveal significant cytotoxicity and an apoptosis inducing effect of the newly isolated compounds (I) and (II). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is found that some Schiff base compounds (XII) show similar or even stronger antiproliferative activity than the positive control Fluorouracil against KB and CNE2 cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]