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Background: Abnormally expressed circulating microRNA (miRNA) may serve as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of cancer patients., Objective: We sought to determine the differentially expressed circulating microRNAs in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-positive small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) compared to other HBV-positive benign liver diseases., Methods: The miScript miRNA PCR Array was used to detect the levels of 84 miRNAs in plasma or serum samples of patients with HBV-related small HCC (23 cases), liver cirrhosis (LC) (20 cases), chronic hepatitis B (CHB) (20 cases) and healthy controls (16 cases). MiRNAs with fold-change values ⩾ 2 or ⩽ 0.5 compared to healthy controls were considered to be deregulated miRNAs., Results: The results of duplicate plasma experiments were not reliable. Comprehensive analysis of the two serum experiments showed that the quality controls all met the requirements. We found 18 differentially expressed miRNAs. Relative to healthy controls, nine, three, and 11 miRNAs were up-regulated in the CHB group, LC group and small HCC group, respectively. In contrast, one, three, and three miRNAs were down-regulated in the same patient groups, respectively. Interestingly, miR-195, miR-25 and miR-16 were up-regulated, and miR-205 was down-regulated, in all three experimental groups. Moreover, only in the HCC group, miR-18a, miR-100, miR-145 and miR-223 were up-regulated 3.48-, 2.95-, 2.12- and 3.91-fold, respectively, and miR-200a and miR-222 were down-regulated 2.56- and 2.00-fold, respectively., Conclusions: Our study demonstrated the presence of six differentially expressed serum microRNAs in HBV-positive small HCC compared to other benign liver diseases associated with HBV.

Current antipsychotic drugs primarily target dopamine D2 receptors (D2Rs), in conjunction with other receptors such as those for serotonin. However, these drugs have serious side effects such as extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) and diabetes. Identifying a specific D2R signaling pathway that could be targeted for antipsychotic effects, without inducing EPS, would be a significant improvement in the treatment of schizophrenia. We report here that the D2R forms a protein complex with Disrupted in Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) that facilitates D2R-mediated glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3 signaling and inhibits agonist-induced D2R internalization. D2R-DISC1 complex levels are increased in conjunction with decreased GSK-3α/β (Ser21/9) phosphorylation in both postmortem brain tissue from schizophrenia patients and in Disc1-L100P mutant mice, an animal model with behavioral abnormalities related to schizophrenia. Administration of an interfering peptide that disrupts the D2R-DISC1 complex successfully reverses behaviors relevant to schizophrenia but does not induce catalepsy, a strong predictor of EPS in humans., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

While significant progress has been made in understanding the anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects of the natural diterpenoid component Oridonin on tumor cells, little is known about its effect on tumor angiogenesis or metastasis and on the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this study, Oridonin significantly suppressed human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) proliferation, migration, and apillary-like structure formation in vitro. Using aortic ring assay and mouse corneal angiogenesis model, we found that Oridonin inhibited angiogenesis ex vivo and in vivo. In our animal experiments, Oridonin impeded tumor growth and metastasis. Immunohistochemistry analysis further revealed that the expression of CD31 and vWF protein in xenografts was remarkably decreased by the Oridonin. Furthermore, Oridonin reinforced endothelial cell-cell junction and impaired breast cancer cell transendothelial migration. Mechanistically, Oridonin not only down-regulated Jagged2 expression and Notch1 activity but also decreased the expression of their target genes. In conclusion, our results demonstrated an original role of Oridonin in inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and propose a mechanism. This study also provides new evidence supporting the central role of Notch in tumor angiogenesis and suggests that Oridonin could be a potential drug candidate for angiogenesis related diseases.

The dynamics of cellular heat production and propagation remains elusive at a subcellular level. Here we report the first small molecule fluorescent thermometer selectively targeting the endoplasmic reticulum (ER thermo yellow), with the highest sensitivity reported so far (3.9%/°C). Unlike nanoparticle thermometers, ER thermo yellow stains the target organelle evenly without the commonly encountered problem of aggregation, and successfully demonstrates the ability to monitor intracellular temperature gradients generated by external heat sources in various cell types. We further confirm the ability of ER thermo yellow to monitor heat production by intracellular Ca(2+) changes in HeLa cells. Our thermometer anchored at nearly-zero distance from the ER, i.e. the heat source, allowed the detection of the heat as it readily dissipated, and revealed the dynamics of heat production in real time at a subcellular level.

Antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins are validated cancer targets composed of six related proteins. From a drug discovery perspective, these are challenging targets that exert their cellular functions through protein-protein interactions (PPIs). Although several isoform-selective inhibitors have been developed using structure-based design or high-throughput screening (HTS) of synthetic chemical libraries, no large-scale screen of natural product collections has been reported. A competitive displacement fluorescence polarization (FP) screen of nearly 150,000 natural product extracts was conducted against all six antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins using fluorochrome-conjugated peptide ligands that mimic functionally relevant PPIs. The screens were conducted in 1536-well format and displayed satisfactory overall HTS statistics, with Z'-factor values ranging from 0.72 to 0.83 and a hit confirmation rate between 16% and 64%. Confirmed active extracts were orthogonally tested in a luminescent assay for caspase-3/7 activation in tumor cells. Active extracts were resupplied, and effort toward the isolation of pure active components was initiated through iterative bioassay-guided fractionation. Several previously described altertoxins were isolated from a microbial source, and the pure compounds demonstrate activity in both Bcl-2 FP and caspase cellular assays. The studies demonstrate the feasibility of ultra-high-throughput screening using natural product sources and highlight some of the challenges associated with this approach., (© 2014 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.)

Raman spectroscopy is used to characterize the composition of toroids formed in an aprotic Li-O2 cell based on an activated carbon cathode. The trends in the Raman data as a function of discharge current density and charging cutoff voltage provide evidence that the toroids are made up of outer LiO2-like and inner Li2O2 regions, consistent with a disproportionation reaction occurring in the solid phase. The LiO2-like component is found to be associated with a new Raman peak identified in the carbon stretching region at ∼1505 cm(-1), which appears only when the LiO2 peak at 1123 cm(-1) is present. The new peak is assigned to distortion of the graphitic ring stretching due to coupling with the LiO2-like component based on density functional calculations. These new results on the LiO2-like component from Raman spectroscopy provide evidence that a late stage disproportionation mechanism can occur during discharge and add new understanding to the complexities of possible processes occurring in Li-O2 batteries.

Polymer biomaterials have been widely used for bone replacement/regeneration because of their unique mechanical properties and workability. Their inherent low bioactivity makes them lack osseointegration with host bone tissue. For this reason, bioactive inorganic particles have been always incorporated into the matrix of polymers to improve their bioactivity. However, mixing inorganic particles with polymers always results in inhomogeneity of particle distribution in polymer matrix with limited bioactivity. This study sets out to apply the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique to prepare uniform akermanite (Ca2MgSi2O7, AKT) glass nanocoatings on the surface of two polymers (non-degradable polysulfone (PSU) and degradable polylactic acid (PDLLA)) in order to improve their surface osteogenic and angiogenic activity. The results show that a uniform nanolayer composed of amorphous AKT particles (∼30 nm) of thickness 130 nm forms on the surface of both PSU and PDLLA films with the PLD technique. The prepared AKT-PSU and AKT-PDLLA films significantly improved the surface roughness, hydrophilicity, hardness and apatite mineralization, compared with pure PSU and PDLLA, respectively. The prepared AKT nanocoatings distinctively enhance the alkaline phosphate (ALP) activity and bone-related gene expression (ALP, OCN, OPN and Col I) of bone-forming cells on both PSU and PDLLA films. Furthermore, AKT nanocoatings on two polymers improve the attachment, proliferation, VEGF secretion and expression of proangiogenic factors and their receptors of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The results suggest that PLD-prepared bioceramic nanocoatings are very useful for enhancing the physicochemical, osteogenic and angiogenic properties of both degradable and non-degradable polymers for application in bone replacement/regeneration., (Copyright © 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The spatial distribution, sources, and potential ecological risk of heavy metals and metalloid were evaluated in sediments of the Wuyuer River and its tributaries. Metal and metalloid concentrations and chemical speciation (Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, As, Zn and Hg) in 187 surface sediment samples were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Metals and metalloid in the sediments of the Wuyuer River were greater than the background values of the Songnen Plain, and mean heavy metal concentrations were greater in downstream segments of the river than in upstream segments. Speciation results indicated that Cd was chemically mobile and Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, and Ni were potentially bioavailable. Mercury and As existed mainly in the residual fraction. Hakanson's potential risk index indicated that the total potential ecological risk of these elements was moderate in the Wuyuer River. Among the selected metals and metalloid, Hg and Cd were the most potentially toxic and mainly distributed near the cities of Keshan, Yi'an and Fuyü. Because the speciation of Cd in the river sediments is highly bioavailable, the concentrations of Cd should be closely monitored. This research provides managers with information needed to better regulate the environment of the Wuyuer River.

Background: Microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) is a neuronal protein involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's Disease (PD). Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3B) catalyzes phosphorylation in multiple sites of tau protein. However, whether or not there is any association between the GSK3B gene alteration, MAPT haplotype and PD remains unexplored in Chinese population, especially in central Chinese population., Results: Here, we aimed at studying the effect of MAPT rs242562 and GSK3B rs334558 on the risk of PD by performing a case-control association study in central China. Our data showed that all PD patients and controls were of MAPT H1/H1 diplotype in our study, thus confirming that the distribution of the MAPT H1 haplotype is common in China. GG genotype of MAPT rs242562 serves protection effect on PD risk in central Chinese population, while genotype of GSK3B rs334558 showed no difference between PD patients and controls., Conclusions: We conclude that the MAPT rs242562 is associated with PD in central China in the background of MAPT H1/H1 diplotype. The GG genotype of rs242562 displays protection against PD in subgroup with GSK3B rs334558 T carrier.

"Aggregation-caused signal change" is a well-established mechanism by now and has been widely used as the basis for optical probe and sensor development. Compared to aggregation, its reverse process, disaggregation, has received much less attention and is not properly discussed in the literature so far. With the less established paradigm or mechanism, although some of the reported sensors and probes seem to work through disaggregation phenomena, the proper interpretation of the results and applying the concept to novel probe development is seriously hampered. The process from aggregation to disaggregation generally causes a recovery or enhancement of fluorescence signals, and thus provides an interesting new path to design "turn-on" probes. This tutorial review will provide the balanced comparison between aggregation and disaggregation mechanism, and focuses on the less explored advantages of "disaggregation" as a novel sensing mechanism and its recent applications in probe development.

The human dopamine transporter gene (gene symbol: SLC6A3) is considered as a candidate risk factor for Parkinson's disease because dopamine transporter accumulates cytotoxic dopamine or other toxins in the dopamine neurons. However, findings from numerous association studies in different populations have been inconsistent with each other. In this study, we performed a combined analysis of published case-control genetic association data between SLC6A3 and Parkinson's disease. The results indicate that SLC6A3 confers a modest but significant risk for Parkinson's disease in various populations. Allele 10-repeat of the 40-base pair variable number tandem repeat, a well studied polymorphism in the 3' untranslated region of SLC6A3, confers neuroprotection in East Asian (OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.65, 0.94 and p=0.009) but not in Caucasian populations. Genotype GG and allele G of the promoter single nucleotide polymorphism rs2652510 is associated with a risk in Caucasians (allelic G, OR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.04-1.54, and p=0.018; genotypic GG OR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.03-1.84 and p=0.032). Such information implies a population-dependent involvement of SLC6A3 in the etiology of Parkinson's disease., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.)

Recovering images from corrupted observations is necessary for many real-world applications. In this paper, we propose a unified framework to perform progressive image recovery based on hybrid graph Laplacian regularized regression. We first construct a multiscale representation of the target image by Laplacian pyramid, then progressively recover the degraded image in the scale space from coarse to fine so that the sharp edges and texture can be eventually recovered. On one hand, within each scale, a graph Laplacian regularization model represented by implicit kernel is learned, which simultaneously minimizes the least square error on the measured samples and preserves the geometrical structure of the image data space. In this procedure, the intrinsic manifold structure is explicitly considered using both measured and unmeasured samples, and the nonlocal self-similarity property is utilized as a fruitful resource for abstracting a priori knowledge of the images. On the other hand, between two successive scales, the proposed model is extended to a projected high-dimensional feature space through explicit kernel mapping to describe the interscale correlation, in which the local structure regularity is learned and propagated from coarser to finer scales. In this way, the proposed algorithm gradually recovers more and more image details and edges, which could not been recovered in previous scale. We test our algorithm on one typical image recovery task: impulse noise removal. Experimental results on benchmark test images demonstrate that the proposed method achieves better performance than state-of-the-art algorithms.

In the absence of any organic surfactants and solvents, the silicon (Si) and strontium (Sr) co-substituted hydroxyapatite [Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, Si/Sr-HAp] nanowires were synthesized via hydrothermal treatment of the Sr-containing calcium silicate (Sr-CS) powders as the precursors in trisodium phosphate (Na3PO4) aqueous solution. The morphology, phase, chemical compositions, lattice constants and the degradability of the products were characterized. The Si/Sr-HAp nanowires with diameter of about 60nm and up to 2μm in length were obtained after hydrothermal treatment of the Sr-CS precursors. The Sr and Si substitution amount of the HAp nanowires could be well regulated by facile tailoring the Sr substitution level of the precursors and the reaction ratio of the precursor/solution, respectively. The SiO4 tetrahedra and Sr(2+) ions occupied the crystal sites of the HAp, and the lattice constants increased apparently with the increase of the substitution amount. EDS mapping also suggested the uniform distribution of Si and Sr in the synthetic nanowires. Moreover, the Si/Sr-substitution apparently improved the degradability of the HAp materials. Our study suggested that the precursor transformation method provided a facile approach to synthesize the Si/Sr co-substituted HAp nanowires with controllable substitution amount, and the synthetic Si/Sr-HAp nanowires might be used as bioactive materials for hard tissue regeneration applications., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is conventionally considered a critical enzyme that involves in glycolysis for energy production. Recent previous studies have suggested that GAPDH is important in glutamate-induced neuronal excitotoxicity, while accumulated evidence also demonstrated that GAPDH nuclear translocation plays a critical role in cell death. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process remain largely unknown. In this study, we showed that GAPDH translocates to the nucleus in a Siah1-dependent manner upon glutamate stimulation. The nuclear GAPDH forms a protein complex with p53 and enhances p53 expression and phosphorylation. Disruption of the GAPDH-p53 interaction with an interfering peptide blocks glutamate-induced cell death and GAPDH-mediated up-regulation of p53 expression and phosphorylation. Furthermore, administration of the interfering peptide in vivo protects against ischemia-induced cell death in rats subjected to tMCAo. Our data suggest that the nuclear p53-GAPDH complex is important in regulating glutamate-mediated neuronal death and could serve as a potential therapeutic target for ischemic stroke treatment.

The first fluorescent sensor (GHB Orange) for date rape drug GHB was developed. It exhibits the fluorescence quenching property for GHB and allows its detection in various drinks. The interaction mechanism was elucidated as intramolecular charge transfer induced by a hydrogen bond. This discovery will help in solving the drug facilitated sexual assault problems.

New tools for diagnostic of HCC remain to further investigate. We have evaluated the expression of SCCA1, 2 mRNA and their prognostic value in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and direct sequencing were performed to evaluate the mRNA expression of SCCA1 and SCCA2 in 93 HCCs, and 93 paired adjacent non-cancerous tissues (PNT), 16 cirrhosis livers and 9 normal livers. The correlation of SCCA variants expression with the clinical parameters and the factors affecting survival were analyzed statistically.Total SCCA was detected in 33.3% of HCCs (31/93), in 9.68% of PNT (9/93) and 22.2% of normal livers (2/9). No expression was found in cirrhosis livers (0/16). The frequencies of total SCCA expression were significantly higher in HCCs than that in PNT and liver cirrhosis (p = 0.000, 0.006). From mRNA sequencing of HCCs, a new SCCA1 variant (presenting a T357A mutation) was identified in 16 specimens, while wild type SCCA1 was identified in 11 specimens and SCCA2 in 27 specimens. Clinicopathological analysis showed that the frequency of SCCA1 was significantly higher in poorly differentiated HCC, compared with moderately and well differentiated tumors (p = 0.021). T357A variant has a significantly higher frequency in nonencapsulated tumors than wild type SCCA1 (p = 0.034).The SCCA1, 2 mRNA is effective for detecting HCC and could be potentially applied in HCC diagnosis.

Background: The aim of the present study is to explore the impact of butorphanol in combination with ketamine via nasal inhalation (NI) on neuropathic pain induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) to the sciatic nerve in a rat model., Methods: CCI rats (n = 12) were equally randomized to four groups based on the treatments received as follows: 100 μL of 0.9% normal saline via NI (NS/NI group); 100 μg of butorphanol plus 1 mg of ketamine via NI (B + K/NI group); 100 μg of butorphanol alone via NI (B/NI group); and 100 μg of butorphanol plus 1 mg of ketamine via subcutaneous injection (B + K/SC group). Mechanical pain threshold was measured at 10 min, 30 min, 2 h, 4 h, and 6 h after drug administration., Results: The mechanical pain threshold in the B + K/NI group was improved significantly 4 h after drug administration as compared with that in the B/NI or B + K/SC group (P < 0.05). The onset and intensity of drug action in the B + K/NI group were better than those of the other two groups, but the duration of drug action was not prolonged., Conclusions: NI of butorphanol in combination with ketamine quickly elevates the mechanical pain threshold in a rat neuropathic pain model induced by CCI to the sciatic nerve., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background. Allicin, the major component of freshly crushed garlic, is one of the most biologically active compounds of garlic; it has been reported to induce apoptosis in cancer cells; however, the mechanism by which allicin exerts its apoptotic effects is not fully understood. The aim of the present study was to further elucidate the apoptotic pathways induced by allicin in the human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3. Methods. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured by cell-counting assay and flow cytometry analysis. Activation of the signaling pathway was screened by human phospho-kinase array analysis, and the activated pathway and its related proteins were further confirmed by western blot analysis. Results. Allicin induced SKOV3 cell apoptosis and JNK phosphorylation in a time- and dose-dependent manner, but these were significantly blocked by SP600125 (an inhibitor of JNK). The findings suggest that JNK phosphorylation is related to the action of allicin on SKOV3 cells. Furthermore, JNK activation induced Bcl-2 family activation, triggered mitochondria-mediated signaling pathways, and led to the translocation of a considerable amount of Bax and cytochrome c release. Conclusions. JNK activation and mitochondrial Bax translocation are involved in allicin-induced apoptosis in SKOV3 cells. Our data input new insights to the literature of allicin-induced apoptosis.

It is known that porous scaffolds play an important role in bone/periodontal tissue engineering. A new nagelschmidtite (NAGEL, Ca7Si2P2O16) ceramic has recently been prepared which shows excellent apatite mineralization ability and osteo-/cementostimulation properties in vitro. However, up to now porous NAGEL scaffolds have not been developed yet. There has been no systematic study of the effect of macropore morphology of bioceramic scaffolds on their physico-chemical and biological properties. The aim of this study was to prepare NAGEL scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. We applied a modified three-dimensional (3-D) plotting method to prepare highly controllable NAGEL scaffolds and investigated the effect of macropore morphology on the physico-chemical and biological properties. The results showed that the macropore size and morphology of 3-D plotted NAGEL scaffolds could be effectively controlled. Compared with β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffolds NAGEL scaffolds possess a significantly enhanced compressive strength, a higher modulus and better degradability. Nagel scaffolds with a square pore morphology presented a higher compressive strength, a higher modulus and greater weight loss rate than those with triangular and parallelogram pore morphologies. In addition, all of the NAGEL scaffolds with the three macropore morphologies supported the attachment and proliferation of MC3T3 cells. The proliferation of MC3T3 cells on NAGEL scaffolds with triangular and parallelogram structures was higher than that on β-TCP scaffolds with the same pore structure. Cells on all three groups of NAGEL scaffolds revealed higher alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity compared with cells on β-TCP scaffolds, and among the three NAGEL scaffolds groups those with a parallelogram pore structure showed the highest ALP activity. Furthermore, the angiogenic cell experiments showed that the ionic products from NAGEL scaffolds promoted tube formation, expression of pro-angiogenic factors and their receptors on human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVECs) compared with β-TCP scaffolds, indicating that NAGEL scaffolds possessed improved angiogenesis capacity. Our results suggest that 3-D plotted NAGEL scaffolds are a promising bioactive material for bone tissue engineering by virtue of their highly controllable macropore structure, excellent mechanical strength, degradability and in vitro biological response to osteogenic/angiogenic cells., (Copyright © 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

It is of great importance to prepare multifunctional scaffolds combining good mechanical strength, bioactivity, and drug delivery ability for bone tissue engineering. In this study, nanosized mesoporous bioglass/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) composite-coated calcium silicate scaffolds, named NMBG-PLGA/CS, were successfully prepared. The morphology and structure of the prepared scaffolds were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The effects of NMBG on the apatite mineralization activity and mechanical strength of the scaffolds and the attachment, proliferation, and alkaline phosphatase activity of MC3T3 cells as well as drug ibuprofen delivery properties were systematically studied. Compared to pure CS scaffolds and PLGA/CS scaffolds, the prepared NMBG-PLGA/CS scaffolds had greatly improved apatite mineralization activity in simulated body fluids, much higher mechanical property, and supported the attachment of MC3T3 cells and enhanced the cell proliferation and ALP activity. Furthermore, the prepared NMBG-PLGA/CS scaffolds could be used for delivering ibuprofen with a sustained release profile. Our study suggests that the prepared NMBG-PLGA/CS scaffolds have improved physicochemical, biological, and drug-delivery property as compared to conventional CS scaffolds, indicating that the multifunctional property of the prepared scaffolds for the potential application of bone tissue engineering.

Objective. To explore the effect of Cryptotanshinone on reversing the reproductive and metabolic disturbances in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) model rats and the possible regulatory mechanisms. Methods. PCOS model rats were induced by subcutaneous injection of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and verified by histological screening of vaginal exfoliated cells. After Cryptotanshinone intervention, the rats' body weight and ovary morphological were observed; the serum biochemical assessments were analyzed by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and key genes and proteins related with anabolism of androgen and insulin were detected by Real-Time PCR and Immunohistochemical (IHC). Results. The estrous cyclicity of PCOS model rats was significantly recovered by Cryptotanshinone. The body weight, ovarian coefficient, and ovarian morphology had been improved and the serum biochemical indicators including testosterone (T), androstenedione (A2), luteinizing hormone (LH), LH/follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), sexual binding globulin (SHBG), low density cholesterol (LDL-C), fasting insulin (FINS) were reversed after Cryptotanshinone intervention. Specifically, the levels of Cytochrome P450, 17-a hydroxylase/17,20 lyase (CYP17), and androgen receptor (AR) were downregulated significantly. Conclusions. Our data suggest that Cryptotanshinone could rebalance reproductive and metabolic disturbances in PCOS model rats and could be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of PCOS.

Background: Lung radiation injury is a critical complication of radiotherapy (RT) for thoracic esophageal carcinoma (EC). Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate the feasibility and dosimetric effects of reducing the lung tissue irradiation dose during RT for thoracic EC by applying volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAT) combined with active breathing control (ABC) for moderate deep inspiration breath-hold (mDIBH)., Methods: Fifteen patients with thoracic EC were randomly selected to undergo two series of computed tomography (CT) simulation scans with ABC used to achieve mDIBH (representing 80% of peak DIBH value) versus free breathing (FB). Gross tumor volumes were contoured on different CT images, and planning target volumes (PTVs) were obtained using different margins. For PTV-FB, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) was designed with seven fields, and VMAT included two whole arcs. For PTV-DIBH, VMAT with three 135° arcs was applied, and the corresponding plans were named: IMRT-FB, VMAT-FB, and VMAT-DIBH, respectively. Dosimetric differences between the different plans were compared., Results: The heart volumes decreased by 19.85%, while total lung volume increased by 52.54% in mDIBH, compared to FB (p < 0.05). The mean conformality index values and homogeneity index values for VMAT-DIBH (0.86, 1.07) were slightly worse than those for IMRT-FB (0.90, 1.05) and VMAT-FB (0.90, 1.06) (p > 0.05). Furthermore, compared to IMRT-FB and VMAT-FB, VMAT-DIBH reduced the mean total lung dose by 18.64% and 17.84%, respectively (p < 0.05); moreover, the V5, V10, V20, and V30 values for IMRT-FB and VMAT-FB were reduced by 10.84% and 10.65% (p > 0.05), 12.5% and 20% (p < 0.05), 30.77% and 33.33% (p < 0.05), and 50.33% and 49.15% (p < 0.05), respectively. However, the heart dose-volume indices were similar between VMAT-DIBH and VMAT-FB which were lower than IMRT-FB without being statistically significant (p > 0.05). The monitor units and treatment time of VMAT-DIBH were also the lowest (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: VMAT combined with ABC to achieve mDIBH is a feasible approach for RT of thoracic EC. Furthermore, this method has the potential to effectively reduce lung dose in a shorter treatment time and with better targeting accuracy.

Methods for the isolation of live neural stem cells from the brain are limited due to the lack of well-defined cell surface markers and tools to detect intracellular markers. To date most methods depend on the labeling of extracellular markers using antibodies, with intracellular markers remaining inaccessible in live cells. Using a novel intracellular protein FABP7 (Fatty Acid Binding Protein-7) selective fluorescent chemical probe CDr3, we have successfully isolated high FABP7 expressing cells from the embryonic and adult mouse brains. These cells are capable of forming neurospheres in culture, express neural stem cell marker genes and differentiate into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Characterization of cells sorted with Aldefluor or antibodies against CD133 or SSEA-1 showed that the cells isolated by CDr3 exhibit a phenotype distinct from the cells sorted with conventional methods. FABP7 labeling with CDr3 represents a novel method for rapid isolation of neural stem cells based on the expression of a single intracellular marker., (© 2013.)

Background and Objectives: Puerarin, a phytoestrogen with a weak estrogenic effect, binds to estrogen receptors, thereby competing with 17β-estradiol and producing an anti-estrogenic effect. In our early clinical practice to treat endometriosis, a better therapeutic effect was achieved if the formula of traditional Chinese medicine included Radix puerariae. This study was to investigate whether puerarin could suppress the proliferation of endometriotic stromal cells (ESCs) and to further elucidate the potential mechanism., Methods and Results: The ESCs were successfully established. The effects of puerarin on the proliferation of ESCs, cell cycle and apoptosis were determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein levels of cyclin D1 and cdc25A were detected by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. Coimmunoprecipitation was applied to examine the recruitment of nuclear receptor coregulators to the estrogen receptor-α. We found that puerarin can suppress estrogen-stimulated proliferation partly through down-regulating the transcription of cyclin D1 and cdc25A by promoting the recruitment of corepressors to estrogen receptor-α as well as limiting that of coactivators in ESCs., Conclusions: Our data suggest that puerarin could suppress the proliferation of ESCs and could be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of endometriosis., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this paper we report on a kinetics study of the discharge process and its relationship to the charge overpotential in a Li-O2 cell for large surface area cathode material. The kinetics study reveals evidence for a first-order disproportionation reaction during discharge from an oxygen-rich Li2O2 component with superoxide-like character to a Li2O2 component. The oxygen-rich superoxide-like component has a much smaller potential during charge (3.2-3.5 V) than the Li2O2 component (∼4.2 V). The formation of the superoxide-like component is likely due to the porosity of the activated carbon used in the Li-O2 cell cathode that provides a good environment for growth during discharge. The discharge product containing these two components is characterized by toroids, which are assemblies of nanoparticles. The morphologic growth and decomposition process of the toroids during the reversible discharge/charge process was observed by scanning electron microscopy and is consistent with the presence of the two components in the discharge product. The results of this study provide new insight into how growth conditions control the nature of discharge product, which can be used to achieve improved performance in Li-O2 cell.

Objective: In our previous study, we found that some miRNAs were deregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), including miR-183. However, the expression of miR-183 in the progression of benign liver diseases to HCC and its correlation with clinicopathologic factors remain undefined., Methods: MiR-183 expression was measured in normal controls (NC) (n = 21), chronic viral hepatitis B or C (CH) tissues (n = 10), liver cirrhosis (LC) tissues (n = 18), HCC tissues (n = 92), and adjacent nontumor tissues (NT) (n = 92) by quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR)., Results: The expression levels of miR-183 were significantly higher in HCC than in NT, LC, CH, and NL (P = 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.011, P < 0.001, resp.). The upregulated miR-183 in HCC was correlated with TNM stage (P = 0.042) and cirrhosis (P = 0.025). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that miR-183 expression was not associated with the survival of HCC patients. However, miR-183 yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.808 with 59.8% sensitivity and 91.8% specificity in discriminating HCC from benign liver diseases (CH and LC) or NC., Conclusions: The upregulated miR-183 may associate with onset and progression of HCC, but not with the patient survival. A further research is needed to determine the potential of miR-183 as biomarker for HCC.

Mussels possess the ability to attach to virtually any type of inorganic and organic surfaces due to the existence of phenylalamine and lysine amino acids. Inspired by the property of mussels, polydopamine has been used for modifying bioinert materials, such as metals, semiconductors and plastics to improve their surface hydrophilicity. However, there are no reports about the effect of a polydopamine modification on apatite mineralization and the biological response of bioactive ceramics (not bioinert materials) for bone regeneration applications. Akermanite bioceramics (AKT, Ca 2 MgSi 2 O 7 ) are a typical bioactive material with osteostimulation properties for bone tissue regeneration. The aim of this study is to systematically investigate the effect of a polydopamine modification on the physicochemical and biological properties of AKT bioceramics, including attachment, proliferation, ALP activity and bone-related gene expression of tissue cells. The results show that a self-assembled polydopamine layer on the surface of AKT bioceramics was formed by incubating AKT bioceramics in a dopamine/Tris-HCl solution. Polydopamine-modified AKT (PDB-AKT) bioceramics showed significantly improved surface roughness, hydrophilicity and apatite-mineralization ability compared to AKT bioceramics. In addition, the polydopamine modification distinctively enhanced the attachment, proliferation, alkaline phosphate activity and bone-related gene expression of MC3T3 cells on AKT bioceramics. The possible reason for the improved cytocompatibility may be related to the improved surface roughness and apatite mineralization as well as the ionic environment at an early stage of cell culture. Our results suggest that the polydopamine modification is a viable method to further improve the apatite mineralization and biological response of bioactive ceramics for better bone regeneration applications, indicating that the polydopamine modification is a universal method to enhance the bioactivity for both bioinert and bioactive materials.

Elucidating how molecules bind to HSA is fundamental for predicting drug incompatibilities. Through combinatorial screening, we identified a novel fluorescent dye (BD140) with turn-on fluorescence emission and specific binding at HSA drug site 2. We further combined it with dansylamide to develop a fluorescent dye cocktail for high-throughput mapping of the interaction between therapeutics at HSA drug-binding sites.

A novel ratiometric biothiol probe Glutathione Green was developed. It allows quantitative measurement of glutathione in cell extracts and direct visualization of changes in glutathione levels in live cells. Remarkably, this is the first reported biothiol probe which can detect the carcinoma region of liver tissue based on the differences in the glutathione level.

The first fluorescent sensor for an illicit date rape drug, GBL, was developed and named Green Date. It shows high fluorescence enhancement to GBL and allows its detection in different drinks. The mechanism between GBL and Green Date was explored. This discovery may help to prevent the drug-facilitated sexual assault problems.

B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein (Bax) is a member of the Bcl-2 protein family having a pivotal role in triggering cell commitment to apoptosis. Bax is latent and monomeric in the cytosol but transforms into its lethal, mitochondria-embedded oligomeric form in response to cell stress, leading to the release of apoptogenic factors such as cytochrome C. Here, we dissected the structural correlates of Bax membrane insertion while oligomerization is halted. This strategy was enabled through the use of nanometer-scale phospholipid bilayer islands (nanodiscs) the size of which restricts the reconstituted system to single Bax-molecule activity. Using this minimal reconstituted system, we captured structural correlates that precede Bax homo-oligomerization elucidating previously inaccessible steps of the core molecular mechanism by which Bcl-2 family proteins regulate membrane permeabilization. We observe that, in the presence of BH3 interacting domain death agonist (Bid) BH3 peptide, Bax monomers induce the formation of ~3.5-nm diameter pores and significantly distort the phospholipid bilayer. These pores are compatible with promoting release of ions as well as proteinaceous components, suggesting that membrane-integrated Bax monomers in the presence of Bid BH3 peptides are key functional units for the activation of the cell demolition machinery.

Background: Excitotoxicity and neuronal death following ischemia involve AMPA (α-amino-3hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid) glutamate receptors. We have recently reported that the GluR2 subunit of AMPA receptors (AMPARs) forms a protein complex with GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase). The GluR2/GAPDH complex co-internalizes upon activation of AMPA receptors. Disruption of the GluR2/GAPDH interaction with an interfering peptide protects cells against AMPAR-mediated excitotoxicity and protects against damage induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), an in vitro model of brain ischemia., Objective: We sought to test the hypothesis that disruption of the GluR2/GAPDH interaction with an interfering peptide would protect against ischemia-induced neuronal damage in vivo., Method: The rat 4-vessel occlusion (4-VO) model was used to investigate whether the GluR2/GAPDH interaction was enhanced in the hippocampus, and if our newly developed interfering peptide could protect against neuronal death in the ischemic brain area. The transient rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAo) model was used to determine whether our peptide could reduce infarction volume and improve neurological function. Finally, GAPDH lentiviral shRNA was injected into the brain to reduce GAPDH expression one week prior to tMCAo, to confirm the role of GAPDH in the pathophysiology of brain ischemia., Results: The GluR2/GAPDH interaction is upregulated in the hippocampus of rats subjected to transient global ischemia. Administration of an interfering peptide that is able to disrupt the GluR2/GAPDH interaction in vivo protects against ischemia-induced cell death in rat models of global ischemia and decreases the infarct volume as well as neurological score in a rat model focal ischemia. Consistent with these observations, decreased GAPDH expression also protects against ischemia-induced cell death in an animal model of focal ischemia., Conclusion: Disruption of the GluR2/GAPDH interaction protects against ischemia-induced neuronal damage in vivo. The GluR2/GAPDH interaction may be a novel therapeutic target for development of treatment for ischemic stroke., (Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We fabricate the linear chains of twisted gold nanorods by a facile chiral molecular templating method. In such a chiral plasmonic system, particle-particle separation distances are in the order of the light wavelength and are much larger than the sizes of individual particles. As a result, the inter-particle interactions in this chiral system are mediated mainly by a relatively weak far-field plasmonic coupling, rather than a strong near-field coupling. However, such a chiral system of twisted gold nanorods show a huge surface plasmon based circular dichroism response, with the highest anisotropy factor around 0.027. This is in contrast to the previous studies in which near-field plasmonic coupling is an indispensable prerequisite to obtain strong optical activity from a chiral plasmonic nanostructure. Our study demonstrates here an alternative strategy for achieving huge chiroptical response of a chiral plasmonic nanostructure based on far-field, radiative electromagnetic interactions of metallic nanoparticles. Theoretical simulations show a satisfactory agreement with the experimental results. This study may provide more flexible ways to design chiral plasmon nanostructures with strong CD responses for various applications.

Novel structures of an near-infrared (NIR) tetraarylazadipyrromethene (aza-BODIPY) series have been prepared. We designed the core structure containing two amido groups at the para-position of the aromatic rings. The amido group was incorporated to secure insensitivity to pH and to ensure a bathochromic shift to the NIR region. Forty members of aza-BODIPY compounds were synthesized by substitution of the acetyl group with commercial amines on the alpha bromide. The physicochemical properties and photostability were investigated and the fluorescence emission maxima (745~755 nm) were found to be in the near infrared (NIR) range of fluorescence.

Glucose enzyme biosensors have been shown useful for a range of applications from medical diagnosis, bioprocess monitoring, to beverage industry and environmental monitoring. We present here a highly sensitive glucose enzyme sensor based on Pt nanoparticles (PtNPs)-polyaniline (PAni) hydrogel heterostructures. High-density PtNPs were homogeneously loaded onto the three-dimensional (3D) nanostructured matrix of the PAni hydrogel. The PtNP/PAni hydrogel heterostructure-based glucose sensor synergizes the advantages of both the conducting hydrogel and the nanoparticle catalyst. The porous structure of the PAni hydrogel favored the high density immobilization of the enzyme and the penetration of water-soluble molecules, which helped efficiently catalyze the oxidation of glucose. In addition, the PtNPs catalyzed the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide that was generated during the enzymatic reaction. The transferred charges from these electrochemical processes were efficiently collected by the highly conducting PtNP/PAni hydrogel heterostructures. The glucose enzyme sensor based on this heterostructure exhibited unprecedented sensitivity, as high as 96.1 μA·mM(-1)·cm(-2), with a response time as fast as 3 s, a linear range of 0.01 to 8 mM, and a low detection limit of 0.7 μM.

We report on the use of a petroleum coke-based activated carbon (AC) with very high surface area for a Li-O(2) battery cathode without the use of any additional metal catalysts. Electrochemical measurement in a tetra(ethylene) glycol dimethyl ether-lithium triflate (TEGDME-LiCF(3)SO(3)) electrolyte results in two voltage plateaus during charging at 3.2-3.5 and 4.2-4.3 V versus Li(+)/Li. Herein we present evidence from Raman and magnetic measurements that the lower plateau corresponds to a form of lithium peroxide with superoxide-like properties characterized by a low temperature magnetic phase transition and a high O-O stretching frequency (1125 cm(-1)). The magnetic phase transition and the high O-O stretching frequency disappear when charged to above 3.7 V. Theoretical calculations indicate that a surface superoxide structure on lithium peroxide clusters and some lithium peroxide surfaces have an unpaired electron and a high O-O stretching frequency that help explain the observations. These results provide evidence that the form of the lithium peroxide discharge product is important to obtaining a low charge overpotential, and thus improving the round-trip efficiency between discharge and charge.

Leukemia stem cells (LSCs) play a pivotal role in the resistance of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and its progression to blast crisis (BC), in part, through the alternative splicing of self-renewal and survival genes. To elucidate splice-isoform regulators of human BC LSC maintenance, we performed whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing, splice-isoform-specific quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), nanoproteomics, stromal coculture, and BC LSC xenotransplantation analyses. Cumulatively, these studies show that the alternative splicing of multiple prosurvival BCL2 family genes promotes malignant transformation of myeloid progenitors into BC LSCS that are quiescent in the marrow niche and that contribute to therapeutic resistance. Notably, sabutoclax, a pan-BCL2 inhibitor, renders marrow-niche-resident BC LSCs sensitive to TKIs at doses that spare normal progenitors. These findings underscore the importance of alternative BCL2 family splice-isoform expression in BC LSC maintenance and suggest that the combinatorial inhibition of prosurvival BCL2 family proteins and BCR-ABL may eliminate dormant LSCs and obviate resistance., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bioceramic spheres have been widely studied for bone/dental filler materials. Conventional methods, such as alginate cross-linking, microemulsion and spray drying, have distinct disadvantages for preparing pure bioceramic spheres with controllable size, bioactivity and degradation. In this study, a containerless processing method, for the first time, was applied to prepare bioceramic spheres for potential bone/dental filling applications. Akermanite (Ca 2 MgSi 2 O 7 , AKT) glass spheres were firstly prepared by a unique containerless processing method. Then, the as-prepared AKT glass spheres were heat-treated at varied temperatures. Furthermore, the effect of heat treatment on the phase transition, surface microstructure, apatite mineralization and ionic dissolution production of AKT spheres has been systematically studied. The interaction of MC3T3 cells with AKT spheres was further studied by investigating cell attachment, proliferation and alkaline phosphate (ALP) activity. The results show that containerless processing is a quite effective method to prepare homogeneous AKT glass spheres with controllable size. Heat-treatment promotes the phase transition from amorphous, semi-crystalline to fully crystalline AKT spheres. Thus, AKT spheres with controllable crystallinity were successfully prepared by combining containerless processing and heat treatment. The as-prepared AKT glass spheres induced apatite mineralization after soaking in simulated body fluids (SBF) for 7 days; however, AKT spheres treated at 800 °C suppressed apatite mineralization in SBF. Interestingly, AKT spheres treated at 1000 or 1350 °C had distinct apatite mineralization, indicating that the bioactivity of the AKT spheres can be regulated by modulating the heat-treatment-induced crystallinity. Further study has shown that the ionic dissolution production of the containerless-processed AKT spheres can be tailored by controlling the heat-treatment temperatures. The prepared crystalline AKT spheres supported the attachment, spreading, growth and early differentiation of MC3T3 cells, and significantly stimulated the proliferation of MC3T3. Therefore, the containerless-processed AKT spheres may be a unique bone/dental filler material due to their homogeneous structure, controllable size, bioactivity and ionic degradation, as well as their excellent cytocompatibility.

Caffeine has attracted abundant attention due to its extensive existence in beverages and medicines. However, to detect it sensitively and conveniently remains a challenge, especially in resource-limited regions. Here we report a novel aqueous phase fluorescent caffeine sensor named Caffeine Orange which exhibits 250-fold fluorescence enhancement upon caffeine activation and high selectivity. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicate that π-stacking and hydrogen-bonding contribute to their interactions while dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy experiments demonstrate the change of Caffeine Orange ambient environment induces its fluorescence emission. To utilize this probe in real life, we developed a non-toxic caffeine detection kit and tested it for caffeine quantification in various beverages. Naked-eye sensing of various caffeine concentrations was possible based on color changes upon irradiation with a laser pointer. Lastly, we performed the whole system on a microfluidic device to make caffeine detection quick, sensitive and automated.

Tumor growth depends on angiogenesis and inducing angiogenesis is one of the most important hallmarks in the cancer development. Treatment with small molecules that inhibit angiogenesis has been an effective strategy for anti-cancer therapy. Some anti-angiogenic factors are derived from traditional Chinese herbs. Usnic acid (UA), an active compound mainly found in lichens, has shown some biological and physiological activities. However, the role and mechanism of UA in tumor angiogenesis are still unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of UA on tumor angiogenesis. In this study, we demonstrated that UA strongly inhibited in vivo angiogenesis in a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay and vascular endothelial growth factor-induced mouse corneal angiogenesis model. In a mouse xenograft tumor model, UA suppressed Bcap-37 breast tumor growth and angiogenesis without affecting mice body weight. In an in vitro assay, UA not only significantly inhibited endothelial cell proliferation, migration and tube formation, but also induced morphological changes and apoptosis in endothelial cells. In addition, UA inhibited Bcap-37 tumor cell proliferation. Moreover, western blot analysis of cell signaling molecules indicated that UA blocked vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) 2 mediated Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2(ERK1/2) and AKT/P70S6K signaling pathways in endothelial cells. These results provided the first evidence of the biological function and molecular mechanism of UA in tumor angiogenesis.

Tumor metastasis is the main cause of cancer-related deaths of patients. Breast cancer is highly malignant with considerable metastatic potential, which urges the necessity for developing novel potential drug candidate to prevent tumor metastasis. Here, we report our finding with Cucurbitacin E (CuE, α-elaterin), a tetracyclic triterpenes compound isolated from Cucurbitaceae. The potency of CuE on breast cancer metastasis inhibition was assessed in vivo and in vitro. In our animal experiments, intraperitoneal administrations of CuE significantly inhibited breast tumor metastasis to the lung without affecting apoptosis or proliferation of inoculated 4T1 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Treatment of metastatic breast tumor cells with CuE markedly blocked tumor cell migration and invasion in vitro. Subsequent studies showed that CuE impaired Arp2/3-dependent actin polymerization and suppressed Src/FAK/Rac1/MMP involved pathway. Overall, our data demonstrate that CuE blocks breast cancer metastasis by suppressing tumor cell migration and invasion. We provide first evidence of a novel role for CuE as a potential candidate for treating breast cancer metastasis.

Objective: Carbon monoxide (CO) in cigarette smoke may be the mechanism by which tobacco use during pregnancy decreases the risk of the development of preeclampsia. We attempted to test this hypothesis by examining the effect of maternal exposure to ambient CO on preeclampsia., Study Design: Births that occurred between 2004 and 2009 in the Canadian province of Ontario were extracted from the data. Study subjects were divided into 4 groups according to quartiles of CO concentration that were based on maternal residence. Adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were used to estimate the independent effect of CO on preeclampsia., Results: Rates of preeclampsia were 2.32%, 1.97%, 1.59%, and 1.26%, respectively, in the first, second, third, and fourth quartile of CO concentration. The inverse association between CO concentration and preeclampsia risk remained the same after adjustment for several important confounding factors., Conclusion: Maternal exposure to moderate ambient CO is associated independently with a decreased risk of preeclampsia., (Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Fluorescent small molecules have become indispensable tools for biomedical research along with the rapidly developing optical imaging technology. We report here a neural stem cell specific boron-dipyrromethane (BODIPY) derivative compound of designation red 3 (CDr3), developed through a high throughput/content screening of in-house generated diversity oriented fluorescence library in stem cells at different developmental stages. This novel compound specifically detects living neural stem cells of both human and mouse origin. Furthermore, we identified its binding target by proteomic analysis as fatty acid binding protein 7 (FABP7), also known as brain lipid binding protein) which is highly expressed in neural stem cells and localized in the cytoplasm. CDr3 will be a valuable chemical tool in the study and applications of neural stem cells.

Conducting polymer hydrogels represent a unique class of materials that synergizes the advantageous features of hydrogels and organic conductors and have been used in many applications such as bioelectronics and energy storage devices. They are often synthesized by polymerizing conductive polymer monomer within a nonconducting hydrogel matrix, resulting in deterioration of their electrical properties. Here, we report a scalable and versatile synthesis of multifunctional polyaniline (PAni) hydrogel with excellent electronic conductivity and electrochemical properties. With high surface area and three-dimensional porous nanostructures, the PAni hydrogels demonstrated potential as high-performance supercapacitor electrodes with high specific capacitance (~480 F·g(-1)), unprecedented rate capability, and cycling stability (~83% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles). The PAni hydrogels can also function as the active component of glucose oxidase sensors with fast response time (~0.3 s) and superior sensitivity (~16.7 μA · mM(-1)). The scalable synthesis and excellent electrode performance of the PAni hydrogel make it an attractive candidate for bioelectronics and future-generation energy storage electrodes.

Purpose: To compare the dosimetric benefits of Rapidarc (RA) combined with deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) with those of other standard techniques, including free breathing (FB) during fixed-field intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and dual arc RA, in the treatment of patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma (EC)., Methods: Ten patients with EC underwent computed tomography (CT) scans under 2 respiration conditions: free-breathing (FB) and DIBH. These scans were used to generate 3-dimensional conformal treatment plans. For breath-hold scans, the patients were brought to reproducible respiration levels using active breathing control (ABC) maneuvers. Planning target volumes (PTVs) for FB plans included a 0.5 cm margin for setup plus a 1 cm margin equal to the extent of tumor motion for respiration. PTVs for DIBH plans included a 0.5 cm margin for setup error and a 0.5 cm margin for residual uncertainty in tumor position. Using a dose level of 60 Gy to the PTV, three treatment plans were generated: IMRT-FB, RA-FB and RA-ABC, and the target and normal tissue volumes were compared, as were the dosimetry parameters., Results: On average, the DIBH technique resulted in increased lung volumes compared with FB techniques. There was no significant differences in gross tumor volume between the two breathing states (p > 0.05); but PTV and heart volume were larger for FB than for DIBH (p < 0.05). The overall CI and HI for the RA-ABC plan was slightly inferior to those of the IMRT- FB and RA-FB plans (p < 0.05 each). With DIBH, the heart was partly out of the beam portals and the average mean heart dose was reduced., Conclusions: Compared with conventional FB, RA combined with DIBH significantly reduced cardiac and pulmonary doses without compromising the target coverage and may reduce treatment toxicity, enabling dose escalation in future prospective studies of patients with EC., (© 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.)

Purpose: To compare and analyze the characteristics of intensity-modulated arc therapy(IMAT) versus fixed-gantry intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT) in treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer., Methods: Twelve patients treated in our radiotherapy center were selected for this study. The patient subsequently underwent 4D-CT simulation.Margins of 5 mm and 10mm were added to the ITV to generate the CTV and PTV respectively. Three treatment plans (IMRT,one single arc (RA1),double arcs (RA2))were generated with Eclipse ver.8.6 planning systems. Using a dose level of75Gy in 15fractions to the ITV,60Gy in 15fractions to the CTV and 45Gy in 15fractions to the PTV respectively. The target and normol tissue volumes were compared, as were the dosimetry parameters., Results: There were no significant differences in CI of ITV,PTV, HI of ITV,CTV and PTV, V5,V10,V15,V20,V25,V30,V45,V50 of total-lung and mean lung dose (all p>0.05). However, the differences were significant in terms of CI of CTV, V5 of B-P (all p<0.05). On the MU, IMRT=1540MU,RA1=1006 MU and RA2=1096 MU. (F=12.00,P=0.000).On the treatment time, IMRT= 13.5min,RA1= 1.5min, and RA2=2.5 min (F= 30.11,P=0.000)., Conclusions: IMAT is equal to IMRT in dosimetril evaluation. Due to much less Mu and delivery time,IMAT is an ideal technique in treating patients by reduceing the uncomfortable influnce which could effect the treatment., (© 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.)

The diffusion of o-, m-, and p-xylene in a FAU zeolite at 300-900 K was investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Calculated self-diffusion coefficients of xylene isomers showed that the mobility of p-xylene was the fastest, m-xylene the second fastest, and o-xylene the slowest in the FAU zeolite at the same temperature. The diffusion activation energy of o-xylene, m-xylene and p-xylene was, respectively, determined to be 9.04, 7.45 and 6.44 kJ mol(-1) within the temperature range of 400 to 900 K, while to be 14.12, 13.59 and 15.47 kJ mol(-1) within the temperature range of 300 to 400 K. Xylene density profiles and orientational analysis suggested that this can be attributed to the xylene molecules that diffuse in the FAU zeolite by two different mechanisms at high and low temperatures. The behavior of motion for xylene in the FAU zeolite exhibits a "fluid-like" mode at high temperatures and exhibits a "jump-like" mode at low temperatures.

We have investigated the mechanism of M(CO)(5) (M = Fe, Ru, Os) catalyzed water gas shift reaction (WGSR) by using density functional theory and ab initio calculations. Our calculation results indicate that the whole reaction cycle consists of six steps: 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 2. In this stepwise mechanism the metals Fe, Ru, and Os behave generally in a similar way. However, crucial differences appear in steps 3 → 4 → 5 which involve dihydride M(H)(2)(CO)(3)COOH(-) (4') and/or dihydrogen complex MH(2)(CO)(3)COOH(-) (4). The stability of the dihydrogen complexes becomes weaker down the iron group. The dihydrogen complex 4&#95;Fe is only 11.1 kJ/mol less stable than its dihydride 4'&#95;Fe at the B3LYP/II(f)++//B3LYP/II(f) level. Due to very low energy barrier it is very easy to realize the transform from 4&#95;Fe to 4'&#95;Fe and vice versa, and thus for Fe there is no substantial difference to differentiate 4 and 4' for the reaction cycle. The most possible key intermediate 4'&#95;Ru is 38.2 kJ/mol more stable than 4&#95;Ru. However, the barrier for the conversion 3&#95;Ru → 4'&#95;Ru is 23.8 kJ/mol higher than that for 3&#95;Ru → 4&#95;Ru. Additionally, 4'&#95;Ru has to go through 4&#95;Ru to complete dehydrogenation 4'&#95;Ru → 5&#95;Ru. The concerted mechanism 4'&#95;Ru → 6&#95;Ru, in which the CO group attacks ruthenium while H(2) dissociates, can be excluded. In contrast to Fe and Ru, the dihydrogen complex of Os is too unstable to exist at the level of theory. Moreover, we predict Fe and Ru species are more favorable than Os species for the WGSR, because the energy barriers for the 4 → 5 processes of Fe and Ru are only 38.9 and 16.2 kJ/mol, respectively, whereas 140.5 kJ/mol is calculated for the conversion 4' → 5 of Os, which is significantly higher. In general, the calculations are in good agreement with available experimental data. We hope that our work will be beneficial to the development and design of the WGSR catalyst with high performance.