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Heart failure is the terminal stage of many cardiovascular diseases and is considered to be closely related to oxidative stress. Early understanding of pathogenesis can greatly improve the treatment and reduce the mortality of heart disease. In this work, based on the analysis of coumarin derivates by theoretical calculations, we designed and synthesized a fluorescent probe BCO with a large Stokes shift (107 nm) and excellent selectivity toward H2O2 in a living system. The distribution of H2O2 in the heart and thoracic aorta tissues was imaged with the aid of the probe BCO, which demonstrated that the cellular H2O2 level is upregulated in heart failure. This work provides a useful tool, BCO, for the evaluation of cellular oxidative stress and to further understand the pathophysiology process of heart disease.

The histone demethylase KDM4B functions as a key co-activator for the androgen receptor (AR) and plays a vital in multiple cancers through controlling gene expression by epigenetic regulation of H3K9 methylation marks. Constitutively active androgen receptor confers anti-androgen resistance in advanced prostate cancer. However, the role of KDM4B in resistance to next-generation anti-androgens and the mechanisms of KDM4B regulation are poorly defined. Here we found that KDM4B is overexpressed in enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer cells. Overexpression of KDM4B promoted recruitment of AR to the c-Myc (MYC) gene enhancer and induced H3K9 demethylation, increasing AR-dependent transcription of c-Myc mRNA, which regulates the sensitivity to next-generation AR-targeted therapy. Inhibition of KDM4B significantly inhibited prostate tumor cell growth in xenografts, and improved enzalutamide treatments through suppression of c-Myc. Clinically, KDM4B expression was found upregulated and to correlate with prostate cancer progression and poor prognosis. Our results revealed a novel mechanism of anti-androgen resistance via histone demethylase alteration which could be targeted through inhibition of KDM4B to reduce AR-dependent c-Myc expression and overcome resistance to AR-targeted therapies. © 2020 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Background: Targeting the interaction between SDF1 and CXCR4 may provide an opportunity to intervene in the hematopoietic stem cell mobilization process. Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of YF-H-2015005, a CXCR4 antagonist, for the mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Methods: A total of 15 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) eligible for autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation were enrolled. All patients achieved a partial or complete remission after the first- or second-line therapy. Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) was given in the morning for 8 consecutive days, and 0.24 mg/kg YF-H-2015005 was subcutaneously administered in the evening of the 4th day of G-CSF treatment for up to four days. Apheresis was performed 9-10 hours following each dose of YF-H-2015005. Results: YF-H-2015005 was rapidly absorbed and eliminated, with Tmax and t1/2 of 0.5 and 5.04 ± 1.00 hours, respectively. Moreover, the mean peripheral blood CD34+ cell counts were elevated by 2.0- to 2.9-fold from 2 to 24 hours, and reached the maximum level of 76.5 ± 53.9 cells/kg at 10 hours after YF-H-2015005 treatment. Fourteen (93%) out of 15 NHL patients achieved a minimum target of ≥2×106/kg CD34+ cells. Furthermore, there was no grades 3-4 treatment-related adverse event observed among these patients. Conclusion: YF-H-2015005 can serve as a safe, effective agent in combination with G-CSF for CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cell mobilization in NHL patients.

Background The treatment outcomes and prognosis of lymphoma are affected by various factors such as hospital types. This study was to describe the temporal trend in the survival of lymphoma in an academic center in China. Methods A total of 3840 consecutive patients with lymphoma diagnosed between 1996 and 2015 were reviewed. Eighty patients were excluded, and finally, 3760 patients were analyzed in this study. The cohort was divided into four groups according to calendar periods at diagnosis: 1996‐2000, 2001‐2005, 2006‐2010, and 2010‐2015. The overall survival (OS) rates among the four groups were compared. Results The 5‐ and 10‐year OS for the whole cohort were 62% and 52%, respectively. The 5‐year OS of patient with classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), mature B‐cell lymphoma (BCL), and peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (PTCL) were 79%, 63%, and 50%, respectively. Among mature BCL, the 5‐year OS was highest in follicular lymphoma (77.8%), followed by Burkitt lymphoma (76.5%), marginal zone lymphoma (74.1%), diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (61.5%), small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (55.1%), and mantle cell lymphoma (44.3%). Among PTCL, the 5‐year OS was highest in ALK+anaplastic large cell lymphoma (79.0%), followed by ALK−anaplastic large cell lymphoma (63.1%), natural killer/T‐cell lymphoma (57.7%), angioimmunoblastic T‐cell lymphoma (34.9%, and peripheral T‐cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (27.6%). Significant improvement in the survival of lymphoma was observed, with the 5‐year OS increasing from 48% in 1996‐2000 to 65% in 2011‐2015 (P, Increase in overall survival of lymphoma from 1996 to 2015.

This study investigates the effect of public health education (PHE) on migrant workers’ health status in China, using the data collected from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey project. The analysis employs a probit model, whose results suggest that, in general, PHE has a statistically significant and positive impact on migrant workers’ self-rated health status and exerts a negative impact on their incidence rate of daily diseases. We also utilize the conditional mixed process method to address the potential endogenous issue. Further analyses reveal that there are significant differences in the impacts of different modes of PHE on migrant workers’ health status, among which the mode of health knowledge lectures plays the most prominent role. Nonetheless, an additional analysis indicates that in addition to PHE, other public health services, such as the establishment of health records, also have a significant effect on the promotion of migrant workers’ health status. A disaggregated analysis reveals that this impact is heterogeneous among different generations, genders as well as those with different income levels. The findings shed light on the importance of promoting equal access to public health services.

Background Organ-specific metastatic context has not been incorporated into the clinical practice of guiding programmed death-(ligand) 1 [PD-(L)1] blockade, due to a lack of understanding of its predictive versus prognostic value. We aim at delineating and then incorporating both the predictive and prognostic effects of the metastatic-organ landscape to dissect PD-(L)1 blockade efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods A total of 2062 NSCLC patients from a double-arm randomized trial (OAK), two immunotherapy trials (FIR, BIRCH), and a real-world cohort (NFyy) were included. The metastatic organs were stratified into two categories based on their treatment-dependent predictive significance versus treatment-independent prognosis. A metastasis-based scoring system (METscore) was developed and validated for guiding PD-(L)1 blockade in clinical trials and real-world practice. Results Patients harboring various organ-specific metastases presented significantly different responses to immunotherapy, and those with brain and adrenal gland metastases survived longer than others [overall survival (OS), p = 0.0105; progression-free survival (PFS), p = 0.0167]. In contrast, survival outcomes were similar in chemotherapy-treated patients regardless of metastatic sites (OS, p = 0.3742; PFS, p = 0.8242). Intriguingly, the immunotherapeutic predictive significance of the metastatic-organ landscape was specifically presented in PD-L1-positive populations (PD-L1 > 1%). Among them, a paradoxical coexistence of a favorable predictive effect coupled with an unfavorable prognostic effect was observed in metastases to adrenal glands, brain, and liver (category I organs), whereas metastases to bone, pleura, pleural effusion, and mediastinum yielded consistent unfavorable predictive and prognostic effects (category II organs). METscore was capable of integrating both predictive and prognostic effects of the entire landscape and dissected OS outcome of NSCLC patients received PD-(L)1 blockade (p < 0.0001) but not chemotherapy (p = 0.0805) in the OAK training cohort. Meanwhile, general performance of METscore was first validated in FIR (p = 0.0350) and BIRCH (p < 0.0001), and then in the real-world NFyy cohort (p = 0.0181). Notably, METscore was also applicable to patients received PD-(L)1 blockade as first-line treatment both in the clinical trials (OS, p = 0.0087; PFS, p = 0.0290) and in the real-world practice (OS, p = 0.0182; PFS, p = 0.0045). Conclusions Organ-specific metastatic landscape served as a potential predictor of immunotherapy, and METscore might enable noninvasive forecast of PD-(L)1 blockade efficacy using baseline radiologic assessments in advanced NSCLC.

A tandem insertion of thiocyanate to enamine was performed for the regioselective synthesis of multisubstituted benzoimidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles. This method was shown to be effective in addressing the issue of isomerization encountered in common strategies. With a change made to the leading group on the aniline fragment of enamine, the reaction achieved different transformations, thus enabling multisubstituted benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles and thiazoles in satisfactory yields.

To evaluate the outcomes of refractory/relapsed cHL patients after high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in Beijing Cancer hospital and to identify the prognostic risk factors. We retrospectively analyzed 115 relapsed/refractory cHL patients who accepted HDCT and ASCT in our cancer center and had complete follow-up data from April 2000 to May 2017. Ages of these 115 patients at ASCT ranged from 14 to 63 (median age 28). Forty-four (38.3%) patients achieved CR and 50 (43.5%) patients achieved PR before ASCT. Thirty-seven (48.7%) patients of those 76 patients who did PET-CT before ASCT had negative PET-CT scans. The median follow-up time was 72 months. A total of 23 patients died in our study. The 5-year OS and PFS rates of all patients after ASCT were 78.7% and 53%, respectively. The 5-year OS rates after ASCT of patients who were in CR or PR or less than PR status before ASCT were 92.8%, 68.2%, and 76.2%, respectively (log-rank = 2.913, p = 0.233). And their 5-year PFS rates after ASCT were 69.2%, 54.2%, and 18.5%, respectively (log-rank = 13.615, p = 0.001). Univariate analysis revealed that ECOG (p = 0.010; hazard ratio = 1.578), disease status before ASCT (CR: p = 0.001; hazard ratio = 0.227) and after ASCT (CR: p < 0.001; hazard ratio = 0.154), and PET-CT results after ASCT (p = 0.023; hazard ratio = 0.438) significantly impact patients' PFS while number of pretransplant salvage chemotherapy (p = 0.037; hazard ratio = 2.521), radiotherapy (p = 0.046; hazard ratio = 0.423), and disease status after ASCT (CR: p = 0.010; hazard ratio = 0.197) significantly affected patients' OS. Multivariate analysis shown only disease status before ASCT (p = 0.002) had significant impact on PFS and disease status after ASCT (p = 0.021) had significant impact on OS. R/R HL patients can still obtain long-term PFS after HDCT and ASCT and disease status before ASCT was the most significant prognostic factor for PFS.

A rhodamine B-based chromo-fluorogenic probe BOS is prepared with a good yield by condensating an o-diaminobenzene functionalized rhodamine derivative (RBO) and a large steric hindrance salicylaldehyde, and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy (IR), 1H and 13C NMR technology, and high resolution mass spectrum (HRMS). Spectroscopy experiments reveal that the probe can selectively and sensitively detect Al3+ from a variety of metal ions with a low detection limit of 1.855 μmol/L. Compared to traditional detection methods, BOS provides an inexpensive, rapid and straightforward way for Al3+ detection that can be distinguished by “naked eye”. The MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H- tetrazoliubromide) assays and cell imaging experiments demonstrate that the sensor is low toxic and amicable for Al3+ sensing in living cells.

In this study, a novel near-infrared fluorescent off-on probe for H2S based on seminaphthorhodafluor fluorophore is designed and constructed, which could be used in detection with 121-fold (23-fold) fluorescent (absorbance) enhancement at 630 nm (572 nm), fast responsiveness (completed within 5 min), high sensitivity, and lower cellular autofluorescence interference. Based on these excellent optical properties, the probe was employed to monitor H2S in red wine samples with satisfactory results. Moreover, the probe was successfully applied for monitoring and imaging H2S quantitatively in Hela cells and live athymic nude mice, indicating its potential application in biological science.

Domain of unknown function 4228 (DUF4228) proteins are a class of proteins widely found in plants, playing an important role in response to abiotic stresses. However, studies on the DUF4228 family in soybean (Glycine max L.) are sparse. In this study, we identified a total of 81 DUF4228 genes in soybean genome, named systematically based on their chromosome distributions. Results showed that these genes were unevenly distributed on the 20 chromosomes of soybean. The predicted soybean DUF4228 proteins were identified in three groups (Groups I–III) based on a maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree. Genetic structure analysis showed that most of the GmDUF4228 genes contained no introns. Expression profiling showed that GmDUF4228 genes were widely expressed in different organs and tissues in soybean. RNA-seq data were used to characterize the expression profiles of GmDUF4228 genes under the treatments of drought and salt stresses, with nine genes showing significant up-regulation under both drought and salt stress further functionally verified by promoter (cis-acting elements) analysis and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Due to its upregulation under drought and salt stresses based on both RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analyses, GmDUF4228-70 was selected for further functional analysis in transgenic plants. Under drought stress, the degree of leaf curling and wilting of the GmDUF4228-70-overexpressing (GmDUF4228-70-OE) line was lower than that of the empty vector (EV) line. GmDUF4228-70-OE lines also showed increased proline content, relative water content (RWC), and chlorophyll content, and decreased contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), H2O2, and O2–. Under salt stress, the changes in phenotypic and physiological indicators of transgenic plants were the same as those under drought stress. In addition, overexpression of the GmDUF4228-70 gene promoted the expression of marker genes under both drought and salt stresses. Taken together, the results indicated that GmDUF4228 genes play important roles in response to abiotic stresses in soybean.

We present a cascaded nonlinear spectral broadening scheme for Nd-doped lasers, featuring with long pulse duration and high average power. This scheme is based on two multi-pass cells (MPCs) and one multiple-plate supercontinuum generation (MPSG), and the numerical investigation is driven by a home-made Nd-doped fiber laser with 12 ps pulse duration, 50 kHz repetition rate and 100 W average power. The MPC-based first two stages allow us to broaden the pulse spectrum to 4 nm and 43 nm respectively, and subsequently, the MPSG-based third stage allows us to reach 235 nm spectral bandwidth. This broadened spectrum can support a Fourier-transfer-limited pulse duration of 9.8 fs, which is shorter than three optical cycles. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time to demonstrate the possibility of few-cycle pulses generation based on the 10 ps level Nd-doped lasers. Such few-cycle and high average power laser sources should be attractive and prospective, benefiting from the characteristics of structure compact, low-cost and flexibility.

Background The unprecedented efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell immunotherapy of CD19+ B-cell malignancies has opened a new and useful way for the treatment of malignant tumors. Nonetheless, there are still formidable challenges in the field of CAR-T cell therapy, such as the biodistribution of CAR-T cells in vivo. Methods NALM-6, a human B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) cell line, was used as target cells. CAR-T cells were injected into a mice model with or without target cells. Then we measured the distribution of CAR-T cells in mice. In addition, an exploratory clinical trial was conducted in 13 r/r B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) patients, who received CAR-T cell infusion. The dynamic changes in patient blood parameters over time after infusion were detected by qPCR and flow cytometry. Results CAR-T cells still proliferated over time after being infused into the mice without target cells within 2 weeks. However, CAR-T cells did not increase significantly in the presence of target cells within 2 weeks after infusion, but expanded at week 6. In the clinical trial, we found that CAR-T cells peaked at 7–21 days after infusion and lasted for 420 days in peripheral blood of patients. Simultaneously, mild side effects were observed, which could be effectively controlled within 2 months in these patients. Conclusions CAR-T cells can expand themselves with or without target cells in mice, and persist for a long time in NHL patients without serious side effects. Trial registration The registration date of the clinical trial is May 17, 2018 and the trial registration numbers is NCT03528421.

Urbanization has brought devastating disasters to the species diversity of urban wetlands. However, due to the complexity of the urban environment, the process and causes of urban biodiversity distribution patterns are not clear. In this study, we explored the patterns and formation of spatial differentiation in zooplankton in the context of urbanization by using spatial instead of temporal methods to reveal the urbanization process in the urban intensive Huaihe River Basin. The results showed that the diversity of zooplankton decreased with increasing urbanization level, and the species composition in areas with different urbanization levels was significantly different. At the same time, the water quality of wetlands increased with decreasing urbanization level, which exhibited a significant positive correlation with the species richness of zooplankton. Total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) were the main factors affecting the spatial differentiation pattern of zooplankton. Moreover, the increase in nutrients changed the structure of zooplankton functional groups, while rotifers showed strong resistance to pollution. The inhibition of chromium (Cr) on the density of zooplankton functional groups should not be ignored. The results reveal the spatial differentiation mechanism of zooplankton in the process of urbanization and emphasize the necessity of urban wetland ecological restoration and habitat reconstruction.

Backgroud: The unprecedented efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapy of CD19+ B-cell malignancies has opened a new and useful way for the treatment of malignant tumor. Nonetheless, there are still formidable challenges in the field of CAR-T cell therapy, such as the biodistribution of CAR-T cells in vivo.Methods: We demonstrated the distribution of CAR-T cells in the absence of target cells or with target cells in the mice and the dynamic changes in the patient blood over time after infusion were deteced by qPCR and FACS. Results: CAR-T cells still proliferated in the mice without target cells and peaked at 2 weeks. However, CAR-T cells did not increase significantly in the presence of target cells within 2 weeks after infusion, but expanded at 6 weeks. In the clinical trial, we found that CAR-T cells peaked at 7-21days after infusion and can last for as long as 510 days in the peripheral blood of patients. Simultaneously, mild side-effects were noted which can be effectively controlled within two months in these patients.Conclusions: CAR-T cells can expand themselves with or without target cells in mice. CAR-T cells can persistence for a long time in patients.

Specifically, visually, and quantitatively monitor copper ion (Cu

The role of Tubifex tubifex in organic matter (OM) decomposition in aquatic ecosystems has been widely studied, but considerable uncertainties exist in terms of the effect mechanism. The effect of T. tubifex on sediment OM decomposition in laboratory-scale microcosms was quantified, and possible pathways were identified. In the first 7 days of the decomposition of OM mixed in sediment, no significant effect of T. tubifex on organic matter loss (OML) was observed for both low- and high-OM treatments; meanwhile, from day 7-60, T. tubifex addition significantly improved OML from 55.0%-57.5% to 71.8%-77.7% in the low-OM treatments and from 55.5%-56.6% to 64.1%-68.7% in the high-OM treatments. The enhanced OML observed with T. tubifex was mainly due to the promoted decomposition of refractory organic components, e.g., cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. The proportion of refractory components in the gut of T. tubifex was significantly lower than that in the sediments (p < 0.01), indicating a pathway corresponding to the ingestion and digestion of refractory components by T. tubifex. Although T. tubifex reduced the water dissolved oxygen (DO) by increasing the water chemical oxygen demand (COD), the oxygen supply was improved by T. tubifex, and this could be affected by the increase in the relative abundance of aerobic to anaerobic bacteria in the sediments. T. tubifex significantly increased the diversity of the bacterial and fungal communities in the sediments. Moreover, the community structure of bacteria and fungi was substantially different between gut and sediment. Therefore, multiple pathways of the effect of T. tubifex on OM decomposition were established, and the results have great significance for the artificial manipulation of OM circulation using T. tubifex and the restoration of damaged aquatic ecosystems.

Background: The respective and combinatorial roles of surgery, Rituximab and chemotherapy in primary gastric diffuse large B cell lymphoma (PGDLBCL) therapy remained unclear. The purpose of the study was to evaluate present treatment strategies and prognostic factors of PGDLBCL. Methods: 272 cases (from 1994-1 to 2015-12) were retrospectively analyzed. According to the therapy regimen, patients were classified into four groups: chemotherapy (C), chemotherapy + surgery (C+S), Rituximab + chemotherapy (R+C), and Rituximab + chemotherapy + surgery (R+C+S). Results: The 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) and 3-year overall survivals (OS) of the entire cohort were 77.0% and 81.2% respectively (median follow-up time: 44.3 months). Survival of surgery-treated patients was superior to the survival of those receiving drug therapy alone (PFS: 82.6% vs. 74.7%, p=0.015; OS: 87.8% vs. 78.6%, p=0.036). Rituximab showed significant clinical benefit in OS (87.1% vs. 75.0%, p=0.007), especially in advanced-stage or high risk (IPI 3-5) patients. Group C had the lowest PFS and OS among the four groups, while the survival of other three groups were similar (Group C vs. Group C+S vs. Group R+C vs. Group R+C+S: 3-year PFS: 67.2% vs. 81.4% vs. 81.2% vs. 81.8%, p=0.002; 3-year OS: 68.4% vs. 85.4% vs. 87.2% vs. 88.6%, p

The objective of this study was to identify the proper re-startup strategies (RSSs) for constructed wetlands (CWs) after long-term resting operation in terms of the recovery of pollutant removal efficiency (RE) and N-cycle gene abundance. The results suggested that backwashing increased the gene abundance without shortening the recovery time of gene abundance. The RSS involving excavation and washing performed better in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD) RE, especially at the beginning, and performed slightly better or similarly in terms of N-cycle gene abundance and the REs of ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) and total nitrogen (TN). The abundance of the Amox gene was 66.1-92.8, 76.3-161.8 and 1550-2492 times larger than that of the napA, narG and amoA genes, respectively, and the anammox process was the dominant N removal pathway. Therefore, excavation and washing is recommended as the RSS for CWs with a long-term rest period.

A rhodamine-based fluorescent probe for Cu2+ and ATP has been designed. The fluorescence intensity/absorbance was significantly enhanced upon the addition of Cu2+ owning to the opening of the spiro-ring of rhodamine, which quickly returned to the original level due to the reconstruction of the probe by the reacting with ATP. Cu2+/ATP-induced fluorescent intensity/aborbance changes showed a good linear relationship with the concentration of Cu2+/ATP in the range of 2–20 μM/0–10 μM with a detection limit of 0.1 μM/1.0 μM. The proposed method is simple in design and fast in operation, and is suitable for the reversible monitoring of Cu2+ and ATP in bioanalytical applications.

SnO2 was recently employed as an efficient electron-transport layer (ETL) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) have been reported. However, it is still challenging to fabricate SnO2 thin films through facile solution-based synthesis at low temperature (

In this work, a series of novel fluorescent probes based on the fluorophores 3-benzothiazolyl-7-hydroxycoumarin/7-hydroxycoumarin were developed for detection of H2S. The probes exhibited excellent specific responses to H2S over other related competing species, including reactive sulfur, nitrogen and oxygen species. Moreover, the further successful imaging of the targetable fluorescent probe for sensing H2S in vivo was exciting and revealed that this targetable probe could serve as an efficient tool to study H2S-related chemical biology in physiological and pathological events.

Plant invasion has been reported to modify ecosystem carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling processes and pools. The aims of this work were to identify the consequences of plant invasion on C and N dynamics in soil organic matter (SOM) and its fractions following invasion chronosequence. In this study, we investigated the soil C and N contents and the δ13C and δ15N values of the SOM, free light fraction (LF), intra-aggregate particulate organic matter (iPOM) and mineral-associated organic matter (mSOM) in invasive 6-, 10-, 17- and 20-year-old Spartina alterniflora communities and compared with bare flat land in a coastal wetland of eastern China. S. alterniflora invasion significantly increased soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil organic nitrogen (SON) contents in SOM fractions compared with the bare flat land. The SOC, iPOM-C and iPOM-N progressively increased, but the SON, mSOM-C and mSOM-N did not significantly change following S. alterniflora invasion chronosequence. The proportion of C in iPOM gradually increased, whereas that in mSOM decreased following S. alterniflora invasion chronosequence except for the 20-year-old S. alterniflora soil. The highest proportion of S. alterniflora-derived C in SOM and its fractions was found in 17-year-old soil covered by S. alterniflora. The decay rate of old C decreased and the mean residence time of C increased in SOM and its fractions following S. alterniflora invasion chronosequence. The δ15N values of soil under S. alterniflora were more enriched than were those in bare flat land, whereas the δ15N values depleted following invasion chronosequence. Our results show that S. alterniflora invasion significantly altered SOC dynamics following invasion chronosequence by changing C physical distribution in SOM, S. alterniflora-derived C input and C decomposition, ultimately having a greater impact on SOC incorporation relative to SON accumulation in a coastal wetland of eastern China.

Trace metal contamination in aquatic ecosystems is a major environmental problem since their accumulation along the food chain poses a public health risk. In this study, we tried to find whether, and to what extent, native plant species along the Suoxu River, China, may be useful for phytostabilization. The concentration of several metal elements (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in sediment and plant samples collected from different sections of the Suoxu River, China was investigated. Results show that the concentrations of trace metals in the sediment and plants are similar and are found in the order of Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu > Ni > Cd. Standing stock concentration varied between plants groups and metals. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TrF) values were

Curcumin (Cur) is a naturally hydrophobic polyphenol with potential pharmacological properties. However, the poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability of curcumin limits its ocular administration. Thus, the aim of this study was to prepare a mixed micelle in situ gelling system of curcumin (Cur-MM-ISG) for ophthalmic drug delivery. The curcumin mixed micelles (Cur-MMs) were prepared via the solvent evaporation method, after which they were incorporated into gellan gum gels. Characterization tests showed that Cur-MMs were small in size and spherical in shape, with a low critical micelle concentration. Compared with free curcumin, Cur-MMs improved the solubility and stability of curcumin significantly. The ex vivo penetration study revealed that Cur-MMs could penetrate the rabbit cornea more efficiently than the free curcumin. After dispersing the micelles in the gellan gum solution at a ratio of 1:1 (v/v), a transparent Cur-MM-ISG with the characteristics of a pseudoplastic fluid was formed. No obvious irritations were observed in the rabbit eyes after ocular instillation of Cur-MM-ISG. Moreover, Cur-MM-ISG showed a longer retention time on the corneal surface when compared to Cur-MMs using the fluorescein sodium labeling method. These findings indicate that biocompatible Cur-MM-ISG has great potential in ophthalmic drug therapy.

A MIL series metal‒organic framework (MOF), MIL-100(Fe), was successfully synthesized at the nanoscale and fully characterized by TEM, TGA, XRD, FTIR, DLS, and BET. A toxicological assessment was performed using two different cell lines: human normal liver cells (HL-7702) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2). In vitro cytotoxicity of MIL-100(Fe) was evaluated by the MTT assay, LDH releasing rate assay, DAPI staining, and annexin V/PI double staining assay. The safe dose of MIL-100(Fe) was 80 μg/mL. It exhibited good biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, and high cell survival rate (HL-7702 cells’ viability &gt, 85.97%, HepG2 cells’ viability &gt, 91.20%). Therefore, MIL-100(Fe) has a potential application as a drug carrier.

Developing heterogenous detection technology for Cu2+ is of great significance, which has great merits of recyclability, easy operation, and environmental friendliness. However, the construction of a solid-state sensor with fast response and high efficiency is hard to achieve. Herein, highly dispersed and water-soluble fluorescent PEI-EAS nanoparticles (PEI-EAS NPs) with a diameter of ~10 nm were firstly synthesized, which showed high-efficient and reversible detection of Cu2+ in aqueous and biological system (Hela cells). More importantly, three kinds of composites based on PEI-EAS NPs and test paper (PEI-EAS@TP), hydrogel (PEI-EAS@HG) and nanofiber film (PEI-EAS@NF) have been large-scale synthesized, achieveing the heterogeneous and reversible detection of Cu2+ in different test-environment and application area. This systematic design of outstanding solid-state Cu2+ composite probe has enlightened the development of relevant detection systems in the future.

Specifically, visually, and quantitatively monitor copper ion (Cu2+) is critical in the area of biological and environmental detection. Herein, a ratiometric fluorescent probe with benzoxazole appended xanthenes skeleton was constructed and further employed to monitor Cu2+ in Hela cells, real water samples, and test strips. An easily distinguishable colorimetric (colorless to red) and fluorescence (green to red) change could be observed by naked eye under the portable UV lamp (365 nm) and the changes could be recovered by adding S2−. Furthermore, electrospinning technique was employed to fabricate a probe composited fluorescent sensing film (PMMA) for realizing the visual and recyclable monitoring of Cu2+, indicating that the probe-composited fluorescent sensing film has great potential for on-site and naked-eye detection of Cu2+ in practical.

Sediment remediation in eutrophic aquatic ecosystems is imperative, but effective ecological measures are scarce. A pilot-scale trial investigated sediment remediation by the addition of Tubifex tubifex. The results showed that the addition of T. tubifex accelerated sediment organic matter (OM) and nitrogen (N) loss, with averages of 7.7% and 75.1% increased loss (IL) compared to treatments without T. tubifex in the 60-day experiment, respectively. The percentages of the increased in water to the IL in sediment were only 0.6%, 0.21%, 2.1% and 6.3% for NH4+-N, NOx−-N, TN and COD, respectively, at the end of the experiment. The absolute abundances of the nitrifying genes AOA and AOB; the denitrifying genes napA, nirS, nirK, cnorB and nosZ; and the anaerobic ammonia oxidation gene anammox increased 2.3- to 11.0-fold with the addition of T. tubifex. Therefore, the addition of T. tubifex is an effective strategy for sediment remediation by accelerating OM and N loss in sediment without substantially increasing the water N concentration.

Seawalls have increasingly been constructed to control the invasion of an exotic perennial grass, Spartina alterniflora , in coastal wetlands of eastern China. We investigated soil organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), available and microbial C and N, soil microbial community composition and biomass in a seawall-reclaimed S. alterniflora salt marsh compared with an adjacent natural S. alterniflora salt marsh. Seawall reclamation in S. alterniflora salt marsh significantly decreased soil salinity, moisture, litter and root biomass, and strongly decreased soil total organic C by 57% and total organic N by 59%, and also lowered soil available C and N in S. alterniflora salt marsh. Seawall reclamation significantly decreased soil microbial biomass C and the quantities of the total phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), and bacterial, fungal, gram-negative bacterial, gram-positive bacterial, saturated straight-chain, and monounsaturated PLFAs in deeper soil layers (10–30 cm). Our results suggested that seawall construction could greatly decrease soil C and N accumulation of S. alterniflora salt marsh by decreasing S. alterniflora residuals input into the soil and lowering soil salinity and moisture, which further decreased soil microbial biomass by lowering soil available C and N in S. alterniflora salt marsh. Changes in soil microbial community composition and biomass could in turn affect soil C and N accumulation in a seawall-reclaimed S. alterniflora salt marsh in eastern China.

Although seed dispersal is a key process determining the regeneration and spread of invasive plant populations, few studies have explicitly addressed the link between dispersal vector behavior and seedling recruitment to gain insight into the invasion process within an urban garden context. We evaluated the role of bird vectors in the dispersal of pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), a North American herb that is invasive in urban gardens in China. Fruiting P. americana attracted both generalist and specialist bird species that fed on and dispersed its seeds. The generalist species Pycnonotus sinensis and Urocissa erythrorhyncha were the most frequent dispersers. Seedling numbers of P. americana were strongly associated with the perching behavior of frugivorous birds. If newly recruited bird species use seedling-safe perching sites, the P. americana will regenerate faster, which would enhance its invasive potential. Based on our observations, we conclude that the 2 main bird vectors, P. sinensis and U. erythrorhyncha, provide potential effective dispersal agents for P. americana. Our results highlight the role of native birds in seed dispersal of invasive plants in urban gardens.

The construction of sea embankments is an increasingly common approach for controlling the spread of the exotic C 4 perennial grass Spartina alterniflora Loisel. in coastal wetlands of eastern China. However, the impact of sea embankment reclamation on the soil organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics in salt marshes is not fully understood. In this study, we examined the stocks of the total, labile and recalcitrant organic C and N, the recalcitrant indices of C and N, and the concentrations of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and cumulative CO 2 -C mineralization (MINC) in sea embankment-reclaimed S. alterniflora and Suaeda salsa (Linn.) Pall. salt marshes through comparisons with adjacent unreclaimed S. alterniflora and S. salsa salt marshes in a coastal wetland of eastern China. Sea embankment reclamation significantly decreased plant biomass by 55.34%, soil salinity by 81.71%, soil moisture by 43.16%, soil total organic C by 50.60% and total organic N by 49.99%, and also lowered labile and recalcitrant organic C and N, WSOC, MBC and MINC in the invasive S. alterniflora salt marsh. However, sea embankment reclamation did not significantly affect the stocks of the soil organic total C and N, recalcitrant organic C and N, and soil organic C dynamics in the native S. salsa salt marsh, possibly because the total quantity of S. salsa materials entering the soil, soil salinity, moisture and bulk density were not affected by sea embankment reclamation. Our results suggest that the impact of sea embankment reclamation on soil organic C and N pools is much more profound in S. alterniflora salt marsh than in S. salsa salt marsh. Sea embankment reclamation could greatly weaken the C and N sinks of S. alterniflora salt marsh and potentially affect C and N sinks in the coastal wetlands of eastern China.

Eutrophication in aquatic ecosystem is known to cause an intensification of primary production, with consequences for the ecosystem degradation. Various researches provided evidences about food web structure variations during eutrophication process, but there were few attempts to empirically investigate the relationship between energy availability and trophic relationships, which is an important goal with relevance for management of eutrophic lakes. As a large shallow lake, Lake Taihu has suffered long-term eutrophication. Here, the species compositions of Lake Taihu food web in three different trophic periods (oligotrophic stage, beginning of eutrophication, and developed stage of eutrophication) were conducted. Food web matrixes and Ecopath model were used to estimate the dynamic of food web structure and energy availability. The results showed that the number of trophic species, trophic links, and the length of food chain declined during the eutrophication process from 1960s to 2000s, which means food web structure of Lake Taihu was simplified even though entrophication brought sufficient nutrient into ecosystem. Meanwhile, the total transfer efficiency of food web declined from 24.1% in 1960s to 23.3% in 1990s and 21.9% in 2000s. These results suggest that long-term eutrophication altered the energy availability of food web, and then influenced the food web structure gradually.

A rhodamine-based probe for Fe3+ was prepared and confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The probe exhibited highly selective and sensitive recognition toward Fe3+ with distinct color change. Interestingly, the probe-Fe3+ complex could detect CN− according to the strong co-ordination ability of cyanide to Fe3+. The whole recognition mechanism was explored through Job's plot, MS data and theoretical calculations. Importantly, the probe was further used for detecting Fe3+ in living cells and mouse, which exhibited excellent fluorescence imaging.

Based on the study of fish lateral line sensing mechanism, integrated fluid dynamics, boundary layer theory, coupling theory and so on. To establish a neural network model similar to the fish neuromas model. After the numerical calculation and simulation analysis to simulate fish lateral line system, we can get the conclusions to apply to autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) navigation and target recognition. Provided a new method for AUV navigation and environment perception. Computer simulation results presented that based on the fish lateral line sensing mechanism to build a perception model, AUV can identify a new water condition distinguishably. This discovery can be used in navigation and positioning of AUV.

Owing to accelerating reclamation activities in the coastal wetland reserves, it is of great importance to analyze the effects of wetland reclamation on heavy metal pollution in these areas. Soil samples were collected from reclamation and natural habitats in Yancheng National Nature Reserve for Coastal Rare Birds in Jiangsu, China to investigate the effects of reclamation on the total amounts, availability, and vertical distribution of seven elemental heavy-metal pollutants. In general, the total amount and availability each element were relatively low in the two habitats and were classified as “no pollution”. Reclamation was found to significantly increase the total amount of As, Cu, and Zn as well as the pollution degrees of As, Cr, and Zn. The availability of Cu, Pb, Cd, and Cr can also be significantly affected by reclamation. Furthermore, surface-accumulation patterns of the total amounts of these heavy metals could be observed in both habitats, and the availabilities of these elements were higher in deeper soils. Reclamation also had significant impacts on the vertical distribution of Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn. It is essential to properly monitor nearby aquacultural activities, freshwater irrigation, and traffic pollution during plant harvest to alleviate the negative effects of these human activities.

Glutathione (GSH) is one of the most essential bio-thiols to maintain the redox balance of organisms which is strongly associated with many physiological processes. Detecting the concentration and mapping the distribution of GSH in the living system is significant to study many related diseases. In this work, we have successfully constructed an ICT-based model to guide the design and synthesis of GSH specific fluorescent probe CF1. A serials spectroscopy test demonstrated that the response of CF1 towards GSH owned large stokes shift (~167 nm) and an excellent linear relationship (0–120 μM, R2 = 0.9961). Furthermore, CF1 was successfully applied to image endogenous GSH in different cell lines with high sensitivity. This work is instructive for the oriented synthesis of ICT-based functional fluorescent probe and the further visualization of intracellular targets in the living system.

Drug delivery carriers with a high drug loading capacity and biocompatibility, especially for controlled drug release, are urgently needed due to the side effects and frequent dose in the traditional therapeutic method. Guided by nanomaterials, we have successfully synthesized zirconium-based metal−organic frameworks, Zr-TCPP (TCPP: tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin), namely, PCN-222, which is synthesized by solvothermal method. And it has been designed as a drug delivery system (DDS) with a high drug loading of 38.77 wt%. In our work, PCN-222 has achieved pH-sensitive drug release and showed comprehensive SEM, TEM, PXRD, DSC, FTIR, and N2 adsorption-desorption. The low cytotoxicity and good biocompatibility of PCN-222 were certificated by the in vitro results from an MTT assay, DAPI staining, and Annexin V/PI double-staining even cultivated L02 cells and HepG2 cells for 48h. Furthermore, Oridonin, a commonly used cancer chemotherapy drug, is adsorbed into PCN-222 via the solvent diffusion technique. Based on an analysis of the Oridonin release profile, results suggest that it can last for more than 7 days in vitro. And cumulative release rate of Ori at the 7 d was about 86.29% and 63.23% in PBS (pH 5.5 and pH 7.2, respectively) at 37°C. HepG2 cells were chosen to research the cytotoxicity of PCN-222@Ori and free Oridonin. The results demonstrated that the PCN-222@Ori nanocarrier shows higher cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells compared to Oridonin.

Two rhodamine B-based fluorescent probes, BOS1 and BOS2, were designed and synthesized with good yields via the condensation reactions between the o-diaminobenzene modified rhodamine core structure (RBO) and salicylaldehyde derivatives. Both the probes exhibited remarkable absorbance-on and fluorescence-on responses to Al3+ over other metal ions in ethanol–water (1 : 9, v/v) medium via the rhodamine ring-opening approach, which can be used for “naked-eye” Al3+ detection over a broad pH range (5–9). The fluorescence intensities of the probes were linear with the Al3+ ion concentration, resulting in a low limit of detection of 1.839 μM (BOS1) and 1.374 μM (BOS2) for Al3+. In addition, the MTT assays and cell imaging experiments of Al3+ in SGC-7901 living cells demonstrated that the probes had negligible cytotoxicity, and were cell permeable and suitable for sensing Al3+ in biological systems.

Sustained-release preparation is a hot spot in antitumor drug research, where the first task is to select suitable drug carriers. Research has revealed that carboxylic acid iron metal&ndash, organic frameworks (MOFs), constructed from iron (Fe) ions and terephthalic acid, are nontoxic and biocompatible. Due to the breathing effect, the skeleton of this mesoporous material is flexible and can reversibly adapt its pore size through drug adsorption. Therefore, we chose one kind of Fe-MOF, MIL-53(Fe), as a carrier for the anticancer drug oridonin (Ori). In this work, we report the design and synthesis of MIL-53(Fe) and explore its ability as a transport vehicle to deliver Ori. MIL-53(Fe) is characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. A loading capacity of 56.25 wt % was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. This carrier was safe and nontoxic (cell viability &gt, 95.27%), depending on the results of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)--2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays, lactate dehydrogenase assays, and Annexin V-fluoresce isothiocyanate/propidium iodide double-staining assays. After loading the drug, the structure of the MIL-53(Fe) was not destroyed, and Ori was amorphous in MIL-53(Fe). Based on an analysis of the Ori release profile, results suggest that it lasts for more than seven days in vitro. The cumulative release rate of Ori at the seventh day was about 82.23% and 91.75% in phosphate buffer saline solution at 37 &deg, C under pH 7.2 and pH 5.5, respectively. HepG2 cells were chosen to study the cytotoxicity of Ori@MIL-53(Fe), and the results show that the anticancer ratio of Ori@MIL-53(Fe) system reaches 90.62%. Thus, MIL-53 can be used as a carrier for anticancer drugs and Ori@MIL-53(Fe) is a promising sustained-release drug delivery system for the cancer therapy.

Emodin‑induced hepatotoxicity in vivo and in vitro has been gaining increasing attention. However, the exact molecular pathways underlying these effects remain poorly clarified. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of emodin on HepaRG cells and to define the underlying mechanism. The results demonstrated that emodin evidently inhibited HepaRG cell growth in a dose‑ and time‑dependent manner by blocking cell cycle progression in the S and G2/M phase and by inducing apoptosis. Emodin treatment also resulted in generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which abrogated mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The above effects were all suppressed by antioxidants, such as N‑acetylcysteine (NAC). Further studies by western blot analysis howed that emodin upregulated p53, p21, Bax, cyclin E, cleaved caspase‑3, 8 and 9, and cleaved poly(ADP‑ribose)polymerase (PARP). However, the protein expression of Bcl‑2, cyclin A and CDK2 was downregulated. Taken together, our results suggest that emodin induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway through cell cycle arrest and ROS generation in HepaRG cells.

Triptolide isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F., possesses anti-tumor, anti-fertility, and anti-inflammatory properties. Triptolide-induced hepatotoxicity has continued to engage the attention of researchers. However, not much is yet known about the cytotoxicity of triptolide, and the precise mechanisms involved. In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of triptolide and its underlying mechanisms, using the in vitro model (HepaRG cell). The results demonstrated that triptolide significantly reduced cell viability and induced apoptosis in HepaRG cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Triptolide treatment also provoked reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Moreover, triptolide dose-dependently increased the protein expression levels of Fas, Bax, p53, p21, cyclin E, cleaved caspase-3, 8, and 9; and subsequent cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). However, the protein expression of Bcl-2, cyclin A, and CDK 2 were significantly decreased. These results suggest that triptolide inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis via the Fas death pathway and the mitochondrial pathway.

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