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The demand for transporting coreactant to emitter and short lifetime of the radicals in electrochemiluminescence (ECL) emission inhibit greatly its application in cytosensing and microscopic imaging. Herein we designed a dual intramolecular electron transfer strategy and tertiary amine conjugated polymer dots (TEA-Pdots) to develop a coreactant-embedded ECL mechanism and microimaging system. The TEA-Pdots could produce ECL emission at +1.2 V without need of coreactant in test solution. The superstructure and intramolecular electron transfer led to unprecedented ECL strength, which was 132 and 45 times stronger than those from the mixture of Pdots with TEA at equivalent and 62.5 times higher amounts, respectively. The ECL efficiency was even higher than that of typical [Ru(bpy) 3 ] 2+ system. Therefore, this strategy and coreactant-embedded ECL system could be used for in situ ECL microimaging of membrane protein on single living cells without additional permeable treatment for transporting coreactant. The feasibility and validity were demonstrated by evaluating the specific protein expression on cell surface. This work opens new avenues for ECL applications in single cell analysis and dynamic study of biological events., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A phytochemical study was carried out on Ajuga multiflora , and obtained a novel ursane-type triterpene saponin, i.e., 3-epi-ursolic acid 3- O -palmitoyl 28- O -α-L-arabinofuranosyl ester ( 1 ), named ajugoside. Its structure and relative configuration were identified mainly by spectroscopic methods including 1D- and 2D-NMR techniques as well as HR-MS analysis. This paper described the isolation and structural elucidation of ajugoside ( 1 ) for the first time.

Background and Purpose- Previous results on the association between lipids and stroke were controversial. We investigated the association of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C ), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglyceride with stroke. Methods- Six cohort studies in China with 267 500 participants were included. Cox proportional hazards regression models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% CIs and explore linear and nonlinear relationships of lipids and stroke, respectively. Results- The median follow-up duration ranged from 6 to 19 years. During 2 295 881 person-years, 8072 people developed stroke. Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (95% CIs) per 1 mmol/L increase in TC, LDL-C, triglyceride were 1.08 (1.05-1.11), 1.08 (1.04-1.11), 1.07 (1.05-1.09) for ischemic stroke, respectively. Compared with participants with TC 160-199.9 mg/dL, hazard ratios (95% CIs) were 1.43 (1.11-1.85) for hemorrhagic stroke in those with TC <120 mg/dL. Compared with participants with HDL-C 50 to 59.9 mg/dL, hazard ratios (95% CIs) were 1.23 (1.12-1.35), 1.13 (1.04-1.22) for ischemic stroke, and 1.28 (1.10-1.49), 1.17 (1.03-1.33) for hemorrhagic stroke in those with HDL-C <40 and 40 to 49.9 mg/dL, respectively. Restricted cubic spline analyses showed linear relationships of TC and LDL-C, and nonlinear relationships of HDL-C and triglyceride with ischemic stroke (all P <0.001). Hemorrhagic stroke showed linear relationships with TC and HDL-C ( P =0.029 and <0.001 respectively), but no relationship with LDL-C and triglyceride (all P >0.05). Conclusions- TC, LDL-C, and triglyceride showed positive associations with ischemic stroke. The risk of hemorrhagic stroke was higher when TC was lower than 120 mg/dL. LDL-C and triglyceride showed no association with hemorrhagic stroke. The risks of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke might be higher when HDL-C was lower than 50 mg/dL.

Purpose: The clinical and imaging characteristics of fibromas of the tendon sheath (FTS) closely resemble those of giant cell tumors of the tendon sheath (GCTTS). We aimed to study MRI features of FTS and GCTTS to distinguish the two entities and improve their differential diagnosis., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 18 patients (9 men, 9 women; age, 17-62 years) and 24 patients (13 men, 11 women; age, 15-67 years) treated between May 2011 and May 2016, with histologically confirmed FTS and GCTTS, respectively. Specific MRI features of the two groups were compared using the independent sample t tests and chi-square tests., Results: FTS exhibited round or oval shapes. Proton-weighted images (PDWI) showed heterogeneous hypointensity that appeared striped or disordered and was located in the lesion center. Enhanced scans demonstrated asymmetrical signal in the foci. GCTTS mostly exhibited a lobulated or casting mold pattern, with a hypointense ring on PDWI. The hypointense components appeared granular/flaky or separated, sometimes behaving as a uniform signal on PDWI. Significant differences in the following features were observed between the two groups: lesion morphology (p < 0.001); imaging features on PDWI, including whether the signal is homogeneous (p < 0.001); the presence of a hypointense ring (p = 0.006); the location and morphology of hypointensity (p < 0.001); bone absorption (p = 0.008); enhancing pattern (p = 0.008); and whether the tumor crossed the joint (p = 0.026)., Conclusions: FTS and GCTTS demonstrate distinctive MRI features, which can be used for differential diagnosis with sensitivities, specificities, and diagnostic accuracies of 83-100%, 29-79%, and 60-89%, respectively., Key Points: • Fibromas and giant cell tumors of the tendon sheath have distinct features on MRI, including differences in lesion morphology and intensity patterns, which can be used for differential diagnosis. • Among other signs, GCTTS are more uniform than FTS, and FTS have a striped or disordered pattern. • Tumors were classified with 90% accuracy into either FTS or GCTTS based on a combination of two features: homogenous signal and hypointensity shape on PDWI.

Aralia echinocaulis is used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by Tujia Minority in China. A previous study demonstrated that A. echinocaulis had a significant anti-arthritic effect on adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats in vivo. However, it remains unclear whether A. echinocaulis can induce the apoptosis of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) from AA rats and the underlying mechanism is unknown. In this paper, CCK-8 assay, Hoechst staining and flow cytometry were used to evaluate the apoptotic effect of an A. echinocaulis ethanol extract (AEE) on AA FLS. Western blotting analysis was performed to measure the protein expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, cleaved caspase-3, Akt, p-Akt, and Hif-1α. The results revealed that AEE could inhibit FLS proliferation in a dose and time-dependent manner. After treatment with AEE, AA FLS displayed the classical apoptotic morphology, and the apoptosis rates were significantly increased. Furthermore, we found that AEE increased the protein levels of Bax, cleaved caspase 3, and decreased the protein levels of Bcl-2, Hif-1α and p-Akt, without affecting total Akt levels. Collectively, these results suggested that the apoptosis inducing effect of AEE on AA FLS was related to the regulation of the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and the inhibition of the Akt/Hif-1α signaling pathway., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Two perylene diimide (PDI) enantiomers (d/l-PDI) incorporating the d/l-alanine moiety have been designed and synthesized. d/l-PDI in chloroform displays bright-yellow fluorescence that is redshifted to orange-red when the solvent contains a methanol fraction of 99 vol %. No circular dichroism (CD) or circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) signals were observed for d/l-PDI enantiomers in CHCl3 . Interestingly, the d/l-PDI enantiomers exhibit clear mirror-image Cotton effects and CPL emission in the aggregate state. The optical anisotropy factor (glum ) is as high as 0.02 at fm =99 %, which can be attributed to self-assembly through intermolecular π-π interactions in the aggregate state., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Peperotetraphin (methyl rel-(1R,2S,3S)-2,3-bis(7-methoxy-1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl) cyclobutanecarboxylate) was a novel cyclobutane-type norlignan, which was isolated from the whole plant of Peperomia tetraphylla. In this study, we explored its anti-tumor effect and the molecular mechanism in human prostate cancer PC-3 cell lines. Firstly, cell viability was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit (CCK-8) assay. The PC-3 cells were treated with increasing concentrations of peperotetraphin for 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively. The results showed that peperotetraphin inhibited the growth of PC-3 cell in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Next, the cell cycle distributions were analyzed by flow cytometric analysis (FCM), and the data suggested that peperotetraphin could significantly induce cell cycle arrested at the G1-S phase transition. Then, the cell apoptosis was detected by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and annexin V-FITC/PI dual staining analysis, the data confirmed apoptosis-inducing activity of peperotetraphin and the apoptosis rates increased from 3.9 to 32.3 % when treated with increasing concentrations of peperotetraphin from 0 to 50 µM. The expression levels of apoptosis-regulating protein caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2 were also analyzed by Western blot analysis. The results showed that the expression levels of Bax and the activity of caspase-3 were upregulated, whereas the expression levels of Bcl-2 were downregulated compared with those of the control. These findings demonstrated that peperotetraphin exhibited effective cell growth inhibition by inducing cancer to undergo G1 phase arrest and apoptosis. The results suggested that peperotetraphin might have potential as chemoprevention or anti-tumor agent to prostatic cancer.

Sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. OMICS and systems pharmacology approaches offer the promise of new therapeutic candidates for the treatment of patients with sepsis. Qin-Re-Jie-Du (QRJD) and Liang-Xue-Huo-Xue (LXHX) are two traditional Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) formulas with putative effects in sepsis treatment. The present study aimed to assess their efficacy in an experimental model of sepsis in rats (cecal ligation and punctures) and investigate their mechanism of action using a 1H-NMR metabolomics approach. Rats were randomly divided into four groups (i.e., model group, sham control group, and two CHM treatment groups). Water extracts of QRJD and LXHX were orally administered to the two CHM treatment groups at a dose of 24 g/kg of body weight, once daily for 3 consecutive days. The same volume of 0.9% saline solution was orally administered to the model and sham surgery groups. Plasma samples were collected and measured using 600 MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy. As a result, 18 potential metabolite biomarkers involved in multiple metabolic pathways, including increased energy metabolism, fat mobilization, and disrupted amino acid metabolism, were identified in septic rats. The principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant (PLS-DA) plots of the metabolic state correlated well with the mortality and clinical biochemistry results. An analysis of potential biomarkers verified the holistic effects of the two CHM formulas. The Cori cycle was positively regulated in the QRJD-treated formulas treatment group but also inhibited in the LXHX-treated group, which demonstrates the different efficacies of these solutions in septic rats.

Objective: To investigate the chemical constituents of Excoecaria acerifclia and their antitumor activities., Method: The constituents were isolated and purified by column chromatography. Their structures were identified by their physicochemical properties and spectral features. Cytotoxicities of the purified compounds were evaluated by MTI method against human cancer cell lines HepG2., Result: Eight compounds were isolated and identified as: 7-hydroxy-6-methoxy-coumarin (1), 8-hydroxy-6,7-methoxy-coumarin (2), kaempferol (3), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucoside (4), quercetin-3-O-beta-D galactoside (5), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucoside-2"-gallate (6), beta-sitosterol (7), daucosterol (8)., Conclusion: All compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. Compounds 5 showed inhibitory activity towards HepG2 with IC50 values of 7.13 mol x L(-1).

Objective: To investigate the chemical constituents of Peperomia tetraphylla., Method: The constituents of EtOAc-soluble portion were isolated and purified by chromatography. Their structures were identified by spectral features., Result: Six amides were isolated and identified as, aristololactam All (1), aristololactam B II (2), N-trans-feruloyltyramine (3), N-trans-sinapoyltyramine (4), N-trans-feruloylmethoxytyramine (5), N-p-coumaroyltyramine (6)., Conclusion: All compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time.