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Background: It is well known that the prognosis of cancer patients after tumor resection is closely related to the patient's autoimmune ability and nutritional status. A large number of studies have shown that the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and Onodera's prognostic nutritional index (OPNI) are significantly correlated with the prognosis of various tumors. In this study, we analyzed the prognostic value of NLR, PLR and OPNI for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for the first time.Patients and Methods: Data of hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing hepatectomy in Changzhi People’s Hospital (Changzhi, China) from 2011 to 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 286 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were included in the analysis. The Optimum cut-off values of OPNI, NLR and PLR were determined by using the X-tile program. The overall survival (OS) was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method and verified by log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was performed using Cox Proportional Hazard Regression model to determine independent prognostic indicators for HCC.Results: Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that OPNI (pConclusions: OPNI can be used as a simple and effective independent prognostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Many clinical studies have demonstrated that the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and Onodera's prognostic nutritional index (OPNI) are visibly involved in the prognosis of a variety of tumors. In our research, we aim to determin the prognostic impact of NLR, PLR, and OPNI for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Data of hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing treatment in Changzhi People's Hospital between 2011 and 2017 were reviewed. 270 patients with HCC were under inclusion criteria. The optimal cut-off points of OPNI, NLR and PLR were determined by using the X-tile program. The overall survival (OS) was analyzed by Kaplan–Meier method. Multivariate analysis was performed using Cox Proportional Hazard Regression model to determine independent prognostic indicators for HCC. As revealed by Univariate and multivariate analysis, OPNI, Treatment, PLR, and BCLC Stage can be used as independent prognostic indicators for HCC. Comparing the P values and hazard ratios, we found out that the OPNI has greatest influence on prognosis in these indexes. The appropriate cut-off points of NLR, PLR, and OPNI were 2.5, 133.3, and 39.5, respectively. High score OPNI group had a better OS. In the analysis between OPNI and clinicopathological characteristics, there were differences in treatment, postoperative therapy, AST, ALBI grade, NLR and PLR between the high OPNI group and the low OPNI group, while others did not. OPNI is a straightforward and effective independent prognostic indicator for HCC.

A facile and robust one-pot approach to prepare a theranostic nanoplatform, based on chelation between Gd3+ and hypericin photosensitizer (PS) and their controlled in situ hydrolysis precipitation, was developed. In this strategy, PS drugs and Gd3+ were directly used as building blocks to construct theranostic nanoparticles, resulting in a greatly increased active substance-loading efficiency and ensuring their theranostic effect. The resulting nanoparticles have multifunction capabilities for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging and anticancer activity through adenosine triphosphate (ATP) deprivation and heavy atom effect (HAE)-improved photodynamic therapy (PDT) mechanisms.

In this article, the UV–vis absorption, steady state/time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy and synchronous fluorescence, circular dichrosim (CD) spectroscopy are used to investigate the interaction of artemisinin (QHS) and 9-hydroxy-artemisinin (9-OH QHS) with BHb, respectively. The UV–vis studies present that QHS and 9-OH QHS can disturb the structure of bovine hemoglobin (BHb). Fluorescence data presents that the binding constant of QHS and 9-OH QHS with BHb complex at 298 K is 4.32×105 and 5.98×105 M−1. CD spectra indicate QHS and 9-OH QHS can change the conformation of BHb. The comparison results suggest that the binding of BHb with 9-OH QHS is more stable and stronger than QHS, which means the structure modification of 9-OH QHS is meaningful.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is characterized by immature dendritic spine architectures and cognitive impairment. 7, 8-Dihydroxyflavone (7, 8-DHF) has recently been identified as a high affinity tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) agonist. The purpose of this paper was to examine the utility of 7, 8-DHF as an effective pharmacotherapeutic agent that targets dendritic pathology and cognitive impairments in FXS mutant. We synthesized pharmacologic, behavioral, and biochemical approaches to examine the effects of 7, 8-DHF on spatial and fear memory functions, and morphological spine abnormalities in fragile X mental retardation 1 (Fmr1) gene knock-out mice. The study found that 4 weeks of treatment with 7, 8-DHF improved spatial and fear memory, and ameliorated morphological spine abnormalities including the number and elongation of spines in the hippocampus and amygdala. Further mechanism analysis revealed that 7, 8-DHF enhanced the expression of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) GluA1 receptor, but reduced the normal levels of GluA2 at the synapses in Fmr1. Potentially related to drug-induced changes in AMPA receptor subunits, 7, 8-DHF at the synapses led to phosphorylation of specific serine sites on subunits Ser818 and Ser813 of GluA1, and Ser880 of GluA2, as well as phosphorylation of TrkB, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, and protein kinase C. However, 7, 8-DHF neither affected behavioral performance nor increased TrkB phosphorylation in WT mice, which suggested that it had FXS-specific correcting effect. Altogether, these results demonstrated that 7, 8-DHF improved learning and memory, and reduced abnormalities in spine morphology, thus providing a potential pharmacotherapeutic strategy for FXS.

The interaction of UCPs with CT DNA are studied in detail by zeta potential, Energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis, DNA melting determination and various spectroscopic techniques including Ultraviolet–Visible (UV–Vis) absorption, fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. The results indicate that CT DNA can assemble on the surface of UCPs mainly by relative stronger hydrophobic force and electrostatic binding, and the predominant interaction site is the deoxyribosyl phosphate backbone of CT DNA. Moreover, after interacting with UCPs, the double helix structure of DNA is undamaged.