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Synthesis of three-dimensional flower-like BiFeO 3 and its removal of methylene blue (MB) by sonocatalysis. [Display omitted] • Sonocatalytic activity of BiFeO 3 was effectively enhanced by morphology control. • Sonocatalytic degradation ratio of MB reached 94.24 ± 1.98 % using BiFeO 3. • BiFeO 3 showed good application potential in environmental remediation. In this paper, three-dimensional flower-like BiFeO 3 was prepared by hydrothermal method by controlling the synthesis temperature and the concentration of precursor and adjusting the morphology of BiFeO 3. When the synthesis temperature was 433 K and the precursor concentration was 0.20 mol/L, the prepared BiFeO 3 -0.20 had the best sonocatalytic performance. Under the optimal conditions of catalyst dosage of 0.67 g/L, methylene blue (MB) initial concentration of 5 mg/L, MB solution initial pH of 7, ultrasonic power of 500 W and ultrasonic time of 120 min, the maximum removal rate of MB by BiFeO 3 -0.20 as a sonocatalyst could reach 94.24 ± 1.98 %. The prepared BiFeO 3 had excellent reusability and good stability. Moreover, the possible degradation pathways of MB were suggested according to the results of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and ion chromatography. The results indicated that morphology control was an effective method to improve the sonocatalytic performance of catalysts. It is hoped that the research results can provide an effective reference for the development of efficient sonocatalysts and the practical application of sonocatalysis technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to compare the long-term outcome of endotherapy versus a combination of splenectomy and devascularization for variceal bleeding in patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis (HBRC).Materials and Methods: A total of 1074 patients with HBRC and acute variceal bleeding (AVB) treated with endotherapy and 248 patients with HBRC treated with a combination of splenectomy and devascularization surgery were included in the analysis. After one-to-one propensity score matching, 151 paired patients were selected. The primary end-point was death. The secondary outcomes were 3-year survival, 5-year survival, and rebleeding. Complications were recorded.Results: The median follow-up time was 1165 days in the endoscopic group and 1709 days in the surgical group. Before matching, the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates were significantly lower in the endoscopic group than in the surgical group (91.1 vs 96.3%, P = 0.017; 79.6 vs 91.6%, P = 0.001; 65.2 vs 81.3%, P = 0.001). After matching, no significant differences were found between groups (94.5 vs 95.2%, P = 0.767; 87.0 vs 88.9%, P = 0.635; 77.9 vs 77.9%, P = 0.905). The rebleeding rate was lower in the surgical group than in the endoscopic group; the rebleeding-free survival rate was similar in the two groups. No patient died of complications. No statistically significant difference was observed in complications between groups.Conclusions: Both endotherapy and a combination of splenectomy and devascularization are good choices for patients with AVB. The rebleeding rate was lower after the surgical procedure, but the long-term prognosis was similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study is aimed at evaluating the survival of cirrhotic patients with different etiologies after endoscopic therapy for acute variceal bleeding and the effect of repeated endotherapy on patients' prognosis. Methods. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical features and outcomes between cirrhotic patients with chronic HBV or HCV infections and other etiologies. The 3-year and 5-year survival rates and rehemorrhage rate in one year between the viral and nonviral cirrhosis patients were compared by Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank test. Cox analysis was used to identify the impact factors that affect the long-term survival of patients with cirrhosis and variceal bleeding after endotherapy. Results. Out of 2665 patients with liver cirrhosis and variceal hemorrhage selected from our medical center between September 2008 and December 2017, a total of 1342 patients were included for analysis. The median follow-up duration was 32.9 months (range 0.16-111.4 months), the 3- and 5-year cumulative survival rates were 75.3% and 52.8%, respectively. The median survival time was significantly longer in viral cirrhosis patients (47.1 months [95% CI: 24.9-69.1]) compared with nonviral cirrhosis patients (37.0 months [95% CI: 25.0-56.0], p = 0.001). The 3-year and 5-year survival rates of the viral group were higher than the nonviral group. The rehemorrhage rate at one year was higher in nonviral patients than in viral patients (p < 0.001). Conclusion. Repeated endotherapy combined with effective antiviral therapy is helpful for long-term survival of cirrhotic population with variceal hemorrhage and HBV or HCV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The association between bone mineral density (BMD) and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) has been investigated by multiple studies, but the conclusions are controversial. This meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate whether the bone mineral density is associated with BPPV. Methods: The relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, Web of Science database up to June 2018. Statas14.0 software was used for meta-analysis. We used the pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) to assess the incidence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in patients with BPPV and controls (free of BPPV disease). The standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to assess the T score in BPPV patients and controls. This meta-analysis has been registered at International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (number CRD42018082271). Results: A total of 11 studies were eligible for meta-analysis, including 1982 subjects. When compared with the controls, the total incidence of osteoporosis and osteopenia was significantly higher in BPPV patients (OR 3.27, 95% CI 2.66–4.03, p < 0.0001). Further analysis was conducted by separate discussion about the incidence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in BPPV patients, the result of which shows that both the incidence of osteoporosis (OR 3.48, 95% CI 1.86–6.51, p < 0.0001) and the incidence of osteopenia (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.01–3.04, p < 0.0001) were higher in BPPV patients than that in controls. There was an significant reduction in T scores of BPPV patients (SMD − 0.82, 95% CI −1.18 to − 0.46, p < 0.0001). Publication bias for each analysis was evaluated by Egger's test and Begg's indicating that no publication bias existed. Sensitivity analysis was conducted for each analysis demonstrating that the results were robust. Conclusions: Our meta-analysis provided stronger evidence that patients with BPPV were associated with a lower T score and a higher risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia. The results demonstrated that lower bone mineral density may be a risk factor for BPPV. However, large-scare, multicenter clinical studies need to be carried out to explore the precise risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia in patients with BPPV in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper, brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) was selected as a sonosensitizer. The sonodynamic damage to human serum albumin (HSA) in the presence of BCB and the mechanism were studied by means of fluorescence and absorption spectra. Firstly, BCB could quench the intrinsic fluorescence of HSA obviously and the quenching mechanism was static quenching due to the formation of HSA-BCB complex. The results of the displacement experiments and the molecular modeling suggested that the binding site of BCB on HSA was site I, and hydrophobic forces and hydrogen bonds played major roles in the interaction between HSA and BCB. Secondly, the damage of HSA induced by the combined effects of ultrasonic irradiation and BCB was more efficient than that only BCB or ultrasound irradiation, which confirmed that BCB had sonodynamic activity. The damage degree of HSA was positively correlated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced in the system, which indicated that ultrasound could activate BCB to produce ROS, and the kinds of ROS produced by the combined effects of ultrasonic irradiation and BCB were mainly hydroxyl free radical, singlet oxygen and superoxide anion radical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploitation of a dual-signal amplificatory electrochemical DNA biosensor was provided in this article, which can be used to detect Hg(II). One of the signal amplification units is nanocomposite modified electrode and the other is DNA-functionalized Au nanoparticle (DFNP), which include two types of DNA - a hairpin probe DNA with biotin at the 3′ terminal and thiol at the 5′ terminal, and a linear signal DNA with methylene blue (MB)-labeled. Because of the Hg(II) mediated thymine-Hg(II)-thymine (T-Hg(II)-T) structure, when Hg(II) appears, the T-Hg(II)-T that existed between the probe DNA (PD) and helper DNA (HD) can open the hairpin structure of PD and make biotin to be capable of being recognized by avidin, which results in DFNP being brought onto an electrode surface. However, without Hg(II), the distinction between biotin and avidin would not be found. Under optimum conditions, the resultant biosensor brought out a high sensitivity and selectivity for the determination of Hg(II). It has wide linearity from 0.35 pM to 3500 pM ( R  = 0.9981), and the lower limit of detection is 0.21 pM (S/N = 3). Moreover, the proposed biosensor has been used to its advantage in the test of Hg(II), which was carried out in an environmental water specimen with satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the single and simultaneous interactions of theophylline and flavonoids with human serum albumin (HSA) were studied by multi-spectroscopic and molecular docking approaches. The influences of flavonoids on the binding constant ( K b ) and the binding distance ( r ) of theophylline bind to HSA were determined and the changes of HSA conformation caused by the synergies of theophylline and flavonoids were investigated. Because theophylline, rutin and baicalin are all bond to the same binding site, the competitive bind of theophylline and flavonoids to HSA leads to the reduction of the K a value of theophylline binding to HSA. The addition of rutin and baicalin can increase the value of r of theophylline binding to HSA, which further confirm the existence of the competitive bind of theophylline and flavonoids to HSA. Additionally, the results of synchronous fluorescence, three-dimensional fluorescence and circular dichroism spectra indicate that the presence of rutin and baicalin can give rise to the further changes of HSA conformation. These results suggest that the intake of flavonoid-rich food and beverages can increase the serum concentrations of theophylline and induce a high incidence of toxic symptom in clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bi 2 WO 6 was prepared by the hydrothermal method and its sonocatalytic activity was studied in the degradation of methyl orange (MO) solutions. The effects of catalytic activity of Bi 2 WO 6 on dye were inspected by the change in absorbance of dye with UV–vis spectrometer. The influences of operational parameters such as the addition amount of Bi 2 WO 6 , pH, the initial concentration of dyes, ultrasonic power and irradiation time on the degradation ratio were investigated. In addition, the obtained results indicated that the kinetics of sonochemical reactions of MO were consistent with the pseudo first-order kinetics and Bi 2 WO 6 had excellent reusability and stability during the sonochemical degradation processes. The generation and kinds of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their influence on the sonochemical degradation of MO were determined by the methods of oxidation–extraction spectrophotometry and ROS scavengers. The results indicate that the degradation of MO in the presence of Bi 2 WO 6 under ultrasonic irradiation is related to the generation of ROS, in which both singlet molecular oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) and hydroxyl radical ( OH) play important roles in the sonochemical degradation of MO. These experimental results provide a sound foundation for the further development of Bi 2 WO 6 as a sonocatalyst in wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescence, absorption, time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC), and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic techniques as well as molecular modeling methods were used to study the binding characterization of promethazine (PMT) to human serum albumin (HSA) and the influence of flavonoids, rutin and baicalin, on their affinity. The results indicated that the fluorescence quenching mechanism of HSA by PMT is a static quenching due to the formation of complex. The reaction was spontaneous and mainly mediated by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. The binding distance between the tryptophan residue of HSA and PMT is less than 8 nm, which indicated that the energy transfer from the tryptophan residue of HSA to PMT occurred. The binding site of PMT on HSA was located in sites I and the presence of PMT can cause the conformational changes of HSA. There was the competitive binding to HSA between PMT and flavonoids because of the overlap of binding sites in HSA. The flavonoids could decrease the association constant and increase the binding distance. In addition, their synergistic effect can further change the conformation of HSA. The decrease in the affinities of PMT binding to HSA in the presence of flavonoids may lead to the increase of free drug in blood, which would affect the transportation or disposition of drug and evoke an adverse or toxic effect. Hence, rationalising dosage and diet regimens should be taken into account in clinical application of PMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and eosine B (EB) were selected as a model protein and sonosensitizer, respectively. The sonodynamic damage to protein in the presence of EB and its mechanism were studied by means of absorption and fluorescence spectra. The results indicated that the synergistic effects of ultrasound and EB can efficiently damage the BSA molecules, and the damage of protein could be mainly due to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The damage degree of protein increased with the increase of ultrasonic time and EB concentration because of the increased quantities of ROS. Hydroxyl free radical ( OH) was the major mediators of the ultrasound-inducing proteins damage in the presence of EB. In addition, the quantities of ROS from the diphenylcarbazide (DPCI)–EB solutions and the DPCI–fluorescein (FS) solutions with or without ROS scavengers were contrasted, respectively. The results show that FS mainly produce OH, but the quantities of ROS in the presence of FS were lower than those of EB, which indicates that the nitro and bromine substituent groups on the benzene ring of FS increase the quantity of ROS, but do not change the kinds of ROS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sonodynamic damage to protein in the presence of methylene blue (MB) and the various influencing factors including ultrasonic irradiation time and MB concentration on the damage of protein were studied by fluorescence and absorption spectra. In addition, the mechanisms of the synergistic effects of ultrasound and MB were studied by oxidation–extraction photometry with several reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers. The results indicated that the damage of protein induced by the synergistic effects of ultrasound and MB were more serious than those that ultrasound or MB alone was applied. The damage of protein could be mainly due to the generation of ROS. The damage degree of protein increased with the increase of ultrasonic irradiation time and MB concentration because of the increased quantities of ROS generation. Both 1 O 2 and OH were the important mediators of the ultrasound-inducing protein damage in the presence of MB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Synthesis pH had great influence on morphology and catalytic performance of CaMoO 4. • CaMoO 4 -7 had excellent sonocatalytic performance to the removal of Acid Orange 7. • CaMoO 4 -7 had good stability and reusability during the degradation process. Herein, a series of CaMoO 4 microspheres were prepared at different pH values by the hydrothermal method. The sonocatalytic performances of the prepared CaMoO 4 microspheres were estimated by the removal of Acid Orange 7 (AO7) as a model of organic pollutants. The results showed that the synthesis pH had a great influence on the morphology and the sonocatalytic performance of CaMoO 4. The CaMoO 4 microspheres prepared at pH = 7 (CaMoO 4 -7) exhibited superior sonocatalytic performance. The removal ratio of AO7 using CaMoO 4 -7 as a sonocatalyst was 97.02 ± 0.65%. The sonocatalytic removal of AO7 in the presence of CaMoO 4 -7 was mainly attributed to the generation of hydroxyl radical (•OH), superoxide anion radical (•O 2 −) and holes (h +). The optimized operational conditions, such as CaMoO 4 -7 dose, initial concentration of AO7, initial pH of AO7, ultrasonic power and ultrasonic time were 1.0 g/L, 5 mg/L, pH = 5, 200 W and 120 min, respectively. In addition, CaMoO 4 -7 had excellent reusability and stability in the sonocatalytic removal process. These results indicated that CaMoO 4 -7 had the potential as the sonocatalyst to apply in the environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between dioxopromethazine hydrochloride (DPZ) and human serum albumin (HSA), in vitro, was investigated by means of fluorescence, absorption and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The results obtained from analysis of the fluorescence spectra indicate that DPZ has a strong ability to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of HSA through a static quenching mechanism. The HSA-DPZ binding distance was determined to be less than 7 nm, suggesting that energy transfer from HSA to DPZ may occur. The thermodynamic parameters of the interaction between DPZ and HSA were measured according to the van't Hoff equation. The negative enthalpy change (Δ H) and positive entropy change (Δ S) values indicate that hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions play major roles in the binding between DPZ and HSA. The binding process was a favorable process in which the Gibbs energy change (Δ G) is negative. The results of displacement experiments suggested that DPZ is located in site I of HSA within subdomain IIA. In addition, the results of absorption, synchronous fluorescence and CD spectra show that binding of DPZ with HSA can induce conformational changes in HSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean isoflavone ( SIF) has been demonstrated to have neuroprotective effects induced by β-amyloid peptides ( Aβ) through suppressing oxidative stress; however, the explicit mechanisms still remain uncovered. In the present study, 32 Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: an Aβ1-42-treated group, a SIF + Aβ1-42 group, a SIF-treated group and a control group. We measured the protein content of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8- Ohd G) and m RNA expression of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase ( OGG1). The protein expression of OGG1, Bcl-xl, Bad, beta subunit of ATP synthase ( ATPB) and pyruvate dehydrogenase ( PDH) in brain was also measured. The results showed that the level of 8- OHd G in both SIF groups was significantly decreased compared to the Aβ1-42-treated group ( p < 0.05), while the m RNA and protein expression of OGG1 in the SIF + Aβ1-42 groups were up-regulated compared with the Aβ1-42-treated groups ( p < 0.05). The expression of Bcl-xl was up-regulated in the SIF-treated group compared with the Aβ1-42-treated groups ( p < 0.05), while the expression of Bad was down-regulated in the two SIF-treated groups ( p < 0.05). Aβ1-42 significantly down-regulated the expression of ATPase and PDH proteins compared with the control group ( p < 0.05). SIF reversed the down-regulation effects on the mitochondrial energy metabolic enzymes induced by Aβ1-42 ( p < 0.05) in the rats. These results suggest that SIF alleviate the oxidative stress in neurons and mitochondria of rat brains mediated by Aβ1-42, and these protective effects might be associated with the regulation of OGG1, Bad, Bcl-xl, ATPB and PDH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, the bovine serum albumin (BSA) was selected as a target molecule, the sonodynamic damage to protein in the presence of promethazine hydrochloride (PMT) and its mechanism were studied by the means of absorption, fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectra. The results of hyperchromic effect of absorption spectra and quenching of intrinsic fluorescence spectra indicate that the ultrasound-induced BSA molecules damage is enhanced by PMT. The damage degree of BSA molecules increases with the increase of ultrasonic irradiation time and PMT concentration. The results of synchronous fluorescence, three-dimensional fluorescence and CD spectra confirmed that the synergistic effects of ultrasound and PMT induced the damage of BSA molecules. The results of oxidation–extraction photometry with several reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers indicate that the damage of BSA molecules could be mainly due to the generation of ROS and both 1O2 and e important mediators of the ultrasound-induced BSA molecules damage in the presence of PMT. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The bovine serum albumin (BSA) was selected as a target molecule, the sonodynamic damage to protein in the presence of dioxopromethazine hydrochloride (DPZ) and its mechanism were studied by means of absorption and fluorescence spectra. The results of hyperchromic effect of absorption spectra and quenching of intrinsic fluorescence spectra indicated that the synergistic effects of ultrasound and DPZ could induce the damage of BSA molecules. The damage degree of BSA molecules increased with the increase of ultrasonic irradiation time and DPZ concentration. The results of synchronous fluorescence and three-dimensional fluorescence spectra further confirmed that the synergistic effects of ultrasound and DPZ induced the damage of BSA molecules. The results of oxidation-extraction photometry with several reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers indicated that the damage of BSA molecules could be mainly due to the generation of ROS, in which both O and ·OH were the important mediators of the ultrasound-inducing BSA molecules damage in the presence of DPZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Ag 2 O/MgWO 4 p-n heterojunction sonocatalyst was fabricated. • Sonocatalytic activity of MgWO 4 was enhanced by the composite fabrication. • The composite showed good application potential in environmental remediation. The Ag 2 O/MgWO 4 p-n heterojunction was fabricated and characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM, TG and DRS. Its sonocatalytic activity was evaluated by the sonocatalytic decomposition of Rhodamine B (RhB). The composite showed superior sonocatalytic activity than MgWO 4 because the generated e −- h + pairs could be separated effectively by the formation of p-n heterojunction. The Ag 2 O/MgWO 4 composite had excellent reusability and stability, and displayed the potential for application in environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two novel water-soluble pyrazolo[1,5- a pyrimidine derivatives were synthesized. • Antibacterial activity of CMPS and NCPS both increased with concentrations. • Binding characterizations of CMPS and NCPS to plasma protein were investigated. Two novel water-soluble pyrazolo[1,5- a pyrimidine derivatives, 5-chloro-7-(4-methyl-piperazin −1-yl)-pyrazolo[1,5- a pyrimidine (CMPS) and N′-(5-chloro-pyrazolo[1,5- a pyrimidin-7-yl)-N, N -dimethyl -propane-1,3-diamine (NCPS), were synthesized and characterized with antibacterial activity. Then, the interactions of these compounds with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were studied by fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and molecular docking. The results indicate that both CMPS and NCPS could effectively quench the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA via a static quenching process. The energy transfer from BSA to CMPS and NCPS may occur with high probability. Both CMPS and NCPS bind in the site I of BSA. The hydrophobic force and hydrogen bonds play major roles in the complex formation. Binding constants for both systems show that the affinity of CMPS binding to BSA is stronger than that of NCPS. The results of three-dimensional fluorescence and CD spectra reveal that the binding of CMPS and NCPS to BSA can induce conformational changes of BSA, and the influence of CMPS is slightly stronger than that of NCPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Bacillus sp. 6256 is a good biocontrol agent against Botrytis cinerea which caused tomato gray mold disease. Strain 6256 was identified as B. amyloliquefaciens by analysis of its partial gyrB gene sequence. To identify and characterize the antimycotic peptides from the culture broth of the bacterium, the antimicrobial substances produced by B. amyloliquefaciens 6256 were isolated by ammonium sulfate precipitation, Superdex 200 gel filtration chromatography and DEAE anion exchange chromatography. The purified compound was designated as P657. The biological activity of P657 was stable at as high as 100 °C for 20 min and in pH value ranged from 5 to 10. The antimycotic compound was resistant to trypsin and proteinase K, and could completely inhibit spore germination of Botrytis cinerea in vitro. MALDI-TOF-MS analysis results showed the presence of fengycins A (C 16 –C 17) and fengycins B (C 15 –C 17) isoforms in P657. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • B. amyloliquefaciens 6256 strongly inhibited the mycelia growth of Botrytis cinerea in vivo and in vitro. • The antimicrobial compounds were purified by gel filtration chromatography and DEAE anion exchange chromatography. • The biocontrol mechanism of 6256 was attributed to the production of fengycins A and fengycins B isoforms. • The purified peptide was thermostable, pH-stable and tolerant to trypsin and proteinase K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel “off-On” electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor has been developed for the detection of mercury(II) based on molecular recognition technology. The ECL mercury(II) biosensor comprises two main parts: an ECL substrate and an ECL intensity switch. The ECL substrate was made by modifying the complex of Ruthenium(II) tris-(bipyridine)(Ru(bpy) 3 2+ )/Cyclodextrins-Au nanoparticles(CD-AuNps)/Nafion on the surface of glass carbon electrode (GCE), and the ECL intensity switch is the single hairpin DNA probe designed according to the “molecular recognition” strategy which was functionalized with ferrocene tag at one end and attached to Cyclodextrins (CD) on modified GCE through supramolecular noncovalent interaction. We demonstrated that, in the absence of Hg(II) ion, the probe keeps single hairpin structure and resulted in a quenching of ECL of Ru(bpy) 3 2+ . Whereas, in the presence of Hg(II) ion, the probe prefers to form the T-Hg(II)-T complex and lead to an obvious recovery of ECL of Ru(bpy) 3 2+ , which provided a sensing platform for the detection of Hg(II) ion. Using this sensing platform, a simple, rapid and selective “off-On” ECL biosensor for the detection of mercury(II) with a detection limit of 0.1 nM has been developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nifedipine (NDP) is used extensively for the clinical treatment of a number of cardiovascular diseases. Herein, the interaction between human serum albumin (HSA) and NDP and the influence of flavonoids, rutin and baicalin, on their binding properties were investigated in vitro by means of fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy. The fluorescence of HSA was quenched remarkably by NDP and the quenching mechanism was considered as static quenching by forming a complex. The results of thermodynamic parameters indicate that both hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions play the main role in the binding process and the binding process was spontaneous. The binding distance between the amino acid residue of HSA and NDP is 2.608 nm, which indicates that the energy transfer from HSA to NDP can occur with high probability. The decreased association constants and the increased binding distance of NDP binding to HSA in the presence of flavonoids were both due to their competitive binding to the site I of HSA. The results obtained from synchronous fluorescence and three-dimensional fluorescence spectra showed that the interaction between HSA and NDP caused the conformational changes of HSA and the synergism effects of NDP and flavonoids induced the further conformational changes of HSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) has been prepared by directly mixing InCl3 and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (EMIC) under dry nitrogen atmosphere. The phase diagram of the binary system InCl3–EMIC was determined by DSC. Both Raman scattering and ab inito calculations indicate that InCl4− is the predominant indium-containing species in the ionic liquid. And it was further confirmed by NMR experiments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

T helper (Th17) cells play an important role in many autoimmune diseases. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to specify the proportion of Th17 cells and the levels of Th17-related cytokines in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) patients, we did this meta-analysis. Using previously reported data from PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science and Cochrane, we explored the proportion of Th17 cells in CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood (PB) and the level of Th17-related cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)1β, IL6, IL17, IL21, IL22, IL23 and transforming growth factor -beta (TGFβ), in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), plasma, and serum in NMOSD patients compared to control group and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. In total, 38 trials were included for our analysis. Results showed that the proportion of Th17 cells was higher in NMOSD patients than in the control and MS groups. The levels of IL1β, IL6, IL17 and IL21 in CSF and plasma, and IL6, IL21, IL22, and IL23 in the serum were higher in NMOSD patients than in the control group. The levels of IL6 in CSF and serum and IL17 in plasma and serum were higher in NMOSD patients than in MS patients. The proportion of Th17 cells and the levels of Th17-related cytokines was increased in NMOSD patients compared with the control group and MS patients. The results of this meta-analysis indicated that Th17 cells and Th17-associated cytokines may play an essential role in the pathogenesis of NMOSD. PROSPERO registration: CRD42019128785. • The proportion of Th17 cells of NMOSD patients was higher than control and MS. • The levels of IL6 and IL21 in CSF, plasma and serum of NMOSD were higher than control. • The levels of IL17 and IL1β in CSF and plasma of NMOSD were higher than control. • The levels of IL23 in serum of NMOSD were higher than control. • The levels of IL6 in CSF and serum and IL17 in serum of NMOSD were higher than MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to characterize the C6orf120 gene, by using C6orf120 gene-deleted rats ( C6orf120 − / − ), to determine its role in the development and severity of autoimmune hepatitis induced by concanavalin A (Con A), as well as the underlying mechanisms. We found that following Con A injection, C6orf120 − / − rats were less susceptible to developing autoimmune hepatitis with low levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) post challenge. Additionally, C6orf120 deficiency increased the frequency of cluster of differentiation (CD)4 + CD25 + Forkhead box P3 + regulatory T cells (Tregs) among intrahepatic lymphocytes, splenocytes, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and CD4 + T in vitro . Moreover, C6orf120 deficiency downregulated interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha-α, interferon-γ and IL-17a secretion in the plasma and liver tissues. Our results indicated that the C6orf120 gene-deleted rats were less susceptible to Con A-induced autoimmune hepatitis, which may be partly related to the increased frequency of Tregs and inhibited secretion of inflammatory cytokines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A seven-color panel including CD34 and TdT was built to detect MRD in T-ALL. • The panel could be applied to >97% T-ALL patients independent of initial phenotype. • Only one MRD false-negative result occurred because of antigen shifts. • MRD positive detected by the panel at post-HSCT could effectively predict relapse. Abstract A seven-color panel was used to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) via flow cytometry (FCM). Its availability and clinical significance were studied in T-ALL patients with newly diagnosed (n = 64), relapsed (n = 48) and morphologically complete remission (n = 103). The following four features were used to identify immature cCD3+ T cells: CD34+, TdT+, but mCD3-/dim+, and CD45dim+. Among these features, either TdT or CD34 expression was the most useful and were found in 93.8% of patients at diagnosis and 86.7% of patients who relapsed. Although some of the immature markers had disappeared in 23 of 59 cases after therapy, only one case presented with a false negative MRD. Of the 74 consecutive patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), MRD-positive patients showed a higher relapse rate, a higher cumulative incidence of relapse at 4 years and a shorter median relapse-free survival than MRD-negative patients at post-HSCT(72.7% vs 17.3%, P = 0.000; 100% vs 19.9%, P < 0.0001; and 16 months vs undefined, P < 0.0001). We demonstrated that this panel could be applied to>97% of T-ALL patients to detect MRD and predict relapse after allo-HSCT even in the absence of the initial immunophenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a non-modification electrochemical DNA sensing strategy, which used Potential-Assisted Au-S Deposition and a clamp-like DNA probe. The dual-hairpin probe DNA was tagged with a methylene blue (MB) at the 3′ terminal and a thiol at the 5′ terminal., Without being hybridized with target DNA, the loop of probe prevented the thiol from reaching the bare gold electrode surface with an applied potential., After hybridization with the target DNA, the probe’ s loop–stem structure opened through two distinct and sequential events, which led to the formation of a triplex DNA structure. Then the thiol easily contacted with electrode and resulted in potential-assisted Au-S self-assembly. Electrochemical signals of MB were measured by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and used for target quantitative detection. This strategy offered a detection limit down to 2.3 pM. and an inherently high specificity for detecting even single mismatch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The purpose of our study was to elucidate the impact of microRNA-126 (miR-126) targeting PIK3R2 gene on cell proliferation and apoptosis of rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibro-blasts (RASFs) by regulating PI3K/AKT signal pathway. Methods The synovial tissue samples of this study were from 55 RA patients undergoing joint replacement and 27 healthy people undergoing joint repair due to trauma. The target genes of miR-126 were collected by the TargetScan and PIK3R2 as the direct target gene of miR-126 was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay system. Our experiment had five groups including the blank control, miR-126 mimic, miR-126 mimic control, miR-126 inhibitor and miR-126 inhibitor control groups. Additionally, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), Western-Blot, cell counting kit (CCK-8) and flow cytometry were carried out in this study. Results Compared with healthy individuals, the RA patients had increased miR-126, but decreased PIK3R2 mRNA expressions in the synovial tissues. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that miR-126 expression was negatively correlated with PIK3R2 mRNA expression (all P < 0.05). When compared with the blank group respectively, the miR-126 mimic group had raising cell proportions in S and G2/M phases with reduced rate of cell apoptosis, while the miR-126 inhibitor group had raising cell proportions in G0/G1 and G2/M phases with increased rate of cell apoptosis (all P < 0.05). Besides, compared with the blank control group, the miR-126 mimic group had declined expression of PIK3R2 protein with ascended expression of PI3K and p-AKT (all P < 0.05), while the miR-126 inhibitor group had increased expression of PIK3R2 protein with decreased expression of PI3K and p-AKT (all P < 0.05). Conclusion Our study demonstrated that down-regulation of miR-126 may indirectly inhibit PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to disrupt the imbalance between growth and death of RASFs by targeting PIK3R2 , which may be clinically helpful to find therapeutic strategies directed toward miR-126 function for RA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To estimate the diagnostic accuracy of anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies for primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Methods. Sixty-four pSS subjects and 108 non-pSS patients were prospectively enrolled in this study. Serum anti-alpha-fodrin IgA and IgG were detected by ELISA in a blind fashion. The diagnostic accuracy of anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Logistic regression was used to investigate whether anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies could improve the accuracy of pSS diagnosis if used in addition to anti-SSA and anti-SSB. Results. The areas under the ROC curves for anti-alpha-fodrin IgG and IgA were 0.69 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.60-0.77) and 0.63 (95% CI: 0.54-0.72), respectively ( P < 0.01 for both). The optimal diagnostic thresholds for anti-fodrin IgG and IgA were 11.75 U/ml and 9.75 U/ml, respectively, with a sensitivity of 0.59 and 0.55, and a specificity of 0.75 and 0.73, respectively. Anti-alpha-fodrin IgG and IgA antibodies were associated with pSS after adjustment for anti-SSA and anti-SSB. Conclusions. Anti-alpha-fodrin IgG and IgA antibodies are useful diagnostic markers which may improve the accuracy of pSS diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new lanthanide-organic coordination polymers, {[ Ln2(bpdc)2(H2O)6(NO3)] ·NO3} [ Ln = La ( 1), Ce ( 2), Pr ( 3)] (H2bpdc = 2, 2′-bipyridine-6, 6′-dicarboxylic acid) were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy as well as single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that compounds 1- 3 are isostructural, composed of two dimensional honeycomb network linked by bpdc ligands. The magnetic property of compound 3 was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives. The purpose of this study was to describe knowledge about stroke warning signs and risk factors in patients with previous stroke or transient ischaemic attacks in China and to investigate the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics & health status and patients' knowledge about stroke. Background. Stroke is the leading cause of death and functional impairment in China. Survivors are at high risk of new vascular events. Secondary prevention after stroke or transient ischaemic attacks is not satisfactory. Previous research suggests that awareness of stroke plays an important role in facilitating secondary prevention. However, little is known about knowledge of stroke warning signs and risk factors among patients with previous stroke/transient ischaemic attacks. Design. A cross-sectional questionnaire study. Methods. This study was conducted in Hunan Province, China, between July and December in 2010. Subjects were recruited using a cluster sampling method. A questionnaire was administered to 1600 patients with stroke/transient ischaemic attacks diagnose from eight hospitals, and 1200 patients (75%) responded. Patients' knowledge about stroke warning signs and risk factors were collected and analysed. Results. Patients' knowledge about stroke warning signs was very poor (only 3·3% identified all warning signs and 28·3% identified three). Patients' knowledge about important risk factors (e.g. atrial fibrillation, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, etc.) was also very poor (<30%). Patients' action in emergency was extremely poor (only 9·2% reported to call emergency service). The age, education, stroke-related diagnoses and family history of cardiovascular disease were significantly associated with patients' knowledge about stroke. Conclusions. Knowledge about stroke warning signs and risk factors was very poor in patients with previous stroke or transient ischaemic attacks in China. Relevance to clinical practice. Dissemination of stroke knowledge should be a core responsibility for Chinese clinical nurse. Future clinical education to improve patient's knowledge about stroke and further intervention to manage cardiovascular risk factors are indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, the antibacterial effect of fluoroquinolones (FQs) upon Escherichia coli (E.coli) was measured with and without application of 40kHz ultrasound (US) stimulation. The research results demonstrated that simultaneous application of 40kHz US apparently enhanced the antibacterial effectiveness of FQs. That is, the synergistic effect was observed and the bacterial viability was reduced when FQs and US were combined. In addition, various influencing factors, such as FQs drug concentration, US irradiation time and solution temperature, on the inhibition of E.coli were also investigated. The antibacterial activity was enhanced apparently with increasing of FQs drug concentration, US irradiation time and solution temperature. Furthermore, we discussed preliminarily the mechanism of US enhanced antibacterial activity. Results show that US can activate FQs to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) indeed, which are mainly determined as superoxide radical anion (·O2 −) and hydroxyl radical (·OH). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The eight-coordinate (enH2)[YIII(pdta)(H2O)]2·10H2O (en=ethylenediamine and H4pdta=1,3-propylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid) was synthesized, meanwhile its molecular and crystal structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction technology. The interaction between [YIII(pdta)(H2O)]2 2− and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by UV–vis and fluorescence spectra. The results indicate that [YIII(pdta)(H2O)]2 2− quenched effectively the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA via a static quenching process with the binding constant (K a) of the order of 104. Meanwhile, the binding and damaging sites to BSA molecules were also estimated by synchronous fluorescence. Results indicate that the hydrophobic environments around Trp and Tyr residues were all slightly changed. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔG =−25.20kJmol−1, ΔH= −26.57kJmol−1 and ΔS= −4.58Jmol−1 K−1) showed that the reaction was spontaneous and exothermic. What is more, both ΔH and ΔS were negative values indicated that hydrogen bond and Van der Waals forces were the predominant intermolecular forces between [YIII(pdta)(H2O)]2 2− and BSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel Ag 2 O/ZnWO 4 Z-scheme heterojunction sonocatalyst was fabricated. • Sonocatalytic activity of ZnWO 4 was effectively enhanced by composite fabrication. • The composite showed good application potential in environmental remediation. Herein, a novel Ag 2 O/ZnWO 4 Z-scheme heterojunction sonocatalyst was fabricated and characterized. The sonocatalytic activities of the Ag 2 O/ZnWO 4 composites were evaluated by the decomposition of meloxicam (MLX) as a model of pharmaceutical substances. The results showed that Ag 2 O/ZnWO 4 composites had excellent sonocatalytic performances for the decomposition of MLX under ultrasonic irradiation (90.60 ± 0.49%) compared with that of pure ZnWO 4 (53.33 ± 1.79%). The best sonocatalytic decomposition efficiency of MLX was achieved with the optimum operational parameters, such as 0.5 g/L Ag 2 O/ZnWO 4 composites, 10.0 mg/L MLX solution, ultrasonic irradiation power of 200 W and ultrasonic irradiation time of 120 min. The enhancement of sonocatalytic performances was attributed to the increasing adsorption of MLX to Ag 2 O/ZnWO 4 composites and the production of reactive species. The results of trapping experiments and the calculated band positions suggested that the formation of Z-scheme heterojunction of Ag 2 O/ZnWO 4 and the generated reactive species including hydroxyl radicals and holes acted pivotal parts in the sonocatalytic decomposition of MLX using Ag 2 O/ZnWO 4 composites as a sonocatalyst. In addition, Ag 2 O/ZnWO 4 composites displayed good stability and reusability in the sonocatalytic decomposition process. It is expected that the results can provide valuable information for the further investigations of Ag 2 O/ZnWO 4 composites as a potential sonocatalyst in the environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance of benzimidazole fungicides is related to the point mutation of the β-tubulin gene in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The point mutation at codon 198 (GAG → GCG, E198A) occurs in more than 90% of field resistant populations in China. Traditional detection methods of benzimidazole-resistant mutants of S. sclerotiorum are time-consuming, tedious and inefficient. To establish a suitable and rapid detection of benzimidazole-resistant mutants of S. sclerotiorum, an efficient and simple method with high specificity was developed based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). Eight sets of LAMP primers were designed and four sets were optimized to specially distinguish benzimidazole-resistant mutants of S. sclerotiorum. With the optimal LAMP primers, the concentration of LAMP components was optimized and the reaction conditions were set as 60-64 °C for 60 min. This method had a good specificity, sensitivity, stability and repeatability. In the 1491 sclerotia, 614 (41.18%) were positive by LAMP, and 629 (42.19%) positive by MIC. Therefore, the LAMP assay is more feasible to detect benzimidazole-resistant mutants of S. sclerotiorum than traditional detection methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]