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The original Tb3+-induced hyaluronic nano-poached eggs (THNE) integrates the advantages of superior lanthanide luminescence, the unique shape of nano-poached eggs, and non-toxicity, for the sensing of Fe3+ in aqueous surroundings.

Aimwe examined the humoral immune response and antibody dynamics after primary and booster vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among patients with chronic liver disease (CLD).MethodsWe enrolled patients with confirmed CLD and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination primary or booster immunity. Following primary or booster immunity, serological samples were gathered to detect novel coronavirus neutralizing antibodies (nCoV NTAb) and novel coronavirus spike receptor-binding proteins (nCoV S-RBD).ResultsThe positive rate of nCoV NTAb was 60.1% in Primary and 87.6% in Booster (PConclusionPatients with CLD show improved humoral immune response after completing primary and booster immunity of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, while booster immunity further improves the positive rate and antibody level of patients with CLD.

This study demonstrates that a luminescent Tb

In this work, novel β-cyclodextrin-enhanced Eu3+ luminescence aggregates (CELAs) with bright red fluorescence of Eu3+ are prepared. These CELAs exhibit the quick response and highly selective sensitivity at the concentration of 50 µM Fe3+. A series of ligands (such as TTA, phen, β-cyclodextrin) sensitizes the luminescence of Eu3+ (the “antenna effect”), and metal ions–ligands interactions can differentially alter the antenna effect of ligands toward Eu3+. Addition of EDTA to chelate Fe3+ restores the fluorescence, indicating that the fluorescence quenching in the presence of Fe3+ is reversible. This research provides that CELAs integrate these merits of superior lanthanide fluorescence and the amphiphilia property of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). It is a unique system with enhancement Eu3+ luminescence in ethanol–water system and will be applied for aqueous solution detection sensor with high selectivity and reversibility for Fe3+. On the other hand, the on-off fluorescence property of the CELAs is convenient for environmental detection system.

pH sensors based on up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are widely studied due to their effective elimination of background signals. However, ratiometric pH measurement depending on blue and red luminescence under NIR irradiation has been seldom reported for the lack of simultaneous strong blue and red emissions for traditional UCNPs. In this work, we designed NaGdF4:Yb,Tm@NaYF4:Yb,Eu@NaYF4:Yb,Nd@NaYF4 core–triple shell (CTS) UCNPs as fluorescent materials to realize blue/red ratiometric pH measurement. On the basis of Gd3+-mediated interfacial energy transfer and Yb3+-mediated energy migration, CTS particles present intense luminescence and a high red/blue (615 nm/450 nm) peak intensity ratio of 0.47 at 808 nm excitation. Composed of these particles and pH indicator bromocresol green, the pH sensor exhibits ratiometric responses in a pH range of 4–7 according to blue/red luminescence intensity ratios, avoiding the common errors as well as potential mutual fluorescence signal interference. Owing to strong overall luminescence and additional red emission of CTS UCNPs distinctly improving the signal-to-noise ratio, this ratiometric sensor reveals high sensitivity. Moreover, the employed excitation wavelength of 808 nm can not only eliminate autofluorescence signals, but also alleviate severe temperature rise in biosamples under continuous irradiation, ensuring accurate pH determination. More intriguingly, a CCD RGB camera serves as a collector to record luminescence signals, further promoting commercial feasibility. The successful application of CTS UCNPs on sensors indeed realizes blue/red ratiometric measurement towards pH under 808 nm irradiation, also pointing out a novel way for pH sensors with high sensitivity and accuracy.

Thiol-containing small molecules such as cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy), and glutathione (GSH) play a key role in a wide range of physiological processes. But it is a challenging work to distinguish these biothiols since they have a similar structure and reactivity. An “AIE + ICT” ratiometric fluorescent probe is synthesized by incorporating TPE into the coumarin ring through a Schiff-base CN. The sensing mechanism of the probe lies on the nucleophilicity of the sulfhydryl group and the adjacent amino group of Hcy/Cys, breaking the Schiff-base CN in the probe structure and forming a five or six-membered ring thiazolidine adduct. Only Hcy/Cys triggers an obvious ratiometric change from orange-yellow to blue. The ratiometric probe can detect Hcy/Cys quantitatively, and the lower limits of detection for Hcy and Cys are 0.554 μM and 1.816 μM, respectively. Moreover, the probe showed a slight preference for Hcy over Cys. The difference in the sensing behavior of the probe for Hcy/Cys is believed to be the consequence of the more highly efficient ICT and PET of thiazolidine adducts. Preliminary studies show that the probe has low cytotoxicity, is cell-permeable and can be employed for the ratiometric fluorescence imaging of exogenous and endogenous Cys in living cells.

Background: The treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has entered the interferon-free era since the approval of all-oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy in China. Twelve weeks of Elbasvir and Grazoprevir (EBR/GZR) has been demonstrated to be highly effective and well tolerated in phase III registration trials in Asia. However, real-world data on this regimen are lacking in mainland China. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of EBR/GZR and hepatic function during 1-year follow-up in real-world clinical practice with genotype 1b HCV infection.Methods: A prospective, multicenter, non-interventional cohort study was conducted in Tianjin Third Central Hospital and Tianjin Second People's Hospital of China. All patients diagnosed with HCV-1b infection and treated with EBR/GZR for 12 weeks were included. The sustained virological response (SVR) rate obtained 12 weeks posttreatment (SVR12) and week 48 posttreatment (SVR48), the liver function and safety were also evaluated in patients who received EBR/GZR.Results: A total of 251 patients were enrolled, 215 of whom completed the 12-week treatment and 107 completed the 48-week follow-up after treatment. 47 patients (21.9%) had compensatory cirrhosis. The overall rates at the end of treatment (EOT), SVR12 and SVR48 were 100%, 99.5% and 99.1%, respectively. Two cirrhosis patients relapsed at 12 weeks and 48 weeks posttreatment respectively. At 48 weeks posttreatment, the normalization rate of ALT and AST were increased significantly than that of baseline (97.2% and 95.3% vs 59.5% and 61.4%, PConclusion: In a real-world cohort, treatment with EBR/GZR in Chinese patients with genotype 1b HCV infection appears to be well tolerated and achieves high SVR12 and SVR48 rates.Trial registration: ChiCTR, ChiCTR1900023747. Registered 10 June 2019, Retrospectively registered. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=39926

Gao, N.; Kong, X.; Lv, H.; Sun, Z., and Liu, Y., 2020. An effective fluorescent probe method applied in the analysis of microplastics. In: Liu, X. and Zhao, L. (eds.), Today's Modern Coastal Society: Technical and Sociological Aspects of Coastal Research. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 111, pp. 70–77. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Microplastic pollution has received global attention because of the durable hazards it brings to the environment. Methods used to analyze microplastics are mainly limited by laboratory conditions, instruments, and labor. This study investigated a method to analyze microplastics, and in situ verification was carried out to prove the feasibility of the technique. The method employed the fluorescent probe Nile red, followed by identification with Raman spectroscopy. Six kinds of common polymers were tested to verify the optimal operating condition of the technique. Possible fluorescence interference that obscured the Raman signal was excluded through verification of the Laman spectrum. Using this method, four kinds of polymers were found in Qingdao coastal waters, and the size of microplastics was confirmed. The results demonstrate that the fluorescent probe technique may offer considerable application in further monitoring studies to obtain reliable microplastic data.

Background Cases of duodenal variceal hemorrhage after cirrhosis are rare, but patients have a higher mortality rate. There is currently no clinical guideline to address how such patients should choose preferred treatment. Methods We retrospectively evaluated the clinical information of a 65-year-old male admitted to the Gastroenterology Department with gastrointestinal bleeding. Results The patient was eventually diagnosed with duodenal variceal bleeding after cirrhosis. We performed TIPS on the patients after the vital signs were stable. No varicose veins were seen by endoscopy during the 2-year follow-up. Conclusions TIPS treatment is a good choice for patients with severe duodenal varices after cirrhosis.

A new type of colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescent probe 1 for sulfite is developed based on a rhodol-benzothiazole platform. Ratiometric sensing of sulfite is achieved by utilizing the nucleophilic addition of sulfite to the vinyl bridge (‒C=C‒) to block the π-conjugated system of the probe, which results in significant blueshifts in the absorption and emission spectra of the sensing system (from 590 to 530 nm in the absorption spectra and from 650 to 555 nm in the emission spectra). This probe exhibits the desired selectivity for sulfite over other anions and biothiols. The fluorescence intensity ratio at 555 nm and 650 nm (I555/I650) increases linearly with the sulfite concentration in the range of 0.5‒15 µM with a detection limit of 0.28 µM. A cytotoxicity assay indicates that probe 1 has low cytotoxicity and good cell membrane permeability and can be used for sulfite detection in practical samples and for ratiometric fluorescent imaging of sulfite in living HepG2 cells.

Intragastric pH acts an important role in the disintegration of food and therapeutic drugs. The generation of some gastric diseases, such as gastric ulcer, gastritis or gastric cancer, may affect the normal secretion of gastric acid, causing abnormal pH in the stomach. Thus, monitoring the pH-fluctuations in stomach could aid the diagnosis of several gastric diseases and in understanding therapeutic effect. Herein, we developed a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe (Cyp) for the real-time and in-situ imaging pH changes in vitro and in vivo. The probe was designed by integrating dimethylamine moiety into cyanine (Cy7) and displayed an increasing NIR emission with pKa values of ca. 4.38 in PBS buffer from pH 2.0 and 7.0. Moreover, the robust probe can detect the pH fluctuations in the living cells during autophagy and drug stimulation. Importantly, the unique probe Cyp could dynamically and real-time in situ image the pH fluctuations in gastrointestinal caused by anti-acid medicine with deep penetration. As a typical gastric disease, gastric ulcer was successfully diagnosed by using the powerful pH probe, for the first time. Both the in vitro and in vivo experiments show that the robust probe has a potential application in imaging-guided gastric diseases diagnostics and therapeutics.

To investigate the efficacy and safety of anticoagulants in liver cirrhosis patients with portal vein thrombosis (PVT).PubMed, BioMed Central, Cochrane Library and Web of Science were retrieved to identify relevant literature. Forest plots were applied to display the results of the meta-analysis. The odds ratios (ORs) were used as the effect index for the enumeration data, and the effect size was expressed as 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Publication bias was evaluated by funnel plots and Egger's test.Eight articles included 225 patients with liver cirrhosis and PVT receiving anticoagulants and 232 not receiving anticoagulants. The data demonstrated that the recanalization rate of PVT was significantly higher in patients with anticoagulant treatment than in patients without anticoagulant treatment (OR=5.60; 95% CI: 3.40-9.22; P0.001). The exacerbation risk of PVT was significantly lower in patients with anticoagulant treatment than in patients without anticoagulant treatment (OR=0.15; 95% CI: 0.04-0.54; P0.001). A significantly lower portal hypertension bleeding effect was observed in patients with anticoagulant treatment than in patients without anticoagulant treatment (OR=0.21; 95% CI: 0.10-0.45; P0.001). Low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) were more effective in preventing the PVT exacerbation in liver cirrhosis patients with PVT than warfarin (OR=0.16; 95% CI: 0.08-0.35).Anticoagulants were effective and safe in treating patients with liver cirrhosis and PVT as they could increase the PVT recanalization rate and decrease the risks of PVT exacerbation and portal hypertension bleeding.

To improve the capability of underwater gamma spectrometer to quantify radiation levels slightly above the background radiation in the seawater, the minimum detection activity (MDA) and factors including the background count, detection efficiency and acquisition time were studied using Monte Carlo simulation and field experiments. The simulation results show that the crystal type selected in the spectrometer and its volume, enclosure materials of the spectrometer and its thickness all affect the marine detection efficiency in in-situ measurement, and thus determine MDA of the underwater gamma spectrometer. The acquisition time and the placement depth of the spectrometer in the seawater also affect the MDA in the in-situ measurement. Some research data and suggestions on design and use of underwater gamma spectrometer were presented, which are of guiding significance for the in-situ radioactivity measurement in the marine environment.

Seawater in the coastal waters of Qingdao, China was collected, and COD was measured by ozone oxidation chemiluminescence method and alkaline potassium permanganate method which was adopted in China as the standard method for measuring COD in seawater, respectively. The results show that when COD was less than 1 mg/L, the absolute error of ozone oxidation chemiluminescence method was less than 0.1 mg/L, and when COD was more than 1 mg/L, the relative error was less than 10%. The relative standard deviation of ozone oxidation chemiluminescence method was lower than 5%, and the detection limit was 0.0022 mg/L. The results of ozone oxidation chemiluminescence method were close to those of alkaline potassium permanganate method. With higher precision, lower detection limit, faster measurement, and online measurement, ozone oxidation chemiluminescence method is an ideal monitoring method for COD in seawater in the field.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis due to its asymptomatic onset and susceptibility to metastasis. The survival of patients with advanced HCC is 6-12 months. As a first-line medicine for the control of hepatitis B virus, interferon (IFN) is also capable of inhibiting tumor growth and modulating immunity. However, treatment of HCC with lung metastasis using IFN has been rarely reported. The present study reports the case of one patient with HCC having lung metastasis who underwent a one-time treatment with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and was subsequently completely cured by single peginterferon α 2a (PEG-IFNα2a); and has survived up to 108 months. A 53-year-old male patient diagnosed with HBV-related HCC with lung metastasis underwent TACE using floxuridine (FUDR) 500 mg, cisdiamine dichloroplatinum (CDDP) 20 mg, mitomycin 10 mg, and ultrafluid lipiodol 10 ml, together with local thoracic aorta chemotherapy using FUDR 250 mg and CDDP 20 mg. His metastatic lung cancer aggravated. However, after 9 months of treatment with subcutaneous injections of PEG-IFNα 2a once per week, the metastatic lung foci gradually shrunk until disappearance and the HCC lesion stabilized without progression. According to the World Health Organization criteria for the efficacy of solid tumors, this was a case of complete response. Upon follow-up up to 108 months his metastatic lung cancer had disappeared and HCC did not recur. Therefore, IFN intervention may be an appropriate novel adjuvant therapy for patients with HCC with lung metastasis and requires further attention and study.

Determine the optimal scoring system for evaluation of 6-week bleeding-related mortality in liver cirrhosis patients with acute variceal bleeding (AVB). Prediction effects of six scoring systems, AIMS65 score, Glasgow-Blatchford (GBS) score, full Rockall (FRS) score, the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), the MELD-Na model and the Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score were analyzed in this study.A total of 202 liver cirrhosis patients with AVB were enrolled between 1 January 2014, and 31 December 2014. All subjects were scored according to AIMS65, GBS, FRS, MELD, MELD-Na and CTP scoring systems on the first day of admission. The primary endpoint of the study was 6-week mortality. The prediction effect of these scoring systems for 6-week mortality was compared by ROC curve and the area under the curve (AUC).The scores of nonsurvival group evaluated by the AIMS65, GBS, FRS, MELD, MELD-Na and CTP (2.6 ± 1.1, 12.9 ± 2.7, 6.6 ± 1.8, 26.9 ± 6.5, 31.6 ± 9.3, 9.6 ± 2.2, respectively) were higher than those of the survival group (1.2 ± 1.1, 10.2 ± 3.4, 5.1 ± 1.6, 21.0 ± 6.4, 22.8 ± 8.2, 7.7 ± 2.0, respectively) (p .01). The values of AUC and Youden index of AIMS65 and MELD-Na scoring systems [(0.808, 0.453) and (0.781, 0.516), respectively] were superior to those of MELD (0.761, 0.454), CTP (0.748, 0.399), FRS (0.738, 0.358) and GBS scoring systems (0.726, 0.370).AIMS65 and MELD-Na scoring systems are recommended for evaluation of 6-week bleeding-related mortality in liver cirrhosis patients with AVB.

An increasing amount of evidence indicates that the inhibition of β adrenergic signaling can result in the inhibition of tumor growth. However, the role of propranolol in liver cancer and the underlying mechanism remain to be elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the role of propranolol in liver cancer cell lines and provide evidence for further clinical study. Propranolol was added at different concentrations to HepG2 and HepG2.2.15 liver cancer cells and HL-7702 normal human liver cells. The proliferation of the cell lines was monitored by live-cell imaging at a range of time intervals. Immunofluorescence using DAPI and Hoechst 33342/propidium iodide (PI) staining, Annexin V-FITC/PI double-staining flow cytometry, western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to investigate the effect of propranolol on liver cancer cell apoptosis. The proliferation of HepG2 and HepG2.2.15 cells was inhibited by 40 and 80 µmol/l propranolol. However, the proliferation of HL-7702 cells was not affected by

A fluorescence spectrometry method is proposed to detect SO3 2−. The sensing mechanism is realized by utilizing the nucleophilic addition reaction between SO3 2− and α, β- unsaturated compounds, exhibiting remarkable blue-shift in the maximum emission wavelength (from 650 nm to 555 nm). Preliminary experiments are conducted and results show that the method exhibits high selectivity and sensitivity toward sulfite over other common anions. The fluorescence intensity ratio at 555 nm and 650 nm (I555/I650) has a good linearly with sulfite concentration ranging from 0.5 to 15 μΜ with a detection limit of 0.28 μΜ. These results provide theoretical fundamentals for sulfite detection in practical water samples.

Spirocyclization of xanthene dyes has become a powerful technique for developing fluorescent probes. Herein, we extend this unique fluorescence switching mechanism to a near-infrared (NIR) dye, 2-(7-diethylamino-2-oxo-2H-1-benzopyran-3-yl)-4-(2-carboxyphenyl)-7-diethylamino-1-benzopyrylium (CB), and construct a ratiometric fluorescent probe 1 for cysteine (Cys)/homocysteine (Hcy). The ratiometric sensing of probe 1 toward Cys/Hcy is realized by utilizing a tandem native chemical ligation/spirocyclization reaction to interrupt the large π-conjugated system of CB fluorophore, thereby affording remarkable blue shifts in the spectra of sensing system (from 669 to 423 nm in absorption spectra and from 694 to 474 nm in emission spectra). Probe 1 shows a high sensitivity for Cys/Hcy, and the detection limits (3 δ) for Cys and Hcy are 1.6 × 10(-7) and 1.8 × 10(-7) M, respectively. Moreover, since both the sulfhydril and the adjacent amino groups are involved in the sensing process, probe 1 is selective toward Cys/Hcy over other thiols such as glutathione. All these unique features make it particularly favorable for ratiometric Cys/Hcy sensing and bioimaging applications. It has been preliminarily used for Cys detection in rabbit serum samples and the ratiometric fluorescent imaging of Cys in living HepG2 cells.