Dexmedetomidine promotes the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through hepatic stellate cell activation

Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is an anesthetic that is widely used in the clinic, and it has been reported to exhibit paradoxical effects in the progression of multiple solid tumors. In this study, we sought to explore the mechanism by which DEX regulates hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression underlying liver fibrosis. We determined the effects of DEX on tumor progression in an orthotopic HCC mouse model of fibrotic liver. A coculture system and a subcutaneous xenograft model involving coimplantation of mouse hepatoma cells (H22) and primary activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) were used to study the effects of DEX on HCC progression. We found that in the preclinical mouse model of liver fibrosis, DEX treatment significantly shortened median survival time and promoted tumor growth, intrahepatic metastasis and pulmonary metastasis. The DEX receptor (ADRA2A) was mainly expressed in aHSCs but was barely detected in HCC cells. DEX dramatically reinforced HCC malignant behaviors in the presence of aHSCs in both the coculture system and the coimplantation mouse model, but DEX alone exerted no significant effects on the malignancy of HCC. Mechanistically, DEX induced IL-6 secretion from aHSCs and promoted HCC progression via STAT3 activation. Our findings provide evidence that the clinical application of DEX may cause undesirable side effects in HCC patients with liver fibrosis.Subject terms: Cancer microenvironment, Cell growth     

α-Fe2O3纳米微粒/硬脂酸交替L-B膜的结构表征

We reported in this paper FTIR linear diehroic spectroscopy and anisotropic properties of the nanoparticulate α-Fe_2O_3-stearate alternating Langmuir-Blodgett films (Fe_2O_3-St LB films) a new inorganic-organic quantum superlattice system. A new method fitted to inorganic-organic alternating films is used to study the molecular orientation and discuss the order arrangement of the nanopartieles in the films. The the results show that a configuration of stearate ions bound to the surface of the nano-particles: COO~- group are spherically bound to the surface of the nanoparticles; the hydrocarbon chains are almost perpendicular (31°±5°) to the substrate (7 nm-Fe_2O_3-St LB films). The orientation of hydrocarbon chains and CH_2 scissors vibration show the existence of trans-zigzag planar structure for C—C broken bone of the hy7drocarbon chains, which is related to high-order structure of the alternate films.     

Two New Xanthone Glycosides from Polygala tenuifolia

Two new xanthone glycosides,polygalaxanthone IV and V were isolated from the roots of Polygala tenuifolia Willd. Their structures were established as 6-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-1-hydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyxanthone(polygalaxanthone IV), and 6-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-1,3-dihydroxyl-7-methoxyxanthone (polyga-laxanthone V),respectively, on the basis of chemical and spectral evidence.     

Determination of atrazine, desethyl atrazine and desisopropyl atrazine in environmental water samples using hollow fiber-protected liquid-phase microextraction and high performance liquid chromatography

A new method based on hollow fiber-protected liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) was developed for the simultaneous determination of atrazine, desethyl atrazine and desisopropyl atrazine in environmental water samples. In LPME, analytes were extracted into 1-octanol immobilized in the micropores of a poly(vinylidene fluoride) porous hollow fiber membrane, and back extracted into the acceptor (4 M HCl) filled in the lumen of the hollow fiber. After LPME, the analytes trapped in the acceptor were analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography after neutralization. The effect of extraction factors such as sample pH, acceptor pH, salinity, extraction time, stirring rate, and humic acid were studied. Under the optimized conditions, the limits of detection and relative standard deviations were respectively in the range of 0.5–1.0 μg L⁻¹ and 3.9–4.7% (n = 5). The proposed method was applied to determine atrazine, desethyl atrazine and desisopropyl atrazine in wastewater and groundwater samples. The three analytes were below the limits of detection, but good relative spiked recoveries over 90.1 ± 5.9% at 5 μg L⁻¹ spiked level were obtained.     

Adsorption, desorption and activities of acid phosphatase on various colloidal particles from an Ultisol

Adsorption, desorption and activity of acid phosphatase on various soil colloidal particles and pure clay minerals were studied. Higher adsorption amounts and low percentage of desorption of acid phosphatase were found on fine soil clays (<0.2 μm). Electrostatic force and ligand exchange are the major driving forces that are involved in the adsorption of enzymes on soil clays. More enzyme molecules were adsorbed on soil clays in the presence of organic components. However, enzymes on organic clays were more easily released. One-third of the enzyme on goethite was adsorbed via ligand exchange process. Some other interactions, such as van der Waals force, hydrophobic force and hydrogen bonding may be more important in the adsorption of enzyme on kaolinite and the enzyme in this system cannot be easily removed. Coarse clays (0.2–2 μm) and inorganic soil clays had higher affinities for enzyme molecules than fine clays and organic clays, respectively. The activity of enzyme bound on soil clays was inhibited and the thermal stability was increased in the presence of organic matter. Data obtained in this study are helpful for a better understanding of the interactions of enzymes with inorganic and organic constituents in soil and associated environments.     

Controlling the agglomeration of anisotropic Ru nanoparticles by the microwave-polyol process

A rapid polyol process for the synthesis of ruthenium nanoparticles was developed using microwave irradiation. A colloidal solution of monodispersed anisotropic Ru metal nanoparticles (mean particle size 2-6 nm) with different aspect ratios was obtained first. Particles with different degrees of agglomeration have also been synthesized using monodisperse particles as seeds and PVP (poly-N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) as the stabilization reagent. The stabilization mechanisms of different protective reagents were studied by UV-vis spectra. The HRTEM images indicated that dendritic particles formed by controlling agglomeration consisted of single-crystal domains with a random crystalline orientation.     

Coriatone and corianlactone, two novel sesquiterpenes from Coriaria nepalensis

Both coriatone (1). a novel highly oxygenated picrotoxane-type sesquiterpene, and corianlactone (2). with an unprecedented sesquiterpene basic skeleton, named coriane, were isolated from Coriaria nepalensis Wall. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined by analysis of their two-dimensional NMR data, and the structure of 2 was confirmed by X-ray analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 showed no remarkable inhibitory activity toward K(562) cells. They are cytotoxic with IC(50) > 50 microg/mL (cis-platinim: IC(50) = 0.49 microg/mL).     

RE（Ⅲ）—ADP,RE（Ⅲ）—AMP配合物的合成及物性研究

首次合成了具有生物活性的系列配合物RE(Ⅲ)-ADP(稀土-腺苷二磷酸)和RE(Ⅲ)-AMP(稀土-腺苷-磷酸)(RE=Y,La,Ce,Pr,Nd,Sm,Eu,Gd,Tb,Dy,Ho,Er,Tm,Yb,Lu),根据红外、紫外、荧光、X射线衍射、元素分析、络合滴定等分析结果,研究了[RE(Ⅲ)(ADP)(H_2O)_3]和[RE(Ⅲ)(AMP)_2(H_2O)_4]H两个系列配合物的化学组成和性质。     

A two-dimensional infrared correlation spectroscopic study on the thermal degradation of poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate)-co-methyl methacrylate/SiO2 nanohybrids

Two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) correlation spectroscopy was applied to study the structural changes occurring in the decomposition of PHEA-co-MMA/SiO₂. Complicated absorption spectral changes were observed in the heating process. 2D IR analysis indicates that during heating, covalent bonds, (Si-O-C), between the polymer and the inorganic moiety were formed, which was the main factor in the improvement in thermal properties of the hybrids such as the decomposition temperatures (T_d). The thermal stability of the hybrids was also studied by solid-state ²⁹Si MAS NMR spectroscopy and TGA tests. Their results complemented each other well.     

Recent progress in two-photon small molecule fluorescent probes for enzymes

This review aims to provide a summary of the progress in TP small molecule fluorescent probes for enzymes in recent years and displays the main fluorescent mechanisms that have been applied to design probes.