Development of a biophotonic fiber sensor using direct-taper and anti-taper techniques with seven-core and four-core fiber for the detection of doxorubicin in cancer treatment.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an important drug for cancer treatment, but its clinical application is limited due to its toxicity and side effects. Therefore, detecting the concentration of DOX during treatment is crucial for enhancing efficacy and reducing side effects. In this study, the authors developed a biophotonic fiber sensor based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) with the multimode fiber (MMF)-four core fiber (FCF)-seven core fiber (SCF)-MMF-based direct-taper and anti-taper structures for the specific detection of DOX. Compared to other detection methods, it has the advantages of high sensitivity, low cost, and strong anti-interference ability. In this experiment, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), cerium-oxide nanorods (CeO2-NRs), and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were immobilized on the probe surface to enhance the sensor's biocompatibility. MWCNTs and CeO2-NRs provided more binding sites for the fixation of AuNPs. By immobilizing AuNPs on the surface, the LSPR was stimulated by the evanescent field to detect DOX. The sensor surface was functionalized with DOX aptamers for specific detection, enhancing its specificity. The experiments demonstrated that within a linear detection range of 0-10 µM, the sensitivity of the sensor is 0.77 nm/µM, and the limit of detection (LoD) is 0.42 µM. Additionally, the probe's repeatability, reproducibility, stability, and selectivity were evaluated, indicating that the probe has high potential for detecting DOX during cancer treatment.

Idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism caused by compound heterozygosity for two novel mutations in the GNRH1 gene: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is a rare congenital or acquired genetic disorder caused by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) deficiency. IHH patients are divided into two major groups, hyposmic or anosmic IHH (Kallmann syndrome) and normosmic IHH (nIHH), according to whether their sense of smell is intact. Here we report a case of novel compound heterozygous mutations in the GNRH1 gene in a 15-year-old male with nIHH. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient presented typical clinical symptoms of delayed testicular development, with testosterone < 3.5 mmol/L and reduced gonadotropin (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone) levels. Two heterozygous variants of the GNRH1 gene were detected, nonsense variant 1: c.85G > T:p.G29* and variant 2: c.1A > G:p.M1V, which disrupted the start codon. CONCLUSIONS: Two GNRH1 mutations responsible for nIHH are identified in this study. Our findings extend the mutational spectrum of GNRH1 by revealing novel causative mutations of nIHH.

Slide-type waveflex biosensor based on signal enhancement technology for alpha-fetoprotein detection.

The development of signal enhancement technology in optical fiber biosensors is beneficial for the accurate measurement of low-concentration samples. Here, a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)-based fiber biosensor combining a slide-type fiber structure (thus named WaveFlex Biosensor) and low-dimensional materials is proposed for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) detection. A symmetric transverse offset splicing technology was used to fabricate the multi-mode fiber (MMF-multi-core fiber (MCF)-MMF structure. Furthermore, the MMF on one side was prepared into an S-taper, forming a slide-type fiber structure to generate more energy leakage. The LSPR signal generated by gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was enhanced by the CeO2 NPs and C3N quantum dots functionalized on the fiber probe. The excellent performance of NPs was conducive to improving the sensitivity of the WaveFlex biosensor and enabling the rapid detection of samples. An AFP antibody was used to identify AFP micro-biomolecules in a specific manner. Based on the combination of the above two methods, the developed fiber probe was applied to detect AFP, and the sensitivity and limit of detection were 32 pm/(ng/mL) and 6.65 ng/mL, respectively. The experimental results demonstrate that the signal-enhanced AFP WaveFlex biosensor has great potential for the rapid and accurate detection of AFP.

Non-diabetic ketoacidosis: A case of alcoholic ketoacidosis accompanied by hyperglycemia.

Alcoholic ketoacidosis (AKA) lacks specific clinical presentation. The results of blood testing commonly show hemoconcentration, elevated ß-hydroxybutyrate levels, and acidosis in patients with AKA. Herein, we report a case of AKA accompanied by hyperglycemia and review the related literature. Case report: AKA associated with hyperglycemia is rare, and its pathogenesis is similar to that of diabetic ketoacidosis, thereby making differentiation challenging. Accordingly, AKA is easily misdiagnosed by endocrinologists. The main symptoms of a 37-year-old female included hyperglycemia, elevated ß-hydroxybutyrate levels, and metabolic acidosis. Primary clinical presentations were severe nausea and vomiting. The patient initially diagnosed with DKA were eventually confirmed as AKA, who recovered after active therapy with rehydration and correction of hyperglycemia, electrolyte imbalance, and ketosis. This study provides a reference for clinicians to reduce missed diagnosis and the misdiagnosis rates of AKA.

Increased Circulating Cathepsin K in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure.

Cysteinyl cathepsin K (CatK) is one of the most potent mammalian collagenases involved in cardiovascular disease. Here, we investigated the clinical predictive value of serum CatK levels in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). We examined 134 patients with CHF, measuring their serum CatK, troponin I, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, and pre-operative N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels. The patients were divided into two groups: the 44 patients who showed a left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) < 40% (the "lowLVEF" group) and the 90 patients showing LVEF values ≥ 40% (the "highLVEF" group). The lowLVEF patients had significantly higher serum CatK levels compared to the highLVEF patients (58.4 ± 12.2 vs. 44.7 ± 16.4, P < 0.001). Overall, a linear regression analysis showed that CatK levels correlated negatively with LVEF (r = -0.4, P < 0.001) and positively with LV end-diastolic dimensions (r = 0.2, P < 0.01), LV end-systolic dimensions (r = 0.3, P < 0.001), and left atrial diameters (r = 0.3, P < 0.01). A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that CatK levels were independent predictors of CHF (odds ratio, 0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.95; P < 0.01). These data indicate that elevated levels of CatK are closely associated with the presence of CHF and that the measurement of circulating CatK provides a noninvasive method of documenting and monitoring the extent of cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in patients with CHF.

Increased serum cathepsin K in patients with coronary artery disease.

PURPOSE: Cathepsin K is a potent collagenase implicated in human and animal atherosclerosis-based vascular remodeling. This study examined the hypothesis that serum CatK is associated with the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2011 and December 2012, 256 consecutive subjects were enrolled from among patients who underwent coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention treatment. A total of 129 age-matched subjects served as controls. RESULTS: The subjects' serum cathepsin K and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured. The patients with CAD had significantly higher serum cathepsin K levels compared to the controls (130.8±25.5 ng/mL vs. 86.9±25.5 ng/mL, p<0.001), and the patients with acute coronary syndrome had significantly higher serum cathepsin K levels compared to those with stable angina pectoris (137.1±26.9 ng/mL vs. 102.6±12.9 ng/mL, p<0.001). A linear regression analysis showed that overall, the cathepsin K levels were inversely correlated with the high-density lipoprotein levels (r=-0.29, p<0.01) and positively with hs-CRP levels (r=0.32, p<0.01). Multiple logistic regression analyses shows that cathepsin K levels were independent predictors of CAD (odds ratio, 1.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.12 to 1.56; p<0.01). CONCLUSION: These data indicated that elevated levels of cathepsin K are closely associated with the presence of CAD and that circulating cathepsin K serves a useful biomarker for CAD.

Preparation of uniform prednisolone microcrystals by a controlled microprecipitation method.

Prednisolone (PDL) microcrystals were successfully prepared by a controlled microprecipitation method. The characterization of PDL microcrystals by SEM and PSD indicated that the hexagonal and tetragonal PDL microcrystals with an average particle size of 1.60 and 1.46 microm could be prepared under a stirring speed of 10,000 rpm at 14 and 4 degrees C, respectively. The morphology and the particle size of PDL could be well controlled, from 1.60 to 6.12 microm for hexagonal microcrystals and 1.46 to 3.90 microm for tetragonal ones, by altering the operating parameters such as temperature, stirring speed and stabilizers. The XRD, TGA-DSC, FT-IR and physical stability studies demonstrated that the as-prepared hexagonal and tetragonal PDL microcrystals with the same pseudopolymorphic form were much more stable in water than the commercial micronized PDL with another crystal form. The dissolution tests showed that the hexagonal and tetragonal PDL microcrystals exhibited significantly enhanced dissolution property when compared to commercial micronized PDL.