Fabrication of Laponite-Reinforced Dextran-Based Hydrogels for NIR-Responsive Controlled Drug Release.

Natural polymer gels with sensitivity to near-infrared (NIR) light have attracted the attention of scientists working on intelligent drug delivery systems. Compared to ultraviolet or visible light, NIR light has the advantages of strong trigger levels, deep penetration through affected tissues, and fewer side effects. Herein, we present a topical photothermal hydrogel for NIR-controlled drug delivery. The proposed DexIEM-GM-Laponite hydrogel was prepared through free radical polymerization of vinyl-functionalized dextran (DexIEM), vinyl-modified graphene oxide (GM), and Laponite; thereafter, the hydrogel was loaded with ciprofloxacin (CIP, an antibacterial drug) as a model drug. With the Laponite content increased, the density of crosslinking in the hydrogel increased, and its mechanical properties improved noticeably. Under NIR irradiation, the DexIEM-GM-Laponite hydrogel exhibited a photothermal property, where the surface temperature increased from 26.8 to 55.5 °C. The simulation of subcutaneous drug delivery experiments ex vivo showed that under the specified pork tissue thickness (2, 4, and 6 mm), the CIP release remained NIR-controllable. Additionally, the results of the antibacterial performance tests indicated the excellent antibacterial effect of the hydrogel, and the blood hemolysis ratio of the hydrogel was less than 5%, signifying good blood compatibility. This work will provide an avenue for the application of NIR light-responsive materials in antimicrobial therapy.

SOX4-activated lncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 aggravates osteoarthritis progression by modulating miR-149-5p/Notch1 signaling.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the expression and underlying network of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) MCM3AP-AS1 in osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Human articular cartilage samples, OA model rats and IL-1ß-treated C28/I2 cells were used in this study. The expression changes of genes and proteins were assessed by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot. Cell viability, apoptosis, autophagy and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation were assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), immunohistochemistry (IHC), flow cytometry, immunofluorescence and western blot assays, respectively. Molecule interactions were validated by dual luciferase and Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. H&E staining was used to detect the pathological changes of cartilage. RESULTS: MCM3AP-AS1 was upregulated in OA patients and IL-1ß-induced chondrocytes. Knockdown of MCM3AP-AS1 enhanced autophagy, while alleviated ECM degradation and cartilage injury. Mechanistically, overexpression of SOX4 boosted the transcription of MCM3AP-AS1. Moreover, MCM3AP-AS1 functioned as a molecular sponge or epigenetic regulator of miR-149-5p to facilitate Notch1 expression. Functional rescue experiments showed that either inhibition of miR-149-5p nor ectopic expression of Notch1 dramatically weakened the biological impacts of MCM3AP-AS1 silencing. CONCLUSION: These finding demonstrated that SOX4-activated MCM3AP-AS1 aggravated OA progression by modulating autophagy and ECM degradation via targeting miR-149-5p/Notch1 axis. These data supported that inhibition of MCM3AP-AS1 might be a potential treatment strategy of OA.

Effects of glucocorticoids on the levels of serum tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: The study was designed to explore the effects of glucocorticoid therapy on the levels of serum interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Clinical information of 100 patients with RA who were admitted to our hospital from 2015 to 2018 were retrospectively collected and divided into two groups according to the random number table method. Patients receiving routine treatment were classified as the control group (n = 50) and those receiving glucocorticoid therapy based on routine treatment were classified as the observation group (n = 50). Pre- and post-treatment clinical effects, tender joint counts, swollen joint counts; periods of morning stiffness, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS28), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and rheumatoid factor (RF), IL-6, and TNF-α levels were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the observation group had a higher total effective rate. The observation group exhibited lower tender and swollen joint counts and shorter morning stiffness periods than the control group (P < 0.05). The VAS scores and DAS28 in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The ESRs and RF levels as well as the post-treatment IL-6 and TNF-α levels were lower in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Glucocorticoids show beneficial effects on alleviating RA symptoms. Due to the limited sample size in the study, future studies with a larger cohort and over a longer investigation period are warranted to provide comprehensive results.

Prognostic value of red cell distribution width in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognostic value of baseline red cell distribution width (RDW) in patients with coronary artery diseases (CADs) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by conducting a meta-analysis. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCE: PubMed, Embase, Wanfang, CNKI and VIP databases were searched from their inceptions to 19 June 2019. ELIGIBLE CRITERIA: Studies investigating the value of baseline RDW for predicting all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in patients with CAD undergoing PCI were included. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two authors independently extracted the data and evaluated the methodological quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. STATA V.12.0 software was applied to produce the forest plots using a random-effect model. RESULTS: Twelve studies (13 articles) involving 17 113 patients were included and analysed. Comparison between the highest and lowest RDW category indicated that the pooled risk ratio (RR) was 1.77 (95% CI 1.32 to 2.37) for all-cause mortality, 1.70 (95% CI 1.25 to 2.32) for cardiovascular mortality and 1.62 (95% CI 1.21 to 2.18) for MACEs. The predictive effect of elevated RDW for all-cause mortality was stronger in the subgroup of patients without anaemia (RR 4.59; 95% CI 3.07 to 6.86) than with anaemia. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis indicated that elevated RDW was associated with higher risk of mortality and adverse cardiac events in patients with CAD undergoing PCI. The value of elevated RDW for predicting all-cause mortality appears to be stronger in patients without anaemia. RDW may be served as a promising prognostic biomarker in patients undergoing PCI.

Metal-Organic Coordination Polymer to Prepare Density Controllable and High Nitrogen-Doped Content Carbon/Graphene for High Performance Supercapacitors.

Design and preparation of carbon-based electrode material with high nitrogen-doping ratio and appropriate density attract much interest for supercapacitors in practical application. Herein, three porous carbon/graphene (NCGCu, NCGFe, and NCGZn) with high doping ratio of nitrogen have been prepared via directly pyrolysis of graphene oxide (GO)/metal-organic coordination polymer (MOCP) composites, which were formed by reacting 4,4'-bipyridine (BPD) with CuCl2, FeCl3, and ZnCl2, respectively. As-prepared NCGCu, NCGFe and NCGZn showed high nitrogen doping ratio of 10.68, 12.99, and 11.21 at. %; and high density of 1.52, 0.84, and 1.15 g cm-3, respectively. When as-prepared samples were used as supercapacitor electrodes, NCGCu, NCGFe and NCGZn exhibited high gravimetric specific capacitances of 369, 298.5, 309.5 F g-1, corresponding to high volumetric specific capacitances of 560.9, 250.7, 355.9 F cm-3 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1, as well as good cycling stability, nearly 100% of the capacitance retained after 1000 cycles even at a large current density of 10 A g-1. It is expected that the provided novel strategy can be used to develop electrode materials in high performance energy conversion/storage devices.

Update report of T4 classification nasopharyngeal carcinoma after intensity-modulated radiotherapy: an analysis of survival and treatment toxicities.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term survival outcomes and toxicity of a larger series of patients with non-metastatic T4 classification nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 2004 to June 2011, 335 non-metastatic T4 classification NPC patients treated by IMRT were analyzed retrospectively. Treatment induced toxicities were scored according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 3.0. RESULTS: With a median follow-up time of 53.6 months (range, 2.8-114.9 months), the 5-year local failure-free survival (LFFS), regional failure free survival (RFFS), distant failure-free survival (DFFS), and overall survival (OS) were 84.1%, 92.2%, 74.1%, and 63.0%, respectively. At their last follow-up visit, 118 patients (35.2%) had developed treatment failure. Distant metastasis was the major failure pattern after treatment. The most common toxicities were mainly in grade 1 or 2. Concurrent chemotherapy failed to improve survival rates for patients with T4 classification NPC. CONCLUSION: The results of T4 classification NPC treated by IMRT were excellent, and distant metastasis was the most commonly failure pattern. Treatment-related toxicities were well tolerable. The role of concurrent chemotherapy for T4 classification NPC needs to be further investigated in the era of IMRT.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated by radical radiotherapy alone: Ten-year experience of a single institution.

PURPOSE: To report on our experience in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) by radical radiotherapy alone in our institution during the last decade. METHODS AND MATERIALS: From January 1990 to May 1999, 905 NPC patients were treated and were studied retrospectively. Radical radiotherapy was given to this cohort by conventional technique in a routine dose of 70-72 Gy to the primary tumor and metastatic lymph nodes. In case of residual primary lesion, a boost dose of 8-24 Gy was delivered by either 192Ir afterloading brachytherapy, fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy, conformal radiotherapy, or small external-beam fields. RESULTS: The 5-year and 10-year local-regional control, overall survival, and disease-free survival rates were 81.7% and 76.7%, 76.1% and 66.5%, 58.4% and 52.1%, respectively. In case of residual primary lesions after a dose of 70-72 Gy of conventional external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT), an additional boost was able to achieve a local control of 80.8%, similar to that obtained with primary lesions that completely disappeared at 70-72 Gy (82.6%, p = 0.892). CONCLUSIONS: The treatment results of radical EBRT followed by a boost dose to the residual primary tumor for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in our institution are promising.