Enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity of N, F-codoped TiO2 powders with high thermal stability.

Doping non-metals onto TiO2 has been regarded as a promising way to gain a more effective photocatalyst. In this paper, N, F-codoped TiO2 was synthesized by the sol-gel method, demonstrating both high adsorption capacity and high photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. Samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-vis DRS). The results show that N, F-codoping can reduce the impact of calcination temperature on the structure and morphology of the sample, resulting in the sample exhibiting good thermal stability, even when the calcination temperature changes in a large range, instead of rutile, the anatase around 20 nm is the only phase in N, F-codoped samples. It can be clearly observed from the SEM images that N, F-codoped samples calcined at different temperatures are in the state of scattered particles with small size and good dispersed property. And it is vivid that the absorption intensity of N, F-codoped TiO2 samples in the visible light range increases substantially in DRS. According to the result of photocatalytic activity experiment, N, F-codoped TiO2 samples calcined at 973 K exhibited the highest degradation rate for Methylene Blue.

[Efficacy and Safety Evaluation of Liujin Runzao Concentrated Decoction in Treating Primary Sjögren's Syndrome].

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Liujin Runzao Concentrated Decoction (LRCD) for the treatment of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Methods Forty pSS patients with fluid depletion and distribution obstacles syndrome (FDDOS) were randomly assigned to the experimen- tal group and the control group according to 1:1 proportion. All patients received standard therapy: Radix Paeoniae alba total glycosides 600 mg, twice per day. Patients in the experimental group additionally took LRCD, 30 mL each time, twice per day. The therapeutic course for all was 4 weeks, and two courses for all. The improvement of dry mouth and dry eyes were comprehensively evaluated. Each outcome of composite index constitutions (integrals of dry eyes and dry mouth, salivary flow rate, Schirmer test) was respectively reported. Schirmer test and salivary flow rate were determined as well. Score of TCM syndrome, blood sedimentation,'immunoglobulin, and adverse drug reactions were observed. Results The effective rate of comprehensive effect for dry eyes and dry mouth improvement at the end of 8 weeks was 80% in the experimental group and 35% in the control group, with statistical difference (X² =8. 286, P <0. 05). As for the composition of comprehensive effect for dry eyes and dry mouth improvement: The score for dry eyes and dry mouth decreased in the two groups more after treatment than before treatment. The difference in pre-post treatment score for dry eyes and dry mouth at week 8 was higher in the experimental group than in the control group. The difference in pre-post treatment score at week 8 was 1. 71 (95% Cl: -0. 37 -3. 78) between the two groups (P <0. 05). The difference in pre-post treatment Schirmer test and salivary flow rate at week 8 was higher in the experimental group than in the control group, but with on statistical difference (P >0. 05). The difference in pre-post treatment Schirmer test and salivary flow rate at week 8 was 2. 74 mL/15 min (95% Cl: 0. 49 -4.98) and 0. 13 mm/5 min (95% Cl: 0. 92 -1. 23) between the two groups (P <0. 05). The score of TCM syndrome decreased more in the two groups, as compared with before treatment. The difference in pre-post treatment score of TCM syn- drome at week 8 was 1. 71 (95% CI: -1. 40 -4. 81) between the two groups (P >0. 05). One case of uri- nary tract infections occurred in the control group, while no obvious adverse event occurred in the exper- imental group. Conclusion Standard treatment combined LRCD showed better comprehensive effect for dry eyes and dry mouth in pSS patients with FDDOS, and was more safe.

Paxillin functions as an oncogene in human gliomas by promoting cell migration and invasion.

BACKGROUND: Paxillin is implicated in tumorigenesis, progression and aggressive phenotypes of various malignancies, highlighting its functions in cellular adhesion, migration and survival. However, the roles of paxillin in human gliomas remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical implication of paxillin expression in patients with gliomas and its biological function in glioma cells. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Expression levels of paxillin gene and protein, respectively, were detected by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses in 120 pairs of glioma and matched nontumorous brain tissues. The associations between paxillin expression and various histopathological features of glioma patients were also statistically evaluated. Then, the functions of paxillin in cell migration and invasion of glioma cell lines were determined by transwell assays in vitro. RESULTS: The expression levels of both paxillin gene and protein in glioma tissues were markedly higher than those in matched nontumorous brain tissues. Notably, paxillin overexpression was significantly associated with the grade of malignancy (P<0.05). Moreover, the enforced expression of paxillin promoted the migration and invasion of glioma cells, while the loss of paxillin expression efficiently suppressed cell migration and invasion of glioma cell lines. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that paxillin may function as an oncogene and its overexpression may be closely correlated with tumor progression of human gliomas by modulating tumor cell motility, implying the potential of paxillin as a new therapeutic target for glioma intervention.

Biodegradable double-targeted PTX-mPEG-PLGA nanoparticles for ultrasound contrast enhanced imaging and antitumor therapy in vitro.

A porous-structure nano-scale ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) was made of monomethoxypoly (ethylene glycol)-poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (mPEG-PLGA), and modified by double-targeted antibody: anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and anti-carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), as a double-targeted nanoparticles (NPs). Anti-tumor drug paclitaxel (PTX) was encapsulated in the double-targeted nanoparticles (NPs). The morphor and release curve were characterized. We verified a certain anticancer effect of PTX-NPs through cytotoxicity experiments. The cell uptake result showed much more NPs may be facilitated to ingress the cells or tissues with ultrasound (US) or ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) transient sonoporation in vitro. Ultrasound contrast-enhanced images in vitro and in vivo were investigated. Compared with SonoVue, the NPs prolonged imaging time in rabbit kidneys and tumor of nude mice, which make it possible to further enhance anti-tumor effects by extending retention time in the tumor region. The novel double-targeted NPs with the function of ultrasound contrast enhanced imaging and anti-tumor therapy can be a promising way in clinic.

Correlation between blood circulation grading and angiogenesis using ultrasonic contrast of rabbit VX2 hepatic carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To build the rabbit model of VX2 hepatic carcinoma, examine the tumor body using the ultrasonic contrast and study the correlation between the blood circulation grading and angiogenesis. METHODS: The VX2 tumor strain was prepared in the lateral muscle of the hind legs of 40 male New Zealand rabbits (which were purchased from Nanjing Senbao Biotech Co., Ltd.). The tumor block was embedded in the center of left liver lobe directly to build the rabbit model of VX2 hepatic carcinoma. The ultrasonic contrast was performed 14 d after implanting the tumor body. The semi-quantitative classification (0-IV level) was taken according to the blood flow of tumor vessel. Animals were executed using the air embolism method. The liver was separated to extract RNA and total protein respectively. The real-time PCR and western blotting method were employed to detect the expression of angiogenesis-related factors of VEGF, bFGF and TNF-α, while the ultrasonic contrast to detect the correlation with blood circulation grading. The Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was used to measure the linear relationship between these two variables and analyze the correlation between the blood circulation grading and angiogenesis using the ultrasonic contrast. RESULTS: Thirty-three rabbits had the successful model of VX2 hepatic carcinoma. The blood circulation grading by ultrasonic contrast was: 2 cases at level 0 (6.60%), 5 cases at level I (16.7%), 12 cases at level II (40.0%), 6 cases at level III (20.0%) (local dense or clustered blood flow) and 5 cases at level IV (16.7%). The results showed that there was positive correlation between three angiogenesis-related factors and the blood circulation grading. The correlation coefficient between three angiogenesis-related factors and the blood circulation grading was over 0.9, which indicated the relatively high correlation. CONCLUSIONS: The ultrasound blood circulation grading for the hepatic carcinoma can clearly reflect the changes of blood vessel, which will be of critical significance for the early diagnosis of hepatic carcinoma and clinical evaluation of angiogenesis indicators.

Diagnostic and therapeutic research on ultrasound microbubble/nanobubble contrast agents (Review).

The contrast enhanced imaging function of ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) has been extensively investigated using physical acoustic signatures. It has a number of novel applications, including tissue­specific molecular imaging and multi­modal imaging. In addition there are numerous other therapeutic applications of UCAs, for example as vehicles for drug or gene delivery. These uses are discussed, as well as the acoustically­induced biological effects, including ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD). This review also explores the considerations for the safe use of UCA from an acoustic standpoint. The scope of the application of UCA has markedly expanded in recent years, and it is a rapidly growing field of medical research. The current article reviews recent advances in the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of ultrasound microbubble/nanobubble contrast agents.