Quantified MRI and 25OH-VitD3 can be used as effective biomarkers for patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy-induced liver injury in CRCLM?

BACKGROUND: To evaluate proton-density fat-fraction (PDFF) and intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) techniques, and human 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25OH-VitD3) levels, as potential biomarkers in patients with colorectal cancer with liver metastasis (CRCLM). Changes were compared with those related to chemotherapy-associated steatohepatitis (CASH) and sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS). METHODS: 63 patients with pathologically confirmed colorectal adenocarcinoma received 4-6 courses of NC before liver resection and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation quantification and IVIM sequences. Blood samples were analyzed using CTCAE. Pathological changes of liver tissues outside the metastases were assessed as the gold standard, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were analyzed. RESULTS: 16 cases had CASH liver injury, 14 cases had SOS changes, and 4 cases had CASH and SOS, and 7 showed no significant changes. Consistency between biochemical indices and pathological findings was poor (kappa = 0.246, p = 0.005). The areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) of ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, and TBIL were 0.571-0.691. AUCs of D, FF, and 25OH-VitD3 exceeded 0.8; when considering these markers together, sensitivity was 85.29% and specificity was 93.13%. ANOVA showed statistically significant differences among D, FF, and 25OH-VitD3 for different grades of liver injury (F = 4.64-26.5, p = 0.000-0.016). CONCLUSIONS: D, FF, and 25OH-VitD3 are biomarkers for accurate prediction of NC-induced liver injury in patients with CRCLM, while FF and 25OH-VitD3 might be beneficial to distinguish liver injury grades. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Trials was retrospectively registered as ChiCTR1800015242 at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on March 16, 2018.

Ultra-Sensitive Dopamine Sensor Using Stable Black Phosphorus Quantum Dots.

The use of various optical methods for detection of dopamine (DA), such as colorimetry, fluorometry, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and electrochemiluminescence (ECL), has progressively matured over the past decade. However, the development of a simple, inexpensive, and quick detection method for dopamine still remains a challenge. Herein, we used stable black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs) for sensitive and selective detection of dopamine by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The initial UV-Vis absorption peaks of the BPQDs in aqueous solution were effectively quenched upon the addition of DA. The quenching efficiency was proportional to the concentration of DA within the range of 1 nM to 70 nM or 1 nM to 1250 nM (encompassing physiological DA concentrations) with a low detection limit of 0.33 nM (pH 5˜9). This optical analysis method provides a platform for the detection of dopamine, which has many advantages such as high sensitivity, selectivity, stability, low cost, non-toxicity, and so on.

Hierarchical Co-FeS2/CoS2 heterostructures as a superior bifunctional electrocatalyst.

The traditional method of preparing hydrogen and oxygen as efficient clean energy sources mainly relies on the use of platinum, palladium, and other precious metals. However, the high cost and low abundance limit wide application of such metals. As such, one challenging issue is the development of low-cost and high-efficiency electrocatalysts for such purposes. In this study, we synthesized Co-FeS2/CoS2 heterostructures via a hydrothermal method for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Benefitting from their unique three-dimensional hierarchical nanostructures, Co-doped FeS2, and CoS2 formed heterostructures on Co-FeS2 petals, which bestowed remarkable electrocatalytic properties upon Co-FeS2/CoS2 nanostructures. Co-FeS2/CoS2 effectively catalyzed the OER with an overpotential of 278 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 in 1 M KOH solution, and also is capable of driving a current density -10 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of -103 mV in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution. The overpotential of the OER and HER only decreased by 5 mV and 3 mV after 1000 cycles. Our Co-FeS2/CoS2 materials may offer a promising alternative to noble metal-based electrocatalysts for water splitting.