Synthesis and tunable luminescent properties of Eu-doped Ca2NaSiO4F – Coexistence of the Eu2+ and Eu3+ centers

AbstractNovel phosphors Ca2NaSiO4F:Eu were synthesized successfully by the conventional solid-state method in CO atmosphere, and their spectroscopic properties in UV−vis region were investigated. The photoluminescence properties show that Eu3+ ions were partially reduced to Eu2+ in Ca2NaSiO4F. As a result of radiation and re-absorption energy transfer from Eu2+ to Eu3+, both Eu2+ bluish-green emission at around 520nm and Eu3+ red emission are observed in the emission spectra under the n-UV light excitation. Furthermore, the ratio between Eu2+ and Eu3+ emissions varies with increasing content of overall Eu. Because relative intensity of the red component from Eu3+ became systematically stronger, white light emission can be realized by combining the emission of Eu2+ and Eu3+ in a single host lattice under n-UV light excitation. These results indicate that the Ca2NaSiO4F:Eu phosphors have potential applications as a n-UV convertible phosphor for light-emitting diodes

Apatinib treatment efficiently delays biochemical-only recurrent ovarian cancer progression

Abstract Background Biochemical recurrence is defined as only rising CA-125 but no radiographic evidence of disease; noteworthily, it generally precedes the onset of clinical evidence. Now treatment strategies of biochemical recurrence ovarian cancer (OC) remain controversial. Apatinib as monotherapy or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents has shown its effect in the treatment of some advanced malignancies. In our study, we focused on the efficacy of apatinib in recurrent OC, especially its clinical activity in biochemical-only recurrent OC patients. Methods We retrospectively analyzed clinical material of 41 recurrent patients who had received apatinib monotherapy or apatinib plus chemotherapy between June 2016 and August 2018. Apatinib was administered at a 500mg daily dose. Response was determined according to measurable disease or serum carbohydrate antigen (CA)-125 levels. Progression-free survival (PFS) was estimated by Kaplan–Meier method. Results All patients were evaluable, 19 (46.34%) had biochemical relapse and 22 (53.66%) had clinical relapse. The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) in the overall population were 31.71% and 78.05%, respectively. The median PFS was 7 months (95% confidence interval 5.43–8.57). And in patients with biochemical-only relapse, the median PFS was 6 months, with ORR of 26.32% and DCR of 89.47%. Conclusions Apatinib is a well-tolerated and effective agent to delay clinical progression of patients with biochemical-only recurrent OC. More important, our study shows the promising prospect for treating OC patients with asymptomatic biochemical relapse

Comprehensive analysis on subchondral bone marrow lesions of human osteoarthritis by integrating bulk and single-cell transcriptomes

Abstract Objective This study aims to demonstrate the cellular composition and underlying mechanisms in subchondral bone marrow lesions (BMLs) of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods BMLs were assessed by MRI Osteoarthritis Knee Score (MOAKS)≥2. Bulk RNA-sequencing (bulk-seq) and BML-specific differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis were performed among subchondral bone samples (including OA-BML=3, paired OA-NBML=3; non-OA=3). The hub genes of BMLs were identified by verifying in independent datasets and multiple bioinformatic analyses. To further estimate cell-type composition of subchondral bone, we utilized two newly developed deconvolution algorithms (MuSiC, MCP-counter) in transcriptomic datasets, based on signatures from open-accessed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Finally, competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) and transcription factor (TF) networks were constructed through multiple predictive databases, and validated by public non-coding RNA profiles. Results A total of 86 BML-specific DEGs (up 79, down 7) were identified. IL11 and VCAN were identified as core hub genes. The “has-miR-424-5p/lncRNA PVT1” was determined as crucial network, targeting IL11 and VCAN, respectively. More importantly, two deconvolution algorithms produced approximate estimations of cell-type composition, and the cluster of heterotopic-chondrocyte was discovered abundant in BMLs, and positively correlated with the expression of hub genes. Conclusion IL11 and VCAN were identified as the core hub genes of BMLs, and their molecular networks were determined as well. We profiled the characteristics of subchondral bone at single-cell level and determined that the heterotopic-chondrocyte was abundant in BMLs and was closely linked to IL11 and VCAN. Our study may provide new insights into the microenvironment and pathological molecular mechanism of BMLs, and could lead to novel therapeutic strategies