Bioinspired One-Step Synthesis of Pomegranate-like Silica@Gold Nanoparticles with Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Activity

Gold–silica (Au–SiO2) nanohybrids are of great technological importance, and it is crucial to develop facile synthetic protocols to prepare Au–SiO2 nanohybrids with novel structures. Here we report the bioinspired synthesis of pomegranate-like SiO2@Au nanoparticles (P-SiO2@Au NPs) via one-step aqueous synthesis from chloroauric acid and tetraethyl orthosilicate mediated by a basic amino acid, arginine. Effects of chloroauric acid, tetraethyl orthosilicate, and arginine on the morphology and optical property of the products are investigated in detail. The P-SiO2@Au NPs achieve tunable plasmon resonance depending on the amount of chloroauric acid, which affects the size and shape of the P-SiO2@Au NPs. Finite-difference time-domain simulations are performed, revealing that the plasmon peak red-shifts with increasing particle size. Arginine serves as the reducing and capping agents for Au as well as the catalyst for SiO2 formation and also promotes the combination of Au and SiO2. Formation process of the P-SiO2@Au NPs is clarified through time-course analysis. The P-SiO2@Au NPs show good sensitivity for both colloidal and paper-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering measurements. They achieve enhancement factors of 4.3 × 107–8.5 × 107 and a mass detection limit of ca. 1 ng using thiophenol as the model analyte.The Supporting Information is available free of charge at https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c00334

Implications for Better Container Transit in the Lower Mekong River through the Field Survey and Policy Simulation

Inland waterway transport (IWT) via the Mekong River has an advantage over road transport in terms of shipping cost. In order to enhance the competitiveness of IWT, a field survey was carried out to identify issues which need to be addressed. The survey also included a night time border crossing by barge thanks to the cooperation of stakeholders in Cambodia and Vietnam. The survey results indicated that 24-hour border point operation along the river would increase transport capacity and provide access to mother container vessels calling at Southern Vietnamese ports. In addition, the simulation results of the container cargo assignment model show that the increase of barge size and 24-hours border point operation will enlarge the share of water transport. The improvements to the inland waterway system will create business opportunities for factories in Cambodia

Comprehensive Dipeptide Analysis Revealed Cancer-Specific Profile in the Liver of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis

As the physical properties and functionality of dipeptides differ from those of amino acids, they have attracted attention in metabolomics; however, their functions in vivo have not been clarified in detail. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer, and its major cause is chronic hepatitis. This study was conducted to explore tumor-specific dipeptide characteristics by performing comprehensive dipeptide analysis in the tumor and surrounding nontumor tissue of patients with HCC. Dipeptides were analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and capillary electrophoresis tandem mass spectrometry. Principal component analysis using 236 detected dipeptides showed differences in the dipeptide profiles between nontumor and tumor tissues; however, no clear difference was observed in etiological comparison. In addition, the N- and C-terminal amino acid compositions of the detected dipeptides significantly differed, suggesting the substrate specificity of enzyme proteins, such as peptidase. Furthermore, hepatitis-derived HCC may show a characteristic dipeptide profile even before tumor formation. These results provide insight into HCC pathogenesis and may help identify novel biomarkers for diagnosis

Effects of 3-styrylchromones on metabolic profiles and cell death in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells

Abstract4H-1-benzopyran-4-ones (chromones) are important naturally-distributing compounds. As compared with flavones, isoflavones and 2-styrylchromones, there are only few papers of 3-styrylchromones that have been published. We have previously reported that among fifteen 3-styrylchromone derivatives, three new synthetic compounds that have OCH3 group at the C-6 position of chromone ring, (E)-3-(4-hydroxystyryl)-6-methoxy-4H-chromen-4-one (compound 11), (E)-6-methoxy-3-(4-methoxystyryl)-4H-chromen-4-one (compound 4), (E)-6-methoxy-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxystyryl)-4H-chromen-4-one (compound 6) showed much higher cytotoxicities against four epithelial human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) lines than human normal oral mesenchymal cells. In order to further confirm the tumor specificities of these compounds, we compared their cytotoxicities against both human epithelial malignant and non-malignant cells, and then investigated their effects on fine cell structures and metabolic profiles and cell death in human OSCC cell line HSC-2. Cytotoxicities of compounds 4, 6, 11 were assayed with MTT method. Fine cell structures were observed under transmission electron microscope. Cellular metabolites were extracted with methanol and subjected to CE-TOFMS analysis. Compounds 4, 6, 11 showed much weaker cytotoxicity against human oral keratinocyte and primary human gingival epithelial cells, as compared with HSC-2, confirming their tumor-specificity, whereas doxorubicin and 5-FU were highly cytotoxic to these normal epithelial cells, giving unexpectedly lower tumor-specificity. The most cytotoxic compound 11, induced the mitochondrial vacuolization, autophagy suppression followed by apoptosis induction, and changes in the metabolites involved in amino acid and glycerophospholipid metabolisms. Chemical modification of lead compound 11 may be a potential choice for designing new type of anticancer drugs

Soft X-ray Absorption and Photoemission Studies of Ferromagnetic Mn-Implanted 3CC-SiC

We have performed x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and resonant photoemission spectroscopy (RPES) measurements of Mn-implanted 3$C$-SiC (3$C$-SiC:Mn) and carbon-incorporated Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$ (Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$:C). The Mn 2$p$ core-level XPS and XAS spectra of 3$C$-SiC:Mn and Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$:C were similar to each other and showed "intermediate" behaviors between the localized and itinerant Mn 3$d$ states. The intensity at the Fermi level was found to be suppressed in 3$C$-SiC:Mn compared with Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$:C. These observations are consistent with the formation of Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$:C clusters in the 3$C$-SiC host, as observed in a recent transmission electron microscopy study.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

カン ノウホウセイ シュヨウノ 2セツジョレイ

We report two cases of cystadenoma and cystadenocarcinoma of the liver. Case 1 : A 38-yearold woman, complaining of discomfort of upper abdomen, was detected a cystic tumor in segment 5of the liver by abdominal CT scan. A part of the tumor had an enhanced lesion the angiographyshowed an enhanced peripheral staining of the cystic lesion. S 5-6 segmentectomy was performed.The resected material showed that the tumor was a multilocular and cystic lesion, histopathologicallywas diagnosed as hepatobiliary cystadenoma. Case 2 : A 72-year old man was incidentallypointed out a liver tumor in the left lobe at an examination of pneumonia. Abdominal CT scanshowed a papillary enhanced solid lesion in cystic tumor with invasion to the caudate lobe. ERCPshowed a filling defect in the common bile duct. Extended left hepatic lobectomy, caudate lobectomyand extrahepatic bile duct resection were performed. The final diagnosis was hepatobiliarycystadenocarcinoma.Cystadenoma is known to have a carcinogenic potential. In the case with suspition of neoplasticcyst, resection must be perfomed

イ ゲンパツ ジュウモウガン ノ 1レイ

A 79-year-old man, complaining of right hypochondralgia, was admitted to our hospital. Gastrointestinalendoscopy revealed a elevated lesion on the anterior wall of the gastric antrum. Adistal gastrectomy was performed. Histological findings confirmed the diagnosis of gastric choriocarcinoma,and there was coexistence of adenocarcinoma. The patient left the hospital in uneventfulpostoperative course. He had recurrence on remnant stomach on the third postoperativemonth. Also chemotherapy with TS-1 and paclitaxel was performed, was no effective, resulting inpatient death on the fourth postoperative month. The patient died of recurrence complicatedpneumonia. We reported on this case with some bibliographical comments

キョダイ チョクチョウ gastrointestinal stromal tumor（GIST） ノ 1セツジョレイ

A 75-year old woman, complaining of prolapse of the uterus, was detected a giant tumor in therectum by abdominal CT scan. Enhanced CT revealed a heterogeneous mass in the pelvic cavitymeasuring 8 cm. MRI demonstrated a mass in the rectovaginal seputum, showing heterogeneoushigh intensity on T1 and T2 weighed image. Abdominoperineal excision of the rectum was performed.Macroscopically, the resected specimen showed a solid tumor with central hemorrhagicnecrosis, 10×5 cm in size. Histological examination showed fascicular proliferated spindle-shapedcells invaded to subserosa. Immunohistochemical studies showed a GIST of the rectum withpositive staining for c-kit and CD34, and negative staining for α-SMA, S-100 protein. No evidenceof recurrence has been found in the 2 years since. We report a case of giant GIST of the rectum.Because the risk of the recurrence depends on operation curability adequate resection margin isneeded for surgical approach for GIST

Immunogenic Comparison of Chimeric Adenovirus 5/35 Vector Carrying Optimized Human Immunodeficiency Virus Clade C Genes and Various Promoters

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine is a promising approach to protect HIV infection. However, a recent phase IIb clinical trial using the vector did not show its protective efficacy against HIV infection. To improve the vaccine, we explored the transgene protein expression and its immunogenicity using optimized codon usage, promoters and adaptors. We compared protein expression and immunogenicity of adenovirus vector vaccines carrying native or codon usage-optimized HIV-1 clade C gag and env genes expression cassettes driven by different promoters (CMV, CMVi, and CA promoters) and adapters (IRES and F2A). The adenovirus vector vaccine containing optimized gag gene produced higher Gag protein expression and induced higher immune responses than the vector containing native gag gene in mice. Furthermore, CA promoter generated higher transgene expression and elicited higher immune responses than other two popularly used promoters (CMV and CMVi). The second gene expression using F2A adaptor resulted in higher protein expression and immunity than that of using IRES and direct fusion protein. Taken together, the adenovirus vector containing the expression cassette with CA promoter, optimized HIV-1 clade C gene and an F2A adaptor produced the best protein expression and elicited the highest transgene-specific immune responses. This finding would be promising for vaccine design and gene therapy