Fabrication of three-dimension hierarchical structure CuO nanoflowers and their antifungal mechanism against Bipolaris sorokiniana

Nanomaterials are widely investigated in sustainable agriculture owing to their unique physicochemical properties, especially Cu-based nanomaterial with eco-friendliness and essential for plant. However, the effect of CuO nanomaterial on Bipolaris sorokiniana (B. sorokiniana) is yet to be systematically understood. In this study, a three-dimension hierarchical structure CuO nanoflower (CuO NF) with ultrathin petals and excellent dispersibility in water was constructed and proved to have outstanding antifungal activity against B. sorokiniana with the inhibition rate of 86 % in mycelial growth, 74 % in mycelial dry weight and 75 % in conidial germination. Furthermore, the antifungal mechanism was assigned to the production of reactive oxygen species in intracellular caused by antioxidant mimicking activity of CuO NF to damage of cell membrane integrity and result cellular leakage. Additionally, the good control effect of CuO NF on wheat diseases caused by B. sorokiniana was demonstrated through pot experiment. This article firstly reveals the antifungal activity and mechanism of CuO NF on B. sorokiniana, and establishes the relationship between enzyme-like activity of CuO NF and its antifungal activity, which provides a promising application of Cu-based nanomaterial as nanofungicide in plant protection and a theoretical foundation for structure design of nanomaterials to improve their antifungal activities.

A Workflow Combining Machine Learning with Molecular Simulations Uncovers Potential Dual-Target Inhibitors against BTK and JAK3

The drug development process suffers from low success rates and requires expensive and time-consuming procedures. The traditional one drug-one target paradigm is often inadequate to treat multifactorial diseases. Multitarget drugs may potentially address problems such as adverse reactions to drugs. With the aim to discover a multitarget potential inhibitor for B-cell lymphoma treatment, herein, we developed a general pipeline combining machine learning, the interpretable model SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP), and molecular dynamics simulations to predict active compounds and fragments. Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) and Janus kinase 3 (JAK3) are popular synergistic targets for B-cell lymphoma. We used this pipeline approach to identify prospective potential dual inhibitors from a natural product database and screened three candidate inhibitors with acceptable drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties. Ultimately, the compound CNP0266747 with specialized binding conformations that exhibited potential binding free energy against BTK and JAK3 was selected as the optimum choice. Furthermore, we also identified key residues and fingerprint features of this dual-target inhibitor of BTK and JAK3.

Investigation of ATR Inhibitor VX970 as a Radiosensitizer in Colorectal Cancer Cells

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of combined cancer-related mortality in males and females in the U.S. Traditional treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer consists of neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Emerging data suggests that higher response rates can be achieved with total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) where delivery of all chemotherapy and radiation therapy (RT) occurs prior to surgery. In addition, for patients with a complete response to TNT, non-operative management (NOM) can be considered. However, despite the use of TNT, pathologic complete response rates remain below 40% and NOM is only achieved in approximately 50% of rectal cancer patients. A strong need remains for more active anti-cancer therapies in rectal cancer to both reduce pelvic recurrence and facilitate NOM. Here, we tested the hypothesis that inhibition of the ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein kinase (ATR), a critical regulator of cellular DNA damage response, could increase the sensitivity of CRC to RT.

MATERIALS/METHODS

VX970, a highly potent and selective ATR inhibitor, was investigated as a radiosensitizer in SW48 and LoVo CRC cell models. In vitro, IC50 of VX970 was assessed by alamarBlue cytotoxicity assay, while radiosensitivity was revealed by radiation clonogenic assays (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 Gy). ATR activity was determined by p-Chk1 using immunoblotting, and cell cycle distribution was analyzed by propidium iodide flow cytometry. CRC xenografts were generated using both LoVo and SW48 cells injected in the left flanks of athymic nude mice to explore the radiosensitizing effects of VX970 in vivo. Tumors were allowed to grow to 100-150 mm3, and the mice were randomized into multiple groups [vehicle alone, RT alone (10 Gy/5 fractions), VX970 alone, and VX970+RT]. Mouse weights and tumor size were measured three times weekly. Comparison of treatment groups was performed using the log-rank test with P<0.05 considered significant.

RESULTS

The IC50 concentrations of VX970 on SW48 and LoVo cells were about 500 and 100 nM, respectively. VX970 at doses of 3 nM did not alter the viability of CRC cells, but significantly sensitized CRC cells to radiotherapy (P<0.05), with DER of 1.43 and 1.59, respectively, in SW48 and LoVo cells. VX970 efficiently attenuated p-Chk1 expression and significantly abrogated radiation induced G2/M cell cycle arrest (P<0.05). In addition, VX970 in combination with radiotherapy significantly prolonged tumor growth delay of CRC xenografts compared to radiation alone (P<0.05), with minimal toxicity observed.

CONCLUSION

Inhibition of the ATR-Chk1 pathway by targeting ATR kinase with VX970 sensitizes CRC to radiotherapy in vitro and in vivo. Our findings support that ATR inhibition by VX970 is a promising new approach to improve the therapeutic ratio of radiotherapy for patients with CRC and warrants further clinical testing.

[Analysis of distribution characteristics of specific immunoglobulin E in 8 092 children with eczema and urticaria in a hospital of pediatric in Tianjin City]

To investigate the common specific immunoglobulin E(sIgE) in children with eczema and urticaria, compare the allergies in children with different diseases, genders and ages, and provide the scientific basis for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment. A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the children who were suspected of eczema and urticaria and tested for serum sIgE in the Tianjin Children's Hospital from December 2019 to August 2021. A total of 8 092 serum samples were tested for ten food allergens and ten inhaled allergens. The method was the enzyme-linked immune capture assay. The allergen epidemiological characteristics were statistically analyzed by Chi square test based on the children's characteristics and factors such as different sexes and ages and by the mass data. The results showed that the positive rate of eczema was 64.42%(5 213/8 092), and the urticaria was 35.58%(2 879/8 092). The positive rate of specific IgE was 66.65%(5 393/8 092), the food allergens was 61.74%(4 996/8 092), and the inhaled allergens was 34.85%(2 820/8 092). The top three positive rates of food allergens were egg 46.65%(3 775/8 092), milk 32.64%(2 641/8 092) and wheat flour 15.08%(1 220/8 092). The top three positive rates of inhaled allergens were house dust 21.40%(1 732/8 092), Alternaria 11.78%(953/8 092) and Dermatophagoides farinae 7.33%(593/8 092). The positivity of food allergens and inhaled allergens was significantly different in different age groups. The positive rates of food allergens in different age groups were 48.92%(947/1 936) in<1 year old, 72.28%(2 680/3 708) in 1-3 years old, 64.58%(919/1 423) in 4-6 years old and 43.90%(450/1 025) in>6 years old. The positive rates of inhaled allergens in different age groups were 17.67%(342/1 936) in<1 year old, 36.35%(1 348/3 708) in 1-3 years old, 46.38%(660/1 423) in 4-6 years old and 45.85%(470/1 025) in>6 years old. The top six positive rates of allergens of eczema were the same with urticaria, which were egg, milk, house dust, wheat flour, Alternaria and Dermatophagoides farinae. The allergens (greater than or equal to grade 4) differed in children with eczema and urticaria. Moreover, there were significant differences in the positive rates of Alternaria, egg, wheat flour, crab and shrimp. In conclusion, this study can reflect the epidemic characteristics of allergens in children with eczema and urticaria to a certain extent. There were significant differences in the positive rates of allergens between different age groups. It is necessary to reasonably avoid the high-risk allergens according to the epidemiological characteristics and clinical symptoms, which provide valuable information for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases.

Bioactivity and Control Efficacy of Benzovindiflupyr Against Athelia rolfsii in China

Athelia rolfsii is a devastating soilborne pathogen that causes stem rot of peanut and severely restricts peanut production. The new generation of succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicide benzovindiflupyr has been registered in the United States and Brazil for managing multiple plant diseases. However, it is not registered in China to control peanut stem rot. In this study, 246 isolates from major peanut production areas in Shandong, Henan, and Hebei Provinces of China were used to determine the baseline sensitivity of A. rolfsii to benzovindiflupyr. The frequency of EC50 values of benzovindiflupyr was unimodally distributed with an average EC50 of 0.12 ± 0.05 mg/liter and a range of 0.01 to 0.57 mg/liter. Benzovindiflupyr can also strongly inhibit the germination of sclerotia, with an average EC50 of 2.38 ± 1.04 mg/liter (n = 23). In addition, benzovindiflupyr exhibited great in vivo efficacy against A. rolfsii; the protective or curative efficacy (89.87%, 20.39%) of benzovindiflupyr at a concentration of 50 mg/liter was equivalent to that of the control fungicide thifluzamide at 100 mg/liter (86.39%, 16.21%). At the same concentration (e.g., 100 mg/liter), the protective efficacy (93.99%) of benzovindiflupyr was more than twice as high as the curative efficacy (45.07%). A positive correlation existed between benzovindiflupyr and isopyrazam or mefentrifluconazole, which possibly resulted from similar chemical structures or damage to the cell membrane. Our findings provide valuable information for the application of benzovindiflupyr, and the established baseline sensitivity could facilitate the monitoring and assessment of benzovindiflupyr resistance risk.

Design, Synthesis, and Antifungal Activity of Polyacetylenic Alcohol Derivatives and Stereoisomers against Phytopathogenic Fungi

Falcarindiol is active against phytopathogenic fungi. In the present study, racemic falcarindiol analogs (8a-8q) were designed, synthesized, and tested for their activities against eight economically significant phytopathogenic fungal species. The compound 8o displayed the best antifungal activities and up to 54.6-fold in vitro potency improvement against Phytophthora capsici than the natural product stipudiol. Its half-maximum effective concentrations ranged from 4 to 23 μg/mL against all tested fungal species. Racemic 8o was 195-fold more potent than the fungicide carbendazim against P. capsici in vitro. The isomer (1S, 6S)-8o exhibited an EC₅₀ of 1.10 and 2.70 μg/mL against Monilia fructigena and P. capsici, respectively, which was 47 and 11 times lower than (1R, 6S)-8o and (1S, 6R)-8o. In addition, in vivo bioassay results showed that (1S, 6S)-8o had high antifungal activity against infection of M. fructigena and P. capsici to apricot and pepper fruits and pepper plants, which the efficacy was similar or better than carbendazim. The high potency and selectivity of 8o stereoisomers against the phytopathogens warrant an interest in elucidating the molecular target for fungicide development.

Synergistic activity of the combination of falcarindiol and itraconazole in vitro against dermatophytes

Previous studies have shown that natural polyacetylene alcohols, such as falcarindiol (FADOH), have good antifungal effects on plant fungi. While its effect on fungi that infect humans remains to be explored. In our study, checkerboard microdilution, drop-plate assay, and time-growth method were employed to analyze the interactions between FADOH and itraconazole (ITC) in vitro against dermatophytes, including 12 Trichophyton rubrum (T. rubrum), 12 Trichophyton mentagrophytes (T. mentagrophytes), and 6 Microsporum canis (M. canis). The results showed that the combination of FADOH and ITC exhibited synergistic and additive activity against 86.7% of all tested dermatophytes. FADOH had an excellent synergistic effect on ITC against T. rubrum and T. mentagrophytes; the synergistic rates were 66.7% and 58.3%, respectively. On the contrary, FADOH combined with ITC showed poor synergistic inhibitory activity (16.7%) against M. canis. Moreover, the additive rates of these two drugs against T. rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, and M. canis were 25%, 41.7%, and 33.3%, respectively. No antagonistic interactions were observed. The drop-plate assay and time-growth curves confirmed that the combination of FADOH and ITC had a potent synergistic antifungal effect. The in vitro synergistic effect of FADOH and ITC against dermatophytes is reported here for the first time. Our findings suggest the potential use of FADOH as an effective antifungal drug in the combined therapy of dermatophytoses caused especially by T. rubrum and T. mentagrophytes.

Modular synthesis of the pheromone (2S,7S)-2,7-nonanediyl dibutyrate and its racemate and their field efficacy to control orange wheat blossom midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

BACKGROUND

Sudden outbreaks of the orange wheat blossom midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin) cause huge wheat yield losses. Use of sex pheromones is more efficient than laborious egg counting to monitor these hidden-concealed insects. Quick synthesis of the sex pheromones is therefore required to meet the sudden outbreak needs.

RESULTS

A synthetic approach of stereospecific and racemic S. mosellana pheromones was presented. This method afforded the stereospecific and racemic S. mosellana pheromones in three steps and high enantioselectivity (> 98% ee for (2S,7S)-2,7-nonanediyl dibutyrate) in less than 1 day with 74% and 73% overall yields, respectively, whereas most conventional methods require longer synthesis time with less than 40% yield. The synthesis routes could quickly and economically afford the pheromones, starting from synthon (S)-but-3-yn-2-ol (1a) or but-3-yn-2-ol (1b), through the same three-step processes of coupling, reduction, and esterification. The Y-tube olfactometer results showed significant attractiveness of the synthetic stereospecific and racemic sex pheromones to S. mosellana males relative to the blank control (P < 0.001). Field trials also demonstrated significant attractiveness of the synthetic stereospecific and racemic sex pheromones relative to the blank control (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This modular approach is conducive to the deployment of field traps and timely responses to S. mosellana outbreaks and can be a time-saving and cost-effective tool to manage S. mosellana. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

First Report of Colletotrichum siamense causing Anthracnose on Pecan in China

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is one of the important economic forest crops which has been widely cultivated in Anhui and Jiangsu Provinces, China. Since 2019, symptoms resembling anthracnose disease had been observed in 5-ha and 6.6-ha pecan orchards in Quanjiao ( 32°5'7.08″ N, 118°16'2.91″ E), Anhui Province, and Jintan (31°42'23.84″ N, 119°21'22.90″ E), Jiangsu Province. The disease severity was about 20 to 30% with 5 to 15% (about 500 trees) incidence. In May, symptoms of leaf initially appeared as small dark lesions, which gradually developed to irregular-shaped, sunken lesions (Figure S1, A). From August to October, similar symptoms were also observed on the fruits. Infected fruits appeared irregularly, dark and depressed necrotic lesions on which orange spore masses could be occasionally observed (Figure S1, B). As the disease progressed, the necrotic lesions gradually expanded and merged, resulting in abscission of the fruits. Small fragments (4 × 4 mm) from the necrotic borders of infected fruits or leaves were surfaced sterilized, plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and then incubated in darkness at 25°C for 3 days. Pure cultures were obtained from individual conidia by recovering single spores. On the PDA plate, the colonies surface was white and cottony. Observing from the back of the plate, the colonies were pale yellow at the centre and pale white at the margin (Figure S1, E). Spores were produced over PDA plates after 7 days growth. Conidia were hyaline, smooth walls, aseptate, guttulate, cylindrical with rounded ends with 14.8 to 17.5 × 3.3 to 4.7 μm (mean 16.5 × 4.1μm, n = 50) in size (Figure S1, F). These morphological characteristics were similar to those of the species of Colletotrichum siamense (Prihastuti et al. 2009; Weir et al. 2012; Fu et al. 2019). Thirty-two isolates Colletotrichum sp. were obtained from the infected leaves and fruits (isolation frequency about 80%). To further identify the isolates, the regions of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), calmodulin (CAL), actin (ACT), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), chitin synthase (CHSI), and beta-tubulin 2 (TUB2) were amplified and sequenced from genomic DNA for the four representative isolates (JS1 and AH1 from infected fruits; JS2 and AH2 from infected leaves), respectively (Weir et al. 2012). Sequences of them were deposited in GenBank under nos. OP389224 to OP389227 (ITS), OP413765 to OP413768 (CAL), OP413761 to OP413764 (ACT), OP413773 to OP413776 (GAPDH), OP413769 to OP413772 (CHSI), and OP413777 to OP413780 (TUB2). Blast analysis showed these sequences shared high identity with C. siamense (100% with ITS, CAL, CHSI, and TUB2; 98.94% with ACT; 98.19% with GAPDH). Multilocus phylogenetic analysis revealed that the four isolates and C. siamense were clustered in the same clade (Figure S2). Based on the results of morphological and molecular analysis, these isolates were identified as C. siamense. The pathogenicity of four isolates was tested on two-year-old container-grown pecan seedlings, which were grown in the nursery. The conidial suspension with a concentration of 5 × 106 conidia/ml was sprayed evenly on the surface of leaves of a healthy seedling, and each isolate inoculated three pecan seedlings. The pathogenicity experiment was repeated three times. For negative controls, pecan seedlings were sprayed with sterilized distilled water. Finally, all inoculated plants were kept in a greenhouse at 25°C under a 16 h/8 h photoperiod and 70% relative humidity. Three weeks after inoculation, the inoculated plants showed symptoms similar to those of the original diseased plants (Figure S1, C), while controls remained asymptomatic (Figure S1, D). Cultures were re-isolated from the infected leaves and were identified as C. siamense by both morphological characteristics and DNA sequence analysis. Previously, C. nymphaeae, C. siamense, C. fructicola and C. viniferum have been reported to cause anthracnose of Pecan worldwide (Zhang et al. 2019; Oh et al. 2021; Poletto et al. 2019; Zhao et al. 2022 ). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. siamense causing anthracnose on pecan in China. The identification of this pathogen will facilitate the development of strategies for managing the disease in China. References: Oh, J. Y., et al. 2021. Plant disease. 105(10):3296. Poletto, T., et al. 2019. Plant disease. 103(12):3277. Prihastuti, H., et al. 2009. Fungal Divers. 39:89. Fu, M., et al. 2019. Persoonia-Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution of Fungi. 42(1):1-35. Weir, B. S., et al. 2012. Studies in Mycology. 73:115. Zhao, et al. 2022, Acta Phytopathologica Sinica, doi:10.13926/j.cnki.apps.000648 Zhang, Y. B., et al. 2019. Plant disease. 103(6):1432. The author(s) declare no conflict of interest. Keywords: Colletotrichum siamense, Anthracnose, Carya illinoinensis, Pathogenicity †Indicates the corresponding author. Y. Q. Zhao; zhaoyuqiang123@126.com.

First Report of Bacterial Canker of Pecan Caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae in China

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is a world-famous nut tree that is widely cultivated in China, especially in Jiangsu Province (Zhang et al. 2015). In April 2022, cankers on trunks were recorded in pecan (cv. Pawnee) fields located in Taizhou (32°27'58″ N, 120°0'49″ E), Jiangsu. Cankers on the trunks resulted in wilt of the plants. Usually, the color of infected bark on the trunk became darker than the healty bark. When the outer bark was peeled away, the inner tissues were water-soaked, often with reddish streaks. In the surveyed orchards, disease incidence ranged from 10 to 20% among young saplings (about 200 three-year-old trees). While no fungal mycelium or spores were found in the diseased areas by microscope, bacterial colonies were isolated by surface-sterilizing small fragments (25 mm2) of symptomatic tissue in 0.5% NaOCl, rinsing the sections twice in sterilized water, and then streaking them on Luria-Bertani (LB) plates. More than 20 bacterial isolates were obtained and all isolates induced a hypersensitive response on Nicotiana tabacum. All isolates were fluorescent on King's medium B, and were gram-negative based on lysis by KOH. Isolates were positive for levan formation, negative for oxidase and arginine dihydrolase, and did not cause soft rot on potato slices. Based on above information, the isolates thus belonged to Lelliot's LOPAT group 1, P. syringae (Lelliott and Stead 1988). The 16S rRNA sequences of five representative isolates (accession numbers OP175939-OP175943) were amplified by PCR, sequenced, and compared with the NCBI GenBank database (Weisburg et al. 1991; Sarkar and Guttman 2004), finding a 99.92% genetic similarity with a previously reported 16S rRNA sequence of a Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss) isolate (accession numbers NW389777). Additional housekeeping genes gap1(accession numbers OP186937-OP186941), rpoD (accession numbers OP186952-OP186956), gyrB (accession numbers OP186947-OP186951), and gltA (accession numbers OP186942-OP186946) were PCR-amplified and sequenced as reported by Hwang et al. (2005), followed by multilocus sequence typing analysis (MLSA). Molecular phylogenetic trees (MEGA vesion 6.0, maximum likelihood with Jukes-Cantor model, 1,000 bootstraps) were generated based on each of these five DNA regions and revealed that all five isolates were clustered together with the strains in P. syringae genomospecies 2, and grouped these isolates with Pss in the PAMDB database (Hwang et al. 2005). As a result, these isolates were identified as Pss. Pathogenicity on pecan (cv. Pawnee) was confirmed by cutting the trunks of two-year-old pecan trees with sterilized blades dipped in cell suspensions containing 107 CFU/ml of each isolate. Plants inoculated in a similar manner with sterile water served as negative controls. The inoculated plants were incubated in a greenhouse maintained at 25°C and 80% relative humidity. After 7 to 8 days, all inoculated plants showed the symptoms of necrosis previously described for the original field plants, while the control plants did not show symptoms. The bacteria reisolated from the inoculated plants were identified as Pss using the LOPAT tests. These results and the sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA and four housekeeping genes described above, fulfilled Koch's postulates. No target bacteria were isolated from the control plants. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringaecausing bacterial canker of pecan worldwide. The identification of this pathogen will allow the study of strategies for managing the disease. References: Hwang, M. S., et al. 2005. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 71:5182-5191. Lelliott, R. A., and Stead, D. E. 1988. Blackwell Scientific, Sussex, UK. Sarkar, S. F., and Guttman, D. S. 2004. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 70:1999. Weisburg, W. G., et al. 1991. Journal of Bacteriology, 173: 697. Zhang, R., et al. 2015. Scientia Horticulturae, 197: 719-727. The author(s) declare no conflict of interest. Keywords: Carya illinoinensis, Pseudomonas syringae, Canker, Identification †Indicates the corresponding author.Y. Q. Zhao; zhaoyuqiang123@126.com.

Comparison of the interactions of flupyrimin and nitenpyram with serum albumins via multiple analysis methods

Flupyrimin and nitenpyram are emerging neonicotinoid insecticides that may cause potential harm to the human body. In the present work, the interactions of flupyrimin/nitenpyram with serum albumins under normal physiological conditions were thoroughly studied by using multiple spectroscopic techniques, DFT calculations and molecular docking. Flupyrimin/nitenpyram can quench the endogenous fluorescence of HSA/BSA and form a complex with HSA/BSA through a static process, causing conformational and secondary structure changes of HSA/BSA. Thermodynamic analysis shows that the combination of flupyrimin/nitenpyram with HSA/BSA is a spontaneous process, mainly driven by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic forces. Site marking and molecular docking experiments indicated that flupyrimin/nitenpyram binds with HSA/BSA at site II (subdomain IIIA). The binding constant K_a in HSA-flupyrimin, HSA-nitenpyram, BSA-flupyrimin and BSA-nitenpyram systems at 298 K was 2.11 × 10⁵ M^-1, 2.35 × 10⁵ M^-1, 1.91 × 10⁵ M^-1 and 2.11 × 10⁵ M^-1, respectively. The binding constant K_a of nitenpyram with HSA/BSA was greater than flupyrimin, indicating that nitenpyram binds HSA/BSA was more stable than that of flupyrimin, which was consistent with the DFT calculation. In addition, the acute toxicity bioassay showed that flupyrimin and nitenpyram exhibited low toxicity to zebrafish, with 96 h LC₅₀ values of 181.662 and 250.658 mg a. i. L^-1, respectively. These results can help understand the interactions of flupyrimin/nitenpyram with HSA/BSA.

Mini-review: recent advances in the identification and application of sex pheromones of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

Most gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) are cryptic agricultural pests. These tiny insects are prone to lurk in cargoes and spread over long distances. Their larvae feed in plant tissues, so their infestations are imperceptible until crop damage and economic loss appear. The application of sex pheromones is an efficient method with which to monitor and manage gall midges. The present review focuses on recent advances in the accurate identification of gall midge sex pheromones based on rapidly evolving analytical techniques and their use in field trials in integrated pest management. To date, sex pheromones from 19 species of gall midges have been identified and reported, and sex pheromone-based monitoring systems have been developed and commercialized for at least ten gall midge species. All monitoring systems were tested in various experiments with a modicum of success. In addition to further studies of sex pheromones, identification of plant-derived volatiles may offer potentials for the manipulation of behavioral response of gall midges, which can be used in dispensers for surveillance and control purposes. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

The binding process of BmKTX and BmKTX-D33H toward to Kv1.3 channel: a molecular dynamics simulation study

The potassium channel Kv1.3 is an important pharmacological target and the Kaliotoxin-type toxins (α-KTX-3 family) are its specific blockers. Here, we study the binding process of two kinds of Kaliotoxin-type toxins:BmKTX and its mutant (BmKTX-D33H) toward to Kv1.3 channel using MD simulation and umbrella sampling simulation, respectively. The calculated binding free energies are -27 kcal/mol and -34 kcal/mol for BmKTX and BmKTX-D33H, respectively, which are consistent with experimental results. The further analysis indicate that the characteristic of electrostatic potential of the α-KTX-3 have important effect on their binding modes with Kv1.3 channel; the residue 33 in BmKTX or BmKTX-D33H plays a key role in determine their binding orientations toward to Kv1.3 channel; when residue 33 (or 34) has negative electrostatic potential, the anti-parallel β-sheet domain of α-KTX-3 toxin peptide will keep away from the filter region of Kv1.3 channel, as BmKTX; when residue 33(or 34) has positive electrostatic potential, the anti-parallel β-sheet domain of α-KTX-3 toxin peptide will interact with the filter region of Kv1.3 channel, as BmKTX-D33H. Above all, electrostatic potential differences on toxin surfaces and correlations motions within the toxins will determine the toxin-potassium channel interaction model. In addition, the hydrogen bond interaction is the pivotal factor for the Kv1.3-Kaliotoxin association. Understanding the binding mechanism of toxin-potassium channel will facilitate the rational development of new toxin analogue.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Interactions between Imidacloprid and Thiamethoxam and Dissolved Organic Matter Characterized by Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy Analysis, Molecular Modeling, and Density Functional Theory Calculations

The heavy application of neonicotinoid insecticides in agricultural production has burdened the environment. In the present study, interactions of two neonicotinoid insecticides imidacloprid and thiamethoxam with dissolved organic matter (DOM) were investigated by spectroscopic techniques, molecular modeling, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The static mechanism of imidacloprid and thiamethoxam quenching the endogenous fluorescence of DOM was assessed through time-resolved analyses. During the binding process, a protein-like substance binds imidacloprid and thiamethoxam later than a humic-like substance, as analyzed by two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy, but more strongly than the humic-like substance, as suggested by molecular modeling and DFT calculations. The conformational changes of DOM are attributed to imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, as assessed with three-dimensional spectra. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that DOM binds imidacloprid and thiamethoxam by hydroxyl, aliphatic C-H, amide I, and carboxyl to form stable DOM-imidacloprid and DOM-thiamethoxam complexes. Understanding the changes in the structural conformation of humic-like and protein-like substances with imidacloprid and thiamethoxam helps further understand the fate of the neonicotinoids in the environment.

Enantioselective Synthesis and Antifungal Activity of C18 Polyacetylenes

Fungal pathogens cause serious crop diseases and decrease crop yields and quality. Polyacetylene alcohols are plant secondary metabolites and bioactive against various pathogenic fungi. They are, however, difficult to synthesize. In the present study, an efficient and highly enantioselective method (>98% ee) was established and employed to achieve the synthesis of the natural C18 polyacetylenes (S,E)-octadeca-1,9-dien-4,6-diyn-3-ol 1, (3R,10R,E)-octadeca-1,8-dien-4,6-diyne-3,10-diol 2, and their analogs. The title compounds were structurally characterized and biologically evaluated for fungicidal activities. The compounds exhibited high potencies against eight pathogenic fungal species tested, such as Colletotrichum gloeosporioiles, Bipolaris sorokiniana, Fusarium graminearum, and Fusarium pseudograminearum, with half-maximum effective concentrations ranging from 8 to 425 μg/mL, being similar to those of the fungicide thiophanate-methyl (3-408 μg/mL). These compounds are potential natural fungicides and fungicide lead candidates for further structural and property improvements.

Enhancing Droplet Deposition on Wired and Curved Superhydrophobic Leaves

Droplet deposition on superhydrophobic surfaces has been a great challenge owing to the shortness of the impact contact time. Despite recent research progress regarding flat superhydrophobic surfaces, improving deposition on ubiquitous wired and curved superhydrophobic leaves remains challenging as their surface structures promote asymmetric impacts, thereby shortening the contact times and increasing the likelihood of droplet splitting. Here, we propose a strategy to solve the deposition problems based on an analysis of the impact dynamics and a rational selection of additives. Combining the prominent extension property of flexible polymers with surface tension reduction of the surfactant, the well-chosen binary additives cooperatively solve retention and coverage problems by limiting the fragment and enhancing local pinning and wetting processes at a very low usage. This work advances the understanding of droplet deposition by rationally selecting additives based on the impact dynamics, which is believed to be useful in a variety of spraying, coating, and printing applications.

A novel and simple imidazo[1,2-a]pyridin fluorescent probe for the sensitive and selective imaging of cysteine in living cells and zebrafish

Cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy) and glutathione (GSH) play many crucial physiological roles in organisms. Their abnormal levels can cause and indicate various diseases. In the present study, a small-molecule fluorescent probe 2-(imidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-2-yl)phenyl acrylate (IPPA) was designed, synthesized and characterized by NMR, FT-IR and HRMS. IPPA can selectively detect Cys over other analytes because of an approximately 76 times enhancement in fluorescence intensity. The limit of detection of IPPA for Cys was 0.33 μM. The pseudo-first-order rate constant of the reaction between IPPA and Cys was approximately 10 times that of the reaction between IPPA and Hcy (KCys 3.18 × 10-3 S-1vs KHcy 4.92 × 10-4 S-1), indicating that Cys can be distinguished from Hcy. In addition, IPPA exhibits strong anti-interference ability, small molecular weight, high efficiency, low toxicity and good cell permeability. It was successfully used in imaging HepG2 cells and zebrafish. The fluorescence response of IPPA for calf serum are powerful proofs for practical application. Therefore, IPPA has high potential for bioassay applications.

Use of aspirin, other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen and risk of endometrial cancer: the Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium

BACKGROUND

Regular use of aspirin has been associated with a reduced risk of cancer at several sites but the data for endometrial cancer are conflicting. Evidence regarding use of other analgesics is limited.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We pooled individual-level data from seven cohort and five case-control studies participating in the Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium including 7120 women with endometrial cancer and 16 069 controls. For overall analyses, study-specific odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using logistic regression and combined using random-effects meta-analysis; for stratified analyses, we used mixed-effects logistic regression with study as a random effect.

RESULTS

At least weekly use of aspirin and non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was associated with an approximately 15% reduced risk of endometrial cancer among both overweight and obese women (OR = 0.86 [95% CI 0.76-0.98] and 0.86 [95% CI 0.76-0.97], respectively, for aspirin; 0.87 [95% CI 0.76-1.00] and 0.84 [0.74-0.96], respectively, for non-aspirin NSAIDs). There was no association among women of normal weight (body mass index < 25 kg/m2, Pheterogeneity = 0.04 for aspirin, Pheterogeneity = 0.003 for NSAIDs). Among overweight and obese women, the inverse association with aspirin was stronger for use 2-6 times/week (OR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.68-0.96) than for daily use (0.91, 0.80-1.03), possibly because a high proportion of daily users use low-dose formulations. There was no clear association with use of acetaminophen.

CONCLUSION

Our pooled analysis provides further evidence that use of standard-dose aspirin or other NSAIDs may reduce risk of endometrial cancer among overweight and obese women.

Novel Strategy to Decipher the Regulatory Mechanism of 1-Naphthaleneacetic Acid in Strawberry Maturation

1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) has long been used to regulate strawberry growth. However, its regulatory mechanisms are unclear. Here, a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics approach was utilized to capture differential metabolites, then matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and transcriptomics as assisted methods to validate the significant findings of metabolomics. The metabolomics results suggested that NAA regulated strawberry growth via multiple metabolic pathways, and different NAA application times also influenced these regulatory effects. We also found an interesting phenomenon that citric acid had completely opposite changes when NAA was sprayed at two different ripening stages of the strawberries. Furthermore, MALDI-TOF MS validated the changes of citric acid and transcriptomics identified the related genes. The study demonstrated that the novel strategy of "metabolomics capture-MALDI-TOF MS and transcriptomics assisted validation" could offer a fresh insight for understanding the mechanism of the plant growth regulator in strawberry maturation.

Invasive squamous cell carcinoma: comparison of differentiation grade and tumour depth by anatomical site in 1666 tumours

BACKGROUND

Invasive squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) presents with different grades of differentiation and depths of invasion.

AIM

To compare the grade of differentiation, tumour diameter and tumour depth by anatomical site in invasive SCC.

METHODS

Retrospective clinical and histopathological data on consecutive cases of SCC came from a clinic in Sydney, Australia were assessed. A multinomial logistic regression model was applied to compare grades of differentiation by age, sex, anatomical sites, and histological tumour maximum diameter and depth.

RESULTS

In total, 1666 SCCs were identified, including 82.1% (n = 1367) well-differentiated, 13.3% (n = 222), moderately differentiated and 4.6% (n = 77) poorly differentiated SCCs. Patients with poorly differentiated tumours were more likely to be older and male (both P < 0.001). The most common site for poor differentiation was the scalp in men (n = 12; 15.6%) and the cheek or chin in women (n = 7; 9.1%). In the multivariate model, compared with well-differentiated SCC, older age was significantly associated with poorly and moderately differentiated SCC (P < 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively). Larger tumour diameters were related to poor differentiation (P = 0.03). Ear, forehead and chest sites had increased tumour depth and poor differentiation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found increased rates of poorly differentiated SCC on the forehead and cheek for both sexes, while men displayed increased rates of poorly differentiated SCC on the bald scalp and the ears. Tumour diameter and depth increased as tumours varied from well-differentiated to moderately differentiated and from moderately differentiated to poorly differentiated. An increase in depth and increased prevalence of poorly differentiated tumours were found on the ears for men and on various facial sites for both sexes.

A Simple and Rapid Turn On ESIPT Fluorescent Probe for Colorimetric and Ratiometric Detection of Biothiols in Living Cells

Biothiols, such as cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy), and glutathione (GSH), play a key role in an extensive range of physiological processes and biological functions. Therefore, the selective and sensitive detection of intracellular thiols is important for revealing cellular function. In this study, ethyl 2-(4-(acryloyloxy)-3-formylphenyl)-4-methylthiazole-5-carboxylate (NL-AC) was designed and synthesized as a colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescent probe that can be utilized to rapidly, sensitively and selectively detect biothiols in physiological media. The fluorescence intensity of this probe using the three target biothiols at a concentration of 20 equiv. of the probe increased by approximately 6~10-fold in comparison to that without the biothiols in aqueous solution. The limits of detection (LOD) for Cys, Hcy and GSH were 0.156, 0.185, and 1.838 μM, respectively. In addition, both ¹H-NMR and MS analyses suggested the mechanism of fluorescence sensing to be excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). The novel colorimetric and ratiometric probe is structurally simple and offers detection within 20 min. Furthermore, this probe can be successfully applied in bioimaging. The results indicate high application potential in analytical chemistry and diagnostics.

Etanercept protects rat cardiomyocytes against hypertrophy by regulating inflammatory cytokines secretion and cell apoptosis

We aimed to investigate the effect of etanercept, a tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitor, on rat cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and its underlying mechanism. Primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats. The model of rat cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was induced by endothelin, and then treated with different concentrations of etanercept (1, 10, and 50 μM). After treatment, cell counts, viability and cell apoptosis were evaluated. The mRNA levels of myocardial hypertrophy marker genes, including atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and MMP-13, were detected by qRT-PCR, and the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl-2 and Bax) were measured by western blotting. The protein levels of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) were determined using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. In the present study, TNF-α level in cardiomyocytes with hypertrophy was significantly enhanced (P<0.05). Compared to the model group, cell number and viability were significantly increased and ratio of apoptotic cells was reduced by etanercept (P<0.05, P<0.01, or P<0.001). In addition, etanercept remarkably reduced the mRNA levels of ANF, MMP-9 and MMP-13, inhibited the expression of Bax, and increased the expression of Bcl-2 compared to the model group (P<0.05). ELISA results further showed that etanercept lowered the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, LIF and CT-1 but not TGF-β1 compared to the model group (P<0.05). Etanercept may protect rat cardiomyocytes from hypertrophy by inhibiting inflammatory cytokines secretion and cell apoptosis.

Network and role analysis of autophagy in Phytophthora sojae

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism in eukaryotes with roles in development and the virulence of plant fungal pathogens. However, few reports on autophagy in oomycete species have been published. Here, we identified 26 autophagy-related genes (ATGs) belonging to 20 different groups in Phytophthora sojae using a genome-wide survey, and core ATGs in oomycetes were used to construct a preliminary autophagy pathway model. Expression profile analysis revealed that these ATGs are broadly expressed and that the majority of them significantly increase during infection stages, suggesting a central role for autophagy in virulence. Autophagy in P. sojae was detected using a GFP-PsAtg8 fusion protein and the fluorescent dye MDC during rapamycin and starvation treatment. In addition, autophagy was significantly induced during sporangium formation and cyst germination. Silencing PsAtg6a in P. sojae significantly reduced sporulation and pathogenicity. Furthermore, a PsAtg6a-silenced strain showed haustorial formation defects. These results suggested that autophagy might play essential roles in both the development and infection mechanism of P. sojae.

A General Asymmetric Synthesis of (R)-Matsutakeol and Flavored Analogs

An efficient and practical synthetic route toward chiral matsutakeol and analogs was developed by asymmetric addition of terminal alkyne to aldehydes. (R)-matsutakeol and other flavored substances were feasibly synthesized from various alkylaldehydes in high yield (up to 49.5%, in three steps) and excellent enantiomeric excess (up to >99%). The protocols may serve as an alternative asymmetric synthetic method for active small-molecule library of natural fatty acid metabolites and analogs. These chiral allyl alcohols are prepared for food analysis and screening insect attractants.

Comparative Studies of Interactions between Fluorodihydroquinazolin Derivatives and Human Serum Albumin with Fluorescence Spectroscopy

In the present study, 3-(fluorobenzylideneamino)-6-chloro-1-(3,3-dimethylbutanoyl)-phenyl-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one (FDQL) derivatives have been designed and synthesized to study the interaction between fluorine substituted dihydroquinazoline derivatives with human serum albumin (HSA) using fluorescence, circular dichroism and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results indicated that the FDQL could bind to HSA, induce conformation and the secondary structure changes of HSA, and quench the intrinsic fluorescence of HSA through a static quenching mechanism. The thermodynamic parameters, ΔH, ΔS, and ΔG, calculated at different temperatures, revealed that the binding was through spontaneous and hydrophobic forces and thus played major roles in the association. Based on the number of binding sites, it was considered that one molecule of FDQL could bind to a single site of HSA. Site marker competition experiments indicated that the reactive site of HSA to FDQL mainly located in site II (subdomain IIIA). The substitution by fluorine in the benzene ring could increase the interactions between FDQL and HSA to some extent in the proper temperature range through hydrophobic effect, and the substitution at meta-position enhanced the affinity greater than that at para- and ortho-positions.

De novo cancer-related death in Australian liver and cardiothoracic transplant recipients

Evidence is sparse on the relative mortality risk posed by de novo cancers in liver and cardiothoracic transplant recipients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Australia using population-based liver (n = 1926) and cardiothoracic (n = 2718) registries (1984-2006). Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were computed by cancer type, transplanted organ, recipient age and sex. During a median 5-year follow-up, de novo cancer-related mortality risk in liver and cardiothoracic recipients was significantly elevated compared to the matched general population (n = 171; SMR = 2.83; 95% confidence interval [95%CI], 2.43-3.27). Excess risk was observed regardless of transplanted organ, recipient age group or sex. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma was the most common cancer-related death (n = 38; SMR = 16.6; 95%CI, 11.87-22.8). The highest relative risk was for nonmelanocytic skin cancer (n = 23; SMR = 49.6, 95%CI, 31.5-74.5), predominantly in males and in recipients of heart and lung transplants. Risk of death from de novo cancer was high in pediatric recipients (n = 5; SMR = 41.3; 95%CI, 13.4-96.5), four of the five deaths were non-Hodgkin lymphoma. De novo cancer was a leading cause of late death, particularly in heart and liver transplantation. These findings support tailored cancer prevention strategies, surveillance to promote early detection, and guidelines for managing immunosuppression once cancer occurs.

Comparison of de novo cancer incidence in Australian liver, heart and lung transplant recipients

Population-based evidence on the relative risk of de novo cancer in liver and cardiothoracic transplant recipients is limited. A cohort study was conducted in Australia using population-based liver (n = 1926) and cardiothoracic (n = 2718) registries (1984-2006). Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were computed by cancer type, transplanted organ and recipient age. Cox regression models were used to compare cancer incidence by transplanted organ. During a median 5-year follow-up, the risk of any cancer in liver and cardiothoracic recipients was significantly elevated compared to the general population (n = 499; SIR = 2.62, 95%CI 2.40-2.86). An excess risk was observed for 16 cancer types, predominantly cancers with a viral etiology. The pattern of risk by cancer type was broadly similar for heart, lung and liver recipients, except for Merkel cell carcinoma (cardiothoracic only). Seventeen cancers (10 non-Hodgkin lymphomas), were observed in 415 pediatric recipients (SIR = 23.8, 95%CI 13.8-38.0). The adjusted hazard ratio for any cancer in all recipients was higher in heart compared to liver (1.29, 95%CI 1.03-1.63) and lung compared to liver (1.65, 95%CI 1.26-2.16). Understanding the factors responsible for the higher cancer incidence in cardiothoracic compared to liver recipients has the potential to lead to targeted cancer prevention strategies in this high-risk population.

Phosphine-Catalyzed [3+2] and [4+3]Annulation Reactions of C,N-Cyclic Azomethine Imines with Allenoates

Phosphine-catalyzed [3+2] and [4+3]annulation reactions of C,N-cyclic azomethine imines with allenoates have been developed to give a variety of pharmaceutically attractive tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives in moderate to excellent yields. The two distinct reaction pathways, [3+2] and [4+3]cyclization, depend on the nature of the nucleophilic phosphine and the allenoate. Generally, for α-alkylallenoates, the reactions always proceed with [3 +2]cyclization as the major pathway no matter what phosphine was used; for α-ArCH₂-substituted allenoates, the reaction pathway was controlled by the phosphine catalyst used.

Phosphine-catalyzed annulations of azomethine imines: allene-dependent [3 + 2], [3 + 3], [4 + 3], and [3 + 2 + 3] pathways

In this paper we describe the phosphine-catalyzed [3 + 2], [3 + 3], [4 + 3], and [3 + 2 + 3] annulations of azomethine imines and allenoates. These processes mark the first use of azomethine imines in nucleophilic phosphine catalysis, producing dinitrogen-fused heterocycles, including tetrahydropyrazolo-pyrazolones, -pyridazinones, -diazepinones, and -diazocinones. Counting the two different reaction modes in the [3 + 3] cyclizations, there are five distinct reaction pathways-the choice of which depends on the structure and chemical properties of the allenoate. All reactions are operationally simple and proceed smoothly under mild reaction conditions, affording a broad range of 1,2-dinitrogen-containing heterocycles in moderate to excellent yields. A zwitterionic intermediate formed from a phosphine and two molecules of ethyl 2,3-butadienoate acted as a 1,5-dipole in the annulations of azomethine imines, leading to the [3 + 2 + 3] tetrahydropyrazolo-diazocinone products. The incorporation of two molecules of an allenoate into an eight-membered-ring product represents a new application of this versatile class of molecules in nucleophilic phosphine catalysis. The salient features of this protocol--the facile access to a diverse range of nitrogen-containing heterocycles and the simple preparation of azomethine imine substrates--suggest that it might find extensive applications in heterocycle synthesis.

[(1R,3S)-3-(1,3-Dithian-2-yl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropyl]diphenylmethanol

In the title compound, C₂₂H₂₆OS₂, prepared from (–)-1R-cis-caronaldehyde, the 1,3-dithiane ring adopts a chair conformation. An intra­molecular O—H⋯S hydrogen bond influences the mol­ecular conformation. In the crystal, weak inter­molecular C—H⋯S and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into chains propagating along [010].

Minimal erythema dose after multiple UV exposures depends on pre-exposure skin pigmentation

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Phototherapy consists of multiple ultraviolet (UV) exposures. Most previous studies have focused on erythema following a single UV exposure in fair-skinned persons. Although it is well known that phototherapy lowers the daily UV-threshold dose for erythema in clinical practice, this is insufficiently documented under controlled experimental conditions. The purpose of this study was to quantify the change in the daily threshold for a dose specific erythema grade after 1-4 consecutive daily UV exposures.

METHODS

Forty-nine healthy volunteers (skin type II-V) with varying pigmentation quantified by skin reflectance. Two UV sources were used: a narrowband UVB (Philips TL01) and a Solar Simulator (Solar Light Co.). Just perceptible erythema after 24 h was chosen as the minimal erythema dose (+); besides + and ++ were assessed.

RESULTS

We found a positive and significant exponential relationship between skin pigmentation and UV dose to elicit a specific erythema grade on the back after 1-4 UV exposures. After repetitive UV exposures the UV dose had to be lowered more in dark-skinned persons compared with fair-skinned persons to elicit a certain erythema grade. This applied to both UV sources and all erythema grades.

CONCLUSION

In the dark-skinned persons the daily UV dose after the 4 days UV exposure should be lowered by 40-50% to avoid burns compared with the single UV exposure. For the most fair-skinned persons essentially no reduction in the daily UV dose was needed. Our results indicate that the pre-exposure pigmentation level can guide the UV dosage in phototherapy.

Can autofluorescence demarcate basal cell carcinoma from normal skin? A comparison with protoporphyrin IX fluorescence

Fluorescence detection may help to demarcate skin cancer from normal skin, thus to reduce the potential of incomplete treatment resulting from unawareness of tumour extension in surrounding skin. In this study we evaluated the difference between autofluorescence of basal cell carcinomas (n = 21) and the normal-appearing skin surrounding them. Referring to the difference found, a point-by-point measurement was taken from the tumour lesions outwards to the surrounding skin to locate the differentiation point of autofluorescence on the skin. Protoporphyrin IX fluorescence was measured from the same spots using the same procedure, after the tumours and the surrounding skin had been treated with topical 5-aminolevulinic acid methyl ester cream. The point-by-point measurement enabled us to locate the vanishing point of the protoporphyrin IX peak, which was compared with the differentiation point of autofluorescence to assess the utility of autofluorescence in tumour demarcation. Illuminated by 370 nm light, both the tumour and surrounding skin emitted a fluorescence with peak intensity at 455+/-3 nm. The peak intensity was 53% (18-84%) (median, range) lower in the tumours than in normal skin (p<0.001). In 78% of the measurements, the differentiation point of the autofluorescence was within 3mm of the vanishing point of the protoporphyrin IX peak. Autofluorescence may be used in BCC demarcation.

Autofluorescence of human skin is age-related after correction for skin pigmentation and redness

When measuring the skin fluorescence in vivo, the absorption of chromophores such as melanin and hemoglobin often contribute predominantly to the changes in fluorescence and obscure the information from the fluorophores. We measured in vivo the collagen-linked 375 nm fluorescence (excitation: 330 nm) and 455 nm fluorescence (excitation: 370 nm) from nonexposed buttock skin of healthy volunteers. Skin pigmentation and redness of the same sites were quantified by reflectance of the skin at 555 nm and 660 nm. Multiple regression analysis was used to find the correlation between the fluorescence and skin pigmentation and redness. The fluorescence was corrected for the impact of pigmentation and redness according to the equation found in the regression analyses. The age-related trend of the fluorescence was evaluated. The 375 nm fluorescence showed positive relation to age, whereas the 455 nm fluorescence showed no significant relation to age. The increasing rate of the 375 nm fluorescence (logarithm transformed) was 2% per year, which is comparable with previously published data. The results suggest that the correction of the autofluorescence intensity for skin pigmentation and redness is valid, and the 375 nm skin autofluorescence may be used as a biologic marker of skin aging in vivo.

[Protective effect of total flavonoids of fructus choerospondiatis on adriamycin-induced rat cardiac peroxidation]

OBJECTIVE

To study the protection effect of total flavnoids of Fructus Choerospondiatis (TFFC) on rat cardiac muscle peroxidation in vitro and vivo.

METHODS

Adriamycin-induced peroxidation model on rat was adopted. Activities of LDH, AST and CK in rat's serum, activities of SOD, GSH-Px and content of MDA in rat cardiac muscle were determinated. Activity of LDH and content of MDA in cultured suckling rat cardiac cell were also determinated.

RESULTS

Compared with normal group, activities of LDH, AST, CK in serum and content of MDA in cardiac muscle on adriamycin group increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.001), activities of SOD, GSH-Px decreased in cardiac muscle (P < 0.001). Activity of LDH and content of MDA in cultured fluid of suckling rat cardiac cell were higher than that of normal group (P < 0.001). To various dosages TFFC groups, activity of LDH, AST, CK in serum and content of MDA in cardiac muscle decreased; activities of SOD and GSH-Px in cardiac muscle increased; activites of LDH and content of MDA in cultured fluid decreased (P < 0.01, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

TFFC can maintain the integrity of cytomembrane by scavenging free radicals and inhibiting lipid peroxidation, namely, TFFC has an effect of protecting cardiac muscle.