We investigated the expression of receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor (ROR) 2 and Wnt5a and their prognostic significance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Tissue microarray-based immunohistochemical analysis was performed to determine the expression of ROR2 and Wnt5a in 219 patients. mRNA expression of ROR2 and Wnt5a was examined in 20 pairs of NSCLC and matched adjacent normal tissues by real-time PCR. Compared with non-tumorous tissues, both mRNA expression and protein product of ROR2 and Wnt5a genes were significantly increased in NSCLC. c2 analysis revealed that high ROR2 or Wnt5a expression in NSCLC was significantly associated with advanced TNM stage. High expression of both ROR2 and Wnt5a was also related to advanced TNM stage. Multivariate analyses suggested that ROR2, Wnt5a and TNM stage were independent prognostic factors in NSCLC. Our clinical findings suggest that high ROR2 or Wnt5a expression is associated with poor prognosis in NSCLC, and combined detection of ROR2 and Wnt5a is helpful in predicting the prognosis of NSCLC.

The development of a sensitive, quick-responding, and robust glucose sensor is consistently pursued for use in numerous applications. Here, we propose a new method for preparing a Cu2O electrode for the electrochemical detection of glucose concentration. The Cu2O glucose electrode was prepared by in situ electrical oxidation in an alkaline solution, in which Cu2O nanoparticles were deposited on the electrode surface to form a thin film, followed by the growth of Cu(OH)2 nanorods or nanotubes. The morphology and electrocatalytic activity of a Cu2O glucose electrode can be tuned by the current density, reaction time, and NaOH concentration. The results from XRD, SEM, and a Raman spectrum show that the electrode surface was coated with cubic Cu2O nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 50 to 150 nm. The electrode exhibited a detection limit of 0.0275 mM, a peak sensitivity of 2524.9 μA·cm−2·mM−1, and a linear response range from 0.1 to 1 mM. The presence of high concentrations of ascorbic acid, uric acid, dopamine and lactose appeared to have no effects on the detection of glucose, indicating a high specificity and robustness of this electrode.

Water-soluble and biocompatible protein-protected gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) hold great promise for numerous applications. However, design and precise regulation of their structure at an atomic level remain challenging. Herein, we have engineered and constructed a gold clustering site at the 4-fold symmetric axis channel of the apo-ferritin cage. Using a series of X-ray crystal structures, we evaluated the stepwise accumulation process of Au ions into the cage and the formation of a multinuclear Au cluster in our designed cavity. We also disclosed the role of key residues in the metal accumulation process. X-ray crystal structures in combination with quantum chemical (QC) calculation revealed a unique Au clustering site with up to 12 Au atoms positions in the cavity. Moreover, the structure of the gold nanocluster was precisely tuned by the dosage of the Au precursor. As the gold concentration increases, the number of Au atoms position at the clustering site increases from 8 to 12, and a structural rearrangement was observed at a higher Au concentration. Furthermore, the binding affinity order of the four Au binding sites on apo-ferritin was unveiled with a stepwise increase of Au precursor concentration.

Profiling substrate diffusion pathways with kinetic information, which accounts for the dynamic nature of enzyme–substrate interaction, can enable molecular reengineering of enzymes and process optimization of enzymatic catalysis. Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) is extensively used for producing various chemicals because of its rich catalytic mechanisms, broad substrate spectrum, thermal stability, and tolerance to organic solvents. In this study, an all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) combined with Markov-state models (MSMs) implemented in pyEMMA was proposed to simulate diffusion pathways of 4-nitrophenyl ester (4NPE), a commonly used substrate, from the surface into the active site of CALB. Six important metastable conformations of CALB were identified in the diffusion process, including a closed state. An induced-fit mechanism incorporating multiple pathways with molecular information was proposed, which might find unprecedented applications for the rational design of lipase for green catalysis.