Increasing evidence demonstrated that inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) by aberrant promoter methylation is an early event during carcinogenesis. Aiming at developing early diagnostic or prognostic tools for various tumors, we took an EBV-associated tumor, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), as a model and developed a powerful assay based on “multiplex methylation specific-PCR (MMSP)”. The MMSP assay was designed to detect tumor-specific methylation status of several NPC-related genes and was capable of acquiring multiplex information simultaneously through a single PCR reaction with the tiny tumor DNA derived from the direct body fluid close to the primary tumor. In this study, we collected paired nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs and NPC biopsies from 49 NPC patients and twenty noncancerous controls. A panel of markers including two EBV, and two cellular TSG markers were applied in this NPC-specific-MMSP assay. We optimized the working condition of MMSP so that it provides information equal to that from the corresponding separate PCRs. The results showed that MMSP patterns of NPC swab were largely consistent with those of corresponding biopsies and significantly distinguished themselves from those of 20 noncancerous volunteers. Among the 69 samples (49 NPCs and 20 normal controls), the sensitivity of detecting NPC from NP swabs is 98%. The specificity is as high as 100%. In conclusion, being characterized by its noninvasiveness, high reproducibility and informativeness, MMSP assay is a reliable and potential diagnostic tool for NPC. It paves the way for the development of population screening and early diagnosis approaches for various tumor types.

G protein-coupled receptor (GPR) 30 is a novel estrogen receptor. Recent studies suggest that activation of the GPR30 confers rapid cardioprotection in isolated rat heart. It is unknown whether chronic activation of GPR30 is beneficial or not for heart failure. In this study we investigated the cardiac effect of sustained activation or inhibition of GPR30. Female Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into 7 groups #2Q1: sham surgery (Sham), bilateral ovariectomy (OVX), OVX+estrogen (E2), OVX+isoproterenol (ISO), OVX+ISO+G-1, OVX+ISO+E2+G15, OVX+ISO+E2. ISO (85 mg/kg×17 day, sc) was given to make the heart failure models. G-1(120 µg/kg·d×14 day) was used to activate GPR30 and G15 (190 µg/kg·d×14 day) was used to inhibit GPR30. Concentration of brain natriuretic peptide in serum, masson staining in isolated heart, contractile function and the expression of β1 and β2- adrenergic receptor (AR) of ventricular myocytes were also determined. Our data showed that ISO treatment led to heart failure in OVX rats. G-1 or E2 treatment decreased concentration of brain natriuretic peptide, reduced cardiac fibrosis, and enhanced contraction of the heart. Combined treatment with β1 (CGP20712A) and β2-AR (ICI118551) antagonist abolished the improvement of myocardial function induced by G-1. We also found that chronic treatment with G-1 normalized the expression of β1-AR and increased the expression of β2-AR. Our results indicate that chronic activation of the GPR30 with its agonist G-1 attenuates heart failure by normalizing the expression of β1-AR and increasing the expression of β2-AR.

Reaction of AgNO3 and 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) under ultrasonic treatment gave the title compound, [Ag(C10H8N2)(NH3)]NO3. The crystal structure consists of dimers formed by two symmetry-related AgI–bipy monomers connected through intra-dimer π–π stacking and ligand-unsupported Ag⋯Ag inter­actions. A crystallographic C2 axis passes through the mid-point of and is perpendicular to the Ag⋯Agi(−x + 1, y, −z + ) axis. In addition, each AgI cation is coordinated by one chelating bipy ligand and one ammine ligand, giving a trigonal coordination environment capped by the symmetry-equivalent Ag atom. Mol­ecules are assembled by Ag⋯Ag, π–π, hydrogen-bond (N—H⋯O and C—H⋯O) and weak Ag⋯π inter­actions into a three-dimensional framework. Comparing the products synthesized under different mechanical treatments, we found that reaction conditions have a significant influence on the resulting structures. The luminescence properties of the title compound are also discussed.

In the title compound, [Ag(NH3)2]2(C8H3NO6)·H2O, the cations have an almost linear coordination geometry with two ammine ligands and inter­act with the water mol­ecules [Ag⋯Owater = 2.725 (4) and 2.985 (4) Å]. In the crystal, N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, combined with weak (lone pair)⋯π [O⋯centroid distance = 3.401 (4) Å] and π–π stacking [centroid–centroid distance = 3.975 (3) Å] inter­actions, stabilize the three-dimensional supra­molecular network.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound [Zn8(C16H12N2O4)4(H2O)4]·6C3H7NO, consists of eight ZnII cations, four tetra­valent anionic ligands, L 4− (L 4− = 3,3′-(1E,1′E)-(ethane-1,2-diylbis(azan-1-yl-1-yl­idene))bis­(methan-1-yl-1-yl­idene)dibenzene-1,2-bis­(olate), four coordinated water mol­ecules and six N,N-dimethyl­formamide solvate mol­ecules. The coordination complex comprises an octa­nuclear ZnII unit with its ZnII centers coordinated in two discrete distorted square-pyramidal geometries. Four ZnII atoms each coordinate to two nitro­gen atoms and two phenolate oxygen atoms from an individual L 4− ligand and one coordinated water mol­ecule. The other four ZnII atoms each bind to five phenolate oxygen atoms from three different L 4− ligands. In the crystal structure, the ZnII complex unit, coordinated water mol­ecules and dimethyl­formamide solvate mol­ecules are linked via O—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Mol­ecules are connected by additional inter­molecular O—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming an extensive three dimensional framework.

The title compound, C13H9BrO, has been synthesized by the intra­molecular Friedel–Crafts reaction of 1-(1-bromo-4-naphth­yl)-3-chloro­propan-1-one. There are two approximately planar [maximum deviations of 0.8 (2) and 0.4 (2) Å in the two mol­ecules] molecules in the asymmetric unit. The dihedral angle between their mean planes is 19.72 (8)°. Weak inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonding is present in the crystal structure.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Zn5(C12H12O4)4(OH)2(C10H8N2)]n, consists of three ZnII ions (one of which is located on a twofold rotation axis), two 5-tert-butyl­isophthalate ligands, one 4,4′-bipyridine ligand and one hydroxide group. The five ZnII ions form a penta­nuclear zinc cluster, which is further bridged by ten organic ligands, forming two-dimensional sheets. The central zinc ion of the cluster has site symmetry 2 and is octahedrally coordinated in a N2O4 donor set, whereas the other four zinc atoms are tetrahedrally coordinated by four O atoms. The coordination modes for the 5-tert-butyl­isophthalates are bis­(bidentate) or bidentate-monodentate. Hydrogen bonds are formed between adjacent sheets through the hydroxide groups and the O atoms of the monodentate carboxyl­ate groups. The two tert-butyl groups are disordered over two positions with ratios of 0.64 (2):0.36 (2) and 0.85 (3):0.15 (3).

In the title compound, C15H8O, the asymmetric unit contains four independent mol­ecules and crystallizes with aromatic π–π stacking inter­actions[centroid–centroid distances = 3.5326 (18) Å].

The title compound, C34H35O2N3, was synthesized by the reaction of 2-[3,6-bis­(diethyl­amino)-9H-xanthen-9-yl]benzoyl chloride with aniline. In the mol­ecular structure, the dihedral angles between the isoindoline and xanthene planes and between the isoindoline and benzene planes are 86.9 (3) and 47.0 (2)°, respectively. The mol­ecular packing in the crystal structure is stabilized by weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonding.

The mol­ecule of the title compound, C17H10O, is nearly planar, the largest deviation from the mean plane being 0.06 Å. The crystal structure is governed by π–π inter­actions, with centroid–centroid distances ranging from .559 to 3.730 Å.