BackgroundChemotherapy is an important component in the treatment paradigm for breast cancers. However, the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents frequently results in the subsequent recurrence and metastasis. Identification of molecular markers to predict treatment outcome is therefore warranted. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether expression of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) can predict clinical outcome in breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy.Methodology/Principal FindingsCirculating miRNAs in blood serum prior to treatment were determined by quantitative Real-Time PCR in 56 breast cancer patients with invasive ductal carcinoma and pre-operative neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunostaining and TUNEL were performed in surgical samples to determine the effects of chemotherapy on cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis, respectively. Among the miRNAs tested, only miR-125b was significantly associated with therapeutic response, exhibiting higher expression level in non-responsive patients (n = 26, 46%; p = 0.008). In addition, breast cancers with high miR-125b expression had higher percentage of proliferating cells and lower percentage of apoptotic cells in the corresponding surgical specimens obtained after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Increased resistance to anticancer drug was observed in vitro in breast cancer cells with ectopic miR-125b expression; conversely, reducing miR-125b level sensitized breast cancer cells to chemotherapy. Moreover, we demonstrated that the E2F3 was a direct target of miR-125b in breast cancer cells.Conclusions/SignificanceThese data suggest that circulating miR-125b expression is associated with chemotherapeutic resistance of breast cancer. This finding has important implications in the development of targeted therapeutics for overcoming chemotherapeutic resistance in novel anti-cancer strategies.

Herein, we demonstrate that nanoparticles of cobalt hexacyanocobaltate and manganese hexacyanocobaltate, typical Prussian blue analogues with the chemical formula M3II[CoIII(CN)6]2·nH2O (M = Co, Mn), can be operated as novel battery anodes in an organic liquid-carbonate electrolyte.

Flower-like antimony sulfide structures were prepared by a simple and easy polyol reflux process. When tested as an anode for sodium ion batteries, the material delivered a high reversible capacity of 835.3 mA h g(-1) at 50 mA g(-1) after 50 cycles and maintained a capacity of 641.7 mA h g(-1) at 200 mA g(-1) after 100 cycles. Even up to 2000 mA g(-1), a capacity of 553.1 mA h g(-1) was obtained, indicating an excellent cycle performance and a superior rate capability. The mechanism of the formation of the micro-flowers was also investigated. The additive used facilitates the controlled release of the reactant to form uniform, shaped nanosheets and an optimum reaction time allows the nanosheets to self-assemble into micro-flowers.

As a competitor for Li4Ti5O12 with a higher capacity and extreme safety, monoclinic TiNb2O7 has been considered as a promising anode material for next-generation high power lithium ion batteries. However, TiNb2O7 suffers from low electronic conductivity and ionic conductivity, which restricts the electrochemical kinetics. Herein, a facile and advanced architecture design of hierarchical TiNb2O7 microspheres is successfully developed for large-scale preparation without any surfactant assistance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the one step solvothermal synthesis of TiNb2O7 microspheres with micro- and nano-scale composite structures. When evaluated as an anode material for lithium ion batteries, the electrode exhibits excellent high rate capacities and ultra-long cyclability, such as 258 mA h g(-1) at 1 C, 175 mA h g(-1) at 5 C, and 138 mA h g(-1) at 10 C, extending to more than 500 cycles.