The present study aimed to examine the role and underlying mechanism of miRNA-758 (miR-758) expression in cancer tissues, blood and cervical exfoliated cells from patients with cervical cancer. A total of 49 patients with cervical cancer and 26 healthy people for cervical cancer screening were included in the present study. The patients with cervical cancer were treated with resection, and the tumor and adjacent tissues, blood and cervical exfoliated cells were collected. The expression levels of miR-758 and matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE) mRNA in each sample were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In addition, western blot analysis was used to detect the MEPE protein in tumor tissues, while ELISA was applied to detect the MEPE protein expression in the blood and cervical exfoliated cells. Compared with the normal control, MEPE mRNA expression was upregulated in cervical cancer tissues, blood and cervical exfoliated cells. At the protein level, MEPE was also upregulated significantly in patients with cervical cancer. miR-758 expression was decreased significantly in cervical cancer tissues, blood and cervical exfoliated cells (P<0.05), which was opposite to the trend observed for MEPE mRNA expression. Furthermore, MEPE expression was increased in the tumor tissue, blood and cervical exfoliated cells of cervical cancer patients, which was associated to the downregulated miR-758. Therefore, miR-758 may regulate the infiltration and invasion of cervical cancer by targeting MEPE.

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The host-guest interaction of cucurbit[8]uril (Q[8]) with a synthesized guest molecule, consisting of naphthalene and viologen moieties bridged by a carbon oxygen chain, was investigated by (1)H NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The results indicated the formation of an inclusion complex in a ratio of 1 : 1 with a moderate association constant of Ka = (1.1 ± 0.2) × 10(6) L mol(-1). The formation of this special complex is driven by the markedly enhanced charge-transfer interaction between the electron-rich and electron-deficient guest molecule inside the hydrophobic cavity of Q[8], while the carbon oxygen chain stays outside of Q[8] to form a supramolecular crown ether. Screening of the metal cation substrate suggested that the inclusion complex recognizes Ag(+) ions with high selectivity, as shown by UV-Vis spectroscopy.

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Electrochemical response of a carbon paste electrodes modified by cucurbit[8]uril (Q[8]) has been described. The electrochemical characterization of Q[8]-modified electrode (Q[8]MCPE) by using cyclic voltammetry exhibits the recognition to phenols. For two series of substrates, o-, m-, p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol and o-, m-, pmethoxyphenol, the special response depends on the structures of substrates, the modification with macrocyclic compound Q[8] always favors m-substituted phenols. Graphical Abstract The electrochemical response of a cucurbit[8]uril-modified carbon paste electrodes to phenols has been described. on bare electrode 60 40 20 0 omSubstituted phenol p-

The cucurbit[8]uril (Q[8]) mediated oxidation of benzenedimethanols with o‐iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) in aqueous solution has been investigated, and the results reveal the supramolecular catalysis depends on the electronic and geometric structure of substrate. In the cases of o‐benzenedimethanol (1a) and m‐benzenedimethanol (1b), the IBX oxidation could be obviously enhanced by the addition of Q[8] at different extent. There is no observation of the catalytic activity of Q[8] when p‐benzenedimethanol (1c) is subjected to the IBX oxidation. The addition amount of Q[8] is discussed herein, and the addition of more than 10% mol catalyst cannot improve the oxidation much more. The investigation of host‐guest interactions by isothermal titration calorimetry implies the supramolecular catalysis is related to the formation of complexes between benzenedimethanols and cucurbit[8]uril.