Search

In this work, we report the synthesis of a new thiosemicarbazone-based drug of N′-(di(pyridin-2-yl)methylene)-4-(thiazol-2-yl)piperazine-1-carbothiohydrazide (HL) featuring a thiazole spectator for efficient coordination with Cu(II) to give [CuCl(L)]2 (1) and [Cu(NO3)(L)]2 (2). Both 1 and 2 exhibit dimeric structures ascribed to the presence of di-2-pyridylketone moieties that demonstrate dual functions of chelation and intermolecular bridging. HL, 1, and 2 are highly toxic against hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines Hep-G2, PLC/PRF/5, and HuH-7 with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values as low as 3.26 nmol/mL (HL), 2.18 nmol/mL (1), and 2.54 × 10−5 nmol/mL (2) for PLC/PRF/5. While the free ligand HL may elicit its anticancer effect via the sequestration of bio-relevant metal ions (i.e., Fe3+ and Cu2+), 1 and 2 are also capable of generating cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) to inhibit cancer cell proliferation. Our preliminary pharmacokinetic studies revealed that oral administration (per os, PO) of HL has a significantly longer half-life t1/2 of 21.61 ± 9.4 h, nearly doubled as compared with that of the intravenous (i.v.) administration of 11.88 ± 1.66 h, certifying HL as an effective chemotherapeutic drug via PO administration.

To understand the role of an additional coordination site in the linker in chirality sensing, we designed and synthesized an S-2-methylbutanamido-substituted m-phthalic diamide-linked zinc bisporphyrinate, [Zn2(S-MAABis)] and investigated its ability to sense the chirality of amino acid esters. The 1H NMR spectra and the crystal structure showed that the amido oxygen adjacent to the chiral carbon was coordinated with zinc. NMR and UV–vis titration showed that the binding of [Zn2(S-MAABis)] to amino acid esters occurred via two equilibria, forming 1:1 and 1:2 host–guest complexes. The CD spectra suggested that [Zn2(S-MAABis)] can effectively recognize the absolute configuration of amino acid esters. The sign of the CD spectra remained unchanged during the titration, indicating that the corresponding 1:1 and 1:2 host–guest complexes had the same chirality. This is different from previously studied amino-substituted m-phthalic diamide-linked zinc bisporphyrinate [Zn2(AmBis)], which showed chirality inversion during titration. Theoretical calculations indicated that the additional coordination sites (amido or amino) in the 1:1 host–guest complexes played different roles, leading to differences in chirality. Our studies suggest that the introduction of a coordination site can influence the chirality transfer process, but the results of chirality transfers are dependent on the specific binding modes.

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have recently emerged as excellent hole transport materials in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) owing to their ability to minimize parasitic absorption, regulate energy level alignment, and passivate perovskite defects. Herein, we design and synthesize a novel dimethyl acridine-based SAM, [2-(9,10-dihydro-9,9-dimethylacridine-10-yl)ethyl]phosphonic acid (2PADmA), and employ it as a hole-transporting layer in inverted PSCs. Experimental results show that the 2PADmA SAM can modulate perovskite crystallization, facilitate carrier transport, passivate perovskite defects, and reduce nonradiative recombination. Consequently, the 2PADmA-based device achieves an enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.01% and an improved fill factor (FF) of 83.92% compared to the commonly reported [2-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)ethyl] phosphonic acid (2PACz)-based control device with a PCE of 22.32% and FF of 78.42%, while both devices exhibit comparable open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current density. In addition, 2PADmA-based devices exhibit outstanding dark storage and thermal stabilities, retaining approximately ~98% and 87% of their initial PCEs after 1080 h of dark storage and 400 h of heating at 85 °C, respectively, both considerably superior to the control device.

Developing clinically meaningful nanomedicines for cancer therapy requires the drugs to be effective, safe, simple, cheap, and easy to store. In the present work, we report that a simple cationic Fe(III)-rich salt of [FeIIICl(TMPPH2)][FeIIICl4]2 (Fe-TMPP) exhibits a superior anticancer performance on a broad spectrum of cancer cell lines, including breast, colorectal cancer, liver, pancreatic, prostate, and gastric cancers, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values in the range of 0.098–3.97 μM (0.066–2.68 μg mL−1), comparable to the best-reported medicines. Fe-TMPP can form stand-alone nanoparticles in water without the need for extra surface modification or organic-solvent-assisted antisolvent precipitation. Critically, Fe-TMPP is TME-responsive (TME = tumor microenvironment), and can only elicit its function in the TME with overexpressed H2O2, converting H2O2 to the cytotoxic •OH to oxidize the phospholipid of the cancer cell membrane, causing ferroptosis, a programmed cell death process of cancer cells.

Abstract In perovskite solar cells (PSCs), the light‐soaking effect, which means device performance changes obviously under continuous light illumination, is potentially harmful to loaded devices as well as accurately assessing their efficiency. Herein, chemically stable tungsten trioxide (WO3) with high electron mobility is used as electron transport material in methylamine (MA)‐free PSCs. However, the light‐soaking effect is observed apparently in our devices. A fullerene derivative, C60 pyrrolidine Tris‐acid (CPTA), is introduced to modify the interface between WO3 and perovskite (PVK) layers, which can bond with WO3 and PVK simultaneously, leading to the passivation of the defect and the suppression of trap‐assisted nonradiative recombination. What is more, the introduction of CPTA can enhance the built‐in electric field between WO3 and PVK layers, thereby facilitating the electron extraction and inhibiting the carrier accumulation at the interface. Consequently, the light‐soaking effect of WO3‐based PSCs has been eliminated, and the power conversion efficiency has been boosted from 17.4% for control device to 20.5% for WO3/CPTA‐based PSC with enhanced stability. This study gives guidance for the design of interfacial molecules to eliminate the light‐soaking effect.

Abstract Background Chronic stress exposure increases the risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a hub for controlling stress responses through communicating with multiple limbic structures, including the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). However, considering the complex topographical organization of the mPFC neurons in different subregions (dmPFC vs. vmPFC) and across multiple layers (Layer II/III vs. Layer V), the exact effects of chronic stress on these distinct mPFC output neurons remain largely unknown. Results We first characterized the topographical organization of mPFC neurons projecting to BLA and NAc. Then, by using a typical mouse model of chronic restraint stress (CRS), we investigated the effects of chronic stress on the synaptic activity and intrinsic properties of the two mPFC neuronal populations. Our results showed that there was limited collateralization of the BLA- and NAc-projecting pyramidal neurons, regardless of the subregion or layer they were situated in. CRS significantly reduced the inhibitory synaptic transmission onto the BLA-projecting neurons in dmPFC layer V without any effect on the excitatory synaptic transmission, thus leading to a shift of the excitation-inhibition (E-I) balance toward excitation. However, CRS did not affect the E-I balance in NAc-projecting neurons in any subregions or layers of mPFC. Moreover, CRS also preferentially increased the intrinsic excitability of the BLA-projecting neurons in dmPFC layer V. By contrast, it even caused a decreasing tendency in the excitability of NAc-projecting neurons in vmPFC layer II/III. Conclusion Our findings indicate that chronic stress exposure preferentially modulates the activity of the mPFC-BLA circuit in a subregion (dmPFC) and laminar (layer V) -dependent manner.

Highlights The modification of perovskite precursor by a series of phosphoryl chloride molecules can indeed improve the performance of perovskite LEDs (Pero-LEDs). The bis(2-oxo-3-oxazolidinyl) phosphinic chloride can not only regulate the phase distribution by controlling the crystallization rate but also passivate the defects of the quasi-2D perovskite. Highly efficient and reproducible Pero-LEDs are achieved with an maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) of 20.82% and an average EQE (EQEave) of around 20% on 50 devices. Abstract Quasi-2D perovskites have attracted tremendous interest for application as light-emission layers in light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, the heterogeneous n phase and non-uniform distribution still severely limit the further development of quasi-2D perovskite LEDs (Pero-LEDs). Meanwhile, the increased defect density caused by the reduced dimension and grain size induces non-radiative recombination and further deteriorates the device performance. Here, we found that a series of molecules containing phosphoryl chloride functional groups have noticeable enhancement effects on the device performance of quasi-2D Pero-LEDs. Then, we studied the modification mechanism by focusing on the bis(2-oxo-3-oxazolidinyl) phosphinic chloride (BOPCl). It is concluded that the BOPCl can not only regulate the phase distribution by decreasing the crystallization rate but also remain in the grain boundaries and passivate the defects. As a result, the corresponding quasi-2D Pero-LEDs obtained a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) of 20.82% and an average EQE (EQEave) of around 20% on the optimal 50 devices, proving excellent reproducibility. Our work provides a new selection of molecular types for regulating the crystallization and passivating the defects of quasi-2D perovskite films.

Aging is associated with gradual changes in liver structure, altered metabolites and other physiological/pathological functions in hepatic cells. However, its characterized phenotypes based on altered metabolites and the underlying biological mechanism are unclear. Advancements in high-throughput omics technology provide new opportunities to understand the pathological process of aging. Here, in our present study, both metabolomics and phosphoproteomics were applied to identify the altered metabolites and phosphorylated proteins in liver of young (the WTY group) and naturally aged (the WTA group) mice, to find novel biomarkers and pathways, and uncover the biological mechanism. Analysis showed that the body weights, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) increased in the WTA group. The grips decreased with age, while the triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol (TC) did not change significantly. The increase of fibrosis, accumulation of inflammatory cells, hepatocytes degeneration, the deposition of lipid droplets and glycogen, the damaged mitochondria, and deduction of endoplasmic reticulum were observed in the aging liver under optical and electron microscopes. In addition, a network of metabolites and phosphorylated proteomes of the aging liver was established. Metabolomics detected 970 metabolites in the positive ion mode and 778 metabolites in the negative ion mode. A total of 150 pathways were pooled. Phosphoproteomics identified 2618 proteins which contained 16621 phosphosites. A total of 164 pathways were detected. 65 common pathways were detected in two omics. Phosphorylated protein heat shock protein HSP 90-alpha (HSP90A) and v-raf murine viral oncogene homolog B1(BRAF), related to cancer pathway, were significantly upregulated in aged mice liver. Western blot verified that protein expression of MEK and ERK, downstream of BRAF pathway were elevated in the liver of aging mice. However, the protein expression of BRAF was not a significant difference. Overall, these findings revealed a close link between aging and cancer and contributed to our understanding of the multi-omics changes in natural aging.

Abstract Since the successful clinical trial of AuroShell for photothermal therapy, there is currently intense interest in developing gold-based core-shell structures with near-infrared (NIR) absorption ranging from NIR-I (650–900 nm) to NIR-II (900–1700 nm). Here, we propose a seed-mediated successive growth approach to produce gold nanoshells on the surface of the nanoscale metal–organic framework (NMOF) of UiO-66-NH2 (UiO = the University of Oslo) in one pot. The key to this strategy is to modulate the proportion of the formaldehyde (reductant) and its regulator / oxidative product of formic acid to harness the particle nucleation and growth rate within the same system. The gold nanoshells propagate through a well-oriented and controllable diffusion growth pattern (points → facets → octahedron), which has not been identified. Most strikingly, the gold nanoshells prepared hereby exhibit an exceedingly broad and strong absorption in NIR-II with a peak beyond 1300 nm and outstanding photothermal conversion efficiency of 74.0%. Owing to such superior performance, these gold nanoshells show promising outcomes in photoacoustic (PA), computed tomography (CT), and photothermal imaging-guided photothermal therapy (PTT) for breast cancer, as demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract Background and Aim Ropeginterferon alfa‐2b is a novel mono‐pegylated, extra‐long‐acting interferon. It is administered infrequently and showed good tolerability and clinical activity for the chronic hepatitis B or C treatment in our previous Phase 2 clinical trials. This study aims to validate the potency and safety of this novel agent in a Phase 3 chronic viral hepatitis setting. Methods Patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 2 were randomized to receive subcutaneous injections of ropeginterferon alfa‐2b biweekly or the conventional pegylated interferon alfa‐2b weekly for 24 weeks, combined with ribavirin. The primary endpoint was to assess the safety and antiviral potency of ropeginterferon alfa‐2b by the non‐inferiority in sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after treatment. Results A total of 222 patients were enrolled. Ropeginterferon alfa‐2b group showed a favorable safety profile. Side effects that were generally associated with prior interferon therapies, including neutropenia, asthenia, fatigue, alopecia, dizziness, decreased appetite, nausea, flu‐like symptoms including myalgia, pyrexia, and headache, and administration site reactions, were notably less in the ropeginterferon alfa‐2b group. The cumulative incidence of adverse events of special interest was also notably higher in the control group. The primary endpoint was met and ropeginterferon alfa‐2b showed a better SVR12 rate of 79.8% than 71.9% of the control group. Conclusion Ropeginterferon alfa‐2b is efficacious and has a favorable safety profile as compared with the conventional pegylated interferon alfa‐2b. This study together with previous Phase 2 data validated ropeginterferon alfa‐2b to be a new treatment option for chronic hepatitis C genotype 2.

Amygdala is widely known as a critical neural hub for modulating negative emotions such as fear and anxiety. Recent studies have shown that the basolateral amygdala (BLA) has reciprocal innervation, which plays an important role in regulating social interaction and associative memory. However, the connectivity pattern and functional role of the contralateral projecting BLA neurons in stress-related anxiety are not fully understood. Here, using the virus tracing strategy, we first characterized the connectivity pattern of the contralateral projecting neurons in BLA. Then, we examined the effect of stress on the functional changes of those specific neuronal populations using a mouse model of inescapable footshock stress. The results showed that the fibers of the contralateral projecting BLA neurons labeled by enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) have no collateral projections to the ipsilateral or contralateral hippocampus. Interestingly, they have some collateral projections to the ipsilateral medial prefrontal cortex. Behavioral results showed that footshock stress increases the anxiety-like behavior in mice; however, the excitatory synaptic transmission and intrinsic excitability of the contralateral projecting BLA neurons measured by whole-cell patch clamp recording did not change after stress exposure. In conclusion, our results indicate that contralateral projecting BLA neurons may not contribute to footshock stress-related anxiety-like behavior.

Summary: The strategies for eliminating excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) or suppressing inflammatory responses on the wound bed have proven effective for diabetic wound healing. In this work, a zinc-based nanoscale metal-organic framework (NMOF) functions as a carrier to deliver natural product berberine (BR) to form BR@Zn-BTB nanoparticles, which was, in turn, further encapsulated by hydrogel with ROS scavenging ability to yield a composite system of BR@Zn-BTB/Gel (denoted as BZ-Gel). The results show that BZ-Gel exhibited the controlled release of Zn2+ and BR in simulated physiological media to efficiently eliminated ROS and inhibited inflammation and resulted in a promising antibacterial effect. In vivo experiments further proved that BZ-Gel significantly inhibited the inflammatory response and enhanced collagen deposition, as well as to re-epithelialize the skin wound to ultimately promote wound healing in diabetic mice. Our results indicate that the ROS-responsive hydrogel coupled with BR@Zn-BTB synergistically promotes diabetic wound healing.

Abstract A multifunctional nanoplatform with core–shell structure was constructed in one-pot for the synergistic photothermal, photodynamic, and chemotherapy against breast cancer. In the presence of gambogic acid (GA) as the heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90) inhibitor and the gold nanostars (AuNS) as the photothermal reagent, the assembly of Zr4+ with tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (TCPP) gave rise to the nanocomposite AuNS@ZrTCPP-GA (AZG), which in turn, further coated with PEGylated liposome (LP) to enhance the stability and biocompatibility, and consequently the antitumor effect of the particle. Upon cellular uptake, the nanoscale metal − organic framework (NMOF) of ZrTCPP in the resulted AuNS@ZrTCPP-GA@LP (AZGL) could be slowly degraded in the weak acidic tumor microenvironment to release AuNS, Zr4+, TCPP, and GA to exert the synergistic treatment of tumors via the combination of AuNS-mediated mild photothermal therapy (PTT) and TCPP-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT). The introduction of GA serves to reduce the thermal resistance of the cell to re-sensitize PTT and the constructed nanoplatform demonstrated remarkable anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo. Our work highlights a facile strategy to prepare a pH-dissociable nanoplatform for the effective synergistic treatment of breast cancer. Graphical Abstract

Natural astaxanthin is a high-value ketone carotenoid mainly derived from Haematococcus pluvialis, which is an excellent antioxidant for human consumption. To study the role of lipids in accumulation of astaxanthin, the H. pluvialis-derived astaxanthin synthesis pathway genes (β-carotene ketolase gene, BKT and β-carotene hydroxylase gene, BCH) and fatty acid elongation gene (mitochondrial trans-2-enoyl-coa reductase gene, MECR) were heterologously co-expressed in C. reinhardtii. Zeaxanthin, the precursor of astaxanthin synthesis, was significantly increased after BKT and BCH were expressed. In contrast, the α-carotene that competes with astaxanthin synthesis for lycopene decreased significantly. This redistribution of carbon flow was conducive to the synthesis of astaxanthin. In addition, the transformant only expressed astaxanthin metabolism related genes (BKT, BCH) would lead to an increase in total lipid, a decrease in monounsaturated fatty acids and an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids. On this basis, the expression of MECR gene further increased the total lipid, and the relative content of different fatty acids also changed. The astaxanthin content of algal strains transformed with BKT and BCH genes was nearly 50% higher than that of the wild type. On this basis, the astaxanthin content of transformants expressing MECR gene related to long-chain fatty acid synthesis was increased by 227.5%. In this study, an astaxanthin production model similar to H. pluvialis by combining carotenoid metabolism and fatty acid metabolism was constructed in C. reinhardtii. The results suggest that the increase in astaxanthin is indeed linked to the regulation of fatty acid metabolism, and this link may involve the type of fatty acids and the dynamics of astaxanthin ester in cells. The strategy of promoting the synthesis of fatty acids has potential to achieve efficient production of astaxanthin in C. reinhardtii.

AIM: To investigate the pathogenic mutations of the OAT gene in a Chinese family affected with gyrate atrophy of choroid and retina(GA)and describe their clinical manifestations.METHODS: All available family members have underwent detailed ophthalmological examinations. The sequencing results and pathogenic mutations were clarified by whole exome sequencing, bioinformatics analysis and Sanger sequencing.RESULTS: Based on the clinical manifestations and symptoms, the proband was diagnosed with GA. A missense mutation of c.722C>T(p.P241L)in exon 6 and a nonsense mutation of c.1186C>T(p.R396X)in exon 10 were identified in the OAT gene of the proband, which was a compound heterozygotic mutation. This compound heterozygous mutation showed co-segregation in the family. The heterozygous pathogenic variant of p.R396X was detected in both the proband's father and elder brother, and the heterozygous pathogenic variant of p.P241L was detected in proband's mother. Except for the proband, no other family members have abnormal clinical manifestations.CONCLUSION: The proband of this family is a compound heterozygous mutation, in which p.P241L is the first reported gene mutation type. This result expands the range of OAT gene variation and is conducive to further understanding the pathogenic factors of GA at the molecular basis level. The discovery and confirmation of the novel mutation type will also help to provide a new basis for the clinical diagnosis and gene therapy of GA.

Single prolonged stress (SPS) is a well-established and most frequently used rat model to induce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms, which helps to understand the neurobiological mechanisms as well as developing novel therapeutic strategies for PTSD. However, whether such stress model works efficiently in mice remains unknown. In the present study, we established a mouse SPS (mSPS) model by exposing C57BL/6J mice to a series of multimodal stressors on a single day, then the anxiety-like behavior was measured by open-field test, elevated plus maze test, dark-light box, and novelty-suppressed feeding test. Our results showed that mSPS had no significant effect on the anxiety-like behavior in mice after different days of recovery. The expression of the glucocorticoid receptor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), two proteins that highly associated with stress-related behaviors, also remained unaltered in both the amygdala and hippocampus. By contrast, the protein levels of NR2A and NR2B, two main subunits of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), was reduced in the hippocampus, but not amygdala. In conclusion, our results indicate that mSPS may not be an efficient mouse model to explore the pathophysiology of PTSD-related anxiety-like behavior.

Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have found diverse applications in clinical theranostics. However, the current techniques to isolate plasma EVs suffer from burdensome procedures and limited yield. Herein, we report a rapid and efficient EV isolation platform, namely, EV‐FISHER, constructed from the metal‐organic framework featuring cleavable lipid probes (PO43−‐spacer‐DNA‐cholesterol, PSDC). The EV‐FISHER baits EVs from plasma by cholesterol and separates them with an ordinary centrifuge. The captured EVs could be released and collected upon subsequent cleavage of PSDC by deoxyribonuclease I. We conclude that EV‐FISHER dramatically outperforms the ultracentrifugation (UC) in terms of time (∼40 min vs. 240 min), isolation efficiency (74.2% vs. 18.1%), and isolation requirement (12,800 g vs. 135,000 g). In addition to the stable performance in plasma, EV‐FISHER also exhibited excellent compatibility with downstream single‐EV flow cytometry, enabling the identification of glypican‐1 (GPC‐1) EVs for early diagnosis, clinical stages differentiation, and therapeutic efficacy evaluation in breast cancer cohorts. This work portrays an efficient strategy to isolate EVs from complicated biological fluids with promising potential to facilitate EVs‐based theranostics.

The delivery of biocompatible reagents into cancer cells can elicit an anticancer effect by taking advantage of the unique characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this work, we report that nanoscale two-dimensional FeII- and CoII-based metal–organic frameworks (NMOFs) of porphyrin ligand meso-tetrakis (6-(hydroxymethyl) pyridin-3-yl) porphyrin (THPP) can catalyze the generation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and O2 in the presence of H2O2 that is overexpressed in the TME. Photodynamic therapy consumes the generated O2 to produce a singlet oxygen (1O2). Both •OH and 1O2 are reactive oxygen species (ROS) that inhibit cancer cell proliferation. The FeII- and CoII-based NMOFs were non-toxic in the dark but cytotoxic when irradiated with 660 nm light. This preliminary work points to the potential of porphyrin-based ligands of transition metals as anticancer drugs by synergizing different therapeutic modalities.

Abstract Background Fear is an adaptive response across species in the face of threatening cues. It can be either innate or learned through postnatal experience. We have previously shown that genetic deletion of both Rap1a and Rap1b, two isoforms of small GTPase Rap1 in forebrain, causes impairment in auditory fear conditioning. However, the specific roles of these two isoforms are not yet known. Results In the present study, employing mice with forebrain-restricted deletion of Rap1a or Rap1b, we found that they are both dispensable for normal acquisition of fear learning. However, Rap1b but not Rap1a knockout (KO) mice displayed impairment in the retrieval of learned fear. Subsequently, we found that the expression of c-Fos, a marker of neuronal activity, is specifically decreased in prelimbic cortex (PL) of Rap1b KO mice after auditory fear conditioning, while remained unaltered in the amygdala and infralimbic cortex (IL). On the other hand, neither Rap1a nor Rap1b knockout altered the innate fear of mice in response to their predator odor, 2,5-Dihydro-2,4,5-Trimethylthiazoline (TMT). Conclusion Thus, our results indicate that it is Rap1b but not Rap1a involved in the retrieval process of fear learning, and the learned but not innate fear requires Rap1 signaling in forebrain.

Dysregulated prefrontal control over amygdala has been implicated in the etiology of stress-related psychiatric disorders. Here, the authors show that the dysregulation preferentially occurs in amygdala neurons that are mono- but not bi-directionally connected with dorsomedial prefrontal cortex.

Abstract Exposure to moderate level of stress during the perinatal period helps the organisms to cope well with stressful events in their later life, an effect known as stress inoculation. Amygdala is one of the kernel brain regions mediating stress-coping in the brain. However, little is known about whether early life stress may affect amygdala to have its inoculative effect. Here, we observed that moderate maternal separation (MS) from postnatal day 3 to day 21 (D3–21, 1 h per day) significantly alleviated the increased anxiety-like behavior induced by chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) in adulthood, suggesting an obvious inoculative effect of moderate MS. Further studies revealed that MS prevented CSDS-evoked augmentation of glutamatergic transmission onto principal neurons (PNs) in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) by inhibiting presynaptic glutamate release. By contrast, it did not affect GABAergic transmission in BLA PNs, as indicated by unaltered frequency and amplitude of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs). Moreover, the CSDS-induced increase of neuronal excitability was also mitigated by MS in BLA PNs. In conclusion, our results suggest that MS may have its inoculative effect through alleviating the influences of later life stress on the glutamatergic transmission and neuronal activity in amygdala neurons.

Depression and anxiety disorders are the two most prevalent psychiatric diseases that affect hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide. Understanding the etiology and related mechanisms is of great importance and might yield new therapeutic strategies to treat these diseases effectively. During the past decades, a growing number of studies have pointed out the importance of the stress-induced inflammatory response in the amygdala, a kernel region for processing emotional stimuli, as a potentially critical contributor to the pathophysiology of depression and anxiety disorders. In this review, we first summarized the recent progress from both animal and human studies toward understanding the causal link between stress-induced inflammation and depression and anxiety disorders, with particular emphasis on findings showing the effect of inflammation on the functional changes in neurons in the amygdala, at levels ranging from molecular signaling, cellular function, synaptic plasticity, and the neural circuit to behavior, as well as their contributions to the pathology of inflammation-related depression and anxiety disorders. Finally, we concluded by discussing some of the difficulties surrounding the current research and propose some issues worth future study in this field.

Abstract Background Cervical cancer is a major public health concern in China. We report the end‐of‐study results of a phase II/III trial to assess the efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety of the AS04‐human papillomavirus (HPV)‐16/18 vaccine in Chinese women aged 18‐25 years followed for up to 72 months after first vaccination. Results of approximately 57 months following first vaccination have been previously reported. Methods Healthy 18‐25‐year‐old women (N = 6051) were randomized (1:1) to receive three doses of AS04‐HPV‐16/18 vaccine or Al(OH)3 (control) at Months 0‐1‐6. Vaccine efficacy against HPV‐16/18 infection and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), cross‐protective vaccine efficacy against infections and lesions associated with nonvaccine oncogenic HPV types, immunogenicity, and safety were assessed. Efficacy was assessed in the according‐to‐protocol efficacy (ATP‐E) cohort (vaccine N = 2888; control N = 2892), total vaccinated cohort for efficacy (TVC‐E; vaccine N = 2987; control N = 2985) and TVC‐naïve (vaccine N = 1660; control N = 1587). Results In initially HPV‐16/18 seronegative/DNA‐negative women, vaccine efficacy against HPV‐16/18‐associated CIN grade 2 or worse was 87.3% (95% CI: 5.5, 99.7) in the ATP‐E, 88.7% (95% CI: 18.5, 99.7) in the TVC‐E, and 100% (95% CI: 17.9, 100) in the TVC‐naïve. Cross‐protective efficacy against incident infection with HPV‐31, HPV‐33 and HPV‐45 was 59.6% (95% CI: 39.4, 73.5), 42.7% (95% CI: 15.6, 61.6), and 54.8% (95% CI: 19.3, 75.6), respectively (ATP‐E). At Month 72, >95% of initially seronegative women who received HPV vaccine in the ATP cohort for immunogenicity (N = 664) remained seropositive for anti‐HPV‐16/18 antibodies; anti‐HPV‐16 and anti‐HPV‐18 geometric mean titers were 678.1 EU/mL (95% CI: 552.9, 831.5) and 343.7 EU/mL (95% CI: 291.9, 404.8), respectively. Serious adverse events were infrequent (1.9% vaccine group [N = 3026]; 2.7% control group [N = 3025]). Three and zero women died in the control group and the vaccine group respectively. New onset autoimmune disease was reported in two women in the vaccine group and two in the control group. Conclusions This is the first large‐scale randomized clinical trial of HPV vaccination in China. High and sustained vaccine efficacy against HPV‐16/18‐associated infection and cervical lesions was demonstrated up to Month 72. The vaccine had an acceptable safety profile. Combined with screening, prophylactic HPV vaccination could potentially reduce the high burden of HPV infection and cervical cancer in China. Trial registration NCT00779766.

Chronic or prolonged exposure to stress ranks among the most important socioenvironmental factors contributing to the development of neuropsychiatric diseases, a process generally associated with loss of inhibitory tone in amygdala. Recent studies have identified distinct neuronal circuits within the basolateral amygdala (BLA) engaged in different emotional processes. However, the potential circuit involved in stress-induced dysregulation of inhibitory tones in BLA remains elusive. Here, a transgenic mouse model expressing yellow fluorescent protein under control of the Thy1 promoter was used to differentiate subpopulations of projection neurons (PNs) within the BLA. We observed that the tonic inhibition in amygdala neurons expressing and not expressing Thy1 (Thy1+/−) was oppositely regulated by chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). In unstressed control mice, the tonic inhibitory currents were significantly stronger in Thy1- PNs than their Thy1+ counterparts. CSDS markedly reduced the currents in Thy1- projection neurons (PNs), but increased that in Thy1+ ones. By contrast, CSDS failed to affect both the phasic A-type γ-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABAAR) currents and GABABR currents in these two PN populations. Moreover, chronic corticosterone administration was sufficient to mimic the effect of CSDS on the tonic inhibition of Thy1+ and Thy1- PNs. As a consequence, the suppression of tonic GABAAR currents on the excitability of Thy1- PNs was weakened by CSDS, but enhanced in Thy1+ PNs. The differential regulation of chronic stress on the tonic inhibition in Thy1+ and Thy1- neurons may orchestrate cell-specific adaptation of amygdala neurons to chronic stress.

Abstract As the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is increased to as high over 25%, it becomes pre‐eminent to study a scalable process with wide processing window to fabricate large‐area uniform perovskite films with good light‐trapping performance. A stable and uniform intermediate‐state complex film is obtained by using tetramethylene sulfoxide (TMSO), which extends the annealing window to as long as 20 min, promotes the formation of a high‐quality perovskite film with larger grains (over 400 nm) and spontaneously forms the surface texture to result in an improved fill factor and open‐circuit voltage (Voc). Moreover, the superior surface texture significantly increases the long‐wavelength response, leading to an improved short‐circuit current density (Jsc). As a result, the maximum PCE of 21.14% is achieved based on a simple planar cell structure without any interface passivation. Moreover, a large area module with active area of 6.75 cm2 is assembled using the optimized TMSO process, showing efficiency as high as 16.57%. The study paves the way to the rational design of highly efficient PSCs for potential scaled‐up production.

The leaf of Lycium barbarum L. (LLB) has been widely used as a tea, vegetable, and herb in China and Southeast Asia for centuries; this is because of the hypoglycemic effect it has, but the mechanism behind this effect is still unclear. In this study, a type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) rat model, induced by a high-fat diet combined with low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) injections, was adopted. The biochemical index was determined and the histopathological and metabolomics analyses of serum and urine and 16S rDNA sequencing of the gut microbiota were performed. We evaluated the hypoglycemic effects and the mechanism of action of the water extract from LLB, which contained neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and rutin (up to 6.06%). The relationships between biochemical indexes, serum and urine metabolites, and gut microbiota were analyzed. The results showed that the LLB extract could noticeably modulate the levels of blood glucose and lipids in diabetic rats as well as repair injuries in livers, kidneys and pancreas. The changes in serum and urine metabolites caused by T2DM were reversed after the administration of LLB; these changes were found to mainly be correlated with the following pathways: nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and purine metabolism. Sequencing of the 16S rDNA from fecal samples showed that the LLB extract could reverse the gut microbiota dysbiosis that T2DM had induced. Therefore, we conclude that T2DM, which altered the metabolic profiles and gut microbiota, could be alleviated effectively using the LLB extract.

Summary: Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have achieved extremely high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of over 25%, but practical application still requires further improvement in the long-term stability of the device. Herein, we present an in situ interfacial contact passivation strategy to reduce the interfacial defects and extraction losses between the hole transporting layer and perovskite. The existence of PbS promotes the crystallization of perovskite, passivates the interface and grain boundary defects, and reduces the nonradiation recombination, thereby leading to a champion PCE of 21.07% with reduced hysteresis, which is one of the best results for the methylammonium (MA)-free, cesium formamidinium double-cation lead-based PSCs. Moreover, the unencapsulated device retains more than 93% and 82% of its original efficiencies after 1 year's storage under ambient conditions and thermal aging at 85°C for 1,000 h in a nitrogen atmosphere, likely due to the usage of MA-free perovskite and the enhanced surface hydrophobicity. : Electrochemical Energy Storage; Energy Materials; Devices; Materials Structure Subject Areas: Electrochemical Energy Storage, Energy Materials, Devices, Materials Structure

The genetic diversity of rice germplasm is the basis for increases in rice yield and quality. The collection, assessment, and protection of the genetic diversity of rice germplasm is important for achieving sustainable agriculture and assuring food security. Many underdeveloped indigenous areas have abundant and valuable rice germplasm resources. However, in-depth assessments of the genetic diversity of rice germplasm from these areas and studies related to protecting these traditional cultures are not available. In this study, from 2005 to 2016, the authors have conducted in-depth evaluation of the genetic diversity of Kam fragrant glutinous rice germplasm resources in southeast Guizhou by using multidisciplinary comprehensive methods such as ethnobotany, cultural anthropology, and modern molecular markers. In total, 376 Kam fragrant glutinous rice samples from 42 villages in the Dong community in southeast Guizhou were collected. Agronomic traits of panicles were complex and exhibited diversity. Some varieties had good disease resistance and adaptation to cold and wet climates. The Dong people named the Kam fragrant glutinous rice varieties by using seven elements, including diverse traits, growth environment, and origin. Traditional folk classification, in addition to morphology and biological analysis using molecular markers, indicates that Kam fragrant glutinous rice includes 91 varieties. Kam fragrant glutinous rice comprises a very high number of varieties, most of which are japonica-type and exhibit a high level of genetic diversity. The traditional folk classification of Kam fragrant glutinous rice by the Dong community is consistent with the biological classification. The traditional naming of Kam fragrant glutinous rice provides an important reference for understanding its genetic diversity. The high level of genetic diversity in Kam fragrant glutinous rice is not only related to the natural environment of the area but also tightly linked with the abundant and diverse Dong ethnic traditional cultures, which has led to protection of Kam fragrant glutinous rice’s genetic diversity.

Understanding the host–guest chemistry of α-/β-/γ- cyclodextrins (CDs) and a wide range of organic species are fundamentally attractive, and are finding broad contemporary applications toward developing efficient drug delivery systems. With the widely used β-CD as the host, we herein demonstrate that its inclusion behaviors toward an array of six simple and bio-conjugatable adamantane derivatives, namely, 1-adamantanol (adm-1-OH), 2-adamantanol (adm-2-OH), adamantan-1-amine (adm-1-NH2), 1-adamantanecarboxylic acid (adm-1-COOH), 1,3-adamantanedicarboxylic acid (adm-1,3-diCOOH), and 2-[3-(carboxymethyl)-1-adamantyl]acetic acid (adm-1,3-diCH2COOH), offer inclusion adducts with diverse adamantane-to-CD ratios and spatial guest locations. In all six cases, β-CD crystallizes as a pair supported by face-to-face hydrogen bonding between hydroxyl groups on C2 and C3 and their adjacent equivalents, giving rise to a truncated-cone-shaped cavity to accommodate one, two, or three adamantane derivatives. These inclusion complexes can be terminated as (adm-1-OH)2⊂CD2 (1, 2:2), (adm-2-OH)3⊂CD2 (2, 3:2), (adm-1-NH2)3⊂CD2 (3, 3:2), (adm-1-COOH)2⊂CD2 (4, 2:2), (adm-1,3-diCOOH)⊂CD2 (5, 1:2), and (adm-1,3-diCH2COOH)⊂CD2 (6, 1:2). This work may shed light on the design of nanomedicine with hierarchical structures, mediated by delicate cyclodextrin-based hosts and adamantane-appended drugs as the guests.

Puerarin (PUE) is a Chinese traditional medicine known to enhance glucose uptake into the insulin cells to downregulate the blood glucose levels in the treatment of type II diabetes. Nevertheless, the bioavailability of pristine PUE is limited due to its poor solubility and low intestinal permeability. In this work, we demonstrate that the solubility of PUE can be significantly enhanced via its co-crystallization with L-Proline (PRO). Two crystalline phases, namely, the solvate-free form [PUE][PRO] (I) and the solvated form [PUE]2[PRO]∙EtOH∙(H2O)2 (II) are isolated. These two phases are characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier-transformed infrared (FT-IR) spectra, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and thermogravimetric analysis in association with differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC). The solubility and dissolution rate of both I and II in water, gastrointestinal tract at pH 1.2, and phosphate buffer at pH 6.8 indicates a nearly doubled increase as compared to the pristine PUE. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay of pristine PUE, I and II against murine colon cancer cell lines CT-26 and human kidney cell lines HEK-293 indicated that neither compound exhibits obvious cytotoxicity after 24 h. This work showcases that the readily available and biocompatible PRO can be a promising adjuvant to enhance the physicochemical properties of PUE toward orally administered drug formulation with improved pharmacokinetics.

Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) is a prodrug of tenofovir as a potent nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor. It serves as the key component of Genvoya® for the first-line treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and is the active component of Vemlidy® for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Vemlidy® is also a monotherapeutic regimen formulated as TAF hemifumarate (1; TAF:fumarate = 2:1). In this work, we report for the first time the single-crystal structure of TAF fumarate hemihydrate (2, TAF:fumarate:H2O = 2:2:1). Compound 2 is initially documented as a salt in which one proton of the fumaric acid migrates to the amine group of the adenine moiety in TAF. It was recently proposed that ca. 20–30% proton is transferred to the N atom on the aromatic adenine backbone. We herein provide definitive single-crystal X-ray diffraction results to confirm that 2, though phase pure, is formed as a mixture of co-crystal (75%) and salt (25%). It features two pairs of TAF fumarates, wherein one of the four H atoms on the fumaric acid is transferred to the N atom of the adjacent adenine moiety while the other three carboxylates remain in their intrinsic acid form. Compound 2 is a metastable phase during the preparation of 1 and can be isolated by halting the reaction during the refluxing of TAF and fumaric acid in acetonitrile (MeCN). Our report complements the previous characterizations of TAF monofumarate, and its elusive structural patterns are finally deciphered.

Background: Population-based cancer registry collects the data on cancer incidence and mortality deaths from covered population to describe and survey the epidemics in certain areas. The aim of this study was to estimate the cancer incidence and mortality in Wuwei, Gansu province, Northwestern China from 2003 to 2012. The goal is to better understand cancer distribution and long-term development of cancer prevention and treatment in Wuwei. Methods: Data were collected from the Wuwei Cancer Registry between 2003 and 2012. In this registry, data from 46 cancer report centers were included in this analysis. Incidence/mortality rates, age-specific incidence/mortality rates, age-standardized incidence/mortality rates, and cumulative incidence/mortality rates were calculated. Totally, 9,836,740 person-years (5,110,342 for males and 4,726,398 for females) had been monitored over this time period. The gender ratio of male/female was 1.08:1. The number of new cancer cases and related deaths was 24,705 and 17,287 from 2003 to 2012, respectively. Results: The proportion of morphological verification was 74.43%. The incidence of cases identified through death certification only was 1.21%, and the mortality to incidence ratio was 0.70. The average crude incidence was 251.15/100,000 persons (310.61 and 186.87 for males and females per 100,000 persons, respectively). The age-standardized rates by Chinese standard population (ASR-China) and by world standard population (ASR-world) were 207.76 and 245.42 per 100,000 persons, respectively. The crude cancer mortality was 175.74/100,000 persons (228.34 and 118.86 for males and females per 100,000 persons). ASR for China and the world was 149.57 and 175.13/100,000 persons, respectively. The most common cancers and leading causes of cancer-related deaths in Wuwei were as follows: cancers of stomach, esophagus, liver, lung, colorectum, breast, cervix, lymphoma, blood (leukemia), brain, and central nervous system. In Wuwei, during 2003 and 2012, cancer incidence and mortality rates increased by 1.32% and 1.31%/year, respectively. During this time, colorectum cancer incidence and mortality rates increased by 2.69% and 7.54%/year, respectively, in Wuwei. The incidence and mortality of other gastric, esophageal, liver, and lung cancers also all increased. Conclusions: The results of this study report a more accurate cancer burden among the population of Wuwei, China. Active research of cancers etiology and effective prevention should be established to reduce the incidence and mortality associated with cancers.

Motivated by the renaissance of fullerene superconductivity, research on fullerides has once more become a hot topic in physics and material science. Here, we investigate the electronic properties of the phases that are formed upon metal Sr intercalated C60 film in ultra-high vacuum by synchrotron-radiation photoemission spectroscopy. In order to obtain the phase pure sample, special attentions were taken to the annealing procedure during the sample preparation. We find that the sample changes from semiconductor (C60) to weak metallicity (Sr2C60) at low intercalation levels, and then to semiconductor (Sr3C60) at intermediate intercalation levels. At last, the sample turns out to be metallicity (Sr6C60) at high intercalation levels. These observations along with the previously electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements shed light on the electronic structure of Sr fullerides. Keywords: Sr fullerides, Electronic structure, Photoemission spectroscopy

A heterometallic metal−organic framework (MOF) of [Cd6Ca4(BTB)6(HCOO)2(DEF)2(H2O)12]∙DEF∙xSol (1, H3BTB = benzene-1,3,5-tribenzoic acid; DEF = N,N′-diethylformamide; xSol. = undefined solvates within the pore) was prepared by solvothermal reaction of Cd(NO3)2·4H2O, CaO and H3BTB in a mixed solvent of DEF/H2O/HNO3. The compatibility of these two divalent cations from different blocks of the periodic table results in a solid-state structure consisting of an unusual combination of a discrete V-shaped heptanuclear cluster of [Cd2Ca]2Ca′ and an infinite one-dimensional (1D) chain of [Cd2CaCa′]n that are orthogonally linked via a corner-shared Ca2+ ion (denoted as Ca′), giving rise to an unprecedented branched-chain secondary building unit (SBU). These SBUs propagate via tridentate BTB to yield a three-dimensional (3D) structure featuring a corner-truncated P41 helix in MOF 1. This outcome highlights the unique topologies possible via the combination of carefully chosen s- and d-block metal ions with polydentate ligands.

In this study, a one-dimensional heat transfer measurement device is developed based on the mathematical theory of the Angstrom method. To conform to the mathematical assumption, it is required that the device precisely controls the heat source to generate sinusoidal temperature signal. A thermo-electric module is used as the heat source for the measurement platform. This module is connected to a computer for program control, such that the temperature can be controlled quickly, precisely, and dynamically. In this study, five common heat-conducting materials are tested to verify the proposed one-dimensional heat transfer measurement device. By substituting the experimental results into the mathematical model of the Angstrom method, the thermal diffusion and thermal conductivity of the test material is calculated. The experimental results are compared with the physical properties of the materials, and the accuracy error is extremely low. This study confirmed that the Angstrom method theory applied thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity measurement, which can be realized by thermo-electric temperature control technology.

The aim of the current study was to investigate the in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor effects of naringenin chalcone in U87MG human glioblastoma cells and in xenograft mice model. The effect of naringenin chalcone on apoptosis induction was assessed by fluorescence microscopy using acridine orange/ethidium bromide and Hoechst 33342. Effect of the compound on PI3K/Akt signalling proteins was assessed by Western blot assay. Naringenin chalcone induced dose-dependent as well as time-dependent cytotoxic effects in these cells. Transmission electron microscopy showed that naringenin chalcone induced the formation of autophagic vacuoles. The number and size of these autophagic vacuoles increased with increasing dose of naringenin chalcone. It also led to the activation of both phosphorylated as well as non-phosphorylated PI3K and Akt proteins. In vivo results showed that both tumor volume and tumor weight were lesser in naringenin chalcone-treated groups with its different doses than in vehicle control group. Video Clip of Methodology: Cell proliferation assay: 1 min 08 sec Full Screen Alternate

Large and permanent porosity is the primary concern when designing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for specific applications, such as catalysis and drug delivery. In this article, we report a MOF Co11(BTB)6(NO3)4(DEF)2(H2O)14 (1, H3BTB = 1,3,5-tris(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene; DEF = N,N-diethylformamide) via a mixed cluster secondary building unit (SBU) approach. MOF 1 is sustained by a rare combination of a linear trinuclear Co3 and two types of dinuclear Co2 SBUs in a 1:2:2 ratio. These SBUs are bridged by BTB ligands to yield a three-dimensional (3D) non-interpenetrated MOF as a result of the less effective packing due to the geometrically contrasting SBUs. The guest-free framework of 1 has an estimated density of 0.469 g cm−3 and exhibits a potential solvent accessible void of 69.6% of the total cell volume. The activated sample of 1 exhibits an estimated Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 155 m2 g−1 and is capable of CO2 uptake of 58.61 cm3 g−1 (2.63 mmol g−1, 11.6 wt % at standard temperature and pressure) in a reversible manner at 195 K, showcasing its permanent porosity.