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It is a challenge to achieve flexibility in purely inorganic piezoelectric materials without organic support, and various thin film flexible inorganic piezoelectric materials has been developed recently. In this work, lead zirconate titanate (PZT) nanofiber membranes were prepared by electrospinning, and a flexible membranes can be obtained by reducing the calcination temperature, and the flexibility was characterized by the three-point method. The fiber membrane was relatively thicker in relative to thin films and confirmed to adsorb Congo Red quickly under the action of ultrasound. The maximum adsorption capacity is 61.78 mg g−1 and saturation time reaches 20 min under ultrasound treatment. In addition, the color change after saturation adsorption can quickly determine the actual load of the fiber membrane. In the future, this load saturation effect can be used to calibrate the relationship between the piezoelectric signal and the adsorption load, so as to obtain more accurate chemical sensors.

Nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (nMOFs) are a unique type of hybrid materials, which are broadly applicable as cargo delivery systems. However, the relatively low material stability and insufficient cancer cell interacting capacity have limited nMOFs' applications in cancer theranostics. Herein, a zirconium-based nMOF UiO-66-N3 was synthesized, and its surface was covalently functionalized with alkyne-containing polyethylene glycol (PEG) via the azide-alkyne click chemistry. After that, F3 peptide was attached for targeting of cancer cells (the material was denoted as UiO-66-PEG-F3). Doxorubicin (DOX) served as a therapeutic drug and a fluorescent label in this study, and it was transported into UiO-66-PEG conjugates with sufficient drug loading efficiency. pH-responsive release of DOX from UiO-66 conjugates was witnessed. The structural integrity of UiO-66-N3 was maintained post the surface modification process. Flow cytometry and confocal fluorescence microscopy revealed that DOX/UiO-66-PEG-F3 had stronger accumulation in MDA-MB-231 cells (nucleolin+) compared with DOX/UiO-66-PEG. In order to track the pharmacokinetic behavior (organ distribution profile) in vivo, the positron-emitting zirconium-89 (89Zr) was incorporated into UiO-66-N3. Similar PEGylation and F3 peptide conjugation resulted in the formation of 89Zr-UiO-66-PEG-F3. Serial positron emission tomography (PET) imaging demonstrated that the preferential accumulation of 89Zr-UiO-66-PEG-F3 in MDA-MB-231 tumors, and their liver clearance was faster than PEGylated UiO-66 using noncovalent methods. Thus, the PEGylated nMOFs using covalent strategies may find broad application in future cancer theranostics.

It is estimated that one‑half of patients with non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergo radiotherapy worldwide. However, the outcome of radiotherapy alone is not always satisfactory. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of radiotherapy on the malignancy of NSCLC cells. It was demonstrated that radiation therapy could increase the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells in vitro. Moreover, the upregulation of visfatin, a 52‑kDa adipokine, mediated radiation‑induced cell motility. A neutralizing antibody specific for visfatin blocked radiation‑induced cell migration. Radiation and visfatin induced the expression of Snail, a key molecule that regulates epithelial to mesenchymal transition in NSCLC cells. Furthermore, visfatin positively regulated the mRNA stability of Snail in NSCLC cells, but had no effect on its protein degradation. This may be explained by visfatin‑mediated downregulation of microRNA (miR)‑34a, which was shown to bind the 3' untranslated region of Snail mRNA to promote its decay. Collectively, these findings suggested that radiation could induce cell motility in NSCLC cells through visfatin/Snail signaling.

For a period of time, the O2 cathode has been the focus of research, while the study of lithium anodes and their interactions is quite rare in rechargeable lithium–oxygen (Li–O2) batteries. Actually, the unstable interface between a Li metal anode and the electrolyte in the presence of O2 will eventually lead to battery failure. It was proposed that lithium nitrate (LiNO3), a well-known stabilizing additive being able to form a passivation solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the Li metal surface, could be introduced into the electrolyte of Li–O2 batteries to improve their performance. Nevertheless, the effective utilization of LiNO3 in this system has heretofore been limited due to the dissolution of NO2− species, one of the components of the SEI, as well as O2 corrosion issues on the Li metal side, thus resulting in unstable cycling of Li–O2 batteries. Herein, by combining the electrochemical polishing technology with the LiNO3 reduction chemistry, we construct on a Li metal surface a stable molecularly smooth SEI which possesses a unique multi-layered structure that encapsulates the soluble NO2− species inside the inner layer. Such an SEI film can not only avoid the negative effects caused by the dissolution of NO2−, but also effectively suppress the dendrite growth on and the O2 permeation to the Li surface. Consequently, the cycle lives of O2-saturated symmetric Li cells and Li–O2 batteries are both improved substantially. Our work offers an effective strategy to protect Li metal anodes in Li–O2 batteries, and meantime, provides a novel insight into the rational utilization of electrolyte additives.

Therapeutic cancer vaccines require robust cellular immunity for the efficient killing of tumor cells, and recent advances in neoantigen discovery may provide safe and promising targets for cancer vaccines. However, elicitation of T cells with strong antitumor efficacy requires intricate multistep processes that have been difficult to attain with traditional vaccination approaches. Here, a multifunctional nanovaccine platform has been developed for direct delivery of neoantigens and adjuvants to lymph nodes (LNs) and highly efficient induction of neoantigen-specific T cell responses. A PEGylated reduced graphene oxide nanosheet (RGO-PEG, 20–30 nm in diameter) is a highly modular and biodegradable platform for facile preparation of neoantigen vaccines within 2 h. RGO-PEG exhibits rapid, efficient (15–20% ID/g), and sustained (up to 72 h) accumulation in LNs, achieving >100-fold improvement in LN-targeted delivery, compared with soluble vaccines. Moreover, RGO-PEG induces intracellular reactive oxygen species in dendritic cells, guiding antigen processing and presentation to T cells. Importantly, a single injection of RGO-PEG vaccine elicits potent neoantigen-specific T cell responses lasting up to 30 days and eradicates established MC-38 colon carcinoma. Further combination with anti-PD-1 therapy achieved great therapeutic improvements against B16F10 melanoma. RGO-PEG may serve a powerful delivery platform for personalized cancer vaccination.

Jing-Bo Liu,1 Qiao-Jun Zhang,2 Jian-Zhi Liu,1 Wen-Ting Zhang,3 Yi Li,3 Hao-Hong Li,3 Zhi-Rong Chen,3 Da-Li Zheng2 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, People’s Republic of China; 2Fujian Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Fujian Biological Materials Engineering and Technology Center of Stomatology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350004, People’s Republic of China; 3College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350116, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Da-Li ZhengFujian Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Fujian Biological Materials Engineering and Technology Center of Stomatology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Fujian Medical University, 88 Jiaotong Road, Fuzhou 350004, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-591-83720599Email dalizheng@fjmu.edu.cnJian-Zhi LiuDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 29 Xinquan Road, Fuzhou 350001, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-591- 83357896Email liujianzhi@aliyun.comBackground: The realization of multifunction in one bulk material is fascinating for developing a new generation of devices. Quaternary phosphorus salts were seldom utilized as templates in haloargentate systems, and the hybridization of alkyl(triphenyl)phosphonium with halometallate will be a good strategy for the development of multifunctional material, especially for biological material.Methods: Under the template of (triphenyl)phosphonium-based quaternary phosphorus salts with different spacer lengths (n=2, 3, 4), three bromoargentate hybrids were constructed via the solution method, ie, (1,2-DBTPP)(Ag2Br4) ( 1), {(1,3-DBTPP)2(Ag7Br11)]∙CH3CN∙H2O}n ( 2), and {[(1,4-DBTPP)(Ag5Br7)](CH3CN)2∙H2O}n ( 3) (1,2-DBTPP2+=ethane-1,2-diylbis (triphenyl)phosphonium, 1,3-DBTPP2+=propane-1,3-diylbis (triphenyl)phosphonium, 1,4-DBTPP2+=butane-1,4-diylbis (triphenyl)phosphonium)).Results: The (Ag7Br11)n4n- chain in 2 is a new type of 1-D bromoargentate chain constructed from cubane-like Ag4Br4 nodes, AgBr4 tetrahedrons and AgBr3 triangles. Interestingly, by elongating spacer n from 2 to 4, argentophilicity interactions are weakened, and the hydrogen bonds are strengthened. Consequently, their water stabilities and photocurrents are improved, in which the Ag-4d/Br-4p to π* anti-bonding orbital of the quaternary phosphorus transfer is facilitated. Furthermore, the greenish blue emissions can be detected. Finally, high inhabitation rates against Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans can be observed in 2 and 3.Conclusion: In all experiments, by elongating the spacer lengths of quaternary phosphorus salts, multifunctions were integrated in the quaternary phosphorus/bromoargentate hybrids, including greenish blue luminescence, repeatable photocurrent responses and durable antimicrobial activities with enhanced water stability. This work could provide a theoretical guide for the design of new biologically multifunctional materials.Keywords: quaternary phosphorus, bromoargentates, nanoparticles, luminescence, antimicrobial

Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2−xCrxO4 (0≤x≤0.5) ferrites were successfully prepared by conventional solid state reaction method to investigate the effect of chromium substitution on the structural, electrical and magnetic properties. X-ray powder diffraction results demonstrate that all the prepared samples are well crystallized single-phase spinel structures without secondary phase. As chromium concentration increases, the lattice parameter and crystallite size gradually decrease. The magnetic measurement indicates that saturation magnetization is substantially suppressed by Cr3+ doping, changing from 73.5 A·m2/kg at x=0 to 46.3 A·m2/kg at x=0.5. While the room-temperature electrical resistivity is more than four orders of magnitude enhanced by Cr3+ substitution, reaching up to 1.1×108 Ω·cm at x=0.5. The dielectric constant monotonously decreases with rising frequency for these ferrites, showing a normal dielectric dispersion behavior. The compositional dependence of dielectric constant is inverse with that of electrical resistivity, which originates from the reduced Fe2+/Fe3+ electric dipole number by doping, indicating inherent correlation between polarization and conduction mechanism in ferrite.

The hybridization of 1,4-bis(isoquinoline)butane (BIQBT2+) cation with iodobismuthate under different solvents produce two isomers α-[(BIQBT)(BiI4)2]n (α-1, in CH3OH/H2O mixed solvent, Triclinic system with P-1 space group) and β-[(BIQBT)(BiI4)2]n (β-1, in CH3OH, Monoclinic system with P21/c space group). The 1-D (BiI4) n n− chains are constructed from the opposite edge-sharing BiI6 octahedra. The (BIQBT)2+ in α-isomer adopts the planar configuration, and that in β-isomer presents the chair-like configuration, as a result, different packing modes (intercalating quasi-3-D mode for α-1 and interlocking 2-D mode for β-1) are observed. Interestingly, from α-1 to β-1, distortion degree of BiI6 octahedron and π–π stacking interaction decrease, but hydrogen bonds number increase. Consequently, due to different packing mode, photoluminescence/thermochromisms can be found in α-1, but those of β-1 are vanished, Theoretical calculation was conducted to disclose the structure/thermochromism correlation.

The salt-tolerant unicellular alga Dunaliella bardawil FACHB-847 can accumulate large amounts of lutein, but the underlying cause of massive accumulation of lutein is still unknown. In this study, genes encoding two types of carotene hydroxylases, i.e., β-carotene hydroxylase (DbBCH) and cytochrome P450 carotenoid hydroxylase (DbCYP97s; DbCYP97A, DbCYP97B, and DbCYP97C), were cloned from D. bardawil. Their substrate specificities and enzyme activities were tested through functional complementation assays in Escherichia coli. It was showed that DbBCH could catalyze the hydroxylation of the β-rings of both β- and α-carotene, and displayed a low level of e-hydroxylase. Unlike CYP97A from higher plants, DbCYP97A could not hydroxylate β-carotene. DbCYP97A and DbCYP97C showed high hydroxylase activity toward the β-ring and e-ring of α-carotene, respectively. DbCYP97B displayed minor activity toward the β-ring of α-carotene. The high accumulation of lutein in D. bardawil may be due to the multiple pathways for lutein biosynthesis generated from α-carotene with zeinoxanthin or α-cryptoxanthin as intermediates by DbBCH and DbCYP97s. Taken together, this study provides insights for understanding the underlying reason for high production of lutein in the halophilic green alga D. bardawil FACHB-847.

Alkaline direct hydrazine (N2H4) fuel cells (DHFCs) are considered one of the most promising liquid-fed fuel cells because of their high energy density, high theoretical voltage, and zero carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However, the lack of a suitable electrolyte membrane impedes the further development of alkaline DHFC. Herein, a potassium hydroxide (KOH)-doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) membrane is applied in alkaline DHFCs, and the detailed operating conditions are investigated for the first time. With optimal KOH and N2H4 concentrations in the anolyte, membrane thickness, and cathode gas humidity, the DHFC gives a peak power density of 0.708 W cm−2. The results of this study demonstrate the promising application of PBI membranes in DHFC and provide a platform to evaluate the performance of catalysts synthesized for DHFC.

Objective: Treatment experiment was conducted to investigate the effectiveness and mechanism of the action of zileuton in corticosteroid-induced depressive mice model through neuroinflammation. Methods: The mice were randomly separated into four groups: (Veh+Veh), (Corticosteroid+Veh), (Corticosteroid+ZIL50), and (Corticosteroid+ZIL100). Intraperitoneal injection of corticosterone (CORT) (20 mg/kg for 6 weeks) was used in the mice to induce depression and neuroinflammation diverse from the Veh+Veh group, which was injected only physiological saline. The drug-treated groups (Corticosteroid+ZIL50 and Corticosteroid+ZIL100) were orally administered with the mentioned doses of zileuton. After confirming the effectiveness of zileuton through the behavioral tests, the mechanism of the action of the drug was explored through a set of biochemical assays. Results: Zileuton (50/100 mg/kg) administration improved the performance of the mice in the behavioral experiments (p

Considering the low conversion and long reaction time in scaling up reaction in batch reactor, the organocatalyzed epoxidation reaction of styrene was intensified under continuous flow conditions using a commercial fluidic reactor (Corning Advanced Flow G1 Reactor). After investigating the effect of reaction temperature, catalyst amount, MeCN/t-BuOH ratio, FO/FAB (buffer solution amount), total feed flow rate and operating mode on the epoxidation reaction, the optimal reaction conditions were identified under continuous flow conditions. Upon optimization, high conversion and excellent selectivity with short reaction time (3.17 min) can be obtained. We successfully developed a process for the rapid and continuous epoxidation of styrene using an organocatalyst with hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant. Compared with the batch conditions, the continuous flow reactor can exhibit unique advantages including high-speed, safety, continuousness and absence of amplifying effect, which will be significant for the industrial production of epoxides.

The design of single-component broadband photoemitters with high stability is imperative for the development of next-generation WLEDs. In this work, 1D cationic haloplumbate chains and rigid luminescent naphthalene dicarboxylate (2,6-ndc) with a larger conjugated system were used to construct crystalline single-component broadband photoemitters, i.e. formulated as [(Pb4X2)(ndc)4·A2]n (X = Cl, Br, and I, A = (CH3)3NH+ and (CH3)2NH2+). These hybrids are 3D networks built from flexible 1D cationic (Pb4X2)6+ chains and rigid 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid ligands. The variation of halogen atoms from Cl to Br/I with higher polarity can switch the holo-directed geometry to the hemi-directed geometry with different distorted degrees. The larger conjugated system of 2,6-ndc leads to strong individual blue adsorptions and emissions. In particular, the Br- and I-analogues with hemi-directed geometries can give rise to additional red emissions, corresponding to the presence of stereochemical activities of Pb centers. Consequently, Br- and I-analogues are white-light emitters containing red emissions stemming from deformable haloplumbate and blue emissions originating from luminescent naphthalene motifs. Interestingly, haloplumbate-based emissions are thermally tunable, and those of naphthalene are generally inactive to thermal stimulus. As a result, tunable emissions from blue/white to yellow can be achieved. The higher quantum yield of Br-analogues can be assigned to their worse haloplumbate connectivity, which can enhance the electron–phonon coupling. In all, the combination of flexible haloplumbate chains with larger π-conjugated fluorophores is an efficient strategy for the construction of tunable broadband photoemitters.

Host-guest encapsulation of functional organic dye into a porous metal-organic framework can give rise to the development of new functional materials. In this work, by intercalating the stilbazolium-type dye (DEAST)I (4'-diethylamino-N-methyl stilbazolium) into four lanthanide layered metal-organic complexes (Ln-LMOCs), i. e. {[Ln(BTB)(H2 O)2 ]⋅3(DMF)⋅2(H2 O)}n (Ln=La (1), Nd (2), Sm (3), Er (4)), four responsive (DEAST)I@Ln-LMOC composites have been prepared, serving as multifunctional performance platform. The core-shell structures of (DEAST)I@Ln-LMOC composites have been fully characterized by IR, UV/Vis, PXRD, SEM, TEM, TGA and ESR. Significantly, after intercalation of dyes, the (DEAST)I@Ln-LMOC composites exhibit enhanced luminescent sensing properties in detecting Fe3+ with much higher water stabilities. The luminescent sensing behavior stems from the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the π-electron-rich BTB ligands to the Fe3+ , and their higher water stabilities are induced by electrostatic interactions and lower porosity. Specially, the characteristic emissions of Sm3+ will not be affected after the encapsulation guest dyes, which provide a theoretical guide for the modulation of luminescence devices. Finally, better ion conductivities and diminished photocurrents can be achieved after the embedding of the functional organic dye. In all, the formation of (DEAST)I@Ln-LMOC composites with core-shell structures can be utilized as a multifunctional platform with good stability.

BackgroundThe cholesterol gallstones diseases (CGD) is highly correlated with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The present study aimed to investigate preventive effects of pioglitazone (PIO), an antidiabetic drug, on the CGD in guinea pigs fed with a lithogenic diet (LD).MethodsThe guinea pigs were fed with the LD for 8 weeks. All guinea pigs were grouped as follows: low fat diet; LD; LD plus PIO (4 mg/kg); LD plus PIO (8 mg/kg); LD plus ezetimibe (EZE) (2 mg/kg). Gallbladder stones were observed using microscopy. The profile of biliary composition, and blood glucose, insulin and lipid were analyzed. The liver or ileum was harvested for determinations of hydroxyl-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), sterol regulatory element-binding proteins 2 (SREBP2), 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette (ABC) sterol transporters G5 and G8 (ABCG5, ABCG8), bile salt export pump (BSEP), Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1L1) and acetyl-coenzyme A cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT2) by Western blot. The gallbladders were used for histological examination.ResultsThe LD successfully induced gallstone. Both pioglitazone and ezetimibe prevented gallstone formation, as well as hepatic and cholecystic damages. Pioglitazone significantly decreased HMGCR and SREBP2, but increased CYP7A1, ABCG5, ABCG8, and BSEP in the liver. Pioglitazone also remarkably decreased NPC1L1 and ACAT2, while increased ABCG5/8 in the intestine. The beneficial alterations of cholesterol and bile acids in the bile, as well as profile of glucose, insulin and lipid in the blood were found in the guinea pigs treated with pioglitazone.ConclusionPioglitazone has a noticeable benefit towards the CGD, which is involved in changes of synthesis, transformation, absorption, and transportation of cholesterol.

The development of new high-density memories that can work in harsh environments such as high temperature and humidity will be significant for some special occasions such as oil and geothermal industries. Herein, a facial strategy for implementing a ternary memory device with high working temperature/humidity was executed. In detail, an asymmetric aggregation-induced-emission active molecule (azobenzol-decorated tetraphenylethylene, i.e., TPE-Azo) was embedded into flexible poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PEM) to prepare a TPE-Azo@PEM composite, which served as an active layer to fabricate the FTO/TPE-Azo@PEM/Ag device. This device can demonstrate excellent ternary memory performances with a current ratio of 1:104.2:101.6 for "OFF", "ON1", and "ON2" states. Specially, it can exhibit good environmental endurance at high working temperature (350 °C) and humidity (RH = 90%). The ternary memory mechanism can be explained as the combination of aggregation-induced current/conductance and conformational change-induced charge transfer in the TPE-Azo molecule, which was verified by Kelvin probe force microscopy, UV-vis spectra, X-ray diffraction, and single-crystal structural analysis. This strategy can be used as a universal method for the construction of high-density multilevel memristors with good environmental tolerance.

Dunaliella salina can accumulate a large amount of β-carotene which is generally considered to be its terminal product of carotenoid metabolism. In this study, it was proved that D. salina has the ketolase (DsBKT) of catalyzing the synthesis of astaxanthin, the downstream products of β-carotene. Therefore, the reason why D. salina does not synthesize astaxanthin is the purpose of this study. The enzymatic activity of DsBKT was detected by functional complementation assays in Escherichia coli, results showed that DsBKT had efficient ketolase activity toward β-carotene and zeaxanthin to produce astaxanthin, indicating that there were complete astaxanthin-producing genes in Dunaliella. Unlike the induced expression of Lycopene cyclase (catalyzing β-carotene synthesis) under salt stress, the expression of DsBKT was very low under both normal and stress conditions, which may be the main reason why D. salina cannot accumulate astaxanthin. On the contrary, with the astaxanthin-rich Haematococcus pluvialis as a control, its BKT gene was significantly upregulated under salt stress. Further study showed that DsBKT promoter had strong promoter ability and could stably drive the expression of ble-egfp in D. salina. Obviously, DsBKT promoter is not the reason of DsBKT not being expressed which may be caused by Noncoding RNA.

With hollow mesoporous silica (hMSN) and injectable macroporous hydrogel (Gel) used as the internal and external drug-loading material respectively, a sequential drug delivery system DOX-CA4P@Gel was constructed, in which combretastatin A4 phosphate (CA4P) and doxorubicin (DOX) were both loaded. The anti-angiogenic drug, CA4P was initially released due to the degradation of Gel, followed by the anti-cell proliferative drug, DOX, released from hMSN in tumor microenvironment. Results showed that CA4P was mainly released at the early stage. At 48 h, CA4P release reached 71.08%, while DOX was only 14.39%. At 144 h, CA4P was 78.20%, while DOX release significantly increased to 61.60%, showing an obvious sequential release behavior. Photodynamic properties of porphyrin endow hydrogel (φΔ(Gel)=0.91) with enhanced tumor therapy effect. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that dual drugs treated groups have better tumor inhibition than solo drug under near infrared laser irradiation, indicating the effectivity of combined photodynamic-chemotherapy.

Excessive activation of T cells and microglia represents a hallmark of the pathogenesis of human multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the regulatory molecules overactivating these immune cells remain to be identified. Previously, we reported that extracellular IFP35 family proteins, including IFP35 and NMI, activated macrophages as proinflammatory molecules in the periphery. Here, we investigated their functions in the process of neuroinflammation both in the central nervous system (CNS) and the periphery. Our analysis of clinical transcriptomic data showed that expression of IFP35 family proteins was up-regulated in patients with MS. Additional in vitro studies demonstrated that IFP35 and NMI were released by multiple cells. IFP35 and NMI subsequently triggered nuclear factor kappa B–dependent activation of microglia via the TLR4 pathway. Importantly, we showed that both IFP35 and NMI activated dendritic cells and promoted naïve T cell differentiation into Th1 and Th17 cells. Nmi(−/−), Ifp35(−/−), or administration of neutralizing antibodies against IFP35 alleviated the immune cells’ infiltration and demyelination in the CNS, thus reducing the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Together, our findings reveal a hitherto unknown mechanism by which IFP35 family proteins facilitate overactivation of both T cells and microglia and propose avenues to study the pathogenesis of MS.

Under the template of methyl viologen (MV2+ = methyl viologen) and ethyl viologen (EV2+ = ethyl viologen), two new viologen/iodobismuthate hybrids, (MV)5(Bi2I10)(Bi2I9)2 (1) and (EV)3(Bi4I18) (2) have been structurally determined. The highly interesting feature of 1 lies in its combination of two kinds of dimeric iodobismuthate clusters, i.e. (Bi2I10)4− and (Bi2I9)3− in one lattice induced by MV2+, which are constructed from edge- and face-sharing BiI6 octahedra respectively. But the (Bi4I18)6− tetramer in 2 is based on edge- and vertex-sharing BiI6 octahedra. C–H···I hydrogen bonds contribute to the formation of quasi-3-D networks. The smaller gap of 1 might be led by more versatile C–H···I hydrogen bond interactions due to the presence of mixed type iodobismuthate clusters. Two hybrids display reversible thermochromism behaviors. Theoretical calculation suggests that the terminal iodine is dominated in electron transfer of thermochromisms, rather than bridged iodine.

The encapsulation of guests into metal-organic frameworks (MOF) is an efficient strategy to generate novel multifunctional materials with enhanced properties. Herein, four halometallate@MOF composites with formulas of {(Pb2I4Br3)[(Pr(bpdo)4(H2O)2]·(H2O)}n (1), {[Pb3I10(H2O)2][Y2(bpdo)5(OH)2]·4(H2O)}n (2), {(Bi2I9)[(Pr(bpdo)3(H2O)]}n (3), {(Bi4I18)[(La(bpdo)4(H2O)2]2}n (4) (bpdo = 4,4'-bipyridine N,N'-dioxide) were prepared. In these composites, lanthanide-viologen MOF act as matrices, whose cavities were penetrated by halometallates. Consequently, the insertion of electron-rich halometallates into electron-deficient lanthanide-viologen matrices leads to the presence of strong room temperature charge transfer (CT) interactions. Importantly, these composites exhibit enhanced photo/thermal stabilities, controllable white emissions, reversible thermochromisms, and good photocurrent response performances. Specially, the memory devices based on these composites illustrate reversible electrical bistability behaviors, which can be assigned to ohmic and space-charge-limited conduction (SCLC) mechanisms. This kind of composite can be utilized as a multifunctional platform with enhanced stability.

A two-step strategy was employed to culture Dunaliella tertiolecta, an oleaginous unicellular green alga, combined by the salt stress and sodium azide intervention, to observe their effects on its lipid accumulation. When the algae cultured at different salt concentrations reached the logarithmic growth phase, sodium azide was added. The results showed that the addition of sodium azide significantly increased the lipid content and had no significant effect on cell biomass. The lipid yield and single cell lipid content under 50 μM sodium azide increased by 10.4% and 21.7%. Under the two-step culture condition, combining of the treatment of 50 μM sodium azide and 2.5 M salt stress, the total lipid productivity and single-cell lipid content were 10% and 70.5% higher than that of the control. It seemed that sodium azide and salinity might have a synergistic effect on the lipid accumulation of D. tertiolecta. It can be concluded that sodium azide is an effective inducer of lipid accumulation in D. tertiolecta, and two-stage cultivation is a feasible way to improve lipid accumulation in microalgae.

Glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) is the important precursors for triacylglycerol synthesis, while glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) determines the formation of G3P. In this study, two GDPH genes, Dtgdp1 and Dtgdp2 were isolated and identified from Dunaliella tertiolecta. The full-length Dtgdp1 and Dtgdp2 CDS were 2016 bp and 2094 bp, which encoded two putative protein sequences of 671 and 697 amino acids with predicted molecular weights of 73.64 kDa and 76.73 kDa, respectively. DtGDP1 and DtGDP2 both had a close relationship with those of algal and higher plants. DtGDP1 shared two conserved superfamily (A1 and A2) and four signature motifs (I-IV), and the DtGDP2 showed six signature domains (from motif I to VI) and DAO_C conserved family. Our previous work showed that the triethylamine intervention could greatly increase the triacylglycerol content (up to 80%) of D. tertiolecta. This study aims to investigate the effect of triethylamine on GPDH expression. Results showed that, when treated by triethylamine at 100 ppm and 150 ppm, the expression levels of Dtgdp1 and Dtgpd2 were increased to 5.121- and 56.964-fold compared with the control, respectively. Triethylamine seemed to enhance lipid metabolic flow by inducing the expressions of Dtgdp1 and Dtgdp2 to increase the lipid content, which provides a new insight into the desired pathway of lipid synthesis in algae through genetic engineering.

The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2 RR) in aqueous solution inevitably competes with the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which results in a difficult separation of the complex products. In this study, a Fe/N/C catalyst derived from Fe(SCN)3 (labelled SMFeSCN) revealed a high CO Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 99 % at a moderate overpotential of 0.44 V. CO2 RR and HER competed with each other for active sites on Fe/N/C. The high FE for CO production originated from the high content of micropores on the catalyst, which could suppress the side reactions by increasing CO2 uptake. More importantly, excellent tolerance towards metal-ion impurities was demonstrated in Fe/N/C, which was primarily owing to the high specific surface area with scattered active sites. Thus, the Fe/N/C catalyst showed good activity for CO2 RR without influencing the electrolyte purity, thus raising the possibility of its practical application.

Dendritic cells (DCs) based cancer immunotherapy is largely dependent on adequate antigen delivery and efficient induction of DCs maturation to produce sufficient antigen presentation and ultimately lead to substantial activation of tumor‐specific CD8+ T cells. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted great attention in biomedicine because of their unique physicochemical properties. In order to effectively deliver tumor antigens to DCs and trigger a strong anti‐tumor immune response, herein, a specific DCs target delivery system was assembled by using multi‐walled carbon nanotubes modified with mannose which can specifically bind to the mannose receptor on DCs membrane. Ovalbumin (OVA) as a model antigen, could be adsorbed on the surface of mannose modified multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (Man‐MWCNTs) with a large drug loading content. This nanotube‐antigen complex showed low cytotoxicity to DCs and was efficiently engulfed by DCs to induce DCs maturation and cytokine release in vitro, indicating that it could be a potent antigen‐adjuvant nanovector of efficient antigen delivery for therapeutic purpose.

Accumulating evidence has shown that tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is neuroprotective in different animal models of neurological diseases. However, whether TGR5 agonist TUDCA can improve lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cognitive impairment in mice is less clear. Using a model of cognitive impairment with LPS (2.0 μg) we investigated the effects of TUDCA (200 or 400 μg) on cognitive dysfunction and neurotoxicity in mice. Both Morris water maze and Y-maze avoidance tests showed that TUDCA treatment significantly alleviated LPS-induced behavioral impairments. More importantly, we found that TUDCA treatment reversed TGR5 down-regulation, prevented neuroinflammation via inhibiting NF-κB signaling in the hippocampus of LPS-treated mice. Additionally, TUDCA treatment decreased LPS-induced apoptosis through decreasing TUNEL-positive cells and the overexpression of caspase-3, increasing the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax. TUDCA treatment also ameliorated synaptic plasticity impairments by increasing the ratio of mBDNF/proBDNF, the number of dendritic spines and the expression of synapse-associated proteins in the hippocampus. Our results indicated that TUDCA can improve cognitive impairment and neurotoxicity induced by LPS in mice, which is involved in TGR5-mediated NF-κB signaling.

The neurotoxicity of Aβ peptides has been well documented, but effective neuroprotective approaches against Aβ neurotoxicity are unavailable. In the present study, we investigated effects of 1-Methylnicotinamide (MNA), known as a main metabolite of nicotinamide (NA), on the impairment of learning and memory induced by Aβ and the underlying mechanisms. We found that intragastric administration of MNA at 100 or 200 mg/kg for 3 weeks significantly reversed bilateral intrahippocampal injection of Aβ1–42-induced cognitive impairments in the Morris water maze (MWM), Y-maze and Novel object recognition tests. Furthermore, MNA suppressed Aβ1–42-induced neuroinflammation, characterized by suppressed activation of microglia, decreased the expression of IL-6, TNF-α and nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65, as well as attenuated neuronal apoptosis as indicated by decreased TUNEL-positive cells and ratio of caspase-3 fragment to procaspase-3, and increased ratio of Bcl-2/Bax in the hippocampus. Our results show that MNA may ameliorate Aβ1–42-induced cognition deficits, which is involved in inhibition of neuroinflammation and apoptosis mediated by NF-κB signaling, suggesting that MNA could have potential therapeutic value for AD.

Photon-recycling effects improve radiative efficiencies of semiconductor materials and play important roles in the design of high-performance optoelectronic devices. Conventional research mostly st...

Redox mediators (RMs) are widely applied in lithium–oxygen (Li–O2) batteries since they offer an alternative way to avoid the direct electrochemical oxidization of Li2O2 during charging, and thus greatly reduce the charge overpotential. Unfortunately, the defenseless Li–metal anode is severely corroded by the oxidized RMs shuttled from the cathode side, resulting in the low utilization of RMs and poor cycling stability. Herein, a functionalized double-guaranteed NPG membrane with electrostatic repulsion and steric hindrance characteristics is proposed to suppress the shuttle effect of LiI RM. Benefiting from the interaction between the O atoms in PEO and the sulfonic acid groups in Nafion and the two-dimensional skeleton structure of graphene, Nafion, PEO and graphene can couple with each other, forming a large network barrier with multi-functional properties. As expected, the LiI-based Li–O2 batteries with the NPG membrane exhibited a smooth, iodine-free Li anode surface after many cycles and delivered an ultrahigh discharge capacity of ∼26 917 mA h g−1 at a current density of 200 mA g−1 and ultralong cycle life (472 cycles) at 500 mA g−1 with a cutoff capacity of 500 mA h g−1, which are far better than that of the bare batteries.

The incorporation of organic dyes into host matrices has attracted great interest for developing new functional materials. In this work, two Cd-based layered metal–organic complexes (Cd-LMOCs), i.e. [Cd3(BTB)2(DEF)4]n, (1-DEF) and [Cd3(BTB)2(DMF)4·2DMF]n, (2-DMF), were synthesized, and three different organic stilbazolium-type dyes were incorporated into the layered Cd-LMOCs: CMAS+, which contains an electron-withdrawing group (–CN) on the amine, and DAST+ and HMAS+, which contain electron-donating groups (–CH3, –OH) on their amines. Interestingly, solvent-dependent luminescence chromisms were observed; these only occurred in DMA solvent. The dye@Cd-MOC composites obtained from DMA solvent have been fully characterized by IR, UV-Vis, PXRD, SEM, TEM and TGA; they exhibit blue-shift photoemissions and enhanced quantum yields compared with the pristine Cd-LMOCs and dye samples. After loading with dyes, the photocurrents were diminished by 2 to 6 times. Based on a combination of experimental and theoretical simulations of the dye@Cd-LMOC systems, a two-step solvent-dependent chromism mechanism was proposed: solvent exchange reactions occur firstly, and the dyes then enter the Cd-LMOCs via direct or semi-coordinated bonds between the Cd centers and guest dyes. Specifically, (CMAS)I@1-DMA with direct Cd–N bonds exhibits the highest quantum yield, and a new electron transfer route from the metal centers of the host skeletons to the side groups of the guest dyes has been found. In all, the introduction of electron-withdrawing groups on dyes is beneficial for host–guest interactions.

Peroxisome proliferator-activator receptor (PPAR) γ is a nuclear hormone receptor that regulates glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, and adipocyte function. It has been shown that activation of PPARγ can reduce the incidence of gallstone. Herein we aimed to clarify the role of PPARγ in the reduction of gallstones. The plasmid containing the coding sequence of PPARγ was constructed and transfected in the human liver cell line (L02 cells). Western blot and RT-PCR were used to detect hydroxyl-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), sterol regulatory element-binding proteins 2 (SREBP2), 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette (ABC) sterol transporters G5 and G8 (ABCG5, ABCG8) and liver X receptor α (LXRα). The Amplex Red cholesterol assay kit was used to detect the intracellular or extracellular cholesterol level. Our data showed that PPARγ overexpression caused significant decreases in both extracellular and intracellular cholesterol in the L02 cells. The further studies indicated PPARγ overexpression substantially decreased expression of HMGCR and SREBP-2, increased expression of CYP7A1, ABCG5, ABCG8 and LXRα. These results indicated that upregulation of PPARγ may reduce cholesterol levels through multiple-pathways including HMGCR/SREBP2-mediated biosynthesis, CYP7A1-mediated transformation, and ABCG5/ABCG8-mediated efflux. We thus suggest that PPARγ might have beneficial effects for cholesterol gallstones diseases. Keywords: PPARγ, Cholesterol, HMGCR, CYP7A1 and ABCG5/8

The combination of hexacyanoferrate anions with protonated N,N′-dipyridyl-naphthalene diimide tectons resulted in a novel cuboid 3-D H-bonded anion-coordinated framework. Induced by anion–π interactions, such a unique framework is further catenated into an unprecedented five-fold interpenetrated D–A hybrid heterostructure with 1-D hexacyanoferrate polyanions and naphthalene diimide aggregates as electron donors and acceptors, respectively. The photophysical and photochemical properties have also been discussed.

Objectives Cognitive impairment is the main character of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study mainly focused on whether mogrol, a tetracyclic triterpenoids compound of Siraitia grosvenorii Swingle, can ameliorate the memory impairment induced by Aβ1–42. Methods Memory impairment mice model was made by stereotactic intra-hippocampal microinjection of Aβ1–42 (410 pm/mouse). Mogrol (20, 40, 80 mg/kg) was given to mice by intragastric administration at 3 days after Aβ1–42 injection for totally 3 weeks. Morris water maze test and Y-maze test were operated to evaluate the therapeutic effect of morgrol on Aβ1–42-induced memory impairments. Immunohistochemical analyses and Hoechst 33258 assay were used to evaluate effect of morgrol on Aβ1–42-induced microglia overactivation and apoptotic response in hippocampus of mice. Western blotting assay was used to evaluate effect of mogrol on the Aβ1–42-activated NF-κB signaling. Key findings Mogrol could significantly alleviate Aβ1–42-induced memory impairments, inhibit Aβ1–42-induced microglia overactivation and prevent Aβ1–42-triggered apoptotic response in the hippocampus. Mogrol also could suppress Aβ1–42-activated NF-κB signaling, reduce the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Conclusions This study suggested that mogrol would ameliorate the memory impairment induced by Aβ1–42, which is involved in anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis in the brain.

Two novel heterometallic organic frameworks built from trinuclear indium and cuprous halide clusters, [(In3O)2(Cu2I2)3(ina)12(H2O)6](NO3)2·7DMA·10H2O (1) and [NH2(CH3)2][In3(OH)2(H2O)2(ina)8(Cu4I4)2]·5DMA·8H2O (2), where Hina = isonicotinic acid, have been successfully constructed with the orientation of the ina ligand. 1 shows a fascinating highly porous honeycomb-like 3D cationic framework with a trigonal-bipyramid-type cage based on a planar [In3O(CO2)6]+ trimer and a rhombohedral Cu2I2 cluster. Comparably, 2 displays a 3D negative network with irregular hexagonal channels constructed from a [In3(OH)2(CO2)8]- trimer and a cubane-like Cu4I4 cluster. Especially, 1 displays a reversible I2 adsorption/release performance with high adsorption capacity, whose mechanism has been disclosed by theoretical simulation. Also, the green/red emission of 2 stems from iodocuprate centers with quenched indium-centered emission.

Fe/N/C catalysts have been investigated as promising non-noble metal catalysts for both CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, it is unclear whether both reactions hold the same active sites. In this study, the Fe/N/C catalysts were subjected to oxidation treatment in O2 at different temperatures to tune the reactivity. It was found that the oxidation treatment exhibits inverse effects on the CO2RR and ORR. The CO2RR activity was enhanced while ORR activity was suppressed after the oxidation treatment at temperatures from 80 to 240 °C. This result indicates that CO2RR and ORR occur at different active sites. Furthermore, it was evidenced that pyrrolic N increases significantly upon the oxidation treatment, similar to the variation tendency of the CO2RR activity, which suggests that pyrrolic N is highly relevant to the CO2RR on Fe/N/C catalysts. Keywords: CO2 reduction, O2 reduction reaction, Fe/N/C catalysts, N species, Electrocatalysis

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), with their atomic thicknesses, high carrier mobility, fast charge transfer, and intrinsic spin-valley couplings, have been demonstrated one of the most appealing candidates for next-generation electronic and optoelectronic devices. The synthesis of TMDs with well-controlled crystallinity, quality and composition is essential to fully realize their promising applications. Similar to that in III-V semiconductor synthesis, the precise precursor supply is a precondition for controllable growth of TMDs. Although great efforts have been devoted to modulate the transition metal supply, few effective methods of chalcogen feeding control were developed. Herein we report a strategy of using active chalcogen monomer supply to grow TMDs and their alloys in a robust and controllable manner. It is found that at a high temperature, the active chalcogen monomers (such as S, Se, Te atoms or their mixtures) can be controllably released from metal chalcogenides and, thus, enable the synthesis of TMDs (MX2, M = Mo, W; X = S, Se, Te) with very high quality, e.g., MoS2 monolayers exhibit photoluminescent circular helicity of ~92%, comparable to the best exfoliated single-crystal flakes and close to the theoretical limit of unity. More intriguingly, a uniform quaternary TMD alloy with three different anions, i.e., MoS2(1-x-y)Se2xTe2y, was accomplished for the first time. Our mechanism study revealed that the active chalcogen monomers can bind and diffuse freely on a TMD surface, which enables the effective nucleation and reaction, quick chalcogen vacancy healing, and alloy formation during the growth. The chalcogen monomer supply strategy offers more degrees of freedom for the controllable synthesis of 2D compounds and their alloys, which will greatly benefit the development of high-end devices with desired 2D materials.

The urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its cofactors are important regulators of tumor initiation and progression (including metastasis), and its overexpression is associated with unfavorable situations in cancer patients. We have previously used positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody against the uPA (named ATN-291) to detect the uPA signaling activity in various cancer types; however, good tumor contrast can only be observed 24 h postinjection. To shorten the antibody circulation time and decrease interactions of ATN-291 with the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS), our goal in this study is to develop an engineered antibody fragment (F(ab')2) from the parent antibody. By pepsin digestion and chromatography purification, ATN-291 F(ab')2 was obtained and characterized. Subsequently, it was conjugated with NOTA-Bn-NCS or fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) for PET imaging and fluorescence-mediated cellular analysis (i.e., flow cytometry or fluorescence microscopy). We confirmed that ATN-291 F(ab')2 still maintained a good targeting efficacy for the uPA in MDA-MB-231 cells (uPA+) and it had a faster blood clearance speed compared with ATN-291, while its interaction with MPS has been significantly decreased. In rodent tumor xenografts, radiolabeled ATN-291 F(ab')2 had a selective and persistent uptake in MDA-MB-231 tumors, with an early tumor-to-blood ratio of 1.3 ± 0.8 (n = 4) at 2 h postinjection from PET imaging. During our observation, radiolabeled ATN-291 F(ab')2 was excreted from both renal and hepatobiliary pathways. Radiolabeled ATN-291 F(ab')2 was also used for detecting uPA fluctuation during the tumor treatment in test animals. We concluded that radiolabeled ATN-291 F(ab')2 could be used as fast as PET cancer diagnostics with versatile applicability.

In this paper, a three-dimensional (3D) microtubular reduced graphene oxide (rGO) FET sensor, decorated with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) has been fabricated and demonstrated for NO 2 detections. The performance of our planar 2D sensor and 3D microtubular sensors with different numbers of winding were compared and contrasted. The preliminary results shown that our 3D microtubular Ag NPs/rGO FET sensor with 2 windings exhibits a sensor response of 8.17 % to 10 part per million (ppm) NO 2 at room temperature. This 3D microtubular concept and study provide a new approach for highly integrated and miniaturized hazardous gases sensing applications for health and safety detections, environmental monitoring and beyond.

In this paper, we report a modified three step anisotropic wet etching (TSWE) method to fabricate solid-state silicon nanoslits. The slit-opening process is performed by crystal plane etching. The etching rate of the crystal plane is reasonably slow as it is only 1/45 of the etching rate, thus allowing and therefore good slits-opening controllability. By slowly etching the crystal plane, the over-etching was effectively reduced. Perfectly rectangular nanoslits with different dimensions were successfully obtained. The smallest achieved feature size of the nanoslit is 8.3 nm.

Background: Electroacupuncture (EA) treatment in ischemic stroke has been highlighted recently; however, the specific mechanism is still elusive. Autophagy is considered a new target for cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), but whether it plays a role of protecting or causing rapid cell apoptosis remains unclear. Studies have reported that the reduction in lysine 16 of histone H4 acetylation coheres with autophagy induction. The primary purpose of the study was to explore whether EA could alleviate I/R via autophagy-mediated histone H4 lysine 16 acetylation in the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model.Methods: One hundred and twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups: control group, MCAO group, MCAO+EA group, MCAO+EA+hMOF siRNA group, and MCAO+EA+Sirt1 inhibitor group. EA was applied to “Baihui” (Du20) and “Renzhong” (Du26) at 5 min after modeling and 16 h after the first EA intervention. The structure and molecular markers of the rat brain were evaluated.Results: EA significantly alleviated I/R injury by upregulating the expressions of Sirt1, Beclin1, and LC3-II and downregulating the expressions of hMOF and H4K16ac. In contrast, the Sirt1 inhibitor lowered the increase in Sirt1, Beclin1, and LC3-II and enhanced the level of hMOF and H4K16ac expressions associated with EA treatment. Besides, ChIP assay revealed that the binding of H4K16ac in the Beclin1 promoter region of the autophagy target gene was significantly raised in the MCAO+EA group and MCAO+EA+hMOF siRNA group.Conclusions: EA treatment inhibited the H4K16ac process, facilitated autophagy, and alleviated I/R injury. These findings suggested that regulating histone H4 lysine 16 acetylation-mediated autophagy may be a key mechanism of EA at Du20 and Du26 to treat I/R.

Cellular RNA polymerases can become trapped on DNA or RNA, threatening genome stability and limiting free enzyme pools, or enter dormancy. How RNA polymerase recycling into active states is achieved and balanced with quiescence remains elusive. We structurally analyzed Bacillus subtilis RNA polymerase bound to the NTPase HelD. HelD has two long arms: a Gre cleavage factor-like coiled-coil inserts deep into the RNA polymerase secondary channel, dismantling the active site and displacing RNA; a unique helical protrusion inserts into the main channel, prying β and β’ subunits apart and dislodging DNA, aided by the δ subunit. HelD release depends on ATP, and a dimeric structure resembling hibernating RNA polymerase I suggests that HelD can induce dormancy at low energy levels. Our results reveal an ingenious mechanism by which active RNA polymerase pools are adjusted in response to the nutritional state.

Epidemiological studies have corroborated that respiratory diseases, including lung cancer, are related to fine particulate matter (&lt, 2.5 &mu, m) (PM2.5) exposure. The toxic responses of PM2.5 are greatly influenced by the source of PM2.5. However, the effects of PM2.5 from Beijing on bronchial genotoxicity are scarce. In the present study, PM2.5 from Beijing was sampled and applied in vitro to investigate its genotoxicity and the mechanisms behind it. Human bronchial epithelial cells 16HBE were used as a model for exposure. Low (67.5 &mu, g/mL), medium (116.9 &mu, g/mL), and high (202.5 &mu, g/mL) doses of PM2.5 were used for cell exposure. After PM2.5 exposure, cell viability, oxidative stress markers, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) strand breaks, 8-OH-dG levels, micronuclei formation, and DNA repair gene expression were measured. The results showed that PM2.5 significantly induced cytotoxicity in 16HBE. Moreover, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and cellular heme oxygenase (HO-1) were increased, and the level of glutathione (GSH) was decreased, which represented the occurrence of severe oxidative stress in 16HBE. The micronucleus rate was elevated, and DNA damage occurred as indicators of the comet assay, &gamma, H2AX and 8-OH-dG, were markedly enhanced by PM2.5, accompanied by the influence of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1), X-ray repair cross-complementing gene 1 (XRCC1), and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP1) expression. These results support the significant role of PM2.5 genotoxicity in 16HBE cells, which may occur through the combined effect on oxidative stress and the influence of DNA repair genes.

Peripheral infections can potently exacerbate neuropathological conditions, though the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We have previously demonstrated that intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of a viral mimetic, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (PIC) induces a robust generation of CXCL10 chemokine in the hippocampus. The hippocampus also features hyperexcitability of neuronal circuits following PIC challenge. The present study was undertaken to determine the role of CXCL10 in mediating the development of hyperexcitability in response to PIC challenge. Briefly, young female C57BL/6 mice were i.p. injected with PIC, and after 24 h, the brains were analyzed by confocal microscopy. CXCL10 staining of neuronal perikarya and a less intense staining of the neuropil was observed in the hippocampus and cortex. CXCL10 staining was also evident in a subpopulation of astrocytes, whereas microglia were CXCL10 negative. CXCR3, the cognate receptor of CXCL10 was present exclusively on neurons, indicating that the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis operates through an autocrine/paracrine neuronal signaling. Blocking cerebral CXCR3 through intracerebroventricular injection of a specific inhibitor, AMG487, abrogated PIC challenge-induced increase in basal synaptic transmission and long-term potentiation (LTP), as well as the reduction of paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), in the hippocampus. The PIC-mediated abolishment of hippocampal long-term depression (LTD) was also restored after administration of AMG487. Moreover, CXCR3 inhibition attenuated seizure hypersensitivity induced by PIC challenge. The efficacy of AMG487 strongly strengthens the notion that CXCL10/CXCR3 axis mediates the induction of cerebral hyperexcitability by PIC challenge.

In this paper we report firstly the realization of nanoslits with feature sizes down to sub-4 nm in single-crystal silicon substrate at chip scale. Three-step anisotropic wet etching (TSWE) method was used in the fabrication process and a low-noise current feedback experimental set-up was developed to monitor the slit-opening event in the last step. Individual nanoslit with 3.8 nm width and $3.88\ \mu \mathrm{m}$ length, which means the nanoslit with a length-width ratio more than 1000 was successfully obtained.

We reviewed nanotoxicity and regulatory aspects of nanoengineering and nanomaterials in musculoskeletal regeneration. The chapter includes host response, biocompatibility, safety, and processing environment. Acute immune response, chronic immune response, and activation of immune cells were introduced in host response. Physiochemical parameters of nanomaterials impacting the biocompatibility including particle size and surface charge, shape and conjugation, protein corona, and activation of coagulation were summarized. We also introduced cell-biomaterial interaction and methods to determine the biocompatibility. To assess the safety of nanoparticles (NP), physicochemical parameters, biodegradation, incubation condition, toxicity species, assay methods of toxicity, and toxicity mechanisms are considered. Furthermore, we illustrated the safety of carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, graphene, and metallic nanoparticles that are used widely. In addition, tissue engineering, micro- and nanofabrication technology, stem-cell engineering, and 3-D environment were illustrated in processing environment.