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Abstract Room‐temperature sodium‐sulfur (RT Na‐S) batteries are a promising next‐generation energy storage device due to their low cost, high energy density (1274 Wh kg−1), and environmental friendliness. However, RT Na‐S batteries face a series of vital challenges from sulfur cathode and sodium anode: (i) sluggish reaction kinetics of S and Na2S/Na2S2; (ii) severe shuttle effect from the dissolved intermediate sodium polysulfides (NaPSs); (iii) huge volume expansion induced by the change from S to Na2S; (iv) continuous growth of sodium metal dendrites, leading to short‐circuiting of the battery; (v) huge volume expansion/contraction of sodium anode upon sodium plating/stripping, causing uncontrollable solid‐state electrolyte interphase growth and “dead sodium” formation. Various strategies have been proposed to address these issues, including physical/chemical adsorption of NaPSs, catalysts to facilitate the rapid conversion of NaPSs, high‐conductive materials to promote ion/electron transfer, good sodiophilic Na anode hetero‐interface homogenized Na ions flux and three‐dimensional porous anode host to buffer the volume expansion of sodium. Heterostructure materials can combine these merits into one material to realize multifunctionality. Herein, the recent development of heterostructure as the host for sulfur cathode and Na anode has been reviewed. First of all, the electrochemical mechanisms of sulfur cathode/sodium anode and principles of heterostructures reinforced Na‐S batteries are described. Then, the application of heterostructures in Na‐S batteries is comprehensively examined. Finally, the current primary avenues of employing heterostructures in Na‐S batteries are summarized. Opinions and prospects are put forward regarding the existing problems in current research, aiming to inspire the design of advanced and improved next‐generation Na‐S batteries.

Abstract The photocatalytic reduction of CO2 represents an environmentally friendly and sustainable approach for generating valuable chemicals. In this study, a thiophene‐modified highly conjugated asymmetric covalent triazine framework (As‐CTF‐S) is developed for this purpose. Significantly, single‐component intramolecular energy transfer can enhance the photogenerated charge separation, leading to the efficient conversion of CO2 to CO during photocatalysis. As a result, without the need for additional photosensitizers or organic sacrificial agents, As‐CTF‐S demonstrates the highest photocatalytic ability of 353.2 µmol g−1 and achieves a selectivity of ≈99.95% within a 4 h period under visible light irradiation. This study provides molecular insights into the rational control of charge transfer pathways for high‐efficiency CO2 photoreduction using single‐component organic semiconductor catalysts.

Abstract Objective Iron accumulation is associated with osteoporosis. This study aims to explore the effect of chronic iron accumulation induced by hepcidin1 deficiency on aging osteoporosis. Methods Iron accumulation in hepcidin1 knockout aging mice was assessed by atomic absorption spectroscopy and Perl’s staining. Bone microarchitecture was observed using Micro-CT. Hepcidin, ferritin, oxidative stress, and markers of bone turnover in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Bone formation and resorption markers were measured by real-time quantitative PCR. Cell aging was induced by D-galactose treatment. CCK-8, flow cytometry, EdU assays, and Alizarin red staining were performed to reveal the role of hepcidin1 knockout in cell model. Iron Colorimetric Assay Kit and western blot were applied to detect iron and ferritin levels in cells, respectively. Results In hepcidin1-knockout mice, the ferritin and iron contents in liver and tibia were significantly increased. Iron accumulation induced by hepcidin1 knockout caused a phenotype of low bone mass and deteriorated bone microarchitecture. Osteogenic marker was decreased and osteoclast marker was increased in mice, accompanied by increased oxidative stress level. The mRNA expression levels of osteoclast differentiation markers (RANKL, Mmp9, OPG, Trap, and CTSK) were up-regulated, while bone formation markers (OCN, ALP, Runx2, SP7, and Col-1) were down-regulated in model group, compared to wild type mice. In vitro, hepcidin1 knockdown inhibited proliferation and osteogenic differentiation, while promoted apoptosis, with increased levels of iron and ferritin. Conclusion Iron accumulation induced by hepcidin1 deficiency aggravates the progression of aging osteoporosis via inhibiting osteogenesis and promoting osteoclast genesis.

Tin–oxo clusters have attracted considerable attention because they provide a platform for studying the structure–property relationship of tin oxide materials at the molecular level. Although different types of tin–oxo clusters have been developed, extended tin–oxo cluster-based structures and their corresponding discrete clusters are rarely obtained. In this study, we regulate reaction pathways to hierarchically assemble a novel discrete Sn8–oxo cluster and its extended structure using a solvent strategy. The discrete Sn8–oxo cluster (CTGU-SnC-1) is obtained because its coordination active sites are occupied by the esterifiable methanol in the solvent. The resulting one-dimensional chain (CTGU-SnC-2) is formed because of the coordination-driven assembly of active sites in the Sn8 cluster without methanol in the solvent. In addition to single-crystal X-ray diffraction, these compounds were further characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis, and ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. In addition, their electrocatalytic CO2 reduction properties were explored. The extended structure CTGU-SnC-2 exhibits better electrocatalytic activity than the discrete cluster in the CO2 reduction reaction.

Photocatalytic water splitting on noble metal-free photocatalysts for H2 generation is a promising but challenging approach to realize solar-to-chemical energy conversion. In this study, Mo/Mo2C nanoparticles anchored carbon layer (Mo/Mo2C@C) was obtained by a one-step in-situ phase transition approach and developed for the first time as a photothermal cocatalyst to enhance the activity of ZnIn2S4 photocatalyst. Mo/Mo2C@C nanosheet exhibits strong absorption in the full spectrum region and excellent photo-thermal conversion ability, which generates heat to improve the reaction temperature and accelerate the reaction kinetics. Moreover, metallic Mo/Mo2C@C couples with ZnIn2S4 to form ZnIn2S4–Mo/Mo2C@C Schottky junction (denoted as ZMM), which prevents the electrons back transfer and restrains the charge recombination. In addition, conductive carbon with strong interfacial interaction serves as a fast charge transport bridge. Consequently, the optimized ZMM-0.2 junction exhibits an H2 evolution rate of 1031.07 μmol g−1 h−1, which is 41 and 4.3 times higher than bare ZnIn2S4 and ZnIn2S4–Mo2C, respectively. By designing novel photothermal cocatalysts, our work will provide a new guidance for designing efficient photocatalysts.

Metal–organic gels (MOG) as new types of soft materials have shown promising applications in various fields such as chemosensors, environmental remediation, and gas adsorption/separation, owing to their high porosity, low density, and high surface area. However, the application of MOG materials in energy electrocatalysis and the active components made from them are rarely perceived. Herein, a new electrochemistry‐driven reconstruction strategy to synthesize the NiOOH/FeOOH heterostructure from MOG materials is reported. The reconstructed NiOOH/FeOOH exhibits superior oxygen evolution reaction activity and excellent stability, owing to the synergistic effect of bimetallic centers, the abundant interface between NiOOH and FeOOH, and the plentiful defects. Impressively, the activated Re–FeNi–MOG‐4 electrocatalyst displays remarkable catalytic activity with a low overpotential of 220 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and a small Tafel slope of 48 mV dec−1 in alkaline electrolyte, outperforming most recently reported electrocatalysts. Herein, a facile and effective electrochemical reconstruction engineering of pre‐catalysts is provided and the evolution of self‐reconstruction of MOG materials for accelerating the kinetics of the electrocatalytic process is highlighted.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most detrimental wheat diseases which greatly decreases the yield and grain quality, especially in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River of China. Fhb1 and Fhb2 are two major resistance loci against Fusarium graminearum. Yangmai 15 (YM15) is one of the most popular varieties in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and it has good weak gluten characters but poor resistance to FHB. Here we used Fhb1 and Fhb2 to improve the FHB resistance of YM15 by a molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS) backcrossing strategy. The selection of agronomic traits was performed for each generation. We successfully selected seven introgressed lines which carry homozygous Fhb1 and Fhb2 with significantly higher FHB resistance than the recurrent parent YM15. Three of the introgressed lines had agronomic and quality characters that were similar to YM15. This study demonstrates that the pyramiding of Fhb1 and Fhb2 could significantly improve the FHB resistance in wheat using the MAS approach.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a complex group of malignant tumors characterized by immunosuppression and high invasiveness. In the majority of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, treatment fails to achieve a complete cure post-treatment. Efforts are needed to develop new therapeutics to improve the outcome of renal cell carcinoma. The "immune checkpoint" of T cells has attracted much attention in tumor immunotherapy. It is widely accepted that suppressor T cell immune checkpoints promote tumor immune escape through negative immune regulatory signals (cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen 4 [CTLA-4], programmed cell death 1 [PD-1], B7-H3, and B7-H4, among others). The current data suggest that the PD-1 and CTLA-4 receptors inhibit the T cell receptor and its proliferation. Blockade of the PD-I/PD-L1 and/or CTLA-4/CD 28 pathways has shown favorable tumor outcomes in clinical trials in advance-stage renal cancer. This article reviews the role of CTLA-4/CD 28 pathway in renal cell carcinoma. Here we discuss the basics of the CTLA-4 pathway from a physiological perspective and evaluate the results of clinical studies of CTLA-4 alone and in combination with PD-1/PD-L1 blockers to support future studies of combination immunotherapy.

A mechanically strong binder with polar functional groups could overcome the dilemma of the large volume change during charge/discharge processes and poor cyclability of lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). In this work, for the first time, we report the use of poly(thiourea triethylene glycol) (PTTG) as a multifunctional binder for sulfur cathodes to enhance the performance of LSBs. As expected, the PTTG binder facilitates the high performance and stability delivered by the Sulfur-PTTG cathode, including a higher reversible capacity of 825 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C after 80 cycles, a lower capacity fading (0.123% per cycle) over 350 cycles at 0.5 C, a higher areal capacity of 2.5 mAh cm−2 at 0.25 mA cm−2, and better rate capability of 587 mAh g−1 at 2 C. Such superior electrochemical performances could be attributed to PTTG's strong chemical adsorption towards polysulfides which may avoid the lithium polysulfide shuttle effect and excellent mechanical characteristics which prevents electrode collapse during cycling and allows the Sulfur-PTTG electrode to maintain robust electron and ion migration pathways for accelerated redox reaction kinetics.

ABSTRACT Drug resistance against bacteria and fungi has become common in recent years, and it is urgent to discover novel antimicrobial peptides to manage this problem. Many antimicrobial peptides from insects have been reported to have antifungal activity and are candidate molecules in the treatment of human diseases. In the present study, we characterized an antifungal peptide named blapstin that was isolated from the Chinese medicinal beetle Blaps rhynchopetera used in folk medicine. The complete coding sequence was cloned from the cDNA library prepared from the midgut of B. rhynchopetera. It is a 41-amino-acid diapause-specific peptide (DSP)-like peptide stabilized by three disulfide bridges and shows antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Trichophyton rubrum with MICs of 7 μM and 5.3 μM, respectively. The C. albicans and T. rubrum treated with blapstin showed irregular and shrunken cell membranes. In addition, blapstin inhibited the activity of C. albicans biofilm and showed little hemolytic or toxic activity on human cells and it is highly expressed in the fat body, followed by the hemolymph, midgut, muscle, and defensive glands. These results indicate that blapstin may help insects fight against fungi and showed a potential application in the development of antifungal reagents. IMPORTANCE Candida albicans is one of the conditional pathogenic fungi causing severe nosocomial infections. Trichophyton rubrum and other skin fungi are the main pathogens of superficial cutaneous fungal diseases, especially in children and the elderly. At present, antibiotics such as amphotericin B, ketoconazole, and fluconazole are the main drugs for the clinical treatment of C. albicans and T. rubrum infections. However, these drugs have certain acute toxicity. Long-term use can increase kidney damage and other side effects. Therefore, obtaining broad-spectrum antifungal drugs with high efficiency and low toxicity for the treatment of C. albicans and T. rubrum infections is a top priority. Blapstin is an antifungal peptide which shows activity against C. albicans and T. rubrum. The discovery of blapstin provides a novel clue for our understanding of the innate immunity of Blaps rhynchopetera and provides a template for designing antifungal drugs.

BackgroundHemoporfin-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective treatment for port-wine stains (PWS), and pain is the main adverse effect of this therapy. General anesthesia is commonly used for pain management during PDT, but the effect of general anesthetics on the subsequent treatment efficacy of PDT in PWS has not been reported.ObjectivesTo assess the use of general anesthesia combined with PDT compared with PDT alone in 207 PWS patients, and to provide further safety and efficacy data on this combined therapy.MethodsPropensity score matching (PSM) was used at a 2:1 ratio to create a general anesthetic group (n = 138) and a highly comparable nonanesthetic group (n = 69). The clinical outcomes were evaluated, and the treatment reactions and adverse effects were recorded after one treatment with PDT.ResultsAfter matching, there was no significant difference in the demographic data of the patients in the two groups (p > 0.05), while the treatment efficacy was significantly higher in the general anesthetic group than in the nonanesthetic group (76.81 vs. 56.52%, p 0.05). No serious systemic adverse reactions were observed.ConclusionWe recommend this combined therapy, which is associated with painless, as a high efficacy treatment option for PWS patients, especially for patients with a poor response to multiple PDT alone treatments.

Abstract In spite of the numerous advances in the development of H2 and O2 evolutions upon water splitting, the separation of H2 from O2 still remains a severe challenge. Herein, the novel dual‐functional nanocatalysts Pd/carbon nanosphere (CNS), obtained via immobilization of ultrafine Pd nanoparticles onto CNS, are developed and employed for both selective H2 generation from HCOOH dehydrogenation and O2 evolution from H2O2 decomposition. In these reactions, the highest activities for Pd/CNS‐800 (i.e., calcinated at 800°C) are 2478 h−1 and 993 min−1 for H2 and O2 evolution, respectively. The highly efficient and selective “on–off” switch for selective H2 generation from HCOOH is successfully realized by pH adjustment. This novel and highly efficient nanocatalyst Pd/CNS‐800 not only provides new approaches for the promising application of HCOOH and H2O2 as economic and safe H2 and O2 carriers, respectively, for fuel cells, but also promotes the development of “on‐off” switch for on‐demand H2 evolution.

Interesting properties of carbon nanotubes prompt a search for diverse inorganic nanotubes. Here, the authors report a supertetrahedral chalcogenide cluster-based semiconducting nanotube array that exhibits high electric conductivity and oriented photoconductive behavior.

Port-wine stains (PWSs) are a congenital capillary malformed disorder and are caused by a number of somatic mutations that disrupt vascular development. However, the underlying genetic mutations in the pathogenesis of PWS have not yet been fully elucidated. To understand PWS genetic variations and investigate novel genetic mutations, we extracted genomic DNA from four sporadic PWS patients and then performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Using Sorting Intolerant from Tolerant (SIFT), PolyPhen2, Mutation Assessor, MetaSVM to identify candidate genetic mutations and whole-exome sequencing (WES) to confirm the identified variants. We found a previously reported G protein subunit alpha q (GNAQ) mutation c.548G > A, p.Arg183Gln in one case, whereas no such mutation was found in the other three samples. Moreover, six novel somatic mutations in three genes, including KCNJ12, SLC25A5, POTEE, were found in these four samples. Importantly, WES also verified the KCNJ12 (c.433G > A, p.Gly145Ser) and SLC25A5 (c.413G > A, p.Arg138His) mutations in other five sporadic PWS patients, with the frequency of 60% (3 of 5) and 40% (2 of 5), respectively. Thus, we reveal in this study two novel somatic mutations, KCNJ12 and SLC25A5, in the sporadic PWS patients for the first time. These findings highlight the genetic polymorphism of PWS and provide potential clinical prediction targets for this disease.

Abstract Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), the most common consequence of AMI treatment, may induce severe myocardial cell injury, yet the precise mechanism continues to be enigmatic. In the present study, we found that miR‐129‐5p was significantly downregulated in mouse I/R model. Then, we overexpressed miR‐129‐5p via intravenous injection of specific miR‐129‐5p agomir before I/R model establishment. MiR‐129‐5p overexpression dramatically alleviated myocardial injury in I/R mice as evidenced by reduced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and infract size. We further detected the effect of miR‐129‐5p on hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)‐induced H9C2 cell in vitro. MiR‐129‐5p overexpression improved H9C2 cell viability and inhibited cell apoptosis induced by H/R, accompanied with decreased LDH activity and MDA content. Besides, luciferase reporter assay indicated that suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2) was a downstream target of miR‐129‐5p. SOCS2 was upregulated in H/R induced H9C2 cells, and miR‐129‐5p overexpression suppressed SOCS2 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. In addition, SOCS2 overexpression abolished the protective effects of miR‐129‐5p on H/R‐induced H9C2 cells, concomitant with elevated expression of apoptosis‐related cleaved poly‐(ADP‐ribose) polymerase and cleaved caspase‐3. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that miR‐129‐5p alleviated myocardial injury induced by I/R both in vitro and in vivo, and miR‐129‐5p/SOCS2 axis is a potential therapeutic target for alleviating myocardial injury in AMI patients after reperfusion.

Engineering the heterogeneous interface fusing MOFs and inorganic active component is an effective strategy to improve the electrochemical performance. Herein, we report a new Ni3-based MOF (denoted as CTGU-24) with an infrequent two-fold interpenetrating 3D (3,8)-connected network constructed from Ni(II) trimer and mixed tripodal tectonics for the electrocatalytic methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). In order to improve its stability and activities, the heterogeneous hybrid CTGU-24@NiOOH has been fabricated successfully via the first preparation of the NiOOH nanosphere and then in situ formation of CTGU-24 decorated on the NiOOH surface. Moreover, the integration of CTGU-24@NiOOH and different additives [acetylene black (AB) and ketjen black (KB)], resulting in the optimized hybrid sample AB&CTGU-24@NiOOH (4:4). It attains better MOR performance with an area-specific peak current density of 34.53 mA·cm−2 than pure CTGU-24 (14.99 mA·cm−2) and improved durability in an alkali medium. The new findings indicate that the CTGU-24@NiOOH heterostructure formed in situ and the integration of moderate additives are critical to optimizing and improving electrocatalytic activity of pure MOF crystalline material.

Organic dyes are widely used in the textile, biological, medical and other fields. However, a serious environmental problem has appeared because of the presence of organic dyes in industrial aqueous effluents. Thus, the efficient treatment of organic dyes in industrial wastewaters is currently in real demand. The current study investigated the oxidative degradation of the organic dye gentian violet by meso-tetra(carboxyphenyl) porphyriniron(III), [FeIII(TCPP)] as a cytochrome P450 model and iodosylbenzene (PhIO) as an oxidant at room temperature. The degradation reaction was monitored by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy via the observation of UV–vis spectral changes of the gentian violet. The results showed that the efficiency of catalyzed degradation reached more than 90% in 1 h, indicating the remarkable oxidative degradation capacity of the [FeIII(TCPP)]/PhIO system, which provided an efficient approach for the treatment of dyeing wastewater.

Although a few “on–off” approaches such as the pH-adjusting, temperature-adjusting, and controlling by light upon photo-catalysts have been reported, the “on–off” control of the on-broad and on-demand hydrogen production still faces many challenges. Herein, we first report the usage of Zn2+/EDTA-2Na system as an unprecedented, universal, high-efficient, and reusable “on–off” switch for the on-demand H2 evolution upon the hydrolysis of ammonia borane, sodium borohydride and dimethyl aminoborane. This “on–off” switch has been demonstrated to be efficient and reusable in various heterogeneous and homogeneous metal catalysts for on-demand H2 evolution. The detailed characterizations have confirmed that Zn2+ ions attached and located at the surface of catalyst, covered its active sites on the surface, and turned off the H2 production. The H2 generation was switched on by the addition of EDTA-2Na, due to its strong coordination ability with Zn2+ ions. In addition, the Zn2+/EDTA-2Na switch has been successfully reused several times without any activity loss in the “on–off” control of H2 evolution. This switch is of great importance in the practical application for highly efficient, on-site and on-demand H2 evolution under ambient conditions.

Burgeoning evidence has indicated that normal autophagy is required for nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2)-mediated cardiac protection whereas autophagy inhibition turns on Nrf2-mediated myocardial damage and dysfunction in a setting of pressure overload (PO). However, such a concept remains to be fully established by a careful genetic interrogation in vivo. This study was designed to validate the hypothesis using a mouse model of PO-induced cardiomyopathy and heart failure, in which cardiac autophagy and/or Nrf2 activity are genetically inhibited. Myocardial autophagy inhibition was induced by cardiomyocyte-restricted (CR) knockout (KO) of autophagy related (Atg) 5 (CR-Atg5KO) in adult mice. CR-Atg5KO impaired cardiac adaptations while exacerbating cardiac maladaptive responses in the setting of PO. Notably, it also turned off Nrf2-mediated defense while switching on Nrf2-operated tissue damage in PO hearts. In addition, cardiac autophagy inhibition selectively inactivated extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK), which coincided with increased nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 and decreased nuclear translocation of activated ERK in cardiomyocytes in PO hearts. Mechanistic investigation revealed that autophagy is required for the activation of ERK, which suppresses Nrf2-driven expression of angiotensinogen in cardiomyocytes. Taken together, these results provide direct evidence consolidating the notion that normal autophagy enables Nrf2-operated adaptation while switching off Nrf2-mediated maladaptive responses in PO hearts partly through suppressing Nrf2-driven angiotensinogen expression in cardiomyocytes.

Abstract Halide perovskites have attracted increasing scientific interests for photocatalysis because of their remarkable opto‐electronic properties, such as optimal band structures, long charge carrier lifetimes, high photoluminescence quantum yields, and so on. However, pure halide perovskites generally face problems of low stability, lack of active sites, and ineffective extraction of carriers, which limit their applications in photocatalytic reactions. To improve the photocatalytic activity and stability, halide perovskites are composited with other materials. Herein in this mini review, we summarize the recent progresses on the design and development of halide perovskite composites for various photocatalytic reactions including photocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction, photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction, photocatalytic pollutant degradation reaction, and so on. Finally, an outlook of halide perovskite for photocatalysis is provided to point up the future challenges and the possible solutions.

A new MOF-74(Ni)/NiOOH heterogeneous composite was synthesized via NiOOH microsphere precursor. The electrocatalytic methanol oxidation reactions’ (MOR) performance was assessed. The as-prepared MOF-74(Ni)/NiOOH exhibited excellent activity with high peak current density (27.62 mA·cm−2) and high mass activity (243.8 mA·mg−1). The enhanced activity could be a result of the synergistic effect of the MOF-74(Ni)/NiOOH heterocomposite providing more exposed active sites, a beneficial diffusion path between the catalyst surface and electrolyte, and improved conductivity, favorable for improving MOR performance.

In this paper we calculate the next-to-leading-order (NLO) corrections to ρ-meson electromagnetic form factors by employing the kT factorization approach. We find that the NLO correction to Fi(Q2)(i=LT,TL) is around 30% of the leading-order (LO) contribution in the region Q2>2GeV2. The NLO correction to FLL(Q2) is close to 20% of the LO one in the region Q2>3GeV2. The NLO radiative corrections to the electric, magnetic, and quadruple form factors Fj(Q2)(j=1,2,3) are sizeable in magnitude and agree with those from other approaches.

Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of canine umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) on the treatment of knee osteoarthritis in dogs. Methods. Eight dogs were evenly assigned to two groups. The canine model of knee osteoarthritis was established by surgical manipulation of knee articular cartilage on these eight dogs. UC-MSCs were isolated from umbilical cord Wharton’s jelly by 0.1% type collagenase I and identified by immunofluorescence staining and adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation in vitro. A suspension of allogeneic UC-MSCs (1 × 106) and an equal amount of physiological saline was injected into the cavitas articularis in the treated and untreated control groups, respectively, on days 1 and 3 posttreatment. The structure of the canine knee joint was observed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), B-mode ultrasonography, and X-ray imaging at the 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 28th days after treatment. Concurrently, the levels of IL-6, IL-7, and TNF-α in the blood of the examined dogs were measured. Moreover, the recovery of cartilage and patella surface in the treated group and untreated group was compared using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) after a 35-day treatment. Results. Results revealed that the isolated cells were UC-MSCs, because they were positive for CD44 and negative for CD34 surface markers, and the cells were differentiated into adipocytes and osteoblasts. Imaging technology showed that as treatment time increased, the high signal in the MRI T2-weighted images decreased, the echo-free space in B ultrasonography images disappeared basically, and the continuous linear hypoechoic region at the trochlear sulcus thickened. On X-ray images, the serrate defect at the ventral cortex of the patella improved, and the low-density gap of the ventral patella and trochlear crest gradually increased in the treated group. On the contrary, the high signal in the MRI T2-weighted images and the echo-free space in B ultrasonography images still increased after a 14-day treatment in the untreated control group, and the linear hypoechoic region was discontinuous. On the X-ray images, there was no improvement in the serrate defect of the ventral cortex of the patella. Results for inflammatory factors showed that the blood levels of IL-6, IL-7, and TNF-α of the untreated control group were significantly higher than those of the treated group (P

C82H64N12O11Co2, orthorhombic, Pbcn (no. 60), a = 22.286(7) Å, b = 22.725(7) Å, c = 14.056(5) Å, V = 7119(4) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0582, wRref(F2) = 0.1634, T = 296(2) K.

Three novel Ln(III)-based coordination polymers, {[Ln2 (2,4-bpda)3 (H2O)x]·yH2O}n (Ln = La (III) (1), x = 2, y = 0, Ce (III) (2), Pr (III) (3), x = 4, y = 1) (2,4-H2bpda = benzophenone-2,4-dicarboxylic acid) have been prepared via a solvothermal method and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. Complex 1 exhibits a 3D complicated framework with a new 2-nodal (3,7)-connected (42·5) (44·51·66·8) topology. Complexes 2 and 3 are isomorphous, and feature a 3D 4-connected (65·8)-CdSO4 network. Moreover, solid-state properties such as thermal stabilities and luminescent properties of 1 and 2 were also investigated. Complex 1 crystallized in a monoclinic space group P21/c with a = 14.800 (3), b = 14.500 (3), c = 18.800 (4) Å, β = 91.00 (3), V = 4033.9 (14) Å3 and Z = 4. Complex 2 crystallized in a monoclinic space group Cc with a = 13.5432 (4), b = 12.9981 (4), c = 25.7567 (11) Å, β = 104.028 (4), V = 1374.16 (7) Å3 and Z = 4.

The thermally expandable microspheres (TEMs) were prepared through suspension polymerization with acrylonitrile (AN), methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methyl acrylate (MA) as the main monomers. Simultaneously, iso-pentane, n-hexane, iso-octane and other low-boiling hydrocarbons were prepared as blowing agents under two conditions, including high-pressure nitrogen and atmospheric conditions. The above physical foaming microspheres have a core-shell structure and excellent foaming effects. A layer of polyaniline (PANI) was deposited on the surface of the prepared TEMs by emulsion polymerization to obtain conductive and heat-expandable microspheres. Afterwards, the foaming ink was prepared by mixing the conductive TEMs and water-based ink. Finally, a conductive three-dimensional picture was obtained by screen-printing technology. This paper specifically focuses on the effects of particle size, morphology and the thermal expansion properties of the microspheres. The present research methods expect to obtain microspheres with a high foaming ratio, uniform particle size and antistatic properties, which may be applied to physical foaming ink.

Medicinal mushrooms have profound health-promoting benefits. Recently, a number of substances of mushroom origin have been isolated, identified and shown to have physiological activities, such as antitumor, immunomodulating, cardiovascular, antihypercholesterolemia, antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, hepatoprotective, and antidiabetic activities. Currently, commercial products from medicinal mushrooms are mostly obtained through the field-cultivation of the fruiting body. However, in this case it is difficult to control the quality of the final product. Submerged fermentation of the mycelial form of mushroom-producing fungi has received much attention as a promising alternative for efficient production of the biomass of medicinal mushrooms and their active metabolites. However, in order for the production to be successful at industrial scale, various technical problems need to be solved, including characterization of the variations that occur during the submerged cultivation of mushrooms in bioreactors and their effects on growth and product formation. This review outlines the major factors that affect the submerged cultivation of mushrooms in bioreactors, including oxygen supply, shear and mixing, morphology and rheology, as well as two-stage cultivation strategies and high-cell-density cultivation strategies such as fed-batch fermentation.

Our meta-analysis aggregated existing results from relevant studies to comprehensively investigate the correlations between genetic polymorphisms in dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPYD) gene and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) toxicities in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). The MEDLINE (1966∼2013), the Cochrane Library Database (Issue 12, 2013), EMBASE (1980∼2013), CINAHL (1982∼2013), Web of Science (1945∼2013), and the Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM) (1982∼2013) were searched without language restrictions. Meta-analyses were conducted with the use of STATA software (Version 12.0, Stata Corporation, College Station, TX, USA). Seven clinical cohort studies with a total of 946 CRC patients met our inclusion criteria, and NOS scores of each of the included studies were ≥5. Our findings showed that DPYD genetic polymorphisms were significantly correlated with high incidences of 5-FU-related toxicity in CRC patients. SNP-stratified analysis indicated that there were remarkable connections of IVS14+1G>A, 464T>A, and 2194G>A polymorphisms with the incidence of marrow suppression in CRC patients receiving 5-FU chemotherapy. Furthermore, we found that IVS14+1G>A, 496A>G, and 2194G>A polymorphisms were correlated with the incidence of gastrointestinal reaction. Ethnicity-stratified analysis also revealed that DPYD genetic polymorphisms might contribute to the development of marrow suppression and gastrointestinal reaction among Asians, but not among Caucasians. The present meta-analysis suggests that DPYD genetic polymorphisms may be correlated with the incidence of 5-FU-related toxicity in CRC patients.

Since 2000–2001, dengue virus type 1 has circulated in the Pacific region. However, in 2007, type 4 reemerged and has almost completely displaced the strains of type 1. If only 1 serotype circulates at any time and is replaced approximately every 5 years, DENV-3 may reappear in 2012.

The gel permeation chromatography, combined with laser light scattering and refractive index (GPC-LLS-RI) online method and laser light scattering (LLS) single method, researched the weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of konjac glucomannan (KGM) in this paper. The results show that the determination results of molecular weight of KGM are similar by two method, the molecular weight of KGM is 2.476×105 g/mol by online method measured, and it is 2.508×105 g/mol by single method measured, compared with only 1.3% difference between the two methods. At the same time, the molecular weight distributions of KGM and conformation index were analyzed by online method, while the second virial coefficient (A2) that characterizes the interaction between KGM molecules and solvent molecules was acquired by single method, which can provide reliable foundation for the molecular chain morphology research of KGM.

In the title zwitterionic compound, C16H8N4O4, the dihedral angle between the carboxyl and carboxylate groups is 72.14 (2)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by strong intermolecular O—H...O− and N+—H...O− hydrogen bonds into double chains extended along [001]. These chains are additionally stabilized by π–π stacking interactions between the pyridine and benzene rings [centroid–centroid distance = 3.5542 (8) Å].

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C12H12N22+·2C15H9O5−, the cation has site symmetry overline{1} with the mid-point of C=C bond located on an inversion center. The two benzene rings of the anion are oriented at a dihedral angle 85.87 (6)°. In the crystal, intermolecular O—H...O and N—H...O hydrogen bonds link the cations and anions into supramolecular double chains, which are further connected into a three-dimensional network through intermolecular C—H...O and π–π stacking between parallel pyridine rings [centroid–centroid distance = 3.4413 (12)Å] and between parallel benzene rings [centroid–centroid distance = 3.6116 (14)Å].

In the crystal structure of the title compound, [Ni(C5H5N2O2S)2(H2O)], the NiII cation is located on a twofold rotation axis and chelated by two 2-amino-1,3-thiazole-4-acetate (ata) anions in the basal coordination plane; a water molecule located on the same twofold rotation axis completes the distorted square-pyramidal coordination geometry. Intermolecular O—H...O and N—H...O hydrogen bonding, as well as π–π stacking between parallel thiazole rings [centroid–centroid distance 3.531 (8) Å], helps to stabilize the crystal structure.

In the crystal structure of the title compound, [Cu(C4H4O4)(C8H6N4)(H2O)]·2H2O, the CuII atom is chelated by a 2,2′-bipyrimidine (bpm) ligand and a succinate anion in the basal plane; a water molecule in the apical position completes the slightly distorted square-pyramidal coordination geometry. Another carboxylate O atom from an adjacent complex is located in the opposite apical direction, with a Cu...O distance of 2.706 (3) Å, and is not considered as a bridging atom. Extensive O—H...O and O—H...N hydrogen bonding is present in the crystal structure.

The title compound, [Cu2(CN)(SCN)(C10H8N2)2]n, contains two crystallographically independent CuI atoms, each in a distorted tetrahedral geometry. Each Cu atom is coordinated by a bidentate chelating 2,2′-bipyridine ligand. A bridging cyanide anion links the two Cu(2,2′-bipyridine) units to form a binuclear unit. Adjacent binuclear units are connected by a thiocyanate anion into a one-dimensional helical chain along [010]. The cyanide anion is disordered, with each site occupied by both C and N atoms in an occupancy ratio of 0.61 (5):0.39 (5). The S atom of the thiocyanate anion is also disordered over two sites, with occupancy factors of 0.61 (3) and 0.39 (3). There are π–π interactions between the pyridyl rings of neighbouring chains [centroid–centroid distance = 3.82 (1) Å].

In the title compound, C13H14N2·C14H10O5, a 1:1 cocrystal of 1,3-di-4-pyridylpropane (bpp) and 4,4′-oxydibenzoic acid (H2oba), the dihedral angle between the two benzene rings of the flexible H2oba molecule is 57.07 (1)°; the two pyridine rings of bpp make a dihedral angle of 27.52 (1)°. Strong intermolecular O—H...N hydrogen bonds link the molecules into chains, which are then linked into a three-dimensional network through intermolecular C—H...O and π–π stacking interactions [centroid–centroid distance = 3.7838 (3) Å].

In the title complex, [Cu2(CN)(NCS)(C12H8N2)2], which was synthesized under hydrothermal conditions, both CuI atoms have a slightly distorted tetrahedral geometry. They are coordinated by two N atoms of one 1,10-phenanthroline ligand, one bridging thiocyanate anion and one bridging cyanide anion. In the crystal structure, infinite helical {Cu–CN–Cu–SCN}n chains are formed along [{overline 1}01].

The reaction of di-2-pyridyl ketone with copper dichloride dihydrate and tartaric acid in water afforded the title compound, [Cu(C11H10N2O2)2]C4H4O6. The CuII atom lies on an inversion center N,O,N′-chelated by two di-2-pyridylmethanediol ligands in a tetragonally distorted octahedral geometry. The tartrate anion is also located on an inversion center and has disordered hydroxyl groups, each with an occupancy factor of 0.5. The hydroxyl groups of the complex cation are hydrogen bonded to the carboxylate groups of the anion, thus connecting the two building units.

In the title compound, {[Zn(C10H8N2)(H2O)4](C4H2O4)·4H2O}n, the ZnII atom is coordinated by two N atoms from two μ-4,4′-bipyridine ligands and four water molecules in a distorted octahedral geometry. The coordination unit is extended through the Zn—N bond, leading to a one-dimensional cationic chain. A twofold rotation axis passes through the Zn atom and along the axis of the 4,4′-bipyridine ligand. Each uncoordinated water molecule acts as both hydrogen-bond donor and acceptor. A three-dimensional network is constructed through hydrogen bonds involving water molecules and fumarate dianions.