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Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most malignant subtypes of breast cancer. Here, we report the construction of graphene nanoribbon (GNR)-based supramolecular ensembles with dual-receptor (mannose and αvβ3 integrin receptors) targeting function, denoted as GNR-Man/PRGD, for targeted photothermal treatment (PTT) of TNBC. The GNR-Man/PRGD ensembles were constructed through the solution-based self-assembly of mannose-grafted GNRs (GNR-Man) with a pyrene-tagged αvβ3 integrin ligand (PRGD). Enhanced PTT efficacies were achieved both in vitro and in vivo compared to that of the non-targeting equivalents. Tumor-bearing live mice were administered (tail vein) with GNR-Man/PRGD and then each mice group was subjected to PTT. Remarkably, GNR-Man/PRGD induced complete ablation of the solid tumors, and no tumor regrowth was observed over a period of 15 days. This study demonstrates a new and promising platform for the development of photothermal nanomaterials for targeted tumor therapy., Dual receptor-targeting supramolecular glycomaterials are constructed based on graphene nanoribbons for the targeted photothermal therapy of triple-negative breast cancer in vivo.

We aimed to describe the initial experience of mechanical thrombectomy using tandem double stent retrievers combined with intermediate catheter aspiration to treat refractory severe hemorrhagic (SH)-cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST).All refractory SH-CVST patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy using tandem double stent retriever (SR) combined with intermediate catheter aspiration (MT-TDSA) in our institution were retrospectively reviewed. MT-TDSA is a technique that fully engages the clot with double SRs and retrieves the clot using a double SR in combination with aspiration from an intermediate catheter. Demographics, clinical manifestation, medical history, the location of the occluded venous sinus, intraoperative details, procedure-related complications, and modified Rankin Scale (1, 6, 12 months postoperatively) were collected and analyzed.Fourteen patients (median age, 43 years) with refractory SH-CVST were treated with MT-TDSA between January 2016 and January 2020. Ten of 14 (71.4%) had a successful intraoperative recanalization rate (90%) using MT-TDSA. No procedure-related complications occurred. Eleven patients had good clinical outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score 0-2 at 12 months postoperatively).MT-TDSA for refractory SH-CVST might improve clot-capturing ability and remove blood clots from cerebral venous sinuses effectively and safely, achieving good clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVES Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent oral aphthous ulcers, intestinal lesions, genital ulcers, uveitis, and skin lesions. Evidence regarding mucosal healing for the prognosis of intestinal BD is scarce. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the association between mucosal healing and long-term outcomes of patients with intestinal BD. METHODS Relevant studies were identified in a comprehensive search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases. Studies reporting long-term outcomes of mucosal healing in patients with intestinal BD were included. Pooled risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for disease recurrence and surgery were calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel random-effects models. Heterogeneity among the eligible studies was evaluated using the Q test and I2 statistics. RESULTS Of the 4785 studies initially identified, 8 were finally included. The pooled RR for the association between mucosal healing and disease recurrence was 0.41 (95% CI 0.30-0.57, P

Wei-Hua Xiao,1 Li-Ping Yao,2 Min Li,2 Min Wang,1 Liang Wu,2 Mao-Fen Jiang,1 Hai-Fen Ma,1 Jun-Qiang Li,1 Guo-Rong Chen2 1Department of Pathology, Ningbo Beilun People’s Hospital, Ningbo 315800, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Wei-Hua XiaoDepartment of Pathology, Ningbo Beilun People’s Hospital, Ningbo 315800, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 0574 8610 0266Fax +86 0574 8677 6335Email xiaoweihua_dr66@163.comGuo-Rong ChenDepartment of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax +86 0577 8668 9908Email chengr_dr3366@163.comObjective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the tumor-associated macrophage-m2-cancer cell complex (TAM-M2-CC) on the heterostructural modification of lung adenocarcinoma.Methods: The expression of CD163+/CD68+ in macrophages in the microenvironment of 161 cases of lung adenocarcinoma was identified by dual immunohistochemistry, and the association between a TAM-M2-CC and its growth, as well as the histological changes in lung adenocarcinoma cells, was assessed.Results: The morphological change of lung adenocarcinoma was related to the number of m2 phenotypes of the macrophages in the microenvironment of lung adenocarcinoma. TAM-M2-CCs were involved in the process of cancer cell recognition, association, and reconstruction.Conclusion: The microenvironment of lung adenocarcinoma can affect the phenotypic distinction of macrophages, and the polarization recruitment, zombification, and formation of a TAM-M2-CC, which can also affect the local differentiation of lung adenocarcinoma to a certain extent. The applicable pathogenesis needs to be verified and studied further.Keywords: tumor-related macrophage-M2-cancer cell complex, TAM-M2-CC, heterostructural modification, microenvironment of lung adenocarcinoma, phenotypic differentiation, local differentiation

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignancy. Many reports have implicated aberrant mitochondrial activity in the progression of CRC, with particular emphasis on the dysregulation of redox signaling and oxidative stress. In this study, we focused on manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD/SOD2), a key antioxidant enzyme, which maintains intracellular redox homeostasis. Current literature presents conflicting mechanisms for how SOD2 influences tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Here, we explored the role of SOD2 in CRC specifically. We found high levels of SOD2 expression in CRC tissues. We carried out a series of experiments to determine whether knockdown of SOD2 expression in CRC cell lines would reverse features of tumorigenesis. We found that reduced SOD2 expression decreased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion activity in CRC cells. Results from an additional series of experiments on mitochondrial function implicated a dual role for SOD2 in promoting CRC progression. First, proper level of SOD2 helped CRC cells maintain mitochondrial function by disposal of superoxide (O2 .- ). Second, over-expression of SOD2 induced H2 O2 -mediated tumorigenesis by upregulating AMPK and glycolysis. Our results indicate that SOD2 may promote the occurrence and development of CRC by regulating the energy metabolism mediated by AMPK signaling pathways.

With the ever-increasing threat posed by the multi-drug resistance of bacteria, the development of non-antibiotic agents for the broad-spectrum eradication of clinically prevalent superbugs remains a global challenge. Here, we demonstrate the simple supramolecular self-assembly of structurally defined graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with a cationic porphyrin (Pp4N) to afford unique one-dimensional wire-like GNR superstructures coated with Pp4N nanoparticles. This Pp4N/GNR nanocomposite displays excellent dual-modal properties with significant reactive-oxygen-species (ROS) production (in photodynamic therapy) and temperature elevation (in photothermal therapy) upon light irradiation at 660 and 808 nm, respectively. This combined approach proved synergistic, providing an impressive antimicrobial effect that led to the complete annihilation of a wide spectrum of Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and drug-resistant bacteria both in vitro and in vivo. The study also unveils the promise of GNRs as a new platform to develop dual-modal antimicrobial agents that are able to overcome antibiotic resistance.

We report on a supramolecular sensor array using fluorogenic peptide probes and graphene oxide that can target glycoproteins on a viral caspid, facilitating the differentiation of ebola virus from marburg virus and receptor-extensive vesicular stomatitis virus using principal component analysis.

In this study, "core-shell" gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been functionalised using a simple one-pot approach to form fucose-based glycoconjugate AuNPs (Fuc-AuNPs) and galactose-based glycoconjugate AuNPs (Gal-AuNPs), respectively. Owing to the selective carbohydrate-based recognition of the key virulence factors of P. aeruginosa, LecB (fucose-specific lectin)/LecA (galactose-specific lectin), Fuc-AuNPs and Gal-AuNPs-based imaging and therapeutic strategies were evaluated towards P. aeruginosa. Both Fuc-AuNPs and Gal-AuNPs were non-covalently loaded with the fluorophore dicyanomethylene 4H-pyran (DCM) to afford two highly selective fluorescence imaging agents for the visualisation of P. aeruginosa. The loading of Fuc-AuNPs and Gal-AuNPs with the known antibiotic Ceftazidime (CAZ) exhibited an enhanced therapeutic effect, illustrating the significance of this targeted drug delivery strategy. Exploiting the phototherapeutic properties of AuNPs, photoirradiation (600 nm) of Fuc-AuNP@CAZ/Gal-AuNP@CAZ provided both photothermal and photodynamic therapeutic (PTT/PDT) effects, which facilitated the release of CAZ. Fuc-AuNP@CAZ and Gal-AuNP@CAZ were shown to be effective photo/chemotherapeutics resulting in almost complete eradication of P. aeruginosa biofilms formed on clinically relevant surfaces (glass slides and steel surface).

Background Diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor for cardiomyopathy. Increasing oxidative stress may be one of the main factors of diabetic cardiomyopathy. A13, a newly synthesized curcumin analog, was proved to be superior to curcumin in biological activity. However, little know about how A13 performed in diabetic models. In this study, we evaluated the ability of curcumin analog A13 to alleviate oxidative stress and ameliorate fibrosis in the myocardium, and explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods Intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (30 mg/kg in 0.1 M sodium citrate buffer, pH 4.5) induced diabetes in high-fat fed rats. The rats were respectively treated with a daily dose of curcumin or A13 via intragastric intubation for 8 weeks. Myocardial tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin–eosin; oxidative stress was detected by biochemical assays; activation of the Nrf2/ARE pathway was detected by Western blot, immunohistochemical staining and RT-qPCR; myocardial fibrosis was identified by Western blot and Masson trichrome staining. Results Treatment with curcumin analog A13 reduced the histological lesions of the myocardium in diabetic rats. Curcumin and A13 treatment decreased the malondialdehyde level and increased the activity of superoxide dismutase in the myocardium of diabetic rats. Molecular analysis and immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that dose of 20 mg/kg of A13 could activate the Nrf2/ARE pathway. Molecular analysis and Masson staining showed that curcumin analog A13 treatment significantly ameliorated fibrosis in myocardium of these diabetic rats. Conclusion Treatment with curcumin analog A13 protects the morphology of myocardium, restores the MDA levels and SOD activity, activates the Nrf2/ARE pathway and ameliorates myocardial fibrosis in diabetic rats. It may be a useful therapeutic agent for some aspects of diabetic cardiomyopathy.

In this work, novel porous Co9S8 nanosheet arrays are prepared on Co foam through a simple and scalable chemical liquid-phase processing strategy, which involves the uniform growth of cobalt hydrox...

Bacterial infection is a major threat to human health. However, many antibacterial agents currently used are severely limited due to drug-resistance, and the development of side effects. Herein, we have developed a non-antibiotic nanocomposite consisting of chitosan (ChS) coated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and graphene nanoribbon (GNR)-based nanowires for light-triggered eradication of bacteria. The presence of AgNP/ChS significantly enhanced the interactions of the GNR nanowires with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a clinically common Gram-negative bacterium. Which enables the highly effective photothermal eradication of bacteria by GNR upon near-infrared light irradiation. The nanocomposite was shown to be applicable for the light-triggered eradication of bacterial biofilms and the inhibition of bacterial growth on medical patches used for abdominal-wall hernia surgery.

Correction for ‘Fluorescent glycoconjugates and their applications’ by Baptiste Thomas et al., Chem. Soc. Rev., 2020, 49, 593–641, DOI: 10.1039/C8CS00118A.

Objective: We assessed the correlation between lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) to phosphate ratio and the prognosis of microsurgically clipping for ruptured intracranial aneurysm (rIA) in this study, to test the hypothesis that serum LDH to phosphate ratio could be a predictor for the outcome of microsurgically clipping for rIA. Methods: The rIA patients between 2012 and 2018 were retrospectively collected. Age, sex, Hunt-Hess(H-H) grade, Fisher grade, smoking, drink, medical history, aneurysm location, hydrocephalus, laboratory data including serum LDH, phosphate and LDH to phosphate ratio, related complication and the outcomes in 3 months were recorded. Results: A total of 1608 rIA patients in our institution were collected, and 856 patients treated by microsurgical clipping were enrolled. A significantly higher LDH- phosphate ratio on admission was observed in patients with poor outcome at 3 months (median±SD, 200.175±107.290 for mRS 0–2 vs 323.826±219.075 for mRS score 3–6; P Conclusions: LDH to phosphate ratio was a potential biomarker and could predict the unfavorable outcome of microsurgically clipping for rIA in 3 months. However, the detailed mechanism remain unclear and the conclusion needs be further confirmed by large-scale randomized clinical trials.

Background: The relationship between serum phosphate ion (sPi) and the occurrence of acute hydrocephalus (aHCP) in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) remains largely unknown and controversial. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the association between sPi on admission and aHCP following aSAH. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on six hundred thirty-five patients over the age of 19 years diagnosed with aSAH in our institution from January 21, 2012, to December 30, 2019. Data on clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, treatments, and outcomes were collected and analyzed. The association between lower sPi levels and aHCP was assessed in univariate and multivariate analyses. Propensity-score matching (PSM) analyses were adopted to reduce the baseline differences between the non-HCP group and HCP group. Results: The overall incidence of aHCP following aSAH was 19.37% (123/512). Lower sPi levels were detected in patients with aHCP compared with those without [0.86(0.67-1.06) mmol/L vs. 1.04(0.84-1.21)] mmol/L in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, lower sPi, high modified Fisher (mFisher) grade, and high Hunt-Hess grade were associated with aHCP [odds ratios (OR) 1.729, 95% CI 1.139–2.623, P=0.01; mFisher OR 0.097,95%CI 0.055-0.172, pConclusion: Lower sPi levels at admission were observed in patients with unfavorable outcomes. Lower sPi levels were associated with aHCP and poor prognosis, and the model constructed by sPi levels, Hunt-Hess grade, and mFisher grade significantly improves the prediction of aHCP after aSAH.

Glycosidases, which are the enzymes responsible for the removal of residual monosaccharides from glycoconjugates, are involved in many different biological and pathological events. The ability to detect sensitively the activity and spatiotemporal distribution of glycosidases in cells will provide useful tools for disease diagnosis. However, the currently developed fluorogenic probes for glycosidases are generally based on the glycosylation of the phenol group of a donor–acceptor type fluorogen. This molecular scaffold has potential drawbacks in terms of substrate scope, sensitivity because of aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ), and the inability for long-term cell tracking. Here, we developed glycoclusters characterized by aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties as a general platform for the sensing of a variety of glycosidases. To overcome the low chemical reactivity associated with phenol glycosylation, here we developed an AIE-based scaffold, which is composed of tetraphenylethylene conjugated with dicyanomethylene-4H-pyran (TPE–DCM) with a red fluorescence emission. Subsequently, a pair of dendritic linkages was introduced to both sides of the fluorophore, to which six copies of monosaccharides (d-glucose, d-galactose or l-fucose) were introduced through azide–alkyne click chemistry. The resulting AIE-active glycoclusters were shown to be capable of (1) fluorogenic sensing of a diverse range of glycosidases including β-d-galactosidase, β-d-glucosidase and α-l-fucosidase through the AIE mechanism, (2) fluorescence imaging of the endogenous glycosidase activities in healthy and cancer cells, and during cell senescence, and (3) glycosidase-activated, long-term imaging of cells. The present study provides a general strategy to the functional, in situ imaging of glycosidase activities through the multivalent display of sugar epitopes of interest onto properly designed AIE-active fluorogens., We report a general strategy for the fluorogenic sensing of glycosidases in cells based on aggregation-induced emission of glycoclusters.

The excessive use of antibiotics has led to a rise in drug-resistant bacteria. These "superbugs" are continuously emerging and becoming increasingly harder to treat. As a result, new and effective treatment protocols that have minimal risks of generating drug-resistant bacteria are urgently required. Advanced nanomaterials are particularly promising due to their drug loading/releasing capabilities combined with their potential photodynamic/photothermal therapeutic properties. In this review, 0-dimensional, 1-dimensional, 2-dimensional, and 3-dimensional nanomaterial-based systems are comprehensively discussed for bacterial-based diagnostic and treatment applications. Since the use of these platforms as antibacterials is relatively new, this review will provide appropriate insight into their construction and applications. As such, we hope this review will inspire researchers to explore antibacterial-based nanomaterials with the aim of developing systems for clinical applications.

Currently, chemotherapy is a widely used and important treatment for cancer. However, almost all of the treatments have shortcomings associated with poor specificity and high toxicity, which results in severe side effects to normal cells and tissue. This is a very important problem, and yet, it currently remains unanswered. Therefore, the development of the method for the more effective delivery of anticancer drugs to their targets and real-time monitoring of the localization of the drugs are very important. Herein, we designed a theranostic prodrug: CPT-p-Leu, which was constructed using fluorescent camptothecin (CPT), a self-immolative linker and leucine (Leu) residue. Upon exposure to LAP (leucine aminopeptidase: LAP), the amide bond in CPT-p-Leu will be cleaved, followed by an intramolecular 1,6-elimination, which triggers the active anticancer drug (CPT) release and recovers the fluorescence of CPT. With our design, the anticancer drug, CPT, can be used as both a drug and a fluorescence reporter, making our system suitable to accurately and effectively track the released CPT distribution. Based on this strategy, CPT-p-Leu could achieve the chemoselective detection of LAP and monitoring of the anticancer drug release. Furthermore, it also provides a very convenient way to accurately determine the location of the released drug in living samples. In addition, CPT-p-Leu shows a good cell membrane permeability and enhanced cytotoxicity toward LAP overexpressing cancer cells. We anticipate that our research will facilitate the development of improved theranostic systems for cancer therapy.

In this work, the unique glass-ceramics containing thermoelectric AgSbSe 2 crystals were successfully prepared from glass matrices in the (Ge 5 Sb 25 Se 70 ) 1-x Ag x system (x = 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10,15 mol %). Structure and crystallization behaviors of samples were investigated to have a fundamental understanding of the effect of silver doping on the glass matrices. Critical Ag content for precipitation of the pure TE AgSbSe 2 crystals in the present system are at least higher than 5 mol %. Raman spectra explained by the chemical bond approach imply that the continuous depolymerization of glass network with the increased Ag eventually induces the precipitation of AgSbSe 2 crystals from the glass matrix, which, in turn, plays the predominant role in increasing σ RM of glass by around two orders of magnitude.

The aim of the study is to investigate the value of serum iron and hemoglobin levels for predicting acute seizures following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Clinical and laboratorial data from patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms were collected in the retrospective study. Age, sex, symptom onset, history of diabetes and hypertension, history of coronary artery disease, temperature, Hunt–Hess grade, Fisher grade, aneurysm location, hemoglobin, serum potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, and iron were collected. Acute seizures were determined as seizures within 1 week following aSAH. Propensity score matching (PSM) analyses were performed to correct imbalances in patient characteristics between seizure and non-seizure groups. A total of 760 patients were included. Incidence of acute seizures following aSAH was 6.4%. In the univariate analysis, significant differences were detected in age, admission Hunt–Hess grade, Fisher grade, hemoglobin, serum sodium, and serum iron between seizure and non-seizure groups. In multivariate logistic regression model, lower serum iron was considered as a risk factor for acute seizures (OR 0.182, 95% CI 0.084–0.393, p = 0.000), as well as lower hemoglobin (OR 0.977, 95% CI 0.962–0.993, p = 0.004) and higher serum sodium (OR 1.072, 95% CI 1.003–1.145, p = 0.039). After PSM, there were no significant differences in age, admission Hunt–Hess grade, Fisher grade, and serum sodium between seizure and non-seizure groups. The matched seizure group had lower serum iron and hemoglobin levels compared with the matched non-seizure group (p

Objective We tested the hypothesis that low serum iron levels are associated with acute hydrocephalus following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Methods Patients presenting with ruptured intracranial aneurysms were enrolled in the prospective observational study. Age, sex, history of diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia, symptom onset, Fisher grade, Hunt-Hess grade, aneurysm location, hemoglobin, and serum iron were collected. Acute hydrocephalus was determined within 72 hours after subarachnoid hemorrhage. A propensity-score matching analysis was performed to correct imbalances in patient characteristics between hydrocephalus and non-hydrocephalus groups. Results A total of 535 patients were included. Incidence of acute hydrocephalus was 20.0%. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, lower serum iron was considered as a risk factor of acute hydrocephalus, as well as delayed ischemic neurologic deficit and lower hemoglobin (P = 0.000). After propensity-score matching, lower serum iron was considered as an independent risk factor for acute hydrocephalus, whereas hemoglobin and delayed ischemic neurologic deficit were not. The matched hydrocephalus group had lower serum iron comparing with the matched non-hydrocephalus group (10.26 ± 5.33 mmol/L vs. 13.44 ± 5.18 mmol/L; P = 0.000). The optimal cut-off value for serum iron levels as a predictor for acute hydrocephalus in patients with aSAH was determined as 13.1 mmol/L in the receiver operating characteristic curve. Furthermore, lower serum iron levels (odds ratio 0.305; 95% confidence interval, 0.178–0.524; P = 0.000) and acute hydrocephalus (odds ratio 0.372; 95% confidence interval, 0.202–0.684; P = 0.001) were predictors of poor outcome, as well as higher Hunt-Hess grade and Fisher grade. Conclusions Lower serum iron levels after aSAH was a predictor of acute hydrocephalus and unfavorable outcome.

In this work, series of glass samples in the Ag30As28 (SexTe100-x)42 (x = 15, 30, 50, 70, 85) system are prepared. Effects of the Se/Te ratio on density (ρ), glass transition temperature (Tg), room-temperature conductivity (σ298k) and crystallization behaviors of glasses are investigated, and their associations with the structure of glasses are discussed. Results show that with the increased substitution of Se for Te, the molar volume (Mv) decreases and Tg increases, indicating the increased space packing efficiency and the enhanced structure connectivity. The strengthened structure leads to an abnormal increase of ρ when x is lower than 30 mol%. Further increase of the Se/Te ratio results in the reduction of ρ due to the dominant effect of smaller molar weight (Mw). The σ298k of glasses decreases with Se increasing from 15 to 50 mol%, and then interestingly increases up to the level even higher than that of the sample with the lowest Se content (15 mol%). Raman spectra shows the transformation of main glass structure units from Te-based pyramids to Se-based complexes as the Se/Te ratio increases. According to XRD patterns of samples thermally treated at either lower (215 °C) or higher (265 °C) temperature, with the Se/Te ratio increasing, the dominant precipitated crystals suffer an evolution from AsTe to Ag2Te and finally to the AgAsSe2 semiconductor phase, consistent with the variation trend of Raman spectra. In terms of the structural similarity principle, we thus suppose that the formation of structural units similar to AgAsSe2 semiconductor crystals inversely increases the conductivity of glasses, realizing the mutual benefits of the improved thermal stability and increased conductivity of chalcogenide glasses.

Carbon fiber (CF) is a promising material as carbon-based electrode and support for flexible supercapacitors. However, it still suffers from narrow voltage in the aqueous electrolyte due to the water decomposition (1.23 V). Herein, an aerobic pyrolysis is developed to recover aligned carbon fibers from carbon fiber reinforced polymers. More importantly, during this oxygen existence condition, the surface of reclaimed carbon fibers (RCFs) is etched into groove-shaped structure and modified by introducing abundant oxygen-containing functional groups, which significantly expands the negative potential window of RCFs-based electrode to −1.4 V (vs standard calomel electrode) and the working voltage of RCFs-based symmetric supercapacitor to 2.4 V in an aqueous electrolyte of 1.0 M Na2SO4, with capacitance retention of 90% and 93.6% after 10 000 cycles, respectively. This work well matches the aerobic pyrolysis of recovery of CFs from CFRPs and electrochemical performances of RCFs, supplying a new strategy to de...

The novel Tm3+/Sb3+ co-doped phosphate glasses are studied in response to an improvement of blue light emitting source. The analysis of J-O intensity parameters suggests that the present strontium phosphate glass is an appropriate matrix for Tm3+ doping to obtain an enhanced blue emission. The 5 s2-type Sb3+ ion serves as a sensitizer to transfer its strong allowed excitation in the deep UV region to Tm3+ effectively. PL and PLE spectra show that by Sb3+ co-doping, the blue emission of the Tm3+ doped strontium phosphate glass is enhanced greatly, while the excitation band of Tm3+ extends largely to the deep UV region. The emission decay curves of Sb3+ demonstrate the existence of the energy transfer (ET) process from Sb3+ to Tm3+ with the maximum efficiency and probability of ET as 20.43% and 9.20%, respectively. The emission color of these glasses can be adjusted from warm to cold blue via modulating excitation wavelengths. The present work suggests that Sb3+/Tm3+co-doped strontium phosphate glasses are promising for applications in blue emitters and plasma display panels.

Background Diabetic encephalopathy is a severe diabetes complication with cognitive dysfunction and neuropsychiatric disability. The mechanisms underlying diabetic encephalopathy is believed to be relevant with oxidative stress, vascular amylin deposition, immune receptors, inflammation, etc. This study wanted to evaluate the ability of curcumin and its analog A13 to alleviate oxidative stress and inflammation in diabetes-induced damages in brain. Methods Sixty adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups: normal control (NC) group, diabetes mellitus (DM) group, curcumin-treated diabetes mellitus (CUR) group, high dose of A13-treated diabetes mellitus (HA) group, low dose of A13-treated diabetes mellitus (LA) group. Activation of the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB p65) pathway was detected by RT-qPCR, immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and Western blot; oxidative stress was detected by biochemical detection kit; brain tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin–eosin (HE) staining and Myelin staining. Results RT-qPCR, IHC staining and Western blot showed that curcumin and A13 treatment could inhibit the NF-κB p65 pathway. Curcumin and A13 increased the activity of superoxide dismutase and decreased the malondialdehyde level in the brain of diabetic rats. Furthermore, HE staining and Myelin staining demonstrated that the histological lesions of the brain in diabetic rats could be significantly ameliorated by curcumin and A13. Conclusion Curcumin analog A13 could alleviate the damages in the brain of diabetes rats by regulating the pathways of inflammation and oxidative stress. A13 may be a new potential therapeutic agent for diabetic encephalopathy.

International audience; The selective oxidation of alpha-alpha-diglycerol was studied using oxygen as a clean oxidant in the presence of a palladium / neocuproine complex. After optimization of the reaction parameters, the mono-oxidation product was obtained with 93% NMR yield (up to 76% isolated yield). The product was named "diglycerose" considering that it mainly exists as a cyclic hemi-ketal form.

We explored the clinical significance of serum LDH level in aSAH patients after microsurgical clipping in our single institution, to test the hypothesis that higher serum LDH level predicts the outcome of aSAH patients at 3 months. A total of 2054 aSAH patients were collected, and 874 patients treated by microsurgical clipping were enrolled. And the serum LDH level within 24 hours after aSAH were recorded. The median serum LDH level (U/L) in the good outcome group (180.096±50.237) was obviously lower than that in the poor outcome group (227.554±83.002)(p=0.000). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.702(95% confidence interval [CI], 0.650 - 0.754; p=0.000). The optimal cutoff value for serum LDH level as a predictor for 3-month poor outcome (mRS>2) was determined as 201.5U/L in the ROC curve. Our finding showed that that higher serum LDH level correlated with Hunt & Hess grade, Fisher grade and neurological functional outcome, and predicted the outcome of aSAH at 3 months, which was involved in the related mechanisms of early brain injury and showed its great clinical significance in aSAH patients.

In this study, "core-shell" gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been functionalised using a simple one-pot approach to form fucose-based glycoconjugate AuNPs (Fuc-AuNPs) and galactose-based glycoconjugate AuNPs (Gal-AuNPs), respectively. Owing to the selective carbohydrate-based recognition of the key virulence factors of P. aeruginosa, LecB (fucose-specific lectin)/LecA (galactose-specific lectin), Fuc-AuNPs and Gal-AuNPs-based imaging and therapeutic strategies were evaluated towards P. aeruginosa. Both Fuc-AuNPs and Gal-AuNPs were non-covalently loaded with the fluorophore dicyanomethylene 4H-pyran (DCM) to afford two highly selective fluorescence imaging agents for the visualisation of P. aeruginosa. The loading of Fuc-AuNPs and Gal-AuNPs with the known antibiotic Ceftazidime (CAZ) exhibited an enhanced therapeutic effect, illustrating the significance of this targeted drug delivery strategy. Exploiting the phototherapeutic properties of AuNPs, photoirradiation (600 nm) of Fuc-AuNP@CAZ/Gal-AuNP@CAZ provided both photothermal and photodynamic therapeutic (PTT/PDT) effects, which facilitated the release of CAZ. Fuc-AuNP@CAZ and Gal-AuNP@CAZ were shown to be effective photo/chemotherapeutics resulting in almost complete eradication of P. aeruginosa biofilms formed on clinically relevant surfaces (glass slides and steel surface).

Two red-emitting dicyanomethylene-4H-pyran (DM) based fluorescent probes were designed and used for peroxynitrite (ONOO- ) detection. Nevertheless, the aggregation-caused quenching effect diminished the fluorescence and restricted their further applications. To overcome this problem, tetraphenylethylene (TPE) based glycoclusters were used to self-assemble with these DM probes to obtain supramolecular water-soluble glyco-dots. This self-assembly strategy enhanced the fluorescence intensity, leading to an enhanced selectivity and activity of the resulting glyco-dot comparing to DM probes alone in PBS buffer. The glyco-dots also exhibited better results during fluorescence sensing of intracellular ONOO- than the probes alone, thereby offering scope for the development of other similar supramolecular glyco-systems for chemical biological studies.

Intercellular glycoligand-receptor interactions are implicated in a number of disease-related processes. Effective tools that target these receptors may facilitate disease theranostics. However, owing to their low binding affinity, multivalent presentation of glycoligands is needed to increase the avidity with transmembrane receptors. While previous strategies focus on the covalent coupling of glycoligands to a synthetic backbone, we show here that the use of graphene oxide (GO) greatly enhances the cellular and tissue imaging ability of a small-molecule fluorescence glycoprobe. We determine that GO with an optimum size may serve as a clustering platform to reinforce the interaction of the glycoprobe with its selective receptor on a cancer cell. This phenomenon has been consistently observed with the xenograft tissue of a tumor-bearing mouse. Using this principle we have further constructed a supramolecular glycocomposite by co-assembling the glycoprobe and an anticancer drug onto a single GO surface. In addition to imaging ability, this material displays improved toxicity for liver cancer cells that over express the glycoprotein receptor, when compared to the control cells.

Supramolecular assembly between conjugated polymers and fluorescent dyes produces a unique class of fluorogenic “nanogrenades”. These nanomaterials have shown the ability to image as well as irreversibly destruct amyloid β fibril plaques by simple light irradiation.

International audience; Glycoconjugates and their applications as lectin ligands in biology has been thoroughly investigated in the past decades. Meanwhile, the intrinsic properties of such multivalent molecules were limited essentially to their ability to bind to their receptors with high selectivity and/or avidity. The present review will focus on multivalent glycoconjugates displaying an additional capability such as fluorescence properties for applications toward imaging of cancer cells, detection of proteins or pathogens but also for drug delivery systems toward targeted cancer therapy. This review is a collection of research articles discussed in the context of the structural features of the fluorescent glycoconjugates organized according to their fluorescent core scaffold and with their representative applications.

Correction for ‘Fluorescence imaging of a potential diagnostic biomarker for breast cancer cells using a peptide-functionalized fluorogenic 2D material’ by Wei-Tao Dou et al., Chem. Commun., 2019, 55, 13235–13238.

Protein C receptor (PROCR) is a recently discovered transmembrane biomarker for several tissue stem cells and is highly expressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patient-derived xenografts. Herein, to enrich the toolbox for the biochemical evaluation of PROCR, we have developed a peptide-functionalized fluorogenic 2D material based on the self-assembly between a fluorescent peptide probe and thin-layer molybdenum disulfide. The material developed was suitable for the sensitive detection of PROCR recombinant protein in buffer solution and the fluorescence imaging of TNBC cells that express high levels of PROCR.

In this article, transparent oxyfluoride glass ceramics containing β -NaYF4 nanocrystals were successfully prepared via Gd3+ doping. Compared to conventional non-doped glasses, the thermal treatment temperature required for the precipitation of β -NaYF4 nanocrystals can be lowered with the doping of Gd3+. Furthermore, under the same thermal treatment condition, more β -NaYF4 nanocrystals were precipitated in Gd3+ doped ones, which greatly improves the luminescence efficiency of rare earth doped glass ceramics. Possible mechanism for the Gd3+ doping induced enhanced upconversion luminescence phenomenon was proposed, based on thorough structural and optical characterizations. The results revealed that the doping of Gd3+ ions could decrease the crystallization activation energy and promote the formation of Y-F-Na bonding, which helps the precipitation of β -NaYF4 nanocrystals. Consequently, a large enhancement in upconversion luminescence was achieved. Moreover, the strategy can be successfully applied to the development of other glass ceramic systems for various optoelectronic applications.

It is not fully established whether leukocyte can predict the poor outcome for ruptured cerebral aneurysms (CA) or not. Here, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 428 patients with ruptured CA between 2010 and 2015. Patients’ demographic data, including gender, age, history of smoking, alcohol, hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia, Hunt-Hess and Fisher grade, occurrence of hydrocephalus, aneurysm location, time to surgery, delayed ischemic neurological deficit (DIND) and peak leukocyte of blood test from day 1 to 3 after aneurysmal rupture were recorded and analyzed. In the multivariable analysis model, gender, Fisher grade, time to surgery and hydrocephalus were not relevant to poor outcome. However, Hunt-Hess grade, DIND and preoperative leukocyte count (>13.84 × 109/L) were significantly associated with adverse outcome. The respective increased risks were 5.2- (OR 5.24, 95% CI 1.67–16.50, p = 0.005), 6.2-(OR 6.24, 95% CI 3.55–10.99, p 13.84 × 109/L) were independent risk factors for poor outcome of ruptured CA at 3 months. Higher leukocyte count is a convenient and useful marker to predict 3-month poor outcome for ruptured CA.

In 1937, Drs. Moritz and Oldt described arteriolar injuries in the kidneys (and other viscera) in hypertension, across the age range, in both sexes, and, in different races. This hypothesis proposes that injuries to vasomotor nerves cause the arteriolar injury in the kidney in hypertension, (as well as that in the uterus in preeclampsia). Different patterns of perivascular hyalinisation in different viscera are clues to the varying causes and consequences of arteriolar injury. In the uterus there is a symmetrical, perivascular "halo of hyalinisation" that marks the lines of extension of regenerating, injured nerves to the placental bed, whereas in the kidney there is a disordered and asymmetrical "halo of hyalinisation" where persistent, and recurrent, increases in intravascular pressures interrupt development of regenerating nerves. Consequences of injuries to vasomotor nerves include releasing a "soup" of cytokines that cause regeneration of "new" nerves expressing primitive, pain and stretch receptors including TRPV-1 and P2X3 purinergic "stretch" receptors that may be significant in the afferent mechanism in preeclampsia. There is also concurrent, "background" hyperplasia of denervated tunica media and intima leading to narrowing of the arterioles and a further drive to hypertension through renal ischaemia (Goldblatt, 1942). These observations require support from animal studies and other investigations to establish causation. This hypothesis may provide a number of potential mechanisms that reinforce, or accelerate, the physiological processes that contribute to hypertension.

In the present work, Tm3+-doped strontium phosphate glasses modified by Sn2+ are investigated. Sn2+ and Tm3+ can be co-excited with the deep UV light to emit the tunable blue light. The reinforced and purified blue emission is obtained at the excitation bands toward the deep-UV part of the spectrum. Photoluminescence emission and excitation spectra, and emission decay curves indicate consistently that the improved Tm3+ emission is in association with the presence of Sn2+ in the host glass where energy transfer from Sn2+ to Tm3+ occurs. Relevant mechanism is discussed.

Er 3+ singly doped and Er 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped bulk La 2 O 2 CN 2 phosphors were prepared by a classical solid-state reaction of Li 2 CO 3 , Er 2 O 3 , Yb 2 O 3 and LaF 3 under NH 3 gas flow in the presence of graphite at low firing temperature. The crystal structures of La 2 O 2 CN 2 : Er 3+ and La 2 O 2 CN 2 : Er 3+ /Yb 3+ were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and all the samples crystallize in a tetragonal structure with space group I4/mmm. FE-SEM was applied to investigate the particle sizes and morphologies. Upconversion luminescence characteristics have been studied in detail by varying Er 3+ and Yb 3+ contents. Under 980 nm light excitation, Er 3+ doped La 2 O 2 CN 2 samples exhibited weak blue and strong green emission peaks which are corresponding to the 4 F 7/2→ 4 I 15/2 and 2 H 11/2 → 4 I 15/2 transitions of Er 3+ . While, Er 3+ /Yb 3+ doped La 2 O 2 CN 2 samples exhibited blue, green and red emission peaks which are respectively corresponding to the 4 F 7/2→ 4 I 15/2 , 2 H 11/2 → 4 I 15/2 , 4 S 3/2 → 4 I 15/2 and 4 F 9/2 → 4 I 15/2 transitions of Er 3+ and also the emission intensity are enhanced due to the energy transfer from Yb 3+ to Er 3+ .

In this work, glass samples of compositions of As 40-0.4x (Se 15 Te 85 ) 60-0.6x Ag x (x = 0, 10, 16.7, 20, 25 at%) are prepared. The structural transformations of glasses are deduced from the variations of glass densities and Raman spectra with the addition of Ag. Differential scanning calorimetry is applied to determine the characteristic temperatures, evaluate the thermal stabilities against crystallization, and investigate the crystallization kinetics under non-isothermal conditions. Thermal treatment of the as-prepared glass samples is carried out at both low (190 °C) and high (260 °C) crystallization temperatures. X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrate that crystals precipitated from glass matrices are pure As-Te(Se) phases free of Ag. The results are consistent with the Raman spectra. The relevant mechanism can be understood based on the dual chemical role of the Ag addition on the variations of glass network.