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Physicochemical properties of nanoparticles are important in regulating nanoparticle toxicity; however, the contribution of nanoparticle charge remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the pulmonary effects of inhalation of charged soot nanoparticles. We established a stably charged nanoparticle generation system for whole-body exposure in BALB/c mice, which produced positively charged, negatively charged, and neutral soot nanoparticles in a wide range of concentrations. After a 7-day exposure, pulmonary toxicity was assessed, together with proteomics analysis. The charged soot nanoparticles on average carried 1.17-1.35 electric charges, and the sizes for nanoparticles under different charging conditions were all fixed at 69 ~ 72 nm. We observed that charged soot nanoparticles induced cytotoxic LDH and increased lung permeability, with the release of 8-isoprostane and caspase-3 and systemic IL-6 in mice, especially for positively charged soot nanoparticles. Next, we observed that positive-charged soot nanoparticles upregulated Eif2, Eif4, sirtuin, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR), and HIPPO-related signaling pathways in the lungs compared with negatively charged soot nanoparticles. HIF1α, sirt1, E-cadherin, and Yap were increased in mice's lungs by positively charged soot nanoparticle exposure. In conclusion, carbonaceous nanoparticles carrying electric ions, especially positive-charged, are particularly toxic when inhaled and should be of concern in terms of pulmonary health protection.

Using in vivo multiphoton fluorescent dosimetry, we demonstrate that the clearance dynamics of Indocyanine Green (ICG) in the blood can quickly reveal liver function reserve. In normal rats, the ICG retention rate was below 10% at the 15-minute post-administration; While in the rat with severe hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the 15-minute retention rate is over 40% due to poor liver metabolism. With a 785 nm CW laser, the fluorescence dosimeter can evaluate the liver function reserve at a 1/10 clinical dosage of ICG without any blood sampling. In the future, this low-dosage ICG 15-minute retention dosimetry can be applied for the preoperative assessment of hepatectomy or timely perioperative examination.

3D printing has been popularly used in the bone tissue engineering, as many of the biomaterials for this field of study can be prepared for and produced from this additive manufacturing technique. In this study, we strategized a solvent-free processing to fabricate the polydopamine-modified calcium silicate (PDACS)/poly-caprolactone (PCL) scaffold with Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSCs) incorporated with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC)-laden hydrogel. The PDACS/PCL/hydrogel 3D scaffold yielded a Young's modulus of the 3D scaffolds as high as 75 MPa. In addition, the vascular morphogenesis and cellular behaviors regulated by our hybrid scaffolds were also intricately evaluated. Furthermore, the HUVEC in the bioink exhibited higher levels of angiogenic biomarkers and showed potential for the formation of complex vascular networks. Higher levels of bone formation proteins were also observed in our composites. Such a hybrid of synthetic materials with cell constituents not only enhances osteogenesis but also stimulates vessel network development in angiogenesis, presenting the fact that 3D printing can be further applied in improving bone tissue regeneration in numerous aspects. We believe that this method may serve as a useful and effective approach for the regeneration of defective complex hard tissues in deep bone structures.

Uniform, monodisperse yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) rhombic dodecahedron micro-crystals were synthesized using coprecipitation and hydrothermal methods. The Na2SO4 as a surfactant was helpful in improving the dispersity of the crystallites and forming well-faceted, micro-sized dodecahedral YAG crystallites. The effect of the reaction time and the solvent has also been studied. The crystal growth mechanism called dissolution/crystallization was determined by analyzing the experimental and simulated results. And the specific well-developed crystal facets in the {110} family have been demonstrated by the theoretical calculation. A higher integrated emission intensity can be achieved for the YAG:Ce crystallites by improving the phase purity, morphology with better developed dodecahedrons, and dispersion. Furthermore, a rather high luminous efficacy (LE = 104.14 lm/W) for the white LED fabricated using the YAG:Ce3+ phosphor prepared in this work was realized. The correlation between the crystal growth, morphology and luminescence properties of YAG crystallites has been established, which exhibits a great importance for the synthesis and application of mono-dispersed YAG crystallites.

A novel blue-green-emitting and red-emitting phosphor MZnOS: Bi, Li (M = Ca, Ba) have been prepared, and the correlation between site occupation, valence state of Bi in MZnOS and their luminescence properties was investigated. In MZnOS, M sites are the most suitable and stable sites for Bi to occupy according to the Rietveld refinement and first principle calculation. Bi is found to be in trivalent state in CaZnOS, but is a mixture of divalent and trivalent states in BaZnOS. Under 366 nm excitation, Bi - doped CaZnOS and BaZnOS show strongly broad emission bands with the peak at about 485 and 507 nm, respectively, attributing to the 3P1,0 → 1S0 transition of Bi3+. However, another broad band emission with the peak at 627 nm is observed for BaZnOS: Bi, Li upon 297 nm excitation. The X-ray excited luminescence (XEL) of Bi in MZnOS exhibit the similar properties as observed under UV excitation. The thermal stability of MZnOS: Bi, Li is relatively good enough for practical application. MZnOS: Bi, Li show potential applications as blue-green and red emission phosphor for LED devices considering the suitable absorption and emission wavelength range, high stability, as well as low cost.

Articular cartilage, which is a white transparent tissue with 1–2 mm thickness, is located in the interface between the two hard bones. The main functions of articular cartilage are stress transmission, absorption, and friction reduction. The cartilage cannot be repaired and regenerated once it has been damaged, and it needs to be replaced by artificial joints. Many approaches, such as artificial joint replacement, hyaluronic acid injection, microfracture surgery and cartilage tissue engineering have been applied in clinical treatment. Basically, some of these approaches are foreign material implantation for joint replacement to reach the goal of pain reduction and mechanism support. This study demonstrated another frontier in the research of cartilage reconstruction by applying regeneration medicine additive manufacturing (3D Printing) and stem cell technology. Light curing materials have been modified and tested to be printable and cytocompatible for stem cells in this research. Design of experiments (DOE) is adapted in this investigation to search for the optimal manufacturing parameter for biocompatible scaffold fabrication and stem cell attachment and growth. Based on the results, an optimal working process of biocompatible and printable scaffolds for cartilage regeneration is reported. We expect this study will facilitate the development of cartilage tissue engineering.

The encapsulation and/or surface modification can stabilize and protect the phosphorescence bio‐probes but impede their intravenous delivery across biological barriers. Here, a new class of biocompatible rhenium (ReI) diimine carbonyl complexes is developed, which can efficaciously permeate normal vessel walls and then functionalize the extravascular collagen matrixes as in situ oxygen sensor. Without protective agents, ReI‐diimine complex already exhibits excellent emission yield (34%, λ em = 583 nm) and large two‐photon absorption cross‐sections (σ 2 = 300 GM @ 800 nm) in water (pH 7.4). After extravasation, remarkably, the collagen‐bound probes further enhanced their excitation efficiency by increasing the deoxygenated lifetime from 4.0 to 7.5 µs, paving a way to visualize tumor hypoxia and tissue ischemia in vivo. The post‐extravasation functionalization of extracellular matrixes demonstrates a new methodology for biomaterial‐empowered phosphorescence sensing and imaging., Biocompatible rhenium (ReI) diimine carbonyl complexes functionalize the extravascular collagen matrixes as in situ oxygen sensor. After tail‐vein delivery and vessel penetration, the probe can bind extravascular collagens and achieve stabilization enhanced two‐photon phosphorescence yields. Increased deoxygenated phosphorescence lifetime from 4.0 to 7.5 µs paves a way to visualize tumor hypoxia and tissue ischemia in vivo.

Over the years, the field of bioprinting has attracted attention for its highly automated fabrication system that enables the precise patterning of living cells and biomaterials at pre-defined positions for enhanced cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions. Notably, vat polymerization (VP)-based bioprinting is an emerging bioprinting technique for various tissue engineering applications due to its high fabrication accuracy. Particularly, different photo-initiators (PIs) are utilized during the bioprinting process to facilitate the crosslinking mechanism for fabrication of high-resolution complex tissue constructs. The advancements in VP-based printing have led to a paradigm shift in fabrication of tissue constructs from cell-seeding of tissue scaffolds (non-biocompatible fabrication process) to direct bioprinting of cell-laden tissue constructs (biocompatible fabrication process). This paper, presenting a first-time comprehensive review of the VP-based bioprinting process, provides an in-depth analysis and comparison of the various biocompatible PIs and highlights the important considerations and bioprinting requirements. This review paper reports a detailed analysis of its printing process and the influence of light-based curing modality and PIs on living cells. Lastly, this review also highlights the significance of VP-based bioprinting, the regulatory challenges and presents future directions to transform the VP-based printing technology into imperative tools in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The readers will be informed on the current limitations and achievements of the VP-based bioprinting techniques. Notably, the readers will realize the importance and value of highly-automated platforms for tissue engineering applications and be able to develop objective viewpoints towards this field. Accepted version

The purpose of 4D printing is to embed a product design into a deformable smart material using a traditional 3D printer. The 3D printed object can be assembled or transformed into intended designs by applying certain conditions or forms of stimulation such as temperature, pressure, humidity, pH, wind, or light. Simply put, 4D printing is a continuum of 3D printing technology that is now able to print objects which change over time. In previous studies, many smart materials were shown to have 4D printing characteristics. In this paper, we specifically review the current application, respective activation methods, characteristics, and future prospects of various polymeric materials in 4D printing, which are expected to contribute to the development of 4D printing polymeric materials and technology.

Cardiovascular diseases are currently the most common cause of death globally and of which, the golden treatment method for severe cardiovascular diseases or coronary artery diseases are implantations of synthetic vascular grafts. However, such grafts often come with rejections and hypersensitivity reactions. With the emergence of regenerative medicine, researchers are now trying to explore alternative ways to produce grafts that are less likely to induce immunological reactions in patients. The main goal of such studies is to produce biocompatible artificial vascular grafts with the capability of allowing cellular adhesion and cellular proliferation for tissues regeneration. The Design of Experimental concepts is employed into the manufacturing process of digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing technology to explore near-optimal processing parameters to produce artificial vascular grafts with vascular characteristics that are close to native vessels by assessing for the cause and effect relationships between different ratios of amino resin (AR), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), dopamine, and curing durations. We found that with proper optimization of fabrication procedures and ratios of materials, we are able to successfully fabricate vascular grafts with good printing resolutions. These had similar physical properties to native vessels and were able to support cellular adhesion and proliferation. This study could support future studies in exploring near-optimal processes for fabrication of artificial vascular grafts that could be adapted into clinical applications.

Calcium silicate cements have been considered as alternative bone substitutes owing to its extraordinary bioactivity and osteogenicity. Unfortunately, the major disadvantage of the cements was the slow degradation rate which may limit the efficiency of bone regeneration. In this study, we proposed a facile method to synthesize degradable calcium silicate cements by incorporating strontium into the cements through solid-state sintering. The effects of Sr incorporation on physicochemical and biological properties of the cements were evaluated. Although, our findings revealed that the incorporation of strontium retarded the hardening reaction of the cements, the setting time of different cements (11-19 min) were in the acceptable range for clinical use. The presence of Sr in the CS cements would hampered the precipitation of calcium phosphate products on the surface after immersion in SBF, however, a layer of precipitated calcium phosphate products can be formed on the surface of the Sr-CS cement within 1 day immersion in SBF. More importantly, the degradation rate of the cements increased with increasing content of strontium, consequentially raised the levels of released strontium and silicon ions. The elevated dissolving products may contribute to the enhancement of the cytocompatibility, alkaline phosphatase activity, osteocalcin secretion, and mineralization of human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells. Together, it is concluded that the strontium-incorporated calcium silicate cement might be a promising bone substitute that could accelerate the regeneration of irregularly shaped bone defects.

With the development of three-dimensional (3D) printing, many commercial 3D printing materials have been appliedin the fields of biomedicine and medical. MED610 is a clear, biocompatible PolyJet material that is medically certified forbodily contact. In this study, the polydopamine (PDA)/hydroxyapatite (HA) coating was added to the printed MED610 objectsto evaluate its physical properties, cell proliferation, cell morphology, and alkaline phosphatase expression level. The resultsshow that the PDA/HA coating helps printed objects to enhance the hardness, biocompatibility, and osteogenic differentiationpotential. We expect that PDA/HA coatings contribute to the applicability of MED610 in biomedical and medical applications

Hinokitiol is a natural material and it has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the material characterization, cell viability, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory abilities of the hinokitiol-modified calcium silicate (CS) cement as a root end filling material. The setting times, diametral tensile strength (DTS) values and XRD patterns of CS cements with 0-10mM hinokitiol were examined. Then, the antibacterial effect and the expression levels of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) of the hinokitiol-modified CS cements were evaluated. Furthermore, the cytocompatibility, the expression levels of the markers of odontoblastic differentiation, mineralized nodule formation and calcium deposition of human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) cultured on hinokitiol-modified CS cements were determined. The hinokitiol-modified CS cements had better antibacterial and anti-inflammatory abilities and cytocompatibility than non-modified CS cements. Otherwise, the hinokitiol-modified CS cements had suitable setting times and better odontoblastic potential of hDPCs. Previous report pointed out that the root-end filling materials may induce inflammatory cytokines reaction. In our study, hinokitiol-modified CS cements not only inhibited the expression level of inflammatory cytokines, but also had better cytocompatibility, antimicrobial properties and active ability of odontoblastic differentiation of hDPCs. Therefore, the hinokitiol-modified CS cement may be a potential root end filling material for clinic.

Dexamethasone (DEX) is a synthetic glucocorticoid that is commonly administered to low birth weight preterm infants for preventing the development of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). However, clinical studies have suggested potentially deleterious long-term effects of both neonatal glucocorticoid (GC) treatment and neonatal DEX treatment (NDT) in preterm infants on subsequent brain development, somatic growth and catabolic changes. In this study, we used experimental animal model to mimic the conditions in human patients. Briefly, animals subjected to subcutaneous injection of taped doses of DEX for a total of 3 days (from postnatal day 1 to 3, PN1-PN3). Rats were then examined by using forced swimming tests (FST), locomotor activity monitoring at the age of 8 weeks old. Our results indicated that NDT increases depression-like behavior after acute stress in adult rats. In addition, chronic administration of antidepressant mirtazapine (MIR) suppresses NDT-induced depression-like behavior in a dose-dependent manner (1, 5, 20, and 40 mg/kg), with maximal effect at 40 mg/kg. In conclusion, our results showed that NDT enhanced depression-like behavior following acute stress, which may enhance susceptibility for having depressive disorders in adulthood, after chronic administration of the antidepressant MIR, the depression-like behavior was significantly reduced in NDT rats.

Obesity is a complex health issue and it can cause many health and social problems. Previous studies reported that lipase is a main target for obesity treatment. We synthesized R-exo-2-norbornyl-N-n-butylcarbamate and S-exo-2-norbornyl-N-n-butylcarbamate as potential pseudomonas lipase inhibitors to probe the enantioselectivity of the enzyme and demonstrated that R-exo-2-norbornyl-N-n-butylcarbamate had better enzyme enantioselectivity, ki and the docking model with Pseudomonas species lipase in our previous studies. In this article, we reported the property of the Pseudomonas species lipase inhibitors, R-and S-endo-2-norbornyl-N-n-butylcarbamate and compared the docking models of these two compounds with R- and S-exo-2-norbornyl-N-n-butylcarbamates by AutoDock. We found that S-endo-2-norbornyl-N-n-butylcarbamate has the best enantioselectivity, ki and docking model and this study could provide useful information about enzyme enantioselectivity for the development of Pseudomonas species lipase inhibitors for obesity treatment.

A single nanomaterial with multiple imaging contrasts and functions is highly desired for multiscale theragnosis. Herein, we demonstrate single 1-1.9 μm infrared-active FePt alloy nanoparticles (FePt NPs) offering unprecedented four-contrast-in-one molecular imaging - computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), photoacoustic (PA) imaging, and high-order multiphoton luminescence (HOMPL) microscopy. The PA response of FePt NPs outperforms that of infrared-active gold nanorods by 3- to 5.6-fold under identical excitation fluence and particle concentrations. HOMPL (680 nm) of an isolated FePt NP renders spatial full-width-at-half-maximum values of 432 nm and 300 nm beyond the optical diffraction limit for 1230-nm and 920-nm excitation, respectively. The in vivo targeting function was successfully visualized using HOMPL, PA imaging, CT, and MRI, thereby validating FePt as a single nanomaterial system covering up to four types (Optical/PA/CT/MRI) of molecular imaging contrast, ranging from the microscopic level to whole-body scale investigation.

Rotational barriers of ten 4-acyloxy-4'-N-n-butylcarbamyloxy-biphenyls were calculated by density functional theory. Linear free energy relationships between rotational barriers and reduced mass existed in these compounds...

Bioprinting offers a highly-automated and advanced manufacturing platform that facilitates the deposition of bio-inks (living cells, biomaterials and growth factors) in a scalable and reproducible manner, a process that is lacking in conventional tissue engineering approaches. Significant improvements in the field of bioprinting have occurred over the last two decades. This reviews provides an in-depth analysis of recent improvements in the bioprinting techniques, progress in bio-ink development, implementation of new bioprinting and tissue maturation strategies. Special attention is givent to the role of polymer science and how it complements 3D bioprinting to overcome some of the major impediments in the field of organ printing. A concise overview of the anatomy and physiology of different tissues/organs is provided, followed by important design considerations to better facilitate the fabrication of biomimetic tissues/organs for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM). Last, a realistic overview of current status in organ bioprinting is presented, including recent accomplishments in bioprinting tissue-engineered constructs, the limitations and challenges, as well as opportunities for future research. We strongly believe that with the advances in polymer sciences, it will be an impending reality for on-demand bioprinting of patient-specific tissues/organs. Accepted version

Selective Laser Melting (SLM) has been implemented to address the difficulties in manufacturing complex nickel titanium (NiTi) structures. However, the SLM production of NiTi is much more challenging than the fabrication of conventional metals. Other than the need to have a high density that leads to excellent mechanical properties, strict chemical compositional control is required as well for the SLM NiTi parts to exhibit desirable phase transformation characteristics. In addition, acquiring a high transformation strain from the produced specimens is another challenging task. In the prior research, a new approach&mdash, repetitive scanning&mdash, was implemented to achieve these objectives. The repetitively scanned samples demonstrated an average of 4.61% transformation strain when subjected to the tensile test. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement as the conventionally-produced NiTi can exhibit a transformation strain of about 6%. Hence, post-process heat treatment was introduced to improve the shape memory properties of the samples. The results showed an improvement when the samples were heat treated at a temperature of 400 &deg, C for a period of 5 min. The enhancement in the shape memory behavior of the repetitively scanned samples was mainly attributed to the formation of fine Ni4Ti3 metastable precipitates.

Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) based photodynamic antimicrobial strategy can provide good antimicrobial effects and be used for medical applications. The aim of this study was to apply this strategy to Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA), which is commonly used as a filling material for root endings and by doing so, to increase the bactericidal capability of MTA, as well as to investigate its characterization, cytocompatibility, and odontogenic differentiation potential. MTA is known to be a derivative of calcium silicate (CS). In this study, MTA specimens with or without ALA and light treatment were prepared. Diametral tensile strength values (DTS), setting durations, X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra, apatite-mineralization, and antimicrobial abilities of the MTA, were also analyzed. Human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) can proliferate into the newly formed matrix and differentiate into odontoblasts to reinforce and strengthen the root. Levels of hDPCs proliferation and its odontogenic capabilities when cultured on MTA with ALA and light treatment, and the percentages of cells existing in the various cell cycle stages, were further evaluated in this study. The results indicated that MTA added ALA with light treatment had greater antibacterial ability and cytocompatibility, compared to MTA alone. A higher percentage S phase of the cells cultured on MTA added ALA with light treatment was observed. Furthermore, hDPCs cultured on MTA added ALA with light treatment had the highest expression levels of the odontoblastic differentiation markers. ALA has great antimicrobial efficiency and is a potential material for future medical applications. ALA-based photodynamic antibacterial strategy applied in the MTA has great antibacterial ability, cytocompatibility, and odontoblastic differentiation potential, and can facilitate the development of root canal treatment.

Vascular networks have an important role to play in transporting nutrients, oxygen, metabolic wastes and maintenance of homeostasis. Bioprinting is a promising technology as it is able to fabricate complex, specific multi-cellular constructs with precision. In addition, current technology allows precise depositions of individual cells, growth factors and biochemical signals to enhance vascular growth. Fabrication of vascularized constructs has remained as a main challenge till date but it is deemed as an important stepping stone to bring organ engineering to a higher level. However, with the ever advancing bioprinting technology and knowledge of biomaterials, it is expected that bioprinting can be a viable solution for this problem. This article presents an overview of the biofabrication of vascular and vascularized constructs, the different techniques used in vascular engineering such as extrusion-based, droplet-based and laser-based bioprinting techniques, and the future prospects of bioprinting of artificial blood vessels.

The kinetic studies and drug designs of butyrylcholinesterase play an important role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics. In this research, automated docking studies were performed to provide useful insights into butyrylcholinesterase inhibition binding modes with designed 4-acyloxy-biphenyl-4′-N-butylcarbamates (compounds 1–8). Moreover, several significant linear correlations between experimental and calculated docking results are observed. Among compounds 1–7, compound 3, which exhibits the strongest hydrophobicity and has four carbonyl hydrogen bindings, shows the highest binding affinity (Ki = 1.4 μmol/L) with a binding energy of −7.99 kcal/mol. The observed linear correlation of experimental and calculated inhibition constants (Ki) indicates that the molecular docking results are reliable. Moreover, a good linear correlation is observed between calculated binding energies and experimental pKi. The experimental Hansch hydrophobicity constants (π values) are also correlated with the docked binding energy. This study reveals important correlations between butyrylcholinesterase experimental and docking results that contribute to the kinetic based identification of antagonists for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, these docked models provide important insights into a potential series of 4,4′-biphenol-based inhibitors of butyrylcholinesterase.

On the basis of an infrared femtosecond Cr:forsterite laser, we developed a semiquantitative method to analyze the microscopic distribution of bilirubins. Using 1230 nm femtosecond pulses, we selectively excited the two-photon red fluorescence of bilirubin dimers around 660 nm. Autofluorescences from other endogenous fluorophores were greatly suppressed. Using this distinct fluorescence measure, we found that poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues on average showed 3.7 times lower concentration of bilirubins than the corresponding nontumor parts. The corresponding fluorescence lifetime measurements indicated that HCC tissues exhibited a longer lifetime (500 ps) than that of nontumor parts (300 ps). Similarly, oral cancer cell lines had longer lifetimes (>330 ps) than those of nontumor ones (250 ps). We anticipate the developed methods of bilirubin molecular imaging to be useful in diagnosing cancers or studying the dynamics of bilirubin metabolisms in live cells.

Articular cartilage diseases severely affect the quality of life for millions of people worldwide. Cartilage is unlike any other tissues, its structure is designed purely for load-bearing and thus it is avascular and contains little cellular composition, which drastically limits self-repair ability. Current therapies are insufficient in treating cartilage diseases. Therefore, different designs, materials, and fabrication techniques have evolved in past decades to fabricate cartilage tissue constructs as a possible transplantable construct into damaged cartilages. Advancements in fabrication techniques have enabled fabrication of complex scaffolds with adjustable and controlled properties. This chapter reviews the different scaffold materials available for cartilage tissue engineering, the important aspects of scaffold design and parameters, as well as the available fabrication techniques. In addition, future perspectives of cartilage tissue engineering are highlighted in this chapter.

The present study provides a solvent-free processing method for establishing the ideal porous 3-dimension (3D) scaffold filled with different ratios of calcium silicate-based (CS) powder and polycaprolactone (PCL) for 3D bone substitute application. Characterization of hybrid scaffolds developed underwent assessments for physicochemical properties and biodegradation. Adhesion and growth of human Wharton's Jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSCs) on the CS/PCL blended scaffold were investigated in vitro. Cell attachment and morphology were examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and confocal microscope observations. Colorimetric assay was tested for assessing cell metabolic activity. In addition, RT-qPCR was also performed for the osteogenic-related and angiogenesis-related gene expression. As a result, the hydrophilicity of the scaffolds was further significantly improved after we additive CS into PCL, as well as the compressive strength up to 5.8 MPa. SEM showed that a great amount of precipitated bone-like apatite formed on the scaffold surface after immersed in the simulated body fluid. The 3D-printed scaffolds were found to enhance cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. Additionally, results of osteogenesis and angiogenesis proteins were expressed obviously greater in the response of WJMSCs. These results indicate the CS/PCL composite exhibited a favorable bioactivity and osteoconductive properties that could be served as a promising biomaterial for bone tissue engineering scaffolds.

The electronic structure of SrAlSi4N7 was calculated using the CASTEP code and SrAlSi4N7 is an intermediate band gap semiconductor with an indirect energy gap of 3.6 eV. Ce3+ and Yb2+-activated SrAlSi4N7 samples were prepared by a solid-state reaction method at high temperature, and their photoluminescence properties were investigated. SrAlSi4N7:Ce3+ shows a broad band emission in the wavelength range of 450–700 nm, originating from the 5d1–4f1 transition of Ce3+. The emission band of Ce3+ shifts to longer wavelength with an increase of Ce3+ concentration due to the increased Stokes shift and reabsorption by Ce3+. SrAlSi4N7:Yb2+ can be excited efficiently over a broad spectral range between 300 and 550 nm, and exhibits a single intense red emission at 600 nm with a full width at half maximum of 95 nm due to the electronic transitions from the excited state of 4f135d to the ground state 4f14 of Yb2+. The low energy of Yb2+ emission in SrAlSi4N7 can be attributed to the large nephelauxetic effect and crystal field splitting due to the coordination of Yb2+ by nitrogen. In addition, Sr1-2xCexLixAlSi4N7 shows higher thermal stability in air than that of Sr1-yYbyAlSi4N7 (0 = x, y = 0.1). A white-light LED can be generated by using single SrAlSi4N7:Ce3+ as the wavelength conversion phosphor combined with a blue LED chip (InGaN). The obtained LED exhibits a luminous efficiency of 74.3 lm W-1 at a corrected color temperature (CCT) up to 6350 K, and the color rendering index (CRI Ra) is around 78. These novel developed yellow-red phosphors have potential applications in spectral conversion materials for white-LEDs.

Diseases in articular cartilages have affected millions of people globally. Although the biochemical and cellular composition of articular cartilages is relatively simple, there is a limitation in the self-repair ability of the cartilage. Therefore, developing strategies for cartilage repair is very important. Here, we report on a new liquid resin preparation process of water-based polyurethane based photosensitive materials with hyaluronic acid with application of the materials for 3D printed customized cartilage scaffolds. The scaffold has high cytocompatibility and is one that closely mimics the mechanical properties of articular cartilages. It is suitable for culturing human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (hWJMSCs) and the cells in this case showed an excellent chondrogenic differentiation capacity. We consider that the 3D printing hybrid scaffolds may have potential in customized tissue engineering and also facilitate the development of cartilage tissue engineering.

Hinokitiol is a tropolone-related compound found in heartwood cupressaceous plants. Hinokitiol slows the growth of a variety of cancers through inhibition of cell proliferation. The low water solubility of hinokitiol leads to less bioavailability. This has been highlighted as a major limiting factor. In this study, mesoporous calcium silicate (MCS) nanoparticles, both pure and hinokitiol-loaded, were synthesized and their effects on A549 cells were analyzed. The results indicate that Hino-MCS nanoparticles induce apoptosis in higher concentration loads (>12.5 μg/mL) for A549 cells. Hino-MCS nanoparticles suppress gene and protein expression levels of multiple drug resistance protein 1 (MDR1). In addition, both the activity and the expression levels of caspase-3/-9 were measured in Hino-MCS nanoparticle-treated A549 cells. The Hino-MCS nanoparticles-triggered apoptosis was blocked by inhibitors of pan-caspase, caspase-3/-9, and antioxidant agents (N-acetylcysteine; NAC). The Hino-MCS nanoparticles enhance reactive oxygen species production and the protein expression levels of caspase-3/-9. Our data suggest that Hino-MCS nanoparticles trigger an intrinsic apoptotic pathway through regulating the function of MDR1 and the production of reactive oxygen species in A549 cells. Therefore, we believe that Hino-MCS nanoparticles may be efficacious in the treatment of drug-resistant human lung cancer in the future.

The Pseudomonas species lipase inhibition shows enantioselectivity for R-enantiomer over S-enantiomer of exo-2-norbornyl-N-n-butylcarbamates. R-, S-, and racemic-exo-2-norbornyl-N-n-butylcarbamates are all characterized as pseudo substrate inhibitors of the enzyme. Thus, the mechanism for Pseudomonas species lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of the inhibitor is formation of the first enzyme-inhibitor Michaelis complex via nucleophilic attack of the active site serine to the inhibitor (Ki step) then formation of the butylcarbamyl enzyme intermediate from this complex (k2 step). Comparison of bimolecular rate constants (ki = k2 / Ki) of the inhibitors indicates that R-enantiomer is 1.8 times more potent than S-enantiomer. Thus, Pseudomonas species lipase shows enantioselectivity of 1.8 for R-exo-2-norbornyl-N-n-butyl-carbamate over S-exo-2-norbornyl-N-n-butylcarbamate. Protein-ligand interaction studies on both enantiomers of exo-2-norbornyl-N-n-butylcarbamate as inhibitors of Pseudomonas species lipase using AutoDock suggest that R-enantiomer binds more tightly into the active site of the enzyme than S-enantiomer. The norbornyl ring of S-exo-2-norbornyl-N-n-butylcarbamate is repulsive to Ser 82 and His 251 of the catalytic triad as well as to Met 16 of the oxyanion hole. These repulsions may create few unfavorable interactions between S-exo-2-norbornyl-N-n-butylcarbamate and the enzyme and make this inhibitor a less potent one.

为探讨大气CO 2 浓度升高对冬小麦花前贮存碳氮转运的影响及氮素营养的调节作用，以小偃22和小偃6号为材料，于2007—2009连续2个生长季，利用开顶式气室进行盆栽试验，对背景CO 2 浓度(375 μL L - 1 )和高CO 2 浓度(2007—2008年度680 μL L - 1 , 2008—2009年度750 μL L - 1 )条件下不同施氮处理的干物质和氮素在籽粒、花前地上部中的累积以及花后营养器官的转运进行了评价。2007—2008年度设4个施氮水平，分别是0、0.1、0.2和0.3 g kg - 1 土; 2008—2009年度设3个施氮水平，分别是0、0.15和0.30 g kg - 1 土。结果表明，施氮和CO 2 浓度升高促进了干物质和氮素在籽粒和花前营养器官的积累，增加了花前营养器官和地上部贮存干物质和氮素向籽粒的转运量，适量施氮提高了CO 2 浓度升高对花前营养器官干物质和氮素累积以及花后向籽粒转运的正向效应。与背景CO 2 浓度相比，高CO 2 浓度提高了花前营养器官和地上部干物质对籽粒产量的贡献率和转运率，但CO 2 浓度升高对花前氮素的贡献率和转运率的影响因年份和品种而异。CO 2 浓度升高后，2007—2008年度各营养器官和地上部，以及2008—2009年度茎鞘和穗的氮素贡献率和转运率均增加，但2008—2009年度2个品种叶片和地上部氮素贡献率在施氮时均显著降低，小偃22叶片和地上部氮素转运率在各施氮水平下以及小偃6号地上部氮素转运率在0.13 g kg - 1 土施氮水平下均明显增加。适量施氮也在大多数情况下增强了CO 2 浓度升高对营养器官干物质和氮素的贡献率和转运率的正向效应。说明CO 2 浓度升高后小麦产量和氮素积累增加与其促进花前干物质和氮素积累及花后向籽粒的转运密切相关。

This work focus on the effects of C vacancy on wetting of Fe to TiC/Fe at the cermet interfaces. We do the whole work using the first-principles density functional theories. The ideal work of adhesion of the pure interface is not big enough, comparing with the expeimental value. Our calculations suggest that the C vacancy at the interface is a very important factor for interface banding of TiC/Fe cermet composite. An adequate quantities of C vacancies at the interface can improve the wetting of TiC/Fe interfaces.

First-principles plane-wave pseudopotential calculations of the electron structure and energetics of the interfaces of clean and Ni-doped TiC/Fe are reported. We predicted the atomic structure, bonding, and the interface binding energy of TiC(100)/Fe(100) and TiC(100)/Fe(110). By comparing the interface bonding energy and the total charge density distribution, the interface have priority to combine in TiC(100)/Fe(100) and TiC(100)/Fe(110) ways, where the former’s interface binding energy is higher. So the structure of TiC(100)/Fe(100) is more stable. The doped Ni atoms have preferential access to Fe-based body and form FeNi alloy, and enhance the interface bonding energy, thus effectively reducing the system energy of TiC(100)/Fe(100) and TiC(100)/Fe(110) interfaces, increasing the bonding strength and stability of interfaces of the composite materials.

(2S,4aR,8aS)-Cis,cis-, (2R,4aS,8aR)-cis,cis-, rac-cis,cis-, and rac-trans,cis-decahydro-2-naphthyl-N-n-butylcarbamates are synthesized from condensation of (2S,4aR,8aS)-cis,cis-, (2R,4aS,8aR)-cis,cis-, rac-cis,cis-, and rac-trans,cisdecahydro- 2-naphthols, respectively, with n-butyl isocyanate in the presence of triethylamine in dichloromethane. Optically pure (2S,4aR,8aS)-(-)- and (2R,4aS,8aR)-(+)-cis,cis-decahydro-2-naphthols are resolved by the porcine pancreatic lipase- catalyzed acetylation of decahydro-2-naphthols with vinyl acetate in t-butyl methyl ether. Absolute configurations of (2S,4aR,8aS)-(-)- and (2R,4aS,8aR)-(+)- cis,cis-decahydro-2-naphthols are determined from the ¹⁹F NMR spectra of their Mosher's ester derivatives. (2S,4aR,8aR)-Trans,cis- and (2R,4aS,8aS)-trans,cis-decahydro-2-naphthols can't be resolved from the porcine pancreatic lipase-catalyzed acetylation of decahydro-2-naphthols with vinyl acetate in t-butyl methyl ether. For the inhibitory potency of Pseudomonas lipase, (2S,4aR,8aS)-cis,cis-decahydro-2-naphthyl-N-n-butylcarbamate is 3.5 times more potent than (2R,4aS,8aR)-cis,cis-decahydro-2-naphthyl-N-n-butylcarbamate; racemic cis,cis-decahydro- 2-naphthyl-N-n-butylcarbamate is about the same with trans,cis-decahydro-2-naphthyl-N-n-butylcarbamate. These inhibitors also show similar effects on porcine pancreatic lipase.

The nucleoprotein (NP) of the influenza virus exists as trimers, and its tail-loop binding pocket has been suggested as a potential target for antiinfluenza therapeutics. The possibility of NP as a drug target was validated by the recent reports that nucleozin and its analogs can inhibit viral replication by inducing aggregation of NP trimers. However, these inhibitors were identified by random screening, and the binding site and inhibition mechanism are unclear. We report a rational approach to target influenza virus with a new mechanism—disruption of NP–NP interaction. Consistent with recent work, E339A, R416A, and deletion mutant Δ402–428 were unable to support viral replication in the absence of WT NP. However, only E339A and R416A could form hetero complex with WT NP, but the complex was unable to bind the RNA polymerase, leading to inhibition of viral replication. These results demonstrate the importance of the E339…R416 salt bridge in viral survival and establish the salt bridge as a sensitive antiinfluenza target. To provide further support, we showed that peptides encompassing R416 can disrupt NP–NP interaction and inhibit viral replication. Finally we performed virtual screening to target E339…R416, and some small molecules identified were shown to disrupt the formation of NP trimers and inhibit replication of WT and nucleozin-resistant strains. This work provides a new approach to design antiinfluenza drugs.

The paper presents a novel process for synthesis of ultrafine titanium carbide by reaction between TiOSO4 and Phenol-formaldehyde resins at different temperatures in the range of 1450°C–1500°C under argon cover for 1 hr. It was a new low-cost synthetic route for fabricating ultrafine TiC powders. The thermodynamic and reaction processes about phenolic resin’s cracking and reducing in the system of titanium oxide were studied. When the organic cracking reaction ended at 1000°C, amorphous carbon was provided by phenolic resin’s cracking. The grain size distribution of TiC synthesized from organic carbon was more narrower than that from inorganic carbon.

Selecting Si3N4 as binding agent and Al2O3–Al–Y2O3 as sintering additives, the sintered compact of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PcBN) was studied . By modifying the ratio of each component and the parameters of the sintering process, the compact sintered at 4.5 GPa and 1650 °C showed good mechanical properties.The phase constitution, microstructure of the sintered compact were characterized by XRD and SEM respectively. The degree of phase transformation of Si3N4 , the chemical reaction during the sintering process, and the sintering mechanism of the additives were discussed . The best relative density is more than 97 % , the flexural strength is more than 650 MPa, the Vickers hardness Hv is more than 8.7 GPa.

NiTi shape memory alloys (SMAs) have the best combination of properties among the different SMAs. However, the limitations of conventional manufacturing processes and the poor manufacturability of NiTi have critically limited its full potential applicability. Thus, additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, has the potential to be a solution in fabricating complex NiTi smart structures. Recently, a number of studies on Selective Laser Melting (SLM) of NiTi were conducted to explore the various aspects of SLM-produced NiTi. Compared to producing conventional metals through the SLM process, the fabrication of NiTi SMA is much more challenging. Not only do the produced parts require a high density that leads to good mechanical properties, strict composition control is needed as well for the SLM NiTi to possess suitable phase transformation characteristics. Additionally, obtaining a good shape memory effect from the SLM NiTi samples is another challenging task that requires further understanding. This paper presents the results of the effects of energy density and SLM process parameters on the properties of SLM NiTi. Its shape memory properties and potential applications were then reviewed and discussed. Published version