Natural self-assembled three-dimensional photonic crystals such as blue-phase liquid crystals typically assume cubic lattice structures. Nonetheless, blue-phase liquid crystals with distinct crystal ...symmetries and thus band structures will be advantageous for optical applications. Here we use repetitive electrical pulses to reconfigure blue-phase liquid crystals into stable orthorhombic and tetragonal lattices. This approach, termed repetitively applied field, allows the system to relax between each pulse, gradually transforming the initial cubic lattice into various intermediate metastable states until a stable non-cubic crystal is achieved. We show that this technique is suitable for engineering non-cubic lattices with tailored photonic bandgaps, associated dispersion and band structure across the entire visible spectrum in blue-phase liquid crystals with distinct composition and initial crystal orientation. These field-free blue-phase liquid crystals exhibit large electro-optic responses and can be polymer-stabilized to have a wide operating temperature range and submillisecond response speed, which are promising properties for information display, electro-optics, nonlinear optics, microlasers and biosensing applications.
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FZAB, GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The electrocatalytic transformation of carbon dioxide (CO2) to formate is a promising route for highly efficient conversion and utilization of CO2 gas, due to the low production cost and the ease of ...storage of formate. In this work, porous poly(ionic liquid) (PPIL)‐based tin‐silver (Sn‐Ag) bimetallic hybrids (PPILm‐SnxAg10‐x) are prepared for high‐performance formate electrolytic generation. Under optimal conditions, an excellent formate Faradaic efficiency of 95.5% with a high partial current density of 214.9 mA cm−2 is obtained at −1.03 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode). Meanwhile, the high selectivity of formate (>≈83%) is maintained in a wide potential range (>630 mV). Mechanistic studies demonstrate that the presence of Ag‐species is vital for the formation, maintenance, and high dispersion of tetravalent Sn(IV)‐species, which accounts for the active sites for CO2‐to‐formate conversion. Further, the introduction of Ag‐species significantly enhances the activity by increasing the electron density near the Fermi energy level.
Porous poly(ionic liquid) (PPIL)‐based tin‐silver (Sn‐Ag) bimetallic hybrids (PPILm‐SnxAg10‐x) are synthesized for high‐efficient electrocatalytic carbon dioxide (CO2)‐to‐formate conversion. An excellent formate selectivity of 95.5% with a high partial current density of 214.9 mA cm−2 is achieved at −1.03 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode). Besides, the formate selectivity of > ≈83% is maintained in a wide potential range (>630 mV).
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Although there have been intense efforts to fabricate large three-dimensional photonic crystals in order to realize their full potential, the technologies developed so far are still beset with ...various material processing and cost issues. Conventional top-down fabrications are costly and time-consuming, whereas natural self-assembly and bottom-up fabrications often result in high defect density and limited dimensions. Here we report the fabrication of extraordinarily large monocrystalline photonic crystals by controlling the self-assembly processes which occur in unique phases of liquid crystals that exhibit three-dimensional photonic-crystalline properties called liquid-crystal blue phases. In particular, we have developed a gradient-temperature technique that enables three-dimensional photonic crystals to grow to lateral dimensions of ~1 cm (~30,000 of unit cells) and thickness of ~100 μm (~ 300 unit cells). These giant single crystals exhibit extraordinarily sharp photonic bandgaps with high reflectivity, long-range periodicity in all dimensions and well-defined lattice orientation.Conventional fabrication approaches for large-size three-dimensional photonic crystals are problematic. By properly controlling the self-assembly processes, the authors report the fabrication of monocrystalline blue phase liquid crystals that exhibit three-dimensional photonic-crystalline properties.
Prostate cancer (PCa) is a significant health concern affecting men worldwide. Previous studies have shown that nimotuzumab, a drug targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), can ...effectively inhibit cancer progression. Here, we aimed to explore the role of miR‐199a/214 cluster in mediating the inhibitory effect of nimotuzumab on the development of PCa. In this study, we conducted an MTT assay to assess cell proliferation and utilized flow cytometry to evaluate cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of nimotuzumab on prostate cancer development, we focused on the miR‐199a‐5p and miR‐214‐3p miRNA clusters. The TargetScan Human database was used to predict the binding sites between miR‐199a‐5p or miR‐214‐3p and the 3'‐UTR of the transducin (β)‐like 1 X‐linked receptor 1 (TBL1XR1) mRNA. To confirm the direct interaction and binding between miR‐199a‐5p or miR‐214‐3p and the 3'‐UTR of TBL1XR1 mRNA, we performed luciferase reporter assays. Our findings demonstrated that nimotuzumab exerted a significant dosage‐dependent suppression of PCa cell proliferation and facilitated PCa cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Concurrently, nimotuzumab obviously impeded the activity of Wnt/β‐catenin and EGFR signaling pathways in PCa cells. We also observed downregulation of miR‐199a‐5p and miR‐214‐3p in PCa cells. Overexpression of miR‐199a/214 cluster inhibited PCa cell viability and enhanced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we found that miR‐199a/214 cluster augmented the inhibitory effect of nimotuzumab on PCa cell proliferation and promoted its ability to induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. This effect was reversed upon TBL1XR1 overexpression, indicating that TBL1XR1 is involved in the regulatory pathway of miR‐199a/214 and nimotuzumab in PCa cells. We further revealed that TBL1XR1 was overexpressed in PCa and was identified as a downstream target of the miR‐199a/214 cluster. In nimotuzumab‐treated PCa cells, the overexpression of miR‐199a/214 markedly inhibited Wnt/β‐catenin and EGFR signaling, and this effect was also rescued by TBL1XR1 overexpression. In summary, our data indicated that miR‐199a/214 cluster play a crucial role in enhancing the inhibitory effect of nimotuzumab on PCa development by downregulating TBL1XR1 and modulating Wnt/β‐catenin and EGFR signaling pathways. These findings offer a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of prostate cancer.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
Induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD) represents a robust therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. However, only a few ICD inducers are currently available and many of them take effect ...based on traditional endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress rather than mitochondrial stress. Besides, mitochondrion is closely related to ER and drug delivery via mitochondrial targeting usually shows a higher efficiency and cytotoxicity than that via ER targeting, which inspires to explore the ICD effect of cancer cells through mitochondrial stress. Herein, a mito‐missile that can realize not only mitochondria‐targeted photodynamic therapy (PDT)/mild‐temperature photothermal therapy (MTPTT) but also ICD‐induced cancer immunotherapy is constructed. The mito‐missile (termed DIH) is prepared by coating dc‐IR825 (a mitochondrion‐targeting cyanine dye)‐loaded polyamidoamine dendrimer with hyaluronic acid. dc‐IR825 can precisely target mitochondria and produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mild heat upon near‐infrared (NIR) light irradiation, inducing mitochondrial damage and mitochondrial stress‐caused enhanced ICD. By combining PDT, MTPTT, and ICD‐induced immunotherapy, the DIH mito‐missile can efficiently inhibit tumor growth and even eradicate tumors. This study develops a dendrimer‐based nanoplatform for realizing mitochondrion‐acting PDT/MTPTT as well as mitochondrial stress‐induced potentiated ICD, which may provide a guideline for designing effective ICD inducers in the future.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
This paper analyzes the control of Al2O3 inclusions in high strength IF steel containing phosphorus. The inclusion statistics and two-dimensional morphology of samples with slab thickness of 1/8, 1/2 ...and 7/8, and the samples with hot rolling, cold rolling and continuous annealing processes were observed and compared by ASPEX SEM. In addition, the three-dimensional morphology of the inclusions extracted from the electrolysis of slab samples and the original morphology of inclusions from the rolling process samples were observed and compared. The results show that: When rare earth Ce is added to the steel, the combination of Ce with activity O and S in the steel has lower Gibbs free energy, and it is easy to generate CeAlO3, Ce2O2S, Ce2O3, composite rare earth inclusions combined with other inclusions. The concentration and supersaturation of aluminum and oxygen are reduced, and the ability of single particle Al2O3 to aggregate into large-scale cluster inclusions is reduced. The average size of Al2O3 inclusions decreased from 5–7 µm to 2–5 µm in each thickness direction. The morphology of inclusions changed from long strip, sharp angle and cluster to spherical, spindle and round surface. Meanwhile, the number density of Al2O3 inclusions increase, but the area density decreases during continuous casting and rolling process. The size of Al2O3 inclusions in the steel without rare earth addition is mostly large-scale strip shape, and it is crushed during rolling,resulting quality defects on the exposed surface and causing the stamping crack problem. When rare earth is added to the steel, the inclusions in the steel change into small-sized circular inclusions with dispersion distribution. The modulus of elasticity is close to that of the steel matrix, which will not affect the continuity of the strip structure, and is beneficial to the relevant properties of the product.
Antimicrobial C-type lectin regenerating islet-derived 3 gamma (REG3G) is suppressed in the small intestine during chronic ethanol feeding. Our aim was to determine the mechanism that underlies REG3G ...suppression during experimental alcoholic liver disease.
Interleukin 22 (IL-22) regulates expression of REG3G. Therefore, we investigated the role of IL-22 in mice subjected to chronic-binge ethanol feeding (NIAAA model).
In a mouse model of alcoholic liver disease, we found that type 3 innate lymphoid cells produce lower levels of IL-22. Reduced IL-22 production was the result of ethanol-induced dysbiosis and lower intestinal levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), a microbiota-derived ligand of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), which regulates expression of IL-22. Importantly, faecal levels of IAA were also found to be lower in patients with alcoholic hepatitis compared with healthy controls. Supplementation to restore intestinal levels of IAA protected mice from ethanol-induced steatohepatitis by inducing intestinal expression of IL-22 and REG3G, which prevented translocation of bacteria to liver. We engineered
to produce IL-22 (
/IL-22) and fed them to mice along with the ethanol diet; these mice had reduced liver damage, inflammation and bacterial translocation to the liver compared with mice fed an isogenic control strain and upregulated expression of REG3G in intestine. However,
/IL-22 did not reduce ethanol-induced liver disease in
mice.
Ethanol-associated dysbiosis reduces levels of IAA and activation of the AHR to decrease expression of IL-22 in the intestine, leading to reduced expression of REG3G; this results in bacterial translocation to the liver and steatohepatitis. Bacteria engineered to produce IL-22 induce expression of REG3G to reduce ethanol-induced steatohepatitis.
The complexation behaviors of pagoda
n
arenes (
n
= 4, 5) with ferrocene, ferrocenium and analogues cobaltocenium were studied. The inclusion complexes of pagoda
n
arenes can protect ferrocenium from ...oxidation in organic solvents and improve the stability and oxygen resistance of ferrocenium.
The inclusion complexes of pagoda
n
arenes with ferrocenium can prevent the destruction of oxygen to ferrocenium in organic solvent and improve the stability and oxygen resistance.
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![Complexation with pagoda[]a...](http://api.summon.serialssolutions.com/2.0.0/image/issn/XR4PS5YY4K/1359-7345/small "Complexation with pagoda[]arene ( = 4, 5) protects ferrocenium from oxidation")