Organic‐inorganic hybrid photoelectric devices draw considerable attention because of their unique features by combining the relatively low ionization potential of the organic molecules and the high ...electron affinity of inorganic semiconductors. Hybrid organic‐inorganic poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT):CdSe nanowire heterojunction photodetectors are first demonstrated on silicon substrates, exhibiting a greatly enhanced photocurrent, a fast response, and a recovery time shorter than 0.1 s. Flexible hybrid photodetectors with excellent mechanical flexibility and stability are also fabricated on both poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates and printing paper. The flexible devices are successfully operated under bending up to almost 180° and show an extremely high on/off switching ratio (larger than 500), a fast time response (about 10 ms), and excellent wavelength‐dependence, which are very desirable properties for its practical application in high‐frequency or high‐speed flexible electronic devices.
Organic‐inorganic photodetectors based on poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT):CdSe nanowire heterojunctions with an enhanced photoresponse are successfully fabricated on rigid substrates. Hybrid photodetectors with high mechanical flexibility, good folding strength, excellent wavelength‐dependent electrical stability, and very fast response to high‐frequency light signals are constructed on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and printing paper, which may apply to the flexible optoelectronic devices.
In shear wave-based material mechanical characterization, the transmit/receiver transducer is generally in contact with the material through a coupling medium. In many applications, especially in ...biological tissue-related characterization, the application of the coupling medium and the contact method are not ideal, sometimes even unacceptable, due to contamination or stress response concerns. To avoid contact, we developed a 1 MHz air-coupled focused PZT transducer as a moderate pressure generator that could induce a shear wave in soft material and a fiber optic-based Sagnac system for the detection of the propagating shear wave. A calibration indicated that the fabricated air-coupled focused PZT transducer could generate pressure above 1 KPa within its focal range. This pressure is three to five times as much as the pressure generated by a 1 MHz air-coupled transducer currently available on the market. The integrated system was demonstrated through shear wave generation by the fabricated air-coupled PZT transducer and shear wave detection by the fiber optic Sagnac system in a nylon membrane. The results demonstrated the capability of the integrated system in non-contact material mechanical characterization, such as in material modulus measurement.
External stimuli-responsive nanomedicine with desirable repetitive on-demand drug release character is postulated to greatly accommodate patients' flexible medication regime. To this object, ...light-activatable liposomes (Pt/Ce6-LP) integrated with both a Ce6 photodynamic component and a tetravalent platinum prodrug (Pt(IV)) chemotherapeutic component are engineered. This multifunctional system was rationally designed using unsaturated phospholipid to achieve repetitive on-demand drug release under discontinuous light irradiation, thus performing chemo-photodynamic therapy effect and immunopotentiation in hypoxic tumor. Furthermore, glutathione (GSH) consumption during transformation from Pt(IV) prodrug to Pt(II) can avoid depletion of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in photodynamic therapy (PDT). Note this positive feedback loop appears to remodel the redox balance of H2O2 and GSH in tumors, alleviating the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. The alleviated hypoxia is found to be critical to the enhancement of PDT efficacy, reversal of cisplatin resistance in tumors, and polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) to the immunocompetent M1-phynotype. Pt/Ce6-LP with light radiation demonstrates significant antitumor effect and persistent post-medication inhibition in patient-derived tumor xenograft model of hepatocellular carcinoma.
A light-activatable liposome (Pt/Ce6-LP) was constructed to realize repetitive on-demand drug release and intensified PDT/chemotherapy on patient-derived tumor xenograft model of hepatocellular carcinoma. Pt/Ce6-LP with light irradiation overcame hypoxia-relative therapeutic resistance via a positive feedback loop and increased M1-TAMs populations to potentiate immune activity for hypoxic tumor treatment. Display omitted
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•BSA and BSA-glucose conjugates (GBSA) complexed with curcumin (CUR) were fabricated.•The interaction of CUR and BSA or GBSA was spontaneous.•BSA/GBSA–CUR nanocomplexes were formed ...mainly by hydrophobic interactions.•Increasing the extent of glycation promoted physicochemical stability of nanocomplexes.
Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and BSA-glucose conjugates (GBSAⅠ and GBSAⅠI) with different extent of glycation were complexed with curcumin (CUR). The formation mechanism of BSA/GBSA-CUR complexes and the effect of glycation on their physicochemical properties were investigated. Fluorescence quenching and FTIR analysis indicated that the BSA/GBSA–CUR nanocomplexes were formed mainly by hydrophobic interactions. XRD analysis demonstrated that CUR was present in an amorphous state in the nanocomplexes. BSA with a greater extent of glycation (BSA < GBSAⅠ<GBSAⅠI) displayed a higher binding affinity for CUR. The highest CUR encapsulation efficiency (86.77%) and loading capacity (7.81 mg/g) were obtained in the GBSAⅠI-CUR nanocomplex. The zeta-potential varied from −17.45 to −27.65 mV, depending on the extent of glycation. Furthermore, the physicochemical stability of BSA/GBSA-CUR nanocomplexes increased with the increasing extent of glycation of BSA. Thus, the obtained GBSAⅠI have the potential to become new delivery carriers for encapsulating hydrophobic food components.
Magnesium (Mg) is both an essential macro-element and a known catalyst, and it plays a vital role in various physiological activities and mechanisms in relation to chronic kidney disease (CKD). ...However, epidemiological evidence involving this is limited and not entirely consistent. This study aims to explore the association of serum Mg concentrations with the risk of CKD among general Chinese adults.
A total of 8,277 Chinese adults were included in the wave of 2009 from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). The primary outcome was the risk of CKD, which was defined as the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m
. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to examine the relationship of serum Mg concentrations with the risk of CKD.
Included were 8,277 individuals, with an overall CKD prevalence of 11.8% (n = 977). Compared with the first quartile of serum Mg, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for participants in the second, third, and fourth quartiles of serum Mg were 0.74 (0.58, 0.93), 0.87 (0.69, 1.11) and 1.29 (1.03, 1.61), respectively. Similar results were observed in our several sensitivity analyses. Restricted cubic spline analysis demonstrated a nonlinear (similar "J"-shaped) association between serum Mg concentrations and the risk of CKD (P
<0.001), with a threshold at around a serum Mg value of 2.2 mg/dL.
Our results suggested a similar "J"-shaped association between serum Mg concentration and the risk of CKD among Chinese adults. Further large prospective studies are needed to verify these findings.
Borneol is a compound widely used in ophthalmic preparations in China. Little is known about its exact role in treating eye diseases. Here we report that transient receptor potential melastatin 8 ...(TRPM8) channel is a pharmacological target of borneol and mediates its therapeutic effect in the eyes. Ca2+ measurement and electrophysiological recordings revealed that borneol activated TRPM8 channel in a temperature- and dose-dependent manner, which was similar to but less effective than the action of menthol, an established TRPM8 agonist. Borneol significantly increased tear production in guinea pigs without evoking nociceptive responses at 25°C, but failed to induce tear secretion at 35°C. In contrast, menthol evoked tearing response at both 25 and 35°C. TRPM8 channel blockers N-(3-Aminopropyl)-2-(3-methylphenyl)methoxy-N-(2-thienylmethyl)benzamide hydrochloride (AMTB) and N-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-4-(3-chloropyridin-2-yl)piperazine-1-carboxamide (BCTC) abolished borneol- and menthol-induced tear secretion. Borneol at micromolar concentrations did not affect the viability of human corneal epithelial cells. We conclude that borneol can activate the cold-sensing TRPM8 channel and modestly increase ocular surface wetness, which suggests it is an active compound in ophthalmic preparations and particularly useful in treating dry eye syndrome.
Mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades have been implicated in regulating various aspects of plant development, including somatic cytokinesis. The evolution of expanded plant MAPK gene ...families has enabled the diversification of potential MAPK cascades, but functionally overlapping components are also well documented. Here we report that Arabidopsis MPK4, an MAPK that was previously described as a regulator of disease resistance, can interact with and be phosphorylated by the cytokinesis‐related MAP kinase kinase, AtMKK6. In mpk4 mutant plants, anthers can develop normal microspore mother cells (MMCs) and peripheral supporting tissues, but the MMCs fail to form a normal intersporal callose wall after male meiosis, and thus cannot complete meiotic cytokinesis. Nevertheless, the multinucleate mpk4 microspores subsequently proceed through mitotic cytokinesis, resulting in enlarged mature pollen grains that possess increased sets of the tricellular structure. This pollen development phenotype is reminiscent of those observed in both atnack2/tes/stud and anq1/mkk6 mutants, and protein–protein interaction analysis defines a putative signalling module linking AtNACK2/TES/STUD, AtANP3, AtMKK6 and AtMPK4 together as a cascade that facilitates male‐specific meiotic cytokinesis in Arabidopsis.
Spermiogenesis is a highly orchestrated developmental process during which chromatin condensation decouples transcription from translation. Spermiogenic mRNAs are transcribed earlier and stored in a ...translationally inert state until needed for translation; however, it remains largely unclear how such repressed mRNAs become activated during spermiogenesis. We previously reported that the MIWI/piRNA machinery is responsible for mRNA elimination during late spermiogenesis in preparation for spermatozoa production. Here we unexpectedly discover that the same machinery is also responsible for activating translation of a subset of spermiogenic mRNAs to coordinate with morphological transformation into spermatozoa. Such action requires specific base-pairing interactions of piRNAs with target mRNAs in their 3′ UTRs, which activates translation through coupling with cis-acting AU-rich elements to nucleate the formation of a MIWI/piRNA/eIF3f/HuR super-complex in a developmental stage-specific manner. These findings reveal a critical role of the piRNA system in translation activation, which we show is functionally required for spermatid development.
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•MIWI/piRNA activates mRNA translation via imperfect base-pairing interactions•HuR and eIF3f are required for MIWI/piRNA-mediated target mRNA activation•piRNA system controls the translation of a subset of mRNAs in mouse spermatids•piRNA system plays a central role in acrosome formation during spermiogenesis
The piRNA pathway, through functional interplay with HuR and eIF3f, plays an important role in translational activation of a specific set of mRNAs during mouse spermiogenesis.
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•Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) technology was introduced to improve the functional properties of zein films.•The surface hydrophilicity and mechanical strength were significantly ...increased after ACP treatment.•The increased surface roughness and enrichment of the oxygen- and nitrogen-containing groups were responsible for this modification.
In the present study, the nonhazardous atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) technique was introduced to improve the surface hydrophilicity and mechanical strength of zein film. The results indicated that the surface hydrophilicity was significantly increased after ACP treatment, with a drop of contact angle from 72.85 ± 2.33° (untreated) to 48.42 ± 1.57° (ACP–60 s). Increased surface roughness and enrichment of the oxygen- and nitrogen-containing groups were responsible for this modification. As the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results shown, the O1 s and N1 s peak intensity was dramatically enhanced after 30 s ACP treatment with an increased O/C ratio from 0.64 to 1.09. Storage in ambient environment for an extra 24 h of treated film could further reduce the contact angle. With the treatment time extending, enhanced tensile strength (TS) and flexibility were observed in zein films, accompanied by improving thermal properties, which indicated the cross-linking within protein matrix. Moreover, ACP treatment could significantly decrease the water vapor permeability (WVP) due to the increasing tortuosity of the diffusion pathway after plasma treatment. The secondary structure in amide I band (1600–1700 cm−1) indicated that there was a transformation from β-turn and α-helix into β-sheet induced by ACP treatment. This research opens up new opportunities that ACP could be developed as a modification method of zein film for better utilization in packaging industry.
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•ACP was introduced to improve the surface hydrophilic of zein films.•Surface roughness and O- and N- groups were responsible for modification.•ACP improved the cytocompatibility ...C2C12 cells on zein films.
The cell adhesion and proliferation of zein-based biomaterials in cell culture application are limited by the strong hydrophobic surface with low surface energy. In this study, atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) was developed as a modification approach in enhancing the surface hydrophilic and cytocompatibility of zein films. The results indicated that water contact angles decreased from 72.85° (untreated) to 47.43° under the voltage of 100 V. The improvement of the surface free energy (SFE) was mainly attributed to the polar component rather than dispersive component. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated the change of surface physicochemical properties was mainly due to the partially transformation of long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons (CH and/or CC) to oxygen- and nitrogen-containing bonds (CO, CO and CN). Furthermore, the content of secondary structure demonstrated β-turn and α-helix were transformed into β-sheet and random coil after ACP treatment. Combining with the cell experiment results, plasma treatment could significantly improve the adhesion rate and proliferation activity of C2C12 cells on zein films. With better cytocompatibility, the potentials of zein in tissue engineering scaffold could be readily exploited.
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