Negative thermal quenching CsPbBr3 glass-ceramic based on intrinsic radiation and vacancy defect co-induced dual-emission

Halide perovskite glass-ceramic has recently moved into the center of the attention of perovskite research due to their potential for temperature sensing. However, quantum dots glass-ceramic with excellent luminescence performance still needs to be combined with rare-earth (RE) ions to accurately measure temperature. In this work, a novel non-RE doped dual-emission (460 nm and 512 nm) CsPbBr₃ quantum dots was obtained in telluride glass via the friction crystallization method, where 512 nm was derived from intrinsic luminescence of quantum dots, and 460 nm was originated from thermally induced bromine vacancy, which can be used for temperature sensing. Fluorescence intensity ratio results indicate that the relative sensitivity of dual-emission could reach 5.6 % K^?1 at 323 K. The discovery of non-RE doped CsPbBr₃ QDs glass-ceramic with negative thermal quenching uncovers a new optional sensing glass material that surpass traditional RE-doped QDs glass by their tunability and sensitivity.     

The Innate Immune Glycoprotein Lactoferrin Represses the Helicobacter pylori cag Type IV Secretion System

Chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori increases risk of gastric diseases including gastric cancer. Despite development of a robust immune response, H. pylori persists in the gastric niche. Progression of gastric inflammation to serious disease outcomes is associated with infection with H. pylori strains which encode the cag Type IV Secretion System (cag T4SS). The cag T4SS is responsible for translocating the oncogenic protein CagA into host cells and inducing pro-inflammatory and carcinogenic signaling cascades. Our previous work demonstrated that nutrient iron modulates the activity of the T4SS and biogenesis of T4SS pili. In response to H. pylori infection, the host produces a variety of antimicrobial molecules, including the iron-binding glycoprotein, lactoferrin. Our work shows that apo-lactoferrin exerts antimicrobial activity against H. pylori under iron-limited conditions, while holo-lactoferrin enhances bacterial growth. Culturing H. pylori in the presence of holo-lactoferrin prior to co-culture with gastric epithelial cells, results in repression of the cag T4SS activity. Concomitantly, a decrease in biogenesis of cag T4SS pili at the host-pathogen interface was observed under these culture conditions by high-resolution electron microscopy analyses. Taken together, these results indicate that acquisition of alternate sources of nutrient iron plays a role in regulating the pro-inflammatory activity of a bacterial secretion system and present novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of H. pylori-related disease.     

Studies on waterline corrosion processes and corrosion product characteristics of carbon steel in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution

The waterline corrosion behaviors of carbon steel partially immersed in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution were investigated using the wire beam electrode technique, and the effects of corrosion products on the processes of waterline corrosion were analyzed. The results demonstrated that the initial stage and development stage of waterline corrosion were mainly controlled by the concentration and diffusion of dissolved oxygen, respectively, and the deceleration stage of waterline corrosion was mainly affected by corrosion products. The main component of the yellow corrosion products was γ-FeOOH, and γ-FeOOH that exhibited a high reduction reactivity could be involved in the cathodic reaction. The black corrosion products were mainly composed of Fe₃O₄ with strong thermodynamic stability and the processes of dissolved oxygen diffusion and ion transports were obviously affected due to the continuous accumulation of Fe₃O₄ on the surface of the electrodes. Polarity reversals were observed on the single electrodes below the waterline, but the reasons for the phenomena were different from each other.     

Integrative improvement on thermophysical properties and ablation resistance of laminated carbon/carbon composites modified by in situ grown HfC nanowires onto carbon fiber cloths

HfC nanowires modified carbon fiber cloth laminated carbon/carbon (HfC_nw-C/C) composites were fabricated by in situ growth of HfC nanowires on carbon cloths via catalytic CVD, followed with lamination of the cloths and densification by pyrolytic carbon (PyC). Morphologies, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and ablation resistance of the composites were investigated. Due to the loading of HfC nanowires, the matrix PyC with low texture was obtained; the thermal conductivity of the composites in the Z direction was enhanced from 100℃ to 2500℃; CTE along the X–Y direction also decreased in the range of 2060 ℃ – 2500 ℃, which reaches the maximum of 24 % at 2500℃. Moreover, the 20s-ablation-resistance of HfC_nw-C/C composites exhibits mass and linear ablation rates of 5.3 mg/s and 21.0 μm/s, which are 40 % and 37 % lower than those of pure C/C composites, respectively. Our work shows laminated HfC_nw-C/C composites are a promising candidate for high-temperature applications.     

抗FGF-2纳米抗体抑制碱烧伤诱导大鼠角膜血管新生

目的：研究抗成纤维细胞生长因子（FGF-2）纳米抗体对碱烧伤诱导的大鼠角膜血管生成的治疗作用。方法：将SD大鼠分为：假手术组（Sham），模型组（Model，直径为3 mm的浸有1 mol/L NaOH溶液圆形滤纸贴于大鼠眼角膜中央处30 s，制备大鼠碱烧伤血管生成模型）和治疗组（Treatment，术后7天至21天用3 mg/mL的抗FGF-2纳米抗体溶液滴眼，每日3次，每次10 μL，共14天）。通过体视显微镜和CD31免疫组织化学染色计算大鼠角膜血管生成情况。实时荧光定量PCR、酶联免疫吸附测定和免疫组织化学染色3种方法检测抗血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）和FGF-2的mRNA和蛋白表达水平。结果：（1）血管：治疗组较模型组的面积显著减少，血管管腔较窄（P<0.05），在药物干预14天后，差异最为显著；（2）FGF-2的mRNA和蛋白表达水平：模型组与治疗组的结果相近（P>0.05）；（3）VEGF的mRNA和蛋白表达水平：治疗组显著高于模型组（P<0.05）。此外，假手术组的持续给药也使得VEGF表达显著增加（P<0.05）。 结论：抗FGF-2纳米抗体可抑制由碱烧伤诱导的角膜血管新生，但也使得正常大鼠角膜或病理大鼠角膜的VEGF表达水平代偿性升高。     

Additive Manufacturing of Stable Energy Storage Devices Using a Multinozzle Printing System

The development of the Internet of things has prompted an exponential increase in the demand for flexible, wearable devices, thereby posing new challenges to their integration and conformalization. Additive manufacturing facilitates the fabrication of complex parts via a single integrated process. Herein, the development of a multinozzle, multimaterial printing device is reported. This device accommodates the various characteristics of printing materials, ensures high-capacity printing, and can accommodate a wide range of material viscosities from 0 to 1000 Cp. Complete capacitors, inclusive of the current collector, electrode, and electrolyte, can be printed without repeated clamping to complete the preheating, printing, and sintering processes. This method addresses the poor stability issue associated with printed electrode materials. Furthermore, after the intercalation of LiFePO₄ with Na ions, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction results reveal that the Na ions permeate the interlayer structure of LiFePO₄, enhancing the ion migration channels by increasing the ion transmission rate. A current rate of 2.5 mAh ensures >2000 charge/discharge cycles, while retaining a charge/discharge efficiency of 96% and a discharge capacity of 91.3 mAh g⁻¹. This manufacturing process can provide conformal power modules for a diverse range of portable devices with various shapes, improving space utilization.     

Functional Coupling of Slack Channels and P2X3 Receptors Contributes to Neuropathic Pain Processing

The sodium-activated potassium channel Slack (K_Na1.1, Slo2.2, or Kcnt1) is highly expressed in populations of sensory neurons, where it mediates the sodium-activated potassium current (I_KNa) and modulates neuronal activity. Previous studies suggest that Slack is involved in the processing of neuropathic pain. However, mechanisms underlying the regulation of Slack activity in this context are poorly understood. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings we found that Slack-mediated I_KNa in sensory neurons of mice is reduced after peripheral nerve injury, thereby contributing to neuropathic pain hypersensitivity. Interestingly, Slack is closely associated with ATP-sensitive P2X3 receptors in a population of sensory neurons. In vitro experiments revealed that Slack-mediated I_KNa may be bidirectionally modulated in response to P2X3 activation. Moreover, mice lacking Slack show altered nocifensive responses to P2X3 stimulation. Our study identifies P2X3/Slack signaling as a mechanism contributing to hypersensitivity after peripheral nerve injury and proposes a potential novel strategy for treatment of neuropathic pain.     

Enzyme-Activated Prodrug-Based Smart Liposomes Specifically Enhance Tumor Hemoperfusion with Efficient Drug Delivery to Pancreatic Cancer Cells and Stellate Cells

Tumor-specific enhanced delivery of chemotherapeutics and modulators to tumor cells and activated pancreatic stellate cells (aPSCs), respectively, represents safer and more effective therapy for pancreatic cancer. Herein, a membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP)-cleavable spacer is used to assemble low-density cRGDfK onto thermosensitive liposomes loaded with phosphorylated calcipotriol (PCAL) and doxorubicin (DOX), yielding MR-T-PD. The liposome-linked cRGDfK prodrug on MR-T-PD surface is first activated by MT1-MMP, which is selectively expressed on tumor endothelial cells, to release cRGDfK. The free cRGDfK specifically promotes tumor angiogenesis, leading to 3.4-fold higher accumulation and a wider distribution of MR-T-PD in tumors. Furthermore, MR-T-PD rapidly releases PCAL and DOX into the interstitium under heat treatment. The released DOX enters tumor cells to induce apoptosis, whereas the PCAL prodrug is converted to CAL by alkaline phosphatase on the surface of aPSCs; CAL can then enter aPSCs to induce quiescence and promote the antitumor effect of DOX. Finally, by enhancing the exposure of DOX and CAL to tumor cells and aPSCs, respectively, in a tumor-specific manner, MR-T-PD exerts superior efficacy (a 5.9-fold decrease in tumor weight) without causing additional side effects. Overall, this prodrug-based smart liposome system represents a promising paradigm for pancreatic cancer therapy.     

High-Efficiency Organic Solar Cells Based on a Low-Cost Fully Non-Fused Electron Acceptor

A series of tetrathiophene-based fully non-fused ring acceptors (4T-1, 4T-2, 4T-3, and 4T-4), which can be paired with the star donor polymer PBDB-T to fabricate highly efficient organic solar cells are developed. Tailoring the size of lateral chains can tune the solubility and packing mode of acceptor molecules in neat and blend films. It is found that the incorporation of 2-ethylhexyl chains can effectively change the compatibility with the donor polymer PBDB-T, and an encouraging power conversion efficiency of 10.15% is accomplished by 4T-3-based organic solar cells. It also presents good compatibility with the other polymer donor and an even higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.04% is achieved based on D18:4T-3 blend, which is the champion PCE for the fully non-fused acceptors. Importantly, these inexpensive tetrathiophene fully non-fused ring acceptors provide cost-effective photovoltaic performance. The results demonstrate a high photovoltaic performance from synthetically inexpensive materials could be achieved by the rational design of non-fused ring acceptor molecules.