-
Nanoscale Advances Jun 2024Metal oxides with hollow porous structures are attractive and promising anode candidates for Li-ion batteries due to their high surface area, high loading capacity, and...
Metal oxides with hollow porous structures are attractive and promising anode candidates for Li-ion batteries due to their high surface area, high loading capacity, and low density. In this work, hierarchical hollow porous structures of nickel (Ni)-doped λ-MnO were prepared a facile, and cost-effective approach, where different amounts of Ni were introduced into MnO structures to tailor their physical and chemical properties. When the prepared Ni-doped MnO hollow structures were studied as anode materials for Li-ion batteries, the electrode showed excellent electrochemical properties, such as stable cyclability and admirable rate capability. Moreover, Ni doping significantly enhances the diffusion properties of the active materials. The material was also investigated as an anode in another high power and energy Li-ion storage device, namely, a Li-ion hybrid capacitor, which exhibited excellent comprehensive electrochemical performance in terms of good specific cell capacity of 25 mA h g at a high current density of 5 A g and achieved a maximum power density of 29 W kg (with energy density of 30 W h kg) with a long cycle life. These results indicate that the Ni-doped MnO is suitable for application as an anode material and give considerable insight into future Li-energy storage applications.
PubMed: 38933856
DOI: 10.1039/d4na00023d -
Nanoscale Advances Jun 2024Tumors pose a significant threat to human health, and their occurrence and fatality rates are on the rise each year. Accurate tumor diagnosis is crucial in preventing...
Tumors pose a significant threat to human health, and their occurrence and fatality rates are on the rise each year. Accurate tumor diagnosis is crucial in preventing untimely treatment and late-stage metastasis, thereby reducing mortality. To address this, we have developed a novel type of hybrid nanogel called γ-FeO@PNIPAM/PAm/CTS, which contains iron oxide nanoparticles and poly(-isopropyl acrylamide)/polyacrylamide/chitosan. The rationale for this study relies on the concept that thermosensitive PNIPAM has the ability to contract when exposed to elevated temperature conditions found within tumors. This contraction leads to a dense clustering of the high-loading γ-FeO nanoparticles within the nanogel, thus greatly enhancing the capabilities of MRI. Additionally, the amino groups in chitosan on the particle surface can be converted into ammonium salts under mildly acidic conditions, allowing for an increase in the charge of the nanogel specifically at the slightly acidic tumor site. Consequently, it promotes the phagocytosis of tumor cells and effectively enhances the accumulation and retention of nanogels at the tumor site. The synthesis of the hybrid nanogels involves a surfactant-free emulsion copolymerization process, where vinyl-modified γ-FeO superparamagnetic nanoparticles are copolymerized with the monomers in the presence of chitosan. We have optimized various reaction parameters to achieve a high loading content of the superparamagnetic nanoparticles, reaching up to 60%. The achieved value of 517.74 mM S significantly surpasses that of the clinical imaging contrast agent Resovist (approximately 151 mM S). To assess the performance of these magnetic nanogels, we conducted experiments using Cal27 oral tumors and 4T1 breast tumors in animal models. The nanogels exhibited temperature- and pH-sensitivity, enabling magnetic targeting and enhancing diagnosis through MRI. The results demonstrated the potential of these hybrid nanogels as contrast agents for magnetic targeting in biomedical applications.
PubMed: 38933853
DOI: 10.1039/d4na00014e -
Nanoscale Advances Jun 2024Bacterial infections represent a major global health concern, causing millions of deaths and a significant economic burden. The development of antibacterial nanoporous...
Bacterial infections represent a major global health concern, causing millions of deaths and a significant economic burden. The development of antibacterial nanoporous surfaces with potential mechano-bactericidal effects can revolutionize infection control practices. In this study, a hybrid material of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) doped with phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) was synthesized and characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and N sorption isotherms. PMA@ZIF-8 performance as an antibacterial agent against was superior to that of its individual constituents, suggesting a synergistic effect of PMA and ZIF-8. The incorporation of PMA into ZIF-8 significantly enhanced its antibacterial efficacy, as evidenced by a twofold reduction in MIC (375 μg mL 750 μg mL) and a 4.35 times increase in the bactericidal kinetics rate constant. The time-kill curve experiment revealed that PMA@ZIF-8 achieved a 3-log reduction within 7 hours, whereas ZIF-8 required 24 hours to reach the same level of reduction. The density functional theory (DFT) calculated bandgap of PMA@ZIF-8 was significantly less than that of ZIF-8. Also, PMA@ZIF-8 has caused the elimination of 56.72% of the thiol group as detected by Ellman's assay. Accordingly, PMA@ZIF-8 can be both computationally and experimentally demonstrated as an oxidative nanozyme. PMA@ZIF-8's surface topology revealed nanorod protrusions, suggesting a potential mechano-bactericidal effect, which was confirmed by live/dead assay on PMA@ZIF-8-coated glass. This study highlights the potential of the PMA@ZIF-8 hybrid as a highly effective antibacterial agent, holding promise for creating multifunctional antibacterial surfaces.
PubMed: 38933851
DOI: 10.1039/d4na00142g -
Fundamental Research Jan 2024With the advent of the Internet of Everything (IoE), the concept of fully interconnected systems has become a reality, and the need for seamless communication and...
With the advent of the Internet of Everything (IoE), the concept of fully interconnected systems has become a reality, and the need for seamless communication and interoperability among different industrial systems has become more pressing than ever before. To address the challenges posed by massive data traffic, we demonstrate the potentials of semantic information processing in industrial manufacturing processes and then propose a brief framework of semantic processing and communication system for industrial network. In particular, the scheme is featured with task-orientation and collaborative processing. To illustrate its applicability, we provide examples of time series and images, as typical industrial data sources, for practical tasks, such as lifecycle estimation and surface defect detection. Simulation results show that semantic information processing achieves a more efficient way of information processing and exchanging, compared to conventional methods, which is crucial for handling the demands of future interconnected industrial networks.
PubMed: 38933836
DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2023.06.003 -
Frontiers in Bioengineering and... 2024In the brains of most adult mammals, neural precursor cells (NPCs) from the subventricular zone (SVZ) migrate through the rostral migratory stream (RMS) to replace...
In the brains of most adult mammals, neural precursor cells (NPCs) from the subventricular zone (SVZ) migrate through the rostral migratory stream (RMS) to replace olfactory bulb interneurons. Following brain injury, published studies have shown that NPCs can divert from the SVZ-RMS-OB route and migrate toward injured brain regions, but the quantity of arriving cells, the lack of survival and terminal differentiation of neuroblasts into neurons, and their limited capacity to re-connect into circuitry are insufficient to promote functional recovery in the absence of therapeutic intervention. Our lab has fabricated a biomimetic tissue-engineered rostral migratory stream (TE-RMS) that replicates some notable structural and functional components of the endogenous rat RMS. Based on the design attributes for the TE-RMS platform, it may serve as a regenerative medicine strategy to facilitate sustained neuronal replacement into an injured brain region or an tool to investigate cell-cell communication and neuroblast migration. Previous work has demonstrated that the TE-RMS replicates the basic structure, unique nuclear shape, cytoskeletal arrangement, and surface protein expression of the endogenous rat RMS. Here, we developed an enhanced TE-RMS fabrication method in hydrogel microchannels that allowed more robust and high-throughput TE-RMS assembly. We report unique astrocyte behavior, including astrocyte bundling into the TE-RMS, the presence of multiple TE-RMS bundles, and observations of discontinuities in TE-RMS bundles, when microtissues are fabricated in agarose microchannels containing different critical curved or straight geometric features. We also demonstrate that we can harvest NPCs from the SVZ of adult rat brains and that EGFP+ cells migrate in chain formation from SVZ neurospheres through the TE-RMS . Overall, the TE-RMS can be utilized as an platform to investigate the pivotal cell-cell signaling mechanisms underlying the synergy of molecular cues involved in immature neuronal migration and differentiation.
PubMed: 38933539
DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1410717 -
Molecular Therapy. Oncology Jun 2024The prognosis for children with recurrent and/or refractory neuroblastoma (NB) is dismal. The receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1), which is highly...
The prognosis for children with recurrent and/or refractory neuroblastoma (NB) is dismal. The receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1), which is highly expressed on the surface of NB cells, provides a potential target for novel immunotherapeutics. Anti-ROR1 chimeric antigen receptor engineered expanded peripheral blood natural killer (anti-ROR1 CAR exPBNK) cells represent this approach. N-803 is an IL-15 superagonist with enhanced biological activity. In this study, we investigated the and anti-tumor effects of anti-ROR1 CAR exPBNK cells with or without N-803 against ROR1 NB models. Compared to mock exPBNK cells, anti-ROR1 CAR exPBNK cells had significantly enhanced cytotoxicity against ROR1 NB cells, and N-803 further increased cytotoxicity. High-dimensional analysis revealed that N-803 enhanced Stat5 phosphorylation and Ki67 levels in both exPBNK and anti-ROR1 CAR exPBNK cells with or without NB cells. anti-ROR1 CAR exPBNK plus N-803 significantly ( < 0.05) enhanced survival in human ROR1 NB xenografted NSG mice compared to anti-ROR1 CAR exPBNK alone. Our results provide the rationale for further development of anti-ROR1 CAR exPBNK cells plus N-803 as a novel combination immunotherapeutic for patients with recurrent and/or refractory ROR1 NB.
PubMed: 38933492
DOI: 10.1016/j.omton.2024.200820 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances May 2024Water pollution caused by chromium released from tannery is a serious concern to the environment and public health. Chromium removal from tannery effluent is a crying...
Water pollution caused by chromium released from tannery is a serious concern to the environment and public health. Chromium removal from tannery effluent is a crying need before discharging to the surface water. In this study, acrylic acid-grafted sawdust was prepared by Tectona grandis sawdust grafting with acrylic acid employing gamma irradiation in the presence of air and Mohr's salt. It was treated with NaOH and the characterization of surface morphology and functional groups of modified sawdust was studied by SEM and FTIR.. The effects of solution pH, adsorbent dosage, adsorption time, and initial Cr(III) ion concentration were investigated by batch sorption studies. The process was found to be pH, temperature and concentration dependent. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were applied to realize the adsorption process in depth, and it was found that the Langmuir isotherm model fitted well with experimental data (R value of 0.983). The maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of acrylic acid-grafted sawdust for Cr(III) from aquous solution was found to be 21.55 mg g at 25 °C. Pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models were employed to analyze the kinetics of the process, and it was found that the experimental process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, i.e. chemisorption. This study revealed that acrylic acid-grafted sawdust has a decent potential for the removal of Cr(III) from tannery effluents.
PubMed: 38933367
DOI: 10.1016/j.hazadv.2024.100427 -
Journal of Inflammation Research 2024Significant gastrointestinal hemorrhages, resulting from long-term compression of the duodenum by a hepatic pseudoaneurysm (HAPA), is an extremely rare condition. In...
AIM
Significant gastrointestinal hemorrhages, resulting from long-term compression of the duodenum by a hepatic pseudoaneurysm (HAPA), is an extremely rare condition. In fact, when the pseudoaneurysm is small in diameter, diagnosis can be particularly challenging. Timely and effective diagnosis and treatment is therefore of great significance, and in this case, endoscopy, combined with intravascular therapy, can provide an effective approach, especially since it removes the need for surgery while yielding favorable outcomes.
CASE SUMMARY
A 75-year-old old man presented to the hospital's emergency department with hematemesis and black stool. Despite conservative treatments such as "acid suppression, fluid resupply, hemostasis and blood transfusion", no significant improvement was noted. Emergency gastroscopy subsequently revealed an ulcer in the duodenal bulb (Figure 1), with an exposed thrombotic head and active bleeding on the surface. In addition, abdominal computed tomography (Figure 2) showed no obvious HAPA manifestations. After unsuccessful endoscopic hemostasis, angiography was performed (Figure 3) and a pseudotumor-like dilatation measuring 5.56 mm in diameter was found at the distal end of the proximal branch vessel of the common hepatic artery. Following spring coil embolization (Figure 4), the patient's condition improved and he was discharged from the hospital, with a follow-up after six months showing no signs of recurrence or complications.
CONCLUSION
Duodenal ulcer hemorrhages due to small hepatic pseudoaneurysms are very rare, with endoscopic intervention being effective for such cases.
PubMed: 38933359
DOI: 10.2147/JIR.S467969 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024The classical pathway of the complement system is activated by the binding of C1q in the C1 complex to the target activator, including immune complexes. Factor H is...
The classical pathway of the complement system is activated by the binding of C1q in the C1 complex to the target activator, including immune complexes. Factor H is regarded as the key downregulatory protein of the complement alternative pathway. However, both C1q and factor H bind to target surfaces via charge distribution patterns. For a few targets, C1q and factor H compete for binding to common or overlapping sites. Factor H, therefore, can effectively regulate the classical pathway activation through such targets, in addition to its previously characterized role in the alternative pathway. Both C1q and factor H are known to recognize foreign or altered-self materials, e.g., bacteria, viruses, and apoptotic/necrotic cells. Clots, formed by the coagulation system, are an example of altered self. Factor H is present abundantly in platelets and is a well-known substrate for FXIIIa. Here, we investigated whether clots activate the complement classical pathway and whether this is regulated by factor H. We show here that both C1q and factor H bind to the fibrin formed in microtiter plates and the fibrin clots formed under physiological conditions. Both C1q and factor H become covalently bound to fibrin clots, and this is mediated via FXIIIa. We also show that fibrin clots activate the classical pathway of complement, as demonstrated by C4 consumption and membrane attack complex detection assays. Thus, factor H downregulates the activation of the classical pathway induced by fibrin clots. These results elucidate the intricate molecular mechanisms through which the complement and coagulation pathways intersect and have regulatory consequences.
Topics: Humans; Complement Factor H; Fibrin; Blood Coagulation; Complement C1q; Complement Pathway, Classical; Protein Binding; Complement Activation; Blood Platelets
PubMed: 38933264
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1368852 -
Fundamental Research May 2024Land public transport is an important link within and between cities, and how to control the transmission of COVID-19 in land public transport is a critical issue in our... (Review)
Review
Land public transport is an important link within and between cities, and how to control the transmission of COVID-19 in land public transport is a critical issue in our daily lives. However, there are still many inconsistent opinions and views about the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in land public transport, which limits our ability to implement effective interventions. The purpose of this review is to overview the literature on transmission characteristics and routes of the epidemic in land public transport, as well as to investigate factors affecting its spread and provide feasible measures to mitigate the infection risk of passengers. We obtained 898 papers by searching the Web of Science, Pubmed, and WHO global COVID database by keywords, and finally selected 45 papers that can address the purpose of this review. Land public transport is a high outbreak area for COVID-19 due to characteristics like crowding, inadequate ventilation, long exposure time, and environmental closure. Different from surface touch transmission and drop spray transmission, aerosol inhalation transmission can occur not only in short distances but also in long distances. Insufficient ventilation is the most important factor influencing long-distance aerosol transmission. Other transmission factors (e.g., interpersonal distance, relative orientation, and ambient conditions) should be noticed as well, which have been summarized in this paper. To address various influencing factors, it is essential to suggest practical and efficient preventive measures. Among these, increased ventilation, particularly the fresh air (i.e., natural ventilation), has proven to effectively reduce indoor infection risk. Many preventive measures are also effective, such as enlarging social distance, avoiding face-to-face orientation, setting up physical partitions, disinfection, avoiding talking, and so on. As research on the epidemic has intensified, people have broken down many perceived barriers, but more comprehensive studies on monitoring systems and prevention measures in land public transport are still needed.
PubMed: 38933205
DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2023.10.013