Comparative study of a novel proximal femoral bionic nail and three conventional cephalomedullary nails for reverse obliquity intertrochanteric fractures: a finite element analysis.

Purpose: Conventional cephalomedullary nails (CMNs) are commonly employed for internal fixation in the treatment of reverse obliquity intertrochanteric (ROI) fractures. However, the limited effectiveness of conventional CMNs in addressing ROI fractures results in significant implant-related complications. To address challenges associated with internal fixation, a novel Proximal Femoral Bionic Nail (PFBN) has been developed. Methods: In this study, a finite element model was constructed using a normal femoral specimen, and biomechanical verification was conducted using the GOM non-contact optical strain measurement system. Four intramedullary fixation approaches-PFBN, Proximal Femoral Nail Antirotation InterTan nail (ITN), and Gamma nail (Gamma nail)-were employed to address three variations of ROI fractures (AO/OTA 31-A3). The biomechanical stability of the implant models was evaluated through the calculation of the von Mises stress contact pressure and displacement. Results: Compared to conventional CMNs, the PFBN group demonstrated a 9.36%-59.32% reduction in the maximum VMS at the implant. The A3.3 ROI fracture (75% bone density) was the most unstable type of fracture. In comparison to conventional CMNs, PFBN demonstrated more stable data, including VMS values (implant: 506.33 MPa, proximal fracture fragment: 34.41 MPa), contact pressure (13.28 MPa), and displacement (17.59 mm). Conclusion: Compared to the PFNA, ITN, and GN, the PFBN exhibits improvements in stress concentration, stress conduction, and overall model stability in ROI fractures. The double triangle structure aligns better with the tissue structure and biomechanical properties of the proximal femur. Consequently, the PFBN has significant potential as a new fixation strategy for the clinical treatment of ROI fractures.

CPT1A loss disrupts BCAA metabolism to confer therapeutic vulnerability in TP53-mutated liver cancer.

Driver genomic mutations in tumors define specific molecular subtypes that display distinct malignancy competence, therapeutic resistance and clinical outcome. Although TP53 mutation has been identified as the most common mutation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), current understanding on the biological traits and therapeutic strategies of this subtype has been largely unknown. Here, we reveal that fatty acid ß oxidation (FAO) is remarkable repressed in TP53 mutant HCC and which links to poor prognosis in HCC patients. We further demonstrate that carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1A), the rate-limiting enzyme of FAO, is universally downregulated in liver tumor tissues, and which correlates with poor prognosis in HCC and promotes HCC progression in the de novo liver tumor and xenograft tumor models. Mechanically, hepatic Cpt1a loss disrupts lipid metabolism and acetyl-CoA production. Such reduction in acetyl-CoA reduced histone acetylation and epigenetically reprograms branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) catabolism, and leads to the accumulation of cellular BCAAs and hyperactivation of mTOR signaling. Importantly, we reveal that genetic ablation of CPT1A renders TP53 mutant liver cancer mTOR-addicted and sensitivity to mTOR inhibitor AZD-8055 treatment. Consistently, Cpt1a loss in HCC directs tumor cell therapeutic response to AZD-8055. CONCLUSION: Our results show genetic evidence for CPT1A as a metabolic tumor suppressor in HCC and provide a therapeutic approach for TP53 mutant HCC patients.

Ambient Air Processed Inverted Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cells with over 21% Efficiency Enabled by Multifunctional Ethacridine Lactate.

All-inorganic cesium lead triiodide perovskites (CsPbI3) have attracted increasing attention due to their good thermal stability, remarkable optoelectronic properties, and adaptability in tandem solar cells. However, N2-filled glovebox is generally required to strictly control the humidity during film fabrication due to the moisture-induced black-to-yellow phase transition, which remains a great hinderance for further commercialization. Herein, we report an effective approach via incorporating multifunctional ethacridine lactate (EAL) to mitigate moisture invasion and enable the fabrication of efficient inverted (p-i-n) CsPbI3 perovskite solar cells (PSCs) under ambient condition. It is revealed that the lactate anions accelerate the crystallization of CsPbI3, shortening the exposure time to moisture during film fabrication. Meanwhile, the conjugated backbone and multiple functional groups in the ethacridine cations can interact with I- and Pb2+ to reduce the undesired defects, stabilize the perovskite structure and facilitate the charge transport in the film. Moreover, EAL incorporation also leads to better energy alignment, thus favoring charge extraction at both upper and bottom interfaces. Consequently, the device efficiency and stability are enormously enhanced, with the champion efficiency reaching 21.08%. This even surpasses the highest value reported for the devices fabricated in glovebox, representing a record efficiency of inverted all-inorganic PSCs.

Protein O-fucosyltransferase 1 promotes PD-L1 stability to drive immune evasion and directs liver cancer to immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an essential role in cancer progression and immunotherapy response. Despite the considerable advancements in cancer immunotherapy, the limited response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a major challenge for its clinical implications. Here, we investigated the molecular basis of the protein O-fucosyltransferase 1 (POFUT1) that drives HCC immune evasion and explored a potential therapeutic strategy for enhancing ICB efficacy. METHODS: De novo MYC/Trp53-/- liver tumor and the xenograft tumor models were used to evaluate the function of POFUT1 in immune evasion. Biochemical assays were performed to elucidate the underlying mechanism of POFUT1-mediated immune evasion. RESULTS: We identified POFUT1 as a crucial promoter of immune evasion in liver cancer. Notably, POFUT1 promoted HCC progression and inhibited T-cell infiltration in the xenograft tumor and de novo MYC/Trp53-/- mouse liver tumor models. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that POFUT1 stabilized programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein by preventing tripartite motif containing 21-mediated PD-L1 ubiquitination and degradation independently of its protein-O-fucosyltransferase activity. In addition, we further demonstrated that PD-L1 was required for the tumor-promoting and immune evasion effects of POFUT1 in HCC. Importantly, inhibition of POFUT1 could synergize with anti-programmed death receptor 1 therapy by remodeling TME in the xenograft tumor mouse model. Clinically, POFUT1 high expression displayed a lower response rate and worse clinical outcome to ICB therapies. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that POFUT1 functions as a novel regulator of tumor immune evasion and inhibition of POFUT1 may be a potential therapeutic strategy to enhance the efficacy of immune therapy in HCC.

Sulforaphane Ameliorate Cadmium-Induced Blood-Thymus Barrier Disruption by Targeting the PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 Axis.

Cadmium (Cd) is a transition metal ion that is extremely harmful to human and animal biological systems. Cd is a toxic substance that can accumulate in the food chain and cause various health issues. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a natural bioactive compound with potent antioxidant properties. In our study, 80 1 day-old chicks were fed with Cd (140 mg/kg BW/day) and/or SFN (50 mg/kg BW/day) for 90 days. The blood-thymus barrier (BTB) is a selective barrier separating T-lymphocytes from blood and cortical capillaries in the thymus cortex. Our research revealed that Cd could destroy the BTB by downregulating Wnt/ß-catenin signaling and induce immunodeficiency, leading to irreversible injury to the immune system. The study emphasizes the health benefits of SFN in the thymus. SFN could ameliorate Cd-triggered BTB dysfunction and pyroptosis in the thymus tissues. SFN modulated the PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 axis, improving the level of claudin-5 (CLDN5) in the thymus to alleviate BTB breakdown. Our findings indicated the toxic impact of Cd on thymus, and BTB could be the specific target of Cd toxicity. The finding also provides evidence for the role of SFN in maintaining thymic homeostasis for Cd-related health issues.

Apigenin suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition in high glucose-induced retinal pigment epithelial cell by inhibiting CBP/p300-mediated histone acetylation.

Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical process implicated in the pathogenesis of retinal fibrosis and the exacerbation of diabetic retinopathy (DR) within retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. Apigenin (AP), a potential dietary supplement for managing diabetes and its associated complications, has demonstrated inhibitory effects on EMT in various diseases. However, the specific impact and underlying mechanisms of AP on EMT in RPE cells remain poorly understood. In this study, we have successfully validated the inhibitory effects of AP on high glucose-induced EMT in ARPE-19 cells and diabetic db/db mice. Notably, our findings have identified CBP/p300 as a potential therapeutic target for EMT in RPE cells and have further substantiated that AP effectively downregulates the expression of EMT-related genes by attenuating the activity of CBP/p300, consequently reducing histone acetylation alterations within the promoter region of these genes. Taken together, our results provide novel evidence supporting the inhibitory effect of AP on EMT in RPE cells, and highlight the potential of specifically targeting CBP/p300 as a strategy for inhibiting retinal fibrosis in the context of DR.

Ultrahigh Heat/Fire-Resistant, Mechanically Robust, and Closed-Loop Chemical Recyclable Polycarbonate Enabled by Facile Bond Dissociation Energy Modulation.

Plastics serve as an essential foundation in contemporary society. Nevertheless, meeting the rigorous performance demands in advanced applications and addressing their end-of-life disposal are two critical challenges that persist. Here, an innovative and facile method is introduced for the design and scalable production of polycarbonate, a key engineering plastic, simultaneously achieving high performance and closed-loop chemical recyclability. The bisphenol framework of polycarbonate is strategically adjusted from the low-bond-dissociation-energy bisphenol A to high-bond-dissociation-energy 4,4'-dihydroxydiphenyl, in combination with the incorporation of polysiloxane segments. As expected, the enhanced bond dissociation energy endows the polycarbonate with an extremely high glow-wire flammability index surpassing 1025 °C, a 0.8 mm UL-94 V-0 rating, a high LOI value of 39.2%, and more than 50% reduction of heat and smoke release. Furthermore, the π-π stacking interactions within biphenyl structures resulted in a significant enhancement of mechanical strength by as more as 37.7%, and also played a positive role in achieving a lower dielectric constant. Significantly, the copolymer exhibited outstanding closed-loop chemical recyclability, allowing for facile depolymerization into bisphenol monomers and the repolymerized copolymer retains its high heat and fire resistance. This work provides a novel insight in the design of high-performance and closed-loop chemical recyclable polymeric materials.

Unveiling hotspots and trends in hip arthroscopy research: A bibliometric and visualized analysis (1900-2022).

Over the past 10 years, hip arthroscopy has been increasingly employed to effectively diagnose and safely treat a range of hip pathologies. With research related to hip arthroscopy continually expanding, the number of articles connected with hip arthroscopy has also consistently grown. We aimed to investigate trends and hotspots in hip arthroscopy-related research, and analyze the top 100 most-cited articles on hip arthroscopy. We searched for ("hip arthroscopy") AND ("article" OR "review") AND "English" in the Web of Science database from 1900 to 2022, which was used to obtain all publications relating to hip arthroscopy. Distribution of country, affiliated institution, journal, authors, citation frequency and keywords were analyzed using VOSviewer. A total of 1094 articles were selected from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) from 1900 to 2022. The number of publications concerning hip arthroscopy displayed an ascending trend over time. Among the countries, the United States emerged as the largest contributor to the number of articles. The highest prolific institution was American Hip Institute. Among the journals, the highest-ranking journal was "Arthroscopy-the Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery," with 8316 citation counts and 262 articles. The area of greatest research interest was diagnosis and therapy in the field. The scientific articles on the subject of hip arthroscopy have risen continuously in recent years. The United States was the most influential country and made the most significant contributions to this field globally. We identified the research direction and trend for the first time and provided the most recent bibliometric analysis on hip arthroscopy, which may assist researchers in conducting studies on hip arthroscopy.

Phosphonic Chloride Assisted Fabrication of Highly Emissive Mixed Halide Perovskite Films in Ambient Air for Blue Light-Emitting Diodes.

Blue perovskite light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have emerged as promising candidates for full-color display and lighting applications. However, the fabrication of blue-emitting perovskite films typically requires an inert environment, leading to increased complexity and cost in the manufacturing process, which is undesirable for applications of perovskite LEDs. Herein, we report a strategy to fabricate bright blue-emitting perovskite films in ambient air by incorporating phosphonic chlorides in a perovskite precursor solution. We used two different phosphonic chlorides, diphenylphosphonic chloride (DPPC) and phenylphosphonic dichloride (PPDC), and comparatively studied their effects on the properties of perovskite films and the blue LEDs. It is found that PPDC possesses a stronger chlorination ability due to higher hydrolysis reactivity; meanwhile, it has a stronger interaction with the perovskite compared to DPPC, resulting in an improved film quality and enhanced blue emission with a photoluminescence quantum yield of 45%, which represents the record value for the air-processed blue perovskite films. Blue perovskite LEDs are fabricated, and the emission wavelengths are effectively tuned by controlling the concentration of phosphonic chlorides. Benefiting from the optimized perovskite films with reduced nonradiative recombination and promoted charge injection and transport, the PPDC-derived blue perovskite LEDs exhibit improved performance with an external quantum efficiency of 3.3% and 1.2% for the 490 and 480 nm emission wavelength, respectively.

Ozone degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride enhanced by magnetic nanofluid composed of Fe3O4 nanoparticles.

Magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles were added into the aqueous phase to form nanofluid systems, in which ozone was used for the oxidation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) in the solution. The nanomaterials were characterized using SEM, XRD, EDS, and FT-IR. The effects of nanoparticles size, addition ratio, and number of cycles on the process of ozone oxidation of TC were investigated. The results indicated that the addition ratio of nanoparticles have a certain impact on the performance of ozone oxidation. When the addition ratio increased from 0.02% to 0.4%, the removal rate of TC in the solution was improved significantly. Besides, the particle size of nanoparticles showed a greater impact on ozone oxidation. At the nanoscale, Fe3O4 nanoparticles exhibited significant strengthening properties, which is attributed to the construction of nanofluid systems. The removal rate of TC in solution decreased obviously with the increase of nanoparticles size. The Fe3O4 nanoparticles with particle size of 20 nm showed the most significant effect on TC degradation. The recycling experiment showed that magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles had stable regeneration performance. For three times of recycling treatment, with a Fe3O4 addition ratio of 0.4%, the removal rate of TC reached 98.7%, 97.21%, and 96%, respectively. Based on the characterization results, the strengthening mechanism was analyzed. The experimental results indicated that construction of nanofluids systems could improve the utilization rate of ozone, and Fe3O4 nanoparticles were reusable and easily recyclable.

Applications of gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy in the treatment of upper gastrointestinal tract disease.

Gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy (G-POME) is an emerging minimally invasive endoscopic technique involving the establishment of a submucosal tunnel around the pyloric sphincter. In 2013, Khashab et al used G-POME for the first time in the treatment of gastroparesis with enhanced therapeutic efficacy, providing a new direction for the treatment of gastroparesis. With the recent and rapid development of G-POME therapy technology, progress has been made in the treatment of gastroparesis and other upper digestive tract diseases, such as congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis and gastric sleeve stricture, with G-POME. This article reviews the research progress and future prospects of G-POME for the treatment of upper digestive tract gastrointestinal diseases.

Modulating Nucleation and Crystal Growth of Tin Perovskite Films for Efficient Solar Cells.

The performance of tin halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has been severely limited by the rapid crystallization of tin perovskites, which usually leads to an undesirable film quality. In this work, we tackle this issue by regulating the nucleation and crystal growth of tin perovskite films using a small Lewis base additive, urea. The urea-SnI2 interaction facilitates the formation of larger and more uniform clusters, thus accelerating the nucleation process. Additionally, the crystal growth process is extended, resulting in a high-quality tin perovskite film with compact morphology, increased crystallinity, and reduced defects. Consequently, the efficiency of tin PSCs is significantly increased from 10.42% to 14.22%. This work highlights the importance of manipulating the nucleation and crystal growth of tin perovskites to realize efficient tin PSCs.

Paeoniflorin promotes PPARγ expression to suppress HSCs activation by inhibiting EZH2-mediated histone H3K27 trimethylation.

BACKGROUND: The alleviating effect of paeoniflorin (Pae) on liver fibrosis has been established; however, the molecular mechanism and specific target(s) underlying this effect remain elusive. PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the regulatory effect of Pae on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation in liver fibrosis, with a specific focus on the role of Pae in modulating histone methylation modifications. METHODS: The therapeutic effect of Pae was evaluated by establishing in vivo and in vitro models of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced mice and transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1)-induced LX-2 cells, respectively. Molecular docking, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative real time PCR (ChIP-qPCR) and other molecular biological methods were used to clarify the molecular mechanism of Pae regulating HSCs activation. RESULTS: Our study found that Pae inhibited HSCs activation and histone trimethylation modification in liver of CCl4-induced mice and LX-2 cells. We demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of Pae on the activation of HSCs was dependent on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) expression and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2). Mechanistically, Pae directly binded to EZH2 to effectively suppress its enzymatic activity. This attenuation leaded to the suppression of histone H3K27 trimethylation in the PPARγ promoter region, which induced upregulation of PPARγ expression. CONCLUSION: This investigative not only sheds new light on the precise targets that underlie the remission of hepatic fibrogenesis induced by Pae but also emphasizes the critical significance of EZH2-mediated H3K27 trimethylation in driving the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis.

Connection between Mechanical Relaxation and Equilibration Kinetics in a High-Entropy Metallic Glass.

The slow transition from an out-of-equilibrium glass towards a supercooled liquid is a complex relaxation phenomenon. In this Letter, we study the correlation between mechanical relaxation and equilibration kinetics in a Pd_{20}Pt_{20}Cu_{20}Ni_{20}P_{20} high-entropy metallic glass. The evolution of stress relaxation with aging time was obtained with an unprecedented detail, allowing us to pinpoint new interesting features. The long structural relaxation towards equilibrium contains a wide distribution of activation energies, instead of being just associated to the ß relaxation as commonly accepted. The stress relaxation time can be correlated with the equilibration rate and we observe a decrease of microstructural heterogeneity which contrasts with an increase of dynamic heterogeneity. These results significantly enhance our insight of the interplay between relaxation dynamics and thermodynamics in metallic glasses.

An integrated network pharmacology, molecular docking and experiment validation study to investigate the potential mechanism of Isobavachalcone in the treatment of osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: In many different plants, including Dorstenia and Psoralea corylifolia L., Isobavachalcone (IBC) is a naturally occurring flavonoid chemical having a range of biological actions, including anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anti-bacterial. The "Theory of Medicinal Properties" of the Tang Dynasty states that Psoralea corylifolia L. has the ability to alleviate discomfort in the knees and waist. One of the most widespread chronic illnesses, osteoarthritis (OA), is characterized by stiffness and discomfort in the joints. However, there hasn't been much research done on the effectiveness and underlying processes of IBC in the treatment of osteoarthritis. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the potential efficacy and mechanism of IBC in treating osteoarthritis, we adopted an integrated strategy of network pharmacology, molecular docking and experiment assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The purpose of this research was to determine the impact of IBC on OA and the underlying mechanisms. IBC and OA possible targets and processes were predicted using network pharmacology, including the relationship between IBC and OA intersection targets, Cytoscape protein-protein interaction (PPI) to obtain key potential targets, and GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis to reveal the probable mechanism of IBC on OA. Following that, in vitro tests were carried out to confirm the expected underlying processes. Finally, in vivo tests clarified IBC's therapeutic efficacy on OA. RESULTS: We anticipated and validated that the impact of IBC on osteoarthritis is mostly controlled by the PI3K-AKT-NF-κB signaling pathway by combining the findings of network pharmacology analysis, molecular docking and Experiment Validation. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals the IBC has potential to delay OA development.

The role of gastrin 17 and pepsinogen I:pepsinogen II ratio in pathological diagnosis and endoscopic selection in gastritis patients.

BACKGROUND: The noninvasive serum markers pepsinogen I (PGI), pepsinogen II (PGII), gastrin-17 (G17), and PGI:PGII ratio (PGR) have recently been proposed as a new tool for predicting various gastric pathologies. METHODS: A total of 83 gastritis patients confirmed by gastroscopy were enrolled, with 78 undergoing concurrent colonoscopies. The control group included 99 healthy subjects. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect PGI, PGII, G17, and PGR. The performance of serological analysis for detecting gastritis pathology was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: The G17 and PGII levels increased significantly (P < .001), whereas PGR levels decreased (P = .001) in the gastritis group. The ROC analysis revealed that PGR had a sensitivity and specificity of 70.83% and 86.67%, respectively, in predicting Helicobacter pylori-infected gastritis and a sensitivity and specificity of 88% and 65.52%, respectively, in predicting active gastritis. The G17 levels were significantly elevated in gastritis patients undergoing concurrent colonoscopies (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Pepsinogen I:pepsinogen II ratio was found to be a useful predictor of active gastritis and H pylori-infected gastritis. Furthermore, G17 was found to be closely related to pathological conditions found by colonoscopy and may provide recommendations for whether gastritis patients should undergo a concurrent colonoscopy.

Quantum capacitance induced by electron orbital reconstruction of g-C3N4/Co3O4 heterojunction: Improving electrochemical performance.

Utilizing diverse material combinations in heterogeneous structures has become an effective approach for regulating interface characteristics and electronic structures. The g-C3N4/Co3O4 heterostructures were fabricated by uniformly modifying Co3O4 nanoparticles onto discrete clusters of g-C3N4 nanosheets. Then, they were subsequently employed as positive electrode materials for assembling hybrid supercapacitors. According to the first-principles calculation, Co3O4 and g-C3N4 formed Co-N ionic bonds, establishing interfacial space symmetry-broken heterojunction and direct exchange and superexchange between ions at the interface and sub-interface. This resulted in a high-density spin-orbit hybrid heterogeneous polarization interface, significantly improving the quantum capacitance of heterojunction materials. Experimental results showed that the heterojunction had a specific capacitance of 2662 F g-1 at 1 A g-1. When the power density was 750 W kg-1, the energy density reached 128 Wh kg-1. Even when the power density was 16850 W kg-1, it could show an energy density of 62.5 Wh kg-1. The g-C3N4/Co3O4 heterojunction could realize high energy density charge storage as the cathode material of supercapacitors. The construction of heterogeneous polarization interfaces for high-energy quantum capacitors provides a new and effective method for the energy storage field.

Dual Buried Interface Engineering for Improving Air-Processed Inverted FAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells.

Fabricating perovskite solar cells (PSCs) in an ambient environment provides low-cost preparation routes for solar cells that are suitable for large-scale production. Compared with methylammonium (MA)- based perovskite materials, formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) possesses a more favorable bandgap for light harvesting and better thermostability. However, the phase transition from the α-phase to the δ-phase easily occurs, making it challenging for ambient-air processing. Herein, we develop a buried interface engineering strategy via two molecules including 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (DPPB) as well as [4-(3,6-dimethyl-9H-carbazol-9-yl)butyl] phosphonic acid (Me-4PACz) to optimize air-processed inverted FAPbI3 PSCs. This strategy regulates the crystallization process of the air-fabricated FAPbI3 perovskite film, leading to a purer α-phase with significantly enhanced crystallinity and enlarged grain sizes. Apart from improving the bulk perovskite film, the defects at the NiOx/perovskite interface are passivated, and the energy levels are better matched in the modified device, which facilitates efficient carrier extraction. Resultantly, the target device processed in the open air achieves a dramatically improved power conversion efficiency from 11.37% to 18.45%, in association with an enhanced device stability.

Extraction, structural characterization and immunoactivity of glucomannan type polysaccahrides from Lilium brownii var. viridulum Baker.

Homogeneous polysaccharide (LBP) was extracted and purified from the bulblets of Lilium brownii var. viridulum Baker with a molecular weight of 312 kDa. The monosaccharides are composed of mannose and glucose, and the corresponding molar ratios are 0.582 and 0.418, respectively. FT-IR, LC-MS, NMR, GC-MS and HPAEC were used to analyze the functional groups, glycosidic linkages and chemical structure of LBP, which was a 1-4-linked glucomannan and contained a dodecasaccharide repeating units of →4)-ß-D-Manp-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-Manp-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-Manp-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-Glcp-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-Manp-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-Manp-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-Glcp-(1 â†’ 4)-α-D-Glcp-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-Glcp-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-Glcp-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-Manp-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-Manp-(1 â†’ . In vitro experimental results showed that LBP had noble biocompatibility, and a low dose of 5 µg/mL LBP significantly up-regulated the mRNA expression of TNF-α, iNOS, IL-6, IL-1ß and Toll-like receptors family (TLRs) in RAW 264.7 cells. In conclusion, LBP played an important role in immunomodulation, and further studies on the specific immunomodulatory mechanisms of LBP on RAW 264.7 cells are still needed.

Tuning ferroelectric phase transition temperature by enantiomer fraction.

Tuning phase transition temperature is one of the central issues in phase transition materials. Herein, we report a case study of using enantiomer fraction engineering as a promising strategy to tune the Curie temperature (TC) and related properties of ferroelectrics. A series of metal-halide perovskite ferroelectrics (S-3AMP)x(R-3AMP)1-xPbBr4 was synthesized where 3AMP is the 3-(aminomethyl)piperidine divalent cation and enantiomer fraction x varies between 0 and 1 (0 and 1 = enantiomers; 0.5 = racemate). With the change of the enantiomer fraction, the TC, second-harmonic generation intensity, degree of circular polarization of photoluminescence, and photoluminescence intensity of the materials have been tuned. Particularly, when x = 0.70 - 1, a continuously linear tuning of the TC is achieved, showing a tunable temperature range of about 73 K. This strategy provides an effective means and insights for regulating the phase transition temperature and chiroptical properties of functional materials.