Fe VO Hierarchical Porous Microparticles Prepared via a Facile Surface Solvation Treatment for High-Performance Lithium and Sodium Storage.

Preventing the aggregation of nanosized electrode materials is a key point to fully utilize the advantage of the high capacity. In this work, a facile and low-cost surface solvation treatment is developed to synthesize Fe VO hierarchical porous microparticles, which efficiently prevents the aggregation of the Fe VO primary nanoparticles. The reaction between alcohol molecules and surface hydroxy groups is confirmed by density functional theory calculations and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Mitochondria-targeting drug conjugates for cytotoxic, anti-oxidizing and sensing purposes: current strategies and future perspectives.

Mitochondrial targeting is a promising approach for solving current issues in clinical application of chemotherapy and diagnosis of several disorders. Here, we discuss direct conjugation of mitochondrial-targeting moieties to anticancer drugs, antioxidants and sensor molecules. Among them, the most widely applied mitochondrial targeting moiety is triphenylphosphonium (TPP), which is a delocalized cationic lipid that readily accumulates and penetrates through the mitochondrial membrane due to the highly negative mitochondrial membrane potential.

Primary Malignant Melanoma of the Breast: A Report of Two Cases.

Primary malignant melanoma of the breast (PMMB) is a rare tumor with only a few case reports available in the literature. We report two cases of PMMB, one derived from the breast parenchyma and the other from the breast skin. The first case consisted of atypical epithelioid cells without overt melanocytic differentiation like melanin pigments.

Mitochondria-targeting theranostics.

Background: Interest in subcellular organelle-targeting theranostics is substantially increasing due to the significance of subcellular organelle-targeting drug delivery for maximizing therapeutic effects and minimizing side effects, as well as the significance of theranostics for delivering therapeutics at the correct locations and doses for diseases throughout diagnosis. Among organelles, mitochondria have received substantial attention due to their significant controlling functions in cells.

Main Body: With the necessity of subcellular organelle-targeting drug delivery and theranostics, examples of mitochondria-targeting moieties and types of mitochondria-targeting theranostics were introduced.

Predicting Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients With Breast Cancer: Combined Statistical Modeling Using Clinicopathological Factors and FDG PET/CT Texture Parameters.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop a combined statistical model using both clinicopathological factors and texture parameters from F-FDG PET/CT to predict responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: A total of 435 patients with breast cancer were retrospectively enrolled. Clinical and pathological data were obtained from electronic medical records.

Preparation, characterization, and evaluation of celecoxib eutectic mixtures with adipic acid/saccharin for improvement of wettability and dissolution rate.

Celecoxib (CEL) is a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor therapeutically indicated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, acute pain, and inflammation. However, its poor solubility and dissolution rate significantly hinders its broader application. In this study, eutectic mixtures, as binary pharmaceutical compositions of CEL with adipic acid (ADI) and saccharin (SAC), were identified through a phase diagram and Tammann's triangle intended to improve the wettability and dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble CEL.

Identification of peptide based B-cell epitopes in Zika virus NS1.

Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus that has recently emerged globally, poses a major threat to public health. To control this emerging disease, accurate diagnostics are required for monitoring current ZIKV outbreaks. Owing to the high nucleotide sequence similarity and cross-reactivity of ZIKV with other members of the Flaviviridae family, discrimination from other flavivirus infections is often difficult in endemic areas.

Licochalcone A attenuates acne symptoms mediated by suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome.

Activation of the NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome by Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is critical for inducing inflammation and aggravating the development of acne lesions. We searched for available small-molecule inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome that could be topically administered for the treatment of acne.

Establishment of a platform of non-small-cell lung cancer patient-derived xenografts with clinical and genomic annotation.

Background: Preclinical models that can better predict therapeutic activity in clinical trials are needed in this era of personalized cancer treatment. Herein, we established genomically and clinically annotated patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and investigated whether these PDXs would faithfully recapitulate patient responses to targeted therapy.

Methods: Patient-derived tumors were implanted in immunodeficient mice and subsequently expanded via re-implantation.

Nucleotide triphosphatase and RNA chaperone activities of murine norovirus NS3.

Modulation of RNA structure is essential in the life cycle of RNA viruses. Immediate replication upon infection requires RNA unwinding to ensure that RNA templates are not in intra- or intermolecular duplex forms. The calicivirus NS3, one of the highly conserved nonstructural (NS) proteins, has conserved motifs common to helicase superfamily 3 among six genogroups.

Magnolin targeting of ERK1/2 inhibits cell proliferation and colony growth by induction of cellular senescence in ovarian cancer cells.

Ras/Raf/MEKs/ERKs and PI3 K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways have key roles in cancer development and growth processes, as well as in cancer malignance and chemoresistance. In this study, we screened the therapeutic potential of magnolin using 15 human cancer cell lines and combined magnolin sensitivity with the CCLE mutaome analysis for relevant mutation information. The results showed that magnolin efficacy on cell proliferation inhibition were lower in TOV-112D ovarian cancer cells than that in SKOV3 cells by G1 and G2/M cell cycle phase accumulation.

Graphene oxide-wrapped dipotassium terephthalate hollow microrods for enhanced potassium storage.

Unique graphene oxide-wrapped organic dipotassium terephthalate hollow microrods were synthesised using an abundant and renewable organic resource. They exhibit enhanced potassium storage compared to bulk K2TP, which can be ascribed to the fast K+ ion transfer kinetics, high electronic conductivity and short diffusion distance.

Mitochondrial-Targeting Anticancer Agent Conjugates and Nanocarrier Systems for Cancer Treatment.

The mitochondrion is an important intracellular organelle for drug targeting due to its key roles and functions in cellular proliferation and death. In the last few decades, several studies have revealed mitochondrial functions, attracting the focus of many researchers to work in this field over nuclear targeting. Mitochondrial targeting was initiated in 1995 with a triphenylphosphonium-thiobutyl conjugate as an antioxidant agent.

A rechargeable aluminum-ion battery based on a VS nanosheet cathode.

As a typical member of transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), VS2 has been evaluated as the aluminum-ion battery cathode for the first time. To further improve their stability and conductivity, the as-prepared VS2 nanosheets are modified with graphene (denoted as G-VS2). And the G-VS2 electrode delivers a high initial discharge capacity of 186 mA h g-1 at 100 mA g-1 with almost 100% coulombic efficiency after 50 cycles.

Targeted siRNA delivery using aptamer-siRNA chimeras and aptamer-conjugated nanoparticles.

The sequence-specific gene-silencing ability of small interfering RNA (siRNA) has been exploited as a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of a variety of diseases. However, efficient and safe delivery of siRNA into target cells is still a challenge in the clinical development of siRNA-based therapeutics. Recently, nucleic acid-based aptamers that target cell surface proteins have emerged as a new class of targeting moieties due to their high specificity and avidity.

E-Selective synthesis of vinyl sulfones via silver-catalyzed sulfonylation of styrenes.

An efficient and highly E-selective protocol for the synthesis of vinyl sulfones is described. This simple protocol demonstrates the first synthesis of vinyl sulfones via a silver-catalyzed C-S bond coupling reaction. In addition, the success of the reaction was found to be critically dependent on the use of TEMPO as the additive.

Delayed formation of sterile abscess after zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture treatment with bioabsorbable plates.

We present a patient who showed a sterile abscess after facial bone fixation with bioabsorbable plates and screws. He had zygomaticomaxillary complex and periorbital fracture due to falling down. The displaced bones were treated by open reduction and internal fixation successfully using bioabsorbable plate system.

Simultaneous quantification of 18 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and 7 sterols as their tert-butyldimethylsilyl derivatives in human saliva using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

The profiling of fatty acids (FAs) or sterols has been applied in clinical studies, but still needs to be improved to enable their simultaneous quantification. Moreover, little progress has been made in determining the levels of FAs and sterols in human saliva in a single run. In this study, gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) using one-step tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBDMS) derivatization was developed for comprehensive profiling of 18 FAs (eight saturated, five monounsaturated, and five polyunsaturated FAs) and 7 sterols (cholesterol and its precursors).

ΔNp63α down-regulates c-Myc modulator MM1 via E3 ligase HERC3 in the regulation of cell senescence.

p63 and c-Myc are key transcription factors controlling genes involved in the cell cycle and cellular senescence. We previously reported that p63α can destabilize MM1 protein to derepress c-Myc, resulting in cell cycle progress and tumorigenesis. However, how the proteasomal degradation of MM1 is facilitated remains unclear.

Proof-of-concept of a multimodal laparoscope for simultaneous NIR/gamma/visible imaging using wavelength division multiplexing.

An optical/nuclear hybrid surgical technique using ICG-Tc-nanocolloid can improve lesion detectability by detecting both fluorescence and gamma signals. However, a hybrid multimodal laparoscope that can obtain both NIR and gamma images is not available yet. In this work, we present a proof-of-concept study of a prototype multimodal laparoscope that can provide simultaneous NIR/gamma/visible imaging using wavelength division multiplexing.

Epitaxially Grown Ferroelectric PVDF-TrFE Film on Shape-Tailored Semiconducting Rubrene Single Crystal.

Epitaxial crystallization of thin poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE) films is important for the full utilization of their ferroelectric properties. Epitaxy can offer a route for maximizing the degree of crystallinity with the effective orientation of the crystals with respect to the electric field. Despite various approaches for the epitaxial control of the crystalline structure of PVDF-TrFE, its epitaxy on a semiconductor is yet to be accomplished.

Distinct roles of secreted APP ectodomain variants APPsα and APPsβ in regulation of spine density, synaptic plasticity, and cognition.

Increasing evidence suggests that synaptic functions of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), which is key to Alzheimer pathogenesis, may be carried out by its secreted ectodomain (APPs). The specific roles of APPsα and APPsβ fragments, generated by non-amyloidogenic or amyloidogenic APP processing, respectively, remain however unclear. Here, we expressed APPsα or APPsβ in the adult brain of conditional double knockout mice (cDKO) lacking APP and the related APLP2.

Magnetic Field Sensing by Exploiting Giant Nonstrain-Mediated Magnetodielectric Response in Epitaxial Composites.

Heteroepitaxial magnetoelectric (ME) composites are promising for the development of a new generation of multifunctional devices, such as sensors, tunable electronics, and energy harvesters. However, challenge remains in realizing practical epitaxial composite materials, mainly due to the interfacial lattice misfit strain between magnetostrictive and piezoelectric phases and strong substrate clamping that reduces the strain-mediated ME coupling. Here, we demonstrate a nonstrain-mediated ME coupling in PbZrTiO (PZT)/LaSrMnO (LSMO) heteroepitaxial composites that resolves these challenges, thereby, providing a giant magnetodielectric (MD) response of ∼27% at 310 K.

Targeted and non-targeted metabolite identification of MAM-2201 in human, mouse, and rat hepatocytes.

MAM-2201 is a fluorinated naphthoylindole synthetic cannabinoid with potent psychoactive properties that has been detected as an active ingredient in herbal incense blends. To gain a greater understanding of MAM-2201 metabolism and to compare its metabolic fate in humans with those in animals, the metabolism of MAM-2201 in human, mouse, and rat hepatocytes was investigated using liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry combined with targeted and non-targeted metabolite profiling approaches. Nineteen phase I metabolites (M1-M19) reported previously in human liver microsomes and 13 novel metabolites were identified in human, mouse, and rat hepatocytes: 1 phase I metabolite (M20) and 12 phase II metabolites including 6 glucuronides (G1-G6), 1 sulfate (S1), and 5 glutathione (GSH) conjugates (GS1-GS5) of MAM-2201 metabolites.