Electrospun hierarchical TiO2 nanorods with high porosity for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells.

Ultraporous anatase TiO2 nanorods with a composite structure of mesopores and macropores fabricated via a simple microemulsion electrospinning approach were first used as photoanode materials for high-efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The special multiscale porous structure was formed by using low-cost paraffin oil microemulsion droplets as the soft template, which can not only provide enhanced adsorption sites for dye molecules but also facilitate the electrolyte diffusion. The morphology, porosity, and photovoltaic and electron dynamic characteristics of the porous TiO2 nanorod based DSSCs were investigated in detail by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N2 sorption measurements, current density-voltage (J-V) curves, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), intensity modulated photocurrent/photovoltage spectroscopy (IMPS/IMVS), and open-circuit voltage decay (OCVD) measurements.

[Expression of miR-21 in multiple myeloma and its clinical significance].

This study was aimed to explore the expression of microRNA-21 (miR-21) in multiple myeloma (MM), and its correlation with plasma β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) and staging of MM by Durie-Salmon (D-S) classification. The expression level of miR-21 in bone marrow mono-nuclear cells (BMMNC) of 43 patients with MM and 20 healthy individuals was examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR), and the correlations among the expression level of miR-21 and related clinical pathologic features, plasma β2-MG and staging of MM by D-S classification were analyzed. The results showed that the expression of miR-21 in BMMNC of MM patients was obviously higher than that in normal controls (P < 0.

[Expression and significance of B cell-activating factor of TNF family (BAFF) and B cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (BCL-2) in multiple myeloma].

This study was aimed to explore the expression of B cell-activating factor of TNF family (BAFF) and B cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (BCL-2) in bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) of multiple myeloma (MM) and the significance of BAFF and BCL-2 for occurrence, development and prognosis of MM. The bone marrow of 40 cases of MM and 10 healthy persons was collected, the mononuclear cells (MNC) were isolated, the expression of BAFF and BCL-2 mRNA in BMMNC was detected by real-time PCR; the plasma was simultaneously collected and the β2-MG level was determined; the clinical staging of MM patients was performed according to Durie-Salmon (D-S) staging criterion. The results indicated that the expression level of BAFF and BCL-2 mRNA in MM patients increased, as compared with normal controls, the difference was statistical significant (p < 0.

[Mechanism underlying IL-2 inhibition on T cell specific immune response].

The study was aimed to investigate the effect of IL-2 on the acquired immune response of naive T cells, and to explore the influence of IL-2 on suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS-3) expression of naive T cells, as well as to elucidate the role of SOCS-3 on antigen specific immune response in vitro. Naive DO11.10 T cells were pre-stimulated with IL-2 (50 U/ml), and stimulated with OVA(323 - 329) antigen after removing IL-2, then the proliferation of naive DO11.