Tunable templating of photonic microparticles via liquid crystal order-guided adsorption of amphiphilic polymers in emulsions.

Multiple emulsions are usually stabilized by amphiphilic molecules that combine the chemical characteristics of the different phases in contact. When one phase is a liquid crystal (LC), the choice of stabilizer also determines its configuration, but conventional wisdom assumes that the orientational order of the LC has no impact on the stabilizer. Here we show that, for the case of amphiphilic polymer stabilizers, this impact can be considerable.

Unclonable human-invisible machine vision markers leveraging the omnidirectional chiral Bragg diffraction of cholesteric spherical reflectors.

The seemingly simple step of molding a cholesteric liquid crystal into spherical shape, yielding a Cholesteric Spherical Reflector (CSR), has profound optical consequences that open a range of opportunities for potentially transformative technologies. The chiral Bragg diffraction resulting from the helical self-assembly of cholesterics becomes omnidirectional in CSRs. This turns them into selective retroreflectors that are exceptionally easy to distinguish-regardless of background-by simple and low-cost machine vision, while at the same time they can be made largely imperceptible to human vision.

polysaccharide modulates the M1/M2 polarization of macrophages linked to the Notch signaling pathway.

Macrophages could be polarized into two major sub-populations including classically activated (M1) and alternatively activated (M2) macrophages. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of polysaccharide (PSG-1) on the regulation of macrophage polarization and further explored the associated molecular mechanisms. In this work, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus IFN-γ and IL-4 were used to establish an model of two extreme states, namely pro-inflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2.

Light-Switching Surface Wettability of Chiral Liquid Crystal Networks by Dynamic Change in Nanoscale Topography.

Nano- and microscale morphology endows surfaces that play conspicuous roles in natural or artificial objects with unique functions. Surfaces with dynamic regulating features capable of switching the structures, patterns, and even dimensions of their surface profiles can control friction and wettability, thus having potential applications in antibacterial, haptics, and fluid dynamics. Here, a freestanding film with light-switchable surface based on cholesteric liquid crystal networks is presented to translate 2D flat plane into a 3D nanometer-scale topography.

Programmable Engineering of Sunlight-Fueled, Full-Wavelength-Tunable, and Chirality-Invertible Helical Superstructures.

Dynamic control of motion at the molecular level is a core issue in promoting the bottom-up programmable modulation of sophisticated self-organized superstructures. Self-assembled artificial nanoarchitectures through subtle noncovalent interactions are indispensable for diverse applications. Here, the active solar renewable energy is used to harness cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) superstructure devices via delicate control of the dynamic equilibrium between the concentrations of molecular motor molecules with opposite handedness.

Control of Large-Area Orderliness of a 2D Supramolecular Chiral Microstructure by a 1D Interference Field.

Self-organized periodic micro/nanostructures caused by stimulus-responsive structural deformation often occur in anisotropic self-assembled supramolecular systems (e.g., liquid crystal systems).

Drug-containing serum of rhubarb-astragalus capsule inhibits the epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of HK-2 by downregulating TGF-β1/p38MAPK/Smad2/3 pathway.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Rheum palmatum L; Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.), is referred to as 'Dahuang, Huangqi' in China. As an important medicinal plant, the rhizome of rhubarb and astragalus is traditionally used in the treatment of kidney diseases associated with renal failure, inflammation and tumors.

Continuously tunable intensity modulators with large switching contrasts using liquid crystal elastomer films that are deposited with terahertz metamaterials.

A liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) film is successfully deposited with a terahertz metamaterial using thermal evaporation via a programmed electronic shutter and high-efficiency cooling system. The transmittance of the metamaterial at its resonance frequency is monotonically increased from 0.0036 to 1.

CT imaging and pathological basis of linear shadow connecting pulmonary segmental artery to horizontal fissure.

To investigate the computed tomography (CT) imaging and pathological basis of the linear shadows connecting pulmonary segmental arteries to horizontal fissure (hereinafter referred to as "linear shadow") on thin-slice CT.Collect 127 clinical cases to analyze the display and morphology of linear shadows on the thin-slice CT and to measure their length, thickness, and angle. Collect 11 autopsy specimens of coal worker's pneumoconiosis to conduct an imaging and pathology basis control study for the linear shadows.

The function and clinical relevance of lncRNA UBE2CP3-001 in human gliomas.

Introduction: Gliomas are the most frequent primary tumors in the human brain. Recent studies have identified a class of long noncoding RNAs, named lncRNAs, which were reported to participate in regulating the development of various diseases, including gliomas. In our previous studies, we found that lncRNA UBE2CP3-001 was overexpressed in gliomas but not in normal tissue.

Strain-Tunable Electronic Properties and Band Alignments in GaTe/CN Heterostructure: a First-Principles Calculation.

Recently, GaTe and CN monolayers have been successfully synthesized and show fascinating electronic and optical properties. Such hybrid of GaTe with CN may induce new novel physical properties. In this work, we perform ab initio simulations on the structural, electronic, and optical properties of the GaTe/CN van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure.

Dura-splitting versus a combined technique for Chiari malformation type I complicated with syringomyelia.

Background: Surgical approaches for Chiari malformation type I (CM-I) complicated with syringomyelia (SM) are controversial, so we assessed the efficacy and safety of two widely used procedures.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed results from posterior fossa decompression (PFD) using bony decompression with dura-splitting or a combined technique (duraplasty with arachnoid dissection and coagulation of the herniated tonsils) for CM-I associated with SM between Jan 2008 and Feb 2016. Patients were followed up for at least one year.

Optical orientation of nematic liquid crystal droplets via photoisomerization of an azodendrimer dopant.

Two sequential transformations of the orientational structure in nematic liquid crystal droplets containing a dendrimer additive (nanosized macromolecules with light-absorbing azobenzene terminal moieties) under light irradiation in the UV-blue spectral range were investigated. The origin of these transitions is in the change of the boundary conditions due to photoisomerization of the dendrimer adsorbed onto the liquid crystal-glycerol interface. It was shown that the photoisomerization processes of dendrimer molecules in a liquid crystal are accompanied by a spatial rearrangement of their azobenzene moieties, which is the key point in the explanation of the observed effects.

PSMB8 regulates glioma cell migration, proliferation, and apoptosis through modulating ERK1/2 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways.

Glioma has been considered as one of the most aggressive and popular brain tumors of patients. It is essential to explore the mechanism of glioma. In this study, we established PSMB8 as a therapeutic target for glioma treatment.

Pd fluorescent sensors based on amino and imino derivatives of rhodamine and improvement of water solubility by the formation of inclusion complexes with β-cyclodextrin.

Mono- and bis-rhodamine derivatives appended with amino (RhB1) and imino (BRI) groups, respectively, have been designed as colorimetric and fluorescent sensors for the selective detection of Pd. In addition, an attempt has been made to improve the water solubility of the probe by synthesizing inclusion complexes of RhB1 with β-cyclodextrin as the host molecule. The resulting probe, RhB1-CD, exhibited exactly the same physicochemical phenomena as the guest molecule RhB1, indicating that complexation with β-CD improved the water solubility of RhB1 without affecting its sensing ability.

Ganoderma atrum polysaccharide ameliorates anoxia/reoxygenation-mediated oxidative stress and apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Ganoderma atrum polysaccharide (PSG-1), a main polysaccharide from Ganoderma atrum, possesses potent antioxidant capacity and cardiovascular benefits. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of PSG-1 in oxidative stress and apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) injury conditions. The results showed that exposure of HUVECs to A/R triggered cell death and apoptosis.

Short linear shadows connecting pulmonary segmental arteries to oblique fissures in volumetric thin-section CT images: comparing CT, micro-CT and histopathology.

Objectives: To retrospectively evaluate short linear shadows connecting pulmonary segmental arteries to oblique fissures in thin-section CT images and determine their anatomical basis.

Methods: CT scanning was performed on 108 patients and 11 lung specimens with no lung diseases around the oblique fissures or hila. Two radiologists evaluated the imaging.

Carrot juice fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum NCU116 ameliorates type 2 diabetes in rats.

The effect of carrot juice fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum NCU116 on high-fat and low-dose streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 2 diabetes in rats was studied. Rats were randomly divided into five groups: non-diabetes mellitus (NDM), untreated diabetes mellitus (DM), DM plus L. plantarum NCU116 (NCU), DM plus fermented carrot juice with L.

[Effect of supplemented Taoren Chengqi decoction on NIT-1, a pancreatic beta-cell from a transgenic NOD/Lt mouse].

Objective: To study the effect of Supplemented Taoren Chengqi decoction (STCD) on the secretion of insulin and proliferation of NIT-1.

Method: The effect of STCD and the serum of rat after orally administrating of STCD on the secretion of insulin and proliferation of NIT-1 were studied. The proliferation of NIT-1 was measured by 3H-TdR incorporation and cell counting methods, while the secretion of insulin was measured from the cultured medium by the ultra sensitive rat insulin ELISIA kit.

Simultaneous determination and pharmacokinetic studies of dihydromyricetin and myricetin in rat plasma by HPLC-DAD after oral administration of Ampelopsis grossedentata decoction.

A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the simultaneous determination of dihydromyricetin (1) and myricetin (2) in rat plasma after orally administrating the decoction of Ampelopsis grossedentata. Plasma samples were acidified with 0.375% phosphoric acid and extracted with ethyl acetate.

[HRCT and pathology for nodules in cadaveric lung with coal workers' pneumoconiosis].

Objective: To evaluate imaging of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) for nodules of cadaveric lungs of coal workers' or coal workers with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) and to determine types of small nodules of CWP and dust speckle based on CT-pathologic correlation.

Methods: Thirty-two entire lung specimens were available from autopsy of the patients with CWP and coal workers occupationally exposed to coal dusts. They comprised 25 workers without CWP, 3 patients with 0+ stage and 4 patients with I stage.