Crystal phase transition and polyhedron transformation towards the evolution of photoluminescence and the improvement of thermal stability in efficient blue-emitting BaSrAlSiO:Eu.

Investigations into novel single-phase phosphors with outstanding luminescence properties and excellent thermal stability are urgently needed in the lighting field. In this work, a crystal phase transition and polyhedron transformation strategy cation substitution has been proposed. controlling the Sr/Ba ratio, the structural evolution of the phosphor from a monocelsian phase to a hexacelsian or feldspar phase and the variation of the local environments of Eu sites are correspondingly studied in BaSrAlSiO:0.

Evodiamine sensitizes U87 glioblastoma cells to TRAIL via the death receptor pathway.

The tumor necrosis factor-α-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has been shown to selectively induce death in cancer cells without affecting healthy cells. Most glioma cells are resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Resistance to TRAIL limits its potential use as a drug for therapy of glioma.

Magnolol induces apoptosis in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells through G2/M phase arrest and caspase-independent pathway.

Magnolol, a small-molecule hydroxylated biphenol, isolated from the root and stem bark of Magnolia officinalis, has been shown to possess antiproliferative effect on various cancer cell lines. In the current study, we found that magnolol potently inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Further mechanistic studies revealed that induction of apoptosis is associated with cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase, increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), release of cytochrome c (Cyto c) and apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) from mitochondria to cytosol, upregulation of Bax, p21 and p53, and down-regulation of Bcl-2, cyclin B1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1).