Transient Lattice Response upon Photoexcitation in CuInSe Nanocrystals with Organic or Inorganic Surface Passivation.

CuInSe nanocrystals offer promise for optoelectronics including thin-film photovoltaics and printed electronics. Additive manufacturing methods such as photonic curing controllably sinter particles into quasi-continuous films and offer improved device performance. To gain understanding of nanocrystal response under such processing conditions, we investigate impacts of photoexcitation on colloidal nanocrystal lattices via time-resolved X-ray diffraction.

Versatile hollow COF nanospheres via manipulating transferrin corona for precise glioma-targeted drug delivery.

Covalent organic framework (COF) nanoparticles for interference-free targeted drug delivery to glioma remains in its infancy. Herein, hollow COF nanospheres with high crystallinity and uniformed sizes were facilely prepared via heterogeneous nucleation-growth. The prepared COF had large surface area/pore volume and exhibited appropriate degradation behavior under acid environment, where therefore doxorubicin was effectively encapsulated and exhibited a pH-sensitive release.

Design and Synthesis of Biotinylated Bivalent Carboline Derivatives as Potent Antitumor Agents.

Compound , a novel β-carboline comprising two 1-methyl-9-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acids and a biotin moiety conjugated together using tris(2-aminoethyl)amine, was synthesized and tested for its cytotoxicity toward MCF-7 and HepG2 cell lines and antitumor potency in an S180 tumor-bearing mouse model. Compound was delivered via biotin receptor-mediated endocytosis and exerted its therapeutic effects by intercalation binding with DNA. antitumor evaluations of revealed that it is efficacious and exhibits low systemic toxicity.

GMM-Demux: sample demultiplexing, multiplet detection, experiment planning, and novel cell-type verification in single cell sequencing.

Identifying and removing multiplets are essential to improving the scalability and the reliability of single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Multiplets create artificial cell types in the dataset. We propose a Gaussian mixture model-based multiplet identification method, GMM-Demux.

Discovery of novel (6S/12aS)-heptachpyridone capable of inhibiting thrombosis in vivo.

The in vitro conversion of (1S,3S)-1-dimethoxylethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid, (1S,3S)-DCCA, in rat plasma is monitored by HPLC-FT-ICR-MS. We show that the in vitro conversion of (1S,3S)-DCCA in rat plasma for 1 h leads to forming (6S/12aS)-bisdimethoxyethylheptachpyridone, reflecting intermolecular condensation of (1S,3S)-DCCA, and the in vitro conversion of (6S/12aS)-bisdimethoxyethylheptachpyridone in rat plasma for 1 h leads to forming (6S/12aS)-heptachpyridone, reflecting hydrolysis of (6S/12aS)-bisdimethoxyethylheptachpyridone. At a dose of 1.

Inhibition of macrophage migration inhibitory factor prevents thyroid dysfunction in pregnant rats with acute pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis during pregnancy (APIP) rarely occurs but may lead to preterm delivery and be associated with high fetal mortality. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) participates in various inflammatory diseases as a pro-inflammatory cytokine. In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of (S, R)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4, 5dihydro-5-isoxazole acetic methyl ester (ISO-1), an inhibitor of MIF, on maternal thyroid injury associated with APIP and its potential mechanisms in a pregnant rat model.

Pyroptosis is involved in the inhibitory effect of FL118 on growth and metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Aims: Pyroptosis is a newly discovered inflammatory programmed cell death. This study was to investigate whether pyroptosis is involved in the anti-colorectal cancer process of FL118.

Materials And Methods: The relationship between NLRP3 and caspase-1 and colorectal cancer was analyzed by bioinformatics.

Direct Spectroscopic Observation of the Hole Polaron in Lead Halide Perovskites.

The intrinsic photophysical origin of lead halide perovskites (LHPs) that are used successfully in optolectronic applications remains hotly debated. Here, by using ultrafast X-ray transient absorption spectroscopy, we successfully tracked the fate of photogenerated charge carriers at room temperature within the thin films of two classic LHPs, namely, MAPbBr (MA = CHNH) and FAPbBr [FA = CH(NH)]. We clearly observed in both thin films that the hole polaron is formed by localizing the photogenerated hole at the Br 4p orbital and concurrently distorting the local structure surrounding the Br atom after the photoexcitation.

Willingness-to-pay and willingness-to-accept of informal caregivers of dependent elderly people in Shanghai, China.

Background: In order to make optimal long-term care-related decisions, it is important to take a societal perspective. Shanghai is one of the pilot cities of social long-term care insurance in China. However, little knowledge exists about the economic value of the informal care provided to dependent elderly people in China.

Lnc00462717 regulates the permeability of the blood-brain tumor barrier through interaction with PTBP1 to inhibit the miR-186-5p/Occludin signaling pathway.

Blood-brain tumor barrier (BTB) severely restricts the efficient delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs into brain tumor tissue, which is a critical obstacle for glioma treatment. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have shown as regulation factors of numerous biological processes. In this study, we identified that Lnc00462717 was upregulated in glioma endothelial cells (GECs), and that knockdown of Lnc00462717 significantly increased the BTB permeability.

Development of 13-Cys-BBR as an Agent Having Dual Action of Anti-Thrombosis and Anti-Inflammation.

Background: There is a correlation between tumor and inflammation. The activity of 13-[CHCO-Cys(Bzl)-OBzl]-berberine (13-Cys-BBR) slowing tumor growth is higher than that of BBR. Whether the anti-inflammation activity of 13-Cys-BBR is higher than that of BBR remains unknown.

International-focused Online Forum: A Good Way to Jointly Manage the COVID-19 Pandemic for Global Critical Care Community.

Xiao-Bo H, Poonyathawon S, Semedi BP, Xiao-Yi Z, Wei F, Da-Wei W, International-focused Online Forum: A Good Way to Jointly Manage the COVID-19 Pandemic for Global Critical Care Community. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(4):283-284.

Tracking the Light-Induced Excited-State Dynamics and Structural Configurations of an Extraordinarily Long-Lived Metastable State at Room Temperature.

Time-resolved X-ray (Tr-XAS) and optical transient absorption (OTA) spectroscopy on the pico-microsecond timescale coupled with density functional theory calculations are applied to study the light-induced spin crossover processes of a Fe-based macrocyclic complex in solution. Tr-XAS analysis after light illumination shows the formation of a seven-coordinated high-spin quintet metastable state, which relaxes to a six-coordinated high-spin configuration before decaying to the ground state. Kinetic analysis of the macrocyclic complex reveals an unprecedented long-lived decay lifetime of approximately 42.

Best Practices for Human Biobank Ethics Review in China.

The ethical practices for human biobanks in China are intended to safeguard the interests of all the participants, to standardize the construction, management, and resource sharing of human biobanks, to promote the development of medical research, and to improve public health and well-being. The practices contain several chapters: General Principles; Ethics Review; Informed Consent; Privacy Protection; Benefits of Sharing; and Conflict of Interest.

Highly Efficient Preparation of Functional and Thermostable Cellulose Nanocrystals via HSO Intensified Acetic Acid Hydrolysis.

A highly efficient and sustainable strategy for the production of functional and thermostable cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) was developed in this work. In which, the acid hydrolysis system composed with small doses of HSO (5-10%) and large amounts of easily recoverable acetic acid (70-90%) was used to hydrolyze cellulose pulp at 80 °C for several hours. The rod-like CNCs were obtained with the length of 150-500 nm and diameter of 5-20 nm in high yield (Y = 81%).

Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors for Mortality of COVID-19 Patients With Diabetes in Wuhan, China: A Two-Center, Retrospective Study.

Objective: Diabetes is common in COVID-19 patients and associated with unfavorable outcomes. We aimed to describe the characteristics and outcomes and to analyze the risk factors for in-hospital mortality of COVID-19 patients with diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: This two-center retrospective study was performed at two tertiary hospitals in Wuhan, China.

[Simultaneous determination of cucurbitacin B, E and I in plasma, urine, and melon and fruit vegetables by ultra performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization].

A method for the determination of cucurbitacin B (CuB), cucurbitacin I (CuI) and cucurbitacin E (CuE) in plasma, urine and melon and fruit vegetables was developed by ultra performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The target analytes in plasma and urine were extracted and cleaned-up by solid supported liquid-liquid extraction, while those in melon and fruit vegetables were extracted with acetonitrile and then diluted with water. CuB, CuI and CuE were separated on an XBridge BEH C column (100 mm×3.

Impact of Formal Care Use on Informal Care from Children after the Launch of Long-Term Care Insurance in Shanghai, China.

The impact of formal care (co-paid by long term care (LTC) insurance) on informal care is critical to the improvement and promotion of public policy. We conducted an interview-based survey to examine how the use of formal care impacts the use of informal care in Shanghai, which was one of China's first long-term insurance pilots in 2016. In addition to total informal care time, the following four types of informal care were considered: (1) household activities of daily living (HDL) tasks, (2) activities of daily living (ADL) tasks, (3) instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) tasks, and (4) supervision tasks.

Critical Role of Organic Spacers for Bright 2D Layered Perovskites Light-Emitting Diodes.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) made with quasi-2D/3D and layered perovskites have undergone an unprecedented surge as their external quantum efficiency (EQE) is rapidly approaching other lighting technologies. Manipulating the charge recombination pathway in semiconductors is highly desirable for improving the device performance. This study reports high-performance layered perovskites LEDs with benzyl ring as spacer where radiative recombination lifetime is longer, compared with much shorter alkyl chain spacer yields.

Probing the structural evolution and electronic properties of divalent metal BeMg clusters from small to medium-size.

Bimetallic clusters have aroused increased attention because of the ability to tune their own properties by changing size, shape, and doping. In present work, a structural search of the global minimum for divalent bimetal BeMg (n = 1-20) clusters are performed by utilizing CALYPSO structural searching method with subsequent DFT optimization. We investigate the evolution of geometries, electronic properties, and nature of bonding from small to medium-sized clusters.

Separation of New Coumarin Glycosides from Using Offline Two-Dimensional High-Performance Liquid Chromatography.

Coumarins and flavonoids are the major constituents of . The separation and purification of ingredients from . is an important procedure to acquire high-purity compounds for subsequent pharmacological investigation to discover leading compounds.

GPR120 facilitates cholesterol efflux in macrophages through activation of AMPK signaling pathway.

Cholesterol efflux from macrophages is the initial step of reverse cholesterol transport, an important process for high-density lipoprotein-mediated atheroprotection. G protein-coupled receptor (GPR) 120, which functions as long-chain fatty acid receptor, is well known for its anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing function in macrophages. However, the role of GPR120 on macrophage foam cell formation, the hallmark of atherosclerotic plaques, has not been verified.

[Excitatory and aversive behaviors - electrophysiological observation of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in rats].

Objective: Increasing activities in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) can enhance the aversion reactions associated with noxious stimuli. It has been known that opioid receptors activation can trigger endogenous analgesic effect. This study tried to explore whether opioid receptors activation in the ACC region could reduce the aversion associated with noxious stimuli.

Unprecedented non-hysteretic superelasticity of [001]-oriented NiCoFeGa single crystals.

Superelasticity associated with the martensitic transformation has found a broad range of engineering applications. However, the intrinsic hysteresis and temperature sensitivity of the first-order phase transformation significantly hinder the usage of smart metallic components in many critical areas. Here, we report a large superelasticity up to 15.