Search

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) prevent autoimmunity and contribute to cancer progression. They exert contact-dependent inhibition of immune cells through the production of active transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). However, the absence of a specific surface marker makes inhibiting the production of active TGF-β1 to specifically deplete human Tregs but not other cell types a challenge. TGF-β1 in an inactive form binds to Tregs membrane protein GARP and then activates it via an unknown mechanism. Here, we demonstrate that TRAF3IP3 in the Treg lysosome is involved in this activation mechanism. Using a novel naphthalenelactam-platinum-based anticancer drug (NPt), we developed a new synergistic effect by suppressing ABCB9 and TRAF3IP3-mediated divergent lysosomal metabolic programs in tumors and human Tregs to block the production of active GARP/TGF-β1 for remodeling the tumor microenvironment. Mechanistically, NPt is stored in Treg lysosome to inhibit TRAF3IP3-meditated GARP/TGF-β1 complex activation to specifically deplete Tregs. In addition, by promoting the expression of ABCB9 in lysosome membrane, NPt inhibits SARA/p-SMAD2/3 through CHRD-induced TGF-β1 signaling pathway. In addition to expose a previously undefined divergent lysosomal metabolic program-meditated GARP/TGF-β1 complex blockade by exploring the inherent metabolic plasticity, NPt may serve as a therapeutic tool to boost unrecognized Treg-based immune responses to infection or cancer via a mechanism distinct from traditional platinum drugs and currently available immune-modulatory antibodies.

Several widely recognized metabolites play a role in regulating the pathophysiological processes of various disorders. Nonetheless, the lack of effective biomarkers for the early diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and premature ovarian failure (POF) has led to the discovery of serum-based metabolic biomarkers for these disorders. We aimed to identify various differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) through serum-based metabolic profiling in patients with PCOS and POF and in healthy individuals by using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. Furthermore, heatmap clustering, correlation, and Z-score analyses were performed to identify the top DEMs. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enriched pathways of DEMs were determined using metabolite-based databases. Moreover, the clinical significance of these DEMs was evaluated on the basis of area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Significantly dysregulated expressions of several metabolites were observed in the intergroup comparisons of the PCOS, POF, and healthy control groups. Furthermore, 6 DEMs were most frequently observed among the three groups. The expressions of these DEMs were not only directly correlated but also exhibited potential significance in patients with PCOS and POF. Novel metabolites with up/downregulated expressions can be discovered in patients with PCOS and POF using serum-based metabolomics; these metabolites show good diagnostic performance and can act as effective biomarkers for the early detection of PCOS and POF. Furthermore, these metabolites might be involved in the pathophysiological mechanisms of PCOS and POF via interplay with corresponding genes.

According to the model of sliding ferroelectricity we proposed in 2017, a type of vertical polarization switchable via interlayer sliding may exist in a series of two-dimensional van der Waals bilayers and multilayers. Such intriguing ferroelectricity has been recently experimentally confirmed in BN and WTe2 bilayer/multilayer systems. However, they are respectively insulators and metals with weak polarizations. Here, we search for a combination of high-mobility semiconductors and ferroelectricity with relatively high polarizations, and we note that MoSi2N4 monolayer has been recently fabricated to centimeter scale based on MoN2 monolayer (Science 2020, 369, 670). We show first-principles evidence of strong interlayer sliding ferroelectricity in high-mobility semiconducting MoA2N4 (A = Si or Ge) bilayers and multilayers. They possess tunable bandgaps within the desirable range for nanoelectronics, with the current highest polarizations in sliding ferroelectrics known to date due to strong interlayer van der Waals interactions. Such a successful combination of these properties may render the long-sought and efficient computing-in-memory possible. Their high polarizations induce strong Moire potential and unique band alignments for exciton trapping in twisted MoA2N4 bilayer. The varying charge distribution of different stacking in MoN2/MoSi2N4 hetero-bilayer also gives rise to a high alternating voltage when used as a nanogenerator, suggesting promising potential for energy harvesting.

T-regulatory (Treg)/T-helper 17 (Th17) imbalance is associated with preeclampsia (PE). Herein, we aimed to explore the effect and mechanism of lncRNA NEAT1 on the Treg/Th17 balance. The levels of nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1), miR-485-5p, and absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) in CD4+ T cells were determined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Treg and Th17 cells were examined using flow cytometry. The relationship between miR-485-5p and NEAT1 or AIM2 was assessed using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation. All the data indicated that NEAT1 was upregulated in PE. The number of Treg cells decreased and was negatively related to NEAT1, whereas the number of Th17 cells increased and was positively related to NEAT1 in PE. Knockdown of NEAT1 increased the Treg cells and Treg/Th17 but decreased Th17 cells. Furthermore, NEAT1 sponges miR-485-5p to suppress the target AIM2 levels. Inhibition of miR-485-5p or upregulation of AIM2 abrogated the effect on Treg/Th17 balance induced by knockdown of NEAT1. In conclusion, silencing of NEAT1 promoted Treg/Th17 balance via the miR-485-5p/AIM2 axis in PE, suggesting that NEAT1 is a potential target for the treatment of PE.

Maize refers to one of the major food crops worldwide. Its yield has a direct effect on global food security. Moreover, cultivated lands in the world have been undergoing serious degradation. In the present study, field experiments were performed in the middle of Jilin, China. A novel maize cultivating method, combining drip irrigation under film mulch cultivation and high photosynthetic efficient cultivation, is presented. NUE, WUE, accumulated temperature, plant growth and yield were determined in high photosynthetic efficient cultivation with drip irrigation under mulch and with there being under the mulch transparent and black film, respectively. As revealed from the results, the high photosynthetic efficient cultivation based on drip irrigation cultivation could increase the yield of rain-fed treatment by 53%; high photosynthetic efficient cultivation with drip irrigation under film mulch cultivation could also improve NUE and WUE compared with conventional drip irrigation under film mulch cultivation; transparent mulch could more significantly raise the soil temperature than black mulching, as well as improving the maize yield. The present study presents a novel planting mode in accordance with reliable theory to sustainably develop maize.

Runoff and soil erosion are serious environmental issues in farmland management. In a field experiment in Xingmu, China, data from nine plots with different slopes and crops were collected, and the crops' leaf area index (LAI) used to represent the impact of vegetation on runoff and soil erosion. The results show that slope and crop both have significant effects on runoff and soil erosion, and that the LAI can indicate the effects of different crops.

Background Common chronic infections induced low-grade inflammation has been correlated with atherosclerosis as supported by strong evidence. The balance between pro-and anti-inflammatory factors was exploited to elucidate the effects of chronic periodontitis on diabetes-associated atherosclerosis. Methods Study subjects encompassed 30 SPF male rats randomly divided into four groups: A group (NC), B group (T2DM), C group (CP), D group (DM + CP). After developing the model, blood samples were collected from the angular vein analyze serum APN, hs-CRP, and blood lipid. the carotid artery was isolated for HE staining. Result Compared with group A, the serum APN in group B, C and D decreased gradually with the progression of the disease. Serum hs-CRP in group B, C and D was significantly increased. At T3, T4 and T5 in group B, C and D, APN/hs-CRP significantly decreased. TC, LDL and TG significantly increased in group B, D; HDL significantly decreased in group C. Carotid artery HE staining showed: compared with group A, different degrees of endothelial defect, destruction of elastic fibers in the middle membrane, disorder of smooth muscle arrangement, and partial dissolution 、 fragmentation and Calcium salt deposition necrosis occurred in group B, C and D. Conclusion Enhanced systemic inflammation, decreased adiponectin level, and disorganized lipid metabolism with or without type 2 diabetes attributed to local inflammation of periodontitis can result in an imbalance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, it’s more meaningful to predict the progression of DAA with anti-inflammatory/pro-inflammatory variation.

Nutrient (total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP)) are considered the major indicators to be impacted by wind speed in shallow lakes and reservoirs. As a reservoir situated in Jilin Province, China, Yangshapao Reservoir has been employed for irrigation and urban water use. After 2 years’ observation carried out on water quality and wind speed, it was found that the TN, NH4 and TP are significantly correlated with the bottom shear stress attributed to wind, whereas the dissolved phosphorus (DP) is not. Bottom shear stress is also noticeably associated with dissolved oxygen (DO), thus promoting nutrient release into the water body. In winter, ice can effectively inhibit the wind-induced shear stress, and the TP concentration is evidently lower than in the other seasons. This scenario should be considered in the management of the water quality of the lake and similar lakes.

The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) has exceeded 18% with narrow bandgap, non-fullerene materials Y6 or its derivatives when used as an electron acceptor. The PCE improvement of OPVs is due to strong photon harvesting in near-infrared light range and low energy loss. Meanwhile, ternary strategy is commonly recognized as a convenient and efficient means to improve the PCE of OPVs. In this review article, typical donor and acceptor materials in prepared efficient OPVs are summarized. From the device engineering perspective, the typical research work on ternary strategy and tandem structure is introduced for understanding the device design and materials selection for preparing efficient OPVs.

Risk prediction is one of the important issues that draws much attention from academia and industry. And the fluctuation—absolute value of the change of price, is one of the indexes of risk. In this paper, we focus on the relationship between fluctuation and order volume. Based on the observation that the price would move when the volume of order changes, the prediction of price fluctuation can be converted into the prediction of order volume. Modelling the trader’s behaviours—order placement and order cancellation, we propose an order-based fluctuation prediction model. And our model outperforms better than baseline in OKCoin and BTC-e datasets.

A series of ternary organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are fabricated with one wide bandgap polymer D18-Cl as donor, and well compatible Y6 and Y6-1O as acceptor. The open-circuit-voltage (VOC) of ternary OPVs is monotonously increased along with the incorporation of Y6-1O, indicating that the alloy state should be formed between Y6 and Y6-1O due to their excellent compatibility. The energy loss can be minimized by incorporating Y6-1O, leading to the VOC improvement of ternary OPVs. By finely adjusting the Y6-1O content, a power conversion efficiency of 17.91% is achieved in the optimal ternary OPVs with 30 wt% Y6-1O in acceptors, resulting from synchronously improved short-circuit-current density (JSC) of 25.87 mA cm−2, fill factor (FF) of 76.92% and VOC of 0.900 V in comparison with those of D18-Cl : Y6 binary OPVs. The JSC and FF improvement of ternary OPVs should be ascribed to comprehensively optimal photon harvesting, exciton dissociation and charge transport in ternary active layers. The more efficient charge separation and transport process in ternary active layers can be confirmed by the magneto-photocurrent and impedance spectroscopy experimental results, respectively. This work provides new insight into constructing highly efficient ternary OPVs with well compatible Y6 and its derivative as acceptor., By employing the well compatible Y6 : Y6-1O as acceptor and wide bandgap polymer D18-Cl as donor, the PCE of 17.91% is achieved in optimized ternary OPVs, resulting from the simultaneously improved JSC, FF and VOC.

Graph neural networks (GNNs) achieve remarkable success in graph-based semi-supervised node classification, leveraging the information from neighboring nodes to improve the representation learning of target node. The success of GNNs at node classification depends on the assumption that connected nodes tend to have the same label. However, such an assumption does not always work, limiting the performance of GNNs at node classification. In this paper, we propose label-consistency based graph neural network (LC-GNN), leveraging node pairs unconnected but with the same labels to enlarge the receptive field of nodes in GNNs. Experiments on benchmark datasets demonstrate the proposed LC-GNN outperforms traditional GNNs in graph-based semi-supervised node classification. We further show the superiority of LC-GNN in sparse scenarios with only a handful of labeled nodes.

Social network platforms have gradually transformed into social media in recent years, which greatly eases information diffusion. Meanwhile, it also makes the task of popularity prediction for online information more challenging. Traditional popularity prediction methods include supervised methods based on feature engineering and popularity dynamics modeling methods based on stochastic processes. The latter group of methods has drawn a wide attention as it works better for predicting individual items popularity. However, the existing methods have ignored the decentralization characteristic of diffusion cascades. In this paper, we investigate the decentralized structure of diffusion cascades, based on the Weibo dataset, and propose to model cascade dynamics by mixing a bunch of reinforced Poisson processes (RPP). The overall diffusion cascade is a mixture of several sub-cascades, each of which can be modeled by RPP. Experimental results on real world datasets demonstrate our proposed models superiority in both characterizing popularity dynamics and predicting future popularity.

Based on Staudinger ligation, a novel ESIPT-based fluorescent probe 2-[2′-(ortho-diphenylphosphinophenyl) carboxyphenyl]benzothiazole (CBT) was developed for detection of organic azides with the detection limit of 227 nM. The probe has shown selective and sensitive response to organic azides over other non-azido analytes. The probe was used as a fluorescence turn-on chemosensor for phenyl azide in living hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells, indicating its potential application for detection of organic azide derivatives in biological systems. Moreover, the probe provides a very convenient method to qualitatively monitor the formation of organic azides by TLC staining experiments.

Ternary-blend organic solar cells (TOSCs) are fabricated with PM6:BTP-4F-12 as the host system and IT-M as the third component. The third component IT-M takes multiple roles in improving performance of TOSCs through reducing energy-loss of the optimized TOSCs, optimizing molecular arrangement and phase separation in active-layers. The well optimized molecular arrangement and phase separation can be beneficial to charge separation and transport in TOSC, which can be confirmed by the characterization of 2D grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, magneto-photocurrent, as well as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. By finely optimizing IT-M content, a power-conversion-efficiency (PCE) of 17.71% is achieved in the optimized TOSCs, benefiting from simultaneously enhanced short-circuit-current density (JSC) of 25.95 mA cm−2, open-circuit-voltage (VOC) of 0.875 V and fill-factor (FF) of 78.02% in comparison with the OSCs with PM6:BTP-4F-12 as active-layers. Furthermore, average PCE over 15% can be achieved from twenty individual TOSCs with active-layer thickness of 300 nm, indicating the optimized TOSCs have excellent thickness tolerance.

Due to the unique structures, photoelectric properties, good catalytic activity, and broad potential applications, gold nanoclusters (Au n ) received extensive attention in catalysis, bioengineering, environmental engineering, and so on. In the present work, the structures and properties of Au n adsorbed on the MgO(001) and TiO 2 (101) surfaces were investigated by density functional theory. The results showed that the catalytic properties of Au n will be enhanced when Au n is adsorbed on certain supports. Because the difference of the outer electronic structure of metals in supports, the direction of the charge transfer was different, thus inducing the different charge distribution on Au n . When Au n was adsorbed on MgO(001) [TiO 2 (101)] surface, Au n will have negative [positive] charges and thus higher catalytic activity in oxidation [reduction] reaction. The variation of surface charges caused by the support makes Au n possess different catalytic activity in different systems. Moreover, the electronic structure of the support will make an obvious influence on the s and d density of states of Au n , which should be the intrinsic reason that induces the variations of its structure and properties. These results should be an important theoretical reference for designing Au n as the photocatalyst applied to the different oxidation and reduction reactions.

We study the electronic structures and topological properties of (M+N)-layer twisted graphene systems. We consider the generic situation that N-layer graphene is placed on top of the other M-layer graphene and is twisted with respect to each other by an angle θ. In such twisted multilayer graphene systems, we find that there exist two low-energy flat bands for each valley emerging from the interface between the M layers and the N layers. These two low-energy bands in the twisted multilayer graphene system possess valley Chern numbers that are dependent on both the number of layers and the stacking chiralities. In particular, when the stacking chiralities of the M layers and N layers are opposite, the total Chern number of the two low-energy bands for each valley equals ±(M+N-2) (per spin). If the stacking chiralities of the M layers and the N layers are the same, then the total Chern number of the two low-energy bands for each valley is ±(M-N) (per spin). The valley Chern numbers of the low-energy bands are associated with large, valley-contrasting orbital magnetizations, suggesting the possible existence of orbital ferromagnetism and anomalous Hall effect once the valley degeneracy is lifted either externally by a weak magnetic field or internally by Coulomb interaction through spontaneous symmetry breaking. Such an orbital ferromagnetic state is characterized by chiral current loops circulating around the AA region of the moiré pattern, which can be experimentally detected.

The aim of the current work was to develop generic sustained-release tablets containing 35 mg trimetazidine dihydrochloride and to establish an in vitro–in vivo correlation that could predict the bioavailability. The marketed sustained release tablet (Vastarel MR) used as reference, a sustained-release matrix tablet was prepared using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as matrix by wet granulation and the in vitro dissolution profiles of the self-made tablets were determined in four different dissolution media (0.1 M HCl, pH 4.5 PBS, pH 6.8 PBS and water). A higher similarity between prepared tablets and Vastarel MR was established, with similarity factor (f2) ranging from 60 to 75 in the four media. The in vivo pharmacokinetics was studied in six healthy beagles. Compared with Vastarel MR, the Cmax of self-made tablets was slightly decreased, while the Tmax and MRT0–t were slightly prolonged, but with no significant difference (P > 0.05). The average of relative bioavailability (F) was 102.52% based on AUC0–t. For log-transformed AUC0–t and Cmax, the upper confidence limit on the appropriate criterion is

Phosphorus is a major cause of lake eutrophication. Understanding the characteristics regarding the release of phosphorus from sediments under hydrodynamic conditions is critical for the regulation of lake water quality. In this work, the effects of sediment suspension on the release characteristics of phosphorus from sediment were investigated under different hydrodynamic conditions. The experimental results showed that in the experimental process, the phosphorus was at first released quickly into the overlying water but then slowed down. Furthermore, the process of dissolved phosphorus (DP) release under hydrodynamic conditions with and without sediment suspension was simulated using a lattice Boltzmann method. The simulation showed satisfying results.

Predicting the popularity of online content on social platforms is an important task for both researchers and practitioners. Previous methods mainly leverage demographics, temporal and structural patterns of early adopters for popularity prediction. However, most existing methods are less effective to precisely capture the cascading effect in information diffusion, in which early adopters try to activate potential users along the underlying network. In this paper, we consider the problem of network-aware popularity prediction, leveraging both early adopters and social networks for popularity prediction. We propose to capture the cascading effect explicitly, modeling the activation state of a target user given the activation state and influence of his/her neighbors. To achieve this goal, we propose a novel method, namely CoupledGNN, which uses two coupled graph neural networks to capture the interplay between node activation states and the spread of influence. By stacking graph neural network layers, our proposed method naturally captures the cascading effect along the network in a successive manner. Experiments conducted on both synthetic and real-world Sina Weibo datasets demonstrate that our method significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art methods for popularity prediction.

The Bitcoin market becomes the focus of the economic market since its birth, and it has attracted wide attention from both academia and industry. Due to the absence of regulations in the Bitcoin market, it may be easier to bring some kinds of illegal behaviors. Thus, it raises an interesting question: Is there abnormity or illegal behavior in Bitcoin platforms? To answer this question, we investigate the abnormity in five leading Bitcoin platforms. By analyzing the financial index, i.e. the normalized logarithmic price return, we find that the properties of price return in bitFlyer are completely different from others. To find the possible reasons, we find that the abnormal ask price and bid price appear simultaneously in bitFlyer, which may be potentially linked to either price manipulation or money laundering. It verifies our conjecture that there may be abnormity or price manipulation in Bitcoin platforms. Furthermore, our findings in price return could also provide an innovative and effective method to detect the abnormity in Bitcoin platforms.

Vancomycin hydrochloride （VANH）, the first glycopeptide antibiotic, is a water-soluble drug for the treatment of acute osteomyelitis. Liposomal formulations of VANH have already been manipulated and characterized, which was a mean of increasing their therapeutic index, reducing their toxicity and altering drug biodistribution. One of the challenges for preparing VANH-Lips is their low encapsulation efficiency (EE). In the present study, we aim to improve the liposomal formulation of VANH for higher EE, longer systemic circulation, reduced nephrotoxicity and enhanced antimicrobial activities. Vancomycin hydrochloride-loaded liposomes (VANH-Lips) were formulated by the method of modified reverse phase evaporation. Based on the optimization of formulation with orthogonal experimental design, the average drug encapsulation efficiency and the mean particle size of VANH-Lips were found to be 40.78 ± 2.56% and 188.4 ± 2.77 nm. In vitro drug release of VANH-Lips possessed a sustained release characteristic and their release behavior was in accordance with the Weibull equation. After intravenous injection to mice, the mean residence time (MRT) of VANH-Lips group was significantly prolonged in vivo and the AUC value was improved as well compared with the vancomycin hydrochloride solution (VANH-Sol) group. Furthermore, the biodistribution results in mice showed that VANH-Lips decreased the accumulation of VANH in kidney after intravenous injection. In conclusion, VANH-Lips may be a potential delivery system for VANH to decrease nephrotoxicity in the treatment of osteomyelitis.

This paper presents the second data release (DR2) of the Beijing-Arizona Sky Survey (BASS). BASS is an imaging survey of about 5400 deg$^2$ in $g$ and $r$ bands using the 2.3 m Bok telescope. DR2 includes the observations as of July 2017 obtained by BASS and Mayall $z$-band Legacy Survey (MzLS). This is our first time to include the MzLS data covering the same area as BASS. BASS and MzLS have respectively completed about 72% and 76% of their observations. The two surveys will be served for the spectroscopic targeting of the upcoming Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument. Both BASS and MzLS data are reduced by the same pipeline. We have updated the basic data reduction and photometric methods in DR2. In particular, source detections are performed on stacked images, and photometric measurements are co-added from single-epoch images based on these sources. The median 5$\sigma$ depths with corrections of the Galactic extinction are 24.05, 23.61, and 23.10 mag for $g$, $r$, and $z$ bands, respectively. The DR2 data products include stacked images, co-added catalogs, and single-epoch images and catalogs. The BASS website (http://batc.bao.ac.cn/BASS/) provides detailed information and links to download the data., Comment: 23 pages, published in AJ

An ability of modeling and predicting the cascades of resharing is crucial to understanding information propagation and to launching campaign of viral marketing. Conventional methods for cascade prediction heavily depend on the hypothesis of diffusion models, e.g., independent cascade model and linear threshold model. Recently, researchers attempt to circumvent the problem of cascade prediction using sequential models (e.g., recurrent neural network, namely RNN) that do not require knowing the underlying diffusion model. Existing sequential models employ a chain structure to capture the memory effect. However, for cascade prediction, each cascade generally corresponds to a diffusion tree, causing cross-dependence in cascade---one sharing behavior could be triggered by its non-immediate predecessor in the memory chain. In this paper, we propose to an attention-based RNN to capture the cross-dependence in cascade. Furthermore, we introduce a \emph{coverage} strategy to combat the misallocation of attention caused by the memoryless of traditional attention mechanism. Extensive experiments on both synthetic and real world datasets demonstrate the proposed models outperform state-of-the-art models at both cascade prediction and inferring diffusion tree.

We are now witnessing the increasing availability of event stream data, i.e., a sequence of events with each event typically being denoted by the time it occurs and its mark information (e.g., event type). A fundamental problem is to model and predict such kind of marked temporal dynamics, i.e., when the next event will take place and what its mark will be. Existing methods either predict only the mark or the time of the next event, or predict both of them, yet separately. Indeed, in marked temporal dynamics, the time and the mark of the next event are highly dependent on each other, requiring a method that could simultaneously predict both of them. To tackle this problem, in this paper, we propose to model marked temporal dynamics by using a mark-specific intensity function to explicitly capture the dependency between the mark and the time of the next event. Experiments on two datasets demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art methods at predicting marked temporal dynamics.

Graphical Abstract Unlabelled image, The goal of this study was to improve the solubility and oral bioavailability of tamibarotene by complexing it with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD). The inclusion complex of tamibarotene with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (Am80-HP-β-CD) was prepared through a freeze-drying method at the mole ratio of 1:1 (Am80: HP-β-CD). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated the formation of Am80-HP-β-CD. In vitro dissolution studies showed that the solubility and dissolution percentage of Am80-HP-β-CD was improved substantially compared to Am80. An improved dissolution with approximately 97% drug release in 3 min was observed, in comparison with Am80 with approximately 60% release in 45 min. In vivo studies indicated that the AUC0-∞ has increased 2.79 times and the Cmax 4.37 times after the formation of inclusion complex. The decrease of tmax indicated the Am80-HP-β-CD inclusion complex can be absorbed into blood faster. In short, the solubility and bio-availability of Am80 has notably increased with the complexation of HP-β-CD. Therefore, using the inclusion technique is a promising method to improve the solubility of insoluble drugs.

A new periodic mesoporous hybrid material with a built-in Pd–guanidine complex was synthesized in the presence of a structure-directing agent. The N2 sorption, XRD and TEM characterizations revealed that this hybrid material had a large surface area (>700 m2 g−1), a narrow pore size distribution (centered at 2.7 nm), and a periodic 2D-hexagonal structure. FT-IR, solid state NMR and XPS investigations confirmed that palladium–guanidine complex was covalently integrated with the solid material. The solid material exhibited high activity for the Suzuki coupling reaction of various aryl bromides in an aqueous ethanol solution under air. Furthermore, it was found that the solid material worked well for the aerobic oxidation of benzylic alcohols under ambient pressure of O2, affording over 99% selectivity. This catalyst could be reused 9 times without a decrease in selectivity. This study supplies a new periodic mesoporous hybrid material with a built-in active palladium sites, which may be applied to other catalytic reactions.

Temozolomide plays a critical role in curing glioma at present. The purpose of this work was to develop a suitable drug delivery system which could prolong the half-life, improve the brain targeting, and reduce the systemic effect of the drug. Temozolomide-liposomes were formulated by the method of proliposomes. They were found to be relatively uniform in size of 156.70 ± 11.40 nm with a narrow polydispersity index (PI) of 0.29 ± 0.04. The average drug entrapment efficiency and loading capacity were 35.45 ± 1.48% and 2.81 ± 0.20%, respectively. The pH of temozolomide-liposomes was 6.46. In vitro release studies were conducted by a dynamic dialysis. The results showed that temozolomide released slowly from liposomes compared with the solution group. The release behavior of temozolomide-liposomes was in line with First-order kinetics and Weibull equation. The pharmacokinetics study was evaluated by pharmacokinetics parameters. The t(1/2β) and MRT of temozolomide-liposomes were 3.57 times and 1.27 times greater than that of temozolomide solution. The Cmax and AUC values of temozolomide-liposomes were 1.10 times and 1.55 times greater than that of temozolomide solution. The results of pharmacokinetics study showed temozolomide-liposomes prolonged the in vivo circulation time and increased AUC. Furthermore, the biodistribution in mice showed that temozolomide-liposomes preferentially decreased the accumulation of temozolomide in heart and lung and increased the drug concentration in brain after i.v. injection, which implied that temozolomide-liposomes improved the therapeutic effect in the brain and reduced the toxicity in lung and heart.

The pinning effect of second phase particles on grain growth was simulated by 2-D Monte Carlo simulations. A new variable, the degree of contact between grain boundaries and second phase particles, was introduced to predict the grain size limit in the presence of second phase particles. The modified Zener pinning model containing this new variable can be expressed as: D r = K Rf , where D is the pinned grain size, r is the mean size of second phase particles, K is a constant, f is the area fraction (or the volume fraction in 3-D) of second phase, and R is the degree of contact between grain boundaries and second phase particles. In 2-D Monte Carlo simulations of grain growth the ratio of pinned grain size to second phase particle size was found to be proportional to f−0.5, but also to (Rf)−1. The degree of contact increased during grain growth and reached a stable value when the grain structure was pinned. The initial location of second phase particles did not have a significant contribution to the pinning of grain boundaries.