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Introduction Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a common and frequently occurring disease of the upper respiratory tract. The nasal instillation of the Gram‐negative (G−) bacterial product lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can induce not only acute sinusitis but also the development of CRSwNP in animal models. Nevertheless, the expression and distribution of LPS in patients with CRSwNP have not been investigated. And the study was to investigate the expression of LPS and its relationship with glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) in CRSwNP. Methods Multiple methods, including bacterial culture and immunohistochemistry, were used to detect and analyze nasal bacteria, plasma LPS content, and the levels of LPS and GR‐α/β, cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) expression, as well as their relationship in CRSwNP. Results The number of G− bacteria and Escherichia coli (E. coli) was not significantly different between CRSwNP subjects and the controls. However, the positive rate of LPS was much higher than that of E. coli in CRSwNP subjects and was significantly higher in noneosinophilic CRSwNP subjects than in eosinophilic CRSwNP subjects. Moreover, the LPS levels were positively correlated with GR‐β but not GR‐α expression in CRSwNP. Immunofluorescence assays showed that LPS was mainly detected in CD68+ macrophages and MPO+ neutrophils, in addition to histiocytes, in CRSwNP. Conclusions Persistent LPS in CRSwNP can lead to unresolved mucosal inflammation, eventually leading to tissue remodeling and the development of CRSwNP. Our findings suggest that increased LPS content and possible resistance to glucocorticoids may be one of the important pathogenic mechanisms of G− bacteria in CRSwNP., We used bacterial culture and immunohistochemistry to find that the positive rate of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was much higher than that of Escherichia coli in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), and the LPS levels were positively correlated with glucocorticoid receptor‐β (GR‐β) expression in CRSwNP. Our findings suggest increased LPS content and possible resistance to glucocorticoids may be one of the important pathogenic mechanisms of G‐negative bacteria in CRSwNP.

A multi-dopant material system for polymer-stabilized (PS) blue phase liquid crystal (BPLC) is proposed. The driving capacity of PS-BPLC can be improved by doping N-vinylpyrrollidone (NVP) and polyaniline functionalized graphene (G-PANI). With the dopant optimization, the Kerr constant is increased by 68%, and the response time, hysteresis and residual birefringence have no degradation.

The influence of polymer system on polymer-stabilised (PS) blue phase (BP) liquid crystal (LC) is investigated. After polymer stabilisation, anchoring energy appears between the polymer network and LC molecules, which is related with the stiffness of the polymer system. As the stiffness of polymer system decreases, the Kerr constant can be improved with the degradation of response time, hysteresis, and residual birefringence. Furthermore, the Kerr constant and response time can be improved simultaneously by polymer system with reactive diluents.

Research has identified that gram-negative bacteria have an important role in refractory nasal polyps. In the present study, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to establish a mouse model with neutrophilic nasal polyps in order to explore the effect and mechanism of LPS on the formation of neutrophilic nasal polyps in mice. A total of 5 or 10 µg of LPS was dropped into the nasal cavities of C57BL/6J mice in order to establish animal models with neutrophilic nasal polyps. Histological staining, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), cluster of differentiation 68 for macrophages and myeloperoxidase for neutrophil immunohistochemistry were used to observe histopathological changes in the nasal mucosa. The expression levels of cytokines, including interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-17 in the nasal lavage fluid, were detected by ELISA. Compared with the control group, mice in the LPS groups exhibited significant mucosa epithelial cell damage and nasal polyp formation. Furthermore, TLR4+ cells, macrophages, neutrophils and significantly increased levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-17 in the nasal lavage fluids were indicated (all P=0.008). These findings indicated that LPS is able to activate the TLR4 receptor pathway to induce the formation of neutrophilic nasal polyps in mice. Additionally, LPS administration was accompanied by a significant increase in the number of macrophages, T helper (Th) 1 and Th17-related cytokines (P=0.009, P=0.008 and P=0.008, respectively). Therefore, the present model is commensurate with the characteristics of primary nasal polyps that have been identified in the Asian population.

Blue phase liquid crystals(BPLCs) show fast response time and macroscopic optical isotropy due to their double twist cylinder structure.With polymer stabilization,the thermal stability of BPLCs can be improved dramatically.However,it induces some problems to the electro-optic properties of BPLCs material such as high driving voltage,hysteresis and so on.In this paper,different concentrations of chiral dopant,polymer network of the BPLC,and temperature effect are investigated to improve the electro-optic properties of BPLCs and analyze the mechanism that affect the electro-optic properties of the BPLCs device.

Nanocrystalline NH4ZrH(PO4)2·H2O was synthesized by solid-state reaction at low heat using ZrOCl2·8H2O and (NH4)2HPO4 as raw materials. X-ray powder diffraction analysis showed that NH4ZrH(PO4)2·H2O was a layered compound with an interlayer distance of 1.148 nm. The thermal decomposition of NH4ZrH(PO4)2·H2O experienced four steps, which involves the dehydration of the crystal water molecule, deamination, intramolecular dehydration of the protonated phosphate groups, and the formation of orthorhombic ZrP2O7. In the DTA curve, the three endothermic peaks and an exothermic peak, respectively, corresponding to the first three steps' mass losses of NH4ZrH(PO4)2·H2O and crystallization of ZrP2O7 were observed. Based on Flynn–Wall–Ozawa equation and Kissinger equation, the average values of the activation energies associated with the NH4ZrH(PO4)2·H2O thermal decomposition and crystallization of ZrP2O7 were determined to be 56.720 ± 13.1, 106.55 ± 6.28, 129.25 ± 4.32, and 521.90 kJ mol−1, respectively. Dehydration of the crystal water of NH4ZrH(PO4)2·H2O could be due to multi-step reaction mechanisms: deamination of NH4ZrH(PO4)2 and intramolecular dehydration of the protonated phosphate groups from Zr(HPO4)2 are simple reaction mechanisms.

1. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) plays important roles in the development of cardiac hypertrophy via activation of 5-HT receptors. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of 5-HT(2B) receptors in the development of cardiomyocyte apoptosis and hypertrophy associated with noradrenaline (NA) overload. 2. Cardiac hypertrophy was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of 1.5 mg/kg NA for 4 weeks. Starting from Day 15, 5-HT2B receptor antagonist SB 204741 (i.p., 0.5 or 2 mg/kg) or SDZ SER 082 (i.p., 1 mg/kg) was injected twice daily for another 14 days. Whole-cell patch-clamp techniques were used to record ionic currents in freshly isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes. Western blot and terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end-labelling (TUNEL) assays were used to assess myocardial apoptosis. 3. Expression of 5-HT(2B) receptors was enhanced in the hypertrophic left ventricle induced by NE overload in vivo. The 5-HT(2B) receptor antagonist SB 204741 partially reversed cardiac hypertrophy induced by NE overload (P < 0.05) and decreased L-type calcium currents in ventricular cardiomyocytes (P < 0.05). In addition, SB 204741 notably attenuated myocardial apoptosis, as evidenced by downregulation of Bax and caspase 3 (P < 0.05) and upregulation of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein (P < 0.05). 4. In conclusion, the data suggest an involvement of 5-HT(2B) receptors in the generation of apoptotic events associated with cardiac remodelling during increased adrenergic stimulation.

Nanocrystalline NH4ZrH(PO4)2·H2O was obtained by grinding ZrOCl2·8H2O and (NH4)2HPO4 in the presence of surfactant PEG-400 via solid-state reaction at room temperature. The product NH4ZrH(PO4)2·H2O and its product of thermal decomposition were characterized using thermogravimetry and differential thermal analyses (TG/DTA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Nanocrystalline NH4ZrH(PO4)2·H2O with an average particle size of 17 nm was obtained when the product was kept at 80°C for 3 h. Its crystalline framework was stable at temperatures below 250°C. In addition, the catalytic performance of NH4ZrH(PO4)2·H2O in the synthesis of butyl acetate was investigated. The results show that NH4ZrH(PO4)2·H2O behaved as an excellent heterogeneous catalyst in the synthesis of butyl acetate.

The effect of polymer system on polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystals (PSBPLCs) is investigated. The experimental results indicate that the electro-optic properties of PSBPLC are affected by the interface energy between the liquid crystal molecules and polymer system. As the anchoring energy of polymer system decreases, the driving voltage will decrease, but hysteresis and residual birefringence will increase. In addition, if the anchoring energy is less than a threshold value, the BPLC cannot be stabilized well by polymer network.

The effect of threshold temperature on the phase transition of blue phase liquid crystals (BPLCs) is investigated that the electro-optical properties can be affected by the threshold temperature. And the relationship between lattice formation process of BPLCs and temperature is also demonstrated that the heterogeneous lattice generation and the homogeneous lattice growth play different roles in phase transition process with different cooling rates.

Copper sulfide nanorods have been prepared by microwave irradiation of 1% (w/v) sodium dodecyl sulfate aqueous solution of copper nitrate and thioacetamide. Powder X-ray diffraction pattern indicated that the product was pure hexagonal phase copper sulfide. The product was also characterized by the techniques of transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron diffraction.

novel holographic exposure technique for switchable cylindrical structure LC/polymer Fresnel lens is proposed. The one dimension Fresnel pattern can be achieved by interfering two planar and spherical wave fronts with a shifting slit. In this simple fabrication process, the Fresnel pattern is easy to control and the mask is not needed compare to the conventional process. The optical property of the lens is confirmed.

The effect of polymerization on electro-optic properties of blue phase liquid crystal (BPLC) is investigated. Once the monomer is added to the pure BPLC, chiral pitch and Kerr constant increase, but decay time decreases. In spite that the chiral pitch of polymer stabilized BPLC is almost no change after polymerization, Kerr constant decreases significantly and the decay time increases.

The synthesis and crystal structure of the title complex, (C25H21BrP)2[Ni(C4N2S2)2]·H2O or [BrBzTPP]2[Ni(mnt)2]·H2O [where BrBzTPP is (4-bromo­benz­yl)triphenyl­phosphonium and mnt is 1,2-dicyano­ethane-1,2-dithiol­ate or maleonitrile­dithiol­ate], is reported. The NiII ion of the [Ni(mnt)2]2− anion is coordinated by four S atoms of two mnt ligands and exhibits the expected square-planar coordination geometry. The [BrBzTPP]+ cation adopts a conformation where the four benzene rings are twisted with respect to the plane of the P—C—C chain which links them. The Ni atom lies on a centre of symmetry. Weak C—H⋯Ni and C—H⋯S inter­actions between the anions and cations may play a role in the packing and stabilization of the crystal structure.

The asymmetric unit of the title salt, (C12H11BrN)2[Ni(C4N2S2)2], consists of one 1-(4-bromobenzyl)pyridinium cation and one half of a complex [Ni(mnt)2]2−(mnt2−is the maleonitriledithiolate dianion). The Ni2+ion is located on an inversion centre and is coordinated by four S atoms from two mnt2−ligands, exhibiting a square-planar coordination environment. In the cation, the planes of the pyridinium and benzene rings make a dihedral angle of 69.86 (19)°. The cations and anions are alternately arranged in layers parallel to (001) and are held together by non-classical C—H...N hydrogen bonds.

The title ion-pair complex, (C25H20ClFP)2[Ni(C2N2S3)2], was obtained by the direct reaction of (4-F,2-ClBzTPP)+·Br− [4-F,2-ClBzTPP+ is (2-chloro-4-fluorobenzyl)triphenylphosphonium], NiCl2·6H2O and Na2tdas (tdas2− is 1,2,5-thiadiazole-3,4-dithiolate) in methanol. The asymmetric unit of the title structure comprises one (4-F,2-ClBzTPP)+ cation and half of an [Ni(tdas)2]2− complex anion, with the NiII ion situated on a center of symmetry, leading to a slightly distorted square-planar coordination of the latter. In the cation, the tetrahedral angles around the P atom are nearly undistorted. In the crystal, the cations and anions are linked by C—H...S, C—H...N and C—H...Cl hydrogen bonds.

A small amount of polyaniline functionalized graphene (G–PANI, 0.03–2.00%) nanosheets was doped into conventional polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystals (PS-BPLCs), and the electro-optical property effects were studied. The driving capability of BPLCs can be much improved in that the Kerr constant of BPLCs doped with 0.05 wt% G–PANI is increased by ∼55% compared with that of BPLCs without G–PANI. Meanwhile, this composite exhibits no degradation of electro-optical properties, such as response time, hysteresis and residual birefringence.

A critical temperature is found in the phase transition of blue phase liquid crystal (BPLC), which affects the electro-optical properties and polymer stabilization of polymer stabilized BPLCs (PSBPLCs). The relation between lattice formation process of BPLCs and the temperature is also demonstrated showing that the heterogeneous lattice generation and the homogeneous lattice growth dominate the different temperature ranges in phase transition process. With different cooling rates, the material properties of BPLCs change as the result of different stages of heterogeneous lattice generation and homogeneous lattice growth.

A polymer-stabilized (PS) blue phase liquid crystal (BPLC) with fast response time and large Kerr constant is investigated by doping a low molecular weight monomer (N-vinylpyrrollidone) into a conventional PS-BPLC consisting of BPLC, RM257, and 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane triacrylate. With this polymer network system, Kerr constant and the response can be improved simultaneously. Compared to the conventional PS-BPLC, Kerr constant of the proposed PS-BPLC can increase by 54% and the response time can decrease by 23% at the same time. The contrast ratio can be kept at a high level, over 1000:1 at λ = 633 nm.