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Atomically thin two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) heterostructures have recently attracted growing interest due to their massive potential in solar energy applications due to their band gap in the visible spectral range and extremely strong light–matter interactions. Herein, heterostructures composed of WS2 and MoS2 monolayers, as representative TMDCs, with small fullerenes (B12 and C20) are investigated to explore their applications in solar energy conversion using first principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). The WS2 (MoS2) monolayer and fullerene form a van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure. Compared to pure monolayers, the heterostructures have a smaller band gap, which favours enhancing visible light absorption. The amount of charge transfer at the interface induced by vdW interactions depends on the type of fullerene. Most importantly, a type-II staggered band alignment is formed between WS2 (MoS2) and fullerene with the latter possessing the higher electron affinity which results in the robust separation of photoexcited charge carriers between them. These results indicate that the electronic properties and photoactivity of TMDCs monolayers can be tuned by non-covalent coupling with small fullerenes, thus meeting the needs of various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomically thin two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) heterostructures have recently attracted growing interest due to their massive potential in solar energy applications due to their band gap in the visible spectral range and extremely strong light–matter interactions. Herein, heterostructures composed of WS2 and MoS2 monolayers, as representative TMDCs, with small fullerenes (B12 and C20) are investigated to explore their applications in solar energy conversion using first principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). The WS2 (MoS2) monolayer and fullerene form a van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure. Compared to pure monolayers, the heterostructures have a smaller band gap, which favours enhancing visible light absorption. The amount of charge transfer at the interface induced by vdW interactions depends on the type of fullerene. Most importantly, a type-II staggered band alignment is formed between WS2 (MoS2) and fullerene with the latter possessing the higher electron affinity which results in the robust separation of photoexcited charge carriers between them. These results indicate that the electronic properties and photoactivity of TMDCs monolayers can be tuned by non-covalent coupling with small fullerenes, thus meeting the needs of various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coupling of carbon nanomaterials with semiconductor photocatalysts is a promising route to improve their photocatalytic performance. Herein, density functional theory was used to investigate the electronic structure, charge transfer, photocatalytic activity, and stability in a series of hybrid fullerene (C20, Li@C20, C26, Li@C26)/Ag3PO4(100) composites. When a Li atom is incorporated in fullerene, the adsorption energies significantly increase, although the change of interface distance is negligibly small due to the weak interface interaction. The charge transfer between constituents decreases with the C atom number of fullerene. Compared to pure Ag3PO4, the band gap of the composites is smaller, which enhances the visible-light absorption and photoinduced electron transfer. Most importantly, a type-II, staggered band alignment could be obtained in the C26–Ag3PO4(Li@C26–Ag3PO4) interface, leading to significantly reduced charge recombination and thus enhanced photocatalytic activity. These results reveal that fullerene modification would be an effective strategy to improve the photocatalytic performance of Ag3PO4 semiconductor photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The position of Xuehai (SP10) is clear, but its locating method is vague, resulting in the disunity of clinical application and even possibly affecting the curative effect. Also, when learning the meridians and acupoints, the beginners are often confused by this issue possibly due to: ① when the bone-length proportional measurement combined with anatomic symbol (combination method) was adopted, it is not clear that the patient should take a posture of knee extension or knee flexion; ② when the combination method used, it is difficult to find the highest point of muscle eminence in the case of patient with thin vastus medialis muscle and fuzzy body surface projection; ③the simple method for locating SP10 is widely used at present, can it replace the combination method to locate this acupoint accurately？Guided by these questions, we, in the present paper, reviewed the rela-ted textbooks, works and other literature to explore the standard position of SP10, and the standard and simple methods for locating this acupoint. Comprehending various opinions, we hold that SP10 should be positioned under the extended knee posture, then, the acupoint's horizontal ordinate "2 cun superior to the medial end of the base of the patella" is determined by using bone-length proportional measurement to measure 2 cun from the bottom to the tip of the patella. Then, the body surface anatomic symbol method is used, when, the patient is asked to stretch the leg and contract the vastus medialis muscle, the highest spot of muscular eminence is the SP10. If the patient's muscular protuberance is not obvious, the middle line between the medial and lateral margins of the vastus medialis muscle is used as the vertical ordinate, and its intersection with the abscissa is SP10. The simple method is easy in operation and has a reference value, but may frequently produce errors, hence, it is not a substitution for the combination method.

Objective: To investigate the effects and molecular mechanism of ropivacaine hydrochloride on osteosarcoma cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis. Methods: The osteosarcoma doxorubicin-resistant cell line (U2OS/DOX) was established by gradually increasing the drug doses. U2OS/DOX cells were treated with ropivacaine hydrochloride at the concentrations of 0, 20, 50 and 100 μg/ml, respectively; as different concentrations treatment groups of ropivacaine hydrochloride. pcDNA3.1 and pcDNA3.1-Livin were transfected into U2OS/DOX cells and then treated with 100 μg/ml ropivacaine hydrochloride, which were defined as ropivacaine hydrochloride 100 μg/ml+pcDNA3.1 group, ropivacaine hydrochloride 100 μg/ml+pcDNA3.1-Livin group. MTT was used to detect the cell proliferation inhibition rate and inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ). Western blot was used to detect the expressions of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (P21) and activated cysteine aspartic protease-3 (Cleaved Caspase-3), E-cadherin, matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and Livin; clone formation experiments were used to detect the number of cell clones formed; flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis; Transwell was used to detect cell migration and invasion; real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect Livin mRNA expression. Results: When the concentration of doxorubicin was more than 1 μg/ml, the proliferation inhibition rate of osteosarcoma cells U2OS was significantly increased in a concentration-dependent manner ( P ＜0.05); when the concentration of doxorubicin was more than 10 μg/ml, the proliferation inhibition rate of osteosarcoma resistant cell U2OS/DOX was significantly increased, and it was dose-dependent ( P ＜0.05). In U2OS/DOX cells treated with ropivacaine hydrochloride, the expressions of P21, Cleaved Caspase-3, and E-cadherin were increased significantly, the expression of MMP-2 was decreased significantly, the cell proliferation inhibition rate was increased significantly, the number of colony formation was decreased significantly, and the cells apoptosis rate was increased significantly, the number of cell migration and invasion was decreased significantly, and the expression of Livin was significantly reduced, in a concentration-dependent manner ( P ＜0.05). Overexpression of Livin partially reversed the inhibitory effect of ropivacaine hydrochloride on proliferation, migration, invasion, and promotion effect on apoptosis of cell U2OS/DOX. Conclusion: Ropivacaine hydrochloride can significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of doxorubicin-resistant osteosarcoma cells, and significantly promote osteoma cell apoptosis. The mechanism may be related to Livin.

Aim: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS), a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, is among the most serious cardiovascular diseases. Circadian rhythms are present in almost all organisms. In clinical practice, we have found that ACS is closely related to these circadian rhythms. However, the relationship between circadian rhythms and plaque instability in ACS patients is incompletely understood. The aim of this study is to provide new insights into the relationship between circadian rhythms and plaque instability in ACS patients., Methods: We enrolled patients with ACS and individuals with normal coronary artery function in this study. The Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Healthy Diet Score (HDS) were used to evaluate circadian rhythms. Furthermore, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to assess the mRNA expression levels of muscle aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like protein 1 (Bmal1), circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (Clock), Cryptochrome1 (Cry1), Period2 (Per2), nuclear receptor subfamily 1, group D, member 1 (Rev-erbα), and matrix metalloproteinases MMP2 and MMP9., Results: AIS scores and PSQI scores were significantly higher in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and unstable angina pectoris (UA) than in the normal controls (NCs) ( P < 0.05 ). The IPAQ scores of the NCs and patients with UA were significantly higher than in patients with STEMI and NSTEMI ( P < 0.05 ). Notably higher HDS scores were recorded for the NCs compared to those of patients with UA, NSTEMI, and STEMI ( P < 0.05 ). Consistent with these findings, compared with the NCs, the lowest levels of Bmal1, Clock, Cry1, Per2 and Rev-erbα mRNAs were detected in patients with STEMI, followed by patients with NSTEMI and then patients with UA ( P < 0.05 ). Furthermore, the levels of MMP2 and MMP9 mRNA were significantly higher in the patients with STEMI, NSTEMI, and UA than those in the NCs ( P < 0.05 ). In addition, we found that the levels of MMP mRNA negatively correlated with the levels of clock genes mRNAs ( P < 0.05 , respectively)., Conclusions: Based on our data, the circadian rhythms and clock genes are correlatively with the occurrence of ACS, and the expression levels of clock genes are negatively correlated with plaque stability in ACS patients., Competing Interests: None., (IJCEP Copyright © 2019.)

Background: Atherosclerosis (AS) is defined as chronic inflammation of the vessel wall. The major objective of the this study was to explore the mechanism of Treg/Th17 imbalance and the role of high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) on the balance in AS., Methods: We detected the apoptotic ratios of Treg and Th17 cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from subjects with AS and normal coronary arteries (NCA) by flow cytometry. The effects of recombinant HMGB1 (rHMGB1) on the proportion, apoptosis and differentiation of Treg and Th17 cells were analyzed using flow cytometry, qRT-PCR and ELISA., Results: The frequencies of apoptotic Treg cells in the PBMCs from the subjects with AS were significantly higher than in those with NCA (p < 0.01). Stimulation of rHMGB1 obviously increased the level of Th17 cells and acid- related orphan receptor C (RORC) mRNA, and markedly decreased Treg cell frequency and the mRNA expression of factor forkhead family protein 3 (Foxp3) in the PBMCs. rHMGB1 played an obvious role in elevating Treg cell apoptosis ratio (p < 0.01). rHMGB1 treatment significantly decreased Treg cell ratio and IL-10 level, and increased Th17 cell ratio and IL-17A level induced from naïve CD4 + T cells., Conclusions: HMGB1 may modulate Treg/Th17 balance in patients with AS through inducing Treg cell apoptosis and promoting cell differentiation of Th17.