Optimal control of an SIQRS epidemic model with three measures on networks

Nonlinear Dynamics - At present, the main measures for disease control are vaccination, quarantine and treatment. Taking the three measures into consideration, time-varying optimal control problems...     

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oil from Fruit of Schisandra perulata

Chemistry of Natural Compounds -     

Bromine doped g-C3N4 with enhanced photocatalytic reduction in U(VI)

Research on Chemical Intermediates - In the process of uranium mining and smelting, large quantities of low-concentration uranium-containing wastewater have been produced. It is an ideal solution...     

Topical application of zein-silk sericin nanoparticles loaded with curcumin for improved therapy of dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is characterized by leukocyte migration into the skin dermis and typically driven by excessive chemokine production at the site of inflammation. Conventional topical formulations such as gels, creams, and ointments are insufficient for this treatment because of low penetration of drug molecules into the targeted skin tissues. Herein, using a simple, green, sustainable strategy, we have developed novel primary zein nanoparticles embedded in curcumin (Cur) and coated with silk sericin (ZHSCs) for the topical delivery of Cur to penetrate into the dermis and exercise anti-dermatitis effects on the lesion with minimal side-effects. Transdermal delivery experiments and porcine skin fluorescence imaging indicated that ZHSCs facilitate the penetration of Cur across the epidermis layer of skin to reach deep-seated sites. Notably, ZHSCs = 1:0.25 (zein-to-silk sericin mass ratios of 1:0.25) markedly elevated the skin permeability and cumulative turnover of Cur transferred, which were provided a greater than a 3.8-fold increase relative to free Cur. The special nanoparticles of ZHS = 1:0.25 possessed the deepest localization depth and experience a transition of the particle structure and core-shell separation after penetrating into the dermis of skin. In a cell model of dermatitis induced by tumor necrosis factor α/interferon γ co-stimulation, compared with free Cur, Cur-loaded ZHS nanoparticles down-regulated the generation of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in keratinocytes through suppression of the nuclear translocation of NF-κBp65 and hence exerted an anti-dermatitis effect. This strategy may provide new avenues and direction for the demanding issues of valid topical delivery systems.     

Gold-Catalyzed Divergent Ring-Opening Rearrangement of Cyclopropenes Enabled by Dichotomous Gold−Carbenes

The gold-catalyzed ring-opening rearrangement of cyclopropenes affords an efficient route to either polysubstituted naphthols or aryl-substituted furans. Owing to the unique dichotomy of gold−carbenes, this protocol provides a switchable reaction selectivity between naphthols and furans enabled by the use of TFP−Au(MeCN)SbF₆ (tri(2-furyl) phosphine) or PNP(AuNTf₂)₂ (bis(diphenylphosphino)(isopropyl) amine) as catalysts respectively. It is proposed that the gold−carbene intermediate might be involved in the cyclopropene→naphthol rearrangement while the gold-carbocation is more likely to be involved in the cyclopropene→furan rearrangement.     

Eco-friendly and low-cost amidoxime-functionalized microcrystalline cellulose/mesoporous silica composite for the selective adsorption of U(VI) from aqueous solution

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - Eco-friendly and low-cost composite, amidoxime-functionalized microcrystalline cellulose/mesoporous silica (MCC/MS-AO), were synthesized by...     

Highly Efficient Ir(III)-Coumarin Photo-Redox Catalyst for Synergetic Multi-Mode Cancer Photo-Therapy

Four photo-catalysts of the general formula [Ir(CO6/ppy)₂(L)]Cl where CO6=coumarin 6 ( Ir1 – Ir3 ), ppy=2-phenylpyridine ( Ir4 ), L=4′-(3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)-2,2′ : 6′,2′′-terpyridine ( Ir1 ), 4′-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2,2′ : 6′,2′′-terpyridine ( Ir2 and Ir4 ), and 4-([2,2′ : 6′,2′′-terpyridin]-4′-yl)-N,N-dimethylaniline ( Ir3 ) were synthesized and characterized. These photostable photo-catalysts ( Ir1 – Ir3 ) showed strong visible light absorption between 400–550 nm. Upon light irradiation (465 and 525 nm), Ir1 – Ir3 generated singlet oxygen and induced rapidly photo-catalytic oxidation of cellular coenzymes NAD(P)H. Ir1 – Ir3 showed time-dependent cellular uptake with excellent intracellular retention efficiency. Upon green light irradiation (525 nm), Ir2 provided a much higher photo-index (PI=793) than the clinically used photosensitizer, 5-aminolevulinicacid (5-ALA, PI>30) against HeLa cancer cells. The observed necro-apoptotic anticancer activity of Ir2 was due to the Ir2 triggered photo-induced intracellular redox imbalance (by NAD(P)H oxidation and ROS generation) and change in the mitochondrial membrane potential. Remarkably, Ir2 showed in vivo photo-induced catalytic anticancer activity in mouse models.     

有机张力半导体及其光电特性

分子张力作为空间设计的重要组成部分正成为调控有机半导体的重要手段。由于分子内产生的拉伸张力、扭曲/弯曲张力以及空间张力而导致p轨道排布重组和构型构象结构发生变化,最近各种几何与拓扑结构的高张力有机半导体材料相继被报道,这使得高张力有机半导体材料成为有机电子领域研究的焦点。为了进一步梳理分子张力在有机半导体材料中扮演的角色与价值,该综述从分子张力的类型、实验与理论量化以及可视化出发,总结了高张力共轭芳烃的分子设计策略、与其光电性能分子张力之间的关系,以及这类新兴材料在光电领域的应用。最后,对高张力共轭芳烃的研究前景进行了展望,阐述了该类材料所面临的机遇与挑战。