Allicin inhibits mouse colorectal tumorigenesis through suppressing the activation of STAT3 signaling pathway

Allicin is the major biologically active compounds of freshly crushed garlic. It has been reported to inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of multiple colorectal cancer cells. However, the anti-colorectal cancer effect of Allicin has not been verified by in vivo studies. In the present study, we investigated the effect of Allicin on azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) colorectal cancer mouse model and explore the underlying possible mechanism. Our result showed that Allicin could inhibit colonic tumorigenesis of AOM/DSS mice in vivo. In vitro study showed that Allicin promoted the apoptosis and suppressed the survival and proliferation of HCT116 cells. The molecular mechanism is related to the suppression of STAT3 signaling activation. Thus, our data provide further support for Allicin as a potential favorable supplement for human colorectal cancer.     

不同应变率下蓝宝石透明陶瓷玻璃的力学响应

蓝宝石（A1₂O₃）是透明陶瓷玻璃,它相较传统陶瓷（A1₂O₃）有优良的透光性,而且保留了陶瓷优良的力学性能。利用电子拉伸机和分离式霍普金森杆设备对试样进行准静态应变率为(10⁻⁴、10⁻³、10⁻² s⁻¹)和4种动态应变率(850、1 100、1 300、1 450 s⁻¹)下的单轴压缩力学行为,用高速摄像机记录了蓝宝石透明陶瓷玻璃试样在准静态和动态压缩下的破坏过程。实验结果表明：从加载过程中的应力应变曲线是由加载段和失效段组成的,该材料是典型的脆性材料,并且有明显的应变率效应,随着应变率的提高,蓝宝石透明陶瓷玻璃的抗压强度也会提高;准静态和动态压缩下蓝宝石透明陶瓷玻璃都是在宏观裂纹扩展作用下失效破坏。通过分析不同应变率下蓝宝石透明陶瓷玻璃的破坏过程,分析得到该材料的失效是在加载的过程中,在蓝宝石透明陶瓷玻璃承载能力最低的区域出现裂纹源,然后裂纹成形并沿着加载方向扩展,然后裂纹之间相互交错,最终达到饱和状态破坏失效;在高应变率下,极短的时间内产生多处裂纹源,需要更大的能量去使裂纹成形、扩展,宏观上就表现为应变率效应。

     

Highly Efficient Cyclic Dinucleotide Based Artificial Metalloribozymes for Enantioselective Friedel–Crafts Reactions in Water

The diverse secondary structures of nucleic acids are emerging as attractive chiral scaffolds to construct artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs) for enantioselective catalysis. DNA-based ArMs containing duplex and G-quadruplex scaffolds have been widely investigated, yet RNA-based ArMs are scarce. Here we report that a cyclic dinucleotide of c-di-AMP and Cu²⁺ ions assemble into an artificial metalloribozyme (c-di-AMP⋅Cu²⁺) that enables catalysis of enantioselective Friedel–Crafts reactions in aqueous media with high reactivity and excellent enantioselectivity of up to 97 % ee. The assembly of c-di-AMP⋅Cu²⁺ gives rise to a 20-fold rate acceleration compared to Cu²⁺ ions. Based on various biophysical techniques and density function theory (DFT) calculations, a fine coordination structure of c-di-AMP⋅Cu²⁺ metalloribozyme is suggested in which two c-di-AMP form a dimer scaffold and the Cu²⁺ ion is located in the center of an adenine-adenine plane through binding to two N7 nitrogen atoms and one phosphate oxygen atom.     

Metal–Organic Frameworks as Metal Ion Precursors for the Synthesis of Nanocomposites for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising materials with fascinating properties. Their widespread applications are sometimes hindered by the intrinsic instability of frameworks. However, this instability of MOFs can also be exploited for useful purposes. Herein, we report the use of MOFs as metal ion precursors for constructing functional nanocomposites by utilizing the instability of MOFs. The heterogeneous growth process of nanostructures on substrates involves the release of metal ions, nucleation on substrates, and formation of a covering structure. Specifically, the synthesized CoS with carbon nanotubes as substrates display enhanced performance in a lithium-ion battery. Such strategy not only presents a new way for exploiting the instability of MOFs but also supplies a prospect for designing versatile functional nanocomposites.     

Analysis of five active ingredients of Er-Zhi-Wan,a traditional Chinese medicine water-honeyed pill,using the biopharmaceutics classification system

Er-Zhi-Wan (EZW) is a traditional Chinese medicine with many clinical applications and used as a health product in East Asia. Five active ingredients (salidroside, specnuezhenide, nuezhenoside, luteolin, and oleanolic acid) were screened out from EZW to develop an in vitro rapid evaluation method for the classification of in vivo drug absorption behavior by biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS). Ultra-performance liquid chromatography was used for quantitative analysis. Solubility and permeability were assayed by equilibrium solubility and multiple models: everted rat intestinal sac model, cultured Caco-2 cells, octanol–water partition coefficient (LogP) method. The BCS properties of drugs were predicted using software applications, and the correlations of measured and predicted values of factors affecting oral drug absorption were calculated. The results were verified by measuring the absolute bioavailability of the active ingredients. Salidroside, specnuezhenide, and nuezhenoside were classified as BCS class III drugs, and luteolin was classified as a BCS class III/I drug because of the difference in LogP and intestinal permeability. Oleanolic acid was classified as a BCS class II/IV drug in acidic media and BCS class I/III drug in other media. Overall, EZW may be classified as a BCS class III drug, and permeability was identified as the primary factor limiting absorption. The results provide a novel method for the evaluation of the in vivo absorption of oral traditional Chinese medicines.     

Construction of Rich Conductive Pathways from Bottom to Top: A Highly Efficient Charge-Transfer System Used in Durable Li/Na-Ion Batteries at −20 °C

The construction of potential electrode materials with wide temperature property for high-energy-density secondary batteries has attracted great interest in recent years. Herein, a hybrid electrode, consisting of a nitrogen-doped carbon/α-MnS/flake graphite composite (α-MnS@N-C/FG), is prepared through a post-sulfurization route. In the α-MnS@N-C/FG composite, α-MnS nanoparticles wrapped by the N−C layer are uniformly embedded onto FG, forming a novel nanofoam structure. The as-obtained α-MnS@N-C/FG shows excellent lithium/sodium storage performance, with a specific capacity of 712 mA h g⁻¹ in the 700th cycle at 1.0 A g⁻¹ or 186.4 mA h g⁻¹ in the 100th cycle at 100 mA g⁻¹ using lithium or sodium foil as the counter electrode, respectively. Moreover, even operated at −20 °C, the α-MnS@N-C/FG can still attain a high specific capacity of 350 mA h g⁻¹ after 50 cycles at 100mA g⁻¹ for LIBs. This exceptional electrochemical response is attributed to the synergetic effect of the smart design of a hybrid nanofoam structure, in which the FG skeleton and N-C coating layer can significantly enhance the conductivity of the whole electrode from bottom to top. Accordingly, the enhanced redox kinetics endow the electrode with pseudocapacitive-dominated electrochemical behavior, leading to fast electrode reactions and robust structural stability in the whole electrode.     

A dynamic visco-hyperelastic model of dielectric elastomers and their energy dissipation characteristics

In this paper, we present a model describing the nonlinear dynamic visco-hyperelastic behaviors of dielectric elastomers (DE), with the purpose to explain the material’s dynamic energy dissipation mechanism, and provide convenience for actual design of DE devices. On the basic mechanical properties of the material, a visco-hyperelastic constitutive relationship, derived from Kelvin–Voigt rheological model and expressed as complex modulus, is created at first. Then, from the approximate relationship between harmonic motion frequency and the stretch rate (as well as the amplitude of stretch ratio) of the film, a new model-fitting approach is put forward to obtain the three intrinsic parameters, based on the uniaxial tensile tests for VHB 4910 DE film at different stretch rates (from 0.029 to 0.71 s^?1). Applying the proposed parameters, the hysteresis and energy dissipation behaviors of the DE film are subsequently predicted, showing good agreement with the experimental results. Finally, the influences of the kinematic variable pair on energy dissipation properties are quantitatively investigated.     

基于TMT10-plex等量标记结合SMOAC富集磷酸肽的定量磷酸化蛋白质组性能评价

探索并建立了一种快速、 简便且高通量定量磷酸化蛋白质组的策略, 即采用连续互补的磷酸化富集方法SMOAC(Sequential enrichment of metal oxide affinity chromatography)结合TMT(Tandem mass tag)标记技术定量磷酸化蛋白质组学. 以3例经紫草素处理的及3例正常的人肝癌 HepG2 细胞为实验材料, 经Trypsin酶解后的肽段用TMT10-plex试剂进行等量标记, 标记肽段先经TiO₂富集, 收集包含磷酸化肽段的洗脱液, 接着用次氮基三醋酸铁(Fe-NTA)对TiO₂的流穿液和清洗液进行二次富集, 再次收集包含磷酸化肽段的洗脱液. 整个实验流程做2组, 对其中一组的2次洗脱液分别分析, 另一组的2次洗脱液合并分析. 在SMOAC的2次洗脱液合并分析中鉴定到4263个磷酸化蛋白上超过13000条磷酸化肽, 富集特异性>97%, 其中被定量的磷酸化蛋白为3848个, 占总鉴定量的90%以上. 研究结果表明, SMOAC 能够有效提高磷酸化肽段的鉴定效率, 且能与TMT等量标记试剂结合, 实现对少量蛋白样品的磷酸化蛋白定量分析.     

蚕丝纤维增强聚乳酸体系中柱晶的形成及结构分析

采用溶液法制备聚乳酸(PLA)薄膜,并利用偏光显微镜在线研究了不同温度及不同牵引速率下,单根蚕丝纤维(SF)诱导PLA柱晶的形成,并利用显微红外光谱表征柱晶结构.结果表明,当牵引速率大于或等于临界速率时,纤维表面有连续的柱晶生成,反之柱晶不连续;当牵引速率大于临界饱和速率时,柱晶的结晶度和取向度分别趋于稳定值;在等温条件下,随着牵引速率的增大,柱晶的成核诱导期缩短,晶体的成核密度增大,取向度增加;当牵引速率一定时,与130℃相比,温度为120℃时形成柱晶的成核诱导期较短,成核密度更大,结晶度更高,柱晶层的生长更快.     

Droplet‐based microfluidics systems in biomedical applications

Microfluidics has made a very impressive progress in the past decades due to its unique and instinctive advantages. Droplet‐based microfluidic systems show excellent compatibility with many chemical and biological reagents and are capable of performing variety of operations that can implement microreactor, complex multiple core–shell structure, and many applications in biomedical research such as drug encapsulation, targeted drug delivery systems, and multifunctionalization on carriers. Droplet‐based systems have been directly used to synthesize particles and encapsulate many biological entities for biomedicine applications due to their powerful encapsulation capability and facile versatility. In this paper, we review its origin, deviation, and evolution to draw a clear future, especially for droplet‐based biomedical applications. This paper will focus on droplet generation, variations and complication as starter, and logistically lead to the numerous typical applications in biomedical research. Finally, we will summarize both its challenge and future prospects relevant to its droplet‐based biomedical applications.