LHRH/TAT dual peptides-conjugated polymeric vesicles for PTT enhanced chemotherapy to overcome hepatocellular carcinoma

Combination therapy such as photothermal therapy (PTT) enhanced chemotherapy is regarded as a promising strategy for cancer treatment. Herein, we developed redox-responsive polymeric vesicles based on the amphiphilic triblock copolymer PCL-ss-PEG-ss-PCL. To avoid the limited therapeutic effect of chemotherapeutic drugs caused by systemic exposures and drug resistance, the redox-sensitive polymeric vesicles were cargoed with two chemotherapeutics: doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel (PTX). Besides, indocyanine green (ICG) was encapsulated, and cell-penetrating peptides and LHRH targeting molecule were modified on the surface of polymeric vesicles. The results indicated that the polymeric vesicles can load different kinds of drugs with high drug loading content, trigger drug release in responsive to the reductive environment, realize high cellular uptake via dual peptides and laser irradiation, and achieve higher cytotoxicity via chemo-photothermal combination therapy. Hence, the redox-responsive LHRH/TAT dual peptides-conjugated PTX/DOX/ICG co-loaded polymeric micelles exhibited great potential in tumor-targeting and chemo-photothermal therapy.     

Mixing of Racemic Poly(L-lactide)/Poly(D-lactide) Blend with Miscible Poly(D,L-lactide):Toward All Stereocomplex-type Polylactide with Strikingly Enhanced SC Crystallizability

Stereocomplex-type polylactide (SC-PLA) consisting of alternatively arranged poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) and poly(D-lactide) (PDLA) chains has gained a good reputation as a sustainable engineering plastic with outstanding heat resistance and durability,however its practical applications have been considerably hindered by the weak SC crystallizability.Current methods used to enhance the SC crystallizability are generally achieved at the expense of the precious bio-renewability and/or bio-degradability of PLAs.Herein,we demonstrate a feasible method to address these challenges by incorporating small amounts of poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) into linear high-molecular-weight PLLA/PDLA blends.The results show that the incorporation of the atactic PDLLA leads to a significant enhancement in the SC crystallizability because its good miscibility with the isotactic PLAs makes it possible to greatly improve the chain mixing between PLLA and PDLA as an effective compatibilizer.Meanwhile,the melt stability (i.e.,the stability of PLLA/PDLA chain assemblies upon melting) could also be improved substantially.Very intriguingly,SC crystallites are predominantly formed with increasing content and molecular weight of PDLLA.More notably,exclusive SC crystallization can be obtained in the racemic blends with 20 wt％ PDLLA having weight-average molecular weight of above 1 ×10s g/mol,where the chain mixing level and intermolecular interactions between the PLA enantiomers could be strikingly enhanced.Overall,our work could not only open a promising horizon for the development of all SC-PLA-based engineering plastic with exceptional SC crystallizability but also give a fundamental insight into the crucial role of PDLLA in improving the SC crystallizability of PLLA/PDLA blends.     

Synthesis of Macrocyclic Arsinous Acid Estcrs

MacrocyclicarsinousacidestersareusuallypreparedbycondensationofdichloroalkylarsinesRAsCI,Iwithdidsinthepresenceoforganicalkali].ThemethoddescribedhereinvolvesthetransformationofintermediatefromItohis(dimethylamino)alkylarsineRAs(NMe,),2andthereactionof2withdidsindryTHFtoleadtotheformationoftitlecompounds.2canreactsmoothlywithdidsintheabsenceoforganicalkalitogeneratecorrespondingmacrocyclicarsinousacidesters4anddimethylaminewhichescapesfromthereactingsystemasagasinreflux.Althoughonemoreste…     

Homogenous synthesis of hydroxyethylcellulose in NaOH/urea aqueous solution

Hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) was synthesized by a fully homogenous method from cellulose in 7.5 wt.-% NaOH/11 wt.-% urea aqueous solutions under mild conditions. HEC samples were characterized with NMR, SEC-LLS, solubility, and viscosity measurements. The MS and DS values of the obtained HEC samples are in the range from 0.54 to 1.44 and 0.45 to 1.14, respectively, and the relative DS values at C-2 and C-6 hydroxyl groups are slightly higher than those at C-3 hydroxyl groups. HEC samples are soluble in water starting from a MS of 0.57 and DS of 0.49, which display high viscosity in aqueous solutions. Moreover, a NaOH/urea aqueous solution is a stable system for cellulose etherification. In this way, we could provide a simple, pollution-free, and homogeneous aqueous solution system for synthesizing cellulose ethers.     

LiFePO4 doped with magnesium prepared by hydrothermal reaction in glucose solution

Lithium iron phosphate （LiFePO4） doped with magnesium was hydrothermally synthesized from commercial LiOH, FeSO4, H3PO4 and MgSO4 with glucose as carbon precursor in aqueous solution. The samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and constant charge-discharge cycling. The results show that the synthesized powders have been in situ coated with carbon precursor produced from caramel reaction of glucose. At ambient temperature （28±2℃）, the electrochemical performances of LiFePO4 prepared exhibit the high discharge capacity of 135 mAh g^-1 at 5C and good capacity retention of 98% over 90 cycles. The excellent electrochemical performances should be correlated with the intimate contact between carbon and LiFePO4 primary and secondary particles, resulting from the in situ formation of carbon precursor/carbon, leading to the increase in conductivity of LiFePO4.     

WO3/CeO2-ZrO2, a promising catalyst for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx with NH3 in diesel exhaust

A WO3/CeO2-ZrO2 catalyst system was discovered for selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3; the catalyst (10 wt% WO3 loading) showed nearly 100% NOx conversion in a temperature range of 200-500 degrees C, at a space velocity of 90 000 h(-1) in a simulated diesel exhaust containing 550 ppm NOx (NO : NO2 feed ratio at 1.0), 10 vol% H2O and 10 vol% CO2; the catalyst also exhibited high temperature stability.     

CO adsorption on Ag(100) and Ag/MgO(100)

Theoretical studies of CO adsorption on a two-layer Ag(100) film and on a two-layer Ag film on a MgO(100) support are reported. Ab initio calculations are carried at the configuration interaction level of theory using embedding methods to treat the metal-adsorbate region and the extended ionic solid. The metal overlayer is considered in two different structures: where Ag-Ag distances are equal to the value in the bulk solid, and for a slightly expanded lattice in which the Ag-Ag distances are equal to the O-O distance on the MgO(100) surface. The calculated adsorption energy of Ag(100) on MgO(100) is 0.58 eV per Ag interfacial atom; the Ag-O distance is 2.28 A. A small transfer of electrons from MgO to Ag occurs on deposition of the silver overlayer. CO adsorption at an atop Ag site is found to be the most stable for adsorption on the two-layer Ag film and also for adsorption on Ag deposited on the oxide; CO adsorption energies range from 0.12 to 0.19 eV. The CO adsorption energy is reduced for the Ag/MgO system compared to adsorption on the unsupported metal film thereby providing evidence for a direct electronic effect of the oxide support at the metal overlayer surface. Expansion of the Ag-Ag distance in the two-layer system also reduces the adsorption energy.     

A Home-made Simple Set-up for Measurement of Electrochemical Surface Tension Spectrum on a Mercury Drop Electrode

A setup for recording surface tension curves at a mercury drop during potential scanning is designed based on photo-sensitive detection system. Surface tension spectrum at Hg drop can be recorded by voltammetric study. A Yb(III)-NO2- catalytic reduction system was used for characterization. The simple, sensitive technique can be expected to provide fresh information on molecular interactions at electrode surfaces.     

High extraction ability of 1,3-dialkynyl calixarene towards mercury（Ⅱ） ion

The reaction of 1,3-dipropyn-2-yloxycalix[4]arene with mercury(II)acetate could give mercury-containing alkynyl calixarenepolymer.The extraction behavior of 1,3-dipropyn-2-yl-oxycalix[4]arene towards mercury(II)ion was examined.When the moleratio of Hg~(2 )/calixarene was 1:1,the extractive percent can reach to 99.1%,and the extraction capacity was up to 431 mg/g.It couldalso decrease the Hg~(2 )concentration from 5 to 0.85 mg/L,which was only 17%of the national standard of effluent and satisfied thenational standard of drinking water.The extraction process included chemical reaction.     

Synthesis of 4″-benzyloxyimino-4″-deoxyavermectin Bla derivatives

Six new 4″-benzyloxyimino-4″-deoxyavermectin Bla derivatives were synthesized from avermectin Bla by the selective protection of C-5-hydroxy group,oxidation of C-4″-hydroxy group,and deprotection followed by reaction with O-substituted hydroxylamine hydrochlorides.Their structures were confirmed by IR,~1H NMR,~(13)C NMR and MS.Insecticidal activities of the derivatives against Phopalosiphum pseudobrassicae,Spodoptera exigua and Pluteua xylosteua were evaluated.