Asymmetric Anion Zinc Salt Derived Solid Electrolyte Interphase Enabled Long-Lifespan Aqueous Zinc Bromine Batteries.

Organic additives with high-reduction potentials are generally applied in aqueous electrolytes to stabilize the Zn anode, while compromise safety and environmental compatibility. Highly concentrated water-in-salt electrolytes have been proposed to realize the high reversibility of Zn plating/stripping; however, their high cost and viscosity hinder their practical applications. Therefore, exploring low-concentration Zn salts, that can be used directly to stabilize Zn anodes, is of primary importance. Herein, we developed an asymmetric anion group, bi(difluoromethanesulfonyl)(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (DFTFSI- )-based novel zinc salt, Zn(DFTFSI)2 , to obtain a high ionic conductivity and a highly stable dendrite-free Zn anode. Experimental tests and theoretical calculations verified that DFTFSI- in the Zn2+ solvation sheath and inner Helmholtz plane would be preferentially reduced to construct layer-structured SEI films, inhibiting hydrogen evolution and side reactions. Consequently, the Zn | | ${||}$ Zn symmetric cell with 1M Zn(DFTFSI)2 aqueous electrolyte delivers an ultralong cycle life for >2500 h outperforming many other conventional Zn salt electrolytes. The Zn | | ${||}$ Br2 battery also exhibits a long lifespan over 1200 cycles at ~99.8 % Coulombic efficiency with a high capacity retention of 92.5 %. Furthermore, this outstanding performance translates well to a high-areal-capacity Zn | | ${||}$ Br2 battery (~5.6 mAh ⋅ cm-2 ), cycling over 320 cycles with 95.3 % initial capacity retained.

Nano-engineering nanomedicines with customized functions for tumor treatment applications.

Nano-engineering with unique "custom function" capability has shown great potential in solving technical difficulties of nanomaterials in tumor treatment. Through tuning the size and surface properties controllablly, nanoparticles can be endoewd with tailored structure, and then the characteristic functions to improve the therapeutic effect of nanomedicines. Based on nano-engineering, many have been carried out to advance nano-engineering nanomedicine. In this review, the main research related to cancer therapy attached to the development of nanoengineering nanomedicines has been presented as follows. Firstly, therapeutic agents that target to tumor area can exert the therapeutic effect effectively. Secondly, drug resistance of tumor cells can be overcome to enhance the efficacy. Thirdly, remodeling the immunosuppressive microenvironment makes the therapeutic agents work with the autoimmune system to eliminate the primary tumor and then prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis. Finally, the development prospects of nano-engineering nanomedicine are also outlined.

Three-Electron Transfer-Based High-Capacity Organic Lithium-Iodine (Chlorine) Batteries.

Conversion-type batteries apply the principle that more charge transfer is preferable. The underutilized electron transfer mode within two undermines the electrochemical performance of halogen batteries. Here, we realised a three-electron transfer lithium-halogen battery based on I- /I+ and Cl- /Cl0 couples by using a common commercial electrolyte saturated with Cl- anions. The resulting Li||tetrabutylammonium triiodide (TBAI3 ) cell exhibits three distinct discharging plateaus at 2.97, 3.40, and 3.85 V. Moreover, it has a high capacity of 631 mAh g-1 I (265 mAh g-1 electrode , based on entire mass loading) and record-high energy density of up to 2013 Wh kg-1 I (845 Wh kg-1 electrode ). To support these findings, experimental characterisations and density functional theory calculations were conducted to elucidate the redox chemistry involved in this novel interhalogen strategy. We believe our paradigm presented here has a foreseeable inspiring effect on other halogen batteries for high-energy-density pursuit.

Multifactor Analysis of Thyroid Stiffness in Graves Disease: A Preliminary Study.

OBJECTIVE. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of shear wave elastography (SWE) in Graves disease (GD) and to identify the potential factors influencing thyroid stiffness. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A total of 207 subjects were enrolled and underwent SWE examination in the study, including 162 patients with GD and 45 healthy volunteers with normal thyroids, matched for age and sex. For all subjects, five measurements of elastic modulus values (SWE mean, SWE minimum, and SWE maximum of a 9-mm ROI) were performed on each thyroid lobe, and a mean value was calculated. The indicators including free three-triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroid size, isthmus thickness, anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies (Abs), and antithyroglobulin (TG) Abs were detected in the 162 patients with GD, among whom 88 patients underwent initial TSH receptor (TR) Ab examination. RESULTS. The elastic modulus values for patient with GD were significantly higher than those for healthy control subjects. The ROC AUC values for GD by SWE mean was 0.656, and the cutoff value was 15.45 kPa. The sensitivity and specificity were 56.8% and 71.1%, respectively. The duration of disease, thyroid size, isthmus thickness, and levels of TPO Ab, TG Ab, and TR Ab were positively correlated with SWE mean in GD. However, there was no correlation between age, FT3, FT4, TSH, and SWE mean. CONCLUSION. Quantitative SWE helps in the diagnosis of GD. The duration of disease, thyroid size, isthmus thickness, and levels of thyroid autoantibodies (TPO Ab, TG Ab, and TR Ab) could influence thyroid stiffness of GD.

UNC13A variant rs12608932 is associated with increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and reduced patient survival: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with both genetic and environmental risk factors. Previous studies trying to find an association between ALS and unc-13 homolog A (UNC13A) gene variants have shown inconsistent results. This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis of the association between the C allele of rs12608932, a single-nucleotide polymorphism located in an intron of UNC13A, and risk of ALS and patient survival. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and SinoMed databases were systematically searched for genome-wide association studies or case-control studies published up to January 2019 on the association between this variant in UNC13A and risk and/or prognosis of ALS. Data from eligible studies were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: The pooled data (28,072 patients with sporadic ALS and 56,545 controls) showed that rs12608932(C) was associated with an increased risk of ALS (OR = 1.13, 95%CI 1.07-1.20). Subgroup analysis revealed that rs12608932(C) increased the risk of sporadic ALS in non-Asian individuals, including those from the USA and Europe (OR 1.17, 95%CI 1.10-1.25, P < 0.000), but not in Japanese or Chinese subjects (OR 1.01, 95%CI 0.92-1.10, P = 0.85). The available data demonstrated that the CC genotype decreased the survival time of patients with ALS (OR 1.33, 95%CI 1.19-1.49, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The present meta-analysis suggests that rs12608932(C) is associated with increased ALS susceptibility, especially in Caucasian and European subjects, and that the CC genotype of rs12608932 is associated with reduced ALS patient survival.

Prevalence of restless legs syndrome in individuals with migraine: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have shown an association between migraine and restless legs syndrome (RLS), but RLS prevalence among individuals with migraine differs substantially across studies. The present work aimed to comprehensively assess available evidence to estimate RLS prevalence among individuals with migraine and non-migraine controls. METHOD: Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and SinoMed databases were searched for observational and case-control studies of RLS prevalence among individuals with migraine. Eligible studies were meta-analyzed using Stata 12.0 software. RESULTS: Pooled RLS prevalence in migraine was 19%, and the prevalence was lower in Asia (16%) than outside Asia (21%). Pooled RLS prevalence was 18.8% among individuals with migraine with aura, and 18.5% among individuals with migraine without aura; the RLS prevalence in migraine with aura (MA) was higher than that of migraine without aura (MO) (OR 1.17, 95%CI 1.01-1.34; p = 0.037). Pooled RLS prevalence in a case-control study was significantly higher among individuals with migraine (17.9%) than among non-migraine controls (7.1%) (OR 2.65, 95%CI 2.26-3.10; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis provides the first reliable pooled estimate of RLS prevalence among individuals with migraine, and it provides strong evidence that RLS risk is higher among individuals with migraine than among controls.

Elevated growth differentiation factor 15 expression predicts poor prognosis in epithelial ovarian cancer patients.

The purpose of this study was to determine the expression of growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) and explore its clinical significance in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients. The expression of GDF15 in EOC tissues and serum samples was evaluated using immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The association of GDF15 expression with clinicopathologic parameters was analyzed. Survival time was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier technique and Cox regression model. Both in EOC tissues and serum, high GDF15 levels were obviously related with advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, lymph node metastasis, ascites, and chemoresistance. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that EOC patients with high GDF15 expression showed poorer progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that GDF15 expression was an independent predictor of PFS in EOC patients. Our study shows that elevated GDF15 expression was associated with poor prognosis in EOC patients. We suggest that GDF15 is a novel biomarker for the early detection of EOC, prediction of the response to chemotherapy, and screening for recurrence in EOC patients.

[Mechanisms Involved in the Inhibition of Melanin Synthesis by Bushen Quban Granule].

Objective To observe the molecular mechanism of Bushen Quban Granule (BQG) for inhibiting the synthesis of intracellular melanin. Methods Twenty SPF grade female SD rats were di- vided into four groups by completely randomized method, i.e., the control group (fed with normal saline) , high, middle, and low dose BQG groups (administered with BQG at 4. 8, 2. 4, 1. 2 g/kg by gastrogavage, equivalent to 24, 12, and 6 times clinical doses, respectively, twice per day for 3 days in total) , 5 in each group. Drug containing serum was collected. Expressions of melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1 R) , mi- crophthalmia-associated transcription factor ( MITF) , tyrosinase ( TYP) , tyrosinase-related protein I (TYRP1) , and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TYRP2) at the mRNA level were detected by RT-PCR. Ex- pressions of phosphorylated-extracellular regulated MAP kinasel/2 (p-ERK) , TYP, TYRP1 and TYRP2 at the protein level were detected by Western blot. Intracellular melanin contents were determined by NaOH dissolving method. Activities of tyrosinase were determined by Dopa pigment method, and the cell viability was detected by MTT. Results Compared with the control group, expressions of MC1R, MITF, TYP, TYRP1 and TYRP2 at the mRNA level were down-regulated (P <0. 05), and those of TYP, TYRP1 and TYRP2 at the protein level were also down-regulated (P <0. 05), intracellular contents of melanin and the activity of tyrosinase decreased (P <0. 05) , but the level of p-ERK and the proliferation of cells increased in each medicated group (P <0. 05). When ERK was inhibited by its inhibitor PD98059, there was no sta- tistical difference in expressions of MC1 R or MITF at the mRNA level among all medicated groups (P > 0. 05). Compared with the control group, mRNA expressions of TYP, TYRP1 and TYRP2 decreased in the high dose BQG group (P <0. 05), but with no significant difference in protein expressions of p-ERK, TYP, TYRP1 and TYRP2 (P >0. 05). There was no statistical difference in the content of melanin, the activity of TYP, or the proliferation of cells between the control group and the high dose BQG group (P >0. 05). Con- clusion BQG could inhibit the synthesis of intracellular melanin through up-regulating p-ERK to inhibit the expression of tyrosinase and its related proteins.

AK000953 silencing can enhance the killing effect of danazol on uterine fibroids.

PURPOSE: Our aim was to study the role of AK000953 silencing for the killing effect of danazol on uterine fibroids. METHODS: Quantitative PCR was applied to identify differential expression of AK000953 in uterine fibroid tissue and normal uterine tissue. Then we isolated and cultured uterine fibroid cells, designed the siRNA of AK000953 to silence its expression in uterine fibroid cells, and detected the treatment effect of danazol and AK000953 siRNA on cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, and cell invasion. Finally, guinea pig model of uterine fibroids was constructed to verify the effect of AK000953 silencing on uterine fibroid treatment with danazol in vivo. RESULTS: Quantitative PCR showed that the AK000953 gene was highly expressed in uterine fibroid tissue compared with normal uterine tissue (2.1 ± 0.15 vs. 0.8 ± 0.05, p < 0.01). After AK000953 silencing in uterine fibroid cells, we discovered that the inhibition rate in danazol-siRNA group was 56 ± 5 %, the cell apoptosis rate of danazol-siRNA group was 43 ± 2.3 %, and the invasion rate of uterine fibroid cells was 12 ± 1 %, which all showed significant differences with the control group or danazol group. Guinea pig model confirmed that the treatment of danazol and AK000953 siRNA effectively inhibited the development of fibroids in vivo. CONCLUSION: AK000953 silencing could effectively enhance the killing effect of danazol on uterine fibroid cells.

Emodin relieves morphine-stimulated BV2 microglial activation and inflammation through the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway.

The objective of this study is to disclose the role of emodin, a natural anthraquinone derivative that has been proposed to suppress microglial activation and inflammation, in morphine tolerance. Here, cell counting kit-8 method assayed the viability of BV2 microglial cells treated by ascending concentrations of emodin. In emodin-pretreated BV2 microglial cells challenged with morphine with or without transfection of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) overexpression plasmids, transwell assay measured cell migration. Immunofluorescence staining and western blot detected the expression of microglial markers. Inflammatory levels were subjected to ELISA and western blot. BODIPY 581/591 C11 assay estimated lipid reactive oxygen species activity. Iron assay kit examined total iron content. Western blot tested the expression of ferroptosis- and TLR4/nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB)/NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) pathway-associated proteins. Molecular docking predicted the binding affinity of emodin to TLR4. Emodin was noted to obstruct the migration, activation, inflammatory response, and ferroptosis of BV2 microglial cells induced by morphine. In addition, emodin had a high binding affinity with TLR4 and inactivated TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway in morphine-challenged BV2 microglial cells. Upregulation of TLR4 partially countervailed the protective role of emodin against morphine-elicited BV2 microglial cell migration, activation, inflammation, and ferroptosis. Accordingly, emodin might target TLR4 and act as an inactivator of TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway, thus inhibiting BV2 microglial activation and inflammation to mitigate morphine tolerance.

Magnetic Bimetallic Heterointerface Nanomissiles with Enhanced Microwave Absorption for Microwave Thermal/Dynamics Therapy of Breast Cancer.

Microwave thermotherapy (MWT) has shown great potential in cancer treatment due to its deep tissue penetration and minimally invasive nature. However, the poor microwave absorption (MA) properties of the microwave thermal sensitizer in the medical frequency band significantly limit the thermal effect of MWT and then weaken the therapeutic efficacy. In this paper, a Ni-based multilayer heterointerface nanomissile of MOFs-Ni-Ru@COFs (MNRC) with improved MA performance in the desired frequency band via introducing magnetic loss and dielectric loss is developed for MWT-based treatment. The loading of the Ni nanoparticle in MNRC mediates the magnetic loss, introducing the MA in the medical frequency band. The heterointerface formed in the MNRC by nanoengineering induces significant interfacial polarization, increasing the dielectric loss and then enhancing the generated MA performance. Moreover, MNRC with the strong MA performance in the desired frequency range not only enhances the MW thermal effect of MWT but also facilitates the electron and energy transfer, generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) at tumor sites to mediate microwave dynamic therapy (MDT). The strategy of strengthening the MA performance of the sensitizer in the medical frequency band to improve MWT-MDT provides a direction for expanding the clinical application of MWT in tumor treatment.

Halide Exchange in Perovskites Enables Bromine/Iodine Hybrid Cathodes for Highly Durable Zinc Ion Batteries.

With the increasing need for reliable storage systems, the conversion-type chemistry typified by bromine cathodes attracts considerable attention due to sizeable theoretical capacity, cost efficiency, and high redox potential. However, the severe loss of active species during operation remains a problem, leading researchers to resort to concentrated halide-containing electrolytes. Here, profiting from the intrinsic halide exchange in perovskite lattices, a novel low-dimensional halide hybrid perovskite cathode, TmdpPb2[IBr]6, which serves not only as a halogen reservoir for reversible three-electron conversions but also as an effective halogen absorbent by surface Pb dangling bonds, C─H…Br hydrogen bonds, and Pb─I…Br halogen bonds, is proposed. As such, the Zn||TmdpPb2[IBr]6 battery delivers three remarkable discharge voltage plateaus at 1.21 V (I0/I-), 1.47 V (I+/I0), and 1.74 V (Br0/Br-) in a typical halide-free electrolyte; meanwhile, realizing a high capacity of over 336 mAh g-1 at 0.4 A g-1 and high capacity retentions of 88% and 92% after 1000 cycles at 1.2 A g-1 and 4000 cycles at 3.2 A g-1, respectively, accompanied by a high coulombic efficiency of ≈99%. The work highlights the promising conversion-type cathodes based on metal-halide perovskite materials.

Inhibiting Residual Solvent Induced Side Reactions in Vinylidene Fluoride-Based Polymer Electrolytes Enables Ultra-Stable Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Residual solvents in vinylidene fluoride (VDF)-based solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have been recognized as responsible for their high ionic conductivity. However, side reactions by the residual solvents with the lithium (Li) metal induce poor stability, which has been long neglected. This study proposes a strategy to achieve a delicate equilibrium between ion conduction and electrode stability for VDF-based SPEs. Specifically, 2,2,2-trifluoro-N,N-dimethylacetamide (FDMA) is developed as the nonside reaction solvent for poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVHF)-based SPEs, achieving both high ionic conductivity and significantly improved electrochemical stability. The developed FDMA solvent fosters the formation of a stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) through interface reactions with Li metal, effectively mitigating side reactions and dendrite growth on the Li metal electrode. Consequently, the Li||Li symmetric cells and Li||LiFePO4 cells demonstrate excellent cycling performance, even under limited Li (20 µm thick) supply and high-loading cathodes (>10 mg cm-2, capacity >1 mAh cm-2) conditions. The stable Li||LiCoO2 cells operation with a cutoff voltage of 4.48 V indicates the high-voltage stability of the developed SPE. This study offers valuable insights into the development of advanced VDF-based SPEs for enhanced lithium metal battery performance and longevity.

Exotic plantations differ in "nursing" an understory invader: A probe into invasional meltdown.

Forest plantations most likely promote exotic plant invasion. Using an in situ monitoring method, this study investigated the traits correlated with growth and reproduction of an understory invader, Phytolacca americana L., and ecological factors including understory irradiance, soil stoichiometry and microbial patterns associated with these traits in different exotic plantations of Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Pinus thunbergii Parl. at Mount Lao, Qingdao, China. We found that the traits of P. americana underneath the R. pseudoacacia stand might be situated at the fast side of the trait economic spectrum. The R. pseudoacacia stand appeared to "nurse" P. americana. Furthermore, we intended to explain the nurse effects of R. pseudoacacia stands by examining their ecological factors. First, the R. pseudoacacia stand created understory light attenuation, which matched the sciophilous feature of P. americana. Second, the soil beneath the R. pseudoacacia stand might benefit P. americana more since the soil has greater resource availability. Third, a higher microbial diversity was found in the soil derived from P. americana underneath the R. pseudoacacia stand. A greater abundance of plant pathogens was detected in the soil derived from P. americana in the R. pseudoacacia stand, while more abundant mycorrhizal fungi were detected in the P. thunbergii stand. We speculate that plant pathogens can defend P. americana from aggression from other understory competitors. The mycorrhizal fungi in the P. thunbergii stand might benefit P. americana while simultaneously benefiting other understory plants. Intensive competition from other plants might interfere with P. americana. The potential relationships between plant performance and ecological factors may explain the invasion mechanism of P. americana. The present study provides a novel insight on the facilitative effects of exotic tree plantation on an exotic herb through the modification of soil biota, with implications for the biocontrol of invasive species and forest management and conservation.

Quantifying Asymmetric Zinc Deposition: A Guide Factor for Designing Durable Zinc Anodes.

Zinc metal is recognized as the most promising anode for aqueous energy storage but suffers from severe dendrite growth and poor reversibility. However, the coulombic efficiency lacks specificity for zinc dendrite growth, particularly in Zn||Zn symmetric cells. Herein, a novel indicator (fD) based on the characteristic crystallization peaks is proposed to evaluate the growth and distribution of zinc dendrites. As a proof of concept, triethylenetetramine (TETA) is adopted as an electrolyte additive to manipulate the zinc flux for uniform deposition, with a corroborating low fD value. A highly durable zinc symmetric cell is achieved, lasting over 2500 h at 10 mA cm-2 and 400 h at a large discharge of depth (10 mA cm-2, 10 mAh cm-2). Supported by the low fD value, the Zn||TETA-ZnSO4||MnO2 batteries overcome the sudden short circuit and fast capacity fading. The study provides a feasible method to evaluate zinc dendrites and sheds light on the design of highly reversible zinc anodes.

H2S-Reactivating Antitumor Immune Response after Microwave Thermal Therapy for Long-Term Tumor Suppression.

Microwave thermal therapy (MWTT) is one of the most potent ablative treatments known, with advantages like deep penetration, minimal invasion, repeatable operation, and low interference from bone and gas. However, microwave (MW) is not selective against tumors, and residual tumors after incomplete ablation will generate immunosuppression, ultimately making tumors prone to recurrence and metastasis. Herein, a nano-immunomodulator (Bi-MOF-l-Cys@PEG@HA, BMCPH) is proposed to reverse the immunosuppression and reactivate the antitumor immune effect through responsively releasing H2S in tumor cells for improving MWTT. Under MW irradiation, BMCPH will mediate MWTT to ablate tumors and release l-cysteine (l-Cys) to react with the highly expressed cystathionine ß-synthase in tumor to generate H2S. The generated H2S can inhibit the accumulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and promote the expression of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Moreover, Bi-MOF can also scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), a major means of MDSCs-mediated immunosuppression, to further weaken the immunosuppressive effect. Simultaneously, the surface-covered HA will gather CTLs around the tumor to enhance the immune response. This nano gas immunomodulator provides an idea for the sensitive and tunable release of unstable gas molecules at tumor sites. The strategy of H2S gas to reverse immunosuppression and reactivate antitumor immune response introduces a direction to reduce the risk of tumor recurrence and metastasis after thermal ablation.

Networked Organizational Structure of Enterprise Information Security Management Based on Digital Transformation and Genetic Algorithm.

With the rapid development of society and economy, enterprises have also started digital transformation in order to follow the pace. Now-a-days, the development of enterprises is also faced with the risk of improper management of enterprise information security, so it is very necessary to study the networked organizational structure of enterprise information security management. The purpose of this paper is to study how to analyze the network organization structure of enterprise information security management based on genetic algorithm. This paper puts forward the difficult problems faced by enterprise information security, and how to prevent and solve the risks encountered in information security. In the experimental part of this paper, it can be seen that with the increase of the number of experiments, the work efficiency of the traditional network organization structure has increased from about 4.6 to about 17%. The work efficiency of the network organization structure based on genetic algorithm has risen from about 10 to about 50%. It shows that the work efficiency of the network organization structure based on genetic algorithm is much higher than that of the traditional network organization structure. It can be seen that the advantage percentage of enterprise information security management networked organizational structure with strong room for growth is 79-84%, and the percentage of cost savings is 75-82%. It can be seen that there are still many advantages of the networked organizational structure of enterprise information security management. The network organization structure based on genetic algorithm can not only improve the work efficiency of enterprises, but also improve the information security. Therefore, the network organization structure based on genetic algorithm is of great significance to the enterprise information security.

Propofol inhibits the malignant development of osteosarcoma U2OS cells via AMPK/FΟΧO1-mediated autophagy.

It has previously been reported that propofol regulates the development of human osteosarcoma (OS). However, the specific molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of propofol on OS remain poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the effects of propofol on OS U2OS cells and the potential underlying mechanism. The Cell Counting Kit-8 and colony formation assays were performed to assess cell viability and proliferation. Furthermore, cell apoptosis was assessed using the TUNEL assay and western blotting. Wound healing and Transwell assays were performed to evaluate OS cell migration and invasion abilities, respectively. The protein expression levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-, autophagy- and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/FOXO1 signaling pathway-related proteins were also determined using western blotting. The results demonstrated that propofol significantly reduced the viability of OS cells and promoted autophagy in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, cell treatment with propofol significantly enhanced the protein expression levels of phosphorylated (p)-AMPK and FOXO1, while decreasing the protein levels of p-FOXO1. Furthermore, treatment with propofol significantly suppressed cell viability, migration and invasion abilities and the EMT of OS cells, and potentially promoted cell apoptosis via inducing autophagy via the AMPK/FOXO1 signaling pathway. In summary, the present study indicated that propofol potentially had an inhibitory effect on the development of OS cells via AMPK/FOXO1-mediated autophagy. These results have therefore provided an experimental basis for further studies into the therapeutic effect of propofol on OS.

High Biocompatible Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-Based Nanosensitizer With Magnetic Resonance Imaging Capacity for Tumor Targeted Microwave Hyperthermia and Chemotherapy.

Microwave (MW) hyperthermia has been widely studied in tumor therapy, while the lack of specificity, and the potential toxicity induced by instability or difficulty in degradation of existed MW thermal sensitizers still limits the application. Herein, a new biocompatible Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based nanosensitizer of Dtxl-Gd@PLGA-PEG-TPP (DGPPT) with capacities of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and mitochondrial targeting for MW hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy was constructed via a double emulsion solvent evaporation method. The modified TPP significantly enhanced the specificity of sensitizer for targeting mitochondria, a heat-sensitive energy supply plant in cells. Thus the MW thermal damage induced by the loaded Gd in PLGA nanospheres was also strengthened. Together, the system could also achieve MR imaging due to the existence of Gd. In addition, the encapsulated Dtxl performed the chemotherapy of inhibiting mitochondrial function for assisting with MW hyperthermia. In vivo experiments demonstrated that PLGA had high biocompatibility that no obvious damage occurred even the dose was up to 200 mg/kg. Meanwhile, DGPPT+MW representing the combination of mitochondrial targeting and MW hyperthermia-chemotherapy has also been proved to shrink tumor size effectively. This study provides a new direction for building biosafe and multifunctional MW sensitizer with active targeting ability to impede tumor growth.

A robust all-organic protective layer towards ultrahigh-rate and large-capacity Li metal anodes.

The low cycling efficiency and uncontrolled dendrite growth resulting from an unstable and heterogeneous lithium-electrolyte interface have largely hindered the practical application of lithium metal batteries. In this study, a robust all-organic interfacial protective layer has been developed to achieve a highly efficient and dendrite-free lithium metal anode by the rational integration of porous polymer-based molecular brushes (poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate)-grafted, hypercrosslinked poly(4-chloromethylstyrene) nanospheres, denoted as xPCMS-g-PEGMA) with single-ion-conductive lithiated Nafion. The porous xPCMS inner cores with rigid hypercrosslinked skeletons substantially increase mechanical robustness and provide adequate channels for rapid ionic conduction, while the flexible PEGMA and lithiated Nafion polymers enable the formation of a structurally stable artificial protective layer with uniform Li+ diffusion and high Li+ transference number. With such artificial solid electrolyte interphases, ultralong-term stable cycling at an ultrahigh current density of 10 mA cm-2 for over 9,100 h (>1 year) and unprecedented reversible lithium plating/stripping (over 2,800 h) at a large areal capacity (10 mAh cm-2) have been achieved for lithium metal anodes. Moreover, the protected anodes also show excellent cell stability when paired with high-loading cathodes (~4 mAh cm-2), demonstrating great prospects for the practical application of lithium metal batteries.