Dexmedetomidine protects against sepsis-induced lung injury through autophagy and Smad2/3 signaling pathway.

Objectives: Dexmedetomidine (Dex) is a potent α2-adrenergic receptor(α2-AR) agonist that has been shown to protect against sepsis-induced lung injury, however, the underlying mechanisms of this protection are not fully understood. Autophagy and the Smad2/3 signaling pathway play important roles in sepsis-induced lung injury, but the relationship between Dex and Smad2/3 is not clear. This study aimed to investigate the role of autophagy and the Smad2/3 signaling pathway in Dex-mediated treatment of sepsis-induced lung injury. Sepsis was performed using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in C57BL/6J mice. Materials and Methods: Mice were randomly assigned to four groups (n=6 per group): sham, CLP, CLP-Dex, and CLP-Dex-YOH, Yohimbine hydrochloride (YOH) is an α2-AR blocker. The cecum was carefully separated to avoid blood vessel damage and was identified and punctured twice with an 18-gauge needle. The pathological changes, inflammatory factor levels, oxidative stress, autophagy, Smad2/3 signaling pathway-related protein levels in lung tissues, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malonaldehyde (MDA) in the serum were measured. Results: CLP-induced lung injury was reflected by increased levels of inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis, and oxidative stress, along with an increase in the expression of autophagy and Smad2/3 signaling pathway-related proteins. Dex could reverse these changes and confer a protective effect on the lung during sepsis. However, the administration of YOH significantly reduced the positive effects of Dex in mice with sepsis. Conclusion: Dex exerts its beneficial effects against sepsis-induced lung injury through the regulation of autophagy and the Smad2/3 signaling pathway.

The microparticulate inks for bioprinting applications.

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has emerged as a groundbreaking technology for fabricating intricate and functional tissue constructs. Central to this technology are the bioinks, which provide structural support and mimic the extracellular environment, which is crucial for cellular executive function. This review summarizes the latest developments in microparticulate inks for 3D bioprinting and presents their inherent challenges. We categorize micro-particulate materials, including polymeric microparticles, tissue-derived microparticles, and bioactive inorganic microparticles, and introduce the microparticle ink formulations, including granular microparticles inks consisting of densely packed microparticles and composite microparticle inks comprising microparticles and interstitial matrix. The formulations of these microparticle inks are also delved into highlighting their capabilities as modular entities in 3D bioprinting. Finally, existing challenges and prospective research trajectories for advancing the design of microparticle inks for bioprinting are discussed.

Antibody-based binding domain fused to TCRγ chain facilitates T cell cytotoxicity for potent anti-tumor response.

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has demonstrated potent clinical efficacy in the treatment of hematopoietic malignancies. However, the application of CAR-T in solid tumors has been limited due in part to the expression of inhibitory molecules in the tumor microenvironment, leading to T-cell exhaustion. To overcome this limitation, we have developed a synthetic T-cell receptor (TCR) that targets programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), a molecule that is widely expressed in various solid tumors and plays a pivotal role in T-cell exhaustion. Our novel TCR platform is based on antibody-based binding domain, which is typically a single-chain variable fragment (scFv), fused to the γδ TCRs (TCRγδ). We have utilized the T-cell receptor alpha constant (TRAC) locus editing approach to express cell surface scFv of anti-PD-L1, which is fused to the constant region of the TCRγ or TCRδ chain in activated T cells derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Our results indicate that these reconfigured receptors, both γ-TCRγδ and δ-TCRγδ, have the capability to transduce signals, produce inflammatory cytokines, degranulate and exert tumor killing activity upon engagement with PD-L1 antigen in vitro. Additionally, we have also shown that γ-TCRγδ exerted superior efficacy than δ-TCRγδ in in vivo xenograft model.

A dToF Ranging Sensor with Accurate Photon Detector Measurements for LiDAR Applications.

Direct time-of-flight (dToF) ranging sensors based on single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) have been used as a prominent depth-sensing devices. Time-to-digital converters (TDCs) and histogram builders have become the standard for dToF sensors. However, one of the main current issues is the bin width of the histogram, which limits the accuracy of depth without TDC architecture modifications. SPAD-based light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems require new methods to overcome their inherent drawbacks for accurate 3D ranging. In this work, we report an optimal matched filter to process the raw data of the histogram to obtain high-accuracy depth. This method is performed by feeding the raw data of the histogram into the different matched filters and using the Center-of-Mass (CoM) algorithm for depth extraction. Comparing the measurement results of different matched filters, the filter with the highest depth accuracy can be obtained. Finally, we implemented a dToF system-on-chip (SoC) ranging sensor. The sensor is made of a configurable array of 16 × 16 SPADs, a 940 nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), an integrated VCSEL driver, and an embedded microcontroller unit (MCU) core to implement the best matched filter. To achieve suitably high reliability and low cost, the above-mentioned features are all packaged into one module for ranging. The system resulted in a precision of better than 5 mm within 6 m with 80% reflectance of the target, and had a precision better than 8 mm at a distance within 4 m with 18% reflectance of the target.

Xanthine oxidase, a therapeutic target of realgar for non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: The effects of realgar against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been massively studied, but the direct therapeutic targets of realgar remain unclear. This study aimed to identify the molecular targets of realgar against NSCLC and explore their therapeutic mechanisms based on a network pharmacology approach and experimental validations. Methods: The BATMAN-TCM and Digsee databases were used to predict realgar targets and NSCLC-related genes, respectively. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed for each gene set, and the overlapping genes were identified as potential targets of realgar against NSCLC. The correlation between potential targets and NSCLC was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas and International Cancer Genome Consortium databases, and the key target was validated by in-silico and in-vitro experiments. Results: Twenty-three overlapping genes, including xanthine oxidase (XO), were identified as potential targets of realgar against NSCLC. XO was selected as the key target for validation, as it was found to be upregulated in NSCLC tumor tissue, which correlated with poor overall survival. A possible interaction between realgar and XO was revealed by molecular docking which was further validated experimentally. Realgar treatment suppressed the activity of XO in NSCLC cells, as demonstrated by the unchanged XO protein levels. Finally, the mechanism of action of XO as a target against NSCLC through the cell-cell junction organization pathway was investigated. Conclusions: Overall, this study proposes a potential molecular mechanism illustrating that XO is a target of realgar against NSCLC and highlights the usefulness of XO as a therapeutic target for NSCLC.

[Exploration and Thinking on Fine Management of Cost Accounting of Medical Consumables].

With the gradual advancement of The Reform Plan to Control High-value Medical Consumables published by the State Council, the reform policies such as purchase with quantity, charging consumables" zero bonus" were born, the operating pressure of medical institutions on medical consumables increased sharply, and the fine cost accounting management demands were improving. Due to the manage features of medical consumables, this will lead to the inaccurate and cross-cycle of cost accounting. In order to achieve the refined cost accounting management, the related business system and process adjustment are studied.

Effects of macrophages on the proliferation and cardiac differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells.

BACKGROUND: Macrophage phenotypes switch from proinflammatory (M1) to anti-inflammatory (M2) following myocardial injury. Implanted stem cells (e.g., induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)) for cardiomyogenesis will inevitably contact the inflammatory environment at the myocardial infarction site. To understand how the macrophages affect the behavior of iPSCs, therefore, improve the therapeutic efficacy, we generated three macrophage subtypes and assessed their effects on the proliferation, cardiac differentiation, and maturation of iPSCs. METHODS: M0, M1, and M2 macrophages were polarized using cytokines, and their properties were confirmed by the expression of specific markers using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunofluorescence. The effects of macrophages on iPSCs were studied using Transwell co-culture models. The proliferative ability of iPSCs was investigated by cell counting and CCK-8 assays. The cardiac differentiation ability of iPSCs was determined by the cardiomyocyte (CM) yield. The maturation of CM was analyzed by the expression of cardiac-specific genes using RT-qPCR, the sarcomere organization using immunofluorescence, and the mitochondrial function using oxidative respiration analysis. RESULTS: The data showed that the co-culture of iPSCs with M0, M1, or M2 macrophages significantly decreased iPSCs' proliferative ability. M2 macrophages did not affect the CM yield during the cardiac differentiation of iPSCs. Still, they promoted the maturation of CM by improving sarcomeric structures, increasing contractile- and ion transport-associated gene expression, and enhancing mitochondrial respiration. M0 macrophages did not significantly affect the cardiomyogenesis ability of iPSCs during co-culture. In contrast, co-culture with M1 macrophages significantly reduced the cardiac differentiation and maturation of iPSCs. CONCLUSIONS: M1- or M2-polarized macrophages play critical roles in the proliferation, cardiac differentiation, and maturation of iPSCs, providing knowledge to improve the outcomes of stem cell regeneration therapy. Video abstract.

A metal-organic framework with rich accessible nitrogen sites for rapid dye adsorption and highly efficient dehydrogenation of formic acid.

MOFs with adequate free nitrogen sites have potential applications in dye adsorption and formic acid dehydrogenation. Here, we successfully synthesized a novel 3-D MOF 1 ([(CH3)2NH2][Cd(L)DMA]·0.5DMA·1.5H2O) with a special two-fold interpenetrating framework through a simple solvothermal reaction between CdCl2·1.5H2O and a nitrogen-rich triangular tricarboxylate-based linker (H3L, 4,4',4''-s-triazine-2,4,6-tribenzoic acid). After removing the guest molecules of dimethylacetamide (DMA) and H2O, including the coordinated DMA from 1 by vacuum activation at 423 K, a compound named 1' with a formula of [(CH3)2NH2][Cd(L)] and a similar interpenetrating framework structure was obtained. In comparison with compound 1, the total void volume of 1' is nearly doubled, and thus may provide higher potential for the adsorption of other guest molecules. Notably, the pyridine N atoms located in the middle of the triangular tricarboxylate-based linker are not involved in the coordination with Cd2+, and are all uniformly dispersed throughout the whole framework of the 3-D MOFs. Due to its unique structural features, the 3-D MOF 1' could effectively adsorb the cationic dye MB+ for recycling purposes. The rapid adsorption rate (0.7 × 10-2 g mg-1 min-1) and the relatively high capacity (900 mg g-1) for MB+ demonstrate the potential of 1' in dye adsorption. In addition, 1' may also be used as an effective support to immobilize PdAu NPs via the double-solvent method. The resultant catalyst Pd0.8Au0.2/1' exhibits decent catalytic activity for the dehydrogenation of formic acid with a TOF value of 1854 h-1 at 333 K. The existence of a large void volume and accessible pyridine N atoms provide a suitable environment for achieving a high dispersion of PdAu NPs, thereby leading to the formation of a catalytically active and stable supported noble-metal NP catalyst for H2 generation from formic acid decomposition.

Porous 3,4-di(3,5-dicarboxyphenyl)phthalate-based Cd2+ coordination polymer and its potential applications.

Porous coordination polymers with organic aminium as one of the guest species possess a potential application in dye adsorption and white-light material manufacture. Polycarboxylic acid with multiple COOH substituents tends to form this type of porous material (with metal ion). Here the solvothermal self-assembly between Cd2+ and a hexacarboxylic acid creates such a porous material [(CH3)2NH2]6[Cd3(L)2]·5DMF·3H2O (H6L = 3,4-di(3,5-dicarboxyphenyl)phthalic acid) 1. Total potential guest accessible void volume in 3-D 1 is found to be 4327 Å3. Based on its better porous structure and stability, the ability of 1 to adsorb organic dyes is investigated. It has been proved that (i) 1 can selectively adsorb cationic dyes as Azure A (AA+) and/or Methylene Blue (MB+), rather than neutral and anionic ones; (ii) the maximum adsorption capacity is 698.2 mg·g-1 for AA+ and 573.2 mg·g-1 for MB+, respectively; and (iii) to the adsorption of AA+, it can be recycled for at least five rounds. Also, it is utilized to fabricate the while-light emitting material. Based on the blue-light emission of 1, the trace Eu3+ and Tb3+ ions are introduced into the pores of 1 successfully, obtaining a white-light emitting material Eu3+/Tb3+@1 (CIE chromaticity coordinates: (0.33, 0.32)). Meanwhile, Eu3+/Tb3+@1 is found to be a potential fluorescence photochromic material, showing a yellow-white-blue light emission. According to these investigations, the relationship between material structure and its adsorption property for dyes, the points that should be paid attention to in the construction of white-light emitting materials as well as the potential adsorption mechanism for dyes and rare earth ions are deeply discussed.

Bisimidazole-based phosphorescent thiocyanatocadmates.

Simple room-temperature self-assemblies between Cd2+ salts, SCN- and bisimidazole molecules at pH = 2 created three new organically templated thiocyanatocadmates [H2(L1)][Cd(SCN)4]·H2O (L1 = 1,4-bis(1H-imidazol-1-yl)benzene) 1, [H2(L2)][Cd(SCN)4] (L2 = 1,3-bis(2-methylimidazol-1-yl)propane) 2, and [H2(L3)][Cd2(SCN)6] (L3 = 1,4-bis(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)butane) 3. X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis reveals that (i) in 1-3, the SCN- groups doubly bridge the Cd2+ centers to form different thiocyanatocadmates: a linear chain in 1; a zigzag chain in 2; and a 2-D layer network (63 net) in 3; and (ii) in 1, via Nbase-HNSCN interactions, the L1 molecules extend the thiocyanatocadmate chains into a 2-D supramolecular layer, whereas in 2, the zigzag thiocyanatocadmate chains self-assemble into a 3-D supramolecular network via weak SS interactions. Photoluminescence analysis indicates that the three title compounds all emit light: blue light for 1 and 2 and green light for 3. At low temperatures, the emission positions of the three compounds hardly change, but the emission intensities are largely enhanced. Interestingly, after turning off the UV lamp, 1 and 2 still briefly emit light (ca. 2 s), which means that 1 and 2 possess phosphorescence properties. Phosphorescence lifetimes at 77 K are 1619 ms for 1 and 247 ms for 2.

Copper(i)-polymers and their photoluminescence thermochromism properties.

Under hydro(solvo)thermal conditions, four organic bidentate bridging N,N'-donor ligands 1,3-bis(2-methylimidazol-1-yl)propane (L1), 4,4'-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-1,1'-biphenyl (L2), 1,2-bis(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene (L3) and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinoxaline (L4) were employed to react with CuBr/CuI, generating four 2-D layered copper(i)-polymer coordination polymer materials [Cu2Br2(L1)] 1, [CuI(L2)] 2, [CuI(L3)] 3 and [CuI(L4)0.5] 4. In 1-4, different Cu-X motifs are found: a cubic Cu4Br4 core in 1; a castellated Cu-I single chain in 2; a rhombic Cu2I2 core in 3; and a staircase-like Cu-I double chain in 4. The 2-D layer networks of 1-3 can all be simplified into a simple 44 topology (planar for 1 and 3; wave-like for 2), while the 2-D layer network of 4 has a 63 topology. The photoluminescence behaviors of 1-4 under a UV lamp suggest that 1 and 2 possess fluorescence thermochromism properties. Under the UV lamp, with the decrease in temperature, (i) 1 exhibits a yellow-to-red emission; (ii) 2 exhibits a yellow-to-green emission; (iii) 3 always emits green light; and (iv) 4 never emits light. These are further confirmed by their emission spectra. From 297 K to 77 K, the emission of 1 exhibits a large red shift from 561 nm to 623 nm; the emission of 2 exhibits a large blue shift from 571 nm to 515 nm; only a minor red shift is observed for the emission of 3; and no peaks appear in the emission spectra of 4. The crystal data of 1 and 2 at different temperatures have been collected for revealing the origination of their fluorescence thermochromism properties. Based on the above investigations, the effect of the rigidity/flexibility of the organic ligand on the fluorescence thermochromism properties of copper(i)-polymer coordination polymer materials is discussed. The quantum yields at 297 K and the photoluminescence lifetimes at 297 K and 77 K for 1-3 were also measured for better understanding their photoluminescence properties.

A Series of Compounds Based on [P2W18O62]6- and Transition Metal Mixed Organic Ligand Complexes with High Catalytic Properties for Styrene Epoxidation.

Seven compounds based on [P2W18O62]6- ({P2W18}) were successfully prepared and carefully characterized. [HC5H5N][Cu(2,2'-bpy)2]2[HP2W18O62]·2H2O (bpy = bipyridine) (1) is constructed from {P2W18} bridged by [Cu(2,2'-bpy)2]2+. [HC5H5N][Zn(2,2'-bpy)2]2[HP2W18O62]·4H2O (1a) is isostructural and isomorphous with compound 1. [Cu4(2,2'-bpy)3(nic)3(OH)2(H2O)][H3P2W18O62]·0.5H2O (nic = nicotinic acid) (2) is formed by {P2W18} and tetracopper transition metal mixed organic ligand complexes (TMMCs). [Cu2(2,2'-bpy)2(C2O4)]3[P2W18O62]·3H2O (3) is made up of {P2W18} and bicopper TMMCs, [Cu6(2,2'-bpy)6(OH)6][P2W18O62]·2H2O (4) is built up from {P2W18}, and hexacopper complexes of 2,2'-bpy and hydroxyls. [Cu(2,2'-bpy)(hnic)0.5][Cu3(2,2'-bpy)3(hnic)2(H2O)2][H3P2W18O62] (hnic = hydroxyl nicotinic acid) (5a) contains two different TMMCs. In addition, compound 5a is the first example of a compound that contains Cu-π interactions. [Cu2(2,2'-bpy)2(hnic)][H4P2W18O62]· xH2O ( x ≈ 50) (5b) is based on {P2W18} and [Cu2(2,2'-bpy)2(hnic)]2+. We discuss the mechanisms for the formations of these compounds. All the catalytic performances of the compounds for styrene epoxidation to styrene oxide are high.

New photoluminescent iodoargentates with bisimidazole derivatives as countercations.

In this article, three bisimidazole derivatives (1,4-bis(2-ethylimidazol-1-yl)butane, L1; 4,4'-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-1,1'-biphenyl, L2'; and 1,3-bis(2-ethylimidazol-1-yl)propane, L3) were employed to solvothermally react with AgI in an acidic environment, creating three new 1-D chained iodoargentates [H(L1)][Ag5I6]·DMF (DMF = N,N'-dimethylformamide) 1, [L2][Ag3I5] (L22+ = 4,4'-di(1H-imidazol-1-ium)-1,1'-biphenyl) 2, and [H2(L3)][Ag2I4] 3. L22+ in 2 originated from the in situ N-alkylation of L2' with the CH3OH solvent. X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis reveals that (i) in 1, Ag+ and I- aggregate to form a 1-D tube-like iodoargentate, which exhibits the same topology as the carbon tube; (ii) the chain structure of the iodoargentate in 2 is based on a kind of trinuclear Ag-I cluster, which can be viewed as a segment of the classical cubic M4I4 cluster; (iii) the chain structure of the iodoargentate in 3 is simple, which can be described as a linear arrangement of the AgI4 tetrahedra by sharing edges. The photoluminescence analysis reveals that at 77 K, (i) 1 and 2 emit strong yellow light with ms-grade photoluminescence lifetimes (5.460 ms for 1, 6.931 ms for 2); (ii) 3 possesses photochromic luminescence properties. Upon excitation at 254 nm, it emits blue-green light, whereas upon excitation at 365 nm, it emits yellow light.

A series of organic-inorganic hybrid compounds formed by [P2W18O62]6- and several types of transition metal complexes.

Five new organic-inorganic hybrid compounds based on [P2W18O62]6- (abbreviated as {P2W18}) and several types of transition metal complexes (TMCs) have been synthesized and characterized by IR, UV-Vis, XRD, cyclic voltammetry measurements and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. [Cu(phen)2][Cu(phen)(H2O)3][Cu(phen)2(H2O)][P2W18O62]·8H2O (1) (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) is a {P2W18} bi-supported complex of phen, while [Cu(2,2'-bpy)(H2O)2]2[Cu(2,2'-bpy)2][P2W18O62]·3.5H2O (2) (2,2'-bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) is a 1-D chain structure formed by {P2W18} and copper complexes of 2,2'-bpy. [Ag(2,2'-bpy)2]5[HP2W18O62]·H2O (3), [Ag(2,2'-bpy)(H2O)]2[Ag(2,2'-bpy)]2[Ag2(2,2'-bpy)3][P2W18O62] (4), and [Ag(2,2'-bpy)(H2O)]3[Ag2(2,2'-bpy)3][Ag(2,2'-bpy)][P2W18O62]·H2O (5) are constructed from {P2W18} and silver complexes of 2,2'-bpy. Compounds 4 and 5 are novel dimers of {P2W18} joined by silver complexes, while compound 3 contains two different kinds of silver complexes, forming a novel supramolecular structure. Each of the five compounds is formed by {P2W18} and more than one type of TMC. The formation mechanism of these compounds has been carefully discussed. In addition, we also synthesized two supramolecular structures based on {P2W18} and organic moieties: [H6P2W18O62](phen)5.5 (6) and [H6P2W18O62](phen)3·43H2O (7). The catalytic properties of these compounds were also tested.

Neuregulin 1 improves cognitive deficits and neuropathology in an Alzheimer's disease model.

Several lines of evidence suggest that neuregulin 1 (NRG1) signaling may influence cognitive function and neuropathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). To test this possibility, full-length type I or type III NRG1 was overexpressed via lentiviral vectors in the hippocampus of line 41 AD mouse. Both type I and type III NRG1 improves deficits in the Morris water-maze behavioral task. Neuropathology was also significantly ameliorated. Decreased expression of the neuronal marker MAP2 and synaptic markers PSD95 and synaptophysin in AD mice was significantly reversed. Levels of Aß peptides and plaques were markedly reduced. Furthermore, we showed that soluble ectodomains of both type I and type III NRG1 significantly increased expression of Aß-degrading enzyme neprilysin (NEP) in primary neuronal cultures. Consistent with this finding, immunoreactivity of NEP was increased in the hippocampus of AD mice. These results suggest that NRG1 provides beneficial effects in candidate neuropathologic substrates of AD and, therefore, is a potential target for the treatment of AD.

New in situ generated acylhydrazidate-coordinated complexes and acylhydrazide molecules: Synthesis, structural characterization and photoluminescence property.

By utilizing the hydrothermal in situ acylation of organic acids with N2H4, three acylhydrazidate-coordinated compounds [Mn(L1)2(H2O)2] (L1=2,3-quinolinedicarboxylhydrazidate; HL1=2,3-dihydropyridazino[4,5-b] quinoline-1,4-dione) 1, [Mn2(ox)(L2)2(H2O)6]·2H2O (L2=benzimidazolate-5,6-dicarboxylhydrazide; HL2=6,7-dihydro-1H-imidazo[4,5-g]phthalazine-5,8-dione; ox=oxalate) 2, and [Cd(HL3)(bpy)] (L3=4,5-di(3'-carboxylphenyl)phthalhydrazidate; H3L3=6,7-dihydro-1H-imidazo[4,5-g]phthalazine-5,8-dione; bpy=2,2'-bipyridine) 3, as well as two acylhydrazide molecules L4 (L4=oxepino[2,3,4-de:7,6,5-d'e']diphthalazine-4,10(5H,9H)-dione) 4 and L5 (L5=4,5-dibromophthalhydrazide; L5=6,7-dibromo-2,3-dihydrophthalazine-1,4-dione) 5 were obtained. X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis reveals that (i) 1 only possesses a mononuclear structure, but it self-assembles into a 2-D supramolecular network via the NhydrazineH⋯Nhydrazine and OwH⋯Ohydroxylimino interactions; (ii) 2 exhibits a dinuclear structure. Ox acts as the linker, while L2 just serves as a terminal ligand; (iii) In 3, L3 acts as a 3-connected node to propagate the 7-coordinated Cd(2+) centers into a 1-D double-chain structure; (iv) 4 is a special acylhydrazide molecule. Two OH groups for the intermediates 3,3'-biphthalhydrazide further lose one water molecule to form 4; (v) 5 is a common monoacylhydrazide molecule. Via the NhydrazineH⋯Ohydrazine, OhydroxyliminoH⋯Oacylamino and the π⋯π interactions, it self-assembles into a 2-D supramolecular network. The photoluminescence analysis reveals that 4 emits light with the maxima at 510nm.

A new three-dimensional Zn(2+) coordination polymer constructed from oxalate and 1,2,4-triazolate.

A new 3-D Zn(2+) coordination polymer (CP) [(CH3)2NH2]3[Zn6(ox)4.5(trz)6]⋅4H2O (ox=oxalate; trz=1,2,4-triazolate) 1 was obtained by a simple solvothermal self-assembly. The crystal structural analysis demonstrates that the trz molecules link the Zn(2+) ions into a two-dimensional (2-D) layer network, which is based on the trinuclear Zn3(trz)6 clusters. The ox molecules serve as the linkers to propagate the 2-D layers into a three-dimensional (3-D) network of 1. The thermogravimetry (TG) behavior, photoluminescence property, and the sensing ability of 1 are investigated. The sensing experiment on nitrobenzene (NB) reveals that 1 can serve as a fluorescence probe to detect NB at the ppm concentration.

New organic-inorganic hybrid compounds constructed from polyoxometalates and transition metal mixed-organic-ligand complexes.

Five new organic-inorganic hybrid compounds based on different polyoxoanions [HxGeW12O40](n-) or [H3As2W18O62](3-) (x = 0, 2; n = 4, 2), namely [Cu3(2,2'-bpy)3(inic)(OH)(H2O)][GeW12O40]·1.5H2O (1), [Cu2(phen)2(µ2-Cl)2(inic)]2[H2GeW12O40]·2H2O (2), [Cu2(phen)2(µ2-Cl)Cl(nic)]2[H2GeW12O40] (3), [Cu2(2,2'-bpy)2(hnic)Cl]2[H2GeW12O40] (4), [Cu(phen)(inic)H2O][Cu2(phen)2(inic)2(H2O)][H3As2W18O62]·3H2O (5) (inic = isonicotinic acid, nic = nicotinic acid, hnic = 2-hydroxy-nicotinic acid, 2,2'-bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), have been synthesized and characterized by IR, UV-Vis, XRD, cyclic voltammetric measurements and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Single crystal X-ray analysis reveals that compound 1 is isomorphous and isostructural with a compound reported by us recently, the main difference between the two is the heteroatom of the polyoxoanions in the two compounds. Compound 2 is a supramolecular structure constructed from polyoxoanions and transition metal mixed-organic-ligand complexes. Compound 3 is a novel polyoxoanion bi-supported transition metal mixed-organic-ligand complex. Compound 4 is a 1-D chain structure constructed from polyoxoanions and transition metal mixed-organic-ligand complexes. The photodegradation properties of compounds 1-5 have been analyzed.

Poly(L-lactide)/halloysite nanotube electrospun mats as dual-drug delivery systems and their therapeutic efficacy in infected full-thickness burns.

In this study, poly(L-lactide) (PLLA)/halloysite nanotube (HNT) electrospun mats were prepared as a dual-drug delivery system. HNTs were used to encapsulate polymyxin B sulphate (a hydrophilic drug). Dexamethasone (a hydrophobic drug) was directly dissolved in the PLLA solution. The drug-loaded HNTs with optimised encapsulation efficiency were then mixed with the PLLA solution for subsequent electrospinning to form composite dual-drug-loaded fibre mats. The structure, morphology, degradability and mechanical properties of the electrospun composite mats were characterised in detail. The results showed that the HNTs were uniformly distributed in the composite PLLA mats. The HNTs content in the mats could change the morphology and average diameter of the electrospun fibres. The HNTs improved both the tensile strength of the PLLA electrospun mats and their degradation ratio. The drug-release kinetics of the electrospun mats were investigated using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. The HNTs/PLLA ratio could be varied to adjust the release of polymyxin B sulphate and dexamethasone. The antibacterial activity in vitro of the mats was evaluated using agar diffusion and turbidimetry tests, which indicated the antibacterial efficacy of the dual-drug delivery system against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria. Healing in vivo of infected full-thickness burns and infected wounds was investigated by macroscopic observation, histological observation and immunohistochemical staining. The results indicated that the electrospun mats were capable of co-loading and co-delivering hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, and could potentially be used as novel antibacterial wound dressings.

Tuning the structures based on polyoxometalates from 1-D to 2-D by using different secondary organic ligands.

Six new organic-inorganic hybrid compounds based on [XM12O40](4-) (X = heteroatom, M = metal atom), namely [Cu(pic)2][H2XM12O40]·2Hapy·2apy (X = Si, M = W for , X = Ge, M = W for and X = Si, M = Mo for ), [Cu(2,2'-bpy)2][Cu(2,2'-bpy)(H2O)][Cu(pic)2]0.5[XM12O40]·nH2O (X = Si, M = Mo, n = 0.5 for , X = Ge, M = W, n = 1 for ) and [Cu(phen)(H2O)]2[Cu(pic)2][GeW12O40]·2.5H2O () (pic = deprotonated picolinic acid, apy = 2-aminopyridine, 2,2'-bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, phen = phenanthroline), have been synthesized and characterized by IR, UV-Vis, XRD, cyclic voltammetric measurements and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Single crystal X-ray analysis reveals that compounds are isomorphous and isostructural, in which each is based on [H2XM12O40](2-) and [Cu(pic)2]. Compounds and are also isomorphous and isostructural, of which the structures are more interesting than those of compounds . Both structures are constructed from [XM12O40](4-) and metal mixed-organic-ligand complexes. Compound is also constructed from Keggin ions and metal mixed-organic-ligand complexes, which are, however, thoroughly different from those of compounds and . The photodegradation properties of compounds have been analyzed. Compounds also exhibit rapid absorption properties for RhB (Rhodamine B). Detailed analysis of the photodegradation properties of compounds reveals that the molybdate POM has stronger degradation ability for RhB than the tungstate one.