Rare-Earth Doping in Nanostructured Inorganic Materials.

Impurity doping is a promising method to impart new properties to various materials. Due to their unique optical, magnetic, and electrical properties, rare-earth ions have been extensively explored as active dopants in inorganic crystal lattices since the 18th century. Rare-earth doping can alter the crystallographic phase, morphology, and size, leading to tunable optical responses of doped nanomaterials. Moreover, rare-earth doping can control the ultimate electronic and catalytic performance of doped nanomaterials in a tunable and scalable manner, enabling significant improvements in energy harvesting and conversion. A better understanding of the critical role of rare-earth doping is a prerequisite for the development of an extensive repertoire of functional nanomaterials for practical applications. In this review, we highlight recent advances in rare-earth doping in inorganic nanomaterials and the associated applications in many fields. This review covers the key criteria for rare-earth doping, including basic electronic structures, lattice environments, and doping strategies, as well as fundamental design principles that enhance the electrical, optical, catalytic, and magnetic properties of the material. We also discuss future research directions and challenges in controlling rare-earth doping for new applications.

Deciphering Density Fluctuations in the Hydration Water of Brownian Nanoparticles via Upconversion Thermometry.

We investigate the intricate relationship among temperature, pH, and Brownian velocity in a range of differently sized upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) dispersed in water. These UCNPs, acting as nanorulers, offer insights into assessing the relative proportion of high-density and low-density liquid in the surrounding hydration water. The study reveals a size-dependent reduction in the onset temperature of liquid-water fluctuations, indicating an augmented presence of high-density liquid domains at the nanoparticle surfaces. The observed upper-temperature threshold is consistent with a hypothetical phase diagram of water, validating the two-state model. Moreover, an increase in pH disrupts the organization of water molecules, similar to external pressure effects, allowing simulation of the effects of temperature and pressure on hydrogen bonding networks. The findings underscore the significance of the surface of suspended nanoparticles for understanding high- to low-density liquid fluctuations and water behavior at charged interfaces.

Exploration on Molecular Mechanism of Reversal Effect of Compound Danshen Tablets on Hepatic Fibrosis Based on Network Pharmacology.

Objective: To research the molecular mechanism of compound Danshen tablets in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis through network pharmacology. Methods: Traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology (TCMSP) and online Mendelian inheritance in man (OMIM) databases were searched for compound Danshen tablets' active ingredients o and hepatic fibrosis-related genes. The network enrichment of the targets of "herb-compound-target" was visualized and analyzed using Cytoscape software. Then, the screened target genes were used to construct a protein-protein interaction network. The DAVID enrichment database (the database for annotation, visualization, and integrated discovery) was adopted for GO (Gene Ontology) enrichment and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway enrichment of vital nodes. Results: The results yielded 234 targets of compound Danshen tablets; ten important targets (TNF, IL-10, TGF-ß1, EGF, CXCL16, CCL21, SERPINB5, SERPINA1, SOD2, and PPIG) for reversing hepatic fibrosis; and four core targets (TNF, IL-10, TGF-1, and EGF). In addition, KEGG enrichment analysis showed that compound Danshen tablets mainly involved FoxO and MAPK signaling pathways, as the key signaling pathways in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis. Conclusion: TNF, IL-10, TGF-1, and EGF and FOXO and MAPK signaling pathways play a key role in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis. Based on the results of this study, the mechanism of action of compound Danshen tablets in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis may be associated with the regulation of FoxO and MAPK signaling pathways and inhibition of TNF, IL-10, TGF-1, and EGF.

Zinc Attenuates Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis in Diabetic Nephropathy Via Inhibition of HIF Through PI-3K Signaling.

Evidence has demonstrated that hypoxia may have a central pathogenic mechanism in the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of mature tubular epithelial cells in kidney is a contributor to the renal accumulation of matrix protein in DN and is highly associated with the progression of tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Zinc (Zn) has anti-fibrosis effects in liver and lungs. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of Zn on renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis especially under hypoxic conditions and its association with DN. We found that Zn treatment blockaded tubular EMT and attenuated renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis by downregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor alpha (HIF-1α) in the kidneys of diabetic streptozotocin-treated mice. High glucose (HG)/hypoxic conditions stimulated EMT in renal tubular cells as indicated by the significant decrease in epithelial marker E-cadherin and ZO-1 while the increase in mesenchymal markers α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Zn supplement mainly prevented HG/hypoxic-induced HIF-1α accumulation and EMT marker changes. In co-treatment Zn with PI3K/Akt/GSK-3ß signaling pathway, inhibitor LY294002 prevented HG/hypoxic-induced HIF-1α increase and EMT changes, suggesting that Zn may mediate HG/hypoxic-induced EMT through PI3K/Akt/GSK-3ß pathway. Therefore, we concluded that Zn had an important anti-fibrosis role under HG/hypoxic conditions, and a novel mechanism contributing to Zn protection on renal tubular epithelial cells from HG/hypoxia-induced EMT through activation of PI3K/Akt/GSK-3ß signaling pathway, which subsequently leads to the downregulation of the expression of HIF-1α.