Multifunctional Polyoxometalates-Based Ionohydrogels toward Flexible Electronics.

Multifunctional flexible electronics present tremendous opportunities in the rapidly evolving digital age. One potential avenue to realize this goal is the integration of polyoxometalates (POMs) and ionic liquid-based gels (ILGs), but the challenge of macrophase separation due to poor compatibility, especially caused by repulsion between like-charged units, poses a significant hurdle. Herein, the possibilities of producing diverse and homogenous POMs-containing ionohydrogels by nanoconfining POMs and ionic liquids (ILs) within an elastomer-like polyzwitterionic hydrogel using a simple one-step random copolymerization method, are expanded vastly. The incorporation of polyzwitterions provides a nanoconfined microenvironment and effectively modulates excessive electrostatic interactions in POMs/ILs/H2 O blending system, facilitating a phase transition from macrophase separation to a submillimeter scale worm-like microphase-separation system. Moreover, combining POMs-reinforced ionohydrogels with a developed integrated self-powered sensing system utilizing strain sensors and Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitors has enabled efficient energy storage and detection of external strain changes with high precision. This work not only provides guidelines for manipulating morphology within phase-separation gelation systems, but also paves the way for developing versatile POMs-based ionohydrogels for state-of-the-art smart flexible electronics.

Complex phase transitions and phase engineering in the aqueous solution of an isopolyoxometalate cluster.

Inorganic salts usually demonstrate simple phasal behaviors in dilute aqueous solution mainly involving soluble (homogeneous) and insoluble (macrophase separation) scenarios. Herein, we report the discovery of complex phase behavior involving multiple phase transitions of clear solution - macrophase separation - gelation - solution - macrophase separation in the dilute aqueous solutions of a structurally well-defined molecular cluster [Mo7O24]6- macroanions with the continuous addition of Fe3+. No chemical reaction was involved. The transitions are closely related to the strong electrostatic interaction between [Mo7O24]6- and their Fe3+ counterions, the counterion-mediated attraction and the consequent charge inversion, leading to the formation of linear/branched supramolecular structures, as confirmed by experimental results and molecular dynamics simulations. The rich phase behavior demonstrated by the inorganic cluster [Mo7O24]6- expands our understanding of nanoscale ions in solution.

The sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor ertugliflozin for Alzheimer's disease: Inhibition of brain insulin signaling disruption-induced tau hyperphosphorylation.

An antidiabetic agent sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor ertugliflozin has been revealed to bind to catalytic anionic site of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which is considered to be associated with the cognitive decline in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of the present study was thus to probe the effect of ertugliflozin on AD. Intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin (STZ/i.c.v) (3 mg/kg) was done bilaterally in male Wistar rats at 7-8 weeks of age. Two treatment doses (5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg) of ertugliflozin were given intragastrically to STZ/i.c.v-induced rats for 20 days daily for behavioral assessment. Biochemical estimations of cholinergic activity, neuronal apoptosis, mitochondrial function and synaptic plasticity were performed. Behavioral results with ertugliflozin treatment revealed attenuation of cognitive deficit. Ertugliflozin also inhibited hippocampal AChE activity, downregulated pro-apoptotic marker expression, as well as mitigated mitochondrial dysfunction and synaptic damage in STZ/i.c.v rats. Importantly, we found that the hyperphosphorylation of tau in the hippocampus of STZ/i.c.v rats was decreased after oral administration of ertugliflozin, which was accompanied by decreased Phospho.IRS-1Ser307/Total.IRS-1 ratio and increased Phospho.AktSer473/Total.Akt and Phospho.GSK3ßSer9/Total.GSK3ß ratios. Our results indicated that treatment with ertugliflozin reversed AD pathology, which may be associated with inhibition of insulin signaling disruption-induced tau hyperphosphorylation.

BMP5 ameliorates diabetic peripheral neuropathy by augmenting mitochondrial function and inhibiting apoptosis in Schwann cells.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a common and serious complication of diabetes. Bone morphogenetic protein 5 (BMP5) is a multifunctional protein involved in the nervous system. Nevertheless, its effect on diabetic peripheral neuropathy remained uncharacterized. In this study, diabetic neuropathy in mice was induced by a single dose of 150 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) via intraperitoneal injection. Lentivirus expressing BMP5 (LV-BMP5) administration improved pain sensitivity, nerve conduction velocities and morphological alterations of the sciatic nerve of diabetic mice. Elevated BMP5 by LV-BMP5 suppressed cell apoptosis in the sciatic nerve, as evidenced by declined TUNEL-positive cells and down-regulated cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9 levels. BMP5 enhanced mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP level. BMP5 also increased the phosphorylation of Smad1/5/9. Besides, the role of BMP5 in high glucose (HG)-stimulated Schwann cells was determined. Results of in vitro studies were in line with the in vivo findings. These experimental data seem to imply that BMP5 prevents the development of diabetic neuropathy via the maintenance of Smad1/5/9-mediated mitochondrial function.

Synthesis of Ordered Pt Nanocube Arrays Directed by Block Copolymer Nanotemplate and Their Potential on Ethanol Oxidation Reaction.

In this work, well-ordered platinum (Pt) nanocubes (NCs), with precise control on the size and the spatial arrangement, are synthesized from a microemulsion overgrowth in a block copolymer (BC) nanotemplate. The nanovials on this self-assembled BC template serve as microreactors for the reduction of the HCl/H2PtCl6 precursor and direct the ordered periodic arrangement of the reduced Pt nanoparticles (NPs). As the content of HCl increases from 0% to 25%, the Pt NPs evolve from quasi-spheres to NCs, for which the density functional theory (DFT) computation reveals that the different adsorption energies of Cl and HCl dominate this morphology transition. For their potential application in fuel cells, the electrochemical catalysis of the Pt NCs demonstrates a 2.8-fold mass activity in contrast to the commercial JM 40% catalyst at the same Pt loading in ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) and a good stability of 2.2% ECSA loss over 10 000 CV cycling.

Cognitive behavioural therapy on improving the depression symptoms in patients with diabetes: a meta-analysis of randomized control trials.

This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in improving the depression symptoms of patients with diabetes. Literature search was conducted in PubMed and Embase up to October 2016 without the initial date. The pooled SMD (standard mean difference) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by Revman 5.3. Subgroup analyses were performed by type of diabetes and evaluation criteria of depression. A total of five randomized control trials involving 834 patients with diabetes mellitus (including 417 patients in CBT group and 417 patients in control group) were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled estimates indicated significant improvement of depression by CBT compared with routine approaches in overall outcomes (SMD =-0.33, 95% CI =-0.46 to -0.21, P<0.00001), post-intervention outcomes (SMD =-0.43, 95% CI =-0.73 to -0.12, P=0.006) and outcomes after 12 months intervention (SMD =-0.38, 95% CI = -0.54 to -0.23, P<0.0001). Subgroup analyses showed that the results were not influenced by the type of diabetes. However, the effect of CBT on improving the depression symptoms disappeared when only using CES-D (Centre for Epidemiological Studies scale for Depression) to evaluate depression.

[Effects of Helicobacter pylori on blood glucose fluctuation in type 2 diabetic patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) on blood glucose fluctuation in type 2 diabetic mellitus. METHODS: 130 type 2 diabetic patients were selected, 72 patients with Hp infection and 58 without Hp infection. Relevant clinical data: blood pressure, body mass index, cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, glycosylated hemoglobin, insulin resistance index, liver function, and renal function were collected. The data of blood glucose levels at 7 time points, 6 - 7 am, 9 - 10 am, 11 - 12 am, 14 - 15 pm, 17 - 18 pm, 19 - 20 pm, and 22 - 23 pm in 3 days, totally 21 data, were collected. And input into the OTDMS data analysis software to evaluate the blood glucose fluctuation indexes: standard deviation of mean blood glucose (SDBG), mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), large amplitude of glycemic excursions (LAGE). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, course of disease, blood pressure, body mass index, cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, glycosylated hemoglobin, and insulin resistance index between these 2 groups (all P > 0.05). The levels of MBG, SDBG, MAGE, LAGE, (mmol/L: 9.0 +/- 1.1 vs 7.6 +/- 0.5, 3.3 +/- 1.1 vs 1.7 +/- 0.5, 6.7 +/- 4.5 vs 3.0 +/- 1.1, 8.6 +/- 3.8 vs 4.2 +/- 1.5, all P < 0.05) and incidence of hypoglycemia [16.6% (12/72) vs 5.1% (3/58), P < 0.05] were all higher in the Hp positive group than in the Hp negative group. CONCLUSION: Hp infection has a significant effect on the daily blood glucose level and blood glucose fluctuation in the patients with type 2 diabetes.