The secondary visual cortex mediated the enhancement of associative learning on methamphetamine self-administration behaviors.

RATIONALE: Methamphetamine addiction is a persistent and intractable pathological learning and memory, whereas no approved therapeutics is available. However, few attentions have been paid to how associative learning participates in the formation of intractable memory related to drug addiction OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: To investigate the role of associative learning in methamphetamine addiction and the underlying neurobiological mechanism, methamphetamine self-administration, oral sucrose self-administration, chemogenetic neuromanipulation, and fiber photometry in mice were performed in this study. RESULTS: We reported that associative learning increased methamphetamine-induced self-administration, but not oral sucrose self-administration. In addition, the enhancement of methamphetamine-induced self-administration was independent of more methamphetamine consumption, and remained with higher drug-taking and motivation in the absence of visual cues, suggesting the direct effects of the associative learning that enhanced methamphetamine-induced self-administration. Moreover, chemogenetic inactivation of the secondary visual cortex (V2) reduced the enhancement of the drug-taking induced by associative learning but did not alter sucrose-taking. Further fiber photometry of V2 neurons demonstrated that methamphetamine-associative learning elicits V2 neuron excitation, and sucrose-associative learning elicits V2 neuron inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, this study reveals the neurobiological mechanism of V2 excitability underlying how associative learning participates in the formation of intractable memory related to drug addiction, and gives evidence to support V2 as a promising target for stimulation therapy for methamphetamine addiction.

Guidelines derived from biomineralized tissues for design and construction of high-performance biomimetic materials: from weak to strong.

Living organisms in nature have undergone continuous evolution over billions of years, resulting in the formation of high-performance fracture-resistant biomineralized tissues such as bones and teeth to fulfill mechanical and biological functions, despite the fact that most inorganic biominerals that constitute biomineralized tissues are weak and brittle. During the long-period evolution process, nature has evolved a number of highly effective and smart strategies to design chemical compositions and structures of biomineralized tissues to enable superior properties and to adapt to surrounding environments. Most biomineralized tissues have hierarchically ordered structures consisting of very small building blocks on the nanometer scale (nanoparticles, nanofibers or nanoflakes) to reduce the inherent weaknesses and brittleness of corresponding inorganic biominerals, to prevent crack initiation and propagation, and to allow high defect tolerance. The bioinspired principles derived from biomineralized tissues are indispensable for designing and constructing high-performance biomimetic materials. In recent years, a large number of high-performance biomimetic materials have been prepared based on these bioinspired principles with a large volume of literature covering this topic. Therefore, a timely and comprehensive review on this hot topic is highly important and contributes to the future development of this rapidly evolving research field. This review article aims to be comprehensive, authoritative, and critical with wide general interest to the science community, summarizing recent advances in revealing the formation processes, composition, and structures of biomineralized tissues, providing in-depth insights into guidelines derived from biomineralized tissues for the design and construction of high-performance biomimetic materials, and discussing recent progress, current research trends, key problems, future main research directions and challenges, and future perspectives in this exciting and rapidly evolving research field.

Salt-rejecting 3D cone flowing evaporator based on bilayer photothermal paper for high-performance solar seawater desalination.

Solar energy-driven water evaporation technology is a promising, low-cost and sustainable approach to alleviate the global clean water shortage, but usually suffers from low water evaporation rate and severe salt deposition on the water evaporation surface. In this work, a hydrophilic bilayer photothermal paper-based three-dimensional (3D) cone flowing evaporator was designed and prepared for stable high-performance seawater desalination with excellent salt-rejecting ability. The as-prepared bilayer photothermal paper consisted of MXene (Ti3C2Tx) and HAA (ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires, poly(acrylic acid), and poly(acrylic acid-2-hydroxyethyl ester)). The accordion-like multilayered MXene acted as the efficient solar light absorber, and ultralong hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanowires served as the thermally insulating and supporting skeleton with a porous networked structure. A siphon effect-driven unidirectional fluid transportation unit in the 3D cone flowing evaporator could guide the concentrated saline flowing away from the evaporating surface to prevent salt deposition on the evaporation surface, avoiding severe deterioration of the performance in solar water evaporation. Furthermore, combining high solar light absorption and high photothermal conversion efficiencies, low water evaporation enthalpy (1838 ±â€¯11 J g-1), and additional energy taken from the ambient environment, the as-prepared cone flowing evaporator exhibited a high water evaporation rate of 3.22 ±â€¯0.20 kg m-2 h-1 for real seawater under one sun illumination (1 kW m-2), which was significantly higher than many values reported in the literature. This study provides an effective approach for designing high-performance solar energy-driven water evaporators for sustainable seawater desalination and wastewater purification.

Ultralong Nanowires of Cadmium Phosphate Hydroxide Synthesized Using a Cadmium Oleate Precursor Hydrothermal Method and Sulfidation Conversion to Ultralong CdS Nanowires.

Ultralong nanowires with ultrahigh aspect ratios exhibit high flexibility, and they are promising for applications in various fields. Herein, a cadmium oleate precursor hydrothermal method is developed for the synthesis of ultralong nanowires of cadmium phosphate hydroxide. In this method, water-soluble cadmium salt is used as the cadmium source, water-soluble phosphate is used as the phosphorus source, and sodium oleate is adopted as a reactant to form cadmium oleate precursor and as a structure-directing agent. By using this method, ultralong nanowires of cadmium phosphate hydroxide are successfully synthesized using CdCl2, sodium oleate, and NaH2PO4 as reactants in an aqueous solution by hydrothermal treatment at 180 °C for 24 h. In addition, a new type of flexible fire-resistant inorganic paper with good electrical insulation performance is fabricated using ultralong nanowires of cadmium phosphate hydroxide. As an example of the extended application of this synthetic method, ultralong nanowires of cadmium phosphate hydroxide can be converted to ultralong CdS nanowires through a convenient sulfidation reaction. In this way, ultralong CdS nanowires are successfully synthesized by simple sulfidation of ultralong nanowires of cadmium phosphate hydroxide under mild conditions. The as-prepared ultralong nanowires of cadmium phosphate hydroxide are promising for applications as the precursors and templates for synthesizing other inorganic ultralong nanowires and have wide applications in various fields.

Engineering Copper-Containing Nanoparticles-Loaded Silicene Nanosheets with Triple Enzyme Mimicry Activities and Photothermal Effect for Promoting Bacteria-Infected Wound Healing.

Skin wounds accompanied by bacterial infections threaten human health, and conventional antibiotic treatments are ineffective for drug-resistant bacterial infections and chronically infected wounds. The development of non-antibiotic-dependent therapeutics is highly desired but remains a challenging issue. Recently, 2D silicene nanosheets with considerable biocompatibility, biodegradability, and photothermal-conversion performance have received increasing attention in biomedical fields. Herein, copper-containing nanoparticles-loaded silicene (Cu2.8O@silicene-BSA) nanosheets with triple enzyme mimicry catalytic (peroxidase, catalase, and oxidase-like) activities and photothermal function are rationally designed and fabricated for efficient bacterial elimination, angiogenesis promotion, and accelerated wound healing. Cu2.8O@silicene-BSA nanosheets display excellent antibacterial activity through synergistic effects of reactive oxygen species generated from multiple catalytic reactions, intrinsic bactericidal activity of released Cu2+ ions, and photothermal effects, achieving high antibacterial efficiencies on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) of 99.1 ± 0.7% in vitro and 97.2 ± 1.6% in vivo. In addition, Cu2.8O@silicene-BSA nanosheets exhibit high biocompatibility for promoting human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation and angiogenic differentiation. In vivo experiments reveal that Cu2.8O@silicene-BSA nanosheets with synergistic photothermal/chemodynamic therapeutics effectively accelerate MRSA-infected wound healing by eliminating bacteria, alleviating inflammation, boosting collagen deposition, and promoting angiogenesis. This research presents a promising strategy to engineer photothermal-assisted nanozyme catalysis for bacteria-invaded wound healing.

Naringin acts as a TRPV1 antagonist to attenuate UVB-induced senescence and damage in HaCaT cells.

This study aimed to explore the mechanism of naringin (Nar) in alleviating ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced HaCaT cell senescence and damage. Human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) were divided into control, UVB, UVB + Nar, UVB + Cap, and UVB + Nar + Cap groups. Analysis was performed using the MTT assay to assess cell viability, flow cytometry to measure the apoptosis level, SA-ß-Gal staining to observe cellular senescence, and Western blot to assess protein levels of TRPV1, p16, p53, p21, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, and MMP-9. Both UVB irradiation and capsaicin (Cap) treatment upregulated the expression of TRPV1 in HaCaT cells, inhibited cell proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and increased the expression of p16, p53, p21, MMP-1, and MMP-9. Nar treatment reversed the above effects via inhibition of TRPV1 expression, thereby relieving senescence and cell damage induced by UVB irradiation. Taken together, these findings suggest that Nar can reduce UVB-induced senescence and damage in HaCaT cells by acting as an antagonist of TRPV1.

Synergistically regulating the separator pore structure and surface property toward dendrite-free and high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

As an emerging electrochemical device, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) present promising potential in safe and large-scale energy storage. However, the large pores of commercial glass fiber (GF) separators result in uneven Zn2+ ion flux, leading to severe dendrite growth issues of Zn metal anodes. Herein, we integrated a multifunctional layer on the GF separator that can synergistically regulate the pore feature and surface property of commercial GF separators. Such modification layer, composed of nanocellulose and SiO2 nanoparticles, exhibited uniform nanoporous structure and abundant negatively charged polar functional groups. These features allow regulating the distribution of Zn2+ ions at the separator-anode interface, facilitating stable and uniform Zn nucleation and growth. Moreover, the electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged functional groups and Zn2+ ions enhanced the Zn2+ ion transport kinetics, preventing the Zn dendrites formation and adverse reactions. Consequently, the modified electrolyte-filled GF separator showed an increased Zn2+ ion transference number of 0.65. The symmetric Zn//Zn batteries utilizing such a separator achieved an impressive cycling life of 500 h at a high current density/capacity of 10 mA cm-2/4 mAh cm-2, nearly nine times longer than the battery using the unmodified GF separator (<55 h). The superior electrochemical performance was verified in both Zn//AC and Zn//LiMn2O4 full battery evaluations. This work presents a novel synergistic modification strategy for developing advanced separators for aqueous ZIBs.

Meloxicam inhibits STING phosphorylation and alleviates intracellular DNA-mediated autoimmune responses.

BACKGROUND: Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway is critical for cytosolic DNA-sensing and the subsequent immune responses. The inappropriate activation of this pathway leads to DNA-induced autoimmune response. Understanding the precise regulation of cGAS-STING pathway is important for developing therapeutics to treat several autoimmune diseases caused by self-DNA. RESULTS: We report that Meloxicam (MXC) inhibits intracellular DNA-, but not RNA-induced immune responses. We find that MXC inhibits the phosphorylation of STING by examining in different cells with various DNA stimulations. We further find that MXC significantly dampens the expression levels of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) by using DNA 3' repair exonuclease 1 (TREX1)-deficient cell, an experimental model for self-DNA-induced autoimmune disease. Importantly, we demonstrate that MXC could promote the survival in Trex1-/- mouse model for Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS). CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, MXC, that exhibits potential effect in treating the autoimmunity caused by self-DNA.

Bioinspired Aerogel with Vertically Ordered Channels and Low Water Evaporation Enthalpy for High-Efficiency Salt-Rejecting Solar Seawater Desalination and Wastewater Purification.

Solar energy-driven water evaporation is a promising sustainable strategy to purify seawater and contaminated water. However, developing solar evaporators with high water evaporation rates and excellent salt resistance still faces a great challenge. Herein, inspired by the long-range ordered structure and water transportation capability of lotus stem, a biomimetic aerogel with vertically ordered channels and low water evaporation enthalpy for high-efficiency solar energy-driven salt-resistant seawater desalination and wastewater purification is developed. The biomimetic aerogel consists of ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires as heat-insulating skeletons, polydopamine-modified MXene as a photothermal material with broadband sunlight absorption and high photothermal conversion efficiency, polyacrylamide, and polyvinyl alcohol as reagents to lower the water evaporation enthalpy and as glues to enhance the mechanical performance. The honeycomb porous structure, unidirectionally aligned microchannels, and nanowire/nanosheet/polymer pore wall endow the biomimetic aerogel with excellent mechanical properties, rapid water transportation, and excellent solar water evaporation performance. The biomimetic aerogel exhibits a high water evaporation rate (2.62 kg m-2  h-1 ) and energy efficiency (93.6%) under one sun irradiation. The superior salt-rejecting ability of the designed water evaporator enables stable and continuous seawater desalination, which is promising for application in water purification to mitigate the global water crisis.

Wet End Chemical Properties of a New Kind of Fire-Resistant Paper Pulp Based on Ultralong Hydroxyapatite Nanowires.

In 2014, a new type of the fire-resistant paper based on ultralong hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanowires was reported by the author's research group, which had superior properties and promising applications in various fields, such as high-temperature resistance, fire retardance, heat insulation, electrical insulation, energy, environmental protection, and biomedicine. The wet end chemical properties of the fire-resistant paper pulp are very important for papermaking and mechanical performance of the paper, which play a guiding role in the practical production of the fire-resistant paper. In this paper, the wet end chemical properties of a new kind of fire-resistant paper pulp based on ultralong HAP nanowires are studied for the first time by focusing on the wet end chemical parameters, the effects of these parameters on the properties such as flocculation, retention, draining, and white water circulation of the fire-resistant paper pulp, and their effects on the properties of the as-prepared fire-resistant paper. The experimental results indicated that the wet end chemical properties of the new kind of fire-resistant paper pulp based on ultralong HAP nanowires were unique and entirely different from those of the traditional paper pulp based on plant fibers. The wet end chemical properties of the fire-resistant paper pulp were significantly influenced by the inorganic adhesive and its content, which affected the runnability of the paper machine and the properties of the as-prepared fire-resistant paper. The flocculation properties of the fire-resistant paper pulp based on ultralong HAP nanowires were affected by the conductivity and Zeta potential. The addition of the inorganic adhesive in the fire-resistant paper pulp based on ultralong HAP nanowires could significantly increase the conductivity of the fire-resistant paper pulp, reduce the particle size of paper pulp floccules, and increase the tensile strength of the fire-resistant paper. In addition, the fire-resistant paper pulp based on ultralong HAP nanowires in the presence of inorganic adhesive exhibited excellent antibacterial performance. This work will contribute to and accelerate the commercialization process and applications of the new type of the fire-resistant paper based on ultralong HAP nanowires.

Lateral septum inputs to nucleus accumbens mediates stress induced suppression of natural reward seeking.

Stress alters the level of reward evaluation and seeking. However, the neural circuitry mechanisms underlying stress induced effects on natural reward seeking remain unclear. Here we report a septal-accumbens pathway that mediates the effects of acute stress on reward seeking suppression. We first established the sucrose oral self-administration paradigm and measured the effects of acute stress on reward seeking behavior after 21 days of abstinence. Both forced swimming stress and foot shock stress significantly suppressed the natural reward seeking. Among a variety of brain regions, intermediolateral septum (LSi) appear as a strong stress-responsive area containing abundant c-Fos positive cells; chemogenetic inactivation of LSi reinstated the reward seeking behavior. To elucidate the downstream targets receiving LSi projections, we combined pathway-specific retro-labeling and chemogenetic manipulation to confirm the involvement of LSi-nucleus accumbens (NAc) rather than the Ventral tegmental area (VTA) in mediating the observed behavioral responses. In conclusion, the septal-accumbal projection constitute a discrete circuit dictating the stress evoked alterations on reward seeking and may implicate in treatment of stress induced anhedonia.

Microwave-Assisted Hydrothermal Rapid Synthesis of Ultralong Hydroxyapatite Nanowires Using Adenosine 5'-Triphosphate.

Ultralong hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanowires are promising for various biomedical applications owing to their chemical similarity to the inorganic constituent of bone, high biocompatibility, good flexibility, excellent mechanical properties, etc. However, it is still challenging to control the formation of ultralong HAP nanowires because of the presence of free PO43- ions in the reaction system containing the inorganic phosphate source. In addition, it takes a long period of time (usually tens of hours) for the synthetic process of ultralong HAP nanowires. Herein, for the first time, we have developed an eco-friendly calcium oleate precursor microwave hydrothermal method using biocompatible adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) as a bio-phosphorus source and water as the only solvent for the rapid synthesis of ultralong HAP nanowires. The controllable hydrolysis of ATP can avoid the premature formation of calcium phosphate nuclei and uncontrollable crystal growth. Microwave heating can significantly shorten the synthetic time from tens of hours required by the traditional heating to 1 h, thus achieving high efficiency, energy saving and low cost. The as-prepared ultralong HAP nanowires with high flexibility have lengths of several hundred micrometers and diameters of 10~20 nm, and they usually self-assemble into nanowire bundles along their longitudinal direction. The as-prepared ultralong HAP nanowire/chitosan porous scaffold has excellent bioactivity, good biodegradation and cytocompatibility owing to the bioactive adenosine adsorbed on the surface of ultralong HAP nanowires. It is expected that ultralong HAP nanowires will be promising for various applications in the biomedical fields, such as bone defect repair, skin wound healing, and as a drug nanocarrier.

Erratum: Comparative study of nanostructured carriers of calcium phosphate and magnesium phosphate loaded with SRT1720 for the protection of H2O2-induced senescent endothelium.

[This corrects the article on p. 2068 in vol. 10, PMID: 30093944.].

Multifunctional Photocatalytic Filter Paper Based on Ultralong Nanowires of the Calcium-Alendronate Complex for High-Performance Water Purification.

Semiconductor photocatalysts and membrane separation technology have been widely used in the field of water treatment. Usually, the particles of traditional semiconductor photocatalysts are easy to aggregate, difficult to separate from the liquid phase after photocatalysis, and may even cause secondary pollution. On the other hand, the membrane separation technology is also facing the problem of sharp decreases in removal efficiency and water flux caused by the membrane fouling. However, it is an attractive and promising solution to combine two technologies of photocatalysis and membrane separation for high-performance water treatment. In this work, we have developed the calcium oleate precursor solvothermal method to synthesize ultralong nanowires (UNWs) of Ca-alendronate (Ca-ALN) complex for the first time. Experimental results and data analysis indicate that the as-prepared Ca-ALN ultralong nanowires are an n-type semiconductor with an energy band gap of 3.41 eV. A new type of multifunctional photocatalytic filter paper has been developed based on ultralong nanowires of Ca-ALN complex (Ca-ALN-UNWs) and cellulose fibers (CFs). The as-prepared Ca-ALN-UNW/CF photocatalytic filter paper exhibits multifunctions of photocatalysis, adsorption, and filtration, which can be used for high-performance treatment of the wastewater containing various pollutants such as heavy-metal ions, dyes, antibiotics, and bacteria. The active oxygen species produced by the Ca-ALN-UNW/CF photocatalytic filter paper under light illumination are determined by electron spin resonance, and the energy band gap and photoelectric properties of the material are tested by ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and electrochemical workstation. The pure water flux of the Ca-ALN-UNW/CF photocatalytic filter paper is very high, which can reach 2230.5 L m-2 h-1 under a working pressure of 0.1 MPa. The Ca-ALN-UNW/CF photocatalytic filter paper is promising for various applications such as highly efficient water purification and in the biomedical field.

Behavior of 4 types of paper with printed QR codes for evaluating denture marking in conditions of extreme heat.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Quick response (QR) codes are a fast and efficient technology for linking and accessing identifying information, and their use has been proposed in forensics. The heat resistance and esthetics of denture marking methods (DMMs) have been recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA), but studies on these aspects of printed QR codes are lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal printed material with QR codes for implementation as a DMM adjusted to the recommendations of the ADA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The behavior of 4 types of paper, bond paper, fiberglass filter paper, ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowire paper, and polyolefin and silica paper with printed QR codes was analyzed. They were exposed to temperatures between 100 °C and 1000 °C in a heat muffle for 1 hour. Each specimen was subjected to both a morphological and a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanned by using 3 different smartphones. RESULTS: The scans were positive for bond paper (33.3%), fiberglass fiber paper (50%), ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowire paper (100%), and polyolefin and silica paper (70.4%). The TGA revealed continuous decomposition curves (average 16.5 minutes at 624 °C). CONCLUSIONS: Printed QR codes on ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowire paper appear to be suitable as information reservoirs, even surviving incineration, and may be implemented as a DMM conforming to the ADA recommendations.

Amorphous calcium phosphate nanoparticles using adenosine triphosphate as an organic phosphorus source for promoting tendon-bone healing.

BACKGROUND: Rotator cuff tear (RCT) is a common problem of the musculoskeletal system. With the advantage of promoting bone formation, calcium phosphate materials have been widely used to augment tendon-bone healing. However, only enhancing bone regeneration may be not enough for improving tendon-bone healing. Angiogenesis is another fundamental factor required for tendon-bone healing. Therefore, it's necessary to develop a convenient and reliable method to promote osteogenesis and angiogenesis simultaneously, thereby effectively promoting tendon-bone healing. METHODS: The amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) nanoparticles with dual biological activities of osteogenesis and angiogenesis were prepared by a simple low-temperature aqueous solution method using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as an organic phosphorus source. The activities of osteogenesis and angiogenesis and the effect on the tendon-bone healing of ACP nanoparticles were tested in vitro and in a rat model of acute RCT. RESULTS: The ACP nanoparticles with a diameter of tens of nanometers were rich in bioactive adenosine. In vitro, we confirmed that ACP nanoparticles could enhance osteogenesis and angiogenesis. In vivo, radiological and histological evaluations demonstrated that ACP nanoparticles could enhance bone and blood vessels formation at the tendon-bone junction. Biomechanical testing showed that ACP nanoparticles improved the biomechanical strength of the tendon-bone junction and ultimately promoted tendon-bone healing of rotator cuff. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully confirmed that ACP nanoparticles could promote tendon-bone healing. ACP nanoparticles are a promising biological nanomaterial in augmenting tendon-bone healing.

Correction: Highly porous and elastic aerogel based on ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires for high-performance bone regeneration and neovascularization.

Correction for 'Highly porous and elastic aerogel based on ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires for high-performance bone regeneration and neovascularization' by Gao-Jian Huang et al., J. Mater. Chem. B, 2021, 9, 1277-1287, DOI: 10.1039/D0TB02288H.

In vivo behaviors of highly flexible paper consisting of ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires.

This study was conducted in order to investigate biological compatibility of a thin and flexible hydroxyapatite (HAP) paper which consists of ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires. Circular-shaped cranial bone defects with a diameter of 8.8 mm were prepared to expose the dura maters in Wistar rats. The similar-sized, circular-shaped HAP paper was placed at the bottom of the bone defects. After 2, 4, and 8 weeks, the rats were sacrificed, and the experimental sections were examined by micro-CT scanning and histological observation. The HAP paper covered with fibrous tissues showed no inflammatory cell infiltration, and their thicknesses decreased over time. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive osteoclast-like cells were induced around the edges of the HAP paper along with the exfoliation of the HAP paper. The newly-formed bones were observed in the bone-defected areas, either with a direct contact with the HAP paper or through thin fibrous tissues. The HAP paper-induced osteoblast differentiation was confirmed since the alkaline phosphatase activities were detected on the surfaces of the HAP paper. These results indicated that the HAP paper may induce osteogenesis without causing any harmful effects. The highly flexible HAP paper can contribute to further development of bone regenerative therapy.