B-Glycine as a marker for ß cell imaging and ß cell mass evaluation.

PURPOSE: ß cell mass (BCM) and function are essential to the diagnosis and therapy of diabetes. Diabetic patients serve ß cell loss is, and damage of ß cells leads to severe insulin deficiency. Our understanding of the role of BCM in diabetes progression is extremely limited by lacking efficient methods to evaluate BCM in vivo. In vitro methods of labeling islets, including loading of contrast reagent or integration of exogenous biomarker, require artificial manipulation on islets, of which the clinical application is limited. Imaging methods targeting endogenous biomarkers may solve the above problems. However, traditional reagents targeting GLP-1R and VAMT2 result in a high background of adjacent tissues, complicating the identification of pancreatic signals. Here, we report a non-invasive and quantitative imaging technique by using radiolabeled glycine mimics ([18F]FBG, a boron-trifluoride derivative of glycine) to assay islet function and monitor BCM changes in living animals. METHODS: Glycine derivatives, FBG, FBSa, 2Me-FBG, 3Me-FBG, were successfully synthesized and labeled with 18F. Specificity of glycine derivatives were characterized by in vitro experiment. PET imaging and biodistribution studies were performed in animal models carring GLYT over-expressed cells. In vivo evaluation of BCM with [18F]FBG were performed in STZ (streptozocin) induced T1D (type 1 diabetes) models. RESULTS: GLYT responds to excess blood glycine levels and transports glycine into islet cells to maintain the activity of the glycine receptor (GLYR). Best PET imaging condition was 80 min after given a total of 240 ~ 250 nmol imaging reagent (a mixture of [18F]FBG and natural glycine) intravenously. [18F]FBG can detect both endogenous and exogenous islets clearly in vivo. When applied to STZ induced T1D mouse models, total uptake of [18F]FBG in the pancreas exhibited a linear correlation with survival BCM. CONCLUSION: [18F]FBG targeting the endogenous glycine transporter (GLYT), which is highly expressed on islet cells, avoiding extra modification on islet cells. Meanwhile the highly restricted expression pattern of GLYT excluded the background in adjacent tissues. This [18F]FBG-based imaging technique provides a non-invasive method to quantify BCM in vivo, implying a new evaluation index for diabetic assessment.

Efficacy and safety of Perampanel in the treatment of post stroke epilepsy: A multicenter, real-world study.

Background: Since 2019, Perampanel (PER) has been endorsed in China as an adjunctive treatment for focal seizures, both with and without impaired awareness, and for the transition from focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures. Limited research exists regarding the efficacy of PER in treating post-stroke epilepsy (PSE) in China. Empirical studies are essential to guide treatment protocols. We conducted a retrospective study to assess the efficacy and tolerability of PER in 58 PSE patients treated between October 2019 and July 2023. Method: This study encompassed 58 patients with PSE, treated with PER either as monotherapy or as part of adjunctive therapy, and underwent follow-up for a minimum duration of 6 months. The study assessed changes in seizure frequency, adverse events (AEs), drug retention rate, maintenance dose, and adverse reactions following PER treatment. Results: The study included 58 PSE patients, with 60.3% males and 39.7% females, ranging in age from 18 to 89, mostly within the 61-70 age group. Ischemic strokes constituted 58.6% of cases, while hemorrhagic strokes accounted for 41.4%. Focal seizures, either with or without impaired awareness, were noted in 62.1% of patients, and a transition from focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures was seen in 32.8%. The retention rates for PER at 3 and 6 months stood at 94.8% and 84.5% respectively, and the most commonly administered maintenance dose was 4 mg/day (41.28%). In the adjunctive therapy group, efficacy rates were 66.7% at 3 months and 78.6% at 6 months, compared to 80.0% at 3 months and 85.7% at 6 months in the monotherapy group. In the efficacy analysis, with a criterion of ≥50% reduction in seizure frequency, the overall efficacy rates at 3 and 6 months were 69.1% and 79.6%, respectively. Adverse reactions occurred in 46.6% of patients, primarily involving irritability and somnolence (both 27.6%), with no marked difference in incidence between the adjunctive and monotherapy groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: PER exhibits favorable efficacy and tolerability in Chinese PSE patients, possibly at lower doses.

Clinical Significance of Mean Platelet Volume Combined with Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Predicting the Therapeutic Effect of Splanchnic Neurolysis.

Introduction: In most cases of pain related to abdominal tumors, increasing the dosage of analgesics still makes the pain difficult to alleviate. Splanchnic neurolysis is a new treatment option. However, not all patients receiving splanchnic neurolysis treatment will achieve satisfactory results. The aim of this study is to retrospectively analyze the predictive value of preoperative serum immune indicators (white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and platelets) for the efficacy of splanchnic neurolysis. Methods: The abdominal cancer patients (pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, and renal cancer) admitted to the Department of Pain Medicine, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital from January 2017 to October 2020 were collected. We evaluate the efficacy of splanchnic neurolysis by assessing the dosage of opioids and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) scores of patients 24 to 48 hr before and after splanchnic neurolysis. The predictive value of preoperative serum immune indicators on the efficacy of splanchnic neurolysis was analyzed using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC). Contract the Nomogram prediction model by R software. Results: We found that Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) has statistical significance for predicting splanchnic neurolysis efficacy in digestive system tumors. MPV and Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) are independent predictors and have statistical significance in predicting splanchnic neurolysis efficacy in pancreatic cancer. The combination of MPV and NLR had satisfactory predictive value in pancreatic cancer (AUC = 0.715) and the nomogram model was constructed. Furthermore, there was a negative correlation between lymphocyte count and NRS score, and a positive correlation between Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) and NRS score. Discussion: The combined detection of MPV and NLR has important clinical predictive value for the postoperative efficacy of splanchnic neurolysis in pancreatic cancer.

Three-degrees-of-freedom orientation manipulation of small untethered robots with a single anisotropic soft magnet.

Magnetic actuation has been well exploited for untethered manipulation and locomotion of small-scale robots in complex environments such as intracorporeal lumens. Most existing magnetic actuation systems employ a permanent magnet onboard the robot. However, only 2-DoF orientation of the permanent-magnet robot can be controlled since no torque can be generated about its axis of magnetic moment, which limits the dexterity of manipulation. Here, we propose a new magnetic actuation method using a single soft magnet with an anisotropic geometry (e.g., triaxial ellipsoids) for full 3-DoF orientation manipulation. The fundamental actuation principle of anisotropic magnetization and 3-DoF torque generation are analytically modeled and experimentally validated. The hierarchical orientation stability about three principal axes is investigated, based on which we propose and validate a multi-step open-loop control strategy to alternatingly manipulate the direction of the longest axis of the soft magnet and the rotation about it for dexterous 3-DoF orientation manipulation.

DEAD-box RNA helicase 6 regulates drought and abscisic acid stress responses in rapeseed (Brassica napus).

DEAD-box RNA helicase is a major subfamily of RNA helicases with vital roles played in plant growth, development, and plant-environment interactions. RNA helicase 6 in rapeseed (Brassica napus) (BnRH6) is a member of DEAD-box RNA helicase. While previous research has demonstrated the role of BnRH6 in salt stress regulation, the involvement of BnRH6 in drought stress adaptation remains unknown. This report described a function of BnRH6 in drought stress response. BnRH6 was sufficiently induced by osmotic stress. Transgenic Brassica napus and Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) overexpressing BnRH6 (OE) showed a drought tolerance phenotype, characterized by improved plant growth, increased survival rates, reduced water loss, leaf chlorosis and oxidative stress. Furthermore, BnRH6 was also induced by exogenous abscisic acid (ABA). BnRH6 overexpression plants exhibited ABA hypersensitivity with lagging seed germination, growth stunt and diminished stomatal opening in the presence of ABA, suggesting the involvement of ABA signal. Assessment of several well-identified drought stress responsive genes such as Calcium-dependent Protein Kinase 14 (BnCDPK14), Enhanced Response to ABA1 (BnERA1) and ABA Insensitive 1 (BnABI1) revealed that their expressions were accordingly changed in BnOE plants, possibly with interplays between BnRH6 and those genes. Our data highlighted the functional role of BnRH6, which plays a positive role in active regulation of drought stress response likely through an ABA-dependent manner in rapeseed plants.

Anxiety, depression, and quality of life in postoperative non-small cell lung cancer patients under the intervention of cognitive-behavioral stress management.

Objective: Cognitive-behavioral stress management (CBSM) is a psychotherapy that helps patients cognize and manage stress to improve mental health and quality of life. This study aimed to explore the influence of CBSM on anxiety, depression, and quality of life in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods: In total, 172 NSCLC patients who received tumor resection were randomized 1:1 into the usual care (UC) group (N = 86) and CBSM group (N = 86) to receive 10-week UC and CBSM interventions. Moreover, all participants attended a 6-month follow-up. Results: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales (HADS)-anxiety score at 3rd month (M3) (P = 0.015) and 6th month (M6) (P = 0.018), HADS-depression score at M3 (P = 0.040) and M6 (P = 0.028), and depression rate at M6 (P = 0.035) were descended in CBSM group compared to UC group. Besides, depression severity was reduced at M6 (P = 0.041) in CBSM group compared to UC group, but anxiety severity only showed a decreased trend (P = 0.051). Additionally, Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (QLQ-C30) global health status score and QLQ-C30 function score at 1st month (M1), M3, and M6 were elevated (all P < 0.05), while QLQ-C30 symptoms score was declined at M1 (P = 0.031) and M3 (P = 0.014) in CBSM group compared to UC group. Notably, the efficacy of CBSM was impressive in patients with baseline depression or undergoing adjuvant therapy. Conclusion: CBSM is a feasible intervention that effectively improves mental health and quality of life in postoperative NSCLC patients.

Organotrifluoroborate enhances tumor targeting of fibroblast activation protein inhibitors for targeted radionuclide therapy.

PURPOSE: Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is a pan-cancer target and now the state-of-the-art to develop radiopharmaceuticals. FAP inhibitors have been of great success in developing imaging tracers. Yet, the overly rapid clearance cannot match with the long half-lives of regular therapeutic radionuclides. Though strategies that aim to elongate the circulation of FAPIs are being developed, here we describe an innovation that uses α-emitters of short half-lives (e.g., 213Bi) to pair the rapid pharmacokinetics of FAPIs. METHODS: An organotrifluoroborate linker is engineered to FAPIs to give two advantages: (1) selectively increases tumor uptake and retention; (2) facile 18F-radiolabeling for positron emission tomography to guide radiotherapy with α-emitters, which can hardly be traced in general. RESULTS: The organotrifluoroborate linker helps to improve the internalization in cancer cells, resulting in notably higher tumor uptake while the background is clean. In FAP-expressed tumor-bearing mice, this FAPI labeled with 213Bi, a short half-life α-emitter, exhibits almost complete suppression to tumor growth while the side effect is negligible. Additional data shows that this strategy is generally applicable to guide other α-emitters, such as 212Bi, 212Pb, and 149Tb. CONCLUSION: The organotrifluoroborate linker may be of importance to optimize FAP-targeted radiopharmaceuticals, and the short half-lived α-emitters may be of choice for the rapid-cleared small molecule-based radiopharmaceuticals.

MiR-223-3p Aggravates Ocular Inflammation in Sjögren's Syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease, particularly involving the lacrimal and salivary glands, with dryness as the main symptom. To date, the pathogenesis of SS is not fully understood. Recently, numerous miRNAs were implicated in SS etiology and pathogenesis. METHODS: Ocular wash was collected from SS patients and healthy controls. INF-γ-treated salivary gland epithelial cells (SGECs) were utilized as SS in vitro models. Expressions of miR-223-3p and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 3 (ITPR3) in ocular wash specimens and cells were measured by RT-qPCR assay and western blot analysis, respectively. ELISA assay was exploited to detect IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-γ levels. CCK-8, flow cytometry, and western blot assay were exploited to determine cell viability, apoptosis, and apoptosis-related protein levels. RESULTS: ITPR3 was a direct downstream gene of miR-223-3p and negatively modulated by miR-223- 3p. MiR-223-3p increased while ITPR3 decreased in samples from SS patients and INF-γ-induced SGECs. miR-223-3p knockdown facilitated INF-γ-induced SGECs cell viability and restrained apoptosis and inflammation response through the NF-κB pathway. CONCLUSION: MiRNA-223-3p is implicated in the process of SS initiation and development. It may become one of the targets for the treatment of SS in the future, as well as a possible indicator for clinical monitoring of disease activity.

TOF-Based Fast Self-Positioning Algorithm for UWB Mobile Base Stations.

To solve the problem of heavy workload and high cost when acquiring the position of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) mobile base stations in sports fields, a fast self-positioning algorithm for UWB mobile base stations algorithm based on Time of Flight (TOF) is proposed. First, according to the layout of the base stations in the sports field, the local coordinate system is determined, and an equation based on the ranging information between the base stations is established; the Least Square method is used to calculate the coordinates of each base station, and the Newton Iteration method is used to converge the positioning results. Then the origin and propagation law of positioning error, as well as the method of reducing the positioning error are analyzed. The simulation data and experimental results show that the average positioning accuracy of the mobile base station is within 0.05 m, which meets the expected accuracy of the base station position measurement. Compared with traditional manual measurement methods, base station self-positioning can effectively save deployment time and reduce workload.

Electrophysiological Evaluation in Identifying Unique Sleep Features Among Anti-LGI1 Encephalitis Patients During Active and Recovery Phase.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to illustrate the electrophysiological features of sleep disturbances in patients with anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1 (anti-LGI1) encephalitis in both active and recovery stages. METHODS: Retrospectively filed video electroencephalogram (VEEG) and polysomnography (PSG) data in 24 patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis were analyzed in comparison with that in 20 individuals without sleep disorders as control group. RESULTS: Sleep efficiency (SE) and total sleep time involving REM and NREM sleep were significantly decreased in patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis during the active stage compared to that during the recovery stage and in the control group. Imbalanced sleep structure was found, demonstrated by elevated N1, decreased N3 and REM components, as well as abnormal N2 structure characterized with significantly lower spindle duration and density during the active stage. These findings were independent of the presence of nocturnal episodic events or sleep hyperkinetic movements (HMs). HMs were present in 11/23 patients throughout NREM and REM sleep (nonspecific in sleep stages) during the active stage. During the recovery stage, SE and sleep structures were dramatically improved, including the percentage of N3 and REM sleep, spindle duration and density. Ten of 11 patients with HMs were followed up. HMs were totally remitted in 3 patients and still persistent in 1, while evolved into REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) in 4 with comorbid periodic limb movement syndrome (PLMS) in 3/4, and only PLMS in 2. CONCLUSION: Sleep disturbances were remarkable and intrinsic features in active anti-LGI1 encephalitis, marked by overall disruptions of both NREM and REM sleep, as well as the presence of HMs, which tend to evolve into RBD or PLMS during the recovery stage. Long-term follow-up with PSG is needed, especially for those patients with severe sleep disturbances during the active phase.

HMGB1/CXCL12-Mediated Immunity and Th17 Cells Might Underlie Highly Suspected Autoimmune Epilepsy in Elderly Individuals.

PURPOSE: Late-onset epilepsy due to autoimmune dysfunction has been reported. However, definitive diagnosis requires positive antibody results. As a result, patients with negative antibody results, but presenting with classical manifestation of autoimmune epilepsy, may be managed as suspected cases. In this study, we aim to isolate and profile the concentration of cytokines/chemokines in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the serum to ascertain if they could act as alternative diagnostic biomarkers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty patients aged ≥50 years were considered in this study. Ten patients were diagnosed with suspected autoimmune epilepsy (sAE) based on clinic manifestation, electroencephalogram, magnetic resonance imaging, and with negative antibody results of the serum and the CSF. The equivalent control group exhibited neurological disorders due to non-inflammatory pathologies. Serum and CSF were analyzed for cytokines/chemokines concentration, including interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, IL-17, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand (CXCL)12 and CXCL13, as well as high-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) and B cell activation factor (BAFF)). RESULTS: The CSF levels of IL-6, IL-17, HMGB1, and CXCL12 were significantly higher in the sAE group than in the control group. There was no difference in the CSF levels of IL-10, CXCL13 and BAFF. The serum levels of HMGB1 and CXCL12 were elevated in the sAE group compared with the control group, and there was no statistical difference in the serum levels of IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, CXCL13, and BAFF between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that cytokines/chemokines may act as alternative biomarkers for diagnosis of sAE. The activation of both HMGB1/CXCL12-mediated immunity and T helper cells 17 (Th17) cells may be playing a central role in the pathogenesis of sAE. We suggest that cytokines/chemokines be treated as adjuvant biomarkers, instead of solely relying on antibody screening test. However, a larger cohort in a prospective approach is required to validate our findings.

Isoflurane-induced expression of miR-140-5p aggravates neurotoxicity in diabetic rats by targeting SNX12.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are widely known as critical regulators in isoflurane-induced neurotoxicity during the development of brain. Moreover, isoflurane could aggravate cognitive impairment in diabetic rats. The present study was designed to investigate the role and mechanism of miR-140-5p on isoflurane-induced neurotoxicity in diabetic rats. Firstly, a diabetic rat model was established by injection of streptozotocin (STZ) and identified by Morris water maze test. The result indicated that isoflurane treatment exacerbated STZ-induced cognitive impairment, as demonstrated by increase of the latency to the platform and decrease of the proportion of time spent in the target quadrant. Secondly, miR-140-5p was up-regulated in diabetic rats treated with isoflurane. Functional assays revealed that knockdown of miR-140-5p attenuated neurotoxicity in diabetic rats, which was shown by a decrease of the latency to the platform and an increase of the proportion of time spent in the target quadrant. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that miR-140-5p directly bonded to SNX12 (sorting nexin 12). At last, the neuroprotective effect of miR-140-5p knockdown against isoflurane-aggravated neurotoxicity in diabetic rats was dependent on up-regulation of SNX12 and inhibition of cell apoptosis. In summary, these meaningful results demonstrated the mitigation of miR-140-5p knockdown against isoflurane-aggravated neurotoxicity in diabetic rats via SNX12, suggesting a novel target for neuroprotection in diabetes under isoflurane treatment.

The exploration of the spectrum of motor manifestations of anti-LGI1 encephalitis beyond FBDS.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to characterize the spectrum of motor events in patients with acute anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1 (anti-LGI1) encephalitis through video-electroencephalogram (VEEG) recordings. METHOD: We collected data retrospectively from 16 patients diagnosed with anti-LGI1 encephalitis who had completed VEEG recording during hospitalization. RESULTS: VEEG monitoring lasted a median of 11.0 h (range 4.5∼20). Fourteen types of seizures were recorded in 9 patients (56.3 %). Eight of the 14 types of seizures demonstrated typical ictal EEG evolution (including 2 subclinical seizures), 3/14 demonstrated EEG electrodecremental events (EDE) at onset but without further evolution, and 3/14 could be only judged by analyzing semiology. FBDS was recorded in 6 patients (37.5 %), and all these attacks were followed by epileptic seizures. Simple hyperkinetic movements (HMs), such as jerk-like or twisting movements, were found in 8 (50 %) patients, and 6 of them had complex HMs, such as manipulating movements or mimics of daily activities, during sleep. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Atypical seizures, for instance, seizures without EEG evolution, are not rare but likely to be overlooked. 2. FBDS is closely linked with epileptic seizures, revealing FBDS to be a part of epileptic attacks. 3. HMs could expand the spectrum of motor manifestations, overlapping with sleep disorders. 4. The high prevalence of these motor events might be due to the disrupted cortical-subcortical network, which is critical in motor control and sleep.

Plasma amyloid beta level changes in aged mice with cognitive dysfunction following sevoflurane exposure.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have stated that cognitive impairment induced by anesthetics was associated with amyloid beta (Aß). However, few researchers have investigated the transport of Aß inside and outside of the brain. AIM: We attempted to probe the effects of sevoflurane on cognitive functions, the plasma Aß, and transporters of Aß in aged mice. The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is an Aß influx protein, and Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1) is an Aß efflux protein. METHODS: Aged mice were divided into the control group and the sevoflurane group. The mice were exposed to 100% oxygen or 2.5% sevoflurane for 2 h. The abilities of spatial learning and memory in mice were tested using the Morris water maze. Aß concentrations of plasma were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The RAGE and LRP-1 gene levels in the brain were assessed with quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and the protein levels were determined by western blot analysis. The locations of RAGE in the brain were confirmed via immunofluorescence. RESULTS: In the sevoflurane group mice, the escape latency was increased on the 5th day of training, and the time spent in the target quadrant was decreased on the 7th day after anesthesia. Sevoflurane reduced the concentration of plasma Aß1-40. In addition, sevoflurane increased both gene and protein levels of RAGE in the brain, and increased RAGE proteins co-localized with the hippocampal vascular endothelial cells. CONCLUSION: RAGE over-expression in the hippocampal vascular endothelial cells possibly resulted in the excessive transport of the plasma Aß1-40 into the brain after treatment with sevoflurane, which was associated with sevoflurane-induced cognitive dysfunction in aged mice.

Side Chain Optimization Remarkably Enhances the in Vivo Stability of 18F-Labeled Glutamine for Tumor Imaging.

Similar to glycolysis, glutaminolysis acts as a vital energy source in tumor cells, providing building blocks for the metabolic needs of tumor cells. To capture glutaminolysis in tumors, 18F-(2S,4R)4-fluoroglutamine ([18F]FGln) and 18F-fluoroboronoglutamine ([18F]FBQ) have been successfully developed for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, but these two molecules lack stability, resulting in undesired yet significant bone uptake. In this study, we found that [18F]FBQ-C2 is a stable Gln PET tracer by adding two more methylene groups to the side chain of [18F]FBQ. [18F]FBQ-C2 was synthesized with a good radiochemical yield of 35% and over 98% radiochemical purity. [18F]FBQ-C2 showed extreme stability in vitro, and no defluorination was observed after 2 h in phosphate buffered saline at 37 °C. The competitive inhibition assay results indicated that [18F]FBQ-C2 enters cells via the system ASC and N, similar to natural glutamine, and can be transported by tumor-overexpressed ASCT2. PET imaging and biodistribution results indicated that [18F]FBQ-C2 is stable in vivo with low bone uptake (0.81 ± 0.20% ID/g) and can be cleared rapidly from most tissues. Dynamic scan and pharmacokinetic studies using BGC823-xenograft-bearing mice revealed that [18F]FBQ-C2 accumulates specifically in tumors, with a longer half-life (101.18 ± 6.50 min) in tumor tissues than in other tissues (52.70 ± 12.44 min in muscle). Biodistribution exhibits a high tumor-to-normal tissue ratio (4.8 ± 1.7 for the muscle, 2.5 ± 1.0 for the stomach, 2.2 ± 0.9 for the liver, and 17.8 ± 8.4 for the brain). In conclusion, [18F]FBQ-C2 can be used to perform high-contrast Gln imaging of tumors and can serve as a PET tracer for clinical research.

Withdrawn: Isoflurane-induced miR-140-5p Aggravates Neurotoxicity in Diabetic Rats by Targeting SNX12

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Vis-IR Wide-Spectrum Photodetector at Room Temperature Based on p-n Junction-Type GaAs1-xSbx/InAs Core-Shell Nanowire.

Infrared (IR) detection at room temperature is very important in many fields. Nanoscale wide-spectrum photodetectors covering IR range are still rare, although they are desired in many applications, such as in integrated optoelectronic devices. Here, we report a new kind of photodetector based on p-n heterojunction-type GaAs1-xSbx/InAs core-shell nanowires. The photodetectors demonstrate high response to the lights ranging from visible light (488 nm) to short-wavelength IR (1800 nm) at room temperature under a very low bias voltage of 0.3 V. The high performance of the devices includes an ultralow dark current (32 pA at room temperature), a high response speed (0.45 ms) to 633 nm light, high responsivity to 1310 nm telecommunication light (0.12 A/W), high response even to 1800 nm light (on/off ratio of 2.5), etc. Besides, the devices also show excellent rectifying I-V characteristics (the current rectification ratio being ∼178 in a voltage range of ±0.3 V). These results suggest that the GaAs1-xSbx/InAs core-shell nanowire devices are promising for applications in nanoelectronic devices, optoelectronic devices, and integrated optoelectronic devices.

Deactivation and regeneration of carbon nanotubes and nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes in catalytic peroxymonosulfate activation for phenol degradation: variation of surface functionalities.

The reuse, deactivation and regeneration of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and N-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNT) were studied in catalytic peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation for phenol degradation. The results showed that for catalytic PMS activation, marked deactivation was observed on both CNT and NCNT, resulting in marked variation of the surface functionalities of the catalysts. Catalytic PMS activation led to markedly increased oxygen-containing functionalities and decreased points of zero charge (PZCs) of CNT and NCNT. The catalytic activity of CNT was strongly dependent on the initial PMS concentration but was independent of the initial phenol concentration. Furthermore, the dependency of the CNT activity on the initial PMS concentration closely followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model, indicating that the catalytic activation of adsorbed PMS was the rate controlling step. For the used CNT and NCNT, chemical reduction by NaBH4 or thermal treatment regeneration under inert atmosphere could effectively remove surface O-containing functionalities and enhance PZCs, restoring their catalytic activities; meanwhile, the N-containing functionalities of NCNT decreased with regeneration treatment, resulting in a negative impact on catalyst regeneration. The present findings indicate that surface functionalities are closely correlated with catalyst deactivation and regeneration, playing crucial roles in the catalytic activation of PMS.

Size-Controlled Synthesis of Drug-Loaded Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework in Aqueous Solution and Size Effect on Their Cancer Theranostics in Vivo.

Recently, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) or coordination polymers have shown great potential for drug delivery, yet little has been done to study how particle size affects their tumor targeting and other in vivo features. This plight is probably due to two challenges: (1) the lack of a biocompatible method to precisely control the size of drug-loaded MOFs and (2) the lack of a robust and facile radiolabeling technique to trace particles in vivo. Here, we report a one-pot, rapid, and completely aqueous approach that can precisely tune the size of drug-loaded MOF at room temperature. A chelator-free 64Cu-labeled method was developed by taking the advantage of this rapid and aqueous synthesis. Cancer cells were found to take drug-loaded MOFs in a size-dependent manner. The in vivo biodistribution of drug-loaded MOF was analyzed with positron emission tomography imaging, which, as far as we know, was used for the first time to quantitatively evaluate MOF in living animals, unveiling that 60 nm MOF showed longer blood circulation and over 50% higher tumor accumulation than 130 nm MOF. Altogether, this size-controlled method helps to find the optimal size of MOF as a drug carrier and opens new possibilities to construct multifunctional delivery systems for cancer theranostics.