Untreated Counterpart Research Articles

Advanced Hybrid Polymer/Ceramic PEO-SnF2 Protective Mechanism for Sodium Metal Anodes

In the face of mounting global energy requirements and pressing environmental issues, the scientific community turned to lithium-metal batteries, celebrated for their superior capacity and efficiency. However, challenges arising from the scarcity and increasing costs of lithium have redirected research efforts towards sodium batteries. Sodium metal anodes, with their remarkable theoretical specific capacity of ~1166 mAh/g, low anode potential of -2.714 V vs standard hydrogen electrode, and cost benefits, are increasingly recognized as promising candidates for conventional energy storage systems. Notwithstanding their advantages, the unstable and fragile solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) due to the spontaneous reaction between metallic Na and a liquid electrolyte remains a significant limitation. As this SEI layer expands, it hinders ion transport, causing increased polarization and diminishing the battery's energy efficiency. Specifically, during the plating process, Na ions are deposited beneath the SEI layer, causing significant expansion. This expansion fractures the fragile SEI, allowing dendrites to grow through these defects. As these dendrites grow, they can pierce the separator, posing a risk of short-circuiting the battery. While numerous studies have proposed designs for protecting sodium metal interphase, to overcome these challenges, this study amalgamates mechano-electrochemical protective strategies to enhance sodium metal anode stability, offering groundbreaking solutions to these challenges.Central to our exploration were tin fluoride (SnF2) and silicon nitride (Si3N4), both established as effective in generating robust artificial SEI layers on the sodium metal surface. These layers, rich in NaF and NaxN respectively, demonstrated a notable improvement in cycling performance, effectively suppressing dendrite growth and enhancing the battery's cycling stability by nearly 3.5 times compared to bare sodium anodes.Building upon these foundational insights, a novel approach was conceptualized: a hybrid protective mechanism combining polyethylene oxide (PEO) with the presence of SnF2 as an additive, is particularly efficacious. This combination was specifically chosen to provide chemical stability, morphological conformality, and mechanical flexibility to accommodate the mechano-electrochemical instability upon sodiation/desodiation processes. Through this novel strategy, we aimed to amalgamate the strengths of both components, ensuring optimal outcomes. This composite artificial SEI under a 0.25 mA/cm2 current density, delivers a cycling performance 10 times superior to bare sodium metal and survived up to 1800 hours of cycling. Impressively, at a high current density of 0.5 mA/cm2, the hybrid system still performed much better than its untreated counterpart and continued cycling for up to 800 hours of cycling. The synergy of PEO and SnF2 remarkably minimized electrolyte decomposition, inhibited dendrite formation, and stabilized Na plating/stripping processes, all of which consolidated its promise for sodium metal battery technology.

Structural and Electrochemical Evolution of Water Hyacinth-Derived Activated Carbon with Gamma Pretreatment for Supercapacitor Applications.

This study introduces a gamma pretreatment of water hyacinth powder for activated carbon (AC) production with improved electrochemical properties for supercapacitor applications. The structural and morphological changes of post-irradiation were meticulously analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The pretreatment significantly modifies the pore structure and reduces the particle size of the resulting activated carbon (WHAC). Nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms indicated a substantial increase in micropore volume with escalating doses of gamma irradiation. Electrochemically, the activated carbon produced from pretreated WH at 100 kGy exhibited a marked increase in specific capacitance, reaching 257.82 F g-1, a notable improvement over the 95.35 F g-1 of its untreated counterpart, while maintaining 99.40% capacitance after 7000 cycles. These findings suggest that gamma-pretreated biomasses are promising precursors for fabricating high-performance supercapacitor electrodes, offering a viable and environmentally friendly alternative for energy storage technology development.

Plasma etching promoting the saturable absorption of BiOI

Materials exhibiting exceptional saturable absorption performance and etching compatibility are significant in the context of advanced optical devices. Our study demonstrates that plasma etching can effectively promote the saturable absorption of BiOI nanosheets because of defect formation. Remarkably, the BiOI nanosheet subjected to the optimized H2/Ar-plasma treatment manifests a substantial nonlinear absorption coefficient (βeff) of (−5.5 ± 0.7) × 103 cm GW−1 under laser excitation at 800 nm, while the pristine BiOI sample exhibits no discernible nonlinear optical response. The βeff of plasma-treated BiOI samples is (−4.2 ± 0.9) × 103 cm GW−1 at 515 nm, surpassing that of the untreated counterpart by more than fourfold. A comprehensive structural and spectroscopic analysis indicates that oxygen vacancies serve to increase the density of in-gap states, thereby narrowing the bandgap of the BiOI. This reduced bandgap effectively facilitates the Pauli-blocking effect and, in turn, augments the saturable absorption properties of the samples. In contrast to oxygen vacancies, iodine vacancies make a negligible contribution to the performance enhancement of BiOI. Our result would provide a promising way to improve the nonlinear optical response of materials.

Impact of TEMPO-Oxidation Pretreatment of Red Ginseng Residual on Nanofibrillation

Red ginseng extract is one of the most widely used herbal medicines to prevent and cure various diseases. Among the processed products derived from red ginseng, the water-insoluble part as red ginseng residual (RGR) becomes waste, even though it contains important ingredients. TEMPO-oxidation (TO) can be used as a pre-treatment with different degrees of oxidation (DO) (0 to 0.4) in red ginseng residual (RGR-TO) by introducing chemical oxidation and high-pressure homogenizer (HPH) as a nanofibrillation process. 1H NMR was used to determine the carbohydrate composition and calculate DO, size was examined using a nanoparticle analyzer, and the zeta potential was used to determine surface charge density. RGR-TO with different concentrations had different compositions; glucose and uronic acid were the main ingredients. All treated RGR-TO showed higher oxidant levels than the untreated counterpart (RGR-TO 0). As the oxidant levels increased, the zeta potential and uronic acid increased, but the size of the nanofibril from RGR-TO decreased. The results of this study showed that TEMPO-oxidation pretreatment was effective in producing RGR cellulose nanofibril (CNF) with a variety of properties by adjusting the level of oxidation pretreatment and the number of HPH passes.

Surface methyl/methylene regulates WO3 directional activation of molecular oxygen into singlet oxygen for the removal of organic pollutants in water

The efficient removal of organic pollutants using singlet oxygen (1O2) represents a pivotal advancement in environmental purification. Despite its potential, the controlled generation of 1O2 remains a challenging endeavor. In this study, we present a novel approach whereby methyl/methylene are utilized to modulate the production of 1O2 by tungsten trioxide (WO3), thereby enhancing the photocatalytic degradation of persistent pollutants through deep oxidation. Employing a dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB)-assisted hydrothermal synthesis, we successfully fabricated WO3 capable of generating 1O2. This modified WO3 demonstrates superior performance in the photocatalytic degradation of chloroquine phosphate by facilitating the rapid separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs, thereby accelerating the degradation process. Furthermore, WO3 augmented with 1O2 exhibits enhanced efficacy in decomposing other challenging organic contaminants, compared to its untreated counterpart. Our findings not only contribute to the advancement of photocatalytic design principles centered on 1O2 but also underscore the critical role of controlled 1O2 production in the effective eradication of pollutants.

Evaluating efficacy of Pseudomonas sp. EN-4 to lower the toxic potential of 4-bromophenol and assessing its competency in simulated microcosm

An indigenous bacterium Pseudomonas sp. EN-4 had been reported earlier for its ability to co-metabolise 4-bromophenol (4-BP), in presence of phenol (100 mg/L) as co-substrate. The present study was undertaken to validate the efficacy of biotransformation by comparing the toxicity profiles of untreated and EN-4 transformed samples of 4-BP, using both plant and animal model. The toxicity studies in Allium cepa (A. cepa) indicated to lowering of mitotic index (MI) from 12.77% (water) to 3.33% in A. cepa bulbs exposed to 4-BP + phenol, which reflects the cytotoxic nature of these compounds. However, the MI value significantly improves to 11.36% in its biologically treated counterpart, indicating normal cell growth. This was further supported by significant reduction in chromosomal aberrations in A. cepa root cells exposed to biologically treated samples of 4-BP as compared to untreated controls. The oxidative stress assessed by comparing the activity profiles of different marker enzymes showed that the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) were reduced by 56%, 72%, and 37% respectively, in EN-4 transformed samples of 4-BP + phenol compared to its untreated counterpart. Similar trends were evident in the comet assay of fish (Channa punctatus) blood cells exposed to untreated and biologically treated samples of 4-BP. The comparative studies showed significant reduction in tail length (72.70%) and % tail intensity (56.15%) in fish blood cells exposed to EN-4 treated 4-BP + phenol, compared to its untreated counterpart. The soil microcosm studies validated the competency of the EN-4 cells to establish and transform 4-BP in soil polluted with 4-BP (20 mg/kg) and 4-BP + phenol (20 + 100 mg/kg). The isolate EN-4 achieved 98.08% transformation of 4-BP in non-sterile microcosm supplemented with phenol, indicating to potential of EN-4 cells to establish along with indigenous microflora.

Effect of surface contamination on electrochemical corrosion behavior of ultrasonic shot peened TA2 alloy

Ultrasonic shot peening (USSP) is a technique to tune the performance of metallic materials by generating gradient nanocrystalline structure (GNS) as well as residual compressive stress. However, surface contamination can also be introduced during USSP. The nature of this surface contamination layer and how it influences the corrosion behavior of alloy require further investigation. In this work, we found that a Fe-rich oxide layer with a thickness of around 50 nm, mainly in an amorphous state, was introduced on the topmost surface layer of TA2 alloy during USSP treatment. Electrochemical corrosion results indicate that this Fe-rich oxide significantly decreases the corrosion resistance of TA2 alloy. By polishing off this surface contamination layer, the corrosion resistance of the peened sample becomes superior compared to the untreated counterpart, indicating that the introduction of the Fe-rich oxide layer conceals the beneficial effect of GNS caused by USSP. Additionally, the corrosion resistance of TA2 alloy after USSP treatment exhibits a downward trend with the increasing repeated use of steel shots. The corrosion mechanism and potential use of this surface contamination layer are also briefly discussed.

Bone marrow stem cell-derived β-cells: New issue for diabetes cell therapy

This investigation aimed to establish the promising role of insulin-producing cells (IPCs) growing from bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) in relieving hyperglycemia induced in rats. BM-MSCs were differentiated into IPCs using three different protocols. The efficiency of BM-MSCs differentiation into IPCs in vitro was confirmed by detecting IPCs specific gene expression (Foxa-2, PDX-1 and Ngn-3) and insulin release assay. The in vivo study design included 3 groups of male Wistar rats; negative control group, diabetic group and IPCs-transfused group (5 ×106 cells of the most functional IPCs/rat). One month after IPCs infusion, serum glucose, insulin, c-peptide and visfatin levels as well as pancreatic glucagon level were quantified. Gene expression analysis of pancreatic Foxa-2 and Sox-17, IGF-1 and FGF-10 was done. Additionally, histological investigation of pancreatic tissue sections was performed. Our data clarified that, the most functional IPCs are those generated from BM-MSCs using differentiation protocol 3 as indicated by the significant up-regulation of Foxa-2, PDX-1 and Ngn-3 gene expression levels. These findings were further emphasized by releasing of a significant amount of insulin in response to glucose load. The transplantation of the IPCs in diabetic rats elicited significant decline in serum glucose, visfatin and pancreatic glucagon levels along with significant rise in serum insulin and c-peptide levels. Moreover, it triggered significant up-regulation in the expression levels of pancreatic Foxa-2, Sox-17, IGF-1 and FGF-10 genes versus the untreated diabetic counterpart. The histopathological examination of pancreatic tissue almost assisted the biochemical and molecular genetic analyses. These results disclose that the cell therapy holds potential to develop a new cure for DM based on the capability of BM-MSCs to generate β-cell phenotype using specific protocol.

Development of gluten-free craft beer: Impact of brewing process on quality attributes and consumer expectations for sensory properties.

To date, few studies investigated the differences between the two main gluten-free (GF) brewing techniques, such as the use of enzymes and the use of unconventional GF grains in brewing, by consumer perspective. In this study a GF beer brewed with sorghum and quinoa, as brewing adjuncts, was compared to the enzymatic-treated counterpart, in order to evaluate the effect of deglutinization treatment on physicochemical, volatile, and sensory characteristics of final beer. Moreover, the influence of brewing process and raw materials information on consumers' sensory perceptions, willingness to buy (WTB) and willingness to pay (WTP) was also investigated (n=105 consumers), under blind (B), expected (E), and informed (I) conditions. The enzymatic-treated sample showed comparable physicochemical attributes with the untreated counterpart, except for a significant reduction in color and foam stability (p<0.05). Non-significant difference between samples was found in the overall liking, WTB, and WTP mean scores in all three sensory test conditions (p>0.05). The information about the deglutinization treatment had a negative impact on overall liking (p<0.01), although WTP for both samples was significantly higher in the informed test than in blind condition (p<0.05). Overall, Check-All-That-Apply test results confirmed that the deglutinization treatment does not affect the beer sensory profile, even if the information about brewing ingredients and technologies may slightly influence the consumers' sensory perception. Therefore, this result proves that it is possible to produce a marketable GF beer, simply by partially replacing 40% of barley malt with unconventional GF grains, without using enzymes for gluten reduction purpose.

Mechanical and tribological characterization of 3D printed-cryogenically treated thermoplastic polyurethane

In knee replacement surgery, the longevity of implants, particularly the plastic spacer between the femur and tibial metallic component, has profound implications. Traditionally, Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) has been the material of choice, yet its susceptibility to rapid wear necessitates the exploration of alternatives. Among these, Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) is a promising candidate. This study delves into the transformative impact of deep cryogenic treatment (DCT) on the tribological, mechanical, and surface attributes of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) - produced TPU.Key findings unveil a substantial enhancement in the wear performance of DCT-treated TPU compared to its untreated counterpart. Moreover, extrusion temperature (ET) and print speed (PS) emerge as pivotal parameters, with optimal outcomes observed at 250 °C and 15 mm/s, signifying their paramount importance. In contrast, layer thickness (LT) and raster orientation (RO) exhibit less influence on tribological properties. Furthermore, a notable transformation in surface characteristics is evident, with untreated TPU presenting a smoother profile than treated TPU.This research underscores the potential of deep cryogenic treatment to augment the tribological and mechanical properties of TPU, rendering it a compelling prospect for orthopedic implants. These findings contribute significantly to the ongoing endeavor to enhance implant materials and their durability in biomedical applications.

Ultrastrong gradient nanostructured CSS-42L bearing steel and its enhanced wear resistance at elevated temperature

A gradient nanostructured surface layer was successfully fabricated on the CSS-42L(15Cr14Co12Mo5Ni) aerospace bearing steel by ultrasonic shot peening (USP) technology at room temperature. The original austenite in the as-received (AR) CSS-42L bearing steel was fully transferred into lath martensite by quenching and two cryogenic tempering cycles. The lath martensitic structure at the surface of the bearing steel was refined into nanoscale martensite phases with an average size of 33.9 nm after USP treatment. The microhardness of the gradient heterogeneous nanostructured CSS-42L bearing steel increased by approximately 39 % compared to that of the tempered bearing steel. The mechanisms of martensite refinement during the USP process were analyzed and discussed using advanced materials characterization methods. Dry sliding wear tests at elevated temperatures (500 °C) were conducted on the tempered and USPed CSS-42L bearing steel samples, respectively. The wear resistance of the USPed sample was significantly enhanced compared to that of its untreated coarse-grained counterpart. The wear rate coefficient of the USPed CSS-42L was reduced by 80.42 % compared to the AR sample. The superior wear resistance of the USPed CSS-42L bearing steel was attributed to the formation of an ultrastrong surface layer with a gradient heterogeneous nanostructure fabricated by USP technology.

Correlations between the alpha-Gal antigen, antibody response and calcification of cardiac valve bioprostheses: experimental evidence obtained using an alpha-Gal knockout mouse animal model.

Preformed antibodies against αGal in the human and the presence of αGal antigens on the tissue constituting the commercial bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs, mainly bovine or porcine pericardium), lead to opsonization of the implanted BHV, leading to deterioration and calcification. Murine subcutaneous implantation of BHVs leaflets has been widely used for testing the efficacy of anti-calcification treatments. Unfortunately, commercial BHVs leaflets implanted into a murine model will not be able to elicit an αGal immune response because such antigen is expressed in the recipient and therefore immunologically tolerated. This study evaluates the calcium deposition on commercial BHV using a new humanized murine αGal knockout (KO) animal model. Furtherly, the anti-calcification efficacy of a polyphenol-based treatment was deeply investigated. By using CRISPR/Cas9 approach an αGal KO mouse was created and adopted for the evaluation of the calcific propensity of original and polyphenols treated BHV by subcutaneous implantation. The calcium quantification was carried out by plasma analysis; the immune response evaluation was performed by histology and immunological assays. Anti-αGal antibodies level in KO mice increases at least double after 2 months of implantation of original commercial BHV compared to WT mice, conversely, the polyphenols-based treatment seems to effectively mask the antigen to the KO mice's immune system. Commercial leaflets explanted after 1 month from KO mice showed a four-time increased calcium deposition than what was observed on that explanted from WT. Polyphenol treatment prevents calcium deposition by over 99% in both KO and WT animals. The implantation of commercial BHV leaflets significantly stimulates the KO mouse immune system resulting in massive production of anti-Gal antibodies and the exacerbation of the αGal-related calcific effect if compared with the WT mouse. The polyphenol-based treatment applied in this investigation showed an unexpected ability to inhibit the recognition of BHV xenoantigens by circulating antibodies almost completely preventing calcific depositions compared to the untreated counterpart.

Evaluation of the anticancer effect of telomerase inhibitor BIBR1532 in anaplastic thyroid cancer in terms of apoptosis, migration and cell cycle.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) represents the type with the worst prognosis among thyroid cancers. In ATC with a highly invasive phenotype, selective targeting of TERT with BIBR1532 may be a goal-driven approach to preserving healthy tissues. In present study, it was aimed to investigate the effects of treatment of SW1736 cells with BIBR1532 on apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and migration. The apoptotic effect of BIBR1532 on SW1736 cells was examined using the Annexin V method, the cytostatic effect using cell cycle test, migration properties using wound healing assay. Gene expression differences were determined by real-time qRT-PCR and differences in protein level by ELISA test. BIBR1532-treated SW1736 cells had 3.1-fold increase in apoptosis compared to their untreated counterpart. There was 58.1% arrest in the G0/G1 phase and 27.6% arrest in the S phase of the cell cycle in untreated group, treatment with BIBR1532 increased cell population in G0/G1 phase to 80.9% and decreased in S phase to 7.1%. Treatment with the TERT inhibitor resulted in a 50.8% decrease in cell migration compared to the untreated group. After BIBR1532 treatment of SW1736 cells, upregulation of BAD, BAX, CASP8, CYCS, TNFSF10, CDKN2A genes, and downregulation of BCL2L11, XIAP, CCND2 genes were detected. BIBR1532 treatment resulted in an increase in BAX and p16 proteins, and a decrease in concentration of BCL-2 protein compared to untreated group. Targeting TERT with BIBR1532 as a mono drug or using of BIBR1532 at "priming stage" prior to chemotherapy treatment in ATC may present a novel and promising treatment strategy.

Improved Transdermal Delivery of Rabies Vaccine using Iontophoresis Coupled Microneedle Approach.

This study was aimed to develop rabies vaccine incorporated microneedle (MN) patches and evaluate the immunogenicity of prepared formulations in combination with iontophoresis. Patches comprising of polyvinyl pyrrolidone, hyaluronic acid and polyethylene glycol 400 were engineered by vacuum micromolding technique. Physical evaluation of patches included determination of folding endurance, % swelling and morphological features. In vitro release study was performed in skin simulant agarose gel using model drug (methylene blue) loaded patches. In vitro insertion ability was assessed using stratum corneum simulant parafilm. In vivo insertion study was performed in rats. Immunogenicity was evaluated in dogs by determining immunoglobulin G (IgG) and rabies virus neutralizing antibodies (RVNA) titer. Patches displayed uniformly distributed microprojections with pointed tips and smooth surface, ~ 70% swelling, remained intact for ~ 200 foldings and successfully penetrated the parafilm. The area covered by model drug across agarose gel was almost double following treatment with MN-iontophoresis combination (MNdi) compared to MN alone (MNdo). Histological examination of rat skin treated with vaccine laden MN (MNvo) and MN-iontophoresis combination (MNvi) confirmed the formation of grooves in epidermis without any damage to the deep vasculature. A ~ 73% and ~ 206% increase (compared to untreated counterpart) was observed in the IgG titer of MNvo and MNvi treated dogs, respectively. The RVNA titer was increased by ~ 1.2 and ~ 2.2 times (compared to threshold value) after MNvo and MNvi treatment, respectively. MN-iontophoresis combination provided relatively potent immunogenic response over the conventional intramuscular injection, hence, can be used for administering vaccines transcutaneously.

Development of polypropylene membranes grafted with nanocellulose to analyze organic pollutants in environmental waters using miniaturized passive samplers based on liquid-phase microextraction

Reinforcing hollow polypropylene fibers with nanocellulose is a viable alternative for implementing miniaturized passive sampling devices (MPSDs) based on liquid-phase microextraction (LPME). This modification improves the extractive properties of microporous membranes, including the sensitivity to fluctuations in the uptake steps. The new material, polypropylene hollow fiber grafted with nanocellulose, was developed and characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with Energy Dispersive System (EDS) and Thermogravimetric (TGA) and Differential Thermal (DTA) analysis. The morphology type of the crystallite of cellulose most abundant after chemical regeneration was the CII (Celulose II) allomorphic. Sorption studies were carried out and revealed that the modified membrane could absorb 177% more water than its untreated commercial counterpart, making it suitable for long-term sampling. Miniaturized passive sampling devices were equipped with the new material, and the devices were deployed in situ for passive sampling of organic pollutants in environmental waters of marginal lagoons. Fingerprint analysis of samples was performed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and identified a variety of pollutants such as pesticides, plasticizers and prescription and illegal drugs and their metabolites. Therefore, these MPSDs can be employed for the sampling and long-term monitoring of water contaminants with a wide range of polarities.

Improving the Efficiency of Hydrogen Spillover by an Organic Molecular Decoration Strategy for Enhanced Catalytic Hydrogenation Performance

Hydrogen migration from metal particles to the support, known as hydrogen spillover, has provided insights for designing highly efficient catalysts in catalytic processes involving hydrogen. A facile and controllable strategy is highly desired to achieve an effective hydrogen spillover effect on nonreducible oxides for catalytic performance optimization and clarifying the catalytic function of hydrogen spillover. Here, we provide an organic molecular decoration (OMD) strategy obtained by the molecular layer deposition-like pulse method for facilitating hydrogen spillover over the nonreducible silica support. After decorating with the fluoroalkylsilane (FAS) molecular layer, the hydrogen spillover effect over the catalysts (xFAS-Pt/SBA-15) is greatly enhanced due to the presence of carbonaceous species compared with the original Pt/SBA-15. The amount of hydrogen spillover can also be precisely regulated by controlling the FAS pulse number. For cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation, xFAS-Pt/SBA-15 presents superior catalytic performance versus its untreated counterpart and the sample decorated via the traditional method. Also, the catalytic activity varies based on the FAS pulse number, showing a linear correlation with the amount of hydrogen spillover. The altered adsorption behavior of the reactant plays an important role in the hydrogenation selectivity. This facile OMD strategy for efficient hydrogen spillover is general and may have potential applications in many heterogeneous reactions.

A novel thiourea loading strategy for improving the moisture resistance of K2SiF6: Mn4+ red phosphors

Recently, Mn4+ doped fluoride phosphors have been considered as ideal candidate materials employed in white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs). However, the extremely serious performance deterioration in a wet environment has affected their practical commercial applications. Herein, we developed a novel thiourea loading strategy for greatly improving the moisture resistance of typical K2SiF6: Mn4+ (KSF) red phosphors through treated by thiourea ethanol solution evaporation. The luminescent properties and moisture resistance have been discussed in detail, and the underlying moisture resistance mechanism was further proposed. The results show that the moisture resistance of KSF phosphor treated by thiourea significantly increased approximately sevenfold than that of untreated counterpart, exhibiting a potential application in the WLEDs backlight with high gamut display. These works brings up a promising alternative strategy for enhancing moisture resistance and provides a deeper understanding on the performance degradation mechanism for a variety of Mn4+ doped fluoride phosphors system.

Comparison of the surface properties and cytocompatibility between plasma activated and homogeneously polydopamine-coated PCL nanofibers as a result of a pre-plasma activation step

Plasma activation and polydopamine (PDA) coating deposition on nanofibrous tissue engineering (TE) scaffolds have emerged as two easy and inexpensive methods to improve their cell-material interactions. This work is the first one to compare the cytocompatibility of both surface modification techniques on polycaprolactone nanofibers (NFs). First, the argon plasma treatment (PT) and PDA coating deposition were optimized based on water contact angle (WCA) measurements and visual observation, respectively. It was shown that employing the optimized PT before the PDA layer deposition enables a more homogeneous PDA deposition in comparison to the untreated counterpart. Subsequently, scanning electron microscopy showed that the treatments did not damage the fibers. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated that the PT resulted in the introduction of O-containing functionalities, while the PDA coating introduced a complex C-, N-, and O-based chemistry. The changed surface chemistry also led to a significant increase in wettability for both surface treatments in comparison to the untreated NFs. Different human foreskin fibroblast-based cell tests indicated that the PDA coating outperformed the PT with regard to cell adhesion and proliferation, although the latter still resulted in a significant improvement in comparison to the untreated NFs. Thereby, this study indicates that a careful surface modification selection is necessary to obtain the desired performance of TE scaffolds.

Modulatory role of BV6 and chloroquine on the regulation of apoptosis and autophagy in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the aggressive tumors mostly diagnosed in the advanced stage. Therapeutic failure and drug resistance pose a major problem in NSCLC treatment primarily due to alterations in autophagy and loss of apoptosis. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the importance of the second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase mimetic BV6 and autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ) on the regulation of apoptosis and autophagy, respectively. Study was conducted on NCI-H23 and NCI-H522 cell lines to evaluate the effect of BV6 and CQ on the transcription and translation level of LC3-II, caspase-3, and caspase-9 genes by quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting techniques. In NCI-H23 cell line, BV6 and CQ treatments showed increased mRNA and protein expression of caspase-3, and caspase-9 compared to its untreated counterpart. BV6 and CQ treatments also caused downregulation of LC3-II protein expression compared to its counterpart. In NCI-H522 cell line, BV6 treatment showed a significantly increased expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 mRNA and protein expression levels whereas BV6 treatment downregulated the expression level of LC3-II protein. A similar pattern was also observed in CQ treatment when compared with the respective controls. Both BV6 and CQ modulated in vitro expression of caspases and LC3-II which have critical regulatory roles in apoptosis and autophagy, respectively. Our findings suggest that BV6 and CQ could be promising candidates in NSCLC treatment and there is a need to explore them in vivo and in clinical applications.

Fully Printed Flexible Piezoelectric Nanogenerators with Triethoxyvinylsilane (TEVS) Coated Barium Titanate (BTO) Nanoparticles for Energy Harvesting and Self‐Powered Sensing

AbstractThe improvement of wearable electronics is making energy harvesters appealing, as they lessen the requirement for regular recharge of wearable gadgets. In this work, fully printed, flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) with excellent performance are created using a 3D printing technology. This fully‐printing method is based on triethoxyvinylsilane (TEVS) coated barium titanate (BTO) nanoparticles, polyvinylidene fluoride‐co‐trifluoroethylene (PVDF–TrFE), and silver electrode for additive manufacturing. The organic vinyl silane (VS) functional groups, which form a strong bond between inorganic nanoparticles and polymer, contribute to the homogeneous dispersion of BTO nanoparticles in the matrix. Consquently, these fully printed VS–BTO/PVDF–TrFE PENGs outperform their untreated counterpart in terms of output voltage and power density, with a higher output voltage of 54 V even after 13 500 cycles and a higher power density of 28.5 µW cm−2. In practice, as‐printed devices may actively adapt to human movement and detect the pulse from multipoint mechanical activity identification. The fully printed PENGs developed in this work show excellent potential to be used in wearable electronics for a new generation of sensing applications.