Plasmonic organic solar cell and its absorption enhancement analysis using cylindrical Ag nano-particle model based on finite difference time domain (FDTD)

We report the plasmon-assisted photocurrent enhancement in Ag nanoparticles (NPs)-embedded PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM organic solar cells, and theoretically investigate the causes of the improved optical absorption based on a cylindrical Ag-NPs model which is simulated with a finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. The proposed cylindrical Ag-NPs model is able to explain the optical absorption enhancement by the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) modes, and to provide a further understanding of Ag-NPs shape parameters which play an important role to determine the broadband absorption phenomena in plasmonic organic solar cells

Targeting a thrombopoietin-independent strategy in the discovery of a novel inducer of megakaryocytopoiesis, DMAG, for the treatment of thrombocytopenia

Thrombocytopenia is a thrombopoietin (TPO)-related disorder with very limited treatment options, and can be lifethreatening. There are major problems with typical thrombopoietic agents targeting TPO signaling, so it is urgent to discover a novel TPO-independent mechanism involving thrombopoiesis and potential druggable targets. We developed a drug screening model by the multi-grained cascade forest (gcForest) algorithm and found that 3,8-di-O-methylellagic acid 2- O-glucoside (DMAG) (10, 20 and 40 μM) promoted megakaryocyte differentiation in vitro. Subsequent investigations revealed that DMAG (40 mM) activated ERK1/2, HIF-1b and NF-E2. Inhibition of ERK1/2 blocked megakaryocyte differentiation and attenuated the upregulation of HIF-1b and NF-E2 induced by DMAG. Megakaryocyte differentiation induced by DMAG was inhibited via knockdown of NF-E2. In vivo studies showed that DMAG (5 mg/kg) accelerated platelet recovery and megakaryocyte differentiation in mice with thrombocytopenia. The platelet count of the DMAG-treated group recovered to almost 72% and 96% of the count in the control group at day 10 and 14, respectively. The platelet counts in the DMAG-treated group were almost 1.5- and 1.3-fold higher compared with those of the irradiated group at day 10 and 14, respectively. Moreover, DMAG (10, 25 and 50 mM) stimulated thrombopoiesis in zebrafish. DMAG (5 mg/kg) could also increase platelet levels in c-MPL knockout (c-MPL-/-) mice. In summary, we established a drug screening model through gcForest and demonstrated that DMAG promotes megakaryocyte differentiation via the ERK/HIF1/NF-E2 pathway which, importantly, is independent of the classical TPO/c-MPL pathway. The present study may provide new insights into drug discovery for thrombopoiesis and TPO-independent regulation of thrombopoiesis, as well as a promising avenue for thrombocytopenia treatment

Absorption and transport enhancement by Ag nanoparticle plasmonics for organic optoelectronics

The organic films such as P3HT/PCBM incorporating Ag metal nanoparticles are fabricated and experimentally characterized. Due to the excited surface plasma induced by Ag metal nanoparticles, the absorption of the active organic material layer is increased by around 30%. The broadened absorption spectrum to the 260-650nm wavelength range is also observed from our measurements because of the enhanced scattering cross section by Ag metal nanoparticles. Furthermore, by incorporating Ag nanoparticles into the active layer, the mobility have also been improved. Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulations confirm the increase in transmission of electromagnetic radiation at visible wavelength. The hopping model is proposed to explain the transport mechanism for the device operations. These observations suggest a variety of approaches for improving the performance of general organic optoelectronic devices

Intestinal Absorption and First-Pass Metabolism of Polyphenol Compounds in Rat and Their Transport Dynamics in Caco-2 Cells

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Polyphenols, a group of complex naturally occurring compounds, are widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom and are therefore readily consumed by humans. The relationship between their chemical structure and intestinal absorption, transport, and first-pass metabolism remains unresolved, however.</p> <h3>Methods</h3><p>Here, we investigated the intestinal absorption and first-pass metabolism of four polyphenol compounds, apigenin, resveratrol, emodin and chrysophanol, using the <em>in vitro</em> Caco-2 cell monolayer model system and <em>in situ</em> intestinal perfusion and <em>in vivo</em> pharmacokinetic studies in rats, so as to better understand the relationship between the chemical structure and biological fate of the dietary polyphenols.</p> <h3>Conclusion</h3><p>After oral administration, emodin and chrysophanol exhibited different absorptive and metabolic behaviours compared to apigenin and resveratrol. The differences in their chemical structures presumably resulted in differing affinities for drug-metabolizing enzymes, such as glucuronidase and sulphatase, and transporters, such as MRP2, SGLT1, and P-glycoprotein, which are found in intestinal epithelial cells.</p> </div

In vivo and in vitro activity of genistein in osteoporosis

Background : Osteoporosis is conventionally treated with synthetic estrogens. However, the serious side effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) hampers the clinical use of estrogens. Hence, alternatives for estrogens are being explored, one of which is the isoflavone, genistein. Many studies show that genistein may exert positive effects on bone. However, there are also studies which report no overall association between genistein intake and bone marrow density (BMD) and fracture rates. The effect of genistein on bone loss is still controversial. Aims : In this study, we evaluated both in vivo and in vitro pharmacological effects of genistein in osteoporosis. Materials and Methods : MTT and ALP activity assays were performed to evaluate genistein′s in vitro activity on MC3T3-E1 cells. The OVX rat model was used to test genistein′s in vivo effects by determination of BMD and bone calcium and phosphorus content after treatment for 12 weeks. Results and Conclusions : The data showed that 10 -6 M genistein both increased the number of MC3T3-E1 cells and elevated ALP activity significantly. In vivo, 9 or 18 mg/kg doses of genistein were found to prevent osteoporosis after 12 weeks treatment. Thus, our results indicated that genistein may be an alternative for HRT in prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis

A 7-Amino Acid Peptide Mimic from Hepatitis C Virus Hypervariable Region 1 Inhibits Mouse Lung Th9 Cell Differentiation by Blocking CD81 Signaling during Allergic Lung Inflammation

T helper (Th) cells orchestrate allergic lung inflammation in asthma pathogenesis. Th9 is a novel Th cell subset that mainly produces IL-9, a potent proinflammatory cytokine in asthma. A 7-amino acid peptide (7P) of the hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) of hepatitis C virus has been identified as an important regulator in the type 2 cytokine (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) immune response. However, it is unknown whether 7P regulates Th9 cell differentiation during ovalbumin- (OVA-) induced allergic lung inflammation. To address this, we studied wild-type mice treated with 7P and a control peptide in an in vivo mouse model of OVA-induced allergic inflammation and an in vitro cell model of Th9 differentiation, using flow cytometry, cytokine assays, and quantitative PCR. The binding of 7P to CD81 on naïve CD4+ T cells during lung Th9 differentiation was determined using CD81 overexpression and siRNA knockdown analyses. Administration of 7P significantly reduced Th9 cell differentiation after OVA sensitization and exposure. 7P also inhibited Th9 cell differentiation from naïve and memory CD4+ T cells in vitro. Furthermore, 7P inhibited the differentiation of human Th9 cells with high CD81 expression from naïve CD4+ T cells by blocking CD81 signaling. CD81 siRNA significantly reduced Th9 cell differentiation from naïve CD4+ T cells in vitro. Interestingly, CD81 overexpression in human naïve CD4+ T cells also enhanced Th9 development in vitro. These data indicate that 7P may be a good candidate for reducing IL-9 production in asthma

Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Anti-Fatigue Effects of Some Benzamide Derivatives

A series of benzamide derivatives such as 1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-ylcarbonyl) piperidine (1-BCP) were synthesized by the reaction of substituted benzoic acids with piperidine, morpholine or pyrrolidine using a novel method. The crystals of these benzamide derivatives were obtained by recrystallization. Structures of target and intermediate compounds were determined via FT-IR, 1H-NMR and elemental analysis and X-ray crystallography of select examples. The crystal structures of these compounds have potential applications to identify the binding site for allosteric modulators of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptor. The anti-fatigue effects of the benzamide derivatives in weight-loaded forced swimming mice were investigated in a swimming endurance capacity test used as an indicator of fatigue. The swimming times to exhaustion were longer in the b3, d3, and e3 groups than in the caffeine group (p &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, b3, d3 and e3 enhanced the forced swimming capacity of mice. The mechanism of the anti-fatigue effects will be studied in the future

Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Anti-Fatigue Effects of Some Benzamide Derivatives

A series of benzamide derivatives such as 1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-ylcarbonyl) piperidine (1-BCP) were synthesized by the reaction of substituted benzoic acids with piperidine, morpholine or pyrrolidine using a novel method. The crystals of these benzamide derivatives were obtained by recrystallization. Structures of target and intermediate compounds were determined via FT-IR, 1H-NMR and elemental analysis and X-ray crystallography of select examples. The crystal structures of these compounds have potential applications to identify the binding site for allosteric modulators of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptor. The anti-fatigue effects of the benzamide derivatives in weight-loaded forced swimming mice were investigated in a swimming endurance capacity test used as an indicator of fatigue. The swimming times to exhaustion were longer in the b3, d3, and e3 groups than in the caffeine group (p &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, b3, d3 and e3 enhanced the forced swimming capacity of mice. The mechanism of the anti-fatigue effects will be studied in the future