Human adenovirus type 7 subunit vaccine induces dendritic cell maturation through the TLR4/NF-κB pathway is highly immunogenic

IntroductionHuman adenovirus type 7 (HAdv-7) infection is the main cause of upper respiratory tract infection, bronchitis and pneumonia in children. At present, there are no anti- adenovirus drugs or preventive vaccines in the market. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a safe and effective anti-adenovirus type 7 vaccine.MethodsIn this study, In this study, we used the baculovirus-insect cell expression system to design a recombinant subunit vaccine expressing adenovirus type 7 hexon protein (rBV-hexon) to induce high-level humoral and cellular immune responses. To evaluate the effectiveness of the vaccine, we first detected the expression of molecular markers on the surface of antigen presenting cells and the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in vitro. We then measured the levels of neutralizing antibodies and T cell activation in vivo.ResultsThe results showed that the rBV-hexon recombinant subunit vaccine could promote DC maturation and improve its antigen uptake capability, including the TLR4/NF-κB pathway which upregulated the expression of MHCI, CD80, CD86 and cytokines. The vaccine also triggered a strong neutralizing antibody and cellular immune response, and activated T lymphocytes.DiscussionTherefore, the recombinant subunit vaccine rBV-hexon promoted promotes humoral and cellular immune responses, thereby has the potential to become a vaccine against HAdv-7

Enhanced thermoelectric performance of n-type bismuth-telluride-based alloys via In alloying and hot deformation for mid-temperature power generation

Bismuth telluride-based alloys are the most widely used commercial thermoelectric (TE) material for room temperature refrigeration. Here, we successfully shift up the optimum figure of merit of n-type bismuth-telluride-based TE materials for mid-temperature power generation. SbI3 doping is used to regulate the carrier concentration and Indium alloying to increase the bandgap, suppressing the detrimental bipolar conduction in the mid-temperature range. The lattice thermal conductivity is significantly reduced due to the multiscale microstructures induced via hot deformation. As a result, a peak zT of ∼1.1 was attained at 625 K for Bi1.85In0.15Te2Se + 0.25 wt% SbI3 alloy after hot deformation, showing a great application prospect of this alloy in mid-temperature TE power generation. Keywords: Bismuth telluride, Thermoelectric materials, Hot deformation, Alloyin

Tunable Optimum Temperature Range of High-Performance Zone Melted Bismuth-Telluride-Based Solid Solutions

Bismuth-telluride-based solid solutions are unique, commercially available thermoelectric (TE) materials near room temperature for solid-state cooling, and the zone melting (ZM) technique is commonly applied to grow their commercial ingots with preferred orientation. Herein, we tailor the carrier concentration of zone-melted ingots by proper doping to adjust the optimum operating temperature for both solid-state cooling and low-temperature power generation at 300–500 K. A room temperature <i>zT</i> of <i>∼</i> 1.2 is obtained for both p-type and n-type ingots, and a maximum <i>zT</i> > 1.2 at 350 K in p-type Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃ + 2 wt % Te. Moreover, <i>zT</i> > 1.0 between 300 and 400 K is achieved for p-type, and <i>zT</i> > 1.0 between 300 and 475 K for n-type counterparts. It is found that the taper of the quartz tube affects the TE properties of Bi₂Te₃-based alloys. The different combinations of the growth rate with temperature gradient, 8 mm/h + 25 K/cm and 25 mm/h + 40 K/cm, contribute to equally high <i>zT</i>. In addition, the good homogeneity in both axial and radial directions implies the high quality of the ZM ingots in this work, which is significant for industrial manufacturing. These results are favorable for TE application in low-temperature power generation and show the possibility of improving the production efficiency of commercial bismuth-telluride-based solid solutions

Enhancing Thermoelectric Performance of n‑Type Hot Deformed Bismuth-Telluride-Based Solid Solutions by Nonstoichiometry-Mediated Intrinsic Point Defects

Bismuth-telluride-based solid solutions are the unique thermoelectric (TE) materials near room temperature. Various approaches have been applied to enhance the thermoelectric performance, and much progress has been made in their p-type materials. However, for the n-type counterparts, little breakthrough has been obtained. We herein report on enhancing thermoelectric performance of n-type bismuth-telluride-based alloys by nonstoichiometry to mediate the point defects, combined with one-time hot deformation. The improved power factor of 3.3 × 10^–3 W m^–1 K^–2 and reduced lattice thermal conductivity contribute to a high figure-of-merit, <i>zT</i>, of 1.2 at 450 K for n-type Bi₂Te_2.3Se_0.69 alloys with Se deficiency. The high <i>zT</i> is comparable to that of Bi₂Te_2.3Se_0.7 hot deformed three times, which is a practically complicated process. The results demonstrate that nonstoichiometry can be an effective and simple strategy in mediating intrinsic point defects and enhancing the thermoelectric performance of bismuth-telluride-based alloys

Platycodin D2 enhances P21/CyclinA2-mediated senescence of HCC cells by regulating NIX-induced mitophagy

Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells usually show strong resistance to chemotherapy, which not only reduces the efficacy of chemotherapy but also increases the side effects. Regulation of autophagy plays an important role in tumor treatment. Cell senescence is also an important anti-cancer mechanism, which has become an important target for tumor treatment. Therefore, it is of great clinical significance to find anti-HCC drugs that act through this new mechanism. Platycodin D2 (PD2) is a new saponin compound extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Platycodon grandiflorum. Purpose Our study aimed to explore the effects of PD2 on HCC and identify the underlying mechanisms. Methods First, the CCK8 assay was used to detect the inhibitory effect of PD2 on HCC cells. Then, different pathways of programmed cell death and cell cycle regulators were measured. In addition, we assessed the effects of PD2 on the autophagy and senescence of HCC cells by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining, and Western blotting. Finally, we studied the in vivo effect of PD2 on HCC cells by using a mouse tumor-bearing model. Results Studies have shown that PD2 has a good anti-tumor effect, but the specific molecular mechanism has not been clarified. In this study, we found that PD2 has no obvious toxic effect on normal hepatocytes, but it can significantly inhibit the proliferation of HCC cells, induce mitochondrial dysfunction, enhance autophagy and cell senescence, upregulate NIX and P21, and downregulate CyclinA2. Gene silencing and overexpression indicated that PD2 induced mitophagy in HCC cells through NIX, thereby activating the P21/CyclinA2 pathway and promoting cell senescence. Conclusions These results indicate that PD2 induces HCC cell death through autophagy and aging. Our findings provide a new strategy for treating HCC. Graphical Abstrac

DataSheet_1_Human adenovirus type 7 subunit vaccine induces dendritic cell maturation through the TLR4/NF-κB pathway is highly immunogenic.pdf

IntroductionHuman adenovirus type 7 (HAdv-7) infection is the main cause of upper respiratory tract infection, bronchitis and pneumonia in children. At present, there are no anti- adenovirus drugs or preventive vaccines in the market. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a safe and effective anti-adenovirus type 7 vaccine.MethodsIn this study, In this study, we used the baculovirus-insect cell expression system to design a recombinant subunit vaccine expressing adenovirus type 7 hexon protein (rBV-hexon) to induce high-level humoral and cellular immune responses. To evaluate the effectiveness of the vaccine, we first detected the expression of molecular markers on the surface of antigen presenting cells and the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in vitro. We then measured the levels of neutralizing antibodies and T cell activation in vivo.ResultsThe results showed that the rBV-hexon recombinant subunit vaccine could promote DC maturation and improve its antigen uptake capability, including the TLR4/NF-κB pathway which upregulated the expression of MHCI, CD80, CD86 and cytokines. The vaccine also triggered a strong neutralizing antibody and cellular immune response, and activated T lymphocytes.DiscussionTherefore, the recombinant subunit vaccine rBV-hexon promoted promotes humoral and cellular immune responses, thereby has the potential to become a vaccine against HAdv-7.</p