The Influence of Na and Ti on the In Vitro Degradation and Bioactivity in 58S Sol-Gel Bioactive Glass

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Na and Ti on the in vitro degradation and bioactivity in the 58S bioactive glass. The degradation was evaluated through the activation energy of Si ion release from bioactive glasses and the weight loss of bioactive glasses in Tris-HCl buffer solution. The in vitro bioactivity of the bioactive glasses was investigated by analysis of apatite-formation ability in the simulated body fluid (SBF). The results showed that Na in the 58S glass accelerated the dissolution rate of the glass, whereas Ti in the 58S glass slowed down the rate of glass solubility. Bioactivity tests showed that Na in glass increased the apatite-forming ability in SBF. In contrast, Ti in glass retards the apatite formation at the initial stage of SBF soaking but does not affect the growth of apatite after long periods of soaking

Photochromism and Long Persistent Luminescence in Pr^<3+>-Doped Garnet Transparent Ceramic via Ultraviolet or Blue Light Up-conversion Charging

Multifunctional phosphors with photochromism and persistent luminescent (PersL) properties have attracted increasing interest owing to the capability of absorbing the photon energy and trapping the generated carriers via defects. However, the opacity of materials compromises the enhancement of photochromism and PersL properties; besides, the need of high energy excitation light source limits their applicability. To bridge these obstacles, we report Pr3+-doped Y3Al2Ga3O12 transparent ceramic with in-line transmittance over 80% at 1800 nm, which exhibits strong red PersL after several minutes ultraviolet (UV) light or blue light up-conversion charging. The luminance duration time can reach more than 7 h at 0.32 mcd /m2 threshold value after UV light charging. Interestingly, the phosphor also displays photochromic properties with robust fatigue resistance, i.e., the color changes from light green to red by UV/blue light illumination and is bleached at 300℃. The nature of trap centers, trapping and detrapping processes are explored based on thermoluminescence and electron spin resonance. Finally, the mechanism of photochromism and PersL are discussed by using vacuum referred binding energy diagram. This work opens new avenues for future research on multifunctional materials and brings potential applications in optical information encryption media and optical sensors

First-principles study of magnetic properties of stoichiometric and O deficient low-index surfaces of rutile SnO2 and TiO2

In consideration of experimental evidences of O vacancies or/and surface state as the possible origin of d(0) ferromagnetism in SnO2 and TiO2, the electronic structure and magnetic properties of stoichiometric and O deficient (110), (100), (101) and (001) surfaces of rutile SnO2 and TiO2 are investigated using first-principles calculations. The calculations show that the stoichiometric (110), (100), (101) and (001) surfaces of rutile SnO2 and TiO2 are nonmagnetic. The O vacancy at these low-index surfaces of SnO2 do not induce magnetic moment due to extended character of 5s and 5p orbitals of the reduced Sn atom, while the vacancy at the low-index surfaces of TiO2 produce spin splitting defect states in the band gap, resulting in the formation of magnetic moment of 2.0 mu(B). The induced magnetic moment by surface O vacancy is mainly contributed by partially filled 3d orbitals of the reduced Ti atoms. It is noticed that the magnetic coupling between magnetic moments induced by two O vacancies at the low-index surfaces of rutile TiO2 are long-range ferromagnetic which can be explained by the overlap of spin density around the common Ti or O atoms among reduced Ti atoms produced by two O vacancies. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserve

Embryonic Amoxicillin Exposure Has Limited Impact on Liver Development but Increases Susceptibility to NAFLD in Zebrafish Larvae

Amoxicillin is commonly used in clinical settings to target bacterial infection and is frequently prescribed during pregnancy. Investigations into its developmental toxicity and effects on disease susceptibility are not comprehensive. Our present study examined the effects of embryonic amoxicillin exposure on liver development and function, especially the effects on susceptibility to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using zebrafish as an animal model. We discovered that embryonic amoxicillin exposure did not compromise liver development, nor did it induce liver toxicity. However, co-treatment of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid diminished BESP expression, caused bile stasis and induced liver toxicity. Embryonic amoxicillin exposure resulted in elevated expression of lipid synthesis genes and exacerbated hepatic steatosis in a fructose-induced NAFLD model, indicating embryonic amoxicillin exposure increased susceptibility to NAFLD in zebrafish larvae. In summary, this research broadens our understanding of the risks of amoxicillin usage during pregnancy and provides evidence for the impact of embryonic amoxicillin exposure on disease susceptibility in offspring

Tuning magnetism of monolayer MoS2 by doping vacancy and applying strain

In view of important role of inducing and manipulating the magnetism in two-dimensional materials for the development of low-dimensional spintronic devices, the influences of strain on electronic structure and magnetic properties of commonly observed vacancies doped monolayer MoS2 are investigated using first-principles calculations. It is shown that unstrained V-S, V-S2, and V-MoS3 doped monolayer MoS2 systems are nonmagnetic, while the ground state of unstrained V-MoS6 doped system is magnetic and the magnetic moment is contributed mainly by six Mo atoms around V-MoS6. In particular, tensile strain can induce magnetic moments in V-S, V-S2, and V-MoS3 doped monolayer MoS2 due to the breaking of Mo-Mo metallic bonds around the vacancies, while the magnetization induced by V-MoS6 can be effectively manipulated by equibiaxial strain due to the change of Mo-Mo metallic bonds around V-MoS6 under strains. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC

GST pull-down assay.

<p>GST and GST-LS2b fusion proteins incubated with cell lysates expressed His-RPS11 in tubes were the put-in samples transformed onto each right side of the membrane. Glutathione beads added to bind GST and GST-LS2b were washed down, proteins eluted from the beads were the pull-down samples transformed onto each left side of the membrane. The presence of RPS11 was detected by immunoblot with anti-HIS antibody. The presence and expression of GST and GST-LS2b was confirmed by immunoblotting with anti-GST antibody.</p

Interaction between bait LS2b protein and full-length prey protein was re-examined using yeast two-hybrid screening by DDO and QDO selection.

<p>Gradient dilutions of transformation mix were spread respectively on DDO/X and QDO/X/A plates which were cultivated for 5 days at 30°C. Yeast colony contained vectors of pGADT7-RPS11 with pGBKT7-LS2b and pGADT7-2bBP19 with pGBKT7- LS2b were showed on QDO/X/A plates. Vector pGADT7-T with pGBKT7-p53 and pGADT7 with pGBKT7-Lamda were used as positive and negative controls respectively.</p

Viral symptoms of LS-CMV infected on systemic leaves at 7 dpi TRV2-RPS11 <i>N</i>. <i>benthamiana</i> plants and TRV2 controls.

<p>Symptom photos were taken at respectively 5 days, 7days, 15days after CMV mechanically infection. Mock was wild <i>N</i>. <i>benthamiana</i> plant 7 dpi TRV2-RPS11 without CMV infection.</p

The gene silencing suppressor activity of CMV2b protein was reduced by the RPS11 knockdown.

<p>(A) Western blot hybridization analysis of gene silencing suppressor activity of CMVLS2b compared to P19 protein on RPS11 knockdown plants. Total protein samples were extracted 3 days post inoculation of gene silencing suppressor. (B) Further GFP silencing suppressor activity test of LS2b protein was performed with comparison of both P19 and homologous Fny2b proteins. Ponceaus staining of rubisco protein was used to monitor equivalence of protein loading. (C) Quantification for relative GFP accumulation of gene silencing suppressor affected on RPS11 knockdown plants and controls. (D) Comparison of each gene silencing suppressing activity on RPS11 knockdown plants and control. Each value is the mean of three replicates and vertical bars are SD. For a given parameter, means with different letters in C are statistically different at P<0.05. <i>Asterisks</i> in D indicate a significant difference between treatments and the control at P<0.01 (**) according to Student–Newman–Keuls test.</p