Facile and Reliable in Situ Polymerization of Poly(Ethyl Cyanoacrylate)-Based Polymer Electrolytes toward Flexible Lithium Batteries

Polycyanoacrylate is a very promising matrix for polymer electrolyte, which possesses advantages of strong binding and high electrochemical stability owing to the functional nitrile groups. Herein, a facile and reliable in situ polymerization strategy of poly­(ethyl cyanoacrylate) (PECA) based gel polymer electrolytes (GPE) via a high efficient anionic polymerization was introduced consisting of PECA and 4 M LiClO₄ in carbonate solvents. The in situ polymerized PECA gel polymer electrolyte achieved an excellent ionic conductivity (2.7 × 10^–3 S cm^–1) at room temperature, and exhibited a considerable electrochemical stability window up to 4.8 V vs Li/Li⁺. The LiFePO₄/PECA-GPE/Li and LiNi_1.5Mn_0.5O₄/PECA-GPE/Li batteries using this in-situ-polymerized GPE delivered stable charge/discharge profiles, considerable rate capability, and excellent cycling performance. These results demonstrated this reliable in situ polymerization process is a very promising strategy to prepare high performance polymer electrolytes for flexible thin-film batteries, micropower lithium batteries, and deformable lithium batteries for special purpose

Renal Clearable Ag Nanodots for in Vivo Computer Tomography Imaging and Photothermal Therapy

Albumin-stabilized Ag nanodots (ANDs) are prepared by a one-step biomineralization method. The highly crystallized nanodots have ultrasmall sizes (approximately 5.8 nm) and robust X-ray attenuation (5.7313 HU per mM Ag). The unlabeled ANDs are directly excreted from the body via the urine after in vivo X-ray computer tomography (CT) imaging application. ANDs could be used as CT imaging agents and effective photothermal therapy agents. Tumor growth inhibition reaches 90.2% after photothermal treatment with ANDs. ANDs are promising tools for in vivo CT imaging and clearable near-infrared-triggered theranostic agents

The effects of rOPN on the migration of MSCs.

<p>(A) MSCs were seeded on transwells with the presence of 25nM rOPN on the bottom. (B) After 24 hours, the number of cells present on the bottom side of the transwells’ filter was counted and analyzed. Scale bars indicate 50 μm. *and **<i>p</i> < 0.01(n = 4), determined by a one-way ANOVA.</p

Immunofluorescence analysis of CD31, vWF and keratin 14 expressions in wound sites.

<p>(A) GFP positive cells (green) were colocalized with CD31 (red), (B)vWF (red) and (C)keratin 14. Nuclear staining with DAPI is blue. (D)(E)(F) Immunofluorescence analysis of CD31, vWF and keratin14 in wound sites. These data suggest that MSCs differentiated into endothelial cells and keratinocytes, respectively. Scale bars indicate 50 μm. * <i>p</i> < 0.01, (n = 5), determined by Student's t-test.</p

Skin wound healing analysis in wild-type and <i>Opn</i>^<i>-/-</i> mice.

<p>(A) A schematic diagram illustrating the location and dimensions of the full-thickness excisional and incisional wounds made to the shaved dorsal skin of adult male mice. The dotted lines indicate the axes of sections. Blue circles indicate MSCs injection and red represents PBS control injection. (B) Observation of wild-type and <i>Opn</i>^<i>-/-</i> wounds at various time points after wounding. (C) The proportion of wound healing relative to the initial wound area at each time point after injury in the control (open bars) versus <i>Opn</i>^<i>-/-</i> wounds. * <i>p</i> < 0.05 and **<i>p</i> < 0.01, (n = 6), determined by a one-way ANOVA.</p

Immunofluorescence analysis of CD44 and E-selectin expressions after injury.

<p>(A) (B)GFP positive cells (green) colocalized with CD44 and E-selectin (red). Nuclear staining with DAPI is blue. (C) (D)Immunofluorescence analysis of CD44 and E-selectin in the wound sites. The CD44 and E-selectin signal are stronger in the wild-type mice. Scale bars indicate 50 μm. * <i>p</i> < 0.01, (n = 5), determined by Student's t-test.</p

Additional file 1: Table S1. of Molecular characterization of hemotropic mycoplasmas (Mycoplasma ovis and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemovis’) in sheep and goats in China

Prevalence of hemoplasmas (Mycoplasma ovis and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemovis’) of sheep and goats in different farms. Table S2. The origins of the 103 selected positive specimens. Figure S1. Collection sites (indicated by black circles) in Henan province. Figure S2. The binding sites of nested PCR primers. (DOCX 97 kb

CD86 Is an Activation Receptor for NK Cell Cytotoxicity against Tumor Cells

<div><p>CTLA4Ig has been successfully used in the clinic for suppression of T cell activation. However, patients treated with CTLA4Ig experienced reduced incidence of tumors than predicted, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. In this paper, we showed that brief administration of CTLA4Ig significantly reduced tumor metastasis and prolonged the survival of host mice bearing B16 melanoma. Depletion of NK cells prior to CTLA4Ig administration eliminated the CTLA4Ig-mediated anti-tumor activity. CTLA4Ig enhanced NK cell cytotoxicity to tumor cells via up-regulation of NK cell effecter molecules CD107a and perforin <i>in vivo</i>. In addition, we demonstrated that, upon activation, NK cells could significantly increase the expression of CD86 both <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i>, and ligation of CD86 with CTLA4Ig significantly increased the ability of NK cells to kill tumor cells. Furthermore, a human NK cell line that expressed high level of CD86 was directly activated by CTLA4Ig so that killing of tumor targets was enhanced; this enhanced killing could be inhibited by blocking CD86. Our findings uncover a novel function of CTLA4Ig in tumor immunity and suggest that CD86 on NK cells is an activating receptor and closely involved in the CTLA4Ig-mediated anti-tumor response.</p> </div

CTLA4Ig increases the survival of B6 mice bearing B16 melanoma tumors through the reduction of melanoma metastasis in B6 mice.

<p>(A) Sex- and age- matched B6 mice were injected with 2×10⁵ B16 melanoma cells via tail vein on day 0, followed by intravenous injection of either 200 μg CTLA4Ig or 200 μg isotype control IgG on days 0, 3 and 6, respectively, and the survival time of each animal was recorded. The mortality of one representative from three experiments is shown. (B) Sex- and age- matched B6 mice were injected with 2×10⁵ B16 melanoma cells via tail vein on day 0, followed by either 2 μg CTLA4Ig or 2 μg IgG control infusion via vein on days 0, 3 and day 6, respectively, and melanoma lung metastasis was assessed on day 10. The number of metastatic nodules on the lung surface, a photomicrograph and a representative H&E staining section are shown. Data are recorded as the mean ± SD (n=10), and Student’s t test is used to compare experimental and control groups. Data represents one of three independent experiments. <b><i>*</i></b><i>p</i> < 0.05, ^**<i>p</i> < 0.01.</p

CD86 on NK cells contributes to CTLA4Ig-mediated NK cytotoxicity.

<p>(A) NK-92MI cells were cultured with CFSE-labeled K562 cells at the ratio of 5:1 in the presence of either 5 μg/ml soluble CTLA4Ig, soluble IgG1, anti-CD80 antibody, or anti-CD86 antibody for 6 hours. Cytotoxicity against K562 was determined by flow cytometry. Data are shown as the mean percentages of cytotoxicity ± SD (n=3). (B) NK-92MI cells were cultured for 6 hours with CFSE-labeled K562 cells at the ratio of 5:1 in the presence of either simultaneous addition of 5 μg/ml soluble IgG1, soluble CTLA4Ig, anti-CD80 antibody+5 μg/ml soluble CTLA4Ig, anti-CD86 antibody+5 μg/ml soluble CTLA4Ig, or treatment, two hours earlier, with anti-CD80 antibody+5 μg/ml soluble CTLA4Ig, anti-CD86 antibody+5 μg/ml soluble CTLA4Ig. The cytotoxicity against K562 was determined by flow cytometry. Data are shown as the mean percentages of cytotoxicity ± SD (n=3). All experiments were repeated 3 times. <b><i>*</i></b><i>p</i> < 0.05, ^**<i>p</i> < 0.01 was considered as statistically significant when compared with the control group.</p