23 research outputs found
Coassembly of Janus Nanoparticles in Asymmetric Diblock Copolymer Scaffolds: Unconventional Entropy Effect and Role of Interfacial Topology
The coassembly of Janus nanoparticles
and block copolymers offers a unique approach to control the spatial
organization of nanoparticles. Herein, using computer simulations
and theoretical analysis, we explore the hierarchical structures and
underlying mechanisms of the coassembly of symmetric Janus nanoparticles
in asymmetric block copolymers. Our simulations constitute the first
study clarifying that Janus nanoparticles with two symmetric surface
moieties do not take symmetric distribution in the interfaces of asymmetric
block copolymers. Rather, they take various but controllable off-center
arrangements from the interfaces upon tailoring the molecular architectures
of block copolymers and thereby controlling their resulted mesostructural
topology. We examine the detailed mechanism of this mesostructural
topology-mediated hierarchical assembly and find that the structural
asymmetry of the block segments causes unconventional entropy effect
at the molecular scale, and the curved interfaces can lead to topology
mismatching between Janus nanoparticles and polymer interfaces at
the mesoscale. Furthermore, we employ a micromechanical model to demonstrate
that the deviation of the Janus nanoparticles from the interface can
significantly influence the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites.
These findings enrich our understanding on the thermodynamic nature
of polymer nanocomposites and may suggest a novel design approach
to precisely program the spatial organization of nanoparticles in
polymer matrix
Treatment of Danhong Injection Combined with Naoxintong Capsule in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients Undergoing PCI Operation: Study for a Randomized Controlled and Double-Blind Trial
Objective. This double-blind and randomized placebo-controlled trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of Danhong injection combined with Naoxintong capsule in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods. ACS patients scheduled to undergo PCI (n=130) were equally and randomly apportioned to either a treatment or control group. After PCI, the treatment group received Danhong injection combined with Naoxintong capsule for 12 weeks, while the control group was given placebo. Both groups were otherwise treated with conventional secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. The groups were primarily evaluated for clinical efficacy and cardiovascular events. Evaluative indicators of safety included adverse events, platelet count, and liver, renal, and blood coagulation functions. Result. No cardiovascular events or adverse reactions were observed in either group. The treatment group demonstrated better signs of clinical efficacy, including left ventricular ejection fraction, higher nitric oxide levels, and lower levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and von Willebrand factor (VWF). Conclusion. ACS patients treated with Danhong injection combined with Naoxintong capsule after PCI demonstrated better improvement with regard to markers associated with atherosclerosis and adverse cardiovascular events, without apparent adverse effects. Thus, Danhong injection combined with Naoxintong capsule was safe and effective for treating ACS patients after PCI
Chain-Stiffness-Induced Entropy Effects Mediate Interfacial Assembly of Janus Nanoparticles in Block Copolymers: From Interfacial Nanostructures to Optical Responses
Understanding
entropic contributions to ordering transitions is essential for the
design of self-assembling systems with tunable hierarchical structures.
Herein, we report entropy-mediated precise interfacial organization
of Janus nanoparticles in the flexible–semiflexible block copolymers
and the resulted optical properties of this heterogeneous material
by combining coarse-grained molecular dynamics and a finite difference
time domain technique. We find that the stiffness of the semiflexible
block can regulate the off-center distribution of symmetric Janus
nanoparticles with respect to phase interfaces, featured by a roughly
35% deviation from the interface to the utmost extent. Our simulations
reveal how entropic and enthalpic effects in this multiphase media
contribute to the self-assembled morphologies and, in particular,
can lead to novel chain stiffness-induced entropy effects that can
be harnessed to tailor the interfacial organization of Janus nanoparticles
in the scaffold of block copolymers. Furthermore, the combination
of techniques allows us to determine how changes of the interfacial
nanostructures affect the optical properties of the nanocomposite.
The findings enable the applications of polymer chain stiffness in
precise control over the interfacial assembly of nanoparticles in
heterogeneous materials and provide guidelines for facilitating the
design of photonic crystals
Unveiling the formation of NGC 2915 with MUSE: A counter-rotating stellar disk embedded in a disordered gaseous environment
NGC 2915 is a unique nearby galaxy that is classified as an isolated blue compact dwarf based on its optical appearance but has an extremely extended H 
Based on Network Pharmacology Tools to Investigate the Molecular Mechanism of Cordyceps sinensis on the Treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy
Background. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus and is a major cause of end-stage kidney disease. Cordyceps sinensis (Cordyceps, Dong Chong Xia Cao) is a widely applied ingredient for treating patients with DN in China, while the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study is aimed at revealing the therapeutic mechanisms of Cordyceps in DN by undertaking a network pharmacology analysis. Materials and Methods. In this study, active ingredients and associated target proteins of Cordyceps sinensis were obtained via Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database (TCMSP) and Swiss Target Prediction platform, then reconfirmed by using PubChem databases. The collection of DN-related target genes was based on DisGeNET and GeneCards databases. A DN-Cordyceps common target interaction network was carried out via the STRING database, and the results were integrated and visualized by utilizing Cytoscape software. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to determine the molecular mechanisms and therapeutic effects of Cordyceps on the treatment of DN. Results. Seven active ingredients were screened from Cordyceps, 293 putative target genes were identified, and 85 overlapping targets matched with DN were considered potential therapeutic targets, such as TNF, MAPK1, EGFR, ACE, and CASP3. The results of GO and KEGG analyses revealed that hub targets mainly participated in the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, TNF signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and IL-17 signaling pathway. These targets were correlated with inflammatory response, apoptosis, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and other biological processes. Conclusions. Our study showed that Cordyceps is characterized as multicomponent, multitarget, and multichannel. Cordyceps may play a crucial role in the treatment of DN by targeting TNF, MAPK1, EGFR, ACE, and CASP3 signaling and involved in the inflammatory response, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance