Insulin sensitizers for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) is the leading cause of liver disease in the Western world and is closely associated with metabolic syndrome,which includes hypertension,central obesity,dyslipidemia and insulin resistance.NAFLD includes a wide spectrum of liver alterations,ranging from simple hepatic steatosis to variable degrees of fibrosis,cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma.Although the etiology and progression of the disorder remain poorly understood,insulin resistance is considered to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis.Insulin sensitizers such as biguanides,thiazolidinediones(TZDs),glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors have been studied as therapeutic approaches for NAFLD in recent years.Metformin improves insulin sensitivity and serum alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase(ALT/AST) levels in the majority of subjects; however,it has no significant effect on liver histology.TZDs improve insulin sensitivity,serum ALT/ AST levels and histology in some cases,but there are some concerns about the safety of long-term therapy.Selection of appropriate patients for avoiding side effects and the treatment of underlying disease are themain points.These drugs are the best choice for the treatment of NAFLD in patients with type 2 DM who are also candidates for treatment with an insulin sensitizer.The present review provides an overview of insulin sensitizers in the treatment of NAFLD.

Synthesis of a Polymer-bound Sensitizer and its Application in the Photoisomerization of trans-Vitamin D_3 to cis-Vitamin D_3

A polymer-bound photosensitizer was synthesized by the reaction of Merrifield resin with 9-anthracenemethanol in the presence of potassium hydride. The photoisomerization of trans-vitamin D3 to cis-vitamin D3 was carried out with this polymer-bound photosensitizer in ethanol and toluene solutions. The experiment results demonstrate that this solid photosensitizer is efficient for the photoismerization and easy for separation from the reaction mixtures.

Determination of Utratrace Silver Using Surfactant As Sensitizer by Catalytic Near Field Laser Thermal Lens Spectrometry

A new method for the determination of utratrace silver(I) by near field thermal lens spectrometry has been developed. This method is based on the silver(I) catalyzed discoloring reaction of bromocresol green oxidized by sodium persulphate in the presence of a, a-bipy as activator and Triton X-100 as sensitizer. The linear range of this method is 0~1.6 ng穖L-1 of silver. The detection limit is 2?0-2 ng穖L-1. The method has been applied to the determination of silver in lead power and photographic paper with satisfactory results.

Assembly of Covalently Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Molecular Framework Based on Porphyrin and Phthalocyanine Derivatives—Sensitizer for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

The research on sensitizer for dye sensitized solar cells based on (metallo)porphyrin/phthalocyanine materials were reviewed, and experimental design and assembly method were advised. Latest progress and research status of sensitizer dyes based on metalloporphyrins applied in dye sensitized solar cells was summarized. The preparation and construction of sensitizer electrodes and dye sensitized solar cells based on metal organic frameworks (MOFs) of (metallo)porphyrin/phthalocyanine were projected.

The Effect of Electrolyte on Dye Sensitized Solar Cells Using Natural Dye from Mango (<i>M. indica</i>L.) Leaf as Sensitizer

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) were fabricated with mango leaf dye extracts as natural dye sensitizers at pH value of 5.20 and temperature of 18.1°C. Methanol was used as dye-extracting solvent. DSSCs from dye extract of M. indica L. with KMnO4 electrolyte had the highest photocurrent density of 1.3 mA/cm2 and fill factor FF of 0.46 for the sun at its peak. Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) had a photocurrent density of 1.3 mA/cm2 and FF of 0.8 at sundown. Potassium Iodide (KI), Potassium Bromide (KBr) and Mercury Chloride (HgCl2) electrolytes had 0.2 mA/cm2, 0.08 mA/cm2 and 0.02 mA/cm2 photocurrent densities respectively. The fill factors of 0.09, 0.03 and 0.003 respectively for sun overhead while 0.08 mA/cm2, 0.01 mA/cm2 and 0.01 mA/cm2 were the values of photocurrent densities respectively at sundown. The fill factors were 0.02, 0.0006 and 0.003 respectively at sundown. The maximum power Pmax of the DSSCs were 0.5 mW/cm2, 0.10 mW/cm2, 0.01 mW/cm2 and 0.012 mW/cm2 respectively at 1300 h at 1630 h 0.9 mW/cm2, 0.14 mW/cm2, 0.005 mW/cm2 and 0.0015 mW/cm2 respectively.

Determination of Trace Titanium by Solid Substrate-Room Temperature Phosphorimetry with 4,5-Dibromophenylfluorone as Luminescent Ligand and Triton X-100 as Sensitizer

A new highly sensitive solid substrate room temperature phosphorimetry for the determination of trace titanium is proposed based on the sensitization of Triton X-100 to the SS-RTP intensity of 4,5-dibromophenylfluorone-titanium complex adsorbed on the filter paper substrate modified by gelatin. When Triton X-100 was added into the luminescence system, the RTP intensity was raised 3 times stronger than that of the system without Triton X-100. The linear dynamic range of the new method is 0 64~3 2 fg/spot(0 4 μL) with a detection limit of 12 8 ag/spot, and the regression equation of the working curve is Δ I p =482 0+119 5 m Ti(Ⅳ) (fg/spot), the correlation coefficient r =0 9992, n =6. The phosphorescence lifetime( τ =0 85 ms) was also determined. The recoveries(and RSD) for the determinations of titanium in human hair and tea samples were 101 0%(3 0%) and 99 97%(4 2%), respectively.

Design consideration of phthalocyanines as sensitizers for enhanced sono-photodynamic combinatorial therapy of cancer

Cancer remains one of the diseases with the highest incidence and mortality globally.Conventional treatment modalities have demonstrated threatening drawbacks including invasiveness,noncontrollability,and development of resistance for some,including chemotherapy,radiation,and surgery.Sono-photodynamic combinatorial therapy(SPDT)has been developed as an alternative treatment modality which offers a non-invasive and controllable therapeutic approach.SPDT combines the mechanism of action of sonodynamic therapy(SDT),which uses ultrasound,and photodynamic therapy(PDT),which uses light,to activate a sensitizer and initiate cancer eradication.The use of phthalocyanines(Pcs)as sensitizers for SPDT is gaining interest owing to their ability to induce intracellular oxidative stress and initiate toxicity under SDT and PDT.This review discusses some of the structural prerequisites of Pcs which may influence their overall SPDT activities in cancer therapy.

A novel Ga(Ⅲ)coordination complex as an efficient sensitizer for enhancing photocatalytic activity of TiO_(2)/rGO nanocomposite

Narrow solar-light response range and rapid charges recombination are the main technical barriers in TiO_(2) photocatalysis technology.To overcome these restrictions,in this work we synthesized a novel binuclear gadolinium(Ⅲ) coordination complex,[Gd_(2)(DPDB)_6(DMF)_6(H_(2)O_()2)](DPDB=[(4-dimethylamino)phenyldiazenyl] benzenesulfonate),which was used as an inorganic sensitizer for boosting the visible light-harvesting and quantum efficiency of TiO_(2) supported-reduced graphene oxide(rGO) nanocomposite.Crystal structure of [Gd_(2)(DPDB)_6(DMF)_6(H_(2)O)_(2)](Gd-CMP) was determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data,which indicates three-dimensional(3D) supramolecular architecture through hydrogen bonding and CH…π_(ph) interactions.The prepared nanohybrid(Gd-CMP/TG) reveals significantly enhanced visible-light-induced photocatalytic activity for degradation of acetaminophen(ACT).The complete removal of 10 mg/L ACT is achieved over Gd-CMP/TG,and the corresponding rate constant of ACT degradation of nanohybrid is 40-fold higher than that of bare TiO_(2).In prepared ternary nanohybrid,metal-coordination sensitizer(Gd-CMP) acts as an electron donor,and at the same time,rGO serves as an electron acceptor,and the synergistic effect between them efficiently enhances charges separation and inhibits e/h pair recombination in the hybridized species.The radical scavenger tests indicate that the photo-induced O_(2)^(-·) radicals dominate ACT degradation.On the basis of the experimental results and calculated energy of electronic levels,a possible mechanism for the improved photocatalytic activity is discussed.

An efficient aggregation-enhanced delayed fluorescence luminogen created with spiro donors and carbonyl acceptor for applications as an emitter and sensitizer in high-performance organic light-emitting diodes

Organic light-emitting diodes(OLEDs)fabricated using organic thermally activated delayed fluorescence materials as sensitizers have recently achieved significant advancements,but the serious efficiency roll-offs are still troublesome in most cases.Herein,a tailor-made multifunctional luminogen SBF-BP-SFAC containing 9,9′-spirobifluorene(SBF)and spiro[acridine-9,9-fluorene](SFAC)as electron donors and carbonyl as an electron acceptor is synthesized and characterized.SBF-BPSFAC has the advantages of high thermal stability,aggregation-enhanced delayed fluorescence,and balanced carrier transport ability,and prefers horizontal dipole orientation.Highly efficient OLEDs employing SBF-BP-SFAC as an emitter radiate intense cyan light with outstanding external quantum efficiencies(ηexts)of up to 30.6%.SBF-BP-SFAC can also serve as an excellent sensitizer for orange fluorescence,phosphorescence,and delayed fluorescence materials,providing excellent η exts of up to 30.3% with very small efficiency roll-offs due to the fast Förster energy transfer as well as exciton annihilation suppression by bulky spiro donors.These outstanding performances demonstrate the great potential of SBF-BP-SFAC as an emitter and sensitizer for OLEDs.

近红外无创血糖浓度的Label Sensitivity算法和支持向量机回归

近红外光谱分析技术在生物医学工程领域具有广阔应用前景。无创且持续性地测量能实时监控人体血糖水平,给糖尿病患者带来极大便利性、提高生存质量、降低糖尿病并发症发生率具有很大的社会效益。无创血糖监测的想法提出较早,但仍然存在预测精度低、预测值与标签值相关性不高等难点,至今没有达到临床要求。近年来,光谱检测技术发展迅猛且机器学习技术在智能信息处理方面具有明显优势,两者结合可以有效提高人体无创血糖医学监测模型的精度和普适性。提出了一种标签敏感度算法(LS),并结合支持向量机方法建立了人体血糖含量预测模型。使用近红外光谱仪采集了4名志愿者食指处动态血液光谱数据(每名志愿者28组数据),并使用多元散射矫正(MSC)方法消除了部分光散射的影响。考虑血糖对不同波长光的吸收有差异,提出了基于血糖浓度标签差的特征波长挑选方法,并构建了标签敏感度支持向量机(LSSVR)预测模型。设计实验,对比该模型与偏最小二乘回归(PLSR)和区分度支持向量机(FSSVR)算法。结果表明,LS算法的最佳特征波长数为32,经特征波长选择后的LSSVR表现最佳,其均方误差降低至0.02 mmol·L^(-1),明显优于全谱段PLSR模型,血糖浓度的预测值与标签值的相关系数提升至99.8%,预测值全部位于可容许误差的克拉克网格A区内。LSSVR模型的优异表现为早日实现血糖的无创监测提供了新思路。

Mitochondrial inhibitor as a new class of insulin sensitizer

Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)is a drug target in the improvement of insulin sensitivity.Several insulin-sensitizing medicines are able to activate AMPK through inhibition of mitochondrial functions.These drugs,such as metformin and STZ,inhibit ATP synthesis in mitochondria to raise AMP/ATP ratio in the.process of A MPK activation.However,chemicals that activate AMPK directly or by activating its upstream kinases have not been approved for treatment of type 2 diabetes in humans.In an early study,we reported that berberine inhibited oxygen consumption in mitochondria,and increased AMP/ATP ratio in cells.The observation suggests an indirect mechanism for AMPK activation by berberine.Berberine stimulates glycolysis for ATP production that offsets the cell toxicity after mitochondria inhibition.The study suggests that mitochondrial inhibition is an approach for AMPK activation.In this review article,literature is critically reviewed to interpret the role of mitochondria function in the mechanism of insulin resistance,which supports that mitochondria inhibitors represent a new class of AMPK activator.The inhibitors are promising candidates for insulin sensitizers.This review provides a guideline in search for small molecule AMPK activators in the drug discovery for type 2 diabetes.

A mini-review on recent progress of new sensitizers for luminescence of lanthanide doped nanomaterials

Trivalent lanthanide(Ln2+)doped luminescent nanocrystals are promising for applications ranging from biosensor,lasing,super-resolution nanoscopy,information security and so on.Although the utility prospect is of great attractions,the light absorption of these lanthanide doped nanocrystals is inherently weak due to the electric dipole-forbidden 4f→4f transitions.Even worse,the quantum yields of upconverison nanocrystals are very low,which will unavoidably hinder their further applications.In a typical lanthanide luminescent nanosystem,both sensitizers as light absorption centers and activators as light emitting centers are necessary and important for desired luminescence properties.Among various sensitization systems,only Yb3+and Nd+are considered as the most efficient sensitizers.Thus,the corresponding excitation wavelengths are strictly limited around 980 and 808 nm.To enrich excitation wavelengths and boost luminescence intensity,exploring more sensitization units that possess larger absorption cross section,higher efficiency of energy transfer process and independent excitation is imperative and beneficial for the demands of different applications,such as broadened absorption in near infrared(NIR)region for higher conversion efficiency of solar cells,prolonged excitation wavelength to second near infrared windows region(NIR Ⅱ,1,000-1,700 nm)for in vivo fluorescence imaging with deeper tissue depth and higher spatial resolution,more orthogonal excitations and emissions to improve optical multiplexing,and so on.Therefore,in the review,we primarily conclude several major energy transfer mechanisms from sensitizers to activators.Then we present three kinds of sensitizers,including lanthanide ions,organic dyes and quantum dots(QDs),and introduce the newly designed sensitization system that allows us to exploit superior excitation wavelength and amplity luminescence intensity.Finally,several future challenges and opportunities for the sensitizing strategies are discussed in hope of directing and broadening the applications of lanthanide nanosystem.

Recent progress in sono-photodynamic cancer therapy:From developed new sensitizers to nanotechnology-based efficacy-enhancing strategies

Many sensitizers have not only photodynamic effects,but also sonodynamic effects.Therefore,the combination of sonodynamic therapy(SDT)and photodynamic therapy(PDT)using sensitizers for sonophotodynamic therapy(SPDT)provides alternative opportunities for clinical cancer therapy.Although significant advances have been made in synthesizing new sensitizers for SPDT,few of them are successfully applied in clinical settings.The anti-tumor effects of the sensitizers are restricted by the lack of tumor-targeting specificity,incapability in deep intratumoral delivery,and the deteriorating tumor microenvironment.The application of nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems(NDDSs)can solve the above shortcomings,thereby improving the SPDT efficacy.This review summarizes various sensitizers as sono/photosensitizers that can be further used in SPDT,and describes different strategies for enhancing tumor treatment by NDDSs,such as overcoming biological barriers,improving tumor-targeted delivery and intratumoral delivery,providing stimuli-responsive controlled-release characteristics,stimulating anti-tumor immunity,increasing oxygen supply,employing different therapeutic modalities,and combining diagnosis and treatment.The challenges and prospects for further development of intelligent sensitizers and translational NDDSs for SPDT are also discussed.

Molecular Design of D-Tr-A Type II Organic Sensitizers for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Four new type II organic dyes with D-n-A structure （donor-n-conjugated-acceptor） and two typical type II sen- sitizers based on catechol as reference dyes are synthesized and applied in dye sensitized solar cells （DSCs）. The four dyes can be adsorbed on TiO2 through hydroxyl group directly. Electron injection can occur not only through the anchoring group （hydroxyl group） but also through the electron-withdrawing group （-CN） located close to the semiconductor surface. Experimental results show that the type II sensitizers with a D-π-A system obviously out- perform the typical type II sensitizers providing much higher conversion efficiency due to the strong electronic push-pull effect. Among these dyes, LS223 gives the best solar energy conversion efficiency of 3.6%, with Jsc = 7.3 mAocm 2, Voc=0.69 V, FF=0.71, the maximum IPCE value reaches 74.9%.

Significantly enhanced thermal stability of HMX by phase-transition lysozyme coating

A new robust bio-inspired route by using lysozyme aqueous solution for surface modification on 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane(HMX)was described in this paper.HMX crystals were coated by in situ phase transition of lysozyme(PTL)molecules.The HMX decorated by PTL was characterized by SEM,XRD,FTIR and XPS,demonstrating a dense core-shell coating layer.The coverage of lysozyme on HMX crystal was calculated by the ratio of sulfur content.The surface coverage increased from 60.5% to 93.5% when the content of PTL was changed from 0.5 wt% to 2.0 wt%,indicating efficient coating.The thermal stability of HMX was investigated by in situ XRD and DSC.The thermal phase transition temperature of HMX(β to δ phase)was delayed by 42℃ with 2.0 wt% PTL coating,which prevented HMX from thermal damage and sensitivity by the effect of PTL coating.After heating at 215℃,large cracks appeared in the naked HMX crystal,while the PTL coated HMX still maintained intact,with the impact energy of HMX dropped dramatically from 5 J to 2 J.However,the impact energy of HMX with 1.0 wt% and 2.0 wt% coating content(HMX@PTL-1.0 and HMX@PTL-2.0)was unchanged(5 J).Present results potentially enable large-scale fabrication of polymorphic energetic materials with outstanding thermal stability by novel lysozyme coating.

Finite element model updating for structural damage detection using transmissibility data

This paper presents a new finite element model updating method for estimating structural parameters and detecting structural damage location and severity based on the structural responses(output-only data).The method uses the sensitivity relation of transmissibility data through a least-squares algorithm and appropriate normalization of the extracted equations.The proposed transmissibility-based sensitivity equation produces a more significant number of equations than the sensitivity equations based on the frequency response function(FRF),which can estimate the structural parameters with higher accuracy.The abilities of the proposed method are assessed by using numerical data of a two-story two-bay frame model and a plate structure model.In evaluating different damage cases,the number,location,and stiffness reduction of the damaged elements and the severity of the simulated damage have been accurately identified.The reliability and stability of the presented method against measurement and modeling errors are examined using error-contaminated data.The parameter estimation results prove the method’s capabilities as an accurate model updating algorithm.

Identification, pathogenicity, and fungicide sensitivity of Eutiarosporella dactylidis associated with leaf blight on maize in China

Maize(Zea mays L.) is an economically vital grain crop that is cultivated worldwide. In 2011, a maize foliar disease was detected in Lingtai and Lintao counties in Gansu Province, China. The characteristic signs and symptoms of this disease include irregular chlorotic lesions on the tips and edges of infected leaves and black punctate fruiting bodies in dead leaf tissues. Given favourable environmental conditions, this disease spread to areas surrounding Gansu. In this study, infected leaves were collected from Gansu and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region between 2018and 2020 to identify the disease-causing pathogen. Based on morphological features, pathogenicity tests, and multilocus phylogenetic analysis involving internal transcribed spacer(ITS), 18S small subunit rDNA(SSU), 28S large subunit rDNA(LSU), translation elongation factor 1-alpha(TEF), and β-tubulin(TUB) sequences, Eutiarosporella dactylidis was identified as the causative pathogen of this newly discovered leaf blight. Furthermore, an in vitro bioassay was conducted on representative strains using six fungicides, and both fludioxonil and carbendazim were found to significantly inhibit the mycelial growth of E. dactylidis. The results of this study provide a reference for the detection and management of Eutiarosporella leaf blight.

Linear dichroism transition and polarization-sensitive photodetector of quasi-one-dimensional palladium bromide

Perpendicular optical reversal of the linear dichroism transition has promising applications in polarization-sensitive optoelectronic devices. We perform a systematical study on the in-plane optical anisotropy of quasi-one-dimensional PdBr_(2) by using combined measurements of the angle-resolved polarized Raman spectroscopy(ARPRS) and anisotropic optical absorption spectrum. The analyses of ARPRS data validate the anisotropic Raman properties of the PdBr_(2) flake.And anisotropic optical absorption spectrum of PdBr_(2) nanoflake demonstrates distinct optical linear dichroism reversal. Photodetector constructed by PdBr_(2) nanowire exhibits high responsivity of 747 A·W^(-1) and specific detectivity of 5.8×10^(12) Jones. And the photodetector demonstrates prominent polarization-sensitive photoresponsivity under 405-nm light irradiation with large photocurrent anisotropy ratio of 1.56, which is superior to those of most of previously reported quasi-one-dimensional counterparts. Our study offers fundamental insights into the strong optical anisotropy exhibited by PdBr_(2), establishing it as a promising candidate for miniaturization and integration trends of polarization-related applications.

Impact of effective stress on permeability for carbonate fractured-vuggy rocks

To gain insight into the flow mechanisms and stress sensitivity for fractured-vuggy reservoirs,several core models with different structural characteristics were designed and fabricated to investigate the impact of effective stress on permeability for carbonate fractured-vuggy rocks(CFVR).It shows that the permeability performance curves under different pore and confining pressures(i.e.altered stress conditions)for the fractured core models and the vuggy core models have similar change patterns.The ranges of permeability variation are significantly wider at high pore pressures,indicating that permeability reduction is the most significant during the early stage of development for fractured-vuggy reservoirs.Since each obtained effective stress coefficient for permeability(ESCP)varies with the changes in confining pressure and pore pressure,the effective stresses for permeability of four representative CFVR show obvious nonlinear characteristics,and the variation ranges of ESCP are all between 0 and 1.Meanwhile,a comprehensive ESCP mathematical model considering triple media,including matrix pores,fractures,and dissolved vugs,was proposed.It is proved theoretically that the ESCP of CFVR generally varies between 0 and 1.Additionally,the regression results showed that the power model ranked highest among the four empirical models mainly applied in stress sensitivity characterization,followed by the logarithmic model,exponential model,and binomial model.The concept of“permeability decline rate”was introduced to better evaluate the stress sensitivity performance for CFVR,in which the one-fracture rock is the strongest,followed by the fracture-vug rock and two-horizontalfracture rock;the through-hole rock is the weakest.In general,this study provides a theoretical basis to guide the design of development and adjustment programs for carbonate fractured-vuggy reservoirs.

Aggravation of Cancer,Heart Diseases and Diabetes Subsequent to COVID-19 Lockdown via Mathematical Modeling

The global populationhas beenandwill continue to be severely impacted by theCOVID-19 epidemic.The primary objective of this research is to demonstrate the future impact of COVID-19 on those who suffer from other fatal conditions such as cancer,heart disease,and diabetes.Here,using ordinary differential equations(ODEs),two mathematical models are developed to explain the association between COVID-19 and cancer and between COVID-19 and diabetes and heart disease.After that,we highlight the stability assessments that can be applied to these models.Sensitivity analysis is used to examine how changes in certain factors impact different aspects of disease.The sensitivity analysis showed that many people are still nervous about seeing a doctor due to COVID-19,which could result in a dramatic increase in the diagnosis of various ailments in the years to come.The correlation between diabetes and cardiovascular illness is also illustrated graphically.The effects of smoking and obesity are also found to be significant in disease compartments.Model fitting is also provided for interpreting the relationship between real data and the results of thiswork.Diabetic people,in particular,need tomonitor their health conditions closely and practice heart health maintenance.People with heart diseases should undergo regular checks so that they can protect themselves from diabetes and take some precautions including suitable diets.The main purpose of this study is to emphasize the importance of regular checks,to warn people about the effects of COVID-19(including avoiding healthcare centers and doctors because of the spread of infectious diseases)and to indicate the importance of family history of cancer,heart diseases and diabetes.The provision of the recommendations requires an increase in public consciousness.