Nanomaterials for radiotherapeutics-based multimodal synergistic cancer therapy

Over the past decade, numerous studies have attempted to enhance the effectiveness of radiotherapy (external beam radiotherapy and internal radioisotope therapy) for cancer treatment. However, the low radiation absorption coefficient and radiation resistance of tumors remain major critical challenges for radiotherapy in the clinic. With the development of nanomedicine, nanomaterials in combination with radiotherapy offer the possibility to improve the efficiency of radiotherapy in tumors. Nanomaterials act not only as radiosensitizers to enhance radiation energy, but also as nanocarriers to deliver therapeutic units in combating radiation resistance. In this review, we discuss opportunities for a synergistic cancer therapy by combining radiotherapy based on nanomaterials designed for chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, gas therapy, genetic therapy, and immunotherapy. We highlight how nanomaterials can be utilized to amplify antitumor radiation responses and describe cooperative enhancement interactions among these synergistic therapies. Moreover, the potential challenges and future prospects of radio-based nanomedicine to maximize their synergistic efficiency for cancer treatment are identified.

     

Resistance reduction effect of potassium bismuth titanate doping in yttrium–manganese co-doped medium Curie temperature barium titanate lead free ceramics through improved synthesis process

Through improved synthesis process, resistance reduction effect of (K_0.5Bi_0.5)TiO₃ (KBT) doping in Y–Mn co-doped BaTiO₃ (BT) lead free ceramics was investigated. By different doping methods (doping K₂O, Bi₂O₃ and TiO₂ or synthesized KBT), medium Curie temperature (around 130 °C) lead free BT ceramics were obtained with ultra-low resistivity (13.84 Ωcm) with a temperature maintaining process at 700 °C. In this contribution, effect of sintering process and doping methods is discussed in detail.     

High-voltage and low specific on-resistance power UMOSFET using P and N type columns

For the first time, we present the unique features exhibited by power 4H–SiC UMOSFET in which N and P type columns (NPC) in the drift region are incorporated to improve the breakdown voltage, the specific on-resistance, and the total lateral cell pitch. The P-type column creates a potential barrier in the drift region of the proposed structure for increasing the breakdown voltage and the N-type column reduces the specific on-resistance. Also, the JFET effects reduce and so the total lateral cell pitch will decrease. In the NPC-UMOSFET, the electric field crowding reduces due to the created potential barrier by the NPC regions and causes more uniform electric field distribution in the structure. Using two dimensional simulations, the breakdown voltage and the specific on-resistance of the proposed structure are investigated for the columns parameters in comparison with a conventional UMOSFET (C-UMOSFET) and an accumulation layer UMOSFET (AL-UMOSFET) structures. For the NPC-UMOSFET with 10 µm drift region length the maximum breakdown voltage of 1274 V is obtained, while at the same drift region length, the maximum breakdown voltages of the C-UMOSFET and the AL-UMOSFET structures are 534 and 703 V, respectively. Moreover, the proposed structure exhibits a superior specific on-resistance (R_on,sp) of 2 mΩ cm², which shows that the on-resistance of the optimized NPC-UMOSFET are decreased by 56% and 58% in comparison with the C-UMOSFET and the AL-UMOSFET, respectively.     

Electrochemical growth and characterization of iron doped cadmium sulfide thin films

Cadmium Sulfide and Ferrous doped Cadmium Sulfide thin films have been prepared on different substrates using an electrodeposition technique. Linear sweep voltammetric analysis has been carried out to determine deposition potential of the prepared films. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the prepared films possess polycrystalline nature with hexagonal structure. Surface morphology and film composition have been analyzed using Scanning electron microscopy and Energy dispersive analysis by X-rays. Optical absorption analysis showed that the prepared films are found to exhibit Band gap value in the range between 2.3, 2.8 eV for Cadmium Sulfide and Ferrous doped Cadmium Sulfide.     

Protein hydrolysates from animal processing by-products as a source of bioactive molecules with interest in animal feeding: A review

Industrial processing of livestock, poultry and fish produces a large amount of waste in a solid or liquid form that can either be destroyed or be used to make compost, biogas or other low-added value products. However, the by-products from animal processing industries have a potential for conversion into useful products of higher value, such as protein hydrolysates, with interesting applications in animal feed. Low amounts of animal protein hydrolysates included in aqua-feeds may enhance growth rate and feed conversion of farmed fish and crustacean. Animal protein hydrolysates may also be incorporated in diets to enhance the nonspecific immunity of fish. As well, these hydrolysates can be used as a good source of amino acids for newly weaned animals. Protein hydrolysates from animal by-products including antimicrobials, antioxidants, opioid-like and/or other interesting bioactive molecules have promising and interesting applications on companion and production animals. By-products from animal processing industries are therefore a promising source of bioactive peptides of considerable interest for animal care, always within the framework of the existing legislation. Possible drawbacks and future trends of the use of animal by-products and/or production of protein hydrolysates from those materials are also discussed.     

中国古典园林三维造型研究

论述了采用层次结构化及参数化三维造型方法，建立一个以造型函数库为核心，从而构造各类、各级园林景观构件表面模型的方法和过程。对于某些非建筑类的园林配景构件，采用了Ｆｒａｃｔａｌ方法进行造型。     

Effects of extended dislocations on charge distribution in GaN epilayer

We have investigated the effect of extended dislocations (0.5-3 μm) on charge distribution in GaN epilayer grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on (0001) sapphire using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning surface potential microscopy (SSPM). It has been observed for the surface at the extended dislocations present in undoped GaN film to be negatively charged showing 0.04-0.2 V higher potential relative to regions that contain no dislocations. In addition to the higher potential at the dislocation core, the surrounding surfaces, including the edge of the dislocations, are also negatively charged in a symmetric way around the dislocations revealing crater-shaped higher potential regions (∼0.04 V) relative to surrounding dislocation-free area. The experimental results show that the protrusion-type of dislocation is also negatively charged and its potential is dependent on the size of dislocation.     

Synthesis and characterization of new thermally stable poly(ester‐imide)s derived from 2,2′‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)biphenyl and 2,2′‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)‐1,1′‐binaphthyl and various aromatic dihydroxy compounds

A series of new alternating aromatic poly(ester‐imide)s were prepared by the polycondensation of the preformed imide ring‐containing diacids, 2,2′‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)biphenyl (2a) and 2,2′‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)‐1,1′‐binaphthyl (2b) with various aromatic dihydroxy compounds in the presence of pyridine and lithium chloride. A model compound (3) was also prepared by the reaction of 2b with phenol, its synthesis permitting an optimization of polymerization conditions. Poly(ester‐imides) were fully characterized by FTIR, UV‐vis and NMR spectroscopy. Both biphenylene‐ and binaphthylene‐based poly(ester‐imide)s exhibited excellent solubility in common organic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran, m‐cresol, pyridine and dichloromethane. However, binaphthylene‐based poly(ester‐imide)s were more soluble than those of biphenylene‐based polymers in highly polar organic solvents, including N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, N,N‐dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulfoxide. From differential scanning calorimetry thermograms, the polymers showed glass‐transition temperatures between 261 and 315 °C. Thermal behaviour of the polymers obtained was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, and the 10 % weight loss temperatures of the poly(ester‐imide)s was in the range 449–491 °C in nitrogen. Furthermore, crystallinity of the polymers was estimated by means of wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. The resultant poly(ester‐imide)s exhibited nearly an amorphous nature, except poly(ester‐imide)s derived from hydroquinone and 4,4′‐dihydroxybiphenyl. In general, polymers containing binaphthyl units showed higher thermal stability but lower crystallinity than polymers containing biphenyl units. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry