Sichuan University

About: Sichuan University is a education organization based out in Chengdu, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 107623 authors who have published 102844 publications receiving 1612131 citations. The organization is also known as: Sìchuān Dàxué.

Mitochondria‐Targeted Small‐Molecule Fluorophores for Dual Modal Cancer Phototherapy

Abstract: Mitochondria are recognized as the ideal target for cancer treatment because they play a central role in oxidative metabolism and apoptosis. In this work, a mitochondria-targeted near-infrared (NIR) photosensitizer (PS) for synchronous cancer photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) is synthesized. This multifunctional small-molecule PS is developed from a variety of synthesized heptamethine cyanine dyes, which are modified with various N-alkyl side chains on the lipophilic cationic heptamethine core. It is demonstrated to preferentially accumulate in cancer cells by organic-anion transporting polypeptide mediated active transport and retain in mitochondria by its lipophilic cationic property. As mitochondria are susceptible to hyperthermia and excessive reactive oxygen species, this new PS integrating PTT and PDT treatment exhibits highly efficient phototherapy in multiple cancer cells and animal xenograft models. Furthermore, this targeted PS with NIR imaging property also enables tumors and their margins clearly visualized, providing the potential for precisely imaging-guided phototherapy and treatment monitoring. This is the first report that a small-molecule PS integrates both cancer PTT and PDT treatment by targeting mitochondria, significantly increasing the photosensitization. This work may also present a practicable strategy to develop small-molecule-based cancer theranostic agents for simultaneous cancer targeting, imaging, and therapy.

Lignin valorization: lignin nanoparticles as high-value bio-additive for multifunctional nanocomposites

Abstract: Although conversion of low value but high-volume lignin by-product to its usable form is one of the determinant factors for building an economically feasible integrated lignocellulose biorefinery, it has been challenged by its structural complexity and inhomogeneity. We and others have shown that uniform lignin nanoparticles can be produced from a wide range of technical lignins, despite the varied lignocellulosic biomass and the pretreatment methods/conditions applied. This value-added nanostructure lignin enriched with multifunctional groups can be a promising versatile material platform for various downstream utilizations especially in the emerging nanocomposite fields. Inspired by the story of successful production and application of nanocellulose biopolymer, two types of uniform lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) were prepared through self-assembling of deep eutectic solvent (DES) and ethanol-organosolv extracted technical lignins derived from a two-stage fractionation pretreatment approach, respectively. Both LPNs exhibited sphere morphology with unique core–shell nanostructure, where the DES–LNPs showed a more uniform particle size distribution. When incorporated into the traditional polymeric matrix such as poly(vinyl alcohol), these LPN products displayed great potential to formulate a transparent nanocomposite film with additional UV-shielding efficacy (reached ~80% at 400 nm with 4 wt% of LNPs) and antioxidant functionalities (reached ~160 μm mol Trolox g−1 with 4 wt% of LNPs). At the same time, the abundant phenolic hydroxyl groups on the shell of LNPs also provided good interfacial adhesion with PVA matrix through the formation of hydrogen bonding network, which further improved the mechanical and thermal performances of the fabricated LNPs/PVA nanocomposite films. Both LNPs are excellent candidates for producing multifunctional polymer nanocomposites using facile technical route. The prepared transparent and flexible LNPs/PVA composite films with high UV-shielding efficacy, antioxidant activity, and biocompatibility are promising in the advanced packaging field, which potentially provides an additional high-value lignin product stream to the lignocellulose biorefinery. This study could open the door for the production and application of novel LNPs in the nascent bioeconomy.

A Consensus Model for Large-Scale Linguistic Group Decision Making With a Feedback Recommendation Based on Clustered Personalized Individual Semantics and Opposing Consensus Groups

Abstract: In linguistic large-scale group decision making (LSGDM), it is often necessary to achieve a consensus. Particularly, when computing with words and linguistic decision, we must keep in mind that words mean different things to different people. Therefore, to represent the specific semantics of each individual, we need to consider the personalized individual semantics (PIS) model in linguistic LSGDM. In this paper, we propose a consensus model based on PIS for LSGDM. Specifically, a PIS process to obtain the individual semantics of linguistic terms with linguistic preference relations is introduced. A consensus process based on PIS, including the consensus measure and feedback recommendation phases, is proposed to improve the willingness of decision makers who follow the suggestions to revise their preferences in order to achieve a consensus in linguistic LSGDM problems. The consensus measure defines two opposing consensus groups with respective acceptable and unacceptable consensus. In the feedback recommendation phase, a PIS-based clustering method to get decision makers with similar individual semantics is proposed. Recommendation rules design a feedback for decision makers with unacceptable consensus, finding suitable moderators from the decision makers with acceptable consensus based on cluster proximity.

General conformable fractional derivative and its physical interpretation

Abstract: Fractional calculus is a powerful and effective tool for modelling nonlinear systems. In this paper, we introduce a class of new fractional derivative named general conformable fractional derivative (GCFD) to describe the physical world. The GCFD is generalized from the concept of conformable fractional derivative (CFD) proposed by Khalil. We point out that the term $$t^{1-\alpha }$$ in CFD definition is not essential and it is only a kind of “fractional conformable function”. We also give physical and geometrical interpretations of GCFD which thus indicate potential applications in physics and engineering. It is easy to demonstrate that CFD is a special case of GCFD, then to the authors’ knowledge, so far we first give the physical and geometrical interpretations of CFD. The above work is done by a new framework named Extended Gâteaux derivative and Linear Extended Gâteaux derivative which are natural extensions of Gâteaux derivative. As an application, we discuss a scheme for solving fractional differential equations of GCFD.

Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry

Abstract: Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) is a powerful tool for the determination of many elements in a variety of different sample matrices. With this method, liquid samples are injected into a radiofrequency (RF)-induced argon plasma using one of a variety of nebulizers or sample introduction techniques. The sample mist reaching the plasma is quickly dried, vaporized, and energized through collisional excitation at high temperature. The atomic emission emanating from the plasma is viewed in either a radial or axial configuration, collected with a lens or mirror, and imaged onto the entrance slit of a wavelength selection device. Single-element measurements can be performed cost-effectively with a simple monochromator–photomultiplier tube (PMT) combination, and simultaneous multielement determinations are performed for up to 70 elements with the combination of a polychromator and an array detector. The analytical performance of such systems is competitive with most other inorganic analysis techniques, especially with regard to sample throughput and sensitivity. Keywords: atomic spectrometry; instrumental analysis; argon plasma; nebulizers; gratings; charge-coupled device; multielement determination; trace element analysis; internal standard additions; standard dilution analysis