A one-step thermal decomposition strategy, in which a novel reductant participated, was developed to prepare superparamagnetic nearly cubic monodisperse Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles loaded on multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs/Fe 3 O 4 ). Subsequently, the as-prepared MWCNTs/Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposites were modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) (MWCNTs/Fe 3 O 4 -NH 2 ). The materials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and the BET surface area method. The results indicated that superparamagnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were successfully loaded onto the surface of the MWCNTs, and APTS was also modified on the MWCNTs/Fe 3 O 4 magnetic nanocomposites. The two as-prepared magnetic nanocomposites were used as adsorbents to remove tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and Pb(II) from wastewater. The adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherms of TBBPA and Pb(II) on the two asprepared adsorbents were studied at pH 7.0 and 5.3, respectively. It was revealed that MWCNTs/ Fe 3 O 4 -NH 2 performed better than the MWCNTs/Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposites for the adsorption properties of TBBPA and Pb(II). After adsorption, both adsorbents could be conveniently separated from the media by an external magnetic field within several seconds, and regenerated in 0.1 M NaOH solution.

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Metabolite lactic acid has always been regarded as a metabolic by-product rather than a bioactive molecule. Recently, this view has changed since it was discovered that lactic acid can be used as a signal molecule and has novel signal transduction functions both intracellular and extracellular, which can regulate key functions in the immune system. in recent years, more and more evidence has shown that lactic acid is closely related to the metabolism and polarization of macrophages. During inflammation, lactic acid is a regulator of macrophage metabolism, and it can prevent excessive inflammatory responses; in malignant tumors, lactic acid produced by tumor tissues promotes the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages, which in turn promotes tumor progression. in this review, we examined the relationship between lactic acid and macrophage metabolism. we further discussed how lactic acid plays a role in maintaining the homeostasis of macrophages, as well as the biology of macrophage polarization and the M1/M2 imbalance in human diseases. Potential methods to target lactic acid in the treatment of inflammation and cancer will also be discussed so as to provide new strategies for the treatment of diseases.

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Nitric oxide (NO) gas therapy has aroused intense interest in recent years. l-Arginine (l-Arg) reacts with reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tumor cells to generate NO. This phenomenon represents an effective method for tumor therapy. However, endogenous ROS levels in most types of tumor cells cannot enable an effective reaction. β-Lapachone is generally used to increase H2O2, which can oxidize guanidine derivatives to form nitric oxide in tumor cells. In addition, based on the ferrocene (Fc)-catalyzed Fenton reaction, ·OH is generated from H2O2, and the ONOO– could be generated from an interaction between ·O2 – (generated through the Haber–Weiss reaction) and NO. Arg-rich poly­(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-b-PArg, a macromolecular NO donor, was accurately synthesized to avoid premature l-Arg leakage during in vivo transport. In this design, the self-assembled PCL-b-PArg nanoparticles were dressed with the tumor-shreddable masking (PEG-b-PDMA, a negatively charged pH-sensitive hydrophilic diblock polymer), to prepare P-lapa-Fc nanoparticles and hide penetrative capability in the circulation. The experimental results confirmed that this synergistic therapy based on ROS and NO had a significant inhibitory effect on cancer cells, thereby providing new inspiration for NO gas treatment.

A simple preparation process for the monodispersed pH-sensitive core-shell magnetic microspheres was carried out consisting of chitosan self-assembled on magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Meanwhile, glucoamylase was immobilized as a model enzyme on this carrier of Fe(3)O(4)/CS microspheres by ionic adsorption. The morphology, inner structure, and high magnetic sensitivity of the resulting magnetic chitosan microspheres were studied, respectively, with a field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), FT-IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Subsequently, the properties of glucoamylase immobilized on the regenerated supports were also investigated by determining storage stability, pH stability, reusability, magnetic response, and regeneration of supports. The results from characterization and determination remarkably indicated that the immobilized glucoamylase obtained presents excellent storage stability, pH stability, reusability, magnetic response, and regeneration of supports. Therefore, this kind of magnetic Fe(3)O(4)/CS microspheres with perfect monodispersity should be an ideal support for enzyme immobilization.

Novel core–shell polypyrrole/graphene oxide (PPy–GO) nanomaterials of uniform PPy nanospheres and GO have been synthesized by an in situ surface-initiated polymerization method.

Stretchable solvent-free ionic conductors with outstanding physicochemical stability are attractive in the emerging sensing devices. However, existing ionic conductors struggle to keep high strain sensitivity with a gauge factor (GF)...