No abstract

In the present study, it was found that the ruthenium (II) imidazole

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, CNE-2Z, when swollen by 47% hypotonic solution, exhibited a regulatory volume decrease (RVD). The RVD was inhibited by extracellular applications of the chloride channel blockers tamoxifen (30 microM; 61% inhibition), 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (NPPB, 100 microM; 60% inhibition), and ATP (10 mM; 91% inhibition). The level and time constant of RVD varied greatly between cells. Most cells conducted an incomplete RVD, but a few had the ability to recover their volume completely. There was no obvious correlation between cell volume and RVD capacity. Flow cytometric analysis showed that highly synchronous cells were obtained by the mitotic shake-off technique and that the cells progressed through the cell cycle synchronously when incubated in culture medium. Combined application of DNA synthesis inhibitors, thymidine and hydroxyurea arrested cells at the G1/S boundary and 87% of the cells reached S phase 4 h after being released. RVD capacity changed significantly during the cell cycle progression in cells synchronized by shake-off technique. RVD capacity being at its highest in G1 phase and lowest in S phase. The RVD capacity in G1 (shake-off cells sampled after 4 h of incubation), S (obtained by chemical arrest), and M cells (selected under microscope) was 73, 33, and 58%, respectively, and the time constants were 435, 769, and 2,000 sec, respectively. We conclude that RVD capacity is actively modulated in the cell cycle and RVD may play an important role in cell cycle progress.

No abstract

At the moment, sulfur immobilizers for lithium–sulfur batteries have been extensively studied. Herein, a facile synthesis of stable TiO2/TiC composite materials as sulfur immobilizers for cathodes of lithium–sulfur batteries is shown; the conductivity of TiC and strong adsorption of the Ti—O bond on sulfur in TiO2 are combined together to achieve excellent conductivity and effectively inhibit the shuttle effect of polysulfides. X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectrogram peak tests show that the TiC surface is successfully coated by a layer of TiO2 with a stable structure and excellent porosity. Physical and chemical adsorption of sulfur hosting with the TiO2/TiC composite material is formed by a hot‐melting method. Electrochemical performance tests show that when the proportion of sulfur hosting is 55%, the cathode has better reversibility, lower charge transfer impedance, and higher lithium‐ion diffusion rate. Charge and discharge results prove that the specific capacities are 1044.68, 870.62, and 696.06 mAh g−1 at 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 C, respectively, and after 400 cycles, the capacity retention rate is over 50%. This proves that TiO2/TiC composite materials are well‐suited to act as sulfur immobilizers for lithium–sulfur batteries.