Highly ordered three-dimensional α-Fe2O3@PANI core-shell nanowire arrays with enhanced specific areal capacity and rate performance are fabricated by a simple and cost-effective electrodeposition method. The α-Fe2O3@PANI core-shell nanowire arrays provide a large reaction surface area, fast ion and electron transfer, and good structure stability, which all are beneficial for improving the electrochemical performance. Here, high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) are designed using α-Fe2O3@PANI core-shell nanowire arrays as anode and PANI nanorods grown on carbon cloth as cathode, and they display a high volumetric capacitance of 2.02 mF/cm3 based on the volume of device, a high energy density of 0.35 mWh/cm3 at a power density of 120.51 mW/cm3, and very good cycling stability with capacitance retention of 95.77% after 10,000 cycles. These findings will promote the application of α-Fe2O3@PANI core-shell nanowire arrays as advanced negative electrodes for ASCs.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. The incidence of HCC is strikingly higher in males than in females. The remarkable gender disparity suggests an important role for sex hormones in HCC pathogenesis. Recently, estrogen has emerged as a protective factor in the development and progression of HCC, but whether it prevents and attenuates HCC, and the mechanism of protection, have not been elucidated. The present study shows that expression of estrogen receptor (ER) β was significantly downregulated in HCC tissue compared with normal liver tissue; moreover, its expression level showed a significant negative correlation with disease progression and a positive correlation with the expression level of NLRP3 inflammasome components. In a previous study, we showed that loss of NLRP3 inflammasome in HCC tissue contributed to tumor progression, whereas the mechanism of its deregulation was not elucidated. In this study, we investigated the potential link between NLRP3 inflammasome and estrogen. Our data reveal that treatment with 17β-estradiol (E2) significantly inhibited the malignant behavior of HCC cells through E2/ERβ/ MAPK pathway-mediated upregulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. This study shows a novel link between ERβ and the NLRP3 inflammasome in HCC progression, which provides a potentially valuable therapeutic strategy for treatment of HCC patients.

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Rapid determination of trace antibiotics is critical for environmental monitoring and the ecosystem. In this study, a sensitive and selective electrochemical sensor for ciprofloxacin (Cip) detection by anodic stripping voltammetry of Cu2+ is designed. Zr­(IV)-based metal–organic framework (MOF) NH2–UiO-66 and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composites are used as working electrodes, which have a large surface area with porous structure and high electrical conductivity. Because Cip can form a stable composite with Cu2+ due to the complexation reaction, the anodic stripping voltammetry method is used for Cip determination with Cu deposition on the NH2–UiO-66/RGO-modified electrode. When Cip is present, the oxidization current of Cu2+ decreases significantly due to the formation of Cu2+–Cip complex. The prepared NH2–UiO-66/RGO sensor can detect trace levels of Cip down to 6.67 nM with a sensitivity of 10.86 μA μM–1, and a linear working range from 0.02 to 1 μM, which is superior to other electrochemical Cip sensors reported previously. The sensor also shows high selectivity, reproducibility, and stability in Cip sensing. Meanwhile, the electrochemical sensor is capable to detect Cip in real water samples with satisfactory recoveries. The ultrasensitivity, rapid detection, and easy operation of the reported sensors present significant potentials for real-time analysis and monitoring of trace antibiotic contaminants in water.