[en] Published in summary form only

[en] Highlights: • AQP1, AQP3 and AQP9 are expressed in the extravillous trophoblast cell line, Swan 71. • CuSO₄, a potent inhibitor of AQP3, significantly reduced Swan 71 cell migration. • AQP3 silencing significantly attenuates Swan 71 cell migration. • AQP3 participates in extravillous trophoblast cell migration. Several aquaporins (AQPs) are expressed in extravillous (EVT) and villous trophoblast cells. Among them, AQP3 is the most abundant AQP expressed in chorionic villi samples from first trimester, followed by AQP1 and AQP9. Although AQP3 expression persists in term placentas, it is significantly decreased in placentas from preeclamptic pregnancies. AQP3 is involved in the migration of different cell types, however its role in human placenta is still unknown. Here, we evaluated the role of AQP3 in the migration of EVT cells during early gestation. Our results showed that Swan 71 cells expressed AQP1, AQP3 and AQP9 but only the blocking of AQP3 by CuSO₄ or the silencing of its expression by siRNA significantly attenuates EVT cell migration. Our work provides evidence that AQP3 is required for EVT cell migration and suggests that an altered expression of placental AQP3 may produce failures in placentation such as in preeclampsia.

[en] Highlights: • Copper sulfate salts and copper oxide particles are embedded in filter paper. • The copper sulfate-embedded paper shows antimicrobial properties. • The copper oxide-embedded paper shows antimicrobial properties. • Embedded copper oxide particles on filter paper are nanostructured. • Amount of E.coli reduces to > 99.9% after 60 min contact with the treated.

[en] With nano-SiO₂ and sulphate acid, a kind of colloid electrolyte is synthesized by sol-gel method. It is placed outside the reference electrode as a layer of gel electrolyte so as to decrease the leaching of Cu²⁺ and increase the life of the reference electrode. The performance of the gel electrode in simulating soil solution is measured as follows: the potential of the electrodes ranging from 60 mV to 80 mV (vs. SCE) with potential variation no more than ±10 mV, enough resistance to polarization. The Cu²⁺ effusion rate of the reference electrode without gel electrolyte is 3 times that with colloid electrolyte, which means that gel electrolyte can extend the life of the reference electrode significantly

[en] A copper-copper sulfate electrode (CSE) was constructed and tested at elevated temperatures. Experimental cell potentials versus a silver-silver chloride electrode were compared against results from Gibbs energy minimization (GEM) calculations. After accounting for irreversible thermodynamic processes, experimental and calculated CSE potentials_, were generally within 3% of the observed potential from 25 to 150 °C at 3 MPa. The CSE potentials changed by less than 20 mV with increasing temperature, compared to 120 mV for the silver-silver chloride electrode. With its repeatability and small temperature dependence, the CSE electrode appears to be a viable reference electrode for measuring in-situ real time cell potentials in aqueous phase-containing media at elevated temperature and pressure.

[en] Difference in the isotopic partition at different sites of the water of crystallization of CuSO₄.5H₂O (the site preference) was estimated for the hydrogen isotopes. Fractional dehydration of CuSO₄.5H₂O under vacuum at 0 and 25⁰C was used to determine the isotopic ratio, the amount of dehydrated water, and the rate process of dehydration. The following results were obtained. (1) Two maxima occur in the isotopic ratio in the dehydration range, F < 0.8. (2) The dehydration occurs by the three sequential zeroth-order rate processes which have different rate constants for dehydration. The three different rate constants may be explained by the combination of the rate constants of dehydration of the water molecules dehydrated. The estimation of the difference in hydrogen isotope distribution for different sites, i.e., four of the five water molecules in the coordination sphere of copper ion (site A) and one bonded to the sulfate ion through hydrogen bonding (site B) was made. The site preference of hydrogen isotopes (delta D,%) was concluded to be -3.20 +- 0.52 for site A and +2.26 +- 2.09 for site B, where the delta D value was referred to the isotopic ratio of the mother liquor from which the crystal was formed

[en] We demonstrate the fabrication of large scale nano- and micropatterned copper periodic structures on a silicon substrate without imposed templates. In the electrodeposition process, we employ a periodic variation voltage in an ultrathin layer of concentrated CuSO₄ electrolyte. The pattern can be controlled by varying the frequency of the applied potential. We suggest that the observed periodic micro-/nanostructures are caused by the lag of the migrating ion concentration profile versus the applied voltage profile near the tip of the growth

[en] Highlights: • CuSO₄ nanocomposites (NCs) were fabricated by hot-melt extrusion method. • Dispersion of CuSO₄ in NCs was identified by several solid-state studies. • CuSO₄ NCs exhibited improved photothermal therapeutic efficacies in Caco-2 cells. Nanocomposites (NCs) of cupric sulfate monohydrate (CuSO₄) were fabricated by hot-melt extrusion (HME) system equipped with twin screws. Micron-sized bulk powder of CuSO₄ was dispersed in the mixture of surfactants (Span 80 and Tween 80) and hydrophilic polymer (polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000) by HME process. Reduction of surface tension by surfactants and homogeneous dispersion in hydrophilic polymer along with HME technique were introduced to prepare CuSO₄ NCs. Dispersion of CuSO₄ NCs exhibited approximately 204 nm hydrodynamic size, unimodal size distribution, and positive zeta potential values. Encapsulation of CuSO₄ in CuSO₄ NCs and the physicochemical interactions between CuSO₄ and pharmaceutical excipients were investigated by solid-state studies. Of note, CuSO₄ NCs group exhibited higher antiproliferation efficacies, compared with bulk CuSO₄, in Caco-2 (human adenocarcinoma) cells at 75 and 100 μg/mL CuSO₄ concentrations (p < 0.05). Also, near-infrared laser irradiation to CuSO₄ NCs group elevated the antiproliferation efficacies, compared with non-irradiation group, in Caco-2 cells. After intravenous injection in mice, CuSO₄ NCs did not show severe in vivo toxicities. Developed CuSO₄ NCs can be one of promising candidates of photothermal therapeutic agents for colon cancers.

No abstract available

[en] Three-dimensional analysis of crystals containing hydrogen and deuterium have produced R values of 3.7% and 5.9% respectively and the distinctive individual geometry of the five water molecules previously known in the hydrate is faithfully reproduced in the deuterate. In the hydrate the H-O-H angle ranges from 106.7 to 112.9⁰, with a standard deviation of about 0.5⁰ on the individual values, compared with a range from 104.7 to 112.6⁰, with a standard deviation of 0.3⁰, for the deuterate. (orig.)