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Creators/Authors contains: "Xu, Liang"

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  1. Chemotherapy remains the standard treatment for triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC); however, chemoresistance compromises its efficacy. The RNA‐binding protein Hu antigen R (HuR) could be a potential therapeutic target to enhance the chemotherapy efficacy. HuR is known to mainly stabilize its target mRNAs, and/or promote the translation of encoded proteins, which are implicated in multiple cancer hallmarks, including chemoresistance. In this study, a docetaxel‐resistant cell subline (231‐TR) was established from the human TNBC cell line MDA‐MB‐231. Both the parental and resistant cell lines exhibited similar sensitivity to the small molecule functional inhibitor of HuR, KH‐3. Docetaxel and KH‐3 combination therapy synergistically inhibited cell proliferation in TNBC cells and tumor growth in three animal models. KH‐3 downregulated the expression levels of HuR targets (e.g., β‐Catenin and BCL2) in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner. Moreover, KH‐3 restored docetaxel's effects on activating Caspase‐3 and cleaving PARP in 231‐TR cells, induced apoptotic cell death, and caused S‐phase cell cycle arrest. Together, our findings suggest that HuR is a critical mediator of docetaxel resistance and provide a rationale for combining HuR inhibitors and chemotherapeutic agents to enhance chemotherapy efficacy. 
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  2. null (Ed.)
    The synthesis of a low-molecular weight, neutral, porphyrin meso-tetra(dioxan-2-yl)porphyrin of significant solubility in aqueous solution is described using 4 × 1 or 2 + 2-type approaches. The key intermediate dioxan-2-carbaldehyde is accessible in either racemic or in stereo-pure forms from commercially available starting materials in three steps, allowing also the preparation of chiral porphyrins. 
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  3. Metal-halide perovskites, in particular their nanocrystal forms, have emerged as a new generation of light-emitting materials with exceptional optical properties, including narrow emissions covering the whole visible region with high photoluminescence quantum efficiencies of up to near-unity. Remarkable progress has been achieved over the last few years in the areas of materials development and device integration. A variety of synthetic approaches have been established to precisely control the compositions and microstructures of metal-halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) with tunable bandgaps and emission colors. The use of metal-halide perovskite NCs as active materials for optoelectronic devices has been extensively explored. Here, we provide a brief overview of recent advances in the development and application of metal-halide perovskite NCs. From color tuning via ion exchange and manipulation of quantum size effects, to stability enhancement via surface passivation, new chemistry for materials development is discussed. In addition, processes in optoelectronic devices based on metal-halide perovskite NCs, in particular, light-emitting diodes and radiation detectors, will be introduced. Opportunities for future research in metal-halide perovskite NCs are provided as well. 
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  4. Abstract Scintillation based X-ray detection has received great attention for its application in a wide range of areas from security to healthcare. Here, we report highly efficient X-ray scintillators with state-of-the-art performance based on an organic metal halide, ethylenebis-triphenylphosphonium manganese (II) bromide ((C38H34P2)MnBr4), which can be prepared using a facile solution growth method at room temperature to form inch sized single crystals. This zero-dimensional organic metal halide hybrid exhibits green emission peaked at 517 nm with a photoluminescence quantum efficiency of ~ 95%. Its X-ray scintillation properties are characterized with an excellent linear response to X-ray dose rate, a high light yield of ~ 80,000 photon MeV−1, and a low detection limit of 72.8 nGy s−1. X-ray imaging tests show that scintillators based on (C38H34P2)MnBr4powders provide an excellent visualization tool for X-ray radiography, and high resolution flexible scintillators can be fabricated by blending (C38H34P2)MnBr4powders with polydimethylsiloxane. 
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  6. Optically pumped white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs), consisting of blue/ultraviolet LED chips and down conversion phosphors, have a wide range of applications in our daily life, such as full color display and solid-state lighting. While remarkable progress in light quality, device efficiency, and lifetime has been achieved during the last two decades, many challenges remain in optically pumped WLEDs, and searching for low cost high performance down conversion phosphors is still of great interest. Recently, metal halide perovskites have emerged as a highly promising new generation of light emitters for their exceptional optical properties with high quantum efficiencies and color tunability, which have also inspired researchers to investigate their derivatives. In this perspective, we briefly review the progress during the last few years in the development of metal halide perovskites and perovskite-related materials as down conversion phosphors for optically pumped WLEDs. We also highlight some major issues and challenges that need to be addressed to enable perovskite-based light emitters to possibly replace currently used rare-earth doped inorganic phosphors and quantum dots. 
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  7. Metal halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have emerged as new-generation light-emitting materials with narrow emissions and high photoluminescence quantum efficiencies (PLQEs). Various types of perovskite NCs, e.g., platelets, wires, and cubes, have been discovered to exhibit tunable emissions across the whole visible spectrum. Despite remarkable advances in the field of perovskite NCs, many nanostructures in inorganic NCs have not yet been realized in metal halide perovskites, and producing highly efficient blue-emitting perovskite NCs remains challenging and of great interest. Here, we report the discovery of highly efficient blue-emitting cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr 3 ) perovskite hollow NCs. By facile solution processing of CsPbBr 3 precursor solution containing ethylenediammonium bromide and sodium bromide, in situ formation of hollow CsPbBr 3 NCs with controlled particle and pore sizes is realized. Synthetic control of hollow nanostructures with quantum confinement effect results in color tuning of CsPbBr 3 NCs from green to blue, with high PLQEs of up to 81%. 
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