Abstract: The failure of drug efficacy in clinical trials remains a big issue in cancer research. This is largely due to the limitations of two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures, the most used tool in drug screening. Nowadays, three-dimensional (3D) cultures, including spheroids, are acknowledged to be a better model of the in vivo environment, but detailed cell death assays for 3D cultures (including those for ferroptosis) are scarce. In this work, we show that a new cell death analysis method, named 3D Cell Death Assay (3DELTA), can efficiently determine different cell death types including ferroptosis and quantitatively assess cell death in tumour spheroids. Our method uses Sytox dyes as a cell death marker and Triton X-100, which efficiently permeabilizes all cells in spheroids, was used to establish 100% cell death. After optimization of Sytox concentration, Triton X-100 concentration and timing, we showed that the 3DELTA method was able to detect signals from all cells without the need to disaggregate spheroids. Moreover, in this work we demonstrated that 2D experiments cannot be extrapolated to 3D cultures as 3D cultures are less sensitive to cell death induction. In conclusion, 3DELTA is a more cost-effective way to identify and measure cell death type in 3D cultures, including spheroids.

Abstract: The energy dependence of a pulsed-dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment on chemical species production and biological responses was investigated. We hypothesized that the total plasma energy delivered during treatment encompasses the influence of major application parameters. A microsecond-pulsed DBD system was used to treat three different cancer cell lines and cell viability was analyzed. The energy per pulse was measured and the total plasma treatment energy was controlled by adjusting the pulse frequency, treatment time, and application distance. Our data suggest that the delivered plasma energy plays a predominant role in stimulating a biological response in vitro. This study aids in developing steps toward defining a plasma treatment unit and treatment dose for biomedical and clinical research.

Abstract: We have realized a reversible structure transformation of one-dimensional 1D K4CdCl6-type Sr3CoMO6 with the Co2+/M4+ cation ordering into the two-dimensional 2D double layered Ruddlesden-Popper structure Sr3CoMO7-delta with a random distribution of Co and M (with M = Ru, Ir) upon increasing the partial oxygen pressure. The combined soft and hard X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies show that under transformation, Co and M cations were oxidized to Co3+ and M5+. During oxidation, high-spin Co2+ in Sr3CoMO6 first transforms into high-spin Co3+ in oxygen-deficient Sr3CoMO7-delta, and then further transforms into low-spin Co3+ in fully oxidized Sr3CoMO7 upon further increasing the partial pressure of oxygen. The 1D Sr3CoMO6 compound is magnetically ordered at low temperatures with the magnetic moments lying along the c-axis. Their alignment is parallel for Sr3CoRuO6 and antiparallel for Sr3CoIrO6. The 2D compounds reveal a spin-glass-like behavior related to the random distribution of magnetic cations in the structure.

Abstract: The nuclear and magnetic structure of a novel oxychloride Pb4BiFe4O11Cl has been studied over the temperature range 1.5700 K using a combination of transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron and neutron powder diffraction [space group P4/mbm, a = 5.5311(1) Å, c = 19.586(1) Å, T = 300 K]. Pb4BiFe4O11Cl is built of truncated (Pb,Bi)3Fe4O11 quadruple perovskite blocks separated by CsCl-type (Pb,Bi)2Cl slabs. The perovskite blocks consist of two layers of FeO6 octahedra located between two layers of FeO5 tetragonal pyramids. The FeO6 octahedra rotate about the c axis, resulting in a √2ap × √2ap × c superstructure. Below TN = 595(17) K, Pb4BiFe4O11Cl adopts a G-type antiferromagnetic structure with the iron magnetic moments confined to the ab plane. The ordered magnetic moments at 1.5 K are 3.93(3) and 3.62(4) μB on the octahedral and square-pyramidal iron sites, respectively. Pb4BiFe4O11Cl can be considered a member of the perovskite-based An+1BnO3n1Cl homologous series (A = Pb/Bi; B = Fe) with n = 4. The formation of a subsequent member of the series with n = 5 is also demonstrated.

Abstract: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a challenging neoplastic disease, mainly due to the development of resistance to radio- and chemotherapy. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is an alternative technology that can eliminate cancer cells through oxidative damage, as shown in vitro, in ovo, and in vivo. However, how CAP affects the pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), key players in the invasion and metastasis of PDAC, is poorly understood. This study aims to determine the effect of an anti-PDAC CAP treatment on PSCs tissue developed in ovo using mono- and co-cultures of RLT-PSC (PSCs) and Mia PaCa-2 cells (PDAC). We measured tissue reduction upon CAP treatment and mRNA expression of PSC activation markers and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling factors via qRT-PCR. Protein expression of selected markers was confirmed via immunohistochemistry. CAP inhibited growth in Mia PaCa-2 and co-cultured tissue, but its effectiveness was reduced in the latter, which correlates with reduced ki67 levels. CAP did not alter the mRNA expression of PSC activation and ECM remodelling markers. No changes in MMP2 and MMP9 expression were observed in RLT-PSCs, but small changes were observed in Mia PaCa-2 cells. Our findings support the ability of CAP to eliminate PDAC cells, without altering the PSCs.

Abstract: A novel anion-deficient perovskite-based compound, Pb2.4Ba2.6Fe2Sc2TiO13, was synthesized via the citrate-based route. This compound is an n = 5 member of the A(n)B(n)O(3n-2) homologous series with unit-cell parameters related to the perovskite subcell a(p) approximate to 4.0 angstrom as a(p)root 2 x a(p) x 5a(p)root 2. The crystal structure of Pb2.4Ba2.6Fe2Sc2TiO13 consists of quasi-2D perovskite blocks with a thickness of three octahedral layers separated by the 1/2[110]((1) over bar 01)(p) crystallographic shear (CS) planes, which are parallel to the {110} plane of the perovskite subcell. The CS planes transform the corner-sharing octahedra into chains of edge-sharing distorted tetragonal pyramids. Using a combination of neutron powder diffraction, Fe-57 Mossbauer spectroscopy and atomic resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy we demonstrate that the B-cations in Pb2.4Ba2.6Fe2Sc2TiO13 are ordered along the {110} perovskite layers with Fe3+ in distorted tetragonal pyramids along the CS planes, Ti4+ preferentially in the central octahedra of the perovskite blocks and Sc3+ in the outer octahedra of the perovskite blocks. Magnetic susceptibility and Mossbauer spectroscopy indicate a broadened magnetic transition around T-N similar to 45 K and the onset of local magnetic fields at low temperatures. The magnetic order is probably reminiscent of that in other A(n)B(n)O(3n-2) homologues, where G-type AFM order within the perovskite blocks has been observed.

Abstract: Highly homogeneous mullite-type solid solutions Bi2Fe4-xCrxO9 (x = 0.5, 1, 1.2) were synthesized using a soft chemistry technique followed by a solid-state reaction in Ar. The crystal structure of Bi2Fe3CrO9 was investigated using X-ray and neutron powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and Fe-57 Mossbauer spectroscopy (S.G. Pbam, a = 7.95579(9) angstrom , b = 8.39145(9) angstrom, c = 5.98242(7) angstrom, R-F(X-ray) = 0.022, R-F(neutron) = 0.057). The ab planes in the structure are tessellated with distorted pentagonal loops built up by three tetrahedrally coordinated Fe sites and two octahedrally coordinated Fe/Cr sites, linked together in the ab plane by corner-sharing forming a pentagonal Cairo lattice. Magnetic susceptibility measurements and powder neutron diffraction show that the compounds order antiferromagnetically (AFM) with the Neel temperatures decreasing upon increasing the Cr content from T-N similar to 250 K for x = 0 to T-N similar to 155 K for x = 1.2. The magnetic structure of Bi2Fe3CrO9 at T = 30 K is characterized by a propagation vector k = (1/2,1/2,1/2). The tetrahedrally coordinated Fe cations form singlet pairs within dimers of corner-sharing tetrahedra, but spins on the neighboring dimers are nearly orthogonal. The octahedrally coordinated (Fe, Cr) cations form antiferromagnetic up-up-down-down chains along c, while the spin arrangement in the ab plane is nearly orthogonal between nearest neighbors and collinear between second neighbors. The resulting magnetic structure is remarkably different from the one in pure Bi2Fe4O9 and features several types of spin correlations even on crystallographically equivalent exchange that may be caused by the simultaneous presence of Fe and Cr on the octahedral site.

Abstract: Korund-artiges ε-Mn2O3 und Perowskit-artiges ζ-Mn2O3, zwei neue Phasen von Mn2O3, wurden unter hohen Drücken bei hohen Temperaturen synthetisiert. Die Manganatome können vollständig die A- und B-Positionen der Perowskitstruktur besetzen. ζ-Mn2O3 (siehe Bild, A-Positionsordnung) enthält Mn in den drei Oxidationsstufen +II, +III und +IV.

Abstract: A novel application for non-thermal plasma is the induction of immunogenic cancer cell death for cancer immunotherapy. Cells undergoing immunogenic death emit danger signals which facilitate anti-tumor immune responses. Although pathways leading to immunogenic cell death are not fully understood; oxidative stress is considered to be part of the underlying mechanism. Here; we studied the interaction between dielectric barrier discharge plasma and cancer cells for oxidative stress-mediated immunogenic cell death. We assessed changes to the intracellular oxidative environment after plasma treatment and correlated it to emission of two danger signals: surface-exposed calreticulin and secreted adenosine triphosphate. Plasma-generated reactive oxygen and charged species were recognized as the major effectors of immunogenic cell death. Chemical attenuators of intracellular reactive oxygen species successfully abrogated oxidative stress following plasma treatment and modulated the emission of surface-exposed calreticulin. Secreted danger signals from cells undergoing immunogenic death enhanced the anti-tumor activity of macrophages. This study demonstrated that plasma triggers immunogenic cell death through oxidative stress pathways and highlights its potential development for cancer immunotherapy.

Abstract: The n = 3-6 members of a new perovskite-based homologous series Bi(3n+1)Ti7Fe(3n-3)O(9n+11) are reported. The crystal structure of the n = 3 Bi10Ti7Fe6O38 member is refined using a combination of X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data (a = 11.8511(2) A, b = 3.85076(4) A, c = 33.0722(6) A, S.G. Immm), unveiling the partially ordered distribution of Ti(4+) and Fe(3+) cations and indicating the presence of static random displacements of the Bi and O atoms. All Bi(3n+1)Ti7Fe(3n-3)O(9n+11) structures are composed of perovskite blocks separated by translational interfaces parallel to the (001)p perovskite planes. The thickness of the perovskite blocks increases with n, while the atomic arrangement at the interfaces remains the same. The interfaces comprise chains of double edge-sharing (Fe,Ti)O6 octahedra connected to the octahedra of the perovskite blocks by sharing edges and corners. This configuration shifts the adjacent perovskite blocks relative to each other over a vector (1/2)[110]p and creates S-shaped tunnels along the [010] direction. The tunnels accommodate double columns of the Bi(3+) cations, which stabilize the interfaces owing to the stereochemical activity of their lone electron pairs. The Bi(3n+1)Ti7Fe(3n-3)O(9n+11) structures can be formally considered either as intergrowths of perovskite modules and polysynthetically twinned modules of the Bi2Ti4O11 structure or as intergrowths of the 2D perovskite and 1D anatase fragments. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on Bi10Ti7Fe6O38 reveals that static atomic displacements of Bi and O inside the perovskite blocks are not completely random; they are cooperative, yet only short-range ordered. According to TEM, the interfaces can be laterally shifted with respect to each other over +/-1/3a, introducing an additional degree of disorder. Bi10Ti7Fe6O38 is paramagnetic in the 1.5-1000 K temperature range due to dilution of the magnetic Fe(3+) cations with nonmagnetic Ti(4+). The n = 3, 4 compounds demonstrate a high dielectric constant of 70-165 at room temperature.

Abstract: We report crystal structure, electronic structure, and magnetism of manganese tetraboride, MnB4, synthesized under high-pressure, high-temperature conditions. In contrast to superconducting FeB4 and metallic CrB4, which are both orthorhombic, MnB4 features a monoclinic crystal structure. Its lower symmetry originates from a Peierls distortion of the Mn chains. This distortion nearly opens the gap at the Fermi level, but despite the strong dimerization and the proximity of MnB4 to the insulating state, we find indications for a sizable paramagnetic effective moment of about 1.7 mu(B)/f.u., ferromagnetic spin correlations, and, even more surprisingly, a prominent electronic contribution to the specific heat. However, no magnetic order has been observed in standard thermodynamic measurements down to 2 K. Altogether, this renders MnB4 a structurally simple but microscopically enigmatic material; we argue that its properties may be influenced by electronic correlations.

Abstract: We apply neutron diffraction, high-resolution synchrotron x-ray diffraction, magnetization measurements, electronic structure calculations, and quantum Monte-Carlo simulations to unravel the structure and magnetism of (CuCl)LaTa2O7. Despite the pseudo-tetragonal crystallographic unit cell, this compound features an orthorhombic superstructure, similar to the Nb-containing (CuX)LaNb2O7 with X = Cl and Br. The spin lattice entails dimers formed by the antiferromagnetic fourth-neighbor coupling J(4), as well as a large number of nonequivalent interdimer couplings quantified by an effective exchange parameter J(eff). In (CuCl)LaTa2O7, the interdimer couplings are sufficiently strong to induce the long-range magnetic order with the Neel temperature T-N similar or equal to 7 K and the ordered magnetic moment of 0.53 mu(B), as measured with neutron diffraction. This magnetic behavior can be accounted for by J(eff)/J(4) similar or equal to 1.6 and J(4) similar or equal to 16 K. We further propose a general magnetic phase diagram for the (CuCl)LaNb2O7-type compounds, and explain the transition from the gapped spin-singlet (dimer) ground state in (CuCl)LaNb2O7 to the long-range antiferromagnetic order in (CuCl)LaTa2O7 and (CuBr)LaNb2O7 by an increase in the magnitude of the interdimer couplings J(eff)/J(4), with the (CuCl)LaM2O7 (M = Nb, Ta) compounds lying on different sides of the quantum critical point that separates the singlet and long-range-ordered magnetic ground states.

Abstract: technologies have been expanding, and one of the most exciting and rapidly growing
applications is in biology and medicine. Most biomedical studies with DBD plasma systems are performed in vitro, which include cells grown on the surface of plastic well plates, or in vivo, which include animal research models (e.g. mice, pigs). Since many DBD systems use the biological target as the secondary electrode for direct plasma generation and treatment, they are sensitive to the surface properties of the target, and thus can be altered based on the in vitro or in vivo system used. This could consequently affect biological response from plasma treatment. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the DBD plasma behavior both in vitro (i.e. 96-well flat bottom plates, 96-well U-bottom plates, and 24-well flat bottom plates), and in vivo (i.e. mouse skin). Intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) imaging was performed and the plasma discharges were visually distinguishable between the different systems. The geometry of the wells did not affect DBD plasma generation for low application distances (≤ 2 mm), but differentially affected plasma uniformity on the bottom of the well at greater distances. Since DBD plasma treatment in vitro is rarely performed in dry wells for plasma medicine experiments, the effect of well wetness was also investigated. In all in vitro cases, the uniformity of the DBD plasma was affected when comparing wet versus dry wells, with the plasma in the wide-bottom wells appearing the most similar to plasma generated on mouse skin. Interestingly, based on quantification of ICCD images, the DBD plasma intensity per surface area demonstrated an exponential one-phase decay with increasing application distance, regardless of the in vitro or in vivo system. This trend is similar to that of the energy per pulse of plasma, which is used to determine the total plasma treatment energy for biological systems. Optical emission spectroscopy performed on the plasma revealed similar trends in radical species generation between the plastic well plates and mouse skin. Therefore, taken together, DBD plasma intensity per surface area may be a valuable parameter to be used as a simple method for in situ monitoring during biological treatment and active plasma treatment control, which can be applied for in vitro and in vivo systems.