Dye-Sensitized Commercial TiO2 for the Construction of Robust Nanocoatings with the Enhanced Transmittance and Visible-Light-Activated Photocatalytic Self-Cleaning Properties.

TiO2-based nanocoatings exhibit great promise in practical applications owing to their superior photocatalytic property. However, because of the wide band gap of TiO2, its photocatalytic capacity is only limited in the ultraviolet range. Herein, we designed and constructed robust SiO2@TiO2 composite nanocoatings with improved transmittance and visible-light-activated photocatalytic self-cleaning properties. Sulfonated cobalt(II) phthalocyanine (CoPcTs) was used as an organic dye to sensitize commercial TiO2 nanoparticles (Degussa P25) to form CoPcTs-P25 for visible-light photocatalysis. CoPcTs-P25 and small-sized solid silica nanoparticles (SSNs) were utilized as two building blocks, and acid-catalyzed silica sol (ACSS) was used as a binder to fabricate the nanocoatings via a simple dip-coating method without requiring any post-processing. By tuning the mass ratios of SSNs to CoPcTs-P25, the nanocoating with the optimized property showed the highest transmittance of ca. 97.0% at the wavelength of 566 nm, higher photocatalytic activity of degrading the organic pollutants than N-TiO2-based nanocoatings, high mechanical firmness of 3H level in pencil hardness test and 4A level in tape adhesion test, and good weather resistance. In short, the dye-sensitized commercial P25 TiO2 nanoparticles should be a promising building block for low-cost and easy preparation of robust nanocoatings with enhanced transmittance and visible-light-activated photocatalytic self-cleaning properties.

FAP Serves as a Prognostic Biomarker in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) poses significant challenges with poor survival rates and limited therapeutic strategies. Our study, using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data, assesses cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) gene signatures' clinical relevance. In our analysis across TCGA tumor types, differential gene expression analysis revealed that fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is upregulated in tumor tissues and associated with poorer survival rates in HNSCC. Furthermore, mechanistic studies employing gene-silencing techniques substantiated that FAP knockout led to a significant decrease in cellular proliferation, invasion, and migration in HNSCC cell lines. Through Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses, we established that high FAP expression correlates with vital biological processes such as extracellular matrix organization, angiogenesis, and cellular motility. Importantly, FAP was found to regulate these processes by promoting the expression of key proteins involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related pathways. Additionally, our analysis revealed a significant correlation between FAP expression and the expression profiles of immune checkpoint molecules, underscoring its potential role in immune modulation. Collectively, our findings illuminate FAP's pivotal role in HNSCC pathogenesis and its potential as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target. This research lays the groundwork for understanding the multifaceted roles and regulatory mechanisms of CAFs in HNSCC, thereby offering valuable perspectives for the development of targeted therapeutic strategies aimed at improving patient outcomes.