On-Demand Transport Bubbles Adhering to Noncontiguous Patterned Superhydrophobic Surfaces Using a Superhydrophobic Tweezer.

Bubble transportation and related flotation are ubiquitous phenomena in nature and industry. Various surfaces with distinct morphologies and specific wettability properties have been engineered by organisms in nature and by humans to facilitate the targeted movement of bubbles. However, existing methods predominantly rely on continuous surfaces, limiting the ability of bubbles to deviate from their path before reaching their intended destination. Therefore, directional transportation of bubbles using noncontiguous surfaces still remains a significant challenge. Inspired by water spiders' ability to capture bubbles underwater using their hydrophobic surface for survival, we propose a novel transport strategy that utilizes patterned superhydrophobic surfaces (PSHSs) and a superhydrophobic tweezer. This strategy is implemented by switching between the hood mode and puncture mode of the moving three-phase contact lines to load and unload the bubble. To quantitatively evaluate the loss ratio of the bubble during transportation, a simple and exquisite bubble-weighing apparatus is devised. Our findings indicate that circular PSHSs demonstrate superior bubble adhesion and achieve the highest bubble transport ratio of 95.1%. In order to validate the promising application of this novel method, we employ the computer numerical control (CNC) technology to facilitate the autonomous loading and precise transportation of underwater bubbles, as well as the blending and ionization of combustible gas bubbles with air bubbles at different volume ratios.

LH upregulates connexin 43 expression in granulosa cells by activating the Wnt/ß-catenin signalling pathway.

Connexin (Cx) 43 is the most widely expressed gap junction protein in follicle granulosa cells and plays an important role in follicle development and growth. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of LH on the expression of Cx43 and key proteins in the downstream Wnt-ß/catenin signalling pathway and to explore the mechanism underlying the regulation of Cx43 expression in granulosa cells. Primary culture granulosa cells were obtained from 21-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats, and were treated with different concentrations of LH (150, 300 and 600 IU L-1). Cx43 expression in granulosa cells was detected using immunofluorescence. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of Cx43, ß-catenin and Axin2 proteins (Axin2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the AXIN2 gene, which presumably plays an important role in the regulation of the stability of ß-catenin in the Wnt signaling pathway) in granulosa cells with and without FH535 treatment (a Wnt/ß-catenin signalling pathway inhibitor). Cx43 expression was detected in the cytoplasm and cell membrane of granulosa cells. Treatment with a high concentration of LH (300 IU L-1) increased the expression of ß-catenin and Axin2, as well as that of Cx43. FH535 treatment reduced the LH-induced increases in Cx43, ß-catenin and Axin2. These results indicate that LH upregulates Cx43 expression in granular cells by activating the Wnt/ß-catenin signalling pathway.

Trace-Water-Induced Competitive Coordination Synthesis and Functionalization of Porphyrinic Metal-Organic Framework Nanoparticles for Treatment of Hypoxic Tumors.

Controlling the size and morphology of metal-organic frameworks (MOF) has received increasing research interest but remains a great challenge. In this work, we demonstrate a trace-water-induced competitive coordination procedure to controllably synthesize porphyrinic MOFs including needle-shaped nanomaterials, hollow nanotubes, and nanocubes, using 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin as organic linkers and Zr4+ as inorganic building blocks. These three MOFs exhibited shape-dependent singlet oxygen (1O2) production under 655 nm laser irradiation. The designed nanocubes were functionalized by coating a MnO2 shell, which can effectively generate 1O2 in the tumor microenvironment (TME) to improve photodynamic therapy (PDT). Moreover, they reacted with GSH, and the resulted Mn2+ions generated hydroxyl radicals (·OH) for chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Therefore, the designed MOFs@MnO2 nanoparticles were responsive to the hypoxic TME to improve the efficiency of PDT and incorporate CDT for tumor ablation.