Identification of a novel marker and its associated laccase gene for regulating ear length in tropical and subtropical maize lines.

KEY MESSAGE: This study revealed the identification of a novel gene, Zm00001d042906, that regulates maize ear length by modulating lignin synthesis and reported a molecular marker for selecting maize lines with elongated ears. Maize ear length has garnered considerable attention due to its high correlation with yield. In this study, six maize inbred lines of significant importance in maize breeding were used as parents. The temperate maize inbred line Ye107, characterized by a short ear, was crossed with five tropical or subtropical inbred lines featuring longer ears, creating a multi-parent population displaying significant variations in ear length. Through genome-wide association studies and mutation analysis, the A/G variation at SNP_183573532 on chromosome 3 was identified as an effective site for discriminating long-ear maize. Furthermore, the associated gene Zm00001d042906 was found to correlate with maize ear length. Zm00001d042906 was functionally annotated as a laccase (Lac4), which showed activity and influenced lignin synthesis in the midsection cells of the cob, thereby regulating maize ear length. This study further reports a novel molecular marker and a new gene that can assist maize breeding programs in selecting varieties with elongated ears.

Saving 80% Polypropylene in Facemasks by Laser-Assisted Melt-Blown Nanofibers.

The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic requires enormous production of facemasks and related personal protection materials, thereby increasing the amount of nondegradable plastic waste. The core material for facemasks is melt-blown polypropylene (PP) fiber. Each disposable facemask consumes ∼0.7 g of PP fibers, resulting in annual global consumption and disposal of more than 1 150 000 tons of PP fibers annually. Herein, we developed a laser-assisted melt-blown (LAMB) technique to manufacture PP nanofibers with a quality factor of 0.17 Pa-1 and significantly reduced the filter's weight. We demonstrated that a standard surgical facemask could be made with only 0.13 g of PP nanofibers, saving approximately 80% of the PP materials used in commercial facemasks. Theoretical analysis and modeling were also conducted to understand the LAMB process. Importantly, nanofibers can be easily scaled up for mass production by upgrading traditional melt blown line with scanning laser-assisted melt-blown (SLAMB).

Targeted delivery of ZNF416 siRNA-loaded liposomes attenuates experimental pulmonary fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic progressive fibrotic interstitial lung disease characterized by excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition caused by activated fibroblasts. Increasing evidence shows that matrix stiffness is essential in promoting fibroblast activation and profibrotic changes. Here, we investigated the expression and function of matrix stiffness-regulated ZNF416 in pulmonary fibrotic lung fibroblasts. METHODS: 1 kappa (soft), 60 kappa (stiff) gel-coated coverslips, or transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-ß1)-cultured lung fibroblasts and the gain- or loss- of the ZNF416 function assays were performed in vitro. We also established two experimental pulmonary fibrosis mouse models by a single intratracheal instillation with 50 mg/kg silica or 6 mg/kg bleomycin (BLM). ZNF416 siRNA-loaded liposomes and TGF-ß1 receptor inhibitor SB431542 were administrated in vivo. RESULTS: Our study identified that ZNF416 could regulate fibroblast differentiation, proliferation, and contraction by promoting the nuclear accumulation of p-Smad2/3. Besides, ZNF416 siRNA-loaded liposome delivery by tail-vein could passively target the fibrotic area in the lung, and co-administration of ZNF416 siRNA-loaded liposomes and SB431542 significantly protects mice against silica or BLM-induced lung injury and fibrosis. CONCLUSION: In this study, our results indicate that mechanosensitive ZNF416 is a potential molecular target for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. Strategies aimed at silencing ZNF416 could be a promising approach to fight against pulmonary fibrosis.

An AIE-Active Ultrathin Polymeric Self-Assembled Monolayer Sensor for Trace Volatile Explosive Detection.

This work has prepared polymeric self-assembled monolayer (SAM) sensors for the detection of trace volatile nitroaromatic compound (NAC) explosives by fluorescence quenching. A typical aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogen 1,1,2,2-tetraphenylethene (TPE) polymerizes into PTPE to increase the fluorescence intensity in the SAMs, and the phosphoric acid acts as the anchor group to form stable covalent bonds with the Al2 O3 substrate. This design takes advantage of the high sensitivity and good stability of SAMs, and high fluorescence intensity, and "wire effect" of the conjugated polymers. The polymeric SAM sensors are prepared on the Al2 O3 silicon wafer and testing paper. Both of them show good response speed, reversibility, selectivity, and sensitivity. The detection limits down to 0.07, 0.35, and 4.11 ppm for TNT, DNB, and NB, respectively, are achieved on the inorganic testing paper. Furthermore, due to the higher fluorescence intensity by interlacing and overlapping of fibers, the detection of the paper can be distinguished by naked eyes even with a low-power handheld UV lamp, which provides an experimental basis for the development of cheap and easy trace NAC explosive sensors.

[Effect of Panax notoginseng seedlings physiological response under simulated drought stress by polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000)].

The physiological effects of Panax notoginseng seedlings under simulated drought stress by PEG 6000 on antioxidant enzymes, osmotic substances and root activities were studied. The results showed that the activity of POD and APX in roots and leaves kept rising with increasing processing concentration and time. However, on the one hand, at the same processing time, SOD in roots and leaves firstly increased and then decreased with the increase of processing concentration. On the other hand, at the same processing concentration, SOD kept rising with the extension of processing time. In addition, the activity of CAT in roots and leaves tended to increase with the increasing concentration at the same processing time, while it increased at first and then decreased with the extension of time at the same concentration. The activity of SOD and APX in stem did not change obviously, whereas CAT activity in stem increased with the increasing processing time and concentration. With the increase of processing concentration and the extension of processing time, the MDA, soluble protein, proline content and root activity in leaves and roots apparently rose. Moreover, fluorescence signal of H2O2 and NO in root tip enhanced as the processing concentration increased after treated for 1 d. In summary, P. notoginseng seedlings could deal with drought stress by means of adjusting the system of antioxidant enzyme, permeating stress substances and impeded stress signal substances. Thus, when the concentration of PEG 6000 was more than 5%, it would have harm on P. notoginseng seedlings.

Poor oral health was associated with higher risk of gastric cancer: Evidence from 1431677 participants.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the association between oral health and the risk of gastric cancer (GC) has gradually attracted increased interest. However, in terms of GC incidence, the association between oral health and GC incidence remains controversial. Periodontitis is reported to increase the risk of GC. However, some studies have shown that periodontitis has no effect on the risk of GC. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess whether there is a relationship between oral health and the risk of GC. AIM: To assess whether there was a relationship between oral health and the risk of GC. METHODS: Five databases were searched to find eligible studies from inception to April 10, 2023. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale score was used to assess the quality of included studies. The quality of cohort studies and case-control studies were evaluated separately in this study. Incidence of GC were described by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Funnel plot was used to represent the publication bias of included studies. We performed the data analysis by StataSE 16. RESULTS: A total of 1431677 patients from twelve included studies were enrolled for data analysis in this study. According to our analysis, we found that the poor oral health was associated with higher risk of GC (OR = 1.15, 95%CI: 1.02-1.29; I2 = 59.47%, P = 0.00 < 0.01). Moreover, after subgroup analysis, the outcomes showed that whether tooth loss (OR = 1.12, 95%CI: 0.94-1.29; I2 = 6.01%, P > 0.01), gingivitis (OR = 1.19, 95%CI: 0.71-1.67; I2 = 0.00%, P > 0.01), dentures (OR = 1.27, 95%CI: 0.63-1.19; I2 = 68.79%, P > 0.01), or tooth brushing (OR = 1.25, 95%CI: 0.78-1.71; I2 = 88.87%, P > 0.01) had no influence on the risk of GC. However, patients with periodontitis (OR = 1.13, 95%CI: 1.04-1.23; I2 = 0.00%, P < 0.01) had a higher risk of GC. CONCLUSION: Patients with poor oral health, especially periodontitis, had a higher risk of GC. Patients should be concerned about their oral health. Improving oral health might reduce the risk of GC.

A ginsenoside G-Rg3 PEGylated long-circulating liposome for hyperglycemia and insulin resistance therapy in streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes mice.

Ginsenoside (GS), one of the main active components in ginseng, can enhance insulin sensitivity, improve the function of islet ß cells, and reduce cell apoptosis in the treatment of diabetes. However, the drawbacks of high lipid solubility, poor water solubility, and low oral availability in Ginsenoside Rg3 (G-Rg3) seriously limit further application of GS. In this work, a G-Rg3 PEGylated long-circulating liposome (PEG-L-Rg3) is designed and developed to improve symptoms in type 2 diabetic mice. The as-prepared PEG-L-Rg3 with a spherical structure shows a particle size of âˆ¼ 140.5 ± 1.4 nm, the zeta potential of -0.10 ± 0.05 mV, and a high encapsulation rate of 99.8 %. Notably, in vivo experimental results demonstrate that PEG-L-Rg3 exhibits efficient ability to improve body weight and food intake in streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic mice. Moreover, PEG-L-Rg3 also enhances fasting insulin (FINS) and insulin sensitivity index (ISI). In addition, the glucose tolerance of mice is significantly improved after the treatment of PEG-L-Rg3, indicating that PEG-L-Rg3 can be a potential drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, which provides a new way for the treatment of type 2 diabetes using ginsenosides.

The interplay of Cxcl10+/Mmp14+ monocytes and Ccl3+ neutrophils proactively mediates silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

As a fatal occupational disease with limited therapeutic options, molecular mechanisms underpinning silicosis are still undefined. Herein, single-cell RNA sequencing of the lung tissue of silicosis mice identified two monocyte subsets, which were characterized by Cxcl10 and Mmp14 and enriched in fibrotic mouse lungs. Both Cxcl10+ and Mmp14+ monocyte subsets exhibited activation of inflammatory marker genes and positive regulation of cytokine production. Another fibrosis-unique neutrophil population characterized by Ccl3 appeared to be related to the pro-fibrotic process, specifically the "inflammatory response". Meanwhile, the proportion of monocytes and neutrophils was significantly higher in the serum of silicosis patients and slices of lung tissue from patients with silicosis further validated the over-expression of Cxcl10 and Mmp14 in monocytes, also Ccl3 in neutrophils, respectively. Mechanically, receptor-ligand interaction analysis identified the crosstalk of Cxcl10+/Mmp14+ monocytes with Ccl3+ neutrophils promoting fibrogenesis via coupling of HBEGF-CD44 and CSF1-CSF1R. In vivo, administration of clodronate liposomes, Cxcl10 or Mmp14 siRNA-loaded liposomes, Ccl3 receptor antagonist BX471, CD44 or CSF1R neutralizing antibodies significantly alleviated silica-induced lung fibrosis. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the newly defined Cxcl10+/Mmp14+ monocytes and Ccl3+ neutrophils participate in the silicosis process and highlight anti-receptor-ligand pair treatment as a potentially effective therapeutic strategy in managing silicosis.

Study on the effect of chin morphology on orthodontic treatment.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of different soft-tissue morphologies on the treatment of skeletal class Ⅰ malocclusion patients by analyzing measurement data before and after treatment. METHODS: Pre- and post-treatment lateral cephalograms of 55 adult female Angle class Ⅰ patients were collected in the Department of Orthodontics, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University from January 2012 to December 2020. Chin soft-tissue morphologies in the lateral cranial radiographs were used to divide the patients into an abnormal chin morphology group (flat and retracted chins, n=27) and a normal chin morphology group (rounded and prominent chins, n=28). Relevant soft- and hard-tissue indexes were selected to study in-group varieties and intergroup differences in the varying chin morphologies before and after treatment. RESULTS: The chin-lip angle, mandibular chin angle, mandibular chin vertex angle, PP-MP, LL-E, UL-E, Po-Pos, and B-B' thickness in the abnormal chin morphology group were significantly higher than those in the normal chin morphology group (P<0.05). Furthermore, m∶BMe and n∶B'Mes in the abnormal chin morphology group were signi-ficantly lower than those in the normal chin morphology group (P<0.05). After treatment, the mandibular chin angle, mandibular chin vertex angle, U1-SN, L1-MP, LL-E, UL-E, SNA, SNB, and B-B' thickness of the abnormal chin morphology group significantly decreased (P<0.05), whereas the nasolabial angle, m∶BMe, n∶B' Mes, and Po-Pos significantly increased (P<0.05). In the normal chin morphology group, the U1-SN, L1-MP, LL-E, UL-E, and B-B' thicknesses decreased significantly (P<0.05), whereas the nasolabial angle significantly increased (P<0.05). Among them, m∶BMe and n∶B' Mes were positively correlated. CONCLUSIONS: Chin morphology affects the formulation of treatment plans. Compared with the normal chin morphology group, the abnormal chin morphology group required a larger retraction of incisors. Although the chin of soft-tissue morphology is related to the morphology of bones, the changes in soft tissue chin after treatment cannot be directly predicted according to the bone changes. Soft-tissue chin morphology affects the aesthetic assessment of the soft-tissue lateral profile and the change in soft tissue before and after treatment. The method of predicting the change in soft-tissue chin after treatment should consider the morphology of the soft-tissue chin.

Mandibular advancement with clear aligners and functional appliances in the treatment of skeletal Classâ ¡malocclusion: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis of the efficacy of mandibular advance clear alig-ners with traditional functional appliances as the control group. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, China Biomedical Abstracts Database, China Knowledge Network Database, Wanfang Database, and Weipu Database were used in this study. The two groups of researchers screened the literature and extracted data based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria established by PICOS entries, and used the ROBINS-I scale for quality evaluation. Revman 5.4 and Stata 17.0 software were used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: Nine clinical controlled trials were included in this study with a total sample size of 283 cases. No significant difference was found in SNA, SNB, ANB, Go-Pog, U1-SN, Overjet, and other aspects between the invisible group and the traditional group in the treatment of skeletal class Ⅱ ma-locclusion patients; there was a 0.90° difference in mandibular plane angle between the two groups; the growth of the mandibular ramus (Co-Go) in the traditional group was 1.10 mm more than that in the invisible group; the lip inclination of the lower teeth in the invisible group was better controlled, 1.94° less than that in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The invisible group can better control the lip inclination of the mandibular anterior teeth when guiding the mandible. Furthermore, the mandibular plane angle (MP-SN) can remain unchanged, but the growth of the mandibular ramus is not as good as the traditional group, and auxiliary measures should be taken to improve it in clinical practice.

Correlation between cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics in HeLa cells: A size-dependent matter.

The cytotoxicity of micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) is known to be strongly influenced by particle size, but the mechanism is not clear so far. We reported the ability of polystyrene MNPs to be internalized by HeLa cells could be a reason for the size dependent cytotoxicity of MNPs. We found that small MNPs (10 nm and 15 nm in radius) could be efficiently internalized by HeLa cells, MNPs of 25 nm in radius could be slightly internalized by the cells, and larger MNPs could not enter the cells at all. We showed that only MNPs, which could be internalized by cells, had a toxic effect on cell activity in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, MNPs, which could not be internalized by cells, showed no cytotoxicity even if at extremely high concentrations. We attributed the correlation between the size-dependent uptake of MNPs and the size-dependent cytotoxicity of MNPs to the enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and abnormal gene expression. Our study pointed out that cellular uptake is one of the most fundamental mechanisms for the cytotoxicity of MNPs.

Biodegradable ion-conductive polyvinyl alcohol/okra polysaccharide composite films for fast-response respiratory monitoring sensors.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and okra polysaccharide (OP) are biodegradable polymers with high hydrophilicity and good biocompatibility with potential for use as flexible humidity-sensitive materials. Herein, biodegradable flexible composite films (named POP films) were prepared from PVA, OP, and phytic acid using a solution-casting method based on. POP films exhibited excellent mechanical strength, flexibility, flame retardancy, water resistance, humidity response, and humidity-sensing characteristics. Notably, the POP humidity sensors exhibited a hysteresis value of 1.88 % relative humidity for the adsorption and desorption processes and good sensitivity over a wide humidity range of 35-95 %. In addition, the humidity sensor distinguished the frequency of nose breathing, and its response and recovery times were 0.9 and 1.98 s, respectively. The excellent performance of POP sensors in monitoring humidity and human respiratory rates demonstrates the sensor's potential for wearable smart devices.

Oral liposomes encapsulating ginsenoside compound K for rheumatoid arthritis therapy.

Ginsenoside compound K (GCK) can efficiently treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) due to its immune and anti-inflammatory functions. However, GCK exists some shortcomings such as poor aqueous solubility, low permeability to the intestinal cell membrane, and serious P-gp efflux, thus limiting its application. In order to solve these problems, a folic acid-targeted drug delivery system based on liposomes (FA-LP-GCK) was developed. The prepared FA-LP-GCK had a uniform size distribution and spherical structure, the particle size was 249.13 ± 1.40 nm. Meanwhile, they had high encapsulation efficiency (93.33 ± 0.05 %). FA-LP-GCK also presented good stability in artificial gastric juice, so they can be absorbed into the intestine and enter the blood circulation. The activated RAW 264.7 cells were chosen to evaluate the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake capacity of FA-LP-GCK. FA-LP-GCK showed stronger growth inhibition and cellular uptake ability against activated macrophages. Finally, the efficacy of FA-LP-GCK in vivo was evaluated in the adjuvant arthritis rat model. The results showed that FA-LP-GCK can significantly reduce joint swelling. Furthermore, it can significantly inhibit the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and improve synovial hyperplasia of joints and pathological changes in the spleen. Therefore, FA-LP-GCK may be a potential therapeutic approach for RA.

Enhanced toxicity of 2,2-bis(chloromethyl) trimethylene bis[bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate] (V6) by nanopolystyrene particles towards HeLa cells.

2,2-bis(chloromethyl) trimethylene bis[bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate] (V6) has been widely used as an additive in a variety of plastics due to its extremely low toxicity. However, we showed in the study that once mixed with nanopolystyrene particles (NPs), the nontoxic V6 could exhibit significant toxicity to HeLa cells. The enhanced toxicity was much higher than the toxicity of NPs alone and was related to the size of NPs. The mixture of V6 and small polystyrene NPs (10 nm and 15 nm in radius) showed obvious toxicity to HeLa cells. The toxicity increased with the concentrations of both V6 and NPs. On the contrary, the mixture of V6 and larger NPs (25 nm, 50 nm, 100 nm, and 500 nm in radius) showed almost no toxicity even at extremely high concentrations (NPs: 100 mg/L; V6: 50 mg/L). The small NPs could enter the cells and accumulated in cytoplasm. However, the larger NPs did not distribute inside the cells. NPs efficiently adsorbed V6 on the surface. The mechanism of the enhanced toxicity was attributed to the increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the regulation of gene expression concerning apoptosis and ROS scavenging. Our study not only showed that a safe chemical V6 could be turned to be toxic by NPs, but also pointed out a potential risk caused by the joint toxicity of 'safe' chemicals and plastic particles with small size.

Size-dependent enhancement on conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes by micro/nanoplastics.

Recently micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) have raised intensive concerns due to their possible enhancement effect on the dissemination of antibiotic genes. Unfortunately, data is still lacking to verify the effect. In the study, the influence of polystyrene MNPs on the conjugative gene transfer was studied by using E. coli DH5ɑ with RP4 plasmid as the donor bacteria and E. coli K12 MG1655 as the recipient bacteria. We found that influence of MNPs on gene transfer was size-dependent. Small MNPs (10 nm in radius) caused an increase and then a decrease in gene transfer efficiency with their concentration increasing. Moderate-sized MNPs (50 nm in radius) caused an increase in gene transfer efficiency. Large MNPs (500 nm in radius) had almost no influence on gene transfer. The gene transfer could be further enhanced by optimizing mating time and mating ratio. Scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) production did not affect the cell membrane permeability, indicating that the increase in cell membrane permeability was not related to ROS production. The mechanism of the enhanced gene transfer efficiency was attributed to a combined effect of the increased ROS production and the increased cell membrane permeability, which ultimately regulated the expression of corresponding genes.

Highly stretchable, self-healing, and degradable ionic conductive cellulose hydrogel for human motion monitoring.

Self-healing biomass-based conductive hydrogels are applied as flexible strain sensors for wearable devices and human movement monitoring. Cellulose is the most abundant biomass-based materials and exhibits excellent toughness, dispersion and degradability. In this paper, nanocellulose crystals (NCCs) prepared from sisal, used as reinforcing fillers were coated with tannic acid (TA) to prepare inexpensive bio-nanocomposite hydrogels that also included polyvinyl alcohol, okra polysaccharide (OP), and borax. These hydrogels exhibit excellent self-healing and mechanical properties with the maximum elongation, toughness, and self-healing efficiency (9 min) of 1426.2 %, 264.4 kJ/m3, and 62.1 %, respectively. A fabricated hydrogel strain sensor was successfully used to detect and monitor various human movements such as wrist bending, elbow bending, and slight changes in facial expression. In addition, this sensor possessed excellent durability and good working stability after repeated circulation. The nanocomposite hydrogel synthesized in this work utilized natural polysaccharide to manufacture flexible functional materials with good application prospects in the field of flexible sensors.

[Prevalence of malocclusion among 1022 Kazak junior school students: an epidemiological study].

PURPOSE: This study provided baseline data for oral public health though epidemiological survey to investigate the prevalence of malocclusion and the relationship with caries in Kazak junior school students in Xinjiang Aletai district, China. METHODS: Using stratified and cluster random sampling, 1 022 Kazak junior school students in Aletai district were chosen. According to the standard of Angle's classification and individual normal occlusion, a full clinical examination was carried out. The results were statistically analyzed by SAS JMP 10.0. RESULTS: Of all 1 022 subjects, the prevalence of malocclusion was 43.64%. Among them there were 215 males (43.97%) and 231 females (43.34%). The composition ratios of Class I, Class II and Class III malocclusion were 30.92%，3.42% and 9.30%, respectively. The malocclusion prevalence in urban was 44.56%, and 43.06% in rural areas. There was no significant difference between them. Among children with malocclusion, crowding of dentition was the majority, and the others in turn were abnormal space of anterior teeth, deep overjet, deep overbite, cross jet, and open bite. The prevalence of caries was 59.49%, and DMFT was 1.382. Students who had caries with malocclusion was 1.54 times more than those who did not have caries. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with other studies, the prevalence of malocclusion in Xinjiang Aletai district is not high. The incidence of malocclusion is closely related to caries.

Safety survey by clinical pharmacists on COVID-19 vaccination from a single center in China.

This study explored the safety of COVID-19 vaccine (Aikewei) and the role of clinical pharmacists in the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination. A total of 2305 hospital employees in Children's Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, China received the COVID-19 vaccine. The whole process of vaccination was monitored by clinical pharmacists, and the occurrence, types, severity of adverse reactions were recorded in detail. Through the investigation and analysis on the safety of COVID-19 vaccination of the 2305 people, the important role and value of clinical pharmacists in the vaccination process was elaborated. Common adverse reactions included local pain, dizziness and fatigue, with the incidence rates of 2.09%, 0.67% and 0.49%, respectively. Others such as headache, nausea, skin itching, cough, palpitation, dry mouth, hand anesthesia, local induration, muscle soreness, local rash, and chill had incidence rates of less than 0.30%. Three cases of serious adverse events that occurred in this vaccination returned to normal after treatment, with no subsequent discomfort. Clinical pharmacists played an important role in the safety monitoring of COVID-19 vaccination. The safety of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine is good. Most of the common adverse reactions were mild and tolerable, with generally low incidence. The work of clinical pharmacists is important and can be expanded in the future to ensure the safety of vaccination and to provide better health care service.

Amplified Photoacoustic Signal and Enhanced Photothermal Conversion of Polydopamine-Coated Gold Nanobipyramids for Phototheranostics and Synergistic Chemotherapy.

Light-responsive nanoprobes were suffering from the threat of high-dose laser irradiation, and it was important for constructing new nanoprobes for safe and efficient phototheranostics. Here, polydopamine (PDA)-coated gold nanobipyramids (AuNBPs@PDA) were synthesized for amplified photoacoustic (PA) signal and enhanced photothermal conversion with low-dose laser irradiation and then doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded AuNBPs@PDA-DOX nanoprobes were constructed for PA imaging-guided synergistic photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemotherapy. The AuNBPs@PDA nanoparticles possessed higher photothermal conversion efficiency (42.07%) and stronger PA signal than those of AuNBP nanoparticles, and the AuNBPs@PDA-DOX nanoprobes showed dual-responsive DOX release of pH and photothermal stimulation. With low-dose laser irradiation (1.0 W/cm2) and low-concentration AuNBPs@PDA-DOX (60 µg/mL), the 4T1 cell viability was reduced to about 5%, owing to the combination of PTT and chemotherapy, compared with 42.3% of single chemotherapy and 25.3% of single PTT. Moreover, by modeling 4T1 tumor-bearing nude mice, in vivo PA imaging was achieved and the tumors were completely inhibited, demonstrating the excellent synergistic effect of PTT/chemotherapy. Therefore, the developed AuNBPs@PDA-DOX nanoprobes can be used for phototheranostics and synergistic chemotherapy, achieving low-dose laser irradiation and high-efficient visualized theranostics.

Ce6-Conjugated and polydopamine-coated gold nanostars with enhanced photoacoustic imaging and photothermal/photodynamic therapy to inhibit lung metastasis of breast cancer.

Metastasis is the main cause of treatment failure in breast cancer, and integrated phototheranostics is a promising strategy to achieve both precision theranostics and metastasis inhibition. In this work, a multifunctional phototheranostic nanoprobe composed of chlorin e6 (Ce6)-conjugated and polydopamine (PDA)-coated gold nanostars (AuNSs) was synthesized for simultaneous photoacoustic (PA) imaging, photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Under the irradiation of near infrared laser, AuNSs@PDA showed enhanced photothermal conversion and amplified PA imaging performance, compared with single AuNSs. By the covalent conjugation of Ce6, the AuNSs@PDA-Ce6 nanoprobe showed robust stability and excellent singlet oxygen (1O2) generation ability. Under the combination of PTT/PDT, the AuNSs@PDA-Ce6 nanoprobes significantly reduced the growth of 4T1 tumors and suppressed their lung metastasis. All the results demonstrated the considerable potential of AuNSs@PDA-Ce6 phototheranostic nanoprobes for precision theranostics and metastasis inhibition of breast cancer.