Photocatalytic Antimicrobials: Principles, Design Strategies, and Applications.

Nowadays, the increasing emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic microorganisms requires the search for alternative methods that do not cause drug resistance. Phototherapy strategies (PTs) based on the photoresponsive materials have become a new trend in the inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms due to their spatiotemporal controllability and negligible side effects. Among those phototherapy strategies, photocatalytic antimicrobial therapy (PCAT) has emerged as an effective and promising antimicrobial strategy in recent years. In the process of photocatalytic treatment, photocatalytic materials are excited by different wavelengths of lights to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) or other toxic species for the killing of various pathogenic microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and algae. Therefore, this review timely summarizes the latest progress in the PCAT field, with emphasis on the development of various photocatalytic antimicrobials (PCAMs), the underlying antimicrobial mechanisms, the design strategies, and the multiple practical antimicrobial applications in local infections therapy, personal protective equipment, water purification, antimicrobial coatings, wound dressings, food safety, antibacterial textiles, and air purification. Meanwhile, we also present the challenges and perspectives of widespread practical implementation of PCAT as antimicrobial therapeutics. We hope that as a result of this review, PCAT will flourish and become an effective weapon against pathogenic microorganisms and antibiotic resistance.

Biodegradable Nanoflowers with Abaloparatide Spatiotemporal Management of Functional Alveolar Bone Regeneration.

Post-extraction alveolar bone atrophy greatly hinders the subsequent orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) or implant placement. In this study, we synthesized biodegradable bifunctional bioactive calcium phosphorus nanoflowers (NFs) loaded with abaloparatide (ABL), namely ABL@NFs, to achieve spatiotemporal management for alveolar bone regeneration. The NFs exhibited a porous hierarchical structure, high drug encapsulation efficacy, and desirable biocompatibility. ABL was initially released to recruit stem cells, followed by sustained release of Ca2+ and PO43- for in situ interface mineralization, establishing an osteogenic "biomineralized environment". ABL@NFs successfully restored morphologically and functionally active alveolar bone without affecting OTM. In conclusion, the ABL@NFs demonstrated promising outcomes for bone regeneration under orthodontic condition, which might provide a desirable reference of man-made "bone powder" in the hard tissue regeneration field.

Achieving Near-Unity Red Light Photoluminescence in Antimony Halide Crystals via Polyhedron Regulation.

Exploration of efficient red emitting antimony hybrid halide with large Stokes shift and zero self-absorption is highly desirable due to its enormous potential for applications in solid light emitting, and active optical waveguides. However, it is still challenging and rarely reported. Herein, a series of (TMS)2SbCl5 (TMS=triphenylsulfonium cation) crystals have been prepared with diverse [SbCl5]2- configurations and distinctive emission color. Among them, cubic-phase (TMS)2SbCl5 shows bright red emission with a large Stokes shift of 312 nm. In contrast, monoclinic and orthorhombic (TMS)2SbCl5 crystals deliver efficient yellow and orange emission, respectively. Comprehensive structural investigations reveal that larger Stokes shift and longer-wavelength emission of cubic (TMS)2SbCl5 can be attributed to the larger lattice volume and longer Sb⋅⋅⋅Sb distance, which favor sufficient structural aberration freedom at excited states. Together with robust stability, (TMS)2SbCl5 crystal family has been applied as optical waveguide with ultralow loss coefficient of 3.67 ⋅ 10-4 dB µm-1, and shows superior performance in white-light emission and anti-counterfeiting. In short, our study provides a novel and fundamental perspective to structure-property-application relationship of antimony hybrid halides, which will contribute to future rational design of high-performance emissive metal halides.

Restorative biodegradable two-layered hybrid microneedles for melanoma photothermal/chemo co-therapy and wound healing.

Tumor killing and wound healing are two complementary and influential processes during the treatment of melanoma. Herein, a two-layered microneedle platform was developed with bifunctional effect of chemo-photothermal synergistic melanoma therapy and skin regeneration. The bifunctional platform composed of embeddable curcumin nanodrugs/new Indocyanine Green/hyaluronic acid (Cur NDs/IR820/HA) microneedles and sodium alginate/gelatin/hyaluronic acid (SA/Ge/HA) supporting backing layer was prepared through a two-step casting process. With uniform incorporation of curcumin nanodrugs and IR820, the microneedles exhibited excellent photothermal performance under external near-infrared (NIR) light stimulation and tumor co-therapy ability. Once the embeddable microneedles were inserted into skin, they would rapidly dissolve and activate drug release successfully for tumor treatment. Moreover, the SA/Ge/HA supporting backing layer was left behind to cover the wound and promote the proliferation of endothelial and fibroblasts cells for enhanced skin regeneration. The two-layered microneedles platform can simultaneously eliminate the tumor and accelerate wounding healing, which may be potentially employed as a competitive strategy for the treatment of melanoma.

Research on Graphene and Its Derivatives in Oral Disease Treatment.

Oral diseases present a global public health problem that imposes heavy financial burdens on individuals and health-care systems. Most oral health conditions can be treated in their early stage. Even if the early symptoms of oral diseases do not seem to cause significant discomfort, prompt treatment is essential for preventing their progression. Biomaterials with superior properties enable dental therapies with applications in restoration, therapeutic drug/protein delivery, and tissue regeneration. Graphene nanomaterials have many unique mechanical and physiochemical properties and can respond to the complex oral microenvironment, which includes oral microbiota colonization and high masticatory force. Research on graphene nanomaterials in dentistry, especially in caries, periodontitis therapy, and implant coatings, is progressing rapidly. Here, we review the development of graphene and its derivatives for dental disease therapy.

Hyaluronic acid microneedles loaded with curcumin nanodrugs and new indocyanine green inhibits human tongue squamous carcinoma cells in vitro.

OBJECTIVE: To prepare the hyaluronic acid microneedle (abbreviated as microneedle) delivery system carrying curcumin nanodrugs (Cur-NDs) and photothermal trigger agent new indocyanine green (IR820), and to investigate its effect on proliferation of human tongue squamous carcinoma cells (Cal-27) in vitro. METHODS: The microneedle delivery system carrying Cur-NDs and IR820 was prepared. The morphological characteristics of the microneedles were observed, and the mechanical strength test, skin insertion ability test and the photothermal test in vitro were performed. Cal-27 cells were treated with microneedles, Cur-NDs microneedles, IR820 microneedles, or Cur-NDs+IR820 microneedles in vitro, respectively. The IR820 microneedle group and Cur-NDs+IR820 microneedle group were irradiated with 808 nm near infrared light at 1 W/cm 2 for 5 min. The cell viability was tested with cell counting kit-8 method. RESULTS: The prepared microneedles had homogeneous needle-like morphology, good mechanical strength and skin piercing ability, among which the microneedles equipped with IR820 showed better photothermal performance. The survival rates of Cal-27 cells were 100.00% in blank control group, 99.92% in control microneedles group, 94.08% in Cur-NDs microneedles group, 0.41% in IR820 microneedles group, and 0.04% in Cur-NDs+IR820 microneedles group, respectively (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with single drug treatment, Cur-NDs+IR820 microneedle shows better inhibitory effect on Cal-27 cell proliferation in vitro.

Advances of Nonlinear Photonics in Low-Dimensional Halide Perovskites.

Hybrid halide perovskites emerging as a highly promising class of functional materials for semiconductor optoelectronic applications have drawn great attention from worldwide researchers. In the past few years, prominent nonlinear optical properties have been demonstrated in perovskite bulk structures indicating their bright prospect in the field of nonlinear optics (NLO). Following the surge of 3D perovskites, more recently, the low-dimensional perovskites (LDPs) materials ranging from two-, one-, to zero-dimension such as quantum-wells or colloidal nanostructures have displayed unexpectedly attractive NLO response due to the strong quantum confinement, remarkable exciton effect, and structural diversity. In this perspective, the current state of the art is reviewed in the field of NLO for LDP materials. The relationship between confinement effect and NLO is analyzed systematically to give a comprehensive understanding of the function of dimension reduction. Furthermore, future directions and challenges toward the improvement of the NLO in LDP materials are discussed to provide an outlook in this rapidly developing field.

Deciphering the Nature of X(3872) in Heavy Ion Collisions.

Exploring the nature of exotic multiquark candidates such as the X(3872) plays a pivotal role in understanding quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Despite significant efforts, consensus on their internal structures is still lacking. As a prime example, it remains a pressing open question to decipher the X(3872) state between two popular exotic configurations: a loose hadronic molecule or a compact tetraquark. We demonstrate a novel approach to help address this problem by studying the X(3872) production in heavy ion collisions, where a hot fireball with ample light as well as charm (anti-)quarks is available for producing the exotics. Adopting a multiphase transport model (AMPT) for describing such collisions and implementing appropriate production mechanism of either molecule or tetraquark picture, we compute and compare a series of observables for X(3872) in Pb-Pb collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. We find the fireball volume plays a crucial role, leading to a 2-order-of-magnitude difference in the X(3872) yield and a markedly different centrality dependence between hadronic molecules and compact tetraquarks, thus offering a unique opportunity for distinguishing the two scenarios. We also make the first prediction of X(3872) elliptic flow coefficient to be tested by future experimental measurements.

Photothermal hydrogel platform for prevention of post-surgical tumor recurrence and improving breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: As one of the leading threats for health among women worldwide, breast cancer has high morbidity and mortality. Surgical resection is the major clinical intervention for primary breast tumor, nevertheless high local recurrence risk and breast tissue defect remain two main clinical dilemmas, seriously affecting survival and quality of life of patients. EXPERIMENTAL: We developed a thermoresponsive and injectable hybrid hydrogel platform (IR820/Mgel) by integration of co-loaded porous microspheres (MPs) and IR820 for preventing postoperative recurrence of breast cancer via photothermal therapy and promoting subsequent breast reconstruction. RESULTS: Our results suggested that IR820/Mgel could quickly heated to more than 50.0 â„ƒ under NIR irradiation, enabling killing effect on 4T1 cells in vitro and prevention effect on post-surgical tumor recurrence in vivo. In addition, the hydrogel platform was promising for its minimal invasion and capability of filling irregularly shaped defects after surgery, and the encapsulated MPs could help to increase the strength of gel to realize a long-term in situ function in vivo, and promoted the attachment and anchorage property of normal breast cells and adipose stem cells. CONCLUSIONS: This photothermal hydrogel platform provides a practice paradigm for preventing locally recurrence of breast cancer and a potential option for reconstruction of breast defects.

Broadening the biocompatibility of gold nanorods from rat to Macaca fascicularis: advancing clinical potential.

BACKGROUND: The biomedical field has used gold nanorods (GNRs) for decades; however, clinical trials and translation is limited except gold nanoshells. The preparation of gold nanoshells is more complex than that of polyethylene glycol-modified GNRs (PEG-GNRs), and it is difficult to ensure uniform thickness. It is important to encourage and broaden the use of the star member (PEG-GNRs) of gold nanoparticles family for clinical translation. Existing studies on PEG-GNRs are limited with no relevant systematic progression in non-human primates. Herein, we assessed the systematic biocompatibility of PEG-GNRs in rats and clinically relevant Macaca fascicularis. RESULTS: In this small animal study, we administrated multiple doses of PEG-GNRs to rats and observed good biocompatibility. In the non-human primate study, PEG-GNRs had a longer blood half-life and produced a negligible immune response. Histological analysis revealed no significant abnormality. CONCLUSIONS: PEG-GNRs were well-tolerated with good biocompatibility in both small animals and large non-human primates. The information gained from the comprehensive systemic toxicity assessment of PEG-GNRs in M. fascicularis will be helpful for translation to clinical trials.

Understanding of carrier dynamics, heterojunction merits and device physics: towards designing efficient carrier transport layer-free perovskite solar cells.

The power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are already higher than those of other thin-film photovoltaic technologies, but the high-efficiency cells are based on complicated device architectures with multiple layers of coating. A promising strategy to commercialize this emerging technology is to simplify the device structure while simultaneously maintaining high-efficiency. Charge transport layers (CTLs) are generally indispensable for achieving high-performance PSCs, but the high cost and possibility of instability hinder the mass production of efficient, stable PSCs in a cost-effective manner. The ambipolar carrier transfer characteristic of perovskite materials makes it possible to fabricate efficient PSCs even in the absence of electron and/or hole transport layers. Encouragingly, the reported PCEs of CTL-free PSCs are already over 20%. However, it is still a mystery about why and how CTL-free devices can work efficiently. Here, we summarize the recent strategies developed to improve the performance of CTL-free PSCs, aiming at strengthening the comprehensive understanding of the fundamental carrier dynamics, heterojunction merits and device physics behind these mysteriously simple yet efficient devices. This review sheds light on identifying the limiting and determining factors in achieving high-efficiency CTL-free devices, and proposes some empirical charge transport models (e.g. p-type doping of perovskites for HTL-free PSCs, n-type doping of perovskites for ETL-free PSCs, constructing efficient p-n heterojunctions and/or homojunctions at one side/interface or employing perovskite single crystal-based lateral geometry for both HTL and ETL-free PSCs, etc.) that are useful to further improve device performance. In addition, an insightful perspective for the future design and commercial development of large-scale, efficient and stable optoelectronic devices by employing carbon electrodes is provided.

Signatures of Chiral Magnetic Effect in the Collisions of Isobars.

Quantum anomaly is a fundamental feature of chiral fermions. In chiral materials, the microscopic anomaly leads to nontrivial macroscopic transport processes such as the chiral magnetic effect (CME), which has been in the spotlight lately across disciplines of physics. The quark-gluon plasma (QGP) created in relativistic nuclear collisions provides the unique example of a chiral material consisting of intrinsically relativistic chiral fermions. Potential discovery of CME in QGP is of utmost significance, with extensive experimental searches carried out over the past decade. A decisive new collider experiment, dedicated to detecting CME in the collisions of isobars, was performed in 2018 with analysis now underway. In this Letter, we develop the state-of-the-art theoretical tool for describing CME phenomena in these collisions and propose an appropriate isobar subtraction strategy for best background removal. Based on that, we make quantitative predictions for signatures of CME in the collisions of isobars. A new and robust observable that is independent of axial charge uncertainty-the ratio between isobar-subtracted γ- and δ- correlators-is found to be -(0.41±0.27) for event-plane measurement and -(0.90±0.45) for reaction-plane measurement.

Suppressing Interfacial Charge Recombination in Electron-Transport-Layer-Free Perovskite Solar Cells to Give an Efficiency Exceeding 21 .

The performances of electron-transport-layer (ETL)-free perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are still inferior to ETL-containing devices. This is mainly due to severe interfacial charge recombination occurring at the transparent conducting oxide (TCO)/perovskite interface, where the photo-injected electrons in the TCO can travel back to recombine with holes in the perovskite layer. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time that a non-annealed, insulating, amorphous metal oxyhydroxide, atomic-scale thin interlayer (ca. 3 nm) between the TCO and perovskite facilitates electron tunneling and suppresses the interfacial charge recombination. This largely reduced the interfacial charge recombination loss and achieved a record efficiency of 21.1 % for n-i-p structured ETL-free PSCs, outperforming their ETL-containing metal oxide counterparts (18.7 %), as well as narrowing the efficiency gap with high-efficiency PSCs employing highly crystalline TiO2 ETLs.

In Situ Construction of a Cs2SnI6 Perovskite Nanocrystal/SnS2 Nanosheet Heterojunction with Boosted Interfacial Charge Transfer.

Heterojunction engineering has played an indispensable role in the exploitation of innovative artificial materials with exceptional properties and has consequently triggered a new revolution in achieving high-performance optoelectronic devices. Herein, an intriguing halide perovskite (PVK) and metal dichalcogenide (MD) heterojunction, i.e., a lead-free Cs2SnI6 perovskite nanocrystal/SnS2 nanosheet hybrid, was fabricated in situ for the first time. Comprehensive investigations with experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations demonstrate that cosharing of the Sn atom enables intimate contact in the Cs2SnI6/SnS2 hybrid together with a type II band alignment structure. Additionally, ultrafast carrier separation between SnS2 and Cs2SnI6 has been observed in the Cs2SnI6/SnS2 hybrid by transient absorption measurements, which efficiently prolongs the lifetime of the photogenerated electrons in SnS2 (from 1290 to 3080 ps). The resultant spatial charge separation in the Cs2SnI6/SnS2 hybrid evidenced by Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) significantly boosts the photocatalytic activity toward CO2 reduction and the photoelectrochemical performance, with 5.4-fold and 10.6-fold enhancements compared with unadorned SnS2. This work provides a facile and effective method for the in situ preparation of PVK-MD heterojunctions, which may significantly stimulate the synthesis of various perovskite-based hybrid materials and their further optoelectronic applications.

Bifacial Contact Junction Engineering for High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells with Efficiency Exceeding 21.

Ordered 1D metal oxide structure is desirable in thin film solar cells owing to its excellent charge collection capability. However, the electron transfer in 1D electron transporting layer (ETL)-based devices is still limited to a submicrometer-long pathway that is vertical to the substrate. Here, an innovative closely packed rutile TiO2 nanowire (CRTNW) network parallel to the facet of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate is reported, which can serve as a 1D nanoscale electron transport pathway for efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The PSC constructed using newly prepared CRTNW ETL achieves an impressive power conversion efficiency of 21.10%, which can be attributed to the facilitated electron extraction induced by the favorable junctions formed at FTO/ETL and ETL/perovskite interfaces and also the suppressed charge recombination originating from improved perovskite morphology with large grains, flat surface, and good surface coverage. The bifacial contact junctions engineering also enables large-area device fabrication. The PSC with 1 cm2 aperture yields an efficiency of 19.50% under one sun illumination. This work highlights the significance of controlling the orientation and packing density of the ordered 1D oxide nanostructured thin films for highly efficient optoelectronic devices in a large-scale manner.

Intrinsic Self-Trapped Emission in 0D Lead-Free (C4 H14 N2 )2 In2 Br10 Single Crystal.

Low-dimensional lead halide perovskite materials recently have drawn much attention owing to the intriguing broadband emissions; however, the toxicity of lead will hinder their future development. Now, a lead-free (C4 H14 N2 )2 In2 Br10 single crystal with a unique zero-dimensional (0D) structure constituted by [InBr6 ]3- octahedral and [InBr4 ]- tetrahedral units is described. The single crystal exhibits broadband photoluminescence (PL) that spans almost the whole visible spectrum with a lifetime of 3.2 µs. Computational and experimental studies unveil that an excited-state structural distortion in [InBr6 ]3- octahedral units enables the formation of intrinsic self-trapped excitons (STEs) and thus contributing the broad emission. Furthermore, femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA) measurement reveals that the ultrafast STEs formation together with an efficient intersystem crossing has made a significant contribution to the long-lived and broad STE-based emission behavior.

A Highly Red-Emissive Lead-Free Indium-Based Perovskite Single Crystal for Sensitive Water Detection.

Low-dimensional luminescent lead halide perovskites have attracted tremendous attention for their fascinating optoelectronic properties, while the toxicity of lead is still considered a drawback. Herein, we report a novel lead-free zero-dimensional (0D) indium-based perovskite (Cs2 InBr5 ⋅H2 O) single crystal that is red-luminescent with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 33 %. Experimental and computational studies reveal that the strong PL emission might originate from self-trapping excitons (STEs) that result from an excited-state structural deformation. More importantly, the in situ transformation between hydrated Cs2 InBr5 ⋅H2 O and the dehydrated form is accompanied with a switchable dual emission, which enables it to act as a PL water-sensor in humidity detection or the detection of traces of water in organic solvents.

Upregulation of LINC00319 indicates a poor prognosis and promotes cell proliferation and invasion in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC), an epidermal keratinocyte-derived skin tumor, is one of the most leading causes of cancer-associated morbidity and mortality worldwide. Long noncoding RNAs have emerged as key regulators of tumor development and progression. Recent studies have identified LINC00319, a long intergenic noncoding RNA, as an oncogene in lung cancer. However, the biological role of LINC00319 in CSCC remains largely unknown. The current study aimed to explore the role of LINC00319 in CSCC and uncover the molecular mechanisms. In current study, we found that LINC00319 was significantly upregulated in both CSCC tissues and cell lines. Besides, the χ2 test showed that increased expression of LINC00319 was associated with larger tumor size, advanced TNM stage, and lymphovascular invasion. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function approaches were applied to investigate the effects of LINC00319 on CSCC cells. Functional studies demonstrated that LINC00319 promoted CSCC cell proliferation, accelerated cell cycle progression, facilitated cell migration and invasion, and inhibited cell apoptosis. Mechanistic studies revealed that LINC00319 exerts its oncogenic functions in CSCC via miR-1207-5p-mediated regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 3. Taken together, upregulation of LINC00319 implies a potential link with poor prognosis and reflects CSCC progression. Collectively, this study may provide some evidence for LINC00319 as a candidate target in CSCC treatment.

[The Preliminary Study on Anti-photodamaged Effect of Astaxanthin Liposomes in Mice Skin].

OBJECTIVE: To study the protective effects of astaxanthin liposome (Asx-lipo) on photodamage by UVB in mice skin. METHODS: 40 C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups: The blank group (no irradiation, no drug use), model group (UVB light injury group, no drug use), control group (irradiation + astaxanthin), experimental group (irradiation + astaxanthin liposome), each group with 10 mice. Each group was given the corresponding light (the radiation intensity was 2 mW·cm2, the time of irradiation was 60 s, 1 times a day for the first 5 days, and 1 times every other day for the next 9 days, 10 times in a total of 2 weeks.) and drug intervention (topically treated with 4 mL 0.2‰ astaxanthin or 4 mL 0.2‰ Asx-lipo 10 min before the irradiation) for two weeks. After that, samples were examined by the following indicators: the histological changes of skin, Ki-67, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine(8-OHdG), superoxide dismutase(SOD) activities and serum matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13). RESULTS: HE staining the model group and the control group showed that the dermis became thin, the dermal collagen fibers were long and thin, and the arrangement was loose and disordered. Compared with the blank group, the expression of Ki-67, MMP-13 and 8-OHdG increased and SOD activity decreased, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the pathological changes of skin tissues in the experimental group were significantly improved, with decreased expressions of Ki-67, MMP-13 and 8-OHdG and increased SOD activity, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The photodamage of mice skin can be improved by topical Asx-lipo. The mechanism may be related to the strong antioxidation of Asx-lipo.

Synthesis and Characterization of a Series of Bis-homoleptic Cycloruthenates with Terdentate Ligands as a Family of Panchromatic Dyes.

A series of six homoleptic bis-cyclometalated ruthenium complexes, Ru(N^N^C)2, is reported where N^N^C is a 6-(2,4-difluoro-3-R3-phenyl)-4-R2-4'-R1-2,2'-bipyridine with R3 = -H or -CF3 and R2 and R1 = -COOEt or -CF3. An effective synthesis of the ligands and the complexes is described. The UV-visible absorption studies demonstrate that these complexes are panchromatic dyes absorbing up to 900 nm. Importantly, the onset of absorption depends only on the substitution on the metalated phenyl, whereas the intensity of absorption throughout the spectra is a function of substituents on both the phenyl and the bipyridine moieties. The same trend is observed in electrochemistry as the redox gap depends only on the substitution on the metalated phenyl, whereas the oxidation and reduction potentials are a function of substituents on both the phenyl and the bipyridine moieties. Preliminary tests as sensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells demonstrate that the number of anchoring groups on the dye has a major influence on the device efficiency.