Directional Pumpless Transport of Biomolecules through Self-Propelled Nanodroplets on Patterned Heterostructures.

The surface patterning in natural systems has exhibited appreciable functional advantages for life activities, which serve as inspiration for the design of artificial counterparts to achieve functions such as directional liquid transport at the nanoscale. Here, we propose a patterned two-dimensional (2D) in-plane heterostructure with a triangle-shaped hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) track embedded in graphene nanosheets, which can achieve unidirectional and self-propelled transport of nanodroplets carrying various biomolecules such as DNA, RNA, and peptides. Our extensive MD simulations show that the wettability gradient on the patterned heterostructure can drive the motion of nanodroplet with an instantaneous acceleration, which also permits long-distance transport (>100 nm) at the microsecond time scale. The different behaviors of various types of biomolecules have been further studied systematically within the transporting nanodroplets. These findings suggest that these specially designed, patterned heterostructures have the potential for spontaneous, directional transport of important biomolecules, which might be useful in biosensing, drug delivery, and biomedical nanodevices.

Identifying the risk factors of ICU-acquired fungal infections: clinical evidence from using machine learning.

Background: Fungal infections are associated with high morbidity and mortality in the intensive care unit (ICU), but their diagnosis is difficult. In this study, machine learning was applied to design and define the predictive model of ICU-acquired fungi (ICU-AF) in the early stage of fungal infections using Random Forest. Objectives: This study aimed to provide evidence for the early warning and management of fungal infections. Methods: We analyzed the data of patients with culture-positive fungi during their admission to seven ICUs of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2019. Patients whose first culture was positive for fungi longer than 48 h after ICU admission were included in the ICU-AF cohort. A predictive model of ICU-AF was obtained using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator and machine learning, and the relationship between the features within the model and the disease severity and mortality of patients was analyzed. Finally, the relationships between the ICU-AF model, antifungal therapy and empirical antifungal therapy were analyzed. Results: A total of 1,434 cases were included finally. We used lasso dimensionality reduction for all features and selected six features with importance ≥0.05 in the optimal model, namely, times of arterial catheter, enteral nutrition, corticosteroids, broadspectrum antibiotics, urinary catheter, and invasive mechanical ventilation. The area under the curve of the model for predicting ICU-AF was 0.981 in the test set, with a sensitivity of 0.960 and specificity of 0.990. The times of arterial catheter (p = 0.011, OR = 1.057, 95% CI = 1.053-1.104) and invasive mechanical ventilation (p = 0.007, OR = 1.056, 95%CI = 1.015-1.098) were independent risk factors for antifungal therapy in ICU-AF. The times of arterial catheter (p = 0.004, OR = 1.098, 95%CI = 0.855-0.970) were an independent risk factor for empirical antifungal therapy. Conclusion: The most important risk factors for ICU-AF are the six time-related features of clinical parameters (arterial catheter, enteral nutrition, corticosteroids, broadspectrum antibiotics, urinary catheter, and invasive mechanical ventilation), which provide early warning for the occurrence of fungal infection. Furthermore, this model can help ICU physicians to assess whether empiric antifungal therapy should be administered to ICU patients who are susceptible to fungal infections.

The role of USP7-YY1 interaction in promoting colorectal cancer growth and metastasis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a significant global health issue with high incidence and mortality. Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is a powerful transcription factor that acts dual roles in gene activation and repression. High expression level of YY1 has been reported in CRC, indicating the existence of stable factors of YY1 in CRC cells. We aimed to identify the key molecules and underlying mechanisms responsible for stabilizing YY1 expression in CRC. Mass spectrometry analysis was utilized to identify USP7 as a potential molecule that interacted with YY1. Mechanically, USP7 stabilizes YY1 expression at the protein level by interfering its K63 linkage ubiquitination. YY1 exerts its oncogenic function through transcriptionally activating TRIAP1 but suppressing LC3B. In addition, at the pathological level, there is a positive correlation between the expression of YY1 and the budding of CRC. This study has revealed the intricate interplay between YY1 and USP7 in CRC, suggesting that they could serve as novel therapeutic targets or predictive biomarkers for CRC patients.

Protein expression patterns and metal metabolites in a protogynous hermaphrodite fish, the ricefield eel (Monopterus albus).

BACKGROUND: The ricefield eel Monopterus albus undergoes a natural sex change from female to male during its life cycle, and previous studies have shown the potential mechanisms of this transition at the transcriptional and protein levels. However, the changes in protein levels have not been fully explored, especially in the intersexual stage. RESULTS: In the present study, the protein expression patterns in the gonadal tissues from five different periods, the ovary (OV), early intersexual stage gonad (IE), middle intersexual stage gonad (IM), late intersexual stage gonad (IL), and testis (TE), were determined by untargeted proteomics sequencing. A total of 5125 proteins and 394 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were detected in the gonadal tissues. Of the 394 DEPs, there were 136 between the OV and IE groups, 20 between the IM and IE groups, 179 between the IL and IM groups, and 59 between the TE and IL groups. Three candidate proteins, insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 3 isoform X1 (Igf2bp3), triosephosphate isomerase (Tpi), and Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase isoform X1 [(Cu-Zn) Sod1], were validated by western blotting to verify the reliability of the data. Furthermore, metal metabolite-related proteins were enriched in the IL vs. IM groups and TE vs. IL groups, which had close relationships with sex change, including Cu2+-, Ca2+-, Zn2+- and Fe2+/Fe3+-related proteins. Analysis of the combined transcriptome data revealed consistent protein/mRNA expression trends for two metal metabolite-related proteins/genes [LOC109953912 and calcium Binding Protein 39 Like (cab39l)]. Notably, we detected significantly higher levels of Cu2+ during the sex change process, suggesting that Cu2+ is a male-related metal metabolite that may have an important function in male reproductive development. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, we analyzed the protein profiles of ricefield eel gonadal tissues in five sexual stages (OV, IE, IM, IL, and TE) and verified the plausibility of the data. After preforming the functional enrichment of metal metabolite-related DEPs, we detected the contents of the metal metabolites Zn2+, Cu2+, Ca2+, and Fe2+/Fe3+ at these five stages and screened for (Cu-Zn) Sod1 and Mmp-9 as possible key proteins in the sex reversal process.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Polysubstituted Dihydropyrroles via 1,5-Addition and N-1,4-Addition Cascade.

An unprecedented 1,5-addition/N-1,4-addition cascade reaction is established via palladium hydride catalysis. A variety of polysubstituted dihydropyrrole skeletons are constructed in high yield and with exclusively >20:1 diastereoselectivity. An enantioselective protocol of this design is also developed to provide a novel access to enantioenriched dihydropyrroles.

Experimental Generation of Spin-Photon Entanglement in Silicon Carbide.

A solid-state approach for quantum networks is advantageous, as it allows the integration of nanophotonics to enhance the photon emission and the utilization of weakly coupled nuclear spins for long-lived storage. Silicon carbide, specifically point defects within it, shows great promise in this regard due to the easy of availability and well-established nanofabrication techniques. Despite of remarkable progresses made, achieving spin-photon entanglement remains a crucial aspect to be realized. In this Letter, we experimentally generate entanglement between a silicon vacancy defect in silicon carbide and a scattered single photon in the zero-phonon line. The spin state is measured by detecting photons scattered in the phonon sideband. The photonic qubit is encoded in the time-bin degree of freedom and measured using an unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Photonic correlations not only reveal the quality of the entanglement but also verify the deterministic nature of the entanglement creation process. By harnessing two pairs of such spin-photon entanglement, it becomes straightforward to entangle remote quantum nodes at long distance.

Integrative analyses of bulk and single-cell transcriptomics reveals the infiltration and crosstalk of cancer-associated fibroblasts as a novel predictor for prognosis and microenvironment remodeling in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a highly malignant neoplasm and characterized by desmoplastic matrix. The heterogeneity and crosstalk of tumor microenvironment remain incompletely understood. METHODS: To address this gap, we performed Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to identify and construct a cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) infiltration biomarker. We also depicted the intercellular communication network and important receptor-ligand complexes using the single-cell transcriptomics analysis of tumor and Adjacent normal tissue. RESULTS: Through the intersection of TCGA DEGs and WGCNA module genes, 784 differential genes related to CAFs infiltration were obtained. After a series of regression analyses, the CAFs score was generated by integrating the expressions of EVA1A, APBA2, LRRTM4, GOLGA8M, BPIFB2, and their corresponding coefficients. In the TCGA-CHOL, GSE89748, and 107,943 cohorts, the high CAFs score group showed unfavorable survival prognosis (p < 0.001, p = 0.0074, p = 0.028, respectively). Additionally, a series of drugs have been predicted to be more sensitive to the high-risk group (p < 0.05). Subsequent to dimension reduction and clustering, thirteen clusters were identified to construct the single-cell atlas. Cell-cell interaction analysis unveiled significant enhancement of signal transduction in tumor tissues, particularly from fibroblasts to malignant cells via diverse pathways. Moreover, SCENIC analysis indicated that HOXA5, WT1, and LHX2 are fibroblast specific motifs. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals the key role of fibroblasts - oncocytes interaction in the remodeling of the immunosuppressive microenvironment in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Subsequently, it may trigger cascade activation of downstream signaling pathways such as PI3K-AKT and Notch in tumor, thus initiating tumorigenesis. Targeted drugs aimed at disrupting fibroblasts-tumor cell interaction, along with associated enrichment pathways, show potential in mitigating the immunosuppressive microenvironment that facilitates tumor progression.

Systematic investigation of the Borrelia miyamotoi spirochetes in ticks, wildlife and domestic animal hosts in Yunnan province, Southwest China.

Background: Borrelia miyamotoi is a spirochete species transmitted via hard ticks. Following its discovery in Japan, this pathogen has been detected around the world, and is increasingly confirmed as a human pathogen causing febrile disease, namely relapsing fever. Its presence has been confirmed in the Northeast China. However, there is little information regarding the presence of B. miyamotoi and other hard-tick-borne relapsing fever spirochetes in southern China including Yunnan province, where tick and animal species are abundant and many people both inhabit and visit for recreation. Methods: For the present study, we collected samples of ticks, wildlife, and domestic animal hosts from different counties in Yunnan province. Nucleic acids from samples were extracted, and the presence of B. miyamotoi and other relapsing fever spirochetes was confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the 16S rRNA specific target gene fragment. The positive samples were then amplified for partial genome of the flaB and glpQ genes. Statistical differences in its distribution were analyzed by SPSS 20 software. Sequence of partial 16S rRNA, flaB and glpQ genome were analyzed and phylogenetic trees were constructed. Results: A total of 8260 samples including 2304 ticks, 4120 small mammals and 1836 blood of domestic animal hosts were collected for screening for infection of B. miyamotoi and other relapsing fever spirochetes. Cattle and sheep act as the main hosts and Rhipicephalus microplus, Haemaphysalis nepalensis, H. kolonini and Ixodes ovatus were identified as the important vector host with high prevalence or wide distribution. Only one Mus caroli (mouse) and one Sorex alpinus (shrew) were confirmed positive for relapsing fever spirochetes. Evidence of vertical transmission in ticks was also confirmed. Two known strains of B. miyamotoi and one novel relapsing fever spirochetes, B. theileri-like agent, were confirmed and described with their host adaptation, mutation, and potential risk of spreading and spillover for human beings. Conclusions: Our results provide new evidence of relapsing fever spirochetes in vector and animal hosts in Yunnan province based on large sample sizes, and offer guidance on further investigation, surveillance and monitoring of this pathogen.

Inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress attenuates morphine protracted abstinence-induced anxiety-like behaviors in the male mice.

The anxiety caused by morphine protracted abstinence is considered to be an important factor contributes to drug-seeking and relapse. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays important roles in many kinds of mental disorders including drug addiction and anxiety, but it is unclear whether ER stress is involved in anxiety-like behaviors induced by morphine withdrawal. In this study, by using behavioral test, western blot, immunofluorescence, electron transmission microscope, we found that: (1) Inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress by 4-Phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) could attenuate anxiety-like behaviors induced by morphine withdrawal. (2) The endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins in the lateral habenula (LHb) but not in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), ventral pallidum (VP), basolateral amygdala (BLA) and CA1 of hippocampus was upregulated by morphine withdrawal, upregulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins in the lateral habenula induced by morphine withdrawal was inhibited by 4-PBA. (3) Endoplasmic reticulum stress-related protein CHOP and eIF2α were expressed in neurons but not in microglia in the LHb. (4) Morphine withdrawal induced neuronal morphological change in the LHb, which was attenuated by 4-PBA.

Application Value of CYFRA21-1 Combined with NSE, CEA, and SCC-Ag in Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the application value of serum cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1) combined with nerve-specific enolase (NSE), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) in the diagnosis of lung cancer (LC). METHODS: A total of 831 cases of LC, 360 cases of benign lung disease (BLD) and 102 healthy controls, were enrolled. The data were processed using SPSS, GraphPad Prism, and MedCalc software. RESULTS: The tumor marker (TM) levels in the LC and BLD groups were significantly higher than those in the control group; the CYFRA21-1, NSE, and CEA levels in the patients with LC were higher than in those with BLD. In particular, the increase was predominantly observed for the levels of CEA and CYFRA21-1 in adenocarcinoma (LUAD), CYFRA21-1 and SCC-Ag in squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), and NSE in small cell carcinoma (SCLC). The CYFRA21-1, NSE, and CEA levels were significantly higher in stage IV than in other stages in LC. Univariate binary logistic analysis showed that increased levels of all four TMs were risk factors for BLD and LC. The area under the curve (AUC) of CYFRA21-1 was most effective in distinguishing patients with BLD or LC from the controls and in distinguishing patients with BLD and LC. The AUCs of combined CYFRA21-1, NSE, and CEA were increased to 0.755, 0.922, and 0.783, respectively, with no significant difference with the AUC of the four combined tests. In the histological classification, the best predictors were CEA, for LUAD, CYFRA21-1 for LUSC, and NSE for SCLC. Moreover, the expression levels of CYFRA21-1, NSE, and CEA significantly decreased after each treatment course. CONCLUSIONS: The combined assay of CYFRA21-1, NSE, and CEA addresses the aspects of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and economic cost and should be considered as a potential diagnostic test in LC.

A meta-analysis between robotic hepatectomy and conventional open hepatectomy.

Current meta-analysis was performed to compare robotic hepatectomy (RH) with conventional open hepatectomy (OH) in terms of peri-operative and postoperative outcomes. PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were all searched up for comparative studies between RH and OH. RevMan5.3 software and Stata 13.0 software were used for statistical analysis. Nineteen studies with 1747 patients who received RH and 23,633 patients who received OH were included. Pooled results indicated that patients who received RH were generally younger than those received OH (P < 0.00001). Moreover, RH was associated with longer operative time (P = 0.0002), less intraoperative hemorrhage (P < 0.0001), lower incidence of intraoperative transfusion (P = 0.003), lower incidence of postoperative any morbidity (P < 0.00001), postoperative major morbidity (P = 0.0001), mortalities with 90 days after surgery (P < 0.0001), and shorter length of postoperative hospital stay (P < 0.00001). Comparable total hospital costs were acquired between RH and OH groups (P = 0.46). However, even at the premise of comparable R0 rate (P = 0.86), RH was associated with smaller resected tumor size (P < 0.00001). Major hepatectomy (P = 0.02) and right posterior hepatectomy (P = 0.0003) were less frequently performed in RH group. Finally, we concluded that RH was superior to OH in terms of peri-operative and postoperative outcomes. RH could lead to less intraoperative hemorrhage, less postoperative complications and an enhanced postoperative recovery. However, major hepatectomy and right posterior hepatectomy were still less frequently performed via robotic approach. Future more powerful well-designed studies are required for further exploration.

Multi-omics data-based analysis characterizes molecular alterations of the vesicle genes in human colorectal cancer.

The role of vesicular genes in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) is crucial. Analyzing alterations in these genes at multi-omics can aid in understanding the molecular pathways behind colorectal carcinogenesis and identifying potential treatment targets. However, studies on the overall alteration of vesicular genes in CRC are still lacking. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between vesicle genetic alterations and CRC progression. To achieve this, we analyzed molecular alterations in CRC vesicle genes at eight levels, including mRNA, protein, and epigenetic levels. Additionally, we examined CRC overall survival-related genes that were obtained from a public database. Our analysis of chromatin structural variants, DNA methylation, chromatin accessibility, and proteins (including phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and malonylation), along with RNA-seq data from the TCGA database, revealed multiple levels of alterations in CRC vesicle genes in the collected tissue samples. We progressively examined the alterations of vesicle genes in mRNA and protein levels in CRC and discovered the hub genes. Further investigation identified the probable essential transcription factors. This study contributes to a thorough knowledge of the connection between vesicle gene alterations at multiple levels and the development of CRC and offers a theoretical framework for the identification of novel treatment targets.

Dietary intake changes the associations between long-term exposure to fine particulate matter and the surrogate indicators of insulin resistance.

The relationship of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and insulin resistance remains inclusive. Our study aimed to investigate this association in the project of Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China (China-PAR). Specifically, we examined the associations between long-term PM2.5 exposure and three surrogate indicators of insulin resistance: the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG), TyG with waist circumference (TyG-WC) and metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR). Additionally, we explored potential effect modification of dietary intake and components. Generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate the associations between PM2.5 and the indicators with an unbalanced repeated measurement design. Our analysis incorporated a total of 162,060 observations from 99,329 participants. Each 10 µg/m3 increment of PM2.5 was associated with an increase of 0.22 % [95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.20 %, 0.25 %], 1.60 % (95 % CI: 1.53 %, 1.67 %), and 2.05 % (95 % CI: 1.96 %, 2.14 %) in TyG, TyG-WC, and METS-IR, respectively. These associations were attenuated among participants with a healthy diet, particularly those with sufficient intake of fruit and vegetable, fish or tea (pinteraction < 0.0028). For instance, among participants with a healthy diet, TyG increased by 0.11 % (95 % CI: 0.08 %, 0.15 %) per 10 µg/m3 PM2.5 increment, significantly lower than the association observed in those with an unhealthy diet. The findings of this study emphasize the potential of a healthy diet to mitigate these associations, highlighting the urgency for improving air quality and implementing dietary interventions among susceptible populations in China.

Curcumin inhibits the growth and invasion of gastric cancer by regulating long noncoding RNA AC022424.2.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer, characterized by a multifactorial etiology and high heterogeneity, continues to confound researchers in terms of its pathogenesis. Curcumin, a natural anticancer agent, exhibits therapeutic promise in gastric cancer. Its effects include promoting cell apoptosis, curtailing tumor angiogenesis, and enhancing sensitivity to radiation and chemotherapy. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have garnered significant attention as biomarkers for early screening, diagnosis, treatment, and drug response because of their remarkable specificity and sensitivity. Recent investigations have revealed an association between aberrant lncRNA expression and early diagnosis, clinical staging, metastasis, drug sensitivity, and prognosis in gastric cancer. A profound understanding of the intricate mechanisms through which lncRNAs influence gastric cancer development can provide novel insights for precision treatment and tailored management of patients with gastric cancer. This study aimed to unravel the potential of curcumin in suppressing the malignant behavior of gastric cancer cells by upregulating specific lncRNAs and modulating gastric cancer onset and progression. AIM: To identify lncRNAs associated with curcumin treatment and investigate the role of lncRNA AC022424.2 in the effects of curcumin on gastric cancer cell apoptosis, proliferation, and invasion. Furthermore, these findings were validated in clinical samples. METHODS: The study employed CCK-8 assays to assess the impact of curcumin on gastric cancer cell proliferation, flow cytometry to investigate its effects on apoptosis, and scratch and Transwell assays to evaluate its influence on the migration and invasion of BGC-823 and MGC-803 cells. Western blotting was used to gauge changes in the protein expression levels of CDK6, CDK4, Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, P65, and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in gastric cancer cell lines after curcumin treatment. Differential expression of lncRNAs before and after curcumin treatment was assessed using lncRNA sequencing and validated using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in BGC-823 and MGC-803 cells. AC022424.2-1 knockdown BGC-823 and MGC-803 cells were generated to scrutinize the impact of lncRNA AC022424.2 on apoptosis, proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Western blotting was performed to ascertain changes in the expression of proteins implicated in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and NF-κB signaling pathways. RT-PCR was employed to measure lncRNA AC022424.2 expression in clinical gastric cancer tissues and to correlate its expression with clinical pathological characteristics. RESULTS: Curcumin induced apoptosis and hindered proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. LncRNA AC022424.2 was upregulated after curcumin treatment, and its knockdown enhanced cancer cell aggressiveness. LncRNA AC022424.2 may have affected cancer cells via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and NF-κB signaling pathways. LncRNA AC022424.2 downregulation was correlated with lymph node metastasis, making it a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker. CONCLUSION: Curcumin has potential anticancer effects on gastric cancer cells by regulating lncRNA AC022424.2. This lncRNA plays a significant role in cancer cell behavior and may have clinical implications in diagnosis and prognosis evaluation. The results of this study enhance our understanding of gastric cancer development and precision treatment.

Recycling drinking water treatment sludge in construction and building materials: A review.

Drinking water treatment sludge (DWTS) is a by-product of water treatment, and it is difficult to recycle to high value and poses potential environmental risks. Recycling DWTS into cement-based materials is an effective measure to achieve its high-volume utilization and reduce its environmental load. DWTS is rich in silica-alumina phases and has potential pozzolanic activity after drying, grinding and calcination, giving it similar properties to traditional supplementary cementitious materials. Adjusting the sludge production process and coagulant type will change its physical and chemical properties. Adding a small amount of DWTS can generate additional hydration products and refine the pore structure of the cement sample, thus improving the mechanical properties and durability of the sample. However, adding high-volume DWTS to concrete causes microstructural deterioration, but it is feasible to use high-volume DWTS to produce artificial aggregates, lightweight concrete, and sintered bricks. Meanwhile, calcined DWTS has similar compositions to clay, which makes it a potential raw material for cement clinker production. Cement-based materials can effectively solidify heavy metal ions in DWTS, and alkali-activated binders, magnesium-based cement, and carbon curing technology can further reduce the risk of heavy metal leaching. This review provides support for the high-value utilization of DWTS in cement-based materials and the reduction of its potential environmental risks.

Exploration of Novel Meso-C═N-BODIPY-Based AIE Fluorescent Rotors with Large Stokes Shifts for Organelle-Viscosity Imaging.

The research on fluorescent rotors for viscosity has attracted extensive interest to better comprehend the close relationships of microviscosity variations with related diseases. Although scientists have made great efforts, fluorescent probes for cellular viscosity with both aggregation-induced emissions (AIEs) and large Stokes shifts to improve sensing properties have rarely been reported. Herein, we first report four new meso-C═N-substituted BODIPY-based rotors with large Stokes shifts, investigate their viscosity/AIE characteristics, and perform cellular imaging of the viscosity in subcellular organelles. Interestingly, the meso-C═N-phenyl group-substituted probe 6 showed an obvious 594 nm fluorescence enhancement in glycerol and a moderate 650 nm red AIE emission in water. Further, on attaching CF3 to the phenyl group, a similar phenomenon was observed for 7 with red-shifted emissions, attributed to the introduction of a phenyl group, which plays a key role in the red AIE emissions and large Stokes shifts. Comparatively, for phenyl-group-free probes, both the meso-C═N-trifluoroethyl group and thiazole-substituted probes (8 and 9) exhibited good viscosity-responsive properties, while no AIE was observed due to the absence of phenyl groups. For cellular experiments, 6 and 9 showed good lysosomal and mitochondrial targeting properties, respectively, and were further successfully used for imaging viscosity through the preincubation of monensin and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), indicating that C═N polar groups potentially work as rotatable moieties and organelle-targeting groups, and the targeting difference might be ascribed to increased charges of thiazole. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the structural relationships of four meso-C═N BODIPY-based rotors with respect to their viscosity/AIE characteristics, subcellular-targeting ability, and cellular imaging for viscosity, potentially serving as AIE fluorescent probes with large Stokes shifts for subcellular viscosity imaging.

Application status and optimization suggestions of tumor organoids and CAR-T cell co-culture models.

Tumor organoids, especially patient-derived organoids (PDOs) exhibit marked similarities in histopathological morphology, genomic alterations, and specific marker expression profiles to those of primary tumour tissues. They are applied in various fields including drug screening, gene editing, and identification of oncogenes. However, CAR-T therapy in the treatment of solid tumours is still at an exploratory stage. Tumour organoids offer unique advantages over other preclinical models commonly used for CAR-T therapy research, which the preservation of the biological characteristics of primary tumour tissue is critical for the study of early-stage solid tumour CAR-T therapies. Although some investigators have used this co-culture model to validate newly targeted CAR-T cells, optimise existing CAR-T cells and explore combination therapy strategies, there is still untapped potential in the co-culture models used today. This review introduces the current status of the application of tumour organoid and CAR-T cell co-culture models in recent years and commented on the limitations of the current co-cultivation model. Meanwhile, we compared the tumour organoid model with two pre-clinical models commonly used in CAR-T therapy research. Eventually, combined with the new progress of organoid technologies, optimization suggestions were proposed for the co-culture model from five perspectives: preserving or reconstructing the tumor microenvironment, systematization, vascularization, standardized culture procedures, and expanding the tumor organoids resource library, aimed at assisting related researchers to better utilize co-culture models.

Upcycling textile sludge into magnesium oxychloride cement: Physical properties, microstructure, and leaching behavior.

Textile sludge is a by-product produced during the wastewater treatment process in the textile printing and dyeing industry. Textile sludge is rich in heavy metal elements, which makes it a potential risk to the surrounding environment. This study designs a magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) components to solidify harmful substances in textile sludge and studies the influence of textile sludge ash (TSA) on the mechanical properties and microstructure of MOC samples. The results indicated that adding 5 %-20 % TSA is beneficial for increasing the compressive strength of air-cured MOC paste and improving its water resistance. Meanwhile, the MOC sample shows volume expansion in 168 h, which is related to the further hydration of residual MgO. Incorporating 10 %-20 % TSA substantially increased the volume expansion ratio of the mixture compared to plain MOC sample. In addition, the porosity of TSA-modified MOC after water curing did not change significantly compared to the sample before water curing, while the pore structure of plain MOC after water curing significantly coarsened. This is mainly because TSA reacts with MOC and generates Mg-Al-Cl-Si-H and Mg-Cl-Si-H gels, consequently improving the water stability of MOC sample. At the nanoscale, the 3/5-phase crystal and unreacted MgO content in the 15 % TSA-modified MOC sample is relatively reduced by 7.79 % and 25 %, respectively, compared to the plain sample, but the 13 % gel phase is detected. In addition, the MOC component can effectively solidify heavy metal elements in textile sludge. For the leachate of 20 % TSA-modified MOC paste, the Ni element is not detected, and its solidifying effect on heavy elements such as Zn and Mn exceeded 99 %.

Exploring the neurotoxicity of chiral dinotefuran towards nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: Enantioselective insights into species selectivity.

Dinotefuran is a chiral neonicotinoid that is widely distributed in environmental matrices, but its health risks to different organisms are poorly understood. This study investigated the neurotoxic responses of honeybee/cotton aphid nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) to chiral dinotefuran at the enantiomeric scale and demonstrated the microscopic mechanism of species selectivity in nAChR-mediated enantioselective neurotoxicity. The findings indicated that (S)-dinotefuran had a higher affinity for honeybee nAChR than (R)-dinotefuran whereas both enantiomers exhibited similar bioactivity toward cotton aphid nAChR. The results of dynamic neurotoxic processes indicated the association of conformational changes induced by chiral dinotefuran with its macroscopic neurotoxicity, and (R)-dinotefuran, which exhibit low toxicity to honeybee, was found to induce significant conformational changes in the enantioselective neurotoxic reaction, as supported by the average root-mean-square fluctuation (0.35 nm). Energy decomposition results indicated that electrostatic contribution (ΔGele) is the critical energy term that leads to substantial enantioselectivity, and both Trp-51 (－2.57 kcal mol-1) and Arg-75 (－4.86 kcal mol-1), which form a hydrogen-bond network, are crucial residues in mediating the species selectivity for enantioselective neurotoxic responses. Clearly, this study provides experimental evidence for a comprehensive assessment of the health hazards of chiral dinotefuran.

Asymmetric copper-catalyzed alkynylallylic monofluoroalkylations with fluorinated malonates.

The unprecedented copper-catalyzed asymmetric alkynylallylic monofluoroalkylation reaction is described via the use of 1,3-enynes and fluorinated malonates. A series of 1,4-enynes bearing a monofluoroalkyl unit are achieved in high yields, excellent regio- and enantioselectivity and high E/Z selectivity. The asymmetric propargylic monofluoroalkylation is also developed. The reliability and synthetic value of the work are highlighted by a gram-scale test and a couple of downstream transformations. Preliminary mechanistic studies unveil a negative nonlinear effect for the catalytic process.