Molecular and immunological characteristics of postoperative relapse in lymph node-positive esophageal squamous cell cancer.

BACKGROUND: The molecular and immunological characteristics of primary tumors and positive lymph nodes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are unknown and the relationship with recurrence is unclear, which this study attempted to explore. METHODS: A total of 30 ESCC patients with lymph node positive (IIB-IVA) were enrolled. Among them, primary tumor and lymph node specimens were collected from each patient, and subjected to 551-tumor-targeted DNA sequencing and 289-immuno-oncology RNA panel sequencing to identify the different molecular basis and immunological features, respectively. RESULTS: The primary tumors exhibited a higher mutation burden than lymph nodes (p < 0.001). One-year recurrent ESCC exhibited a higher Mucin16 (MUC16) mutation rate (p = 0.038), as well as univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that MUC16 mutation is independent genetic factor associated with reduced relapse-free survival (univariate, HR: 5.39, 95% CI: 1.67-17.4, p = 0.005; multivariate, HR: 7.36, 95% CI: 1.79-30.23, p = 0.006). Transcriptomic results showed non-relapse group had higher cytolytic activity (CYT) score (p = 0.025), and was enriched in the IFN-α pathway (p = 0.036), while those in the relapsed group were enriched in the TNF-α/NF-κB (p = 0.001) and PI3K/Akt pathway (p = 0.014). CONCLUSION: The difference in molecular characteristics between primary lesions and lymph nodes may be the cause of the inconsistent clinical outcomes. Mutations of MUC16 and poor immune infiltration are associated with rapid relapse of nodes-positive ESCC.

Chiral carbon dots derived from tryptophan and threonine for enantioselective sensing of L/D-Lysine.

Presently, most fluorescent probes for amino acid enantiomers detection require metal ions participation, which greatly increases the detection steps and costs, and affects the accuracy of detection results. To solve this problem, a dual pattern recognition sensor of chiral carbon dots (L-Try-Thr-CDs) with a quantum yield of 36.23 % was prepared by a one-step solvothermal method for the highly selective detection of lysine (Lys) enantiomers. Under optimal experimental conditions, the fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) signals of the obtained L-Try-Thr-CDs could rapidly and effectively responded to L-Lys with limits of detection (LOD) of 16.51 nM and 24.38 nM, respectively, much lower than previously reported sensors. Importantly, the L-Try-Thr-CDs as a dual-mode sensor could not only detect amino acid enantiomers and simplify the steps, but also avoid inaccurate detection results due to unstable metal ions. Furthermore, the L-Try-Thr-CDs could detect L-Lys in living cells via a fluorescence microscope because of their excellent fluorescence characteristics and low toxicity. These results indicated that the dual-mode sensor not only provided a practical strategy for the design of new fluorescent probes, but also possessed outstanding application prospects in the accurate detection of lysine enantiomers.

Photoacoustic Spectroscopy Gas Detection Technology Research Progress.

Photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) can be utilized as an ultrasensitive gas detection method. The basic principles of gas detection using PAS are discussed in this paper. First, the basic instrumentation for a PAS gas detection system is introduced focusing on the photoacoustic cell. The discussion includes non-resonant photoacoustic cells and the different types of resonant photoacoustic cells, including the longitudinal photoacoustic cell, the Helmholtz photoacoustic cell, the T-type photoacoustic cell, and the high-frequency resonant photoacoustic cell. The basic working principles of each of these, cells as well as the advantages and disadvantages of photoacoustic cells are discussed, and the development of newer types of photoacoustic cells in recent years is outlined in detail. This review provides detailed reference information and guidance for interested researchers who would like to design and build advanced photoacoustic cells for gas detection.

Prevalence and risk factors of malnutrition in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Malnutrition is prevalent in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and is associated with a poor prognosis. Objective: This study aims to assess the prevalence and risk factors of malnutrition in patients with PTB. Methods: Studies related to the prevalence and risk factors of malnutrition in patients with PTB were searched through PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases from January 1990 to August 2022, and two researchers screened the literature, evaluated the quality, and extracted data independently. A random-effects model was used to pool the effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression analysis, and sensitivity analysis were further performed to identify sources of heterogeneity and evaluate the stability of the results. Publication bias was assessed by Doi plot, Luis Furuya-Kanamori (LFK) asymmetry index, funnel plot, and Egger's tests. Results: A total of 53 studies involving 48, 598 participants were identified in this study. The prevalence of malnutrition was 48.0% (95% CI, 40.9-55.2%). Subgroup analysis revealed that malnutrition was more common among male gender (52.3%), bacterial positivity (55.9%), family size over 4 (54.5%), drug resistance (44.1%), residing in rural areas (51.2%), HIV infection (51.5%), Asian (51.5%), and African (54.5%) background. The prevalence of mild, moderate, and severe malnutrition was 21.4%, 14.0%, and 29.4%, respectively. Bacterial positivity (OR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.26-3.41), low income (OR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.11-1.86), and residing in rural areas (OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.20-1.89) were risk factors of malnutrition in patients with PTB. However, male (OR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.85-1.26) and drinking (OR = 1.17, 95% CI 0.81-1.69) were not risk factors for malnutrition in patients with PTB. Due to the instability of sensitivity analysis, HIV infection, age, family size, smoking, and pulmonary cavity need to be reevaluated. Meta-regression suggested that sample size was a source of heterogeneity of prevalence. The Doi plot and LFK asymmetry index (LFK = 3.87) indicated the presence of publication bias for prevalence, and the funnel plot and Egger's test showed no publication bias for risk factors. Conclusion: This meta-analysis indicated that malnutrition was prevalent in patients with PTB, and bacterial positivity, low income, and those residing in rural areas were risk factors for malnutrition. Therefore, clinical workers should pay attention to screening the nutritional status of patients with PTB and identifying the risk factors to reduce the incidence of malnutrition and provide nutritional interventions early to improve the prognosis in patients with PTB.

Influence laws of air gap structure manipulation of covalent organic frameworks on dielectric properties and exciton effects for photopolymerization.

Boosting the dissociation of excitons is essential to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency. However, the relationship between the structure of the catalyst and the exciton effect on the photocatalytic activity is still unclear as the main problem. Here, it is proposed that as a descriptive factor, an experimentally measurable dielectric constant (εr) is available to quantitatively describe its relationship with exciton binding energy (Eb) and photocatalytic activity. With tuning the linker of covalent organic frameworks (COFs), the "air gap" structure is oriented to shrink, leading to an increased εr of COFs and a lower Eb to facilitate exciton dissociation. Meanwhile, taking "water-/oxygen-fueled" photo-induced electron transfer reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization as a demonstration platform, it can be seen that COFs with a small "air gap" structure have relatively superior photocatalytic activity. This provides important implications for the evolution of efficient photocatalysts.

Dual-Layer All-Textile Flexible Pressure Sensor Coupled by Silver Nanowires with Ti3C2-Mxene for Monitoring Athletic Motion during Sports and Transmitting Information.

At present, wearable flexible pressure sensors have broad application prospects in fields such as motion monitoring and information transmission. However, it is still a challenge to design flexible pressure sensors with high sensitivity over a large sensing range and simple fabrication. Here, we use a simple "dipping-drying" method to fabricate a fabric-based flexible pressure sensor by coupling silver nanowires (AgNWs) with Ti3C2-MXene. The interaction between MXene and AgNWs helps realize a dual-layer sensing network, achieving good synergistic effects between pressure sensitivity and sensing range. The effects of the material combination and dip-coating sequence on the sensor's performance are systematically studied. The results show that the sensor was impregnated sequentially with AgNWs solution, and the MXene solution has the highest sensitivity (0.168 kPa-1) over a wide range (190 kPa). Meanwhile, it has the advantages of low response hysteresis and detection limit, as well as good linearity and durability. We further demonstrate the application of this sensor in human physiological signal monitoring and motion pattern recognition. It can also encrypt and transmit information according to different pressing states. In addition, the proposed pressure sensor array exhibits spatial resolution detection capabilities, laying the foundation for applications in the fields of motion monitoring and human-computer interaction.

Nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dot-based portable fluorescent sensors for the sensitive detection of Fe3+ and ATP with logic gate operation.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and Fe3+ are important "signaling molecules" in living organisms, and their abnormal concentrations can be used for the early diagnosis of degenerative diseases. Therefore, the development of a sensitive and accurate fluorescent sensor is essential for detecting these signaling molecules in biological matrices. Herein, nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs) with cyan fluorescence emission were prepared by thermal cleavage of graphene oxide (GO) with N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) as a solvent. The synergistic effect of static quenching and internal filtration enabled the selective quenching of N-GQD fluorescence by Fe3+. With the introduction of ATP, Fe3+ in the N-GQDs-Fe3+ system formed a more stable complex with ATP via the Fe-O-P bond, thus restoring the fluorescence of the N-GQDs. Fe3+ and ATP were detected in the linear ranges of 0-34 µM and 0-10 µM with the limits of detection (LOD) of 2.38 nM and 1.16 nM, respectively. In addition to monitoring Fe3+ and ATP in mouse serum and urine, the proposed method was also successfully applied for cytoplasmic imaging of 4T1 cells and in vivo imaging of freshwater shrimps. Moreover, the fluorescence and solution color change-based "AND" logic gate was successfully demonstrated in the biological matrix. Importantly, a complete sensing system was constructed by combining the N-GQDs with hydrogel kits and fluorescent flexible films. Thus, the prepared N-GQDs can be expected to serve as a valuable analytical tool for monitoring Fe3+ and ATP concentrations in biological matrices.

Low Dimensional Nanostructure-Assisted Long-Range Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensors With High Figure of Merit.

Long-range surface plasmon resonance (LRSPR) sensors have been extensively studied by virtue of their extremely narrow full width at half maxima (FWHM) characteristics, but their low sensitivity remains an important factor limiting the figure of merit (FOM), making the sensors have difficulties in detecting small refractive index changes accurately. To address this problem, this paper proposes and demonstrates a low dimensional nanostructure (Au nanospheres, WS2) assisted LRSPR sensor to achieve an effective enhancement of the sensor interfaced electric field and thus improve the sensitivity. The performance parameters of the two sensors are compared with the LRSPR sensor by finite element method analysis, and the results showed that the assistance of the low dimensional nanostructure has a positive effect on the sensor. The first refractive index sensing experiment of the WS2-assisted LRSPR sensor was realized with a 25.47% increase in sensitivity and a 7.13% increase in FOM simultaneously, and the Au nanospheres-assisted LRSPR sensor with a 29.23% increase in sensitivity and a 15.95% increase in FOM simultaneously. The introduction of low dimensional nanostructures provides a flexible and effective means of sensitization for LRSPR sensors, making the plasmon resonance sensors combine high sensitivity, narrow FWHM and high FOM, which have promising applications in biochemical sensing.

Skeleton-coated CoCu-Based bimetal hollow nanoprisms as High-Performance electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction.

CoSx materials with high catalytic activity are considered as promising HER electrocatalysts, but their inherent low electrical conductivity and easy loss of active sites have greatly limited their applications in OER electrocatalysis. Herein, we present a convenient method to synthesize Co-Cu hollow nanoprisms after wrapping and calcining with trithiocyanuric acid (C3H3N3S3) (denoted N-Co-Cu-S-x HNs). The results showed that Cu doping modified the charge density of Co center, leading to the enhancement of the intrinsic activity of the Co3S4 active center, meanwhile wrapping trithiocyanuric acid on the surfaces and calcinating to form N-containing C skeleton as a flexible substrate to encapsulate the catalysts, which effectively protected the active sites inside the catalysts. Notably, the OER catalyst that was optimized by adjusting the metal ratio and controlling the trithiocyanuric acid incorporation exhibited a low overpotential of 306 mV under a current density of 10 mA cm-2 and showed a superior durability of more than 27 h. This work may provide some insights into the preparation of oxygen evolution reaction catalysts with excellent performance through doping transition metals and protecting the internal active sites strategies.

Ionic Conjugated Polymers as Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Cycloaddition of Carbon Dioxide to Epoxides to Form Carbonates under Solvent- and Cocatalyst-Free Conditions.

The generation of cyclic carbonates by the cycloaddition of CO2 with epoxides is attractive in the industry, by which CO2 is efficiently used as C1 source. Herein, a series of catalysts were developed to efficient mediate the cycloaddition of CO2 with epoxides to generate carbonates. The catalysts were easily synthesized via the amine-formaldehyde condensation of ethidium bromide with a variety of linkers. The newly prepared heterogeneous catalysts have high thermal stability and degradation temperatures. The surface of the catalysts is smooth and spherical in shape. The effect of temperature, pressure, reaction time and catalyst dosage on the cycloaddition of CO2 with epoxide were investigated. The results show that the catalyst with 1,3,5-tris(4-formylphenyl)benzene as the linker can achieve 97.4 % conversion efficiency at the conditions of 100 °C, reaction time of 12 h, and the reaction pressure of 1.2 MPa in a solvent-free environment. Notably, the polymers serve as homogeneous catalysts during the reaction (reaction temperature above Tg ) and can be separated and recovered easily as homogeneous catalysts at room temperature. In addition, the catalyst is not only suitable for a wide range of epoxide substrates, but also can be recycled many times. Furthermore, DFT calculations show that the coordination between the electrophilic center of the catalyst and the epoxide reduces the energy barrier, and the reaction mechanism is proposed based on the reaction kinetic studies and DFT calculations.

Flexible Pressure Sensor Decorated with MXene and Reduced Graphene Oxide Composites for Motion Detection, Information Transmission, and Pressure Sensing Performance.

Although fiber-based flexible piezoresistive pressure sensors have received extensive attention because of their simple fabrication and easy integration, the common practice of using a single material as the sensing layer often leads to unsatisfactory sensitivity and a limited sensing range. Herein, we exploit the combination of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and two-dimensional transition-metal carbides and nitrides (MXene), use a polyester filament (PET) as the fiber matrix, and fabricate an MX/rGO PET-based flexible pressure sensor using the "dipping-drying" method. A systematic study is conducted concerning the effect of the dip-coating sequence and material combination on the sensor's resistance and sensitivity, which reveals that MX/rGO PET has the smallest resistance and the highest sensitivity (1.24 kPa-1). A series of tests are conducted to evaluate the pressure sensing characteristics of the MX/rGO PET-based pressure sensor, confirming its good linearity, fast response speed, low detection limit, and stable performance. In addition, the sensor has been successfully used to monitor various human joint activities and physiological signals such as breathing, demonstrating great application potential in the field of personal health care. To further enhance the practical utility, an APP has been designed to analyze and display the collected signals, and the constructed sensor network also provides an ingenious method for information encryption and transmission via pressure sensing. In all, the MX/rGO PET-based pressure sensor proposed in this work is expected to provide a competitive scheme for wearable flexible electronic devices in information transmission and human-computer interaction in the future.

Plasmonic crescent nanoarray-based surface lattice resonance sensor with a high figure of merit.

Due to the natural accumulation of radiation losses arising from the localization and random arrangement of nanoparticles, the figure of merit (FOM) of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensors is usually very low (the value is usually less than 5 RIU-1). However, radiation losses of individual particles will be offset by adjusting the phase of the scattered field which is dependent on the structure parameters of arrays. Based on this, a two-dimensional periodic crescent nanoarray-based surface lattice resonance (SLR) sensor with a high FOM is proposed in this work. Some significant results have been obtained by mode field analysis and adjustment of structural parameters. On the one hand, the line-shape of the SLR spectrum is divided into a Fano-like line and a separate line. And the former usually has an FOM of 101 magnitude while the latter has an FOM of 103 magnitude. On the other hand, the relative size of the excitation wavelengths between SLR and LSPR is also vital. The FOM is higher but resonance depth decreases faster when the relative size increases. In this work, a full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of less than 0.5 nm and FOM of more than 1000 RIU-1 (the quality factor is more than 3000) are achieved by the proposed crescent nanoarrays. In addition, this structure demonstrates that plasmonic nanoarray-based SLR has enormous potential in trace substance detection.

Large-area flexible MWCNT/PDMS pressure sensor for ergonomic design with aid of deep learning learning.

The achievement of well-performing pressure sensors with low pressure detection, high sensitivity, large-scale integration, and effective analysis of the subsequent data remains a major challenge in the development of flexible piezoresistive sensors. In this study, a simple and extendable sensor preparation strategy was proposed to fabricate flexible sensors on the basis of multiwalled carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane (MWCNT/PDMS) composites. A dispersant of tetrahydrofuran (THF) was added to solve the agglomeration of MWCNTs in PDMS, and the resistance of the obtained MWCNT/PDMS conductive unit with 7.5 wt.% MWCNTs were as low as 180 Ω/hemisphere. Sensitivity (0.004 kPa-1), excellent response stability, fast response time (36 ms), and excellent electromechanical properties were demonstrated within the pressure range from 0 to 100 kPa. A large-area flexible sensor with 8 × 10 pixels was successfully adopted to detect the pressure distribution on the human back and to verify its applicability. Combining the sensor array with deep learning, inclination of human sitting was easily recognized with high accuracy, indicating that the combined technology can be used to guide ergonomic design.

MatOpt: A Python Package for Nanomaterials Design Using Discrete Optimization.

Novel materials are being enabled by advances in synthesis techniques that achieve ever better control over the atomic-scale structure of materials. The pace of materials development has been further increased by high-throughput computational experiments guided by informatics and machine learning. We have previously demonstrated complementary approaches using mathematical optimization models to search through highly combinatorial design spaces of atomic arrangements, guiding the design of nanostructured materials. In this paper, we highlight the common features of materials optimization problems that can be efficiently modeled via mixed-integer linear optimization models. To take advantage of these commonalities, we have created MatOpt, a Python package that formalizes the process of representing the design space and formulating optimization models for the on-demand design of nanostructured materials. This tool serves to bridge the gap between practitioners with expertise in materials science and those with expertise in formulating and solving mathematical optimization models, effectively lowering the barriers for applying rigorous numerical optimization capabilities during nanostructured materials development.

A Flexible Temperature Sensor for Noncontact Human-Machine Interaction.

Flexible sensors have attracted extensive attention because of their promising applications in the fields of health monitoring, intelligent robots, and electronic skin, etc. During the COVID-19 epidemic, noncontact control of public equipment such as elevators, game consoles, and doors has become particularly important, as it can effectively reduce the risk of cross-infection. In this work, a noncontact flexible temperature sensor is prepared via a simple dip-drying progress, in which poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and printer paper served as the sensing material and the flexible substrate, respectively. We combined the highly sensitive temperature-responsive property of PEDOT:PSS with the good hygroscopicity of printer paper. The prepared sensor shows high sensitivity and good stability in noncontact sensing mode within the temperature range of 20-50 °C. To prove the practicability of the noncontact temperature sensor, a 3 × 2 sensing array is prepared as a noncontact human-machine interface to realize the interaction between player and "Pound-A-Mole game" and a Bluetooth car. These two demos show the sensor's ability to perceive nearby temperature changes, verifying its application potential as a noncontact human-machine interaction interface.

Textile-Based Mechanical Sensors: A Review.

Innovations related to textiles-based sensors have drawn great interest due to their outstanding merits of flexibility, comfort, low cost, and wearability. Textile-based sensors are often tied to certain parts of the human body to collect mechanical, physical, and chemical stimuli to identify and record human health and exercise. Until now, much research and review work has been carried out to summarize and promote the development of textile-based sensors. As a feature, we focus on textile-based mechanical sensors (TMSs), especially on their advantages and the way they achieve performance optimizations in this review. We first adopt a novel approach to introduce different kinds of TMSs by combining sensing mechanisms, textile structure, and novel fabricating strategies for implementing TMSs and focusing on critical performance criteria such as sensitivity, response range, response time, and stability. Next, we summarize their great advantages over other flexible sensors, and their potential applications in health monitoring, motion recognition, and human-machine interaction. Finally, we present the challenges and prospects to provide meaningful guidelines and directions for future research. The TMSs play an important role in promoting the development of the emerging Internet of Things, which can make health monitoring and everyday objects connect more smartly, conveniently, and comfortably efficiently in a wearable way in the coming years.

Asymptomatic Patients with Airflow Limitation are at Higher Risk of Postoperative Pulmonary Complications After Lung Surgeries: An Ambispective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: With the use of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) as a preoperative examination, it is not rare to screen out airflow limitation (AFL) in asymptomatic patients undergoing lung surgeries. This study aims to elucidate whether there is a difference in the prevalence and prognosis of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) between asymptomatic patients with newly diagnosed AFL and the normal population undergoing lung surgeries. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The medical records of asymptomatic patients undergoing lung surgeries who were spirometrically diagnosed with AFL between January and October 2017 were collected in Qilu hospital. These patients were subsequently followed up until February 2021. The diagnosis of PPCs was based on a recommended consensus definition. The incidence of PPCs between the newly diagnosed AFL group and the normal group was compared and a propensity score-matched analysis (PSM) was performed. The survival analysis was performed to investigate the long-term prognosis of the two groups. RESULTS: Overall, 535 asymptomatic subjects were recruited and 126 subjects (11.4%) were spirometrically diagnosed as AFL. The incidence of PPCs was significantly higher in the newly diagnosed AFL group than in the normal population (28.6%VS 14.4%, P < 0.001), especially in the FEV1/FVC≤65% group (P < 0.001), which were all confirmed by PSM analysis. Furthermore, these patients were at a higher risk of ICU admissions (P < 0.001) and 90-day hospital readmissions secondary to PPCs (P < 0.001). No significant differences were found in the overall, in-hospital and 90-day mortality between the AFL group and the normal group (P values >0.05). CONCLUSION: Asymptomatic patients with AFL are at higher risk of PPCs than the general population after lung surgeries, along with an increase in ICU admissions and 90-day hospital readmissions secondary to PPCs. Although these patients tended to report worse current conditions, they were similar in the in-hospital, 90-day and overall mortality during the follow-up.

A sensitive "ON-OFF" fluorescent probe based on carbon dots for Fe2+ detection and cell imaging.

Fe2+ is a trace metal ion required by the human body, and its abnormal metabolism can cause serious diseases. Herein, we report the development of a highly efficient "ON-OFF" fluorescent probe based on carbon dots (CDs), prepared by a simple one-step hydrothermal method. The CDs exhibited exceptional water dispersibility and stability, superior luminescence performance and low cytotoxicity. The fluorescence could be efficiently quenched by Fe2+ through an electronic transfer process. And under the optimized experimental conditions, this probe shows excellent selectivity and high sensitivity towards Fe2+ with a detection limit of 51 nmol. More interestingly, this probe could realize the visual detection of Fe2+ when Fe3+ and Cu2+ ions were efficiently shielded by tartaric acid in the presence of ascorbic acid. Furthermore, the developed fluorescent probe has been successfully applied for the detection of Fe2+ in tap water and BSA solution as well as for the biosensing of Fe2+ in living cells.

Polypyrrole-based double rare earth hybrid nanoparticles for multimodal imaging and photothermal therapy.

Nanotheranostic agents that can simultaneously provide real-time tracking and accurate treatment at tumor sites are playing an increasingly important role in medicine. Herein, a novel polypyrrole (PPy)-based theranostic agent containing double rare-earth elements (PPy@BSA-Gd/Dy NPs) was successfully synthesized via an integrated strategy combining biomineralization and oxidation polymerization. The obtained PPy@BSA-Gd/Dy NPs with a diameter of approximately 59.48 ± 6.12 nm exhibited excellent solubility, long-term stability, superior biocompatibility, and negligible toxicity. Importantly, due to its intrinsic paramagnetic and strong X-ray attenuation ability, this agent demonstrated brilliant imaging performance in both T1/T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging in vitro and vivo. Additionally, with an excellent photothermal conversion efficiency (26.61%) upon irradiation by an 808 nm laser, this theranostic agent showed significant photothermal cytotoxicity against HeLa cells and 4T1 cells in vitro and antitumor efficacy through intravenous injection in vivo. Meanwhile, biodistribution and blood circulation were also used to explore its fate in vivo. In summary, this study highlighted the versatility and practicability of PPy@BSA-Gd/Dy NPs and also suggested that the agent may be a promising candidate for T1/T2-weighted MRI/CT tri-modal imaging guided photothermal cancer therapy.

Recyclable Polydopamine-Functionalized Sponge for High-Efficiency Clean Water Generation with Dual-Purpose Solar Evaporation and Contaminant Adsorption.

Solar desalination of seawater is an attractive and environmentally friendly method to solve the long-standing water crisis. However, its efficiency is highly reliant on solar intensity. Additionally, increasing contamination in water makes it difficult to generate clean water through the solo desalination process. To address this, we propose a polydopamine (PDA)-functionalized hybrid material with dual-purpose solar evaporation and contaminant adsorption for highly efficient clean water production in all-weather conditions. The hybrid material is fabricated by polymerization of dopamine onto a commercial sponge in a facile, low-cost, and scalable manner. With excellent light absorption and chelation capabilities, the PDA film coated on sponge acts as both a photothermal material and adsorbent that allow us to achieve clean water production with solar desalination when sunshine and with contaminant adsorption when cloudy or at night. Meanwhile, the solar evaporation and contaminant adsorption of the PDA-sponge are synergized with one another, resulting in the PDA-sponge that is a desirable material with the capability of continuous clean water production in all-weather conditions. The PDA-sponge is also highly recyclable with a high retention rate of evaporation and adsorption efficiency even after 10 cycles. The promising PDA-based hybrid is believed to inspire new strategies for superior water treatment materials.