A Chromatographic Approach for High-Precision Eu Isotope Analysis.

Eu isotopes are promising tracers across various scientific domains such as planetary, earth, and marine science, yet their high-precision analysis has been challenging due to the similar geochemical properties of rare earth elements (REEs). In this study, a novel two-column chromatographic approach was developed utilizing AG50W-X12 and TODGA resins to separate Eu effectively from matrix and interfering elements like Ba, Nd, Sm, and Gd, while ensuring high Eu yields (99.4 ± 0.4%, n = 19) and low blanks (<20 pg). The robustness of this method is evidenced by various rock types and different Eu loading masses. The efficient purification of Eu facilitated the establishment of a high-precision calibration technique with standard-sample bracketing (SSB) and internal normalization (Nd). When a Nu Plasma 1700 multicollector-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) instrument was employed, repeated purification and analysis of various Geological Reference Materials (GRMs) confirmed that the long-term external precision of δ153/151Eu is better than 0.04‰ (2 standard deviation (2SD)), which represents a 2-5-fold increase in precision compared to previously reported methods. Additionally, the high-precision Eu isotopic compositions of five GRMs, including basalts, andesite, syenite, and marine sediment, were measured. The high-precision Eu isotope techniques presented herein open up new avenues for Eu isotope geochemistry.

The WOX9-WUS modules are indispensable for the maintenance of stem cell homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The dynamic balance between the self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells in plants is precisely regulated by a series of developmental regulated genes that exhibit spatiotemporal-specific expression patterns. Several studies have demonstrated that the WOX family transcription factors play critical roles in maintaining the identity of stem cells in Arabidopsis thaliana. In this study, we obtained amiR-WOX9 transgenic plants, which displayed terminating prematurely of shoot apical meristem (SAM) development, along with alterations in inflorescence meristem and flower development. The phenotype of amiR-WOX9 plants exhibited similarities to that of wus-101 mutant, characterized by a stop-and-go growth pattern. It was also found that the expression of WUS in amiR-WOX9 lines was decreased significantly, while in UBQ10::WOX9-GFP transgenic plants, the WUS expression was increased significantly despite no substantial alteration in meristem size compared to Col. Therefore, these data substantiated the indispensable role of WOX9 in maintaining the proper expression of WUS. Further investigations unveiled the direct binding of WOX9 to the WUS promoter via the TAAT motif, thereby activating its expression. It was also found that WUS recognized identical the same TAAT motif cis-elements in its own promoter, thereby repress self-expression. Next, we successfully identified a physical interaction between WOX9 and WUS, and verified that it was harmful to the expression of WUS. Finally, our experimental findings demonstrate that WOX9 was responsible for the direct activating of WUS, which however was interfered by the ways of WUS binding its own promoter and the interaction of WUS and WOX9, thereby ensuring the appropriate expression pattern of WUS and then the stem cell stability. This study contributes to an enhanced comprehension of the regulatory network of the WOX9-WUS module in maintaining the equilibrium of the SAM.

Uncovering Atomic Migrations Behind Magnetic Tunnel Junction Breakdown.

As advances in computing technology increase demand for efficient data storage solutions, spintronic magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)-based magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) devices emerge as promising alternatives to traditional charge-based memory devices. Successful applications of such spintronic devices necessitate understanding not only their ideal working principles but also their breakdown mechanisms. Employing an in situ electrical biasing system, atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) reveals two distinct breakdown mechanisms. Soft breakdown occurs at relatively low electric currents due to electromigration, wherein restructuring of MTJ core layers forms ultrathin regions in the dielectric MgO layer and edge conducting paths, reducing device resistance. Complete breakdown occurs at relatively high electric currents due to a combination of joule heating and electromigration, melting MTJ component layers at temperatures below their bulk melting points. Time-resolved, atomic-scale STEM studies of functional devices provide insight into the evolution of structure and composition during device operation, serving as an innovative experimental approach for a wide variety of electronic devices.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Production in Pine Nut Oil: A Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Lp-01 Fermentation Approach.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a class of bioactive fatty acids that exhibit various physiological activities such as anti-cancer, anti-atherosclerosis, and lipid-lowering. It is an essential fatty acid that cannot be synthesized by the human body and must be derived from dietary sources. The natural sources of CLA are limited, predominantly relying on chemical and enzymatic syntheses methods. Microbial biosynthesis represents an environmentally benign approach for CLA production. Pine nut oil, containing 40-60% linoleic acid, serves as a promising substrate for CLA enrichment. In the present study, we developed a novel method for the production of CLA from pine nut oil using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) Lp-01, which harbors a linoleic acid isomerase. The optimal fermentation parameters for CLA production were determined using a combination of single-factor and response surface methodologies: an inoculum size of 2%, a fermentation temperature of 36 °C, a fermentation time of 20 h, and a pine nut oil concentration of 11%. Under these optimized conditions, the resultant CLA yield was 33.47 µg/mL. Gas chromatography analysis revealed that the fermentation process yielded a mixture of c9, t11CLA and t10, c12 CLA isomers, representing 4.91% and 4.86% of the total fatty acid content, respectively.

Rational construction of CQDs-based targeted multifunctional nanoplatform for synergistic chemo-photothermal tumor therapy.

Photothermal therapy combined with chemotherapy has shown great promise in the treatment of cancer. In this synergistic system, a safe, stable, and efficient photothermal agent is desired. Herein, an effective photothermal agent, carbon quantum dots (CQDs), was initially synthesized and then rationally constructed a folic acid (FA)-targeted photothermal multifunctional nanoplatform by encapsulating CQDs and the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) in the liposomes. Indocyanine green (ICG), a near infrared (NIR) photothermal agent, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, was embedded in the bilayer membrane to further enhance the photothermal effects and facilitate the rapid cleavage of liposomes for drug release. Triggered by the NIR laser, this engineered photothermal multifunctional nanoplatform, not only exhibited an excellent performance with the photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 47.14%, but also achieved controlled release of the payloads. In vitro, and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the photothermal multifunctional nanoplatform had excellent biocompatibility, enhanced tumor-specific targeting, stimuli-responsive drug release, effective cancer cell killing and tumor suppression through multi-modal synergistic therapy. The successful construction of this NIR light-triggered targeted photothermal multifunctional nanoplatform will provide a promising strategy for the design and development of synergistic chemo-photothermal combination therapy and improve the therapeutic efficacy of cancer treatment.

Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis reveals variation in the metabolites of Dendrobium officinale, Dendrobium huoshanense, Dendrobium nobile.

INTRODUCTION: Dendrobium is a perennial herb of the genus Dendrobium in the orchid family. Generally, Dendrobium officinale (TP) and Dendrobium huoshanense (HS) are both considered to have the function of yin-nourishing, while Dendrobium nobile (JC) has better efficacy of heat-clearing. However, because of the wide variety of Dendrobium species, the classification and clinical application of Dendrobium are often confused clearly distinguished in different medicinal uses. OBJECTIVE: In order to compare the differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of the three Dendrobium. METHODS: We selected TP, HS, and JC cultivated on stone for metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses between 2 and 3 years. RESULTS: The results showed that a total of 489 metabolites were obtained, including 72 were DAMs. The 72 DAMs were mainly enriched in metabolic pathways and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Transcriptome analysis results showed that 1,038 annotated DEGs were identified among the three Dendrobium species. The comprehensive analysis showed that the three Dendrobium differed in the distribution of the content of four major active components: flavonoids, amino acids, alkaloids, and sugars and alcohols, among which the DAMs and DEGs were mainly enriched in metabolic pathways and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. CONCLUSION: In this study, metabolomics and transcriptomics were utilized to compare the differences among the three species of Dendrobium, to provide theoretical references for future research and selection of different species of Dendrobium based on different medicinal uses, and to lay the foundation for further research on the biosynthesis of flavonoids in Dendrobium.

Atorvastatin inhibits Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced vascular inflammation to protect endothelium by inducing Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the differential effects of varying doses of atorvastatin on antagonizing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endothelial inflammation based on heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) expression. METHOD: Vascular endothelial inflammatory injury was induced in 40 Sprague-Dawley rats by intraperitoneal injection of LPS. These rats were randomly divided into control, low-dose atorvastatin, high-dose atorvastatin, and HO-1 blocking groups. Seven days after treatment, all rats were sacrificed, and heart-derived peripheral blood was collected to measure the serum concentrations of bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol, malondialdehyde, endothelial cell protein C receptor, endothelin-1, von Willebrand factor, and soluble thrombomodulin. Meanwhile, the number of circulating endothelial cells was determined using flow cytometry. Vascular tissues from descending aorta of rats from each group were extracted to detect the expression level of HO-1. RESULTS: After different doses of atorvastatin intervention, the above inflammatory indices were decreased, and HO-1 expression and ALT concentration were increased in the atorvastatin-treated group of rats compared with the control group. These changes were more pronounced in the high-dose statin group (P < 0.05). Conversely, no significant decrease in the above inflammatory indices and no significant increase in HO-1 expression were observed in rats in the blocking group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: For LPS-induced vascular inflammation, high-dose atorvastatin exerts potent anti-inflammatory and vascular endothelial protection effects by inducing HO-1 expression.

Moderate-intensity physical activity reduces the role of serum PFAS on COPD: A cross-sectional analysis with NHANES data.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has emerged as a leading cause of chronic disease morbidity and mortality globally, posing a substantial public health challenge. Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals known for their high stability and durability. Research has examined their potential link to decreased lung function. Physical activity (PA) has been identified as one of the primary modalities of the non-pharmacological treatment of COPD. METHODS: To investigate the relationship between PFAS and COPD, and whether physical activity could reduce the risk of COPD caused by PFAS exposure, we used data from the NHANES 2013-2018, a cross-sectional study. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between PFAS and COPD in adult populations, and their associations in different PA types. RESULTS: We finally included 4857 participants in the analysis, and found that Sm-PFOS (OR: 1.250), PFOA (OR: 1.398) and n-PFOA (OR: 1.354) were closely related to COPD; After stratified by gender, age and smoking, the results showed that Sm-PFOA (OR: 1.312) was related to COPD in female adult, and PFOA (OR: 1.398) and n-PFOA (OR: 1.354) were associated with COPD in male adults; The associations of Sm-PFOS (OR: 1.280), PFOA (OR: 1.481) and n-PFOA (OR: 1.424)with COPD tended to be stronger and more consistent in over 50 years old adults; Sm-PFOS was related to COPD in current smoker (OR: 1.408), and PFOA was related to COPD in former smoker (OR: 1.487); Besides, in moderate-intensity PA group, there were no associations of Sm-PFOS, PFOA and n-PFOA with COPD stratified by gender, age and smoking. CONCLUSION: PFAS exposure may increase the risk of developing COPD, but regular moderate-intensity physical activity can protect individuals from evolving to the disease. However, longitudinal studies are needed to support these preliminary findings.

MLL-AF9 regulates transcriptional initiation in mixed lineage leukemic cells.

Mixed lineage leukemia-fusion proteins (MLL-FPs) are believed to maintain gene activation and induce MLL through aberrantly stimulating transcriptional elongation, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here, we show that both MLL1 and AF9, one of the major fusion partners of MLL1, mainly occupy promoters and distal intergenic regions, exhibiting chromatin occupancy patterns resembling that of RNA polymerase II in HEL, a human erythroleukemia cell line without MLL1 rearrangement. MLL1 and AF9 only coregulate over a dozen genes despite of their co-occupancy on thousands of genes. They do not interact with each other, and their chromatin occupancy is also independent of each other. Moreover, AF9 deficiency in HEL cells decreases global TBP occupancy while decreases CDK9 occupancy on a small number of genes, suggesting an accessory role of AF9 in CDK9 recruitment and a possible major role in transcriptional initiation via initiation factor recruitment. Importantly, MLL1 and MLL-AF9 occupy promoters and distal intergenic regions, exhibiting identical chromatin occupancy patterns in MLL cells, and MLL-AF9 deficiency decreased occupancy of TBP and TFIIE on major target genes of MLL-AF9 in iMA9, a murine acute myeloid leukemia cell line inducibly expressing MLL-AF9, suggesting that it can also regulate initiation. These results suggest that there is no difference between MLL1 and MLL-AF9 with respect to location and size of occupancy sites, contrary to what people have believed, and that MLL-AF9 may also regulate transcriptional initiation in addition to widely believed elongation.

Gold Nanoparticles-Modified 2D Self-Assembled Amphiphilic Peptide Nanosheets with High Biocompatibility and Photothermal Therapy Efficiency.

Amphiphilic peptides have garnered significant attention due to their highly designable and self-assembling behaviors. Self-assembled peptides hold excellent potential in various fields such as biosensing, environmental monitoring, and drug delivery, owing to their remarkable biological, physical, and chemical properties. While nanomaterials formed by peptide self-assembly have found widespread use in biomedical applications, the development of 2D peptide nanosheets based on the self-assembly of amphiphilic peptides remains challenging in terms of rational design and morphology modulation. In this study, rationally designed amphiphilic peptide molecules are self-assembled into peptide nanosheets (PNS) under specific conditions to encapsulate gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), resulting in the formation of AuNPs/PNS hybrid materials with high photothermal conversion efficiency. The findings demonstrate that 2D PNS enhances the overall photothermal therapy effect of the nanohybrid materials due to their larger hosting area for AuNPs and higher biocompatibility. The well-designed amphiphilic peptides in this study offer insights into the structural design and functional modulation of self-assembled molecules. In addition, the constructed biomimetic-functional 2D inorganic/organic nanohybrid materials hold potential applications in biomedical engineering.

[Effect and mechanism of EtOAc extract of Draconis Sanguis onimproving atherosclerosis in ApoE~(-/-) mice].

This study aims to investigate the effect and mechanism of the EtO Ac extract of Draconis Sanguis(DSE) on improving athero sclerosis in ApoE gene knockout(ApoE~(-/-)) mice. The ApoE~(-/-) mice were randomly divided into five groups: control group, mo delgroup, positive group treated with ezetimibe of 5 mg·kg~(-1)(EG), and low(100 mg·kg~(-1)) and high dose(200 mg·kg~(-1)) groups ofDSE. xcept for the control group, all other groups were fed a high-fat diet and administered drugs for 16 successive weeks. After 16 weeks of Eadministration, the body weight, liver, and epididymal fat mass of the mice were measured; the level of blood lipid and the plaquearea of the aortic outflow tract were detected to evaluate the efficacy of DSE in vivo. In addition, in vitro cultures of human umbilical v ein endothelial cell(HUVEC) were conducted. Oxidative stress of endothelial cells was induced by oxidized low-density lipoprot ein(ox-LDL), and the effects of DSE on oxidative stress-related proteins in endothelial cells were examined. The results sho wedthat both doses of DSE significantly improved the epididymal fat mass and index of ApoE~(-/-) mice with atherosclerosis, lowered thelevels of plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, and non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and reduced the plaque area of the aortic ou tflow tract. totIn alvitro experiments confirmed that ox-LDL significantly increased the level of lipid peroxidation marker 4-HNE in HUVECcells, confirming that DSE improved the degree of atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE~(-/-) mice by inhibiting ox-LDL-induced oxidative stress in vascular endothelial cells.

TSP50 facilitates breast cancer stem cell-like properties maintenance and epithelial-mesenchymal transition via PI3K p110α mediated activation of AKT signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Studies have confirmed that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem cell (CSC)-like properties are conducive to cancer metastasis. In recent years, testes-specific protease 50 (TSP50) has been identified as a prognostic factor and is involved in tumorigenesis regulation. However, the role and molecular mechanisms of TSP50 in EMT and CSC-like properties maintenance remain unclear. METHODS: The expression and prognostic value of TSP50 in breast cancer were excavated from public databases and explored using bioinformatics analysis. Then the expression of TSP50 and related genes was further validated by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), Western blot, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). In order to investigate the function of TSP50 in breast cancer, loss- and gain-of-function experiments were conducted, both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, immunofluorescence (IF) and immunoprecipitation (IP) assays were performed to explore the potential molecular mechanisms of TSP50. Finally, the correlation between the expression of TSP50 and related genes in breast cancer tissue microarray and clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed by IHC. RESULTS: TSP50 was negatively correlated with the prognosis of patients with breast cancer. TSP50 promoted CSC-like traits and EMT in both breast cancer cells and mouse xenograft tumor tissues. Additionally, inhibition of PI3K/AKT partly reversed TSP50-induced activation of CSC-like properties, EMT and tumorigenesis. Mechanistically, TSP50 and PI3K p85α regulatory subunit could competitively interact with the PI3K p110α catalytic subunit to promote p110α enzymatic activity, thereby activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway for CSC-like phenotypes maintenance and EMT promotion. Moreover, IHC analysis of human breast cancer specimens revealed that TSP50 expression was positively correlated with p-AKT and ALDH1 protein levels. Notably, breast cancer clinicopathological characteristics, such as patient survival time, tumor size, Ki67, pathologic stage, N stage, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) levels, correlated well with TSP50/p-AKT/ALDH1 expression status. CONCLUSION: The effects of TSP50 on EMT and CSC-like properties promotion were verified to be dependent on PI3K p110α. Together, our study revealed a novel mechanism by which TSP50 facilitates the progression of breast cancer, which can provide new insights into TSP50-based breast cancer treatment strategies.

Silica nanoparticle design for colorectal cancer treatment: Recent progress and clinical potential.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide and the second most common cause of cancer death. Nanotherapies are able to selectively target the delivery of cancer therapeutics, thus improving overall antitumor efficiency and reducing conventional chemotherapy side effects. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have attracted the attention of many researchers due to their remarkable advantages and biosafety. We offer insights into the recent advances of MSNs in CRC treatment and their potential clinical application value.

[Corrigendum] P2Y2 receptor promotes the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells via EMT­related genes Snail and E­cadherin.

Subsequently to the publication of the above paper, an interested reader drew to the authors' attention that there appeared to be two instances of overlapping data panels comparing between the cell migration and invasion assay data shown in Figs. 4 and 6 on p. 143 and 145, respectively, such that data which were intended to represent the results from differently performed experiments had apparently been derived from the same original sources. In addition, the authors themselves realized that incorrect western blotting data for Snail protein in Fig. 10A on p. 147 had been included in the figure.  The authors were able to re­examine their original data files, and realized that the affected data panels in these figures had inadvertently been incorporated into them incorrectly. The revised versions of Figs. 4, 6, and 10, featuring the correct data for the 'NC / Control' panels in Fig. 4B and C and the 'siRNA2 / ATP 12 h' panels in Fig. 4A and B, a replacement data panel for the 'siRNA1 / Control' experiment in Fig. 6, and the correct western blotting data for Snail protein in Fig. 10A (together with a revised histogram for the MCF7 cell line relating to Fig. 10A) are shown on the next three pages. The authors wish to emphasize that the errors made in compiling these figures did not affect the overall conclusions reported in the paper, and they are grateful to the Editor of Oncology Reports for allowing them the opportunity to publish this corrigendum. All the authors agree to the publication of this corrigendum, and also apologize to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [Oncology Reports 39: 138­150, 2018; DOI: 10.3892/or.2017.6081].

Downregulation of Splicing Factor PTBP1 Curtails FBXO5 Expression to Promote Cellular Senescence in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (PTBP1) plays an essential role in splicing and post-transcriptional regulation. Moreover, PTBP1 has been implicated as a causal factor in tumorigenesis. However, the involvement of PTBP1 in cellular senescence, a key biological process in aging and cancer suppression, remains to be clarified. Here, it is shown that PTBP1 is associated with the facilitation of tumor growth and the prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). PTBP1 exhibited significantly increased expression in various cancer types including LUAD and showed consistently decreased expression in multiple cellular senescence models. Suppression of PTBP1 induced cellular senescence in LUAD cells. In terms of molecular mechanisms, the silencing of PTBP1 enhanced the skipping of exon 3 in F-box protein 5 (FBXO5), resulting in the generation of a less stable RNA splice variant, FBXO5-S, which subsequently reduces the overall FBXO5 expression. Additionally, downregulation of FBXO5 was found to induce senescence in LUAD. Collectively, these findings illustrate that PTBP1 possesses an oncogenic function in LUAD through inhibiting senescence, and that targeting aberrant splicing mediated by PTBP1 has therapeutic potential in cancer treatment.

Nomogram for predicting the risk of central lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: a combination of sonographic findings and clinical factors.

Background: A considerable controversy over performing thyroidectomy and central lymph node dissection in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) remained. However, accurate prediction of central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) is crucial for surgical extent and proper management. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a practical nomogram for predicting CLNM in patients with PTMC. Methods: A total of 1,029 patients with PTMC who underwent thyroidectomy and central lymph node dissection at Tangdu Hospital (the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University) and Xijing Hospital (the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University) were selected. Seven hundred and nine patients were assigned to the training set and 320 patients to the validation set. Data encompassing demographic characteristics, ultrasonography results, and biochemical indicators were obtained. Stepwise backward selection and multiple logistic regression were used to screen the variables and establish the nomogram. Concordance index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were employed to evaluate the nomogram's distinguishability, accuracy, and clinical utility. Results: Young age, multifocality, bigger tumor, presence of microcalcification, aspect ratio (height divided by width) ≥1, loss of fatty hilum, high free thyroxine (FT4), and lower anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) were significantly associated with CLNM. The nomogram showed strong predictive capacity, with a C-index and accuracy of 0.784 and 0.713 in the training set and 0.779 and 0.703 in the external validation set, respectively. DCA indicated that the nomogram demonstrated strong clinical applicability. Conclusions: We established a reliable, cost-effective, reproducible, and noninvasive nomogram for predicting CLNM in patients with PTMC. This tool could be a valuable guidance for deciding on management in PTMC.

Heterogeneous metabolic changes of brown and white adipose tissues are associated with metabolic adaptations in periparturient mice.

Pregnancy requires metabolic adaptations in order to meet support fetal growth with nutrient availability. In this study, the influence of pregnancy on metabolically active organs (adipose tissues in particular) was investigated. Our results showed that maternal weight and adipose mass presented dynamic remodeling in the periparturient mice. Meanwhile, pregnancy mice displayed obvious glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in late pregnancy as compared to non-pregnancy, which were partially reversed at parturition. Further analyses revealed that different fat depots exhibited site-specific adaptions of morphology and functionality as pregnancy advanced. Brown and inguinal white adipose tissue (BAT and IngWAT) exhibited obviously decreased thermogenic activity; by contrast, gonadal white adipose tissue (GonWAT) displayed remarkably increased lipid mobilization. Notably, we found that mammary gland differentiation was enhanced in IngWAT, followed by BAT but not in GonWAT. These result indicated that brown and white adipose tissues might synergistically play a crucial role in maintaining the maximum of energy supply for mother and fetus, which facilitates the mammary duct luminal epithelium development as well as the growth and development of fetus. Accompanied with adipose adaptation, however, our results revealed that the liver and pancreas also displayed significant metabolic adaptability, which together tended to trigger the risk of maternal metabolic diseases. Importantly, pregnancy-dependent obesity in our mice model resembled the disturbed metabolic phenotypes of pregnant women such as hyperglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia. Our findings in this study could provide valuable clues for better understanding the underlying mechanisms of metabolic maladaptation and facilitate the development of the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases.

Facile synthesis of MoS2@red phosphorus heterojunction for synergistically photodynamic and photothermal therapy of renal cell carcinoma.

The therapy of the clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is crucial for the human healthcare due to its easy metastasis and recurrence, as well as resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In this work, we propose the synthesis of MoS2@red phosphorus (MoS2@RP) heterojunction to induce synergistic photodynamic and photothermal therapy (PDT/PTT) of ccRCC. The MoS2@RP heterojunction exhibits enhanced spectra absorption in the NIR range and produce local heat-increasing under the NIR laser irradiation compared with pure MoS2 and RP. The high photocatalytic activity of the MoS2@RP heterojunction contributes to effective transferring of the photo-excited electrons from the RP to MoS2, which promotes the production of various types of radical oxygen species (ROS) to kill the ccRCC cells. After the NIR irradiation, the MoS2@RP can effectively induce the apoptosis in the ccRCC cells through localized hyperthermia and the generation of ROS, while exhibiting low cytotoxicity towards normal kidney cells. In comparison to MoS2, the MoS2@RP heterojunction shows an approximate increase of 22 % in the lethality rate of the ccRCC cells and no significant change in toxicity towards normal cells. Furthermore, the PDT/PTT treatment using the MoS2@RP heterojunction effectively eradicates a substantial number of deep-tissue ccRCC cells in vivo without causing significant damage to major organs. This study presents promising effect of the MoS2@RP heterojunction-based photo-responsive therapy for effective ccRCC treatment.

Injectable Self-Healing Antibacterial Hydrogels with Tailored Functions by Loading Peptide Nanofiber-Biomimetic Silver Nanoparticles.

Polymer hydrogels find extensive application in biomedicine, serving specific purposes such as drug delivery, biosensing, bioimaging, cancer therapy, tissue engineering, and others. In response to the growing threat of bacterial infections and the escalating resistance to conventional antibiotics, this research introduces a novel injectable, self-healing antimicrobial hydrogel comprising bioactive aldolized hyaluronic acid (AHA) and quaternized chitosan (QCS). This designed QCS/AHA hydrogel incorporates self-assembling peptide nanofibers (PNFs) and small-sized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for tailored functionality. The resulting hybrid QCS/AHA/PNF/AgNPs hydrogel demonstrates impressive rheological characteristics, broad-spectrum antimicrobial efficacy, and high biocompatibility. Notably, its antimicrobial effectiveness against Escherichia coli and S. aureus surpasses 99.9%, underscoring its potential for treating infectious wounds. Moreover, the rheological analysis confirms its excellent shear-thinning and self-healing properties, enabling it to conform closely to irregular wound surfaces. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity assessment reveals its compatibility with human umbilical vein endothelial cells, exhibiting no significant adverse effects. The combined attributes of this bioactive QCS/AHA/PNF/AgNPs hydrogel position it as a promising candidate for antimicrobial applications and wound healing.

Recent Advances in Metal-Organic Framework (MOF)-Based Composites for Organic Effluent Remediation.

Environmental pollution caused by organic effluents emitted by industry has become a worldwide issue and poses a serious threat to the public and the ecosystem. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), comprising metal-containing clusters and organic bridging ligands, are porous and crystalline materials, possessing fascinating shape and size-dependent properties such as high surface area, abundant active sites, well-defined crystal morphologies, and huge potential for surface functionalization. To date, numerous well designated MOFs have emerged as critical functional materials to solve the growing challenges associated with water environmental issues. Here we present the recent progress of MOF-based materials and their applications in the treatment of organic effluents. Firstly, several traditional and emerging synthesis strategies for MOF composites are introduced. Then, the structural and functional regulations of MOF composites are presented and analyzed. Finally, typical applications of MOF-based materials in treating organic effluents, including chemical, pharmaceutical, textile, and agricultural wastewaters are summarized. Overall, this review is anticipated to tailor design and regulation of MOF-based functional materials for boosting the performance of organic effluent remediation.