Robust and flexible polyester fiber membrane with under-liquid dual superlyophobicity for efficient on-demand oil-water separation.

Functional materials with under-liquid dual superlyophobicity have generated a great deal of concern from researchers due to their switchable separation ability oil-water mixtures and emulsions. Conceptually, under-liquid dual superlyophobicity is a Cassie state achievable under-liquid through the synergy of an under-liquid double lyophobic surface and the construction of a highly rough surface. However, obtaining an under-liquid dual superlyophobic surface remains difficult due to its thermodynamic contradiction and complex surface composition. Herein, we successfully prepared a functional coating by modifying the mixture of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and nano-TiO2 with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) via a simple method, then obtained a polyester fiber membrane with under-liquid dual superlyophobicity by roll coating method. The surface wettability of the polyester (PET) membrane was altered, transforming it from the original under-water oleophobic/under-oil superhydrophilic state to the under-water superoleophobic/under-oil superhydrophobic state after coated. The resulting membrane was applied to separate oil and water on-demand. The coated PET membrane exhibited high separation efficiency (>99 %) and high separation flux, effectively separating immiscible oil-water systems as well as oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions. The coated PET membrane also demonstrated the ability to perform alternate separation of oil-water mixtures through wetting, washing, and rewetting cycles, with repeated processes up to 10 times without significant reduction in separation efficiency. Furthermore, compared with the previous works, our approach offers a simpler and more convenient method for constructing under-liquid dual superlyophobic surface, making it more suitable for continuous corporate production. This study may provide inspiration for the production and application in large-scale of under-liquid dual superlyophobic membranes.

Diversity in Fruit Morphology and Nutritional Composition of Juglans mandshurica Maxim in Northeast China.

Although Manchurian walnut (Juglans mandshurica Maxim) is widely distributed in northeast China, very few studies had been reported on its diversity among different populations. We surveyed 12 J. mandshurica populations in their native habitats across the northeast region of China and profiled 13 fruit morphological traits. We found a large degree of variations for these traits, especially for fruit weight (coefficient of variation, or CV of 22.00%), nut weight (CV of 19.42%), and kernel weight (CV of 19.89%). Statistical analysis showed that a large portion of the total variation can be attributed to within-population variation (66.64%), followed by random error (20.96%). We also comprehensively quantified the nutritional composition including fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, and micronutrients. Similar to fruit morphological traits, we found large variation for most kernel components, which mostly can be explained by within-population variation. Further correlation analysis revealed the dependence of some morphological and nutritional traits on key geographical and ecological factors such as latitude, accumulated temperature, and day length. For instance, a significant positive correlation was found between fruit dimensions and equivalent latitude and precipitation, indicating that such factors should be considered for breeding. Taken together, our data provided a rich dataset for characterizing the variation among J. mandshurica populations and a foundation for selective breeding.

Antitumor activity of a 5T4 targeting antibody drug conjugate with a novel payload derived from MMAF via C-Lock linker.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) belong to a promising class of biopharmaceuticals in which target-killing of tumor cells was achieved by marrying the potency of the cytotoxic payload with the tumor specificity of the antibody. Here we developed a novel ADC (ZV0508) that targets 5T4 oncofetal antigen, which is overexpressed in many carcinomas on both bulk tumor cells and cancer stem cells. A novel cytotoxic payload called Duostatin-5 (Duo-5) which was derived from monomethyl auristatin F (MMAF) was attached to a 5T4 targeting antibody (ZV05) by interchain cysteine cross-linking conjugation via a disubstituted C-Lock linker. We have investigated the antitumor efficacy of ZV0508 by in vitro and in vivo studies, and compared its antitumor activity with ZV05-mcMMAF (ZV0501), in which MMAF was linked via a conventional noncleavable maleimidocaproyl linker. As results, ZV0508 exhibited ideal antiproliferative effects through blocking cell cycle and inducing cell apoptosis. The in vivo studies revealed that both ZV0501 and ZV0508 exhibited excellent antitumor activities even at a single dose. Although ZV0508 was inferior to ZV0501 in vitro, it elicited more durable antitumor responses than ZV0501 in vivo. The superior in vivo activity of ZV0508 may be due to the combined use of the disubstituted C-Lock linker and the novel payload Duo-5, resulting in a more stable and potent ADC. Taken together, these data suggest ZV0508 is a worthy candidate for the treatment of 5T4 positive cancers.