Chemiluminescent Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles for Deep-Tissue Inflammation Imaging and Photodynamic Therapy of Cancer.

Deep-tissue optical imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT) remain a big challenge for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Chemiluminescence (CL) has emerged as a promising tool for biological imaging and in vivo therapy. The development of covalent-binding chemiluminescence agents with high stability and high chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (CRET) efficiency is urgent. Herein, we design and synthesize an unprecedented chemiluminescent conjugated polymer PFV-Luminol, which consists of conjugated polyfluorene vinylene (PFV) main chains and isoluminol-modified side chains. Notably, isoluminol groups with chemiluminescent ability are covalently linked to main chains by amide bonds, which dramatically narrow their distance, greatly improving the CRET efficiency. In the presence of pathologically high levels of various reactive oxygen species (ROS), especially singlet oxygen (1O2), PFV-Luminol emits strong fluorescence and produces more ROS. Furthermore, we construct the PFV-L@PEG-NPs and PFV-L@PEG-FA-NPs nanoparticles by self-assembly of PFV-Luminol and amphiphilic copolymer DSPE-PEG/DSPE-PEG-FA. The chemiluminescent PFV-L@PEG-NPs nanoparticles exhibit excellent capabilities for in vivo imaging in different inflammatory animal models with great tissue penetration and resolution. In addition, PFV-L@PEG-FA-NPs nanoparticles show both sensitive in vivo chemiluminescence imaging and efficient chemiluminescence-mediated PDT for antitumors. This study paves the way for the design of chemiluminescent probes and their applications in the diagnosis and therapy of diseases.

A pH-Responsive Drug Delivery System Based on Conjugated Polymer for Effective Synergistic Chemo-/Photodynamic Therapy.

Stimuli-responsive drug release and photodynamic therapy (PDT) have aroused extensive attention for their enormous potential in antitumor treatment. pH-responsive drug delivery systems (PFE-DOX-1 and PFE-DOX-2) based on water-soluble conjugated polymers were constructed in this work for high-performance synergistic chemo-/PDT therapy, in which the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) is covalently attached to the side chains of the conjugated polymers via acid-labile imine and acylhydrazone bonds. Concurrently, the intense fluorescence of poly(fluorene-co-ethynylene) (PFE) is effectively quenched due to the energy/electron transfer (ET) between the PFE-conjugated backbone and DOX. Effective pH-responsive drug release from PFE-DOX-2 is achieved by the cleavage of acylhydrazone linkages in the acidic tumor intracellular microenvironment. Additionally, the drug release process can be monitored by the recovered fluorescence of conjugated polymers. Furthermore, the conjugated polymers can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) under light irradiation after drug release in an acidic environment, which prevents possible phototoxicity to normal tissues. It is noted that PFE-DOX-2 demonstrates remarkable antitumor cell performance, which is attributed to its efficient cell uptake and powerful synergistic chemo-/PDT therapeutic effectiveness. This report thus provides a promising strategy for in vivo anticancer treatment with the construction of a stimuli-responsive multifunctional drug delivery system.

A Ratiometric Fluorescent Conjugated Oligomer for Amyloid ß Recognition, Aggregation Inhibition, and Detoxification.

The sensitive recognition and effective inhibition of toxic amyloid ß protein (Aß) aggregates play a critical role in early diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. In this work, a new conjugated oligo(fluorene-co-phenylene) (OFP) modified with 1,8-naphthalimide (NA) derivative OFP-NA-NO2 is designed and synthesized as a ratiometric fluorescence probe for sensing Aß, inhibiting the assembly of Aß, and detoxicating the cytotoxicity of Aß aggregates. In the presence of Aß, the active ester group on the side chain of OFP-NA-NO2 can covalently react with the amino group on Aß, effectively inhibiting the formation of Aß aggregates and degrading the preformed fibrils. In this case, the fluorescence intensity ratio of NA to OFP (INA /IOFP ) increases greatly. The detection limit is calculated to be 89.9 nM, presenting the most sensitive ratiometric recognition of Aß. Interestingly, OFP-NA-NO2 can dramatically recover the cell viability of PC-12 and restore the Aß-clearing ability of microglia. Therefore, this ratiometric probe exhibits the targeted recognition of Aß, effective inhibition of Aß aggregates, and detox effect, which is potential for early diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Tripartite Motif-Containing 44 is Involved in the Tumorigenesis of Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and its Expression is Downregulated by Nuciferine.

Tripartite motif-containing 44 (TRIM44) was reported to be involved in the tumorigenesis of several tumors, but its function in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma has not been investigated yet. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the function of TRIM44 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and identify the compounds which could inhibit TRIM44 expression. Our results showed that TRIM44 was upregulated in tumor tissues and cell lines of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Knockdown of TRIM44 significantly inhibited cell growth of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma by suppressing TLR4, phosphorylated AKT and phosphorylated NF-κB p65 expression in vitro. Moreover, TRIM44 knockdown inhibited tumor growth in nude mice, which further suggested that TRIM44 exerted oncogenic activity in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Interestingly, it was found that nuciferine significantly inhibited the mRNA levels of TRIM44 after screening a small natural compound library. Our further studies showed nuciferine markedly downregulated the protein levels of TRIM44 and its substrate TLR4 in a concentration-dependent manner in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cells. Moreover, the activation of downstream kinases of TLR4 such as AKT signaling pathway was also inhibited by nuciferine. Additionally, nuciferine markedly inhibited cell survival of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma in a concentration-dependent manner. In contrast, TRIM44 overexpression significantly reduced the cytotoxicity of nuciferine in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cells. In conclusion, this study indicated that inhibiting TRIM44 would be a useful strategy for the treatment of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and nuciferine could be a potential chemical applicated in the therapy of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

A Retrospective: 10 Years of Oligo(phenylene-ethynylene) Electrolytes: Demystifying Nanomaterials.

In this retrospective, we first reviewed the synthesis of the oligo(phenylene-ethynylene) electrolytes (OPEs) we created in the past 10 years. Since the general antimicrobial activity of these OPEs had been reported in our previous account in Langmuir, we are focusing only on the unusual spectroscopic and photophysical properties of these OPEs and their complexes with anionic scaffolds and detergents in this Feature Article. We applied classical all-atom MD simulations to study the hydrogen bonding environment in the water surrounding the OPEs with and without detergents present. Our finding is that OPEs could form a unit cluster or unit aggregate with a few oppositely charged detergent molecules, indicating that the photostability and photoreactivity of these OPEs might be considerably altered with important consequences to their activity as antimicrobials and fluorescence-based sensors. Thus, in the following sections, we showed that OPE complexes with detergents exhibit enhanced light-activated biocidal activity compared to either OPE or detergent individually. We also found that similar complexes between certain OPEs and biolipids could be used to construct sensors for the enzyme activity. Finally, the OPEs could covalently bind to microsphere surfaces to make a bactericidal surface, which is simpler and more ordered than the surface grafted from microspheres with polyelectrolytes. In the Conclusions and Prospects section, we briefly summarize the properties of OPEs developed so far and future areas for investigation.

Ultra-Rapid Detection of Endogenous Nitric Oxide Based on Fluorescent Conjugated Polymers Probe.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a celebrated signaling molecule involved in diverse vital physiological and pathophysiological processes. Thus, rapid detection of NO in situ is quite significant due to its large diffusion and short half-time. Herein, a new water-soluble conjugated polymer (PBFB-PDA-NMe3+) with an o-diaminophenyl group in the side chain is designed and synthesized as a fluorescence probe for ultrarapid and sensitive detection of endogenous NO via photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanism. In the presence of NO, NO can be specifically trapped by o-diaminophenyl group and react with it to form benzotriazole derivative, which leads to the PET being inhibited. The fluorescence of probe thus significantly turns on. Most importantly, the assay is completed within 1 min without further treatments. Furthermore, this probe can rapidly image intracellular NO in A549 cell and S. aureus bacteria only incubating for 15 min. In addition, this probe is highly selective, which can clearly discriminate NO from other reactive species such as NO3-, NO, H2O2, •OH, GSH, cysteine, and ascorbic acid. Hence, this probe with good water-solubility demonstrates the ultra rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of endogenous NO, which is advantageous to investigate NO-related biological processes.

Universal fluorometric aptasensor platform based on water-soluble conjugated polymers/graphene oxide.

We designed a universal and sensitive fluorometric aptasensor that uses a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism. In the aptasensor, water-soluble conjugated poly(9,9-bis(6'-N,N,N-trimethylammonium)hexyl)fluorine phenylene (PFP) is used as the energy donor and a carboxyfluorescein (FAM)-labeled aptamer is used as the energy acceptor. Graphene oxide (GO) used as a quencher can specifically adsorb the aptamer, leading to quenching of the FAM fluorescence. In the presence of targets, the aptamer can change its conformation to prevent adsorption by GO. Strong FRET was thus obtained owing to the electrostatic interactions between PFP and the aptamer. In contrast, in the absence of targets, the FRET was weak because of GO specifically adsorbing the aptamer and quenching the fluorescence. Bisphenol A (a pollutant molecule) and dopamine (a biomolecule) were used as models to successfully validate the feasibility, universality, and high selectivity and sensitivity of this aptasensor. This method can detect BPA at environmentally relevant concentrations (less than 1 ng/mL) with a limit of detection of 0.005 ng/mL. A low limit of detection (1.0 nmol/L) was also obtained for dopamine. In addition, this aptasensor is applicable in real samples and in diluted human plasma and human serum. Good recovery rates from 95% to 105% and from 95% to 107% were obtained for bisphenol A and dopamine, respectively. Furthermore, adenosine detection was successfully achieved by the same mechanism, proving the universality. It is expected that the aptasensor could be applied in detecting other contaminants, biomolecules, and heavy metal ions by a change in only the aptamer sequence. Graphical abstract A universal and sensitive fluorometric aptasensor was developed for the detection of small molecules that uses a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism. GO graphene oxide. PFP poly(9,9-bis(6'-N,N,N-trimethylammonium)hexyl)fluorine phenylene.

Multifunctional Probe Based on Cationic Conjugated Polymers for Nitroreductase-Related Analysis: Sensing, Hypoxia Diagnosis, and Imaging.

Nitroreductase (NTR) is overexpressed in hypoxic tumors. Moreover, hypoxia is usually considered as the most important feature of various diseases. Thus, it is important to build a sensitive and selective method for NTR detection and hypoxia diagnosis. Herein, a new cationic conjugated polymer (PBFBT-NP) with p-nitrophenyl group in the side chain was designed and synthesized as a fluorescent probe for the detection of NTR. In the absence of NTR, the fluorescence of PBFBT-NP was quenched due to photoinduced electron transfer (PET). On the contrary, in the presence of NTR, NTR can specifically react with p-nitrophenyl group to form p-aminophenyl group, which leads to the PET being inhibited and the polymer's fluorescence significantly increasing (>110-fold). The sensitive and selective NTR sensing method in vitro is thus constructed with a low detection limit of 2.9 ng/mL. Moreover, the hypoxic status of tumor cells can be visualized by fluorescence bioimaging with very low cytotoxicity. Interestingly, the probe was successfully used for imaging an NTR-expressed microorganism, such as E. coli, and showed excellent antibacterial activity against E. coli under white light irradiation. In brief, this multifunctional probe is promising for widespread use in NTR-related biological analysis.

Label-Free Fluorescence Assay of S1 Nuclease and Hydroxyl Radicals Based on Water-Soluble Conjugated Polymers and WS2 Nanosheets.

We developed a new method for detecting S1 nuclease and hydroxyl radicals based on the use of water-soluble conjugated poly[9,9-bis(6,6-(N,N,N-trimethylammonium)-fluorene)-2,7-ylenevinylene-co-alt-2,5-dicyano-1,4-phenylene)] (PFVCN) and tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheets. Cationic PFVCN is used as a signal reporter, and single-layer WS2 is used as a quencher with a negatively charged surface. The ssDNA forms complexes with PFVCN due to much stronger electrostatic interactions between cationic PFVCN and anionic ssDNA, whereas PFVCN emits yellow fluorescence. When ssDNA is hydrolyzed by S1 nuclease or hydroxyl radicals into small fragments, the interactions between the fragmented DNA and PFVCN become weaker, resulting in PFVCN being adsorbed on the surface of WS2 and the fluorescence being quenched through fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The new method based on PFVCN and WS2 can sense S1 nuclease with a low detection limit of 5 × 10(-6) U/mL. Additionally, this method is cost-effective by using affordable WS2 as an energy acceptor without the need for dye-labeled ssDNA. Furthermore, the method provides a new platform for the nuclease assay and reactive oxygen species, and provides promising applications for drug screening.

A sensitive biosensor with a DNAzyme for lead(II) detection based on fluorescence turn-on.

In this paper, we described a new DNAzyme-based fluorescent biosensor for the detection of Pb(2+). In the biosensor, the bulged structure is formed between the substrate labeled with fluorescein amidite (FAM) and DNAzyme after being annealed. Ethidium bromide (EB), the DNA intercalator, then intercalates into the double-stranded DNA section. Once FAM is excited, the FRET takes place from FAM to EB, which leads to the fluorescence of FAM decreasing greatly. In the presence of Pb(2+), the substrate is cleaved by DNAzyme, which breaks the bulged structure. Then EB is released and the FRET from FAM to EB is inhibited. In this case, the fluorescence of FAM increases dramatically. Thus, the Pb(2+) ions can be detected by measuring the fluorescence enhancement of FAM. Under optimal conditions, the increased fluorescence intensity ratio of FAM is dependent on the lead level in the sample, and exhibits a linear response over a Pb(2+) concentration range of 0-100 nM with a detection limit of 530 pM. The sensor showed high selectivity in the presence of a number of interference ions. The river water samples were also tested with satisfying results by using the new method. This sensor is highly sensitive and simple without any additional treatments, which provides a platform for other biosensors based on DNAzyme.

Water-soluble conjugated polymer as a platform for adenosine deaminase sensing based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer technique.

We report a new biosensor for adenosine deaminase (ADA) sensing based on water-soluble conjugated poly(9,9-bis(6'-N,N,N-trimethylammonium)hexyl)fluorine phenylene (PFP) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer technique. In this biosensor, PFP, DNAc-FI labeled with fluorescein (FAM), and ethidium bromide (EB) were used as the fluorescence energy donor, resonance gate, and the final fluorescence energy acceptor, respectively. In the absence of ADA, the adenosine aptamer forms a hairpin-like conformation with adenosine, which is far from its complementary single-stranded DNA (DNAc-FI). When PFP is excited at 380 nm, fluorescein emits strong green fluorescence via one-step FRET while EB has no fluorescence. After addition of ADA, adenosine is hydrolyzed to inosine and then double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) is formed between the aptamer and DNAc-FI, followed by EB intercalating into dsDNA. Once PFP is excited, EB will emit strong yellow fluorescence after two-step FRET from PFP to fluorescein and from fluorescein to EB. The sensitive ADA detection then is realized with a low detection limit of 0.5 U/L by measuring the FRET ratio of EB to fluorescein. Most importantly, the assay is accomplished homogeneously in 25 min without further treatments, which is much more simple and rapid than that reported in literature. Hence, this method demonstrates the sensitive, cost-effective, and rapid detection of ADA activity. It also opens an opportunity for designing promising sensors for other enzymes.

Response of sediment microbial communities to the flow effect of the triangular artificial reef: A simulation-based experimental study.

Artificial reefs (ARs), as an important tool for habitat restoration, play significant impacts on benthic microbial ecosystems. This study utilized 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) flow simulation to investigate the effects of flow field distribution around ARs on microbial community structure. The results revealed distinct regional distribution patterns of microbial communities affected by different hydrodynamic conditions. Flow velocity and flow regime of water in sediment-water interface shaped the microbial community structure. The diversity and richness in R-HF were significantly decreased compared to other five regions (p < 0.05). At the phyla and OUT levels, most abundant taxa (1>%) showed an enrichment trend in R-HB. However, more than half of differentially abundant taxa were enriched in R-HB, which was significantly correlated with organic matter (OM). Bugbase phenotypic predictions indicated a low abundance of the anaerobic phenotype in R-HF and a high abundance of the biofilm-forming phenotype in R-HB.

Bioactive Conjugated Polymer-Based Biodegradable 3D Bionic Scaffolds for Facilitating Bone Defect Repair.

Bone defect regeneration is one of the great clinical challenges. Suitable bioactive composite scaffolds with high biocompatibility, robust new-bone formation capability and degradability are still required. This work designs and synthesizes an unprecedented bioactive conjugated polymer PT-C3 -NH2 , demonstrating low cytotoxicity, cell proliferation/migration-promoting effect, as well as inducing cell differentiation, namely regulating angiogenesis and osteogenesis to MC3T3-E1 cells. PT-C3 -NH2 is incorporated into polylactic acid-glycolic acid (PLGA) scaffolds, which is decorated with caffeic acid (CA)-modified gelatin (Gel), aiming to improve the surface water-wettability of PLGA and also facilitate to the linkage of conjugated polymer through catechol chemistry. A 3D composite scaffold PLGA@GC-PT is then generated. This scaffold demonstrates excellent bionic structures with pore size of 50-300 µm and feasible biodegradation ability. Moreover, it also exhibites robust osteogenic effect to promote osteoblast proliferation and differentiation in vitro, thus enabling the rapid regeneration of bone defects in vivo. Overall, this study provides a new bioactive factor and feasible fabrication approach of biomimetic scaffold for bone regeneration.

Effects of Exergaming on executive function and motor ability in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Exergaming in improving executive function and motor ability across different groups of children and adolescents. We searched several databases, including PsycINFO, Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, SPORT Discus, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, for randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies published from inception until November 25, 2023, to identify studies investigating the effect of Exergaming on motor and executive function in children. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023482281). A total of 37 randomized controlled trials were included in this study. Our results indicate that Exergaming can influence children's cognitive flexibility [SMD = 0.34, 95%CI(0.13,0.55), I2 = 0.0%, P = 0.738], inhibition control [SMD = 0.51, 95%CI (0.30,0.72), I2 = 0.0%, P = 0.473], global cognitive [SMD = 0.87, 95%CI (0.50,1.23), I2 = 0.0%, P = 0.974], working memory [SMD = 0.18, 95%CI(-0.16, 0.52), I2 = 46.5%, P = 0.096], gross motor skills [SMD = 0.82, 95%CI (0.30, 1.35), I2 = 79.1%, P<0.001], fine motor skills [SMD = 0.71, 95%CI (0.22,1.21), I2 = 78.7%, P<0.001], balance [SMD = 0.61, 95%CI (0.34, 0.88), I2 = 59.5%, P = 0.001], and cardiorespiratory [SMD = 0.48, 95%CI (0.16, 0.79), I2 = 58.4%, P = 0.019]. While these findings suggest that Exergaming can promote children's cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, global cognition and motor abilities, the effect on working memory was not statistically significant. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials are warranted to explore the potential benefits of Exergaming for different groups of children, including those with specific needs.

The additive value of platelet-rich plasma to topical Minoxidil in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: It still needs to be determined if platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has any added advantage over Minoxidil in treating androgenetic alopecia. We reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing scalp injections of PRP plus Minoxidil vs Minoxidil alone for managing androgenetic alopecia. METHODS: All RCTs published on Embase, Cochrane Library, and PubMed comparing PRP plus Minoxidil vs. Minoxidil alone were eligible. The literature search was completed on 5 March 2024. The review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024509826). RESULTS: Of five included RCTs, three had a high risk of bias, while one had some concerns. A systematic review of the studies showed that all trials reported better outcomes with PRP plus Minoxidil than with Minoxidil alone. Meta-analysis showed that hair density at one month (MD: 11.07 95% CI: 1.20, 20.94 I2 = 0%), three months (MD: 21.81 95% CI: 10.64, 33.00 I2 = 57%) and 5/6 months (MD: 17.80 95% CI: 7.91, 27.69 I2 = 80%) of follow-up was significantly better in the PRP plus Minoxidil vs the Minoxidil alone group. Meta-analysis of adverse events showed that the risk of adverse events was comparable in both groups (OR: 0.55 95% CI: 0.22, 1.36 I2 = 0%). The certainty of evidence on the GRADE assessment was "low to very low." CONCLUSION: Very low-quality evidence shows that the addition of injectable PRP to topical Minoxidil may improve outcomes in patients with androgenetic alopecia. The addition of PRP was found to improve hair density and patient satisfaction significantly. However, the small number of studies with a high risk of bias and heterogeneity in PRP preparation methods are significant limitations of current evidence. Further studies with larger sample sizes and uniform PRP preparation protocols are needed.

Effect of gillnet mesh size on the capture probability and capture patterns in the Asian paddle crab (Charybdis japonica) fishery.

In the Asian paddle crab (Charybdis japonica) gillnet fishery in the Yellow Sea, China, the minimum mesh size (MMS) regulation has been of a major importance due to high bycatch rates of undersized crabs. In this study, we evaluated how gillnet mesh size can affect the capture probability of C. japonica and capture patterns in this fishery by comparing the performance of gillnets with four different mesh sizes (60, 70, 80, and 90 mm). Our results showed that changes in gillnet mesh size significantly affect the capture probability of different sizes of crabs. Specifically, increased mesh size decreased the capture probability of undersized crabs and their fraction in the catches decreased from 64 % to 24 % when mesh size was increased from 60 mm to 90 mm. In contrast, gillnets with larger mesh sizes significantly improved the capture probability of legal-sized crabs. Moreover, no significant differences were observed for the species catch composition between gillnets of different mesh sizes. Based on these results, we recommend 90 mm as the MMS in gillnets to improve sustainability in C. japonica fishery.

Conjugated Polymer Composite Nanoparticles Augmenting Photosynthesis-Based Light-Triggered Hydrogel Promotes Chronic Wound Healing.

Diabetic chronic wounds are characterized by local hypoxia, impaired angiogenesis, and bacterial infection. In situ, self-supply of dissolved oxygen combined with the elimination of bacteria is urgent and challenging for chronic nonhealing wound treatment. Herein, an oxygen-generating system named HA-L-NB/PFE@cp involving biological photosynthetic chloroplasts (cp)/conjugated polymer composite nanoparticles (PFE-1-NPs@cp) and light-triggered hyaluronic acid-based (HA-L-NB) hydrogel for promoting diabetic wound healing is introduced. Briefly, conjugated polymer nanoparticles (PFE-1-NPs) possess unique light harvesting ability, which accelerates the electron transport rates in photosystem II (PS II) by energy transfer, elevating photosynthesis beyond natural chloroplasts. The enhanced release of oxygen can greatly relieve hypoxia, promote cell migration, and favor antibacterial photodynamic therapy. Additionally, the injectable hydrogel precursors are employed as a carrier to deliver PFE-1-NPs@cp into the wound. Under light irradiation, they quickly form a gel by S-nitrosylation coupling reaction and in situ anchor on tissues through amine-aldehyde condensation. Both in vitro and in vivo assays demonstrate that the oxygen-generating system can simultaneously relieve wound hypoxia, eliminate bacteria, and promote cell migration, leading to the acceleration of wound healing. This study provides a facile approach to develop an enhanced oxygen self-sufficient system for promoting hypoxic tissue, especially diabetic wound healing.

Ghost fishing efficiency in swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus) pot fishery.

Abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is a global challenge that negatively affects marine environment through plastic pollution and continued capture of marine animals, so-called "ghost fishing". In different pot fisheries, ghost fishing related to ALDFG is of concern, including pot fishery targeting swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus). This study quantified the ghost fishing efficiency by comparing it to the catch efficiency of actively fished pots of the commercial fishery. The results showed that the ghost fishing affects both target and bycatch species. On average, the ghost fishing pots captured 12.53 % (confidence intervals: 10.45 %-15.00 %) undersized crab and 15.70 % (confidence intervals: 12.08 %-20.74 %) legal-sized crab compared to the actively fished pots. Few individuals of several bycatch species were also captured by ghost fishing pots. The results of this study emphasized the need to develop new management strategies for reducing marine pollution by ALDFG and associated negative effects in this pot fishery.

A 3D-printed acinar-mimetic silk fibroin-collagen-astragalus polysaccharide scaffold for tissue reconstruction and functional repair of damaged parotid glands.

Salivary glands are the principal organs responsible for secreting saliva in the oral cavity. Tumors, trauma, inflammation, and other factors can cause functional or structural damage to the glands, leading to reduced saliva secretion. In this study, we innovatively prepared a acinar-mimetic silk fibroin-collagen-astragalus polysaccharide (SCA) scaffold using low-temperature three-dimensional (3D) printing and freeze-drying techniques. We evaluated the material properties and cell compatibility of the scaffold in vitro and implanted it into the damaged parotid glands (PG) of rats to assess its efficacy in tissue reconstruction and functional repair. The results demonstrated that the SCA scaffold featured a porous structure resembling natural acini, providing an environment conducive to cell growth and orderly aggregation. It exhibited excellent porosity, water absorption, mechanical properties, and biocompatibility, fulfilling the requirements for tissue engineering scaffolds. In vitro, the scaffold facilitated adhesion, proliferation, orderly polarization, and spherical aggregation of PG cells. In vivo, the SCA scaffold effectively recruited GECs locally, forming gland-like acinar structures that matured gradually, promoting the regeneration of damaged PGs. The SCA scaffold developed in this study supports tissue reconstruction and functional repair of damaged PGs, making it a promising implant material for salivary gland regeneration.

Calcium-Mediated Cell Adhesion Enhancement-Based Antimetastasis and Synergistic Antitumor Therapy by Conjugated Polymer-Calcium Composite Nanoparticles.

Strengthening tumor cellular adhesion through regulating the concentration of extracellular Ca2+ is highly challenging and promising for antimetastasis. Herein, a pH-responsive conjugated polymer-calcium composite nanoparticle (PFV/CaCO3/PDA@PEG) is developed for calcium-mediated cell adhesion enhancement-based antimetastasis and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-triggered calcium overload and photodynamic therapy (PDT) synergistic tumor treatment. PFV/CaCO3/PDA@PEG is mainly equipped with conjugated poly(fluorene-co-vinylene) (PFV-COOH)-composited CaCO3 nanoparticles, which can be rapidly decomposed under the tumor acidic microenvironment, effectively releasing Ca2+ and the photosensitizer PFV-COOH. The high extracellular Ca2+ concentration facilitates the generation of dimers between two adjacent cadherin ectodomains, which greatly enhances cell-cell adhesion and suppresses tumor metastasis. The inhibition rates are 97 and 87% for highly metastatic tumor cells 4T1 and MCF-7, respectively. Such a well-designed nanoparticle also contributes to realizing PDT, mitochondrial dysfunction, and ROS-triggered Ca2+ overload synergistic therapy. Furthermore, PFV/CaCO3/PDA@PEG displayed superior in vivo inhibition of 4T1 tumor growth and demonstrated a marked antimetastatic effect by both intravenous and intratumoral injection modes. Thus, this study provides a powerful strategy for calcium-mediated metastasis inhibition for tumor therapy.