Bis-Naphthylacrylonitrile-Based Supramolecular Artificial Light-Harvesting System for White Light Emission.

A novel aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-based artificial light-harvesting system (LHS) is successfully assembled via the host-guest interaction of bis-naphthylacrylonitrile derivative (BND), water-soluble pillar[5]arene (WP5), and sulforhodamine 101 (SR101). After host-guest assembly, the formed WP5⊃BND complexes spontaneously self-aggregated into WP5⊃BND nanoparticles (donors) and SR101 (acceptors) is introduced into WP5⊃BND to fabricate WP5⊃BND-SR101 LHS. Through the investigation of energy transfer between donors and acceptors, the artificial light-harvesting processes are certified in WP5⊃BND-SR101 LHS and the absolute fluorescence quantum yields (Φ) are significantly improved from 8.

Pilot Trial of Hydroxychloroquine as Add-On Therapy in Patients With Membranous Nephropathy.

Introduction: Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes guidelines indicate that glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants comprise the first therapeutic regimens after 4 to 6 months of treatment for high-risk primary membranous nephropathy (PMN). However, some patients cannot achieve complete or partial remission at 6 months. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of traditional immunotherapy combined with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), a well-known immune regulator, in patients with PMN.

The impact of systemic and topical antimicrobial therapy combined with non-surgical periodontal therapy: A meta-analysis.

Background: Combining antibiotics with non-surgical periodontal therapy has a beneficial impact in case of infection while its role for dental-related outcomes is still unclear.

Objectives: The current study's main objective was to evaluate the impact of adding adjuvant systemic and topical antimicrobial therapy to non-surgical periodontal therapy.

Material And Methods: A systematic literature search was accomplished and 1,093 study participants with periodontal diseases were recruited to the current study; 541 of them were treated with adjuvant systemic or topical antimicrobial agents and 552 with non-surgical interventions.

A randomized double-blinded trial to assess recurrence of systemic allergic reactions following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination.

Background: Systemic allergic reactions (sARs) following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mRNA vaccines were initially reported at a higher rate than after traditional vaccines.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the safety of revaccination in these individuals and to interrogate mechanisms underlying these reactions.

Methods: In this randomized, double-blinded, phase 2 trial, participants aged 16 to 69 years who previously reported a convincing sAR to their first dose of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine were randomly assigned to receive a second dose of BNT162b2 (Comirnaty) vaccine and placebo on consecutive days in a blinded, 1:1 crossover fashion at the National Institutes of Health.

Carbazole-based artificial light-harvesting system for photocatalytic cross-coupling dehydrogenation reaction.

A carbazole-based artificial light-harvesting system (LHS) was successfully fabricated based on the supramolecular assembly of AIE-enhanced donor (CTD), water-soluble phosphate-pillar[5]arene (WPP5), and eosin Y (ESY) acceptor. The formed WPP5-CTD possessed remarkable AIE emission, featuring an ideal energy donor for light harvesting. After encapsulation of ESY, the energy of WPP5-CTD was efficiently transferred to ESY in WPP5-CTD-ESY, and the antenna effect was 38.

PLCG2-associated immune dysregulation (PLAID) comprises broad and distinct clinical presentations related to functional classes of genetic variants.

Background: Pathogenic variants of phospholipase C gamma 2 (PLCG2) cause 2 related forms of autosomal-dominant immune dysregulation (ID), PLCγ2-associated antibody deficiency and immune dysregulation (PLAID) and autoinflammatory PLAID (APLAID). Since describing these conditions, many PLCG2 variants of uncertain significance have been identified by clinical sequencing of patients with diverse features of ID.

Objective: We sought to functionally classify PLCG2 variants and explore known and novel genotype-function-phenotype relationships.

LIM and Cysteine-Rich Domains 1 Promotes Transforming Growth Factor β1-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Human Kidney 2 Cells.

Renal fibrosis is the major pathologic manifestation of chronic kidney disease (CKD). LIM and cysteine-rich domains 1 (LMCD1) is upregulated in the kidney tissue from patients with CKD and the transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1)-treated human renal tubular epithelial cell line human kidney 2 (HK-2) (Gene Expression Omnibus: GSE66494 and GSE23338). Previously, we have demonstrated that the knockdown of LMCD1 ameliorated renal fibrosis in mice by blocking the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway.

High-Efficiency CsPbIBr Perovskite Solar Cells with over 83% Fill Factor by Synergistic Effects of a Multifunctional Additive.

All-inorganic CsPbIBr with outstanding thermal stability and excellent photoelectric properties is considered as a promising candidate for photovoltaic applications. However, the efficiency of CsPbIBr perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is still much lower than that of their organic-inorganic hybrid counterparts or CsPbI-based devices. Herein, we obtained an optimized CsPbIBr PSC (0.

Water-soluble phosphate-pillar[5]arene (WPP5)-based artificial light-harvesting system for photocatalytic cross-coupling dehydrogenation.

A novel water-soluble phosphate-pillar[5]arene (WPP5)-based artificial light-harvesting system (LHS) was successfully fabricated through the supramolecular assembly of phenyl-pyridyl-acrylonitrile derivative (PBT), WPP5, and organic pigment Eosin Y (ESY). Initially, after host-guest interaction, WPP5 could bind well with PBT and form WPP5 ⊃ PBT complexes in water, which further assembled into WPP5 ⊃ PBT nanoparticles. WPP5 ⊃ PBT nanoparticles performed an outstanding aggregation-induced emission (AIE) capability because of the J-aggregates of PBT in WPP5 ⊃ PBT nanoparticles, which were appropriate as fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) donors for artificial light-harvesting.

Influenza vaccination reveals sex dimorphic imprints of prior mild COVID-19.

Acute viral infections can have durable functional impacts on the immune system long after recovery, but how they affect homeostatic immune states and responses to future perturbations remain poorly understood. Here we use systems immunology approaches, including longitudinal multimodal single-cell analysis (surface proteins, transcriptome and V(D)J sequences) to comparatively assess baseline immune statuses and responses to influenza vaccination in 33 healthy individuals after recovery from mild, non-hospitalized COVID-19 (mean, 151 days after diagnosis) and 40 age- and sex-matched control individuals who had never had COVID-19. At the baseline and independent of time after COVID-19, recoverees had elevated T cell activation signatures and lower expression of innate immune genes including Toll-like receptors in monocytes.

A multifunctional chemical linker in a buried interface for stable and efficient planar perovskite solar cells.

The buried interface between a perovskite (PVK) light absorbing layer and an electron transport layer (ETL) plays an utmost important role in further improving the efficiency and stability of planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The interfacial properties greatly affect charge transport, perovskite crystal growth, and device stability. Herein, a variable structure broad-spectrum UV-284 absorber agent 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone-5-sulfonic acid (HMBS) is introduced into PSCs based on SnO ETLs as an efficient multifunctional chemical linker to modify the buried interface properties.

Orthogonal Design of Supramolecular Prodrug Vesicles via Water-Soluble Pillar[5]arene and Betulinic Acid Derivative for Dual Chemotherapy.

Supramolecular prodrug vesicles with efficient property for dual chemotherapy have been successfully constructed based on the orthogonal self-assembly between a water-soluble pillar[5]arene host () and a betulinic acid guest () as well as doxorubicin (DOX). Under the acidic microenvironment of cancer cells, both the encapsulated anticancer drug DOX and prodrug can be effectively released from DOX-loaded ⊃ prodrug vesicles for combinational chemotherapy. Furthermore, bioexperiments indicate that DOX-loaded prodrug vesicles can obviously enhance the anticancer efficiency based on the cooperative effect of DOX and , while remarkably reducing the systematic toxicity in tumor-mice, displaying great potential applications in combinational chemotherapy for cancer treatments.

Fabrication of porous polymer coating layers with selective wettability on filter papers the breath figure method and their applications in oil/water separation.

A comb-like amphiphilic polymer (PBTF), composed of hydrophobic backbones and hydrophilic side chains, was employed to grow honeycomb coating layers on a filter paper directly casting a polymer solution and by the subsequent dynamic breath figure (BF) method. Through regulating the hydrophilic polymer side chain density and the solution concentration, a continuous honeycomb coating layer contouring to the filter paper surface profile, in addition to possessing a water contact angle (WCA) as high as 146°, was successfully fabricated. The present study also finds that increasing the hydrophilic side chain density will turn PBTF into a surfactant-like polymer, and thus, endow the PBTF solution with the capacity of numerous micro-nano-sized water droplets, rather than simply stabilizing the ordered water droplet arrays on the surface of the solution.

Influenza vaccination and single cell multiomics reveal sex dimorphic immune imprints of prior mild COVID-19.

Viral infections can have profound and durable functional impacts on the immune system. There is an urgent need to characterize the long-term immune effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection given the persistence of symptoms in some individuals and the continued threat of novel variants. Here we use systems immunology, including longitudinal multimodal single cell analysis (surface proteins, transcriptome, and V(D)J sequences) from 33 previously healthy individuals after recovery from mild, non-hospitalized COVID-19 and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls with no history of COVID-19 to comparatively assess the post-infection immune status (mean: 151 days after diagnosis) and subsequent innate and adaptive responses to seasonal influenza vaccination.

Stoichiometry-Controlled Chirality Induced by Co-assembly of Tetraphenylethylene Derivative, γ-CD, and Water-Soluble Pillar[5]arene.

A stoichiometry-controlled chirality induction was successfully achieved through coassemblies of amphiphilic tetraphenylethylene derivative , γ-cyclodextrin (γ-), and water-soluble pillar[5]arene in aqueous solution. Stoichiometric variation of was found to be an effective strategy to induce topological transition between the pseudo[4]rotaxane and the vesicular form. Interestingly, the formation of pseudo[4]rotaxane triggered dual chirality induction from chiral γ- to (negative ICD), and then, to dynamically racemic (positive ICD), whereas both ICD and ICD were silent in the vesicular form.

Dual Functions of Performance Improvement and Lead Leakage Mitigation of Perovskite Solar Cells Enabled by Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid.

With the continuous improvement of performance of lead-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs), the potential harm of water-soluble lead ion (Pb ) to environment and public health is emerging as a major obstacle to their commercialization. Herein, an amphoteric phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid (PBSA) that is almost insoluble in water is added to the perovskite precursor to simultaneously regulate crystallization growth, passivate defects, and mitigate lead leakage of high-performance PSCs. Through systematic research, it is found that PBSA can not only regulate the crystallization of perovskite grains to form the film, but also passivate the defects of annealed films mainly due to the strong interaction between the functional groups in PBSA and Pb , which greatly improves the crystallinity and stability of perovskite films.

Attenuation of Circulating Trimethylamine N-Oxide Prevents the Progression of Cardiac and Renal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Chronic Cardiorenal Syndrome.

Chronic heart failure (HF) frequently causes progressive decline in kidney function, known as cardiorenal syndrome-2 (CRS2). Current treatment options for CRS2 remain unacceptably limited. Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a metabolite of gut microbiota, has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of both HF and chronic kidney disease.

The Preparation of a Water-Soluble Phospholate-Based Macrocycle for Constructing Artificial Light-Harvesting Systems.

On the basis of cyclotrixylohydroquinoylene (CTX), a novel water-soluble phospholate-based CTX derivative (WPCTX) was prepared with facile synthetic procedure and satisfying yield. Several model guest molecules were selected to investigate WPCTX's host-guest properties. Based on the study of the host and model guest complexation, a tetraphenylethylene derivative from model guest was employed as a guest molecule (G) to form WPCTX⊃G nanoparticles (NPs) with WPCTX through further supramolecular self-assembly in water.

Epicutaneous Staphylococcus aureus induces IL-36 to enhance IgE production and ensuing allergic disease.

IgE induced by type 2 immune responses in atopic dermatitis is implicated in the progression of atopic dermatitis to other allergic diseases, including food allergies, allergic rhinitis, and asthma. However, the keratinocyte-derived signals that promote IgE and ensuing allergic diseases remain unclear. Herein, in a mouse model of atopic dermatitis-like skin inflammation induced by epicutaneous Staphylococcus aureus exposure, keratinocyte release of IL‑36α along with IL-4 triggered B cell IgE class-switching, plasma cell differentiation, and increased serum IgE levels-all of which were abrogated in IL-36R-deficient mice or anti-IL‑36R-blocking antibody-treated mice.

An efficient artificial light-harvesting system with tunable emission in water constructed from a H-bonded AIE supramolecular polymer and Nile Red.

With the aid of CTAB amphiphile, water-phase artificial light-harvesting systems were fabricated as nanoparticles by the self-assembly of two low-molecular-weight organic molecules: a UPy-functionalized TPE derivative 1 with both supramolecular polymerization and AIE capabilities as a donor and a fluorescent chromophore NiR as an acceptor. Owing to the flexibility of supramolecular self-assembly, tunable emissions including white-light emission could be easily realized with high energy transfer efficiency and the antenna effect.

The construction of an AIE-based controllable singlet oxygen generation system directed by a supramolecular strategy.

An aggregation-induced emission (AIE) based smart singlet oxygen (O) generation system has been successfully fabricated based on supramolecular host-guest assembly. The controllable O generation can be achieved by conveniently changing the molar ratio between the macrocyclic host (WP5) and the guest molecule (TPEPY). Moreover, reversible control of O generation and fluorescence emission of supramolecular nanoassemblies can be achieved via adding Fe and EDTA, which allows qualitatively monitoring the singlet oxygen generation efficiency by the naked eye.

A novel thermoplastic shape memory polymer with solid-state plasticity derived from exchangeable hydrogen bonds.

A novel thermoplastic shape memory polymer (SMP) was synthesized by partly modifying the double bonds of -1,4-polybutadiene (TPB) and subsequently introducing mono-isocyanate as pendant groups. The comb-like chains consisted of abundant hydrogen bonds on their side groups, which could readily assemble into dynamic non-covalent polymer networks. The physical crosslink net-points formed by the hydrogen bonds were utilized to anchor the permanent shape of PBTP, while the soft -1,4-polybutadiene segments served as a switching phase to afford the temporary shape, and the glass transition temperature ( ) was taken as the switching temperature.