Sustainable synthesis of carbon dots via bio-waste recycling for biomedical imaging.

Bio-waste is a side product of biomedical research containing carbon, which can be utilized for developing carbon dots (CDs). CDs are known to be useful for a variety of applications because of their unique photoluminescence, low toxicity, and straightforward synthesis. In this paper, we employed a one-step hydrothermal method to prepare CDs from bio-waste as the only reactant.

Monitoring in Water through Real-Time Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification on Biochips.

Access to clean water is fundamental to public health and safety, serving as the cornerstone of well-being in communities. Despite the significant investments of millions of dollars in water testing and treatment processes, the United States continues to grapple with over 7 million waterborne-related cases annually. This persistent challenge underscores the pressing need for the development of a new, efficient, rapid, low-cost, and reliable method for ensuring water quality.

PBAE-PEG based lipid nanoparticles for lung cell-specific gene delivery.

Delivery of modified mRNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles, exemplified by their successful use in COVID-19 vaccination, provides a framework for treating various genetic and acquired disorders. Herein, we developed PEGylated(PBAE-PEG) and non-PEGylated(PBAE) PBAE with lipids 4A3-SC8/DOPE/cholesterol/DOTAP to form lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for mRNA delivery into different types of pulmonary cells in vivo. PBAE-PEG/LNP were highly active in transfecting HEK293T cells and air-liquid interfaced H441 cells in vitro.

Programmable Digital-Microfluidic Biochips for SARS-CoV-2 Detection.

Biochips, a novel technology in the field of biomolecular analysis, offer a promising alternative to conventional testing equipment. These chips integrate multiple functions within a single system, providing a compact and efficient solution for various testing needs. For biochips, a pattern-control micro-electrode-dot-array (MEDA) is a new, universally viable design that can replace microchannels and other micro-components.

Fluorinated amphiphilic Poly(β-Amino ester) nanoparticle for highly efficient and specific delivery of nucleic acids to the Lung capillary endothelium.

Endothelial cell dysfunction occurs in a variety of acute and chronic pulmonary diseases including pulmonary hypertension, viral and bacterial pneumonia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and congenital lung diseases such as alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACDMPV). To correct endothelial dysfunction, there is a critical need for the development of nanoparticle systems that can deliver drugs and nucleic acids to endothelial cells with high efficiency and precision. While several nanoparticle delivery systems targeting endothelial cells have been recently developed, none of them are specific to lung endothelial cells without targeting other organs in the body.

Lung endothelial cells regulate pulmonary fibrosis through FOXF1/R-Ras signaling.

Pulmonary fibrosis results from dysregulated lung repair and involves multiple cell types. The role of endothelial cells (EC) in lung fibrosis is poorly understood. Using single cell RNA-sequencing we identified endothelial transcription factors involved in lung fibrogenesis, including FOXF1, SMAD6, ETV6 and LEF1.

Corrigendum: Improving anti-tumor efficacy of low-dose Vincristine in rhabdomyosarcoma the combination therapy with FOXM1 inhibitor RCM1.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.

Inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 on Surfaces by Cold-Plasma-Generated Reactive Species.

A Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) apparatus was designed and developed for SARS-CoV-2 killing as evaluated by pseudotyped viral infectivity assays. The reactive species generated by the plasma system was fully characterized by using Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) measurement under given conditions such as plasma power, flow rate, and treatment time. A variety of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) were identified from plasma plume with energies of 15-72 eV in the frequency range between 500-1000 nm.

Demonstration of Safety in Wild Type Mice of npFOXF1, a Novel Nanoparticle-Based Gene Therapy for Alveolar Capillary Dysplasia with Misaligned Pulmonary Veins.

Introduction: Alveolar Capillary Dysplasia with Misaligned Pulmonary Veins (ACDMPV) is a fatal congenital disease resulting from a pulmonary vascular endothelial deficiency of FOXF1, producing abnormal morphogenesis of alveolar capillaries, malpositioned pulmonary veins and disordered development of lung lobes. Affected neonates suffer from cyanosis, severe breathing insufficiency, pulmonary hypertension, and death typically within days to weeks after birth. Currently, no treatment exists for ACDMPV, although recent murine research in the Kalinichenko lab demonstrates nanoparticle delivery improves survival and reconstitutes normal alveolar-capillary architecture.

Improving anti-tumor efficacy of low-dose Vincristine in rhabdomyosarcoma the combination therapy with FOXM1 inhibitor RCM1.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a highly metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma that often develops resistance to current therapies, including vincristine. Since the existing treatments have not significantly improved survival, there is a critical need for new therapeutic approaches for RMS patients. FOXM1, a known oncogene, is highly expressed in RMS, and is associated with the worst prognosis in RMS patients.

Effect of Dipole Interactions on Blocking Temperature and Relaxation Dynamics of Superparamagnetic Iron-Oxide (FeO) Nanoparticle Systems.

The effects of dipole interactions on magnetic nanoparticle magnetization and relaxation dynamics were investigated using five nanoparticle (NP) systems with different surfactants, carrier liquids, size distributions, inter-particle spacing, and NP confinement. Dipole interactions were found to play a crucial role in modifying the blocking temperature behavior of the superparamagnetic nanoparticles, where stronger interactions were found to increase the blocking temperatures. Consequently, the blocking temperature of a densely packed nanoparticle system with stronger dipolar interactions was found to be substantially higher than those of the discrete nanoparticle systems.

Circulating tumor cell isolation for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells that shed from the primary tumor and intravasate into the peripheral blood circulation system responsible for metastasis. Sensitive detection of CTCs from clinical samples can serve as an effective tool in cancer diagnosis and prognosis through liquid biopsy. Current CTC detection technologies mainly reply on the biomarker-mediated platforms including magnetic beads, microfluidic chips or size-sensitive microfiltration which can compromise detection sensitivity due to tumor heterogeneity.

Dual Targeting with Cell Surface Electrical Charge and Folic Acid via Superparamagnetic FeO@CuS for Photothermal Cancer Cell Killing.

A major challenge in cancer therapy is to achieve high cell targeting specificity for the highest therapeutic efficacy. Two major approaches have been shown to be quite effective, namely, (1) bio-marker mediated cell targeting, and (2) electrical charge driven cell binding. The former utilizes the tumor-specific moieties on nano carrier surfaces for active targeting, while the latter relies on nanoparticles binding onto the cancer cell surfaces due to differences in electrical charge.

How effective is a mask in preventing COVID-19 infection?

The main clinical characteristics of COVID-19 are respiratory symptoms that can lead to serious cardiovascular damages and severe worsening of other medical conditions. One of the major strategies in preparedness and response to COVID 19 is effective utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE) among which the masks of different kinds are on the top of the list especially for activities in the public places. However, the underlying mechanisms of masks in preventing virus transmission have not been well identified and the current experimental data still show inconsistent outcomes that may mislead the public.

Photosensitizer-Laden Neutrophils Are Controlled Remotely for Cancer Immunotherapy.

By incorporating an artificial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation mechanism, a biotic/abiotic integration is designed to improve the anti-tumor effect of neutrophils by artificially potentiating their ROS effector mechanism in a remotely controlled route. Specifically, the photosensitizer Ce6 is nano-packaged by the albumin BSA to achieve biocompatible and efficient integration with neutrophils (NEs). Reinfusion of the engineered NEs into 4T1 tumor-bearing mice led to more Ce6 accumulation in tumors relative to Ce6 nanoformulation.

Nanoparticle Delivery Systems with Cell-Specific Targeting for Pulmonary Diseases.

Respiratory disorders are among the most important medical problems threatening human life. The conventional therapeutics for respiratory disorders are hindered by insufficient drug concentrations at pathological lesions, lack of cell-specific targeting, and various biobarriers in the conducting airways and alveoli. To address these critical issues, various nanoparticle delivery systems have been developed to serve as carriers of specific drugs, DNA expression vectors, and RNAs.

Bioelectricity, Its Fundamentals, Characterization Methodology, and Applications in Nano-Bioprobing and Cancer Diagnosis.

Bioelectricity is an essential characteristic of a biological system that has played an important role in medical diagnosis particularly in cancer liquid biopsy. However, its biophysical origin and measurements have presented great challenges in experimental methodologies. For instance, in dynamic cell processes, bioelectricity cannot be accurately determined as a static electrical potential via electrophoresis.

Nanoparticle Delivery of Proangiogenic Transcription Factors into the Neonatal Circulation Inhibits Alveolar Simplification Caused by Hyperoxia.

: Advances in neonatal critical care have greatly improved the survival of preterm infants, but the long-term complications of prematurity, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), cause mortality and morbidity later in life. Although VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) improves lung structure and function in rodent BPD models, severe side effects of VEGF therapy prevent its use in patients with BPD.: To test whether nanoparticle delivery of proangiogenic transcription factor FOXM1 (forkhead box M1) or FOXF1 (forkhead box F1), both downstream targets of VEGF, can improve lung structure and function after neonatal hyperoxic injury.

Smart Sorting of Tumor Phenotype with Versatile Fluorescent Ag Nanoclusters by Sensing Specific Reactive Oxygen Species.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a crucial role in cancer formation and development, especially cancer metastasis. However, lack of a precise tool, which could accurately distinguish specific types of ROS, restricts an in-depth study of ROS in cancer development and progression. Herein, we designed smart and versatile fluorescent Ag nanoclusters (AgNCs) for sensitive and selective detection of different species of ROS in cells and tissues.

Rapid Label-Free Isolation of Circulating Tumor Cells from Patients' Peripheral Blood Using Electrically Charged FeO Nanoparticles.

Isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in peripheral blood from cancer patients bears critical importance for evaluation of therapeutic efficacy. The current CTC isolation strategies are majorly relying on either protein biomarkers or dimensional features of CTCs. In this study, we present a new methodology for CTC detection and isolation based on the surface charge of cancer cells, a bioelectrical manifestation of the "Warburg effect.

Ca-Mediated Surface Polydopamine Engineering to Program Dendritic Cell Maturation.

Engineering of cell surfaces holds promise in manipulating cellular activities in a physicochemical route as a complement to the biological approach. Mediated by Ca, a quick and convenient yet cytocompatible method is used to achieve surface engineering, by which polydopamine nanostructures can be in situ grown onto dendritic cell (DC) surfaces within 10 min. Ca, as the physical bridge between the negative cell surface and polydopamine, avoids the direct chemical polymerization of polydopamine onto the cell surface, critically important to maintain the cell viability.

Remodeling of Cellular Surfaces via Fast Disulfide-Thiol Exchange To Regulate Cell Behaviors.

Remodeling of cellular surfaces is shown highly effective in the manipulation and control of cell behaviors via nonbiological means. By 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoate-mediated, fast, and reversible disulfide-thiol exchange, a sequential layer by layer assembly process was developed to grow albumin protein shells on cellular surfaces fixed by a disulfide-linked network, in a cytocompatible manner. The artificial shells, accomplished by a double-assembly process, were sustainable up to >1 day, and thereafter gradually bioabsorbed with unaffected cell viability.

A nano-immunotraining strategy to enhance the tumor targeting of neutrophils via in vivo pathogen-mimicking stimulation.

Due to unsatisfactory tumor-targeting efficiency, hitch-hiking nanomedicines with tumor "smelling" immune cells have rapidly evolved to achieve a more precision delivery. However, the current research tends to default to the smelling capacity of neutrophils and largely overlooks the capacity of those immune cells that are heavily dependent on the pathogen exposure history of individuals. By avoiding risky strategies, such as altering the housing environment of mice for the improved activity of immune cells, we propose a new concept of nano-immunotraining strategy to quickly activate neutrophil tumor tropism and thereby give an enhanced tumor-targeting capacity.

Suppression of the innate cancer-killing activity in human granulocytes by stress reaction as a possible mechanism for affecting cancer development.

Psychological stress may be linked to cancer incidence; however, more direct evidence is required to support this viewpoint. In this study, we investigated the effects of stress on immunosurveillance against cancer cells using a previously established examination stress model. We showed that the cancer killing activity (CKA) of granulocytes (also known as polymorphic nuclear cells, PMNs) is sharply reduced during examination stress stimulation in some donors who are psychologically sensitive to examination stress, with the concentration of plasma stress hormones (cortisone, epinephrine, and norepinephrine) increasing accordingly.

The S52F FOXF1 Mutation Inhibits STAT3 Signaling and Causes Alveolar Capillary Dysplasia.

Alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACDMPV) is a lethal congenital disorder causing respiratory failure and pulmonary hypertension shortly after birth. There are no effective treatments for ACDMPV other than lung transplant, and new therapeutic approaches are urgently needed. Although ACDMPV is linked to mutations in the gene, molecular mechanisms through which FOXF1 mutations cause ACDMPV are unknown.