Publications by authors named "Wenkang Tu"

Immunotherapy stands as a groundbreaking strategy for cancer treatment, due to its ability to precisely and safely detect and eradicate tumors. However, the efficacy of immunotherapy is often limited by tumor autophagy, a natural defense mechanism that tumors exploit to resist immune attacks. Herein, we introduce a spatiotemporally controlled method to modulate tumor autophagy via sonocatalysis, aiming to improve immunotherapeutic outcomes.

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High level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the tumor microenvironment (TME) not only damage tumor cells but also diminish the efficacy of immunogenic cell death (ICD) and the activity of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes, thereby limiting the effectiveness of immunotherapy. Therefore, precise modulation of ROS level is crucial to effectively eliminate tumor cells and activate ICD-induced immunotherapy. Here, an intelligent yolk shell nanoplatform (SPCCM) that features calcium carbonate shells capable of decomposing under acidic TME conditions, thereby releasing the natural antioxidant proanthocyanidins (PAs) and the photosensitizer Ce6 is designed.

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Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is long-standing suffered from elevated tumor interstitial fluid pressure (TIFP) and prevalent hypoxic microenvironment within the solid malignancies. Herein, sound-activated flexocatalysis is developed to overcome the dilemma of PDT through both enhancing tumor penetration of photosensitizers by reducing TIFP and establishing an oxygen-rich microenvironment. In detail, a Schottky junction is constructed by flexocatalyst MoSe nanoflowers and Pt.

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In oncological nanomedicine, overcoming the dual-phase high interstitial pressure in the tumor microenvironment is pivotal for enhancing the penetration and efficacy of nanotherapeutics. The elevated tumor interstitial solid pressure (TISP) is largely attributed to the overaccumulation of collagen in the extracellular matrix, while the increased tumor interstitial fluid pressure (TIFP) stems from the accumulation of fluid due to the aberrant vascular architecture. In this context, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with catalytic efficiency have shown potential in degrading tumor interstitial components, thereby reducing interstitial pressure.

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Background: Elevated interstitial fluid pressure within tumors, resulting from impaired lymphatic drainage, constitutes a critical barrier to effective drug penetration and therapeutic outcomes.

Results: In this study, based on the photosynthetic characteristics of algae, an active drug carrier (CP@ICG) derived from Chlorella pyrenoidosa (CP) was designed and constructed. Leveraging the hypoxia tropism and phototropism exhibited by CP, we achieved targeted transport of the carrier to tumor sites.

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The practical efficacy of nanomedicines for treating solid tumors is frequently low, predominantly due to the elevated interstitial pressure within such tumors that obstructs the penetration of nanomedicines. This increased interstitial pressure originates from both liquid and solid stresses related to an undeveloped vascular network and excessive fibroblast proliferation. To specifically resolve the penetration issues of nanomedicines for tumor treatment, this study introduces a holistic "dual-faceted" approach.

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Cellular senescence, a vulnerable state of growth arrest, has been regarded as a potential strategy to weaken the resistance of tumor cells, leading to dramatic improvements in treatment efficacy. However, a selective and efficient strategy for inducing local tumor cellular senescence has not yet been reported. Herein, piezoelectric catalysis is utilized to reduce intracellular NAD to NADH for local tumor cell senescence for the first time.

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In nanocatalytic medicine, drugs can be transformed into toxic components through highly selective and highly specific catalytic reactions in the tumor microenvironment, avoiding toxic side effects on normal tissues. Due to the coexistence of Ce and Ce, CeO is endowed with dual nanozyme activities. Herein, CeO nanoparticles served as templates to construct a biomimetic nanodrug delivery system (C/CeO@M) by electrostatic adsorption of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and coating a homologous tumor cytomembrane.

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Crystallization is one of the major challenges in using glassy solids for technological applications. Considering pharmaceutical drugs, maintaining a stable amorphous form is highly desirable for improved solubility. Glasses prepared by the physical vapor deposition technique got attention because they possess very high stability, taking thousands of years for an ordinary glass to achieve.

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This paper examines the pressure effect on the crystallization rate of the pharmaceutically active enantiomerically pure S-enantiomer and the racemic mixture of the well-known drug ibuprofen. Performed experimental studies revealed that at ambient pressure -ibuprofen crystallizes faster than the racemic mixture. When the pressure increases, the crystallization rate slows down for both systems, but interestingly it is more apparent in the case of the S-enantiomer.

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Geometric nanoconfinement, in one and two dimensions, has a fundamental influence on the segmental dynamics of polymer glass-formers and can be markedly different from that observed in the bulk state. In this work, with the use of dielectric spectroscopy, we have investigated the glass transition behavior of poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) confined within alumina nanopores and prepared as a thin film supported on a silicon substrate. P2VP is known to exhibit strong, attractive interactions with confining surfaces due to the ability to form hydrogen bonds.

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Two glass-transitions have been observed in some miscible molecular mixtures with notable differences in geometry or chemistry of constituents. The explanation of the phenomena has been puzzling with diverse structural models. Here, we present detailed studies on two glass-transition mixtures composed of tripropyl phosphate (TPP) and polystyrene (PS) by using calorimetric and dielectric measurements.

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Broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) are combined to study the effect of changes in the surface chemistry on the segmental dynamics of glass-forming polymer, poly(methylphenylsiloxane) (PMPS), confined in anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) nanopores. Measurements were carried for native and silanized nanopores of the same pore sizes. Nanopore surfaces are modified with the use of two silanizing agents, chlorotrimethylsilane (ClTMS) and (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMOS), of much different properties.

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Amorphization of drug formulations containing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and excipients has been proven to be an effective strategy to improve their poor aqueous solubility. The excipients can also impact the physical stability of the prepared amorphous forms. Generally, researchers are more apt to select excipients that have high values of glass transition temperature () because of the antiplasticization effect of the additives on APIs.

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Currently, a research hotspot in amorphous active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is to understand the key factors that dominate recrystallization and to develop effective methods for stabilizing amorphous forms. Consequently, we investigated the influence of the global molecular mobility and structural properties on the crystallization tendency of three 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives (nifedipine, nisoldipine, and nimodipine) in their supercooled states using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) techniques. The BDS is also employed to monitor the isothermal crystallization kinetics of supercooled nifedipine and nimodipine at T = 333 K under ambient pressure.

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Rigid molecular glass-formers with no internal degrees of freedom nonetheless have a single secondary β-relaxation. For a rigid and planar molecule, 1-methylindole (1MID), although a secondary relaxation is resolved at ambient pressure, its properties do not conform to the rules established for rigid molecules reported in early studies. By applying pressure to the dielectric spectra of 1MID, we find the single secondary relaxation splits into two.

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Scrutinizing critical thermodynamic and kinetic factors for glass formation and the glass stability of materials would benefit the screening of the glass formers for the industry of glassy materials. The present work aims at elucidating the factors that contribute to the glass formation by investigating medium-sized molecules of pharmaceuticals. Glass transition related thermodynamics and kinetics are performed on the pharmaceuticals using calorimetric, dielectric, and viscosity measurements.

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The glass transition and dynamics of benzene are studied in binary mixtures of benzene with five glass forming liquids, which can be divided into three groups: (a) o-terphenyl and m-xylene, (b) N-butyl methacrylate, and (c) N,N-dimethylpropionamide and N,N-diethylformamide to represent the weak, moderate, and strong interactions with benzene. The enthalpies of mixing, ΔH(mix), for the benzene mixtures are measured to show positive or negative signs, with which the validity of the extrapolations of the glass transition temperature T(g) to the benzene-rich regions is examined. The extrapolations for the T(g) data in the mixtures are found to converge around the point of 142 K, producing T(g) of pure benzene.

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The dielectric relaxations in six primary and secondary alkoxy alcohols with varying molecular size and different separation between -O- and hydroxyl group are studied at temperatures around glass transition. The analyses of the apparent full width at half maximum of the main relaxations of the alkoxy alcohols reveal minima in the temperature dependence of the relaxation dispersions. The stretching exponents for the main relaxations of the alkoxy alcohols are also found not to follow the empirical correlations with other dynamic quantities established for generic liquids.

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The dependence of the glass transition in mixtures on mixing thermodynamics is examined by focusing on enthalpy of mixing, ΔHmix with the change in sign (positive vs. negative) and magnitude (small vs. large).

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The glass transition and relaxation dynamics in the binary mixtures of a Debye liquid, N-ethylacetamide, with water, monoalcohol, and amine are studied by calorimetric and dielectric measurements in the highly viscous regimes near the glass transition. Calorimetric measurements show the glass transition temperature in the N-ethylacetamide-water mixtures is remarkably enhanced as water is added as high as 70 mol. % before crystallization is detected.

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A quantitative evaluation of the contribution of mixing thermodynamics to glass transition is performed for a binary eutectic benzil and m-nitroaniline system. The microcalorimetric measurements of the enthalpy of mixing give small and positive values, typically ~200 J mol(-1) for the equimolar mixture. The composition dependence of the glass transition temperature, T(g), is found to show a large and negative deviation from the ideal mixing rule.

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The dielectric relaxation of two long-chain glass forming monohydroxy alcohols, 2-butyl-1-octanol and 2-hexyl-1-decanol, is studied at low temperature. Remarkable broadening from the pure Debye relaxation is identified for the slowest dynamics, differing from the dielectric spectra of short-chain alcohols. The broadening of the Debye-like relaxation in the two liquids develops as temperature increases, and the approaching of the Debye-like and structural relaxation widths is shown.

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