Strongly coupled plasmonic metal nanoparticles with reversible pH-responsiveness and highly reproducible SERS in solution.

We report a facile method to prepare polymer-grafted plasmonic metal nanoparticles (NPs) that exhibit pH-responsive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The concept is based on the use of pH-responsive polymers, such as poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH), as multidentate ligands to wrap around the surface of NPs instead of forming polymer brushes. Upon changing the solvent quality, the grafted pH-responsive polymers would drive reversible aggregation of NPs, leading to a decreased interparticle distance.

Long-Term Molecular Monitoring Using Aptamer-Graphene Microtransistors.

Long-term, real-time molecular monitoring in complex biological environments is critical for our ability to understand, prevent, diagnose, and manage human diseases. Aptamer-based electrochemical biosensors possess the promise due to their generalizability and a high degree of selectivity. Nevertheless, the operation of existing aptamer-based biosensors is limited to a few hours.

DNA damage repair profiling of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma uncovers clinically relevant molecular subtypes with distinct prognoses and therapeutic vulnerabilities.

Background: DNA damage repair (DDR) is a critical process that maintains genomic integrity and plays essential roles at both the cellular and organismic levels. Here, we aimed to characterize the DDR profiling of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), investigate the prognostic value of DDR-related features, and explore their potential for guiding personalized treatment strategies.

Methods: We analyzed bulk and single-cell transcriptomics data from 377 ESCC cases from our institution and other publicly available cohorts to identify major DDR subtypes.

Transcriptome-based analysis of the effects of compound microbial agents on gene expression in wheat roots and leaves under salt stress.

Introduction: Salt stress inhibits the beneficial effects of most plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. The synergistic relationship between beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms and plants helps achieve more stable growth-promoting effects. This study aimed 1) to elucidate changes in gene expression profiles in the roots and leaves of wheat after inoculation with compound microbial agents and 2) to determine the mechanisms by which plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria mediate plant responses to microorganisms.

Polymer -Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) Ligands for Silver Nanoparticles.

Polymer -heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are a class of robust surface ligands to provide superior colloidal stability for metal nanoparticles (NPs) under various harsh conditions. We report a general method to prepare polymeric NHCs and demonstrate that these polymer NHC-AgNPs are stable against oxidative etching and show high peroxidase activity. We prepared three imidazolium-terminated poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polystyrene (PS), and poly(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate) (PMEOMA) through atom-transfer radical polymerization with an imidazole-containing initiator.

Symmetry-Broken Patches on Gold Nanoparticles through Deficient Ligand Exchange.

Symmetry-broken nanoparticles (NPs) are important building blocks with directional interparticle interaction as a key to access the precise organization of NPs macroscopically. We report a facile, one-pot synthetic approach to prepare high-quality symmetry-broken plasmonic gold NPs (AuNPs). Symmetry-broken patterning is achieved through deficient ligand exchange of isotropic AuNPs with thiol-terminated polystyrene (PS-SH) in the presence of an amphiphilic polymer surfactant.

Identification of a Metastasis-Related Protein IFI16 in Esophageal Cancer using a Proteomic Approach.

: Metastasis is the leading cause of the high morality of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), so early monitoring metastasis of esophageal cancer is the key to improve the survival rate of ESCC patients. However, there have not been effective biomarkers for predicting metastasis of ESCC patients,it is an urgent need to identify ESCC metastasis-related proteins. : iTRAQ-based proteomic method was performed in highly metastatic 30M cell established in our previous study and the corresponding parental cells KYSE30.

USP12 promotes breast cancer angiogenesis by maintaining midkine stability.

Deubiquitinases (DUBs) have important biological functions, but their roles in breast cancer metastasis are not completely clear. In this study, through screening a series of DUBs related to breast cancer distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) in the Kaplan-Meier Plotter database, we identified ubiquitin-specific protease 12 (USP12) as a key deubiquitinating enzyme for breast cancer metastasis. We confirmed this via an orthotopic mouse lung metastasis model.

Stereoselective C-C Oxidative Coupling Reactions Photocatalyzed by Zwitterionic Ligand Capped CsPbBr Perovskite Quantum Dots.

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have attracted tremendous attention in the field of photocatalysis, owing to their superior optoelectronic properties for photocatalytic reactions, including high absorption coefficients and long photogenerated carrier lifetimes. Herein, by choosing 2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-oxobutanenitrile as a model substrate, we demonstrate that the stereoselective (>99 %) C-C oxidative coupling reaction can be realized with a high product yield (99 %) using zwitterionic ligand capped CsPbBr perovskite QDs under visible light illumination. The reaction can be generalized to different starting materials with various substituents on the phenyl ring and varied functional moieties, producing stereoselective dl-isomers.

Adaptable Eu-containing polymeric films with dynamic control of mechanical properties in response to moisture.

Self-healing polymers often have a trade-off between healing efficiency and mechanical stiffness. Stiff polymers that sacrifice their chain mobility are slow to repair upon mechanical failure. We herein report adaptable polymer films with dynamically moisture-controlled mechanical and optical properties, therefore having tunable self-healing efficiency.

A Polymer Solution To Prevent Nanoclustering and Improve the Selectivity of Metal Nanoparticles for Electrocatalytic CO Reduction.

The stability of metal nanocatalysts for electrocatalytic CO reduction is of key importance for practical application. We report the use of two polymeric N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) (polydentate and monodentate) to stabilize metal nanocatalysts (Au and Pd) for efficient CO electroreduction. Compared with other conventional ligands including thiols and amines, metal-carbene bonds that are stable under reductive potentials prevent the nanoclustering of nanoparticles.

Controlling Nanoparticle Orientations in the Self-Assembly of Patchy Quantum Dot-Gold Heterostructural Nanocrystals.

Self-assembly of nanocrystals is a promising route for creating macroscale materials that derive function from the properties of their nanoscale building blocks. While much progress has been made assembling nanocrystals into different superlattices, controlling the relative orientations of nanocrystals in those lattices remains a challenge. Here, we combine experiments with computer simulations to study the self-assembly of patchy heterostructural nanocrystals (HNCs), consisting of near-spherical quantum dots decorated with regular arrangements of small gold satellites, into close-packed superlattices with pronounced orientational alignment of HNCs.

Synthetic Polymers To Promote Cooperative Cu Activity for O Activation: Poly vs Mono.

We report polymer-promoted cooperative catalysis of Cu for oxygen activation. A series of random copolymers containing dipicolylamine as binding motifs are designed to coordinate type-3 Cu sites. The Cu-copolymers show a 6-8-fold activity enhancement, compared to the molecular complex of Cu with an identical coordination site.

Self-Assembly of Quantum Dot-Gold Heterodimer Nanocrystals with Orientational Order.

The self-assembly of nanocrystals into ordered superlattices is a powerful strategy for the production of functional nanomaterials. The assembly of well-ordered target structures, however, requires control over the building blocks' size and shape as well as their interactions. While nanocrystals with homogeneous composition are now routinely synthesized with high precision and assembled into various ordered structures, high-quality multicomponent nanocrystals and their ordered assemblies are rarely reported.

Photoluminescent carbon quantum dot grafted silica nanoparticles directly synthesized from rice husk biomass.

In this work, carbon quantum dot grafted silica nanoparticles (silica-C NPs) are directly synthesized from rice husk biomass with high yield. The rice husk derived silica-C NPs exhibit outstanding features, including ease of surface modification, high water dispersibility, and biocompatibility. Due to the covalent decoration of the carbon framework, the wide band gap amorphous silica is endowed intense and unique photoluminescence, which can be well controlled by further adjustments.