Exciton Emission Enhancement in Two-Dimensional Monolayer Tungsten Disulfide on a Silicon Substrate via a Fabry-Pérot Microcavity.

Exciton emitters in two-dimensional monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) provide a boulevard for the emerging optoelectronic field, ranging from miniaturized light-emitting diodes to quantum emitters and optical communications. However, the low quantum efficiency from limited light-matter interactions and harmful substrate effects seriously hinders their applications. In this work, we achieve a ∼438-fold exciton photoluminescence enhancement by constructing a Fabry-Pérot cavity consisting of monolayer WS and a micron-scale hole on the SiO/Si substrate.

t2 Occupancy as an Effective and Predictive Descriptor for the Design of High-Performance Spinel Oxide Peroxidase-like Nanozymes.

Nanozymes are next generation of enzyme mimics. Due to the lack of activity descriptors, most nanozymes were discovered through trial-and-error strategies or by accident. While eg occupancy in an octahedral crystal field was proven as an effective descriptor, the t2 in a tetrahedral crystal field has rarely been explored.

Endogenous hydrogen sulfide persulfidates endothelin type A receptor to inhibit pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Background: The binding of endothelin-1 (ET-1) to endothelin type A receptor (ETAR) performs a critical action in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation leading to pulmonary vascular structural remodeling. More evidence showed that cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE)-catalyzed endogenous hydrogen sulfide (HS) was involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of endogenous HS/CSE pathway on the ET-1/ETAR binding and its underlying mechanisms in the cellular and animal models of PASMC proliferation.

Zinc nanoparticles from oral supplements accumulate in renal tumours and stimulate antitumour immune responses.

A successful therapeutic outcome in the treatment of solid tumours requires efficient intratumoural drug accumulation and retention. Here we demonstrate that zinc gluconate in oral supplements assembles with plasma proteins to form ZnO nanoparticles that selectively accumulate into papillary Caki-2 renal tumours and promote the recruitment of dendritic cells and cytotoxic CD8 T cells to tumour tissues. Renal tumour targeting is mediated by the preferential binding of zinc ions to metallothionein-1X proteins, which are constitutively overexpressed in Caki-2 renal tumour cells.

A nanoparticle-based wireless deep brain stimulation system that reverses Parkinson's disease.

Deep brain stimulation technology enables the neural modulation with precise spatial control but requires permanent implantation of conduits. Here, we describe a photothermal wireless deep brain stimulation nanosystem capable of eliminating α-synuclein aggregates and restoring degenerated dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra to treat Parkinson's disease. This nanosystem (ATB NPs) consists of gold nanoshell, an antibody against the heat-sensitive transient receptor potential vanilloid family member 1 (TRPV1), and β-synuclein (β-syn) peptides with a near infrared-responsive linker.

Synergetic Interface and Bulk Defects Modification with Identical Organic Molecule for Efficient Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

Recent progress in inverted perovskite solar cells (IPSCs) mainly focused on NiO modification and perovskite (PVK) regulation to enhance efficiency and stability. However, most works address only monofunctional modifications, and identical molecules with the ability to simultaneously optimize NiO interface and perovskite bulk phase have been rarely reported. This work proposes a dual modification approach using 4-amino-3,5-dichlorobenzotrifluoride (DCTM) to optimize both NiO upper interfaces and reduction of bulk defects in perovskite.

An OMV-Based Nanovaccine as Antigen Presentation Signal Enhancer for Cancer Immunotherapy.

Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) process tumor vaccines and present tumor antigens as the first signals to T cells to activate anti-tumor immunity, which process requires the assistance of co-stimulatory second signals on APCs. The immune checkpoint programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) not only mediates the immune escape of tumor cells but also acts as a co-inhibitory second signal on APCs. The serious dysfunction of second signals due to the high expression of PD-L1 on APCs in the tumor body results in the inefficiency of tumor vaccines.

Genetically Encoded Nucleic Acid Nanostructures for Biological Applications.

Nucleic acid, as a carrier of genetic information, has been widely employed as a building block for the construction of versatile nanostructures with pre-designed sizes and shapes through complementary base pairing. With excellent programmability, addressability, and biocompatibility, nucleic acid nanostructures are extensively applied in biomedical researches, such as bio-imaging, bio-sensing, and drug delivery. Notably, the original gene-encoding capability of the nucleic acids themselves has been utilized in these structurally well-defined nanostructures.

Fluoride binding-modulated supramolecular chirality of urea-containing triarylamine and its photo-manifestation.

In recent years, the regulation of anion-mediated chiral assemblies has gained significant interest. This study investigated the modulation of supramolecular chiroptical signals and chiral assembled structures in a triarylamine system containing a urea moiety through fluoride ion-urea bond interactions, aiming to understand the chiral sense amplification in supramolecular assemblies. Chiral triarylamine derivatives containing urea or amide units were synthesized and the self-assemblies were examined in the absence and presence of fluoride ions.

Rapid Preparation of Collagen/Red Blood Cell Membrane Tubes for Stenosis-Free Vascular Regeneration.

Extracellular matrix (ECM)-based small-diameter vascular grafts (SDVGs, inner diameter (ID) < 6 mm) hold great promise for clinical applications. However, existing ECM-based SDVGs suffer from limited donor availability, complex purification, high cost, and insufficient mechanical properties. SDVGs with ECM-like structure and function, and good mechanical properties were rapidly prepared by optimizing common materials and preparation, which can improve their clinical prospects.

Safe Production of Rice ( L.) in Arsenic-Contaminated Soil: a Remedial Strategy using Micro-Nanostructured Bone Biochar.

This study investigated the effects of fine-sized pork bone biochar particles on remediating As-contaminated soil and alleviating associated phytotoxicity to rice in 50-day short-term and 120-day full-life-cycle pot experiments. The addition of micro-nanostructured pork bone biochar (BC) pyrolyzed at 400 and 600 °C (BC400 and BC600) significantly increased the As-treated shoot and root fresh weight by 24.4-77.

Phosphorescent Liquid Crystalline Polymer-based Circularly Polarized Luminescence Optical Waveguides for Enhanced Photonic Signal Processing and Information Encryption.

Efficient circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) optical waveguides have significant potential for advancing photonic and optoelectronic devices. However, the development of CPL optical waveguides materials (OWMs) with low optical loss coefficient remains a considerable challenge. To overcome this, we design and synthesize CPL OWMs based on room-temperature phosphorescent liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs).

A membrane-targeted photoswitch restores physiological ON/OFF responses to light in the degenerate retina.

The lack of effective therapies for visual restoration in Retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration has led to the development of new strategies, such as optogenetics and retinal prostheses. However, visual restoration is poor due to the massive light-evoked activation of retinal neurons, regardless of the segregation of visual information in ON and OFF channels, which is essential for contrast sensitivity and spatial resolution. Here, we show that Ziapin2, a membrane photoswitch that modulates neuronal capacitance and excitability in a light-dependent manner, is capable of reinstating, in mouse and rat genetic models of photoreceptor degeneration, brisk and sluggish ON, OFF, and ON-OFF responses in retinal ganglion cells evoked by full-field stimuli, with reactivation of their excitatory and inhibitory conductances.

Highly Thermal-Conductive Cubic Boron Arsenide: Single-Crystal Growth, Properties, and Future Thin-Film Epitaxy.

Heat dissipation has become a critical challenge in modern electronics, driving the need for a revolution in thermal management strategies beyond traditional packaging materials, thermal interface materials, and heat sinks. Cubic boron arsenide (c-BAs) offers a promising solution, thanks to its combination of high thermal conductivity and high ambipolar mobility, making it highly suitable for applications in both electronic devices and thermal management. However, challenges remain, particularly in the large-scale synthesis of a high-quality material and the tuning of its physical properties.

Transparent and Antifouling Lubrication Coating for Medical Applications Formed by a Self-Assembled Method.

Lubrication surfaces reduce the risk of cross-contamination and enhance the long-term stability of medical devices, which holds significance in the realm of antifouling medical materials. However, the complexity of constructing micronano structures to immobilize lubricating fluids and the fluorine content typically found in silane coupling agents restrict their widespread adoption. In this study, we prepared a biomimetic lubricating coating (BLC) through the one-step self-assembly of octadecyltrichlorosilane and oil infusion.

Exogenously and Endogenously Sequential Regulation of DNA Nanodevices Enables Organelle-Specific Signal Amplification in Subcellular ATP Profiling.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy currency in cells, is dynamically regulated across different subcellular compartments. The ATP interplay between mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) underscores their coordinated roles in various biochemical processes, highlighting the necessity for precise profiling of subcellular ATP dynamics. Here we present an exogenously and endogenously dual-regulated DNA nanodevice for spatiotemporally selective, subcellular-compartment specific signal amplification in ATP sensing.

Targeting Synthesis of Diatomic Catalysts by Selective Etching and Sequential Adsorption of Metal Atom.

Diatomic catalysts featuring a tunable structure and synergetic effects hold great promise for various reactions. However, their precise construction with specific configurations and diverse metal combinations is still challenging. Here, a selective etching and metal ion adsorption strategy is proposed to accurately assign a second metal atom (M) geminal to the single atom site (M-N) for constructing diatomic sites (e.

A DNA origami-based enzymatic cascade nanoreactor for chemodynamic cancer therapy and activation of antitumor immunity.

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is a promising and potent therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer. We developed a DNA origami-based enzymatic cascade nanoreactor (DOECN) containing spatially well-organized Au nanoparticles and ferric oxide (FeO) nanoclusters for targeted delivery and inhibition of tumor cell growth. The DOECN can synergistically promote the generation of hydrogen peroxide (HO), consumption of glutathione, and creation of an acidic environment, thereby amplifying the Fenton-type reaction and producing abundant reactive oxygen species, such as hydroxyl radicals (•OH), for augmenting the CDT outcome.

Recent advances in mRNA-based therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases and brain tumors.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) therapy is an innovative approach that delivers specific protein-coding information. By promoting the ribosomal synthesis of target proteins within cells, it supplements functional or antigenic proteins to treat diseases. Unlike traditional gene therapy, mRNA does not need to enter the cell nucleus, reducing the risks associated with gene integration.

A multifunctional metal-based nanozyme for CT/PTI-guided photothermal/starvation/chemodynamic therapy against colon tumor.

Colon cancer is a major global health threat. Early detection and treatment are crucial for improving survival rates. Conventional methods, like colonoscopies and CT scans, have limitations, emphasizing the need for innovative strategies.

The evolving understanding of systemic mechanisms in organ-specific IgA nephropathy: a focus on gut-kidney crosstalk.

The interplay between multiple organs, known as inter-organ crosstalk, represents a complex and essential research domain in understanding the mechanisms and therapies for kidney diseases. The kidneys not only interact pathologically with many other organs but also communicate with other systems through various signaling pathways. It is of paramount importance to comprehend these mechanisms for the development of more efficient therapeutic strategies.

Membrane-targeted push-pull azobenzenes for the optical modulation of membrane potential.

We introduce a family of membrane-targeted azobenzenes (MTs) with a push-pull character as a new tool for cell stimulation. These molecules are water soluble and spontaneously partition in the cell membrane. Upon light irradiation, they isomerize from trans to cis, changing the local charge distribution and thus stimulating the cell response.

Clickable liposomes for on-demand reversal of antiplatelet drugs: Towards a safe management of bleeding risks associated with antithrombotic therapy.

Antithrombotic drugs are widely used to prevent thrombotic events in patients with cardiovascular diseases. However, they all carry varying degrees of bleeding risk. Currently, there are no approved reversal agents for antiplatelet medications, which limits their further clinical application and poses challenges in managing bleeding complications.