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.

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.

The Critical Isomerization Effect of Core Bromination on Nonfullerene Acceptors in Achieving High-Performance Organic Solar Cells with Low Energy Loss.

Highly efficient nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs) for organic solar cells (OSCs) with low energy loss (E) and favorable morphology are critical for breaking the efficiency bottleneck and achieving commercial applications of OSCs. In this work, quinoxaline-based NFAs are designed and synthesized using a synergistic isomerization and bromination approach. The π-expanded quinoxaline-fused core exhibits different bromination sites for isomeric NFAs, namely AQx-21 and AQx-22.

Colon-targeted engineered postbiotics nanoparticles alleviate osteoporosis through the gut-bone axis.

The potential for mitigating intestinal inflammation through the gut-bone axis in the treatment of osteoporosis is significant. While various gut-derived postbiotics or bacterial metabolites have been created as dietary supplements to prevent or reverse bone loss, their efficacy and safety still need improvement. Herein, a colon-targeted drug delivery system is developed using surface engineering of polyvinyl butyrate nanoparticles by shellac resin to achieve sustained release of postbiotics butyric acid at the colorectal site.

Potent prophylactic cancer vaccines harnessing surface antigens shared by tumour cells and induced pluripotent stem cells.

The development of prophylactic cancer vaccines typically involves the selection of combinations of tumour-associated antigens, tumour-specific antigens and neoantigens. Here we show that membranes from induced pluripotent stem cells can serve as a tumour-antigen pool, and that a nanoparticle vaccine consisting of self-assembled commercial adjuvants wrapped by such membranes robustly stimulated innate immunity, evaded antigen-specific tolerance and activated B-cell and T-cell responses, which were mediated by epitopes from the abundant number of antigens shared between the membranes of tumour cells and pluripotent stem cells. In mice, the vaccine elicited systemic antitumour memory T-cell and B-cell responses as well as tumour-specific immune responses after a tumour challenge, and inhibited the progression of melanoma, colon cancer, breast cancer and post-operative lung metastases.

Enhanced Antibody Response to the Conformational Non-RBD Region DNA Prime-Protein Boost Elicits Broad Cross-Neutralization Against SARS-CoV-2 Variants.

Preventing immune escape of SARS-CoV-2 variants is crucial in vaccine development to ensure broad protection against the virus. Conformational epitopes beyond the RBD region are vital components of the spike protein but have received limited attention in the development of broadly protective SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. In this study, we used a DNA prime-protein boost regimen to evaluate the broad cross-neutralization potential of immune response targeting conformational non-RBD region against SARS-CoV-2 viruses in mice.

Ultrafast Thermal Switching Enabled by Transient Polaritons.

Ultrafast thermal switches are pivotal for managing heat generated in advanced solid-state applications, including high-speed chiplets, thermo-optical modulators, and on-chip lasers. However, conventional phonon-based switches cannot meet the demand for picosecond-level response times, and existing near-field radiative thermal switches face challenges in efficiently modulating heat transfer across vacuum gaps. To overcome these limitations, we propose an ultrafast thermal switch design based on pump-driven transient polaritons in asymmetric terminals.

Neurotransmitter-Mimicking Nanovesicles Facilitate Postoperative Glioblastoma Stem Cell-Specific Treatment for Preventing Tumor Recurrence.

Survival quality of glioblastoma (GBM) patients remains undesirable despite the aggressive multimodal treatment methods implemented, which are strongly associated with tumor recurrence after surgical resection. Self-renewal and strong tumourigenic capacity of glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) at the narrow margin of the incision are essential factors driving tumor secondary strikes. Currently, the challenges in treating postoperative residual GSCs are mainly due to the lack of materials for incision and GSCs targeting.

Facile On-Substrate Fabrication of Silver Coordination Polymer Nanowires for Sustainable and Efficient Water Disinfection.

Silver, as the oldest antibacterial material, has been almost replaced by other alternatives for its insufficient activity or potential side-effects on the ecosystem due to the over-release of Ag ions (Ag). Herein, a facile and general strategy is developed to on-substrate fabricate silver coordination polymer nanowire arrays (Ag CPN) by simply immersing Ag-containing substrates into cationic surfactant solution at room temperature. Such a Ag CPN not only provides high-surface-area nano-biointerfaces for destroying microorganisms via physicomechanical interactions but also acts as a safe Ag reservoir, steadily releasing Ag at a relatively high but safe level (∼40 ppb, but lower than the safe level of 100 ppb).

Ferroelectric Polarization Coupling Effect in BiFeO/α-InSe Ferroelectric Field Effect Transistor for Stable Non-volatile Memory.

Ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs) commonly utilize traditional oxide ferroelectric materials for their strong remanent polarization. Yet, integrating them with the standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process is challenging due to the need for lattice matching and the high-temperature rapid thermal annealing process, which are not always compatible with CMOS fabrication. However, the advent of the ferroelectric semiconductor α-InSe offers a compelling solution to these challenges.

Perovskite CsCuClxBr3- x Microcrystals: Band Structure, Photochemical Stability, and Photocatalytic Properties.

Although Pb-based metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have excellent photoelectric characteristics, their toxicity remains a limiting factor for their widespread application. In the paper, a series of CsCuClxBr3-x (x = 1, 2, 3) MHP microcrystals were developed and their hydrogen evolution performance in ethanol and HX (X = Cl, Br) was also studied. Among them, CsCuCl3 microcrystals exhibit high hydrogen evolution performance in both HX and ethanol, attributed to their longest average lifetime and suitable band structure.

A perspective of lipid nanoparticles for RNA delivery.

Over the last two decades, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have evolved as an effective biocompatible and biodegradable RNA delivery platform in the fields of nanomedicine, biotechnology, and drug delivery. They are novel bionanomaterials that can be used to encapsulate a wide range of biomolecules, such as mRNA, as demonstrated by the current successes of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Therefore, it is important to provide a perspective on LNPs for RNA delivery, which further offers useful guidance for researchers who want to work in the RNA-based LNP field.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy by liposomal doxorubicin boosts immune protection of tumor membrane antigens-based nanovaccine.

Autologous tumor cell membrane antigen-based vaccines (TMVs) have garnered extensive attention as personalized immunotherapy. However, patients who take TMVs therapy usually undergo various treatments prior to surgery, and these processes modulate the immunogenicity of the tumor membrane and the tumor immune microenvironment. Herein, we investigate the impact of preoperative chemotherapy on the efficacy of TMVs.

Biomedical applications of the engineered AIEgen-lipid nanostructureand.

Since the concept of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) was first coined by Tang and co-workers, AIE-active luminogens (AIEgens) have drawn widespread attention among chemists and biologists due to their unique advantages such as high fluorescence efficiency, large Stokes shift, good photostability, low background noise, and high biological visualization capabilities in the aggregated state, surpassing conventional fluorophores. A growing number of AIEgens have been engineered to possess multifunctional properties, including near-infrared emission, two-photon absorption, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and photothermal conversion, making them suitable for deep-tissue imaging and phototherapy. AIEgens show great potential in biomedical applicationsand.

Programmable Morphology-Adaptive Peptide Nanoassembly for Enhanced Catalytic Therapy.

Nanocatalytic therapy holds significant promise in cancer treatment by exploiting the high oxidative stress within tumor cells. However, efficiently delivering nanocatalytic agents to tumor tissues and maximizing their catalytic activity in situ remain critical challenges. Morphology-adaptive delivery systems, capable of adjusting their physical form in response to physiological conditions, offer unique spatiotemporal control for navigating complex biological environments like the tumor microenvironment.