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Myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) refer to a group of immature myeloid cells with potent immunosuppressive capacity upon activation by pathological conditions. Because of their potent immunosuppressive ability, MDSCs have garnered extensive attention in the past few years in the fields of oncology, infection, chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Research on MDSCs in liver diseases has gradually increased, and their potential therapeutic roles will be further explored. This review presents a summary of the involvement and the role played by MDSCs in liver diseases, thus identifying their potential targets for the treatment of liver diseases and providing new directions for liver disease‐related research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient silver‐promoted decarboxylative gem‐difluoromethylenation of aryl‐ or alkyl‐substituted α,β‐unsaturated carboxylic acids with readily available benzo‐1,3‐diazolic difluoromethyl bromides has been developed. This convenient transformation demonstrated good functional‐group tolerability and broad substrate scope, and afforded the allylic difluorides in good to excellent yields with exclusive E‐stereoselectivity under mild reaction conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient method for silver‐catalyzed radical cascade arylthiodifluoromethylation/cyclization of isonitriles is disclosed. The transformation comprised addition of an arylthiodifluoromethyl radical generated in situ by the oxidative decarboxylation of arylthiodifluoroacetic salts to the isonitrile functionality to construct an ArSCF2−C bond, followed by intramolecular cyclization to eventually afford 6‐phenanthridinyldifluoromethyl aryl thioethers. The protocol provided a variety of 6‐phenanthridinyldifluoromethyl aryl thioethers in medium to excellent yields with a good functional group tolerance under mild reaction conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic losses due to snow‐related disasters in pastoral areas of China have become severe in recent decades. Terrain and wind play prominent roles in determining snow distribution patterns. As complex topography and dynamic wind conditions are strong nonlinear multivariables with many uncertain factors, it is difficult to predict elevation‐ and wind‐affected snow depth distribution. The complex characteristics of the snow accumulation process call for highly reliable comprehensive simulation for disaster management. The accuracy of these simulations mainly depends on the integration of multiple models for multi‐stage snow accumulation processes. Focusing on coupling wind‐affected snowdrift and snowmelt processes, we put forward a virtual geographical environment snow accumulation simulation approach. The approach consists of three main steps: (1) computational fluid dynamics prediction of 3D dynamic wind‐flow fields; (2) wind‐affected snowdrift simulation; and (3) snowmelt simulation based on degree‐day model. To check its reliability and efficiency, this approach has been validated by reconstructing a historical snow event at Tacheng City, Xinjiang Province, China. The results have characterized the elevation‐ and wind‐induced snowdrift patterns and their specific levels of risk under various conditions. The comprehensive simulation method described here can be applied to help the government and the public examine future events, and stimulate consideration of appropriate policies and techniques for snow risk mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potential underlying molecular mechanisms for uric acid‐induced lipid metabolic disturbances had not been elucidated clearly. This study investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of uric acid on the development of lipid metabolic disorders. We collected blood samples from 100 healthy people and 100 patients with hyperuricemia for whom serum lipid analysis was performed. Meanwhile, a mouse model of hyperuricemia was generated, and lipidomics was performed on liver tissues, comparing control and hyperuricemia groups, to analyze lipid profiles and key metabolic enzymes. Uric acid directly induced serum lipid metabolic disorders in both humans and mice based on triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol. Through lipidomic analysis, 46 lipids were differentially expressed in hyperuricemic mouse livers, and the phosphatidylcholine composition was altered, which was mediated by LPCAT3 upregulation. High‐uric acid levels‐induced p‐STAT3 inhibition and SREBP‐1c activation in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, LPCAT3‐knockdown significantly attenuated uric acid‐induced p‐STAT3 inhibition, SREBP‐1c activation, and lipid metabolic disorders in L02 cells. In conclusion, uric acid induces lipid metabolic disturbances through LPCAT3‐mediated p‐STAT3 inhibition and SREBP‐1c activation. LPCAT3 could be a key regulatory factor linking hyperuricemia and lipid metabolic disorders. These results might provide novel insights into the clinical treatment of hyperuricemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the function of melatonin in tomato fruit ripening and quality improvement, a label-free quantitation method was used to investigate the proteins that differ between the control ( CK) and 50 μ m melatonin treatment (M50) fruits. Proteomics data identified 241 proteins that were significantly influenced by melatonin. These proteins were involved in several ripening-related pathways, including cell wall metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, carbohydrate, and fatty acid metabolism. Moreover, the application of exogenous melatonin increased eight proteins that are related to anthocyanin accumulation during fruit ripening. Additionally, the affected protein levels correlated with the corresponding gene transcript levels. Further, the total anthocyanin content from M50 increased by 52%, 48%, and 50% at 5, 8, and 13 DAT (day after melatonin treatment), respectively. The melatonin-mediated promotion of fruit ripening and quality might be due to the altered proteins involved in processes associated with ripening. In this work, we indicated that a senescence-related protein was downregulated in the M50 fruit, while a cell apoptosis inhibitor ( API5) protein was upregulated. In addition, peroxidases ( POD9, POD12, peroxidase p7-like) and catalase ( CAT3) significantly increased in the M50 fruits. Based on the previous studies and our data, we inferred that melatonin might be positively related to fruit ripening but negatively related to fruit senescence. This research provides insights into the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying melatonin-mediated fruit ripening as well as the anthocyanin formation process in tomato fruit at the protein concentration level, and we reveal possible candidates for regulation of anthocyanin formation during fruit ripening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conversion of m-cresol was studied on a Pt/HBeta catalyst at 225-350 °C and ambient hydrogen pressure. At 250 °C, the reaction proceeds through two major reaction pathways: (1) direct deoxygenation to toluene (DDO path); (2) hydrogenation of m-cresol to methylcyclohexanone and methylcyclohexanol on Pt, followed by fast dehydration on Brønsted acid sites (BAS) to methylcyclohexene, which is either hydrogenated to methylcyclohexane on Pt or ring-contracted to dimethylcyclopentanes and ethylcyclopentane on BAS (HYD path). The initial hydrogenation is the rate-determining step of the HYD path as its rate is significantly lower than those of subsequent steps. The apparent activation energy of the DDO path is 49.7 kJ mol−1 but the activation energy is negative for the HYD path. Therefore, higher temperatures lead to the DDO path becoming the dominant path to toluene, whereas the HYD path, followed by fast equilibration to toluene, is less dominant, owing to the inhibition of the initial hydrogenation of m-cresol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The layer‐by‐layer (LbL) organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are constructed with wide‐bandgap donor PM1 and narrow‐bandgap acceptor L8‐BO. The exciton utilization near cathode is still challenging considering restricted diffusion distance of excitons and inability for transferring energy from L8‐BO to PM1. Herein, donor incorporation into acceptor layer (DIA) strategy is employed to improve exciton utilization near cathode. The efficiency of LbL OPVs can be improved from 18.02% to 18.81% by incorporating 10 wt% PM1 into L8‐BO layer, which is closely associated with efficient exciton separation into L8‐BO layer originated from more adequate donor/acceptor interface for faster charge transfer, as evidenced by magneto‐photocurrent and transient absorption results. The in situ test and morphological characterization clarify that molecular packing property can be improved benefited from prolonged aggregation and nucleation time of acceptor layer assisted by DIA strategy, contributing to more efficient charge transport and inhibited charge recombination in active layers. The thickness insensitive property of LbL OPVs can be also improved induced by DIA strategy, indicated by PCE retention value (82.2% vs. 74.0%) for PM1/L8‐BO:PM1 and PM1/L8‐BO OPVs when acceptor layer thickness increased to ≈180 nm. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of DIA strategy in improving efficiency and thickness tolerance of LbL OPVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally referred to as "metabolic junk", lactate has now been recognized as essential "energy currency" and crucial "messenger" that contributes to tumor evolution, immunosuppression, etc., thus presenting a promising strategy for antitumor interventions. Similarly, kynurenine (Kyn) also exerts an immunosuppressive function, thereby significantly compromising the effectiveness of immunotherapy. This study proposes and validates a strategy for enhancing immunotherapy through photothermal‐assisted depletion of lactate sustained by cycle‐like O2 supply, with blocking the tryptophan (Trp)/Kyn metabolic pathway. In brief, a nanozyme therapeutic agent (PNDPL) is constructed, which mainly consists of PtBi nanozymes, lactate oxidase (LOX) and the indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase (IDO) inhibitor NLG919. The PtBi nanozymes, which exhibit a catalase (CAT)‐like activity, form a positive feedback loop with LOX to consume lactate while self‐supplying O2. Moreover, PtBi nanozymes retain enzyme‐like performance even in a slightly acidic tumor microenvironment. Under 1064 nm irradiation, photothermal therapy (PTT) not only induces tumor cell death but also accelerates lactate exhaustion. Therefore, the combination of lactate depletion‐induced starvation therapy and PTT, along with the blocking of IDO‐mediated immune escape, effectively inhibits tumor growth and reverses immunosuppressive microenvironment, thus preventing tumor metastasis. This study represents the first investigation into the synergistic antitumor effects by lactate metabolism regulation and IDO‐related immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy, a lysosome‐involved degradation pathway, as a self‐protective cellular process, always weakens the efficiency of tumor therapies. Herein, for the first time, the biodegradable copper (Cu) ions doped layered double hydroxide (Cu‐LDH) nanoparticles are reported for cancer immunotherapy via lysosomal rupture‐mediated “Broken Window Effect”. Only injection of Cu‐LDH single therapeutic agent achieves various organelles destruction after lysosomal rupture, as well as the abnormal aggregation of Cu ions in tumor cells for cuproptosis and pyroptosis. More importantly, autophagy inhibition caused by lysosomal rupture improves Cu ions overload‐mediated cuproptosis and pyroptosis by blocking the lysosome‐mediated bulk degradation pathway, leading to good anti‐tumor immune responses and ultimately high‐efficiency tumor growth inhibition. This lysosomal rupture‐mediated “Broken Window Effect” provides a new paradigm for the autophagy enhanced tumor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite significant breakthroughs in immunotherapy, the limitations of inadequate immune stimulation and stubborn immune resistance continue to present opportunities and challenges. Therefore, a two‐pronged approach, encompassing the activation of immunogenic cell death (ICD) and blocking the indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase (IDO)‐mediated pathway, is devised to elicit systemic anti‐tumor immunity and alleviate immunosuppression. Herein, a tumor microenvironment (TME)‐specific driven nanoagent is composed of a tetrasulfide bond‐bridged mesoporous silica layer (MON) coated up‐conversion nanoparticles as a nano‐carrier, combines Fe2+, curcumin, and indoximod for operating chemodynamic therapy/chemotherapy/immunotherapy. The consumption of glutathione (GSH) caused by MON degradation, the Fenton reaction of Fe2+, and curcumin triggering mitochondrial damage collectively exacerbate the oxidative stress, leading to a violent immunoreaction and reversal of the immunosuppressive TME through a combination of IDO‐inhibitors. Meanwhile, upconversion luminescence (UCL) imaging serves as a significant guiding tool for drug delivery and the treatment of nanoagents. In vivo and in vitro experiment results demonstrate that the nanosystem not only effectively inhibits the growth of primary tumors but also induces immune priming and memory effects to reject re‐challenged tumors. The strategy as a complementary approach displays great potential for future immunotherapy along with other multimodal treatment modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is associated with increased susceptibility to perinatal morbidity and mortality. Evidence suggests that epigenetic changes play critical roles in the regulation of fetal growth. We sought to present a comprehensive analysis of the associations between placental DNA methylation and selective fetal growth restriction (sFGR), which is a severe complication of monochorionic twin pregnancies, characterized by one fetus experiencing restricted growth. Genome‐wide methylation analysis was performed on 24 placental samples obtained from 12 monochorionic twins with sFGR (Cohort 1) using Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip. Integrative analysis of our EPIC data and two previous placental methylation studies of sFGR (a total of 30 placental samples from 15 sFGR twins) was used to identify convincing differential promoter methylation. Validation analysis was performed on the placentas from 15 sFGR twins (30 placental samples), 15 FGR singletons, and 14 control singletons (Cohort 2) using pyrosequencing, quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). A globe shift toward hypomethylation was identified in the placentas of growth‐restricted fetuses compared with the placentas of normal fetuses in monochorionic twins, including 5625 hypomethylated CpGs and 452 hypermethylated CpGs, especially in the regions of CpG islands, gene‐body and promoters. The analysis of pathways revealed dysregulation primarily in steroid hormone biosynthesis, metabolism, cell adhesion, signaling transduction, and immune response. Integrative analysis revealed a differentially methylated promoter region in the CYP11A1 gene, encoding a rate‐limiting enzyme of steroidogenesis converting cholesterol to pregnenolone. The CYP11A1 gene was validated to have hypomethylation and higher mRNA expression in sFGR twins and FGR singletons. In conclusion, our findings suggested that the changes in placental DNA methylation pattern in sFGR may have functional implications for differentially methylated genes and regulatory regions. The study provides reliable evidence for identifying abnormally methylated CYP11A1 gene in the placenta of sFGR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds: To explore the expression and functions of the tripartite motif-containing protein 21 (TRIM21) in oral lichen planus(OLP) lesions.Methods: Paraffin sections of buccal mucosa samples from 15 cases of reticular oral lichen planus (OLP) patients and 10 healthy controls were used for immunohistochemistry to determine expression and distribution of TRIM21. Buccal mucosae from 11 OLP patients and seven healthy controls were analyzed by qPCR to quantify its gene expression. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells and CD3+ cells from four pairs of age- and sex-matched OLP patients and healthy controls were isolated for immunocytochemistry and culture. Following lentivirus-mediated overexpression of TRIM21 gene in CD3+ cells, CCK-8 was applied to evaluate cell proliferation. Cytokines including IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ in the supernatants were measured by the cytometric bead array and verified by ELISA.Results: A larger number of TRIM21-positive cells infiltrating the lamina propria were observed in OLP lesions by immunohistochemistry than those of healthy controls. Significantly higher transcription of TRIM21 was revealed by qPCR. TRIM21 overexpression in CD3+ cells significantly enhanced the proliferation and IL-6 secretion in CD3+ cells from 12 to 72 hours.Conclusion: Overexpressed TRIM21 in OLP may be a primary proinflammatory molecule rather than a secondary and inducible regulatory factor in immunopathogenesis of OLP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cover shows the major reaction pathways of hydrodeoxygenation of m‐cresol to hydrocarbons on a bifunctional Pt/HBeta catalyst, consisting of both metal site (Pt) and Brønsted acid site (BAS). In their Full Paper, Sun et al. demonstrate that the reaction proceeds through both a direct deoxygenation path (DDO) to toluene and a hydrogenation‐deoxygenation path (HYD) to methylcyclohexane and ring contraction products. The selectivity between the two paths depends on competition between the initial rates of deoxygenation and hydrogenation of cresol. The apparent activation energy is positive for the DDO path, whereas it becomes negative for the HYD path. More information can be found in the Full Paper by Sun et al. on page 551 in Issue 3, 2016 (DOI: 10.1002/cctc.201501232). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemo‐photodynamic therapy nanodelivery systems provide a potential strategy to enhance anticancer effect. However, the treatment efficiency of stimuli‐responsive nanotheranostics remains a challenge owing to off‐target properties, poor tissue penetration, and slow drugs release. Herein, di‐selenide‐bridged mesoporous silica (Se‐Se‐mSiO2) is introduced into a near‐infrared (NIR) light triggered and tumor microenvironment (TME)‐activated intelligent nanoplatform (UCNPs@mSiO2‐Ce6@Se‐Se‐mSiO2(DOX)@HA (UCSSDH)) realizing burst drug release on demand. Typically, the UCSSDH actively targets cancer cells and accumulates in tumor site through hyaluronic acid (HA). Then, under the irradiation of 980 nm NIR light, the upconverted 650 nm emission light activates photosensitizer Ce6 to produce the singlet oxygen (1O2) for photodynamic therapy (PDT). More importantly, 1O2 further cleaves di‐selenide bonds which are sensitive to reactive oxygen species (ROS), driving the rapid degradation of Se‐Se‐mSiO2 accompanied by the burst release of doxorubicin (DOX). Consequently, UCSSDH achieves efficient chemo‐photodynamic therapy of tumors. Last but not least, the upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) perform upconversion luminescence (UCL) imaging to monitor the drugs delivery. Collectively, an intelligent drug delivery system integrating therapeutic, monitoring, and targeting is exploited for NIR light‐triggered synergistic tumor therapy. This study broadens fresh vision into the development of controlled drug release and provides a momentous thought for potential clinical cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bridges located in mountainous areas are vulnerable to rockfall accidents, posing a threat to bridge engineering construction and operation safety in these regions. Under the coupling effect of complex environments and engineering disturbances, integrated rockfall risk simulation has become increasingly important for canyon bridge structural protection in long‐term construction and operation phases. One of the main scientific challenges in rockfall risk simulation is studying the interaction between rockfalls and the topography and engineering environments during consecutive contacts. To systematically simulate the integrated bridge rockfall risk, an integrated construction of multivariable elements coupled with rockfall risk environments and scenarios is required. In this article, we proposed a VGE‐based integrated rockfall scenario simulation method that uses the "associated representation—integrated modelling—interactional simulation" core strategy. Our method constructs a virtual rockfall risk environment by fusing multisource data to represent rockfall factors that induce rockfall disasters, hazard‐forming environments, and elements at risk. We design rockfall scenarios under different bridge engineering construction conditions and extreme environmental conditions to analyze the interactional rockfall risks. The results demonstrate that our method enables a systematic analysis of the potential integrated rockfall risk, providing realistic reference value for the timely and effective disposal of emergencies, and reducing the harm and losses caused by such emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Epileptogenesis is a process of seizure development. Lamotrigine is a novel antiepileptic drug which is also used for antiepileptogenic research. Kindling models are recommended as potentially useful tools for antiepileptogenic treatment discovery. However, previous studies demonstrated that the antiepileptogenic effect of lamotrigine is controversial in the electrical kindling model. Chemical kindling such as with pentylenetetrazole is another kindling model. The aims of this study were to examine whether lamotrigine could prevent the development of seizure in pentylenetetrazole kindling rats. Methods Female rats were kindled by subconvulsive doses of pentylenetetrazole (35 mg/kg) once every other day for 15 times. Thereafter, the kindled rats received different doses of lamotrigine (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) before pentylenetetrazole to observe the anticonvulsant effect. For the antiepileptogenic experiment, rats were kindled as the same way while pretreated (1 h) with different doses of lamotrigine (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) before each injection of pentylenetetrazole. After a washout period for 1 week, the rats were administrated with pentylenetetrazole again for 3 times. The seizures were recorded each time. Later it was in vivo electrophysiological experiments followed with histologic analysis. Results For the anticonvulsant experiment lamotrigine dose-dependently suppressed pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures. Here, 20 mg/kg of lamotrigine pretreatment significantly blocked the seizure development in rats for their seizure stages remained longer in 1-3 during the kindling phase. Mean seizure stages or generalized seizure durations in the 10 and 20 mg/kg lamotrigine pretreated groups were significantly lower or shorter when received 3 times of pentylenetetrazole after the washout period. Electrophysiological study also demonstrated 20 mg/kg of lamotrigine pretreatment obviously eliminated increased population spike amplitude in hippocampus. However, different doses of lamotrigine pretreatment could not alleviate severity of hippocampal neuronal damage. Conclusions The results suggest that adequate doses of lamotrigine can prevent seizure development in the pentylenetetrazole kindling rat model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notwithstanding immune checkpoint blocking (ICB) therapy has made eminent clinical breakthroughs, overcoming immunologically "cold" tumors remains challenging. Here, a cascade potentiated nanomodulator AuPtAg‐GOx is engineered for boosting immune responsiveness. Upon 1064 nm laser irradiation, AuPtAg‐mediated mild photothermal therapy (PTT) activates cytotoxic T lymphocytes and reverses the immunogenic "cold" tumor microenvironment. Further, to amplify the thermal sensitivity of tumor cells, glucose oxidase (GOx) is introduced to suppress the production of heat shock proteins, thereby promoting mild photothermal therapy. Complementarily, AuPtAg nanozymes with catalase‐like activity can ameliorate tumor hypoxia, significantly improving the GOx activity. As a result, the combination of AuPtAg‐GOx with self‐augmented photothermal ability and PD‐L1 antibody can further escalate the antitumor efficacy. The AuPtAg‐GOx‐based synergistic starvation therapy, mild PTT, and immunotherapy cascade enhancement therapy strategy can be a favorable tool to effectively kill cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Cesium ions (Cs+) and strontium ions (Sr2+), which enter the human body mainly through drinking water, are an important determinant of health. They are widely distributed on Earth and extremely soluble in water. In order to assist assessment of the drinking safety, it was essential to develop a rapid analytical method for quantification. We have established a 4‐mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA)‐based matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF‐MS) method for the rapid detection and sensitive quantification of Cs+ and Sr2+ in the aqueous environment. Methods: Using MBA as the matrix, the rapid detection and quantification for Cs+ and Sr2+ were conducted by MALDI‐TOF‐MS. At first, the concentration of MBA was optimized. Then, salt tolerance, detection limit and reproducibility of this method were evaluated by standard solutions. Finally, the calibration curves were constructed and applied to the rapid determination of Cs+ and Sr2+ in six commercially available bottled waters for drinking. Results: For the MBA‐assisted MALDI‐TOF‐MS method, the optimal concentration of MBA was 2 mg/mL. The signal‐to‐noise (S/N) ratio of Cs+ was up to 971 in 1000 mmol/mL NaCl solution. The detection limits of the method for Cs+ and Sr2+ were 3 pg/mL and 10 pg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, this developed method was applied to the rapid analysis of Cs+ and Sr2+ in six commercially available drinking waters, and the results correlated well with the results obtained from a validated inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) method. Conclusions: The MBA‐assisted MALDI‐TOF‐MS method has high sensitivity, fast detection speed, less background interference, and high reproducibility in the analysis of Cs+ and Sr2+. Because of the physiological functions and general toxic effects, detection of Cs+ and Sr2+ in water is of major importance for drinking safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two‐dimensional (2D)‐layered semiconductor materials have attracted considerable attention in surface‐enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy (SERS) technology owing to their high uniformity, excellent reproducibility, and ultra‐flat surfaces without dangling bonds. However, they are rarely used in the UV laser‐excited surface‐enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy (UV–SERS) field. In this article, 2D‐layered tin diselenide (SnSe2) nanoflakes were investigated as a UV–SERS substrate for the first time. The strong absorption in the UV region of SnSe2 induces a pre‐resonance Raman (pre‐RR) effect and charge transfer (CT) between the substrate and the probe molecules. The UV–SERS signal of crystal violet (CV) molecules adsorbed on SnSe2 nanoflakes was obtained even though the concentration was low at 10−7 mol/L. The indirect band gap structure of the SnSe2 nanoflake plays a significant role in promoting the electrons excited by incident photons and the CT process. This is a new phenomenon for 2D semiconductor materials in the UV–SERS field. The results will be helpful to develop UV–SERS technology based on 2D‐layered materials and to provide a promising method to understand the chemical enhancement mechanism of UV–SERS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) has emerged as a sensitive technique for identifying myocardial dysfunction, there are little data available on the appropriate timing to perform STE in the serial assessment after anthracycline administration. Moreover, further uncertainty is increased in the context of STE application in diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) research, as most recommendations are inferred by studies conducted primarily in breast cancer. Objective: This study aimed to determine whether early measurement of strain parameters derived by STE could predict the development of cardiotoxicity. Methods: Sixty‐five patients were included in the final analysis. The patients were evaluated at baseline, after the third cycle and sixth‐eighth cycle, and during follow‐up. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) was analyzed using STE, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was calculated by real time 3D echocardiography (RT3DE). Results: There was a significant decrease in GLS after the third cycle of chemotherapy and remained decreased during subsequent follow‐up, whereas LVEF decreased only at follow‐up. A percentage reduction in GLS of 13.8% between baseline and the third cycle of chemotherapy was the best predictor of further LVEF reduction. Conclusion: Earlier monitoring timing and more accurate assessment methods might be helpful in the prevention of irreversible heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas vesicles are gas-filled proteinaceous organelles that provide buoyancy for bacteria and archaea. A gene cluster that is highly conserved in various species encodes about 8-14 proteins (Gvp proteins) that are involved in the formation of gas vesicles. Here, the first crystal structure of the gas vesicle protein GvpF from Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806 is reported at 2.7 Å resolution. GvpF is composed of two structurally distinct domains (the N-domain and C-domain), both of which display an α+β class overall structure. The N-domain adopts a novel fold, whereas the C-domain has a modified ferredoxin fold with an apparent variation owing to an extension region consisting of three sequential helices. The two domains pack against each other via interactions with a C-terminal tail that is conserved among cyanobacteria. Taken together, it is concluded that the overall architecture of GvpF presents a novel fold. Moreover, it is shown that GvpF is most likely to be a structural protein that is localized at the gas-facing surface of the gas vesicle by immunoblotting and immunogold labelling-based tomography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calmodulin (CaM) is an important intracellular calcium-binding protein. It plays a critical role in a variety of biological and biochemical processes. In this paper, a new electrochemical immunosensing protocol for sensitive detection of CaM was developed by using gold-silver-graphene (AuAgGP) hybrid nanomaterials as protein immobilization matrices and gold nanorods (GNRs) as enhanced electrochemical labels. Electrode was first modified with thionine-chitosan film to provide an immobilization support for gold-silver-graphene hybrid nanomaterials. The hybrid materials formed an effective matrix for binding of CaM with high density and improved the electrochemical responses as well. Gold nanorods were prepared for the fabrication of enhanced labels (HRP-Ab2-GNRs), which provided a large capacity for HRP-Ab2 immobilization and a facile pathway for electron transfer. With two-step immunoassay format, the HRP-Ab2-GNRs labels were introduced onto the electrode surface, and produced electrochemical responses by catalytic reaction of HRP toward enzyme substrate of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the presence of thionine. The proposed immunosensor showed an excellent analytical performance for the detection of CaM ranging from 50 pg mL−1 to 200 ng mL−1 with a detection limit of 18 pg mL−1. The immunosensor has also been successfully applied to the CaM analysis in two cancer cells (HepG2 and MCF-7) with high sensitivity, which has shown great potency for improving clinic diagnosis and treatment for cancer study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although considerable effort has been devoted to the design of various nanoprobes for the fluorescent detection of multiple biomarkers in a single assay, they often suffer from emission-overlapping, owing to small Stokes shifts and wide emission spectra, which results in cross-talk and inaccurate quantification. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of a new nanoprobe for multienzyme detection with completely resolved emission peaks under single-wavelength excitation. The probe was assembled by attaching a cleavable peptide spacer, which was comprised from a matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) substrate and a MMP-7 substrate, onto the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) through cysteine residues. A lanthanide complex, BCTOT-EuIII (BCTOT=1,10-bis(5′-chlorosulfo-thiophene-2′-yl)-4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7-octafluorodecane-1,3,8,10-tetraone), and 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin (AMC) were attached to the N terminus and the C terminus of the peptide, respectively. In the presence of one or both targeting enzymes, the substrate was cleaved and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the dyes and AuNPs was prohibited, thereby resulting in the dramatic fluorescence emission of dyes. Importantly, there was no emission cross-talk between the two dyes, thereby ensuring accurate detection of each enzyme. Based on this, the simultaneous fluorescence image of MMP-2 and MMP-7 was accomplished in living cells under single wavelength excitation. The apparent differences in the fluorescence imaging indicated distinct differences between the expression levels of MMPs between the human normal liver cells and the human hepatoma cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]