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In the realm of natural polysaccharides, hydrogen bonding is a prevalent feature, yet its role in enhancing photocatalytic antimicrobial properties has been underexplored. In this paper, heterojunctions formed by graphene oxide (GO) and ZIF-8 were locked in sodium alginate/ carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals via hydrogen bonding networks, designated as SCGZ. The SCGZ films exhibit superior photocatalytic performance compared to either ZIF-8 or heterojunctions. This enhancement is primarily due to two key factors: firstly, the hydrogen bonding network significantly enhances the transfer of protons and holes, thereby improving the separation efficiency of photo-generated carriers; secondly, the hydrogen bonding between the layers facilitates a more efficient charge transfer, which expedites the movement of electrons from ZIF-8 to GO upon illumination. In vitro studies demonstrated that the SCGZ films possess remarkable antibacterial capabilities, achieving 99.75 % and 99.61 % inhibition rates against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. In vivo animal experiments have shown that SCGZ films can significantly accelerate the healing process of damaged tissues, with a healing efficiency of up to 90.5 %. This research provides additional insights into the development of natural polysaccharide-based multi‑hydrogen bonded macromolecules with enhanced photocatalytic properties., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chilled meat is prone to microbial contamination during storage, resulting in a shortened shelf life. This study developed multifunctional biodegradable aerogel with water absorption, antibacterial, and sustained release properties as a preservation pad for meat, using corn straw cellulose nanocrystals (CSCNCs) and acetylated starch (AS) as the structural skeleton and thymol (TMO) nanoemulsions as antimicrobials. The effects of different mass ratios of CSCNCs/AS on the morphology, structure, physical properties, and release behavior of aerogels were systematically analyzed. Additionally, their antibacterial properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability were investigated. The results showed that the aerogels with CSCNC/AS mass ratio of 1:5 had a tailored structure for loading TMO nanoemulsions, as well as excellent water absorption, mechanical properties, and thermal stability. Due to strong hydrogen bonding and a porous structure, the TMO in the aerogels was continuously and uniformly released into high-water-activity and fatty food simulants, mainly controlled by Fickian diffusion. Furthermore, it exhibited superior antibacterial properties and biocompatibility. The application of aerogels for chilled beef preservation extended the shelf life from 8 days to approximately 12 days, which was superior to commercially available preservation pads. Notably, the aerogels exhibited superior biodegradability in soil. Therefore, the prepared aerogel preservation pads showed great potential in preserving chilled meat., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The combination of chemodynamic therapy (CDT) with photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising approach to enhance antitumor efficacy of chemotherapeutics. In this paper, we developed novel copper-chelated polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with hyaluronic acid (HA) (Cu-PDA-HA NPs) to induce apoptosis and cuproptosis-induced cell death, synergistically combining PTT and CDT. Experimental results revealed that Cu-PDA-HA NPs can respond to excessive glutathione (GSH) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which will enable their specific degradation, thereby leading to efficient accumulation of Cu 2+ within tumor cells. The released Cu 2+ ions were reduced by GSH to generate Cu + , which catalyzed in situ Fenton-like reactions to produce cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH), disrupting cellular redox homeostasis and promoting apoptosis-related CDT. Meanwhile, the photothermal effect of the Cu-PDA-HA NPs could enhance oxidative stress within the tumor by elevating the temperature and subsequent ·OH production. The enhanced oxidative stress made tumor cells more vulnerable to cuproptosis-induced toxicity. Furthermore, in vivo experiments demonstrated that Cu-PDA-HA NPs can still undergo a temperature increase of 18.9°C following 808 nm near-infrared irradiation (1.0 W/cm 2 , 5 min). Meanwhile, Cu-PDA-HA NPs were able to induce oligomerization of dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase (DLAT) and down-regulate Fe-S cluster proteins such as ferredoxin (FDX1), thereby activating cuproptosis. Therefore, this study provides a novel approach for designing multifunctional nanoparticles with on-demand Cu 2+ release and offers a fresh perspective for exploring synergistic therapeutic strategies involving CDT/PTT/apoptosis/cuproptosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Oral insulin delivery is considered a revolutionary alternative to daily subcutaneous injection. However, the oral bioavailability of insulin is very low due to the poor oral absorption into blood circulation. Methods: To promote penetration across the intestinal epithelium and achieve enhanced and safe glucose-responsive oral insulin delivery, pH and H 2 O 2 dual-sensitive nanoparticles (NPs) were constructed. The NPs were loaded of glucose oxidase (GOx) and insulin by pH and H 2 O 2 dual-sensitive amphiphilic polymer incorporated with phenylboronic ester-conjugated poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and poly(carboxybetaine) (PCB). The dual-sensitive NPs were utilized for the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) after oral administration. Results: The dual-sensitive NPs could enhance the transport of insulin across the intestinal epithelium into blood facilitated by zwitterionic PCB. By virtue of the generated low pH and high H 2 O 2 with GOx in hyperglycemic environment, the pH and H 2 O 2 dual-sensitive NPs were disassembled to achieve rapid and sustained release of insulin. After oral administration of the dual-sensitive NPs in enteric capsules into T1DM mouse model, the oral bioavailability of insulin reached 20.24%, and the NPs achieved hypoglycemic effect for a few hours longer than subcutaneously injected insulin. Importantly, the pH and H 2 O 2 dual-sensitive NPs could ameliorate the local decline of pH and rise of H 2 O 2 to avoid the toxic side effect. Conclusion: Therefore, this work would provide a promising platform for the enhanced and safe treatment of diabetes mellitus., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

Cardiovascular disease, especially myocardial infarction, is a serious threat to human health. Many drugs currently used cannot achieve the desired therapeutic effect due to the lack of selectivity. With the in-depth understanding of the role of microRNA (miRNA) in cardiovascular disease and the wide application of nanotechnology, loading drugs into nanoparticles with the help of nano-delivery system may have a better effect in the treatment of cardiomyopathy. In this review, we highlight the latest research on miRNAs in the treatment of cardiovascular disease in recent years and discuss the possibilities and challenges of using miRNA to treat cardiomyopathy. Secondly, we discuss the delivery of miRNA through different nano-carriers, especially inorganic, polymer and liposome nano-carriers. The preparation of miRNA nano-drugs by encapsulating miRNA in these nano-materials will provide a new treatment option. In addition, the research status of miRNA in the treatment of cardiomyopathy based on nano-carriers is summarized. The use of this delivery tool cannot only realize therapeutic potential, but also greatly improve drug targeting and reduce side effects., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

We successfully designed curcumin (Cur)-loaded composite nanoparticles consisting of high-hydrostatic-pressure-treated (HHP-treated) zein and pectin with a pressure of 150 MPa (zein-150 MPa-P-Cur), showing nano-spherical structure with high zeta-potential (-36.72 ± 1.14 mV) and encapsulation efficiency (95.64 ± 1.23 %). We investigated the interaction mechanism of the components in zein-150 MPa-P-Cur using fluorescence spectroscopy, molecular dynamics simulation, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Compared with zein-P-Cur, the binding sites and binding energy (-53.68 kcal/mol vs. - 44.22 kcal/mol) of HHP-treated zein and Cur were increased. Meanwhile, the interaction force among HHP-treated zein, pectin, and Cur was significantly enhanced, which formed a tighter and more stable particle structure to further improve package performance. Additionally, Cur showed the best chemical stability in zein-150 MPa-P-Cur. And the bioavailability of Cur was increased to 65.53 ± 1.70 %. Collectively, composite nanoparticles based on HHP-treated zein and pectin could be used as a promising Cur delivery system., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In developing type 3 resistant starch (RS3) from Canna edulis for use as functional food ingredients, we investigated the synthesis of C. edulis RS3 nanoparticles. Simultaneously, we explored the potential of C. edulis short-chain amylose (SCA)-based RS3 nanoparticles (RS3N) as a targeted delivery system, with a specific focus on colon targeting, yielding promising insights. Our study revealed that the degree of polymerization (DP) of C. edulis SCA, particularly the chains of DP 36- 100, exhibited a robust correlation with the particle size and physicochemical characteristics of C. edulis SCA-based RS3N. Additionally, recrystallization temperature variation (4, 25, and 45 °C) significantly influenced the self-assembly behavior of C. edulis SCA, with the preparation at 4 °C resulting in more uniform particle size distributions. In further expanding the scope of applications for C. edulis SCA-based RS3N, we harnessed the potential of Fe 3 O 4 and curcumin (CUR) as guest molecules to assess drug encapsulation and colon-targeting capabilities. Incorporating Fe 3 O 4 into the self-assembly system led to the production of magnetic RS3N, confirming the successful encapsulation of Fe 3 O 4 within C. edulis SCA-based RS3N. Furthermore, in vitro experiments have demonstrated that CUR-RS3N was stable in the gastrointestinal tract and gradually released curcumin with fermentation in the colonic environment. Collectively, these findings provide invaluable insights into the intricate self-assembly behavior of C. edulis SCA with varying fine structures and recrystallization temperatures during RS3N formation. Moreover, they underscore the colon-targeted properties of C. edulis SCA-based RS3N, opening promising avenues for its application within the food industry, particularly in advanced controlled drug delivery systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We have no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Starch nanoparticles (SNPs) were prepared through acid hydrolysis of Canna edulis native starch and modified with octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) to yield OS-starch and OS-SNPs. These modified particles were used to stabilize curcumin-loaded Pickering emulsions. Effects on gut microbiota during in vitro fecal fermentation were examined. The surface of OS-starch exhibits a porous structure, while OS-SNPs display layered grooves. OSA modification was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (with peaks at 1728 cm -1 and 1573 cm -1 ) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra (0.5-2 ppm). The degree of substitution for OS-starch and OS-SNPs is 0.0106 ± 0.0004 and 0.0079 ± 0.0003, respectively. Following modification, the crystallinity decreased from 35.69 ± 0.46 % (native starch) to 30.17 ± 0.70 % (OS-starch), SNPs decreased from 45.87 ± 0.89 % to 43.63 ± 0.64 % (OS-SNPs). Contact angles for OS-starch and OS-SNPs are 77.47 ± 1.78 and 55.57 ± 0.21, respectively. OS-SNPs exhibited superior emulsification properties compared to OS-starch, forming stable Pickering emulsions with pseudoplastic fluid behavior and enhanced curcumin storage protection over 14 days (60.88 ± 4.26 %) with controlled release. Stabilizing Pickering emulsions with OS-starch and OS-SNPs positively affected on gut microbiota and improved the intestinal environment, showing promise for their application in transportation systems and innovative prebiotic food formulations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Due to their inherent advantages, silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) have greatly potential applications as bioactive materials in biosensors/biomedicine. However, the long-term and nonspecific accumulation in healthy tissues may give rise to toxicity, thereby impeding their widespread clinical application. Hence, it is imperative and noteworthy to develop biodegradable and clearable SiNPs for biomedical purposes. Recently, the design of multi-stimuli responsive SiNPs to improve degradation efficiency under specific pathological conditions has increased their clinical trial potential as theranostic nanoplatform. This review comprehensively summaries the rational design and recent progress of biodegradable SiNPs under various internal and external stimuli for rapid in vivo degradation and clearance. In addition, the factors that affect the biodegradation of SiNPs are also discussed. We believe that this systematic review will offer profound stimulus and timely guide for further research in the field of SiNP-based nanosensors/nanomedicine., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Photothermal immunotherapy (PTI) has emerged as a promising approach for cancer treatment, while its efficacy is often hindered by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, this work presents a multifunctional platform for tumor PTI based on ruthenium nanocrystal-decorated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (RuNC-MSN). By precisely regulating the distance between RuNC on MSN, this work achieves a remarkable enhancement in surface plasmon resonance of RuNC, leading to a significant improvement in the photothermal efficiency of RuNC-MSN. Furthermore, the inherent catalase-like activity of RuNC-MSN enables effective modulation of the immunosuppressive TME, thereby facilitating an enhanced immune response triggered by the photothermal effect-mediated immunogenic cell death (ICD). As a result, RuNC-MSN exhibits superior PTI performance, resulting in pronounced inhibition of primary tumor and metastasis. This study highlights the rational design of PTI agents with coupling effect-enhanced surface plasmon resonance, enabling simultaneous induction of ICD and regulation of the immunosuppressive TME, thereby significantly boosting PTI efficacy., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Gene therapy has great potential in treating neurodegenerative diseases with complex pathologies. The combination of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) and caspase-3 will provide an effective treatment option for Alzheimer's disease (AD). To overcome the multiple physiological barriers and improve the therapeutic efficacy of siRNAs, lesion-recognizing nanoparticles (NPs) are constructed in this study for the synergistic treatment of AD. The lesion-recognizing NPs contain rabies virus glycoprotein peptide-modified mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes as the shell and a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive polymer loaded with siRNAs as the core. After intranasal administration, the lesion-recognizing NPs cross the nasal mucosa and migrate to the affected brain areas. Furthermore, the NPs recognize the target cells and fuse with the cell membranes of neurons. The cores of NPs directly enter into the cytoplasm and achieve the controlled release of siRNAs in a high-ROS environment to downregulate the level of BACE1 and caspase-3 to ameliorate neurologic injury. In addition, lesion-recognizing NPs can significantly reduce the number of reactive astrocytes. Lesion-recognizing NPs have a positive effect on regulating the phase of neurons and astrocytes, which results in better restoration of memory deficits in 3 × Tg-AD mice. Therefore, this work provides a promising platform for neurodegenerative disease treatment.

The influenza virus continues to pose a great threat to public health due to the frequent variations in RNA viruses. Vaccines targeting conserved epitopes, such as the extracellular domain of the transmembrane protein M2 (M2e), a nucleoprotein, and the stem region of hemagglutinin proteins, have been developed, but more efficient strategies, such as nanoparticle-based vaccines, are still urgently needed. However, the labor-intensive in vitro purification of nanoparticles is still necessary, which could hinder the application of nanoparticles in the veterinary field in the future. To overcome this limitation, we used regulated lysis Salmonella as an oral vector with which to deliver three copies of M2e (3M2e-H1N1)-ferritin nanoparticles in situ and evaluated the immune response. Then, sequential immunization using Salmonella-delivered nanoparticles followed by an intranasal boost with purified nanoparticles was performed to further improve the efficiency. Compared with 3M2e monomer administration, Salmonella-delivered in situ nanoparticles significantly increased the cellular immune response. Additionally, the results of sequential immunization showed that the intranasal boost with purified nanoparticles dramatically stimulated the activation of lung CD11b dendritic cells (DCs) and elevated the levels of effector memory T (T EM ) cells in both spleen and lung tissues as well as those of CD4 and CD8 tissue-resident memory T (T RM ) cells in the lungs. The increased production of mucosal IgG and IgA antibody titers was also observed, resulting in further improvements to protection against a virus challenge, compared with the pure oral immunization group. Salmonella-delivered in situ nanoparticles efficiently increased the cellular immune response, compared with the monomer, and sequential immunization further improved the systemic immune response, as shown by the activation of DCs, the production of T EM cells and T RM cells, and the mucosal immune response, thereby providing us with a novel strategy by which to apply nanoparticle-based vaccines in the future. IMPORTANCE Salmonella-delivered in situ nanoparticle platforms may provide novel nanoparticle vaccines for oral administration, which would be beneficial for veterinary applications. The combination of administering Salmonella-vectored, self-assembled nanoparticles and an intranasal boost with purified nanoparticles significantly increased the production of effector memory T cells and lung resident memory T cells, thereby providing partial protection against an influenza virus challenge. This novel strategy could open a novel avenue for the application of nanoparticle vaccines for veterinary purposes., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The high expression of reduced glutathione (GSH) and low pH in tumor sites have encouraged new ideas for targeted drug release. The tumor microenvironment is a crucial target for studying the anti-tumor efficiency of photothermal therapy because the microenvironment plays a key role in cancer progression, local resistance, immune escaping, and metastasis. Herein, active mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles loaded with doxorubicin and functionalized with N,N'-bis(acryloyl)cystamine (BAC) and cross-linked carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) were used to induce simultaneous redox- and pH-sensitive activity to achieve photothermal enhanced synergistic chemotherapy. The inherent disulfide bonds of BAC were able to deplete glutathione, thus increasing the oxidative stress in tumor cells and enhancing the release of doxorubicin. Additionally, the imine bonds between CMC and BAC were stimulated and decomposed in the acidic tumor microenvironment, improving the efficiency of light conversion through exposure to polydopamine. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo investigations demonstrated that this nanocomposite exhibited improved selective doxorubicin release in conditions mimicking the tumor microenvironment and low toxicity towards non-cancerous tissues, suggesting there is high potential for the clinical translation of this synergistic chemo-photothermal therapeutic agent., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Porous microsphere hemostatic materials, which possess rapid hemostatic, antibacterial, and wound healing-promotion properties, have key advantages over hemostatic dressings with a single hemostatic function. Using rod-shaped cellulose nanocrystals as the supporting framework, sodium alginate/cellulose nanocrystal porous microspheres (SA/CNC) were prepared using an inverse emulsion method. After SA/CNC self-assembly with the antibacterial polymer ε-polylysine, the hemostatic porous microspheres (PSLMs) showed high porosity, high liquid absorption capacity, and excellent coagulation properties. The in vitro and in vivo coagulation properties of PSLMs were evaluated and compared with those of the commercially available chitosan hemostatic powder. PSLMs had marked hemostatic effects in the following mouse hemorrhage models: caudal (81.20 s), liver (48.44 s), and femoral artery (71.66 s). After the introduction of ε-polylysine with excellent antibacterial properties to PSLMs, PSLMs effectively inhibited the activities of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) are effective drug delivery carriers because of their adjustable large pore size and high porosity. In this study, complex nanoparticles containing disulfide bonds (SS) were designed and prepared as curcumin (Cur) carriers by using fucoidan (FUC) and MSN as the polymer matrix. The product was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and an N 2 adsorption and desorption test. When the mass ratio of MSN to FUC was 2:1, the nanospheres particle size was the smallest (295.6 ± 0.98 nm, -35.2 ± 0.8 mV). Furthermore, the curcumin encapsulation rate by MSN-Cur-SS-FUC was over 90%, and the cumulative release rate in 24 h was over 80% due to the combined effect of weak acidity and high glutathione concentration in the tumor site microenvironment. When the Cur concentration was 50 μg/mL, the cell viability of free Cur was 63.8%, the cell viability of MSN-Cur-SS-FUC was 14.5%, and the cell viability of MSN-SS-FUC at the same concentration remained above 74.6%. MSN-SS-FUC composite nanoparticles showed a good delivery of Cur, a lipid-soluble active compound, and provides a new delivery route for other lipid-soluble and poorly bioavailable active compounds., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Improved seasonal influenza vaccines for older adults that can induce broadly cross-reactive antibodies and enhanced T-cell responses, particularly against A H3N2 viruses, while avoiding egg-adaptive antigenic changes, are needed. We aimed to show that the Matrix-M-adjuvanted quadrivalent nanoparticle influenza vaccine (qNIV) was immunologically non-inferior to a licensed, standard-dose quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV4) in older adults., Methods: This was a phase 3 randomised, observer-blinded, active-comparator controlled trial done across 19 US community-based clinical research sites during the 2019-20 influenza season. Participants were clinically stable and community-dwelling, aged at least 65 years, and were randomised in a 1:1 ratio using an interactive web response system to receive a single intramuscular dose of qNIV or IIV4. The primary objective was to describe safety and show that qNIV was immunologically non-inferior to IIV4. The primary outcomes were adverse events by treatment group and comparative haemagglutination-inhibiting antibody responses (assayed with egg-propagated virus) on day 28, summarised in terms of the ratio of geometric mean titres (GMTR qNIV/IIV4 ) and seroconversion rate (SCR) difference between participants receiving qNIV or IIV4 for all four vaccine homologous influenza strains. The immunogenicity outcome was measured in the per-protocol population. Non-inferiority was shown if the lower bound of the two-sided 95% CI on the GMTR qNIV/IIV4 was at least 0·67 and the lower bound of the two-sided 95% CI on the SCR difference - was at least -10%. The study is registered with clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04120194, and is active and not recruiting., Findings: 2742 adults were assessed for eligibility and 2654 were enrolled and randomised between Oct 14, 2019, and Oct 25, 2019; 1333 participants were randomised to the qNIV group and 1319 to the IIV4 group (two participants withdrew consent before being assigned to a group). qNIV showed immunological non-inferiority to IIV4: GMTR qNIV/IIV4 for the four vaccine homologous influenza strains was A/Brisbane 1·09 (95% CI 1·03 to 1·15), A/Kansas 1·19 (1·11 to 1·27), B/Maryland 1·03 (0·99 to 1·07), and B/Phuket 1·23 (1·16 to 1·29); and SCR difference was A/Brisbane 5·0 (95% CI 1·9 to 8·1), A/Kansas 7·3 (3·6 to 11·1), B/Maryland 0·5 (-1·9 to 2·9), and B/Phuket 8·5 (5·0 to 11·9). 659 (49·4%) of 1333 of participants in the qNIV group and 551 (41·8%) of 1319 participants in the IIV4 group had at least one treatment-emergent adverse event. More solicited adverse events were reported by participants in the qNIV group (551 [41·3%] of 1333) than in the IIV4 group (420 [31·8%] of 1319), and were comprised primarily of mild to moderate transient injection site pain (341 [25·6%] in the qNIV group vs 212 [16·1%] in the IIV4 group)., Interpretation: qNIV was well tolerated and produced qualitatively and quantitatively enhanced humoral and cellular immune response in older adults compared with IIV4. qNIV might enhance the effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccination, and future studies to show clinical efficacy are planned., Funding: Novavax., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests All coauthors are current or former employees of Novavax, the sponsor of the trial., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Recurrent reports of suboptimal influenza vaccine effectiveness have renewed calls to develop improved, broadly cross-protective influenza vaccines. Here, we evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of a novel, saponin (Matrix-M)-adjuvanted, recombinant hemagglutinin (HA) quadrivalent nanoparticle influenza vaccine (qNIV)., Methods: We conducted a randomized, observer-blind, comparator-controlled (trivalent high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine [IIV3-HD] or quadrivalent recombinant influenza vaccine [RIV4]), safety and immunogenicity trial of qNIV (5 doses/formulations) in healthy adults ≥65 years. Vaccine immunogenicity was measured by hemagglutination-inhibition assays using reagents that express wild-type hemagglutination inhibition (wt-HAI) sequences and cell-mediated immune responses., Results: A total of 1375 participants were randomized, immunized, and followed for safety and immunogenicity. Matrix-M-adjuvanted qNIV induced superior wt-HAI antibody responses against 5 of 6 homologous or drifted strains compared with unadjuvanted qNIV. Adjuvanted qNIV induced post-vaccination wt-HAI antibody responses at day 28 that were statistically higher than IIV3-HD against a panel of homologous or drifted A/H3N2 strains, similar to IIV3-HD against homologous A/H1N1 and B (Victoria) strains and similar to RIV4 against all homologous and drifted strains evaluated. The qNIV formulation with 75 µg Matrix-M adjuvant induced substantially higher post-vaccination geometric mean fold increases of influenza HA-specific polyfunctional CD4+ T cells compared with IIV3-HD or RIV4. Overall, similar frequencies of solicited and unsolicited adverse events were reported in all treatment groups., Conclusions: qNIV with 75 µg Matrix-M adjuvant was well tolerated and induced robust antibody and cellular responses, notably against both homologous and drifted A/H3N2 viruses. Further investigation in a pivotal phase 3 trial is underway., Clinical Trials Registration: NCT03658629., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.)

The large-scale utilization of nanotechnology depends on public and consumer confidence in the safety of this new technology. Studying the interaction of nanoparticles with immune cells plays a vital role in the safety assessment of nanomedicine. Although some researches have indicated that the immune cells undergo severe interfere after phagocytosis of nanoparticles, the impact on immune system of the whole body are still unclear. Here, we use immune cells labeled transgenic zebrafish to study the mechanisms of nanoparticles on zebrafish immune cells. We demonstrate that gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) phagocytized by immune cells can reduce and retard the sensitivity of immune response, resulting nanoparticle-induced bluntness in immune cell (NIBIC). RNA-seq and functional analysis reveal that NIBIC is mainly induced by the inhibiting expression of chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5). Furthermore, PVP-modified Au NPs can eliminate NIBIC by inhibiting the cell phagocytosis. Our results highlight the potential risk for Au NPs in vivo and further the understanding of the mechanism of the interaction between Au NPs and the immune response. We should consider this factor in future material design and pay more attention to the process of using nanomedicines on immune diseases., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Stimuli-responsive nano-assemblies are emerging as promising drug delivery systems (DDSs) with spatial and temporal tenability, which can undergo structural transition for controlled drug release upon excitation by either exogenous or endogenous stimuli. Particularly, exogenous stimuli-responsive nano-assemblies based remotely controlled DDSs, have received much attention due to their accuracy and reliability realized by tunable exogenous triggers such as light, magnetic field, or temperature. In this review, we will briefly introduce the current state-of-the-art technologies of nano-assembly synthesis and summarize the recent advances in remotely controlled nano-assembly-based DDSs activated by different exogenous stimuli or endogenous/exogenous dual-stimuli. Furthermore, the pioneering progress in bio-cleanable stimuli-responsive nano-assemblies that holds great relevance to clinical translation will be described. Finally, we will conclude with our perspectives on current issues and future development of this field. The objective of this review is to outline current advances of nano-assemblies as remotely controlled DDSs, in hopes of accelerating the future development of intelligent nanomedicines., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Few studies reported the application of miRNA in bone regeneration. In this study, the expression of miR133a and miR133b in murine BMSCs was inhibited via antagomiR-133a/b and the osteogenic differentiation in murine BMSCs was evaluated. The RT-PCR, flow cytometry, cell counting kit-8, and annexin V-FITC/PI double staining assays were performed. Double knockdown miR133a and miR133b can promote BMSC osteogenic differentiation. At optimum N/P ration (15:1), the loading efficiency can reach over 90%. CTH-antagomiR-133a/b showed no cytotoxicity to BMSCs and diminished miR133a and miR133b expression in BMSCs. Furthermore, chitosan-based sustained delivery system can facilitate continuous dosing of antagomiR-133a/b, which enhanced calcium deposition and osteogenic specific gene expression in vitro. The new bone formation was enhanced after the sustained delivery system containing CTH-antagomiR-133a/b nanoparticles was used in mouse calvarial bone defect model. Our results demonstrate that CTH nanoparticles could facilitate continuous dosing of antagomiR133a/b, which can promote osteogenic differentiation., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Recent advances in nanomedicine have facilitated the development of potent nanomaterials with intrinsic enzyme-like activities (nanozymes) for cancer therapy. However, it remains a great challenge to fabricate smart nanozymes that precisely perform enzymatic activity in tumor microenvironment without inducing off-target toxicity to surrounding normal tissues. Herein, we report on designed fabrication of biodegradation-medicated enzymatic activity-tunable molybdenum oxide nanourchins (MoO 3- x NUs), which selectively perform therapeutic activity in tumor microenvironment via cascade catalytic reactions, while keeping normal tissues unharmed due to their responsive biodegradation in physiological environment. Specifically, the MoO 3- x NUs first induce catalase (CAT)-like reactivity to decompose hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) in tumor microenvironment, producing a considerable amount of O 2 for subsequent oxidase (OXD)-like reactivity of MoO 3- x NUs; a substantial cytotoxic superoxide radical (·O 2 - ) is thus generated for tumor cell apoptosis. Interestingly, once exposed to neutral blood or normal tissues, MoO 3- x NUs rapidly lose the enzymatic activity via pH-responsive biodegradation and are excreted in urine, thus ultimately ensuring safety. The current study demonstrates a proof of concept of biodegradation-medicated in vivo catalytic activity-tunable nanozymes for tumor-specific cascade catalytic therapy with minimal off-target toxicity.

Residual diclofenac sodium (DS) in the environment is harmful to human health. A promising method for DS removal is the use of adsorbents functionalized with amino groups that can form an ionic bond with the carboxyl group of DS at a suitable pH. In this work, a novel composite adsorbent composed of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and chitosan (CS) has been synthesized and functionalized by ethylenediamine (ED) in both layers. Characterization methods, including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, were used to confirm the morphology and synthetic mechanism of the double- amino-functionalized adsorbent. Based on the optimization of adsorption conditions and modeling of the adsorption mechanism, the DS adsorption process on CNC-ED@CS-ED involves chemical adsorption, and the maximum adsorption capacity obtained from the Langmuir model is 444.44 mg/g. CNC-ED@CS-ED exhibits good adsorption capacity and high sustainability; thus, it is a promising composite material for the removal of DS from wastewater., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Nanotechnology-based antitumor drug delivery systems, known as nanocarriers, have demonstrated their efficacy in recent years. Typically, the size of the nanocarriers is around 100 nm. It is imperative to achieve an optimum size of these nanocarriers which must be designed uniquely for each type of delivery process. For pH-responsive nanocarriers with programmable size, changes in pH (~6.5 for tumor tissue, ~5.5 for endosomes, and ~5.0 for lysosomes) may serve as an endogenous stimulus improving the safety and therapeutic efficacy of antitumor drugs. This review focuses on current advanced pH-responsive nanocarriers with programmable size changes for anticancer drug delivery. In particular, pH-responsive mechanisms for nanocarrier retention at tumor sites, size reduction for penetrating into tumor parenchyma, escaping from endo/lysosomes, and swelling or disassembly for drug release will be highlighted. Additional trends and challenges of employing these nanocarriers in future clinical applications are also addressed., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists.

In the present study, a new adsorbent based on carboxylated cellulose nanocrystal (CCN) was developed for the adsorption of Pb(II) from fish sauce. The prepared adsorbent material was characterized by zeta potential, FT-IR, XRD, and XPS tools. The changes in the morphological structure of the developed CCN surface were evidenced by SEM and TEM. The favorable adsorption conditions were selected by studying the contact time, initial concentration, temperature, and concentration of the used glutamic acid and NaCl. The results indicated that the Langmuir isotherm model agrees very well with experimental adsorption data (R 2 =0.9962) with a maximum adsorption capacity 232.56mg/g of Pb(II) at 293.2K. Additionally, data of the adsorption kinetics follow the pseudo-second-order kinetics (R 2 >0.9990). On the other hand, the thermodynamics studies show that the adsorption process is spontaneous and endothermic. Furthermore, the developed CCN could be regenerated using acid treatment with a good reusability for Pb(II) adsorption. The results clearly indicated that the synthesized CCN could be effectively applied as a new material for Pb(II) adsorption from fish sauce solutions., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Effective penetration through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) remains a challenge for the treatment of many brain diseases. In this study, a small molecule, sinapic acid (SA), extracted from mustard, was selected as a novel bioinspired BBB-permeable ligand for efficient drug delivery in glioma treatment. SA was conjugated on the surface of zwitterionic polymer poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC)-encapsulated bovine serum albumin (BSA)-based nanoparticles, yielding nBSA-SA. The PMPC shell serves as a protective layer to prolong the in vivo blood circulation time with a better chance to cross the BBB. Furthermore, temozolomide (TMZ), which can be loaded onto the nanoparticles via electrostatic interactions with acrylic acid (AA) to generate AA-nBSA-SA-TMZ, was applied as an excellent chemotherapeutic drug for glioma therapy. The obtained nanoparticles with a distinct size show great BBB permeability. Through the mechanism study, it was found that the cell internalization of the SA-conjugated nanoparticles is an energy-dependent process with only transient disruption of the BBB. The biological evaluation results unambiguously suggest that drug-loaded nanoparticles can lead to strong apoptosis on the tumor site and increase the median survival time of glioma-bearing mice. Overall, this novel BBB-permeable ligand SA paves the way for the delivery of cargo into the brain and provides a powerful nanoplatform for glioma therapy via intravenous administration.

Iron accumulation in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) has been proved to be a prominent pathophysiological feature of Parkinson's diseases (PD), which can induce the death of dopaminergic (DA) neurons, up-regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and further loss of motor control. In recent years, iron chelation therapy has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for PD, which has shown significant improvements in clinical trials. However, the current iron chelators are suboptimal due to their short circulation time, side effects, and lack of proper protection from chelation with ions in blood circulation. In this work, we designed and constructed iron chelation therapeutic nanoparticles protected by a zwitterionic poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) to delay the saturation of iron chelators in blood circulation and prolong the in vivo lifetime, with HIV-1 trans-activating transcriptor (TAT) served as a shuttle to enhance the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. We explored and investigated whether the Parkinsonian neurodegeneration and the corresponding symptoms in behaviors and physiologies could be prevented or reversed both in vitro and in vivo. The results demonstrated that iron chelator loaded therapeutic nanoparticles could reverse functional deficits in Parkinsonian mice not only physiologically but also behaviorally. On the contrary, both untreated PD mice and non-TAT anchored nanoparticle treated PD mice showed similar loss in DA neurons and difficulties in behaviors. Therefore, with protection of zwitterionic polymer and prolonged in vivo lifetime, iron chelator loaded nanoparticles with delayed saturation provide a PD phenotype reversion therapy and significantly improve the living quality of the Parkinsonian mice.

Functional nucleic acid (FNA)-based sensing systems have been developed for efficient detection of a wide range of biorelated analytes by employing DNAzymes or aptamers as recognition units. However, their intracellular delivery has always been a concern, mainly in delivery efficiency, kinetics, and the amount of delivered FNAs. Here we report a DNA dendrimer scaffold as an efficient nanocarrier to deliver FNAs and to conduct in situ monitoring of biological molecules in living cells. A histidine-dependent DNAzyme and an anti-ATP aptamer were chosen separately as the model FNAs to make the FNA dendrimer. The FNA-embedded DNA dendrimers maintained the catalytic activity of the DNAzyme or the aptamer recognition function toward ATP in the cellular environment, with no change in sensitivity or specificity. Moreover, these DNA dendrimeric nanocarriers show excellent biocompatibility, high intracellular delivery efficiency, and sufficient stability in a cellular environment. This FNA dendrimeric nanocarrier may find a broad spectrum of applications in biomedical diagnosis and therapy.

Manganese oxide (Mn3O4) nanoparticles have recently emerged as a promising T1 contrast agent. In this study, for the first time, we demonstrated an interaction of Mn3O4 with a biological system, and found redox sensitive behavior of these paramagnetic nanoparticles in intracellular reducing environment. Inspired by these findings, we for the first time used this interaction for some therapeutic advantages and designed a versatile mesoporous silica based nanotheranostic system to realize redox-activated enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and responsive anticancer drug delivery. Contrary to previous reports, we firstly prepared high quality amine terminated hydrophilic Mn3O4 nanolids, without using multistep ligand exchange strategies. The resulting water stable and small-sized Mn3O4 nanolids were subsequently used as nanolids to cap drug loaded nanochannels of a porous carrier. Exposure to highly prevalent intracellular reducing environment resulted in the steady-state dissolution of these nanolids and attained an intelligent drug release. Furthermore, the redox receptive dissolution of paramagnetic Mn3O4 nanolids into Mn(2+) in turn increases the T1 signal to twofold, providing an added opportunity to even track the feedback of therapy. This study, in addition to simultaneously realizing drug delivery and imaging, also provides a new insight into the fate and interaction of manganese oxide nanoparticles with components of biological systems.

Hexagonal nanoflower WO3 arrays have been prepared by using RCOO(-) as the structure directing agent in the microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis process. The photoelectrochemical performance of the synthesized hexagonal flower-like WO3 electrode was enhanced compared with the block-like WO3 film.

We consider the electrophoresis of a rigid sphere along the axis of a narrow cylindrical capillary; both are pH-regulated and zwitterionic. This extends available analyses in the literature to a more general and realistic case. Adopting a titanium oxide (TiO2) particle in a silicon dioxide (SiO2) capillary as an example, we examine the capillary radius, the solution pH, and the electrolyte concentration (or double-layer thickness) for their influences on the electrophoretic behavior of a particle. Because the pH solution is adjusted by HCl and NaOH, the presence of four kinds of ionic species, namely, H(+), OH(-), Na(+), and Cl(-), should be considered if NaCl is the background electrolyte. This also extends conventional electrophoresis analyses to the case of multiple ionic species. The interactions of the electroosmotic flow, the properties of the particle and the solution, and the capillary wall yield complicated electrophoretic behavior that can be regulated by the solution pH and the background electrolyte concentration. The results gathered are necessary for the future design of nanopore-based electrophoresis devices.

Sono-enhanced degradation of a dye pollutant Rhodamine B (RhB) was investigated by using H(2)O(2) as a green oxidant and Fe(3)O(4) magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as a peroxidase mimetic. It was found that Fe(3)O(4) MNPs could catalyze the break of H(2)O(2) to remove RhB in a wide pH range from 3.0 to 9.0 and its peroxidase-like activity was significantly enhanced by the ultrasound irradiation. At pH 5.0 and temperature 55 degrees C, the ultrasound-assisted H(2)O(2)-Fe(3)O(4) catalysis removed about 95% of RhB (0.02 mmol L(-1)) in 15 min with a apparent rate constant of 0.15 min(-1) for the degradation of RhB, being 6.5 and 37.6 folds of that in the simple catalytic H(2)O(2)-Fe(3)O(4) system, and the simple ultrasonic US-H(2)O(2) systems, respectively. The beneficial synergistic behavior between Fe(3)O(4) catalysis and ultrasonic was demonstrated to be dependent on Fe(3)O(4) dosage, H(2)O(2) concentration, pH value and temperature. As a tentative explanation, the observed significant synergistic effects was attributed to the positive interaction between cavitation effect accelerating the catalytic breakdown of H(2)O(2) over Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles, and the function of Fe(3)O(4) MNPs providing more nucleation sites for the cavitation inception.

Background: Drug delivery and penetration into neoplastic cells distant from tumor vessels is critical for the effectiveness of solid tumor chemotherapy. We hypothesized that 10- to 20-nm nanoassemblies of phospholipids containing doxorubicin would improve the drug's penetration, accumulation, and antitumor activity., Methods: Doxorubicin was incorporated into polyethylene glycol-phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-PE) block copolymer micelles by a self-assembly procedure to form nanoassemblies of doxorubicin and PEG-PE. In vitro cytotoxicity of micelle-encapsulated doxorubicin (M-Dox) against A549 human non-small-cell lung carcinoma cells was examined using the methylthiazoletetrazolium assay, and confocal microscopy, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, and flow cytometry were used to examine intracellular distribution and the cellular uptake mechanism. C57Bl/6 mice (n = 10-40 per group) bearing subcutaneous or pulmonary Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) tumors were treated with M-Dox or free doxorubicin, and tumor growth, doxorubicin pharmacokinetics, and mortality were compared. Toxicity was analyzed in tumor-free mice. All statistical tests were two-sided., Results: Encapsulation of doxorubicin in PEG-PE micelles increased its internalization by A549 cells into lysosomes and enhanced cytotoxicity. Drug-encapsulated doxorubicin was more effective in inhibiting tumor growth in the subcutaneous LLC tumor model (mean tumor volumes in mice treated with 5 mg/kg M-Dox = 1126 mm3 and in control mice = 3693 mm3, difference = 2567 mm3, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2190 to 2943 mm3, P<.001) than free doxorubicin (mean tumor volumes in doxorubicin-treated mice = 3021 mm3 and in control mice = 3693 mm3, difference = 672 mm3, 95% CI = 296 to 1049 mm3, P = .0332, Wilcoxon signed rank test). M-Dox treatment prolonged survival in both mouse models and reduced metastases in the pulmonary model; it also reduced toxicity., Conclusions: We have developed a novel PEG-PE-based nanocarrier of doxorubicin that increased cytotoxicity in vitro and enhanced antitumor activity in vivo with low systemic toxicity. This drug packaging technology may provide a new strategy for design of cancer therapies.

Precipitate coarsening is a major mechanism responsible for the degradation in mechanical properties of many precipitation-hardened alloys at high temperatures. With recent developments in processing of nanocomposite materials, a substantial volume fraction of inert second phase ceramic nanoparticles can be introduced into the grain interiors of polycrystalline materials. These intragranular nanoparticles can have synergistic effects of impeding dislocation motion and interacting with coarsening precipitates to modify the coarsening rate. In this work, the precipitate coarsening behavior of an alloy in the presence of intragranular inert nanoparticles was studied using the phase field method. Two key measurements of coarsening kinetics, precipitate size distribution and coarsening rate, were found to be affected by the volume fraction and the size of nanoparticles. Two novel mechanisms related to geometric constraints imposed by inter-nanoparticle distance and the blockage of solute diffusion path by nanoparticle–matrix interfaces were proposed to explain the observed changes in precipitate coarsening kinetics. The simulation results in general suggest that the use of small nanoparticles with large number density is effective in slowing down the coarsening kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SBA-15 was modified via post-treatment with (NH4)2SiF6 and (NH4)3AlF6 solution (NSF-T and NAF-T) and applied as support of Pd catalysts for the hydrogenation of 2-ethyl-anthraquinone (EAQ). The characterization results revealed that F could be incorporated into the framework of SBA-15 by forming Si–F bond and the amount of F increased as the molar ratio of F in treating solution to Si species in SBA-15 (F/Si) increased from 0.1 to 0.4 for NSF-T and 0.3 to 0.6 for NAF-T. At the same F/Si, the incorporated amount of F was larger with NSF-T than with NAF-T, and the latter could simultaneously create acid sites in catalysts. The hydrophobicity of catalysts could be effectively improved by incorporating F into SBA-15 supports, which favored the catalytic performance. The catalyst on SBA-15 treated by NSF with F/Si of 0.3 exhibited the high initial activity (0.24 molH2·gPd−1·min−1) and selectivity (95.5%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum zinc oxide (AZO) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a facile and environment friendly ethanol-assisted coprecipitation method. The other two coprecipitation methods were studied to obtain AZO nanoparticles using the same granular Zn but different processes (i) homogeneous coprecipitation and (ii) seed-induced coprecipitation simultaneously for comparison. The AZO precursor prepared by ethanol-assisted coprecipitation displayed the unique endothermic heat behavior which was different from the other two counterparts, leading to the hexagonal ZnO structure with (002) crystallized preferred orientation and flat-elongated-granulated complex morphology after calcination at 600 °C, exhibiting outstandingly higher sinter activity than other two counterparts, and achieving a nearly full relative density (99.1%) of AZO ceramic at only 1200 °C through the traditional pressureless sintering technique. The mechanism of crystallized preferred orientation of AZO nanoparticles and sintering densification of AZO ceramics were lastly proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of high-efficient and low-cost heterostructure photocatalyst is crucial for hydrogen production in solar driven water splitting. Herein, g-C3N4-modified TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs) with confined Pt nanoparticles were prepared via a facile two-step process. The results of structure characterizations by XRD, TEM, and XPS reveal that Pt nanoparticles with the average size of 2–3 nm are embedded in the inner cavity of the TiO2 nanotube, and amorphous g-C3N4 is attached to the outer wall of anatase TNTs. The as-prepared g-C3N4/TNTs@Pt ternary composite displays an enhanced visible light-induced absorbance capacity and improved charge carrier recombination rate than that of pure TNTs. The photocatalytic performance is evaluated by hydrogen evolution from water splitting by using methanol as sacrifice agent under solar light illumination. Compared with TNTs@Pt and g-C3N4/Pt photocatalysts, the as-prepared ternary nanocomposite exhibits the highest photocatalytic performance with a H2 evolution rate of 15.36 mmol h−1 g−1. A possible mechanism of photocatalytic H2 production over the ternary g-C3N4/TNTs@Pt composite is also proposed. This work not only provides a promising low-cost heterostructure candidate for water splitting, but also paves the way to rational design high-performance photocatalysts in solar-to-fuel conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the main subtype of primary lung cancer and is a leading cause of cancer‐related death worldwide. PIWI‐interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a type of small non‐coding RNAs that may play crucial roles in cancer progression and serve as biomarkers for tumor detection. This study aimed to explore the expression profiles and diagnostic values of piRNAs in LUAD. Methods: Small RNA sequencing was performed to investigate tissue piRNA profiles of LUAD. The expression of selected upregulated piRNAs were detected in tissues and serum exosome samples by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). Serum exosomes were identified by transmission electron microscope, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and western blot analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was adopted to quantify the diagnostic potentials of piRNAs in LUAD. Finally, a piRNA panel was developed by multivariate logistic regression model. Results: We identified that 76 piRNAs were overexpressed and 9 piRNAs were underexpressed in LUAD tissues compared with adjacent non‐tumor tissues. Among the top 10 overexpressed piRNAs, 4 piRNAs (piR‐hsa‐26925, piR‐hsa‐5444, piR‐hsa‐30636, and piR‐hsa‐8757) were verified by qRT‐PCR to be significantly upregulated in LUAD tissues. Moreover, piR‐hsa‐26925 and piR‐hsa‐5444 had a significantly higher level in serum exosome samples of LUAD patients than those of healthy controls. We finally established a 2‐piRNA panel composed of piR‐hsa‐26925 and piR‐hsa‐5444, which showed higher diagnostic performance for LUAD with an AUC of 0.833. Conclusions: Our finding revealed the abnormally expressed piRNAs in LUAD, and serum exosomal piR‐hsa‐26925 and piR‐hsa‐5444 could serve as potential biomarkers for LUAD diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of many researchers in chemical synthesis is the development of recyclable and easily accessible catalysts. These catalysts should preferably be made from Earth-abundant metals and have the ability to be utilised in the synthesis of pharmaceutically important compounds. Amines are classified as privileged compounds, and are used extensively in the fine and bulk chemical industries, as well as in pharmaceutical and materials research. In many laboratories and in industry, transition metal catalysed reductive amination of carbonyl compounds is performed using predominantly ammonia and H2. However, these reactions usually require precious metal-based catalysts or RANEY® nickel, and require harsh reaction conditions and yield low selectivity for the desired products. Herein, we describe a simple and environmentally friendly method for the preparation of thin graphene spheres that encapsulate uniform Ni/NiO nanoalloy catalysts (Ni/NiO@C) using nickel citrate as the precursor. The resulting catalysts are stable and reusable and were successfully used for the synthesis of primary, secondary, tertiary, and N-methylamines (more than 62 examples). The reaction couples easily accessible carbonyl compounds (aldehydes and ketones) with ammonia, amines, and H2 under very mild industrially viable and scalable conditions (80 °C and 1 MPa H2 pressure, 4 h), offering cost-effective access to numerous functionalized, structurally diverse linear and branched benzylic, heterocyclic, and aliphatic amines including drugs and steroid derivatives. We have also demonstrated the scale-up of the heterogeneous amination protocol to gram-scale synthesis. Furthermore, the catalyst can be immobilized on a magnetic stirring bar and be conveniently recycled up to five times without any significant loss of catalytic activity and selectivity for the product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystallinity is recognized as an important parameter that influences the photocatalytic performance, meanwhile the confinement effect of TiO2 nanotube is efficient to improve the activity. But how TiO2 crystallinity affects the property of TiO2 nanotube-based catalysts remains unclear. Here, CdS nanoparticles inside of various temperature treated TiO2 nanotube (CdS-in-TiO2NT) was obtained. With the increase of calcination temperature from 300 to 500 °C, the crystallinity of TiO2 nanotube is increased resulting in the enhanced hydrogen evolution property of CdS-in-TiO2NT. When the calcination temperature is higher than 500 °C, TiO2 nanotube is gradually collapsed, which leads to the decrease of photocatalytic performance of CdS-in-TiO2NT. Further photoluminescence measurements confirm that CdS-in-TiO2NT-500 has most quenched PL emission, which is in accordance with the H2 production efficiency. The highest hydrogen production rate of CdS-in-TiO2NT-500 is ascribed to the efficient confinement effect, good crystallinity of TiO2 nanotube, and accelerated charge separation efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the synthesis and electrical properties of antimony-doped tin oxide nanoparticles by precipitate-modified coprecipitation and solution-modified coprecipitation starting from different amounts of nitric acid and ethanol as modified additives. The aim of this study was to decrease the electrical resistivity of antimony-doped tin oxide nanoparticles and determine the relationship between the crystalline size and electrical properties. Results indicated that all samples revealed the existence of tetragonal antimony-substituted SnO2 crystals. Antimony-doped tin oxide nanoparticles were 4.6–5.8 nm in diameter depending on both the amounts of nitric acid and ethanol as well as coprecipitation methods. The electrical resistivity changed dramatically from 0.86 Ω ⋅ cm to 0.31 Ω ⋅ cm depending on the amounts of nitric acid and ethanol as well as coprecipitation methods. Interestingly, the smaller the ratio between the crystal size calculated according to (110) plane and the crystal size calculated according to (101) plane was, the smaller the electrical resistivity of antimony-doped tin oxide nanoparticles was achieved as a function of the amounts of nitric acid and ethanol as well as coprecipitation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SnO2 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a novel one-pot route using two various Sn salts of SnCl4·5H2O and SnCl2·2H2O as raw materials, respectively. The thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimeter (TG-DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and gas sensitivity measurement were characterized to determine the influences of salt type and calcination temperature on the thermal effect, crystal structure, crystallite size and gas sensitivity of SnO2 nanoparticles. Results indicated that the two series of samples had different crystallization process, crystallite size and gas sensitivity changed with calcination temperature. SnCl4·5H2O helped to promote crystallization, but SnCl2·2H2O suppressed the crystallization and crystallite growth even at the same calcination temperature. SnO2 nanoparticles calcined at 500 °C using SnCl4·5H2O and 250 °C using SnCl2·2H2O displayed better gas sensitivity because of high crystallinity and small crystallite size, possibly decreasing the number of boundary defects which can cause electron recombination as well as providing more reaction cites, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coumarins are widely used in many fields due to their excellent photostability, high fluorescence quantum yield and easy modification of the backbone, and its derivatives possess great technological potential especially in biomaterials field. However, many fluorescent materials constructed on the basis of coumarin skeletons have poor biocompatibility, which limits their application in the biomedical field, and the increasing demand for coumarin derivatives accelerates the research in biological and chemical synthesis to provide biocompatible and scalable materials of coumarins. In this work, we reported a facile strategy to construct fluorescent nanoparticles by using Stober method by incorporating silane-modified coumarin derivatives, and the polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is introduced to enhance the biocompatibility of the material while obtaining homogeneous and stable fluorescent nanoparticles. Overall, this provides new ideas and methods for the preparation of simple and homogeneous fluorescent nanoparticles and the enhancement of biocompatibility. [Display omitted] • Pho-CA@PVPs fluorescent nanoparticles can be prepared by very facile strategy. • Pho-CA@PVPs processes homogeneous distributions and stable morphology. • Pho-CA@PVPs show good biocompatibility. • Pho-CA@PVPs fluorescent nanoparticles can be successfully used for intracellular bioimaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A kind of pH‐responsive carbon quantum dots−doxorubicin nanoparticles drug delivery platform (D‐Biotin/DOX‐loaded mPEG‐OAL/N‐CQDs) was designed and synthesized. The system consists of fluorescent carbon dots as cross‐linkers, and D‐Biotin worked as targeting groups, which made the system have a pH correspondence, doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) as the target drug, oxidized sodium alginate (OAL) as carrier materials. Ultraviolet (UV)‐Vis spectrum showed that the drug‐loading rate of DOX is 10.5%, and the drug release in vitro suggested that the system had a pH response and tumor cellular targeted, the drug release rate is 65.6% at the value of pH is 5.0, which is much higher than that at the value of pH is 7.4. The cytotoxicity test and laser confocal fluorescence imaging showed that the synthesized drug delivery system has high cytotoxicity to cancer cells, and the drug‐loaded nanoparticles could enter the cells through endocytosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to develop a bimodal nano-silver paste with improved mechanical property and reliability. Silicon carbide (SiC) particles coated with Ag were introduced in nano-silver paste to improve bonding strength between SiC and Ag particles and enhance high-temperature stability of bimodal nano-silver paste. The effect of sintering parameters such as sintering temperature, sintering time and the proportion of SiC particles on mechanical property and reliability of sintered bimodal nano-silver structure were investigated. Design/methodology/approach: Sandwich structures consist of dummy chips and copper substrates with nickel and silver coating bonded by nano-silver paste were designed for shear testing. Shear strength testing was conducted to study the influence of SiC particles proportions on the mechanical property of sintered nano-silver joints. The reliability of the bimodal nano-silver paste was evaluated experimentally by means of shear test for samples subjected to thermal aging test at 150°C and humidity and temperature testing at 85°C and 85 per cent RH, respectively. Findings: Shear strength was enhanced obviously with the increase of sintering temperature and sintering time. The maximum shear strength was achieved for nano-silver paste sintered at 260°C for 10 min. There was a negative correlation between the proportion of SiC particles and shear strength. After thermal aging testing and humidity and temperature testing for 240 h, the shear strength decreased a little. High-temperature stability and high-hydrothermal stability were improved by the addition of SiC particles. Originality/value: Submicron-scale SiC particles coated with Ag were used as alternative materials to replace part of nano-silver particles to prepare bimodal nano-silver paste due to its high thermal conductivity and excellent mechanical property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N, Fe single doped and co-doped anatase TiO2 nanoparticles were successfully prepared by coprecipitation method using TiCl4, NH4OH, Fe(NO3)3·9H2O as raw materials and polyvinyl alcohol as dispersant. The samples were characterized by TG-DSC, FTIR, XRD, FESEM, EDS, XPS, and UV–Vis to investigate the influence of doping concentration on the thermal effect, crystal structure, morphology, composition, energy band gap and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanoparticles. Results indicated that TiO2 nanoparticles doped with 0.15 at.% N and 0.3 at.% Fe showed the best photocatalytic activity. N, Fe co-doping had a synergistic effect: (1) The transformation inhibition of anatase to rutile phase was achieved, leading to formation of high crystallized monophasic anatase TiO2; (2) The bandgap narrowing effect was significant, increasing the light absorption range; (3) The small grain size of ~ 10 nm in diameter was obtained, resulting in effective separation of photo-induced electrons and holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A copper(I) 3,5‐diphenyltriazolate metal–organic framework (CuTz‐1) was synthesized and extensively characterized by using a multi‐technique approach. The combined results provided solid evidence that CuTz‐1 features an unprecedented Cu5tz6 cluster as the secondary building unit (SBU) with channels approximately 8.3 Å in diameter. This metal–organic framework (MOF) material, which is both thermally and chemically (basic and acidic) stable, exhibited semiconductivity and high photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of dyes in the presence of H2O2. Its catalytic performance was superior to that of reported MOFs and comparable to some composites, which has been attributed to its high efficiency in generating.OH, the most active species for the degradation of dyes. It is suggested that the photogenerated holes are trapped by CuI, which yields CuII, the latter of which behaves as a catalyst for a Fenton‐like reaction to produce an excess amount of.OH in addition to that formed through the scavenging of photogenerated electrons by H2O2. Furthermore, it was shown that a dye mixture (methyl orange, methyl blue, methylene blue, and rhodamine B) could be totally decolorized by using CuTz‐1 as a photocatalyst in the presence of H2O2 under the irradiation of a Xe lamp or natural sunlight. In the frame: A thermally and chemically stable CuI–triazolate metal–organic framework (CuTz‐1) was prepared and demonstrated to exhibit high photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of dyes in the presence of H2O2 (see figure for dye decolorization). CuTz‐1 could be used as a catalyst for at least four cycles without significant change to the crystallinity and catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticles were prepared by coprecipitation by packing drying and traditional direct drying (for comparison) methods. The as-prepared ATO nanoparticles were characterized by TG, XRD, EDS, TEM, HRTEM, BET, bulk density and electrical resistivity measurements. Results indicated that the ATO nanoparticles obtained by coprecipitation with direct drying method featured hard-agglomerated morphology, high bulk density, low surface area and low electrical resistivity, probably due to the direct liquid evaporation during drying, the fast shrinkage of the precipitate, the poor removal efficiency of liquid molecules and the hard agglomerate formation after calcination. Very differently, the ATO product obtained by the packing and drying method featured free-agglomerated morphology, low bulk density, high surface area and high electrical resistivity ascribed probably to the formed vapor cyclone environment and liquid evaporation-resistance, avoiding fast liquid removal and improving the removal efficiency of liquid molecules. The intrinsic formation mechanism of ATO nanoparticles from different drying methods was illustrated based on the dehydration process of ATO precipitates. Additionally, the packing and drying time played key roles in determining the bulk density, morphology and electrical conductivity of ATO nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemistry of a catalyst surface during catalysis is crucial for a fundamental understanding of mechanism of a catalytic reaction performed on the catalyst in the gas or liquid phase. Due to the pressure- or molecular density-dependent entropy contribution of gas or liquid phase of the reactants and the potential formation of a catalyst surface during catalysis different from that observed in an ex situ condition, the characterization of the surface of a catalyst under reaction conditions and during catalysis can be significant and even necessary for understanding the catalytic mechanism at a molecular level. Electron-based analytical techniques are challenging for studying catalyst nanoparticles in the gas or liquid phase although they are necessary techniques to employ. Instrumentation and further development of these electron-based techniques have now made in situ/operando studies of catalysts possible. New insights into the chemistry and structure of catalyst nanoparticles have been uncovered over the last decades. Herein, the origin of the differences between ex situ and in situ/operando studies of catalysts, and the technical challenges faced as well as the corresponding instrumentation and innovations utilized for characterizing catalysts under reaction conditions and during catalysis, are discussed. The restructuring of catalyst surfaces driven by the pressure of reactant(s) around a catalyst, restructuring in reactant(s) driven by reaction temperature and restructuring during catalysis are also reviewed herein. The remaining challenges and possible solutions are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]