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Graphene oxide (GO) is an amphiphilic soft material, which can accumulate at the water-air interface. However, GO sheets diffuse slowly in the aqueous phase because of their large size. It is still challenging to form high quality GO films in a controllable and simple way. In this study, we showed that GO sheets can quickly migrate to the water-air interface and form thin films when a suitable amount of acetone is directly mixed with a GO aqueous dispersion. The film formation rate and surface coverage of GO sheets depend on the volume of acetone added, GO dispersion concentration, and formation time. Among several organic solvents, acetone has its advantage for GO film formation owing to its three properties: a nonsolvent to GO aqueous dispersions, miscible with a GO aqueous dispersion, and fast evaporation. Furthermore, we have found that the film formation also is governed by the size of GO sheets and their oxygen content. Although smaller GO sheets could migrate to the water-air interface faster, the overlapping of small GO sheets and the increase in contact resistance is not desirable. A higher oxygen content in GO sheets could also result in smaller GO sheets. Multilayer GO films can be obtained through layer-by-layer dip-coating. These findings open opportunities in developing simple scalable GO film fabrication processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural silk nanofibers (SNFs) have been attracted more attentions in flexible functional devices and biomaterials. However, its mass production and complex fabrication process remains challenging. In this study, we successfully developed a new physical-chemical strategy to fabricate natural SNFs with high yield (~87%). The natural SNFs performed an excellent dispersion in aqueous solution with uniform diameter (approximately 280 nm) and 10–30 μm length. The high-flexible natural SNFs/single-wall carbon nanotube (CNTs) composite films were prepared to evaluate their potential in electronic devices. The composite films exhibited remarkable dimensional stability, chemical durability, and Young's modulus (498.7 ± 64.4 MPa). Furtherly, the composite films also presented excellent electrical heating properties and potential utilities in electronics. These natural SNFs/CNTs composite films with high-mechanical and electrical features offer new starting materials for bioelectronics devices applications, such as conductive wire, electronical heater, and capacitor. Natural silk nanofibers/carbon nanotubes composite films with high electroconductivity and flexibility are prepared based on facile deconstruction of the silk fibroin fibers. Image 1 • It is the first time to prepare natural silk nanofibers with high yield (~87%). • The silk nanofibers are fabricated by an environment-friendly approach avoiding use of toxic agents. • The SNFs-CNTs composites exhibit good mechanical property, electrical conductivity and energy storage stability. • The SNFs-CNTs composites have versatile utilities in electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a persistent luminescence system with long‐lived phosphorescence and color‐tunable afterglow at room temperature represents a challenge, largely due to the intensive non‐radiative deactivation pathway. In this study, an ultralong‐lived room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) system has been achieved using a hydrogen‐bonding strategy where poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrices were doped with tryptophan (Trp) derivatives. The PVA film doped with N‐α‐(9‐Fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)‐L‐tryptophan (Fmoc‐L‐Trp) exhibited a long‐lived phosphorescence emission of up to 3859.70 ms, and a blue afterglow for a duration greater than 34 s, under ambient conditions. The introduction of two other fluorescent dyes (i. e. Rhodamine B and Basicred14) to the PVA film facilitates adjustment to the color of the afterglow from blue to orange, and pink, by a triplet‐to‐singlet Förster‐resonance energy transfer (TS‐FRET) process. These films have been successfully applied in silk‐screen printing and in multicolor afterglow light‐emitting diode (LED) arrays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The H igh lig hts of this study were as follows: in both Il-10-/- and TNBS mice, Pm treatment improved CD-like colitis symptoms; the protective effect of Pm against colitis was to maintain the function of intestinal barrier by inhibiting apoptosis of IECs; and Pm activated the Nrf2/HO1 signaling pathway in IECs, which was related to the effects of Pm on the inhibition of apoptosis. Impaired intestinal barrier function is key in maintaining intestinal inflammation in Crohn's disease (CD). However, no targeted treatment in clinical practice has been developed. Peiminine (Pm) strongly protects the epithelial barrier, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether Pm affects CD-like colitis and potential mechanisms for its action. Trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced mice and Il-10-/- mice were used as CD animal models. Colitis symptoms, histological analysis, and intestinal barrier permeability were used to assess the Pm's therapeutic effect on CD-like colitis. The colon organoids were induced by TNF-α to evaluate the direct role of Pm in inhibiting apoptosis of the intestinal epithelial cells. Western blotting and small molecule inhibitors were used to investigate further the potential mechanism of Pm in inhibiting apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells. Pm treatment reduced body weight loss, disease activity index (DAI) score, and inflammatory score, demonstrating that colonic inflammation in mice were alleviated. Pm decreased the intestinal epithelial apoptosis, improved the intestinal barrier function, and prevented the loss of tight junction proteins (ZO1 and claudin-1) in the colon of CD mice and TNF-α-induced colonic organoids. Pm activated Nrf2/HO1 signaling, which may protect intestinal barrier function. Pm inhibits intestinal epithelial apoptosis in CD mice by activating Nrf2/HO1 pathway. This partially explains the potential mechanism of Pm in ameliorating intestinal barrier function in mice and provides a new approach to treating CD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study on an ancient river-damming landslide in the SE Tibet Plateau, China, with a focus on time-dependent gravitational creep leading to slope failure associated with progressive fragmentation during motion. Field investigation shows that the landslide, with an estimated volume of 4.9 × 107 m3, is a translational toe buckling slide. Outcrops of landslide deposits, buckling, toe shear, residual landslide dam, and lacustrine sediments are distributed at the slope base. The landslide deposits formed a landslide dam over 60 m high and at one time blocked the Jinsha River. Optically stimulated luminescence dating for the lacustrine sediments indicates that the landslide occurred at least 2,600 years ago. To investigate the progressive evolution and failure behavior of the landslide, numerical simulations using the distinct element method are conducted. The results show that the evolution of the landslide could be divided into three stages: a time-dependent gravitational creep process, rapid failure, and granular flow deposition. It probably began as a long-term gravitationally induced buckling of amphibolite rock slabs along a weak interlayer composed of mica schist which was followed by progressive fragmentation during flow-like motion, evolving into a flow-like movement, which deposited sediments in the river valley. According to numerical modeling results, the rapid failure stage lasted 35 s from the onset of sudden failure to final deposition, with an estimated maximum movement rate of 26.8 m/s. The simulated topography is close to the post-landslide topography. Based on field investigation and numerical simulation, it can be found that the mica schist interlayer and bedding planes are responsible for the slope instability, while strong toe erosion caused by the Jinsha River caused the layered rock mass to buckle intensively. Rainfall or an earthquake cannot be ruled out as a potential trigger of the landslide, considering the climate condition and the seismic activity on centennial to millennial timescales in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel fluorescent compound, 7-diethylamino-3-(2'-(1H-imidazo[4,5-b]phenazine)yl)coumarin (DIPC), was synthesized and employed as a fluorescent probe for detecting tin (IV) ion. Upon addition of tin (IV) ion to the solution of DIPC in DMSO–water (9:1, v/v), DIPC exhibited a considerable red-shift in its absorption spectrum and a decrease in fluorescence intensity. These changes result from tin (IV) ion binding to carbonyl oxygen of coumarin and nitrogen of imidazole, reflecting an enhanced ICT process from N,N-diethylamino unit to imidazole unit. The tin (IV) ion selective response was clearly observed by the naked eye through color change. We also studied the bioimaging application of DIPC for detecting tin (IV) ion in Hela cells. And a significant decrease of the fluorescence from the intracellular area was observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Doping chromophores in polymer matrixes to deliver room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) is well established. However, there are few examples of polymer-based RTP materials with ultralong phosphorescent lifetimes (>4 s) and afterglow (>30 s) under ambient conditions. We report a series of ultralong-lived RTP films by doping Phenylalanine (Phe) derivatives in a poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix. The phosphorescence lifetime and efficiency of these films can be increased by introducing pentaerythritol (PER), an effect that is attributed to enhanced hydrogen-bonding interactions. The Fmoc-L-Phe@PER/PVA film exhibits a phosphorescence lifetime of 4.42 s and an afterglow duration of 46 s. Co-doping the PVA system with (Rhodamine B and Sulforhodamine B sodium salt) fluorescent dyes allows an adjustment of the afterglow from blue to red and pink. These films have been successfully applied in flexible luminescent materials, silk-screen printing, and multicolor afterglow light-emitting diode (LED) arrays. Phes@PVA films exhibits ultralong phosphorescence emission under ambient conditions. The phosphorescence lifetime and efficiency of these films can be increased by introducing pentaerythritol. The afterglow color of Phes@PVA films can be adjusted through TS-FRET process. This system exhibits promising applications in silk-screen printing and persistent luminescence LED chips. [Display omitted] • Phes@PVA films exhibits ultralong phosphorescence emission under ambient conditions. • The phosphorescence lifetime and efficiency of these films can be increased by introducing pentaerythritol. • The afterglow color of Phes@PVA films can be adjusted through TS-FRET process. • This system show promising applications in silk-screen printing and persistent luminescence LED chips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The sequential excitation energy transfer has been studied in a C16Naph(2,6)C4N+, titan yellow (TY) and fluorescein sodium (FS) ternary aqueous covesicle system. The sequential arrays of chromophores with regulated distance, orders, and orientations were constructed on a non-covalent self-organization system through amphiphilic and electrostatic interaction in aqueous media. The naphthalene group, embedded in the interior of the vesicles, TY and FS anchored on surface of the covesicles through electrostatic interaction, which were employed as donor, mediator and acceptor, respectively, based on overlapping absorption and emission spectra. The sequential energy transfer from naphthalene cascading through TY mediator to FS has been studied in the C16Naph(2,6)C4N+, TY and FS ternary aqueous covesicle system. This sequential excitation energy transfer offers a good model for photoenergy transmission system mimicking photosynthetic systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The comorbidity of pain and depression is frequently observed in patients suffering from chronic pain and depression. However, the comorbid mechanism is not well elucidated and the therapeutic medication is still inadequate. Oxytocin is a neuropeptide synthesized in the hypothalamus. It has been reported to relieve chronic pain and depressive symptoms. However, the analgesic action and mechanisms of oxytocin have mainly been investigated using peripheral or spinal administration. Because of the advantage of intranasal delivery of oxytocin in crossing the blood-brain barrier, we investigated the effect of intranasal application of oxytocin on neuropathic pain and comorbid depressive symptoms in both female and male mice. In female and male mice receiving spared nerve injury (SNI) surgery, intranasal oxytocin (2.4 μg, daily for 28 days) attenuated depression-like behavior, but did not alleviate mechanical hyperalgesia. Intranasal oxytocin not only inhibited the activation of microglia and astrocytes, but also increased the downregulated oxytocin receptor (OTR) expression, reversed the elevated GluN2A, and restored the decreased BDNF expression in the hippocampus. SNI also decreased OTR expression in the spinal cord and increased spinal GluN2A and BDNF. However, intranasal oxytocin treatment did not change the expression levels of OTR, GluN2A, or BDNF in the spinal cord of neuropathic mice. The results suggest that the oxytocin signaling in the hippocampus is involved in the comorbidity of pain and depression, and intranasal oxytocin may have the potential to treat depressive symptoms in neuropathic pain patients. • Intranasal oxytocin alleviates depressive-like behavior in SNI-operated mice of both sexes. • Intranasal oxytocin reverses SNI-induced decrease in hippocampal OTR in both sexes. • Intranasal oxytocin suppresses SNI-elevated increase in hippocampal GluN2A in both sexes. • Intranasal oxytocin reverses SNI-induced decrease in hippocampal BDNF in both sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO), which mediate kynurenine pathway of tryptophan degradation, have emerged as potential new targets in immunotherapy for treatment of cancer because of their critical role in immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment. In this investigation, we report the structural optimization and structure-activity relationship studies of 1-phenyl-1 H -naphtho[2,3- d ][1,2,3]triazole-4,9-dione derivatives as a new class of IDO1/TDO dual inhibitors. Among all the obtained dual inhibitors, 1-(3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)-6-fluoro-1 H -naphtho[2,3- d ][1,2,3]triazole-4,9-dione (38) displayed the most potent IDO1 and TDO inhibitory activities with IC 50 (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) values of 5 nM for IDO1 and 4 nM for TDO. It turned out that compound 38 was not a PAINS compound. Compound 38 could efficiently inhibit the biofunction of IDO1 and TDO in intact cells. In LL2 (Lewis lung cancer) and Hepa1-6 (hepatic carcinoma) allograft mouse models, this compound also showed considerable in vivo anti-tumor activity and no obvious toxicity was observed. Therefore, 38 could be a good lead compound for cancer immunotherapy and deserving further investigation. Image 1 • A series of 1-phenyl-1 H -naphtho[2,3- d ][1,2,3]triazole-4,9-dione derivatives were synthesized as dual inhibitors of IDO1/TDO. • Compound 38 exhibited significant activities against IDO1 (IC 50 : 0.005 μM) and TDO (IC 50 : 0.004 μM). • In LL2 and Hepa1-6 allograft models, 38 showed considerable in vivo anti-tumor activity and no obvious toxicity was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An elastic domain with multiple yield surfaces brings about huge troubles to numerical computations due to singularities, while non-associative plasticity leads further to the open issue of whether constitutive integration is well posed. This study reduces the constitutive integration of non-associative plasticity with multiple yield surfaces to a mixed complementarity problem, represented by MiCP, a special case of finite-dimensional variational inequalities. By means of the projection–contraction algorithm for finite-dimensional variational inequalities and the idea of the Gauss–Seidel method, a new projection–contraction algorithm for MiCP is designed and denoted by GSPC. Applying the monotonicity of the mapping of the MiCP, GSPC is proved convergent theoretically for associative plasticity. For non-associative plasticity, the sufficient condition for GSPC to be convergent is also established if the tension part of the Mohr–Coulomb elastic domain is cut off. Typical examples are designed to illustrate GSPC is highly efficient, accurate and stable, some of which cannot be solved by the conventional return-mapping method. In all the cases, the computational efficiency of GSPC is apparently above the mapping return method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is challenging and desirable to develop an effective molecular design strategy to tune mechanofluorochromic (MFC) activity in organic molecules. Herein, three triphenylamine (TPA) derivatives were synthesized to investigate the MFC properties. The inclusion of iminodibenzyl, diphenylamine and carbazolyl units into the molecules causes some changes in the molecular conformation and packing pattern, which can lead to the variation of MFC activities. Among three TPA derivatives, T 1 exhibits excellent MFC performance upon grinding. In addition, the color change induced by grinding is revisable upon heating. In consideration of the good repeatability and sensitivity of MFC process, T 1 is chosen to prepare the rewritable papers and can be achieved in inkless writing technology. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Bacterial infection poses great threats to human health and the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria requires effective methods to eliminate bacteria and avoid bacterial resistant. Photodynamic therapy (PDT), which applies photosensitizers (PSs) to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) under light irradiation, has attracted widespread concern on bacterial treatment, recently. In this work, we develop a far red/near-infrared (FR/NIR)-emissive fluorescent molecule, AIE-TEA , with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics, for FR/NIR imaging and PDT of bacteria. Due to AIE characteristics and a certain degree of water dispersity, the AIE-TEA can conduct imaging of bacteria without wash process. Moreover, the AIE-TEA can effectively generate ROS under ultralow power white light irradiation (20 mW cm−2) with quantum yield of up to 83%, which is crucial for PDT of bacteria. The AIE-TEA can selectively kill Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus) via image-guided PDT. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • A FR/NIR fluorescent photosensitizer with aggregation-induced emission property. • The photosensitizer can conduct imaging of bacteria without wash process. • The photosensitizer can effectively generate ROS under ultralow power white light irradiation with quantum yield of 83%. • The photosensitizer can selectively kill Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus) via image-guided PDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A fluorescent compound Tetra(3-[benzoylhydrazone] methyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) ethane (IV) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristic was synthesized and used as selective light-up probe for sensing of Al3+. Probe IV shows almost no fluorescence without Al3+, which is selectively enhanced with Al3+ by blocking the photo-induced electron transfer (PET) process, and locking the isomerization of C˭N bond and the intramolecular rotation around this C˭N bond. Additionally, it is interesting to observe that IV can facilely self-assemble into discrete nano-leaves with strong fluorescence emission. Graphical abstract • Probe IV exhibited aggregation-induced emission characteristic. • Probe IV could facilely self-assemble into discrete nano leaves with strong fluorescence emission. • Probe IV was used to detect Al3+ selectively. fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four benzoyl hydrazone coumarin derivatives with different substituents at the phenyl moiety, namely, BHC- OCH 3 , BHC- H , BHC- Br , and BHC- CF 3 , respectively, were synthesized and characterized via photoluminescence, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and other techniques. The results indicate that the compounds exhibit piezofluorochromic properties which are reversible upon fuming or heating. The fluorescence emission peaks show red shift upon grinding and the degrees of the red-shift are dependent on the electronic effect and steric size of the substituents. Based on the results, the roles of the intermolecular hydrogen bonds and the molecular charge transfer process were discussed in detail. This study will help researchers understand the piezofluorochromic mechanism and design new piezofluorochromic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing long-lived room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) organic materials through simple and effective strategy is of considerable practical significance in biological imaging, optoelectronics and sensors. However, achieving efficient RTP emission of organic chromophores is challenging because of the inefficient intersystem crossing (ISC), intensive nonradiative decay and susceptible triplet excited states. Here, we present an effective strategy to obtain RTP emission of indole[3, 2- b ]carbazole derivatives via embedding the molecules in the filter paper matrix. Furthermore, t-BuOK play the role of "key" to open the close-knit hydrogen bonds of cellulose, and then the indole[3, 2- b ]carbazole derivative molecules are trapped in the filter paper matrix to realize RTP emission. The present long-lived phosphorescent systems describe an effective strategy to trigger the RTP emission of organic chromophores. [Display omitted] • Three new indole[3, 2- b ]carbazole derivatives are designed and successfully synthesized. • t-BuOK play the role of "key" to open the close-knit hydrogen bonds of cellulose. • RTP emission of indole[3, 2- b ]carbazole derivatives is obtained via embedding the molecules in the filter paper matrix. • We prepared a long-lived paper base RTP material that exhibits phosphorescence lifetimes of 1070 ms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel fluorescent compound 7-diethylamino-3-[4׳-N-((2-ethoxy)ethanol)methyl aminobenzoylhydrazone]methyl coumarin ( I ) was synthesized and employed as a fluorescent probe for detecting lipopolysaccharides (LPS). This coumarin-based probe exhibited high fluorescence in aqueous environment, which could be quenched in the presence of Cu 2+ ion due to the complexation between I and Cu 2+ . However, the fluorescence of I can be recovered upon addition of LPS, because the binding between LPS and Cu 2+ ion is stronger than that between I and Cu 2+ ion, which disassociates the complexation of I and Cu 2+ ion and releases the fluorescence of I . Therefore, this three-component sensing system can be used to detect lipopolysaccharides in a facile manner. In addition, biological imaging studies have demonstrated that the probe can be used to evaluate the biosorptive capacity for Cu 2+ ion in living bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parainfluenza virus type 3 (PIV3) is one of the most important viral respiratory pathogens for humans and for many animals, but goat infection has been rarely reported. Starting in Aug 2013, goats in the Jiangsu and Anhui provinces of eastern China suffered severe respiratory diseases. In order to identify the causative agent, numerous related pathogens were tested with RT-PCR or PCR. A unique PIV3 strain was detected in most of the clinical nasal swabs or serum samples. The virus was isolated on MDBK cells and characterized by RT-PCR, nucleotide sequence analysis and hemagglutination test. The entire M and F gene coding regions, HN, 5′-UTR-N and L gene fragments were amplified using pairs of degenerate primers. Nucleotide, amino acid sequence alignments and phylogenetic analyses based on these genes indicated that the goat-derived PIV3 strain was distinct from previously reported BPIV3 genotypes and HPIV3 strains. The novel isolate, named JS2013, might be a potentially new member of the respirovirus genus. Goats were experimentally infected with JS2013 culture. The virus-inoculated goats displayed coughing and nasal discharges that were related to respiratory diseases. Viremia and virus shedding were detected during 4–10 days post-inoculation (dpi). Virus-specific HI antibodies became positive from 14 dpi. This is the first report of the detection of PIV3 from Chinese goat herds and genetic and pathogenetic characterization of the novel goat-derived PIV3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel fluorescent compound Tetra((4-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino)methyl phenyl)ethene (3) was synthesized and employed as a fluorogenic probe for detecting Hg2+. This probe exhibits low fluorescence in aqueous environment, which can be enhanced in the presence of Hg2+ due to the complexation between 3 and Hg2+. Furthermore, the fluorescence intensity of 3 can be further enhanced upon addition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), because the binding between 3 -Hg2+ and LPS activate the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) property of compound 3. Therefore, this fluorescence probe is employed as a fluorescent marker to monitor the interaction between Hg2+ and gram-negative bacteria. The biosorption capacity for Hg2+ of gram-negative bacteria is evaluated conveniently by the fluorescence intensity change of compound 3. [Display omitted] • A novel fluorescence probe for Hg2+ is designed and successfully synthesized. • The probe exhibit high selective recognition for Hg2+ in aqueous solution. • The probe can be used as a fluorescent marker to monitor the interaction between LPS and Hg2+. • The fluorescent marker can be used to evaluate the biosorption capacity for Hg2+ of gram-negative bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel fluorescent compound, 4-(trimethyl ammonium chloride)acetamide-2-(1H-naphtho[2,3-d]imidazol-2-yl)phenol (TMACA-NIP), was synthesized and used as a fluorescent probe for detecting glutathione reduced (GSH). The new NIP-based probe exhibited high fluorescence in water, which was quenched during the presence of copper (II) due to the complexation between TMACA-NIP and Cu2+. But after adding GSH into the TMACA-NIP and Cu2+ system, the fluorescence of TMACA-NIP was recovered because the binding force between GSH and Cu2+ is stronger than that between TMACA-NIP and Cu2+, which destroys the equilibrium between NIP and copper (II) ions and releases the fluorescence probe of TMACA-NIP. This three-component competing system of NIP/Cu2+/GSH can be used to detect GSH simply and rapidly. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mechanofluorochromic (MFC) materials display a photoluminescence color change in response to mechanical grinding and pressing. Development of an effective molecular design strategy to tune MFC activity is still challenging. Herein, seven 9, 10-distyrylanthracene (DSA)-based molecules are designed and synthesized as promising MFC materials. These molecules adopt a five-plane twisted spatial conformation that are composed of an anthryl ring and four phenyl rings. The inclusion of cyano groups and different substituents in this five-plane system causes some changes in the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and molecular conformation, which can directly induce new MFC activities. Among seven DSA derivatives, DSA-CN 5 exhibits the highest MFC activity upon grinding. Based on the good sensitivity and repeatability of MFC process as well as suitable stability of the ground state, DSA-CN 5 is selected to fabricate the rewritable papers and can be achieved in inkless printing technologies. [Display omitted] ● Seven new DSA derivatives are designed and successfully synthesized. ● Photophysical properties of DSA derivatives can be easily adjusted. ● DSA-CN 5 was selected to fabricate efficient rewritable papers and can be used in inkless printing technology. ● The printed content can be read distinctly both by the naked eyes and under UV lamp irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biogenic amines are generally produced from the degradation of amino acids in biometabolism, which can be used as an important biomarker for food spoilage. Rapid, simple and accurate detection of biogenic amines is an important task for the food safety. Here we synthesize a series of coumarin hydrozone derivatives with high solid-state emission. BDCH2 exhibits a fluorescent switch between the yellow emission (λ em,max = 555 nm) and the NIR region (λ em,max = 720 nm) upon HCl/NH 3 vapor stimuli. The response time for NH 3 vapor is only 2 s. Utilizing this property, BDCH2 as a biogenic amine vapors sensor can be readily applied in the detection of food spoilage for real-time and visual monitoring the freshness of crawfish and fish with quick response, easy visualization and simple operation. [Display omitted] • Fluorophores exhibit concentration-enhanced fluorescence and high solid-state emission. • Fluorophore can rapid response to NH 3 vapor with fine reversibility and processability. • Fluorophore shows a rapid fluorescent switch for real-time and visual monitoring the freshness of crawfish and fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A polyhydroxy benzoylhydrazone-based low-molecular-weight organic gelator (IV 1) containing a tetraphenylethene fluorophore was designed and synthesized. Gelator IV 1 exhibits exceptional gelation ability in organic solvent comparing to other analogues. More importantly, the time-dependent increase of storage modulus G′ of the gel and fluorescent intensity of IV 1 are almost synchronized, which indicates that the gelation process and fluorescence enhancement are extremely relevant. This provides a convenient method to visually monitor the gelation process of organic gelators by fluorescent detection. Furthermore, gelation mechanism is studied in detail. According to these results, we propose the intermolecular interactive mechanism to understand the gelation process of polyhydroxy benzoylhydrazone-based tetraphenylethene compounds. Image 1 • AIE fluorogen was implanted into the gelator. • Gelation process and fluorescence enhancement were synchronized. • Gelation process was tracked in situ and in real time by fluorescence signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tetraphenylethene (TPE) derivative tetra(3-1 H -benzo[ d ]imidazol-2-yl) -4-hydroxyphenyl)ethene (TBIHPE) which exhibits crystallization-induced emission enhancement (CIEE) induced by tetrahydrofuran (THF) and reversible fluorescence shifting upon HCl fuming and heating or NH 3 fuming was prepared. The CIEE and reversible fluorescence shift process were controlled by imino group and tertiary amine group of 2-(2′-Hydroxyphenyl)benzimidazole (HBI) moiety, respectively. The intermolecular hydrogen bonds between THF and imino group have been observed by single-crystal X-ray structural analysis, which changed the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process of TBIHPE, and induced the CIEE phenomena. The fluorescence emission peak of TBIHPE shows blue shift upon HCl fuming stimuli in solid state. Moreover, the fluorescence emission of HCl fumed TBIHPE solid can recover by heating or fuming in NH 3 vapors. Based on the results, the relationship between photophysical properties and protonation-deprotonation stimuli was discussed. Image 1 • We synthesized a novel tetraphenylethene derivative TBIHPE. • TBIHPE was found to be AEE-active. • TBIHPE exhibited CIEE properties. • The fluorescence emission of TBIHPE could be shifted by external stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oncogene activation and epigenome dysregulation drive tumor initiation and progression, contributing to tumor immune evasion and compromising the clinical response to immunotherapy. Epigenetic immunotherapy represents a promising paradigm in conquering cancer immunosuppression, whereas few relevant drug combination and delivery strategies emerge in the clinic. This study presents a well-designed triune nanomodulator, termed ROCA, which demonstrates robust capabilities in tumor epigenetic modulation and immune microenvironment reprogramming for cancer epigenetic immunotherapy. The nanomodulator is engineered from a nanoscale framework with epigenetic modulation and cascaded catalytic activity, which self-assembles into a nanoaggregate with tumor targeting polypeptide decoration that enables loading of the immunogenic cell death (ICD)-inducing agent. The nanomodulator releases active factors specifically triggered in the tumor microenvironment, represses oncogene expression, and initiates the type 1 T helper (T H 1) cell chemokine axis by reversing DNA hypermethylation. This process, together with ICD induction, fundamentally reprograms the tumor microenvironment and significantly enhances the rejuvenation of exhausted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs, CD8 + T cells), which synergizes with the anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade and results in a boosted antitumor immune response. Furthermore, this strategy establishes long-term immune memory and effectively prevents orthotopic colon cancer relapse. Therefore, the nanomodulator holds promise as a standalone epigenetic immunotherapy agent or as part of a combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors in preclinical cancer models, broadening the array of combinatorial strategies in cancer immunotherapy.

The patch with a superlubricated surface shows great potential for the prevention of postoperative adhesion during soft tissue repair. However, the existing patches suffer from the destruction of topography during superlubrication coating and lack of pro-healing capability. Herein, we demonstrate a facile and versatile strategy to develop a Janus nanofibrous patch ( J -NFP) with antiadhesion and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging functions. Specifically, sequential electrospinning is performed with initiators and CeO 2 nanoparticles (CeNPs) embedded on the different sides, followed by subsurface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization for grafting zwitterionic polymer brushes, introducing superlubricated skin on the surface of single nanofibers. The poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) brush-grafted patch retains fibrous topography and shows a coefficient of friction of around 0.12, which is reduced by 77% compared with the pristine fibrous patch. Additionally, a significant reduction in protein, platelet, bacteria, and cell adhesion is observed. More importantly, the CeNPs-embedded patch enables ROS scavenging as well as inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and promotes anti-inflammatory cytokine levels. Furthermore, the J -NFP can inhibit tissue adhesion and promote repair of both rat skin wounds and intrauterine injuries. The present strategy for developing the Janus patch exhibits enormous prospects for facilitating soft tissue repair.

In cases of deep skin defects, spontaneous tissue regeneration and excessive collagen deposition lead to hyperplastic scars. Conventional remedial action after scar formation is limited with a high recurrence rate. In this study, we designed a new artificial skin bilayer using silk fibroin nanofibers films (SNF) as the epidermis, and silk fibroin (SF) / hyaluronic acid (HA) scaffold as the dermal layer. The regenerated SF film was used as a binder to form a functional SNF-SF-HA bilayer scaffold. The bilayer scaffold showed high porosity, hydrophilicity, and strength, and retained its shape over 30 days in PBS. In vitro, human umbilical vein endothelial cells were seeded into the bilayer scaffold and showed superior cell viability. In vivo analyses using the rabbit ear hypertrophic scar (HS) model indicated that the bilayer scaffold not only supported the reconstruction of new tissue, but also inhibited scar formation. The scaffold possibly achieved scar inhabitation by reducing wound contraction, weakening inflammatory reactions, and regulating collagen deposition and type conversion, which was partly observed through the downregulation of type I collagen, transforming growth factor-β, and α-smooth muscle actin. This study describes a new strategy to expand the application of silk-based biomaterials for the treatment of hyperplastic skin scars., 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 B.V.)

Purpose: To introduce a model for automatic segmentation of thoracic organs at risk (OARs), especially the esophagus, in non-small cell lung cancer radiotherapy, using a novel two-step deep learning network., Materials and Methods: A total of 59 lung cancer patients' CT images were enrolled, of which 39 patients were randomly selected as the training set, 8 patients as the validation set, and 12 patients as the testing set. The automatic segmentations of the six OARs including the esophagus were carried out. In addition, two sets of treatment plans were made on the basis of the manually delineated tumor and OARs (Plan1) as well as the manually delineated tumor and the automatically delineated OARs (Plan2). The Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), 95% Hausdorff distance (HD95), and average surface distance (ASD) of the proposed model were compared with those of U-Net as a benchmark. Next, two groups of plans were also compared according to the dose-volume histogram parameters., Results: The DSC, HD95, and ASD of the proposed model were better than those of U-Net, while the two groups of plans were almost the same. The highest mean DSC of the proposed method was 0.94 for the left lung, and the lowest HD95 and ASD were 3.78 and 1.16 mm for the trachea, respectively. Moreover, the DSC reached 0.73 for the esophagus., Conclusions: The two-step segmentation method can accurately segment the OARs of lung cancer. The mean DSC of the esophagus realized preliminary clinical significance (>0.70). Choosing different deep learning networks based on different characteristics of organs offers a new option for automatic segmentation in radiotherapy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Zhang, Wang, Lu, Chen, Jiang, Yang, Yu and Wang.)

Self-expanding cryogels hold unique prospects for treating uncontrollable hemorrhages. However, development of a mechanically robust, tissue-adhesive, and bioactive self-expanding cryogel enabling effective hemostasis and tissue repair has remained a great challenge. Herein, we report a superelastic cellular-structured bioactive glass nanofibrous cryogel (BGNC) composed of highly flexible BG nanofibers and citric acid-cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol). These BGNCs exhibit high absorption capacity (3169%), fast self-expanding ability, near zero Poisson's ratio, injectability, high compressive recovery at a strain of 80%, robust fatigue resistance (almost no plastic deformation after 800 cycles at a strain of 60%), and good adhesion with diverse tissues. The BGNCs provide sustained release of Ca, Si, and P ions. Moreover, the BGNCs present better blood clotting and blood cell adhesion ability and superior hemostatic capacity in rabbit liver and femoral artery hemorrhage models as compared with commercial gelatin hemostatic sponges. In addition, BGNCs are able to stop bleeding in rat cardiac puncture injury in about 1 min. Furthermore, the BGNCs are capable of promoting rat full-thickness skin wound healing. The development of self-expanding BGNCs with superelasticity and bioadhesion provides a promising strategy for exploring multifunctional hemostatic and wound repair materials.

Objectives: Radiotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Accurate delineation of tumor is the key to successful radiotherapy. Compared with the commonly used manual delineation ways, which are time-consuming and laborious, the automatic segmentation methods based on deep learning can greatly improve the treatment efficiency., Methods: In this paper, we introduce an automatic segmentation method by combining coarse and fine segmentations for NSCLC. Coarse segmentation network is the first level, identifing the rough region of the tumor. In this network, according to the tissue structure distribution of the thoracic cavity where tumor is located, we designed a competition method between tumors and organs at risk (OARs), which can increase the proportion of the identified tumor covering the ground truth and reduce false identification. Fine segmentation network is the second level, carrying out precise segmentation on the results of the coarse level. These two networks are independent of each other during training. When they are used, morphological processing of small scale corrosion and large scale expansion is used for the coarse segmentation results, and the outcomes are sent to the fine segmentation part as input, so as to achieve the complementary advantages of the two networks., Results: In the experiment, CT images of 200 patients with NSCLC are used to train the network, and CT images of 60 patients are used to test. Finally, our method produced the Dice similarity coefficient of 0.78 ± 0.10., Conclusions: The experimental results show that the proposed method can accurately segment the tumor with NSCLC, and can also provide support for clinical diagnosis and treatment., (© 2022 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.)

Purpose: To explore fecal immune-related proteins that can be used for colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis., Patients and Methods: Three independent cohorts were used in present study. In the discovery cohort, which included 14 CRC patients and 6 healthy controls (HCs), label-free proteomics was applied to identify immune-related proteins in stool that could be used for CRC diagnosis. Exploring potential links between gut microbes and immune-related proteins by 16S rRNA sequencing. The abundance of fecal immune-associated proteins was verified by ELISA in two independent validation cohorts and a biomarker panel was constructed that could be used for CRC diagnosis. The validation cohort I included 192 CRC patients and 151 HCs from 6 different hospitals. The validation cohort II included 141 CRC patients, 82 colorectal adenoma (CRA) patients, and 87 HCs from another hospital. Finally, the expression of biomarkers in cancer tissues was verified by immunohistochemistry (IHC)., Results: In the discovery study, 436 plausible fecal proteins were identified. And among 67 differential fecal proteins (|log2 fold change| > 1, P< 0.01) that could be used for CRC diagnosis, 16 immune-related proteins with diagnostic value were identified. The 16S rRNA sequencing results showed a positive correlation between immune-related proteins and the abundance of oncogenic bacteria. In the validation cohort I, a biomarker panel consisting of five fecal immune-related proteins (CAT, LTF, MMP9, RBP4, and SERPINA3) was constructed based on the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate logistic regression. The biomarker panel was found to be superior to hemoglobin in the diagnosis of CRC in both validation cohort I and validation cohort II. The IHC result showed that protein expression levels of these five immune-related proteins were significantly higher in CRC tissue than in normal colorectal tissue., Conclusion: A novel biomarker panel consisting of fecal immune-related proteins can be used for the diagnosis of CRC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Zhang, Zuo, Li, Geng, Ge, Song, Wang, Zhang, Wang, Zhao, Deng, Chai, Wang, Yang, Liu, Qiu, He, Yang, Ge, Wu, Zheng, Li, Chen, Sun and Hu.)

Abstract: With the accelerated aging society in China, the incidence of biliary surgical diseases in the elderly has increased significantly. The clinical characteristics of these patients indicate that improving treatment outcomes and realizing healthy aging are worthy of attention. How to effectively improve the treatment effect of geriatric biliary surgical diseases has attracted widespread attention. This paper reviews and comments on the hotspots and difficulties of biliary surgery in older patients from six aspects: (1) higher morbidity associated with an aging society, (2) prevention and control of pre-operative risks, (3) extending the indications of laparoscopic surgery, (4) urgent standardization of minimally invasive surgery, (5) precise technological progress in hepatobiliary surgery, and (6) guarantee of peri-operative safety. It is of great significance to fully understand the focus of controversy, actively make use of its favorable factors, and effectively avoid its unfavorable factors, for further improving the therapeutic effects of geriatric biliary surgical diseases, and thus benefits the vast older patients with biliary surgical diseases. Accordingly, a historical record with the highest age of 93 years for laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct exploration has been created by us recently., (Copyright © 2023 The Chinese Medical Association, produced by Wolters Kluwer, Inc. under the CC-BY-NC-ND license.)

Purpose: This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of Pelnac dermal regeneration template assisted by vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) and a split-thickness skin graft to cover the large skin and soft-tissue defects at foot and ankle. Methods: This study began from March 2013, up to February 2017. A total of 16 patients met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were included. For every patient, 2 separate operations were performed, the first being thorough debridement of necrotic tissues immediate coverage of VSD at continuous negative pressure suction, and the second being the autologous split-thickness skin graft. At each follow-up, relevant data were documented. Results: The average follow-up was 16.5 months (range, 12 to 42 months). No infections, hematoma, or seroma were observed. 13 out of 16 patients had a complete skin graft "take" (100%). Patients' satisfaction of esthetic appearance was 76.5 ± 5.2/100. The VSS value was 2.2 ± 2.1, representing a good result. Regarding the sensory recovery, the response "normal or near normal" could be obtained in 14/16 patients. Mean AROM for extension/flexion of the ankle was 48.5 ± 4.8° (range 35-62°), and 93.7% (15/16) of patient could obtain a satisfying functional result. Conclusions: Our report indicated Pelnac provided an effective method for management of complex wounds with underlying bone or tendons exposed.

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of Pelnac and split-thickness skin graft for management of complex wound with underlying bone/tendon exposure at forearm and hand.This is a prospective study, beginning from March 2013 up to May 2017. There were 13 patients, with age of 31.2 years. All of them underwent the staged Pelnac and split-thickness skin graft to manage the complex wound with bone/tendon. Postoperatively, scheduled follow-up was conducted.The average follow-up was 15 months. There were no infections, wound necrosis, hematoma, or seroma during the phase when Pelnac was applied. There was 100% "take" of the Pelnac in 12/13 patients. In 11 patients, there was complete skin graft "take". Patients' satisfaction for the esthetic appearance of the grafted area was 75.0 ± 8.5/100. The VSS value was 2.9 ± 2.5. Regarding the sensory recovery, the response of "normal or near normal" could be obtained in 7/13 patients, "slight loss" in 5 patients and "significant loss" in 1 case. The average DASH score was 27.2 ± 18.5, and most patients (12/13) could obtain an acceptable ability to perform the daily activities.Pelnac dermal template is a favorable alternative to flap reconstruction in the treatment of complex wound with underlying tissues exposure.

Objective: To investigate the risk factors of cerebral metastasis of breast cancer and to provide guidance for the early diagnosis and treatment of brain metastases., Methods: Clinical data of postoperative patients with breast cancer were collected in our hospital from 2005 to 2009. All the patients were divided into two groups, with or without brain metastasis. The risk factors of brain metastases of patients with breast cancer were analyzed by the logistic regression., Results: Eight hundred and twenty four early postoperative patients with breast cancer were enrolled. The median follow-up time was 68 months and 199 cases had brain metastasis. The univariate logistic regression results showed that higher grade of tumor, <35 years, premenopausal, clinical stage Ⅲ, HER-2 positive and ER negative, no adjuvant chemotherapy, no adjuvant normal therapy were the risk factors of brain metastasis. The multivariate logistic regression result showed that higher grade of tumor, <35 years, premenopausal, clinical stage Ⅲ, HER-2 positive, ER negative were the risk factors. The mathematical model was used to predict the probability of occurrence of brain metastasis. ROC curve were draw by the value of predict probability as test variable and the brain metastasis status as state variables. The AUC value of this predictive model was 0.743±0.018. The specificity and sensitivity are relative high., Conclusion: Age<35 years, premenopausal, clinical stage Ⅲ, HER-2 positive and ER negative were independent risk factors for brain metastases. This model has the predictive value for the occurrence of brain metastases from breast cancer.