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Lignin is the most abundant and only renewable aromatic polymer in nature. Herein, a flexible matrix and the rigid lignin were rationally integrated to prepare high-strength, near-room-temperature self-healing, processable lignin-reinforced polyurethane elastomers (LZPUs). Reversible hydrogen and oxime–amino ester bonds were introduced into the matrix to provide excellent dynamic properties and abundant ligands for lignin–matrix coordination bonds. Abundant metal coordination bonds were constructed between the matrix and lignin via the introduction of Zn2+, which not only effectively enhances the dispersibility and compatibility, but also provides an excellent energy dissipation mechanism for the LZPUs. One of the prepared elastomers, LZPUs, exhibited a high strength of 40.5 MPa, which is twice that of the blank sample and 1.6 times that of the sample without Zn2+. It maintained kinetic stability at mild temperature, but it exhibited a self-healing efficiency of 91.3 % in strength and 99.8 % in elongation at break after decoupling with trace ethanol (≈ 50 μL) at 35 °C. It exhibited a self-healing efficiency of 93.6 % in strength under 1 sun irradiation (0.1 W cm−2) for 4 h. We believe this elastomer offering high mechanical properties with multi-functionality can be applied in flexible drives and photo-thermal power generation. Synopsis: The rational integration of flexible matrix and rigid lignin resulted in LZPUs with high strength, self-healing, and photo-thermal conversion. [Display omitted] • A high-strength and near room-temperature self-healing lignin-containing polyurethane elastomer was prepared using lignin. • The dispersion of lignin and its compatibility with the matrix were effectively enhanced by constructing metal coordination bonds. • The multiple dynamic interactions not only allow the elastomer to exhibit kinetic stability but also to effectively self-heal after decoupling with ethanol. • The elastomer exhibits excellent and stable photothermal conversion capacity under solar light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Water-rock interaction is the main control factor for the formation of hydrogeochemical features in Huangshadong. • Water-rock interaction in Huangshadong area is dominated by C a 2 + and/or M g 2 + ions in replace N a + in rock. • The high N a + content of thermalwater is due to the involvement of albite in water-rock interaction. • A geothermal water cycle model centred on water-rock interaction is proposed. Hydrogeochemical characteristics can reflect important information on the circulation processes of geothermal fluids, reservoir temperatures, etc., which are essential for exploring geothermal field evolution and the rational development of geothermal resources. 23 sets of water samples were collected from Huangshadong and adjacent geothermal fields. Major cations and anions, hydrogen and oxygen isotopes, and 14 C activities were analyzed to investigate the hydrogeochemical characteristics of geothermal fluids and their formation mechanisms. Hydrogen and oxygen isotope analysis and major element chemistry indicate that the geothermal waters in the study area are mainly recharged by meteoric water. The chemical facies of the geothermal waters are mainly N a − H C O 3 and C a − H C O 3 , and most of the geothermal waters have high N a + contents, which are attributed to the involvement of albite in water-rock interaction and the replacement of N a + in rocks by C a 2 + or M g 2 + in water. Geothermometry of geothermal waters suggests that the reservoir temperatures are between 140-150 ℃, and the geothermal water circulation depths range from 2.0 to 4.3 km. The residence time of up to 17.3ka for geothermal water likely suggests the earliest precipitation recharge during the Late Pleistocene. Major element chemistry and hydrogen and oxygen isotope systematics indicate essential information on the origins of geothermal waters and water-rock interaction processes and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the geothermal system in Huangshadong and adjacent areas of Guangdong province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geothermal resources exist in complex and comprehensive geological settings. In the current study, we proposed a CPU/GPU collaborative parallel prestack time migration methodology for geothermal resource exploration. First, seismic geological conditions in Xian County were obtained based on an analysis of drill cores for further seismic evaluation. Then, combined with the analysis of two‐dimensional seismic data in the adjacent area, a test section with three seismic survey lines were designed to explore the geological structure of the study area. In the study area, the seismic data were derived through the multiple coverage reflection wave exploration method with explosive ignition in deep wells and high coverage frequency observations. Finally, we employed CPU/GPU collaborative parallel prestack time migration technology to analyze the obtained seismic data for geothermal resource evaluation. The favorable areas of karst fissure heat storage in Middle–Upper Proterozoic Jixianian and Paleozoic Cambrian–Ordovician rocks were inferred together with two preferred recommended exploration holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research on composite materials with rainbow color (structural color) and ultraviolet excitation characteristics (fluorescence) is the development direction of the new generation of functional photonic engineering materials. Herein, composite materials composed of hollow SiO 2 photonic crystals (PCs) with nanometer thickness and PEGDA gel containing graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were prepared to achieve fluorescence regulation effect and thus apply in multi-level intelligent anti-counterfeiting. Due to the SiO 2 shell thickness of 20–41 nm, the Bragg diffraction law explained that the material underwent secondary refraction, resulting in a wide photonic band gap (PBG). On the other hand, due to the comparison of refractive index between air (n = 1) and composite material (n = 1.46), the transmittance of the composite materials were only 21 %–26 %, indicating strong refractive ability. Therefore, we constructed a PC structure with a wide photonic bandgap (PBG) to provide better wavelength selectivity and coverage range, which would significantly increase the effect of structural color on fluorescence. Based on the unique quantum dot size effect of GQDs, we also investigated the fluorescence enhancement effect with 157 nm FWHM located on PC materials. Therefore, artificial design and control of both fluorescence enhancement and fluorescence suppression had been achieved through multi-level regulation of structural color. We further utilized these properties to create multi-level anti-counterfeiting verification patterns, such as a 3 × 3 digital encoding matrix. The authenticity of the product information must be verified through stepwise identification under specified conditions. This intelligent anti-counterfeiting technology offers a novel approach to safeguard information security. [Display omitted] • A series of hollow SiO 2 photonic crystals were constructed, forming a wide photonic band gap (PBG). • The regulation synergistic effect of structure color and fluorescence was successfully validated. • Fluorescence could be designed and controlled through multi-level adjustment of structural color. • Anti-counterfeiting labels could realize step-by-step encryption and decryption information by mobile phones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the depletion of petrochemical resources and increase in environmental pollution, there has been a significant focus on utilizing natural biomass, specifically lignin, to develop sustainable and functional materials. This research presents the development of a lignin-based polyurethane (DLPU) with photothermal-responsiveness by incorporating lignin and oxime-carbamate bonds into polyurethane network. The abundant hydrogen bonds between lignin and the polyurethane matrix, along with its cross-linked structure, contribute to DLPU's excellent mechanical strength (30.2 MPa) and toughness (118.7 MJ·m−3). Moreover, the excellent photothermal conversion ability of DLPU (54.4 %) activates dynamic reversible behavior of oxime-carbamate bonds and hydrogen bonds, thereby endowing DLPU with exceptional self-healing performance. After 15 min of near-infrared irradiation, DLPU achieves self-healing efficiencies of 96.0 % for tensile strength and 96.3 % for elongation at break. Additionally, DLPU exhibits photocontrolled solid-state plasticity as well as an excellent phototriggered shape-memory effect (70 s), with shape fixity and recovery ratios reaching 98.8 % and 95.3 %, respectively. By exploiting the spatial controllability and photothermal-responsiveness of DLPU, we demonstrate multi-dimensional responsive materials with self-healing and shape-shifting properties. This work not only promotes the development of multi-functional polyurethanes but also provides a pathway for the high-value utilization of lignin. [Display omitted] • A photothermal-responsive lignin-based polyurethane was fabricated using lignin. • The polyurethane has a dynamic cross-linked network containing oxime-carbamate bonds and hydrogen bonds. • The existence of hydrogen bonds and cross-linked structure lead to mechanically robustness. • The polyurethane exhibits efficient self-healing, solid-state plasticity and shape-memory performance under near-infrared irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Enhancing the performance of polymer micelles by purposeful regulation of their structures is a challenging topic that receives widespread attention. In this study, we systematically conduct a comparative study between cyclic grafted copolymers with rigid and flexible rings in the self-assembly behavior via dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulation. With a focus on the possible stacking ways of rigid rings, we propose the energy-driven packing mechanism of cyclic grafted copolymers with rigid rings. For cyclic grafted copolymers with large ring size (14 and 21-membered rings), rigid rings present a novel channel-layer-combination layout, which is determined by the balance between the potential energy of micelles (E micelle) and the interaction energy between water and micelles (E int). Based on this mechanism, we further regulate a series of complex self-assembling structures, including curved rod-like, T -shape, annular and helical micelles. Compared with flexible copolymers, cyclic grafted copolymers with rigid rings provide a larger and loose hydrophobic core and higher structural stability with micelles due to the unique packing way of rigid rings. Therefore, their micelles have a great potential as drug nanocarriers. They possess a better drug loading capacity and disassemble more quickly than flexible counterparts under acidic tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, the endocytosis kinetics of rigid micelles is faster than the flexible counterparts for the adsorption and wrapping process. This study may provide a reasonable idea of structural design for polymer micelles to enhance their performance in biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) are increasing difficult to treat because this pathogen is easily resistant to antibiotics. However, the development of novel antibacterial agents with high antimicrobial activity and low frequency of resistance remains a huge challenge. Here, building on the coupling strategy, an adamantane moiety was linked to the membrane-active Ru-based structure and then developed three novel metalloantibiotics: [Ru(bpy) 2 (L)](PF 6) 2 (Ru1) (bpy = 2,2-bipyridine, L = amantadine modified ligand), [Ru(dmb) 2 (L)](PF 6) 2 (Ru2) (dmb = 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine) and [Ru(dpa) 2 (L)](PF 6) 2 (Ru3), (dpa = 2,2′-dipyridylamine). Notably, complex Ru1 was identified to be the best candidate agent, showing greater efficacy against S. aureus than most of clinical antibiotics and low resistance frequencies. Mechanism studies demonstrated that Ru1 could not only increase the permeability of bacterial cell membrane and then caused the leakage of bacterial contents, but also promoted the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in bacteria. Importantly, complex Ru1 inhibited the biofilm formation, exotoxin secretion and increased the potency of some clinical used antibiotics. In addition, Ru1 showed low toxic in vivo and excellent anti-infective efficacy in two animal infection model. Thus, Ru-based metalloantibiotic bearing adamantane moiety are promising antibacterial agents, providing a certain research basis for the future antibiotics research. [Display omitted] • An adamantane moiety was linked to Ru-based structure and then developed three novel metalloantibiotics. • Complex Ru1 showed excellent antibacterial activity against S. aureus , a stronger potency than most of clinical antibiotics and most of antibacterial Ru-based agents we reported before, and low resistance frequencies. • Complex Ru1 could not only destroy the bacterial cell membrane, but also promote production of ROS in bacteria. • Ru1 has low toxicity and exhibited robust anti-infective efficacy in vivo , better than vancomycin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A convenient, panchromatic adjustable, re-writable photonic paper was prepared. • Photonic paper exhibited excellent pH, temperature, ionic strength, and ethanol responsive properties. • Photonic paper had fast wetting capability and strong reconfigurability. • A time–temperature dependent optical anti-counterfeiting system was constructed. Multi-responsive re-writable photonic paper (MRPP) with inverse opal structure was prepared by introducing [poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-poly(dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate)-poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide)] (PHEMA-PDMAEMA-PNIPAM) multi-responsive gel (MRH) into silica (SiO 2) photonic crystal (PC) template. First, monomers such as HEMA, DMAEMA, and NIPAM were filled into the SiO 2 PC template. Then, MRPP with dynamic responsive color change capability was prepared by ultraviolet (UV) curing and hydrofluoric (HF) etching. MRPP has temperature, pH, ionic strength, and ethanol concertration responsiveness, fast wetting capability (∼1.4 s), strong re-writability (∼600 cycles), and the ability to use inorganic salt solution as an environmental-friendly ink to achieve panchromatic adjustment. Based on the multiple responsiveness of MRPP and its difference in solvent volatility, a time–temperature dependent optical anti-counterfeiting system with higher security level and fast identification of encryption was successfully constructed. The excellent performance of MRPP indicates its great application value in the field of re-writable photonic paper as well as information security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Classification of complex geothermal systems in the Gonghe Basin. • Geothermal gas and isotope characteristics of the Gonghe Basin. • Deep heat source indication based on fluid geochemistry. The Gonghe Basin is located in the northeast of the Tibetan Plateau and is rich in geothermal resources. In recent years, Hot Dry Rocks have been discovered in the basin, and related studies have suggested that localized melts in the middle and lower crust provide an additional heat source. However, there needs to be more conclusive evidence. In this paper, geothermal water chemistry and gas isotope samples from the Gonghe Basin and its neighboring areas were systematically collected. Comprehensive fluid geochemical analysis was carried out in conjunction with the distribution and nature of the regional fracture to propose the circulation pattern of the complex geothermal system and the source of the gas components in the Gonghe Basin. The results show that the hot water in the Gonghe Basin and its surroundings is recharged by meteoric water and can be classified into three types according to its hydrochemical and isotopic characteristics: deep-fluid type (deeper circulation depth or deeper burial of the geothermal reservoirs), runoff type (shallower circulation depth), and mixed type (shallow layered geothermal reservoirs at the center of the basin), with a gradual decrease in the temperature of the geothermal reservoirs accordingly. N 2 of atmospheric origin dominates the hot water gas. Except for the relatively high CO 2 concentration (7.44%) in the deep geothermal reservoir in the center of the basin, most of the samples contain low CO 2 concentration, which is mainly derived from decarbonization of carbonate rocks and sediments, and the contribution of mantle carbon release is almost zero; some of the hot water is detected with a slightly higher content of CH 4 , which is inferred to be of organic origin. The distribution of deep fractures provides a channel for the uplift of deep mantle-sourced volatiles, which makes some hot springs and geothermal wells show some mantle-sourced diagenesis of He, which provides some corroboration for the existence of partial melts in the crust. This understanding is significant for deepening the understanding of geothermal genesis in the northeast Tibetan Plateau and guiding future geothermal exploration in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the astonishing prevalence of localized pain affecting billions of patients worldwide, the development of advanced analgesic formulations or delivery systems to achieve clinical applicability is of great significance. In this study, an integrated PDA-based LiH@PDA@Ag@PAA@Gelatin system was designed for sustained delivery of lidocaine hydrochloride (LiH). By optimizing the preparation process and formulation of the hydrogel, the hydrogel exhibited superior mechanical properties, reversibility, adhesion strength, and self-healing attributes. Moreover, PDA@Ag nanoparticles were evenly dispersed within the hydrogel, and the optimized PDA@Ag@PAA@Gelatin showed a higher photothermal conversion efficiency than that of pure PDA. Importantly, LiH@PDA@Ag@PAA@Gelatin could effectively capture and eradicate bacteria through the synergistic interaction between near-infrared (NIR), PDA, Ag and LiH. In vitro and in vivo tests demonstrated that LiH@PDA@Ag@PAA@Gelatin exhibited higher drug delivery efficiency compared to commercial lidocaine patches. By evaluating the mechanical pain withdrawal threshold of the spared nerve injury (SNI) model in rats, it was proven that LiH@PDA@Ag@PAA@Gelatin enhanced and prolonged the analgesic effect of LiH. Furthermore, LiH@PDA@Ag@PAA@Gelatin induced by NIR possessed excellent on-demand photothermal analgesic ability. Therefore, this study develops a convenient method for preparing localized analgesic hydrogel patches, providing an important step towards advancing PDA-based on-demand pain relief applications. [Display omitted] • A multifunctional LiH@PDA@Ag@PAA@Gelatin hydrogel was developed. • The hydrogel exhibited superior adhesion strength than commercial LiH patches. • The hydrogel possessed synergistic PTT/PDA/Ag/LiH antibacterial effect. • The hydrogel presented a remarkable effect for on-demand photothermal analgesic ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A high-strength and recyclable lignin-based polyurethane elastomer was prepared using lignin. • The elastomer has a multi-level dynamic cross-linking structure. • The rearrangement of hydrogen bonds and strain-induced crystallization lead to self-reinforcement. • The elastomer exhibits excellent and stable photothermal conversion capacity. The preparation of lignin-based polyurethanes with excellent mechanical properties and recyclability remains extremely challenging because of the poor compatibility of lignin and matrix. Inspired by the multiple structures of spider silk and pearl layers, high-strength, heat-resistant and recyclable lignin-based polyurethanes (LPUs) were prepared by introducing weak hydrogen bonds, strong hydrogen bonds and dynamic silyl ether covalent bonds. Multiple hydrogen bonds provided a large energy dissipation mechanism. The covalent linkage between lignin and matrix promoted their compatibility and formed a robust cross-linking network. Depending on the multi-level dynamic interactions, the prepared elastomer exhibited a mechanical strength of 73 MPa, which was 1.9 times higher than that of the blank sample, with an initial thermal decomposition temperature of 310.5 °C and a good recyclability. Especially, the mechanical strength of LPUs was up to 99 MPa after mechanical training. In addition, the abundant conjugated structure of lignin endowed LPUs with an excellent photothermal conversion ability. Under the irradiation of NIR light with 4000 w m−2, the surface temperature increased to 95 °C within two minutes, exhibiting a stable photothermal performance even after 6 cycles. This work showed the application prospects of LPUs in the fields of high strength engineering materials and photo-induced actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignin is a natural polymer with abundant functional groups with great application prospects in lignin-based polyurethane elastomers with self-healing abilities. In this study, a lignin self-healing polyurethane (PUDA-L) was specially designed using lignin as the raw material of polyurethane, combining lignin with Diels-Alder (DA) bond and hydrogen bonds. The experimental results showed that PUDA-L was prepared with good thermal stability, fatigue resistance, shape memory effect, excellent mechanical strength, and self-healing ability by partially replacing the crosslinking agents with bio-based lignin and hydroxylated modified lignin to increase the hydroxyl content. Polyurethane has a tensile strength of up to 29 MPa and an elongation at break of up to 500 %. The excellent self-healing ability of PUDA-L originates from the internal DA bonds and cross-linked hydrogen bonds. After the dumbbell sample was fused and heated at 130 °C for 4 h, the elastomer could be completely healed, the tensile strength was restored to 29 MPa, and the self-healing efficiency was up to 100 %. The developed PUDA-L elastomer has promising applications in sensors and smart skins. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, a novel and low cost redox flow fuel cell that directly converts raw biomass to electricity at low temperature without utilizing any noble metal catalyst is reported. In this cell, Fe 3+ ion, which has strong oxidizing power and is chemical stable, was directly utilized as an oxidant for biomass in anolyte. The reduced Fe 2+ acted as charge carriers, transferring the electrons to the anode of the cell and being converted back to Fe 3+ simultaneously. The degradation chemistry of the biomass from the oxidation reaction and the apparent oxidation kinetics were investigated using glucose as the biomass model compound. The results showed that glucose was decomposed to small organic molecules and even CO 2 , and the reaction rate was significantly affected by temperature and content of reactant. The apparent activation energy of the redox reaction is 127.85 kJ·mol −1 based on the linear relation equation at the initial stage of the reaction. And the preference conditions of the redox reaction are 100–110 °C, 0.2–0.5 mol·L −1 glucose and the mol ratio of C 6 H 12 O 6 /FeCl 3 from 1:10 to 1:12. Meantime, a high potential (VO 2 ) 2 SO 4 solution was synthesized as catholyte which was regenerated by O 2 in the present of small amount of HNO 3 . The power density and discharge current density of the biomass redox flow fuel cell could reach 125.7 mW·cm −2 and 314.2 mA·cm −2 , respectively, which was about 755 times higher than the reported microbial fuel cell by utilizing glucose as substrate. This work provides a promising way for converting abundant natural biomasses, such as crop straws and bagasse, into electricity at low temperature (80–110 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although flexible conductive polymeric sensors responding to different stimulus have been extensively explored, it remains challenge to integrate high multi-stimuli sensitivity into one material. Herein, novel electromechanical sensors were fabricated, exhibiting dramatically enhanced strain- and water/moisture-sensitivity. The hybridized nano carbons of graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were regulated with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), followed by embedding into the polymeric elastomer via transfer process. The CNCs not only fragmentized the electromechanical networks under external stress, but also amplified the swelling effect on the conductivity variation as exposed upon water/moisture due to the mechanical reinforcement and amphiphilic nature. Micro/nano cracks were generated on the conductive surface layer, enabling dramatic enhancement on the sensitivity and reversibility in the strain sensing. The gauge factor was up to 1129 within 20% of the strain, which was higher by 182 times compared to that of the control sample without the CNCs content. Moreover, the electromechanical sensors improved the water/moisture sensing whose sensitivity was enhanced by 65 times due to the micro/nano cracks in the fragmentized carbon architecture. The findings extend the application of natural cellulose to exploit multi-stimuli responsive electronics and provide a facial strategy to optimize the sensory performance, which may greatly benefit the developments of the flexible and wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the drug release rate in well-controlled manner, a new pH-sensitive triblock amphiphilic copolymer methyl poly(ethylene glycol) ether- b -poly( β -amino esters)- b -poly lactic acid (MPEG- b -PBAE- b -PLA) and its self-assembled micelles were developed for anticancer drug delivery. The average molecular weight and molecular structure of MPEG- b -PBAE- b -PLA were confirmed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and 1 H NMR. The formation of self-assembled micelles, the microstructures at different pH values, and the distribution of doxorubicin (DOX) were investigated by dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulation combined with experimental techniques. The copolymers formed stable core-shell-type micelles in water. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) values, particle sizes and zeta potentials of the blank micelles increased along with globule-extended conformational transitions when the pH values decreased from 7.4 to 5.0, due to the protonation of amine groups of PBAE. Obvious increases in the particle sizes and the drug loading content of micelles were observed with increasing DOX. The in vitro release behavior of DOX from the micelles was pH-dependent. The DOX release rate was improved obviously as pH decreased from pH 7.4 to pH 5.0, with over 96% of DOX was released within 48 h. The drug release mechanism under different conditions was also analyzed using theoretical formulas. All the results suggest that the pH-sensitive MPEG- b -PBAE- b -PLA micelles might be a prospective candidate as anticancer drug delivery carrier with well-controlled release behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Structural color-based PUF labels (SCPLs) labels fabricated by colloidal crystals for anti-counterfeiting. • SCPLs exhibit low optical loss and accomplish the safety and practicability of optical PUF labels. • Hiding function of SCPLs prevent the information of SCPL from being leaked. • A high-security mutual authentication system for supply chain realized by SCPLs. Optical physical unclonable functions (PUFs) have been considered to be one of the powerful tools to curb counterfeiting due to the unpredictable preparation process and identifiable information content. Responsive colloidal photonic crystals capable of controlling and manipulating light propagation exhibit low optical loss, stability and hiding function, which are more suitable to accomplish the safety and practicability of optical PUF labels. Herein, structural color-based PUF labels (SCPLs) prepared by injection-casting colloidal crystals propose a highly efficient and stable PUF authentication. With the decimal encode of the reflection intensity level at each pixel, the SCPL can achieve a theoretical encoding capacity of 102500 at 50 × 50 pixels. Utilizing the responsiveness of SCPLs, the PUF features can be switched between invisible and visible states to hide PUF information. Moreover, authentication experiments confirmed that the robustness of SCPL reached 0.994 and 0.960 in tensile test and wetting–drying cycle test, respectively, indicating that SCPL with hiding function, low optical loss and stability can be authenticated multiple times in practical applications. Interestingly, a high-security mutual authentication system for supply chain based on digital storage secret keys is proposed to showcase the strong application potential of SCPLs for various fields such as confidentiality of materials/technologies, dynamic anti-counterfeiting/camouflage, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin injury caused by large doses of ionizing radiation is the common and severe side effect of radiotherapy. However, its therapeutic efficacy is always hindered by early reactive oxygen species generation, repetitive inflammatory microenvironment and bacterial infection risk. Herein, we report an anti-biofouling hydrogel with anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative properties for the treatment of irradiation-induced skin injury. The anti-biofouling hydrogel can be achieved by balancing oppositely charged alginate, hyaluronic acid (HA) and polylysine (PLL) at the optimal ratio, which effectively resist protein and bacterial adhesion, and evades immune response. Moreover, curcumin and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) can be facially encapsulated and substantially released from the hydrogel. Results showed that the resulting AHP-Cur/EGCG hydrogel can significantly weaken the development of skin injury and accelerate its healing process by alleviating inflammation, scavenging ROS and promoting angiogenesis. Therefore, the findings presented in this work provide an effective strategy for clinical management and treatment of ionizing radiation-induced skin injury. • Antifouling hydrogel achieved by balancing oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. • Hydrogel can resist protein, bacteria adhesion and induce negligible inflammation. • Hydrogel dressing can rapidly and effectively promote IR-induced injury healing. • Hydrogel dressing is promising for treatment of ionizing radiation-induced injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-stimuli responsive nanogels, as promising drug carriers for "on-demand" drug delivery, are expected to provide promising prospects for tumour treatment. Herein, new pH/redox/UV irradiation multi-stimuli responsive nanogels, based on polymer micelles self-assembled by six-arm star copolymer of 6AS-PCL-PAA-PPEGMA, were prepared by the complexation of ferric ions (Fe3+) and the carboxyl groups in the polymer micelles. The spherical structure of the polymer micelles, with particle size around 80–110 nm and zeta potential of −30.19 mV, was more conducive to crosslinking with Fe3+ and quickly formed nanogels with the bigger size around 150–200 nm. The DOX-loaded nanogels were obtained by introducing the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) in the nanogels preparation process with a drug loading content (DLC) of 12.04%. Under the exposure to UV, an introduction of a reducing agent (GSH) and a pH response from the PAA block, the nanogels underwent decrosslinking, followed by rapid DOX release (82.1% at 116 h). Moreover, the DOX-loaded nanogels not only could be taken up quickly by HepG2 cells but also inhibited the proliferation of the cells. Hence, these results demonstrated the high potential of the prepared 6AS-PCL-PAA-PPEGMA nanogels for "on-demand" anticancer drug delivery. Unlabelled Image • The nanogels were prepared by the complexation of Fe3+ and carboxyl groups of PAA block. • The DOX-loaded nanogels showed pH, reductant, UV irradiation multi-responsiveness. • The DOX-loaded nanogels were assessed by cell cytotoxicity evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal body mass index is linked to short- and long-term unfavorable health outcomes both for child and mother. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based cohort studies to evaluate maternal BMI and the risk of harmful neonatal outcomes in China.Methods: Six databases identified 2454 articles; 46 met the inclusion criteria for this study. The dichotomous data on maternal BMI and harmful neonatal outcomes were extracted. Pooled statistics (odds ratios, ORs) were derived from Stata/SE, ver. 12.0. Sensitivity analyses assessed the robustness of the results. Meta-regression and subgroup meta-analyses explored heterogeneity.Results: The meta-analysis revealed that compared with normal BMI, high maternal BMI is associated with fetal overgrowth, defined as macrosomia ≥4000 g (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.75-2.09); birth weight ≥ 90% for gestational age (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.64-2.15); and increased risk of premature birth (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.25-2.52) and neonatal asphyxia (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.39-2.17). Maternal underweight increased the risk of low birth weight (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.33-1.93) and small for gestational age (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.51-2.02).Conclusions: Raised as well as low pre-pregnancy BMI is associated with adverse neonatal outcomes. Management of weight during pregnancy might help reduce their adverse neonatal outcomes in future intervention studies or programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to analyze ocular characteristics in patients diagnosed with spherophakia, establish effective diagnostic criteria, and aid clinicians in prompt identification and management., Methods: A retrospective case series identified spherophakia cases through medical records and literature searches. The case group included spherophakia patients, and the control group comprised individuals with similar eye conditions. Intraocular lens calculations used the SRK-T formula, and statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. Diagnostic efficacy was assessed through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis., Results: The study included 12 cases (23 eyes) from medical records and 86 patients (142 eyes) from literature sources. Characteristics of spherophakia included bilateral involvement, younger age, shallow anterior chamber depth, lens dislocation, and secondary glaucoma. A diagnostic criterion based on lens power demonstrated high sensitivity (94.3 %) and specificity (91.9 %). ROC analysis yielded area under the ROC curve (AUROC) values of 0.974 for lens power, outperforming refractive error (0.119), corneal curvature (0.465) and axial length (0.496). The lens power cutoff for diagnosing spherophakia was 31.25D., Conclusion: The study offers crucial insights into spherophakia's clinical characteristics and presents a practical diagnostic criterion using lens power, enhancing early detection and management. Further research is needed to validate and refine these findings, establishing standardized diagnostic criteria for spherophakia., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Wentao Yan reports financial support was provided by National Key R&D Program of China. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Aims: We aimed to elucidate the mechanism leading to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA)., Background: PCOS is an endocrine disorder. Patients with RSA also have a high incidence rate of PCOS, implying that PCOS and RSA may share the same pathological mechanism., Objective: The single-cell RNA-seq datasets of PCOS (GSE168404 and GSE193123) and RSA GSE113790 and GSE178535) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database., Methods: Datasets of PSCO and RSA patients were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The "WGCNA" package was used to determine the module eigengenes associated with the PCOS and RSA phenotypes and the gene functions were analyzed using the "DAVID" database. The GSEA analysis was performed in "clusterProfiler" package, and key genes in the activated pathways were identified using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was conducted to determine the mRNA level. Cell viability and apoptosis were measured by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry, respectively., Results: The modules related to PCOS and RSA were sectioned by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and positive correlation modules of PCOS and RSA were all enriched in angiogenesis and Wnt pathways. The GSEA further revealed that these biological processes of angiogenesis, Wnt and regulation of cell cycle were significantly positively correlated with the PCOS and RSA phenotypes. The intersection of the positive correlation modules of PCOS and RSA contained 80 key genes, which were mainly enriched in kinase-related signal pathways and were significant high-expressed in the disease samples. Subsequently, visualization of these genes including PDGFC, GHR, PRLR and ITGA3 showed that these genes were associated with the PI3K-AKT signal pathway. Moreover, the experimental results showed that PRLR had a higher expression in KGN cells, and that knocking PRLR down suppressed cell viability and promoted apoptosis of KGN cells., Conclusion: This study revealed the common pathological mechanisms between PCOS and RSA and explored the role of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway in the two diseases, providing a new direction for the clinical treatment of PCOS and RSA., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Lin et al.)

Physical unclonable function (PUF) is attractive in modern encryption technologies. Addressing the disadvantage of slow data storage/authentication in optical PUF is paramount for practical applications but remains an on-going challenge. Here, a highly efficient PUF strategy based on random structural color domains (SCDs) of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) is proposed for the first time, combing with hyperspectral imaging system (HIS) for ultrafast storage and authentication. By controlling the growth and fusion behavior of the tactoids of CNC, the SCDs display an irregular and random distribution of colors, shapes, sizes, and reflectance spectra, which grant unique and inherent fingerprint-like characteristics that are non-duplicated. Based on images and spectra, these fingerprint features are used to develop two sets of PUF key generation methods, which can be respectively authenticated at the user-end and the manufacturer-front-end that achieving a high coding capacity of at least 2 2304 . Notably, the use of HIS greatly shortens the time of key reading and generation (≈5 s for recording, 0.5-0.7 s for authentication). This new optical PUF labels can not only solve slow data storage and complicated authentication in optical PUF, but also impulse the development of CNC in industrial applications by reducing color uniformity requirement., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

It is crucial to use simple methods to prepare stable polymeric micelles with multiple functions for cancer treatment. Herein, via a "bottom-up" strategy, we reported the fabrication of β-CD-(PEOSMA-PCPTMA-PPEGMA) 21 (βPECP) unimolecular micelles that could simultaneously treat tumors and bacteria with chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT). The unimolecular micelles consisted of a 21-arm β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) core as a macromolecular initiator, photosensitizer eosin Y (EOS-Y) monomer EOSMA, anticancer drug camptothecin (CPT) monomer, and a hydrophilic shell PEGMA. Camptothecin monomer (CPTMA) could achieve controlled release of the CPT due to the presence of responsively broken disulfide bonds. PEGMA enhanced the biocompatibility of micelles as a hydrophilic shell. Two βPECP with different lengths were synthesized by modulating reaction conditions and the proportion of monomers, which both were self-assembled to unimolecular micelles in water. βPECP unimolecular micelles with higher EOS-Y/CPT content exhibited more excellent 1 O 2 production, in vitro drug release efficiency, higher cytotoxicity, and superior antibacterial activity. Also, we carried out simulations of the self-assembly and CPT release process of micelles, which agreed with the experiments. This nanosystem, which combines antimicrobial and antitumor functions, provides new ideas for bacteria-mediated tumor clinical chemoresistance.

BACKGROUND Spinal cord arteriovenous fistula that only manifests as lower back pain is easily misdiagnosed as myofasciitis, lumbar spondylosis, and other diseases, and incorrect treatment such as glucocorticoid blockade might be given, leading to worsening of the condition. CASE REPORT We analyze the clinical characteristics of a patient with spinal dural arteriovenous fistula who presented with chronic-onset low back pain. A patient with spinal dural arteriovenous fistula presented with chronic-onset low back pain as the only symptom, and was misdiagnosed as having myofasciitis. We assessed the paraclinical data, clinical reasoning, and course of treatment. The patient was an elderly man with low back pain for 1 year. He was diagnosed with myofasciitis in a local hospital and received local blocking treatment using glucocorticoid, and left lower-limb weakness appeared after that. After he was admitted to our hospital, enhanced thoracic and lumbar magnetic resonance imaging and selective spinal angiography were performed, and the results indicated the diagnosis of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula. After surgical treatment, the low back pain and lower-limb weakness were alleviated, and the patient is still under follow-up. CONCLUSIONS The possibility of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula should not be overlooked among patients with chronic low back pain, and caution should be taken when using glucocorticoids for treatment of chronic low back pain.

Multidrug-resistant bacteria resulting from the abuse and overuse of antibiotics have become a huge crisis in global public health security. Therefore, it is urgently needed to develop new antibacterial drugs with unique mechanisms of action. As a versatile moiety, morpholine has been widely employed to enhance the potency of numerous bioactive molecules. In this study, a series of ruthenium-based antibacterial agents modified with the morpholine moiety were designed and characterized, aiming to obtain a promising metalloantibiotic with a multitarget mechanism. Antibacterial activity screening demonstrated that the most active complex Ru(ii)-3 exhibited the strongest potency against Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) with an MIC value of only 0.78 μg mL -1 , which is better than most clinically used antibiotics. Notably, Ru(ii)-3 not only possessed excellent bactericidal efficacy, but could also overcome bacterial resistance. Importantly, Ru(ii)-3 very efficiently removed biofilms produced by bacteria, inhibited the secretion of bacterial exotoxins, and enhanced the activity of many existing antibiotics. The results of mechanism studies confirmed that Ru(ii)-3 could destroy the bacterial membrane and induce ROS production in bacteria. Furthermore, animal infection models confirmed that Ru(ii)-3 showed significant anti-infective activity in vivo . Overall, this work demonstrated that a morpholine-modified ruthenium-based agent is a promising antibiotic candidate in tackling the crisis of drug-resistant bacteria., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that there is no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe complication that can lead to fatalities in multiple trauma patients. Nevertheless, the incidence rate and early prediction of ARDS among multiple trauma patients residing in high-altitude areas remain unknown., Methods: This study included a total of 168 multiple trauma patients who received treatment at Shigatse People's Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2021. The clinical characteristics of the patients and the incidence rate of ARDS were assessed. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were employed to identify potential risk factors for ARDS, and the predictive effects of these risk factors were analyzed., Results: In the high-altitude area, the incidence of ARDS among multiple trauma patients was 37.5% (63/168), with a hospital mortality rate of 16.1% (27/168). Injury Severity Score (ISS) and thoracic injuries were identified as significant predictors for ARDS using the logistic regression model, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.75 and 0.75, respectively. Furthermore, a novel predictive risk score combining ISS and thoracic injuries demonstrated improved predictive ability, achieving an AUC of 0.82., Conclusions: This study presents the incidence of ARDS in multiple trauma patients residing in the Tibetan region, and identifies two critical predictive factors along with a risk score for early prediction of ARDS. These findings have the potential to enhance clinicians' ability to accurately assess the risk of ARDS and proactively prevent its onset., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Tu et al.)

Macrocyclic confinement-induced supramolecular luminescence materials have important application value in the fields of bio-sensing, cell imaging, and information anti-counterfeiting. Herein, a tunable multicolor lanthanide supramolecular assembly with white light emission is reported, which is constructed by co-assembly of cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) encapsulating naphthylimidazolium dicarboxylic acid (G 1 )/Ln (Eu 3+ /Tb 3+ ) complex and carbon quantum dots (CD). Benefiting from the macrocyclic confinement effect of CB[7], the supramolecular assembly not only extends the fluorescence intensity of the lanthanide complex G 1 /Tb 3+ by 36 times, but also increases the quantum yield by 28 times and the fluorescence lifetime by 12 times. Furthermore, the CB[7]/G 1 /Ln assembly can further co-assemble with CD and diarylethene derivatives (DAE) to realize the intelligently-regulated full-color spectrum including white light, which results from the competitive encapsulation of adamantylamine and CB[7], the change of pH, and photochromic DAE. The multi-level logic gate based on lanthanide supramolecular assembly is successfully applied in anti-counterfeiting system and information storage, providing an effective method for the research of new luminescent intelligent materials., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The surge of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus calls for novel drugs that attack new targets. Developing antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) or antivirulence agents (AvAs) is a promising strategy to tackle this challenge. However, AMPs, which kill bacteria by disrupting cell membranes, suffer from low stability and high synthesis cost, while AvAs, which inhibit toxin secretion, have relatively poor bactericidal activity. Here, to address their respective shortcomings, we combined these two different antibacterial activities on the same molecular scaffold and developed a Ru-based metalloantibiotic, termed Ru1 . Notably, Ru1 exerted remarkable bactericidal activity (MIC S = 460 nM) and attenuated bacterial virulence as well. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that Ru1 had two independent targets: CcpA and bacterial membrane integrity. Based on its dual mechanism of action, Ru1 effectively overcame S. aureus resistance and showed high efficacy in a mouse infection model against S. aureus . This study provides a promising approach to confronting bacterial infections.

There is currently limited research on the structure-property relationship of reduction stimuli-responsive polymeric crosslinked micelles using mesoscopic simulations. Herein, dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations were used to simulate the self-assembly process of the blank non-crosslinked micelle, the structure and doxorubicin (DOX) distribution of diselenide crosslinked micelle with different crosslinker contents (CCs) based on the nearest-neighbor bonding principle. The results revealed that the formation of a three-layer spherical micelle and the loaded DOX mainly distributed in the polycaprolactone (PCL) core and hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) mesosphere. The larger the dosage of DOX, the more DOX encapsulated, but the encapsulation of DOX in the hydrophobic domain would reach saturation when the dosage increased to 6.0 %. In micelles with lower CCs or crosslinking levels (CLs), DOX entered the middle layer and the inner core faster. Then, based on the nearest media-bead bond breaking principle and subsequently DPD simulation, the effects of different CCs on the micelle structure and DOX release properties were investigated. Low CC could cause fast drug release. With the increase of CCs, the micelle showed a slower DOX release trend. The multilayer crosslinked network system also affected the DOX release rate. Hence, this work can provide some mesoscale guidance for the structural design and structure-property relationship of stimuli-responsive reversible crosslinked micelles for drug delivery., 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 © 2022 American Pharmacists Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Currently, there have been widespread investigation conducted into responsive photonic crystal hydrogels (RPCHs) characterized by high selectivity and sensitivity for colorimetric indicators and physical/chemical sensors. In spite of this, it remains challenging to use RPCHs for sensing due to their limited mechanical property and molding capability. In the present study, a double-network structure is proposed to design highly stretchable, sensitive, and reusable ion-detection photonic papers (IDPPs) for assessing the quality of visual and portable comestible liquids (e.g., soy sauce). It is constructed by integrating polyacrylamide and poly-methacryloxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride with highly ordered polystyrene microspheres. The double-network structure improves the mechanical properties of IDPPs with their elongation at break increasing from 110 to 1600%. Meanwhile, the optical properties of photonic crystals are retained. The IDPPs achieve a fast ion response by applying control on the swelling behavior of the hydration radius of the counter ions through ion exchange. Given a certain concentration range (0.01-0.10 M), chloride ions can be detected fast (3-30 s) by exchanging ions with a small hydration radius through an IDPP, which is clearly observable. Due to the improvement of mechanical properties and the reversible exchange of ions derived from IDPPs, their reusability is significantly enhanced (>30 times). Characterized by a simple operation, high durability, and excellent sustainability, these IDPPs are promising for practical application in food security and human health assessment.

Hyaluronic acid (HA), which contains multiple carboxyl, hydroxyl, and acetylamino groups and is an agent that targets tumors, has drawn great attention in supramolecular diagnosis and treatment research. It can not only assemble directly with macrocyclic host-guest complexes through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions but also can be modified with macrocyclic compounds or functional guest molecules by an amidation reaction and used for further assembly. Macrocycles play a main role in the construction of supramolecular drug carriers, targeted imaging agents, and hydrogels, such as cyclodextrins and cucurbit[ n ]urils, which can encapsulate photosensitizers, drugs, or other functional guest molecules via host-guest interactions. Therefore, the formed supramolecular assemblies can respond to various stimuli, such as enzymes, light, electricity, and magnetism for controlled drug delivery, enhance the luminescence intensity of the assembly, and improve drug loading capacity. In addition, the nanosupramolecular assembly formed with HA can also improve the biocompatibility of drugs, reduce drug toxicity and side effects, and enhance cell permeability; thus, the assembly has extensive application value in biomedical research. This Account mainly focuses on macrocyclic supramolecular assemblies based on HA, especially their biological applications and progress in the field, and these assemblies include (i) guest-modified HA, such as pyridinium-, adamantane-, peptide-, and other functional-group-modified HA, along with their cyclodextrin and cucurbit[ n ]uril assemblies; (ii) macrocycle-modified HA, such as HA modified with cyclodextrins and cucurbit[ n ]uril derivatives and their assembly with various guests; (iii) direct assembly between unmodified HA and cyclodextrin- or cucurbit[n]uril-based host-guest complexes. Particularly, we discussed the important role of macrocyclic host-guest complexes in HA-based supramolecular assembly, and the roles included improving the water solubility and efficacy of hydrophobic drugs, enhancing the luminescent intensity of assemblies, inducing room temperature phosphorescence and providing energy transfer systems, constructing multi-stimulus-responsive supramolecular assemblies, and in situ formation of hydrogels. Additionally, we believe that obtaining in-depth knowledge of these HA-based macrocyclic supramolecular assemblies and their biological applications encompasses many challenges regarding drug carriers, targeted imaging agents, wound healing, and biomedical soft materials and would certainly contribute to the rapid development of supramolecular diagnosis and treatment.

Age is an important factor that determines the physiological functions of the human body, but the changes in maternal physiology, biochemistry, and intestinal flora related to reproductive age and their impact on offspring are not clear. Here, we tested and analyzed the clinical physiological and biochemical indicators and/or intestinal flora, matching the data of 252 parturients and their newborns. We found that 4 clinical indicators, including the white blood cell count and the absolute value of monocytes, were significantly related to the reproductive age ( P < 0.05). The composition of the intestinal flora also varied with age, and the intestinal flora of advanced-age women (≥35 years old) was different from that of middle-aged women (>25 and <35 years old). We also found that changes in maternal clinical physiological and biochemical indicators related to reproductive age could reflect changes in the abundance of bacteria, such as Peptococcus and Vibrio , and changes in the intestinal flora spread to offspring. These results provide new evidence to explain the increased adverse pregnancy outcomes of mothers of inappropriate age, describe the increased health risks of newborns, help us examine the importance of age-appropriate birth from a broader perspective, and contribute to the discovery of mother-child bonds for a better understanding of healthy reproduction. IMPORTANCE In this study, we demonstrated that physiological indicators and the gut microbiome fluctuate drastically among parturients of different reproductive ages and that there is a significant correlation between the two changes. Mothers of different ages had different gut microbes, and the gut microbiota varied as the childbearing age became too high. Changes in the gut microbiome with maternal reproductive age affected the offspring, and the influence of reproductive age on the intestinal flora had a synergistic effect between mother and child that was revealed for the first time. The maternal childbearing age might affect the colonization of the offspring's initial flora. The results provide new evidence to explain the increased adverse pregnancy outcomes of mothers of inappropriate age, describe the increased health risks of newborns, and contribute to the discovery of mother-child bonds for a better understanding of healthy reproduction.

Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is a frequent abnormal pregnancy with long-term psychological repercussions that disrupt the peace of the whole family. In the diagnosis and treatment of RSA worsened by thyroid disorders, recurrent spontaneous abortion is also a significant obstacle. The pathogenesis and possible treatment methods for RSA are yet unclear. Using clinical information, vitamin D and thyroid function measurements from normal pregnant women with RSA, we attempt to build a framework for conducting an effective analysis for RSA in this research. The framework is presented by combining the joint self-adaptive sime mould algorithm (JASMA) with the common kernel learning support vector machine with maximum-margin hyperplane theory, abbreviated as JASMA-SVM. The JASMA has a complete set of adaptive parameter change methods, which improves the algorithm's global search and optimization capabilities and guarantees that it speeds convergence and departs from the local optimum. On CEC 2014 benchmarks, the property of JASMA is validated, and then it is utilized to concurrently optimize parameters and select optimal features for SVM on RSA data from VitD, thyroid hormone levels, and thyroid autoantibodies. The statistical results demonstrate that the proposed JASMA-SVM can be treated as a potential tool for RSA with accuracy of 92.998%, MCC of 0.92425, sensitivity of 93.286%, specificity of 93.064%., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study aimed to integrate DNA methylation, miRNA, and mRNA microarray data to construct a gene co-expression network for polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)., Methods: The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was conducted to construct a PCOS-related co-expression network by using the GEO public datasets. We performed Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses for a further exploration of gene function in networks. Finally, the dysfunction module consisting of a co-expression network was mapped to the PCOS patients and tried to provide guidance to the PCOS phenotyping., Results: Three modules (Midnightbule, Pink, and Red) were identified to be PCOS-related by WGCNA analysis. These module-related genes were enriched in cell response to stimulus, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, insulin biological process, signaling pathway, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction biological processes. The multiple-factor network, including miRNA-lncRNA and DNA methylation-mRNA interaction, was closely associated with PCOS dysfunction., Conclusion: Our study render a novel insight into the mechanisms and might provide candidate biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the classification of PCOS dysfunction., Competing Interests: None., (AJTR Copyright © 2022.)

Multivalent supramolecular assemblies have recently attracted extensive attention in the applications of soft materials and cell imaging. Here, we report a novel multivalent supramolecular assembly constructed from 4-(4-bromophenyl)pyridine-1-ium bromide modified hyaluronic acid (HABr), cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) and laponite® clay (LP), which could emit purely organic room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) with a phosphorescence lifetime of up to 4.79 ms in aqueous solution via multivalent supramolecular interactions. By doping the organic dyes rhodamine B (RhB) or sulfonated rhodamine 101 (SR101) into the HABr/CB[8]/LP assembly, phosphorescence energy transfer was realized with high transfer efficiency (energy transfer efficiency = 73-80%) and ultrahigh antenna effect (antenna effect value = 308-362) within the phosphorescent light harvesting system. Moreover, owing to the dynamic nature of the noncovalent interactions, a wide-range spectrum of phosphorescence energy transfer outputs could be obtained not only in water but also on filter paper and a glass plate by adjusting the donor-acceptor ratio and, importantly, white-light emission was obtained, which could be used in the application of information encryption., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

This study introduced multistage pH-responsive nanohybrids (MSN-hyd-MOP) based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) modified with polymers with charge-reversal property via an acid-labile hydrazone linker, which were applied as a drug delivery system loaded anticancer drugs. In this study, MSN-hyd-MOP nanohybrids were completely investigated for their synthesis, pH response, drug release behavior, cytotoxicity capability and endocytic behavior. Responding to the acidic extracellular microenvironment of solid tumor (pH 6.5), MSN-hyd-MOP nanohybrids exhibited surface charge-reversal characteristic from negative (-10.2 mV, pH 7.4) to positive (16.6 mV, pH 6.5). The model drug doxorubicin (Dox) was efficiently loaded within the channels of MSN-hyd-MOP (encapsulation efficiency about 87%). The increased acidity in endo-/lysosome promote Dox-loaded MSN-hyd-MOP (MSN-hyd-MOP@Dox) release Dox quickly. In vitro study revealed the drug delivery system had good biocompatibility and could deliver the payload to tumor cells. Overall, the described nanohybrids can be used as a potential anticancer drug delivery system., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum ) is a warm-season perennial grass. Improving its cold tolerance is important for its sustainable production in cooler regions. Through genome-wide bioinformatic analysis of switchgrass Zinc finger - CCCH genes ( PvC3Hs ), we found that several PvC3Hs , including PvC3H72 , might play regulatory roles in plant cold tolerance. The objectives of this study were to characterize PvC3H72 using reverse genetics approach and to understand its functional role in cold signal transduction and cold tolerance in switchgrass., Results: PvC3H72 is an intronless gene encoding a transcriptional activation factor. The expression of PvC3H72 was rapidly and highly induced by cold stress. Transgenic switchgrass with over-expressed PvC3H72 driven under maize ubiquitin promoter showed significantly improved chilling tolerance at 4 °C as demonstrated by less electrolyte leakage and higher relative water content than wild-type (WT) plants, as well as significantly higher survival rate after freezing treatment at - 5 °C. Improved cold tolerance of PvC3H72 transgenic lines was associated with significantly up-regulated expression of ICE1 - CBF - COR regulon and ABA-responsive genes during cold treatment., Conclusions: PvC3H72 was the first characterized switchgrass cold-tolerance gene and also the only Znf - CCCH family gene known as a transcription factor in plant cold tolerance. PvC3H72 was an added signaling component in plant cold tolerance associated with regulation of ICE1-CBF-COR regulon and ABA-responsive genes. Knowledge gained in this study not only added another acting component into plant cold-tolerance mechanism, but also be of high value for genetic improvement of cold tolerance in switchgrass as well as other warm-season grasses., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Well-defined polymer micelles with core-shell structure are good delivery platform for stabilizing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in the field of antimicrobials targeting diseases. The rational construction of the polymer structure, an efficient, facile, and green preparation approach, and comprehensive exploration of the derived AgNPs are necessary, such as size, particle stability, antibacterial activity, and other properties. Herein, we designed and assessed the in vitro antimicrobial activity of AgNPs-decorated copolymer micelles with different copolymer topologies. First, linear or four-arm star triblock copolymers with the similar molecular weight and degree of polymerization were obtained, which consisted of DMAEMA for in situ reduction of silver ions to form AgNPs without external reducing agent. HEMA and PEGMA in micellar shell gave an enhanced stability of AgNPs during blood circulation. The combination of computational modeling and experimental results indicated that both types of micelles could fabricate AgNPs with monodisperse and spherical morphology. Star copolymer micelles stabilized AgNPs had smaller average size, better stability, and higher antibacterial activity than those with linear structure, which may due to higher stability of micelles from star copolymers. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity evaluation test showed that the achieved linear or star copolymers micelles stabilized AgNPs had good biocompatibility. This work provides a facile and universal approach in the rational design of micelles stabilized AgNPs with suitable topology for fighting against a wide range of bacterial infections.

Ordered nanopatterns of triblock copolymer polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine)-block- poly (ethylene oxide)(PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO) have been achieved by the addition of lithium chloride (LiCl). The morphological and structural evolution of PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO/LiCl thin films were systematically investigated by varying different experimental parameters, including the treatment for polymer solution after the addition of LiCl, the time scale of ultrasonic treatment and the molar ratio of Li + ions to the total number of oxygen atoms (O) in PEO block and the nitrogen atoms (N) in P2VP block. When toluene was used as the solvent for LiCl, ordered nanopattern with cylinders or nanostripes could be obtained after spin-coating. The mechanism of nanopattern transformation was related to the loading of LiCl in different microdomains.

The development of an in situ formed pH-responsive theranostic nanocomposite for anticancer drug delivery and computed tomography (CT) imaging was reported. β-cyclodextrin-{poly(lactide)-poly(2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate)-poly[oligo(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)methacrylate]} 21 [β-CD-(PLA-PDMAEMA-PEtOxMA) 21 ] unimolecular micelles served as a template for the in situ formation of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and the subsequent encapsulation of doxorubicin (DOX). The formation of unimolecular micelles, microstructures and the distributions of GNPs and DOX were investigated through the combination of experiments and dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations. β-CD-(PLA-PDMAEMA-PEtOxMA) 21 formed spherical unimolecular micelles in aqueous solution within a certain range of polymer concentrations. GNPs preferentially distributed in the PDMAEMA area. The maximum wavelength (λ max ) and the size of GNPs increased with increasing concentration of HAuCl 4 . DOX preferentially distributed in the PDMAEMA mesosphere, but penetrated the inner PLA core with increasing DOX concentration. DOX-loaded micelles with 41-61% entrapment efficiency showed fast release (88% after 102h) under acidic tumor conditions. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments revealed superior anticancer efficacy and effective CT imaging properties for β-CD-(PLA-PDMAEMA-PEtOxMA) 21 /Au/DOX. We conclude that the reported unimolecular micelles represent a class of versatile smart nanocarriers for theranostic application., Statement of Significance: Developing polymeric nanoplatforms as integrated theranostic vehicles for improving cancer diagnostics and therapy is an emerging field of much importance. This article aims to develop an in situ formed pH-responsive theranostic nanocomposite for anticancer drug delivery and computed tomography (CT) imaging. Specific emphases is on structure-properties relationship. There is a sea of literature on polymeric drug nanocarriers, and a couple of polymer-stabilized gold nanoparticles (GNPs) systems for cancer diagnosis are also known. However, to our knowledge, there has been no report on polymeric unimolecular micelles capable of dual loading of GNPs without external reducing agents and anticancer drugs for cancer diagnosis and treatment. To this end, the target of the current work was to develop an in situ formed nanocarrier, which actively dual wrapped CT contrast agent GNPs and hydrophobic anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX), achieving high CT imaging and antitumor efficacy under in vitro and in vivo acid tumor condition. Meanwhile, by taking advantage of dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulation, we further obtained the formation process and mechanism of unimolecular micelles, and detailed distributions and microstructures of GNPs and DOX on unimolecular micelles. Taken together, our results here provide insight and guidance for the design of more effective nanocarriers for cancer theranostic application., (Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Co-delivery of antigen-encoding plasmid DNA (pDNA) and immune-modulatory molecules has importance in advancing gene-based immunotherapy and vaccines. Here novel star polymer nanocarriers were synthesized for co-delivery of pDNA and imiquimod (IMQ), a poorly soluble small-molecule adjuvant, to dendritic cells. Computational modeling and experimental results revealed that the polymers formed either multimolecular or unimolecular core-shell-type micelles in water, depending on the nature of the outer hydrophilic shell. Micelles loaded with both IMQ and pDNA were able to release IMQ in response to intracellular pH of the endo-lysosome and transfect mouse dendritic cells (DC2.4 line) in vitro. Importantly, IMQ-loaded micelle/pDNA complexes displayed much enhanced transfection efficiency than IMQ-free complexes. These results demonstrate the feasibility of co-delivery of pDNA and IMQ to antigen-presenting cells by multifunctional polymer nanocarriers with potential use in gene-based vaccine approaches., (Copyright © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Well-defined A 3 (BC) 3 type amphiphilic miktoarm star polymers poly(ε-caprolactone) 3 -[poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-b-poly(poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate)] 3 [(PCL) 3 -(PDEAEMA-b-PPEGMA) 3 ] and their pH-sensitive self-assembled polymeric micelles were developed as anticancer vehicles for improved cancer therapy. These miktoarm star polymers were synthesized by a combination of ring opening polymerization (ROP) and continuous activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET ATRP) and characterized by GPC and 1 H NMR measurement. The CMC values of the miktoarm star polymers in aqueous solution were extremely low (0.0029-0.0035 mg mL -1 ), suggesting that the micelles are relatively stable in solution. The self-assembled blank and doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded micelles were spherical in morphology with average sizes of 110-240 nm depending on the architecture of the copolymers, which were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). When decreasing pH from 7.4 to 5.0, the micelles underwent globule-uneven-extended conformational transitions, and in vitro drug release rates were significantly accelerated, owing to the swelling of micelles at lower pH conditions caused by the protonation of tertiary amine groups of DEAEMA. Moreover, the drug release profiles at different pH values were well fitted by a semi-empirical equation. The in vitro cytotoxicity of DOX-loaded micelles against HepG2 cells suggested that DOX-loaded (PCL) 3 -(PDEAEMA-b-PPEGMA) 3 micelles exhibited similar anti-tumor activities to free DOX, with at least 80% decrease in cell viability after 48 h incubation. Intracellular uptake demonstrated that DOX was delivered into the cells effectively after the cells were incubated with DOX-loaded micelles. The results demonstrated that the pH-responsive (PCL) 3 -(PDEAEMA-b-PPEGMA) 3 micelles could be used as latent vehicles for delivering hydrophobic anticancer drugs with controlled and sustained release behavior.

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effects of curcumin against HeLa cell invasion and migration and explore the underlying mechanisms., Methods: HeLa cells were exposed to curcumin treatment at the concentrations of 0, 10, 25, 50, 100, 150 and 200 µmol/L for 24 h. MTT and TUNEL assays were used to assess the cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis, respectively. Transwell assay was used to evaluate the invasiveness and migration of the treated cells, and RT-PCR and Western blotting were employed to detect the changes in the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and MMP-9 and E-cad, the 2 markers of cell invasion and migration, were detected by Western blotting. The capacity of NO production in HeLa cells was measured by Griess method., Results: Curcumin inhibited the proliferation of HeLa cells by inducing cell apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. Curcumin inhibited the invasion and migration of HeLa cells by increasing E-cad expression and decreasing MMP-9 expression, and also decreased the expression level of iNOS and NO production in the cells., Conclusion: Curcumin inhibits the invasion and migration of HeLa cells by decreasing the expression of iNOS.