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Abstract: We report a gas sensor using an anodic TiO2 thin films that were synthesized on Si wafer with Pt electrodes on top. The anodic TiO2 films were prepared through an anodic oxidation in fluoride-ion-containing electrolytes. The obtained material was annealed at 450°C for crystallization. Two Pt electrodes were formed on TiO2 film. The electrical behavior during anodization was measured. The material properties of TiO2 film were studied using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Gas response measurements to hydrogen (10, 100, 1000ppm) were carried out by varying operation temperatures ranging from 30 - 200°C in Ar buffers. The sensor showed a prominent response towards H2 at 200°C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Appendicoliths are associated with a more complicated course of acute appendicitis and failure of non-operative treatment. We aimed to update the appendicolith classification originally described in 1966 and to assess the association of appendicolith characteristics with appendicitis severity., Design: This prospective predefined MAPPAC-trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03257423) substudy included patients with CT diagnosed appendicitis presenting with an appendicolith. CT visible appendicoliths were harvested at surgery, measured and characterised by morphological examination complemented with micro-CT and micro-X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Patients were categorised into two groups: appendicolith appendicitis without other complications and appendicolith appendicitis with complications (appendiceal gangrene, perforation and/or abscess). The association of appendicolith classification and characteristics with appendicitis severity was evaluated., Results: Of 78 patients with a CT appendicolith, 41 appendicoliths were collected and classified based on the degree of hardness into three classes. The hardest appendicoliths (class 3) were less common (19.5%) presenting with a stone-hard outer layer and concentrically layered inner structure around a core. The layered inner structure was also observed in class 2 appendicoliths, but was absent in soft, class 1 appendicoliths. Appendicolith hardness or measures (maximum length, diameter and weight) were not associated with appendicitis severity. The spatial distribution of the main inorganic elements of calcium and phosphorus varied within most appendicoliths., Conclusion: This updated classification confirms categorisation of CT visible appendicoliths into three classes based on their physical and chemical characteristics. The data on clinical and aetiopathological characteristics of appendicoliths is scarce and using this systematic classification would add to this understanding., Competing Interests: Competing interests: EMu is currently working as full-time Medical Advisor for Biocodex Nordics. PS reports receiving personal fees for lectures form Merck and Orion Pharma. AJH reports receiving personal fees for lectures from BioCodex, Merck and Pfizer. All other authors declare no competing interests., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Nanocatalytic therapy, an emerging approach in cancer treatment, utilizes nanomaterials to initiate enzyme-mimetic catalytic reactions within tumors, inducing tumor-suppressive effects. However, the targeted and selective catalysis within tumor cells is challenging yet critical for minimizing the adverse effects. The distinctive reliance of tumor cells on glycolysis generates abundant lactate, influencing the tumor's pH, which can be manipulated to selectively activate nanozymatic catalysis. Herein, small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) targeting lactate transporter-mediated efflux is encapsulated within the iron-based metal-organic framework (FeMOF) and specifically delivered to tumor cells through cell membrane coating. This approach traps lactate within the cell, swiftly acidifying the tumor cytoplasm and creating an environment for boosting the catalysis of the FeMOF nanozyme. The nanozyme generates hydroxyl radical (·OH) in the reversed acidic environment, using endogenous hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) produced by mitochondria as a substrate. The induced cytoplasmic acidification disrupts calcium homeostasis, leading to mitochondrial calcium overload, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent tumor cell death. Additionally, the tumor microenvironment is also remodeled, inhibiting migration and invasion, thus preventing metastasis. This groundbreaking strategy combines metabolic regulation with nanozyme catalysis in a toxic drug-free approach for tumor treatment, holding promise for future clinical applications., (© 2024 The Authors. Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Pinosylvin monomethyl ether (PsMME) is a natural compound known for its valuable bioactive properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, PsMME's susceptibility to photodegradation upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation poses a significant limitation to its applications in the pharmaceutical field. This study, for the first time, introduces a strategy to enhance the photostability of PsMME by employing various nanoformulations. We utilized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) coated with polydopamine via a poly(ethylene imine) layer (PDA-PEI-MSNs), thermally carbonized porous silicon nanoparticles (TCPSi), and pure mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles (MPDA). All these nanocarriers exhibit unique characteristics, including the potential for shielding the drug from UV light, which makes them promising for enhancing the photostability of loaded drugs. Here, these three nanoparticles were synthesized and their morphological and physicochemical properties, including size and ζ-potential, were characterized. They were subsequently loaded with PsMME, and the release profiles and kinetics of all three nanoformulations were determined. To assess their photoprotection ability, we employed gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to assess the recovery percentage of loaded PsMME before and after UV exposure for each nanoformulation. Our findings reveal that MPDA exhibits the highest protection ability, with a remarkable 90% protection against UV light on average. This positions MPDA as an ideal carrier for PsMME, and by extension, potentially for other photolabile drugs as well. As a final confirmation of its suitability as a drug nanocarrier, we conducted cytotoxicity evaluations of PsMME-loaded MPDA, demonstrating dose-dependent drug toxicity for this formulation.

Periodontal disease is a significant burden for oral health, causing progressive and irreversible damage to the support structure of the tooth. This complex structure, the periodontium, is composed of interconnected soft and mineralised tissues, posing a challenge for regenerative approaches. Materials combining silicon and lithium are widely studied in periodontal regeneration, as they stimulate bone repair via silicic acid release while providing regenerative stimuli through lithium activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Yet, existing materials for combined lithium and silicon release have limited control over ion release amounts and kinetics. Porous silicon can provide controlled silicic acid release, inducing osteogenesis to support bone regeneration. Prelithiation, a strategy developed for battery technology, can introduce large, controllable amounts of lithium within porous silicon, but yields a highly reactive material, unsuitable for biomedicine. This work debuts a strategy to lithiate porous silicon nanowires (LipSiNs) which generates a biocompatible and bioresorbable material. LipSiNs incorporate lithium to between 1% and 40% of silicon content, releasing lithium and silicic acid in a tailorable fashion from days to weeks. LipSiNs combine osteogenic, cementogenic and Wnt/β-catenin stimuli to regenerate bone, cementum and periodontal ligament fibres in a murine periodontal defect., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Children born very preterm have increased risk of developmental difficulties. We examined the parental perception of developmental profile of children born very preterm at 5 and 8 years by using the parental questionnaire Five-to-Fifteen (FTF) compared to full-term controls. We also studied the correlation between these age points. The study included 168 and 164 children born very preterm (gestational age < 32 weeks and/or birth weight ≤ 1500 g) and 151 and 131 full-term controls. The rate ratios (RR) were adjusted for sex and the father's educational level. At 5 and 8 years, children born very preterm were more likely to have higher scores (more difficulties) compared to controls in motor skills (RR = 2.3, CI 95% = 1.8-3.0 at 5 years and RR = 2.2, CI 95% = 1.7-2.9 at 8 years), executive function (1.7, 1.3-2.2 and 1.5, 1.2-2.0), perception (1.9, 1.4-2.5 and 1.9, 1.5-2.5), language (1.5, 1.1-1.9 and 2.2, 1.7-2.9), and social skills (1.4, 1.1-1.8 and 2.1, 1.6-2.7), and at 8 years in learning (1.9, 1.4-2.6) and memory (1.5, 1.2-2.0). There were moderate-to-strong correlations (r = 0.56-0.76, p < 0.001) in all domains between 5 and 8 years in children born very preterm. Our findings suggest that FTF might help to earlier identify children at the greatest risk of incurring developmental difficulties persisting to school-age.

Clinical treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) remains a major challenge because of the blood-brain barrier, chemotherapeutic resistance, and aggressive tumor metastasis. The development of advanced nanoplatforms that can efficiently deliver drugs and gene therapies across the BBB to the brain tumors is urgently needed. The protein "downregulated in renal cell carcinoma" (DRR) is one of the key drivers of GBM invasion. Here, we engineered porous silicon nanoparticles (pSiNPs) with antisense oligonucleotide (AON) for DRR gene knockdown as a targeted gene and drug delivery platform for GBM treatment. These AON-modified pSiNPs (AON@pSiNPs) were selectively internalized by GBM and human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3) cells expressing Class A scavenger receptors (SR-A). AON was released from AON@pSiNPs, knocked down DRR and inhibited GBM cell migration. Additionally, a penetration study in a microfluidic-based BBB model and a biodistribution study in a glioma mice model showed that AON@pSiNPs could specifically cross the BBB and enter the brain. We further demonstrated that AON@pSiNPs could carry a large payload of the chemotherapy drug temozolomide (TMZ, 1.3 mg of TMZ per mg of NPs) and induce a significant cytotoxicity in GBM cells. On the basis of these results, the nanocarrier and its multifunctional strategy provide a strong potential for clinical treatment of GBM and research for targeted drug and gene delivery.

Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) based CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system shows great potential in biomedical applications. However, due to the large size, charged surface and high biological sensitivity of RNP, its efficient delivery with precise control remains highly challenging. Herein, a microfluidic-assisted metal-organic framework (MOF) based biomineralization strategy is designed and utilized for the efficient delivery and remote regulation of CRISPR/Cas9 RNP gene editing. The strategy is realized by biomimetic growing of thermo-responsive EuMOFs onto photothermal template Prussian blue (PB). The RNP is loaded during MOFs crystallization in microfluidic channels. By adjusting different microfluidic parameters, well-defined and comparable RNP encapsulated nanocarrier (PB@RNP-EuMOFs) are obtained with high loading efficiency (60%), remarkable RNP protection and NIR-stimulated release capacity. Upon laser exposure, the nanocarrier induces effective endosomal escape (4 h) and precise gene knockout of green fluorescent protein by 40% over 2 days. Moreover, the gene-editing activity can be programmed by tuning exposure times (42% for three times and 47% for four times), proving more controllable and inducible editing modality compared to control group without laser irradiation. This novel microfluidic-assisted MOFs biomineralization strategy thus offers an attractive route to optimize delivery systems and reduce off-target side effects by NIR-triggered remote control of CRISPR/Cas9 RNP, improving the potential for its highly efficient and precise therapeutic application.

Porous silicon (PSi) nanoparticles have been applied in various fields, such as catalysis, imaging, and biomedical applications, because of their large specific surface area, easily modifiable surface chemistry, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. For biomedical applications, it is important to precisely control the surface modification of PSi-based materials and quantify the functionalization density, which determines the nanoparticle's behavior in the biological system. Therefore, we propose here an optimized solution to quantify the functionalization groups on PSi, based on the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method by combining the hydrolysis with standard 1 H NMR experiments. We optimized the hydrolysis conditions to degrade the PSi, providing mobility to the molecules for NMR detection. The NMR parameters were also optimized by relaxation delay and the number of scans to provide reliable NMR spectra. With an internal standard, we quantitatively analyzed the surficial amine groups and their sequential modification of polyethylene glycol. Our investigation provides a reliable, fast, and straightforward method in quantitative analysis of the surficial modification characterization of PSi requiring a small amount of sample.

As a result of the deficient tumor-specific antigens, potential off-target effect, and influence of protein corona, metal-organic framework nanoparticles have inadequate accumulation in tumor tissues, limiting their therapeutic effects. In this work, a pH-responsive linker (L) is prepared by covalently modifying oleylamine (OA) with 3-(bromomethyl)-4-methyl-2,5-furandione (MMfu) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). Then, the L is embedded into a solid lipid nanoshell to coat apilimod (Ap)-loaded zeolitic imidazolate framework (Ap-ZIF) to form Ap-ZIF@SLN#L. Under the tumor microenvironment, the hydrophilic PEG and MMfu are removed, exposing the hydrophobic OA on Ap-ZIF@SLN#L, increasing their uptake in cancer cells and accumulation in the tumor. The ZIF@SLN#L nanoparticle induces reactive oxygen species (ROS). Ap released from Ap-ZIF@SLN#L significantly promotes intracellular ROS and lactate dehydrogenase generation. Ap-ZIF@SLN#L inhibits tumor growth, increases the survival rate in mice, activates the tumor microenvironment, and improves the infiltration of macrophages and T cells in the tumor, as demonstrated in two different tumor-bearing mice after injections with Ap-ZIF@SLN#TL. Furthermore, mice show normal tissue structure of the main organs and the normal serum level in alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase after treatment with the nanoparticles. Overall, this pH-responsive targeting strategy improves nanoparticle accumulation in tumors with enhanced therapeutic effects., (© 2022 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Plastics are one of the most widely used polymeric materials. However, they are often undegradable and non-recyclable due to the very stable covalent bonds of macromolecules, causing environmental pollution and health problems. Here, we report that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) could drive the formation of robust, stable, and sustainable plastics using small molecules. The LLPS process could sequester and concentrate solutes, strengthen the non-covalent association between molecules and produce a bulk material whose property was highly related to the encapsulated water amounts. It was a robust plastic with a remarkable Young's modulus of 139.5 MPa when the water content was low while became adhesive and could instantly self-heal with more absorbed water. Finally, responsiveness enabled the material to be highly recyclable. This work allowed us to understand the LLPS at the molecular level and demonstrated that LLPS is a promising approach to exploring eco-friendly supramolecular plastics that are potential substitutes for conventional polymers., (© 2022 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

We report observations of vateritic crystallization in the sagittal otoliths of the Baltic herring Clupea harengus membras in the northern Baltic Sea. While the existence of vaterite in the calcium carbonate matrix of sagittal otoliths has been observed in various species globally, reports from the brackish Baltic Sea are few in number. Large variation in the frequency of vaterite in 1984, 1988, 1997, 2010 and 2017 was observed, suggesting that the phenomenon is not static and more long-term studies should be conducted in search of the ultimate causing factors., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

Many drugs with anticancer potential fail in their translation to the clinics due to problems related to pharmacokinetics. LEM2 is a new dual inhibitor of MDM2/mutp53-TAp73 interactions with interesting in vitro anticancer activity, which opens new hopes as an unconventional anticancer therapeutic strategy against cancers lacking p53 or with impaired p53 pathways. As others xanthone derivatives, LEM2 has limited aqueous solubility, posing problems to pursue in vivo assays, and therefore limiting its potential clinical translation. In this work, a mesoporous silicon (PSi)-based nanodelivery system was developed with folate functionalization (APTES-TCPSi-PEG-FA) for targeted delivery, which successfully increased LEM2 solubility when compared to bulk LEM2, evidenced in payload release study. Such effect was reflected on the increase of LEM2 cytotoxicity in HCT116 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells when treated with LEM2-loaded APTES-TCPSi-PEG-FA, by reducing cell viability lower than 50% in comparison with bulk LEM2. Despite the reduced LEM2 loading degree, which still limits its application in further in vivo assays, the results obtained herein recognize PSi-based nanodelivery systems as a promising strategy to improve LEM2 anticancer activity and bioavailability, which will be relevant for the potential use of this potent TAp73 activator in anticancer therapy., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This work presents a new approach for more effective valorization of sawmill wastes (Beech and Cedar sawdusts), which were used as new sources for the extraction of lignin-containing and lignin-free cellulose II nanocrystals (L-CNCs and CNCs). It was shown that the properties of the extracted nanocrystals depend on the nature of the used sawdust (softwood or hardwood sawdusts). L-CNCs and CNCs derived from Beech fibers were long and thin and also had a higher crystallinity, compared with those obtained from Cedar fibers. Thanks to their interesting characteristics and their high crystallinity, these nanocrystals have been used without changing their surfaces as template cores for nanostructured hollow silica-free-surfactant synthesis for photocatalysis to degrade methylene blue (MB) dye. The synthesis was performed with a simple and efficient sol-gel method using tetraethyl orthosilicate as the silica precursor followed by calcination at 650 °C. The obtained materials were denoted as B/L-CNC/nanoSiO 2 , B/CNC/nanoSiO 2 , C/L-CNC/nanoSiO 2 , and C/CNC/nanoSiO 2 , when the used L-CNC and CNC cores are from Beech and Cedar, respectively. By comprehensive analysis, it was demonstrated that the nanostructured silica were quite uniform and had a similar morphology as the templates. Also, the pore sizes were closely related to the dimensions of L-CNC and CNC templates, with high specific surface areas. The photocatalytic degradation of MB dye was about 94, 98, 74, and 81% for B/L-CNC/nanoSiO 2 , B/CNC/nanoSiO 2 , C/L-CNC/nanoSiO 2 , and C/CNC/nanoSiO 2 , respectively. This study provides a simple route to extract L-CNCs and CNCs as organic templates to prepare nanostructured silica. The different silica structures showed excellent photodegradation of MB.

Scope: Nutrients stimulate the secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), an incretin hormone, secreted from enteroendocrine L-cells which decreases food intake. Thus, GLP-1 analogs are approved for the treatment of obesity, yet cost and side effects limit their use. L-cells are mainly localized in the distal ileum and colon, which hinders the utilization of nutrients targeting GLP-1 secretion. This study proposes a controlled delivery system for nutrients, inducing a prolonged endogenous GLP-1 release which results in a decrease food intake., Methods and Results: α-Linolenic acid (αLA) was loaded into thermally hydrocarbonized porous silicon (THCPSi) particles. In vitro characterization and in vivo effects of αLA loaded particles on GLP-1 secretion and food intake were studied in mice. A total of 40.4 ± 3.2% of loaded αLA is released from particles into biorelevant buffer over 24 h, and αLA loaded THCPSi significantly increased in vitro GLP-1 secretion. Single-dose orally given αLA loaded mesoporous particles increased plasma active GLP-1 levels at 3 and 4 h and significantly reduced the area under the curve of 24 h food intake in mice., Conclusions: αLA loaded THCPSi particles could be used to endogenously stimulate sustain gastrointestinal hormone release and reduce food intake., (© 2021 The Authors. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) formed by hydrogen bond donors and acceptors are a promising new class of solvents. Both hydrophilic and hydrophobic binary DESs readily absorb water, making them ternary mixtures, and a small water content is always inevitable under ambient conditions. We present a thorough study of a typical hydrophobic DES formed by a 1:2 mole ratio of tetrabutyl ammonium chloride and decanoic acid, focusing on the effects of a low water content caused by absorbed water vapor, using multinuclear NMR techniques, molecular modeling, and several other physicochemical techniques. Already very low water contents cause dynamic nanoscale phase segregation, reduce solvent viscosity and fragility, increase self-diffusion coefficients and conductivity, and enhance local dynamics. Water interferes with the hydrogen-bonding network between the chloride ions and carboxylic acid groups by solvating them, which enhances carboxylic acid self-correlation and ion pair formation between tetrabutyl ammonium and chloride. Simulations show that the component molar ratio can be varied, with an effect on the internal structure. The water-induced changes in the physical properties are beneficial for most prospective applications but water creates an acidic aqueous nanophase with a high halide ion concentration, which may have chemically adverse effects.

Oral insulin delivery could change the life of millions of diabetic patients as an effective, safe, easy-to-use, and affordable alternative to insulin injections, known by an inherently thwarted patient compliance. Here, we designed a multistage nanoparticle (NP) system capable of circumventing the biological barriers that lead to poor drug absorption and bioavailability after oral administration. The nanosystem consists of an insulin-loaded porous silicon NP encapsulated into a pH-responsive lignin matrix, and surface-functionalized with the Fc fragment of immunoglobulin G, which acts as a targeting ligand for the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). The developed NPs presented small size (211 ± 1 nm) and narrow size distribution. The NPs remained intact in stomach and intestinal pH conditions, releasing the drug exclusively at pH 7.4, which mimics blood circulation. This formulation showed to be highly cytocompatible, and surface plasmon resonance studies demonstrated that FcRn-targeted NPs present higher capacity to interact and being internalized by the Caco-2 cells, which express FcRn, as demonstrated by Western blot. Ultimately, in vitro permeability studies showed that Fc-functionalized NPs induced an increase in the amount of insulin that permeated across a Caco-2/HT29-MTX co-culture model, showing apparent permeability coefficients ( P app ) of 2.37 × 10 -6  cm/s, over the 1.66 × 10 -6  cm/s observed for their non-functionalized counterparts. Overall, these results demonstrate the potential of these NPs for oral delivery of anti-diabetic drugs., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Communication between biological components is critical for homeostasis maintenance among the convergence of complicated bio-signals. For therapeutic nanoparticles (NPs), the general lack of effective communication mechanisms with the external cellular environment causes loss of homeostasis, resulting in deprived autonomy, severe macrophage-mediated clearance, and limited tumor accumulation. Here, we develop a multistage signal-interactive system on porous silicon particles through integrating the Self-peptide and Tyr-Ile-Gly-Ser-Arg (YIGSR) peptide into a hierarchical chimeric signaling interface with "don't eat me" and "eat me" signals. This biochemical transceiver can act as both the signal receiver for amantadine to achieve NP transformation and signal conversion as well as the signal source to present different signals sequentially by reversible self-mimicking. Compared with the non-interactive controls, these signal-interactive NPs loaded with AS1411 and tanespimycin (17-AAG) as anticancer drugs improve tumor targeting 2.8-fold and tumor suppression 6.5-fold and showed only 51% accumulation in the liver with restricted hepatic injury., Competing Interests: Declaration of Interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A nanograined YBCO target, where a great number of grain boundaries, pores etc. exist, is shown to hold an alternative approach to future pulsed laser deposition based high-temperature superconductor thin film and coated conductor technologies. Although the nanograined material is introduced earlier, in this work, we comprehensively demonstrate the modified ablation process, together with unconventional nucleation and growth mechanisms that produces dramatically enhanced flux pinning properties. The results can be generalized to other complex magnetic oxides, where an increased number of defects are needed for modifying their magnetic and electrical properties, thus improving their usability in the future technological challenges.