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The photocatalytic hydrolysis reaction primarily unfolds on the material's surface, making the material's morphology and microstructure critical for the catalytic efficiency of photocatalysts. In this paper, a formic acid-assisted melamine hydrothermal self-assembly method is explored to prepare g-C 3 N 4 photocatalysts with a unique morphology. The impact of sintering temperature on the morphology of the g-C 3 N 4 photocatalysts are explored and the effect of formic acid concentration on the XRD and FTIR was analyzed. Findings reveal that the g-C 3 N 4 nanostructures photocatalyst possesses fibrous tubular and nanosheet structures, boasting a heightened specific surface area (32.9 m2/g) and a more refined graphite-like crystalline framework. When synthesized with a 0.15 M concentration of formic acid, the g- C 3 N 4 nanostructured photocatalyst achieved a hydrogen production rate (1289.4 μmol h−1 g−1), which is approximately 4.8 times greater than that of bulk g-C 3 N 4 (264.7 μmol h−1 g−1). This work provides a simple method for preparing high-performance g-C 3 N 4 based photocatalysts for visible light hydrolysis hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc anodes of zinc metal batteries suffer from unsatisfactory plating/striping reversibility due to interfacial parasitic reactions and poor Zn2+ mass transfer kinetics. Herein, methoxy polyethylene glycol‐phosphate (mPEG‐P) is introduced as an electrolyte additive to achieve long anti‐calendar aging and high‐rate capabilities. The polyanionic of mPEG‐P self‐assembles via noncovalent‐interactions on electrode surface to form polyether‐based cation channels and in situ organic–inorganic hybrid solid electrolyte interface layer, which ensure rapid Zn2+ mass transfer and suppresses interfacial parasitic reactions, realizing outstanding cycling/calendar aging stability. As a result, the Zn//Zn symmetric cells with mPEG‐P present long lifespans over 9000 and 2500 cycles at ultrahigh current densities of 120 and 200 mA cm−2, respectively. Besides, the coulombic efficiency (CE) of the Zn//Cu cell with mPEG‐P additive (88.21%) is much higher than that of the cell (36.4%) at the initial cycle after the 15‐day calendar aging treatment, presenting excellent anti‐static corrosion performance. Furthermore, after 20‐day aging, the Zn//MnO2 cell exhibits a superior capacity retention of 89% compared with that of the cell without mPEG‐P (28%) after 150 cycles. This study provides a promising avenue for boosting the development of high efficiency and durable metallic zinc based stationary energy storage system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Epothilone B (Epo B), a promising antitumor compound effective against various types of cancer cells in vitro. However, its poor selectivity for tumor cells and inadequate therapeutic windows significantly limit its potential clinical application. Affibody is a class of non-immunoglobulin affinity proteins with precise targeting capability to overexpressed molecular receptors on cancer cells, has been intensively investigated due to its exceptional affinity properties. In this study, we present a targeted nanoagent self-assembled from the precursor of an affibody conjugated with Epo B via a linker containing the thioketal (tk) group that is sensitive to reactive oxygen species (ROS). The core-shell structure of the ZHER2:342-Epo B Affibody-Drug Conjugate Nanoagent (Z-E ADCN), with the cytotoxin Epo B encapsulated within the ZHER2:342 affibody corona, leads to significantly reduced side effects on normal organs. Moreover, the abundant presence of ZHER2:342 on the surface effectively enhances the targeting capacity and tumor accumulation of the drug. Z-E ADCN can be internalized by cancer cells via HER2 receptor-mediated endocytosis followed by Epo B release in response to high levels of ROS, resulting in excellent anticancer efficacy in HER2-positive tumor models.

The advent of drones has revolutionized various aspects of our lives, and in the realm of biological systems, molecular drones hold immense promise as "magic bullets" for major diseases. Herein, we introduce a unique class of fluorinated macromolecular amphiphiles, designed in the shape of jellyfish, serving as exemplary molecular drones for fluorine-19 MRI (19F MRI) and fluorescence imaging (FLI)-guided drug delivery, status reporting, and targeted cancer therapy. Functioning akin to their mechanical counterparts, these biocompatible molecular drones autonomously assemble with hydrophobic drugs to form uniform nanoparticles, facilitating efficient drug delivery into cells. The status of drug delivery can be tracked through aggregation-induced emission (AIE) of FLI and 19F MRI. Furthermore, when loaded with a heptamethine cyanine fluorescent dye IR-780, these molecular drones enable near-infrared (NIR) FL detection of tumors and precise delivery of the photosensitizer. Similarly, when loaded with doxorubicin (DOX), they enable targeted chemotherapy with fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) FL for real-time status updates, resulting in enhanced therapeutic efficacy. Compared to conventional drug delivery systems, molecular drones stand out for their simplicity, precise structure, versatility, and ability to provide instantaneous status updates. This study presents prototype molecular drones capable of executing fundamental drone functions, laying the groundwork for the development of more sophisticated molecular machines with significant biomedical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epothilone B (Epo B), a promising antitumor compound effective against various types of cancer cells in vitro. However, its poor selectivity for tumor cells and inadequate therapeutic windows significantly limit its potential clinical application. Affibody is a class of non-immunoglobulin affinity proteins with precise targeting capability to overexpressed molecular receptors on cancer cells, has been intensively investigated due to its exceptional affinity properties. In this study, we present a targeted nanoagent self-assembled from the precursor of an affibody conjugated with Epo B via a linker containing the thioketal (tk) group that is sensitive to reactive oxygen species (ROS). The core-shell structure of the ZHER2:342-Epo B Affibody-Drug Conjugate Nanoagent (Z-E ADCN), with the cytotoxin Epo B encapsulated within the ZHER2:342 affibody corona, leads to significantly reduced side effects on normal organs. Moreover, the abundant presence of ZHER2:342 on the surface effectively enhances the targeting capacity and tumor accumulation of the drug. Z-E ADCN can be internalized by cancer cells via HER2 receptor-mediated endocytosis followed by Epo B release in response to high levels of ROS, resulting in excellent anticancer efficacy in HER2-positive tumor models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self‐assembly of polyoxometalate (POM) clusters offers a viable method for constructing nanostructures with tailored properties. Over the past few decades, POMs‐based nanostructures of varying dimensions, such as nanowires, nanobelts, nanosheets, and other superstructures, have been constructed. Additionally, these nanostructures show broad prospects in optical, electrochemical, catalytic, and mechanical applications. Particularly noteworthy are surface modifications, such as surfactant encapsulation, which yield amphiphilic POMs. These modifications render the POMs compatible with organic systems, significantly broadening their morphological and functional applicability. This concept provides an overview of recent advancements in nanostructures based on self‐assembly of surfactant encapsulated POM clusters, encompassing one‐dimensional (1D), two‐dimensional (2D), and three‐dimensional (3D) structures. Through surfactant encapsulation, POM clusters can be rendered compatible with various solvents, facilitating the formation of hybrid assemblies with diverse morphologies and unique properties. The structures, formation mechanisms, and properties of these sub‐nanometer assemblies are discussed from both experimental and theoretical perspectives. This concept aims to provide a new insight into the design and fabrication of nanostructures based on POM clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel acylhydrazide‐based gelator (BE) was successfully built without the use of traditional fluorescent groups. Surprisingly, in 1,2‐propanediol, the BE can further self‐assemble into a stable supramolecular gel (OBE) and display significant blue‐white aggregation‐induced enhanced emission (AIEE). Interestingly, based on the excellent coordination capacity of acyl hydrazone bonds, the OBE demonstrated a sensitive response to Pd2+ and Fe3+, with corresponding lowest limits of detection of 21.8 and 37.3 ppb, respectively. More interesting, H2PO4− could only be constantly recognized by the Pd‐OBE (Pd2+ coordinated with OBE). Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), density functional theory (DFT) and rheological measurements, the self‐assembly process of OBE, and the ion recognition sensing mechanism were extensively examined. Moreover, xerogel OBE as supporter, a novel heterogeneous catalyst Pd/OBE is prepared. The catalyst displays outstanding activity and stability for Suzuki coupling reactions in water. It can be easily reused for at least five runs with no decrease in the catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercapacitors based on two‐dimensional MXene (Ti3C2Tz) have shown extraordinary performance in ultrathin electrodes with low mass loading, but usually there is a significant reduction in high‐rate performance as the thickness increases, caused by increasing ion diffusion limitation. Further limitations include restacking of the nanosheets, which makes it challenging to realize the full potential of these electrode materials. Herein, we demonstrate the design of a vertically aligned MXene hydrogel composite, achieved by thermal‐assisted self‐assembled gelation, for high‐rate energy storage. The highly interconnected MXene network in the hydrogel architecture provides very good electron transport properties, and its vertical ion channel structure facilitates rapid ion transport. The resulting hydrogel electrode show excellent performance in both aqueous and organic electrolytes with respect to high capacitance, stability, and high‐rate capability for up to 300 μm thick electrodes, which represents a significant step toward practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospun/sprayed fiber films and nanoparticles were broadly studied as encapsulation techniques for bioactive compounds. Nevertheless, many of them involved using non-volatile toxic solvents or non-biodegradable polymers that were not suitable for oral consumption, thus rather limiting their application. In this research, a novel electrospun lipid–polymer composite (ELPC) was fabricated with whole generally recognized as safe (GRAS) materials including gelatin, medium chain triglyceride (MCT) and lecithin. A water-insoluble bioactive compound, tetrahydrocurcumin (TC), was encapsulated in the ELPC to enhance its delivery. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was utilized to examine the morphology of this ELPC and found that it was in a status between electrospun fibers and electrosprayed particles. It was able to form self-assembled emulsions (droplets visualized by CLSM) to deliver active compounds. In addition, this gelatin-based ELPC self-assembled emulsion was able to form a special emulsion gel. CLSM observation of this gel displayed that the lipophilic contents of the ELPC were encapsulated within the cluster of the hydrophilic gelatin gel network. The FTIR spectrum of the TC-loaded ELPC did not show the fingerprint pattern of crystalline TC, while it displayed the aliphatic hydrocarbon stretches from MCT and lecithin. The dissolution experiment demonstrated a relatively linear release profile of TC from the ELPC. The lipid digestion assay displayed a rapid digestion of triglycerides in the first 3–6 min, with a high extent of lipolysis. A Caco-2 intestinal monolayer transport study was performed. The ELPC delivered more TC in the upward direction than downwards. MTT study results did not report cytotoxicity for both pure TC and the ELPC-encapsulated TC under 15 μg/mL. Caco-2 cellular uptake was visualized by CLSM and semi-quantified to estimate the accumulation rate of TC in the cells over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Zinc anodes of zinc metal batteries suffer from unsatisfactory plating/striping reversibility due to interfacial parasitic reactions and poor Zn2+ mass transfer kinetics. Herein, methoxy polyethylene glycol‐phosphate (mPEG‐P) is introduced as an electrolyte additive to achieve long anti‐calendar aging and high‐rate capabilities. The polyanionic of mPEG‐P self‐assembles via noncovalent‐interactions on electrode surface to form polyether‐based cation channels and in situ organic–inorganic hybrid solid electrolyte interface layer, which ensure rapid Zn2+ mass transfer and suppresses interfacial parasitic reactions, realizing outstanding cycling/calendar aging stability. As a result, the Zn//Zn symmetric cells with mPEG‐P present long lifespans over 9000 and 2500 cycles at ultrahigh current densities of 120 and 200 mA cm−2, respectively. Besides, the coulombic efficiency (CE) of the Zn//Cu cell with mPEG‐P additive (88.21%) is much higher than that of the cell (36.4%) at the initial cycle after the 15‐day calendar aging treatment, presenting excellent anti‐static corrosion performance. Furthermore, after 20‐day aging, the Zn//MnO2 cell exhibits a superior capacity retention of 89% compared with that of the cell without mPEG‐P (28%) after 150 cycles. This study provides a promising avenue for boosting the development of high efficiency and durable metallic zinc based stationary energy storage system.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is known to regulate cell growth, protein stability and cell-cycle progression, and many human tumors result from the dysregulation of mTOR signaling. Although various mTOR inhibitors have been developed, effective delivery systems are still needed to enhance the anti-cancer effects of mTOR inhibitors. In this study, we developed the Tat-fused mTOR inhibitor binding domain (Tat-MBD/TMBD) for the enhancement of the anti-cancer effect of mTOR inhibitors, due to the improvement of intracellular uptake. A TMBD/mTOR inhibitors complex spontaneously formed by biological affinity between MBD and mTOR inhibitors without chemical conjugation and modification. We constructed that a recombinant fusion protein expression vector composed of Tat (protein transduction domain) and mTOR inhibitor-binding domain (Tat-MBD) to deliver the mTOR inhibitors. The MBD spontaneously bound with mTOR inhibitors including sirolimus, everolimus, and temsirolimus, resulting in the formation of a TMBD/mTOR inhibitors complex. The enhancement of the delivery efficacy of mTOR inhibitors into various breast cancer cells was confirmed and improved anti-cancer efficacy was observed. We demonstrated the effective delivery systems of mTOR inhibitors without chemical conjugation of mTOR inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-assembly of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) to construct optical sensors has been proposed to detect chemicals by acclimating colors in response to analytes that adsorbed on the surface of MOF nanoparticles and in the interspaces between particles. However, the instability of the weakly assembled optical structures held together by van der Waals forces limits their active sensing application. Here, we propose full-color tunable superstructures that are constructed by self-assembled ZIF-8 nanoparticles and postsynthetic poly-(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) coating, which behave as robust optical sensors. The optical band was tuned by controlling the size of the ZIF-8 particles and also responded to the adsorption of chemicals with different refractive indexes in the micropores of the ZIF-8 particles. In addition, PDMS-coated ZIF-8 superstructures (ZIF-8@PDMS) were fabricated by thermal evaporation to optimize the optical quality and improve the robustness and solvent resistance during chemical sensing. Static and dynamic sensing results showed that the hierarchical porous structures endow the ZIF-8@PDMS superstructure with higher optical saturation and faster response in comparison to their counterparts configured with a ZIF-8 superstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase and order behavior of charged asymmetric diblock‐copolymer melts is studied by using coarse‐grained molecular dynamics simulation. One of the blocks is made charged and other one is kept neutral, and the study systematically explores how the charged diblock‐coploymer responses as the charge fraction of the charged block is varied from 10% to 50%. When charge fraction increases, the study finds ordered transitions from interconnected cylinder‐like structures to lamellae, then to gyroid structures. It is also found that domain size of the obtained equilibrium morphology decreases slightly with the increase in charge fraction of the charged block. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug repurposing is a rapidly growing for the development of new therapeutic agents. Among them, phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors, which show excellent effects as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, have been continuously reported for their potential as anti-cancer agents. It is necessary to apply targeted delivery systems to enhance the efficacy of the PDE5 inhibitors (PDE5i) as anti-cancer drugs. In this study, PDE5 inhibitor-binding domain (PBD) was developed to incorporate PDE5i into antibody using biological affinity binding without any chemical modifications. The PBD spontaneously bound with PDE5i, resulting in the formation of PBD/PDE5i complex. We also constructed a recombinant fusion protein composed of an anti-HER2 scFv and PBD (HER2 scFv-PBD) to deliver the PDE5i for the treatment of HER2 positive cancer cells. HER2 scFv-PBD could deliver the PDE5i into HER2-positive cancer cells and enhanced anti-cancer effect of the PDE5i. We have demonstrated the potential of tumor-directed PDE5 inhibition as a novel form of targeted therapy using drug binding fusion proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, In this study, MnO 2 self-assembled on a PP separator via KMnO 4 photodecomposition, coupled with biochar to form a composite-modified separator with enhanced conductivity. It captures and converts polysulfides to Li 2 S 2 /Li 2 S, cyclically reducing Li-PS mobility. This composite separator demonstrates impressive electrochemical performance in Li-S batteries. [Display omitted] Addressing the shuttle effect is a critical challenge in realizing practical applications of lithium-sulfur batteries. One promising avenue refers to the surface modification of separators, transitioning them from closed to open structures. In the current investigation, a high ion flux separator was devised by means of MnO 2 self-assembly onto a Porous Polypropylene (PP) separator, subsequently coupling it with biochar. The separator exhibited favorable ion and electronic conductivity. Moreover, it adeptly captured and transformed polysulfides into Li 2 S 2 /Li 2 S, cyclically curbing the mobility of Polysulfide lithium (LiPSs). In addition, this augmentation in the kinetic conversion of LiPSs during the electrochemical process translated into an impressive discharge specific capacity and area capacity of 939 mAh/g and 4 mAh cm−2, respectively. Moreover, this innovative design methodology provides an alternative avenue for future separator designs within lithium-sulfur batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clusteroluminescence (CL) has recently gained significant attention due to its unique through‐space interactions associated with a high dependence on the aggregation of subgroups. These distinct features could easily transform the stimuli into visual fluorescence and monitor the fluctuation of the environment but have not received sufficient attention before. In this work, supramolecular films are designed based on the neutralization reaction of anhydride groups and the self‐assembly of dynamic covalent disulfide bonds in NaOH aqueous solution. The self‐assembly of hydrophilic carboxylate chromophores and hydrophobic disulfide‐containing five‐membered rings could be observed by the variation of the aggregation state of carboxylate in CL. Furthermore, the dynamic cross‐linking films obtained with water‐sensitive carboxylate chromophores could alter the aggregation distance stimulated by surrounding water vapor, causing the emission wavelength to change from 534 to 508 nm by varying the relative humidity. This work not only provides an approach to monitor the self‐assembly of clusteroluminogens but also offers new strategies for designing stimuli‐responsive materials that utilize the intrinsic features of CL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matter grows and self-assembles to produce complex structures such as virus capsids, carbon fullerenes, proteins, glasses, etc. Due to its complexity, performing pen-and-paper calculations to explain and describe such assemblies is cumbersome. Many years ago, Richard Kerner presented a pen-and-paper path integral approach to understanding self-organized matter. Although this approach successfully addressed many important problems, including the yield of fullerene formation, the glass transition temperature of doped chalcogenide glasses, the fraction of boroxol rings in B 2 O 3 glasses, the first theoretical explanation for the empirical recipe of window and Pyrex glass and the understanding of virus capsid self-assembly, it still is not the primary choice when tackling similar problems. The reason lies in the fact that it diverges from mainstream approaches based on the energy landscape paradigm and non-equilibrium thermodynamics. In this context, a critical review is presented, demonstrating that the Richard Kerner method is, in fact, a clever way to identify relevant configurations. Its equations are simplified common physical sense versions of those found in the energy landscape kinetic equations. Subsequently, the utilization of equilibrium Boltzmann factors in the transition Markov chain probabilities is analyzed within the context of local two-level energy landscape models kinetics. This analysis demonstrates that their use remains valid when the local energy barrier between reaction coordinate states is small compared to the thermal energy. This finding places the Richard Kerner model on par with other more sophisticated methods and, hopefully, will promote its adoption as an initial and useful choice for describing the self-agglomeration of matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenyl-bis-(4,5-dihydroxy-2,7-disulfonato-3-naphthyl)methane, tetrasodium salt, self-assembles into a dimer in water. This dimer host forms complexes with a 1:1 host to guest stoichiometry with cyclodextrins (α, β and γ) in aqueous solution. The inclusion geometry of the cyclodextrins in the cavity of the dimer host is found to vary due to different sizes of the cyclodextrins. The complexation studies indicated that there is no distinction between host and guest for the cyclodextrin (α, β and γ) and the dimer. The stability constants of the dimer host with α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins were 622, 2450 and 963 M−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Controllable construction and manipulation of artificial multi-compartmental structures are crucial in understanding and imitating smart molecular elements such as biological cells and on-demand delivery systems. Here, we report a liquid crystal droplet (LCD) based three-dimensional system for controllable and reversible ingestion and release of guest aqueous droplets (GADs). Induced by interfacial thermodynamic fluctuation and internal topological defect, microscale LCDs with perpendicular anchoring condition at the interface would spontaneously ingest external components from the surroundings and transform them as radially assembled tiny GADs inside LCDs. Landau–de Gennes free-energy model is applied to describe and explain the assembly dynamics and morphologies of these tiny GADs, which presents a good agreement with experimental observations. Furthermore, the release of these ingested GADs can be actively triggered by changing the anchoring conditions at the interface of LCDs. Since those ingestion and release processes are controllable and happen very gently at room temperature and neutral pH environment without extra energy input, these microscale LCDs are very prospective to provide a unique and viable route for constructing hierarchical 3D structures with tunable components and compartments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Clusteroluminescence (CL) has recently gained significant attention due to its unique through‐space interactions associated with a high dependence on the aggregation of subgroups. These distinct features could easily transform the stimuli into visual fluorescence and monitor the fluctuation of the environment but have not received sufficient attention before. In this work, supramolecular films are designed based on the neutralization reaction of anhydride groups and the self‐assembly of dynamic covalent disulfide bonds in NaOH aqueous solution. The self‐assembly of hydrophilic carboxylate chromophores and hydrophobic disulfide‐containing five‐membered rings could be observed by the variation of the aggregation state of carboxylate in CL. Furthermore, the dynamic cross‐linking films obtained with water‐sensitive carboxylate chromophores could alter the aggregation distance stimulated by surrounding water vapor, causing the emission wavelength to change from 534 to 508 nm by varying the relative humidity. This work not only provides an approach to monitor the self‐assembly of clusteroluminogens but also offers new strategies for designing stimuli‐responsive materials that utilize the intrinsic features of CL.

Constructing nanostructures with high structural stability and ultrafast electrochemical reaction kinetics as anodes for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) is a big challenge. Herein, the robust 2D VS2/ Ti3C2Tx MXene nanostructures with the strong Ti─S covalent bond synthesized by a one‐pot self‐assembly approach are developed. The strong interfacial interaction renders the material of good structural durability and enhanced reaction kinetics. Meanwhile, the enlarged and few‐layered MXene nanosheets can be easily obtained according to this interaction, providing a conductive network for sufficient electrolyte penetration and rapid charge transfer. As predicted, the VS2/MXene nanostructures exhibit an extremely low sodium diffusion barrier confirmed by DFT calculations and small charge transfer impedance evidenced by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis. Therefore, the SIBs based on the VS2/MXene electrode present first‐class electrochemical performance with the ultrahigh average initial columbic efficiency of 95.08% and excellent sodium‐ion storage capacity of 424.6 mAh g−1 even at 10 A g−1. It also shows an outstanding sodium‐ion storage capacity of 514.2 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 with a capacity retention of nearly 100% within 500 times high‐rate cycling. Such impressive performance demonstrates the successful synthesis strategy and the great potential of interfacial interactions for high‐performance energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospun/sprayed fiber films and nanoparticles were broadly studied as encapsulation techniques for bioactive compounds. Nevertheless, many of them involved using non-volatile toxic solvents or non-biodegradable polymers that were not suitable for oral consumption, thus rather limiting their application. In this research, a novel electrospun lipid–polymer composite (ELPC) was fabricated with whole generally recognized as safe (GRAS) materials including gelatin, medium chain triglyceride (MCT) and lecithin. A water-insoluble bioactive compound, tetrahydrocurcumin (TC), was encapsulated in the ELPC to enhance its delivery. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was utilized to examine the morphology of this ELPC and found that it was in a status between electrospun fibers and electrosprayed particles. It was able to form self-assembled emulsions (droplets visualized by CLSM) to deliver active compounds. In addition, this gelatin-based ELPC self-assembled emulsion was able to form a special emulsion gel. CLSM observation of this gel displayed that the lipophilic contents of the ELPC were encapsulated within the cluster of the hydrophilic gelatin gel network. The FTIR spectrum of the TC-loaded ELPC did not show the fingerprint pattern of crystalline TC, while it displayed the aliphatic hydrocarbon stretches from MCT and lecithin. The dissolution experiment demonstrated a relatively linear release profile of TC from the ELPC. The lipid digestion assay displayed a rapid digestion of triglycerides in the first 3–6 min, with a high extent of lipolysis. A Caco-2 intestinal monolayer transport study was performed. The ELPC delivered more TC in the upward direction than downwards. MTT study results did not report cytotoxicity for both pure TC and the ELPC-encapsulated TC under 15 μg/mL. Caco-2 cellular uptake was visualized by CLSM and semi-quantified to estimate the accumulation rate of TC in the cells over time.

Abstract Constructing nanostructures with high structural stability and ultrafast electrochemical reaction kinetics as anodes for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) is a big challenge. Herein, the robust 2D VS2/ Ti3C2Tx MXene nanostructures with the strong Ti─S covalent bond synthesized by a one‐pot self‐assembly approach are developed. The strong interfacial interaction renders the material of good structural durability and enhanced reaction kinetics. Meanwhile, the enlarged and few‐layered MXene nanosheets can be easily obtained according to this interaction, providing a conductive network for sufficient electrolyte penetration and rapid charge transfer. As predicted, the VS2/MXene nanostructures exhibit an extremely low sodium diffusion barrier confirmed by DFT calculations and small charge transfer impedance evidenced by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis. Therefore, the SIBs based on the VS2/MXene electrode present first‐class electrochemical performance with the ultrahigh average initial columbic efficiency of 95.08% and excellent sodium‐ion storage capacity of 424.6 mAh g−1 even at 10 A g−1. It also shows an outstanding sodium‐ion storage capacity of 514.2 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 with a capacity retention of nearly 100% within 500 times high‐rate cycling. Such impressive performance demonstrates the successful synthesis strategy and the great potential of interfacial interactions for high‐performance energy storage devices.

Keywords: metalloporphyrins; self-assemble; aggregation; coordination; oxygen ligands; dimerization EN metalloporphyrins self-assemble aggregation coordination oxygen ligands dimerization 2595 2601 7 07/31/23 20230817 NES 230817 Graph Bio-inspired self-assembly of porphyrins into large supramolecular structures is not only important for a better understanding of natural photosynthetic process, but also attractive and promising for its potential applications in photochemical energy conversion. Metalloporphyrins, self-assemble, aggregation, coordination, dimerization, oxygen ligands The formation of dimers is based on self-assembly via the ligation of the zinc atom with the imide C=O and 7-oxanorbornene as oxygen ligands. Fluorescence spectroscopy is very sensitive to the coordination of an axial ligand to a metalloporphyrin and thus can be applied to detect the association process of axial ligands to metalloporphyrins, even if at very low concentrations (10 SP -6 sp to 10 SP -10 sp M). [Extracted from the article]

We report the rheological behavior of aqueous solutions of a graft copolymer polyampholyte, constituted of polyacrylic acid (PAA) backbone grafted by Poly(L-lysine) (PAA-b-PLL). The graft copolymer self-assembles in aqueous media, forming a three-dimensional (3D) network through polyelectrolyte complexation of the oppositely charged PAA and PLL segments. Rheological investigations showed that the hydrogel exhibits interesting properties, namely, relatively low critical gel concentration, elastic response with slow dynamics, remarkable extended critical strain to flow, shear responsiveness, injectability, 3D printability and self-healing. Due to the weak nature of the involved polyelectrolyte segments, the hydrogel properties display pH-dependency, and they are affected by the presence of salt. Especially upon varying pH, the PLL secondary structure changes from random coil to α-helix, affecting the crosslinking structural mode and, in turn, the overall network structure as reflected in the rheological properties. Thanks to the biocompatibility of the copolymer constituents and the biodegradability of PLL, the designed gelator seems to exhibit potential for bioapplications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs)@g‐C3N4 heterojunctions are widely investigated as one of the most potential photocatalysts for N2 fixation owing to the visible absorption and effective photocatalytic properties. It is still a huge challenge to synthesize hollow spherical C3N4 coated with Nano‐MOF layers towards efficient visible photocatalytic activity on N2 fixation. In this work, the paramagnetic hollow spherical C3N4 (H‐C3N4) are coated with free radical MOF with sulfhydryl ligand (Nano‐SH‐MOF)[Zn2(DSBDC)] by self‐assemble method. The C8 M2 samples (the mass ratio of H‐C3N4 to Nano‐SH‐MOF is 8 : 2) exhibited an improved photocatalytic activity, which is almost 5.4 times higher than the pure H‐C3N4. The improved photocatalytic activity is also discussed in this work. It can be imagined that this work may be helpful for the hollow spherical C3N4 based heterojunction and MOF‐based heterojunction photocatalysts with effective photocatalytic nitrogen fixation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research and development of memristor‐based neuromorphic networks has entered the stage of large‐scale application. However, the understanding of the adopted memristors is still vague, meaning a thorough study of their local activity is urgently necessary. Here, an electrode tip is created to focus the electrical field on the active locality, where the NbO quantum dot (QD) self‐assembles in the middle of the Nb‐doped AlNO film. The QD size can fluctuate under an appropriately controlled electron beam or electrical field, suggesting reversible nucleation behavior. The QD system periodically pulses when the input is enhanced to a co‐tunneling threshold or to one that activates the oscillation of the QD size. These two mechanisms are attributed to the local activity accounting for the information‐energy conversion of the QD system. This study presents a more precise and low energy‐consumption approach for neuromorphic computing by manipulating the local activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid crystal materials are a suitable environment for the synthesis of nanostructures of uniform size and shape due to their order and yet mobility at the molecular level. Dense liquid crystal phases allow nanoparticles to self-assemble, resulting in larger organized nanostructures. Although both types of lyotropic liquid crystal and thermotropic liquid crystal have been used for the synthesis and self-assembly of nanoparticles, the use of lyotropic liquid crystal types is more in the synthesis of nanoparticles, while the use of thermotropic liquid crystal phases is mainly related to the self-assembly of nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is recognized to be a promising strategy for anticancer treatment. Considering the progressive application of PDT in clinical trials, highly efficient photosensitizers (PSs) are in strong demand. Aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) based PSs are promising phototheranostic materials for tumor imaging and PDT due to their high fluorescence and photosensitizing efficiency. Herein, a PS, TPA‐2BCP with AIE characteristics is developed by adopting an acceptor‐π‐donor‐π‐acceptor (A–π–D–π–A) structure. However, the accumulation of ionic PSs in the tumor is poor due to non‐specific interactions with bio‐molecules. Therefore, we use a carboxyl‐rich polymer material, polyacrylate polyethylene glycol block copolymer (PEG‐b‐PAA) to encapsulate the cationic PSs into nanoparticles through ionic interactions. The cationic groups are blocked and the generated PS nanoparticles can accumulate well in the tumor site in vivo. Meanwhile, the photosensitizing efficiency of the PS is further enhanced in the nanoparticle format. The tumor growth can be obviously inhibited under 530 nm laser irradiation, demonstrating its potential application in antitumor PDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poor bioavailability of curcumin and its derivatives limits their antitumor efficacy and clinical translation. Although curcumin derivative C210 has more potent antitumor activity than curcumin, it has a similar deficiency to curcumin. In order to improve its bioavailability and accordingly enhance its antitumor activity in vivo, we developed a redox-responsive lipidic prodrug nano-delivery system of C210. Briefly, we synthesized three conjugates of C210 and oleyl alcohol (OA) via different linkages containing single sulfur/disulfide/carbon bonds and prepared their nanoparticles using a nanoprecipitation method. The prodrugs required only a very small amount of DSPE-PEG2000 as a stabilizer to self-assemble in aqueous solution to form nanoparticles (NPs) with a high drug loading capacity (~50%). Among them, the prodrug (single sulfur bond) nanoparticles (C210-S-OA NPs) were the most sensitive to the intracellular redox level of cancer cells; therefore, they could rapidly release C210 in cancer cells and thus had the strongest cytotoxicity to cancer cells. Furthermore, C210-S-OA NPs exerted a dramatic improvement in its pharmacokinetic behavior; that is, the area under the curve (AUC), mean retention time and accumulation in tumor tissue were 10, 7 and 3 folds that of free C210, respectively. Thus, C210-S-OA NPs exhibited the strongest antitumor activity in vivo than C210 or other prodrug NPs in mouse models of breast cancer and liver cancer. The results demonstrated that the novel prodrug self-assembled redox-responsive nano-delivery platform was able to improve the bioavailability and antitumor activity of curcumin derivative C210, which provides a basis for further clinical applications of curcumin and its derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current seasonal influenza vaccines confer only limited coverage of virus strains due to the frequent genetic and antigenic variability of influenza virus (IV). Epitope vaccines that accurately target conserved domains provide a promising approach to increase the breadth of protection; however, poor immunogenicity greatly hinders their application. The protruding (P) domain of the norovirus (NoV), which can self-assemble into a 24-mer particle called the NoV P particle, offers an ideal antigen presentation platform. In this study, a multiepitope nanovaccine displaying influenza epitopes (HMN-PP) was constructed based on the NoV P particle nanoplatform. Large amounts of HMN-PP were easily expressed in Escherichia coli in soluble form. Animal experiments showed that the adjuvanted HMN-PP nanovaccine induced epitope-specific antibodies and haemagglutinin (HA)-specific neutralizing antibodies, and the antibodies could persist for at least three months after the last immunization. Furthermore, HMN-PP induced matrix protein 2 extracellular domain (M2e)-specific antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses, and a nucleoprotein (NP)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response. These results indicated that the combination of a multiepitope vaccine and self-assembled NoV P particles may be an ideal and effective vaccine strategy for highly variable viruses such as IV and SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the promising advancements of in situ forming nanoassembly for the inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis, the lack of sufficient triggering sites and hardly controlling the forming position restrict their further developments. Herein, a smart transformable peptide‐conjugated probe (DMFA) with enzyme cleavage‐induced morphological change is designed for treatment on the tumor cell membrane. Specifically, after self‐assembling into nanoparticles and anchoring on the cell membrane with sufficient interaction sites rapidly and stably, DMFA will be efficiently cleaved into α‐helix forming part (DP) and β‐sheet forming part (LFA) by overexpressed matrix metalloproteinase‐2. Thus, the promoted Ca2+ influx by DP‐induced cell membrane breakage and decreased Na+/K+‐ATPase activity by LFA‐assembled nanofibers wrapping the cells can inhibit PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway, leading to the inhibition of tumor cell growth and metastasis. This peptide‐conjugated probe undergoes in situ morphological transformation on the cell membrane, exhibiting great potential in tumor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEO-PCL) is a family of block (or graft) copolymers with several biomedical applications. These types of copolymers are well-known for their good biocompatibility and biodegradability properties, being ideal for biomedical applications and for the formation of a variety of nanosystems intended for controlled drug release. The aim of this review is to present the applications and the properties of different nanocarriers derived from PEO-PCL block and graft copolymers. Micelles, polymeric nanoparticles, drug conjugates, nanocapsules, and hybrid polymer-lipid nanoparticles, such as hybrid liposomes, are the main categories of PEO-PCL based nanocarriers loaded with different active ingredients. The advantages and the limitations in preclinical studies are also discussed in depth. PEO-PCL based nanocarriers could be the next generation of delivery systems with fast clinical translation. Finally, current challenges and future perspectives of the PEO-PCL based nanocarriers are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, three self‐assembling materials (SAMs), (pyridine‐4‐ylmethyl)phosphonic acid (PyPA), benzylphosphonic acid (BnPA), and pentafluorobenzyl phosphonic acid (F5BnPA), are selected as hole‐injecting layers in organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) and the effects of the aromatic ring of SAMs on indium tin oxide (ITO) work function (WF), hole injection, and device performances are investigated. After assembling them on ITO, the X‐ray photoemission spectroscopy data suggest that three samples have a similar binding mode, and the ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy shows the effective change of ITO WF gradually enlarged along the order of PyPA, BnPA, and F5BnPA, resulting in increase in hole‐injecting capability in turn. The calculated molecule dipole of pyridine is 2.65 Debye, clearly larger than that of phenyl (0.32 Debye) and pentafluorophenyl (1.88 Debye), but PyPA presents minimum ITO WF change. Such differentiated WF changes are not only contributed by the molecular dipole of aromatic ring but also their titling angles. In OLEDs based on tris(8‐hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (III) (Alq3), the device modified by PyPA affords the highest external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 1.45% and current efficiency (CE) of 4.62 cd A−1. However, in the device using 9‐[4‐(4,6‐diphenyl‐1,3,5‐triazine‐2‐yll)phenyl]‐N,N,N′,N′‐tetraphenyl‐9H‐carbazole‐3,6‐diamine as emitters, the OLEDs modified by F5BnPA show the best EQE of 24.85% and CE of 81.88 cd A−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matter grows and self-assembles to produce complex structures such as virus capsids, carbon fullerenes, proteins, glasses, etc. Due to its complexity, performing pen-and-paper calculations to explain and describe such assemblies is cumbersome. Many years ago, Richard Kerner presented a pen-and-paper path integral approach to understanding self-organized matter. Although this approach successfully addressed many important problems, including the yield of fullerene formation, the glass transition temperature of doped chalcogenide glasses, the fraction of boroxol rings in B2O3 glasses, the first theoretical explanation for the empirical recipe of window and Pyrex glass and the understanding of virus capsid self-assembly, it still is not the primary choice when tackling similar problems. The reason lies in the fact that it diverges from mainstream approaches based on the energy landscape paradigm and non-equilibrium thermodynamics. In this context, a critical review is presented, demonstrating that the Richard Kerner method is, in fact, a clever way to identify relevant configurations. Its equations are simplified common physical sense versions of those found in the energy landscape kinetic equations. Subsequently, the utilization of equilibrium Boltzmann factors in the transition Markov chain probabilities is analyzed within the context of local two-level energy landscape models kinetics. This analysis demonstrates that their use remains valid when the local energy barrier between reaction coordinate states is small compared to the thermal energy. This finding places the Richard Kerner model on par with other more sophisticated methods and, hopefully, will promote its adoption as an initial and useful choice for describing the self-agglomeration of matter.

Abstract Despite the promising advancements of in situ forming nanoassembly for the inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis, the lack of sufficient triggering sites and hardly controlling the forming position restrict their further developments. Herein, a smart transformable peptide‐conjugated probe (DMFA) with enzyme cleavage‐induced morphological change is designed for treatment on the tumor cell membrane. Specifically, after self‐assembling into nanoparticles and anchoring on the cell membrane with sufficient interaction sites rapidly and stably, DMFA will be efficiently cleaved into α‐helix forming part (DP) and β‐sheet forming part (LFA) by overexpressed matrix metalloproteinase‐2. Thus, the promoted Ca2+ influx by DP‐induced cell membrane breakage and decreased Na+/K+‐ATPase activity by LFA‐assembled nanofibers wrapping the cells can inhibit PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway, leading to the inhibition of tumor cell growth and metastasis. This peptide‐conjugated probe undergoes in situ morphological transformation on the cell membrane, exhibiting great potential in tumor therapy.

High-performance ordered arrays of nanostructure has attracted significant attention due to the needs for miniaturization in electronic and spintronic devices. However, the traditional templete-assisted method often entails expensive equipment and complicated processing. Herein, a series of high quality LiFe 5 O 8 (LFO) arrays are obtained by chemically etching the MgO phase in the self-assembly (LFO) 1 :(MgO) x nanocomposite films. The LFO arrays show excellent epitaxial quality and nano-island or nano-pillar morphology, which can be easily fabricated by controlling the thickness and chemical component of the grown nanocomposite films. In comparison with the LFO planar film, the LFO nanopillar arrays exhibit higher saturation magnetization, lower non-zero coercivity and remanence. Moreover, the morphology of the nanostructures can effectively modulate the ferromagnetic resonance spectra of the LFO nanopillar arrays, which can be explained by the calculated demagnetization field. This work shows that nanostructure engineering is very useful to modulate the magnetic properties and to design compact microwave magnetism devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beginning with our exciting discovery of germanium (Ge) spherical quantum-dot (QD) formation via the peculiar and symbiotic interactions of Si, Ge, and O interstitials, we have embarked on a journey of vigorous exploration, creating unique configurations of self-organized Ge-QDs/Si-containing layers. Our aim is to generate advanced Ge-QD photonic devices, while using standard, mainstream Si processing techniques. This paper summarizes our portfolio of innovative Ge-QD configurations. With emphasis on both controllability and repeatability, we have fabricated size-tunable, spherical Ge-QDs that are placed at predetermined spatial locations within Si-containing layers (SiO2, Si3N4, and Si) using a coordinated combination of lithographic patterning and self-assembled growth. We have successfully exploited the multi-dimensional, parameter spaces of process conditions in combination with layout designs to achieve exquisite control available through the thermal oxidation of lithographically patterned, poly-Si1 − xGex structures in close proximity with Si3N4/Si layers. In so doing, we have gained insight into the growth kinetics and formation mechanisms of self-organized, Ge spherical QDs embedded within SiO2, Si3N4, and Si layers, respectively. Our Ge-QD configurations have opened up a myriad of process/integration possibilities including top-to-bottom evanescent-wave coupling structures for SiN-waveguided Ge-QD photodetectors and Ge-QD light emitters for Si photonics within Si3N4 integrated photonics platforms for on-chip interconnects and sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inner and interfacial environments of self-assemblies provide fascinating nano-space for selective and efficient chemical reactions and processes. In biological systems, various chemical reactions, molecular recognition, and transport occur precisely and selectively by virtue of effective molecular interactions on biological membranes and proteins. Considering these advantages and the concept of nanoarchitectonics, we demonstrated that the photochromism of a lophine dimer was accelerated by using confined nano-spaces formed by surfactant micelles. The photoresponsive micelles were used for the rapid controlled release of a model drug upon ultraviolet light irradiation. Furthermore, selective ion recognition inside the self-assembled molecular films at the interfaces was investigated. The anion-π interaction between the anion and an electron-deficient aromatic ring was evaluated on a solid substrate modified with a naphthalenediimide (NDI) analog. Force curve measurements afforded a quantitative analysis of anion-π interactions on the NDI film. The strength of anion-π interactions is regulated by the electric fields on the electrode. An optical probe was developed to visualize the distribution of Cs ions in the soil, plant bodies, and aqueous media using an optode system. Advances in the development of molecular functional systems are expected based not only on molecular structures but also on the spaces and environments produced by them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene oxide (GO) is a promising solid lubricant for moving mechanical systems to implement reliable and effective lubrication due to its easy modification and excellent tribological properties. However, obtaining highly dense GO coatings simultaneously with high hardness and extensibility is still a challenge for available self-assembly techniques, and these characteristics are beneficial to tribological properties. Inspired by the advanced abrasion resistance system of mussel byssus threads, a surprisingly simple and versatile metal ions (namely Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions) directed self-assembly strategy has been developed to rapidly fabricate GO coatings. GO as a solid lubricant is highly sensitive to the interface structure and test environment. Consequently, the influence of the valence state of iron ions on the macroscopic tribological properties of GO-based coatings in air, nitrogen gas and vacuum environments are comparatively investigated. The results show that the GO-Fe3+ coating with a highly compact characteristic and unique granular microarchitecture resulting in higher hardness and strain capacity displays a lower friction coefficient and remarkable wear resistance than the GO-Fe2+ coating. Additionally, because water molecules generate strong hydrogen bonding gradually disrupting the ordered layered structure, both GO-Fe2+ and GO-Fe3+ coatings exhibit a higher friction coefficient in air than in nitrogen gas and vacuum. [Display omitted] • Graphene oxide coatings with enhancing mechanical properties and tribological properties via chemical cross-linking are made by a facile and versatile bioinspired iron ions induced self-assembly strategy. • Compared with GO-Fe2+ coating induced by Fe2+ ions, stronger affinity ability between GO nanosheets and Fe3+ ions are prone to achieve much compact GO-Fe3+ coating. • GO-Fe3+ coating with unique granular micro-architecture resulting in higher hardness and strain capacity displays superior tribological properties than GO-Fe2+ coating. • GO coatings have superior tribological properties in dry nitrogen gas and vacuum environments than that in humid air environments due to their easier to form orderly layered structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptides are reducing and capping agents that can be used for the synthesis of biocompatible metal nanoparticles under relatively mild conditions. However, the abundance of random and inactive amino acid sequences in peptides, the lack of peptide design rules have led to their studies being slow and make it difficult to use them. In this study, calcitonin-capped Au nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple and controlled method. The aim of this study was to determine the cytotoxicity of calcitonin-capped Au nanoparticles on the human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and osteoblast cell lines (G292). The absorbance of calcitonin-capped Au nanoparticles is higher than bare AuNPs. FTIR analysis revealed that amino acides of present in calcitonin played dual roles as reducing and stabilizing agents during synthesis of AuNPs. TEM image analysis showed formation of predominantly spherical calcitonin-capped Au nanoparticles with mean particle diameter of about 2–20 nm. The interactions between the calcitonin-capped Au nanoparticles and calf thymus DNA in aqueous was studied by circular dichroism (CD), UV–Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results indicated that the synthesized calcitonin-capped Au nanoparticles can successfully insert into calf thymus DNA. [L]1/2, concentrations of calcitonin-capped Au nanoparticles in the midpoint of transition, 0.32085 mM and o.28744 mM and the apparent binding constant (K × 104(M)−1), 79.52 and 81.04 were obtained at 300 and 310 K, respectively. The cytotoxicity of the prepared calcitonin-capped Au nanoparticles was measured on the human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and osteoblast cell lines (G292) by cell viability (MTT assay) and apoptosis (TUNEL assay: Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling). According to the MTT assay, the CC50 values of calcitonin-capped Au nanoparticles and cisplatin are 12.7 μM and 8.3 μM, respectively in G292 which are very near to each other compared on MCF-7. Therefore, TUNEL assay was done on G292 cell lines. The results showed that apoptosis was obviously observable by 48% DNA fragmentation on G292 cell lines. Therefore, the calcitonin-capped Au nanoparticles are suitable drugs which have strong potential in DNA denaturation and apoptosis especially on osteoblast cell lines (G292). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of effective and safe tumor photothermal therapeutic strategies has attracted considerable attention. Herein, we synthesized tumor microenvironment (TME)-activatable self-assembling organic nanotheranostics (NRhD-PEG-X NPs (X = 1, 2, 3, and 4)) for precise tumor targeting and upconversion image-guided photothermal therapy (PTT). The amphiphilic polymer NRhD-PEG-X consisted of upconversion luminescent probes (NRhD) modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) of various lengths. The continuous external irradiation-free photothermal NRhD-PEG-4 NPs with pKa 6.70 displayed high sensitivity and selectivity to protons, resulting in the turn-on upconversion luminescence and enhanced photothermal properties in the acidic TME without asynchronous therapy and side effects. This nanotheranostic offers acidic activatability, tumor targetability, and PTT enhancement, thus allowing autofluorescence-free upconversion luminescent imaging-guided precision PTT. Our strategy affords a paradigm to develop activatable theranostic nanoplatforms for precision medicine. As a hyperthermia-based treatment, activatable photothermal therapy (PTT) is highly significant in tumor treatment. Herein, we develop acidic tumor microenvironment-activatable nanotheranostics for upconversion luminescent imaging-guided diagnosis and precision tumor-targeted PTT. PEGylation of upconversion dyes not only could self-assemble to yield organic nanoparticles in water, but it could also significantly improve biocompatibility, stability, and circulation time and tune significantly the pKa value of nanoparticles. In an acidic tumor microenvironment, NRhD-PEG-4 NPs with pKa 6.70 show high sensitivity to release NRhDH+-PEG-4 NPs, which exhibit good upconversion luminescence and enhanced photothermal effect. Therefore, upconversion luminescence imaging-guided precision PTT has high potential to enhance cancer diagnostic and therapeutic efficiency. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An all-inorganic cesium lead halide perovskite shows great potential for high-performance optoelectronic devices due to its superior thermal stability compared to the organic–inorganic hybrid counterpart. Among the CsPbI3 family, orthorhombic phase (δ-) CsPbI3, in contrast to its cubic phase (α-) counterpart, has been believed to be a non-functional material because of its poor optoelectronic property. Herein, stable and white-light-emitting δ-CsPbI3 nanowires (NWs) were obtained from α-CsPbI3 quantum dots through self-assembled and phase transition processes after precisely controlled thermal annealing treatment. The optimized δ-CsPbI3 NWs exhibit a broad emission spectrum (∼410 to ∼800 nm) and an impressive photoluminescence quantum yield of 8%. Moreover, as a proof-of-concept application, the white-light-emitting diode (WLED) lamp bead with excellent operational stability are obtained by packing an InGaN-based violet chip (395 nm) and δ-CsPbI3 NWs. Our results give a perspective on δ-phase CsPbI3 for its applications as WLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migraine affects ∼15% of the adult population, and the standard treatment includes the use of triptans, ergotamines, and analgesics. Recently, CGRP and its receptor, the CLR/RAMP1 receptor complex, have been targeted for migraine treatment due to their critical roles in mediating migraine headaches. The effort has led to the approval of several anti-CGRP antibodies for chronic migraine treatment. However, many patients still suffer continuous struggles with migraine, perhaps due to the limited ability of anti-CGRP therapeutics to fully reduce CGRP levels or reach target cells. An alternative anti-CGRP strategy may help address the medical need of patients who do not respond to existing therapeutics. By serendipity, we have recently found that several chimeric adrenomedullin/adrenomedullin 2 peptides are potent CLR/RAMP receptor antagonists and self-assemble to form liquid gels. Among these analogs, the ADE651 analog, which potently inhibits CLR/RAMP1 receptor signaling, forms gels at a 6–20% level. Screening of ADE651 variants indicated that residues at the junctional region of this chimeric peptide are important for gaining the gel-forming capability. Gel-formation significantly slowed the passage of ADE651 molecules through Centricon filters. Consistently, subcutaneous injection of ADE651 gel in rats led to the sustained presence of ADE651 in circulation for >1 week. In addition, analysis of vascular blood flow in rat hindlimbs showed ADE651 significantly reduces CGRP-induced vasodilation. Because gel-forming antagonists could have direct and sustained access to target cells, ADE651 and related antagonists for CLR/RAMP receptors may represent promising candidates for targeting CGRP- and/or adrenomedullin-mediated headaches in migraine patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Zn‐coordination covalent porphyrin assembly (TCPP‐BZA‐Zn) is designed. The assembly structure is synthesized through the amidation reaction between the porphyrin terminal carboxyl group and the amino group of benzylamine (BZA), and further assembled through π–π stacking. In particular, the inherently ordered structure of TCPP‐BZA‐Zn with Zn as the catalytic active center endows the porphyrin assembly structure with several obvious advantages, such as high ion transport properties and high electrocatalytic performance. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide as a co‐reaction reagent, TCPP‐BZA‐Zn/GCE showed excellent ECL behavior. The amplification phenomenon of ECL was further studied by cyclic voltammetry and the corresponding mechanism was proposed. Based on TCPP‐BZA‐Zn, an electrochemiluminescence sensor was constructed for copper ion detection. The ECL intensity of the sensor shows a good linear relationship with the concentration of copper ion in the range of 10 nM–1 mM, and the detection limit is 1.3 nM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Van der Waals heterostructures composed of low-dimensional atomic layers host rich physics for new device applications, such as magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene and coaxial multi-walled hetero-nanotubes. Aside from exploring their abnormal physical behavior, fabrication of such structures also presents a great challenge to this area, owing to the subtle and sensitive interactions among neighboring layers. Here we show by molecular dynamics simulations that narrow blue phosphorene nanoribbons can be encapsulated into carbon nanotubes driven by van der Waals interactions and form one-dimensional heterostructures. It shows that by varying carbon nanotube diameters and nanoribbon width, the nanoribbons can either retain their original straight structures or twist into tubular structures. Wrapping phases are also observed for large-sized blue phosphorus. It is found that the underlying mechanism originates from the competition between van der Waals energy and bending energy induced by tube curvature. A phase diagram of the resultant 1D structure is thus obtained based on a simple analysis of energetics. The results are expected to stimulate further experimental efforts in fabricating one-dimensional van der Waals heterostructues with desired functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]