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Therapeutic cancer vaccines are among the first FDA‐approved cancer immunotherapies. Among them, it remains a major challenge to achieve robust lymph‐node (LN) accumulation. However, delivering cargo into LN is difficult owing to the unique structure of the lymphatics, and clinical responses have been largely disappointing. Herein, inspired by the Migrated‐DCs homing from the periphery to the LNs, an injectable hydrogel‐based polypeptide vaccine system is described for enhancing immunostimulatory efficacy, which could form a local niche of vaccine "hitchhiking" on DCs. The OVA peptide modified by lipophilic DSPE domains in the hydrogel is spontaneously inserted into the cell membrane to achieve "antigen anchoring" on DCs in vivo. Overall, OVA peptide achieves active access LNs through recruiting and "hitchhiking" subcutaneous Migrated‐DCs. Remarkably, it is demonstrated that the composite hydrogel enhances LNs targeting efficacy by approximately six‐fold compared to free OVA peptide. Then, OVA peptide can be removed from the cell surface under a typical acidic microenvironment within the LNs, further share them with LN‐resident APCs via the "One‐to‐Many" strategy (One Migrated‐DC corresponding to Many LN‐resident APCs), thereby activating powerful immune stimulation. Moreover, the hydrogel vaccine exhibits significant tumor growth inhibition in melanoma and inhibits pulmonary metastatic nodule formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare‐earth (RE) silicates environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) are prone to accelerate failure resulted from molten calcium–magnesium–aluminum silicate (CMAS), which presents significant challenges to the design and development of durable EBCs. In this study, X1‐Gd2SiO5 and X2‐Er2SiO5 coatings were explored on their corrosion resistance to CMAS melts with different Ca/Si ratios (1.1, 0.75, 0.64, and 0.42) at 1350°C for 25 and 50 h, respectively. Results showed that with the Ca/Si ratio increasing, CMAS viscosity decreased and a more intense corrosion reaction with coatings occurred. Garnet phase was only observed in X2‐Er2SiO5 coating corroded by CMAS with high Ca/Si ratios, which could be beneficial for improving corrosion resistance. The X2‐Er2SiO5 phase, which is composed of [SO4] and [REO6]/[REO7] polyhedrons, exhibits better corrosion resistance due to its more stable crystal structure, lower reactivity with CMAS, and the radius difference between the RE ions and Ca2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The particle number size distribution (PNSD) plays a crucial role in aerosol science and related industries. The recent surge in dense PNSD monitoring networks and measurement in harsh environments necessitates low-cost Electrical Mobility Sizers/Spectrometers (EMS). A miniature charger using the radioactive source of americium-241 charger was specifically developed for the low-cost EMS, with ion sources easily obtainable at low costs from smoke alarms. The ion concentration was over 5 × 1012 m−3. The measured charging efficiency of the charger aligns with the commonly used approximation formulae, while charge distributions deviate slightly from it. To solve this deviation issue, a reported inversion method is adopted which is based on the bipolar PNSD measurement. The practical use of the charger was theoretically explored, providing insights into the particle number concentration limits at commonly employed flow rates. This charger displays the potential for providing a cost-effective method of conditioning aerosol charging in large-scale or environmentally challenging PNSD measurements. Copyright © 2024 American Association for Aerosol Research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estrogen excess in females has been linked to a diverse array of chronic and acute diseases. Emerging research shows that exposure to estrogen-like compounds such as bisphenol S leads to increases in 17β-estradiol levels, but the mechanism of action is unclear. The aim of this study was to reveal the underlying signaling pathway-mediated mechanisms, target site and target molecule of action of bisphenol S causing excessive estrogen synthesis. Human ovarian granulosa cells SVOG were exposed to bisphenol S at environmentally relevant concentrations (1 μg/L, 10 μg/L, and 100 μg/L) for 48 h. The results confirms that bisphenol S accumulates mainly on the cell membrane, binds to follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) located on the cell membrane, and subsequently activates the downstream cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA) signaling pathway, leading to enhanced conversion of testosterone to 17β-estradiol. This study deepens our knowledge of the mechanisms of environmental factors in pathogenesis of hyperestrogenism. This study deepens the knowledge of mechanisms of environmental factors in pathogenesis of hyperestrogenism, which is indispensable for the prevention and treatment of hyperestrogenism and a diverse array of hyper-estrogen activity-driven diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR-3) plays a critical role in tumor lymphangiogenesis and metastasis, holding promise as a promising therapeutic target for solid tumors. TMVP1 (LARGR) is a 5-amino acid peptide previously identified in our laboratory from bacterial peptide display system that specifically targets VEGFR-3. Radiolabeled TMVP1 can be used for non-invasive imaging of VEGFR-3 expressing tumors. Homodimeric peptides have better targeting ability than monomeric peptides, and it is worth exploring whether homodimers of TMVP1 ((TMVP1)2) can achieve better imaging effects. This study aimed to explore the peptide properties and tumor assessment value of [68Ga]Ga-labeled (TMVP1)2. Methods: In this study, we developed a TMVP1 homodimer that was conjugated with 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-N, N′, N″-triacetic acid (NOTA) via tetraethyleneglycol (PEG4) and triglyicine (Gly3) spacer, and labeled with 68Ga, to construct [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-(TMVP1)2. Binding of VEGFR-3 by TMVP1 and (TMVP1)2, respectively, was modeled by molecular docking. The affinity of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-(TMVP1)2 for VEGFR-3 and its ability to bind to cells were evaluated. MicroPET imaging and biodistribution studies of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-(TMVP1)2 were performed in subcutaneous C33A cervical cancer xenografts. Five healthy volunteers and eight patients with cervical cancer underwent whole-body PET/CT acquisition 30–45 min after intravenous injection of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-(TMVP1)2. Results: Both molecular docking and cellular experiments showed that homodimeric TMVP1 had a higher affinity for VEGFR-3 than monomeric TMVP1. [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-(TMVP1)2 was excreted mainly through the renal route and partly through the liver route. In mice bearing C33A xenografts, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-(TMVP1)2 specifically localized in the tumor (2.32 ± 0.10% ID/g). Pretreatment of C33A xenograft mice with the unlabeled peptide NOTA-(TMVP1)2 reduced the enrichment of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-(TMVP1)2 in tumors (0.58 ± 0.01% ID/g). [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-(TMVP1)2 proved to be safe in all healthy volunteers and recruited patients, with no side effects or allergies noted. In cervical cancer patients, a majority of the [18F]-FDG identified lesions (18/22, 81.8%) showed moderate to high signal intensity on [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-(TMVP1)2. SUVmax and SUVmean were 2.32 ± 0.77 and 1.61 ± 0.48, respectively. With normal muscle (gluteus maximus) as background, tumor-to-background ratios were 3.49 ± 1.32 and 3.95 ± 1.64 based on SUVmax and SUVmean, respectively. Conclusion: The favorable characterizations of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-(TMVP1)2 such as convenient synthesis, high specific activity, and high tumor uptake enable the evaluation of VEGFR-3 in cervical cancer patients and warrant further clinical studies. Trial registration: ChiCTR-DOD-17012458. Registered August 23, 2017 (retrospectively registered). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immobilized Pd‐catalyzed Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling under continuous‐flow conditions using a packed‐bed reactor, representing an efficient, automated, practical, and safe technology compared to conventional batch‐type reactions. The core objective of this study is the development of an active and durable catalyst. In contrast to supported Pd nanoparticles, the attachment of Pd complexes onto solid supports through well‐defined coordination sites is considered a favorable approach for preparing highly dispersed and stabilized Pd species. These species can be directly employed in various flow reactions without the need for pre‐treatment. This concept paper explores recent achievements involving the application of immobilized Pd complexes as precatalysts for continuous‐flow Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling. Our focus is to elucidate the significance of the designed catalyst structures in relation to their catalytic performance under flow conditions. Additionally, we highlight various reaction systems and catalyst packing methods, emphasizing their crucial roles in establishing a practical synthesis process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise and efficient regulation of microglia is vital for ischemic stroke therapy and prognosis. The infiltration of neutrophils into the brain provides opportunities for regulatory drugs across the blood–brain barrier, while hindered by neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and targeted delivery of intracerebral drugs to microglia. This study reports an efficient neutrophil hijacking nanoplatform (referred to as APTS) for targeted A151 (a telomerase repeat sequence) delivery to microglia without the generation of NETs. In the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse model, the delivery efficiency to ischemic stroke tissues increases by fourfold. APTS dramatically reduces the formation of NETs by 2.2‐fold via reprogramming NETosis to apoptosis in neutrophils via a reactive oxygen species scavenging‐mediated citrullinated histone 3 inhibition pathway. Noteworthy, A151 within neutrophils is repackaged into apoptotic bodies following the death pattern reprogramming, which, when engulfed by microglia, polarizes microglia to an anti‐inflammatory M2 phenotype. After four times treatment, the cerebral infarction area in the APTS group decreases by 5.1‐fold. Thus, APTS provides a feasible, efficient, and practical drug delivery approach for reshaping the immune microenvironment and treating brain disorders in the central nervous system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion behavior of Cu/Ni, Cu/Ni-2.0 Al-6.5 Co-1.5 Cr, and Cu/Ni-21.0 Cr-9 Fe diffusion couples was studied by combining solid–solid single-phase diffusion couples and a numerical inverse method at 1273 K. The composition-dependent interdiffusion coefficients were determined from the concentration profiles measured by electron probe microanalysis and were validated. The order of interdiffusion coefficients in the CuNiAlCoCrFe system is D ~ CrCr Ni > D ~ AlAl Ni > D ~ FeFe Ni > D ~ CoCo Ni > D ~ CuCu Ni . The order of impurity diffusion coefficients of Al, Co, Cr, Fe, and Ni in Cu was also extrapolated from interdiffusion coefficients on the boundary, and the influence of atomic size on impurity diffusion coefficients was analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High cutting temperatures increase tool wear and reduce tool life. To achieve a longer tool life, coated carbide tools have been developed. In this study, the influence of tool coatings on the cutting temperature distribution during the orthogonal cutting of H13-hardened steel is investigated. Firstly, four coating materials, including TiC, TiN, Al2O3, and TiAlN, with the same coating thickness, are selected to evaluate the effects of coating materials on cutting temperature with finite element simulation. The maximum temperatures at the tool rake face and the temperatures at the coating–substrate interface are evaluated. It was found that the maximum temperatures at the tool rake face were the lowest and the highest when TiN and Al2O3 coating materials were applied, respectively. The TiAlN coating material had the best thermal barrier property. Then, the temperature distribution along the direction perpendicular to the tool rake face is investigated for TiAlN-coated tools with different coating thicknesses ranging from 3 μm to 10 μm. It is shown that the temperature gradient increases with the coating thickness. The coating thickness should be kept below 5 μm. Finally, cutting experiments validate the availability of the finite element model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we focus on the mean exit time and the scale function for the geometric Brownian motion with Markovian switching, in which the drift coefficients and the diffusion coefficients are associated with regime changes. The explicit expressions of mean exit time and scale function are obtained by solving the corresponding Poisson problem. Furthermore, we estimate parameters for the geometric Brownian motion with Markovian switching by composite likelihood and explore some properties of the estimates. Computer simulations are performed to illustrate our proposed algorithm, showing high accuracy of the estimators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold stress prompts an increased prevalence of cardiovascular morbidity yet the underneath machinery remains unclear. Oxidative stress and autophagy appear to contribute to cold stress-induced cardiac anomalies. Our present study evaluated the effect of heavy metal antioxidant metallothionein on cold stress (4 °C)-induced in cardiac remodeling and contractile anomalies and cell signaling involved including regulation of autophagy and mitophagy. Cold stress (3 weeks) prompted interstitial fibrosis, mitochondrial damage (mitochondrial membrane potential and TEM ultrastructure), oxidative stress (glutathione, reactive oxygen species and superoxide), lipid peroxidation, protein injury, elevated left ventricular (LV) end systolic and diastolic diameters, decreased fractional shortening, ejection fraction, Langendorff heart function, cardiomyocyte shortening, maximal velocities of shortening/relengthening, and electrically stimulated intracellular Ca2+ rise along with elongated relaxation duration and intracellular Ca2+ clearance, the responses of which were overtly attenuated or mitigated by metallothionein. Levels of apoptosis, cell death (Bax and loss of Bcl2, IL-18), and autophagy (LC3BII-to-LC3BI ratio, Atg7 and Beclin-1) were overtly upregulated with comparable p62 under cold stress. Cold stress also evoked elevated mitophagy (decreased TOM20, increased Parkin and FUNDC1 with unaltered BNIP3). Cold stress overtly dampened phosphorylation of autophagy/mitophagy inhibitory molecules Akt and mTOR, stimulated and suppressed phosphorylation of ULK1 and eNOS, respectively, in the absence of altered pan protein levels. Cold stress-evoked responses in cell death, autophagy, mitophagy and their regulatory domains were overtly attenuated or ablated by metallothionein. Suppression of autophagy and mitophagy with 3-methyladenine, bafilomycin A1, cyclosporine A, and liensinine rescued hypothermia-instigated cardiomyocyte LC3B puncta formation and mechanical anomalies. Our findings support a protective nature for metallothionein in deep hypothermia-evoked cardiac abnormalities associated with regulation of autophagy and mitophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer immunotherapy has become a mainstream cancer treatment over traditional therapeutic modes. Cancer cells can undergo programmed cell death including ferroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, apoptosis and cuproptosis which are find to have intrinsic relationships with host antitumor immune response. However, direct use of cell death inducers or regulators may bring about severe side effects that can also be rapidly excreted and degraded with low therapeutic efficacy. Nanomaterials are able to carry them for long circulation time, high tumor accumulation and controlled release to achieve satisfactory therapeutic effect. Nowadays, a large number of studies have focused on nanomedicines‐based strategies through modulating cell death modalities to potentiate antitumor immunity. Herein, immune cell types and their function are first summarized, and state‐of‐the‐art research progresses in nanomedicines mediated cell death pathways (e.g., ferroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, apoptosis and cuproptosis) with immune response provocation are highlighted. Subsequently, the conclusion and outlook of potential research focus are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infections caused by Enterobacterales producing New Delhi Metallo‐β‐lactamases (NDMs), Zn(II)‐dependent enzymes hydrolyzing carbapenems, are difficult to treat. Depriving Zn(II) to inactivate NDMs is an effective solution to reverse carbapenems resistance in NDMs‐producing bacteria. However, specific Zn(II) deprivation and better bacterial outer membrane penetrability in vivo are challenges. Herein, authors present a pathogen‐primed liposomal antibiotic booster (M‐MFL@MB), facilitating drugs transportation into bacteria and removing Zn(II) from NDMs. M‐MFL@MB introduces bismuth nanoclusters (BiNCs) as a storage tank of Bi(III) for achieving ROS‐initiated Zn(II) removal. Inspired by bacteria‐specific maltodextrin transport pathway, meropenem‐loaded BiNCs are camouflaged by maltodextrin‐cloaked membrane fusion liposome to cross the bacterial envelope barrier via selectively targeting bacteria and directly outer membrane fusion. This fusion disturbs bacterial membrane homeostasis, then triggers intracellular ROS amplification, which activates Bi(III)‐mediated Zn(II) replacement and meropenem release, realizing more precise and efficient NDMs producer treatment. Benefiting from specific bacteria‐targeting, adequate drugs intracellular accumulation and self‐activation Zn(II) replacement, M‐MFL@MB rescues all mice infected by NDM producer without systemic side effects. Additionally, M‐MFL@MB decreases the bacterial outer membrane vesicles secretion, slowing down NDMs producer's transmission by over 35 times. Taken together, liposomal antibiotic booster as an efficient and safe tool provides new strategy for tackling NDMs producer‐induced infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) such as hybrid electric vehicles make use of sensing technologies to improve mobility, safety and efficiency. Automated manual transmission (AMT) is a mechatronic device consisting of Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled sensors and actuators responsible for automatic gear shifting in hybrid electric vehicles. Any failure in these sensors or actuators can affect the normal operation of vehicles. Therefore, this study aims to discuss the characteristics of AMT when it breaks down and its impact on the whole hybrid electric vehicle system. Firstly, this paper briefly introduces the relevant overview of hybrid electric vehicles and AMT. Next, analytical redundancy analysis is used to find out the possible faults of each part of AMT and the causes of each fault. The normal and faulty signals are then passed to a reduced depth kernel extreme learning machine (RDK-ELM) algorithm, which combines the deep learning network structure with the kernel-based selection of support vectors from the training samples. The RDK-ELM is a fault diagnosis algorithm that classifies the normal and faulty signals, which represent whether the sensor is faulty or not. Simulation results show that the algorithm has high classification accuracy of 97.12% and it requires less time for training the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cyclic guanosine monophosphate‐adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS)/stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signalling pathway has been a promising target for anticancer immunity, but rationally activating and enhancing this pathway in tumour cells is critical. Herein, a glutathione sensitive ZnFe2O4‐based nanosystem is developed to programmatically initiate and enhance the STING signalling pathway in tumour cells. The prepared ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles were coated with cancer cell membrane (CCM), which enabled the nanosystem target tumour cells. In tumour cells, ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles could be disintegrated by responding to high level glutathione, and the released Fe3+ generated reactive oxygen species to induce the DNA leakage into the cytoplasm to stimulate cGAS. Then Zn2+ promoted cGAS‐DNA phase separation to intensify the cGAS enzymatic activity. In addition, the low dose encapsulation of paclitaxel (PTX) acting as an antimitotic agent (ZnFe2O4‐PTX@CCM) ensured the sustained activation of cGAS/STING pathway. The in vitro and in vivo results confirmed that ZnFe2O4‐PTX@CCM elevated the cGAS/STING activity, promoted dendritic cell maturation, increased cytotoxic T lymphocyte and natural killer cells infiltration, eventually inhibiting the tumour progress and postoperative recurrence. This study provided feasible references on constructing STING activation nanosystem for tumour immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) play critical roles in many human diseases. In vivo visualization of cells bearing mtDNA mutations is important for resolving the complexity of these diseases, which remains challenging. Here we develop an integrated nano Cas12a sensor (InCasor) and show its utility for efficient imaging of mtDNA mutations in live cells and tumor-bearing mouse models. We co-deliver Cas12a/crRNA, fluorophore-quencher reporters and Mg2+ into mitochondria. This process enables the activation of Cas12a’s trans-cleavage by targeting mtDNA, which efficiently cleave reporters to generate fluorescent signals for robustly sensing and reporting single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) in cells. Since engineered crRNA significantly increase Cas12a’s sensitivity to mismatches in mtDNA, we can identify tumor tissue and metastases by visualizing cells with mutant mtDNAs in vivo using InCasor. This CRISPR imaging nanoprobe holds potential for applications in mtDNA mutation-related basic research, diagnostics and gene therapies.Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) play critical roles in human diseases. Here, the authors describe an integrated Cas12a sensor for sensing mtDNA mutations in vivo, showing potential for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Radiotherapy is a mainstay treatment for malignant tumors in clinical practice. However, enhancing radiation damage to tumor cells meanwhile sparing normal tissues is still a great challenge in radiotherapy. Nanomaterials with high atomic number (Z) values are promising radiosensitizers by promoting the radiation energy deposition in irradiated tumor cells, thus enhancing the therapeutic ratio of radiotherapy. In this review, we described the mechanisms of high‐Z element based‐radiosensitizers and systematically summarized the recent progress on high‐Z metal‐based nanomaterials, including high‐Z metal‐based nanoparticles, high‐Z metal‐based nanoscale metal‐organic frameworks and high‐Z metal‐doping nanomaterials. Finally, further potential and challenges in this field were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast neutron and X‐ray imaging are considered complementary nondestructive detection technologies. However, due to their opposite cross‐sections, development of a scintillator that is sensitive to both fast neutrons and X‐rays within a single‐material framework remains challenging. Herein, an organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite (C4H9NH3)2PbBr4 (BPB) is demonstrated as a scintillator that fully meets the requirements for both fast neutron and X‐ray detection. The hydrogen‐rich organic component acts as a fast neutron converter and produces detectable recoil protons. The heavy atom‐rich inorganic fraction efficiently deposits the energy of charged recoil protons and directly provides a large X‐ray cross‐section. Due to the synergy of these organic and inorganic components, the BPB scintillator exhibits high light yields (86% of the brightness of a commercial ZnS (Ag)/6LiF scintillator for fast neutrons; 22 000 photons per MeV for X‐rays) and fast response times (τdecay = 10.3 ns). More importantly, energy‐selective fast neutron and X‐ray imaging are also demonstrated, with high resolutions of ≈1 lp mm−1 for fast neutrons and 17.3 lp mm−1 for X‐rays; these are among the highest resolution levels for 2D perovskite scintillators. This study highlights the potential of 2D perovskite materials for use in combined fast neutron and X‐ray imaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, amorphous manganese dioxide (AMO) is prepared by the liquid‐phase coprecipitation method, the effect of heat treatment temperature on the microstructure, and phase composition of AMO and the electrochemical properties as cathode materials for aqueous Zn–MnO2 batteries are investigated. The results show that the AMO didn't crystallize at 250 °C, but its structure stability increases. When the temperature is 350 and 400 °C, part of the AMO crystallizes into rod‐shaped nano‐α‐MnO2 crystals. At 540 °C, the products crystallize into nano‐α‐MnO2 crystals. Continuing to increase the temperature to 650 °C, the structural stability of the products is further improved. Heat treatment leads to reduced specific surface area and porosity of the material, which in turn leads to reduced specific capacity and cycling stability. In addition, the heat‐treated products show a sharp drop in capacity during the discharge process; this was because the volume change caused by the irreversible phase change of the electrode material is difficult to release in the anisotropic crystal, resulting in the collapse of the structure. This study shows that unheated AMO is better than heat‐treated AMO as a cathode material for aqueous Zn–MnO2 battery cathode material in terms of overall performance and cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We deal with various strains of Lactobacillus that can maintain the intestinal microbiome of rats treated with cyclophosphamide, an anticancer agent (chemotherapy). We use MiSeq and various types of statistical tests to prove that cyclophosphamide in rats alters the intestinal microbiome, favoring the growth of various fungi that are extremely harmful to intestinal metabolism. On the contrary, when Lactobacillus 3L is administered together with cyclophosphamide, we prove that the microbiome is preserved by having a much better intestinal metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor vaccines have been used to treat cancer. How to efficiently induce tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) secretion with host immune system activation is a key issue in achieving high antitumor immunity. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a process in which tumor cells upon an external stimulus change from non-immunogenic to immunogenic, leading to enhanced antitumor immune responses. The immune properties of ICD are damage-associated molecular patterns and TAA secretion, which can further promote dendritic cell maturation and antigen presentation to T cells for adaptive immune response provocation. In this review, we mainly summarize the latest studies focusing on nanotechnology-mediated ICD for effective cancer immunotherapy as well as point out the challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atriplex canescens is widely cultivated as drought and salt-tolerant fodder in arid regions of Northwest China, which is used for photoremediation of degraded land and soil and water conservation. To explore the growth performance of A. canescens when exposed to drought and salt stress, seedlings were treated with a range of drought stress (WC1: 75 ± 3.6%, WC2: 49 ± 2.9% and WC3: 27 ± 2.5% of soil water content) and the corresponding drought stress with additional sodium salt supplementation (NaCl:Na2SO4 = 1:1 with the total concentration of Na+ set to 150 mM). The findings of this paper indicated that moderate sodium salt could stimulate the growth of A. canescens and effectively alleviate the deleterious impact of drought stress by increasing the turgor potential (ψt) and relative water content (RWC) and decreasing the leaf water osmotic potential (ψs). Furthermore, the photosynthetic capacity was improved and the negative effects of drought stress on photosystem II (PSII) were mitigated. The extra 150 mM sodium salt also markedly increased the contribution of Na+ to ψs and the contribution of betaine to ψs. In summary, these results indicate that A. canescens can adapt to drought stress by accumulating enough Na+ for osmotic adjustment (OA). Additionally, this paper is aimed to provide a fundamental basis for the utilization and cultivation of A. canescens as a favored pasture crop in the Qaidam basin, thus increasing the ecological and environmental benefits for arid regions worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biological barriers have seriously restricted the efficacious responses of oral delivery system in diseases treatment. Utilizing a carrier based on the single construction means is hard to overcome these obstacles simultaneously because the complex gastrointestinal tract environment requires carrier to have different or even contradictory properties. Interestingly, spore capsid (SC) integrates many unique biological characteristics, such as high resistance, good stability etc. This fact offers a boundless source of inspiration for the construction of multi-functional oral nanoplatform based on SC without further modification. Herein, we develop a type of biomimetic spore nanoplatform (SC@DS NPs) to successively overcome oral biological barriers. Firstly, doxorubicin (DOX) and sorafenib (SOR) are self-assembled to form carrier-free nanoparticles (DS NPs). Subsequently, SC is effectively separated from probiotic spores and served as a functional vehicle for delivering DS NPs. As expect, SC@DS NPs can efficaciously pass through the rugged stomach environment after oral administration and further be transported to the intestine. Surprisingly, we find that SC@DS NPs exhibit a significant improvement in the aspects of mucus penetration and transepithelial transport, which is related to the protein species of SC. This study demonstrates that SC@DS NPs can efficiently overcome multiple biological barriers and improve the therapeutic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the rechargeability and conductivity of electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) electrodes in rechargeable alkaline manganese batteries. In this work, ultrafine Ag3BiO3 powders were prepared by a novel hydrothermal in situ dispersion method and doped into EMD electrodes by physical grinding. The effects of hydrothermal time, hydrothermal temperature and cetyltriethylammnonium bromide (CTAB) in-situ dispersant on the phase composition and micromorphology of the prepared powders were investigated, and the synthesis process of ultrafine Ag3BiO3 was recommended. Then, the effect of Ag3BiO3 doping amounts on the electrochemical performance of EMD electrodes was further investigated, and the modification mechanism was deeply discussed. The results showed that well-dispersed spherical Ag3BiO3 of about 100 nm could be synthesized at a molar ratio of AgNO3:Bi(NO3)3 of 2:1, with 3 wt% CTAB as in situ dispersant, and a hydrothermal time of 12 h and a hydrothermal temperature of 120 °C. The discharge specific capacities of the EMD electrode doped with 10 wt% Ag3BiO3 were reached 519.9 mAh/g and 98.3 mAh/g after initial and 50 cycles, respectively, which were 323.5%, 72.15% and 108.8%, 18.3% higher than those of the pure EMD electrode and the EMD electrode doped with 10 wt% Bi2O3, respectively. The doping of Ag3BiO3 could increase the discharge voltage of the EMD electrode and improve its redox process. Besides, the Bi3+ ions could form complexes with Mn2+ and Mn3+, inhibit the disproportionation reaction, reduce the production of electrochemically inert products Mn3O4, and also stimulate the second electron discharge of the EMD electrode, which played an important role in lattice stabilisation. Furthermore, the reduction of Ag+ to Ag during charging and discharging could increase the conductivity of the EMD electrode and enhance the modification effect of Bi3+. Therefore, the doping of Ag3BiO3 in the EMD electrode could significantly increase the discharge specific capacity and rechargeability. This is an important contribution to the modification mechanism of Ag3BiO3 doped EMD cathode for rechargeable alkaline manganese batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amplifying intracellular oxidative stress by organelle‐targeted reactive oxygen species (ROS) production combined with tumor cell‐specific gene disruption is a promising strategy for tumor treatment. However, due to the vulnerability of CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) to ROS, co‐delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 RNPs and ROS generators to enhance the sensitivity of tumor cells to oxidative stress remains challenging. Herein, a cascade‐responsive "oxidative stress amplifier" (named DR‐TAF‐pHT/FA) is proposed, which can successively respond to cathepsin B, localized laser irradiation and ATP to generate ROS on the lysosomal membrane of tumor cells and release Cas9/sgNrf2 RNPs for efficient gene disruption. It is demonstrated that, under near infrared (NIR) irradiation, DR‐TAF‐pHT/FA achieves targeted rupture of lysosomal membranes, inducing significant intracellular oxidative stress. Meanwhile, due to the protective function of TAF coating (TA‐Fe3+ coordination self‐assembled networks), Cas9/sgNrf2 RNPs can safely escape into the cytoplasm and be released in response to ATP, further amplifying oxidative stress and promoting tumor cell apoptosis through efficient Nrf2 gene disruption. Treatment with DR‐TAF‐pHT/FA + NIR significantly improves tumor ablation efficiency and extends median survival time (over 70 days) in Hela xenograft models. This "oxidative stress amplifier" provides a new paradigm for multimodal and synergistic tumor therapy through precise lysosomal membrane bursting together with efficient Nrf2 gene disruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative tumor recurrence and metastases often lead to cancer treatment failure. Here, we develop a local embedded photodynamic immunomodulatory DNA hydrogel for early warning and inhibition of postoperative tumor recurrence. The DNA hydrogel contains PDL1 aptamers that capture and enrich in situ relapsed tumor cells, increasing local ATP concentration to provide a timely warning signal. When a positive signal is detected, local laser irradiation is performed to trigger photodynamic therapy to kill captured tumor cells and release tumor-associated antigens (TAA). In addition, reactive oxygen species break DNA strands in the hydrogel to release encoded PDL1 aptamer and CpG, which together with TAA promote sufficient systemic antitumor immunotherapy. In a murine model where tumor cells are injected at the surgical site to mimic tumor recurrence, we find that the hydrogel system enables timely detection of tumor recurrence by enriching relapsed tumor cells to increase local ATP concentrations. As a result, a significant inhibitory effect of approximately 88.1% on recurrent tumors and effectively suppressing metastasis, offering a promising avenue for timely and effective treatment of postoperative tumor recurrence. Decreased survival after surgery is often associated to post-operative tumor recurrence and metastasis. Here the authors describe a DNA hydrogel enabling monitoring of tumor recurrence and spatiotemporally controlled photodynamic immunotherapy to prevent post-operative tumor recurrence and metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver fibrosis is a progressive histological manifestation that happens in almost all chronic liver diseases. An unabated liver fibrosis may eventually develop into liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Yet, the strategy for reversal of liver fibrosis is still limited. Herein, a biomimetic nano‐regulator (P‐ZIF8‐cirDNAzyme) is developed to affect both collagen synthesis and degradation in liver to remodel collagen microenvironment. It is found that Zn (II) interference can efficiently inhibit collagen synthesis in activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSC) by inactivating proline 4 hydroxylase and affecting many fibrosis‐related signaling pathways. Meanwhile, Zn (II)‐dependent circular DNAzymes (cirDNAzymes) are used to efficiently silence tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase‐1, accelerating the degradation of collagen. They act in concert to recover the balance between collagen deposition and degradation. Additionally, ZIF‐8‐cirDNAzyme is coated by platelet membrane (PM) for precisely targeting aHSC via PM's inflammatory tropism and CD62p–CD44 interaction. In carbon tetrachloride‐induced fibrotic mice, P‐ZIF‐8‐cirDNAzyme shows a potent anti‐fibrotic effect, greatly reducing the expression of collagen by 73.12% and restoring liver function nearly to normal. This work proposes a prospective platform enabling ion interference and gene silencing, collectively acting in aHSC for reversal of liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that heterogeneous palladium‐catalyzed C−C bond formation reactions under continuous‐flow conditions are well suited for the efficient and safe production of pharmaceuticals and functional materials, the development of active and durable catalysts for this purpose is a matter of high practical significance. Here, a previously established molecular convolution methodology was used to synthesize catalysts for Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling under flow conditions by blending convoluted polymeric palladium catalysts (prepared from copolymers of 4‐vinylpyridine and 4‐tert‐butylstyrene) and crosslinked polymeric auxiliary materials (prepared from copolymers of divinylbenzene and 4‐tert‐butylstyrene). The optimal catalyst exhibited high performance and durability and allowed numerous biaryl products such as liquid‐crystalline materials, organic electroluminescent materials, and pharmaceuticals to be continuously synthesized with turnover frequencies of up to 238 h−1. In a demonstration of practical utility, the developed catalytic system was used for the continuous synthesis of two pharmaceuticals (felbinac and fenbufen) in water as the sole solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high conductivity C/amorphous MnO2 (AMO) for aqueous zinc-ion battery cathode prepared by in-situ liquid-phase co-precipitation was investigated. Low-cost industrial grade flake graphite (FG) and carbon nanotubes (CNT) were used to modify the amorphous manganese dioxide. The carbon material types and the compound amounts on the microstructure of C/AMO were systematically investigated. The electrochemical properties of the cathodes as well as the modification mechanism of the FG and CNT were discussed in detail. And the optimum compound amounts of FG and CNT were 20 and 30 wt%, respectively. It was found that the electrode performance of 30 wt% CNT/AMO was better than that of 20 wt% FG/AMO, which achieved a maximum specific capacity of 304.4 mAh g−1 at a current density of 100 mA g−1 and a capacity retention rate of 101.53% after 100 cycles were obtained. In addition, at a current density of 1 A g−1, the maximum discharge specific capacity and the capacity retention rate could still reach 235.8 mAh g−1 and 67.04% after 600 cycles. It was found that the composite of CNT could strengthen the Mn–O bonding of AMO, and increase the number of the Mn–O bonds and the oxygen vacancies, thus improving the material activity and increasing the charging and discharging capacity. Furthermore, the modification of CNT could also significantly increase the electrical conductivity of the composite and change the pseudo-capacitance behavior of its electrode, thus improving its cathode cycling and multiplier performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer incidence worldwide. Oral drug delivery systems (ODDS) have shown great promise for CRC therapy, but the delivery efficiency is still challenged by the dense intestinal mucus barrier and nonspecific interception of abnormally proliferated pathogenic bacteria. Herein, self‐thermophoretic nanoparticles (CTPB) is presented to enhance intestinal mucus penetration and reduce pathogenic bacteria interception in CRC for efficient drug delivery. The nanoplatform introduces hollow mesoporous copper sulfide and is asymmetrically sprayed with titanium dioxide as the self‐thermophoretic matrix. Based on the close relationship between pathogenic bacteria and CRC, the nanoplatform is camouflaged by the biomimetic membrane of Staphylococcus aureus to precisely anchor in the intestinal segment of CRC. After near‐infrared laser irradiation, CTPB can effectively increase the intestinal mucus penetration efficiency by 2.7 folds, and decrease the pathogenic bacterial interception by 3.5 folds via the self‐thermophoretic propulsion force. In orthotopic CRC‐bearing mice, CTPB vastly improved the drug delivery efficiency to CRC after oral administration, thus showing a 99.4% antitumor rate after three weeks of treatment, which provides new insight into oral drug delivery for CRC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing service temperature of aeroengines, the development of thermal/environmental barrier coatings (T/EBCs) has been considered to be a great challenge, which requires high‐temperature stability and excellent thermal and mechanical properties. In this work, high‐entropy design was adopted to change the crystal structure of rare‐earth monosilicates used for T/EBCs. The microstructure evolution, thermal and mechanical properties of the plasma‐sprayed (Lu0.25Yb0.25Er0.25Y0.25)2SiO5 and (Lu0.2Yb0.2Er0.2Ho0.2Y0.2)2SiO5 coatings before and after thermal aging at 1350°C for 50 h were investigated. Results showed that the as‐sprayed coatings exhibited dense structure with amorphous and decomposed phases. The change of microstructure like amorphous crystallized and defect healing occurred after thermal aging, which had obvious influence on thermomechanical properties. Compared with single‐component RE2SiO5 (RE = Yb, Er, Y) coatings, the thermal‐aged high‐entropy coatings exhibited lower thermal conductivity, similar thermal expansion coefficient, and better toughness. The work will provide a foundation for the design and application of T/EBCs materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes are seen as promising biomarkers for minimally invasive liquid biopsies and disease surveillance. However, the complexity of body fluids, inherent heterogeneity, and tiny size of exosomes impede their extraction, consequently restricting their clinical application. In this study, in order to efficiently isolate exosomes from clinical samples, an irregular serpentine channel microfluidic chip (ExoSIC) was designed to continuously separate exosomes from plasma based on a magnetic-nanowaxberry (MNWB). In the ExoSIC, irregular serpentine microchannels are utilized to increase fluid chaotic mixing, hence improving exosome capture efficiency. In comparison to commonly used spherical magnetic particles, the designed MNWB can not only enhance the capture efficiency of exosomes, but also possess a size-exclusion effect to improve exosome purity. Consequently, the ExoSIC exhibited a large yield (24 times higher than differential centrifugation), optimum purity (greater than precipitation and similar to differential centrifugation), and high specificity. Furthermore, the ExoSIC was utilized for plasma-based cancer diagnosis by multiplex monitoring of five exosomal biomarkers (exosomal concentration, EGFR, EpCAM, SAA1 and FV), and the AUC reached 0.791. This work provides a comprehensive framework for exosome-based cancer diagnostics in order to meet clinical requirements for exosome isolation and downstream analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to alleviate the hydrogen evolution corrosion, passivation, and zinc dendrite growth during the charging and discharging of the zinc–bismuth negative electrode of zinc–air battery, the effects of the addition amounts of single Na2SiO3 and SDBS and their compounding on the corrosion inhibition effect and the charging and discharging performance of zinc–air battery in a new KOH-KF-K2CO3 electrolyte system were systematically investigated in this paper. In addition, the inhibition mechanisms of related inhibitors were discussed using FT-IR and XPS analyses. The results show that the addition of single Na2SiO3 and SDBS in the electrolyte can inhibit hydrogen evolution, dendrite formation, and passivation of the zinc electrode, thereby improving the charging/discharging performance of the battery, and the combination of Na2SiO3 and SDBS has a synergistic effect in improving corrosion inhibition and electrochemical performance of the electrode. When the additive concentration of the composite electrolyte is 1-g/L Na2SiO3 + 55-mg/L SDBS, the hydrogen evolution corrosion inhibition efficiency can reach 52.46%. Under the current density of 25 mA/cm2, the initial specific capacity and the capacity retention rate after the 300th cycle of the electrode can reach 523.5 mAh/g and 88.27%, respectively. It is found that both inhibitors can adsorb on the surface of zinc electrode in alkaline electrolyte to form a protective film on zinc electrode. The hydrogen evolution and corrosion inhibition effects of Na2SiO3 are better than SDBS, while the dendrite inhibition effect of SDBS is better than Na2SiO3. However, due to their different adsorption mechanisms, the compound addition can synergistically improve the coverage of the protective film, thereby inhibiting the corrosion, passivation, and dendrite of zinc electrode and effectively improve the first discharge specific capacity and cycle life of the battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaporation characteristics of n-decane-based bi-component or multi-component droplets have been veiled for application in advanced combustion. This paper proposes to experimentally investigate the evaporation of n-decane/ethanol bi-component droplets settled in the convective hot air, and numerically simulate the key parameters affecting the evaporation charactersitics. It was found that the evaporation behavior was interactively affected by the mass fraction of ethanol and the ambient temperature. For mono-component n-decane droplets, the evaporation process included the transient heating (non-isothermal) and steady evaporation (isothermal) stages. In the isothermal stage, the evaporation rate followed d2-law. The evaporation rate constant linearly increased as the ambient temperature enhanced (573~873 K). For n-decane/ethanol bi-component droplets, at low mass fractions (≤0.2), the isothermal evaporation processes were steady due to the good miscibility between n-decane and ethanol, like mono-component n-decane, whereas at high mass fractions (≥0.4), the evaporation process experienced ultrashort heating and fluctuating evaporation stages. During the fluctuating evaporation, the bubbles formed inside the bi-component droplets and expanded, resulting in the occurrence of the microspray (secondary atomization) and the microexplosion. The evaporation rate constant of bi-component droplets increased as the ambient temperature enhanced, and showed a "V-shaped" trend with the increase of the mass fraction, and the evaporation rate constant was the smallest at 0.4. The evaporation rate constants based on the numerical simulation by using the multiphase flow model and Lee model showed reasonable agreement with the experimental ones, suggesting a potential of application in practical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rupture of atherosclerosis (AS) vulnerable plaque is the major cause of fatal arterial thrombosis related diseases. The lipid dysbolism and pro-inflammatory microenvironment are considered two main driving factors for plaque rupture. Herein, a "two-pronged" nanosystem LCS-Se/Res was designed to efficiently stabilize AS plaques, by precisely regulating lipid metabolism and inflammatory microenvironment. LCS-Se/Res was constructed with the core of resveratrol (Res) loaded selenium (Se) nanoparticles (NPs), and the shell (LCS) of targeting peptide (LSIPPKA) modified chitosan (CS). This system was stable in blood circulation. When it arrived at the plaque site, LCS-Se/Res could actively recognize the highly expressed lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1 (LOX-1) receptor and accumulate there. Thereafter, Res was released from LCS-Se nanocarriers in situ by responding to acidic plaque microenvironment. On the one hand, Res increased autophagy flux in damaged endothelial cells by activating cAMP-PKA-AMPK-SIRT1 signaling pathway to promote lipid degradation. Interestingly, LCS-Se also promoted cholesterol efflux to improve lipid metabolism. On the other hand, fixed-point separated Res and LCS-Se synergistically improved plaque inflammatory microenvironment by reversing macrophage phenotype (M1 to M2) and alleviating plaque oxidative stress. Pharmacodynamics result proved that the plaque vulnerability index (VI) decreased from 1.39 ± 0.282 to 0.108 ± 0.02 after LCS-Se/Res treatment. In short, this study provided a new therapeutic strategy for the atherosclerosis through the two-pronged approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]