Hyperbaric oxygen augments Doxil antitumor efficacy by reducing tumor-induced lactate.

Compared to healthy individuals, cancer patients exhibit significantly elevated lactate. While numerous studies have revealed the critical role of lactate in fostering an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, the effects of lactate on cancer nanomedicine (e.g.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Regulates Tumor pH to Boost Copper-Doped Hydroxyethyl Starch Conjugate Nanoparticles Against Cancer Stem Cells.

An extracellular acidic environment and an intracellular mildly alkaline environment induced by carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9) play a critical role in self-renewal, invasion, migration, and drug resistance of cancer stem cells (CSCs) within hypoxic solid tumors. Here, we report an antitumor strategy leveraging hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) to regulate tumor pH and boost hydroxyethyl starch-doxorubicin-copper nanoparticles (HHD-Cu NPs) against CSCs. HBO overcomes tumor hypoxia, downregulates pH-regulatory proteins such as CA9, and leads to intracellular accumulation of acidic metabolites.

Ion exchange-based magnetic micro-cleaners harness multiple effects to enhance antibiotics removal.

The widespread misuse of antibiotics has created significant environmental and public health concerns due to their persistence in aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, effective strategies for antibiotics removal are urgently needed. Here we propose an ion-exchange-based magnetic micro-cleaner to enhance antibiotic removal from contaminated water bodies through multiple effects.

High-Performance Double-Drive Water Evaporation-Induced Generator Operating Without Liquid Water Sources.

Restricted electrical output and the heavy reliance on liquid water sources severely limit the further development of water evaporation-induced generators (WEGs) based on the inherently slow phase transition of water molecules. Here, inspired by the rolling logs to transport boulders, a double-drive WEG (DWEG) is developed, in which double ionic circulations and ion-electronic friction provide intensive horsepower and grip for energy capture. DWEGs applied in deionized water can continuously generate a high voltage of 1.

A novel high-efficient imidazoline derivative corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in CO-containing oilfield produced water: experimental and theoretical studies.

During the oil and gas extraction, the corrosion of carbon steel pipelines poses a serious threat to the safe production of oil and gas. The use of corrosion inhibitors is one of the effective methods to solve this tough issue. In this work, a novel dimmer acid imidazoline derivative (DIMTU) was developed as corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in CO-containing oilfield produced water.

Emerging nanoparticles that target and eliminate cancer stem cells.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a distinct subpopulation within tumors possessing self-renewal and multilineage differentiation capacities, represent the pivotal drivers of therapeutic resistance, tumor recurrence, and metastatic dissemination. The inherent heterogeneity and drug resilience of CSCs render conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy largely ineffective against this population despite their ability to eliminate bulk tumor cells, ultimately limiting treatment outcomes. In recent years, nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as promising therapeutic platforms for CSCs-targeted intervention due to their unique physicochemical properties and multifunctional capabilities.

Enhancing food safety with zirconium-based electrochemical sensors: A comprehensive review.

Food safety is a global concern due to contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, and pharmaceutical residues, which pose significant health risks. The demand for rapid, cost-effective, and reliable detection methods continues to grow. Electrochemical sensors are promising for food safety monitoring due to their high sensitivity, ease of use, and real-time detection capabilities.

Hydrogen-Bonded Bottlebrush Copolymers Carrying "Two-in-One" Prodrug for Boosting Synergistic Chemo/Photothermal Antitumor Therapy.

Employing hydrogen-bonded (H-bonded) bottlebrush architecture to realize intelligent therapeutics is particularly advantageous but rare. Herein, we target the construction of H-bond-mediated supramolecular bottlebrush copolymer micelles, FU-IR780@P1, for synergistic cancer chemo/photothermal therapies (CT/PTT). To do so, we first design an H-bonding amphiphilic bottlebrush random copolymer carrier, P(NBDAP--NBPEO) (i.

Living therapeutics of nonpathogenic bacteria as biosynthesis factory and active carriers for enhancing tumor-targeted therapy.

Anaerobic bacteria-mediated tumor therapy faces multiple challenges, including potential toxic side effects, complex manufacturing processes, and impaired hypoxic targeting. Here, based on the excellent biocompatibility and distinctive metabolic ability of natural anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) to dissimilate sulfate into sulfide, we construct in situ-biosynthesized ferrous sulfide nanoparticle-SRB (FeS@SRB) biohybrid to enhance tumor-targeted therapy. Interestingly, SRB acts as both a biosynthesis factory and active tumor-targeted delivery vehicles.

Genetic redundancy of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase conferred the ability of Rhodococcus opacus PD630 for efficient catecholic compounds degradation.

Lignin, a bountiful natural resource, presents challenges in degradation and conversion due to its complex structure. Microorganisms have evolved a "biofunnel" pathway in nature that offers novel insights into lignin valorization. Among the key intermediates in lignin metabolism is catechol, predominantly metabolized by catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (CatA) in these organisms.

Light-controlled smart materials: Supramolecular regulation and applications.

Smart materials serve as the fundamental cornerstone supporting humanity's transition into the intelligent era. Smart materials possess the capability to perceive external stimuli and respond accordingly. Light-controlled smart materials (LCSMs) are a significant category that can sense and respond to light stimuli.

Precision fabrication of polymer nanostructures on recyclable DNA template.

The fabrication of precisely patterned polymers at the nanoscale is of critical importance. We have previously succeeded in creating various nanopatterned polymers with nanoscale resolution through the use of in situ atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) techniques on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) origami. However, separating nanopatterned polymers from the origami template without damaging the origami presents a significant challenge, thereby increasing costs and limiting the development of applications involving nanopatterned polymers.

Modulating tumor acidity with hydroxyethyl starch-based nanoparticles by targeting CA9 to eliminate cancer stem cells and overcome immunosuppression.

The acidic microenvironment in solid tumors, primarily driven by Warburg effect, promotes tumor progression, immune evasion, and resistance to therapy. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a critical subset within tumor tissues, exacerbate this acidity through overexpression of pH-regulating proteins such as carbonic anhydrase IX (CA9), which plays a pivotal role in maintaining pH homeostasis, contributes to immune suppression, and sustains CSC stemness and proliferation. In this study, we designed CA9 inhibitor (CAi) coupled hydroxyethyl starch-based nanoparticles (CHHD-Cu NPs) that integrate doxorubicin (DOX) mediated chemotherapy with copper ions (Cu) mediated chemodynamic therapy to target and eliminate CA9-expressing CSCs.

Designing Natural Cell-Inspired Heme-Spurred Membrane Electrode Assembly for Fuel Cells.

Developing highly efficient and durable membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) is imperative for the widespread implementation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). However, the poor mass transfer efficiency and sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics have significantly suppressed the power density and longevity of platinum (Pt)-based MEA in PEMFCs, particularly when using an ultralow Pt loading. Inspired by the functional principles of hemoglobin in red blood cells, we present a Heme-cofactor strategy to create a "respiratory proton-transfer chain" for PEMFCs.

Constructing Immunomodulator Biosynthesis Factory in Grafting-From DNA Hydrogel for Heart Valve Regeneration.

The development of heart valve prostheses with regenerative capabilities offers significant potential to overcome the limitations of existing commercial artificial valves in clinical practice. Immune modulation plays a crucial role in heart valve regeneration by reversing the coagulation and inflammatory microenvironment, thereby facilitating recellularization. In this study, a biosynthesis factory is constructed on decellularized heart valves (DHVs) to continuously convert the abundant heme in the blood into immunomodulators, supporting long-term immune modulation and tissue regeneration.

Programmable Self-Sorting within a Library of Metal-Organic Cages.

Self-sorting exerts a pivotal role in biological self-assembly processes, enabling the hierarchical organization of biomacromolecules with exquisite selectivity. Inspired by nature, we present a programmable supramolecular coordination system where two types of ligands undergo sequential narcissistic and social self-sorting events to assemble either homoleptic or heteroleptic metal-organic cages. Homoleptic cage formation proceeds through the narcissistic self-sorting of either rigid or flexible ligands, depending on their varying sizes, whereas heteroleptic cages emerge through social self-sorting, where flexible ligands undergo adaptive conformational adjustments to achieve geometric complementarity with rigid counterparts.

Unraveling the aggregation mechanism and bioactivity of Tyr12 nitrated human calcitonin.

The development of therapeutic human calcitonin (hCT) is limited by its irreversible aggregation to form amyloid fibrils. Salmon calcitonin (sCT), a clinical alternative, with only 50 % hCT sequence homology causes severe side effects, making the development of anti-fibrillation hCT analogs more promising in achieving therapeutic goals. It is reported that Tyr12 plays a critical role in inducing hCT fibrils.

Thermosensitive Resiquimod-Loaded Lipid Nanoparticles Promote the Polarization of Tumor-Associated Macrophages to Enhance Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy.

Bladder cancer is a common malignant tumor of the urinary system and is associated with high morbidity, recurrence, and mortality rates. Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors has shown great therapeutic outcomes and safety in bladder cancer. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have also been approved as first- and second-line drugs for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer.

Ultrabroadband (Vis-NIR) Emission in Single-Component Perovskite LEDs via Tailored Multi-Exciton Energy Transfer Pathways.

The development of ultrabroadband light sources spanning the visible (Vis) to near-infrared (NIR) range is of fundamental importance for cutting-edge applications in communication, metrology, and quantum technologies. Although phosphor-converted LEDs have extended emission, they still suffer from spectral gaps, inadequate color rendering, and constrained NIR output. Here, a promising approach is introduced by tailoring multi-exciton energy transfer pathways to realize ultrabroadband Vis-to-NIR emission in Sb⁺/Ln⁺ co-doped vacancy-ordered Cs₂HfCl₆ perovskite nanocrystals.

Dissolving Microneedle Patches Integrating Optical Clearing and Photothermal Agents for Improved Photothermal Disinfection.

Photothermal disinfection is an emerging and efficient therapeutic method for treating various infections. However, the therapeutic efficacy is hindered by the poor tissue penetration of light. While tissue optical clearance technology can enhance light transmission, the stratum corneum impedes the delivery of clearing agents to deeper tissues.

Progress in the mechanical properties of nanoparticles for tumor-targeting delivery.

Cancer nanomedicines have attracted significant attention in the past several decades, and the physicochemical properties, such as the size, shape, composition, surface charge, hydrophobicity, and mechanical properties, of nanoparticles have been optimized for potent cancer therapy. Since publishing our 2020 tutorial review "Influence of nanomedicine mechanical properties on tumor targeting delivery" in , substantial advancements have been made in understanding the role of mechanical properties in cancer nanomedicine. Notably, transport processes that are dependent on the mechanical properties of nanomedicine, including long circulation, tumor accumulation, and deep penetration, have been extensively studied using various nano-drug delivery systems.

"Mix-and-Match": Self-Sorting Assembly Governed Supramolecular Polymeric Nanomedicine for Boosting Combined Chemo/Phototherapy.

Precise cancer nanomedicine requires rational molecular instructions of therapeutic agents. Harnessing the structure-property-function relationships represents a practical strategy toward smart and effective nanomedicine. A structurally novel hydrogen-bonded (H-bonded) supramolecular nanoformulation generated by orthogonal self-sorting assembly of chemo-prodrug (FPtF) and phototherapeutics (BPeB) is here reported, to reach an autonomous nanomedicine with improved anti-tumor efficacy by combining chemo/phototherapy (CT/PT).

Inhaled pH-Responsive polymyxin B-loaded albumin nanoparticles against pneumonia caused by carbapenem resistant .

The pneumonia induced by carbapenem resistant (CRKP) has high morbidity and mortality. Among the antibiotics currently available, polymyxin B (PMB) is considered to be the last line of defense. Routine intravenous administration of PMB has many problems, such as severe neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.