IGFBP5 promotes neuronal apoptosis in a 6-OHDA-toxicant model of Parkinson's disease by inhibiting the sonic hedgehog signalling pathway

INTRODUCTION

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide. Studies have shown that insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 5 (IGFBP5) may contribute to methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity and neuronal apoptosis in PC-12 cells and rat striatum. Here, we studied the expression and role of IGFBP5 in the 6-OHDA-toxicant model of PD.

METHODS

PC-12 and SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to 50 μM 6-OHDA for 24 h. qRT-PCR, western blotting, CCK-8 assay, EdU staining, annexin V staining, and immunofluorescence were performed to study the effects of IGFBP5 specific siRNAs. The effects of IGFBP5 on a rat 6-OHDA model of PD were confirmed by performing behavioral tests, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunofluorescence staining, and western blotting.

RESULTS

In the GSE7621 dataset, IGFBP5 was highly expressed in the substantia nigra tissues of PD patients compared to healthy controls. In PC-12 and SH-SY5Y cells, IGFBP5 was upregulated following 6-OHDA exposure in a dose-dependent manner. Silencing of IGFBP5 promoted PC-12 and SH-SY5Y proliferation while inhibited apoptosis under 6-OHDA stimulation. Silencing of IGFBP5 relieved 6-OHDA-induced TH-positive neuron loss. Hedgehog signalling pathway was predicted as a downstream signalling pathway of IGFBP5. Negative regulation between IGFBP5 and sonic hedgehog (SHH) signalling pathway was confirmed in vitro. The effects of IGFBP5 silencing on SH-SY5Y cells were partially reversed using cyclopamine, a direct inhibitor of the SHH signalling pathway. In addition, silencing of IGFBP5 attenuated motor deficits and neuronal damage in 6-OHDA-induced PD rats.

CONCLUSION

Elevated IGFBP5 expression may be involved in 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity through regulation of the SHH signalling pathway.

Spatiotemporally-controlled hydrophobic drug delivery via photosensitizer-driven assembly-disassembly for enhanced triple-negative breast cancer treatment

Therapeutic approaches for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) have been continuously advancing, but inadequate control over release behavior, insufficient tumor selectivity, and limited drug availability continue to impede therapeutic outcomes in nanodrug systems. In this study, we propose a general hydrophobic antineoplastic delivery system, termed spatiotemporally-controlled hydrophobic antineoplastic delivery system (SCHADS) for enhanced TNBC treatment. The key feature of SCHADS is the formation of metastable photosensitive-antineoplastic complexes (PACs) through the self-assembly of hydrophobic drugs driven by photosensitive molecules. With the further decoration of tumor-targeting peptides coupled with the EPR effect, the PACs tend to accumulate in the tumor site tremendously, promoting drug delivery efficiency. Meanwhile, the disassembly behavior of the metastable PACs could be driven by light on demand to achieve in situ drug release, thus promoting chemotherapeutics availability. Furthermore, the abundant ROS generated by the photosensitizer could effectively kill tumor cells, ultimately realizing an effective combination of photodynamic and chemotherapeutic therapy. As an exemplary presentation, chlorin e6 has been chosen to drive the formation of PACs with the system xc- inhibitor sorafenib. Compared with pure drug treatment, the PACs with the above-described preponderances exhibit superior therapeutic effects both in vitro and in vivo and circumvent the side effects due to off-target. By manipulating the laser irradiation, the PACs-treated cell death mechanism could be dynamically regulated, thus providing the potential to remedy intrinsic/acquired resistance of tumor. Collectively, this SCHADS achieves spatio-temporal control of the drug that greatly enhances the availability of anticarcinogen and realizes synergistic antitumor effect in TNBC treatment, even ultimately being extended to the treatment of other types of tumors.

Synthetic Biohybrids of Red Blood Cells and Cascaded-Enzymes@ Metal-Organic Frameworks for Hyperuricemia Treatment

Hyperuricemia, caused by an imbalance between the rates of production and excretion of uric acid (UA), may greatly increase the mortality rates in patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Herein, for fast-acting and long-lasting hyperuricemia treatment, armored red blood cell (RBC) biohybrids, integrated RBCs with proximal, cascaded-enzymes of urate oxidase (UOX) and catalase (CAT) encapsulated within ZIF-8 framework-based nanoparticles, have been fabricated based on a super-assembly approach. Each component is crucial for hyperuricemia treatment: 1) RBCs significantly increase the circulation time of nanoparticles; 2) ZIF-8 nanoparticles-based superstructure greatly enhances RBCs resistance against external stressors while preserving native RBC properties (such as oxygen carrying capability); 3) the ZIF-8 scaffold protects the encapsulated enzymes from enzymatic degradation; 4) no physical barrier exists for urate diffusion, and thus allow fast degradation of UA in blood and neutralizes the toxic by-product H2 O2 . In vivo results demonstrate that the biohybrids can effectively normalize the UA level of an acute hyperuricemia mouse model within 2 h and possess a longer elimination half-life (49.7 ± 4.9 h). They anticipate that their simple and general method that combines functional nanomaterials with living cell carriers will be a starting point for the development of innovative drug delivery systems.

Sinigrin improves cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting the TLR4 pathway-mediated oxidative stress

Cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion (CIR) injury occurs in stroke patients after the restoration of cerebral perfusion. Sinigrin, a phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables, exhibits strong antioxidant activity. This study investigated the role of sinigrin in oxidative stress using a CIR injury model. The effects of sinigrin were studied in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R)-injured SH-SY5Y cells. Sinigrin treatment improved brain injury and neurological deficits induced by MCAO surgery in rats. Sinigrin inhibited apoptosis in brain tissues and SH-SY5Y cells following OGD/R induction. Additionally, sinigrin elevated the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) while reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Furthermore, sinigrin inhibited the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) signalling pathway. The anti-apoptotic and antioxidant activities of sinigrin in OGD/R-injured SH-SY5Y cells were reversed by TLR4 overexpression. In conclusion, sinigrin inhibits oxidative stress in CIR injury by suppressing the TLR4/MyD88 signalling pathway.

In Situ Formed Amorphous Bismuth Sulfide Cathodes with a Self-Controlled Conversion Storage Mechanism for High Performance Hybrid Ion Batteries

Conversion-type electrodes offer a promising multielectron transfer alternative to intercalation hosts with potentially high-capacity release in batteries. However, the poor cycle stability severely hinders their application, especially in aqueous multivalence-ion systems, which can fundamentally impute to anisotropic ion diffusion channel collapse in pristine crystals and irreversible bond fracture during repeated conversion. Here, an amorphous bismuth sulfide (a-BS) formed in situ with unprecedentedly self-controlled moderate conversion Cu2+ storage is proposed to comprehensively regulate the isotropic ion diffusion channels and highly reversible bond evolution. Operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction and substantive verification tests reveal that the total destruction of the Bi─S bond and unsustainable deep alloying are fully restrained. The amorphous structure with robust ion diffusion channels, unique self-controlled moderate conversion, and high electrical conductivity discharge products synergistically boosts the capacity (326.7 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1 ), rate performance (194.5 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1 ), and long-lifespan stability (over 8000 cycles with a decay rate of only 0.02 ‰ per cycle). Moreover, the a-BS Cu2+ ‖Zn2+ hybrid ion battery can well supply a stable energy density of 238.6 Wh kg-1 at 9760 W kg-1 . The intrinsically high-stability conversion mechanism explored on amorphous electrodes provides a new opportunity for advanced aqueous storage.

Unravelling Twin Topotactic/Nontopotactic Reactive TiSe2 Cathodes for Aqueous Batteries

Titanium selenide (TiSe2 ), a model transition metal chalcogenide material, typically relies on topotactic ion intercalation/deintercalation to achieve stable ion storage with minimal disruption of the transport pathways but has restricted capacity (<130 mAh g-1 ). Developing novel energy storage mechanisms beyond conventional intercalation to break capacity limits in TiSe2 cathodes is essential yet challenging. Herein, the ion storage properties of TiSe2 are revisited and an unusual thermodynamically stable twin topotactic/nontopotactic Cu2+ accommodation mechanism for aqueous batteries is unraveled. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and ex situ microscopy jointly demonstrated that topotactic intercalation sustained the ion transport framework, nontopotactic conversion involved localized multielectron reactions, and these two parallel reactions are miraculously intertwined in nanoscale space. Comprehensive experimental and theoretical results suggested that the twin-reaction mechanism significantly improved the electron transfer ability, and the reserved intercalated TiSe2 structure anchored the reduced titanium monomers with high affinity and promoted efficient charge transfer to synergistically enhance the capacity and reversibility. Consequently, TiSe2 nanoflake cathodes delivered a never-before-achieved capacity of 275.9 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 , 93.5% capacity retention over 1000 cycles, and endow hybrid batteries (TiSe2 -Cu||Zn) with a stable energy supply of 181.34 Wh kg-1 at 2339.81 W kg-1 , offering a promising model for aqueous ion storage.

Emerging Directions for Carbon Capture Technologies: A Synergy of High-Throughput Theoretical Calculations and Machine Learning

As the world grapples with the challenges of energy transition and industrial decarbonization, the development of carbon capture technologies presents a promising solution. The Scalable Modeling, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Rapid Theoretical calculations, referred as SMART here, is an interdisciplinary approach that combines high-throughput calculation and data-driven modeling with expertise from chemical, materials, environmental, computer and data science and engineering, leading to the development of advanced capabilities in simulating and optimizing carbon capture processes. This perspective discusses the state-of-the-art material discovery research enabled by high-throughput calculation and data-driven modeling. Further, we propose a framework for material discovery, and illustrate the synergies among deep learning models, pretrained models, and comprehensive data sets, emerging as a robust framework for data-driven design and development in carbon capture. In essence, the adoption of the SMART approach promises a revolutionary impact on efforts in energy transition and industrial decarbonization.

Ultrahigh-Speed Aqueous Copper Electrodes Stabilized by Phosphorylated Interphase

High-energy metal anodes for large-scale reversible batteries with inexpensive and nonflammable aqueous electrolytes promise the capability of supporting higher current density, satisfactory lifetime, nontoxicity, and low-cost commercial manufacturing, yet remain out of reach due to the lack of reliable electrode-electrolyte interphase engineering. Herein, in situ formed robust interphase on copper metal electrodes (CMEs) induced by a trace amount of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (0.05 m in 1 m CuSO4 -H2 O electrolyte) to fulfill all aforementioned requirements is demonstrated. Impressively, an unprecedented ultrahigh-speed copper plating/stripping capability is achieved at 100 mA cm-2  for over 12 000 cycles, corresponding to an accumulative areal capacity up to tens of times higher than previously reported CMEs. The use of solid-electrolyte interface-protection strategy brings at least an order of magnitude improvement in cycling stability for symmetric cells (Cu||Cu, 2800 h) and full batteries with CMEs using either sulfur cathodes (S||Cu, 1000 cycles without capacity decay) or zinc anodes (Cu||Zn with all-metal electrodes, discharge voltage ≈1.02 V). The comprehensive analysis reveals that the hydrophilic phosphate-rich interphase nanostructures homogenize copper-ion deposition and suppress nucleation overpotential, enabling dendrite-free CMEs with sustainability and ability to tolerate unusual-high power densities. The findings represent an elegant forerunner toward the promising goal of metal electrode applications.

BRAP silencing protects against neuronal inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by promoting PON1 expression

BACKGROUND

BRCA1 associated protein (BRAP) participates in the regulation of myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis. But the function of BRAP in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (CIR) injury has not been elucidated yet.

METHODS

BRAP expression in PC12 cells in response to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) treatment was examined with Western blot assay. PC12 cells underwent OGD/R-treatment and were subsequently transfected with pcDNA-BRAP or sh-BRAP, followed by determination of viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) production, apoptosis, inflammatory cytokine secretion, and oxidative stress marker protein levels. Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) promoter methylation was evaluated with methylation-specific PCR assay. the effect of BRAP/PON1 axis on CIR injury was investigated by rescue experiments. Additionally, sh-BRAP was injected into a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model, and the changes of neurological damage were evaluated.

RESULTS

BRAP overexpression exacerbated OGD/R-induced viability reduction, LDH production, apoptosis, inflammatory cytokine secretion and oxidative stress in PC12 neuronal cells. In contrast, BRAP silencing showed the opposite results. Mechanistically, BRAP reduced PON1 expression by promoting DNA methyl transferase1 (DNMT1)-mediated PON1 promoter methylation. PON1 silencing reversed BRAP-mediated neuroprotection. Additionally, BRAP silencing alleviated CIR-induced neurological damage in MCAO rats.

CONCLUSION

BRAP silencing suppressed OGD/R-induced neuronal apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress, and alleviated CIR-induced neurological damage in MCAO rats through facilitating PON1 expression.

Accumulative Delocalized Mo 4d Electrons to Bound the Volume Expansion and Accelerate Kinetics in Mo6S8 Cathode for High-Performance Aqueous Cu2+ Storage

Electronic structure defines the conductivity and ion absorption characteristics of a functional electrode, significantly affecting the charge transfer capability in batteries, while it is rarely thought to be involved in mesoscopic volume and diffusion kinetics of the host lattice for promoting ion storage. Here, we first correlate the evolution in electronic structure of the Mo6S8 cathode with the ability to bound volume expansion and accelerate diffusion kinetics for high-performance aqueous Cu2+ storage. Operando synchrotron energy-dispersive X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals that accumulative delocalized Mo 4d electrons enhance the Mo-Mo interaction with distinctly contracting and uniformizing Mo6 clusters during the reduction of Mo6S8, which potently restrain lattice expansion and release space to promote Cu2+ diffusion kinetics. Operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction and comprehensive characterizations further validate the structural and electrochemical properties induced by the Cu2+ intercalation electronic structure, endowing the Mo6S8 cathode a high specific capacity with small volume expansion, fast ions diffusion, and long-term cycling stability.

Effect of MTA3 Inhibition of Glutamine Synthetase-Mediated Glutaminolysis on Radiosensitivity of Patients with Esophageal Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Metastasis-associated protein 3 (MTA3) can serve as a tumor suppressor in many cancer types. However, the role of MTA3 in radiosensitivity of patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) remains unclear. We thus investigated the function of MTA3 in radiosensitivity for ESCC, one of the most common digestive cancers.

MATERIALS/METHODS

The colony formation assay and nude mice xenograft tumor assay were performed to investigate the effect of MTA3 on radiosensitivity in ESCC. Glutamine consumption assay kit and glutamate production assay kit were used to assess the glutaminolysis. Glutaminase (GLS) Activity Assay Kit and Glutamine Synthetase (GS) Activity Assay Kit were used to analyze the activity of specific metabolic enzymes dominate glutaminolysis. The regulatory mechanism of glutaminolysis by MTA3 was confirmed using Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and Gaussia luciferase assay. The expression levels of MTA3 and GS in ESCC primary tissues were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Survival curves were plotted with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test.

RESULTS

The colony formation assay showed that MTA3 depletion and overexpression caused significantly higher and lower clonogenic survival after different doses of irradiation (IR), respectively. When these cells were subcutaneously injected into nude mice, the tumors derived from the cells with MTA3 overexpression and MTA3 knockdown were significantly smaller and bigger after IR, respectively. These findings suggest that MTA3 can enhance radiosensitivity in vitro and in vivo. Meanwhile, overexpressed and knockdown MTA3 can repress and expedite glutamine consumption and glutamate production uniformly, respectively. To determine how MTA3 acts on glutaminolysis, the activity of two specific metabolic enzymes dominate this metabolism, GS and GLS, were evaluated. It found that overexpressed and knockdown MTA3 can restrain and enhance the activity of GS, respectively, but have less effect on GLS. Moreover, the decreased radiosensitivity mediated by MTA3 knockdown is significantly increased when treated with GS inhibitor, suggesting that GS plays a crucial role in MTA3-mediated radiosensitivity enhancement. Mechanistically, Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and Gaussia luciferase assay showed that MTA3 was recruited to the promoter of GS and suppressed GS transcription. However, knockdown of GATA3 abolished MTA3's repressive effect on GS and inhibited the MTA3's occupation on the promoter region of GS. These results collectively demonstrated that, in ESCC cells, MTA3 is recruited by GATA3 to inhibit GS expression, then ultimately represses glutaminolysis and enhances radiosensitivity. Finally, we showed that the ESCC patients in the MTA3low/GShigh group is significantly associated with shorter overall survival.

CONCLUSION

MTA3 is capable of enhancing radiosensitivity through downregulating GS and MTA3low/GShigh might be a potential prognostic factor for ESCC patients.

Injectable antibacterial Ag-HA/ GelMA hydrogel for bone tissue engineering

Background: Fracture or bone defect caused by accidental trauma or disease is a growing medical problem that threats to human health.Currently, most orthopedic implant materials must be removed via follow-up surgery, which requires a lengthy recovery period and may result in bacterial infection. Building bone tissue engineering scaffolds with hydrogel as a an efficient therapeutic strategy has outstanding bionic efficiency.By combining some bionic inorganic particles and hydrogels to imitate the organic-inorganic characteristics of natural bone extracellular matrix, developing injectable multifunctional hydrogels with bone tissue repair effects and also displaying excellent antibacterial activity possesses attractive advantages in the field of minimally invasive therapy in clinical. Methods: In the present work, a multifunctional injectable hydrogel formed by photocrosslinking was developed by introducing hydroxyapatite (HA) microspheres to Gelatin Methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel. Results: The composite hydrogels exhibited good adhesion and bending resistance properties due to the existence of HA. In addition, when the concentration of GelMA is 10% and the concentration of HA microspheres is 3%, HA/GelMA hydrogel system displayed increased microstructure stability, lower swelling rate, increased viscosity, and improved mechanical properties. Furthermore, the Ag-HA/GelMA demonstrated good antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, which could signifificantly lower the risk of bacterial infection following implantation. According to cell experiment, the Ag-HA/GelMA hydrogel is capable of cytocompatibility and has low toxicity to MC3T3 cell. Conclusion: Therefore, the new photothermal injectable antibacterial hydrogel materials proposed in this study will provide a promising clinical bone repair strategy and is expected to as a minimally invasive treatment biomaterial in bone repair fields.

[Effects of Mulching and Application of Organic and Chemical Fertilizer on Greenhouse Gas Emission and Water and Nitrogen Use in Summer Maize Farmland]

To explore the effects of mulching and the application of organic and chemical fertilizer on N₂O, CO₂, and CH₄ emission; maize yield; water use efficiency (WUE); and nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency under the conditions of the same nitrogen fertilizer input in summer maize farmland, an experiment was conducted in the Guanzhong Plain of China. In this experiment, the two main experimental factors were mulching (M) and no-mulching, and the secondary experimental factors included no fertilizer application (CK), organic fertilizer substituting chemical fertilizer at 0% (T0, 0.00 kg·hm^-2 organic fertilizer and 225.00 kg·hm^-2 chemical fertilizer), 25% (T25, 56.25 kg·hm^-2 organic fertilizer and 168.75 kg·hm^-2 chemical fertilizer), 50% (T50, 112.50 kg·hm^-2 organic fertilizer and 112.50 kg·hm^-2 chemical fertilizer), 75% (T75, 168.75 kg·hm^-2 organic fertilizer and 56.25 kg·hm^-2 chemical fertilizer), and 100% (T100, 225.00 kg·hm^-2 organic fertilizer and 0.00 kg·hm^-2 chemical fertilizer), for a total of 12 treatments. The results showed as follows:1 both mulching and fertilizer application (with or without mulching) factors significantly increased soil N₂O and CO₂ emissions and reduced soil uptake of CH₄(P<0.05). Compared to chemical fertilizer treatments, the organic fertilizer treatments reduced soil N₂O emission by 11.8% to 52.6% and 14.1% to 68.0% and increased soil CO₂ emission by 5.1% to 24.1% and 15.1% to 48.7% under mulching and no-mulching conditions, respectively (P<0.05). Compared to that under no-mulching, the global warming potential (GWP) under mulching increased by 140.7% to 206.6%. Compared to that in the CK treatment, the GWP of fertilized treatments increased by 36.6% to 67.6% and 31.2% to 89.1% under mulching and no-mulching conditions (P<0.05), respectively. Combined with the yield factor, the greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) under the mulching condition increased by 103.4% to 166.2% compared to that under the no-mulching condition. Therefore, GHG emissions could be reduced by increasing yields. 2 The mulching treatments increased maize yield by 8.4% to 22.4% and WUE by 4.8% to 24.9% (P<0.05). Fertilizer application significantly increased maize yield and WUE. The organic fertilizer treatments increased yield by 2.6% to 8.5% and WUE 13.5% to 23.2% under the mulching condition compared to that in the MT0 treatment and increased yield by 3.9% to 14.3% and WUE 4.5% to 18.2% under the no-mulching condition compared to that in the T0 treatment. 3 In the 0-40 cm soil layer, the total nitrogen content of mulching treatments was increased by 2.4% to 24.7% compared with that of the no-mulching treatments. Fertilizer application treatments increased the total nitrogen content by 18.1% to 48.9% and 15.4% to 49.7% under the mulching and no-mulching conditions, respectively. Mulching and fertilizer application promoted nitrogen accumulation and nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency in maize plants (P<0.05). Compared to that in chemical fertilizer treatments, the organic fertilizer treatments increased nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency by 2.6% to 8.5% and 3.9% to 14.3% under mulching and no-mulching conditions, respectively. Combining ecological and economic benefits, the MT50 under mulching conditions and T75 under no-mulching conditions can be recommended as planting models to guarantee stable yield and achieve green and sustainable agricultural production.

Rare tumors: a blue ocean of investigation

Advances in novel drugs, therapies, and genetic techniques have revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of cancers, substantially improving cancer patients' prognosis. Although rare tumors account for a non-negligible number, the practice of precision medicine and development of novel therapies are largely hampered by many obstacles. Their low incidence and drastic regional disparities result in the difficulty of informative evidence-based diagnosis and subtyping. Sample exhaustion due to difficulty in diagnosis also leads to a lack of recommended therapeutic strategies in clinical guidelines, insufficient biomarkers for prognosis/efficacy, and inability to identify potential novel therapies in clinical trials. Herein, by reviewing the epidemiological data of Chinese solid tumors and publications defining rare tumors in other areas, we proposed a definition of rare tumor in China, including 515 tumor types with incidences of less than 2.5/100 000 per year. We also summarized the current diagnosis process, treatment recommendations, and global developmental progress of targeted drugs and immunotherapy agents on the status quo. Lastly, we pinpointed the current recommendation chance for patients with rare tumors to be involved in a clinical trial by NCCN. With this informative report, we aimed to raise awareness on the importance of rare tumor investigations and guarantee a bright future for rare tumor patients.

Ultrastable Cu2+ Intercalation Chemistry Based on a Niobium Sulfide Nanosheet Cathode for Advanced Aqueous Storage Devices

Exploring stable and durable cathodes for cost-effective reversible aqueous batteries is highly desirable for grid-scale energy storage applications, but significant challenges remain. Herein, we disclosed an ultrastable Cu²⁺ intercalation chemistry in mass-produced exfoliated NbS₂ nanosheets to build ultralong lifespan aqueous batteries with cost advantages. Anisotropic interplanar expansion of NbS₂ lattices balanced dynamic Cu²⁺ incorporation and the highly reversible redox reaction of Nb⁴⁺/Nb^(4-δ)+ couple were illuminated by operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray absorption spectroscopy, affording an extraordinary capacity of approximately 317 mAh g^-1 at 1 A g^-1 and a good stability of 92.2% capacity retention after 40000 cycles at 10 A g^-1. Impressively, a budget NbS₂||Fe hybrid ion cell involving an aqueous electrolyte/Fe-metal anode is established and provides a reliable energy supply of 225.4 Wh kg^-1 at 750 W kg^-1, providing insights for building advanced aqueous battery systems for large-scale applications.

Dimensional Reduction of Metal-Organic Frameworks for Enhanced Cryopreservation of Red Blood Cells

To increase the red blood cell (RBC) cryopreservation efficiency by metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a dimensional reduction approach has been proposed. Namely 3D MOF nanoparticles are progressively reduced to 2D ultra-thin metal-organic layers (MOLs). We found that 2D MOLs are beneficial for enhanced interactions of interfacial hydrogen-bonded water network and increased utilization of inner ordered structures, due to the higher surface-to-volume ratio. Specifically, a series of hafnium (Hf)-based 2D MOLs with different thickness (monolayer to stacked multilayers) and density of hydrogen bonding sites have been synthesized. Both ice recrystallization inhibition activity (IRI) and RBCs cryopreservation assay confirm the pronounced better IRI activity and excellent cell recovery efficiency (up to ~63% at a very low concentration of 0.7 mg mL-1) of thin-layered Hf-MOLs compared to their 3D counterparts, thereby verifying the dimensional reduction strategy to improved cryoprotectant behaviors.

Initiating Reversible Aqueous Copper-Tellurium Conversion Reaction with High Volumetric Capacity through Electrolyte Engineering

Pursuing conversion-type cathodes with high volumetric capacity that can be used in aqueous environments remains rewarding and challenging. Tellurium (Te) is a promising alternative electrode due to its intrinsic attractive electronic conductivity and high theoretical volumetric capacity yet still to be explored. Herein, the kinetically/thermodynamically co-dominat copper-tellurium (Cu-Te) alloying phase-conversion process and corresponding oxidation failure mechanism of tellurium are investigated using in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and comprehensive ex situ characterization techniques. By virtue of the fundamental insights into the tellurium electrode, facile and precise electrolyte engineering (solvated structure modulation or reductive antioxidant addition) is implemented to essentially tackle the dramatic capacity loss in tellurium, affording reversible aqueous Cu-Te conversion reaction with an unprecedented ultrahigh volumetric capacity of up to 3927 mAh cm^-3 , a flat long discharge plateau (capacity proportion of ≈81%), and an extraordinary level of capacity retention of 80.4% over 2000 cycles at 20 A g^-1 of which lifespan thousand-fold longer than Cu-Te conversion using CuSO₄ -H₂ O electrolyte. This work paves a significant avenue for expanding high-performance conversion-type cathodes toward energetic aqueous multivalent-ion batteries.

Edaravone Attenuates Aβ 1-42-Induced Inflammatory Damage and Ferroptosis in HT22 Cells

Ferroptosis and neuroinflammation play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Edaravone (EDA) has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective effects in neurodegenerative diseases. However, the relationship between EDA and ferroptosis in AD is unidentified. This research aimed to elucidate the mechanism of EDA in AD with Aβ 1-42-induced HT22 cells as in vitro cell model. The results showed that EDA could significantly reduce Aβ_1-42-induced apoptosis of HT22 cells and formation of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, prevent the activation of TLR4/NF-κB /NLRP3 signaling pathway, and inhibit ferroptosis and lipid peroxidation. Taken together, EDA contributes to inhibiting neuroinflammatory injury and ferroptosis in Aβ 1-42-induced HT22 cells, and thus may be a potential candidate for the treatment of AD.

The Joint Effect of Body Mass Index and Serum Lipid Levels on Incident Dementia among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore the joint effect of body mass index (BMI) and serum lipids levels on incident dementia.

METHODS

We prospectively followed up with 1,627 dementia-free community residents aged ≥60 for 5.7 years on average. At baseline, weight, and height were measured, and total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were detected in serum. Demographic characteristics were collected through questionnaires. Dementia was based on consensus diagnosis of neurologists and neuropsychologists using DSM-IV criteria. Additive Cox proportional model was used to assess the exposure-response relationship between BMI and serum lipid levels and dementia risk. Interactions and further classifications of BMI and serum lipid levels were further presented by bivariate surface models and decision-tree models.

RESULTS

The joint effects of TC with BMI, TG with BMI, and LDL-C with BMI on the risk of incident dementia shared a similar pattern, different from their independent exposure-response curves. The joint effect of HDL-C with BMI showed an S-surface but without statistical significance. Participants with TC<5.4 mmol/L and BMI<21 kg/m2 (Hazard Ratio(HR) 1.93, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.05-3.53), TC<5.4 mmol/L and BMI≥21 kg/m2 (HR 1.73, 95% CI 1.09-2.72), and TC≥5.4 mmol/L and BMI<21 kg/m2 (HR 4.02, 95% CI 2.10-7.71) were identified to have the increased risk of incident dementia compared to those with TC≥5.4 mmol/L and BMI≥21 kg/m2. Participants with TG<1.7 mmol/L and BMI<21 kg/m2 had an increased risk of incident dementia compared to those with TG≥1.7 mmol/L and BMI≥21 kg/m2 (HR 1.98, 95%CI 1.17-3.3). Participants with LDL-C≥3.3 mmol/L and BMI<21 kg/m2 were identified to have an increased risk of incident dementia compared to those with LDL-C≥3.3 mmol/L and BMI≥21 kg/m2 (HR 3.33, 95%CI 1.64-6.78).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that low BMI combined with low or high levels of serum lipids may increase the risk of dementia among older adults. This finding suggests the potential impacts of these two metabolic indexes on the risk of dementia.

Analysis and Biomedical Applications of Functional Cargo in Extracellular Vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can facilitate essential communication among cells in a range of pathophysiological conditions including cancer metastasis and progression, immune regulation, and neuronal communication. EVs are membrane-enclosed vesicles generated through endocytic origin and contain many cellular components, including proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and metabolites. Over the past few years, the intravesicular content of EVs has proven to be a valuable biomarker for disease diagnostics, involving cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and central nervous system diseases. This review aims to provide insight into EV biogenesis, composition, function, and isolation, present a comprehensive overview of emerging techniques for EV cargo analysis, highlighting their major technical features and limitations, and summarize the potential role of EV cargos as biomarkers in disease diagnostics. Further, progress and remaining challenges will be discussed for clinical diagnostic outlooks.

Electrohydrodynamic printing of submicron-microscale hybrid scaffolds with improved cellular adhesion and proliferation behaviors

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing has been considered as a mature strategy to mimic the hierarchical microarchitectures in native extracellular matrix (ECM). Most of the EHD-printed scaffolds possess single-dimensional fibrous structures, which cannot mimic the multi-dimensional architectures for enhanced cellular behaviors. Here we developed a two-nozzle EHD printing system to fabricate hybrid scaffolds involving submicron and microscale features. The polyethylene oxide- polycaprolactone (PEO-PCL) submicron fibers were fabricated via solution-based EHD printing with a width of 527 ± 56 nm. The PCL microscale fibers were fabricated via melt-based EHD printing with a width of 11.2 ± 2.3μm. The hybrid scaffolds were fabricated by printing the submicron and microscale fibers in a layer-by-layer manner. The microscale scaffolds were utilized as a control group. Rat myocardial cells (H9C2 cells) were cultured on the two kinds of scaffolds for the culturing period of 1, 3 and 5 d. Biological results indicated that H9C2 cells showed enhanced adhesion and proliferation behaviors on the hybrid scaffold than those on the pure microscale scaffold. This work offers a facile and scalable strategy to fabricate multiscale synthetic scaffolds, which might be further explored to regulate cellular behaviors in the fields of tissue regeneration and biomedical engineering.

Long-term whole blood DNA preservation by cost-efficient cryosilicification

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the blueprint of life, and cost-effective methods for its long-term storage could have many potential benefits to society. Here we present the method of in situ cryosilicification of whole blood cells, which allows long-term preservation of DNA. Importantly, our straightforward approach is inexpensive, reliable, and yields cryosilicified samples that fulfill the essential criteria for safe, long-term DNA preservation, namely robustness against external stressors, such as radical oxygen species or ultraviolet radiation, and long-term stability in humid conditions at elevated temperatures. Our approach could enable the room temperature storage of genomic information in book-size format for more than one thousand years (thermally equivalent), costing only 0.5 $/person. Additionally, our demonstration of 3D-printed DNA banking artefacts, could potentially allow 'artificial fossilization'.

Dual-Stage Irradiation of Size-Switchable Albumin Nanocluster for Cascaded Tumor Enhanced Penetration and Photothermal Therapy

The triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) microenvironment makes a feature of aberrant vasculature, high interstitial pressure, and compact extracellular matrix, which combine to reduce the delivery and penetration of therapeutic agents, bringing about incomplete elimination of cancer cells. Herein, employing the tumor penetration strategy of size-shrinkage combined with ligand modification, we constructed a photothermal nanocluster for cascaded deep penetration in tumor parenchyma and efficient eradication of TNBC cells. In our approach, the photothermal agent indocyanine green (ICG) is laded in human serum albumin (HSA), which is cross-linked by a thermally labile azo linker (VA057) and then further modified with a tumor homing/penetrating tLyP-1 peptide (HP), resulting in a TNBC-targeting photothermal-responsive size-switchable albumin nanocluster (ICG@HSA-Azo-HP). Aided by the enhanced permeability and retention effect and guidance of HP, the ca. 149 nm nanoclusters selectively accumulate in the tumor site and then, upon mild irradiation with the 808 nm laser, disintegrate into 11 nm albumin fractions that possess enhanced intratumoral diffusion ability. Meanwhile, HP initiates the CendR pathway among the nutrient-deficient tumor cells and facilitates the transcellular delivery of the nanocluster and its disintegrated fractions for subsequent therapy. By employing this size-shrinkage and peptide-initiated transcytosis strategy, ICG@HSA-Azo-HP possesses excellent penetration capabilities and shows extensive penetration depth in three-dimensional multicellular tumor spheroids after irradiation. Moreover, with a superior photothermal conversion effect, the tumor-penetrating nanocluster can implement effective photothermal therapy throughout the tumor tissue under a second robust irradiation. Both in vivo orthotopic and ectopic TNBC therapy confirmed the efficient tumor inhibition of ICG@HSA-Azo-HP after dual-stage irradiation. The synergistic penetration strategy of on-demanded size-shrinkage and ligand guidance accompanied by clinically feasible NIR irradiation provides a promising approach for deep-penetrating TNBC therapy.

A Volume Self-Regulation MoS2 Superstructure Cathode for Stable and High Mass-Loaded Zn-Ion Storage

Engineering multifunctional superstructure cathodes to conquer the critical issue of sluggish kinetics and large volume changes associated with divalent Zn-ion intercalation reactions is highly desirable for boosting practical Zn-ion battery applications. Herein, it is demonstrated that a MoS₂/C₁₉H₄₂N⁺ (CTAB) superstructure can be rationally designed as a stable and high-rate cathode. Incorporation of soft organic CTAB into a rigid MoS₂ host forming the superlattice structure not only effectively initiates and smooths Zn²⁺ transport paths by significantly expanding the MoS₂ interlayer spacing (1.0 nm) but also endows structural stability to accommodate Zn²⁺ storage with expansion along the MoS₂ in-plane, while synchronous shrinkage along the superlattice interlayer achieves volume self-regulation of the whole cathode, as evidenced by in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and substantial ex situ characterizations. Consequently, the optimized superlattice cathode delivers high-rate performance, long-term cycling stability (∼92.8% capacity retention at 10 A g^-1 after 2100 cycles), and favorable flexibility in a pouch cell. Moreover, a decent areal capacity (0.87 mAh cm^-2) is achieved even after a 10-fold increase of loading mass (∼11.5 mg cm^-2), which is of great significance for practical applications. This work highlights the design of multifunctional superlattice electrodes for high-performance aqueous batteries.

Betahistine alleviates benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) through inducing production of multiple CTRP family members and activating the ERK1/2-AKT/PPARy pathway

BACKGROUND

Betahistine is a clinical medication for the treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). Otolin, a secreted glycoprotein with a C-terminal globular domain homologous to the immune complement C1q, has been identified as a biomarker for BPPV. However, the role of complement C1q/TNF-related proteins (CTRPs) with a C-terminal globular domain in BPPV is unclear, so we explored the change of CTRPs in betahistine treated BPPV.

METHODS

We treated BPPV patients with Betahistine (12 mg/time, 3 times/day) for 4 weeks and observed the clinical efficacy and the expression of CTRP family members in BPPV patients. Then, we constructed a vertigo mice model of vestibular dysfunction with gentamicin (150 mg/Kg) and a BPPV model of Slc26a4^loop/loop mutant mice. Adenoviral vectors for CTRP expression vector and small interfering RNA were injected via the intratympanic injection into mice and detected the expression of CTRP family members, phosphorylation levels of ERK and AKT and the expression of PPARγ. In addition, we treated mice of vestibular dysfunction with Betahistine (10 mg/Kg) and/or ERK inhibitor of SCH772984 (12 mg/Kg) and/or and PPARγ antagonist GW9662 (1 mg/Kg) for 15 days, and evaluated the accuracy of air righting reflex, the time of contact righting reflex and the scores of head tilt and swimming behavior.

RESULTS

After treatment with Betahistine, the residual dizziness duration and the score of the evaluation were reduced, and the expression of CTRP1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 were significantly increased in BPPV patients. We also found that Betahistine improved the accuracy of air righting reflex, reduced the time of contact righting reflex and the scores of head tilt and swimming behavior in gentamicin-treated mice and Slc26a4^loop/loop mutant mice. The expression levels of CTRP1, 3, 6, 9 and 12, phosphorylation levels of ERK and AKT, and PPARγ expression were significantly increased, and the scores of head tilt and swimming behavior were decreased in vestibular dysfunction mice with overexpression of CTRPs. Silencing CTRPs has the opposite effect. SCH772984 reversed the effect of Betahistine in mice with vestibular dysfunction.

CONCLUSION

Betahistine alleviates BPPV through inducing production of multiple CTRP family members and activating the ERK1/2-AKT/PPARy pathway.

Anchoring Copper Single Atoms on Porous Boron Nitride Nanofiber to Boost Selective Reduction of Nitroaromatics

Single-atom catalysts have received widespread attention for their fascinating performance in terms of metal atom efficiency as well as their special catalysis mechanisms compared to conventional catalysts. Here, we prepared a high-performance catalyst of single-Cu-atom-decorated boron nitride nanofibers (BNNF-Cu) via a facile calcination method. The as-prepared catalyst shows high catalytic activity and good stability for converting different nitro compounds into their corresponding amines both with and without photoexcitation. By combined studies of synchrotron radiation analysis, high-resolution high-angle annular dark-field transmission electron microscopy studies, and DFT calculations, dispersion and coordination of Cu atoms as well as their catalytic mechanisms are explored. The BNNF-Cu catalyst is found to have a record high turnover frequency compared to previously reported non-precious-metal-based catalysts. While the performance of the BNNF-Cu catalyst is only of the middle range level among the state-of-the-art precious-metal-based catalysts, due to the much lower cost of the BNNF-Cu catalyst, its cost efficiency is the highest among these catalysts. This work provides a choice of support material that can promote the development of single-atom catalysts.

Multiple herbicide resistance in Eleusine indica from sugarcane fields in China

Long-term reliance on herbicide weed control has led to resistance evolution in Eleusine indica in sugarcane fields of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Ninety-six E. indica lines were collected from this region, and their response was tested to six herbicides: glyphosate; glufosinate; PSII-inhibitors diuron and atrazine; and PSI inhibitors paraquat and diquat. Target-site resistance mechanisms were examined in specific lines with multiple resistance to three herbicide modes of action. Of 96 E. indica lines, 51, 26, and 24 lines had resistance to diuron, atrazine, and diquat, respectively, while 14 and 9 had resistance to paraquat and glyphosate. Among 25 lines tested with multiple resistance, 7 lines exhibited resistance to three herbicide modes of action. In two multiple resistant lines (GXER2, GXER5), amplification/over-expression/mutations of the EPSPS gene contributed to the very high-level (up to 109-fold) glyphosate resistance. No target-site mutations/over-expression were identified in the psbA gene in these two lines, so non-target-site resistance mechanisms were likely responsible for the low-level (3-fold) resistance to the PSII herbicides diuron and atrazine. A high-level (23-fold) of paraquat resistance was observed in GXER5, and a low-level (5-fold) paraquat resistance was found in GXER2. Multiple herbicide resistance in E. indica has evolved in sugarcane fields of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region with diverse resistance mechanisms. Therefore, diversified weed control tactics should be adopted to prevent this weed.

Robust and Long-Term Cellular Protein and Enzymatic Activity Preservation in Biomineralized Mammalian Cells

Preservation of evolved biological structure and function in robust engineering materials is of interest for storage of biological samples before diagnosis and development of vaccines, sensors, and enzymatic reactors and has the potential to avoid cryopreservation and its associated cold-chain issues. Here, we demonstrate that "freezing cells in amorphous silica" is a powerful technique for long-term preservation of whole mammalian cell proteomic structure and function at room temperature. Biomimetic silicification employs the crowded protein microenvironment of mammalian cells as a catalytic framework to proximally transform monomeric silicic acid into silicates forming a nanoscopic silica shell over all biomolecular interfaces. Silicification followed by dehydration preserves and passivates proteomic information within a nanoscale thin silica coating that exhibits size selective permeability (<3.6 nm), preventing protein leaching and protease degradation of cellular contents, while providing access of small molecular constituents for cellular enzymatic reaction. Exposure of dehydrated silicified cells to mild etchant or prolonged hydrolysis removes the silica, completely rerevealing biomolecular components and restoring their accessibility and functionality.

Enhanced Attachment and Collagen Type I Deposition of MC3T3-E1 Cells via Electrohydrodynamic Printed Sub-Microscale Fibrous Architectures

Micro/sub-microscale fibrillar architectures of extracellular matrix play important roles in regulating cellular behaviors such as attachment, migration, and differentiation. However, the interactions between cells and organized micro/sub-microscale fibers have not been fully clarified yet. Here, the responses of MC3T3-E1 cells to electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printed scaffolds with microscale and/or sub-microscale fibrillar architectures were investigated to demonstrate their potential for bone tissue regeneration. Fibrillar scaffolds were EHD-fabricated with microscale (20.51 ± 1.70 μm) and/or sub-microscale (0.58 ± 0.51 μm) fibers in a controlled manner. The in vitro results showed that cells exhibited a 1.25-fold increase in initial attached cell number and 1.17-fold increase in vinculin expression on scaffolds with micro/sub-microscale fibers than that on scaffolds with pure microscale fibers. After 14 days of culture, the cells expressed 1.23 folds increase in collagen type I (COL-I) deposition compared with that on scaffolds with pure microscale fibers. These findings indicated that the EHD printed sub-microscale fibrous architectures can facilitate attachment and COL I secretion of MC3T3-E1 cells, which may provide a new insight to the design and fabrication of fibrous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

An overview of cancer drugs approved through expedited approval programs and orphan medicine designation globally between 2011 and 2020

The use of expedited approval pathways for anticancer drug development, which provide the advantages of high efficiency and cost-effectiveness, has expanded significantly in recent years. During the past decade, a total of 410 new molecular entities have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with a steady growth of 6.5% in the US. In Europe, 9-75% of approved anticancer drugs were granted at least one expedited approval program. Various expedited pathways have also been implemented worldwide to address underrepresented medical needs rapidly. China has adapted several expedited approval programs, including breakthrough therapy designation, priority review, and conditional approval, to keep up with the growth in pharmaceutical development. It is expected that worldwide standards for drug approval will become more standardized in the next decade.

Inorganic reinforced poly(ionic liquid) microcapsules: confined cooling-assisted phase separation self-assembly and enhanced electro-responsive property

We report a simple preparation of inorganic reinforced poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) microcapsules by combining dispersion polymerization and confined cooling-assisted phase separation self-assembly. Silane coupling agent-modified PIL microbeads were first prepared by dispersion polymerization. Then, the microbeads were dissolved in a mixed solvent composed of good solvent and non-solvent to form hollow SiO_x microcapsules at a relatively high temperature. Finally, the solution was cooled to induce the nucleation and growth of dissolved PIL chains on the inner and outer surface of hollow SiO_x microcapsules to form inorganic reinforced microcapsules with asymmetric PIL/SiO_x /PIL sandwich-like shell. The morphology of microcapsules can be controlled by adjusting PIL concentration and cooling rate. The inorganic reinforced microcapsules show enhanced suspended stability and electro-responsive characteristic when used as the dispersed phase of smart suspensions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A Superlattice-Stabilized Layered CuS Anode for High-Performance Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Rechargeable aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are attracting extensive attention owing to environmental friendliness and high safety. However, its practical applications are limited to the poor Coulombic efficiency and stability of a Zn anode. Herein, we demonstrate a periodically stacked CuS-CTAB superlattice, as a competitive conversion-type anode for AZIBs with greatly improved specific capacity, rate performance, and stability. The CuS layers react with Zn²⁺ to endow high capacity, while CTAB layers serve to stabilize the structure and facilitate Zn²⁺ diffusion kinetics. Accordingly, CuS-CTAB shows superior rate performance (225.3 mA h g^-1 at 0.1 A g^-1 with 144.4 mA h g^-1 at 10 A g^-1) and a respectable cyclability of 87.6% capacity retention over 3400 cycles at 10 A g^-1. In view of the outstanding electrochemical properties, full batteries constructed with a CuS-CTAB anode and cathode (Zn_xFeCo(CN)₆ and Zn_xMnO₂) are evaluated in coin cells, which demonstrate impressive full-battery performance.