Latest ArticlesCitrinsorbicillin A (1), a novel homotrimeric sorbicillinoid, along with two new monomers citrinsorbicillins B (2) and C (3), were isolated from the Coptis chinensis endophyte Trichoderma citrinoviride HT-9 by liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer (LC-MS)-guided strategy. 1 was the first trimeric-example from terrestrial fungi, which possessed a unique carbon skeleton with two bicyclo[2.2.2]octanedione ring connected through an enolated carbon forming by [4 + 2] cycloaddition. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and X-ray diffraction. 1 exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against human colon cancer HT29 cells, and it induced significant cell cycle arrest by reducing the protein expression of cyclin D1.
Tumor vascular normalization has emerged as a promising strategy for synergistic therapy recently. Based on the strategy of “fluorescence turn on-controllable release”, a novel bifunctional candidate was constructed based on previous developed vascular normalization inducer QDAU5, which could self-assemble to form functional enzyme infrared QDAU5 nanoparticles (FEIRQ NPs). Subsequently, biological evaluation demonstrated that the FEIRQ NPs could induce ferroptosis, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and antigen preconditioning and maturation of dendritic cells and CD8+ T cells, leading to excellent antitumor efficacy in the absence of cytotoxic drugs. Additionally, FEIRQ NPs show high fluorescence intensity upon exposure to the β-galactosidase (β-Gal) enzyme expressed in ovarian cancer, enabling real-time monitoring of therapeutic effects. Overall, our findings suggest a prospering strategy to early diagnosis and efficient therapy for ovarian cancer without cytotoxicity.
Intelligent chemical sensors have been extensively used in food safety and environmental assessment, while limited sensitivity and homogeneity bring about huge obstacles to their practical application. Herein, novel ionically conductive sensitive materials were elaborately designed based on metal ion decorated graphene oxide (GO) via a facile and general in-situ spin-coating strategy, where the abundant functional groups (-OH and -COOH) of GO layer could provide natural binding sites for various bivalent metal cations (such as Cu2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Co2+, and Mg2+) through coordination and electrostatic interaction. The intercalated metal cations on the layered GO nanosheets can be regarded as charge carriers and complexation with targeted gas (cadaverine, Cad), which is a typical metabolites production and food degradants. By contrast, the designed GO@Cu(Ⅱ) sensor exhibited the optimal sensing performance toward Cad molecules at room temperature, including ultra-low detection limit (ca. 3 nL), excellent sensitivity, and rapid low concentration detection rate (only 16 s). Interestingly, the sensor exhibited an irreversible and specific response toward Cad, while it showed a transient and reversible response to other interfering gases, implying its outstanding selectivity. In addition, the GO@Cu(Ⅱ) sensor enabled real-time monitoring of the decay progression of cheese, and it exhibited great potential for large-scale production via its excellent homogeneity. It provides an efficient approach to tailoring intelligent chemical sensors for real-time food safety monitoring and human health warning.
The development of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) materials with high performance is significantly important. Herein, we develop a facial strategy for fabricating a CPL-active system by employing an achiral luminescent metal-organic cage (MOC) and chiral boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) molecules. CPL is achieved by taking advantage of the radiative energy transfer process, in which BODIPY molecules act as energy acceptors and MOCs act as donors. The CPL performance (maximum luminescence dissymmetry factor up to ± 1.5 × 10−3) can be tuned by adjusting the ratio between MOCs and BODIPY. White-light emission with the CPL feature is obtained by using a ternary system including MOC, chiral BODIPY, and Rhodamine B. The present work provides a facile and universal strategy to construct a CPL-active system by integrating achiral luminophores and chiral molecules.
Bladder cancer is a common malignant tumor of the urinary system with the potential to be treated by nano drug delivery system. The current work describes the synthesis and characterization of a novel nanomaterial to construct a nano-carrier based on 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphatecholine (POPC) loaded doxorubicin (DOX) and embedded with gold nanoparticles and poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) (GNPS@PNIPAM-POPC-DOX, GPPD). The dual-sensitive nanosystem gives simultaneous photothermal treatment and chemotherapy for bladder cancer. In vitro and in vivo properties were assessed using bladder cancer cell lines and mice and GPPD system distribution, tumor inhibition, and biocompatibility are reported. The system had favorable stability, low biological toxicity, controlled release efficiency, photothermal synergistic action, efficient photothermal transition, and favorable tumor suppressive effects. As a result, GPPD is a potential therapeutic approach for bladder cancer.
Sleep deprivation (SD) is a widespread issue that disrupts the lives of millions of people. These effects initiate as changes within neurons, specifically at the DNA and RNA level, leading to disruptions in neuronal plasticity and the dysregulation of various cognitive functions, such as learning and memory. Nucleic acid epigenetic modifications that could regulate gene expression have been reported to play crucial roles in this process. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on the correlation of SD with nucleic acid epigenetic modifications. In the current study, we aimed to systematically investigate the landscape of modifications in DNA as well as in small RNA molecules across multiple tissues, including the heart, liver, kidney, lung, hippocampus, and spleen, in response to chronic sleep deprivation (CSD). Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, we characterized the dynamic changes in DNA and RNA modification profiles in different tissues of mice under CSD stress. Specifically, we observed a significant decrease in the level of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and a significant increase in the level of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in the kidney in CSD group. Regarding RNA modifications, we observed an overall increased trend for most of these significantly changed modifications across six tissues in CSD group. Our study sheds light on the significance of DNA and RNA modifications as crucial epigenetic markers in the context of CSD-induced stress.
Here, we present a novel bioorthogonal platform that enables precise positioning of attached moieties in close proximity, thereby facilitating the discovery and optimization of biocompatible reactions. Using this platform, we achieve a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) reaction under physiological conditions, generating a fluorophore in situ with a yield of up to 93%. This proximity platform should facilitate the discovery of various types of biocompatible reactions, making it a versatile tool for biomedical applications.
Safety and energy density are significant for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), and the flammable organic electrolyte is one of the most critical causes of the safety problem of LIBs. Although LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) cathode with high capacity can improve the energy density, the interface stability between NCM811 cathode and electrolytes needs to be improved. Herein, we report a multifunctional additive, diethyl(2-(triethoxysilyl)ethyl)phosphonate (DETSP), which can suppress the flammability of the electrolyte and enhance the cycling stability of NCM811 cathode with a capacity retention of 89.9% after 400 cycles at 1 C, while that of the blank electrolyte is merely 61.3%. In addition, DETSP is compatible well with the graphite anode without impairing the electrochemical performances. Significantly, the performance and safety of NCM811/graphite full cells are also improved. Experimental and theoretical results demonstrate that DETSP can scavenge acidic byproducts and is beneficial to form a stable cathode-electrolyte interface (CEI). Accordingly, DETSP can potentially be an effective solution to ameliorating the safety of the commercial electrolyte and improving the stability of high-voltage cathodes.
Urea is extensively used in agriculture and chemical industry, and it is produced on an industrial scale from CO2 and Haber–Bosch NH3 under relatively high temperature and high pressure conditions, which demands high energy input and generates masses of carbon footprint. The conversion of CO2 and N sources (such as NO2−, NO3−, and N2) through electrocatalytic reactions under ambient conditions is a promising alternative to realize efficient urea synthesis. Of note, the design of electrocatalyst is one of the key factors that can improve the efficiency and selectivity of C–N coupling reactions. Defect engineering is an intriguing strategy for regulating the electronic structure and charge density of electrocatalysts, which endows electrocatalysts with excellent physicochemical properties and optimized adsorption energy of the reaction intermediates to reduce the kinetic barriers. In this minireview, recent advances of defect engineered electrocatalysts in urea electrosynthesis from CO2 and various N reactants are firstly introduced. Mechanistic discussions of C–N coupling in these advances are presented, with the aim of directing future investigations on improving the urea yield. Finally, the prospects and challenges of defect engineered electrocatalysts for urea synthesis are discussed. This overview is expected to provide in-depth understanding of structure–reactivity relationship and shed light on future electrocatalytic C–N coupling reactions.
With the low cost, excellent safety and high theoretical specific capacity, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are considered as a potential rival for lithium-ion batteries to promote the sustainable development of large-scale energy storage technologies. However, the notorious Zn dendrites and low Coulombic efficiency (CE) limit further development of AZIBs, due to the unstable electrochemical deposition/stripping behavior of Zn anode in aqueous zinc ion electrolytes. In this review, critical issues and advances are summarized in electrolyte engineering strategies. These strategies are focused on active water molecules during electrochemical process, including high-concentration electrolytes, ionic liquids, gel-polymer electrolytes and functional additives. With suppressed active water molecules, the solvation and de-solvation behavior of Zn2+ can be regulated, thereby modulating the electrochemical performance of Zn anode. Finally, the inherent problems of these strategies are discussed, and some promising directions are provided on electrolytes engineering for high performance Zn anode in AZIBs.
No. 86 Xueyuan South Road, Haidian District, Beijing
010-62199257
qkjq@cast.org.cn
Copyright © 2025 China Association for Science and Technology. All rights reserved. For all open access content, the relevant licensing terms apply.
Sponsored by the Office of the Leading Group for Cybersecurity and Informatization of CAST, and supported by Science and Technology Review Publishing House
