Latest ArticlesLung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors with the fastest increase in the incidence rate and mortality. Even after maximum tumor resection assistance with a radiotherapy and chemotherapy combination, the recurrence of non-small cell lung cancer is still inevitable. In addition, low targeting efficiency and poor permeability of drug delivery systems strongly affect the therapeutic efficiency of anti-cancer drugs on non-small cell lung cancer. Here we designed a gemcitabine (GEM) loaded arginine-glycine-aspartic acid-cysteine (RGDc)-modified gold mineralization "hybrid nanozyme bomb" (RGTG) to overcome those obstacles. RGDc modification improved the active targeting of liposomes to the tumor tissues with the second near-infrared (NIR-II)-triggered gold-shell disruption and GEM release. The collapsed gold-shell particles with a smaller size could penetrate the tumor solid barrier and act as photothermal therapy (PTT) agents to improve PTT therapy and starvation therapy via generating gluconic acid and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, the resting reversal effect of gold particles on tumor fibroblasts can achieve accelerating tumor penetration of gold particles and GEM. Compared to monotherapy, RGTG showed significant improvement in tumor inhibition, with a tumor volume reduction of 83% compared to the control group, which provides a promising tumor treatment platform for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The development of high-precision sensors using flexible piezoelectric materials has the advantages of high sensitivity, high stability, good durability, and lightweight. The main problem with sensing equipment is low sensitivity, which is due to the mismatch between materials and analysis methods, resulting in the inability to effectively eliminate noise. To address this issue, we developed the denoising analysis method to motion signals captured by a flexible piezoelectric sensor fabricated from poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) materials. Experimental results demonstrate that this improved denoising method effectively removes noise components from neck muscle motion signals, thus obtaining high-quality, low-noise motion signal waveforms. Wavelet decomposition and reconstruction is a signal processing technique that involves decomposing a signal into different scales and frequency components using wavelets and then selectively reconstructing the signal to emphasize specific features or eliminate noise. The study employed the sym8 wavelet basis for wavelet decomposition and reconstruction. In the denoised signals, a high degree of stability and periodic peaks are distinctly manifested, while amplitude and frequency differences among different types of movements also become noticeably visible. As a result of this study, we are enabled to accurately analyze subtle variations in neck muscle motion signals, such as nodding, shaking the head, neck lateral flexion, and neck circles. Through temporal and frequency domain analysis of denoised motion signals, differentiation among various motion states can be achieved. Overall, this improved analytical approach holds broad application prospects across various types of piezoelectric sensors, such as healthcare monitoring, sports biomechanics.
Exosomes (EXOs) have showed great potential in regenerative medicine. The separation of EXOs from complex biological media is essential for the down-stream applications. Herein, we report a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-based micro-complex (DMC) containing polyaptamers, which realized the specific separation of EXOs from cell culture media and the significant promotion of wound healing. The synthesis of DMCs was based on a biomineralization process via rolling circle amplification (RCA) under the catalysis of phi29 DNA polymerase. To endow DMCs with the ability to capture EXOs, the DNA template of RCA was integrated with complementary sequence of aptamer that specifically recognized the CD63 proteins on EXOs. The obtained DMCs contained polyaptamers that can specifically capture the EXOs in cell culture media. The EXOs-capturing DMCs were collected by centrifugation, achieving the separation of EXOs. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived EXOs (MSC-EXOs) were separated by this DMC-based strategy, and the separated MSC-EXOs significantly enhanced the migration ability of cells. In particular, the significant therapeutic efficacy of the DMCs with MSC-EXOs was verified in full-thickness wound excision mouse models, in which the wounds completely healed in 10 days. We envision that this DMC-based separation strategy can be a promising route to promote the development of EXOs in biomedicine.
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy has emerged as a powerful analytical technique for detecting and identifying trace chemical and biological molecules. In this review, we present an in-depth discussion of recent advances in the field of crystal phase manipulation to achieve exceptional SERS performance. Focusing on transition metal dichalcogenides, (hydr)oxides, and carbides as exemplary materials, we illustrate the pivotal role of crystal phase regulation in enhancing SERS signals. By exploring the correlation between crystal phases and SERS responses, we uncover the underlying principles behind these strategies, thereby shedding light on their potential for future SERS applications. By addressing the current challenges and limitations, we also propose the prospects of the crystal phase strategy to facilitate the development of cutting-edge SERS-based sensing technologies.
Nowadays, due to excellent biological and polymeric characteristics, DNA has been widely noted as an emerging building block to construct diverse materials for biosensing, in vivo imaging, drug delivery, and disease therapy. Particularly, relying on programmability, predictability, and stability of DNA, DNA walkers have opened new and exciting opportunities in modern life sciences for target detection and biological analysis, which are constructed by self-assembly of DNA or combining DNA with other nanomaterials (e.g., quantum dots, gold nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, polymers). Compared with conventional nanomaterials (lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles, magnetic nanomaterials, carbon dots, silicon dots, and so on), DNA walkers showed convenient modification, lower biotoxicity, excellent biocompatibility and high biostability, improving the biological application. Meanwhile, with high-speed operating efficiency and sustainable operation, DNA walkers powered by strand displacement reaction or protein enzyme/DNAzyme reaction, have highly sensitive detection and signal amplification abilities, which are applied in biosensing, material assembly and synthesis, and early cancer diagnosis. Worthily, DNA walkers could be regarded as signal amplifiers, which enhanced the signal transduction and amplified biosensor sensing signals. Herein, we systematically and comprehensively summarized the operating principles of various DNA walkers, categorized rational design of the DNA walker, and outlined the application of DNA walker in biosensors. Furthermore, the challenges and future trends of DNA walkers were discussed.
Norovirus is an infectious disease that can cause non-bacterial gastroenteritis, which has a low infectious dose, rapid onset, and strong transmission ability; therefore, rapid and sensitive detection is essential to reduce the transmission of gastroenteritis. In the study, a norovirus GII loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay was developed and prepared into freeze-drying microspheres, and a closed-cassette-based, integrated, reagent-ambient storage, on-site instant detection platform for norovirus GII was constructed using a commercial, fully automated nucleic acid analyzer with integrated magnetic bearing based nuclear acid extraction and nucleic acid detection, with a sensitivity of 10 copies/µL, with no cross-reactivity with other 5 viruses. For 28 simulated samples, the integrated assay platform was consistent with the experimental results of reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays after conventional laboratory nucleic acid extraction. The entire process can be finished in about 1 h, which is ideal for immediate rapid detection.
The microphases and miscibility in binary curcumin (Cur) solid dispersions (SDs) with amorphous polyvinylpyrrolidone K30 (PVP K30) and semi-crystalline poloxamer (P407) and poly(ethylene glycol) 6000 (PEG6000) as carriers were investigated by fluorescence contrasting utilizing confocal laser scanning microscopy. A super sensitive fluorophore P4 with typical aggregation-caused quenching properties was employed to stain the continuous polymer phases and contrasted with the autofluorescence of the model drug Cur. In addition, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) were utilized to assist in explanation of the fluorescence results. In all three SD systems, there is always a homogenous polymer phase stained by P4 and it is difficult to adulterate Cur crystals by P4. Cur-enriched rather than polymer-enriched domains could be detected. In the Cur-PVP K30 system, Cur exists in an amorphous form at a Cur loading level of 50% and below, while Cur crystallines phase out and continuously grow with the increase of Cur loading from 60% to 90%. The phase behaviors in the Cur-P407 and Cur-PEG 6000 systems are similar but with minor differences. In both systems, Cur phases out as clusters of drug-enriched domains at a loading level of 20% and below, which however cannot be correlated with crystallization, as evidenced by both DSC and PXRD. There is a transition from an amorphous to a crystalline state from 20% to 30% Cur loading, above which Cur crystallines can be detected. It is interesting that a co-mix phase of both Cur- and PEG 6000-enriched domains can be identified at Cur loading levels of 10% and less. Taking together, it is concluded that contrasting Cur autofluorescence with the signals of P4 proves to be a functional strategy to reveal multiple phases in the binary SD systems investigated.
The development of clean renewable energy and energy storage devices is of great significance under the present energy crisis and environmental pollution background. Aqueous zinc-ion battery (ZIB) has become one of the most promising energy storage devices due to its high capacity, safety and low cost. However, the application of ZIB cathode is usually limited by low capacity and poor stability. Herein, we propose a novel heterostructure MnO/MnV2O4 composite material composed of MOF derivatives and spinel with dual active components as cathode for ZIBs. Benefited from substantial framework of MOF derivatives and the synergistic effect of heterostructures, MnO/MnV2O4 exhibits excellent rate performance (342 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g, 261 mAh/g at 15 A/g) and cycling performance (198.9 mAh/g at 10 A/g after 2000 cycles) in 3 mol/L Zn(CF3SO3)2 electrolytes. This work extends the range of developing high-performance cathodes for ZIBs under high current density and is expected to enlighten the optimization of commercial energy storage devices.
Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are promising energy storage devices. However, the formation of dendrites, hydrogen evolution, and corrosion reaction seriously affect their electrochemical performance. Herein, the synergistic effect of ion-migration regulation and interfacial engineering has been confirmed as the potential strategy by kaolin functionalized glass fiber separator (KL-GF) to alleviate these problems. The rapid and orderly Zn2+ migration was achieved to improve the transfer kinetics and induced uniform zinc deposition by more zinc-philic sites of KL-GF. Based on the interfacial engineering, the side reactions were effectively mitigated and crystal planes were regulated through KL-GF. The hydrophilicity of KL alleviated the corrosion and hydrogen evolution. Importantly, a preferential orientation of Zn (002) crystal plane by KL-GF was induced to further realize dendrite-free deposition by density functional theory (DFT) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization. Hence, the Zn|KL-GF|MnO2 cell maintained a high discharge capacity of 96.8 mAh/g at 2 A/g after 1000 cycles. This work can provide guidance enabling high-performance zinc anode for AZIBs.
Exosomes as authigenous nanovesicles secreted by living cells represent a significant class of biomaterials. By virtue of their unique roles in intercellular communication, exosomes can mediate intercellular information/cargoes exchange as messenger and facilitate drug delivery as smart vehicles. Oral medication is the most clinically relied upon route of administration and can achieve both topical and systemic therapeutic effects after absorption. Exosomes and exosome-derived vectors have shown to be of high value in oral drug delivery, since they enable efficient oral delivery of therapeutic molecules by targeting intestinal epithelial cells. In recent years, exosome-biomimetic nanocarriers have emerged as an important catalyzer in innovating oral drug delivery systems. In this work, we roundly reviewed the biogenesis and functions of exosomes, their extraction and characterization methods, resources available for exosomes harvest, and design philosophy of exosome-derived vehicles, particularly highlighting the oral delivery application of exosome-biomimetic nanocarriers for diverse medicines. Accumulating evidence suggests that exosome-biomimetic nanocarriers hold great promise for oral delivery of intractable drugs with potential biopharmaceutic issues.
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