Latest ArticlesRecently, the composite of soft conductive substrates, such as carbon fiber (CF), with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been employed in a myriad of applications. The composite material has demonstrated exceptional potential in the realm of electrochemical sensing platforms. However, the rapid growth of MOFs on the surface of CF remains a challenge. Herein, we propose a simple galvanostatic method as an effective strategy for rapidly growing zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) on CF, and obtain nano-caltrop-like ZIFs modified CF (NC-ZIFs/CF) glucose (Glu) sensor platform with distinctive morphology. The prepared NC-ZIFs/CF demonstrated significant electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of Glu in alkaline media, characterized by a pronounced augmentation in oxidation current density. At an applied potential of 0.4 V, NC-ZIFs/CF exhibited a remarkably broad detection range (3–30,000 µmol/L) and demonstrated outstanding selectivity, repeatability and reproducibility. Additionally, the NC-ZIFs/CF was efficaciously employed for the detection of blood Glu levels in the serum of both normoglycemic and hyperglycemic patients, obtaining highly reliable results. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using galvanostatic method assembly to induce the growth of MOFs on conductive substrates, providing new ideas for electrocatalysis sensors and other electrochemical applications.
(±)-Mycosphatide A (1a/1b), a pair of highly oxidized enantiomeric polyketides featuring a unique 5/5/6/5-fused tetracyclic ring system, were isolated from the mangrove endophytic fungus Mycosphaerella sp. SYSU-DZG01. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses, single crystal X-ray diffraction, and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra comparison. The plausible biosynthetic pathway of 1 was proposed, which involved the generation of a key spiro[4.5]decane scaffold. Compounds (+)-1a and (−)-1b exhibited significant lipid-lowering activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes model, with EC50 values of 7.85 ± 1.56 and 8.87 ± 0.80 µmol/L, respectively.
Nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) is considered as a promising target for cancer therapy to its crucial role in cancer metabolism. Despite the therapeutic potential of NAMPT enzymatic inhibitors, their effectiveness is limited by dose-related toxicity and the inability to suppress nonenzymatic functions of extracellular NAMPT (eNAMPT). Herein, we designed and synthesized the first hydrophobic tagging NAMPT degraders. Among them, compound NH-11 selectively degraded NAMPT in leukemia cells through the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Compound NH-11 effectively induced apoptosis and showed low toxicity to normal cells, representing a promising anti-leukemia lead compound.
The catalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is of considerable significance for the sustainable development of the chemical industry; thus, considerable efforts have been devoted to the exploration of efficient catalysts for use in this reaction. In this regard, the development and utilization of single-atom catalysts (SACs) in VOCs decomposition is a rapidly expanding research area. SACs can be employed as potential catalysts for oxidizing VOC molecules due to their optimal utilization efficiency, unique atomic bonding structures, and unsaturated orbits. Progress has been achieved, while the challenges surrounding precise regulation of the microstructures of SACs for improving their low-temperature efficiency, stability, and product selectivity under practical conditions are remaining. Therefore, elucidating structure-performance relationships and establishing intrinsic modulating mechanisms are urgently required for guiding researchers on how to synthesize effective and stable functional SACs proactively. Herein, recent advances in the design and synthesis of functional SACs for application in the catalytic oxidation of VOCs are summarized. The experimental and theoretical studies revealing higher efficiency, stability, and selectivity of as-prepared functional SACs are being highlighted. Accordingly, the future perspectives in terms of promising catalysts with multi-sized composite active sites and the illustration of intrinsic mechanism are proposed. The rapid intelligent screening of applicable SACs and their industrial applications are also discussed.
Microbial contamination in water has emerged as a critical concern and thus developing biocide materials for controlling microbial contamination is crucial. Removing all pathogenic bacteria in water is difficult when using traditional water treatment technologies. Moreover, these bacteria can easily reproduce during pipeline distribution. In this work, a facile and effective chitosan derivative biocide denoted as PCC was developed by grafting with quaternary phosphonium salt (QPS). PCC became positively charged with a wide range of pH and demonstrated antibacterial activity up to 95% and 100% against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as model pathogens, respectively. The grafting of QPS may disrupt the cell membrane and lead to bacterial inactivation, as demonstrated by the scanning electron microscopy image and the concentration of intracellular substance leakage. MTT assay results indicate that PCC achieved good biocompatibility with negligible in vitro cytotoxicity. These findings introduce a promising approach for bacterial decontamination due to its low cytotoxicity and high biocidal activity.
The elimination of neonicotinoids (NEOs) from water has been a research priority due to their threats to human health and ecosystems. In this study, we established the heterogeneous peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation system using manganese catalyst (Mn NC) and cobalt catalyst (Co NC) to trigger the nonradical oxidation and synergistic oxidation pathway, respectively to remove NEOs. The results showed that the nonradical oxidation system exhibited superior NEOs degradation capability. The composition of organic pollutants in wastewater significantly impacted subsequent degradation processes. The charge distribution and reaction sites of various NEOs were analyzed using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and it demonstrated the electron distribution and activity of NEOs were significantly influenced by the type and number of substituents. Nitro group (–NO2) and cyanide group (–CN) were identified as strong electron-withdrawing groups and prone to be attacked by negatively charged radicals. The transformation of NEOs was analyzed, and result showed that the C and N sites adjacent to the nitro group and cyanide group were more susceptible to oxidation attacks. S and N atoms, which possess strong electronegativity and high electron cloud density, were identified as key active sites in the degradation pathway. The outcomes of this study provide valuable guidance for the oriented regulation of oxidation pathways towards efficient removal of NEOs in water.
Diabetes mellitus considerably affects bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), for example, by inhibiting their proliferation and differentiation potential, which enhances the difficulty in endogenous bone regeneration. Hence, effective strategies for enhancing the functions of BMSCs in diabetes have far-reaching consequences for bone healing and regeneration in diabetes patients. Tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs) are nucleic acid nanomaterials that can autonomously enter cells and regulate their behaviors. In this study, we evaluated the effects of tFNAs on BMSCs from diabetic rats. We found that tFNAs could promote the proliferation, migration, and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs from rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and inhibited cell senescence and apoptosis. Furthermore, tFNAs effectively scavenged the accumulated reactive oxygen species and activated the suppressed protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway. Overall, we show that tFNAs can recover the proliferation and osteogenic potential of diabetic BMSCs by alleviating oxidative stress and activating Akt signaling. The study provides a strategy for endogenous bone regeneration in diabetes and also paves the way for exploiting DNA-based nanomaterials in regenerative medicine.
Macrophages, as a subset of innate immune cells, play a pivotal role in the initiation, maintenance, and resolution of inflammatory responses during tissue damage repair, defense against infections, and tumor progression. However, the mechanisms by which macrophages regulate inflammation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and their involvement in the chemotherapeutic effect remain elusive. In this study, we have identified that AML cells stimulate macrophage expansion by activating the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) pathway. The expanded macrophages activate nuclear factor kappa-B (NFκB) to induce the expression of inflammatory factors, thereby maintaining leukemic cell quiescence and promoting cell survival following chemotherapy. Furthermore, we have successfully utilized a poly(ferulic acid) nanocarrier to selectively target macrophages for inhibiting the NFκB-mediated inflammation, ultimately enhancing chemotherapy efficacy against AML. Taken together, our findings highlight the crucial role of macrophage-induced inflammation in conferring chemoresistance to AML, and demonstrate the potential of a targeted nanocarrier specifically designed for inflammatory macrophages to improve the AML chemotherapeutic outcomes.
The clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system is an RNA-guided platform for highly efficient and specific genome targeting in diverse organisms, which has been exploited for various applications in gene manipulation. Compared with the constantly active CRISPR/Cas9 function, conditional control of its activity can improve the performance of the system with reduced side effects and high spatiotemporal precision. The pH-responsive triplex RNA was successful used in CRISPR-derived RNA/trans-activating crRNA (crRNA/tracrRNA) of CRISPR/Cas9, thus affecting RNA/dead Cas9 (dCas9) complex to target DNA in vitro and in vivo. This design of triplex RNA opens a new window towards the broad involvement of eukaryotic cells for conditional control of CRISPR/Cas9 function.
Formaldehyde (HCHO) as an indoor air pollutant released by new furniture and decorative materials is of great concern. Developing a self-cleaning device to remove HCHO is an ideal way to improve indoor air quality. In this study, a self-cleaning window with a multilayered structure constructed from fluorine-doped tin oxide/bismuth tungstate/resorcinol-formaldehyde resin (FTO/Bi2WO6/RF) has been fabricated, which is capable of degrading HCHO in natural indoor condition. The as-fabricated device could utilize the natural room light and promote the generation and transfer of the photocatalytic carriers in Bi2WO6, which subsequently delivers a good catalytic oxygen reduction efficiency in RF to produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The as-synthesized H2O2 could further split into hydroxyl radicals (•OH), then oxide the HCHO molecules in the air. The present study demonstrates a novel and efficient strategy to fabricate a transparent multifunctional window for self-cleaning indoor gaseous pollutants, the concept is of great importance to be expanded in a broad range of indoor furniture for in-house air pollution control.
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