Latest ArticlesFor a significant duration, enhancing the efficacy of cancer therapy has remained a critical concern. Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB), often likened to micro-robots, hold substantial promise as a drug delivery system. MTB, classified as anaerobic, aquatic, and gram-negative microorganisms, exhibit remarkable motility and precise control over their internal biomineralization processes. This unique ability results in the formation of magnetic nanoparticles arranged along filamentous structures in a catenary fashion, enclosed within a membrane. These bacteria possess distinctive biochemical properties that facilitate their precise positioning within complex environments. By harnessing these biochemical attributes, MTB could potentially offer substantial advantages in the realm of cancer therapy. This article reviews the drug delivery capabilities of MTB in tumor treatment and explores various applications based on their inherent properties. The objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of MTB-driven drug delivery and stimulate innovative insights in this field.
Recently, non-centrosymmetric (NCS) Hg-based chalcogenides have garnered significant interest due to their strong second-harmonic-generation intensities (deff), making them attractive candidates for infrared nonlinear optical (IR-NLO) application. However, achieving both wide band gaps (Eg) and large phase-matched deff simultaneously in these materials remains a challenge due to their inherent constraints on each other. In this research, we have successfully obtained two quaternary NCS Hg-based chalcogenides, Rb2HgGe3S8 and Cs2HgGe3S8, by implementing a bandgap engineering strategy that involves alkali metal introduction and Hg/Ge ratio regulation. Both compounds consist of 2D [HgGe3S8]2– anionic layers made of 1D [HgGeS6]6– chains and dimeric [Ge2S6]4– polyhedra arranged alternately, and the charge-balanced Rb+/Cs+ cations located between these layers. Remarkably, Rb2HgGe3S8 and Cs2HgGe3S8 exhibit overall properties required for promising IR-NLO materials, including sufficient PM deff (0.55–0.70 × AgGaS2@2050 nm), large Eg (3.27–3.41 eV), giant laser-induced damage thresholds (17.4–19.7 × AgGaS2@1064 nm), broad optical transmission intervals (0.32–17.5 µm), and suitable theoretical birefringence (0.069–0.086@2050 nm). Furthermore, in-depth theoretical analysis reveals that the exceptional IR-NLO performance is attributed to the synergy effects of distorted [HgS4] and [GeS4] tetrahedra. Our study provides a useful strategy for enhancing the Eg and advancing Hg-based IR-NLO materials, which is expected to extended and implemented in other chalcogenide systems.
Polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) has garnered increasing attention as a metal-free photocatalyst with a suitable band gap. In efforts to enhance its photocatalytic performance, researchers have examined various PCN materials, including poly(heptazine imide) (PHI) and poly(triazine imide) (PTI), two isomers within the PCN family that exhibit distinct and superior photocatalytic activity compared to other forms. The challenge, however, lies in the common practice among researchers to categorize PHI and PTI along with other PCN types under the overarching term "g-C3N4, " which significantly impedes optimization efforts. The objective of this review is to provide comprehensive insights into the structural features, photoelectrochemical properties, and effective characterization methods employed for distinguishing between PHI and PTI materials. The review also summarizes various optimization strategies, such as crystallinity adjustments, defect engineering, morphology control, constructing heterojunction, and atomic-level metal loading dispersion, to elevate the photocatalytic activity of PHI and PTI, in addition to summarizing the history of carbon nitride development. Furthermore, this review highlights the primary applications of PHI and PTI, encompassing nitrogen fixation, biomass conversion, organic synthesis, CO2 reduction, pollutant degradation, H2O2 production, and photocatalytic water splitting. Lastly, the prospects and challenges associated with further advancing PHI and PTI are thoroughly examined.
Lithium argyrodites Li6PS5X (X = Cl, Br, I) show great potential as solid electrolytes for solid-state lithium batteries due to their high Li-ion conductivities and excellent electrode compatibility. However, the relatively low conductivity of Li6PS5I (10−6 mS/cm) compared to the other two compositions limits its applications. Herein, Si-doped Li6.5P0.5Si0.5S5I electrolyte is designed and synthesized with superior high conductivity of 3.6 mS/cm. Structural characterization proves the increase due to the anion disorder and volume expansion caused by Si-doping. However, the poor interfacial stability between layered oxide cathode LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 and Li6.5P0.5Si0.5S5I inhibits its battery performance. By introducing Li3InCl6 electrolyte in the configuration, the corresponding battery delivers high initial discharge capacity of 150.2 mAh/g and superior cyclability during 250 cycles at 0.5 C. This work offers design strategy to obtain Li6PS5I-based electrolytes for high performance solid-state batteries.
Chemotherapy has been recommended as the standard protocol for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) at the advanced stage. However, the current treatment is unsatisfactory due to inefficient drug accumulation and rapid chemo-resistance. Thus, rational design of advanced drug delivery systems that can induce multiple cell death pathways is a promising strategy to combat TNBC. Ferroptosis is a powerful non-apoptotic cell death modality, showing potential in tumor inhibition. Herein, we propose a binary prodrug nanoassemblies that combines chemotherapy with ferroptosis for TNBC treatment. In this system, paclitaxel is linked with paracetamol (ferroptosis activator) by a disulfide linkage to construct self-assembly prodrug. Meanwhile, 2-distearoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-methyl(polyethylene glycol)-2000-tyrosine (DSPE-PEG2k-tyrosine) is applied for large neutral amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) targeting, which is highly expressed in TNBC. The prodrug nanoassemblies exhibit good stability and a glutathione (GSH)-responsive release profile. Furthermore, the LAT1-targeted nanoassemblies show stronger cytotoxicity, higher cellular uptake, and more obvious ferroptosis activation than non-decorated ones. In a TNBC mice model, the prodrug nanoassemblies demonstrate strong anti-tumor efficacy. The application of ferroptosis-assisting chemotherapy may provide a promising strategy for TNBC therapy.
Foods are often contaminated by multiple foodborne pathogens, which threatens human health. In this work, we developed a microfluidic biosensor for multiplex immunoassay of foodborne bacteria with agitation driven by programmed audio signals. This agitation, powered by the vibration of a speaker cone during music playing, accelerated the mass transport in the incubation process to form bacterial complexes within 10 min. Immunoassay reagents of the two target bacteria (Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella typhimurium) were preloaded into the corresponding fore-vacuum storage chamber on the chip, and released to participate in the subsequent immune analysis process by piercing the chambers. All the detection processes were integrated into a single microfluidic chip and controlled by a smartphone through Bluetooth. Under selected conditions, wide linear ranges and low limits of detection (LODs < 2 CFU/mL) were obtained, and real food samples were successfully determined within 30 min. This biosensing method can be extended to wide-ranging applications by loading different recognizing reagents.
Amorphous alloys, with unique atomic structures and metastable nature, are treated as superior candidates for environmental wastewater remediation due to their superior catalytic capabilities. Given the strong demand for environmental protection, the field of amorphous alloys in wastewater treatment has great development prospects, and numerous research results have been published in recent years. As a promising catalyst, it was demonstrated that amorphous alloys could exhibit many excellent properties in wastewater treatment, such as high catalytic efficiency, easily adjustable parameters and reliable sustainability. This paper aims to summarize recent research trends regarding amorphous alloys in the field of catalysis, focusing on the preparation methods, physical performance, catalytic mechanisms and environmental application. Meanwhile, this review also investigates the challenges encountered and future perspectives of amorphous alloys, offering new research opportunities to enlarge their applicability spectra.
Na-ion cathode materials with a fast charge and discharge behavior are needed to develop future high-energy sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, inevitably complicated phase transitions and sluggish kinetics during insertion and removal of Na+ in P2-type layered transition metal oxides generate structural instability and severe capacity decay. To get rid of such a dilemma, we report a structural optimization strategy to promote P2-type layered transition metal oxides with more (010) active planes as an efficient cathode for SIBs. As a result, as-prepared hexagonal-prism P2-type layered Na0.71Ni0.16Li0.09Co0.16Mn0.6O2 cathode with more (010) active planes delivers a reversible capacity of 120.1 mAh/g at 0.1 C, impressive rate capability of 52.7 mAh/g at 10 C, and long-term cycling stability (capacity retention of 95.6% over 200 cycles). The outstanding electrochemical performance benefited from the unique hexagonal-prism with more (010) active facets, which can effectively shorten the diffusion distances of Na+, increase the Na-ion migration dynamics and nanostructural stability during cycling verified by morphology characterization, Rietveld refinement, GITT, density functional theory calculations and operando XRD.
Infections frequently occur after skin injuries, posing a significant challenge in current clinical care. Frequently changing dressings to minimize wound infections and adhesions results in large amounts of medical waste. Therefore, developing environmentally friendly multifunctional dressings has considerable application and translational significance. This study aimed to prepare a wound dressing with favorable antimicrobial properties and biosafety by grafting a natural antimicrobial peptide, polylysine, onto a traditional cotton textile dressing. The cotton textile dressing offers excellent moisture absorption and softness, while polylysine provides excellent biocompatibility, a broad antimicrobial spectrum, and high stability. Furthermore, both materials are natural and biodegradable, making them ideal for environmentally friendly wound dressings.
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