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JACS Au Jun 2024This study highlights the novel potential of molecular aggregates as inhibitors of a disease-related protein. Enzyme inhibitors have been studied and developed as...
This study highlights the novel potential of molecular aggregates as inhibitors of a disease-related protein. Enzyme inhibitors have been studied and developed as molecularly targeted drugs and have been applied for cancer, autoimmune diseases, and infections. In many cases, enzyme inhibitors that are used for therapeutic applications interact directly with enzymes in a molecule-to-molecule manner. We found that the aggregates of a small compound, Mn007, inhibited bovine pancreatic DNase I. Once Mn007 molecules formed aggregates, they exhibited inhibitory effects specific to DNases that require divalent metal ions. A DNase secreted by causes streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS). STSS is a severe infectious disease with a fatality rate exceeding 30% in patients, even in this century. disrupts the human barrier system against microbial infections through the secreted DNase. Until now, the discovery/development of a DNase inhibitor has been challenging. Mn007 aggregates were found to inhibit the DNase secreted by , which led to the successful suppression of growth in human whole blood. To date, molecular aggregation has been outside the scope of drug discovery. The present study suggests that molecular aggregation is a vast area to be explored for drug discovery and development because aggregates of small-molecule compounds can inhibit disease-related enzymes.
PubMed: 38938790
DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.4c00210 -
JACS Au Jun 2024Metal halide perovskites have outperformed conventional inorganic semiconductors in direct X-ray detection due to their ease of synthesis and intriguing photoelectric...
Metal halide perovskites have outperformed conventional inorganic semiconductors in direct X-ray detection due to their ease of synthesis and intriguing photoelectric properties. However, the operational instability caused by severe ion migration under a high external electric field is still a big concern for the practical application of perovskite detectors. Here, we report a 2D (BPEA)PbI (BPEA = -1-(4-bromophenyl)ethylammonium) perovskite with Br-substituted aromatic spacer capable of introducing abundant interactions, e.g., the molecular electrostatic forces between Br atoms and aromatic rings and halogen bonds of Br-I, in the interlayer space, which effectively suppresses ion migration and thus enables superior operational stability. Constructing direct X-ray detectors based on high-quality single crystals of (BPEA)PbI results in a high sensitivity of 1,003 μC Gy cm, a low detection limit of 366 nGy s, and an ultralow baseline drift of 3.48 × 10 nA cm s V at 80 V bias. More strikingly, it also exhibits exceptional operational stability under high flux, long-time X-ray irradiation, and large working voltage. This work shows an integration of multiple interlayer interactions to stabilize perovskite X-ray detectors, providing new insights into the future design of perovskite optoelectronic devices toward practical application.
PubMed: 38938789
DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.4c00345 -
Biomaterials Research 2024Immunogenic cell death (ICD) of tumor cells serves as a crucial initial signal in the activation of anti-tumor immune responses, holding marked promise in the field of...
Immunogenic cell death (ICD) of tumor cells serves as a crucial initial signal in the activation of anti-tumor immune responses, holding marked promise in the field of tumor immunotherapy. However, low immunogenicity tumors pose challenges in achieving complete induction of ICD, thereby limiting the response rates of immunotherapy in clinical patients. The emergence of cuproptosis as a new form of regulated cell death has presented a promising strategy for enhanced immunotherapy of low immunogenic tumors. To trigger cuproptosis, copper-ionophore elesclomol (ES) had to be employed for the copper-transporting-mediated process. Herein, we proposed a copper(II)-based metal-organic framework nanoplatform (Cu-MOF) to facilitate a cooperative delivery of encapsulated ES and copper (ES-Cu-MOF) to induce cuproptosis burst and enhance ICD of fibrosarcoma. Our results showed that the ES-Cu-MOF nano-regulator could effectively release Cu and ES in response to the intracellular environment, resulting in elevated mitochondrial ROS generation and initiated cuproptosis of tumor cells. Furthermore, sequential ICDs were significantly triggered via the ES-Cu-MOF nano-regulator to activate the anti-tumor immune response. The results of tumor inhibition experiment indicated that the nano-regulator of ES-Cu-MOF obviously accumulated in the tumor site, inducing ICD for dendritic cell activation. This enabled an increased infiltration of cytotoxic CD8 T cells and consequently enhanced antitumor immune responses for successfully suppressing fibrosarcoma growth. Thus, the copper(II)-based metal-organic framework nano-regulator offered a promising approach for inducing cuproptosis and cuproptosis-stimulated ICD for cancer immunotherapy.
PubMed: 38938647
DOI: 10.34133/bmr.0039 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2024Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal highly toxic to living organisms. Cd pollution of soils has become a serious problem worldwide, posing a severe threat to crop production... (Review)
Review
Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal highly toxic to living organisms. Cd pollution of soils has become a serious problem worldwide, posing a severe threat to crop production and human health. When plants are poisoned by Cd, their growth and development are inhibited, chloroplasts are severely damaged, and respiration and photosynthesis are negatively affected. Therefore, elucidating the molecular mechanisms that underlie Cd tolerance in plants is important. Transcription factors can bind to specific plant cis-acting genes. Transcription factors are frequently reported to be involved in various signaling pathways involved in plant growth and development. Their role in the resistance to environmental stress factors, particularly Cd, should not be underestimated. The roles of several transcription factor families in the regulation of plant resistance to Cd stress have been widely demonstrated. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms of five major transcription factor families-WRKY, ERF, MYB, bHLH, and bZIP-in plant resistance to Cd stress to provide useful information for using molecular techniques to solve Cd pollution problems in the future.
PubMed: 38938636
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1397289 -
PeerJ 2024Tungsten (W) is an emerging heavy metal pollutant, yet research remains scarce on the biomonitor and sensitive biomarkers for W contamination.
BACKGROUND
Tungsten (W) is an emerging heavy metal pollutant, yet research remains scarce on the biomonitor and sensitive biomarkers for W contamination.
METHODS
In this study, celery and pepper were chosen as study subjects and subjected to exposure cultivation in solutions with five different levels of W. The physiological and biochemical toxicities of W on these two plants were systematically analyzed. The feasibility of utilizing celery and pepper as biomonitor organisms for W contamination was explored and indicative biomarkers were screened.
RESULTS
The results indicated that W could inhibit plants' root length, shoot height, and fresh weight while concurrently promoting membrane lipid peroxidation. Additionally, W enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) to counteract oxidative damage. From a physiological perspective, pepper exhibited potential as a biomonitor for W contamination. Biochemical indicators suggested that SOD could serve as a sensitive biomarker for W in celery, while TAOC and POD were more suitable for the roots and leaves of pepper. In conclusion, our study investigated the toxic effects of W on celery and pepper, contributing to the understanding of W's environmental toxicity. Furthermore, it provided insights for selecting biomonitor organisms and sensitive biomarkers for W contamination.
Topics: Apium; Capsicum; Tungsten; Lipid Peroxidation; Superoxide Dismutase; Antioxidants; Catalase; Biomarkers; Ecotoxicology; Plant Roots; Plant Leaves; Oxidative Stress
PubMed: 38938608
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17601 -
Open Veterinary Journal May 2024A fracture is considered a medical emergency leading to considerable complications.
BACKGROUND
A fracture is considered a medical emergency leading to considerable complications.
AIM
This study aimed to describe the accelerating action of Ag-NPs-FG on fracture healing in rabbits.
METHODS
Silver NPs (AgNPs) were reduced with fenugreek (FG), loaded into a starch gel base, and investigated for their morphology, size, and charge. Four equal groups were randomly formed of 40 adult male rabbits. A 3.5 mm diameter bone defect was created at the proximal metaphysis of the right tibia in each rabbit. Groups 1-4 were injected with placebo saline, AgNPs-FG, plain gel, and FG-gel at the bone defect zone, respectively. The healing was assessed for 8 weeks postoperatively based on the radiographic, bone turnover markers, and histopathological examinations.
RESULTS
The AgNPs-FG was obtained as a faint reddish color, spherical in shape, with an absorbance of 423 nm, a size of 118.0 ± 1.7 nm, and a surface charge of -7.8 ± 0.518 mV. The prepared AgNPs-FG hydrogel was clear, translucent, and homogenous. The pH values were 6.55-6.5 ± 0.2, the viscosity of 4,000 and 1,875 cPs, and spreadability of 1.6 ± 0.14 and 2.0 ± 0.15 for both FG and AgNPs-FG hydrogel, respectively. The radiographic union scale was significantly ( < 0.05) improved in group 2 with a significant ( < 0.05) increase in bone turnover markers was found in comparison to other treated groups. Histopathological examination revealed the formation of mature bone on the 28th postoperative day in groups 2 and 4.
CONCLUSION
Colloidal nano-formulation of AgNPs-FG loaded hydrogel could be a promising formulation to accelerate rabbits' tibial bone healing process.
Topics: Animals; Rabbits; Trigonella; Silver; Male; Metal Nanoparticles; Tibia; Fracture Healing; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 38938444
DOI: 10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i5.23 -
Discover Materials 2024The development of efficient, low-cost water splitting electrocatalysts is needed to store energy by generating sustainable hydrogen from low power clean but...
UNLABELLED
The development of efficient, low-cost water splitting electrocatalysts is needed to store energy by generating sustainable hydrogen from low power clean but intermittent energy sources such as solar and wind. Here, we report a highly sustained low overpotential for oxygen evolution reached by the unique combination of three metals (NiCoV) prepared from a simple low temperature auto-combustion process. The amorphous multimetal oxygen evolving catalyst could be stably coated on a stainless-steel support using a tribochemical particle blasting method to create an oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrode with a low overpotential of 230 mV at 10 mA cm and a low Tafel slope of 40 mV dec. In addition to their low overpotential, this oxygen evolving electrocatalyst preserved performance demonstrating a stability after 10 h at the technologically relevant current density and without any surface morphology alteration. Given the importance of sustainable hydrogen production, the development of this new OER catalyst points the way to removing a key technical bottleneck for the water splitting reaction and could offer a route to cost reduction and lowering hurdles to more widespread adaptation of electrolyser technologies for hydrogen production.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43939-024-00087-5.
PubMed: 38938324
DOI: 10.1007/s43939-024-00087-5 -
National Science Review Jul 2024Heterogeneous catalysis promises to accelerate sulfur-involved conversion reactions in lithium-sulfur batteries. Solid-state LiS dissociation remains as the...
Heterogeneous catalysis promises to accelerate sulfur-involved conversion reactions in lithium-sulfur batteries. Solid-state LiS dissociation remains as the rate-limiting step because of the weakly matched solid-solid electrocatalysis interfaces. We propose an electrochemically molecular-imprinting strategy to have a metal sulfide (MS) catalyst with imprinted defects in positions from which the pre-implanted LiS has been electrochemically removed. Such tailor-made defects enable the catalyst to bind exclusively to Li atoms in LiS reactant and elongate the Li-S bond, thus decreasing the reaction energy barrier during charging. The imprinted NiS catalyst shows the best activity due to the highest defect concentration among the MS catalysts examined. The LiS oxidation potential is substantially reduced to 2.34 V from 2.96 V for the counterpart free of imprinted vacancies, and an Ah-level pouch cell is realized with excellent cycling performance. With a lean electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 1.80 μL mg , the cell achieves a benchmarkedly high energy density beyond 500 Wh kg.
PubMed: 38938275
DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwae190 -
Journal of Nanobiotechnology Jun 2024Efficient monitoring of glucose concentration in the human body necessitates the utilization of electrochemically active sensing materials in nonenzymatic glucose...
Controlled synthesized of ternary Cu-Co-Ni-S sulfides nanoporous network structure on carbon fiber paper: a superior catalytic electrode for highly-sensitive glucose sensing.
BACKGROUND
Efficient monitoring of glucose concentration in the human body necessitates the utilization of electrochemically active sensing materials in nonenzymatic glucose sensors. However, prevailing limitations such as intricate fabrication processes, lower sensitivity, and instability impede their practical application. Herein, ternary Cu-Co-Ni-S sulfides nanoporous network structure was synthesized on carbon fiber paper (CP) by an ultrafast, facile, and controllable technique through on-step cyclic voltammetry, serving as a superior self-supporting catalytic electrode for the high-performance glucose sensor.
RESULTS
The direct growth of free-standing Cu-Co-Ni-S on the interconnected three-dimensional (3D) network of CP boosted the active site of the composites, improved ion diffusion kinetics, and significantly promoted the electron transfer rate. The multiple oxidation states and synergistic effects among Co, Ni, Cu, and S further promoted glucose electrooxidation. The well-architected Cu-Co-Ni-S/CP presented exceptional electrocatalytic properties for glucose with satisfied linearity of a broad range from 0.3 to 16,000 μM and high sensitivity of 6829 μA mM cm. Furthermore, the novel sensor demonstrated excellent selectivity and storage stability, which could successfully evaluate the glucose levels in human serum. Notably, the novel Cu-Co-Ni-S/CP showed favorable biocompatibility, proving its potential for in vivo glucose monitoring.
CONCLUSION
The proposed 3D hierarchical morphology self-supported electrode sensor, which demonstrates appealing analysis behavior for glucose electrooxidation, holds great promise for the next generation of high-performance glucose sensors.
Topics: Copper; Electrodes; Nickel; Catalysis; Humans; Cobalt; Electrochemical Techniques; Biosensing Techniques; Sulfides; Carbon Fiber; Glucose; Nanopores; Oxidation-Reduction; Blood Glucose
PubMed: 38937768
DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02635-w -
BMC Oral Health Jun 2024The translucency of different zirconia generations at each time point after thermocycling aging is still lacking.
BACKGROUND
The translucency of different zirconia generations at each time point after thermocycling aging is still lacking.
METHODS
Four zirconia materials were used with a total of 60 samples produced from monolithic third generation (5Y) 5 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia polycrystalline ceramic and fourth generation zirconia (4Y) 4 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia polycrystalline ceramic, represented by [group1:[CM-5Y] Ceramill Zolid fx (3rd generation zirconia) (Amann Girrbach, Koblach, Austria), group 2:[CM-4Y] Ceramill Zolid HT + (4th generation zirconia) (Amann Girrbach, Koblach, Austria), group 3:[CC-5Y] Cercon XT/ML (Dentsply Sirona, Germany) (3rd generation), and group 4:[CC-4Y] Cercon HT/ML (Dentsply Sirona, Germany) (4th generation)]. The L*a*b* figures were measured by using a spectrophotometer at baseline and after 10,000, 30,000, and 50,000 cycles of thermocycling. At each interval, the translucency of the samples was estimated by using the translucency formula CIEDE2000. The Scheffe post-hoc compared differences among each of the four materials. The Repeated measures ANOVA tested the differences between the materials at each of the different thermocycling intervals (p < .001). Data analyses were evaluated at a significance level of p < .05 (CI 95%).
RESULTS
Two-way ANOVA revealed that at baseline the third and fourth generation's zirconia showed statistically significant differences in translucency (P < .001). Translucency values at baseline and after thermocycling exhibited statistically significant changes (p = .003). At each of the time interval; CM-4Y had the highest translucency values followed by CM-5Y, CC-4Y and CC-5Y had the least translucency values.
CONCLUSIONS
The third and fourth generations of zirconia displayed different translucencies. Thermocycling affected the translucency of both third and fourth generations of zirconia. At each of the time intervals group 2:[CM-4Y] had the highest TP followed by group1:[CM-5Y], while, group 3:[CC-5Y] and group 4:[CC-4Y] had the least TP.
Topics: Zirconium; Materials Testing; Time Factors; Yttrium; Spectrophotometry; Dental Materials; Light; Surface Properties; Color; Temperature; Humans; Dental Porcelain
PubMed: 38937719
DOI: 10.1186/s12903-024-04465-6