Soochow University

In this study, we demonstrated the mechanism of a glioblastoma (GBM)-targeted sonodynamic therapy (SDT) strategy employing platelets loaded with a sonosensitizer based on functionalized boron nitride nanoparticles carrying chlorin e6 (BNPD-Ce6). In the in vitro study, we first found that the BNPD-Ce6-mediated sonodynamic action (SDA) induced remarkable viability loss, DNA damage, and cell death in the GBM cells (GBCs) but not macrophages. Surprisingly, the SDA-exposed GBCs displayed a ferroptotic phenotype while the SDA-exposed macrophages underwent immuno-stimulatory autophagy and potently potentiated the SDA's toxicity to the GBCs. The ferroptotic GBCs induced by the SDA were found to be quasi-immunogenic, characterized by the emission of some alarmins such as ATP, HSP90, and CRT, but absent HMGB1, a potent endogenous adjuvant. As such, the SDA-stressed GBCs were unable to stimulate the BMDMs. This defect, interestingly, could be rescued by platelets as a donor of HMGB1 which markedly enhanced the BNPD-Ce6's sonotoxicity to the GBCs. In the in vivo study, we first employed BNPD-Ce6-loaded platelets to achieve ultrasound-triggered, targeted delivery of BNPD-Ce6 in grafted intra-cranial GBMs and subsequent sonodynamic tumor damage. An SDT regimen designed based on these results slowed the growth of grafted intra-cranial GBMs and significantly increased the survival of the host animals. Pathological examination of the SDT-treated GBMs revealed tissue necrosis and destruction and validated the in vitro observations. Finally, the depletion of macrophages was found to abrogate the efficacy of the SDT in subcutaneous GBC grafts. In conclusion, the BNPD-Ce6@Plt-mediated SDT is a practicable and efficacious anti-GBM therapy. Its therapeutic mechanism critically involves a synergy of tumor cell ferroptosis, macrophage stimulation, and platelet activation induced by the SDA.

Metals have traditionally served as the primary functional phase in the development of metamaterials exhibiting epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) and epsilon-negative (EN) responses, albeit with persisting ambiguities regarding their response mechanisms. This paper presents the tunable ENZ (ε′ ~ 0) and EN (ε′ < 0) parameters at the 20-MHz to 1-GHz region based on Cu/CaCu3Ti4O12 (Cu/CCTO) metacomposites. By means of first-principles calculations and multi-physics simulations, the underlying mechanisms governing ENZ and EN responses are unveiled. The intricate pathways through which metacomposites achieve 2 dielectric response mechanisms are delineated: At low Cu content, a weak EN response (|ε′| < 200) was excited by electric dipole resonance, accompanied by ENZ effect; conversely, at high Cu content, due to the increase in effective electron concentration, plasmonic oscillation behavior occurs in the constructed 3-dimensional Cu network, resulting in strong EN response (|ε′| ~ 1,000) in the radio frequency band. These phenomena are explicated through 2 distinct Cu/CCTO models: Cu in an isolated state and a connected network state. This study not only comprehensively elucidates the 2 EN response mechanisms achieved by typical metacomposites with metals as functional phases but also delves into their associated electromagnetic shielding and thermal properties, providing a theoretical basis for their practical applications.

Organoboron‐nitrogen‐carbonyl‐hybridized (h‐BNCO) frameworks are emerging templates for developing high‐performance multiresonant (MR) emitters, but their potentials have not been fully explored. In this study, a novel red MR emitter, namely, h‐BNCO‐3, is developed by decorating two diphenylamine moieties onto a h‐BNCO MR skeleton (h‐BNCO‐2). Compared with the green backbone, h‐BNCO‐3 achieves a substantial emission redshift of 76 nm while retaining a narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 45 nm (0.16 eV) in toluene. Moreover, the common advantages of integrating a carbonyl group in B/N‐based systems, e.g., significant nπ* contribution in the triplet manifolds, are obvious in h‐BNCO‐3. Thus, h‐BNCO‐3 obtained a fast reverse intersystem crossing rate (kRISC) of over 10⁵ s⁻¹. The optimized non‐sensitized organic light‐emitting diode (OLED) based on h‐BNCO‐3 achieved red emission with an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 26.4%. Moreover, by further employing a phosphor as a sensitizer, the h‐BNCO‐3‐based OLED can reach an impressive EQE of 38.0%, which is among the best results of red MR‐OLEDs. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of integrating carbonyl into organoboron‐nitrogen‐based frameworks with peripheral decorations for enhancing kRISC, offering new insights for developing high‐performance MR emitters based on h‐BNCO systems.

Although the design of photocatalysts incorporating donor–acceptor units has garnered significant attention for its potential to enhance the efficiency of the photocatalysis process, the primary bottleneck lies in the challenge of generating long‐lived charge separation states during exciton separation. Therefore, a novel Janus‐nanomicelles photocatalyst is developed using carbazole (Cz) as the donor unit, perylene‐3,4,9,10‐tetracarboxydiimide (PDI) with long‐excited state as the acceptor unit and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the hydrophilic segment through ROMP polymerization. After optimizing the ratio, Cz19‐PDI18‐PEG10 rapidly adsorbs bisphenol A (BPA) within 10 s through π–π interaction, hydrogen‐bonding interaction, and hydrophobic interaction between BPA and hydrophobic blocks when exposed to aqueous humor and efficiently photodegrades BPA (50 ppm) within 120 min for water purification purposes due to its long‐lived charge separation state and achieving the highest reported efficiency so far. Mechanistic studies have shown that this excellent performance of Cz19‐PDI18‐PEG10 can be attributed to synergistic interactions between highly efficient adsorption capacity and long‐lived charge separation states during photocatalysis. This novel Janus‐nanomicelles design strategy holds promise as an effective candidate for water purification.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) derived from mesenchymal stem cells regulates antioxidant properties and bone metabolism by providing a favorable extracellular microenvironment. However, its functional role and molecular mechanism in mitochondrial function regulation and aged bone regeneration remain insufficiently elucidated. This proteomic analysis has revealed a greater abundance of proteins supporting mitochondrial function in the young ECM (Y‐ECM) secreted by young bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) compared to the aged ECM (A‐ECM). Further studies demonstrate that Y‐ECM significantly rejuvenates mitochondrial energy metabolism in adult BMMSCs (A‐BMMSCs) through the promotion of mitochondrial respiratory functions and amelioration of oxidative stress. A‐BMMSCs cultured on Y‐ECM exhibited enhanced multi‐lineage differentiation potentials in vitro and ectopic bone formation in vivo. Mechanistically, silencing of silent information regulator type 3 (SIRT3) gene abolished the protective impact of Y‐ECM on A‐BMMSCs. Notably, a novel composite biomaterial combining hyaluronic acid methacrylate hydrogel microspheres with Y‐ECM is developed, which yielded substantial improvements in the healing of bone defects in an aged rat model. Collectively, these findings underscore the pivotal role of Y‐ECM in maintaining mitochondrial redox homeostasis and present a promising therapeutic strategy for the repair of aged bone defects.

n-Armchair graphene nanoribbons (nAGNRs) are promising components for next-generation nanoelectronics due to their controllable band gap, which depends on their width and edge structure. Using non-metal surfaces for fabricating nAGNRs gives access to reliable information on their electronic properties. We investigated the influence of light and iron adatoms on the debromination of 4,4''-dibromo-p-terphenyl precursors affording poly(para-phenylene) (PPP as the narrowest GNR) wires through the Ullmann coupling reaction on a rutile TiO2(110) surface, which we studied by scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The temperature threshold for bromine bond cleavage and desorption is reduced upon exposure to UV light (240-395 nm wavelength), but the reaction yield could not be improved. However, in the presence of codeposited iron adatoms, precursor debromination occurred even at 77 K, allowing for Ullmann coupling and PPP wire formation at 300-400 K, i.e., markedly lower temperatures compared to the conditions without iron adatoms. Furthermore, scanning tunneling spectroscopy data reveal that adsorbed PPP wires feature a band gap of ≈3.1 eV.

The oxygen spillover on the metal/oxide electrocatalysts interface acts as an essential role in promoting the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) for proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs). However, oxygen spillover mechanisms and corresponding regulatory strategies are still unclear for addressing slow OH‐migration kinetics. Herein, an interface is constructed between Iridium (Ir) and Niobium (Nb)‐doped Titanium oxide (TiO2) with abundant oxygen vacancies area by plasma processing, enabling oxygen spillover from the metal Ir to supports. The optimized Ir/Nb‐doped TiO2 with a significant OER activity (η = 253 mV) and durability in acids compared to commercial IrO2. In situ experiments combined with theoretical computations reveal the presence of interfacial oxygen vacancies not only regulates the Ir structure toward boosted activity but also constructs a directional spillover pathway from Ir to interfacial oxygen vacancies area and then TiO2 via the OH*‐filling route, which strikingly mitigates the OH* migration barriers. In addition, the optimized Ir/Nb‐doped TiO2 exhibits excellent performance (1.69 V/1.0 A cm⁻²@80 °C) and long‐term stability (≈500 h@1.0 A cm⁻²) with practical potential in PEMWEs. This work provides a unique insight into the role of oxygen spillover, paving the way for designing Ir‐based catalysts for PEMWEs.

This study attempted to explore the molecular mechanism of Epimedium herb (EH) on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment. We employed network pharmacology, molecular docking, and HPLC analysis to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the efficacy of EH in treating RA. To assess the efficacy of EH intervention, RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLS) and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse models were utilized. Ultimately, the active compounds icariin, luteolin, quercetin, and kaempferol were identified, with interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) emerging as key targets of EH for RA. These targets were found to be downregulated in both in vitro and in vivo experiments following EH intervention. Furthermore, EH treatment induced apoptosis, reduced metastasis and invasion in RA-FLS, and ameliorated arthritis-related symptoms while regulating Th17 and Treg cells in CIA mice.

Objective Cardiometabolic risk factors significantly contribute to disease burden. This study explored the effects of hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), and hyperlipidemia (HLP) on mortality. It stratified findings by age group and comorbidity severity using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score. Additionally, it assessed the compounded effects of comorbid conditions to estimate life expectancy (LE) and years of life lost (YLL) in individuals with various cardiometabolic risk factor combinations. Methods Using data from the MJ Health Check-up Database (2002–2017), linked with the National Health Insurance Research Database (2000–2017) and the Death Registry (2002–2019), this study employed Cox proportional hazards models to determine mortality risk associated with various cardiometabolic risk factors. Adjusted Kaplan–Meier curves were constructed to evaluate survival rates across different risk factors and CCI scores. Survival rates were extrapolated to estimate confounder-adjusted LE and YLL for age-comorbidity combinations. Results Among the three age groups (20–39, 40–59, 60–79), HLP was the most common single risk factor, followed by HTN. In participants with dual risk factors, HTN and HLP were the most frequent pair, with diabetes and HLP second. An increased number of cardiometabolic risk factors elevated mortality risk, particularly in the 20–39 age group. LE, adjusted for confounders, declined with age, higher CCI scores, and more risk factors. YLL decreased with age but increased with higher CCI scores and more risk factors. Conclusions Promoting health awareness, early disease detection, and timely medical access can reduce cardiometabolic risk factors and associated comorbidities, thereby alleviating disease burden.

Electrochromic materials were discovered in the 1960s when scientists observed reversible changes between the light and dark states in WO3 thin films under different voltages. Since then, researchers have identified various electrochromic material systems, including transition metal oxides, polymer materials, and small molecules. However, the electrochromic phenomenon has rarely been observed in non-metallic elemental substances. Herein, we propose the development of non-metallic iodine electrodeposition-based electrochromic dynamic windows using a water-in-salt electrolyte containing iodine ions. The unique electrolyte environment and solvation structure of the water-in-salt electrolyte suppress the dissolution and shuttle effect of iodine, thereby achieving a different reaction pathway compared to traditional electrolytes. This pathway involves a reversible solid-liquid transition between solid iodine and solvated iodide ions. The iodine electrodeposition-based electrochromic dynamic window demonstrates a high optical contrast of 76.0% with near colour neutrality and excellent cycling stability. A practical 400 cm² complementary dynamic window is fabricated to demonstrate good electrochromic performance, including high optical contrast, a near colour-neutral opaque state, fast response time, uniform modulation, and polarity-switchable functionality.

Background Polyamines have been suggested to play pivotal roles in ischemic stroke and neurodegenerative disorders, but the associations of plasma polyamines with poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) remain unclear. We aimed to prospectively investigate the associations of plasma putrescine, spermidine, and spermine with PSCI among patients with ischemic stroke in a multicenter cohort study. Methods and Results We measured plasma polyamine levels at baseline among 619 patients with ischemic stroke from a preplanned ancillary study of CATIS (China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke). We used the Mini‐Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment to evaluate cognitive function at 3‐month follow‐up after ischemic stroke, and PSCI was defined as Mini‐Mental State Examination score <27 or Montreal Cognitive Assessment score <25. According to the Mini‐Mental State Examination score, plasma polyamines were positively associated with PSCI. The adjusted odds ratios of PSCI for the highest versus lowest quartile of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine were 1.81 (95% CI, 1.09–3.00), 1.81 (95% CI, 1.09–3.01), and 1.92 (95% CI, 1.15–3.20), respectively. In addition, plasma putrescine (net reclassification improvement, 32.08%; P <0.001; integrated discrimination improvement, 1.62%; P =0.002), spermidine (net reclassification improvement, 25.29%; P =0.002; integrated discrimination improvement, 1.22%; P =0.006), and spermine (net reclassification improvement, 16.54%; P =0.045; integrated discrimination improvement, 1.36%; P =0.004) could significantly improve the risk reclassification of PSCI beyond established risk factors. There were similar significant relationships when PSCI was defined by Montreal Cognitive Assessment score. Conclusions Higher plasma polyamine levels were associated with increased risk of PSCI among patients with ischemic stroke. Our findings suggest that plasma polyamines should be implicated in the pathophysiologic processes of PSCI and may be the potential intervention targets for PSCI. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT01840072.

Traffic forecasting is an enduring research topic in the design of intelligent transportation systems and spatial-temporal data mining. Accurate prediction can help facilitate urban resource optimization and improve road efficiency. However, the complex spatial-temporal dependencies and dynamic urban conditions make it extremely challenging. Although many spatial-temporal modeling approaches have been proposed recently, they still suffer from the following three problems: (1) Inadequate modeling of temporal correlations; (2) Ignoring the fundamental fact that the location dependence of road networks changes dynamically over time; (3) Difficulty in extracting deeper spatial-temporal features layer by layer. In this paper, we propose a novel Dynamic Spatial-Temporal Attention-enhanced Network called DSTAN for traffic prediction. In DSTAN, we combine gated temporal units with trend-aware multi-head temporal attention to jointly capture local and long-range temporal dependencies. We also employ learnable node embeddings to extract heterogeneous information and integrate this with the spatial attention module to learn dynamic spatial correlations without any expert knowledge. Structurally, we stack multiple spatial-temporal blocks to improve the model’s capability to identify complex patterns. Extensive experiments have been conducted on four widely used datasets, demonstrating that our method surpasses all baseline methods while exhibiting strong interpretability.

Multiple resonance (MR)‐type thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters have garnered significant interest due to their narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM) and high electroluminescence efficiency. However, the planar structures and large singlet‐triplet energy gaps (ΔESTs) characteristic of MR‐TADF molecules pose challenges to achieving high‐performance devices. Herein, two isomeric compounds, p‐TPS‐BN and m‐TPS‐BN, are synthesized differing in the connection modes between a bulky tetraphenylsilane (TPS) group and an MR core. This strategy aims to suppress intermolecular interactions, reduce ΔEST values, and investigate how connection positions influence photoelectric properties. Both compounds exhibit remarkably small ΔEST values (0.08–0.09 eV) and high internal quantum yields (95.0–97.8%). Notably, p‐TPS‐BN demonstrates a faster reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) with a rate constant of 2.54 × 10⁵ s⁻¹, attributed to its optimal long‐range charge transfer (LRCT) process. A narrowband device employing p‐TPS‐BN achieves a maximum external quantum efficiency of 35.8% with an FWHM of 36 nm. This work offers an effective framework for studying structure‐property relationships in MR molecules, paving the way for the development of high‐efficiency electroluminescent devices.