Self-evolving persistent luminescence nanoprobes for autofluorescence-free ratiometric imaging and on-demand enhanced chemodynamic therapy of pulmonary metastatic tumors.

Precise imaging-guided therapy of a pulmonary metastasis tumor is of great significance for tumor management and prognosis. Persistent luminescence nanoparticles (PLNPs) are promising probes due to their in situ excitation-free and low-background imaging characteristics. However, most of the PLNP-based probes cannot intelligently distinguish between normal and tumor tissues or balance the needs of targeted accumulation and rapid metabolism, resulting in false positive signals and potential side effects. Besides, the luminescence intensity of single-emissive PLNPs is affected by external factors. Herein, we report a self-evolving double-emissive PLNP-based nanoprobe ZGMC@ZGC-TAT for pulmonary metastatic tumor imaging and therapy. Acid-degradable green-emitting PLNPs (ZGMC) with good afterglow performance and therapeutic potential are synthesized by systematic optimization of dopants. Ultra-small red-emitting PLNPs (ZGC) are then prepared as imaging and reference probes. The two PLNPs are finally covalently coupled and further modified with a cell-penetrating peptide (TAT) to obtain ZGMC@ZGC-TAT. Dual emission ensures a stable luminescence ratio (I700/I537) independent of probe concentration, test voltage and time gate. ZGMC degrades and phosphorescence disappears in a tumor microenvironment (TME), resulting in an increase in I700/I537, thus enabling tumor-specific ratiometric imaging. Cu2+ and Mn2+ released by ZGMC degradation achieve GSH depletion and enhance CDT, effectively inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. Meanwhile, the size of ZGMC@ZGC-TAT decreases sharply, and the resulting ZGC-TAT further causes nuclear pyknosis and quickly clear metabolism. The developed ZGMC@ZGC-TAT turns non-targeted lung aggregation of nanomaterials into a unique advantage, and integrates TME-triggered phosphorescence and size self-evolution, and on-demand therapeutic functions, showing outstanding prospects in precise imaging and efficient treatment of pulmonary metastatic tumors.

Persistent production of multiple active species with copper doped zinc gallate nanoparticles for light-independent photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants.

Photocatalysis is considered as an environmentally friendly and sustainable method as it can produce active species to degrade pollutants. However, its applications are hindered by the turbidity of pollutants and the requirements for continuous or repeated in situ irradiation. To avoid the need for continuous in situ irradiation in the photocatalytic process, herein we report the doping of Cu(II) ions into zinc gallate (ZnGa2O4) as traps to capture photo-generated electrons. In this way, long lifetime charge release and separation were effectively achieved for the persistent degradation of organic dyes in wastewater. The Cu(II) doped ZnGa2O4 (ZGC) nanoparticles with a small size about 7.7 nm synthesized via a hydrothermal method exhibited a persistent photocatalytic activity with continuous production of reactive oxygen species for at least 96 h without in situ irradiation due to its unique electronic structure and carrier transport path, and enabled to degrade 82.2 % of rhodamine B in 1 h. Further investigation revealed that the doped Cu(II) ions occupied the octahedral sites of ZGC and highly increased the persistent production and availability of active species for the persistent degradation of organic dyes under pre-illuminated conditions.

Tuning the planarity of molecularly imprinted covalent organic frameworks for selective extraction of ochratoxin A in alcohol samples.

Here, we report a monomer planarity modulation strategy for room-temperature constructing molecularly imprinted-covalent organic frameworks (MI-COFs) for selective extraction of ochratoxin A (OTA). 2,4,6-triformylphloroglucinol (Tp) was used as basic building block, while three amino monomers with different planarity were employed as modulators to explore the effect of planarity on the selectivity of MI-COFs. The MI-TpTapa constructed from Tp and the lowest planarity of monomer Tapa gave the highest selectivity for OTA, and was further used as the adsorbent for dispersed-solid phase extraction (DSPE) of OTA in alcohol samples. Coupling MI-TpTapa based DSPE with high-performance liquid chromatography allowed the matrix-effect free determination of OTA in alcohol samples with the limit of detection of 0.023 µg kg-1 and the recoveries of 91.4-97.6%. The relative standard deviation (RSD, n = 6) of intra and inter day was <3.2%. This work provides a new way to construct MI-COFs for selective extraction of hazardous targets.

Engineering of molecularly imprinted cavity within 3D covalent organic frameworks: An innovation for enhanced extraction and removal of microcystins.

The scarcity of selective adsorbents for efficient extraction and removal of microcystins (MCs) from complex samples greatly limits the precise detection and effective control of MCs. Three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (3D COFs), characterized by their large specific surface areas and highly ordered rigid structure, are promising candidates, but suffer from lack of specific recognition. Herein, we design to engineer molecularly imprinted cavities within 3D COFs via molecularly imprinted technology, creating a novel adsorbent with exceptional selectivity, kinetics and capacity for the efficient extraction and removal of MCs. As proof-of-concept, a new CC bond-containing 3D COF, designated JNU-7, is designed and prepared for copolymerization with methacrylic acid, the pseudo template L-arginine and ethylene dimethacrylate to yield the JNU-7 based molecularly imprinted polymer (JNU-7-MIP). The JNU-7-MIP exhibits a great adsorption capacity (156 mg g-1) for L-arginine. Subsequently, the JNU-7-MIP based solid-phase extraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry achieves low detection limit of 0.008 ng mL-1, wide linear range of 0.025-100 ng mL-1, high enrichment factor of 186, rapid extraction of 10 min, and good recoveries of 92.4%-106.5% for MC-LR. Moreover, the JNU-7-MIP can rapidly remove the MC-LR from 1 mg L-1 to levels (0.26-0.35 µg L-1) lower than the WHO recommended limit for drinking water (1 µg L-1). This work reveals the considerable potential of 3D COF based MIPs as promising adsorbents for the extraction and removal of contaminants in complex real samples.

Efficacy and safety of GST-HG171 in adult patients with mild to moderate COVID-19: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2/3 trial.

Background: GST-HG171 is a potent, broad-spectrum, orally bioavailable small-molecule 3C like protease inhibitor that has demonstrated greater potency and efficacy compared to Nirmatrelvir in pre-clinical studies. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of orally administered GST-HG171 plus Ritonavir in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infected with emerging XBB and non-XBB variants. Methods: This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2/3 trial was conducted in 47 sites in China among adult patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 with symptoms onset ≤72 h. Eligible patients were randomised 1:1 to receive GST-HG171 (150 mg) plus Ritonavir (100 mg) or corresponding placebo tablets twice daily for 5 days, with stratification factors including the risk level of disease progression and vaccination status. The primary efficacy endpoint was time to sustained recovery of clinical symptoms within 28 days, defined as a score of 0 for 11 COVID-19-related target symptoms for 2 consecutive days, assessed in the modified intention-to-treat (mITT) population. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05656443) and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200067088). Findings: Between Dec 19, 2022, and May 4, 2023, 1525 patients were screened. Among 1246 patients who underwent randomisation, most completed basic (21.2%) or booster (74.9%) COVID-19 immunization, and most had a low risk of disease progression at baseline. 610 of 617 who received GST-HG171 plus Ritonavir and 603 of 610 who received placebo were included in the mITT population. Patients who received GST-HG171 plus Ritonavir showed shortened median time to sustained recovery of clinical symptoms compared to the placebo group (13.0 days [95.45% confidence interval 12.0-15.0] vs. 15.0 days [14.0-15.0], P = 0.031). Consistent results were observed in both SARS-CoV-2 XBB (45.7%, 481/1053 of mITT population) and non-XBB variants (54.3%, 572/1053 of mITT population) subgroups. Incidence of adverse events was similar in the GST-HG171 plus Ritonavir (320/617, 51.9%) and placebo group (298/610, 48.9%). The most common adverse events in both placebo and treatment groups were hypertriglyceridaemia (10.0% vs. 14.7%). No deaths occurred. Interpretation: Treatment with GST-HG171 plus Ritonavir has demonstrated benefits in symptom recovery and viral clearance among low-risk vaccinated adult patients with COVID-19, without apparent safety concerns. As most patients were treated within 2 days after symptom onset in our study, confirming the potential benefits of symptom recovery for patients with a longer duration between symptom onset and treatment initiation will require real-world studies. Funding: Fujian Akeylink Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

The effects of health risk behaviors to excess mortality in the population with depression: A cohort study based on NHANES data.

BACKGROUND: The population with depression had a considerable excess mortality risk. This increased mortality may be attributed to the biological consequences of depression or the substantial prevalence of health risk behaviors (HRBs). This study aimed to quantify the combined effects of four major HRBs - smoking, excessive alcohol use, physical inactivity, and an unhealthy diet - on excess mortality among depressed individuals. METHODS: This study included 35,738 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-06 to 2017-18, with mortality follow-up data censored through 2019. The standardized prevalence of HRBs was calculated for populations with and without depression. Poisson regression models were used to calculate the mortality rate ratio (MRR). Based on model adjusting for socio-demographic factors, the attenuation of MRR was determined after further adjustment for HRBs. RESULTS: A total of 3147 participants were identified as having depression. All HRBs showed a significantly higher prevalence among the population with depression. After adjusting for socio-demographic factors, depression was associated with 1.7 and 1.8 times higher all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality rate, respectively. Further adjustment for all current HRBs resulted in a 21.9 % reduction in all-cause mortality rate and a 15.4 % decrease in cardiovascular disease mortality rate. LIMITATION: HRBs were reported at a single time point, and we are unable to demonstrate a causal effect. CONCLUSION: At least 1/5 of excess mortality for population with depression was attributable to HRBs. Efforts should be made to address HRBs among population with depression.

Association of hypertension and depression with mortality: an exploratory study with interaction and mediation models.

BACKGROUND: The association of hypertension and depression with mortality has not been fully understood. We aimed to explore the possible independent or joint association of hypertension and depression with mortality. Their interaction effects on mortality and possible mediating role were also investigated. METHODS: Associations of hypertension, depression, and their interaction with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality were evaluated using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models. The mediation analysis was conducted with a Sobel test. RESULTS: A total of 35152 participants were included in the final analysis. Hypertension and depression were independently associated with increased risk of all-cause and CVD mortality. The co-existence of hypertension and depression resulted in a 1.7-fold [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-2.1] increase in all-cause mortality and a 2.3-fold (95% CI: 1.4-3.7) increase in CVD mortality compared to those with neither of them. Hypertension and depression showed no significant multiplicative (P for interaction, 0.587) and additive interaction (P for relative excess risk of interaction, 0.243; P for Interaction on additive scale, 0.654) on all-cause mortality, as well as on CVD mortality. Depression did not mediate the relationship between hypertension and all-cause (Z=1.704, P=0.088) and CVD mortality (Z=1.547, P=0.122). Hypertension did not mediate the relationship between all-cause and CVD mortality as well. CONCLUSION: Hypertension and depression were related to all-cause and CVD mortality independently and the co-existence of them increased the risk of mortality. However, there is no interaction effect of them on mortality, and hypertension or depression did not mediate the association of each other with mortality.

Afterglow Performance of Phenylenevinylene-Based Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles Doped with Photosensitizers Containing Electron-Withdrawing Groups.

It is usually believed that doping with photosensitizers capable of generating singlet oxygen (1O2) plays a pivotal role in enhancing the afterglow performance of semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs). However, the effect of doping photosensitizer bearing electron-withdrawing groups has not been reported. Here we report the effect of doping with six photosensitizers possessing different electron-withdrawing groups on the afterglow performance of SPNs using poly[(9,9-di(2-ethylhexyl)-9H-fluo-rene-2,7-vinylene)-co-(1-methoxy-4-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-2,5-phenylenevinylene)] (PF-MEHPPV) as substrate. It was found that the afterglow performance of SPNs was significantly influenced by doping with photosensitizers bearing electron-withdrawing groups. For the doped photosensitizers with strong electron-withdrawing groups, the stronger the electron-withdrawing ability of the group, the worse of the afterglow performance of the SPN regardless of the 1O2 generation ability of the photosensitizer. When the doped photosensitizer exhibited weak or none electron-withdrawing effect, the 1O2 generation ability of the photosensitizer played a dominant role on the afterglow performance of the SPNs. This work deepens the understanding of the design and synthesis of SPNs with different afterglow properties.

Size-Dependent Deformation and Competition H-Bond Site-Induced Individual Fluorescence Response of a Single-Crystal Three-Dimensional Covalent Organic Framework.

Understanding the individual fluorescence response mechanism of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) at a single-crystal level is of great significance for the rational design of COF-based microsensors but unreachable because all previous COF-based sensors are performed with average fluorescence response behavior of various sized polycrystalline COFs. Herein, we design to explore the fluorescence response of a monodisperse single-crystal COF and further reveal the individual heterogeneity of the response mechanism. Three-dimensional single-crystal COF-301 (SCOF-301) with an intramolecular H-bond-induced excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer effect is selected as a proof-of-concept SCOF. With ethanol, benzene, and ammonia as model analytes, three different deformation and competition H-bond site-induced fluorescence response mechanisms related to crystal size are revealed. Small single particles of SCOF-301 (SSCOF-301) exhibit a more flexible structure, leading to the dominant role of deformation in the fluorescence response of small-sized SSCOF-301. The decreasing flexibility of SSCOF-301 with the increase of crystal size results in involvement of competition of the H-bond site to the fluorescence response besides deformation. Further increase of the crystal size makes the large-sized SSCOF-301 difficult to deform; thus, the competition of the H-bond site dominates the fluorescence response. This work provides a deep understanding of the individual fluorescence response mechanism of COFs to guide the design of a functional COF sensor with suitable size and mechanism for different structural analytes.

Size-independent boosting of near-infrared persistent luminescence in nano-phosphors via a magnesium doping strategy.

Near-infrared (NIR)-emitting persistent luminescence nanoparticles (PLNPs) are ideal optical imaging contrast reagents characterized by autofluorescence-free optical imaging for their frontier applications in long-term bioimaging. Preparation of uniform small-sized PLNPs with excellent luminescence performance is crucial for biomedical applications, but challenging. Here, we report a facile magnesium doping strategy to achieve size-independent boost of NIR persistent luminescence in typical and most concerned ZnGa2O4:Cr3+ PLNPs. This strategy relies on the doping of Mg2+ ions that with similar size of Zn2+ ions in the host lattice matrix, and concomitant to the electron traps tailoring tuned by varying the feed ratio of Mg2+. The optimum Mg2+-doped PLNPs give a long afterglow time (signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) = 31.6 at 30 d) without changing the desirable uniform sub-10 nm size of the original nanocrystals. The appropriate increase of the depth and concentration of electron trap contribute jointly to the enhancement of lifetime (488 % longer, 20.57 s) and afterglow time for 700 nm persistent luminescence. Meanwhile, these PLNPs keep the original excellent rechargeability and promote over 60 times increase of SNR in renewable in vivo imaging. This simple strategy provides a basis for new opportunities to address the critical challenge of effective optical performance boost in small-sized PLNPs.

Pore Size Adjustment Strategy for the Fabrication of Molecularly Imprinted Covalent Organic Framework Nanospheres at Room Temperature for Selective Extraction of Zearalenone in Cereal Samples.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are attractive adsorbents for sample pretreatment due to their unique structure and properties. However, the selectivity of COFs for the extraction of hazardous compounds is still limited due to the lack of specific interactions between COFs and targets. Herein, we report a pore size adjustment strategy for room-temperature synthesis of molecularly imprinted COF (MICOF) for selective extraction of zearalenone (ZEN) in complex food samples. The three-dimensional building block tetra(4-aminophenyl) methane was used as a functional monomer, while dialdehyde monomers with different numbers of benzene ring were used to adjust the pore size of MICOF to match with the size of ZEN molecules. The prepared MICOF gave the largest adsorption capacity of 177.2 mg g-1 and the highest imprinting factor of 10.1 for ZEN so far. MICOF was used as the adsorbent for dispersed solid-phase extraction in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography for the determination of trace ZEN in cereals. The high selectivity of the developed method allows simple aqueous standard calibration for the matrix effect-free determination of ZEN in food samples. The limit of detection and the recoveries of the developed method were 0.21 µg kg-1 and 93.7-101.4%, respectively. The precision for the determination of ZEN was less than 3.8% (RSD, n = 6). The developed method is promising for the selective determination of ZEN in complex matrices.

Integrating molecular imprinting into flexible covalent organic frameworks for selective recognition and efficient extraction of aflatoxins.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising adsorbents for extraction, but their selectivity for molecular recognition remains a challenging issue due to the very limited structural design with rigid structure. Herein, we report an elegant strategy for the design and synthesis of molecularly imprinted flexible COFs (MI-FCOFs) via one-pot reaction between the flexible building block of 2,4,6-tris(4-formylphenoxy)- 1,3,5-triazine and linear 4-phenylenediamine for selective extraction of aflatoxins. The flexible chain structure enabled the developed MI-FCOF to adjust the shape and conformation of frameworks to suit the template molecule, giving high selectivity for aflatoxins recognition. Moreover, MI-FCOF with abundant imprinted sites and function groups exhibited an exceptional adsorption capacity of 258.4 mg g-1 for dummy template which is 3 times that of no-imprinted FCOF (NI-FCOF). Coupling MI-FCOF based solid-phase extraction with high-performance liquid chromatography gave low detection limits of 0.003-0.09 ng mL-1 and good precision with relative standard deviations ≤ 6.7% for the determination of aflatoxins. Recoveries for the spiked rice, corn, wheat and peanut samples were in the range of 85.4%- 105.4%. The high selectivity of the developed MI-FCOF allows matrix-free determination of AFTs in food samples. This work offers a new way to the design of MI-FCOF for selective molecular recognition.

Pure Covalent-Organic Framework Membrane as a Label-Free Biomimetic Nanochannel for Sensitive and Selective Sensing of Chiral Flavor Substances.

Chiral flavor substances play an important role in the human perception of different tastes. Here, we report a pure covalent-organic framework (COF) membrane nanochannel in combination with a chiral gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) selector for sensing chiral flavor substances. The pure COF membrane with a proper pore size is selected as the nanochannel, while l-cysteine-modified AuNPs (l-Cys-AuNPs) are used as the chiral selector. l-Cys-AuNPs show stronger binding to the S-enantiomer than the R-enantiomer, causing current reduction to different degrees for the R- and S-enantiomer to achieve chiral sensing due to the synergistic effect of the size exclusion of the COF nanochannel and the chiral selectivity of l-Cys-AuNPs. The developed COF membrane nanochannel sensing platform not only allows an easy balance of the permeability and selectivity, which is difficult to achieve in traditional polymer membrane nanochannel sensors, but also exhibits better chiral performance than commercial artificial anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanochannel sensors. The developed nanochannel sensor is successfully applied for sensing flavor enantiomers such as limonene, propanediol, methylbutyric acid, and butanol with the enantiomer excess values of 55.2% (propanediol) and 72.4% (limonene) and the low detection limits of 36 (limonene) and 71 (propanediol) ng L-1. This study provides a new idea for the construction of nanochannel platforms based on the COF for sensitive and selective chiral sensing.

General Two-Step Method for the Fabrication of Covalent-Organic Framework-Bound Open-Tubular Capillary Columns for High-Resolution Gas Chromatography Separation of Isomers.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising as stationary phases for gas chromatography (GC). The successful anchoring of COFs to the inner walls of the capillary with good uniformity is an important prerequisite to ensure the excellent separation performance of columns. However, current methods for the fabrication of COF-based capillary columns cannot always meet this requirement when faced with different COFs, which hampers the further development of COF-based GC stationary phases. Here, we show a general two-step method for the fabrication of COF-bound capillary column. The first step enables the formation of uniform amorphous polymer layer on the inner walls of capillary, while the second step allows the facile transformation of the amorphous polymer layer into a highly crystalline COF layer. COF-bound capillary columns with different framework structures were fabricated successfully by the developed two-step method. Impressively, the COF layers bound on the inner walls of these capillary columns showed good uniformity and high crystallinity. More importantly, as an example, the fabricated Tab-DHTA-bound capillary column showed good resolution (R > 1.5) and high column efficiency (700-39,663 plates m-1) for the tested isomers of ethylbenzene, xylene, dichlorobenzene, chlorotoluene, pinene, 1,3-dichloropropene, and propylbenzene with good precision (RSD, run-to-run, n = 5) (retention time, 0.2-0.6%; peak area, 0.5-1.1%; and peak height, 0.5-1.4%). In general, the fabricated Tab-DHTA-bound capillary column exhibited better performance for the separation isomers than commercial columns DB-5 and HP-FFAP. These results indicate that the two-step method is an efficient way to fabricate the COF-bound capillary column with excellent separation performance.

Porphyrin-anthracene covalent organic frameworks for sustainable photosterilization.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have promising applications in enhanced phototherapy. However, COFs that can sustainably play a role in phototherapy without continuous irradiation are extremely scarce. Herein, we report the fabrication of porphyrin-anthracene multifunctional COFs (Por-DPA) for sustainable photosterilization and bacterial-infected wound healing. A porphyrin photosensitizer, as one of the monomers, was used to provide photothermal and photodynamic activities under irradiation. An anthracene derivative, a good chemical source of singlet oxygen (1O2), was selected as another monomer to capture 1O2 and release it continuously via cycloreversion in the dark. The prepared Por-DPA COF prevents the self-aggregation quenching of the photosensitizer and thermal damage caused by continuous exposure to external light sources. Besides, Por-DPA exhibits good photothermal conversion performance and efficient 1O2 production capacity through dual pathways of photosensitization and cycloreversion. The developed sustainable photosterilization platform not only has good bactericidal effects on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, but also promotes wound healing without obvious side effects, and is expected to be a novel efficient bactericide.

The combined association of adherence to recommended physical activity and glycemic control with depression: an exploratory study with mediation and moderation models.

BACKGROUND: Both physical activity and dysglycemia are associated with depression. However, the combined association of adherence to recommended physical activity (RPA) and glycemic control with depression is unknown. Moreover, the extent to which glycemic control mediates the association between physical activity and depression is not established. METHODS: The sample included 31,302 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-08 to 2017-18. Adherence to RPA for aerobic activity was defined according to the WHO 2020 guidelines. HbA1c was classified as < 5.7%, 5.7-6.4%, 6.5-6.9%, and ≥ 7.0%. Depression was evaluated according to the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. The odds ratio for depression stratified by adherence to RPA and HbA1c level were estimated by logistic regressions. Mediation analysis was performed to estimate the direct associations (not through glycemic control) and indirect associations (through glycemic control). RESULTS: A total of 2871 participants were diagnosed with depression. Compared to participants with HbA1c level < 5.7% who adhere to RPA, those with HbA1c level < 5.7%, 5.7-6.4%, 6.5-6.9%, and ≥ 7.0% who did not adhere to RPA had increased odds ratio for depression, especially in women and older adults. Individuals with HbA1c ≥ 7.0% still had an increased odds ratio for depression even though they were physically active. The results of the mediation analysis were insignificant. CONCLUSION: There was a combined association of adherence to RPA and glycemic control with depression in women and older adults. We did not find out evidence of glycemic control mediation on the pathway from physical activity to depression.

Comprehensive analysis of circRNA expression profile and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network susceptibility to very early-onset schizophrenia.

To explore the potential role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in children developing very early-onset schizophrenia (VEOS). Total RNA was extracted from the plasma samples of 10 VEOS patients and eight healthy controls. Expression profiles of circRNAs, micro RNAs (miRNAs), and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were analyzed using RNA-seq. The interaction networks between miRNAs and targets were predicted using the miRanda tool. A differentially expressed circRNA-miRNA-mRNA (ceRNA) network was further constructed. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses of the target mRNAs in the ceRNA network were performed to predict the potential functions of their host genes. The patient group and the control group were also compared on the regulatory patterns of circRNAs on mRNAs. 1934 circRNAs were identified from the samples and reported for the first time in schizophrenia. The circRNA expression levels were lower in the VEOS group than in the healthy control group, and 1889 circRNAs were expressed only in the control group. Differential expression analysis (i.e., log2fold change > 1.5, p 0.05) identified 235 circRNAs (1 up-regulated, 234 down-regulated), 11 miRNAs (7 up-regulated, 4 down-regulated), and 2,308 mRNAs (1906 up-regulated, 402 down-regulated) respectively. In VEOS, a ceRNA network with 10 down-regulated circRNA targets, 6 up-regulated miRNAs, and 47 down-regulated mRNAs was constructed. The target genes were involved in the membrane, the signal transduction, and the cytoskeleton and transport pathways. Finally, different expression correlation patterns of circRNA and mRNA in the network were observed between the patient group and the control group. The current research is the first to reveal the differentially expressed circRNAs in the plasma of VEOS patients. A circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was also conducted in this study. It may be implied that the circRNAs in this network are potential diagnostic biomarkers for VEOS and they play an important role in the onset and development of VEOS symptoms.

Biomass-derived carbon dots with light conversion and nutrient provisioning capabilities facilitate plant photosynthesis.

Carbon dots (CDs)-enabled agriculture has been developing rapidly, but small-scale synthesis and high costs hinder the agricultural application of CDs. Herein, biomass-derived carbon dots (B-CDs) were prepared on a gram-level with low cost, and these B-CDs significantly improved crop photosynthesis. The B-CDs, exhibiting small size and blue fluorescence, were absorbed by crops and enhanced photosynthesis via light-harvesting. Foliar application of B-CDs (10 mg·kg-1) could promote chlorophyll synthesis (30-100 %), Ferredoxin (Fd, 40-80 %), Rubisco enzyme (20-110 %) and upregulated gene expression (20-70 %), resulting in higher net photosynthetic rates (130-300 %), dry biomass (160-300 %) and fresh biomass (80-150 %). Further, the B-CDs could increase crop photosynthesis under nutrient deficient conditions, which was attributed to the release of nutrients from B-CDs. Therefore, the B-CDs enhanced the photosynthesis via enhancing light conversion and nutrient supply. This study provides a promising material capable of enhancing photosynthesis for sustainable agriculture production.

Surface imprinted-covalent organic frameworks for efficient solid-phase extraction of fluoroquinolones in food samples.

Molecularly imprinting on covalent organic frameworks (MI-COF) is a promising way to prepare selective adsorbents for effective extraction of fluoroquinolones (FQs). However, the unstable framework structure and complex imprinting process are challenging for the construction of MI-COF. Here, we report a facile surface imprinting approach with dopamine to generate imprinted cavities on the surface of irreversible COF for highly efficient extraction of FQs in food samples. The irreversible-linked COF was fabricated from hexahydroxytriphenylene and tetrafluorophthalonitrile to ensure COF stability. Moreover, the introduction of dopamine surface imprinted polymer into COF provides abundant imprinted sites and endows excellent selectivity for FQs recognition against other antibiotics. Taking enrofloxacin as a template molecule, the prepared MI-COF gave an exceptional adsorption capacity of 581 mg g-1, a 2.2-fold enhancement of adsorption capacity compared with nonimprinted COF. The MI-COF was further explored as adsorbent to develop a novel solid-phase extraction method coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography for the simultaneous determination of enrofloxacin, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin. The developed method gave the low limits of detection at 0.003-0.05 ng mL-1, high precision with relative standard deviations less than 3.5%. The recoveries of spiked FQs in food samples ranged from 80.4% to 110.7%.

Mesoporous polyacrylic acid/calcium phosphate coated persistent luminescence nanoparticles for improved afterglow bioimaging and chemotherapy of bacterial infection.

Coating mesoporous drug carriers on the surface of persistent luminescence nanoparticles (PLNPs) not only allows continuous luminous imaging without spontaneous fluorescence interference, but also provides drug release guidance. However, in most cases, the encapsulation of the drug-loaded shells significantly reduces the luminescence of PLNPs, which is unfavorable for bioimaging. In addition, conventional drug-loaded shells alone, such as silica shells, have difficulty in achieving responsive fast drug release. Herein, we report the fabrication of mesoporous polyacrylic acid (PAA)/calcium phosphate (CaP) shell-coated PLNPs (PLNPs@PAA/CaP) for improved afterglow bioimaging and drug delivery. The encapsulation of the PAA/CaP shell effectively prolonged the decay time and enhanced the sustained luminescence of PLNPs by about three times due to the passivation of the surface defects of PLNPs by the shell, and the energy transfer between the shell and PLNPs. Meanwhile, the mesoporous structure and negative charge of the PAA/CaP shells enabled the prepared PLNPs@PAA/CaP to carry the positively charged drug doxycycline hydrochloride efficiently. Under the acidic conditions of bacterial infection, the degradation of PAA/CaP shells and the ionization of PAA enabled fast drug release for effective killing of bacteria at the infection site. The excellent persistent luminescence properties, outstanding biocompatibility, and rapid responsive release feature make the prepared PLNPs@PAA/CaP a promising nanoplatform for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.