Specific and efficient knockdown of intracellular miRNA using partially neutralized phosphate-methylated DNA oligonucleic acid-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles.

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are molecules used to regulate RNA expression by targeting specific RNA sequences. One specific type of ASO, known as neutralized DNA (nDNA), contains site-specific methyl phosphotriester (MPTE) linkages on the phosphate backbone, changing the negatively charged DNA phosphodiester into a neutralized MPTE with designed locations. While nDNA has previously been employed as a sensitive nucleotide sequencing probe for the PCR, the potential of nDNA in intracellular RNA regulation and gene therapy remains underexplored. Our study aims to evaluate the regulatory capacity of nDNA as an ASO probe in cellular gene expression. We demonstrated that by tuning MPTE locations, partially and intermediately methylated nDNA loaded onto mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) can effectively knock down the intracellular miRNA, subsequently resulting in downstream mRNA regulation in colorectal cancer cell HCT116. Additionally, the nDNA ASO-loaded MSNs exhibit superior efficacy in reducing miR-21 levels over 72 hours compared to the efficacy of canonical DNA ASO-loaded MSNs. The reduction in the miR-21 level subsequently resulted in the enhanced mRNA levels of tumour-suppressing genes PTEN and PDCD4. Our findings underscore the potential of nDNA in gene therapies, especially in cancer treatment via a fine-tuned methylation location.

Association between particulate matter air pollution and cardiovascular disease mortality in Lanzhou, China.

Ambient particulate matter (PM) pollution has been linked to elevated mortality, especially from cardiovascular diseases. However, evidence on the effects of particulate matter pollution on cardiovascular mortality is still limited in Lanzhou, China. This research aimed to examine the associations of daily mean concentrations of ambient air pollutants (PM2.5, PMC, and PM10) and cardiovascular mortality due to overall and cause-specific diseases in Lanzhou. Data representing daily cardiovascular mortality rates, meteorological factors (daily average temperature, daily average humidity, and atmospheric pressure), and air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2) were collected from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2017, in Lanzhou. A quasi-Poisson regression model combined with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was used to estimate the associations. Stratified analyses were also performed by different cause-specific diseases, including cerebrovascular disease (CD), ischemic heart disease (IHD), heart rhythm disturbances (HRD), and heart failure (HF). The results showed that elevated concentration of PM2.5, PMC, and PM10 had different effects on mortality of different cardiovascular diseases. Only cerebrovascular disease showed a significant positive association with elevated PM2.5. Positive associations were identified between PMC and daily mortality rates from total cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, and ischemic heart diseases. Besides, increased concentration of PM10 was correlated with increased death of cerebrovascular diseases and ischemic heart diseases. For cerebrovascular disease, each 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 at lag4 was associated with increments of 1.22% (95% CI 0.11-2.35%). The largest significant effects for PMC on cardiovascular diseases and ischemic heart diseases were both observed at lag0, and a 10 µg/m3 increment in concentration of PMC was associated with 0.47% (95% CI 0.06-0.88%) and 0.85% (95% CI 0.18-1.52%) increases in cardiovascular mortality and ischemic heart diseases. In addition, it exhibited a lag effect on cerebrovascular mortality as well, which was most significant at lag6d, and an increase of 10 µg/m3 in PMC was associated with a 0.76% (95% CI 0.16-1.37%) increase in cerebrovascular mortality. The estimates of percentage change in daily mortality rates per 10 µg/m3 increase in PM10 were 0.52% (95% CI 0.05-1.02%) for cerebrovascular disease at lag6 and 0.53% (95% CI 0.01-1.05%) for ischemic heart disease at lag0, respectively. Our study suggests that elevated concentration of atmospheric PM (PM2.5, PMC, and PM10) in Lanzhou is associated with increased mortality of cardiovascular diseases and that the health effect of elevated concentration of PM2.5 is more significant than that of PMC and PM10.

Subsurface catalysis-mediated selectivity of dehydrogenation reaction.

Progress in heterogeneous catalysis is often hampered by the difficulties of constructing active architectures and understanding reaction mechanisms at the molecular level due to the structural complexity of practical catalysts, in particular for multicomponent catalysts. Although surface science experiments and theoretical simulations help understand the detailed reaction mechanisms over model systems, the direct study of the nature of nanoparticle catalysts remains a grand challenge. This paper describes a facile construction of well-defined Pt-skin catalysts modified by different 3d transition metal (3dTM) atoms in subsurface regions. However, on the catalyst containing both surface and subsurface 3dTMs, the selectivity of propane dehydrogenation decreases in the sequences of Pt ~ PtFe > PtCo > PtNi due to the easier C-C cracking on exposed Co and Ni sites. After the exposed 3dTMs were removed completely, the C3H6 selectivity was found to increase markedly in the row Pt < PtNi@Pt < PtCo@Pt < PtFe@Pt, which is in line with the calculated trend of d-band center shifting. The established relationship between reactivity and d-band center shifting illustrates the role of subsurface catalysis in dehydrogenation reaction.

The Effect of Perceived Parent-Child Facial Resemblance on Parents' Trait Anxiety: The Moderating Effect of Parents' Gender.

Father-child facial resemblance is an important cue for men to evaluate paternity. Previous studies found that fathers' perceptions of low facial resemblance with offspring lead to low confidence of paternity. Fathers' uncertainty of paternity could cause psychological stress and anxiety, which, after a long time, may further turn into trait anxiety. Conversely, females can ensure a biological connection with offspring because of internal fertilization. The purpose of this study was thus to examine the role of parents' gender in the effect of parents' perceived facial resemblance with child on their trait anxiety. In this study, 151 parents (father or mother) from one-child families reported their facial resemblance with child and their trait anxiety. Results showed that (i) males tended to perceive higher facial similarity with child than did females and (ii) males' perceived facial resemblance with child significantly predicted trait anxiety, whereas females' perceived facial resemblance did not. These findings suggested that the uncertainty of paternity contributed to the trait anxiety of fathers, but not mothers.

Spatial separation of oxidation and reduction co-catalysts for efficient charge separation: Pt@TiO2@MnO x hollow spheres for photocatalytic reactions.

Efficient charge separation is a critical factor for solar energy conversion by heterogeneous photocatalysts. This paper describes the complete spatial separation of oxidation and reduction cocatalysts to enhance the efficacy of charge separation and surface reaction. Specifically, we design Pt@TiO2@MnO x hollow spheres (PTM-HSs) with Pt and MnO x loaded onto the inner and outer surface of TiO2 shells, respectively. Pt favours electron trapping, while MnO x tends to collect holes. Upon generation from TiO2, electrons and holes flow inward and outward of the spherical photocatalyst, accumulating on the corresponding cocatalysts, and then take part in redox reactions. Combined with other advantages, such as the large surface area and appropriate pore size, the PTM-HSs exhibit high efficiency for the photocatalytic oxidation of water and benzyl alcohol. The mechanism of the oxidation process of benzyl alcohol over the photocatalyst is also presented.

Gold Nanorod@TiO2 Yolk-Shell Nanostructures for Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol.

Fine gold nanorod@TiO2 yolk-shell catalysts are synthesized by an improved silica template method. With a hollow TiO2 shell and a unique tunable cylindrical gold core, the catalyst exhibits a high surface area and a wide range of photoabsorption, from ultraviolet to near infrared. The remarkable photochemical activity is obtained when such catalyst is utilized to oxidize benzyl alcohol.