Two-photon photosensitized production of singlet oxygen: sensitizers with phenylene-ethynylene-based chromophores

[reaction: see text] Singlet molecular oxygen (a(1)Delta(g)) has been produced and optically monitored in time-resolved experiments upon nonlinear two-photon excitation of photosensitizers that contain triple bonds as an integral part of the chromophore. Both experiments and ab initio computations indicate that the photophysical properties of alkyne-containing sensitizers are similar to those in the alkene-containing analogues. Most importantly, however, in comparison to the analogue that contains double bonds, the sensitizer containing alkyne moieties is more stable against singlet-oxygen-mediated photooxygenation reactions. This increased stability can be advantageous, particularly with respect to two-photon singlet oxygen imaging experiments in which data are collected over comparatively long time periods.     

Therapeutic Targeting of the NRF2 Signaling Pathway in Cancer

Cancer is one of the most fatal diseases with an increasing incidence and mortality all over the world. Thus, there is an urgent need for novel therapies targeting major cancer-related pathways. Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and its major negative modulator Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) are main players of the cellular defense mechanisms against internal and external cell stressors. However, NRF2/KEAP1 signaling pathway is dysregulated in various cancers, thus promoting tumor cell survival and metastasis. In the present review, we discuss the mechanisms of normal and deregulated NRF2 signaling pathway focusing on its cancer-related functions. We further explore activators and inhibitors of this pathway as cancer targeting drug candidates in order to provide an extensive background on the subject.     

In situ Engineering of Tumor-Associated Macrophages via a Nanodrug-Delivering-Drug (β-Elemene@Stanene) Strategy for Enhanced Cancer Chemo-Immunotherapy

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a critical role in the immunosuppressive solid tumor microenvironment (TME), yet in situ engineering of TAMs for enhanced tumor immunotherapy remains a significant challenge in translational immuno-oncology. Here, we report an innovative nanodrug-delivering-drug (STNSP@ELE) strategy that leverages two-dimensional (2D) stanene-based nanosheets (STNSP) and β-Elemene (ELE), a small-molecule anticancer drug, to overcome TAM-mediated immunosuppression and improve chemo-immunotherapy. Our results demonstrate that both STNSP and ELE are capable of polarizing the tumor-supportive M2-like TAMs into a tumor-suppressive M1-like phenotype, which acts with the ELE chemotherapeutic to boost antitumor responses. In vivo mouse studies demonstrate that STNSP@ELE treatment can reprogram the immunosuppressive TME by significantly increasing the intratumoral ratio of M1/M2-like TAMs, enhancing the population of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T lymphocytes and mature dendritic cells, and elevating the expression of immunostimulatory cytokines in B16F10 melanomas, thereby promoting a robust antitumor response. Our study not only demonstrates that the STNSP@ELE chemo-immunotherapeutic nanoplatform has immune-modulatory capabilities that can overcome TAM-mediated immunosuppression in solid tumors, but also highlights the promise of this nanodrug-delivering-drug strategy in developing other nano-immunotherapeutics and treating various types of immunosuppressive tumors.     

Acrylamide-based magnetic nanosponges: a new smart nanocomposite material

Nanocomposite materials consisting of CoFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles and a polyethylene glycol-acrylamide gel matrix have been synthesized. The structure of such materials was studied by means of small-angle scattering of X-rays and polarized neutrons, showing that the CoFe2O4 nanoparticles were successfully and homogeneously embedded in the gel structure. Magnetic, viscoelastic, and water retention properties of the nanocomposite gel confirm that the properties of both nanoparticles and gel are combined in the resulting nanomagnetic gel. Scanning electron microscopy highlights the nanocomposite nature of the material, showing the presence of a gel structure with different pore size distributions (pores with micron and nano-size distributions) that can be used as active sponge-like nanomagnetic container for water-based formulations as oil-in-water microemulsions.     

Scalable Synthesis and Electrocatalytic Performance of Highly Fluorinated Covalent Organic Frameworks for Oxygen Reduction

In this study, we present a novel approach for the synthesis of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) that overcomes the common limitations of non-scalable solvothermal procedures. Our method allows for the room-temperature and scalable synthesis of a highly fluorinated DFTAPB-TFTA-COF, which exhibits intrinsic hydrophobicity. We used DFT-based calculations to elucidate the role of the fluorine atoms in enhancing the crystallinity of the material through corrugation effects, resulting in maximized interlayer interactions, as disclosed both from PXRD structural resolution and theoretical simulations. We further investigated the electrocatalytic properties of this material towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Our results show that the fluorinated COF produces hydrogen peroxide selectively with low overpotential (0.062 V) and high turnover frequency (0.0757 s⁻¹) without the addition of any conductive additives. These values are among the best reported for non-pyrolyzed and metal-free electrocatalysts. Finally, we employed DFT-based calculations to analyse the reaction mechanism, highlighting the crucial role of the fluorine atom in the active site assembly. Our findings shed light on the potential of fluorinated COFs as promising electrocatalysts for the ORR, as well as their potential applications in other fields.     

Simultaneous separation of ergot alkaloids by capillary electrophoresis after cloud point extraction from cereal samples

A new and sensitive analytical methodology for ergot alkaloids (EA) determination from cereal samples based on cloud point extraction (CPE) prior to CE‐UV absorbance was developed. The methodology involves extraction under acid conditions and subsequent preconcentration by applying a simple, rapid and environmentally friendly low volume surfactant extraction procedure. After extraction, CE analysis was carried out by performing dilutions on preconcentrated surfactant rich phase, achieving a single peak or simultaneous alkaloids determination. A real preconcentration factor of 22 of total EA was obtained, demonstrating the efficiency of this methodology. The limits of detection were 2.6 and 2.2 μg/kg for ergotamine and ergonovine, respectively. Validation procedure revealed suitable linearity, accuracy and precision. The average extraction and clean‐up recoveries were compared with the theoretical values and were better than 92%. This method was successfully applied to the determination of EA in different varieties of commercial flour samples, two grain samples and one of the leading brands cereal‐based product for infant feeding. The high sensitivity achieved for EA determinations in real samples suggests CPE procedure as an interesting approach to improve CE‐UV visible detection limits. Moreover, the whole process could be considered as a contribution to green chemistry because nonorganic solvents were involved, demonstrating its great potential over conventional techniques.     

CuPd催化剂调节中间反应能垒提高电催化CO2生成二碳产物的选择性

过度的碳排放已造成了严重的全球环境问题,电催化CO2还原是一种利用间歇性过剩电能将CO2转化为有价值的化学物质的有效策略.在多种CO2还原产物中,二碳(C2)产物(如乙烯、乙醇)因其比一碳产物(如甲酸、甲烷、甲醇)具有更高的能量密度而备受关注.Cu是唯一能用电化学方法将CO2转化为多碳产物的单金属催化剂.如何提高Cu基催化剂上CO2还原为C2产物的效率已引起了极大关注.电催化还原CO2生成C2产物有两个重要步骤:一是参与碳碳偶联反应的CO*中间体的量(*代表中间体吸附在基底表面),二是碳碳偶联步骤的能垒.对于Cu单金属催化剂,虽然其表面碳碳偶联步骤的能垒相对较低,但是Cu对CO2的吸附能力和CO2*加氢能力并不高,导致在Cu表面不能生成足量的CO*中间体参与碳碳偶联反应,因而对C2产物的选择性和活性并不理想.与Cu单金属催化剂相反,在Pd单金属催化剂表面,CO*中间体的形成具有超快的反应动力学,但是CO*易在Pd表面中毒且后续碳碳偶联步骤的能垒极高,使其表面不能生成C2产物.为了充分发挥Cu(碳碳偶联步骤能垒较低)和Pd(CO*形成具有超快反应动力学)的双重优势,本文构建了一种紧密的CuPd(100)界面,以调节中间反应能垒,从而提高C2产率.密度泛函理论(DFT)计算表明,CuPd(100)界面增强了CO2的吸附,且降低了CO2*加氢步骤的能垒,从而能够催化生成更多的CO*中间体参与碳碳偶联反应.且CuPd(100)界面上CO2还原为C2产物的电位决定步骤能垒为0.61 eV,低于Cu(100)表面的(0.72 eV).本文采用了一种简便的湿化学法制备了CuPd(100)界面催化剂.X射线衍射和X射线光电子能谱测试以及扩展X射线吸收精细结构光谱结果表明,合成的是相分离的CuPd双金属催化剂,而非CuPd合金催化剂.同时高分辨透射电镜可以观察到清晰的CuPd(100)界面.由此可见,本文成功合成了CuPd(100)界面催化剂.程序升温脱附实验结果表明,CuPd(100)界面对CO2和CO*的吸附比Cu强,结果与理论预测一致.气体传感实验结果表明,CuPd(100)界面CO2*加氢能力比Cu强.为评估CuPd(100)界面催化剂的催化活性,进行了CO2电化学还原实验.结果表明,在0.1 mol/L的KHCO3电解液中,CuPd(100)界面催化剂在–1.4 VRHE下,C2产物的法拉第效率为50.3％ ±1.2％,是同电位下Cu催化剂的(23.6％ ±1.5％)的2.1倍,C2产物的选择性是Cu催化剂的2.4倍,且具有更高的电流密度和更大的电化学活性面积.本文通过调控中间反应能垒以合理设计铜基CO2还原电催化剂提供了参考.     

Chemically and Physically Induced (Reversible) Gelation of Organic Liquids by Monomeric and Polymeric Gelators

The properties of several types of organogels that can undergo a chemical transition during gelation or while in the gel phase are described. The transitions can be physically induced by light or chemically triggered by the addition of an acid or a neutral molecule such as CO₂ or CS₂. In some cases, the gelation properties of the new species formed are markedly different from those of the precursors. The link between molecular structure and the nature of the gel networks as well as results obtained from the multidisciplinary tools used to study them are discussed.     

Effects of Temperature on Enantiomerization Energy and Distribution of Isomers in the Chiral Cu13 Cluster

In this study, we report the lowest energy structure of bare Cu₁₃ nanoclusters as a pair of enantiomers at room temperature. Moreover, we compute the enantiomerization energy for the interconversion from minus to plus structures in the chiral putative global minimum for temperatures ranging from 20 to 1300 K. Additionally, employing nanothermodynamics, we compute the probabilities of occurrence for each particular isomer as a function of temperature. To achieve that, we explore the free energy surface of the Cu₁₃ cluster, employing a genetic algorithm coupled with density functional theory. Moreover, we discuss the energetic ordering of isomers computed with various density functionals. Based on the computed thermal population, our results show that the chiral putative global minimum strongly dominates at room temperature.     

Two Fast Marching Methods for Hamilton–Jacobi Equations

We introduce and analyze two new Fast Marching (FM) methods based on a semi-Lagrangian (SL) approximation (see [2] for a more complete presentation). The Characteristics driven Fast Marching method accepts more than one node at every iteration using a dynamic condition which leads to a faster convergence. The Buffered Fast Marching method allows to deal with convex and non–convex Hamilton–Jacobi equations including anisotropic front propagation and differential games. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)