Sc‑B₂₄N₂₄: A New Low-Density Allotrope of BN

Like atoms, nanoclusters can also serve as building blocks for new materials. Here, based on the synthesized cagelike B24N24 clusters, we establish a new sp3-hybridized BN allotrope, termed as sc-B24N24. The geometry, stability, equation of state, mechanical properties, and electronic and optical properties of this superatomic structure are systematically investigated using first-principles calculations. The results reveal that sc-B24N24 is energetically, dynamically, and mechanically stable. The analysis of Young’s modulus and ideal strength shows that sc-B24N24 is mechanically anisotropic due to the cubic symmetry. In particular, the analysis of electronic and optical properties shows that it is a semiconductor with a wide direct band gap. Remarkably, the endohedrally doped V@sc-B24N24 exhibits a ferromagnetic (FM) half-metallicity ground state with 100% spin polarization. Moreover, the encapsulated V atom preserved its highly atom-like magnetic moment (5.0 μB). The findings obtained in this work highlight a low-density BN allotrope with basic building blocks of a hollow cage, which is favorable for doping or trapping foreign impurity atoms to obtain the desired magnetic properties, being anticipated to have important applications in the field of spintronics

Functional Nucleic Acids-Engineered Bio-Barcode Nanoplatforms for Targeted Synergistic Therapy of Multidrug-Resistant Cancer

Rational design of multifunctional nanomedicines has revolutionized the therapeutic efficacy of cancers. Herein, we have constructed the functional nucleic acids (FNAs)-engineered nanoplatforms based on the concept of a bio-barcode (BBC) for synergistic targeted therapy of multidrug-resistant (MDR) cancer. In this study, the platinum(IV) prodrug is synthesized to covalently link two kinds of FNAs at a rational ratio to fabricate three-dimensional BBC-like DNA nanoscaffolds, accompanied by the one-pot encapsulation of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) through electrostatic interaction. The multivalent AS1411 aptamers equipped in ZnO@BBCs facilitate specific and efficient endocytosis into MDR human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549/DDP). In response to the intracellular environment of A549/DDP cells, such as the lysosome-acidic pH and overexpressed GSH, the ZnO NPs are degraded into Zn2+ ions for generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), while the Pt(IV) prodrugs are reduced into Pt(II) active species by glutathione (GSH), followed by the release of therapeutic DNAzymes for chemotherapy and gene therapy. In particular, the designed system plays an important role in remodeling the intracellular environment to reverse cancer MDR. On the one hand, the depletion of GSH promotes the downregulation of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) for amplifying oxidative stress and increasing lipid peroxidation (LPO), resulting in the activation of ferroptosis. On the other hand, the silence of early growth response protein 1 (Egr-1) mRNA by Zn2+-dependent DNAzymes directly inhibits the proliferation and migration of MDR cells, which further suppresses the P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated drug efflux. Thus, the proposed nanoplatforms show great promise for the development of versatile therapeutic tools and personalized nanomedicines for MDR cancers

Additional file 1 of The molecular basis of brain injury in preterm infants with sepsis - associated encephalopathy

Additional file 1: Supplemental Figure S1. Percentage (%) of cell apoptosis in Annexin V-APC single-staining and flow cytometry. NC (up/down) is the blank lentivirus vector transfection control, up indicatesthe lentivirus overexpressing miRNA-1197, and down indicates the lentivirus overexpressing miRNA-484-5p

Additional file 2 of The molecular basis of brain injury in preterm infants with sepsis - associated encephalopathy

Additional file 2: Supplemental Figure S2. Cell apoptosis of Annexin V-APC single-staining and flow cytometry. A and C: NC (up/down) is the blank lentivirus vector transfection control, B: up indicatesthe lentivirus overexpressing miRNA-1197, D: down indicates the lentivirus overexpressing miRNA-484-5p

sj-docx-1-jic-10.1177_08850666241246969 - Supplemental material for Impact of Humidification Modality on Incidence of Endotracheal Tube Occlusion in COVID-19 Patients

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-jic-10.1177_08850666241246969 for Impact of Humidification Modality on Incidence of Endotracheal Tube Occlusion in COVID-19 Patients by James Richard Mattson, Kunal Dhiren Gada, Randeep Jawa, Xiaoyue Zhang and Sahar Ahmad in Journal of Intensive Care Medicine</p

Deep Oxidative Desulfurization of Diesel Fuels by Acidic Ionic Liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs), a new class of green solvents, have recently been undergoing intensive research on the removal of thiophenic sulfur species (e.g., dibenzothiophene) from fuels because of the limitation of the traditional hydrodesulfurization method in removing these species. In this work, deep oxidative desulfurization of diesel fuels by six functional acidic ILs are studied, in which ILs are used as both extractant and catalyst, and 30 wt % H2O2 solution as oxidant. These ILs include both Lewis acidic species such as 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride/2ZnCl2 ([C4mim]Cl/2ZnCl2 and [C4mim]Cl/ZnCl2) and Brønsted acidic species such as 1-methyl-3-ethylcarboxylic acid imidazolium hydrogen sulfate ([CH2COOHmim]HSO4), 1-methyl-3-(butyl-4-sulfinate) imidazolium hydrogen sulfate ([SO3H–C4mim]HSO4), [Hmim]HSO4, and [C4mim]HSO4 where different acidic groups such as −H, −COOH, and −SO3H are appended to the cations. Except for [CH2COOHmim]HSO4, both Brønsted and Lewis acidic ILs are capable of effectively removing dibenzothiophene from model diesel fuels, where 100% sulfur removal is obtained for [C4mim]Cl/2ZnCl2 and [SO3H–C4mim]HSO4. The effects of temperature, molar ratio of O/S, mass ratio of IL/oil, and IL regeneration on desulfurization are investigated systematically for [C4mim]Cl/2ZnCl2 and [SO3H–C4mim]HSO4. The desulfurization ability is not sensitive to the mass ratio of IL/oil, which is desired for reducing IL dosage in industrial application; the ILs can be recycled six times with merely a negligible loss in activity. [C4mim]Cl/2ZnCl2 can reduce the sulfur content in real commercial diesel fuel from 64 to 7.9 ppm with a sulfur removal of 87.7%; however, it is not too effective for coke diesel fuel with high initial sulfur content of 5380 ppm. This work tends to show that diesel fuels can be purified to sulfur-free or ultralow sulfur fuels by further deep oxidative desulfurization by using ILs after hydrodesulfurization

sj-docx-4-jic-10.1177_08850666241246969 - Supplemental material for Impact of Humidification Modality on Incidence of Endotracheal Tube Occlusion in COVID-19 Patients

Supplemental material, sj-docx-4-jic-10.1177_08850666241246969 for Impact of Humidification Modality on Incidence of Endotracheal Tube Occlusion in COVID-19 Patients by James Richard Mattson, Kunal Dhiren Gada, Randeep Jawa, Xiaoyue Zhang and Sahar Ahmad in Journal of Intensive Care Medicine</p

sj-docx-3-jic-10.1177_08850666241246969 - Supplemental material for Impact of Humidification Modality on Incidence of Endotracheal Tube Occlusion in COVID-19 Patients

Supplemental material, sj-docx-3-jic-10.1177_08850666241246969 for Impact of Humidification Modality on Incidence of Endotracheal Tube Occlusion in COVID-19 Patients by James Richard Mattson, Kunal Dhiren Gada, Randeep Jawa, Xiaoyue Zhang and Sahar Ahmad in Journal of Intensive Care Medicine</p

sj-docx-2-jic-10.1177_08850666241246969 - Supplemental material for Impact of Humidification Modality on Incidence of Endotracheal Tube Occlusion in COVID-19 Patients

Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-jic-10.1177_08850666241246969 for Impact of Humidification Modality on Incidence of Endotracheal Tube Occlusion in COVID-19 Patients by James Richard Mattson, Kunal Dhiren Gada, Randeep Jawa, Xiaoyue Zhang and Sahar Ahmad in Journal of Intensive Care Medicine</p

Additional file 4 of Conserved defense responses between maize and sorghum to Exserohilum turcicum

Additional file 4: Figure S2. Long-range linkage disequilibrium in the sorghum conversion panel