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Bifunctional Fe3O4@Ag nanoparticles with both superparamagnetic and antibacterial properties were prepared by reducing silver nitrate on the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticles using the water-in-oil microemulsion method. Formation of well-dispersed nanoparticles with sizes of 60 ± 20 nm was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. X-ray diffraction patterns and UV–visible spectroscopy indicated that both Fe3O4 and silver are present in the same particle. The superparamagnetism of Fe3O4@Ag nanoparticles was confirmed with a vibrating sample magnetometer. Their antibacterial activity was evaluated by means of minimum inhibitory concentration value, flow cytometry, and antibacterial rate assays. The results showed that Fe3O4@Ag nanoparticles presented good antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli (gram-negative bacteria), Staphylococcus epidermidis (gram-positive bacteria) and Bacillus subtilis (spore bacteria). Furthermore, Fe3O4@Ag nanoparticles can be easily removed from water by using a magnetic field to avoid contamination of surroundings. Reclaimed Fe3O4@Ag nanoparticles can still have antibacterial capability and can be reused.

Immunotherapy, represented by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), is transforming the treatment of cancer. However, only a small percentage of patients show response to ICI, and there is an unmet need for biomarkers that will identify patients who are more likely to respond to immunotherapy. The fundamental basis for ICI response is the immunogenicity of a tumor, which is primarily determined by tumor antigenicity and antigen presentation efficiency. Here, we propose a method to measure tumor immunogenicity score (TIGS), which combines tumor mutational burden (TMB) and an expression signature of the antigen processing and presenting machinery (APM). In both correlation with pan-cancer ICI objective response rates (ORR) and ICI clinical response prediction for individual patients, TIGS consistently showed improved performance compared to TMB and other known prediction biomarkers for ICI response. This study suggests that TIGS is an effective tumor-inherent biomarker for ICI-response prediction.

Expansion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) has been documented in some murine models and patients with autoimmune diseases, but the exact role of MDSCs in this process remains largely unknown. The current study investigates this question in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Patients with active SLE showed a significant increase in HLA-DR−CD11b+CD33+ MDSCs, including both CD14+CD66b− monocytic and CD14−CD66b+ granulocytic MDSCs, in the peripheral blood compared to healthy controls (HCs). The frequency of MDSCs was positively correlated with the levels of serum arginase-1 (Arg-1) activity, T helper 17 (TH17) responses, and disease severity in SLE patients. Consistently, in comparison with MDSCs from HCs, MDSCs from SLE patients exhibited significantly elevated Arg-1 production and increased potential to promote TH17 differentiation in vitro in an Arg-1–dependent manner. Moreover, in a humanized SLE model, MDSCs were essential for the induction of TH17 responses and the associated renal injuries, and the effect of MDSCs was Arg-1–dependent. Our data provide direct evidence demonstrating a pathogenic role for MDSCs in human SLE. This study also provides a molecular mechanism of the pathogenesis of SLE by demonstrating an Arg-1–dependent effect of MDSCs in the development of TH17 cell–associated autoimmunity, and suggests that targeting MDSCs or Arg-1 may offer potential therapeutic strategies for the treatment of SLE and other TH17 cell–mediated autoimmune diseases.

A new bimetallic lanthanide metal-organic framework [Eu0.5 Tb1.5 (FDA)3 ] (H2 FDA = 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid) exhibits high-sensitivity luminescent sensing of mixtures of organic compounds and can work over a large range of volume ratios. The self-calibrating behavior of this color-gradient luminescent sensor is presented for the first time.

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Here we have developed a sensitive DNA amplified detection method based on isothermal strand-displacement polymerization reaction. This method takes advantage of both the hybridization property of DNA and the strand-displacement property of polymerase. Importantly, we demonstrate that our method produces a circular polymerization reaction activated by the target, which essentially allows it to self-detect. Functionally, this DNA system consists of a hairpin fluorescence probe, a short primer and polymerase. Upon recognition and hybridization with the target ssDNA, the stem of the hairpin probe is opened, after which the opened probe anneals with the primer and triggers the polymerization reaction. During this process of the polymerization reaction, a complementary DNA is synthesized and the hybridized target is displaced. Finally, the displaced target recognizes and hybridizes with another probe, triggering the next round of polymerization reaction, reaching a target detection limit of 6.4 × 10−15 M.

Tuning the facet exposure of Cu could promote the multi-carbon (C2+) products formation in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction. Here we report the design and realization of a dynamic deposition-etch-bombardment method for Cu(100) facets control without using capping agents and polymer binders. The synthesized Cu(100)-rich films lead to a high Faradaic efficiency of 86.5% and a full-cell electricity conversion efficiency of 36.5% towards C2+ products in a flow cell. By further scaling up the electrode into a 25 cm2 membrane electrode assembly system, the overall current can ramp up to 12 A while achieving a single-pass yield of 13.2% for C2+ products. An insight into the influence of Cu facets exposure on intermediates is provided by in situ spectroscopic methods supported by theoretical calculations. The collected information will enable the precise design of CO2 reduction reactions to obtain desired products, a step towards future industrial CO2 refineries.