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The Journal retracts the article "Application of Super-Amphiphilic Silica-Nanogel Composites for Fast Removal of Water Pollutants" [...].
The Journal retracts the article "Lipolytic Postbiotic from Lactobacillus paracasei Manages Metabolic Syndrome in Albino Wistar Rats" [...].
Citation Correction [...].
The journal retracts the article titled "Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: Fortification for Rice Grain Yield and Nutrients Uptake Enhancement" [...].
In the original publication [...].
Rutin is a naturally occurring flavonoid with well-documented antioxidant and pharmacological properties. In this study, a manganese(II) complex with rutin (Mn(II)-Rut) was synthesized in a solid state and characterized using FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric and elemental analysis, confirming its composition as C27H27O16Mn2·5H2O. The IR spectra indicated that rutin coordinates manganese ions through the carbonyl group at the C4 position and the hydroxyl group at the C5 atom, as well as the catecholic system. The antioxidant potential of both Mn(II)-Rut and rutin was evaluated using several spectrophotometric assays. The Mn(II)-Rut complex showed stronger activity in most spectrophotometric assays than rutin, i.e., in ABTS assay, 50.37 ± 2.64% vs. 41.49 ± 1.38%; in CUPRAC assay, 0.468 ± 0.006 mM Trolox vs. 0.379 ± 0.007 mM Trolox; and FRAP assay, 0.201 ± 0.002 µM vs. 0.189 ± 0.003 µM. However, the DPPH assay complex showed a diminished effect compared with ligand (IC50 2.78 ± 0.13 µM vs. 0.98 ± 0.04 µM for rutin). Quantum-chemical calculations were also performed using the Gaussian09 program to determine the optimized geometric structures, electron charge distribution, and the energies of the HOMOs and LUMOs in the analyzed molecules in order to discuss the antioxidant mechanism of the molecules. Enzymatic assays demonstrated that the Mn(II) complex with rutin exhibited a stronger α-amylase inhibitory effect compared to free rutin, which showed the potential antidiabetic activity of the compound. The results suggest that the Mn(II) complex of rutin possesses better antioxidant and α-amylase inhibitory activity than the ligand alone.
Photochemical upconversion usually relies on intermolecular energy transfer between a sensitizer and an annihilator, followed by triplet-triplet annihilation between two annihilator molecules. Here, we depart from both of these fundamental principles and report upconversion in single molecules via a largely unexplored annihilation process involving doublet and triplet excited states. This approach is independent of diffusion, reduces energy losses by eliminating intersystem crossing and bimolecular triplet-triplet energy transfer, and offers more favorable spin statistics than conventional triplet-triplet annihilation. The molecular design integrates three different excited states: a red-light absorbing doublet state on an FeIII carbene complex, a long-lived dark triplet state localized on a perylene unit linked covalently to the FeIII carbene, and a blue fluorescent singlet state on the perylene. By varying the number of attached perylene units from 1 to 4 we gain mechanistic insight and identify the operating regime of unimolecular upconversion that functions not only in fluid solution but also in polymers at room temperature and in frozen glasses at 77 K. Beyond providing a design strategy for diffusion-independent future upconversion architectures, this work establishes unimolecular doublet-triplet annihilation as a fundamentally distinct upconversion concept with strategic advantages over conventional approaches.
Background/Objectives: The WHO has identified carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAb) and carbapenem-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) as the "critical priority" group of multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms for which new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Here, we evaluated the in vitro synergistic activity of eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, and carvacrol in combination with β-lactams, gentamicin, or colistin against MDR Gram-negative bacteria (GNB). Methods: We selected seven MDR-GNB clinical isolates including CRAb, ESBL-producing and CPE clinical isolates displaying different antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. The genomes of clinical isolates were characterized by whole-genome sequencing and synergy testing was performed with checkerboard assay. Results: Our results demonstrate that eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, and carvacrol in combination with colistin exhibited synergistic activity (FICI < 0.5) against MDR-GNB clinical isolates ranging from 37.5 to 50%, while the effect was almost indifferent in combination with different β-lactam molecules or gentamicin against 87.5-100% of MDR-GNB strains. The synergistic interaction of eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, and carvacrol with colistin induced a statistically significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the MIC values compared with the molecules tested alone. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that this synergistic interaction was not affected by different antimicrobial resistance genes and/or different antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. In conclusion, our results suggest that eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, and carvacrol in combination with colistin represent a potential strategy for the treatment of MDR-GNB pathogens and limit their diffusion.
The design of novel aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active molecules represents a cutting-edge strategy for integrated phototheranostics in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window. This review systematically outlines rational molecular engineering approaches based on D-A, D-A-D, and A-D-A systems to achieve red-shifted NIR-II absorption/emission, enhanced AIE characteristics, and balanced radiative and non-radiative decay pathways. These AIEgens enable high-contrast NIR-II fluorescence imaging (FLI) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI) for precise tumor localization, while concurrently facilitating efficient photothermal therapy (PTT) and robust photodynamic therapy (PDT) through both type-I and type-II mechanisms. Nanoformulations of these molecules exhibit excellent stability, biocompatibility, and passive targeting via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. We further highlight representative "all-in-one" AIE platforms that demonstrate synergistic PTT/PDT under multimodal imaging guidance, offering a promising paradigm for precision cancer theranostics. Challenges and future directions in clinical translation and combination therapy are also discussed.
Microbiome research is shifting from a focus on "whole microorganisms" to an emphasis on microbial functional components. This review systematically describes how the effects of microbial communities on the host are mediated by bioactive functional components released by microbes. These components primarily exert their effects through interactions with host Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs) and metabolic sensing receptors, thereby regulating host immune, metabolic, and barrier function networks. The biological effects of these functional components are highly context-dependent. Under homeostasis, metabolites such as SCFAs and bile acids promote mucosal immune tolerance and maintain epithelial barrier integrity. However, the same signals can become deleterious under dysbiosis, driving inflammation and contributing to colorectal tumorigenesis. Mechanistic dissection of individual components, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), is now propelling a transition in clinical translation from whole-microbe-based interventions toward component-oriented diagnostics and therapeutics. Component-oriented diagnostics and therapeutics use defined microbial molecules rather than whole microorganisms. Microbial nucleic acids (e.g., HPV DNA), metabolites (e.g., SCFAs), and proteins can serve as biomarkers for disease risk, diagnosis, and prognosis. Therapeutic strategies include targeted modulation of beneficial components, neutralization of harmful molecules, and engineered microbial delivery.
Modern experiments with cold molecular ions have reached a high degree of complexity requiring frequent sample preparation, state initialization, and protocol execution while demanding precise control over multiple devices and laser sources. To maintain a high experimental duty cycle and robust measurement conditions, automation becomes essential. We present a fully automated control system for the preparation of trapped state-selected molecular ions and subsequent quantum logic-based experiments. Adaptive feedback routines based on real-time image analysis introduce and identify single molecular ions in atomic-ion Coulomb crystals. By appropriate manipulation of the trapping potentials, excess atomic ions are released from the trap to produce dual-species two-ion strings, specifically Ca+-N2+. After mass and state identification of the molecular ion, nanosecond-level synchronization of laser pulses employing the Sinara/ARTIQ framework and real-time data analysis enable quantum-logic-spectroscopic measurements. The present automated control system enables robust, unsupervised operation over extended periods resulting in an increase in the number of experimentation cycles by about a factor of ten compared to manual operation and a factor of about eight in loaded molecules in typical practical situations. The modular, distributed design of the system provides a scalable blueprint for similar molecular-ion experiments.
Deaths from the accidental ingestion of poisonous Amanita mushrooms occur every year due to the lack of a specific antidote against α-amanitin poisoning. Intervention and treatment can be promptly carried out to avoid serious consequences when the toxin can be effectively detected in whole blood before liver toxicity develops. Aptamers are molecular recognition units similar to antibodies, capable of specifically recognizing and detecting small molecules such as α-amanitin for which monoclonal antibodies are difficult to prepare. However, α-amanitin has a small molecular size and limited binding sites, which bring difficulties to aptamer selection. Moreover, achieving highly specific detection of α-amanitin in whole blood remains challenging due to the presence of potentially interfering components, such as human serum albumin (HSA). For these problems, we propose an aptamer selection method for small-molecule target α-amanitin, combining target-immobilized and library-immobilized SELEX to select high-affinity aptamers. To exclude HSA interference, counter-selection was introduced to remove HSA-bound sequences. Through these strategies, we successfully selected a highly specific α-amanitin aptamer with nanomolar affinity.
An electrically tunable wide-beam-scanning metagratings leaky-wave antenna (MGs LWA) based on liquid crystal (LC) is proposed. Two-dimensional (2D) periodic slotted MGs with capacitive and inductive behaviors are etched on the bottom layer of the substrate and backed by a ground plane with an LWA framework. Two different slotted MG elements are adopted to suppress the open-stopband effects. A theoretical analysis is conducted to provide a conceptual framework for the equivalent electromagnetic fields generated by slotted MGs. Using LC, tunable beam scanning is achieved at a fixed frequency. The LC is placed between the inverted MGs LWA radiating metal and the ground plane to control the LC molecules' orientation angle by applying a DC voltage across them, thereby adjusting the LC permittivity. Using the results obtained, the proposed antenna can be tuned up to 40° at a fixed frequency by applying a biased DC voltage ranging from 0 V to 10 V. The actual operating bandwidth is 40% for continuous beam scanning of 71°, with a scanned sensitivity of 8.35°/GHz at the zero voltage (V = 0 V), and beam scanning of 61°, with a scanned sensitivity of 7.17°/GHz at the saturation voltage (V = 10 V). The proposed MGs LWA has a realized gain of up to 13.84 dBi. Finally, the proposed antenna has excellent performance due to its potential to achieve wide tunable beam scanning with a narrow beamwidth compared to traditional LWAs' limitation of radiation angle, depending on the excitation frequency, which makes the proposed antenna suitable in terms of range and sensing calibration for operation at a specific frequency in sensing communication and radar applications.
Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are widely employed for selective adsorption of target molecules in sensing and separation applications. The architecture of MIP films can influence adsorption behavior, interfacial stability, and reusability, yet systematic investigations of these effects are limited. This study aimed to evaluate how different polypyrrole (PPy) MIP film architectures affect the adsorption, stability, and regeneration characteristics of geraniol-imprinted layers on gold electrodes. Geraniol-imprinted and non-imprinted PPy films were electropolymerized onto quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) substrates. Two film architectures were compared: (i) a single-layer geraniol-imprinted PPy film, and (ii) a double-layer film consisting of a non-imprinted PPy underlayer followed by a geraniol-imprinted layer. Film characterization was performed using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) measurements. Adsorption-desorption cycles were conducted to assess mass uptake, signal stability, and regeneration performance. EQCM analysis revealed that the double-layer architecture exhibited enhanced frequency signal stability during repeated adsorption-desorption cycles compared to single-layer films, suggesting a stabilizing effect of the underlying non-imprinted PPy layer at the electrode interface. Geraniol-imprinted films demonstrated significantly higher mass uptake than non-imprinted controls, confirming the sensitivity provided by molecular imprinting. Single-layer films showed more variability in signal response and less consistent regeneration performance. The architecture of MIP films significantly affects adsorption behavior, stability, and regeneration on electrode surfaces. Incorporating a non-imprinted PPy underlayer can improve signal reproducibility and enhance the robustness of MIP-based sensing interfaces. These findings provide guidance for the rational design of MIP coatings for electrochemical sensors and QCM-active platforms.
Background/Objectives: Antibodies are a rapidly expanding field in drug discovery, but their monospecificity limits therapeutic applications, particularly in complex inflammatory diseases. Multispecific therapeutics, which combine variable regions targeting two or more antigens, offer potential advantages such as enhanced efficacy, broader target modulation, and reduced side effects. This study aimed to identify and characterize bispecific, VHH-based antibodies simultaneously targeting IL-6 and IL-17A-two key cytokines involved in autoimmune and chronic inflammatory conditions. Methods: A phage display screening was conducted using llama-derived VHH libraries to select binders against human IL-6 and IL-17A. Binding affinities of individual VHHs and assembled bispecific constructs were assessed using Bio-Layer Interferometry (BLI). Functional activity was evaluated using reporter cell lines responsive to IL-6 and IL-17A signaling. Biophysical and quality assessments of selected VHHs and bispecific antibodies were performed using the Uncle screening platform and LabChip capillary electrophoresis. Results: Several high-affinity VHH binders were identified for both IL-6 and IL-17A, and incorporated into bispecific antibody formats. The bispecific candidates exhibited simultaneous inhibition of both cytokine pathways in functional reporter assays. Biophysical characterization confirmed good stability and purity profiles for selected molecules. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the feasibility of generating stable, functional bispecific VHH-based antibodies targeting IL-6 and IL-17A. These constructs show potential as therapeutic agents for treating autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases by modulating multiple signaling pathways simultaneously.
Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) have emerged as a powerful therapeutic modality with the ability to simultaneously engage two distinct targets, enabling novel mechanisms of action that traditional monoclonal antibodies cannot achieve. This dual-targeting capability offers significant advantages in treating complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases by enhancing specificity, improving immune engagement, and reducing resistance mechanisms. The development of BsAbs has been driven by innovations in antibody engineering platforms, including BiTE, TriTAC, CrossMAb, XmAb, Fcab, and κλ-body technologies. These platforms allow the construction of diverse BsAb formats, ranging from compact single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) to full-length IgG-like molecules, each optimized for specific pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. Clinical candidates such as blinatumomab, HPN328, and XmAb14045 demonstrate the therapeutic potential and versatility of BsAbs, several of which have progressed to advanced stages of clinical trials or received regulatory approval. However, BsAb development poses unique challenges, including molecular heterogeneity, complex manufacturing processes, and the need for precise functional characterization. Emerging technologies such as high-resolution mass spectrometry, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), hydrogen‑deuterium exchange (HDX-MS), and AI-assisted modeling are increasingly being adopted to overcome these hurdles. As the field evolves, BsAbs are redefining therapeutic strategies by offering multi-functional approaches within a single molecule. Their ability to orchestrate complex biological interactions with high specificity positions them at the forefront of next-generation biologic. This article explores the technical advancements and clinical milestones that underscore the rising impact of BsAbs in modern medicine.
The rational design and regulation of interfacial microenvironments represents an effective strategy for enhancing reaction performance. Previous studies have demonstrated that constructing air-liquid-solid triphase interfaces can substantially enhance catalytic reactions involving gaseous reactants. However, research on regulating the triphasic interfacial microenvironment remains limited and challenging. Herein, we fabricated a triphase photocatalytic system by depositing hydrophobic materials onto ordered TiO2 porous (OTP), achieving significantly enhanced performance in visible-light-driven dye-sensitized photooxidation. Further, we regulated the triphasic microenvironment by systematically adjusting the chain length of hydrophobic molecules. It was found that the chain length greatly affects the interfacial properties, including O2 concentration, the organic molecule adsorption and the interfacial electron transfer efficiency, thereby influencing photocatalytic reaction kinetics and pathways. We demonstrated a high-performance triphase photocatalytic system using 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl triethoxysilane as the hydrophobic material, which optimized multiple interfacial properties through synergistic effects, leading to optimal photocatalytic performance.
Zinc and iron are essential micronutrients in crop nutrition, and polymer-based nanogels have emerged as promising carriers to modulate their availability in sustainable agricultural systems. Here, a polymeric model receptor was designed to investigate how the nature and position of electron-donating (-NH2) and electron-withdrawing (-NO2) substituents control the recognition of Zn2+ and Fe2+ cations. Using a combination of density functional theory calculations, energy decomposition analysis with natural orbitals for chemical valence (EDA-NOCV), electrostatic potential (ESP) mapping, and quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) method, the receptor-cation interactions are dissected into electrostatic, Pauli repulsion, orbital, and dispersion contributions. The results show that complex stability is governed mainly by orbital and electrostatic terms, with Fe2+ forming the most stable complex (-393.57 kcal mol-1) with regard to a Zn2+ similar complex (-288.80 kcal mol-1). Zn2+ complexes exhibit a broad tunability with substituent pattern. Electron-donating groups systematically strengthen both electrostatic and orbital components, whereas nitro substituents display a pronounced positional effect, ranging from strong destabilization to significant stabilization of Zn2+ binding. These findings establish molecular-level guidelines for engineering polymeric nanogels with tunable affinity and selectivity toward micronutrient cations in agricultural applications.
Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a life-threatening condition characterized by acute hepatic decompensation, multi-organ failure, and high short-term mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis. A hallmark of ACLF is profound deterioration of the immune system, which contributes to organ-specific excessive inflammation and immune dysfunction, predisposing patients to infection and multi-organ failure. This review aims to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying systemic immune dysfunction in ACLF, highlighting key pathophysiological pathways and their clinical significance. We provide an overview of ACLF including its global prevalence and clinical significance, against the background of the underlying immune dysfunction in its pathogenesis. The discussion focuses on innate immune alterations, such as impaired neutrophil and monocyte phagocytosis, excessive neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, and monocyte/macrophage dysfunction contributing to immuneparesis and exaggerated inflammation, respectively, which evolve in an organ-specific manner. Dysregulation of natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity and adaptive immune dysfunction, including changes in T cell subpopulations and B cell antibody production in ACLF, are discussed. We further dissect the emerging evidence of molecular pathways driving dysfunction of immune cells and their impaired ability to control infections in ACLF, emphasizing the roles of pathogen- and damage-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs/DAMPs), toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, epigenetic/metabolic reprogramming and immune checkpoint molecules. The review expands on immune cell communication within the immune system (innate and adaptive), with other non-parenchymal and parenchymal cells and at the inter-organ level, detailing interactions between immune cells of key organs and compartments affected during ACLF, including the liver, circulation, brain, gut and kidney. Finally, we summarize the latest preclinical and clinical findings exploring biomarkers of immune dysfunction and immunomodulatory therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring immune homeostasis in patients with ACLF.
Bacteria-derived lipopeptides are immunogenic triggers of host defences in metazoans and plants. Root-associated rhizobacteria produce cyclic lipopeptides that activate induced systemic resistance against microbial infection in various plant species. Whether and how these molecules are perceived at the plant cell surface remains elusive. Here we reveal that immune activation in Arabidopsis thaliana by the lipopeptide elicitor surfactin is mediated via a specific interaction with membrane sphingolipids. It relies on host membrane remodelling and subsequent activation of mechanosensitive ion channels. This mechanism leads to host defence potentiation and resistance to the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea and appears distinct from pattern-triggered immunity induced by classical host pattern recognition receptors. These results reveal a previously uncharacterized mechanism through which lipopeptides derived from non-pathogenic bacteria activate plant immune responses.