Synthesis and characterization of [Cu(N-MeIm)4(BF4)2] in ionic liquid

Carbonized polymer dots derived from metformin and L-arginine for tumor cell membrane- and mitochondria-dual targeting therapy

Metformin has demonstrated antitumor potential in clinical studies; however, achieving optimal antitumor effects requires administering an extremely safe medication dose. To enhance the efficacy and reduce dosage requirements, we propose the creation of large-molecule drugs through the combination of small-molecule drugs. In this study, we developed novel polymer dots, referred to as MA-dots, with sizes of approximately 5 nm, featuring dual targeting capabilities for tumor cell membranes and mitochondria. MA-dots were synthesized using metformin and L-arginine via a rapid microwave-assisted method. Notably, the resulting MA-dots (with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 93.60 μg mL-1) exhibited more than a 12-fold increase in antitumor activity compared to the raw metformin material (IC50 = 1159.00 μg mL-1) over a 24-hour period. In addition, our MA-dots outperformed most metformin-derived nanodrugs in terms of antitumor efficacy. Furthermore, oral gavage treatment with MA-dots led to the suppression of A549 (lung cancer cell lines) tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistic investigations revealed that MA-dots bound to the large neutral amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) proteins, which are overexpressed in malignant tumor cell membranes. Moreover, these MA-dots accumulated within the mitochondria, leading to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial damage, and disruption of energy metabolism by modulating the 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in tumor cells. This cascade of events triggers cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. In summary, this study presented a rapid method for fabricating a novel nanoderivative, MA-dots, capable of both tumor targeting and exerting tumor-suppressive effects.

A variable-stiffness and healable pneumatic actuator

Pneumatic-powered actuators are receiving increasing attention due to their widespread applications. However, their inherent low stiffness makes them incompetent in tasks requiring high load capacity or high force output. On the other hand, soft pneumatic actuators are susceptible to damage caused by over-pressuring or punctures by sharp objects. In this work, we designed and synthesized a coordination adaptable network (PETMP-AIM-Cu) with high mechanical rigidity (Young's modulus of 1.9 GPa and elongation <2% before fracturing) as well as excellent variable stiffness property (soft-rigid switching ability σ as high as 3 268 000 when ΔT = 90 °C). Combining PETMP-AIM-Cu with a self-healing elastomer based on dynamic disulfide bonds (LP-PDMS), we fabricated a new pneumatic actuator which shows high load capacity at room temperature, but can also easily deform upon heating and thus can be actuated pneumatically. Benefiting from the excellent self-healing ability of PETMP-AIM-Cu and LP-PDMS, the entire pneumatic actuator can still be actuated after being cut and healed. Such a variable-stiffness and healable pneumatic actuator would be useful for complex environmental applications.

Interface-Confined Channels Facilitating Water Transport through an IL-Enriched Nanocomposite Membrane

Improving the permeance of the polyamide (PA) membrane while maintaining the rejection is crucial for promoting the development of membrane separation technology in the practical water-treatment industry. Herein, a novel metal-ionic liquid (Zn-IL) coordination compound was synthesized by in situ growth to improve the water permeance of PA nanofiltration membranes, using an amine-functionalized IL (1-aminopropyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, [AEMIm][Cl]) as a ligand to react with Zn(NO₃)₂·6H₂O. Piperazine (PIP) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) were adopted to prepare the PA layer covering the Zn-IL complex. Due to the unique property of the Zn-IL complex, the Zn-IL/PIP-TMC absorbing force to water was increased, enabling the fast transport of water molecules through the membrane pore channels in the form of free water. The resulting Zn-IL/PIP-TMC nanocomposite membrane exhibited a high permeance of up to 26.5 L m^-2 h^-1 bar^-1, which is 3 times that of the PIP-TMC membrane (8.8 L m^-2 h^-1 bar^-1), combined with rejection above 99% for dyes such as methyl blue.