Marvi et al(Science,2014,vol.346,p.224)concluded a sidewinder rattlesnake increases the body contact length with the sand when granular incline angle increases.They also claimed the same principle should work on robot...Marvi et al(Science,2014,vol.346,p.224)concluded a sidewinder rattlesnake increases the body contact length with the sand when granular incline angle increases.They also claimed the same principle should work on robotic snake too.We have evidence to prove that this conclusion is only partial in describing the snake body-sand interaction.There should be three phases that fully represent the snake locomotion behaviors during ascent of sandy slopes,namely lifting,descending,and ceasing.The snake body-sand interaction during the descending and ceasing phases helps with the climbing while such interaction during the lifting phase in fact contributes resistance.展开更多
Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen of humans.It causes a variety of infections ranging from superficial mucocutaneous conditions to severe systemic diseases that result in substantial morbidity and m...Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen of humans.It causes a variety of infections ranging from superficial mucocutaneous conditions to severe systemic diseases that result in substantial morbidity and mortality.This pathogen frequently forms biofilms resistant to antifungal drugs and the host immune system,leading to treatment failures.Recent research has demonstrated the potential of nanorobots to penetrate biological barriers and disrupt fungal biofilms.In this perspective paper,we provide a brief overview of recent breakthroughs in nanorobots for candidiasis treatment and discuss current challenges and prospects.展开更多
BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE Bacterial infections remain a significant public health threat.While antibiotics have mitigated their impact,overuse and misuse have driven the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria,compromisi...BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE Bacterial infections remain a significant public health threat.While antibiotics have mitigated their impact,overuse and misuse have driven the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria,compromising treatment outcomes.Additionally,bacterial biofilms have further diminished the effectiveness of current antibiotics,underscoring the urgent need for new antibacterial therapies.Recent advancements in antibacterial nanoagents,show promise due to their unique physical and chemical properties.These nanoagents have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.展开更多
Candida albicans infections,exacerbated by the emergence of drug resistance and biofilm formation,pose a significant threat to human health and challenge current treatment options.Therefore,it is imperative to develop...Candida albicans infections,exacerbated by the emergence of drug resistance and biofilm formation,pose a significant threat to human health and challenge current treatment options.Therefore,it is imperative to develop novel and effective therapeutic strategies against this pathogen.Recently,nanozyme-based catalytic therapy(NBCT)has emerged as a promising tool against fungal infections,as these enzyme-like catalytic materials exhibit strong antifungal activity against drug-resistant pathogens.Compared to traditional therapies,NBCT offers broad-spectrum antifungal activity and rarely induces drug resistance.Additionally,NBCT can be combined with other treatment modalities to enhance antifungal efficacy.Research efforts are being expedited to make NBCT applicable for treating various forms of Candida infections.In this perspective paper,we summarize recent progress in NBCT and its combination strategies in the treatment of these infections.Finally,the challenges and prospects of NBCT are discussed.展开更多
Low-lying coastal cities are widely acknowledged as the most densely populated places of urban settlement;they are also more vulnerable to risks resulting from intensive land use and land cover change,human activities...Low-lying coastal cities are widely acknowledged as the most densely populated places of urban settlement;they are also more vulnerable to risks resulting from intensive land use and land cover change,human activities,global climate change,and the rising sea levels.This study aims to predict how urban growth is affected by sea level rise(SLR)in the Australian context.We develop an urban cellular automata model incorporating urban planning policies as potential drivers or constraints of urban growth under different SLR scenarios and adaption strategies.Drawing on data capturing the socioeconomic and environmental factors in South East Queensland,Australia,our model is positioned to address one core research question:how does SLR affect future urban growth and human resettlement?Results show that urban growth in coastal regions varies depending on the extent to which the sea level rises and is affected by a combination of factors relating to urban planning and human adaptation strategies.Our study demonstrates the complexity of urban growth in coastal regions and the nuanced outcomes under different adaptation strategies in the context of rising sea levels.展开更多
Solid organ transplant(SOT)recipients receive immunosuppressive drugs(ISDs)and are susceptible to developing severe COVID-19.Here,we analyze the Spike-specific T-cell response after 3 doses of mRNA vaccine in a group ...Solid organ transplant(SOT)recipients receive immunosuppressive drugs(ISDs)and are susceptible to developing severe COVID-19.Here,we analyze the Spike-specific T-cell response after 3 doses of mRNA vaccine in a group of SOT patients(n=136)treated with different ISDs.We demonstrate that a combination of a calcineurin inhibitor(CNI),mycophenolate mofetil(MMF),and prednisone(Pred)treatment regimen strongly suppressed the mRNA vaccine-induced Spike-specific cellular response.Such defects have clinical consequences because the magnitude of vaccine-induced Spike-specific T cells was directly proportional to the ability of SOT patients to rapidly clear SARS-CoV-2 after breakthrough infection.To then compensate for the T-cell defects induced by immunosuppressive treatment and to develop an alternative therapeutic strategy for SOT patients,we describe production of 6 distinct SARS-CoV-2 epitope-specific ISD-resistant T-cell receptor(TCR)-T cells engineered using the mRNA electroporation method with reactivity minimally affected by mutations occurring in Beta,Delta,Gamma,and Omicron variants.This strategy with transient expression characteristics marks an improvement in the immunotherapeutic field and provides an attractive and novel therapeutic possibility for immunosuppressed COVID-19 patients.展开更多
基金the Natural Science Foundation of China(51175494,61128008)Newton Research Collaboration Programme(NRCP/1415/89)
文摘Marvi et al(Science,2014,vol.346,p.224)concluded a sidewinder rattlesnake increases the body contact length with the sand when granular incline angle increases.They also claimed the same principle should work on robotic snake too.We have evidence to prove that this conclusion is only partial in describing the snake body-sand interaction.There should be three phases that fully represent the snake locomotion behaviors during ascent of sandy slopes,namely lifting,descending,and ceasing.The snake body-sand interaction during the descending and ceasing phases helps with the climbing while such interaction during the lifting phase in fact contributes resistance.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(BK20230117)the Natural Science Research Project of Nanjing Polytechnic Institute(NJPI-2023-04)the Qinglan Project of Jiangsu Province,and the National Medical Research Council of Singapore(OFIRG21jun-0058 and OFIRG23Jul-0077).
文摘Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen of humans.It causes a variety of infections ranging from superficial mucocutaneous conditions to severe systemic diseases that result in substantial morbidity and mortality.This pathogen frequently forms biofilms resistant to antifungal drugs and the host immune system,leading to treatment failures.Recent research has demonstrated the potential of nanorobots to penetrate biological barriers and disrupt fungal biofilms.In this perspective paper,we provide a brief overview of recent breakthroughs in nanorobots for candidiasis treatment and discuss current challenges and prospects.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82301104)theNatural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(BK20230117)+1 种基金the Natural Science Research Project of Nanjing Polytechnic Institute(NJPI-2023-04)the National Medical Research Council of Singapore(OFIRG21jun-0058 and OFIRG23Jul-0077).
文摘BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE Bacterial infections remain a significant public health threat.While antibiotics have mitigated their impact,overuse and misuse have driven the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria,compromising treatment outcomes.Additionally,bacterial biofilms have further diminished the effectiveness of current antibiotics,underscoring the urgent need for new antibacterial therapies.Recent advancements in antibacterial nanoagents,show promise due to their unique physical and chemical properties.These nanoagents have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52103166)the National Medical Research Council of Singapore(OFIRG21jun-0058 and OFIRG23Jul-0077).
文摘Candida albicans infections,exacerbated by the emergence of drug resistance and biofilm formation,pose a significant threat to human health and challenge current treatment options.Therefore,it is imperative to develop novel and effective therapeutic strategies against this pathogen.Recently,nanozyme-based catalytic therapy(NBCT)has emerged as a promising tool against fungal infections,as these enzyme-like catalytic materials exhibit strong antifungal activity against drug-resistant pathogens.Compared to traditional therapies,NBCT offers broad-spectrum antifungal activity and rarely induces drug resistance.Additionally,NBCT can be combined with other treatment modalities to enhance antifungal efficacy.Research efforts are being expedited to make NBCT applicable for treating various forms of Candida infections.In this perspective paper,we summarize recent progress in NBCT and its combination strategies in the treatment of these infections.Finally,the challenges and prospects of NBCT are discussed.
基金funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant[DP170104235].
文摘Low-lying coastal cities are widely acknowledged as the most densely populated places of urban settlement;they are also more vulnerable to risks resulting from intensive land use and land cover change,human activities,global climate change,and the rising sea levels.This study aims to predict how urban growth is affected by sea level rise(SLR)in the Australian context.We develop an urban cellular automata model incorporating urban planning policies as potential drivers or constraints of urban growth under different SLR scenarios and adaption strategies.Drawing on data capturing the socioeconomic and environmental factors in South East Queensland,Australia,our model is positioned to address one core research question:how does SLR affect future urban growth and human resettlement?Results show that urban growth in coastal regions varies depending on the extent to which the sea level rises and is affected by a combination of factors relating to urban planning and human adaptation strategies.Our study demonstrates the complexity of urban growth in coastal regions and the nuanced outcomes under different adaptation strategies in the context of rising sea levels.
基金We would like to acknowledge the contribution of the Singapore National University Centre for Organ Transplantation team members who helped recruit patients:AV,AL,and WKK.We thank all voluntary blood donors for their donations.We would like to thank the members of AB’s lab for their insights and critique.Finally,we would also like to thank Dr.Yongxu Lu and Prof.Geoffrey L.Smith from the Department of Pathology,University of Cambridge,U.K.,for supplying the vaccinia virus-expressing Spike and Nucleocapsid proteins.This study was supported by research funding from the Singapore Ministry of Health’s National Medical Research Council MOH-000019(MOH-StaR17Nov-001)to Antonio BertolettiPart of this work was also supported by the A*ccelerate GAP-funded project(ACCL/19-GAP064-R20H-H)from the Agency of Science+1 种基金Technology and Research(A*STAR),the Singapore National Medical Research Council COVID-19 Research Fund(COVID19RF-011)a Start-up University Grant from the Ministry of Education(Singapore)to Laurent Renia.YSG was supported by a Career Development Fund award by A*STAR(SC35/22-805100).
文摘Solid organ transplant(SOT)recipients receive immunosuppressive drugs(ISDs)and are susceptible to developing severe COVID-19.Here,we analyze the Spike-specific T-cell response after 3 doses of mRNA vaccine in a group of SOT patients(n=136)treated with different ISDs.We demonstrate that a combination of a calcineurin inhibitor(CNI),mycophenolate mofetil(MMF),and prednisone(Pred)treatment regimen strongly suppressed the mRNA vaccine-induced Spike-specific cellular response.Such defects have clinical consequences because the magnitude of vaccine-induced Spike-specific T cells was directly proportional to the ability of SOT patients to rapidly clear SARS-CoV-2 after breakthrough infection.To then compensate for the T-cell defects induced by immunosuppressive treatment and to develop an alternative therapeutic strategy for SOT patients,we describe production of 6 distinct SARS-CoV-2 epitope-specific ISD-resistant T-cell receptor(TCR)-T cells engineered using the mRNA electroporation method with reactivity minimally affected by mutations occurring in Beta,Delta,Gamma,and Omicron variants.This strategy with transient expression characteristics marks an improvement in the immunotherapeutic field and provides an attractive and novel therapeutic possibility for immunosuppressed COVID-19 patients.
