Hongjie Dai

Methods of detecting ZNT8 antibodies in serum are described. The methods include proteoliposomes comprising a transmembrane domain (TMD) and a cytosolic domain (CTD) of ZnT8 proteins exposed on the exterior of the proteoliposome; serum comprising antibodies targeting the ZnT8 proteins; and labelled captured autoantibodies that bind to ZnT8 antibodies.

In this study, gelatin microgels with various crosslinking degrees were facilely fabricated through moderate transglutaminase (TGase) crosslinking. The influences of crosslinking degree on the surface and interface properties of gelatin microgels were investigated. Furthermore, the influence on the stability of gelatin microgels emulsions was also explored. The crosslinking degree of gelatin microgels was gradually increased from 1.85% to 12.25% and positively correlated with the addition amount of TGase. With the increase of crosslinking degree, the high molecular weight components in gelatin microgels increased, and the wettability (32°–81°) and surface hydrophobicity of gelatin microgels gradually increased. The interfacial protein content also increased with the increase of crosslinking degree and reached equilibrium as the crosslinking degree exceeded 6.85%. The results of interfacial dynamic adsorption …

This study aimed to characterize and identify calcium-chelating peptides from rabbit bone collagen and explore the underlying chelating mechanism. Collagen peptides and calcium were extracted from rabbit bone by instant ejection steam explosion (ICSE) combined with enzymatic hydrolysis, followed by chelation reaction to prepare rabbit bone peptide-calcium chelate (RBCP-Ca). The chelating sites were further analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass (LC-MS/MS) spectrometry while the chelating mechanism and binding modes were investigated. The structural characterization revealed that RBCP successfully chelated with calcium ions. Furthermore, LC-MS/MS analysis indicated that the binding sites included both acidic amino acids (Asp and Glu) and basic amino acids (Lys and Arg). Interestingly, three binding modes, namely Inter-Linking, Loop-Linking and Mono-Linking were for the first time found …

Low temperature rechargeable batteries are important to life in cold climates, polar/deep‐sea expeditions, and space explorations. Here, this work reports 3.5–4 V rechargeable lithium/chlorine (Li/Cl2) batteries operating down to −80 °C, employing Li metal negative electrode, a novel carbon dioxide (CO2) activated porous carbon (KJCO2) as the positive electrode, and a high ionic conductivity (≈5–20 mS cm−1 from −80 °C to room‐temperature) electrolyte comprised of aluminum chloride (AlCl3), lithium chloride (LiCl), and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) in low‐melting‐point (−104.5 °C) thionyl chloride (SOCl2). Between room‐temperature and −80 °C, the Li/Cl2 battery delivers up to ≈29 100–4500 mAh g−1 first discharge capacity (based on carbon mass) and a 1200–5000 mAh g−1 reversible capacity over up to 130 charge–discharge cycles. Mass spectrometry and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy …

Owing to reduced light scattering and tissue autofluorescence, in vivo fluorescence imaging in the 1,000–3,000-nm near-infrared II (NIR-II) spectral range can afford non-invasive imaging at depths of millimetres within biological tissue. Infrared fluorescent probes labelled with antibodies or other targeting ligands also enable NIR-II molecular imaging at the single-cell level. Here we present recent developments in the design of fluorophores and probes emitting in the NIR-II window based on organic synthesis and nanoscience approaches. We also review advances in NIR-II wide-field and microscopy imaging modalities, with a focus on preclinical imaging and promising clinical translation case studies. Finally, we outline current issues and challenges for the wider adoption of NIR-II imaging in biomedical research and clinical imaging.

Surgical resections of solid tumors guided by visual inspection of tumor margins have been performed for over a century to treat cancer. Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence labeling/imaging of tumor in the NIR-I (800 to 900 nm) range with systemically administrated fluorophore/tumor-targeting antibody conjugates have been introduced to improve tumor margin delineation, tumor removal accuracy, and patient survival. Here, we show Au25 molecular clusters functionalized with phosphorylcholine ligands (AuPC, ~2 nm in size) as a preclinical intratumorally injectable agent for NIR-II/SWIR (1,000 to 3,000 nm) fluorescence imaging-guided tumor resection. The AuPC clusters were found to be uniformly distributed in the 4T1 murine breast cancer tumor upon intratumor (i.t.) injection. The phosphocholine coating afforded highly stealth clusters, allowing a high percentage of AuPC to fill the tumor interstitial fluid space …

Betanin/gelatin/nano-chitin complexes were fabricated to functionalize surimi for 4D printing based on the pH responsiveness of betanin, and the application of functionalized surimi was investigated in terms of dysphagia diets. Gelatin and nano-chitin in synergy could protect betanin against heat and UV irradiation by forming hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions (CIELab, DSC, XRD, FTIR and TEM). The further functionalized surimi with betanin/gelatin/nano-chitin complexes exhibited low heating loss, heat chromatic aberration, superior thermal stability and compact microstructure (TGA, and SEM). Rheological tests indicated that betanin/gelatin/nano-chitin complexes could reduce the strength of interaction and form new interaction with surimi protein and promoted the surimi to have great shearing-thinning performance, excellent strain deformation resistance, low frequency dependence and great …

Fish scales, considered as low-value by-products, contain peptides and hydroxyapatite that can be applied to produce peptide chelated calcium directly. This study developed a sustainable and one-pot fabrication method for the peptide-chelated calcium from fish scale hydrolysates (FSP-Ca). During pepsin hydrolysis, the releases of peptides (FSP), calcium, and phosphate from fish scales occurred simultaneously, and the chelation was also effectively performed. After a 6-h hydrolysis, the yield of FSP was 46.18%, and the dissolution rate of calcium was 49.53%. Under the optimal conditions (pH 7, chelation time of 25 min, and chelation temperature of 48 °C), a high chelation rate of 86.16% was obtained, with a calcium content of 81.8 mg/g. The results of UV absorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the successful …