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The intricate tumor microenvironment (TME) always brings about unsatisfactory therapeutic effects for treatments, although nanomedicines have been demonstrated to be highly beneficial for synergistic therapies to avoid the side effects caused by the complexity and heterogeneity of cancer. Developing nanotheranostics with the functionalities of both synergistic therapies and TME regulation is a good strategy but is still in its infancy. Herein, an "all-in-one" nanoplatform for integrated diagnosis and treatment, namely, Carrier@ICG@DOX@FA (CIDF), is constructed. Benefiting from the bimetallic coordination of Eu 3+ -HTHA (4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(9-hexylcarbazol-3-yl)-1,3-butanedione) and Fe 3+ with the ligands in UiO-67, CIDF can simultaneously achieve two-photon fluorescence imaging, fluorescent lifetime imaging in deep tumors, and regulation of TME. Owing to its porosity, CIDF can encapsulate indocyanine green as photosensitizers and doxorubicin as chemotherapeutic agent, further realizing light-controlled drug release. Moreover, CIDF exhibited good biocompatibility and tumor targeting by coating with folic-acid-modified polymers. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate the excellent therapeutic efficacy of CIDF through dual-modal-imaging-guided synergistic photothermal-, photodynamic-, and chemotherapy. CIDF provides a new paradigm for the construction of TME-regulated synergistic nanotheranostics and realizes the complete elimination of tumors without recurrence.

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to greater recognition of the importance of the fast and timely detection of pathogens. Recent advances in point-of-care testing (POCT) technology have shown promising results for rapid diagnosis. Immunoassays are among the most extensive POCT assays, in which specific labels are used to indicate and amplify the immune signal. Nanoparticles (NPs) are above the rest because of their versatile properties. Much work has been devoted to NPs to find more efficient immunoassays. Herein, we comprehensively describe NP-based immunoassays with a focus on particle species and their specific applications. This review describes immunoassays along with key concepts surrounding their preparation and bioconjugation to show their defining role in immunosensors. The specific mechanisms, microfluidic immunoassays, electrochemical immunoassays (ELCAs), immunochromatographic assays (ICAs), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), and microarrays are covered herein. For each mechanism, a working explanation of the appropriate background theory and formalism is articulated before examining the biosensing and related point-of-care (POC) utility. Given their maturity, some specific applications using different nanomaterials are discussed in more detail. Finally, we outline future challenges and perspectives to give a brief guideline for the development of appropriate platforms.

Background: Corneal neovascularization (NV) is a process of abnormal vessel growth into the transparent cornea from the limbus and can disturb the light passing through the cornea, resulting in vision loss or even blindness. The use of nanomedicine as an effective therapeutic formulation in ophthalmology has led to higher drug bioavailability and a slow drug release rate. In this research, we designed and explored the feasibility of a new nanomedicine, gp91 ds-tat (gp91) peptide-encapsulated gelatin nanoparticles (GNP-gp91), for inhibiting corneal angiogenesis., Methods: GNP-gp91 were prepared by a two-step desolvation method. The characterization and cytocompatibility of GNP-gp91 were analyzed. The inhibition effect of GNP-gp91 on HUVEC cell migration and tube formation was observed by an inverted microscope. The drug retention test in mouse cornea was observed by in vivo imaging system, fluorescence microscope, and DAPI/TAMRA staining. Finally, the therapeutic efficacy and evaluation of neovascularization-related factors were conducted through the in vivo corneal NV mice model via topical delivery., Results: The prepared GNP-gp91 had a nano-scale diameter (550.6 nm) with positive charge (21.7 mV) slow-release behavior (25%, 240hr). In vitro test revealed that GNP-gp91 enhanced the inhibition of cell migration and tube formation capacity via higher internalization of HUVEC. Topical administration (eyedrops) of the GNP-gp91 significantly prolongs the retention time (46%, 20 min) in the mouse cornea. In chemically burned corneal neovascularization models, corneal vessel area with a significant reduction in GNP-gp91 group (7.89%) was revealed when compared with PBS (33.99%) and gp91 (19.67%) treated groups via every two days dosing. Moreover, GNP-gp91 significantly reduced the concentration of Nox2, VEGF and MMP9 in NV's cornea., Conclusion: The nanomedicine, GNP-gp91, was successfully synthesized for ophthalmological application. These data suggest that GNP-gp91 contained eyedrops that not only have a longer retention time on the cornea but also can treat mice corneal NV effectively delivered in a low dosing frequency, GNP-gp91 eyedrops provides an alternative strategy for clinical ocular disease treatment in the culture., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 Chu et al.)

Phototheranostics that integrates real-time optical imaging and light-controlled therapy has recently emerged as a promising paradigm for cancer theranostics. Herein, a new small molecule dye DPP-BT-TPA with strong emission above 1000 nm and a redox-responsive prodrug camptothecin-combretastatin A4 (CPT-CA4) were designed and successfully synthesized. A multifunctional phototheranostic nanoplatform was then fabricated by encapsulating them within an amphiphilic polymer. The presence of DPP-BT-TPA enabled high-resolution imaging in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II) and efficient photothermal therapy. The prodrug was cleaved by the overexpressed glutathione (GSH) in the tumor microenvironment to release the chemotherapeutic drug CPT and the angiogenesis inhibitor CA4. Because this process can be accelerated with elevated temperature, laser-induced hyperthermia was utilized to control the drug release and enhance the therapeutic effect. Tumors in living mice were observed through NIR-II imaging after intravenous injection of the obtained nanoparticles. Improved antitumor efficacy by photothermal/chemo/antiangiogenic combination therapy was achieved with a NIR laser both in vitro and in vivo. This work provides a promising strategy for developing tumor microenvironment responsive and light-controlled theranostic platforms. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Fluorescence imaging in the second near-infrared (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) window and near-infrared light-controlled drug release have been recognized as efficient strategies for cancer theranostics. Herein, we present a phototheranostic platform fabricated with a biocompatible NIR-II emissive dye DPP-BT-TPA and a redox-responsive prodrug camptothecin-combretastatin A4 (CPT-CA4). DPP-BT-TPA not only provides high-resolution NIR-II imaging in vivo but also enables efficient photothermal therapy. In addition, the photothermal effect largely accelerates the release of the chemotherapeutic drug CPT and the angiogenesis inhibitor CA4 in the glutathione-overexpressed tumor microenvironment. Thus, the designed phototheranostic platform can be used for NIR-II imaging-guided photothermal/chemo/antiangiogenic combination therapy for tumors with a single laser., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Focused ultrasonic ablation surgery (FUAS) for tumor treatment has emerged as an effective non-invasive therapeutic approach, but its widespread clinical utilization is limited by its low therapeutic efficiency caused by inadequate tumor targeting, single imaging modality, and possible tumor recurrence following surgery. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a biological targeting synergistic system consisting of genetically engineered bacteria and multi-functional nanoparticles to overcome these limitations. Escherichia coli was genetically modified to carry an acoustic reporter gene encoding the formation of gas vesicles (GVs) and then target the tumor hypoxic environment in mice. After E. coli producing GVs (GVs-E. coli) colonized the tumor target area, ultrasound imaging and collaborative FUAS were performed; multi-functional nanoparticles were then enriched in the tumor target area through electrostatic adsorption. Multi-functional cationic lipid nanoparticles containing IR780, perfluorohexane, and banoxantrone dihydrochloride (AQ4N) were coloaded in the tumor to realize targeted multimodal imaging and enhance the curative effect of FUAS. AQ4N was stimulated by the tumor hypoxic environment and synergistically cooperated with FUAS to kill tumor cells. In sum, synergistic tumor therapy involving multi-functional nanoparticles mediated by genetically engineered bacteria overcomes the limitations and improves the curative effect of existing FUAS. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Inadequate tumor targeting, single image monitoring mode, and prone tumor recurrence following surgery remain significant challenges yet critical for tumor therapy. This study proposes a strategy for genetically engineered bacteria-mediated multifunctional nanoparticles for synergistic tumor therapy. The multifunctional genetically engineered biological targeting synergistic agent can accomplish tumor-targeting therapy, synergistic FUAS ablation, hypoxia-activated chemotherapy combined with FUAS ablation, and multiple-imaging guidance and monitoring all at the same time, thereby compensating for the shortcomings of FUAS treatment. This strategy could pave the way for the progress of tumor therapy., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Purpose: Breast cancer is detrimental to the health of women due to the difficulty of early diagnosis and unsatisfactory therapeutic efficacy of available breast cancer therapies. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation is a new method for the treatment of breast tumors, but there is a problem of low ablation efficiency. Therefore, the improvement of HIFU efficiency to combat breast cancer is immediately needed. This study aimed to describe a novel anaerobic bacteria-mediated nanoplatform, comprising synergistic HIFU therapy for breast cancer under guidance of ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) bimodal imaging., Methods: The PFH@CL/Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (NPs) (Perfluorohexane (PFH) and superparamagnetic iron oxides (SPIO, Fe 3 O 4 ) with cationic lipid (CL) NPs) were synthesized using the thin membrane hydration method. The novel nanoplatform Bifidobacterium bifidum- mediated PFH@CL/Fe 3 O 4 NPs were constructed by electrostatic adsorption. Thereafter, US and MR bimodal imaging ability of B. bifidum- mediated PFH@CL/Fe 3 O 4 NPs was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the efficacy of HIFU ablation based on B. bifidum- PFH@CL/Fe 3 O 4 NPs was studied., Results: B. bifidum combined with PFH@CL/Fe 3 O 4 NPs by electrostatic adsorption and enhanced the tumor targeting ability of PFH@CL/Fe 3 O 4 NPs. US and MR bimodal imaging clearly displayed the distribution of the bio-targeting nanoplatform in vivo. It was conducive for accurate and effective guidance of HIFU synergistic treatment of tumors. Furthermore, PFH@CL/Fe 3 O 4 NPs could form microbubbles by acoustic droplet evaporation and promote efficiency of HIFU ablation under guidance of bimodal imaging., Conclusion: A bio-targeting nanoplatform with high stability and good physicochemical properties was constructed. The HIFU synergistic agent achieved early precision imaging of tumors and promoted therapeutic effect, monitored by US and MR bimodal imaging during the treatment process., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2022 Jiang et al.)

The rapid development of nanotechnology boosts the massive production and utilization of various nanoparticles (NPs). However, the NPs escaped into environments form emergent pollutants, which pose a potential threat to marine organisms and ecosystems. Due to their sessile filter-feeding lifestyle, marine bivalves live in pollution-prone coastal areas are more susceptible to land-sourced pollutants such as NPs. However, the impacts of many NPs on the metabolism, one of the most critical physiological processes of an organism, still remain largely unknown in bivalve species. To fill up this knowledge gap, in this study the impacts of four commonly used NPs (nZnO, nFe 2 O 3 , nCuO, and multi-walled carbon tube (MWCNT)) on the filtration rate, oxygen consumption rate, ammonia excretion rate, and O:N ratio were investigated in the blood clam, Tegillarca granosa. In addition, the expressions of ten key metabolism-related genes upon exposure to these NPs were also analyzed. The results demonstrated that exposure of blood clams to the NPs resulted in a reduction in the food intake (indicated by declined filtration rate), a shift in the metabolism substance, and disruptions in key metabolism-related molecular pathways (i.e., glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle), which may render blood clam in energy shortage and thus pose significant threat to the health of this important bivalve species., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Drug-loaded nanoparticles have been widely used as synergists in high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) tumor ablation therapy. However, these synergists have certain limitations, such as poor tumor targeting and low accumulation at the tumor site, that restrict the therapeutic efficacy of HIFU. In this study, we utilized drug-loaded nanoparticles conjugated with genetically engineered bacteria which can selectively colonize the hypoxic areas of tumor to facilitate HIFU ablation. Genetically modified Escherichia coli carrying gas vesicles (GVs-E. coli), which were gas-filled protein nanostructures, had a negatively charged surface and could specifically target into the tumor. In contrast, paclitaxel (PTX) and perfluorohexane (PFH) co-loaded cationic lipid nanoparticles (PTX-CLs) had a positively charged surface, hence, GVs-E. coli was used as a vehicle by conjugating with PTX-CLs via electrostatic adsorption and subsequently attracting more PTX-CLs to the tumor site. To improve the therapeutic efficiency of HIFU, the GVs in GVs-E. coli and PFH encapsulated in PTX-CLs could act as cavitation nuclei to enhance the HIFU cavitation effect, while PTX entrapped in PTX-CLs was released at the tumor site under HIFU irradiation, enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of HIFU and chemo-synergistic therapy. This novel combination strategy has great potential for cancer treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

With the fast growth of the production and application of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), nanoparticles (NPs) that escape into the environment have drawn increasing attention due to their ecotoxicological impacts. Motile microalgae are a type of primary producer in most ecosystems; however, the impacts of NPs on the motility of microalgae have not been studied yet. So the toxic impacts of three common metal oxide NPs (nTiO 2 , nZnO, and nFe 2 O 3 ) on swimming speed and locomotion mode of a marine microalgae, Platymonas subcordiformis, were investigated in this study. Our results demonstrated that both the velocity and linearity (LIN) of swimming were significantly decreased after the exposure of P. subcordiformis to the tested NPs. In addition, the obtained data indicate that NPs may suppress the motility of P. subcordiformis by constraining the energy available for swimming, as indicated by the significantly lower amounts of intracellular ATP and photosynthetic pigments and the lower activities of enzymes catalyzing glycolysis. Incubation of P. subcordiformis with the tested NPs generally resulted in the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), aggravation of lipid peroxidation, and induction of antioxidant enzyme activities, suggesting that imposing oxidative stress, which may impair the structural basis for swimming (i.e. the membrane of flagella), could be another reason for the observed motility suppression. Moreover, NP exposure led to significant reductions in the cell viability of P. subcordiformis, which may be due to the disruption of the energy supply (i.e., photosynthesis) and ROS-induced cellular damage. Our results indicate that waterborne NPs may pose a great threat to motile microalgae and subsequently to the health and stability of the marine ecosystem., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The acoustic propagation characteristic of ultrasound determines that the energy of ultrasound beam will decrease with the increase of its propagation depth in the body. Similarly, the energy of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) will be attenuated with the increase of HIFU propagation depth in the body. Ensuring sufficient ultrasound energy deposition in the HIFU ablation region for tumor ablation is usually achieved by increasing the ultrasound irradiation power or prolonging the ultrasound ablation time. However, these two methods may damage the normal tissue adjacent to the HIFU ablation region. Herein, we constructed the nanoparticles conjugated with tumor-homing bacteria as the biological tumor-homing synergist to facilitate HIFU-mediated tumor ablation avoiding the potential safety risk. In our strategy, Bifidobacterium bifidum (B.bifidum) was selectively colonized in the hypoxic region of solid tumors after been injected into 4T1 breast cancer bearing-BALB/c mice via the tail vein due to its anaerobic growth characteristic. The amount of B. bifidum with negative surface potential in the hypoxic region of solid tumors was increased by its anaerobic proliferation. Polyethylenimine (PEI) -modified Poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles loaded sodium bicarbonate (PEI-PLGA-NaHCO 3 -NPs) with positive surface potential injected into 4T1 breast cancer bearing-BALB/c mice via the tail vein displayed the tumor-homing ability by the electrostatic adsorption with B. bifidum colonized solid tumors. PEI-PLGA-NaHCO 3 -NPs could release NaHCO 3 to produce carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) as cavitation nuclei inside the acidic microenvironment of solid tumors. When HIFU irradiated solid tumors contained with more cavitation nuclei, the ultrasound energy deposition at the tumor region was increased to destroy the tumors more effectively. Meanwhile, the improved efficiency of HIFU-mediated tumor ablation reduced the dependence of the tumor ablation on the ultrasound energy dose, which improved the safety of HIFU-mediated tumor ablation to the non-targeted ablation tissue. This tumor-homing synergist shows the potential application value on the HIFU-mediated tumor ablation in the clinical., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Hypoxia is considered to be obstructive to tumor treatment, but the reduced oxygen surroundings provide a suitable habitat for Bifidobacterium bifidum (BF) to colonize. The anaerobe BF selectively colonizes into tumors following systemic injection due to its preference for the hypoxia in the tumor cores. Therefore, BF may be a potential targeting agent which could be used effectively in tumor treatment. We aimed to determine whether a novel BF-mediated strategy, that was designed to deliver AP-PFH/PLGA NPs (aptamers CCFM641-5-functionalized Perfluorohexane (PFH) loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles) by aptamer-directed approach into solid tumor based on the tumor-targeting ability of BF, could improve efficiency of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment of breast cancer., Methods: We synthesized AP-PFH/PLGA NPs using double emulsion method and carbodiimide method. Then, we evaluated targeting ability of AP-PFH/PLGA NPs to BF in vivo . Finally, we studied the efficacy of HIFU ablation based on BF plus AP-PFH/PLGA NPs (BF-mediated HIFU ablation) in tumor., Results: The elaborately designed AP-PFH/PLGA NPs can target BF colonized in tumor to achieve high tumor accumulation, which can significantly enhance HIFU therapeutic efficiency. We also found that, compared with traditional chemotherapy, this therapy not only inhibits tumor growth, but also significantly prolongs the survival time of mice. More importantly, this treatment strategy has no obvious side effects., Conclusion: We successfully established a novel therapy method, BF-mediated HIFU ablation, which provides an excellent platform for highly efficient and non-invasive therapy of tumor., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2021 Tang et al.)

Purpose: Cancer treatment still faces big challenges in the clinic, which is raising concerns over the world. In this study, we report the novel strategy of combing bacteriotherapy with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy for more efficient breast cancer treatment., Methods: The acoustic reporter gene (ARG) was genetically engineered to be expressed successfully in Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) to produce the protein nanoparticles-gas vesicles (GVs). Ultrasound was utilized to visualize the GVs in E. coli . In addition, it was injected intravenously for targeted breast cancer therapy by combing the bacteriotherapy with HIFU therapy., Results: ARG expressed in E. coli can be visualized in vitro and in vivo by ultrasound. After intravenous injection, E. coli containing GVs could specifically target the tumor site, colonize consecutively in the tumor microenvironment, and it could obviously inhibit tumor growth. Meanwhile, E. coli which contained GVs could synergize HIFU therapy efficiently both in vitro and in vivo as the cavitation nuclei. Furthermore, the tumor inhibition rate in the combination therapy group could be high up to 87% compared with that in the control group., Conclusion: Our novel strategy of combing bacteriotherapy with HIFU therapy can treat breast cancers more effectively than the monotherapies, so it can be seen as a promising strategy., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2021 Yang et al.)

The extensive application of nanoparticles (NPs) drives their release into the ocean, which may pose a potential threat to marine organisms. Although the byssus is important for the survival of mussels, the effects of NPs on byssal attachment and the underlying molecular byssal responses remain largely unknown. Therefore, the impacts of three metal oxide NPs (nTiO 2 , nZnO, and nFe 2 O 3 ) on the production and mechanical properties of byssal thread in the thick shell mussel M. coruscus were investigated in this study. The results showed that both mechanical properties (such as strength and extensibility) and morphology (diameter and volume) of byssal thread newly produced by M. coruscus were significantly affected after NP exposure, which resulted in an approximately 60-66% decrease in mussel byssal attachment strength. Downregulated expression of genes encoding mussel foot proteins, precursor collagen proteins, and proximal thread matrix proteins was also detected in this study, and this alteration may be one of the reasons for the weakened mechanical properties of byssal threads after NP exposure. This study indicated that NP pollution may hamper byssal attachment of M. coruscus and thereby pose a severe threat to the health of mussel individuals and the stability of the intertidal ecosystem., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The capacity to diagnose cancer with the existing endogenous biomarkers remains limited because biomarkers usually act at the tumor site and are thus challenging to be detected directly from body fluids with high sensitivity and specificity, especially in the early stage of tumorigenesis. Here, we demonstrate an exogenous tumor-penetrating nanomarker composed of fluorescent nanoparticles conjugated with specific fluorescein-labeled peptides. The injectable nanomarkers perform four functions: they penetrate the tumor, target sites of cancer, cleave specific peptides by on-target protease, and drop off the labeled peptide into host urine for fluorescent detection. Sensitive in vivo tracking and monitoring of the cyclic process of the nanomarker was also accomplished. The nanomarker can noninvasively diagnose and monitor tumors with a volume of about 17 mm 3 without invasive core biopsies. Enhanced capacity of early point-of-care detection for cancer is accomplished by receptor-dependent specificity of the signal generation in the urine compared with clinically used blood biomarkers.

Purpose: The high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation of tumors is inseparable from synergistic agents and image monitoring, but the existing synergistic agents have the defects of poor targeting and a single imaging mode, which limits the therapeutic effects of HIFU. The construction of a multifunctional biological targeting synergistic agent with high biosafety, multimodal imaging and targeting therapeutic performance has great significance for combating cancer., Methods: Multifunctional biological targeting synergistic agent consisting of Bifidobacterium longum ( B. longum ), ICG and PFH coloaded cationic lipid nanoparticles (CL-ICG-PFH-NPs) were constructed for targeting multimode imaging, synergistic effects with HIFU and imaging-guided ablation of tumors, which was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo., Results: Both in vitro and in vivo systematical studies validated that the biological targeting synergistic agent can simultaneously achieve tumor-biotargeted multimodal imaging, HIFU synergism and multimodal image monitoring in HIFU therapy. Importantly, the electrostatic adsorption method and the targeting of B. longum to tumor tissues allow the CL-ICG-PFH-NPs to be retained in the tumor tissue, achieve the targeting ability of synergistic agent. Multimodal imaging chose the best treatment time according to the distribution of nanoparticles in the body to guide the efficient and effective treatment of HIFU. CL-ICG-PFH-NPs could serve as a phase change agent and form microbubbles that can facilitate HIFU ablation by mechanical effects, acoustic streaming and shear stress. This lays a foundation for the imaging and treatment of tumors., Conclusion: In this work, a biological targeting synergistic agent was successfully constructed with good stability and physicochemical properties. This biological targeting synergistic agent can not only provide information for early diagnosis of tumors but also realize multimodal imaging monitoring during HIFU ablation simultaneously with HIFU treatment, which improves the shortcomings of HIFU treatment and has broad application prospects., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2020 Wang et al.)

Purpose: This study was conducted to prepare a novel tumor-biotargeting high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) synergist for indirectly delivering lipid nanoparticles based on the targeting ability of Bifidobacterium longum to the hypoxic region of solid tumors. The effects of two different delivery methods on the imaging and treatment of solid tumors enhanced by lipid nanoparticles were compared., Methods: Biotinylated lipid nanoparticles coated with PFH were prepared, cross-linked with B. longum in vitro using a streptavidin-conjugated B. longum antibody (SBA), and observed and detected by laser confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Solid tumors were treated with HIFU and PFH/BL-NPs. The effects of different delivery methods on the tumor targeting and efficiency of retention of PFH/BL-NPs were observed using Small animal live imaging and frozen sections from small animals., Results: The PFH/BL-NPs prepared in this study showed good biocompatibility and safety. PFH/BL-NPs and B. longum were cross-linked in a cluster-like manner (confocal laser scanning microscope) in vitro , with a cross-linking rate of 84 ± 6.23% (flow cytometry). The delivery of B. longum followed by that of PFH/BL-NPs not only enhanced the ability of PFH/BL-NPs to target solid tumors (small animal live imaging), but also increased the retention time of PFH/BL-NPs in the tumor (frozen slices), enhancing the effect of the HIFU synergist., Conclusion: Delivery of B. longum followed by that of PFH/BL-NPs can enhance the imaging of solid tumors and effectively improve the efficiency of HIFU treatment of solid tumors, providing a basis for further clinical work.

The phosphorescence lifetime approach based on the room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) property has received considerable attention in recent years due to its excellent performance in the precise measurement of oxygen. Herein, a smart nanoprobe, Gd[PC]@ZIF-8, was designed and assembled by homogenously encapsulating a rare-earth complex phosphor Gd[(Pyr) 4 cyclen] (Pyr = pyrenol) into a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8). Because of the restriction of the metal-organic framework (MOF) matrix and host-guest interactions, the nanoprobe Gd[PC]@ZIF-8 exhibited highly enhanced RTP properties, including intensity, quantum yield, and elongated decay lifetime. It displayed an outstanding linear relationship between the phosphorescence decay lifetime, intensity and oxygen concentration, which can be applied in the field of oxygen sensing. Moreover, the complex Gd[(Pyr) 4 cyclen] in the nanoprobe Gd[PC]@ZIF-8 served as a favorable photosensitizer that resulted in the simultaneous conversion of sufficient oxygen molecules into single state oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) under irradiation during the phosphorescence quenching process, which is conducive to photodynamic therapy (PDT). Thus, the design of the smart nanoprobe Gd[PC]@ZIF-8 in this study provides an ingenious strategy of utilizing a MOF as a matrix to enhance the RTP properties of phosphors for synchronous oxygen sensing and PDT.

The increasing application of nanomaterials drives the unintentional release of nanoparticles (NPs) into the ocean, which may pose a potential threat to marine organisms. It has been demonstrated that exposure to NPs could chanllenge the immune responses of marine species. However, the affecting mechanism behind remains poorly understood. In this study, the immunotoxic impacts and the mechanisms underpinning the effects of four major NPs, including nZnO, nFe 2 O 3 , nCuO, and carbon nanotube (MWCNT), were investigated in blood clam, Tegillarca granosa. The results showed that exposure to tested NPs resulted in reduced total counts, altered cell composition, and constrained phagocytic activities of haemocytes. The intracellular contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the degree of DNA damage of haemocytes were significantly induced, whereas the haemocyte viability was suppressed. Furthermore, NP exposures led to significant increases in the in vivo contents of neurotransmitters. Down-regulations of the immune- and neurotransmitter-related genes were detected as well. Our data suggest that NP exposures hampered the immune responses of blood clams most likely through (1) inducing ROS, causing DNA damage, and reducing cell viability of haemocytes, (2) altering the in vivo contents of neurotransmitters, and (3) affecting the expression of immune- and neurotransmitter-related genes., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Phagocytosis suppression induced by nanoparticles (NPs) exposure is increasingly reported in marine species. However, the mechanisms underlying this impact remain poorly understood. In order to improve our present understanding of the immunotoxicity of NPs, acute (96 h) TiO 2 NP exposure and rescue trials via exogenous supply of Ca 2+ were performed in the blood clam, Tegillarca granosa. The results show that the phagocytosis rate, cell viability, and intracellular Ca 2+ concentration of haemocytes were significantly suppressed, whereas the intracellular ROS concentration of haemocytes significantly increased upon nTiO 2 exposure. Exposure to nTiO 2 also led to the significant downregulation of Caspase-3, Caspase-6, apoptosis regulator Bcl-2, Bcl-2-associated X, calmodulin kinase II, and calmodulin kinase kinase II. Furthermore, the toxic impacts of nTiO 2 were partially mitigated by the addition of exogenous Ca 2+ , as indicated by the recovery tendency in almost all the measured parameters. The present study indicates that Ca 2+ signaling could be one of the key pathways through which nTiO 2 attacks phagocytosis., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The hypoxic region microenvironment reduces the susceptibility of the cancer cells to radiotherapy and anticancer drugs of the solid tumors. However, the reduced oxygen surroundings provide an appreciable habitat for anaerobic bacteria to colonize and proliferate. Herein, we present a biocompatible bacteriabased system that can deliver poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)(PLGA) nanoparticles(PLGA NPs) specifically targeting into solid tumor to achieve precision imaging and treatment. In our strategy, anaerobic bacterium Bifidobacterium longum (B. longum) that colonizes selectively in hypoxic regions of animal body was successfully used as a vehicle to conjugate with PLGA NPs and transported into solid tumors. To improve the efficacy and specificity of tumor therapy, low-boiling point perfluorohexane (PFH) liquid was wrapped in the core of PLGA NPs (PFH/PLGA NPs), which could increase the deposition of energy by affecting the acoustic environment of the tumor and destroy cells after liquid-gas phase transition during High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) irradiation. This strategy shows an effective diagnosis and treatment integration for giving stronger imaging, longer retention period and more effective tumor therapy., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Cerium oxide (CeO x ) with a reversible surface Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ redox pair has played an important role in catalytic reactions, whereas catalase mimetics of CeO x have attracted little attention in the field of biotherapy. Herein, a smart photosensitizer-cerium oxide nanoprobe was developed to represent a promising paradigm in high-performance photodynamic therapy. The photosensitizer was linked to CeO x nanoparticles through a substrate peptide (EGPLGVRGK) of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). The smart nanoprobe could be converted from the "silent state" before arriving at the cancer cells to the "activated state" within the cells to turn on the fluorescence and 1 O 2 generation when the peptide linker (EGPLGVRGK) was cut by the cancer biomarker MMP-2. Moreover, CeO x played the role of an excellent catalase-like compound to decompose endogenous hydrogen peroxide to relieve tumor hypoxia. Via the conventional application of CeO x , our study showed innovatively how a smart nanoprobe could relieve tumor hypoxia and achieve a therapeutic effect for highly selective and efficient personalized treatment.

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been recently regarded to be a new type of technique for non-invasive ablation of local tumors and HIFU synergists could significantly improve its therapeutic efficiency. The therapeutic efficiency of HIFU is greatly limited by the low retention of HIFU synergists in the target area and short residence time. This study aimed to explore a method to increase the deposition of HIFU synergists in tumors. Cationic lipid nanoparticle can be used to enhance the HIFU ablation effect, but there is still a problem for it that the deposition amount in the tumor tissue is small and the residence time is short. Bifidobacterium is highly biosafe and can be selectively colonized in the hypoxic zone of tumor tissue. Cationic lipid nanoparticles can be observed in vitro by attachment to bifidobacterium by electrostatic adsorption. And the effect of the proliferation of bifidobacterium in tumor tissues on the retention amount and retention time of cationic lipid nanoparticles in vivo was evaluated. Results showed that the cationic lipid nanoparticles were linked to the surface of Bifidobacterium effectively in vitro, while in vivo, the retention amount and retention time of cationic lipid nanoparticles could be increased by Bifidobacterium in tumor tissues, which provided a new method for improving the therapeutic efficiency of HIFU.

Real-time temperature feedback in tissue based on photothermal therapy is an urgent problem to be solved in cancer treatment. Herein, a smart all-in-one nanoprobe THA@Eu-NMOF@Fe/TA was designed and assembled by postsynthetical functionalization of an Eu(III)-based nanoscale metal-organic framework (Eu-NMOF) with a two-photon-absorbing β-diketonate ligand 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(9-hexylcarbazol-3-yl)-1,3-butanedione (HTHA) and Fe(III)/tannic acid assembly (Fe/TA). Such a functionalized material can simultaneously achieve the temperature-sensing and optical heating under a single beam of near-infrared (NIR) light. Under 808 nm laser excitation, real-time feedback of temperature by monitoring thermoresponsive fluorescence emission ratio ( I 616 / I 590 ) and fluorescence lifetime of Eu(III) ions were realized. Meantime, Fe/TA served as the photothermal agent and antibacterial agent to implement photothermal therapy (PTT) and antibacteria simultaneously. The functions of the nanoprobe were proved with ex vivo experiments, and the antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria of the probe was also elaborately evaluated. Our work paves a new avenue for engineering a new cancer treatment probe which can achieve real-time temperature sensing feedback during PTT and antibacterial process.

The invasion and metastasis of tumour cells are closely correlated with poor prognosis of cancer patients. In this study, a CD44 and N-cadherin dual targeting drug delivery system based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) has been successfully constructed for inhibiting tumour cell invasion and metastasis. Amino modified MSN (MSN/NH 2 ) was first synthesized and then functionalized with hyaluronic acid (HA) and ADH-1, constructing the carrier ADH-1-HA-MSN. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) was selected as a model anticancer drug. The prepared vector had a spherical shape with a narrow distribution of particle size. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy studies showed that the modification with HA significantly enhanced CD44-mediated cellular uptake of this nanocarrier. ADH-1-HA-MSN/DOX exhibited higher cytotoxicity compared to non-ADH-1 modified counterparts. Of note, a transwell chamber assay demonstrated that the migration and invasion of tumour cells were markedly inhibited by ADH-1-HA-MSN/DOX. Furthermore, Western blotting analysis revealed that ADH-1-HA-MSN/DOX inhibited tumour cell invasion and metastasis by down-regulating N-cadherin expression. Taken together, these results indicated that ADH-1-HA-MSN might be a promising targeted drug delivery system for inhibiting cancer invasion and metastasis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A novel folate fluorescent nanoconjugate was synthesized and used for detection of cancer cells overexpressing the folate receptor (FR). The folate conjugate (PCMS-NA-FA) was synthesized by conjugating folic acid (FA) and 4-ethylnyl-N-ethyl-1, 8-naphthalimide (NA) to the polychloromethylstyrene (PCMS) functionalized with azido group (PCMS-N₃) through click reaction. The obtained conjugate had clear structure and could form PCMS-NA-FA nanoparticles with particle size around 86 nm in aqueous solution. Ability of PCMS-NA-FA targeting to cancerous cells was investigated by comparing the uptake of the nanoparticles by human adenocarcinoma HeLa cells and by non-FR expressing human lung carcinoma A549 cells. Specificity of the PCMS-NA-FA nanoparticles targeting on FRs was verified with cellular uptake inhibition assay, in which HeLa cells were incubated with both nanoconjugate and free FA. In addition, the specificity was also confirmed by the collocation of the immunofluorescence staining of anti-FR and the cellular uptake of the PCMS-NA-FA nanoparticles. Furthermore, the organ distribution of this folate nanoconjugate was studied on HeLa cell-bearing mice via frozen slicing, and the results showed that the folate nanoparticles were preferentially accumulated in the tumor site rather than other tissues, indicating the desired specificity for tumor targeting and imaging. All these findings suggested that this practical synthetic strategy can potentially facilitate the preparation of multifunctional imaging probe in biology and diagnosis of disease., (Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Quaternized chitosan (QCS)/alginate (AL) nanoparticles (QCS/AL) were successfully prepared in neutral condition for the oral delivery of protein. The physicochemical structure of the QCS/AL nanoparticles was characterized by IR spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The diameter of the nanoparticles with a positive surface charge was about 200 nm. The load of bovine serum albumin (BSA) was affected by the concentration and the molecular parameters, i.e. degree of substitution (DS) and weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of QCS, as well as the concentration of BSA. The release of BSA from nanoparticles was pH-dependent. Quick release occurred in 0.1M phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH=7.4), while the release was slow in 0.1M HCl (pH=1.2). The DS and Mw of QCS play important roles in the release of BSA in vitro. QCS with high Mw accelerated the release of BSA in acid, while high DS retarded the release of BSA in both 0.1M HCl and 0.1M PBS., (Copyright (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Supported nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been prepared by a post-synthesis step via Ti-alkoxide hydrolysis through the use of mesoporous SBA-15 silica. TiO2/SBA-15 composites with various TiO2 loading have been prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and diffusive reflective UV-vis spectroscopy. The addition of mesoporous SBA-15 prevents the anatase to rutile phase transformation and the growth of crystal grain. TiO2 did not block the SBA-15 pores, and their surface was fully accessible for nitrogen adsorption. Calcination in air of the composites up to 800 degrees C did not change the nanocrystal phase and slightly increased the domain size from 5.0 to 7.5 nm, indicating that the anatase TiO2 grains in the mesostructures have a relatively high thermal stability and proper pore diameter allows controlling the size of obtained titania particles. The TiO2/SBA-15 composites prepared by this study showed much higher photodegradation ability for methylene blue (MB) than commercial pure TiO2 nanoparticles P-25. Experimental results indicate that the photocatalytic activity of titania/silica mixed materials depends on the adsorption ability of composite and the photocatalytic activity of the titania, and there is an optimal ratio of Ti:Si, too high or low Ti:Si ratio will lower the photodegradation ability of the composites.

In this study, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to show that cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles have a face-centered cubic structure. CeO2 thin films on micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) gas sensors, which are used to test their sensitivity to hydrogen (H2), were prepared by dip coating. The test power of 116 mW (~300 °C) is the power consumption of different gas concentrations. Different gases such as NH3, CO, and NO2 were also tested and compared. The results showed that CeO2 has a higher response at 50 ppm than at other concentrations. The structure of the CeO2 material and its reaction mechanism with H2 were examined and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phagocytosis suppression induced by nanoparticles (NPs) exposure is increasingly reported in marine species. However, the mechanisms underlying this impact remain poorly understood. In order to improve our present understanding of the immunotoxicity of NPs, acute (96 h) TiO 2 NP exposure and rescue trials via exogenous supply of Ca2+ were performed in the blood clam, Tegillarca granosa. The results show that the phagocytosis rate, cell viability, and intracellular Ca2+ concentration of haemocytes were significantly suppressed, whereas the intracellular ROS concentration of haemocytes significantly increased upon nTiO 2 exposure. Exposure to nTiO 2 also led to the significant downregulation of Caspase-3, Caspase-6, apoptosis regulator Bcl-2, Bcl-2-associated X, calmodulin kinase II, and calmodulin kinase kinase II. Furthermore, the toxic impacts of nTiO 2 were partially mitigated by the addition of exogenous Ca2+, as indicated by the recovery tendency in almost all the measured parameters. The present study indicates that Ca2+ signaling could be one of the key pathways through which nTiO 2 attacks phagocytosis. Image 1051475 • nTiO 2 suppressed phagocytosis, cell viability, and Ca2+ content of haemocytes. • The ROS concentration in haemocytes was induced by nTiO 2 exposure. • nTiO 2 downregulated the expression of apoptosis and Ca2+ signaling related genes. • The toxic impacts of nTiO 2 were partially mitigated by adding exogenous Ca2+ The toxic effects of nTiO 2 on phagocytosis, cell viability, and apoptosis of Tegillarca granosa and the rescue effects of exogenous Ca2+ were demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lanthanide based luminescent materials have attracted extensive attention in a wide range of fields including chemistry, biology and logic due to the narrow emission band, long decay time of the excited state, low auto‐fluorescence background and excellent photostability. More interestingly, stimuli‐responsive lanthanide‐based luminescent materials have exhibited enormous application prospects in optical encoding and bio‐applications. In this review, we summarize these aspects of the development of stimuli‐responsive smart lanthanide luminescent materials by sorting the stimuli into several categories, including photo‐, pH‐, thermo‐ and molecule‐responsive. These unique stimuli‐responsive properties endow these materials with great potential in enriching code library and expanding data storage. Additionally, these properties have also been studied widely for bio‐applications, including drug release, imaging biosensing, cell adhesion, and cancer therapy. Based on these two aspects, we highlight the recent progress of lanthanide‐based smart luminescent materials. Stimuli‐responsive lanthanide‐based luminescent materials have been widely studied for optical encoding and biology due to the intrinsic properties of lanthanide ions and luminescence responsiveness to multiple external stimuli including light, temperature, pH, electric fields, magnetic fields, and molecules. This Focus Review summarizes the progress of lanthanide‐based smart luminescent materials in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Electrocatalysis of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a promising route for sustainable hydrogen production based on water splitting. Designing MoP nanoparticles as catalysts is a feasible strategy to enhance the electrocatalytic performance for HER. In response, we report the fabrication of ultrafine MoP nanoparticles (NPs) which are uniformly embedded on glucose‐derived phosphorus and nitrogen co‐doped carbon nanosheets (MoP/NPG) as an effective electrocatalyst for HER via a novel and simple solid‐state reaction. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the resulting product exhibits an average size of 3.15 nm. Due to the presence of exposed active sites in ultrafine MoP NPs and the laminar structure of carbon nanosheets, the MoP/NPS shows remarkable high catalytic activity having a low overpotential of 90 and 115 mV to achieve the current density of 10 mA cm−2 in both, acidic and alkaline media, which demonstrates the promising potential for an application in sustainable energy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Transition‐metal sulfides (TMSs) have emerged as important candidates for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts. Now a hybrid nanostructure has been decorated with CeOx nanoparticles on the surface of ZIF‐67‐derived hollow CoS through in situ generation. Proper control of the amount of CeOx on the surface of CoS can achieve precise tuning of Co2+/Co3+ ratio, especially for the induced defects, further boosting the OER activity. Meanwhile, the formation of protective CeOx thin layer effectively inhibits the corrosion by losing cobalt ion species from the active surface into the solution. It is thus a rare example of a hybrid hetero‐structural electrocatalyst with CeOx NPs to improve the performance of the hollow TMS nanocage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate of the effects of Mn nanoparticle addition on the wettability, microstructure and microhardness of SAC0307-xMn(np) (SAC: Sn–Ag–Cu; x = 0, 0.02, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.3 Wt.%) composite solders.Design/methodology/approach The SAC0307-xMn(np) composite solders were prepared by mechanically mixing different weight percentages of Mn nanopowders into the SAC0307 solder paste with rosin flux. In this study, the wettability of the solders was studied using contact angle and spread ratio methods. Afterward, the microstructure of the solders was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. Moreover, the microhardness of the solders was studied.Findings The wetting process of SAC0307-xMn(np) composite solders was found to experience four stages. Adding a small amount of Mn nanoparticles (x = 0.05 Wt.%) could improve the wettability compared to Mn-free solder. Beyond this level, the wettability deteriorated. The addition of Mn nanoparticles significantly refined the size and spacing of Ag3Sn grains in the solder matrix. When 0.1 Wt.% Mn nanoparticles was added, both the average size of the Ag3Sn grains and the spacing between the Ag3Sn grains decreased significantly and approached minimum values. Beyond this amount, the size and spacing between Ag3Sn grains increased slightly but remained smaller than those in the Mn-free solder matrix. The refined Ag3Sn grains increased the microhardness of the Mn-containing composite solders by 6-25 per cent, in good agreement with the prediction of the classic theory of dispersion strengthening.Originality/value The paper demonstrates that Mn nanoparticle addition could improve the SAC0307-xMn(np) solder wettability and reduce the grain size and spacing between Ag3Sn grains. The enhancement of the solder microhardness shows good correlation with the microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, VP2, a novel small molecule fusion peptide, was labelled with 211At through a one-step method (coupled with bifunctional intermediate SPC first and then labelled) with a radiochemical yield of about 45%. The radiochemical purity was still > 95% after 24 h at room temperature. Specificity studies in vitro indicated that 211At-SPC-VP2 has a high affinity for several tumour cells. Additionally, biodistribution in KM mice showed that 211At-SPC-VP2 has sufficient stability in vivo. This research suggested that 211At-SPC-VP2 produced by the convenient method has the potential to be a novel targeted drug for cancer radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin film composite membranes (TFC) consisting of an ultra-thin polyamide layer made from interfacial polymerization remain to be of paramount importance for seawater desalination. Incorporation of nanoparticles into the polyamide layer has produced thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes with better performance than traditional TFC membranes. However, challenges of defect formation with the introduction of nanoparticles need careful adjustments in order to surpass the trade-off relationship between permeability and selectivity. Here, we explored the influential effects of nanoparticles, solvent and surfactant treatments on the desalination performance of TFN membranes under 55 bar using 35,000 ppm NaCl as the feed at 25 °C. TFN membranes with various loadings of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) and TiO 2 -SiO 2 core-shell nanoparticles were fabricated. Surfactant treatment was performed in two different ways: membrane soaking and in-tank addition. Unexpectedly, the latter endows the membrane with an improved rejection without sacrificing its flux possibly due to the formation of a surfactant monolayer to heal defects in TFN membranes. The newly developed TFN-T membrane with the aid of synergic effects from nanoparticles, ethanol and surfactant post-treatments shows comparable performance to most commercial membranes. This work may provide useful insights to overcome the trade-off relationship between permeability and selectivity of TFN membranes for seawater desalination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous catalysis is one of the most important chemical processes of various industries performed on catalyst nanoparticles with different sizes or/and shapes. In the past two decades, the catalytic performances of different catalytic reactions on nanoparticles of metals and oxides with well controlled sizes or shapes have been extensively studied thanks to the spectacular advances in syntheses of nanomaterials of metals and oxides. This review discussed the size and shape effects of catalyst particles on catalytic activity and selectivity of reactions performed at solid–gas or solid–liquid interfaces with a purpose of establishing correlations of size- and shape-dependent chemical and structural factors of surface of a catalyst with the corresponding catalytic performances toward understanding of catalysis at a molecular level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) hybrid composites, combining the advantages of both MOFs and nanoparticles, may exhibit unprecedented properties. Herein, carbon nanodots (Cdots) functional UMCM-1 composites (Cdots@UMCM-1a) were successfully synthesized by a stepwise synthetic approach for the first time. The hybrids retain the intact structure of MOFs with high luminescence and longer stability. Due to the interactions between polar functional groups at the surface of the Cdots and H2 molecules, Cdots@UMCM-1a efficiently enhanced H2 storage capacity. Most importantly, Cdots@UMCM-1a exhibited highly fluorescent sensing for nitroaromatic explosives owing to the double effect of porous MOFs and fluorescent Cdots. This work will pave new avenues for the fabrication of novel and multifunctional MOFs composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel metal-organic framework (MOF) was fabricated by spontaneous K+-induced supramolecular self-assembly with the embedded tripodal ligand units. When the 3D ligand was loaded onto Fe3O4@mSiO2 core-shell nanoparticles, it could effectively separate K+ ions from a mixture of Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+ ions through nanoparticle-assisted MOF crystallization into a Fe3O4@mSiO2@MOF hybrid material. Excess potassium ions could be extracted because of the specific cation-π interaction between K+ and the aromatic cavity of the MOF, leading to enhanced separation efficiency and suggesting a new application for MOFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan (CS) was first modified hydrophobically with deoxycholic acid (DCA) and then with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to obtain a novel amphiphilic polymer (CS-DCA-PEG). This was covalently bound to folic acid (FA) to develop nanoparticles (CS-DCA-PEG-FA) with tumor cell targeting property. The structure of the conjugates was characterised using Fourier transform infrared and H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Based on self-aggregation, the conjugates formed nanoparticles with a low critical aggregation concentration of 0.035 mg/ml. The anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was encapsulated into the nanoparticles with a drug-loading capacity of 30.2 wt%. The mean diameter of the DOX-loaded nanoparticles was about 200 nm, with a narrow size distribution. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that the DOX-loaded nanoparticles were spherical. The drug release was studied under different conditions. Furthermore, the cytotoxic activities of DOX in CS-DCA-PEG-FA nanoparticles against folate receptor (FR)-positive HeLa cells and FR-negative fibroblast 3T3 cells were evaluated. These results suggested that the CS-DCA-PEG-FA nanoparticles may be a promising vehicle for the targeting anticancer drug to tumor cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein we would like to introduce a general method for improving the dynamic range for electrochemical sensing devices based on 3D porous electrodes by morphological optimization. As a showcase, a series of Au nanoparticles integrated three-dimensional silicon-based porous frameworks working electrodes (3D-pSi@AuNP) with the array height ranging between 20 µm and 120 µm are prepared by a combination of metal-assisted chemical etching and surface defects induced isotropic etching in HF/H 2 O 2 mixture and Galvanic displacement, and their electrochemical sensing performance for H 2 O 2 are investigated by voltametric and amperometric methods in detail. The experimental results show that, as the array height of 3D-pSi was increased from 20 µm to 120 µm, the electrochemical active surface area (EASA) was raised by nearly 6 folds, and the upper limit of linear range of detection of H 2 O 2 can be boosted from 4.39 mM to 32.30 mM. With the optimization of Au deposition, it could be further increased to 56.57 mM. We expect this approach to be one of the general methodologies for the improvement of electrochemical sensing devices, especially for those scenarios where the fast detection of high concentration of H 2 O 2 is critical, such as fuel cell and other catalytic oxygen reduction reaction systems. [Display omitted] • A general method for improving the electrochemical sensors by morphological optimization of 3D porous electrodes is proposed. • The upper limit of linear range of detection can be boosted by 7.36-fold upon increasing the array height of 3D-pSi. • This approach can be extended to other 3D electrodes, especially for those scenarios where a large dynamic range is favored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ordered, extra-large mesopores with highly loaded gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) exhibits unique sintering- and coking-resistant properties in gas-phase, cyclohexanol selective aerobic oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title bimetallic nanoparticles are prepared by loading Au and Pd, or Ni and Pd nanoparticles into mesoporous silica with extra large pores followed by thermal annealing at 550 °C under H2/Ar atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A Pd/Fe 2 O 3 catalyst was investigated for hydrodeoxygenation of anisole. • The catalyst shows a remarkable turnover rate per Pd atoms and good stability. • Singly atomically dispersed PdFe bimetallic sites are formed during reaction. • In-situ XAS results suggests each Pd atom coordinated with 2.7 Fe atoms in average. Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is a promising route to convert biomass molecules into biofuels, which is usually promoted by supported noble metal catalysts. It is still one of the key issues to reduce the usage of noble metal for improving the atomic efficiency of the catalyst. As a type of emerging catalytic materials, single-atomically dispersed bimetallic catalyst (SDBM) is a promising candidate for this purpose. Herein, we investigated a single-atomically dispersed Pd/Fe 2 O 3 catalyst with the exceptional HDO activity. At 573 K, anisole conversion is 99% while the selectivity to HDO products is 84%. The turnover rate per Pd atom is 182.2 h−1, which is remarkably greater than that of supported Pd nanoparticles. Additionally, it exhibits good stability for more than 110 h of continuously operation. The authentic catalytic sites during reaction was studied by comprehensive techniques. The presence of the Pd atoms on Fe 2 O 3 changes the surface chemistries of the catalyst surface, then boosts the HDO activity consequently. As unveiled by in-situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy, the Pd atoms are coordinated with 2.76 nearby Fe atoms in average via metallic Pd-Fe bonds. Under HDO reaction conditions, single atomically dispersed Pd 1 Fe 3 bimetallic sites are generated in-situ and act as the authentic catalytic sites. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cerium oxide assists the preparation of high-quality perovskite film. • Cerium oxide layer facilitates interface charge transfer and absorb UV light. • The modified devices have the enhanced performance, especially UV light stability. Ultraviolet (UV) illumination can induce the generation of defects at the interface of perovskite and commonly used electron transport materials (ETMs, such as TiO 2 and SnO 2) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). This further increase the interfacial charge recombination and accelerate the decomposition of perovskite film, resulting in the attenuation of device efficiency and stability. Here, a cerium oxide (CeO x) nanoparticle with an average size of 18.66 nm is proposed as a novel mesoporous material to modify the interface of ETM and perovskite. The CeO x mesoporous layer with higher electron mobility and more suitable band energy level facilitates charge transfer from perovskite layer. As expected, the mesoporous CeO x based PSCs exhibits an improved power conversion efficiency up to 23.15% (22.57% for control device). More importantly, the mesoporous CeO x layer (about 70 nm) can realize the effective absorption of UV light, to efficiently improve the UV light stability of PSCs and the overall stability of the devices. The unencapsulated devices with mesoporous CeO x maintained almost 90% of initial efficiency after 850 h under UV illumination. This work provides a new approach to fabricate the efficient and UV stable PSCs by introducing the mesoporous CeO x layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel four-leaf clover-shape BiOBr microstructure has been successfully synthesized by EDTA-modified hydrothermal approach for the first time, and characterized by XRD, SEM, and UV–vis. A series of controlling experiments indicate that the shape and size of as-synthesized BiOBr architectures can be tuned effectively by controlling the reaction conditions, such as reaction time, bromine source, synthesis method and organic additives. Based on experiment results, a possible formation mechanism for the novel four-leaf clover-shape BiOBr has been presented in detail. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) have a markedly impact on the morphology of the BiOBr, and the synergistic effect of EDTA and CTAB is responsible for the synthesis of four-leaf clover-shape BiOBr microstructures. In addition, we investigated the photocatalytic activity of the as-synthesized BiOBr on the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in aqueous solution under visible-light irradiation (λ>400nm). The results showed that the as-synthesized BiOBr sample exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]