Latest ArticlesIn this study, a simple and effective ratiometric fluorescence method has been developed for carbaryl detection, utilizing red emissive carbon dots (R-CDs). The underlying principle of this proposed strategy relies on the rapid hydrolysis of carbaryl under an alkaline condition and production of 1-naphthol with blue-emission at 462 nm. Furthermore, the as-synthesized R-CDs (Em. 677 nm), serve as a reference, enhancing the visual tracking of carbaryl through the transformation of fluorescent color from red to blue. The concentration of carbaryl exhibits a commendable linear correlation with the ratio of fluorescence intensity, ranging from 0 to 20 µg/mL (R2 = 0.9989) with a low detection limit of 0.52 ng/mL. Additionally, the described methodology can be used for the enzyme-free visual assay of carbaryl, even in the presence of other carbamate pesticides and metal ions, in tap water and lake water samples with excellent accuracy (spiked recoveries, 94%–106.1%), high precision (relative standard deviation (RSD) ≤ 2.42), and remarkable selectivity. This fast and highly sensitive naked-eye ratiometric sensor holds immense promise for carbaryl detection in intricate environments and food safety fields.
Various chemical irrigants and drugs have been employed for intra-canal disinfection in root canal therapy (RCT). However, due to the complexity of root canal anatomy, many drugs still exhibit poor penetrability and antibiotic resistance, leading to suboptimal treatment outcomes. Thus, it is challenging to remove the organic biofilms from root canals. In recent years, light-responsive therapy, with deeper tissue penetration than traditional treatments, has emerged as an effective RCT modality. Herein, this review summarizes the recent development of light-responsive nanomaterials for biofilm removal in RCT. The light-responsive nanomaterials and the corresponding therapeutic methods in RCT, including photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), and laser-activated therapy, are highlighted. Finally, the challenges that light-responsive nanomaterials and treatment modalities will encounter to conquer the biofilm in future RCT are discussed. This review is believed to significantly accelerate the future development of light-responsive nanomaterials for RCT from bench to bedside.
Lithium metal is one of the most promising anodes for lithium batteries because of their high theoretical specific capacity and the low electrochemical potential. However, the commercialization of lithium metal anodes (LMAs) is facing significant obstacles, such as uncontrolled lithium dendrite growth and unstable solid electrolyte interface, leading to inferior Coulombic efficiency, unsatisfactory cycling stability and even serious safety issues. Introducing low-cost natural clay-based materials (NCBMs) in LMAs is deemed as one of the most effective methods to solve aforementioned issues. These NCBMs have received considerable attention for stabilizing LMAs due to their unique structure, large specific surface areas, abundant surface groups, high mechanical strength, excellent thermal stability, and environmental friendliness. Considering the rapidly growing research enthusiasm for this topic in the last several years, here, we review the recent progress on the application of NCBMs in stable and dendrite-free LMAs. The different structures and modification methods of natural clays are first summarized. In addition, the relationship between their modification methods and nano/microstructures, as well as their impact on the electrochemical properties of LMAs are systematically discussed. Finally, the current challenges and opportunities for application of NCBMs in stable LMAs are also proposed to facilitate their further development.
Revealing the factors that affect the vibrational frequency of Stark probe at interface is a pre-requirement for evaluating the absolute interfacial electric field. Here using surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy, attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD), we reveal the assembled CN at gold nanofilm exhibits a reduced Stark tuning rate (STR) referring to the vibrational frequency shift in response to electric field comparing with the bulk which was regulated by the electron transfer between S and Au. These findings lead to a deeper understanding of the vibrational Stark effect at the interface and provide guidance for improving the interface electric field theory.
It is of great significance to find safe and effective radiosensitizers. A primary investigation has been made on fisetin’s modification of radiation effect, but its radiosensitization and related mechanisms still need to be deeply clarified. Furthermore, fisetin with high hydrophobicity is difficult to dissolve in water, severely limiting its research and application. In this study, we fabricated a safe and soluble radiosensitizer fisetin micelle for precisely enhancing radiotherapy by inhibiting platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β (PDGFRβ)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)/B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) signaling pathway in the tumor. Systematic and detailed studies were performed to verify its radiosensitization effect in vitro and in vivo. On the cellular level, fisetin micelles selectively increased the radiosensitivity of tumor cells (CT26 and 4T1 cells) and had little effect on the sensitivity of normal mouse cells (L929 cells) to radiation. In the mouse models of colon and breast cancers, fisetin micelles showed an efficient radiosensitization capacity without apparent toxicity. Additionally, we first found that fisetin micelles played a radiotherapy sensitization role by inhibiting the PDGFRβ/STAT1/STAT3/Bcl-2 pathway activity. In general, this work not only confirmed that fisetin micelles precisely exhibit a radiosensitization effect in vitro and in vivo, but also profoundly explored its mechanisms underlying, to provide a theoretical and experimental basis for the clinical application of fisetin micelles.
Prostate cancer (PCa) is characterized by high incidence and propensity for easy metastasis, presenting significant challenges in clinical diagnosis and treatment. Tumor microenvironment (TME)-responsive nanomaterials provide a promising prospect for imaging-guided precision therapy. Considering that tumor-derived alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is over-expressed in metastatic PCa, it makes a great chance to develop a theranostics system with ALP responsive in the TME. Herein, an ALP-responsive aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) nanoprobe AMNF self-assembly was designed for enhancing the diagnosis and treatment of metastatic PCa. The nanoprobe exhibited self-aggregation in the presence of ALP resulted in aggregation-induced fluorescence, and enhanced accumulation and prolonged retention period at the tumor site. In terms of detection, the fluorescence (FL)/computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance (MR) multi-mode imaging effect of nanoprobe was significantly improved post-aggregation, enabling precise diagnosis through the amalgamation of multiple imaging modes. Enhanced CT/MR imaging can achieve assist preoperative tumor diagnosis, and enhanced FL imaging technology can achieve "intraoperative visual navigation", showing its potential application value in clinical tumor detection and surgical guidance. In terms of treatment, AMNF showed strong absorption in the near infrared region after aggregation, which improved the photothermal treatment effect. Overall, our work developed an effective aggregation-enhanced theranostic strategy for ALP-related cancers.
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) attract broad interests in mercury (Hg) ion adsorption field, while unreasonable distribution of active groups commonly restricts their utilization efficiency. In this work, we constructed a new MOF (TYUST-6) with dense thiol-rich traps in the 1D pore wall. This accessible channel and rational distribution of thiols allow the smooth diffusion of Hg ions and thereby result in a high Langmuir adsorption capacity of 1347.6 mg/g, almost reaching the theoretical maximum (1444.3 mg/g). Adsorption equilibrium needs 10 and 30 min at the initial concentrations of 10 and 100 mg/L, respectively. Common co-existing ions and solution pH show almost negligible interferences on the adsorption, and adsorbent regeneration can be well achieved. Combining experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations, the thiol groups in the pore wall are proved to be the dominant interaction sites. Thus, this work reports a novel high-capacity adsorbent for Hg2+, and proposes a feasible guideline for designing effective adsorbents.
Synergy strategy of photocatalysts and polymer resins are promising technology for marine antifouling. However, it is still a main challenge to obtain a green, safe, and efficient antifouling coatings. Herein, carbon (graphene or CNT) modified TiO2 photocatalyst was synthesized via hydrothermal and annealing process and has successfully applied in acrylate fluoroboron polymer (ABFP) composite coating. Morphology and chemical composition were detailed characterized. The graphene or CNT acted as a bridge with supplemental spatial structures (petal gaps, entanglement) and new functional groups (CO, CTiO, etc.) on TiO2 particle. Carbon nanotube (CNT) modified TiO2-ABFP coatings (BTCP) achieved excellent antibacterial and anti-diatom adhesion rate of 89.3%–96.70% and 99.00%–99.50%, which was 1.84–4.94-fold more than that of the single ABFP. CNT or graphene served as electronic bridges was considered as the crucial mechanism, which significantly improved the light absorption range and capacity, conductivity, and photoelectric response of TiO2, and further accelerated the generation and transfer of free radicals to the surface of BTCP or FTGP. Moreover, the improvement of catalyst activity synergizes with the smooth surface, hydrophilicity, and slow hydrolysis of composite coatings, achieved long-term and efficient antifouling performance. This work provides a new insight into the modification of TiO2 and antifouling mechanism of polymer coating.
Chiral coordination molecular cages/capsules with discrete nanoconfined chiral cavities demonstrate significant potential applications across various fields. In this study, we utilized Tröger's base as the building block to design and synthesize two pairs of enantiopure ligands. These ligands were then self-assembled with Pd(Ⅱ) ions through chiral self-sorting coordination, resulting in the formation of two pairs of homochiral M2L4-type coordination molecular capsules. Notably, due to differences in the substitution positions on the Tröger's base, these two pairs of enantiomeric coordination molecular capsules exhibited distinct levels of cavity closures, cavity sizes, and host-guest recognition properties. This research offers valuable insights into the construction of novel chiral molecular capsules and the regulation of confined cavities.
The three-way catalyst (TWC), as a promising approach to control automobile exhaust emission, has been widely studied and applied. However, it still suffers from the high light-off temperature and poor stability. Herein, we synthesized a multicomponent catalyst Rh/Cu-CeSn by using Cu metal doping to modify the Ce-based solid solution, which exhibited good TWC catalytic performance: the light-off temperatures for CO, NO, and C3H6 conversion are 172 ℃, 266 ℃, and 193 ℃, respectively. Moreover, the catalyst still maintained good activity after 12 h of the continuous reaction under high-temperature conditions. The experiments and mechanism studies reveal that due to the redox pair Cu+/Cu2+, the Cu incorporation can effectively inhibit the Rh transition to the oxidation state and greatly enhance the catalytic activity and stability. This work provides a viable strategy for precise characteristic modulation of composite oxide supports during the fabrication of noble metal-based catalysts, which significantly reduces environmental pollution from energy applications.
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