Combinational Chemotherapy and Photothermal Therapy Using a Gold Nanorod Platform for Cancer Treatment

Multimodal approaches combined with various nanomaterials and advanced techniques have been developed for synergistic cancer treatment. Among various therapies, conventional chemotherapy (CHT) is a direct cancer treatment that can produce unintended side effects due to nonspecific action on both the tumor and normal cells; patient-friendly photothermal therapy (PTT) may be able to treat embedded tumors in vital regions with minimal invasion but does not guarantee complete removal of cancers. However, the combination of CHT-PTT may provide a promising tool for direct cancer treatment with minimal side effects. In this regard, nanostructured materials, such as gold nanorods with tuned size and surface characteristics, are key components designed to enhance the heating capacity and active or passive delivery of drugs to the tumor site. In this review, the pioneering work synergizing CHT and PTT is summarized, and the current state-of-the-art in the development of inorganic and organic nanocomposites for combinational therapy is described.     

Eco-friendly synthesis of ZnO nanorods using Cycas pschannae plant extract with excellent photocatalytic,antioxidant, and anticancer nanomedicine for lung cancer treatment

The tunable ZnO nanorods (NRs) are produced due to the phytochemicals present in Cycas pschannae leaves which act as reducing and stabilizing agents. The confirmations of the ZnO NRs were validated using different characterization techniques: X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy–Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX), UV–visible spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The ZnO NRs show unique surface area and low particle size. Photocatalytic activity was measured and found to be 50.75% at low concentrations and 78.33% at high concentrations. The antioxidant activity of the ZnO NRs also showed promising results for their use in free radical scavenging. In vitro toxicity studies using zebrafish embryos was performed to evaluate the toxic nature of it and the obtained result confirmed its non-toxic nature. In addition, ZnO anticancer potential was verified using the A549 lung cancer cell line. Cytotoxic assessments of ZnO NRs were performed via 2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT), 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT), and neutral red uptake assays to examine the cell death cycle on the A549 lung cancer cell. Dose-dependent apoptosis and necrosis were confirmed by Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. It was also confirmed that ZnO NRs induce Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis inside cancer (A549) cells via different intrinsic gene expression. Thus, based on this research it is evident that an effective ecofriendly, nontoxic potential anticancer drug can be synthesized using C. pschannae leaf extract.     

Gold Nanorod–Photosensitizer Complex Obtained by Layer‐by‐Layer Method for Photodynamic/Photothermal Therapy In Vitro

Gold nanorod (GNR)–photosensitizer (PS) complex was prepared using anionic PS (sodium salt of purpurin‐18) and cationic poly(allylamine hydrochloride) by layer‐by‐layer method, and was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, UV‐vis spectroscopy, and zeta potential. The GNR–PS complex is a promising agent for synergistic (photothermal and photodynamic) therapy (PTT/PDT), in which PTT generates heat as well as operates the PS release which maximize the following PDT activity. The combined dual therapy, PTT followed by PDT, exhibits a significantly higher photocytotoxicity result based on synergistic effect of hyperthermia from PTT as well as singlet oxygen photogeneration from PDT.     

Surface oxidized iron-nickel nanorods anchoring on graphene architectures for oxygen evolution reaction

Surface oxidized iron-nickel nanorods coupling with reduced graphene architectures (FeNi-O-rGA) are successfully constructed via hydrothermal, freeze-drying, and thermal activation approaches. The hierarchical structure can provide lots of pathways for fast ion diffusion and charge transfer, and expose abundant catalytic sites. Meanwhile, the activity of FeNi-O-rGA is boosted by the optimized metal-oxygen bond strength in FeNi₃ alloys. Partial oxidized FeNi nanorods are strongly coupled with rGA by the formation of metal-O-C bonds, which can impede the aggregation of FeNi₃ alloys and increase the utilization of active sites. The special structure and partially oxidized FeNi nanorods for FeNi-O-rGA can result in excellent OER activity and catalytic stability. Only 215 mV of overpotential is required to drive the current density of 10 mA/cm² as well as the Tafel slope of 50.9 mV/dec in 1 mol/L KOH. The change of surface chemistry of FeNi-O-rGA is confirmed by XPS after the OER test, which indicates the highly catalytic stability of FeNi-O-rGA due to the formation of intermediate metal oxyhydroxide.     

基于铱纳米棒的电致化学发光生物传感器用于多巴胺检测

铱(Ⅲ)配合物差的水溶性限制了其在电致化学发光(ECL)领域的应用。该文用聚(苯乙烯-马来酸酐)(PSMA)羧基功能化三(2.苯基吡啶)铱(Ⅲ)(Ir(ppy)3)合成水溶性铱纳米棒(Ir NDs)。在共反应试剂三丙胺(TPrA)存在下,Ir NDs 表现出优良的ECL性能。借助多巴胺(DA)对Ir NDs-TPrA体系ECL的高效猝灭作用,实现了对DA的高灵敏检测,线性范围为2.0×10-8~4.0×10-4 mol/L,检出限为6.3×10-9 mol/L。羧基功能化的Ir NDs为铱(Ⅲ)配合物在ECL领域的应用提供了理想平台,也为DA的检测提供了新方法。     

Enhanced ethanol sensing properties of WO3 modified TiO2 nanorods

Pristine and WO₃ decorated TiO₂ nanorods (NRs) were synthesised to investigate n-n-type heterojunction gas sensing properties. TiO₂ NRs were fabricated via hydrothermal method on fluorine-doped tin oxide coated glass (FTO) substrates. Then, tungsten was sputtered on the TiO₂ NRs and thermally oxidised to obtain WO₃ nanoparticles. The heterostructure was characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. Fabricated sensor devices were exposed to VOCs such as toluene, xylene, acetone and ethanol, and humidity at different operation temperatures. Experimental results demonstrated that the heterostructure has better sensor response toward ethanol at 200 °C. Enhanced sensing properties are attributed to the heterojunction formation by decorating TiO₂ NRs with WO₃.     

作为表面增强拉曼光谱基底的高度均匀Au纳米棒的构筑及对福美双的检测

采用种子生长法制备Au纳米棒(GNRs),随后进行组装和煅烧得到单层致密堆积的GNRs薄膜。在煅烧过程中,组装所需有机物在煅烧过程中分解,从而使得GNRs表面具有较高的清洁度。研究中发现,煅烧前后金纳米棒表面的间隙进一步提高,增强了其SERS(表面增强拉曼光谱)活性。为了研究其SERS活性,选择了2种探针分子以研究其灵敏度和均匀性,发现其具有较高的灵敏度和高的信号稳定性。随后将所制备的SERS基底成功用于检测超低浓度的农药分子。     

纳米金刚石掺混纳米氧化锌的场发射特性

利用水热法制备了菊花状的氧化锌纳米棒,并进行表征,将纳米氧化锌掺入纳米金刚石中配制成电泳液,超声分散后电泳沉积到钛衬底上,再经热处理后进行场发射特性的测试.结果表明:未掺混的金刚石阴极样品的开启电场为7.3V/μm,在20V/μm的电场下,场发射电流密度为81μA/cm2;掺混后阴极样品的场发射开启电场降低到4.7~6.0V/μm,在20V/μm电场下,场发射电流密度提高到140~158μA/cm2.原因是纳米ZnO掺入后,增强了涂层的电子输运能力、增加了有效发射体数目,提高了场增强因子β,而金刚石保证了热处理后涂层与衬底的良好键合,形成了欧姆接触,降低了场发射电流的热效应.场发射电流的稳定性随掺混ZnO量的增加而下降,要兼顾场发射电流密度及其稳定性,适量掺入ZnO可有效提高纳米金刚石的场发射性能.     

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Nickel Phosphate Nanorods for High‐Performance Flexible Asymmetric All‐Solid‐State Supercapacitors

Ni₂₀[(OH)₁₂(H₂O)₆][(HPO₄)₈(PO₄)₄]·12H₂O nanorods are successfully synthesized via a one‐pot hydrothermal reaction. A high‐performance flexible asymmetric all‐solid‐state supercapacitor based on the obtained Ni₂₀[(OH)₁₂(H₂O)₆][(HPO₄)₈(PO₄)₄]·12H₂O nanorods (positive electrode) and graphene nanosheets (negative electrode) is successfully assembled. It is the first report of this nanomaterial applied for all‐solid‐state supercapacitors. Interestingly, a maximum volumetric energy density of 0.446 mW h cm^?3 at a current density of 0.5 mA cm^?2 and a maximum power density of 44.1 mW cm^?3 at a current density of 6.0 mA cm^?2 are achieved by the as‐assembled device. What's more, the device also shows excellent mechanical flexibility and little capacitance change after over 5000 charge/discharge cycles at a current density of 0.5 mA cm^?2.