A paper-based resonance energy transfer nucleic acid hybridization assay using upconversion nanoparticles as donors and quantum dots as acceptors

Monodisperse aqueous upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) were covalently immobilized on aldehyde modified cellulose paper via reduction amination to develop a luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET)-based nucleic acid hybridization assay. This first account of covalent immobilization of UCNPs on paper for a bioassay reports an optically responsive method that is sensitive, reproducible and robust. The immobilized UCNPs were decorated with oligonucleotide probes to capture HPRT1 housekeeping gene fragments, which in turn brought reporter conjugated quantum dots (QDs) in close proximity to the UCNPs for LRET. This sandwich assay could detect unlabeled oligonucleotide target, and had a limit of detection of 13 fmol and a dynamic range spanning nearly 3 orders of magnitude. The use of QDs, which are excellent LRET acceptors, demonstrated improved sensitivity, limit of detection, dynamic range and selectivity compared to similar assays that have used molecular fluorophores as acceptors. The selectivity of the assay was attributed to the decoration of the QDs with polyethylene glycol to eliminate non-specific adsorption. The kinetics of hybridization were determined to be diffusion limited and full signal development occurred within 3 min.     

红光激发下掺Ho3+氟化物薄膜的上转换发光

利用激光脉冲沉淀法制备了稀土Ho~(3 )掺杂的氟化物薄膜。观测到处于薄膜中的Ho~(3 )离子在632.8nm红光激发下的上转换发射。这些上转换发射包括:~5S_2→~5I_7,~5F_4→~5I_7和~5S_2→~5I_8。     

掺杂Er^3＋的TiO2的发射光谱研究

用无水乙醇、冰醋酸、钛酸丁酯凝胶法制备了掺杂Er^3＋的TiO2粉末，测量了其在488m激发下的Stokes发射光谱和980nm激发下的上转换发光光谱。在可见光范围内，观察到了绿光和红光，绿光从500-570nm，对应Er^3＋的^2H11/2,^4S3／2→^4I15/2，红光从650～690m，对应Er^3＋的^4F9／2→^4I15／2的跃迁。由ln Ivis-In Iin曲线可知，绿光和红光均为双光子过程，光强正比于泵浦功率的二次方，即Iout ∝Iin。初步研究了此材料的上转换过程。     

氟氧化物陶瓷的多谱线上转换发光

以氧化硅、氟化铅为基质制备了Er3 :Yb3 共掺杂氟氧化物陶瓷 ,X 射线分析表明陶瓷中存在着 β PbF2 晶相 ,沉积在其中的稀土离子由于具有很低的无辐射跃迁几率而显示出良好的上转换性能。Er3 ,Yb3 离子之间存在的多种能量传递通道 ,导致稀土离子十分丰富的上转换谱线的出现。     

DNA-mediated coordinative assembly of upconversion hetero-nanostructures for targeted dual-modality imaging of cancer cells

We reported a simple and universal strategy for DNA-mediated assembly of CdTe quantum dots (QDs) and lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). Such DNA-QD/UCNPs heterostructures not only maintains both fluorescent properties of QDs and upconversion luminescence behaviors of UCNPs, but also offers a polyvalent DNA surface, allowing for targeted dual-modality imaging of cancer cells using an aptamer     

ErCl3-CdCl2-HCl-H2O的相平衡(25 ℃)及其固相化合物*

测定了四元体系ErCl3-CdCl2-HCl-H2O(298.15K)的相平衡溶度数据, 绘制了相应的溶度图. 该四元体系是由4 个固相区CdCl2·H2O(原始盐)、9CdCl2·2ErCl3·29H2O、CdCl2·7ErCl3·42H2O、ErCl3·6H2O(原始盐)组成的复杂 体系. 对两个新物相化合物9CdCl2·2ErCl3·29H2O 和CdCl2·7ErCl3·42H2O 进行了XRD、TG-DTG 和荧光光谱研究.结果表明, 两个新物相化合物均具有荧光和上转换发光性能; 化合物9CdCl2·2ErCl3·29H2O通过3 步失去其结晶水, CdCl2·7ErCl3·42H2O 则1 步失去其结晶水.     

Biocompatible NaYF4:Yb,Er upconversion nanoparticles: Colloidal stability and optical properties

Currently, highly luminescent colloidal upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have expanded an increasing interest of researchers because of their facilitating lability in the biomedical/clinical field. In this study, NaYF₄:Yb,Er UCNPs are prepared by eco-friendly metal complexation-based thermal decomposition method at a lower temperature in aqueous media. The phase structure, crystallinity, phase purity, morphology, colloidal dispersibility, surface structure, surface charge, and optical and luminescent properties were evaluated carefully by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV/visible and photoluminescent spectroscopic techniques. XRD pattern shows a pure single-phase cubic structure with an average grain size of 30–35 nm. TEM and SEM micrographs exhibited irregularly shaped spherical morphologies, porous surface structures highly aggregated UCNPs with the narrow-size distribution. Positive zeta potential has shown value signifying high absorption in the visible region which indicates particle's good colloidal stability in aqueous media. Under NIR-laser light excitation, the UCNPs emit strong UC emission transitions in the visible region. A broad infrared absorption peak of hydroxyl groups (–OH) in FTIR spectrum and mass loss at a lower temperature in TGA verified the surface functionality of UCNPs, with high colloidal stability, and excellent biocompatibility in aqueous media. In terms of their surface characteristics and high luminescent properties, the NaYF₄:Yb,Er UCNPs could be interestingly applied in tagging of biomolecules, drug delivery, proteins labeling, and therapeutic and thermostats applications.     

基于上转换纳米粒子的低损伤神经界面技术

Optogenetics is a neuromodulation technology that combines light control technology with genetic technology, thus allowing the selective activation and inhibition of the electrical activity in specific types of neurons with millisecond time resolution. Over the past several years, optogenetics has become a powerful tool for understanding the organization and functions of neural circuits, and it holds great promise to treat neurological disorders. To date, the excitation wavelengths of commonly employed opsins in optogenetics are located in the visible spectrum. This poses a serious limitation for neural activity regulation because the intense absorption and scattering of visible light by tissues lead to the loss of excitation light energy and also cause tissue heating. To regulate the activity of neurons in deep brain regions, it is necessary to implant optical fibers or optoelectronic devices into target brain areas, which however can induce severe tissue damage. Non- or minimally-invasive remote control technologies that can manipulate neural activity have been highly desirable in neuroscience research. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) can emit light with a short wavelength and high frequency upon excitation by light with a long wavelength and low frequency. Therefore, UCNPs can convert low-frequency near-infrared (NIR) light into high-frequency visible light for the activation of light-sensitive proteins, thus indirectly realizing the NIR optogenetic system. Because NIR light has a large tissue penetration depth, UCNP-mediated optogenetics has attracted significant interest for deep-tissue neuromodulation. However, in UCNP-mediated in vivo optogenetic experiments, as the up-conversion efficiency of UCNPs is low, it is generally necessary to apply high-power NIR light to obtain up-converted fluorescence with energy high enough to activate a photosensitive protein. High-power NIR light can cause thermal damage to tissues, which seriously restricts the applications of UCNPs in optogenetic technology. Therefore, the exploration of strategies to increase the up-conversion efficiency, fluorescence intensity, and biocompatibility of UCNPs is of great significance to their wide applications in optogenetic systems. This review summarizes recent developments and challenges in UCNP-mediated optogenetics for deep-brain neuromodulation. We firstly discuss the correspondence between the parameters of UCNPs and employed opsins in optogenetic experiments, which mainly include excitation wavelengths, emission wavelengths, and luminescent lifetimes. Thereafter, we introduce the methods to enhance the conversion efficiency of UCNPs, including optimizing the structure of UCNPs and modifying the organic dyes in UCNPs. In addition, we also discuss the future opportunities in combining UCNP-mediated optogenetics with flexible microelectrode technology for the long-term detection and regulation of neural activity in the case of minimal injury.     

Solvothermal synthesis, cubic structure and multicolor upconversion emission of ultrasmall monodisperse lanthanide-doped BaYF5 nanocrystals

Lanthanide (Ln³⁺) doped BaYF₅ (Ln=Yb³⁺, Er³⁺, Tm³⁺) nanocrystals (NCs) with a mean size of approximately 10 nm are synthesized by a solvothermal method using oleic acid as a stabilizing agent at 210 °C. The size of BaYF₅ NCs can be controlled by simply tuning the reaction parameters such as reaction temperature, reaction time and the molar ratio of F⁻/Y³⁺. The detailed structure investigation reveals that the as-synthesized BaYF₅ NCs are in the cubic structure with space group Fm3¯m instead of the reported tetragonal structure. Ln³⁺ cations occupy crystal lattice positions with lower point symmetry, which may lead to high upconversion efficiency under the excitation of a 980 nm diode laser. By adjusting the dopant concentrations of Yb³⁺, Er³⁺ and Tm³⁺, intense near-infrared, blue, yellow and white upconversion emissions are readily realized, respectively. The desirable property of the ultrasmall monodisperse NCs makes it the promising material for the applications in miniaturized solid-state light sources, multicolor three-dimensional display devices and fluorescent labels for biomedicine imaging.     

Influence of precipitant solution pH on the structural, morphological and upconversion luminescent properties of Lu2O3:2%Yb, 0.2%Tm nanopowders

Lutetium oxide nanopowders codoped with Tm³⁺ and Yb³⁺ were synthesized by the reverse-strike co-precipitation method. Effects of precipitant solution pH on the structural, morphological and upconversion luminescent properties of Lu₂O₃:2%Yb, 0.2%Tm nanopowders had been investigated. The results show that pH value of the precipitant (NH₄HCO₃) solution has a significant effect on the particle size, morphology and upconversion emission intensity of the Lu₂O₃:2%Yb, 0.2%Tm nanopowders. All the samples obtained from different pH value of precipitant solution can be readily indexed to pure cubic phase of Lu₂O₃, indicating good crystallinity. The upconversion emission intensity of Lu₂O₃:2%Yb, 0.2%Tm nanopowders obtained from the precipitant solution with pH=11 is the strongest. The enhancement of the upconversion luminescence is suggested to be the consequence of reducing the number of OH⁻ groups and the enlarged nanopowder size. The strong blue, weak red and near infrared emissions from the prepared nanopowders were observed under 980 nm laser excitation, and attributed to the ¹G₄→³H₆, ¹G₄→³F₄ and ³H₄→³H₆ transitions of Tm³⁺ ion, respectively.