Green Synthetic Approach for Synthesis of Fluorescent Carbon Dots for Lisinopril Drug Delivery System and their Confirmations in the Cells

In this work, highly luminescent carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized by the hydrothermal method at 170 °C for 12 h using pasteurized milk as a carbon source. The prepared CDs exhibited bright blue fluorescence under UV light illumination at 365 nm. The CDs show fluorescence life time of ~4.89 ns at excitation wavelength of 370 nm. The effect of different solvents on the fluorescence property of CDs was also investigated. The lisinopril (Lis)-loaded CDs were fabricated by self-assembly of lisinopril on the surfaces of CDs, which were characterized by UV-visible and FT-IR spectroscopic techniques. The controlled release of lisinopril from the Lis-CDs was realized at pH values of 5.2, 6.2 and 7.4, respectively. The results of the cytotoxicity and confocal laser scanning microscopic images indicate that the Lis-CDs were successfully uptaken by HeLa cells without apparent cytotoxicity. The synthesized CDs show great potential as drug vehicles with good biocompatibility, sustained release of lisinopril from CDs, indicating that the CDs can act as a promising drug delivery system for therapeutic delivery and/or bioimaging applications.     

Imaging of Bacterial and Fungal Cells Using Fluorescent Carbon Dots Prepared from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carica papaya</Emphasis> Juice

In this paper, we have described a simple hydrothermal method for preparation of fluorescent carbon dots (C-dots) using Carica papaya juice as a precursor. The synthesized C-dots show emission peak at 461 nm with a quantum yield of 7.0 %. The biocompatible nature of C-dots was confirmed by a cytotoxicity assay on E. coli. The C-dots were used as fluorescent probes for imaging of bacterial (Bacillus subtilis) and fungal (Aspergillus aculeatus) cells and emitted green and red colors under different excitation wavelengths, which indicates that the C-dots can be used as a promising material for cell imaging.     

Synthesis of Water Dispersible Fluorescent Carbon Nanocrystals from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Syzygium cumini</Emphasis> Fruits for the Detection of Fe<Superscript>3+</Superscript> Ion in Water and Biological Samples and Imaging of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium avenaceum</Emphasis> Cells

In this work, water dispersible fluorescent carbon nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized by a simple, green and low cost hydrothermal method using Syzygium cumini (jamun) as a carbon source at 180 °C for 6 h. The average size of carbon NCs was found to be 2.1 ± 0.5 nm and shown bright blue fluorescence when excited at 365 nm under UV lamp. The carbon NCs were characterized by spectroscopic (UV-visible and fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared and dynamic light scattering) and high resolution transmission electron microscopic techniques. The quantum yield of carbon NCs was found to be ~5.9 % at 438 nm emission wavelength when excited at 360 nm. It was noticed that none of the metal ions quenched the fluorescence intensity of carbon NCs at 438 nm except for Fe³⁺, indicating the formation of Fe³⁺ ion-carbon NCs complexes. The linear range was observed in the concentration range of 0.01–100 μM with the corresponding detection limits of 0.001 μM, respectively. Furthermore, the carbon NCs were used as probes for imaging of fungal (Fusarium avenaceum) cells.     

A Dual-Readout Method for Biothiols Detection Based on the NSET of Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Quantum Dots–Au Nanoparticles System

In this paper, a rapid, simple and highly sensitive method with dual-readout (colorimetric and fluorometric) based on the nanometal surface energy transfer (NSET) between nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (NCQDs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for detection of biothiols is described. Highly luminescent NCQDs were prepared via a simple one-step hydrothermal method by applying sucrose and glycine as carbon and nitrogen sources. The results showed the obtained NCQDs had an average particle diameter of 5 nm and highly luminescent. The maximum emission wavelength was 438 nm with an excitation wavelength of 360 nm. In this system, NCQDs and AuNPs were respectively treated as energy donors and energy acceptors, which enable the nanometal surface energy transfer (NSET) from the NCQDs to the AuNPs, quenching the fluorescence. However, biothiols was used as a competitor in the NSET by the strongly Au-S bonding to release NCQDs from the Au surface, which subsequently produces fluorescent signal recovery and the red-to-purple color change quickly. This probe showed rapid response, high selectivity and sensitivity for biothiols with dual colorimetric and fluorescent turn-on signal changes. The low detection limit was calculated as 20 nM by using L-cysteine acted as target melocules. The method was also successfully applied to the determination of biothiols in human serum samples, and the results were satisfying.     

Ratiometric fluorescent nanoparticles for sensing temperature

A ratiometric type of fluorescent nanoparticle was prepared via an encapsulation–reprecipitation method. By introducing an alkoxysilanized dye as a reference, the nanoparticles (NPs) give both a green and a red fluorescence under one single-wavelength excitation. The resulted ratiometric fluorescence is found to be highly temperature-dependent in the physiological range (25–45 °C), with an intensity temperature sensitivity of ?4.0%/°C. Given the small size (20–30 nm in diameter) and biocompatible nature (silica out layer), such kind of NPs were very promising as temperature nanosensors for cellular sensing and imaging.     

聚乙烯吡咯烷酮修饰的NaYF4∶Yb3+/Er3+上转换 发光纳米粒子的制备及其生物兼容性

以聚乙烯吡咯烷酮(PVP)为表面活性剂,利用溶剂热法合成了NaYF₄∶20%Yb³⁺, 3%Er³⁺(摩尔分数)的上转换发光纳米粒子。利用扫描电子显微镜对粒子的形貌进行了表征,结果表明纳米颗粒的尺寸在30~40 nm,分布比较均匀。在980 nm红外光的激发下,样品能够发出肉眼可见的明亮的黄色上转换荧光。样品可以较好地分散在水溶液中形成透明澄清的溶液。利用MTT实验测量了不同给药浓度下NaYF₄纳米粒子是否对HeLa细胞具有生物毒性。结果表明:PVP修饰的NaYF₄∶Yb³⁺/Er³⁺上转换发光纳米粒子具有较好的生物兼容性,对HeLa细胞无生物毒性,在生物荧光标记领域具有潜在的应用价值。     

A Quninolylthiazole Derivatives as an ICT-Based Fluorescent Probe of Hg(II) and its Application in Ratiometric Imaging in Live HeLa Cells

As a structural analogue of pyridylthiazole, 2-(2-benzothiazoyl)-phenylethynylquinoline (QBT) was designed as a fluorescent probe for Hg(II) based on an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) mechanism. The compound was synthesized in three steps starting from 6-bromo-2-methylquinoline, with moderate yield. Corresponding studies on the optical properties of QBT indicate that changes in the fluorescence ratio of QBT in response to Hg(II) could be quantified based on dual-emission changes. More specifically, the emission spectrum of QBT before and after interactions with Hg(II) exhibited a remarkable red shift of about 120 nm, which is rarely reported in ICT-based fluorescent sensors. Finally, QBT was applied in the two-channel imaging of Hg(II) in live HeLa cells.     

Synthesis, Physical Properties and Cytotoxicity of Stilbene-Triazine Derivatives Containing Amino Acid Groups as Fluorescent Whitening Agents

A series of novel stilbene-triazine derivatives containing amino acid groups were synthesized and screened to evaluate their cytotoxicity. The UV absorptions of the derivatives were in the range of 240–450 nm. The absorption peaks of the cis-isomers and trans-isomers were in 281–291 nm and 353–361 nm, respectively. Their fluorescence emission peaks of the derivatives were located in the range of 400–650 nm. The whiteness data indicated that all the stilbene-triazine-amino acid derivatives showed excellent whitening effect on cotton fiber compared to untreated cotton. The preliminary cytotoxicity of these derivatives on a mouse fibroblast cell line (L-929 cells) was also investigated. The results showed that the compounds (7a–h) were nontoxic to L-929 cells as fluorescent whitening agents.     

Transition of carbon nanostructures in heptane diffusion flames

The flame synthesis has high potential in industrial production of carbon nanostructure (CNS). Unfortunately, the complexity of combustion chemistry leads to less controlling of synthesized products. In order to improve the understanding of the relation between flames and CNSs synthesized within, experiments were conducted through heptane flames in a stagnation-point liquid-pool system. The operating parameters for the synthesis include oxygen supply, sampling position, and sampling time. Two kinds of nanostructures were observed, carbon nanotube (CNT) and carbon nano-onion (CNO). CNTs were synthesized in a weaker flame near extinction. CNOs were synthesized in a more sooty flame. The average diameter of CNTs formed at oxygen concentration of 15% was in the range of 20–30 nm. For oxygen concentration of 17%, the average diameter of CNTs ranged from 24 to 27 nm, while that of CNOs was around 28 nm. For oxygen concentration of 19%, the average diameter of CNOs produced at the sampling position 0.5 mm below the flame front was about 57 nm, while the average diameters of CNOs formed at the sampling positions 1–2.5 mm below the flame front were in the range of 20–25 nm. A transition from CNT to CNO was observed by variation of sampling position in a flame. We found that the morphology of CNS is directly affected by the presence of soot layer due to the carbonaceous environment and the growth mechanisms of CNT and CNO. The sampling time can alter the yield of CNSs depending on the temperature of sampling position, but the morphology of products is not affected.     

Strong Surface Enhanced Florescence of Carbon Dot Labeled Bacteria Cells Observed with High Contrast on Gold Film

Strong surface (metal) enhanced fluorescence (SEF or MEF) is observed from clusters and single E coli bacteria cells labeled with Carbon nanodots (CDs), which were synthesized from date pits. The enhancement factor (EF) for SEF of the cell clusters were close to 50 for both 533 and 633 nm laser excitation wavelength. Those EFs are ratios of emission peak areas from CD labeled cell clusters on gold film to the peak areas of the same batch cell clusters on glass substrate. SEF with 633 nm excitation performed better than SEF with 532 nm excitation, achieving higher fluorescence intensity and much higher contrast. The contrast as high as 66 for cell clusters on gold film is a ratio of fluorescent emission peak area measured at the CD labeled cell clusters to the fluorescent peak area measured at unlabeled cell clusters (autofluorescence) on the same substrate. The contrast with the background (S/N) or the ratio of fluorescent peak area measured at bacteria cells to area measured at bare substrate was as high as 200. This report may pave a way for the broader application of surface enhanced fluorescence and especially metal enhanced fluorescence imaging of CD labeled cells and other biological objects.

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Graphical abstract Carbon dots, synthesized from dates, are used for direct staining of E coli cells. Emission fluorescent spectroscopy of those CD labelled cells on gold film and glass, demonstrated enhancement factor about 50 for emission on gold as compared to glass, Excitation at 633 nm appears far superior to excitation at 532 nm in terms of contrast (up to 67) with unlabeled cells /control due to decrease in auto fluorescence of cells. Maximum Signal to noise ratio is 200.

     

Overlap of Doxycycline Fluorescence with that of the Redox-Sensitive Intracellular Reporter roGFP

Tetracycline-inducible systems allow for either suppression or induction of transgene expression to facilitate studies of cell physiology. Doxycycline is a preferred inducer for these gene expression systems due to its membrane permeability; however, the heterocyclic structure of doxycycline exhibits fluorogenic properties that can potentially bias measurement of other fluorochromes. Thus the simultaneous use of tetracycline-inducible systems and fluorescent proteins as reporter genes or as intracellular biosensors may lead to potentially confounding results. Herein, using cells which co-express the ratiometric redox sensitive intracellular reporter, roGFP, and a tetracycline-inducible reporter plasmid encoding the reporter gene, mCherry, as a model system, we describe the overlapping intracellular fluorescent signals between doxycycline and commonly used intracellular fluorescent probes. In our cells, the addition of doxycycline to cells caused a dose- and time-dependent increase in cell fluorescence with 405 nm excitation which overlapped with that of the oxidized configuration of roGFP. Incubating cells in concentrations of doxycycline less than 1 μg/mL and removing doxycycline from the media 60 min before performing experiments eliminated fluorescence interference while still maintaining maximal reporter transgene activation.     

Electrochemical behavior of carbonic precursor with Na<Subscript>3</Subscript>V<Subscript>2</Subscript>(PO<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript>nanostructured material in hybrid battery system

The nanostructured Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃ (NVP) cathode material has been synthesized using the sol-gel route for different molar fractions of citric acid as a carbon source during the synthesis. The nanostructured NVP as cores with carbonic shell structures are fabricated with two different citric acid molar ratios. The thermal treatment has been optimized to convert the amorphous carbon shell into graphitic carbon to realize the better electrical conductivity and thus effective electron transfer during the electrochemical charge transfer process. The X-ray diffraction measurements confirmed the rhombohedral crystallographic phase (space group R-3c) with average crystallite size ~28 ± 5 nm. The coin cells are assembled in a hybrid rechargeable electrochemical cell configuration with lithium as a counter electrode and LiPF₆-EC:DEC:DMC (1:1:1 ratio) as the electrolyte. The electrochemical charge/discharge measurements are carried out at C/10 and C/20 rates and the measured specific capacities are 80 and 120 mAhg^?1 for samples with lower and higher citric acid molar ratios, respectively. The studies suggest that NVP can be used as an effective cathode material in hybrid electrochemical cells, and a higher concentration of citric acid may result in the effective carbonic shell for optimal electron transfer and thus enhanced electrochemical performance.     

Laser-induced fluorescence characteristics of vegetation by a new excitation wavelength

To recognize different vegetation species exactly, especially the species of the same family, laser-induced fluorescence characteristics of vegetation, which is excited by 556 nm laser rather than the traditional 355 nm excitation light source, is proposed to be utilized in this article. The experimental results demonstrated that fluorescence characteristics of vegetation induced by a 556 nm laser are more obvious than that induced by a 355 nm laser. These fluorescence spectra, combined with multivariate analysis, are utilized to identify different vegetation species. The 100% of recognition rate was then acquired. Therefore, this study shows that different plant types could be accurately identified when a 556 nm laser serves as excitation light source.     

Improving colloidal properties of quantum dots with combined silica and polymer coatings for in vitro immuofluorenscence assay

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are promising fluorescence probes for immuofluorescence assay in the biological applications. However, water solubilization and non-specific binding are two critical issues to be addressed for the practical uses. Here, we reported a new type of QDs with combined silica and polymer coating. QDs with excellent colloidal properties were prepared via carboxylation of the amino groups on the surface of silica-coated QDs by reacting with multi-carboxyl poly (acrylic acid) (PAA). Hydrodynamic size of PAA-functionalized silica-coated QDs was around 40 nm. They were highly fluorescent (about 47.8% quantum yield). No precipitate of QDs was observed after 3 month storage at 4 °C. When cancer cells (HeLa) were used, the functionalized QDs exhibited little or no non-specific cellular binding. The results from in vitro experiments indicated that PAA-functionalized silica-coated QDs-antibody bioconjugates had excellent antigen-capture ability and exhibited little or no non-specific binding to polystyrene spheres which were used to immobilize the antigen for immuoflurescence assay. The PAA-functionalized silica-coated QDs with improved colloidal properties could serve as excellent alternative fluorescent probes for biodetection.     

以花生碳量子点为探针基于其荧光猝灭-恢复测定多巴胺的研究

碳量子点(CQDs)是一种新型的荧光碳纳米功能材料,其良好的生物相容性和优异的光学性能引起了人们的广泛关注。选用富含蛋白质、脂肪和碳水化合物的花生仁(Peanut,PN)及水为原料,无需添加任何其他试剂,在水热反应釜中于190℃反应20 h,可一步合成绿色发光CQDs。透射电镜(TEM)结果显示,所制备的花生碳量子点(PN-CQDs)的粒径大约在10 nm左右,分布较为均匀;X射线衍射谱(XRD)和傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)显示PN-CQDs晶型为无定型碳,表面富含-OH、-COOH、含氮官能团等亲水性基团,具有良好的水溶性。紫外-可见光谱(UV-Vis)和荧光发射光谱(FL)表明, PN-CQDs在275 nm处有一明显的吸收峰,为CQDs紫外特征吸收峰;该PN-CQDs具有激发波长依赖性,荧光发射峰的位置随激发波长的变化而移动;当激发波长λex为326 nm时,发射波长λem为408 nm处的荧光强度最大, PN-CQDs发出蓝色的荧光。以硫酸奎宁为参照物,利用参比法测得PN-CQDs的荧光量子产率φ为5.0%。基于该PN-CQDs良好的发光特性,以其为探针,构建了"关-开"型荧光体系用于多巴胺(Dopamine,DA)的高灵敏度检测。研究表明,在pH 3.80的HAc-NaAc缓冲介质中, Ce(Ⅳ)存在下, PN-CQDs与Ce(Ⅳ)之间的电子转移反应和Ce(Ⅳ)与该PN-CQDs表面基团结合使PN-CQDs发生的聚集作用共同导致PN-CQDs在λex/λem=326 nm/408 nm处的荧光发生猝灭,荧光信号"关闭";当加入DA后, DA与结合于PN-CQDs表面的强氧化性Ce(Ⅳ)发生反应,从而将Ce(Ⅳ)从PN-CQDs表面移除, PN-CQDs的荧光得以恢复,荧光信号重新"打开"。在优化的实验条件下, DA浓度与PN-CQDs在λex/λem=326/408 nm处的荧光恢复值ΔF呈良好线性关系,线性范围为2.5×10-7~1.0×10-5mol·L^-1,决定系数R2为0.997 6,检出限为9.0×10-8mol·L^-1。探讨了体系的荧光"猝灭-恢复"机理,对PN-CQDs和PN-CQDs-Ce(Ⅳ)体系进行了荧光寿命拟合,其加权平均荧光寿命分别为6.02与5.15 ns, Ce(Ⅳ)对PN-CQDs荧光猝灭类型为动态猝灭;反应中生成的Ce(Ⅲ)于λex/λem=251/350 nm处的荧光对DA的测定无影响。该方法灵敏、简便、快速,应用于实际样品中DA的测定,加标回收率(平均值±SD)在97.5%±1.3%~103%±1.5%之间,结果满意。该研究提供了一种新的DA荧光检测方法,实现了对DA的准确测定。     

Determination of Protoporphyrin IX Disodium Salt Based on Fluorescence Quenching of Glutathione-Capped Cadmium/Tellurium Quantum Dots

ABSTRACT

Aqueous glutathione-capped cadmium/tellurium quantum dots with a diameter of about 3 nm were synthesized. The fluorescence was quenched in the presence of protoporphyrin IX disodium salt, with the excitation wavelength at 320 nm. Under the optimal conditions, the quenched fluorescence intensity was linear in the range of 0.096–16 µg · mL^?1 with a concentration of protoporphyrin IX disodium salt, and the detection limit (3σ) was 2.8 × 10^?2 µg · mL^?1. The proposed method has been applied to the determination of protoporphyrin in serum samples with satisfactory results. The interaction mechanism was investigated.     

Validation of Photodynamic Action via Photobleaching of a New Curcumin-Based Composite with Enhanced Water Solubility

Motivated by the photochemical and photophysical properties of curcumin-based composites, the characteristics of a new curcumin-based water-soluble salt were investigated via absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Photobleaching was investigated using a set of LEDs in three different wavelengths (405 nm, 450 nm and 470 nm) to illuminate an aqueous solution of curcumin, evaluating its degradation for five different exposure times (0, 5, 15, 45 and 105 minutes). The results were compared with equivalent measurements of dark degradation and illumination in the presence of a singlet-oxygen quencher. Three solution concentrations (50, 100 and 150 μg/ml) were studied. To measure the fluorescence, it was used low power 405 nm excitation laser source. Time dependent photodegradation of curcumin was observed, as compared to the natural degradation of samples maintained on a dark environment. Two main absorption peaks were detected and their relation responded to both concentration and wavelength of the illumination source. A spectral correlation between absorption of curcumin and the emission bands of the sources showed an optimal spectral overlap for the 450 nm LED. For this source, photobleaching showed a less intense degradation on the presence of singlet oxygen quencher. This last result confirmed singlet oxygen production in vitro, indicating a strong potential of this composite to be used as a blue-light-activated photosensitizer.     

Fluorescence spectroscopy of kerosene vapour at high temperatures and pressures: potential for gas turbines measurements

Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy of kerosene vapour was performed in a heated test cell operating between 450 and 900 K, at pressure from 0.1 to 3.0 MPa, for oxygen molar fraction between 0 and 21 %, with different laser excitation wavelengths (248, 266, 282 and 308 nm). Results show that, depending on the laser excitation scheme, kerosene fluorescence spectrum exhibits one or two fluorescence bands in the UV–visible range (attributed to aromatics naturally present in kerosene fuel). Fluorescence intensity of these bands decreases with increasing temperature, pressure and oxygen molar fraction. Different imaging strategies were derived from spectroscopic findings to simultaneously measure temperature and equivalence ratio fields in kerosene/air sprays, or flame structure and fuel spatial distribution in kerosene/air aeronautical combustors, by means of planar laser-induced fluorescence on kerosene vapour (K-PLIF).     

Singlet Oxygen Generation Enhanced by Silver-Pectin Nanoparticles

We demonstrate the potential application of silver-pectin nanoparticles on photodynamic therapy, on a solution-base platform. Photodynamic therapy is a medical technique which uses a combination of photosensitizing drugs and light to induce selective damage on the target tissue, by electronically excited and highly reactive singlet state of oxygen. Metal enhanced singlet oxygen generation in riboflavin water solution with silver-pectin nanoparticles was observed and quantified. Here 13 nm silver nanospheres enclosed by a pectin layer were synthesized and it interaction with riboflavin molecule was analyzed. Pectin, a complex carbohydrate found in plants primary cell walls, was used to increase the biocompatibility of the silver nanoparticles and to improve metal enhanced singlet oxygen generation (28.5 %) and metal-enhanced fluorescence (30.7 %) processes at room temperature. The singlet oxygen sensor fluorescent green reagent was used to quantify the enhancement of the riboflavin singlet oxygen production induced by the silver colloid. We report a 1.7-fold increase of riboflavin emission and a 1.8-fold enhancement of singlet oxygen production.     

以醇溶剂为碳源制备碳点的荧光性能

以乙二醇和丙三醇为碳源,用一元醇（异丙醇和乙醇）为对比,通过溶剂热法制备得到碳点。通过傅里叶红外光谱、紫外-可见吸收光谱和激发光谱对所制得的碳点进行表征和分析,探讨了不同碳源对碳点的表面官能团、荧光性能等的影响,从而分析其荧光的发光机理。结果表明：乙二醇与丙三醇制备的碳点含有C=C键和C=O键,均在365 nm光激发后在450 nm处有荧光峰;而一元醇是由C-OH基团中的孤对电子产生荧光,碳源分子中羟基含量对碳点的荧光性能有很大影响,羟基含量越高,越容易形成双键结构。