Porous CuxCoyS Supraparticles for In Vivo Telomerase Imaging and Reactive Oxygen Species Generation

In this study, we successfully synthesized Cu_xCo_yS supraparticles (SPs) on the nanoscale featuring multiple pores inside and strong absorption from 400 to 900 nm. Porous Cu_xCo_yS SPs produced the highest reactive oxygen species (ROS) yield (1.39) when illuminated with near‐infrared (NIR) light. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Cu_xCo_yS SPs could be used to identify cancer cells through intracellular telomerase‐responsive fluorescence (FL) imaging in living cells. Because the Cu_xCo_yS SPs were associated with telomerase‐responsive bioimaging and high ROS production, they can be efficiently used in the diagnosis and therapy of tumors with high selectivity and excellent therapeutic effects in vivo. This study provides a new vision for the creation of multifunctional SPs, which can be used as cellular sensors and control tools for pathologies across a broad range of biological systems.     

High Impact of Uranyl Ions on Carrying–Releasing Oxygen Capability of Hemoglobin‐Based Blood Substitutes

The effect of radioactive UO₂²⁺ on the oxygen‐transporting capability of hemoglobin‐based oxygen carriers has been investigated in vitro. The hemoglobin (Hb) microspheres fabricated by the porous template covalent layer‐by‐layer (LbL) assembly were utilized as artificial oxygen carriers and blood substitutes. Magnetic nanoparticles of iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) were loaded in porous CaCO₃ particles for magnetically assisted chemical separation (MACS). Through the adsorption spectrum of magnetic Hb microspheres after adsorbing UO₂²⁺, it was found that UO₂²⁺ was highly loaded in the magnetic Hb microspheres, and it shows that the presence of UO₂²⁺ in vivo destroys the structure and oxygen‐transporting capability of Hb microspheres. In view of the high adsorption capacity of UO₂²⁺, the as‐assembled magnetic Hb microspheres can be considered as a novel, highly effective adsorbent for removing metal toxins from radiation‐contaminated bodies, or from nuclear‐power reactor effluent before discharge into the environment.     

SCOTfluors: Small,Conjugatable, Orthogonal,and Tunable Fluorophores for In Vivo Imaging of Cell Metabolism

The transport and trafficking of metabolites are critical for the correct functioning of live cells. However, in situ metabolic imaging studies are hampered by the lack of fluorescent chemical structures that allow direct monitoring of small metabolites under physiological conditions with high spatial and temporal resolution. Herein, we describe SCOTfluors as novel small‐sized multi‐colored fluorophores for real‐time tracking of essential metabolites in live cells and in vivo and for the acquisition of metabolic profiles from human cancer cells of variable origin.     

A No-washing Point-of-Care Electrochemical Biosensor Based on CuS Nanoparticles for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Neuron-specific Enolase

Electrochemical biosensors have made outstanding achievements in recent years. However, the single pursuit of sensitivity and accuracy sometimes cannot meet the detection requirements and achieve high-efficiency measurements. Therefore, no-washing biosensors have more practical advantages. In this work, a disposable point-of-care (POC) electrochemical biosensor was designed for the sensitive and fast detection of neuron-specific enolase (NSE). Fe₃O₄ and CuS nanoparticles were used as the substrate material for capturing Ab₁ and the signal probe for labeling Ab₂ respectively. The disposable syringe filter was introduced into the determination procedure for simple sample separation, which easily realized no-washing detection. Due to the syringe filters with 200 nm pore diameter could only allow the small nanoparticles of CuS−Ab₂ pass through, the large-sized immunocomplex of Fe₃O₄−Ab₁/NSE/CuS−Ab₂ were blocked on the membrane. The uncombined CuS−Ab₂ particles were pushed out from the syringe and would occur electron transfer between Cu²⁺ and Cu⁺ to generate a current signal detected by the Au electrode. Under optimal conditions, the no-washing biosensor shows a wide linear concentration range (100 fg mL⁻¹∼50 ng mL⁻¹) with the limit of detection of 33 fg mL⁻¹ (S/N=3). Additionally, the biosensor exhibited excellent selectivity, storage stability and reproducibility. The outstanding advantages of the no-washing biosensor make it more suitable for POC testing.     

Tuning the Structure of Platinum Particles on Ceria In Situ for Enhancing the Catalytic Performance of Exhaust Gas Catalysts

A dynamic structural behavior of Pt nanoparticles on the ceria surface under reducing/oxidizing conditions was found at moderate temperatures (<500 °C) and exploited to enhance the catalytic activity of Pt/CeO₂‐based exhaust gas catalysts. Redispersion of platinum in an oxidizing atmosphere already occurred at 400 °C. A protocol with reducing pulses at 250–400 °C was applied in a subsequent step for controlled Pt‐particle formation. Operando X‐ray absorption spectroscopy unraveled the different extent of reduction and sintering of Pt particles: The choice of the reductant allowed the tuning of the reduction degree/particle size and thus the catalytic activity (CO>H₂>C₃H₆). This dynamic nature of Pt on ceria at such low temperatures (250–500 °C) was additionally confirmed by in situ environmental transmission electron microscopy. A general concept is proposed to adjust the noble metal dispersion (size, structure), for example, during operation of an exhaust gas catalyst.     

Ni@Pd core–shell nanoparticles immobilized on yolk–shell Fe3O4@polyaniline composites as a highly efficient,magnetically separable and atom‐economical catalyst for reduction of nitrobenzenes

The preparation of Ni@Pd core–shell nanoparticles immobilized on yolk–shell Fe₃O₄@polyaniline composites is reported. Fe₃O₄ nanoclusters were first synthesized through the solvothermal method and then the SiO₂ shell was coated on the Fe₃O₄ surface via a sol–gel process. To prepare Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@polyaniline composites, polyvinylpyrrolidone was first grafted on to the surface of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ composites and subsequently polymerization of aniline was carried out via an ultrasound‐assisted in situ surface polymerization method. Selective etching of the middle SiO₂ layer was then accomplished to obtain the yolk–shell Fe₃O₄@polyaniline composites. The approach uses polyaniline (PANI) conductive polymer as a template for the synthesis of Ni@Pd core–shell nanoparticles. The catalytic activity of the synthesized yolk–shell Fe₃O₄@PANI/Ni@Pd composite was investigated in the reduction of o‐nitroaniline to benzenediamine by NaBH₄, which exhibited conversion of 99% in 3 min with a very low content of the catalyst. Transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, TGA, X‐ray diffraction, UV–visible, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray energy dispersion spectroscopy and FT‐IR were employed to characterize the synthesized nanocatalyst. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Fe3O4‐Based Chemical Sensor for Cathodic Determination of Hydrogen Peroxide

A new cathodic scheme for hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) measurement by Fe₃O₄‐based chemical sensor was described. The unique characteristic of electrocatalytic property was firstly investigated by voltammetry. And then the amperometric response of H₂O₂ was measured at ?0.2 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) by Fe₃O₄ modified glassy carbon rotating disk electrode. The kinetic parameter was also calculated from Koutecky‐Levich plot, and the value was 6.4×10^?4 cm s^?1 in pH 3 citrate buffer. In order to benefit the possible biomedical applications, Fe₃O₄/chitosan modified electrode was also investigated in this experiment. There were several characteristic enhancements by the coated chitosan thin film for H₂O₂ sensor. The calibration curves were found to be linear up to 4.0 and 5.0 mM (r=0.999) in pH 3 and 7 with the detection limits of 7.6 and 7.4 μM L^?1 (S/N=3). The stability was evaluated by the results of half‐life time (t_50%) for 9 months at room temperature and 24 months at 4 °C.     

Fe3O4 Anisotropic Nanostructures in Hydrogels: Efficient Catalysts for the Rapid Removal of Organic Dyes from Wastewater

Fe₃O₄ anisotropic nanostructures that exhibit excellent catalytic performance are rarely used to catalyze Fenton‐like reactions because of the inevitable drawbacks resulting from traditional preparation methods. In this study, a facile, nontoxic, water‐based approach is developed for directly regulating a series of anisotropic morphologies of Fe₃O₄ nanostructures in a hydrogel matrix. In having the advantages of both the catalytic activity of Fe₃O₄ and the adsorptive capacity of an anionic polymer network, the hybrid nanocomposites have the capability to effect the rapid removal of cationic dyes, such as methylene blue, from water samples. Perhaps more interestingly, hybrid nanocomposites loaded with Fe₃O₄ nanorods exhibit the highest catalytic activity compared to those composed of nanoneedles and nanooctahedra, revealing the important role of nanostructure morphology. By means of scanning electrochemical microscopy, it is revealed that Fe₃O₄ nanorods can efficiently catalyze H₂O₂ decomposition and thus generate more free radicals (^.OH, ^.HO₂) for methylene blue degradation, which might account for their high catalytic activity.     

A Mössbauer spectroscopy investigation of the Intergrowth Phases LaSr3Fe3−xMx010−δ (M = Al,Cu)

Iron-57 Mössbauer spectroscopy confirms a high sensitivity of the three-dimensional magnetic ordering temperature (T_Néel) for a series of new intergrowth phases to both oxygen stoichiometry and the partial substitution of iron by copper and aluminium in the Ruddlesden-Popper phase LaSr₃Fe₃0_10?δ. The chemical isomer shifts suggest that significant covalent electron delocalization exists in these phases. Spectra for the paramagnetic phases indicate two distinct iron coordination environments consistent with x-ray and neutron diffraction structure determinations. The Mössbauer spectra at 4.8 K exhibit the overlap of two magnetic hyperfine patterns corresponding to cooperative magnetic order at the iron sites with internal fields of 45 and 27 Tesla for nominal Fe³⁺ and Fe⁴⁺ sites respectively.     

Immobilized palladium on modified magnetic nanoparticles and study of its catalytic activity in suzuki–miyaura C–C coupling reaction

A new magnetically reusable nanosolid, Fe₃O₄@PPCA@Pd(0) (PPCA = piperidine‐4‐carboxylic acid), as a versatile and highly effective catalyst was fabricated and characterized using transmission and scanning electron microscopies, X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared and energy‐dispersive spectroscopies and vibrating sample magnetometry. This nanosolid shows great catalytic activity for the synthesis of biphenyl compounds in short reaction times and with high yields. The magnetic character of this catalyst allows retrieval and multiple uses without appreciable loss of its catalytic activity. Our system not only solves the basic problems of catalyst separation and recovery, but also the reactions can be performed in green media. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Disposable Amperometric Biosensor Based on Poly‐L‐lysine and Fe3O4 NPs‐chitosan Composite for the Detection of Tyramine in Cheese

An amperometric tyramine biosensor based on poly‐L‐lysine (PLL) and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄NP) modified screen printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was developed. PLL was formed on the SPCE by the electropolymerization of L‐lysine. Subsequently, Fe₃O₄NP suspension prepared in chitosan (CH) solution was casted onto the PLL/SPCE. Tyrosinase (Ty) enzyme was immobilized onto the modified Fe₃O₄?CH/PLL/SPCE and the electrode was coated with Nafion to fabricate the Ty/Fe₃O₄?CH/PLL/SPCE. Different techniques including scanning electron microscopy, chronoamperometry (i–t curve), cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were utilized to study the fabrication processes, electrochemical characteristics and performance parameters of the biosensor. The analytical performance of the tyramine biosensor was evaluated with respect to linear range, sensitivity, limit of detection, repeatability and reproducibility. The response of the biosensor to tyramine was linear between 4.9×10^?7–6.3×10^?5 M with a detection limit of 7.5×10^?8 M and sensitivity of 71.36 μA mM^?1 (595 μA mM^?1 cm^?2). The application of the developed biosensor for the determination of tyramine was successfully tested in cheese sample and mean analytical recovery of added tyramine in cheese extract was calculated as 101.2±2.1 %. The presented tyramine biosensor is a promising approach for tyramine analysis in real samples due to its high sensitivity, rapid response and easy fabrication.     

Reduced SnO2 Porous Nanowires with a High Density of Grain Boundaries as Catalysts for Efficient Electrochemical CO2‐into‐HCOOH Conversion

Electrochemical conversion of CO₂ into energy‐dense liquids, such as formic acid, is desirable as a hydrogen carrier and a chemical feedstock. SnO_x is one of the few catalysts that reduce CO₂ into formic acid with high selectivity but at high overpotential and low current density. We show that an electrochemically reduced SnO₂ porous nanowire catalyst (Sn‐pNWs) with a high density of grain boundaries (GBs) exhibits an energy conversion efficiency of CO₂‐into‐HCOOH higher than analogous catalysts. HCOOH formation begins at lower overpotential (350 mV) and reaches a steady Faradaic efficiency of ca. 80 % at only −0.8 V vs. RHE. A comparison with commercial SnO₂ nanoparticles confirms that the improved CO₂ reduction performance of Sn‐pNWs is due to the density of GBs within the porous structure, which introduce new catalytically active sites. Produced with a scalable plasma synthesis technology, the catalysts have potential for application in the CO₂ conversion industry.     

A Hybrid Platform Based on a Bispecific Peptide–Antibody Complex for Targeted Cancer Therapy

Peptide‐based therapeutics have suffered from a short plasma half‐life. On the other hand, antibodies suffer from poor penetration into solid tumors owing to their large size. Herein, we present a new molecular form, namely a hybrid complex between a hapten‐labeled bispecific peptide and an anti‐hapten antibody (“HyPEP‐body”), that may be able to overcome the aforementioned limitation. The bispecific peptide containing a cotinine tag was synthesized by linking a peptide specific to fibronectin extra domain B (EDB) and a peptide able to bind and inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), yielding cot‐biPEP_EDB‐VEGF. Simple mixing of cot‐biPEP_EDB‐VEGF and anti‐cotinine antibody (Ab^cot) yielded the hybrid complex, HyPEP_EDB‐VEGF. HyPEP_EDB‐VEGF retained the characteristics of the included peptides, and showed improved pharmacokinetic behavior. Moreover, HyPEP_EDB‐VEGF showed tumor growth inhibition with excellent tumor accumulation and penetration. These findings suggest that the hybrid platform described here offers a solution for most peptide therapeutics that suffer from a short circulation half‐life in blood.