Disinfection of Cariogenic Pathogens in Planktonic Lifestyle,Biofilm and Carious Dentine with Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has been recommended for clinical application. Its antibacterial effect on bacteria remained in dentinal tubule was seldom investigated. Here, we evaluated the antibacterial effects of aPDT on Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) in planktonic lifestyle, biofilm and carious dentine. Mono-species biofilms or dentinal caries formed on human dentine slices or slabs. Bacterial suspension, biofilms and dentine caries were treated with 0.1 mg mL⁻¹ toluidine Blue O followed by irradiation with a light emission diode (λ − 635 ± 10 nm; 500 mW; 31.5 J cm⁻²; 60 s) and 0.12% chlorhexidine (CHX), respectively. Residual bacteria were determined by microbial culture analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to detect the significance of the variables. Both treatments significantly reduced the number of L. acidophilus in planktonic state, biofilm and carious dentine (P < 0.05). For S. mutans, CHX was only bactericidal against suspension (P < 0.05), while aPDT was effective on both suspension and biofilm (P < 0.05) while not for dentin caries (P > 0.05). Under the experimental conditions assessed, aPDT could be an alternative disinfection method for superficial layer of caries cavity. Its disinfection on bacteria in dentinal tubule of deep layer was deficient.     

A Highly Stable (4, 8)-Connected Tb-MOF Exhibiting Efficiently Luminescent Sensing towards Nitroimidazole Antibiotics

A robust 4,8-connected Tb-based metal-organic framework (Tb-MOF) with paddle wheel-shaped {Tb₂(COO)₄} subunits extended by C₃-symmetric 3,3',3''-[1,3,5-benzenetriyltris(carbonylimino)]tris-benzoate connector was hydrothermally synthesized, showing highly environmental stability, good dispersion and intense green emission in water system. Resulting critically from the well suppressed absorption towards the excitation energy, the Tb-MOF exhibits rapid and efficient fluorescent response towards nitroimidazole antibiotics with strong quenching constants and low detection limits of 1.59 × 10⁴ m ^–1 and 2.4 μM for metronidazole as well as 1.62 × 10⁴ m ^–1 and 2.9 μM for dimetridazole. Moreover, the sensitive and selective identification of the Tb-MOF has strong anti-interference and excellent regeneration ability, which endows the promising applications of the Tb-MOF as fluorescent sensing materials.     

In Situ Electropolymerization Enables Ultrafast Long Cycle Life and High-Voltage Organic Cathodes for Lithium Batteries

Organic cathode materials have attracted extensive attention because of their diverse structures, facile synthesis, and environmental friendliness. However, they often suffer from insufficient cycling stability caused by the dissolution problem, poor rate performance, and low voltages. An in situ electropolymerization method was developed to stabilize and enhance organic cathodes for lithium batteries. 4,4′,4′′-Tris(carbazol-9-yl)-triphenylamine (TCTA) was employed because carbazole groups can be polymerized under an electric field and they may serve as high-voltage redox-active centers. The electropolymerized TCTA electrodes demonstrated excellent electrochemical performance with a high discharge voltage of 3.95 V, ultrafast rate capability of 20 A g⁻¹, and a long cycle life of 5000 cycles. Our findings provide a new strategy to address the dissolution issue and they explore the molecular design of organic electrode materials for use in rechargeable batteries.     

Light/Electricity Energy Conversion and Storage for a Hierarchical Porous In2S3@CNT/SS Cathode towards a Flexible Li-CO2 Battery

A photoinduced flexible Li-CO₂ battery with well-designed, hierarchical porous, and free-standing In₂S₃@CNT/SS (ICS) as a bifunctional photoelectrode to accelerate both the CO₂ reduction and evolution reactions (CDRR and CDER) is presented. The photoinduced Li-CO₂ battery achieved a record-high discharge voltage of 3.14 V, surpassing the thermodynamic limit of 2.80 V, and an ultra-low charge voltage of 3.20 V, achieving a round trip efficiency of 98.1 %, which is the highest value ever reported (<80 %) so far. These excellent properties can be ascribed to the hierarchical porous and free-standing structure of ICS, as well as the key role of photogenerated electrons and holes during discharging and charging processes. A mechanism is proposed for pre-activating CO₂ by reducing In³⁺ to In⁺ under light illumination. The mechanism of the bifunctional light-assisted process provides insight into photoinduced Li-CO₂ batteries and contributes to resolving the major setbacks of the system.     

Four-Component Borocarbonylation of Vinylarenes Enabled by Cooperative Cu/Pd Catalysis: Access to β-Boryl Ketones and β-Boryl Vinyl Esters

We report here a general four-component synthetic procedure for the preparation of β-boryl ketones and β-boryl vinyl esters. Joint catalyzed by palladium and copper catalysts, borocarbonylative reaction between vinylarenes, aryl halides/triflates, B₂Pin₂, and carbon monoxide proceed successfully. A variety of synthetically useful β-boryl ketones were synthesized in good to high yields by using aryl iodides as the substrates. It is noteworthy that when aryl triflates were applied as the starting materials, β-boryl vinyl esters were synthesized in a similar manner and with broad functional group tolerance. A rational mechanism for this reaction was also proposed.     

Micron-Sized Zeolite Beta Single Crystals Featuring Intracrystal Interconnected Ordered Macro-Meso-Microporosity Displaying Superior Catalytic Performance

Zeolite Beta single crystals with intracrystalline hierarchical porosity at macro-, meso-, and micro-length scales can effectively overcome the diffusion limitations in the conversion of bulky molecules. However, the construction of large zeolite Beta single crystals with such porosity is a challenge. We report herein the synthesis of hierarchically ordered macro-mesoporous single-crystalline zeolite Beta (OMMS-Beta) with a rare micron-scale crystal size by an in situ bottom-up confined zeolite crystallization strategy. The fully interconnected intracrystalline macro-meso-microporous hierarchy and the micron-sized single-crystalline nature of OMMS-Beta lead to improved accessibility to active sites and outstanding (hydro)thermal stability. Higher catalytic performances in gas-phase and liquid-phase acid-catalyzed reactions involving bulky molecules are obtained compared to commercial Beta and nanosized Beta zeolites. The strategy has been extended to the synthesis of other zeolitic materials, including ZSM-5, TS-1, and SAPO-34.     

Adaptive Bifunctional Electrocatalyst of Amorphous CoFe Oxide @ 2D Black Phosphorus for Overall Water Splitting

Water electrolysis offers a promising green technology to tackle the global energy and environmental crisis, but its efficiency is greatly limited by the sluggish reaction kinetics of both the cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In this work, by growing amorphous multi-transition-metal (cobalt and iron) oxide on two-dimensional (2D) black phosphorus (BP), we develop a bifunctional electrocatalyst (CoFeO@BP), which is able to efficiently catalyze both HER and OER. The overpotentials for the hybrid CoFeO@BP catalyst to reach a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² in 1 m KOH are 88 and 266 mV for HER and OER, respectively. Based on a series of ex-situ and in situ investigations, the excellent catalytic performance of CoFeO@BP is found to result from the adaptive surface structure under reduction and oxidation potentials. CoFeO@BP can be transformed to CoFe phosphide under reduction potential, in situ generating the real active catalyst for HER.     

Synthesis of deuterium-labeled DL-threo-thiamphenicol

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - A convenient and inexpensive approach for the synthesis of deuterium-labeled thiamphenicol was described. DL-threo-Thiamphenicol-methyl-d3 was...     

氰基亚胺与亚甲基二氢苯并呋喃二酮类化合物的[3+2]环加成反应:螺吡唑类化合物的合成

采用具有环外双键的二氢苯并呋喃二酮类化合物和氰基亚胺的[3+2]环加成反应,在温和条件下,以高产率(78%~94%)和高非对映选择性(>20∶1dr)构建了一系列具有螺环结构的吡唑类化合物.     

Flower-like shaped Bi12TiO20/g-C3N4 heterojunction for effective elimination of organic pollutants: Preparation,characterization, and mechanism study

Flower-like shaped Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ (Bismuth Titanate)/g-C₃N₄ (graphite-like carbon nitride) heterojunction was prepared through hydrothermal and sonification methods for the degradation of organic pollutants by visible-light irradiation. The preparation process, chemical structures, and the mechanism of photocatalytic enhancement of the heterostructures were studied systematically. Under visible-light irradiation, the novel flower-like shaped Bi₁₂TiO₂₀/g-C₃N₄ heterojunction demonstrates prominent activities for the degradation of rhodamine B and p-nitrophenol, with the introduction of flower-like shaped Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ into g-C₃N₄ composites greatly increasing the activity of pure g-C₃N₄. This activity enhancement for the heterojunction could be mainly attributed to its low recombination speed of electron–hole pairs, high adsorption ability of organic pollutants, and better optical absorption ability. Moreover, in the visible-light system of Bi₁₂TiO₂₀/g-C₃N₄, ^•OH also contributed to the degradation of pollutants, which may explain the enhanced photocatalytic activity after the introduction of Bi₁₂TiO_20, as ^•OH is inactive in pure g-C₃N₄. Furthermore, 10 wt.% Bi₁₂TiO₂₀/g-C₃N₄ showed not only high activity but also good stability for degradation of aqueous organic pollutants, implying potential applications prospect.