Recent Progress in Biosensors for Detection of Tumor Biomarkers

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, with an increasing mortality rate over the past years. The early detection of cancer contributes to early diagnosis and subsequent treatment. How to detect early cancer has become one of the hot research directions of cancer. Tumor biomarkers, biochemical parameters for reflecting cancer occurrence and progression have caused much attention in cancer early detection. Due to high sensitivity, convenience and low cost, biosensors have been largely developed to detect tumor biomarkers. This review describes the application of various biosensors in detecting tumor markers. Firstly, several typical tumor makers, such as neuron-specific enolase (NSE), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), carbohydrate, antigen19-9 (CA19-9) and tumor suppressor p53 (TP53), which may be helpful for early cancer detection in the clinic, are briefly described. Then, various biosensors, mainly focusing on electrochemical biosensors, optical biosensors, photoelectrochemical biosensors, piezoelectric biosensors and aptamer sensors, are discussed. Specifically, the operation principles of biosensors, nanomaterials used in biosensors and the application of biosensors in tumor marker detection have been comprehensively reviewed and provided. Lastly, the challenges and prospects for developing effective biosensors for early cancer diagnosis are discussed.     

纳米材料用于放疗防护的研究进展

放射治疗是利用高能射线抑制癌细胞增殖的治疗方法,已广泛用于恶性肿瘤的治疗.但是,高能射线不可避免地会对机体的正常组织造成损害,产生放疗相关副作用.尽管目前有一些小分子放疗防护药物已应用于临床或处于临床前研究,但其较短的血液循环时间和较快的新陈代谢速度极大地削弱了其防护效果.近20年来,随着纳米技术在生物医学领域的飞速发展,纳米放疗防护剂的出现为提高防护效果提供了新的选择.通过合理地设计和开发纳米放疗防护剂,有望解决现有小分子放疗防护药物的缺陷.鉴于纳米放疗防护剂具有诸多优势,本综述概述了纳米放疗防护材料的常见设计策略,同时分析了放射诱导的常见疾病的致病机制和纳米放疗防护材料防治各种放射诱导疾病的研究现状.最后,还讨论了纳米材料用于放疗防护所面临的挑战和未来前景.     

Inorganic Nanomaterial for Biomedical Imaging of Brain Diseases

In the past few decades, brain diseases have taken a heavy toll on human health and social systems. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), photoacoustic imaging (PA), computed tomography (CT), and other imaging modes play important roles in disease prevention and treatment. However, the disadvantages of traditional imaging mode, such as long imaging time and large noise, limit the effective diagnosis of diseases, and reduce the precision treatment of diseases. The ever-growing applications of inorganic nanomaterials in biomedicine provide an exciting way to develop novel imaging systems. Moreover, these nanomaterials with special physicochemical characteristics can be modified by surface modification or combined with functional materials to improve targeting in different diseases of the brain to achieve accurate imaging of disease regions. This article reviews the potential applications of different types of inorganic nanomaterials in vivo imaging and in vitro detection of different brain disease models in recent years. In addition, the future trends, opportunities, and disadvantages of inorganic nanomaterials in the application of brain diseases are also discussed. Additionally, recommendations for improving the sensitivity and accuracy of inorganic nanomaterials in screening/diagnosis of brain diseases.     

NiFe2O4磁性纳米材料的溶剂热法一步合成

以Fe(NO_3)_3·9H_2O和Ni(NO_3)_2·6H_2O为原料,在未添加任何碱性沉淀剂和高温晶化处理的条件下,通过对实验条件(包括溶剂、溶剂热温度和时间)的优化,利用溶剂热法一步制备了具有良好结晶性和超顺磁性的NiFe_2O_4磁性纳米材料。结果表明:用H_2O和EtOH-H_2O做溶剂都不利于NiFe_2O_4的生成;用EtOH做溶剂,为了获得纯度较高的NiFe_2O_4磁性纳米材料,要保证适当的溶剂热温度和时间;所得材料的磁性能与材料中磁性组分NiFe_2O_4的含量和其结晶程度有关。该制备方法最突出的优点是简单、快速、成本低、从源头消除了污染,且所得的材料磁性能优良。     

三维介孔钴酸锌立方体的制备及其优异的储锂性能

采用简易、温和、实际耐用的水热方法制备了新型三维介孔立方体结构的钴酸锌纳米材料。每个钴酸锌立方体的边长大约在3-4μm之间,并由大量的纳米粒子和密集的孔隙所构成。通过氮吸附/脱附手段测试发现所制备的钴酸锌纳米材料具有较大的比表面积(41.4 m2?g~(-1))和介孔(6.32 nm)特性。使用钴酸锌纳米材料作为锂离子电池负极,金属锂作为正极组装锂电池并测试了材料的储锂性能。研究发现该电极材料在较高的电流密度下循环100周后,仍能呈现较高的可逆容量和超强的循环稳定性。这种优异的储锂性能主要归因于钴酸锌纳米材料的新型结构,这种介孔立方体结构能够加速锂离子的扩散,增加电极与电解液的接触面积并缓解锂离子嵌入/嵌出期间产生的体积膨胀。     

Recent Advances in Atomic-scale Storage Mechanism Studies of Two-dimensional Nanomaterials for Rechargeable Batteries Beyond Li-ion

Developing new types of rechargeable batteries with high energy densities and low cost have received increasing attentions, aiming to reduce the dependence on high-priced lithium. Beyond Li-ion batteries, the potential alternatives including Na-ion batteries, Li-S batteries and Li-air batteries have been investigated recently, which are required to be viable for commercial applications. From this point of view, to understand the electrochemical reaction mechanisms and kinetics of these batteries has become the key challenge to make breakthroughs in the field of new energy storage. In this review, we present a critical overview of the two dimensional nanomaterials-based batteries (except Li-ion-based batteries) that could meet such demonds. To develop new energy storage devices with more promising performances, the microstructure evolution and atomic scale storage mechanism of these batteries are comprehensively summarized. In addition, the major challenges and opportunities of advanced characterization techniques are finally discussed. We do hope that this review will give the readers a clear and profound understanding of the electrochemical reaction mechanisms and kinetics of the as-discussed batteries, thus effectively contributing to the smart design of future-generation energy storage devices.     

Structural, optical and Raman studies of template-free solvothermally synthesized ZnSe/ZnSe:Ce nanoparticles

The present work reports a general, single step and easy solvothermal method to synthesize well crystallized and pure phase Ce³⁺ doped ZnSe nanocrystals for the first time in a unified system. The products were well characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis spectroscopy (UV-vis), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDAX) and Raman spectroscopy. The products were found to show significant finite size effect as characterized by broadened XRD peaks, blue-shifts of the interband optical absorption edge and the asymmetric broadening of Raman spectra. The emission intensity of Ce³⁺ ion doped ZnSe was found to be considerably increased with respect to the pure one. The observed lineshape of LO modes indicates broadening that is due to the nanosized effect. The structure and properties were correlated and detailed growth mechanism is also discussed.     

Current Applications of Magnetic Nanomaterials for Extraction of Mycotoxins,Pesticides, and Pharmaceuticals in Food Commodities

Environmental pollutants, such as mycotoxins, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals, are a group of contaminates that occur naturally, while others are produced from anthropogenic sources. With increased research on the adverse ecological and human health effects of these pollutants, there is an increasing need to regularly monitor their levels in food and the environment in order to ensure food safety and public health. The application of magnetic nanomaterials in the analyses of these pollutants could be promising and offers numerous advantages relative to conventional techniques. Due to their ability for the selective adsorption, and ease of separation as a result of magnetic susceptibility, surface modification, stability, cost-effectiveness, availability, and biodegradability, these unique magnetic nanomaterials exhibit great achievement in the improvement of the extraction of different analytes in food. On the other hand, conventional methods involve longer extraction procedures and utilize large quantities of environmentally unfriendly organic solvents. This review centers its attention on current applications of magnetic nanomaterials and their modifications in the extraction of pollutants in food commodities.     

Effectiveness of Darcy-Forchheimer and nonlinear mixed convection aspects in stratified Maxwell nanomaterial flow induced by convectively heated surface

The effect of nonlinear mixed convection in stretched flows of rate-type non-Newtonian materials is described. The formulation is based upon the Maxwell liquid which elaborates thermal relation time characteristics. Nanofluid properties are studied considering thermophoresis and Brownian movement. Thermal radiation, double stratification, convective conditions, and heat generation are incorporated in energy and nanoparticle concentration expressions. A boundary-layer concept is implemented for the simplification of mathematical expressions. The modeled nonlinear problems are computed with an optimal homotopy scheme. Moreover, the Nusselt and Sherwood numbers as well as the velocity, nanoparticle concentration, and temperature are emphasized. The results show opposite impacts of the Deborah number and the porosity factor on the velocity distribution.     

碳纳米材料的超分子表面修饰及应用

目前碳纳米材料已经成为纳米科学研究中的热点,它的特殊结构使其具有特殊的物理化学性能,对其进行超分子修饰可以提高其分散性以及赋予其新的性能,已经引起研究人员的广泛兴趣.本文综述了近年来碳纳米材料的超分子修饰以及其应用研究.重点阐述碳纳米管和石墨烯通过不同的超分子作用,如pi-pi相互作用、疏水相互作用、氢键相互作用、静电相互作用等进行修饰制备具有不同功能的超分子碳纳米材料,以及在光电材料、药物和基因传输以及化学生物传感器等领域的应用.