Ratiometric luminescent simultaneous sensing of aristolochic acids (I-IV) by a novel metal-organic framework and its nanowire.

Aristolochic acids (AAs), which are a group of nitrophenanthrene carboxylic acids formed by Aristolochia plant, have become an increasing serious threat to humans due to their nephrotoxicity and carcinogenicity. Fast and accurate approaches capable of simultaneous sensing of aristolochic acids (I-IV) are vital to avoid intake of such compounds. In this research, the novel ratiometric fluorescence zinc metal-organic framework and its nanowire have been prepared. The two different coordination modes (tetrahedral configuration and twisted triangular bipyramidal configuration) within zinc metal-organic framework lead to the significant double emissions. The ratiometric fluorescence approach based on nanowire provides a broader concentration range (3.00 × 10-7~1.00 × 10-4 M) and lower limit of detection (3.70 × 10-8 M) than that based on zinc metal-organic framework (1.00 × 10-6~1.00 × 10-4 M, 5.91 × 10-7 M). The RSDs of the results are in the range 1.4-3.5% (nanowire). The density functional theory calculations and UV-Vis absorption verify that the sensing mechanism is due to charge transfer and energy transfer. Excellent spiked recoveries for AAs(I-IV) in soil and water support that nanowire is competent to simultaneously detect these targets in real samples, and the proposed approach has potential as a fluorescence sensing platform for the simultaneous detection of AAs (I-IV) in complex systems.

Fluorescence sensing of water in various organic solvents based on a novel cyclic polymer.

A sensor capable of sensing of water in various organic solvents ranging from water-soluble to water-miscible solvents is still a challenging task. In this research, a cyclic polymer fluorescence chemosensor (CPFC) has been developed for sensing of water by turn-on model in 9 organic solvents and turn-off model in DMA, where the broadest concentration range and the lowest detection limit was obtained for water in DMA (10 %-90 %) and dioxane (0.011 %), respectively. The sensing mechanism is explored by theory calculation and experimental investigation. The amphiphilic nature endows the polymer probe with great potential for measuring various contaminants from aqueous and nonaqueous mediums. Furthermore, the present search highlights the potential applications of cyclic polymer as fluorescence probes in the field of sensing.

Polyphenols functionalized MOF encapsulated BPQDs for synergistic photothermal/photodynamic antibacterial properties and multifunctional food preservation.

Active antibacterial materials play an important role in solving food safety problems caused by pathogen contamination. In this study, a composite active antibacterial material with the synergistic antibacterial effectiveness of photothermal, photodynamic and the surface charge of polyphenols was developed, where the multi-porous polyphenol functionalized metal-organic frameworks (ZIF-8-TA) were used as the framework carrier, and black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs) were used as the photosensitive source. The resulted ZIF-8-TA/PBQDs possesses excellent photothermal conversion efficiency (27.92%), photodynamic performance and surface charge, and these factors ensure the outstanding broad-spectrum antibacterial performance (100%). Multifunctional characteristics and excellent biocompatibility endow the materials with vast potential for foodstuff packaging. The results showed that the composite antibacterial film produced by doping ZIF-8-TA/PBQDs into chitosan could effectively prolong the shelf life of foodstuff compared with commercial membrane. The successful implementation of this research provides a new idea for controlling microbial contamination and developing multifunctional antibacterial materials.

Bibliometric analysis and evaluation of publications on non-Helicobacter pylori helicobacters from 1993 to 2023.

Aim: A bibliometric analysis and evaluation of research on non-Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter species (NHPHs) is essential to determining future research directions. Materials & methods: A comprehensive search was carried out using predetermined search terms within the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) to gather publications spanning from 1993 to 2023. VOSviewer and Citespace were employed for data analysis and visualization. Results: 308 publications on NHPHs were included. Among these, gastric NHPHs received more publications and attention compared with enterohepatic NHPHs. Key findings included the identification of most productive countries, institutions, journals, authors, keywords, research trends and notable perspectives in the field. Conclusion: The article guides further research and clinical applications on NHPHs.

Enhancement of inhibition rate of antibiotic against bacteria by molecularly imprinted nanoparticles targeting alarmone nucleotides as antibiotic adjuvants.

Antibiotic tolerance and resistance in bacteria have caused a great threat to humankind. Bacteria can rapidly accumulate alarmone nucleotides (guanosine tetra- and pentaphosphate, usually denoted as (p)ppGpp) to repair damaged DNA under adverse conditions. The inhibition synthetase enzyme activity of (p)ppGpp, indirectly preventing synthesis, or promoting degradation, has been reported; however, transferring these strategies to practical applications is still a challenging task due to the lack of highly effective molecules for these purposes. Here, an approach based on molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (MIP-NPs) as antibiotic adjuvants was proposed, where MIP-NPs with specific recognition sites were used to capture alarmone nucleotides released by bacteria during stringent response activation. Enhanced inhibition rates of 40-80% were achieved in the presence of the MIP-NPs. The dose of antibiotic could be greatly reduced by utilizing the MIP-NPs as adjuvants for a similar deactivation effectiveness. Good biocompatibility (no obvious hemolysis or cytotoxic effects) and apparent antimicrobial efficiency for resisting wound infection in vivo support the fact that well-designed MIP-NPs have a bright future in dealing with the growing threat of antibiotic tolerance and resistance.

Fluorescence sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymers and core-shell upconversion nanoparticles@metal-organic frameworks for detection of bovine serum albumin.

A novel strategy for sensing protein was proposed through combining the high selectivity of molecular imprinting technology with the excellent upconversion fluorescence of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and high specific surface area of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Herein, the UCNPs acted as signal reporter and MOFs were introduced to increase the rate of mass transfer. The UCNPs@MIL-100 as support material was prepared via a step-by-step method. The imprinted material-coated UCNPs@MIL-100 (UCNPs@MIL-100@MIPs) were obtained by sol-gel technique. The results showed that as the increase of the template protein concentration, the fluorescence intensity of UCNPs@MIL-100@MIPs quenched gradually, and the imprinting factor was 2.90. The linear in the range of 1.00 to 8.00 µM, and the detection limit was 0.59 µM. Therefore, the novel optosensing material is very promising for future applications.

Efficient Solar-Driven Water Purification Based on Biochar with Multi-Level Pore Bundle Structure for Preparation of Drinking Water.

Water is an important source for humankind. However, the amount of available clean water has rapidly reduced worldwide. To combat this issue, the solar-energy-driven evaporation technique is newly proposed to produce clean water. Here, biochar derived from sorghum stalk with a multi-level pore bundle structure is utilized to fabricate a solar-driven evaporator for the first time. The biochar displays rapid water transfer and low thermal conductivity (ca. 0.0405 W m-1 K-1), which is vitally important for such an application purpose. The evaporation rate and energy conversion efficiency of the solar evaporator based on carbonized sorghum stalk can achieve up to 3.173 kg m-2 h-1 and 100%, respectively, which are better than most of the previously reported biomass materials. Furthermore, the carbonized sorghum stalk also displays good resistance to salt crystallization, anti-acidic/basic, and organic pollutants by producing drinking water using seawater, acidic/basic waste water, and organic polluted water, respectively. The direct application of processed water in food production was also investigated. The present solar steam evaporator based on the carbonized sorghum stalk has the potential to create practical drinking water production by using various water sources.

Metal-organic gel as a fluorescence sensing platform to trace copper(II).

Metal-organic gel (MOG), as a novel type of metallic organic hybrid material, exhibits diverse properties. However, its application in fluorescence detection for specific metal ions has rarely been exploited. In this work, we have designed and synthesized a MOG based on Al-carboxylate coordination assemblies (denoted as MOG-Al). The resultant MOG-Al shows good specific fluorescence signal response to trace Cu2+. Under optimal conditions, the fluorescence quenching degrees (F0 - F) of the MOG-Al have a linear correlation with Cu2+ concentration ranging from 0.05 to 100 µM, and the limit of detection (LOD) is 45.00 nM. The proposed sensing platform was also applied for the detection of Cu2+ in real samples. Satisfactory recoveries (92-116%) for Cu2+ in rice, soybean milk powder and pork liver were obtained. These results indicate that MOG-Al is a promising material for the specific and sensitive sensing of Cu2+.

Black Phosphorus Nanosheet Encapsulated by Zeolitic Imidazole Framework-8 for Tumor Multimodal Treatments.

Black phosphorus (BP) nanosheet is easily oxidized by oxygen and water under ambient environment, thus, reliable BP passivation techniques for biomedical applications is urgently needed. A simple and applicable passivation strategy for biomedical applications was established by encapsulating BP nanosheet into zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8). The resulted BP nanosheet in ZIF-8 (BP@ZIF-8) shows not only satisfied chemical stability in both water and phosphate buffered saline (PBS), but also excellent biocompatibility. Notably, BP nanosheet endows the prepared BP@ZIF-8 with prominent photothermal conversion efficiency (31.90%). Besides passivation BP, ZIF-8 provides the BP@ZIF-8 with high drug loading amount (1353.3 mg g-1). Moreover, the loaded drug can be controlled release by pH stimuli. Both in vitro and in vivo researches verified the resulted BP@ZIF-8 an ideal candidate for tumor multimodal treatments.

Bipyridine-linked three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks for fluorescence sensing of cobalt(II) at nanomole level.

A novel fluorometric method based on bipyridine-linked three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (COFs) was developed for the determination of Co2+. The COFs were synthesized by the polyreaction of tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)methane (TAPM), 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-diamine (Bpy), and 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxaldehyde (BPDA) under solvothermal conditions. The fluorescence of the COFs, with excitation/emission peaks at 324/406 nm, is quenched by Co2+. Under the optimal conditions, the fluorescence quenching degrees (F0-F) of the resulted COFs linearly enhance as the concentrations of Co2+ increase in the range 0.01 to 0.25 µM, and a limit of detection of 2.63 nM is achieved. The fluorescence response mechanism was discussed in detail. This proposed approach has also been successfully employed to determine Co2+ in complex samples (shrimp and tap water), and satisfactory recoveries (88.1 ~ 109.7%) was obtained. The relative standard deviations are below 4.9%.

Synthesis of Magnetic Ferrocene-Containing Polymer with Photothermal Effects for Rapid Degradation of Methylene Blue.

Photothermal materials are attracting more and more attention. In this research, we synthesized a ferrocene-containing polymer with magnetism and photothermal properties. The resulting polymer was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Its photo-thermocatalytic activity was investigated by choosing methylene blue (MB) as a model compound. The degradation percent of MB under an irradiated 808 nm laser reaches 99.5% within 15 min, and the degradation rate is 0.5517 min-1, which is 145 times more than that of room temperature degradation. Under irradiation with simulated sunlight, the degradation rate is 0.0092 min-1, which is approximately 2.5 times more than that of room temperature degradation. The present study may open up a feasible route to degrade organic pollutants.

Carbon tubes from biomass with prominent adsorption performance for paraquat.

Paraquat (PQ) pollution has become an increasing seriously threat to the ecological environment. Thus, it is vital to study novel adsorption materials capable of removing PQ. Modified carbon tubes (MCT-600) were prepared by carbonizing the seed hair fibers of Metaplexis japonica at 600 °C and further modifying with nitric acid. The MCT-600 was found to possess a regular morphology, a good graphitization degree and an abundance of carboxyl functional groups. Moreover, this materil exhibits excellent adsorption performance for paraquat (PQ), such as a fast adsorption rate (adsorption equilibrium within 20 min), large adsorption capacity (218.61 mg g-1) and good regeneration ability (reused more than 5 times). The adsorption process for PQ onto MCT-600 was found to be well matched to a Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics model. Owing to its unique surface properties, green raw material source and simple preparation process, MCT-600 shows potential as an outstanding candidate for PQ removal from water.

Fluorometric determination of tyramine by molecularly imprinted upconversion fluorescence test strip.

A fluorometric method based on molecularly imprinted upconversion fluorescence test strip was developed for the determination of tyramine. It exploited the green fluorescence of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and the specific recognition property of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). UCNPs were attached to filter paper with glue, and MIPs were prepared via in situ polymerization on the surface of UCNPs by using tyramine as template, methacrylic acid as functional monomer, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross-linker. The green fluorescence of the test strip, with excitation/emission wavelength 980/550 nm, was enhanced by tyramine. The test strip was suitable for the determination of tyramine in the linear range 1.0-100.0 mg L-1, and a relatively low limit of detection (0.2 mg L-1) was achieved. The test strip also worked well for the quantitation of tyramine in spiked red wine and mature vinegar. Recoveries are ranged from 84.9 to 99.9%. The relative standard deviations are below 5.6%. Graphical abstract.

Covalent organic frameworks as a sensing platform for water in organic solvent over a broad concentration range.

A highly crystalline covalent organic frameworks (COFs) formed by condensation reaction between 1, 3, 5-tris (4-aminophenyl) benzene and 4, 4'-biphenyldicarboxaldehyde is utilized as a sensing platform for water in organic solvent over a broad concentration range. The resulting COFs exhibits brilliant fluorescence in various organic solvents such as methanol, DMF, acetonitrile and ethanol, moreover its fluorescence intensity has a significant and rapid response to the content of water in organic solvent over a broad concentration range. The broadest sensing range is achieved over 7%-70% (v/v) for water in DMF, and the lowest limit of detection is 0.042% (v/v) for water in methanol among the investigated organic solvents. The superior properties of the sensing platform expand the application ranges of COFs and endow the resulting COFs with a great prospect in practical applications for highly efficient detecting water in organic solvent.

Surface chemistry modified upconversion nanoparticles as fluorescent sensor array for discrimination of foodborne pathogenic bacteria.

BACKGROUND: The identification of foodborne pathogenic bacteria types plays a crucial role in food safety and public health. In consideration of long culturing times, tedious operations and the desired specific recognition elements in conventional methods, the alternative fluorescent sensor arrays can offer a high-effective approach in bacterial identification by using multiple cross-reactive receptors. Herein, we achieve this goal by constructing an upconversion fluorescent sensor array based on anti-stokes luminogens featuring a series of functional lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) with phenylboronic acid, phosphate groups, or imidazole ionic liquid. The prevalent spotlight effect of microorganism and the electrostatic interaction between UCNPs and bacteria endow such sensor array an excellent discrimination property. RESULTS: Seven common foodborne pathogenic bacteria including two Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes) and five Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Cronobacter sakazakii, Shigella flexneri and Vibrio parahaemolyticus) are precisely identified with 100% accuracy via linear discriminant analysis (LDA). Furthermore, blends of bacteria have been identified accurately. Bacteria in real samples (tap water, milk and beef) have been effectively discriminated with 92.1% accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: Current fluorescence sensor array is a powerful tool for high-throughput bacteria identification, which overcomes the time-consuming bacteria culture and heavy dependence of specific recognition elements. The high efficiency of whole bacterial cell detection and the discrimination capability of life and death bacteria can brighten the application of fluorescence sensor array.

Synthesis of anionic ionic liquids@TpBd-(SO3)2 for the selective adsorption of cationic dyes with superior capacity.

The discharge of industrial printing and dyeing wastewater is one of the main reasons for the increasing water shortage and deterioration. The treatment of dyestuff wastewater is an issue and needs to be urgently solved. In this work, anionic ionic liquid functional covalent organic materials (COMs) were firstly synthesized and used for the selective adsorption of cationic dyes. First, a series of sulfonic acid group (SO3H)-functionalized anionic TpPa-SO3, TpBd-(SO3)2, and TpCR-(SO3)2 were prepared, respectively, and then imidazole was grafted onto TpBd-(SO3)2 to obtain ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2. The full characterization using X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, 13C cross-polarization magic-angle spinning NMR spectroscopy, zeta-potentials, BET surface and pore analysis indicated that these COMs and ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2 exhibited different morphologies, porosities, and potentials. The effects of the type of dye, adsorption time, initial dye concentration, and pH on the adsorption of dyes on ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2 were systematically investigated, respectively. The results revealed that ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2 possessed good adsorption performance for nine different cationic dyes with adsorption capacities in the range from 2865.3 mg g-1 for methylene blue (MB) to 597.9 mg g-1 for basic orange 2 (BO), but little adsorption for anionic and neutral dyes, revealing charge selectivity. The adsorption ratio of ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2 for MB was as high as 74.0% at 10 min by using 1.0 mg material, owing to the post modification of TpBd-(SO3)2 with imidazole. The adsorption of MB on ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2 was pH dependent. The adsorption isotherm and kinetics fitted well with the Freundlich and pseudo second-order kinetic model, respectively. Finally, the very outstanding advantages of superior selective adsorption, desorption, convenient preparation, and low density of ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2 predicted its research and application potential in dye wastewater recovery.

Genetic Variations at rs3129891 and rs77005575 are Associated With Reduced Expression of Enteric α-defensins in IBD Patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Human enteric antimicrobial peptides composed predominantly of human enteric α-defensins (HD5 and HD6) are important in the mucosal antimicrobial barrier. Previous studies have identified that genetic variations at rs2066844, rs2066845, rs2066847 are associated with diminished enteric α-defensins in ileal Crohn's disease (CD). However, genetic variations associated with enteric antimicrobial peptides in colonic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remain unclear. To investigate it, we compared the colonic expression of antimicrobial peptides with respect to genotypes at 22 IBD-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 16 controls and 102 colonic IBD patients including 42 ulcerative colitis (UC) and 60 CD were studies. Mutation assay was performed to determine their genotypes at 22 IBD-associated SNPs. Real-time PCR was performed to determine the colonic mRNA expression of HD5, HD6, lysozyme, and secretory phospholipase A2. RESULTS: Mutant genotypes at rs2066844, rs2066845, rs2066847 were not found, and only SNPs rs3129891 and rs77005575 were associated with enteric α-defensin expression in colonic IBD. In both inflamed and noninflamed tissues, colonic expression of HD5 and HD6 was significantly decreased in UC and CD patients carrying rs3129891 homozygous mutant genotype. And their colonic expression was significantly decreased in inflamed but not noninflamed tissues from UC patients carrying rs77005575 homozygous mutant genotype. However, both lysozyme and secretory phospholipase A2 in UC and CD were unaffected by rs3129891 and rs77005575 genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: As enteric α-defensins play critical roles in the mucosal antimicrobial barrier, their reduced expression may partly explain the microbial-induced mucosal inflammation in colonic IBD patients, especially in patients carrying rs3129891 and rs77005575 mutant genotypes.

Fluorometric determination of fipronil by integrating the advantages of molecularly imprinted silica and carbon quantum dots.

A fluorometric method is described for the determination of fipronil, a frequently-used insecticide. It exploits the blue fluorescence of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and the selectivity of molecularly imprinted silica (MIS). The MIS was prepared via the sol-gel method by using fipronil as the template, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane as functional monomer, and tetraethoxysilane as cross-linker in the presence of CQDs. The blue fluorescence of the CQD@MIS, with excitation/emission peaks at 340/422 nm, is quenched by fipronil. The assay works in the 0. 70 pM to 47 µM fipronil concentration range, and the limit of detection is 19 pM. The method was successfully applied to the quantitation of fipronil in spiked eggs, milk, and tap water. Recoveries between 83.8 and 114.0% were achieved. The corresponding relative standard deviations (RSD) are less than 6.67%. Graphical abstractSchematic representation of a high sensitivite and selectivite fluorescence nanoprobe constructed by combining the excellent fluorescence property of carbon quantum dots and the predicted selectivity of molecularly imprinted silica. It was applied to analyze fipronil in egg, milk and tap water, respectively.

Surfactant-Sensitized Covalent Organic Frameworks-Functionalized Lanthanide-Doped Nanocrystals: An Ultrasensitive Sensing Platform for Perfluorooctane Sulfonate.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) known as a persistent organic pollutant has been attracting great interests due to its potential ecotoxicity. An approach capable of sensing ultra-trace PFOS is in urgent demand. Here, we developed an approach for highly sensitive sensing PFOS using surfactant-sensitized covalent organic frameworks (COFs)-functionalized upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) as a fluorescent probe. COFs-functionalized UCNPs (UCNPs@COFs) were obtained by solvothermal growth of 1,3,5-triformylbenzene and 1,4-phenylenediamine on the surface of UCNPs. COF's layer on the surface of UCNPs not only provides recognition sites for PFOS but also improves the fluorescence quantum yields from 2.15 to 5.12%. Trace PFOS can quench the fluorescence emission of UCNPs@COFs at 550 nm due to the high electronegativity of PFOS. Moreover, the fluorescence quenching response can be significantly strengthened in the presence of a surfactant, which causes more sensitivity. The fluorescence quenching degrees (F 0 - F) of the system are linear with the concentration of PFOS in the range of 1.8 × 10-13 to 1.8 × 10-8 M. The present sensor can sensitively and selectively detect PFOS in tap water and food packing with the limit of detection down to 0.15 pM (signal-to-noise ratio = 3), which is comparable to that of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technique. The proposed approach realized a simple, fast, sensitive, and selective sensing PFOS, showing potential applications in various fields.

Highly Sensitive Detection of Benzoyl Peroxide Based on Organoboron Fluorescent Conjugated Polymers.

The method capable of rapid and sensitive detection of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) is necessary and receiving increasing attention. In consideration of the vast signal amplification of fluorescent conjugated polymers (FCPs) for high sensitivity detection and the potential applications of boron-containing materials in the emerging sensing fields, the organoboron FCPs, poly (3-aminophenyl boronic acid) (PABA) is directly synthesized via free-radical polymerization reaction by using the commercially available 3-aminophenyl boronic acid (ABA) as the functional monomer and ammonium persulfate as the initiator. PABA is employed as a fluorescence sensor for sensing of trace BPO based on the formation of charge-transfer complexes between PABA and BPO. The fluorescence emission intensity of PABA demonstrates a negative correlation with the concentration of BPO. And a linear range of 8.26 × 10-9 M-8.26 × 10-4 M and a limit of detection of 1.06 × 10-9 M as well as a good recovery (86.25%-111.38%) of BPO in spiked real samples (wheat flour and antimicrobial agent) are obtained. The proposed sensor provides a promising prospective candidate for the rapid detection and surveillance of BPO.