Fabrication of yeast ß-glucan/sodium alginate/γ-polyglutamic acid composite particles for hemostasis and wound healing.

Particles with a porous structure can lead to quick hemostasis and provide a good matrix for cell proliferation during wound healing. Recently, many particle-based wound healing materials have been clinically applied. However, these products show good hemostatic ability but with poor wound healing ability. To solve this problem, this study fabricated APGG composite particles using yeast ß-glucan (obtained from Saccharomyces cerevisiae), sodium alginate, and γ-polyglutamic acid as the starting materials. The structure of yeast ß-glucan was modified with many carboxymethyl groups to obtain carboxymethylated ß-glucan, which could coordinate with Ca2+ ions to form a crosslinked structure. A morphology study indicated that the APGG particles showed an irregular spheroidal structure with a low density (<0.1 g cm-3) and high porosity (>40%). An in vitro study revealed that the particles exhibited a low BCI value, low hemolysis ratio, and good cytocompatibility against L929 cells. The APGG particles could quickly stop bleeding in a mouse liver injury model and exhibited better hemostatic ability than the commercially available product Celox. Furthermore, the APGG particles could accelerate the healing of non-infected wounds, and the expression levels of CD31, α-SMA, and VEGF related to angiogenesis were significantly enhanced.

Fluorescein Derivative Immobilized Optical Hydrogels: Fabrication and Its Application for Detection of H2O2.

A novel fluorescein-based probe FLA-Boe was developed for detecting H2O2. Modified by 2-Bromomethylphenylboronic acid pinacol ester, FLA-Boe is a Fluorescein derivative with eminent photostability and remarkable H2O2 sensitivity and selectivity. FLA-Boe was utilized to synthesize hydrogel sensors in the manner of guest-host interaction by taking advantage of its aforementioned features. The hydrogel sensor can be used to detect H2O2 effectively in both flowing and static water environments with satisfactory performance. It is expected that this application may open a new page to develop a neoteric fluorescent property analysis method aiming at H2O2 detection.

A Naphthalimide-Based Fluorescent Probe for the Detection and Imaging of Mercury Ions in Living Cells.

The selective and efficient monitoring of mercury (Hg2+ ) contamination found in the environment and ecosystem has been carried out. Thus, a new 1,8-naphthalimide-based fluorescent probe NADP for the detection of Hg2+ based on a fluorescence enhancement strategy has been designed and synthesized. The NADP probe can detect Hg2+ with high selectivity and sensitivity and a low detection limit of 13 nm. The detection mechanism was based on a Hg2+ -triggered deprotection reaction, resulting in a dramatic change in fluorescence from colorless to green at physiological pH. Most importantly, biological investigation has shown that the NADP probe can be successfully applied to the monitoring of Hg2+ in living cells and zebrafish with low cytotoxicity.

Photoregulated "Breathing" Vesicle with Inversed Supramolecular Chirality.

Though phospholipids possess chiral centers, their chiral aggregation within bilayer cell membranes has seldom been referred and recognized. Insight into the chirality at higher levels in artificial molecular bilayer assemblies such as vesicles or liposomes is important to better understand biomembrane functions. In this work, we illustrate the fabrication of chiral vesicles with photoresponsive supramolecular chirality and structural transformation property. Cholesterol was conjugated to azobenzene via different spacers, of which molecular chirality underwent transfer to supramolecular level upon aggregation in water. The resultant building block self-assembled into unilamellar vesicles that could respond to light irradiation by showing reversible extension/contraction behavior. Such "breathing" behavior was accompanied with supramolecular chirality inversion from M- to P-handedness, confirmed by the solid-state crystal structure and electronic circular dichroism spectra based on density functional theory. The vesicle membrane behaves as a matrix to accommodate guest molecules via aromatic interactions, which significantly elevated the UV light resistance with respect to the structural and supramolecular chirality transformation. This work offers an unprecedented rational control over supramolecular chirality using photoresponsiveness in vesicular membranes.

Highly efficient and selective supramolecular hydrogel sensor based on rhodamine 6G derivatives.

A mercury ion sensitive fluorescent functional monomer was synthesized based on rhodamine 6G, and two highly-effective approaches about the research and development of novel macroscopic hydrogel sensor were reported. The monomer was utilized to synthesize hydrogel sensors by free radical polymerization and guest-host interaction. Hydrogel sensors have prominent selectivity to Hg2+ and can be tailored and reused, which are capable of detecting Hg2+ sensitively in flowing and standing water environment with satisfactory performance. This work is expected to open an avenue to construct novel fluorescent analysis method for Hg2+ detection.

A novel coumarin-based colorimetric and fluorescent probe for detecting increasing concentrations of Hg2+ in vitro and in vivo.

Mercury has complex biological toxicity and can cause a variety of physiological diseases and even death, so it is of great importance to develop novel strategies for detecting trace mercury in environmental and biological samples. In this work, we designed a new coumarin-based colorimetric and fluorescent probe CNS, which could be obtained from inexpensive starting materials with high overall yield in three steps. Probe CNS could selectively respond to Hg2+ with obvious color and fluorescence changes, and the presence of other metal ions had no effect on the fluorescence changes. Probe CNS also exhibited high sensitivity against Hg2+, with a detection limit as low as 2.78 × 10-8 M. More importantly, the behavioral tracks of zebrafish had no obvious changes upon treatment with 10 µM probe CNS, thus indicating its low toxicity. The probe showed potential application value and was successfully used for detecting Hg2+ in a test strip, HeLa cells and living zebrafish larvae.

Two Novel Fluorescent Probes as Systematic Sensors for Multiple Metal Ions: Focus on Detection of Hg2.

Many precedents prove that fluorescent probes are promising candidates for detection of metal ions in the environment and biological systems. Herein, two novel photoinduced electron transfer (PET)-based fluorescent probes, CH 3 -R6G and CN-R6G, were rationally synthesized by incorporating a triazolyl benzaldehyde moiety into the rhodamine 6G fluorophore. The optical properties of these probes were studied using an ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectrophotometer and a fluorescence spectrophotometer. Through the analysis of the test results, it is concluded that the selectivity and sensitivity of these two probes to Hg2+ are better than to other metal ions (Ag+, Al3+, Ba2+, Cd2+, Co3+, Cu2+, Cr3+, Fe3+, Ga2+, K+, Mg2+, Na+, Ni2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+). According to the standard curve diagram, the detection limits of CH 3 -R6G and CN-R6G were determined to be 1.34 × 10-8 and 1.56 × 10-8 M, respectively. Reaction of the probes with Hg2+ resulted in a color change of the solution from colorless to pink. The corresponding molecular geometric configuration, orbital electron distribution, and orbital energy of these two compounds were predicted by density functional theory (DFT). The two probes CH 3 -R6G and CN-R6G have been successfully used for imaging Hg2+ in live breast cancer cells, thereby indicating their great potential for the micro-detection of Hg2+ in vivo.

Rhodamine-immobilized optical hydrogels with shape deformation and Hg2+-sensitive fluorescence behaviors.

A highly effective method for the research and development of a novel macroscopic hydrogel sensor and bilayer hydrogel is reported. Based on Rhodamine 6G, an Hg2+ sensitive fluorescent functional monomer was synthesized, then the monomer was utilized to synthesize hydrogel sensors and bilayer hydrogels. Hydrogel sensor has prominent selectivity to Hg2+, the bilayer hydrogel has shape changing function additionally. By combining a thermoresponsive hydrogel layer, poly N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM), with an Hg2+ selective hydrogel layer via macroscopic supramolecular assembly, a bilayer hydrogel is obtained that can be tailored and reswells. The bilayer hydrogel sensor can show complex shape deformation caused by the PNIPAM layer and the Hg2+-responsive characteristic of hydrogel sensor layer can be observed under visible light or UV light. This work will provide novel insights for the design and synthesis of novel smart materials with synergistic functions.

Recent progress on the organic and metal complex-based fluorescent probes for monitoring nitric oxide in living biological systems.

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important gaseous signaling molecule related to various human diseases. To investigate the biological functions of NO, many strategies have been developed for real-time monitoring the NO levels in biological systems. Among these strategies, fluorescent probes are considered to be one of the most efficient and applicable methods owing to their excellent sensitivity and selectivity, high spatiotemporal resolution, noninvasiveness, and experimental convenience. Therefore, great efforts have been paid to the design, synthesis, and fluorescence investigation of novel NO fluorescent probes in the past several years. However, few of them exhibit practical applications owing to the low concentration, short half-life, and rapid diffusion characteristics of NO in biological systems. Rational design of NO fluorescent probes with excellent selectivity and sensitivity, low cytotoxicity, long-lived fluorescent emission, and low background interference is still a challenge for scientists all over the word. To provide spatial-temporal information, this article focuses on the progress made in the organic and metal complex-based NO fluorescent probes during the past five years. The key structural elements and sensing mechanisms of NO fluorescent probes are discussed. Some novel ratiometric, luminescence, and photoacoustic probes with low background interference and deep tissue penetrating ability are mentioned. All these probes have been used for imaging exogenous and endogenous NO in cells and animal models. More importantly, this article also describes the development of multi-functional NO fluorescent probes, such as organelle targeting probes, dual-analysis probes, and probe-drug conjugates, which will inspire the design of various functional fluorescent probes.

Two novel colorimetric fluorescent probes: Hg2+ and Al3+ in the visual colorimetric recognition environment.

Two new dual channel Schiff base fluorescent probes, Tri-R6G and Tri-Flu, were synthesized, and can detect Hg2+ and Al3+, respectively. The two probes were characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HRMS, and their optical properties were detected by UV and FL. Test results showed the probes' detection of Hg2+ and Al3+ compared to other metal ions (Ag+, Co2+, Cd2+, Mg2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Ba2+, Pb2+, Cr3+, Al3+, Zn2+, Hg2+, K+, Ga2+ and Fe3+), respectively. Besides, the detection limits were determined to be 1.61 × 10-8 M and 1.15 × 10-8 M through the standard curve plot, respectively. The photoelectron transfer (PET) mechanism was guessed by the Job's plot and the infrared titration. Corresponding orbital electron distribution and molecular geometry configurations of the compounds were predicted by density functional theory (DFT). In addition, the prepared test paper changed from white to pink when the target ion was detected. The color changed from colorless to pink in a solution having a concentration of 10-5 M.

A highly selective colorimetric fluorescent probe for detection of Hg2+ and its application on test strips.

An efficient fluorescent probe Pyr-Rhy based on pyrazole was developed, which can detect Hg2+ in water. Its fluorescence properties were studied by UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, and the study results indicated that this probe can selectively detect Hg2+ via complexation reaction, and then cause a remarkable color change from colorless to pink and a strong fluorescence enhancement can be observed. Furthermore, this probe showed high sensitivity with the detection limit down to 2.07 × 10-8 M, and its stoichiometric ratio toward Hg2+ ions was 1 : 1. The sensing mechanism was investigated by Job's plot 1H NMR titrations, and FT-IR spectra analysis, which demonstrated a chelation-enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) mechanism. More importantly, obvious color changes of sensor Pyr-Rhy can be observed when it was impregnated on filter paper testing strips and immersed in Hg2+ solution (water as solution), indicating its potential application for trace Hg2+ detection in environmental samples.

Novel Turn-on Fluorescence Probes for Al3+ Based on Conjugated Pyrazole Schiff Base.

One novel turn-on fluorescence probe founded on conjugated pyrazole Schiff base for detecting Al3+ was invented. The UV-vis and fluorescence spectrometer were employed to explore optical properties of this probe. The results got from those experiments indicated that this fluorescence probe manifested excellent sensitivity and selectivity for Al3+ compared with other cations examined(Ag+, Co2+, Mg2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Pb2+,and Zn2+). In addition, this probe displayed a more rapid response and remained stable between pH 6 and 9 by investigating the fluorescence intensity under different response time and various pH values. Remarkably, the detection limit for Al3+ could lower to 1.0×10-9M. Therefore, the probe could be potentially applied to the environment for the detection of Al3+, and the availability in biological range of pH that could be further studied to make this probe apply to biological systems in the future.

Fluorescence sensors for Zn(2+) based on conjugated indole Schiff base.

Two novel fluorescence probes based on conjugated Schiff base for the detection of Zn(2+) were developed. Corresponding molecular geometries, orbital energies, electron contributions and absorption properties of the fluorescence probes were calculated at B3LYP/6-31G(∗) by density functional theory. The fluorescence properties of the probes were investigated by UV-vis and fluorescence spectrometer. Results indicate that the probes exhibit excellent sensitivity and selectivity for Zn(2+) compared with metal ions examined. For example, the enhancement efficiency of the compound 2 for Zn(2+) is up to 846%. The detection limit of the sensor toward Zn(2+) could low to 1.0×10(-7)M. Moreover, mechanisms for the high selectivity and sensitivity of the probes to Zn(2+) were studied.

Original and efficient synthesis of D-cycloserine.

A simple pathway for the preparation of D-cycloserine is presented. The intermediates and D-cycloserine were characterized by FT-IR, (1)H-NMR spectra and elemental analysis. D-Cycloserine can inhibit the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and can be used as a second-line drug for the treatment of tuberculosis, especially for the use in developing countries.