Visible-Light-Driven Decarboxylative Coupling of 2H-Indazoles with α-Keto Acids without Photocatalysts and Oxidants.

An efficient synthesis of functionalized 3-acyl-2H-indazoles via visible-light-induced self-catalyzed energy transfer was developed. This method utilized a self-catalyzed energy transfer process between 2H-indazoles and α-keto acids, offering advantages like absence of photosensitizers, metal catalysts, and strong oxidants, broad substrate compatibility, and operational simplicity under mild conditions.

A Label-Free Aptasensor for Turn-On Fluorescent Detection of Aflatoxin B1 Based on an Aggregation-Induced-Emission-Active Probe and Single-Walled Carbon Nanohorns.

The determination of the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) content has received widespread attention in the context of food safety, which is a global public health issue. Accordingly, a label-free and turn-on fluorescent AFB1 determination method is developed herein with an ss-DNA aptamer as the recognition element, 4, 4-(1E,1E)-2, 2-(anthracene-9, 10-diyl) bis(ethene-2, 1-diyl) bis(N, N, N-trimethylbenzenaminium iodide) (DSAI) as the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorescent probe, and single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNHs) as the selective part with a fluorescence quenching effect. In the presence of AFB1, the AFB1-specific aptamer undergoes a structural transformation and switches from being a random helix to a folded structure. DSAI's fluorescence is protected as a result of the resistance of the transformed aptamer adsorbed on the SWCNHs' surface. Because DSAI's fluorescence is not quenchable, the fluorescence intensity is calculated as a function of the AFB1 concentration. By simply mixing DSAI, aptamer, AFB1 samples, and SWCNHs, the method can be carried out in 2 h, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.83 ng/mL. It has a high selectivity in the presence of other mycotoxins, and its performance is confirmed in soybean sauce with a known concentration of AFB1. The LOD was 1.92 ng/mL in the soy sauce samples and the recovery ranged from 95 to 106%, implying that the presented aptasensor has great potential for food analysis.

Detection of aflatoxin B1 with a new label-free fluorescence aptasensor based on PVP-coated single-walled carbon nanohorns and SYBR Gold.

This paper describes a novel fluorescence label-free aptasensor to detect aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) by utilizing SYBR Gold, aptamer, and single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNHs). In the presence of AFB1, the conformation of AFB1-specific aptamer went through and the spatial structure of this specific aptamer was transformed accordingly. Due to the resistance of the transformed aptamer when adsorbed on the surface of SWCNHs, the protection of the fluorescence of SYBR Gold was accomplished. Consequently, concentrations of AFB1 showed a strong association with fluorescence intensity. The detection limit (LOD) of AFB1 was 1.89 ng/mL, while the linear range was 5-200 ng/mL and fluorescence intensity satisfactorily correlated (R2 = 0.9919) with the logarithm of AFB1 concentration.

Taxonomic Compositions and Co-occurrence Relationships of Protists in Bulk Soil and Rhizosphere of Soybean Fields in Different Regions of China.

As the main consumers of bacteria and fungi in farmed soils, protists remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to explore protist community assembly and ecological roles in soybean fields. Here, we investigated differences in protist communities using high-throughput sequencing and their inferred potential interactions with bacteria and fungi between the bulk soil and rhizosphere compartments of three soybean cultivars collected from six ecological regions in China. Distinct protist community structures characterized the bulk soil and rhizosphere of soybean plants. A significantly higher relative abundance of phagotrophs was observed in the rhizosphere (25.1%) than in the bulk soil (11.3%). Spatial location (R 2 = 0.37-0.51) explained more of the variation in protist community structures of soybean fields than either the compartment (R 2 = 0.08-0.09) or cultivar type (R 2 = 0.02-0.03). The rhizosphere protist network (76 nodes and 414 edges) was smaller and less complex than the bulk soil network (147 nodes and 880 edges), indicating a smaller potential of niche overlap and interactions in the rhizosphere due to the increased resources in the rhizosphere. Furthermore, more inferred potential predator-prey interactions occur in the rhizosphere. We conclude that protists have a crucial ecological role to play as an integral part of microbial co-occurrence networks in soybean fields.

One high-nuclearity Eu18 nanoring with rapid ratiometric fluorescence response to dipicolinic acid (an anthrax biomarker).

One 18-metal Eu(iii) nanoring (size: 1.0 × 2.7 × 2.7 nm) was constructed as a rapid ratiometric fluorescent probe for the detection of dipicolinic acid with high sensitivity and selectivity, by using two types of polydentate organic ligands.

Label-Free Fluorescent Aptasensor for Adenosine Triphosphate Detection Using SYBR Gold as a Probe.

In this experimental research, a label-free sensing strategy is developed and employed to detect adenosine triphosphate with utilization of aptamers, including exonuclease I and SYBR Gold. The conformation of aptamers bonding to the specific target molecule (ATP) is transformed into an antiparallel G-quadruplex structure from a random coil. Afterwards, considering the unfolded aptamers are the preferred substrates for exonuclease I, the addition of exonuclease I is used so as to digest unfolded aptamers in the mixture in a selective manner. In the follow-up study, in order to strengthen the fluorescence intensity, SYBR Gold is applied as a fluorescent probe. The aptasensor presents the features of high selectivity against adenosine triphosphate and the low detecting limit of concentrations (39.2 nM). In order to verify the validation of experimental procedures and the practical application of the aptasensor, the detection of adenosine triphosphate for human serum samples is performed with satisfactory success. The recovery result with the range of 93.8%-108.1% is desirable and suggests that the designed approach is applicable. The outcomes of the cellular adenosine triphosphate assay manifest that the level of adenosine triphosphate concentrations in cell extracts can be monitored without the interference of other substances in the cells. Subject to its advantageous benefits (cost-effective, easiness, rapidity, and extraordinary selectivity), the designed approach has a promising implication for adenosine triphosphate detection in the research domain of bioanalytical science and biology.

Construction of a high-nuclearity Nd(III) nanoring for the NIR luminescent detection of antibiotics.

One NIR luminescent 14-metal Nd(iii) nanoring (1, molecular size: 1.0 × 2.2 × 2.6 nm) was obtained from a rigid tridentate ligand, which can absorb and transfer light energy to the Nd(iii) ions. 1 shows interesting luminescence sensing activity to antibiotics, in particular to NFAs with high sensitivity due to the inner filter effect. The quenching constants and the limits of detection of 1 to NFAs are 1.05 × 104 M-1-2.33 × 104 M-1 and 3.05 µM-6.75 µM, respectively. The high fluorescence sensitivities of 1 to NFAs are not changed by the existence of other antibiotics. It also exhibits high sensitivity in the luminescent detection of NFAs contained in real antibiotic drugs.

Construction of Zn(II)/Cd(II)-Yb(III) Schiff Base Complexes for the NIR Luminescent Sensing of Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics.

Two NIR luminescent Zn(II)/Cd(II)-Yb(III) complexes were obtained by the use of a Schiff base ligand with a binaphthyl backbone. Cd(II)-Yb(III) complex 2 has a triangular structure and exhibits interesting luminescent sensing activity to antibiotics, in particular to ciprofloxacin (CPFX) and norfloxacin (NFX) due to the inner filter effect. The limits of the detection of 2 to CPFX and NFX are 0.18 and 0.36 µM, respectively, and the fluorescence sensitivity is not changed with the existence of other antibiotics tested in this study.

Triangular Cd(II)-Sm(III) Schiff Base Complex with Dual Visible and Near-Infrared Luminescent Responses to Nitro Explosives.

Two d-4f complexes [Zn2NdL2(OAc)2]·OH (1) and [Cd3Sm3L3(OAc)6(OH)3] (2) with a designed Schiff base ligand N,N'-bis(3-methoxysalicylidene)(binaphthyl)-1,4-diamine (H2L) were synthesized. The Schiff base ligands coordinate with metal ions by µ2(η1:η2:η1:η1:η2:η1) and µ2(η1:η2:η1:η1:η2:η1) modes in the complexes, which show typical lanthanide emissions. The triangular Cd-Sm complex 2 shows both visible and NIR luminescent responses to nitrobenzene explosive 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (PA).

NIR luminescent detection of quercetin based on an octanuclear Zn(ii)-Nd(iii) salen nanocluster.

A NIR luminescent octanuclear Zn(ii)-Nd(iii) nanocluster 1 was constructed by the use of a salen-type Schiff base ligand. 1 exhibits a lanthanide luminescent response to Que with high sensitivity. The quenching constant of Que to the lanthanide emission is 2.6 × 104 M-1, and the detection limit of 1 to Que is 2.5 µM. The response behavior of 1 to Que is not affected by the existence of some potential interferents such as biomolecules.

One High-Nuclearity Cd(II)-Yb(III) Nanoring with Near-IR Luminescent Sensing to Antibiotics.

One 12-metal Cd(II)-Yb(III) nanoring, [Cd8Yb4L8(OAc)8]·4OH (1), with a size of 1.2 × 2.8 × 2.8 nm was obtained from a designed flexible salen-type ligand that has eight coordination sites (O and N atoms). The near-IR emission of Yb(III) at 983 nm was detected upon the excitation of ligand-central absorption at 386 nm. This Cd(II)-Yb(III) nanoring exhibits high sensitivity to nitrofuran antibiotics (NFAs) even in the presence of other antibiotics. The quenching constants and limits of detection of NFAs are 2.5 × 104-4.5 × 104 M-1 and 1.5-2.8 µM, respectively.

Construction of a 18-Metal Neodymium(III) Nanoring with NIR Luminescent Sensing to Antibiotics.

One 18-metal Nd(III) nanoring, [Nd18(L1)8(HL2)2(OAc)20(MeOH)8(EtOH)6(H2O)4]·2(MeOH)·6(H2O) (1), was constructed by the use of a hexadentate Schiff base ligand. For 1, the near-infrared (NIR) luminescence of Nd(III) was detected under the excitation of absorption band at 371 nm. The study of luminescent sensing properties exhibits that, even with the existence of other antibiotics, this Nd(III) nanoring displays high sensitivity and selectivity to nitrofuran antibiotics (NFAs). The luminescence quenching constants and limits of detection of 1 to NFAs are found to be 1.4 × 104 to 3.5 × 104 M-1 and 0.9-2.2 µM, respectively.

One Nanoscale Zn(II)-Nd(III) Complex With Schiff Base Ligand: NIR Luminescent Sensing of Anions and Nitro Explosives.

One Zn-Nd complex [Zn2Nd4L2(OAc)10(OH)2(CH3OH)2] (1) was synthesized from Schiff base ligand bis(3-methoxysalicylidene)ethylene-1,2-phenylenediamine (H2L). 1 shows nanoscale rectangular structure with sizes of about 0.8 × 1.1 × 2.8 nm. 1 exhibits typical near-infrared luminescence of Nd(III) under the excitation of UV-visible light. Further study shows that the complex displays luminescent response behavior to anions and nitro explosives, especially with high sensitivity to H2 PO 2 - and 2,4,6-trinitrophenol.

Construction of a High-Nuclearity Elliptical Yb(III) Nanoring: NIR Luminescent Response to Metal Ions and Nitro Explosives.

One 14-metal Yb(III) nanoring [Yb14(HL)2L20(DMF)8(H2O)8] (1) with a size of about 1.1 × 2.5 × 2.7 nm was synthesized from a tridentate ligand. Under the excitation of ligand absorption bands, 1 exhibits the NIR luminescence of Yb(III) and displays high luminescence sensitivity and selectivity to Co(II), Cu(II), and 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (PA) at the parts per million level. The KSV values of 1 to Co(II), Cu(II), and PA are 6.0 × 104 M-1, 3.8 × 104 M-1, and 6.9 × 104 M-1, respectively. 1 exhibits high luminescent sensitivity to PA even in the presence of other explosives.

Construction of 14-metal lanthanide nanorings with NIR luminescence response to ions.

Two 14-metal lanthanide nanorings [Ln14(HL)2L20(DMF)8(H2O)8] (Ln = Nd(1) and Gd(2)) were constructed from a tridentate ligand. 1 displays NIR luminescence sensing properties towards metal cations and anions, especially Cu2+, Co2+, H2PO4- and F- at a ppm level.