Nanocomposite hydrogels are the combination of known components that are a hydrogel and nanometre-sized fillers,typically leading to improved mechanical properties or new functionalities.With simplicity of design and ...Nanocomposite hydrogels are the combination of known components that are a hydrogel and nanometre-sized fillers,typically leading to improved mechanical properties or new functionalities.With simplicity of design and ease of synthesis,recent advances have highlighted that this family of hydrogels holds the significant promise of application in diverse biomedical and engineering fields.The elaborate design and investigation as well as suitable application of nanocomposite hydrogels require the synergy of mechanics,materials science,engineering,and biology.Despite similarities in design and fabrication,the data of mechanical properties for nanocomposite hydrogels scatter in a large space.It is worthwhile comparing various nanocomposite hydrogels for similarities and differences in mechanical properties to aid in designing novel hydrogels with extreme properties,and guide practical applications.This review aims to fill,in the literature,the missing gap of addressing mechanical measurement methods and comparison of mechanical properties in this ever-evolving broad area of research.Finally,the challenges and future research opportunities are highlighted.展开更多
Centrifugal and shear forces are produced when solids or liquids rotate.Rotary systems and devices that use these forces,such as dynamic thin-film flow technology,are evolving continuously,improve material structure-p...Centrifugal and shear forces are produced when solids or liquids rotate.Rotary systems and devices that use these forces,such as dynamic thin-film flow technology,are evolving continuously,improve material structure-property relationships at the nanoscale,representing a rapidly thriving and expanding field of research high with green chemistry metrics,consolidated at the inception of science.The vortex fluidic device(VFD)provides many advantages over conventional batch processing,with fluidic waves causing high shear and producing large surface areas for micro-mixing as well as rapid mass and heat transfer,enabling reactions beyond diffusion control.Combining these abilities allows for a green and innovative approach to altering materials for various research and industry applications by controlling small-scale flows and regulating molecular and macromolecular chemical reactivity,self-organization phenomena,and the synthesis of novel materials.This review highlights the aptitude of the VFD as clean technology,with an increase in efficiency for a diversity of top-down,bottom-up,and novel material transformations which benefit from effective vortex-based processing to control material structure-property relationships.展开更多
Fluorescence imaging is an important branch of bioimaging.It is non-invasive and provides superior spatial and temporal resolution during the real-time monitoring of biological samples of interest.Although the spatial...Fluorescence imaging is an important branch of bioimaging.It is non-invasive and provides superior spatial and temporal resolution during the real-time monitoring of biological samples of interest.Although the spatial resolution limit of optical microscopes is about 200 nm,due to the diffraction limit,with the application of super-resolution fluorescence microscopy technologies this limit has been pushed below 30 nm.This makes it feasible to visualize biological structures in subcellular levels and to monitor subcellular biological processes in real time.However,due to the complexity of the biological structure and components within cells,simultaneous staining and monitoring multiple intracellular components with different coloured fluorophores is often needed during multiplex imaging,to better understand biological processes.Aggregation-induced emission luminogens(AIEgen)and AIEgen based nanoparticles(NPs)have presented many advantages in fluorescence imaging,with strong potential for biological science and nano-medicine.Herein this review,we focus on the advantages of AIEgen and AIEgen NP in cell-based fluorescence imaging,and the latest advances of AIEgens in cell-based multiplex imaging are summarized and discussed.The future perspectives are proposed.展开更多
Filtering media is anything placed in a filter that changes the quality of water flowing through it.With the variety of media available,proper selection of filter media is of great importance for filter performance.Re...Filtering media is anything placed in a filter that changes the quality of water flowing through it.With the variety of media available,proper selection of filter media is of great importance for filter performance.Recycled glass is evaluated as an alternative to silica sand in media filters and is an effective medium with the advantages of lower cost than silica sand,more environmental friendliness as it is a recycled product,and ease to pulverize into different sizes for specific design requirements.However,the filtration efficiency of regenerated recycled glass is limited by the formation of biofilms on its surfaces due to the large number of microorganisms such as bacteria and algae existing in the water.In this study,hydrofluoric(HF)acid etched glass spheres(GSs)modified with polydopamine(PDA)and silver nanoparticles(PDA-AgHF/GSs)were fabricated on the surface of soda-lime GSs by HF etching,crystal in situ growth,and PDA coating.HF etching and the modification of PDA coating imparted good hydrophilicity to PDA-Ag-HF/GSs.The modification of the silver coating also rendered PDA-Ag-HF/GSs excellent antibacterial properties and reduced Chlorella adhesion,and inhibited microorganism growth ability by releasing Ag^+.The catechol functional group on the PDA coating could regulate the Ag^+release by chelation.Good antibacterial properties,anti-algae adhesion,and controlled release of Ag^+indicate that PDA-Ag-HF/GS coating can effectively inhibit the formation of biofilm on the surface of the material,providing a new strategy for the formation of anti-biofilm.展开更多
Rapid synthesis of silver nanowires(Ag NWs) with high quality and a broad processing window is challenging because of the low selectivity of the formation of multiply twinned particles at the nucleation stage for subs...Rapid synthesis of silver nanowires(Ag NWs) with high quality and a broad processing window is challenging because of the low selectivity of the formation of multiply twinned particles at the nucleation stage for subsequent Ag NWs growth.Herein we report a systematic study of the water-involved heterogeneous nucleation of Ag NWs with high rate(less than 20 min) in a simple and scalable preparation method.Using glycerol as a reducing agent and a solvent with a high boiling point,the reaction is rapidly heated to 210 ℃ in air to synthesize Ag NWs with a very high yield in gram level.It is noted that the addition of a small dose of water plays a key role for obtaining highly pure Ag NWs in high yield,and the optimal water/glycerol ratio is0.25%.After investigating a series of forming factors including reaction temperature and dose of catalysts,the formation kinetics and mechanism of the Ag NWs are proposed.Compared to other preparation methods,our strategy is simple and reproducible.These Ag NWs show a strong Raman enhancement effect for organic molecules on their surface.展开更多
Photodynamic therapy(PDT)has emerged as an effective treatment method for its few adverse effects,little invasiveness,short treatment time and low cost[1,2].The rapid development of PDT has dramatically boosted its mu...Photodynamic therapy(PDT)has emerged as an effective treatment method for its few adverse effects,little invasiveness,short treatment time and low cost[1,2].The rapid development of PDT has dramatically boosted its multifaceted applications in cancer treatment,antibacterial and immunotherapy,etc.[3-5].展开更多
Apoptosis is an important process for maintaining tissue homeostasis and eliminating abnormal cells in multicellular organisms.Abnormality in apoptosis often leads to severe diseases such as cancers. Better understand...Apoptosis is an important process for maintaining tissue homeostasis and eliminating abnormal cells in multicellular organisms.Abnormality in apoptosis often leads to severe diseases such as cancers. Better understanding of its mechanisms and processes is therefore important. Accompanying molecular biology events of apoptosis is a series of cellular morphology changes: nucleus condensation, cell shrinkage and rounding, cell surface blebbing, dynamic blebbing, apoptotic membrane protrusions and nucleus fragmentations and finally, the formation and release of apoptotic bodies. It is difficult to detect cellular changes in the early phase of apoptosis due to the subtle changes at this phase. In the current study, we induced apoptosis in He La cells with H2 O2 and used nuclear dye Hoechst 33258, mitochondria, lysosome and cytoplasmic protein specific aggregation-induced emission fluorogens(AIEgens), TPE-Ph-In, 2 M-DABS and BSPOTPE to successfully perform live cell multiplexed imaging to investigate early apoptosis cellular events. We showed the gradual dissipation of mitochondria membrane potential until it is nondetectable by TPE-Ph-In. Increased mitophagy detected by TPE-Ph-In and 2 M-DABS, condensed nucleus detected by Hoechst33258, increased permeability and/or reduced integrity of nuclear membrane, and increased intracellular vesicles detected by2 M-DABS are some of the early events of apoptosis.展开更多
Lipid bodies are dynamic organelles of photosynthetic microalgae that can be used as the third generation resources for biofuel production.Biosynthesis of lipids can be influenced by different signalling processes.Vis...Lipid bodies are dynamic organelles of photosynthetic microalgae that can be used as the third generation resources for biofuel production.Biosynthesis of lipids can be influenced by different signalling processes.Visualisation of these processes can provide useful information about the fate and associated roles of lipid molecules in different biological systems.In photosynthetic organisms,however,studies of calcium ediated lipid biosynthesis is bottlenecked due to the limitation of proper and efficient technologies,which also include visualisation techniques.Currently,most studies to visualise lipid droplets in vivo have used traditional dyes,and proper visualisation of lipid drops is hindered by dye-specific limitations.This hurdle could be overcome by using recently developed aggregation-induced emission biooprobes.This review reveals current knowledge gaps in the studies of lipid drops and calcium ions in microalgae,as calcium signaling is important secondary messenger to detect a wide variety of environmental stimuli in plant and animal cells.To obtain insight into the mechanisms of these processes,the merits and demerits of currently available visualisation techniques for lipid drops and calcium are also detailed.Finally,opportunities and possibilities are proposed to recommend further improvement of techniques for detecting the role of calcium during lipid formation in microalgae for biofuel production.展开更多
It is now well established that alcoholic liver disease is associated with oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions.4-Methylguaiacol(4 MG)is a phenolic lignin model compound found in many foods.In this study,the ef...It is now well established that alcoholic liver disease is associated with oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions.4-Methylguaiacol(4 MG)is a phenolic lignin model compound found in many foods.In this study,the effect of 4 MG on antioxidant capacity was evaluated and the molecular mechanisms of autophagy and the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway were explored in vitro and in vivo.The in vitro results showed that 4 MG possessed strong free radical scavenging capabilities in LO2 cells treated with 2,2′-azobis-2-methyl-propanimidamide(AAPH)by dramatically repressing the expression of malondialdehyde and upregulating superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px).Under both starvation and full nutrition conditions,pretreatment of LO2 cells with 4 MG remarkably increased the level of autophagy by promoting the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II(LC3-II)and decreasing the level of sequestosome-1(p62)protein.Additionally,when exposed to AAPH,4 MG further promoted the expression of LC3 at the mRNA level,while IL-1β,IL-6,NF-κB,and TNF-αwere inhibited.This result was confirmed by a fluorescence confocal experiment.The in vivo results further revealed that the administration of 4 MG significantly attenuated serum liver enzyme and lipid levels in alcoholic liver injury mouse model.Meanwhile,the levels of serum high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and hepatic SOD,CAT,and GSH-Px were upregulated.Autophagy was promoted after the administration of 4 MG compared with the enhanced autophagy group(Torin1 group).Furthermore,the entry of Nrf2 protein into the nucleus was accompanied by a reduction of Keap1 and the increased expression of the downstream heme oxygenase 1(HO-1).These results revealed that 4 MG partially improved the antioxidant capacity through the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway in the liver.Thus,4 MG is a natural product with potentially liverprotective effects.展开更多
Organic and inorganic clusteroluminescence have attracted great attention while the underlying mechanisms is still not well understood.Here,we employed a series of ancient inorganic complexes platinocyanides with aggr...Organic and inorganic clusteroluminescence have attracted great attention while the underlying mechanisms is still not well understood.Here,we employed a series of ancient inorganic complexes platinocyanides with aggregation-induced emission property to elucidate the mechanism of clusteroluminescence including how does the chromophore form and how does the solid structures influence the luminescence behaviors.The results indicate that the isolated platinocyanide cannot work as a chromophore to emit visible light,while their clusterization at aggregate state can trigger the d-orbitals coupling of the platinum atoms to facilitate the electron exchange and delocalization to form a new chromophore to emit visible light.Furthermore,the counter ions and H2O ligands help to rigidify the three-dimensional network structure of the platinocyanides to suppress the excited state nonradiative decay,resulting in the high quantum yield of up to 96%.This work fundamentally helps understanding both the organic and inorganic clusteroluminescence phenomenon.展开更多
Proteins are the building blocks of life,regarded as one of the most complex and crucial biomacromolecules in biological systems,and playing a significant role in executing genes and transferring genetic information.A...Proteins are the building blocks of life,regarded as one of the most complex and crucial biomacromolecules in biological systems,and playing a significant role in executing genes and transferring genetic information.According to recent research,due to the structural intricacy of proteins and their sensitivity to physical and chemical degradation processes,they could be utilized as biomarkers or therapeutic agents in the diagnosis,treatment,or even prevention of different diseases.Therefore,modern pathways have been developed for understanding the function of proteins,resulting in intriguing approaches in the field of protein-related diseases.The diagnostic strategies to deal with such diseases,including protein analysis,protein quantification,and protein imaging,were argued in depth.Meanwhile,the aggregationinduced emission(AIE)concept and its potential applications for real-time imaging make AIE luminogens(AIEgen)attractive for protein imaging.In general,AIEgens refer to those luminogenic chemicals that are nonluminescent in solution,but luminescent in either the aggregated or solid states.This review is focused on the emergence of AIE materials in protein tracking,detecting,and imaging for medical applications.展开更多
Previous strategies for controlling the surface morphologies of polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)-based hydrogels,including freeze-drying and electrospinning,require a posttreatment process,which can affect the final textures an...Previous strategies for controlling the surface morphologies of polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)-based hydrogels,including freeze-drying and electrospinning,require a posttreatment process,which can affect the final textures and properties of the hydrogels.Of particular interest,it is almost impossible to control the surface morphology during the formation of PVA hydrogels using these approaches.The strategy reported in this study used the novel vortex fluidic device(VFD)technology,which for the first time provided an opportunity for one-step fabrication of PVA hydrogel films.PVA hydrogels with different surface morphologies could be readily fabricated using a VFD.By also reducing the crosslinking agent concentration,a self-healing gel with enhanced fracture stress(60%greater than that of traditionally made hydrogel)was achieved.Interestingly,the associated selfhealing property remained unchanged during the 260-s mechanical testing performed with the strain rate of 5%s-1.The VFD can effectively tune the surface morphologies of the PVA-based hydrogels and their associated properties,particularly the self-healing property.展开更多
A study of a typical intercalated structure of a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer(TLCP)with organoclay was performed to elucidate the influence of intercalated organoclay on the TLCP molecules,especially on the...A study of a typical intercalated structure of a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer(TLCP)with organoclay was performed to elucidate the influence of intercalated organoclay on the TLCP molecules,especially on their liquid crystallinity,thermal and rheological properties.The intercalated structures were confirmed in TLCP and organoclay formed molecular interactions with TLCP molecules in the system.Such intercalated structures caused the glass transition temperature of the nanocomposite to become invisible in thermal measurement and also caused loss of liquid crystallinity.The TLCP molecules inside the organoclay galleries showed higher thermal stability and transition temperatures,but the orderly structure of the TLCP molecules outside the galleries was destroyed by the organoclay,causing the TLCP to display lower thermal stability and transition temperatures than pristine TLCP.At 185℃,where TLCP is in the nematic phase,the nanocomposite had three orders of magnitude higher viscosity in the linear viscoelastic region than that of TLCP,with chain mobility and relaxation time slowed due to the intercalated effects in the nanocomposite.Steady shear altered the domain sizes and oriented the highly anisotropic organoclay layers or tactoids along the shear direction.展开更多
Calcite surface was modified with stearic acids,and the interaction between them was investigated both experimentally and theoretically.Stearic-acid-modified calcite powders were investigated with Fourier transform in...Calcite surface was modified with stearic acids,and the interaction between them was investigated both experimentally and theoretically.Stearic-acid-modified calcite powders were investigated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction,zeta potential analyser and contact angle measurement.Then,the density functional theory calculations were performed to explore the interaction at the atomic scale.The experi-mental results and simulation indicated that stearic acids interact with calcite surface via chelation between the double-bond O atom of-COOH and the Ca atom on calcite surface.The terminal methyl group of the stearic acids decreases the hydrophilicity of the calcite surface,and the interaction between different crystal faces of calcite is different.展开更多
In recent years,the substantial increase in total joint replacements for treating degenerative joint disease has heightened concerns regarding implant loosening and failure.This is especially critical as more young pa...In recent years,the substantial increase in total joint replacements for treating degenerative joint disease has heightened concerns regarding implant loosening and failure.This is especially critical as more young patients are undergoing both initial and subsequent joint replacement procedures.These complications often necessitate additional revision surgeries.Unfortunately,current clinical practices lack effective methods for the early detection of implant failure,and there is a noticeable absence of strategies utilizing molecular markers to identify post-surgery implant issues.This article critically assesses the potential of aggregation-induced emission(AIE)biomarkers in detecting molecular markers relevant to implant failure.It begins by outlining the pathogenesis of implant loosening and identifying pertinent molecular markers.The study then delves into how AIE luminogens(AIEgens)can play a crucial role in detecting processes such as osteogenesis and osteoclastogenesis.Notably,it discusses the utilization of AIEgens in detecting key molecular markers,including TNF-α,osteocalcin,and urinary N-terminal telopeptide.The prospect of AIE biomarkers for the early detection of bone loss and implant failure presents a promising avenue for enhancing our understanding of skeletal health and improving clinical outcomes through timely intervention and personalized treatment approaches.Ongoing research and development in this area are crucial for translating AIE-based technologies into practical tools for optimizing bone health management.展开更多
基金Flinders University through the DVCR Research Investment Fund Scheme to provide Research Support for ECR to MCR Academics.
文摘Nanocomposite hydrogels are the combination of known components that are a hydrogel and nanometre-sized fillers,typically leading to improved mechanical properties or new functionalities.With simplicity of design and ease of synthesis,recent advances have highlighted that this family of hydrogels holds the significant promise of application in diverse biomedical and engineering fields.The elaborate design and investigation as well as suitable application of nanocomposite hydrogels require the synergy of mechanics,materials science,engineering,and biology.Despite similarities in design and fabrication,the data of mechanical properties for nanocomposite hydrogels scatter in a large space.It is worthwhile comparing various nanocomposite hydrogels for similarities and differences in mechanical properties to aid in designing novel hydrogels with extreme properties,and guide practical applications.This review aims to fill,in the literature,the missing gap of addressing mechanical measurement methods and comparison of mechanical properties in this ever-evolving broad area of research.Finally,the challenges and future research opportunities are highlighted.
基金Postgraduate Research Scholarship and Flinders University Research Investment Fund 2022,and the Australian Research Council,Grant/Award Numbers:DP200101105,DP200101106。
文摘Centrifugal and shear forces are produced when solids or liquids rotate.Rotary systems and devices that use these forces,such as dynamic thin-film flow technology,are evolving continuously,improve material structure-property relationships at the nanoscale,representing a rapidly thriving and expanding field of research high with green chemistry metrics,consolidated at the inception of science.The vortex fluidic device(VFD)provides many advantages over conventional batch processing,with fluidic waves causing high shear and producing large surface areas for micro-mixing as well as rapid mass and heat transfer,enabling reactions beyond diffusion control.Combining these abilities allows for a green and innovative approach to altering materials for various research and industry applications by controlling small-scale flows and regulating molecular and macromolecular chemical reactivity,self-organization phenomena,and the synthesis of novel materials.This review highlights the aptitude of the VFD as clean technology,with an increase in efficiency for a diversity of top-down,bottom-up,and novel material transformations which benefit from effective vortex-based processing to control material structure-property relationships.
基金supported by the Australia-China Science and Research Fund Joint Research Centre on Personal Health Technologies, Science and Technology Bureau of Sichuan Province (China) (19YYJC1760)Sichuan Provincial Academician (Expert) Workstation (China) (2018YSGZZ03)Sichuan University of Science and Engineering (China) (2017RCL72)
文摘Fluorescence imaging is an important branch of bioimaging.It is non-invasive and provides superior spatial and temporal resolution during the real-time monitoring of biological samples of interest.Although the spatial resolution limit of optical microscopes is about 200 nm,due to the diffraction limit,with the application of super-resolution fluorescence microscopy technologies this limit has been pushed below 30 nm.This makes it feasible to visualize biological structures in subcellular levels and to monitor subcellular biological processes in real time.However,due to the complexity of the biological structure and components within cells,simultaneous staining and monitoring multiple intracellular components with different coloured fluorophores is often needed during multiplex imaging,to better understand biological processes.Aggregation-induced emission luminogens(AIEgen)and AIEgen based nanoparticles(NPs)have presented many advantages in fluorescence imaging,with strong potential for biological science and nano-medicine.Herein this review,we focus on the advantages of AIEgen and AIEgen NP in cell-based fluorescence imaging,and the latest advances of AIEgens in cell-based multiplex imaging are summarized and discussed.The future perspectives are proposed.
基金Supporting Program of SWUST(18LZX447)the biofilm research&innovation consortium from the College of Science and Engineering,Flinders University for supporting this research,respectively.
文摘Filtering media is anything placed in a filter that changes the quality of water flowing through it.With the variety of media available,proper selection of filter media is of great importance for filter performance.Recycled glass is evaluated as an alternative to silica sand in media filters and is an effective medium with the advantages of lower cost than silica sand,more environmental friendliness as it is a recycled product,and ease to pulverize into different sizes for specific design requirements.However,the filtration efficiency of regenerated recycled glass is limited by the formation of biofilms on its surfaces due to the large number of microorganisms such as bacteria and algae existing in the water.In this study,hydrofluoric(HF)acid etched glass spheres(GSs)modified with polydopamine(PDA)and silver nanoparticles(PDA-AgHF/GSs)were fabricated on the surface of soda-lime GSs by HF etching,crystal in situ growth,and PDA coating.HF etching and the modification of PDA coating imparted good hydrophilicity to PDA-Ag-HF/GSs.The modification of the silver coating also rendered PDA-Ag-HF/GSs excellent antibacterial properties and reduced Chlorella adhesion,and inhibited microorganism growth ability by releasing Ag^+.The catechol functional group on the PDA coating could regulate the Ag^+release by chelation.Good antibacterial properties,anti-algae adhesion,and controlled release of Ag^+indicate that PDA-Ag-HF/GS coating can effectively inhibit the formation of biofilm on the surface of the material,providing a new strategy for the formation of anti-biofilm.
基金the financial support of the project from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51202120)Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China (No. 2013M540939)Shenzhen Government, China (Nos. JCYJ20120616215238779 and JCYJ20130402145002 411)
文摘Rapid synthesis of silver nanowires(Ag NWs) with high quality and a broad processing window is challenging because of the low selectivity of the formation of multiply twinned particles at the nucleation stage for subsequent Ag NWs growth.Herein we report a systematic study of the water-involved heterogeneous nucleation of Ag NWs with high rate(less than 20 min) in a simple and scalable preparation method.Using glycerol as a reducing agent and a solvent with a high boiling point,the reaction is rapidly heated to 210 ℃ in air to synthesize Ag NWs with a very high yield in gram level.It is noted that the addition of a small dose of water plays a key role for obtaining highly pure Ag NWs in high yield,and the optimal water/glycerol ratio is0.25%.After investigating a series of forming factors including reaction temperature and dose of catalysts,the formation kinetics and mechanism of the Ag NWs are proposed.Compared to other preparation methods,our strategy is simple and reproducible.These Ag NWs show a strong Raman enhancement effect for organic molecules on their surface.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Intergovernmental Cooperation Project,2017YFE0132200)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51961160730,51873092,81921004,2190513)+3 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,the Tianjin Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(19JCJQJC61200)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(2020A1515010622)the Project of Science and Technology of Guangzhou(202102020308)the Open Fund of Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates(2019B030301003)。
文摘Photodynamic therapy(PDT)has emerged as an effective treatment method for its few adverse effects,little invasiveness,short treatment time and low cost[1,2].The rapid development of PDT has dramatically boosted its multifaceted applications in cancer treatment,antibacterial and immunotherapy,etc.[3-5].
基金supported by the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Centres for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction
文摘Apoptosis is an important process for maintaining tissue homeostasis and eliminating abnormal cells in multicellular organisms.Abnormality in apoptosis often leads to severe diseases such as cancers. Better understanding of its mechanisms and processes is therefore important. Accompanying molecular biology events of apoptosis is a series of cellular morphology changes: nucleus condensation, cell shrinkage and rounding, cell surface blebbing, dynamic blebbing, apoptotic membrane protrusions and nucleus fragmentations and finally, the formation and release of apoptotic bodies. It is difficult to detect cellular changes in the early phase of apoptosis due to the subtle changes at this phase. In the current study, we induced apoptosis in He La cells with H2 O2 and used nuclear dye Hoechst 33258, mitochondria, lysosome and cytoplasmic protein specific aggregation-induced emission fluorogens(AIEgens), TPE-Ph-In, 2 M-DABS and BSPOTPE to successfully perform live cell multiplexed imaging to investigate early apoptosis cellular events. We showed the gradual dissipation of mitochondria membrane potential until it is nondetectable by TPE-Ph-In. Increased mitophagy detected by TPE-Ph-In and 2 M-DABS, condensed nucleus detected by Hoechst33258, increased permeability and/or reduced integrity of nuclear membrane, and increased intracellular vesicles detected by2 M-DABS are some of the early events of apoptosis.
基金supported by the Australia-China Science and Research Fund-Joint Research Centre on Personal Health Technologiesprovided by Microscopy Australia and the Australian National Fabrication Facility at the South Australia nodes under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy are also acknowledged.
文摘Lipid bodies are dynamic organelles of photosynthetic microalgae that can be used as the third generation resources for biofuel production.Biosynthesis of lipids can be influenced by different signalling processes.Visualisation of these processes can provide useful information about the fate and associated roles of lipid molecules in different biological systems.In photosynthetic organisms,however,studies of calcium ediated lipid biosynthesis is bottlenecked due to the limitation of proper and efficient technologies,which also include visualisation techniques.Currently,most studies to visualise lipid droplets in vivo have used traditional dyes,and proper visualisation of lipid drops is hindered by dye-specific limitations.This hurdle could be overcome by using recently developed aggregation-induced emission biooprobes.This review reveals current knowledge gaps in the studies of lipid drops and calcium ions in microalgae,as calcium signaling is important secondary messenger to detect a wide variety of environmental stimuli in plant and animal cells.To obtain insight into the mechanisms of these processes,the merits and demerits of currently available visualisation techniques for lipid drops and calcium are also detailed.Finally,opportunities and possibilities are proposed to recommend further improvement of techniques for detecting the role of calcium during lipid formation in microalgae for biofuel production.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32060532)the National Key Research and Development Program(Grant No.2021YFE0192000).
文摘It is now well established that alcoholic liver disease is associated with oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions.4-Methylguaiacol(4 MG)is a phenolic lignin model compound found in many foods.In this study,the effect of 4 MG on antioxidant capacity was evaluated and the molecular mechanisms of autophagy and the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway were explored in vitro and in vivo.The in vitro results showed that 4 MG possessed strong free radical scavenging capabilities in LO2 cells treated with 2,2′-azobis-2-methyl-propanimidamide(AAPH)by dramatically repressing the expression of malondialdehyde and upregulating superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px).Under both starvation and full nutrition conditions,pretreatment of LO2 cells with 4 MG remarkably increased the level of autophagy by promoting the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II(LC3-II)and decreasing the level of sequestosome-1(p62)protein.Additionally,when exposed to AAPH,4 MG further promoted the expression of LC3 at the mRNA level,while IL-1β,IL-6,NF-κB,and TNF-αwere inhibited.This result was confirmed by a fluorescence confocal experiment.The in vivo results further revealed that the administration of 4 MG significantly attenuated serum liver enzyme and lipid levels in alcoholic liver injury mouse model.Meanwhile,the levels of serum high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and hepatic SOD,CAT,and GSH-Px were upregulated.Autophagy was promoted after the administration of 4 MG compared with the enhanced autophagy group(Torin1 group).Furthermore,the entry of Nrf2 protein into the nucleus was accompanied by a reduction of Keap1 and the increased expression of the downstream heme oxygenase 1(HO-1).These results revealed that 4 MG partially improved the antioxidant capacity through the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway in the liver.Thus,4 MG is a natural product with potentially liverprotective effects.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Numbers:21788102,52003228Science and Technology Plan of Shenzhen,Grant/Award Number:JCYJ20180306174910791+2 种基金Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province,Grant/Award Number:2019B121205002Research Grants Council of Hong Kong,Grant/Award Numbers:N_HKUT609/19,16305518,A-HKUST605/16,C6009-17GInnovation and Technology Commission,Grant/Award Numbers:ITC-CNERC14SC01,ITCPD/17-9。
文摘Organic and inorganic clusteroluminescence have attracted great attention while the underlying mechanisms is still not well understood.Here,we employed a series of ancient inorganic complexes platinocyanides with aggregation-induced emission property to elucidate the mechanism of clusteroluminescence including how does the chromophore form and how does the solid structures influence the luminescence behaviors.The results indicate that the isolated platinocyanide cannot work as a chromophore to emit visible light,while their clusterization at aggregate state can trigger the d-orbitals coupling of the platinum atoms to facilitate the electron exchange and delocalization to form a new chromophore to emit visible light.Furthermore,the counter ions and H2O ligands help to rigidify the three-dimensional network structure of the platinocyanides to suppress the excited state nonradiative decay,resulting in the high quantum yield of up to 96%.This work fundamentally helps understanding both the organic and inorganic clusteroluminescence phenomenon.
基金International Research Grant (International Laboratory for Health Technologies)of South Australia,Australia。
文摘Proteins are the building blocks of life,regarded as one of the most complex and crucial biomacromolecules in biological systems,and playing a significant role in executing genes and transferring genetic information.According to recent research,due to the structural intricacy of proteins and their sensitivity to physical and chemical degradation processes,they could be utilized as biomarkers or therapeutic agents in the diagnosis,treatment,or even prevention of different diseases.Therefore,modern pathways have been developed for understanding the function of proteins,resulting in intriguing approaches in the field of protein-related diseases.The diagnostic strategies to deal with such diseases,including protein analysis,protein quantification,and protein imaging,were argued in depth.Meanwhile,the aggregationinduced emission(AIE)concept and its potential applications for real-time imaging make AIE luminogens(AIEgen)attractive for protein imaging.In general,AIEgens refer to those luminogenic chemicals that are nonluminescent in solution,but luminescent in either the aggregated or solid states.This review is focused on the emergence of AIE materials in protein tracking,detecting,and imaging for medical applications.
基金International Research Grant(International Laboratory for Health Technologies)of South Australia for supportRaston CL is grateful for support from the Australian Research CouncilMa Y is grateful for the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51679183)。
文摘Previous strategies for controlling the surface morphologies of polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)-based hydrogels,including freeze-drying and electrospinning,require a posttreatment process,which can affect the final textures and properties of the hydrogels.Of particular interest,it is almost impossible to control the surface morphology during the formation of PVA hydrogels using these approaches.The strategy reported in this study used the novel vortex fluidic device(VFD)technology,which for the first time provided an opportunity for one-step fabrication of PVA hydrogel films.PVA hydrogels with different surface morphologies could be readily fabricated using a VFD.By also reducing the crosslinking agent concentration,a self-healing gel with enhanced fracture stress(60%greater than that of traditionally made hydrogel)was achieved.Interestingly,the associated selfhealing property remained unchanged during the 260-s mechanical testing performed with the strain rate of 5%s-1.The VFD can effectively tune the surface morphologies of the PVA-based hydrogels and their associated properties,particularly the self-healing property.
基金funded by a grant from the Research Grant Council of Hong Kong,Grant No.HKUST6256/02.
文摘A study of a typical intercalated structure of a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer(TLCP)with organoclay was performed to elucidate the influence of intercalated organoclay on the TLCP molecules,especially on their liquid crystallinity,thermal and rheological properties.The intercalated structures were confirmed in TLCP and organoclay formed molecular interactions with TLCP molecules in the system.Such intercalated structures caused the glass transition temperature of the nanocomposite to become invisible in thermal measurement and also caused loss of liquid crystallinity.The TLCP molecules inside the organoclay galleries showed higher thermal stability and transition temperatures,but the orderly structure of the TLCP molecules outside the galleries was destroyed by the organoclay,causing the TLCP to display lower thermal stability and transition temperatures than pristine TLCP.At 185℃,where TLCP is in the nematic phase,the nanocomposite had three orders of magnitude higher viscosity in the linear viscoelastic region than that of TLCP,with chain mobility and relaxation time slowed due to the intercalated effects in the nanocomposite.Steady shear altered the domain sizes and oriented the highly anisotropic organoclay layers or tactoids along the shear direction.
基金The authors are grateful to the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51808464)for supporting this research.
文摘Calcite surface was modified with stearic acids,and the interaction between them was investigated both experimentally and theoretically.Stearic-acid-modified calcite powders were investigated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction,zeta potential analyser and contact angle measurement.Then,the density functional theory calculations were performed to explore the interaction at the atomic scale.The experi-mental results and simulation indicated that stearic acids interact with calcite surface via chelation between the double-bond O atom of-COOH and the Ca atom on calcite surface.The terminal methyl group of the stearic acids decreases the hydrophilicity of the calcite surface,and the interaction between different crystal faces of calcite is different.
文摘In recent years,the substantial increase in total joint replacements for treating degenerative joint disease has heightened concerns regarding implant loosening and failure.This is especially critical as more young patients are undergoing both initial and subsequent joint replacement procedures.These complications often necessitate additional revision surgeries.Unfortunately,current clinical practices lack effective methods for the early detection of implant failure,and there is a noticeable absence of strategies utilizing molecular markers to identify post-surgery implant issues.This article critically assesses the potential of aggregation-induced emission(AIE)biomarkers in detecting molecular markers relevant to implant failure.It begins by outlining the pathogenesis of implant loosening and identifying pertinent molecular markers.The study then delves into how AIE luminogens(AIEgens)can play a crucial role in detecting processes such as osteogenesis and osteoclastogenesis.Notably,it discusses the utilization of AIEgens in detecting key molecular markers,including TNF-α,osteocalcin,and urinary N-terminal telopeptide.The prospect of AIE biomarkers for the early detection of bone loss and implant failure presents a promising avenue for enhancing our understanding of skeletal health and improving clinical outcomes through timely intervention and personalized treatment approaches.Ongoing research and development in this area are crucial for translating AIE-based technologies into practical tools for optimizing bone health management.
