The Substructure of the Endothelial Glycocalyx in Rat Aorta and Its Interaction with the Low-Density Lipoproteins.

The influx and retention of the low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) in the subendothelial space are one of the early events of atherosclerosis. Initially, LDLs must traverse the endothelial glycocalyx, which is increasingly recognized for its critical role in preventing LDL penetration. However, the precise substructure of the glycocalyx and its working mechanism are still unknown.

Room-temperature phosphorescent carbonized polymer dots as superior photoresponsive oxidase mimics for colorimetric-fluorescence dual-mode enzyme-free sensing of uric acid.

Photoresponsive nanozymes are widely used in analysis and other fields owing to their controllable catalysis and low cost, but most have relatively low catalytic efficiency. In this study, room-temperature phosphorescent carbonized polymer dots (PCPDs) were optimally prepared through a one-pot hydrothermal method using polyacrylic acid and ethylenediamine as precursors. Their photoresponsive oxidase-like activity was confirmed for the first time.

Synthesis of N-Doped Graphene Quantum Dots from Cellulose and Construction of a Fluorescent Probe for 6-Mercaptopurin Quantitative Detection.

With cellulose as the precursor and ethylenediamine as the N source, N-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs) were synthesized by a simple and feasible one-pot hydrothermal method. The whole process did noSchemet need a strong acid or strong base and avoided interference from inorganic salt residues. The whole process lasted only 3 h and avoided any complex postprocessing.

Membrane Ruffles: Composition, Function, Formation and Visualization.

Membrane ruffles are cell actin-based membrane protrusions that have distinct structural characteristics. Linear ruffles with columnar spike-like and veil-like structures assemble at the leading edge of cell membranes. Circular dorsal ruffles (CDRs) have no supporting columnar structures but their veil-like structures, connecting from end to end, present an enclosed ring-shaped circular outline.

Photodynamic antibacterial activity of oxidase-like nanozyme based on long-lived room-temperature phosphorescent carbon dots.

In this study, a novel long-lived room-temperature phosphorescent (RTP) carbon dots (P-CDs) with the properties of ultraviolet/visible (UV/Vis) light photoresponsive oxidase-like nanozyme were synthesized from diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid and through a one-step hydrothermal method. P-CDs were used as a light-driven oxidative-like enzyme for antimicrobial studies. The results showed that under UV/Vis light irradiation, P-CDs could efficiently convert O into O, and the strong oxidizing property of O greatly enhanced the growth inhibition of P-CDs on Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S.

Preparation of room-temperature phosphorescence-ratiometric fluorescence magnetic mesoporous imprinted microspheres and its application in detection of malachite green and tartrazine in multimatrix.

The photoluminescent properties of Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots were fully exploited, and room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP)-ratiometric fluorescence (RF) magnetic mesoporous molecularly imprinted polymers (PFMM-MIPs) were prepared by integrating molecular imprinting technology. RTP was used to detect malachite green (MG). The fluorescence at 420 nm and the peak at 590 nm in the fluorescence mode were used as the response reference signals respectively to detect tartrazine (TZ).

The counterbalance of endothelial glycocalyx and high wall shear stress to low-density lipoprotein concentration polarization in mouse ear skin arterioles.

Background And Aims: Atherosclerosis preferentially occurs at regions in arterial branching, curvature, and stenosis, which may be explained by the geometric predilection of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) concentration polarization that has been investigated in major arteries in previous studies. Whether this also happens in arterioles remains unknown.

Methods: Herein, a radially non-uniform distribution of LDL particles and a heterogeneous endothelial glycocalyx layer in the mouse ear arterioles, as shown by fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled wheat germ agglutinin (WGA-FITC), were successfully observed by a non-invasive two-photon laser-scanning microscopy (TPLSM) technique.

Impaired endothelial cell proliferative, migratory, and adhesive abilities are associated with the slow endothelialization of polycaprolactone vascular grafts implanted into a hypercholesterolemia rat model.

Most small diameter vascular grafts (inner diameter<6 mm) evaluation studies are performed in healthy animals that cannot represent the clinical situation. Herein, an hypercholesterolemia (HC) rat model with thickened intima and elevated expression of pro-inflammatory intercellular adhesion molecular-1 (ICAM-1) in the carotid branch is established. Electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) vascular grafts (length: 1 cm; inner diameter: 2 mm) are implanted into the HC rat abdominal aortas in an end to end fashion and followed up to 43 days, showing a relative lower patency accompanied by significant neointima hyperplasia, abundant collagen deposition, and slower endothelialization than those implanted into healthy ones.

Detection of biological mercaptan by DNA functionalized room temperature phosphorescent quantum dot nanocomposites.

In this study, green low-toxicity Mn-doped Zns (Mn-Zns) room-temperature phosphorescent (RTP) quantum dots (QDs) (PQDs) nanocomposites (DNA-PQDs) were prepared under the optimal conditions by using single-stranded DNA (PS-C-ssDNA) rich of cytosine C and Thioguanine G (PS) as the template. DNA-PQDs interact with Ag to form AgN bonds and further produce C-Ag-C conjugates. As a result, DNA-PQDs cluster together and induce the phosphorescent exciton energy transfer (PEET), resulting in quenching of room-temperature phosphorescent of DNA-PQDs.

A label-free RTP sensor based on aptamer/quantum dot nanocomposites for cytochrome detection.

Given the outstanding room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) of Mn-ZnS quantum dots (QDs) and the specific recognition performance of the aptamer, we built phosphorescent composites from aptamers conjugated with polyethyleneimine quantum dots (PEI-QDs) and applied them to cytochrome (Cyt ) detection. Specifically, QDs/CBA composites were generated from the electrostatic interaction between the positively-charged PEI-QDs and the negatively-charged Cyt binding aptamer (CBA). With the presence of Cyt , the Cyt can specifically bind with the QDs/CBA composites, and quench the RTP of QDs through photoinduced electron-transfer (PIET).

Efficient removal of Alizarin Red S from aqueous solution by polyethyleneimine functionalized magnetic carbon nanotubes.

Alizarin Red S (ARS) has been extensively used in the dyeing industry. In order to effectively remove the ARS form dyeing wastewater, polyethyleneimine (PEI)-functionalized magnetic carbon nanotubes (PEI@MCNTs) adsorbent was successfully prepared and its adsorption performances were also investigated in detail. The PEI@MCNTs could efficiently remove the ARS from acidic aqueous solution (pH ≤ 6.

Preparation of DNA functional phosphorescent quantum dots and application in melamine detection in milk.

Bio-functionalization of quantum dots (QDs) is of important value in practical applications. With single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) rich in thymine T and thioguanine G taken as the template, a new-type nanocomposite material (ssDNA-PQDs) synthesized from low-toxicity T-ssDNA functionalized Mn-ZnS and room-temperature phosphorescent (RTP) QDs (PQDs) was prepared in this paper by optimizing synthesis conditions, and these ssDNA-PQDs could emit orange RTP signals at 590 nm. As these ssDNA-PQDs are rich in T sequences and T sequences can bond with melamine through the hydrogen-bond interaction, ssDNA-PQDs experience aggregation, thus causing phosphorescent exciton energy transfer (PEET) between ssDNA-PQDs of different particle sizes and their RTP quenching.

Preparation of graphene oxide quantum dots from waste toner, and their application to a fluorometric DNA hybridization assay.

A one-pot hydrothermal method was developed for the synthesis of graphene oxide quantum dots (GOQDs). It is making use of toner waste as the precursor and HO as the oxidant. Synthesis takes 4 h and does not require strong acids or complex purification steps and does not produce environmentally harmful metal ions.

Phosphorescent immunosensor for simple and sensitive detection of microcystin-LR in water.

A simple and sensitive Mn-ZnS quantum dot room-temperature phosphorescent immunosensor for detecting microcystin-LR was developed. This sensor adopted antigens and antibodies as recognition units and used Mn-ZnS RTP QDs as sensing materials to specifically bind with MC-LR. The structurally specific binding between the microcystin-LR antibody and MC-LR led to the aggregation of antibody-crosslinked QDs, and then the electrons of QDs would be transferred to the complex, leading to the phosphorescence quenching of QDs.

Preparation of Single-Stranded DNA-Templated Room-Temperature Phosphorescent Quantum Dots and Their Application for Mercury(II) Detection in Environmental and Biological Fluids.

The direction synthesis of biofunctional nanomaterials with DNA as the template is of high application value. By using phosphorothioate-thymine single-stranded DNA (PS-T-ssDNA) as the template and through synthetic conditions optimization, novel low-toxicity and environment-friendly ssDNA-functionalized room-temperature phosphorescent quantum dots (PS-T-ssDNA RTP QDs) were prepared at low temperature (37 °C). Then, the quantitative RTP-based mercury(II) (Hg) detection was achieved by utilizing the specific identifying ability of T-base-pair Hg (T-Hg-T) and its photoinduced electron transfer.

Phosphorimetric determination of 4-nitrophenol using mesoporous molecular imprinting polymers containing manganese(II)-doped ZnS quantum dots.

Mesoporous molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) containing mangnanese-doped ZnS quantum dots (Mn-ZnS QDs) were prepared for specific recognition and detection of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). The Mn-ZnS QDs display orange room-temperature phosphorescence with excitation/emission peaks at 295/590 nm and a decay time of 2.0 ms.

-Phosphorescent Mesoporous Surface Imprinting Microspheres: Preparation and Application for Transferrin Recognition from Biological Fluids.

The relationship between the thickness of surface molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and specific recognition performance of transferrin (Trf) as well as the quantitative relation between the grafting amount of Mn-ZnS room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) quantum dots (QDs) (short for PQDs) and RTP signals for recognition of Trf was analyzed in this study. Based on analysis results, RTP protein mesoporous imprinting microspheres (SiO-PQDs-MIPs) with high specificity and strong interference resistance were developed using a mesoporous SiO nanomaterial that can create more three-dimensional precise recognition sites as the matrix and using PQDs with strong resistance to background fluorescence interference as the luminescent materials. A discriminatory analysis of Trf was realized by the phosphorescence quenching principle based on light quenching caused by the photoinduced electron transfer.

LXRα Promotes Hepatosteatosis in Part Through Activation of MicroRNA-378 Transcription and Inhibition of Ppargc1β Expression.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major risk factor of many end-stage liver diseases. Alterations in microRNA expression have been reported in patients with NAFLD. However, the transcriptional mechanism(s) of dysregulated microRNAs under the state of NAFLD is poorly described, and microRNAs that regulate the pathogenesis of NAFLD synergistically with their regulators remain unknown.

Detection of resveratrol by phosphorescence quantum dots without conjunction and mutual impact exploration.

In this study, a convenient and sensitive method for the detection of resveratrol was established based on phosphorescence quenching of resveratrol for MPA-capped Mn:ZnS QDs. The quenching intensity was in proportion to the concentration of resveratrol within a certain range. Under optimal conditions, the present assay was valid for detecting resveratrol in the range from 0.

A negative feedback loop between microRNA-378 and Nrf1 promotes the development of hepatosteatosis in mice treated with a high fat diet.

Backgrounds: The incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rapidly increasing due to the prevalence of obesity. NAFLD is a major risk factor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Even with successful surgical removal, the presence of NAFLD is associated with an increased recurrence of HCC.

"Turn on" room-temperature phosphorescent biosensors for detection of hyaluronic acid based on manganese-doped ZnS quantum dots.

Biosensors based on excellent optical properties of quantum dots (QDs) nanohybrids are efficient for biological detection. In this work, a room-temperature phosphorescent (RTP) PDAD-Mn-ZnS QDs biosensor was constructed with poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDAD) as the modifier of MPA-capped Mn-ZnS QDs, and used to detect hyaluronic acid (HA). The newly-added HA induced severe electrostatic interaction with PDAD-Mn-ZnS QDs, leading to the aggregation between PDAD-Mn-ZnS QDs and HA and thereby enhancing RTP.

Facile detection of microRNA based on phosphorescence resonance energy transfer and duplex-specific nuclease-assisted signal amplification.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in many biological processes, and its level in plasma and other biological fluids is closely related to many diseases. In this work, a selective room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) detection method for miRNA was developed based on a duplex-specific nuclease (DSN) -assisted signal amplification strategy and phosphorescence resonance energy transfer (PRET) between poly-diallyldimethylammonium chloride-modified quantum dots (QDs@PDDA) and 6-carboxy-X-rhodamine-modified miRNA sequences complementary oligonucleotide (ROX-ssDNA). The positively charged QDs@PDDA could adsorb negatively charged ROX-ssDNA by electrostatic interaction, whereas the RTP signal of QDs@PDDA could be efficiently quenched by ROX-ssDNA via PRET.

Hybrid detection of target sequence DNA based on phosphorescence resonance energy transfer.

The severe background fluorescence and scattering light of real biological samples or environmental samples largely reduce the sensitivity and accuracy of fluorescence resonance energy transfer sensors based on fluorescent quantum dots (QDs). To solve this problem, we designed a novel target sequence DNA biosensor based on phosphorescent resonance energy transfer (PRET). This sensor relied on Mn-doped ZnS (Mn-ZnS) room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) QDs/poly-(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) nanocomposite (QDs) as the energy donor and the single-strand DNA-ROX as the energy receptor.

A DNA probe based on phosphorescent resonance energy transfer for detection of transgenic 35S promoter DNA.

A QDs-DNA nano-probe was made by combining Mn-doped ZnS room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) quantum dots (QDs) and DNA. Then an RTP sensor for quantitative detection of genetically-modified mark sequence cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (Ca MV 35S) DNA was built on basis of phosphorescent resonance energy transfer (PRET). The underlying principles were that a QDs-DNA water-soluble nano-probe was built by connecting single-strand DNA to the surfaces of QDs via a ligand exchange method.

Detection of quercetin based on Al(3+)-amplified phosphorescence signals of manganese-doped ZnS quantum dots.

A simple phosphorescence method is proposed for quercetin detection based on Al(3+)-amplified room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) signals of 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-capped Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots (QDs). The sensor was established based on some properties as follows. Al(3+) can interact with carboxyl groups on the surface of MPA-capped Mn-doped ZnS QDs via chelation, which will lead to the aggregation of QDs and amplification of RTP signals, After the addition of quercetin, it can form more stable complex with Al(3+) in alkaline aqueous solution and dissociate Al(3+) from the surface of Mn-doped ZnS QDs, which will result in significant recovery of RTP intensity of the MPA-capped Mn-doped ZnS-Al(3+) system.