Simultaneous Imaging of pH and Peroxynitrite in the Endoplasmic Reticulum and Mitochondria: Revealing Organelle Interactions in Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis.

pH and peroxynitrite (ONOO) are two critical biomarkers to unveil the corresponding status of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, which are closely related to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Simultaneously monitoring pH and ONOO fluctuations in the ER and mitochondria during AD progression is pivotal for clarifying the interplay between the disorders of the two organelles and revealing AD pathogenesis. Herein, we designed and synthesized a dual-channel fluorescent probe (DCFP) to visualize pH and ONOO in the ER and mitochondria.

Surface Reconstructed NiPt/Si Photoelectrodes for Bias-free Hydrogen Evolution Coupled with 5-hydroxymethylfurfural Oxidation.

Coupling hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with biomass valorization using a photoelectrochemical (PEC) system presents a promising approach for effectively converting solar energy to chemical energy. A crucial biomass valorization reaction is the production of value-added 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) via 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) oxidation reaction (HMFOR). To achieve efficient FDCA production, we demonstrate an effective photoanode strategy that combines metal silicidation, dopant segregation, and surface reconstruction to create a bimetallic silicide NiPtSi/n-Si photoanode.

Dissolution-Induced Surface Reconstruction of NiPtSi/p-Si Photocathode for Efficient Photoelectrochemical H Production.

Metal silicide/Si photoelectrodes have demonstrated significant potential for application in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting to produce H. To achieve an efficient and economical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), a paramount consideration lies in attaining exceptional catalytic activity on the metal silicide surface with minimal use of noble metals. Here, this study presents the design and construction of a novel NiPtSi/p-Si photocathode.

Tracking mitochondrial Cu(I) fluctuations through a ratiometric fluorescent probe in AD model cells: Towards understanding how AβOs induce mitochondrial Cu(I) dyshomeostasis.

Mitochondrial copper signaling pathway plays a role in Alzheimer's disease (AD), especially in relevant Amyloid-β oligomers (AβOs) neurotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction. Clarifying the relationship between mitochondrial copper homeostasis and both of mitochondrial dysfunction and AβOs neurotoxicity is important for understanding AD pathogenesis. Herein, we designed and synthesized a ratiometric fluorescent probe CHC-NS4 for Cu(I).

Photoelectrocatalytic Utilization of CO : A Big Show of Si-based Photoelectrodes.

CO is a greenhouse gas that contributes to environmental deterioration; however, it can also be utilized as an abundant C1 resource for the production of valuable chemicals. Solar-driven photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) CO utilization represents an advanced technology for the resourcing of CO . The key to achieving PEC CO utilization lies in high-performance semiconductor photoelectrodes.

Amorphous Ni-Mo-B-O Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for Simultaneous Production of Hydrogen and Value-added Chemicals.

Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) coupled with biomass conversion is a sustainable route to produce clean energy H and value-added chemicals simultaneously. Herein, an amorphous Ni-Mo-B-O bifunctional electrocatalyst was synthesized through a facile electrodeposition method and employed as a cathode for HER to produce H and as an anode for the conversion of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). Besides leading to the formation of amorphous structures, the introduction of Mo and B can increase the electron density and optimize the electronic structure of the electrocatalyst, thus substantially increasing the catalytic activity of the catalyst.

Fluorescence Enhancement Method for Aptamer-Templated Silver Nanoclusters and Its Application in the Construction of a β-Amyloid Oligomer Sensor.

DNA-templated silver nanoclusters (DNA-AgNCs) have attracted significant attention due to their unique fluorescence properties. However, so far, the relatively low quantum yields of the DNA-AgNCs and the complex design of DNA-AgNC-based sensors have limited their application in biosensing or bioimaging. Herein, we report a novel fluorescence enhancement method.

Single nanowire-based fluorescence lifetime thermometer for simultaneous measurement of intra- and extra-cellular temperatures.

A silicon nanowire-based fluorescence lifetime thermometer (NWFLT) was fabricated for the simultaneous measurement of intra- and extra-cellular temperatures. Using the NWFLT, an obvious heterogeneity of the temperature was found along the longitude direction of the NWFLT, especially between the inside and outside of the cell.

Simultaneous Monitoring of the Adenosine Triphosphate Levels in the Cytoplasm and Nucleus of a Single Cell with a Single Nanowire-Based Fluorescent Biosensor.

Simultaneous monitoring of the ATP levels at various sites of a single cell is crucial for revealing the ATP-related processes and diseases. In this work, we rationally fabricated single nanowire-based fluorescence biosensors, by which the ATP levels of the cytoplasm and nucleus in a single cell can be simultaneously monitored with a high spatial resolution. Utilizing the as-fabricated single nanowire biosensor, we demonstrated that the ATP levels of the cytoplasm were around 20-30% lower than that of the nucleus in both L929 and HeLa cells.

Ultrahigh Modulation Enhancement in All-Optical Si-Based THz Modulators Integrated with Gold Nanobipyramids.

Optical regulation strategy with the aid of hybrid materials can significantly optimize the performance of terahertz devices. Gold nanobipyramids (AuNBPs) with synthetical tunability to the near-infrared band show strong local field enhancement, which improves optical coupling at the interface and benefits the modulation performance. We design AuNBPs-integrated terahertz modulators with multiple structured surfaces and demonstrate that introducing AuNBPs can effectively enhance their modulation depths.

Sensitive and Stable Thermometer Based on the Long Fluorescence Lifetime of Au Nanoclusters for Mitochondria.

Detecting the temperature of intracellular mitochondria with high sensitivity and stability is crucial to understanding the cellular metabolism and revealing the processes of mitochondria-related physiology. In this paper, employing the long fluorescence lifetime of modified Au nanoclusters (mAuNCs) by 4-(carboxybutyl) triphenylphosphonium bromide, we developed a fluorescence lifetime thermometer with high sensitivity and stability for the temperature of the intracellular mitochondria. A high relative temperature sensitivity of 2.

Metal Silicidation in Conjunction with Dopant Segregation: A Promising Strategy for Fabricating High-Performance Silicon-Based Photoanodes.

Silicon (Si)-based Schottky junction photoelectrodes have attracted considerable attention for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting in recent years. To realize highly efficient Si-based Schottky junction photoelectrodes, the critical challenge is to enable the photoelectrodes to not only have a high Schottky barrier height (SBH), by which a high photovoltage can be obtained, but also ensure an efficient charge transport. Here, we propose and demonstrate a strategy to fabricate a high-performance NiSi/n-Si Schottky junction photoanode by metal silicidation in conjunction with dopant segregation (DS).

Robust liquid-core nanocapsules as biocompatible and precise ratiometric fluorescent thermometers for living cells.

Intracellular thermometry with favorable biocompatibility and precision is essential for insight into temperature-related cellular events. Here, liquid-core nanocapsule ratiometric fluorescent thermometers (LCN-RFTs) were prepared by encapsulating thermosensitive organic fluorophores (N,N'-di(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic diimide, DEH-PDI) with hydrophobic solvent (2,2,4-trimethylpentane, TMP) into polystyrene/silica hybrid nanoshells. As the fluorescent thermosensitive unit of the LCN-RFT, the TMP solution of DEH-PDI was responsible for the fluorescence response to temperature.

A Single Silicon Nanowire-Based Ratiometric Biosensor for Ca at Various Locations in a Neuron.

Ionic calcium (Ca) is an important second messenger in cells, particularly in the neuron. A deficiency or excess of Ca would lead to neuronal apoptosis and further injury to the brain. For accurate analysis of intracellular Ca, a single silicon nanowire (SiNW)-based ratiometric biosensor was constructed by simultaneously anchoring Ru(bpy)(mcbpy-O-Su-ester)(PF), as a reference molecule, and Fluo-3, as a response molecule, onto the surface of a single SiNW.

Bifunctional Gold Nanobipyramids for Photothermal Therapy and Temperature Monitoring.

To realize a real-time thermal feedback, monitoring the temperature of the treated tissue is critical for photothermal therapy (PTT). The poor spatial resolution and low accuracy of current methods for the detection of tissue temperature limits the application of PTT. Herein, by assembling the temperature-responsive DNA stem-loop marked with Texas red (TR) onto the surface of gold nanobipyramids (AuNBPs), a bifunctional reagent (AuNBPs-DNA-TR) was fabricated for PTT and synchronously monitoring the temperature.

An ultrasensitive ratiometric fluorescent thermometer based on frustrated static excimers in the physiological temperature range.

A ratiometric fluorescent thermometer (RFT) based on the frustrated static excimers (FSEs) of DEH-PDI (N,N'-di(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic diimide) was designed and synthesized. The RFT exhibited ultrahigh sensitivities, which far exceed the existing RFTs in the physiological temperature range. The RFT also showed outstanding precisions, stability, and an obvious thermochromism in the temperature range.

Silver Nanowire-Based Fluorescence Thermometer for a Single Cell.

A fluorescence thermometer based on silver nanowires (AgNWs) is realized by assembling Texas Red (TR)-marked thermal-sensitive DNA stem-loops (TR-DNA stem-loop) on the surface of AgNWs. Temperature configures the structure of the TR-DNA stem-loop and resultantly adjusts the energy transfer between TR and the AgNWs, which could sensitively control the fluorescence intensity of the thermometer. The thermometer is sensitive to the temperature ranging from 30 to 40 °C with the sensitivity of 2.

DNA nanostructure-based fluorescence thermometer with silver nanoclusters.

DNA nanostructure-based fluorescence thermometers were fabricated by linking fluorescent silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) and guanine-rich（G-rich）DNA chains via a thermally sensitive DNA stem-loop at terminals 5' and 3'. Variations of temperature alter the distance between the AgNCs and G-rich DNA chain, affecting the interaction between them. As a result, the intensity of fluorescence emission from the AgNCs at 636 nm can be sensitively modulated.

Enhancing the Photovoltage of Ni/ n-Si Photoanode for Water Oxidation through a Rapid Thermal Process.

The Ni in the Ni/ n-Si photoanode can not only protect Si from corrosion, but also catalyze the water oxidation reaction. However, the high density of interface states at the Ni/ n-Si interface could pin the Fermi level of silicon, which will lower the Schottky barrier height of the Ni/ n-Si. As a result, a low photovoltage and consequent high onset potential of Ni/ n-Si photoanode for water oxidation were generated.

Si-H induced synthesis of Si/CuO nanowire arrays for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

We report a facile and low-cost method to synthesize Si/CuO heterojunction nanowire arrays, without SiO, at the Si/CuO interface. The reductive Si-H bonds on the surface of Si nanowires plays a key role in situ by reducing Cu(II) ions to CuO nanocubes and avoiding the SiO interface layer. Different pH values would vary the electrochemical potential of reactions and as a result, different products would be formed.

The Formation of Defect-Pairs for Highly Efficient Visible-Light Catalysts.

Highly efficient visible-light catalysts are achieved through forming defect-pairs in TiO nanocrystals. This study therefore proposes that fine-tuning the chemical scheme consisting of charge-compensated defect-pairs in balanced concentrations is a key missing step for realizing outstanding photocatalytic performance. This research benefits photocatalytic applications and also provides new insight into the significance of defect chemistry for functionalizing materials.

Contributions of Ag Nanowires to the Photoelectric Conversion Efficiency Enhancement of TiO2 Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

Ag nanowires (AgNWs) were employed in mesoporous TiO2 dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) to enhance the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE). The possible reasons for PCE improvement, i.e.

SnO2 nanoparticle-coated ZnO nanotube arrays for high-performance electrochemical sensors.

Novel 1D nanostructures offer new opportunities for improving the performance of electrochemical sensors. In this study, highly ordered 1D nanostructure array electrodes composed of SnO2 nanoparticle-coated ZnO (SnO2 @ZnO) nanotubes are designed and fabricated. The composite nanotube array architecture not only endows the electrochemical electrodes with large surface areas, but also allows electrons to be quickly transferred along the nanotubes.

Silicon nanowire-based fluorescent nanosensor for complexed Cu2+ and its bioapplications.

A silicon nanowires (SiNWs)-based fluorescent sensor for complexed Cu(2+) was realized. High sensitivity and selectivity of the present sensor facilitate its bioapplications. The sensor was successfully used to detect the Cu(2+) in liver extract.