Publications by authors named "Huifang Cui"

The quantum yield and fluorescence intensity of gold nanocluster (AuNC) nanocarriers are critical parameters for developing ultrasensitive biosensors. In this study, AuNCs-zeolitic-imidazolate-framework (Au-ZIF) nanocomposites are systematically constructed by impregnating AuNCs onto the ZIF-8 surface through a coordination-dissociation mechanism, resulting in a dual-site fluorescence-loaded structure. In this configuration, AuNCs are anchored to the external surface while the integrity of the inner cavity remains intact.

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  • Researchers created a dual-hydrophobic drug conjugate, CPT-ss-DOX, which self-assembles into nanocubes for targeted colorectal cancer treatment.
  • These PEGylated nanocubes improve the solubility, stability, and retention of the drugs, allowing for better accumulation at tumor sites and enhanced cancer cell toxicity compared to traditional drug mixtures.
  • The study shows that these nanocubes not only inhibit tumor growth more effectively but also reduce cardiac toxicity, highlighting their potential for clinical use in cancer therapy.
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  • Climate and land use/land cover changes significantly affect interactions between different wildlife species, particularly endangered ones like the Crested Ibis.
  • The study used ecological niche models to analyze habitat overlaps and niche similarities between the Crested Ibis and other bird species (Egrets and Herons) in Shaanxi, China, predicting future habitat changes due to environmental shifts.
  • Findings suggest that while the habitat of these species may decline, they will increasingly overlap, leading to competition for limited resources, highlighting the need for comprehensive conservation efforts beyond just protecting the Crested Ibis.
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Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) system has been explored as an efficient tool for nucleic acid diagnostics. However, it normally needs instrumentation or produces turn-off signals. Herein, a bulged Y-shape DNA (Y-DNA) nanoassembly was designed and synthesized as a novel turn-on probe.

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Immobilization of proteolytic enzymes onto nanocarriers is effective to improve drug diffusion in tumors through degrading the dense extracellular matrix (ECM). Herein, immobilization and release behaviors of hyaluronidase, bromelain, and collagenase (Coll) on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were explored. A series of cationic MSNs (CMSNs) with large and adjustable pore sizes were synthesized, and investigated together with two anionic MSNs of different pore sizes.

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Cancer starvation/photothermal combined tumor therapy (CST/PTT) has attracted great interest attributed to their mutual compensation and synergistically enhanced effect. However, the very low O supply in the tumor microenvironment (TME) greatly limits the CST efficiency of glucose oxidase (GOx). Additionally, the easy degradation in blood circulation and significant off-target effects are big challenges for clinical applications of the GOx-based CST.

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Loading hyaluronidase (Hyal) in a nanocarrier is a potent strategy to degrade the tumor extracellular matrix for tumor deep penetration and enhanced tumor therapy. Herein, a pH-sensitive biomimicking nanosystem with high Hyal loading, effective tumor targeting, and controllable release is constructed. Specifically, cationic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (CMSNs) with large pores 13.

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Gastric cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer death worldwide. This cancer exhibits high molecular and phenotype heterogeneity. The overall survival rate for gastric cancer is very low because it is always diagnosed in the advanced stages.

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Near-infrared (NIR) persistent luminescence nanoparticles (PLNPs) with high brightness, small sizes, good hydro-dispersivity, and intrinsic surface-functional groups are desirable in biological applications. In this work, Cr-doped zinc gallogermanates ZnGaGeO:Cr (ZGGC) PLNPs were hydrothermally synthesized via 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) as an additive, or APTES and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as two co-additives. Addition of APTES not only dramatically enhances the 696 nm NIR luminescence intensity, but also obviously decreases the particle size and introduces amino groups.

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As an appealing biomimetic strategy for various medical applications, cell membrane coating lacks sensitive on-demand breaking capability. Herein, we incorporated thermosensitive lipid (TSL) membrane into red blood cell (RBC) and MCF-7 cancer cell (MC) hybrid membrane ([RBC-MC]M) vesicles. The [RBC-MC-TSL]M was coated onto doxorubicin (Dox)-loaded hollow gold nanoparticles to enhance chemo-/photothermal combined tumor therapy at a mild hyperthermia temperature (≤49 °C).

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The Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX) is conventionally an effective method to identify aptamers, which are oligonucleotide sequences with desired properties to recognize targets specifically and sensitively. However, there are some inherent limitations, e.g.

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Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is an important malign tumor marker. In this study, a simple, label-free and antibody-free aptasensor was fabricated based on a multifunctional dendrimer-like DNA nanoassembly. The DNA nanoassembly was embedded with multiple G-quadruplex DNAzyme motifs and a hanging CEA aptamer motif.

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A sensitive and turn-on fluorescence nanoprobe based on core-shell Ag@Au nanoparticles (Ag@AuNPs) as a fluorescence receptor and red emissive graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as a donor was fabricated. They were conjugated together through π-π stacking between the GQDs and single-strand DNA modified at the Ag@AuNPs surface. The absorption spectrum of the receptor significantly overlapped with the donor emission spectrum, leading to a strong Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and thus a dramatic quenching.

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To clarify the endogenous pollution and release characteristics of the bottom sediment of Hengshan Reservoir in Yixing City, a typical section of the reservoir was sampled and analyzed. The research results show that the average concentrations of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and organic matter in the surface sediments of Hengshan Reservoir are 2778 mg·kg, 899 mg·kg, and 3.1%, respectively.

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The hippocampus is generally reported as one of the regions most impacted by Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is closely associated with memory function and orientation. Undirected functional connectivity (FC) alterations occur in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD, and these alterations have been the subject of many studies. However, abnormal patterns of directed FC remain poorly understood.

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An ultrasensitive enzyme-free electrochemical sandwich DNA biosensor is described for the detection of ssDNA oligonucleotides. A DNA sequence derived from the genom of Helicobacter pylori was selected as a model target DNA. The DNA assay was realized through catching target DNA on capture DNA immobilized gold electrode; then labeling the target DNA with reporter DNA (rpDNA) and initiator DNA (iDNA) co-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs).

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A stable and sensitive electrochemical acetylcholinesterase (AChE) biosensor for detection of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) was developed by doping Au nanorods (AuNRs)@mesoporous SiO (MS) core-shell nanoparticles into CS/TiO-CS (CS denotes for chitosan) immobilization matrix. AuNRs@MS core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized. The doping and the biosensor fabrication process were probed and confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and electrochemistry techniques.

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The complexity change in brain activity in schizophrenia is an interesting topic clinically. Schizophrenia patients exhibit abnormal task-related modulation of complexity, following entropy of electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis. However, complexity modulation in schizophrenia patients during the sensory gating (SG) task, remains unknown.

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DNA aptamers against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) have been identified through the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) technique, but their affinity needs to be improved. In this study, an approach was firstly used to screen the mutation sequences of a reported DNA aptamer (the parent aptamer, denoted as P) against CEA. The affinities of several high-score DNA mutants were determined by the biolayer interferometry technique.

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  • * Samples from 34 individuals were tested for gastric infection using a breath test, and their dental plaque was processed to extract the target DNA for further analysis.
  • * The biosensor showed a high level of sensitivity (100%) and specificity (97%) in detecting the infection associated with the presence of specific ssDNA in dental plaque, indicating its potential as a diagnostic tool.
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A highly stable electrochemical acetylcholinesterase (AChE) biosensor for detection of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) was developed simply by adsorption of AChE on chitosan (CS), TiO sol-gel, and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) based multi-layered immobilization matrix (denoted as CSTiO-CS/rGO). The biosensor fabrication conditions were optimized, and the fabrication process was probed and confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques. The matrix has a mesoporous nanostructure.

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Objective: To establish an HPLC method for characteristic chromatograms analysis and simultaneous determination of six marker components in Xinnaojian Capsules from different manufactories.

Methods: Using HPLC, an Agilent C18 column (100 mm x 4.6 mm, 2.

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Hairpin DNA (hpDNA) as a novel biobarcode was conjugated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and a reporter DNA (rpDNA) to form hpDNA/AuNP/rpDNA nanoparticles for the detection of an oligonucleotide sequence associated with Helicobacter pylori as a model target. The rpDNA is complementary to about a half-portion of the target DNA sequence (tDNA). A capture DNA probe (cpDNA), complementary to the other half of the tDNA, was immobilized on the surface of a gold electrode.

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  • A highly reduced graphene oxide (rGO) film was created using a self-assembly process at the DMF-air interface, leading to improved properties after transferring it to different solid substrates for testing.
  • Characterization techniques like UV-visible spectrometry, SEM, AFM, and electrochemical methods indicated that the rGO film has high transmittance and better conductivity compared to the glassy carbon (GC) substrate.
  • The rGO/GC electrode demonstrated enhanced electrochemical performance, particularly for detecting hydrogen peroxide and dopamine, with thicker layers of rGO showing even greater electrocatalytic activity.
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A planar boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode was treated with KOH and functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) to serve as a biosensing platform for biomolecule immobilization with glucose oxidase (GOx) as a test model. The free amino groups of GOx and APTES were cross-linked by glutaraldehyde (X), a bifunctional chemical to form a stable enzyme layer (GOx-X-APTES) on BDD. Micrographs obtained by scanning electron microscopy revealed that a mesoporous structure uniformly covered the BDD surface.

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