In this review we will explore recent advances in the design and application of excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer (ESIPT) based fluorescent probes. Fluorescence based sensors and imaging ...agents (probes) are important in biology, physiology, pharmacology, and environmental science for the selective detection of biologically and/or environmentally important species. The development of ESIPT-based fluorescence probes is particularly attractive due to their unique properties, which include a large Stokes shift, environmental sensitivity and potential for ratiometric sensing.
The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors has demonstrated significant improvements in survival for subsets of cancer patients. However, they carry significant and sometimes life-threatening ...toxicities. Prompt prediction and monitoring of immune toxicities have the potential to maximise the benefits of immune checkpoint therapy. Herein, we develop a digital nanopillar SERS platform that achieves real-time single cytokine counting and enables dynamic tracking of immune toxicities in cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment - broader applications are anticipated in other disease indications. By analysing four prospective cytokine biomarkers that initiate inflammatory responses, the digital nanopillar SERS assay achieves both highly specific and highly sensitive cytokine detection down to attomolar level. Significantly, we report the capability of the assay to longitudinally monitor 10 melanoma patients during immune inhibitor blockade treatment. Here, we show that elevated cytokine concentrations predict for higher risk of developing severe immune toxicities in our pilot cohort of patients.
Development of powerful fluorescence imaging probes and techniques sets the basis for the spatiotemporal tracking of cells at different physiological and pathological stages. While current imaging ...approaches rely on passive probe-analyte interactions, here we develop photochromic fluorescent glycoprobes capable of remote light-controlled intracellular target recognition. Conjugation between a fluorophore and spiropyran produces the photochromic probe, which is subsequently equipped with a glycoligand "antenna" to actively localize a target cell expressing a selective receptor. We demonstrate that the amphiphilic glycoprobes that form micelles in water can selectively enter the target cell to operate photochromic cycling as controlled by alternate UV/Vis irradiations. We further show that remote light conversion of the photochromic probe from one isomeric state to the other activates its reactivity toward a target intracellular analyte, producing locked fluorescence that is no longer photoisomerizable. We envision that this research may spur the use of photochromism for the development of bioimaging probes.Fluorescence sensing in biological environments is prone to background signal interference. Here the authors design a photochromic fluorescent glycoprobe for light-controlled photo-switchable cell imaging and photo-activated target recognition, resulting in an increased sensing precision.
Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) featuring permanent porosity, designable topologies, and tailorable functionalities have attracted great interest in the past two decades. Developing efficient ...modular approaches to rationally constructing COFs from a set of molecules via covalent linking has been long pursued. Herein, we report a facile one‐pot strategy to prepare COFs via an irreversible Suzuki coupling reaction followed by a reversible Schiff's base reaction without the need for intermediate isolation. Gram‐scale ordered frameworks with kgm topology and rich porosities can be obtained by using diamino‐aryl halide and dialdehyde aryl‐borate compounds as monomers. The resultant microporous CR‐COFs were used for efficient C2H4/C3H6 separation. This strategy reduces the waste generated and efforts consumed by stepwise reactions and relative purification processes, making the large‐scale syntheses of stable COFs feasible. Moreover, it offers a novel modular approach to designing COF materials.
A facile one‐pot strategy is used to prepare covalent organic frameworks (COFs) via a Suzuki coupling reaction and Schiff's base reaction by using diamino‐aryl halide and dialdehyde aryl‐borate compounds as monomers. The resulting COFs are used for C2H4/C3H6 separation. This work provides a novel modular approach involving irreversible coupling reactions for constructing COF materials.
•Electric vehicle recycling technology in China is analyzed.•Economic and environmental benefits can be obtained through current recycling technologies in China.•Traction battery recycling is likely ...to be more beneficial in the future.•Level of recycling products significantly influences the benefits.
With the rapid growth of electric vehicles in China, their benefits should be scientifically identified to support the industry development. Although the life cycle benefits of electric vehicles have been analyzed worldwide, the recycling phase has not been fully studied yet, especially in China. Actually, electric vehicle recycling is becoming more and more important because of the increasing demand of materials. Therefore, this study focuses on the economic and environmental benefits of electric vehicle recycling in China. Based on the technology adopted by leading enterprises, the gross income and reduction of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are calculated to reveal the benefits. The life cycle economic and environmental impacts of recycling equipment are not included. The results indicate that the gross income per electric vehicle recycled is about 473.9 dollars, and the reductions of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are about 25.6GJ and 4.1t CO2eq, respectively. Furthermore, the environmental benefits per technology cost are about 241.3 MJ/dollar and 36.3 kg CO2eq/dollar. The recycled metals are the major source of both economic and environmental benefits at present due to the huge amount, but the recycled cathode active materials will be more valuable with the development of traction batteries.
The majority of transport electrification studies, examining the demand and sustainability of critical metals, have focused on light-duty vehicles. Heavy-duty vehicles have often been excluded from ...the research scope due to their smaller vehicle stock and slower pace of electrification. This study fills this research gap by evaluating the lithium resource impacts from electrification of the heavy-duty segment at the global level. Our results show that a mass electrification of the heavy-duty segment on top of the light-duty segment would substantially increase the lithium demand and impose further strain on the global lithium supply. The significant impact is attributed to the large single-vehicle battery capacity required by heavy-duty vehicles and the expected battery replacement needed within the lifetime of heavy-duty vehicles. We suggest that the ambition of mass electrification in the heavy-duty segment should be treated with cautions for both policy makers and entrepreneurs.
Cancer remains as one of the most significant health problems, with approximately 19 million people diagnosed worldwide each year. Chemotherapy is a routinely used method to treat cancer patients. ...However, current treatment options lack the appropriate selectivity for cancer cells, are prone to resistance mechanisms, and are plagued with dose-limiting toxicities. As such, researchers have devoted their attention to developing prodrug-based strategies that have the potential to overcome these limitations. This tutorial review highlights recently developed prodrug strategies for cancer therapy. Prodrug examples that provide an integrated diagnostic (fluorescent, photoacoustic, and magnetic resonance imaging) response, which are referred to as theranostics, are also discussed. Owing to the non-invasive nature of light (and X-rays), we have discussed external excitation prodrug strategies as well as examples of activatable photosensitizers that enhance the precision of photodynamic therapy/photothermal therapy. Activatable photosensitizers/photothermal agents can be seen as analogous to prodrugs, with their phototherapeutic properties at a specific wavelength activated in the presence of disease-related biomarkers. We discuss each design strategy and illustrate the importance of targeting biomarkers specific to the tumour microenvironment and biomarkers that are known to be overexpressed within cancer cells. Moreover, we discuss the advantages of each approach and highlight their inherent limitations. We hope in doing so, the reader will appreciate the current challenges and available opportunities in the field and inspire subsequent generations to pursue this crucial area of cancer research.
•The biological importance of lipid droplets (LDs).•Brief introduction to the formation and physiological functions of LDs.•Recent examples of LD-based fluorescent probes.•The various fluorescence ...mechanisms exploited to create LD probes.
Lipid droplets (LDs) are cellular organelles that are essential for maintaining lipid and energy homeostasis. Once regarded as merely inert fat particles, they are now recognized as highly dynamic, mobile organelles required for preventing lipotoxicity and for interacting and cooperating with various organelles. Despite the progress made in understanding the role of LDs, a number of fundamental questions remain unanswered. Effective imaging agents for observing the morphology and dynamic physiological processes of LDs in cells could help address this knowledge gap. Such probes are expected to aid in our understanding of LDs and facilitate the development of new and effective therapeutics. In this review, we have provided a brief introduction to the formation and physiological functions of LDs in an attempt to highlight the importance of these underappreciated organelles. Recent examples of LD-based fluorescent probes are discussed, including the fluorescence phenomenon used in their design. To date, both intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorescence mechanisms have been exploited to create LD probes. However, alternative strategies can be envisioned. We hope the readers will be enlightened as to the importance of these key organelles, will be poised to exploit existing probes to explore various biological applications, and be inspired to create new LD fluorescent sensors that will further our understanding of LDs and their associated physiology.
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