Nanocomposite-Based Graphene for Nanosensor Applications

Nanocomposites based on carbon nanomaterial particularly in graphene oxide, graphene quantum dots, and doped graphene quantum dots with improved biocompatibility have been increasing interests in the field of drug delivery, biosensor, energy, imaging and electronic. These nanomaterials as new kinds of fluorescent probes and electrochemical sensors all display ultrasmall size, good photostability, and excellent biocompatibility. In this chapter, we summarize an updated advance in the development of graphene and its related derivatives of synthesis methods and biomedical applications as nanosensors for detection of metal ions, inorganic ions, amino acids, proteins, saccharides and small molecules, drug molecules, and so on

Fast Economic Development Accelerates Biological Invasions in China

Increasing levels of global trade and intercontinental travel have been cited as the major causes of biological invasion. However, indirect factors such as economic development that affect the intensity of invasion have not been quantitatively explored. Herein, using principal factor analysis, we investigated the relationship between biological invasion and economic development together with climatic information for China from the 1970s to present. We demonstrate that the increase in biological invasion is coincident with the rapid economic development that has occurred in China over the past three decades. The results indicate that the geographic prevalence of invasive species varies substantially on the provincial scale, but can be surprisingly well predicted using the combination of economic development (R2 = 0.378) and climatic factors (R2 = 0.347). Economic factors are proven to be at least equal to if not more determinant of the occurrence of invasive species than climatic factors. International travel and trade are shown to have played a less significant role in accounting for the intensity of biological invasion in China. Our results demonstrate that more attention should be paid to economic factors to improve the understanding, prediction and management of biological invasions

Impact of Different Economic Factors on Biological Invasions on the Global Scale

Social-economic factors are considered as the key to understand processes contributing to biological invasions. However, there has been few quantified, statistical evidence on the relationship between economic development and biological invasion on a worldwide scale. Herein, using principal factor analysis, we investigated the relationship between biological invasion and economic development together with biodiversity for 91 economies throughout the world. Our result indicates that the prevalence of invasive species in the economies can be well predicted by economic factors (R 2 = 0.733). The impact of economic factors on the occurrence of invasive species for low, lower-middle, upper-middle and high income economies are 0%, 34.3%, 46.3 % and 80.8 % respectively. Greenhouse gas emissions (CO2, Nitrous oxide, Methane and Other greenhouse gases) and also biodiversity have positive relationships with the global occurrence of invasive species in the economies on the global scale. The major social-economic factors that are correlated to biological invasions are different for various economies, and therefore the strategies for biological invasion prevention and control should be different

Optical turn-on sensor based on graphene oxide for selective detection of D-glucosamine

By incorporating the well-known fluorophore 8-aminoquinoline into graphene oxide, we have successfully prepared a turn-on fluorescent sensor capable of specific detection of D-glucosamine with a high selectivity and sensitivity. This methodology provides a new concept for the design and development of highly selective and sensitive turn-on optical sensors for selective detection of aminosaccharides and many other biomolecules.4 page(s

Starch-borate-graphene oxide nanocomposites as highly efficient targeted antitumor drugs

We synthesized novel borate antitumor drugs sourced from starch–borate–graphene oxide (SBG) nanocomposites. In vitro results suggest that SBG from the molar ratio of nstarch : nborate : nGO at 2 : 1 : 1 exhibits excellent biocompatibility with normal human cells (>90% cell viability), but are highly toxic against cancer cells (<20% cell viability).4 page(s

Optical Turn-On Sensor Based on Graphene Oxide for Selective Detection of d-Glucosamine

By incorporating the well-known fluorophore 8-aminoquinoline into graphene oxide, we have successfully prepared a turn-on fluorescent sensor capable of specific detection of d-glucosamine with a high selectivity and sensitivity. This methodology provides a new concept for the design and development of highly selective and sensitive turn-on optical sensors for selective detection of aminosaccharides and many other biomolecules

Label-Free Graphene Oxide Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Sensors for Selective Detection of Dopamine in Human Serums and Cells

A novel label-free Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) sensor was developed from graphene oxide (GO) functionalized with doxorubicin (DOX) for selective and sensitive detection of dopamine (DA). Due to the competitive adsorption of DOX and DA onto GO, the addition of DA to the DOX–GO complex led to a significant fluorescence enhancement caused by replacing the GO-supported DOX with DA of a higher adsorption affinity to GO. The unique competitive adsorption interactions of DOX and DA toward GO, in conjugation with the fluorescence property of DOX, made the DOX–GO as an ideal label-free sensor to detect DA in human serums and cells