Synthesis of Magnetite–Semiconductor–Metal Trimer Nanoparticles through Functional Modular Assembly: A Magnetically Separable Photocatalyst with Photothermic Enhancement for Water Reduction

Hybrid nanoparticles have intrinsic advantages to achieve better activity in photocatalysis compared to single-component materials, as it can synergistically combine functional components, which promote light absorption, charge transportation, surface reaction, and catalyst regeneration. Through functional modular assembly, a rational and stepwise approach has been developed to construct Fe₃O₄–CdS–Au trimer nanoparticles and its derivatives as magnetically separable catalysts for photothermo-catalytic hydrogen evolution from water. In a typical step-by-step synthetic process, Fe₃O₄–Ag dimers, Fe₃O₄–Ag₂S dimers, Fe₃O₄–CdS dimers, and Fe₃O₄–CdS–Au trimers were synthesized by seeding growth, sulfuration, ion exchange, and in situ reduction consequently. Following the same reaction route, a series of derivative trimer nanoparticles with alternative semiconductor and metal were obtained for water-reduction reaction. The experimental results show that the semiconductor acts as an active component for photocatalysis, the metal nanoparticle acts as a cocatalyst for enhancement of charge separation, and the Fe₃O₄ component helps in the convenient separation of catalysts in magnetic field and improves photocatalytic activity under near-infrared illumination due to photothermic effect

Meta-analysis of the weighted mean differences of aortic annulus measurement between MDCT, TTE, and TEE.

<p>MDCT: Multi-detector computed tomography, TTE: Transthoracic echocardiography, TEE: Transesophegeal echocardiography; NA, not available for ≤2 studies included in the meta-analysis.</p

Meta-analysis of the weighted mean difference of aortic annulus diameter measurement between coronal view on MDCT and TTE.

<p>Meta-analysis of the weighted mean difference of aortic annulus diameter measurement between coronal view on MDCT and TTE.</p

Meta-analysis of the weighted mean difference of aortic annulus diameter measurement between coronal view and sagittal view on MDCT.

<p>Meta-analysis of the weighted mean difference of aortic annulus diameter measurement between coronal view and sagittal view on MDCT.</p

Basic characteristics of the 10 included studies involving 581 patients with aortic valve stenosis.

<p>AS: Aortic valve stenosis; NA: Unavailable; TTE: transthoracic echocardiography; TEE: transesophegeal echocardiography; MDCT: multi-detector computed tomography.</p

Flowchart of study selection.

<p>Flowchart of study selection.</p

Meta-analysis of the weighted mean difference of aortic annulus diameter measurement between coronal view on MDCT and TEE.

<p>Meta-analysis of the weighted mean difference of aortic annulus diameter measurement between coronal view on MDCT and TEE.</p

Meta-analysis of the weighted mean difference of aortic annulus diameter measurement between TEE and TTE.

<p>Meta-analysis of the weighted mean difference of aortic annulus diameter measurement between TEE and TTE.</p

Interfacial Self-Assembly Driven Formation of Hierarchically Structured Nanocrystals with Photocatalytic Activity

We report the synthesis of hierarchical structured nanocrystals through an interfacial self-assembly driven microemulsion (μ-emulsion) process. An optically active macrocyclic building block Sn (IV) <i>meso</i>-tetraphenylporphine dichloride (tin porphyrin) is used to initiate noncovalent self-assembly confined within μ-emulsion droplets. <i>In-situ</i> studies of dynamic light scattering, UV–vis spectroscopy, and electron microscopy, as well as optical imaging of reaction processes suggest an evaporation-induced nucleation and growth self-assembly mechanism. The resulted nanocrystals exhibit uniform shapes and sizes from ten to a hundred nanometers. Because of the spatial ordering of tin porphyrin, the hierarchical nanocrystals exhibit collective optical properties resulting from the coupling of molecular tin porphyrin and photocatalytic activities in the reduction of platinum nanoparticles and networks and in photodegradation of methyl orange (MO) pollutants

Highly Sensitive Fluorescence and Photoacoustic Detection of Metastatic Breast Cancer in Mice Using Dual-Modal Nanoprobes

The biomedical imaging of metastatic breast cancer, especially in lymphatic and lung metastasis, is highly significant in cancer staging as it helps assess disease prognosis and treatment. Using an albumin-indocyanine green dual-modal nanoprobe developed in our laboratory, in vivo fluorescence imaging and photoacoustic imaging of metastatic breast cancer tumors were performed separately. Fluorescence imaging at the near-infrared window features high imaging sensitivity but is generally limited by a low imaging depth. Thus, tumors can only be observed in situ whereas tumor cells in the lymph nodes and lung cannot be imaged in a precise manner. In contrast, photoacoustic imaging often helps overcome the limitations of imaging depth with high acoustic spatial resolution, which could provide complementary information for imaging cancer metastases. Ex vivo fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging were also performed to verify the tumor metastatic route. This study may not only provide insights into the design of dual-modal nanoprobes for breast cancer diagnosis but may also demonstrate the superiority of combined fluorescence imaging and photoacoustic imaging for guiding, monitoring, and evaluating lymphatic and lung metastatic stages of breast cancer with a high imaging specificity as well as sensitivity