Nano-optogenetics for Disease Therapies

Optogenetic, known as the method of 21 centuries, combines optic and genetic engineering to precisely control photosensitive proteins for manipulation of a broad range of cellular functions, such as flux of ions, protein oligomerization and dissociation, cellular intercommunication, and so on. In this technique, light is conventionally delivered to targeted cells through optical fibers or micro light-emitting diodes, always suffering from high invasiveness, wide-field illumination facula, strong absorption, and scattering by nontargeted endogenous substance. Light-transducing nanomaterials with advantages of high spatiotemporal resolution, abundant wireless-excitation manners, and easy functionalization for recognition of specific cells, recently have been widely explored in the field of optogenetics; however, there remain a few challenges to restrain its clinical applications. This review summarized recent progress on light-responsive genetically encoded proteins and the myriad of activation strategies by use of light-transducing nanomaterials and their disease-treatment applications, which is expected for sparking helpful thought to push forward its preclinical and translational uses.

Recent advances in the applications of thorium-based metal-organic frameworks and molecular clusters

This perspective highlights the recent advances in the structural and practical aspects of thorium-based metal-organic frameworks (Th-MOFs) and molecular clusters. Thorium, as an underexplored actinide, features surprisingly rich coordination geometries and accessibility of the 5f orbital. These features lead to a myriad of topologies and electronic structures, many of which are undocumented for other tetravalent metal-containing MOFs or clusters. Moreover, Th-MOFs inherit the modularity, structural tunability, porosity, and versatile functionality of the state-of-the-art MOFs. Recognizing the radioactive nature of these thorium-bearing materials that may limit their practical uses, Th-MOFs and Th-clusters still have great potential for various applications, including radionuclide sequestration, hydrocarbon storage/separation, radiation detection, photoswitch, CO₂ conversion, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis. The objective of this updated perspective is to propose pathways for the renaissance of interest in thorium-based materials.

Advances and perspectives of actinide chemistry from ex situ high pressure and high temperature chemical studies

High pressure high temperature (HP/HT) studies of actinide compounds allow the chemistry and bonding of among the most exotic elements in the periodic table to be examined under the conditions often only found in the severest environments of nature. Peering into this realm of physical extremity, chemists have extracted detailed knowledge of the fundamental chemistry of actinide elements and how they contribute to bonding, structure formation and intricate properties in compounds under such conditions. The last decade has resulted in some of the most significant contributions to actinide chemical science and this holds true for ex situ chemical studies of actinides resulting from HP/HT conditions of over 1 GPa and elevated temperature. Often conducted in tandem with ab initio calculations, HP/HT studies of actinides have further helped guide and develop theoretical modelling approaches and uncovered associated difficulties. Accordingly, this perspective article is devoted to reviewing the latest advancements made in actinide HP/HT ex situ chemical studies over the last decade, the state-of-the-art, challenges and discussing potential future directions of the science. The discussion is given with emphasis on thorium and uranium compounds due to the prevalence of their investigation but also highlights some of the latest advancements in high pressure chemical studies of transuranium compounds. The perspective also describes technical aspects involved in HP/HT investigation of actinide compounds.

Emergence of Thorium-Based Polyoxo Clusters as a Platform for Selective X-ray Dosimetry

A brand-new application of thorium-bearing clusters in the field of ionizing radiation detection is exemplified by two novel hexanuclear thorium clusters, Th-bppCOO-1 and Th-bppCOO-2, which incorporate carboxylate-functionalized 2,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine ligands. Notably, Th-bppCOO-1 is composed of an unprecedented [Th₆(OH)₄O₄(H₂O)₅]¹²⁺ secondary building unit, the Th₆ core of which is decorated by five H₂O molecules. Furthermore, selective photoluminescence quenching responses of Th-bppCOO-1 and Th-bppCOO-2 toward X-ray over UV radiation have been demonstrated for the first time.

Emergence of a thorium-organic framework as a radiation attenuator for selective X-ray dosimetry

By first applying a thorium-organic framework (Th-SINAP-2) as a radiation attenuator and by incorporating a terpyridine derivative (Htpbz) as a photo-responsive guest, selective photochromism in response to X-rays was achieved in the host-guest assembly of Htpbz@Th-SINAP-2. Such a combination endows the afforded material with the lowest detection limit of X-ray dose among all photochromic sensors and a brand-new function of X-ray dosimetry for thorium containing materials.

The Role of Acidity in the Synthesis of Novel Uranyl Selenate and Selenite Compounds and Their Structures

Herein, the novel uranyl selenate and selenite compounds Rb2[(UO2)2(SeO4)3], Rb2[(UO2)3(SeO3)2O2], Rb2[UO2(SeO4)2(H2O)]·2H2O, and (UO2)2(HSeO3)2(H2SeO3)2Se2O5 have been synthesized using either slow evaporation or hydrothermal methods under acidic conditions and their structures were refined using single crystal X-ray diffraction. Rb2[(UO2)2(SeO4)3] synthesized hydrothermally adopts a layered 2D tetragonal structure in space group P42/ncm with a = 9.8312(4) Å, c = 15.4924(9) Å, and V = 1497.38(15) Å, where it consists of UO7 polyhedra coordinated via SeO4 units to create units UO2(SeO4)58− moieties which interlink to create layers in which Rb+ cations reside in the interspace. Rb2[(UO2)3(SeO3)2O2] synthesized hydrothermally adopts a layered 2D triclinic structure in space group P1¯ with a = 7.0116(6) Å, b = 7.0646(6) Å, c = 8.1793(7) Å, α = 103.318(7)°, β = 105.968(7)°, γ = 100.642(7)° and V = 365.48(6) Å3, where it consists of edge sharing UO7, UO8 and SeO3 polyhedra that form [(UO2)3(SeO3)2O2] layers in which Rb+ cations are found in the interlayer space. Rb2[UO2(SeO4)2(H2O)]·2H2O synthesized hydrothermally adopts a chain 1D orthorhombic structure in space group Pmn21 with a = 13.041(3) Å, b = 8.579(2) Å, c = 11.583(2) Å, and V = 1295.9(5) Å3, consisting of UO7 polyhedra that corner share with one H2O and four SeO42− ligands, creating infinite chains. (UO2)2(HSeO3)2(H2SeO3)2Se2O5 synthesized under slow evaporation conditions adopts a 0D orthorhombic structure in space group Cmc21 with a = 28.4752(12) Å, b = 6.3410(3) Å, c = 10.8575(6) Å, and V = 1960.45(16) Å3, consisting of discrete rings of [(UO2)2(HSeO3)2(H2SeO3)2Se2O5]2. (UO2)2(HSeO3)2(H2SeO3)2Se2O5 is apparently only the second example of a uranyl diselenite compound to be reported. A combination of single crystal X-ray diffraction and bond valance sums calculations are used to characterise all samples obtained in this investigation. The structures uncovered in this investigation are discussed together with the broader family of uranyl selenates and selenites, particularly in the context of the role acidity plays during synthesis in coercing specific structure, functional group, and topology formations.

The first actinide polyiodate: a complex multifunctional compound with promising X-ray luminescence properties and proton conductivity

The synthesis of the first actinide polyiodate, K₄[(UO₂)₂(IO₃)₆(I₄O₁₁)]·(HIO₃)₄(H₂O)₆ (UP-1), is described and its X-ray luminescent and proton conductivity properties are examined.

Rational Design of a Uranyl Metal-Organic Framework for the Capture and Colorimetric Detection of Organic Dyes

A new uranyl containing metal-organic framework, RPL-1: [(UO₂)₂(C₂₈H₁₈O₈)] ^. H₂O (RPL for Radiochemical Processing Laboratory), was prepared, structurally characterized, and the solid-state photoluminescence properties explored. Single crystal X-ray diffraction data reveals the structure of RPL-1 consists of two crystallographically unique three dimensional, interpenetrating nets with a 4,3-connected tbo topology. Each net contains large pores with an average width of 22.8 Å and is formed from monomeric, hexagonal bipyramidal uranyl nodes that are linked via 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene (TCPB) ligands. The thermal and photophysical properties of RPL-1 were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis and absorbance, fluorescence, and lifetime spectroscopies. The material displays excellent thermal stability and temperature dependent uranyl and TCPB luminescence. The framework is stable in aqueous media and due to the large void space (constituting 76 % of the unit cell by volume) can sequester organic dyes, the uptake of which induces a visible change to the color of the material.

Multiphase Transition toward Colorless Bismuth-Germanate Scintillating Glass and Fiber for Radiation Detection

The applications of scintillating fiber in high-resolution medical imaging, remote radiation monitoring, and microbeam radiation therapy have raised a growing demand of bismuth-germanate (BGO) glass fiber. However, the task of construction of colorless BGO glass fiber has been met with limited success. Here, we present a renewable process that can help to achieve BGO scintillating fiber, based on glass relaxation and crystallization mediated dissolution of unexpected Bi center. The experimental results indicate that the strategy can improve the optical transmittance up to more than 73.17% at 483 nm, which is ∼6.28 times higher than that of the conventional material. Importantly, the obtained nanostructured BGO exhibits bright visible luminescence under excitation with X-ray. Furthermore, it can host various types of rare-earth dopants, and the radiation-induced luminescence can be tuned in a wide waveband region from visible to infrared waveband. In addition, colorless BGO fiber with bright emission is also successfully constructed, and the radiation probing test demonstrates the achievement of ∼19.48 times improvement in the detection sensitivity. Our results highlight the approach based on the dynamic glass relaxation may provide new opportunities for construction of scintillating glass fiber and compact radiation fiber detector.