Recent advances in porous nanostructures for cancer theranostics

Porous nanomaterials with high surface area, tunable porosity, and large mesopores have recently received particular attention in cancer therapy and imaging. Introduction of additional pores to nanostructures not only endows the tunability of optoelectronic and optical features optimal for tumor treatment, but also modulates the loading capacity and controlled release of therapeutic agents. In recognition, increasing efforts have been made to fabricate various porous nanomaterials and explore their potentials in oncology applications. Thus, a systematic and comprehensive summary is necessary to overview the recent progress, especially in last ten years, on the development of various mesoporous nanomaterials for cancer treatment as theranostic agents. While outlining their individual synthetic mechanisms after a brief introduction of the structures and properties of porous nanomaterials, the current review highlighted the representative applications of three main categories of porous nanostructures (organic, inorganic, and organic-inorganic nanomaterials). In each category, the synthesis, representative examples, and interactions with tumors were further detailed. The review was concluded with deliberations on the key challenges and future outlooks of porous nanostructures in cancer theranostics.

Cl−-Induced selective fabrication of 3D AgCl microcrystals by a one-pot synthesis method

Cl⁻ induces the shape evolution of AgCl crystals with different morphologies.

Electron generation in water induced by magnetic effect and its impact on dissolved oxygen concentration

pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration are important parameters in water quality surveillance and treatment. The changes of these parameters are associated with electron density in water. Several techniques including electrolysis and catalysis which require redox reactions and electron exchange are employed to improve these parameters. In recent years, studies reported that magnetic effects can impart considerable changes on the pH, ORP and DO concentration of water. However, the correlation between electron density and magnetic effects on these parameters has yet to be disclosed despite the fact that increased electron density in water could improve water’s reductive properties, heat capacity and hydrogen bonding characteristics. In this study, the magnetic effects on pH, ORP and DO concentration were investigated using different magnets arrangements and water flow rates based on reversed electric motor principle. Results showed that the improvement of pH, ORP and DO concentration from 5.40–5.42 to 5.58–5.62 (+ 3.5%), 392 to 365 mV (− 6.9%), and 7.30 to 7.71 mg L^− 1 (+ 5.6%), respectively were achieved using combined variables of non-reversed polarity magnet arrangement (1000–1500 G magnetic strength) and water flow rate of 0.1–0.5 mL s^− 1. Such decrement in ORP value also corresponded to 8.0 × 10¹³ number of electron generation in water. Furthermore, Raman analysis revealed that magnetic effect could strengthen the intermolecular hydrogen bonding of water molecules and favor formation of smaller water clusters. The findings of this study could contribute to potential applications in aquaculture, water quality control and treatment of cancer attributed to free radical induced-oxidative stress.

Stepwise Evolution of AgCl Microcrystals from Octahedron into Hexapod with Mace Pods and their Visible Light Photocatalytic Activity

In this work, we have synthesized hexapods AgCl crystals with mace pods for the first time. Diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DDA)-controlled stepwise evolution of AgCl crystals from octahedron to hexapods with mace pods are achieved by one-pot method. The intermediates have been captured which show the basic process of crystal growth. In this process, octahedra AgCl crystals firstly grow along the <100> direction and then change to grow in the <110> direction. At the same time, the size of AgCl grow from 2 μm to 20 μm. Due to the poor absorption of visible light by AgCl, sodium borohydride(NaBH4) is used to reduce AgCl hexapods with mace pods crystals. By changing the mole ratio(R) of NaBH4 to AgCl, the new structure was reduced to obtain a series of Ag@AgCl microstructures. Visible light catalysis effects of the Ag@AgCl microstructures on degradation of methyl orange (MO) were investigated. The Ag@AgCl microstructures with R = 0.02 have a high photocatalytic performance, which completely degrades MO in 40 minutes.