Jincan He

Biomarkers and their concentration levels are critical indicators of metabolomics for clinical applications. Rapid and sensitive analysis methods are essential for realizing timely and efficient quantitation of those significant biomarkers. In this work, a self-driven microfluidic immunosensor was developed for rapid all-in-one separation, enrichment, and detection of biomarkers. This immunosensor was constructed from a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) channel layer and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sensing layer. The COC channel layer was modified through protein adsorption, immobilization, and remaining active site blocking. The obtained hydrophilic microchannels not only reduce the nonspecific adsorption, but also provide stable capillary-driven flow generation with linear velocities up to 20 mm/s for aqueous solution auto-injection. The PDMS sensing layer was modified using capture antibodies to accomplish affinity recognition of target biomarkers. Procalcitonin (PCT) and serum amyloid A (SAA) were selected as model biomarkers in the feasibility study on applying the self-driven microfluidic immunosensor to bioassay. The limits of detection of PCT and SAA were 7.9 ng/L and 7.6 μg/L, respectively. Moreover, the whole process can be accomplished within 60 min with excellent selectivity and reproducibility. In clinical serum sample analysis, satisfactory recoveries were achieved for PCT and SAA in the ranges of 85.0–103.0% and 95.5–106.0%, respectively, with relative standard deviations less than 5.3%. The method accuracy was further confirmed by the results of commercial immunoassay kits. This simple and easily operated immunosensor provides a rapid and sensitive biomarker analysis tool, and promotes the further development of automated and easy-to-use microfluidic immunoassays. Graphical Abstract

This article aims to develop an aspirin-loaded double-modified nano-delivery system for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. In this paper, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) were prepared by the “one-pot two-phase layering method”, and polydopamine (PDA) was formed by the self-polymerization of dopamine as a pH-sensitive coating. Gal-modified PDA-modified nanoparticles (Gal-PDA-MSN) were synthesized by linking galactosamine (Gal) with actively targeted galactosamine (Gal) to PDA-coated MSN by a Michael addition reaction. The size, particle size distribution, surface morphology, BET surface area, mesoporous size, and pore volume of the prepared nanoparticles were characterized, and their drug load and drug release behavior in vitro were investigated. Gal-PDA-MSN is pH sensitive and targeted. MSN@Asp is different from the release curves of PDA-MSN@Asp and Gal-PDA-MSN@Asp, the drug release of PDA-MSN@Asp and Gal-PDA-MSN@Asp accelerates with increasing acidity. In vitro experiments showed that the toxicity and inhibitory effects of the three nanodrugs on human liver cancer HepG2 cells were higher than those of free Asp. This drug delivery system facilitates controlled release and targeted therapy.

This paper proposed a rapid, selective and sensitive molybdenum yellow derivatization coupled with Resonance Rayleigh scattering (MYD-RRS) method for detection of phosphate. Under the acidic condition, phosphate can be selectively transformed to Keggin type of phosphomolybdic acid (PMA, i.e., PMo₁₂O₄₀³⁻) through molybdenum yellow derivatization reaction prior to RRS detection. The PMA can further react with cationic methyl violet (MV) to form larger PMA-MV ion association complexes, generating significant RRS signal. The concentration of phosphate was linearly related to the RRS signal in the range of 8–200 ng/mL, with the determining coefficient (R²) of 0.9973 and the detection limit of 4 ng/mL. The analytical procedure can be completed within 10 min and the RRS signal intensity can remain stable more than 4 h. The method showed good stability toward temperature and time, and good anti-interference capability. The method was applied to the determination of phosphate in real food samples with the recovery of 85–117% and RSD of 1–5.2%. With the advantages of rapidness, high sensitivity and good selectivity, the MYD-RRS method exhibits great potential to the determination of phosphate in food. It also provides an instructive strategy for detection of analytes with weak RRS signal. Graphical abstract

Regiodivergent polymerization of Morita–Baylis–Hillman acetates and thiols afforded two differentiated sulfur-containing polymers, and the γ-polymers could be transformed into the corresponding α-polymers under radical conditions.