The interaction between nanoscale copper oxides (nano-CuOs) and soil matrix significantly affects their fate and transport in soils. This study investigates the retention of nano-CuOs and Cu2+ ions in ten typical agricultural soils by employing the Freundlich adsorption model. Retention of nano-CuOs and Cu2+ in soils was well fitted by the Freundlich model. The retention parameters (KD, KF, and N) followed an order of CuO NTs > CuO NPs > Cu2+, highlighting significant impact of nano-CuOs morphology. The KF and N values of CuO NPs/Cu2+ were positively correlated with soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC), but exhibited a weaker correlation for CuO NTs. Soil pH and/or EC could be used to predict KF and N values of CuO NPs or CuO NTs, with additional clay content should be included for Cu2+.The different relationship between retention parameters and soil properties may suggest that CuO NTs retention mainly caused by agglomeration, whereas adsorption and agglomeration were of equal importance to CuO NPs. The amendment of Ca2+ at low and medium concentration promoted retention of nano-CuOs in alkaline soils, but reduced at high concentration. These findings provided critical insights into the fate of nano-CuOs in soil environments, with significant implications for environmental risk assessment and soil remediation strategies.

Utilizing nanomaterials as an alternative to antibiotics, with a focus on maintaining high biosafety, has emerged as a promising strategy to combat antibiotic resistance. Nevertheless, the challenge lies in the indiscriminate attack of nanomaterials on both bacterial and mammalian cells, which limits their practicality. Herein, Cu3SbS3 nanoparticles (NPs) capable of generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) are discovered to selectively adsorb and eliminate bacteria without causing obvious harm to mammalian cells, thanks to the interaction between O of N-acetylmuramic acid in bacterial cell walls and Cu of the NPs. Coupled with the short diffusion distance of ROS in the surrounding medium, a selective antibacterial effect is achieved. Additionally, the antibacterial mechanism is then identified: Cu3SbS3 NPs catalyze the generation of O2•-, which has subsequently been conversed by superoxide dismutase to H2O2. The latter is secondary catalyzed by the NPs to form •OH and 1O2, initiating an in situ attack on bacteria. This process depletes bacterial glutathione in conjunction with the disruption of the antioxidant defense system of bacteria. Notably, Cu3SbS3 NPs are demonstrated to efficiently impede biofilm formation; thus, a healing of MRSA-infected wounds was promoted. The bacterial cell wall-binding nanoantibacterial agents can be widely expanded through diversified design.

BACKGROUND: Zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnO NP) is one of the metal nanomaterials with extensive use in many fields such as feed additive and textile, which is an emerging threat to human health due to widely distributed in the environment. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the toxic effects associated with ZnO NPs. Although previous studies have found accumulation of ZnO NPs in testis, the molecular mechanism of ZnO NPs dominated a decline in male fertility have not been elucidated.
RESULTS: We reported that ZnO NPs exposure caused testicular dysfunction and identified spermatocytes as the primary damaged site induced by ZnO NPs. ZnO NPs led to the dysfunction of spermatocytes, including impaired cell proliferation and mitochondrial damage. In addition, we found that ZnO NPs induced ferroptosis of spermatocytes through the increase of intracellular chelatable iron content and lipid peroxidation level. Moreover, the transcriptome analysis of testis indicated that ZnO NPs weakened the expression of miR-342-5p, which can target Erc1 to block the NF-κB pathway. Eventually, ferroptosis of spermatocytes was ameliorated by suppressing the expression of Erc1.
CONCLUSIONS: The present study reveals a novel mechanism in that miR-342-5p targeted Erc1 to activate NF-κB signaling pathway is required for ZnO NPs-induced ferroptosis, and provide potential targets for further research on the prevention and treatment of male reproductive disorders related to ZnO NPs.

The implementation of Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) raises concerns regarding their potential toxic effects on human health. Although more and more researches have confirmed the toxic effects of ZnO NPs, limited attention has been given to their impact on the early embryonic nervous system. This study aimed to explore the impact of exposure to ZnO NPs on early neurogenesis and explore its underlying mechanisms. We conducted experiments here to confirm the hypothesis that exposure to ZnO NPs causes neural tube defects in early embryonic development. We first used mouse and chicken embryos to confirm that ZnO NPs and the Zn2+ they release are able to penetrate the placental barrier, influence fetal growth and result in incomplete neural tube closure. Using SH-SY5Y cells, we determined that ZnO NPs-induced incomplete neural tube closure was caused by activation of various cell death modes, including ferroptosis, apoptosis and autophagy. Moreover, dissolved Zn2+ played a role in triggering widespread cell death. ZnO NPs were accumulated within mitochondria after entering cells, damaging mitochondrial function and resulting in the over production of reactive oxygen species, ultimately inducing cellular oxidative stress. The N-acetylcysteine (NAC) exhibits significant efficacy in mitigating cellular oxidative stress, thereby alleviating the cytotoxicity and neurotoxicity brought about by ZnO NPs. These findings indicated that the exposure of ZnO NPs in early embryonic development can induce cell death through oxidative stress, resulting in a reduced number of cells involved in early neural tube closure and ultimately resulting in incomplete neural tube closure during embryo development. The findings of this study could raise public awareness regarding the potential risks associated with the exposure and use of ZnO NPs in early pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Nanotechnology holds revolutionary potential in the field of agriculture, with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) demonstrating advantages in promoting crop growth. Enhanced photosynthetic efficiency is closely linked to improved vigor and superior quality in tea plants, complemented by the beneficial role of phyllosphere microorganisms in maintaining plant health. However, the effects of ZnO NPs on the photosynthesis of tea plants, the sprouting of new shoots, and the community of phyllosphere microorganisms have not been fully investigated.
RESULTS: This study investigated the photosynthetic physiological parameters of tea plants under the influence of ZnO NPs, the content of key photosynthetic enzymes such as RubisCO, chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, transcriptomic and extensive targeted metabolomic profiles of leaves and new shoots, mineral element composition in these tissues, and the epiphytic and endophytic microbial communities within the phyllosphere. The results indicated that ZnO NPs could enhance the photosynthesis of tea plants, upregulate the expression of some genes related to photosynthesis, increase the accumulation of photosynthetic products, promote the development of new shoots, and alter the content of various mineral elements in the leaves and new shoots of tea plants. Furthermore, the application of ZnO NPs was observed to favorably influence the microbial community structure within the phyllosphere of tea plants. This shift in microbial community dynamics suggests a potential for ZnO NPs to contribute to plant health and productivity by modulating the phyllosphere microbiome.
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that ZnO NPs have a positive impact on the photosynthesis of tea plants, the sprouting of new shoots, and the community of phyllosphere microorganisms, which can improve the growth condition of tea plants. These findings provide new scientific evidence for the application of ZnO NPs in sustainable agricultural development and contribute to advancing research in nanobiotechnology aimed at enhancing crop yield and quality.

Transferrin (TRF), recognized as a glycoprotein clinical biomarker and therapeutic target, has its concentration applicable for disease diagnosis and treatment monitoring. Consequently, this study developed boronic acid affinity magnetic surface molecularly imprinted polymers (B-MMIPs) with pH-responsitivity as the \"capture probe\" for TRF, which have high affinity similar to antibodies, with a dissociation constant of (3.82 ± 0.24) × 10-8 M, showing 7 times of reusability. The self-copolymerized imprinted layer synthesized with dopamine (DA) and 3-Aminophenylboronic acid (APBA) as double monomers avoided nonspecific binding sites and produced excellent adsorption properties. Taking the gold nanostar (AuNS) with a branch tip \"hot spot\" structure as the core, the silver-coated AuNS functionalized with the biorecognition element 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid (MPBA) was employed as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanotag (AuNS@Ag-MPBA) to label TRF, thereby constructing a double boronic acid affinity \"sandwich\" SERS biosensor (B-MMIPs-TRF-SERS nanotag) for the highly sensitive detection of TRF. The SERS biosensor exhibited a detection limit for TRF of 0.004 ng/mL, and its application to spiked serum samples confirmed its reliability and feasibility, demonstrating significant potential for clinical TRF detection. Moreover, the SERS biosensor designed in this study offers advantages in stability, detection speed (40 min), and cost efficiency. The portable Raman instrument for SERS detection fulfills the requirements for point-of-care testing.

A ratiometric SERS aptasensor based on catalytic hairpin self-assembly (CHA) mediated cyclic signal amplification strategy was developed for the rapid and reliable determination of Escherichia coli O157:H7. The recognition probe was synthesized by modifying magnetic beads with blocked aptamers, and the SERS probe was constructed by functionalizing gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) with hairpin structured DNA and 4-mercaptobenzonitrile (4-MBN). The recognition probe captured E. coli O157:H7 specifically and released the blocker DNA, which activated the CHA reaction on the SERS probe and turned on the SERS signal of 6-carboxyl-x-rhodamine (ROX). Meanwhile, 4-MBN was used as an internal reference to calibrate the matrix interference. Thus, sensitive and reliable determination and quantification of E. coli O157:H7 was established using the ratio of the SERS signal intensities of ROX to 4-MBN. This aptasensor enabled detection of 2.44 × 102 CFU/mL of E. coli O157:H7 in approximately 3 h without pre-culture and DNA extraction. In addition, good reliability and excellent reproducibility were observed for the determination of E. coli O157:H7 in spiked water and milk samples. This study offered a new solution for the design of rapid, sensitive, and reliable SERS aptasensors.

While supported metal nanoparticles (NPs) have shown significant promise in heterogeneous catalysis, precise control over their interaction with the support, which profoundly impacts their catalytic performance, remains a significant challenge. In this study, Pt NPs are incorporated into thioether-functionalized covalent organic frameworks (denoted COF-Sx), enabling precise control over the size and electronic state of Pt NPs by adjusting the thioether density dangling on the COF pore walls. Notably, the resulting Pt@COF-Sx demonstrate exceptional selectivity (>99%) in catalytic hydrogenation of p-chloronitrobenzene to p-chloroaniline, in sharp contrast to the poor selectivity of Pt NPs embedded in thioether-free COFs. Furthermore, the conversion over Pt@COF-Sx exhibits a volcano-type curve as the thioether density increases, due to the corresponding change of accessible Pt sites. This work provides an effective approach to regulating the catalysis of metal NPs via their microenvironment modulation, with the aid of rational design and precise tailoring of support structure.

UNASSIGNED: Implants are widely used in the field of orthopedics and dental sciences. Titanium (TI) and its alloys have become the most widely used implant materials, but implant-associated infection remains a common and serious complication after implant surgery. In addition, titanium exhibits biological inertness, which prevents implants and bone tissue from binding strongly and may cause implants to loosen and fall out. Therefore, preventing implant infection and improving their bone induction ability are important goals.
UNASSIGNED: To study the antibacterial activity and bone induction ability of titanium-copper alloy implants coated with nanosilver/poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (NSPTICU) and provide a new approach for inhibiting implant-associated infection and promoting bone integration.
UNASSIGNED: We first examined the in vitro osteogenic ability of NSPTICU implants by studying the proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. Furthermore, the ability of NSPTICU implants to induce osteogenic activity in SD rats was studied by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, masson staining, immunohistochemistry and van gieson (VG) staining. The antibacterial activity of NSPTICU in vitro was studied with gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (Sa) and gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. Sa was used as the test bacterium, and the antibacterial ability of NSPTICU implanted in rats was studied by gross view specimen collection, bacterial colony counting, HE staining and Giemsa staining.
UNASSIGNED: Alizarin red staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot analysis showed that NSPTICU promoted the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. The in vitro antimicrobial results showed that the NSPTICU implants exhibited better antibacterial properties. Animal experiments showed that NSPTICU can inhibit inflammation and promote the repair of bone defects.
UNASSIGNED: NSPTICU has excellent antibacterial and bone induction ability, and has broad application prospects in the treatment of bone defects related to orthopedics and dental sciences.

An enhanced lateral flow assay (LFA) is presented for rapid and highly sensitive detection of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigens with gold nanoflowers (Au NFs) as signaling markers and gold enhancement to amplify the signal intensities. First, the effect of the morphology of gold nanomaterials on the sensitivity of LFA detection was investigated. The results showed that Au NFs prepared by the seed growth method showed a 5-fold higher detection sensitivity than gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) of the same particle size, which may benefit from the higher extinction coefficient and larger specific surface area of Au NFs. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the Au NFs-based LFA exhibited a detection limit (LOD) of 25 pg mL-1 for N protein using 135 nm Au NFs as the signaling probes. The signal was further amplified by using a gold enhancement strategy, and the LOD for the detection of N protein achieved was 5 pg mL-1. The established LFA also exhibited good repeatability and stability and showed applicability in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.