Life Science Applications Research Articles

Strong coupling induced ultrasensitive chiral detection by metal-dielectric hybrid metasurface

Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy struggles to detect weak signals from small, chiral molecules due to limitations in light absorption. This study introduces a method for significantly enhancing CD signals using a metal-dielectric hybrid metasurface. The metasurface creates a superchiral hotspot that amplifies the chirality of nearby molecules. Two techniques are proposed to overcome signal cancellation between the intrinsic and induced signals to achieve an overall enhancement of the CD signal by up to 23,630 times. This approach has the potential for ultrasensitive detection of chiral molecules at the nanoscale, with applications in pharmacology, toxicology, and life sciences.

Introducing chaos theory in the classroom: A life sciences students’ perception.

This article details a concise in-class workshop to introduce life science students to basic chaos theory concepts, which is a modern subject and has high potential for applications in life sciences and other fields, justifying its knowledge. The teaching approach is based on a pragmatic strategy that uses only the essential mathematical and computing concepts required to reach the learning outcome, which this article explains step-by-step and, therefore, at least in expectation, even students or professors with no previous software knowledge could understand them. The proposed educational approach uses a meaningful learning approach, and population growth models as an educational anchor subject, which is a common subject for life science students and may be intuitive for students from other areas. Feedback from 70 students surveyed after the workshop yielded positive results, and 72.9% of the students expressed confidence in explaining basic chaos theory concepts following the session, and 94.7% stated they would recommend it to their peers, which underscores the present proposal feasibility.

Hydrosilylation of Alkynes Catalyzed by an Iron(II) PCP Pincer Alkyl Complex

Vinylsilanes are very useful building blocks in organic synthesis and have widespread applications in life sciences and materials chemistry. Here we describe the potential of complex cis‐[Fe(PCP‐iPr)(CH2CH2CH3)(CO)2] as an effective catalyst for the hydrosilylation of both terminal and internal alkynes with SiPhH3 to give vinylsilanes. The reactions were typically performed with a catalyst loading of 1 mol% for 24 h at 70oC. The catalytic reaction is initiated by migratory insertion of a CO ligand into the Fe‐alkyl bond to yield an acyl intermediate which reacts with silanes to form the 16e‐ Fe(II) silyl catalyst [Fe(PCP‐iPr)(SiPhH2)(CO)]. In the case of aliphatic terminal alkynes good regioselectivity (anti‐Markovnikov addition) towards the thermodynamically more stable β‐(E)‐vinylsilanes in ratios of up to 10:90 was achieved, while for aromatic alkynes the selectivities were poor with ratios of β‐(Z)‐ to β‐(E)‐vinylsilanes of about 40:60. With internal unsymmetrical alkynes, the two possible regioisomers of the syn‐addition of SiPhH3 were obtained in different ratios with no clear trend towards one regioisomer. Internal symmetrical alkynes yielded exclusively the respective syn‐products in high yields. Mechanistic investigations including deuterium labelling studies were undertaken to provide a reasonable reaction mechanism.

Hydrolytically Degradable Zwitterionic Polyphosphazene Containing HEPES Moieties as Side Groups.

Zwitterionic polymers, ampholytic macromolecules containing ionic moieties of opposite sign on the same pendant groups, exhibit strong protein-repulsive properties and an inherent biological inertness. For that reason, these highly hydrated inner salt macromolecules have emerged as some of the most viable alternatives to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), a gold standard in enabling stealth behavior in life science applications. However, the structural diversity of polymer zwitterions remains limited, and currently available macromolecules do not possess an intrinsic ability to undergo hydrolytical degradation, an important prerequisite for use in drug delivery applications. The present paper reports on the synthesis of a zwitterionic polymer, a multimerized form (two thousand copies), of a biologically benign buffering agent, HEPES, which is covalently assembled on a polyphosphazene backbone. The polymer exhibits typical polyzwitterionic solution behavior, an environmentally dependent hydrolytic degradation pattern, and excellent in vitro compatibility, features that highlight its potential utility for life science applications.

Extreme-value analysis in nano-biological systems: applications and implications

AbstractExtreme value analysis (EVA) is a statistical method that studies the properties of extreme values of datasets, crucial for fields like engineering, meteorology, finance, insurance, and environmental science. EVA models extreme events using distributions such as Fréchet, Weibull, or Gumbel, aiding in risk prediction and management. This review explores EVA’s application to nanoscale biological systems. Traditionally, biological research focuses on average values from repeated experiments. However, EVA offers insights into molecular mechanisms by examining extreme data points. We introduce EVA’s concepts with simulations and review its use in studying motor protein movements within cells, highlighting the importance of in vivo analysis due to the complex intracellular environment. We suggest EVA as a tool for extracting motor proteins’ physical properties in vivo and discuss its potential in other biological systems. While there have been only a few applications of EVA to biological systems, it holds promise for uncovering hidden properties in extreme data, promoting its broader application in life sciences.

Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor-Based Magnetic and Optical Sensors for Life Science Applications.

Optical and magnetic sensing methods are integral to both research and clinical applications in biological laboratories. The ongoing miniaturization of these sensors has paved the way for the development of point-of-care (PoC) diagnostics and handheld sensing devices, which are crucial for timely and efficient healthcare delivery. Among the various competing sensing and circuit technologies, CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) stands out due to its distinct cost-effectiveness, scalability, and high precision. By leveraging the inherent advantages of CMOS technology, recent developments in optical and magnetic biosensors have significantly advanced their application in life sciences, offering improved sensitivity, integration capabilities, and reduced power consumption. This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent advancements, focusing on innovations in CMOS-based optical and magnetic sensors and their transformative impact on biomedical research and diagnostics.

AI and Human-Centric Approach in Smart Cities Management: Case Studies from Silesian and Lesser Poland Voivodships

The presented paper examines the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the management of smart cities, focusing on the Silesian and Lesser Poland Voivodships in Poland. This research addresses a notable gap in the analysis of regional AI strategies within urban management, providing a comparative analysis of AI implementation in these two distinct regions. The Silesian Voivodship, with its emphasis on traditional industries such as manufacturing and energy, contrasts with the broader approach of the Lesser Poland Voivodship, which includes applications in life sciences and ICT. The paper explores how AI technologies enhance urban efficiency, sustainability, and livability through practical applications in traffic management, healthcare, energy efficiency, and environmental management. It highlights the importance of a human-centric approach in smart city development, emphasizing inclusivity, transparency, and ethical considerations. The paper also delves into the socio-technical dynamics of AI deployment, illustrating how these technologies can transform urban environments while ensuring that the benefits are equitably distributed and that urban developments are sustainable and resilient. By analyzing specific case studies, the authors aim to provide empirical evidence and insights that contribute to the academic and practical understanding of AI’s role in smart cities, ultimately advocating for the design of AI applications that prioritize human well-being and environmental health.

Design and synthesis of a 2,5-Diarylthiophene chromophore for enhanced near-infrared two-photon uncaging efficiency of calcium ions

The design and synthesis of two-photon-responsive chromophores have recently garnered significant attention owing to their potential applications in materials and life sciences. In this study, a novel π-conjugated system, 2-dimethylaminophenyl-5-nitrophenylthiophene derivatives, featuring a thiophene unit as the π-linker between the donor (NMe2C6H4–) and acceptor (NO2C6H4–) units was designed, synthesized, and applied for the development of two-photon-responsive chromophores as a photoremovable protecting group in the near-infrared region. Notably, the positional effect of the nitro group (NO2), meta versus para position, was observed in the uncaging process of benzoic acid. Additionally, while the para-isomer exhibited a single fluorescence peak, a dual emission was detected for the meta-isomer in polar solvents. The caged calcium ion (Ca2+) incorporating the newly synthesized thiophene unit exhibited a sizable two-photon absorption cross-section value (σ2 = 129 GM at 830 nm). Both one-photon and two-photon photoirradiation of caged calcium ions successfully released calcium ions, indicating the potential utility of 2,5-diarylthiophene derivatives in future biological studies.Graphical abstract

Integration of deep neutral network modeling and LC-MS-based pseudo-targeted metabolomics to discriminate easily confused ginseng species

Metabolomics covers a wide range of applications in life sciences, biomedicine, and phytology. Data acquisition (to achieve high coverage and efficiency) and analysis (to pursue good classification) are two key segments involved in metabolomics workflows. Various chemometric approaches utilizing either pattern recognition or machine learning have been employed to separate different groups. However, insufficient feature extraction, inappropriate feature selection, overfitting, or underfitting lead to an insufficient capacity to discriminate plants that are often easily confused. Using two ginseng varieties, namely Panax japonicus and P. japonicus var. major, containing the similar ginsenosides, we integrated pseudo-targeted metabolomics and deep neural network (DNN) modeling to achieve accurate species differentiation. A pseudo-targeted metabolomics approach was optimized through data acquisition mode, ion pairs generation, comparison between multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and scheduled MRM, and chromatographic elution gradient. In total, 1980 ion pairs were monitored within 23 min, allowing for the most comprehensive ginseng metabolome analysis. The established DNN model demonstrated excellent classification performance (in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, area under the curve, and receiver operating characteristic) using the entire metabolome data and feature-selection dataset, exhibiting superior advantages over random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and multilayer perceptron (MLP). Moreover, DNNs were advantageous for automated feature learning, nonlinear modeling, adaptability, and generalization. This study confirmed practicality of the established strategy for efficient metabolomics data analysis and reliable classification performance even when using small-volume samples. This established approach holds promise for plant metabolomics and is not limited to ginseng.

Ultrabroadband Optical Diffraction Tomography.

Optical diffraction tomography (ODT) is a powerful noninvasive 3D imaging technique, but its combination with broadband light sources is difficult. In this study, we introduce ultrabroadband ODT, covering over 150 nm of visible spectral bandwidth with a lateral spatial resolution of 150 nm. Our work addresses a critical experimental gap by enabling the measurement of broadband refractive index changes in 3D samples, crucial information that is difficult to assess with existing methodologies. We present broadband, spectrally resolved ODT images of HeLa cells, obtained via pulse-shaping-based Fourier transform spectroscopy. The spectral observations enabled by ultrabroadband ODT, combined with material-dependent refractive index responses, allow for precise three-dimensional identification of nanoparticles within cellular structures. Our work represents a crucial step toward time and spectrally resolved tomography of complex 3D structures with implications for life and materials science applications.

Fluorescence and photoacoustic (FL/PA) dual-modal probe: Responsive to reactive oxygen species (ROS) for atherosclerotic plaque imaging

Accurate and early detection of atherosclerosis (AS) is imperative for their effective treatment. However, fluorescence probes for efficient diagnosis of AS often encounter insufficient deep tissue penetration, which hinders the reliable assessment of plaque vulnerability. In this work, a reactive oxygen species (ROS) activated near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence and photoacoustic (FL/PA) dual model probe TPA-QO-B is developed by conjugating two chromophores (TPA-QI and O–OH) and ROS-specific group phenylboronic acid ester. The incorporation of ROS-specific group not only induces blue shift in absorbance, but also inhibits the ICT process of TPA-QO-OH, resulting an ignorable initial FL/PA signal. ROS triggers the convertion of TPA-QO-B to TPA-QO-OH, resulting in the concurrent amplification of FL/PA signal. The exceptional selectivity of TPA-QO-B towards ROS makes it effectively distinguish AS mice from the healthy. The NIR emission can achieve a tissue penetration imaging depth of 0.3 cm. Moreover, its PA775 signal possesses the capability to penetrate tissues up to a thickness of 0.8 cm, ensuring deep in vivo imaging of AS model mice in early stage. The ROS-triggered FL/PA dual signal amplification strategy improves the accuracy and addresses the deep tissue penetration problem simultaneously, providing a promising tool for in vivo tracking biomarkers in life science and preclinical applications.

Single droplet or bubble and its stability: Kinetic theory and dynamical system approaches.

Steady solutions of a single droplet or bubble in the van der Waals fluid are investigated on the basis of the kinetic model equationthat has been recently proposed by Miyauchi etal. [Gas Dynamics with Applications in Industry and Life Sciences (Springer, Cham, 2023), pp. 19-39]. Under the thermal equilibrium condition and isotropic assumption with respect to the origin of the coordinates, the kinetic equationis reduced to an ordinary differential equationfor the density, which can be regarded as a low-dimensional dynamical system. The possible density distribution is studied as a flow in the low-dimensional phase space. It is clarified that a single droplet or bubble can be understood as a flow that goes into a fixed point and that the flow is qualitatively different in the unstable and metastable parameter regions. The features of the obtained density distributions in individual regions are also clarified. Finally, the stability of those solutions is studied by direct numerical experiments of the kinetic equation.

Fiber-integrated quantum microscopy system for cells.

Quantum entanglement serves as an essential resource across various fields, including quantum communication, quantum computing, and quantum precision measurement. Quantum microscope, as one of the significant applications in quantum precision measurement, could bring revolutionary advancements in both signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and spatial resolution of imaging. Here, we present a quantum microscopy system that relies on a fully fiber-integrated high-performance energy-time entangled light source operating within the near-infrared II (NIR-II) window. Complemented by tailored real-time data acquisition and processing software, we successfully demonstrate the quantum imaging of a standard target, achieving a SNR of 131.51 ± 6.74 and a spatial resolution of 4.75 ± 0.27 µm. Furthermore, we showcase quantum imaging of cancer cells, unveiling the potential of quantum entanglement in biomedical applications. Our fiber-integrated quantum microscope, characterized by high imaging SNR, instantaneous image capture, and analysis capabilities, marks an important step toward the practical application in life sciences.

Development of Iron‐Based Single Atom Materials for General and Efficient Synthesis of Amines

AbstractEarth abundant metal‐based heterogeneous catalysts with highly active and at the same time stable isolated metal sites constitute a key factor for the advancement of sustainable and cost‐effective chemical synthesis. In particular, the development of more practical, and durable iron‐based materials is of central interest for organic synthesis, especially for the preparation of chemical products related to life science applications. Here, we report the preparation of Fe‐single atom catalysts (Fe‐SACs) entrapped in N‐doped mesoporous carbon support with unprecedented potential in the preparation of different kinds of amines, which represent privileged class of organic compounds and find increasing application in daily life. The optimal Fe‐SACs allow for the reductive amination of a broad range of aldehydes and ketones with ammonia and amines to produce diverse primary, secondary, and tertiary amines including N‐methylated products as well as drugs, agrochemicals, and other biomolecules (amino acid esters and amides) utilizing green hydrogen.

Development of Iron-Based Single Atom Materials for General and Efficient Synthesis of Amines.

Earth abundant metal-based heterogeneous catalysts with highly active and at the same time stable isolated metal sites constitute a key factor for the advancement of sustainable and cost-effective chemical synthesis. In particular, the development of more practical, and durable iron-based materials is of central interest for organic synthesis, especially for the preparation of chemical products related to life science applications. Here, we report the preparation of Fe-single atom catalysts (Fe-SACs) entrapped in N-doped mesoporous carbon support with unprecedented potential in the preparation of different kinds of amines, which represent privileged class of organic compounds and find increasing application in daily life. The optimal Fe-SACs allow for the reductive amination of a broad range of aldehydes and ketones with ammonia and amines to produce diverse primary, secondary, and tertiary amines including N-methylated products as well as drugs, agrochemicals, and other biomolecules (amino acid esters and amides) utilizing green hydrogen.

Synchrotron nano-FTIR spectroscopy for probing anticancer drugs at subcellular scale

The cellular response to cisplatin was assessed in human osteosarcoma cells, using synchrotron-based (SR) Fourier Transform InfraRed nanospectroscopy (nano-FTIR) at the MIRIAM beamline B22 of Diamond Light Source (UK). This label-free mapping method delivered simultaneous morphological and biochemical information on a subcellular level (i.e. 100 s nanometer or better). Based on specific spectral biomarkers, the main biochemical constituents affected by the drug were identified at distinct locations within the cell´s inner body. Cisplatin was shown to have a noteworthy effect on proteins, mostly within the cytoplasm. A clear drug impact on cellular lipids was also observed. Within current literature on s-SNOM, this nanospectroscopy work represents a first successful application in life sciences providing full fingerprint nano-FTIR spectra across intact human cancer cells.

Pyridine-based strategies towards nitrogen isotope exchange and multiple isotope incorporation

Isotopic labeling is at the core of health and life science applications such as nuclear imaging, metabolomics and plays a central role in drug development. The rapid access to isotopically labeled organic molecules is a sine qua non condition to support these societally vital areas of research. Based on a rationally driven approach, this study presents an innovative solution to access labeled pyridines by a nitrogen isotope exchange reaction based on a Zincke activation strategy. The technology conceptualizes an opportunity in the field of isotope labeling. 15N-labeling of pyridines and other relevant heterocycles such as pyrimidines and isoquinolines showcases on a large set of derivatives, including pharmaceuticals. Finally, we explore a nitrogen-to-carbon exchange strategy in order to access 13C-labeled phenyl derivatives and deuterium labeling of mono-substituted benzene from pyridine-2H5. These results open alternative avenues for multiple isotope labeling on aromatic cores.

Building up a model family for inflammations

The paper presents an approach for overcoming modeling problems of typical life science applications with partly unknown mechanisms and lacking quantitative data: A model family of reaction–diffusion equations is built up on a mesoscopic scale and uses classes of feasible functions for reaction and taxis terms. The classes are found by translating biological knowledge into mathematical conditions and the analysis of the models further constrains the classes. Numerical simulations allow comparing single models out of the model family with available qualitative information on the solutions from observations. The method provides insight into a hierarchical order of the mechanisms. The method is applied to the clinics for liver inflammation such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis or viral hepatitis where reasons for the chronification of disease are still unclear and time- and space-dependent data is unavailable.

Tetrafluoroisopropylation of alkenes and alkynes enabled by photocatalytic consecutive difluoromethylation with CF2HSO2Na

Direct assembly of complex fluorinated motifs from simple fluorine sources is an attractive frontier of synthetic chemistry. Reported herein is an unconventional protocol for achieving tetrafluoroisopropylation by using commercially available CF2HSO2Na as a convenient source of the tetrafluoroisopropyl [(CF2H)2CH] group, which finds widespread applications in life science and material science. Visible-light-induced hydrotetrafluoroisopropylation of alkenes and carbotetrafluoroisopropylation of alkynes have been thus developed. Various structurally diverse α-tetrafluoroisopropyl carbonyls and cyclopentanones are selectively constructed under mild conditions. A photocatalytic triple difluoromethylation cascade, driven by consecutive reductive radical/polar crossover processes, leads to the direct assembly of a tetrafluoroisopropyl moiety from CF2HSO2Na. This C1-to-C3 fluoroalkylation protocol provides a practical strategy for the rapid construction of polyfluorinated compounds that are otherwise difficult to access, thus significantly enhancing the boundary of fluoroalkylation chemistry.

Analysis of Macromolecular Systems as Enabler for Energy and Life Science Applications

AbstractIdeas concerning the conceptual existence of macromolecular and colloidal systems found their inception at the beginning of the last century. The experimental technology developed to discover and characterize those systems can be associated with seminal pioneers laying the foundations for microscopic, hydrodynamic, and light scattering approaches. In this perspective, we focus our attention on the origins of the discovery and characterization of macromolecular and colloidal systems with selected examples from the beginnings to the present. This perspective attempts to directly interconnect the design of new macromolecular as well as colloidal systems and the simultaneous development of using advanced characterization techniques for design verification. While not claiming a complete coverage of the entire field of modern polymer science, our selected examples concern the field of life science and the recently and rapidly developing area of energy materials.