Near-infrared Light Irradiation Research Articles

An AIE-based theranostic nanoplatform for enhanced colorectal cancer therapy: Real-time tumor-tracking and chemical-enhanced photodynamic therapy

The combination of diagnostic and therapeutic agents in the form of theranostic platforms to enhance tumor therapeutic efficacy is receiving increasing attention in recent years. However, simultaneous encapsulation, embedding or conjugation of various agents to traditional theranostic nanocarriers always require intricate synthetic process. Herein, a supramolecular drug-drug self-delivery nanosystem (DSDN) based on a newly developed aggregation-induced emission (AIE) photosensitizer (CBTM) and an anti-tumor tyroservaltide (YSV) was constructed for near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic/chemotherapy of tumor. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) confirmed that YSV and CBTM could co-assemble into YSV/CBTM nanoparticles, with regular round-shape morphology and homogeneous size. Inspiringly, YSV/CBTM nanoparticles could effectively overcome the aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect, and enter CT26 tumor cells with a high NIR fluorescence emission, allowing preoperative diagnosis. Meanwhile, the as-prepared YSV/CBTM could efficiently generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) under NIR light irradiation, exhibiting photodynamic ablation of tumor cells. More importantly, the peptide drug of YSV not only improved the availability of CBTM nanoparticles, but also served as a toxic adjuvant to enhance the photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficacy of CBTM. In vitro and in vivo assays revealed that most of colorectal tumor cells and tumor tissues were thoroughly ablated by photodynamic-chemotherapy integrated nanoparticles, resulting in longer survival of tumor-bearing mice. Regarding the advantages of the YSV/CBTM nanosystem, we believe this research could offer valuable guidance for the design of nanodrugs with high performance for cancer theranostics.

Phototunable and Photopatternable Polymer Semiconductors.

ConspectusIn recent decades, there has been rapid development in the field of polymer semiconductors, particularly those based on conjugated donor-acceptor (D-A) polymers exhibiting high charge mobilities. Furthermore, the application of polymer semiconductors has been successfully extended to a wide range of functional devices, including sensors, photodetectors, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, electronic paper, skin electronics, and artificial synapses. Over the past few years, there has been a growing focus on stimuli-responsive polymer semiconductors, which have the potential to impart additional functionalities to conventional field-effect transistors, garnering increased attention within the research community. In this context, phototunable polymer semiconductors have received significant attention due to their ability to utilize light as an external stimulus, enabling remote control of device performance with high spatiotemporal resolution. Meanwhile, integration of field-effect transistors with polymer semiconductors can enable the realization of complex functions. To achieve this, precise and controllable patterning of polymer semiconductors becomes essential. In this Account, we discuss our research findings in the context of phototunable and photopatternable polymer semiconductors. These developments encompass the following key aspects: (i) polymer semiconductors, such as poly(diketopyrrolopyrrole-quaterthiophene) (PDPP4T), exhibit phototunability when blended with the photochromic compound hexaarylbiimidazole (HABI). The photo/thermal-responsive field-effect transistors (FETs) can be fabricated using blending thin films. Remarkably, these photo/thermal-responsive transistors can function as photonically programmable and thermally erasable nonvolatile memory devices. (ii) By incorporating photoswitchable groups like azo and spiropyran into the side chains of conjugated D-A polymers, we can create phototunable polymer semiconductors. The reversible isomerization of azo and spiropyran groups significantly influences the charge transport properties of these polymer semiconductors. Consequently, the performance of the resulting FETs can be reversibly tuned through UV/visible or near-infrared light (NIR) irradiation. Notably, the incorporation of two distinct azo groups into the side chains leads to polymer semiconductors with tristable semiconducting states, offering the ability to logically control device performance using light irradiation at three different wavelengths. (iii) Photopatterning of p-type, n-type, and ambipolar semiconductors featuring alkyl side chains can be achieved using a diazirine-based, four-armed photo-cross-linker (4CNN) with a loading concentration of no more than 3% (w/w). Furthermore, the semiconducting performances of FETs with patterned thin films were found to be satisfactorily uniform. Importantly, the cross-linked thin films are robust and show good resistance to organic solvents, which is useful for fabricating all-solution processable multilayer electronic devices. (iv) The introduction of azide groups into the side chains of conjugated polymers results in a single-component semiconducting photoresist. The presence of azide groups renders the side chains with photo-cross-linking ability, enabling the successful formation of uniform patterns, even as small as 5 μm, under UV light irradiation. Benefiting from the single component feature, field-effect transistors with individual patterned thin films display satisfactorily uniform performances. Moreover, this semiconducting photoresist has proven effective for efficiently photopatterning other polymer semiconductors, demonstrating its versatility.

Overcoming small-bandgap charge recombination in visible and NIR-light-driven hydrogen evolution by engineering the polymer photocatalyst structure

Designing an organic polymer photocatalyst for efficient hydrogen evolution with visible and near-infrared (NIR) light activity is still a major challenge. Unlike the common behavior of gradually increasing the charge recombination while shrinking the bandgap, we present here a series of polymer nanoparticles (Pdots) based on ITIC and BTIC units with different π-linkers between the acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) repeated moieties of the polymer. These polymers act as an efficient single polymer photocatalyst for H2 evolution under both visible and NIR light, without combining or hybridizing with other materials. Importantly, the difluorothiophene (ThF) π-linker facilitates the charge transfer between acceptors of different repeated moieties (A-D-A-(π-Linker)-A-D-A), leading to the enhancement of charge separation between D and A. As a result, the PITIC-ThF Pdots exhibit superior hydrogen evolution rates of 279 µmol/h and 20.5 µmol/h with visible (>420 nm) and NIR (>780 nm) light irradiation, respectively. Furthermore, PITIC-ThF Pdots exhibit a promising apparent quantum yield (AQY) at 700 nm (4.76%).

Multidimensional response of dopamine nano-system for on-demand fungicides delivery: Reduced toxicity and synergistic antibacterial effects

Considering the microenvironment of pathogens, the use of highly biocompatible antibacterial materials loaded with fungicides and the on-demand delivery of fungicides through controlled release can effectively improve the biocompatibility and antibacterial effect of existing fungicides. In this study, we used mesoporous poly-dopamine nanoparticles (MPDA NPs) as a carrier, prochloraz (Pro) as a loading agent, and benzimidazole (BIZ) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) complex as a blocking agent to prepare the on-demand delivery nano-pesticides Pro@MPDA-BIZ@β-CD (hereinafter abbreviated as PMBD), which can be administered at different stages. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum secretes oxalic acid factor to create an acidic microenvironment, and the nano-system quickly releases fungicide Pro into the mycelium. MPDA materials also responds to oxalic acid to jointly reduce the pathogenicity of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, effectively inhibiting the growth of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and realizing the treatment of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection. On the other hand, when plants are not infected with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, MPDA with a photothermal effect triggers the release of fungicides under the irradiation of near-infrared light, thus preventing Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection. The in vitro release experiment showed that the cumulative release of Pro under low pH and near-infrared light irradiation was 2.68 times and 2.04 times higher than that under neutral and no light conditions, respectively. On the other hand, the rich functional groups on MPDA-BIZ@β-CD(hereinafter abbreviated as MBD) gave the system good wettability, and the contact angles of MBD on Chinese cabbage and tomato leaves were reduced by 14.85° and 41.54°, respectively, which enhanced its resistance to rainwater erosion and prevented the fungicides from being lost to the environment. In addition, bio-safety experiments have shown that PMBD has good biocompatibility to plant germination and soil microorganisms.

Photo-Controlled Calcium Overload from Endogenous Sources for Tumor Therapy.

Designing reactive calcium-based nanogenerators to produce excess calcium ions (Ca2+ ) in tumor cells is an attractive tumor treatment method. However, nanogenerators that introduce exogenous Ca2+ are either overactive incapable of on-demand release, or excessively inert incapable of an overload of calcium rapidly. Herein, inspired by inherently diverse Ca2+ -regulating channels, a photo-controlled Ca2+ nanomodulator that fully utilizes endogenous Ca2+ from dual sources was designed to achieve Ca2+ overload in tumor cells. Specifically, mesoporous silica nanoparticles were used to co-load bifunctional indocyanine green as a photodynamic/photothermal agent and a thermal-sensitive nitric oxide (NO) donor (BNN-6). Thereafter, they were coated with hyaluronic acid, which served as a tumor cell-targeting unit and a gatekeeper. Under near-infrared light irradiation, the Ca2+ nanomodulator can generate reactive oxygen species that stimulate the transient receptor potential ankyrin subtype 1 channel to realize Ca2+ influx from extracellular environments. Simultaneously, the converted heat can induce BNN-6 decomposition to generate NO, which would open the ryanodine receptor channel in the endoplasmic reticulum and allow stored Ca2+ to leak. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the combination of photo-controlled Ca2+ influx and release could enable Ca2+ overload in the cytoplasm and efficiently inhibit tumor growth.

Hollow Copper Sulfide Photothermal Nanodelivery Platform Boosts Angiogenesis of Diabetic Wound by Scavenging Reactive Oxygen Species.

Sharply rising oxidative stress and ineffectual angiogenesis have imposed restrictions on diabetic wound healing. Here, a photothermal-responsive nanodelivery platform (HHC) was prepared by peroxidase (CAT)-loaded hollow copper sulfide dispersed in photocurable methacrylamide hyaluronan. The HHC could scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and promote angiogenesis by photothermally driven CAT and Cu2+ release. Under near-infrared light irradiation, the HHC presented safe photothermal performance (<43 °C), efficient bacteriostatic ability against E. coli and S. aureus. It could rapidly release CAT into the external environment for decomposing H2O2 and oxygen generation to alleviate oxidative stress while promoting fibroblast migration and VEGF protein expression of endothelial cells by reducing intracellular ROS levels. The nanodelivery platform presented satisfactory therapeutic effects on murine diabetic wound healing by modulating tissue inflammation, promoting collagen deposition and increasing vascularization in the neodermis. This HHC provided a viable strategy for diabetic wound dressing design.

Graphene oxide nanosheets enhancing the photothermal response of a cellular barrier exposed to near infrared light

AbstractRecent developments in targeted photothermal therapy focus on integrating near‐infrared (NIR) light and biocompatible nanostructures. It is yet unclear if graphene oxide nanosheets (GO) can assist in the photothermal response of cellular barriers under NIR irradiation. Herein, this study investigates the photothermal response of a cellular barrier treated with different concentrations of GO under the irradiation of NIR light. The synthesized GO nanosheets show good stability in aqueous media. No toxic effects are imposed onto human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) when the cells are treated with GO up to 20 μg/mL for 1 day. In addition, the in vitro cellular barrier model with intercellular tight junctions is formed by using HUVECs, which have a high transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) value of 89.3 Ω · cm2. Under the irradiation of NIR light (980 nm), the photothermal response on the cellular barrier is enhanced by introducing GO, which has been verified by the decrease of TEER value and the increase in the transport of dextran. The results indicate that the thermal response of a cellular barrier exposed to NIR light is non‐linearly enhanced with increasing concentration of GO.

Durable superhydrophobic PDA-ZIF-8/PDMS composite fabric with photothermal antibacterial and self-cleaning properties

Inspired by mussels, a novel superhydrophobic composite fabric with photothermal antibacterial and self-cleaning properties was prepared by polydopamine induced growth of ZIF-8 nanocrystals (PZIF-8) and subsequent modification with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The composite fabric showed self-cleaning property with a water contact angle (WCA) of 153.1° and excellent photothermal antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. Polydopamine acts as an adhesive and photothermal agent (PTA), which can bind ZIF-8 nanocrystals on cotton fabric firmly and kill E. coli and S. aureus synergistically with ZIF-8. The composite fabric can withstand five cycles of laundering and 100 cm of friction without obvious WCA decline. Consequently, the durable multifunctional composite fabric may have great potential in medical protection applications.

MRI-visualized PTT/CDT for breast cancer ablation and distant metastasis prevention

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT), which uses metal ions to covert endogenous hydrogen peroxide into highly reactive hydroxyl radicals, is an newly-developing strategy for cancer therapy. However, poor drug delivery efficiency and restricted catalytic performance hinder the therapeutic potential of CDT. Herein, we constructed an in situ injectable hydrogel incorporating Fe/Mn-polydopamine nanoparticles and the ferroptosis inducer piperazine erastin (PE) (FMPEG) for mediating tumor-specific magnetic resonance imaging-visualized photothermal therapy (PTT)/CDT. Upon exposure to near-infrared light irradiation, FMPEG treatment exerted a PTT effect, which further accelerated the drug release behavior from FMP nanoparticles in response to the acidic tumor microenvironment. The released metal ions and PE enhanced the CDT effect at the tumor site. Furthermore, a long-term antitumor effect was obtained via the immunostimulatory effect of CDT/PTT by producing tumor-associated antigens. These findings, along with the unique advantages of injectable hydrogels in immune activation, prove the great potential of FMPEG administration as an efficient strategy for the clinical prevention of distant tumor metastasis of breast cancer.

Design and synthesis of a UV–vis-NIR response heterostructure system: For efficient solar energy conversion and BPA photocatalytic degradation

Combining upconversion materials with narrow-wide bandgap semiconductors to construct heterostructured composite photocatalysts effectively improves solar energy conversion efficiency. NYF:Ln3+(Ln = Yb,Er,Tm)@BiOX(X = Cl,Br,I) heterostructures were prepared by a two-step hydrothermal method. This work explores the effects of different lanthanide ion doping and narrow-wide bandgap bismuth oxyhalides on the performance of the heterostructures system. Under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, NYF:Yb,Er,Tm@BiOI degraded 94 % BPA within 160 min. Significantly, compared with NYF:Yb,Er@BiOCl, NYF:Yb,Er@BiOBr and the NYF:Yb,Er,Tm/BiOI mechanical mixtures, the photocatalytic activity of NYF:Yb,Er,Tm@BiOI was increased by 9.4 times, 3.7 times and 1.8 times, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the doping of Er-Tm double-activated ions, which provides multiple upconversion emissions and forms more overlap in the narrow bandgap BiOI absorption spectrum, making it advantageous to utilize upconversion light fully. Eventually, an underlying mechanism was proposed that the existence of FRET in the NYF:Yb,Er,Tm@BiOI heterostructure leads to enhanced photocatalytic activity. This work provides new insights into the design of advanced structures for NIR-responsive photocatalysts.

MoOxNWs with mechanical damage – oriented synergistic photothermal / photodynamic therapy for highly effective treating wound infections

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based therapy has emerged as a promising antibacterial strategy. However, it faces the limitations of uncontrollable space–time release and excessive lipid peroxidation, which may lead to a series of metabolic disorders and decreased immune function. In this study, mechanical damage by molybdenum oxide nanowires (MoOxNWs) is introduced as a synergistic factor to enhance the photothermal and photodynamic effects for controllable and efficient antibacterial therapy. Through their sharp ends, the nanowires can effectively pierce and damage the bacterial cells, thus facilitating the entry of externally generated ROS into the cells. The ROS are generated via photodynamic effect of the nanowires under a mere 5 min of near-infrared light irradiation. This approach enhances the photothermal (by 27.3 %) and photodynamic properties of ROS generation. MoOxNWs (100 μg·mL−1) achieve sterilisation rates of 97.67 % for extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli and 96.34 % for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which are comparable or even exceeding the efficacy of most MoOx-based antibacterial agents. Moreover, they exhibit good biocompatibility and low in vivo toxicity.

Upconversion Material-Plasmonic Metal-Semiconductor Ternary Heteronanostructures for Wide-Range Solar-to-Chemical Energy Conversion.

Harvesting full-spectrum solar energy is a critical issue for developing high-performance photocatalysts. Here, we report a hierarchical heteronanostructure consisting of upconverting, plasmonic, and semiconducting materials as a solar-to-chemical energy conversion platform that can exploit a wide range of sunlight (from ultraviolet (UV) to near-infrared). Lanthanide-doped NaYF4 nanorod-spherical Au nanocrystals-TiO2 ternary hybrid nanostructures with a well-controlled configuration and intimate contact between the constituent materials could be synthesized by a wet-chemical method. Notably, the prepared ternary hybrids exhibited high photocatalytic activity for the H2 evolution reaction under simulated solar and near-infrared light irradiation due to their broadband photoresponsivity and strong optical interaction between the constituents. Through systematic studies on the mechanism of energy transfer during the photocatalysis of the ternary hybrids, we revealed that upconverted photon energy from the upconversion domain transfers to the Au and TiO2 domains primarily through the Förster resonance energy transfer process, resulting in enhanced photocatalysis.

NIR-Light-Triggered Mild-Temperature Hyperthermia to Overcome the Cascade Cisplatin Resistance for Improved Resistant Tumor Therapy.

Currently, cisplatin resistance has been recognized as a multistep cascade process for its clinical chemotherapy failure. Hitherto, it remains challenging to develop a feasible and promising strategy to overcome the cascade drug resistance (CDR) issue for achieving fundamentally improved chemotherapeutic efficacy. Herein, a novel self-assembled nanoagent is proposed, which is constructed by Pt(IV) prodrug, cyanine dye (cypate), and gadolinium ion (Gd3+), for systematically conquering the cisplatin resistance by employing near-infrared (NIR) light activated mild-temperature hyperthermia in tumor targets. The proposed nanoagents exhibit high photostability, GSH/H+-responsive dissociation, preferable photothermal conversion, and enhanced cellular uptake performance. In particular, upon 785-nm NIR light irradiation, the generated mild temperature of ≈ 43 °C overtly improves the cell membrane permeability and drug uptake, accelerates the disruption of intracellular redox balance, and apparently enhances the formation of Pt-DNA adducts, thereby effectively overcoming the CDR issue and achieves highly improved therapeutic efficacy for cisplatin-resistant tumor ablation.

Cuprorivaite/hardystonite/alginate composite hydrogel with thermionic effect for the treatment of peri-implant lesion.

Peri-implant lesion is a grave condition afflicting numerous indi-viduals with dental implants. It results from persistent periodontal bacteria accumulation causing inflammation around the implant site, which can primarily lead to implant loosening and ultimately the implant loss. Early-stage peri-implant lesions exhibit symptoms akin to gum disease, including swelling, redness and bleeding of the gums surrounding the implant. These signs indicate infection and inflammation of the peri-implant tissues, which may result in bone loss and implant failure. To address this problem, a thermionic strategy was applied by designing a cuprorivaite-hardystonite bioceramic/alginate composite hydrogel with photothermal and Cu/Zn/Si multiple ions releasing property. This innovative approach creates a thermionic effect by the release of bioactive ions (Cu2+ and Zn2+ and ) from the composite hydrogel and the mild heat environment though the photothermal effect of the composite hydrogel induced by near-infrared light irradiation. The most distinctive advantage of this thermionic effect is to substantially eliminate periodontal pathogenic bacteria and inhibit inflammation, while simultaneously enhance peri-implant osseointegration. This unique attribute renders the use of this composite hydrogel highly effective in significantly improving the survival rate of implants after intervention in peri-implant lesions, which is a clinical challenge in periodontics. This study reveals application potential of a new biomaterial-based approach for peri-implant lesion, as it not only eliminates the infection and inflammation, but also enhances the osteointegration of the dental implant, which provides theoretical insights and practical guidance to prevent and manage early-stage peri-implant lesion using bioactive functional materials.

An enhanced electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction by the photothermal effect and its induced micro-electric field.

Promoting better thermodynamics and kinetics of electrocatalysts is key to achieving an efficient electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Utilizing the photothermal effect and micro-electric field of electrocatalysts is a promising approach to promote the sluggish OER. Herein, to reveal the relationship of the photothermal effect and its induced micro-electric field with OER performance, NiSx coupled NiFe(OH)y on nickel foam (NiSx@NiFe(OH)y/NF) is synthesized and subjected to the OER under near-infrared (NIR) light. Owing to the photothermal effect and its induced micro-electric field, the OER performance of NiSx@NiFe(OH)y/NF is significantly enhanced. Compared with no NIR light irradiation, the overpotential at 50 mA cm-2 and the Tafel slope of NiSx@NiFe(OH)y/NF under NIR light irradiation were 234.1 mV and 38.0 mV dec-1, which were lower by 12.4 mV and 7.1 mV dec-1, and it exhibited stable operation at 1.6 V vs. RHE for 8 h with 99% activity maintained. This work presents a novel inspiration to understand the photothermal effect-enhanced electrocatalytic OER.

Multi-stimuli responsive photonic hydrogel based on a novel photonic crystal template containing gold nanorods.

Multi-stimuli responsive photonic hydrogels (MRPHs) fabricated by doping nanoparticles into hydrogels show promising potential value in the fields of visual detection and drug delivery. However, complicated surface chemical modification is selected to improve the compatibility between nanoparticles and a pre-gel solution of hydrogel. Herein, we developed a simple and convenient vertical deposition method to prepare a novel photonic crystal (PC) template containing gold nanorods (Au NRs) (Au NRs/PC template), which could respond to near-infrared (NIR) light due to the conversion capability of Au NRs from NIR light to heat. Additionally, carboxyl groups on the surface of polystyrene (PS) colloids endowed the Au NRs/PC template with pH-stimulus responsiveness. Based on the Au NRs/PC template, MRPH film was fabricated by infiltrating the pre-gel solution of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel into the gap of a 'sandwich' structure through capillary forces and then polymerizing at 25 °C for 24 h. The obtained MRPH film could respond to NIR light, pH and temperature. Under the irradiation of NIR light, only the irradiated position lost structural color while the film volume had no distinct change. With the increase of ambient temperature, the whole MRPH film completely lost structural color and shrank significantly, which was greatly different from the phenomenon irradiated by NIR light. Besides, the structural color of the MRPH film exhibited a red shift from green to orange-red as the pH increased. Overall, both the Au NRs/PC template and the MRPH film may have potential applications in visual detection, due to their multi-stimuli responsiveness.

Near-infrared-driven upconversion nanoparticles with photocatalysts through water-splitting towards cancer treatment.

Water splitting is promising, especially for energy and environmental applications; however, there are limited studies on the link between water splitting and cancer treatment. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) can be used to convert near-infrared (NIR) light to ultraviolet (UV) or visible (Vis) light and have great potential for biomedical applications because of their profound penetration ability, theranostic approaches, low self-fluorescence background, reduced damage to biological tissue, and low toxicity. UCNPs with photocatalytic materials can enhance the photocatalytic activities that generate a shorter wavelength to increase the tissue penetration depth in the biological microenvironment under NIR light irradiation. Moreover, UCNPs with a photosensitizer can absorb NIR light and convert it into UV/vis light and emit upconverted photons, which excite the photoinitiator to create H2, O2, and/or OH˙ via water splitting processes when exposed to NIR irradiation. Therefore, combining UCNPs with intensified photocatalytic and photoinitiator materials may be a promising therapeutic approach for cancer treatment. This review provides a novel strategy for explaining the principles and mechanisms of UCNPs and NIR-driven UCNPs with photocatalytic materials through water splitting to achieve therapeutic outcomes for clinical applications. Moreover, the challenges and future perspectives of UCNP-based photocatalytic materials for water splitting for cancer treatment are discussed in this review.

PH-Responsive nanoplatform synergistic gas/photothermal therapy to eliminate biofilms in poly(L-lactic acid) scaffolds.

To date, implant-associated infection is still a significant clinical challenge, which cannot be effectively eliminated by single therapies due to the formation of microbial biofilms. Herein, a pH-responsive nanoplatform was constructed via the in situ growth of zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles on the surface of Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets, which was subsequently introduced in poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) to prepare a composite bone scaffold via selective laser sintering technology. In the acidic biofilm microenvironment, the degradation of ZnS released hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas to eliminate the biofilm extracellular DNA (eDNA), thus destroying the compactness of the biofilm. Then, the bacterial biofilm became sensitive to hyperthermia, which could be further destroyed under near-infrared light irradiation due to the excellent photothermal property of MXene, finally achieving gas/photothermal synergistic antibiofilm and efficient sterilization. The results showed that the synergistic gas/photothermal therapy for the composite scaffold not only evidently inhibited the formation of biofilms, but also effectively eradicated the eDNA of the already-formed biofilms and killed 90.4% of E. coli and 84.2% of S. aureus under near infrared light irradiation compared with single gas or photothermal therapy. In addition, the composite scaffold promoted the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Thus, the designed scaffold with excellent biofilm elimination and osteogenesis ability has great potential as an alternative treatment for implant-associated bone infections.

Engineering surgical face masks with photothermal and photodynamic plasmonic nanostructures for enhancing filtration and on-demand pathogen eradication.

The shortage of face masks and the lack of antipathogenic functions has been significant since the recent pandemic's inception. Moreover, the disposal of an enormous number of contaminated face masks not only carries a significant environmental impact but also escalates the risk of cross-contamination. This study proposes a strategy to upgrade available surgical masks into antibacterial masks with enhanced particle and bacterial filtration. Plasmonic nanoparticles can provide photodynamic and photothermal functionalities for surgical masks. For this purpose, gold nanorods act as on-demand agents to eliminate pathogens on the surface of the masks upon near-infrared light irradiation. Additionally, the modified masks are furnished with polymer electrospun nanofibrous layers. These electrospun layers can enhance the particle and bacterial filtration efficiency, not at the cost of the pressure drop of the mask. Consequently, fabricating these prototype masks could be a practical approach to upgrading the available masks to alleviate the environmental toll of disposable face masks.

Silver incorporated SeTe nanoparticles with enhanced photothermal and photodynamic properties for synergistic effects on anti-bacterial activity and wound healing.

Bacteria invade the host's immune system, thereby inducing serious infections. Current treatments for bacterial infections mostly rely on single modalities, which cannot completely inhibit bacteria. This study evaluates the therapeutic potential of SeTe-Ag NPs, designed with excellent photo responsiveness, with a particular focus on their dual-action antibacterial effect and wound healing properties. SeTe-Ag NPs exhibited promising synergistic antibacterial effects due to their superior photothermal and photodynamic properties. The investigation records substantial zones of inhibition of bacteria, demonstrating potent antibacterial effect. Furthermore, upon the irradiation of near-infrared (NIR) light, SeTe-Ag NPs exhibit remarkable antibiofilm and wound-healing capabilities. Overall, this study shows the applications of NIR-active SeTe-Ag NPs, which serve as a versatile platform for biomedical applications.