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Since their development over 70 years, antibiotics are still the most effective strategy to treat bacterial biofilms and infections.

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It generally requires a complex workup procedure for the fabrication of Au@Ag heterogeneous nanostructures with an accurate morphology by the present multistep seed-mediated growth approaches. In this paper, we present a new and straightforward method for the controllable synthesis of uniform Au@Ag heterogeneous nanorods (NRs) by coreduction of gold and silver sources in a one-pot polyol reaction. High-quality Au@Ag heterogeneous NRs of various aspect ratios were facilely and selectively produced in high concentration by tuning the initial experimental parameters. Our synthetic approach is highlighted by its simplicity, large-scale production, and controllability of the synthesis. Our study indicates the oxidative etching by O2/Cl– pairs plays a key role for the high-yield synthesis of uniform Au@Ag heterogeneous NRs. The size-dependent optical properties of Au@Ag heterogeneous NRs were first and systematically investigated. Our experiments reveal that Au@Ag heterogeneous NRs exhibit two strong absorption peaks that, respectively, originate from the transverse and longitudinal localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs). Moreover, the longitudinal LSPR can be facilely tuned from the visible to the near-infrared regions by changing the aspect ratio of Au@Ag heterogeneous NRs. Importantly, Au@Ag heterogeneous NRs synthesized by our method have an excellent stability. They can maintain their optical properties over a long period of time. Au@Ag heterogeneous NRs with an interesting plasmonic property would have fascinating application in surface plasmonics, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, chemical and biological sensing, optical labeling, and information storage.

Endophthalmitis, derived from the infections of pathogens, is a common complication during the use of ophthalmology‐related biomaterials and after ophthalmic surgery. Herein, aiming at efficient photodynamic therapy (PDT) of bacterial infections and biofilm eradication of endophthalmitis, a pH‐responsive zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8‐polyacrylic acid (ZIF‐8‐PAA) material is constructed for bacterial infection–targeted delivery of ammonium methylbenzene blue (MB), a broad‐spectrum photosensitizer antibacterial agent. Polyacrylic acid (PAA) is incorporated into the system to achieve higher pH responsiveness and better drug loading capacity. MB‐loaded ZIF‐8‐PAA nanoparticles are modified with AgNO3/dopamine for in situ reduction of AgNO3 to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), followed by a secondary modification with vancomycin/NH2‐polyethylene glycol (Van/NH2‐PEG), leading to the formation of a composite nanomaterial, ZIF‐8‐PAA‐MB@AgNPs@Van‐PEG. Dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and UV–vis spectral analysis are used to explore the nanoparticles synthesis, drug loading and release, and related material properties. In terms of biological performance, in vitro antibacterial studies against three kinds of bacteria, i.e., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and methicillin‐resistant S. aureus, suggest an obvious superiority of PDT/AgNPs to any single strategy. Both in vitro retinal pigment epithelium cellular biocompatibility experiments and in vivo mice endophthalmitis models verify the biocompatibility and antibacterial function of the composite nanomaterials.

To discover and develop novel natural compounds with therapeutic selectivity or that can preferentially kill cancer cells without significant toxicity to normal cells is an important area in cancer chemotherapy. Kushen, the dried roots of Sophora flavescens Aiton, has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine to treat inflammatory diseases and cancer. Kushen alkaloids (KS-As) and kushen flavonoids (KS-Fs) are well-characterized components in kushen. KS-As containing oxymatrine, matrine, and total alkaloids have been developed in China as anticancer drugs. More potent antitumor activities were identified in KS-Fs than in KS-As in vitro and in vivo. KS-Fs may be developed as novel antitumor agents.

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Rechargeable silicon anode lithium ion batteries (SLIBs) have attracted tremendous attention because of their merits, including a high theoretical capacity, low working potential, and abundant natural sources. The past decade has witnessed significant developments in terms of extending the lifespan and maintaining high capacities of SLIBs. However, the detrimental issue of low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) toward SLIBs is causing more and more attention in recent years because ICE value is a core index in full battery design that profoundly determines the utilization of active materials and the weight of an assembled battery. Herein, a comprehensive review is presented of recent advances in solutions for improving ICE of SLIBs. From design perspectives, the strategies for boosting ICE of silicon anodes are systematically categorized into several aspects covering structure regulation, prelithiation, interfacial design, binder design, and electrolyte additives. The merits and challenges of various approaches are highlighted and discussed in detail, which provides valuable insights into the rational design and development of state‐of‐the‐art techniques to deal with the deteriorative issue of low ICE of SLIBs. Furthermore, conclusions and future promising research prospects for lifting ICE of SLIBs are proposed at the end of the review.