Current X-ray imaging technologies involving flat-panel detectors have difficulty in imaging three-dimensional (3D) objects because fabrication of large-area, flexible silicon-based photodetectors on highly curved surfaces remains a challenge 1-3 . Here we demonstrate ultralong-lived X-ray trapping for flat-panel-free, high-resolution 3D imaging using a series of solution-processable, lanthanide-doped nanoscintillators. Corroborated with quantum mechanical simulation, our experimental characterizations show that a thermally activated slow-hopping of trapped electrons, due to radiation-induced anionic migration in host lattices, induces more than 30 days of persistent radioluminescence. We further demonstrate X-ray luminescence extension imaging (Xr-LEI) with >20-lp/mm resolution and >15-day optical memory. These findings provide insight into mechanisms underlying X-ray energy conversion through enduring electron trapping and also offer a new paradigm to motivate future research in wearable X-ray detectors for patient-centered radiography and mammogram, imaging-guided therapeutics, high-energy physics, and deep learning in radiology.

Metal nanoclusters (NCs) are emerging as a new class of functional nanomaterials in the area of biological sensing, labelling, imaging and therapy due to their unique physical and chemical properties, such as ultrasmall size, HOMO-LUMO transition, strong luminescence together with good photostability and biocompatibility. A recent surge of interest in this field is the surface functionalization of these metal NCs through which one can tailor their physicochemical properties, such as stability in solution, and strong luminescence, as well as their biodistribution and toxicity in biological systems, which in turn can empower these functionalized NCs with desirable targeting, imaging, and therapeutic ability for biomedical applications. In this review, we first introduce the functionalization strategies for the metal NCs developed in the past few years, followed by highlighting some biomedical applications of these functionalized metal NCs. We then discuss the difference of in vitro and in vivo fate as well as toxicity between various functionalized metal NCs. Finally, we present a short discussion on the current challenges and provide an outlook of the future developments of these functional metal NCs.

A new theranostic platform is developed based on biocompatible poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)‐Co9 Se8 nanoplates. These PAA‐Co9 Se8 nanoplates are successfully utilized for photoacoustic imaging (PAI)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) dual‐modal imaging. Moreover, the PAA‐Co9 Se8‐DOX shows pH‐responsive chemotherapy and enables the combination of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy to receive superior antitumor efficacy. This work promises further exploration of 2D nanoplatforms for theranostic applications.

The exploitation of gas therapy platforms holds great promise as a “green” approach for selective cancer therapy, however, it is often associated with some challenges, such as uncontrolled or insufficient gas generation and unclear therapeutic mechanisms. In this work, a gas therapy approach based on near-infrared (NIR) light-triggered sulfur dioxide (SO2) generation was developed, and the therapeutic mechanism as well as in vivo antitumor therapeutic efficacy was demonstrated. A SO2 prodrug-loaded rattle-structured upconversion@silica nanoparticles (RUCSNs) was constructed to enable high loading capacity without obvious leakage and to convert NIR light into ultraviolet light so as to activate the prodrug for SO2 generation. In addition, SO2 prodrug-loaded RUCSNs showed high cell uptake, good biocompatibility, intracellular tracking ability, and high NIR light-triggered cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the cytotoxic SO2 was found to induce cell apoptosis accompanied by the increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and the damage of nuclear DNA. Moreover, efficient inhibition of tumor growth was achieved, associated with significantly prolonged survival of mice. Such NIR light-triggered SO2 therapy may provide an effective strategy to stimulate further development of synergistic cancer therapy platforms.

The design of bright NIR-II luminescent nanomaterials that enable efficient labelling of proteins without disturbing their physiological properties in vivo is challenging. We developed an efficient strategy to synthesizebright NIR-II gold nanoclusters (AuN Cs) protected by biocompatible cyclodextrin (CD). Leveraging the ultrasmall sizeo fA uN Cs (< 2nm) and strong macrocycle-based host-guest chemistry, the as-synthesized CD-AuN Cs can readily label proteins/ antibodies.M oreover,t he labelled proteins/antibodies enable highly efficient in vivo trackingd uring blood circulation, without disturbing their biodistribution and tumor targeting ability,thus leading to asensitive tumor-targeted imaging. CD-Au NCs are stable in the harsh biological environment and show good biocompatibility and high renal clearance efficiency.T herefore,t he NIR-II biolabels developed in this study provideapromising platform to monitor the physiological behavior of biomolecules in living organisms.

BackgroundRecent population structure studies of T. gondii revealed that a few major clonal lineages predominated in different geographical regions. T. gondii in South America is genetically and biologically divergent, whereas this parasite is remarkably clonal in North America and Europe with a few major lineages including Types I, II and III. Information on genotypes and mouse virulence of T. gondii isolates from China is scarce and insufficient to investigate its population structure, evolution, and transmission.Methodology/Principal FindingsGenotyping of 23 T. gondii isolates from different hosts using 10 markers for PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses (SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and Apico) revealed five genotypes; among them three genotypes were atypical and two were archetypal. Fifteen strains belong to the Chinese 1 lineage, which has been previously reported as a widespread lineage from swine, cats, and humans in China. Two human isolates fall into the type I and II lineages and the remaining isolates belong to two new atypical genotypes (ToxoDB#204 and #205) which has never been reported in China. Our results show that these genotypes of T. gondii isolates are intermediately or highly virulent in mice except for the strain TgCtwh6, which maintained parasitemia in mice for 35 days post infection although it possesses the uniform genotype of Chinese 1. Additionally, phylogenetic network analyses of all isolates of genotype Chinese 1 are identical, and there is no variation based on the sequence data generated for four introns (EF1, HP2, UPRT1 and UPRT7) and two dense granule proteins (GRA6 and GRA7).Conclusion/SignificanceA limited genetic diversity was found and genotype Chinese 1 (ToxoDB#9) is dominantly circulating in mainland China. The results will provide a useful profile for deep insight to the population structure, epidemiology and biological characteristics of T. gondii in China.

Employing theranostic nanoparticles, which combine both therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities in one dose, has promise to propel the biomedical field toward personalized medicine. Here we investigate the theranostic properties of topological insulator bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3) in in vivo and in vitro system for the first time. We show that Bi2Se3 nanoplates can absorb near-infrared (NIR) laser light and effectively convert laser energy into heat. Such photothermal conversion property may be due to the unique physical properties of topological insulators. Furthermore, localized and irreversible photothermal ablation of tumors in the mouse model is successfully achieved by using Bi2Se3 nanoplates and NIR laser irradiation. In addition, we also demonstrate that Bi2Se3 nanoplates exhibit strong X-ray attenuation and can be utilized for enhanced X-ray computed tomography imaging of tumor tissue in vivo. This study highlights Bi2Se3 nanoplates could serve as a promising platform for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

A simple, highly sensitive and enzyme-free DNAzyme sensor based on target-catalyzed hairpin assembly is developed, which permits detection of 0.1 pM target DNA. Furthermore, this DNAzyme sensor is capable of detecting target DNA in real samples because of its high selectivity.