Search

Nanozyme catalytic therapeutic efficacy is limited by the finite enzyme activity and specificity. In this work, nitrogen-doped carbon loaded with a cerium single-atom nanozyme (Ce SAs@NC) is synthesized, exhibiting tumor specificity and excellent multiple enzyme-like activities. Compared with nitrogen-doped carbon loaded with CeO 2 nanoparticles, Ce SAs@NC shows excellent peroxidase-like and catalase-like activity. Ce SAs@NC can convert intracellular hydrogen peroxide into cytotoxic hydroxyl radical and O 2 , which can be further transferred to superoxide radicals. Cascade enzyme reactions not only alleviate the hypoxic microenvironment of tumors but also induce lipid peroxidation and apoptosis or necrosis of tumor cells. The mild photothermal action will enhance the enzyme-like activities of Ce SAs@NC rather than induce the production of heat shock proteins to protect tumor cells. In addition, Ce SAs@NC can regulate the immune environment, stimulate M1 macrophages to trigger immune responses, and inhibit tumor proliferation. Thanks to the combination of the size effect of the single atoms, photothermal influence, multiple enzyme-like activities, and immunological effect, the Ce SAs@NC platform appears to have tumor specificity, less toxic side effects, and a high curative effect both in vitro and in vivo .

This study investigates the potential of combining Cerium-doped bioactive glass (BBGi) with Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to enhance the properties of titanium (Ti) implant surfaces using the Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) technique. The primary focus is on improving osseointegration, corrosion resistance, and evaluating the cytotoxicity of the developed thin films towards host cells. The innovative approach involves synthesizing a composite thin film comprising BBGi and PVP, leveraging the distinct benefits of both materials: BBGi's biocompatibility and osteoinductive capabilities, and PVP's film-forming and biocompatible properties. Results demonstrate that the BBGi + PVP coatings significantly enhance hydrophilicity, indicating improved cell-material interaction potential. The electrochemical analysis reveals superior corrosion resistance of the BBGi + PVP films compared to BBGi alone, which is critical for long-term implant stability. The mechanical adherence tests confirm the robust attachment of the coatings to Ti substrates, surpassing the ISO standards for implant materials. Biocompatibility tests show promising cell viability and negligible cytotoxic effects, with a controlled inflammatory response, underscoring the potential of BBGi + PVP coatings for orthopedic applications. The study concludes that the synergistic combination of BBGi and PVP, applied through the MAPLE technique, offers a promising route to fabricate bioactive and corrosion-resistant coatings for Ti implants, potentially enhancing osseointegration and longevity in clinical settings., (Creative Commons Attribution license.)

Assessing the fate of contaminants in the environment requires a deep understanding of intrinsic adsorption mechanisms on natural minerals such as Fe-oxyhydroxides. In this study, we proposed an innovative approach to probe site heterogeneities on the goethite surface by comparing the adsorption behavior of rare earth elements (REEs, including Sc, Y, and all lanthanides; Ln) except Pm, as well as Th and U. A surface loading-dependent adsorption of Ln and Y was observed, with a shift from (i) preferential middle to heavy REE adsorption and (ii) limited to substantial fractionation between Y and Ho as the loading increased. These observations are likely attributable to the formation of strong and weak complexes onto the (021) and (110)/(100) goethite faces at low and high loadings, respectively. Additionally, Ce-anomaly, characteristic of Ce(III) partial oxidation to Ce(IV), was observed only at high loading. By drawing an analogy with Th(IV) and Sc(III), Ce(IV) is expected to outcompete Ln(III) and Y adsorptions and stabilize primarily at the strong sites on the (021) face, even under conditions of high loading. The outcome of this study, supported by charge distribution-multisite complexation (CD-MUSIC) calculation, provides new insights into the impact of facet-dependent adsorption and redox processes on Fe-oxyhydroxides.

The use of nano-chemicals in agriculture has been shown to enhance crop production through soil additions or foliar sprays. However, the accumulation pattern, translocation efficiency, mode of action of nanomaterials (NMs) via different application methods remain unclear. In this study, wheat was treated with CuO-NPs/CeO 2 -NPs (50 and 100 nm) for 21 days using soil and foliar application separately. Foliar spray resulted in higher accumulation and more efficient translocation of NMs compared to soil addition. Smaller NMs exhibited higher accumulation and transfer capabilities under the same application method. The accumulation of CuO-NPs was approximately 20 times greater than that of CeO 2 -NPs, particularly under the soil addition treatment. Scanning electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that NMs could directly enter wheat leaves via stomata during foliar application. Wheat growth was inhibited by roughly 15 % following CuO-NPs exposure, whereas no significant effects on growth were observed with CeO 2 -NPs. By integrating nontargeted metabolomics analysis with targeted physiological characteristics assessments, it was revealed that CuO-NPs mainly disturbed nitrogen metabolism pathways and induced oxidative damage. In contrast, CeO 2 -NPs enhanced carbohydrates related biological processes such as starch and sucrose metabolism, glycolysis, and TCA cycle, which are crucial for carbon metabolism. These findings suggest that the type of nanomaterial is a crucial factor to consider when evaluating their foliar or soil application in agriculture., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

CeO 2 nanozymes have demonstrated the potential to enhance biological scaffolds with chemodynamic therapy. However, their catalytic efficacy is limited by the slow conversion of Ce 4+ to Ce 3+ and the lack of substrates like H 2 O 2 and H + . To address these challenges, we adopted a dual-pronged strategy that utilized the plasmonic resonance of Au nanoparticles and their glucose-oxidase mimicry to boost electron and hydrogen transfer. Specifically, we integrated Au/CeO 2 nanozymes into poly-l-lactic acid scaffolds via selective laser sintering. This conversion of Ce 3+ to Ce 4+ in the scaffolds enhanced the reduction of H 2 O 2 to a hydroxyl radical, inducing oxidative stress in tumor cells. The Au nanoparticles played a crucial role in boosting the Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ catalytic cycle by providing both the energy and the catalytic substrates. They recycled Ce 4+ back to Ce 3+ by exploiting plasmonic-induced hot electrons and catalyzed glucose oxidation to supply H 2 O 2 and H + . Our nanoscale and atomic-scale simulations confirmed that the Au/CeO 2 hybrid structure utilized near-field coupling to amplify the plasmonic resonance and the Au-O-Ce bridge reduced the electron transfer barrier. Consequently, the Au/CeO 2 scaffold decreased the activation energy from 22.57 to 9.92 kJ/mol. These findings highlight the significant promise of the Au/CeO 2 nanozyme scaffold for NIR-enhanced chemodynamic therapy.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are expressed at high levels in many diseases, can be scavenged by cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO 2 NPs). CeO 2 NPs can cause significant cytotoxicity when administered directly to cells, but this cytotoxicity can be reduced if CeO 2 NPs can be encapsulated in biocompatible polymers. In this study, CeO 2 NPs were synthesized using a one-stage process, then purified, characterized, and then encapsulated into an electrospun poly- ε -caprolactone (PCL) scaffold. The direct administration of CeO 2 NPs to RAW 264.7 Macrophages resulted in reduced ROS levels but lower cell viability. Conversely, the encapsulation of nanoceria in a PCL scaffold was shown to lower ROS levels and improve cell survival. The study demonstrated an effective technique for encapsulating nanoceria in PCL fiber and confirmed its biocompatibility and efficacy. This system has the potential to be utilized for developing tissue engineering scaffolds, targeted delivery of therapeutic CeO 2 NPs, wound healing, and other biomedical applications., (Creative Commons Attribution license.)

Ozone is a hazardous air pollutant with significant adverse effects on human health and the environment. With the growing industrial use of ozone, effective ozone removal systems have become essential, especially to protect workers' health. MnO x -based catalysts offer substantial promise for ozone decomposition; however, a major challenge in their application is water molecule poisoning, particularly in high humidity conditions. This study addresses this limitation by developing a hybrid filtration medium that combines an enhanced MnO x catalyst with hydrophobic polymer particles. In bench-scale tests simulating ozone filtration scenarios, MnO x -based catalysts synthesized using solid interface reaction method demonstrated higher efficiency than those produced by co-precipitation method. Among the synthesized catalysts, Ce(0.1)Mn-S catalyst (a Cerium doped catalyst prepared by solid interface reaction) achieved the highest efficiency, notably under high humidity (47.5% efficiency after1 h at 10 ppm and RH = 80%, which is 1.6 times higher than other catalysts). The catalyst, however, experienced efficiency loss under prolonged exposure to humidity (22% after 6 h). To counteract this, poly(vinylidene fluoride) particles-a hydrophobic, ozone-compatible polymer-were integrated into the catalytic medium, resulting a dramatic performance boost (91.5% efficiency after 1 h and 50% after 6 h, under the aforementioned conditions) by hindering interparticle water condensation. The proposed hybrid medium is expected to offer considerable utility in diverse ozone removal settings., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval: Not applicable. Consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This work aims to develop a bio-based fibrous material that is able to adsorb and degrade chemical and biological hazardous agents. Thus, cellulosic fabrics (flax) were functionalized with chitosan (CS) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) electrospun nanofibers doped with titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) and cerium dioxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles (NPs). The electrospray deposition of these NPs was also tested. The TiO 2 NPs were synthesized using a very straightforward precipitation method. The successful synthesis was confirmed by Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) and Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The functionalization of the fabrics with the NPs and the nanofibers doped with NPs was proved by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), ATR-FTIR, and Ground-State Diffuse Reflectance (GSDR). The developed samples presented antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 434), reaching values of 99.97 and 100.0 %, respectively. The degradation of methylene blue (MB) and dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) was evaluated. The best samples were able to decompose 97.82 % of DMMP. The wash durability of the nanocoating was also tested. The developed fibrous structures show great potential for personal protection applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Diana P. Ferreira reports financial support was provided by Foundation for Science and Technology. Joana C. Araujo reports financial support was provided by Foundation for Science and Technology. Pilar Teixeira reports financial support was provided by Foundation for Science and Technology. Catia L. Graca reports financial support was provided by Foundation for Science and Technology. Olivia Salome G. P. Soares reports was provided by Foundation for Science and Technology. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Currently, numerous bone tumor patients undergo tumor recurrence after surgical resection, which seriously affects their quality of life. In this study, the ceria (CeO 2 ) nanoparticle was added to Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA) bone implants endowing the bone implant with antitumor function. The results showed that the reactive oxygen species increased in U2OS cells while it dropped in HEK293 cells as the CeO 2 content increased. Meanwhile, the PLLA-8CeO 2 showed a high cell inhibition rate of 53.66 % for U2OS cells and possessed a high cell viability of 76.96 ± 2.20 % for HEK293 cells, meaning that the implant could kill bone tumor cells meanwhile show good cytocompatibility for normal cells. These were mainly due to the fact that the CeO 2 nanoparticles acted as a superoxide dismutase in tumor cells reducing superoxide to hydrogen peroxide, inducing an increase in reactive oxygen species levels. The excess reactive oxygen species could result in tumor cell apoptosis by disrupting mitochondrial structure, oxidizing proteins, and promoting DNA denaturation. Moreover, the compressive strength of PLLA was improved by the CeO 2 addition due to its particle dispersion strengthening. Besides, the PLLA-CeO 2 had a faster degradation rate compared to PLLA. Overall, the PLLA-CeO 2 is a promising implant material for bone tumor treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Diabetic wounds are a major devastating complication of diabetes due to hyperglycemia, bacterial invasion, and persistent inflammation, and the current antibiotic treatments can lead to the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Herein, a bimetallic nanozyme-based biomimetic bio-cocklebur (GNR@CeO 2 @GNPs) is designed and synthesized for diabetic wound management by depositing spiky ceria (CeO 2 ) shells and gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on a gold nanorod (GNR) nanoantenna. The plasmonic-enhanced nanozyme catalysis and self-cascade reaction properties simultaneously boost the two-step enzyme-mimicking catalytic activity of GNR@CeO 2 @GNPs, leading to a significant improvement in overall therapeutic efficacy rather than mere additive effects. Under the glucose activation and 808 nm laser irradiation, GNR@CeO 2 @GNPs material captures photons and promotes the transfer of hot electrons from GNR and GNPs into CeO 2 , realizing a "butterfly effect" of consuming local glucose, overcoming the limited antibacterial efficiency of an individual PTT modality, and providing substantial reactive oxygen species. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate the material's exceptional antibacterial and antibiofilm properties against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, which can reduce inflammation, promote collagen deposition, and facilitate angiogenesis, thereby accelerating wound healing. This study provides a promising new strategy to develop plasmonic-enhanced nanozymes with a catalytic cascade mode for the antibiotic-free synergistic treatment of infected diabetic wounds., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

With the growing awareness on the adverse effects of conventional fertilizers; the use of sustainable and controlled release fertilizers has garnered much significance. In the present study, we report the synthesis of chitosan-benzaldehyde Schiff base xerogel incorporated with green synthesized cerium oxide nanoparticle using Psidium guajava leaves extract as a sustainable fertilizer. Spherical CeO 2 NPs having an average particle size of 15.3 nm and zeta potential of - 39.9 mV was obtained. The urea-loaded nanocomposite xerogel (CsB@U/CeO 2 ) was examined for cabbage growth. The water retention capacity extended for >2 weeks. A controlled release profile for urea was accomplished from CsB@U/CeO 2 for a period extending for 30 days. The kinetics assay suggested that presence of CeO 2 NPs asserted a greater role in urea-controlled release from the CsB@U/CeO 2 nanocomposite hydrogel owing to polymer relaxation. The growth parameters of cabbages such as head height, diameter, fresh head weight, head circumference was enhanced in plants fertilized by CsB@U/CeO 2 as compared to urea. Furthermore, the phenolic content, free radical scavenging activity, protein content, sugar and flavonoid content were also found higher in CsB@U/CeO 2 fertilized plants. This study puts forth CsB@U/CeO 2 xerogel can be potentially harnessed as an alternative to urea in sustainable agriculture., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Oxidative stress generated during aging largely affects erythrocytes. Antioxidative therapies such as polyphenols and flavonoids face limitations like low bioavailability and reduced efficiency. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeONPs) can behave as antioxidative enzymes and thus have better efficiency. Additionally, biopolymer coatings such as polyethylene glycol and polysaccharides such as dextran enhance the biocompatibility of these NPs. Therefore, we synthesized and characterized bare, polyethylene glycol, dextran-coated CeONPs and examined their hemocompatibility and protective effect against age-induced oxidative stress in erythrocytes. Erythrocytes were obtained from 5 ml of fresh blood drawn from 52 healthy individuals aged 20-85 years with their consent. CeONPs were found to be protective against age-induced oxidative damage in erythrocytes such as reduced levels of antioxidants and increased levels of oxidative species. Pretreatment with NPs protected the morphology and membrane integrity of erythrocytes. Among the NPs investigated, dextran-coated CeONPs emerged as the most effective, providing a reassuring sign of progress in anti-aging research. Therefore, Dex-CeONPs can be used as potential antioxidant therapeutics against age-induced oxidative stress., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Characterizing radioactive aerosol particles released from actinide metals on fires represents a pivotal process in nuclear emergency response. However, the precise characterization of these particles and the deep understanding of their formation mechanism remain a daunting challenge due to the lack of in-situ measurement techniques. We presented the first real-time investigation of respirable particles with the size ranging from 2 nm to 10 μm, emitted from the combustion of cerium metal (CM) as surrogate for actinide counterparts. The evolution of such particles was revealed by the methodology combining scanning mobility particle sizer and optical particle sizer, showing the consistent generation of multimodal ultrafine particles with diameters of 2-100 nm during the combustion reaction. Numerous polydisperse 0.2-0.5 μm accumulated particles and a few 2-10 μm coarse particles were also produced via droplet dispersion and explosion during molten CM self-enhanced combustion. These particles were predominantly composed of CeO 2 and exhibited lognormal distributions. The spherical, aggregated, chain-like and fractured particles implied the evolution of particles including nucleation, coagulation, agglomeration and oxide layer cracking. Comparative analyses of particle size distributions reveal that bulk CM combustion predominantly generated ultrafine particles in the absence of CM droplet dispersion. Our finding will guide a critical evaluation of respirable actinide aerosols in the case of fire accidents involving actinide metals., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.During the preparation of this work, the authors declare that they made no use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in writing process., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The pervasive generation of sewage sludge (SES) and deficiencies in its disposal methods have resulted in several significant environmental and human health challenges. This study explored the catalytic effect of nickel (Ni)-based CeO 2 , ZrO 2 , Zr 0 . 8 Ce 0 . 2 O 2 , Zr 0 . 4 Ce 0 . 6 O 2 , and γ-Al 2 O 3 supports in fixed beds and foam reactors in the steam gasification of SES. A comparison of the hydrogen selectivity and gas yield of the synthesized catalysts confirmed that the metal composite support, especially Zr 0 . 8 Ce 0 . 2 O 2 , had a positive effect on the catalytic activity and stability. This can be attributed to the enhanced oxygen vacancies and oxygen mobility, resistance to coke deposition, uniform morphology, improved dispersion, and increased number of Ni sites on the Zr 0 . 8 Ce 0 . 2 O 2 support. Furthermore, foam reactors offer unique advantages in improving hydrogen production. This study provides an advanced strategy for SES valorization that fulfills the requirements of an economically and environmentally sustainable technology., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Cardiovascular diseases pose a significant global health challenge, contributing to high mortality rates and impacting overall well-being and quality of life. Nitric oxide (NO) plays a pivotal role as a vasodilator, regulating blood pressure and enhancing blood flow-crucial elements in preventing cardiovascular diseases, making it a prime therapeutic target. Herein, metal-based nanozymes (NZs) designed to induce NO release from both endogenous and exogenous NO-donors are investigated. Successful synthesis of gold, platinum (Pt) and cerium oxide NZs is achieved, with all three NZs demonstrating the ability to catalyze the NO release from various NO sources, namely S-nitrosothiols and diazeniumdiolates. Pt-NZs exhibit the strongest performance among the three NZ types. Further exploration involved investigating encapsulation and coating techniques using poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles as experimental carriers for Pt-NZs. Both strategies showed efficiency in serving as platforms for Pt-NZs, successfully showing the ability to trigger NO release., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study nor in the decision to publish the results., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Type I photodynamic therapy (PDT) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) through oxygen-independent photoreactions, making it a promising method for treating hypoxic tumors. However, the superoxide anion (O 2 ∙ - ) generated usually exhibits a low oxidation capacity, restricting the antitumor efficacy of PDT in clinical practice. Herein, a photoactivated self-assembled nanoreactor (1-NBS@CeO 2 ) is designed through integration of type I PDT and cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanozymes for inducing cascade-amplified oxidative stress in hypoxic tumors. The nanoreactor is constructed though co-assembly of an amphiphilic peptide (1-NBS) and CeO 2 , giving well-dispersed spherical nanoparticles with enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like and peroxidase (POD)-like activities. Following light irradiation, 1-NBS@CeO 2 undergoes type I photoreactions to generated O 2 ∙ - , which is further catalyzed by the nanoreactors, ultimately forming hypertoxic hydroxyl radical (∙OH) through cascade-amplified reactions. The PDT treatment using 1-NBS@CeO 2 results in elevation of intracellular ROS and depletion of GSH content in A375 cells, thereby inducing mitochondrial dysfunction and triggering apoptosis and ferroptosis of tumor cells. Importantly, intravenous administration of 1-NBS@CeO 2 alongside light irradiation showcases enhances antitumor efficacy and satisfactory biocompatibility in vivo. Together, the self-assembled nanoreactor facilitates cascade-amplified photoreactions for achieving efficacious type I PDT, which holds great promise in developing therapeutic modules towards hypoxic tumors., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

This study presents a facial and quick electrochemical sensor platform that offers remarkable water and food safety applications. The present work represents a study of the synthesis and characterization for efficient cerium vanadate (CeVO 4 ) with a functionalized carbon nanofiber (f-CNF) decorated electrode, which is a highly effective electrode modifier for sensitive nitrite detection. The CeVO 4 nanoparticles were synthesized using the facial hydrothermal technique, and a composite (CeVO 4 @f-CNF) was prepared using the sonication method. Afterward, the produced materials were confirmed with spectroscopic and microscopic analysis. The electrochemical behavior of nitrite was studied through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The DPV analysis depicts an excellent linear range of 0.1-1033 μM and a promising detection limit of 0.004 μM for the proposed electrode. The CeVO 4 @f-CNF electrode was applied to detect nitrite in water and meat samples. The proposed electrochemical sensor attributes the significant results towards the detection of nitrite., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no conflicts to declare., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

A multienzyme-like L-argininemodified CeO 2  (Arg-CeO 2 ) nanozyme was prepared for accurate total antioxidant capacity (TAC) determination of Ganoderma sichuanense (G. sichuanense). It exhibits oxidase-like and peroxidase-like activities catalyzing the generation of superoxide anion free radicals and hydroxyl radicals, accelerating 3, 3', 5, 5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) chromogenic reaction. Antioxidants can effectively eliminate the generated free radicals, inhibiting the TMB chromogenic reaction. Hence, TAC can be assessed by Arg-CeO 2  catalyzed TMB chromogenic reaction using ascorbic acid (AA) as a reference substance. TAC of G. sichuanense extracted using different solvents was determined, indicating the highest TAC observed in the G. sichuanense extracted by the mixture solvent (deionized water/ethanol/ethyl acetate = 1 : 1 : 1). A visual assessment platform based on Arg-CeO 2  hydrogel nanozyme utilizing a self-programmed smartphone app and a self-designed 3D printed device is established. TAC using AA as a reference substance (3.33 ~ 83.33 µM) can be detected with a detection limit as low as 0.58 µM. The platform can realize one-step quantitative determination of TAC in G. sichuanense within 40 min. The proposed visual assessment platform presented exhibits promising application prospects in the field of TAC assessment in food., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: This research did not involve human or animal samples. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Liver fibrosis is a pathological repair response that occurs after sustained liver damage, and prompt intervention is necessary to prevent liver fibrosis from developing into a potentially life-threatening condition. In long-term liver injury, damaged hepatocytes produce excessive amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which activate hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). This activation leads to excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins in liver tissue. Additionally, liver macrophages contribute to the inflammatory microenvironment in the hepatic fibrotic process, exacerbating liver fibrosis through ROS production and the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors. To address the dysregulation of the hepatic microenvironment associated with liver fibrosis, we developed cerium oxide nanozymes using hyaluronic acid (HA) as a template and decorated them on the surface of liposomes loaded with oleanolic acid (OA). We named this prepared and obtained target-engineered liposome HCOL. The inherent superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities of HCOL enabled it to effectively scavenge ROS in HSCs and alleviate the hypoxic conditions characteristic of fibrotic livers. Furthermore, HCOL reduced the concentrations of ROS in macrophages, promoting a shift in macrophage polarization from the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype to the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. This transition increased the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 10 (IL-10), which contributed to the mitigation of the inflammatory microenvironment. Consequently, this therapeutic approach proves effective in decelerating the advancement of liver fibrosis.

The quest for effective cancer treatment methodologies underpins numerous research endeavors. Despite the therapeutic efficacy of conventional chemotherapy against malignant tumors, tumor recurrence post-therapy remains a formidable challenge. Addressing this, we developed a dual drug delivery system, rooted in a modified metal-organic framework (MOF), specifically by substituting the metal nodes of Uio-66 with cerium to augment its anti-oxidative potential. This engineered system, pyrene-modified hyaluronic acid, functions as a linker, enabling the self-assembly and encapsulation of both the material and the therapeutic agents, and encompasses both doxorubicin and curcumin, aimed at targeting cancer cell eradication and tumorigenesis inhibition. This system demonstrated significant antioxidant capacity through free radical scavenging assays, positioning it as a potential agent in mitigating tumor recurrence. Enhanced anti-tumor activity was distinctly evidenced in human colon cancer cell lines. Additionally, in vitro drug release assessments revealed slow-release kinetics and acid-responsive traits, attributed to the incorporation of pyrenylated hyaluronic acid. Within the xenograft nude mouse model, this system contained a lower amount of doxorubicin, yet, exhibited tumor inhibition capability comparable to the free doxorubicin group. Moreover, it delivered anticancer efficiency under conditions of enhanced antioxidative capacity, underscoring its prospective utility in clinical cancer therapeutics. This dual drug delivery platform not only advances cancer treatment and prophylaxis but also extends novel insights into the therapeutic implications of simultaneous dual drug delivery systems.

Angiogenesis is the formation of blood vessels from the existing vasculature, which is important in the tumor growth where the metastatic spread, of cancer cells depends on an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients and the removal of waste products. Targeting angiogenesis has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. This study presents the synthesis and evaluation of a novel Ag-CeO 2 -ZnO (AgCZ) nanocomposite designed to specifically inhibit angiogenesis for effective cancer therapy. The nanocomposite was synthesized via a glycine-assisted combustion method, and its physicochemical properties were meticulously characterized using advanced analytical techniques. The anti-angiogenesis potential of the AgCZ nanocomposite was vigorously explored through an assortment of in vitro investigations, with a particular interest in inhibiting agents like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In silico data from molecular docking studies were instrumental in elucidating the nanocomposite's primary reported mechanism of action, i.e., its strong VEGF target bond. Notably, the nanocomposite had selective cytotoxicity with different types of cancer cells and no sign of serious influence onto normal cells, reflecting great promise of the targeted cancer therapy. Not and importantly, nanocomposite was implemented in vitro studies to measure its anti-angiogenic as well as anti-tumor effect in biological models additionally. Our study highlights emerging developments in medicine and draws possible future paths. The use of AgCZ composite nanoparticle is one of the potential anticancer drug and alternative to the conventional medicine which appears to be safer and more effectual, but further research is needed to overcome current limitations in clinical translation., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Caffeic acid (CA) is a natural polyphenol that can have various positive effects on human health. However, its extraction and processing can cause significant ecological issues. Therefore, it is crucial to detect and degrade CA effectively in the environment. In this study, we have developed a multifunctional magnetic luminescent nanozyme, Fe 3 O 4 @CeO 2 /Tb-MOF, which combines peroxidase activity to detect and degrade CA. The fluorescence of the nanozyme was significantly attenuated due to the specific nucleophilic reaction between its boronic acid moiety and the o-diphenol hydroxyl group of CA, energy competition absorption and photo-induced electron transfer (PET) effect. This nanozyme demonstrates a linear detection range from 50 nM to 500 μM and an exceptionally low detection limit of 18.9 nM, along with remarkable selectivity and stability. Moreover, the synergistic catalysis of Fe 3 O 4 and CeO 2 within Fe 3 O 4 @CeO 2 /Tb-MOF fosters peroxidase activity, leading to the generation of substantial free radicals catalyzed by H 2 O 2 , which ensures the efficient degradation of CA (∼95%). The superparamagnetic property of Fe 3 O 4 further enables the efficient reuse and recycling of the nanozyme. This research provides a novel approach for the concurrent detection and remediation of environmental contaminants., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Activated carbon (AC) is a porous, amorphous form of carbon known for its strong adsorption capacity, making it highly effective for use in wastewater treatment. In this investigation, AC-based nanocomposites (NCs) loaded with zirconium dioxide and cerium dioxide nanoparticles (ZrO 2 /CeO 2 NPs) were successfully synthesized for the effective elimination of methylene blue (MB) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH). The AC-ZrO 2 /CeO 2 NCs have a size of 231.83 nm, a zeta potential of -20.07 mV, and a PDI value of 0.160. The adsorption capacities of AC-ZrO 2 /CeO 2 NCs for MB and TCH were proved in agreement with the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo 1 st order kinetic model, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacities were determined to be 75.54 mg/g for MB and 26.75 mg/g for TCH. Notably, AC-ZrO 2 /CeO 2 NCs exhibited superior photocatalytic degradation efficiency for MB and TCH under sunlight irradiation with removal efficiencies reaching up to 97.91% and 82.40% within 90 min, respectively. The t 1/2 for the photo-degradation process of MB and TCH were 11.55 min and 44.37 min. Analysis of active species trapping confirmed the involvement of hole (h + ), superoxide anion (•O 2 - ), and hydroxyl radical (•OH) in the degradation mechanism. Furthermore, the residual solution post-contaminant removal exhibited minimal toxicity towards Artemia salina and NIH3T3 cells. Importantly, the NCs did not exhibit antibacterial activity against tested pathogens post-absorption/degradation of TCH. Thus, AC-ZrO 2 /CeO 2 NCs could be a promising nanomaterial for wastewater treatment applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Myeong-Hyeon Wang reports financial support was provided by National Research Foundation of Korea. Myeong-Hyeon Wang reports a relationship with Kangwon National University that includes:. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The oxidation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds on CeO 2 is hindered by its high susceptibility to chlorine poisoning, resulting in a reduced efficiency and stability. In this study, Ru- and Nb-co-modified CeO 2 catalysts were designed to achieve excellent activity, stability, and CO 2 selectivity in the catalytic oxidation of 1,2-dichloroethane (EDC). The formation of Nb-O-Ce bonds was observed to enhance the surface acidic sites, thereby improving HCl selectivity and reducing the production of chlorinated byproducts. Meanwhile, it inhibits the formation of Ru-O-Ce and promotes the generation of highly dispersed RuO 2 particles on the surface, enhancing the redox properties and mobility of the surface oxygen, thus increasing CO 2 selectivity. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy results revealed that chlorine species preferentially attach to Nb species rather than to oxygen vacancies on the Ru/Nb/CeO 2 catalyst. This allows more alkane groups to oxidize to formate on the oxygen vacancies, reducing byproduct concentration. Additionally, the oxidation of alkane groups to carboxylic acids is initiated on the Nb species, completing a comprehensive oxidation process under the synergistic effect of RuO 2 .

The semiconducting nature of CeFeO 3 /CeO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 nanocomposite has permitted the degradation of the organic toxic dye methylene blue under the irradiation of ultraviolet and visible light portions of solar radiation. Fullprof-assisted Rietveld refinement analysis, performed using the Match software, has revealed the orthorhombic nature of CeFeO 3 . In addition, in the synthesized material, the cubic phase byproduct CeO 2 was found due to the highly oxidizing nature of the cerium element. This occurred due to 6 min microwave irradiation because the microwave-assisted technique offered random distribution of heating during the supply of 800-W power for 30 s, followed by 12 cycles. Additionally, the presence of Fe 2 O 3 was also confirmed through Match software-assisted Rietveld refinement analysis through phase matching. During the synthesis, a certain portion of the synthesized CeFeO 3 experienced overheating, leading to phase transformation from CeFeO 3 into Fe 2 O 3 and CeO 2 . The unit cell compositions of CeFeO 3 , CeO 2 , and Fe 2 O 3 were found in the sample material with 35.54%, 52.43%, and 12.03%, respectively. The appearance of a fingerprint absorption region in the FTIR spectrum around 577.36 and 535.38 cm -1 further confirmed the similarity of these values (577.36 and 535.38 cm -1 ) to those obtained from the calculated values obtained by substituting Rietveld refined bond length parameters. The fourth step process in the thermal analysis curve (TGA) revealed the oxidation process, which led to the destruction of the CeFeO 3 phase, causing the transformation of CeFeO 3 into two byproducts (CeO 2 and Fe 2 O 3 ). This oxidation process permitted in an observable weight gain, which is observed in the thermal analysis curve (TGA). A cyclic voltammetry study (the experimentally measured current-voltage characteristic curve) revealed slightly distorted semirectangular CV curves, confirming the pseudo-capacitive behavior of the synthesized composite., (© 2024 The Author(s). Luminescence published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The objective of this study was to synthesize strontium titanate (Sr 1-x Ce x TiO 3 ) doped with Ce 3+ by solid state method. Its crystalline structure is Sr 1-x Ce x TiO 3 , and its bandgap ranges from ~3.3 to ~2.7 eV. In the photoluminescence of samples excited at 288 nm, the maximum emission of blue light was observed at 380 and 390 nm. Photocatalytic results show that dye molecules have a high absorbance, whereas their surface area is large. According to a line sweep voltammetric plot (LSV), illumination increases the current density by 0.4 μA cm -2 compared with dark conditions. It was demonstrated that the material changed from n-type to p-type under doping. Chronoamperometry spectra were obtained for sample Sr 1-x Ce x TiO 3 (x = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05) when an electrical voltage of 0.8 V was applied versus NHE. The plots indicate an increase in the current density under "light ON" conditions and a decrease under "light OFF" conditions. As Ce 3+ concentration increases, the photocurrent increases until about 3 mol%, after which it decreases abruptly., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In the present study, the dissolution and microstructural transformation of CeO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) in a phosphate-containing milieu were investigated. The dissolution behaviour of 2 nm and 5 nm CeO 2 NPs in phosphate buffer solutions was found to differ markedly from that observed in 0.01 M NaClO 4 . Through synchrotron X-ray diffraction analysis and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, the interaction between CeO 2 NPs and phosphate species was examined, revealing the transformation of the oxide into sodium-cerium double phosphate, with cerium predominantly existing in the Ce(IV) state. According to scanning and transmission electron microscopy observations, thus formed Na-Ce(IV) phosphate consists of spindle-like aggregates of nanocrystalline rods, presumably formed during phosphate anions sorption on the initial CeO 2 surface. Pair distribution function analysis revealed that Na-Ce(IV) phosphate has a three-dimensional framework crystal structure, similar to NaTh 2 (PO 4 ) 3 , as reported earlier, with large channels along the c-axis containing disordered sodium atoms. This study represents the first detailed analysis of phosphate-induced speciation and microstructural transformation of CeO 2 NPs, resulting in the formation of Ce(IV) phosphate. Similar processes may occur in natural ecosystems upon the introduction of CeO 2 NPs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A facile, low-cost, and rapid method was developed for spectrofluorometric determination of tolmetin (TOL) using highly fluorescent (QY = 35%) cerium and nitrogen codoped carbon dots (Ce-NCDs) sensing platform prepared by one-step hydrothermal method. Owing to the severe overlap between TOL absorption and Ce-NCDs excitation spectra around 320 nm, TOL could attenuate the emission of Ce-NCDs at 407 nm through primary inner filter effect (IFE). This concentration dependent attenuation was linear between 2 and 10 μg/mL (r = 0.9993) with a limit of detection of 0.5 μg/mL. The sensor showed very good accuracy (% recovery = 98%-100%) and precision (%RSD < 2). The developed sensing strategy was successfully applied for TOL detection as an active pharmaceutical ingredient in pharmaceutical formulation and as a potential pollutant in environmental water samples, such as tap and river water, with acceptable recovery and considerable selectivity. Thus, the direct single-step spectrofluorometric determination of TOL was enabled without extensive processing or chemical derivatization., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Extensive use of fossil fuels causes heavy discharge of carbon dioxide, depleting energy resources and this requires environmentally friendly and effective energy storage materials. Hybrid supercapacitors (HSCs) are recently developed as effective energy storage materials enabling high capacitance retention rate and quick charging. Herein, synthesis of two-dimensional g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets supported onto three-dimensional flower-like Co 3 O 4 /CeO 2 (CoCe) ternary synergistic heterostructures are developed as effective electrodes for hybrid supercapacitor applications. Addition of g-C 3 N 4 produces substantial surface active sites, enabling its synergistic effect with CoCe to enhance electrochemical performance having exceptional conductivity. The CoCe/g-C 3 N 4 ternary composite electrode exhibits a higher specific capacitance of 1088.3 F g -1 at 1 A g -1 with 96 % of recycling stability over 5000 cycles, which is ∼5.5 and ∼5 folds higher specific capacitance than the pristine g-C 3 N 4 and CoCe electrodes. EIS analysis revealed that CoCe/g-C 3 N 4 electrode offered reduced charge transfer resistance compared to pristine electrodes. The fabricated two-electrode HSC device displays outstanding retention after 10,000 cycles with an ultra-high specific capacitance of 119.8 F g -1 , excellent energy density 37.4 Wh kg -1 and power density of 749.9 W kg -1 . This research showcases the perspectives of CoCe/g-C 3 N 4 ternary electrodes in hybrid supercapacitors and other renewable energy storage devices., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, the production of pyrolyzed oil in lab scale plant and its possible use in variable speed diesel engine with nanoparticle and secondary fuel oxy-hydrogen gas is investigated. The pyrolyzed oil is produced from waste tires in lab scale plant, and after its distillation, it is blended with neat diesel in the proportion of 20:80 (TDF). The different testing fuels are prepared by mixing nanoparticle CeO 2 (NP) at the concentrations 50 ppm and 100 ppm with blended fuel (named as TDF-NP50 and TDF-NP100). While in the testing phase, the HHO gas is supplied through specially designed venturi at fixed flow rate (fuel designated as TDF-NP50-HHO and TDF-NP100-HHO). The focus of current investigation is to investigate the combined impact of inducting HHO with nanoparticle mixed pyrolyzed blends on engine performance and emissions characteristics. The pyrolyzed blended fuel deteriorate the BTE, BSFC, emissions of HC and NOx while improves the CO emission. The improvement in all the characteristics can be achieved by introducing CeO 2 nanoparticle at 50 ppm and 100 ppm which improves BTE by 15-24%, BSFC by 2.2-4.2%, HC by 8-18%, CO by 7-12%, and NOx by 7-16%. The further improvement can be achieved by inducting HHO gas, which are BTE 11%, BSFC 5-8%, HC 15%, and CO 13-16%. However, the NOx emission is increased by 14-17%. Hence, the waste tire-derived pyrolyzed oil along with green hydrogen and nanoparticles CeO 2 can be used as a sustainable transportation fuel in existing CI engine., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Diabetic ulcers are one of the common complications in diabetic patients. Delayed wound healing is associated with persistent pro-inflammatory M1 polarization, reduced angiogenesis and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the microenvironment. Wound healing consists of multiple phases and therefore requires treatment tailored to each phase. In this study, a biphasic drug-releasing microneedle (MN) was fabricated to achieve early ROS scavenging and late accelerated angiogenesis to promote wound healing. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was first encapsulated in methacryloylated sulfonated chitosan (SCSMA) microspheres (V@MP), and then V@MP was loaded into hyaluronic acid (HA) microneedles along with cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CONPs). Rapid dissolution of HA rapidly releases the CONPs to clear ROS, whereas the V@MP stays in the wound. SCSMA slow degradation prolongs the release of VEGF, thereby promoting angiogenesis. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that this biphasic drug-releasing smart microneedle improves cell proliferation and migration, effectively scavenges ROS, promotes angiogenesis and tissue regeneration, and synergistically promotes M2 macrophage polarization. It provides a new delivery mode for nano-enzymes and growth factors that could be multifunctional and synergistic in the treatment of diabetic ulcers. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: In our study, we present a microneedle (V@MP/C@MN) that can release drugs biphasically, which showed good repair ability in diabetic ulcer model. Large amounts of CONPs were rapidly released to alleviate oxidative stress during the inflammation of the wound, and V@MP stayed in the wound for a long period of time to release VEGF and promote angiogenesis in the late stage of wound healing. The results indicated that V@MP/C@MN could promote cell proliferation and migration, effectively scavenge ROS, promote angiogenesis and tissue regeneration, and synergistically promote M2 macrophage polarization, which could play a multifunctional and synergistic role in the treatment of diabetic ulcers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ferroptosis primarily relies on reactive oxygen (ROS) production and lipid peroxide (LPO) accumulation, which opens up new opportunities for tumor therapy. However, a standalone ferroptosis process is insufficient in inhibiting tumor progression. Unlike previously reported Fe-based nanomaterials, we have engineered a novel nanoreactor named IR780/Ce@EGCG/APT, which uses metal-polyphenols network (Ce@EGCG) based on rare-earth cerium and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) to encapsulate IR780 and modified with the aptamer (AS1411). The intricately designed nanoreactor is specifically taken up by tumor cells, releasing Ce 3+ , EGCG, and IR780. On the one hand, Ce 3+ triggers ROS production via a Fenton-like reaction, inducing ferroptosis in tumor cells. On the other hand, IR780 accumulates in mitochondria and disrupts mitochondrial function upon laser irradiation, leading to tumor cell apoptosis. EGCG serves as a sensitizer, simultaneously enhancing the sensitivity of tumor cells to ferroptosis and photothermal therapy. After a single dose and three times of 808 nm laser irradiation for treatment, it has been observed that the nanoreactor induces dendritic cells (DCs) maturation, facilitates cytotoxic T lymphocyte infiltration, improves immunosuppressive microenvironment, activates the systemic immune system, and generates long-term immune memory., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The synthesis and characterization of novel nanocomposites with unique properties have garnered significant interest. Ag@CeO 2 nanocomposite and its pullulan counterparts were prepared using a green approach involving rosemary extract. Characterization techniques, including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, zeta potential, Dynamic Light Scattering, High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy, Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and X-ray Diffraction, confirmed the formation of Ag@CeO 2 nanoparticles (NPs). Pullulan led to increased particle size and improved homogeneity. Employing the Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) model to optimize methylene blue removal by Ag@CeO 2 NPs and Ag@CeO 2 -pullulan NPs demonstrated predictive capabilities up to 97.53 % of MB removal (R 2  = 0.9991). The antioxidant test demonstrated that rosemary extract exhibited the highest activity (IC 50  = 0.011 mg/mL), then Ag@CeO 2 NPs (IC 50  = 0.039 mg/mL), and Ag@CeO 2 -pullulan NPs (IC 50  = 0.041 mg/mL). Both Ag@CeO 2 NPs and Ag@CeO 2 -pullulan NPs inhibited Candida albicans growth, with the latter exhibiting enhanced efficacy (MIC = 468.27, MFC = 936.53, and IC 50  = 129.60 μg/mL). The study successfully synthesized novel Ag@CeO 2 -based nanocomposites coupled with pullulan with promising applications in dye removal, and antimicrobial therapy. The incorporation of pullulan improved the properties of the nanocomposites, enhancing their potential for practical use in environmental and biomedical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The challenge remains in developing hemostatic dressings that can fulfill both hemostatic and repair functions to meet clinical demands worldwide. Herein, the biodegradable powders composed of benzeneboronic acid-modified sodium alginate/catechol-modified quaternized chitosan hydrogel (SBQCC) networks and bioactive cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs), were prepared for hemostasis and promoting wound healing. The SBQCC/CNPs powders had good self-gelation ability, water absorption ratio, tissue adhesiveness and biocompatibility. The SBQCC/CNPs powders could not only rapidly absorb a large amount of blood to concentrate coagulation factors when applied on bleeding wounds, but also formed an adhesive hydrogel physical barrier to control bleeding in situ. Meanwhile, the aggregation and activation of red blood cells and platelets induced by the SBQCC/CNPs powders can initiate the forming of internal blood clot with fibrin to further enhance the hemostatic effect. The SBQCC/CNPs powders demonstrated excellent hemostatic performance in non-compressible rat tail vein bleeding and rabbit liver bleeding models. In addition, SBQCC/CNPs powder-derived hydrogels had antibacterial activity and multiple biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and promoting angiogenesis for accelerating wound healing. Therefore, the SBQCC/CNPs powders can accelerate wound healing while achieving effective hemostasis, which will be a promising hemostatic dressing., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

During fractionated radiotherapy, DNA damage repair intensifies in tumor cells, culminating in cancer radioresistance and subsequent radiotherapy failure. Despite the recent development of nanoradiosensitizers targeting specific DNA damage repair pathways, the persistence of repair mechanisms involving multiple pathways remains inevitable. To address this challenge, a nucleophilicity-engineered DNA ligation blockade nanoradiosensitizer (DLBN) comprising Au/CeO 2 heteronanostructure modified with trans-acting activator of transcription peptides is reported, which targets and inhibits the DNA ligation inside cancer cell nuclei via heterointerface-mediated dephosphorylation of DNA, a crucial step in overcoming cancer radioresistance. First, the Schottky-type heteronanostructure of cancer cell nucleus-targeting DLBN effectively intensifies radiation-induced DNA damage via catalase-mimetic activity and radiation-triggered catalytic reactions. Notably, by leveraging Au/CeO 2 heterointerface, DLBN spontaneously dissociates H 2 O to hydroxide, a nucleophile with higher nucleophilicity, thereby exhibiting remarkable dephosphorylation capability at DNA nicks through facilitated nucleophilic attack. This enables the blockade of DNA ligation, a pivotal step in all DNA damage repair pathways, effectively interrupting the repair process. Consequently, DLBN resensitizes radioresistant cells by overcoming therapy-induced radioresistance, leading to a substantial accumulation of unrepaired DNA damage. These findings offer insight into the dephosphorylation of DNA within nuclei, and underscore the potential of heteronanostructure-based nanoradiosensitizer to block DNA ligation against therapy-induced radioresistance., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Chitosan grafted with gallic acid (CS-GA), along with CS-GA doped with CeO 2 nanoparticles (CS-GA-CeO 2 ) were synthesized as novel environmentally friendly mild steel corrosion inhibitors. The formation of these derivatives was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H NMR), and thermal analysis (TGA). Based on potentiodynamic polarization curves (PDP) measurements, the inhibitors acted primarily as hybrid inhibitors, while following the Langmuir adsorption theory model. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) and 3D surface profiles, confirmed that CS-GA-CeO 2 adsorbed on the mild steel forming a protective layer thus preventing the invasion of corrosive media. The corrosion protection mechanism of chitosan derivatives was investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. Electrochemical measurements were used to investigate the corrosion inhibition by CS-GA and CS-GA-CeO 2 on mild steel in a 3.5 % NaCl solution. At room temperature, the highest inhibition efficiency (93.58 %) was achieved at 200 ppm CS-GA-CeO 2 . Modified chitosan nanocomposites were confirmed as promising corrosion inhibitors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The pro-inflammatory immune microenvironment in the localized lesion areas and the absence of DNA damage repair mechanisms in endothelial cells serve as essential accelerating factors in the development of atherosclerosis. The lack of targeted therapeutic strategies represents a significant limitation in the efficacy of therapeutic agents for atherosclerosis. In this study, Genetically engineered SNHG12-loaded cerium-macrophage exosomes (Ce-Exo) are designed as atherosclerosis-targeting agents. In vivo studies demonstrated that Ce-Exo exhibited multivalent targeting properties for macrophages, with a 4.1-fold higher atherosclerotic plaque-aggregation ability than that of the control drugs. This suggests that Ce-Exo has a higher homing capacity and deeper penetration into the atherosclerotic plaque. In apolipoprotein E-deficient mice, Ce-Exo found to effectively remodel the immune microenvironment in the lesion area, repair endothelial cell damage, and inhibit the development of atherosclerosis. This study provides a novel approach to the treatment of atherosclerosis and demonstrates the potential of cell-derived drug carriers in biomedicine., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Nanoceria have demonstrated a wide array of catalytic activity similar to natural enzymes, holding considerable significance in the colorimetric detection of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), which is a biomarker of various biological disorders. However, the issues of physiological stability and formation of protein corona, which are strongly related to their surface chemistry, limit their practical application. In this work, CeO 2 nanoparticles characterized by enhanced dimensional uniformity and specific surface area were synthesized, followed by encapsulation with various polymers to further increase catalytic activity and physiological stability. Notably, the CeO 2 nanoparticles encapsulated within each polymer exhibited improved catalytic characteristics, with PAA-capped CeO 2 exhibiting the highest performance. We further demonstrated that the PAA-CeO 2 obtained with enhanced catalytic activity was attributed to an increase in surface negative charge. PAA-CeO 2 enabled the quantitative assessment of AA activity within a wide concentration range of 10 to 60 μM, with a detection limit of 0.111 μM. Similarly, it allowed for the evaluation of alkaline phosphatase activity throughout a broad range of 10 to 80 U/L, with a detection limit of 0.12 U/L. These detection limits provided adequate sensitivity for the practical detection of ALP in human serum., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

Enzyme catalytic cascade reactions based on peroxidase nanozymes and natural enzymes have aroused extensive attention in analytical fields. However, a majority of peroxidase nanozymes perform well only in acidic environments, resulting in their optimal pH mismatch with a neutral pH of natural enzymes, further restricting their application in biochemical sensing. Herein, Mn-doped CeO 2 (Mn/CeO 2 ) performing enhanced peroxidase-like activity at neutral conditions was prepared via a facile and feasible strategy. An effective enzyme cascade catalysis system via integrating glucose oxidase (GOx) with Mn/CeO 2 was developed for one-pot detection of glucose in serum at neutral conditions. Using one-pot multistep catalytic reactions, this work provided a detection platform that allows for faster detection and easier operations than traditional methods. Under optimized conditions, our assay performed a sensitive detection of glucose ranging from 2.0 μΜ to 300 μΜ and a low detection limit of 0.279 μΜ. Notably, favorable analytical outcomes for glucose detection in serum samples were obtained, exhibiting potential applications in clinical diagnosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Elaborated structural modulation of Pt-based artificial nanozymes can efficiently improve their catalytic activity and expand their applications in clinical diagnosis and biochemical sensing. Herein, a highly efficient dual-site peroxidase mimic composed of highly dispersed Pt and Mo atoms is reported. The obtained Mo-Pt/CeO 2 exhibits exceptional peroxidase-like catalytic activity, with a V max as high as 34.16 × 10 -8 m s -1 , which is 37.5 times higher than that of the single-site counterpart. Mechanism studies suggest that the Mo atoms can not only serve as adsorption and activation sites for the H 2 O 2 substrate but also regulate the charge density of Pt centers to promote the generation ability of •OH. As a result, the synergistic effect between the dual active sites significantly improves the catalytic efficiency. Significantly, the application of the Mo-Pt/CeO 2 catalyst's excellent peroxidase-like activity is extended to various biochemical detection applications, including the trace detection of glucose and cysteine, as well as the assessment of antioxidants' antioxidant capacity. This work reveals the great potential of rational design dual-site active centers for constructing high-performance artificial nanozymes., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

For the first time, we introduce a novel disposable and ultrasensitive sensing electrode made up of nanosized ceria uniformly loaded carbon nanofibers (CeNPs@CNF) sol-gel nanoceramic film (CF) wrapped on eco-friendly and inexpensive pencil graphite rods (PGRs) to explore their electro-catalytic detection of the anticancer drug capmatinib (CMB). The as-prepared CeNPs@CNF hybrid nanocomposite was described by XRD, SEM, TEM, HRTEM, and EDX analysis. The CV study clearly demonstrated that, the disposable CeNPs@CNF-CF/PGRE sensor exhibited excellent redox activities in the ideal probe [Fe(CN) 6 ] 3-/4- . Due to the outstanding electrochemical properties, larger electrochemically active surface area, and tremendous electro-catalytic activity of CeNPs@CNF, the reduction current of CMB on the CeNPs@CNF-CF/PGRE sensor is considerably higher than that of bare PGRE. The detection conditions, such as supporting electrolyte, pH of the buffer solution, amount of modifier, adsorption potential, and time, were studied and optimized. The sensing platform demonstrated high sensitivity (1.2 μA nM -1  cm -2 ), an ultralow detection limit (0.6 nM), and a wide linear range of 2.0 nM-400 nM of CMB compared to the bare PGRE. Additionally, the CeNPs@CNF-CF/PGRE sensor showed high selectivity, stability, and simple operation, which provided a promising alternative tool for fast detection of CMB in human body fluids with good recoveries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Fenton-like degradation of contaminants is considered to be a feasible method for eliminating environmental pollution. In this study, a novel ternary Mg 0.8 Cu 0.2 Fe 2 O 4 /SiO 2 /CeO 2 nanocomposite was fabricated using a novel ultrasonic-assisted technique, and investigated as a Fenton-like catalyst for the removal of tartrazine (TRZ) dye. The nanocomposite was synthesized by first coating the SiO 2 shell around the Mg 0.8 Cu 0.2 Fe 2 O 4 core via a Stöber-like process to form Mg 0.8 Cu 0.2 Fe 2 O 4 /SiO 2 . Then, a simple ultrasonic-assisted route was used to synthesize Mg 0.8 Cu 0.2 Fe 2 O 4 /SiO 2 /CeO 2 nanocomposite. This approach provides a simple and environmentally friendly way to produce this material without the use of any additional reductants or organic surfactants. The fabricated sample demonstrated excellent Fenton-like activity. The efficiency of Mg 0.8 Cu 0.2 Fe 2 O 4 was significantly enhanced by the incorporation of SiO 2 and CeO 2 , and complete removal of TRZ (30 mg/L) was achieved within 120 min using 0.2 g/L of Mg 0.8 Cu 0.2 Fe 2 O 4 /SiO 2 /CeO 2 . The scavenger test shows that the main active species is the strong oxidizing of hydroxyl radicals (HO • ). Consequently, the Fenton-like mechanism of Mg 0.8 Cu 0.2 Fe 2 O 4 /SiO 2 /CeO 2 is explained based on the coexistence of Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ , Cu 2+ /Cu + , and Ce 4+ /Ce 3+ redox couples. The removal efficiency of TRZ dye remained around 85% after the third recycling run, revealing that the nanocomposite could be employed to eliminate organic contaminants in water treatment. This research opened up a new avenue for expanding the practical application of new-generation Fenton-like catalysts., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

With the continuous increasing threat of drug-resistant bacteria induced cutaneous wound infections, there is a growing demand for novel effective antibiotics-alternative antibacterial strategies for clinical anti-infective therapy. Here, we report the fabrication and antibacterial efficacy of Ag 2 S@H-CeO 2 photonic nanocomposites with rough surface through in-situ growth of Ag 2 S nanoparticles on CeO 2 hollow spheres. With excellent photothermal property and peroxidase-like activity, as well as increased bacterial adhesion, the photonic nanocomposites demonstrated a broad-spectrum synergistic antibacterial effect against Gram-positive, Gram-positive bacteria and fungi as well biofilm in vitro. Significantly, the nanocomposites can effectively eradicate drug-resistant bacteria such as Gram-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Gram-negative extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL E. coli). Notably, in vivo assessments validated its synergistic therapeutic potential in the treatment of MRSA-infected cutaneous wounds, all while maintaining excellent biosafety and biocompatibility. Our study offers a competitive and promising strategy for the development of a multifunctional synergistic antibacterial platform poised to effectively treat drug-resistant bacteria-infected cutaneous wounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hydrolytic nanozyme-based visual colorimetry has emerged as a promising strategy for the detection of aluminum ions. However, most studies focus on simulating the structure of natural enzymes while neglecting to regulate the rate of hydrolysis-related steps, leading to low enzyme-like activity for hydrolytic nanozymes. Herein, we constructed a ruthenium dioxide (RuO 2 ) in situ embedded cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanozyme (RuO 2 /CeO 2 ) with a Lewis acid-base pair (Ce-O-Ru-OH), which can simulate the catalytic behavior of phosphatase (PPase) and can be quantitatively quenched by Al 3+ to achieve accurate and sensitive Al 3+ colorimetric sensing detection. The incorporation of Ru into CeO 2 nanorods accelerates the dissociation of H 2 O, followed by subsequent combination of hydroxide species to Lewis acidic Ce-O sites. This synergistic effect facilitates substrate activation and significantly enhances the hydrolysis activity of the nanozyme. The results show that the RuO 2 /CeO 2 nanozyme exhibits a limit of detection as low as 0.5 ng/mL. We also demonstrate their efficacy in detecting Al 3+ in various practical food samples. This study offers novel insights into the advancement of highly sensitive hydrolytic nanozyme engineering for sensing applications., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

Methylene blue (MB) is a refractory organic pollutant that poses a potential threat to the aquatic environment. Fenton reaction is considered a primrose strategy to treat MB. However, the traditional Fenton process is plagued by narrow pH application range, poor stability, and secondary pollution. To solve these problems, many Fenton-like catalysts including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been prepared. Herein, a novel bimetallic MOF (Fe/Ce-BDC@CS) was prepared through simple adsorption for the effective removal of MB, where chitosan (CS) was used as the carrier. The degradation performance of Fe/Ce-BDC@CS (100 % within 20 min) was better than that of most reported monometallic MOFs. Moreover, Fe/Ce-BDC@CS exhibited good repeatability and its anti-interference performance of some inorganic ions was also remarkable. Column loading experiments showed that the removal efficiency of MB was still about 50 % over 155 h with a flowing speed of 0.30 L/h. Comparative analysis indicated that such excellent performances could be attributed to the synergistic effect between Fe and Ce. Furthermore, the results of quenching tests indicate that OH, O 2 - , and 1 O 2 contributed to MB degradation. In brief, Fe/Ce-BDC@CS has promising prospects in MB treatment, which can provide scientific references for the design and application of bimetallic MOFs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Purpose: The radionuclide pair cerium-134/lanthanum-134 ( 134 Ce/ 134 La) was recently proposed as a suitable diagnostic counterpart for the therapeutic alpha-emitter actinium-225 ( 225 Ac). The unique properties of 134 Ce offer perspectives for developing innovative in vivo investigations that are not possible with 225 Ac. In this work, 225 Ac- and 134 Ce-labelled tracers were directly compared using internalizing and slow-internalizing cancer models to evaluate their in vivo comparability, progeny meandering, and potential as a matched theranostic pair for clinical translation. Despite being an excellent chemical match, 134 Ce/ 134 La has limitations to the setting of quantitative positron emission tomography imaging., Methods: The precursor PSMA-617 and a macropa-based tetrazine-conjugate (mcp-PEG 8 -Tz) were radiolabelled with 225 Ac or 134 Ce and compared in vitro and in vivo using standard (radio)chemical methods. Employing biodistribution studies and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in athymic nude mice, the radiolabelled PSMA-617 tracers were evaluated in a PC3/PIP (PC3 engineered to express a high level of prostate-specific membrane antigen) prostate cancer mouse model. The 225 Ac and 134 Ce-labelled mcp-PEG 8 -Tz were investigated in a BxPC-3 pancreatic tumour model harnessing the pretargeting strategy based on a trans-cyclooctene-modified 5B1 monoclonal antibody., Results: In vitro and in vivo studies with both 225 Ac and 134 Ce-labelled tracers led to comparable results, confirming the matching pharmacokinetics of this theranostic pair. However, PET imaging of the 134 Ce-labelled precursors indicated that quantification is highly dependent on tracer internalization due to the redistribution of 134 Ce's PET-compatible daughter 134 La. Consequently, radiotracers based on internalizing vectors like PSMA-617 are suited for this theranostic pair, while slow-internalizing 225 Ac-labelled tracers are not quantitatively represented by 134 Ce PET imaging., Conclusion: When employing slow-internalizing vectors, 134 Ce might not be an ideal match for 225 Ac due to the underestimation of tumour uptake caused by the in vivo redistribution of 134 La. However, this same characteristic makes it possible to estimate the redistribution of 225 Ac's progeny noninvasively. In future studies, this unique PET in vivo generator will further be harnessed to study tracer internalization, trafficking of receptors, and the progression of the tumour microenvironment., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In this study, a Ce-loading biochar (Ce-BC) was synthesized by the optimal modification method of pre-pyrolysis impregnation, a pyrolysis temperature at 600 °C, and a CeCl 3 concentration of 1.00 mol L -1 for efficient adsorption phosphorus (P) from wastewater. The results revealed that Ce-BC could achieve a maximum P removal rate of 100% under specific conditions: an adsorbent concentration of 2.00 g L -1 , an initial solution pH of 3.00, an adsorption temperature of 25 °C, and an initial P concentration of 20.00 mg L -1 . The adsorption process followed the quasi-secondary kinetic model, suggesting the Ce-BC was particularly effective in acidic environments. Meanwhile, Ce-BC has a strong resistance to anion interference and good cycling performance (the P adsorption capacity of Ce-BC was 59.77% of its initial value after four cycles). Field emission scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that Ce-BC contained a porous structure and rich functional groups (hydroxyl and carboxyl), and compounds of CeO 2 and MgCeO 3 were formed. The Ce loading favored the exchange with P through ligands, inner-sphere complexation, ion exchange, and electrostatic interaction to form inner-sphere complex-cerium P (CePO 4 ), and the surface complex of Ce-O-P replaced O-H. In addition, the Ce-BC adsorption columns substantially affected P removal in actual wastewater. Overall, Ce-BC is a promising material for the treating P-containing acidic wastewater., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Achieving rapid, cost effective, and intelligent identification and quantification of flavonoids is challenging. For fast and uncomplicated flavonoid determination, a sensing platform of smartphone-coupled colorimetric sensor arrays (electronic noses) was developed, relying on the differential competitive inhibition of hesperidin, nobiletin, and tangeretin on the oxidation reactions of nanozymes with a 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine substrate. First, density functional theory calculations predicted the enhanced peroxidase-like activities of CeO 2 nanozymes after doping with Mn, Co, and Fe, which was then confirmed by experiments. The self-designed mobile application, Quick Viewer, enabled a rapid evaluation of the red, green, and blue values of colorimetric images using a multi-hole parallel acquisition strategy. The sensor array based on three channels of CeMn, CeFe, and CeCo was able to discriminate between different flavonoids from various categories, concentrations, mixtures, and the various storage durations of flavonoid-rich Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium through a linear discriminant analysis. Furthermore, the integration of a "segmentation-extraction-regression" deep learning algorithm enabled single-hole images to be obtained by segmenting from a 3 × 4 sensing array to augment the featured information of array images. The MobileNetV3-small neural network was trained on 37,488 single-well images and achieved an excellent predictive capability for flavonoid concentrations (R 2  = 0.97). Finally, MobileNetV3-small was integrated into a smartphone as an application (Intelligent Analysis Master), to achieve the one-click output of three concentrations. This study developed an innovative approach for the qualitative and simultaneous multi-ingredient quantitative analysis of flavonoids., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The mononuclear phagocytic system clears the circulating inorganic nanomaterials from the bloodstream, which raises concerns about the chronic toxicity of the accumulated metal species. A better understanding of the behavior of each metal after systemic injection is thus required for clinical translations. This study investigates the significance of the metal-ligand interaction on the accumulation of cerium and demonstrates that only the form in which cerium is coordinated to a multidentate chelator with a strong binding affinity does not accumulate in major organs. Specifically, cerium complexed with diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) forms renally excretable nanoparticles in vivo to circumvent the leaching of cerium ions, whereas weakly coordinated cerium-based nanomaterials produce insoluble precipitates upon encountering physiological phosphate anions. Ceria-based renally clearable nanoparticles (CRNs) derived from cerium-DTPA are utilized as the antioxidant pair with iron-DTPA, in which their combination leverages the Fenton reaction to synergistically scavenge hydrogen peroxide. This reduces the gene expression of pro-inflammatory factors in the macrophages activated with lipopolysaccharide as well as improves the survival rate of septic mice by alleviating the systemic inflammatory response and its downstream tissue injury in the liver, spleen, and kidneys. This study demonstrates that CRNs combined with iron-DTPA can be utilized as nonaccumulative nanomedicines for treating systemic inflammation, thereby overcoming the limitations of conventional ceria nanoparticle-based treatments.

Emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) threaten both the environment and human health. To realize the elimination of VOCs, Ru/CeO 2 catalysts have been intensively investigated and applied. Although it has been widely acknowledged that the catalytic performance of platinum group metal catalysts was highly determined by their dispersion and coordination environment, the most reactive structures on Ru/CeO 2 catalysts for VOCs oxidation are still ambiguous. In this work, starting from Ce-BTC (BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid) materials, atomically dispersed Ru catalysts and agglomerated Ru catalysts were successfully created via one-step hydrothermal method (Ru-CeO 2 -BTC) and conventional incipient wetness impregnation method (Ru/CeO 2 -BTC), respectively. In a typical model reaction of C 3 H 6 oxidation, atomically dispersed Ru δ+ species with the formation of abundant Ru-O-Ce linkages on Ru-CeO 2 -BTC were found to perform much better than agglomerated RuO x species on Ru/CeO 2 -BTC. Further characterizations and mechanism study disclosed that Ru-CeO 2 -BTC catalyst with atomically dispersed Ru ions and more superior low temperature redox performance compared to Ru/CeO 2 -BTC could better facilitate the adsorption/activation of C 3 H 6 and the decomposition/desorption of intermediates, thus exhibiting superior C 3 H 6 oxidation activity. This work elucidated the reactive sites on Ru/CeO 2 catalysts in the C 3 H 6 oxidation reaction and provided insightful guidance for designing efficient Ru/CeO 2 catalysts to eliminate VOCs.