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A label-free nanoimmunosensor is reported based on p53/CeO

Polymersomes are biomimetic cell membrane-like model structures that are self-assembled stepwise from amphiphilic copolymers. These polymeric (nano)carriers have gained the scientific community’s attention due to their biocompatibility, versatility, and higher stability than liposomes. Their tunable properties, such as composition, size, shape, and surface functional groups, extend encapsulation possibilities to either hydrophilic or hydrophobic cargoes (or both) and their site-specific delivery. Besides, polymersomes can disassemble in response to different stimuli, including light, for controlling the “on-demand” release of cargo that may also respond to light as photosensitizers and plasmonic nanostructures. Thus, polymersomes can be spatiotemporally stimulated by light of a wide wavelength range, whose exogenous response may activate light-stimulable moieties, enhance the drug efficacy, decrease side effects, and, thus, be broadly employed in photoinduced therapy. This review describes current light-responsive polymersomes evaluated for anticancer therapy. It includes light-activable moieties’ features and polymersomes’ composition and release behavior, focusing on recent advances and applications in cancer therapy, current trends, and photosensitive polymersomes’ perspectives.

The hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of acetophenone was evaluated in liquid phase and gas phase over monometallic Pt/SiO 2 , Co/SiO 2 and bimetallic Pt–Co/SiO 2 catalysts. The influence of reaction time and loading of the catalyst were analysed by following the conversion and products selectivity. Phenylethanol, cyclohexylethanone and cyclohexylethanol are the main products of reaction using the Pt/SiO 2 catalyst. By contrast, ethylbenzene and phenylethanol are the only products formed on the Co/SiO 2 and Pt–Co/SiO 2 catalysts. The bimetallic catalyst is more stable as a function of time and more active towards the HDO process than the monometallic systems. The presence of an organic solvent showed only minor changes in product yields with no effect on the product speciation. Periodic density functional theory analysis indicates a stronger interaction between the carbonyl group of acetophenone with Co than with Pt sites of the mono and bimetallic systems, indicating a key activity of oxophilic sites towards improved selectivity to deoxygenated products. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Bio-derived and bioinspired sustainable advanced materials for emerging technologies (part 2)’.

The accurate determination of specific tumor markers associated with cancer with non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures is the most promising approach to improve the long-term survival of cancer patients and fight against the high incidence and mortality of this disease. Quantification of biomarkers at different stages of the disease can lead to an appropriate and instantaneous therapeutic action. In this context, the determination of biomarkers by electrochemical biosensors is at the forefront of cancer diagnosis research because of their unique features such as their versatility, fast response, accurate quantification, and amenability for multiplexing and miniaturization. In this review, after briefly discussing the relevant aspects and current challenges in the determination of colorectal tumor markers, it will critically summarize the development of electrochemical biosensors to date to this aim, highlighting the enormous potential of these devices to be incorporated into the clinical practice. Finally, it will focus on the remaining challenges and opportunities to bring electrochemical biosensors to the point-of-care testing. COL0083811

Aluminosilicates with disordered hexagonal mesostructure leading to wormhole-like porosity (MA, Si/Al = 50) were obtained using BEA-seeds and CTABr as directing agent of the hexagonal mesopores. A microwave-assisted synthesis was proposed as an alternative to the time-consuming conventional hydrothermal synthesis. Time of microwave irradiation was evaluated, and it was found that aluminosilicates were successfully synthesized in 5 min via microwave heating as compared to 2 days required in the conventional hydrothermal synthesis without sacrificing material properties. Mesoporous aluminosilicates with Si/Al molar ratio between 24 and 42 were obtained with a yield of about 95% and they were used as the acidic function in bifunctional MoS2/MA catalysts, where nano-MoS2 was formed in-situ during the decalin hydrocracking. The acidic properties of the aluminosilicates, specifically, number and strength of Bronsted acid sites have an impact on the catalytic activity of the bifunctional catalysts measured for decalin hydroconversion, leading mostly skeletal isomerization and single-ring opening products.