Degradable Hybrid CuS Nanoparticles for Imaging-Guided Synergistic Cancer Therapy via Low-Power NIR-II Light Excitation

Near-infrared(NIR)-II light-excitable photonic agents capable of generating tumor hyperthermia and cytotoxic free radicals are promising for synergistic phototherapy of tumors.However,the lack of NIR-II excitable agents makes it challenging to achieve combinational tumor phototherapy.Here,the authors have reported on a tumor-targeting and degradable hybrid copper sulfide(CuS)nanoparticle(AIBA@CuS-FA)via loading a hydrophilic Azo initiator(AIBA)into an amphiphilic lipid-encapsulating CuS nanoparticle.AIBA@CuS-FA shows high photothermal conversion efficiency(PCE≈47.5%)at 1064 nm,enabling heat production to trigger tumor hyperthermia and thermal decomposition of AIBA into cytotoxic free alkyl radicals upon irradiation with a 1064-nm laser under low-power density(0.5 W/cm2).Moreover,alkyl radicals can drive degradation of AIBA@CuS-FA and embedded CuS nanodisks,releasing Cu^(2+)ions that can catalyze a Fenton-like reaction for hydroxyl radical(•OH)production to promote tumor therapy.Findings demonstrate promise for combinational photothermal therapy(PTT),oxygen-independent alkyl radical therapy,and chemodynamic therapy(CDT)of tumors.

Experimental randomness certification with a symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measurement

Nonlocal correlations observed from entangled quantum particles imply the existence of intrinsic randomness.Normally, locally projective measurements performed on a two-qubit entangled state can only certify one-bit randomness at most, while non-projective measurement can certify more randomness with the same quantum resources. In this Letter, we carry out an experimental investigation on quantum randomness certification through a symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measurement, which in principle can certify the maximum randomness through an entangled qubit. We observe the quantum nonlocal correlations that are close to the theoretical values. In the future, this work can provide a valuable reference for the research on the limit of randomness certification.

An activatable ratiometric near-infrared fluorescent probe for hydrogen sulfide imaging in vivo

Ratiometric fluorescent probes hold great promise for in vivo imaging;however,stimuli-activatable ratiometric probes with fluorescence emissions in near-infrared(NIR)region are still very few.Herein,we report a hydrogen sulfide(H_2S)-activatable ratiometric NIR fluorescent probe(1-SPN)by integrating a H_2S-responsive NIR fluorescent probe 1 into a H_2S-inert poly[2,6-(4,4-bis-(2-ethylhexyl)-4 H-cyclopenta[2,1-b;3,4-b′]dithiophene)-alt-4,7(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)](PCPDTBT)-based NIR semiconducting polymer nanoparticle(SPN).1-SPN shows"always on"PCPDTBT fluorescence at 830 nm and weak probe 1 fluorescence at 725 nm under excitation at 680 nm.The ratio of NIR fluorescence intensities between 725 and 830 nm(I_(725)/I_(830))is small.Upon interaction with H_2S,the fluorescence at 725 nm is rapidly switched on,resulting in a large enhancement of I_(725)/I_(830),which is allowed for sensitive visualization and quantification of H_2S concentrations in living cells.Taking advantage of enhanced tissue penetration depth of NIR fluorescence,1-SPN is also applied for real-time ratiometric fluorescence imaging of hepatic and tumor H_2S in living mice.This study demonstrates that activatable ratiometric NIR fluorescent probes hold great potential for in vivo imaging.