Recent advances in the catalytic pyrolysis of biomass

Biomass is considered as a renewable and alternative resource for the production of fuels and chemicals,since it is the only carbon and hydrogen containing resource that we canfind in the world except for fossil resources,capable of being converted to hydro-carbons.The pyrolytic liquefaction of biomass is a promising way to convert biomass to useful products.This paper briefly surveys the present status of the direct catalytic pyrolysis for the liquefaction of biomass.The direct use of catalysts could decrease the pyrolysis temperature,increase the conversion of biomass and the yield of bio-oil,and change the distribution of the pyrolytic liquid products then improve the quality of the bio-oil obtained.The fact that biomass is in solid state present great challenges for its conversion and for the effective use of catalysts due to the bad heat transfer characteristics and bad mass transfer properties.These barriers appeal for the development of a new catalyst and new catalytic process as well as the integration of both.Process design and process intensification are of significant importance in the catalytic conversion of biomass.

A BINOL Based Fluorescence Sensor for Distinction of D-Glucose

A saccharide fluorescent receptor based on 1,1'-binaphthol was developed.The boronic acids groups are di-rectly attached to the 3,3'-positions of BINOL which acted as probes to saccharides.The methyl protected receptor R1 showed better response to D-fructose compared to other saccharides in the fluorescence quenching experiment.To improve the selectivity of D-glucose,the triethylene glycol protected receptor R2 was developed.Receptor R2 has a better water-solubility than R1 that can be applied in completely aqueous environment.With receptor R2,D-glucose has a different response to other saccharides that can be useful for the distinction of D-glucose.

A highly selective fluorescent probe for visualizing dry eye disease-associated viscosity variations

Dry eye disease(DED) is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory disease of the ocular surface with complex and unclear etiology. The development of reliable detection tools for the pathology of DED will benefit its treatment, but it is still lacking. In parallel, it has been discovered recently that viscosity changes are involved in inflammation processes. In this regard, we constructed a fluorescent probe V5with an asymmetric donor-acceptor-donor(D-A-D) feature after rational structural modulation for viscosity detection during DED progression. The probe manifested a remarkable fluorescence enhancement(110 folds) in highly viscous conditions without interferences from polarity and reactive species. Specifically, no aggregation effect of the probe was found in glycerol. Moreover, viscosity increment in human corneal epithelial cells(HCECs) induced by hyperosmosis and inflammation was monitored, and ferroptosis in HCECs also led to the viscosity elevation. A reactive oxygen species(ROS)-dependent viscosity changes during DED progression is demonstrated. Finally, viscosity change in corneal epithelial cell layer from mice treated by scopolamine was also visualized for the first time. We anticipate this work can provide a new lens to the pathogenesis study and diagnosis of DED and other ophthalmic diseases using fluorescence methods.

A novel coumarin-based water-soluble fluorescent probe for endogenously generated SO2 in living cells

A novel coumarin-based "turn-on" fluorescent probe SS-1 was developed for selective detection of SO_2 derivatives in 100% water solution among reactive sulfur species(RSS). The detection limit of the method was 91.7 nM. Moreover, the probe exhibited low cytotoxicity and was successfully applied in the imaging of endogenously generated SO_2 in HeLa cells.

A Novel Ratiometric Oxygen Sensor Based On a Sextuple Hydrogen-Bonding Self-Assembly Molecular Heterodimer

A novel sextuple hydrogen-bonding （HB） self-assembly molecular heterodimer bearing an iridium complex as the indicator dye and two carbazoles as the reference dye, namely 6HB-Irbt-Cz, was synthesized, and its molecular structure was confirmed by ^1H NMR, ^13CNMR, TOF-MS and 2D NMR. Because of the inefficient energy transfer process between the carbazole and iridium complex units, 6HB-Irbt-Cz exhibits distinct fluorescence/ phosphorescence dual emission in neat film state. More importantly, the neat film sample of 6HB-Irbt-Cz could display linear ratiometric optical response toward oxygen in the full oxygen concentration range from 0 to 100 vol%, together with good stability, reversibility and rapid response-recovery times. Note that this represents the first discovery of neat-film-based oxygen sensor capable of showing strictly linear ratiometric Stem-Volmer behavior in the oxygen concentration of 0- 100 vol%.

Tetraphenylethylene-conjugated polycation covered iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic resonance/optical dual-mode imaging

Magnetic resonance(MR)/optical dual-mode imaging with high sensitivity and high tissue resolution have attracted many attentions in biomedical applications.To avert aggregation-caused quenching of conventional fluorescence chromophores,an aggregation-induced emission molecule tetraphenylethylene(TPE)-conjugated amphiphilic polyethylenimine(PEI)covered superparamagnetic iron oxide(Alkyl-PEI-LAC-TPE/SPIO nanocomposites)was prepared as an MR/optical dual-mode probe.Alkyl-PEI-LAC-TPE/SPIO nanocomposites exhibited good fluorescence property and presented higher T2 relaxivity(352 Fe mM1s1)than a commercial contrast agent Feridex(120 Fe mM1s1)at 1.5 T.The alkylation degree of Alkyl-PEI-LAC-TPE effects the restriction of intramolecular rotation process of TPE.Reducing alkane chain grafting ratio aggravated the stack of TPE,increasing the fluorescence lifetime of Alkyl-PEI-LAC-TPE/SPIO nanocomposites.Alkyl-PEI-LAC-TPE/SPIO nanocomposites can effectively labelled HeLa cells and resulted in high fluorescence intensity and excellent MR imaging sensitivity.As an MR/optical imaging probe,Alkyl-PEI-LAC-TPE/SPIO nanocomposites may be used in biomedical imaging for certain applications.