Metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets are a class of two-dimensional (2D) porous and crystalline materials that hold promise for catalysis and biodetection. Although 2D MOF nanosheets have been utilized for in vitro assays, ways of engineering them into diagnostic tools for live animals are much less explored. In this work, a series of MOF nanosheets are successfully engineered into a highly sensitive and selective diagnostic platform for in vivo monitoring of heparin (Hep) activity. The iron-porphyrin derivative is selected as a ligand to synthesize a series of archetypical MOF nanosheets with intrinsic heme-like catalytic sites, mimicking peroxidase. Hep-specific AG73 peptides as recognition motifs are physically adsorbed onto MOF nanosheets, blocking active sites from nonspecific substrate-catalyst interaction. Because of the highly specific interaction between Hep and AG73, the activity of AG73-MOF nanosheets is restored upon the binding of Hep, but not Hep analogues and other endogenous biomolecules. Furthermore, by taking advantages of biocompatibility and diagnostic property enabled by AG73-MOF nanosheets, the elimination process of Hep in live rats is quantitatively monitored by coupling with microdialysis technology. This work expands the biomedical applications of 2D MOF nanomaterials and provides access to a promising in vivo diagnostic platform.

Lead halide perovskites with well-defined morphology have attracted attention for their unique properties as a promising new class of semiconductor materials in photovoltaics and optoelectronics. However, controlling morphologies and compositions of perovskite nanostructures with improved stability, especially for double cation lead halide perovskite, still remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate a colloidal synthetic approach for direct synthesis of stable singlecrystal formamidinium (FA) cesium double cation lead halide FA 0.33 Cs 0.67 PbBr 3−x I x (0 ≤ x ≤ 3) perovskite nanostructures with controllable morphology over a wide range of halide compositions, without using a previous anion-exchange process. The presence of FA alloyed in the A site for the pure cesium lead halide perovskite structure can stabilize the nanocrystals while delivering a better balance between structure and composition. On the basis of the FA 0.33 Cs 0.67 PbBr 3−x I x alloy perovskite system, we achieved nanowires and nanosheets with high yield of various halide compositions by tuning the ligand participating in the reaction. These new perovskite nanostructures with well-defined morphology and compositions demonstrated improved stability and fluorescent and optoelectronic properties, which may allow them to find application as replacements for conventional semiconductor nanostructures in nanoscale devices.

Threose nucleic acid (TNA) aptamers were selected in vitro to bind PD-L1 protein and inhibit its interaction with PD-1. These biologically stable TNA aptamers bound target proteins with nanomolar affinities,...