A simple preparative strategy was proposed for the preparation of water-soluble, bright blue-emitting carbon nanoparticles ( CNPs ) at different temperatures by hydrothermal treatment using bean curd residue as carbon source for the first time. When the temperature reaches 240 ℃, quantum yield ( QY) can be up to 15. 24%. Most importantly, such fluorescent CNPs can be served as an effective sensing platform for label-free sensitive and selective detection of Fe3+ions with a detection of limit as low as 50 nmol/L, which is nearly 2 orders of magnitude lower than the maximum level of Fe3+ions in the drinking water permitted by the European Community. These outstanding properties give promising potential for reliable detection of Fe3+ in intracellular fluid and water samples, even bioimaging and optical imaging without being hazard in the future.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a rare and severe progressive disease. It results from hypertrophic remodeling of distal pulmonary arterioles that increases pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance in the absence of left heart, pulmonary parenchymal, or thromboembolic disease. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) regulates a large number of genes related to the occurrence and development of PH, and induces pulmonary angiogenesis, cell proliferation and migration, cellular energy metabolism and utilization. HIF-1 is an important component of the pathogenesis of hypoxic PH and plays an important role in driving the pathological process of pulmonary vascular and right ventricular remodeling. This article systematically elucidated the role and regulation of HIF-1 in hypoxic PH and its potential in targeted therapy of PH.