Cell Tracking with Caged Xenon: Using Cryptophanes as MRI Reporters upon Cellular Internalization

Caged xenon has great potential in overcoming sensitivity limitations for solution‐state NMR detection of dilute molecules. However, no application of such a system as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent has yet been performed with live cells. We demonstrate MRI localization of cells labeled with caged xenon in a packed‐bed bioreactor working under perfusion with hyperpolarized‐xenon‐saturated medium. Xenon hosts enable NMR/MRI experiments with switchable contrast and selectivity for cell‐associated versus unbound cages. We present MR images with 10³‐fold sensitivity enhancement for cell‐internalized, dual‐mode (fluorescence/MRI) xenon hosts at low micromolar concentrations. Our results illustrate the capability of functionalized xenon to act as a highly sensitive cell tracer for MRI detection even without signal averaging. The method will bridge the challenging gap for translation to in vivo studies for the optimization of targeted biosensors and their multiplexing applications.     

Separation of Xe from Kr with Record Selectivity and Productivity in Anion‐Pillared Ultramicroporous Materials by Inverse Size‐Sieving

The separation of xenon/krypton (Xe/Kr) mixture is of great importance to industry, but the available porous materials allow the adsorption of both, Xe and Kr only with limited selectivity. Herein we report an anion‐pillared ultramicroporous material NbOFFIVE‐2‐Cu‐i (ZU‐62) with finely tuned pore aperture size and structure flexibility, which for the first time enables an inverse size‐sieving effect in separation along with record Xe/Kr selectivity and ultrahigh Xe capacity. Evidenced by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, the rotation of anions and pyridine rings upon contact of larger‐size Xe atoms adapts cavities to the shape/size of Xe and allows strong host‐Xe interaction, while the smaller‐size Kr is excluded. Breakthrough experiments confirmed that ZU‐62 has a real practical potential for producing high‐purity Kr and Xe from air‐separation byproducts, showing record Kr productivity (206 mL g^?1) and Xe productivity (42 mL g^?1, in desorption) as well as good recyclability.     

一种弹体入水冲击波阴影成像可视化系统及其试验研究

扩大成像视野对于开展充水容器中弹体入水冲击波传播及弥散方面的可视化研究具有重要的实际意义。阴影成像技术适用于大视野实验,且对流场冲击波和扰动的可视化研究具有简单性和通用性,其中直接阴影成像最为简单,但可靠点光源的缺乏是阻碍其发展应用的瓶颈。因此基于国产短弧氙灯管,自制了短弧氙灯点光源,根据阴影成像原理,设计出一种弹体入水冲击波阴影成像可视化系统,详细介绍了其组成和运行原理。利用该系统对高速弹体入水进行了试验研究,获得了弹体入水冲击波的阴影成像和冲击波信号的压力时程曲线,通过阴影成像和冲击波信号相结合分析了弹体入水冲击波的传播特性,并进行了理论验证。结果表明:该弹体入水冲击波阴影成像可视化系统具有可靠性和设计的合理性。弹体高速入水后,初始冲击波的强度最大,随着冲击波的传播,冲击波强度逐渐降低,水中冲击波的传播速度不断降低,球形冲击波的半径逐渐增大。     

Photodynamic Therapy for Cancer Cells Using a Flash Wave Light Xenon Lamp

We determined photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficacy using a flash wave (FW) and a continuous wave (CW) light, of which the fluence rate was 70 W/cm², for murine thymic lymphoma cells (EL-4) cultivated in vitro. The irradiation frequency and the pulse width of the FW light were in the range of 1–32 Hz and less than one millisecond, respectively. 5-Aminolevulinic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX (ALA-PpIX) was used as a photosensitizer. When EL-4 with ALA administration was irradiated by the light for 4 h (irradiation fluence: 1.0J/cm²), the survival rate of EL-4 by the FW light was lower than that by the CW light, except for the FW light with irradiation frequency of 32 Hz, and decreased gradually with decreasing irradiation frequency. Moreover, the FW light, especially at lower irradiation frequency, was superior to the CW light for the generation of singlet oxygen in an aqueous PpIX solution. Therefore, thehigher PDT efficacy for EL-4 of the FW light would be caused by the greater generation of singlet oxygen in the cells.     

Perovskites with the Framework‐Forming Xenon

The Group 18 elements (noble gases) were the last ones in the periodic system to have not been encountered in perovskite structures. We herein report the synthesis of a new group of double perovskites KM(XeNaO₆) (M=Ca, Sr, Ba) containing framework‐forming xenon. The structures of the new compounds, like other double perovskites, are built up of the alternating sequence of corner‐sharing (XeO₆) and (NaO₆) octahedra arranged in a three‐dimensional rocksalt order. The fact that xenon can be incorporated into the perovskite structure provides new insights into the problem of Xe depletion in the atmosphere. Since octahedrally coordinated Xe^VIII and Si^IV exhibit close values of ionic radii (0.48 and 0.40 Å, respectively), one could assume that Xe^VIII can be incorporated into hyperbaric frameworks such as MgSiO₃ perovskite. The ability of Xe to form stable inorganic frameworks can further extend the rich and still enigmatic chemistry of this noble gas.