Versatile Near-Infrared Super-Resolution Imaging of Amyloid Fibrils with the Fluorogenic Probe CRANAD-2

CRANAD-2 is a fluorogenic curcumin derivative used for near-infrared detection and imaging in vivo of amyloid aggregates, which are involved in neurodegenerative diseases. We explore the performance of CRANAD-2 in two super-resolution imaging techniques, namely stimulated emission depletion (STED) and single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM), with markedly different fluorophore requirements. By conveniently adapting the concentration of CRANAD-2, which transiently binds to amyloid fibrils, we show that it performs well in both techniques, achieving a resolution in the range of 45–55 nm. Correlation of SMLM with atomic force microscopy (AFM) validates the resolution of fine features in the reconstructed super-resolved image. The good performance and versatility of CRANAD-2 provides a powerful tool for near-infrared nanoscopic imaging of amyloids in vitro and in vivo.     

A Far-Red Emitting Fluorescent Chemogenetic Reporter for In Vivo Molecular Imaging

Far-red emitting fluorescent labels are highly desirable for spectral multiplexing and deep tissue imaging. Here, we describe the generation of frFAST (far-red Fluorescence Activating and absorption Shifting Tag), a 14-kDa monomeric protein that forms a bright far-red fluorescent assembly with (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-phenyl)allylidene rhodanine (HPAR-3OM). As HPAR-3OM is essentially non-fluorescent in solution and in cells, frFAST can be imaged with high contrast in presence of free HPAR-3OM, which allowed the rapid and efficient imaging of frFAST fusions in live cells, zebrafish embryo/larvae, and chicken embryos. Beyond enabling the genetic encoding of far-red fluorescence, frFAST allowed the design of a far-red chemogenetic reporter of protein–protein interactions, demonstrating its great potential for the design of innovative far-red emitting biosensors.     

Synthesis of Small‐Sized,Porous, and Low‐Toxic Magnetite Nanoparticles by Thin POSS Silica Coating

In this communication, we report the synthesis of small‐sized (<10 nm), water‐soluble, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) coated with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS), which contain either polyethylene glycol (PEG) or octa(tetramethylammonium) (OctaTMA) as functional groups. The POSS‐coated MNPs exhibit superparamagnetic behavior with saturation magnetic moments (51–53 emu g^?1) comparable to silica‐coated MNPs. They also provide good colloidal stability at different pH and salt concentrations, and low cytotoxicity to MCF‐7 human breast epithelial cells. The relaxivity data and magnetic resonance (MR) phantom images demonstrate the potential application of these MNPs in bioimaging.     

Additive Hermitian idempotent preservers between operator algebras

Let L be an additive map between (real or complex) matrix algebras sending $n\times n$ Hermitian idempotent matrices to $m\times m$ Hermitian idempotent matrices. We show that there are nonnegative integers $p,q$ with $n(p+q)=r\le m$ and an $m\times m$ unitary matrix U such that$L(A)=U[(I_p?A)\oplus (I_q?A^t)\oplus 0_{m?r}]U^{?},\text{for any}n\times n\text{Hermitian}A\text{with rational trace}.$ We also extend this result to the (complex) von Neumann algebra setting, and provide a supplement to the Dye-Bunce-Wright Theorem asserting that every additive map of Hermitian idempotents extends to a Jordan ?-homomorphism.     

Point Mutations of Nicotinic Receptor α1 Subunit Reveal New Molecular Features of G153S Slow-Channel Myasthenia

Slow-channel congenital myasthenic syndromes (SCCMSs) are rare genetic diseases caused by mutations in muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits. Most of the known SCCMS-associated mutations localize at the transmembrane region near the ion pore. Only two SCCMS point mutations are at the extracellular domains near the acetylcholine binding site, α1(G153S) being one of them. In this work, a combination of molecular dynamics, targeted mutagenesis, fluorescent Ca²⁺ imaging and patch-clamp electrophysiology has been applied to G153S mutant muscle nAChR to investigate the role of hydrogen bonds formed by Ser 153 with C-loop residues near the acetylcholine-binding site. Introduction of L199T mutation to the C-loop in the vicinity of Ser 153 changed hydrogen bonds distribution, decreased acetylcholine potency (EC₅₀ 2607 vs. 146 nM) of the double mutant and decay kinetics of acetylcholine-evoked cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ rise (τ 14.2 ± 0.3 vs. 34.0 ± 0.4 s). These results shed light on molecular mechanisms of nAChR activation-desensitization and on the involvement of such mechanisms in channelopathy genesis.     

Statistics of polymer capture by a nanopore: A Brownian dynamics simulation study

We investigate the statistics of polymer capture by a nanopore using Brownian dynamics simulations. It is found that when the velocity flux is greater than a critical velocity flux, the capture picture is a random selection process, otherwise it tends to a statistical process governed by energetic considerations. In addition, the chain ends capture probability decreases as the chain length increases and satisfies a power-law scaling of P0(N)~N-0.8.     

利用杨辉三角形对称性推导高阶运动微分方程

利用Mathematica数学软件计算函数r=r(q(t),t)各变量之间偏导和高阶导数的关系，发现具有杨辉三角形对称性.结合杨辉三角形的对称性规律和牛顿第二定律推导出了高阶运动微分方程，并讨论了理想约束系统下的高阶运动微分方程. 关键词： 杨辉三角形 牛顿第二定律 高阶运动微分方程 高阶力变率 高阶速度能量 理想约束     

简谐速度噪声及其与势场之间的频率共振

为了描述复杂的噪声环境，考虑了一种具有频率结构的噪声——简谐速度噪声，包括它的产生、关联函数、功率谱以及作为热噪声时的频率特性所导致的一些行为.结果表明：在频谱空间中简谐速度噪声是一种带通噪声，存在一个峰值频率，且噪声带宽由参量Γ控制.当简谐势中的一个布朗粒子受热简谐速度噪声驱动时，粒子能量极大值出现在两种频率相等的情况下.这表明噪声和势场的频率之间存在动力学共振，决定着粒子能量的大小. 关键词： 简谐噪声 简谐速度噪声 功率谱 频率共振     

Simulation of the Action of a Permeable Barrier on an Ideal Incompressible Channel Flow

Plane ideal incompressible flow in a rectangular channel partitioned by a thin permeable barrier (lattice) is considered. In flowing through the lattice the stream suddenly (jumpwise) changes direction and loses energy. The flow is assumed to be vortical; the vorticity is discontinuous on the lattice. A mathematical formulation of the problem for the stream function is proposed in the form of a nonlinear elliptic equation with coefficients discontinuous on the lattice line. A numerical solution is constructed using the finite-element iteration method. The results of the numerical simulation show how the flow velocity profile in the channel can be controlled by means of permeable barriers.