The use of imaging XPS to assess ligand binding to nanoparticles

A micro‐beam scanning X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been utilized to obtain information about the attachment of ligand to nanoparticles in solution by measuring the ligand components relative to nanoparticle components. CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanoparticles capped with three different kinds of ligand molecules are drop‐casted on a substrate and led to dry into self‐agglomerated micropatterns. Those specimens are mapped out by element‐sensitive XPS imaging. The spatial correlation between surface ligand molecules and core nanoparticle atoms is statistically analysed using Pearson correlation function, which provides with a useful assessment of the ligand binding to nanoparticle surfaces. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A novel Np–Pu separation procedure based on extraction with di-(chlorophenyl)-dithiophosphinic acid in nitric solution

The extraction behavior of Pu(III), Pu(IV), Np(IV) and Np(V) with di(chlorophenyl)-dithiophosphinic acid (DCPDTPA) in toluene from nitric acid solutions was studied systematically. In aqueous solution with high nitric acid concentration, the extraction capability (represented by distribution ratio D) for Pu and Np in different valences with DCPDTPA comes as D _Np(IV) > D _Pu(IV) > D _Np(V) > D _Pu(III). A new radiochemical procedure for Np/Pu separation based on DCPDTPA extraction was proposed and tested with simulated samples. The recoveries of Np and Pu are as high as 80 % after the whole separation procedure, with the decontamination factor of trivalent lanthanide fission product element (e.g. Eu) greater than 1.5 × 10⁴. The decontamination factor of Pu–Np is 2.0 × 10³, while the decontamination factor of Np–Pu is greater than 4.8 × 10³ after additional purification.     

平面上一类自相似集的共形维数

本文证明了平面上一类自相似集的共形维数为1.此外还证明了这些自相似集与任何Hausdorff维数为1的度量空间都不是拟对称等价的.这表明,对于这些自相似集而言,共形维数定义中的下确界不能达到.     

The mechanism of interaction between focused ultrasound and microbubbles in blood-brain barrier opening in mice

The activation of bubbles by an acoustic field has been shown to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier (BBB), but the trigger cause responsible for the physiological effects involved in the process of BBB opening remains unknown. Here, the trigger cause (i.e., physical mechanism) of the focused ultrasound-induced BBB opening with monodispersed microbubbles is identified. Sixty-seven mice were injected intravenously with bubbles of 1-2, 4-5, or 6-8 μm in diameter and the concentration of 10(7) numbers/ml. The right hippocampus of each mouse was then sonicated using focused ultrasound (1.5 MHz frequency, 100 cycles pulse length, 10 Hz pulse repetition frequency, 1 min duration). Peak-rarefactional pressures of 0.15, 0.30, 0.45, or 0.60 MPa were applied to identify the threshold of BBB opening and inertial cavitation (IC). Our results suggest that the BBB opens with nonlinear bubble oscillation when the bubble diameter is similar to the capillary diameter and with inertial cavitation when it is not. The bubble may thus have to be in contact with the capillary wall to induce BBB opening without IC. BBB opening was shown capable of being induced safely with nonlinear bubble oscillation at the pressure threshold and its volume was highly dependent on both the acoustic pressure and bubble diameter.     

Strain-dependent splitting of the double-resonance Raman scattering band in graphene

Under homogeneous uniaxial strains, the Raman 2D band of graphene involving two-phonon double-resonance scattering processes splits into two peaks and they altogether redshift strongly depending on the direction and magnitude of the strain. Through polarized micro-Raman measurements and first-principles calculations, the effects are shown to originate from significant changes in resonant conditions owing to both the distorted Dirac cones and anisotropic modifications of phonon dispersion under uniaxial strains. Quantitative agreements between the calculation and experiment enable us to determine the dominant double-resonance Raman scattering path, thereby answering a fundamental question concerning this key experimental analyzing tool for graphitic systems.     

Explosive percolation is continuous, but with unusual finite size behavior

We study four Achlioptas-type processes with "explosive" percolation transitions. All transitions are clearly continuous, but their finite size scaling functions are not entirely holomorphic. The distributions of the order parameter, i.e., the relative size s(max)/N of the largest cluster, are double humped. But-in contrast to first-order phase transitions-the distance between the two peaks decreases with system size N as N(-η) with η>0. We find different positive values of β (defined via (s(max)/N)～(p-p(c))β for infinite systems) for each model, showing that they are all in different universality classes. In contrast, the exponent Θ (defined such that observables are homogeneous functions of (p-p(c))N(Θ)) is close to-or even equal to-1/2 for all models.     

Spin-canting-induced improper ferroelectricity and spontaneous magnetization reversal in SmFeO3

SmFeO3, a family of centrosymmetric rare-earth orthoferrites, is known to be nonferroelectric. However, we have found that SmFeO3 is surprisingly ferroelectric at room temperature with a small polarization along the b axis of Pbnm. First-principles calculations indicate that the canted antiferromagnetic ordering with two nonequivalent spin pairs is responsible for this extraordinary polarization and that the reverse Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction dominates over the exchange-striction mechanism in the manifestation of the improper ferroelectricity. SmFeO3 further exhibits an interesting phenomenon of spontaneous magnetization reversal at cryogenic temperatures. This reversal is attributed to the activation of the Sm-spin moment which is antiparallel to the Fe-spin moment below ～5 K.     

Multiwavelength anomalous diffraction at high x-ray intensity

The multiwavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD) method is used to determine phase information in x-ray crystallography by employing anomalous scattering from heavy atoms. X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) show promise for revealing the structure of single molecules or nanocrystals, but the phase problem remains largely unsolved. Because of the ultrabrightness of x-ray FEL, samples experience severe electronic radiation damage, especially to heavy atoms, which hinders direct implementation of MAD with x-ray FELs. Here, we propose a generalized version of MAD phasing at high x-ray intensity. We demonstrate the existence of a Karle-Hendrickson-type equation in the high-intensity regime and calculate relevant coefficients with detailed electronic damage dynamics of heavy atoms. The present method offers a potential for ab initio structural determination in femtosecond x-ray nanocrystallography.     

Increased accumulation of paclitaxel and doxorubicin in proliferating capillary cells and prostate cancer cells following ultrasound exposure

Introduction

We have previously reported enhanced cytotoxic effects of both doxorubicin and antisense oligonucleotides using an optimized ultrasound regime of a single 10 s exposure in burst-mode (4 MHz, 32 W/cm²(SaTa), 50 ms burst period) in both PC3 (prostate cancer) cells and angiogenic Huvec (human umbilical cord endothelial cells). The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of ultrasound on the cellular uptake of both hydrophilic agents (rhodamine R123, doxorubicin hydrochloride and mannitol) and hydrophobic agents (rhodamine R6G and paclitaxel) using the same 4 MHz ultrasound exposure system.

Methods

PC3 cells and Huvec were incubated with solutions of radioactive or fluorescent compounds for 1 h and ultrasound was then applied to cells. Following washing and lysis of cells, the degree of drug uptake was measured using liquid scintillation counting or fluorescence spectroscopy.

Results

Ultrasound exposure resulted in the enhanced uptake of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds into cells. For paclitaxel, approximately 100% increased uptake was observed when the drug was encapsulated in a nanoparticulate micellar formulation compared to approximately 50% for free drug.

Conclusions

The 4 MHz, 32 W/cm² ultrasound exposure regime (using burst-mode with 50 ms burst period) allows for the enhanced uptake of both water soluble and insoluble compounds into proliferating cancer and angiogenic cells.