Tantalum Nitride Nanosheets for Photoacoustic Imaging-Guided Photothermal Cancer Therapy

In this study, the synthesis of TaN nanosheets and their application in theranostic agents is reported. After coating polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the TaN nanosheets, the as-synthesized PEG-modified TaN nanosheets (TaN-PEG) show good stability and biocompatibility. Because of their high absorbance in the near-IR region, TaN-PEG can be utilized as photoacoustic imaging contrast agents for tumor imaging. Moreover, TaN-PEG has significant photothermal conversion performance, exhibiting effective laser-induced tumor ablation capability. The TaN-PEG possessing excellent photoacoustic contrast effect and photothermal properties thus have great promise in theranostic applications, especially imaging-guided cancer treatment.     

3.0T MRI检查结合X线钼靶诊断乳腺恶性肿瘤的研究

本研究探讨3.0T磁共振成像(MRI)结合X线钼靶诊断乳腺恶性肿瘤的价值。采用回顾性研究方法,选取乳腺肿块患者110例162个病灶,给予3.0T MRI及X线钼靶检查。经病理确诊为恶性病变101个;恶性病灶形态不规则、边缘毛刺、时间-信号强度曲线(TIC)类型Ⅲ型和早期增强率≥60%比例明显高于良性病灶(P<0.05),而分叶状比例和表观扩散系数(ADC)值明显低于良性病变(P<0.05);恶性病变X线钼靶表现:形态不规则、钙化、结构不对称和大导管征比例明显高于良性病变(P<0.05);MRI联合X线钼靶诊断乳腺恶性病变的灵敏性、准确性和阴性预测值明显高于MRI诊断(P<0.05)。3.0T MRI检查结合X线钼靶诊断乳腺恶性肿瘤有较好的价值。     

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.     

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.     

FRET-based ratiometric fluorescent detection of arginine in mitochondrion with a hybrid nanoprobe

A ratiometric fluorescent hybrid nanoprobe CDs-1 for arginine(Arg),exhibiting high sensitivity(the limit of detection,LOD,being 6.5×10^-8 mol/L) and excellent selectivity and anti-interference ability,was fabricated through fluorescence resonance energy transfer(FRET) and the electrostatic attraction between positively-charged hemicyanine molecules and negatively-charged carbon dots(CDs).Arg can be quantitatively detected in the concentration range from 6.0×10^-5 mol/L to 2.7×10^-4 mol/L.Further,due to its ability to target mitochondrion and low cytotoxicity,intracellular Arg was succes s fully tracked through ratiometric fluorescence imaging.     

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.     

Noninvasive Temperature Measurement in Dental Materials Using Nd3+, Yb3+ Doped Nanoparticles Emitting in the Near Infrared Region

In this work, the application of near infrared (NIR)-emitting NaYbF₄:1%Tm³⁺@NaLuF₄:30%Nd³⁺ core–shell nanoparticles is reported for noninvasive probing and monitoring the temperature during photopolymerization of dental materials. When excited at 808 nm, the synthesized nanoparticles emit NIR photoluminescence (PL) with two distinctive peaks at 865 and 980 nm which correspond to radiative transitions from the doped Nd³⁺ and Yb³⁺ ions, respectively. Luminescence intensity ratio between these two bands is found to vary with temperature due to temperature-dependent electronic excitation energy transfer between Nd³⁺ and Yb³⁺ ions at the core/shell interface. This finding allows luminescence ratiometric evaluation of the in situ temperature during photopolymerization of resin cement (doped with nanoparticles) in a veneer placement procedure. In addition, the NIR emission also enables PL imaging of the distribution of the adhesive under the veneer. The results highlight that rare-earth ions–doped nanoparticles with both excitation and emission in the NIR spectral range are advantageous for both PL-based nanothermometry and imaging due to the reduced attenuation of NIR light by dental ceramics.     

Time-averaged flow characteristics and mixing properties of double-concentric jets

We examined the flow behaviors and mixing characteristics of double-concentric jets using laser-assisted smoke flow visualization method to analyze typical flow patterns and binary boundary detection technique to investigate jet spread width. Time-averaged velocity vectors, streamline patterns, velocity distributions, turbulence properties, and vorticity contours were analyzed using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). Topological flow patterns were analyzed to interpret the vortical flow structures. Mixing properties were investigated using a tracer-gas concentration detection method. Four characteristic modes were observed: annular flow dominated mode, transition mode, central jet dominated mode-low shear, and central jet dominated mode-high shear. The jets’ mixing properties were enhanced by two major phenomena: the merging of annular flow and central jet at the centerline and the large turbulence fluctuations produced in the flow field. The merging of the jets induced stagnation points on the central axis in the annular flow dominated mode, which caused reverse flow on the central axis and drastic turbulence fluctuations of the near field region. When the central jet penetrated the recirculation region in the other three modes, the stagnation points on the central axis and the reverse flow vanished. Therefore, the mixing behaviors were prominently enhanced in the annular flow dominated mode.     

曲面相机阵列多分辨成像方法

针对现有成像系统因数据冗余而无法兼顾大视场、高分辨、高效性的问题,结合人眼视网膜变分辨成像和并列式复眼成像原理,设计一种多分辨率成像的复合仿生成像系统.该成像系统按照球面和平面兼顾的曲面布局方式,利用11个相机镜头构建相机阵列,组成了四个等级分辨率的子眼拍摄模块.通过物距100 m的远景实验和物距10 m的近景实验发现,该系统在实现高分辨成像的同时,获得总视场达150.8°×37.8°.多分辨率成像实验结果表明,该系统获取的图像的分辨率从中心视场到边缘视场逐渐降低,并且相较于中心清晰全视场成像,四级分辨率成像的拼接图像数据量减少了17.2倍的数据冗余.