Anisotropic Protein Organofibers Encoded With Extraordinary Mechanical Behavior for Cellular Mechanobiology Applications

Hydrogels enable a variety of applications due to their dynamic networks, structural flexibility, and tailorable functionality. However, their mechanical performances are limited, specifically in the context of cellular mechanobiology. It is also difficult to fabricate robust gel networks with a long-term durability. Thus, a new generation of soft materials showing outstanding mechanical behavior for mechanobiology applications is highly desirable. We combined synthetic biology and supramolecular assembly to prepare elastin-like protein (ELP) organogel fibers with extraordinary mechanical properties. The mechanical performance and stability of the assembled anisotropic proteins are superior to other organo-/hydrogel systems. Bone-derived mesenchymal cells were introduced into the organofiber system for stem-cell lineage differentiation. This approach demonstrates the feasibility of mechanically strong and anisotropic organonetworks for mechanobiology applications and holds great potential for tissue-regeneration translations.     

A novel fast 3D measurement method based on phase-coded fringe projection

Optical Review - Fringe projection profilometry is widely used for the 3D measurement of real-world objects; however, quickly obtaining high-precision 3D measurements is an issue that needs to be...     

“最小键级原理”的从头算证实———苯和苯胺类硝基衍生物

感度是爆炸物对外界刺激的敏感程度 ,是火药、炸药和起爆药的基本属性 .在外界撞击作用下炸药发生爆炸的难易程度即该炸药的撞击感度 .感度通常依靠实测 ,从理论上加以判别是人们追求的目标 ,故研究炸药感度与结构的关系一直是该领域的热点 .根据撞击引起热解、热解引起爆炸、撞击感度主要与热解引发步骤相关联等思想 ,我们建议了“最小键级原理 (PSBO)”[1- 4] :对系列结构相似爆炸物 ,其热解引发键键级 (或重叠布居 )越小 ,则撞击感度越大 ;热解引发键键级越大 ,则撞击感度越小 .该判据已在多系列炸药中获得证实和应用[1- 4] .“热解引…     

Generation of three-dimensional optical structures by dynamic holograms displayed on a twisted nematic liquid crystal display

Reconstruction of computer generated holograms (CGHs) addressed on a spatial light modulator (SLM) is an effective way to dynamically generate designed light field distributions. Based on the classic Gerchberg–Saxton (GS) algorithm, we proposed a technique, which can greatly reduce the computation cost to about 60 % in calculating CGHs for three-dimensional (3D) structures but with little degradation of reconstructed light field compared with the classic GS algorithm. The CGHs calculated by our method were displayed on a twisted nematic liquid crystal display, working as a phase-only-modulation SLM, and 3D structures of optical fields, e.g., 3D array of optical traps and vortices, were reconstructed with high efficiency and high quality. Besides, the possibility for 3D holographic display or projection was also demonstrated with this algorithm by reconstruction several images simultaneously in distinct axial planes.     

Autofocusing based on wavelength dependence of diffraction in two-wavelength digital holographic microscopy

An autofocusing method for two-wavelength digital holographic microscopy (TWDHM) based on the wavelength dependence of the diffraction process is proposed. Red and green lights are employed for the illumination of the TWDHM, and the generated holograms are recorded simultaneously by a color CCD camera. Due to the wavelength dependency of the diffraction process, the farther the reconstruction plane is from the image plane, the larger the difference is between the red and green light distributions. Thus, the image plane can be determined by finding the minimum of the variation between the red and green lights on their amplitude distributions. The feasibility of the proposed method is demonstrated by simulation and experiment.     

Autofocusing of digital holographic microscopy based on off-axis illuminations

An auto-focusing method for digital holographic microscopy has been proposed by employing two off-axis illumination beams. When specimens are illuminated by two plane waves in different directions, it is found that the farther the reconstruction plane is from the image plane, the wider the two reconstructed images are separated from each other. Thus, the image plane can be determinated by finding the minimum of the variation between the two reconstructed object waves on both the amplitude and phase distributions. The feasibility of the proposed method is demonstrated by the corresponding simulation and experiment.     

Biocompatible and pH-Responsive Colloidal Surfactants with Tunable Shape for Controlled Interfacial Curvature

Molecular-surfactant-stabilized emulsions are susceptible to coalescence and Ostwald ripening. Amphiphilic particles, which have a much stronger anchoring strength at the interface, could effectively alleviate these problems to form stable Pickering emulsions. Herein, we describe a versatile method to fabricate biocompatible amphiphilic dimer particles through controlled coprecipitation and phase separation. The dimer particles consist of a hydrophobic PLA bulb and a hydrophilic shellac–PEG bulb, thus resembling nonionic molecular surfactants. The size and diameter ratio of the dimer particles are readily tunable, providing flexible control over the water/oil interfacial curvature and thus the type of emulsion. The particle-stabilized emulsions were stable for a long period of time and could be destabilized through a pH-triggered response. The biocompatible amphiphilic dimer particles with tunable morphology and functionality are thus ideal colloidal surfactants for various applications.     

Biocompatible and pH‐Responsive Colloidal Surfactants with Tunable Shape for Controlled Interfacial Curvature

Molecular‐surfactant‐stabilized emulsions are susceptible to coalescence and Ostwald ripening. Amphiphilic particles, which have a much stronger anchoring strength at the interface, could effectively alleviate these problems to form stable Pickering emulsions. Herein, we describe a versatile method to fabricate biocompatible amphiphilic dimer particles through controlled coprecipitation and phase separation. The dimer particles consist of a hydrophobic PLA bulb and a hydrophilic shellac–PEG bulb, thus resembling nonionic molecular surfactants. The size and diameter ratio of the dimer particles are readily tunable, providing flexible control over the water/oil interfacial curvature and thus the type of emulsion. The particle‐stabilized emulsions were stable for a long period of time and could be destabilized through a pH‐triggered response. The biocompatible amphiphilic dimer particles with tunable morphology and functionality are thus ideal colloidal surfactants for various applications.     

Wave-front curvature compensation of polarization phase-shifting digital holography

An on-axis polarization phase-shifting digital holographic microscope, based on a normal upright optical microscope, is constructed to quantitatively measure both the amplitude and phase distributions of specimen. The condenser lens and microscope objective employed in the object beam path enhance the illumination and magnification of the image, however, they induce additional phase aberration of the object wave. The physical formation of the phase aberration is theoretically analyzed, and a formula for the object wave front involving the phase aberration in the CCD plane is derived. The phase aberration can be eliminated in the reconstruction procedure by measuring a specimen-free hologram and then fitting the aberration phase with a least square ellipsoidal model to determine the parameters of the system. This phase aberration compensation procedure also reduces some of noises in the reconstructed phase of the specimen. The practicability of this method is demonstrated by a test experiment on microlenses.