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.     

Tween 20-stabilized gold nanoparticles combined with adenosine triphosphate-BODIPY conjugates for the fluorescence detection of adenosine with more than 1000-fold selectivity

This study describes the development of a simple, enzyme-free, label-free, sensitive, and selective system for detecting adenosine based on the use of Tween 20-stabilized gold nanoparticles (Tween 20-AuNPs) as an efficient fluorescence quencher for boron dipyrromethene-conjugated adenosine 5′-triphosphate (BODIPY-ATP) and as a recognition element for adenosine. BODIPY-ATP can interact with Tween 20-AuNPs through the coordination between the adenine group of BODIPY-ATP and Au atoms on the NP surface, thereby causing the fluorescence quenching of BODIPY-ATP through the nanometal surface energy transfer (NSET) effect. When adenosine attaches to the NP surface, the attached adenosine exhibits additional electrostatic attraction to BODIPY-ATP. As a result, the presence of adenosine enhances the efficiency of AuNPs in fluorescence quenching of BODIPY-ATP. The AuNP-induced fluorescence quenching of BODIPY-ATP progressively increased with an increase in the concentration of adenosine; the detection limit at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 for adenosine was determined to be 60 nM. The selectivity of the proposed system was more than 1000-fold for adenosine over any adenosine analogs and other nucleotides. The proposed system combined with a phenylboronic acid-containing column was successfully applied to the determination of adenosine in urine.     

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.     

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.     

Investigation of hypersonic nozzle flow uniformity using NO fluorescence

Planar laser-induced fluorescence visualisation is used to investigate nonuniformities in the flow of a hypersonic conical nozzle. Possible causes for the nonuniformity are outlined and investigated, and the problem is shown to be due to a small step at the nozzle throat. Entrainment of cold boundary layer gas is postulated as the cause of the signal nonuniformity. PACS 47.80.Jk, 47.40.Ki, 47.60.+i     

识别过渡金属离子的1,8-萘二甲酰亚胺多胺衍生物荧光传感器的研究

设计合成了用以检测过渡金属离子的荧光化学敏感器体系,它们是由1,8-萘二酰亚胺为荧光团,多胺衍生物为金属离子受体组成．在室温下对其光物理性质的研究中发现,在没有加入过渡金属离子时,由于体系内存在有效的光诱导电子转移过程使得荧光团的荧光被淬灭．加入过渡金属离子后,金属离子受体中的氮原子和过渡金属离子之间的配位作用阻断了光诱导电子转移过程,体系的荧光增强．不同的金属离子受体表现出了和过渡金属离子不同的配位识别能力,并且通过荧光的变化传递出受体-金属离子作用的信息．     

微波消解-氢化物发生-原子荧光光谱法测定7种中草药中砷

利用原子荧光光谱法测定7种驱虫类中草药中的砷.实验采用微波消解样品,以盐酸为测定介质,硫脲-抗坏血酸为预还原剂,硼氢化钾为氢化剂,用氢化物发生-原子荧光光谱法测定砷含量.砷含量在10-100ng/mL浓度范围内线性关系好(r2=0.9924).回收率为93.83%-110.94%之间.方法简便、快速、灵敏、准确,可用于中草药中砷的测定.     

The Millimeter Wave Tomography Application for the Subsurface Imaging

In the present paper new results of modeling and experimental investigation on millimeter wave subsurface tomography are submitted. Tomographic algorithm is employed for imaging of subsurface objects in the case when conductivity of probed medium is not equal to zero. The possibilities and restrictions of this algorithm for image processing are shown both as a result of modeling and as a result of experiments. A new tomography setup allowing obtaining images of different inhomogeneities in dielectric media is considered.     

一种新型彩色三维光学成像系统

提出一种新型三维彩色光学数字成像系统。此系统利用投影结构光对现实世界中的物体进行数字化，同时得到对应的彩色纹理。详细介绍了系统的硬件设计和软件体系结构设计，得到物体彩色纹理的两种不同方法；直接获取和从编码条纹中提取，给出了用该系统得到的实验结果并简单评价了系统的性能。此系统在反求工程、影视制作、三维游戏制作、医学应用等方面有远大的应用前景。