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.     

EAST装置上W波段多道极向相关反射仪的研制

在EAST装置上安装了X模极化W波段多道相关反射仪，用于测量等离子体芯部密度涨落。该诊断利用低损耗(<3dB)多工器将4个不同频率(79.2GHz，85.2GHz，91.8GHz和96GHz)的微波耦合在一起，通过同一个天线发射。反射波由两个极向分离(~5cm)的天线接收，通过下变频技术实现外差测量。通过对两个极向天线接收的信号进行相关分析，获得芯部湍流垂直速度。对2018年低约束模式(L模)放电进行分析发现，在电子回旋共振加热(ECRH)等离子体中，芯部湍流垂直速度在电子逆磁漂移方向。而在注入同向中性束(co-NBI)后，芯部湍流垂直速度变为离子逆磁漂移方向。     

小孔流速实验中的排水时间和流量系数的研究

本文以水作为理想流体,考虑到水头损失和孔口缩流效应,对小孔流速实验涉及的容器排水问题进行了系统的理论和实验研究.从理论上推导得出了圆柱形容器排水时间的解析解,分析了排水时间和自由液面速度、流量系数之间的规律,提出了排水时间的等效性.实验上,加工了底部开有不同小孔的大型圆柱形容器,测量了容器排水时间随液面高度的变化关系,借助实验结果计算了流量系数值,验证了容器排水时间的等效性关系,实验结果与理论计算符合较好.     

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     

关于左手性介质几何光学的研究（一）

根据几何光学中的费马原理和完善成像原理研究了光线经过正负折射率界面时的传播特性，推导了单负折射率完善成像的曲面方程，讨论了单块负折射率透镜成像特性的一些缺陷及改进方案，依此指出了最短时间原理的适用范围的局限性和利用左手性介质制作光学器件的优越性，为进一步研究左手性介质的光学特性和相关光学器件设计提供了理论基础.