The effect of surface microtopography of poly(dimethylsiloxane) on protein adsorption, platelet and cell adhesion

Chemical homogeneous poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) surface with dot-like protrusion pattern was used to investigate the individual effect of surface microtopography on protein adsorption and subsequent biological responses. Fibrinogen (Fg) and fibronectin (Fn) were chosen as model proteins due to their effect on platelet and cell adhesion, respectively. Fg labeled with ¹²⁵I and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was used to study its adsorption on flat and patterned surfaces. Patterned surface has a 46% increase in the adsorption of Fg when compared with flat surface. However, the surface area of the patterned surface was only 8% larger than that of the flat surface. Therefore, the increase in the surface area was not the only factor responsible for the increase in protein adsorption. Clear fluorescent pattern was visualized on patterned surface, indicating that adsorbed Fg regularly distributed and adsorbed most on the flanks and valleys of the protrusions. Such distribution and local enrichment of Fg presumably caused the specific location of platelets adhered from platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and flowing whole blood (FWB) on patterned surface. Furthermore, the different combination of surface topography and pre-adsorbed Fn could influence the adhesion of L929 cells. The flat surface with pre-adsorbed Fn was the optimum substrate while the virgin patterned surface was the poor substrate in terms of L929 cells spread.     

Aqueous germanate solution,alternative sol–gel precursor for preparation of Mn<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Ge<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> diluted magnetic semiconductors

The solids content and gelation time of aqueous germanate solution were examined in this work. Samples of 5, 10 and 20 mol% Mn doped Ge were prepared by using the aqueous germanate solution as a liquid Ge precursor. No second phase such as Mn₅Ge₃ was detected in the 5 and 10 mol% Mn doped samples, implying that Mn ions were uniformly diluted into the Ge host matrix. The 5 and 10 mol% Mn-doped Ge samples exhibit room-temperature ferromagnetic behaviors that are likely originated from the RKKY (Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida)-like interaction between the localized Mn ions in the Ge matrix. Therefore, the aqueous germanate solution can be an alternative sol–gel precursor for preparation of the Mn _x Ge_1−x diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs).     

锂离子电池复合正极材料xLiFePO4·yLi3V2(PO4)3的复合机制

以FePO4·xH2O、V2O5、NH4H2PO4和Li2CO3为原料, 以乙二酸为还原剂, 通过湿化学还原-低温热处理方法制备出锂离子复合正极材料xLiFePO4·yLi3V2(PO4)3. X射线衍射(XRD)结果表明, 合成的材料中橄榄石结构的LiFePO4和单斜晶系的Li3V2(PO4)3两相共存; 从复合材料中LiFePO4、Li3V2(PO4)3相对于相同条件下制备的纯相LiFePO4和Li3V2(PO4)3的晶格常数变化以及结合高分辨透射电子显微镜(HRTEM)、能量散射X射线(EDAX)的结果可以看出, 在复合材料xLiFePO4·yLi3V2(PO4)3中存在部分V和Fe, 分别掺杂在LiFePO4和Li3V2(PO4)3中, 并形成固溶体; X射线光电子能谱(XPS)结果表明, Fe/V在复合材料中的价态与各自在LiFePO4和Li3V2(PO4)3中的价态保持一致, 分别为+2 和+3价. 充放电测试表明, 制备出的复合正极材料电化学性能明显优于单一的LiFePO4和Li3V2(PO4)3; 循环伏安测试表明, 复合正极材料具有优良的脱/嵌锂性能.     

Solid-state thermolysis of [MnO]12 containing molecular clusters into novel MnO nano- and microparticles

Novel MnO nano- and microparticles including spherical nanoparticles and various micropolyhedra of pyramid-like, truncated rectangular pyramid-like, cubic, and rhombic dodecahedral particles, were controllably synthesized via solid-state thermolysis of inorganic core containing molecular clusters [Mn₁₂O₁₂(O₂CR)₁₆(H₂O)₄] (R=C₆H₅, CH₃, and C₆H₅OCH₂) in a conventional horizontal tube furnace. Among them, pyramid-like, truncated rectangular pyramid-like, cubic, and rhombic dodecahedral MnO submicroscale particles were reported for the first time. The products were characterized by XRD, XPS, Raman spectrum, SEM, EDX, TEM and HRTEM. During the reaction process, thermolysis temperature, reaction time, and different molecular clusters {Mn12} precursors with different organic ligands as well play important roles in determining the sizes and shapes of the final products. The formed MnO nanospheres from [Mn₁₂O₁₂(O₂CC₆H₅)₁₆(H₂O)₄] at 400 °C for 10 h exhibited weak ferromagnetic behavior at low temperature which may be due to the size-effect of nanomaterials. Furthermore, the possible formation mechanism was also discussed.     

The Relationship of Phthalocyanine 4 (Pc 4) Concentrations Measured Noninvasively to Outcome of Pc 4 Photodynamic Therapy in Mice

The ability to noninvasively measure photosensitizer concentration at target tissues will allow optimization of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and could improve outcome. In this study, we evaluated whether preirradiation tumor phthalocyanine 4 (Pc 4) concentrations, measured noninvasively by the optical pharmacokinetic system (OPS), correlated with tumor response to PDT. Mice bearing human breast cancer xenografts were treated with 2 mg kg⁻¹ Pc 4 iv only, laser irradiation (150 J cm⁻²) only, Pc 4 followed by fractionated irradiation or Pc 4 followed by continuous irradiation. Laser irradiation treatment was initiated when the tumor to skin ratio of Pc 4 concentration reached a maximum of 2.1 at 48 h after administration. Pc 4 concentrations in tumor, as well as in Intralipid in vitro , decreased monoexponentially with laser fluence. Pc 4-PDT resulted in significant tumor regression, and tumor response was similar in the groups receiving either fractionated or continuous irradiation treatment after Pc 4. Tumor growth delay following Pc 4-PDT correlated with OPS-measured tumor Pc 4 concentrations at 24 h prior to PDT ( R ² = 0.86). In excised tumors, OPS-measured Pc 4 concentrations were similar to the HPLC-measured concentrations. Thus, OPS measurements of photosensitizer concentrations can be used to assist in the scheduling of Pc 4-PDT.     

The addition of perfluoroalkanesulfinyl chlorides to alkoxyallenes

The addition reaction of perfluoroalkanesulfinyl chlorides to alkoxyallenes was achieved under mild conditions. Two kinds of perfluoroalkyl alkenyl sulfoxides, β-alkoxyvinyl perfluoroalkyl sulfoxides and α-perfluoroalkanesulfinyl enones or enals, were obtained selectively depending on the structure of alkoxyallenes.     

Three sandglass-type molybdophosphates obtained via a new route: Synthesis and characterization of X7[PMo8O30] (X=Na, K, NH4)

Three new polyoxometalates X₇[PMo₈O₃₀] (X=Na⁺, 1; K⁺, 2; NH₄⁺, 3) have been synthesized with the classical Keggin and/or Dawson heteropolymolybdophosphates and PCl₅ in acetonitrile-water solutions via hydrothermal treatment. The three compounds were characterized by different analyses including IR, ³¹P NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, electrochemistry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). Single crystal X-ray analyses were carried out on Na₇[PMo₈O₃₀] (1) and (NH₄)₇[PMo₈O₃₀] (3). Compound 1 and 3 crystallize in the orthorhombic system. The structure of compound 2 was confirmed by the IR spectra and powder XRD. All the three compounds contain the same octamolybdophosphate polyoxoanion [PMo₈O₃₀]⁷⁻, which consists of two Mo₄O₁₅ moieties linked by one central PO₄ tetrahedron, leading to a remarkable sandglass-like structure.     

Post-acquisition ETD spectral processing for increased peptide identifications

Tandem mass spectra (MS/MS) produced using electron transfer dissociation (ETD) differ from those derived from collision-activated dissociation (CAD) in several important ways. Foremost, the predominant fragment ion series are different: c- and z ^·-type ions are favored in ETD spectra while b- and y-type ions comprise the bulk of the fragments in CAD spectra. Additionally, ETD spectra possess charge-reduced precursors and unique neutral losses. Most database search algorithms were designed to analyze CAD spectra, and have only recently been adapted to accommodate c- and z ^·-type ions; therefore, inclusion of these additional spectral features can hinder identification, leading to lower confidence scores and decreased sensitivity. Because of this, it is important to pre-process spectral data before submission to a database search to remove those features that cause complications. Here, we demonstrate the effects of removing these features on the number of unique peptide identifications at a 1% false discovery rate (FDR) using the open mass spectrometry search algorithm (OMSSA). When analyzing two biologic replicates of a yeast protein extract in three total analyses, the number of unique identifications with a ∼1% FDR increased from 4611 to 5931 upon spectral pre-processing—an increase of ∼28. 6%. We outline the most effective pre-processing methods, and provide free software containing these algorithms.     

Self-assembly of photonic crystals from polymer colloids

This article reviews recent developments in self-assembly of polymer colloids into colloidal crystals, a good candidate material for photonic crystals. Self-assembly strategy has developed as a facile and efficient method to fabricate colloidal crystals. Much research work has been focused on controlling the morphology and improving the quality, as well as finding applications of the colloidal crystals.