Simple Method in Diagnosing Cancer Cells by a Novel Fluorescence Probe BMVC

Different cellular accumulations with distinct fluorescence properties of BMVC in cancer cells from normal cells allow us to establish a simple and economic method for the diagnosis of cancer cells. With using a light emitting diode to excite the BMVC molecule, microarray fluorescence analysis of a cell‐based glass chip provides an easy method towards the detection of a limited number of cancer cells.     

Suspension culture in a T-flask with acoustic flow induced by ultrasonic irradiation

Suspension culture is an essential large-scale cell culture technique for biopharmaceutical development and regenerative medicine. To transition from monolayer culture on the culture surface of a flask to suspension culture in a bioreactor, a pre-specified cell number must first be reached. During this period of preparation for suspension culture, static suspension culture in a flask is generally performed because the medium volume is not large enough to use a paddle to circulate the medium. However, drawbacks to this static method include cell sedimentation, leading to high cell density near the bottom and resulting in oxygen and nutrient deficiencies. Here, we propose a suspension culture method with acoustic streaming induced by ultrasonic waves in a T-flask to create a more homogeneous distribution of oxygen, nutrients, and waste products during the preparation period preceding large-scale suspension culture in a bioreactor. To demonstrate the performance of the ultrasonic method, Chinese hamster ovary cells were cultured for 72 h. Results showed that, on average, the cell proliferation was improved by 40% compared with the static method. Thus, the culture time required to achieve a 1000-fold increase could be reduced by 32 h (a 14% reduction) compared with the static method. Furthermore, the ultrasonic irradiation did not compromise the metabolic activity of the cells cultured using the ultrasonic method. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the ultrasonic method for accelerating the transition to large-scale suspension culture.     

Synthesis and effect on SMMC-7721 cells of new benzo[c,d]indole rhodanine complex merocyanines as PDT photosensitizers

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) represents a modern and noninvasive therapeutic approach, however, it relies on the development of photosensitizers. Here five new benzo[c,d]indole rhodamine complex merocyanines (BIRCM) D1-D5, displaying low dark toxicity and significant photo toxicity, were synthesized as PDT photosensitizers, and characterized by ¹H NMR, IR, UV–Vis and HRMS. The investigation of their absorption spectra in different solvents showed that the absorption maxima and molar extinction coefficient were in the region 507–679 nm and 0.21 × 10⁴–1.27 × 10⁵ L · mol^?1cm^?1, respectively. The evaluation of PDT activity showed that only irradiation could not kill SMMC-7721 cells, and the cell survival rate and inhibition rate at the application dose and duration was 92%–87% and 78%–49%, respectively. Especially, using D2, absorbed in the red zone, as photosensitizer for PDT analyzed its effect on SMMC-7721 cells survival, it could be found that the cell survival rate was 92% without irradiating and the cell inhibited rate was 78% under irradiating at concentrations of 2.5 × 10^?6 mol/L, displaying low dark toxicity and high photo toxicity, which was valuable for PDT of some microvascular diseases or other superficial diseases.     

A pyrene-based dual chemosensor for colorimetric detection of Cu2+ and fluorescent detection of Fe3+

A pyrene based chemosensor was designed and synthesized. The pyrene fluorophore was connected with a pyridine unit through a Schiff base structure to give the sensor (L). L was tested with a variety of metal ions and exhibited high colorimetric selectivities for Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺ over other ions. Upon binding with Cu²⁺ or Fe³⁺, L showed an obvious optical color change from colorless to pink for Cu²⁺ or orange for Fe³⁺ over a wide pH range from 3 to 12. Moreover, the fluorescence of L at 370 nm decreased sharply after bonding with Fe³⁺, while other metal ions including Cu²⁺ had no apparent interference. Thus, using such single chemosensor, Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺ can be detected independently with high selectivity and sensitivity. The limits of detection toward Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺ were 8.5 and 2.0 μM, respectively. DFT calculation results also proved the formation of stable coordination complexes and the phenomenon of fluorescence quenching by Fe³⁺. Furthermore, L was also successfully used as a bioimaging reagent for detection of Fe³⁺ in living cells.     

质子交换膜燃料电池零下冷启动研究

在零下启动过程中,质子交换膜燃料电池阴极中氧气还原反应生成的水会在催化剂层内部结冰,因而阻碍氧气传输,覆盖催化剂层反应活性位点,降低电化学活性面积,影响燃料电池发电性能,甚至会导致零下启动失败;同时,结冰/融化循环还会破坏膜电极结构,影响燃料电池寿命。因此,质子交换膜燃料电池零下启动技术的研究对促进燃料电池汽车的推广应用有重要意义。本文针对质子交换膜燃料电池的零下启动过程,从实验研究、机理解释、模型分析及策略开发等角度对文献内容进行了梳理,并对涉及质子交换膜燃料电池零下启动过程的专利技术进行了总结。     

Simultaneous measurement of viscoelastic changes and cell opening during processing of flexible polyurethane foam

A parallel-plate rheomete was constructed and used to study the development of dynamic shear modulus and cell opening under forced adiabatic conditions for a series of flexible slabstock polyurethane foams. Typical industrial formulations were used. The plates were heated to follow the adiabatic temperature profile of a real foam bun during foaming. The rheometer overcomes difficulties encountered in other methods such as heat loss and bubble damage caused by the probe.A four-stage modulus development profile was observed: initial bubble growth, bubble network, polymer stiffening and final curing. Chemical structure development was also studied under forced adiabatic conditions, using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Polymer stiffening coincided with bidentate (hydrogen-bonded) urea formation.The normal force exerted by the expanding foam on the plates was found to be a function of the rate of foam expansion and the foam modulus. A sudden drop in the normal force typically coincides with the visually observed blow-off in the reacting foam bun, thus the normal force profile is a new and accurate indicator of cell opening. The normal force profile clearly shows that cell opening occurs just after the onset of polymer stiffening, thus illustrating the role of polymer rheology in the cell opening mechanism.Dedicated to the memory of Professor Tasos C. PapanastasiouPortions presented at the SPI Polyurethanes Technical/Marketing Conference, October 9–12, 1994, Boston, massachusetts, USA (Best paper award) and at the XIIth International Congress on Rheology, August 18–23, 1996, Québec City, Québec, Canada.     

Magnetic bead based immunoassay for enumeration of CD4 T lymphocytes on a microfluidic device

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnostics are urgently needed in resource-scarce settings. Monitoring of HIV-infected patients requires accurate counting of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes. However, the current methods for enumeration of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes are of high cost, technically complex and time-consuming. In this paper, we developed a simple, rapid and inexpensive one-step immunomagnetic method for separating and counting CD4⁺ T lymphocytes on microfluidic devices with enlarged reaction chambers. CD4⁺ T lymphocytes were successfully separated and captured from the cell suspension obtained from mouse thymus. CD4 counts were determined under an optical microscope in a rapid and simple format. In order to acquire the maximum efficiency of cell capture, relative parameters were investigated, including section area of the reaction chamber and injection flow rate of the cell suspension. The enlarged reaction chamber with two symmetrical cone-shaped ends was helpful for cell capture, and the maximum capability of captured CD4⁺ T lymphocytes was about 700 cells μL⁻¹. Our investigations avoided the complex sample pre-treatment, and the entire analysis time was significantly reduced to 15 min. This CD4 counting microdevice had the potential to reduce the cost for HIV diagnosis in resource-limited settings.     

Biodegradation-induced surface change of polymer microspheres and its influence on cell growth

Biodegradable microspheres were fabricated by poly(?-caprolactone) (PCL) homopolymer and poly(?-caprolactone-b-ethylene oxide) (PCL-b-PEO) amphiphilic block copolymer. The regulation of microsphere surface morphology was successfully achieved by controlled enzymatic degradation. The morphological changes induced by biodegradation and their influences on the growth of MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells were studied. Results based on the evaluation of cytotoxicity and the morphological observation of MG-63 cells cultivated on microspheres showed better growth of cells on the surface of degraded microspheres than on the surface of those undegraded microspheres no matter they were fabricated by homopolymers or copolymers. The influences of morphological changes of microsphere surface before and after biodegradation on MG-63 cell growth were discussed. The results of this work indicated that the biodegradation-induced morphological changes of microspheres could be well controlled and were favorable for MG-63 cell attachment and proliferation.     

羟基磷灰石/聚乳酸微粒复合生物支架的体外细胞相容性评价

利用溶液共混法以及溶剂挥发法制备了羟基磷灰石(Nano-HA)/聚乳酸(PLA)微粒,再粘结微粒加工成三维多孔Nano-HA/PLA微粒复合生物支架。借助相差显微镜、扫描电子显微镜和MTT法检测了鼠骨髓基质细胞(BMSCs)在该支架材料上的生长情况,通过细胞形态学观察和细胞增殖情况评价了该复合生物支架材料的生物相容性。结果表明,SEM观察到支架材料上培养细胞4d后,细胞主要附着、铺展在支架的低洼处或孔洞处表面,并向孔洞深部沿壁生长;在支架材料上培养细胞8d后,细胞多为梭形形态,并有许多生长角,直接贴附于支架的微粒表面,开始连片生长,有明显的增值,各组没有变形、坏死现象。支架材料上培养细胞2,3,4,5,6和8d的MTT检测表明,各实验组RGR均达到100%以上,细胞毒性为0级;细胞在支架材料上的生长曲线显示,实验组细胞活力比对照组高26%。因此,该Nano-HA/PLA微粒复合生物支架没有细胞毒性,并对细胞有良好的粘附和增殖能力,为较具潜力的骨修复材料。     

A new A431/cell membrane chromatography and online high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method for screening epidermal growth factor receptor antagonists from Radix sophorae flavescentis

The intracellular kinase domains of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in some tumor cells such as human epidermal squamous cells (A₄₃₁ cells) are an important target for drug discovery. We have developed a new A₄₃₁/cell membrane chromatography (A₄₃₁/CMC)-online–high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) method for screening EGFR antagonists from medicinal herbs such as traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). In this study, A₄₃₁ cells with high EGFR expression levels were used to prepare cell membrane stationary phase (CMSP) in an A₄₃₁/CMC model. The retention fractions eluted from the CMSP column were enriched onto an ODS pre-column and then switched into an HPLC/MS system by combining a 10 port columns switching valve. The screening results found that oxymatrine and matrine from Radix sophorae flavescentis (RSF) were the targeted components which could act on EGFR in similar manner of gefitinib as a control drug. There was a good relationship of their inhibiting effects on EGFR secretion and A₄₃₁ cell growth in vitro. This new A₄₃₁/CMC-online-HPLC/MS method can be applied for screening EGFR antagonists from TCMs such as RSF. It will be a useful method for drug discovery with natural medicinal herbs as a leading compound resource.