Nd3+ Sensitized Fluorescent Nanoprobes for Vascular Imaging in the Second Near Infrared Window北大核心CSCD

In recent years,in comparison to the light in the visible range（400~700 nm）and first near-infrared window（NIR-Ⅰ,700~1000 nm）,the light in the second near-infrared window（NIR-Ⅱ,1000~ 1700 nm）possess the merits of the lowest optical scattering and absorption in the bio-tissue. So NIR-Ⅱ fluorescence imaging with deeper tissue penetration depths,high spatiotemporal resolution and signal to noise ratio（SNR）plays an important role in the fields of angiography,lymphangiography and so on. Herein, Nd3+ sensitized fluorescent nanoprobe （U/DNPs,NaGdF4 ∶Yb（18% mole fraction）,Ho（2%）,Ce（30%） @NaGdF4 ,Nd（60%）@NaGdF4 ,Nd（10%）） with core-shell-shell is synthesized through high-temperature coprecipitation and epitaxial growth method. Under the irradiation of 808 nm,the NIR-Ⅱ fluorescence at 1056 nm and 1332 nm are obtained via down-conversion process for further vascular imaging. Furthermore,it can emit red upconversion fluorescence with high red to green（R/G）ratio（I647 /I540 = 22. 6）,possessing greatly potential application for photodynamic therapy. After successful modification of polyvinyl pyrrolidone（PVP） via ligand-exchange strategy,the U/DNPs-PVP nanomaterials possess excellent solubility in water and good biocompatibility,and can achieve the NIR-Ⅱ fluorescence vessels imaging with spatial resolution of 336. 3 µμm in vivo. © 2022, Science Press (China). All rights reserved.     

Non-neural BOLD variability in block and event-related paradigms

Block and event-related stimulus designs are typically used in fMRI studies depending on the importance of detection power or estimation efficiency. The extent of vascular contribution to variability in block and event-related fMRI-BOLD response is not known. With scaling, the extent of vascular variability in the fMRI-BOLD response during block and event-related design tasks was investigated. Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) contrast data from healthy volunteers performing a block design motor task and an event-related memory task requiring performance of a motor response were analyzed from the regions of interest (ROIs) surrounding the primary and supplementary motor cortices. Average BOLD signal change was significantly larger during the block design compared to the event-related design. In each subject, BOLD signal change across voxels in the ROIs had higher variation during the block design task compared to the event-related design task. Scaling using the resting state fluctuation of amplitude (RSFA) and breath-hold (BH), which minimizes BOLD variation due to vascular origins, reduced the within-subject BOLD variability in every subject during both tasks but significantly reduced BOLD variability across subjects only during the block design task. The strong non-neural source of intra- and intersubject variability of BOLD response during the block design compared to event-related task indicates that study designs optimizing for statistical power through enhancement of the BOLD contrast (for, e.g., block design) can be affected by enhancement of non-neural sources of BOLD variability.     

A numerical and experimental study to evaluate performance of vascularized cooling plates

The present paper reports on a numerical simulation and experimental validation of fluid flow and conjugate heat transfer characteristics of new vascular channels, whose cross-sections are semi-circular. The numerical analysis covers the Reynolds number range of 30−2000, with a cooling channel volume fraction of 0.04, pressure drop range of 30−10⁵ Pa. Six flow configurations were considered: first, second, and third constructal structures with optimized hydraulic diameters and non-optimized hydraulic diameter for each system size 10 × 10, 20 × 20, and 50 × 50, respectively. The numerical results of the proposed vascular channels show that the channel configurations of the optimized constructs show much lower flow resistance and temperature distribution than those of the non-optimized constructs. It is also shown that the power component in the power-law relationship between mass flow rate and pressure drop decreases as the system size and mass flow rates increase. The numerical results are validated by experimental data, and with the two exhibiting excellent agreement in all cases. The validation study against the experimental data shows that the presented numerical model is a reliable tool for predicting the performance of cooling plates under practical operating conditions and for the design of self healing or cooling system.     

Reproducibility of the gadolinium concentration measurements and of the fitting parameters of the vascular input function in the superior sagittal sinus in a patient population

It is widely recognised that the measurement of the arterial input function (AIF) is a key issue and a major source of errors in the pharmacokinetic modelling of dynamic, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) data, and the modality of the AIF determination is still a matter of debate. In this study we addressed the problem of the intrinsic variability of the AIF within the imaged volume of a DCE-MRI scan by systematically investigating the change in the concentration of contrast agent over time and the fit parameters of the derived vascular input function (VIF) obtained from the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) of a patient population that was scanned longitudinally during treatment for high grade glioma. From a total of 82 scanning sessions, we compared the results obtained with three different DCE-MRI protocols and between two different fitting functions. We applied a correction algorithm to the measured concentration-time curves to minimize the effect of the low temporal resolution on the VIF, and investigated the effect of this algorithm on the reproducibility. Finally, where possible, we compared the signal obtained in the SSS to the signal obtained in the middle cerebral artery. We found a good intrapatient reproducibility of both the measured gadolinium concentrations and VIF parameters, and that the variation of the parameters due to slice location within a patient was significantly lower than the intra patient variation. Intrapatient, interscan differences were significantly less marked than inter-patient differences showing a good intraclass correlation coefficient. We did encounter a MRI protocol dependence of the VIF fitting parameters. The correction algorithm significantly improved the reproducibility of the fitting parameters. These results support the idea that the use of a patient specific measured AIF, not necessarily averaged over a large volume, offers a significant benefit with respect to an external AIF or a measured cohort average AIF.     

Resolution and quantification of arginine,monomethylarginine, asymmetric dimethylarginine,and symmetric dimethylarginine in plasma using HPLC with internal calibration

N^G,N^G‐dimethyl‐l ‐arginine (asymmetric dimethylarginine, ADMA),N^G‐monomethyl‐l ‐arginine (l ‐NMMA) and N^G,N^G’‐dimethyl‐l ‐arginine (symmetric dimethylarginine, SDMA) are released during hydrolysis of proteins containing methylated arginine residues. ADMA and l ‐NMMA inhibit nitric oxide synthase by competing with l ‐arginine substrate. All three methylarginine derivatives also inhibit arginine transport. To enable investigation of methylarginines in diseases involving impaired nitric oxide synthesis, we developed a high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay to simultaneously quantify arginine, ADMA, l ‐NMMA and SDMA. Our assay requires 12 μL of plasma and is ideal for applications where sample availability is limited. We extracted arginine and methylarginines with mixed‐mode cation‐exchange columns, using synthetic monoethyl‐l ‐arginine as an internal standard. Metabolites were derivatized with ortho‐phthaldialdeyhde and 3‐mercaptopropionic acid, separated by reverse‐phase HPLC and quantified with fluorescence detection. Standard curve linearity was ≥0.9995 for all metabolites. Inter‐day coefficient of variation (CV) values were ≤5% for arginine, ADMA and SDMA in human plasma and for arginine and ADMA in mouse plasma. The CV value for l ‐NMMA was higher in human (10.4%) and mouse (15.8%) plasma because concentrations were substantially lower than ADMA and SDMA. This assay provides unique advantages of small sample volume requirements, excellent separation of target metabolites from contaminants and validation for both human and mouse plasma samples. © 2015 The Authors Biomedical Chromatography published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fe_3O_4纳米粒子与慢病毒载体共同感染内皮祖细胞的促血管新生和MRI示踪的应用

采用化学共沉淀法制备了柠檬酸钠修饰Fe_3O_4纳米粒子(NPs),使用胎牛血清(FBS)改善Fe_3O_4NPs的分散性.实验表明Fe_3O_4NPs尺寸均匀,且具有良好的稳定性,FBS浓度小于5%(体积分数)时,Fe_3O_4NPs无聚集沉淀;在300 K下,饱和磁化强度达到74.86×10~(-3)A·m~2/g(74.86 emu/g);核磁共振T2序列成像时,75μg/m L Fe_3O_4NPs与慢病毒载体(LV)共同标记内皮祖细胞(EPCs)成像效果良好;而且EPCs具有稳定过表达目的基因血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)的能力.利用Fe_3O_4NPs与LV共同感染EPCs,可有效促进大鼠血管生成.说明修饰后的EPCs兼具核磁共振成像(MRI)示踪和促血管生成双重功能.     

Creation of a nanovascular network by electrospun sacrificial nanofibers for self-healing applications and its effect on the flexural properties of the bulk material

Composites, increasingly significant due to their excellent properties, are prone to failure over time. Self-healing materials are being developed to extend their lifetime. Despite continuous progress, the effect of introducing such healing feature on the mechanical properties of the neat material is mainly overlooked. Therefore, we created a nanocomposite and a nanovascular network by pullulan sacrificial nanofibers, and analysed the flexural properties in comparison to the neat matrix. A parameter analysis of the electrospinning process allowed production of tailored pullulan nanofibers. Their introduction showed no effect on the strength and modulus of the epoxy matrix. On removal of the pullulan nanofibers, the properties of the resultant nanovascularized epoxy were somewhat reduced relative to the neat epoxy depending on volume fraction and diameter of the nanochannels. Interestingly, the decrease of mechanical properties of the nanovascular epoxy is lower than by introducing microcapsules, and opens potential for a more appropriate introduction of self-healing systems in polymeric matrices.     

Surface modification of polyester to produce a bacterial cellulose-based vascular prosthetic device

The surface of medical grade polyesters was modified to impart hydrophilic character for attachment to bacterial synthesized cellulose to produce a vascular prosthetic device. The polyesters were treated with UV/ozone, air plasma, and nitrogen plasma for various lengths of time. The unmodified and modified surfaces were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and advancing contact angle measurements. The surfaces were then coated with bacterial produced cellulose to study adhesion properties through tensile testing (peel testing). UV/ozone and plasma treatment XPS results indicated an increase in the oxygen concentration in the form of CO(H) on the treated polyester surfaces. The treatment time to reach steady state in the case of air and nitrogen plasmas took the order of seconds, while 7 min and longer were required for UV/ozone treatment. Peel strength tests to measure adhesion of modified polyester to cellulose reached their maximum values when the CO(H) concentrations were at the highest level. It was also at this level that the contact angle measurements showed no further decrease.     

Pulse wave velocity with 4D flow MRI: Systematic differences and age-related regional vascular stiffness

Purpose

The objective of this study was to compare multiple methods for estimation of PWV from 4D flow MRI velocity data and to investigate if 4D flow MRI-based PWV estimation with piecewise linear regression modeling of travel-distance vs. travel time is sufficient to discern age-related regional differences in PWV.

Methods

4D flow MRI velocity data were acquired in 8 young and 8 older (age: 23 ± 2 vs. 58 ± 2 years old) normal volunteers. Travel-time and travel-distance were measured throughout the aorta and piecewise linear regression was used to measure global PWV in the descending aorta and regional PWV in three equally sized segments between the top of the aortic arch and the renal arteries. Six different methods for extracting travel-time were compared.

Results

Methods for estimation of travel-time that use information about the whole flow waveform systematically overestimate PWV when compared to methods restricted to the upslope-portion of the waveforms (p < 0.05). In terms of regional PWV, a significant interaction was found between age and location (p < 0.05). The age-related differences in regional PWV were greater in the proximal compared to distal descending aorta.

Conclusion

Care must be taken as different classes of methods for the estimation of travel-time produce different results. 4D flow MRI-based PWV estimation with piecewise linear regression modeling of travel-distance vs. travel time can discern age-related differences in regional PWV well in line with previously reported data.     

Changes in the vascular tissue of fresh Hass avocados treated with cobalt 60

This research was based on fresh avocado fruit treated with gamma rays at quarantine doses and stored at room temperature. The effects of irradiation were analyzed and measured by three different types of studies: histological, biochemical and physiological. Histological studies were focused on the effect of Cobalt 60 gamma rays in the mesocarp of avocado irradiated at three different doses; 150, 250, and 350 Gy. Damage was observed principally in the parenchyma tissue where the cell membrane was plazmolized and a red color was observed due to the development of phenol compounds. Another important effect was an increase in the size of xylem and phloem cells in the vascular tissue even at the minimum dose of 150 Gy. The biochemical and the physiological studies were done on avocado fruit irradiated at 100 and 150 Gy. An increase in L-phenilalanine ammonialyase activity was observed and therefore, an increase in the concentration of phenol compounds. These changes were not perceived by panelists in a sensorial test. Irradiated fruits were accepted by panelists as well as control fruit as regards parameters of taste, internal color and external color. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using irradiation to disinfest avocado fruit using a minimum dose of 100 Gy.