A situated approach to the acquisition of shared SA in team contexts

Theories of team situation awareness (SA) differ in the information they require operators to have for effective coordination. Endsley stresses shared SA, whereas distributed SA argues that coordination involves transactive and compatible SA. We distinguish between weak and strong shared SA, and argue the latter enhances communication and increases team cohesion. Although we agree with Endsley on the importance of shared SA, we argue her account of how it is acquired exceeds the working memory capacity of individual team members. We offer an account consistent with our situated SA perspective that claims individuals off-load information to their environment whenever possible to minimise effortful internal processing. We argue that our approach, in conjunction with Pickering and Garrod's (2004, Towards a mechanistic psychology of dialogue. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 27, pp. 169–226) interactive-alignment model, can explain how shared SA is acquired, relying on automatic processes enacted when individuals interact in conversations. This approach can be used to study team SA in many complex and distributed systems.     

Gadolinium‐Conjugated Gold Nanoshells for Multimodal Diagnostic Imaging and Photothermal Cancer Therapy

Multimodal imaging offers the potential to improve diagnosis and enhance the specificity of photothermal cancer therapy. Toward this goal, gadolinium‐conjugated gold nanoshells are engineered and it is demonstrated that they enhance contrast for magnetic resonance imaging, X‐ray, optical coherence tomography, reflectance confocal microscopy, and two‐photon luminescence. Additionally, these particles effectively convert near‐infrared light to heat, which can be used to ablate cancer cells. Ultimately, these studies demonstrate the potential of gadolinium‐nanoshells for image‐guided photothermal ablation.     

Active Targeting Using HER‐2‐Affibody‐Conjugated Nanoparticles Enabled Sensitive and Specific Imaging of Orthotopic HER‐2 Positive Ovarian Tumors

Despite advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment, ovarian cancer remains one of the most fatal cancer types. The development of targeted nanoparticle imaging probes and therapeutics offers promising approaches for early detection and effective treatment of ovarian cancer. In this study, HER‐2 targeted magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are developed by conjugating a high affinity and small size HER‐2 affibody that is labeled with a unique near infrared dye (NIR‐830) to the nanoparticles. Using a clinically relevant orthotopic human ovarian tumor xenograft model, it is shown that HER‐2 targeted IONPs are selectively delivered into both primary and disseminated ovarian tumors, enabling non‐invasive optical and MR imaging of the tumors as small as 1 mm in the peritoneal cavity. It is determined that HER‐2 targeted delivery of the IONPs is essential for specific and sensitive imaging of the HER‐2 positive tumor since we are unable to detect the imaging signal in the tumors following systemic delivery of non‐targeted IONPs into the mice bearing HER‐2 positive SKOV3 tumors. Furthermore, imaging signals and the IONPs are not detected in HER‐2 low expressing OVCAR3 tumors after systemic delivery of HER‐2 targeted‐IONPs. Since HER‐2 is expressed in a high percentage of ovarian cancers, the HER‐2 targeted dual imaging modality IONPs have potential for the development of novel targeted imaging and therapeutic nanoparticles for ovarian cancer detection, targeted drug delivery, and image‐guided therapy and surgery.     

Design and control of compliant tensegrity robots through simulation and hardware validation

To better understand the role of tensegrity structures in biological systems and their application to robotics, the Dynamic Tensegrity Robotics Lab at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA, has developed and validated two software environments for the analysis, simulation and design of tensegrity robots. These tools, along with new control methodologies and the modular hardware components developed to validate them, are presented as a system for the design of actuated tensegrity structures. As evidenced from their appearance in many biological systems, tensegrity (‘tensile–integrity’) structures have unique physical properties that make them ideal for interaction with uncertain environments. Yet, these characteristics make design and control of bioinspired tensegrity robots extremely challenging. This work presents the progress our tools have made in tackling the design and control challenges of spherical tensegrity structures. We focus on this shape since it lends itself to rolling locomotion. The results of our analyses include multiple novel control approaches for mobility and terrain interaction of spherical tensegrity structures that have been tested in simulation. A hardware prototype of a spherical six-bar tensegrity, the Reservoir Compliant Tensegrity Robot, is used to empirically validate the accuracy of simulation.     

A wrinkle in flight: the role of elastin fibres in the mechanical behaviour of bat wing membranes

Bats fly using a thin wing membrane composed of compliant, anisotropic skin. Wing membrane skin deforms dramatically as bats fly, and its three-dimensional configurations depend, in large part, on the mechanical behaviour of the tissue. Large, macroscopic elastin fibres are an unusual mechanical element found in the skin of bat wings. We characterize the fibre orientation and demonstrate that elastin fibres are responsible for the distinctive wrinkles in the surrounding membrane matrix. Uniaxial mechanical testing of the wing membrane, both parallel and perpendicular to elastin fibres, is used to distinguish the contribution of elastin and the surrounding matrix to the overall membrane mechanical behaviour. We find that the matrix is isotropic within the plane of the membrane and responsible for bearing load at high stress; elastin fibres are responsible for membrane anisotropy and only contribute substantially to load bearing at very low stress. The architecture of elastin fibres provides the extreme extensibility and self-folding/self-packing of the wing membrane skin. We relate these findings to flight with membrane wings and discuss the aeromechanical significance of elastin fibre pre-stress, membrane excess length, and how these parameters may aid bats in resisting gusts and preventing membrane flutter.     

A Multifunctional Nanoplatform for Imaging,Radiotherapy, and the Prediction of Therapeutic Response

Gold nanoparticles have garnered interest as both radiosensitzers and computed tomography (CT) contrast agents. However, the extremely high concentrations of gold required to generate CT contrast is far beyond that needed for meaningful radiosensitization, which limits their use as combined therapeutic–diagnostic (theranostic) agents. To establish a theranostic nanoplatform with well‐aligned radiotherapeutic and diagnostic properties for better integration into standard radiation therapy practice, a gold‐ and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION)‐loaded micelle (GSM) is developed. Intravenous injection of GSMs into tumor‐bearing mice led to selective tumoral accumulation, enabling magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of tumor margins. Subsequent irradiation leads to a 90‐day survival of 71% in GSM‐treated mice, compared with 25% for irradiation‐only mice. Furthermore, measurements of the GSM‐enhanced MR contrast are highly predictive of tumor response. Therefore, GSMs may not only guide and enhance the efficacy of radiation therapy, but may allow patients to be managed more effectively.     

Tuneable Singlet Exciton Fission and Triplet–Triplet Annihilation in an Orthogonal Pentacene Dimer

Fast and highly efficient intramolecular singlet exciton fission in a pentacene dimer, consisting of two covalently attached, nearly orthogonal pentacene units is reported. Fission to triplet excitons from this ground state geometry occurs within 1 ps in isolated molecules in solution and dispersed solid matrices. The process exhibits a sensitivity to environmental polarity and competes with geometric relaxation in the singlet state, while subsequent triplet decay is strongly dependent on conformational freedom. The near orthogonal arrangement of the pentacene units is unlike any structure currently proposed for efficient singlet exciton fission and may lead to new molecular design rules.     

Red Blood Cell Membrane as a Biomimetic Nanocoating for Prolonged Circulation Time and Reduced Accelerated Blood Clearance

For decades, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) has been widely incorporated into nanoparticles for evading immune clearance and improving the systematic circulation time. However, recent studies have reported a phenomenon known as “accelerated blood clearance (ABC)” where a second dose of PEGylated nanomaterials is rapidly cleared when given several days after the first dose. Herein, we demonstrate that natural red blood cell (RBC) membrane is a superior alternative to PEG. Biomimetic RBC membrane‐coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@RBC NPs) rely on CD47, which is a “don't eat me” marker on the RBC surface, to escape immune clearance through interactions with the signal regulatory protein‐alpha (SIRP‐α) receptor. Fe₃O₄@RBC NPs exhibit extended circulation time and show little change between the first and second doses, with no ABC suffered. In addition, the administration of Fe₃O₄@RBC NPs does not elicit immune responses on neither the cellular level (myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs)) nor the humoral level (immunoglobulin M and G (IgM and IgG)). Finally, the in vivo toxicity of these cell membrane‐camouflaged nanoparticles is systematically investigated by blood biochemistry, hematology testing, and histology analysis. These findings are significant advancements toward solving the long‐existing clinical challenges of developing biomaterials that are able to resist both immune response and rapid clearance.