Enhanced and Differential Capture of Circulating Tumor Cells from Lung Cancer Patients by Microfluidic Assays Using Aptamer Cocktail

Collecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs) shed from solid tumor through a minimally invasive approach provides an opportunity to solve a long‐standing oncology problem, the real‐time monitoring of tumor state and analysis of tumor heterogeneity. However, efficient capture and detection of CTCs with diverse phenotypes is still challenging. In this work, a microfluidic assay is developed using the rationally‐designed aptamer cocktails with synergistic effect. Enhanced and differential capture of CTCs for nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is achieved. It is also demonstrated that the overall consideration of CTC counts obtained by multiple aptamer combinations can provide more comprehensive information in treatment monitoring.     

Multifunctional Au@mSiO2/Rhodamine B Isothiocyanate Nanocomposites: Cell Imaging,Photocontrolled Drug Release,and Photothermal Therapy for Cancer Cells

The synthesis of Au@mesoporous SiO₂/rhodamine B isothiocyanate (Au@mSiO₂/RBITC) composite nanoparticles (NPs) is presented and their unique biofunctional properties are studied. The structure and morphology of the NPs are characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. These NPs can not only be functionalized for fluorescence imaging, but also possess well‐defined mesopore structures for drug loading and strong infrared surface plasmon absorption for light‐controlled drug release and photothermal therapy for cancer cells. In the biological experiments, one 808 nm laser is coupled to a confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) system to monitor the photothermal therapy, drug release, and cell position and viability in real time by using the multichannel function of CLSM for the first time. Such novel nanomaterials offer a new chemotherapeutic route for cancer treatment by combining cell imaging and hyperthermia in a synergistic way.     

Capturing Cancer: Emerging Microfluidic Technologies for the Capture and Characterization of Circulating Tumor Cells

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) escape from primary or metastatic lesions and enter into circulation, carrying significant information of cancer progression and metastasis. Capture of CTCs from the bloodstream and the characterization of these cells hold great significance for the detection, characterization, and monitoring of cancer. Despite the urgent need from clinics, it remains a major challenge to capture and retain these rare cells from human blood with high specificity and yield. Recent exciting advances in micro/nanotechnology, microfluidics, and materials science have enable versatile, robust, and efficient cell isolation and processing through the development of new micro/nanoengineered devices and biomaterials. This review provides a summary of recent progress along this direction, with a focus on emerging methods for CTC capture and processing, and their application in cancer research. Furthermore, classical as well as emerging cellular characterization methods are reviewed to reveal the role of CTCs in cancer progression and metastasis, and hypotheses are proposed in regard to the potential emerging research directions most desired in CTC‐related cancer research.     

Design,purification and characterization of a soluble variant of the integral membrane protein MotB for structural studies

The bacterial flagellar motor is an intricate nanomachine powered by a transmembrane electrochemical gradient. Rotation is driven by the cumulative action of several peptidoglycan-anchored stator complexes on the rotor. In proton-motive force-driven motors, the stator complex is composed of a motility protein B (MotB) dimer surrounded by four copies of MotA, where both MotA and MotB are integral membrane proteins. The lack of full-length MotA and MotB structures hinders understanding of the mechanism of torque generation. Given the low levels of expression and low stability of detergent-solubilized MotB, a soluble chimaeric variant was engineered, where the two transmembrane helices of the MotB dimer were replaced by a leucine zipper. The biochemical and biophysical analysis of the resultant protein showed that it was properly folded, stable, behaved as a monodisperse dimer at low pH, had molecular dimensions close to those expected for native MotB and yielded reproducible crystals. The chimaeric protein is, therefore, a good candidate for structural studies. This ‘solubilization by design’ approach may be generally applicable to the production of soluble forms of other dimeric, trimeric and tetrameric single-span membrane proteins for functional and structural studies.     

Mechanistic Investigation of the Biological Effects of SiO2, TiO2, and ZnO Nanoparticles on Intestinal Cells

Silicon dioxide (SiO₂), titanium dioxide (TiO₂), and zinc oxide (ZnO) are currently among the most widely used nanoparticles (NPs) in the food industry. This could potentially lead to unintended exposure of the gastrointestinal tract to these NPs. This study aims to investigate the potential side‐effects of these food‐borne NPs on intestinal cells and to mechanistically understand the observed biological responses. Among the panel of tested NPs, ZnO NPs are the most toxic. Consistently in all three tested intestinal cell models, ZnO NPs invoke the most inflammatory responses from the cells and induce the highest intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The elevated ROS levels induce significant damage to the DNA of the cells, resulting in cell‐cycle arrest and subsequently cell death. In contrast, both SiO₂ and TiO₂ NPs elicit minimum biological responses from the intestinal cells. Overall, the study showcases the varying capability of the food‐borne NPs to induce a cellular response in the intestinal cells. In addition to physicochemical differences in the NPs, the genetic landscape of the intestinal cell models governs the toxicology profile of these food‐borne NPs.     

固/液相等离子喷涂制备固体氧化物燃料电池复合电极

提出并研究以硅片为基体、采用固/液相等离子喷涂工艺制备固体氧化物燃料电池复合电极.固相送料方式喷涂阳极和阴极;悬浮液束流送料方式喷涂电解质.用CCD监测悬浮液束流与等离子射流形态,其特征分析结果表明最佳注射气压为0.25MPa.采用SEM和EDAX对电极涂层微观组织和组分进行分析,结果表明:喷涂距离是影响电解质涂层形貌...     

Traceable Bioinspired Nanoparticle for the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer via NIR‐Trigged Intracellular Delivery of Methylene Blue and Cisplatin

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) eliminates abnormal cells through target recognition‐triggered intracellular toxin delivery. Chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell improves cancer cell recognition of CTL, but its effectiveness and safety in solid tumor treatment are still hampered by poor tumor infiltration, suppressive tumor microenvironment, and severe on‐target off‐tumor toxicity. Given the functionality and challenges of CTL in cancer therapy, herein, a CTL‐inspired nanovesicle (MPV) with a cell membrane–derived shell and a methylene blue (MB) and cisplatin (Pt) loaded gelatin nanogel core is created. The MPV generates contrast for tumor photoacoustic imaging, and produces hyperthermia upon laser irradiation, enabling photothermal imaging and deep tumor penetration. Meanwhile, it releases MB and Pt, and then delivers them into the cytosol of cancer cells, which process can be visualized by imaging the recovery of MB‐derived fluorescence. The localized hyperthermia, photodynamic therapy, and chemotherapy together kill 4T1 breast cancer cells effectively, resulting in primary tumor regression and 97% inhibition of pulmonary metastasis, without significant toxicity to the animals. Taken together, the MPV shows tumor‐specific and stimuli‐triggered intracellular toxin delivery with advantages in traceable accumulation and activation, high tumor penetration, and triple combination therapy, and thus can be an effective nanomedicine for combating metastatic breast cancer.     

Securing the Payload,Finding the Cell,and Avoiding the Endosome: Peptide‐Targeted,Fusogenic Porous Silicon Nanoparticles for Delivery of siRNA

Despite the promise of ribonucleic acid interference therapeutics, the delivery of oligonucleotides selectively to diseased tissues in the body, and specifically to the cellular location in the tissues needed to provide optimal therapeutic outcome, remains a significant challenge. Here, key material properties and biological mechanisms for delivery of short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to effectively silence target‐specific cells in vivo are identified. Using porous silicon nanoparticles as the siRNA host, tumor‐targeting peptides for selective tissue homing, and fusogenic lipid coatings to induce fusion with the plasma membrane, it is shown that the uptake mechanism can be engineered to be independent of common receptor‐mediated endocytosis pathways. Two examples of the potential broad clinical applicability of this concept in a mouse xenograft model of ovarian cancer peritoneal carcinomatosis are provided: silencing the Rev3l subunit of polymerase Pol ζ to impair DNA repair in combination with cisplatin; and reprogramming tumor‐associated macrophages into a proinflammatory state.     

基于噻吩-苯非对称单元的DPP类聚合物给体材料的合成及光伏性能

为了优化聚合物太阳能电池的光伏性能,设计合成了一种基于噻吩-苯非对称单元的二酮吡咯并[3,4-c]吡咯(DPP)类聚合物给体材料(PDPP-PT)。非对称结构的设计使得该聚合物具有较好的分子堆积,有利于器件的制备。该聚合物具有范围在300~900nm的宽吸收光谱、1.5eV的窄光学带隙。在器件性能方面,活性层厚度达260nm时,测得开路电压(Voc)为0.68V,光电转换效率(PCE)为1.51%。因此,PDPP-PT给体材料在制备厚活性层太阳能电池时具有一定的优势并为聚合物给体材料的分子设计提供了一种新的思路。     

PbS量子点能级结构的尺寸和配体依赖性及其对异质结电池性能的影响

通过电化学循环伏安测试和吸收光谱测试, 确定了有机配体(油酸)和原子配体(四正丁基碘化铵, TBAI)钝化的不同粒径(2.6~4.5 nm)PbS量子点的导带和价带能级, 并研究了量子点尺寸对PbS/TiO₂异质结电池(空气气氛中制备)性能的影响。结果表明：PbS量子点的能级结构受其粒径大小和表面配体特性的影响。当PbS量子点尺寸从2.6 nm增加至4.5 nm时, 油酸包覆PbS量子点的导带底从-3.67 eV减小到-4.0 eV, 价带顶从-5.19 eV增加到-4.97 eV; 而对于TBAI配体置换的PbS量子点, 其导带底和价带顶则分别从-4.15 eV和-5.61 eV变化至-4.51 eV和-5.46 eV。粒径为3.9 nm的PbS量子点所制备的电池性能最优, 其能量转化效率达到2.32%, 这可归因于其适宜的禁带宽度、结晶质量和良好的PbS/TiO₂界面能级匹配度。     

不确定性控制系统的成因、分类与控制策略

分析了不确定性产生的各种因素和控制系统中不确定性的具体来源,给出了不确定性控制系统的分类,并分析了研究不确定性控制系统的若干控制策略。     

人生问题的四个基本方程--逻辑、系统、过程、功能、数学方法的应用

“材料学的方法论”讨论材料学这一分支知识的共性原理、程序以及它们的应用。1943年我大学毕业后的教学和科研实践，使我深感这些原理可用于分析和理解材料的性能、人才的才能和系统的功能，均用P表示，并可用四个基本数学方程来概括。