Macrophage Membrane-Coated Nanoparticles Sensitize Glioblastoma to Radiation by Suppressing Proneural–Mesenchymal Transformation in Glioma Stem Cells

Radiotherapy is identified as a crucial treatment for patients with glioblastoma, but recurrence is inevitable. The efficacy of radiotherapy is severely hampered partially due to the tumor evolution. Growing evidence suggests that proneural glioma stem cells can acquire mesenchymal features coupled with increased radioresistance. Thus, a better understanding of mechanisms underlying tumor subclonal evolution may develop new strategies. Herein, data highlighting a positive correlation between the accumulation of macrophage in the glioblastoma microenvironment after irradiation and mesenchymal transdifferentiation in glioblastoma are presented. Mechanistically, elevated production of inflammatory cytokines released by macrophages promotes mesenchymal transition in an NF-κB-dependent manner. Hence, rationally designed macrophage membrane-coated porous mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MMNs) in which therapeutic anti-NF-κB peptides are loaded for enhancing radiotherapy of glioblastoma are constructed. The combination of MMNs and fractionated irradiation results in the blockage of tumor evolution and therapy resistance in glioblastoma-bearing mice. Intriguingly, the macrophage invasion across the blood-brain barrier is inhibited competitively by MMNs, suggesting that these nanoparticles can fundamentally halt the evolution of radioresistant clones. Taken together, the biomimetic MMNs represent a promising strategy that prevents mesenchymal transition and improves therapeutic response to irradiation as well as overall survival in patients with glioblastoma.     

Finite-time optimal tracking control for a class of nonlinear systems with prescribed performance

In this paper, a finite-time optimal tracking control scheme based on integral reinforcement learning is developed for partially unknown nonlinear systems. In order to realize the prescribed performance, the original system is transformed into an equivalent unconstrained system so as to a composite system is constructed. Subsequently, a modified nonlinear quadratic performance function containing the auxiliary tracking error is designed. Furthermore, the technique of experience replay is used to update the critic neural network, which eliminates the persistent of excitation condition in traditional optimal methods. By combining the prescribed performance control with the finite-time optimization control technique, the tracking error is driven to a desired performance in finite time. Consequently, it has been shown that all signals in the partially unknown nonlinear system are semiglobally practical finite-time stable by stability analysis. Finally, the provided comparative simulation results verify the effectiveness of the developed control scheme.     

跨谱段SAR散射中心多维参数解耦和估计方法

微波光子雷达发射大带宽跨谱段的信号,为目标的精细电磁特性描述和准确识别提供基础的同时,也亟需与之相应的大带宽大转角情况下的电磁模型参数提取方法.相比窄带条件,跨谱段信号数据量大,所含物理量信息维度高且复杂,大转角情况下距离和方位向耦合.该文提出跨谱段SAR散射中心多维参数解耦和估计方法,首先结合极坐标格式算法(PFA)和属性散射中心模型构造2维解耦波数域散射中心模型,再结合坐标下降法(CDA)将复杂的高维耦合参数估计方法简化为循环迭代的1维参数估计方法,有效降低字典维度和估计复杂度,并引入Hooke-Jeeves算法提高估计精度.最后根据各个散射中心的参数估计结果对它们的结构和位置进行识别,对仿真数据的处理实验验证了该文方法的有效性.     

Distributed algorithm for mixed equilibrium problems with event-triggered strategy

Neural Computing and Applications - A new iterative method based on the event-triggered strategy for finding a solution to a mixed equilibrium problem (MEP) is introduced in this paper. The target...     

Design of dynamic genetic memory

In electronic systems, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is one of the core modules in the modern silicon computer. As for a bio‐computer, one would need a mechanism for storage of bio‐information named ‘data’, which, in binary logic, has two levels, logical high and logical low, or in the normalised form, ‘1’ and ‘0’. This study proposes a possible genetic DRAM based on the modified electronic configuration, which uses the biological reaction to fulfil an equivalent RC circuit constituting a memory cell. The authors implement fundamental functions of the genetic DRAM by incorporating a genetic toggle switch for data hold. The results of simulation verify that the basic function can be used on a bio‐storage module for the future bio‐computer.Inspec keywords: DRAM chips, genetic engineering, biocomputers, bioinformatics, equivalent circuits, RC circuitsOther keywords: dynamic genetic memory design, electronic systems, dynamic random access memory, modern silicon computer, biocomputer, bioinformation, binary logic, logical high level, logical low level, normalised form, genetic DRAM, modified electronic configuration, biological reaction, equivalent RC circuit, memory cell, fundamental functions, genetic toggle switch, data hold, biostorage module     

Monolithically integrated CoP nanowire array: An on/off switch for effective on-demand hydrogen generation via hydrolysis of NaBH<Subscript>4</Subscript> and NH<Subscript>3</Subscript>BH<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The issues of hydrogen generation and storage have hindered the widespread use and commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.It is thus highly attractive,but the design and development of highly active non-noble-metal catalysts for on-demand hydrogen release from alkaline NaBH4 solution under mild conditions remains a key challenge.Herein,we describe the use of CoP nanowire array integrated on a Ti mesh (CoP NA/Ti) as a three-dimensional (3D) monolithic catalyst for efficient hydrolytic dehydrogenation of NaBH4 in basic solutions.The CoP NA/Ti works as an on/off switch for on-demand hydrogen generation at a rate of 6,500 mL/(min.g) and a low activation energy of 41 kJ/mol.It is highly robust for repeated usage after recycling,without sacrificing catalytic performance.Remarkably,this catalyst also performs efficiently for the hydrolysis of NH3BH3.     

Detwinning through migration of twin boundaries in nanotwinned Cu films under in situ ion irradiation

The mechanism of radiation-induced detwinning is different from that of deformation detwinning as the former is dominated by supersaturated radiation-induced defects while the latter is usually triggered by global stress. In situ Kr ion irradiation was performed to study the detwinning mechanism of nanotwinned Cu films with various twin thicknesses. Two types of incoherent twin boundaries (ITBs), so-called fixed ITBs and free ITBs, are characterized based on their structural features, and the difference in their migration behavior is investigated. It is observed that detwinning during radiation is attributed to the frequent migration of free ITBs, while the migration of fixed ITBs is absent. Statistics shows that the migration distance of free ITBs is thickness and dose dependent. Potential migration mechanisms are discussed.     

A Two‐Stage Annealing Strategy for Crystallization Control of CH3NH3PbI3 Films toward Highly Reproducible Perovskite Solar Cells

The solvent‐engineering method is widely used to fabricate top‐performing perovskite solar cells, which, however, usually exhibit inferior reproducibility. Herein, a two‐stage annealing (TSA) strategy is demonstrated for processing of perovskite films, namely, annealing the intermediate phase at 60 °C for the first stage then at 100 °C for the second stage. Compared to conventional direct annealing temperature (DHA) at 100 °C, using this strategy, MAPbI₃ films become more controllable, leading to superior film uniformity and device reproducibility with the champion device efficiency reaching 19.8%. More specifically, the coefficient of variation of efficiency for 49 cells is reduced to 5.9%, compared to 9.8% for that using DHA. The TSA process is carefully studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. It is found that in comparison with DHA the formation of hydrogen bonding and crystallization of perovskite are much slower and can be better controlled when using TSA. The improvements in film uniformity and device reproducibility are attributed to: 1) controllable MAPbI₃ crystal growth stemming from the progressive formation of hydrogen bonding between methylammonium and halide; 2) suppression of intermediate phase film dewetting, which is believed to be due to its decreased mobility at the initial low‐temperature annealing stage.