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Lanthanide neodymium (Nd)‐based nanocrystals exhibit exceptional near‐infrared II (NIR‐II) fluorescence imaging properties, like narrow and multi‐peak emissions, long luminescence lifetime, and good photostability. However, long‐term accumulation in the reticuloendothelial system restrains their clinical applications due to toxicity in vivo. Here, a biodegradable hollow virus‐like neodymium oxide (Nd2O3) Nd‐nanoprobe is presented that is modified with cyclic arginine‐glycine‐aspartic acid (cRGD) pentapeptide, showing remarkable cancer‐targeting ability and NIR‐II fluorescence imaging features. The nanoprobe is biodegraded to 4–6 nm Nd2O3 nanogranules in vivo, and the pharmacokinetics of the nanoprobe demonstrated its rapid urine excretion and negligible systematic toxicity. Moreover, this nanoprobe can accurately identify malignant lesions from normal tissues in xenograft and transgenic mice models and precisely navigate breast cancer surgery under NIR‐II imaging guidance. Taken together, this Nd2O3‐based nanoprobe enables real‐time, dynamic delineation and accurate resection of cancers guided by NIR‐II fluorescence imaging with great potential for future clinical translation during breast‐conservative surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Memory deficits produced by marijuana arise partly via interaction of the psychoactive component, [Deta][superscript 9]-tetrahydrocannabinol ([Deta][superscript 9]-THC), with cannabinoid receptors in the hippocampus. Although cannabinoids acutely reduce glutamate release and block hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), a potential substrate for learning and memory, the consequences of prolonged exposure to [Deta][superscript 9]-THC for hippocampal function are poorly understood. Rats were injected with [Deta][superscript 9]-THC (10 mg/kg, i.p., q.d.) for 1, 3, or 7 d, and electrophysiological recordings were performed in hippocampal slices 1d after the final injection. At this time, [Deta][superscript 9]-THC was undetectable in hippocampus using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Hippocampal LTP generated using high-frequency (HFS) or theta burst stimulation was not observed in brain slices from the 7-d [Deta][superscript 9]-THC-treated animals. [Deta][superscript 9]-THC also blocked HFS-LTP after 3 d, but not 1 d of treatment. The complete blockade of LTP persisted for 3 d after the last [Deta][superscript 9]-THC injection, and full reversal of the LTP deficit was not observed up to 14 d following [Deta][superscript 9]-THC withdrawal. The cannabinoid antagonist AM251 (2 mg/kg), administered before each [Deta][superscript 9]-THC injection prevented the blockade of LTP, and 7-d treatment with AM251 alone significantly increased the level of LTP. Chronic [Deta][superscript 9]-THC also produced tolerance to the inhibition of synaptic GABA, but not glutamate release by the agonist WIN55,212-2. These data define consequences of repeated [Deta][superscript 9]-THC exposure for synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus that may help explain memory impairments in humans following chronic marijuana use.

To investigate the correlation between electrochemical performance and physicochemical properties, three types of 1D WO3 nanostructures were fabricated by hydrothermal method using K2SO4, Na2SO4, and (NH4)2SO4 as capping agents. Hexagonal phase was obtained with the assistant of Na2SO4 and (NH4)2SO4, while monoclinic phase was developed using K2SO4 as agent. WO3 nanostructures prepared by (NH4)2SO4 and Na2SO4 exhibited superior specific capacitance (400 F/g and 388 F/g) relative to WO3 prepared by K2SO4 (259 F/g), suggesting hexagonal phase is more suitable for energy storage. The nanostructures prepared using Na2SO4 exhibited inferior rate performance compared with those obtained by (NH4)2SO4 due to low specific surface area and high crystallinity. The electrochemical performance demonstrated nanostructures prepared by (NH4)2SO4 was surface-controlled whereas those using Na2SO4 and K2SO4 were battery-type material. These findings raise the prospects of developing tungsten oxide for energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, aptamer-based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors have become increasingly popular due to their high specificity, high sensitivity, real-time detection capabilities, and label-free features. The core component of an aptamer-based SPR sensor is a chip. This paper presents the modification steps and the characterization results of a sensor chip for the construction of a 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoluene-targeted, aptamer-based, SPR sensor. After cleaning the aptamer-based SPR sensor chip, polyethylene glycol (PEG) with functional thiol groups at one end was added to the chip surface by Au-S covalent bonds to form a self-assembled film. Then, the carboxyl groups at the other end of PEG and the carboxyl groups of trinitrophenyl-glycine (TNP-Gly) were activated and connected via ethylenediamine (EDA). This effectively completed the chip’s modification. During the modification process, relevant experimental conditions were optimized. The chip’s surface elements, as well as their chemical states, were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results, outlined in the following study, demonstrate that this modification of an aptamer-based SPR sensor chip adhered to normative expectations. Thus, the modification process proposed here establishes an important foundation for subsequent study of TNT detection.