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Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels outside of the physiological range are frequently encountered in the tumor microenvironment and laparoscopic pneumoperitoneum during clinical cancer therapy. Controversies exist regarding the biological effects of hypercapnia on tumor proliferation and metastasis concerning time frame, CO2 concentration, and cell type. Traditional control of gaseous microenvironments for cell growth is conducted using culture chambers that allow for a single gas concentration at a time. In the present paper, Hela cells were studied for their response to varying levels of CO2 in an aerogel-based gas gradient-generating apparatus capable of delivering a stable and quantitative linear CO2 profile in spatial and temporal domains. Cells cultured in the standard 96-well plate sandwiched in between the device were interfaced with the gas gradient generator, and the cells in each row were exposed to a known level of CO2 accordingly. Both the ratiometric pH indicator and theoretical modeling have confirmed the efficient mass transport of CO2 through the air-permeable aerogel monolith in a short period of time. Tumor cell behaviors in various hypercapnic microenvironments with gradient CO2 concentrations ranging from 12 to 89% were determined in terms of viability, morphology, and mitochondrial metabolism under acute exposure for 3 h and over a longer cultivation period for up to 72 h. A significant reduction in cell viability was noticed with increasing CO2 concentration and incubation time, which was closely associated with intracellular acidification and elevated cellular level of reactive oxygen species. Our modular device demonstrated full adaptability to the standard culture systems and high-throughput instruments, which provide the potential for simultaneously screening the responses of cells under tunable gaseous microenvironments.

Gold nanodendrite (AuND)-based nanotheranostic agents with versatile capabilities were fabricated by optimizing the geometrical configurations (dendrite length and density) of AuND to achieve localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in near-infrared biowindow II (NIR-II), and then subsequently functionalizing with a mitochondria-targeting compound (triphenylphosphonium, TPP), loading with an NIR-photosensitizer (indocyanine green, ICG) and coating with the macrophage cell membrane (MCM) to trap ICG within AuND and selectively interact with MDA-MB-231 cells. The novel AuND-TPP-ICG@MCM system enabled the integration of multimodal fluorescence/photoacoustic/surface-enhanced Raman imaging with synergistic therapies of NIR-II photothermal therapy and NIR-I photodynamic therapy for cancer treatment. Enhanced hyperthermia and elevated production of reactive oxygen species within the tumors via MCM coating and mitochondria targeting afforded a synergistic efficacy for tumor eradication with limited side effects. The demonstrated biocompatibility, multi-imaging capability, and high therapeutic efficiency under NIR laser irradiation indicate the potentials of this multifunctional nanotheranostic platform for clinical utility in cancer therapy.

With the widespread presence of plastic wastes, knowledge about the potential environmental risks and bioavailability of micro- or nanoplastics fragmented from large analogs is of utmost importance. As the particle size matters in mediating endocytic mechanism and particle internalization, we first studied the effects of polystyrene microparticles (PS-MPs, 1 μm) and polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs, 100 nm) of two different sizes at varying concentrations of 5, 25 and 75 μg/mL on the mouse hippocampal neuronal HT22 cells. The in vitro study showed efficient cellular uptake of PS-MPs and PS-NPs of both sizes. The adverse effects of cellular metabolic activity as reflective of excess Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and cell cycle S phase arresting were observed especially at the greater concentration of smaller-sized PS particles, consequently leading to mild cytotoxicity. We further evaluated the dynamic particle-cell interaction with a continuous supply of PS particles using a microfluidic device. By recapitulating the in vivo mechanical microenvironments while allowing homogeneous distribution of PS particles, the dynamic exposure to PS particles of both sizes under flowing conditions resulted in much lesser viability of neural cells than the traditional static exposure. As the flowing dynamics may avoid the gravitational settling of particles and allow more efficient cellular uptake, the size distribution, together with the exposure configurations, contributed significantly to the determination of the PS particle cytotoxicity. The on-chip investigation and a better understanding of particle translocation mechanisms would offer very much to the risk assessment of PS particles on human health.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) elicits cell death, vascular damage, or/and anti-tumor host immune response upon activating the administered photosensitive drug by an appropriate light source. Because PDT is heavily dependent on tissue oxygen (O

While the combined presence of global climate change and nanosized plastic particle (i.e., nanoplastic) pollution is clear, the potential for interactions between climate-change-shifting environmental parameters and nanoplastics is largely unknown. Here, we aim to understand how nanoplastics will affect species in concert with climate change in freshwater ecosystems. We utilized a high-throughput full-factorial experimental system and the model photosynthetic microorganism Scenedesmus obliquus to capture the complexity of interacting environmental stressors, including CO2, temperature, light, and nanoplastics. Under a massive number of conditions (2000+), we consistently found concentration-dependent inhibition of algal growth in the presence of polystyrene nanoparticles, highlighting a threat to primary productivity in aquatic ecosystems. Our high-treatment experiment also identified crucial interactions between nanoplastics and climate change. We found that relatively low temperature and ambient CO2 exacerbated damage induced by nanoplastics, while elevated CO2 and warmer temperatures reflecting climate change scenarios somewhat attenuated nanoplastic toxicity. Further, we revealed that nanoplastics may modulate light responses, implying that risks of nanoplastic pollution may also depend on local irradiation conditions. Our study highlights the coupled impacts of nanoplastics and climate change, as well as the value of full-factorial screening in predicting biological responses to multifaceted global change.

Nanomaterial-based drug delivery holds tremendous promise for improving targeting capacity, biodistribution, and performance of therapeutic/diagnostic agents. Accelerating the clinical translation of current nanomedicine requires an in-depth understanding of the mechanism underlying the dynamic interaction between nanomaterials and cells in a physiological/pathophysiological-relevant condition. The introduction of the advanced microfluidic platform with miniaturized, well-controlled, and high-throughput features opens new investigation and application opportunities for nanomedicine evaluation. This review highlights the current state-of-theart in the field of 1) microfluidic-assisted in vitro assays that are capable of providing physiological-relevant flow conditions and performing high-throughput drug screening, 2) advanced organ-on-a-chip technology with the combination of microfabrication and tissue engineering techniques for mimicking microenvironment and better predicting in vivo response of nanomedicine, and 3) the integration of microdevice with various detection techniques that can monitor cell-nanoparticle interaction with high spatiotemporal resolution. Future perspectives regarding optimized on-chip disease modeling and personalized nanomedicine screening are discussed towards further expanding the utilization of the microfluidic-based platform in assessing the biological behavior of nanomaterials.

Biofilm-coated electrodes and outer cell membrane-mimicked electrodes were examined to verify an extracellular electron transfer mechanism using Marcus theory for a donor-acceptor electron transfer. Redox couple-bound membrane electrodes were prepared by impregnating redox coenzymes into Nafion films on carbon cloth electrodes. The electron transfer was believed to occur sequentially from acetate to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), c-type cytochrome, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) (or riboflavin (RBF)) and the anode substrate. Excellent polarisation and power density characteristics were contributed by the modification of the cathode with a high-surface-area ordered mesoporous carbon or a hollow core-mesoporous shell carbon. The maximum power density of the microbial fuel cell (MFC) could be improved by a factor of two mainly due to the accelerated electron consumption by modifying the cathode surfaces within three-dimensionally interconnected mesoporous carbon particles, and the anode was coated with a mixed culture of anaerobic bacteria.

Gold nanoparticles have attracted unprecedented attention as one of the leading nanomaterials in the field of biomedicine. Of particular interest are their inherent and geometrically tunable optical properties upon the interaction with light, facilitating breakthroughs in light‐mediated diagnosis and therapeutics. Herein, an up‐to‐date overview of the current research in utilizing versatile gold‐based nanosystems with distinctive optical features for optical imaging and phototherapy is provided. The recent advances in optical biosensing, surface‐enhanced Raman scattering‐based detection, photoacoustic imaging, optical coherence tomography, photothermal therapy, light‐triggered drug release, photodynamic therapy, and optomodulation of neural functions using the novel and elegant gold nanostructures of unique design are summarized. In recognition of the burgeoning popularity of integrating multiple diagnostic and therapeutic functions in one system, recent developments of various multifunctional gold nanoplatforms for the light‐enabled concomitant diagnosis and therapy are also highlighted. In the end, the current limitations and perspectives in clinical translation of gold nanomaterial‐assisted photodiagnosis and phototherapy are discussed along with the concluding remarks.

The extensive use of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) has raised concerns regarding their environmental fate and potential risks to the ecosystem. As sensitive pollution indicators, green microalgae could readily monitor the aquatic toxicity of QACs as reflective of the changes in cell viability. Recent microfluidic-based systems have been designed for environmental biomonitoring and ecotoxicity studies while overall information of cell viability cannot be directly visualized under flowing conditions. In the present study, we developed a multifunctional microfluidic platform with the integration of analytical techniques including laser speckle contrast imaging and fluorescence spectroscopy for monitoring algal activity in response to QAC treatment. The biocidal efficiency of a representative QAC benzalkonium bromide (BAB) on a typical aquatic algae Chlorella vulgaris was determined by collecting the bio-speckles and chlorophyll autofluorescence in real-time, where dose-dependent and time-dependent decrease of algal growth was found with the increase of BAB concentration and interaction time. The integrated system was capable of rapid detection of the aquatic toxicity of QACs along with macroscopical visualization of algal activities under flowing conditions in time-course, which could be extended to future implementation for broad ecotoxicity analysis of versatile environmental samples.

Anthropogenic stressors can affect individual species and alter species interactions. Moreover, species interactions or the presence of multiple stressors can modify the stressor effects, yet most work focuses on single stressors and single species. Plant-microbe interactions are a class of species interactions on which ecosystems and agricultural systems depend, yet may be affected by multiple global change stressors. Here, we use duckweed and microbes from its microbiome to model responses of interacting plants and microbes to multiple stressors: climate change and tire wear particles. Climate change is occurring globally, and microplastic tire wear particles from roads now reach many ecosystems. We paired perpendicular gradients of temperature and carbon dioxide (CO

Emerging microfluidic technologies involving miniaturization for high throughput and integration with various on-line detection modalities hold intriguing advantages for cancer diagnosis, tumor microenvironment modeling, and drug evaluation. This book chapter overviews recent advances in diagnosis and therapy for head and neck cancer using microfluidic-based techniques. The basic working principles and experimental results of key microfluidic platforms for head and neck cancer biomarker analysis, cancer cell detection at single-cell levels, and tumor-on-chip model reconstruction for therapeutic assessment and drug evaluation are introduced.

Objectives Hand hygiene is a key measure for the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infection. We investigated the level of awareness of the basic concepts surrounding hand hygiene among healthcare workers in China to inform future targeted hand hygiene promotion activities. Methods An online questionnaire survey comprising 10 single/multiple-choice questions was conducted from April to June 2018 in 30 provinces and municipalities in three regions of China. Logistic analysis was performed to identify differences between regions, types of hospitals, healthcare workers categories, clinical departments, and gender. Results A total of 52,286 responses were received. Among these, 45,455 (86.94%) were included in the final analysis. The overall correct response rate was 26.53%. Eastern China demonstrated a better knowledge than other regions. Respondents in primary care facilities had a higher correct response rate than other types of hospitals and logistics staff had the highest correct response rate than other professional groups. Among clinical departments, staff in the outpatient/emergency room had the highest rate of correct responses. Conclusion Large differences exist in the basic knowledge of hand hygiene across different regions in China and knowledge levels need to be specifically strengthened among secondary care facilities, nurse professionals, gynaecology/obstetrics/paediatric departments and infection control units.

Background: Hand hygiene is a key measure for the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infection. We investigated the level of awareness of the basic concepts surrounding hand hygiene among healthcare staff in China in order to inform the development of future targeted hand hygiene promotion activities. Methods: A pre-tested questionnaire was used to obtain data from April to June 2018 in 30 provinces and municipalities in three regions of China. Ten single/multiple-choice questions investigated the level of awareness of the role of hands in germ transmission, the concept of hand hygiene, and the indications when it should be performed. Logistic analysis was performed to identify differences between regions, types of hospitals, healthcare staff categories, clinical departments and gender.Results: A total of 52,286 responses were received. Among these, 45,455 (86.94%) complete surveys were eligible to be included in the final analysis. The two highest correct response rates concerned the relationship between hand hygiene and healthcare-associated infection and the characteristics of microbiota and resident flora on hands (97.71% and 96.35%, respectively). These were followed by awareness of the World Health Organization’s “My 5 moments for hand hygiene” concept (91.61%), glove use (90.53%), hand hygiene materials (89.28%), characteristics of microbiota and transient flora on hands (84.60%), indications for hand hygiene and other aspects (71.00%), the basic concept of hand hygiene (65.20%), and the effectiveness of alcohol-based handrub on the hand microbiome (48.04%). The overall correct response rate was 26.53%. Eastern China demonstrated a better knowledge than other regions (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.08; 95% CI 3.84–4.32). Respondents in primary care facilities had a higher correct response rate than other types of hospitals (aOR 2.33; 95% CI 2.05–2.66) and logistics staff had the highest correct response rate than other professional groups (aOR1.84; 95% CI 1.53–2.29). Among clinical departments, staff in the outpatient/emergency room had the highest rate of correct responses (aOR1.51; 95% 1.34-1.71).Conclusions: Large differences exist in the basic knowledge of hand hygiene across different regions in China. Knowledge levels need to be specifically strengthened among secondary care facilities, nurse professionals, gynaecology/obstetrics/paediatric departments and infection control units.

The advent of microfluidic technologies has enabled a better recapitulation of in vitro tumor model with higher biological relevance over conventional monolayer assays. This work built upon a microfluidic system that supported the spontaneous aggregate formation of tumoral cells under flow-induced dynamic physical forces in a confined microchamber without additional matrix materials. Our findings indicated that fluidic streams significantly modulated the biological and architectural features of human breast adenocarcinoma cell (MCF-7), human hepatocarcinoma cell (HepG2), and human cervix adenocarcinoma cell (HeLa) with cell-type-dependent variation. The microfluidic platform was further integrated with a fluorescence detection and imaging system, allowing for non-invasive monitoring of cellular accumulation and spatial distribution of a chemotherapeutic agent, doxorubicin (DOX). The cytotoxic effects of DOX of various concentrations were determined and compared in MCF-7 cells in conventional two-dimensional (2D) static and microfluidic culture conditions. Dose-dependent response to DOX was noticed in both cultures, whereas tumor micronodules grown in microfluidic devices demonstrated significantly lower sensitivity to DOX at increased concentration. Our platform owns promising potentials as a universal modality for bridging traditional 2D cell cultures and in vivo experimentation for preclinical anticancer drug screening.

The in vitro reconstruction of the microvascular network model provides a reproducible platform for hemodynamic study with great biological relevance. In the present study, microvascular models with different parametric features were designed under the guidance of Murray's law and derived from representative natural vascular network topography in vivo. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to numerically simulate blood velocity distributions inside of the designed microvasculature models. Full-field blood flow in the vascular network was visualized in vivo using a laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) system, from which the measured relative velocity was compared with CFD computed flow distribution. The results have shown that, in comparison with the simplified flow patterns obtained from idealized geometries, the irregular vascular topography is expected to lead to nonuniform and poor regional blood velocity distribution. The velocity distribution acquired by in vivo LSCI experiment is in good agreement with that of numerical simulation, indicating the technical feasibility of using biomimetic microchannels as a reasonable approximation of the microcirculatory flow conditions. This study provides a new paradigm that can be well suited to the study of microvascular blood flow properties and can further expand to mimic other in-vivo scenarios for accurately recapitulating the physical and hemodynamic environment of the microcirculation.

Anthropogenic stressors, such as climate change or chemical pollution, affect individual species and alter species interactions. Moreover, species interactions can modify effects of anthropogenic stressors on interacting species - a process which may vary amongst stressors or stressor combinations. Most ecotoxicological work focuses on single stressors on single species. Here, we test hypotheses about multiple stressors (climate change and tire wear particles) and interacting species, and whether species interactions modify responses. We use duckweed and its microbiome to model responses of plant-microbe interactions. Climate change is occurring globally, and with increasing urbanization, tire wear particles increasingly contaminate road runoff. Their leachate is associated with zinc, PAHs, plastic additives, and other toxic compounds. We crossed perpendicular gradients of temperature and CO2 in a well plate with factorial manipulation of leachate from tire wear particles and presence of duckweed microbiomes. We measured duckweed and microbial growth, duckweed greenness, and plant-microbe growth correlations. We found that tire leachate and warmer temperatures enhanced duckweed and microbial growth, but microbes diminished positive responses in duck-weed, meaning microbiomes became costly for duckweed. These costs of microbiomes were less-than-additive with warming and leachate, and might be caused by leachate-disrupted endocrine signaling in duckweed. We observed reduced greenness at higher CO2 without tire leachate, suggesting a relative increase in plant nutrient demand, and possibly underlying positive plant-microbe growth correlations in these conditions, as microbes presumably increase nutrient availability. However, with tire leachate, growth correlations were never positive, and shifted negative at lower CO2, further suggesting leachate favors mutualism disruption. In summary, while individual stressors of global change can affect individual species, in ecology we know species interact; and in ecotoxicology, we know stressors interact. Our results demonstrate this complexity: multiple stressors can affect species interactions, and species interactions can alter effects of multiple stressors.

Yamin Yang,1 Yue Hu,2 Henry Du,3 Lei Ren,4 Hongjun Wang5 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China; 2Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA; 3Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Sciences, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, USA; 4Department of Biomaterials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China; 5Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry and Biological Sciences, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, USA Introduction: In recognition of the potentials of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in enhanced photodynamic therapy (PDT) for cancer, it is desirable to further understand the shape-dependent surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) properties of various gold nanostructures and evaluate their performances in PDT. Materials and methods: Monodispersed colloidal spherical solid Au NPs were synthesized by UV-assisted reduction using chloroauric acid and sodium citrate, and hollow gold nanorings (Au NRs) with similar outer diameter were synthesized based on sacrificial galvanic replacement method. The enhanced electromagnetic (EM) field distribution and their corresponding efficiency in enhancing singlet oxygen (1O2) generation of both gold nanostructures were investigated based on theoretical simulation and experimental measurements. Their shape-dependent SPR response and resulted cell destruction during cellular PDT in combination with 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) were further studied under different irradiation conditions. Results: With comparable cellular uptake, more elevated formation of 1O2 in 5-ALA-enabled PDT was detected with the presence of Au NRs than that with Au NPs under broadband light irradiation in both cell-free and intracellular conditions. As a result of the unique morphological attributes, exhibiting plasmonic effect of Au NRs was still achievable in the near infrared (NIR) region, which led to an enhanced therapeutic efficacy of PDT under NIR light irradiation. Conclusion: Shape-dependent SPR response of colloidal Au NPs and Au NRs and their respective effects in promoting PDT efficiency were demonstrated in present study. Our innovative colloidal Au NRs with interior region accessible to surrounding photosensitizers would serve as efficient enhancers of PDT potentially for deep tumor treatment. Keywords: gold nanoparticles, colloidal gold nanorings, surface plasmonic resonance, photodynamic therapy

Anthropogenic stressors can affect individual species and alter species interactions. Moreover, species interactions or the presence of multiple stressors can modify the stressor effects, yet most work focuses on single stressors and single species. Plant-microbe interactions are a class of species interactions on which ecosystems and agricultural systems depend, yet may be affected by multiple global change stressors. Here, we use duckweed and microbes from its microbiome to model responses of interacting plants and microbes to multiple stressors: climate change and tire wear particles. Climate change is occurring globally, and microplastic tire wear particles from roads now reach many ecosystems. We paired perpendicular gradients of temperature and carbon dioxide (CO2) treatments with factorial manipulation of leachate from tire wear particles and duckweed microbiomes. We found that tire leachate and warmer temperatures enhanced duckweed and microbial growth, but caused effects of microbes on duckweed to become negative. However, induced negative effects of microbes were less than additive with warming and leachate. Without tire leachate, we observed that higher CO2 and temperature induced positive correlations between duckweed and microbial growth, which can strengthen mutualisms. In contrast, with tire leachate, growth correlations were never positive, and shifted negative at lower CO2, again suggesting leachate disrupts this plant-microbiome mutualism. In summary, our results demonstrate that multiple interacting stressors can affect multiple interacting species, and that leachate from tire wear particles could potentially disrupt plant-microbe mutualisms.

The dramatically increased use of electricity is raising major concerns as to the consequences of the interaction between electromagnetic field (EMF) and neurobiology. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of magnetic field on working memory in the hippocampal region by analyzing local field potentials (LFPs) and spikes pattern in vivo. In present study, mice were exposed to EMF (50Hz, 1mT), static magnetic field (SMF, 1mT), or placed in the exposure tube but without EMF exposure (SHAM), respectively. During the exposure for 7 consecutive days, mice were subjected to perform working memory (WM) tasks in Y-maze, and multichannel electrophysiology signals from hippocampus of mice were recorded during the test, from which LFPs, spike firing rates, band power at different frequencies, and theta-gamma modulation index (MI) were analyzed in details. From our results, correct choice rate during WM task was found significantly decreased in EMF group after 3-day exposure, which was consistent with noticeable decline in firing rate. Starting from Day 3 after EMF exposure, the power of theta (4-12Hz) and gamma (LG, 30-60Hz) before reference point (RP) in Y-maze were also found to be descending, together with decrease of oscillatory activities of theta and gamma frequencies. The results indicated that MI between theta and gamma could play a significant role in modulating the spikes discharge and encoding WM. Therefore, the analysis of theta-gamma coupling and its oscillation strength may provide a new perspective for mechanistic investigation of EMF-induced WM deficits.

Background Because acute ethanol (EtOH) administration is known to influence cognitive processes by impairing hippocampal function, electrophysiological responses of the hippocampus following EtOH exposure warrant investigation. To mimic in vivo conditions, we recorded and analyzed critical firing characteristics of the neuronal population dynamically, particularly in the hippocampal region, before and after acute EtOH administration. Methods Microelectrodes were inserted in the hippocampus CA1 region of 21 Institute of Cancer Research mice. The mice were divided into 3 groups, including an EtOH injection group (1.5 g/kg), a saline injection group (1.5 g/kg), and a negative control group that received no injection. A data acquisition system was employed to detect the local field potentials (LFPs) and spike potentials following acute EtOH administration. Various multichannel electrophysiological signals were collected in vivo in each group at 60 minutes, from which the firing rate and wavelet entropy (WE) were analyzed further. Results Firing rates began to decline at 20 minutes postinjection and then gradually recovered from 40 to 60 minutes. In contrast, 20 minutes post-injection, WE increased maximally and then returned to normal from 40 to 60 minutes (p

Owing to their unique photophysical and physicochemical properties, nanoscale photosensitizers (nano-PSs) comprising nanocarriers and molecular photosensitizers (PSs) have emerged as the practical solutions to circumvent current limitations in photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer. Nanosized materials have demonstrated their superiority either as the delivery vehicles for PSs to enhance the therapeutic efficacy in selective PDT or as the active participants to improve the energy conversion under a near-infrared light for deep tumour treatment. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of recent progress on nano-PSs for advanced PDT by elaborating three key elements in the photodynamic reaction, i.e. PS, oxygen, and light. Specifically, we discuss the state-of-the-art design of nano-PSs via the following strategies: (a) intracellular PS delivery based on hierarchical modifications, (b) stimuli-responsive nano-PSs targeting the tumour microenvironment, and (c) improved photophysical characteristics of nano-PSs as the energy transducers under deep tissue-penetrating light irradiation. In addition, the utilities of nano-PSs for combinatory therapy or for theragnostic purposes were also discussed. In the end, the current challenges and future perspectives of nano-PSs towards clinical translation were also highlighted along with the concluding remarks.

Background Ethanol is associated with various medical comorbidities affecting the brain and central nervous system. Objectives The use of puerarin in treating alcohol-induced memory disorders is systematically evaluated in this study based upon an analysis of the firing rate and oxygen saturation (SO2). Material and methods A multi-channel data acquisition system and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) were combined to obtain the electroneurophysiological signals and SO2 in the hippocampus of mice from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) after ethanol injection. A T-maze test was performed to study the alteration of spatial memory function. Ethanol was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) in 2 dosages (1.5 g/kg and 0.5 g/kg). To investigate the effects of puerarin against acute ethanol-induced memory impairment, the same parameters corresponding to electroneurophysiological signals, SO2 and behavior performance in mice were also recorded upon the supplementation of puerarin in 2 dosages (25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg). Results An inhibited firing rate and decreased SO2 were found in mice treated with an ethanol dose of 1.5 g/kg, which resulted in a low correct choice rate in the T-maze test, while an opposite trend appeared in mice which had been administered a moderate ethanol dose (0.5 g/kg). The trend of SO2 was positively correlated with that of the firing rate. A decreased firing rate and SO2 were accompanied by a decrease in the correct choice rate. With the supplementation of puerarin, a significant increase in the mean firing rate and SO2, as well as an improved correct choice rate, can be found in mice injected with excessive ethanol. Conclusions The electroneurophysiological signals and NIRS were combined for the first time to prove that an excessive intake of ethanol can inhibit the spatial learning and memory function of mice. The supplementation of puerarin can suppress these adverse effects induced by ethanol at a high dosage, as evidenced by the increased firing rate and SO2.

A novel Tb(III) ternary complex Tb(p-BBA) 3 MAA was synthesized with 4-benzoylbenzoic acid (p-BBA) and methacrylic acid (MAA) as ligands. The complex was characterized by IR, UV-visible, thermogravimetric analysis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Monitored at 544 nm, the complex displayed wide and strong excitation band at 300-400 nm, which matched well with the 365 nm-emitting UV chip. The complex exhibited excellent green emission at 544 nm ( 5 D 4 → 7 F 5 transition of Tb 3+ ) under an excitation at 365 nm. Besides, the complex showed high thermal stability. Its intramolecular energy transfer process was further discussed. Furthermore, the complex also had higher fluorescence lifetime (1.38 ms) and higher quantum yield (0.372). Finally, electroluminescent properties indicated that when used to fabricate LED with 365 nm UV chip (power efficiency is 18.6 lm/W), the complex remained its favorable optical performance. These results implied that Tb(p-BBA) 3 MAA could be used as a green phosphor for NUV-based white LED.

In this work, a method of tuning the chromaticity of the emission color of the copolymers containing Eu(III), Tb(III), Be(II) ions based on colorimetric principle was proposed. The technological route from coordination to copolymerization was employed to obtain the white light macromolecular phosphor. The three primary color monomers have been synthesized and their Commission Internationale de L’Eclairage (CIE) coordinates are respectively (0.540, 0.314), (0.231, 0.463), and (0.161, 0.054). The molar feed ratios of the three primary color monomers were calculated from the CIE coordinates based on colorimetric principle. Serial copolymers have been synthesized by free radical copolymerization of the three primary color monomers and methyl methacrylate. The quantum efficiency of the copolymers was higher than that of the complex monomers. The complexes were directly boned to the polymer chain, in which the energy transfer was reduced significantly compared to the doped-polymers. The experimental values of copolymers’ CIE coordinates were located in the white light region in good agreement with theoretical values. The results indicate that the chromaticity of the emission color of the copolymers containing Eu(III), Tb(III), Be(II) ions could be tuned by theoretical calculation based on colorimetric principle.

We report the dependence of gold nanoring (Au NR)-enhanced singlet oxygen (1O2) generation on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) wavelength and separation distance between Au NR and photosensitizers. Using Au NR of tunable LSPR and poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) bilayers via layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly on Au NR as molecular spacers, we found that 1O2 generation from Al(III) phthalocyanine chloride tetrasulfonic acid (AlPcS4) conjugated on the Au NR can be optimized through proper combination of LSPR and the separation distance. More importantly, 1O2 enhancement follows a different correlation with the separation distance compared to that of AlPcS4 fluorescence enhancement. Our experimental findings are consistent with the prediction by boundary element method (BEM) calculations. Our study paves the way to the design of LSPR-enhanced 1O2 generation for improved efficacy of photodynamic therapy of cancers.

A novel Tb(III) ternary complex, Tb(p-BBA)3UA, was synthesized with 4-benzoylbenzoic acid (p-BBA) as primary ligand and undecylenic acid (UA) as reactive ligand. Tb(III) complex exhibits high thermal stability and wide and strong excitation bands from 310 nm to 400 nm when monitored at 543 nm, which matches well with the 365 nm UV chip. The complex displays Tb(III) characteristic peaks at 488, 543, 584 and 619 nm under the excitation of 365 nm UV-light. The intramolecular energy transfer process was also discussed. Meanwhile, the complex has longer fluorescence lifetime (1.317 ms) and higher quantum yield (44.8%). When used in LED with 365 nm UV chip (power efficiency is 17.3 lm/W), the complex still maintained its qualified luminescent performance. All the results indicate that Tb(p-BBA)3UA can be applied as a green component for fabrication of near UV-based white LED.

Aim: The authors aimed to further improve the efficiency and selectivity of gold nanoparticle (Au NP)-assisted photodynamic therapy by modulating the surface charge of Au NPs and delivering Au NPs particularly to mitochondria of breast cancer cells. Methods: Solid gold nanospheres (˜50 nm) with negative and positive surface charge were synthesized respectively, and mitochondria-targeting Au NPs were prepared by conjugating with triphenylphosphonium molecules. Conclusion: Positively charged Au NPs were preferably taken up by breast cancer cells. Combination of positive surface charge with mitochondria-targeting domain onto Au NPs allowed their accumulation in the mitochondria of breast cancer cells to significantly elevate reactive oxygen species formation in 5-aminolevulinic-acid-enabled photodynamic therapy and improve selective destruction of breast cancer cells.

As excessive crossed disparity is known to cause visual discomfort, this study aims to establish a classification model to discriminate excessive crossed disparity in stereoscopic viewing in combination with subjective assessment of visual discomfort. A stereo-visual evoked potentials (VEPs) experimental system was built up to obtain the VEPs evoked by stereoscopic stimulus with different disparities. Ten volunteers participated in this experiment, and forty VEP datasets in total were extracted when the viewers were under comfortable viewing conditions. Six features of VEPs from three electrodes at the occipital lobe were chosen, and the classification was established using the Fisher’s linear discriminant (FLD). Based on FLD results, the correct rate for determining the excessive crossed disparity was 70%, and it reached 80% for other stimuli. The study demonstrated cost-effective discriminant classification modelling to distinguish the stimulus with excessive crossed disparity which inclines to cause visual discomfort.

In this work, a novel copolymer PS–Eu–Tb–Zn, which can match a 365 nm UV chip, was synthesized by the RAFT polymerization of Tb(p-BBA)3UA, Eu(TTA)2(Phen)MAA, Zn(BTZ)UA and styrene. TG-DTG and PL analyses indicate that the copolymer PS–Eu–Tb–Zn displays favorable thermal stability and luminescence properties. When excited at 365 nm, the copolymer exhibits emission peaks at 421 nm (blue emission), 488, 543 nm (green emission), 589 and 615 nm (red emission). The white light of the copolymer can be obtained by tuning the ratios of the three complexes and excitation wavelengths. The CIE coordinates (0.352, 0.330) of the copolymer are optimal upon excitation at 365 nm. For the fabricated white LED using a 365 nm UV chip with the copolymer, the CCT is 5684 K, and the CRI is 83.1. All the results indicate that the copolymer can be applied as a phosphor for the fabrication of NUV-based white LEDs.

The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanism of the effects of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) at the microRNA level. First, 20-nm GNPs were synthesized and their effect on HDF proliferation was assayed. SOLiD sequencing technology was then utilized to obtain the microRNA expression profile after GNP treatment. The microRNA expression data were compared with previously obtained mRNA and protein expression data to identify the microRNA target mRNAs/proteins. Moreover, bioinformatics analyses and validation experiments were conducted. Lastly, the roles of GNPs and silver nanoparticle (SNPs) on HDFs were compared at the microRNA level. The results showed that GNPs were not cytotoxic as 202 microRNAs were differentially expressed after treatment with 200 μm GNPs for 1, 4 and 8 h. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that these dysregulated miRNAs mainly functioned in metabolic processes and participated in 71 biological pathways, including two key pathways in which the differentially expressed miRNA, target mRNAs and proteins were simultaneously joined, the mRNA processing pathway and MAPK signaling pathway. Biological experiments in cells confirmed that GNPs affected energy metabolism but did not induce apoptosis, destroy the cytoskeleton or induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Comparing the mechanism of the effects of GNPs and SNPs on HDFs at the microRNA level, it was found that, unlike SNPs, GNPs impacted the cell cycle, weakened the ATP synthesis inhibition and cytoskeleton damage, suppressed apoptosis, and did not lead to cytotoxicity. The difference in ROS production by these two nanoparticles might partially explain the fact that GNPs showed no cytotoxic effects on HDFs, unlike SNPs.

With unique physicochemical properties, gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) have demonstrated their potential as drug carriers or therapeutic agents. Effective guidance of Au NPs into specific intracellular destinations becomes increasingly important as we strive to further improve the efficiency of drug delivery and modulate controllable cellular responses. In this review, we summarized recent advances in designing Au NPs with the capabilities of cellular penetration and internalization, endosomal escape, intracellular trafficking and subcellular localization via various approaches including physical injection, tuning the physiochemical parameters of Au NPs, and surface modification with targeting ligands. Strategies for delivering Au NPs to specific subcellular destinations including the nucleus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes are also discussed. Moreover, current challenges associated with intracellular targeting of Au NPs are discussed with future perspectives proposed.

Recently, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), which can be manipulated in the magnetic field, have received much attention in tumor therapy. Extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELMF) system can initiate MNPs vibrating and the movement of MNPs inside of cells can be controlled by adjusting the frequency and intensity of ELMF towards irreversible cell damages. In this study, we investigated the detrimental effects on tumor cells with MNPs under various ELMF exposure conditions. An in-house built ELMF system was developed and utilized for evaluating the treatment efficiency of MNPs on tumor cells with specific intensities (2–20 Hz) and frequencies (0.1–20 mT). Significant morphological changes were found in tumor cells treated with MNPs in combing with ELMF, which were consistent with noticeable decrease in cell viability. With the increase of the intensity and frequency of the magnetic field, the structural integrity of tumor tissue can be further destroyed. Destructive effects of MNPs and ELMF on tumor tissues were further determined by the pathophysiological changes observed in vivo in animal study. Taken together, the combination of MNPs and ELMF had a great potential as an innovative treatment approach for tumor intervention.