Magnetic Microtweezers for High-Throughput Bioseparation in Sub-Nanoliter Droplets.

Multiomics studies at single-cell level require small volume manipulation, high throughput analysis, and multiplexed detection, characteristics that droplet microfluidics can tackle. However, the initial step of molecule bioseparation remains challenging. Here, we describe a unique magnetic device to trap and extract magnetic particles in sub-nanoliter droplets, for compartmentalisation of detection steps.

An 8-month adapted motor activity program in a young CMT1A male patient.

Background: It is unclear whether prolonged periods of training can be well tolerated. In Charcot-Marie Tooth disease (CMT). We report the effects of an 8-month, adapted motor activity (AMA) program in a 16-years-old CMT1A male patient.

Multiomic Droplet-Based Assay for Ultralow Input Samples.

The extraction and separation of cellular compounds are crucial steps in numerous biological protocols, particularly in multiomics studies, where several cellular modalities are examined simultaneously. While magnetic particle extraction is commonly used, it may not be applicable for ultralow input samples. Microfluidics has made possible the analysis of rare or low-materiality samples such as circulating tumor cells or single cells through miniaturization of numerous protocols.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts actively compress cancer cells and modulate mechanotransduction.

During tumor progression, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) accumulate in tumors and produce an excessive extracellular matrix (ECM), forming a capsule that enwraps cancer cells. This capsule acts as a barrier that restricts tumor growth leading to the buildup of intratumoral pressure. Combining genetic and physical manipulations in vivo with microfabrication and force measurements in vitro, we found that the CAFs capsule is not a passive barrier but instead actively compresses cancer cells using actomyosin contractility.

Magnetic Nanocomposites of Coated Ferrites/MOF as Pesticide Adsorbents.

Magnetic metal-organic frameworks (MMOFs) are gaining increased attention as emerging adsorbents/water remediation agents. Herein, a facile development of novel MMOFs comprised of coated ferrite nanoparticles (MNPs) and UiO-66 metal-organic framework is reported. In specific, coated Co- and Zn-doped ferrite magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized as building block while the metal-organic framework was grown in the presence of MNPs via a semi-self-assembly approach.

Improved Electrochemical Performance of NTs-WS@C Nanocomposites for Lithium-Ion and Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Even though WS nanotubes (NTs-WS) have great potential as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) thanks to their unusual layered structure, their conductivity and cycling stability are far from satisfactory. To tackle these issues, carbon-coated WS (NTs-WS@C) nanocomposites were prepared through a facile synthesis method that involved precipitating a carbon precursor (20% sucrose) on WS nanotubes, followed by annealing treatment under an argon environment. Thanks to the presence of highly conductive and mechanically robust carbon on the outer surface, NTs-WS@C nanocomposites show improved electrochemical performance compared with bare NTs-WS.

Signature of Ultrafast Formation and Annihilation of Polaronic States in a Layered Ferromagnet.

The strong interaction between charge and lattice vibration gives rise to a polaron, which has a profound effect on optical and transport properties of matters. In magnetic materials, polarons are involved in spin dependent transport, which can be potentially tailored for spintronic and opto-spintronic device applications. Here, we identify the signature of ultrafast formation of polaronic states in CrBr.

Chiral Phonons and Giant Magneto-Optical Effect in CrBr 2D Magnet.

Phonons with chirality determine the optical helicity of inelastic light scattering processes due to their nonzero angular momentum. Here it is shown that 2D magnetic CrBr hosts chiral phonons at the Brillouin-zone center. These chiral phonons are linear combinations of the doubly-degenerate E phonons, and the phonon eigenmodes exhibit clockwise and counterclockwise rotational vibrations corresponding to angular momenta of l = ± 1.

Sprinkler irrigation in the production of safe rice by soils heavily polluted by arsenic and cadmium.

Among the factors affecting the bioaccumulation of As and Cd in rice, a key role is played by the irrigation methods. The sprinkler irrigation (SP), optimized for rice in Sardinia, Italy, applied to several rice genotypes over many years has produced no differences in yields in comparison to what observed using the traditional continuous flooding irrigation method (CF). Because all the previous SP trials have been performed just on one, unpolluted soil, the principal aim of this study is to ascertain the effectiveness of SP to simultaneously minimize the bioaccumulation of As and Cd in rice grain even in soils severely polluted by As and/or Cd.

Apoptosis mapping in space and time of 3D tumor ecosystems reveals transmissibility of cytotoxic cancer death.

The emerging tumor-on-chip (ToC) approaches allow to address biomedical questions out of reach with classical cell culture techniques: in biomimetic 3D hydrogels they partially reconstitute ex vivo the complexity of the tumor microenvironment and the cellular dynamics involving multiple cell types (cancer cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, etc.). However, a clear bottleneck is the extraction and interpretation of the rich biological information contained, sometime hidden, in the cell co-culture videos.

Single-cell proteomic and transcriptomic analysis of macrophage heterogeneity using SCoPE2.

Background: Macrophages are innate immune cells with diverse functional and molecular phenotypes. This diversity is largely unexplored at the level of single-cell proteomes because of the limitations of quantitative single-cell protein analysis.

Results: To overcome this limitation, we develop SCoPE2, which substantially increases quantitative accuracy and throughput while lowering cost and hands-on time by introducing automated and miniaturized sample preparation.

YS-TaS and YLaS-TaS (0 ≤ ≤ 1) Nanotubes: A Family of Misfit Layered Compounds.

We present the analysis of a family of nanotubes (NTs) based on the quaternary misfit layered compound (MLC) YLaS-TaS. The NTs were successfully synthesized within the whole range of possible compositions the chemical vapor transport technique. In-depth analysis of the NTs using electron microscopy and spectroscopy proves the in-phase (partial) substitution of La by Y in the (La,Y)S subsystem and reveals structural changes compared to the previously reported LaS-TaS MLC-NTs.

Synthesis and characterization of quaternary La(Sr)S-TaS misfit-layered nanotubes.

Misfit-layered compounds (MLCs) are formed by the combination of different lattices and exhibit intriguing structural and morphological characteristics. MLC Sr La S-TaS nanotubes with varying Sr composition (10, 20, 40, and 60 Sr atom %, corresponding to = 0.1, 0.

An overview of the recent advances in inorganic nanotubes.

Advanced nanomaterials play a prominent role in nanoscience and nanotechnology developments, opening new frontiers in these areas. Among these nanomaterials, due to their unique characteristics and enhanced chemical and physical properties, inorganic nanotubes have been considered one of the most interesting nanostructures. In recent years, important progress has been achieved in the production and study of these nanomaterials, including boron nitride, transition metal dichalcogenide nanotubular structures, misfit-based nanotubes and other hybrid/doped nanotubular objects.

Synthesis and Characterization of Nanotubes from Misfit (LnS) TaS (Ln=Pr, Sm, Gd, Yb) Compounds.

The synthesis and characterization of nanotubes from misfit layered compounds (MLCs) of the type (LnS) TaS (denoted here as LnS-TaS ; Ln=Pr, Sm, Gd, and Yb), not reported before, are described (the bulk compound YbS-LaS was not previously documented). Transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction showed that the interlayer spacing along the c axis decreased with an increase in the atomic number of the lanthanide atom, which suggested tighter interaction between the LnS layer and TaS for the late lanthanides. The Raman spectra of the tubules were studied and compared to those of the bulk MLC compounds.

Resolution improvement of 3D stereo-lithography through the direct laser trajectory programming: Application to microfluidic deterministic lateral displacement device.

The vast majority of current microfluidic devices are produced using soft lithography, a technique with strong limitations regarding the fabrication of three-dimensional architectures. Additive manufacturing holds great promises to overcome these limitations, but conventional machines still lack the resolution required by most microfluidic applications. 3D printing machines based on two-photon lasers, in contrast, have the needed resolution but are too limited in speed and size of the global device.

Microfluidic platform combining droplets and magnetic tweezers: application to HER2 expression in cancer diagnosis.

The development of precision medicine, together with the multiplication of targeted therapies and associated molecular biomarkers, call for major progress in genetic analysis methods, allowing increased multiplexing and the implementation of more complex decision trees, without cost increase or loss of robustness. We present a platform combining droplet microfluidics and magnetic tweezers, performing RNA purification, reverse transcription and amplification in a fully automated and programmable way, in droplets of 250nL directly sampled from a microtiter-plate. This platform decreases sample consumption about 100 fold as compared to current robotized platforms and it reduces human manipulations and contamination risk.

Variation of milk components in the Italian Brown cattle.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the variations of protein, casein, saturated (SFA), unsaturated (UFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids contents and cheese yield in the milk of two groups of Italian Brown cows conventionally reared in indoor period of housing or consuming pasture during the summer months in 2008 and 2013. Milk components were obtained from samples collected during the national routine (conventionally reared) and 'extraordinary' (pasture period) milk recording scheme in herds located near Sondrio (Lombardia, Italy). Milk samples were processed with the MilkoScanTM FT6000 for the identification of milk casein, SFA, UFA, MUFA and PUFA composition.

Photocatalytic Activity of Au/TiO2 Photocatalysts for H2 Evolution: Role of the Au Nanoparticles as a Function of the Irradiation Wavelength.

An investigation of hydrogen production with a series of Au/TiO2 photocatalysts reveals that the Au nanoparticles play different roles depending on the wavelength of the light irradiation. Under visible-light irradiation, the photoactivity is primarily controlled by the intensity of the Au surface plasmon band, whereas under UV irradiation the Au nanoparticles act as co-catalysts with TiO2 .

Self-expanding hemostatic polymer for control of exsanguinating extremity bleeding.

Background: Prehospital management of exsanguinating extremity injuries (EEI) includes direct compression or tourniquets or both. Direct compression may be ineffective in deep wounds and requires a person committed to compressing. Tourniquets may cause severe ischemic damage and may be ineffective in proximal wounds.