On the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of CrN/Ag Multilayer Films Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering.

CrN/Ag multilayer coatings and a comparative CrN single layer were deposited via reactive magnetron sputtering. In multilayer coatings, the thickness of each CrN layer was constant at 60 nm, while that of the Ag layer was adjusted from 3 to 10 nm. Microstructure of the films was characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron spectroscopy.

Programming thermoresponsiveness of NanoVelcro substrates enables effective purification of circulating tumor cells in lung cancer patients.

Unlike tumor biopsies that can be constrained by problems such as sampling bias, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are regarded as the "liquid biopsy" of the tumor, providing convenient access to all disease sites, including primary tumor and fatal metastases. Although enumerating CTCs is of prognostic significance in solid tumors, it is conceivable that performing molecular and functional analyses on CTCs will reveal much significant insight into tumor biology to guide proper therapeutic intervention. We developed the Thermoresponsive NanoVelcro CTC purification system that can be digitally programmed to achieve an optimal performance for purifying CTCs from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.