Smart Optical Composite Materials: Dispersions of Metal-Organic Framework@Superparamagnetic Microrods for Switchable Isotropic-Anisotropic Optical Properties.

A smart optical composite material with dynamic isotropic and anisotropic optical properties by combination of luminescence and high reflectivity was developed. This combination enables switching between luminescence and angle-dependent reflectivity by changing the applied wavelength of light. The composite is formed as anisotropic core/shell particles by coating superparamagnetic iron oxide-silica microrods with a layer of the luminescent metal-organic framework (MOF) [Eu(BDC)]·2DMF·2HO (BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate).

Burstable nanostructured micro-raspberries: Towards redispersible nanoparticles from dry powders.

Despite immense progress in nanoscience and technology, one of the yet unsolved challenges is the redispersion of nanoparticles from dry powders back to the individual, primary particles. Herein, an easy to handle powder consisting of nanostructured micron sized raspberry-like particles is presented. These nanostructured micro-raspberries are composed of individual nanoparticles which are equipped with molecules that introduce a separating effect or "spring" functionality.

Dissecting the inter-substrate navigation of migrating glioblastoma cells with the stripe assay reveals a causative role of ROCK.

A hallmark of gliomas is the growth and migration of cells over long distances within the brain and proliferation within selected niches, indicating that the migrating cells navigate between complex substrates. We demonstrate in the present study a differential preference for migration that depends on Rho-associated coil kinase (ROCK) signaling, using the alternating Bonhoeffer stripe assay. Membrane fractions from nonmyelinated and myelinated brain areas from female rats, purified myelin also from female rats, and commercial extracellular matrix were used as substrates, with each substrate being tested against the others.

Vacuolar structures can be identified by AFM elasticity mapping.

Fluid-filled organelles like vesicles, endosomes and pinosomes are inevitable parts of cellular signalling and transport. Endothelial cells, building a barrier between blood and tissue, can form vacuolar organelles. These structures are implicated in upregulated fluid transport across the endothelium under inflammatory conditions.

Characterization of defects and surface structures in microporous materials by HRTEM, HRSEM, and AFM.

High-resolution transmission (HRTEM) and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy as well as atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction, and electron diffraction were used for studying the zeolites MFI, MEL, and the MFIMEL intergrowth system. All three zeolites consisted of individual particles having a size in the range of approximately 0.5 m to 5 m.