Light-field microscopy with temporal focusing multiphoton illumination for scanless volumetric bioimaging.

A temporal focusing multiphoton illumination (TFMI) method is proposed for achieving selective volume illumination (SVI) (i.e., illuminating only the volume of interest) in light-field microscopy (LFM).

Xenon blunts NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome activation and improves acute onset of accelerated and severe lupus nephritis in mice.

Xenon, an inert anesthetic gas, is increasingly recognized to possess desirable properties including cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. Here we evaluated the effects of xenon on the progression of lupus nephritis (LN) in a mouse model. A two hour exposure of either 70% xenon or 70% nitrogen balanced with oxygen was administered daily for five weeks to female NZB/W F1 mice that had been induced to develop accelerated and severe LN.

The Making of a Flight Feather: Bio-architectural Principles and Adaptation.

The evolution of flight in feathered dinosaurs and early birds over millions of years required flight feathers whose architecture features hierarchical branches. While barb-based feather forms were investigated, feather shafts and vanes are understudied. Here, we take a multi-disciplinary approach to study their molecular control and bio-architectural organizations.

Rapid single-wavelength lightsheet localization microscopy for clarified tissue.

Optical super-resolution microscopy allows nanoscale imaging of protein molecules in intact biological tissues. However, it is still challenging to perform large volume super-resolution imaging for entire animal organs. Here we develop a single-wavelength Bessel lightsheet method, optimized for refractive-index matching with clarified specimens to overcome the aberrations encountered in imaging thick tissues.

Lightsheet localization microscopy enables fast, large-scale, and three-dimensional super-resolution imaging.

Recent advances in super-resolution microscopy allow the localization of single molecules within individual cells but not within multiple whole cells due to weak signals from single molecules and slow acquisition process for point accumulation to reconstruct super-resolution images. Here, we report a fast, large-scale, and three-dimensional super-resolution fluorescence microscope based on single-wavelength Bessel lightsheet to selectively illuminate spontaneous blinking fluorophores tagged to the proteins of interest in space. Critical parameters such as labeling density, excitation power, and exposure time were systematically optimized resulting in a maximum imaging speed of 2.

Construction of single fluorophore ratiometric pH sensors using dual-emission Mn(2+)-doped quantum dots.

We present a novel ratiometric pH sensor design using water-soluble, dual-emission, Mn(2+)-doped quantum dots (Qdots) decorated with D-penicillamine (DPA-MnQdots). In contrast to more commonly used ratiometric pH sensors that rely on the coupling of two fluorophores, our design uses only a single emitter, which simplifies ratiometric sensing and broadens the applications of the sensor. Our single-emitter DPA-MnQdots exhibit two emission bands, at 510nm (green) and 610nm (red), which are, respectively, attributable to exciton recombination and emission of the Mn(2+) dopants.

Evaluation of the intracellular uptake and cytotoxicity effect of TiO nanostructures for various human oral and lung cells under dark conditions.

Titanium dioxide (TiO) nanomaterials (NMs) have been widely used to develop commercial products such as sunscreen cosmetics because of their unique optical properties to provide complete protection from ultraviolet (UV) light. The most dangerous type of UV radiation is UVA, which comprises nearly 97% of the UV radiation that reaches the Earth. This type of radiation is also the major cause of skin damage.

Optimizing cationic and neutral lipids for efficient gene delivery at high serum content.

Background: Cationic liposome (CL)-DNA complexes are promising gene delivery vectors with potential application in gene therapy. A key challenge in creating CL-DNA complexes for application is that their transfection efficiency (TE) is adversely affected by serum. In particular, little is known about the effects of a high serum content on TE, even though this may provide design guidelines for application in vivo.

Photothermal cancer therapy via femtosecond-laser-excited FePt nanoparticles.

FePt nanoparticles (NPs) have recently been revealed to be significant multifunctional materials for the applications of biomedical imaging, drug delivery and magnetic hyperthermia due to their novel magnetic properties. In this study, a newly discovered photothermal effect activated by the near infrared (NIR) femtosecond laser for FePt NPs was demonstrated. The threshold laser energy to destroy cancer cells was found to be comparable to that of gold nanorods (Au NRs) previously reported.

Functionalized polymer spheres via one-step photoinduced synthesis for antimicrobial activity and gene delivery.

Despite the fact that polystyrene (PS) spheres have been developed as polymeric carriers or matrices for various biomedical applications, the synthesis of PS spheres is time-consuming. This work describes the fabrication of a uniform PS sphere, coated with silver nanoparticles (Ag-PS), by simultaneous photoinduced polymerization and reduction fabricated using x-rays in aqueous solution without any initiator. The solution contains only styrene, silver ions (Ag(+)), and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) as a stabilizer.

Biocompatible transferrin-conjugated sodium hexametaphosphate-stabilized gold nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization, cytotoxicity and cellular uptake.

The feasibility of using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for biomedical applications has led to considerable interest in the development of novel synthetic protocols and surface modification strategies for AuNPs to produce biocompatible molecular probes. This investigation is, to our knowledge, the first to elucidate the synthesis and characterization of sodium hexametaphosphate (HMP)-stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au-HMP) in an aqueous medium. The role of HMP, a food additive, as a polymeric stabilizing and protecting agent for AuNPs is elucidated.

Real time observation of mouse fetal skeleton using a high resolution X-ray synchrotron.

The X-ray synchrotron is quite different from conventional radiation sources. This technique may expand the capabilities of conventional radiology and be applied in novel manners for special cases. To evaluate the usefulness of X-ray synchrotron radiation systems for real time observations, mouse fetal skeleton development was monitored with a high resolution X-ray synchrotron.

A single-monomer derived linear-like PEI-co-PEG for siRNA delivery and silencing.

Polyethylenimines (PEIs) are commonly used as a vehicle to deliver and protect siRNA, but the strong interaction still remains to be modulated for efficient siRNA release and silencing. Herein, a single-monomer derived linear-like PEI-co-PEG (LPEI-co-PEG, P(2)) was synthesized to substantially enhance the siRNA release, but not affect the efficiency of protection. The linear-like copolymer (P(2)) was only synthesized from a single-monomer by intensive synchrotron X-ray irradiation within 5 min, randomly producing both PEI and PEG segments.

One-pot synthesis of linear-like and photoluminescent polyethylenimines for intracellular imaging and siRNA delivery.

Linear-like and photoluminescent polyethylenimines (LPEIs) were synthesized through a one-pot reaction within 5 min using synchrotron radiation for intracellular imaging and siRNA delivery.

In situ real-time investigation of cancer cell photothermolysis mediated by excited gold nanorod surface plasmons.

The photothermolysis of living EMT-6 breast tumor cells triggered by gold nanorods (AuNRs) with two-photon irradiation was conducted in situ and under real-time observation. The morphology and plasma membrane permeability of the cells were key indicators to the phenomena. AuNRs with an aspect ratio of 3.

X-ray beamlines for structural studies at the NSRRC superconducting wavelength shifter.

Using a superconducting-wavelength-shifter X-ray source with a photon flux density of 10(11)-10(13) photons s(-1) mrad(-1) (0.1% bandwidth)(-1) (200 mA)(-1) in the energy range 5-35 keV, three hard X-ray beamlines, BL01A, BL01B and BL01C, have been designed and constructed at the 1.5 GeV storage ring of the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC).

The fabrication and application of Zernike electrostatic phase plate.

The Zernike electrostatic phase plate (ZEPP) consisting of three ring electrodes and two insulating rings has been fabricated using Micro Electro-Mechanical System processes. The electrostatic field produced in the phase plate was measured by electrostatic force microscopy. The electrostatic field and focal length of the phase plate is calculated using electron optics principles.

Phosphatized polar lobe-forming embryos from the Precambrian of southwest China.

In developing embryos of some extant spiralian animals, polar lobe formation is one of the symmetry-breaking mechanisms for segregation of maternal cytoplasmic substances to certain blastomeres and not others. Polar lobe formation leads to unique early cleavage morphologies that include trilobed, J-shaped, and five-lobed structures. Fossil embryos similar to modern lobeforming embryos are recognized from the Precambrian Doushantuo Formation phosphates, Weng'an, Guizhou Province, China.

Synchrotron radiation imaging of internal structures in live animals.

Ionizing radiation has long been used in medicine since the discovery of X-rays. Diagnostic imaging using synchrotron radiation has been under investigation since Rubenstein et al. reported dual-energy iodine-K-edge subtraction coronary angiography.