BINA

Confocal microscopes have been the workhorses of 3-D biological imaging, but they are slow, offer limited depth penetration and collect only ballistic photons. With their inefficient use of excitation photons they expose biological samples to an often intolerably high light burden. The speed limitation and photo-bleaching risk can be somewhat relaxed in a spinning-disk geometry, due to shorter pixel dwell times and rapid re-scans during image capture. Alternatively, light-sheet microscopes rapidly image large volumes of transparent or chemically cleared samples. Finally, with infrared excitation and efficient scattered-light collection, 2-photon microscopy allows deep-tissue imaging, but it remains slow. Here, we describe a new optical scheme that borrows the best from three different worlds: the speed and direct-view from a spinning-disk confocal, deep tissue-penetration and intrinsic optical sectioning from 2-photon …

Imaging and microscopy have played a very important role in biological research. In this commentary, we have provided a summary of the development of different imaging modalities and quantitative techniques as an introduction. We have briefly described the technique Statistical Parametrization of Cell Cytoskeleton (SPOCC) and evaluated it against similar techniques available. We have also discussed the advantages, short comings and future prospective of SPOCC both technically and biologically.

High energy density Li-rich 0.33Li2MnO3·0.67LiNi0.4Co0.2Mn0.4O2 (HE-NCM) layered structure cathodes for Li-ion batteries provide higher capacity gain via incorporation of an excess of lithium into the host. As a serious drawback, these cathodes suffer from continuous voltage fade upon cycling. Recently, high capacity retention, rate capability and low voltage hysteresis were achieved for HE-NCM by new thermal double gases SO2 and NH3 treatment. However, so far a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms responsible for this improved stability is missing. Herein, a comprehensive study of the chemical composition and electronic structure modifications of a series of HE-NCM (untreated, treated, carbon- and binder- free) is performed using advanced electron spectroscopy techniques supported by theoretical calculations. We demonstrate that the double gases treatment process leads to a partial …

Chaos, namely exponential sensitivity to initial conditions, is generally considered a nuisance, inasmuch as it prevents long‐term predictions in physical systems. Here, an easily accessible approach to undo deterministic chaos and tailor ray trajectories in arbitrary 2D optical billiards by introducing spatially varying refractive index therein is presented. A new refractive index landscape is obtained by a conformal mapping, which makes the trajectories of the chaotic billiard fully predictable and the billiard fully integrable. Moreover, trajectory rectification can be pushed a step further by relating chaotic billiards with non‐Euclidean geometries. Two examples are illustrated by projecting billiards built on a sphere as well as the deformed spacetime outside a Schwarzschild black hole, which respectively lead to all periodic orbits and spiraling trajectories remaining away from the boundaries of the transformed 2D billiards …

New naphthocorrole ligands, display both the cavity size of corroles and the dianionic character of porphyrins. Nonaromatic and yet flaunting deceptively porphyrin-like optical spectra, they are readily accessible via a simple protocol.

Morphogenesis involves the transformation of initially simple shapes, such as multicellular spheroids, into more complex 3D shapes. These shape changes are governed by mechanical forces including molecular motor-generated forces as well as hydrostatic fluid pressure, both of which are actively regulated in living matter through mechano-chemical feedback. Inspired by autonomous, biophysical shape change, such as occurring in the model organism hydra, we introduce a minimal, active, elastic model featuring a network of springs in a globe-like spherical shell geometry. In this model there is coupling between activity and the shape of the shell: if the local curvature of a filament represented by a spring falls below a critical value, its elastic constant is actively changed. This results in deformation of the springs that changes the shape of the shell. By combining excitation of springs and pressure regulation, we …

Ultrasonic irradiation of molten metals in liquid media causes dispersion of the metals into suspensions of micro- and nanoparticles that can be separated. This is applicable mainly to low-mp elemental metals or alloys, but higher mp elemental metals or alloys were also reported. Among metals, mercury and gallium exhibit especially-low melting points and are thus considered as liquid metals (LMs). Sonication of mercury in aqueous solutions of certain metal ions can cause simultaneous reduction of the ions and reactions between the metals. Gallium can be melted and sonicated in warm water, as well as in aqueous solutions of various solutes such as metal ions and organic compounds, which opened a wide window of interactions between the gallium particles and the solutes. Sonication of molten metals in organic liquids, such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400, forms carbon dots (C-dots) doped with …

One of the problems associated with conducting a membrane filtration process is the accumulation of undesirable material on the surface of membranes. The deposited layer can significantly increase the resistance of the membrane, which leads to a reduction of the process efficacy. In many cases, the service life of the membranes is also reduced. One type of contamination that can accumulate on the surface of membranes are biological species (i.e., microorganisms). The process is called biofouling and can lead to a biofilm formation, which constitutes an integral layer resistant or completely invulnerable to many commonly used cleaning techniques. Various microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi and algae, proliferate and colonize the available surface of the membranes. Adhesion to the surface is enabled by secreted components known as extracellular polymeric substances, thanks to which a biofilm is formed on the surface. In order to reduce the intensity of biofouling, the membranes are subjected to various modification techniques. One of the modification techniques is the addition of particles with antimicrobial and anti-biofouling properties to the polymer at the stage of membrane production. In this study, copper oxide (CuO) was used as an antimicrobial material, which was added, as a nanopowder, to a polysulfone solution. From the prepared membrane-forming solution, flat ultrafiltration membranes were produced using the wet phase inversion method. The secondary solvent was the ultrapure water. The aim of the conducted research was to produce membranes with anti-biofouling properties and to characterize them in terms of …

Morphogenesis involves the transformation of initially simple shapes, such as multicellular spheroids, into more complex shapes. These shape changes are governed by mechanical forces including molecular motor-generated forces as well as hydrostatic fluid pressure, both of which are actively regulated in living matter through mechano-chemical feedback. Inspired by autonomous, biophysical shape change, such as occurring in the model organism hydra, we introduce a minimal, active, elastic model featuring a network of springs in a globe-like spherical shell geometry. In this model there is coupling between activity and the shape of the shell: if the local curvature of a filament represented by a spring falls below a critical value, its elastic constant is actively changed. This results in deformation of the springs that changes the shape of the shell. By combining excitation of springs and pressure regulation, we …

Detection of target molecules, such as proteins, antibodies, or specific DNA sequences, is critical in medical laboratory science. Commonly used assays rely on tagging the target molecules with fluorescent probes. These are then fed to high-sensitivity detection systems. Such systems typically consist of a photodetector or camera and use time-resolved measurements that require sophisticated and expensive optics. Magnetic modulation biosensing (MMB) is a novel, fast, and sensitive detection technology that has been used successfully to detect viruses such as Zika and SARS-CoV-2. While this powerful tool is known for its high analytical and clinical sensitivity, the current signal-processing method for detecting the target molecule and estimating its dose is based on time-resolved measurements only. To improve the MMB-system performance, we propose here a novel signal processing algorithm that uses both temporally and spatially resolved measurements. We show that this combination significantly improves the sensitivity of the MMB-based assay. To evaluate the new method statistically, we performed multiple dose responses of Human Interleukin 9 (IL -8) on different days. Compared to standard time-resolved methods, the new algorithm provides a 2-3 fold improvement in detection limit and a 25% improvement in quantitative resolution.

Chiral polymeric particles (CPPs) were studied extensively in recent years due to their importance in pharmaceutical applications. Here, nanosized CPPs were synthesized and applied as catalysts for direct asymmetric aldol reaction. The CPPs were prepared by miniemulsion or inverse miniemulsion based on various chiral amino acid derivatives and characterized by dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy. The nanoparticles with spherical structure between 250 and 400 nm and high chiral surface area were used as catalysts in the aldol reaction at room temperature without additional solvent. L-tryptophan gave the highest enantiomeric excess, >86% with similar catalytic performance four times.

EPR in-cell spin-labeling was applied to CueR in E. coli. The methodology employed a Cu(II)-NTA complexed with dHis. High resolved in-cell distance distributions were obtained revealing minor differences between in vitro and in-cell data. This methodology allows study of structural changes of any protein in-cell, independent of size or cellular system.

Micro- and nano-particles are elemental for many current and developing technologies. Specifically, these particles are being used extensively in biological studies and applications, which include imaging, drug delivery and therapeutics. Recent advances have led to the development of multifunctional particles, which have the potential to further enhance their effectiveness, enabling novel applications. Therefore, many efforts have been devoted to producing well-defined particles for specific needs. However, the conventional fabrication methodologies used to develop particles are time consuming, making it extremely challenging to fine-tune the properties of the particles for multifunctional applications. Herein, we present a simple and facile method to fabricate dome-shaped micron- and nano-sized particles via a robust physical route. The presented method enables particles to be designed using a vast range of …

Imaging and microscopy have played a very important role in biological research. In this commentary, we have provided a summary of the development of different imaging modalities and quantitative techniques as an introduction. We have briefly described the technique Statistical Parametrization of Cell Cytoskeleton (SPOCC) and evaluated it against similar techniques available. We have also discussed the advantages, short comings and future prospective of SPOCC both technically and biologically.

Chiral polymeric particles (CPPs) were studied extensively in recent years due to their importance in pharmaceutical applications. Here, nanosized CPPs were synthesized and applied as catalysts for direct asymmetric aldol reaction. The CPPs were prepared by miniemulsion or inverse miniemulsion based on various chiral amino acid derivatives and characterized by dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy. The nanoparticles with spherical structure between 250 and 400 nm and high chiral surface area were used as catalysts in the aldol reaction at room temperature without additional solvent. L-tryptophan gave the highest enantiomeric excess, >86% with similar catalytic performance four times.

Electrolysis of sea water is regarded as the most appealing and promising approach for the generation of hydrogen green energy, and even it lowers the cost of hydrogen production. However, for seawater electrolysis, highly efficient and robust electrocatalysts that can withstand chloride corrosion on the electrodes, particularly the anode, are required. Here, we present the synthesis of nickel molybdenum phosphide engineered with ruthenium supported on nickel foam (Ru22NiMoP2/NF) by a hydrothermal technique followed by reactions under autogenic pressure at elevated temperatures (RAPET) in a Swagelok, which demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic activity in alkaline sea water. For the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), Ru22NiMoP2/NF requires low overpotentials of 60 and 52 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2 compared to commercial Pt/C/NF (65 & 130 mV) in alkaline and alkaline sea …

Background Myocardial infarction (MI) and heart failure (HF) are associated with an increased incidence of cancer. The mechanism is complex and unclear. Here, we aimed to test our hypothesis that cardiac small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), particularly cardiac mesenchymal stromal cells-derived sEVs (cMSC-sEVs), contribute to the link between post-MI HF and cancer. Methods We purified and characterized sEVs from the whole heart and cultured cMSCs. Then, we analyzed cMSC-EV cargo and pro-neoplastic effects on several types of cancer cell lines, macrophages, and endothelial cells. Next, we modeled post-MI HF along with heterotopic and orthotopic lung and breast cancer tumors in mice. We used cMSC-sEV transfer to assess sEV biodistribution and its effect on tumor growth. Finally, we tested the effects of sEV depletion and spironolactone treatment on cMSC-EV release and tumor growth. Results Post-MI hearts, particularly cMSCs, produced more sEVs with pro-neoplastic cargo than non-failing hearts did. Proteomic analysis revealed unique protein profiles and higher quantities of tumor-promoting cytokines, proteins, and microRNAs in cMSC-sEVs from failing hearts. The pro-neoplastic effects of cMSC-sEVs varied with different types of cancer cells, substantially affecting lung cancer cells relative to other more aggressive cancer cell lines. We also found that post-MI cMSC-sEVs activated resting macrophages into pro-angiogenic and pro-tumorigenic states in vitro. At 28-day follow-up analysis, mice with post-MI HF developed larger lung tumors than did sham-MI mice. Adoptive transfer of cMSC-sEVs from failing hearts accelerated …

Emerging energy storage systems based on abundant and cost-effective materials are key to overcome the global energy and climate crisis of the 21st century. Rechargeable Magnesium Batteries (RMB), based on Earth-abundant magnesium, can provide a cheap and environmentally responsible alternative to the benchmark Li-ion technology, especially for large energy storage applications. Currently, RMB technology is the subject of intense research efforts at laboratory scale. However, these emerging approaches must be placed in a real-world perspective to ensure that they satisfy key technological requirements. In an attempt to bridge the gap between laboratory advancements and industrial development demands, herein, we report the first non-aqueous multilayer RMB pouch cell prototypes and propose a roadmap for a new advanced RMB chemistry. Through this work, we aim to show the great unrealized …

Among numerous approaches for treating cancer, clinically approved photodynamic therapy (PDT) is considered a promising non‐invasive therapeutic strategy for solid tumors. While PDT has distinct advantages over conventional cancer treatments, systemic exposure to the photosensitizer and its stability are some of the limitations of clinical PDT. Herein, a therapeutic strategy for highly localized focal PDT is introduced based on direct biolistic delivery of photosensitizer‐loaded carriers to cancerous tumors. Degradable porous silicon microparticles (PSiMPs) are used as efficient carriers for the photosensitizer, meso‐tetrahydroxy‐phenylchlorin (mTHPC), and its conjugates with gold nanoparticles (AuNP‐mTHPC conjugates). The loaded PSiMP carriers are successfully bombarded using a pneumatic gene gun to breast cancer cells in vitro and into tumor xenografts in vivo, and subsequent uptake of the released …

A unique thermodynamic behavior was observed for solutions of magnesium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide in 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME), highly promising solutions for rechargeable Mg batteries: between 287 and 373 K, the solution exists as two immiscible phases, each with a different salt concentration, volume, and density. These characteristics depend strongly on temperature. To study this dependence, a phase diagram was constructed. In addition, partial phase volumes and densities were measured as a function of temperature. We observed that the temperature–molar fraction phase diagram exhibits closed-loop behavior, which is circumscribed by 287 and 373 K, with 333 K as an inversion locus. Below 287 K, the solution exists as a single homogeneous phase. At 287 K and above, the solution separates into two immiscible phases: a concentrated and dense lower phase and a dilute upper phase …

A sustainable future based on hydrogen fuel rests on the rapid advancement of non-precious metal catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). We demonstrate the efficient utilisation in the analysis of a large compositional space of binary NiFe and ternary NiFeV alloys for OER using a combinatorial method. We fabricated a gradient library of these multi-metal alloys using physical vapor deposition and characterised them using high-throughput techniques. The electrocatalytic OER activity was studied using an automated electrochemical scanning droplet cell (SDC) set-up designed in our lab. From the overpotential (@10 mA cm−2) heatmaps of the libraries, the compositional regime of interest is funnelled down to 10–15% of Fe and 85–90% of Ni for the NiFe alloy and 1–3% V, 10–15% Fe, and 80–90% Ni for the NiFeV alloy with their overpotential values falling between 300–320 mV. Due to its oxidation …