Preclinical evaluation of AGTR1-Targeting molecular probe for colorectal cancer imaging in orthotopic and liver metastasis mouse models

Despite advancements in colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment, the prognosis remains unfavorable for patients with distant liver metastasis. Fluorescence molecular imaging with specific probes is increasingly used to guide CRC surgical resection in real-time and treatment planning. Here, we demonstrate the targeted imaging capacity of an MPA-PEG4-N3-Ang II probe labeled with near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dye targeting the angiotensin II (Ang II) type 1 receptor (AGTR1) that is significantly upregulated in CRC. MPA-PEG4-N3-Ang II was highly selective and specific to in vitro tumor cells and in vivo tumors in a mouse CRC xenograft model. The favorable ex vivo imaging and in vivo biodistribution of MPA-PEG4-N3-Ang II afforded tumor-specific accumulation with low background and >10 contrast tumor-to-colorectal values in multiple subcutaneous CRC models at 8 h following injection. Biodistribution analysis confirmed the probe's high uptake in HT29 and HCT116 orthotopic and liver metastatic models of CRC with signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values of tumor-to-colorectal and -liver fluorescence of 5.8 ± 0.6, 5.3 ± 0.7, and 2.7 ± 0.5, 2.6 ± 0.5, respectively, enabling high-contrast intraoperative tumor visualization for surgical navigation. Given its rapid tumor targeting, precise tumor boundary delineation, durable tumor retention and docking study, MPA-PEG4-N3-Ang II is a promising high-contrast imaging agent for the clinical detection of CRC.

A portable intelligent hydrogel platform for multicolor visual detection of HAase

Hyaluronidase (HAase) is an important endoglycosidase involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes, such as apoptosis, senescence, and cancer progression. Simple, convenient, and sensitive detection of HAase is important for clinical diagnosis. Herein, an easy-to-operate multicolor visual sensing strategy was developed for HAase determination. The proposed sensor was composed of an enzyme-responsive hydrogel and a nanochromogenic system (gold nanobipyramids (AuNBPs)). The enzyme-responsive hydrogel, formed by polyethyleneimine-hyaluronic acid (PEI-HA), was specifically hydrolyzed with HAase, leading to the release of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs). Subsequently, PtNPs catalyzed the mixed system of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and H2O2 to produce TMB2+ under acidic conditions. Then, TMB2+ effectively etched the AuNBPs and resulted in morphological changes in the AuNBPs, accompanied by a blueshift in the localized surface plasmon resonance peak and vibrant colors. Therefore, HAase can be semiquantitatively determined by directly observing the color change of AuNBPs with the naked eye. On the basis of this, the method has a linear detection range of HAase concentrations between 0.6 and 40 U/mL, with a detection limit of 0.3 U/mL. In addition, our designed multicolor biosensor successfully detected the concentration of HAase in human serum samples. The results showed no obvious difference between this method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indicating the good accuracy and usability of the suggested method.

Using Functionalized Liposomes to Harvest Extracellular Vesicles of Similar Characteristics in Dermal Interstitial Fluid

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are used by living cells for the purpose of biological information trafficking from parental-to-recipient cells and vice versa. This back-and-forth communication is enabled by two distinct kinds of biomolecules that constitute the cargo of an EV: proteins and nucleic acids. The proteomic-cum-genetic information is mediated by the physiological state of a cell (healthy or otherwise) as much as modulated by the biogenesis pathway of the EV. Therefore, in mirroring the huge diversities of human communications, the proteins and nucleic acids involved in cell communications possess seemingly near limitless diversities, and it is this characteristic that makes EVs so highly heterogeneous. Currently, there is no simple and reliable tool for the selective capture of heterogeneous EVs and the delivery of their undamaged cargo for research in extracellular protein mapping and spatial proteomics studies. Our work is a preliminary attempt to address this issue. We demonstrated our approach by using antibody functionalized liposomes to capture EVs from tumor and healthy cell-lines. To characterize their performance, we presented fluorescence and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) results, TEM images, and Western blotting analysis for EV proteins. We also extracted dermal interstitial fluid (ISF) from healthy individuals and used our functionalized synthetic vesicle (FSV) method to capture EVs from their proteins. We constructed three proteomic sets [EV vs ISF, (FSV+EV) vs ISF, and (FSV+EV) vs EV] from the EV proteins and the free proteins harvested from ISF and compared their differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). The performance of our proposed method is assessed via an analysis of 1095 proteins, together with volcano plots, heatmap, GO annotation, and enriched KEGG pathways and organelle localization results of 213 DEPs.

Novel GRPR-Targeting Peptide for Pancreatic Cancer Molecular Imaging in Orthotopic and Liver Metastasis Mouse Models

Despite advancements in pancreatic cancer treatment, it remains one of the most lethal malignancies with extremely poor diagnosis and prognosis. Herein, we demonstrated the efficiency of a novel peptide GB-6 labeled with a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dye 3H-indolium, 2-[2-[2-[(2-carboxyethyl)thio]-3-[2-[1,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-5-sulfo-1-(3-sulfopropyl)-2H-indol-2-ylidene]ethylidene]-1-cyclohexen-1-yl]ethenyl]-3,3-dimethyl-5-sulfo-1-(3-sulfopropyl)-, inner salt (MPA) and radionuclide technetium-99m (99mTc) as targeting probes using the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) that is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer as the target. A short linear peptide with excellent in vivo stability was identified, and its radiotracer [99mTc]Tc-HYNIC-PEG4-GB-6 and the NIR probe MPA-PEG4-GB-6 exhibited selective and specific uptake by tumors in an SW1990 pancreatic cancer xenograft mouse model. The favorable biodistribution of the tracer [99mTc]Tc-HYNIC-PEG4-GB-6 in vivo afforded tumor-specific accumulation with high tumor-to-muscle and -bone contrasts and renal body clearance at 1 h after injection. The biodistribution analysis revealed that the tumor-to-pancreas and -intestine fluorescence signal ratios were 5.2 ± 0.3 and 6.3 ± 1.5, respectively, in the SW1990 subcutaneous xenograft model. Furthermore, the high signal accumulation in the orthotopic pancreatic and liver metastasis tumor models with tumor-to-pancreas and -liver fluorescence signal ratios of 7.66 ± 0.48 and 3.94 ± 0.47, respectively, enabled clear tumor visualization for intraoperative navigation. The rapid tumor targeting, precise tumor boundary delineation, chemical versatility, and high potency of the novel GB-6 peptide established it as a high-contrast imaging probe for the clinical detection of GRPR, with compelling additional potential in molecular-targeted therapy.

A capillary-based microfluidic chip with the merits of low cost and easy fabrication for the rapid detection of acute myocardial infarction

Point-of-care testing methods currently utilize rapid, portable, inexpensive, and multiplexed on-site detection. Microfluidic chips have become a very promising platform with broad development prospects due to their breakthrough improvement in miniaturization and integration. However, the conventional microfluidic chips still have disadvantages, such as difficulty in fabrication processing, long production time and high cost, which hinder its applications in the fields of POCT and in vitro diagnostics. In this study, a capillary-based microfluidic chip with the characteristics of low cost and easy fabrication was developed for the rapid detection of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Several short capillaries, which were already conjugated with the capture antibodies respectively, were connected by peristaltic pump tubes and then formed the working capillary. Two working capillaries were encapsulated in the plastic shell and ready for the immunoassay. Multiplex detection of Myoglobin (Myo), cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) were chosen to demonstrate the feasibility and analytical performance of the microfluidic chip, which requires rapid and accurate detection during diagnosis and therapy for AMI. The capillary-based microfluidic chip required tens of minutes to prepared, and its cost was less than $1. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.5 ng/mL for Myo, 0.1 ng/mL for cTnI and 0.5 ng/mL for CK-MB respectively. The capillary-based microfluidic chips with easy fabrication and low cost hold promise for the portable and low-cost detection of target biomarkers.

All-MXene-Printed RF Resonators as Wireless Plant Wearable Sensors for In Situ Ethylene Detection

Printed flexible electronics have emerged as versatile functional components of wearable intelligent devices that bridge the digital information networks with biointerfaces. Recent endeavors in plant wearable sensors provide real-time and in situ insights to study phenotyping traits of crops, whereas monitoring of ethylene, the fundamental phytohormone, remains challenging due to the lack of flexible and scalable manufacturing of plant wearable ethylene sensors. Here the all-MXene-printed flexible radio frequency (RF) resonators are presented as plant wearable sensors for wireless ethylene detection. The facile formation of additive-free MXene ink enables rapid, scalable manufacturing of printed electronics, demonstrating decent printing resolution (2.5% variation), ≈30000 S m^-1 conductivity and mechanical robustness. Incorporation of MXene-reduced palladium nanoparticles (MXene@PdNPs) facilitates 1.16% ethylene response at 1 ppm with 0.084 ppm limit of detection. The wireless sensor tags are attached on plant organ surfaces for in situ and continuously profiling of plant ethylene emission to inform the key transition of plant biochemistry, potentially extending the application of printed MXene electronics to enable real-time plant hormone monitoring for precision agriculture and food industrial management.

Preclinical Evaluation of CD36-Targeting Antiangiogenic Peptide ABT-510 for Near-Infrared Fluorescence Molecular Imaging of Colorectal Cancer

Surgical resection constitutes the first choice of treatment for colorectal cancer (CRC). Despite advancements in intraoperative navigation, there remains a considerable lack of effective targeting probes for the imaging-guided surgical navigation of CRC owing to their high heterogeneity. Hence, developing a suitable fluorescent probe to detect the specific types of CRC populations is crucial. Herein, we labeled ABT-510, a small, CD36-targeting thrombospondin-1-mimetic peptide overexpressed in various cancer types, with fluorescein isothiocyanate or near-infrared dye MPA. We found that fluorescence-conjugated ABT-510 exhibited excellent selectivity and specificity toward cells or tissues with high CD36 expression. The tumor-to-colorectal signal ratios were 11.28 ± 0.61 (95% confidence interval) and 10.74 ± 0.07 (95% confidence interval) in subcutaneous HCT-116 and HT-29 tumor-bearing nude mice, respectively. Moreover, high signal contrast was observed in the orthotopic and liver metastatic CRC xenograft mouse models. Furthermore, MPA-PEG₄-r-ABT-510 exhibited an antiangiogenic effect via tube information assay with human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Overall, MPA-PEG₄-r-ABT-510 presents rapid and precise tumor delineation characteristics, thereby making it a desirable tool for CRC imaging and surgical navigation.

MXene-based wireless facemask enabled wearable breath acetone detection for lipid metabolic monitoring

Breath acetone (BrAC) detection presents a promising scheme for noninvasive monitoring of metabolic health due to its close correlation to diets and exercise-regulated lipolysis. Herein, we report a Ti₃C₂T_x MXene-based wireless facemask for on-body BrAC detection and real-time tracking of lipid metabolism, where Ti₃C₂T_x MXene serves as a versatile nanoplatform for not only acetone detection but also breath interference filtration. The incorporation of in situ grown TiO₂ and short peptides with Ti₃C₂T_x MXene further improves the acetone sensitivity and selectivity, while TiO₂-MXene interfaces facilitate light-assisted response calibration. To further realize wearable breath monitoring, a miniaturized flexible detection tag has been integrated with a commercially available facemask, which enables facile BrAC detection and wireless data transmission. Through the hierarchically designed filtration-detection-calibration-transmission system, we realize BrAC detection down to 0.31 ppm (part per million) in breath. On-body breath tests validate the facemask in dynamically monitoring of lipid metabolism, which could guide dieter, athletes, and fitness enthusiasts to arrange diets and exercise activities. The proposed wearable platform opens up new possibility toward the practice of breath analysis as well as daily lipid metabolic management.

Printing fabrication of large-area non-fullerene organic solar cells

Organic solar cells (OSCs) based on a bulk heterojunction structure exhibit inherent advantages, such as low cost, light weight, mechanical flexibility, and easy processing, and they are emerging as a potential renewable energy technology. However, most studies are focused on lab-scale, small-area (<1 cm²) devices. Large-area (>1 cm²) OSCs still exhibit considerable efficiency loss during upscaling from small-area to large-area, which is a big challenge. In recent years, along with the rapid development of high-performance non-fullerene acceptors, many researchers have focused on developing large-area non-fullerene-based devices and modules. There are three essential issues in upscaling OSCs from small-area to large-area: fabrication technology, equipment development, and device component processing strategy. In this review, the challenges and solutions in fabricating high-performance large-area OSCs are discussed in terms of the abovementioned three aspects. In addition, the recent progress of large-area OSCs based on non-fullerene electron acceptors is summarized.

Mapping Gene Expression in the Spatial Dimension

The main function and biological processes of tissues are determined by the combination of gene expression and spatial organization of their cells. RNA sequencing technologies have primarily interrogated gene expression without preserving the native spatial context of cells. However, the emergence of various spatially-resolved transcriptome analysis methods now makes it possible to map the gene expression to specific coordinates within tissues, enabling transcriptional heterogeneity between different regions, and for the localization of specific transcripts and novel spatial markers to be revealed. Hence, spatially-resolved transcriptome analysis technologies have broad utility in research into human disease and developmental biology. Here, recent advances in spatially-resolved transcriptome analysis methods are summarized, including experimental technologies and computational methods. Strengths, challenges, and potential applications of those methods are highlighted, and perspectives in this field are provided.

Dual Network Sponge for Compressible Lithium-Ion Batteries

Compressible energy devices have received increasing attention with the rapid development of flexible electronics and wearable devices due to their size adaptability and functional stability. However, it is hard to simultaneously achieve satisfactory energy density and mechanical stability for electrodes. Here an open-porous dual network sponge (DNS) with two networks of highly conductive carbon nanotubes and Li⁺ -intercalating TiO₂ -B nanowires is synthesized and employed as compressible lithium ion battery electrodes. All 1D components inside the DNS mutually penetrate with each other to form two physically distinct but functionally coupling networks, endowing DNS excellent compressibility and stability. A prototype compressible lithium-ion battery (C-LIB) is also demonstrated, in which the DNS exhibits a specific capacity of >238 mAh g^-1 under static 50% strain, and further in situ measurements show that under 1000 times of cyclic strains, DNS can charge and discharge normally maintaining a high capacity of 240 mAh g^-1 and exhibits robustness to fast strain rates up to 500% min^-1 . The dual network structure can be extended to design high-performance compliant electrodes that are promising to serve in future compressible and deformable electronics and energy systems.

Microfluidic Assaying of Circulating Tumor Cells and Its Application in Risk Stratification of Urothelial Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is characterized by its frequent recurrence and progression. Effective treatment strategies need to be based on an accurate risk stratification, in which muscle invasiveness and tumor grade represent the two most important factors. Traditional imaging techniques provide preliminary information about muscle invasiveness but are lacking in terms of accuracy. Although as the gold standard, pathological biopsy is only available after the surgery and cannot be performed longitudinally for long-term surveillance. In this work, we developed a microfluidic approach that interrogates circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the peripheral blood of bladder cancer patients to reflect the risk stratification of the disease. In a cohort of 48 bladder cancer patients comprising 33 non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) cases and 15 muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) cases, the CTC count was found to be considerably higher in the MIBC group compared with the NMIBC group (4.67 vs. 1.88 CTCs/3 mL, P=0.019), and was significantly higher in high-grade bladder cancer patients verses low-grade bladder cancer patients (3.69 vs. 1.18 CTCs/3mL, P=0.024). This microfluidic assay of CTCs is believed to be a promising complementary tool for the risk stratification of bladder cancer.

Core-Shell FeSe2 /C Nanostructures Embedded in a Carbon Framework as a Free Standing Anode for a Sodium Ion Battery

Embedding the functional nanostructures into a lightweight nanocarbon framework is very promising for developing high performance advanced electrodes for rechargeable batteries. Here, to realize workable capacity, core-shell (FeSe₂ /C) nanostructures are embedded into carbon nanotube (CNT) framework via a facile wet-chemistry approach accompanied by thermally induced selenization. The CNT framework offers 3D continuous routes for electronic/ionic transfer, while macropores provide adequate space for high mass loading of FeSe₂ /C. However, the carbon shell not only creates a solid electronic link among CNTs and FeSe₂ but also improves the diffusivity of sodium ions into FeSe₂ , as well as acts as a buffer cushion to accommodate the volume variations. These unique structural features of CNT/FeSe₂ /C make it an excellent host for sodium storage with a capacity retention of 546 mAh g^-1 even after 100 cycles at 100 mA g^-1 . Moreover, areal and volumetric capacities of 5.06 mAh cm^-2 and 158 mAh cm^-3 are also achieved at high mass loading 16.9 mg cm^-2 , respectively. The high performance of multi-benefited engineered structure makes it a potential candidate for secondary ion batteries, while its easy synthesis makes it extendable to further complex structures with other morphologies (such as nanorods, nanowires, etc.) to meet the high energy demands.

Colored and paintable bilayer coatings with high solar-infrared reflectance for efficient cooling

Solar reflective and thermally emissive surfaces offer a sustainable way to cool objects under sunlight. However, white or silvery reflectance of these surfaces does not satisfy the need for color. Here, we present a paintable bilayer coating that simultaneously achieves color and radiative cooling. The bilayer comprises a thin, visible-absorptive layer atop a nonabsorptive, solar-scattering underlayer. The top layer absorbs appropriate visible wavelengths to show specific colors, while the underlayer maximizes the reflection of near-to-short wavelength infrared (NSWIR) light to reduce solar heating. Consequently, the bilayer attains higher NSWIR reflectance (by 0.1 to 0.51) compared with commercial paint monolayers of the same color and stays cooler by as much as 3.0° to 15.6°C under strong sunlight. High NSWIR reflectance of 0.89 is realized in the blue bilayer. The performances show that the bilayer paint design can achieve both color and efficient radiative cooling in a simple, inexpensive, and scalable manner.

A Dual Protection System for Heterostructured 3D CNT/CoSe2/C as High Areal Capacity Anode for Sodium Storage

3D electrode design is normally opted for multiple advantages, however, instability/detachment of active material causes the pulverization and degradation of the structure, and ultimately poor cyclic stability. Here, a dually protected, highly compressible, and freestanding anode is presented for sodium-ion batteries, where 3D carbon nanotube (CNT) sponge is decorated with homogeneously dispersed CoSe2 nanoparticles (NPs) which are protected under carbon overcoat (CNT/CoSe2/C). The 3D CNT sponge delivers enough space for high mass loading while providing high mechanical strength and faster conduction pathway among the NPs. The outer amorphous carbon overcoat controls the formation of solid electrolyte interphase film by avoiding direct contact of CoSe2 with electrolyte, accommodates large volume changes, and ultimately enhances the overall conductivity of cell and assists in transmitting electron to an external circuit. Moreover, the hybrid can be densified up to 11-fold without affecting its microstructure that results in ultrahigh areal mass loading of 17.4 mg cm-2 and an areal capacity of 7.03 mAh cm-2 along with a high gravimetric capacity of 531 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1. Thus, compact and smart devices can be realized by this new electrode design for heavy-duty commercial applications.

CTC phenotyping for a preoperative assessment of tumor metastasis and overall survival of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

The evaluation for surgical resectability of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients is not only imaging-based but highly subjective. An objective method is urgently needed. We report on the clinical value of a phenotypic circulating tumor cell (CTC)-based blood test for a preoperative prognostic assessment of tumor metastasis and overall survival (OS) of PDAC patients.

METHODS

Venous blood samples from 46 pathologically confirmed PDAC patients were collected prospectively before surgery and immunoassayed using a specially designed TU-chip™. Captured CTCs were differentiated into epithelial (E), mesenchymal and hybrid (H) phenotypes. A further 45 non-neoplastic healthy donors provided blood for cell line validation study and CTC false positive quantification.

FINDINGS

A validated multivariable model consisting of disjunctively combined CTC phenotypes: "H-CTC≥15.0 CTCs/2ml OR E-CTC≥11.0 CTCs/2ml" generated an optimal prediction of metastasis with a sensitivity of 1.000 (95% CI 0.889-1.000) and specificity of 0.886 (95% CI 0.765-0.972). The adjusted Kaplan-Meier median OS constructed using Cox proportional-hazard models and stratified for E-CTC < 11.0 CTCs/2 ml was 16.5 months and for E-CTC ≥ 11.0 CTCs/2 ml was 5.5 months (HR = 0.050, 95% CI 0.004-0.578, P = .016). These OS results were consistent with the outcome of the metastatic analysis.

INTERPRETATION

Our work suggested that H-CTC is a better predictor of metastasis and E-CTC is a significant independent predictor of OS. The CTC phenotyping model has the potential to be developed into a reliable and accurate blood test for metastatic and OS assessments of PDAC patients. FUND: National Natural Science Foundation of China; Zhejiang Province Science and Technology Program; China Scholarship Council.

Hyperporous Sponge Interconnected by Hierarchical Carbon Nanotubes as a High-Performance Potassium-Ion Battery Anode

Recently, commercial graphite and other carbon-based materials have shown promising properties as the anode for potassium-ion batteries. A fundamental problem related to those carbon electrodes, significant volume expansion, and structural instability/collapsing caused by cyclic K-ion intercalation, remains unsolved and severely limits further development and applications of K-ion batteries. Here, a multiwalled hierarchical carbon nanotube (HCNT) is reported to address the issue, and a reversible specific capacity of 232 mAh g^-1 , excellent rate capability, and cycling stability for 500 cycles are achieved. The key structure of the HCNTs consists of an inner CNT with dense-stacked graphitic walls and a loose-stacked outer CNT with more disordered walls, and individual HCNTs are further interconnected into a hyperporous bulk sponge with huge macropore volume, high conductivity, and tunable modulus. It is discovered that the inner dense-CNT serves as a robust skeleton, and collectively, the outer loose-CNT is beneficial for K-ion accommodation; meanwhile the hyperporous sponge facilitates reaction kinetics and offers stable surface capacitive behavior. The hierarchical carbon nanotube structure has great potential in developing high-performance and stable-structure electrodes for next generation K and other metal-ion batteries.

Tunable Free-Standing Core-Shell CNT@MoSe2 Anode for Lithium Storage

Heterogeneous nanostructuring of MoSe₂ over a carbon nanotube (CNT) sponge as a free-standing electrode not only brings higher performance but also eliminates the need for dead elements such as a binder, conductive carbon, and supportive current collectors. Further, the porous CNT sponge can be easily compacted via an intense densification of the active material MoSe₂ to produce an electrode with a high mass loading for a significantly improved areal capacity. In this work, we present a tunable coating of MoSe₂ on a CNT sponge to fabricate a core-shell MoSe₂@CNT anode. The three-dimensional nanotubular sponge is synthesized via a solvothermal process, followed by thermal annealing to improve crystallization. Structural and morphological studies revealed that MoSe₂ grew as a layered structure ( d = 0.66 nm), where numbers of layers can be controlled to yield optimized results for Li⁺ storage. We showed that the 10-layer core-shell CNT@MoSe₂ hybrid sponge delivered a discharge capacity of 820.5 mAh g^-1 after 100 cycles at 100 mA g^-1 with a high cyclic stability and rate capability. Further, an ex situ structural and morphological analysis revealed that ionic storage causes a phase change in MoSe₂ from a crystalline to a partial amorphous state for a continuous increase in the capacity with extended cycling. We believe that the strategy developed here will assist users to tune the electrode materials for future energy-storage devices, especially how the materials are changing with the passage of time and their effects on the device performance.

Diagnostic value of HE4+ circulating tumor cells in patients with suspicious ovarian cancer

Lacking a satisfactory screening test, ovarian cancer is frequently diagnosed at a late stage, leading to poor patient outcomes. This study investigated the diagnostic value of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in peripheral blood from patients with suspected ovarian tumors. Sixty-one women suspected of having an ovarian mass were prospectively enrolled in this study. CTCs were identified and counted using microfluidic isolation and immunofluorescent staining of CD45, HE4, and epithelial and mesenchymal (E&M) markers (epithelial cell adhesion molecule, cytokeratins, and vimentin). Thirty (49%) of the patients were diagnosed with ovarian cancer. DAPI+/E&M+/CD45-/HE4+ CTC counts were higher in these patients than in patients with benign tumors (p = 0.016). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that the sensitivity of CTCs was 73.3%, which was superior to that of CA125 (56.7%). In patients with elevated CA125 levels (≥35 U/ml), CTC counts still showed good specificity (86.7%). Our findings suggest the DAPI+/E&M+/CD45-/HE4+ CTC count is a useful diagnostic indicator in patients with suspected ovarian cancer.

Enhanced conflict monitoring via a short-duration, video-assisted deep breathing in healthy young adults: an event-related potential approach through the Go/NoGo paradigm

Objectives

Practitioners of mindfulness are reported to have greater cognitive control especially in conflict monitoring, response inhibition and sustained attention. However, due to the various existing methods in each mindfulness practices and also, the high commitment factor, a barrier still exists for an individual to pick up the practices. Therefore, the effect of short duration deep breathing on the cognitive control is investigated here.

Methods

Short duration guided deep breathing videos consisting of 5, 7 and 9 min respectively were created and used on subjects training. The effect on cognitive control was assessed using a Go/NoGo task along with event-related potential (ERP) measurements at Fz, Cz, and Pz.

Results

From the study, the significant outcome showed at the follow-up session in which participants engaged for 5 min deep breathing group showed a profound NoGo N2 amplitude increment as compared to the control group, indicating an enhanced conflict monitoring ability. An inverse relationship between the NoGo N2 amplitude and the breathing duration is observed as well at the follow-up session.

Conclusion

These results indicated the possibility of performing short duration deep breathing guided by a video to achieve an enhanced conflict monitoring as an alternative to other mindfulness practices and 5 min is found to be the optimum practice duration.

Significant

This study is the first to establish a relationship between deep breathing and conflict monitoring through ERP. The study population of young adults taken from the same environment reduces the variance in ERP results due to age and environment.

Limitation

A larger sample size would provide a greater statistical power. A longer duration of deep breathing should be investigated to further clarify the relationship between the practice duration and the NoGo N2 amplitude. The result can be split by gender and analyzed separately due to the different brain structure of males and females.

Microfluidic assay of circulating endothelial cells in coronary artery disease patients with angina pectoris

Background

Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) are widely reported as a promising biomarker of endothelial damage/dysfunction in coronary artery disease (CAD). The two popular methods of CEC quantification include the use of immunomagnetic beads separation (IB) and flow cytometry analysis (FC); however, they suffer from two main shortcomings that affect their diagnostic and prognostic responses: non-specific bindings of magnetic beads to non-target cells and a high degree of variability in rare cell identification, respectively. We designed a microfluidic chip with spatially staggered micropillars for the efficient harvesting of CECs with intact cellular morphology in an attempt to revisit the diagnostic goal of CEC counts in CAD patients with angina pectoris.

Methods

A label-free microfluidic assay that involved an in-situ enumeration and immunofluorescent identification (DAPI⁺/CD146⁺/VEGFR1⁺/CD45^-) of CECs was carried out to assess the CEC count in human peripheral blood samples. A total of 55 CAD patients with angina pectoris [16 with chronic stable angina (CSA) and 39 with unstable angina (UA)], together with 15 heathy controls (HCs) were enrolled in the study.

Results

CEC counts are significantly higher in both CSA and UA groups compared to the HC group [respective medians of 6.9, 10.0 and 1.5 cells/ml (p < 0.01)]. Further, a significant elevation of CEC count was observed in the three UA subgroups [low risk (5.3) vs. intermediate risk (10.8) vs. high risk (18.0) cells/ml, p < 0.001) classified in accordance to the TIMI NSTEMI/UA risk score system. From the receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, the AUCs for distinguishing CSA and UA from HC were 0.867 and 0.938, respectively. The corresponding sensitivities were 87.5% and 84.6% and the specificities were 66.7% and 86.7%, respectively.

Conclusions

Our microfluidic assay system is efficient and stable for CEC capture and enumeration. The results showed that the CEC count has the potential to be a promising clinical biomarker for the assessment of endothelial damage/dysfunction in CAD patients with angina pectoris.

Controlled Synthesis of Core-Shell Carbon@MoS2 Nanotube Sponges as High-Performance Battery Electrodes

Heterogeneous inorganic nanotube structures consisting of multiwalled carbon nanotubes coated by long, continuous MoS₂ sheets with tunable sheet number are synthesized using a carbon-nanotube sponge as a template. The resulting 3D porous hybrid sponges have potential applications as high-performance freestanding anodes for Li-ion batteries with excellent specific capacity and cycling stability.

Flexible hybrid carbon nanotube sponges embedded with SnS2 from tubular nanosheaths to nanosheets as free-standing anodes for lithium-ion batteries

Flexible CNT@SnS₂ sponges with controllable mass ratios and various morphologies of loaded SnS₂ from tubular nanosheaths to nanosheets have been fabricated and can be used as free-standing and binder-free electrodes applied in lithium-ion batteries.

Case-encapsulated triboelectric nanogenerator for harvesting energy from reciprocating sliding motion

Reciprocating motion is a widely existing form of mechanical motion in natural environment. In this work we reported a case-encapsulated triboelectric nanogenerator (cTENG) based on sliding electrification to convert reciprocating motion into electric energy. Patterned with multiple sets of grating electrodes and lubricated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nanoparticles, the cTENG exported an average effective output power of 12.2 mW over 140 kΩ external load at a sliding velocity of 1 m/s, in corresponding to a power density of 1.36 W/m(2). The sliding motion can be induced by direct-applied forces as well as inertia forces, enabling the applicability of the cTENG in addressing ambient vibration motions that feature large amplitude and low frequency. The cTENG was demonstrated to effectively harvest energy from human body motions and wavy water surface, indicating promising prospects of the cTENG in applications such as portable and stand-alone self-powered electronics.

Spatially gradated segregation and recovery of circulating tumor cells from peripheral blood of cancer patients

For cancer patients, the enumeration of rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in peripheral blood is a strong prognostic indicator of the severity of the cancer; for the general population, the capture of CTCs is needed for use as a clinical tool for cancer screening, early detection, and treatment assessment. Here, we present a fast, high-purity (∼90%) and high-efficiency (>90%) method for the segregation and undamaged recovery of CTCs using a spatially gradated microfluidic chip. Further, by lysing the red blood cells we achieved not only a significant reduction in the overall processing time but also mitigated the blood clogging problem commonly encountered in microfluidic-based CTC isolation systems. To clinically validate the chip, we employed it to detect and capture CTCs from 10 liver cancer patients. Positive CTC enumeration was observed in all the blood samples, and the readings ranged from a low of 1-2 CTCs (1 patient) to a high of >20 CTCs (2 patients) with the balance having 3-20 CTCs per 3-ml blood sample. The work here indicates that our system can be developed for use in cancer screening, metastatic assessment, and chemotherapeutic response and for pharmacological and genetic evaluation of single CTCs.

Fabrication of patterned polymer nanowire arrays

A method for the large-scale fabrication of patterned organic nanowire (NW) arrays is demonstrated by the use of laser interference patterning (LIP) in conjunction with inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching. The NW arrays can be fabricated after a short ICP etching of periodic patterns produced through LIP. Arrays of NWs have been fabricated in UV-absorbent polymers, such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and Dura film (76% polyethylene and 24% polycarbonate), through laser interference photon ablation and in UV transparent polymers such as PVA (polyvinyl acetate) and PP (polypropylene) through laser interference lithography of a thin layer of photoresist coated atop the polymer surface. The dependence of the structure and morphology of NWs as a function of initial pattern created by LIP and the laser energy dose in LIP is discussed. The absence of residual photoresist atop the NWs in UV-transparent polymers is confirmed through Raman spectroscopy.

Modeling the size-dependent elastic properties of polymeric nanofibers

We present a strain gradient (SG) theory to explain the strongly inverse size dependence between the elastic modulus and fiber diameter in polymeric nanofibers. For centrosymmetric and isotropic materials we showed that the three length-scale parameters can be combined into a single parameter that can be used to predict the onset of the size-dependent trend when the fiber diameter is reduced past its critical size. To address the issue of whether the SG offers a plausible explanation of the size-dependent behavior we conducted a series of uniaxial tensile and static bending tests involving polycaprolactone nanofibers. Since the elastic modulus is highly sensitive to the fiber diameter, it is necessary to correct the experimental data to account for the lack of circularity in the cross-section of the real fiber. Additionally, we applied the SG model to study the size-dependent elastic properties of polypyrrole nanotubes. By approaching the SG theory from a dynamics point of view, our model is able to capture size-dependent effects in the mechanics of fine-scale materials for both static and dynamic responses.