Recent advances in amino acid-metal coordinated nanomaterials for biomedical applications

Metal and amino acid(AA),as two kinds of entities,have been widely involved in biomaterials and nanomedicines.Recently,the marriage of them has developed new nanoformulations,amino acid-metal coordinated nanomaterials(AMCNs),which show great biomedical application potential in cancer therapy,antibacterial applications,biomedical imaging,etc.With the respective characteristics of metal and AA with rich biological and chemical properties,AMCNs can not only act as drug carriers with specific tumor targeting ability,but also realize synergistic therapy and imaging-guided therapy.Although the design and synthesis of amino acid-metal coordinated nanomaterials have been in-depth investigated,there are few systematic reviews on their biomedical application.In this review,we give a comprehensive summary of recent progresses in the design,fabrication,and biomedical applications of AMCNs.We also propose the future outlooks and challenges in aforementioned field.We expect that this review would contribute some inspiration for future research and development for amino acid metal coordinated nanomaterials.

Research on the relationship between reduced scattering coefficient and intracranial pressure in brain edema model

Intracranial hypertension is a serious threat to the health of neurosurgical patients.At present,there is a lack of a safe and e®ective technology to monitor intracranial pressure(ICP)accurately and nondestructively.In this paper,based on near infrared technology,the continuous nonde-structive monitoring of ICP change caused by brain edema was studied.The rat brain edema models were constructed by lipopolysaccharide.The ICP monitor and the self-made near infrared tissue parameter measuring instrument were used to monitor the invasive intracranial pressure and the reduced scattering coe±cient of brain tissue during the brain edema development.The results showed that there was a negative correlation between the reduced scattering coe±cient(690nm and 834nm)and ICP,and then the mathematical model was established.The experimental results promoted the development of nondestructive ICP monitoring based on near infrared technology.

Detecting neutrinos from supernova bursts in PandaX-4T

Neutrinos from core-collapse supernovae are essential for understanding neutrino physics and stellar evolution.Dual-phase xenon dark matter detectors can be used to track explosions of galactic supernovae by detecting neutrinos through coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scatterings.In this study,a variation of progenitor masses and explosion models are assumed to predict neutrino fluxes and spectra,which result in the number of expected neutrino events ranging from 6.6 to 13.7 at a distance of 10 kpc over a 10-s duration with negligible backgrounds at PandaX-4T.Two specialized triggering alarms for monitoring supernova burst neutrinos are built.The efficiency of detecting supernova explosions at various distances in the Milky Way is estimated.These alarms will be implemented in the real-time supernova monitoring system at PandaX-4T in the near future,which will provide supernova early warnings for the astronomical community.

Waveform simulation in PandaX-4T

Signal reconstruction through software processing is a crucial component of the background and signal models in the PandaX-4T experiment,which is a multi-tonne dark matter direct search experiment.The accuracy of signal reconstruction is influenced by various detector artifacts,including noise,dark count of photomultiplier,photoionization of impurities in the detector,and other relevant considerations.In this study,we presented a detailed description of a semi-data-driven approach designed to simulate a signal waveform.This work provides a reliable model for the efficiency and bias of the signal reconstruction in the data analysis of PandaX-4T.By comparing critical variables that relate to the temporal shape and hit pattern of the signals,we found good agreement between the simulation and data.

Measurement of solar pp neutrino flux using electron recoil data from PandaX-4T commissioning run

The proton-proton(pp)fusion chain dominates the neutrino production in the Sun.The uncertainty of the predicted pp neutrino flux is at the sub-percent level,whereas that of the best measurement is O(10%).In this study,for the first time,we measure solar pp neutrinos in the electron recoil energy range from 24 to 144 keV using the PandaX-4T commissioning data with 0.63 tonne×year exposure.The pp neutrino flux is determined as(8.0±3.9(stat)±10.0(syst))×1010 s^(-1)cm^(-2),which is consistent with the Standard Solar Model and existing measurements,corresponding to an upper flux limit of 23.3×10^(10)s^(-1)cm^(-2)at 90%C.L..

Metformin capped Cu_(2)(OH)_(3)Cl nanosheets for chemodynamic wound disinfection

Recently,the development of chemodynamic therapy(CDT)offers a potential approach for fighting bacteria and treating infectious diseases,in which those CDT nanoagents can catalyze the generation of hydroxyl radicals(·OH)to destroy bacteria.In this work,to improve the efficiency of CDT,we have designed a new kind of metformin(Met)-capped two-dimensional Cu_(2)(OH)_(3)Cl nanosheets(CuOHCl-Met NSs)with good monodispersity,highly positive charge,and good biocompatibility for improving antibacterial effect and accelerating wound healing.With the capped Met,CuOHCl-Met NSs can effectively kill bacteria under a low concentration(6μg·mL^(−1))and a short treatment time(in 15 min),showing great advantages over the counterpart without Met.In vivo results demonstrated that CuOHCl-Met NSs accelerated the tissue regeneration of staphylococcus aureus-infected dermal wounds.This study provides a new pathway for improving efficiency of CDT nanoagent through using old drug.

具有柔性和压电性的超薄Janus纳米纤维敷料用于伤口愈合

感染性皮肤伤口的愈合常常受到许多因素的影响,包括细菌感染、过量的伤口渗出物、局部灌注不良和细胞招募不足.开发有效管理伤口和促进伤口愈合的敷料是一个巨大的挑战.因此,我们通过逐层静电纺丝技术构建了一种具有抗菌性、柔性和压电特性的超薄Janus纳米纤维敷料.敷料的亲水层由随机排列的聚己内酯/明胶纳米纤维组成,而疏水层则由Ag纳米颗粒掺杂的聚偏氟乙烯有序纤维组成.体外和体内实验研究结果表明,Janus敷料不仅可以将过量的伤口渗出物单向排出,杀死局部细菌,还可以在正常身体运动下产生动态压电信号,促进成纤维细胞的增殖和迁移、胶原蛋白的沉积、血管生成和再上皮化,从而加速小鼠伤口的快速愈合.这种智能Janus敷料将为加速伤口愈合和伤口管理提供一种新方法.

Self-powered electrochemical water treatment system for pollutant degradation and bacterial inactivation based on high-efficient Co(OH)_(2)/Pt electrocatalyst

Electrochemical system with electro-Fenton reaction is an effective pathway for oxidative degradation of refractory organic pollutants for water treatment.However,the method is limited by the low catalytic efficiency and high electrical cost in practical applications.This work presents a self-powered and high-efficient electrochemical system for water treatment including pollutant degradation and bacterial inactivation,which is composed of a self-powered triboelectric nanogenerator(TENG)converting mechanical energy into electrical energy,a power management circuit integrated with a supercapacitor to store the harvesting electrical energy temporarily,and an electrochemical setup integrated with two-dimentional Co(OH)_(2)/Pt nanosheet as electrocatalyst.The nanocatalyst,ultrafine Pt nanoparticles(Pt NPs)loaded on Co(OH)_(2) nanosheet(Co(OH)_(2)/Pt),is synthesized by a facile one step hydrothermal reaction without any surfactant,which can improve H_(2)O_(2)and hydroxyl radical production via redox reaction.This self-powered electrocatalytic system is able to degrade nearly 100%of organic pollutant within 100 min,and efficiently kill bacteria.This work shows great potential to develop high-efficient and self-powered electrochemical water treatment system through integrating TENG and nanocatalyst.

Capurability analysis for arbitrarily high-speed maneuvering targets

The capturability of an arbitrarily maneuvering target featuring speed superiority over an interceptor is analyzed for Augmented Pure Proportional Navigation(APPN)and RetroAugmented Proportional Navigation(RAPN)guidance.This paper focuses on intercepting arbitrary maneuvers to study more general interception problems.A comparative analysis of the capture region between head-on interception related to APPN and head-pursuit interception related to RAPN is proposed.The results indicate that RAPN performs better than APPN in capturability.It is concluded that increasing the target velocity,which increases the velocity ratio,significantly weakens the capturability of the interceptor,and the average acceleration and relative distance affect the location of the capture region but not its size.The analysis is based on prior knowledge of the target maneuver,which inevitably leads to deviations from actual maneuvers in practical engagement,so a deviation analysis is implemented.The effective capture region shrinks as the absolute value of acceleration deviation increases,and the RAPN has a better deviation fault tolerance compared with the APPN.The results reveal that a larger relative distance can weaken the deviation fault tolerance,and the target velocity has opposite effects on head-on and head-pursuit interception.

Determination of Double Beta Decay Half-Life of 136Xe with the PandaX-4T Natural Xenon Detector

Precise measurement of two-neutrino double beta decay(DBD)half-life is an important step for the searches of Majorana neutrinos with neutrinoless double beta decay.We report the measurement of DBD half-life of 136xe using the Pandax-4T dual-phase Time Projection Chamber(TPC)with 3.7-tonne natural xenon and the first 94.9-day physics data release.

A gaseous time projection chamber with Micromegas readout for low-radioactive material screening

Purpose Low-radioactive material screening is becoming essential for rare event search experiments,such as neutrinoless double beta decay and dark matter searches in underground laboratories.A gaseous time projection chamber(TPC)can be used for such purposes with large active areas and high efficiency.Methods A gaseous TPC with a Micromegas readout plane of approximately 20×20 cm^(2)is successfully constructed for surface alpha contamination measurements.Results We have characterized the energy resolution,gain stability,and tracking capability with calibration sources.Conclusion With the unique track-related background suppression cuts of the gaseous TPC,we have established that the alpha background rate of the TPC is(0.13±0.03)×10^(−6)Bq/cm^(2),comparable to the leading commercial solutions.

神经内镜治疗慢性硬膜下血肿的研究进展

慢性硬膜下血肿(CSDH)是好发于老年人的中枢神经系统疾病,传统的外科治疗方法为钻孔引流术,但部分患者血肿清除不彻底、术后复发率高,对于机化的血肿甚至需行骨瓣开颅手术。近年来研究发现,应用神经内镜的可视化特征能显著提高血肿清除率,降低术后并发症和复发率。本文就神经内镜治疗CSDH的最新研究进展作一综述。

Structure-function relationship of the mammarenavirus envelope glycoprotein

Mammarenaviruses, including lethal pathogens such as Lassa virus and Junin virus, can cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. Entry is a key step for virus infection, which starts with binding of the envelope glycoprotein （GP） to receptors on target cells and subsequent fusion of the virus with target cell membranes. The GP precursor is synthesized as a polypeptide, and maturation occurs by two cleavage events, yielding a tripartite GP complex （GPC） formed by a stable signal peptide （SSP）, GP1 and GP2. The unique retained SSP interacts with GP2 and plays essential roles in virion maturation and infectivity. GP1 is responsible for binding to the cell receptor, and GP2 is a class I fusion protein. The native structure of the tripartite GPC is unknown. GPC is critical for the receptor binding, membrane fusion and neutralization antibody recognition. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlining the structure-function relationship of the three subunits is the key for understanding their function and can facilitate novel avenues for combating virus infections. This review summarizes the basic aspects and recent research of the structure-function relationship of the three subunits. We discuss the structural basis of the receptor-binding domain in GP1, the interaction between SSP and GP2 and its role in virion maturation and membrane fusion, as well as the mechanism by which glycosylation stabilizes the GPC structure and facilitates immune evasion. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in these aspects will contribute to the development of novel vaccines and treatment strategies against mammarenaviruses infection.

Synthesis, Nematicidal Activity, and 3D-QSAR of Novel 1,3,4-Oxadiazole/ Thiadiazole Thioether Derivatives

Forty one novel 1,3,4-oxadiazole/thiadiazole thioether derivatives containing phenoxy moiety were designed and synthesized. Bioassay demonstrated that some of them showed remarkable activities against Tylenchufus semipenetruns in vitro and in vivo. Compounds 20, 21, 35 and 39 showed excellent lethal activities after treatment for 48 h in vitro, with LC50 values of 13.4±1.8, 11.7±2.5, 13.7±2.4 and 13.31.1 mg.L-1, respectively, which were obviously superior to fosthiazate （49.1±2.8 mg.L-1） and avermectin （26.6±2.3 mg.L-1）. Compound 23. can effectively control the citrus nema- tode disease caused by T. semipenetruns at 200 mg.L-1 in vivo with （68±3）% inhibitory effect, which was even better than that of avermectin （（63±2）%）. The CoMFA and CoMSIA models of three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships （3D-QSARs） were established. The compound 33 was designed based on the 3D-QSAR models with more vigorous nematicidal activities in vitro （LC50：9.8±1.4 mg.L-1） and in vivo （（70±5）%）. These results demonstrated that compound 33 can be considered as a potential nematicide.

Oxygen vacancy-engineered BaTiO_(3)nanoparticles for synergistic cancer photothermal,photodynamic,and catalytic therapy

With the rapid development of photo-responsive nanomaterials,photo-triggered therapeutic strategies such as photothermal therapy(PTT)and photodynamic therapy(PDT)have been new alternatives to current cancer therapeutic methods.Herein,we have fabricated oxygen vacancy-engineered BaTiO_(3)(BTO-Ov)nanoparticles(NPs)for near-infrared(NIR)light-triggered PTT,PDT,and catalytic therapy cooperatively for significantly improving cancer therapy.Compared to pristine BaTiO_(3)nanoparticles,BTO-Ov has stronger NIR light absorption and narrower band gap structure,which results in superior photothermal conversion and superoxide radical generation capabilities through PTT and PDT.Meanwhile,due to the existence of Ti^(3+),BTO-Ov also exhibits peroxidase(POD)-like activity to produce hydroxyl radical under tumor environment,which can be further improved under 808 nm light irradiation.Both in vitro and in vivo results demonstrate that such a multifunctional therapeutic nanoplatform can achieve a high therapeutic efficacy triggered by a single NIR light irradiation.The defect engineering strategy can be used as a general approach to fabricate multifunctional cancer therapeutic nanoplatform.

Optimal design of the gas storage surface pipeline system with injection and withdrawal conditions

Underground natural gas storage(UNGS)is an important part of the natural gas supply system to ensure a balanced energy supply.The surface system,as an important part of the gas storage,undertakes the functions of gas injection and gas production of the gas storage,and its investment economy is of vital importance.In fact,the UNGS surface pipeline network has two-way injection and production characteristics,which is different from the one-way production characteristics of conventional oil&gas gathering and transportation systems.This paper takes the minimum investment of the pipeline network as the objective function,considers the gas injection and gas withdrawal flow conditions and esablishes a mixed integer non-linear programming model(MINLP)for the surface pipeline network of the UNGS to optimize its pipeline layout and diameter parameters.Constraints including the well affiliation,the number of stations,the gathering radius,the processing capacity and the flow/pressure equilibrium equations,are also taken into consideration.Taking an UNGS in China as an example,the results of the optimal structure and diameter of the pipeline network,as well as the pipe flow,node pressure,and maximum/minimum flowrate during gas injection and gas withdrawal are obtained.Finally,the effects of constraints such as processing capacity and radius on the structure layout and investment of the UNGS are analyzed,verifying the reliability and effectiveness of the model.

Binary-ternary transition metal chalcogenides interlayer coupling in van der Waals type-II heterostructure for visible-infrared photodetector with efficient suppression dark currents

Ternary two-dimentional(2D)materials exhibit diverse physical properties depending on their composition,structure,and thickness.Through forming heterostructures with other binary materials that show similar structure,there can be numerous potential applications of these ternary 2D materials.In this work,we reported the structure of few-layer CrPS_(4)by X-ray diffraction,transmission electron microscope,and electron-density distribution calculation.We also demonstrated a new application of the CrPS_(4)/MoS_(2)heterobilayer:visible-infrared photodetectors with type-II staggered band alignment at room temperature.The response of the heterostructure to infrared light results from a strong interlayer coupling that reduces the energy interval in the junction area.Since the intrinsic bandgap of individual components determines wavelengths,the decrease in energy interval allows better detection of light that has a longer wavelength.We used photoluminescence(PL)spectroscopy,Kelvin probe force microscopy(KPFM)under illumination,and electrical transport measurements to verify the photoinduced charge separation between the CrPS_(4)/MoS_(2)heterostructures.At forward bias,the device functioned as a highly sensitive photodetector,as the wavelength-dependent photocurrent measurement achieved the observation of optical excitation from 532 to 1,450 nm wavelength.Moreover,the photocurrent caused by interlayer exciton reached around 1.2 nA at 1,095 nm wavelength.Our demonstration of the strong interlayer coupling in the CrPS_(4)/MoS_(2)heterostructure may further the understanding of the essential physics behind binary-ternary transition metal chalcogenides heterostructure and pave a way for their potential applications in visible-infrared devices.

Enhanced search sensitivity to the double beta decay of ^(136)Xe to excited states with topological signatures

The double beta decay of ^(136)Xe to excited states of 136Ba(DBD-ES)has not yet been discovered experimentally.The experimental signature of such decays,one or two gamma rays following the beta signals,can be identified more effectively in a gaseous detector with the help of topological signatures.We have investigated key parameters of particle trajectories of DBD-ES with Monte Carlo simulation data of the proposed PandaX-III detector as an example.The background rates can be reduced by about one order of magnitude while keeping more than half of signals with topological analysis.The estimated half-life sensitivity of DBD-ES can be improved by 1.8 times to 4.1×10^(23) year(90%C.L.).Similarly,the half-life sensitivity of neutrinoless double beta decay of ^(136)Xe to excited states of 136Ba can be improved by a factor of 4.8 with topological signatures.

Neutron-induced nuclear recoil background in the PandaX-4T experiment

Neutron-induced nuclear recoil background is critical to dark matter searches in the PandaX-4T liquid xenon experiment.In this study,we investigate the features of neutron background in liquid xenon and evaluate its contribution in single scattering nuclear recoil events using three methods.The first method is fully based on Monte Carlo simulations.The last two are data-driven methods that also use multiple scattering signals and high energy signals in the data.In the PandaX-4T commissioning data with an exposure of 0.63 tonne-year,all these methods give a consistent result,i.e.,there are 1.15±0.57 neutron-induced backgrounds in the dark matter signal region within an approximated nuclear recoil energy window between 5 and 100 keV.

Development of a 6D Kalman filter for charged particle tracking in time projection chamber without magnetic field

Background Track reconstruction is necessary for time projection chamber(TPC),because TPCs usually face the measure-ment error that impedes gaining precise spacial and angular resolution.Purpose Kalman filter is a well-performed and applicable algorithm to denoise and reconstruct the event track.Methods In this paper,we develop a six-dimensional Kalman filter to reconstruct the particle track in high-energy physics experiments,while the most common form of Kalman filter used in many research fields is four-dimensional.The modelisation is based on a gaseous TPC,and the whole reconstruction process is first tested by a toy Monte Carlo simulation.Results The results show the Kalman filter can effectively reduce the noise and improve the detector resolution.Then,the performance of the Kalman filter is also verified with the data produced by the Geant4 toolkit.