Carbon nanodots constructed by ginsenosides and their high inhibitory effect on neuroblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Neuroblastoma is one of the common extracranial tumors in children (infants to 2 years), accounting for 8 ~ 10% of all malignant tumors. Few special drugs have been used for clinical treatment currently. RESULTS: In this work, herbal extract ginsenosides were used to synthesize fluorescent ginsenosides carbon nanodots via a one-step hydrothermal method. At a low cocultured concentration (50 µg·mL- 1) of ginsenosides carbon nanodots, the inhibition rate and apoptosis rate of SH-SY5Y cells reached ~ 45.00% and ~ 59.66%. The in vivo experiments showed tumor volume and weight of mice in ginsenosides carbon nanodots group were ~ 49.81% and ~ 34.14% to mice in model group. Since ginsenosides were used as sole reactant, ginsenosides carbon nanodots showed low toxicity and good animal response. CONCLUSION: Low-cost ginsenosides carbon nanodots as a new type of nanomedicine with good curative effect and little toxicity show application prospects for clinical treatment of neuroblastoma. It is proposed a new design for nanomedicine based on bioactive carbon nanodots, which used natural bioactive molecules as sole source.

Adsorption and migration of heavy metals between sediments and overlying water in the Xinhe River in central China.

Long-term polluted rivers often lead to the accumulation of heavy metals in sediments. Anthropogenic activities or biological disturbances break the adsorption balance, causing them to return from the bottom mud to the overlying water and change the aquatic environment. In order to understand the variation of heavy metals between sediments and river water, we collected the riverbed sediments in the polluted Xinhe River and carried out static continuous infiltration and dynamic uninterrupted disturbance experiments. The leaching experiment shows that the absorbability of Cd and Pb is stronger than Cr in the sediment; at the same time, the properties of the medium have a great influence on the adsorption of heavy metals. The disturbance can prompt heavy metals in the sediment to resuspend into the overlying water. The impact is the greatest during the first 12 h, and the influence degree is stronger in the relatively static water than in the moving river. In addition, pH and other factors have different degrees of influence on the desorption of heavy metals.

Optimization of multidimensional MR data acquisition for relaxation and diffusion.

Multidimensional MR experiments of relaxation and diffusion have been successful for material characterization and have attracted attention recently for biomedical applications. However, such experiments typically require many scans of data acquisition and are time-consuming. This work discusses a method for systematic optimization of the pulse-sequence parameters to obtain optimal resolution within the experimental conditions, such as the number of acquisitions. Other optimization goals can also be incorporated in this framework.

Transparent Conductive Supramolecular Hydrogels with Stimuli-Responsive Properties for On-Demand Dissolvable Diabetic Foot Wound Dressings.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) remain a very considerable health care burden, and their treatment is difficult. Hydrogel-based wound dressings are appealing to provide an optimal environment for wound repair. However, the currently available hydrogel dressings still need surgical or mechanical debridement from the wound, causing reinjury of the newly formed tissues, wound infection, delayed healing time, and personal suffering. Additionally, to meet people's increasing demand, hydrogel wound dressings with improved performance and multifunctionality are urgently required. Here, a new multifunctional supramolecular hydrogel for on-demand dissolvable diabetic foot wound dressings is designed and constructed. Based on multihydrogen bonds between hydrophilic polymers, the resultant supramolecular hydrogels present controlled and excellent properties, such as good transparency, antibacterial ability, conductive, and self-healing properties. Thus, the supramolecular hydrogels improve the new tissue formation and provide a significant therapeutic effect on DFU by inducing angiogenesis, enhancing collagen deposition, preventing bacterial infection, and controlling wound infection. Remarkably, the resultant hydrogels also exhibit stimuli-responsive ability, which renders its capability to be dissolved on-demand, allowing for a facile DFU dressing removal. This multifunctional supramolecular hydrogel may provide a novel concept in the design of on-demand dissolvable wound dressings.

Polystyrene@poly(ar-vinylbenzyl)trimethylammonium-co-acrylic acid core/shell pH-responsive nanoparticles for active targeting and imaging of cancer cell based on aggregation induced emission.

Doubly charged pH-responsive core/shell hydrogel nanoparticles with green fluorescence were prepared and were shown to be viable bioprobes for active targeting tumor tissue and imaging of cancer cells. Via emulsionfree copolymerization hydrogel nanoparticles as VANPs were prepared, the core of which was polystyrene (Ps) and the shell was comprised of strongly positive electrolyte (ar-vinylbenzyl)trimethylammonium (VBTAC) with weak negative electrolyte acrylic acid (AA). Through conventional amidation, the shell was conjugated with cell-specific folic acid (FA), denoted as VANPs-FA. Then, negatively charged sulfonated 9,10-distyrylanthracene derivatives (SDSA) based on aggregation induced emission (AIE), was binding tightly to positively charged VBTAC of VANPs-FA shell. The prepared double charged fluorescent core/shell hydrogel nanoparticles abbreviated as VANPs-FS, showed excitation/emission wavelengths at ~420/528 nm. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements were performed to determine the size and surficial zeta potential of VANPs-FS. Under proper ratio of VBTAC to AA, the VANPs-FS was stable (~ 64.63 nm, -20.2 mV) at high pH (> 7), started to aggregate (~ 683.0 nm, -3.2 mV) at pH around 6, and can redispers at low pH (< 5). The MTT analysis proved that VANPs-FS had good biocompatibility and low cytotoxicity. The targeting effectiveness of VANPs-FS was confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Graphical abstract Detailed synthetic route of VANPs-FS (top) and schematic cancer tumor-target aggregation of pH-sensitive VANPs-FS with enhanced retention and rapid cancer cell imaging (bottom).

Motion-tolerant diffusion mapping based on single-shot overlapping-echo detachment (OLED) planar imaging.

PURPOSE: A new diffusion-mapping method based on single-shot overlapping-echo detachment (DM-OLED) planar-imaging sequence, along with a corresponding separation algorithm, is proposed to achieve reliable quantitative diffusion mapping in a single shot. The method can resist the effects of motion and help in detecting the quick variation of diffusion under different physiological status. METHODS: The echo-planar imaging method is combined with two excitation pulses with small flip angle to gain overlapping-echo signal in a single shot. Then the overlapping signals are separated by a separation algorithm and used for diffusion computation. Numerical simulation, phantom, and in vivo rat experiments were performed to verify the efficiency, accuracy, and motion tolerance of DM-OLED. RESULTS: The DM-OLED sequence could obtain reliable diffusion maps within milliseconds in numerical simulation, phantom, and in vivo experiments. Compared with conventional diffusion mapping with spin-echo echo-planar imaging, DM-OLED has higher time resolution and fewer motion-incurred errors in the apparent diffusion coefficient maps. CONCLUSIONS: As a reliable fast diffusion measurement tool, DM-OLED shows promise for real-time dynamic diffusion mapping and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Magn Reson Med 80:200-210, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Molecular dynamics and composition of crude oil by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques are widely used to identify pure substances and probe protein dynamics. Oil is a complex mixture composed of hydrocarbons, which have a wide range of molecular size distribution. Previous work show that empirical correlations of relaxation times and diffusion coefficients were found for simple alkane mixtures, and also the shape of the relaxation and diffusion distribution functions are related to the composition of the fluids. The 2D NMR is a promising qualitative evaluation method for oil composition. But uncertainty in the interpretation of crude oil indicated further study was required. In this research, the effect of each composition on relaxation distribution functions is analyzed in detail. We also suggest a new method for prediction of the rotational correlation time distribution of crude oil molecules using low field NMR (LF-NMR) relaxation time distributions. A set of down-hole NMR fluid analysis system is independently designed and developed for fluid measurement. We illustrate this with relaxation-relaxation correlation experiments and rotational correlation time distributions on a series of hydrocarbon mixtures that employ our laboratory-designed downhole NMR fluid analyzer. The LF-NMR is a useful tool for detecting oil composition and monitoring oil property changes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pattern transitions of oil-water two-phase flow with low water content in rectangular horizontal pipes probed by terahertz spectrum.

The flow-pattern transition has been a challenging problem in two-phase flow system. We propose the terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) to investigate the behavior underlying oil-water flow in rectangular horizontal pipes. The low water content (0.03-2.3%) in oil-water flow can be measured accurately and reliably from the relationship between THz peak amplitude and water volume fraction. In addition, we obtain the flow pattern transition boundaries in terms of flow rates. The critical flow rate Qc of the flow pattern transitions decreases from 0.32 m3 h to 0.18 m3 h when the corresponding water content increases from 0.03% to 2.3%. These properties render THz-TDS particularly powerful technology for investigating a horizontal oil-water two-phase flow system.

[A case of PET-CT imaging for primary hyperparathyroidism].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the 2-[fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (¹8F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET-CT) manifestations and functions in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT). 
 METHOD: The diagnosis of 1 case of double parathyroid adenomas secondary to pPTH was reported and the related literature was reviewed.
 RESULTS: PET-CT showed two nodus shadow with slightly lower density compared with muscle, clear boundary and uniform density. Simultaneously, images also showed multiple enhanced FDG uptake of bone lesions in skeletal system. The maximum standard uptake values for ¹8F-FDG in the destructive bone lesions were more than 10. 
 CONCLUSION: ¹8F-FDG PET-CT is a well-established imaging technique for the diagnosis in pHPT. It not only can clearly visualize systemic lesions and accurately assess the extent of the disease, but also can accurately localize parathyroid adenoma. After resection of parathyroid adenoma, FDG PET-CT imaging can be useful to see the response to treatment and osteoblastic changes in brown tumor.

Minimum Minutes Machine-Learning Microfluidic Microbe Monitoring Method (M7).

Frequent outbreaks of viral diseases have brought substantial negative impacts on society and the economy, and they are very difficult to detect, as the concentration of viral aerosols in the air is low and the composition is complex. The traditional detection method is manually collection and re-detection, being cumbersome and time-consuming. Here we propose a virus aerosol detection method based on microfluidic inertial separation and spectroscopic analysis technology to rapidly and accurately detect aerosol particles in the air. The microfluidic chip is designed based on the principles of inertial separation and laminar flow characteristics, resulting in an average separation efficiency of 95.99% for 2 µm particles. We build a microfluidic chip composite spectrometer detection platform to capture the spectral information on aerosol particles dynamically. By employing machine-learning techniques, we can accurately classify different types of aerosol particles. The entire experiment took less than 30 min as compared with hours by PCR detection. Furthermore, our model achieves an accuracy of 97.87% in identifying virus aerosols, which is comparable to the results obtained from PCR detection.

Phase Correction-Adaptive Line Enhancement for Noise Reduction of Low-Field NMR.

The amplitude of low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is weak, and the echo is buried in the noise. The reduction of noise is critical to accurately extract echo amplitude. Phase correction-adaptive line enhancement (PC-ALE) is proposed to noise suppression based on the principle of ALE and NMR spin-echo characteristics. The echo amplitude is calculated after two-stage processes; phase shift from time-delay and filter tap would be compensated effectively in frequency domain. Simulation and experiments show that PC-ALE has prominent performance on noise suppression, envelope recovery, as well as the correction of the phase shift. The amplitude from the method of sample average nearby the middle of the echo is more accurate than the maximum peak when the PC-ALE is applied to noise suppression of spin-echo.

[High field magnetic resonance background suppression diffusion imaging in the diagnosis of liver foci of space occupying lesion].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the diagnostic value of the 3.0T magnetic resonance liver diffusion weighted imaging with background suppression (DWIBS) in liver foci of space occupying lesion. METHODS: A total of 43 cases of liver bureau stove perch pathological change were included: 15 were hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with 24 lesions; 7 were liver metastatic tumor with 13 lesions; 10 were liver hemangioma with 12 lesions; and 11 liver cyst with 20 lesions. After taking the conventional T1WI and T2WI sequence, the magnetic resonance background suppression diffusion imaging technology (diffusion weighted imaging with background suppression, DWIBS) was applied, following the dynamic enhanced scan. With the MRI to DWIBS workstation for classifying positron emission computed tomography (PET) processing, the T2WI diagram and dynamic enhanced diagram were compared respectively for the 3 sequences of lesion detection rate, T2WI, and DWIBS, to enhance the delay time between the two joint and combined lesion detection rate. With the MRI workstation software scanning image generation ADC diagram, the ADC values were measured for liver cancer, liver metastatic tumor, liver hemangioma and liver cysts. RESULTS: The 3 sequences of detection rates of the T2WI, DWIBS and enhanced delay period T1WI were 91.3%, 94.2%, and 95.6%. The detection rate of DWIBS plus T2WI was 92.7%; that of T2WI plus enhanced delay time was 94.9%, and that of DWIBS plus enhanced delay time was 96.3%, with the rate of DWIBS plus enhanced delay period obviously higher than that of the DWIBS plus T2WI (P<0.05). The ADC value of the benign liver tumor was obviously higher than that of the malignant tumors: hepatic cyst (2.614 ± 0.57)×10⁻³ mm²/s, liver hemangioma (2.055 ± 0.21)×10⁻³ mm²/s, metastatic carcinoma (1.374 ± 0.32)× 10⁻³ mm²/s, and liver cancer (1.287 ± 0.14)×10⁻³ mm²/s. Except for the liver cancer and the liver metastatic tumor, there was significant difference between the other groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Combing the DWIBS technology, the PET-like images and the ADC value acquired, the combined enhanced sequences could further facilitate the demonstration of the liver foci of space occupying lesion, the accuracy of identification and diagnosis of the liver foci of space occupying lesion.

A study on multi-exponential inversion of nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation data using deep learning.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a powerful tool for formation evaluation in the oil industry to determine parameters, such as pore structure, fluid saturation, and permeability of porous materials, which are critical to reservoir engineering. The inversion of the measured relaxation data is an ill-posed problem and may lead to deviations of inversion results, which may degrade the accuracy of further data analysis and evaluation. This paper proposes a deep learning method for multi-exponential inversion of NMR relaxation data to improve accuracy. Simulated NMR data are first constructed using a priori knowledge based on the signal parameters and Gaussian distribution. These data are then used to train the neural network designed to consider noise characteristics, signal decay characteristics, signal energy variations, and non-negative features of the T2 spectra. With the validation from simulated data, the models introduced by multi-scale convolutional neural network (CNN) and attention mechanism outperform other approaches in terms of denoising and T2 inversion. Finally, NMR measurements of rock cores are used to compare the effectiveness of the attention multi-scale convolutional neural network (ATT-CNN) model in practical applications. The results demonstrate that the proposed method based on deep learning has better performance than the regularization method.

Adaptive control for downhole nuclear magnetic resonance excitation.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements are performed with the pulse sequence and acquisition parameters set by the operator, which cannot be adjusted in real time according to sample characteristics. In one acquisition cycle, usually thousands of high-power pulses are transmitted and thousands of echo points are acquired. The power consumption cause the RF amplifier to overheat, and large amounts of acquired data may be invalid. Therefore, the optimization of excitation and acquisition processes is necessary to improve measurement efficiency. We explore a scheme for the real-time measurement of the samples by adaptively regulating the pulse sequence, which adapts the variable TE pulse sequence as the reconnaissance mode. The appropriate pulse sequence and reasonable parameters (NE, TE) can be selected according to the relaxation characteristics of the samples.This adaptive control strategy has great significance in guiding both dynamic and static measurements, and it is especially suitable for occasions where low magnetic field gradients and diffusion terms can be ignored. We also design a test circuit for adaptive control, which has the function of automatic parameter adjustment. By adjusting parameters such as the number of refocusing pulses, echo spacing, etc., the effective measurement of the samples can be achieved in practice.

Multifunctional Carbon Nanodots for Antibacterial Enhancement, pH Change, and Poisonous Tin(IV) Specifical Detection.

In recent years, antibiotic-based carbon nanodots have been extensively developed and studied, because of their excellent synergistic fluorescence and antibacterial properties. These antibacterial carbon nanodots have also been developed with various new applications, such as heavy iron detection, pH sensitivity, temperature response, and bacterial count detection in various environments. In this article, using vancomycin hydrochloride as the only precursor, vancomycin hydrochloride carbon nanodots were rapidly synthesized by a one-step microwave method. The diameter of the vancomycin hydrochloride carbon nanodots was concentrated at 0.899 ± 0.40 nm with a uniform size and excitation-dependent fluorescence. Vancomycin hydrochloride carbon nanodots showed better antibacterial activity than the original vancomycin hydrochloride with low biological toxicity and good stability. In the pH range of approximately 7-13, there was a good linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity of the carbon nanodots and the pH value (R2 = 0.98516). Moreover, vancomycin hydrochloride carbon nanodots could quickly and specifically detect poisonous Sn4+ through changes in their fluorescence intensity, with a detection limit of approximately 5.2 µM. Multifunctional vancomycin hydrochloride carbon nanodots have good application prospects in the fields of antibacterial, toxic Sn4+ detection, and pH-sensitive aspects.

CO2-Containing Reservoir Evaluation Based on the Joint Inversion of Nuclear Logs and Resistivity Logs: A Case Study of Ultrahigh-Temperature and High-Pressure Gas Reservoirs in the Yinggehai Basin, China.

Due to the unique characteristics of reservoirs in the Yinggehai Basin in the South China Sea, such as high temperature and high pressure (HPHT), low porosity, low permeability, complex pore structure, and high lime content, the log responses of these reservoirs have very complex characteristics, which makes it difficult to evaluate reservoir parameters accurately. In addition, most reservoirs in Ledong Block of the Yinggehai Basin in the South China Sea contain CO2, posing great difficulties for subsequent exploration and development. Accurate evaluation of CO2 layers is of paramount importance for the development of oil and gas fields. In this study, we used a method for the joint inversion of multiple well logs to evaluate the reservoirs and determine CO2 saturation level and other formation parameters. We optimized the joint inversion model based on the characteristics of the reservoirs in the Yinggehai Basin and adjusted the forward simulation model to consider the effects of high temperature and high pressure on gas density. In view of high lime content in the formations in this area, we adjusted the resistivity forward simulation model to consider the effect of lime content. The inversion results show that the values of porosity, permeability, and water saturation level obtained through inversion are largely consistent with the core data. The CO2 saturation level determined through joint inversion is 22%, which represents a deviation of less than 10% from the drilling system testing (DST) result, indicating that the joint inversion method is accurate. The error in the water saturation level determined through the joint inversion method is smaller than that in the calculated results from conventional multimineral inversion models. We performed forward simulation of the results calculated with the joint inversion method and compared the results of forward simulation with actual log curves. For the sandstone interval, the results of forward simulation are largely consistent with the actual log curves, indicating that the joint inversion method is accurate. In summary, the method presented in this paper can accurately determine reservoir parameters and provide strong support for the exploration and development of oil and gas fields in the Yinggehai Basin in the South China Sea.

Hyperprogressive Disease After Immunotherapy: A Case Report of Pulmonary Enteric Adenocarcinoma.

Primary pulmonary enteric adenocarcinoma (PEAC) is a rare invasive adenocarcinoma clinically similar to metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma (MCRC). Although many studies have addressed the differential diagnosis of PEAC, few have described the treatment of PEAC, especially using immunotherapy. This report describes a 61-year-old man who presented initially with pain in the ribs. Pathological analysis of biopsy samples shows malignant tumors of the right pleura, and next-generation sequencing of 26 genes showed a KRAS gene mutation. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) found no evidence of gastrointestinal malignancy. Due to multiple metastases, the patient could not undergo radical surgery. The patient was treated with a combination chemotherapy regimen of paclitaxel plus carboplatin, along with sindilizumab immunotherapy, but, after one cycle of treatment, the tumor showed a hyperprogressive state. The patient is still being monitored regularly. These findings indicate that chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy may be ineffective in the treatment of primary PEAC with positive driver genes.

Positron emission tomography imaging for the assessment of mild traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy: recent advances in radiotracers.

A chronic phase following repetitive mild traumatic brain injury can present as chronic traumatic encephalopathy in some cases, which requires a neuropathological examination to make a definitive diagnosis. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a molecular imaging modality that has high sensitivity for detecting even very small molecular changes, and can be used to quantitatively measure a range of molecular biological processes in the brain using different radioactive tracers. Functional changes have also been reported in patients with different forms of traumatic brain injury, especially mild traumatic brain injury and subsequent chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Thus, PET provides a novel approach for the further evaluation of mild traumatic brain injury at molecular levels. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in PET imaging with different radiotracers, including radioligands for PET imaging of glucose metabolism, tau, amyloid-beta, γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors, and neuroinflammation, in the identification of altered neurological function. These novel radiolabeled ligands are likely to have widespread clinical application, and may be helpful for the treatment of mild traumatic brain injury. Moreover, PET functional imaging with different ligands can be used in the future to perform large-scale and sequential studies exploring the time-dependent changes that occur in mild traumatic brain injury.

Borehole Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Study at the China University of Petroleum.

The research of borehole nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) began in the 1950 s, but the maturity and large-scale applications of relevant instruments started in the mid-1990. To date, borehole NMR is an important means for borehole in-situ analysis and oil and gas evaluation, which significantly improves the success rate of exploration and the evaluation accuracy of oil and gas reservoirs. Its development has also contributed importantly to low-field and industrial NMR theories and experimental methodologies. Companies and individuals in the United States, China and other countries have developed the capabilities to engineer and deploy borehole NMR instruments and measurements independently. NMR imaging and evaluation of heterogeneous reservoirs and unconventional oil and gas are worldwide problems, involving the innovation of borehole NMR and the advanced manufacture of instruments and equipment. The commercial technology of borehole oil and gas exploration is highly competitive and proprietary. It is difficult to gain full insight into the details of the technologies and development from published literatures. Based on the research of the author's NMR laboratory at the China University of Petroleum (CUP), this paper reviews the core technologies of borehole NMR and its applications, discusses selected important issues that have not been fully solved, and looks forward to the direction and prospects of future development.

Optimization of shaped pulses for radio frequency excitation in NMR logging.

The radio frequency (RF) excitation pulse of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logging tool can realize slice measurement by designing shaped pulses. In the case of a certain main magnetic field, the accuracy of the shaped pulse design has a very important impact on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the NMR signal and the measurement of the short relaxation signal. Hard pulse excitation will produce an undesirable infinite number of side lobes that may perturb the spins in unwanted regions. Soft pulse can achieve selective excitation and has a better slice profile and shorter energy release time while it is not conducive to the measurement of short relaxation signals. This article focuses on the design of shaped pulses in extreme downhole environments and analyzes the characteristics of the three shaped pulses in the two cases of equivalent bandwidth and equivalent pulse duration. At the same time, a kind of RF-shaped pulse transmitting circuit with phase difference control is realized. According to the pulse type optimization strategy, the appropriate shaped pulse is selected. When echo spacing (TE) >0.6 ms, the SNR can be increased to more than 12%. When TE is small, it will automatically switch to the hard pulse mode, which is good for short relaxation measurement.