Dissipation of the 3^He A-B Transition

A rigorous hydrodynamic theory of the A-B transition is presented. All dissipative processes are considered. At low interface velocities, those occurring on hydrodynamic length scales, not considered hitherto, are most probably the dominant ones.Comment: 13 pages, REVTeX, 2 figures, ITP-UH 13/9

Tannic Acid Coated Gold Nanorods Demonstrate a Distinctive Form of Endosomal Uptake and Unique Distribution within Cells

One of the primary challenges associated with nanoparticle-dependent biological applications is that endosomal entrapment in a physiological environment severely limits the desired targeting and functionality of the nanoconstructs. This study sought to overcome that challenge through a systematic approach of gold nanorod (GNR) functionalization: evaluating the influence of both aspect ratio and surface chemistry on targeted cellular internalization rates and preservation of particle integrity. Owing to their unique spectral properties and enhanced surface area, GNRs possess great potential for the advancement of nanobased delivery and imaging applications. However, their ability for efficient intracellular delivery while maintaining their specific physiochemical parameters has yet to be satisfactorily explored. This study identified that longer and positively charged GNRs demonstrated a higher degree of internalization compared to their shorter and negative counterparts. Notably, of the four surface chemistries explored, only tannic acid resulted in retention of GNR integrity following endocytosis into keratinocyte cells, due to the presence of a strong protein corona matrix that served to protect the particles. Taken together, these results identify tannic acid functionalized GNRs as a potential candidate for future development in nanobased biomolecule delivery, bioimaging, and therapeutic applications

Tannic Acid Coated Gold Nanorods Demonstrate a Distinctive Form of Endosomal Uptake and Unique Distribution within Cells

One of the primary challenges associated with nanoparticle-dependent biological applications is that endosomal entrapment in a physiological environment severely limits the desired targeting and functionality of the nanoconstructs. This study sought to overcome that challenge through a systematic approach of gold nanorod (GNR) functionalization: evaluating the influence of both aspect ratio and surface chemistry on targeted cellular internalization rates and preservation of particle integrity. Owing to their unique spectral properties and enhanced surface area, GNRs possess great potential for the advancement of nanobased delivery and imaging applications. However, their ability for efficient intracellular delivery while maintaining their specific physiochemical parameters has yet to be satisfactorily explored. This study identified that longer and positively charged GNRs demonstrated a higher degree of internalization compared to their shorter and negative counterparts. Notably, of the four surface chemistries explored, only tannic acid resulted in retention of GNR integrity following endocytosis into keratinocyte cells, due to the presence of a strong protein corona matrix that served to protect the particles. Taken together, these results identify tannic acid functionalized GNRs as a potential candidate for future development in nanobased biomolecule delivery, bioimaging, and therapeutic applications

Hyperspectral darkfield microscopy of single hollow gold nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Hyperspectral microscopy is a versatile method for simultaneous spatial and spectroscopic characterization of nonfluorescent samples. Here we present a hyperspectral darkfield imaging system for spectral imaging of single nanoparticles over an area of 150 × 150 µm2 and at illumination intensities compatible with live cell imaging. The capabilities of the system are demonstrated using correlated transmission electron microscopy and single-particle optical studies of colloidal hollow gold nanoparticles. The potential of the system for characterizing the interactions between nanoparticles and cells has also been demonstrated. In this case, the spectral information proves a useful improvement to standard darkfield imaging as it enables differentiation between light scattered from nanoparticles and light scattered from other sources in the cellular environment. The combination of low illumination power and fast integration times makes the system highly suitable for nanoparticle tracking and spectroscopy in live-cell experiments

Probing the Behaviors of Gold Nanorods in Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells Based on UV-vis-NIR Absorption Spectroscopy

In this work, behaviors of positively-charged AuNRs in a highly metastatic tumor cell line MDA-MB-231 are examined based on UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy in combination with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dark-field microscopic observation. It is found that characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks of AuNRs can be detected using spectroscopic method within living cells that have taken up AuNRs. The peak area of transverse SPR band is shown to be proportionally related to the amount of AuNRs in the cells determined with ICP-MS, which suggests a facile and real time quantification method for AuNRs in living cells. The shape of longitudinal SPR band in UV-vis-NIR spectrum reflects the aggregation state of AuNRs in the cells during the incubation period, which is proved by TEM and microscopic observations. Experimental results reveal that AuNRs are internalized by the cells rapidly; the accumulation, distribution and aggregation of AuNRs in the cells compartments are time and dose dependent. The established spectroscopic analysis method can not only monitor the behaviors of AuNRs in living cells but may also be helpful in choosing the optimum laser stimulation wavelength for anti-tumor thermotherapy