Additional file 1 of Photosensitizing deep-seated cancer cells with photoprotein-conjugated upconversion nanoparticles

Supplementary Material 1: Additional file 1: Figure S1. Elemental analysis of CS-UCNPs by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Figure S2. X-ray diffraction patterns of oleic acid-capped Co-UCNPs and CS-UCNPs. Figure S3. TEM image of Co-UCNPs. Figure S4. TEM images of Co-UCNPs and CS-UCNPs. Figure S5. TEM images of CS-UCNPs. Figure S6. Effect of Yb3+ concentratons on the ET efficiency in UCNPs. Figure S7. SDS-PAGE and fluorescent gel images of KR and KR-LP. Figure S8. FT-IR spectrum of KR-LP. Figure S9.In vitro stability of CS-UCNP-KR-LP over a two-week period using PL intensity and polydispersity index. Figure S10. Effect of Er3+ concentrations (2−10%) in CS-UCNP-NH2 on the PL decay time. Figure S11. Flow cytometric analysis of intracellular ROS generation using DCFDA with CS-UCNPs or Co-UCNPs. Figure S12. MTT assay of cell viability according to nanocomposite concentration for 5 cancer cell lines. Figure S13. MTT assay of cell viability according to irradiation time for 5 cancer cell lines. Figure S14. MTT assay of cell viability of MCF-7 cells without either NIR irradiation or nanocomposites. Figure S15. Measurement of cellular uptake of three different CS-UCNPs using ICP-MS in cancer cells. Figure S16. Experimental setup for evaluating the tissue-penetrating effect of NIR irradiation on CS-UCNP-KR-LP in MCF-7 cells

Enhancement of Local Piezoresponse in Polymer Ferroelectrics <i>via</i> Nanoscale Control of Microstructure

Polymer ferroelectrics are flexible and lightweight electromechanical materials that are widely studied due to their potential application as sensors, actuators, and energy harvesters. However, one of the biggest challenges is their low piezoelectric coefficient. Here, we report a mechanical annealing effect based on local pressure induced by a nanoscale tip that enhances the local piezoresponse. This process can control the nanoscale material properties over a microscale area at room temperature. We attribute this improvement to the formation and growth of β-phase extended chain crystals <i>via</i> sliding diffusion and crystal alignment along the scan axis under high mechanical stress. We believe that this technique can be useful for local enhancement of piezoresponse in ferroelectric polymer thin films

Fast, Ratiometric FRET from Quantum Dot Conjugated Stabilized Single Chain Variable Fragments for Quantitative Botulinum Neurotoxin Sensing

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) presents a significant hazard under numerous realistic scenarios. The standard detection scheme for this fast-acting toxin is a lab-based mouse lethality assay that is sensitive and specific, but slow (∼2 days) and requires expert administration. As such, numerous efforts have aimed to decrease analysis time and reduce complexity. Here, we describe a sensitive ratiometric fluorescence resonance energy transfer scheme that utilizes highly photostable semiconductor quantum dot (QD) energy donors and chromophore conjugation to compact, single chain variable antibody fragments (scFvs) to yield a fast, fieldable sensor for BoNT with a 20–40 pM detection limit, toxin quantification, adjustable dynamic range, sensitivity in the presence of interferents, and sensing times as fast as 5 min. Through a combination of mutations, we achieve stabilized scFv denaturation temperatures of more than 60 °C, which bolsters fieldability. We also describe adaptation of the assay into a microarray format that offers persistent monitoring, reuse, and multiplexing