The Molecule-Electrode Interface in Single-Molecule Transistors

What's in the middle matters little! Differential conductance measurements made on single‐molecule rotaxanes and their precursor dumbbells in transistors with platinum electrodes reflect the molecule–electrode contacts rather than the middle section of the molecules (see diagram; the color reflects the conductance, with dark corresponding to zero current). Interface states dominate electron transport. Molecular signatures are masked and even constitutional asymmetry in the molecule is difficult to detect

Higher-order QED effects in hadronic processes

In this presentation, we describe the computation of higher-order QED effects relevant in hadronic collisions. In particular, we discuss the calculation of mixed QCD-QED one-loop contributions to the Altarelli-Parisi splittings functions, as well as the pure two-loop QED corrections. We explain how to extend the DGLAP equations to deal with new parton distributions, emphasizing the consequences of the novel corrections in the determination (and evolution) of the photon distributions.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures. Contribution to the Proceedings of the EPS-HEP 2017 Conferenc

The Molecule-Electrode Interface in Single-Molecule Transistors

What's in the middle matters little! Differential conductance measurements made on single‐molecule rotaxanes and their precursor dumbbells in transistors with platinum electrodes reflect the molecule–electrode contacts rather than the middle section of the molecules (see diagram; the color reflects the conductance, with dark corresponding to zero current). Interface states dominate electron transport. Molecular signatures are masked and even constitutional asymmetry in the molecule is difficult to detect

Photoinduced electron flow in a self-assembling supramolecular extension cable

We report the design, bottom-up construction, characterization, and operation of a supramolecular system capable of mimicking the function played by a macroscopic electrical extension cable. The system is made up of a light-powered electron source, an electron drain, and a cable as the molecular components programmed to self-assemble by means of two distinct plug/socket junctions. Such connections are reversible and can be operated independently by orthogonal chemical inputs. In the source-connector-drain supermolecule, photoinduced electron transfer from source to drain occurs, and it can be switched off by dual-mode chemically controlled disassembling of the molecular components.Ferrer Ribera, RB.; Rogez, G.; Credi, A.; Ballardini, R.; Gandolfi, MT.; Balzani, V.; Liu, Y.... (2006). Photoinduced electron flow in a self-assembling supramolecular extension cable. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 103(49):18411-18416. doi:10.1073/pnas.060645910318411184161034

Electrochemical fabrication of conducting polymer nanowires in an integrated microfluidic system

In this paper, we introduce a new approach for the in situ electrochemical fabrication of an individually addressable array of conducting polymer nanowires (CPNWs) positioned within an integrated microfluidic device and also demonstrate that such an integrated device can be used as a chemical sensor immediately after its construction

Exosomes from Von Hippel-Lindau-Null Cancer Cells Promote Metastasis in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that modulate essential physiological and pathological signals. Communication between cancer cells that express the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor gene and those that do not is instrumental to distant metastasis in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In a novel metastasis model, VHL(-) cancer cells are the metastatic driver, while VHL(+) cells receive metastatic signals from VHL(-) cells and undergo aggressive transformation. This study investigates whether exosomes could be mediating metastatic crosstalk. Exosomes isolated from paired VHL(+) and VHL(-) cancer cell lines were assessed for physical, biochemical, and biological characteristics. Compared to the VHL(+) cells, VHL(-) cells produce significantly more exosomes that augment epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migration of VHL(+) cells. Using a Cre-loxP exosome reporter system, the fluorescent color conversion and migration were correlated with dose-dependent delivery of VHL(-) exosomes. VHL(-) exosomes even induced a complete cascade of distant metastasis when added to VHL(+) tumor xenografts in a duck chorioallantoic membrane (dCAM) model, while VHL(+) exosomes did not. Therefore, this study supports that exosomes from VHL(-) cells could mediate critical cell-to-cell crosstalk to promote metastasis in RCC

Cultured circulating tumor cells and their derived xenografts for personalized oncology

AbstractRecent cancer research has demonstrated the existence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in cancer patient's blood. Once identified, CTC biomarkers will be invaluable tools for clinical diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. In this review, we propose ex vivo culture as a rational strategy for large scale amplification of the limited numbers of CTCs from a patient sample, to derive enough CTCs for accurate and reproducible characterization of the biophysical, biochemical, gene expressional and behavioral properties of the harvested cells. Because of tumor cell heterogeneity, it is important to amplify all the CTCs in a blood sample for a comprehensive understanding of their role in cancer metastasis. By analyzing critical steps and technical issues in ex vivo CTC culture, we developed a cost-effective and reproducible protocol directly culturing whole peripheral blood mononuclear cells, relying on an assumed survival advantage in CTCs and CTC-like cells over the normal cells to amplify this specified cluster of cancer cells

Two-Dimensional Molecular Electronics Circuits

Addressing an array of bistable [2]rotaxanes through a two‐dimensional crossbar arrangement provides the device element of a current‐driven molecular electronic circuit. The development of the [2]rotaxane switches through an iterative, evolutionary process is described. The arrangement reported here allows both memory and logic functions to use the same elements

Dual Supramolecular Nanoparticle Vectors Enable CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Knockin of Retinoschisin 1 Gene-A Potential Nonviral Therapeutic Solution for X-Linked Juvenile Retinoschisis.

The homology-independent targeted integration (HITI) strategy enables effective CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockin of therapeutic genes in nondividing cells in vivo, promising general therapeutic solutions for treating genetic diseases like X-linked juvenile retinoschisis. Herein, supramolecular nanoparticle (SMNP) vectors are used for codelivery of two DNA plasmids-CRISPR-Cas9 genome-editing system and a therapeutic gene, Retinoschisin 1 (RS1)-enabling clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) knockin of the RS1 gene with HITI. Through small-scale combinatorial screenings, two SMNP vectors, with Cas9 and single guide RNA (sgRNA)-plasmid in one and Donor-RS1 and green fluorescent protein (GFP)-plasmid in the other, with optimal delivery performances are identified. These SMNP vectors are then employed for CRISPR/Cas9 knockin of RS1/GFP genes into the mouse Rosa26 safe-harbor site in vitro and in vivo. The in vivo study involves intravitreally injecting the two SMNP vectors into the mouse eyes, followed by repeated ocular imaging by fundus camera and optical coherence tomography, and pathological and molecular analyses of the harvested retina tissues. Mice ocular organs retain their anatomical integrity, a single-copy 3.0-kb RS1/GFP gene is precisely integrated into the Rosa26 site in the retinas, and the integrated RS1/GFP gene is expressed in the retinas, demonstrating CRISPR/Cas9 knockin of RS1/GFP gene