The interaction between ionizing radiation and materials composed of high Z-number elements could be applied to enhance radiotherapy. In this work, we fabricated an ionizing radiation-sensitive nanoplatform by grafting chlorin e6 (Ce6) onto the surface of ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (Au NPs), aiming to enhance the radiation effects induced by different radiation sources. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was applied as the shape-controlling agent during the synthesis of Au nanoparticles. The as-prepared Au NPs show excellent monodispersity, with an average hydrodynamic diameter of around 5 nm. U87 and HeLa cell lines were utilized to evaluate the biological properties of the as-prepared Ce6–Au NPs. The Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) results reveal that the Ce6–Au NPs conjugate can significantly affect the growth of U87 cells under X-ray and 68Ga exposure, which is not seen for the pure Au NPs, Ce6, and physically mixed Ce6 and Au NPs. Moreover, the Ce6–Au NPs conjugate show evident cell prefoliation inhibition of U87 and HeLa cells under both X-ray and 18F-radiolabeled fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) exposure. These results indicate that interaction exists between Ce6 and Au NPs under radiation exposure. The mRNA sequencing results show that the tumor killing performance induced by Ce6–Au NPs may be due to regulation of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune-relevant signaling pathway. Our research proves that the rational combination of Au NPs and Ce6 can make better use of ionizing radiation energy and thus improve the therapeutic outcome of radiotherapy.

This paper presents the work on six single-stringer specimens manufactured using the card-sliding technique with non-crimp fabrics and adopting a Double-Double (DD) stacking sequence. These specimens, representative of sub-structure level components, are used to investigate post-buckling and failure in aerospace structures. Two specimens maintain a constant thickness cross-section, while four are tapered, two of which incorporate a Teflon insert in the stringer flange. All specimens are tested under compression loading conditions, inducing skin buckling, skin-stringer separation, and eventual collapse. Numerical simulations are validated by experimental results and serve to analyze the specimens behavior and the failure mode. The load versus displacement curves of both experimental tests and Finite Element Method (FEM) analyses are compared, along with the out-of-plane displacement field. Subsequently, the observed failure modes are discussed, focusing on the various mechanisms that occurred and considering the impact of flanges and stiffener tapering. Both the FEM simulations and experimental tests demonstrate good agreement, with the flanges tapering revealing notable results. This offers promising evidence of a viable solution to optimize aeronautical structures and enhance resistance to skin-stringer separation.

The development of clinical imaging techniques significantly improves diagnostic accuracy and provides guidance for personalized treatment of individuals. However, every single imaging modality has its distinct drawbacks that cannot fully fulfil the diagnosis requirement. Thus, rational combination of different imaging modalities can achieve more comprehensive information of disease and in this way provide better personalized treatment strategy. The hybrid PET/MRI has drawn increasing attention since its first clinical application. Imaging probes play an essential role in achieving qualified figures with accurate information of diseases. The application of nanotechnology promotes the development of versatile molecular probes for PET/MRI technique. Though there is an emerging clinical requirement, only a small number of multimodal PET/MRI probes have been investigated in preclinical research. Thus, this review tries to thoroughly summarize the nano-sized PET/MRI probes on their design, preparation and biological application. By discussing the strength and limitations of these current available PET/MRI multimodal probes, this work aims to figure out the further research direction and promote the possible clinic translation of the novel PET/MRI probes.