Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising means for treating degenerative or incurable diseases. Recent studies have shown that microvesicles (MVs) from MSCs (MSC-MVs) contribute to recovery of damaged tissues in animal disease models. Here, we profiled the MSC-MV proteome to investigate their therapeutic effects. LC-MS/MS analysis of MSC-MVs identified 730 MV proteins. The MSC-MV proteome included five positive and two variable known markers of MSCs, but no negative marker, as well as 43 surface receptors and signaling molecules controlling self-renewal and differentiation of MSCs. Functional enrichment analysis showed that cellular processes represented by the MSC-MV proteins include cell proliferation, adhesion, migration, and morphogenesis. Integration of MSC's self-renewal and differentiation-related genes and the proteome of MSC-conditioned media (MSC-CM) with the MSC-MV proteome revealed potential MV protein candidates that can be associated with the therapeutic effects of MSC-MVs: (1) surface receptors (PDGFRB, EGFR, and PLAUR); (2) signaling molecules (RRAS/NRAS, MAPK1, GNA13/GNG12, CDC42, and VAV2); (3) cell adhesion (FN1, EZR, IQGAP1, CD47, integrins, and LGALS1/LGALS3); and (4) MSC-associated antigens (CD9, CD63, CD81, CD109, CD151, CD248, and CD276). Therefore, the MSC-MV proteome provides a comprehensive basis for understanding the potential of MSC-MVs to affect tissue repair and regeneration.

A quality assessment algorithm for vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data has been developed. The proposed algorithm combines four widely used tests of VLE consistency based on the requirements of the Gibbs-Duhem equation, with a check of consistency between the VLE binary data and the pure compound vapor pressures. A VLE data-quality criterion is proposed based on the developed algorithm, and it has been implemented in a software application in support of dynamic data evaluation. VLE predictions (NRTL and UNIFAC) were deployed to detect possible anomalies in the data sets. The proposed algorithm can be applied to VLE data sets with at least three state variables reported (pressure, temperature, plus liquid and/ or vapor composition) and is applicable to all nonreacting chemical systems at subcritical conditions. Application of the developed algorithms to identification of erroneous published VLE data sets is demonstrated.

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Microvesicles (MVs, also known as exosomes, ectosomes, microparticles) are released by various cancer cells, including lung, colorectal, and prostate carcinoma cells. MVs released from tumor cells and other sources accumulate in the circulation and in pleural effusion. Although recent studies have shown that MVs play multiple roles in tumor progression, the potential pathological roles of MV in pleural effusion, and their protein composition, are still unknown. In this study, we report the first global proteomic analysis of highly purified MVs derived from human nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) pleural effusion. Using nano-LC-MS/MS following 1D SDS-PAGE separation, we identified a total of 912 MV proteins with high confidence. Three independent experiments on three patients showed that MV proteins from PE were distinct from MV obtained from other malignancies. Bioinformatics analyses of the MS data identified pathologically relevant proteins and potential diagnostic makers for NSCLC, including lung-enriched surface antigens and proteins related to epidermal growth factor receptor signaling. These findings provide new insight into the diverse functions of MVs in cancer progression and will aid in the development of novel diagnostic tools for NSCLC.

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Pyrrolidinium cation-based ionic liquids were synthesized, and their inhibition effects on methane hydrate formation were investigated. It was found that the ionic liquids shifted the hydrate equilibrium line to a lower temperature at a specific pressure, while simultaneously delaying gas hydrate formation.

We investigated nanoscale engine schematics composed of a carbon nanotube oscillator, motor, channel, nozzle, etc. For the fluidic gas driven carbon nanotube motor, the origination of the torque was the friction between the carbon nanotube surface and the fluidic gases. The density and flow rate of the working gas or liquid are very important for the carbon nanotube motor. When multi-wall carbon nanotubes with very low rotating energy barriers are used for carbon nanotube motors, the fluidic gas driven carbon nanotube motors can be effectively operated and controlled by the gas flow rates. The variations of the flux were the same as the variations of the carbon nanotube oscillator. Although the carbon nanotube oscillator continually vibrated, since the angular velocity of the motor was saturated at a constant value, the speed of the nanoscale engine could be controlled by the frequency of the carbon nanotube oscillator below the maximum speed.

This work, by means of molecular dynamics simulations, shows that the features of C60 encapsulation into boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are similar to the features of that into carbon nanotubes (CNTs), whereas the encapsulating and the internal dynamics of the C60@BNNT are different from those of the C60@CNT. Since the C60 encapsulation into the BNNTs is energetically more stable than that into the CNTs and the suction force on the C60 molecule induced by the BNNTs is higher than that by the CNTs, the C60 encapsulation into the BNNT is achieved faster than that into the CNT. The internal dynamics of the C60 molecule inside the BNNT is also different from that inside the CNT, because the C60@CNT system includes only one long range interaction of C–C whereas the C60@BNNT system includes both C–B and C–N long range interactions. Because of the difference of the binding energies and the equilibrium distances between C–B and C–N, the C60 molecule frequently collided against the BNNT wall in molecular dynamics simulations. At low temperature, the energy dissipation of the C60@CNT system mainly occurred at both end edges of the CNT, where the C60 molecule is under restoring (or sucking-in) forces. Energy dissipation of the C60@BNNT resulted from collisions against the BNNT wall as well as at both end edges of the BNNT.