The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a physiological barrier between blood and brain tissue. It is essential to maintain the steady of the microenvironment of the central nervous system and physiological activity in the brain. The studies shows that abnormal of blood-brain barrier function are closely related to the Alzheimer's disease, brain tumor and Parkinson's disease.
　　However, the compact structure and high selective of blood-brain barrier makes it impossible of most drug molecules to enter the brain, which greatly limits the research and development of the central nervous system drugs. It is becoming a key problem to solve the lack of significant of existing two-dimensional cellular culture and animal models in vivo, by establishing effective and reliable BBB models.
　　The Microfluidic Research Group led by Prof. QIN Jianhua in DICP proposed a new and dynamic in vivo-like three-dimensional microfluidic system. The system can replicate the key structural, functional and mechanical properties of the blood-brain barrier in vivo. Multiple factors in this system work synergistically to accentuate BBB-specific attributes–permitting the analysis of complex organ-level responses in both normal and pathological microenvironments in brain tumors.
　　Schematic of the integrity of blood-brain barrier and brain metastasis (Imaged by XU Hui)
　　In this system, the complex BBB microenvironment is reproduced via physical cell-cell interaction, vascular mechanical cues and cell migration. This model possesses the unique capability to examine brain metastasis of human lung, breast and melanoma cells and their therapeutic responses to chemotherapy. The results suggest that the interactions between cancer cells and astrocytes in BBB microenvironment might affect the ability of malignant brain tumors to traverse between brain and vascular compartments. Furthermore, quantification of spatially resolved barrier functions exists within a single assay, providing a versatile and valuable platform for pharmaceutical development, drug testing and neuroscientific research.
　　The related results were published on Scientific Reports (DOI: 10.1038/srep36670). This work was supported by the natural science foundation of China and the international cooperation project of the Ministry of science and technology. (Text and Imaged by XU Hui)
　　Dr. LU Xinyi
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
　　457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China,
　　Tel: 86-411-84379201,
　　E-mail: luxinyi@dicp.ac.cn 
　　

　　The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a physiological barrier between blood and brain tissue. It is essential to maintain the steady of the microenvironment of the central nervous system and physiological activity in the brain. The studies shows that abnormal of blood-brain barrier function are closely related to the Alzheimer's disease, brain tumor and Parkinson's disease.
　　However, the compact structure and high selective of blood-brain barrier makes it impossible of most drug molecules to enter the brain, which greatly limits the research and development of the central nervous system drugs. It is becoming a key problem to solve the lack of significant of existing two-dimensional cellular culture and animal models in vivo, by establishing effective and reliable BBB models.
　　The Microfluidic Research Group led by Prof. QIN Jianhua in DICP proposed a new and dynamic in vivo-like three-dimensional microfluidic system. The system can replicate the key structural, functional and mechanical properties of the blood-brain barrier in vivo. Multiple factors in this system work synergistically to accentuate BBB-specific attributes–permitting the analysis of complex organ-level responses in both normal and pathological microenvironments in brain tumors.
　　Schematic of the integrity of blood-brain barrier and brain metastasis (Imaged by XU Hui)
　　In this system, the complex BBB microenvironment is reproduced via physical cell-cell interaction, vascular mechanical cues and cell migration. This model possesses the unique capability to examine brain metastasis of human lung, breast and melanoma cells and their therapeutic responses to chemotherapy. The results suggest that the interactions between cancer cells and astrocytes in BBB microenvironment might affect the ability of malignant brain tumors to traverse between brain and vascular compartments. Furthermore, quantification of spatially resolved barrier functions exists within a single assay, providing a versatile and valuable platform for pharmaceutical development, drug testing and neuroscientific research.
　　The related results were published on Scientific Reports (DOI: 10.1038/srep36670). This work was supported by the natural science foundation of China and the international cooperation project of the Ministry of science and technology. (Text and Imaged by XU Hui)
　　Dr. LU Xinyi
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
　　457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China,
　　Tel: 86-411-84379201,
　　E-mail: luxinyi@dicp.ac.cn 
　　

　　The International Energy Agency (IEA) Hydrogen Implementing Agreement (HIA) announced the accession of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the IEA HIA (www.ieahia.org). It is the largest and longest lived global collaboration in hydrogen research, development and demonstration (R, D & D.). As an IEA HIA member, China may now participate in any of the diverse research and analysis tasks which, together with outreach activities, comprise the IEA HIA’s innovation portfolio. Initially, China has elected to participate in IEA HIA Task 32–Hydrogen-Based Energy Storage. Two institutions, Dalian Institute for Chemical Physics (DICP)and General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals (GRINM) will represent China on the IEA HIA Executive Committee.
　　DICP, an affiliate of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,and GRINM, China's largest R&D body in the field of nonferrous metals, have internationally recognized competencies in storage research. In cooperation with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of the People's Republic of China, DICP and GRINM will serve as the national channel for other PRC institutions and experts interested in IEA HIA participation.
　　Signature Page of Implementing Agreement for A Programme of Research and Development on the Production and Utilization of Hydrogen (From DICP)
　　In welcoming China as a new member, IEA HIA Chairman Stefan Oberholzer (from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy), emphasized the crucial role that this vast and populous nation can play in advancing clean energy and reducing emissions. "According to the IEA, China accounted for 40% of global renewable capacity growth in 2014. Given the sheer magnitude of China's energy needs, her interest in the research and application of hydrogen can have a profound impact not only on fostering use of hydrogen and renewable energy, but also on mitigating climate change."
　　About the IEA HIA
　　The IEA HIA is a treaty-based organization working to accelerate hydrogen implementation and widespread utilization on a global basis through R, D & D cooperation and information exchange. In addition to new member China, IEA HIA membership includes 21 countries and the Commission of the European Union, as well as two private sector companies, a German public-private partnership dedicated to hydrogen and fuel cells, and an international non-profit association.(Text and Imaged by HE Teng)
　　Dr. LU Xinyi
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
　　457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China,
　　Tel: 86-411-84379201,
　　E-mail: luxinyi@dicp.ac.cn 
　　

　　The International Energy Agency (IEA) Hydrogen Implementing Agreement (HIA) announced the accession of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the IEA HIA (www.ieahia.org). It is the largest and longest lived global collaboration in hydrogen research, development and demonstration (R, D & D.). As an IEA HIA member, China may now participate in any of the diverse research and analysis tasks which, together with outreach activities, comprise the IEA HIA’s innovation portfolio. Initially, China has elected to participate in IEA HIA Task 32–Hydrogen-Based Energy Storage. Two institutions, Dalian Institute for Chemical Physics (DICP)and General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals (GRINM) will represent China on the IEA HIA Executive Committee.
　　DICP, an affiliate of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,and GRINM, China's largest R&D body in the field of nonferrous metals, have internationally recognized competencies in storage research. In cooperation with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of the People's Republic of China, DICP and GRINM will serve as the national channel for other PRC institutions and experts interested in IEA HIA participation.
　　Signature Page of Implementing Agreement for A Programme of Research and Development on the Production and Utilization of Hydrogen (From DICP)
　　In welcoming China as a new member, IEA HIA Chairman Stefan Oberholzer (from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy), emphasized the crucial role that this vast and populous nation can play in advancing clean energy and reducing emissions. "According to the IEA, China accounted for 40% of global renewable capacity growth in 2014. Given the sheer magnitude of China's energy needs, her interest in the research and application of hydrogen can have a profound impact not only on fostering use of hydrogen and renewable energy, but also on mitigating climate change."
　　About the IEA HIA
　　The IEA HIA is a treaty-based organization working to accelerate hydrogen implementation and widespread utilization on a global basis through R, D & D cooperation and information exchange. In addition to new member China, IEA HIA membership includes 21 countries and the Commission of the European Union, as well as two private sector companies, a German public-private partnership dedicated to hydrogen and fuel cells, and an international non-profit association.(Text and Imaged by HE Teng)
　　Dr. LU Xinyi
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
　　457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China,
　　Tel: 86-411-84379201,
　　E-mail: luxinyi@dicp.ac.cn 
　　

　　Propofol is the most commonly used intravenous anaesthetic in the surgery. The target controlled infusion (TCI) devices are used for controlling propofol concentrations in clinical practice. However, the TCI models are not suitable for the personalized medicine. Otherwise, there is a limitation for propofol, excessive or insufficient dosage would lead to serious syndrome of propofol and even death. Therefore, monitoring the propofol concentrations during the surgery is of great significance to enhance the safety of patients. Due to the complicated sample pretreatment, time consuming analysis and delayed response time, it was hard for the current detection instruments to be used in the clinical practice. Nowadays, there is an urgent need for a kind of instrument which can real-time monitor the depth of anesthesia and control the amount of anesthetic precisely.
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics research group led by Prof. LI Haiyang has been committed to the new method and technique research. The improvement of resolution and selectivity technology for Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) promoted its application in clinical practice. Through the cooperation with the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University for three years, the rapid analytical detection of the propofol from a drop of blood was realized. In this research, there was no complicated sample pre-treatment with the plasma samples. Each individual measurement could be accomplished within 1 min. Combination medical glass microfiber paper with the gradient thermal desorption technique, the layered thermal desorption of the plasma complex mixtures was realized. These measurement results did meet the clinical application requirements.
　　Furthermore, other clinically-often-used drugs, including remifentanil, flurbiprofen and atracurium, were found no significant interference with the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the plasma propofol. For the plasma propofol concentrations the linear range was from 1 to 12 μg mL-1, while the limit of detection was evaluated to be 0.1 μg mL-1. This result provided certain scientific basis for the anesthetists to adjust the anesthetic dosage and make rational dosage regimen of anesthesia. At the same time, it could help to explain why low or high depth of anesthesia led to the intraoperative knows or medical accidents. Thus, the empirical anesthesia clinical drug use reached a high scientific level. At present, this method and the plasma concentration detector have been developed to the clinical application of demonstration in the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, and compared with the TCI concentration and bispectral (BIS) index. The theory and technology was expected to lead the technical innovation and there was a broad market application prospect.
　　 
　　Figure DICP researchers develop a new method and instrument for propofol concentration detection from a drop of blood (Imaged by WANG Xin and JIANG Dandan)
　　In this work, there was no complicated sample pre-treatment process, and layered thermal desorption was realized by a drop of blood dropped directly onto the surface of analyzer. This result has been published on Scientific Reports owned by Nature (DOI: 10.1038/srep37525) (Text and Imaged by WANG Xin and JIANG Dandan)
　　Dr. LU Xinyi
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
　　457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China,
　　Tel: 86-411-84379201,
　　E-mail: luxinyi@dicp.ac.cn 

　　Propofol is the most commonly used intravenous anaesthetic in the surgery. The target controlled infusion (TCI) devices are used for controlling propofol concentrations in clinical practice. However, the TCI models are not suitable for the personalized medicine. Otherwise, there is a limitation for propofol, excessive or insufficient dosage would lead to serious syndrome of propofol and even death. Therefore, monitoring the propofol concentrations during the surgery is of great significance to enhance the safety of patients. Due to the complicated sample pretreatment, time consuming analysis and delayed response time, it was hard for the current detection instruments to be used in the clinical practice. Nowadays, there is an urgent need for a kind of instrument which can real-time monitor the depth of anesthesia and control the amount of anesthetic precisely.
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics research group led by Prof. LI Haiyang has been committed to the new method and technique research. The improvement of resolution and selectivity technology for Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) promoted its application in clinical practice. Through the cooperation with the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University for three years, the rapid analytical detection of the propofol from a drop of blood was realized. In this research, there was no complicated sample pre-treatment with the plasma samples. Each individual measurement could be accomplished within 1 min. Combination medical glass microfiber paper with the gradient thermal desorption technique, the layered thermal desorption of the plasma complex mixtures was realized. These measurement results did meet the clinical application requirements.
　　Furthermore, other clinically-often-used drugs, including remifentanil, flurbiprofen and atracurium, were found no significant interference with the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the plasma propofol. For the plasma propofol concentrations the linear range was from 1 to 12 μg mL-1, while the limit of detection was evaluated to be 0.1 μg mL-1. This result provided certain scientific basis for the anesthetists to adjust the anesthetic dosage and make rational dosage regimen of anesthesia. At the same time, it could help to explain why low or high depth of anesthesia led to the intraoperative knows or medical accidents. Thus, the empirical anesthesia clinical drug use reached a high scientific level. At present, this method and the plasma concentration detector have been developed to the clinical application of demonstration in the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, and compared with the TCI concentration and bispectral (BIS) index. The theory and technology was expected to lead the technical innovation and there was a broad market application prospect.
　　 
　　Figure DICP researchers develop a new method and instrument for propofol concentration detection from a drop of blood (Imaged by WANG Xin and JIANG Dandan)
　　In this work, there was no complicated sample pre-treatment process, and layered thermal desorption was realized by a drop of blood dropped directly onto the surface of analyzer. This result has been published on Scientific Reports owned by Nature (DOI: 10.1038/srep37525) (Text and Imaged by WANG Xin and JIANG Dandan)
　　Dr. LU Xinyi
　　Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
　　457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China,
　　Tel: 86-411-84379201,
　　E-mail: luxinyi@dicp.ac.cn