We report on the implementation of ultracold atoms as a source in a state of the art atom gravimeter. We perform gravity measurements with 10 nm s−2 statistical uncertainties in a so-far largely ...unexplored temperature range for such a high accuracy sensor, down to 50 nK. This allows for an improved characterization of the most limiting systematic effect, related to wavefront aberrations of light beamsplitters. A thorough model of the impact of this effect onto the measurement is developed and a method is proposed to correct for this bias based on the extrapolation of the measurements down to zero temperature. Finally, an uncertainty of 13 nm s−2 is obtained in the evaluation of this systematic effect, which can be improved further by performing measurements at even lower temperatures. Our results clearly demonstrate the benefit brought by ultracold atoms to the metrological study of free falling atom interferometers. By tackling their main limitation, the method presented here allows reaching record-breaking accuracies for inertial sensors based on atom interferometry.
Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; and Salt Lake City-Veterans Affairs Geriatrics, Research, Education, and ...Clinical Center (GRECC) and University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
The classical studies of nicotine by Langley at the turn of the 20th century introduced the concept of a "receptive substance," from which the idea of a "receptor" came to light. Subsequent studies aided by the Torpedo electric organ, a rich source of muscle-type nicotinic receptors (nAChRs), and the discovery of -bungarotoxin, a snake toxin that binds pseudo-irreversibly to the muscle nAChR, resulted in the muscle nAChR being the best characterized ligand-gated ion channel hitherto. With the advancement of functional and genetic studies in the late 1980s, the existence of nAChRs in the mammalian brain was confirmed and the realization that the numerous nAChR subtypes contribute to the psychoactive properties of nicotine and other drugs of abuse and to the neuropathology of various diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and schizophrenia, has since emerged. This review provides a comprehensive overview of these findings and the more recent revelations of the impact that the rich diversity in function and expression of this receptor family has on neuronal and nonneuronal cells throughout the body. Despite these numerous developments, our understanding of the contributions of specific neuronal nAChR subtypes to the many facets of physiology throughout the body remains in its infancy.
A method for digestion of soils with high inorganic matter content (ranging from 50 to 92%) by microwave-induced combustion (MIC) is proposed for the first time for further halogens (F, Cl, Br, and ...I) determination by ion chromatography (IC) and also by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Microcrystalline cellulose (100–500 mg), used as a combustion aid, was mixed with sample and water or NH4OH solutions (10–100 mmol L–1) were investigated for analytes absorption. The use of cellulose (400 mg) was mandatory to volatilize the halogens from soils with high inorganic matter. It was possible to use diluted absorbing solutions (up to 100 mmol L–1 NH4OH) for halogens retention, providing limits of quantification in the range of 0.06 (I) to 60 (Cl) μg g–1. Accuracy was evaluated using certified reference materials (CRMs), spiked samples, and pyrohydrolysis method. Recoveries for halogens after spiked samples were in the range of 94 to 103% and the results after digestion of CRMs by MIC were in agreement better than 95% to certified values. Blanks were low, relative standard deviation was below 8% for all soils and no statistical difference was observed for results by pyrohydrolysis and MIC methods showing the feasibility of the proposed method for further halogens determination in soil samples.
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Cell-instructive hydrogels are attractive for skin repair and regeneration, serving as interactive matrices to promote cell adhesion, cell-driven remodeling and de novo deposition of ...extracellular matrix components. This paper describes the synthesis and photocrosslinking of cell-instructive pectin hydrogels using cell-degradable peptide crosslinkers and integrin-specific adhesive ligands. Protease-degradable hydrogels obtained by photoinitiated thiol-norbornene click chemistry are rapidly formed in the presence of dermal fibroblasts, exhibit tunable properties and are capable of modulating the behavior of embedded cells, including the cell spreading, hydrogel contraction and secretion of matrix metalloproteases. Keratinocytes seeded on top of fibroblast-loaded hydrogels are able to adhere and form a compact and dense layer of epidermis, mimicking the architecture of the native skin. Thiol-ene photocrosslinkable pectin hydrogels support the in vitro formation of full-thickness skin and are thus a highly promising platform for skin tissue engineering applications, including wound healing and in vitro testing models.
Photopolymerizable hydrogels are attractive for skin applications due to their unique spatiotemporal control over the hydrogel formation. This study reports the design of a promising photo-clickable pectin hydrogel which biophysical and biochemical properties can be independently tailored to control cell behavior. A fast method for the norbornene-functionalization of pectin was developed and hydrogels fabricated through UV photoinitiated thiol-norbornene chemistry. This one-pot click reaction was performed in the presence of cells using cell-adhesive and matrix metalloproteinase-sensitive peptides, yielding hydrogels that support extensive cell spreading. Keratinocytes seeded on top of the fibroblast-loaded hydrogel formed a compact epidermis with morphological resemblance to human skin. This work presents a new protease-degradable hydrogel that supports in vitro skin formation with potential for skin tissue engineering.
Random energy models (REMs) provide a simple description of the energy landscapes that guide protein folding and evolution. The requirement of a large energy gap between the native structure and ...unfolded conformations, considered necessary for cooperative, protein-like, folding behavior, indicates that proteins differ markedly from random heteropolymers. It has been suggested, therefore, that natural selection might have acted to choose nonrandom amino acid sequences satisfying this particular condition, implying that a large fraction of possible, unselected random sequences, would not fold to any structure. From an informational perspective, however, this scenario could indicate that protein structures, regarded as messages to be transmitted through a communication channel, would not be efficiently encoded in amino acid sequences, regarded as the communication channel for this transmission, since a large fraction of possible channel states would not be used. Here, we use a combined REM for conformations and sequences, with previously estimated parameters for natural proteins, to explore an alternative possibility in which the appropriate shape of the landscape results mainly from the deviation from randomness of possible native structures instead of sequences. We observe that this situation emerges naturally if the distribution of conformational energies happens to arise from two independent contributions corresponding to sequence-dependent and -independent terms. This construction is consistent with the hypothesis of a protein burial folding code, with native structures being determined by a modest amount of sequence-dependent atomic burial information with sequence-independent constraints imposed by unspecific hydrogen bond formation. More generally, an appropriate combination of sequence-dependent and -independent information accommodates the possibility of an efficient structural encoding with the main physical requirement for folding, providing possible insight not only on the folding process but also on several aspects sequence evolution such as neutral networks, conformational coverage, and de novo gene emergence.
This critical review presents a discussion on the major advances in the field of organic-inorganic hybrid membranes for fuel cells application. The hybrid organic-inorganic approach, when the organic ...part is not conductive, reproduces to some extent the behavior of Nafion where discrete hydrophilic and hydrophilic domains are homogeneously distributed. A large variety of proton conducting or non conducting polymers can be combined with various functionalized, inorganic mesostructured particles or an inorganic network in order to achieve high proton conductivity, and good mechanical and chemical properties. The tuning of the interface between these two components and the control over chemical and processing conditions are the key parameters in fabricating these hybrid organic-inorganic membranes with a high degree of reproducibility. This dynamic coupling between chemistry and processing requires the extensive use and development of complementary ex situ measurements with in situ characterization techniques, following in real time the molecular precursor solutions to the formation of the final hybrid organic-inorganic membranes. These membranes combine the intrinsic physical and chemical properties of both the inorganic and organic components. The development of the sol-gel chemistry allows a fine tuning of the inorganic network, which exhibits acid-based functionalized pores (-SO(3)H, -PO(3)H(2), -COOH), tunable pore size and connectivity, high surface area and accessibility. As such, these hybrid membranes containing inorganic materials are a promising family for controlling conductivity, mechanical and chemical properties (349 references).
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