Antimicrobial peptides are important components of the host innate defense mechanism against invading pathogens, especially for drug-resistant bacteria. In addition to bactericidal activity, the 25 ...residue peptide TP4 isolated from Nile tilapia also stimulates cell proliferation and regulates the innate immune system in mice. In this report, TP4 hyperpolarized and depolarized the membrane potential of Pseudomonas aeruginosa at sub-lethal and lethal concentrations. It also inhibited and eradicated biofilm formation. The in vitro binding of TP4 to bacterial outer membrane target protein, OprI, was markedly enhanced by a membrane-like surfactant sarkosyl and lipopolysaccharide, which converted TP4 into an α-helix. The solution structure of TP4 in dodecylphosphocholine was solved by NMR analyses. It contained a typical α-helix at residues Phe10-Arg22 and a distorted helical segment at Ile6-Phe10, as well as a hydrophobic core at the N-terminus and a cationic patch at the C-terminus. Residues Ile16, Leu19 and Ile20 in the hydrophobic face of the main helix were critical for the integrity of amphipathic structure, other hydrophobic residues played important roles in hemolytic and bactericidal activities. A model for the assembly of helical TP4 embedded in sarkosyl vesicle is proposed. This study may provide valuable insight for engineering AMPs to have potent bactericidal activity but low hemolytic activity.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease characterized by variable airflow obstruction, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, and airway inflammation. The chronic inflammation of the airway is ...mediated by many cell types, cytokines, chemokines, and inflammatory mediators. Research suggests that exposure to air pollution has a negative impact on asthma outcomes in adult and pediatric populations. Air pollution is one of the greatest environmental risks to health, and it impacts the lungs’ innate and adaptive defense systems. A major pollutant in the air is particulate matter (PM), a complex component composed of elemental carbon and heavy metals. According to the WHO, 99% of people live in air pollution where air quality levels are lower than the WHO air quality guidelines. This suggests that the effect of air pollution exposure on asthma is a crucial health issue worldwide. Macrophages are essential in recognizing and processing any inhaled foreign material, such as PM. Alveolar macrophages are one of the predominant cell types that process and remove inhaled PM by secreting proinflammatory mediators from the lung. This review focuses on macrophages and their role in orchestrating the inflammatory responses induced by exposure to air pollutants in asthma.
Information processing with optoelectronic devices provides an alternative way to efficiently process hybrid optical and electronic signals. Ferroelectric field‐effect transistors (FeFETs) can ...effectively respond to external optical and electrical stimuli by modulating their polarization states. Here, a 2D FeFET is demonstrated by the epitaxial growth of high‐quality 2D bismuth layered oxyselenide (Bi2O2Se) films on PMN‐PT(001) ferroelectric single‐crystal substrates. Upon switching the polarization direction of PMN‐PT, the authors realize in situ, reversible, and nonvolatile manipulation of the resistance of Bi2O2Se thin film (≈877%). The device simultaneously exhibits a polarization‐dependent photoresponse through visible light (λ = 405 nm) and infrared light (IR, λ = 980 nm) illumination. Combining optical stimuli with ferroelectric gating, it is demonstrated that the devices not only show nonvolatile memory and optoelectronic responses, but also show coincidence detection of visible and IR light. This work holds great potential in constructing new multiresponse and multifunction 2D‐FeFETs.
2D ferroelectric field‐effect transistors devices are fabricated by epitaxial growth of Bi2O2Se on Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3. The devices exhibit ferroelectric polarization‐dependent photoresponse upon visible light (λ = 405 nm) and infrared light (IR, λ = 980 nm) illumination. Combining optical stimuli with ferroelectric gating, the devices show not only nonvolatile memory and optoelectronic response, but also coincidence detection of visible and infrared light.
ABSTRACT
Periodic quasars are candidates for binary supermassive black holes (BSBHs) efficiently emitting low-frequency gravitational waves. Recently, ∼150 candidates were identified from optical ...synoptic surveys. However, they may be false positives caused by stochastic quasar variability given the few cycles covered (typically 1.5). To independently test the binary hypothesis, we search for evidence of truncated or gapped circumbinary accretion discs (CBDs) in their spectral energy distributions (SEDs). Our work is motivated by CBD simulations that predict flux deficits as cut-offs from central cavities opened by secondaries or notches from minidiscs around both BHs. We find that candidate periodic quasars show SEDs similar to those of control quasars matched in redshift and luminosity. While seven of 138 candidates show a blue cut-off in the IR–optical–UV SED, six of which may represent CBDs with central cavities, the red SED fraction is similar to that in control quasars, suggesting no correlation between periodicity and SED anomaly. Alternatively, dust reddening may cause red SEDs. The fraction of extremely radio-loud quasars, e.g. blazars (with R > 100), is tentatively higher than that in control quasars (at 2.5σ). Our results suggest that, assuming most periodic candidates are robust, IR–optical–UV SEDs of CBDs are similar to those of accretion discs of single BHs, if the periodicity is driven by BSBHs; the higher blazar fraction may signal precessing radio jets. Alternatively, most current candidate periodic quasars identified from few-cycle light curves may be false positives. Their tentatively higher blazar fraction and lower Eddington ratios may both be caused by selection biases.
•Limited Research Background: Few studies on laser glass bending, in 2008, a CO2 laser achieved 24° for 10 mm wide, 150 μm thick glass.•Novel Near-Infrared Approach: Near-Infrared CW laser (1070 nm, ...500 W) successfully bends varying thicknesses and widths. Achieved bending angles of 30°, 60°, and 90° on soda-lime and borosilicate glass.•Overcoming Challenges: Innovative laser bending configuration and scanning strategy reduce material accumulation during plastic deformation; Direct bending of 1 mm thick, 13 mm wide borosilicate glass with minimal thickness increase (10 % at 30°).•Optimized Laser Energy Utilization: Requires <1/3 of typical laser power; Remarkable expansion in bendable glass width, reaching 25 mm with dual-beam mix processing.
Limited research has been conducted on laser glass bending, with only a few studies to date. In 2008, a CO2 continuous-wave (CW) laser experiment achieved a maximum bending angle of 24° for a 10 mm wide and 150 µm thick glass sheet. However, challenges persisted in bending thicker and wider glass sheets while reducing permanent material accumulation along the bending axis. In this study, we present a novel approach using a near-infrared CW laser operating at a wavelength of 1070 nm and with a maximum power of 500 W, successfully bending glass with varying thicknesses and widths. Notably, we achieved bending angles of 30°, 60°, and even 90° on soda-lime glass (550 µm thick) and borosilicate glass (1000 µm thick). By integrating an inventive laser bending configuration alongside a complementary scanning strategy, we effectively overcame the challenge of persistent material accumulation during plastic deformation along the bending axis. This advancement enabled us to directly bend 1 mm thick, 13 mm wide borosilicate glass, resulting in a minimal thickness increase of approximately 10 % at a 30-degree bending angle. Furthermore, this approach optimally utilizes laser energy, requiring less than one-third of the laser power typically utilized by existing configurations. Remarkably, we achieved an impressive expansion in the bendable glass width, reaching 25 mm, by implementing a configuration with dual-beam mix processing. This study advances the potential applicability of laser glass bending technology, increasing its possibilities for industries such as manufacturing, optics, and electronics that require curved glass applications.
ABSTRACT
Periodic quasars have been suggested as candidates for hosting binary supermassive black holes (SMBHs), although alternative scenarios remain possible to explain the optical light-curve ...periodicity. To test the alternative hypothesis of precessing radio jet, we present deep 6 GHz radio imaging conducted with NSF’s Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in its C configuration for the three candidate periodic quasars, DES J024703.24−010032.0, DES J024944.66−000036.8, and DES J025214.67−002813.7. Our targets were selected based on their optical variability using 20 yr long multicolour light curves from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The new VLA observations show that all three periodic quasars are radio-quiet with the radio loudness parameters measured to be $R\equiv f_{6\, {\rm cm}}/f_{{\rm 2500}}$ of ≲1.0–1.5 and the k-corrected luminosities νLν6 GHz of ≲5–21 × 1039 erg s−1. They are in stark contrast to previously known periodic quasars proposed as binary SMBH candidates such as the blazar OJ 287 and PG1302−102. Our results rule out optical emission contributed from precessing radio jets as the origin of the optical periodicity in the three DES–SDSS-selected candidate periodic quasars. Future continued optical monitoring and complementary multiwavelength observations are still needed to further test the binary SMBH hypothesis as well as other competing scenarios to explain the optical periodicity.
From the Joules-Atherton (J-A) model, the sign of magnetization energy loss due to hysteresis at the positive-going magnetic field H is opposite to that at the negative-going magnetic field H, which ...is + 1 if dH/dt>0 and is - 1 if dH/dt<0. This implies that an inductor has the different inductances at the current ramp-up time due to dH/dt>0 and ramp-down time due to dH/dt<0. However, this phenomenon is never reported until now. In this paper, the inductance of an inductor is found which is larger than the intrinsic inductance at the current ramp-up time (t up )and smaller than the intrinsic inductance at the current ramp-down time (t dn )for a boost converter during the continuous conduction mode voltage converter. Moreover, hysteresis also makes the classical model of the voltage conversion ratio for boost converter design, V OUT /V IN = 1/(1-D), invalid since D (t up /T) is not a constant caused by the t up and t dn varied with the output current of boost converter, where t up +t dn =T, The hysteresis model aids designers in estimating the behavior of inductor current variations more accurately, without having to wait for chip manufacturing and measurement to reveal the actual behavior.
Tight junction proteins 1-3 (TJP1-3) are components of tight junctions that can link transmembrane proteins to the actin cytoskeleton, and their incidence directly correlates to metastasis. However, ...the role of the TJP family in bladder cancer has not been adequately evaluated. In this study, we evaluated the genetic changes, mRNA and protein expressions of the target genes of the TJP family in bladder cancer patients using online database and immunohistochemistry, respectively. We found that TJP1 was amplified in bladder cancer tissue and that the protein expression levels were significantly associated with age (p = 0.03), grade (p = 0.007), and stage (p = 0.011). We also examined the correlation between TJP1 and other high-frequency mutation genes using TIMER. TJP1 mRNA levels were positively correlated with TTN and RYR3 mRNA levels in bladder cancer tissue. Taken together, TJP1 expression is associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with bladder cancer and can be a useful predictive biomarker for bladder cancer staging.
•Elastic aerogel is prepared from ice-templating of cellulose nanocrystal.•The aerogel exhibits great mechanical properties and shape retention ability.•Surface modified graphene are coated on the ...aerogel for selective oil absorption.•Excellent oil/water selectivity and oil absorption capacity can be achieved.•The oil absorption and shape retention ability remain unchanged after 100 cycles.
In this work, a simple preparation method is developed to synthesize aerogels with great shape retention for oil absorption application. First, an elastic aerogel is prepared by ice-templating an aqueous suspension of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) with polyethyleneimine (PEI) and epoxy cross-linker. After the lyophilization process, the prepared CNC aerogel shows highly porous structures and allows rapid absorption of solvents, including water, through capillary forces. In particular, the aerogel after compression recovers to its original shape without any deformation. To realize selective oil absorption, chemically modified graphene sheets are attached to the aerogel pore surface via a dip coating process. SEM images show that the graphene sheets form a uniform and dense monolayer on the pore surfaces of the CNC aerogel. This graphene coating improves hydrophobicity without compromising the overall porosity and elasticity of the aerogel. After surface modification, the CNC/graphene aerogel can selectively absorb organic solvents with a weight ratio ranging from 25 to 58 g/g. The CNC/graphene aerogel can be squeezed dried into a compact size, and retains its original shape rapidly in contact with liquids. The absorbed liquids can be collected by mechanical squeezing, and the absorption performance of this aerogel remains unchanged after 100 squeezing-swelling cycles. Several examples are also demonstrated to show the feasibility of applying this aerogel in oil spill control.
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