Design of Highly Conductive PILs by Simple Modification of Poly(epichlorohydrin--ethylene oxide) with Monosubstituted Imidazoles.

High ionic conductivity poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) are of growing interest for their thermal and electrochemical stability, processability, and potential in safe, flexible all-solid-state electrochemical devices. While various approaches to enhance the ionic conductivity are reported, the influence of cation substituents is rarely addressed. Moreover, some of the asymmetric anions recently developed for high-conductivity ionic liquids were never tested in PILs.

The Generation of Genetically Engineered Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Overexpressing IFN-β for Future Experimental and Clinically Oriented Studies.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be generated from various adult cells, genetically modified and differentiated into diverse cell populations. Type I interferons (IFN-Is) have multiple immunotherapeutic applications; however, their systemic administration can lead to severe adverse outcomes. One way of overcoming the limitation is to introduce cells able to enter the site of pathology and to produce IFN-Is locally.

Antibiotic class with potent in vivo activity targeting lipopolysaccharide synthesis in Gram-negative bacteria.

Here, we describe the identification of an antibiotic class acting via LpxH, a clinically unexploited target in lipopolysaccharide synthesis. The lipopolysaccharide synthesis pathway is essential in most Gram-negative bacteria and there is no analogous pathway in humans. Based on a series of phenotypic screens, we identified a hit targeting this pathway that had activity on efflux-defective strains of .

Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Surfaces: Features of Interaction with Liquid Drops.

The processes of interaction of liquid droplets with solid surfaces have become of interest to many researchers. The achievements of world science should be used for the development of technologies for spray cooling, metal hardening, inkjet printing, anti-icing surfaces, fire extinguishing, fuel spraying, etc. Collisions of drops with surfaces significantly affect the conditions and characteristics of heat transfer.

iPSC-Derived Macrophages: The Differentiation Protocol Affects Cell Immune Characteristics and Differentiation Trajectories.

The generation of human macrophages from induced pluripotent stem cells (iMacs) is a rapidly developing approach used to create disease models, screen drugs, study macrophage-pathogen interactions and develop macrophage-based cell therapy. To generate iMacs, different types of protocols have been suggested, all thought to result in the generation of similar iMac populations. However, direct comparison of iMacs generated using different protocols has not been performed.

Continuous learning of spiking networks trained with local rules.

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) experience catastrophic forgetting (CF) during sequential learning. In contrast, the brain can learn continuously without any signs of catastrophic forgetting. Spiking neural networks (SNNs) are the next generation of ANNs with many features borrowed from biological neural networks.

Dissociation characteristics and anthropogenic emissions from the combustion of double gas hydrates.

Gas hydrates are an alternative and environmentally friendly energy source increasingly in the focus of scientific attention. The physicochemical processes behind gas hydrate combustion are studied experimentally and numerically with a view to improving the combustion efficiency and reducing gas emissions. It is important to estimate the pollutant emission concentrations in the context of combustion conditions.

Tunning CO Separation Performance of Ionic Liquids through Asymmetric Anions.

This work aims to explore the gas permeation performance of two newly-designed ionic liquids, [Cmim][CFBF] and [Cmim][CFSOC(CN)], in supported ionic liquid membranes (SILM) configuration, as another effort to provide an overall insight on the gas permeation performance of functionalized-ionic liquids with the [Cmim] cation. [Cmim][CFBF] and [Cmim][CFSOC(CN)] single gas separation performance towards CO, N, and CH at T = 293 K and T = 308 K were measured using the time-lag method. Assessing the CO permeation results, [Cmim][CFBF] showed an undermined value of 710 Barrer at 293.

Acidic and Electrosurface Properties of Binary TiO-SiO Xerogels Using EPR of pH-Sensitive Nitroxides.

The binary xerogels TiO-SiO are widely used as catalysts and their carriers in organic synthesis. Characterization and adjustment of the electrostatic properties of the surface and the local acidity inside the pores, are necessary for the further development of TiO-SiO xerogels applications. This research investigates acid-base equilibria in the pores, and the surface electrostatic potential (SEP) of binary TiO-SiO xerogels, by the EPR of stable pH-sensitive nitroxide radicals.

Flavonoids with Glutathione Antioxidant Synergy: Influence of Free Radicals Inflow.

This report explores the antioxidant interaction of combinations of flavonoid-glutathione with different ratios. Two different 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical (ABTS)-based approaches were applied for the elucidation of the antioxidant capacity of the combinations. Despite using the same radical, the two approaches employ different free radical inflow systems: An instant, great excess of radicals in the end-point decolorization assay, and a steady inflow of radicals in the lag-time assay.

The rash that becomes purpuric, petechial, hemorrhagic, or ecchymotic.

Hemorrhagic rashes are observed in a wide variety of conditions, ranging from harmless to life-threatening. This review offers a stepwise approach, which helps limit the possible differential diagnoses based on the clinical manifestations and the clinical picture. The most common and most important conditions, including infectious, coagulation and embolic disorders, vasculitides, and vasculopathies, are briefly reviewed focusing on morphology.

Gas-Vapor Mixture Temperature in the Near-Surface Layer of a Rapidly-Evaporating Water Droplet.

Mathematical modeling of the heat and mass transfer processes in the evaporating droplet-high-temperature gas medium system is difficult due to the need to describe the dynamics of the formation of the quasi-steady temperature field of evaporating droplets, as well as of a gas-vapor buffer layer around them and in their trace during evaporation in high-temperature gas flows. We used planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) and laser-induced phosphorescence (LIP). The experiments were conducted with water droplets (initial radius 1-2 mm) heated in a hot air flow (temperature 20-500 °C, velocity 0.

Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy Study of the Resistive Switching in Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Films with Au Nanoparticles.

We report on the investigation of the resistive switching (RS) in the ultrathin (≈5 nm in thickness) yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) films with single layers of Au nanoparticles (NPs) by conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM). Besides the butterfly-type hysteresis loops in the current-voltage (-) curves of the contact of the CAFM probe to the investigated film surface corresponding to the bipolar RS, the negative differential resistance (NDR) has been observed in the - curves of the AFM probe contact to the YSZ films with Au NPs in the conductive ("ON") state. The NDR has been related to the resonant tunneling of electrons through the size-quantized energy states in the ultrafine (1 to 2 nm in diameter) Au NPs built in the conductive filaments in the YSZ films.

Tailoring spin defects in diamond by lattice charging.

Atomic-size spin defects in solids are unique quantum systems. Most applications require nanometre positioning accuracy, which is typically achieved by low-energy ion implantation. A drawback of this technique is the significant residual lattice damage, which degrades the performance of spins in quantum applications.

Acrally distributed dermatoses: Vascular dermatoses (purpura and vasculitis).

Purpuric lesions appear in acral distribution in a variety of conditions and often provide clues to the clinical diagnosis. Purpuric means "hemorrhagic"-that is, the lesions do not blanch from pressure. This review focuses on dermatoses that produce hemorrhagic lesions in acral distribution from the large groups of the vasculitic diseases and their mimics.

Toward Optimized Surface δ-Profiles of Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers Activated by Helium Irradiation in Diamond.

The negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond has been shown recently as an excellent sensor for external spins. Nevertheless, their optimum engineering in the near-surface region still requires quantitative knowledge in regard to their activation by vacancy capture during thermal annealing. To this aim, we report on the depth profiles of near-surface helium-induced NV centers (and related helium defects) by step-etching with nanometer resolution.

Methods for the Assessment of Barrier Function.

Due to the ease of skin accessibility, a large variety of invasive and noninvasive in vitro and in vivo methods have been developed to study barrier function. The measurement of the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is most widely used in clinical studies. The different methods of determining TEWL, as well as skin hydration, skin pH, tape stripping and other modern less widely used methods to assess skin barrier function, are reviewed, including Raman spectroscopy and imaging methods such as optical coherence tomography and laser scanning microscopy.

Ultraviolet Exposure and Protection Behavior in the General Population: A Structured Interview Survey.

Background: Exposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a known and controllable risk factor for skin cancer.

Objective: To study the UV exposure and protection behavior of the general population.

Methods: Structured interview survey.

[Morbus Behçet or inflammatory bowel disease--a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma].

We present the case of a 43-year old caucasian male suffering from a condition initially diagnosed as colitis ulcerosa. For 2 years Azathioprine and anti-TNF-alpha antibodies were used for treatment without convincing benefit but with serious adverse events. After the first occurrence of complex accompanying symptoms like oral and scrotal ulcerations, arthritis and scratch-induced skin lesions the differential diagnosis of a Morbus Adamantiades-Behçet with intestinal evolvement was considered.