Deciphering the structural consequences of R83 and R152 methylation on DNA polymerase β using molecular modeling.

DNA polymerase β, a member of the X-family of DNA polymerases, undergoes complex regulations both in vitro and in vivo through various posttranslational modifications, including phosphorylation and methylation. The impact of these modifications varies depending on the specific amino acid undergoing alterations. In vitro, methylation of DNA polymerase β with the enzyme protein arginine methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6) at R83 and R152 enhances polymerase activity by improving DNA binding and processivity.

Improvised grey wolf optimizer assisted artificial neural network (IGWO-ANN) predictive models to accurately predict the permeate flux of desalination plants.

Effective planning, management, and control of industrial plants and processes have exploded in popularity to enhance global sustainability in recent decades. In this arena, computational predictive models have significantly contributed to plant performance optimization. In this regard, this research proposes an Improvised Grey Wolf Optimizer (IGWO) aided Artificial Neural Network (ANN) predictive model (IGWO-ANN Model-1 to 4) to predict the performance (permeate flux) of desalination plants accurately.

Correlative Raman-Electron-Light (CREL) Microscopy Analysis of Lipid Droplets in Melanoma Cancer Stem Cells.

Among all neoplasms, melanoma is characterized by a very high percentage of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Several markers have been proposed for their identification, and lipid droplets (LDs) are among them. Different techniques are used for their characterization such as mass spectrometry, imaging techniques, and vibrational spectroscopies.

Carbon dioxide adsorbents from flame-made diesel soot nanoparticles.

Carbon dioxide (CO) is the top contributor to global warming. On the other, soot particles formed during fuel combustion and released into the atmosphere are harmful and also contribute to global warming. It would therefore be highly advantageous to capture soot and make use of it as a feedstock to synthesize carbon-based materials for applications such as carbon dioxide adsorption.

Combining Azimuthal and Polar Angle Resolved Shadow Mask Deposition and Nanosphere Lithography to Uncover Unique Nano-Crystals.

In this article, we present a systematic investigation on a multistep nanosphere lithography technique to uncover its potential in fabricating a wide range of two- and three-dimensional nanostructures. A tilted (polar angle) electron beam shower on a nanosphere mask results in an angled shadow mask deposition. The shape of the shadow also depends on the azimuthal angle of the mask sitting on top of the substrate.

Clustering of Major Histocompatibility Complex-Class I Molecules in Healthy and Cancer Colon Cells Revealed from Their Nanomechanical Properties.

The activation of the T cell mediated immune response relies on the fine interaction between the T cell receptor on the immune cell and the antigen-presenting major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on the membrane surface of antigen-presenting cells. Both the distribution and quantity of MHC/peptide complexes and their adequate morphological presentation affect the activation of the immune cells. In several types of cancer the immune response is down-regulated due to the low expression of MHC-class I (MHC-I) molecules on the cell's surface, and in addition, the mechanical properties of the membrane seem to play a role.

Phonon Dynamics and Transport Properties of Copper Thiocyanate and Copper Selenocyanate Pseudohalides.

The phonon transport properties of CuSCN and CuSeCN have been investigated using the density functional theory and semiclassical Boltzmann transport theory. The Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof functional shows an indirect (direct) electronic band gap of 2.18 eV (1.

A droplet reactor on a super-hydrophobic surface allows control and characterization of amyloid fibril growth.

Methods to produce protein amyloid fibrils, in vitro, and in situ structure characterization, are of primary importance in biology, medicine, and pharmacology. We first demonstrated the droplet on a super-hydrophobic substrate as the reactor to produce protein amyloid fibrils with real-time monitoring of the growth process by using combined light-sheet microscopy and thermal imaging. The molecular structures were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray scattering.

Waveguiding and SERS Simplified Raman Spectroscopy on Biological Samples.

Biomarkers detection at an ultra-low concentration in biofluids (blood, serum, saliva, etc.) is a key point for the early diagnosis success and the development of personalized therapies. However, it remains a challenge due to limiting factors like () the complexity of analyzed media, and () the aspecificity detection and the poor sensitivity of the conventional methods.

Plasmonic Nanowires for Wide Wavelength Range Molecular Sensing.

In this paper, we propose the use of a standing nanowires array, constituted by plasmonic active gold wires grown on iron disks, and partially immersed in a supporting alumina matrix, for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy applications. The galvanic process was used to fabricate nanowires in pores of anodized alumina template, making this device cost-effective. This fabrication method allows for the selection of size, diameter, and spatial arrangement of nanowires.

Dynamic structure mediates halophilic adaptation of a DNA polymerase from the deep-sea brines of the Red Sea.

The deep-sea brines of the Red Sea are remote and unexplored environments characterized by high temperatures, anoxic water, and elevated concentrations of salt and heavy metals. This environment provides a rare system to study the interplay between halophilic and thermophilic adaptation in biologic macromolecules. The present article reports the first DNA polymerase with halophilic and thermophilic features.

Plasmonic Color-Graded Nanosystems with Achromatic Subwavelength Architectures for Light Filtering and Advanced SERS Detection.

Plasmonic color-graded systems are devices featuring a spatially variable plasmonic response over their surface. They are widely used as nanoscale color filters; their typical size is small enough to allow integration with miniaturized electronic circuits, paving the way to realize novel nanophotonic devices. Currently, most plasmonic color-graded systems are intrinsically discrete because their chromatic response exploits the tailored plasmon resonance of microarchitectures characterized by different size or geometry for each target color.

Microfluidic device for continuous single cells analysis via Raman spectroscopy enhanced by integrated plasmonic nanodimers.

In this work a Raman flow cytometer is presented. It consists of a microfluidic device that takes advantages of the basic principles of Raman spectroscopy and flow cytometry. The microfluidic device integrates calibrated microfluidic channels- where the cells can flow one-by-one -, allowing single cell Raman analysis.

Detection of single amino acid mutation in human breast cancer by disordered plasmonic self-similar chain.

Control of the architecture and electromagnetic behavior of nanostructures offers the possibility of designing and fabricating sensors that, owing to their intrinsic behavior, provide solutions to new problems in various fields. We show detection of peptides in multicomponent mixtures derived from human samples for early diagnosis of breast cancer. The architecture of sensors is based on a matrix array where pixels constitute a plasmonic device showing a strong electric field enhancement localized in an area of a few square nanometers.

Large-Scale Plasmonic nanoCones Array For Spectroscopy Detection.

Advanced optical materials or interfaces are gaining attention for diagnostic applications. However, the achievement of large device interface as well as facile surface functionalization largely impairs their wide use. The present work is aimed to address different innovative aspects related to the fabrication of large-area 3D plasmonic arrays, their direct and easy functionalization with capture elements, and their spectroscopic verifications through enhanced Raman and enhanced fluorescence techniques.

Mechanical stress downregulates MHC class I expression on human cancer cell membrane.

In our body, cells are continuously exposed to physical forces that can regulate different cell functions such as cell proliferation, differentiation and death. In this work, we employed two different strategies to mechanically stress cancer cells. The cancer and healthy cell populations were treated either with mechanical stress delivered by a micropump (fabricated by deep X-ray nanolithography) or by ultrasound wave stimuli.

Multifunctional substrates of thin porous alumina for cell biosensors.

We have fabricated anodic porous alumina from thin films (100/500 nm) of aluminium deposited on technological substrates of silicon/glass, and investigated the feasibility of this material as a surface for the development of analytical biosensors aiming to assess the status of living cells. To this goal, porous alumina surfaces with fixed pitch and variable pore size were analyzed for various functionalities. Gold coated (about 25 nm) alumina revealed surface enhanced Raman scattering increasing with the decrease in wall thickness, with factor up to values of approximately 10(4) with respect to the flat gold surface.

Direct determination of the resonance properties of metallic conical nanoantennas.

We present a simple method that is able to predict the resonant frequencies of a metallic conical nanoantenna. The calculation is based on an integral relation that takes into account the dependence of the effective refractive index of the plasmonic mode on the cone radius. Numerical simulations retrieving the near field properties of nanocones with different lengths are also performed for comparison.

3D nanostar dimers with a sub-10-nm gap for single-/few-molecule surface-enhanced raman scattering.

Plasmonic nanostar-dimers, decoupled from the substrate, have been fabricated by combining electron-beam lithography and reactive-ion etching techniques. The 3D architecture, the sharp tips of the nanostars and the sub-10 nm gap size promote the formation of giant electric-field in highly localized hot-spots. The single/few molecule detection capability of the 3D nanostar-dimers has been demonstrated by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering.

Molding of Plasmonic Resonances in Metallic Nanostructures: Dependence of the Non-Linear Electric Permittivity on System Size and Temperature.

In this paper, we review the principal theoretical models through which the dielectric function of metals can be described. Starting from the Drude assumptions for intraband transitions, we show how this model can be improved by including interband absorption and temperature effect in the damping coefficients. Electronic scattering processes are described and included in the dielectric function, showing their role in determining plasmon lifetime at resonance.

3D hollow nanostructures as building blocks for multifunctional plasmonics.

We present an advanced and robust technology to realize 3D hollow plasmonic nanostructures which are tunable in size, shape, and layout. The presented architectures offer new and unconventional properties such as the realization of 3D plasmonic hollow nanocavities with high electric field confinement and enhancement, finely structured extinction profiles, and broad band optical absorption. The 3D nature of the devices can overcome intrinsic difficulties related to conventional architectures in a wide range of multidisciplinary applications.

Plasmon based biosensor for distinguishing different peptides mutation states.

Periodic and reproducible gold nanocuboids with various matrix dimensions and with different inter-particle gaps were fabricated by means of top-down technique. Rhodamine 6G was used as a probe molecule to optimize the design and the fabrication of the cuboid nanostructures. The electric field distribution for the nanocuboids with varying matrix dimensions/inter-particle gap was also investigated.

Interplay between electric and magnetic effect in adiabatic polaritonic systems.

We report on the possibility of realizing adiabatic compression of polaritonic wave on a metallic conical nano-structure through an oscillating electric potential (quasi dynamic regime). By comparing this result with an electromagnetic wave excitation, we were able to relate the classical lighting-rod effect to adiabatic compression. Furthermore, we show that while the magnetic contribution plays a marginal role in the formation of adiabatic compression, it provides a blue shift in the spectral region.

Terahertz Dipole Nanoantenna Arrays: Resonance Characteristics.

Resonant dipole nanoantennas promise to considerably improve the capabilities of terahertz spectroscopy, offering the possibility of increasing its sensitivity through local field enhancement, while in principle allowing unprecedented spatial resolutions, well below the diffraction limit. Here, we investigate the resonance properties of ordered arrays of terahertz dipole nanoantennas, both experimentally and through numerical simulations. We demonstrate the tunability of this type of structures, in a range (∼1-2 THz) that is particularly interesting and accessible by means of standard zinc telluride sources.