Mixed 1D/0D Structures of Chiral Hybrid Lead Halides with an l-Nicotinium Spacer Exhibit Broadband Photoluminescence and Polarized Emission.

Hybrid lead halide materials have been highly studied for optoelectronics, but their use with chiral organics in chiro-optoelectronics remains limited. Understanding the ability to impart chirality into bulk materials by incorporating a chiral precursor is of great interest due to unique optical properties directly arising from chirality such as circular dichroism, optical rotatory dispersion, and circularly polarized luminescence. Herein, we used protonated l-nicotine (L-n) (nicotinium cations) as a spacer and templated a variety of structures including a series of (L-n)MX (M = Sn, Pb; X = Cl, Br, I) that take space group 6 in which the lead halide regions template two distinct moieties, both a 1D chain motif and a 0D cluster motif.

Optimization and microstructural study of friction riveted carbon-Kevlar and aluminum joints for aerospace applications.

Friction riveting has emerged as a promising candidate for joining metals to polymers, as it is energy efficient, fast and environmentally friendly without material wastage. The joining of hybrid carbon-Kevlar polymer matrix composites with AA 7075 aluminium alloy is investigated in the current work. The multi-material joints were subjected to mechanical tests such as the T-pull tensile test and the lap shear pull-out test.

Infections in the Culture of Catheter Urine Specimens and Bladder Biopsies in Women Undergoing Cystoscopy.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common reasons for seeking medical review worldwide. Women are disproportionately affected, with a life-time incidence of 50%. Women presenting with clinical symptoms of UTI such as dysuria and urinary frequency can often have negative urine culture results, especially if they have been taking multiple courses of antibiotics.

Identification of inhibitors of the Salmonella FraB deglycase, a drug target.

Nontyphoidal Salmonella is one of the most prevalent causes of human foodborne illnesses worldwide, with no narrow-spectrum antibiotics or vaccines available. Here, we seek to address this gap. During the host inflammatory response, Salmonella metabolizes fructose-asparagine as a nutrient using proteins encoded in the fra operon.

Investigation of corrosion and water absorption of biomass natural coir fiber/hBN reinforced epoxy hybrid composites using different optimisation approaches.

Agricultural waste or agro-waste, including natural fibers and particles from various crop parts, is increasingly recognized as a significant contributor to environmental issues. However, from a circular economy perspective, these materials present an opportunity to be repurposed into new, eco-friendly products. The present study, specifically focuses on understanding the effect of different factors, such as the particulate loading and the size (coir and hBN - 1 to 5 wt%; Coir Powder size (100-200 μm) of the particles on composite's corrosion rates and water absorption properties.

Interplay between Two Structure Types in the Incommensurately Modulated ATaSe Compounds (A = Rb, Cs).

Incommensurately modulated crystals are a rare class of materials that are notoriously difficult to characterize properly. We have synthesized two new incommensurately modulated compounds, RbTaSe and CsTaSe, based on the MQ (M = Nb, Ta; Q = S, Se) unit using high-temperature solid-state synthesis. Using superspace crystallography in combination with second harmonic generation measurements, we confirmed both materials to be noncentrosymmetric, falling into the superspace group 1(αβγ)0, while the basic cell suggests 2/.

Characterizing the pan-cancer role of exosomal miRNAs in metastasis across cancers.

Exosomal microRNAs (exomiRs) play a critical role in intercellular communication, especially in cancer, where they regulate key cellular processes like proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis, highlighting their significance as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Here, we aimed to characterize the role of exomiRs, derived from seven cancer types (four cell lines and three tumors), in influencing the pre-metastatic niche (PMN). In each cancer type we extracted high confidence exomiRs (LogFC >= 2 in exosomes relative to control), their experimentally validated targets, and the enriched pathways among those targets.

Large enhancement of ferroelectric properties of perovskite oxides via nitrogen incorporation.

Perovskite oxides have a wide variety of physical properties that make them promising candidates for versatile technological applications including nonvolatile memory and logic devices. Chemical tuning of those properties has been achieved, to the greatest extent, by cation-site substitution, while anion substitution is much less explored due to the difficulty in synthesizing high-quality, mixed-anion compounds. Here, nitrogen-incorporated BaTiO thin films have been synthesized by reactive pulsed-laser deposition in a nitrogen growth atmosphere.

Proximity ferroelectricity in wurtzite heterostructures.

Proximity ferroelectricity is an interface-associated phenomenon in electric-field-driven polarization reversal in a non-ferroelectric polar material induced by one or more adjacent ferroelectric materials. Here we report proximity ferroelectricity in wurtzite ferroelectric heterostructures. In the present case, the non-ferroelectric layers are AlN and ZnO, whereas the ferroelectric layers are AlBN, AlScN and ZnMgO.

Hidden domain boundary dynamics toward crystalline perfection.

A central paradigm of nonequilibrium physics concerns the dynamics of heterogeneity and disorder, impacting processes ranging from the behavior of glasses to the emergent functionality of active matter. Understanding these complex mesoscopic systems requires probing the microscopic trajectories associated with irreversible processes, the role of fluctuations and entropy growth, and the timescales on which nonequilibrium responses are ultimately maintained. Approaches that illuminate these processes in model systems may enable a more general understanding of other heterogeneous nonequilibrium phenomena, and potentially define ultimate speed and energy cost limits for information processing technologies.

Multifunctional 2D FETs exploiting incipient ferroelectricity in freestanding SrTiO nanomembranes at sub-ambient temperatures.

Incipient ferroelectricity bridges traditional dielectrics and true ferroelectrics, enabling advanced electronic and memory devices. Firstly, we report incipient ferroelectricity in freestanding SrTiO nanomembranes integrated with monolayer MoS to create multifunctional devices, demonstrating stable ferroelectric order at low temperatures for cryogenic memory devices. Our observation includes ultra-fast polarization switching (~10 ns), low switching voltage (<6 V), over 10 years of nonvolatile retention, 100,000 endurance cycles, and 32 conductance states (5-bit memory) in SrTiO-gated MoS transistors at 15 K and up to 100 K.

Design of a yeast SUMO tag to eliminate internal translation initiation.

After overexpression in a suitable host, recombinant protein purification often relies on affinity (e.g., poly-histidine) and solubility-enhancing (e.

Use of a small molecule microarray screen to identify inhibitors of the catalytic RNA subunit of Methanobrevibacter smithii RNase P.

Despite interest in developing therapeutics that leverage binding pockets in structured RNAs-whose dysregulation leads to diseases-such drug discovery efforts are limited. Here, we have used a small molecule microarray (SMM) screen to find inhibitors of a large ribozyme: the Methanobrevibacter smithii RNase P RNA (Msm RPR, ∼300 nt). The ribonucleoprotein form of RNase P, which catalyzes the 5'-maturation of precursor tRNAs, is a suitable drug target as it is essential, structurally diverse across life domains, and present in low copy.

Optimizing dielectric constants of epoxy composites infused with Palmyra palm and nano fillers using response surface methodology.

The study focuses on Palm fruit Fibers (PF) extracted from the palmyra palm tree (Borassus flabellifer) treated with 5 % alkali solution (NaOH). This treatment eliminates impurities from the fiber surface and enhances bonding with the epoxy matrix. Epoxy composites, reinforced with PF/nanofillers (h-BN, AlO and MWCNT), are developed by using the box Behnken method (BBD) and dielectric constant is investigated under high-frequency and electrical field conditions.

A Comparative Review of Meshed Versus Unmeshed Grafts in Split-Thickness Skin Grafting: Clinical Implications and Outcomes.

Split-thickness skin grafting (STSG) is a cornerstone technique in reconstructive surgery, offering solutions for covering wounds, burns, and other skin defects. This review compares meshed versus unmeshed STSG, focusing on their clinical implications and outcomes. Meshed grafts, created by perforating the skin graft to form a mesh-like pattern, are frequently used for larger or irregularly shaped areas due to their ability to expand and conform to the underlying tissue.

Social Media Response to the Introduction of the Swallowable Gastric Balloon Treatment for Severe Obesity in the NHS: A Snapshot of Public Opinion.

Background: Swallowable gastric balloons are available in the UK to treat severe obesity. Our hospital introduced this treatment in 2023, the first to do so in the National Health Service (NHS). The event was featured by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on regional television, in multiple radio interviews, and online by numerous news outlets in February 2024.

Characterizing the role of exosomal miRNAs in metastasis.

Background: Exosomal microRNAs (exomiRs), transported via exosomes, play a pivotal role in intercellular communication. In cancer, exomiRs influence tumor progression by regulating key cellular processes such as proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Their role in mediating communication between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment highlights their significance as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

IMMUNE AND MOLECULAR CORRELATES OF RESPONSE TO IMMUNOTHERAPY REVEALED BY BRAIN-METASTATIC MELANOMA MODELS.

Despite the promising results of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy, outcomes for patients with brain metastasis (BrM) remain poor. Identifying resistance mechanisms has been hindered by limited access to patient samples and relevant preclinical models. Here, we developed two mouse melanoma BrM models that recapitulate the disparate responses to ICB seen in patients.