Thermal Conductivity of Covalent-Organic Frameworks.

Covalent-organic frameworks (COFs) are a highly promising class of materials that can provide an excellent platform for thermal management applications. In this Perspective, we first review previous works on the thermal conductivities of COFs. Then we share our insights on achieving high, low, and switchable thermal conductivities of future COFs.

Collagen piezoelectricity in osteogenesis imperfecta and its role in intrafibrillar mineralization.

Intrafibrillar mineralization plays a critical role in attaining desired mechanical properties of bone. It is well known that amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) infiltrates into the collagen through the gap regions, but its underlying driving force is not understood. Based on the authors' previous observations that a collagen fibril has higher piezoelectricity at gap regions, it was hypothesized that the piezoelectric heterogeneity of collagen helps ACP infiltration through the gap.

Finite element analysis of the impact of bone nanostructure on its piezoelectric response.

The piezoelectric response of bone at the submicron scale is analyzed under mechanical loadings using the finite element (FE) method. A new algorithm is presented to virtually reconstruct realistic bone nanostructures, consisting of collagen fibrils embedded in a hydroxyapatite mineral network. This algorithm takes into account potential misalignments between fibrils, as well the porous structure of the mineral phase.

Piezoelectric Heterogeneity in Collagen Type I Fibrils Quantitatively Characterized by Piezoresponse Force Microscopy.

Piezoelectricity of Type I collagen can provide the stress-generated potential that is considered to be one of the candidate mechanisms to explain bone's adaptation to loading. However, it is still challenging to quantify piezoelectricity because of its heterogeneity and small magnitude. In this study, resonance-enhanced piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) was utilized to amplify a weak piezoresponse of a single collagen fibril with a carefully calibrated cantilever.

Characterization of Cyanophages in Lake Erie: Interaction Mechanisms and Structural Damage of Toxic Cyanobacteria.

Cyanophages are abundant in aquatic environments and play a critical role in bloom dynamics, including regulation of cyanobacteria growth and photosynthesis. In this study, cyanophages from western Lake Erie water samples were screened for lytic activities against the host cell (), which was also originated from Lake Erie and identified with real-time sequencing (Nanopore sequencing). was mixed with the cyanophages and their dynamic interactions were examined over two weeks using atomic force microscopy (AFM) as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), qPCR, phycocyanin and chlorophyll-a production, and optical absorbance measurements.