Upregulated integrin α11 in the stroma of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma promotes skin carcinogenesis.

Integrin α11β1 is a collagen-binding integrin that is needed to induce and maintain the myofibroblast phenotype in fibrotic tissues and during wound healing. The expression of the α11 is upregulated in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in various human neoplasms. We investigated α11 expression in human cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) and in benign and premalignant human skin lesions and monitored its effects on cSCC development by subjecting α11-knockout ( ) mice to the DMBA/TPA skin carcinogenesis protocol.

Regularly occurring bouts of retinal movements suggest an REM sleep-like state in jumping spiders.

Sleep and sleep-like states are present across the animal kingdom, with recent studies convincingly demonstrating sleep-like states in arthropods, nematodes, and even cnidarians. However, the existence of different sleep phases across taxa is as yet unclear. In particular, the study of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is still largely centered on terrestrial vertebrates, particularly mammals and birds.

Rapid mid-jump production of high-performance silk by jumping spiders.

Jumping spiders (Salticidae) do not rely on webs to capture their prey, but they do spin a silk dragline behind them as they move through their habitat. They also spin this dragline during jumps, continuously connecting them with the surface they leapt from. Because spiders cannot spin silk in advance, this silk must be spun at the same speed as the spider jumps - in effect, requiring spin speeds over ten times faster than typical.

Chemical Composition and Strain at Interfaces between Different Morphologies in Block Copolymer Thin Films.

Transitional composition between two thin-film morphologies of the block copolymer, polystyrene--poly(-butyl acrylate) (PS--PtBuA), was investigated using near-field infrared spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy mechanical measurements. These techniques allowed block identification with nanoscale spatial resolution and elucidated the material's sub-surface composition. PS was found to form coronae around the PtBuA block in spherical valleys on flat areas of the film, and coronae of PtBuA surrounding the PS lamellae were observed at the edge of the polymer film, where parallel lamellae are formed.

Perception of biological motion by jumping spiders.

The body of most creatures is composed of interconnected joints. During motion, the spatial location of these joints changes, but they must maintain their distances to one another, effectively moving semirigidly. This pattern, termed "biological motion" in the literature, can be used as a visual cue, enabling many animals (including humans) to distinguish animate from inanimate objects.

Mucin O-glycans suppress quorum-sensing pathways and genetic transformation in Streptococcus mutans.

Mucus barriers accommodate trillions of microorganisms throughout the human body while preventing pathogenic colonization. In the oral cavity, saliva containing the mucins MUC5B and MUC7 forms a pellicle that coats the soft tissue and teeth to prevent infection by oral pathogens, such as Streptococcus mutans. Salivary mucin can interact directly with microorganisms through selective agglutinin activity and bacterial binding, but the extent and basis of the protective functions of saliva are not well understood.

The Effect of Adjacent Materials on the Propagation of Phonon Polaritons in Hexagonal Boron Nitride.

In order to apply the ability of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) to confine energy in the form of hyperbolic phonon polariton (HPhP) modes in photonic-electronic devices, approaches to finely control and leverage the sensitivity of these propagating waves must be investigated. Here, we show that by surrounding hBN with materials of lower/higher dielectric responses, such as air and silicon, lower/higher surface momenta of HPhPs can be achieved. Furthermore, an alternative method for preparing thin hBN crystals with minimum contamination is presented, which provides opportunities to study the sensitivity of the damping mechanism of HPhPs on adsorbed materials.

Hexagonal Boron Nitride Self-Launches Hyperbolic Phonon Polaritons.

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is a 2D material that supports traveling waves composed of material vibrations and light, and is attractive for nanoscale optical devices that function in the infrared. However, the only current method of launching these traveling waves requires the use of a metal nanostructure. Here, we show that the polaritonic waves can be launched into the 2D structure by folds within hBN, alone, taking advantage of the intrinsic material properties.

Aqueous-Based Fabrication of Low-VOC Nanostructured Block Copolymer Films as Potential Marine Antifouling Coatings.

The ability to fabricate nanostructured films by exploiting the phenomenon of microphase separation has made block copolymers an invaluable tool for a wide array of coating applications. Standard approaches to engineering nanodomains commonly involve the application of organic solvents, either through dissolution or annealing protocols, resulting in the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In this paper, an aqueous-based method of fabricating low-VOC nanostructured block copolymer films is presented.