Exploiting the Electrostatic Binding of Ruthenium Hexamine Molecular Redox Nanowires onto DNA/OGCN Biohybrid Electrodes toward the Electrochemical Detection of COVID-19.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) recently emerged as a life-threatening global pandemic that has ravaged millions of lives. The affected patients are known to frequently register numerous comorbidities induced by COVID-19 such as diabetes, asthma, cardiac arrest, hypertension, and neurodegenerative diseases, to name a few. The expensiveness and probability of false negative results of conventional screening tests often delay timely diagnosis and treatment.

Expression and Characterization of Alkaline Phosphatase from KMM 296 in Transiently Transformed Tobacco Leaves and Transgenic Calli.

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of the PhoA family is an important enzyme in mammals, microalgae, and certain marine bacteria. It plays a crucial role in the dephosphorylation of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and nucleotides, which overstimulate cell signaling pathways and cause tissue inflammation in animals and humans. Insufficient ALP activity and expression levels have been linked to various disorders.

Liquid Metal-Based Dual-Response Pressure Sensor for Dual-Modality Sensing and Robotic Object Recognition.

Characterized by their high sensitivity and flexible deformation, flexible pressure sensors have been extensively applied in various fields such as wearable electronics, health monitoring, soft robotics, and human-computer interaction. In this research, we developed a dual-response pressure sensor (DRPS) designed to identify object materials. By integrating the operating principles of capacitive and resistive sensors and employing microstructured dielectric layers, we enhanced the sensitivity and detection range of the pressure sensor.

Adsorption Structure and Selectivity of Phenols in Water-Immersed Organomontmorillonite Investigated by Molecular Simulation.

The two-dimensional interlayer space of layered materials has been highlighted due to their adsorption property, whose nanostructure in the water-immersed state is scarcely understood by experiment. Recent developments in molecular simulation have enabled researchers to investigate the interlayer structure, but water content is necessary for accurate modeling. In the present study, we proposed a theoretical method to estimate the saturated water content and adsorption selectivity of trichlorophenol and phenol in montmorillonite modified with hexadecyltrimethylammonium ions.

Effect of Gold Nanoparticles on the Conformation of Bovine Serum Albumin: Insights from CD Spectroscopic Analysis and Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

With the development of nanotechnology, there is growing interest in using nanoparticles (NPs) for biomedical applications, such as diagnostics, drug delivery, imaging, and nanomedicine. The protein's structural stability plays a pivotal role in its functionality, and any alteration in this structure can have significant implications, including disease progression. Herein, we performed a combined experimental and computational study of the effect of gold NPs with a diameter of 5 nm (5 nm Au-NPs) on the structural stability of bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein in the absence and presence of NaCl salt.

Decoupling the Effects of Interface Chemical Degradation and Mechanical Cracking in Solid-State Batteries with Silicon Electrode.

Silicon is a promising negative electrode material for solid-state batteries (SSBs) due to its high specific capacity and ability to prevent lithium dendrite formation. However, SSBs with silicon electrodes currently suffer from poor cycling stability, despite chemical engineering efforts. This study investigates the cycling failure mechanism of composite Si/LiPSCl electrodes by decoupling the effects of interface chemical degradation and mechanical cracking.

Electrochemical exfoliation of graphite using aqueous ammonium hydrogen carbonate solution and the ability of the exfoliated product as a hydrogen production electrocatalyst support.

Electrochemical exfoliation of graphite has attracted much attention as a practical mass production of two-dimensional graphene-like materials. There is an increasing desire to find new and improved methods to create unique exfoliated products with excellent functionality. We used aqueous ammonium hydrogen carbonate solution as a new electrolyte for anodic oxidative exfoliation of graphite.

Strain-induced bandgap engineering in 2D ψ-graphene materials: a first-principles study.

High mechanical strength, excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, and tunable properties make two-dimensional (2D) materials attractive for various applications. However, the metallic nature of these materials restricts their applications in specific domains. Strain engineering is a versatile technique to tailor the distribution of energy levels, including bandgap opening between the energy bands.

Formation and Segregation of the Ru- and Rh-MgO Solid Solutions.

Structural changes in Ru- and Rh-loaded magnesium oxide (MgO) subjected to thermal treatment were investigated by using X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The thermal treatment of the MgO-loaded Ru and Rh nanoparticles led to the formation of Ru-MgO and Rh-MgO solid solutions, respectively. The valences of Ru and Rh in the solutions were 4+ and 3+, respectively, as determined by the Ru and Rh K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES).

Data-driven optimization of the design of ionic liquids as interfacial cell culture fluids.

As an alternative to conventional plastic dishes, the interface between water-immiscible hydrophobic fluids, such as perfluorocarbons and silicones, permits cell adhesion and growth. Thus, it is expected to replace the petroleum-derived products in a sustainable society. However, most hydrophobic fluids are cytotoxic, which limits the range of mechanical and chemical cues exposed to the cells.

Investigating Ni nanoparticles on CeO for methane dissociation: a comparative study of theoretical calculations and experimental insights.

CeO supported with Ni nanoparticles has emerged as a promising catalyst for enhancing the efficiency of dry reforming of methane (DRM) reaction. Methane dissociation (CH → CH + H) was reported as one of the rate-determining steps in the DRM reaction. We elucidated the reaction mechanism and explored methods for reducing the activation energy using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, where the activation energy of methane dissociation was determined at multiple Ni cluster sites on CeO.

Chemodivergent Reactions of Aromatic Ring-Annulated Hexahydrocyclopentafurans with Various Aldehydes.

Hexahydro-2-cyclopenta[]furan fused to electron-rich aromatic rings reacts with various aromatic aldehydes in different modes to build diverse frameworks. The reaction of a dimethoxybenzene-fused cyclopentafuran generated diquinanes fused with a hydrofuran ring, indenopyrans, or diarylindanes depending upon the type of aromatic aldehydes, whereas an indole-annulated cyclopentafuran generated another type of diquinane fused with hydrofuran ring or benzylidenecyclopentafuran. The chemodivergence is due to the different properties between indole- and dimethoxybenzene-fused hydrocyclopentafurans.

In vitro and silico activity of piperlongumine against azole-susceptible/resistant Aspergillus fumigatus and terbinafine-susceptible/resistant Trichophyton species.

In recent years, the widespread emergence of drug resistance in yeasts and filamentous fungi to existing antifungal armamentariums has become a severe threat to global health. There is also concern regarding increased rates of azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus and Terbinafine resistance in Trichophyton species. To overcome this concern of resistance to regular therapies, new antifungal drugs with novel and effective mechanisms are crucially needed.

Self-Powered Dye-Sensitized Solar-Cell-Based Synaptic Devices for Multi-Scale Time-Series Data Processing in Physical Reservoir Computing.

Physical reservoir computing (PRC) using synaptic devices has attracted attention as a promising edge artificial intelligence device. To handle time-series data on various time scales, it is necessary to fabricate devices with the desired time scale. In this study, we fabricated a dye-sensitized solar-cell-based synaptic device with controllable time constants by changing the light intensity.

Fabrication and Properties of Adsorptive Ceramic Membrane Made from Kaolin with Addition of Dolomite for Removal of Metal Ions in a Multielement Aqueous System.

The exorbitant presence of heavy metals has emerged as one of the most serious ecological issues facing the world. The treatment processes currently employed are not effective for removing all of the contaminants completely. Therefore, it is necessary for better operational technology to be developed.

Observation and Analysis of In Vitro Digestibility of Different Breads Using a Human Gastric Digestion Simulator.

The digestion behavior of a food bolus comprising bread particles in the presence of gastric peristalsis remains poorly understood. This study systematically investigated the effect of bread type on in vitro gastric digestion behavior using a human gastric digestion simulator (GDS) that is capable of quantitatively simulating gastric peristalsis. A food bolus consisting of 60 g of bread (white bread, bagel, German bread, French bread, or croissant), 15 mL of a simulated salivary fluid, and 240 mL of a simulated gastric fluid was used for gastric digestion in vitro using the GDS for 3 h at 37 °C.

Perspectives on sustainable and efficient routes of nanoparticle synthesis: an exhaustive review on conventional and microplasma-assisted techniques.

Nanotechnology has found widespread applications in our everyday lives, including areas such as water purification, sensor technology, advanced materials, biomedicine, drug delivery, and bioimaging. Conventional methods to synthesize nanoparticles (NPs) often involve expensive equipment, high temperatures and pressures, and hazardous chemicals, leading to environmentally harmful waste. Lately, plasma-assisted methods have emerged as possible replacements for the conventional schemes because of being straightforward and environment friendly.

Interpretation of possible biogas production capacity by investigating the effects of anaerobic digester tank geometry and angular velocity on flow characteristics.

Mixing performance in reactors producing biogas through anaerobic digestion is one of the parameters that directly affect biogas yield. The most commonly used mixing model for bioreactors in biogas-production processes is mechanical mixing. In the present study, we focus on the geometry of the tank, where the mechanical mixing actually takes place.

Gelation Dynamics steering Frontiers in Technology: Unraveling Hotspots and Research Trends through Scientometric insights.

The serendipitous occurrence of gels in science has been a milestone for further industrial revolutionization. The controlled formation and disassembly of gels coupled with their viscoelastic properties and their ability to undergo extensive structural modification to suit different applications have led to the widespread use of gelation technology in different domains of science such as sensing, material chemistry and physics, medicine, food and nutrition, ecology, and more. With the rising interest in gelators and gels applications, accurately depicting the current status of gelation and associated technology is of paramount importance for researchers and scholars already immersed in gel technology as well as those aiming to delve into this field.

Microtubules Disruption Alters the Cellular Structures and Mechanics Depending on Underlying Chemical Cues.

The extracellular matrix determines cell morphology and stiffness by manipulating the cytoskeleton. The impacts of extracellular matrix cues, including the mechanical and topographical cues on microtubules and their role in biological behaviors, are previously studied. However, there is a lack of understanding about how microtubules (MTs) are affected by environmental chemical cues, such as extracellular matrix density.