Single-Electron Qubits Based on Quantum Ring States on Solid Neon Surface.

Single electrons trapped on solid-neon surfaces have recently emerged as a promising platform for charge qubits. Experimental results have revealed their exceptionally long coherence times, yet the actual quantum states of these trapped electrons, presumably on imperfectly flat neon surfaces, remain elusive. In this Letter, we examine the electron's interactions with neon surface topography, such as bumps and valleys.

Extracellular vesicle biogenesis of three-dimensional human pluripotent stem cells in a novel Vertical-Wheel bioreactor.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have great potential as cell-free therapies in various diseases, including prevention of blood-brain barrier senescence and stroke. However, there are still challenges in pre-clinical and clinical use of hiPSC-EVs due to the need for large-scale production of a large quantity. Vertical-Wheel bioreactors (VWBRs) have design features that allow the biomanufacturing of hiPSC-EVs using a scalable aggregate or microcarrier-based culture system under low shear stress.

Integrating temporal decomposition and data-driven approaches for predicting coastal harmful algal blooms.

Frequent coastal harmful algal blooms (HABs) threaten the ecological environment and human health. Biscayne Bay in southeastern Florida also faces algal bloom issues; however, the mechanisms driving these blooms are not fully understood, emphasizing the importance of HAB prediction for effective environmental management. The overarching goal of this study is to offer a robust HAB predictive framework and try to enhance the understanding of HAB dynamics.

Impacts of future climate and land use/land cover change on urban runoff using fine-scale hydrologic modeling.

Future changes in land use/land cover (LULC) and climate (CC) affect watershed hydrology. Despite past research on estimating such changes, studies on the impacts of both these nonstationary stressors on urban watersheds have been limited. Urban watersheds have several important details such as hydraulic infrastructure that call for fine-scale models to predict the impacts of LULC and CC on watershed hydrology.

Nanodisc Reconstitution and Characterization of Amyloid-β Precursor Protein C99.

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) plays a pivotal role in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since the fragmentation of the membrane-bound APP that results in the production of amyloid-β peptides is the starting point for amyloid toxicity in AD, it is important to investigate the structure and dynamics of APP in a near-native lipid-bilayer environment. However, the reconstitution of APP into a stable and suitable membrane-mimicking lipid environment is a challenging task.

Cell-Specific Impacts of Surface Coating Composition on Extracellular Vesicle Secretion.

Biomaterial properties have recently been shown to modulate extracellular vesicle (EV) secretion and cargo; however, the effects of substrate composition on EV production remain underexplored. This study investigates the impacts of surface coatings composed of collagen I (COLI), fibronectin (FN), and poly l-lysine (PLL) on EV secretion for applications in therapeutic EV production and to further understanding of how changes in the extracellular matrix microenvironment affect EVs. EV secretion from primary bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs), primary adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), HEK293 cells, NIH3T3 cells, and RAW264.

Isolation and characterization of pure cultures for metabolizing 1,4-dioxane in oligotrophic environments.

1,4-Dioxane concentration in most contaminated water is much less than 1 mg/L, which cannot sustain the growth of most reported 1,4-dioxane-metabolizing pure cultures. These pure cultures were isolated following enrichment of mixed cultures at high concentrations (20 to 1,000 mg/L). This study is based on a different strategy: 1,4-dioxane-metabolizing mixed cultures were enriched by periodically spiking 1,4-dioxane at low concentrations (≤1 mg/L).

Platelet Biorheology and Mechanobiology in Thrombosis and Hemostasis: Perspectives from Multiscale Computation.

Thrombosis is the pathological clot formation under abnormal hemodynamic conditions, which can result in vascular obstruction, causing ischemic strokes and myocardial infarction. Thrombus growth under moderate to low shear (<1000 s) relies on platelet activation and coagulation. Thrombosis at elevated high shear rates (>10,000 s) is predominantly driven by unactivated platelet binding and aggregating mediated by von Willebrand factor (VWF), while platelet activation and coagulation are secondary in supporting and reinforcing the thrombus.

Micro/Nanorobotics in In Vitro Fertilization: A Paradigm Shift in Assisted Reproductive Technologies.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has transformed the sector of assisted reproductive technology (ART) by presenting hope to couples facing infertility challenges. However, conventional IVF strategies include their own set of problems such as success rates, invasive procedures, and ethical issues. The integration of micro/nanorobotics into IVF provides a prospect to address these challenging issues.

Effect of Ni Doping on the Thermoelectric Properties of YbCoZn.

Thermoelectric devices are both solid-state heat pumps and energy generators. Having a reversible process without moving parts is of high importance for applications in remote locations or under extreme conditions. Yet, most thermoelectric devices have a rather limited energy conversion efficiency due to the natural competition between high electrical conductivity and low thermal conductivity, both being essential conditions for achieving a high energy conversion efficiency.

Nanodisc reconstitution and characterization of amyloid-β precursor protein C99.

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) plays a pivotal role in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. Since the fragmentation of the membrane-bound APP that results in the production of amyloid-beta peptides is the starting point for amyloid toxicity in AD, it is important to investigate the structure and dynamics of APP in a near-native lipid-bilayer environment. However, the reconstitution of APP into a stable/suitable membrane-mimicking lipid environment is a challenging task.

Site-Specific Conjugation of Bottlebrush Polymers to Therapeutic Protein via Bioorthogonal Chemistry.

Achieving efficient and site-specific conjugation of therapeutic protein to polymer is crucial to augment their applicability in the realms of biomedicine by improving their stability and enzymatic activity. In this study, we exploited tetrazine bioorthogonal chemistry to achieve the site-specific conjugation of bottlebrush polymers to urate oxidase (UOX), a therapeutic protein for gout treatment. An azido-functionalized zwitterionic bottlebrush polymer (N-ZBP) using a "" strategy involving RAFT and ATRP methods was synthesized, and a -cyclooctene (TCO) moiety was introduced at the polymer end through the strain-promoted azide-alkyne click (SPAAC) reaction.

Effects of Physical Cues on Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles toward Neuropathy Applications.

The peripheral nervous system undergoes sufficient stress when affected by diabetic conditions, chemotherapeutic drugs, and personal injury. Consequently, peripheral neuropathy arises as the most common complication, leading to debilitating symptoms that significantly alter the quality and way of life. The resulting chronic pain requires a treatment approach that does not simply mask the accompanying symptoms but provides the necessary external environment and neurotrophic factors that will effectively facilitate nerve regeneration.

Synthesis of different organic ammonium-based bismuth iodide perovskites for photodetection application.

Bismuth-based perovskites are promising candidates for highly stable halide perovskites with low toxicity. Here, we report the synthesis of a series of bismuth iodide-based perovskites with different primary, secondary, and tertiary ammonium cations and study their structural, thermal, and optical properties, and the likelihood of photodetection. Interestingly, the variation of A-site organic ammonium cations, with different interlayer spacings between adjacent bismuth iodide monolayers, has exotic effects on the diffraction patterns and morphological structures of the perovskite crystals.

Feeder-free differentiation of human iPSCs into natural killer cells with cytotoxic potential against malignant brain rhabdoid tumor cells.

Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic immune cells that can eliminate target cells without prior stimulation. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide a robust source of NK cells for safe and effective cell-based immunotherapy against aggressive cancers. In this study, a feeder-free iPSC differentiation was performed to obtain iPSC-NK cells, and distinct maturational stages of iPSC-NK were characterized.

Surface Charge-Switchable Antifouling Block Copolymer with Bacteriostatic Properties.

Zwitterionic polymers are an emerging family of effective, low-fouling materials that can withstand unintended interactions with biological systems while exhibiting enhanced activity in bacterial matrix deterioration and biofilm eradication. Herein, we modularly synthesized an amphiphilic block copolymer, , featuring potential bacteriostatic properties composed of a charge-switchable polyzwitterionic segment and a redox-sensitive pendant disulfide-labeled polymethacrylate block. The leucine-appended polyzwitterionic segment with alternatively positioned cationic amine and anionic carboxylate functionalities undergoes charge alterations (+ve → 0 → -ve) on pH variation.

Magnetophoresis of paramagnetic metal ions in porous media.

We report a numerical investigation of the magnetophoresis of solutions containing paramagnetic metal ions. Using a simulated magnetic field of a superconducting magnet and the convection-diffusion model, we study the transport of transition metal salts through a porous medium domain. In particular, through a detailed comparison of the numerical results of magnetophoretic velocity and ion concentration profiles with prior published experiments, we validate the model.

Misalignment-Tolerant Planar Spiral Coil Pair Design for 13.56 MHz Inductive Coupling of Wireless Resistive Analog Passive Sensors.

Long-term daily-life body signal monitoring offers numerous advantages, such as timely response to health alerts, diseases monitoring, and reducing time and expenses related to clinical trials. Access to physiological data can be achieved with low-cost and comfortable wireless wearable sensors. In our previous publication, we reported a low-cost, easy to implement, and unobtrusive wireless resistive analog passive (WRAP) sensor to provide a feasible bio-signal monitoring technique by using a pair of printed spiral coils (PSC) in a near field connection.

Relative Strength of Polycation Adsorption on Oxide Surfaces.

Polyelectrolyte adsorption onto surfaces is widely employed in water treatment and mining. However, little is known of the relative interaction strengths between surfaces and polymer. This fundamental property is assumed to be dominated by electrostatics, i.

Much more to explore with an oxidation state of nearly four: Pr valence instability in intermetallic -PrCoGe.

For some intermetallic compounds containing lanthanides, structural transitions can result in intermediate electronic states between trivalency and tetravalency; however, this is rarely observed for praseodymium compounds. The dominant trivalency of praseodymium limits potential discoveries of emergent quantum states in itinerant 4 systems accessible using Pr-based compounds. Here, we use in situ powder x-ray diffraction and in situ electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) to identify an intermetallic example of a dominantly Pr state in the polymorphic system PrCoGe.

Polymorphism and Stretch-Induced Transformations of Sustainable Polyethylene-Like Materials.

Herein we demonstrate that polyethylene-like bioderived, biodegradable, and fully recyclable unbranched aliphatic polyesters, such as PE-2,18, develop hexagonal crystal structures upon quenching from the melt to temperatures <∼50 °C and orthorhombic-like packing at higher quenching temperatures or after isothermal crystallization. Both crystal types are layered. While CH packing characterizes the structure of the orthorhombic-like form, there is significant conformational disorder in the staggered long CH sequences of the hexagonal crystals.

Combined Role of Interleukin-15 Stimulated Natural Killer Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles and Carboplatin in Osimertinib-Resistant H1975 Lung Cancer Cells with EGFR Mutations.

In this study, we evaluated IL-15 stimulated natural killer cell-derived EVs (NK-EVs) as therapeutic agents in vitro and in vivo in Osimertinib-resistant lung cancer (H1975R) with EGFR mutations (L858R) in combination with carboplatin (CBP). NK-EVs were isolated by ultracentrifugation and characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis, and atomic force microscopy imaging revealed vesicles with a spherical form and sizes meeting the criteria of exosomal EVs. Further, Western blot studies demonstrated the presence of regular EV markers along with specific NK markers (perforin and granzyme).

Solvent-cast 3D printing with molecular weight polymer blends to decouple effects of scaffold architecture and mechanical properties on mesenchymal stromal cell fate.

The biochemical and physical properties of a scaffold can be tailored to elicit specific cellular responses. However, it is challenging to decouple their individual effects on cell-material interactions. Here, we solvent-cast 3D printed different ratios of high and low molecular weight (MW) poly(caprolactone) (PCL) to fabricate scaffolds with significantly different stiffnesses without affecting other properties.

Identifying the latent relationships between factors associated with traffic crashes through graphical models.

Traffic safety field has been oriented toward finding the relationships between crash outcomes and predictor variables to understand crash phenomena and/or predict future crashes. In the literature, the main framework established for this purpose is based on constructing a modelling equation in which crash outcome (e.g.