BINA

Surfaces of classical spherical liquid droplets are isotropic, promoting the random distribution of surface-adsorbed molecules. Here we demonstrate a counterintuitive temperature-controlled self-assembly of well-defined and highly ordered patterns of surface-adsorbed fluorescent molecules on the surfaces of water-suspended spherical oil droplets. These patterns are induced by precisely self-positioned, topology-dictated structural defects in a crystalline monolayer covering these droplets’ surfaces over a wide temperature range. We elucidate the pattern formation mechanism, visualize the defects’ positions and map the stress fields within the surface crystal. The observed phenomena provide insights into the interfacial freezing effect on curved surfaces, enable precise positioning of functional ligands on droplets for their self-assembly into higher-hierarchy structures– and may also play an important role in vital …

Carbon-based nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used in nanotechnology. Among them, nanodiamonds (NDs) are suitable for biotechnology and are especially interesting for skin delivery and topical treatments. However, noninvasive detection of NDs within the different skin layers or analyzing their penetration ability is complicated due to the turbid nature of the tissue. The iterative multiplane optical properties extraction (IMOPE) technique detects differences in the optical properties of the measured item by a phase-image analysis method. The phase image is reconstructed by the multiplane Gerchberg–Saxton algorithm. This technique, traditionally, detects differences in the reduced scattering coefficients. Here, however, due to the actual size of the NDs, the IMOPE technique’s detection relies on absorption analysis rather than relying on scattering events. In this paper, we use the IMOPE technique to detect the …

Surfaces of classical spherical liquid droplets are isotropic, promoting the random distribution of surface-adsorbed molecules. Here we demonstrate a counterintuitive temperature-controlled self-assembly of well-defined and highly ordered patterns of surface-adsorbed fluorescent molecules on the surfaces of water-suspended spherical oil droplets. These patterns are induced by precisely self-positioned, topology-dictated structural defects in a crystalline monolayer covering these droplets’ surfaces over a wide temperature range. We elucidate the pattern formation mechanism, visualize the defects’ positions and map the stress fields within the surface crystal. The observed phenomena provide insights into the interfacial freezing effect on curved surfaces, enable precise positioning of functional ligands on droplets for their self-assembly into higher-hierarchy structures– and may also play an important role in vital …

Considering the global spread of bacterial infections, the development of anti-biofilm surfaces with high antimicrobial activities is highly desired. This work unraveled a simple, sonochemical method for coating Cu2O nanoparticles (NPs) on three different flexible substrates: polyester (PE), nylon 2 (N2), and polyethylene (PEL). The introduction of Cu2O NPs on these substrates enhanced their surface hydrophobicity, induced ROS generation, and completely inhibited the growth of sensitive (Escherichia coli and Staphyloccocus aureus) and drug-resistant (MDR E. coli and MRSA) planktonic and biofilm. The experimental results confirmed that Cu2O-PE exhibited complete biofilm mass reduction ability for all four strains, whereas Cu2O-N2 showed more than 99% biomass inhibition against both drug-resistant and sensitive pathogens in 6 h. Moreover, Cu2O-PEL also indicated a 99.95, 97.73, 98.00, and 99.20 …

In recent years, lignin has drawn increasing attention for different applications due to its intrinsic antibacterial and antioxidant properties, coupled with biodegradability and biocompatibility. However, chemical modification or combination with metals is usually required to increase its antimicrobial functionality and produce biobased added-value materials for applications wherein bacterial growth should be avoided, such as biomedical and food industries. In this work, a sonoenzymatic approach for the simultaneous functionalization and nanotransformation of lignin to prepare metal-free antibacterial phenolated lignin nanoparticles (PheLigNPs) is developed. The grafting of tannic acid, a natural phenolic compound, onto lignin was achieved by an environmentally friendly approach using laccase oxidation upon the application of high-intensity ultrasound to rearrange lignin into NPs. PheLigNPs presented higher …

Two-photon interactions of entangled-photon pairs with metallic nanoparticles (NPs) can be enhanced by localized surface-plasmon resonance. Recently, we have described how the properties of this quantum light-matter interaction can be deduced from classical second-harmonic generation measurements performed using a reference-free hyper-Rayleigh scattering method. Herein, we report the results of such classical-light characterization measurements. We obtain a large hyperpolarizability for the NPs, present the dependence of the hyperpolarizability on the NPs' spectral features, and show a dipolar emission pattern for the second-harmonic signal. Our results can be used to optimize entangled-photon pair interactions with metallic NPs to enable first ever detection of this process. Moreover, these results suggest that NPs may be used as source for ultra-broadband entangled-photon pairs through nonphase …

Bromine complexing agents (BCAs) are seen as a promising route to mitigate the potential health and environmental risks of the bromine-based redox-flow batteries, like the hydrogen bromine redox flow battery (H2–Br2 RFB). The most studied BCAs are based on the pyridinium anion, which may adsorb and inhibit the Pt catalyst required in the H2–Br2 RFB system for the hydrogen reactions. Herein the effect of two BCAs (ethyl-pyridinium bromide and hexyl-pyridinium bromide) on a Pt electrocatalyst are studied, along with a potential methodology to prevent adsorption of the BCA through a polydopamine (PDA) coating. The results show that the pyridinium anion is adsorbed on Pt throughout a large potential range (−0.02 to 1.0 V), reducing the availability of the surface for the adsorption of other species. The PDA coating prevented this adsorption, but itself experiences adsorption of the BCA leading to some …

In recent years, lignin has drawn increasing attention for different applications due to its intrinsic antibacterial and antioxidant properties, coupled with biodegradability and biocompatibility. However, chemical modification or combination with metals is usually required to increase its antimicrobial functionality and produce biobased added-value materials for applications wherein bacterial growth should be avoided, such as biomedical and food industries. In this work, a sonoenzymatic approach for the simultaneous functionalization and nanotransformation of lignin to prepare metal-free antibacterial phenolated lignin nanoparticles (PheLigNPs) is developed. The grafting of tannic acid, a natural phenolic compound, onto lignin was achieved by an environmentally friendly approach using laccase oxidation upon the application of high-intensity ultrasound to rearrange lignin into NPs. PheLigNPs presented higher …

We show that a Bose–Einstein condensate consisting of dark excitons forms in GaAs coupled quantum wells at low temperatures. We find that the condensate extends over hundreds of micrometers, well beyond the optical excitation region, and is limited only by the boundaries of the mesa. We show that the condensate density is determined by spin-flipping collisions among the excitons, which convert dark excitons into bright ones. The suppression of this process at low temperature yields a density buildup, manifested as a temperature-dependent blueshift of the exciton emission line. Measurements under an in-plane magnetic field allow us to preferentially modify the bright exciton density and determine their role in the system dynamics. We find that their interaction with the condensate leads to its depletion. We present a simple rate-equations model, which well reproduces the observed temperature, power, and …

Forward Brillouin point sensing is demonstrated in a multi-core fiber. Acoustic waves are stimulated by light in one core and monitored using a grating in another. Measurements distinguish between ethanol and water outside the cladding.

The important phenomenon of electrical double layer (EDL) is often described by mathematical relations between surface charges, variation of electrostatic potentials with distance and distribution of ions across the interface between charged surfaces (or particles) and electrolyte solutions. A major advance was made in the last decade in understanding complex EDL relationships with an emphasis on nano-porous carbonaceous materials. These understandings were usually exploited for the interpretation of electro-sorption phenomena connected to capacitive deionization (CDI) processes. The aim of this short paper is to demonstrate, based on previous studies, how models of EDL in nano-porous carbons can be the basis for modification of carbonaceous materials for other applications, like sensors and energy extraction from salinity gradients.

Various conditions cause dispersions of particulate matter to circulate inside the anterior chamber of a human eye. These dispersed particles might reduce visual acuity or promote elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP), causing secondary complications such as particle related glaucoma, which is a major cause of blindness. Medical and surgical treatment options are available to manage these complications, yet preventive measures are not currently available. Conceptually, manipulating these dispersed particles in a way that reduces their negative impact could prevent these complications. However, as the eye is a closed system, manipulating dispersed particles in it is challenging. Standing acoustic waves have been previously shown to be a versatile tool for manipulation of bioparticles from nano-sized extracellular vesicles up to millimeter-sized organisms. Here we introduce for the first time a novel method utilizing standing acoustic waves to noninvasively manipulate intraocular particles inside the anterior chamber. Using a cylindrical acoustic resonator, we show ex vivo manipulation of pigmentary particles inside porcine eyes. We study the effect of wave intensity over time and rule out temperature changes that could damage tissues. Optical coherence tomography and histologic evaluations show no signs of damage or any other side effect that could be attributed to acoustic manipulation. Finally, we lay out a clear pathway to how this technique can be used as a non-invasive tool for preventing secondary glaucoma. This concept has the potential to control and arrange intraocular particles in specific locations without causing any damage to …

Ni-rich LiNi1–x–yCoxMnyO2 (1 – x – y > 0.5) (NCMs) cathode materials have shown great promise in energy-intensive applications, such as electric vehicles. However, as many layered cathodes do, they suffer from structural and electrochemical degradation during cycling. In this study, we show that Nd- and Y-doped materials, Li(Ni0.85Co0.1Mn0.05)0.995Nd0.005O2 and Li(Ni0.85Co0.1Mn0.05)0.995Y0.005O2, have significantly better structural, electrochemical, and thermal properties compared to the reference LiNi0.85Co0.1Mn0.05O2 (NCM85) due to enhanced structural stability. The doped electrodes were found to have significantly higher specific discharge capacities, better capacity retention, and lower voltage hysteresis compared to the reference (undoped) electrodes. SEM images of the focused-ion beam (FIB) cut of the particles of the doped material showed that they have less cracks when compared …

The environment humidity effects on performance of halide perovskites (HaPs), especially MAPbI3, are known. Nevertheless, it is hard to find direct experimental evidence of H2O in the bulk materials at the levels lower than that of Monohydrate (MAPbI3.H2O). Here, for the first time, direct experimental evidence of water being released from bulk (µm‐s deep) of MAPbI3 single crystal is reported. The thermogravimetric analysis coupled with mass spectrometry (TGA‐MS) of evolved gases is used to detect the MS signal of H2O from the penetrable depth and correlate it with the TGA mass loss due to H2O leaving the material. These measurements yield an estimate of the average H2O content of 1 H2O molecule per three MAPbI3 formula units (MAPbI3.0.33H2O). Under the relatively low temperature conditions no other evolved gases that can correspond to MAPbI3 decomposition products, are observed in the MS. In …

Levulinic acid (LA) is one of the top twelve chemicals listed by the US Department of Energy that can be derived from biomass. It serves as a building block and platform chemical for producing a variety of chemicals, fuels and materials which are currently produced in fossil based refineries. LA is a key strategic chemical, as fuel grade chemicals and plastic substitutes can be produced by its catalytic conversion. LA derivatisation to various product streams, such as alkyl levulinates via esterification, γ-valerolactone via hydrogenation and N-substituted pyrrolidones via reductive amination and many other transformations of commercial utility are possible owing to the two oxygen functionalities, namely, carbonyl and carboxyl groups, present within the same substrate. Various biomass feedstock, such as agricultural wastes, marine macroalgae, and fresh water microalgae were successfully converted to LA in high yields. Finding a substitute to mineral acid catalysts for the conversion of biomass to LA is a challenge. The use of an ultrasound technique facilitated the production of promising nano-solid acid catalysts including Ga salt of molybophosphoric acid and Ga deposited mordenite zeolite, with optimum amounts of Lewis and Bronsted acidities needed for the conversion of glucose to LA in high yields, being 56 and 59.9 wt.% respectively. Microwave irradiation technology was successfully utilized for the accelerated production of LA (53 wt.%) from glucose in a short duration of 6 min, making use of the unique synergistic catalytic activity of ZnBr2 and HCl.

The nucleolus is a subnuclear compartment whose primary function is the biogenesis of ribosomal subunits. Certain viral infections affect the morphology and composition of the nucleolar compartment and influence ribosomal RNA (rRNA) transcription and maturation. However, no description of nucleolar morphology and function during infection with Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is available to date. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, we documented extensive destruction of the nuclear and nucleolar architecture during the lytic reactivation of KSHV. This was manifested by the redistribution of key nucleolar proteins, including the rRNA transcription factor UBF. Distinct delocalization patterns were evident; certain nucleolar proteins remained together whereas others dissociated, implying that nucleolar proteins undergo nonrandom programmed dispersion. Significantly, the redistribution of UBF was dependent on viral DNA replication or late viral gene expression. No significant changes in pre-rRNA levels and no accumulation of pre-rRNA intermediates were found by RT-qPCR and Northern blot analysis. Furthermore, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), combined with immunofluorescence, revealed an overlap between Fibrillarin and internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1), which represents the primary product of the pre-rRNA, suggesting that the processing of rRNA proceeds during lytic reactivation. Finally, small changes in the levels of pseudouridylation (Ψ) and 2′-O-methylation (Nm) were documented across the rRNA; however, none were localized to the functional domain. Taken together, our results suggest that …

In this paper we explore the effects of nonadiabatic external driving on the dynamics of an electronic system coupled to two electronic leads and to a phonon mode, with and without damping. In the limit of slow driving, we establish nonadiabatic corrections to thermodynamic and transport quantities. In particular, we study the first-order correction to the work done by the driving, the charge current, and the vibrational excitation using a perturbative expansion. We then compare the results to the numerically exact hierarchical equations of motion (HEOM) approach. Furthermore, the HEOM analysis spans both the weak and strong system-bath coupling regime and the slow-and fast-driving limits. We show that the electronic friction and the nonadiabatic corrections to the charge current provide a clear indicator for the Franck-Condon effect and for nonresonant tunneling processes. We also discuss the validity of the …

BACKGROUNDRecent clinical studies suggest beneficial effects of propofol anesthesia on tumor progression and patient survival in solid tumors but reported benefits are modest. One potential reason is the relatively short, single exposure to propofol, limited to the surgical period. Brain metastases (BM) are the most common brain tumors in adults. Metastatic tumors develop following infiltration of the brain from primary tumors such as lung, breast, melanoma, and colorectal cancers. BM are treated with combination therapies, including surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, however the prognosis of most patients with BM remains dismal. In this report we investigated the effects of propofol plus radiation on cancer stem cells derived from human lung cancer brain metastases (BM-CSCs) and their cross-talk with microglia.OBJECTIVESOur hypothesis is that propofol can be repurposed as a …

Neural activity research has recently gained signi cant attention due to its association with sensory information and behavior control. However, current methods of brain activity sensing require expensive equipment and physical contact with the subject.We propose a novel photonic-based method for remote detection of human senses. Physiological processes associated with hemodynamic activity due to activation of the cerebral cortex affected by different senses have been detected by remote monitoring of nano‐vibrations generated due to the transient blood ow to speci c regions of the brain. We have found that combination of defocused, self‐interference random speckle patterns with a spatiotemporal analysis using Deep Neural Network (DNN) allows associating between the activated sense and the seemingly random speckle patterns.

Ni-rich LiNi1–x–yCoxMnyO2 (1 – x – y > 0.5) (NCMs) cathode materials have shown great promise in energy-intensive applications, such as electric vehicles. However, as many layered cathodes do, they suffer from structural and electrochemical degradation during cycling. In this study, we show that Nd- and Y-doped materials, Li(Ni0.85Co0.1Mn0.05)0.995Nd0.005O2 and Li(Ni0.85Co0.1Mn0.05)0.995Y0.005O2, have significantly better structural, electrochemical, and thermal properties compared to the reference LiNi0.85Co0.1Mn0.05O2 (NCM85) due to enhanced structural stability. The doped electrodes were found to have significantly higher specific discharge capacities, better capacity retention, and lower voltage hysteresis compared to the reference (undoped) electrodes. SEM images of the focused-ion beam (FIB) cut of the particles of the doped material showed that they have less cracks when compared …

A two-dimensional multimode random laser emitting in the visible frequency range of the optical spectrum is proposed, designed and investigated, in which optical feedback is provided by randomly-distributed air holes embedded in dye-doped polymer film. Dependence of lasing threshold on scatterer density and pump spot size has been investigated. Furthermore, peak of the gain curve shows systematic spectral blue shift with increasing scatterer density, as well as pump spot size. Such a 2D random laser provides with a compact on-chip tunable laser source and a unique platform to explore non-Hermitian photonics in the visible