1,346 research outputs found
Intracellular Nanomaterial Delivery via Spiral Hydroporation
In recent nanobiotechnology developments, a wide variety of functional nanomaterials and engineered biomolecules have been created, and these have numerous applications in cell biology. For these nanomaterials to fulfill their promises completely, they must be able to reach their biological targets at the subcellular level and with a high level of specificity. Traditionally, either nanocarrier- or membrane disruption-based method has been used to deliver nanomaterials inside cells; however, these methods are suboptimal due to their toxicity, inconsistent delivery, and low throughput, and they are also labor intensive and time-consuming, highlighting the need for development of a next-generation, intracellular delivery system. This study reports on the development of an intracellular nanomaterial delivery platform, based on unexpected cell-deformation phenomena via spiral vortex and vortex breakdown exerted in the cross- and T-junctions at moderate Reynolds numbers. These vortex-induced cell deformation and sequential restoration processes open cell membranes transiently, allowing effective and robust intracellular delivery of nanomaterials in a single step without the aid of carriers or external apparatus. By using the platform described here (termed spiral hydroporator), we demonstrate the delivery of different nanomaterials, including gold nanoparticles (200 nm diameter), functional mesoporous silica nanoparticles (150 nm diameter), dextran (hydrodynamic diameters between 2ā55 nm), and mRNA, into different cell types. We demonstrate here that the system is highly efficient (up to 96.5%) with high throughput (up to 1 Ć 106 cells/min) and rapid delivery (ā¼1 min) while maintaining high levels of cell viability (up to 94%)
Quantum-dot light-emitting diodes utilizing CdSe/ZnS nanocrystals embedded in TiO(2) thin film
Quantum-dot (QD) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are demonstrated on Si wafers by embedding core-shell CdSe/ZnS nanocrystals in TiO(2) thin films via plasma-enhanced metallorganic chemical vapor deposition. The n-TiO(2)/QDs/p-Si LED devices show typical p-n diode current-voltage and efficient electroluminescence characteristics, which are critically affected by the removal of QD surface ligands. The TiO(2)/QDs/Si system we presented can offer promising Si-based optoelectronic and electronic device applications utilizing numerous nanocrystals synthesized by colloidal solution chemistry.open181
Detection of orbital and superhump periods in Nova V2574 Ophiuchi (2004)
We present the results of 37 nights of CCD unfiltered photometry of nova
V2574 Oph (2004) from 2004 and 2005. We find two periods of 0.14164 d (~3.40 h)
and 0.14773 d (~3.55 h) in the 2005 data. The 2004 data show variability on a
similar timescale, but no coherent periodicity was found. We suggest that the
longer periodicity is the orbital period of the underlying binary system and
that the shorter period represents a negative superhump. The 3.40 h period is
about 4% shorter than the orbital period and obeys the relation between
superhump period deficit and binary period. The detection of superhumps in the
light curve is evidence of the presence of a precessing accretion disk in this
binary system shortly after the nova outburst. From the maximum magnitude -
rate of decline relation, we estimate the decay rate t_2 = 17+/-4 d and a
maximum absolute visual magnitude of M_Vmax = -7.7+/-1.7 mag.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, 2 .sty files, AJ accepted, minor change to one of
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A Mechanistic Analysis of Phase Evolution and Hydrogen Storage Behavior in Nanocrystalline Mg(BH4)2 within Reduced Graphene Oxide.
Magnesium borohydride (Mg(BH4)2, abbreviated here MBH) has received tremendous attention as a promising onboard hydrogen storage medium due to its excellent gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage capacities. While the polymorphs of MBH-alpha (Ī±), beta (Ī²), and gamma (Ī³)-have distinct properties, their synthetic homogeneity can be difficult to control, mainly due to their structural complexity and similar thermodynamic properties. Here, we describe an effective approach for obtaining pure polymorphic phases of MBH nanomaterials within a reduced graphene oxide support (abbreviated MBHg) under mild conditions (60-190 Ā°C under mild vacuum, 2 Torr), starting from two distinct samples initially dried under Ar and vacuum. Specifically, we selectively synthesize the thermodynamically stable Ī± phase and metastable Ī² phase from the Ī³-phase within the temperature range of 150-180 Ā°C. The relevant underlying phase evolution mechanism is elucidated by theoretical thermodynamics and kinetic nucleation modeling. The resulting MBHg composites exhibit structural stability, resistance to oxidation, and partially reversible formation of diverse [BH4]- species during de- and rehydrogenation processes, rendering them intriguing candidates for further optimization toward hydrogen storage applications
Theory of One-Channel vs. Multi-Channel Kondo Effects for Ce Impurities
We introduce a model for Ce impurities in cubic metals which exhibits
competition between the Fermi-liquid fixed point of the single channel Kondo
model and the non-Fermi-liquid fixed point of the two- and three-channel Kondo
models. Using the non-crossing approximation and scaling theory, we find: (i) A
possible three-channel Kondo effect between the one- and two-channel regimes in
parameter space. (ii) The sign of the thermopower is a fixed point diagnostic.
(iii) Our results will likely survive the introduction of additional and
conduction states. We apply this model to interpret the non-Fermi liquid alloy
LaCeCuSi.Comment: 13 pages, Revtex, To appear in Phys. Rev. Let
Endogenously produced nonclassical vitamin D hydroxy-metabolites act as "biased" agonists on VDR and inverse agonists on RORĪ± and RORĪ³
The classical pathway of vitamin D activation follows the sequence D3ā25(OH)D3ā1,25(OH)(2)D3 with the final product acting on the receptor for vitamin D (VDR). An alternative pathway can be started by the action of CYP11A1 on the side chain of D3, primarily producing 20(OH)D3, 22(OH)D3, 20,23(OH)(2)D3, 20,22(OH)(2)D3 and 17,20,23(OH)(3)D3. Some of these metabolites are hydroxylated by CYP27B1 at C1Ī±, by CYP24A1 at C24 and C25, and by CYP27A1 at C25 and C26. The products of these pathways are biologically active. In the epidermis and/or serum or adrenals we detected 20(OH)D3, 22(OH)D3, 20,22(OH)(2)D3, 20,23(OH)(2)D3, 17,20,23(OH)(3)D3, 1,20(OH)(2)D3, 1,20,23(OH)(3)D3, 1,20,22(OH)(3)D3, 20,24(OH)(2)D3, 1,20,24(OH)(3)D3, 20,25(OH)(2)D3, 1,20,25(OH)(3)D3, 20,26(OH)(2)D3 and 1,20,26(OH)(3)D3. 20(OH)D3 and 20,23(OH)(2)D3 are non-calcemic, while the addition of an OH at C1Ī± confers some calcemic activity. Molecular modeling and functional assays show that the major products of the pathway can act as ābiasedā agonists for the VDR with high docking scores to the ligand binding domain (LBD), but lower than that of 1,25(OH)(2)D3. Importantly, cell based functional receptor studies and molecular modeling have identified the novel secosteroids as inverse agonists of both RORĪ± and RORĪ³ receptors. Specifically, they have high docking scores using crystal structures of RORĪ± and RORĪ³ LBDs. Furthermore, 20(OH)D3 and 20,23(OH)(2)D3 have been tested in cell model that expresses a Tet-on RORĪ± or RORĪ³ vector and a RORE-LUC reporter (ROR-responsive element), and in a mammalian 2-hybrid model that test interactions between an LBD-interacting LXXLL-peptide and the LBD of RORĪ±/Ī³. These assays demonstrated that the novel secosteroids have ROR-antagonist activities that were further confirmed by the inhibition of IL17 promoter activity in cells overexpressing RORĪ±/Ī³. In conclusion, endogenously produced novel D3 hydroxy-derivatives can act both as ābiasedā agonists of the VDR and/or inverse agonists of RORĪ±/Ī³. We suggest that the identification of large number of endogenously produced alternative hydroxy-metabolites of D3 that are biologically active, and of possible alternative receptors, may offer an explanation for the pleiotropic and diverse activities of vitamin D, previously assigned solely to 1,25(OH)(2)D3 and VDR
Large-scale Molecular Gas Distribution in the M17 Cloud Complex: Dense Gas Conditions of Massive Star Formation?
The non-uniform distribution of gas and protostars in molecular clouds is caused by combinations of various physical processes that are difficult to separate. We explore this non-uniform distribution in the M17 molecular cloud complex that hosts massive star formation activity using the 12CO (J = 1ā0) and 13CO (J = 1ā0) emission lines obtained with the Nobeyama 45 m telescope. Differences in clump properties such as mass, size, and gravitational boundedness reflect the different evolutionary stages of the M17-H ii and M17-IRDC clouds. Clumps in the M17-H ii cloud are denser, more compact, and more gravitationally bound than those in M17-IRDC. While M17-H ii hosts a large fraction of very dense gas (27%) that has a column density larger than the threshold of ~1 g cmā2 theoretically predicted for massive star formation, this very dense gas is deficient in M17-IRDC (0.46%). Our HCO+ (J = 1ā0) and HCN (J = 1ā0) observations with the Taeduk Radio Astronomy Observatory 14 m telescope trace all gas with a column density higher than 3 Ć 1022 cmā2, confirming the deficiency of high-density (ā³105 cmā3) gas in M17-IRDC. Although M17-IRDC is massive enough to potentially form massive stars, its deficiency of very dense gas and gravitationally bound clumps can explain the current lack of massive star formation
Nova V4743 Sagittarii 2002: An Intermediate Polar Candidate
We present the results of 11 nights of CCD unfiltered photometry of V4743 Sgr
(Nova Sgr 2002 # 3) from 2003 and 2005. We find two periods of 0.2799 d ~ 6.7 h
and 0.01642 d ~ 24 min in the 2005 data. The long period is also present in the
2003 data, but only weak evidence of the shorter period is found in this year.
The 24-min period is somewhat longer than the 22-min period, which was detected
from X-ray observations. We suggest that the 6.7-h periodicity represents the
orbital period of the underlying binary system and that the 24-min period is
the beat periodicity between the orbital period and the X-ray period, which is
presumably the spin period of the white dwarf. Thus, V4743 Sgr should be
classified as an intermediate polar (DQ Her star). About six months after the
nova outburst, the optical light curve of V4743 Sgr seemed to show
quasi-periodic oscillations, which are typical of the transient phase in
classical nova. Therefore, our results support the previous suggestion that the
trans ition phase in novae may be related to intermediate polars.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, AJ accepte
Astrophysical Fluids of Novae: High Resolution Pre-decay X-ray spectrum of V4743 Sagittarii
Eight X-ray observations of V4743 Sgr (2002), observed with Chandra and
XMM-Newton are presented. The nova turned off some time between days 301.9 and
371, and the X-ray flux subsequently decreased from day 301.9 to 526 following
an exponential decline time scale of days. We use the absorption
lines present in the SSS spectrum for diagnostic purposes, and characterize the
physics and the dynamics of the expanding atmosphere during the explosion of
the nova. The information extracted from this first stage is then used as input
for computing full photoionization models of the ejecta in V4743 Sgr. The SSS
spectrum is modeled with a simple black-body and multiplicative Gaussian lines,
which provides us of a general kinematical picture of the system, before it
decays to its faint phase (Ness et al. 2003). In the grating spectra taken
between days 180.4 and 370, we can resolve the line profiles of absorption
lines arising from H-like and He-like C, N, and O, including transitions
involving higher principal quantum numbers. Except for a few interstellar
lines, all lines are significantly blue-shifted, yielding velocities between
1000 and 6000 km/s which implies an ongoing mass loss. It is shown that
significant expansion and mass loss occur during this phase of the explosion,
at a rate . Our measurements show that the efficiency of the amount of
energy used for the motion of the ejecta, defined as the ratio between the
kinetic luminosity and the radiated luminosity , is
of the order of one.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures. Accepted in book: Recent Advances in Fluid
Dynamics with Environmental Applications, pp.365-39
Mesoscopic Fano Effect in a Quantum Dot Embedded in an Aharonov-Bohm Ring
The Fano effect, which occurs through the quantum-mechanical cooperation
between resonance and interference, can be observed in electron transport
through a hybrid system of a quantum dot and an Aharonov-Bohm ring. While a
clear correlation appears between the height of the Coulomb peak and the real
asymmetric parameter for the corresponding Fano lineshape, we need to
introduce a complex to describe the variation of the lineshape by the
magnetic and electrostatic fields. The present analysis demonstrates that the
Fano effect with complex asymmetric parameters provides a good probe to detect
a quantum-mechanical phase of traversing electrons.Comment: REVTEX, 9 pages including 8 figure
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