8 research outputs found
Data_Sheet_1_Designing double-site lipidated peptide amphiphiles as potent antimicrobial biomaterials to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria.docx
Rapidly evolving antimicrobial resistance and extremely slow development of new antibiotics have resulted in multidrug-resistant bacterial infections that present a serious threat to human health. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) provide promising substitutes, but more research is needed to address several of their present limitations, such as insufficient antimicrobial potency, high toxicity, and low stability. Here, we designed a series of novel double-site lipidated peptide amphiphiles based on a heptad repeat parent pentadecapeptide. The double-site lipidated peptide amphiphiles showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities. Especially the double-site lipidated peptide amphiphile WL-C6 exhibited high potency to inhibit multidrug-resistant bacteria without significant toxicity toward mammalian cells. Furthermore, even at physiological salt ion concentrations, WL-C6 still exhibited outstanding antibacterial properties, and a sizeable fraction of it maintained its molecular integrity after being incubated with different proteases. Additionally, we captured the entire process of WL-C6 killing bacteria and showed that the rapid bacterial membrane disruption is the reason of bacterial death. Overall, WL-C6 shows great promise as a substitute for conventional antibiotics to combat the growing threat of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.</p
Low-Pollution and Controllable Selective-Area Deposition of a CdS Buffering Layer on CIGS Solar Cells by a Photochemical Technique
A chemical-bath
deposition method has recently been applied for
the industrial deposition of CdS buffer layers in high-efficiency
CuÂ(In, Ga)ÂSe<sub>2</sub> (CIGS) solar cells; however, its massive
raw material waste and heavy pollution have also hindered its long-range
industrialization. In this study, a type of low-pollution and controllable
selective-area deposition of CdS thin films on cells was proposed
and conducted by a photochemical deposition (PCD) technique using
an aqueous solution containing S<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub><sup>2–</sup>, SO<sub>3</sub><sup>2–</sup>, and Cd<sup>2+</sup>. The as-deposited
films are low-crystallinity, uniform, and compact with thicknesses
of 30–50 nm. Moreover, the depositions of CdS thin films were
further investigated by tuning the deposition time, absorption of
cadmium ions, sulfur concentration, and light intensity. Additionally,
an ion-by-ion mechanism was proposed for the growth of CdS thin films
by a PCD technique. Furthermore, the optimal CdS thin layer was applied
in CIGS solar cells, which showed a high efficiency of 10.45%. This
research would give new insight into the efficient deposition of CdS
thin films on solar cells with low pollution
DataSheet_1_Association between liver enzymes and type 2 diabetes: a real-world study.docx
AimThis study aimed to examine the association of liver enzymes, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl-transferase (GGT), with type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk, particularly their dose-response relationship.MethodsThis cross-sectional study enrolled participants aged >20 years old who underwent physical examination at our local hospital from November 2022 to May 2023. A generalized additive model (GAM) was fit to assess the dose-response relationship between liver enzymes and T2D risk. Furthermore, data from the UK Biobank (n=217,533) and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2011-2018; n= 15,528) were analyzed to evaluate whether the dose-response relationship between liver enzymes and T2D differed by population differences.ResultsA total of 14,100 participants were included (1,155 individuals with T2D and 12,945 individuals without diabetes) in the analysis. GAM revealed a non-linear relationship between liver enzymes and T2D risk (Pnon-linear 50 IU/L. Elevated AST within a certain range (range, 35 IU/L) became a risk factor for T2D. The UK Biobank and NHANES data analysis also showed a similar non-linear pattern between liver enzymes and T2D incidence.ConclusionLiver enzymes were non–linearly associated with T2D risk in different populations, including China, the UK, and the US. Elevated ALT and GGT levels, within a certain range, could increase T2D risk. More attention should be given to liver enzyme levels for early lifestyle intervention and early T2D prevention. Further studies are necessary to explore the mechanism of the non-linear association between liver enzymes and T2D risk.</p
DataSheet_1_Excessive weight gain onset-age and risk of developing diabetes mellitus: a large, prospective Chinese cohort study.docx
BackgroundExcessive weight gain and obesity are widely accepted as risk factors for diabetes mellitus, and the age at which obesity onsets may be related to the development of cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. Here, we aimed to investigate associations between the onset-age of overweight/obesity and risk of developing diabetes mellitus in China.Methods42,144 people with the normal weight range and without diabetes at baseline, were enrolled from the Kailuan cohort which began on the 1st June 2006. All participants were followed-up, biennially, until 31st December 2017. During follow-up, 11,220 participants had become overweight/obese. For each case, one normal-weight control was matched according to age ( ± 1 year) and sex. Our final analysis included 10,858 case-control pairs. An age-scaled Cox model was implemented to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for diabetes mellitus incidence across age-groups.ResultsAt a median follow-up of 5.46 years, 1,403 cases of diabetes mellitus were identified. After multivariate adjustments, age-scaled Cox modelling suggested that risk gradually attenuated with every 10 year increase in age of onset of overweight/obesity. Diabetes mellitus adjusted HRs (aHRs) for new-onset overweight/obesity at ConclusionParticipants with early onset of excessive weight gain issues are at considerably higher risk of developing diabetes mellitus compared to those who maintain a normal weight.</p
Knittable Electrochemical Yarn Muscle for Morphing Textiles
Morphing textiles, crafted using electrochemical artificial
muscle
yarns, boast features such as adaptive structural flexibility, programmable
control, low operating voltage, and minimal thermal effect. However,
the progression of these textiles is still impeded by the challenges
in the continuous production of these yarn muscles and the necessity
for proper structure designs that bypass operation in extensive electrolyte
environments. Herein, a meters-long sheath-core structured carbon
nanotube (CNT)/nylon composite yarn muscle is continuously prepared.
The nylon core not only reduces the consumption of CNTs but also amplifies
the surface area for interaction between the CNT yarn and the electrolyte,
leading to an enhanced effective actuation volume. When driven electrochemically,
the CNT@nylon yarn muscle demonstrates a maximum contractile stroke
of 26.4%, a maximum contractile rate of 15.8% s–1, and a maximum power density of 0.37 W g–1, surpassing
pure CNT yarn muscles by 1.59, 1.82, and 5.5 times, respectively.
By knitting the electrochemical CNT@nylon artificial muscle yarns
into a soft fabric that serves as both a soft scaffold and an electrolyte
container, we achieved a morphing textile is achieved. This textile
can perform programmable multiple motion modes in air such as contraction
and sectional bending
Knittable Electrochemical Yarn Muscle for Morphing Textiles
Morphing textiles, crafted using electrochemical artificial
muscle
yarns, boast features such as adaptive structural flexibility, programmable
control, low operating voltage, and minimal thermal effect. However,
the progression of these textiles is still impeded by the challenges
in the continuous production of these yarn muscles and the necessity
for proper structure designs that bypass operation in extensive electrolyte
environments. Herein, a meters-long sheath-core structured carbon
nanotube (CNT)/nylon composite yarn muscle is continuously prepared.
The nylon core not only reduces the consumption of CNTs but also amplifies
the surface area for interaction between the CNT yarn and the electrolyte,
leading to an enhanced effective actuation volume. When driven electrochemically,
the CNT@nylon yarn muscle demonstrates a maximum contractile stroke
of 26.4%, a maximum contractile rate of 15.8% s–1, and a maximum power density of 0.37 W g–1, surpassing
pure CNT yarn muscles by 1.59, 1.82, and 5.5 times, respectively.
By knitting the electrochemical CNT@nylon artificial muscle yarns
into a soft fabric that serves as both a soft scaffold and an electrolyte
container, we achieved a morphing textile is achieved. This textile
can perform programmable multiple motion modes in air such as contraction
and sectional bending
Knittable Electrochemical Yarn Muscle for Morphing Textiles
Morphing textiles, crafted using electrochemical artificial
muscle
yarns, boast features such as adaptive structural flexibility, programmable
control, low operating voltage, and minimal thermal effect. However,
the progression of these textiles is still impeded by the challenges
in the continuous production of these yarn muscles and the necessity
for proper structure designs that bypass operation in extensive electrolyte
environments. Herein, a meters-long sheath-core structured carbon
nanotube (CNT)/nylon composite yarn muscle is continuously prepared.
The nylon core not only reduces the consumption of CNTs but also amplifies
the surface area for interaction between the CNT yarn and the electrolyte,
leading to an enhanced effective actuation volume. When driven electrochemically,
the CNT@nylon yarn muscle demonstrates a maximum contractile stroke
of 26.4%, a maximum contractile rate of 15.8% s–1, and a maximum power density of 0.37 W g–1, surpassing
pure CNT yarn muscles by 1.59, 1.82, and 5.5 times, respectively.
By knitting the electrochemical CNT@nylon artificial muscle yarns
into a soft fabric that serves as both a soft scaffold and an electrolyte
container, we achieved a morphing textile is achieved. This textile
can perform programmable multiple motion modes in air such as contraction
and sectional bending
Knittable Electrochemical Yarn Muscle for Morphing Textiles
Morphing textiles, crafted using electrochemical artificial
muscle
yarns, boast features such as adaptive structural flexibility, programmable
control, low operating voltage, and minimal thermal effect. However,
the progression of these textiles is still impeded by the challenges
in the continuous production of these yarn muscles and the necessity
for proper structure designs that bypass operation in extensive electrolyte
environments. Herein, a meters-long sheath-core structured carbon
nanotube (CNT)/nylon composite yarn muscle is continuously prepared.
The nylon core not only reduces the consumption of CNTs but also amplifies
the surface area for interaction between the CNT yarn and the electrolyte,
leading to an enhanced effective actuation volume. When driven electrochemically,
the CNT@nylon yarn muscle demonstrates a maximum contractile stroke
of 26.4%, a maximum contractile rate of 15.8% s–1, and a maximum power density of 0.37 W g–1, surpassing
pure CNT yarn muscles by 1.59, 1.82, and 5.5 times, respectively.
By knitting the electrochemical CNT@nylon artificial muscle yarns
into a soft fabric that serves as both a soft scaffold and an electrolyte
container, we achieved a morphing textile is achieved. This textile
can perform programmable multiple motion modes in air such as contraction
and sectional bending