On the stable homotopy of a Z₂-Moore space

Silica-germania thin films are important materials for photonic applications, but synthesis of these films is quite difficult to achieve especially with the task of obtaining a homogeneous structure. We have prepared mesoporous silica-germania films via evaporation-induced self-assembly from ethanolic solutions of Si and Ge chlorides, using a triblock copolymer as the templating agent. The mesostructure has been found to have tetragonal symmetry, and the degree of order decreased with increasing Ge content. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has shown that the chemical composition of the films is close to the nominal composition. Infrared analysis has revealed that the pore walls are highly condensed and residual hydroxyls are present as isolated. or hydrogen bonded silanols in short chains. UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence spectra have been correlated with the presence of photoactive oxygen-deficient Ge2+ centers which can give rise to a variation in the refractive index upon high-power density UV irradiation

Solving the riddle of codon usage preferences: a test for translational selection

Translational selection is responsible for the unequal usage of synonymous codons in protein coding genes in a wide variety of organisms. It is one of the most subtle and pervasive forces of molecular evolution, yet, establishing the underlying causes for its idiosyncratic behaviour across living kingdoms has proven elusive to researchers over the past 20 years. In this study, a statistical model for measuring translational selection in any given genome is developed, and the test is applied to 126 fully sequenced genomes, ranging from archaea to eukaryotes. It is shown that tRNA gene redundancy and genome size are interacting forces that ultimately determine the action of translational selection, and that an optimal genome size exists for which this kind of selection is maximal. Accordingly, genome size also presents upper and lower boundaries beyond which selection on codon usage is not possible. We propose a model where the coevolution of genome size and tRNA genes explains the observed patterns in translational selection in all living organisms. This model finally unifies our understanding of codon usage across prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Helicobacter pylori, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Homo sapiens are codon usage paradigms that can be better understood under the proposed model

Integrating sol-gel and carbon dots chemistry for the fabrication of fluorescent hybrid organic-inorganic films

Highly fluorescent blue and green-emitting carbon dots have been designed to be integrated into sol-gel processing of hybrid organic-inorganic materials through surface modification with an organosilane, 3-(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES). The carbon dots have been synthesised using citric acid and urea as precursors; the intense fluorescence exhibited by the nanoparticles, among the highest reported in the scientific literature, has been stabilised against quenching by APTES. When the modification is carried out in an aqueous solution, it leads to the formation of silica around the C-dots and an increase of luminescence, but also to the formation of large clusters which do not allow the deposition of optically transparent films. On the contrary, when the C-dots are modified in ethanol, the APTES improves the stability in the precursor sol even if any passivating thin silica shell does not form. Hybrid films containing APTES-functionalized C-dots are transparent with no traces of C-dots aggregation and show an intense luminescence in the blue and green range

Effective SARS-CoV-2 antiviral activity of hyperbranched polylysine nanopolymers

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) had spread rapidly since December 2019, when it was first identified in Wuhan, China. As of April 2021, more than 130 million cases have been confirmed, with more than 3 million deaths, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in history. Different approaches must be put in place to confront a new pandemic: community-based behaviours (i.e., isolation and social distancing), antiviral treatments, and vaccines. Although behaviour-based actions have produced significant benefits and several efficacious vaccines are now available, there is still an urgent need for treatment options. Remdesivir represents the first antiviral drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for COVID-19 but has several limitations in terms of safety and treatment benefits. There is still a strong request for other effective, safe, and broad-spectrum antiviral systems in light of future emergent coronaviruses. Here, we describe a polymeric nanomaterial derived from l-lysine, with an antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 associated with a good safety profile in vitro. Nanoparticles of hyperbranched polylysine, synthesized by l-lysine's thermal polymerization catalyzed by boric acid, effectively inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 replication. The virucidal activity is associated with the charge and dimension of the nanomaterial, favouring the electrostatic interaction with the viral surface being only slightly larger than the virions' dimensions. Low-cost production and easiness of synthesis strongly support the further development of such innovative nanomaterials as a tool for potential treatments of COVID-19 and, in general, as broad-spectrum antivirals. This journal i

The impact of hyperhidrosis on patients' daily life and quality of life : A qualitative investigation

Background: An understanding of the daily life impacts of hyperhidrosis and how patients deal with them, based on qualitative research, is lacking. This study investigated the impact of hyperhidrosis on the daily life of patients using a mix of qualitative research methods. Methods: Participants were recruited through hyperhidrosis patient support groups such as the Hyperhidrosis Support Group UK. Data were collected using focus groups, interviews and online surveys. A grounded theory approach was used in the analysis of data transcripts. Data were collected from 71 participants, out of an initial 100 individuals recruited. Results: Seventeen major themes capturing the impacts of hyperhidrosis were identified; these covered all areas of life including daily life, psychological well-being, social life, professional /school life, dealing with hyperhidrosis, unmet health care needs and physical impact. Conclusions: Psychosocial impacts are central to the overall impacts of hyperhidrosis, cutting across and underlying the limitations experienced in other areas of life.Peer reviewe

Phosphorescence by Trapping Defects in Boric Acid Induced by Thermal Processing

The phosphorescence of boric acid (BA, H3BO3) at room temperature is a puzzling phenomenon subject to controversial interpretations although the role of structural defects has not yet been considered. Heat treatments of boric acid cause its transformation into the metaboric phase and amorphous boron oxide (B2O3). The structural changes after thermal processing can create defects that become centers of luminescence and recombination channels in the visible range. In the present work, commercial boric acid is thermally processed at different temperatures. Samples treated between 200 and 400 degrees C exhibit remarkable phosphorescence in the visible range. At approximate to 480 and 528 nm, two distinct phosphorescent emissions occur, associated with trapped charge carriers recombinations identified by thermoluminescence (TL) and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR). The structural and optical studies suggest that the activation of boric acid phosphorescence after heat treatment is correlated with the presence of defects. The afterglow results from a trapping and detrapping process, which delays the recombination at the active optical centers. Time-dependent density functional study (DFT) of defective BOH molecules and clusters shows the emergence of near UV and blue optical transitions in absorption. These defects trigger the photoluminescence in thermally processed boric acid samples.Boric acid emits phosphorescence in visible range only after dehydration and melting. Defects activate two distinct phosphorescent emissions, with trapping and detrapping process delaying recombination at active optical centers. Time-dependent density functional study reveals near UV and blue optical transitions in absorption due to oxygen vacancies and non-bridging oxygens, triggering photoluminescence.imag

What Is Italian Antispeciesism? An Overview of Recent Tendencies in Animal Advocacy

This chapter offers an overview of the different agents currently operating in Italy as part of the animal liberation movement. It analyses the impact on this social reality by books and essays published or translated in Italian in the last 20 years in the field of Animal Ethics. From the reception of Peter Singer and Tom Regan\u2019s ideas mediated by the work of Paola Cavalieri, Italian philosophers have shaped the narratives and the rhetoric of animal advocates and liberationists. On the other side, activists\u2019 debates on the best strategies to adopt involved intellectuals and enriched their production on Animal Liberation. Groups with an intersectional approach have paid particular attention to theoretical implications and political consequences of their acts, developing radical, non-anthropocentric forms of antispeciesism

Structure and Luminescence Properties of Eu3+-Doped Cubic Mesoporous Silica Thin Films

Eu3+ ions-doped cubic mesoporous silica thin films with a thickness of about 205 nm were prepared on silicon and glass substrates using triblock copolymer as a structure-directing agent using sol–gel spin-coating and calcination processes. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis show that the mesoporous silica thin films have a highly ordered body-centered cubic mesoporous structure. High Eu3+ ion loading and high temperature calcination do not destroy the ordered cubic mesoporous structure of the mesoporous silica thin films. Photoluminescence spectra show two characteristic emission peaks corresponding to the transitions of5D0-7F1 and 5D0-7F2 of Eu3+ ions located in low symmetry sites in mesoporous silica thin films. With the Eu/Si molar ratio increasing to 3.41%, the luminescence intensity of the Eu3+ ions-doped mesoporous silica thin films increases linearly with increasing Eu3+ concentration