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Wearable Spiders: A genuine Mechatronic Form of help Exoskeleton for Assistive along with Rehabilitative Reasons.
Tin perovskites suffer from poor stability and a self-doping effect. To solve this problem, we synthesized novel tin perovskites based on superhalide with varied ratios of tetrafluoroborate to iodide and implemented them into solar cells based on a mesoscopic carbon-electrode architecture because film formation was an issue in applying this material for a planar heterojunction device structure. We undertook quantum-chemical calculations based on plane-wave density functional theory (DFT) methods and explored the structural and electronic properties of tin perovskites FASnI3-x(BF4)x in the series x = 0, 1, 2, and 3. We found that only the x = 2 case, FASnI(BF4)2, was successfully produced, beyond the standard FASnI3. The electrochemical impedance and X-ray photoelectron spectra indicate that the addition of tin tetrafluoroborate instead of SnI2 suppressed trap-assisted recombination by decreasing the Sn4+ content. The power conversion efficiency of the FASnI(BF4)2 device with FAI and Sn(BF4)2 in an equimolar ratio improved 72% relative to that of a standard FASnI3 solar cell, with satisfactory photostability under ambient air conditions.Nanoimprint lithography presents a new strategy for preparing uniform nanostructures with predefined sizes and shapes and has the potential for developing nanosized drug delivery systems. However, the current nanoimprint lithography is a type of an additive nanofabrication method that has limited potential due to its restricted template-dependent innate character. Herein, we have developed a novel subtractive UV-nanoimprint lithography (sUNL) for the scalable fabrication of PLGA nanostructures with variable sizes for the first time. sUNL can not only fabricate a variety of predefined nanostructures by simply utilizing different nanoimprint molds but also precisely prepare scalable nanocylinders with different length to diameter ratios. Particularly, sUNL can fabricate paclitaxel-loaded PLGA nanocylinders (PTX-PLGA NCs) with high drug-loading rate of 40% and long storage stability over a year. We demonstrate that PTX-PLGA NCs target clathrin- and caveolae-mediated cell transport pathways and display increased cellular uptake, in comparison to traditional PTX-loaded PLGA nanoparticles (PTX-PLGA NPs), leading to enhanced anticancer effects. Therefore, sUNL represents a promising nanofabrication method for efficiently developing predefined drug delivery systems.Surface wettability regulation plays a crucial role in antifouling and related applications. For regulating surface wettability, one of the effective approaches is to modulate the surface charge distribution. Herein, we report a theoretical study for unraveling the mechanistic relation between surface charge distribution and ionic substrate wettability. Specifically, acetonitrile liquids at ambient condition in contact with various ionic substrates are considered. At different surface charge distributions, the interfacial thermodynamic properties are investigated by means of molecular density functional theory. We find that the variation of the spatial interval among the discrete charges strongly alters the substrate-acetonitrile interaction and leads to an oscillation in the interfacial tension, indicating that the substrate can be tuned from a solvophobic one to a solvophilic one. This trend can be further enhanced by increasing the charge quantity. learn more The underlying mechanisms are extensively discussed and expatiated. Our work provides theoretical guidance to engineer and regulate surface wettability.Kinetoplastid membrane protein-11 (KMP-11), expressed in all stages of leishmanial life cycle, is considered a potential candidate for leishmaniasis vaccine. KMP-11 is found on the membrane surface of the parasite. Although the biological function of KMP-11 is unknown, we hypothesize from its sequence analysis that it may interact with the macrophage membrane and may influence the entry process of the parasite into the host cell. To validate this hypothesis, we have investigated the interaction of KMP-11 with unilamellar anionic phospholipid vesicles and explored its pore-forming activity. The decrease in negative ζ-potential of the vesicles and reduction in the fluorescence intensity of membrane-bound dye DiI C-18 suggest a strong association of KMP-11 with the membrane. The fluorescence leakage experiment as well as phase contrast microscopy shows direct evidence of KMP-11-induced pore formation in an anionic membrane. Incorporation of cholesterol into the membrane has been found to inhibit pore formation induced by KMP-11, suggesting an important role of cholesterol in leishmaniasis. Interestingly, vesicles containing only neutral phospholipid do not exhibit any tendency toward pore formation.OSW-1, a unique steroidal saponin isolated from the bulbs of Ornithogalum saundersiae, has potent cell-growth inhibition activity. In this study, we conducted fluorescence measurements and microscopic observations using palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC)-cholesterol (Chol) bilayers to evaluate the membrane-binding affinity of OSW-1 in comparison with another steroidal saponin, digitonin, and the triterpenoid saponin, soyasaponin Bb(I). The membrane activities of these saponins were evaluated using calcein leakage assays and fitted to the binding isotherm by changing the ratios of saponin-lipids. Digitonin showed the highest binding affinity for the POPC-Chol membrane (Kapp = 0.38 μM-1) and the strongest membrane disruptivity in the bound saponin-lipid ratio at the point of 50% calcein leakage (r50 = 0.47) occurrence. OSW-1 showed slightly lower activity (Kapp = 0.31 μM-1; r50 = 0.78), and the soyasaponin was the lowest in the membrane affinity and the calcein leakage activity (Kapp = 0.017 μM-1; r50 = 1.66). The effect of OSW-1 was further assessed using confocal microscopy in an experiment utilizing DiI and rhodamine 6G as the fluorescence probes. The addition of 30 μM OSW-1 induced inward membrane curvature in some giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). At the higher OSW-1 concentration (58 μM, r50 = 0.78) where the 50% calcein leakage was observed, the morphology of some GUVs became elongated. With digitonin at the corresponding concentration (35 μM, r50 = 0.47), membrane disruption and formation of large aggregates in aqueous solution were observed, probably due to a detergent-type mechanism. These saponins, including OSW-1, required Chol to exhibit their potent membrane activity although their mechanisms are thought to be different. At the effective concentration, OSW-1 preferably binds to the bilayers without prominent disruption of vesicles and exerts its activity through the formation of saponin-Chol complexes, probably resulting in membrane permeabilization.
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