ABSTRACT The escalating threat of multidrug‐resistant bacteria highlights the urgent need for innovative nonantibiotic strategies. Herein, we report a multifunctional smart hydrogel, P(NIPAM‐co‐MAA/OHA)@PDA, engineered for synergistic wound therapy. It was fabricated via one‐pot free‐radical copolymerization of N ‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and methacrylic acid (MAA), with simultaneous incorporation of oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHA) and polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA). The designed hydrogel exhibits dual temperature and pH responsiveness: the PNIPAM network enables thermally triggered bacterial sequestration under physiological temperature conditions (near body temperature), while the MAA component enhances interfacial interactions with bacterial surfaces in the acidic microenvironment of infected wounds. Notably, the as‐prepared hydrogel demonstrates excellent mechanical properties, including a tensile elongation up to 10 times its original length, superior self‐healing capability, and strong tissue adhesion performance. Upon near‐infrared (NIR) irradiation, the embedded PDA nanoparticles efficiently generate localized hyperthermia, which achieves direct and effective ablation of the sequestration pathogens. This unique integration of responsive bacterial sequestration and NIR‐triggered thermal ablation confers a potent synergistic antibacterial effect, with eradication rates exceeding 80% against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . Furthermore, the hydrogel shows excellent biocompatibility and can promote fibroblast proliferation in vitro, highlighting its great potential for clinical wound healing applications.
We present a systematic, computationally efficient approach for synthesizing 3D-printable all-dielectric devices. Inverse-design optimization methods lead to devices of a continuous dielectric constant profile with complex and conformal shapes. However, stereolithography 3D printers have a limited range of materials; usually, only resin and air are available. As the size and complexity of the devices increase, performing simulations of the entire detailed manufacturable device becomes computationally challenging or even prohibitive. We introduce the LOCABINACONN methodology for transforming an optimized device of a continuous material profile to a manufacturable one while preserving performance as close as possible to the continuous case. The LOCABINACONN is a local and computationally efficient methodology where we identify suitable air/resin configurations that will substitute non-manufacturable material components without simulating the entire manufacturable device. This work paves the way for synthesizing optimized larger-scale 3D-printable devices in a computationally tractable manner.
Nonlinear parity-time (PT) symmetry in non-Hermitian wireless power transfer (WPT) systems, while attracting significant attention from both physics and engineering communities, have posed formidable theoretical and practical challenges due to their complex dynamical mechanisms. Here, we revisit multistability in nonlinear non-Hermitian systems and find that the PT-symmetry state is not always stable even in PT-symmetry phase. We report a discovery on a nonlinear clock-pulling mechanism, which can forcibly break the PT symmetry. Proper implementation of this mechanism can switch the system stability, particularly in stabilizing the conventional unstable state which has the maximum transfer efficiency for WPT. Our work offers new tools for non-Hermitian physics and is expected to drive technological progress.
Colloidal self-assembly allows rational design of structures on the micrometer and submicrometer scale. One architecture that can generate complete 3D photonic band gaps is the diamond cubic lattice, which has remained difficult to realize at length scales comparable to the wavelength of visible or ultraviolet light. Here, we demonstrate three-dimensional photonic crystals self-assembled from DNA origami that act as precisely programmable patchy colloids. Our DNA-based nanoscale tetrapods crystallize into a rod-connected diamond cubic lattice with a periodicity of 170 nm. This structure serves as a scaffold for atomic layer deposition of high refractive index materials such as TiO$_2$, yielding a tunable photonic band gap in the near-ultraviolet.
This chapter is devoted to a discussion of applications of nuclear fission. It covers some aspects of the topics of nuclear reactors, nuclear safeguards and non-proliferation, reactor anti-neutrinos and nuclear medicine. It is, however, limited in scope and the reader is encouraged to explore the many other exciting sub-areas of the applications of nuclear fission.
It is shown that quantum illumination with three photons non-Gaussian states, where the signal is described by a two photons state and the idler is described by a one photon state, can outperform in sensitivity standard Gaussian quantum illumination in a high noisy background. In particular, there is a reduction in the probability due to an increase in the probability of error exponent by a factor $1/{N_S}$, where $N_S$ is the average number of photons per mode of the signal state.
Low latency and low power consumption are the main goals for our future networks. Fiber optics are already widely used for their faster speed. We want to investigate if optical decoding has further advantages to reaching future goals. We have investigated and compared the decoding latency and power consumption of an optical chip and its electronic counterpart built with MOSFETs. We have found that optical processing has a speed and power consumption benefit. For future networks and real-time applications, this can bring huge advantages over our current electronic processors.
The combination of interaction-free measurement and the quantum Zeno effect has been shown to both increase the signal-to-noise ratio of imaging, and decrease the light intensity flux through the imaged object. So far though, this has only been considered for discrimination between translucent and opaque areas of an object. In this paper, we extend this to the polarimetry of a given sample. This will allow the identification and characterisation of these samples with far less absorbed energy than current approaches -- a key concern for delicate samples being probed with high-frequency radiation.
Abstract The paper comprises an (s,S) production inventory facility in which multiple vacations and varying service rates are considered for the multiple servers. The arrival of customers constitutes a Markovian Arrival Process (MAP) and service completion times follow the phase type distributions with representations ( α, S ) and ( β, T ) respectively. Manufacturing needs to begin at the moment when the stock position falls to s. Service is offered at a lower rate if the stock level ranges from 0 to s and the service time distribution has the representations (α, η 1 S) and (β, η 2 T ), 0 < η 1, η 2 < 1 respectively. If the stock level reaches the maximum S, production is ceased to operate. 1-limited service policy, Bernoulli service schedule, and Exhaustive service disciplines are considered for the servers. A suitable cost function is outlined as per performance assessment. The impact of negative correlated inter arrival times on cost function is illustrated. Also, a relative study of expected cost function on different service modes is presented.
Spin-polarized fusion has the potential to lower the radiation shielding and ignition requirements for fusion rockets while simultaneously increasing the fusion fuel burnup and provide better momentum coupling to a spacecraft. This potential is estimated using simple, analytic techniques. Both DT and D\textsuperscript{3}He fusion fuels are analyzed.
We use the tridiagonal representation approach to solve the radial Schrödinger equation for an inverse power-law potential of a combined quartic and sextic degrees and for all angular momenta. The amplitude of the quartic singularity is larger than that of the sextic but the signs are negative and positive, respectively. It turns out that the system has a finite number of bound states, which is determined by the larger ratio of the two singularity amplitudes. The solution is written as a finite series of square integrable functions written in terms of the Bessel polynomial.
AbstractIn this study, we investigated the design and construct of a chitosan (CA)‐based targeted gene delivery system and evaluated its function. To this end, CA–folic acid/pDNA (CA–FA/pDNA) nanoparticles were prepared in different formulations using the ion gelation method. All the synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using FTIR, TEM, SEM and DLS. Moreover, the effects of molecular weight (MW) of CA, DNA, and CA concentration were inspected on encapsulation efficiency (EE). The results showed that the EE of pDNA was directly proportional with MW of CA and CA concentration but was in an inverse proportion with DNA concentration. In addition, high MW of CA and low MW of CA nanoparticles showed lower and higher pDNA release in all pH ranges, respectively. It is concluded that the N/P ratio increase can cause controlled pDNA release.
Absorption and scattering of the impinging electromagnetic waves are the two fundamental operations describing the energy exchange of any, organic or inorganic, particle with its environment. In the case of virion cells, substantial extinction power, counting both absorbing and scattering effects, is a prerequisite for performing a variety of coupling actions against the viral particles and, thus, a highly sought-after feature. By considering realistic dispersion for the dielectric permittivity of proteins and a core-shell modeling allowing for rigorous formulation via Mie theory, we report optical extinction resonances for corona-virions at mid-infrared range that are not significantly perturbed by changes in the objects size or the background host. Our findings indicate the optimal regime for interaction of photonic radiation with viral particles and may assist towards the development of equipment for thermal damage, disintegration or neutralization of coronavirus cells.
Beam halo measurements imply measurements of beam profiles with a very high dynamic range, both in transverse and longitudinal planes. This lesson gives an overview of high dynamic range instruments for beam halo measurements. In addition, halo definitions and quantifications in view of beam instrumentation are discussed.
van Son Nguyen, Laurent Badie, Emmanuel Senechault
et al.
This work presents for the first time a flexible over-moded resonator (OMR) based on P(VDF-TrFE) thin films. The devices were manufactured on commercially available elastic substrate with inkjet-printed electrodes. The sensing copolymer films used in the devices were polarized by the corona method after electrode deposition. The main performance parameters of the component were then determined. The manufactured OMRs on P(VDF-TrFE) exhibited a linear variation of frequency versus temperature and a very large value of temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF > 1600 ppm/degrees C). These properties suggest a great potential for using such components as low-cost and high-precision temperature sensors. The electromechanical coupling coefficient and the quality factor of the resonator were also characterized versus temperature.
Waqas W. Ahmed, Mohamed Farhat, Xiangliang Zhang
et al.
Concealing an object from incoming waves (light and/or sound) remained science fiction for a long time due to the absence of wave-shielding materials in nature. Yet, the invention of artificial materials and new physical principles for optical and sound wave manipulation translated this abstract concept into reality by making an object acoustically invisible. Here, we present the notion of a machine learning-driven acoustic cloak and demonstrate an example of such a cloak with a multilayered core-shell configuration. Importantly, we develop deterministic and probabilistic deep learning models based on autoencoder-like neural network structure to retrieve the structural and material properties of the cloaking shell surrounding the object that suppresses scattering of sound in a broad spectral range, as if it was not there. The probabilistic model enhances the generalization ability of design procedure and uncovers the sensitivity of the cloak parameters on the spectral response for practical implementation. This proposal opens up new avenues to expedite the design of intelligent cloaking devices for tailored spectral response and offers a feasible solution for inverse scattering problems.
With the identification of two distinct classes of high affinity, physiologically relevant, ligands for PH domains, it appears reasonable to assume that additional specific high affinity ligands for other PH domains will be identified in the future. It is not clear, however, whether each of the 90 proposed PH domains will have its own specific ligand. Possible candidates for specific PH domain ligands include various inositol polyphosphates, phosphorylated membrane components, as well as specific protein sequences containing phosphorylated tyrosine, serine, threonine, or histidine residues. It appears unlikely that the low affinity interactions of phosphoinositides described for several PH domains are physiologically relevant. It is difficult to imagine why such a large and diverse family of PH domains (with just 10-15% sequence identity) would exist in order to bind with a similar low affinity to PtdInsP2-containing membranes. Rather, we suggest that these interactions represent limited binding to noncognate ligands - the physiologically relevant ligands have yet to be identified. It is likely that many, if not all, PH domains have their own high affinity, cell membrane-associated, ligands and operate according to the paradigms described for the PH domains of PLCδ1 and Shc (Figure 2Figure 2A and Figure 2Figure 2B). The structural homology between PH domains might reflect a particularly stable protein scaffold of β sheets that can present variable ligand-binding loops in a manner analogous to that seen in the immunoglobulin superfamily.