Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Anup Singhania, Satadru Chatterjee, Sudeshna Kalita, Supriya Saha, Prerna Chettri, Firdaus Rahaman Gayen, Biswajit Saha, Pathik Sahoo, Anirban Bandyopadhyay, Subrata Ghosh
Summary: The experiment suggests that double ratchet rotary motors can sustain rotation by harnessing thermal noise as an energy source. The presence of an orbital-level information flow chain between coupled rotors plays a critical role in the motor's noise harvesting and rotational motions.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Thomas Blackwell, W. Tom Stump, Sarah R. Clippinger, Michael J. Greenberg
Summary: Molecular motors in biological processes perform mechanical work through coupling chemical transitions to conformational changes, and disruption of this coupling can lead to diseases. Optical tweezers with nanometer spatial and millisecond temporal resolution have provided valuable insights, but fluctuations due to Brownian motion can make it difficult to precisely resolve conformational changes. Ensemble averaging of individual trajectories is a powerful analysis technique that has improved the ability to accurately measure mechanochemical coupling in motor proteins.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Antoni Marciniak, Pawel Chodnicki, Kazi A. Hossain, Joanna Slabonska, Jacek Czub
Summary: Through all-atom free energy simulations, we reveal the multifunctional role of arginine (R176) in the F-o subcomplex, which determines the direction of rotation, controls the protonation state, and separates the proton-access half-channels, leading to highly efficient energy conversion.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Andrzej Sikora, Adam Zielonka, Marcin Wozniak
Summary: This article presents the optimal method of controlling and supplying a BLDC motor under static load, which was proposed and implemented as a result of research. A research infrastructure was developed to measure and analyze different variables of motor control. The study determined that the lowest energy losses were achieved when the control signals were obtained from an external magnetic disc and the motor was powered by an additional DC/DC converter. The conclusion from the analysis allowed for the selection of the best motor control and power supply, minimizing energy losses during the operation of the BLDC motor.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lukas Rohland, Roman Kityk, Luka Smalinskaite, Matthias P. Mayer
Summary: The 70 kDa heat shock proteins (Hsp70s) are versatile molecular chaperones that assist in protein-folding processes. ATP and cochaperones induce structural rearrangements in Hsp70, with peptides causing larger changes and protein clients being more effective in stimulating ATP hydrolysis. The study provides insights into the mechanics, allostery, and dynamics of Hsp70 chaperones.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Mingyi Liu, Wei-Che Tai, Lei Zuo
Summary: This study introduces the application of an inerter-based two-degree-of-freedom system in vibration energy harvesting, which shows larger power output and wider bandwidth compared to single-degree-of-freedom systems. By optimizing parameters and conducting benchmark tests to validate, it is proven that the inerter-based two-degree-of-freedom system has higher specific power and power-to-stroke ratio.
MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Michio Homma, Seiji Kojima
Summary: This article introduces the functions and regulatory mechanisms of the second messenger c-di-GMP in bacteria, as well as its role in bacterial pathogenicity and flagellar motility in Vibrio spp.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Kankana Paul, Andreas Amann, Saibal Roy
Summary: This study introduces a high power density nonlinear wideband energy harvester using novel tapered spring architectures, providing a sustainable energy source for the Internet of Things applications.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jorge Motta Anjos, Mansueto Gomes Neto, Yuri de Araujo Tapparelli, Gayr Tse, Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai, Yasmin de Souza Lima Bitar, Leonardo Roever, Andre Rodrigues Duraes
Summary: This study assessed the efficacy and safety of early mobilization after thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke. The results showed that early mobilization did not significantly reduce the risk of functional independence and other secondary outcomes within the study period.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yonghong Xu, Hongguang Zhang, Fubin Yang, Liang Tong, Dong Yan, Yifan Yang, Yan Wang, Yuting Wu
Summary: A test bench for a small-scale compressed air energy storage (CAES) system based on a pneumatic motor (PM) is proposed in this study, with experiments conducted to investigate the effects of rotation speed, regulated pressure, and current on key performance parameters. Analysis of the energy efficiency of the PM, generator, and CAES system was also carried out to improve overall energy utilization efficiency. The power output and energy efficiency of the PM and generator increase initially with current and rotation speed, but eventually decrease, with maximum power outputs and efficiencies observed under lab-scale conditions.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Marie-Claire Smith, Benjamin J. Scrivener, Cathy M. Stinear
Summary: This observational study investigated whether lower limb motor-evoked potentials 1 week post-stroke can predict recovery of independent walking at 3 and 6 months post-stroke. The results showed that the presence of lower limb motor-evoked potentials can predict independent walking at 3 and 6 months post-stroke, but clinical factors are more important.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Jitka Veldema, Dennis Alexander Nowak, Alireza Gharabaghi
Summary: Resting motor threshold is closely related to hand motor recovery in stroke patients. Severe hand impairment is associated with suppressed cortical excitability within both hemispheres and with great between-hemispheric imbalance; favorable motor recovery is associated with an increase of ipsilesional motor cortex excitability and reduction of between-hemispheric imbalance; the direction of change depends on the amount of hand motor impairment.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Xin Shi, Anna-Katharina Pumm, Christopher Maffeo, Fabian Kohler, Elija Feigl, Wenxuan Zhao, Daniel Verschueren, Ramin Golestanian, Aleksei Aksimentiev, Hendrik Dietz, Cees Dekker
Summary: In this study, we experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of developing functional synthetic turbines at the nanoscale by rationally designing nanoscale DNA origami turbines. These turbines can utilize transmembrane electrochemical potentials to rotate autonomously and operate in physiological conditions. This research opens new possibilities for engineering active robotics at the nanoscale.
NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Zhen-Zhen Ma, Jia-Jia Wu, Xu-Yun Hua, Mou-Xiong Zheng, Xiang-Xin Xing, Jie Ma, Si-Si Li, Chun-Lei Shan, Jian-Guang Xu
Summary: This study explored the relationship between motor imagery ability and specific modulation of movement-related regions in stroke patients. The results showed that enhanced activations in the contralateral precentral gyrus and postcentral gyrus during motor execution tasks contributed to reversing motor dysfunction in stroke patients. In contrast, inhibition of the contralateral anterior cingulate cortex during motor imagery tasks improved impaired imagery ability.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Rehabilitation
Elissa Embrechts, Thomas B. Mcguckian, Jeffrey M. Rogers, Chris H. Dijkerman, Bert Steenbergen, Peter H. Wilson, Tanja C. W. Nijboer
Summary: This study evaluates the effectiveness of cognitive and motor therapy (CMT) compared to no therapy, motor therapy, or cognitive therapy on motor and cognitive outcomes after stroke. The study found that CMT had positive effects on motor outcomes and cognitive-motor outcomes, but no significant effects compared to motor therapy and cognitive therapy. Additionally, there was no significant difference in outcomes between the two CMT approaches (CMT dual-task and CMT integrated).
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2023)