Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Barbara Mavroidi, Archontia Kaminari, Elias Sakellis, Zili Sideratou, Dimitris Tsiourvas
Summary: This study investigated the effect of carbon dots on a model cell membrane. The results showed that carbon dots interact with liposomes, affecting the structure and thermodynamic properties of the bilayer. Furthermore, carbon dots increased the membrane's permeability to the anticancer drug doxorubicin.
Article
Biophysics
Jan Kobierski, Anita Wnetrzak, Anna Chachaj-Brekiesz, Patrycja Dynarowicz-Latka
Summary: Lipid molecules form the backbone of biological membranes and self-organize into various structures depending on the shape factor or critical packing parameter, CPP. The value of CPP predicts the type of self-assembled structure and affects molecular interactions, playing a significant role in physiological and pathological conditions. Using molecular dynamics, a method has been developed to successfully determine packing parameters for different membrane lipids and amphiphilic molecules.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tuomo Viitaja, Jukka Moilanen, Kirsi Johanna Svedstrom, Filip S. Ekholm, Riku O. Paananen
Summary: The study found that the interaction of different tear film lipid species can improve the evaporation resistance, potentially paving the way for improved dry eye treatments and other applications where water evaporation is a challenge.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Haiyang Zhang, Xuan Feng, Xiuyang Xia, Jiao Zhu, Huaguang Wang, Ran Ni, Zexin Zhang
Summary: The self-assembly of hybrid colloids, driven by chemical concentration gradients generated by photocatalytic reactions, is investigated. Different shapes of the colloids lead to the formation of assemblies with distinct lattice structures, validated by computer simulations. Moreover, the assemblies transition from lattices to chains as the attraction between the colloids increases. These findings demonstrate the unique capability of photoresponsive hybrid colloids in shape-dependent self-assembly, offering a practical and versatile approach to control self-assembly at the microscale.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Miguel Paez-Perez, Marina K. Kuimova
Summary: This review discusses the principles and advances in the use of fluorescent molecular probes known as molecular rotors for exploring viscosity, crowding, and molecular interactions in biological environments. These probes have been employed as sensors for lipid order, protein crowding, temperature, and non-canonical nucleic acid structures in live cells and other relevant settings.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wesley Flavell, Andreas Neophytou, Angela Demetriadou, Tim Albrecht, Dwaipayan Chakrabarti
Summary: This article presents a method for programmed self-assembly of single colloidal gyroid crystals using rationally designed patchy spheres. The single colloidal gyroid has a wide photonic bandgap and rich chiroptical properties, making it an attractive chiral photonic crystal.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Johannes Menath, Jack Eatson, Robert Brilmayer, Annette Andrieu-Brunsen, D. Martin A. Buzza, Nicolas Vogel
Summary: Researchers have successfully designed two-dimensional assemblies with structural complexity by utilizing the distinct interfacial morphology of soft particles. They found that core-shell particles can form complex chain and cluster structures under interfacial compression. Through a combination of experimental, simulation, and theoretical analysis, the interaction parameter of the system was narrowed down to between 0.9 and 2.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Martin Kern, Sabrina Jaeger-Honz, Falk Schreiber, Bjorn Sommer
Summary: Molecular dynamics simulations provide insights into complex processes in cell membranes, and APL@Voro is a software that allows for interactive visualization and analysis of these simulations. It offers newly implemented algorithms and features to explore cell membrane compositions and dynamics.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexander Hensley, William M. Jacobs, W. Benjamin Rogers
Summary: DNA-coated colloids can self-assemble into various crystal structures, and we have used microfluidics to quantify the kinetics of crystallization. Our study shows that classical theories can accurately predict nucleation and growth rates, and we have successfully designed large single crystals with specific structural coloration.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Joao Moreno, Luis M. S. Loura, Jorge Martins, Armindo Salvador, Adrian Velazquez-Campoy
Summary: This review article discusses various methods and formalisms for analyzing the equilibrium distribution of ligands in the presence of proteins, lipid membranes, or both, with special attention to common pitfalls and validity limits of different approaches. The analysis of ligand binding through Stern-Volmer plots of protein fluorescence quenching is emphasized for its widespread use in characterizing interactions. Different systems of increasing complexity are considered, from proteins with single to multiple binding sites to membrane proteins in lipid bilayers.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daichi Hayakawa, Thomas E. Videbaek, Douglas M. Hall, Huang Fang, Christian Sigl, Elija Feigl, Hendrik Dietz, Seth Fraden, Michael F. Hagan, Gregory M. Grason, W. Benjamin Rogers
Summary: This article explores new design principles for making self-limiting architectures using self-assembly. The authors use DNA origami to create triangular subunits with specific interactions and binding angles, and study their assembly into tubules with a self-limited width. They demonstrate that the tubules can reach significant lengths and that their width can be controlled through geometric programming. They also find that the width and chirality of the tubules can be manipulated by increasing the number of subunit species. These findings provide insights into the role of assembly complexity and geometry in self-limiting assembly and have potential applications in other self-limiting architectures.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gabriel Cossio, Raul Barbosa, Brian Korgel, Edward T. Yu
Summary: An innovative aerosolized method for self-assembling nano and microparticle monolayers is presented. The technique demonstrates high self-assembly rates and new physical mechanisms governing the process. It has the potential to greatly increase production efficiency and reduce costs for submicron nanomanufacturing.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Guanying Li, Xunwu Hu, Pingping Nie, Dingze Mang, Shi Jiao, Shijin Zhang, Sona Rani Roy, Sachie Yukawa, Shunsuke Asahina, Hiroaki Sugasawa, William Cortes, Zhaocai Zhou, Ye Zhang
Summary: The study introduced a molecular self-assembly technology that selectively halts cancer cell proliferation by inactivating the oncoprotein YAP. This technology targets the accumulation of ALPP and utilizes nanostructures specifically on lipid rafts of ovarian cancer cells to exert potent anti-proliferative effects.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Francisco Ramos-Martin, Claudia Herrera-Leon, Viviane Antonietti, Pascal Sonnet, Catherine Sarazin, Nicola D'Amelio
Summary: K11 is a synthetic peptide that shows potential for excellent antibacterial properties, selectively destabilizing bacterial biomimetic membranes and torqueing the surface of their bilayers. This may indicate additional biological activities.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Majid Jafari, Faramarz Mehrnejad, Reza Talandashti, Farahnoosh Doustdar, Mohammad Reza Vakili, Afsaneh Lavasanifar
Summary: This study simulated 15 molecular systems to characterize the interactions between PAMAM dendrimers and membranes with different cholesterol ratios, explaining the structural features and geometry of their activity against cancer cells. The results demonstrated that cholesterol content in the membranes influenced the local membrane order parameters, and the dendrimers were able to create holes in cholesterol-containing membranes through hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions. Additionally, negatively charged phospholipids in cancer cell membranes played a crucial role in binding with the dendrimers, providing mechanistic insight into their activity against cancer cells.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Ryan Sayko, Zilu Wang, Heyi Liang, Matthew L. Becker, Andrey Dobrynin
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Zilu Wang, Ming Zhang, Fei Tuo, Zhenzhen Zhang, Juncheng Liang
APPLIED RADIATION AND ISOTOPES
(2020)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Heguang Liu, Ruixuan Jing, Zilu Wang, Caiyin You
Summary: A strategy of introducing mesoporous carbon (MPC) to obtain a FeS2/MPC composite electrode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) was proposed in this study, resulting in a significant improvement in electrochemical performance compared to pristine FeS2. The discharge capacity of the composite electrode reached 650 mAh g(-1) at 0.5 C current density, demonstrating its potential for practical applications.
MRS COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shannon R. Petersen, Hannah Prydderch, Joshua C. Worch, Connor J. Stubbs, Zilu Wang, Jiayi Yu, Maria C. Arno, Andrey Dobrynin, Matthew L. Becker, Andrew P. Dove
Summary: This study reports the synthesis of ultra-tough, reprocessable elastomers based on linear alternating polymers. The incorporation of a rigid isohexide adjacent to urethane moieties results in elastomers with exceptional mechanical properties and optical transparency. Isosorbide-based elastomers exhibit superior tensile strength and strain recovery.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Connor J. Stubbs, Joshua C. Worch, Hannah Prydderch, Zilu Wang, Robert T. Mathers, Andrey Dobrynin, Matthew L. Becker, Andrew P. Dove
Summary: Stereochemistry in polymers plays a significant role in controlling the mechanical and physical properties of materials. This study demonstrates that stereochemical differences in sugar-based monomers can result in a family of nonsegmented, alternating polyurethanes with exceptional properties. The behavior of these polymers is defined by distinct intra- and interchain supramolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions. The chemical similarity among these polymers allows for independent control over degradability and mechanical properties through statistical copolymerization and blending.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Correction
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Connor J. Stubbs, Joshua C. Worch, Hannah Prydderch, Zilu Wang, Robert T. Mathers, Andrey V. Dobrynin, Matthew L. Becker, Andrew P. Dove
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Correction
Chemistry, Physical
Qiuzhi Zhang, Rui Xu, Di Kan, Xuehao He
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Sean T. McDermott, Shawn P. Ward, Ngoc Chau H Vy, Zilu Wang, Mayra Daniela Morales-Acosta, Andrey Dobrynin, Douglas H. Adamson
Summary: Passing-through polymerization is a method for synthesizing thicker and more densely packed polymer brushes by diffusing monomers through a functionalized surface. The study used computer simulations and experiments to demonstrate the implementation of this method and observed some unique phenomena.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Longyan Wang, Junhang Xie, Wei Luo, Zilu Wang, Bowen Zhang, Meng Chen, Andy C. C. Tan
Summary: This study investigates the effectiveness of three machine/deep learning algorithms (artificial neural network, convolutional neural network, and U-shape neural network) in constructing wind turbine wake modeling. By adopting the spatial-segmentation technique, the prediction error of wake velocity can be significantly reduced. Among the selected network structures, the artificial neural network has the best prediction performance. However, the prediction error of turbulence intensity field is higher but still fairly accurate for the far wake prediction.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES AND ASSESSMENTS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Shuya Xing, Linlu Wu, Zilu Wang, Xu Chen, Haining Liu, Shuo Han, Le Lei, Linwei Zhou, Qi Zheng, Li Huang, Xiao Lin, Shanshan Chen, Liming Xie, Xiaolong Chen, Hong-Jun Gao, Zhihai Cheng, Jiangang Guo, Shancai Wang, Wei Ji
Summary: This study investigates the electronic properties of a rationally designed superatomic crystal ATS through a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches. The results reveal the presence of anisotropic triple-cube charge density wave and polarized metallic states at lower temperatures. These findings not only provide a microscopic picture of the interweaved charge order and polarized states in ATS superatomic crystals, but also have implications for expanding the category of quantum materials to noncovalent solids.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Longyan Wang, Jian Xu, Zilu Wang, Bowen Zhang, Zhaohui Luo, Jianping Yuan, Andy C. C. Tan
Summary: This paper presents a novel static fluid-structure interaction (FSI) tool based on deep learning to cost-efficiently analyze the fluid-structure coupling of a hydrofoil. By adopting a convolutional neural network (CNN) to predict the fluid force and finite element method (FEM) to solve the solid structure response, a new CNN-FEM framework with an iterative scheme for solving the FSI problem is developed. The results show that this method yields extremely close prediction results and is 100 times more computationally efficient than the commercially developed software (Ansys Workbench).
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yi Shi, Xuehao He
Summary: The tacticity and sequence of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) have impacts on the lower critical solution temperature and phase separation degree in aqueous solution. The isotactic triad plays an important role in the thermosensitive behaviors of the PNIPAM pentamer.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Zilu Wang, Yuan Tian, Andrey V. Dobrynin
Summary: This research focuses on the swelling and deformation of polyelectrolyte gels. It is found that the swelling ratio of polyelectrolyte gels first increases and then decreases with increasing deformation ratio. The location of the maximum swelling ratio shifts towards larger deformations with increasing salt concentration and decreasing fraction of charged groups.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Wenhua Song, Lingxiao Zhao, Xuchuan Wu, Zilu Wang, Qingxin Liu, Man Li, Huan Ma, Pengfei Ding, G. -D. Gu, G. -F. Chen, S. -C. Wang
Summary: In this study, the temperature evolution of the band structures of ZrTe5 was investigated using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Two distinct types of band shift with temperature were observed. By assuming ZrTe5 is a semiconductor with a limited amount of impurities, the discrepancies in band structures and the controversial results on temperature-dependent band shifts were explained in a unified picture.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Zilu Wang, Qiangwei Yin, Shaohua Yan, Linlu Wu, Xuchuan Wu, Man Li, Wenhua Song, Qingxin Liu, Huan Ma, Wei Ji, Hechang Lei, Shancai Wang
Summary: High-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy was used to investigate the 3D charge-density wave transition in 1T-VSe2, revealing comprehensive evidence of 3D Fermi surface nesting. The variation in photon energy led to observations of Fermi surface warping and nesting conditions along the K-z direction. The larger value of 2 Delta/k(B)T(c) = 14.76 and gap correspondence suggest a combined effort in the formation of CDW in this material beyond the weak-coupling region.
