Morphology Of Aggregates Research Articles

Elucidating the Functional Mechanism of PTK7 in Cancer Development through Spatial Assembly Analysis Using Super Resolution Imaging.

Protein tyrosine kinase-7 (PTK7) has been reported as a vital participant in the Wnt signaling pathway, influencing tumorigenesis and metastasis. However, their specific roles in the mechanisms underlying cancer development and progression remain elusive. Here, using direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) with aptamer-probe labeling, we first revealed that a weakening clustering distribution of PTK7 on the basal membranes happened as cellular migration increased during cancer progression. This correspondence was further supported by a diminished aggregated state of PTK7 caused by direct enhancement of cell migration. By comparing the alterations in PTK7 distribution with activation or inhibition of specific Wnt signaling pathway, we speculated that PTK7 could modulate cell migration by participating in the interplay between canonical Wnt (in MCF7 cells) and noncanonical Wnt signals (in MDA-MB-231 cells). Furthermore, we discovered that the spatial distribution morphology of PTK7 was also subject to the hydrolysis ability and activation state of the related hydrolase Matrix metallopeptidase14 (MMP14). This function-related specific assembly of PTK7 reveals a clear relationship between PTK7 and cancer. Meanwhile, potential molecular interactions predicted by the apparent assembly morphology can promote a deep understanding of the functional mechanism of PTK7 in cancer progress.

Biomechanical functions analysis of the Mallard webbed foot: A study of macroscopic and microscopic material assembly and tendon morphology

The mallard webbed foot represents an exemplary model of biomechanical efficiency in avian locomotion. This study delves into the intricate material assembly and tendon morphology of the mallard webbed foot, employing both macroscopic and microscopic analyses. Through histological slices and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we scrutinized the coupling assembly of rigid and flexible materials such as skin, tendon, and bone, while elucidating the biomechanical functions of tendons across various segments of the tarsometatarsophalangeal joint (TMTPJ). The histological examination unveiled a complex structural hierarchy extending from the external integument to the skeletal framework. Notably, the bone architecture, characterized by compact bone and honeycombed trabeculae, showcases a harmonious blend of strength and lightweight design. Tendons, traversing the phalangeal periphery, surrounded by elastic fibers, collagen fibers, and fat tissue. Fat chambers beneath the phalanx, filled with adipocytes, provide effective buffering, enabling the phalanx to withstand gravity, provide support, and facilitate locomotion. Furthermore, SEM analysis provided insights into the intricate morphology and arrangement of collagen fiber bundles within tendons. Flexor tendons in proximal and middle TMTPJ segments adopt a wavy-type, facilitating energy storage and release during weight-bearing activities. In contrast, distal TMTPJ flexor tendons assume a linear-type, emphasizing force transmission across phalangeal interfaces. Similarly, extensor tendons demonstrate segment-specific arrangements tailored to their respective biomechanical roles, with wavy-type in proximal and distal segments for energy modulation and linear-type in middle segments for enhanced force transmission and tear resistance. Overall, our findings offer a comprehensive understanding of the mallard webbed foot's biomechanical prowess, underscoring the symbiotic relationship between material composition, tendon morphology, and locomotor functionality. This study not only enriches our knowledge of avian biomechanics but also provides valuable insights for biomimetic design and tissue engineering endeavors.

Supramolecular structure design of block copolymer by combining 3D confined self-assembly with selective disassembly

3D confined self-assembly (3D-CSA) of block copolymer (BCP) is a significant way to generate polymer microparticles with ordered internal suprastructures. Subsequent selective disassembly of the suprastructures can lead to the formation of unique anisotropic micelles or mesoporous microparticles, which can be hardly achieved by solution self-assembly or disassembly of bulk suprastructures. These micelles or mesoporous microparticles and their composites with functional molecules/nanoparticles have great potential in interfacial compatibilization, catalysis, controlled drug delivery and other fields, thus arising increasing attention in recent years. In this review, we first briefly discuss the influence factors, particularly, packing parameter and interfacial selectivity on morphology of BCP assemblies under 3D confinement. Then, we emphasize recent progress in selective disassembly of BCP microparticles into anisotropic micelles or mesoporous microparticles and derived composites. Finally, the outlook and challenges of this direction are highlighted.

Effective density and packing of compacted soot aggregates

The mass concentration of soot aggregates is often estimated from mobility size distributions using a mobility-based effective density, ρeff. This ρeff changes with aggregate morphology. In particular, the ρeff of a soot core increases when it becomes compacted by the surface tension of condensing coatings, such as combustion-related vapours, secondary aerosols, and cloud water. The extent of this compaction is a function of coating volume, up to an asymptotic limit of complete compaction. While complete compaction has previously been shown to correspond to a universal, scale-invariant packing factor for sufficiently large aggregates, it has not previously been explicitly quantified. Here, we critically reanalyze multiple datasets compiled from the literature on the ρeff of completely compact soot. We show that, regardless of the coating material, soot aggregates generally become completely compacted following a 5-fold increase in volume. The final aggregate shape is more simply described by ρeff than by mobility diameter or shape factor. Below 140 nm diameter (about 20 aggregate monomers), the compacted ρeff obeys a power law; above 140 nm, it reaches a constant value of 651 ± 8 kg m−3. This ρeff is 3 times larger than that of freshly-produced soot at 140 nm. We provide a parameterization of the compacted ρeff for the estimation of soot mass concentration after coating, or, conversely, for use as a benchmark to estimate the extent of aggregate restructuring. Our parameterization can be easily adapted to other nanoparticle aggregates whose material density is known.

Tuning the Chirality Evolution in Achiral Subnanometer Systems by Judicious Control of Molecule Interactions.

Chirality evolution from molecule levels to the nanoscale in an achiral system is a fundamental issue that remains undiscovered. Here, we report the assembly of polyoxometalate (POM) clusters into chiral subnanostructures in achiral systems by programmable single-molecule interactions. Driven by the competing binding of Ca2+ and surface ligands, POM assemblies would twist into helical nanobelts, nanorings, and nanotubes with tunable helicity. Chiral molecules can be used to differentiate the formation energies of chiral isomers and immobilize the homochiral isomer, where strong circular dichroism (CD) signals are obtained in both solutions and films. Chiral helical nanobelts can be used as circularly polarized light (CPL) photodetectors due to their distinct chiroptic responsivity for right and left CPL. By the fine-tuning of interactions at single-molecule levels, the morphology and CD spectra of helical assemblies can be precisely controlled, providing an atomic precision model for investigation of the structure-chirality relationship and chirality manipulation at the nanoscale.

Aggregation state manipulation of small-molecule iron-based coagulant hydrolysates for efficient nanoplastics removal

The pH value significantly influences the aggregation state of coagulant hydrolysis products, thereby impacting coagulation performance. However, prevailing methods primarily focus on regulating the initial pH of water bodies before coagulation (pre-coagulation pH regulation), posing challenges in controlling the aggregation morphology of coagulant hydrolysates and resulting in suboptimal NPs removal efficiency and elevated residual coagulant levels in water. In this study, we herein propose a novel in-coagulation pH regulation approach to manipulate the aggregation states of Fe3+-based hydrolysates, thereby markedly enhancing the NP removal efficiency. Specifically, the Fe3+ coagulant exhibits exceptional coagulation performance at a low dosage of 0.1 ∼ 0.2 mM, achieving removal efficiencies of 97.6 % and 93.5 % for polystyrene NPs with sizes of 500 nm and 100 nm, respectively. Moreover, the post-coagulation and sedimentation supernatant shows an ultralow residual Fe concentration of less than 0.1 mg/L, compliant with Chinese drinking water sanitary standards (GB 5749–2022). Such outstanding performance can be attributed to the structural transformation of Fe3+ hydrolysates from the low-branching linear structure to the high-branching cross-linked network, shifting the coagulation mechanism from the adsorption bridge to sweep coagulation, thus significantly enhancing coagulation efficiency. Furthermore, this strategy proves applicable to the Al3+ coagulants, indicating its great potential for practical implementation in drinking water treatment.

Formation of Calprotectin Inhibits Amyloid Aggregation of S100A8 and S100A9 Proteins.

Calcium-binding S100A8 and S100A9 proteins play a significant role in various disorders due to their pro-inflammatory functions. Substantially, they are also relevant in neurodegenerative disorders via the delivery of signals for the immune response. However, at the same time, they can aggregate and accelerate the progression of diseases. Natively, S100A8 and S100A9 exist as homo- and heterodimers, but upon aggregation, they form amyloid-like oligomers, fibrils, or amorphous aggregates. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the aggregation propensities of S100A8, S100A9, and their heterodimer calprotectin by investigating aggregation kinetics, secondary structures, and morphologies of the aggregates. For the first time, we followed the in vitro aggregation of S100A8, which formed spherical aggregates, unlike the fibrillar structures of S100A9 under the same conditions. The aggregates were sensitive to amyloid-specific ThT and ThS dyes and had a secondary structure composed of β-sheets. Similarly to S100A9, S100A8 protein was stabilized by calcium ions, resulting in aggregation inhibition. Finally, the formation of S100A8 and S100A9 heterodimers stabilized the proteins in the absence of calcium ions and prevented their aggregation.

Single‐Molecule Characterization and Super‐Resolution Imaging of Alzheimer's Disease‐Relevant Tau Aggregates in Human Samples

AbstractHyperphosphorylation and aggregation of the protein tau play key roles in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). While the molecular structure of the filamentous tau aggregates has been determined to atomic resolution, there is far less information available about the smaller, soluble aggregates, which are believed to be more toxic. Traditional techniques are limited to bulk measures and struggle to identify individual aggregates in complex biological samples. To address this, we developed a novel single‐molecule pull‐down‐based assay (MAPTau) to detect and characterize individual tau aggregates in AD and control post‐mortem brain and biofluids. Using MAPTau, we report the quantity, as well as the size and circularity of tau aggregates measured using super‐resolution microscopy, revealing AD‐specific differences in tau aggregate morphology. By adapting MAPTau to detect multiple phosphorylation markers in individual aggregates using two‐color coincidence detection, we derived compositional profiles of the individual aggregates. We find an AD‐specific phosphorylation profile of tau aggregates with more than 80 % containing multiple phosphorylations, compared to 5 % in age‐matched non‐AD controls. Our results show that MAPTau is able to identify disease‐specific subpopulations of tau aggregates phosphorylated at different sites, that are invisible to other methods and enable the study of disease mechanisms and diagnosis.

Single-Molecule Characterization and Super-Resolution Imaging of Alzheimer's Disease-Relevant Tau Aggregates in Human Samples.

Hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of the protein tau play key roles in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). While the molecular structure of the filamentous tau aggregates has been determined to atomic resolution, there is far less information available about the smaller, soluble aggregates, which are believed to be more toxic. Traditional techniques are limited to bulk measures and struggle to identify individual aggregates in complex biological samples. To address this, we developed a novel single-molecule pull-down-based assay (MAPTau) to detect and characterize individual tau aggregates in AD and control post-mortem brain and biofluids. Using MAPTau, we report the quantity, as well as the size and circularity of tau aggregates measured using super-resolution microscopy, revealing AD-specific differences in tau aggregate morphology. By adapting MAPTau to detect multiple phosphorylation markers in individual aggregates using two-color coincidence detection, we derived compositional profiles of the individual aggregates. We find an AD-specific phosphorylation profile of tau aggregates with more than 80 % containing multiple phosphorylations, compared to 5 % in age-matched non-AD controls. Our results show that MAPTau is able to identify disease-specific subpopulations of tau aggregates phosphorylated at different sites, that are invisible to other methods and enable the study of disease mechanisms and diagnosis.

Optical modeling of atmospheric black carbon aerosol ensembles with complex particle morphology

Black carbon (BC) aerosol is one of the most important factor in global warming. BC radiative forcing remains unconstrained, mainly because of the uncertain parameterizations of its absorption and scattering properties in the atmosphere. The single sphere model is widely used in current climate assessment of BC aerosols due to its computational convenience, however, their complex morphologies in particle level are excessively simplified which leads to computed inaccuracy. In this study, we present a dynamic model for optical calculations of BC aerosol ensembles considering their complex fractal aggregate morphologies with the constraint of max monomer numbers (N s, max) and radius (a max). We show that the simulation accuracy of the dynamic model with suitable values of N s, max and a max may achieve ∼95% while the computation time may reduce to ∼6%. We find that optical properties of BC aerosol ensembles can be simulated for higher accuracy or faster calculation by performing different selections of monomer numbers and radius in their size distributions. This method enables extensive and accurate optical calculations of BC particles with complex morphologies, which would be useful for the remote sensing inversion and the assessment of climate.

Study on hardness and corrosion resistance of Co-Mo-P/ZrO2 composite coating electrodeposited on Q345 steel

Co-Mo-P/ZrO2 composite coating was prepared on the surface of Q345 steel by electrodeposition technology, and the effect of different ZrO2 particle concentrations on the surface morphology, chemical composition, thickness, microstructure and mechanical properties of the composite coating was investigated. The results show that different composite coatings prepared by changing the concentration of ZrO2 particles in the bath show aggregated cellular surface morphology, which is composed of Co, Mo, P, Zr, and O elements. With the concentration of ZrO2 particles increasing from 4 g/L to 20 g/L, the average grain size and the amount of ZrO2 particles incorporated both decrease first and then increase. Moreover, along with the increase in concentration of ZrO2 particles, the hardness and scratch resistance of the composite coating both show a trend of increasing first and then decreasing. However, changing the concentration of ZrO2 particles has no obvious effect on the grain structure and growth orientation of the composite coating. When the concentration of ZrO2 particles is 12 g/L, the surface of the composite coating is relatively dense with an average grain size of 40.78 nm and (200) crystal face preferred orientation. More ZrO2 particles are incorporated on the surface and boundary of the grain aggregation, which plays an obvious dispersion strengthening effect. The hardness of the composite coating reaches 580.2 HV, showing good scratch and corrosion resistance.

Significant contribution of fractal morphology to aerosol light absorption in polluted environments dominated by black carbon (BC)

In recent years, researchers have emphasized the use of fractal aggregate morphology instead of the core-shell morphology in global climate models for estimating black carbon (BC) forcing. This study confirms that fractal morphology plays an important role in reducing the overestimation of aerosol light absorption calculations in the case of an urban polluted environment. During periods of high anthropogenic BC emissions at Delhi, the particle light absorption is overestimated by 50 to 200% by assumptions of both external mixing and internal core-shell mixing. While incorporating the aggregate morphology model into light absorption simulations is beneficial in such cases, it comes with a high computational burden. To address this, we propose a metric known as morphology index (MI). This index distributes the weightage between the two extreme cases of core-shell and fractal aggregate to obtain accurate particle light absorption. Long-range transported aerosols were estimated to have an MI of 0.78, and fresh local emissions had an MI of 0.48. A BC-based aerosol classification approach was developed to determine the most relevant particle size mode for light absorption. The method is based on patterns found between the correlations of the BC mass concentrations and aerosol number concentrations at the different particles sizes (BC-size correlation spectra). BC-size correlation spectra are introduced as a concept that may be used (i) independently to understand the size-dependent heterogeneous distribution of aerosol light absorption and (ii) in conjunction with MI to accurately model the optical properties of aerosols in different BC regimes.

Study on the influence of coarse aggregate morphology on the meso-mechanical properties of asphalt mixtures using discrete element method

To investigate the influence of coarse aggregate morphologies on the performance of asphalt mixture, three discrete element models with different coarse aggregate morphologies were proposed in this study. Skeleton contact characteristics, skeleton contact stress, coarse aggregate movement characteristics, interfacial stress distribution, and micro-crack development characteristics with different coarse aggregate morphologies were compared and analyzed. The results indicate that there is often 40%–50% of compressive stress at the coarse aggregate contact point, 10%–20% of tensile stress, and 30%–40% of tensile and compressive mixed stress. Aggregate morphology has a more significant impact on the contact area than it does on the type of stress at the contact point or the number of main skeleton contact points. Contact stress, coarse aggregate movement, and crack development in the asphalt mixture are all greatly influenced by coarse aggregate morphologies. More needle-flake aggregates result in less contact stress, more coarse aggregate movement displacement, and faster asphalt mixture cracking. Shear stress makes up the majority of the micro-cracks that are caused by induced stress in asphalt mixture; tensile stress micro-cracks are quite minor, making up around 10% of the total number of micro-cracks. In order to increase the aggregate–asphalt interface qualities and the crack resistance of the asphalt mixture, it is important to avoid using too much needle-flake coarse aggregate. The findings can provide guidance for the choice of raw materials and mix ratios for asphalt pavement design, improving the asphalt mixture's meso-mechanics and macroscopic road performance.

Dissimilar effects of the hydrophilic carbon dots on the amyloid aggregation of two model proteins and the mechanism discussion.

Many proteins could aggregate into amyloid fibrils under certain conditions. However, the aggregation process and morphology of the fibrils may be significantly different because of the distinct protein structure. In this article, the hydrophilic carbon dots (Lys-CA-CDs) were prepared using lysine (Lys) and citric acid (CA) as reactant under the assistance of a microwave. The dissimilar modulation effect of Lys-CA-CDs on the aggregation process of distinct structure protein was further investigated, where bovine serum albumin (BSA) and hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) were chosen as model proteins. All results showed that Lys-CA-CDs displayed the contrary influence on the aggregation process of BSA and HEWL. Lys-CA-CDs could induce BSA to aggregate into more wormlike fibrils and inhibit the aggregation of HEWL into hair-like fibrils. The influence on the aggregation process of BSA may be assigned to the increased concentration of BSA around the Lys-CA-CDs caused by their interaction. However, inserting of Lys-CA-CDs into the inner structure of HEWL led to the change of protein secondary structure. The change of secondary structure further made it difficult for HEWL to aggregate into fibrils and Lys-CA-CDs showed the inhibition effect on HEWL aggregation.

Engineering a nanoantibiotic system displaying dual mechanism of action

In recent decades, peptide amphiphiles (PAs) have established themselves as promising self-assembling bioinspired materials in a wide range of medical fields. Herein, we report a dual-therapeutic system constituted by an antimicrobial PA and a cylindrical protease inhibitor (LJC) to achieve broad antimicrobial spectrum and to enhance therapeutic efficacy. We studied two strategies: PA-LJC nanostructures (Encapsulation) and PA nanostructures + free LJC (Combination). Computational modeling using a molecular theory for amphiphile self-assembly captures and explains the morphology of PA-LJC nanostructures and the location of encapsulated LJC in agreement with transmission electron microscopy and two-dimensional (2D) NMR observations. The morphology and release profile of PA-LJC assemblies are strongly correlated to the PA:LJC ratio: high LJC loading induces an initial burst release. We then evaluated the antimicrobial activity of our nanosystems toward gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. We found that the Combination broadens the spectrum of LJC, reduces the therapeutic concentrations of both agents, and is not impacted by the inoculum effect. Further, the Encapsulation provides additional benefits including bypassing water solubility limitations of LJC and modulating the release of this molecule. The different properties of PA-LJC nanostructures results in different killing profiles, and reduced cytotoxicity and hemolytic activity. Meanwhile, details in membrane alterations caused by each strategy were revealed by various microscopy and fluorescent techniques. Last, in vivo studies in larvae treated by the Encapsulation strategy showed better antimicrobial efficacy than polymyxin B. Collectively, this study established a multifunctional platform using a versatile PA to act as an antibiotic, membrane-penetrating assistant, and slow-release delivery vehicle.

Impact of coarse aggregate morphology andseparation distance on concrete properties based on visual learning

The morphology of coarse aggregates plays a significant role in concrete performances. This study conducted a quantitative analysis on the morphology of coarse aggregates using visual learning technology, aiming to explore their effects on fluidity, rheology and mechanical properties of fresh concrete. The parameters of flatness, angularity, roughness, roundness, sphericity and coarse aggregate separation distance (CSD) on concrete properties are discussed. The results showed that CSD, flatness and sphericity had the most significant effect on slump, with its weighting of 0.99, 0.96 and 0.94, respectively. Higher value of CSD, flatness and sphericity help to produce concrete with better flowability. The yield stress of concrete was mainly affected by roughness, roundness and CSD with weighting of 0.98, 0.87 and 0.76, respectively. Plastic viscosity was also affected by these factors with weighting of 0.96, 0.85 and 0.80, respectively. Aggregate roughness (weight 0.96) and roundness (weight 0.87) are the two significant factors influencing the compressive strength. Through numerical analysis, mathematical models correlating the morphological parameters coarse aggregates with the performance of concrete are established, which can provide some indications for the smart design of concrete mixture.

Biophysical Evidence for the Amyloid Formation of a Recombinant Rab2 Isoform of Leishmania donovani.

The most fatal form of Visceral leishmaniasis or kala-azar is caused by the intracellular protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani. The life cycle and the infection pathway of the parasite are regulated by the small GTPase family of Rab proteins. The involvement of Rab proteins in neurodegenerative amyloidosis is implicated in protein misfolding, secretion abnormalities and dysregulation. The inter and intra-cellular shuttlings of Rab proteins are proposed to be aggregation-prone. However, the biophysical unfolding and aggregation of protozoan Rab proteins is limited. Understanding the aggregation mechanisms of Rab protein will determine their physical impact on the disease pathogenesis and individual health. This work investigates the acidic pH-induced unfolding and aggregation of a recombinant Rab2 protein from L. donovani (rLdRab2) using multi-spectroscopic probes. The acidic unfolding of rLdRab2 is characterised by intrinsic fluorescence and ANS assay, while aggregation is determined by Thioflavin-T and 90⁰ light scattering assay. Circular dichroism determined the secondary structure of monomers and aggregates. The aggregate morphology was imaged by transmission electron microscopy. rLdRab2 was modelled to be a Rab2 isoform with loose globular packing. The acidinduced unfolding of the protein is a plausible non-two-state process. At pH 2.0, a partially folded intermediate (PFI) state characterised by ~ 30% structural loss and exposed hydrophobic core was found to accumulate. The PFI state slowly converted into well-developed protofibrils at high protein concentrations demonstrating its amyloidogenic nature. The native state of the protein was also observed to be aggregation-prone at high protein concentrations. However, it formed amorphous aggregation instead of fibrils. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report in vitro amyloid-like behaviour of Rab proteins in L donovani. This study provides a novel opportunity to understand the complete biophysical characteristics of Rab2 protein of the lower eukaryote, L. donovani.

Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Applications of Aerva persica Aqueous-Root Extract-Mediated Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles.

In the present study, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by using aqueous extracts of Aerva persica roots. Characterization of as-prepared ZnO nanoparticles was carried out using different techniques, including powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and BET surface area analysis. Morphological analysis confirmed the small, aggregated flake-shaped morphology of as-synthesized ZnO nanostructures. The as-prepared ZnO nanoparticles were analyzed for their potential application as anti-inflammatory (using in vivo inhibition of carrageenan induced paw edema) and antioxidant (using in vitro radical scavenging activity) agents. The ZnO nanoparticles were found to have a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity comparable to that of standard ascorbic acid (antioxidant) and indomethacin (anti-inflammatory drug). Therefore, due to their ecofriendly synthesis, nontoxicity, and biocompatible nature, zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized successfully from roots extract of the plant Aerva persica with potent efficiencies can be utilized for different biomedical applications.

Anion–Induced Amyloid Fibrillation of Human Insulin In vitro

AbstractIn the present study, we have focused on the effect of three biologically important salt anions on insulin aggregation. The result of the present study reveals that salts differing in their anions (NaI, NaOAc, and NaNO3) induce the self–assembly formation of insulin even at low physiological (in the micromolar range) salt concentration with efficacy that follows the order I−>CH3COO−>NO3−. Here, the anion–driven aggregation of insulin does not follow either the Hofmeister series or electroselectivity series at very low salt concentrations; instead, the binding of anions at low pH to the positively charged residues of insulin is determined by a mechanism where the salt anions promote the fibrillation of insulin and modify the morphology of the monomeric precursor molecule. Both the nucleation and fibril elongation are controlled by the electrostatic forces and hydrophobic interactions. Aggregation mechanism and aggregate morphology were investigated employing a combination of Thioflavin T (ThT) and ANS fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Overall, the present data will enhance the idea to rationalize the anion effects on the aggregation of amyloid‐prone protein and to understand the influence of charged biomolecules in cellular compartments.

Quantitative analysis and comprehensive evaluation of coarse aggregate morphology for asphalt pavement

The morphological characteristics of coarse aggregate play a crucial role in the mechanical properties, durability, and construction performance of asphalt mixtures and pavements in highway engineering. This study aims to quantitatively analyze the morphological characteristics of coarse aggregate and establish comprehensive evaluation indicators for its quality and performance. Two-dimensional cross-sectional images of coarse aggregates are obtained using the self-developed laser scanning equipment, and edge features are extracted using the Canny operator and edge tracing algorithm. Six morphological characteristic indicators are selected, and factor analysis is employed to propose comprehensive shape and edge feature for coarse aggregates. The results show that the proposed evaluation indicators effectively capture the shape and edge feature of coarse aggregates, with the exception of roughness, which is deemed unsuitable for evaluation. Factor analysis of six indicator values in 2,700 two-dimensional images led to the proposal of Shape Factor (SF) and Edge Feature Factor (EFF) as significant factors affecting aggregate shape and edge characteristics, respectively. Following optimization, SF ranged from 0.041 to 1.793, while EFF ranged from 0.368 to 1.745. The spearman’s rank correlation coefficient revealed strong correlations between the evaluation of coarse aggregate shape and edge features using the line laser-based comprehensive evaluation index. Specifically, correlation coefficients of 0.864 and 0.805 exceeded those of commonly used methods such as AIMS and X-ray CT, indicating the rationality and accuracy of the self-developed laser scanning device in evaluating aggregate morphology. This research provides strong support for the construction of highway engineering and optimization of coarse aggregate production and supply.