Cationic Properties Research Articles

Inhibiting Cation Segregation to Enable Highly Efficient Perovskite Light‐Emitting Diodes

AbstractPerovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs) present potential applications for next‐generation displays due to their excellent luminescent properties and solution processing. The formamidinium‐caesium lead bromide (FAxCs1−xPbBr3) mixed cation strategy is one of the primary methods to achieve high‐performance of Cs‐dominate PeLEDs system. However, the inhomogeneous distribution of cations is detrimental to the photoelectronic performance of Cs‐dominated PeLEDs. Here, in mixed FA/Cs perovskite films, it is observed that Cs, Br and trace Pb elements precipitated on the surface of the perovskite films. It is found that the segregation of cations is induced by the uncontrollable crystallization process of Cs/FA cations. By introducing biuret additive, the hydrogen bonding interaction of biuret and FA cation balances crystallization rate, which therefore significantly improves the crystal quality and cations distribution of perovskite films. As a result, green PeLEDs with a high external quantum efficiency of 28.8% are obtained, and represent five times enhancement in half‐life time (T50) of 2.48 h at an initial luminance of 100 cd m−2 relative to the control device. The results help to understand the relationship between cationic distribution and PeLEDs properties, offering significant insights for modulating the performance of PeLEDs.

Multifunctional property of N,N-bis (carboxymethyl) glutamic acid modified biomass material: adsorption and degradation removals of cationic dyes in wastewater

As a common type of pollutants in industrial wastewater, cationic dyes have attracted great attentions. Using biodegradable N,N-di (carboxymethyl) glutamic acid (GLDA) as ligand and corn stalk (CS) as matrix, a novel and green biomass modified material GLDA-CS was successfully prepared. The multifunctional property of GLDA-CS for removing methylene blue (MB), malachite green (MG) and alkaline red 46 (R-46) from wastewater was evaluated. The dyes were removed by the electrostatic adsorption based on the cationic adsorption properties of GLDA-CS. The removal rates of MB, MG and R-46 can quickly reach 90.4%, 96.8% and 94.8% in short time. especially for MG and R-46 even only 20 min. The adsorption capacities of the dyes still remain more than 86.5% of the initial values after 5 cycles. In a heterogeneous system, the dyes were removed by Fenton-like degradation based on the metal chelating property of GLDA-CS. 100% degradation rates of the dyes can be achieved in 35 min under the acidic region. Even if at pH 7, degradation rates are 44.1%, 47.1% and 56.6% higher than those under the conventional homogeneous system, and the degradation rate remained at 83.7% after 5 cycles. Regardless of the adsorption or degradation, GLDA-CS shows strong anti-anion interference ability. The potential mechanisms of adsorption and degradation for the dyes by GLDA-CS were deduced by quantization calculation. It is concluded that the adsorption removal of the dyes by GLDA-CS follows MG > R-46 > MB, and mainly depends on the electrostatic interaction between -COOH in GLDA-CS and -N- in the dye molecules. Based on the degradation mechanism of Fenton-like reaction, the possible active sites of the dyes attacked by free radicals and their possible degradation intermediates were predicted by the calculations of Fukui function.

Optimization of Magnetite Nanoparticles for Magnetic Hyperthermia: Correlation with Physicochemical Properties and Cation Distribution

AbstractThe present study reveals the synthesis of Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) by varying the molar ratio of ferric (Fe3+) to ferrous (Fe2+) ions via chemical coprecipitation method for the study of cationic distribution of Fe‐ions and its potential application for magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT). X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were used to characterize the physicochemical properties. Several structural parameters were estimated using the Rietveld refinement, resulting in structural modelling verified by magnetic characteristics. A vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) assessed the magnetic hysteresis loop at room temperature in a field range of ±15 kOe, revealing superparamagnetic behavior for the ratio Fe2+/Fe3+ 1:2. The saturation magnetization (Ms) of IONPs increased with the increasing Fe2+ concentration and attained a maximum value of 60.21 emu g−1 at a molar ratio of 2:1. The potential of the inductive heating capability of IONPs in an alternating current magnetic field (AMF) was studied to treat localized MHT. The changes in magnetic properties and inductive heating properties of IONPs are associated with the cationic distribution of Fe2+ at the tetrahedral (A) and octahedral (B) sites of crystal structure. The variation in cationic properties at the A and B sites may result in varying/tuneable magnetic properties, affecting the overall heating profiles of hyperthermia.

Multi-cation doped CuCrO[formula omitted] crystallite matrix: Exploring bandgap tunability through Ni-Zn and Ni-Zn-Mg doping for optoelectronic application

Bandgap tuning is a key approach to optimizing materials for advanced technologies, enabling the development of more efficient and specialized devices. In this study, we demonstrate the tunability of the bandgap of CuCrO2 from 2.38 to 4.37 eV via single cation-doping with Ni and Zn, and multi-cation doping with Ni-Zn and Ni-Zn-Mg. XRD analysis reveals structural changes due to lattice distortions by cationic substitution, while FESEM shows the impact of doping on particle size, surface morphology, and crystallinity. The lamellar structure observed with multi-cation doping in FESEM investigations indicates increased structural disorder and defects, causing tailing above the valence band and below the conduction band, significantly reducing the bandgap. The effect of Zn-Ni doping on the lattice is reversed with Mg2+ insertion due to p-p orbital interactions between Mg2+-O, replacing the d-p interaction in the Cr3＋-O bond, as confirmed by optical studies. UV–Vis and photoluminescence analyses reveal significant shifts in bandgaps and emission spectra, with Ni doping yielding a bandgap of 3.97 eV, Zn doping 3.16 eV, Zn-Ni doping expanding it to 4.37 eV, and Zn-Ni-Mg doping reducing it to 2.38 eV. The dopants also affect emission characteristics, including band edge and deep-level emissions. This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between cationic doping and material properties, guiding the design of CuCrO2-based materials with tailored functionalities.

Cationic polymer-mediated interbacterial aggregation: A novel approach for rapid aerobic granules development

This study introduces a novel approach to aerobic granular sludge technology that minimizes the start-up time and guarantees the formation of stable granules. This is achieved by seeding the reactor with a cationic polymer without using inoculated sludge. Three cationic polymers (Hydrofloc C4400SA, C8896, and polyelectrolyte emulsion) were tested to determine the most appropriate polymer for aerobic granular sludge (AGS) startup based on the optimal dose and formation of aerobic granules. Hydrofloc cationic polymer C4400SA has excellent granule-forming properties in the AGS reactor compared to their counterparts. The formation of granules was boosted by adding 15 ppm of polymer, resulting in densely packed aerobic granules after 10 days. This improvement can be due to the more cationic properties of hydrofloc, which play a key role in bridging between cells and particles because the cationic charges of hydrofloc attract negatively charged bacteria in wastewater, thereby promoting aggregation and the formation of initial flocs. These flocs serve as the foundation for the development of granules. After 80 days of operation, 40–50% of particles with an average size range from 0.6 to 0.9 mm were observed. The AGS SBR operation was closely monitored and showed consistent efficiency in removing solids, where TP, TN, NH+4 –N, and the total soluble COD were removed at average efficiencies of 62%, 73%, 97%, 93%, and 79% respectively, during steady-state cycles conducted at room temperature. Overall, this study highlights the potential of hydrofloc cationic polymer C4400SA to enhance the performance and resilience of AGS in wastewater treatment applications.

Development and evaluation of amine-functionalized β-cyclodextrin grafted starch as a natural flocculant for turbidity removal in water treatment

Recently, biopolymers have been used as coagulants/flocculants due to their biodegradability, low cost, and renewability. In this study, an environmentally friendly amine-functionalized starch-based flocculant was successfully prepared. Initially, β-cyclodextrin was grafted onto the starch backbone to increase the number of hydroxyl groups, and this composite was named CD-starch. Subsequently, in order to introduce cationic properties and enhance effective flocculation, CD-starch was modified using amine functional groups. The surface functional groups were engineered by introducing different amine to CD-starch ratios (0.5:1, 1:1, 2:1 w/w), named A-CD-starch 0.5, 1 and 2, respectively. Following the characterization of the synthesized substrate, its performance in the flocculation process of a kaolin suspension was investigated. The effects of different parameters, including pH, flocculant dosage, and initial turbidity on wastewater turbidity removal, was investigated. The results showed that a higher ratio of amine to CD-starch leads to a better amination reaction due to the greater availability of nitrogen for alkylation. Jar experiments showed that for initial turbidities of 50, 150 and 300 NTU, the appropriate doses of flocculant were 0.070, 0.085 and 0.130 mg/mL, respectively. For these initial turbidities, the maximum turbidity removal was achieved 80.1 %, 92 %, and 97.8 %, respectively. This work provides an innovative natural flocculant based on starch which can effectively treat turbid wastewaters.

Design of Auto-Adaptive Drug Delivery System for Effective Delivery of Peptide Drugs to Overcoming Mucus and Epithelial Barriers.

Oral administration of peptide represents a promising delivery route, however, it is hindered by the harsh gastrointestinal environment, leading to low in vivo absorption. In this study, auto-adaptive protein corona-AT 1002-cationic liposomes (Pc-AT-CLs) are constructed with the characteristic of hydrophilic and electrically neutral surface properties for the encapsulation of liraglutide. BSA protein corona is used to coat AT-CLs reducing the adherence of mucus, and may fall off after penetrating the mucus layer. Transmucus transport experiment demonstrated that the mucus penetration amount of Pc-AT-CLs are 1.45 times that of AT-CLs. After penetrating the mucus layer, AT-CLs complete transmembrane transport by the dual action of AT and cationic surface properties. Transmembrane transport experiment demonstrated that the apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) of AT-CLs is 2.03 times that of CLs. In vivo tests demonstrated that Pc-AT-CLs exhibited a significant hypoglycemic effect and enhanced the relative bioavailability comparing to free liraglutide. Pc-AT-CLs protect liraglutide from degradation, facilitate its absorption, and ultimately improve its oral bioavailability.

Molecularly Woven Cationic Covalent Organic Frameworks for Highly Selective Electrocatalytic Conversion of CO2 to CO.

Coupling carbon capture with electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction (CO2R) to yield high-value chemicals presents an appealing avenue for combating climate change, yet achieving highly selective electrocatalysts remains a significant challenge. Herein, two molecularly woven covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are designed, namely CuCOF and CuCOF+, with copper(I)-bisphenanthroline complexes as building blocks. The metal-organic helical structure unit made the CuCOF and CuCOF+ present woven patterns, and their ordered pore structures and cationic properties enhanced their CO2 adsorption and good conductivity, which is confirmed by gas adsorption and electrochemical analysis. In the electrocatalytic CO2R measurements, CuCOF+ decorated with extra ethyl groups exhibit a main CO product with selectivity of 57.81%, outperforming the CuCOF with 42.92% CO at the same applied potential of 0.8 VRHE. After loading Pd nanoparticles, CuCOF-Pd and CuCOF+-Pd performed increased CO selectivity up to 84.97% and 95.45%, respectively. Combining the DFT theoretical calculations and experimental measurements, it is assumed that the molecularly woven cationic COF provides a catalytic microenvironment for CO2R and ensures efficient charge transfer from the electrode to the catalytic center, thereby achieving high electrocatalytic activity and selectivity. The present work significantly advances the practice of cationic COFs in real-time CO2 capture and highly selective conversion to value-added chemicals.

HSPiP and QbD oriented optimized stearylamine-elastic liposomes for topical delivery of ketoconazole to treat deep seated fungal infections: In vitro and ex vivo evaluations

The study explored stearylamine containing cationic elastic liposomes to improve topical delivery and efficacy of ketoconazole (KETO) to treat deeply seated fungal infections. Stearylamine was used for dual functionalities (electrostatic interaction and flexibility in lipid bilayer). Hansen solubility program (HSPiP) estimated Hansen solubility parameters (HSP) based on the SMILE file and structural properties followed by experimental solubility study to validate the predicted values. Various formulations were developed by varying phosphatidylcholine and surfactants (tween 80 and span 80) concentration. To impart cationic properties, stearylamine (1.0 %) was added into the organic phase. Using quality by design (QbD) method, we optimized the formulations and evaluated for vesicle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, morphology (scanning electron microscopy), in vitro drug release (%), and ex vivo permeation profiles. Result showed that there is a good correlation (0.65) between HSPiP predicted and actual experimental solubility of KETO in water, chloroform, S80, and tween 80. Spherical OKEL1 showed an established correlation between the predicted and the actual formulation parameters (size, zeta potential, and polydispersity index) (259 nm vs 270 nm, +2.4 vs 0.21 mV, and 0.24 vs 0.27). OKEL1 was associated with the highest value of %EE (83.1 %) as compared to liposomes. Finally, OKEL1 exhibited the highest % cumulative permeation (49.9 %) as compared to DS (13 %) and liposomes (25 %). Moreover, OKEL1 resulted in 4-fold increase in permeation flux as compared to DS which may be attributed to vesicular mediated improved permeation and gel based compensated trans epidermal water loss in the skin. The drug deposition elicited OKEL1 and OKEL1-gel as suitable carriers for maximum therapeutic benefit to treat deeply seated fungal infections.

Ribosomal protein L17 functions as an antimicrobial protein in amphioxus

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), characterized by their cationic nature and amphiphilic properties, play a pivotal role in inhibiting the biological activity of microbes. Currently, only a fraction of the antimicrobial potential within the ribosomal protein family has been explored, despite its extensive membership and resemblance to AMPs. Herein we demonstrated that amphioxus RPL17 (BjRPL17) exhibited not only upregulated expression upon bacterial stimulation but also possessed bactericidal capabilities against both Gram-negative and -positive bacteria through combined action mechanisms including interaction with cell surface molecules LPS, LTA, and PGN, disruption of cell membrane integrity, promotion of membrane depolarization, and induction of intracellular ROS production. Furthermore, a peptide derived from residues 127–141 of BjRPL17 (termed BjRPL17-1) showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and its methicillin-resistant strain via the same mechanism observed for the full-length protein. Additionally, the rpl17 gene was highly conserved in Metazoa, hinting it may play a universal role in the antibacterial defense system in different animals. Importantly, neither BjRPL17 nor peptide BjRPL17-1 exhibited toxicity towards mammalian cells thereby offering prospects for designing novel AMP agents based on these findings. Collectively, our results establish RPL17 as a novel member of AMPs with remarkable evolutionary conservation.

Rational design of solid lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles: An innovative glycoalkaloids-carrier with potential for topical melanoma treatment

Despite the promising potential of Solanum plant glycoalkaloids in combating skin cancer, their clinical trials have been halted due to dose-dependent toxicity and poor water solubility. In this study, we present a rational approach to address these limitations and ensure colloidal stability of the nanoformulation over time by designing solid lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (SLPH). Leveraging the biocompatible and cationic properties of polyaspartamides, we employed a new polyaspartamide derivative (P1) as a raw material for this class of nanostructures. Subsequently, we prepared SLPH through a one-step process involving hot-melt emulsification followed by ultrasonication. The physicochemical properties of the SLPH were thoroughly characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ-potential analysis, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The optimized formulation exhibited long-term stability over six months under low temperatures, maintaining a particle size around 200 nm, a polydispersity index (PdI) lower than 0.2, and a ζ-potential between +35–40 mV. Furthermore, we evaluated the cytotoxic effect of the SLPH against human cutaneous melanoma cells (SK-MEL-28) compared to human foreskin fibroblast cells (HFF-1). Encapsulation of glycoalkaloids into the nanoparticles (SLPH-GE) resulted in a two-fold greater selective cytotoxic profile for melanoma cells than glycoalkaloids-free (GE). The nanoparticles disrupted the stratum corneum barrier with a penetration depth of approximately 77 μm. These findings underscore the potential of the developed nanosystem as an effective glycoalkaloid carrier with suitable colloidal and biological properties for further studies in topical treatment strategies for cutaneous melanoma.

Anti-Staphy Peptides Rationally Designed from Cry10Aa Bacterial Protein.

Bacterial infections pose a significant threat to human health, constituting a major challenge for healthcare systems. Antibiotic resistance is particularly concerning in the context of treating staphylococcal infections. In addressing this challenge, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), characterized by their hydrophobic and cationic properties, unique mechanism of action, and remarkable bactericidal and immunomodulatory capabilities, emerge as promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics for tackling bacterial multidrug resistance. This study focuses on the Cry10Aa protein as a template for generating AMPs due to its membrane-penetrating ability. Leveraging the Joker algorithm, six peptide variants were derived from α-helix 3 of Cry10Aa, known for its interaction with lipid bilayers. In vitro, antimicrobial assays determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) required for inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baummanii, Enterobacter cloacae, Enterococcus facallis, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Time-kill kinetics were performed using the parental peptide AMPCry10Aa, as well as AMPCry10Aa_1 and AMPCry10Aa_5, against E. coli ATCC, S. aureus 111 and S. aureus ATCC strains showing that AMPCry10Aa_1 and AMPCry10Aa_5 peptides can completely reduce the initial bacterial load with less than 2 h of incubation. AMPCry10Aa_1 and AMPCry 10Aa_5 present stability in human serum and activity maintenance up to 37 °C. Cytotoxicity assays, conducted using the MTT method, revealed that all of the tested peptides exhibited cell viability >50% (IC50). The study also encompassed evaluations of the structure and physical-chemical properties. The three-dimensional structures of AMPCry10Aa and AMPCry10Aa_5 were determined through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, indicating the adoption of α-helical segments. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy elucidated the mechanism of action, demonstrating that AMPCry10Aa_5 enters the outer membranes of E. coli and S. aureus, causing substantial increases in lipid fluidity, while AMPCry10Aa slightly increases lipid fluidity in E. coli. In conclusion, the results obtained underscore the potential of Cry10Aa as a source for developing antimicrobial peptides as alternatives to conventional antibiotics, offering a promising avenue in the battle against antibiotic resistance.

INVESTIGATION OF ADSORPTION OF BENTONITE SAMPLES WITH IONOGENIC OLIGOMER BY PHYSICO-CHEMICAL METHODS

The adsorption process of natural and modified Co+2-, Ni+2-bentonite samples taken from Dash-Salahli field with ionogenic oligomer modifiers was carried out and studied by x-ray and infrared spectral analysis methods. Important components that ensure the stability of bentonite suspensions are polymers, ions and surfactants. The main goal of the work is to obtain an organic mineral sorbent using an ionogenic oligomer modifier to stabilize polymer-dispersed systems. The most suitable surfactants are substances with a hydrophilic and hydrophobic statistical distribution in the molecule. The prepared sorbent has both cationic and anionic properties and can adsorb various harmful organic substances. As a result of the research, certain changes were observed in the structure of the sorbents. Depending on the ionic radii of substituted metal ions in natural bentonite, weak, medium. strong intensities are observed

Asymmetric chitosan-derivative/carboxymethylcellulose layer-by-layer film combining antimicrobial and vascular regeneration for the repair of infected wounds

Bacterially infected wounds are a serious threat to patients' lives and health, and multifunctional dressings with antimicrobial properties and healing promotion are urgently needed. Thus, we used the cationic and anionic properties of chitosan (CS)-nerol (N) derivative (CSN) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to prepare asymmetric layer-by-layer self-assembled (LBL) composite films (CSN-CMC LBL films) with antibacterial and healing properties using a spin-coating method. SEM images showed that the CSN-CMC LBL films had completely different degrees of roughness at the bottom (hydrophilic layer) and at the top (hydrophobic layer), with the roughness at the top increasing as the number of layers increased. The CSN and CMC were used to prepare asymmetric LBL films via the electrostatic attraction of -COO− and NH3+. In addition, adhesion and water contact angle tests showed that the CSN-CMC LBL films had enhanced tissue adhesion and good hydrophobicity. These materials had excellent antimicrobial activity and good biocompatibility. Importantly, the animal infection model results showed that CSN-CMC-8 LBL films effectively eliminated the infection in vivo, inhibited inflammation, promoted vascular regeneration, accelerated the epithelialization process, and achieved high quality healing. Overall, the CSN-CMC LBL films in this study showed considerable potential for application in infected wound healing.

Effect of conductive polyaniline on the cationic and anionic dye adsorption properties of amphoteric alginate/chitosan composite foams

Doped polyaniline is a widely used conductive material and could be used for adsorption based on the electrostatic neutralization effect through the protonation of the imine group. However, the adsorption effect and mechanism towards cationic and anionic pollutants are not clear. Herein, the conductive sulfonic acid doped polyaniline was introduced into alginate/chitosan amphoteric composite foams prepared with a thermal induced phase separation technique. The composite foams were characterized in terms of scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemical impedance. The composite foam exhibited rich pores and fibrous matrix due to the unique ternary solvent system. The polyaniline was well-distributed and enhanced the cationic dye adsorption ability, contrary to that of anionic dye. Compared with pure alginate/chitosan composite foam, the adsorption capacity of methylene blue was increased by 91.1%, and that of acid blue-113 was reduced by 49.2%. The adsorption rate of the two dyes was both increased. Polyaniline addition enhances the ionic mobility rate and accelerates the movement of dye molecules. Moreover, the composite foams exhibited excellent selective adsorption capacity and reusability. The study indicates that the conductive polymer could find its share in developing high-performance adsorbents.

Auranofin-Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles Demonstrate Potency against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a clinical challenge due to molecular, metabolic, and genetic heterogeneity as well as the lack of validated drug targets. Thus, therapies or delivery paradigms are needed. Gold-derived compounds including the FDA-approved drug, auranofin have shown promise as effective anticancer agents against several tumors. To improve the solubility and bioavailability of auranofin, we hypothesized that the nanodelivery of auranofin using biodegradable chitosan modified polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanoparticles (NPs) will enhance anticancer activity against TNBC by comparing the best nanoformulation with the free drug. The selection of the nanoformulation was based on synthesis of various chitosan PEG copolymers via formaldehyde-mediated engraftment of PEG onto chitosan to form [chitosan-g-PEG] copolymer. Furthermore, altered physiochemical properties of the copolymer was based on the formaldehyde ratio towards nanoparticles (CP 1-4 NPs). Following the recruitment of PEG onto the chitosan polymer surface, we explored how this process influenced the stiffness of the nanoparticle using atomic force microscopy (AFM), a factor crucial for in vitro and in vivo studies. Our objective was to ensure the full functionality and inherent properties of chitosan as the parent polymer was maintained without allowing PEG to overshadow chitosan's unique cationic properties while improving solubility in neutral pH. Hence, CP 2 NP was chosen. To demonstrate the efficacy of CP 2 NP as a good delivery carrier for auranofin, we administered a dose of 3 mg/kg of auranofin, in contrast to free auranofin, which was given at 5 mg/kg. In vivo studies revealed the potency of encapsulated auranofin against TNBC cells with a severe necrotic effect following treatment superior to that of free auranofin. In conclusion, chitosan-g-PEG nanoparticles have the potential to be an excellent delivery system for auranofin, increasing its effectiveness and potentially reducing its clinical limitations.

AACFlow: an end-to-end model based on attention augmented convolutional neural network and flow-attention mechanism for identification of anticancer peptides.

Anticancer peptides (ACPs) have natural cationic properties and can act on the anionic cell membrane of cancer cells to kill cancer cells. Therefore, ACPs have become a potential anticancer drug with good research value and prospect. In this article, we propose AACFlow, an end-to-end model for identification of ACPs based on deep learning. End-to-end models have more room to automatically adjust according to the data, making the overall fit better and reducing error propagation. The combination of attention augmented convolutional neural network (AAConv) and multi-layer convolutional neural network (CNN) forms a deep representation learning module, which is used to obtain global and local information on the sequence. Based on the concept of flow network, multi-head flow-attention mechanism is introduced to mine the deep features of the sequence to improve the efficiency of the model. On the independent test dataset, the ACC, Sn, Sp, and AUC values of AACFlow are 83.9%, 83.0%, 84.8%, and 0.892, respectively, which are 4.9%, 1.5%, 8.0%, and 0.016 higher than those of the baseline model. The MCC value is 67.85%. In addition, we visualize the features extracted by each module to enhance the interpretability of the model. Various experiments show that our model is more competitive in predicting ACPs.

Cationic UV-cured epoxy coating with inhibitor-loaded nanoparticles: photoinitiated cationic polymerization, mechanical properties and corrosion protection of steel

Cationic UV-cured epoxy coating with inhibitor-loaded nanoparticles: photoinitiated cationic polymerization, mechanical properties and corrosion protection of steel

Development of a novel hybrid antimicrobial peptide for enhancing antimicrobial spectrum and potency against food-borne pathogens.

To address the increasingly serious challenge of the transmission of foodbrone pathogens in the food chain. In this study, we employed rational design strategies, including truncation, amino acid substitution, and heterozygosity, to generate seven engineered peptides with α-helical structure, cationic property, and amphipathic characteristics based on the original Abhisin template. Among them, as the hybird antimicrobial peptide (AMP), AM exhibits exceptional stability, minimal toxicity, as well as broad-spectrum and potent antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens. Besides, it was observed that the electrostatic incorporation demonstrates by AM results in its primary targeting and disruption of the cell wall and membrane of Escherichia coli O157: H7 (EHEC) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), resulting in membrane perforation and enhanced permeability. Additionally, AM effectively counteracts the deleterious effects of lipopolysaccharide, eradicating biofilms and ultimately inducing the demise of both food spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. The findings highlight the significant potential of AM as a highly promising candidate for a novel food preservative and its great importance in the design and optimization of AMP-related agents.

Green chemistry route to chitosan hydrogels and investigation of the materials as efficient dye adsorbents

Abstract Biopolymer-based materials for the adsorption of toxic dyes represent an interesting class of materials for environmental applications. Here we report on chitosan as the starting material for synthesizing dye adsorbents. In particular, the synthesis, characterization, and cationic dye adsorption properties of chitosan hydrogel adsorbents are reported. Polyanionic itaconated chitosan derivatives were synthesized in solvent-less conditions for the first time. Itaconated chitosan was cross-linked using thiol-ene chemistry to obtain hydrogels. The influence of the incorporated carboxylate groups and the cross-linker fraction on the adsorption of Methylene Blue (MB) was investigated. In addition, the impact of pH, adsorbent dose, initial concentration, and ionic strength were investigated to determine the optimum conditions for MB uptake, and the dye uptake kinetics, adsorption isotherms, selectivity, and reusability of the adsorbents were unveiled. A maximum adsorption capacity of 556 mg/g could be achieved, outperforming commercial activated charcoal and ion exchange resins. Furthermore the chitosan hydrogel adsorbents were shown to capture >90 % of cationic MB from a binary equimolar mixture with the anionic dye Methyl Orange. Since the adsorbents can be regenerated and re-used afterwards at least 20 times, retaining a high dye adsorption fraction of >95 %, these materials are promising candidates for environmental applications.