Dual Properties Research Articles

Dual Ramsey properties for classes of algebras

Almost any reasonable class of finite relational structures has the Ramsey property or a precompact Ramsey expansion. In contrast to that, the list of classes of finite algebras with the precompact Ramsey expansion is surprisingly short. In this paper we show that any nontrivial variety (that is, equationally defined class of algebras) enjoys various dual Ramsey properties. We develop a completely new set of strategies that rely on the fact that left adjoints preserve the dual Ramsey property, and then treat classes of algebras as Eilenberg–Moore categories for a monad. We show that finite algebras in any nontrivial variety have finite dual small Ramsey degrees, and that every finite algebra has finite dual big Ramsey degree in the free algebra on countably many free generators. As usual, these come as consequences of ordered versions of the statements.

An inhibitor with GSK3β and DYRK1A dual inhibitory properties reduces Tau hyperphosphorylation and ameliorates disease in models of Alzheimer's disease

Since Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex and multifactorial neuropathology, the discovery of multi-targeted inhibitors has gradually demonstrated greater therapeutic potential. Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), the main neuropathologic hallmarks of AD, are mainly associated with hyperphosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein Tau. The overexpression of GSK3β and DYRK1A has been recognized as an important contributor to hyperphosphorylation of Tau, leading to the strategy of using dual-targets inhibitors for the treatment of this disorder. ZDWX-12 and ZDWX-25, as harmine derivatives, were found good inhibition on dual targets in our previous study. Here, we firstly evaluated the inhibition effect of Tau hyperphosphorylation using two compounds by HEK293-Tau P301L cell-based model and okadaic acid (OKA)-induced mouse model. We found that ZDWX-25 was more effective than ZDWX-12. Then, based on comprehensively investigations on ZDWX-25 in vitro and in vivo, 1) the capability of ZDWX-25 to show a reduction in phosphorylation of multiple Tau epitopes in OKA-induced neurodegeneration cell models, and 2) the effect of reduction on NFTs by 3xTg-AD mouse model under administration of ZDWX-25, an orally bioavailable, brain-penetrant dual-targets inhibitor with low toxicity. Our data highlight that ZDWX-25 is a promising drug for treating AD.

Recent Advance of Strontium Functionalized in Biomaterials for Bone Regeneration.

Bone defect disease causes damage to people's lives and property, and how to effectively promote bone regeneration is still a big clinical challenge. Most of the current repair methods focus on filling the defects, which has a poor effect on bone regeneration. Therefore, how to effectively promote bone regeneration while repairing the defects at the same time has become a challenge for clinicians and researchers. Strontium (Sr) is a trace element required by the human body, which mainly exists in human bones. Due to its unique dual properties of promoting the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts and inhibiting osteoclast activity, it has attracted extensive research on bone defect repair in recent years. With the deep development of research, the mechanisms of Sr in the process of bone regeneration in the human body have been clarified, and the effects of Sr on osteoblasts, osteoclasts, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and the inflammatory microenvironment in the process of bone regeneration have been widely recognized. Based on the development of technology such as bioengineering, it is possible that Sr can be better loaded onto biomaterials. Even though the clinical application of Sr is currently limited and relevant clinical research still needs to be developed, Sr-composited bone tissue engineering biomaterials have achieved satisfactory results in vitro and in vivo studies. The Sr compound together with biomaterials to promote bone regeneration will be a development direction in the future. This review will present a brief overview of the relevant mechanisms of Sr in the process of bone regeneration and the related latest studies of Sr combined with biomaterials. The aim of this paper is to highlight the potential prospects of Sr functionalized in biomaterials.

Scenario analysis of phosphorus flow in food production and consumption system in the Mwanza region, Tanzania

Since the mineral, phosphorus (P), has dual properties of being limited resources for use, and being a pollutant for studying sustainable management of anthropogenic P flows in wetlands and soils, currently P receives the highest interests among researchers around the world. This study has successfully mapped P flows for a reference year (2017) and a future year (2030) using different scenarios of food production and consumption system (hereafter ‘system’) in the Mwanza region (Tanzania). The results showed that the total P input and output for 2017 alone were 9770 t and 7989 t, respectively. However, as high as 1781 tP accumulated in the system and the potentially recyclable P found, is yet to be recovered due to economic reasons and the lack of market. The main anthropogenic P input to the system occurred via imported feed, fertilizer, and crop food, accounting for about 99.72 % of the total input flow. The output was comprised of animal products exported with 3428 tP, and various P-contained wastes which were lost to water bodies with 4561tP. Analysis of the 2030 scenario showed that setting P management objectives from different perspectives such as the total P budget balance, potential recyclable P, and P emission, can help develop differentially preferred management strategies and measures in the Mwanza region. The combination of diet change, precision feeding, and integrated waste management practices presents the best prospects for decreasing P budget and losses, and the amount of P that can be potentially recovered from the system. We propose a package of integrated P management measures for the Mwanza region. Given the similarity of regional socio-economic development background around the Lake Victoria basin, the model can be used to guide the study of anthropogenic P flow analysis in other areas along the shore of Lake Victoria (Africa).

Combinatorial Synthesis of Cation-Disordered Manganese Tin Nitride MnSnN2 Thin Films with Magnetic and Semiconducting Properties

Magnetic semiconductors may soon improve the energy efficiency of microelectronics, but materials exhibiting these dual properties remain underexplored. Here, we report the computational prediction and realization of a new magnetic and semiconducting material, MnSnN2, via combinatorial sputtering of thin films. Grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering and laboratory X-ray diffraction studies show MnSnN2 exhibits a wurtzite-like crystal structure with cation disorder. This new material has a wide composition tolerance, with a single-phase region ranging from 20% < Mn/(Mn + Sn) < 65%. Spectroscopic ellipsometry identifies an optical absorption onset of 1 eV, consistent with the computationally predicted 1.2 eV bandgap. Resistivity measurements as a function of temperature support the semiconducting nature of MnSnN2. Hall effect measurements show carrier density has a weak inverse correlation with temperature, indicating that the charge transport mechanisms are more complex than in a pristine semiconductor. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal a low-temperature magnetic ordering transition (≈10 K) for MnSnN2 and strong antiferromagnetic correlations. This finding contrasts with bulk, cation-ordered MnSiN2 and MnGeN2, which exhibited antiferromagnetic ordering above 400 K in previous studies. To probe the origin of this difference, we perform Monte Carlo simulations of cation-ordered and cation-disordered MnSnN2. They reveal that cation disorder lowers the magnetic transition temperature relative to the ordered phase. In addition to discovering a new compound, this work shows that future efforts could use cation (dis)order to tune magnetic transitions in semiconducting materials for precise control of properties in microelectronics.

3D-bioprinted human lipoaspirate-derived cell-laden skin constructs for healing of full-thickness skin defects.

29Three-dimensional (3D)-printed bioactive scaffolds that can be produced rapidly could offer an individualized approach for treating full-thickness skin defects. Decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) and mesenchymal stem cells have been proven to support wound healing. Adipose tissues obtained by liposuction are rich in adipose-derived dECM (adECM) and adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and thus represent a natural source of bioactive materials for 3D bioprinting. Herein, ADSC-laden 3D-printed bioactive scaffolds consisting of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA), hyaluronic acid methacryloyl (HAMA), and adECM were fabricated with dual properties of photocrosslinking in vitro and thermosensitive crosslinking in vivo. adECM was prepared by decellularization of human lipoaspirate and mixed as a bioactive material with GelMA and HAMA to form a bioink. Compared with the GelMA-HAMA bioink, the adECM-GelMA-HAMA bioink had better wettability, degradability, and cytocompatibility. Full-thickness skin defect healing in a nude mouse model showed that ADSC-laden adECM-GelMA-HAMA scaffolds accelerated wound healing by promoting faster neovascularization, collagen secretion, and remodeling. ADSCs and adECM collectively conferred bioactivity on the prepared bioink. This study represents a novel approach to enhancing the biological activity of 3D-bioprinted skin substitutes by adding adECM and ADSCs derived from human lipoaspirate and may provide a promising therapeutic option for full-thickness skin defects.

Thermodynamic simulation and experimental investigation of manganese oxide (MnOx) for integrated CO2 capture and conversion via chemical looping route

Due to its high energy conversion efficiency, low economic cost and collaborative pollution control, chemical looping is emerging as a promising technology to deal with CO2 emissions in energy and environmental fields. Based on the dual property of being carbonated and oxidized of MnO, the integrated CO2 capture and conversion performance of manganese oxide is analyzed via chemical looping CH4-O2-CO2 route. Thermodynamic calculation and process simulation indicate the equilibrium reduced solid is MnO instead of metallic Mn, which is consistent with material characterization. The gaseous oxygen released by MnO2 is the prerequisite for its reactivity from thermodynamic analysis and is the effective step for MnO2-CH4 reforming experiments. The CH4 reforming performance of Mn2O3 is limited from thermodynamic hierarchy and the lattice oxygen capacity of Mn3O4 affects its reactivity with CH4. Mn2O3 obtains the best partial oxidation reforming selectivity under higher operating temperature. The lattice oxygen is replenished with an obtained mole ratio of MnO2:Mn2O3 as 0.12:0.03 through air oxidation under medium temperature conditions. The weight increment at CO2 atmosphere indicates the 41.6 mol.% CO2 capture ability of MnO. The CH4-O2-CO2 cycle experiment proves the achievement in realizing the integrated CO2 capture and utilization with one material via chemical looping route.

Food and fruit waste valorisation for pectin recovery: Recent process technologies and future prospects

Pectin possesses a dual property of resistance and flexibility and thus has diverse commercial value which has generated research interest on this versatile biopolymer. Formulated products using pectin could be useful in food, pharma, foam, plasticiser and paper substitute industries. Pectin is structurally tailor-made for greater bioactivity and diverse applications. Sustainable biorefinery leaves greener footprints while producing high-value bioproducts like pectin. The essential oils and polyphenols obtained as byproducts from a pectin-based biorefinery are useful in cosmetics, toiletries and fragrance industries. Pectin can be extracted from organic sources following eco-friendly strategies, and the extraction techniques, structural alterations and the applications are continually being upgraded and standardized. Pectin has great applications in diverse areas, and its green synthesis is a welcome development. In future, growing industrial application of pectin is anticipated as research orients on biopolymers, biotechnologies and renewable source-based processes. As the world is gradually adopting greener strategies in sync with the global sustainable development goal, active involvement of policy makers and public participation are prime. Governance and policy framing are essential in the transition of the world economy towards circularity since green circular bioeconomy is ill-understood among the public in general and within the administrative circles in particular. Concerted efforts by researchers, investors, innovators, and policy and decision makers to integrate biorefinery technologies as loops within loop of biological structures and bioprocesses is suggested. The review focusses on generation of the different nature of food wastes including fruits and vegetables with cauterization of their components. It discusses the innovative extraction and biotransformation approaches for these waste conversions into value-added products at cost-effective and eco-friendly way. This article compiles numerous effective and efficient and green way pectin extraction techniques with their advantages with varying success in an integrated manner.

Influence of functional groups in chemical reactivity and optoelectronic properties of novel glycidyl nitrate copolymers (GNCOP): a DFT study.

Nowadays, propulsion materials are receiving increased attention as an important component in electric motors. So, awareness of their chemical reactivity and geometric and electronic structures can help to make materials with higher quality and efficiency. In this study, we have proposed novel glycidyl nitrate copolymers (GNCOPs) and meta-substituted derivatives as propulsion materials. Based on density functional theory (DFT) method, chemical reactivity indices have been calculated for predicting their behavior in burning process. Adding functional groups changes reactivity of the GNCOP compound, especially, in the -CN functional group, chemical potential, chemical hardness, and electrophilicity change -0.374, +0.007, and +1.342eV, respectively. In addition, these compounds have dual properties in interaction with oxygen molecule. Optoelectronic study in time-dependent DFT framework shows that there are three peaks with significant excitations. In conclusion, adding functional group into the GNCOPs can introduce new materials with high energetic properties.

Introduction to the Virtual Special Issue: Strategy Science’s Contributions to Doctoral Reading Lists

Introduction to the Virtual Special Issue: <i>Strategy Science</i>’s Contributions to Doctoral Reading Lists

N,N-dimethyl-triarylmethanolation as a versatile approach for multiresponsive emission/absorption opposite materials with capability as naked-eye alcohol and C–H acidity indicator

Emission (A)/absorption (B) opposite material (A∪B = Ω and A∩B = Ø) represents a novel material with potential applications as stimuli-responsive material, attributed to its dual responsive properties on both emission and absorption. Here, we demonstrate a N,N-dimethyl-triarylmethanolation strategy as a versatile approach for the molecular design of emission/absorption opposite materials with intriguing aggregation-induced emission, amorphization-induced emission, multiresponsive behaviors. Investigations on the structure–property relationship reveal that N,N-dimethyl-triarylmethanol moiety is essential to respond to stimuli including strong acid (HCl), weak acid (silica gel), water, alcohol, and C–H (acetylacetone (AcAc) and dimethyl malonate (DMM)). Attributed to the hydrogen bonding effect between N,N-dimethyl-triarylmethanol moiety and very weakly acidic alcohols or C–H acids, it exhibits capability as active hydrogen (alcohol and C–H) acidity indicator. Further applications in the fields of encryption and carbonyl compounds detection are demonstrated as well. This work, therefore, demonstrates the proof of concept of a novel emission/absorption opposite material, which might cause inspiration in different research areas.

Preparation of cellulose acetate film with dual hydrophobic-hydrophilic properties using solution blow spinning

Solution blow spinning (SBS), a processing method alternative to electrospinning, where pressured air is used instead of an electric field, was used in this work for the preparation of cellulose acetate (CA) materials. The sequential use of SBS to produce a double-layered film is also investigated. Mixtures of acetone with acetic acid or N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) were studied as systems for polymer solution preparation. The type of produced material (flat film or multi-structured membranes constituted from submicrometric fibers with beads), its thermal properties, crystallinity, and morphology are more dependent on the solvent system than other SBS processing parameters. Roughness and porosity of differently produced materials influence wettability measured by the contact angle, which ranges in this work from approx. 69.8° ± 3° for a flat film to 104° ± 5° for fibrous material. Finally, a double-layered film, prepared by sequential SBS of individual layers different in terms of wettability, renders a standalone film of dual wettability, with one side hydrophobic and the other hydrophilic.

Twisted-terphenyl conjugated carbazole derivatives with aggregation-induced emission enhancement for deep-blue fluorescence in the solid state

Scarcity of highly efficient, stable and pure deep-blue chromophores is a key impact on application of OLEDs. In this study, four bipolar molecules were designed and synthesized using carbazolyl as donor and oxadiazole/triazole as acceptors via a twisted terphenyl bridge substituted with trimethylsilyl group. These materials show high thermal/morphological stabilities and deep-blue emission benefited by the twisted structures with high fluorescent efficiency in the solid states. The dual emission properties are well tuned via different acceptors and conjugation sites with aggregation-induced emission enhancement. Electroluminescent device using p-CSiTO as a dopant was fabricated and this device emits deep-blue light at 437 nm with Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIEx',y) of (0.159, 0.110) and good colour purity with full width half maximum (FWHM) of 66 nm.

Construction of a BaTiO3/tubular g-C3N4 dual piezoelectric photocatalyst with enhanced carrier separation for efficient degradation of tetracycline

One-dimensional tubular g-C3N4 (TCN) with piezoelectric properties was prepared by self-assembly and hydrothermal method, and BaTiO3/TCN composite with excellent dual piezoelectric properties was constructed by further hydrothermal reaction. The piezoelectric degradation rate of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) by TCN (18.2 %) within 60 min under ultrasonic vibration was about 2.8 times higher than that by bulk g-C3N4 (CN) (6.6 %). Furthermore, the BaTiO3/TCN composite, a dual piezoelectric photocatalyst, exhibited excellent piezoelectric photocatalytic activity with TCH degradation rate of 91.0 % within 60 min under visible light (VSL) illumination and ultrasonic vibration, which was higher than that of ultrasonic vibration (27.8 %) and VSL illumination (81.8 %). The polarization electric fields were formed in both TCN and BaTiO3 under ultrasonic vibration, which could maintain the built-in electric field strength between the heterojunction interfaces, accelerate the photogenerated carrier migration, and thus improve the separation efficiency to achieve the synergic catalytic effect of dual piezoelectric under VSL irradiation. This work demonstrated that TCN had better piezoelectric photocatalytic properties than CN, and the efficient pollutant removal performance of dual piezoelectric photocatalysis, which provided new ideas for the development of piezoelectric photocatalysts.

Potential Beneficial Effects of Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles on Caries Lesions In Vitro-A Review of the Literature.

Dental caries is one of the most common human diseases which can occur in both primary and permanent dentitions throughout the life of an individual. Hydroxyapatite is the major inorganic component of human teeth, consequently, nanosized hydroxyapatite (nHAP) has recently attracted researchers' attention due to its unique properties and potential for caries management. This article provides a contemporary review of the potential beneficial effects of nHAP on caries lesions demonstrated in in vitro studies. Data showed that nHAP has potential to promote mineralization in initial caries, by being incorporated into the porous tooth structure, which resulted from the caries process, and subsequently increased mineral content and hardness. Notably, it is the particle size of nHAP which plays an important role in the mineralization process. Antimicrobial effects of nHAP can also be achieved by metal substitution in nHAP. Dual action property (mineralizing and antimicrobial) and enhanced chemical stability and bioactivity of nHAP can potentially be obtained using metal-substituted fluorhydroxyapatite nanoparticles. This provides a promising synergistic strategy which should be explored in further clinical research to enable the development of dental therapeutics for use in the treatment and management of caries.

Exploration of Ferrate(VI) Potential in Treating Lake Constance Water

Occurrence of micropollutants in water and their potential impact on the environment and human health are arising concerns. The micropollutants are not removed efficiently by current wastewater treatment and a small amount of them get released into receiving waters accompanying the discharging of the treated wastewater effluents. Therefore, it is useful to investigate an advanced or alternative technology to remove traces of micropollutants in Lake Constance water during drinking water treatment. Among various oxidation processes, ferrate(VI) has received extensive attentions due to its superior dual properties of oxidation and coagulation. The work in this communication is the first trial using ferrate(VI) in comparison with FeCl3/ozonation to treat lake water and to remove micropollutants in the region. The results of pilot-scale trials showed that 10% of metformin, benzotriazole and acesulfam can be removed by ferrate(VI) at a dose of 0.1 mg L−1 from raw water, but FeCl3 with or without pre-ozonation cannot achieve the same performance. The degradability of three additional micropollutants by ferrate(VI) oxidation followed the sequences of bisphenol-S (BS) &gt; azithromycin (AZM) &gt; imidacloprid (IMP) was evaluated, and 100% concentration reduction of BS was achieved. The work suggests that ferrate(VI) is a potential alternative to the existing treatment processes for drinking water treatment.

Risks in Major Cryptocurrency Markets: Modeling the Dual Long Memory Property and Structural Breaks

This study estimates the effects of the dual long memory property and structural breaks on the persistence level of six major cryptocurrency markets. We apply the Bai and Perron structural break test, Inclán and Tiao’s iterated cumulative sum of squares (ICSS) algorithm, and the fractionally integrated generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (FIGARCH) model, with different distributions. The results show that long memory and structural breaks characterize the conditional volatility of cryptocurrency markets, confirming our hypothesis that ignoring structural breaks leads to an underestimation of the persistence of volatility modeling. The ARFIMA-FIGARCH model, with structural breaks and a skewed Student-t distribution, fits the cryptocurrency market’s price dynamics well.

Promotion of Protein Solubility and Reduction in Stiffness in Human Lenses by Aggrelyte-1: Implications for Reversing Presbyopia.

With aging, human lenses lose the ability to focus on nearby objects due to decreases in accommodative ability, a condition known as presbyopia. An increase in stiffness or decrease in lens elasticity due to protein aggregation and insolubilization are the primary reasons for presbyopia. In this study, we tested aggrelyte-1 (S,N-diacetyl glutathione diethyl ester) for its ability to promote protein solubility and decrease the stiffness of lenses through its dual property of lysine acetylation and disulfide reduction. Treatment of water-insoluble proteins from aged human lenses (58-75 years) with aggrelyte-1 significantly increased the solubility of those proteins. A control compound that did not contain the S-acetyl group (aggrelyte-1C) was substantially less efficient in solubilizing water-insoluble proteins. Aggrelyte-1-treated solubilized protein had significant amounts of acetyllysine, as measured by Western blotting and LC-MS/MS. Aggrelytes increased the protein-free thiol content in the solubilized protein. Aged mouse (7 months) and human (44-66 years) lenses treated with aggrelyte-1 showed reduced stiffness accompanied by higher free thiol and acetyllysine levels compared with those treated with aggrelyte-1C or untreated controls. Our results suggested that aggrelyte-1 reduced lens stiffness through acetylation followed by disulfide reduction. This proof-of-concept study paves the way for developing aggrelyte-1 and related compounds to reverse presbyopia.

Innovative green approach for recovering Co2O3 nanoparticles and Li2CO3 from spent lithium-ion batteries

Although previous studies have obtained promising results for recovering valuable metals from spent LIBs at low temperatures using organic acids combined with reducing agents, additional chemicals such as H2O2, huge amounts of organic acids, and environmental protection remain challenges. In this study, a subcritical water (SCW) assisted diluted formic acid process was proposed as a green approach for recovering Co2O3 nanoparticles and Li2CO3 from spent LiCoO2 cathode materials without using any reducing agents. The effects of leaching parameters such as (H2O: HCOOH) ratio (v/v), temperature, reaction time, and liquid-solid ratio on the extraction of Li and Co have been carefully evaluated. The findings revealed that SCW-assisted (DFA) successfully leaches Li and Co from the spent LiCoO2 cathode materials of Li-ion batteries without using any assistance from reducing reagents. The solid materials were characterized by XRD, XPS, FT-IR, and SEM-EDS analyses. Meanwhile, the leaching liquor was analyzed by ICP-OES. More than 99% of Li and Co were effectively recovered from the spent LiCoO2 powder at 220 °C for 25 min, H2O: HCOOH ratio (v/v,) of 78:12 and a liquid-solid ratio of 25 mL/g. Further, the activation energy for Li was 24.15 KJ/mol, while that for Co was 31 KJ/mol. Finally, Co2O3 and Li2CO3 were successfully recovered from the leaching liquor by the precipitation and calcination methods after the separation steps. The overall findings suggested that SCW-assisted (DFA) could be an alternative method due to its low energy consumption, dual function properties at mild temperatures, low chemical input, and environmentally friendly.

Mucopenetrating Janus Nanoparticles For Field-Coverage Oral Cancer Chemoprevention

IntroductionOral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Preemptive interventions have been postulated to provide superior therapeutic options, but their implementation has been restricted by the availability of broadly applicable local delivery systems.MethodsWe address this challenge by engineering a delivery vehicle, Janus nanoparticles (JNP), that combine the dual mucoadhesive properties of a first cationic chitosan compartment with a second hydrophobic poly(lactide-co-glycolide) release compartment. JNP are designed to avoid rapid mucus clearance while ensuring stable loading and controlled release of the IL-6 receptor antagonist, tocilizumab (TCZ).ResultsThe JNP featured defined and monodispersed sizes with an average diameter of 327 nm and a PDI of 0.245, high circularities above 0.90 and supported controlled release of TCZ and effective internalization by oral keratinocytes. TCZ released from JNP retained its biological activity and effectively reduced both, soluble and membrane-bound IL-6Rα (71% and 50%). In full-thickness oral mucosal explants, 76% of the JNP breached the stratum corneum and in 41% were observed in the basal cell layer indicating excellent mucopenetrating properties. When tested in an aggressive OSCC xenograft model, TCZ-loaded JNP showed high levels of xenograft inhibition and outperformed all control groups with respect to inhibition of tumor cell proliferation, reduction in tumor size and reduced expression of the proto-oncogene ERG.ConclusionBy combining critically required, yet orthogonal properties within the same nanoparticle design, the JNP in this study, demonstrate promise as precision delivery platforms for intraoral field-coverage chemoprevention, a vastly under-researched area of high clinical importance.