Superhydrophobicsurfaces (SHSs), inspired by water-repellent biostructures,hold promise across biomedical, industrial, and environmental domains.Here, we systematically compare PTFE-based SHSs with microstructured(MS), nanostructured (NS), and micro–nano hierarchical (MN)morphologies for liquid repellency, antifouling, antibacterial performance,and cytocompatibility. MN surfaces provided the strongest antiadhesion,maintaining low sliding angles for challenging high-viscosity/high-solidsliquids (glycerol, egg white, and yogurt) by minimizing solid–liquidcontact and elevating energy barriers to pinning. Antibacterial testing(ISO 22196-equivalent) showed morphology-dependent efficacy: MS andMN reduced Staphylococcus aureus by>80% and Escherichia coli by ≈40%,whereas NS showed negligible activity. Cytotoxicity toward L929 fibroblastsfollowed a similar trend: MN modestly reduced viability (≈70%),while NS on PTFE/PET maintained >95% viability. Collectively, thedata indicate that mechano-bactericidal effects arising from microscaleconfinement combined with nanoscale protrusionsnot an air-cushionbarrier alonegovern SHS bioactivity. These findings clarifyperformance–biocompatibility trade-offs and provide designguidelines for medical devices, antifouling coatings, and transparentcoatings for optical/food-contact surfaces.

Interest in Microcrystal Electron Diffraction (MicroED) for structural characterization of both proteins and small molecules has dramatically risen since the method’s inception 12 years ago. While ab initio phasing methods remain the gold standard for small molecule MicroED data, radiation beam damage during data collection and poor crystallinity of the sample makes this method unfeasible in many cases, commonly in the case of complex molecules with some degree of inherent flexibility and large substituents. Molecular replacement (MR) is a very common phasing method for protein MicroED data that can circumnavigate this diminished data quality, however MR has seen little traction with small molecules due to the dearth of diverse methods to efficiently sample the conformational landscape of small molecules. Herein, a method based on high- throughput, automated molecular replacement has been developed to rectify this issue. This method was used to solve three macrocycle structures with known MicroED structures up to 2.0Å resolution and one novel structure at 0.97Å resolution that was unable to be solved with ab initio methods. This method may find uses for larger and more complex molecules including large peptides, toxins and natural products, which typically generates diffraction data with resolutions >1.0 Å.

The atomic position of hydrogen atoms in metal hydrides has been a long-standing structural question in inorganic chemistry given that hydride delivery is integral to diverse chemical reactions. Microcrystal electron diffraction (microED), with it's increased sensitivity toward hydrogen atoms relative to X-ray diffraction, offers a potential path to addressing this challenge. Herein, the first microED study of Stryker's reagent is reported, resulting in the structure of a new benzene solvate. Improved accuracy for hydrogen atom positions was obtained via a quantum crystallography (QCr) approach, Hirshfeld atom refinement (HAR). Structural and topological analysis supports edge bridging hydrides in the microED structure of a THF solvate form, consistent with previous diffraction studies. Interestingly, analysis of a new benzene solvate, discovered in this study, is consistent with mixed edge- and face-bridging hydrides.

Abstract The atomic position of hydrogen atoms in metal hydrides has been a long‐standing structural question in inorganic chemistry given that hydride delivery is integral to diverse chemical reactions. Microcrystal electron diffraction (microED), with it's increased sensitivity toward hydrogen atoms relative to X‐ray diffraction, offers a potential path to addressing this challenge. Herein, the first microED study of Stryker's reagent is reported, resulting in the structure of a new benzene solvate. Improved accuracy for hydrogen atom positions was obtained via a quantum crystallography (QCr) approach, Hirshfeld atom refinement (HAR). Structural and topological analysis supports edge bridging hydrides in the microED structure of a THF solvate form, consistent with previous diffraction studies. Interestingly, analysis of a new benzene solvate, discovered in this study, is consistent with mixed edge‐ and face‐bridging hydrides.

Human lens fiber membrane intrinsic protein MP20 is the second most abundant membrane protein of the human eye lens. Despite decades of effort its structure and function remained elusive. Here, we determined the MicroED structure of full-length human MP20 in lipidic-cubic phase to a resolution of 3.5 Å. MP20 forms tetramers each of which contain 4 transmembrane α-helices that are packed against one another forming a helical bundle. We find that each MP20 tetramer formed adhesive interactions with an opposing tetramer in a head-to-head fashion. Investigation of MP20 localization in human lenses indicate that in young fiber cells MP20 is initially localized to the cytoplasm in differentiating fiber cells but upon fiber cell maturation is inserted into the plasma membrane, correlating with the restriction of the diffusion of extracellular tracers into the lens. Together these results suggest that MP20 forms lens thin junctions in vivo, confirming its role as a structural protein in the human eye lens essential for its optical transparency.

This investigation focuses on the microstructural refinement of the γ-TiAl intermetallic alloy Ti-45Al-2Nb-2Mn (at.%) + 0.8 (vol.%) TiB2 (Ti4522XD) processed by powder metallurgy. The alloy powders were manufactured using the Electrode Induction-melting Gas Atomization (EIGA) process and subsequently consolidated through Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP), resulting in a near-γ microstructure.The study further explores the effects of three distinct thermal treatments on the microstruc ture: 1) heating to 1300°C for 2 hours followed by furnace cooling (HT1), 2) heating to 1300°C for 2 hours, then water quenching and aging at 850°C for 8 hours before furnace cooling (HT2), and 3) heating to 1300°C for 2 hours, followed by water quenching and aging at 700°C for 8 hours before furnace cooling (HT3). These processes were tailored to promote the development of duplex (DP) and fully lamellar (FL) microstructures. Characterization was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) to identify phase distributions and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the surface morphology. Transmission elec tron microscopy (TEM) was used for a preliminary assessment of actual lamellar spacing. As a result, two different microstructures were obtained: DP for HT1 and near fully lamellar (NFL) for HT2 and HT3, but differences in the final actual lamellar spacing were observed for these last two cases. Additionally, the presence of microcracks of different morphologies was observed by SEM prior to any mechanical testing.

Electron counting helped realize the resolution revolution in single-particle cryoEM and is now accelerating the determination of MicroED structures. Its advantages are best demonstrated by new direct electron detectors capable of fast (kilohertz) event-based electron counting (EBEC). This strategy minimizes the inaccuracies introduced by coincidence loss (CL) and promises rapid determination of accurate structures. We used the Direct Electron Apollo camera to leverage EBEC technology for MicroED data collection. Given its ability to count single electrons, the Apollo collects high-quality MicroED data from organic small-molecule crystals illuminated with incident electron beam flux densities as low as 0.01-0.045 e-/Å2/s. Under even the lowest flux density (0.01 e-/Å2/s) condition, fast EBEC data produced ab initio structures of a salen ligand (268 Da) and biotin (244 Da). Each structure was determined from a 100° wedge of data collected from a single crystal in as few as 50 s, with a delivered fluence of only ∼0.5 e-/Å2. Fast EBEC data collected with a fluence of 2.25 or 3.33 e-/Å2 also facilitated a 1.5 Å structure of thiostrepton (1665 Da). While refinement of these structures appeared unaffected by CL, a CL adjustment applied to EBEC data further improved the distribution of intensities measured from the salen ligand and biotin crystals. However, CL adjustment only marginally improved the refinement of their corresponding structures, signaling the already high counting accuracy of detectors with counting rates in the kilohertz range. Overall, by delivering low-dose structure-worthy data, fast EBEC collection strategies open new possibilities for high-throughput MicroED.

The detailed understanding of the conformational pathway of fluticasone, a widely prescribed medicine for allergic rhinitis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), from formulation to its protein-bound state, has been limited due to a lack of access to its high-resolution structures. The three-dimensional (3D) structure of fluticasone furoate 1 remains unpublished, and the deposited structure of fluticasone propionate 2 could be further refined due to refinement against new data. We applied microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) to determine the 3D structures of 1 and 2 in their solid states. The preferred geometries in solution were predicted by using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A comparative analysis of the structures of 1 and 2 across three states (in solid state, in solution, and protein-bound conformation) revealed the course of the conformational changes during the entire transition. Potential energy plots were calculated for the most dynamic bonds, uncovering their rotational barriers. This study underscores the combined use of MicroED and DFT calculations to provide a comprehensive understanding of conformational and energy changes during drug administration. The quantitative comparison also highlights the subtle structural differences that may lead to significant changes in the pharmaceutical properties.

High-energy electrons induce sample damage and motion at the nanoscale to fundamentally limit the determination of molecular structures by electron diffraction. Using a fast event-based electron counting (EBEC) detector, we characterize beam-induced, dynamic, molecular crystal lattice reorientations (BIRs). These changes are sufficiently large to bring reciprocal lattice points entirely in or out of intersection with the sphere of reflection, occur as early events in the decay of diffracted signal due to radiolytic damage, and coincide with beam-induced migrations of crystal bend contours within the same fluence regime and at the same illuminated location on a crystal. These effects are observed in crystals of biotin, a series of amino acid metal chelates, and a six-residue peptide, suggesting that incident electrons inevitably warp molecular lattices. The precise orientation changes experienced by a given microcrystal are unpredictable but are measurable by indexing individual diffraction patterns during beam-induced decay. Reorientations can often tilt a crystal lattice several degrees away from its initial position before irradiation, and for an especially beam-sensitive Zn(II)-methionine chelate, are associated with dramatic crystal quakes prior to 1 e- Å-2 electron beam fluence accumulates. Since BIR coincides with the early stages of beam-induced damage, it echoes the beam-induced motion observed in single-particle cryoEM. As with motion correction for cryoEM imaging experiments, accounting for BIR-induced errors during data processing could improve the accuracy of MicroED data.

This study presents a novel optoporation technique using a titanium-coated TiO2 microstructure (TMS) device activated by an infrared diode laser for highly efficient intracellular delivery. The TMS device, fabricated with 120 nm titanium coating on a titanium dioxide (TiO2) microstructure containing microneedles (height ∼2 μm and width ∼4.5 μm), demonstrates enhanced biocompatibility and thermal conductivity compared to the conventional TiO2 microstructure (MS). Exposure to the TMS device with an IR diode laser (980 nm) generates heat, forming photothermal bubbles that disrupt the cell membrane and create transient pores for biomolecular delivery. Unlike traditional optoporation methods, which rely on large, vibration-sensitive lasers, the IR diode laser-assisted TMS device-based optoporation technique offers a compact, cost-effective, and portable alternative, making it suitable for clinical and research applications in resource-constrained environments. The performance of the TMS and MS devices was compared in various cancer cell lines (HeLa, L929, and N2a), with the TMS device showing superior delivery success rates for biomolecules of varying molecular sizes. Notably, the TMS device achieved a 99.30% delivery success rate for the smallest molecule, PI dye, and an 85.17% success rate for the largest studied molecule, β-galactosidase enzyme-Cy5. Furthermore, the TMS device consistently provided a higher delivery success rate at lower laser power, minimizing cellular stress and preserving cell survivability. Moreover, using Western Blot analysis, the TMS device demonstrated lower levels of apoptosis compared to the MS device, with statistically significant differences, highlighting its potential for efficient intracellular delivery while minimizing cellular stress and damage. These results highlight the potential of the TMS device as an advanced tool for large-size intracellular biomolecular delivery, offering significant improvements in stability, efficiency, and cell survivability.

The objective of this study is to investigate relationship between organizational structure, innovation and performance in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), with a particular focus on the mediating role of innovation. The research provides a novel lens by examining how distinct dimensions of organizational structure—formalization, flexibility, centralization, complexity, and specialization—interact with stages of innovation to influence multidimensional performance outcomes. This research explores how structural design aligns with environmental contingencies and drives innovation as a dynamic capability in MSMEs. The integration of these theories enables a nuanced understanding of organizational adaptability and performance within resource-constrained settings.The methodology adopted for this research comprises employing a quantitative cross-sectional design, data from 400 MSMEs was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that innovation significantly mediates the relationship between organizational structure and performance. Key structural dimensions such as flexibility and complexity demonstrate a pronounced impact on adaptive capacity and strategic agility in MSMEs. By integrating structural and innovation paradigms, this study provides actionable insights for policymakers and MSMEs leaders who aim to enhance competitiveness and sustainability in a rapidly evolving business landscape. This research adopts a holistic approach by considering the interactive effects of structural dimensions and staged innovation processes on MSMEs performance. This comprehensive perspective addresses critical gaps in understanding how structural design facilitates continuous innovation and sustainable performance

This study empirically assesses the effect of capital structure on the financial sustainability of micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) in Northeastern Nigeria. Using the fixed effects method, the research analysed panel data of 174 MSMEs across the six (6) states from 2018-2023. Further evidence was provided using the random effect technique. The finding shows that short-term debt negatively influences financial sustainability, while long-term debt financing may lead to sustainable performance. The result implies that MSMEs should prioritise securing long-term borrowing to enhance their performance and attain financial sustainability. Policymakers and regulators should not relent in providing long-term financing opportunities to MSMEs for consistent growth.

In this paper explores the position of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in terms of three key variables: propensity to credit, capital structure and strategic profile. The premises presented in this scientific essay are derived from the interpretation of data and results of two studies applied to MSMEs. Some elements are presented that illustrate the most frequent preferences and behaviors together with conceptual considerations, with the purpose of trying to explain the main financial and strategic challenges of this type of companies in the national context. In each of the studies that serve as the basis for this paper, surveys were applied as instruments for data collection.

The effects of wheat bran dietary fiber (WBDF) treated by air flow micro-pulverization on gelatinization, thermal, rheological, structural properties, and in vitro digestion of wheat starch (WS) were investigated. Different particle sizes of WBDF were obtained by conventional knife grinding and airflow micro-grinding. Compared with conventional knife grinding, the particle size of WBDF treated by air flow micro-pulverization decreased, the particle size distribution was concentrated at small particle sizes, the specific surface area increased, and the hydraulic and oil-holding power decreased, which was mainly related to the change of WBDF spatial structure and the increase of solubility. At the same time, the peak viscosity, setback, breakdown, and resistant starch content short-range order degree and relative crystallinity of WS were increased by adding WBDF treated by air flow micro-pulverization, whereas the gelatinization enthalpy value and apparent viscosity were decreased. This indicated that the air micro pulverized WBDF promoted gelatinization and inhibited digestion while reducing the thermal stability of WS, leading to short-term recovery. This study provides a theoretical reference for the production and processing of gluten-containing flour products. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: In this study, the physical and chemical properties and spatial structure of air flow micro pulverized dietary fiber of wheat bran were analyzed, and its effects on the properties of wheat starch were studied. Therefore, this study provides a theoretical basis for the industrial application of gluten-containing flour products.

Eukaryotic TIR (Toll/interleukin-1 receptor protein) domains signal via TIR-TIR interactions, either by self-association or by interaction with other TIR domains. In mammals, TIR domains are found in Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and cytoplasmic adaptor proteins involved in pro-inflammatory signaling. Previous work revealed that the MAL TIR domain (MALTIR) nucleates the assembly of MyD88TIR into crystalline arrays in vitro. A microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) structure of the MyD88TIR assembly has previously been solved, revealing a two-stranded higher-order assembly of TIR domains. In this work, it is demonstrated that the TIR domain of TLR2, which is reported to signal as a heterodimer with either TLR1 or TLR6, induces the formation of crystalline higher-order assemblies of MyD88TIR in vitro, whereas TLR1TIR and TLR6TIR do not. Using an improved data-collection protocol, the MicroED structure of TLR2TIR-induced MyD88TIR microcrystals was determined at a higher resolution (2.85 Å) and with higher completeness (89%) compared with the previous structure of the MALTIR-induced MyD88TIR assembly. Both assemblies exhibit conformational differences in several areas that are important for signaling (for example the BB loop and CD loop) compared with their monomeric structures. These data suggest that TLR2TIR and MALTIR interact with MyD88 in an analogous manner during signaling, nucleating MyD88TIR assemblies unidirectionally.

Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4), a material known for its high visible light activity and good stability, is a promising candidate as a photoanode for overall water splitting [1]. Its performance is limited by its relatively short charge carrier diffusion length, which has recently been estimated to be ~15 nm [2]. For these kinds of photo-absorbers, commercial flat transparent conducting oxide (TCO) substrates are unsuitable since the thickness needed to absorb a sufficient amount of light far exceeds the carrier diffusion length. With this in mind, deposition of very thin semiconductor film onto the internal structure of (micro)porous, conducting substrates can ensure sufficient light absorption [3], whilst ensuring the individual film thickness is uniformly lower than the carrier diffusion length. Nanostructured TCO substrates can be fabricated using a convenient template-free technique called glancing angle deposition (GLAD). The glancing angle deposition method can be used to synthesize different variations of highly oriented submicron-sized pillars, ranging from vertical and tilted columns to zig-zag and helical structures with the help of shadowing effects and substrate rotation [4]. The optical and electrical properties of nanostructured TCO’s were found to depend on the type of material and the substrate temperature during deposition. We find that pillars made from tin-doped indium oxide show good conductivity (79 Ohm/sq) and are promising for the fabrication of nanostructured substrates for bismuth vanadate. A recently developed alternative approach is the use of transparent, porous, conducting substrates (TPCS) made from quartz felt, in which the quartz fibers are coated with F-doped SnO2 [5]. We found that a BiVO4 film thickness of 50 nm within these porous substrates is enough to absorb the same amount of light as a compact 400 nm bismuth vanadate film. We will discuss the deposition of BiVO4 into the TPCS substrates and the photoelectrochemical performance of these porous photoanodes.[1] K. Sivula and R. van de Krol, Nat. Rev. Mater. 1, 15010 (2016)[2] M. Schleuning, M. Kölbach, F. F. Abdi, K. Schwarzburg, M. Stolterfoht, R. Eichberger, R. van de Krol, D. Friedrich, H. Hempel, PRX Energy 1, 023008 (2022)[3] U. Björksten, J. Moser and M. Grätzel, Chem. Mater. 6, 858 (1994)[4] M. M. Hawkeye, M. T. Taschuk and M. J. Brett, “Glancing Angle Deposition of Thin Films”, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Chichester, UK (2014).[5] M. Caretti, E. Mensi, R.-A. Kessler, L. Lazouni, B. Goldman, L. Carbone, S. Nussbaum, R. A. Wells, H. Johnson, E. Rideau, J.-h. Yum, K. Sivula, Adv. Mater. 35, 2208740 (2023)

Clostripain secreted from Clostridium histolyticum is the founding member of the C11 family of Clan CD cysteine peptidases, which is an important group of peptidases secreted by numerous bacteria. Clostripain is an arginine-specific endopeptidase. Because of its efficacy as a cysteine peptidase, it is widely used in laboratory settings. Despite its importance the structure of clostripain remains unsolved. Here we describe the first structure of an active form of C. histolyticum clostripain determined at 2.5 Å resolution using microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED). The structure was determined from a single nanocrystal after focused ion beam milling. The structure of clostripain shows a typical Clan CD α/β/α sandwich architecture and the Cys231/His176 catalytic dyad in the active site. It has a large electronegative substrate binding pocket showing its ability to accommodate large and diverse substrates. A loop in the heavy chain formed between residues 452 and 457 is potentially important for substrate binding. In conclusion, this result demonstrates the importance of MicroED to determine the unknown structure of macromolecules such as clostripain, which can be further used as a platform to study substrate binding and design of potential inhibitors against this class of peptidases.

In this paper, using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic analysis, the location map of microcomposites formed on the surface of n-Si, p-Si, n-Si<Lu> and p-Si<Lu> samples was studied. Force microscope (AFM) research devices. The atomic fractions of inclusions of carbon, oxygen and lutetium formed on the surface of the samples were studied. Also, using the ASM device, the sizes, relief and topographic appearance of defects formed on the surface of the samples were determined. In silicon samples doped with Lu, a decrease in the size of surface defects and the formation of nano-sized structures were found, which makes it possible to obtain materials with a more perfect crystal structure. Using a ZEISS GeminiSEM 300 scanning electron microscope, the structural structure, chemical composition and images of their arrangement of n-Si, p-Si, n-Si<Lu> and p-Si<Lu> samples were obtained. In this case, the electron accelerating voltage was 20 kV, and the pressure in the sample chamber was (10-3 mmHg). Research results show that the structural structure of micro- and nanocomposites formed in silicon mainly depends on the diffusion time and cooling rate of the samples after diffusion annealing.

Human lens fiber membrane intrinsic protein MP20 is the second most abundant membrane protein of the human eye lens. Despite decades of effort its structure and function remained elusive. Here, we determined the MicroED structure of full-length human MP20 in lipidic-cubic phase to a resolution of 3.5 Å. MP20 forms tetramers each of which contain 4 transmembrane α-helices that are packed against one another forming a helical bundle. Both the N- and C- termini of MP20 are cytoplasmic. We found that each MP20 tetramer formed adhesive interactions with an opposing tetramer in a head-to-head fashion. These interactions were mediated by the extracellular loops of the protein. The dimensions of the MP20 adhesive junctions are consistent with the 11 nm thin lens junctions. Investigation of MP20 localization in human lenses indicated that in young fiber cells MP20 was stored intracellularly in vesicles and upon fiber cell maturation MP20 inserted into the plasma membrane and restricted the extracellular space. Together these results suggest that MP20 forms lens thin junctions in vivo confirming its role as a structural protein in the human eye lens, essential for its optical transparency.

This study examines the capital structure, liquidity, profit growth, and financial performance of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the culinary sector based on local raw materials in Tasikmalaya City. A quantitative research approach with a descriptive-analytical method was employed, analyzing data from 33 sampled MSMEs. The findings reveal that the majority of MSMEs maintain a satisfactory capital structure, adequate liquidity, and positive profit growth. Furthermore, the financial performance of these MSMEs, particularly in terms of profitability, is commendable. The study concludes that there is a positive relationship between capital structure, liquidity, profit growth, and financial performance in these MSMEs, highlighting the importance of effective management in achieving business success.