Tangled Structure Research Articles

The in vitro immunomodulatory effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes by multilayer analysis

The study of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) induced immunotoxicity is crucial for determining hazards posed to human health. MWCNT exposure most commonly occurs via the airways, where macrophages are first line responders. Here we exploit an in vitro assay, measuring dose-dependent secretion of a wide panel of cytokines, as a measure of immunotoxicity following the non-lethal, multi-dose exposure (IC5, IC10 and IC20) to 7 MWCNTs with different intrinsic properties. We find that a tangled structure, and small aspect ratio are key properties predicting MWCNT induced immunotoxicity, mediated predominantly by IL1B cytokine secretion. To assess the mechanism of action giving rise to MWCNT immunotoxicity, transcriptomics analysis was linked to cytokine secretion in a multilayer model established through correlation analysis across exposure concentrations. This reinforced the finding that tangled MWCNTs have greater immunomodulatory potency, displaying enrichment of immune system, signal transduction and pattern recognition associated pathways. Together our results further elucidate how structure, length and aspect ratio, critical intrinsic properties of MWCNTs, are tied to immunotoxicity.

Structural Organization of Asphaltenes and Resins and Composition of Low Polar Components of Heavy Oils

Comparative characteristics of resins, asphaltenes, and low polar components of heavy oils from the Ashalchinskoye (I) and Nurlatskoye (II) oil fields (Republic of Tatarstan, Russia) are given. These oils differ in the age of host rocks (Permian and Devonian, respectively) and the content of their components and heteroatoms. An X-ray phase analysis and scanning and transmission electron microscopy reveal that, in contrast to smooth surface asphaltenes of oil I, asphaltenes of oil II are characterized by a loose and porous surface and smaller sizes of nanoaggregates. Nanoaggregates form a disorderly tangled structure because of the alkyl side-chain configuration, which makes it difficult to stack aromatic sheets. The crystallites of nanoaggregates of asphaltenes of oil II are smaller than the crystallites of nanoaggregates of asphaltenes of oil I. The application of the method of structural-group analysis based on the use of the measured indicators of the elemental composition, average molecular weights, and the results of 1H NMR spectroscopy made it possible to establish that overall sizes of mean molecules of resins and asphaltenes of heavy oil I are larger due to the increased content of aromatic and naphthenic cycles in the naphthenoaromatic system. A feature of the structure of the resin–asphaltene components of oil II is a greater number of alkyl substituents in the side chains. According to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis, the low polar components under study are characterized by a similar set of saturated hydrocarbons (n-alkanes, mono-, and polycycloalkanes) but differ in the composition of identified aromatic hydrocarbons and heteroorganic compounds. A feature of the low polar components of oil II is the presence of a wider range of n-alkyl- and phenylalkyl-substituted benzenes and nitrogen- and oxygen-organic compounds in their composition.

Composition and formation conditions of nephrite, Nyrdvomenshor deposit, Polar Urals

Research subject. Nephrite and related rocks from the Nyrdvomenshor deposit in the Polar Urals were studied. The Nyrdvomenshor deposit is located in the exocontact of the Rai-Iz ultramafic massif, confined to the Main Ural Fault. The deposit was developed in the process of geological exploration; a license has been issued for a part of the deposit. Aim. To study the nephrite and related rocks from alluvial of the deposit, to formulate a model of its origin. Methods. Qualitative characteristics were assessed visually using a binocular microscope and a special flashlight. The chemical composition was determined by the X-ray fluorescence method. The contents of trace elements were determined by ICP-MS analysis. The mineral composition was studied on a scanning electron microscope with an energy dispersive microanalysis system. Measurements of the isotopic composition of oxygen were carried out. Results. In addition to vesuvianite rodingite, hydrogarnet rodingite was found to be common at the deposit. The studied nephrite is substandard. Tremolite predominates in nephrite, diopside forms relic grains. Uvarovite is widespread, forming both idiomorphic grains, sometimes sheath, less often elongated xenomorphic, and replacing chromite. Omphacite overgrows grains of chromite and uvarovite. Grains of the Fe-dominant mineral of the shuiskite group are noted. Conclusions. Nephrite was formed through both metamorphic and metasomatic processes. Serpentinite was replaced by diopside, which was then replaced by nephrite. Metamorphism enhanced the metasomatism of the serpentinite melange and provided the cryptocrystalline tangled fibrous structure of the nephrite. Then metamorphism and metasomatism led to the formation of omphacite and cracking of the nephrite, which reduced its quality. As these processes progressed, the contribution of the crustal fluid increased, which is confirmed by the results of studying the oxygen isotopic composition of nephrite and other rocks of the deposit.

The Relationship between Structural Features of Lignocellulosic Materials and Ethanol Production Yield

Lignocellulosic materials are a mixture of natural polymers which can be considered a great alternative source of chemical products and energy. Hence, pinewood, poplar wood, and rice straw, as representatives of different types of lignocelluloses, were subjected to several pretreatment types in order to increase ethanol production yield. All pretreatments increased enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol yield, specifically pretreatment with phosphoric acid. This pretreatment increased ethanol yields by 304.6% and 273.61% for poplar wood and pinewood, respectively, compared to untreated substrates. In addition, a number of analyses, including a BET test, buffering capacity, crystallinity, accessible surface area, and composition measurement, were conducted on the pretreated substrates to investigate their structural modifications in detail. Accessible surface area, as one of the most important parameters for performance of enzymes and microorganisms in the fermentation process, was examined by the water retention value test. The results of this method (using centrifuge) showed that the maximum accessible surface area was related to the pretreated samples with phosphoric acid so that it increased WRV to 132.19%, 149.41%, and 68.44% for poplar wood, pinewood, and rice straw, respectively, as compared to untreated substrates. On the whole, pretreatments restructured and opened up the tangled structure of lignocelluloses, resulting in a considerable increase in ethanol yields. Moreover, in this study, for the first time, a new correlation was presented for each substrate which indicates the relationship between ethanol yield and structural features of the lignocellulosic substrate.

Automated mapping of Portulacaria afra canopies for restoration monitoring with convolutional neural networks and heterogeneous unmanned aerial vehicle imagery.

Ecosystem restoration and reforestation often operate at large scales, whereas monitoring practices are usually limited to spatially restricted field measurements that are (i) time- and labour-intensive, and (ii) unable to accurately quantify restoration success over hundreds to thousands of hectares. Recent advances in remote sensing technologies paired with deep learning algorithms provide an unprecedented opportunity for monitoring changes in vegetation cover at spatial and temporal scales. Such data can feed directly into adaptive management practices and provide insights into restoration and regeneration dynamics. Here, we demonstrate that convolutional neural network (CNN) segmentation algorithms can accurately classify the canopy cover of Portulacaria afra Jacq. in imagery acquired using different models of unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs) and under variable light intensities. Portulacaria afra is the target species for the restoration of Albany Subtropical Thicket vegetation, endemic to South Africa, where canopy cover is challenging to measure due to the dense, tangled structure of this vegetation. The automated classification strategy presented here is widely transferable to restoration monitoring as its application does not require any knowledge of the CNN model or specialist training, and can be applied to imagery generated by a range of UAV models. This will reduce the sampling effort required to track restoration trajectories in space and time, contributing to more effective management of restoration sites, and promoting collaboration between scientists, practitioners and landowners.

Extraction of polysaccharide from Althea rosea and its physicochemical, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive and antioxidant properties

The valorization of new polymer sources from underutilized plants as structuring, encapsulating, and texturizing agents for food and nutraceutical applications is gaining attention. This provides an opportunity where inexpensive plant-sourced biopolymers can play an impactful role, on both ecological and economic aspects performing equivalently effectual yet cost-effective substitutes to synthetic polymers. With this aim, we explored the use of mucilage from Althea rosea and reveal its physicochemical, in vitro antidiabetic and antihypertensive activity. Besides, structural, micrometric, crystallization, and anti-microbial properties was also seen. We determined the probable structure of the extracted mucilage by FTIR which confirmed the residues of saccharides as galactose and uronic acid with α and β configurations. It consists of 78.26% carbohydrates, 3.51% ashes, and 3.72% proteins. Here, we show that the mucilage offered protection to DNA against the oxidative damage caused by (-OH) radicals and the morphology of the mucilage particles displayed a fibrillary material settled in a net-like, tangled structure. Our results demonstrate that the reconstituted mucilage powder exhibited good water holding capacity (2.89 g water/g mucilage), solubility (27.33%), and oil holding capacity (1.79 g oil/g mucilage). Moreover, high emulsifying property (95.83%) and foaming capacity (17.04%) was noted. Our results indicate that A.rosea mucilage can potentially serve as economical and eco-friendly hydrocolloid substitute for the food and nutraceutical industry owing to its functional, hypo-lipidemic, anti-hyperglycemic, antioxidant, and anti-bacterial properties.

Role of dietary fiber and flaxseed oil in altering the physicochemical properties and 3D printability of cod protein composite gel

3D printing technology produces personalized food for consumers with special needs. Hence, the current research investigated the rheological properties of the cod protein composite gel (CPCG) made on different mixes of inulin/soybean dietary fiber (IN/SDF) and flaxseed oil contents. The suitability of the 3D printed CPCG was further investigated by observing their water distribution and micro-structure. The results showed suitability of the CPCG for 3D printing with ratios of IN:SDF at 7:3 and 5:5 as well as 10% of flaxseed oil, wherein the gel was highly thixotropic, which made it suitable to be used as food ink. The addition of IN/SDF and flaxseed oil led to a decrease in the mobility of water molecules in the CPCG. Sample IN5-SDF5-15% with tangled structure showed the minimum hysteresis loop area (0.41 ± 0.17 log(Pa)/log(1/s)), leading to negative printability. Thus, CPCG can be used to manufacture customized foods for the elderly and other need-based consumers.

Recruitment: A Problem of Entangled Temporal Parts.

Recruitment is a pervasive activity of life that is at the center of novelty generation and persistence. Without recruitment, novelties cannot spread and biological systems cannot maintain identity through time. Here we explore the problem of identity and change unfolding in space and time. We illustrate recruitment operating at different timescales with metabolic networks, protein domain makeup, the functionome, and the rise of viral 'variants of concern' during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We define persistence within a framework of fluxes of matter-energy and information and signal processing in response to internal and external challenges. A 'triangle of persistence' describing reuse, innovation and stasis defines a useful polytope in a phase space of trade-offs between economy, flexibility and robustness. We illustrate how the concept of temporal parts embraced by the perdurantist school provides a processual 4-dimensional 'worm' view of biology that is historical and atemporal. This view is made explicit with chronologies and evolving networks inferred with phylogenomic methodologies. Exploring the origin and evolution of the ribosome reveals recruitment of helical segments and/or large fragments of interacting rRNA molecules in a unification process of accretion that is counteracted by diversification. A biphasic (bow-tie) theory of module generation models this frustrated dynamics. Finally, we further elaborate on a theory of entanglement that takes advantage of the dimensionality reduction offered by holographic principles to propose that short and long-distance interactions are responsible for the increasingly granular and tangled structure of biological systems.

Etiology and management of Alzheimer's disease: Potential role of gut microbiota modulation with probiotics supplementation.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading type of dementia in aging people and is a progressive condition that causes neurodegeneration, resulting in confusion, memory loss, and deterioration of mental functions. AD happens because of abnormal twisting of the microtubule tau protein in neurons into a tangled neurofibrillary structure. Different factors responsible for AD pathogenesis include heavy metals, aging, cardiovascular disease, and environmental and genetic factors. Market available drugs for AD have several side effects that include hepato-toxicity, accelerated cognitive decline, worsened neuropsychiatric symptoms, and triggered suicidal ideation. Therefore, an emerging alternative therapeutic approach is probiotics, which can improve AD by modulating the gut-brain axis. Probiotics modulate different neurochemical pathways by regulating the signalling pathways associated with inflammation, histone deacetylation, and microglial cell activation and maturation. In addition, probiotics-derived metabolites (i.e., short-chain fatty acid, neurotransmitters, and antioxidants) have shown ameliorative effects against AD. Probiotics also modulate gut microbiota, with a beneficial impact on neural signalling and cognitive activity, which can attenuate AD progression. Therefore, the current review describes the etiology and mechanism of AD progression as well as various treatment options with a focus on the use of probiotics. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In an aging population, dementia concerns are quite prevalent globally. AD is one of the most commonly occurring cognition disorders, which is linked to diminished brain functions. Scientific evidence supports the findings that probiotics and gut microbiota can regulate/modulate brain functions, one of the finest strategies to alleviate such disorders through the gut-brain axis. Thus, gut microbiota modulation, especially through probiotic supplementation, could become an effective solution to ameliorate AD.

Comprehensive and Comparative Analysis of GAM-Based PV Power Forecasting Models Using Multidimensional Tensor Product Splines against Machine Learning Techniques

In recent years, as photovoltaic (PV) power generation has rapidly increased on a global scale, there is a growing need for a highly accurate power generation forecasting model that is easy to implement for a wide range of electric utilities. Against this background, this study proposes a PV power forecasting model based on the generalized additive model (GAM) and compares its forecasting accuracy with four popular machine learning methods: k-nearest neighbor, artificial neural networks, support vector regression, and random forest. The empirical analysis provides an intuitive interpretation of the multidimensional smooth trends estimated by the GAM as tensor product splines and confirms the validity of the proposed modeling structure. The effectiveness of GAM is particularly evident in trend completion for missing data, where it is able to flexibly express the tangled trend structure inherent in time series data, and thus has an advantage not only in interpretability but also in improving forecast accuracy.

A simple and green approach to the preparation of super tough IIR/SWCNTs nanocomposites with tunable and strain responsive electrical conductivity

Abstract Nanocomposites of single-wall carbon nanotubes in isobutylene isoprene rubber (IIR/SWCNTs) were successfully prepared by a simple and green wet process. The traditional melt mixing process and organic solvent dissolution suffered from unable to effectively disperse the SWCNTs of tangled structure, and degradation of polymer molecules, respectively. Our process very well avoided these two problems. The SWCNTs aqueous solutions emulsified by polyoxyethylene octyl phenol ether (OP-10) were firstly mixed and compounded with IIR rubber at a relatively high temperature, followed by the second step of melt compounding process with the addition of cross-linking agent and accelerators. The SWCNTs were dispersed uniformly, and a fine network was constructed in the matrix of the obtained IIR/SWCNTs nanocomposite with a low percolation threshold. With the concentration of SWCNTs as low as 2 phr, the IIR/SWCNTs nanocomposite received an electrical conductivity of 10−6∼10−3 S/cm, and a 71% improvement of tensile strength. By varying the loadings of SWCNTs in a certain range, the tensile strength, electrical conductivity, and dielectric property were found tunable. Besides, the nanocomposites also presented strain responsive specific resistance, excellent elongation (600–740%), and better heat resistance.

Synthesis of Anodized TiO2 Nanotube Arrays as Ion Sieve for Lithium Extraction

AbstractTitanium type lithium ion‐sieve nanotubes synthesized by the hydrothermal method were extensively explored over recent years due to its promising properties. However, on account of nanotubes′ tangled structure impeding the lithium adsorption in the interior nanotube walls, unalterable dimensions of the synthesized nanotubes, and a long period of annealing, the anodizing technique was proposed. It is shown that lithium uptake and adsorption capacity is improved because of easier mass transfer during the ion exchange process. This work focuses on a novel anodizing method for nanotube ion‐sieve synthesis. The optimum anodizing condition was discovered by altering anodizing voltage, time, and fluoride concentration to have a proper nanotube morphology and corresponding high surface area for achieving the most suitable adsorption properties. Nanotubes were grown on Ti foil in Ethylene Glycol (EG) electrolyte with different amounts of NH4F in a range of anodizing voltage (40–70 V) and time (1–4 hours). TiO2 Nanotube array morphology, dimension, and phase characterization were derived from FESEM and XRD analysis. As a result, the optimum condition discovered in this research to obtain acceptable morphology and high aspect ratio nanotubes was at 0.5 wt % NH4F, 40 V, 3 hours. Lithium titanate spinel with nanotube morphology was synthesized by chemical lithiation in the LiOH solution and then acid‐treated to obtain H4Ti5O12 adsorbent. ICP‐OES analysis revealed that the H4Ti5O12 lithium‐ion sieve with nanotube array structure obtain adsorption capacity up to 37.5 mg/g in LiOH and LiCl solutions (112 mg/L Li, pH 12), designating that the Hydrogen titanate (HTO) ion sieve could effectively extract Li+from the enriched solutions.

Changes in asphaltene surface topography with thermal treatment

The impact of thermal cracking reaction on asphaltene structure and morphology has been investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The structural and morphological changes at a microscopic level were monitored by comparing the parent asphaltenes from different vacuum residues (VRs) to their corresponding thermally treated asphaltenes, obtained from the by-product pitch after thermal treatment. The SEM analysis indicated that the asphaltene aggregates extracted from atmospheric residues have smooth and rough surfaces with agglomerate particles and bright inclusions. The SEM images of asphaltene aggregates that are extracted from the pitch samples after mild cracking demonstrated cleavage fracture morphology with obvious reduction in inclusions sizes and intensities. The TEM analysis, on the other hand, indicated that the asphaltenes from residual oils have tangled structures, with edges similar to a cauliflower. The tangled structure is mainly credited to the alkyl side-chains that impede the aromatic sheets from stacking. At mild cracking (400 °C), the asphaltene began to exhibit well-ordered layer structures near the edges due to the rupture of the alkyl side-chains. However, the tangled structure has been preserved in the interior of the sample. As the reaction severity increases (415 °C), the stacking of aromatic sheets became more evident even in the sample interior. At the most severe cracking condition (430 °C), an obvious reduction in the cluster diameter has been observed, which mainly resulted from the reduction in the number of aromatic sheets per stack.

Achieving excellent electromagnetic wave absorption of ZnFe2O4@CNT/polyvinylidene fluoride flexible composite membranes by adjusting processing conditions

The magnetic ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized and combined with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to form a unique tangled structure (ZnFe2O4@CNT), and then used as wave absorbing functional nanofillers of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix. The effects of ZnFe2O4@CNT functional nanofillers on the microstructure, crystallization behavior and electromagnetic wave absorption properties of PVDF were studied. The ZnFe2O4@CNT/PVDF composite membranes containing 7 wt% nanofillers presented an optimal reflection loss of −54.5 dB with a sample thickness of 2.4 mm when the processing temperature was 60 °C. If the processing temperature of 150 °C was adopted, the composite membranes with a thickness of only 2.0 mm surprisingly achieved an effective absorption of the whole X-band. The combination of interfacial polarization, polarization relaxation loss, dipole polarization, conductivity loss, and ferromagnetic resonance loss promoted the excellent microwave energy dissipation capacity of ZnFe2O4@CNT/PVDF system.

Effect of Initial Grain Size on Deformation Mechanism during High‐Pressure Torsion in V10Cr15Mn5Fe35Co10Ni25 High‐Entropy Alloy

The transition of the deformation mechanism from the dislocation slip‐mediated mechanism to the twin‐mediated mechanism with increasing grain size is a well‐observed phenomenon in materials with low stacking fault energy during compression/tensile tests. To understand this effect further at large strains, a V10Cr15Mn5Fe35Co10Ni25 (at%) high‐entropy alloy with two initial average grain sizes is processed by high‐pressure torsion (HPT) at different numbers of turns. The results indicate that initial grain size plays a significant role in the deformation mechanism during the HPT process. The fine‐grained (FG) sample exhibits only a tangled dislocation structure, whereas mechanical twins are observed along with the formation of dislocations in the coarse‐grained (CG) sample after the one‐fourth turn. High dislocation density is observed in the CG sample after the one‐fourth and first turn, which leads to a higher rate of hardness increment as compared with the FG sample. However, a similar microstructure and mechanical properties are observed after five turns of HPT processing in both FG and CG samples. After five turns, the microstructure consists of nanograins (average grain size ≈30 nm) with nanotwins, and the samples exhibit a very high ultimate tensile strength of ≈2 GPa with a reasonable elongation to failure of ≈6%.

Ferrous-oxalate-decorated polyphenylene sulfide fenton catalytic microfiber for methylene blue degradation

In this study, ferrous-oxalate(FeC2O4)-decorated polyphenylene sulfide(PPS) catalytic microfiber(PPS/FeC2O4) was synthesized as an efficient heterogeneous Fenton catalyst through a chemical precipitation method. Moreover, an underlying mechanism of synthetic processes was investigated and verified by monitoring intermediate products. Regarding the mechanism, the catalytic microfiber was found to solidly anchor FeC2O4 crystal grains on the surface due to sulfonated PPS interface bonding, remarkably improving the operational stability and reusability of the PPS/FeC2O4 catalyst. Additionally, the separation process of PPS/FeC2O4 was simplified without time-consuming filtration, attributable to the tangled structure of non-woven fabric that prevented the fibers from dispersing. In the typical process, improvement in the PPS/FeC2O4 catalyst revealed methylene blue degradation efficiency of the catalytic fiber above 90% at 6 min and 99% at 15 min, superior to that of the FeC2O4 catalyst. Therefore, PPS/FeC2O4 can be utilized as a potential heterogeneous Fenton catalyst for organic contaminant degradation in wastewater.

Self-tunable ultrathin carbon nanocups as the electrode material of sodium-ion batteries with unprecedented capacity and stability

Structural instability and limited operational efficiency of sodium-ion battery (SIB) anodes, compared lithium-ion battery (LIB) anodes, are main hurdles for their large-scale applications that can be tackled using self-tunable electrode materials. Here, we created and utilized ultrathin partially-crystalline carbon nanocups (CNCs) that have the ability to self-tune their structure, contain highly tangled walls and present open framework for enhanced energy densities for SIBs and the outcomes are benchmarked with LIBs. The tangled wall structure offers enhanced spacings for ionic storage and the open framework supports enhanced mass transport, while partial-crystallinity of CNCs provides high conductivity and stabilizes the structure for long cycle life. The CNCs delivered high capacities up to 468 mAh/g for SIBs at 25 mA/g and 953 mAh/g for LIBs at 50 mA/g after 100 cycles, respectively, while bore excellent stability by delivering highly stable performance exceeding 1000 cycles for SIBs at 1.5 A/g and 5000 cycles for LIBs at 7.5 A/g (20 C) with only a loss of 0.013 mAh/g per cycle. Moreover, when tested in lower voltage ranges, the CNCs delivered unprecedented capacity of 368 mAh/g (0.01–2.0 V) for SIBs and 671 mAh/g (0.01–2.0 V) and 449 mAh/g (0.01–1.5 V) for LIBs at 25 and 50 mA/g, respectively, which indicate the usability of the CNCs in full-cells. The post-electrochemical characterizations revealed that the developed CNCs self-modified their interlayer spacings (average spacing increased to 0.44 nm from 0.42 nm) during charge-discharge to create additional voids for increased ionic storage and stable performance, especially for Na+, while maintaining their overall morphology, composition and structure. The structural design presented here will provide new pathways of tailoring carbonaceous nanostructures for future high-performance energy storage devices.

Effect of grain size on the tensile behavior of V10Cr15Mn5Fe35Co10Ni25 high entropy alloy

In the present study, V10Cr15Mn5Fe35Co10Ni25 (at%) high-entropy alloy (HEA) of a single phase face-centered cubic structure with various grain sizes was fabricated. The influences of grain size on the work-hardening behavior and deformation mechanisms were investigated. The fine-grained and coarse-grained samples showed different work hardening behaviors during room temperature tensile deformation. Microstructural analysis revealed the presence of a high-density tangled dislocation structure without any mechanical twinning in the fine-grained sample, while mechanical twinning was observed to be the additional deformation mechanism in the coarse-grained sample.

Highly Reliable Liquid Metal–Solid Metal Contacts with a Corrugated Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Diffusion Barrier for Stretchable Electronics

AbstractLiquid metals (LMs) are a special case of metals that exist in a liquid at room temperature, making them one of the most attractive conductive materials in stretchable electronics. In many cases, however, the LM attacks other metals in contact with the LM through penetration, embrittlement, and alloying. To address these critical issues, there have been efforts to introduce robust barriers, which can preserve the underlying metals without degradation. For example, graphene is employed as a flexible barrier owing to its chemical inertness and impermeability. Nevertheless, this material is difficult to utilize in stretchable electronics because its defects result in inevitable fracture, even at a low strain (< 6%). In addition, it is a challenge to pattern the graphene layer on the point‐of‐interest area in a facile manner. Herein, it is shown that the insertion of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) at the liquid metal–solid metal interface provides a proper barrier for LM under large deformation conditions. A tangled 1D structure of the SWCNTs formed from a solution process greatly suppresses the crack generation/propagation and maintains conductivity even under large strains, which facilitates the use of SWCNTs as stretchable barriers with long‐term reliability through the introduction of a corrugated structure.

Conidia-based fluorescence quantification of Streptomyces

Determination of cell numbers in filamentous bacteria, such as Streptomyces, is challenging due to the tangled and twisted structure of the filaments and formation of cell clumps in liquid cultures. Here, we developed a conidia-based approach, in which fluorescence of conidia, after staining with the DNA-binding stain SYBR Green 1, was related to SYBR Green 1 fluorescence of DNA in Streptomyces. When cell number in Streptomyces filaments, determined by the conidia assay, was compared to number obtained by a qPCR assay, 34 to 62% of cells in the Streptomyces filaments were recovered. The difference in numbers probably reflects an insufficient extraction of DNA from the Gram-positive bacteria, rather than underestimation of the actual cell number by the conidia-based determination. The conidia-based approach appears to be a fast and reliable procedure for counting cell numbers in Streptomyces filaments but it can also be used for other filamentous bacteria, if proper standard curves can be made.