Search results for "Assembly"
showing 10 items of 768 documents
Plasmonic nanostructures for light trapping in photovoltaic
Metallic nanoparticles (NPs), sustaining localized surface plasmon resonances, are currently of great interest for enhancing light trapping in thin film solar cells. To be directly applicable in the photovoltaic industry, the NPs fabrication needs to be simple, reliable, low-cost and scalable. As such, self-assembly processes are most commonly used, and Ag is the preferred material, due to its high radiative efficiency and low imaginary permittivity. After exploring the correlation between structural and optical properties of Ag NPs fabricated by solid- state dewetting process on various substrates, we identified the fabrication conditions in which desirable NPs are obtained, but we also e…
Poly-ADP-Ribose (PAR) as an epigenetic flag
2009
Epigenetics is the study of hereditable chromatin modifications, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and nucleosome-remodelling, which occur without alterations to the DNA sequence. The establishment of different epigenetic states in eukaryotes depends on regulatory mechanisms that induce structural changes in chromatin in response to environmental and cellular cues. Two classes of enzymes modulate chromatin accessibility: chromatin-covalent modifiers and ATP-dependent chromatin remodelling complexes. The first class of enzymes catalyzes covalent modifications of DNA as well as the amino- and carboxy-terminal tails of histones, while the second uses the energy of ATP hydrolysis …
An assembly of organic-inorganic composites using halloysite clay nanotubes
2018
Halloysite is natural tubular clay suitable as a component of biocompatible nanosystems with specific functionalities. The selective modification of halloysite inner/outer surfaces can be achieved by exploiting supramolecular and covalent interactions resulting in controlled colloidal stability adjusted to the solvent polarity. The functionalized halloysite nanotubes can be employed as reinforcing filler for polymers as well as carriers for the sustained release of active molecules, such as antioxidants, flame-retardants, corrosion inhibitors, biocides and drugs. The tubular morphology makes halloysite a perspective template for core-shell metal supports for mesoporous catalysts. The cataly…
HPMC-salicylate conjugates as macromolecular prodrugs: Design, characterization, and nano-rods formation
2009
The design, characterization, and nano-rods formation of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC)-salicylate conjugates as macromolecular prodrugs, was described. HPMC, obtained from Zhejiang Zhongbao Imp and Exp Corp, was dried under vacuum at 110°C for 8 hr. Nanoparticles were prepared using dialysis process in which 170 mg of HPMC-salicylate sample was dissolved in 5 mL of purified DMSO and was dialyzed against distilled water for 4 days. HPMC-salicylic acid conjugates reveal the absence of sulfur in all of the samples showing that there is no introduction to tosylate groups either covalently bounded or as an impurity.
Secondary Structure-Driven Self-Assembly of Thiol-Reactive Polypept(o)ides
2021
Secondary structure formation differentiates polypeptides from most of the other synthetic polymers, and the transitions from random coils to rod-like α-helices or β-sheets represent an additional parameter to direct self-assembly and the morphology of nanostructures. We investigated the influence of distinct secondary structures on the self-assembly of reactive amphiphilic polypept(o)ides. The individual morphologies can be preserved by core cross-linking via chemoselective disulfide bond formation. A series of thiol-responsive copolymers of racemic polysarcosine-block-poly(S-ethylsulfonyl-dl-cysteine) (pSar-b-p(dl)Cys), enantiopure polysarcosine-block-poly(S-ethylsulfonyl-l-cysteine) (pSa…
Rotaxanes and Catenanes Derived from Tetra-Urea Calix[4]arenes
2010
Calix[ 4] arenes, substituted by four urea groups at their wide rim, form dimeric capsules in apolar solvents, which are held together by a seam of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The heterodimerisation of tetra-aryl and tetratosyl ureas was used to synthesize various derivatives, in which adjacent urea residues are connected to form two, three or four loops. The aliphatic connections were tied by olefin metathesis between adjacent alkenyl residues followed by hydrogenation. Heterodimers of tetra-alkenyl substituted tetra-ureas and bis- or tetraloop derivatives were converted analogously to multiple catenanes. Tetra[2]rotaxanes were obtained in a similar manner. In addition to the spectrosco…
Reactive Self-Assembly and Specific Cellular Delivery of NCO-sP(EO-stat-PO)-Derived Nanogels
2018
This study presents the reactive self-assembly of isocyanate functional and amphiphilic six-arm, star-shaped polyether prepolymers in water into nanogels. Intrinsic molecular amphiphilicity, mainly driven by the isophorone moiety at the distal endings of the star-shaped molecules, allows for the preparation of spherical particles with an adjustable size of 100-200 nm by self-assembly and subsequent covalent cross-linking without the need for organic solvents or surfactants. Covalent attachment of a fluorescence dye and either the cell-penetrating TAT peptide or a random control peptide sequence shows that only TAT-labeled nanogels are internalized by HeLa cells. The nanogels thus specifical…
Statistical Characterization of Self-Assembled Colloidal Crystals by Single-Step Vertical Deposition
2014
Abstract We have statistically characterized the self-assembly of multi-layer polystyrene colloidal crystals, using the technique of vertical deposition, with parameters chosen to produce thick layers of self-assembled crystals in one deposition step. The size distribution of domains produced with this technique was seen to follow a log-normal distribution, hinting that aggregation or fragmentation phenomena play a role. In addition, using a lithographically directed self-assembly method, we have shown that the size of multi-layer, continuous crack-free domains in lithographically defined areas can be many times larger than in the surrounding areas. In a single deposition step, we have prod…
Polystyrene Sulfonate–Porphyrin Assemblies: Influence of Polyelectrolyte and Porphyrin Structure
2011
In this study, electrostatic self-assembly of different polystyrene sulfonates and a set of tetravalent cationic porphyrins is investigated. It is shown that association of linear polystyrene sulfonates of different molar masses yields finite size nanoscale assemblies that are stable in aqueous solution. Aggregates are compared to the ones of cylindrical brushes, revealing that both form assemblies in the 100 nm range with the charge ratio (molar ratio of porphyrin charges to polyelectrolyte charges) being determining, while the morphology of the resulting network-like assemblies is different for both polyelectrolyte architectures. For the smallest 8k polystyrene sulfonate, in addition, sto…
Excess of de novo variants in genes involved in chromatin remodelling in patients with marfanoid habitus and intellectual disability.
2020
PurposeMarfanoid habitus (MH) combined with intellectual disability (ID) (MHID) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous presentation. The combination of array CGH and targeted sequencing of genes responsible for Marfan or Lujan–Fryns syndrome explain no more than 20% of subjects.MethodsTo further decipher the genetic basis of MHID, we performed exome sequencing on a combination of trio-based (33 subjects) or single probands (31 subjects), of which 61 were sporadic.ResultsWe identified eight genes with de novo variants (DNVs) in at least two unrelated individuals (ARID1B, ATP1A1, DLG4, EHMT1, NFIX, NSD1, NUP205 and ZEB2). Using simulation models, we showed that five genes (DLG4, NFIX, …