An Ultrasonic Accelerated Three-Component Condensation By KCC-1: A High Mechanical Stability Silica Nanospheres As A Good Catalyst For Ultrasonic Irradiation

Fibrous nano-silica sphere (KCC-1) has appeared as a good and efficient catalyst for ultrasonic irradiation conditions in chemical reactions. This catalyst has the unique properties such as a fibrous surface morphology, high surface area and high mechanical stability. The results indicated that the KCC-1 nanocatalyst could be used as high-performance catalysts under high temperature and pressure condition in organic reaction under ultrasonic irradiation. Morphology, structure, and composition of the fibrous nano-silica sphere were described by N2 adsorption–desorption analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). In this work, we used KCC-1@NH2 nanosilica as a basic catalyst for the preparation of chromenes under ultrasonic irradiation conditions for the first time. The recyclability, nontoxicity and high stability of the catalyst, combined with low reaction times and excellent yields, make the present protocol very useful for the synthesis of the title products under ultrasonic conditions. The produced products were confirmed via 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FT-IR analysis.

Archaic chaperone-usher pilus self-secretes into a superelastic zigzag spring architecture

Adhesive pili are hair-like appendages assembled via the chaperone-usher pathway (CUP) that mediate host tissue colonization and biofilm formation of Gram-negative bacteria 1-3. Archaic CUP pili, the most diverse and widespread CUP adhesins, are promising vaccine and drug targets due to their prevalence in the most troublesome multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens 1,4,5. However, their architecture and assembly-secretion process remain unknown. Here, we present the 3.4 Å resolution cryo-electron microscopy structure of the prototypical archaic Csu pilus that mediates biofilm formation of Acinetobacter baumannii, a notorious MDR nosocomial pathogen. In contrast to the thick helical tubes of the classical CUP pili, archaic pili assemble into a conceptually novel ultrathin zigzag architecture secured by an elegant clinch mechanism. The molecular clinch provides the pilus with high mechanical stability as well as superelasticity, a property observed now for the first time in biomolecules, while enabling a more economical and faster pilus production. Furthermore, we demonstrate that clinch formation at the cell surface drives pilus secretion through the outer membrane. These findings suggest that clinch-formation inhibitors might represent a new strategy to fight MDR bacterial infections.

Reconstruction after Subtotal Sacrectomy for Sacral Ewing’s Sarcoma Using Tibial Allograft Strut Grafting: A Case Report

We present the case of a 15-year-old girl. Two months after becoming aware of pain, she was diagnosed with a sacral tumor and referred to our department. She was diagnosed with a sacral Ewing’s sarcoma; after chemotherapy, it was determined that the tumor could be resected, so surgical treatment was performed. The sacrum and ilium were partially resected at the lower end of S1, and the lumbar vertebrae and pelvis were fixed with a pedicle screw and two iliac screws on each side of L3, and the sacral resection was reconstructed with a tibial strut allograft. No tumor recurrence or metastasis has been observed 1 year postoperatively. She developed bladder and rectal dysfunction, but she remained independent in activities of daily living and her daily life was not limited. The bone fusion in the reconstructed area confirmed the lack of instrumentation looseness. Surgical treatment for sacral Ewing’s sarcoma was performed to cure the patient. We believe that the tibial allograft contributed to the patient’s ability to walk on her own due to its high mechanical stability. Postoperative bone healing was observed with the same material, suggesting that the tibial allograft is useful for similar procedures.

A Direct Foaming Approach for Carbon Nanotube Aerogels with Ultra Low Thermal Conductivity and High Mechanical Stability

Thermally insulating materials (TIMs) with ultralow thermal conductivity, fire-retardancy and mechanical stability are demanded to improve energy efficiency in many fields, such as petrochemical plants, energy-saving buildings, and aerospace. However,...

Correction: Exceptional gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage for densified zeolite templated carbons with high mechanical stability

Correction for ‘Exceptional gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage for densified zeolite templated carbons with high mechanical stability’ by Eric Masika et al., Energy Environ. Sci., 2014, 7, 427–434, DOI: 10.1039/C3EE42239A.

Metallic Nanowire Percolating Network: From Main Properties to Applications

There has been lately a growing interest into flexible, efficient and low-cost transparent electrodes which can be integrated for many applications. This includes several applications related to energy technologies (photovoltaics, lighting, supercapacitor, electrochromism, etc.) or displays (touch screens, transparent heaters, etc.) as well as Internet of Things (IoT) linked with renewable energy and autonomous devices. This associated industrial demand for low-cost and flexible industrial devices is rapidly increasing, creating a need for a new generation of transparent electrodes (TEs). Indium tin oxide has so far dominated the field of TE, but indium’s scarcity and brittleness have prompted a search into alternatives. Metallic nanowire (MNW) networks appear to be one of the most promising emerging TEs. Randomly deposited MNW networks, for instance, can present sheet resistance values below 10 Ω/sq., optical transparency of 90% and high mechanical stability under bending tests. AgNW or CuNW networks are destined to address a large variety of emerging applications. The main properties of MNW networks, their stability and their integration in energy devices are discussed in this contribution.