Quantum healing

AIM: Selenium, a trace element involved in important enzymatic activities inside the body, has protective effects against cardiovascular diseases including atherosclerosis. The safe dose of selenium in the organism is very narrow, limiting the supplementation of selenium in diet. The aim of this study is to explore whether selenium quantum dots (SeQDs) prevent atherosclerosis and to investigate the potential mechanisms. METHODS: An amorphous form of SeQDs (A-SeQDs) and a crystalline form of SeQDs (C-SeQDs) were prepared through self-redox decomposition of selenosulfate precursor...

In this work, a class of multifunctional silicon-carbon nanohybrids (designated as SiCNs), which simultaneously possess aqueous dispersibility, bright fluorescence (photoluminescence quantum yield [PLQY]: ≈28%), as well as high antibacterial and wound healing activity, is presented. Taking advantage of these unique merits, cell distribution and pharmacological behavior of the SiCNs is first investigated through tracking their strong and stable fluorescence. The high bacteria inhibition ability (≈82.9% killing rate toward S...

Colloidal lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have recently emerged as versatile photonic sources. Their processing and luminescent properties are challenged by the lability of their surfaces, i.e., the interface of the NC core and the ligand shell. On the example of CsPbBr3 NCs, we model the nanocrystal surface structure and its effect on the emergence of trap states using density functional theory. We rationalize the typical observation of a degraded luminescence upon aging or the luminescence recovery upon postsynthesis surface treatments...

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets have received considerable interests due to their superior physicochemical performances to graphene nanosheets. As the lateral size and layer thickness decrease, the formed MoS2 quantum dots (QDs) show more promise as photocatalysts, endowing them with potential antimicrobial applications under environmental conditions. However, studies on the antibacterial photodynamic therapy of MoS2 QDs have rarely been reported. Here, we show that MoS2 QDs more effectively promote the creation and separation of electron-hole pair than MoS2 nanosheets, resulting in the formation of multiple reactive oxygen species (ROS) under simulated solar-light irradiation...

The aim of this preliminary study is to histologically evaluate the effects of erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) laser on soft and hard tissues during implant bed preparation, in comparison with bur and cutter in order to observe the following aspects: (i) the shape of the cavity, (ii) the presence of debris, and (iii) structural modification of the cell architecture. Bone temperature changes during the preparation of the implant bed were also measured in order to evaluate thermal damage on soft and hard tissues...

A SBA15-Fluconazole composite (SBA15-Flu) was prepared to formulate a self-healing coating for mild steel. The composite was obtained by dispersing SBA15 in a methanolic solution containing Fluconazole (Flu). The materials were characterized by using different techniques. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used for protective behavior evaluation of the coatings on mild steel substrates in an electrolytic solution prepared from sodium chloride and ammonium sulfate. The EIS results indicate that the inhibitor trapped in the SiO2 matrix is released when it comes into contact the aggressive solution, thus protecting the metal...

Using spatial modes for quantum key distribution (QKD) has become highly topical due to their infinite dimensionality, promising high information capacity per photon. However, spatial distortions reduce the feasible secret key rates and compromise the security of a quantum channel. In an extreme form such a distortion might be a physical obstacle, impeding line-of-sight for free-space channels. Here, by controlling the radial degree of freedom of a photon's spatial mode, we are able to demonstrate hybrid high-dimensional QKD through obstacles with self-reconstructing single photons...

Conventional electrical circuits are generally rigid in their components and working styles, which are not flexible and stretchable. As an alternative, liquid-metal-based soft electronics offer important opportunities for innovation in modern bioelectronics and electrical engineering. However, their operation in wet environments such as aqueous solution, biological tissue or allied subjects still encounters many technical challenges. Here, we propose a new conceptual electrical circuit, termed as droplet circuit, to fulfill the special needs described above...

Inorganic cesium lead bromide quantum dots (CsPbBr3 QDs) are usually synthesized via a high temperature process (hot injection, HI). This process is similar to that used for the synthesis of other semiconductor QDs (i.e. CdSe@ZnS), which limits their potential cost advantage. CsPbBr3 QDs can also be synthesized at room temperature (RT) in a low cost and easily scalable process which, thus, is one of the greatest advantages of the CsPbBr3 QDs. However, LEDs fabricated using RT-QDs exhibit poor performance compared to those of HI-QDs...

Background/Aims: Fecal calprotectin (fC) level is a predictive marker of mucosal healing for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Home fC tests are now available. We evaluated the performance of the smartphone-based IBDoc home testing system in patients with IBD and obtained their feedback as an objective patient-reported outcome. Methods: This prospective study enrolled consecutive patients with IBD in clinical remission. fC in the same stool sample was assessed by using both the laboratory test (Quantum Blue calprotectin test) and home test (IBDoc)...

Non-symmorphic crystals are generating great interest as they are commonly found in quantum materials, like iron-based superconductors, heavy-fermion compounds, and topological semimetals. A new type of surface state, a floating band, was recently discovered in the nodal-line semimetal ZrSiSe, but also exists in many non-symmorphic crystals. Little is known about its physical properties. Here, we employ scanning tunneling microscopy to measure the quasiparticle interference of the floating band state on ZrSiSe (001) surface and discover rotational symmetry breaking interference, healing effect and half-missing-type anomalous Umklapp scattering...

Delta-like 4 (DLL4) is a membrane‑bound ligand, which belongs to the Notch signaling pathway and plays important roles in angiogenesis and vascular development. The expression of DLL4 in non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. Therefore, DLL4 expression was detected in clinical specimens using quantum dots (QDs)‑immunohistochemistry (IHC) and lung cancer cell lines by quantitative real‑time polymerase chain reaction. The protein levels of DLL4 were decreased in the tumor tissues of NSCLC patients and lung cancer cell lines...

Hierarchical self-assembly (HAS) is a multilevel organization process that first assembles elementary molecular units into ordered secondary structures via noncovalent interactions, which further act as the building blocks to form more complex multifunctional superstructures at the next level(s). The HAS strategy has been used as a versatile method for the preparation of soft-matter nanoarchitectures of defined size and morphologies, tunable luminescence, and biological importance. However, such preparation can be greatly simplified if well-defined dynamic structures are employed as the cores that upon linking form the desired nanoarchitectures...

Chemical treatment using bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonimide (TFSI) was shown to be particularly effective for increasing the photoluminescence (PL) of monolayer (1L) MoS2 , suggesting a convenient method for overcoming the intrinsically low quantum yield of this material. However, the underlying atomic mechanism of the PL enhancement has remained elusive. Here, we report the microscopic origin of the defect healing observed in TFSI-treated 1L-MoS2 through a correlative combination of optical characterization and atomic-scale scanning transmission electron microscopy, which showed that most of the sulfur vacancies were directly repaired by the extrinsic sulfur atoms produced from the dissociation of TFSI, concurrently resulting in a significant PL enhancement...

Photo-responsive, electrically conductive nanostructures are highly desirable for wide-ranging applications in energy harvesting, nanophotonic and optoelectronic devices. To this end, we realize self-assembled, photoconductive hybrids of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) micro- and nano-fibers integrated with MoS2 quantum dots (QDs). We present an innovative strategy to impregnate QDs within the walls of the P3HT fibers resulting in the emergence of the controllable photoconductivity of the QD-P3HT hybrid. The maximum photoconductivity (>80% higher than pristine P3HT) is observed at 360 nm and originates from a synergistic combination of (a) defect healing and quenching of surface trap states in QDs by P3HT and (b) efficient generation and transfer of photo-excited charges from P3HT to QDs...

A simple yet effective method is employed to prepare multifunctional fluorescent carbon nanodots (CNDs) from human fingernails. The results demonstrate that the CNDs have excellent optical properties and a quantum yield of 81%, which is attributed to the intrinsic composition of the precursor material itself. The CNDs are used to develop an ultrasensitive fluorescent probe for the detection of hexavalent chromium (limit of detection: 0.3 nM) via a combined inner-filter and static mechanism. Moreover, the toxicity of the CNDs over four epithelial cell lines is assessed...

Photons in an optical vortex usually carry orbital angular momentum, which boosts the application of the micro-rotation of absorbing particles and quantum information encoding. Such photons propagate along a straight line in free space or follow a curved trace once guided by an optical fiber. Teleportation of an optical vortex using a beam with non-diffraction and self-healing is quite challenging. We demonstrate the manipulation of the propagation trace of an optical vortex with a symmetric Airy beam (SAB) and found that the SAB experiences self-rotation with the implementation of a topological phase structure of coaxial vortex...

The theoretical self-healing capacity of new sulfenamide-based disulfides is estimated by using theoretical methods of quantum chemistry. Starting from previously studied aromatic disulfides, the influence of inserting a NH group between the disulfide and the phenyl ring (forming the sulfenamide), as well as the role of the phenyl ring in the self-healing process is analyzed. Three parameters are used in the evaluation of the self-healing capacity: i) the probability to generate sulfenyl radicals, which is the first step of the process; ii) the effect of the hydrogen bonding, which affects the mobility of the chains; and iii) the height of the exchange reaction barrier...

Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have been extensively researched and developed for biomedical applications, including drug delivery and biosensing assays. Hence, it is pivotal to understand their behavior in terms of intracellular transport and toxicological effects. In this study, we focused on 3-mercaptopropionic acid-coated CdSe-CdS/ZnS core-multishell quantum dots (3MPA-QDs) converted from the as-grown octadecylamine-coated quantum dots (ODA-QDs) and their direct and dynamic interactions with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs)...

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the role of fecal calprotectin (FC) as a noninvasive marker for the disease activity of ulcerative colitis (UC) in a Korean cohort. METHODS: A total of 181 fecal samples were collected from 181 consecutive UC patients between April 2015 and September 2016. FC levels were measured using the Quantum Blue® Calprotectin rapid test. The laboratory test results, partial Mayo Score (pMS), and colonoscopic imaging findings at FC level measurement were retrospectively reviewed...