Genetically Encoded Libraries of Constrained Peptides

Many therapeutic peptides can still be improved with respect to target specificity, target affinity, resistance to peptidases/proteases, physical stability, and capacity to pass through membranes required for oral delivery. Several modifications can improve the peptides’ properties, in particular those that impose (a) conformational constraint(s). Screening of constrained peptides and the identification of hits is greatly facilitated by the generation of genetically encoded libraries. Recent breakthrough bacterial, phage, and yeast display screening systems of ribosomally synthesized post-translationally constrained peptides, particularly those of lanthipeptides, are earning special attention. Here we provide an overview of display systems for constrained, genetically encoded peptides and indicate prospects of constrained peptide-displaying phage and bacterial systems as such in vivo.     

Characterization of Aluminum Foam Impact Response

Strength of Materials - The paper addresses the investigation of high-strain rate compressive behavior of Al foams subjected to impact at the intermediate striking velocity ranged from 40 to...     

Heuristics as conceptual lens for understanding and studying the usage of bibliometrics in research evaluation

Scientometrics - While bibliometrics are widely used for research evaluation purposes, a common theoretical framework for conceptually understanding, empirically studying, and effectively teaching...     

Damping Steels for Sheet Stacker Components During Sheet Rolling

Metallurgist - Steels alloyed with chromium are used for the first time for manufacturing sheet stacker components. Steel with a high chromium content (45X), exhibiting good damping properties,...     

Specific Features of Current–Voltage Characteristics of Field-Effect Transistors with Active Layers Based on Composite Films of Semiconductor Polymers with Nanoparticles of Inorganic Perovskites

Technical Physics Letters - Current–voltage characteristics of composite field-effect transistors with active layers based on inorganic perovskites, nanocrystals of cesium halides CsPbBr3,...     

Introducing the Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence Technique (PLIF) to Measure Mixing Time in Gas-Stirred Ladles

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B - The planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique was implemented to measure mixing time in a 1/17 water model of a 200-ton ladle furnace. The...     

Relationship between the inductive response observed during electrochemical impedance measurements on aluminium and local corrosion processes

In situ real-time imaging and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements were performed on pure aluminium, aluminium-copper and copper electrodes, with the aim to elucidate the relationship between the shape of EIS spectra and the local processes occurring on the surface of corroding aluminium, with particular attention to the appearance of inductive behaviour. When a stable oxide was present on the aluminium surface, the impedance modulus increased with decreasing frequencies, indicating the absence of inductive behaviour. Conversely, the presence of depassivating condition coupled with the availability of some anodic current, generated localized corrosion and associated hydrogen evolution at the corrosion front (also known as superfluous hydrogen evolution). In these conditions, a clear inductive behaviour was observed, regardless on the source of the anodic current at the corrosion front, i.e. galvanic coupling or external anodic polarization.     

High-Alumina Mixes Based on Molded Bauxite Suspensions

Refractories and Industrial Ceramics - Results of studying the rheotechnological properties of moldable refractory mixes based on bauxite suspensions plasticized with refractory clay are presented....     

The three Rs of river ecosystem resilience: Resources,recruitment, and refugia

Resilience in river ecosystems requires that organisms must persist in the face of highly dynamic hydrological and geomorphological variations. Disturbance events such as floods and droughts are postulated to shape life history traits that support resilience, but river management and conservation would benefit from greater understanding of the emergent effects in communities of river organisms. We unify current knowledge of taxonomic‐, phylogenetic‐, and trait‐based aspects of river communities that might aid the identification and quantification of resilience mechanisms. Temporal variations in river productivity, physical connectivity, and environmental heterogeneity resulting from floods and droughts are highlighted as key characteristics that promote resilience in these dynamic ecosystems. Three community‐wide mechanisms that underlie resilience are (a) partitioning (competition/facilitation) of dynamically varying resources, (b) dispersal, recolonization, and recruitment promoted by connectivity, and (c) functional redundancy in communities promoted by resource heterogeneity and refugia. Along with taxonomic and phylogenetic identity, biological traits related to feeding specialization, dispersal ability, and habitat specialization mediate organism responses to disturbance. Measures of these factors might also enable assessment of the relative contributions of different mechanisms to community resilience. Interactions between abiotic drivers and biotic aspects of resource use, dispersal, and persistence have clear implications for river conservation and management. To support these management needs, we propose a set of taxonomic, phylogenetic, and life‐history trait metrics that might be used to measure resilience mechanisms. By identifying such indicators, our proposed framework can enable targeted management strategies to adapt river ecosystems to global change.     

Carrier Lifetime in Semiconductors with Band-Gap Widths Close to the Spin-Orbit Splitting Energies

Semiconductors - Expressions for the Auger- and radiative-recombination rates are derived in terms of Kane’s model for materials with a band-gap width close to the spin-orbit splitting...