Role of Metabolism in Bone Development and Homeostasis

Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are the underlying energy sources for animals and are catabolized through specific biochemical cascades involving numerous enzymes. The catabolites and metabolites in these metabolic pathways are crucial for many cellular functions; therefore, an imbalance and/or dysregulation of these pathways causes cellular dysfunction, resulting in various metabolic diseases. Bone, a highly mineralized organ that serves as a skeleton of the body, undergoes continuous active turnover, which is required for the maintenance of healthy bony components through the deposition and resorption of bone matrix and minerals. This highly coordinated event is regulated throughout life by bone cells such as osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes, and requires synchronized activities from different metabolic pathways. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive review of the cellular metabolism involved in bone development and homeostasis, as revealed by mouse genetic studies.     

InxGa1−xAs ohmic contacts to n-type GaAs with a tungsten nitride barrier

Significant reduction of the contact resistance of In_0.7Ga_0.3As/Ni/W contacts (which were previously developed by sputtering in our laboratory) was achieved by depositing a W₂N barrier layer between the Ni layer and W layer. The In_0.7Ga_0.3 As/Ni/W₂N/W contact prepared by the radio-frequency sputtering technique showed the lowest contact resistance of 0.2 Ωmm after annealing at 550°C for 10 s. This contact also provided a smooth surface, good reproducibility, and excellent thermal stability at 400°C. The polycrystalline W₂N layer was found to suppress the In diffusion to the contact surface, leading to improvement of the surface morphology and an increase in the total area of the In_xGa−As between metal and the GaAs substrate. These improvements are believed to reduce the contact resistance.     

Hot carrier magnetophonon spectroscopy of semiconductors in high magnetic fields up to 40 T

Hot carrier magnetophonon resonances of n-type Si, short channel InP and p-type InSb were investigated in pulsed high magnetic fields up to 40 T. Using a recently developed high resolution technique in pulsed high fields, many new features of the hot carrier-phonon interactions in high magnetic fields were found.     

An Engineered Biliverdin-Compatible Cyanobacteriochrome Enables a Unique Ultrafast Reversible Photoswitching Pathway

Cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) are promising optogenetic tools for their diverse absorption properties with a single compact cofactor-binding domain. We previously uncovered the ultrafast reversible photoswitching dynamics of a red/green photoreceptor AnPixJg2, which binds phycocyanobilin (PCB) that is unavailable in mammalian cells. Biliverdin (BV) is a mammalian cofactor with a similar structure to PCB but exhibits redder absorption. To improve the AnPixJg2 feasibility in mammalian applications, AnPixJg2_BV4 with only four mutations has been engineered to incorporate BV. Herein, we implemented femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA) and ground state femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (GS-FSRS) to uncover transient electronic dynamics on molecular time scales and key structural motions responsible for the photoconversion of AnPixJg2_BV4 with PCB (Bpcb) and BV (Bbv) cofactors in comparison with the parent AnPixJg2 (Apcb). Bpcb adopts the same photoconversion scheme as Apcb, while BV4 mutations create a less bulky environment around the cofactor D ring that promotes a faster twist. The engineered Bbv employs a reversible clockwise/counterclockwise photoswitching that requires a two-step twist on ~5 and 35 picosecond (ps) time scales. The primary forward P_fr → P_o transition displays equal amplitude weights between the two processes before reaching a conical intersection. In contrast, the primary reverse P_o → P_fr transition shows a 2:1 weight ratio of the ~35 ps over 5 ps component, implying notable changes to the D-ring-twisting pathway. Moreover, we performed pre-resonance GS-FSRS and quantum calculations to identify the Bbv vibrational marker bands at ~659,797, and 1225 cm⁻¹. These modes reveal a stronger H-bonding network around the BV cofactor A ring with BV4 mutations, corroborating the D-ring-dominant reversible photoswitching pathway in the excited state. Implementation of BV4 mutations in other PCB-binding GAF domains like AnPixJg4, AM1_1870g3, and NpF2164g5 could promote similar efficient reversible photoswitching for more directional bioimaging and optogenetic applications, and inspire other bioengineering advances.     

Current transients of passive iron observed during micro-indentation in pH 8.4 borate buffer solution

Micro-indentation test of passive iron electrode in deaerated pH 8.4 borate buffer solution was carried out to investigate the rupture and repair of passive film. During driving a conical diamond micro-indenter with a load of 0.1 N order downward to the electrode and driving upward from the electrode, a couple of anodic current peaks were observed. The first current peak spiked during loading was responsible for partial exposure of iron substrate to the solution due to rupture of the passive film when the indenter tip contacted. The second peak emerged during unloading when elastic deformation recovered, which was ascribed to repair at the ruptured sites. The second peak current was larger than the first one. Both peaks were sensitively influenced by electrode potential or concentration of sulfate ions containing in solution. The model for a series of rupture and repair processes of the passive film by micro-indentation was proposed to discuss the current transients.     

Effects of amino acid replacements around the reactive site of chicken ovomucoid domain 3 on the inhibitory activity toward chymotrypsin and trypsin

We have previously shown that replacing the P1-site residue(Ala) of chicken ovomucoid domain 3 (OMCHI3) with a Met or Lysresults in the acquisition of inhibitory activity toward chymotrypsinor trypsin, respectively. However, the inhibitory activitiesthus induced are not strong. In the present study, we introducedadditional amino acid replacements around the reactive siteto try to make the P1-site mutants more effective inhibitorsof chymotrypsin or trypsin. The amino acid replacement AspTyrat the P2' site of OMCHI3(P1Met) resulted in conversion to a35000-fold more effective inhibitor of chymotrypsin with aninhibitor constant (K_i) of 1.17x10^–11 M. The K_i valueof OMCHI3(P1Met, P2'Ala) indicated that the effect on the interactionwith chymotrypsin of removing a negative charge from the P2'site was greater than that of introducing an aromatic ring.Similarly, enhanced inhibition of trypsin was observed whenthe AspTyr replacement was introduced into the P2' site of OMCHI3(P1Lys).Two additional replacements, AspAla at the P4 site and ArgAlaat the P3' site, made the mutant a more effective inhibitorof trypsin with a K_i value of 1.44x10^–9 M. By contrast,ArgAla replacement at the P3' site of OMCHI3(P1Met, P2'Tyr)resulted in a greatly reduced inhibition of chymotrypsin, andAspAla replacement at the P4 site produced only a small changewhen compared with a natural variant of OMCHI3. These resultsclearly indicate that not only the P1-site residue but alsothe characteristics, particularly the electrostatic properties,of the amino acid residues around the reactive site of the proteaseinhibitor determine the strength of its interactions with proteases.Furthermore, amino acids with different characteristics arerequired around the reactive site for strong inhibition of chymotrypsinand trypsin.     

Microstructure of Aluminum/Glass Joint Bonded by Ultrasonic Wire Welding

An Al/glass joint created by using ultrasonic welding was analyzed by means of multiscale observation techniques. A cross-sectional analysis of the microstructure revealed that a directly joined interface without reaction phases formed at the periphery of a round joined region. The size of Al grains markedly decreased after ultrasonic welding and some subgrains were observed along the interface. The finer Al grains observed around the periphery of the joined interface showed active plastic flow that promoted welding.     

The New ChemPren Process for the Conversion of Waste Plastic to Chemicals and Fuel

A new technology, ChemPren, is being developed for the catalytic conversion of mixed municipal waste plastic to valuable chemicals and fuel. ChemPren provides a sustainable, clean energy solution to society’s challenge of addressing the 100+ million tons of waste plastic generated annually worldwide. Currently only 7 % is recycled, with the remaining 93+ million being discarded to landfills or burned without useful energy generation.     

Finite Element Analysis of Precursors to Macroscopic Stick–Slip Motion in Elastic Materials: Analysis of Friction Test as a Boundary Value Problem

In this study, we apply the finite element method to investigate precursor to frictional sliding phenomena arising immediately prior to macroscopic stick–slip transitions in elastic bodies within the framework of a continuum theory. Using a numerical model that mimics an actual experimental system, we study the behavior of contact surface nodes to assess the influence of stiffness, driving velocity, initial conditions, and discretization conditions on the propagation characteristics of microscopic slips. In particular, we show that the initial distribution of frictional stress arising due to the Poisson effect has a significant effect on the propagation characteristics in slip regions. Next, based on the results of a finite element analysis of precursor phenomena that accounts for the influence of bulk compliance, we consider the determination of parameters in rate-dependent friction models. With regard to the behavior of sliding friction, we show that the relationship between friction tests and friction models is fundamentally different from the relationship between material tests and constitutive models for material deformation. We conclude that a proper understanding and classification of friction tests, friction models, and the relationship between these tests and boundary value problems are crucial ingredients in the application of computer-aided engineering techniques to sliding-friction phenomena; indeed, friction tests must ultimately be treated as boundary value problems.