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Techniques regarding chemical compounds with antimicrobial functionality are provided. For example, one or more embodiments describe herein can comprise a monomer that can comprise a molecular backbone. The molecular backbone can comprise a bis(urea)guanidinium structure covalently bonded to a functional group, which can comprise a radical. Also, the monomer can have supramolecular assembly functionality.

The invention provides a method of forming a polythiophene: a polysulfonate complex. The method includes the following step: a solution mixture of thiophene and polysulfonate react polythiophene in the presence of a catalyst and an oxidizing agent under the condition of forming the polythiophene: polysulfonate complex. Also provided are a method for forming a film of the same complex on the surface of a substrate, a polythiophene: polysulfonate complex prepared according to the method defined by the invention and a film.

The present invention relates to a substrate comprising a plurality of integrally formed surface features, said surface features being micro-sized and/or nano-sized, said surface features comprising at least one pointed terminus. As a result of this unique surface, said substrate exhibits a biocidal activity because the terminal ends of said surface feature pierce through cell membrane of any microbial cell that comes into contact with the substrate, thereby causing cell deformation and lysis. The present invention also relates to a method producing said substrate. By a simple treatment of copper or zinc foil with a reagent solution comprising an alkali and an oxidizing agent, Cu(OH)2 nanotube arrays, CuO nano-blades and ZnO nano-needles are prepared. These surfaces are proven to be very effective in killing bacterial (such as E. coli) via a physical interaction.

The present invention relates to hyperpolarized [3-13C]acetoacetate. Provided are [3-13C]acetoacetate and compositions comprising said [3-13C]acetoacetate. Further provided are methods of preparing and using hyperpolarized [3-13C]acetoacetate in the determination of the spatial and temporal distribution and metabolism of [3-13C]acetoacetate and/or its metabolites in a cell or subject, preferably by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and/or magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI), whereby conditions, diseases, or disorders associated with the metabolism of acetoacetate and/or other ketone bodies can be diagnosed. The conditions, diseases, or disorders to be diagnosed preferably are cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, or neurodegenerative diseases.

A compact wideband single feed circularly polarized antenna is provided. The circularly polarized antenna may include a ground plane. The circularly polarized antenna may include a radiating patch with an embedded ring-shaped slot. The circularly polarized antenna may include a via that shorts a round section of the radiating patch surrounded by the ring-shaped slot to the ground plane. The circularly polarized antenna may include a coaxial feed. The inner conductive material of the coaxial feed may be connected to the radiating patch and the outer conductive material of the coaxial feed may touch the ground plane. The circularly polarized antenna may include a slit-slotted parasitic square patch.

Compositions and methods regarding guanidinium functionalized polycarbonates that provide potent antimicrobial activity against multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria, including Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) are provided. According to an embodiment, an antimicrobial guanidinium-functionalized polymer is provided that comprises a hydrophobic molecular backbone with cationic guanidinium moieties respectively bound to the hydrophobic molecular backbone via butyl spacer groups. The antimicrobial guanidinium-functionalized polymer self-assembles into a micelle structure with hydrophobic residuals of the antimicrobial guanidinium-functionalized polymer buried inside the micelle structure and the cationic guanidinium moieties exposed on an external surface of the micelle structure to target pathogens.

There is provided a nanocomplex having a core-shell structure. The shell of the nanocomplex comprises a functionalized hyaluronic acid while the core of the nanocomplex comprises a flavonoid encapsulating a metal-containing compound. Preferably, the flavonoid is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and the hyaluronic acid is thiol-functionalized and subsequently conjugated to the flavonoid. There is also provided a method of forming the nanocomplex, a pharmaceutical composition comprising the nanocomplex, medical uses of the nanocomplex and a method of treating a patient, preferably with cancer using the nanocomplex.

According to the present disclosure, a method of fabricating a metal-carbon fibrous structure is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (a) forming a fibrous support structure comprising composite nanocrystals and polymeric fibers, wherein each of the composite nanocrystals comprises metal ions connected by organic ligands; (b) growing the composite nanocrystals on the fibrous support structure; and (c) subjecting the fibrous support structure of step (b) to carbonization to form the metal-carbon fibrous structure, wherein the metal-carbon fibrous structure comprises metal nanoparticles derived from the composite nanocrystals comprising metal organic framework (MOF), particularly zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF). A metal-carbon fibrous structure comprising carbon based fibers arranged to form a porous network and the carbon based fibers are doped with metal nanoparticles, wherein the carbon based fibers have surfaces which comprise graphitic carbon, is also disclosed herein.

Provision of hydroxyl group functionalized quaternary ammonium halides, photocurable or hydrolytically curable urethane based polymers thereof and their use as antifouling agents.

Wireless piezoelectric accelerometers and systems are provided. A wireless piezoelectric accelerometer may comprise a piezoelectric sensing element configured to sense mechanical acceleration and produce an electrical charge signal in response of the sensed mechanical acceleration, a signal processing module (SPM) configured to convert the electrical charge signal into a voltage signal, and process and digitize the voltage signal, and a wireless module configured to modulate and transmit the digitized voltage signal as wireless signals. The piezoelectric sensing element, the SPM and the wireless module are packaged in a casing. The casing comprises a metallic shielding chamber configured to enclose the piezoelectric sensing element. The casing further comprises a non-metallic portion located in relative to the wireless module to allow transmission of the wireless signals. Corresponding wireless piezoelectric accelerometer systems are also provided.