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Biomedical subjects

Yuting Li

Publications and source records attributed to Yuting Li.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Interface Excitons in van der Waals Sandwich Heterostructures.

Exciton engineering in van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) is essential for next-generation optoelectronics, yet they normally require near-perfect stacking and are highly sensitive to moiré potentials. Here, we demonstrate a polarity-engineering strategy using a γ-InSe/transition metal dichalcogenide/γ-InSe sandwich heterostructure. The out-of-plane spontaneous polarization of γ-InSe intrinsically breaks interfacial inversion symmetry, giving rise to interface excitons (IFXs) that exhibit a linear Stark effect with an ultrasmall dipole moment of 0.15 e·nm. First-principles calculations and Kelvin probe force microscopy reveal asymmetric interfacial charge transfer governed by γ-InSe's polarity. Transient spectroscopy shows nonmonotonic relaxation dynamics, including a characteristic signal reversal that indicates pre-existing interfacial charge states. Our results establish that exciton dipole moments, interlayer coupling, and relaxation dynamics can be precisely tuned through material polarity and thickness. Polarity engineering thus provides a versatile and robust route to control excitonic properties in vdWHs, offering expanded design strategies for advanced excitonic and optoelectronic devices.

Stark effect↗

Cryo-EM structure of soluble VPS13C suggests its regulation by a conformational switch and by calmodulin.

Bridge-like lipid transfer proteins (BLTPs) play fundamental roles in cellular lipid redistribution between organellar membranes. They comprise bridge domains spanning organelles at contact sites that allow lipids to transit through the cytosol between adjacent membranes. The assembly of BLTPs into complexes with adaptor proteins enables lipid transfer. To address the mechanisms underlying the assembly and regulation of BLTP complexes, we used cryo-EM to resolve the structure of one such BLTP, the Parkinson's disease protein VPS13C, at near-atomic resolution. The structure identifies a lipid-transfer-nonpermissive conformation, in which the built-in C-terminal VAB adaptor module blocks the end of the lipid transfer bridge, interfering with lipid delivery. We also identify calmodulin (CaM), central to calcium signaling, as a constitutive VPS13C interactor. Calcium induces conformational changes in the VPS13C-CaM complex, suggesting calcium regulation of VPS13 function. Altogether, this structure of intact VPS13C serves as a starting point for understanding its regulation and that of other VPS13 proteins.

Calmodulin↗

Biomimetic stimulus-responsive star diblock gelators.

Novel biomimetic gelators with star diblock copolymer architectures have been synthesized by atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Two types of trifunctional ATRP initiator were used to polymerize 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine [MPC] at 20 degrees C, followed by sequential monomer addition of various tertiary amine methacrylates or mixtures thereof. Poor living character was achieved using an amide-based trifunctional initiator, but the analogous triester initiator gave reasonably well-defined thermo-responsive and pH-responsive star diblock copolymers. The most effective thermo-responsive gelators were obtained by the statistical terpolymerization of 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate [DMA], 2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate [DEA], and a monomethoxy-capped poly(propylene oxide) methacrylate [PPOMA], whereas pH-responsive gelators were prepared using 2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate [DPA] as the second monomer. Star diblock copolymer gelators that were both thermo-responsive and pH-responsive were obtained by the statistical copolymerization of DMA with DPA. Copolymer compositions were assessed by 1H NMR spectroscopy, and the molecular weight distributions of the three-arm star MPC homopolymer precursors were assessed by aqueous gel permeation chromatography. Static light scattering was used to obtain weight-average molecular weights of selected star diblock copolymers and rheological measurements and variable-temperature 1H NMR were used to probe the onset of gelation.

Biomimetics↗

Miniemulsion polymerization of styrene using a pH-responsive cationic diblock macromonomer and its nonreactive diblock copolymer counterpart as stabilizers.

The miniemulsion polymerization of styrene has been carried out using two pH-responsive cationic diblock macromonomers as reactive stabilizers. As a comparison, the analogous nonpolymerizable cationic diblock copolymer was also investigated. Each of these three stabilizers based on 2-(diethylaminoethyl)methacrylate and quaternized 2-(dimethylaminoethyl)methacrylate residues were prepared via oxyanionic polymerization and had relatively low polydispersities. It was found that all three copolymers were grafted to the polystyrene latex particles, as judged by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, aqueous electrophoresis and FTIR spectroscopy studies. Kinetics studies and colloidal characteristics indicated poorer stabilization properties of the partially quaternized diblock macromonomer and electron microscopy confirmed that the latexes invariably had relatively broad particle size distributions.

Journal Article↗

Biomimetic thermo-responsive star diblock gelators.

We report the synthesis of novel biomimetic gelators with star diblock copolymer architectures by sequential monomer addition via alcoholic ATRP at 20 degrees C; free-standing gels can be formed from 5% aqueous copolymer solutions at 37 degrees C.

Journal Article↗