bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evolving Technologies and Strategies for Combating Antibacterial Resistance in the Advent of the Postantibiotic Era
Authors: Şen Karaman Didem , Ercan Utku Kürşat , Bakay Emel , Topaloğlu Nermin , Rosenholm Jessica M. 
Published: February 2020

AbstractThe threats posed by the impending “postantibiotic era” have put forward urgent challenges to be overcome by providing new diagnostic and therapeutic regimes for improved diagnosis and treatment of bacterial infections. Antibiotic resistance and incurable bacterial infections are especially important in a society faced with rapid demographic changes. With very few new antibiotics in the drug development pipeline, not being able to match the pace of antimicrobial resistance evolution, developments within other fields such as materials sciences and medical technologies are required to realize innovative antibacterial approaches. This progress report presents recent advances in especially nanotechnology‐based approaches and their concomitant use with complementary antibacterial treatments. Synergistically improved antibacterial activity can be reached by considering novel, promising approaches such as photodynamic and photothermal therapy as well as cold atmospheric pressure treatments as complementary strategies to fight against antibacterial resistance. Moreover, this report describes how these novel technologies can be further improved especially by integration of nanomaterials into the currently applied single modal strategies against bacterial infections.
Nonlinear Work Function Tuning of Lead‐Halide Perovskites by MXenes with Mixed Terminations
Authors: Di Vito Alessia , Pecchia Alessandro , Auf der Maur Matthias , Di Carlo Aldo 
Published: February 2020

AbstractMXenes are a recent family of 2D materials with very interesting electronic properties for device applications. One very appealing feature is the wide range of work functions shown by these materials, depending on their composition and surface terminations, that can be exploited to adjust band alignments between different material layers. In this work, based on density functional theory calculations, how mixed terminations of F, OH, and/or O affect the work function of Ti3C2 MXene is analyzed in detail, covering the whole phase‐space of mixtures. The Ti3C2/CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) perovskite coupled system for solar cell applications is also analyzed. A strong nonlinear behavior is found when varying the relative concentrations of OH, O, and F terminations, with the strongest effect of the OH groups in lowering the work function, already at a relative amount of 25%. A surprising minimum work function is found for relative OH:O fraction of 75:25, explained in terms of the nonlinear electronic response in screening the surface dipoles.
Omniphobic ZIF‐8@Hydrogel Membrane by Microfluidic‐Emulsion‐Templating Method for Wound Healing
Authors: Yao Xiaoxue , Zhu Guoshuai , Zhu Pingan , Ma Jing , Chen Wenwen , Liu Zhou , Kong Tiantian 
Published: February 2020

AbstractBacterial adhesion and colonization can result in chronic non‐healing wounds. Current hydrophilic wound dressings can release antibacterial agents into the wound exudate, but may result in overhydrated wounds, bacterial overgrowth, and even tissue maceration. Hydrophobic dressings are anti‐fouling, though ineffective to encapsulate and release bactericidal agents. Combining the advantages of hydrophilic and hydrophobic dressings seems difficult, until the development of superwettability surfaces offers an opportunity for omniphobic dressings from intrinsic hydrophilic polymers. Herein, omniphobic porous hydrogel wound dressings loaded with a zinc imidazolate framework 8 (ZIF‐8) are fabricated by a microfluidic‐emulsion‐templating method. The fabricated porous hydrogel membrane with its reentrant architecture is repellent to blood and body fluids, though intrinsically hydrophilic. This unique combination not only reduces the adhesion of harmful microbes, but also enables the encapsulation and release of antibacterial ingredients to wounded sites from hydrophilic polymer networks. As such, the omniphobic metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs)@hydrogel porous wound dressing can inhibit bacteria invasion and enable the controlled release of the bactericidal, anti‐inflammatory, and nontoxic zinc ions. Furthermore, in vivo study of infected full‐thickness skin defect models demonstrates that the dressing also accelerates wound closure by promoting angiogenesis and collagen deposition. Therefore, the omniphobic MOFs@hydrogel porous wound dressings are potentially useful for clinical application.
Direct 3D Printed Biomimetic Scaffolds Based on Hydrogel Microparticles for Cell Spheroid Growth
Authors: Zhang Hua , Cong Yang , Osi Amarachi Rosemary , Zhou Yang , Huang Fangcheng , Zaccaria Remo P. , Chen Jing , Wang Rong , Fu Jun 
Published: February 2020

AbstractBiocompatible hydrogel inks with shear‐thinning, appropriate yield strength, and fast self‐healing are desired for 3D bioprinting. However, the lack of ideal 3D bioprinting inks with outstanding printability and high structural fidelity, as well as cell‐compatibility, has hindered the progress of extrusion‐based 3D bioprinting for tissue engineering. In this study, novel self‐healable pre‐cross‐linked hydrogel microparticles (pcHμPs) of chitosan methacrylate (CHMA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hybrid hydrogels are developed and used as bioinks for extrusion‐based 3D printing of scaffolds with high fidelity and biocompatibility. The pcHμPs display excellent shear thinning when injected through a syringe and subsequently self‐heal into gels as shear forces are removed. Numerical simulations indicate that the pcHμPs experience a plug flow in the nozzle with minimal disturbance, which favors a steady and continuous printing. Moreover, the pcHμPs show a self‐supportive yield strength (540 Pa), which is critical for the fidelity of printed constructs. A series of biomimetic constructs with very high aspect ratio and delicate fine structures are directly printed by using the pcHμP ink. The 3D printed scaffolds support the growth of bone‐marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells and formation of cell spheroids, which are most important for tissue engineering.
Rechargeable Lithium Metal Batteries with an In‐Built Solid‐State Polymer Electrolyte and a High Voltage/Loading Ni‐Rich Layered Cathode
Authors: Zhao Chen‐Zi , Zhao Qing , Liu Xiaotun , Zheng Jingxu , Stalin Sanjuna , Zhang Qiang , Archer Lynden A. 
Published: February 2020

AbstractSolid‐state batteries enabled by solid‐state polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are under active consideration for their promise as cost‐effective platforms that simultaneously support high‐energy and safe electrochemical energy storage. The limited oxidative stability and poor interfacial charge transport in conventional polymer electrolytes are well known, but difficult challenges must be addressed if high‐voltage intercalating cathodes are to be used in such batteries. Here, ether‐based electrolytes are in situ polymerized by a ring‐opening reaction in the presence of aluminum fluoride (AlF3) to create SPEs inside LiNi0.6Co0.2 Mn0.2O2 (NCM) || Li batteries that are able to overcome both challenges. AlF3 plays a dual role as a Lewis acid catalyst and for the building of fluoridized cathode–electrolyte interphases, protecting both the electrolyte and aluminum current collector from degradation reactions. The solid‐state NCM || Li metal batteries exhibit enhanced specific capacity of 153 mAh g−1 under high areal capacity of 3.0 mAh cm−2. This work offers an important pathway toward solid‐state polymer electrolytes for high‐voltage solid‐state batteries.
Pros and Cons: Magnetic versus Optical Microrobots
Authors: Sitti Metin , Wiersma Diederik S. 
Published: February 2020

AbstractMobile microrobotics has emerged as a new robotics field within the last decade to create untethered tiny robots that can access and operate in unprecedented, dangerous, or hard‐to‐reach small spaces noninvasively toward disruptive medical, biotechnology, desktop manufacturing, environmental remediation, and other potential applications. Magnetic and optical actuation methods are the most widely used actuation methods in mobile microrobotics currently, in addition to acoustic and biological (cell‐driven) actuation approaches. The pros and cons of these actuation methods are reported here, depending on the given context. They can both enable long‐range, fast, and precise actuation of single or a large number of microrobots in diverse environments. Magnetic actuation has unique potential for medical applications of microrobots inside nontransparent tissues at high penetration depths, while optical actuation is suitable for more biotechnology, lab‐/organ‐on‐a‐chip, and desktop manufacturing types of applications with much less surface penetration depth requirements or with transparent environments. Combining both methods in new robot designs can have a strong potential of combining the pros of both methods. There is still much progress needed in both actuation methods to realize the potential disruptive applications of mobile microrobots in real‐world conditions.
Design of Optimized PEDOT‐Based Electrodes for Enhancing Performance of Living Photovoltaics Based on Phototropic Bacteria
Authors: Reggente Melania , Politi Sara , Antonucci Alessandra , Tamburri Emanuela , Boghossian Ardemis A. 
Published: February 2020

AbstractLiving photovoltaics represent a growing class of microbial devices that are based on whole cell–electrode interactions. The limited charge transfer at the cell–electrode interface represents a significant bottleneck in realizing an efficient technology. This study focuses on the development of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)‐based electrodes that are electrosynthesized in the presence of a sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) dopant. Potentiodynamic and potentiostatic electrochemical techniques, as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, and theoretical modelling of the electropolymerization transient, are employed to create and characterize PEDOT electrodes under various conditions. The electrodes are able to capture photosynthetically derived current under multiple light–dark cycles when interfaced with Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. In the presence of the Synechocystis, the PEDOT electrodes show a sixfold and twofold enhancement over conventional graphite electrodes for both mediatorless and K3Fe(CN)6‐mediated conditions, respectively. The ability of these electrodes to enhance extracted photocurrent for both direct and indirect electron transfer mechanisms provides a versatile platform for improving various microbial devices.
Utilization of Synergistic Effect of Dimension‐Differentiated Hierarchical Nanomaterials for Transparent and Flexible Wireless Communicational Elements
Authors: Sun Xiao , Liu Houfang , Qiu Haochuan , Jia Xiufeng , Ma Yiheng , Liu Kaihui , Yu Jierui , Hu Dongdong , Tan Congwei , Yi Fang , Fu Jun , Peng Hailin , Wei Di , Ren Tian‐Ling , Liu Zhongfan 
Published: February 2020

AbstractThe demand of emerging transparent and flexible wireless electronic devices is ever‐increasing for Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios, like noninvasive healthcare, real‐time wearable electronics, etc. However, as an essential part of the IoT wireless communicational devices, radio frequency (RF) antennas are still hampered by poor‐flexibility, low‐conductivity, and weak‐transparency. Here, based on the unique electronic and optical properties of graphene, a method to obtain these appealing features concurrently through promoting synergistic effect between two‐dimensional (2D) and one‐dimensional (1D) materials is studied. It is found that this method could not only successfully maintain transparency and flexibility, but also greatly enhance the overall performance of the antenna. The fabricated antenna exhibits a 75% light transmittance, from 5.6 to 12.8 GHz ultrawide bandwidth and outstanding durability and stability. Moreover, a transparent and flexible radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is also designed and demonstrated with a remarkable reading distance. These findings show that the method by promoting synergistic effect of hybrid materials has great potential in the design of next generation novel and high‐performance wireless electronics.
Approaching High‐Performance Supercapacitors via Enhancing Pseudocapacitive Nickel Oxide‐Based Materials
Authors: Yi Ting Feng , Wei Ting Ting , Mei Jie , Zhang Wenchao , Zhu Yanrong , Liu Yan Guo , Luo Shaohua , Liu Haiping , Lu Yan , Guo Zaiping 
Published: February 2020

AbstractNickel oxide, as a typical pseudocapacitive material, holds great promise for boosting the energy storage capability of supercapacitors (SCs) owing to its great advantages, such as high theoretical capacitance value, low‐cost, good stability, and environmentally benign nature. Nevertheless, many obstacles, including low intrinsic conductivity and limited surfice electrochemically active sites, need to be overcome before its practical implementation. In this review, the recent advances on nickel oxide‐based electrode materials are outlined with particular attention paid to strategies for enhancing their SC performance. To begin, an introduction to the physical and chemical properties of nickel oxide and its charge storage mechanisms is presented, followed by a discussion of the obstacles to its widespread implementation and the corresponding strategies for constructing high‐performance nickel oxide‐based electrode materials. After that, recent progress in the use of organic electrolyte systems to achieve improvements in integrated device performance is highlighted. To conclude, a detailed discussion on future trends and opportunities associated with NiO‐based electrode materials for future SCs is provided.
Thermosensitive Polypeptide Hydrogels Co‐Loaded with Two Anti‐Tumor Agents to Reduce Multi‐Drug Resistance and Enhance Local Tumor Treatment
Authors: Lv Qiang , Yu Shuangjiang , Quan Fenli , He Chaoliang , Chen Xuesi 
Published: February 2020

AbstractLocalized tumor treatment with hydrogels co‐loaded with two or more drugs is an emerging approach offering superior anti‐tumor efficacy and reduced systemic toxicity. Nevertheless, the development of multi‐drug resistance (MDR) during sustained local treatment with hydrogel depots has not been studied. In this study, a strategy is developed for local tumor combination therapy using a polypeptide hydrogel co‐loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) and cisplatin (CDDP) for evaluation in both drug‐sensitive A549 and CDDP‐resistant A549 (A549/CDDP) tumor models. It is found that the combination of DOX and CDDP synergistically inhibits both A549 and A549/CDDP cells in vitro, accompanying increased inhibition of the expression of the MDR and anti‐apoptosis B‐cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‐2) genes. After a single peritumoral injection into nude mice bearing A549 or A549/CDDP xenografts, the DOX/CDDP co‐loaded hydrogels exhibit remarkably high anti‐tumor efficiency, compared with a dual‐drug solution or single drug‐loaded hydrogels. The development of MDR genes in both tumor models is inhibited by the hydrogel‐based combination therapy. This study presents an efficient strategy for long‐acting treatment of both drug‐sensitive and drug‐resistant tumors.
Potential Zika Vaccine: Encapsulated Nanocomplex Promotes Both TH1/TH2 Responses in Mice
Authors: Wu Yan‐Wei , Chen Mei‐Chin , Chen Yu‐Hung 
Published: February 2020

AbstractThe concept of vaccination originated from the discovery that cowpox inoculation can prevent infection from the smallpox virus. Subsequent studies have addressed the roles of lymphocytes in induction, education, and memory of host immunity targeting foreign antigens. However, antigens alone stimulate poor immunogenicity, requiring an immunological adjuvant. Common adjuvants include inactivated toxins from bacteria or aluminium hydroxide/phosphate. Although several new adjuvants are being developed, polarized immunity and safety are still of concern. To address these limitations, in the present study, two biodegradable polymers are utilized, chitosan and γ‐polyglutamic acid (γ‐PGA), to encapsulate inactivated Zika virus (iZV) as a nanocomplex (iZV‐NC) vaccine by the electro‐kinetic approach. iZV‐NC vaccine elicited both anti‐ZV IgG1/2a antibodies, correcting to T helper (TH) 2/1 responses in BALB/c mice. Further, these antibodies have the ability to neutralize ZV infection. Additionally, CD4/8 T cells are shown to be activated by ex vivo treatment of iZV, showing established immunity against ZV. Taken together, these results suggest that iZV‐NC can produce balanced TH1/2 responses compared to the aluminum adjuvant, thereby providing novel insights into the immune mechanism through which NC acts against infectious diseases in humans.
The Assembly of MXenes from 2D to 3D
Authors: Wu Zhitan , Shang Tongxin , Deng Yaqian , Tao Ying , Yang Quan‐Hong 
Published: February 2020

AbstractSince their discovery in 2011, transition metal carbides or nitrides (MXenes) have attracted a wide range of attention due to their unique properties and promise for use in a variety of applications. However, the low accessible surface area and poor processability of MXene nanosheets caused by their restacking have severely hindered their practical use, and this is expected to be solved by integrating them into macroscopic assemblies. Here, recent progress in the construction of MXene assemblies from 2D to 3D at the macro and/or microlevel is summarized. The mechanisms of their assembly are also discussed to better understand the relationship between performance and assembled structure. The possible uses of MXene assemblies in energy conversion and storage, electromagnetic interference shielding and absorption, and other applications are summarized.
Z‐Scheme Photocatalytic Systems for Solar Water Splitting
Authors: Ng Boon‐Junn , Putri Lutfi Kurnianditia , Kong Xin Ying , Teh Yee Wen , Pasbakhsh Pooria , Chai Siang‐Piao 
Published: February 2020

AbstractAs the world decides on the next giant step for the renewable energy revolution, scientists have begun to reinforce their headlong dives into the exploitation of solar energy. Hitherto, numerous attempts are made to imitate the natural photosynthesis of plants by converting solar energy into chemical fuels which resembles the “Z‐scheme” process. A recreation of this system is witnessed in artificial Z‐scheme photocatalytic water splitting to generate hydrogen (H2). This work outlines the recent significant implication of the Z‐scheme system in photocatalytic water splitting, particularly in the role of electron mediator and the key factors that improve the photocatalytic performance. The Review begins with the fundamental rationales in Z‐scheme water splitting, followed by a survey on the development roadmap of three different generations of Z‐scheme system: 1) PS‐A/D‐PS (first generation), 2) PS‐C‐PS (second generation), and 3) PS‐PS (third generation). Focus is also placed on the scaling up of the “leaf‐to‐tree” challenge of Z‐scheme water splitting system, which is also known as Z‐scheme photocatalyst sheet. A detailed investigation of the Z‐scheme system for achieving H2 evolution from past to present accompanied with in‐depth discussion on the key challenges in the area of Z‐scheme photocatalytic water splitting are provided.
Unconventional Ferroelectric Switching via Local Domain Wall Motion in Multiferroic ε‐Fe2O3 Films
Authors: Guan Xiangxiang , Yao Lide , Rushchanskii Konstantin Z. , Inkinen Sampo , Yu Richeng , Ležaić Marjana , Sánchez Florencio , Gich Martí , van Dijken Sebastiaan 
Published: February 2020

AbstractDeterministic polarization reversal in ferroelectric and multiferroic films is critical for their exploitation in nanoelectronic devices. While ferroelectricity has been studied for nearly a century, major discrepancies in the reported values of coercive fields and saturation polarization persist in literature for many materials. This raises questions about the atomic‐scale mechanisms behind polarization reversal. Unconventional ferroelectric switching in ε‐Fe2O3 films, a material that combines ferrimagnetism and ferroelectricity at room temperature, is reported. High‐resolution in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy experiments and first‐principles calculations demonstrate that polarization reversal in ε‐Fe2O3 occurs around pre‐existing domain walls only, triggering local domain wall motion in moderate electric fields of 250–500 kV cm−1. Calculations indicate that the activation barrier for switching at domain walls is nearly a quarter of that corresponding to the most likely transition paths inside ε‐Fe2O3 domains. Moreover, domain walls provide symmetry lowering of the polar structure near the domain boundary, which is shown to be necessary for ferroelectric switching in ε‐Fe2O3. Local polarization reversal in ε‐Fe2O3 limits the macroscopic ferroelectric response and offers important hints on how to tailor ferroelectric properties by domain structure design in other relevant ferroelectric materials.
Association of the sinonasal bacterial microbiome with clinical outcomes in chronic rhinosinusitis: a systematic review
Authors: Wang James C. , Moore Charles A. , Epperson Madison V. , Sedaghat Ahmad R. 
Published: February 2020

BackgroundThe association between sinonasal microbiome and clinical outcomes of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is unclear. We performed a systematic review of prior studies evaluating the CRS microbiome in relation to clinical outcomes.MethodsComputerized searches of PubMed/Medline, Cochrane, and EMBASE were updated through October 2019 revealing a total of 9 studies including 244 CRS patients. A systematic review of the literature was performed, including data extraction focusing on sample region, sequencing platforms, predominant organisms, and outcomes measures.ResultsNine criterion‐meeting studies included 244 CRS patients, with varied results. Eight studies used 16s–ribosomal RNA (16s‐rRNA) gene sequencing to assess the sinonasal microbiome and 1 used 16s‐rRNA PhyloChip analysis. Seven studies used Sino‐Nasal Outcome Test scores, 1 applied another CRS symptom metric, and 1 used need for additional procedures/antibiotics as the primary clinical outcome. Three studies suggest that baseline abundance of phylum Actinobacteria (specifically genus Corynebacterium) was predictive of better surgical outcome. One study found C. tuberculostearicum was positively correlated with symptom severity. Another study revealed genus Escherichia was overrepresented in CRS and had positive correlation with increased symptom scores. In addition, 1 study identified Acinetobacter johnsonii to be associated with improvement in symptom scores while supporting Pseudomonas aeruginosa as having a negative impact on quality of life.ConclusionMicrobiome data are varied in their association with clinical outcomes of CRS patients. Further research is required to identify if predominance of certain microbes within the microbiome is predictive of CRS patients’ outcomes.