bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of MXene Interlayer Spacing on the Interaction with Microwave Radiation
Authors: Rakhmanov Roman , Ippolito Stefano , Downes Marley , Inman Alex , AlHourani Jamal , Fitzpatrick James , Gogotsi Yury , Friedman Gary 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe origin of MXene's excellent electromagnetic shielding performance is not fully understood. MXene films, despite being inhomogeneous at the nanometer scale, are often treated as if they are compared to bulk conductors. It is reasonable to wonder if the treatment of MXene as a homogeneous material remains valid at very small film thickness and if it depends on the interlayer spacing. The goal of the present work is to test if the homogeneous material model is applicable to nanometer‐thin Ti3C2Tx MXene films and, if so, to investigate how the model parameters may depend on variations in MXene interlayer spacings. MXene films containing flakes with interlayer spacing between 1.9 and 5.5 Å have been prepared using various intercalating agents. It is shown that modeling the films as being homogeneous agrees with experimental tests in the microwave frequency range. Microwave conductivity and dielectric constant parameters are estimated for the homogeneous film model by fitting measured results. The direct current (DC) conductivity matches the estimated microwave conductivity on the order of magnitude. A highly effective dielectric constant provides a good fit for the lower conductivity MXene films. Optical absorption agrees with the homogeneous material model of thin films as well.
Cu Substitution Stabilizes Oxygen Redox in High Na Content P3‐Type Na0.75Li0.2Cu0.05Mn0.75O2 Cathode with Unexpected High Energy Density
Authors: Li Yan , Wu Duojie , Zheng Jiening , Gu Meng , Chang Chengkang 
Published: September 2024

AbstractOxygen redox enhances the specific energy of sodium cathodes, but the other performance remains unsatisfactory. By introducing Cu into P2 lattice to replace Li cations, P3‐type Na0.75Li0.2Cu0.05Mn0.75O2 with high Na concentration is achieved. This modification induces notable alteration in the lattice structure, specifically increasing the interplanar spacing of NaO6 from 3.6 Å to 3.8 Å. The resultant P3‐type cathode delivers a remarkable capacity of 253 ± 1.3 mAh g−1 with energy density of 680 mWh g−1, setting a benchmark for P3‐type sodium cathodes. The high capacity can be attributed to the activation of Mn3+/ Mn4+ redox pair following Cu substitution. Further investigations confirm that Mn3+/ Mn4+, Cu2+/ Cu3+ and O2−/On− redox pairs all contribute to the high performance. The absence of O vacancy and the reduction in phase transitions enhance the cyclic performance with capacity retention of 86.3% at 0.5C. Additionally, the small diffusion energy barrier (34.6 KJ mol−1) results in a high Na diffusion coefficient (1.332 × 10−9 cm2 s−1), thereby promoting superior rate behavior with a capacity of 200.8± 2.1 mAh g−1 at 5C. These results demonstrate the advantages of the P3‐type Na0.75Li0.2Cu0.05Mn0.75O2 cathode over the other Na cathodes, suggesting high potential for application in high‐energy storage fields.
Advanced 3D Micro‐Electrodes for On‐Chip Zinc‐Ion Micro‐Batteries
Authors: Naresh Nibagani , Zhu Yijia , Luo Jingli , Fan Yujia , Wang Tianlei , Raju Kumar , De Volder Michael , Parkin Ivan P. , Boruah Buddha Deka 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe development of high‐performance planar micro‐batteries featuring safer, cost‐effective systems is crucial for powering smart devices such as medical implants, micro‐robots, micro‐sensors, and the Internet of Things (IoT). However, current on‐chip micro‐batteries suffer from limited energy density within constrained device footprints due to challenges in effectively loading high‐capacity active materials onto micro‐electrodes. Innovative designs for advanced micro‐electrodes are needed for on‐chip micro‐batteries. This work introduces advanced, highly porous 3D gold (Au) scaffold‐based interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) as current collectors, which enable effective loading of active materials (Zn and polyaniline) without compromising overall conductivity and significantly increase active mass loading. These 3D Au scaffold‐based micro‐batteries (3D P‐ZIMB) offer substantially higher energy storage performance (≈135% enhancement) compared to conventional micro‐batteries (C‐ZIMB) when materials loaded onto flat Au IDEs. Furthermore, the 3D P‐ZIMB demonstrates higher areal capacities (≈35 µAh cm−2) and areal energy (≈31.05 µWh cm−2) than most high‐performance on‐chip micro‐batteries, and it delivers a much higher areal power (≈3584.35 µW cm−2) than high‐performance on‐chip micro‐supercapacitors. In‐depth postmortem investigations reveal that the 3D P‐ZIMB avoids issues like material peeling, sluggish electrolyte ion diffusion, and dendrite formation on the anode, while maintaining identical material morphologies and structural characteristics. Therefore, this study presents a smart strategy to enhance the electrochemical performance of planar micro‐batteries and advance the field of on‐chip micro‐battery research.
Tunable Hybrid Hydrogels of Alginate and Cell‐Derived dECM to Study the Impact of Matrix Alterations on Epithelial‐to‐Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Barros da Silva P. , Zhao Xiaoyu , Bidarra Sílvia J. , Nascimento Diana S. , LaLone Vernon , Lourenço Bianca N. , Paredes Joana , Stevens Molly M. , Barrias C. C. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractEpithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) is crucial for tumor progression, being linked to alterations in the extracellular matrix (ECM). Understanding the ECM's role in EMT can uncover new therapeutic targets, yet replicating these interactions in vitro remains challenging. It is shown that hybrid hydrogels of alginate (ALG) and cell‐derived decellularized ECM (dECM), with independently tunable composition and stiffness, are useful 3D‐models to explore the impact of the breast tumor matrix on EMT. Soft RGD‐ALG hydrogels (200 Pa), used as neutral bulk material, supported mammary epithelial cells morphogenesis without spontaneous EMT, allowing to define the gene, protein, and biochemical profiles of cells at different TGFβ1‐induced EMT states. To mimic the breast tumor composition, dECM from TGFβ1‐activated fibroblasts (adECM) are generated, which shows upregulation of tumor‐associated proteins compared to ndECM from normal fibroblasts. Using hybrid adECM‐ALG hydrogels, it is shown that the presence of adECM induces partial EMT in normal epithelial cells, and amplifes TGF‐β1 effects compared to ALG and ndECM‐ALG. Increasing the hydrogel stiffness to tumor‐like levels (2.5 kPa) have a synergistic effect, promoting a more evident EMT. These findings shed light on the complex interplay between matrix composition and stiffness in EMT, underscoring the utility of dECM‐ALG hydrogels as a valuable in vitro platform for cancer research.
Magnetic Miniature Soft Robot with Reprogrammable Drug‐Dispensing Functionalities: Toward Advanced Targeted Combination Therapy
Authors: Yang Zilin , Xu Changyu , Lee Jia Xin , Lum Guo Zhan 
Published: September 2024

AbstractMiniature robots are untethered actuators, which have great prospects to transform targeted drug delivery because they can potentially deliver high concentrations of medicine to the disease site(s) with minimal complications. However, existing miniature robots cannot perform advanced targeted combination therapy; majority of them can at most transport one type of drug, while those that can carry multiple drugs are unable to change their drug‐dispensing sequence and dosage. Furthermore, the latter robots cannot transport more than three types of drugs, selectively dispense their drugs, maintain their mobility, or release their drugs at multiple sites. Here, a millimeter‐scale soft robot is proposed, which can be actuated by alternating magnetic fields to dispense four types of drugs with reprogrammable drug‐dispensing sequence and dosage (dispensing rates: 0.0992–0.231 µL h−1). This robot has six degrees‐of‐freedom motions, and it can deliver its drugs to multiple desired sites by rolling and two‐anchor crawling across unstructured environments with negligible drug leakage. Such dexterity is highly desirable and unprecedented for miniature robots with drug‐dispensing capabilities. The soft robot therefore has great potential to enable advanced targeted combination therapy, where four types of drugs must be delivered to various disease sites, each with a specific sequence and dosage of drugs.
Electron Release via Internal Polarization Fields for Optimal S‐H Bonding States
Authors: Seok Hyunho , Kim Minjun , Cho Jinill , Son Sihoon , Megra Yonas Tsegaye , Lee Jinhyoung , Nam Myeong Gyun , Kim Keon‐Woo , Aydin Kubra , Yoo Seong Soo , Lee Hyeonjeong , Kanade Vinit K. , Kim Muyoung , Mun Jihun , Kim Jin Kon , Suk Ji Won , Kim Hyeong‐U , Yoo Pil J. , Kim Taesung 
Published: September 2024

AbstractTransition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have received considerable attention as promising electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), yet their potential is often constrained by the inertness of the basal planes arising from their poor hydrogen adsorption ability. Here, the relationship between the electronic structure of the WS2 basal plane and HER activity is systemically analyzed to establish a clear insight. The valance state of the sulfur atoms on the basal plane has been tuned to enhance hydrogen adsorption through sequential engineering processes, including direct phase transition and heterostructure that induces work function‐difference‐induced unidirectional electron transfer. Additionally, an innovative synthetic approach, harnessing the built‐in internal polarization field at the W‐graphene heterointerface, triggers the in‐situ formation of sulfur vacancies in the bottom WSx (x < 2) layers. The resultant modulation of the valance state of the sulfur atom stabilizes the W‐S bond, while destabilizing the S‐H bond. The electronic structural changes are further amplified by the release and transfer of surplus electrons via sulfur vacancies, filling the valance state of W and S atoms. Consequently, this work provides a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between the electronic structure of the WS2 basal plane and the HER activity, focusing on optimizing S‐H bonding state.
Importance of Electrostatic Effects for Interpretation of X‐ray Photoemission Spectra of Self‐Assembled Monolayers
Authors: Zharnikov Michael 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThis paper reviews the relevant work regarding electrostatic effects in X‐ray photoemission from self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) which are application‐relevant ultrathin molecular films, coupled over a suitable anchoring group to the substrate. Whereas, in most cases, the standard concept of chemical shift is fully sufficient to describe X‐ray photoelectron spectra of these systems, consideration of electrostatic effects is frequently necessary for their proper interpretation. Due to the insulator character of the SAM matrix, decoupled electronically from the substrate, the introduction of a dipolar ´sheet´ at the SAM‐substrate interface or within this matrix creates a potential discontinuity shifting the energy levels above the ´sheet´ with respect to those below it. This shift is reflected then in the matrix‐related spectra, resulting in shifts and splitting of the characteristic photoemission peaks. Several representative examples in this context are provided and discussed in detail. These examples and other relevant literature data underline the importance of electrostatic effects in photoemission and suggest that they should be considered on the equal footing as the chemical shift ones.
Dielectric Resonators for Microwave Hyperthermia
Authors: Cao Jinqing , Gao Song , Zhang Qian , Liu Yawei , Xu Jianchun , Liu Kai , Bi Ke 
Published: September 2024

AbstractHyperthermia, utilizing various types of energy sources such as microwaves, holds great promise for cancer treatment. The intense interaction between microwaves and substances during hyperthermia can produce heat efficiently, leading to the inactivation of cancer cells. Mie‐type resonance is widely studied in the regulation of electromagnetic waves, offering a new perspective for microwave hyperthermia. In this study, a Mie‐type dielectric resonator is reported for microwave hyperthermia using high‐permittivity and temperature‐stable ceramic. The proposed dielectric particles have the characteristics of compact size, low cost, and excellent biocompatibility. The resonant frequency of the system can be finely tuned through material design and arrangement, thus expanding its potential application scenarios. The dielectric particles can be rapidly heated under microwave irradiation, thereby enabling effective hyperthermia to eliminate cancer cells. This work demonstrates the potential of a safe and tunable Mie‐type dielectric resonator in microwave hyperthermia, which is expected to promote further research on Mie‐type resonance in the biomedical field.
Application of Physically Crosslinked Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel in the Treatment of Radiation‐Induced Skin Injury
Authors: Gao Suyue , Zheng Tingyu , Tian Kai , Jia Zou , Xu Wushuang , Wu Pingfan , Cao Shikun , Li Ke , Wu Lijun 
Published: September 2024

AbstractWounds caused by radiation exposure are often hard to heal. The functional hydrogel can be used as a wound treatment material of multiple dimensions according to patients' needs. Hyaluronic acid hydrogel can be used to create a moist environment conducive to wound healing. In this study, new complex hydrogels based on physically crosslinked hyaluronic acid are investigated, which adopt the freeze‐thaw technique, loaded with small molecule drugs deferoxamine and retinoic acid, and effectively promote the healing of radiation‐induced skin ulcers. The combined application of deferoxamine and retinoic acid can improve skin injury after radiation, promoting angiogenesis, reducing inflammation, and protecting skin appendages. In vitro and in vivo results show enhanced cell viability and biological function, significantly accelerate healing of the irradiated wounds, and improve collagen deposition in the skin of the irradiated rats. Also, the skin appendages, such as hair follicles, are protected to a certain extent, implying functionally repairing the skin. Considering the ease of use of the hydrogel system in clinical applications, complex hydrogels can be considered a suitable candidate for treating radiation‐induced skin injury.
A Multifunctional Tactile Sensory System for Robotic Intelligent Identification and Manipulation Perception
Authors: Jiang Yue , Fan Lin , Sun Xilong , Luo Zehe , Wang Herong , Lai Rucong , Wang Jie , Gan Qiyang , Li Ning , Tian Jindong 
Published: September 2024

AbstractHumans recognize and manipulate objects relying on the multidimensional force features captured by the tactile sense of skin during the manipulation. Since the current sensors integrated in robots cannot support the robots to sense the multiple interaction states between manipulator and objects, achieving human‐like perception and analytical capabilities remains a major challenge for service robots. Prompted by the tactile perception involved in robots performing complex tasks, a multimodal tactile sensory system is presented to provide in situ simultaneous sensing for robots when approaching, touching, and manipulating objects. The system comprises a capacitive sensor owning the high sensitivity of 1.11E‐2 pF mm−1, a triboelectricity nanogenerator with the fast response speed of 30 ms, and a pressure sensor array capable of 3D force detection. By Combining transfer learning models, which fuses multimodal tactile information to achieve high‐precision (up to 95%) recognition of the multi‐featured targets such as random hardness and texture information under random sampling conditions, including random grasp force and velocity. This sensory system is expected to enhance the intelligent recognition and behavior‐planning capabilities of autonomous robots when performing complex tasks in undefined surrounding environments.
Two‐Dimensional Atomically Thin Piezoelectric Nanosheets for Efficient Pyroptosis‐Dominated Sonopiezoelectric Cancer Therapy
Authors: Deng Ruxi , Ren Chunrong , Song Xinran , Wei Wuyang , Wang Hai , Nie Quanyu , Liu Ying , Li Pan , Ding Li , Chang Meiqi , Chen Yu , Zhou Yang 
Published: September 2024

AbstractSonopiezocatalytic therapy is an emerging therapeutic strategy that utilizes ultrasound irradiation to activate piezoelectric materials, inducing polarization and energy band bending to facilitate the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the efficient generation of ROS is hindered by the long distance of charge migration from the bulk to the material surface. Herein, atomically thin Bi2O2(OH)(NO3) (AT‐BON) nanosheets are rationally engineered through disrupting the weaker hydrogen bonds within the [OH] and [NO3] layer in the bulk material. The ultrathin structure of AT‐BON piezocatalytic nanosheets shortens the migration distance of carriers, expands the specific surface area, and accelerates the charge transfer efficiency, showcasing a natural advantage in ROS generation. Importantly, the non‐centrosymmetric polar crystal structure grants the nanosheets the ability to separate electron‐hole pairs. Under ultrasonic mechanical stress, Bi2O2(OH)(NO3) nanosheets with the remarkable piezoelectric feature exhibit the desirable in vivo antineoplastic outcomes in both breast cancer model and liver cancer model. Especially, the AT‐BON‐induced ROS bursts lead to the activation of the Caspase‐1‐driven pyroptosis pathway. This study highlights the beneficial impact of bulk material thinning on enhancing ROS generation efficiency and anti‐cancer effects.
Meta‐Attention Deep Learning for Smart Development of Metasurface Sensors
Authors: Gao Yuan , Chen Wei , Li Fajun , Zhuang Mingyong , Yan Yiming , Wang Jun , Wang Xiang , Dong Zhaogang , Ma Wei , Zhu Jinfeng 
Published: September 2024

AbstractOptical metasurfaces with pronounced spectral characteristics are promising for sensor applications. Currently, deep learning (DL) offers a rapid manner to design various metasurfaces. However, conventional DL models are usually assumed as black boxes, which is difficult to explain how a DL model learns physical features, and they usually predict optical responses of metasurfaces in a fuzzy way. This makes them incapable of capturing critical spectral features precisely, such as high quality (Q) resonances, and hinders their use in designing metasurface sensors. Here, a transformer‐based explainable DL model named Metaformer for the high‐intelligence design, which adopts a spectrum‐splitting scheme to elevate 99% prediction accuracy through reducing 99% training parameters, is established. Based on the Metaformer, all‐dielectric metasurfaces based on quasi‐bound states in the continuum (Q‐BIC) for high‐performance metasensing are designed, and fabrication experiments are guided potently. The explainable learning relies on spectral position encoding and multi‐head attention of meta‐optics features, which overwhelms traditional black‐box models dramatically. The meta‐attention mechanism provides deep physics insights on metasurface sensors, and will inspire more powerful DL design applications on other optical devices.
Optimizing Nav1.7‐Targeted Analgesics: Revealing Off‐Target Effects of Spider Venom‐Derived Peptide Toxins and Engineering Strategies for Improvement
Authors: Luo Sen , Zhou Xi , Wu Meijing , Wang Gongxin , Wang Li , Feng Xujun , Wu Hang , Luo Ren , Lu Minjuan , Ju Junxian , Wang Wenxing , Yuan Lei , Luo Xiaoqing , Peng Dezheng , Yang Li , Zhang Qingfeng , Chen Minzhi , Liang Songping , Dong Xiuming , Hao Guoliang , Zhang Yunxiao , Liu Zhonghua 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe inhibition of Nav1.7 is a promising strategy for the development of analgesic treatments. Spider venom‐derived peptide toxins are recognized as significant sources of Nav1.7 inhibitors. However, their development has been impeded by limited selectivity. In this study, eight peptide toxins from three distinct spider venom Nav channel families demonstrated robust inhibition of hNav1.7, rKv4.2, and rKv4.3 (rKv4.2/4.3) currents, exhibiting a similar mode of action. The analysis of structure and function relationship revealed a significant overlap in the pharmacophore responsible for inhibiting hNav1.7 and rKv4.2 by HNTX‐III, although Lys25 seems to play a more pivotal role in the inhibition of rKv4.2/4.3. Pharmacophore‐guided rational design is employed for the development of an mGpTx1 analogue, mGpTx1‐SA, which retains its inhibition of hNav1.7 while significantly reducing its inhibition of rKv4.2/4.3 and eliminating cardiotoxicity. Moreover, mGpTx1‐SA demonstrates potent analgesic effects in both inflammatory and neuropathic pain models, accompanied by an improved in vivo safety profile. The results suggest that off‐target inhibition of rKv4.2/4.3 by specific spider peptide toxins targeting hNav1.7 may arise from a conserved binding motif. This insight promises to facilitate the design of hNav1.7‐specific analgesics, aimed at minimizing rKv4.2/4.3 inhibition and associated toxicity, thereby enhancing their suitability for therapeutic applications.
Novel Endogenous Engineering Platform for Robust Loading and Delivery of Functional mRNA by Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Zickler Antje M. , Liang Xiuming , Gupta Dhanu , Mamand Doste R. , De Luca Mariacristina , Corso Giulia , Errichelli Lorenzo , Hean Justin , Sen Titash , Elsharkasy Omnia M. , Kamei Noriyasu , Niu Zheyu , Zhou Guannan , Zhou Houze , Roudi Samantha , Wiklander Oscar P. B. , Görgens André , Nordin Joel Z. , Castilla‐Llorente Virginia , EL Andaloussi Samir 
Published: September 2024

AbstractMessenger RNA (mRNA) has emerged as an attractive therapeutic molecule for a plethora of clinical applications. For in vivo functionality, mRNA therapeutics require encapsulation into effective, stable, and safe delivery systems to protect the cargo from degradation and reduce immunogenicity. Here, a bioengineering platform for efficient mRNA loading and functional delivery using bionormal nanoparticles, extracellular vesicles (EVs), is established by expressing a highly specific RNA‐binding domain fused to CD63 in EV producer cells stably expressing the target mRNA. The additional combination with a fusogenic endosomal escape moiety, Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Glycoprotein, enables functional mRNA delivery in vivo at doses substantially lower than currently used clinically with synthetic lipid‐based nanoparticles. Importantly, the application of EVs loaded with effective cancer immunotherapy proves highly effective in an aggressive melanoma mouse model. This technology addresses substantial drawbacks currently associated with EV‐based nucleic acid delivery systems and is a leap forward to clinical EV applications.