Structural Changes of 2D FexMn1−xO2 Nanosheets for Low‐Temperature Growth of Carbon Nanotubes

The synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is usually done by metallic catalysts with a gaseous carbon precursor at high temperature. Yet, mild synthesis conditions can broaden the application of CNTs and their composites. In the present work, it is unraveled why partially substituted Fe ions in 2D MnO₂ nanosheets lead to the growth of CNTs at low temperatures of 400?500 °C. The local formation of Fe₃C by carbon precursor explains the unusually high catalytic activity of 2D Fe_xMn_1?xO₂ nanosheets for preparing CNTs. Finally, Fe₃C is oxidized to Fe₃C/FeO_x yolk/shell morphology in ambient atmosphere after the CNT formation reaction. These results shed light on the development of novel catalyst materials that allow for efficiently prepare CNTs under mild conditions for their wider use in energy‐harvesting applications.     

Anodization for Simplified Processing and Efficient Charge Transport in Vertical Organic Field‐Effect Transistors

Vertical organic transistors are an attractive alternative to realize short channel transistors, which are required for powerful electronic devices and flexible electronic circuits operating at high frequencies. Unfortunately, the vertical device architecture comes along with an increased device fabrication complexity, limiting the potential of this technology for application. A new design of vertical organic field‐effect transistors (VOFETs) with superior electrical performance and simplified processing is reported. By using electrochemical oxidized aluminum oxide (AlO_x) as a pseudo self‐aligned charge‐blocking structure in vertical organic transistors, direct leakage current between the source and drain can be effectively suppressed, enabling VOFETs with very low off‐current levels despite the short channel length. The anodization technique is easy to apply and can be surprisingly used on both n‐type and p‐type organic semiconductor thin films with significant signs of degradation. Hence, the anodization technique enables a simplified process of high‐performance p‐type and n‐type VOFETs, paving the road toward complementary circuits made of vertical transistors.     

Classification of Gait Patterns Using Kinematic and Kinetic Features,Gait Dynamics and Neural Networks in Patients with Unilateral Anterior Cruciate Ligament Deficiency

Neural Processing Letters - The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) plays an important role in controlling knee joint stability. The literature provides conflicting information on whether patients...     

Inflammation Increases Susceptibility of Human Small Airway Epithelial Cells to Pneumonic Nanotoxicity

Exposure to inhaled anthropogenic nanomaterials (NM) with dimension <100 nm has been implicated in numerous adverse respiratory outcomes. Although studies have identified key NM physiochemical determinants of pneumonic nanotoxicity, the complex interactive and cumulative effects of NM exposure, especially in individuals with preexisting inflammatory respiratory diseases, remain unclear. Herein, the susceptibility of primary human small airway epithelial cells (SAEC) exposed to a panel of reference NM, namely, CuO, ZnO, mild steel welding fume (MSWF), and nanofractions of copier center particles (Nano‐CCP), is examined in normal and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α)‐induced inflamed SAEC. Compared to normal SAEC, inflamed cells display an increased susceptibility to NM‐induced cytotoxicity by 15–70% due to a higher basal level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Among the NM screened, ZnO, CuO, and Nano‐CCP are observed to trigger an overcompensatory response in normal SAEC, resulting in an increased tolerance against subsequent oxidative insults. However, the inflamed SAEC fails to adapt to the NM exposure due to an impaired nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2)‐mediated cytoprotective response. The findings reveal that susceptibility to pulmonary nanotoxicity is highly dependent on the interplay between NM properties and inflammation of the alveolar milieu.     

Macroscopic Ag nanostructure array patterns with high-density hotspots for reliable and ultra-sensitive SERS substrates

Nano Research - Synthesis of metal nanostructures arrays with large amounts of small nano-gaps on a homogenous macroscale is of significant interest and importance in chemistry, biotechnology,...     

The role of social media data in operations and production management

Social media data contain rich information in posts or comments written by customers. If those data can be extracted and analysed properly, companies can fully utilise this rich source of information. They can then convert the data to useful information or knowledge, which can help to formulate their business strategy. This cannot only facilitate marketing research in view of customer behaviour, but can also aid other management disciplines. Operations management (OM) research and practice with the objective to make decisions on product and process design is a fine example. Nevertheless, this line of thought is under-researched. In this connection, this paper explores the role of social media data in OM research. A structured approach is proposed, which involves the analysis of social media comments and a statistical cluster analysis to identify the interrelationships amongst important factors. A real-life example is employed to demonstrate the concept.     

Disruptive,Soft, Wearable Sensors

The wearable industry is on the rise, with a myriad of technical applications ranging from real-time health monitoring, the Internet of Things, and robotics, to name but a few. However, there is a saying “wearable is not wearable” because the current market-available wearable sensors are largely bulky and rigid, leading to uncomfortable wearing experience, motion artefacts, and poor data accuracy. This has aroused a world-wide intensive research quest for novel materials, with the aim of fabricating next-generation ultra-lightweight and soft wearable devices. Such disruptive second-skin-like biosensing technologies may enable a paradigm shift from current wearable 1.0 to future wearable 2.0 products. Here, the state-of-the-art progress made in the key phases for future wearable technology, namely, wear → sense → communicate → analyze → interpret → decide, is summarized. Without a doubt, materials innovation is the key, which is the main focus of the discussion. In addition, emphasis is also given to wearable energy, multicomponent integration, and wireless communication.     

Flexible Hybrid Sensors for Health Monitoring: Materials and Mechanisms to Render Wearability

Wearable electronics have revolutionized the way physiological parameters are sensed, detected, and monitored. In recent years, advances in flexible and stretchable hybrid electronics have created emergent properties that enhance the compliance of devices to our skin. With their unobtrusive attributes, skin conformable sensors enable applications toward real-time disease diagnosis and continuous healthcare monitoring. Herein, critical perspectives of flexible hybrid electronics toward the future of digital health monitoring are provided, emphasizing its role in physiological sensing. In particular, the strategies within the sensor composition to render flexibility and stretchability while maintaining excellent sensing performance are considered. Next, novel approaches to the functionalization of the sensor for physical or biochemical stimuli are extensively covered. Subsequently, wearable sensors measuring physical parameters such as strain, pressure, temperature, as well as biological changes in metabolites and electrolytes are reported. Finally, their implications toward early disease detection and monitoring are discussed, concluding with a future perspective into the challenges and opportunities in emerging wearable sensor designs for the next few years.     

Epitaxially Strained CeO2/Mn3O4 Nanocrystals as an Enhanced Antioxidant for Radioprotection

Nanomaterials with antioxidant properties are promising for treating reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related diseases. However, maintaining efficacy at low doses to minimize toxicity is a critical for clinical applications. Tuning the surface strain of metallic nanoparticles can enhance catalytic reactivity, which has rarely been demonstrated in metal oxide nanomaterials. Here, it is shown that inducing surface strains of CeO₂/Mn₃O₄ nanocrystals produces highly catalytic antioxidants that can protect tissue-resident stem cells from irradiation-induced ROS damage. Manganese ions deposited on the surface of cerium oxide (CeO₂) nanocrystals form strained layers of manganese oxide (Mn₃O₄) islands, increasing the number of oxygen vacancies. CeO₂/Mn₃O₄ nanocrystals show better catalytic activity than CeO₂ or Mn₃O₄ alone and can protect the regenerative capabilities of intestinal stem cells in an organoid model after a lethal dose of irradiation. A small amount of the nanocrystals prevents acute radiation syndrome and increases the survival rate of mice treated with a lethal dose of total body irradiation.     

T-Cell-Mimicking Nanoparticles for Cancer Immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapies, including adoptive T cell transfer and immune checkpoint blockades, have recently shown considerable success in cancer treatment. Nevertheless, transferred T cells often become exhausted because of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Immune checkpoint blockades, in contrast, can reinvigorate the exhausted T cells; however, the therapeutic efficacy is modest in 70–80% of patients. To address some of the challenges faced by the current cancer treatments, here T-cell-membrane-coated nanoparticles (TCMNPs) are developed for cancer immunotherapy. Similar to cytotoxic T cells, TCMNPs can be targeted at tumors via T-cell-membrane-originated proteins and kill cancer cells by releasing anticancer molecules and inducing Fas-ligand-mediated apoptosis. Unlike cytotoxic T cells, TCMNPs are resistant to immunosuppressive molecules (e.g., transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) of cancer cells by scavenging TGF-β1 and PD-L1. Indeed, TCMNPs exhibit higher therapeutic efficacy than an immune checkpoint blockade in melanoma treatment. Furthermore, the anti-tumoral actions of TCMNPs are also demonstrated in the treatment of lung cancer in an antigen-nonspecific manner. Taken together, TCMNPs have a potential to improve the current cancer immunotherapy.