Recent Advances in Late-Stage Construction of Stapled Peptides via C−H Activation

Stapled peptides have been widely applied in many fields, including pharmaceutical chemistry, diagnostic reagents, and materials science. However, most traditional stapled peptide preparation methods rely on prefunctionalizations, which limit the diversity of stapled peptides. Recently, the emergence of late-stage transition metal-catalyzed C−H activation in amino acids and peptides has attracted wide interest due to its robustness and applicability for peptide stapling. In this review, we summarize the methods for late-stage construction of stapled peptides via transition metal-catalyzed C−H activation.     

Highly Flexible Graphene Oxide Nanosuspension Liquid‐Based Microfluidic Tactile Sensor

A novel graphene oxide (GO) nanosuspension liquid‐based microfluidic tactile sensor is developed. It comprises a UV ozone‐bonded Ecoflex–polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic assembly filled with GO nanosuspension, which serves as the working fluid of the tactile sensor. This device is highly flexible and able to withstand numerous modes of deformation as well as distinguish various user‐applied mechanical forces it is subjected to, including pressing, stretching, and bending. This tactile sensor is also highly deformable and wearable, and capable of recognizing and differentiating distinct hand muscle‐induced motions, such as finger flexing and fist clenching. Moreover, subtle differences in the handgrip strength derived from the first clenching gesture can be identified based on the electrical response of our device. This work highlights the potential application of the GO nanosuspension liquid‐based flexible microfluidic tactile sensing platform as a wearable diagnostic and prognostic device for real‐time health monitoring. Also importantly, this work can further facilitate the exploration and potential realization of a functional liquid‐state device technology with superior mechanical flexibility and conformability.     

Bacterium‐Templated Polymer for Self‐Selective Ablation of Multidrug‐Resistant Bacteria

The recognition and inactivation of specific pathogenic bacteria remain an enormous scientific challenge and an important therapeutic goal. Therefore, materials that can selectively target and kill specific pathogenic bacteria, without harming beneficial strains are highly desirable. Here, a material platform is reported that exploits bacteria as a template to synthesize polymers with aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) characteristic by copper‐catalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization for self‐selective killing of the bacteria that templates them with no antimicrobial resistance. The bacteria‐templated polymers show very weak fluorescence in aqueous media, however, the fluorescence is turned on upon recognition of the bacteria used as the template to synthesize the polymer even at a low concentration of 600 ng mL^?1. Moreover, the incorporated AIE fluorogens (AIEgens) can act as an efficient photosensitizer for reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation after bacteria surface binding, which endows the templated polymers with the capability for selective bacterial killing. The bacterium‐templated synthesis is generally applicable to a wide range of bacteria, including clinically isolated multidrug‐resistant bacterial strains. It is envisioned that the bacterium‐templated method provides a new strategy for bacteria‐specific diagnostic and therapeutic applications.     

Metal–Organic‐Framework‐Assisted In Vivo Bacterial Metabolic Labeling and Precise Antibacterial Therapy

Bacterial infection is one of the most serious physiological conditions threatening human health. There is an increasing demand for more effective bacterial diagnosis and treatment through noninvasive theranostic approaches. Herein, a new strategy is reported to achieve in vivo metabolic labeling of bacteria through the use of MIL‐100 (Fe) nanoparticles (NPs) as the nanocarrier for precise delivery of 3‐azido‐d ‐alanine (d ‐AzAla). After intravenous injection, MIL‐100 (Fe) NPs can accumulate preferentially and degrade rapidly within the high H₂O₂ inflammatory environment, releasing d ‐AzAla in the process. d ‐AzAla is selectively integrated into the cell walls of bacteria, which is confirmed by fluorescence signals from clickable DBCO‐Cy5. Ultrasmall photosensitizer NPs with aggregation‐induced emission characteristics are subsequently designed to react with the modified bacteria through in vivo click chemistry. Through photodynamic therapy, the amount of bacteria on the infected tissue can be significantly reduced. Overall, this study demonstrates the advantages of metal–organic‐framework‐assisted bacteria metabolic labeling strategy for precise bacterial detection and therapy guided by fluorescence imaging.     

Large‐Area,Periodic, Hexagonal Wrinkles on Nanocrystalline Graphitic Film

Sinusoidal wrinkles develop in compressively stressed film as a means to release stored elastic energy. Here, a simple way to fabricate large‐area, periodic, hexagonal wrinkled pattern on nanocrystalline graphitic films grown on c‐plane sapphire (<50 nm thick) by the spontaneous delamination–buckling of the as‐grown film during cooling is reported. According to the continuum mechanics calculation, strain‐relief pattern adopting the hexagonal wrinkled pattern has a lower elastic energy than that of the telephone cord wrinkle at thickness regime below 50 nm. A high‐fidelity transfer method is developed to transfer the hexagonal wrinkled films onto arbitrary substrates. Nanoindentation studies show that hexagonal wrinkle film engineered this way may act as shock absorber. The hexagonal wrinkled carbon film is able to selectively promote the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cell toward the osteogenic lineage in the absence of osteogenic inducing medium.     

Single‐Layer Ternary Chalcogenide Nanosheet as a Fluorescence‐Based “Capture‐Release” Biomolecular Nanosensor

The novel application of two‐dimensional (2D) single‐layer ternary chalcogenide nanosheets as “capture‐release” fluorescence‐based biomolecular nanosensors is demonstrated. Fluorescently labeled biomolecular probe is first captured by the ultrathin Ta₂NiS₅ nanosheets and then released upon adding analyte containing a target biomolecule due to the higher probe‐target affinity. Here, the authors use a nucleic acid probe for the model target biomolecule Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase, which is an important malarial biomarker. The ultrathin Ta₂NiS₅ nanosheet serves as a highly efficient fluorescence quencher and the nanosensor developed from the nanosheet is highly sensitive and specific toward the target biomolecule. Apart from the specificity toward the target biomolecule in homogeneous solutions, the developed nanosensor is capable of detecting and differentiating the target in heterogeneous solutions consisting of either a mixture of biomolecules or serum, with exceptional specificity. The simplicity of the “capture‐release” method, by eliminating the need for preincubation of the probe with the test sample, may facilitate further development of portable and rapid biosensors. The authors anticipate that this ternary chalcogenide nanosheet‐based biomolecular nanosensor will be useful for the rapid detection and differentiation of a wide range of chemical and biological species.     

Metal–Organic Framework as a Simple and General Inert Nanocarrier for Photosensitizers to Implement Activatable Photodynamic Therapy

There has been a surging interest in the synthesis of activatable photosensitizers (PSs) as they can be selectively activated with minimum nonspecific phototoxic damages for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Conventional strategies to realize activatable PSs are only applicable to a limited number of molecules. Herein, a simple and general strategy to yield activatable PSs by coupling MIL‐100 (Fe) (MIL: Materials Institute Lavoisier) with different kinds of PSs is presented. Specifically, when PSs are encapsulated into MIL‐100 (Fe), the photosensitization capability is suppressed due to their isolation from O₂. After the reaction between iron(III) in MIL‐100 (Fe) and H₂O₂ occurs, the framework of MIL‐100 (Fe) collapses and the encapsulated PSs regain contact with O₂, leading to activation of photosensitization. In addition, the decomposition of H₂O₂ can generate O₂ to relieve tumor hypoxia and enhance PDT effect. As O₂ is an indispensable factor for PDT, the activation strategy should be generally applicable to different PSs for activatable PDT.     

AlN nanowires: synthesis, physical properties, and nanoelectronics applications

One-dimensional aluminum nitride (AlN) nanostructures, especially AlN nanowires, have been subjected to numerous investigations due to their unique physical properties and applications ranging from electronics to biomedical. This article reviews the synthesis of AlN nanowires and studies their physical properties and potential nanoelectronics applications. First, the different fabrication techniques used to synthesize AlN nanowires and their growth mechanisms are discussed. Next, the physical properties of AlN nanowires, such as the field emission, transport, photoluminescence, as well as the mechanical and piezoelectric properties are summarized. Finally, the potential applications of AlN nanowires in the field of nanoelectronics are described. Furthermore, this review summarizes the perspectives and outlooks on the future development of AlN nanowires.     

Cell‐Assembled Graphene Biocomposite for Enhanced Chondrogenic Differentiation

Graphene‐based nanomaterials are increasingly being explored for use as biomaterials for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications due to their exceptional physicochemical and mechanical properties. However, the two‐dimensional nature of graphene makes it difficult to extend its applications beyond planar tissue culture. Here, graphene–cell biocomposites are used to pre‐concentrate growth factors for chondrogenic differentiation. Bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are assembled with graphene flakes in the solution to form graphene‐cell biocomposites. Increasing concentrations of graphene (G) and porous graphene oxide (pGO) are found to correlate positively with the extent of differentiation. However, beyond a certain concentration, especially in the case of graphene oxide, it will lead to decreased chondrogenesis due to increased diffusional barrier and cytotoxic effects. Nevertheless, these findings indicate that both G and pGO could serve as effective pre‐concentration platforms for the construction of tissue‐engineered cartilage and suspension‐based cultures in vitro.     

Molecular Hemocompatibility of Graphene Oxide and Its Implication for Antithrombotic Applications

Surface‐induced blood clotting is one of the major problems associated with the long‐term use of blood‐contacting biomedical devices. Central to this obstructive blood clotting is the adsorption of plasma proteins following the interactions between blood and material surface. Of all proteins circulating in the blood plasma, albumin and fibrinogen are the two important proteins regulating the blood–material interaction. As such, the adsorption of plasma proteins has been used as an indicator for the assessment of the blood compatibility of the biomedical devices. Numerous nanomaterials have been developed for antithrombotic surface coating applications, including the 2D graphene and its derivatives. Here, the antithrombotic property of albumin‐functionalized graphene oxide (albumin‐GO) and its potential for antithrombotic coating application under flow are investigated. The loading capacities, conformational changes, and adsorptions of albumin and fibrinogen on GO are probed. It is observed that GO possesses a high loading capacity for both proteins and simultaneously, it does not disrupt the overall secondary structure and conformational stability of albumin. Both albumin and fibrinogen adsorb well on the surface of GO. Subsequently, it is demonstrated that the albumin‐functionalized GO possesses enhanced antithrombotic effect and may potentially be used as an antithrombotic coating material of blood‐contacting devices under dynamic flow.