Biomedical engineering articles within Communications Materials

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  • Review Article
    | Open Access

    Wearable optical sensors offer advantages for monitoring human sweat compared to traditional electrochemistry-based approaches. Here, the working principles, advantages, and limitations of various types of optical-based devices for health monitoring of human sweat are discussed.

    • Jing Wang
    • , Yong Luo
    •  & Xueji Zhang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Neural circuitry is important for comprehending computational mechanisms and physiology of the brain but controlling neuronal connectivity and response in 3D is challenging. Here, titanium carbide MXene-coated 3D polycaprolactone scaffolds are demonstrated to effectively control neuronal interconnection.

    • Jianfeng Li
    • , Payam Hashemi
    •  & Joyce K. S. Poon

  • Review Article
    | Open Access

    Transmembrane signaling systems are present in living cells which receive cues from the environment and produce a cellular response. Here, recent advances in the design of bioinspired systems that mimic transmembrane signaling in synthetic and living cells are reviewed.

    • Ke Shi
    • , Chuwen Song
    •  & Yiyang Lin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Foreign substances on the surface of a baseball can alter its delivery and enhance pitching performance. Here, sticky substances are found to increase finger-ball friction which can positively affect spin rate, whereas rosin powder can ensure consistent friction across pitchers, with results differing between baseballs used in the United States and Japan.

    • Takeshi Yamaguchi
    • , Daiki Nasu
    •  & Kei Masani

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Collagen is known to play a key role in the fracture resistance of bone. Here, in situ synchrotron tomography during the mechanical testing of bone is combined with deep learning to mitigate radiation damage, revealing that a compromised collagen network lowers the efficacy of crack deflection.

    • Michael Sieverts
    • , Yoshihiro Obata
    •  & Claire Acevedo

  • Perspective
    | Open Access

    There is growing interest in organic semiconductor devices for light-mediated neuromodulation, such as for retinal stimulation. Here, the key working principles of these devices are discussed, as well as promising applications and outstanding challenges for the field.

    • Danashi Imani Medagoda
    •  & Diego Ghezzi

  • Review Article
    | Open Access

    Carbon dots are suitable for a range of biological applications due to their unique physicochemical properties and biological behavior. This Review summarizes research related to the emerging field of red-emissive two-photon carbon dots for bioimaging, biosensing, and phototherapeutic applications.

    • Pooria Lesani
    • , Aina Hazeera Mohamad Hadi
    •  & Hala Zreiqat

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Shape-shifting structures are important building blocks in the design of reconfigurable materials and devices with advanced functionalities. Here, versatile metamaterials with 3D-to-3D shape-shifting behavior upon thermal activation are fabricated by adapting a 3D printer to print on curved surfaces.

    • Teunis van Manen
    • , Shahram Janbaz
    •  & Amir A. Zadpoor

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A major challenge artificial retinas face is being able to activate neurons across a wide visual field. Here, a photovoltaic epiretinal prosthetic with over 10,000 pixels shows wide retinal coverage and single-pixel illumination, offering high spatial resolution discrimination in mouse models.

    • Naïg Aurelia Ludmilla Chenais
    • , Marta Jole Ildelfonsa Airaghi Leccardi
    •  & Diego Ghezzi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Artificial retinas require materials and devices that can interface with the nervous system. Here, aluminum antimonide colloidal nanocrystals are used as the interfacing layer with a biological medium, showing a fast photoresponse of 55 µs and a suggested operational lifetime of 36 months.

    • Mertcan Han
    • , Houman Bahmani Jalali
    •  & Sedat Nizamoglu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Deep vein thrombosis is the clotting of blood in deep veins. Here, a microfluidic device containing flexible valves fabricated in-situ is used to investigate the effects of blood flow conditions and valve elasticity on thrombus formation, revealing the circumstance under which clotting occurs.

    • Zoe Schofield
    • , Hosam Alden Baksamawi
    •  & Daniele Vigolo

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Organic materials are attractive for photovoltaic interfaces in bioelectronics, but are limited by adhesion in aqueous environments and responsiveness in the visible spectrum. Here, an organic interface is reported for neuronal stimulation in the near-infrared and tested on explanted mice retinas.

    • Marta Jole Ildelfonsa Airaghi Leccardi
    • , Naïg Aurelia Ludmilla Chenais
    •  & Diego Ghezzi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The nephrons in the kidney transport ions and organic molecules, but may not work effectively in patients with kidney disease. Here, a synthetic nephron is created, based on activated wafer electrodeionization, and shown to enable the transport of several physiologically relevant ions.

    • Christa N. Hestekin
    • , Jamie A. Hestekin
    •  & Ira Kurtz

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