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Physico-chemical properties of the cargo as well as the actual conditions during encapsulation interfere during formulation of nanoparticular cargo–carrier systems. We demonstrate altered chain conformations in the different micelles due to different cargo–carrier interactions leading to different localization of model drugs within the carrier. Finally, these changes lead to differences in pharmacokinetics and biodistribution in vivo, showing the relevance of such effects in a translational manner.
Ultrathin Bi2Se3-CS-RGD NSs with excellent tumor-targeting ability and potent radiosensitization efficiency are constructed for imaging-guided cancer radiotherapy. The NSs in combination with X-ray irradiation inhibit HeLa cell growth by inducing G0/G1 cycle arrest and mitochondria-mediated intrinsic cell apoptosis, inhibiting TrxR and activating downstream ROS-mediated signaling pathways. Moreover, RGD coating enables the NSs to aggregate in the tumor regions quickly enabling efficient PAI of the entire tumor to facilitate radiotherapy of cervical cancer. Taken together, this study provides an effective and safe theranostic agent for next-generation cancer radiotherapy.
Nature-inspired from the stimuli-responsive soft material in plants, multifunctional hybrid membrane with thermo-responsiveness and conductivity is synthesized by in situ formation of conductive PPy on a PNIPAm matrix. The hybrid membrane exhibits thermo-responsive electrical properties, thermo-responsive deformability, and a thermo-responsive charge effect. This simple yet efficient platform may open a new era of stimuli-responsive hydrogels to fabricate a variety of high performance electrical, electrochemical and biomedical devices
Highly flexible transparent conductive electrode (HFTCE) heater with multilayer structure based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO), carbon nanotube (CNT) and silver nanowire (AgNW). The electrical, chemical, thermal, mechanical and tribological characteristics of the HFTCE heater based on rGO/CNT/AgNW are vastly superior to those of the single layer of AgNW coating. The rGO- and CNT-based layers effectively protect AgNW against contact sliding motion as well as bending/folding. The layers are designed to reduce shear stress induced by friction and distribute the contact pressure. The HFTCE based on rGO, CNT and AgNW was applied to a heater, verifying its outstanding ability to remove frost.
The redox half-reaction of wide bandgap silver chloride was utilised to promote the photo-emitted carriers from graphene and the photoresponsivity of the phototransistor, circumventing the limitation of semiconductor bandgap and facilitating the pronounced photoresponse to long wavelength photons far beyond the optical absorption edge of AgCl.
A semitransparent intelligent skin-like sensor platform based on polyaniline nanowire arrays was constructed, which can act as bionic component by simultaneously sensing tactile stimuli and detecting colorless odorless gas. The highest gauge factor demonstrated is 149, making it a remarkable candidate in strain sensing applications. Simultaneously, we demonstrate the controlled olfaction ability of the sensor with the detection of methane with high sensitivity and fast response time. These results enable the realization of multifunctional and uncorrelated sensing capabilities that will have wide range applications to augment robotics, treatment, simulate skin, health and bionic system.
A new class of self-powered and flexible biomimetic NEMS flow sensor is developed that can detect minute fluid flows with ultrahigh sensitivity. The hydrogel-VACNT structure closely mimics the mechanical and material properties of the gelatinous cupula found in many biological flow sensors. This work illustrates how such a nature-inspired design when implemented in NEMS sensor through nanofabrication enhances the sensitivity of the flow sensor.
Our work contributes to synthesize a vehicle based on lipid nanoparticles, which can effectively deliver Cas9/sgRNA-fused plasmid DNA in vitro and in vivo. This approach mediated successful transfection of Cas9/sgRNA plasmids in multiple cell lines in vitro. The vehicle carrying Cas9/sgRNA targeting PLK-1 resulted in significant down-regulation of PLK-1 protein and suppression of melanoma growth in vivo.
A novel ultra-thin-walled ZnO microtube cavity with a wall thickness of ~750 nm, supporting multiple types of optical modes, including in-tube Fabry–Perot modes, in-wall Fabry–Perot modes and wave-guided whispering gallery modes is fabricated via optical vapor supersaturated precipitation. The intensities of near-band edge and X-band emission are therefore increased at least one order of magnitude in the temperature range of 0–500 °C. The ultra-thin-walled ZnO microtube demonstrates unprecedented applications, for example, temperature-sensitive multicolor luminescence, low-threshold ultravoilet (UV) lasing and high-performance recyclable on-chip photodegradation, within one platform. It provides new opportunities to design multifunctional tailored wide bandgap semiconductor devices for a variety of optoelectronic applications in micro/nanophotonics.
A gallium-based liquid metal integrated system that combines soft electronics materials and engineering designs with advanced near-field-communication (NFC) functionality is reported. Electro-mechanical characterization of the device reveals their behaviors under large uniaxial tensile and compressive strains, as well as more complex modes of deformation. Demonstrations of these devices involve their use in monitoring of various human motions in a purely wireless fashion.
Schematic illustration of Biomaterial Strategies for Controlled Growth Factor (GF) Delivery for Biomedical Applications. (a) The direct approaches for the immobilization/encapsulation of GFs to biomaterials; (b) Nanocarriers for GFs encapsulation and release; (c) GFs encapsulated nanocarriers functionalized biomaterials for tissue regeneration.
