Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kaitlin P. McCreery, Xin Xu, Adrienne K. Scott, Apresio K. Fajrial, Sarah Calve, Xiaoyun Ding, Corey P. Neu
Summary: The reciprocal interactions between the cell nucleus and the extracellular matrix influence macroscale tissue phenotype changes. Enzymatic disruption of the tissue matrix is hypothesized to result in softer tissue, impacting the stiffness of embedded cell and nuclear structures. An atomic force microscopy needle-tip probe technique is expanded to measure nuclear and cell membrane stiffness in native tissue without perturbing the tissue structure.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xiaoyi Wu, Heng Chen, Tianhao Luo, Zhuo Wang, Zequan Wei, Lin Li, Xuewen Yang, Guodong Sa, Guoliang Sa
Summary: In this study, a dual-function skin-stretching device was developed using 3D printing technology. It can be used to stretch and relieve tension on rat skin, allowing for analysis of skin mechanotransduction and promotion of wound healing. The device exerted varying forces on the skin, leading to changes in histological features and protein levels of Yes-associated protein. Fixing the device to the skin reduced the severity and size of skin scars.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Yuan Qiu, Chen-Chi Chien, Basile Maroulis, Jiani Bei, Angelo Gaitas, Bin Gong
Summary: This article presents a review of the applications of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and fluidic atomic force microscopy (fluidFM) in single-cell studies. It discusses the use of AFM in studying single cells, extracellular vesicles, colloidal force spectroscopy, and single-cell adhesion measurements. FluidFM, a combination of microfluidics and AFM, allows for biological, pathological, and pharmacological studies on single cells in a liquid environment. The review focuses on the capabilities of fluidFM in measuring adhesion, binding forces, and manipulating single cells, as well as its applications in patch clamping and mass measurements.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Arwa Bazaid, Fengyuan Zhang, Qiancheng Zhang, Sabine Neumayer, Denise Denning, Stefan Habelitz, Ana Marina Ferreira, Brian J. Rodriguez
Summary: Since the discovery of piezoelectricity in bone in 1957, there has been a debate about the functional role of collagen piezoelectricity. The investigation of piezoelectricity in collagen has generated interest in bone remodeling, but there are conflicting reports about its presence in a humid environment. This study used lateral piezoresponse force microscopy to investigate the electromechanical properties of type I collagen from a rat tail tendon at the nanoscale, and found that collagen retains its piezoelectric behavior even in a biologically relevant humidity range.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuhui Wei, Kaizhe Wang, Qinglin Xia, Bin Li, Lin Liu
Summary: In this study, atomic force microscopy was used to achieve nanoscale resolution 3D imaging of microvilli in living cells, revealing the morphological classification and dynamic characteristics of microvilli clusters. The findings provide important insights into the morphology and function of cell membranes and associated structures.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Yuchen Yang, Mei-Cheng Wang
Summary: This paper introduces two sets of measures, ASRF/SARF and ARF/SRF, as exploratory tools to study physical activity patterns. A two-level semiparametric regression model is developed for ARF and activity magnitude using marked point process formulation. These measures provide useful analytical tools for practitioners and researchers studying wearable device data.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Khorshid Kamguyan, Saeed Zajforoushan Moghaddam, Abolfazl Nazbar, Seyyed Mohammad Amin Haramshahi, Shiva Taheri, Shahin Bonakdar, Esben Thormann
Summary: The study found that different cell imprints possess distinct nanotopographical features, which can direct stem cell differentiation into specific lineages.
NANOSCALE ADVANCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bin Li, Yuhui Wei, Qian Li, Nan Chen, Jiang Li, Lin Liu, Jinjin Zhang, Ying Wang, Yanhong Sun, Jiye Shi, Lihua Wang, Zhifeng Shao, Jun Hu, Chunhai Fan
Summary: The authors used an integrated atomic force microscope and brightfield/epifluorescent microscope platform to simulate living single cells under physiological conditions, measuring the autophagic response and its transmission to neighboring cells. The study showed the dynamics of autophagosome formation, degradation, and induction in neighboring cells, as well as the enhancement of autophagic responses in neighboring cells via a gap junction-dependent mechanism. The AFM-based nanoacupuncture platform can be a valuable tool for understanding the primary mechanism of mechanical stimulation in living systems and other biomechanical therapeutics.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jiu-Tao Hang, Guang-Kui Xu, Huajian Gao
Summary: Living cells exhibit diverse mechanical behaviors at different time scales. A self-similar hierarchical model is used in this study to capture the power-law rheological characteristics of cells in different frequency scales. The transition between low- and high-frequency scales is defined by a transition frequency based on cell's mechanical parameters. The differences in cytoskeletal properties of different cell types or states can be characterized by changes in mechanical parameters in the model.
Review
Neurosciences
Chloe M. Hall, Emad Moeendarbary, Graham K. Sheridan
Summary: The mechanical properties of cells and tissues are closely linked with age-related cognitive decline, deficits in memory formation, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Recent studies have shown that physical changes in the CNS microenvironment can impact mechanoresponsive neurons and glial cells, highlighting the importance of understanding the relationship between neuronal and glial cell mechanics and brain tissue mechanobiology.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Xianghe Meng, Xiaomo Wu, Jianmin Song, Hao Zhang, Mingjun Chen, Hui Xie
Summary: This article presents a multi-frequency magnetic force modulation atomic force microscope (AFM) for measuring the viscoelastic mechanical properties of living cells. The technique characterizes microrheology of cells over a broad frequency range and shows significant potential for studying the viscoelastic mechanics of cellular structures.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Xueyan Liu, Yuhui Wei, Wei Li, Bin Li, Lin Liu
Summary: Our study revealed that the destruction and aggregation of microfilaments significantly influenced the morphology and mechanical properties of microvilli in HeLa cells. Moreover, the relationship between microfilaments and Young's modulus in living cells was unraveled, contributing to a better understanding of the physiological function of the cytoskeleton in vivo.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Physics, Applied
Jason Pan, Tommy Kmieciak, Yen-Ting Liu, Matthew Wildenradt, Yun-Sheng Chen, Yang Zhao
Summary: This review focuses on two main promising technologies for probing forces at the single molecule level in live cells. It reviews their theoretical fundamentals, recent technical advancements, and future directions.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Levente Juhasz, Roberto D. Ortuso, Kaori Sugihara
Summary: The study utilized quantitative friction force microscopy to measure the response of polydiacetylene to lateral forces, revealing the necessity of applying shear forces to characterize it at the nanoscale. The experiment confirmed the erroneous nature of the hypothesis regarding the higher force sensitivity at the edges and discovered a correlation between mechanochromism and thermochromism.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Nemanja Mijin, Jelica Milosevic, Sanja Stevanovic, Predrag Petrovic, Aleksandar Lolic, Tomaz Urbic, Natalija Polovic
Summary: The aggregation of proteins into fibrillar, amyloid-like aggregates has positive effects on various technological properties of food products. Heavy metal ions, such as lead and cadmium, can influence this aggregation process and alter the morphology of the aggregates. This study investigated the impact of lead and cadmium ions on the aggregation of ovalbumin, a model protein, under high temperature and acidic conditions. The results demonstrated that the binding of these metal ions to ovalbumin affected the structure and morphology of the resulting amyloid-like aggregates.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Giada Caniglia, Andrea Teuber, Holger Barth, Boris Mizaikoff, Christine Kranz
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between the adhesion properties of polydopamine films and their surface charge density and pH using atomic force microscopy and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The study also explores the impact of polydopamine surface charge density on bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation.
ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nikhil Arya, Tom Philipp, Simon Greiner, Michael Steiner, Christine Kranz, Montaha Anjass
Summary: The reversible electrodeposition of molecular vanadium oxide clusters and the formation of thin films are reported. The reversibility is found to be dependent on the reduction potential. The multi-electron reduction of the polyoxovanadate cluster facilitates the reversible formation of potassium vanadium oxide thin films.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Optics
Dominik Theiner, Benedikt Limbacher, Michael Jaidl, Marie Ertl, Michael Hlavatsch, Karl Unterrainer, Boris Mizaikoff, Juraj Darmo
Summary: We present a flexible molecular sensing platform in the terahertz range, achieved by merging near-infrared electro-optic modulation and photomixing technologies. The platform utilizes a new generation of compact gas cells called substrate-integrated hollow waveguides (iHWGs), which have been developed for the mid-infrared. We demonstrate the suitability of iHWGs for the terahertz domain by showcasing their low propagation losses and measuring rotational transitions of nitrous oxide (N2O). A fast frequency sideband modulation technique is employed, resulting in significantly reduced measurement times and increased accuracy compared to a standard wavelength tuning method.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Andrea Teuber, Giada Caniglia, Michael Wild, Matthias Godejohann, Christine Kranz, Boris Mizaikoff
Summary: Diamond thin-film waveguides with a nanocrystalline diamond layer were used to detect the IR signature of caffeine in the mid-infrared regime. The morphological properties of the waveguides were characterized using AFM and SEM, and theoretical simulations confirmed the feasibility of using a larger sensing area compared to strip waveguides. A comparative analysis confirmed the performance of the diamond thin-film-waveguide-based sensing system, indicating its potential for various applications.
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Andreas Hellmann, Annika Schundner, Manfred Frick, Christine Kranz
Summary: ATP is a widely distributed extracellular signaling molecule that regulates various physiological and pathological processes through purinergic receptor activation. Accurate measurement of ATP release is crucial for understanding transmission mechanisms, requiring direct, sensitive, non-invasive detection with high spatial and temporal resolution. This opinion article summarizes recent research on ATP detection using electrochemical methods and provides examples of how in vitro electrochemical ATP measurements contribute to insights in purinergic signaling, specifically in alveolar homeostasis and ATP's role as a major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system.
CURRENT OPINION IN ELECTROCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Andrea Teuber, Giada Caniglia, Holger Barth, Christine Kranz, Boris Mizaikoff
Summary: Bacterial sensing based on quantum cascade laser spectroscopy coupled with diamond or gallium arsenide thin-film waveguides is a novel approach for obtaining high-resolution infrared spectroscopic information of bacteria. In this study, Escherichia coli was used as an example, and the laser spectroscopy was compared to conventional Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The proliferation behavior of E. coli on the surfaces was also investigated using atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fatemehsadat Rahide, Krishnaveni Palanisamy, Jackson K. Flowers, Junjie Hao, Helge S. Stein, Christine Kranz, Helmut Ehrenberg, Sonia Dsoke
Summary: The naturally occurring amorphous Al2O3 film on an Al substrate poses a challenge for the performance of rechargeable Al batteries. This insulating Al oxide slows down electrode activation and hinders Al plating/stripping. The two sides of Al foils have different surface properties, with the non-shiny side having higher roughness and greater concentration of active sites. Various immersion pretreatments can modify the surface properties and create an interphase layer rich in Al, Cl, and N.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Christian Giese, Patricia Quellmalz, Peter Knittel, Tingpeng Luo, Niklas Mathes, Jan Jeske, Philipp Reinke, Quankui Yang
Summary: This article presents methods for fabricating monolithic diamond integrated photonic devices through Faraday cage-angled etching. The optimal waveguide width is determined through simulation and the fabrication of nitrogen vacancy (NV) center-doped microring resonators is demonstrated. The performance of the devices is verified through microphotoluminescence and cathodoluminescence scans, showing clear cavity lines. This scalable fabrication method enables the creation of a large number of lateral waveguide structures for future applications in integrated quantum sensing devices and spin-based quantum computers.
PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI A-APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fleming Bruckmaier, Robin D. D. Allert, Nick R. R. Neuling, Philipp Amrein, Sebastian Littin, Karl D. D. Briegel, Philip Schatzle, Peter Knittel, Maxim Zaitsev, Dominik B. B. Bucher
Summary: Understanding diffusion in microstructures is crucial in various scientific fields. We introduce nitrogen-vacancy center-based nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy as a powerful tool to probe diffusion in microscopic samples. Our experimental scheme combines pulsed gradient spin echo (PGSE) with optically detected NV-NMR spectroscopy, enabling local quantification of molecular diffusion and flow.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Arsene Chemin, Igal Levine, Marin Rusu, Remi Vaujour, Peter Knittel, Philipp Reinke, Karsten Hinrichs, Thomas Unold, Thomas Dittrich, Tristan Petit
Summary: This study elucidates the role of surface states on diamond materials for charge separation and emission under deep UV to visible light excitation. Four different spectroscopy methods were applied to diamond materials with different surface termination, doping, and crystallinity. Surface states were found to dominate sub-bandgap charge transfer, but the surface charge separation was drastically reduced in boron-doped diamond due to a high density of bulk defects. In a gaseous atmosphere, the oxidized diamond surface maintains a negative electron affinity, allowing charge emission. In an aqueous electrolyte, a photocurrent for illumination down to 3.5 eV was observed for boron-doped nanostructured diamond, independent of the surface termination. This study opens new perspectives on photo-induced interfacial charge transfer processes from metal-free semiconductors such as diamonds.
Article
Electrochemistry
Noha Sabi, Krishnaveni Palanisamy, Fatemehsadat Rahide, Sven Daboss, Christine Kranz, Sonia Dsoke
Summary: Investigated the impact of aluminum foil surface properties on the electrochemical behavior in aluminum battery half-cells. The purity, hardness and thickness of commercial aluminum foils influence the battery performance, with the 0.075 mm thickness showing the best cycling stability.
BATTERIES & SUPERCAPS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Michael Hlavatsch, Andrea Teuber, Max Eisele, Boris Mizaikoff
Summary: In this study, the combination of a tunable broadband mid-infrared femtosecond laser source with different sensors for liquid and gas samples is demonstrated. The light source is highly sensitive and suitable for quantitative analysis.
ACS MEASUREMENT SCIENCE AU
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Andrea Teuber, Giada Caniglia, Christine Kranz, Boris Mizaikoff
Summary: Diamond thin-film waveguides combined with quantum cascade lasers augmented by drop-casted graphene enable surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy, enhancing the signal for analytical scenarios with small sample volumes and low analyte concentration levels.