Article
Chemistry, Physical
D. K. Baxani, W. D. Jamieson, D. A. Barrow, O. K. Castell
Summary: In this study, a high-throughput membrane platform was developed using droplet bilayers encapsulated within a hydrogel shell. Through concentration screening and electrophysiology experiments, maximal activity enhancement at specific peptide concentrations and low conductance pore activity were revealed.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Meng-Jie Sun, Zhuang Teng, Peng-Sheng Fan, Xi-Guang Chen, Ya Liu
Summary: Allergic airway diseases are increasingly prevalent due to industrial development and environmental degradation, and current treatments using small molecule chemotherapeutics via intranasal route have inherent limitations. Intratracheal micro/nano therapeutic systems are emerging as innovative alternatives, improving drug therapy for respiratory allergies and offering potential application directions in carriers, therapeutic agents, and immunomodulators. Despite being a growing area, micro/nano therapeutic systems show promise as crucial future alternatives for allergic airway inflammation interventions.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Zi Wang, Song Guo, Chenchen Li, Bin Li, Ziwen Gao
Summary: This paper investigates the influence of the mass ratio of nano aluminum powder to aluminum powder on the mechanical properties of nano bulk aluminum material prepared by explosive consolidation. The results show that the increase of nano aluminum powder proportion leads to higher hardness and compressive strength, while the density initially decreases and then increases. Materials prepared with single nano-powder show optimal performance under 6 different conditions based on comprehensive scores.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Eider Berganza, Mirsana P. Ebrahimkutty, Srivatsan K. Vasantham, Chunting Zhong, Alexander Wunsch, Alexander Navarrete, Milos Galic, Michael Hirtz
Summary: The study introduces a simple and low-cost platform for curvature sensitive protein screening, enabling control over lipid composition and membrane curvature, thus providing a new approach for screening curvature-dependent protein-membrane interaction studies.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ji Min Baek, Woo Hyuk Jung, Eui-Sang Yu, Dong June Ahn, Yong -Sang Ryu
Summary: Passive water penetration across the cell membrane is essential for cell volume homeostasis. By studying cholesterol-enriched lipid rafts, we confirmed the suppressed water permeation and the biological role of lipid composition in water translocation. Molecular dynamics simulations also demonstrated improved membrane stability under hypertonic conditions.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Wenwen Gong, Haifeng Li, Jiachen Wang, Jihua Zhou, Haikang Zhao, Xuexia Wang, Han Qu, Anxiang Lu
Summary: This study used bibliometrics and visualization analysis to assess the toxicity of micro(nano)plastics to earthworms, aiming to reveal the current status and knowledge structure of this research topic. The results showed that micro(nano)plastic toxicity to earthworms is an emerging and increasingly popular subject, with China making substantial contributions in this field.
Article
Biophysics
Paige Liu, Oscar Zabala-Ferrera, Peter J. Beltramo
Summary: Cell membranes maintain an electric potential due to the distribution of charged phospholipids across the membrane. Experimental artificial membrane systems allow for isolated examination of membrane properties and processes.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Heng Ye, Yong Wang, Dandan Xu, Xiaojia Liu, Shaomin Liu, Xing Ma
Summary: Small-scale synthetic micro/nano-motors (MNMs) play a leading role in scientific and technological development, offering solutions to environmental remediation and analytical chemistry issues. These innovative tools provide improved remediation performance compared to conventional methods, with self-motile platforms and motion-based analytical platforms enhancing mass transfer and analysis effectiveness.
APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Qiang Li, Yuting Li, Pengzi Xu, Xiuzhi He, Rongqi Wang, Xiaoqin Zhou, Qiang Liu
Summary: In this study, flexible structures resembling micro-nano pillars, setae, and cilia found on natural organism surfaces were created using a novel fabricating strategy to investigate the phenomenon and mechanism of droplet formation. By adjusting the mold pattern, different micro/nano morphologies could be easily obtained on a smooth film surface. The film, with its uniformly distributed hierarchical micro-nano structure arrays, demonstrated superhydrophobicity, low-adhesion, self-cleaning, anti-icing, and deicing characteristics, making it suitable for various engineering applications.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaomeng Zhang, Yu Liu, Chuhao Yao, Jiebin Niu, Hailiang Li, Changqing Xie
Summary: A facile and stable approach to fabricate wafer-scale crystalline silicon with nano/micro hybrid structures is proposed. The nano/micro hybrid structure arrays show excellent light-harvesting properties and have potential applications in high-performance photovoltaic devices.
NANOSCALE ADVANCES
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Haiqiang Yu, Jinguo Han, Shiyu Li, Dongpo Zhao, Jinhui Wang, Yebing Tian, Jieqiong Lin
Summary: In this study, a novel tri-axial piezoelectric servo system is developed for micro/nano manufacturing, considering various factors. The dimensional parameters of the system are optimized through finite element analysis, and the compliance and dynamics of the system are verified. Experimental results show that the system has advantages such as high stroke, low parasitic motion, high motion resolution, and fast response, and the controllability of the system is demonstrated through tracking control.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ian Rouse, David Power, Erik G. Brandt, Matthew Schneemilch, Konstantinos Kotsis, Nick Quirke, Alexander P. Lyubartsev, Vladimir Lobaskin
Summary: Nanomaterials have wide potential applications due to their unique properties and high activity, but interactions with living organisms can bring both advantages and risks. Predicting biological impacts and developing nanotechnology require overcoming the challenge of scaling from material-specific atomic descriptors to typical biomolecule length scales.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Wenhua Ma, Huan Qi, Yongmeng Zhang, Minggang Lin, Yiping Qiu, Chuyang Zhang
Summary: In this study, a composite air-filter was fabricated by alternating lamination of ultrathin electronspun nano-layer and melt-blown layer without corona charging treatment. The results showed that increasing the layers and reducing individual layer weight can significantly improve filtration efficiency and reduce pressure drop.
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Zixin Zhou, Kexin Cai, Jiating Shen, Lei Cai, Binwei Dai, Zhen Wang, Pingping Ma, Jinsong Liu, Xinkun Shen
Summary: In this study, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were embedded on the surface of titanium via micro arc oxidation (MAO) treatment to enhance its early osseointegration. The results showed that the incorporation of HNTs into the MAO coating increased the surface wettability and negative charge. The HNT group exhibited no cytotoxicity and had the best performance for cell adhesion, migration, and tube formation, as well as osteogenic gene expression.
CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Tao Yan, Pingan Liu, Naimeng Song, Yapeng Ou
Summary: The combustion characteristics of micro-and nano-sized boron carbide (B4C) powders were investigated to study the role of carbon atoms in combustion. Results showed a correlation between the carbon oxide gas and the condensed combustion products. The presence of oxygen diffusion channels on the surface of micro-sized B4C particles accelerated mass transfer rate and improved oxidation efficiency.
COMBUSTION AND FLAME
(2023)
Article
Electrochemistry
Kouhei Hattori, Hekiru Kurakake, Junko Imai, Takuya Hashimoto, Mihoko Ishida, Koki Sato, Honoka Takahashi, Soichiro Oguma, Hideaki Yamamoto, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata, Takashi Tanii
Summary: Neurostimulation is a crucial technique for manipulating local neuronal circuits, but current methods have limitations in terms of precision and long-term monitoring. A new approach using two needle electrodes and micropatterning techniques shows promise for selectively targeting and stimulating single neurons. Results indicate that the method can stimulate a target neuron selectively by adjusting the position and voltage steepness of the two needle electrodes, making it suitable for long-term monitoring of neuronal circuit activity.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Masato Yamaguchi, Teng Ma, Daisuke Tadaki, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata, Yoshihiko Watanabe, Hiroyasu Kanetaka, Hiroshi Fujimori, Emiko Takemoto, Michio Niwano
Summary: The study found that the bactericidal effect was most significant in CO2-containing NB water, while N-2-NB water showed a slight bactericidal effect. Interestingly, the survival rate of E. coli was even higher in O-2-NB water than in pure water. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was strongest in CO2-NB water, consistent with the bactericidal effect results.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Teng Ma, Madoka Sato, Maki Komiya, Kensaku Kanomata, Takaya Watanabe, Xingyao Feng, Ryusuke Miyata, Daisuke Tadaki, Fumihiko Hirose, Yuzuru Tozawa, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata
Summary: The findings indicate that lateral voltage effectively regulates the transmembrane current in lipid bilayer systems, suitable for systems with ion channels or fullerenes.
FARADAY DISCUSSIONS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Kai Hashino, Daiya Mombayashi, Yuto Nakatani, Azusa Oshima, Masumi Yamaguchi, Akira Heya, Koji Sumitomo
Summary: Lipid bilayers suspended over microwells on Si substrates are promising platforms for nanobiodevices that mimic cell membranes. By using the biotin-avidin interaction, vesicles can be selectively arranged on the freestanding region of the lipid bilayer, facilitating the introduction of biomolecules into the nanobiodevices.
JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Azusa Oshima, Kohei Nakanishi, Nahoko Kasai, Hiroshi Nakashima, Kanta Tsumoto, Koji Sumitomo
Summary: This study investigates membrane protein reconstitution and fusion dynamics using artificial planar bilayer lipid membranes (BLMs) and baculovirus-budded virus (BV) systems. The results demonstrate that BV fusion with BLMs is enhanced at lower pH and can effectively reconstitute membrane proteins. The study reveals the promising potential of BV fusion for the development of biodevices to examine membrane protein activity.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Kazuki Iwata, Hiroyuki Abe, Teng Ma, Daisuke Tadaki, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata, Yasuo Kimura, Shigeaki Suda, Michio Niwano
Summary: In this study, gas analysis of TiO2 nanotube (NT)-type integrated gas sensors was performed using a machine learning (ML) algorithm and neural network-based regression. It was found that increasing the number of sensor elements significantly improved the prediction accuracy of gas concentration.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hironori Kageyama, Teng Ma, Madoka Sato, Maki Komiya, Daisuke Tadaki, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata
Summary: This review discusses the applications of artificial bilayer lipid membrane (BLM) systems in the analysis of ion channel functions. It focuses on two BLM-based systems, cell-membrane mimicry and four-terminal BLM systems. The cell-membrane mimicry system can be used for evaluating drug side effects and has potential in personalized medicine. The four-terminal BLM system introduces lateral voltage as a novel input to regulate channel activities.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Daiki Ando, Tetsuhiko F. Teshima, Francisco Zurita, Hu Peng, Kota Ogura, Kenji Kondo, Lennart Weiss, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata, Markus Becherer, Joe Alexander, Bernhard Wolfrum
Summary: The increasing demand for bioelectronics has led to the development of materials that can bridge the gap between electronic devices and biological tissues. Biopolymers have gained attention as next-generation materials for bioelectronics due to their high biocompatibility, biodegradability, and sustainability. However, their use has been limited by the compatibility issues with traditional fabrication methods. This study presents a fabrication process for chitosan nanofiber films integrated with conductive materials, providing a potential solution for future bioelectronic devices based on biopolymer nanofibers.
JOURNAL OF NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Yuya Sato, Hideaki Yamamoto, Hideyuki Kato, Takashi Tanii, Shigeo Sato, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata
Summary: By utilizing cell engineering technology and neuronal networks in dissociated culture, we constructed modular neuronal networks to investigate the relationship between structure and function. Using high-density microelectrode arrays, we recorded the neural activity of the engineered neuronal networks and found that modular architecture enhances functional complexity by reducing excessive neural correlation between spatially segregated modules. This study highlights the importance of combining cell engineering technologies with high-density microelectrode array recordings in assessing the structure-function relationships in neuronal networks.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Takuma Sumi, Hideaki Yamamoto, Yuichi Katori, Koki Ito, Satoshi Moriya, Tomohiro Konno, Shigeo Sato, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata
Summary: Reservoir computing is a machine learning paradigm that utilizes the dynamics of high-dimensional nonlinear systems for processing time-series data. In this study, optogenetics and calcium imaging were used to investigate the computational capabilities of biological neuronal networks (BNNs) through a reservoir computing framework. The modular architecture of BNNs was found to positively correlate with classification accuracy, and BNNs exhibited short-term memory and categorical learning abilities. These findings contribute to our understanding of information representation in BNNs and have implications for the development of physical reservoir computing systems.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Madoka Sato, Masanori Hariyama, Maki Komiya, Kae Suzuki, Yuzuru Tozawa, Hideaki Yamamoto, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata
Summary: This article introduces an idealization method for single-channel electrophysiological recordings that provides valuable information about the gating kinetics of ion channels. The method, called AI2, uses an adaptive integrated approach to process the noisy data and automatically determines the optimal noise reduction settings. The method has been validated and tested on both simulated and experimental data.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Electrochemistry
Kaoru Hiramoto, Keika Komatsu, Ryota Shikuwa, An Konno, Yusuke Sato, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata, Kosuke Ino, Hitoshi Shiku
Summary: Multicellular spheroids are important models in vitro for studying biological and pathological processes. Monitoring their cellular activities without labeling is challenging, but electrochemiluminescence (ECL) has the potential to track the activities of spheroids by displaying secreted molecules adhering to an electrode.
ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hideaki Yamamoto, F. Paul Spitzner, Taiki Takemuro, Victor Buendia, Hakuba Murota, Carla Morante, Tomohiro Konno, Shigeo Sato, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata, Anna Levina, Viola Priesemann, Miguel A. Munoz, Johannes Zierenberg, Jordi Soriano
Summary: High-level information processing in the mammalian cortex requires both segregated processing in specialized circuits and integration across multiple circuits. One possible way to implement these demands is by flexibly switching between states with different levels of synchrony. The control of complex synchronization patterns in neuronal networks remains elusive, but this study provides insights by manipulating and stimulating networks of cortical neurons in vitro. Results show that a modular architecture enhances the network's sensitivity to external asynchronous stimulation and that the depletion of synaptic resources in stimulated neurons is the underlying mechanism for this effect.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Michio Niwano, Teng Ma, Kazuki Iwata, Daisuke Tadaki, Hideaki Yamamoto, Yasuo Kimura, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata
Summary: The interfacial layer structure of bulk nanobubbles was determined, revealing the presence of three-, four-, and five-membered ring clusters of water molecules. It was hypothesized that a specific interfacial layer with a hydrogen bond network stabilizes the nanobubbles. The hardness of the interfacial layer was found to be dependent on the encapsulated gas species.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications
Yoshihiko Horio, Kiyotaka Naoe, Shigeo Sato, Yasunori Yamanouchi, Yasunari Takaura, Mitsuyuki Yamaguchi, Masato Morishima, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata
Summary: This paper summarizes the open panel discussions on designing a human-centric IoT society held at the 2021 Nonlinear Science Workshop. Participants from academia and industry shared their strategies and ideas for enhancing human well-being in the future IoT society.
IEICE NONLINEAR THEORY AND ITS APPLICATIONS
(2022)
