Article
Chemistry, Physical
Nasir Ilyas, Chunmei Li, Jinyong Wang, Xiangdong Jiang, Hao Fu, Fucai Liu, Deen Gu, Yadong Jiang, Wei Li
Summary: By constructing a passivated layer of SiO2 using Ag-doped SrTiO3, the endurance and stability of SiO2-based memory have been improved, allowing for the implementation of various synaptic functions. Experimental results demonstrate the reliable operation of the modified memristor in an ambient environment, offering a new solution for neuromorphic computing.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Xia Sun, Xiaoli Yan, Hongfei Liang, Zhike Xue, Jincheng Wang, Liheng Yang, Zhe Xu, Liping Yang, Yang Peng, Qiaoling Li, Zihan li, Xinsheng Zhang
Summary: In this study, observations from the New Vacuum Solar Telescope, the Solar Dynamics Observatory, and the Global Oscillation Network Group were used to investigate the formation process of a filament in NOAA active region 12765 from June 5 to 8, 2020. It was found that intermittent small-scale magnetic reconnection occurred at the northern part of the filament, showing characteristics of oscillatory reconnections. The reconnection process resulted in continuous material injections into the filament channel, with bidirectional inflow and outflow, current sheets, and bright cusp-shaped structures. The formation of the filament was attributed to direct material injection into the filament channel due to small-scale magnetic reconnections.
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biology
Pierre A. Coulombe
Summary: Mapping intermediate filaments in three dimensions reveals variations in their organization across different cell types.
Article
Biology
Irene Nagle, Florence Delort, Sylvie Henon, Claire Wilhelm, Sabrina Batonnet-Pichon, Myriam Reffay
Summary: The liquid and elastic behaviors of tissues play a crucial role in their morphology and response to the environment. In this study, we investigated the role of individual cell properties and intermediate filaments on the mechanics of tissue models, specifically focusing on mouse muscle precursor cells. We found that intermediate filaments, particularly desmin, play a significant role in the macroscopic mechanics of unorganized muscle tissue models, even at an early stage of differentiation.
Article
Biology
Florian Geisler, Sanne Remmelzwaal, Vera Jankowski, Ruben Schmidt, Mike Boxem, Rudolf E. Leube
Summary: Using Caenorhabditis elegans, researchers have identified the IF polypeptide IFB-2 as an efficient suppressor of structural and functional deficiencies in mutants that disrupt the organization of the intestinal IF cytoskeleton. This rescue capability is specific to IF isotypes and extends to mutants that disrupt the function of other cytoskeletal proteins. The findings provide strong evidence for the adverse consequences of deranged IF networks, with implications for diseases characterized by altered IF network organization.
Article
Cell Biology
Sherif A. Eldirany, Ivan B. Lomakin, Minh Ho, Christopher G. Bunick
Summary: Intermediate filaments are essential players in cellular processes, with their structural and biochemical properties playing crucial roles in filament assembly mechanisms and interactions with binding partners. Recent advances in understanding IF structure from studies on keratins, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and lamin have revealed new insights into assembly mechanisms, structural elements, and functional domains, enhancing our understanding of the connection between IF structure, pathogenic mutations, and clinical diseases in humans.
CURRENT OPINION IN CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yamin Liang, Lu Li, Yanmei Chen, Shulei Zhang, Zhaozhi Li, Jinyan Xiao, Dangheng Wei
Summary: The cytoskeleton, mainly composed of intermediate filaments, actin, and microtubules, regulates the mechanical properties of cells. Vimentin, an intermediate filament protein, has both mechanical and nonmechanical functions in atherosclerosis progression.
DNA AND CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yiqun Liu, Yonghuang Wu, Bolun Wang, Hetian Chen, Di Yi, Kai Liu, Ce-Wen Nan, Jing Ma
Summary: Versatile memristors with switchable volatile and non-volatile operating modes were implemented in Ag/CIPS/Au devices. They exhibited diode-like volatile memristor performances with rectification ratio of 10(3) and endurance of 500 switching cycles. Significant non-volatile memory performances with on/off ratio of 10(3) and retention up to 10(4) s were also achieved, enabling their application as both selectors and memories. Moreover, these versatile memristors demonstrated the ability to emulate short-term and long-term plasticity of artificial synapses, showing their potential in neuromorphic computing applications.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zehui Peng, Facai Wu, Li Jiang, Guangsen Cao, Bei Jiang, Gong Cheng, Shanwu Ke, Kuan-Chang Chang, Lei Li, Cong Ye
Summary: Tri-layer HfO2/BiFeO3/BFO/HfO2 memristors, designed with traditional ferroelectric BFO layers and thickness optimization, exhibit excellent resistive switching performance, multi-level storage ability, and successful realization of essential synaptic functions. Conductive filaments composed of Hafnium single crystal are observed to enhance RS behavior, showing promising potential for neuromorphic computing.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Keigo Murakami, Masashi Sato, Yoshiya Miyasaka, Kuniyuki Hatori
Summary: The distribution and interaction of the intermediate filament protein Desmin with phospholipids play a crucial role in cell functions, with the potential for association depending on Desmin form and lipid shape. The behavior and composition of living membranes may affect the distribution of Desmin networks, highlighting the importance of understanding lipid-Desmin interactions for cell regulation and integrity.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Stuart G. Cull-Candy, Mark Farrant
Summary: CP-AMPARs are important regulators of synaptic plasticity, with their functional characteristics being modulated by auxiliary subunits and involved in various forms of central synaptic plasticity. Maladaptive synaptic plasticity and neurological disorders often involve changes in CP-AMPAR expression, such as those induced by inflammatory pain, fear conditioning, and cocaine exposure.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2021)
Article
Biophysics
Ayana Yamagishi, Mei Mizusawa, Koki Uchida, Masumi Iijima, Shun'ichi Kuroda, Kyoko Fukazawa, Kazuhiko Ishihara, Chikashi Nakamura
Summary: This study developed a mechanical detection method using nanoneedles to measure protein-protein interactions in living cells and discovered the interaction between IF vimentin and transcription-related proteins.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
J. A. M. Teunissen
Summary: This paper presents a general 3D model that includes the intermediate stress in strength analysis. The model allows for a smooth transition between different expressions of strength and considers the effect of intermediate stress on strength. An equivalent Mohr-Coulomb approach is developed for failure load calculation in plane strain configurations, and the match between the general 3D model and the equivalent Mohr-Coulomb formulation is demonstrated with Finite Element Method examples. The dominant mechanism in simulating failure loads in non-associative case is shown to be strain localization, and the Davis expressions derived from the equivalent Mohr-Coulomb model match the simulations of the general 3D model.
COMPUTERS AND GEOTECHNICS
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Pieter-Jan Vermeire, Giel Stalmans, Anastasia Lilina, Jan Fiala, Petr Novak, Harald Herrmann, Sergei Strelkov
Summary: IFs play a crucial role in normal cell physiology and are linked to numerous diseases, highlighting the importance of understanding their molecular structure. While progress has been made in studying the IF structure, many mysteries and challenges remain. In addition to X-ray crystallography, chemical cross-linking and cryoelectron microscopy are expected to lead to major advancements in the field in the near future.
Article
Biology
Pradeep Bhandari, David Vandael, Diego Fernandez-Fernandez, Thorsten Fritzius, David Kleindienst, Cihan Onal, Jacqueline Montanaro, Martin Gassmann, Peter Jonas, Akos Kulik, Bernhard Bettler, Ryuichi Shigemoto, Peter Koppensteiner
Summary: The study found that KCTD8 and KCTD12b directly bind to Cav2.3 and co-localize in the rostral IPN. These KCTDs modulate synaptic strength by regulating Cav2.3-mediated release, independent of GBR activation.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sabrina C. Shen, Eesha Khare, Nicolas A. Lee, Michael K. Saad, David L. Kaplan, Markus J. Buehler
Summary: Engineered materials are important for modern technology but often contribute to ecological deterioration. Next-generation materials can address sustainability goals by providing alternatives to fossil fuel-based materials and reducing extraction processes and solid waste. Challenges include investigating and designing new feedstocks, which are mechanically weak and difficult to standardize. This review outlines a framework for examining sustainability in material systems and discusses the role of computational tools in discovering novel sustainable materials, with a focus on bioinspired and biobased materials.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Markus J. Buehler
Summary: We propose a deep learning method for predicting high-resolution stress fields from material microstructures using a novel class of progressive attention-based transformer diffusion models. The model is trained on a small dataset of input microstructures and corresponding atomic-level Von Mises stress fields obtained from molecular dynamics simulations, and demonstrates excellent accuracy in predicting results. Computational experiments show that the model can accurately predict distinct fracture scenarios, even when trained on a small dataset featuring samples of multiple cracks. Comparison with molecular dynamics simulations confirms the model's high fidelity in all cases, highlighting the exciting potential of progressive transformer diffusion models in the physical sciences for producing high-resolution field images.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Zhenze Yang, Yu-Chuan Hsu, Markus J. Buehler
Summary: We present a method of generating new protein designs through a generative adversarial neural network. The mechanical properties of the generated designs are evaluated using simulations and a neural network is developed to predict mechanical properties directly from the molecular architecture. The study provides insights into tailored nanomechanical properties and the nanomechanical responses of molecular structures. Manufactured samples of the designs are also reported using 3D printing.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICS AND PHYSICS OF SOLIDS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Dhriti Nepal, Saewon Kang, Katarina M. Adstedt, Krishan Kanhaiya, Michael R. Bockstaller, L. Catherine Brinson, Markus J. Buehler, Peter Coveney, Kaushik Dayal, Jaafar A. El-Awady, Luke C. Henderson, David L. Kaplan, Sinan Keten, Nicholas A. Kotov, George C. Schatz, Silvia Vignolini, Fritz Vollrath, Yusu Wang, Boris Yakobson, Vladimir V. Tsukruk, Hendrik Heinz
Summary: This Review discusses recent advancements in bioinspired nanocomposite design, focusing on the role of hierarchical structuring at different length scales in creating multifunctional, lightweight, and robust structural materials. By manipulating the architecture, interphases, and confinement, dynamic and synergistic responses have been achieved. The study highlights the significance of hierarchical structures across multiple length scales for achieving multifunctionality and robustness.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Markus J. Buehler
Summary: In this study, a computational approach for analyzing and designing multiscale architected materials is presented. The challenge lies in effectively modeling complex multi-level material structures for hierarchical design approaches. The authors propose an integrated deep neural network architecture that learns coarse-grained representations of complex microstructure data and solves forward and inverse problems through an attention-based diffusion model. The application of the method in the analysis and design of highly porous metamaterials is demonstrated, and the mechanical behavior is validated using molecular dynamics simulations.
MODELLING AND SIMULATION IN MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Eesha Khare, Xiangjun Peng, Zaira Martin-Moldes, Guy M. Genin, David L. Kaplan, Markus J. Buehler
Summary: Model verification is critical for scientific accountability, transparency, and learning. In this study, a model verification approach was applied to a molecular dynamics simulation, successfully replicating the key findings of the original model and gaining new insights. Improvements in model validation processes, particularly through enhanced documentation methods, were discussed. This protocol for model verification can be further applied to validate other simulations.
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Mario Milazzo, Vincent Fitzpatrick, Crystal E. Owens, Igor M. Carraretto, Gareth H. McKinley, David L. Kaplan, Markus J. Buehler
Summary: This study investigates the rheology, printability, and prosthetic mechanical properties of HA and HA-silk protein composites, highlighting the roles of composition and water content. The inclusion of silk improves the quality of printed items by reducing underextrusion and slumping. A printing map is constructed to guide the manufacturing of HA-based inks for biomedical applications requiring sub-millimetric features.
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bo Ni, David L. Kaplan, Markus J. Buehler
Summary: We present two generative deep-learning models capable of predicting amino acid sequences and 3D protein structures based on secondary structure design objectives. Both models are robust to imperfect inputs and have the capacity for de novo design, enabling the discovery of novel protein sequences not found in natural mechanisms or systems. The residue-level secondary structure design model demonstrates higher accuracy and more diverse sequences. These findings highlight untapped opportunities for protein design beyond known proteins. Our models, trained on a dataset extracted from experimentally known 3D protein structures using an attention-based diffusion model, have potential applications in the generative design of various biological or engineering systems. Further research could explore additional conditioning and other functional properties of the generated proteins beyond structural objectives.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Markus J. Buehler
Summary: Taking inspiration from nature, humans have used the design approach of materials for centuries. This paper introduces the AttentionCrossTranslation model, which computationally discovers reversible relationships among patterns in different domains. The model is validated with known translation problems and then used to map musical data to protein sequences. The generated protein structures are validated using molecular dynamics and the music scores are turned into audible sound.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sofia E. Arevalo, Markus J. Buehler
Summary: Biological systems provide inspiration and knowledge for scientists in various fields, as their material architectures often exhibit complex structures and functional interactions. By utilizing molecular-based multiscale modeling, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, along with experimental approaches, researchers can analyze, predict, and design materials with improved properties. This article explores materiomic graph-based modeling frameworks for materials-focused studies in a biological context, and provides an overview of methods applicable to bottom-up manufacturing.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Andrew J. Lew, Cayla A. Stifler, Astrid Cantamessa, Alexandra Tits, Davide Ruffoni, Pupa U. P. A. Gilbert, Markus J. Buehler
Summary: Bioinspired structures created by human engineering offer exciting possibilities for material configurations, but attaining desired properties is still challenging. This study examines the structure-property relationship by focusing on tooth enamel, the hardest biological tissue in humans. The use of artificial intelligence models enables rapid and non-destructive characterization of properties, and a deep image regression neural network is trained as a surrogate model. This model improves spatial resolution and sensitivity compared to experimental hardness maps, allowing for guided materials design.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Eesha Khare, Jaden Luo, Markus J. Buehler
Summary: Several biological organisms use metal-coordination bonds to create remarkable materials, such as the jaw of the marine worm Nereis virens, which achieves impressive hardness without mineralization. This study investigates the role of metal ions, specifically zinc ions, in the structure and mechanical properties of the Nvjp-1 protein. The initial distribution of metal ions affects the protein's structure, while tensile strength is influenced by hydrogen bond content and uniform distribution of metal ions, providing insights for the development of hardened biomaterials and modeling proteins with significant metal ion content.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Eesha Khare, Darshdeep S. Grewal, Markus J. Buehler
Summary: Dynamic noncovalent interactions play a crucial role in the structure and function of biological proteins and have been explored in bioinspired materials. Metal-coordination bonds offer tunability and can control the properties of synthetic materials. However, understanding the exact contribution of these bonds towards mechanical strength and the effect of geometric arrangements is lacking. In this study, we engineer the cooperative rupture of metal-coordination bonds to enhance the rupture strength of metal-coordinated peptide dimers, and we provide quantitative insights into the cooperativity and intrinsic strength limit of these bonds. This work aims to advance the molecular design principles for metal-coordinated materials.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wei Lu, David L. Kaplan, Markus J. Buehler
Summary: This study proposes a custom generative language model to design novel spider silk protein sequences with complex combinations of target mechanical properties. The model is fine-tuned on major ampullate spidroin (MaSp) sequences and enables the creation of silk sequences with unique combinations of properties. The study provides insights into the mechanistic roles of sequence patterns in achieving key mechanical properties and has implications for expanding the silkome dataset and synthetic silk design and optimization.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Markus J. Buehler
Summary: We introduce a flexible multi-modal mechanics language model, MeLM, that can solve various nonlinear forward and inverse problems in different fields, such as bio-inspired design, nanotube mechanics, and protein unfolding. MeLM effectively represents large-scale systems and performs well in complex mechanics design problems, offering potential for materials discovery and analysis.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICS AND PHYSICS OF SOLIDS
(2023)