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Tumor-derived extracellular vesicles detection has emerged as an important clinical liquid biopsy approach for cancer diagnosis. In this work, we developed a novel hybrid plasmonic nanocavity consisting of hexagonal Au nanoplates nanoarray, SnS 2 /Au nanosheet layer and biomimetic lipid bilayer. Firstly, the hybrid plasmonic nanocavity combined the optical confinement for the ECL regulation and the biological recognition for the detection of extracellular vesicles. Secondly, MXene-derived Ti 2 N QDs have been prepared as ECL nanoprobe to label extracellular vesicles. Moreover, biomimetic lipid bilayer with specific aptamer was used to identify extracellular vesicles and integrate Ti 2 N QDs into the nanocavity with membrane fusion strategy. Due to the significant electromagnetic field enhancement at the cavity region, the hybrid plasmonic nanocavity provided strong field confinement to concentrate and redistribute the ECL emission of QDs with a 9.3-fold enhancement. The hybrid plasmonic nanocavity-based ECL sensing system improved the spatial controllability of EVs analysis and the accurate resolution of specific protein. It achieved the sensitive detection of extracellular vesicles in ascites and successfully distinguished the peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Recently, vision-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarming has emerged as a promising alternative that can overcome the adaptability and scalability limitations of distributed and communication-based UAV swarm systems. While most vision-based control algorithms are predicated on the detection of neighboring objects, they often overlook key perceptual factors such as visual occlusion and the impact of visual sensor limitations on swarm performance. To address the interaction problem of neighbor selection at the core of self-organizing UAV swarm control, a perceptually realistic finite perception visual (FPV) neighbor selection model is proposed, which is based on the lateral visual characteristics of birds, incorporates adjustable lateral visual field widths and orientations, and is able to ignore occluded agents. Based on the FPV model, a neighbor selection method based on the acute angle test (AAT) is proposed, which overcomes the limitation that the traditional neighbor selection mechanism can only interact with the nearest neighboring agents. A large number of Monte Carlo simulation comparison experiments show that the proposed FPV+AAT neighbor selection mechanism can reduce the redundant communication burden between large-scale self-organized UAV swarms, and outperforms the traditional neighbor selection method in terms of order, safety, union, connectivity, and noise resistance., (© 2024 IOP Publishing Ltd. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved.)

Over the last two decades, robotics engineering has witnessed rapid growth in the exploration and development of soft robots. Soft robots are made of deformable materials with mechanical properties or other features that resemble biological structures. These robots are often inspired by living organisms or mimic their locomotion, such as crawling and swimming. This paper aims to assist researchers in robotics and engineering to design soft robots incorporating or inspired by biological systems with a more informed perspective on biological models and functions. We address the characteristics of fluidic soft robots inspired by or mimicking biological examples, establish a method to categorize soft robots from a functional biological perspective, and provide a wider range of organisms to inspire the development of soft robotics. The actuation mechanisms in bioinspired and biomimetic soft robotics would benefit from a clearer understanding of the underlying principles, organization, and function of biological structures., (Creative Commons Attribution license.)

Applicability of biomimetic approach with simulation of plant uptake for assessment of radiocesium availability in soil was investigated. The soil spiked with 137Cs tracer was contacted with wicking material and copper-substituted prussian blue (Cu-PB), which simulate transpirationally induced mass flow and concentration gradient-induced diffusion of radiocesiumin the soil, respectively. Comparison of the removed 137Cs to the wick and the wick + Cu-PB from the soil during the contact period of 12 weeks suggested that the diffusion process has larger contribution than the mass flow process in radiocesium dynamics in root zone. The change of the removed rate of 137Cs from the soil was reflected that its availability decreased with the time elapsing and with subjecting repeated wet-dry treatment. The results suggest that the biomimetic approach can be applicable to the realistic evaluation of the availability of radiocesium in soil., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Meat adulteration detection is crucial for ensuring food safety, protecting consumer rights, and maintaining market integrity. However, the current methods face challenges in achieving multiplexed detection through efficient signal conversion and output. This study introduces a nanopore-based approach for the simultaneous detection of multiple meat adulteration. Leveraging the interaction between D A D A dipeptide and vancomycin, we designed a series of biomimetic ssDNA reporters with D A D A-Van tags for multiplexed signal output. These ssDNA reporters can generate highly distinctive current blockage signals, which can be discriminated simultaneously by the current waveform. Combined with PCR-based strand displacement, ssDNA reporters can be released from magnetic beads in the presence of the target gene and are analyzed using α-hemolysin (α-HL) nanopores for multiplexed signal output. The signal frequency for each target gene has a linear relationship with the specific concentration range (for duck: 1 × 10 -3 ∼ 10 nmol/L, for pork: 1 × 10 -2 ∼ 10 nmol/L, and for chicken: 1 × 10 -3 ∼ 10 nmol/L). The limits of detection are as follows: 0.418 pmol/L for duck, 4.473 pmol/L for pork, and 0.531 pmol/L for chicken. This method effectively enables the simultaneous detection of adulterated chicken, pork, and duck meat in lamb samples and holds potential for broad applications in ensuring the authenticity and safety of meat products.

Flying insects, such as flies and bees, have evolved the capability to rely solely on visual cues for smooth and secure landings on various surfaces. In the process of carrying out tasks, micro unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may encounter various emergencies, and it is necessary to land safely in complex and unpredictable ground environments, especially when altitude information is not accurately obtained, which undoubtedly poses a significant challenge. Our study draws on the remarkable response mechanism of the Lobula Giant Movement Detector to looming scenarios to develop a novel UAV landing strategy. The proposed strategy does not require distance estimation, making it particularly suitable for payload-constrained micro aerial vehicles. Through a series of experiments, this strategy has proven to effectively achieve stable and high-performance landings in unknown and complex environments using only a monocular camera. Furthermore, a novel mechanism to trigger the final landing phase has been introduced, further ensuring the safe and stable touchdown of the drone., (© 2024 IOP Publishing Ltd. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved.)

Probes that penetrate soil are used in fields such as geotechnical engineering, agriculture, and ecology to classify soils and characterize their properties in situ . Conventional tools such as the Cone Penetration Test (CPT) often face challenges due to the lack of reaction force needed to penetrate stiff or dense soil layers, necessitating the use of large drill rigs. This paper investigates more efficient means of penetrating soil by taking inspiration from a plant-root motion known as circumnutation. Experimental penetration tests on sands are performed with circumnutation-inspired (CI) probes that advance at a constant vertical velocity (v) while simultaneously rotating at a constant angular velocity (ω). These probes have bent tips with a given bent angle (α) and bent length (L1). The variation of the mobilized vertical force (Fz), torque (Tz.), and the mechanical work components with the ratio of tangential to vertical velocity ( ωR / ν , where R is the distance of the tip of the probe from the vertical axis of rotation) is investigated along with the effects of probe geometry, vertical velocity, and soil relative density (DR). The results show that the soil penetration resistance does not vary withv, but it increases asα,L1, andDRare increased.Fzdecays exponentially with increasingωR/v,Tzinitially increases and then plateaus, while total work (WT) shows little magnitude changes initially but later increases monotonically. The mechanisms leading to these trends are identified as the changes in the probe projected areas and mobilized normal stresses due to differences in probe geometry and the effects ofωR/von the resultant force direction and soil disturbance. The results show that CI penetration within a specific range ofωR/vleads to small increases inWT(i.e.,⩽25%), yet mobilizesFzmagnitudes that are 50%-80% lower than that mobilized during non-rotational penetration (i.e., CPT). This indicates that CI penetration can be adopted for in situ characterization or sensor placement with smaller vertical forces, allowing for use of lighter rigs., (© 2024 IOP Publishing Ltd. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved.)

This paper presents the development and control of a dynamic model for a plant-inspired growing robot, termed the 'vine-robot', using the Euler-Lagrangian method. The unique growth mechanism of the vine-robot enables it to navigate complex environments by extending its body. We derive the dynamic equations of motion and employ model predictive control to regulate the task space position, orientation, and interaction forces. Simulation experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed model and control strategy. The results demonstrate that the model effectively achieves sub-millimeter precision in the position control in both static and time varying refrence trajectroies, and sub micronewton in force control., (© 2024 IOP Publishing Ltd. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved.)

This article presents a novel bioinspired technology for the cooperation and coordination of heterogeneous robot swarms in uncontrolled environments, utilizing an artificial pheromone composed of magnetized ferrofluids. Communication between different types of robots is achieved indirectly through stigmergy, where messages are inherently associated with specific locations. This approach is advantageous for swarm experimentation outside controlled laboratory spaces, where localization is typically managed through centralized camera systems (e.g. infrared, RGB). Applying pheromone principles has also proven beneficial for various swarm behaviors. We introduce a detection methodology for the artificial ferrofluid pheromone using low-cost magnetic sensors, along with signal processing and parameter characterization. Experiments involved a heterogeneous swarm consisting of two types of robots: one equipped with camera and image processing capabilities and the other with basic sensor technologies. Validation in multiple uncontrolled environments (with varying floor surfaces, wind, and light conditions) demonstrated successful cooperation among robots with differing technological complexities using the proposed technology., (© 2024 IOP Publishing Ltd. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved.)

The primary component of the lipid barrier on human hair, which is essential for defense against aging and environmental stresses, is 18-methyleicosanoic acid (18-MEA), which provides hydrophobic properties and protective benefits. Since 18-MEA cannot be regenerated once damaged, developing technology that can permanently bind alternative materials to hair is critical. Once 18-MEA was removed from hair via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), pentaerythritol tetraisoosterate (PTIS) was hydrolyzed and observed via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to confirm that it mimicked 18-MEA, and 16-methylheptadecanoic acid (16-MHA) was obtained at pH 4 or lower. 16-MHA was bioconjugated to damaged hair from which 18-MEA was removed via a carbodiimide reaction using polycarbodiimide. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) confirmed that 16-MHA remained on the surface of the bioconjugated hair even after washing. Observation of the endothermic reaction of moisture in hair via a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and evaluation of the moisture content confirmed that the physical properties of hair enriched with 16-MHA were similar to those of virgin hair. This biomimetic approach has been shown to restore both external structural integrity and internal moisture homeostasis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Since wound healing is one of the most important medical challenges and common dressings have not been able to manage this challenge well today, efforts have been increased to achieve an advanced dressing. Mesenchymal stem cells and exosomes derived from them have shown high potential in healing and regenerating wounds due to their immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, and high regenerative capacities. However, challenges such as the short life of these cells, the low durability of these cells in the wound area, and the low stability of exosomes derived from them have resulted in limitations in their use for wound healing. Nowadays, different scaffolds are considered suitable biomaterials for wound healing. These scaffolds are made of natural or synthetic polymers and have shown promising potential for an ideal dressing that does not have the disadvantages of common dressings. One of the strategies that has attracted much attention today is using these scaffolds for seeding and delivering MSCs and their exosomes. This combined strategy has shown a high potential in enhancing the shelf life of cells and increasing the stability of exosomes. In this review, the combination of different scaffolds with different MSCs or their exosomes for wound healing has been comprehensively discussed., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Coacervate microdroplets, arising from liquid-liquid phase separation, have emerged as promising models for primary cells, demonstrating the ability to regulate biomolecular enrichment, create chemical gradients, accelerate confined reactions, and even express proteins. Notably, multiphase coacervation provides a robust framework to replicate hierarchically complex cellular structures, offering valuable insights into cellular organization and function. In this review, we explore the recent advancements in the study of multiphase coacervates, focusing on design strategies, underlying mechanisms, structural control, and their applications in biomimetics. These developments highlight the potential of multiphase coacervates as powerful tools in the field of synthetic biology and material science.

Bird flight is often characterized by outstanding aerodynamic efficiency, agility and adaptivity in dynamic conditions. Feathers play an integral role in facilitating these aspects of performance, and the benefits feathers provide largely derive from their intricate and hierarchical structures. Although research has been attempted on developing membrane-type artificial feathers for bio-inspired aircraft and micro air vehicles (MAVs), fabricating anatomically accurate artificial feathers to fully exploit the advantages of feathers has not been achieved. Here, we present our 3D printed artificial feathers consisting of hierarchical vane structures with feature dimensions spanning from 10 -2 to 10 2 mm, which have remarkable structural, mechanical and aerodynamic resemblance to natural feathers. The multi-step, multi-scale 3D printing process used in this work can provide scalability for the fabrication of artificial feathers tailored to the specific size requirements of aircraft wings. Moreover, we provide the printed feathers with embedded aerodynamic sensing ability through the integration of customized piezoresistive and piezoelectric transducers for strain and vibration measurements, respectively. Hence, the 3D printed feather transducers combine the aerodynamic advantages from the hierarchical feather structure design with additional aerodynamic sensing capabilities, which can be utilized in future biomechanical studies on birds and can contribute to advancements in high-performance adaptive MAVs., (Creative Commons Attribution license.)

Locomotion on soft yielding grounds is more complicated and energetically demanding than on hard ground. Wet soft ground (such as mud or snow) is a particularly difficult substance because it dissipates energy when stepping and resists extrusion of the foot. Sinkage in mud forces walkers to make higher steps, thus, to spend more energy. Yet wet yielding terrains are part of the habitat of numerous even-toed ungulates (large mammals with split hooves). We hypothesized that split hooves provide an advantage on wet grounds and investigated the behavior of moose legs on a test rig. We found that split hooves of a moose reduce suction force at extrusion but could not find conclusive evidence that the hoof reduces sinkage. We then continued by designing artificial feet equipped with split-hoof-inspired protuberances and testing them under different conditions. These bio-inspired feet demonstrate an anisotropic behavior enabling reduction of sinkage depth up to 46.3%, suction force by 47.6%, and energy cost of stepping on mud by up to 70.4%. Finally, we mounted these artificial feet on a Go1 quadruped robot moving in mud and observed 38.7% reduction of the mechanical cost of transport and 55.0% increase of speed. Those results help us understand the physics of mud locomotion of animals and design better robots moving on wet terrains. We did not find any disadvantages of the split-hooves-inspired design on hard ground, which suggests that redesigning the feet of quadruped robots improves their overall versatility and efficiency on natural terrains., (Creative Commons Attribution license.)

Speaking valves enable tracheostomy patients to speak naturally. However, improper use may cause dangerous overpressure, leading to severe complications or even patient's death. We address this life-threatening issue by creating a biomimetic speaking valve, which incorporates an integrated overpressure valve that automatically opens when reaching critical pressure levels. To enhance safety, we integrated a whistle module to provide an audible alert for medical staff. Fundamental research on the Utricularia vulgaris trapdoor inspired our abstracted valve form. Through a comprehensive analysis using generalized linear mixed-effect models, we examined various membrane parameter effects on the function of the biomimetic overpressure valve. This enabled us to adjust the valve's opening pressure to cater to patient's unique requirements, thus potentially saving lives by applying a solution from nature., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Lignocellulosic papers (LCP) are favored for electrical insulating applications due to their environmental friendliness, ease of processing, and cost-effectiveness. However, the loose structure and numerous pores inside LCP result in the poor mechanical and electrical insulating properties, posing challenges in meeting the requirements for the rapid upgrading of high-voltage electrical equipment. Herein, a 3D interconnective structure composed of 3D aramid nanofibers (ANF) and 2D carbonylated basalt nanosheets (CBSNs) is introduced to enhance the structure and the chemical bonding interactions of LCP. This is achieved by impregnating LCP into an ANF-CBSNs suspension, where the 3D interconnective ANF framework hosts numerous CBSNs. The resultant LCP/ANF-CBSNs (LCP/A-C) composite papers exhibit multilayered structure and multiple hydrogen-bonding interactions, demonstrating excellent mechanical and electrical insulating properties. Notably, the optimized LCP/A-C5 composite papers exhibit remarkable tensile strength (23.15 MPa) and dielectric breakdown strength (20.14 kV·mm -1 ), respectively, representing 229 % and 145 % increase compared to those of the control LCP. These impressive properties are integrated with excellent bending ability, outstanding high temperature resistance, exceptional volume resistivity, and low dielectric constant and loss, demonstrating their potential as highly promising electrical insulating papers for advanced high-power electrical equipment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Wide used guided bone regeneration (GBR) membrane materials, such as collagen, Teflon, and other synthesized polymers, present a great challenge in term of integrating the mechanical property and degradation rate when addressing critical bone defects. Therefore, inspired by the distinctive architecture of fish scales, this study utilized epigallocatechin gallate to modify decellularized fish scales following biomimetic mineralization to fabricate a GBR membrane that mimics the structure of lamellar bone. The structure, physical and chemical properties, and biological functions of the novel GBR membrane were evaluated. Results indicate that the decellularized fish scale with 5 remineralization cycles (5R-E-DCFS) exhibited a composite and structure similar to natural bone and had a special functionally gradient mineral contents character, demonstrating excellent mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, and degradation properties. In vitro, the 5R-E-DCFS membrane exhibited excellent cytocompatibility promoting Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell proliferation and differentiation up-regulating the expression of osteogenic-related genes and proteins. Furthermore, in vivo, the 5R-E-DCFS membrane promoted the critical skull bone defects of SD rats repairment and regeneration. Therefore, this innovative biomimetic membrane holds substantial clinical potential as an ideal GBR membrane with mechanical properties for space-making and suitable degradation rate for bone regeneration to manage bone defects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), also known as shape modules, are considered junctions that help define the shape of collagen matrix and further promote mineralization during osteogenesis. Many attempts have been made to immobilize GAGs on assembled collagen to modify the latter's surface state. However, it remains unclear how GAGs spontaneously identify collagen molecules during fibrillogenesis in vivo. Understanding the relationship between GAGs and collagen from both the bone physiology and materials science perspectives is of fundamental interest. Here, we introduced hyaluronic acid (HA, a main member of GAGs) during collagen self-assembly, in a process called modification cooperating with self-assembly (MCS). The molecular docking and morphological studies revealed that HA can help define collagen monomer deposition and thus promote fibrillogenesis through steric hindrance or by directly forming hydrogen bonds. Meanwhile, HA acts as a templating chaperone (TC) to increase the local mineral concentration within intrafibrillar channels but does not initiate nucleation, thus improving the crystallinity of formed apatite. The scaffolds synthesized through MCS model significantly improved the physicochemical stability and mechanical strength of collagen-based scaffolds. The optimized scaffolds promoted in-situ osteogenesis by stimulating the osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells, either in an osteogenic medium, or after implantation into critical calvarial defects. This study provides novel insights towards evolving engineering scaffolds from inert supports to functional substitutes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interest or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Bacterial-induced lower respiratory tract infections are a growing global health concern, exacerbated by the inefficacy of conventional antibiotics and delivery methods to effectively target the lower respiratory tract, leading to suboptimal therapeutic outcomes. To address this challenge, this work engineers PBP2a antibody-presenting membrane nanovesicles (AMVs) specifically designed to target the penicillin-binding protein variant on the surface of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Concurrently, this work develops pure ciprofloxacin nanoparticles (NanoCip) that, for the first time, exhibits exceptional self-generated sonodynamic properties, attributed to hydrogen-bond-driven self-assembly, while maintaining their inherent pharmacological efficacy. These NanoCip particles are integrated with AMVs to create a novel biomimetic nanomedicine, AMV@NanoCip. This formulation demonstrated remarkable MRSA-targeting affinity in both in vitro and in vivo models, significantly enhancing antibacterial activity. Upon ultrasound stimulation, AMV@NanoCip achieves over 99.99% sterilization of MRSA in vitro, with a reduction exceeding 5.14 Log CFU. Prokaryotic transcriptomic analysis further elucidates the synergistic mechanisms by which AMV@NanoCip, coupled with ultrasound, disrupts the MRSA exoskeleton. In a MRSA-induced pneumonia animal model, AMV@NanoCip+US results in a substantial bacterial load reduction in the lungs (99.99%, 4.02 Log CFU). This sequential treatment strategy (adhesion-membrane disruption-synergistic therapy) offers significant promise as an innovative therapeutic approach for combating bacterial infections., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Objective: Neovascularization has been extensively studied because of its significant role in both physiological processes and diseases. The significance of vascular microfluidic platforms lies in its essential role in recreating an in vitro environment capable of supporting cellular and tissue systems through the process of neovascularization. Biomechanical properties in a tissue engineered system use fluid flow and transport properties to recapitulate physiological systems. This enables mimicry of organ systems which can further personalized and regenerative medicine. Thus, fluid hemodynamics can be used to study these flow patterns and create a system that mimics real physiological pathways and processes. The establishment of stable flow pathways encourages endothelial cells (ECs) ECs to undergo neovascularization. Specifically, the shear stress applied in capillary beds generates the increased proliferation and differentiation of ECs to build larger microcirculatory beds., Mathematical Framework: Here, we describe a mathematical model that uses branching patterns and vessel morphology to predict hemodynamic parameters in capillary beds., Results: A retinal capillary bed is used as one-use case of our model to show how the mathematical framework can be used to determine hemodynamic parameters for any microfluidic system., Conclusion: In doing so, this tool can be altered to be used to supplement emerging research areas in neovascularization., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Engineered liver lobule is highly practical in hepatic disease treatment, while constructing a 3D biomimetic lobule with a heterogeneous architecture on a large scale is challenging. Here, inspired by the natural architectural construction of hepatic lobules, biomimetic hepatic lobules are proposed with coaxially through-pores for nutrient exchange via microfluidic technology. This multi-channel microfluidic chip is made by parallelly installing capillaries. Sodium alginate (Alg) is pumped through its central channel, while Ca 2+ -loaded gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) solutions encapsulating hepatocytes, mesenchymal stem cells, and endothelia cells are pumped through surrounding channels, respectively. The rapid gelation of Alg and Ca 2+ brings about an in situ formation of Alg fiber, with heterogeneous multi-cell-laden GelMA microcarriers forming around it. The peeled-off microcarriers each featured with a coaxially through pore, simulating the cord-like structure of hepatic lobule and facilitating nutrients exchange. Meanwhile, the spatially anisotropic arrangement of cells highly simulates the hepatic architecture. It is demonstrated that by transplanting these biomimetic microparticles into liver in situ, the failed liver in rat shows increased regeneration and decreased necrosis. These results indicated that the microfluidic multi-compartmental microcarriers provide a new strategy to engineer 3D artificial livers for clinical translation., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The main objective of this study was to assess the ability of the NEar Real Digestive Tract (NERDT), a computer-controlled biomimetic in vitro digestion system that considers the biomechanics of the stomach, to reproduce physiologically relevant features of skimmed milk gastric digestion. A second objective was to evaluate the influence of pepsin on the gastric coagulation and emptying of milk proteins from experiments performed with and without pepsin. A mass balance model over the stomach, assuming a perfectly stirred reactor behaviour, has been developed. The results show that the NERDT can adequately reproduce the targeted kinetics of gastric acidification and emptying, with a sieving effect that naturally leads to a delayed emptying of caseins. Milk coagulated earlier and more chyme was emptied towards the end of the experiments in the presence of pepsin than without, hence illustrating the key influence of pepsin on the gastric coagulation of caseins and subsequent hydrolysis and emptying of dairy particles. Overall, this study shows that the NERDT can be adequately controlled to achieve desired gastric digestion conditions, and appears to be a very useful tool to further improve the knowledge of the gastric digestion behaviour of complex foods such as milk., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Soft robots spark a revolution in human-machine interaction. However, developing high-performance soft actuators remains challenging due to trade-offs among output force, driving distance, control precision, safety, and compliance. Here, addressing the lack of long-distance, high-precision flexible linear actuators, an innovative pneumatic flexible linear actuator (PFLA) is introduced, inspired by the smooth and controlled process observed in snakes ingesting sizable food, such as eggs. This PFLA combines a soft tube, emulating the snake's body cavity, with a pneumatically driven piston. Through the joint modulation of moving resistance and driving force by pneumatic pressure, the PFLA exhibits exceptional motion control capabilities, including self-holding without pressure supply, smooth low-speed motion (down to 0.004 m s -1 ), high-speed motion (up to 5.6 m s -1 ) with low air pressure demand, and a self-protection mechanism. Highlighting its adaptability and versatility, the PFLA finds applications in various settings, including a wearable assistive devices, a manipulator capable of precise path tracking and positioning, and rapid transportation in diverse environments for pipeline inspection and firefighting. This PFLA combines biomimetic principles with sophisticated fluidic actuation to achieve long-distance, flexible, precise, and safe actuation, offering a more adaptive solution for force/motion transmission, particularly in challenging environments., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The proliferation of nano-plastic particles (NPs) poses severe environmental hazards, urgently requiring effective biodegradation methods. Herein, a novel method was developed for degrading nano-PET (polyethylene terephthalate) using immobilized cutinases. Nano-PET particles were prepared using a straightforward method, and biocompatible elastin-like polypeptide-magnetic nanoparticles (ELPs-MNPs) were obtained as magnetic cores via biomimetic mineralization. Using one-pot synthesis with the cost-effective precursor tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), silica-coated magnetically immobilized ELPs-tagged cutinase (ET-C@SiO 2 @MNPs) were produced. ET-C@SiO 2 @MNPs showed rapid magnetic separation within 30 s, simplifying recovery and reuse. ET-C@SiO 2 @MNPs retained 86 % of their initial activity after 11 cycles and exhibited superior hydrolytic capabilities for nano-PET, producing 0.515 mM TPA after 2 h of hydrolysis, which was 96.6 % that of free enzymes. Leveraging ELPs biomimetic mineralization, this approach offers a sustainable and eco-friendly solution for PET-nanoplastic degradation, highlighting the potential of ET-C@SiO 2 @MNPs in effective nanoplastic waste management and contributing to environmental protection and sustainable development., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

2D transition metal carbides and nitrides, i.e., MXene, are recently attracting wide attentions and presenting competitive performances as adsorbents used in hemoperfusion. Nonetheless, the nonporous texture and easily restacking feature limit the efficient adsorption of toxin molecules inside MXene and between layers. To circumvent this concern, here a plerogyra sinuosa biomimetic porous titanium carbide MXene (P-Ti 3 C 2 ) is reported. The hollow and hierarchically porous structure with large surface area benefits the maximum access of toxins as well as trapping them inside the spherical cavity. The cambered surface of P-Ti 3 C 2 prevents layers restacking, thus affording better interlaminar adsorption. In addition to enhanced toxin removal ability, the P-Ti 3 C 2 is found to selectively adsorb more middle and large toxin molecules than small toxin molecules. It possibly originates from the rich Ti-deficient vacancies in the P-MXene lattice that increases the affinity with middle/large toxin molecules. Also, the vacancies as active sites facilitate the production of reactive oxygen under NIR irradiation to promote the photodynamic antibacterial performance. Then, the versatility of P-MXene is validated by extension to niobium carbide (P-Nb 2 C). And the simulated hemoperfusion proves the practicability of the P-MXene as polymeric adhesives-free adsorbents to eliminate the broad-spectrum toxins., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Nature serves as an abundant wellspring of inspiration for crafting innovative adhesive materials. Extensive research is conducted on various complex forms of biological attachment, such as geckos, tree frogs, octopuses, and mussels. However, significant obstacles still exist in developing adhesive materials that truly replicate the behaviors and functionalities observed in living organisms. Here, an overview of biological organs, structures, and adhesive secretions endowed with adhesion capabilities, delving into the intricate relationship between their morphology and function, and potential for biomimicry are provided. First, the design principles and mechanisms of adhesion behavior and individual organ morphology in nature are summarized from the perspective of structural and size constraints. Subsequently, the value of engineered and bioinspired adhesive materials through selective application cases in practical fields is emphasized. Then, a forward-looking gaze on the conceivable challenges and associated opportunities in harnessing biomimetic strategies and biological materials for advancing adhesive material innovation is highlighted and cast., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Drug-carrying nanoparticles can be recognized and captured by macrophages and cleared away by the immune system, resulting in reduced drug efficacy and representing the main drawbacks. Biomimetic nanoparticles, which are coated with cell membranes from natural resources, have been applied to address this problem. This type of nanoparticle maintains some specific biological activities, allowing them to carry drugs reaching designated tissues effectively and have a longer time in circulation. This review article aims to summarize recent progress on biomimetic nanoparticles based on cell membranes. In this paper, we have introduced the classification of biomimetic nanoparticles, their preparation and characterization, and their applications in inflammatory diseases and malignant tumors. We have also analyzed the shortcomings and prospects of this technology, hoping to provide some clues for basic researchers and clinicians engaged in this field., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

P. aeruginosa employs specific quorum sensing (QS) mechanisms to orchestrate biofilm formation, enhancing resistance to host defences. In physiological conditions, QS molecules permeate the lung environment and cellular membrane to reach the cytoplasmic Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) that is pivotal for activating the immune response against infection. In pathological conditions like cystic fibrosis (CF) this interkingdom communication is altered, favouring P. aeruginosa persistence and chronic infection. Here, we aim to investigate the molecular journey of QS molecules from CF-like environments to the cytoplasm by quantifying via HPLC-MS the permeability of selected QS molecules (quinolones, lactones, and phenazines) through in vitro models of the two main biological lung barriers: CF-mucus and cellular membrane. While QS molecules not activating AhR exhibit intermediate permeability through the cellular membrane model (PAMPA) (1.0-4.0 × 10 -6 cm/s), the AhR-activating molecule (pyocyanin) shows significantly higher permeability (8.6 ± 1.4 × 10 -6 cm/s). Importantly, combining the CF mucus model with PAMPA induces a 50% decrease in pyocyanin permeability, indicating a strong mucus-shielding effect with pathological implications in infection eradication. This study underscores the importance of quantitatively describing the AhR-active bacterial molecules, even in vitro, to offer new perspectives for understanding P. aeruginosa virulence mechanisms and for proposing new antibacterial therapeutic approaches., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Targeted immunotherapies make substantial strides in clinical cancer care due to their ability to counteract the tumor's capacity to suppress immune responses. Advances in biomimetic technology with minimally immunogenic and highly targeted, are addressing issues of targeted drug delivery and disrupting the tumor's immunosuppressive environment to trigger immune activation. Specifically, the use of dendritic cell (DC) membranes to coat nanoparticles ensures targeted delivery due to DC's unique ability to activate naive T cells, spotlighting their role in immunotherapy aimed at disrupting the tumor microenvironment. The potential of DC's biomimetic membrane to mediate immune activation and target tumors is gaining momentum, enhancing the effectiveness of cancer treatments in conjunction with other immune responses. This review delves into the methodologies behind crafting DC membranes and the fusion of dendritic and tumor cell membranes for encapsulating therapeutic nanoparticles. It explores their applications and recent advancements in combating cancer, offering an all-encompassing perspective on DC biomimetic nanosystems, immunotherapy driven by antigen presentation, and the collaborative efforts of drug delivery in chemotherapy and photodynamic therapies. Current evidence shows promise in augmenting combined therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment and holds translational potential for various cancer treatments in a clinical setting., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This narrative review critically examines some protocols of biomimetic restorative dentistry (BRD), which supposedly outperforms traditional adhesive techniques. This review explores the origins of BRD, introduces cognitive biases influencing the adoption of BRD protocols without evidence scrutiny, and discusses nine BRD protocols. For this, we searched randomized clinical trials and systematic reviews in the literature on the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library CENTRAL databases, which lead to the following conclusions about the revised protocols: 1) The use of dyes excessively removes carious dentin; 2) Aluminum oxide air abrasion contributes to overtreatment and may pose long-term health risks to dental professionals; 3) Beveling enamel in posterior teeth is technically difficult and leads to unnecessary loss of adjacent sound enamel with no evidence of its use outperforming butt-joint preparations; 4) Deactivating matrix metalloproteinases with chlorhexidine shows no clinical evidence of improving restoration longevity. 5) "Elected" gold-standard adhesive systems perform no better than other good performing available systems; 6) Immediate dentin sealing and resin coating result in similar post-operative sensitivity and longevity of indirect fillings as delayed dentin sealing; 7) Deep margin elevation is a viable alternative to manage subgingival margins in occlusoproximal cavities; 8) The process of "decoupling" with time lacks scientific evidence to support its use; 9) Placing fiber inserts on the pulpal floor and/or axial wall to minimize stress offers no benefits over current alternatives. In conclusion, more rigorous research is needed to validate BRD protocols, focusing on important clinical outcomes that impact in the longevity of the restoration, such as fracture, debonding, post-operative sensitivity, esthetic quality, presence of caries lesions adjacent to restorations and patients' satisfaction need to be thoroughly investigated. Reliance on anecdotal evidence, clinical experience, and common sense propagates myths and undervalues the need for a critical approach in evaluating dental techniques.

With the advancement of modern medical and brain-computer interface devices, flexible artificial nociceptors with tactile perception hold significant scientific importance and exhibit great potential in the fields of wearable electronic devices and biomimetic robots. Here, a bioinspired artificial intelligent nociceptive alarm system integrating sensing monitoring and transmission functions is constructed using a silk fibroin (SF) fibrous memristor. This memristor demonstrates high stability, low operating power, and the capability to simulate synaptic plasticity. As a result, an artificial pressure nociceptor based on the SF fibrous memristor can detect both fast and chronic pain and provide a timely alarm in the event of a fall or prolonged immobility of the carrier. Further, an array of artificial pressure nociceptors not only monitors the pressure distribution across various parts of the carrier but also provides direct feedback on the extent of long-term pressure to the carrier. This work holds significant implications for medical support in biological carriers or targeted maintenance of electronic carriers.

Electrical stimulation has been used clinically as an adjunct therapy to accelerate the healing of bone defects, and its mechanism requires further investigations. The complexity of the physiological microenvironment makes it challenging to study the effect of electrical signal on cells alone. Therefore, an artificial system mimicking cell microenvironment in vitro was developed to address this issue. In this work, a novel electrical stimulation system was constructed based on polypyrrole nanowires (ppyNWs) with a high aspect ratio. Synthesized ppyNWs formed a conductive network in the composited hydrogel which contained modified gelatin with methacrylate, providing a conductive cell culture matrix for bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. The dual-network conductive hydrogel had improved mechanical, electrical, and hydrophilic properties. It was able to imitate the three-dimensional structure of the cell microenvironment and allowed adjustable electrical stimulations in the following system. This hydrogel was integrated with cell culture plates, platinum electrodes, copper wires, and external power sources to construct the artificial electrical stimulation system. The optimum voltage of the electrical stimulation system was determined to be 2 V, which exhibited remarkable biocompatibility. Moreover, this system had significant promotion in cell spreading, osteogenic makers, and bone-related gene expression of stem cells. RNA-seq analysis revealed that osteogenesis was correlated to Notch, BMP/Smad, and calcium signal pathways. It was proven that this biomimetic system could regulate the osteogenesis procedure, and it provided further information about how the electrical signal regulates osteogenic differentiations.

Recent advancements in flexible electronics have highlighted their potential in biomedical applications, primarily due to their human-friendly nature. This study introduces a new flexible electronic system designed for motion sensing in a biomimetic three-dimensional (3D) environment. The system features a self-healing gel matrix (chitosan-based hydrogel) that effectively mimics the dynamics of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and is integrated with a highly sensitive thin-film resistive strain sensor, which is fabricated by incorporating a cross-linked gold nanoparticle (GNP) thin film as the active conductive layer onto a biocompatible microphase-separated polyurethane (PU) substrate through a clean, rapid, and high-precision contact printing method. The GNP-PU strain sensor demonstrates high sensitivity (a gauge factor of ∼50), good stability, and waterproofing properties. The feasibility of detecting small motion was evaluated by sensing the beating of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocyte spheroids embedded in the gel matrix. The integration of these components exemplifies a proof-of-concept for using flexible electronics comprising self-healing hydrogel and thin-film nanogold in cardiac sensing and offers promising insights into the development of next-generation biomimetic flexible electronic devices.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive and physical impairment. Neuroinflammation is related to AD, and the misfolding and aggregation of amyloid protein in the brain creates an inflammatory microenvironment. Microglia are the predominant contributors to neuroinflammation, and abnormal activation of microglia induces the release of a large amount of inflammatory factors, promotes neuronal apoptosis, and leads to cognitive impairment. In this study, we used microglial membranes containing caffeic acid-coupled carbon quantum dots to prepare a novel biomimetic nanocapsule (CDs-CA-MGs) for the treatment of AD. The application of CDs-CA-MGs via nasal administration can bypass the blood‒brain barrier (BBB) and directly target the site of inflammation. After treatment with CDs-CA-MGs, AD mice showed reduced inflammation in the brain, decreased neuronal apoptosis, and significantly improved learning and memory abilities. In addition, CDs-CA-MGs affect inflammation-related JAK-STAT and Toll-like receptor signaling pathways in AD mice. CDs-CA-MGs significantly downregulated interleukins (IL-1β and IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α). This finding suggested that CDs-CA-MGs may improve cognitive impairment by modulating inflammatory responses. In conclusion, the use of CDs-CA-MGs provides a possible therapeutic strategy for the treatment of AD., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Despite significant advancements in the development of anticancer therapies over the past few decades, the clinical management of colorectal cancer remains a challenging task. This study aims to investigate the inhibitory effects of cancer-targeting liposomes against colorectal cancer., Materials and Methods: Liposomes consisting of 3β-[N-(N', N'-dimethylamino ethane)carbamoyl]-cholesterol (DC-CHOL), cholesterol (CHOL), and dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) at a molar ratio of 1:1:0.5 were created and used as carriers to deliver an apoptosis-inducing plasmid encoding the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (pTRAIL) gene, along with the toll-like receptor (TLR7) agonist Rsiquimod (R848). The rationale behind this design is that pTRAIL can trigger cancer cell apoptosis by activating the DR4/5 receptor, while R848 can stimulate the immune microenvironment., Results: Experimental results demonstrated the synergistic effects of R848 and pTRAIL encapsulated by liposomes (RTL) in suppressing the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells. Moreover, further in vivo investigations revealed the strong anti-tumor efficacy of RTL in xenograft and orthotropic in situ models of colorectal cancer., Conclusions: These findings collectively highlight the therapeutic potential of R848/pTRAIL-loaded liposomes in the treatment of colorectal cancer., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Robots support and facilitate tasks in all life fields. Soft robots specifically have the advantages of inherent compliance, safe interaction and flexible deformability. Soft pneumatic network (Pneu-Net) is a soft pneumatic actuator (SPA) composed of network of chambers that is actuated by pneumatic power. Soft Pneu-Net fits the human interface applications perfectly. In this paper, a bio-inspired modular based design for Pneu-Net actuator is developed. The actuator mimics the elephant trunk curling to be employed for rehabilitation of human hand fingers. The actuator is an integrated four Pneu-Net modules actuator which is attached to hand's finger. The main introduced advantages in the new developed actuator are: providing four degrees of freedom (DoF) essential for finger's motion by single compound actuator and developing a methodology for a modular soft Pneu-Net actuator that is efficiently reproducible. The actuator's design is developed using computer aided design (CAD) software SOLIDWORKS. The design is simulated using finite element modeling (FEM) software ABAQUS. Fabrication process uses 3D printed molds. Soft material is molded in the 3D printed molds, forming actuator's modules. Actuator's modules are integrated by adhesion using the soft material. A proposed non-standard hyper-elastic material biaxial tension test is introduced as a quick material properties identification method that can produce a test table used for material identification in the FEM. Enhanced version for the actuator uses reinforcement fibers. Results show advances for the reinforced actuator, as it limits the unwanted actuator's strain and deformation. The reinforced actuator shows improved energy efficiency reaches to 46%., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

With a growing global population and ageing demographics, the food industry stands at a pivotal crossroads, necessitating bespoke solutions and groundbreaking innovations. In vitro experiments can help understanding food oral processing and formulating products meeting the specific needs of different populations. However, current in vitro models do not reproduce well human oral anatomy and tongue biomechanics, essential for assessing the behaviour of novel and texturized foods under physiologically relevant oral conditions. In response, we unveil a novel 3D biomimetic artificial mouth, showcasing a pneumatic multi-degree-of-freedom artificial tongue meticulously crafted to mirror the mechanical properties and wettability of the human tongue. This cutting-edge technology, featuring tongue surface papillae, is capable of performing lifelike movements. The comparison with in vivo data demonstrates that it accurately reproduces oral processing of three, vastly different, soft foods. Textural characteristics (firmness, adhesive and cohesive properties) and shear viscosities-measured at oral and oropharyngeal-relevant shear rates-of in vitro food boli closely mirrored those observed in vivo. This in vitro device presents unprecedented opportunities for studying the dynamics of food transformation in the mouth, to adapt texture towards food that can be swallowed with ease and to improve food palatability, accommodating specific health needs critical for older adults (e.g., reduced salivary secretion, tongue weakness or poor coordination)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Biological tissues are mechanoresponsive; that is, their properties dynamically change in response to mechanical stimuli. For example, in response to shear or elongational strain, collagen, fibrin, actin, and other filamentous biomaterials undergo dramatic strain-stiffening. Above a critical strain, their stiffness increases over orders of magnitude. While it is widely accepted that the stiffness of biological tissues impacts cell phenotype and several diseases, the biological impact of strain-stiffening remains understudied. Synthetic hydrogels that mimic the mechanoresponsive nature of biological tissues could serve as an in vitro platform for these studies. This review highlights recent efforts to mimic the strain-stiffening behavior of biological materials in synthetic hydrogels. We discuss the design principles for imparting synthetic hydrogels with biomimetic strain-stiffening, critically compare designs of strain-stiffening hydrogels that have been reported thus far, and discuss their use as in vitro platforms to probe how strain-stiffening impacts cell behavior, diseases, and other biological processes.

Fibrotic changes in pediatric clubfoot provide an opportunity to improve corrective therapy and prevent relapses with targeted drugs. This study defines the parameters of clubfoot fibrosis and presents a unique analysis of a simple pseudo-3D in vitro model for disease-specific high-throughput drug screening experiments. The model combines clubfoot-derived fibroblasts with a biomimetic cultivation environment induced by the water-soluble polymers Ficoll and Polyvinylpyrrolidone, utilizing the principle of macromolecular crowding. We achieved higher conversion of soluble collagen into insoluble collagen, accelerated formation of the extracellular matrix layer and upregulated fibrosis-related genes in the mixed Ficoll environment. To test the model, we evaluated the effect of a potential antifibrotic drug, minoxidil, emphasizing collagen content and cross-linking. While the model amplified overall collagen deposition, minoxidil effectively blocked the expression of lysyl hydroxylases, which are responsible for the increased occurrence of specific collagen cross-linking in various fibrotic tissues. This limited the formation of collagen cross-link in both the model and control environments. Our findings provide a tool for expanding preclinical research for clubfoot and similar fibroproliferative conditions.

This paper aims to evaluate the acoustic radiation characteristics of thin plates featuring a layer of small-scale biomimetic shark skin type additive surface treatment. The shark skin dermal denticles are modelled as point masses arranged in a bi-directional pattern on both the upper and lower surfaces of the plate. The governing equations are obtained through a variational approach, incorporating the Dirac Delta function in the derivation of the proposed semi-analytical model for the shark skin layer. A semi-analytical method based on the Rayleigh-Ritz formulation is utilized to analyze the vibrations of these plates with surface modification. The sound radiation characteristics are then derived from the solution of the Rayleigh integral. A comprehensive investigation is performed on the influence of surface modification on different vibro-acoustic characteristics, using a continuous structural mode and power transfer matrix-based approach. Notable observations include a reduction in peak vibro-acoustic responses with dense denticle arrangements, especially at resonance, demonstrating a direct relationship with mass ratios, i.e., the ratio of denticle mass to plate mass. The study further reveals a shift of vibro-acoustic responses towards low frequencies with an increase in mass ratios. A thorough comparative study indicates that while additive surface modifications inspired by shark skin may weaken sound radiation characteristics at resonance frequencies, a reverse effect can be observed at intermittent operational frequencies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

For decades, the field of biologically inspired robotics has leveraged insights from animal locomotion to improve the walking ability of legged robots. Recently, 'biomimetic' robots have been developed to model how specific animals walk. By prioritizing biological accuracy to the target organism rather than the application of general principles from biology, these robots can be used to develop detailed biological hypotheses for animal experiments, ultimately improving our understanding of the biological control of legs while improving technical solutions. In this work, we report the development and validation of the robot Drosophibot II, a meso-scale robotic model of an adult fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster . This robot is novel for its close attention to the kinematics and dynamics of Drosophila , an increasingly important model of legged locomotion. Each leg's proportions and degrees of freedom have been modeled after Drosophila 3D pose estimation data. We developed a program to automatically solve the inverse kinematics necessary for walking and solve the inverse dynamics necessary for mechatronic design. By applying this solver to a fly-scale body structure, we demonstrate that the robot's dynamics fit those modeled for the fly. We validate the robot's ability to walk forward and backward via open-loop straight line walking with biologically inspired foot trajectories. This robot will be used to test biologically inspired walking controllers informed by the morphology and dynamics of the insect nervous system, which will increase our understanding of how the nervous system controls legged locomotion., (Creative Commons Attribution license.)

Biomimetic actuation technologies with high muscle strokes, cycle rates, and work capacities are necessary for robotic systems. We present a muscle type that operates based on changes in muscle stiffness caused by volume expansion. This muscle is created by coiling a mechanically strong braid, in which an elastomer hollow tube is adhesively attached inside. We show that the muscle reversibly contracts by 47.3% when driven by an oscillating input air pressure of 120 kilopascals at 10 Hz. It generates a maximum power density of 3.0 W/g and demonstrates a mechanical contractile efficiency of 74%. The muscle's low-pressure operation allowed for portable, thermal pneumatical actuation. Moreover, the muscle demonstrated bipolar actuation, wherein internal pressure leads to muscle length expansion if the initial muscle length is compressed and contraction if the muscle is not compressed. Modeling indicates that muscle expansion significantly alters its stiffness, which causes muscle actuation. We demonstrate the utility of BCMs for fast running and climbing robots., Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:X.H., J.W., and J.D. are co-inventors of patents in fast, large-stroke pneumatic actuators (PCT/CN2021/133465).

This study explored the development of novel biomimetic tannic acid-based hybrid nanocarriers (HNs) for targeted delivery of ciprofloxacin (CIP-loaded TAH-NPs) against bacterial-induced sepsis. The prepared CIP-loaded TAH-NPs exhibited appropriate physicochemical characteristics and demonstrated biocompatibility and nonhemolytic properties. Computational simulations and microscale thermophoresis studies validated the strong binding affinity of tannic acid (TA) and its nanoformulation to human Toll-like receptor 4, surpassing that of the natural substrate lipopolysaccharide (LPS), suggesting a potential competitive inhibition against LPS-induced inflammatory responses. CIP released from TAH-NPs displayed a sustained release profile over 72 h. The in vitro antibacterial activity studies revealed that CIP-loaded TAH-NPs exhibited enhanced antibacterial efficacy and efflux pump inhibitory activity. Specifically, they showed a 3-fold increase in biofilm eradication activity against MRSA and a 2-fold increase against P. aeruginosa compared to bare CIP. Time-killing assays demonstrated complete bacterial clearance within 8 h of treatment with CIP-loaded TAH-NPs. In vitro DPPH scavenging and anti-inflammatory investigations confirmed the ability of the prepared hybrid nanosystem to neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS) and modulate LPS-induced inflammatory responses. Collectively, these results suggest that CIP-loaded TAH-NPs may serve as an innovative nanocarrier for the effective and targeted delivery of antibiotics against bacterial-induced sepsis.

Inspired by the concept of "natural camouflage," biomimetic drug delivery systems have emerged to address the limitations of traditional synthetic nanocarriers, such as poor targeting, susceptibility to identification and clearance, inadequate biocompatibility, low permeability, and systemic toxicity. Biomimetic nanocarriers retain the proteins, nucleic acids, and other components of the parent cells. They not only facilitate drug delivery but also serve as communication media to inhibit tumor cells. This paper delves into the communication mechanisms between various cell-derived biomimetic nanocarriers, tumor cells, and the tumor microenvironment, as well as their applications in drug delivery. In addition, the additional communication capabilities conferred on the modified biomimetic nanocarriers, such as targeting and environmental responsiveness, are outlined. Finally, we propose future development directions for biomimetic nanocarriers, hoping to inspire researchers in their design efforts and ultimately achieve clinical translation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Melanogenesis, a natural responsive mechanism of human skin to harmful radiation, is a self-triggered defensive neural activity safeguarding the body from radiation exposure in advance. With the increasing significance of radiation shielding in diverse medical health care and wearable applications, a biomimetic neuromorphic optoelectronic system with adaptive radiation shielding capability is often needed. Here, we demonstrate a transparent and flexible metal oxide-based photovoltaic neuromorphic defensive system. By using a monolithically integrated ultraflexible optoelectronic circuitry and electrochromic device, seamless neural processing for ultraviolet (UV) radiation shielding including history-based sensing, memorizing, risk recognition, and blocking can be realized with piling the entire signal chain into the flexible devices. The UV shielding capability of the system can be evaluated as autonomous blocking up to 97% of UV radiation from 5 to 90 watts per square meter in less than 16.9 seconds, demonstrating autonomously modulated sensitivity and response time corresponding to UV environmental conditions and supplied bias.

Unlike human intestines, which are long, hollow tubes, the intestines of sharks and rays contain interior helical structures surrounding a cylindrical hole. One function of these structures may be to create asymmetric flow, favoring passage of fluid down the digestive tract, from anterior to posterior. Here, we design and 3D print biomimetic models of shark intestines, in both rigid and deformable materials. We use the rigid models to test which physical parameters of the interior helices (the pitch, the hole radius, the tilt angle, and the number of turns) yield the largest flow asymmetries. These asymmetries exceed those of traditional Tesla valves, structures specifically designed to create flow asymmetry without any moving parts. When we print the biomimetic models in elastomeric materials so that flow can couple to the structure's shape, flow asymmetry is significantly amplified; it is sevenfold larger in deformable structures than in rigid structures. Last, we 3D-print deformable versions of the intestine of a dogfish shark, based on a tomogram of a biological sample. This biomimic produces flow asymmetry comparable to traditional Tesla valves. The ability to influence the direction of a flow through a structure has applications in biological tissues and artificial devices across many scales, from large industrial pipelines to small microfluidic devices., Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:The authors declare no competing interest.

Drawing inspiration from the unique properties of cactus spines and desert beetle shells, we have designed a biomimetic stainless steel mesh specifically for efficient water-in-oil emulsion separation. The tapered arrays of cactus spines are prepared by a light-curing-templating method, and the hydrophobic regions are constructed by adhering hydrophobic silica nanoparticles to the surface of the mesh. This innovative design takes full advantage of the unique properties of these two natural plants, which can agglomerate tiny emulsified water to achieve an emulsion-breaking effect only under static conditions. At the same time, the stainless steel mesh with the conical arrays has a high water-in-oil emulsion separation efficiency (up to 99.6%), high permeance (2400 L·m -2 ·h -1 ·bar -1 ), and good cycling performance. The concept of dual biomimetic explored in this work may extend beyond oil-water separation to encompass various applications, such as fog collection, droplet manipulation, and more.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a pivotal role in tumor progression and is an essential therapeutic target for treating malignant gliomas. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) has the potential to selectively degrade EGFR mRNA, yet its clinical utilization is impeded by various challenges, such as inefficient targeting and limited escape from lysosomes. Our research introduces polyethylene glycol (PEG) and endoplasmic reticulum membrane-coated siEGFR nanoplexes (PEhCv/siEGFR NPs) as an innovative approach to brain glioma therapy by overcoming several obstacles: 1) Tumor-derived endoplasmic reticulum membrane modifications provide a homing effect, facilitating targeted accumulation and cellular uptake; 2) Endoplasmic reticulum membrane proteins mediate a non-degradable "endosome-Golgi-endoplasmic reticulum" transport pathway, circumventing lysosomal degradation. These nanoplexes demonstrated significantly enhanced siEGFR gene silencing in both in vitro and in vivo U87 glioma models. The findings of this study pave the way for the advanced design and effective application of nucleic acid-based therapeutic nanocarriers., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

A masticatory simulator is a mechanical device that mimics the physiological structures of the human oral cavity, chewing movement system, and functions. The advantage of this device lies in real-time tracking and analysis of food boluses within a sealed oral space, offering a direct validation platform for food experiments without constraints related to time, space, and individual variations. The degree to which the masticatory simulator simulates physiological structures reflects its efficacy in replicating oral physiological processes. This review mainly discusses the physiological structures of the oral cavity, the simulation of biomimetic components, and the development, feasibility assessment, applications, and prospects of masticatory simulators in food. The highlight of this review is the analogy of biomimetic component designs in masticatory simulators over the past 15 years. It summarizes the limitations of masticatory simulators and their biomimetic components, proposing potential directions for future development. The purpose of this review is to assist readers in understanding the research progress and latest literature findings on masticatory simulators while also offering insights into the design and innovation of masticatory simulators., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Liver fibrosis, arising from factors such as viral infections or metabolic disorders, represents an ongoing global health challenge and is a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. Unfortunately, there are no clinically approved drugs available for its treatment. Recent studies have illuminated the pivotal role of macrophage recruitment in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis, presenting a potential therapeutic target. Therefore, it holds great promise to develop novel anti-fibrotic therapies capable of inhibiting this process. Herein, a drug-loaded biomimetic nanodecoy (CNV-C) is developed by harnessing genetically engineered cellular vesicles for the treatment of liver fibrosis. CNV-C is equipped with a C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2)-overexpressed surface, enabling it to selectively neutralize elevated levels of C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), thereby reducing macrophage infiltration and the subsequent production of the fibrogenic cytokine transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). Moreover, curcumin, an anti-fibrotic agent, is loaded into CNV-C and delivered to the liver, facilitating its efficacy in suppressing the activation of hepatic stellate cells by blocking the downstream TGF-β/Smad signaling. This combinational therapy ultimately culminates in the alleviation of liver fibrosis in a mouse model induced by carbon tetrachloride. Collectively, the findings provide groundbreaking proof-of-concept for employing genetically modified nanodecoys to manage liver fibrosis, which may usher in a new era of anti-fibrotic treatments., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)