Search

Introduction Chest wall and/or diaphragm reconstruction aims to preserve, restore, or improve respiratory function; conserve anatomical cavities; and upkeep postural and upper extremity support. This can be achieved by utilizing a wide range of different grafts made of synthetic, biological, autologous, or bioartificial materials. We aim to review our experience with decellularized bovine pericardium as graft in the past decade. Patients and Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent surgical chest wall and/or diaphragm repair with decellularized bovine pericardium between January 1, 2012 and January 13, 2022 at our institution. All records were screened for patient characteristics, intra-/postoperative complications, chest tube and analgesic therapy duration, length of hospital stay, presence or absence of redo procedures, as well as morbidity and 30-day mortality. We then looked for correlations between implanted graft size and postoperative complications and gathered further follow-up information at least 2 months after surgery. Results A total of 71 patients either underwent isolated chest wall (n = 51), diaphragm (n = 12), or pericardial (n = 4) resection and reconstruction or a combination thereof. No mortality was recorded within the first 30 days. Major morbidity occurred in 12 patients, comprising secondary respiratory failure requiring bronchoscopy and invasive ventilation in 8 patients and secondary infections and delayed wound healing requiring patch removal in 4 patients. There was no correlation between the extensiveness of the procedure and extubation timing (chi-squared test, p = 0.44) or onset of respiratory failure (p = 0.27). Conclusion A previously demonstrated general viability of biological materials for various reconstructive procedures appears to be supported by our long-term results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of the recent developments in the field of lasing with liquid crystals (LCs) is presented. After an introduction into the principle of lasing the different relevant liquid crystal phases to the field are introduced, namely, the nematic and chiral nematic phase, Blue Phases, twist grain boundary and ferroelectric liquid crystals. The classic examples of liquid crystal lasing are shortly discussed, together with a variety of possibilities for tuning the lasing wavelength, before the modern trends in LC lasing are discussed in detail. These are particularly random lasers, where the effects of nanoparticles, quantum dots and solitons are highlighted, as well as localized surface plasmon resonance. Other modern laser systems that have attracted recent interest, white lasers, whispering gallery mode lasers and those with biological materials, for example, cellulose nanocrystals, are also introduced and the latest developments outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When testing biological samples with atomic force microscopy (AFM) nanoindentation using pyramidal indenters, Sneddon's equation is commonly used for data processing, approximating the indenter as a perfect cone. While more accurate models treat the AFM tip as a blunted cone or pyramid, these are complex and lack a direct relationship between applied force and indentation depth, complicating data analysis. This paper proposes a new equation derived from simple mathematical processes and physics-based criteria. It is accurate for small indentation depths and serves as a viable alternative to complex classical approaches. The proposed equation has been validated for ℎ < 3R (where h is the indentation depth and R is the tip radius) and confirmed through simulations with blunted conical and pyramidal indenters, as well as experiments on prostate cancer cells. It is a reliable method for experiments where the tip radius cannot be ignored, such as in shallow indentations on thin samples to avoid substrate effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The legal norms regulating the collection, storage and processing of human genetic information are aimed at ensuring the proper conduct of genetic research procedures and protecting the participants’ rights. It is particularly important to highlight that national legislation, taking into account international practice, should provide specific methods for collecting biological material, information storage periods and features of its processing. Purpose: to identify the legal characteristics of the collection, storage and processing of genetic information, including legal issues and criteria for modernizing the legislation governing genetic information research. Methods: empirical methods of comparison, description and interpretation, formal-legal, interpreting legal norms. Results: the article considers legal aspects and characteristics of regulating the process and conditions of collection, storage and processing of genetic information; it reveals some problems encountered in genetic research, regarding the storage time of materials and confidentiality in the processing of third-party information. The authors outline ways of improvement to address them.

There has been an increasing recognition of the efficacy of various clay mineral elements in absorbing heavy metallic ions, which can be attributed to their cost-effectiveness, widespread, precise floor area, and remarkable practical groups. A co-pyrolyzing calcite/biochar (CP-CAL/BC) composite was prepared in this study by co-pyrolyzing calcite (CP-CAL) and coconut shell (CS) at 650–750 °C. Several methods were employed to analyze the properties of the synthesized composite. The composite showed efficient adsorption of Pb2+ at a pH of 4.5, primarily by the process of monolayer chemisorption, which is influenced by the composite's pore structure and boundary layer diffusion. After several repeated experiments, it was observed that all of the CP-CAL/BC composites possessed exceptional regeneration capabilities, consistently removing Pb2+ at high rates. The CP-CAL/BC composite produced at 750 °C showed the greatest extent of resistance to corrosion, surpassing all other composites with a decrease in corrosion of 7.298 × 10−6 A/cm2. The present study confirmed that the CP-CAL/BC composite material has efficient adsorption features for Pb2+ and strong regenerative capability. Furthermore, the material synthesized at high temperatures demonstrated superior corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractChirality represents a fundamental attribute within living systems and is a pervasive phenomenon in the natural world. The identification and analysis of chiral materials within natural environments and biological systems hold paramount importance in clinical, chemical, and biological sciences. Within chiral analysis, there is a burgeoning focus on developing chiral sensors exhibiting exceptional selectivity, sensitivity, and stability, marking it as a forefront area of research. In the past decade (2013–2023), approximately 1990 papers concerning the application of various chiral materials in chiral sensors have been published. Biological materials and nanomaterials have important applications in the development of chiral sensors, which accounting for 26.67% and 45.24% of the material-related applications in these sensors, respectively; moreover, the development of chiral nanomaterials is closely related to the development of portable and stable chiral sensors. Natural chiral materials, utilized as selective recognition units, are combined with carriers characterized by good physical and chemical properties through functionalization to form various functional chiral materials, which improve the recognition efficiency of chiral sensors. In this article, from the perspective of biological materials, polymer materials, nanomaterials, and other functional chiral materials, the applications of chiral sensors are summarized and the research prospects of chiral sensors are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much progress has been made in hydrovoltaic materials and devices. However, the power conversion efficiency of hydrovoltaic devices is still low. One of the main factors that determine the efficiency is the properties of hydrovoltaic materials. Herein, the research status of hydrovoltaic materials is summarized from the perspectives of synthetic materials, macroscopic biomaterials, and micro biomaterials, as well as the hydrovoltaic devices based on these materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flower pollen collected by honey bees is a rich source of bioactive peptides (BPs). Different carriers such as maltodextrin (MD), gum Arabic (GA), and β-cyclodextrin (βCD) and their combinations were used for encapsulation of BPs from sunflower pollen protein (SPP). Different physicochemical, antioxidant, functional, structural and morphological properties of the obtained microparticles were evaluated. The amino acid composition of SPP and the derived peptides revealed a high proportion of hydrophobic (∼40%), antioxidant (∼18%), and essential (∼31%) amino acids, indicating their biological potential. Among the microencapsulated samples, the MD-βCD composition exhibited the highest production efficiency (∼65%) and improved physicochemical properties, such as microbial stability, density, flowability, wettability, and solubility, compared to the spray-dried free peptides (free SD-BPs) without a carrier. The encapsulation process helped to maintain the structural integrity of the microparticles and reduced moisture absorption. The SPP-derived peptides encapsulated in MD-βCD also demonstrated potent antioxidant activity, inhibiting ABTS+ (∼75%) and DPPH- (∼69%) free radicals. The results suggest that the BPs obtained from sunflower pollen can be a valuable ingredient for enriching various food products due to their favorable nutritional, functional, and antioxidant properties.

The search for new technologies and related new biological materials for use in the cosmetics industry requires many studies and analyses of not only chemical but also physical properties. This study attempts to assess the properties of soap produced with the addition of crushed hazelnut shells. This additive is intended to improve the friction properties of the soap, which in turn enhances the quality of removing impurities from the skin. Friction tests for wet and dry skin were performed on an appropriately designed measuring station using the Texture Analyser XT plus device. The obtained results indicate an increase in dynamic friction value compared to the control sample. This work proposes an unconventional use of ground hazelnut shells as one of the additives in soap production to improve its quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of biological materials and bio‐inspired materials science is well established; however, surprisingly little knowledge is systematically translated to engineering solutions. To accelerate discovery and guide insights, an open‐source autoregressive transformer large language model (LLM), BioinspiredLLM, is reported. The model is finetuned with a corpus of over a thousand peer‐reviewed articles in the field of structural biological and bio‐inspired materials and can be prompted to recall information, assist with research tasks, and function as an engine for creativity. The model has proven that it is able to accurately recall information about biological materials and is further strengthened with enhanced reasoning ability, as well as with Retrieval‐Augmented Generation (RAG) to incorporate new data during generation that can also help to traceback sources, update the knowledge base, and connect knowledge domains. BioinspiredLLM also has shown to develop sound hypotheses regarding biological materials design and remarkably so for materials that have never been explicitly studied before. Lastly, the model shows impressive promise in collaborating with other generative artificial intelligence models in a workflow that can reshape the traditional materials design process. This collaborative generative artificial intelligence method can stimulate and enhance bio‐inspired materials design workflows. Biological materials are at a critical intersection of multiple scientific fields and models like BioinspiredLLM help to connect knowledge domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eXtended finite element method (XFEM) is a powerful tool for structural mechanics, assisting engineers and designers in understanding how a material architecture responds to stresses and consequently assisting the creation of mechanically improved structures. The XFEM method has unraveled the extraordinary relationships between material topology and fracture behavior in biological and engineered materials, enhancing peculiar fracture toughening mechanisms, such as crack deflection and arrest. Despite its extensive use, a detailed revision of case studies involving XFEM with a focus on the applications rather than the method of numerical modeling is in great need. In this review, XFEM is introduced and briefly compared to other computational fracture models such as the contour integral method, virtual crack closing technique, cohesive zone model, and phase-field model, highlighting the pros and cons of the methods (e.g., numerical convergence, commercial software implementation, pre-set of crack parameters, and calculation speed). The use of XFEM in material design is demonstrated and discussed, focusing on presenting the current research on composites and biological and bioinspired materials, but also briefly introducing its application to other fields. This review concludes with a discussion of the XFEM drawbacks and provides an overview of the future perspectives of this method in applied material science research, such as the merging of XFEM and artificial intelligence techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of people have been reported with tendon injuries each year. Unfortunately, Tendon injuries are increasing rapidly due to heavy exercise and a highly aging population. In addition, the introduction of 3D‐printing technology in the area of tendon repair and replacement has resolved numerous issues and significantly improved the quality of artificial tendons. This advancement has also enabled us to explore and identify the most effective combinations of biomaterials that can be utilized in this field. This review discusses the recent development of the 3D‐printed artificial tendon; where recently, some research investigated the most suitable pore sizes, diameter, and strength for scaffolds to have high tendon cells ingrowth and proliferation, giving a better understanding of the effects of densities and structure patterns on tendon's mechanical properties. In addition, it presents the divergence between 3D‐printed tendons and other tissue and how the different 3D‐printing techniques and models participated in this development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cholla cactus is a species of cacti that survives in arid environments and produces a unique mesh-like porous wood. In this article, we present a comprehensive investigation on the hierarchical structure and micromechanical properties of the Cholla cactus wood. Multiple approaches consisting of X-ray tomography, scanning electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, nanoindentation, and finite element simulations were used to gain insight into the structure, property, and design principles of the Cholla cactus wood. The microstructure of the Cholla cactus wood consists of different components, including vessels, rays, and fibers. In the present study, we quantitatively describe the structure of each of these wood components and their likely functions, both from the perspective of biological and mechanical behavior. Nanoindentation experiments revealed for the first time that the cell walls of the fibers exhibit stiffness and hardness higher than those of rays. Furthermore, the idea of making porous, thin-walled cylinders was abstracted from the design of vessel elements, and the structures inspired by this principle were studied in tensile and torsional loading conditions using finite element simulations. Finite element simulations revealed that the utilization of a larger volume of material to carry the load leads to an increase in toughness of these structures, and thus suggested that the pores should be architected to maximize the distribution of load. The Cholla cactus wood possess a unique hierarchical structure that enables it to thrive in arid environments. Our correlative microscopy approach reveals incredible strategies that individual wood components exhibit to enable the survival of Cholla cactus in extreme environments. The present work quantifies the microstructure and mechanical properties of this very interesting natural system. We further investigate a design principle inspired by the vessel elements, one of the wood components of Cholla cactus, using finite element simulations. The study presented here advances our understanding of the structural significance of Cholla cactus and potentially other desert plants and will further help design architected structural materials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When testing biological samples with atomic force microscopy (AFM) nanoindentation using pyramidal indenters, Sneddon’s equation is commonly used for data processing, approximating the indenter as a perfect cone. While more accurate models treat the AFM tip as a blunted cone or pyramid, these are complex and lack a direct relationship between applied force and indentation depth, complicating data analysis. This paper proposes a new equation derived from simple mathematical processes and physics-based criteria. It is accurate for small indentation depths and serves as a viable alternative to complex classical approaches. The proposed equation has been validated for ℎ < 3R (where h is the indentation depth and R is the tip radius) and confirmed through simulations with blunted conical and pyramidal indenters, as well as experiments on prostate cancer cells. It is a reliable method for experiments where the tip radius cannot be ignored, such as in shallow indentations on thin samples to avoid substrate effects.

Bamboo nodes play a crucial role in ensuring the strength of hollow-structured bamboo, but compared with the internodes of unidirectional fiber structures, their structural which has discontinuous fiber characteristics are less understood. Here, we studied the structure-performance-fracture relationship between the internodes and nodes of bamboo. We examined the spatial heterogeneity of bamboo nodes through a three-dimensional reconstruction imaging strategy. We combined pendulum impact and high-speed photography with scanning electron microscopy to explore the regular fracture mechanism of bamboo nodes and compare it with internodes. An increase in slightly convex and ridged bamboo nodes occurred because there were thicker fiber bundles at the bamboo nodes. This caused fiber bundles to be deflected towards both sides instead of following a straight line. The bamboo nodes were more prone to regular fracture due to the discontinuous characteristics of fibers at bamboo nodes and the large void defects in the cross-section of node ridges, which destroyed the longitudinal continuity of thin-walled cells and fibers. In addition, under an impact, the main fracture mode of bamboo nodes was surface-penetrating fracture, and the main fracture modes between nodes included fiber pulling, fiber pulling out, and fiber bridging. This study provides a more in-depth understanding of bamboo and practical guidance for its development and applications in engineering structure.

The equine hoof wall has a complex, hierarchical structure that can inspire designs of impact-resistant materials. In this study, we utilized micro-computed tomography (μ-CT) and serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) to image the microstructure and nanostructure of the hoof wall. We quantified the morphology of tubular medullary cavities by measuring equivalent diameter, surface area, volume, and sphericity. High-resolution μ-CT revealed that tubules are partially or fully filled with tissue near the exterior surface and become progressively empty towards the inner part of the hoof wall. Thin bridges were detected within the medullary cavity, starting in the middle section of the hoof wall and increasing in density and thickness towards the inner part. Porosity was measured using three-dimensional (3D) μ-CT, two-dimensional (2D) μ-CT, and a helium pycnometer. The highest porosity was obtained using the helium pycnometer (8.07%), followed by 3D (3.47%) and 2D (2.98%) μ-CT. SBF-SEM captured the 3D structure of the hoof wall at the nanoscale, showing that the tubule wall is not solid, but has nano-sized pores, which explains the higher porosity obtained using the helium pycnometer. The results of this investigation provide morphological information on the hoof wall for the future development of hoof-inspired materials and offer a novel perspective on how various measurement methods can influence the quantification of porosity.

Abstract The study of biological materials and bio‐inspired materials science is well established; however, surprisingly little knowledge is systematically translated to engineering solutions. To accelerate discovery and guide insights, an open‐source autoregressive transformer large language model (LLM), BioinspiredLLM, is reported. The model is finetuned with a corpus of over a thousand peer‐reviewed articles in the field of structural biological and bio‐inspired materials and can be prompted to recall information, assist with research tasks, and function as an engine for creativity. The model has proven that it is able to accurately recall information about biological materials and is further strengthened with enhanced reasoning ability, as well as with Retrieval‐Augmented Generation (RAG) to incorporate new data during generation that can also help to traceback sources, update the knowledge base, and connect knowledge domains. BioinspiredLLM also has shown to develop sound hypotheses regarding biological materials design and remarkably so for materials that have never been explicitly studied before. Lastly, the model shows impressive promise in collaborating with other generative artificial intelligence models in a workflow that can reshape the traditional materials design process. This collaborative generative artificial intelligence method can stimulate and enhance bio‐inspired materials design workflows. Biological materials are at a critical intersection of multiple scientific fields and models like BioinspiredLLM help to connect knowledge domains.

The bone defect caused by fracture, bone tumor, infection, and other causes is not only a problematic point in clinical treatment but also one of the hot issues in current research. The development of bone tissue engineering provides a new way to repair bone defects. Many animal experimental and rising clinical application studies have shown their excellent application prospects. The construction of rapid vascularization of tissue-engineered bone is the main bottleneck and critical factor in repairing bone defects. The rapid establishment of vascular networks early after biomaterial implantation can provide sufficient nutrients and transport metabolites. If the slow formation of the local vascular network results in a lack of blood supply, the osteogenesis process will be delayed or even unable to form new bone. The researchers modified the scaffold material by changing the physical and chemical properties of the scaffold material, loading the growth factor sustained release system, and combining it with trace elements so that it can promote early angiogenesis in the process of induced bone regeneration, which is beneficial to the whole process of bone regeneration. This article reviews the local vascular microenvironment in the process of bone defect repair and the current methods of improving scaffold materials and promoting vascularization.

As artificial synapse devices, memristors have attracted widespread attention in the field of neuromorphic computing. In this paper, Al/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)/egg albumen (EA)–graphene quantum dots (GQDs)/PMMA/indium tin oxide (ITO) electrically/optically tunable biomemristors were fabricated using the egg protein as a dielectric layer. The electrons in the GQDs were injected from the quantum dots into the dielectric layer or into the adjacent quantum dots under the excitation of light, and the EA–GQDs dielectric layer formed a pathway composed of GQDs for electronic transmission. The device successfully performed nine brain synaptic functions: excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC), paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), short-term potentiation (STP), short-term depression (STD), the transition from short-term plasticity to long-term plasticity, spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP), spike-rate-dependent plasticity (SRDP), the process of learning, forgetting, and relearning, and Pavlov associative memory under UV light stimulation. The successful simulation of the synaptic behavior of this device provides the possibility for biomaterials to realize neuromorphic computing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Samples relevant to fields such as chemical engineering, soft matter research, environmental studies and biology can be studied with respect to their material properties by characterizing the molecular mobility of the sample itself or of fluids interacting with the sample. This mini review aims to illustrate the versatility and power of NMR diffusometry in obtaining relevant material information provided by diffusion for a selection of different samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inherent membrane tension of biological materials could vitally affect their responses to contact loading but is generally ignored in existing indentation analysis. In this paper, the authors theoretically investigate the contact stiffness of axisymmetric indentations of elastic solids covered with thin tensed membranes. When the indentation size decreases to the same order as the ratio of membrane tension to elastic modulus, the contact stiffness accounting for the effect of membrane tension becomes much higher than the prediction of conventional contact theory. An explicit expression is derived for the contact stiffness, which is universal for axisymmetric indentations using indenters of arbitrary convex profiles. On this basis, a simple method of analysis is proposed to estimate the membrane tension and elastic modulus of biological materials from the indentation load-depth data, which is successfully applied to analyze the indentation experiments of cells and lungs. This study might be helpful for the comprehensive assessment of the mechanical properties of soft biological systems. This paper highlights the crucial effect of the inherent membrane tension on the indentation response of soft biomaterials, which has been generally ignored in existing analysis of experiments. For typical indentation tests on cells and organs, the contact stiffness can be twice or higher than the prediction of conventional contact model. A universal expression of the contact stiffness accounting for the membrane tension effect is derived. On this basis, a simple method of analysis is proposed to abstract the membrane tension of biomaterials from the experimentally recorded indentation load-depth data. With this method, the elasticity of soft biomaterials can be characterized more comprehensively. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ureteral stents are commonly used medical devices for the treatment of urinary system diseases. However, while providing benefits to patients, they often give rise to various issues, with stent encrustation being a major concern for clinical physicians. This phenomenon involves the formation of attached stones on the stent’s surface, leading to potential complications such as increased fragility and laxity of the ureter, difficulties in stent removal, and a higher risk of stent fracture. Therefore, this review starts from the pathological mechanisms of stone formation and discusses in detail the two major mechanisms of stent encrustation: the conditioning film and the biofilm pathway. It also examines multiple risk factors associated with ureteral stents and patients. Furthermore, the review updates the research progress on the structure, materials, and bio-coatings of ureteral stents in the prevention and treatment of stent encrustation. It presents new insights into the prevention and treatment of stent encrustation. This includes individualized and comprehensive clinical guidance, the use of novel materials, and early intervention based on physiological and pathological considerations. Ultimately, the study offers an encompassing overview of the advancements in research within this field and provides the latest insights into strategies for preventing and treating stent encrustation.

Structural disclosure of biological materials can help our understanding of design disciplines in nature and inspire research for artificial materials. Synchrotron microfocus X-ray diffraction is one of the main techniques for characterizing hierarchically structured biological materials, especially the 3D orientation distribution of their interpenetrating nanofiber networks. However, extraction of 3D fiber orientation from X-ray patterns is still carried out by iterative parametric fitting, with disadvantages of time consumption and demand for expertise and initial parameter estimates. When faced with high-throughput experiments, existing analysis methods cannot meet the real time analysis challenges. In this work, using the assumption that the X-ray illuminated volume is dominated by two groups of nanofibers in a gradient biological composite, a machine-learning based method is proposed for fast and automatic fiber orientation metrics prediction from synchrotron X-ray micro-focused diffraction data. The simulated data were corrupted in the training procedure to guarantee the prediction ability of the trained machine-learning algorithm in real-world experimental data predictions. Label transformation was used to resolve the jump discontinuity problem when predicting angle parameters. The proposed method shows promise for application in the automatic data-processing pipeline for fast analysis of the vast data generated from multiscale diffraction-based tomography characterization of textured biomaterials.

Hertzian mechanics is the most frequently used theory for data processing in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) indentation experiments on soft biological samples, due to its simplicity and significant scientific results previously published. For instance, using the Hertz model, it has been proven that there are significant differences in the mechanical properties of normal and cancerous tissues and that cancer cells’ invasive properties are correlated with their nanomechanical properties. However, many scientists are skeptical regarding the applicability of the Hertz theory to biological materials, as they are highly heterogeneous. The main critical question to be addressed is “what do we calculate” when fitting the force-indentation data to Hertz equations. Previous studies have shown that when using cylindrical, parabolic, or conical indenters, the fitting parameter is the average Young’s modulus. In this paper, it is demonstrated that it is also valid to fit equations derived from Hertzian mechanics to force-indentation data when testing soft, heterogeneous samples for any indenter geometry. The fitting factor calculated through this approach always represents the average Young’s modulus for a specific indentation depth. Therefore, Hertzian mechanics can be extended to soft heterogeneous materials, regardless of the indenter’s shape.

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a powerful tool for determining the mechanical properties of soft materials at the nanoscale. When using spherical indenters, the data is usually fitted to the classic Hertzian equation which is valid for parabolic indenters, or spherical indenters for small indentation depths compared to the tip radius (i.e. h/R«1). However, for bigger indentation depths, more complex equations should be used for data fitting. In this paper, a straightforward energy-based approach is proposed to determine the Young's modulus of soft samples without the need for a fitting procedure. By calculating the integral of the function that relates the force to the indentation depth for deep spherical indentations, an equation was derived that relates the work done by the indenter (W) to the h/R ratio. The Young's modulus (E) can be easily determined by calculating the work done by the indenter (which is equal to the area under the force-indentation data) and using a function that depends on the h/R ratio (i.e., X = f (h/R)). In this dataset article, the function X = f (h/R) and a table including the X-values corresponding to different h/R values in the domain 0 ≤ h/R ≤ 5 are presented. An example demonstrating indentation experiments on an agarose gel is also included. This proposed approach represents the simplest way to generate Young's modulus maps, as it only requires calculating the area under the force-indentation data and using the X-values presented in this dataset article.

The analysis and design of materials is often a slow process that may take weeks, months, or years, and many current material platforms rely on expensive raw material sources that fail to achieve sustainability goals. Meanwhile, bio-inspired Materials Informatics--fueled by emerging techniques such as multiscale modeling, machine learning, and autonomous experimentation--is transforming the way materials are understood, discovered, developed, and selected. The impact of these tools is particularly noteworthy since they can be used to develop materials with fewer resources and with greater societal impact. A field that would strongly benefit from the use of Materials Informatics tools is that of structural biological materials, where mechanical properties are crucial for biological and engineering properties for species survival such as fracture-resistant armor against predators, elastic recovery for repeated loadings, or mechanical actuation capacity. Generations of researchers have studied biological materials for their fascinating structure-property relationships that make up their impressive properties, including mechanical resilience. Despite the accumulation of scientific knowledge, relatively little has been translated to generating engineered bio-inspired materials. Addressing this gap, emerging Materials Informatics tools can now be used to make use of legacy data, newly collected empirical observations, and predictive models to make significant advances in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a powerful tool for characterizing biological materials at the nanoscale utilizing the AFM nanoindentation method. When testing biological materials, spherical indenters are typically employed to reduce the possibility of damaging the sample. The accuracy of determining Young's modulus depends, among other factors, on the calibration of the indenter, i.e., the determination of the tip radius. This paper demonstrates that the tip radius can be approximately calculated using a single force–indentation curve on an unknown, soft sample without performing any additional experimental calibration process. The proposed method is based on plotting a tangent line on the force indentation curve at the maximum indentation depth. Subsequently, using equations that relate the applied force, maximum indentation depth, and the tip radius, the calculation of the tip radius becomes trivial. It is significant to note that the method requires only a single force–indentation curve and does not necessitate knowledge of the sample's Young's modulus. Consequently, the determination of both the sample's Young's modulus and the tip radius can be performed simultaneously. Thus, the experimental effort is significantly reduced. The method was tested on 80 force–indentation curves obtained on an agarose gel, and the results were accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the most suitable potential clean energy power generation technology, biophotovoltaics (BPV) not only inherits the advantages of traditional photovoltaics, such as safety, reliability and no noise, but also solves the disadvantages of high pollution and high energy consumption in the manufacturing process, providing new functions of self-repair and natural degradation. The basic idea of BPV is to collect light energy and generate electric energy by using photosynthetic autotrophs or their parts, and the core is how these biological materials can quickly and low-loss transfer electrons to the anode through mediators after absorbing light energy and generating electrons. In this mini-review, we summarized the biological materials widely used in BPV at present, mainly cyanobacteria, green algae, biological combinations (using multiple microorganisms in the same BPV system) and isolated products (purified thylakoids, chloroplasts, photosystem I, photosystem II), introduced how researchers overcome the shortcomings of low photocurrent output of BPV, pointed out the limitations that affected the development of BPV’ biological materials, and put forward reasonable assumptions accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroelectricity in biological system has been anticipated both theoretically and experimentally over the past few decades. Claims of ferroelectricity in biological systems have given rise to confusion and methodological controversy. Over the years, a "loop" of induced polarization in response to a varying applied electrical field and a consequent polarization reversal has prompted many researchers to claim ferroelectricity in biological structures and their building blocks. Other observers were skeptical about the methodology adopted in generating the data and questioned the validity of the claimed ferroelectricity as such, "loop" can also be obtained from linear capacitors. In a paper with somewhat tongue-in-cheek title, Jim Scott showed that ordinary banana peels could exhibit closed loops of electrical charge which closely resemble and thus could be misinterpreted as ferroelectric hysteresis loops in barium sodium niobate, BNN paraphrasing it as "banana". In this paper, we critically review ferroelectricity in biological system and argue that knowing the molecular and crystalline structure of biological building blocks and experimenting on such building blocks may be the way forward in revealing the "true" nature of ferroelectricity in biological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern material design aims to achieve multifunctionality through integrating structures in a diverse range, resulting in simple materials with embedded functions. Biological materials and organisms are typical examples of this concept, where complex functionalities are achieved through a limited material base. This review highlights the multiscale structural and functional integration of representative natural organisms and materials, as well as biomimetic examples. The impact, wear, and crush resistance properties exhibited by mantis shrimp and ironclad beetle during predation or resistance offer valuable inspiration for the development of structural materials in the aerospace field. Investigating cyanobacteria that thrive in extreme environments can contribute to developing living materials that can serve in places like Mars. The exploration of shape memory and the self-repairing properties of spider silk and mussels, as well as the investigation of sensing–actuating and sensing–camouflage mechanisms in Banksias, chameleons, and moths, holds significant potential for the optimization of soft robot designs. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of mussel and gecko adhesion mechanisms can have a profound impact on medical fields, including tissue engineering and drug delivery. In conclusion, the integration of structure and function is crucial for driving innovations and breakthroughs in modern engineering materials and their applications. The gaps between current biomimetic designs and natural organisms are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hertzian mechanics is the most frequently used theory for data processing in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) indentation experiments on soft biological samples, due to its simplicity and significant scientific results previously published. For instance, using the Hertz model, it has been proven that there are significant differences in the mechanical properties of normal and cancerous tissues and that cancer cells' invasive properties are correlated with their nanomechanical properties. However, many scientists are skeptical regarding the applicability of the Hertz theory to biological materials, as they are highly heterogeneous. The main critical question to be addressed is "what do we calculate" when fitting the force-indentation data to Hertz equations. Previous studies have shown that when using cylindrical, parabolic, or conical indenters, the fitting parameter is the average Young's modulus. In this paper, it is demonstrated that it is also valid to fit equations derived from Hertzian mechanics to force-indentation data when testing soft, heterogeneous samples for any indenter geometry. The fitting factor calculated through this approach always represents the average Young's modulus for a specific indentation depth. Therefore, Hertzian mechanics can be extended to soft heterogeneous materials, regardless of the indenter's shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) fibers have great application prospects in medicine, textiles, optoelectronics, and other fields. However, under the synergistic action of ultraviolet, oxygen, and water, RSF will inevitably become brittle, which will greatly shorten the service life of RSF. Therefore, it is urgent to find some methods to protect RSF from aging damage. Cerium dioxide nanoparticles have a strong ultraviolet absorption and antioxidant capacity and have been used as an anti‐aging component for other biomaterials. Thus, the RSF/CeO2 NPs hybrid fibers were successfully prepared, and a series of artificial aging tests were carried out. Mechanical property is an important index to measure the aging degree. After aging, compared with RSF, the stress of RSF/CeO2 NPs hybrid fibers was increased by 130.47 ± 4.78 MPa, and the strain of RSF/CeO2 NPs hybrid fibers was increased by 69.89% ± 1.37%. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–Vis, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis discussed the protective mechanism of CeO2 NPs, which prevent the transition from β‐sheet to α‐helix/random coil and the disorder of structure. Furthermore, RSF/CeO2 NPs hybrid fibers have an excellent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria; the antioxidant activity of RSF/CeO2 NPs hybrid fibers is gradually enhanced in the presence of UV‐light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most advanced, promising, and commercially viable research issues in the world of hydrogel dressing is gaining functionality to achieve improved therapeutic impact or even intelligent wound repair. In addition to the merits of ordinary hydrogel dressings, functional hydrogel dressings can adjust their chemical/physical properties to satisfy different wound types, carry out the corresponding reactions to actively create a healing environment conducive to wound repair, and can also control drug release to provide a long-lasting benefit. Although a lot of in-depth research has been conducted over the last few decades, very few studies have been properly summarized. In order to give researchers a basic blueprint for designing functional hydrogel dressings and to motivate them to develop ever-more intelligent wound dressings, we summarized the development of functional hydrogel dressings in recent years, as well as the current situation and future trends, in light of their preparation mechanisms and functional effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional capacities of lead halide perovskites are strongly dependent on their morphology, crystallographic texture, and internal ultrastructure on the nano‐ and the meso‐scale. In the last decade, significant efforts are directed towards the development of novel synthesis routes that would overcome the morphological constraints provided by the physical and crystallographic properties of these materials. In contrast, various living organisms, such as unicellular algae, have the ability to mold biogenic crystals into a vast variety of intricate nano‐architectured shapes while keeping their single crystalline nature. Here, using the cell wall of the dinoflagellate L. granifera as a model, sustainably harvested biogenic calcite is successfully transformed into nano‐structured perovskites. Three variants of lead halide perovskites CH3NH3PbX3 are generated with X = Cl−, Br− and I−; exhibiting emission peak‐wavelength ranging from blue, to green, to near‐infrared, respectively. The approach can be used for the mass production of nano‐architectured perovskites with desired morphological, textural and, consequently, physical properties exploiting the numerous templates provided by calcite forming unicellular organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Theory of Critical Distances (TCD) has undoubtedly represented a breakthrough in the brittle failure assessment of engineering materials containing defects, crack, or notches. The basic idea on which the simplest formulation of the TCD is based is to evaluate an effective stress at a characteristic distance from the tip of the defect/crack/notch and compare it with an inherent fracture strength. Is the critical distance related to the material (micro) structure? Whereas a correlation was already proved for homogeneous materials, the current attention to nonhomogeneous ones has brought the question back to the fore. The goal of the present work is therefore twofold: (i) to extend the use of the TCD, through the simple yet effective Point Method (PM), for the static failure assessment of inhomogeneous materials, such as cellular, biological, and additively manufactured (AM) materials; and (ii) to look for a correlation between critical distance and internal (micro) structure. Highlights: The use of TCD is extended to the static assessment of inhomogeneous materials.The failure behavior of natural, biological, and AM materials is investigated.PM failure predictions are generally included in an error interval of ±10%.The critical distance L is related to the material microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroelectricity in biological system has been anticipated both theoretically and experimentally over the past few decades. Claims of ferroelectricity in biological systems have given rise to confusion and methodological controversy. Over the years, a “loop” of induced polarization in response to a varying applied electrical field and a consequent polarization reversal has prompted many researchers to claim ferroelectricity in biological structures and their building blocks. Other observers were skeptical about the methodology adopted in generating the data and questioned the validity of the claimed ferroelectricity as such, “loop” can also be obtained from linear capacitors. In a paper with somewhat tongue-in-cheek title, Jim Scott showed that ordinary banana peels could exhibit closed loops of electrical charge which closely resemble and thus could be misinterpreted as ferroelectric hysteresis loops in barium sodium niobate, BNN paraphrasing it as “banana”. In this paper, we critically review ferroelectricity in biological system and argue that knowing the molecular and crystalline structure of biological building blocks and experimenting on such building blocks may be the way forward in revealing the “true” nature of ferroelectricity in biological systems.

The potential applications of fungi in the development of new biomaterials derived from fungal mycelium have captured the attention from both the scientific community and the society. The notable ability of mycelium networks to self-construct and aggregate can be used to produce diverse biomaterials. These biomaterials can be created in a pure state, or both in conjunction with other organic/inorganic compounds. Recent advancements in mycomaterials have gained attention due to their sustainability and mechanical, thermogravimetric, and compression properties. Such properties contribute to reducing the reliance on environmentally problematic substrates within the industry. After a standardized and comprehensive review of publications on mycomaterials across different fields, such as biology, health, agriculture, engineering, and material sciences, we detected that publications on this theme are utterly scattered. This critical review enabled us to also propose a novel classification system for these fungal-derived materials to help to structure and standardize this emerging transdisciplinary field of knowledge.

Bioinspired composites have become an increasingly popular area of research in materials science, as they offer a promising approach to developing high-performance materials. By drawing inspiration from the structures and properties of natural materials, researchers can design composites with enhanced mechanical, thermal, and other properties. This review article discusses the lessons that can be learned from nature for materials design and performance, with a focus on the structures and properties of biological materials such as bone, spider silk, and nacre. We explore the key mechanisms that give these materials their unique properties, including hierarchical structures, nanoscale building blocks, and interfacial interactions. By understanding these mechanisms, researchers can develop new materials with improved strength, toughness, and other desirable properties. We also discuss the potential applications of bioinspired composites in fields such as aerospace, engineering, and biomedical science. Overall, this review highlights the importance of nature as a source of inspiration for materials design and provides insights into the development of high-performance composites.

Abstract Functional capacities of lead halide perovskites are strongly dependent on their morphology, crystallographic texture, and internal ultrastructure on the nano‐ and the meso‐scale. In the last decade, significant efforts are directed towards the development of novel synthesis routes that would overcome the morphological constraints provided by the physical and crystallographic properties of these materials. In contrast, various living organisms, such as unicellular algae, have the ability to mold biogenic crystals into a vast variety of intricate nano‐architectured shapes while keeping their single crystalline nature. Here, using the cell wall of the dinoflagellate L. granifera as a model, sustainably harvested biogenic calcite is successfully transformed into nano‐structured perovskites. Three variants of lead halide perovskites CH3NH3PbX3 are generated with X = Cl−, Br− and I−; exhibiting emission peak‐wavelength ranging from blue, to green, to near‐infrared, respectively. The approach can be used for the mass production of nano‐architectured perovskites with desired morphological, textural and, consequently, physical properties exploiting the numerous templates provided by calcite forming unicellular organisms.

Although short bamboo nodes function in mechanical support and fluid exchange for bamboo survival, their structures are not fully understood compared to unidirectional fibrous internodes. Here, we identify the spatial heterostructure of the bamboo node via multiscale imaging strategies and investigate its mechanical properties by multimodal mechanical tests. We find three kinds of hierarchical fiber reinforcement schemes that originate from the bamboo node, including spatially tightened interlocking, triaxial interconnected scaffolding and isotropic intertwining. These reinforcement schemes, built on porous vascular bundles, microfibers and more-refined twist-aligned nanofibers, govern the structural stability of the bamboo via hierarchical toughening. In addition, the spatial liquid transport associated with these multiscale fibers within the bamboo node is experimentally verified, which gives perceptible evidence for life-indispensable multidirectional fluid exchange. The functional integration of mechanical reinforcement and liquid transport reflects the fact that the bamboo node has opted for elaborate structural optimization rather than ingredient richness. This study will advance our understanding of biological materials and provide insight into the design of fiber-reinforced structures and biomass utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the technological processes requiring mild treatment, such as soft materials processing or medical applications, an important role is played by non-equilibrium plasma reactors with dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), that when generated in noble gases allows for the effective treatment of biological material at a low temperature. The aim of this study is to determine the operating parameters of an atmospheric pressure, radio-frequency DBD plasma jet reactor for the precise treatment of biological materials. The tested parameters were the shape of the discharge (its length and volume), current and voltage signals, as well as the power consumed by the reactor for various composition and flow rates of the working gas. To determine the applicability in medicine, the temperature, pH, concentrations of H2O2, NO2− and NO3− and Escherichia coli log reduction in the plasma treated liquids were determined. The obtained results show that for certain operating parameters, a narrow shape of plasma stream can generate significant amounts of H2O2, allowing for the mild decontamination of bacteria at a relatively low power of the system, safe for the treatment of biological materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ureteral stents are commonly used medical devices for the treatment of urinary system diseases. However, while providing benefits to patients, they often give rise to various issues, with stent encrustation being a major concern for clinical physicians. This phenomenon involves the formation of attached stones on the stent’s surface, leading to potential complications such as increased fragility and laxity of the ureter, difficulties in stent removal, and a higher risk of stent fracture. Therefore, this review starts from the pathological mechanisms of stone formation and discusses in detail the two major mechanisms of stent encrustation: the conditioning film and the biofilm pathway. It also examines multiple risk factors associated with ureteral stents and patients. Furthermore, the review updates the research progress on the structure, materials, and bio-coatings of ureteral stents in the prevention and treatment of stent encrustation. It presents new insights into the prevention and treatment of stent encrustation. This includes individualized and comprehensive clinical guidance, the use of novel materials, and early intervention based on physiological and pathological considerations. Ultimately, the study offers an encompassing overview of the advancements in research within this field and provides the latest insights into strategies for preventing and treating stent encrustation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential applications of fungi in the development of new biomaterials derived from fungal mycelium have captured the attention from both the scientific community and the society. The notable ability of mycelium networks to self-construct and aggregate can be used to produce diverse biomaterials. These biomaterials can be created in a pure state, or both in conjunction with other organic/inorganic compounds. Recent advancements in mycomaterials have gained attention due to their sustainability and mechanical, thermogravimetric, and compression properties. Such properties contribute to reducing the reliance on environmentally problematic substrates within the industry. After a standardized and comprehensive review of publications on mycomaterials across different fields, such as biology, health, agriculture, engineering, and material sciences, we detected that publications on this theme are utterly scattered. This critical review enabled us to also propose a novel classification system for these fungal-derived materials to help to structure and standardize this emerging transdisciplinary field of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel additive manufacturing techniques are revolutionizing fields of industry providing more dimensions to control and the versatility of fabricating multi-material products. Medical applications hold great promise to manufacture constructs of mixed biologically compatible materials together with functional cells and tissues. We reviewed technologies and promising developments nurturing innovation of physiologically relevant models to study safety of chemicals that are hard to reproduce in current models, or diseases for which there are no models available. Extrusion-, inkjet- and laser-assisted bioprinting are the most used techniques. Hydrogels as constituents of bioinks and biomaterial inks are the most versatile materials to recreate physiological and pathophysiological microenvironments. The highlighted bioprinted models were chosen because they guarantee post-printing cellular viability while maintaining desirable mechanical properties of their constitutive bioinks or biomaterial inks to ensure their printability. Bioprinting is being readily adopted to overcome ethical concerns of in vivo models and improve the automation, reproducibility, geometry stability of traditional in vitro models. The challenges for advancing the technological level readiness of bioprinting require overcoming heterogeneity, microstructural complexity, dynamism and integration with other models, to generate multi-organ platforms that can inform about biological responses to chemical exposure, disease development and efficacy of novel therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wound management is crucial yet imposes substantial social and economic burdens on patients and healthcare systems. The recent rapid advancements in biomaterials and manufacturing technology have created favorable conditions for expediting wound healing. This review examines the latest developments in biomacromolecule-based wound dressings, with a particular focus on proteins and polysaccharides, and their role in modulating the wound microenvironment. The importance of extracellular matrix (ECM)-inspired materials, such as hydrogels and biomimetic dressings, is emphasized. Additionally, this review explores the functionalization of wound dressings, emphasizing properties such as hemostatic capabilities, pain relief, antimicrobial activity, and innovative smart functions like electroceuticals and wound condition monitoring. The study integrates discussions on both the macroscopic healing outcomes and the microscopic pathophysiological mechanisms, highlighting recent advances in managing wound environments to expedite healing. Finally, the review critically assesses the challenges associated with the clinical translation of these wound-healing materials in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As artificial synapse devices, memristors have attracted widespread attention in the field of neuromorphic computing. In this paper, Al/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)/egg albumen (EA)–graphene quantum dots (GQDs)/PMMA/indium tin oxide (ITO) electrically/optically tunable biomemristors were fabricated using the egg protein as a dielectric layer. The electrons in the GQDs were injected from the quantum dots into the dielectric layer or into the adjacent quantum dots under the excitation of light, and the EA–GQDs dielectric layer formed a pathway composed of GQDs for electronic transmission. The device successfully performed nine brain synaptic functions: excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC), paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), short-term potentiation (STP), short-term depression (STD), the transition from short-term plasticity to long-term plasticity, spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP), spike-rate-dependent plasticity (SRDP), the process of learning, forgetting, and relearning, and Pavlov associative memory under UV light stimulation. The successful simulation of the synaptic behavior of this device provides the possibility for biomaterials to realize neuromorphic computing.

The treatment of bone infections has always been difficult. The emergence of drug-resistant bacteria has led to a steady decline in the effectiveness of antibiotics. It is also especially important to fight bacterial infections while repairing bone defects and cleaning up dead bacteria to prevent biofilm formation. The development of biomedical materials has provided us with a research direction to address this issue. We aimed to review the current literature, and have summarized multifunctional antimicrobial materials that have long-lasting antimicrobial capabilities that promote angiogenesis, bone production, or “killing and releasing.” This review provides a comprehensive summary of the use of biomedical materials in the treatment of bone infections and a reference thereof, as well as encouragement to perform further research in this field.

With the increasing use of soft and flexible electronics, there is a growing need to develop substrate materials that mitigate potential environmental risks associated with non‐degradable electronics waste from synthetic substrate materials. To address this issue, the authors develop a novel, 2D plant‐based substrate termed "sporosubstrate", which is made of non‐allergenic natural pollen. The pollen particle has a double‐layered architecture with an ultra‐tough sporopollenin exine, and a soft cellulose intine is engineered through an eco‐friendly process. In this manner, a readily available, economical, biodegradable, and biocompatible microgel can be prepared. This microgel can be used to create a variety of flexible shapes with customized mechanical, geometrical, electronic, and functional properties and performance characteristics such as thermal, chemical, and mechanical stability and optical transparency. Moreover, the authors demonstrate here different applications of the flexible natural substrate made of pollen microgel for use in electronic devices for health monitoring and wearable wireless heating. The results of this work point to opportunities for the development of a new class of flexible green electronics based on plant‐based materials in applications such as wearable sensors, implantable devices, and soft robotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we developed a simple, sensitive and selective thin-layer chromatographic method for the detection and identification of amitraz using curcumin as chromogenic spray. In the first step, amitraz was hydrolized by using 10% sodium hydroxide solution in water to give dimethylaniline (DMA) and N-2,4-dimethylphenyl-N-methyl formamidine (DMPMF). DMA was further treated with sodium nitrite in acidic medium followed by spraying basic solution of curcumin to give brick red colored spot. This spray reagent does not react with other organophosphorous, organochloro, carbamate and synthetic pyrethroid insecticides. This reagent is specific and selective only for amitraz. The constituents of viscera (amino acids, peptides and proteins) do not interfere with the test. The detection limit for amitraz is about 0.5 μg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]