Lateral Piezoelectricity of Alzheimer's Aβ Aggregates.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly aged over 65. The extracellular accumulation of beta-amyloid (Aβ) aggregates in the brain is considered as the major event worsening the AD symptoms, but its underlying reason has remained unclear. Here the piezoelectric characteristics of Aβ aggregates are revealed.

Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Carbon as a Photoacoustic Modulator of Alzheimer's β-Amyloid Aggregate Structure.

Photoacoustic materials emit acoustic waves into the surrounding by absorbing photon energy. In an aqueous environment, light-induced acoustic waves form cavitation bubbles by altering the localized pressure to trigger the phase transition of liquid water into vapor. In this study, we report photoacoustic dissociation of beta-amyloid (Aβ) aggregates, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, by metal-organic framework-derived carbon (MOFC).

Linnaeite Mineral for NIR Light-Triggered Disruption of Alzheimer's Pore-Forming Aβ Oligomers.

Minerals in the Earth's crust have contributed to the natural functioning of ecosystems via biogeochemical interactions. Linnaeite is a cobalt sulfide mineral with a cubic spinel structure that promotes charge transfer reactions with its surroundings. Here we report the hidden feature of linnaeite mineral to dissociate Alzheimer's β-amyloid (Aβ) oligomers under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation.

Siloxane Hybrid Material-Encapsulated Highly Robust Flexible μLEDs for Biocompatible Lighting Applications.

Flexible micro-light-emitting diodes (f-μLEDs) have been regarded as an attractive light source for the next-generation human-machine interfaces, thanks to their noticeable optoelectronic performances. However, when it comes to their practical utilizations fulfilling industrial standards, there have been unsolved reliability and durability issues of the f-μLEDs, despite previous developments in the high-performance f-μLEDs for various applications. Herein, highly robust flexible μLEDs (f-HμLEDs) with 20 × 20 arrays, which are realized by a siloxane-based organic-inorganic hybrid material (SHM), are reported.

Magnetoelectric dissociation of Alzheimer's β-amyloid aggregates.

The abnormal self-assembly of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides and their deposition in the brain is a major pathological feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent chronic neurodegenerative disease affecting nearly 50 million people worldwide. Here, we report a newly discovered function of magnetoelectric nanomaterials for the dissociation of highly stable Aβ aggregates under low-frequency magnetic field. We synthesized magnetoelectric BiFeO-coated CoFeO (BCFO) nanoparticles, which emit excited charge carriers in response to low-frequency magnetic field without generating heat.

Light-Stimulated Carbon Dot Hydrogel: Targeting and Clearing Infectious Bacteria In Vivo.

Infectious bacteria evolve fast into resistance to conventional antimicrobial agents, whereas treatments for drug resistance bacteria progress more slowly. Here, we report a universally applicable photoactivated antimicrobial modality through light-responsive carbon dot-embedding soft hyaluronic acid hydrogel (CDgel). Because of the innate nature of the infectious bacteria that produce hyaluronidase, applied hyaluronic acid-based CDgel breaks down via bacteria and releases carbon dots (CDs) into the infectious sites.

Near-Infrared-Active Copper Molybdenum Sulfide Nanocubes for Phonon-Mediated Clearance of Alzheimer's β-Amyloid Aggregates.

Ternary chalcogenide materials have attracted significant interest in recent years because of their unique physicochemical and optoelectronic properties without relying on precious metals, rare earth metals, or toxic elements. Copper molybdenum sulfide (CuMoS, CMS) nanocube is a biocompatible ternary chalcogenide nanomaterial that exhibits near-infrared (NIR) photocatalytic activity based on its low band gap and electron-phonon coupling property. Here, we study the efficacy of CMS nanocubes for dissociating neurotoxic Alzheimer's β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregates under NIR light.

Extremely Stable Luminescent Crosslinked Perovskite Nanoparticles under Harsh Environments over 1.5 Years.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite nanoparticles (NPs) are a very strong candidate emitter that can meet the high luminescence efficiency and high color standard of Rec.2020. However, the instability of perovskite NPs is the most critical unsolved problem that limits their practical application.

Photomodulating Carbon Dots for Spatiotemporal Suppression of Alzheimer's β-Amyloid Aggregation.

Extracellular deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide aggregates is a major characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain. Because Aβ peptide aggregates aggravate neuropathy and cognitive impairment for AD patients, numerous efforts have been devoted to suppressing Aβ self-assembly as a prospective AD treatment option. Here, we report Aβ-targeting, red-light-responsive carbon dots (CDs), and their therapeutic functions as a light-powered nanomodulator to spatiotemporally suppress toxic Aβ aggregation both and .

Piezoelectric materials for ultrasound-driven dissociation of Alzheimer's β-amyloid aggregate structure.

Piezoelectric materials can evoke electrochemical reactions by transferring charge carriers to reactants upon receiving mechanical stimuli. We report a newly discovered function of piezoelectric bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) nanosheets for dissociating Alzheimer's β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregates through ultrasound-induced redox reactions. The accumulation of Aβ aggregates (e.

Near-Infrared-Active Copper Bismuth Oxide Electrodes for Targeted Dissociation of Alzheimer's β-Amyloid Aggregates.

The abnormal accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregates in the brain is a major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. We report a near-infrared (NIR)-active CuBiO-based photocathodic platform that can target intact Aβ aggregates and dissociate them into nontoxic species. Because of its relatively narrow band gap, CuBiO exhibits strong absorption of NIR light, which allows for deeper tissue penetration and causes less photodamage to tissues compared to visible light.

"Tree to Bone": Lignin/Polycaprolactone Nanofibers for Hydroxyapatite Biomineralization.

Bone contains an organic matrix composed of aligned collagen fibers embedded with nanosized inorganic hydroxyapatite (HAp). Many efforts are being made to mimic the natural mineralization process and create artificial bone scaffolds that show elaborate morphologies, excellent mechanical properties, and vital biological functions. This study reports a newly discovered function of lignin mediating the formation of human bone-like HAp.

Siloxane-Encapsulated Upconversion Nanoparticle Hybrid Composite with Highly Stable Photoluminescence against Heat and Moisture.

Herein, we report a siloxane-encapsulated upconversion nanoparticle hybrid composite (SE-UCNP), which exhibits excellent photoluminescence (PL) stability for over 40 days even at an elevated temperature, in high humidity, and in harsh chemicals. The SE-UCNP is synthesized through UV-induced free-radical polymerization of a sol-gel-derived UCNP-containing oligosiloxane resin (UCNP-oligosiloxane). The siloxane matrix with a random network structure by Si-O-Si bonds successfully encapsulates the UCNPs with chemical linkages between the siloxane matrix and organic ligands on UCNPs.

Multivalent Polyaspartamide Cross-Linker for Engineering Cell-Responsive Hydrogels with Degradation Behavior and Tunable Physical Properties.

Hydrogels possess favorable physical properties ideally suited for various biotechnology applications. To tailor to specific needs, a number of modification strategies have been employed to tune their properties. Herein, a multifunctional polymeric cross-linker based on polyaspartamide is developed, which allows for the facile adjustment of the type and number of reactive functional groups to fit different reaction schemes and control the physical properties of the hydrogels.

Carbon nanomaterials as versatile platforms for theranostic applications.

Theranostic nanomedicine, utilizing state-of-the-art, multifaceted nanomaterials and devices with therapeutic and diagnostic dual functions, has emerged as a highly attractive and promising new field of medicine. The theory behind the use of nanomaterials for theranostic applications is to impart multifunctionality by applying various engineering strategies to combine different modalities on a nanoscale. Carbon nanomaterials, which have been a subject of intense scientific research and industrial applications in recent years, have also found their way into theranostic nanomedicine owing to their innate multifunctionality.

Effects of precursor composition and mode of crosslinking on mechanical properties of graphene oxide reinforced composite hydrogels.

Graphene oxide (GO) is increasingly investigated as a reinforcing nanofiller for various hydrogels for biomedical applications for its superior mechanical strength. However, the reinforcing mechanism of GO in different hydrogel conditions has not been extensively explored and elucidated to date. Herein, we systematically examine the effects of various types of precursor molecules (monomers vs.

Stacking Geometries of Early Protoporphyrin IX Aggregates Revealed by Gas-Phase Infrared Spectroscopy.

Amphiphilic porphyrins are of great interest in the field of supramolecular chemistry because they can be fabricated into highly ordered architectures that are stabilized by π-π stacking of porphine rings as well as by non-covalent interactions between their hydrophilic substituents. Protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) has two flexible propionic acid tails and is one of the most common amphiphilic porphyrins. However, unlike other PPIX analogues, PPIX does not form stable extended nanostructures, and the reason for this is still not understood.