Grand Challenges at the Interface of Engineering and Medicine.

Over the past two decades Biomedical Engineering has emerged as a major discipline that bridges societal needs of human health care with the development of novel technologies. Every medical institution is now equipped at varying degrees of sophistication with the ability to monitor human health in both non-invasive and invasive modes. The multiple scales at which human physiology can be interrogated provide a profound perspective on health and disease.

Multifunctional Magnetic Nanoclusters Can Induce Immunogenic Cell Death and Suppress Tumor Recurrence and Metastasis.

Metastasis is the predominant cause of cancer deaths due to solid organ malignancies; however, anticancer drugs are not effective in treating metastatic cancer. Here we report a nanotherapeutic approach that combines magnetic nanocluster-based hyperthermia and free radical generation with an immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) for effective suppression of both primary and secondary tumors. We attached 2,2'-azobis(2-midinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) molecules to magnetic iron oxide nanoclusters (IONCs) to form an IONC-AAPH nanoplatform.

Increasing the antioxidant capacity of ceria nanoparticles with catechol-grafted poly(ethylene glycol).

Ceria nanoparticles are remarkable antioxidants due to their large cerium(III) content and the possibility of recovering cerium(III) from cerium(IV) after reaction. Here we increase the cerium(III) content of colloidally stable nanoparticles (, nanocrystals) using a reactive polymeric surface coating. Catechol-grafted poly(ethylene glycols) (PEG) polymers of varying lengths and architectures yield materials that are non-aggregating in a variety of aqueous media.

When function is biological: Discerning how silver nanoparticle structure dictates antimicrobial activity.

Silver nanomaterials have potent antibacterial properties that are the foundation for their wide commercial use as well as for concerns about their unintended environmental impact. The nanoparticles themselves are relatively biologically inert but they can undergo oxidative dissolution yielding toxic silver ions. A quantitative relationship between silver material structure and dissolution, and thus antimicrobial activity, has yet to be established.

Subsecond multichannel magnetic control of select neural circuits in freely moving flies.

Precisely timed activation of genetically targeted cells is a powerful tool for the study of neural circuits and control of cell-based therapies. Magnetic control of cell activity, or 'magnetogenetics', using magnetic nanoparticle heating of temperature-sensitive ion channels enables remote, non-invasive activation of neurons for deep-tissue applications and freely behaving animal studies. However, the in vivo response time of thermal magnetogenetics is currently tens of seconds, which prevents precise temporal modulation of neural activity.

The Effect of Agglomeration on Arsenic Adsorption Using Iron Oxide Nanoparticles.

The presence of arsenic in groundwater and other drinking water sources presents a notable public health concern. Although the utilization of iron oxide nanomaterials as arsenic adsorbents has shown promising results in batch experiments, few have succeeded in using nanomaterials in filter setups. In this study, the performance of nanomaterials, supported on sand, was first compared for arsenic adsorption by conducting continuous flow experiments.

A 3Dmodel of the device-tissue interface: functional and structural symptoms of innate neuroinflammation are mitigated by antioxidant ceria nanoparticles.

The recording instability of neural implants due to neuroinflammation at the device-tissue interface is a primary roadblock to broad adoption of brain-machine interfaces. While a multiphasic immune response, marked by glial scaring, oxidative stress (OS), and neurodegeneration, is well-characterized, the independent contributions of systemic and local 'innate' immune responses are not well-understood. We aimed to understand and mitigate the isolated the innate neuroinflammatory response to devices.

Stable Aqueous Suspensions of Manganese Ferrite Clusters with Tunable Nanoscale Dimension and Composition.

Manganese ferrite clusters (MFCs) are spherical assemblies of tens to hundreds of primary nanocrystals whose magnetic properties are valuable in diverse applications. Here we describe how to form these materials in a hydrothermal process that permits the independent control of product cluster size (from 30 to 120 nm) and manganese content of the resulting material. Parameters such as the total amount of water added to the alcoholic reaction media and the ratio of manganese to iron precursor are important factors in achieving multiple types of MFC nanoscale products.

Magnetic Nanoparticles in Biology and Medicine: Past, Present, and Future Trends.

The use of magnetism in medicine has changed dramatically since its first application by the ancient Greeks in 624 BC. Now, by leveraging magnetic nanoparticles, investigators have developed a range of modern applications that use external magnetic fields to manipulate biological systems. Drug delivery systems that incorporate these particles can target therapeutics to specific tissues without the need for biological or chemical cues.

2D Gadolinium Oxide Nanoplates as T Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents.

Millions of people a year receive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents for the diagnosis of conditions as diverse as fatty liver disease and cancer. Gadolinium chelates, which provide preferred T contrast, are the current standard but face an uncertain future due to increasing concerns about their nephrogenic toxicity as well as poor performance in high-field MRI scanners. Gadolinium-containing nanocrystals are interesting alternatives as they bypass the kidneys and can offer the possibility of both intracellular accumulation and active targeting.

Lead-Free Halide Perovskites for Light Emission: Recent Advances and Perspectives.

Lead-based halide perovskites have received great attention in light-emitting applications due to their excellent properties, including high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), tunable emission wavelength, and facile solution preparation. In spite of excellent characteristics, the presence of toxic element lead directly obstructs their further commercial development. Hence, exploiting lead-free halide perovskite materials with superior properties is urgent and necessary.

Nanoparticle-Catalyzed Green Chemistry Synthesis of Polybenzoxazole.

Enabling catalysts to promote multistep chemical reactions in a tandem fashion is an exciting new direction for the green chemistry synthesis of materials. Nanoparticle (NP) catalysts are particularly well suited for tandem reactions due to the diverse surface-active sites they offer. Here, we report that AuPd alloy NPs, especially 3.

Libraries of Uniform Magnetic Multicore Nanoparticles with Tunable Dimensions for Biomedical and Photonic Applications.

Multicore iron oxide nanoparticles, also known as colloidal nanocrystal clusters, are magnetic materials with diverse applications in biomedicine and photonics. Here, we examine how both of their characteristic dimensional features, the primary particle and sub-micron colloid diameters, influence their magnetic properties and performance in two different applications. The characterization of these basic size-dependent properties is enabled by a synthetic strategy that provides independent control over both the primary nanocrystal and cluster dimensions.

Emission Quenching and Recovery of Illuminated Perovskite Quantum Dots Due to Iodide Ion Migration.

All-inorganic lead halide perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) are well-known to easily lose their luminescence emission under light illumination, which is often attributed to a photoinduced degradation mechanism. Here, we demonstrate that such quenched emission of PQDs can completely recover in the dark at room temperature, which occurs through a spontaneous "self-healing" mechanism. Our findings indicate that the loss of emission under light illumination is not due to the generally accepted photoinduced degradation, as otherwise the complete recovery would not be possible.

Recent progress in transition metal selenide electrocatalysts for water splitting.

The urgent demand of scalable hydrogen production has motivated substantial research on low cost, efficient and robust catalysts for water electrolysis. In order to replace noble metals and their derivatives, transition metal (Fe, Co, Ni, Mo, Cu, etc.) selenides have demonstrated promising catalysis on both hydrogen and oxygen evolutions.

Photoluminescence Loss and Recovery of α-CsPbI Quantum Dots Originated from Chemical Equilibrium Shift of Oleylammonium.

α-CsPbI perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) have great potentials in red-emitting LED and solar cell applications. However, their instability with quick photoluminescence loss with time greatly limits their development. In this study, we found that the nonluminous aged α-CsPbI PQDs instantly regained fluorescence emission after a surface treatment with trioctylphosphine.

Room Temperature Synthesis of All Inorganic Lead-Free Zero-Dimensional CsSnBr and CsKSnBr Perovskites.

Lead halide perovskites are excellent candidates for photoelectronic and photovoltaic applications, but the toxicity from lead is extremely concerning. Recently, Sn-based zero-dimensional lead-free perovskites synthesized using solid-state reaction techniques have become a new focus in the field. Here, we report a simple room temperature antisolvent method for the synthesis of all inorganic lead-free green emissive CsSnBr (emission at 524 nm) and cyan emissive CsKSnBr (emission at 500 nm) zero-dimensional perovskites.

Ruddlesden-Popper Perovskites: Synthesis and Optical Properties for Optoelectronic Applications.

Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites with a formula of (A')(A) B X have recently gained widespread interest as candidates for the next generation of optoelectronic devices. The variations of organic cation, metal halide, and the number of layers in the structure lead to the change of crystal structures and properties for different optoelectronic applications. Herein, the different synthetic methods for 2D perovskite crystals and thin films are summarized and compared.

Latest progress in constructing solid-state Z scheme photocatalysts for water splitting.

Artificial Z scheme photocatalysis has been considered as a promising strategy for producing the clean energy source of hydrogen gas. The core of the Z scheme is a two-step excitation process in a tandem structured photosystem aiming to satisfy both the criteria of wide range solar spectrum absorption and strong thermodynamic driving force for photolysis reactions. Therefore, efficient connection and matching between the two photosystems is the key to improve the photocatalytic activity.

Strong Blue Emission from Sb-Doped Super Small CsPbBr Nanocrystals.

Colloidal lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have high tunability in the visible light region and high photoluminescence quantum yields (PL QYs) for green and red emissions, but bright blue emission is still a challenge. Super small CsPbBr perovskite NCs emit blue light around 460 nm with a narrow peak width, and they do not have the problem of phase separation like their Cl-Br counterparts. However, the blue emission from super small CsPbBr NCs easily becomes green over time, and their PL QY is still low.

PbS Capped CsPbI Nanocrystals for Efficient and Stable Light-Emitting Devices Using -- Structures.

Cesium lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have unique optical properties such as high color purity and high photoluminescence (PL) efficiency. However, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the corresponding light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is low, primarily as a result of the NC surface defects. Here, we report a method to reduce the surface defects by capping CsPbI NCs with PbS.

Emission Recovery and Stability Enhancement of Inorganic Perovskite Quantum Dots.

Inorganic lead halide perovskite quantum dots (PQDs), especially red emission PQDs, are well-known to easily lose their luminescence emission with time, which shows from strong emission of fresh PQDs to no emission of aged PQDs. Here, we demonstrate that trioctylphosphine (TOP) can effectively and instantly recover the luminescence emission of aged red PQDs, making the "dead" PQDs "reborn". Furthermore, TOP also works to improve the emission intensity of freshly synthesized PQDs.

Surface ligand modification of cesium lead bromide nanocrystals for improved light-emitting performance.

Cesium lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) possess excellent optical properties at visible wavelengths with great promise for applications in luminous display fields. We demonstrate a method to modify the surface ligand passivation of perovskite NCs for enhanced colloidal stability and emitting properties by incorporating didodecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (DDAB). The photoluminescence quantum yield of the NC solution was improved to 96% from 70% and the perovskite film showed fewer trapped sites and enhanced carrier transport ability.

Facile synthesis of hollow dendritic Ag/Pt alloy nanoparticles for enhanced methanol oxidation efficiency.

Hollow dendritic Ag/Pt alloy nanoparticles were synthesized by a double template method: Ag nanoparticles as the hard template to obtain hollow spheres by a galvanic replacement reaction between PtCl and metallic Ag and surfactant micelles (Brij58) as the soft template to generate porous dendrites. The formation of a Ag/Pt alloy phase was confirmed by XRD and HRTEM. Elemental mapping and line scanning revealed the formation of the hollow architecture.