Impact of surface chemistry of upconversion nanoparticles on time-dependent cytotoxicity in non-cancerous epithelial cells.

The application of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) for cell and tissue analysis requires a comprehensive understanding of their interactions with biological entities to prevent toxicity or harmful effects. Whereas most studies focus on cancer cells, this work addresses non-cancerous cells with their regular in vitro physiology. Since it is generally accepted that surface chemistry largely determines biocompatibility in general and uptake of nanomaterials in particular, two bilayer surface coatings with different surface shielding properties have been studied: (i) a phospholipid bilayer membrane (PLM) and (ii) an amphiphilic polymer (AP).

Framework for Microdosing Odors in Virtual Reality for Psychophysiological Stress Training.

To better cope with stress in emergencies, emergency personnel undergo virtual reality (VR) stress training. Such training typically includes visual, auditory and sometimes tactile impressions, whereas olfactory stimuli are mostly neglected. This concept paper therefore examines whether odors might be beneficial for further enhancing the experience of presence and immersion into a simulated environment.

Air Leakages at Microvalves: Pressure Decay Measurements and Extended Continuum Modelling of Knudsen Flows.

To improve the performance of valves in relation to the leakage rate, a comprehensive evaluation of the valve characteristics and behavior during pressure exposure is important. Often, these low gas flow rates below 0.1 cm/min cannot be accurately measured with conventional flow sensors.

Restricting Conformational Space: A New Blueprint for Electrically Switchable Self-Assembled Monolayers.

Tunnel junctions comprising self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) from liquid crystal-inspired molecules show a pronounced hysteretic current-voltage response, due to electric field-driven dipole reorientation in the SAM. This renders these junctions attractive device candidates for emerging technologies such as in-memory and neuromorphic computing. Here, the novel molecular design, device fabrication, and characterization of such resistive switching devices with a largely improved performance, compared to the previously published work are reported.

Silicon-Based Piezo Micropumps Enable Fully Flexible Drug Delivery Patterns.

Drug release plays a crucial role in drug delivery. While current formulation approaches are capable of coarse-tuning the release profile, their precision and reproducibility are limited by the physicochemical properties of the excipients and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). Innovative and advanced approaches are urgently needed, especially for site-specific targeting of drugs and to address their pharmacological requirements for optimal therapy.

Wearable Prophylaxis Tool for AI-Driven Identification of Early Warning Patterns of Pressure Ulcers.

As today's society ages, age-related diseases become more frequent. One very common but yet preventable disease is the development of pressure ulcers (PUs). PUs can occur if tissue is exposed to a long-lasting pressure load, e.