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Gammelgaard Mangum posted an update 10 months, 3 weeks ago
Wearable electronics are becoming increasingly important for medical applications as they have revolutionized the way physiological parameters are monitored. Ferroelectric materials show spontaneous polarization below the Curie temperature, which changes with electric field, temperature, and mechanical deformation. Therefore, they have been widely used in sensor and actuator applications. In addition, these materials can be used for conversion of human-body energy into electricity for powering wearable electronics. In this paper, we review the recent advances in flexible ferroelectric materials for wearable human energy harvesting and sensing. To meet the performance requirements for medical applications, the most suitable materials and manufacturing techniques are reviewed. The approaches used to enhance performance and achieve long-term sustainability and multi-functionality by integrating other active sensing mechanisms (e.g. MEK162 triboelectric and piezoresistive effects) are discussed. Data processing and transmission as well as the contribution of wearable piezoelectric devices in early disease detection and monitoring vital signs are reviewed.For in vivo multicolor bioluminescence applications, red and near-infrared signals are desirable over shorter wavelength signals because they are not as susceptible to light attenuation by blood and tissue. Herein, we describe the development of a new click beetle luciferase mutant, CBG2, with a red-shifted color emission. When paired with NH2-NpLH2 luciferin, CBG2 (λ = 660 nm) and CBR2 (λ = 730 nm) luciferases can be used for simultaneous dual-color bioluminescence imaging in deep tissue. Using a spectral unmixing algorithm tool it is possible to distinguish each spectral contribution. Ultimately, this enzyme pair can expand the near-infrared bioluminescent toolbox to enable rapid visualization of multiple biological processes in deep tissue using a single substrate.This review describes recent research that has advanced our understanding of the role of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) using advanced 3D in vitro models and engineering approaches. The TME can hinder effective eradication of tumor cells by the immune system, but immunotherapy has been able to reverse this effect in some cases. However, patient-to-patient variability in response suggests that we require deeper understanding of the mechanistic interactions between immune and tumor cells to improve response and develop novel therapeutics. Reconstruction of the TME using engineered 3D models allows high-resolution observation of cell interactions while allowing control of conditions such as hypoxia, matrix stiffness, and flow. Moreover, patient-derived organotypic models are an emerging tool for prediction of drug efficacy. This review highlights the importance of modeling and understanding the immune TME and describes new tools for identifying new biological targets, drug testing, and strategies for personalized medicine.Semiconductor-in-glass composites are an exciting class of photonic materials for various fundamental applications. The significant challenge is the scalable elaboration of composite with the desirable combination of tunable structure, high semiconductor loading ratio, and excellent transparency. Here we report that the topological engineering strategy via hybridization of the glass network former enables to surmount the aforementioned challenge. It not only facilitates the in situ precipitation of (Ga2-xAlx)O3 domains with continuously tunable composition but also allows to simultaneously refine the grain size and enhance the crystallinity. In addition, the composites exhibit excellent transparency and can host various active dopants. We demonstrate the attractive broadband optical response of the composite and achieve the pulse laser operation in mid-infrared waveband. The findings are expected to provide a fundamental principle of in situ modification in hybrid system for generation of high-performance semiconductor-in-glass composites.Classical conditioning plays a critical role in the learning process of biological brains, and many computational models have been built to reproduce the related classical experiments. However, these models can reproduce and explain only a limited range of typical phenomena in classical conditioning. Based on existing biological findings concerning classical conditioning, we build a brain-inspired classical conditioning (BICC) model. Compared with other computational models, our BICC model can reproduce as many as 15 classical experiments, explaining a broader set of findings than other models have, and offers better computational explainability for both the experimental phenomena and the biological mechanisms of classical conditioning. Finally, we validate our theoretical model on a humanoid robot in three classical conditioning experiments (acquisition, extinction, and reacquisition) and a speed generalization experiment, and the results show that our model is computationally feasible as a foundation for brain-inspired robot classical conditioning.Brain neurons play a central role in organismal aging, but there is conflicting evidence about the role of neuronal glucose availability because glucose uptake and metabolism are associated with both aging and extended life span. Here, we analyzed metabolic changes in the brain neurons of Drosophila during aging. Using a genetically encoded fluorescent adenosine triphosphate (ATP) biosensor, we found decreased ATP concentration in the neuronal somata of aged flies, correlated with decreased glucose content, expression of glucose transporter and glycolytic enzymes and mitochondrial quality. The age-associated reduction in ATP concentration did not occur in brain neurons with suppressed glycolysis or enhanced glucose uptake, suggesting these pathways contribute to ATP reductions. Despite age-associated mitochondrial damage, increasing glucose uptake maintained ATP levels, suppressed locomotor deficits, and extended the life span. Increasing neuronal glucose uptake during dietary restriction resulted in the longest life spans, suggesting an additive effect of enhancing glucose availability during a bioenergetic challenge on aging.