Phase-Directed Assembly of Triboelectric Nanopaper for Self-Powered Noncontact Sensing.

Noncontact sensing technology serves as a pivotal medium for seamless data acquisition and intelligent perception in the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), bringing innovative interactive experiences to wearable human-machine interaction perception networks. However, the pervasive limitations of current noncontact sensing devices posed by harsh environmental conditions hinder the precision and stability of signals. In this study, the triboelectric nanopaper prepared by a phase-directed assembly strategy is presented, which possesses low charge transfer mobility (1618 cm2 V-1 s-1) and exceptional high-temperature stability. Wearable self-powered noncontact sensors constructed from triboelectric nanopaper operate stably under high temperatures (200 °C). Furthermore, a temperature warning system for workers in hazardous environments is demonstrated, capable of nonintrusively identifying harmful thermal stimuli and detecting motion status. This research not only establishes a technological foundation for accurate and stable noncontact sensing under high temperatures but also promotes the sustainable intelligent development of wearable IoT devices under extreme environments.

High Strength and Toughness Polymeric Triboelectric Materials Enabled by Dense Crystal-Domain Cross-Linking.

Lightweight, easily processed, and durable polymeric materials play a crucial role in wearable sensor devices. However, achieving simultaneously high strength and toughness remains a challenge. This study addresses this by utilizing an ion-specific effect to control crystalline domains, enabling the fabrication of a polymeric triboelectric material with tunable mechanical properties. The dense crystal-domain cross-linking enhances energy dissipation, resulting in a material boasting both high tensile strength (58.0 MPa) and toughness (198.8 MJ m-3), alongside a remarkable 416.7% fracture elongation and 545.0 MPa modulus. Leveraging these properties, the material is successfully integrated into wearable self-powered devices, enabling real-time feedback on human joint movement. This work presents a valuable strategy for overcoming the strength-toughness trade-off in polymeric materials, paving the way for their enhanced applicability and broader use in diverse sensing applications.

Lightweight and Strong Cellulosic Triboelectric Materials Enabled by Cell Wall Nanoengineering.

As intelligent technology surges forward, wearable electronics have emerged as versatile tools for monitoring health and sensing our surroundings. Among these advancements, porous triboelectric materials have garnered significant attention for their lightness. However, these materials face the challenge of improving structural stability to further enhance the sensing accuracy of triboelectric sensors. In this study, a lightweight and strong porous cellulosic triboelectric material is designed by cell wall nanoengineering. By tailoring of the cell wall structure, the material shows a high mechanical strength of 51.8 MPa. The self-powered sensor constructed by this material has a high sensitivity of 33.61 kPa-1, a fast response time of 36 ms, and excellent pressure detection durability. Notably, the sensor still enables a high sensing performance after the porous cellulosic triboelectric material exposure to 200 °C and achieves real-time feedback of human motion, thereby demonstrating great potential in the field of wearable electronic devices.

Dynamic Thermostable Cellulosic Triboelectric Materials from Multilevel-Non-Covalent Interactions.

Triboelectric materials present great potential for harvesting huge amounts of dispersed energy, and converting them directly into useful electricity, a process that generates power more sustainably. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have emerged as a technology to power electronics and sensors, and it is expected to solve the problem of energy harvesting and self-powered sensing from extreme environments. In this paper, a high-temperature-resistant triboelectric material is designed based on multilevel non-covalent bonding interactions, which achieves an ultra-high surface charge density of 192 µC m-2 at high temperatures. TENGs based on the triboelectric material exhibit more than an order of magnitude higher power output (2750 mW m-2 at 200 °C) than the existing devices at high temperatures. These remarkable properties are achieved based on enthalpy-driven molecular assembly in highly unbonded states. Thus, the material maintains bond strength and ultra-high surface charge density in entropy-dominated high-temperature environments. This molecular design concept points out a promising direction for the preparation of polymers with excellent triboelectric properties.

Electroacupuncture inhibits dendritic spine remodeling through the srGAP3-Rac1 signaling pathway in rats with SNL.

Previous studies have shown that peripheral nerve injury can lead to abnormal dendritic spine remodeling in spinal dorsal horn neurons. Inhibition of abnormal dendritic spine remodeling can relieve neuropathic pain. Electroacupuncture (EA) has a beneficial effect on the treatment of neuropathic pain, but the specific mechanism remains unclear. Evidence has shown that slit-robo GTPase activating protein 3 (srGAP3) and Rho GTPase (Rac1) play very important roles in dendritic spine remodeling. Here, we used srGAP3 siRNA and Rac1 activator CN04 to confirm the relationship between SrGAP3 and Rac1 and their roles in improving neuropathic pain with EA. Spinal nerve ligation (SNL) was used as the experimental model, and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL), mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT), Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and Golgi-Cox staining were used to examine changes in behavioral performance, protein expression and dendritic spines. More dendritic spines and higher expression levels of srGAP3 were found in the initial phase of neuropathic pain. During the maintenance phase, dendritic spines were more mature, which was consistent with lower expression levels of srGAP3 and higher expression levels of Rac1-GTP. EA during the maintenance phase reduced the density and maturity of dendritic spines of rats with SNL, increased the levels of srGAP3 and reduced the levels of Rac1-GTP, while srGAP3 siRNA and CN04 reversed the therapeutic effects of EA. These results suggest that dendritic spines have different manifestations in different stages of neuropathic pain and that EA may inhibit the abnormal dendritic spine remodeling by regulating the srGAP3/Rac1 signaling pathway to alleviate neuropathic pain.

Spheres Multiple Physical Network-Based Triboelectric Materials for Self-Powered Contactless Sensing.

Non-contact mode triboelectric nanogenerators effectively avoid physical contact between two triboelectric materials and achieve long-term reliable operation, providing broad application prospects in the field of self-powered sensing. However, the low surface charge density of triboelectric materials restricts application of contactless sensing. Herein, by controlling Rayleigh Instability deformation of the spinning jet and vapor-induced phase separation during electrostatic spinning, a polyvinylidene fluoride@Mxene (Ti3 C2 Tx ) composite film with spheres multiple physical network structures is prepared and utilized as the triboelectric material of a self-powered contactless sensor. The structure of the composite film and high conductivity of Ti3 C2 Tx provide triboelectric materials with high output performance (charge output and power output up to 128 µC m-2 and 200 µW cm-2 at 2 Hz) and high output stability. The self-powered contactless sensor shows excellent speed sensitivity (1.175 Vs m-1 ). Additionally, it could accurately identify the motion states such as running (55 mV), jumping (105 mV), and walking (40 mV) within the range of 70 cm, and present the signals in different pop forms. This work lays a solid foundation for the development and application of high-performance triboelectric materials, and has guiding significance for the research of self-powered contactless sensing.

Neuropeptide S Displays as a Key Neuromodulator in Olfactory Spatial Memory.

Neuropeptide S (NPS) is an endogenous peptide recently recognized to be presented in the brainstem and believed to play an important role in maintaining memory. The deletion of NPS or NPS receptor (NPSR) in mice shows a deficit in memory formation. Our recent studies have demonstrated that central administration of NPS facilitates olfactory function and ameliorates olfactory spatial memory impairment induced by muscarinic cholinergic receptor antagonist and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist. However, it remains to be determined if endogenous NPS is an indispensable neuromodulator in the control of the olfactory spatial memory. In this study, we examined the effects of NPSR peptidergic antagonist [D-Val5]NPS (10 and 20 nmol, intracerebroventricular) and nonpeptidergic antagonist SHA 68 (10 and 50 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) on the olfactory spatial memory using computer-assisted 4-hole-board olfactory spatial memory test in mice. Furthermore, immunofluorescence was employed to identify the distributions of c-Fos and NPSR immunoreactive (-ir) neurons in olfactory system and hippocampal formation known to closely relate to the olfactory spatial memory. [D-Val5]NPS dosing at 20 nmol and SHA 68 dosing at 50 mg/kg significantly decreased the number of visits to the 2 odorants interchanged spatially, switched odorants, in recall trial, and simultaneously reduced the percentage of Fos-ir in NPSR-ir neurons, which were densely distributed in the anterior olfactory nucleus, piriform cortex, subiculum, presubiculum, and parasubiculum. These findings suggest that endogenous NPS is a key neuromodulator in olfactory spatial memory.

The anti-melanoma efficiency of the intratumoral injection of cucurbitacin-loaded sustained release carriers: in situ-forming implants.

Our previous studies revealed that the PLGA-based particulate systems loaded with cucurbitacin showed limited anti-melanoma efficiency in xenograft animal models after intratumoral injection, which was due to the undesirable initial burst release and the leakage of the particulate carriers from the injection site through the pinhole. In this paper, two categories of in situ-forming implants (ISFIs) for intratumoral injection, PLGA ISFIs and SAIB ISFIs, were systemically evaluated for their potentials for on solid tumor treatment via intratumoral injection. The in vitro drug release profiles of these two ISFIs were different due to the different sol-gel transition properties. The pharmacodynamics results revealed that SAIB ISFIs displayed obvious therapeutic efficiencies to melanoma, and multi-points injection of SASIB ISFIs displayed better efficiency than single-point injection. The different sol-gel transition properties and mechanism for PLGA ISFIs and SAIB ISFIs affected both the drug release and strongly impacted the pharmacokinetic parameters and pharmacodynamic effectiveness. Also, the adhesive property of SAIB to the local tissue could extend the retention and inhibit the leakage of the SAIB ISFIs, thus enhanced the anticancer effectiveness. Comparison of the various intratumoral injection systems, appropriate drug release profiles (lower initial burst and steady release) and good retention (minimum leakage from the injection site) would benefit to the antitumor effects of the intratumoral depots.

B7-H3 suppresses CD8+ T cell immunologic function through reprogramming glycolytic metabolism.

Malignant neoplasms pose a formidable threat to human well-being. Prior studies have documented the extensive expression of B7 homolog 3 (B7-H3 or CD276) across various tumors, affecting glucose metabolism. Yet, the link between metabolic modulation and immune responses remains largely unexplored. Our study reveals a significant association between B7-H3 expression and advanced tumor stages, lymph node metastasis, and tumor location in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We further elucidate B7-H3's role in mediating glucose competition between cancer cells and CD8+ T cells. Through co-culturing tumor cells with flow cytometry-sorted CD8+ T cells, we measured glucose uptake and lactate secretion in both cell types. Additionally, we assessed interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release and the immune and exhaustion status of CD8+ T cells. Our findings indicate that B7-H3 enhances glycolysis in OSCC and malignant melanoma, while simultaneously inhibiting CD8+ T cell glycolysis. Silencing B7-H3 led to increased IFN-γ secretion in co-cultures, highlighting its significant role in modulating CD8+ T cell functions within the tumor microenvironment and its impact on tumorigenicity. We also demonstrate that glycolysis inhibition can be mitigated by exogenous glucose supplementation. Mechanistically, our study suggests B7-H3's influence on metabolism might be mediated through the phosphoinositide3-kinase (PI3K)/ protein kinase B (Akt)/ mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. This research unveils how B7-H3 affects immune functions via metabolic reprogramming.

A super-hydrophilic graphite directly from lignin enabled by a room-temperature cascade catalytic carbonization.

A cost-effective, and low-energy room-temperature cascade catalytic carbonization strategy is demonstrated for converting lignin into graphite with a high yield of 87 %, a high surface potential of -37 eV and super-hydrophilicity. This super-hydrophilic feature endows the lignin-derived graphite to be dispersed in a variety of polar solvents, which is important for its future applications. Encapsulating of liquid metals with the graphite for electrical circuit patterning on flexible substrates is also advocated. These written patterns show superb conductivity of 4.9 × 106 S/m, offering good performance stability and reliability while being repeatedly stretched, folded, twisted, and bent. This will offer new designs for flexible electronic devices, sensors, and biomedical devices.

Gel-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Flexible Sensing: Principles, Properties, and Applications.

The rapid development of the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence technologies has increased the need for wearable, portable, and self-powered flexible sensing devices. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) based on gel materials (with excellent conductivity, mechanical tunability, environmental adaptability, and biocompatibility) are considered an advanced approach for developing a new generation of flexible sensors. This review comprehensively summarizes the recent advances in gel-based TENGs for flexible sensors, covering their principles, properties, and applications. Based on the development requirements for flexible sensors, the working mechanism of gel-based TENGs and the characteristic advantages of gels are introduced. Design strategies for the performance optimization of hydrogel-, organogel-, and aerogel-based TENGs are systematically summarized. In addition, the applications of gel-based TENGs in human motion sensing, tactile sensing, health monitoring, environmental monitoring, human-machine interaction, and other related fields are summarized. Finally, the challenges of gel-based TENGs for flexible sensing are discussed, and feasible strategies are proposed to guide future research.

A Tough Monolithic-Integrated Triboelectric Bioplastic Enabled by Dynamic Covalent Chemistry.

Electronic waste is a growing threat to the global environment and human health, raising particular concerns. Triboelectric devices synthesized from sustainable and degradable materials are a promising electronic alternative, but the mechanical mismatch at the interface between the polymer substrate and the electrodes remains unresolved in practical applications. This study uses the sulfhydryl silanization reaction and the chemical selectivity and site specificity of the thiol-disulfide exchange reaction in dynamic covalent chemistry to prepare a tough monolithic-integrated triboelectric bioplastic. The stress is dissipated by covalent bond adaptation to the interface interaction, which makes the polymer dielectric layer to the conductive layer have a good interface adhesion effect (220.55 kPa). The interfacial interlocking of the polymer substrate with the conductive layer gives the triboelectric bioplastic excellent tensile strength (87.4 MPa) and fracture toughness (33.3 MJ m-3). Even when subjected to a tension force of 10 000 times its weight, it still maintains a stable triboelectric output with no visible cracks. This study provides new insights into the design of reliable and environmentally friendly self-powered devices, which is significant for the development of flexible wearable electronics.

Compliant Iontronic Triboelectric Gels with Phase-Locked Structure Enabled by Competitive Hydrogen Bonding.

Rapid advancements in flexible electronics technology propel soft tactile sensing devices toward high-level biointegration, even attaining tactile perception capabilities surpassing human skin. However, the inherent mechanical mismatch resulting from deficient biomimetic mechanical properties of sensing materials poses a challenge to the application of wearable tactile sensing devices in human-machine interaction. Inspired by the innate biphasic structure of human subcutaneous tissue, this study discloses a skin-compliant wearable iontronic triboelectric gel via phase separation induced by competitive hydrogen bonding. Solvent-nonsolvent interactions are used to construct competitive hydrogen bonding systems to trigger phase separation, and the resulting soft-hard alternating phase-locked structure confers the iontronic triboelectric gel with Young's modulus (6.8-281.9 kPa) and high tensile properties (880%) compatible with human skin. The abundance of reactive hydroxyl groups gives the gel excellent tribopositive and self-adhesive properties (peel strength > 70 N m-1). The self-powered tactile sensing skin based on this gel maintains favorable interface and mechanical stability with the working object, which greatly ensures the high fidelity and reliability of soft tactile sensing signals. This strategy, enabling skin-compliant design and broad dynamic tunability of the mechanical properties of sensing materials, presents a universal platform for broad applications from soft robots to wearable electronics.

Regulation of nodularin-induced apoptosis by epigallocatechin-3-gallate on fish lymphocytes in vitro.

Nodularin is one of the most conspicuous and widespread pollutants that elicit water ecological hazards to fish, causing serious damage on the immune system and physiological functions. Nodularin can cause oxidative stress-induced apoptosis on fish lymphocytes. The regulatory effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) at 10, 100, and 1000 µg/L levels on the antioxidant defense system and apoptosis of Carassius auratus lymphocytes exposed to a high dose of nodularin (100 µg/L) were quantified in vitro. EGCG reduced nodularin-induced oxidative damage on fish immune cells. This compound significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase and the level of glutathione but decreased the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde. Flow cytometry results showed that the percentages of apoptotic cells after treatment with 10, 100, and 1000 µg/L EGCG for 12 h reached 27.9%, 19.1%, and 13.7%, respectively. By contrast, the nodularin alone-induced group showed a high percentage of apoptosis (44.2%). Western blot analysis showed the increased expression of bcl-2 and the decreased expression of bax and caspase-3 in EGCG-treated fish lymphocytes. EGCG also inhibited the potential collapse of the mitochondrial membrane. Overall, EGCG can inhibit nodularin-induced apoptosis and protect the normal immunity of fish by regulating bax/bcl-2 and blocking the downstream of mitochondrial apoptosis pathway with increased intracellular antioxidant enzyme activity.

Asymmetric distribution of color-opponent response types across mouse visual cortex supports superior color vision in the sky.

Color is an important visual feature that informs behavior, and the retinal basis for color vision has been studied across various vertebrate species. While we know how color information is processed in visual brain areas of primates, we have limited understanding of how it is organized beyond the retina in other species, including most dichromatic mammals. In this study, we systematically characterized how color is represented in the primary visual cortex (V1) of mice. Using large-scale neuronal recordings and a luminance and color noise stimulus, we found that more than a third of neurons in mouse V1 are color-opponent in their receptive field center, while the receptive field surround predominantly captures luminance contrast. Furthermore, we found that color-opponency is especially pronounced in posterior V1 that encodes the sky, matching the statistics of mouse natural scenes. Using unsupervised clustering, we demonstrate that the asymmetry in color representations across cortex can be explained by an uneven distribution of green-On/UV-Off color-opponent response types that are represented in the upper visual field. This type of color-opponency in the receptive field center was not present at the level of the retinal output and, therefore, is likely computed in the cortex by integrating upstream visual signals. Finally, a simple model with natural scene-inspired parametric stimuli shows that green-On/UV-Off color-opponent response types may enhance the detection of "predatory"-like dark UV-objects in noisy daylight scenes. The results from this study highlight the relevance of color processing in the mouse visual system and contribute to our understanding of how color information is organized in the visual hierarchy across species. More broadly, they support the hypothesis that visual cortex combines upstream information towards computing neuronal selectivity to behaviorally-relevant sensory features.

Rational Design of Cellulosic Triboelectric Materials for Self-Powered Wearable Electronics.

With the rapid development of the Internet of Things and flexible electronic technologies, there is a growing demand for wireless, sustainable, multifunctional, and independently operating self-powered wearable devices. Nevertheless, structural flexibility, long operating time, and wearing comfort have become key requirements for the widespread adoption of wearable electronics. Triboelectric nanogenerators as a distributed energy harvesting technology have great potential for application development in wearable sensing. Compared with rigid electronics, cellulosic self-powered wearable electronics have significant advantages in terms of flexibility, breathability, and functionality. In this paper, the research progress of advanced cellulosic triboelectric materials for self-powered wearable electronics is reviewed. The interfacial characteristics of cellulose are introduced from the top-down, bottom-up, and interfacial characteristics of the composite material preparation process. Meanwhile, the modulation strategies of triboelectric properties of cellulosic triboelectric materials are presented. Furthermore, the design strategies of triboelectric materials such as surface functionalization, interfacial structure design, and vacuum-assisted self-assembly are systematically discussed. In particular, cellulosic self-powered wearable electronics in the fields of human energy harvesting, tactile sensing, health monitoring, human-machine interaction, and intelligent fire warning are outlined in detail. Finally, the current challenges and future development directions of cellulosic triboelectric materials for self-powered wearable electronics are discussed.

Wearable Triboelectric Visual Sensors for Tactile Perception.

Tactile sensors with visible light feedback functions, such as wearable displays and electronic skin and biomedical devices, are becoming increasingly important in various fields. However, existing methods cannot meet the application requirements for the tactile perception of intensity feedback and extended intersection due to their limited light-mapping performance and insufficient portability. Herein, a freely constructible self-powered visual tactile sensor is proposed, which consists of a high-output triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and a visual light source. The transferred charge of the TENG is enhanced to 746 nC by the structural design of the triboelectric material and device, which can easily drive the light source to generate a light signal with a brightness of 9.8 cd m-2 . Notably, the application of the TENG enables to realization visual sensing of the palm-grasp state and strength feedback without an external power supply. This visual feedback and power-free tactile sensors are expected to have potential application in the field of artificial intelligence as a new interactive medium for smart protective clothing and robotics.

Fabrication of Advanced Cellulosic Triboelectric Materials via Dielectric Modulation.

The rapid rise of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), which are emerging energy conversion devices in advanced electronics and wearable sensing systems, has elevated the interest in high-performance and multifunctional triboelectric materials. Among them, cellulosic materials, affording high efficiency, biodegradability, and customizability, are becoming a new front-runner. The inherently low dielectric constant limits the increase in the surface charge density. However, owing to its unique structure and excellent processability, cellulose shows great potential for dielectric modulation, providing a strong impetus for its advanced applications in the era of Internet of Things and artificial intelligence. This review aims to provide comprehensive insights into the fabrication of dielectric-enhanced cellulosic triboelectric materials via dielectric modulation. The exceptional advantages and research progress in cellulosic materials are highlighted. The effects of the dielectric constant, polarization, and percolation threshold on the charge density are systematically investigated, providing a theoretical basis for cellulose dielectric modulation. Typical dielectric characterization methods are introduced, and their technical characteristics are analyzed. Furthermore, the performance enhancements of cellulosic triboelectric materials endowed by dielectric modulation, including more efficient energy harvesting, high-performance wearable electronics, and impedance matching via material strategies, are introduced. Finally, the challenges and future opportunities for cellulose dielectric modulation are summarized.

Apoptotic responses of Carassius auratus lymphocytes to nodularin exposure in vitro.

Nodularin, a metabolite of Nodularin spumigena, is widely detected in water blooms worldwide and causes serious negative effects on fish. The apoptosis-related cytotoxic effects and mechanisms of nodularin on Carassius auratus lymphocytes were investigated. Transmission electron microscopy results showed that nodularin-treated lymphocytes display a series of morphological changes, including condensed cytoplasm, nuclear chromatin agglutination and marginalization. DNA fragmentation was verified by the DNA-ladder and formation of sub-G1 DNA peaks. These cell characteristics confirmed the occurrence of apoptosis in lymphocytes. Flow cytometric results showed that the percentages of apoptotic cells incubated with 1, 5, 10, and 100 µg/L nodularin for 12 h reached 15.76%, 17.36%, 20.34% and 44.21%, respectively; controls showed low rates of apoptosis (2.4%). The mechanism of apoptosis induced by nodularin was determined, and results showed that nodularin exposure caused a significant increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential in a dose-dependent manner, upregulation of intracellular Ca²âº, downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax expression at the mRNA and protein levels, and activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9 without caspase-8. In summary, all the results suggest that nodularin induces lymphocyte apoptosis via the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and destroys the immune response of fish.

Gas-Sensitive Cellulosic Triboelectric Materials for Self-Powered Ammonia Sensing.

Gas-sensitive materials are capable of dynamic identification and content monitoring of specific gases in the environment, and their applications in the field of gas sensing are promising. However, weak adsorption properties are the main challenge limiting the application of gas-sensitive materials. A highly adsorbent gas-sensitive cellulose nanofibril (CNF)-based triboelectric material with a layered structure is prepared here and it is applied to self-powered gas sensing. The layered structure of the triethoxy-1H,1H,2H,2H-tridecafluoro-n-octylsilane cellulose nanofiber (PFOTES-CNF)-based gas-sensitive material further enhances the adsorption of the material due to electrostatic adsorption in the electrostatic field induced by triboelectricity. It is found that the ammonia-sensitive material obtained by loading Ti3 C2 Tx in PFOTES-CNF has a fast response/recovery (12/14 s), high sensitivity response (Vair /Vgas  = 2.1), high selectivity response (37.6%), and low detection limit (10 ppm) for 100 ppm of ammonia gas. In addition, the ammonia-sensitive CNF-based triboelectric material can accurately identify NH3 concentration changes in the range of 10-120 ppm and transmit the signal wirelessly to the user interface, facilitating real-time online monitoring of NH3 in the environment. A novel strategy is provided here for designing and preparing high-performance gas-sensitive composites and the analysis of self-powered gas sensing is guided.