Long-Lasting, Transparent Antibacterial Shield: A Durable, Broad-Spectrum Anti-Bacterial, Non-Cytotoxic, Transparent Nanocoating for Extended Wear Contact Lenses.

The increasing incidence of serious bacterial keratitis, a sight-threatening condition often exacerbated by inadequate contact lens (CLs) care, highlights the need for innovative protective technology. This study introduces a long-lasting antibacterial, non-cytotoxic, transparent nanocoating for CLs via a solvent-free polymer deposition method, aiming to prevent bacterial keratitis. The nanocoating comprises stacked polymer films, with poly(dimethylaminomethyl styrene-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (pDE) as a biocompatible, antibacterial layer atop poly(2,4,6,8-tetramethyl-2,4,6,8-tetravinylcyclotetrasiloxane) (pV4D4) as an adhesion-promoting layer. The pD6E1-grafted (g)-pV4D4 film shows non-cytotoxicity toward two human cell lines and antibacterial activity of >99% against four bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), an antibiotic-resistant bacteria and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes ocular diseases. Additionally, the film demonstrates long-lasting antibacterial activity greater than 96% against MRSA for 9 weeks in phosphate-buffered saline. To the best knowledge, this duration represents the longest reported long-term stability with less than 5% decay of antibacterial performance among contact-killing antibacterial coatings. The film exhibits exceptional mechanical durability, retaining its antibacterial activity even after 15 washing cycles. The pD6E1-g-pV4D4-coated CL maintains full optical transmittance compared to that of pristine CL. It is expected that the unprecedentedly prolonged antibacterial performance of the coating will significantly alleviate the risk of infection for long-term CL users.

Bio-Inspired Organic Synaptor with In Situ Ion-Doped Ultrathin Polyelectrolyte Containing Acetylcholine-Like Cation.

An ion-based synaptic transistor (synaptor) is designed to emulate a biological synapse using controlled ion movements. However, developing a solid-state electrolyte that can facilitate ion movement while achieving large-scale integration remains challenging. Here, a bio-inspired organic synaptor (BioSyn) with an in situ ion-doped polyelectrolyte (i-IDOPE) is demonstrated. At the molecular scale, a polyelectrolyte containing the tert-amine cation, inspired by the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is synthesized using initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) with in situ doping, a one-step vapor-phase deposition used to fabricate solid-state electrolytes. This method results in an ultrathin, but highly uniform and conformal solid-state electrolyte layer compatible with large-scale integration, a form that is not previously attainable. At a synapse scale, synapse functionality is replicated, including short-term and long-term synaptic plasticity (STSP and LTSP), along with a transformation from STSP to LTSP regulated by pre-synaptic voltage spikes. On a system scale, a reflex in a peripheral nervous system is mimicked by mounting the BioSyns on various substrates such as rigid glass, flexible polyethylene naphthalate, and stretchable poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene) for a decentralized processing unit. Finally, a classification accuracy of 90.6% is achieved through semi-empirical simulations of MNIST pattern recognition, incorporating the measured LTSP characteristics from the BioSyns.

Nanotopology-Enabled On-Site Pathogen Detection for Managing Atopic Dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD), a prevalent skin condition often complicated by microbial infection, poses a significant challenge in identifying the responsible pathogen for its effective management. However, a reliable, safe tool for pinpointing the source of these infections remains elusive. In this study, a novel on-site pathogen detection that combines chemically functionalized nanotopology with genetic analysis is proposed to capture and analyze pathogens closely associated with severe atopic dermatitis. The chemically functionalized nanotopology features a 3D hierarchical nanopillar array (HNA) with a functional polymer coating, tailored to isolate target pathogens from infected skin. This innovative nanotopology demonstrates superior pathogenic capture efficiency, favorable entrapment patterns, and non-cytotoxicity. An HNA-assembled stick is utilized to directly retrieve bacteria from infected skin samples, followed by extraction-free quantitative loop-mediated isothermal amplification (direct qLAMP) for validation. To mimic human skin conditions, porcine skin is employed to successfully capture Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacterium exacerbating AD cases. The on-site detection method exhibits an impressive detection limit of 103 cells mL-1. The HNA-assembled stick represents a promising tool for on-site detection of bacteria associated with atopic dermatitis. This innovative approach enables to deepen the understanding of AD pathogenesis and open avenues for more effective management strategies for chronic skin conditions.

Charge-shifting polyplex as a viral RNA extraction carrier for streamlined detection of infectious viruses.

The recent outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has highlighted the need for rapid, user-friendly nucleic acid testing that involves simple but efficient RNA extraction. Here, we present a charge-shifting polyplex as an RNA extraction carrier for advanced diagnosis of infectious viral diseases. The polyplex comprises poly(2-(dimethylamino) ethyl acrylate) (pDMAEA) electrostatically conjugated with RNA. The pDMAEA film can rapidly dissolve in the viral RNA solution, promoting immediate binding with RNA to form the polyplex, which enables the efficient capture of a substantial quantity of RNA. Subsequently, the captured RNA can be readily released by the quick hydrolysis of pDMAEA at the onset of quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), streamlining the entire process from RNA extraction to analysis. The developed method requires only 5 min of centrifugation and enables the detection of RNA in a one-pot setup. Moreover, the proposed method is fully compatible with high-speed qRT-PCR kits and can identify clinical samples within 1 h including the entire extraction to detection procedure. Indeed, the method successfully detected influenza viruses, SARS-CoV-2, and their delta and omicron variants in 260 clinical samples with a sensitivity of 99.4% and specificity of 98.9%. This rapid, user-friendly polyplex-based approach represents a significant breakthrough in molecular diagnostics.