Search Results (1,377)

Biomaterial-associated infection remains a persistent challenge for implantable devices, catheters, wound dressings, and tissue-engineering scaffolds. This structured narrative review critically evaluates biomimetic superwetting polysaccharide-based composite hydrogel interfaces based on chitosan, alginate, hyaluronic acid, cellulose/nanocellulose, bacterial cellulose, and dextran. The analysis links polymer network design and cross-linking strategy to pore architecture, swelling, mechanical properties, hydration-layer stabilization, protein adsorption, bacterial adhesion, biofilm development, and cytocompatibility. Stable interfacial hydration can increase the energetic penalty for protein and bacterial approach, but high water uptake alone is insufficient: excessive swelling, low network density, poorly controlled pore interconnectivity, and weak wet-state fixation can compromise durability or provide protected sites for bacterial retention. Study-level comparisons therefore emphasize reported values for network structure, swelling, mechanics, wettability or hydration, and antibacterial/antibiofilm performance, with unreported parameters identified as such. Notably, interactions among biomaterials, bacteria, and host tissues exhibit synergistic and co-evolutionary characteristics, forming a dynamically evolving microecological balance. This eco-synergistic perspective provides a useful conceptual framework for proposing antifouling strategies that aim to regulate rather than eradicate bacterial colonization. Future work should prioritize eco-synergistic design, durable hydration, mechanically stable and porous-yet-cleanable networks, selective interfacial regulation, dynamic characterization, standardized testing, and manufacturable formulations with the minimum necessary active components. Full article

Plasmonic biosensing technologies have emerged as powerful analytical tools for sensitive and label-free characterisation of biomolecular interactions and complex samples. The increasing demand for comprehensive molecular profiling has accelerated the development of multiplexing strategies that enable simultaneous analysis of multiple analytes and molecular interactions. This Feature Paper examines multiplexing through the complementary spatial, spectral, and temporal dimensions of multiplexing, together with their hybrid combinations and associated analytical trade-offs. Compared with other optical biosensing approaches, including interferometric, photonic, and fluorescence-based sensing platforms, plasmonic biosensors remain attractive owing to their combination of label-free detection, real-time interaction monitoring, sensitive interfacial analysis, and compatibility with multiplexed assay formats. This Feature Paper critically discusses current multiplexing strategies, focusing primarily on surface plasmon resonance (SPR), imaging SPR (SPRi), localised SPR (LSPR), surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and related nanoplasmonic biosensing approaches, together with recent advances in surface biofunctionalisation, antifouling interfaces, and molecular recognition strategies. Representative applications in biomedical diagnostics and non-clinical settings are highlighted, with examples such as liquid biopsy, glycoprofiling, extracellular vesicle profiling, and food and environmental analysis, alongside key challenges in reproducibility, standardisation, data interpretation, and clinical translation. In addition, selected non-plasmonic optical biosensing technologies are briefly discussed to position plasmonic biosensing within the broader landscape of multiplexed optical biosensing. This Feature Paper argues that the future of multiplexed plasmonic biosensing will depend less on further improvements in sensor performance than on robust, standardised analytical systems. Full article

Conventional polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based antifouling coatings, despite their inherent fouling-release capability, exhibit critically insufficient antifouling performance under static seawater conditions. Inspired by the synergistic physical–chemical defense strategy of sessile marine organisms, specifically sea anemones, which combine a physical mucus barrier with antimicrobial peptide secretion, the present work develops a multi-mechanism hybrid coating—designated as sea anemone-inspired fluorosilicone polyurethane—that integrates low-surface-energy physical antifouling and cationic antibacterial chemical antifouling. This coating system is constructed from silicone polyurethane (PDMS-PU), a cationic antibacterial moiety (PDMS-N⁺), and fluorinated functional monomers. Through systematic compositional optimization, an optimal formulation (P-4) is identified, which achieves a fracture elongation of 78.19%, a normal adhesion strength of approximately 2.5 MPa, a water contact angle of 120°, and a surface energy of 12.86 mN/m. Notably, its antibacterial rates against both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) exceed 95%. The resultant coating uniquely synergizes low surface energy, potent antibacterial activity, excellent mechanical properties, and thermal stability, thereby enabling long-term and stable antifouling performance in static seawater environments. This work provides a crucial technological foundation for the engineering application and industrialization of green, durable marine antifouling coatings. Full article

Solar-Driven Photothermal Membrane Distillation (SPMD) integrates solar energy using photothermal coatings on the hydrophobic membranes, such as carbon black nanoparticles coated on PVDF membranes, to achieve localized heating at the liquid–vapor interface. This approach enhances energy efficiency by mitigating temperature polarization and reducing thermal energy demands compared to conventional membrane distillation (MD). However, the challenges of fouling and scaling, which can significantly impair membrane performance, continue to be a serious concern, similar to other MD configurations. This comprehensive review establishes a unified framework connecting core transmembrane mass and heat transfer mechanisms with the thermodynamic pathways of surface fouling and scaling. We critically evaluate various strategies for mitigating scaling and fouling, including the development of omniphobic membranes, the introduction of nano/micro bubbles, the addition of anti-scalants and surfactants, and the implementation of chemical and mechanical pretreatments. Subsequently, the impact of photothermal coatings, applied to the feed–membrane interface in SPMD to absorb solar radiation, on scaling and fouling resistance is also discussed. Finally, we provide a comprehensive review of advanced computational paradigms, for both coupled radiative-thermal and dynamic fouling models—contrasting deterministic, physics-based multi-phase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) with empirical Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and predictive Artificial Intelligence (AI) data-driven models. Beyond this survey, we identify and directly address a critical, previously unquantified gap in the field of SPMD: the absence of an explicit thermodynamic link between transmembrane heat/mass transfer and the nucleation and adhesion processes that govern scaling and fouling, and we further highlight the practical barriers—photothermal coating durability, economic feasibility, and technology readiness—that currently separate laboratory-scale SPMD from field deployment. This holistic synthesis charts future engineering strategies for scalable, fouling-resistant, and optimized solar-driven desalination infrastructure. Full article

Early screening is essential for improving the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC), for which fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) remains one of the most widely adopted noninvasive screening approaches. However, conventional FOBT methods often exhibit insufficient sensitivity and limited reliability when handling complex fecal matrices, largely due to nonspecific fouling and cumbersome sample pretreatment procedures. Herein, we report a surface plasmon resonance biosensor integrating a self-assembled anti-fouling interface with DNA aptamer-mediated molecular recognition for sensitive hemoglobin detection in fecal samples. The engineered sensing surface exhibits high interfacial stability and resistance to nonspecific adsorption, enabling direct analysis of fecal samples without complicated pretreatment. The proposed platform achieved a detection limit of 1 nM and a diagnostic accuracy of 97.6%. This study demonstrates the feasibility of SPR-based hemoglobin detection in complex fecal samples using an antifouling sensing interface and highlights its potential as a promising optical biosensing strategy for noninvasive colorectal cancer screening. Full article

This study investigated microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) and passive-film degradation of a Ti-15Mo-3Al-2.7Nb-0.25Si β titanium alloy exposed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The alloy comprised a continuous β-Ti matrix with dispersed α-Ti precipitates, and this α/β dual-phase microstructure provided a potential microstructural basis for spatial variations in passivation behavior among different microregions. During immersion, P. aeruginosa formed a heterogeneous biofilm of bacterial cells and extracellular polymeric substances, altering interfacial mass transfer, oxygen distribution, and local chemistry. Relative to the sterile control, the inoculated group showed increases in maximum pit depth from 2.4 to 4.1 μm and corrosion current density from 8.72 to 17.2 nA cm⁻², while the charge-transfer resistance decreased to 4.32 MΩ cm² after 14 d, confirming enhanced localized corrosion. Mott-Schottky and XPS analyses showed that the donor density increased from 1.07 × 10¹⁹ to 1.29 × 10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and the Ti⁴⁺ fraction decreased from 72.29% to 66.74% and the relative Ti⁰ fraction increased from 7.01% to 17.59%, reflecting increased defect accumulation within the film, impaired passive-film integrity, and reduced local protective capability. P. aeruginosa therefore increases the MIC susceptibility of this β titanium alloy by biofilm-induced interfacial microenvironmental heterogeneity. These findings support MIC assessment and integrated antifouling-anticorrosion surface design for marine β titanium alloys. Full article

This study investigated species-specific physiological and redox responses of two coral symbiotic dinoflagellates, Cladocopium sp. and Durusdinium sp., to green-synthesized nano-selenium (SeNP) gradients, with implications for eco-friendly marine antifouling. Growth, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT), lipid peroxidation (MDA), and osmo-protectants were assessed to elucidate mechanisms. Both species exhibited a biphasic (hormetic) response, with stimulation at low concentrations and inhibition at high levels. At 50–100 mg L⁻¹, Cladocopium sp. showed enhanced growth, pigments, antioxidant activity, and osmotic regulation, with reduced oxidative stress, indicating improved redox homeostasis. In contrast, ≥150 mg L⁻¹ disrupted redox balance and suppressed growth. Durusdinium sp. displayed slower growth but maintained stable pigments, consistent antioxidant activity, and low MDA, reflecting a tolerance-oriented strategy. Overall, SeNPs synergistically regulate antioxidant systems and osmotic homeostasis to balance the intracellular redox status of symbiotic dinoflagellates, indicating their potential as antioxidant agents to improve the growth performance of symbiotic dinoflagellates in coral nursery cultivation. Full article

Continuous and noninvasive body fluid monitoring has attracted increasing attention in personalized healthcare, chronic disease management, and wearable point-of-care testing. Fiber-optic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors are particularly promising for this purpose because they combine label-free and real-time with miniaturization and low sample volume requirements. However, current body fluid sensing technologies and conventional bare metal SPR interfaces still face critical challenges, including insufficient analytical accuracy in complex biofluids, broad resonance linewidths, weak signal readability for trace biomarkers, and mechanical perturbations during wearable operation. These limitations highlight the need for nanomaterial-engineered fiber-optic SPR platforms that can convert interfacial molecular events into stable and sensitive signals. The review summarizes recent progress in nanomaterial-enabled fiber-optic SPR biosensors for continuous body fluid monitoring. Emphasis is first placed on nanomaterial mediated local electromagnetic field enhancement and plasmonic mode regulation. Subsequent discussion focuses on their functions in interfacial recognition, analyte enrichment, rapid mass transport, antifouling protection, and flexible integration for continuous operation. On this basis, representative sensing targets, material strategies, and device architectures for tears, urine, exhaled breath condensate, saliva and sweat are systematically analyzed. Finally, current challenges and future opportunities are discussed from the perspective of sensing reliability, wearable integration, and real sample validation. Full article

Long-term implantable neural electrodes underpin brain–machine interfaces, deep brain stimulation, epilepsy monitoring, and closed-loop neuromodulation. Following chronic implantation, however, the foreign body response (FBR) at the electrode–tissue interface remains a major constraint on long-term performance, as reflected by increased interfacial impedance, lower signal-to-noise ratios, fewer resolvable units, and higher stimulation thresholds. This deterioration arises from interrelated events that include implantation injury, protein adsorption, blood–brain barrier disruption, complement activation, glial reactivity, oxidative stress, glial scar formation, and neuronal loss. It cannot be attributed solely to material ageing or encapsulation failure. This review examines the molecular mechanisms of neural-electrode FBR and relates them to surface-biofunctionalization strategies, including antifouling coatings, bioactive ligands, immobilized neurotrophic factors, drug-eluting electrodes, and emerging immunomodulatory interfaces. Establishing mechanistic links among molecular events, material interfaces, and functionalization strategies may guide the rational design of durable neural electrodes. Full article

Anthracycline agents, principally doxorubicin and daunorubicin, are widely used in oncology yet carry a narrow therapeutic index and pronounced interindividual pharmacokinetic variability that exposes patients simultaneously to the risk of subtherapeutic dosing and cumulative cardiotoxicity. Conventional therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) based on periodic venous sampling and offline high-performance liquid chromatography cannot resolve the sub-minute concentration dynamics that determine organ-specific drug exposure. Electrochemical aptamer-based (EAB) sensors couple nucleic-acid aptamers, self-assembled monolayers, and methylene blue redox reporters on gold microelectrodes to convert binding-induced conformational changes into real-time, reagent-free electrochemical signals. Recent advances in this field fall into five areas: signal interrogation strategies, from kinetic differential measurement to calibration-free Fourier-transform impedance spectroscopy (FFT-EIS); interface engineering including nanostructured electrodes and AI-guided aptamer design; in vivo multi-compartment pharmacokinetic monitoring and closed-loop feedback drug delivery; the mechanisms of in vivo signal drift alongside antifouling countermeasures spanning hydrogel barriers, zwitterionic brushes, and xenonucleic acid backbone substitution; and FDA premarket pathways and clinical translation, including Premarket Approval requirements and the emerging Real-Time Clinical Trial (RTCT) framework. In live rodents, dual-compartment monitoring has resolved a reproducible 30–60 min plasma-to-ISF lag for doxorubicin at 12 s temporal resolution; calibration-free FFT-EIS interrogation achieves inter-animal coefficients of variation below 12% without individual pre-calibration; and xenonucleic acid backbone substitution has extended continuous in vivo operation to seven consecutive days. Unlike prior EAB reviews that survey general molecular targets or benchtop aptasensors, this review uniquely integrates anthracycline-specific in vivo pharmacokinetics, multi-compartment plasma–ISF monitoring, calibration-free interrogation, XNA-enabled long-term stability, and FDA/RTCT regulatory translation into a single clinical roadmap. Three gaps still separate rodent proof-of-concept work from chemotherapy patients: clinical-context validation, tumor microenvironment calibration, and anthracycline-specific XNA aptamer design. Full article

In this work, an electrochemical sensor based on a Fe₃O₄/STAB/chitosan nanocomposite was developed for the detection of nitrite. The nanocomposite exhibited positive charges on its surface, high conductivity, favorable biocompatibility, and strong antifouling ability, enabling electrostatic adsorption of nitrite and thereby enhancing detection sensitivity. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with this material was employed for nitrite measurement using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Under optimized conditions, the Fe₃O₄/STAB/chitosan/GCE showed excellent analytical performance for nitrite detection, with a detection limit of 0.151 mg/L. Recovery rates of nitrite in real samples ranged from 95.02% to 107.93%, with relative standard deviations between 0.91% and 5.23%. Moreover, the modified GCE displayed excellent selectivity, reproducibility, and repeatability for nitrite detection. Therefore, this work provides a novel strategy for nitrite monitoring in aquaculture. Full article

Membrane separation technology has been extensively applied to treat oily effluent given its high performance and ease of operation. However, conventional polymer membranes are resistant to natural degradation after use, leading to severe environmental concerns. Consequently, the development of biodegradable membranes that combine satisfactory oil–water separation performance with ecological safety has emerged as a critical research priority. In this work, we fabricated a biodegradable membrane consisting of chitosan (CS), sodium methacrylate (SMa) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) via electrospinning, with anionic super-hydrophilic polyacrylamide (PAM) incorporated to enhance wettability. No toxic chemicals were used throughout the fabrication process. The resulting membrane with an interpenetrating network and beaded structure not only rendered the crosslinked nanofiber more hydrophilic but also improved the porosity of membranes, which significantly enhanced the separation performance and fouling resistance of the membrane. Specifically, the CS/PVA/SMa-PAM membrane achieved a separation flux of 2.7 × 10⁴ L·m⁻²·h⁻¹·bar⁻¹ for oil–water emulsions. After 20 emulsion separation cycles, the flux of the modified membrane was stable at 2.5 × 10⁴ L·m⁻²·h⁻¹·bar⁻¹. Benefiting from its excellent anti-fouling properties, high separation efficiency, eco-friendly biodegradability, and toxic-reagent-free fabrication, the as-prepared CS/PVA/SMa-PAM membrane offers a promising and sustainable option for oily wastewater treatment. Full article

The long-term antifouling performance of cholinium-based ionic liquid (IL) coatings applied to marble and tufa stone surfaces for cultural heritage protection was studied. A bilayer system consisting of a nano-silica consolidant (NanoEstel^®, NE) and ILs was evaluated over a five-year period (2019–2024) under controlled environmental conditions. The coatings’ ability to prevent spontaneous microbial colonization was assessed through macroscopic observation, ImageJ analysis, light microscopy (LM), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The results demonstrated that specific ILs, particularly 3 and 3a, exhibited sustained antifouling effectiveness, maintaining low surface coverage after five years (as low as 4.5% on tufa and 2.1% on marble). Microbiological analysis confirmed minimal fungal structures and the absence of culturable organisms on the most effective coatings. These findings highlight a clear relationship between IL lipophilicity and antifouling performance, with more lipophilic species providing better protection. Overall, these results confirm that NE/IL-based coatings offer a durable, environmentally friendly, and effective strategy for long-term protection of stone materials, supporting their application in the sustainable conservation of cultural heritage. A coating based on a cholinium IL formulation was also tested for in situ application over five years (2021–2026). Full article

Graphene oxide (GO) membranes present a compelling alternative to the permeability-selectivity trade-off inherent in conventional polymer membranes. However, the incomplete mechanistic understanding and the absence of scalable, defect-controlled fabrication processes continue to hinder their practical deployment. This review synthesizes and integrates transport mechanisms, computational modeling, fabrication, and translational constraints across graphene-based membrane architectures into a comprehensive design-oriented framework. Five key aspects of this synthesis are highlighted. Firstly, the available evidence supports a three-regime transport model, which unifies viscous near-frictionless flow, activated molecular hopping, and solution–diffusion. This reframes selectivity as a tunable function of the C/O ratio and interlayer chemistry. Secondly, a quantitative parity analysis of literature data reveals that classical molecular dynamics tends to overestimate GO laminate water permeance by a representative factor of approximately 3–8× across the matched comparisons examined. This discrepancy can be corrected using a tortuosity–porosity factor derived from wet-state XRD. Machine-learning force fields (GAP, MACE), while still in an early stage of development with limited reported applications, narrow the residual discrepancy to within 1.5–2× in the studies reviewed. Thirdly, a tiered computational roadmap identifies nuclear quantum effects as critical for proton-transport applications but unresolved for water permeance in GO laminate geometry. Fourthly, performance across water nanofiltration, gas separation, ion recovery, and osmotic energy harvesting is benchmarked against commercial references, with explicit caveats regarding the heterogeneity of testing conditions across cited studies, alongside a technology readiness assessment. Lastly, a standardized 500-h hydraulic stability protocol is proposed to facilitate cross-laboratory comparison. Collectively, this synthesis provides a structured, albeit not exhaustively validated, basis for the discussion of next-generation membrane design. Full article