Near-infrared activated drug-eluting intraocular lens enable synergistic photothermal and chemotherapeutic therapy for posterior capsule opacification.

Structural health monitoring often involves temperature measurement. However, traditional sensors cannot measure subsurface temperature non-invasively, making them unsuitable for monitoring temperature-driven damage mechanisms such as high-cycle thermal fatigue. This limitation arises, in part, due to effective thermal low-pass filtering caused by material properties. A previous feasibility study demonstrated that subsurface temperature can be inferred non-invasively in mild steel subjected to uniform heating. This was achieved using the ultrasonic-based inverse thermal modelling (ITM) method, which assumes the temperature of a component can be described by a 1D system. This study investigated the behaviour of ITM under non-uniform heating applied to the 'inaccessible' surface of a stainless steel sample through experiments and simulations. The experimental results show that ITM over-predicts temperature by as much as 120% when the heated region is small compared with the 10mm ultrasonic beam size. In simulation, the overestimation was reduced as the size of the heating source increased, effectively making the temperature distribution more uniform across the volume through which the ultrasonic wave travels. Despite the overestimation under non-uniform heating, ITM overcomes the thermal low-pass filtering, allowing the detection of thermal transients compared with a thermocouple mounted on the 'accessible' surface of a component.

The aim of this systematic review was to assess the stress distribution of zirconia implants compared to titanium implants using finite element analysis (FEA). The main research question was whether zirconia demonstrate mechanical behavior comparable to or better than titanium in posterior applications. This study was previously registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023480344). Six electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Capes Journals, Lilacs, and Scielo) were searched up to March 2024. The terms "finite element analysis," "posterior*," "jaw," and "zirconia implant" were used. The inclusion criteria were in silico finite element studies comparing zirconia and titanium implants in the posterior jaws, exclusion criteria were non-English, non-finite element, anterior region, or studies without zirconia-only groups. Five evaluators independently conducted assessments using predefined criteria in Rayyan©. The risk of bias was assessed by ROBFEAD. Titles and abstracts were screened, and studies meeting the criteria underwent full-text assessment. The search retrieved 512 studies, with 368 remaining after duplicate removal. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria, its reference lists were also screened. Zirconia implants showed mechanical strength equal to or greater than titanium implants. Implant geometry and abutment diameter influenced stress distribution on the peri-implant bone, implant, and abutment. Bioglass-zirconia implants demonstrated superior performance compared to conventional zirconia. Root-like implant geometries and thread designs were advantageous in posterior regions. A limitation of finite element studies is the variability in evaluation criteria, modeling parameters, material properties, loading conditions, and group configurations, as well as simplifications in geometry and boundary conditions, which may impact the comparability and clinical relevance of the results. Zirconia implants offer potential for stress modulation and are viable in posterior areas. However, properties vary based on geometry, thread, and abutment design compared to titanium. Understanding the biomechanical behavior of zirconia implants can improve clinical outcomes in dental implantology, emphasizing the need for further research. This review received no external funding.

Eggs are natural and multifunctional bioresources, and their components are widely applied in the food, biomedical, functional, and environmental fields. Most studies have focused on the chemical properties or functional characteristics of individual components, and a systematic understanding that connects molecular structure, material performance, and cross-disciplinary applications is lacking. This review comprehensively synthesized existing studies, covering inorganic constituents (e.g., eggshell minerals), natural fibers (e.g., eggshell membrane), and protein and lipid structural features, determining their roles in functional regulation, interfacial activity, network formation, and material properties. Advancements in egg-based composite systems, including protein-polysaccharide networks, egg yolk lipid-based nanocarriers, eggshell-eggshell membrane composites, and protein-keratin crosslinked systems, are highlighted. The effects of the conditions of preparation, composite strategies, and interfacial modulation on the microstructure, rheology, film-forming ability, and stability were critically discussed. Future perspectives were proposed, emphasizing multicomponent synergistic design, cross-phase interface engineering, and the development of egg-based smart materials. This framework provides a systematic reference for using eggs in high-performance food systems, biomedical applications, and functional composite materials.

• A full-scale experimental study revealed a logarithmic reduction in bending stiffness of dynamic submarine cables under combined cyclic loading and current-induced heating. • The study confirmed the existence of a long-term minimum stiffness plateau. • Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) characterized the temperature- and time-dependent viscoelastic behavior of polyethylene (PE) layers used in dynamic cables. • The combined full-scale and material testing results demonstrated that changes in PE mechanical properties influence the long-term stiffness behavior of the cable. • The work highlights the need for offshore dynamic cable design to account for evolving stiffness characteristics over time, temperature, and loading cycles to ensure reliable performance. This study examines the long-term evolution of bending stiffness in dynamic submarine power cables subjected to extensive cyclic loading. The primary objective is to identify the evolution of bending stiffness over time, with particular attention to the behavior beyond the initial few load cycles. Furthermore, the study aims to examine whether the polyethylene layers may partially account for the mechanisms underlying these observed trends. To achieve this, a novel experimental protocol was developed, involving 100,000 loading cycles of a submarine dynamic cable under realistic operational conditions, including current-induced heating (full-scale test). This protocol was designed to assess the combined effects of temperature and material properties on the degradation of bending stiffness. Moreover, material testing on polyethylene layers was conducted using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis to characterize their time-dependent mechanical behavior and compare it with the results of the full-scale test. The experimental results reveal -for the first time for a dynamic power cable- a logarithmic decrease in bending stiffness as a function of loading cycles, eventually stabilizing at a plateau. In addition, the findings from the material characterization of polyethylene revealed a significant reduction of complex modulus as a function of temperature increase, and a slight reduction in the modulus as a function of the number of loading cycles, which can explain partially the phenomenon. However, the material testing results cannot fully explain the patterns observed at full-scale, suggesting that they play a role in the evolution of the cable’s bending stiffness. Incorporating the findings from this experiment into design methodologies and assessment frameworks is essential to improve the reliability and operational safety of dynamic submarine power cables.

Lung injury risk curves for behind armor blunt trauma using the abbreviated injury scoring system.

Photocatalytic degradation of microplastics: From efficiency assessment to rational system design.

Under-calcination thermal reactivation of hydrated cement pastes and construction and demolition waste: A comparison of different commercial products

Role of surface terminations in enhancing CrTe2 MXene performance for LIBs.

Medical imaging relies on tracer materials to enable accurate visualization and diagnosis of diseases. Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is an innovative tomographic modality that offers exceptional sensitivity and temporal resolution. These characteristics make MPI particularly promising for clinical applications such as real-time vascular and perfusion imaging, tumor detection, and intraoperative guidance. However, MPI performance has so far been limited by the quality of available tracers, as conventional chemical synthesis provides only restricted control over the size, shape, and magnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles. Biogenic magnetic nanoparticles, so-called magnetosomes, produced by magnetotactic bacteria, represent a compelling alternative. Magnetosome biosynthesis is fully genetically encoded, enabling the natural formation of magnetite nanoparticles with uniform size and morphology, which is difficult to achieve through chemical synthesis. Moreover, genetic engineering of the bacterial production host allows precise tuning of particle characteristics, including size, shape, and magnetic behavior, to meet specific application requirements. In this study, magnetosomes isolated from different Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense mutant strains, each biomineralizing particles with distinct core diameters, were systematically evaluated as potential MPI tracers. Magnetic particle spectroscopy (MPS) was used to identify the most promising candidates based on their signal properties. These tracers were subsequently subjected to detailed signal analyses and phantom experiments to directly compare their imaging performance. Our findings demonstrate that genetically tailored magnetosomes can substantially improve MPI signal quality, underscoring their potential as next-generation tracers. This work provides a foundation for the rational design of optimized biogenic nanoparticles to advance preclinical and future clinical MPI applications. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is a novel imaging technology with high sensitivity and real-time capabilities, making it highly promising for clinical applications such as blood flow monitoring and tumor detection. The performance of MPI strongly depends on the properties of the tracer materials used. However, producing high-quality tracers through conventional chemical synthesis remains challenging. In this study, we introduce an innovative biological approach by using genetically engineered magnetotactic bacteria to produce uniform magnetic nanoparticles, so-called magnetosomes. This strategy allows precise control of particle size, shape, and magnetic properties, resulting in tracers with superior performance. Our findings pave the way for the development of next-generation MPI tracers, advancing both fundamental research and potential clinical translation.

Accurate heterogeneity correction in high-precision radiotherapy relies on precise computed tomography (CT) number-to-density conversion via the Hounsfield unit look-up table (HLUT). While physical properties of tissue-equivalent materials are generally assumed consistent with manufacturer specifications, an independent audit identified clinically significant density discrepancies in commercially available lung-equivalent phantom inserts. This study evaluates the physical properties of nonconforming lung inserts through mass measurements and stoichiometric analysis, and assesses the clinical dosimetric impact of the associated density discrepancies. Five lung-inhale inserts manufactured in 2010, 2015, and 2024 (10A, 10B, 15A, 15B, and 24A) were analyzed. Mass and physical dimensions were measured in triplicate using a precision balance (1mg resolution) and vernier calipers. Stoichiometric analysis was conducted using reference materials to evaluate the tissue-equivalence of the inserts and quantify deviations from the theoretical baseline. A nonconforming table and a conforming reference table (RT) were established, derived from inserts 10A and 24A, respectively. For clinical impact assessment, volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans for three clinical cases involving centrally located lung tumors (utilizing both inspiration breath-hold (IBH) and free-breathing) were optimized for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and recalculated with the RT using the Acuros XB algorithm. Differences in gross tumor volume (GTV) mean dose and planning target volume (PTV) D95% were evaluated to quantify the dosimetric consequences. The 2010 inserts (10A and 10B) exhibited a 17.1% mass reduction and lower CT numbers compared to the reference 24A insert. Dimensional variations were negligible (≤ 0.2mm) across all samples. Clinical recalculation revealed maximum dose reductions of 2.1% for the GTV mean dose and 3.0% for the PTV D95% in the worst-case scenario. These errors exceed the 2% clinical tolerance, propagated by HLUT interpolation across the low-density range. Substantial inter-lot density variations in commercial calibration phantoms can lead to dosimetric errors that exceed established clinical limits, particularly for centrally located tumors treated with IBH. Medical physicists must not implicitly rely on nominal manufacturer values; independent audits and initial mass screening at acceptance are highly recommended for maintaining dose calculation accuracy.

Features of dielectric properties of ceramic material based on CaSO4

Energy-based method for determining tensile properties of structural materials in fusion reactors using small-sized three-point bending specimens

Effects of carbon nanotubes/graphene oxide ratio on the properties of hybrid aerogel-supported form-stable phase change materials

• In-situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was successfully applied in supercritical water. • Instantaneous corrosion rates of 310S steel were integrated and compared with gravimetric data. • Electrochemical results showed excellent agreement with weight loss measurements (deviation < 6% at 500°C). • The study confirms that pressure fluctuations near the critical point significantly impact corrosion rates. • The method allows for real-time monitoring of corrosion kinetics in SCWR environments. In this study, in-situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was employed to assess charge transfer and corrosion properties of candidate materials for fuel cladding in supercritical water (SCW). Experiments utilized 310S steel samples in a supercritical autoclave setup with a recirculation water loop. Exposures for 1000h at 380°C or 500°C (25 MPa) allowed for real-time corrosion rate monitoring. From the impedance spectra, the faradaic and diffusion resistances were evaluated and used to calculate polarization resistance, which is a fundamental parameter determining the instantaneous corrosion rate. By converting to corrosion current and integrating the time dependence, integral corrosion data can be obtained, which are directly comparable to the results of weight gain/loss measurements. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of EIS measurements in SCW in a broad temperature range and highlight its utility for understanding corrosion process in SCW environments. The in-situ integrated electrochemical data were directly and quantitatively validated against standard ex-situ mass change measurements obtained under identical conditions. Quantitative comparison revealed sufficient agreement between the integral electrochemical data and the weight loss method, showing a difference of only -6% at 500°C (37 vs. 39 mg·dm -2 ) and +36% at 380°C (28 vs. 18 mg·dm -2 ). The difference between the integral electrochemical data and the weight gain method was +63% at 380°C and +21% at 500°C, which can be attributed to oxide layer delamination at high temperatures causing weight gain measurements to underestimate the true oxidation. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of EIS measurements in SCW in a broad temperature range and highlight its utility for understanding corrosion process in SCW environments.

Effect of electrical arc furnace slag, lead slag and steel fibres on thermal properties of one-part alkali-activated materials for sensible heat storage

Effect of Pb doping on the crystallization process and thermoelectric properties of Ge2Sb2Te5 phase change material

Regulation of charge transfer and photophysical properties of porphyrin-based hole transport materials by functional group substitution: DFT and TD-DFT investigations.

Recent advances in photovoltaic technologies have established lead halide perovskites as benchmark materials for optoelectronic applications, but serious concerns persist regarding the toxicity of lead, their principal constituent element. In this context, bismuth-based perovskite-inspired materials have emerged as a promising lead-free alternative, offering comparable electronic characteristics. Here, we explore the structural, electronic and transport properties of Cs3Bi2I9 and Cs3Bi2Br9, two perovskite-inspired materials with significant potential for photovoltaic and photocatalytic applications. With state-of-the-art first-principles calculations, we investigate the subtle effects of iodine/bromine (I/Br) mixing on the materials' physico-chemical properties. We predict a change in phase stabilities around 40% Br content: below 30% Br, the iodine-dominant P63/mmc phase is stable, while beyond 40% Br, the bromine-dominant P-3m1 phase becomes energetically favorable, consistent with experimental observations. The electronic bandgap increases with Br content, and effective mass calculations indicate that electrons exhibit lower effective masses and higher mobility compared to holes, with hole localization intensifying as the Br content increases. Overall, our findings underscore the critical role of halogen composition in modulating the structural, electronic, and transport properties of these materials, providing valuable insights for optimizing halide contents in perovskite-inspired systems for next-generation optoelectronic applications.

Efficient heat dissipation is vital for the reliability and performance of next-generation nanoelectronics based on two-dimensional MA2Z4 (M = Mo, W, V, Nb, Ta, Ti, Zr, Hf or Cr, A = Si, Ge, and Z = N, P, As) semiconductors. While their electronic and mechanical properties have been extensively characterized, the microscopic physics governing thermal transport in these complex septuple-atomic-layer structures remains elusive. In this work, we systematically investigate the intrinsic lattice thermal conductivity of monolayer CrSi2N4 by developing machine-learned potentials trained on first-principles data. This framework captures many-body interatomic interactions with quantum-mechanical accuracy, enabling rigorous assessment of phonon dynamics via large-scale molecular and lattice dynamics calculations. We predict a high room-temperature thermal conductivity of approximately 372 W m-1 K-1 for CrSi2N4, positioning it as a promising heat-spreading candidate. Mode-resolved analyses reveal that heat transport is dominated by in-plane acoustic phonons; the flexural modes undergo pronounced anharmonic renormalization, significantly suppressing their contribution to total heat flux. Compared with MoSi2N4, the disparity in thermal conductivity of CrSi2N4 originates from altered lattice anharmonicity and a constricted three-phonon scattering phase space rather than atomic mass effects. These results provide insight into phonon transport in Cr-based MA2Z4 nitrides and demonstrate the effectiveness of machine-learned potentials for predicting thermophysical properties of complex two-dimensional materials.