Multiple Color Research Articles

Electrospun Janus film: Innovative design of “macro + micro” to achieve thermochromic-anisotropic conductive-fluorescent tri-functionality

Multi-functionalized thermochromic materials will greatly expand their application scopes. In this work, two functions of electrical conductivity and fluorescence are innovatively integrated into a thermochromic material by designing specific “macro + micro” Janus structures. Tri-functional thermochromic-anisotropic conductive-fluorescent thermochromic microcapsules-45 °C (TCM-45)/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microfibers non-array&{[polypyrrole (PPy)/PMMA]//[Coumarin/PMMA] Janus microfibers array} up-down Janus film (named as TCFJAJF) is constructed by two-step electrospinning techniques of “single axis + parallel axis”. The up layer of TCFJAJF is TCM-45/PMMA microfibers non-array film (defined as U-TCFJAJF, viz. thermochromic layer) and the down layer of TCFJAJF is [PPy/PMMA]//[Coumarin/PMMA] Janus microfibers array film (denoted as D-TCFJAJF, viz. anisotropic conductive-fluorescent layer). The macroscopic up-down Janus structure eliminates the mutual influences between D-TCFJAJF and U-TCFJAJF. U-TCFJAJF has excellent color conversion and fading/coloring performances, achieving a reversible and multiple colors conversion from blue to white upon heating from 25 to 45 °C. A new concept of “transient thermal printing” is proposed based on fast thermal coloring/fading conversion of thermally printed patterns on film. Meanwhile, the microscopic Janus microfiber structure of D-TCFJAJF largely alleviates absorption to the excitation light and emission light of Coumarin by PPy and influence of Coumarin on conduction of PPy, ensuring the intense fluorescence and high conductivity. Due to the ordered arrangement of Janus microfibers, D-TCFJAJF has excellent anisotropic conductivity. As a demo application, TCFJAJF as a conductor can light up LED bulbs in a microcircuit and emit bright blue fluorescence under UV light excitation, achieving the working state visualization of the conductive microcircuit in dark surroundings. The multi-functionalized thermochromic film will have huge application prospects in fields of temperature monitoring, transient information reading and displaying, flexible electronics, fluorescent labeling and thermal-fluorescent dual encryption anti-counterfeiting, etc.

Inverse design of lateral hybrid metasurfaces structural colour: an AI approach.

In conventional metasurface structural colour design, simulations combined with human intuition are used for design and optimization, making it challenging to find the best solution. Here we introduce an innovative AI-assisted design process that bypasses the need for complex simulations, enabling swift and precise mapping between metasurface parameters and colour coordinates. Instead of assigning one colour to one geometry, we demonstrate that multiple colours can be generated from a single geometry under varying levels of strain. This can be achieved through a single model, facilitating the development of active metasurfaces using AI. This finding enables designers to create active metasurfaces that account for both geometric properties and dynamic responses in a unified model which could accelerate the development of active metamaterials closer to practical applications in the real world.

Multiexcitation Peaks and Multicolor Emission Nanoassemblies for Transmembrane Cell Imaging and Photoresponsivity Antibacterial.

Nanomaterials with photoresponsivity have garnered attention due to their fluorescence imaging, photodynamic, and photothermal therapeutic properties. In this study, a photoresponsivity nanoassembly was developed by using photosensitizers and carbon dots (CDs). Due to their multiple excitation peaks and multicolor fluorescence emission, especially their membrane-permeating properties, these nanoassemblies can label cells with multiple colors and track cell imaging in real time. Additionally, the incorporation of photosensitizers and CDs provides the nanoassemblies with the potential for photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT). The nanoassemblies effectively suppressed the activity of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus through PDT and PTT. Moreover, the nanoassemblies exhibited a high affinity for E. coli and S. aureus. These distinct features confer broad-spectrum antibacterial properties to the nanoassemblies. As a photoresponsivity nanoplatform, these nanoassemblies have demonstrated potential applications in the fields of bioimaging and antimicrobial.

Harmful Algal Blooms on the Portuguese coast: Cross-checking events with remote sensing ocean colour data for coastal management

Phytoplankton plays a vital role in marine ecosystems, serving as a primary food source for a diverse array of organisms, including commercially important bivalves, crustaceans, and fish. However, in some situations, the proliferation of algae can cause serious economic losses for aquaculture, fishing, and tourism and have major environmental and human health impacts. Increases in the occurrence of toxic phytoplankton blooms in Iberian waters have been reported. Earth Observation (EO) can provide important information about the spatial and temporal distribution and the destination of blooms, with scales not available for conventional monitoring techniques. The present work aims to take advantage of public databases (Harmful Algae Event Database (HAEDAT)) to relate ocean colour data, also publicly available, (Copernicus Marine Environmental Monitoring Service (CMEMS)) with the detection of the occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs). From the analysis of the HAEDAT database, it was possible to observe that in Portugal, from 1987 to 2020, there were 669 HABs events, with Diarrhetic Intoxication by Shellfish (DSP) syndrome. The images were extracted from multiple ocean colour sensors (2017–2020) for periods coinciding with DSP HABs events in recent years to identify patterns in the development of HAB toxins and to assist in coastal management. Having in account the HAB events analysed (12), was observed a weak but significant correlation between the datasets when the comparison was between the biotoxin concentration and its 14th day precedent Chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration (rSpearman=0.15). These results show how EO data relate to regular bivalve toxin monitoring programs on the Portuguese coast and are useful for future integration in modelling tools. Other than being useful for coastal water quality assessment and management, these results also reinforce the importance of maintaining existing monitoring programs on a regular basis, especially as some types of HABs may not be easily distinguishable by EO.

Extracting phonon coupling parameters from multi color center photoluminescence

Vibronic coupling of color centers plays a crucial role in their effectiveness for quantum technologies. This study presents a novel approach to extract key parameters, including the Huang–Rhys factor and the one-phonon coupling function, from photoluminescence spectra containing the signal from multiple color centers. Monotonic splines are used to represent the one-phonon coupling function, optimized using a variable-length non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm. Our method is applied to the combination of the well-studied negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy center and its less explored neutral counterpart in diamond, observed through photoluminescence at 14 K. Despite the complexity inherent in the theoretical framework governing phonon coupling in photoluminescence, we achieve robust fits, yielding a normalized root-mean-squared error of approximately 6%. The neutral nitrogen-vacancy center exhibits a Huang–Rhys factor of 3.0, while its negatively charged counterpart showcases a value of 3.95. The quasi-localized vibrations of both charge states are clearly present in the fitted one-phonon spectral function. Furthermore, the consistency of our methodology is bolstered by temperature-dependent photoluminescence, which was calculated up to numerical constants using fit-derived parameters, matching the experimental measurements up to 300 K.

Multiple plumage color signals associated with courtship displays may represent body quality in male golden pheasants (Chrysolophus pictus)

Many animals display numerous colors that can range from red, green, blue, and orange to ultraviolet, whereas others are dull or have a uniform coloration. The reason for this variation in coloration remains unknown. It has been hypothesized that different colors represent multiple signals that either reflect different components, redundant information, or simply no longer provide reliable information regarding body quality. Here, we analyzed the highly diverse coloration of male golden pheasants ( Chrysolophus pictus) using an avian visual model from the avian visual system and related the different components of coloration to several phenotypic traits of body quality. We found that different components of plumage color correlated with the length of the body, tail, spur, and beak, suggesting that the multiple colors in male golden pheasants signal different components of body quality. In particular, tail length was correlated with many aspects of coloration, especially the green and orange colors of neck plumage, which are particularly important because male golden pheasants spread their neck plumage and show it to females during their courtship display. Therefore, these findings reveal that the plumage colors of male golden pheasants encode multiple signals that reflect their body condition during courtship displays.

Development and Assessment of Multiple Illumination Color Fourier Ptychographic Microscopy for High Throughput Sample Digitization.

In this study, we proposed a multiplexed color illumination strategy to improve the data acquisition efficiency of Fourier ptychography microscopy (FPM). Instead of sequentially lighting up one single channel LED, our method turns on multiple white light LEDs for each image acquisition via a color camera. Thus, each raw image contains multiplexed spectral information. An FPM prototype was developed, which was equipped with a 4×/0.13 NA objective lens to achieve a spatial resolution equivalent to that of a 20×/0.4 NA objective lens. Both two- and four-LED illumination patterns were designed and applied during the experiments. A USAF 1951 resolution target was first imaged under these illumination conditions, based on which MTF curves were generated to assess the corresponding imaging performance. Next, H&E tissue samples and analyzable metaphase chromosome cells were used to evaluate the clinical utility of our strategy. The results show that the single and multiplexed (two- or four-LED) illumination results achieved comparable imaging performance on all the three channels of the MTF curves. Meanwhile, the reconstructed tissue or cell images successfully retain the definition of cell nuclei and cytoplasm and can better preserve the cell edges as compared to the results from the conventional microscopes. This study initially validates the feasibility of multiplexed color illumination for the future development of high-throughput FPM scanning systems.

The Transformation of Shape Movement Structure in the Drawings of Wasma Al-Agha

Formal formations, linear arrangements, variations in spaces, color contrasts, proximity and spacing between shapes, and even the repetition of shapes in some cases, and differences in sizes, make the painting a full-fledged compositional dimension. Therefore, we find through that importance a pressing need to conduct a study that sheds light on an important aspect of the formation represented by the experience of the artist Wasma Al-Agha. From this starting point, the researcher found a logical justification to address the subject of this research, to study and deepen the idea of shape movement and its relationship to the paintings of the artist Wasma Al-Agha. Through the foregoing, the researcher was able to formulate the following question: To what extent does the structure of shape movement transform in the drawings of Wasma Al-Agha?As the current research aims to understand the mechanisms of formation, types of shapes, and their movement in the drawings of the artist. Therefore, the researcher relied on the descriptive-analytical method (descriptive analysis) due to its suitability for the subject of the current study and what it allows for in terms of analysis procedures in order to achieve the research goal. The sample was selected using the intentional selection method for the representative sample of the research community, where the researcher identified his research models (3) models from the original community. Also the research came out with a set of results, the most important of which are: The artist tried to represent a sad and dramatic story of the suffering of immigrants in the Iraqi provinces, as in sample number (1). She relied on her own style in embodying the shapes to convey the scene with an illusory movement of the shapes, like an old inherited novel that she tells through colors and shapes, as in all the samples. As for the research Conclusions: 1. The artist relied on multiple pure colors that express a festive dimension that evokes joy in the viewer's soul. She depicted the Baghdadi scene that was repeated in all her paintings and her representation of the Iraqi woman as an old inherited novel that she tells through colors and shapes.

Bi3+/Eu3+ Co‐Activated Multimode Anti‐Counterfeiting Material with White Light Emission and Orange‐Yellow Persistent Luminescence

AbstractTraditional anti‐counterfeiting luminescent phosphors are usually composed of single‐mode photoluminescence materials, which greatly limits the security of encryption by its static fluorescent pattern. Herein, multi‐mode luminescence properties are achieved including fluorescence and persistent luminescence (PersL) within single host by co‐doping Bi3+ and Eu3+ in CaNaSb2O6F (CNSOF). A tunable emission is observed from blue (Bi3+, 3P1→1S0) to white and then to orange‐yellow (Eu3+, 5D1→7F2 and 5D0→7F0, 1, 2, 3, 4) as the excitation schemes, environment temperatures and doping level are modulated. Impressively, the blue emission attributed to the Bi3+ rapidly disappears after stopping the excitation light irradiation, and only the intense orange‐yellow PersL produced by Eu3+ can be observed. And a possible model for the energy transfer and PersL mechanism is proposed by the investigation crystal structure and photoluminescence/PersL. A schematic of security logo and digital information encryption is demonstrated using the prepared samples, which shows the dynamic evolution of the emission color and PersL brightness. The excellent property of multiple color outputs, different decay processes, and external field stimulation modes (including low energy light, thermal, and mechanical stimuli) present in CNSOF:Bi3+, Eu3+ provides a fast, low‐cost, and effective method for advanced anti‐counterfeiting and information encryption applications.

Phenotypic Trait Analysis for Registered Cultivars of Camellia sasanqua

Based on the International Camellia Register (ICR), an analysis of 1616 cultivars of Sasanqua that were registered in 2022 and earlier was conducted. This analysis focused on the resource and biological characteristics of the cultivars. Additionally, a trait diversity analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis of 118 cultivars that had complete morphological records were performed. The findings revealed a rich diversity of Sasanqua cultivars, with Japan, the United States, and Australia being the main sources. The primary flower color was red, followed by multiple colors, white, and rare colors. The predominant flower forms were single-petal and semi-double-petal, with a limited number of formal double-petal forms. Elliptical leaf shapes were the most common, and the predominant leaf colors were green and deep green. The flowering period mainly corresponded to early flowering cultivars. The phenotypic diversity index (H) of the 118 cultivars ranged from 0.31 to 1.84. The flower diameter exhibited the highest H value (1.84), whereas leaf shape had the lowest H value (0.31). The coefficient of variation (CV) ranged from 21.67% to 71.81%, with the flower diameter having the smallest CV (21.67%) and petal number having the largest CV (71.81%). The first three principal components, which accounted for a cumulative contribution rate of 62.49%, effectively represented most of the information regarding the seven trait indicators of the different cultivars. Furthermore, a cluster analysis was conducted based on the flower form, diameter, petal numbers, and other characteristics of the various cultivars. The 118 cultivars were divided into three groups. The first group could be used for breeding single-petal flower cultivars, whereas the third group exhibited a larger number of petals and could be used for breeding double-petal flower cultivars.

Modified histological staining for the identification of arterial and venous segments of brain microvessels

BackgroundThis study aimed to develop a modified histochemical staining technique to successfully identify arterial and venous segments of brain microvessels. New methodGelatin/red ink-alkaline phosphatase-oil red O (GIAO) staining was developed from the traditional gelatin–ink perfusion method. Oil red Chinese ink for brush writing and painting mixed with gelatin was used to label cerebral vascular lumens. Subsequently, alkaline phosphatase staining was used to label endothelial cells on the arterial segments of cerebral microvessels. Thereafter, the red ink color in vessel lumens was highlighted with oil red O staining. ResultsThe arterial segments of the brain microvessels exhibited red lumens surrounded by dark blue walls, while the venous segments were bright red following GIAO staining. Meanwhile, the nerve fiber bundles were stained brownish-yellow, and the nuclei appeared light green under light microscope. After cerebral infarction, we used GIAO staining to determine angiogenesis features and detected notable vein proliferation inside the infarct core. Moreover, GIAO staining in conjunction with hematoxylin staining was performed to assess the infiltration of foamy macrophages. Comparison with existing methodRed Chinese ink enabled subsequent multiple color staining on brain section. Oil red O was introduced to improved the resolution and contrast between arterial and venous segments of microvessels. ConclusionWith excellent resolution, GIAO staining effectively distinguished arterial and venous segments of microvessels in both normal and ischemic brain tissue. GIAO staining, as described in the present study, will be useful for histological investigations of microvascular bed alterations in a variety of brain disorders.

Fabrication of Polymer/Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Films and Fibers Using the Nonsolvent and Phase Separation Method.

In recent years, liquid crystal materials have drawn great interest because of their wide range of applications. Among various thermochromic materials, cholesteric liquid crystalline (CLC) materials have been well studied and reported. CLC materials have the advantages of ready manipulation and multiple color transitions. For the further development of smart clothing and wearable electronics, however, the incorporation of CLC materials into polymers still remains challenging. The difficulties lie in the prevention of leakage of CLC and retention of the cholesteric liquid crystalline phase. In this work, we demonstrate a versatile nonsolvent and phase separation method using polar solvents to incorporate CLC microspheres into polymer matrix. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), a water-soluble polymer, is chosen as the polymer because of its high transparency and ease to handle. Using spin-coating and wet spinning techniques, PVA/CLC films and fibers can be fabricated. The formation of CLC microspheres in the polymer matrix is characterized through optical and polarized microscopy. Compared with the CLC films, the PVA/CLC composites demonstrate superior thermal stability. Moreover, both PVA/CLC films and fibers exhibit good color stability from the electrical tests. This work provides an effective strategy to prepare polymer/CLC composites, paving a wide avenue toward applications in smart textiles, display technologies, and medical devices.

Solution-processable organic–inorganic materials with colorful afterglow at room temperature

The development of large-scale manufacture for low-cost afterglow materials is critical for their applications and industrializations. Herein, we presented the organic–inorganic afterglow materials with multiple colors based on boric acid (BA) and aromatic dicarboxylic acids or their diesters. These hybrid materials were facilely prepared by a solution-processable method via evaporating the solvent of the BA and organics solution at room temperature. The crystalized BA provided a rigid surrounding for the organics via hydrogen bonds, which effectively inhibited the non-radiative decay of triplet excitons and gave efficient and persistent room temperature afterglow with the phosphorescent quantum yield up to 57.66%. The phosphorescence properties were almost unchanged when deuterated BA was used instead of BA, indicating the deuteration of the hydrogen bond would not suppress the non-radiative decay from the excited state. Furthermore, a phosphorescence resonance energy transfer process was achieved by introducing 4-[4-(Dimethylamino)styryl]-1-methylpyridinium iodide (DASPI) as the energy acceptor. These BA based system could be used as quick-writable phosphorescent inks for multifunctional applications, such as anti-counterfeiting, information storage, encryption, and even for phosphor layer of light emitting diode. These results not only strengthen the understanding of the luminescence mechanism of BA hybrid materials, but also provide a new access to organic–inorganic afterglow materials.

Flow Cytometry Analysis of Microglial Phenotypes in the Murine Brain During Aging and Disease.

Microglia, the brain's primary resident immune cell, exists in various phenotypic states depending on intrinsic and extrinsic signaling. Distinguishing between these phenotypes can offer valuable biological insights into neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative processes. Recent advances in single-cell transcriptomic profiling have allowed for increased granularity and better separation of distinct microglial states. While techniques such as immunofluorescence and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) are available to differentiate microglial phenotypes and functions, these methods present notable limitations, including challenging quantification methods, high cost, and advanced analytical techniques. This protocol addresses these limitations by presenting an optimized cell preparation procedure that prevents ex vivo activation and a flow cytometry panel to distinguish four distinct microglial states from murine brain tissue. Following cell preparation, fluorescent antibodies were applied to label 1) homeostatic, 2) disease-associated (DAM), 3) interferon response (IRM), and 4) lipid-droplet accumulating (LDAM) microglia, based on gene markers identified in previous scRNA-Seq studies. Stained cells were analyzed by flow cytometry to assess phenotypic distribution as a function of age and sex. A key advantage of this procedure is its adaptability, allowing the panel provided to be enhanced using additional markers with an appropriate cell analyzer (i.e., Cytek Aurora 5 laser spectral flow cytometer) and interrogating different brain regions or disease models. Additionally, this protocol does not require microglial cell sorting, resulting in a relatively quick and straightforward experiment. Ultimately, this protocol can compare the distribution of microglial phenotypic states between various experimental groups, such as disease state or age, with a lower cost and higher throughput than scRNA-seq. Key features • Analysis of microglial phenotypes from murine brain without the need for cell sorting, imaging, or scRNA-seq. • This protocol can distinguish between homeostatic, disease-associated (DAM), lipid-droplet accumulating (LDAM), and interferon response (IRM) microglia from any murine brain region and/or disease model of interest. • This protocol can be modified to incorporate additional markers of interest or dyes when using a cell analyzer capable of multiple color detections.

Point-of-care blood tests using a smartphone-based colorimetric analyzer for health check-up.

A microscale colorimetric assay was designed and implemented for the simultaneous determination of clinical chemistry tests measuring six parameters, including glucose (GLU), total protein (TP), human serum albumin (HSA), uric acid (UA), total cholesterol (TC), and triglycerides (TGs) in plasma samples. The test kit was fabricated using chromogenic reagents, comprising specific enzymes and binding dyes. Multiple colors that appeared on the reaction well when it was exposed to each analyte were captured by a smartphone and processed by the homemade Check6 application, which was designed as a colorimetric analyzer and simultaneously generated a report that assessed test results against gender-dependent reference ranges. Six blood checkup parameters for four plasma samples were conducted within 12min on one capture picture. The assay achieved wide working concentration ranges of 10.45-600 mg dL-1 GLU, 1.39-10.0g dL-1 TP, 1.85-8.0g dL-1 HSA, 0.86-40.0 mg dL-1 UA, 11.28-600 mg dL-1 TC, and 11.93-400 mg dL-1 TGs. The smartphone-based assay was accurate with recoveries of 93-108% GLU, 93-107% TP, 92-107% HSA, 93-107% UA, 92-107% TC, and 99-113% TGs. The coefficient of variation for intra-assay and inter-assay precision ranged from 3.2-5.2% GLU, 4.6-5.3% TP, 4.3-5.3% HSA, 2.8-6.6% UA, 2.7-6.5% TC, and 1.1-3.9% TGs. This assay demonstrated remarkable accuracy in quantifying the concentration-dependent color intensity of the plasma, even in the presence of other suspected interferences commonly present in serum. The results of the proposed method correlated well with results determined by the microplate spectrophotometer (R2 > 0.95). Measurement of these six clinical chemistry parameters in plasma using a microscale colorimetric test kit coupled with the Check6 smartphone application showed potential for real-time point-of-care analysis, providing cost-effective and rapid assays for health checkup testing.

Polymeric Cholesteric Superhelix Induced by Chiral Helical Polymer for Achieving Full-Color Circularly Polarized Room-Temperature Phosphorescence with Ultra-High Dissymmetry Factor.

Circularly polarized room-temperature phosphorescence (CPRTP) simultaneously featuring multiple colors and extremely high dissymmetry factor (glum) is crucial for increasing the complexity of optical characteristics and advancing further development, but such a type of CPRTP is still unprecedented. The present work develops an effective and universal strategy to achieve full-color CPRTP with ultra-high glum factors in a polymeric cholesteric superhelix network, which is constructed by cholesteric liquid crystal polymer and chiral helical polymer (CHP). Taking advantage of the high helical twisting power of CHP, the resulting polymeric cholesteric superhelix network exhibits remarkable optical activity. Significantly, by adopting a simple double-layered architectures consisting of the cholesteric superhelix film and phosphorescent films, blue-, green-, yellow-, and red-CPRTP emissions are successfully obtained, with maximum |glum| values up to 1.43, 1.39, 1.09 and 0.84, respectively. Further, a multilevel information encryption application is demonstrated based on the multidimensional optical characteristics of the full-color double-layered CPRTP architectures. This study offers new insights into fabricating polymeric cholesteric superhelix with considerable CPRTP performance in advanced photonic applications.

Color image encryption scheme for distributed architecture with SCFP chaotic map

Image protection mechanism in distributed cloud network is an essential component of information security field. In this paper, a novel one-dimensional sine-cosine fractional power chaotic map (SCFP) is proposed. Results of various dynamical system tests illustrate that SCFP exhibits superior chaotic behavior over its infinite positive real parameter range, whose complexity and unpredictability can guarantee the strength of image cryptosystem. Furthermore, a color image encryption scheme tailored for distributed architecture is devised. Firstly, a hybrid cryptographic mechanism is designed to perform diffusion and confusion encryption for image data and ECC public key encryption for intermediate keys. Secondly, the diffusion structure elevates processing units to row-column level, and the diffusion order is dictated by a pseudo-random sequence generated by SCFP. Thirdly, the confusion structure extends the unbiased and efficient Fisher-Yates algorithm into a 2D space, and adopts a design of dual plaintext-related key. Lastly, three techniques namely QOI lossless compression, DE information embedding and threshold secret sharing are integrated to resolve issues of data volume inflation, key synchronization difficulty and poor fault tolerance. Simulation experiments conducted on multiple color images demonstrate that the proposed scheme offers significant ciphertext randomness, sufficiently large key space and strong key sensitivity, which can ensure the integrity of image data and resist various typical cryptographic attacks, and outperforms existing schemes oriented to centralized architecture in terms of security and efficiency.

Multicolor, Cell-Impermeable, and High Affinity BACE1 Inhibitor Probes Enable Superior Endogenous Staining and Imaging of Single Molecules.

The prevailing but not undisputed amyloid cascade hypothesis places the β-site of APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) center stage in Alzheimer's Disease pathogenesis. Here, we investigated functional properties of BACE1 with novel tag- and antibody-free labeling tools, which are conjugates of the BACE1-inhibitor IV (also referred to as C3) linked to different impermeable Alexa Fluor dyes. We show that these fluorescent small molecules bind specifically to BACE1, with a 1:1 labeling stoichiometry at their orthosteric site. This is a crucial property especially for single-molecule and super-resolution microscopy approaches, allowing characterization of the dyes' labeling capabilities in overexpressing cell systems and in native neuronal tissue. With multiple colors at hand, we evaluated BACE1-multimerization by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) acceptor-photobleaching and single-particle imaging of native BACE1. In summary, our novel fluorescent inhibitors, termed Alexa-C3, offer unprecedented insights into protein-protein interactions and diffusion behavior of BACE1 down to the single molecule level.

Programming structural-colour modulation range of elastomer enables information storage

ABSTRACT Cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers (CLCEs) has garnered significant attention in the field of information display and storage. Obtaining multiple structural colours in a single elastomer film is highly desirable but presents a considerable challenge. Here, we have successfully achieved manipulable range of structural colours in a CLCE film by ingeniously introducing the photopolymerisation during thiol-acrylate reaction process. This particular strategy involves triggering spatial shrinkage of the polymer network in a pre-designed region following solvent evaporation, resulting in a blue shift of the structural colour compared to the background. Consequently, we can construct multi-colour and multi-pattern elastomer films by precisely controlling the localised polymerisation. Notably, these patterns can be concealed in a reversible manner as the film undergoes a specific degree of elongation and can be restored when external force is removed. This work demonstrates a straightforward method of programming structural-colour modulation range, eliminating the need for material changes or intricate preparation processes, broadening the applications of stretchable elastomers in information storage, encryption, anti-counterfeiting, and dynamic photonics.

A Flexible Long-Wave Infrared Radiation Modulator Integrated with Electrochromic Behavior for Dual-Band Camouflage.

Electrochromic devices (ECDs), which are capable of modulating optical properties in the visible and long-wave infrared (LWIR) spectra under applied voltage, are of great significance for military camouflage. However, there are a few materials that can modulate dual frequency bands. In addition, the complex and specialized structural design of dual-band ECDs poses significant challenges. Here, we propose a novel approach for a bendable ECD capable of modulating LWIR radiation and displaying multiple colors. Notably, it eliminates the need for a porous electrode or a grid electrode, thereby improving both the response speed and fabrication feasibility. The device employs multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as both the transparent electrode and the LWIR modulator, polyaniline (PANI) as the electrochromic layer, and ionic liquids (HMIM[TFSI]) as the electrolyte. The ECD is able to reduce its infrared emissivity (Δε = 0.23) in a short time (resulting in a drop in infrared temperature from 50 to 44 °C) within a mere duration of 0.78 ± 0.07 s while changing its color from green to yellow within 3 s when a positive voltage of 4 V is applied. In addition, it exhibits excellent flexibility, even under bending conditions. This simplified structure provides opportunities for applications such as wearable adaptive camouflage and multispectral displays.