Xiaohong Chen

Emerging Lipid Nanoparticle Targeting Strategies for Extrahepatic Delivery of RNA Therapeutics

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have transformed RNA therapeutics through their high delivery efficiency, scalable manufacturing, and favorable safety profiles, as demonstrated by COVID‐19 mRNA vaccines and clinically approved small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics. However, extending RNA delivery beyond the liver to extrahepatic tissues, including the spleen, lungs, lymph nodes, brain, and tumors, remains challenging because of the intrinsic hepatotropism of conventional LNPs and their limited cell‐type specificity. Recent advances in lipid chemistry, particle engineering, surface functionalization, protein corona modulation, and route‐specific administration have enabled new strategies to redirect LNPs toward specific tissues and cell populations. This review systematically examines these approaches and highlights key determinants of LNP tropism, including formulation composition, surface properties, endogenous protein adsorption, and administration route. We further discuss the clinical translation of extrahepatic LNP delivery, covering clinically validated products, emerging therapeutic candidates, and gaps between preclinical models and human applications. Major challenges include cell‐resolved biodistribution, long‐term safety, repeated‐dose immunogenicity, cross‐study comparability, and standardized quantitative assessment. Finally, we explore how high‐throughput screening, machine learning, and data‐driven design can accelerate the rational optimization of next‐generation LNPs. These advances may facilitate precise tissue‐ and cell‐selective RNA delivery, expanding the therapeutic potential of RNA medicines beyond the liver.

Solvent-Dipole Deshielding of Hydrated Aluminum Lewis Acids for Enhanced 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Production from Biomass

Abstract 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a key biomass-derived platform chemical for producing furan-based fuels, fine chemicals, and polymers. Its production from glucose in homogeneous catalytic systems, however, is often limited by the solvation of Lewis acid catalytic centers, where coordinating solvent molecules and anions can shield the active sites, restrict substrate access, and diminish HMF yield and selectivity. Here, we demonstrate that polar aprotic cosolvents can function as active components of the catalytic microenvironment rather than passive reaction media. In water-rich AlCl3 solutions, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA), and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) exert dipole–dipole interactions with Al-coordinated water molecules through hydrogen bonding, distorting the [Al(H2O)6]3+ solvation shell and increasing access to the Lewis acidic Al center without directly coordinating to it. Spectroscopic measurements and electronic-structure calculations reveal that weakening of the Al–O(water) interaction increases in the order of DMF < DMA < DMSO. This solvation-shell deshielding decreases the apparent activation energy for glucose-to-fructose isomerization from 96 to 79 kJ·mol–1 and enables an HMF yield of 90% from glucose at 150 °C. Glucose streams derived from sugarcane bagasse, poplar sawdust, and palm trunk sawdust afford HMF yields exceeding 80%, while the integrated sugarcane-bagasse route achieves a 49 mol % HMF yield based on the cellulose originally present in the biomass. These results establish dipolar cosolvent control of hydrated metal centers as a molecular design principle for homogeneous biomass conversion.

CNT-Mediated Integration of Pd and In2O3 Circumvents Activity–Stability Trade-Off in CO2 Hydrogenation to Methanol

Metal promotion is a widely adopted strategy to enhance the activity of indium oxide (In2O3) catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol. However, intimately contacted metal promoters on In2O3 often result in rapid catalyst deactivation, as excessive local H2 supply induces undesirable structural degradation of the In2O3 domain. Here, we address this limitation by implementing a carbon nanotube (CNT)-mediated hydrogen transport pathway, which spatially separates the H2 activation sites (Pd) from the CO2 hydrogenation sites (In2O3) at the catalyst preparation stage. Intriguingly, upon reductive activation, the initially separated components spontaneously evolve into a distinctive interfacial configuration. In this configuration, InOx migrates onto and partially covers the Pd nanoparticles, forming an InOx@Pd inverse interface. Unlike the directly constructed Pd–In2O3 interface, which suffers from over-reduction to metallic In0 accompanied by sintering and alloying with Pd, this CNT-derived interface preserves the In3+ oxidation state and serves as a non-destructive junction for hydrogen delivery. Combined with long-range hydrogen spillover across the CNT network, this architecture transforms a concentrated and destructive hydrogen flux into a regulated supply that reaches distal In2O3 domains without driving over-reduction. Consequently, the Pd/CNT + In2O3 system exhibits both improved catalytic activity and enhanced long-term stability (>230 h), whereas the conventional Pd/In2O3 catalyst deactivates continuously. These findings demonstrate that a controlled hydrogen delivery system between H2 activation sites and active sites on the oxide domain offers an effective way for developing active and durable catalysts involving reduction-sensitive oxide phases.

Pre‐Organized Active Sites Strategy Steering a Bismuth‐Based MOF Nanosheet for High‐Efficiency Acidic CO 2 Electroreduction

Electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to formic acid in acidic media offers a promising route to mitigate carbon loss, yet it remains challenging to design catalysts that effectively suppress the competing hydrogen evolution reaction and achieve industrial‐level current densities under acidic conditions. Here, we demonstrate exfoliating a densely packed 3D pillar‐layered bismuth‐based metal–organic framework into ultrathin nanosheets, enabling efficient CO 2 ‐to‐formic acid conversion. Remarkably, the removal of 1,4‑benzenedicarboxylate linkers during exfoliation leads to the exposure of the underlying dinuclear bismuth sites, which retain the original coordination site geometry. Mechanistic studies reveal that these exposed dinuclear sites exhibit intrinsic geometric compatibility with key intermediates (*CO 2 or *OCHO), resembling the native carboxylate binding mode, thereby significantly lowering the Gibbs free energy barrier for intermediate formation. Concurrently, the modified electronic structure results in a reduced work function that facilitates electron transfer. As a result, the optimized catalyst achieves an industrial‐relevant current density of 500 mA cm −2 with a formic acid Faradaic efficiency of 95%, doubling the performance of the bulk MOF and surpassing most reported catalysts. This work highlights a precise structural evolution strategy for creating geometrically optimized active sites, offering new insights into the design of efficient electrocatalysts for acidic CO 2 reduction.

Pre‐Organized Active Sites Strategy Steering a Bismuth‐Based MOF Nanosheet for High‐Efficiency Acidic CO 2 Electroreduction

Electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to formic acid in acidic media offers a promising route to mitigate carbon loss, yet it remains challenging to design catalysts that effectively suppress the competing hydrogen evolution reaction and achieve industrial‐level current densities under acidic conditions. Here, we demonstrate exfoliating a densely packed 3D pillar‐layered bismuth‐based metal–organic framework into ultrathin nanosheets, enabling efficient CO 2 ‐to‐formic acid conversion. Remarkably, the removal of 1,4‑benzenedicarboxylate linkers during exfoliation leads to the exposure of the underlying dinuclear bismuth sites, which retain the original coordination site geometry. Mechanistic studies reveal that these exposed dinuclear sites exhibit intrinsic geometric compatibility with key intermediates (*CO 2 or *OCHO), resembling the native carboxylate binding mode, thereby significantly lowering the Gibbs free energy barrier for intermediate formation. Concurrently, the modified electronic structure results in a reduced work function that facilitates electron transfer. As a result, the optimized catalyst achieves an industrial‐relevant current density of 500 mA cm −2 with a formic acid Faradaic efficiency of 95%, doubling the performance of the bulk MOF and surpassing most reported catalysts. This work highlights a precise structural evolution strategy for creating geometrically optimized active sites, offering new insights into the design of efficient electrocatalysts for acidic CO 2 reduction.

Ultrasound-activatable bacteria for biomedical applications

Bacteria have emerged as powerful therapeutic vectors owing to their intrinsic tumour tropism, genetic programmability, and living therapeutic functions. However, the trade-off between their autonomous proliferation and potential immunotoxicity restricts their clinical translation. Integrating ultrasound (US), a non-invasive physical trigger providing deep tissue penetration and high spatiotemporal precision, presents a potential solution to this dilemma. Acoustic actuation can safely bridge this gap by confining bacterial activity to pathological sites, thereby expanding the therapeutic window. Here, we summarize the fundamental biological mechanisms underlying US-bacteria interactions, including mechanical, thermal, and chemical effects. Building upon these principles, we detail emerging engineering strategies that confer US responsiveness to bacteria, such as surface functionalization, gas vesicle engineering, and sonogenetic regulation. Subsequently, we highlight recent advances in US-responsive bacterial systems across diverse applications, including biomedical imaging, targeted drug delivery, and microenvironment reprogramming. Finally, we discuss the key challenges that hinder clinical translation and propose future research directions. Overall, this review highlights the significant potential of integrating engineered bacteria with US technologies and provides a roadmap for next-generation precision diagnostics and therapeutics.

Co‐Evolution of Humans, AI, and Robotics in Autonomous Materials Manufacturing

Materials manufacturing has entered into a new era with the rapid development of technologies. The convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technologies is transforming materials manufacturing from a traditional human‐centered practice into a human, AI, and robotics co‐evolution paradigm. Here, co‐evolution extends beyond conventional human‐in‐the‐loop supervision through reciprocal adaptation: Humans define objectives and constraints and refine them in response to new discoveries; AI translates these objectives and accumulated knowledge into testable hypotheses and experimental plans, then uses new evidence to refine its models and research strategy; and robotic platforms execute experiments and are reconfigured in response to emerging experimental requirements. Such intelligent autonomous materials manufacturing not only accelerates the discovery‐to‐production cycle but also enhances reproducibility and resource efficiency. In this perspective, we discuss the evolution of materials manufacturing, highlighting the roles of robotic platforms and AI in enabling autonomous materials manufacturing, and present a general framework for the human‐AI‐robotics collaboration and co‐evolution paradigm. We further outline the key challenges and future pathways, including effective AI‐driven design, reconfigurable robotic systems, and the critical role of automated characterization.

Extreme‐Fast‐Charging Li‐Ion Batteries via Activation‐Energy Regulation With a Li 3 PO 4 ‐Li 2 SO 4 ‐Rich Solid Electrolyte Interphase

Extreme‐fast‐charging (XFC) batteries are essential for widespread electric vehicle adoption. Although heating‐assisted charging enables ultrafast charging at elevated temperatures (e.g., 65°C), it increases the risk of thermal runaway. Lowering the activation energy of interfacial Li‐ion transport could enable safer room‐temperature XFC, although effective approaches remain limited. Here, we demonstrate that an amorphous Li 3 PO 4 ‐Li 2 SO 4 ‐rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), formed through electrolyte design, regulates interfacial Li‐ion transport by simultaneously tailoring SEI chemistry and facilitating Li + desolvation, with the apparent activation energy reduced from 39.1 to 21.3 kJ mol −1 . As a result, 51.6 Ah pouch cells acquire 208.7 Wh kg −1 of energy within only 10.5 min at room temperature (25°C), representing state‐of‐the‐art fast‐charging performance. Furthermore, a 94 kWh battery pack (3P168S) assembled from 504 mass‐produced pouch cells was integrated into a commercial electric vehicle. The pack was charged from 5% to 85% state‐of‐charge in 11.77 min, delivering 36.0 km of driving distance per minute of charge, surpassing the XFC target for electric vehicles (32.2 km min −1 ). This work establishes an activation‐energy regulation strategy through coordinated control of interfacial solvation and SEI chemistry, providing a practical pathway toward room‐temperature XFC batteries and design principles for next‐generation fast‐charging technologies.

Dipole–dipole interaction facilitates anion-rich solvation structures in polymer electrolytes for solid-state lithium metal batteries

Polymer electrolytes are vital for safe and high-energy–density lithium metal batteries but face challenges from interfacial instability and Li dendrites. Here, we report a molecular design exploiting dipole–dipole interactions to tailor Li + solvation structures and interfacial chemistry. Incorporating pentafluorophenyl acrylate into the polymer backbone enhances dipole interactions with 1,2-dimethoxyethane solvent, modulating the solvation structure and promoting anion entry into the primary coordination sphere. The anion-rich environment facilitates a durable, LiF-dominated solid electrolyte interphase, effectively suppressing dendrites and improving interfacial stability. The resulting electrolyte enables stable lithium plating/stripping over 2000 hours in symmetric cells and extends Li||LiNi 0.9 Co 0.05 Mn 0.05 O 2 (NCM90) full cell cycling to 1000 cycles at 1.0 C. An anode-free Cu||NCM90 pouch cell delivers a high-energy–density of 579 Wh kg −1 . This study underscores the critical role of dipole-mediated solvation structuring in polymer electrolytes and offers a generalizable approach toward high-performance, energy-dense solid-state batteries.

Omnidirectional bending sensor with three-fold structural symmetry enables decoupling of bending angle and direction

Accurate shape sensing requires simultaneous quantification of bending angle (φ) and bending direction (θ). Yet existing bending sensors remain confined to uniaxial or discretized modes, relying on tedious, non-generalizable calibration procedures. Here, we present a snowflake-shaped omnidirectional bending sensor that achieves complete and linear decoupling of φ and θ through a three-fold rotationally symmetric arrangement of strain-sensitive resistors. By harnessing geometric symmetry as a physical prior, we establish a closed-form analytical model and signal projection framework that transform calibration from an empirical process into a simple, quantitative, universal procedure. The sensor is compatible with standard flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) fabrication on polyimide (PI) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates, ensuring scalability and integration. We demonstrate real-time reconstruction of multidirectional surface deformation and in situ correction of ultrasound imaging artifacts during bending. This symmetry-guided approach redefines the design principles of deformation sensing, providing a general platform for dynamic shape reconstruction and opening avenues for self-adaptive and self-aware electronic systems.

Integrated Assessment of Sarcopenia in Patients with Gastric Cancer Using Deep Learning and Radiomics

Protocols on X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy Measurement and Interpretation

Luteolin-7-O-rutinoside alleviates rheumatoid arthritis through downregulation of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB and cell cycle signaling pathways

Emerging Frontiers and Technological Challenges in Soft Robotics

Soft robotics is evolving from a field centered on compliant mechanisms toward a broader paradigm of embodied physical intelligence, in which materials, mechanics, sensing, and computation are deeply integrated. Despite rapid progress, major challenges remain in actuation, perception, autonomy, scalability, and real-world deployment. In this Nano Focus article, we highlight emerging frontiers and technological challenges spanning multifunctional materials, distributed sensing, additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and biohybrid systems. Advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology increasingly underpin these developments by enabling the integration of sensing, actuation, and adaptive functionalities across length scales. Collectively, these advances are establishing a foundation for intelligent matter, programmable physical intelligence, and life-like adaptive systems.

Molecular-level petroleum refining by graded membranes

Quantifying the Correlation Between Capacity Utilization and Electrolyte Dosage for Ultrahigh‐Energy‐Density 769 Wh Kg ⁻¹ Rechargeable Lithium Metal Batteries

Reprogramming Adenosine‐Driven Tumor Immunosuppression With a Carrier‐Free Nanoplatform for Self‐Amplifying Antitumor Immunity

An ElectronicallyCoupled Interfacial Energy Descriptorfor Predicting Coulombic Efficiency in Aqueous Zinc Batteries

Indoxyl sulfate exacerbates chronic inflammation and susceptibility to severe infection via modulating T-cell CD73/adenosine signaling in chronic kidney disease

Ferroelectric Dipole‐Driven Solid‐Electrolyte Interphase Passivation for High‐Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries