In this study, iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) were used for absorptive concentration of dopamine (DA) and levodopa (LD) in plasma, based on the surface-iron (Ⅲ) cations of IONPs and catechol functional group of catecholamine. The extractant was quantified by cation selective exhaustive injection-sweeping micelle electrokinetic chromatography (CSEI-sweeping MEKC). LD was an important drug used in the therapy of Parkinson's disease. However, the peripheral enzyme in human body can easily metabolize LD to DA, leading to a lower drug concentration in human plasma. Therefore, dosage adjustment and therapeutic drug monitoring in patients are needed. After synthesizing, IONPs were equilibrated with analytes for 20 min. Then, 50 uL phosphoric acid (0.1 M) was added for desorption. Finally, the extractant was diluted 10-fold by dd-water. The optimal conditions of CE analysis were as shown below: phosphate rinse buffer (50 mM, pH 2.5) containing 25% methanol, phosphate separation buffer (50 mM，pH 2.5) containing 25% methanol and 100 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate and high conductivity phosphate buffer (pH 2.5, 150 mM). Diluted extractant was injected at 10 kV electrokinetically. The separation was performed at -20 kV and detected at 200 nm. The LOD of DA and LD were 15 ng/mL and 50 ng/mL, respectively. After method validation, calibration curves were established (r ≥ 0.9967), showing good linear relationships. Two real human plasma samples obtained from patients who suffered from Parkinson’s disease were analyzed. DA and LD could be detected in both samples.

Background: 20-Hydroxyecdysone (20-HE) is a naturally occurring plant-produced phytoecdysteroid found in various edible plants and reported to have skin-related effects, such as wound healing and immune protection. However, its safety profile in human keratinocytes studied in vitro—especially those derived from psoriasis patients—remains inadequately characterized. Additionally, topical delivery methods may influence cellular tolerance and warrant evaluation in psoriasis-relevant models.

Aim: The study evaluated 20-HE and a topical nanocarrier-based 20-HE formulation intended for local application in psoriasis. Their impact on cell viability of human epidermal keratinocytes (HEK) and psoriasis patient-derived epidermal keratinocytes (PHEK) was analyzed.

Methods: HEK and PHEK cells were treated with 20-HE or nanoformulation containing 20-HE at concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 µM for 24 and 48 hours. Cell viability was measured using the colorimetric MTS assay to determine non-cytotoxic concentration ranges and to compare the cytotoxicity profiles of the free compound versus the nanocarrier formulation.

Results: 20-HE generally showed a favorable viability profile within the tested range, whereas the nanoformulation of 20-HE exhibited higher cytotoxicity, with a greater reduction in viability at higher concentrations and/or longer exposure times. These findings suggest that nanocarrier incorporation can increase cellular sensitivity to 20-HE and highlight the importance of defining safe topical dosing ranges for psoriasis-relevant keratinocyte models.

Conclusions: The study offers an initial in vitro safety/cytotoxicity evaluation of free 20-HE and its topical nanoformulation intended for local psoriasis treatment in keratinocyte models relevant to inflammatory skin disease, supporting further formulation refinement and more extensive biological testing.

Funding: Research aimed at developing a new, innovative pharmaceutical form for the topical treatment of psoriasis vulgaris” is being implemented as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, as part of Investment D3.1.1 Comprehensive development of research in medical sciences and health sciences, reference number: 2024/ABM/03/KPO/KPOD.07.07-IW.07-0043/24-00.

As is well known, nanomaterials are capable of enhancing battery behavior as well as being more cost-effective in the field of energy storage. Moreover, not only could nanomaterials such as electrospun nanofibers boost electrochemical properties, but their tunability and upscalability capacities must be considered for future storage devices.

In the framework of the AM4BAT project¹, novel materials are produced to optimize electrochemical performance, integrating them into an all-solid-state battery (ASSB). Therefore, nanomaterials play an important role, 1) applying doped carbon nanofibers (CNFs) as a lithiophilic current collector for the anode, and 2) developing polycrystalline and single-crystal LiNi_0.8Mn_0.1Co_0.1O₂ (NMC811) as a cathodic material for the battery. As for the anode, pre-lithiated ZnO-doped CNFs showed a stable performance in the stripping plating of Li in a symmetrical cell, achieving >1400 h at 0.4 mA cm^-2 with nearly <15 mV voltage fluctuations, indicating an optimal electrodeposition of Li into the CNFs. Regarding the cathode, electrochemical tests showed that polycrystalline NMC811 achieved the best performance, reaching values >150 mAh g^-1 at C/2 with the lowest fading rate.

Acknowledgments

This work has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101069756 (AM4BAT project). This publication reflects only the author’s views and the European Union is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

References

1. https://am4batproject.eu/

Fuel cells are a promising technology as they convert chemical energy into electricity but remain expensive due to the use of noble metal catalysts. Alkaline fuel cells (AFCs) with anion exchange membranes (AEMs) offer a more affordable alternative by enabling the use of non-precious metal catalysts. [1] When fuelled with ethanol, they operate as direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs), benefiting from ethanol’s low toxicity and easier handling compared to hydrogen. However, current AEMs still do not meet commercial performance requirements. Biopolymers such as chitosan (CS) and bacterial nanocellulose (BnC) provide renewable, easily modifiable membrane materials, although their ionic conductivity and mechanical stability are limited. [2], [3] These limitations can be addressed through fillers, functionalisation, and crosslinking. Self-standing AEMs based on CS and BnC biopolymers, functionalised with N-doped reduced graphene oxide nanoribbons and quaternary ammonium, and crosslinked with naturally derived genipin, were investigated. The resulting membranes were assessed for properties relevant to DEFC applications, including ATR-FTIR, XRD, SEM imaging, ethanol permeability, alkali uptake, dimensional stability, ionic conductivity (up to 0.212 ± 0.019 mS/cm for CS-based AEMs), and single fuel cell performance in a DEFC set-up reaching (up to 17 mW/cm² for CS-based AEMs), indicating their potential for use as AEMs in membrane electrode assemblies for DEFCs.

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from the Slovenian Research Agency (grant numbers N2-0087, Z2-60175, J2-50086, and P2-0118).

[1] M. Hren, M. Božič, D. Fakin, K. S. Kleinschek, and S. Gorgieva,“Alkaline membrane fuel cells: Anion exchange membranes and fuels,”Sustain. Energy Fuels, vol. 5,no. 3,pp.604–637, 2021.

[2] S. Zdovc, M. Hren, and S. Gorgieva,“Bacterial nanocellulose-based composite membranes for fuel cells applications,”J.Power Sources,vol.665,p.239045, 2026.

[3] M. Hren, M. Roschger, V. Hacker, B. Genorio, D. Fakin, and S. Gorgieva,“High performance chitosan/nanocellulose-based composite membrane for alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells,”Int. J. Biol. Macromol.,vol. 253, 2023.

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbide and nitride nanomaterials, known as MXenes, have attracted broad attention due to their high electrical conductivity, pseudocapacitance, and mechanical flexibility, making them ideal for wearable energy storage systems. Among these, Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXenes stand out for their excellent electrochemical properties and easy processability in aqueous media. In this study, Ti₃C₂Tₓ nanosheets were synthesized using an optimized, minimally intensive layer delamination (MILD) etching process with two Ti₃AlC₂ MAX phase precursors of 40 μm and 100 μm. The influence of precursor size on the structure, morphology, and electrochemical behavior of MXenes was systematically investigated. Characterization by X-ray diffraction (XRD), zeta potential, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) confirmed the formation of well-delaminated nanosheets with enhanced lateral dimensions. The improved electrical conductivity of MXene films prepared from larger flakes was confirmed by four-point probe measurements, showing superior charge transport compared to films from smaller precursors. The MXene dispersions were applied onto a cotton substrate via dip-coating, producing flexible and conductive textile electrodes. Electrochemical measurements, including cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD), revealed that electrodes from larger Ti₃C₂Tₓ nanosheets exhibited higher specific capacitance than those coated with smaller flakes. The results demonstrate that increasing the lateral size of Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene enhances electron transport, improving the electrochemical performance of flexible MXene/cotton-based electrodes. When assembled into a flexible solid-state supercapacitor with an H₂SO₄/PVA gel electrolyte, the device operated reliably and powered a small light-emitting diode. These findings provide insights into designing nanostructured MXenes for next-generation wearable supercapacitors and nanoelectronic devices.

Acknowledgements: The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS) through Research Project No. J2-50087 and the research core program group Textile Chemistry and Advanced Textile Materials No. P2-0118 within the Young Researchers Programme.

Ovarian cancer remains among the deadliest gynecological malignancies globally, attributed to the absence of identifiable signs, symptoms, and effective screening methods. The design, fabrication, and advancement of reliable, non-invasive diagnostic equipment is a pivotal necessity in preventing and treating this disease. A prominent biomarker for diagnosing ovarian cancer is the cancer antigen 125 (CA-125). In healthy individuals, CA-125 typically maintains a blood concentration of less than 35 U/mL and serves as a crucial indicator for diagnosing and prognosing ovarian cancer. In the present study, the label-free detection of CA-125 on graphene–gold nanocomposite was executed with higher sensitivity with the aid of a 3,3’-dithiolbis(succinimidylpropionate) (DSP) linker for the stable immobilization of the antibody.

Graphene has exceptional electron mobility, allowing very small biological interactions such as antigen–antibody binding to cause measurable changes in electrical signals—leading to high sensitivity. Additionally, the higher surface area, excellent biocompatibility, and fast response time enhance the application of graphene in biosensors. Gold nanodendrites are commonly applied in electronic devices and sensors due to their distinct advantages, such as their large surface area and excellent conductivity, and to preserve the immobilization of biomolecules. In the present study, AuNDs were electrochemically deposited onto graphene and decorated with self-assembled monolayers (SAM) of DSP via the Au-S bond. In the following step, DSP interacted with the primary amine groups from the anti CA-125 antibody to form a stable amide bond. This linker-mediated stable immobilization of the antibodies enabled the successfull capture of CA-125, enhancing sensor performance. The electrochemical detection of CA-125 was carried out on the nanocomposite electrode by monitoring the impedance spectra and ferricyanide response as a measure of CA-125 concentration. Sensitive detection was recorded for the wide range of concentrations, and the stability and reproducibility of the modified electrode were studied. Finally, efficiency was assessed in real blood serum samples and validated with conventional screening methods.

Ethical AI frameworks advocate for transparency, auditability, and accountability but do not define the technical steps needed to achieve them. Here, we compare eight well-known ethical AI guidelines (EU, OECD/G20, UNESCO, IEEE, Singapore, Montréal, Toronto, and Beijing) with the FAIR data principles, the FAIR for computational workflows, and the FAIR for research software (FAIR4RS) principles. We used a simple, qualitative review with a clear rubric (five levels from Strong to Weak) and coded each principle and sub-principle independently.

The analysis demonstrates a good conceptual alignment of the ethical AI and FAIR goals, especially around documentation, lawful access, and provenance. However, most texts do not mention concrete controls such as Globally Unique Persistent and Resolvable Identifiers (GUPRIs), machine-readable metadata (e.g., JSON-LD with community schemas), open protocols with authentication and authorisation processes, qualified links and structured vocabularies or ontologies, clear licences, and workflow and model execution provenance. Alignment is highest for data, lower for software, and lowest for workflows.

To help practitioners, e.g., researchers, model developers, and data stewards, we present links of specific FAIR solutions to the ethical goals they support. For example, GUPRIs support traceability, licencing allows lawful reuse, and provenance records promote reproducibility. We also note related community work on FAIR4ML for model artefacts. Our recommendation is to keep the high-level ethical aims but enrich them with FAIR-related technical solutions so that claims can be traced, analysed, checked, and trusted in real use cases.

This work is focused on investigation of shape memory and self-healing behavior of multicomponent polylactic acid-polycaprolactone-graphene nanocomposites (PLA/PCL/GR) activated by Joule heating. Nanocomposites were prepared by melt extrusion allowing the preferable localization of graphene in the PLA/PCL matrix as varying the PCL content. Advanced electrical, mechanical, thermo-mechanical and Joule heating properties were evaluated and related to the microstructure of nanocomposites. The presence of PCL soft segment to the weight content of PLA hard segment in the polymer blend contributed to an increment of toughness and elongation of the polymer nanocomposites. The morphology transitions from droplet–matrix to co-continuous and phase-inverted structures was observed as the PCL content increased, that affected the graphene localization in the PLA/PCL blend. Such structural peculiarities were found determinant for the electrical, mechanical and thermomechanical properties. The shape memory behavior was confirmed for the deformation at 180^o in torsion and bending, stimulated by a controlled Joule heating to 100^oC at voltage of 30-50V. Performed electrically-induced shape memory tests revealed an exceptional reversibility between the temporary and permanent states of the nanocomposite including shape fixation rate, Rf ~98% and shape recovery rate, Rr ~ 90%. Shape-memory assisted self-healing was visualized. The nanocomposite filament demonstrated a great potential for 4D-printing of objects with complex structures, shapes and electrically-stimulated shape-memory and self-healing functions. The filament is biodegradable, recyclable and reusable, which will reduce the carbon footprint of the rapidly developing additive technology.

Nowadays, most of the hydrogen is still produced from steam methane reforming.¹ A promising sustainable alternative that has been widely explored is water electrolysis. As Pt remains as the benchmark material for this reaction, its price and scarcity impede its application at large scales.² For this reason, more economically viable catalysts based on earth abundant metals are needed.

In the framework of the STACKAEM project, we focus on the development of non-PGM doped carbon nanofibers (CNFs) films as electrocatalysts and electrodes for efficient hydrogen production using anion exchange membrane electrolysis (AEMEL) technology.

The cathodic materials presented in this work were fabricated via electrospinning of polymeric solutions containing different metal and organic dopants. The subsequent thermal treatments on the films resulted in free-standing porous CNFs films containing Co_xP, Ni and Mo₂C nanoparticles. Structural, morphological, compositional and electrical properties of the CNFs films were characterized employing a wide range of techniques.

The produced CNFs films exhibited high catalyst mass loadings (0.70-1.57 mg·cm^-2), mesoporosity with BET surface areas up to 337 m²·g^-1 and in plane-electrical conductivities up to 4056 S·m^-1. Comparing the electrochemical performance of the different materials, Co_xP@CNF exhibited an overpotential at 10 mA·cm^-2 of 107 mV, outperforming NiMo₂C@CNF (125 mV) and Mo₂C@CNF (155 mV). The generated CNFs-based films showed unique structural and compositional features, also a high electrochemical performance for HER that enable their implementation into AEMEL systems for the scaled-up hydrogen production that will be developed in the project.

STACKAEM Project is supported by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and co-funded by European Union Next Generation EU/PRTR, with the grant number CPP2022-010058.

References

1. Medina Collana, J. T. et al. Sustainability 2025, 17 (18), 8367.
2. Arshad, U.; Tang, J.; Shao, Z. SusMat 2025, 5 (2), e267.

An important challenge faced by the automotive industry is the phenomenon known as overspray, which occurs when excess paint particles are dispersed beyond the target surface and contaminate the surrounding environment. This issue is particularly critical in automated painting lines, where painting robots are continuously exposed to overspray. To mitigate potential damage, these robots are commonly protected with polyester covers. However, due to the intrinsically hydrophilic nature of polyester, paint particles are readily absorbed by the fabric, resulting in frequent cover replacement, increased downtime, and significant waste generation. A promising strategy to overcome this limitation is the development of superhydrophobic protective covers. On superhydrophobic surfaces, liquid droplets adopt an almost spherical shape and roll off easily, minimizing their contact with the surface. When applied to painting environments, this behavior is expected to reduce paint adhesion and absorption, thereby enhancing the durability and service life of protective covers. In this work, several surface modification strategies were investigated to impart polyester fabrics with highly hydrophobic and near-superhydrophobic properties. These approaches involved the incorporation of nanomaterials, namely, silica and alumina nanoparticles, to introduce hierarchical micro- and nanoscale surface roughness. In addition, low surface free energy compounds, specifically stearic acid and hexadecyltrimethoxysilane, were applied to further enhance hydrophobicity. The results demonstrated that the immobilization of polyester fabrics with nanomaterials alone led to an increase in the water contact angle; however, water droplets remained pinned to the surface and did not readily roll off. These hydrophobic features were attributed to the increased roughness of the fibers, as confirmed by means of scanning electron microscopy and surface roughness measurements. When nanomaterials were combined with hydrophobic agents, a synergistic effect was observed, resulting in both higher water contact angles and significantly reduced sliding angles.