Jing Bai

Organoids have emerged as one of the most predictive preclinical models in medical research due to their ability to closely retain the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of original tissues. Nevertheless, the application in the systematic evaluation of innovative medical devices (especially biodegradable metals) remains largely unexplored, whereas conventional analytical approaches have significant limitations in data throughput, objectivity, and reproducibility. Recent advances in deep learning-based artificial intelligence (AI) image analysis offer powerful quantitative tools to overcome this bottleneck. In this study, we established a high-throughput quantitative in vitro evaluation platform for the dynamic assessment of biodegradable metal ions by integrating patient-derived colorectal cancer organoids with an OrganoSeg-based deep learning AI image analysis system. Systematic assessments revealed that Mg²⁺ and Zn²⁺ had significant concentration-dependent effects on organoid growth, and the organoid model exhibited sensitivity profiles distinct from conventional cell lines. RNA-seq analysis further revealed that high concentrations of Mg²⁺ induced cell cycle arrest by activating the p53/CDKN1C signaling axis. In contrast, high concentrations of Zn²⁺ disrupted intracellular zinc homeostasis by regulating metallothionein family members and the zinc transporter SLC39A10, triggering a robust inflammatory response and ultimately leading to apoptosis. This work not only confirms the considerable potential of integrating organoids with AI technology in the evaluation of medical devices, but also reveals the differential mechanism of action of bioactive metal ions Mg²⁺ and Zn²⁺ in a model closer to the human environment. This study establishes a reliable and generalizable paradigm for high-throughput and high-content biomedical research.

Extending the operational lifetime of flexible zinc‐air batteries (ZABs) has traditionally focused on improving electrolyte water retention, yet most systems still fail within ∼400 h, revealing that dehydration alone is not the fundamental limitation. Here, a bio‐inspired hydrogel electrolyte reconstructed from wood chips overcomes this bottleneck by separating cellulose and lignin: cellulose forms a hydrated network while the extracted lignin is re‐applied as an outer water‐retentive layer, mimicking the hierarchical fiber‐bark architecture of plants. Beyond hydration, the electrolyte implements triple Zn ²⁺ confinement through phosphate‐based chelators, dynamic Schiff‐base coordination, and polymeric domains, stabilizing Zn ²⁺ , suppressing ZnO accumulation, and maintaining interfacial reaction equilibrium at the zinc anode. Flexible ZABs incorporating this electrolyte deliver high power density (124.9 mW cm ⁻² ), robust mechanical adaptability, and extended cycling up to 600 h at 1 mA cm ⁻² , while remaining operational under low‐temperature and dry conditions. Fully biodegradable and derived from abundant biomass, this system demonstrates that durability arises from hierarchical ion regulation and reaction‐equilibrium control rather than water retention alone, providing mechanistic insight into flexible ZABs failure. This work establishes a framework in which biomass valorization and bio‐inspired hierarchical design enable durable, high‐performance, and environmentally sustainable flexible energy storage.

To address the decline in self-healing efficiency of conventional Mg surface coatings, this study develops a novel self-healing coating. Upon prolonged exposure to corrosive media, the coating’s outer deposition layer degrades and transforms into a self-growing LDH layer. Such LDH layer prevents corrosive media from penetrating the micropores on inner PEO layer, and reloads corrosion inhibitors (HxPhy) released from the coating via anion exchange, preventing their rapid depletion. As a result, the developed coating maintains high corrosion resistance and sustained self-healing efficiency over extended periods. This study offers insights for designing coatings that can maintain long-term high self-healing efficiency.

Understanding the dynamic interfacial microenvironment of degrading Mg alloys is critical for elucidating the evolution of localized corrosion under physiological conditions. Here, spatially resolved microsensors were used to characterize the local pH and H₂ concentration at the interfaces of Mg-Y-Al-Zn alloys without Gd (0Gd) and with 3 wt.% Gd (3Gd) during degradation in Hanks’ balanced salt solution (HBSS). Both local pH and H₂ concentration rapidly increased at the interfaces of 0Gd and 3Gd immediately after immersion in HBSS, accompanied by pronounced near-surface pH and H₂ gradients. The initial local pH and H₂ level for 0Gd were comparable to or slightly lower than those of 3Gd. However, 0Gd subsequently exhibited distinct localized high pH and H₂ level associated with the filiform corrosion. From 3 to 12 h, the localized pH and H₂ features of 0Gd progressively intensified, while 3Gd maintained a relatively weaker and more spatially distributed response. During prolonged immersion from 16 to 18 h, localized H₂ accumulation also emerged on 3Gd despite comparatively moderate local alkalization. These findings reveal the dynamic and spatially heterogeneous nature of the Mg corrosion microenvironment and demonstrate that simultaneous mapping of local pH and H₂ provides complementary information for resolving its spatiotemporal evolution.

Zinc alloys exhibit immense potential as biodegradable implant materials owing to their excellent biosafety and moderate degradation rates. However, their development is restricted by inferior mechanical properties and strain softening behavior, alongside a performance trade-off between strength and softening resistance. Herein, a strategy to address this issue by constructing a hierarchical heterostructure that combines heterogeneous grains with a multi-scale second-phase distribution is proposed. On this basis, a composite processing route of solid solution treatment, equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP), and hot-cold rolling is developed and applied to a Zn-0.6Mg alloy. Investigations reveal that solid solution combined with subsequent deformation processing introduces nano-sized MgZn2 precipitates via dynamic precipitation and improves the deformability of the Mg2Zn11 phase at grain boundaries. ECAP pre-deformation refines and homogenizes the microstructure through continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX). Subsequent hot-cold rolling introduces a heterogeneous grain structure where fine grains uniformly envelop coarse grains via twinning-induced dynamic recrystallization (TDRX). Ultimately, the alloy achieves a low average grain size coupled with a high density of hetero-interfaces, which decelerates dislocation proliferation during deformation and provides abundant potential accumulation space for dislocations. Benefiting from this, the alloy achieves a synergy of mechanical properties and strain softening resistance, with the tensile yield strength (TYS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS), strength at 23% engineering strain (TS23%), and elongation (EL) reaching 255 MPa, 327 MPa, 306 MPa, and 58%, respectively.