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Upon vascular injury, platelets form a hemostatic plug by binding to the subendothelium and to each other. Platelet-to-matrix binding is initially mediated by von Willebrand Factor (VWF) and platelet-to-platelet binding is mediated mainly by fibrinogen and VWF. After binding, the actin cytoskeleton of a platelet drives its contraction, generating traction forces that are important to the cessation of bleeding. Our understanding of the relationship between adhesive environment, F-actin morphology, and traction forces is limited. Here, we examined F-actin morphology of platelets attached to surfaces coated with fibrinogen and VWF. We identified distinct F-actin patterns induced by these protein coatings and found that these patterns were identifiable into three classifications via machine learning: solid, nodular, and hollow. We observed that traction forces for platelets were significantly higher on VWF than on fibrinogen coatings and these forces varied by F-actin pattern. Additionally, we analyzed the F-actin orientation in platelets and noted that their filaments were more circumferential when on fibrinogen coatings and having a hollow F-actin pattern, while they were more radial on VWF and having a solid F-actin pattern. Finally, we noted that subcellular localization of traction forces corresponded to protein coating and F-actin pattern: VWF-bound, solid platelets had higher forces at their central region while fibrinogen-bound, hollow platelets had higher forces at their periphery. These distinct F-actin patterns on fibrinogen and VWF and their differences in F-actin orientation, force magnitude, and force localization could have implications in hemostasis, thrombus architecture, and venous versus arterial thrombosis. 

Abstract Human–machine interface requires various sensors for communication, manufacturing and environmental control, and health and safety monitoring. Capacitive sensors have been used to detect touch, distance, geometry, electric property, and environmental parameters. However, highly sensitive proximity detection with a small form factor has always been a challenge. This paper presents a capacitive sensor composed of a nanostructured electrode array for contact and noncontact detection. In the sensor configuration, the nanostructured electrode is made of high aspect ratio cellulose fibers embedded with carbon nanotubes. The complementary electrode is designed to be smaller in surface area for high sensitivity. Based on the analysis, the unique sensing mechanism is shown to enhance the proximity sensitivity for target detection. A pair of asymmetrically designed electrodes are characterized and compared with the traditional symmetric electrodes for proximity and contact detection of human hands. The sensor performance is also characterized for detecting water mass in glass and metal cups. In the end, a smart pad that can recognize human gestures, gait, and water mass with unprecedented sensitivity is demonstrated.