Reflective Blankets vs Electric Warming in Preventing Hypothermia During Liposuction: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Perioperative hypothermia is common during liposuction and can lead to delayed recovery, shivering, and patient discomfort. Although electric warming (EW) systems are effective, their use may be limited in certain settings.

Objectives: The authors of this study aim to evaluate the effectiveness of reflective blankets (RBs) in maintaining core temperature during liposuction compared with EW and no warming.

Chitosan and mannose-modified dual-functional mRNA-LNP vaccines for robust systemic and mucosal immune responses.

Mucosal vaccination plays a crucial role in activating frontline immune responses, preventing infection and transmission of respiratory pathogens. However, the development of effective mRNA mucosal vaccines faces multiple challenges, including mucosal barriers, suboptimal immune cell targeting, and limited induction of mucosal immunity. In this study, we develop a dual-functional mRNA-LNP-CS+Man vaccine by utilizing DMG-PEG2000-Chitosan and DMG-PEG2000-Mannose, capable of penetrating the pulmonary mucosal barrier and targeting immune cells in the lungs.

Recent Advances in Drug Development for Alzheimer's Disease: A Comprehensive Review.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive impairments such as memory loss and executive dysfunction. The primary pathological features of AD include the deposition of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques, the hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins leading to neurofibrillary tangles, disruptions of neuronal and synaptic functions, and chronic inflammatory responses. These multifactorial interactions drive disease progression.

Piezoresistive Effect: A New Concept for Hearing Aids.

Hearing loss is among the most prevalent sensory impairments globally. Hearing aids assist individuals with hearing impairments in perceiving sound more effectively, serving as essential tools for reconnecting them with the world. Herein, an MXene/Polyvinyl Alcohol sound sensor (MPSS) capable of recognizing weak sound signals is developed.

Oral DNA Vaccine Utilizing the Yeast Cell Wall for Dectin-1 Receptor-Mediated Enhancement of Mucosal Immunity.

Mucosal vaccines can generate localized mucosal immunity, effectively preventing initial pathogen infection and providing more effective protection. Oral vaccines are an attractive option for inducing mucosal immunity. The yeast cell wall, primarily composed of natural β-1,3-d glucan, can be recognized by the apical membrane receptor, dectin-1, which has a high expression on macrophages and intestinal M cells.

Targeting vaccines to dendritic cells by mimicking the processing and presentation of antigens in xenotransplant rejection.

Targeting the delivery of vaccines to dendritic cells (DCs) is challenging. Here we show that, by mimicking the fast and strong antigen processing and presentation that occurs during the rejection of xenotransplanted tissue, xenogeneic cell membrane-derived vesicles exposing tissue-specific antibodies can be leveraged to deliver peptide antigens and mRNA-encoded antigens to DCs. In mice with murine melanoma and murine thymoma, xenogeneic vesicles encapsulating a tumour-derived antigenic peptide or coated on lipid nanoparticles encapsulating an mRNA coding for a tumour antigen elicited potent tumour-specific T-cell responses that inhibited tumour growth.

Self-Powered Linear Pressure Sensor Based on MXene/CNT Nanofluid Membrane.

Ion channels, which own efficient, accurate, and selective ion transport ability, play a key role in maintaining cell homeostasis, participating in signal transduction, and other physiological processes in organisms. However, the inherent complexity and uncontrollability of ion channels in nature restrict their direct use in technical applications. In order to address the application requirements of specific fields, nanochannels have been designed to simulate and optimize the functional characteristics of biological ion channels.

Modified PEG-Lipids Enhance the Nasal Mucosal Immune Capacity of Lipid Nanoparticle mRNA Vaccines.

Background/objectives: Omicron, the predominant variant of SARS-CoV-2, exhibits strong immune-evasive properties, leading to the reduced efficacy of existing vaccines. Consequently, the development of versatile vaccines is imperative. Intranasal mRNA vaccines offer convenient administration and have the potential to enhance mucosal immunity.

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict impacted ureteral stones via machine learning.

Background: To develop and evaluate a nomogram for predicting impacted ureteral stones using some simple and easily available clinical features.

Methods: From June 2019 to July 2022, 480 patients who underwent ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URSL) for ureteral calculi were enrolled in the study. From the eligible study population between June 2019 and December 2020, a training and validation set was randomly generated in a 7:3 ratio.

Virus-Mimetic Extracellular-Vesicle Vaccine Boosts Systemic and Mucosal Immunity via Immune Recruitment.

Mucosal vaccines can prevent viruses from infecting the respiratory mucosa, rather than only curtailing infection and protecting against the development of disease symptoms. The SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) is a compelling vaccine target but is undermined by suboptimal mucosal immunogenicity. Here, we report a SARS-CoV-2-mimetic extracellular-vesicle vaccine developed using genetic engineering and dendritic cell membrane budding.

MXene-Based Pressure Sensor with a Self-Healing Property for Joule Heating and Friction Sliding.

As a kind of flexible electronic device, flexible pressure sensor has attracted wide attention in medical monitoring and human-machine interaction. With the continuous deepening of research, high-sensitivity sensor is developing from single function to multi-function. However, Current multifunctional sensors lack the ability to integrate joule heating, detect sliding friction, and self-healing.

Antegrade flexible ureteroscopy-assisted percutaneous nephrolithotomy for staghorn calculi: a prospective randomized controlled study.

The aim is to compare the efficacy and safety between single percutaneous nephrolithotomy (sPNL) and antegrade flexible ureteroscopy-assisted percutaneous nephrolithotomy (aPNL) for the treatment of staghorn calculi. A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted at the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University. A total of 160 eligible patients were included, with 81 in the sPNL group and 79 in the aPNL group.

Antitumor synergism between PAK4 silencing and immunogenic phototherapy of engineered extracellular vesicles.

Immunotherapy has revolutionized the landscape of cancer treatment. However, single immunotherapy only works well in a small subset of patients. Combined immunotherapy with antitumor synergism holds considerable potential to boost the therapeutic outcome.

A randomized controlled study of ureteral stent extraction string on patient's quality of life and stent-related complications after percutaneous nephrolithotomy in the prone position.

To demonstrate the Tianjin Institute of Urology (TJIU) technique to place and remove the ureteral stent with extraction string after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Additionally, we aim to compare the pain experienced during stent removal, quality of life during stent retention, and stent-related complications between patients with and without extraction string. 65 patients were included in the final analysis in the string group constructed by the TJIU technique and 66 patients in the conventional double-J ureteral stent (non-string) group.

Overcoming Pharmaceutical Bottlenecks for Nucleic Acid Drug Development.

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and swift approval of two mRNA vaccines have put nucleic acid therapeutics in the spotlight of both the scientific community and the general public. Actually, in addition to mRNAs, multiple nucleic acid therapeutics have been successively commercialized over the past few years. The rapid development of nucleic acid drugs not only demonstrates their superior potency but also marks a new era of the field.

Photoactivatable Silencing Extracellular Vesicle (PASEV) Sensitizes Cancer Immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy has delivered impressive outcomes in combating tumor malignancies. However, insufficient immune infiltration and poor immunogenicity within the tumor microenvironment (TME) greatly compromise patient response rates. Here, a photoactivatable silencing extracellular vesicle (PASEV) is developed for sensitized cancer immunotherapy.

A dual-functional buformin-mimicking poly(amido amine) for efficient and safe gene delivery.

Biguanides (i.e. metformin, phenformin and buformin) are antidiabetic drugs with potential antitumor effects.

A biodegradable poly(amido amine) based on the antimicrobial polymer polyhexamethylene biguanide for efficient and safe gene delivery.

Inspired by the excellent membrane affinity of antimicrobial polymers, we synthesized a novel biodegradable poly(amino amine) polymer with pendent side chains that mimic the widely used biocide polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) for gene delivery. Michael addition polymerization was utilized to form the polymer scaffold between N,N'-cystaminebisacrylamide (CBA) and N-Boc-1,6-diaminohexane (Boc-DAH) followed by N-Boc deprotection. Then the exposed primary amino groups were partly (about 75%) transformed into biguanide by an addition reaction with dicyandiamide to obtain the final product CBA-DAH-biguanide (CBA-DAH-BG).

Structure-function relationships of nonviral gene vectors: Lessons from antimicrobial polymers.

In recent years, substantial advances have been achieved in the design and synthesis of nonviral gene vectors. However, lack of effective and biocompatible vectors still remains a major challenge that hinders their application in clinical settings. In the past decade, there has been a rapid expansion of cationic antimicrobial polymers, due to their potent, rapid, and broad-spectrum biocidal activity against resistant microbes, and biocompatible features.

Amphoteric poly(amido amine)s with adjustable balance between transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity for gene delivery.

In order to balance transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity as well as screen the optimal polymers for gene delivery, a series of amphoteric copolymers (poly(CBA-AGM/GABA)s) composed of different ratios between agmatine (AGM) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) monomers were synthesized. The AGM containing positively charged guanidinium groups was used to improve transfection efficiency, while the GABA containing negatively charged carboxyl groups was used to decrease cytotoxicity. It is hypothesized that the amphoteric poly(CBA-AGM/GABA)s synthesized at the optimal ratio of both components would well balance transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity.

Comparison of exosome-mimicking liposomes with conventional liposomes for intracellular delivery of siRNA.

Exosomes have been extensively explored as delivery vehicles due to low immunogenicity, efficient cargo delivery, and possibly intrinsic homing capacity. However, therapeutic application of exosomes is hampered by structural complexity and lack of efficient techniques for isolation and drug loading. Liposomes represent one of the most successful therapeutic nanocarriers, but are frequently criticized by short blood circulation and inefficient intracellular drug delivery.

Intracellular distribution and internalization pathways of guanidinylated bioresponsive poly(amido amine)s in gene delivery.

Guanidinylated bioresponsive poly(amido amine)s polymers, CAR-CBA and CHL-CBA, were synthesized by Michael-type addition reaction between guanidine hydrochloride (CAR) or chlorhexidine (CHL) and N,N'-cystaminebisacrylamide (CBA). Previous studies have shown that both polymers had high transfection efficiencies as gene delivery carriers. In this study, we investigated the nucleolus localization abilities and cellular internalization pathways of these two polymers in gene delivery.