Microgel-Crosslinked, thermo- and mechano- dual Responsive, Ketoprofen-Loaded hydrogels with high mechanical properties and rapid response.

Smart hydrogels have advanced rapidly in recent years. However, systems responsive to a single stimulus are typically triggered by specific cues, limiting their adaptability in complex and dynamic biological environments. To overcome this limitation, this study developed a dual-responsive hydrogel sensitive to both temperature and mechanical stress.

8-Nitrotryptanthrin inhibits colorectal cancer progression via TGF-β/SMAD and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways.

Objective: To investigate the anticancer effects and underlying mechanisms of 8-nitrotryptanthrin (8-Nitrotryp) against colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: The effects of 8-Nitrotryp on proliferation, colony formation, and migration were evaluated in HCT116 and SW480 cells, with comparisons to its parent compound tryptanthrin (Tryp). Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was assessed using JC-1 staining, and early apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry.

Mechanically robust polyvinyl alcohol/silk fibroin cryogels via freeze-thaw processing for cartilage defect repair.

Developing macroporous hydrogels with enhanced mechanical strength and favorable cell adhesion is crucial for effective cartilage repair. The freeze-thaw (FT) technique, a simple, environmentally friendly, and non-toxic approach, is widely employed to fabricate biocompatible macroporous hydrogels. In this study, a water-insoluble polyvinyl alcohol/silk fibroin (PVA/SF) porous cryogel was successfully fabricated via a cyclic FT process.

Real-time monitoring of mitochondrial temperature and calcium spikes using fluorescent organic probes.

Astrocytes, the abundant glial cells, maintain cerebral homeostasis and cognitive functions through calcium signalling - a regulatory pathway that is frequently altered in brain disease. Mitochondria serve as thermal hubs in living systems, generating metabolic heat during respiratory substrate oxidation and ATP synthesis. Crucially, mitochondrial temperature variations directly reflect metabolic status, as impaired ATP production induces thermodynamic shifts.

Hyaluronic acid-based composite hydrogels embedded with core-shell microgels with properties of mucosal adhesion and combined drug administration for chemoradiotherapy induced oral mucositis.

Chemoradiotherapy-induced oral mucositis (CIOM), characterized by high incidence and delayed healing, severely impairs patient recovery and quality of life. Current treatments face challenges due to poor wet adhesion, dynamic oral environments, and lack of multiple active substances for mucosal repair. This situation makes an urgent need for therapeutic platforms that combine robust mucosal adhesion with multifunctionality.

Effect of α-Helix Neuropeptide on the Self-Assembly Behavior of β-Sheet Amyloid Short Peptides.

Peptide self-assembly is a promising process in which the conformations formed during dynamic stages play a crucial role in determining the resulting self-assembly morphologies and structural parameters. These unique conformations also hold potential for the de novo design of supramolecular peptide nanomaterials with tailored properties. In this work, we explore the impact of incorporating an α-helix neuropeptide Y fragment (NPY) into amyloid peptide EFFE, focusing on its influence on β-sheet self-assembly.

Applications of magnetic nanoparticles for boundarics in biomedicine.

Accurate mapping of boundarics in biomedicine is crucial for improving early diagnosis, crafting individualized medical regimens, and evaluating therapeutic efficacy. Magnetic nanomaterials have attracted considerable attention in the diagnosis and treatment of disease lesions, due to their unique physicochemical properties (e.g.

Fluorine- and Trifluoromethyl-Substituted Biphenyl Derivatives: Promising Antimicrobial Agents Targeting Escherichia coli FabH.

This study investigates the synthesis, antibacterial activity, structure-activity relationships (SARs), and molecular docking of F- and CF-substituted biphenyl derivatives (5A-5K) as potential antimicrobial agents. Ten novel biphenyl derivatives were synthesized, incorporating trifluoromethyl (CF) and fluorine (F) substitutions, to evaluate their efficacy against various bacterial strains, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Antimicrobial assays demonstrated that the F substitution significantly enhanced antibacterial activity, with the bis-F derivative (5D) showing improved potency compared to the other compounds.

Rare earth-based two-dimensional materials for biomedical research.

Rare earth elements, with their distinctive electronic configurations and abundant physicochemical properties, are endowed with remarkable magnetic, optical, and catalytic properties. These characteristics, in turn, play a crucial role in advancing biomedical research and applications. The two-dimensional (2D) spatial structure has a profound impact on the magnetic, optical, and electronic properties of materials.

Phosphorylated Neuropeptides Regulate Glioblastoma Proliferation and Invasion via Chiral Amino Acids.

Neuropeptides are endogenous neuromodulators that have been shown to play pivotal roles in cancer initiation and progression. The phosphorylation/dephosphorylation processes are critically involved in regulating the bioactivity of peptides. This study designed chiral phosphorylated neuropeptides with distinct modification sites to examine the stereochemical regulatory mechanisms of alkaline phosphatase-mediated dephosphorylation and its biological effects on glioblastoma (GBM).

A feature fusion network with spatial-temporal-enhanced strategy for the motor imagery of force intensity variation.

Introduction: Motor imagery (MI)-based brain-computer interfaces (BCI) offers promising applications in rehabilitation. Traditional force-based MI-BCI paradigms generally require subjects to imagine constant force during static or dynamic state. It is challenging to meet the demands of dynamic interaction with force intensity variation in MI-BCI systems.

Effective unilateral/bilateral robot-assisted training for upper limb motor function rehabilitation: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: The therapeutic effect of robot-assisted training is still indecisive due to the lack of patient-tailored protocols and dose-matched training strategies when compared to traditional treatment. The objective of this study was to investigate the optimal robot-assisted training strategies for the upper limb functional recovery in hemiparetic stroke patients.

Approach: A bilateral upper limb rehabilitation robot was employed to execute unilateral and bilateral training.

Bioactive compounds with anti-obesity potential from Cassia obtusifolia L. explored by lipase-immobilized magnetic metal-organic frameworks and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS.

The seeds of Cassia obtusifolia L. (Cassia seed) have long been utilized as an edible traditional Chinese medicinal herb and tea with various health benefits, including improving obesity and protecting eyesight. In this work, we developed a rapid screening method based on pancreatic lipase (PL)-functionalized magnetic composite nanoparticles coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) and molecular networking analysis.

Utilizing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate-based amorphous solid dispersions to enhance oral bioavailability and antifibrotic activity of nintedanib.

Nintedanib is a first-line therapeutic agent for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial lung disease. However, its weakly basic nature leads to low dissolution in the intestines, resulting in poor oral bioavailability and limited antifibrotic efficacy. This study aimed to develop amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) systems of nintedanib to enhance its oral bioavailability and antifibrotic efficacy.

Nanomaterial-assisted pancreatic cancer theranostics.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies, largely due to the limitations of current imaging technologies and treatment strategies, which hinder early diagnosis and effective disease management. Achieving precise theranostics for pancreatic cancer has become a priority, and recent advances have focused on the development of novel nanomaterials with enhanced imaging capabilities and therapeutic functionalities. These nanomaterials, through surface modifications, can significantly improve the targeting and precision of both diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Rationally designed photosensitizers with enhanced spin-orbit coupling for high quantum yield and potent antibacterial activity.

As a novel approach to killing bacteria, photodynamic therapy holds great potential in antibacterial treatment. However, the majority of traditional photosensitizers exhibit relatively low reactive oxygen species (ROS) quantum yield. Therefore, it is essential to develop photosensitizers with high ROS quantum yield to effectively kill bacteria.

New insights of transition metal sulfide nanoparticles for tumor precision diagnosis and treatment.

Transition metal sulfide nanoparticles (TMSs), with their unique photothermal conversion effects, Fenton-like catalytic activity, engineerable structure, and good biocompatibility, are becoming a cutting-edge research focus in the field of tumor precision diagnosis and therapy. This review systematically explores the groundbreaking potential of TMSs (MS, M = Fe, Mn, Cu, Mo, Co, Ni, W, etc.) in tumor precision diagnosis, specific non-invasive treatment, and multimodal synergistic therapy from the perspective of "structural design-function regulation-integrated diagnosis and therapy.

Recent advances of metal cluster-based SERS probes for biomedical applications.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), as a revolutionary technology, has made remarkable progress in the field of biomedical applications in recent years, particularly in the development and functional applications of metal cluster-based substrates. This review systematically summarizes the latest advancements in the SERS field, focusing on advanced substrate materials and their enhancement mechanisms. Special attention is given to the biomedical applications of metal cluster-based substrates in SERS sensing and imaging.

Integrating Inertial Microfluidics with SERS Bioprobe for Efficient Enrichment and Accurate Identification of Tumor Cells in Gastric Fluid and Ascites.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a disease with high mortality rates and remains a central focus in medical research. Efficient enrichment, separation, and precise diagnosis of human gastric cancer (HGC) cells from biological samples are essential for early detection and treatment. However, the similarity in size of white blood cells (WBCs) and HGC cells in gastric fluid has posed vital challenges in the rapid identification and precise diagnosis of GC.

Physically Cross-Linked Silk Fibroin Hydrogel with Rapid Sol-Gel Transition and Enhanced Mechanical Performance.

It remains a great challenge to fabricate physically cross-linked silk fibroin (SF) hydrogels with rapid gelation and robust mechanical properties. In this study, a novel SF hydrogel is obtained by synergistically modulating the SF molecular weight (MW) and the freeze-inducing process, avoiding the use of any exterior additives. First, the effects of MW on the self-assembly behaviors of SF are investigated under physiological temperature.

Neutrophil-like cell membrane-coated molybdenum-based nanoclusters for reduced oxidative stress and enhanced neurological recovery after intracerebral hemorrhage.

Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) are detrimental to the brain that can result in neurological impairment and inhibiting neurological functionals recovery after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, there is still a lack of effective treatment for ICH, either with medicine or neurosurgery. Nanozymes with excellent superoxide dismutase and catalase properties can scavenge ROS and may provide therapeutic opportunities for ICH patients.

Phytic acid and carboxymethyl cellulose synergistically reinforced ionic conductive hydrogels for high-strength and low-swelling flexible sensor applications.

Ionic conductive hydrogels have emerged as promising materials for constructing flexible wearable sensors due to their excellent flexibility, conductivity, and strain sensitivity. However, current hydrogel sensors face some important challenges, such as poor mechanical performance, high swelling ratios, and limited functionality, significantly hindering their applications. This study developed a poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) (P(AA-co-AM)) hydrogel that was synergistically reinforced by phytic acid (PA) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) (PAA/AM-PA-C ionic conductive hydrogel).

Progress in Polysaccharide-Based Hydrogels for Preventing Postoperative Adhesions: A Review.

Postoperative adhesions are common complications following surgery, often accompanied by pain and inflammation that significantly diminish patients' quality of life. Moreover, managing postoperative adhesions incurs substantial cost, imposing a considerable financial burden on both patients and healthcare systems. Traditional anti-adhesion materials are confronted with limitations, such as inadequate tissue adherence in a moist environment and poor degradability, underscoring the urgent need for more effective solutions.

Local salient location-aware anomaly mask synthesis for pulmonary disease anomaly detection and lesion localization in CT images.

Automated pulmonary anomaly detection using computed tomography (CT) examinations is important for the early warning of pulmonary diseases and can support clinical diagnosis and decision-making. Most training of existing pulmonary disease detection and lesion segmentation models requires expert annotations, which is time-consuming and labour-intensive, and struggles to generalize across atypical diseases. In contrast, unsupervised anomaly detection alleviates the demand for dataset annotation and is more generalizable than supervised methods in detecting rare pathologies.

Framework nucleic acid-programmed aptamer-paclitaxel conjugates as targeted therapeutics for triple-negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is highly invasive with a poor prognosis, and chemotherapy remains the clinical treatment of choice. Paclitaxel is a commonly used first-line chemotherapy drug, but its untargeted distribution poses clinical challenges. Inspired by antibody-drug conjugates, we develop a precisely structured framework nucleic acid-programmed aptamer-paclitaxel conjugate (FAPC) with chemically well-defined paclitaxel loading dosing, enabling the regulation of receptor-aptamer affinity to facilitate tumor-targeted chemotherapy.