Generating Airy surface acoustic waves with dislocated interdigital transducers.

We propose an innovative design for interdigital transducers (IDTs), enabling phase modulation of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) with a dislocated electrode structure. By designing the size and arrangement of these dislocated IDTs, a novel type of Airy SAWs can be generated, exhibiting self-accelerating, self-bending, and self-healing characteristics. The acceleration of the generated Airy SAW is 0.081 cm-1. Furthermore, particles and bubbles can be precisely manipulated using the generated Airy SAW. The proposed dislocated IDTs could be used for generation of many other types of SAWs, hence holding great promise for applications including SAW shaping, particle manipulation/sorting, and acoustic sensing/detection.

Rapid Detection of Trace Organic Amines in Seawater: An Innovative Approach Using Photoelectron-Induced Chemical Ionization TOFMS with Online Derivatization and Dynamic Purging-Release Techniques.

Organic amines (OAs) have gained substantial interest in atmospheric chemistry due to their distinctive acid-base neutralization characteristics for secondary organic aerosols and new particle formation. To address the need for sensitive and online analysis of OAs, including dimethylamine (DMA), diethylamine (DEA), trimethylamine (TMA), and triethylamine (TEA), in seawater, a home-built photoelectron-induced chemical ionization TOFMS, coupled with online derivatization and dynamic purge-release apparatus, has been developed. Sodium hypochlorite is used to derivatize high-solubility DMA and DEA, substituting hydrogen atoms with chlorine atoms to obtain more volatile derivatives, [DMA-H + Cl] and [DEA-H + Cl]. Sodium carbonate is used to reduce the solubility of the OAs in solution to enhance detection sensitivity. Microbubbles generated from 250 to 300 mL/min of zero air at the gas-liquid interface efficiently transfer dissolved OAs into the gas phase. Water vapor in the purged gas is ionized by photoelectrons to form (H2O)n·H+, which ionizes OAs and their derivatives to produce characteristic ions [OAs + H]+ or [OAs-H + Cl]·H+ characteristic ion. After optimizing the experimental conditions, the limits of quantification (S/N = 10) of the four OAs including DMA, DEA, TMA, and TEA can be as low as 1.1 0.68, 0.85, and 0.49 nmol/L, respectively within a 5 min analysis time, using only 5 mL of seawater sample. This method enhances sensitivity by over 5-fold and reduces analysis time to 21.7%, respectively, compared with conventional methods. Subsequently, this method was successfully applied to quantify 15 seawater samples from 5 typical marine environments, which demonstrates its practicability and reliability for analysis of trace amines in seawater.

Simultaneous 18F-FDG PET/MRI predicting favourable surgical outcome in refractory epilepsy patients.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the (1) successful surgery proportion in patients with clear structural lesions on MRI and single abnormality on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/Magnetic resonance imaging (18F-FDG PET/MRI); (2) predictive value of 18F-FDG PET/MRI for postsurgical outcome in refractory epilepsy patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 123 patients diagnosed with refractory epilepsy who underwent presurgical evaluation involving 18F-FDG PET/MRI and were followed for one-year post-surgery. Two neuroradiologists interpreted the PET/MRI images using visual analysis and an asymmetry index based on the standard uptake value. The Engel classification was used to assess surgical outcomes one-year post-surgery. Prognostic factors predicting post-surgical seizure outcomes were explored using univariate and binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Definitely single lesion abnormality was observed in 35.0% (43/123) of the patients on the MRI portion of PET/MRI. The proportion increased to 74.0% (91/123) when 18 F-FDG PET portion was added. About 75% (69/91) of patients displaying a clear-cut lesion on 18 F-FDG PET/MRI were classified as Engel Class I one-year post-surgery. The proportion of Engel Class I patients was not significantly different when comparing MRI-single lesion patients with MRI-negative, PET-single lesion patients one year after surgery (81.4% vs. 70.0%, P = 0.24). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the detection of a clear single lesion on 18 F-FDG PET/MRI was a strong positive predictor of a favorable surgical outcome (OR 3.518, 95% CI 1.363-9.077, p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: Single lesion detected on 18 F-FDG PET/MRI is useful to predict good surgical outcome for refractory epilepsy patients; Those patients should be considered as candidates for surgery.

The Synthesis of Functionalized Carbonized Polymer Dots via Reversible Assembly of Oligomers for Anti-Counterfeiting, Catalysis, and Gas storage.

Carbonized polymer dots (CPDs) have shown exceptional potential across a wide range of applications. However, their practical utilization is significantly greatly impeded by the lack of precise control over their structures and functionalities. Consequently, the development of controlled synthesis strategies for CPDs with well-defined structures and tailored functionalities remains a critical challenge in the field. Here, the controlled synthesis of functional CPDs with reversible assembly properties via airflow-assisted melt polymerization, followed by a one-step post-synthetic doping strategy, is reported. This synthetic approach achieves high product yield, uniform and tunable structures, as well as customized functionalities including solid-state emission, enhanced catalytic performance (3.5-45 times higher than conventional methods), and selective gas storage in the resulting CPDs. The ability to tailor the properties of CPDs through controlled synthesis opens up new opportunities for their practical application in photocatalysis and gas storage.

ECM-Mimicking Strontium-Doped Nanofibrous Microspheres for Periodontal Tissue Regeneration in Osteoporosis.

Regenerating periodontal defects in osteoporosis patients presents a significant clinical challenge. Unlike the relatively straightforward regeneration of homogeneous bone tissue, periodontal regeneration requires the intricate reconstruction of the cementum-periodontal ligament-alveolar bone interface. Strontium (Sr)-doped biomaterials have been extensively utilized in bone tissue engineering due to their remarkable pro-osteogenic attributes. However, their application in periodontal tissue regeneration has been scarcely explored. In this study, we synthesized an innovative injectable Sr-BGN/GNM scaffold by integrating Sr-doped bioactive glass nanospheres (Sr-BGNs) into the nanofiber architecture of gelatin nanofiber microspheres (GNMs). This design, mimicking the natural bone extracellular matrix (ECM), enhanced the scaffold's mechanical properties and effectively controlled the sustained release of Sr ions (Sr2+), thereby promoting the proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, and ECM secretion of PDLSCs and BMSCs, as well as enhancing vascularization in endothelial cells. In vivo experiments further indicated that the Sr-BGNs/GNMs significantly promoted osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Moreover, the scaffold's tunable degradation kinetics optimized the prolonged release and pro-regenerative effects of Sr2+ in vivo, matching the pace of periodontal regeneration and thereby facilitating the regeneration of functional periodontal tissues under osteoporotic conditions. Therefore, Sr-BGNs/GNMs emerge as a promising candidate for advancing periodontal regeneration strategies.

Responsive Liquid Crystal Network Microstructures with Customized Shapes and Predetermined Morphing for Adaptive Soft Micro-Optics.

Stimuli-responsive materials have garnered substantial interest in recent years, particularly liquid crystal networks (LCNs) with sophisticatedly designed structures and morphing capabilities. Extensive efforts have been devoted to LCN structural designs spanning from two-dimensional (2D) to three-dimensional (3D) configurations and their intricate morphing behaviors through designed alignment. However, achieving microscale structures and large-area preparation necessitates the development of novel techniques capable of facilely fabricating LCN microstructures with precise control over both overall shape and alignment, enabling a 3D-to-3D shape change. Herein, a simple and cost-effective in-cell soft lithography (ICSL) technique is proposed to create LCN microstructures with customized shapes and predesigned morphing. The ICSL technique involves two sequential steps: fabricating the desired microstructure as the template by using the photopolymerization-induced phase separation (PIPS) method and reproducing the LCN microstructures through templating. Meanwhile, surface anchoring is employed to design and achieve molecular alignment, accommodating different deformation modes. With the proposed ICSL technique, cylindrical and spherical microlens arrays (CMLAs and SMLAs) have been successfully fabricated with stimulus-driven polarization-dependent focusing effects. This technique offers distinct advantages including high customizability, large-area production, and cost-effectiveness, which pave a new avenue for extensive applications in different fields, exemplified by adaptive soft micro-optics and photonics.

Light-driven phase transition of diffractive optical elements based on liquid crystal elastomers.

Diffractive optical element is advantageous for miniaturization, arraying and integration of optical systems. They have been widely used in beam shaping, diffractive imaging, generating beam arrays, spectral optimization and other aspects. Currently, the vast majority of diffractive optics are not tunable. This limits the applicability and functionality of these devices. Here we report a tunable diffractive optical element controlled by light in the visible band. The diffractive optical element consists of a square gold microarray deposited on a deformable substrate. The substrate is made of a liquid crystal elastomer. When pumped by a 532 nm laser, the substrate is deformed to change the crystal lattice. This changes the far-field diffraction pattern of the device. The proposed concept establishes a light-controlled soft platform with great potential for tunable/reconfigurable photonic devices, such as filters, couplers, holograms and structural color displays.

Injectable Nanocomposite Hydrogels with Strong Antibacterial, Osteoinductive, and ROS-Scavenging Capabilities for Periodontitis Treatment.

Injectable antibacterial and osteoinductive hydrogels have received considerable attention for promoting bone regeneration owing to their versatile functionalities. However, a current hydrogel with antibacterial, osteoinductive, and antioxidant properties by a facile method for periodontitis treatment is still missing. To overcome this issue, we designed an injectable hydrogel system (GPM) composed of gelatin, Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets, and poly-l-lysine using a simple enzymatic cross-linking technique. Physicochemical characterization demonstrated that the GPM hydrogel matrix exhibited excellent stability, moderate tissue adhesion ability, and good mechanical behavior. The GPM hydrogels significantly inhibited the growth of Porphyromonas gingivalis, scavenged reactive oxygen species, attenuated inflammatory responses, and enhanced bone tissue regeneration. Intriguingly, the arrangement of the junctional epithelium, alveolar bone volume, and alveolar bone height in the GPM-treated periodontal disease group recovered to that of the healthy group. Therefore, our injectable hydrogel system with versatile functions may serve as an excellent tissue scaffold for the treatment of periodontitis.

Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Metabolite-Coordinated Biohydrogels Augment Cranial Bone Regeneration Through Neutrophil-Stimulated Mesenchymal Stem Cell Recruitment and Histone Acetylation-Mediated Osteogenesis.

Cranial bone defects remain a major clinical challenge, increasing patients' life burdens. Tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolites play crucial roles in facilitating bone tissue regeneration. However, the development of TCA cycle metabolite-modified biomimetic grafts for skull bone regeneration still needs to be improved. The mechanism underlying the release of TCA cycle metabolites from biomaterials in regulating immune responses and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) fate (migration and differentiation) remains unknown. Herein, this work constructs biomimetic hydrogels composed of gelatin and chitosan networks covalently cross-linked by genipin (CGG hydrogels). A series of TCA cycle metabolite-coordinated CGG hydrogels with strong mechanical and antiswelling performances are subsequently developed. Remarkably, the citrate (Na3Cit, Cit)-coordinated CGG hydrogels (CGG-Cit hydrogels) with the highest mechanical modulus and strength significantly promote skull bone regeneration in rat and murine cranial defects. Mechanistically, using a transgenic mouse model, bulk RNA sequencing, and single-cell RNA sequencing, this work demonstrates that CGG-Cit hydrogels promote Gli1+ MSC migration via neutrophil-secreted oncostatin M. Results also indicate that citrate improves osteogenesis via enhanced histone H3K9 acetylation on osteogenic master genes. Taken together, the immune microenvironment- and MSC fate-regulated CGG-Cit hydrogels represent a highly efficient and facile approach toward skull bone tissue regeneration with great potential for bench-to-bedside translation.

Nanosphere Lithography-Enabled Hybrid Ag-Cu Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Substrates with Enhanced Absorption of Excitation Light.

We demonstrated a low-cost, highly sensitive hybrid Ag-Cu substrate with enhanced absorption for the excitation laser beam via the nanosphere lithography technique. The hybrid Ag-Cu surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate consists of a Cu nanoarray covered with Ag nanoparticles. The geometry of the deposited Cu nanoarray is precisely determined through a self-assembly nanosphere etching process, resulting in optimized absorption for the excitation laser beam. Further Raman enhancement is achieved by incorporating plasmonic hotspots formed by dense Ag nanoparticles, grown by immersing the prepared Cu nanoarray in a silver nitrate solution. The structural design enables analytical enhancement factor of hybrid Ag-Cu SERS substrates of 1.13 × 105. The Ag-Cu SERS substrates exhibit a highly sensitive and reproducible SERS activity, with a low detection limit of 10-13 M for Rhodamine 6G detection and 10-9 M for 4,4'-Bipyridine. Our strategy could pave an effective and promising approach for SERS-based rapid detection in biosensors, environmental monitoring and food safety.

Divalent Anion-Induced Biohydrogels with High Strength, Anti-swelling, and Bioactive Capability for Enhanced Skull Bone Regeneration.

Increased intracranial pressure after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an urgent problem in clinical practice. A pliable hydrogel is preferred for cranioplasty applications after TBI since it can protect brain tissue and promote bone healing. Nevertheless, biohydrogels for cranial bone regeneration still face challenges of poor mechanical properties, large swelling ratios, and low osteogenesis activity. Herein, inspired by Hofmeister effects, biopolymer hydrogels composed of protein and polysaccharides were treated with a Hofmeister series including a series of monovalent and divalent anions. Our results reveal that the divalent anion-cross-linked biohydrogels exhibit stronger mechanical properties and lower swelling ratios compared with monovalent-anion treated gels. Intriguingly, the divalent HPO42- anion induced biohybrid hydrogels with excellent mechanical behaviors (3.7 ± 0.58 MPa, 484 ± 76.7 kPa, and 148.3 ± 6.85 kJ/m3), anti-swelling capability (16.7%), and gradual degradation ability, significantly stimulating osteogenic differentiation and in vivo cranial bone regeneration. Overall, this study may provide new insights into the design of biomimetic hydrogels for treating cranial bone defects after TBI.

Toward Earth system modeling with resolved clouds and ocean submesoscales on heterogeneous many-core HPCs.

With the aid of the newly developed 'Sunway' heterogeneous-architecture supercomputer, which has world-leading HPC (high-performance computer) capability, a series of high-resolution coupled Earth system models (SW-HRESMs) with up to 5 km of atmosphere and 3 km of ocean have been developed. These models can meet the needs of multiscale interaction studies with different computational costs. Here we describe the progress of SW-HRESMs development, with an overview of the major advancements made by the international Earth science community in HR-ESMs. We also show the preliminary results of SW-HRESMs with regard to capturing major weather-climate extremes in the atmosphere and ocean, stressing the importance of permitted clouds and ocean submesoscale eddies in modeling tropical cyclones and eddy-mean flow interactions, and paving the way for further model development to resolve finer scales with even higher resolution and more realistic physics. Finally, in addition to increasing model resolution, the development procedure for a non-hydrostatic cloud and ocean submesoscale resolved ESM is discussed, laying out the major scientific directions of such a huge modeling advancement.

Roles of the cytoskeleton in human diseases.

Recently, researches have revealed the key roles of the cytoskeleton in the occurrence and development of multiple diseases, suggesting that targeting the cytoskeleton is a viable approach for treating numerous refractory diseases. The cytoskeleton is a highly structured and complex network composed of actin filaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments. In normal cells, these three cytoskeleton components are highly integrated and coordinated. However, the cytoskeleton undergoes drastic remodeling in cytoskeleton-related diseases, causing changes in cell polarity, affecting the cell cycle, leading to senescent diseases, and influencing cell migration to accelerate cancer metastasis. Additionally, mutations or abnormalities in cytoskeletal proteins and their related proteins are closely associated with several congenital diseases. Therefore, this review summarizes the roles of the cytoskeleton in cytoskeleton-related diseases as well as its potential roles in disease treatment to provide insights regarding the physiological functions and pathological roles of the cytoskeleton.

Multiscale design of stiffening and ROS scavenging hydrogels for the augmentation of mandibular bone regeneration.

Although biomimetic hydrogels play an essential role in guiding bone remodeling, reconstructing large bone defects is still a significant challenge since bioinspired gels often lack osteoconductive capacity, robust mechanical properties and suitable antioxidant ability for bone regeneration. To address these challenges, we first engineered molecular design of hydrogels (gelatin/polyethylene glycol diacrylate/2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, GPEGD), where their mechanical properties were significantly enhanced via introducing trace amounts of additives (0.5 wt%). The novel hybrid hydrogels show high compressive strength (>700 kPa), stiff modulus (>170 kPa) and strong ROS-scavenging ability. Furthermore, to endow the GPEGD hydrogels excellent osteoinductions, novel biocompatible, antioxidant and BMP-2 loaded polydopamine/heparin nanoparticles (BPDAH) were developed for functionalization of the GPEGD gels (BPDAH-GPEGD). In vitro results indicate that the antioxidant BPDAH-GPEGD is able to deplete elevated ROS levels to protect cells viability against ROS damage. More importantly, the BPDAH-GPEGD hydrogels have good biocompatibility and promote the osteo differentiation of preosteoblasts and bone regenerations. At 4 and 8 weeks after implantation of the hydrogels in a mandibular bone defect, Micro-computed tomography and histology results show greater bone volume and enhancements in the quality and rate of bone regeneration in the BPDAH-GPEGD hydrogels. Thus, the multiscale design of stiffening and ROS scavenging hydrogels could serve as a promising material for bone regeneration applications.

Application of gelatin methacryloyl/minocycline-chitosan-nanoparticles composite hydrogel for the treatment of periodontitis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel loa-ded with minocycline-chitosan-nanoparticles (MCN) for the treatment of periodontitis in vitro and vivo. METHODS: MCN were synthesized by ionic gel method. GelMA/MCN composite hydrogels were prepared by compounding MCN with GelMA hydrogel. The materials were characterized by transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The degradation behavior and drug release rates of hydrogels were evaluated. The antibacterial activity of GelMA/MCN hydrogel against Porphyromonas gingivalis was detected, and the minimum antibacterial concentration was determined. Biocompatibility and osteogenic experiments were conducted under a simulated periodontitis environment. A rat model of periodontitis was constructed to observe the therapeutic effects of GelMA/MCN hydrogel. RESULTS: MCN was successfully synthesized with a particle size of about 80 nm, while the structures of GelMA/MCN had no significant differences from GelMA. MCN and GelMA/MCN released minocycline slowly and steadily. Bacterial growth was completely inhibited when the MCN concentration was higher than or equal to 0.2 mg·mL-1. GelMA/MCN hydrogels exhibited good biocompatibility at effective antimicrobial concentrations under the simulated periodontitis environment with the enzyme. The in vivo results showed that GelMA/MCN prevented the progression of periodontitis and promoted the repair of bone defects. CONCLUSIONS: GelMA/MCN composite hydrogel can release minocycline slowly and steadily and has good antibacterial activity and biocompatibility to promote the repair of periodontitis bone defects.

PLPP2: Potential therapeutic target of breast cancer in PLPP family.

PLPPs (Phospholipid phosphatases) are widely expressed in different human tissues, regulate cell signal transduction, and are overexpressed in cancers such as gliomas, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma, and so on. As a member of the PLPP family, PLPP2 (phospholipid phosphatase 2) plays a vital role in the occurrence and development of breast cancer, but its mechanism is still unclear. Our research found that PLPP2 was overexpressed in breast cancer, and the higher expression level of PLPP2 showed a worse prognosis for breast cancer patients. Further analysis showed that overexpression of PLPP2 affected the expression of CDC34 (cell-division cycle 34), LSM7 (Like-Smith 7), and SGTA (small glutamine-rich tetratricopeptide repeat-containing protein alpha) through EMT (epigenetic-mesenchymal transition) related pathways to promote the occurrence and development of breast cancer. In vitro, silencing PLPP2 significantly reduced the proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities of human breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231. ER+ is a common subtype of breast cancer. Furthermore, we found that the overexpression of PLPP2 was significantly related to the poor prognosis of ER+ breast cancer. These results indicate that PLPP2 has value as a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer, especially for ER+ breast cancer.

Role of TRPV1 ion channel in cervical squamous cell carcinoma genesis.

The transient receptor potential (TRP) family is a widely expressed superfamily of ion channels that regulate intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and signal transduction. Abnormal expression of TRPV1 is closely related to malignant tumors of the female reproductive system such as breast, ovarian, cervical and endometrial cancers. In this study, we found a significant reduction of TRPV1 expression in cervical squamous cell carcinoma and this expression is inversely association with the risk of cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Furthermore, TRPV1 is involved in cell differentiation, iron death, inflammatory response, and metabolic regulation in cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Meanwhile TRPV1 is positively correlated with T cells and negatively associated with macrophages, indicating that TRPV is associated with tumor cell immunity. Therefore, TRPV1 may be a potential marker of cervical cancer and a promising anti-cancer drug candidate.

Sponge-Like Macroporous Hydrogel with Antibacterial and ROS Scavenging Capabilities for Diabetic Wound Regeneration.

Hydrogels with soft and wet properties have been intensively investigated for chronic disease tissue repair. Nevertheless, tissue engineering hydrogels containing high water content are often simultaneously suffered from low porous size and low water-resistant capacities, leading to undesirable surgery outcomes. Here, a novel sponge-like macro-porous hydrogel (SM-hydrogel) with stable macro-porous structures and anti-swelling performances is developed via a facile, fast yet robust approach induced by Ti3 C2 MXene additives. The MXene-induced SM-hydrogels (80% water content) with 200-300 µm open macropores, demonstrating ideal mass/nutrient infiltration capability at ≈20-fold higher water/blood-transport velocity over that of the nonporous hydrogels. Moreover, the highly strong interactions between MXene and polymer chains endow the SM-hydrogels with excellent anti-swelling capability, promising equilibrium SM-hydrogels with identical macro-porous structures and toughened mechanical performances. The SM-hydrogel with versatile functions such as facilitating mass transport, antibacterial (bacterial viability in (Acrylic acid-co-Methacrylamide dopamine) copolymer-Ti3 C2 MXene below 25%), and reactive oxygen species scavenging capacities (96% scavenging ratio at 120 min) synergistically promotes diabetic wound healing (compared with non-porous hydrogels the wound closure rate increased from 39% to 81% within 7 days). Therefore, the durable SM-hydrogels exhibit connective macro-porous structures and bears versatile functions induced by MXene, demonstrating its great potential for wound tissue engineering.

PgC3Mg metal-organic cages functionalized hydrogels with enhanced bioactive and ROS scavenging capabilities for accelerated bone regeneration.

The repair of large bone defects is an urgent problem in the clinic. Note that the disruption of redox homeostasis around bone defect sites might hinder the new bone reconstruction. The rational design of hydrogels for bone regeneration still faces the challenges of insufficient antioxidant capability and weak osteogenesis performance. Here, motivated by the versatile therapeutic functions of metal-organic cages, magnesium-seamed C-propylpyrogallol[4]arene (PgC3Mg) functionalized biodegradable and porous gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogels are constructed. The novel metal-organic cages endow hydrogels with highly bioactive characteristics and strong reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging ability owing to the simultaneous release of bioactive Mg2+ ions and antioxidant phenolic hydroxyl-rich moieties. The in vitro results reveal that the PgC3Mg modified biocompatible hydrogels show higher expression of osteo-related genes and significantly eliminate the intracellular ROS levels of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) against oxidative damage. Meanwhile, the bioactive and ROS scavenging hydrogels can accelerate bone regeneration in large cranial defects. Overall, this study may provide new insights into the designing of regenerative bone grafts with simultaneously enhanced osteogenic and antioxidant capabilities.