Gel Electrophoresis Chip Using Joule Heat Self-Dissipation, Short Run Time, and Online Dynamic Imaging.

Gel electrophoresis (GE) is one of the most general tools in biomedicine. However, it suffers from low resolution, and its mechanism has not been fully revealed yet. Herein, we presented the dispersion model of w2 (t) ∝ Tt, showing the band dispersion (w) via temperature (T) and running time (t) control. Second, we designed an efficient GE chip via the time control and rapid Joule heat self-dissipation by thermal conductive plastic (TCP) and electrode buffer. Third, we conducted the simulations on TCP and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) chips, unveiling that (i) the temperature of TCP was lower than the PMMA one, (ii) the temperature uniformity of TCP was better than the PMMA one, and (iii) the resolution of TCP was superior to the PMMA one. Fourth, we designed both TCP and PMMA chips for experimentally validating the dispersion model, TCP chip, and simulations. Finally, we applied the TCP chip to thalassemia and model urine protein assays. The TCP chip has merits of high resolution, rapid run of 6-10 min, and low cost. This work paves the way for greatly improving electrophoretic techniques in gel, chip, and capillary via temperature and time control for biologic study, biopharma quality control, clinical diagnosis, and so on.

Efficacy and safety of mitoxantrone hydrochloride liposome injection in Chinese patients with advanced breast cancer: a randomized, open-label, active-controlled, single-center, phase II clinical trial.

PURPOSE: This trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mitoxantrone hydrochloride liposome injection (Lipo-MIT) in advanced breast cancer (ABC). METHODS: In this randomized, open-label, active-controlled, single-center, phase II clinical trial, eligible patients were randomized in a ratio of 1:1 to receive Lipo-MIT or mitoxantrone hydrochloride injection (MIT) intravenously. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). The secondary endpoints were disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and safety outcomes. RESULTS: Sixty patients were randomized to receive Lipo-MIT or MIT. The ORR was 13.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.8-30.7%) for Lipo-MIT and 6.7% (95% CI: 0.8-22.1%) for MIT. The DCR was 50% (95% CI: 31.3-68.7%) with Lipo-MIT vs. 30% (95% CI: 14.7-49.4%) with MIT. The median PFS was 1.92 months (95% CI: 1.75-3.61) for Lipo-MIT and 1.85 months (95% CI: 1.75-2.02) for MIT. The most common toxicity was myelosuppression. Lipo-MIT resulted in an incidence of 86.7% of leukopenia and 80.0% of neutropenia, which was marginally superior to MIT (96.7% and 96.7%, respectively). Lipo-MIT showed a lower incidence of cardiovascular events (13.3% vs. 20.0%) and increased cardiac troponin T (3.3% vs. 36.7%); but higher incidence of anemia (76.7% vs. 46.7%), skin hyperpigmentation (66.7% vs. 3.3%), and fever (23.3% vs. 10.0%) than MIT. Conclusions The clinical benefit parameters of Lipo-MIT and MIT were comparable. Lipo-MIT provided a different toxicity profile, which might be associated with the altered distribution of the drug. Additional study is needed to elucidate the potential benefit of Lipo-MIT in ABC. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (No. NCT02596373) on Nov 4, 2015.

Liposome-assisted enzyme catalysis: toward signal amplification for sensitive split-type electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.

Developing an efficient signal amplification strategy is very important to improve the sensitivity of bioanalysis. In this paper, a liposome-assisted enzyme catalysis signal amplification strategy was developed for electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunoassay of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in a split-type mode. The sandwich immunoreaction occurred in a 96-well plate, and glucose oxidase (GOx) encapsulated and antibody-modified liposomes were used as labels. The ECL detection was carried out using a rGO-Au NP modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The large amount of generated H2O2, i.e. the coreactant of the luminol system, and the excellent catalytic behavior of rGO-Au NPs greatly boosted the ECL signal, resulting in the signal amplification. The developed ECL immunosensor for detecting PSA achieved a wider linear range from 1.0 × 10-13 to 1.0 × 10-8 g mL-1 and a detection limit of 1.7 × 10-14 g mL-1. The application of the proposed strategy was demonstrated by analyzing PSA in human serum samples with recoveries from 89.0% to 113.0%, and relative standard deviations (RSDs) were less than 6.6%. This work provides a new horizon to expand the application of liposomes for ECL bioanalysis.

Preoperative Salivary Cortisol AM/PM Ratio Predicts Early Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction After Noncardiac Surgery in Elderly Patients.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) requires complicated neuropsychological testing and is often delayed. Possible biomarkers for early detection or prediction are essential for the prevention and treatment of POCD. Preoperative screening of salivary cortisol levels may help to identify patients at elevated risk for POCD. METHODS: One hundred twenty patients >60 years of age and undergoing major noncardiac surgery underwent neuropsychological testing 1 day before and 1 week after surgery. Saliva samples were collected in the morning and the evening 1 day before surgery. POCD was defined as a Z-score of ≤-1.96 on at least 2 different tests. The primary outcome was the presence of POCD. The primary objective of this study was to assess the relationship between the ratio of AM (morning) to PM (evening) salivary cortisol levels and the presence of POCD. The secondary objective was to assess the relationship between POCD and salivary cortisol absolute values in the morning or in the evening. RESULTS: POCD was observed in 17.02% (16 of 94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.28%-24.76%) of patients 1 week after the operation. A higher preoperative AM/PM salivary cortisol ratio predicted early POCD onset (odds ratio [OR], 1.56; 95% CI, 1.20-2.02; P = .001), even after adjusting for the Mini-Mental Sate Examination score (odds ratio, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.19-2.02; P = .001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the salivary cortisol AM/PM ratio in individuals with POCD was 0.72 (95% CI, 0.56-0.88; P = .006). The optimal cutoff value was 5.69, with a sensitivity of 50% and specificity of 91%. CONCLUSIONS: The preoperative salivary cortisol AM/PM ratio was significantly associated with the presence of early POCD. This biomarker may have potential utility for screening patients for an increased risk and also for further elucidating the etiology of POCD.

Advantages with prophylactic PEG-rhG-CSF versus rhG-CSF in breast cancer patients receiving multiple cycles of myelosuppressive chemotherapy: an open-label, randomized, multicenter phase III study.

BACKGROUND: PEG-rhG-CSF reduces neutropenia and improves chemotherapy safety. In China's registration trial (CFDA: 2006L01305), we assessed its efficacy and safety against rhG-CSF, and prospectively explored its value over multiple cycles of chemotherapy. METHODS: In this open-label, randomized, multicenter phase 3 study, breast cancer patients (n = 569) were randomized to receive PEG-rhG-CSF 100 µg/kg, PEG-rhG-CSF 6 mg, or rhG-CSF 5 µg/kg/d after chemotherapy. The primary endpoints were the incidence and duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia during cycle 1. Secondary endpoints included the incidence and duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia during cycles 2-4, the incidence of febrile neutropenia, and the safety. RESULTS: A once-per-cycle PEG-rhG-CSF at either 100 µg/kg or 6 mg was not different from daily injections of rhG-CSF for either incidence or duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia. Interestingly, a substantial difference was noted during cycle 2, and the difference became bigger over cycles 3-4, reaching a statistical significance at cycle 4 in either incidence (P = 0.0309) or duration (P = 0.0289) favoring PEG-rhG-CSF. A significant trend toward a lower incidence of all-grade adverse events was noted at 129 (68.98%), 142 (75.53%), and 160 (82.47%) in the PEG-rhG-CSF 100 µg/kg and 6 mg and rhG-CSF groups, respectively (P = 0.0085). The corresponding incidence of grade 3/4 drug-related adverse events was 2/187 (1.07%), 1/188 (0.53%), and 8/194 (4.12%), respectively (P = 0.0477). Additionally, PFS in metastatic patients preferred PEG-rhG-CSF to rhG-CSF despite no significance observed by Kaplan-Meier analysis (n = 49, P = 0.153). CONCLUSIONS: PEG-rhG-CSF is a more convenient and safe formulation and a more effective prophylactic measure in breast cancer patients receiving multiple cycles of chemotherapy.

Cinnamaldehyde-Based Poly(ester-thioacetal) To Generate Reactive Oxygen Species for Fabricating Reactive Oxygen Species-Responsive Nanoparticles.

Due to the high oxidative stress of the tumor microenvironment, more and more researchers have been devoted to reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive nanodrug delivery systems for anticancer therapy. Herein, a ROS-responsive moiety, thioacetal, was synthesized, and cinnamaldehyde (CA) was introduced in the polymer chain to trigger the generation of ROS to expect the enhancement of the ROS-responsive effect. The poly(ester-thioacetal) mPEG2k - b-(NTA-HD)12 polymer, its self-assembled micelles, and the ROS-responsive behavior were characterized by 1H NMR and DLS. The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was adopted to prepare DOX-loaded poly(ester-thioacetal) micelles. The intracellular ROS detection indicated that the mPEG2k - b-(NTA-HD)12 polymer could degrade via the high concentration of ROS in cancer cells, and the released CA stimulated mitochondria to regenerate additional ROS. The flow cytometry results indicated that the ROS-responsive polymeric micelles showed faster cellular uptake compared to the control mPEG2k - b-PCL5k micelles. The ROS responsive DOX/mPEG2k - b-(NTA-HD)12 micelles exhibited much better anticancer efficiency on both 4T1 and HeLa cancer cells than DOX/mPEG2k - b-PCL5k micelles.

HDAC6 regulates dental mesenchymal stem cells and osteoclast differentiation.

BACKGROUND: Dental and periodontal tissue development is a complicated process involving a finely regulated network of communication among various cell types. Understanding the mechanisms involved in regulating dental mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and osteoclast cell differentiation is critical. However, it is still unclear whether histone deacetylase HDAC6 is involved in dental MSCs fate determination and osteoclast differentiation. METHODS: We used shRNA and siRNA knockdown to explore the role of HDAC6 in dental MSCs odontogenic differentiation and osteoclasts maturation. RESULTS: Based on HDAC6 knockdown dental MSCs, our data suggest that HDAC6 knockdown significantly increases alkaline phosphate activity and mineralized nodules formation. Additionally, mRNA expression of odontogenic marker genes (OSX, OCN, and OPN) was induced by HDAC6 knockdown. By using HDAC6 siRNA, we knocked down HDAC6 in osteoclast precursor RAW 264.7 cells. Our data suggests that HDAC6 knockdown significantly inhibited osteoclasts differentiation. Additionally, mRNA expression of osteoclast marker genes Trap, Mmp9, and Ctsk was decreased by HDAC6 knockdown. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that HDAC6 plays an important role in regulating dental MSCs and osteoclasts differentiation.

Fabrication of Polymeric Micelles with Aggregation-Induced Emission and Forster Resonance Energy Transfer for Anticancer Drug Delivery.

With the aim of obtaining effective cancer therapy with simultaneous cellular imaging, dynamic drug-release monitoring, and chemotherapeutic treatment, a polymeric micelle with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) imaging and a Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect was fabricated as the drug carrier. An amphiphilic conjugate of 1H-pyrrole-1-propanoicacid (MAL)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-Tripp-bearing AIE molecules were synthesized and self-assembled into micelles to load the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX). Spherical DOX-loaded micelles with the mean size of 106 nm were obtained with good physiological stability (CMC, 12.5 µg/mL), high drug-loading capacity (10.4%), and encapsulation efficiency (86%). The cellular uptake behavior of DOX-loaded MAL-PEG-Tripp micelles was visible for high-quality intracellular imaging due to the AIE property. The delivery of DOX from the drug-loaded micelles was dynamic monitored by the FRET effect between the DOX and MAL-PEG-Tripp. Both in vitro (IC50, 2.36 µg/mL) and in vivo anticancer activity tests revealed that the DOX-loaded MAL-PEG-Tripp micelles exhibited promising therapeutic efficacy to cancer with low systematic toxicity. In summary, this micelle provided an effective way to fabricate novel nanoplatform for intracellular imaging, drug-delivery tracing, and chemotherapy.

A ROS-responsive polymeric micelle with a π-conjugated thioketal moiety for enhanced drug loading and efficient drug delivery.

As the implications of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are elucidated in many diseases, ROS-responsive nanoparticles are attracting great interest from researchers. In this work, a ROS sensitive thioketal (TK) moiety with a π-conjugated structure was introduced into biodegradable methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-thioketal-poly(ε-caprolactone)mPEG-TK-PCL micelles as a linker, which was designed to speed up the drug release and thus enhance the therapeutic efficacy. The micelle showed a high drug loading content of 12.8% and excellent stability under physiological conditions because of the evocation of π-π stacking and hydrophobic interactions with the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX). The polymeric micelle presented a better drug carrier capacity and higher in vitro anticancer efficacy towards cancer cells. The in vivo study showed that DOX-loaded mPEG-TK-PCL micelles displayed lower toxicity towards normal cells and remarkably enhanced antitumor efficacy. This research provides a way to design potential drug carriers for efficient cancer chemotherapy.

Degradation behavior and biosafety studies of the mPEG-PLGA-PLL copolymer.

In a previous study, a novel biodegradable multiblock copolymer, monomethoxy(poly-ethylene glycol)-poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide)-poly(l-lysine) (PEAL), was developed as a new drug carrier material. It is imperative to study the biocompatibility and degradation behavior of PEAL to pave the way for clinical applications. Here, we systematically demonstrated that the PEAL copolymer has the appropriate hydrophilicity and biosafety. The degradation rate of the PEAL films was obtained by observing changes in mass, molecular weight (Mw), Mw distribution and degradation products. The degradation rate was observed to have a highly positive correlation with the pH of the medium and negative correlation with the ratio of lactic acid to glycolic acid (LA/GA). Cytotoxicity tests indicated that the degradation products of the copolymer were non-toxic to cells. In zebrafish embryos, the PEAL nanoparticles had no obvious impact on heart rate, production of reactive oxygen species, mortality, or cell apoptosis, and they were observed to have a long circulation time. Therefore, the PEAL copolymer has great potential for use as a drug carrier material.

Efficient separation of tanshinones by polyvinylpyrrolidone-stabilized graphene-modified micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

In this work, a PVP-stabilized graphene was used in MEKC for the separation of tanshinones. Seven structurally similar tanshinones were studied, that is, tanshinone IIB, dihydrotanshinone I, tanshinone I, cryptotanshinone, 1,2-dihydrotanshinone I, miltirone, and tanshinone IIA. To achieve optimal conditions, graphene concentration, sample solvent composition, SDS concentration, 2-propanolconcentration, and buffer pH were investigated. At a separation voltage of 30 kV and a 41.5 cm effective length fused-silica capillary, good resolution within 12 min was performed using 10 mM borate buffer (pH 9.3) containing 30 mM SDS, 10% v/v 2-propanol and 6 µg/mL graphene. The method was validated in terms of linearity (r(2) > 0.9970), intra- and inter-day precision were less than 3.56 and 4.83%, respectively. The proposed method was then successfully applied to Danshentong capsule, an herbal preparation from Salvia miltiorrhiza. Our results indicated the high separation efficiency of PVP-stabilized graphene provided new opportunities for the analysis of complex samples.

Synthesis and application of mesoporous molecular sieve for miniaturized matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction of bioactive flavonoids from toothpaste, plant, and saliva.

This article describes the use of the mesoporous molecular sieve KIT-6 as a sorbent in miniaturized matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) in combination with ultra-performance LC for the determination of bioactive flavonoids in toothpaste, Scutellariae Radix, and saliva. In this study, for the first time, KIT-6 was used as a sorbent material for this mode of extraction. Compared with common silica-based sorbents (C18 and activated silica gel), the proposed KIT-6 dispersant with a three-dimensional cubic Ia3d structure and highly ordered arrays of mesoporous channels exhibits excellent adsorption capability of the tested compounds. In addition, several experimental variables, such as the mass ratio of sample to dispersant, grinding time, and elution solvent, were optimized to maximize the extraction efficiency. The proposed analytical method is simple, fast, and entails low consumption of samples, dispersants and elution solvents, thereby meeting "green chemistry" requirements. Under the optimized conditions, the recoveries of three bioactive flavonoids obtained by analyzing the spiked samples were from 89.22 to 101.17%. Also, the LODs and LOQs for determining the analytes were in the range of 0.02-0.04 µg/mL and 0.07-0.13 µg/mL, respectively. Finally, the miniaturized matrix solid-phase dispersion method was successfully applied to the analysis of target solutes in real samples, and satisfactory results were obtained.

A robust and biodegradable hydroxyapatite/poly(lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) electrospun membrane for dura repair.

Typically occurring after trauma or neurosurgery treatments, dura mater defect and the ensuing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage could lead to a number of serious complications and even patient's death. Although numerous natural and synthetic dura mater substitutes have been reported, none of them have been able to fulfill the essential properties, such as anti-adhesion, leakage blockage, and pro-dura rebuilding. In this study, we devised and prepared a series of robust and biodegradable hydroxyapatite/poly(lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (nHA/PLCL) membranes for dura repair via an electrospinning technique. In particular, PLLA/PCL (80/20) was selected for electrospinning due to its mechanical properties that most closely resembled natural dural tissue. Studies by SEM, XRD, water contact angle and in vitro degradation showed that the introduction of nHA would destroy PLCL's crystalline structure, which would further affect the mechanical properties of the nHA/PLCL membranes. When the amount of nHA added increased, so did the wettability and in vitro degradation rate, which accelerated the release of nHA. In addition, the high biocompatibility of nHA/PLCL membranes was demonstrated by in vitro cytotoxicity data. The in vivo rabbit dura repair model results showed that nHA/PLCL membranes provided a strong physical barrier to stop tissue adhesion at dura defects. Meanwhile, the nHA/PLCL and commercial group's CSF had a significantly lower number of inflammatory cells than the control groups, validating the nHA/PLCL's ability to effectively lower the risk of intracranial infection. Findings from H&E and Masson-trichrome staining verified that the nHA/PLCL electrospun membrane was more favorable for fostering dural defect repair and skull regeneration. Moreover, the relative molecular weight of PLCL declined dramatically after 3 months of implantation, according to the results of the in vivo degradation test, but it retained the fiber network structure and promoted tissue growth, demonstrating the good stability of the nHA/PLCL membranes. Collectively, the nHA/PLCL electrospun membrane presents itself as a viable option for dura repair.

Metal coordination nanotheranostics mediated by nucleoside metabolic inhibitors potentiate STING pathway activation for cancer metalloimmunotherapy.

Activation of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway is an effective way to initiate an immune response against tumors, and the research on agonists targeting STING has become a new hotspot in the development of antitumor drugs. However, as a novel STING agonist, the limited bioavailability and activation routes of manganese ions (Mn2+) significantly hinder its antitumor effects. To address these challenges, we have designed a metal-coordinated nucleoside metabolic inhibitor (gemcitabine, Gem)-induced metal nanotheranostic (MGP) with PEGylation. This formulation synergistically enhanced the immune response against cancer cells by sensitizing the cGAS-STING pathway and promoting immunogenic cell death (ICD). Modified with PEG derivatives, MGP was efficiently delivered to the tumor site and was internalized by cancer cells. Upon internalization, the release of Mn2+ triggered the activation of the cGAS-STING pathway, while the release of Gem induced DNA damage. On the one hand, the damaged DNA caused by Gem leaked into the cytoplasm, synergistically amplified Mn2+-induced activation of the cGAS-STING pathway, and induced the production of the tumor cytotoxic factor IFN-ß. On the other hand, Mn2+-mediated chemodynamic therapy (CDT) exhibited an ICD effect, which further synergized with the activation of the cGAS-STING pathway to promote dendritic cells (DCs) maturation and antigen-specific T cells infiltration. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that MGP nanotheranostics could elicit a robust antitumor effect, especially when combined with anti-PD-1. This study provided a new paradigm for intensifying immune activation by constructing metal coordination nanotheranostics.

Facile iron-mediated dispersant-free suspension polymerization of methyl methacrylate via reverse ATRP in water.

An iron-mediated reverse ATRP of methyl methacrylate (MMA) is successfully carried out in water in the absence of any dispersants, using a water-soluble 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (V-50) as the initiator and the stabilizer, and using an oil-soluble N,N-butyldithiocarbamate ferrum (Fe(S2 CN(C4 H9 )2 )3 ) as the catalyst without adding any additional ligands. Micron-sized PMMA particles with UV light-sensitive -S2 CN(C4 H9 )2 end group are obtained, and monomer droplet nucleation and suspension polymerization mechanism are proposed. Polymerization results demonstrated typical "living"/controlled characteristics of ATRP: first-order polymerization kinetics, linear increase of molecular weights with monomer conversion and narrow molecular weight distributions for the resultant PMMA particles. NMR spectroscopy and chain-extension experiments under UV light irradiation confirm the attachment and livingness of UV light-sensitive -S2 CN(C4 H9 )2 group in the chain end.

[Effect of maxillary expansion combined with orofacial myofunctional therapy on the position of the tongue of children with mouth breathing].

Objective:This study aimed to investigate the change of the position of the tongue before and after combined treatment of maxillary expansion and orofacial myofunctional therapy in children with mouth-breathing and skeletal class Ⅱmalocclusion. Methods:A total of 30 children with skeletal class Ⅱ malocclusion and unobstructed upper airway were selected. The 30 children were divided into mouth-breathing group（n=15） and nasal-breathing group（n=15） and CBCT was taken. The images were measured by Invivo5 software. The measurement results of the tongue position of the two groups were analyzed by independent samples t-test. 15 mouth-breathing children with skeletal class Ⅱ malocclusion were selected for maxillary expansion and orofacial myofunctional therapy. CBCT was taken before and after treatment, the measurements were analyzed by paired sample t test with SPSS 27.0 software package. Results:The measurement of the tongue position of the mouth-breathing and nasal-breathing groups were compared, the differences were statistically significant（P<0.05）. The measurement of the tongue position showed significant difference after the combined treatment of maxillary expansion and orofacial myofunctional therapy in children with mouth-breathing and skeletal class Ⅱmalocclusion（P<0.05）. Conclusion:Skeletal class Ⅱ malocclusion children with mouth-breathing have low tongue posture. The combined treatment of maxillary expansion and orofacial myofunctional therapy can change the position of the tongue.

Identification of novel homozygous nonsense SLC10A7 variant causing short stature, amelogenesis imperfecta, and skeletal dysplasia with scoliosis and surgical management of spine.

BACKGROUND: Short stature, amelogenesis imperfecta, and skeletal dysplasia with scoliosis is a rare, autosomal recessive, skeletal disorder first described in 2018. This syndrome starts with pre- and postnatal developmental delay, and gradually presents with variable facial dysmorphisms, a short stature, amelogenesis imperfecta, and progressive skeletal dysplasia affecting the limbs, joints, hands, feet, and spine. CASE PRESENTATION: We identified a homozygous novel nonsense mutation in exon 1 of SLC10A7 (NM_001300842.2: c.100G > T / p.Gly34*) segregating with the typical disease phenotype in a Han Chinese family. We reviewed the 12-year surgical treatment history with seven interventions on spine. CONCLUSION: To date, only 12 cases of the SLC10A7 mutation have been reported, mainly from consanguineous families. Our patient showed a relatively severe and broad clinical phenotype compared with previously reported cases. In this patient, annual check-ups and timely surgeries led to a good outcome.

Assessment of graphene-based polymers for sustainable wastewater treatment: Development of a soft computing approach.

Since graphene possesses distinct electrical and material properties that could improve material performance, there is currently a growing demand for graphene-based electronics and applications. Numerous potential applications for graphene include lightweight and high-strength polymeric composite materials. Due to its structural qualities, which include low thickness and compact 2D dimensions, it has also been recognized as a promising nanomaterial for water-barrier applications. For barrier polymer applications, it is usually applied using two main strategies. The first is the application of graphene, graphene oxide (GO), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to polymeric substrates through transfer or coating. In the second method, fully exfoliated GO or rGO is integrated into the material. This study provides an overview of the most recent findings from research on the use of graphene in the context of water-barrier applications. The advantages and current limits of graphene-based composites are compared with those of other nanomaterials utilized for barrier purposes in order to emphasize difficult challenges for future study and prospective applications.

Liposome-assisted chemical redox cycling strategy for advanced signal amplification: A proof-of-concept toward sensitive electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.

This work presents a novel signal amplification strategy for electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor based on liposome-assisted chemical redox cycling for in situ formation of Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) on TiO2 nanotubes (TiO2 NTs) electrode. The system was exemplified by ascorbic acid (AA)-loaded liposome, the redox cycling of AA utilizing tris (2-carboxyethyl) phosphine (TCEP) as reductant, and the use of Au nanoclusters (Au NCs)/TiO2 NTs as working electrode to implement the ECL detection of prostate specific antigen (PSA). Specifically, the AA-loaded liposomes were used as tags to label the captured PSA through a sandwich immunoreaction. After the lysate of the liposome was transferred onto the interface of Au NCs/TiO2 NTs in the presence of Au3+ and TECP, the chemical redox cycling was triggered. In the cycling, Au3+ was directly reduced in situ by AA to form Au NPs on Au NCs/TiO2 NTs electrode, whereas the oxidation product of AA was reduced by TCEP to regenerate AA. The large loading capacity of the liposome and chemical redox cycling resulted in the incomplete reduction of the Au NCs to Au NPs on the TiO2 NTs electrode, enhancing the ECL intensity greatly. The multiple signal amplification strategy achieved an ultrasensitive detection for PSA with a detection limit down to 6.7 × 10-15 g mL-1 and a wide linear concentration range from 1.0 × 10-14 to 1.0 × 10-8 g mL-1. It is believed that this work is anticipated to extend the employment of advanced chemical redox cycling reaction in the field of ECL bioassays.

Genetic association of the epidermal growth factor gene polymorphisms with peri-implantitis risk in Chinese population.

Peri-implant disease is an inflammatory disease and is related to genetic heterogeneity. Considering the genetic association of epidermal growth factor (EGF) gene polymorphisms with the susceptibility of periodontitis, its genetic association with peri-implantitis risk in a Chinese Han population was explored. Three hundred individuals who underwent dental implants were recruited, and divided into healthy implant group and peri-implantitis group. The genotype and allele distribution of EGF gene rs2237051 and rs4444903 polymorphisms were analyzed via direct sequencing and the frequencies were compared between the two groups using chi-square test. No significant difference was detected for the clinical information between healthy implant group and peri-implantitis group, including lifestyle habits platform type and position, peri-implant phenotype, brushing time, dental floss, and mouth washing frequencies. Individuals with peri-implantitis had poor periodontal status. The GG genotype and G allele of rs2237051 showed significant increasing trend in peri-implantitis group compared with the healthy implant group. Compared with the AA genotype carriers, rs2237051 GG genotype carriers showed lower risk to suffer from peri-implantitis (OR = 0.236, 95%CI = 0.089-0.624), and possessed low values of gingival index, plaque index and calculus index, peri-implant pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment level (CAL). But there was no significant difference for the rs4444903 genotype distributions between the case and control groups. In summary, EGF rs2237051 polymorphism showed close association with the genetic background of peri-implantitis. Rs2237051 GG genotype and G allele might be protective factors for the onset of peri-implantitis.