Biocompatible Electrical and Optical Interfaces for Implantable Sensors and Devices.

Implantable bioelectronics hold tremendous potential in the field of healthcare, yet the performance of these systems heavily relies on the interfaces between artificial machines and living tissues. In this paper, we discuss the recent developments of tethered interfaces, as well as those of non-tethered interfaces. Among them, systems that study neural activity receive significant attention due to their innovative developments and high relevance in contemporary research, but other functional types of interface systems are also explored to provide a comprehensive overview of the field. We also analyze the key considerations, including perforation site selection, fixing strategies, long-term retention, and wireless communication, highlighting the challenges and opportunities with stable, effective, and biocompatible interfaces. Furthermore, we propose a primitive model of biocompatible electrical and optical interfaces for implantable systems, which simultaneously possesses biocompatibility, stability, and convenience. Finally, we point out the future directions of interfacing strategies.

Periodontitis and Sjogren's syndrome: a bidirectional two-sample mendelian randomization study.

OBJECTIVES: Observational studies indicated a controversial relationship between periodontitis (PD) and Sjogren's syndrome (SS). To overcome restrictions in conventional observational studies, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to assess the potential bidirectional relationship between PD and SS. METHODS: We utilized the largest available genome-wide association study (GWAS) of European ancestry on both PD (17,353 cases-28,210 controls) and SS (2495 cases-365,533 controls) for MR genetic instrument selection. The random-effect inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method complemented by Causal Analysis Using Summary Effect (CAUSE), weighted median, weighted mode, simple mode, MR-Egger regression, and MR-pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) was used for MR analysis. Subsequent pleiotropy and heterogeneity tests were conducted. RESULTS: IVW analysis exhibited neither an effect of PD on SS (OR = 0.939, 95%CI = 0.525-1.677, P = 0.8304) nor that of SS on PD (OR = 1.007, 95%CI = 0.977-1.038, P = 0.6440). The other five complementary methods further recognized the null association with an effect size close to one. No significant pleiotropy was detected in the relationship between PD and SS (P > 0.05). Heterogeneity existed in the effect of PD on SS but not vice versa. CONCLUSIONS: No genetic causality between PD and SS or vice versa was supported by our results under MR assumptions and limitations. The study results provided new insights into the relationship between periodontal status and sjogren's syndrome, highlighting the need for a more prudent medical intervention.

Highly Conformal Polymers for Ambulatory Electrophysiological Sensing.

Stable ambulatory electrophysiological sensing is widely used for smart e-healthcare monitoring, clinical diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases, treatment of neurological diseases, and intelligent human-machine interaction. As the favorable signal interaction platform of electrophysiological sensing, the conformal property of on-skin electrodes is an extremely crucial factor that can affect the stability of long-term ambulatory electrophysiological sensing. From the perspective of materials, to realize conformal contact between electrodes and skin for stable sensing, highly conformal polymers are in great demand and attracting ever-growing attention. This review focuses on the recent progress of highly conformal polymers for ambulatory electrophysiological sensing, including their synthetic methods, conformal property, and potential applications. Specifically, three main types of highly conformal polymers for stable long-term electrophysiological signals monitoring are proposed, including nature silk fibroin based conformal polymers, marine mussels bioinspired conformal polymers, and other conformal polymers such as zwitterionic polymers and polyacrylamides. Furthermore, the future challenges and opportunities in preparing highly conformal polymers for on-skin electrodes are also highlighted.

Interstitial lung disease in Primary Sjögren's syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) may cause life-threatening complications of primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS), and has a poor prognosis in terms of survival and quality of life. To date, few studies have investigated the risk factors for ILD detected by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in pSS patients with or without respiratory symptoms. METHODS: Data of 333 patients with newly diagnosed pSS were retrospectively analysed. Interstitial lung disease involvement was defined as typical abnormalities on HRCT and/or pulmonary function tests. Multivariate regression model was used to evaluate the association between interstitial lung disease and pSS characteristics. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients (19.82%) were diagnosed with pSS-ILD. Ground glass opacities (87.88%) and septal/sub pleural lines (81.82%) were most frequent. Based on pulmonary high-resolution computed tomography, patients were divided into nonspecific (n = 42), usual (n = 20), lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (n = 3) and cryptogenic organising pneumonia (n = 1) groups. There was a strong association between erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)/C-reactive protein (CRP) and the HRCT-score. Pulmonary function tests revealed impaired diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide and total lung capacity, and coexistence of small airway lesions in pSS-interstitial lung disease. On logistic regression analysis, age, Raynaud's phenomenon, lymphopenia, cough, dyspnoea and rampant dental caries were risk factors associated with pSS-interstitial lung disease. CONCLUSIONS: Interstitial lung disease involvement in pSS is a common clinical occurrence. The clinical manifestation is nonspecific and variable; Raynaud's phenomenon and lymphopenia may predict its onset. pSS patients with advanced age, dry cough and dyspnoea should be systematically evaluated for ILD involvement and managed according to their symptoms.

Spatial variability of microplastic pollution on surface of rivers in a mountain-plain transitional area: A case study in the Chin Ling-Wei River Plain, China.

Inland lakes and rivers are large reservoirs of microplastics. But currently, not too much research was done on microplastics of mountain rivers. The protection of water sources from microplastics is extremely significant for the safety of human drinking water. We quantified the distribution and variation of microplastics in the surface water from tributary (upstream water-source regions) to main stream (human settlements) in the Chin Ling-Wei River Plain Rivers, and assessed the pollution risk. Rivers in the Chin Ling-Wei River Plain contained various levels of microplastics (2.30-21.05 items/L), and the main stream of the river contained higher concentrations most commonly of microplastics than tributaries. The microplastics were fragments and films; they constituted 82.3% of the total abundance of microplastics. Microplastics with a particle size < 500 µm accounted for 64.3% of all the samples. As rivers flow from the mountains to the plains, the land-use types along the rivers become more multifunctional. Thus, the risk of river microplastic pollution increases sharply with distance downstream. Our research explored the microplastics pollution in the Chin Ling mountains based on topography and land-use types and thus provides a reference for further studies exploring the spatial distribution characteristics of microplastics in small-scale rivers and for pollution risk assessments.

Association between blood ethylene oxide levels and periodontitis risk: a population-based study.

Background: The etiopathogenesis of periodontitis is closely associated with environmental conditions. However, the relationship between ethylene oxide exposure and periodontitis risk remains unclear. Methods: We selected qualified participants from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014. Periodontitis was identified according to the criteria of the Community Periodontal Index (CPI), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) definition. Ethylene oxide exposure was quantified by hemoglobin adducts of ethylene oxide (HbEO) levels. Log2-transformation was used to normalize HbEO levels. We designed three logistic regression models to explore potential relationship between HbEO and periodontitis. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) and subgroup analysis were also conducted with all covariates adjusted. We performed multivariable linear regression to appraise the association between the risk of periodontitis and different indicators of inflammation, including white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes. Mediation analysis was subsequently performed to examine whether ethylene oxide exposure contributed to periodontitis development through systemic body inflammation. Results: A total of 1,065 participants aged more than 30 were incorporated in this study. We identified that participants with higher HbEO levels showed increased risk of periodontitis after adjusting for all covariates (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.14, 1.95, p = 0.0014). The results of subgroup analysis remained stable. The restricted cubic spline (RCS) curve also revealed a non-linear correlation between log2-transformed HbEO levels with the risk of periodontitis (p for nonlinear < 0.001). Mediation analysis indicated that HbEO level was significantly associated with four inflammatory mediators, with the mediated proportions of 14.44% (p < 0.001) for white blood cell, 9.62% (p < 0.001) for neutrophil, 6.17% (p = 0.006) for lymphocyte, and 6.72% (p < 0.001) for monocyte. Conclusion: Participants with higher ethylene oxide exposure showed higher risk of periodontitis, which was partially mediated by systemic body inflammation. More well-designed longitudinal studies should be carried out to validate this relationship.

Cemento-ossifying fibroma resection combined with heterotopic canine autotransplantation: a case report.

Cemento-ossifying fibroma (COF) is a mesenchymal benign odontogenic tumor, which may lead to impacted or ectopic permanent teeth. Autotransplantation of teeth is a surgical process, in which a tooth is transplanted from one position to another in the same individual. This method can effectively restore the patient's mastication and aesthetics and is feasible in replacing missing teeth. This study reports a case of simultaneous COF resection combined with heterotopic canine autotransplantation to repair dentition defect, which effectively promotes the restoration of bone continuity and stability and achieves immediate and long-term aesthetic function requirements.

Horizontal and vertical distribution of microplastics in dam reservoir after impoundment.

In freshwater ecosystems, microplastics (MPs) are commonly found in reservoirs. However, limited information is available on the distribution of MPs in the reservoirs. In this study, we investigated the horizontal and vertical distribution characteristics of MPs in the Guanyingyan reservoir (the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, China) after impoundment and the influence of free-floating plant residues on the distribution of MPs. Results indicated that the MPs abundance in the horizontal distribution of the reservoir decreased significantly while the distance from the dam increased. The abundance of MPs in shoreline waters (average: 8.45 items L-1) was significantly higher than that in central waters (average: 4.80 items L-1). As for the vertical distribution, the percentages of fibers in the three water layers (surface, intermediate, and deep) have less variation when compared to other types of MPs. Besides, MPs who are less than 0.5 mm in size are the majority. With deeper underwater, there would be more MPs with particles smaller than 200 µm in size. At the same time, there would be fewer MPs with particles ranging from 200 to 500 µm in size. PS, PP, and PE are the main polymer types of surface water, while PVC, PE, and PET are the common type in deep water. In shoreline water, the dry weight of floating plant residues showed a positive correlation with microplastic abundance in different layers. As above said, this study confirmed that MPs in reservoirs after impoundment would tend to accumulate in the front section of the reservoir and the shoreline water. Besides, free-floating plant residues would accumulate in reservoirs, resulting in the sinking of MPs.

An injectable thermosensitive Pluronic F127/hyaluronic acid hydrogel loaded with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells and asiaticoside microspheres for uterine scar repair.

Uterine scar was one of the long-term complications cesarean section. In this study, an thermo-responsive injectable hydrogel loaded with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) and asiaticoside microspheres (AMs) was used for uterine scar repair, which was prepared by optimizing the mixed ratio of aldehyde-functionalized Pluronic F127 (F127-CHO) and adipic dihydrazide-modified hyaluronic acid (AHA). The asiaticoside was loaded in Poly (DL-lactide-co-gycolide) (PLGA) by emulsion- diffusion-evaporation method. The hydrogel had appropriate pore size, good mechanical property, and slow release ability of asiaticoside. In vitro cell experiments demonstrated that F127-CHO/AHA/AMs could effectively promote stem cell adhesion and proliferation, promote angiogenesis, and provide a suitable microenvironment for cell survival. The F127-CHO/AHA/AMs/UCMSCs hydrogel was further used to repair uterine scar in female SD rats. The results showed that the prepared hydrogel could promote the proliferation of rat endometrial cells, promote the regeneration of glands, reduce the degree of endometrial fibrosis and restore the morphology of uterine cavity. The hydrogel could upregulate expression of Ki67 and IGF-1, downregulate TGF-ß1 expression and promote M1-M2 transition of macrophages. This study confirmed that the prepared hydrogel could be used as an effective transplantation strategy, which could be expected to achieve clinical transformation of uterine scar repair.

Engineered Magnetic Polymer Nanoparticles Can Ameliorate Breast Cancer Treatment Inducing Pyroptosis-Starvation along with Chemotherapy.

Nanotechnology has shown a revolution in cancer treatments, including breast cancers. However, there remain some challenges and translational hurdles. Surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are the primary treatment methods for breast cancer, although drug combinations showed promising results in preclinical studies. Herein we report the development of a smart drug delivery system (DDS) to efficiently treat breast cancer by pyroptosis-starvation-chemotherapeutic combination. Cancer-starvation agent glucose oxidase was chemically attached to synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles which were entrapped inside poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) along with apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain plasmid and paclitaxel (PTX). An emulsion solvent evaporation method was used to prepare the DDS. The surface of the DDS was modified with chitosan to which aptamer was attached to achieve site-specific targeting. Hence, the prepared DDS could be targeted to a tumor site by both external magnet and aptamer to obtain an enhanced accumulation of drugs at the tumor site. The final size of the aptamer-decorated DDS was less than 200 nm, and the encapsulation efficiency of PTX was 76.5 ± 2.5%. Drug release from the developed DDS was much higher at pH 5.5 than at pH 7.4, ensuring the pH sensitivity of the DDS. Due to efficient dual targeting of the DDS, in vitro viability of 4T1 cells was reduced to 12.1 ± 1.6%, whereas the nontargeted group and free PTX group could reduce the viability of cells to 29.2 ± 2.4 and 46.2 ± 1.6%, respectively. Our DDS showed a synergistic effect in vitro and no severe side effects in vivo. This DDS has strong potential to treat various cancers.

Ultrasensitive airflow sensor prepared by electrostatic flocking for sound recognition and motion monitoring.

Recently, airflow sensors have attracted great attention due to their unique characteristics. However, the preparation of high-performance airflow sensors via extraordinarily simple, controllable and cost-effective methods remains a great challenge. Herein, inspired by the fluff system of the spider, an ultrasensitive fluffy-like airflow sensor with carbon fibers (CFs) uniformly and firmly planted on the surface of a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibrous substrate has been easily fabricated using electrostatic flocking technology. The fluffy-like structure endows the airflow sensor with superior properties including ultra-sensitivity, fast response time (0.103 s), low airflow velocity detection limit (0.068 m s-1), ultra-sensitive detection in a wide airflow range (0.068-16 m s-1), and multi-directional consistent response to airflow. This sensor can be used to accurately recognize sound waves and voiceless speech and detect human and object motions in different postures and speeds. This work presents insights into designing and preparing high-performance airflow sensors on a large-scale for sound recognition, motion monitoring, and assisting the disabled.

Gold nanoparticles modified hollow carbon system for dual-responsive release and chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy of tumor.

Thermochemotherapy has shown a synergistic anti-cancer efficiency and can enhance the therapeutic effect of simple chemotherapy. The photothermal conversion characteristics of carriers are vital in thermo-chemotherapy. Therefore, hollow mesoporous carbon (HMC) with excellent heating efficiency and a large specific surface area was used to ensure the high loading capacity. Next, approximately 4 nm spherical gold nanoparticles (NPs) were employed as gatekeepers of the tunnels of HMC by Au-S bonds, which have the same size as HMC mesopores. Additionally, the gold NPs could avoid the premature release of the drug and enhance the photothermal properties of the delivery system. The surface of the carriers was modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to increase the biocompatibility and dispersity of doxorubicin (DOX) loaded DOX/HMC-Au@PEG. DOX release was markedly accelerated in the presence of glutathione (GSH) and near-infrared (NIR), indicating that the system had redox and NIR dual-triggered drug release characteristics. Cytotoxicity experiments proved that combined therapy induced the highest cell killing level. Additionally, the combination index (CI) of DOX/HMC-Au@PEG was 0.452, indicating the synergistic effect of chemotherapy and photo-thermal therapy (PTT). In vivo antitumor experiments were also carried out and showed the same trend. In general, the results of this study indicated that DOX/HMC-Au@PEG has great potential in dual-triggered drug delivery and thermochemotherapy.