Ultra-Tough, yet Rigid and Healable Supramolecular Polymers with Variable Stiffness for Multimodal Actuators.

Variable stiffness materials have shown considerable application in soft robotics. However, previously reported materials often struggle to reconcile high stiffness, stretchability, toughness, and self-healing ability, because of the inherently conflicting requisite of these properties in molecular design. Herein, we propose a novel strategy that involves incorporating acid-base ionic pairs capable of from strong crosslinking sites into a dense and robust hydrogen-bonding network to construct rigid self-healing polymers with tunable stiffness and excellent toughness. To demonstrate these distinct features, the polymer was employed to serve as the strain-regulation layers within a fiber-reinforced pneumatic actuator (FPA). The exceptional synergy between the configuration versatility of FPA and the dynamic molecular behavior of the supramolecular polymers equips the actuator with simultaneous improvement in motion dexterity, multimodality, loading capacity, robustness, and durability. Additionally, the concept of integrating high dexterity at both macro- and micro-scale is prospective to inspire the design of intelligent yet robust devices across various domains.

Acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia: chimeric antigen receptor technology may offer a new hope.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a prevalent malignancy affecting the hematopoietic system, encompassing both B-cell ALL (B-ALL) and T-cell ALL (T-ALL). T-ALL, characterized by the proliferation of T-cell progenitors in the bone marrow, presents significant treatment challenges, with patients often experiencing high relapse rates and poor long-term survival despite advances in chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). This review explores the pathogenesis and traditional treatment strategies of T-ALL, emphasizing the promising potential of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology in overcoming current therapeutic limitations. CAR therapy, leveraging genetically modified immune cells to target leukemia-specific antigens, offers a novel and precise approach to T-ALL treatment. The review critically analyzes recent developments in CAR-T and CAR-NK cell therapies, their common targets, optimization strategies, clinical outcomes, and the associated challenges, providing a comprehensive overview of their clinical prospects in T-ALL treatment.

Ultra-Highly Stiff and Tough Shape Memory Polyurea with Unprecedented Energy Density by Precise Slight Cross-Linking.

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) have attracted significant attention and hold vast potential for diverse applications. Nevertheless, conventional SMPs suffer from notable shortcomings in terms of mechanical properties, environmental stability, and energy density, significantly constraining their practical utility. Here, inspired by the structure of muscle fibers, an innovative approach that involves the precise incorporation of subtle, permanent cross-linking within a hierarchical hydrogen bonding supramolecular network is reported. This novel strategy has culminated in the development of covalent and supramolecular shape memory polyurea, which exhibits exceptional mechanical properties, including high stiffness (1347 MPa), strength (82.4 MPa), and toughness (312.7 MJ m-3), ensuring its suitability for a wide range of applications. Furthermore, it boasts remarkable recyclability and repairability, along with excellent resistance to moisture, heat, and solvents. Moreover, the polymer demonstrates outstanding shape memory effects characterized by a high energy density (24.5 MJ m-3), facilitated by the formation of strain-induced oriented nanostructures that can store substantial amounts of entropic energy. Simultaneously, it maintains a remarkable 96% shape fixity and 99% shape recovery. This delicate interplay of covalent and supramolecular bonds opens up a promising pathway to the creation of high-performance SMPs, expanding their applicability across various domains.

Computer gaming alters resting-state brain networks, enhancing cognitive and fluid intelligence in players: evidence from brain imaging-derived phenotypes-wide Mendelian randomization.

The debate on whether computer gaming enhances players' cognitive function is an ongoing and contentious issue. Aiming to delve into the potential impacts of computer gaming on the players' cognitive function, we embarked on a brain imaging-derived phenotypes (IDPs)-wide Mendelian randomization (MR) study, utilizing publicly available data from a European population. Our findings indicate that computer gaming has a positive impact on fluid intelligence (odds ratio [OR] = 6.264, P = 4.361 × 10-10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.520-11.147) and cognitive function (OR = 3.322, P = 0.002, 95% CI 1.563-7.062). Out of the 3062 brain IDPs analyzed, only one phenotype, IDP NET100 0378, was significantly influenced by computer gaming (OR = 4.697, P = 1.10 × 10-5, 95% CI 2.357-9.361). Further MR analysis suggested that alterations in the IDP NET100 0378 caused by computer gaming may be a potential factor affecting fluid intelligence (OR = 1.076, P = 0.041, 95% CI 1.003-1.153). Our MR study lends support to the notion that computer gaming can facilitate the development of players' fluid intelligence by enhancing the connectivity between the motor cortex in the resting-state brain and key regions such as the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the language center.