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Hydrogels are three-dimensional crosslinked functional materials with water-absorbing and swelling properties. Many hydrogels can store a variety of small functional molecules to structurally and functionally mimic the natural extracellular matrix; hence, they have been extensively studied for biomedical applications. Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers have an ethylenediamine core and a large number of peripheral amino groups, which can be used to engineer various polymer hydrogels. In this review, an update on the progress of using PAMAM dendrimers for multifunctional hydrogel design was given. The synthesis of these hydrogels, which includes click chemistry reactions, aza-Michael addition, Schiff base reactions, amidation reactions, enzymatic reactions, and radical polymerization, together with research progress in terms of their application in the fields of drug delivery, tissue engineering, drug-free tumor therapy, and other related fields, was discussed in detail. Furthermore, the biomedical applications of PAMAM-engineered nano-hydrogels, which combine the advantages of dendrimers, hydrogels, and nanoparticles, were also summarized. This review will help researchers to design and develop more functional hydrogel materials based on PAMAM dendrimers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal selenides have aroused significant attention in the realm of efficient ion storage attributed to their exceptional chemical and physical properties, whereas their utilization in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) is hindered by poor rate performance and cycle stability that originated from their substantial volume expansion throughout Na+ insertion/extraction procedures. This work proposes a productive approach to preserve the structure of the FeSe2 anode via in situ coating nitrogen-doped carbon (NC). The powerful interfacial interaction between FeSe2 micro-nanorods and NC facilitates fast Na+/e− transport kinetics and ensures excellent structural stability of FeSe2@NC. Consequently, FeSe2@NC exhibits a capacity of 379.2 mA h g−1 at a high current density of 10 A g−1 and up to 100% reversible capacity over 1000 cycles at 5 A g−1. Furthermore, the invertible Na+ storage mechanism of FeSe2@NC is investigated by ex situ methods. When FeSe2@NC is used as the anode and Na3V2(PO4)2F3@reduced graphene oxide is used as the cathode to assemble a full battery, it also exhibits a capacity of 167.2 mA h g−1 even after 1000 cycles at 1 A g−1. These exemplary results underscore the potential application value of FeSe2@NC in fast-charging SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excess free radicals at the wound site can cause an inflammatory response, which is not conducive to wound healing. Hydrogels with antioxidant properties can prevent inflammatory storms by scavenging free radicals from the wound site and inhibiting the release of inflammatory factors. In this study, we prepared the carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS)/polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)/Molybdenum (IV) Selenide (MoSe2), and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) (CMCS/PVP/MoSe2/PRP) hydrogels for accelerating the repair of wounds. In the hydrogels, the MoSe2 can scavenge various free radicals to reduce oxidative stress at the site of inflammation, endowed the hydrogels with antioxidant properties. Interestingly, growth factors released by PRP assisted the tissue repair by promoting the formation of new capillaries. CMCS as a backbone not only showed good biocompatibility and biodegradability but also played a significant role in maintaining the sustained release of growth factors. In addition, incorporating PVP enhanced the tissue adhesion and mechanical properties. The multifunctional composite antioxidant hydrogels have good swelling properties and biodegradability, which is completely degraded within 28 days. Thus, the antioxidant CMCS/PVP/MoSe2/PRP hydrogels provide a new idea for designing ideal multifunctional wound dressings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) is associated with a disturbance of neural circuit and network activities, while its neurophysiological characteristics have not been fully elucidated. This study utilized the high‐density electroencephalogram (hd‐EEG) signals to detect abnormal brain activity of PKD and provide a neural biomarker for its clinical diagnosis and PKD progression monitoring. The resting hd‐EEGs are recorded from two independent datasets and then source‐localized for measuring the oscillatory activities and function connectivity (FC) patterns of cortical and subcortical regions. The abnormal elevation of theta oscillation in wildly brain regions represents the most remarkable physiological feature for PKD and these changes returned to healthy control level in remission patients. Another remarkable feature of PKD is the decreased high‐gamma FCs in non‐remission patients. Subtype analyses report that increased theta oscillations may be related to the emotional factors of PKD, while the decreased high‐gamma FCs are related to the motor symptoms. Finally, the authors established connectome‐based predictive modelling and successfully identified the remission state in PKD patients in dataset 1 and dataset 2. The findings establish a clinically relevant electroencephalography profile of PKD and indicate that hd‐EEG can provide robust neural biomarkers to evaluate the prognosis of PKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the incidence of chronic pancreatitis has increased significantly. Pancreatic calculi obstruct the pancreatic duct and induce abdominal pain in the patients. Pancreatic duct stenting is the major treatment option for chronic pancreatitis with calculi. In this study, a new kind of drug-eluting stent, a pancreatic stent coated by methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) hydrogel loaded with citric acid (CA), was designed for the interventional treatment of pancreatic duct calculi. The CA loading capacity reached up to 0.7 g CA/g hydrogel-coated stent. The GelMA hydrogel coating has higher mechanical strength and lower swelling performance after loading with CA. The in vitro experiments of stents exhibited good performance in CA sustained release and the calculi can be dissolved in almost 3 days. The stents also showed good blood compatibility and cell compatibility. This research has important clinical value in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis with pancreatic calculi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemostatic powder, which can absorb large amounts of water and tends to produce repeated hydration with tissue, has been clinically proven as an ideal engineering material for treating wounds and tissues. We herein designed a polypeptide-based hemostatic powder. A water-soluble polypeptide, γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA), was mixed with the polyethyleneimine (PEI), N-hydroxysuccinimide, and 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide. The solution of these polymers was lyophilized to harvest the γ-PGA/PEI powder (PP hemostatic powder). When deposited on a bleeding wound, the PP hemostatic powder can quickly absorb a large amount of blood and interstitial fluid, concentrate coagulation factors, coagulate blood cells, and eventually form a stable mechanical hydrogel. The wound bleeding time of the PP hemostatic powder group was 1.8 ± 0.4 min, significantly lower than that of the commercial chitosan hemostatic powder group (2.8 ± 0.4 min). The PP hemostatic powder was endowed with antioxidant capacity by introducing protocatechuic aldehyde, which can effectively inhibit inflammation and promote wound healing. Therefore, via preparation through a facile lyophilization method, the PP hemostatic powder is expected to find a wide application prospect as a qualified hemostatic powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specificity of the tumor microenvironment (TME) severely limits the effectiveness of tumor treatment. In this study, we prepared a composite nanoparticle of manganese dioxide and selenite by a one-step redox method, and their stability under physiological conditions was improved with a bovine serum protein modification to obtain MnO2/Se-BSA nanoparticles (SMB NPs). In the SMB NPs, manganese dioxide and selenite endowed the SMB NPs with acid-responsive and catalytic, and antioxidant properties, respectively. The weak acid response, catalytic activity, and antioxidant properties of composite nanoparticles were verified experimentally. Moreover, in an in vitro hemolysis assay, different concentrations of nanoparticles were incubated with mouse erythrocytes, and the hemolysis ratio was less than 5%. In the cell safety assay, the cell survival ratio was as high as 95.97% after the co-culture with L929 cells at different concentrations for 24 h. In addition, the good biosafety of composite nanoparticles was verified at the animal level. Thus, this study helps to design high-performance and comprehensive therapeutic reagents that are responsive to the hypoxia, weak acidity, hydrogen peroxide overexpression nature of TME and overcome the limitations of TME. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, electrical stimulation, as a non-pharmacological physical stimulus, has been widely exploited in biomedical and clinical applications due to its ability to significantly enhance cell proliferation and differentiation. As a kind of dielectric material with permanent polarization characteristics, electrets have demonstrated tremendous potential in this field owing to their merits of low cost, stable performance, and excellent biocompatibility. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the recent advances in electrets and their biomedical applications. We first provide a brief introduction to the development of electrets, as well as typical materials and fabrication methods. Subsequently, we systematically describe the recent advances of electrets in biomedical applications, including bone regeneration, wound healing, nerve regeneration, drug delivery, and wearable electronics. Finally, the present challenges and opportunities have also been discussed in this emerging field. This review is anticipated to provide state-of-the-art insights on the electrical stimulation-related applications of electrets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, multifunctional hydrogel nanoplatforms for the synergistic treatment of tumors have received a great deal of attention. Here, we prepared an iron/zirconium/polydopamine/carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel with Fenton and photothermal effects, promising for future use in the field of synergistic therapy and prevention of tumor recurrence. The iron (Fe)–zirconium (Zr)@ polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple one-pot hydrothermal method using iron (III) chloride hexahydrate (FeCl3•6H2O), zirconium tetrachloride (ZrCl4), and dopamine, followed by activation of the carboxyl group of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) using 1-(3-Dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC)/N(4)-hydroxycytidine (NHS). Finally, the Fe–Zr@PDA nanoparticles and the activated CMCS were mixed to form a hydrogel. On the one side, Fe ions can use hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) which is rich in the tumor microenvironment (TME) to produce toxic hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and kill tumor cells, and Zr can also enhance the Fenton effect; on the other side, the excellent photothermal conversion efficiency of the incorporated PDA is used to kill tumor cells under the irradiation of near-infrared light. The ability of Fe–Zr@PDA@CMCS hydrogel to produce •OH and the ability of photothermal conversion were verified in vitro, and swelling and degradation experiments confirmed the effective release and good degradation of this hydrogel in an acidic environment. The multifunctional hydrogel is biologically safe at both cellular and animal levels. Therefore, this hydrogel has a wide range of applications in the synergistic treatment of tumors and the prevention of recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of new hemostatic materials to mitigate uncontrolled bleeding in emergencies is challenging. Chitosan-based hemostatic hydrogels have frequently been used for hemostasis due to their unique biocompatibility, tunable mechanical properties, injectability, and ease of handling. Moreover, chitosan (CS) absorbs red blood cells and activates platelets to promote hemostasis. Benefiting from these desired properties, the hemostatic application of CS hydrogels is attracting ever-increasing research attention. This paper reviews the recent research progress of CS-based hemostatic hydrogels and their advantageous characteristics compared to traditional hemostatic materials. The effects of the hemostatic mechanism, effects of deacetylation degree, relative molecular mass, and chemical modification on the hemostatic performance of CS hydrogels are summarized. Meanwhile, some typical applications of CS hydrogels are introduced to provide references for the preparation of efficient hemostatic hydrogels. Finally, the future perspectives of CS-based hemostatic hydrogels are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wound healing is a long-term and complex biological process that involves multiple hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling stages. In order to realize comprehensive and systematic wound management, appropriate wound treatment bio-adhesives are urgently needed. Hydrogel bio-adhesives have excellent properties and show unique and remarkable advantages in the field of wound management. This review begins with a detailed description of the design criteria and functionalities of ideal hydrogel bio-adhesives for wound healing. Then, recent advances in polysaccharide-based multifunctional hydrogel bio-adhesives, which involve chitosan, hyaluronic acid, alginate, cellulose, dextran, konjac glucomannan, chondroitin sulfate, and other polysaccharides, are comprehensively discussed. Finally, the current challenges and future research directions of polysaccharide-based hydrogel bio-adhesives for wound healing are proposed to stimulate further exploration by researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative adhesion is a common post-surgery complication formed between the surface of the body cavity, ranging from a layer of connective tissue to a fibrous bridge containing blood vessels and nerve tissue. Despite achieving a lot of progress, the mechanisms of adhesion formation still need to be further studied. In addition, few current treatments are consistently effective in the prevention of postoperative adhesion. Hydrogel is a kind of water-expanding crosslinked hydrophilic polymer network generated by a simple reaction of one or more monomers. Due to the porous structure, hydrogels can load different drugs and control the drug release kinetics. Evidence from existing studies has confirmed the feasibility and superiority of using hydrogels to counter postoperative adhesions, primarily due to their outstanding antifouling ability. In this review, the current research status of hydrogels as anti-adhesion barriers is summarized, the character of hydrogels in the prevention of postoperative adhesion is briefly introduced, and future research directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignant tumor has always been a complex disease that endangers human health. Traditional treatment methods include surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, solid tumors are prone to recur. Herein, we developed a hydrogel-based drug-carrying system to prevent postoperative tumor recurrence. Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose was modified with dopamine via the N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and 1-ethyl-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbanyl diimide (EDC)-mediated coupling chemistry. The CMC-DA-MnO2/MnO (CDM) hydrogel was prepared by oxidative cross-linking, using KMnO4 as the oxidizing agent. In the hydrogel, the KMnO4 can not only be used as an oxidant to trigger the polymerization and gelation of CMC-DA but also transformed into MnO2 and MnO to afford the T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The fluorescent dye IR808 as a photosensitizer was introduced into the hydrogel system by simply soaking the CDM hydrogel in the IR808 solution. Under the 808 nm laser irradiation, IR808 and PDA endowed the hydrogel with tumor photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) capacities, respectively. With the proven hemo- and cyto-compatibilities, the CDM hydrogel was successfully used for the PDT and PTT prevention of postoperative tumor recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, uncontrolled bleeding remains a serious problem in emergency, surgical and battlefield environments. Despite the specific properties of available hemostatic agents, sealants, and adhesives, effective hemostasis under wet and dynamic conditions remains a challenge. In recent years, polymeric hydrogels with excellent hemostatic properties have received much attention because of their adjustable mechanical properties, high porosity, and biocompatibility. In this review, to investigate the role of hydrogels in hemostasis, the mechanisms of hydrogel hemostasis and adhesion are firstly elucidated, the adhesion design strategies of hemostatic hydrogels in wet environments are briefly introduced, and then, based on a comprehensive literature review, the studies and in vivo applications of wet-adhesive hemostatic hydrogels in different environments are summarized, and the improvement directions of such hydrogels in future studies are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a complex inflammatory disease caused by multiple etiologies, the pathogenesis of which has not been fully elucidated. Oxidative stress is important for the regulation of inflammation-related signaling pathways, the recruitment of inflammatory cells, the release of inflammatory factors, and other processes, and plays a key role in the occurrence and development of AP. In recent years, antioxidant therapy that suppresses oxidative stress by scavenging reactive oxygen species has become a research highlight of AP. However, traditional antioxidant drugs have problems such as poor drug stability and low delivery efficiency, which limit their clinical translation and applications. Nanomaterials bring a brand-new opportunity for the antioxidant treatment of AP. This review focuses on the multiple advantages of nanomaterials, including small size, good stability, high permeability, and long retention effect, which can be used not only as effective carriers of traditional antioxidant drugs but also directly as antioxidants. In this review, after first discussing the association between oxidative stress and AP, we focused on summarizing the literature related to antioxidant nanomaterials for the treatment of AP and highlighting the effects of these nanomaterials on the indicators related to oxidative stress in pathological states, aiming to provide references for follow-up research and promote clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mutations in PRRT2 and 16p11.2 microdeletion including PRRT2 have been identified as the pathogenic cause of paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD). Objective: The objective was to investigate the clinical and genetic features of PKD and to analyze the genotype–phenotype correlation. Methods: We recruited PKD patients, recorded clinical manifestations, and performed PRRT2 screening in 150 PKD patients by unified PKD registration forms. Genotype–phenotype correlation analyses were conducted in probands. High-knee-exercise (HKE) tests were applied in one hundred and six patients. Results: Eight PRRT2 mutations were detected, accounting for 22.76% of the probands. Three mutations (c.649dupC, c.649delC, and c.510_513delTCTG) were already reported, while four mutations (c.252_264delCACAGACCTCAGC, c.503_504delCT, c.679C > T, and c.804C > A) were first reported. One heterozygous microdeletion of 606 kb in 16p11.2 was detected in one patient. Compared with non-PRRT2 mutation carriers, the PRRT2 mutation carriers were younger at onset, experienced longer attacks, and tended to present with complicated PKD, combined phenotypes of dystonia and chorea. 57.01% of patients could effectively induce movement disorders through the HKE test. A good response was shown in 81.93% of the patients prescribed with antiepileptic drugs. 13.54% (13/96) had abnormal EEG results. Conclusions: PRRT2 mutations are common in patients with PKD and are significantly associated with an earlier age at onset, longer duration of attacks, a complicated form of PKD, combined phenotypes of dystonia and chorea. Patients with microdeletion of 16p11.2 may have more severe manifestations. The HKE test could contribute to the diagnosis of PKD. Carbamazepine is still the first choice for PKD patients, but individualized treatment should be formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, multifunctional hydrogels have received a great deal of attention because they are biocompatible and can mimic the extracellular matrix. Herein, we prepared hydrogels of biocompatible cross-linked networks with photothermal properties. In this study, a chitosan/polyaniline/laponite (COL) hydrogel with photothermal conversion capability was designed. Polyaniline was firstly grafted onto chitosan and its solution was mixed with oxidized dextran, which was then cross-linked into a hydrogel via a Schiff base reaction. Furthermore, an aluminosilicate clay material, laponite (LAP), was incorporated into the hydrogel. The swelling ratio of the COL hydrogel in various solutions was greater than 580%, and it showed good degradation ability (the mass–loss ratio was over 45% after 28 days). This composite hydrogel was demonstrated to have good photothermal conversion properties and biocompatibility at both the cell (cell viability was over 97%) and animal levels. The COL hydrogel showed a photothermal conversion efficiency of 23.7% under the irradiation of a near-infrared laser. Coupled with the osteogenic differentiation-inducing potential of LAP, the COL hydrogel has the potential to kill tumors via hyperthermia or serve as scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exogenous antioxidant materials mimicking endogenous antioxidant systems are commonly used for the treatment of oxidative stress-induced injuries. Thus, artificial enzymes have emerged as promising candidates for balancing and treating the dysregulation of redox homeostasis in vivo. Herein, a one-pot hydrothermal strategy for the facile preparation of MoSe2-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanoparticles (NPs) is reported. The synthesized NPs were biodegradable due to their exposure to oxygen and exhibited high stability. Moreover, they effectively mimicked various naturally occurring enzymes (including catalase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and glutathione peroxidase) and scavenged free radicals, such as 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid, ·OH, ·O2−, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical. Further apoptosis detection studies revealed that MoSe2-PVP NPs significantly increased the cell survival probability in H2O2 in a concentration-dependent manner. The cytoprotective effect of MoSe2-PVP NPs was explored for an animal model of acute pancreatitis, which confirmed its remarkable therapeutic efficacy. Owing to the biodegradable and biocompatible nature of MoSe2-PVP NPs, the findings of this work can stimulate the development of other artificial nanoenzymes for antioxidant therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierarchical nanosheet-based MoS2–NiS nanotubes coated with N-doped carbon (MNS-HNT@NC) composites were fabricated using a template-assisted hydrothermal and post-sulfidation strategy. The composite, with a tube-like structure, is mainly constructed by ultrathin MoS2–NiS nanosheets. Such hierarchical nanosheet-based nanotubes possess high surface-to-volume ratios, which can release mechanical stress during Na ion insertion/extraction and shorten the pathways for Na ion/electron transport. Furthermore, the internal void space in the nanotube can effectively accommodate the large volume change of the electrode, thereby alleviating structural collapse of the electrode. On the other hand, abundant lattice defects and the internal electric field induced by the heterostructure of MoS2 and NiS boost the Na ion intercalation kinetics. In addition, the MoS2 and NiS nanocrystals uniformly dispersed in the composite can act as mutual spacers, thereby avoiding aggregation during cycling. The MNS-HNT further coated with N-doped carbon can reduce contact resistance and restrict the large volume change, preventing electrode pulverization. Benefiting from these advantages and using an ether-based electrolyte, MNS-HNT@NC, as anode for SIBs, delivers a considerable specific capacity (707 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1), high initial coulombic efficiency of 94%, stable long-term cycling stability (391 mA h g−1 maintained after 700 cycles at 2 A g−1) and superior rate performance (342 mA h g−1 at 10 A g−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing economical, efficient and stable bifunctional catalysts for hydrogen production from seawater is of great significance for hydrogen utilization. Herein, sulfur doped iron oxide nanosheet arrays supported on nickel foam (FeOx–Ni3S2@NF) are prepared by a one-pot solvothermal reaction. Owing to the high intrinsic activity of FeOx–Ni3S2, the large catalytic specific surface area of nanosheet arrays and the fast charge transportation capability achieved by the self-supporting configuration, the FeOx–Ni3S2@NF electrode delivers excellent catalytic performance in alkaline simulated seawater (1 M KOH + 0.5 M NaCl). Impressively, a low overpotential of 120 mV at 50 mA cm−2 with a Tafel slope of 57 mV dec−1 for the hydrogen evolution reaction and an overpotential of 470 mV at 200 mA cm−2 with a Tafel slope of 62 mV dec−1 for the oxygen evolution reaction are achieved. More importantly, the voltage is only 1.5 V at 50 mA cm−2 for continuous overall water splitting for 100 h at 200 mA cm−2 with negligible decay in alkaline simulated seawater with almost 100% Faraday efficiency. This work provides a simple and universal strategy to prepare highly efficient bifunctional catalytic materials, promoting the development of Earth-abundant materials to catalyse seawater splitting to produce high-purity hydrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have prepared a type of magnetic mesoporous nanomaterial with aggregation-induced emission properties (Fe3O4@mSiO2@TPA@BA, hence abbr. FSTB) to detect and remove cyanide ions (CN−) under magnetic conditions. FSTB has a large specific surface area and improved fluorescence performance to identify CN−, and its superparamagnetic behavior plays an important role in removing CN−. The magnetic sensor FSTB shows excellent selectivity and anti-interference for the detection of CN− in aqueous solutions. It is obvious from the equation LOD = 3δ/S that the limit of detection (LOD) of FSTB for CN− is significantly lower than the permissible level of CN− in drinkable water recommended by the World Health Organization. Therefore, the magnetic sensor FSTB has a wide range of applications for detecting and removing harmful CN−. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Niobium carbide (NbC) is used as anode material for sodium‐ion batteries for the first time. Ball‐milled NbC delivers an initial charge capacity of 242 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 and a capacity of 126 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles at a high current density of 5 A g−1 without carbon coating. Cyclic voltammetry curves demonstrate that the pseudocapacitive Na+ storage behavior dominates the electrochemical reaction, which is responsible for the good rate capability. Ex situ X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the electrochemical reaction between NbC and Na is attributed to an adsorption mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occipital cortical malformation (OCCM) is a disease caused by malformations of cortical development characterized by polymicrogyria and pachygyria of the occipital lobes and childhood-onset seizures. The recessive or complex heterozygous variants of the LAMC3 gene are identified as the cause of OCCM. In the present study, we identified novel complex heterozygous variants (c.470G > A and c.4030 + 1G > A) of the LAMC3 gene in a Chinese female with childhood-onset seizures. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging was normal. Functional experiments confirmed that both variant sites caused premature truncation of the laminin γ3 chain. Bioinformatics analysis predicted 10 genes interacted with LAMC3 with an interaction score of 0.4 (P value = 1.0e–16). The proteins encoded by these genes were mainly located in the basement membrane and extracellular matrix component. Furthermore, the biological processes and molecular functions from gene ontology analysis indicated that laminin γ3 chain and related proteins played an important role in structural support and cellular processes through protein-containing complex binding and signaling receptor binding. KEGG pathway enrichment predicted that the LAMC3 gene variant was most likely to participate in the occurrence and development of OCCM through extracellular matrix receptor interaction and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among various kinds of photothermal conversion materials, polypyrrole (PPy) has attracted ever‐increasing attention because of its good biocompatibility and excellent near‐infrared light response property. In this research, the core‐shell nanoparticles with magnetic Fe3O4 as the core and mesoporous silica (MSN) as the shell were prepared, the resulted Fe3O4@MSN nanoparticles were then surface coated with a layer of PPy and further modified with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to gain colloidal stability. The Fe2+ in Fe3O4 can catalyze the decomposition of H2O2 in tumor cells to produce cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals, thus realizing the tumor chemodynamic therapy. Meanwhile, the MSN layer gives the nanoparticles a higher drug loading capacity of chemotherapeutics (doxorubicin, DOX). Therefore, the prepared Fe3O4@MSN@PPy‐PVP nanoparticles not only have good biocompatibility, magnetism and colloidal stability but also can realize the combined tumor photothermal, chemo, and chemodynamic therapy. This study demonstrates the rational design of multifunctional nanoplatforms for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) has attracted attention due to its enhanced tumor therapy effect. This study proposes a novel nanoenzyme-based theranostic nanoplatform, IrO2@MSN@PDA-BSA(Ce6), for the combined PTT and PDT of tumors. IrO2 was prepared by a simple hydrolysis method and coated with a thin layer of mesoporous silica (MSN) to facilitate the physical adsorption of Chlorin e6 (Ce6). The PDA coating and IrO2 NPs of the nanoplatform demonstrated an improved photothermal conversion efficiency of 29.8% under NIR irradiation. Further, the Ce6 loading imparts materials with the ability to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) under 660 nm NIR laser irradiation. It was also proved that the IrO2 NPs could catalyze the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) to generate endogenous oxygen (O2), thereby enhancing the efficiency of PDT. The in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that the nanocomposite was highly biocompatible and could produce a satisfactory tumor therapeutic effect. Thus, the findings of the present study demonstrate the viability of using theranostic nanoenzymes for translational medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the hypoxia status of the tumor, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production during photodynamic therapy (PDT) of the tumor is less efficient. Herein, a facile method which involves the synthesis of Mg–Mn–Al layered double hydroxides (LDH) clay with MoS2 doping in the surface and anionic layer space of LDH was presented, to integrate the photo-thermal effect of MoS2 and imaging and catalytic functions of Mg–Mn–Al LDH. The designed LDH-MoS2 (LMM) clay composite was further surface-coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) to maintain the colloidal stability of LMM in physiological environment. A photosensitizer, chlorin e6 (Ce6), was absorbed at the surface and anionic layer space of LMM@BSA. In the LMM formulation, the magnetic resonance imaging of Mg–Mn–Al LDH was enhanced thanks to the reduced and acid microenvironment of the tumor. Notably, the ROS production and PDT efficiency of Ce6 were significantly improved, because LMM@BSA could catalyze the decomposing of the overexpressed H2O2 in tumors to produce oxygen. The biocompatible LMM@BSA that played the synergism with tumor microenvironment is a promising candidate for the effective treatment of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to efficiently treat cancer in a minimally invasive manner has become one of the major focuses of recent developments in biomedicine. In this research, biodegradable sodium alginate (SA) hydrogel encapsulated with NaHCO3 and glucose oxidase (GOX) was synthesized using Fe3+ as the crosslinker for the tumor chemodynamic therapy (CDT) and starvation therapy (ST). Material safety assessments revealed that this hydrogel possesses good in vitro and in vivo security. In tumor microenvrionment (TME), the Fe3+ further reacted with the intracellular glutathione and was transformed into Fe2+, which triggered the Fenton reaction with the H2O2 within TME and produced abundant highly toxic ·OH (hydroxyl radicals) for efficient tumor CDT. Furthermore, the GOX catalyzed the enzymolysis of glucose to consume the nutrient of the tumor and enhance the H2O2 level in TME. Besides, the CO2 bubbles that were generated from the decomposing of NaHCO3 promoted the contact between glucose and GOX. Findings in this research would have important implications for the present status of tumor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental program was carried out to explore the feasibility of steel slag replacing lime used in the pavement of highway subgrade. The compaction test, the bearing ratio test, the unconfined compressive strength test, the splitting tensile strength test and the water stability test were carried out for different mixture ratio. And field test was also carried out to verify the application of steel slag. The test results showed that the immersion bearing ratio of steel slag stabilized soil increased with the increase of compaction degree and content of steel slag. The CBR value of Steel slag stabilized soil with 8–15% slag content was basically equivalent to that of 4% lime soil. The failure strain of 8% or 15% steel slag soil is larger than that of lime soil or cement soil. The strength of lime soil, cement soil and steel slag stabilized increased monotonously with the increase of curing age, but the growth rate of lime soil was significantly higher than that of steel slag stabilized soil. The 7d unconfined compressive strength of 8% steel slag stabilized soil reached 0.41 MPa, which met the requirements of highway subgrade materials. The initial moisture content had a great influence on the steel slag stabilized soil, and it was necessary to strictly control the moisture content for subgrade constructing. The content of steel slag in the steel slag stabilized soil was measured by EDTA method which is effective. The deflection value of 8% steel slag stabilized soil was 130.8 (10−2 mm), which can meet the requirements of the design specification [232.9(10−2 mm)]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiprocessor systems on a chip consisting of integrated CPUs and GPUs are suitable platforms for real-time embedded applications requiring massively parallel processing. For such applications, lifetime reliability due to permanent faults and soft-error reliability due to transient faults are major concerns. Detailed execution profiling has revealed that a CUDA task’s CPU execution time significantly increases if the task executes on a different core than the operating system (OS). Based on this observation, an extended task model is introduced to consider the execution time dependencies among tasks and the OS. A hybrid framework is proposed to improve soft-error reliability while satisfying a lifetime reliability constraint for soft real-time systems executing on integrated CPU and GPU platforms. This framework: 1) reduces the total utilization of cores and improves soft-error reliability via off-line task mapping; 2) achieves a higher lifetime reliability through task migration at run time; and 3) improves soft-error reliability by dynamically scaling frequencies of CPU and GPU cores. The experimental results show that the proposed framework leads to a system that can execute without soft errors for at least 4 days (4 times) and 6 days (6 times) longer, on average, than existing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) is an autosomal recessive disorder of bile acid synthesis caused by mutations in the CYP27A1 gene. CTX is an underdiagnosed and potentially treatable disease, thus a detailed appreciation of the phenotypic spectrum and genetic characteristics are crucial for early diagnosis and treatment. Objectives and Methods: Four CTX families with mutations in the CYP27A1 gene were enrolled in our study. We investigated the clinical characteristics and molecular genetic features of the probands with CTX. Genetic analysis was performed for detecting gene variants. Sanger sequencing and segregation analysis were conducted for haplotype analysis. Results: All the four probands were compound heterozygote for two CYP27A1 variants, including one mutation in c.1263+1G>A (intron 7) splice site, two novel likely pathogenic mutations (c.255+1G>T and c.1561dupA) and three pathogenic mutations including c.379C>T, c.1263+1G>A and c.1537C>T previously reported. All of the subjects presented with spastic paraparesis. The other common clinical features included ataxia, childhood-onset diarrhea, cataracts, intellectual disability, tendinous xanthomas and dentate nuclei signal alterations at MRI. Conclusion: Two novel likely pathogenic mutations (c.255+1G>T and c.1561dupA) were reported in our study. The 1263+1G>A mutation was commonly seen in Chinese reported case series (7/25, 28%) and could be a latent hotspot for Chinese CTX mutations. Our study expanded the mutation spectrum of CYP27A1 gene and provide an insightful view of the phenotypic spectrum and genetic characteristics to help early diagnosis and treatment with to improve neurologic dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) is a rare condition characterized by recurrent brief episodes of dystonia, chorea, athetosis or any combination of these, without alterations of consciousness. The proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 (PRRT2) gene has been widely investigated as a causative gene of PKD. To date, a cluster of pathogenic variants associated with PKD have been identified in the PRRT2 gene. In the present case report, two Chinese patients with sporadic PKD are discussed. Genetic analysis revealed a de novo heterozygous missense mutation, c.955G>T (p.Val319Leu) in exon 3 of the PRRT2 gene. Compared with the commonly reported clinical manifestation of PRRT2-associated PKD, the patients in this report showed several primary distinctive features. The mutations identified in the present analysis expand upon the mutation spectrum of the PRRT2 gene, and this newly found variant further reinforces the importance of the PRR2 gene in PKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much attention has been paid to the fabrication of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials as therapeutics for nanomedicine in recent years owing to their special physicochemical characteristics. These fascinating physicochemical properties alongside their diverse biomedical applications drive us to give a review of the present endeavors of interest in these 2D nanomaterials. In this review, the up-to-date research advances of the preparation, biocompatibility and biodegradation behaviors of 2D nanomaterials including transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), transition metal oxides (TMOs), black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), 2D boron (B), boron nitride (BN), layered double hydroxides (LDHs), 2D nanoscale metals, and other kinds of 2D nanomaterials are introduced. The in vitro and in vivo bio-compatibility, including their degradation assessments from the aspects of a redox reaction, enzymes, pH, and the cell environment, etc., of the above categories of 2D nanomaterials are discussed in detail. Finally, the prospects and challenges of the development of 2D nanomaterials aiming for biomedical applications are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hierarchically structured core‐shell magnetic mesoporous silica nanospheres (Mag‐MSNs) have attracted extensive attention, particularly in studies involving reliable preparations and diverse applications of the multifunctional nanomaterials in multi‐disciplinary fields. Intriguingly, Mag‐MSNs have been prepared with well‐designed synthesis strategies and used as adsorbent materials, biomedicines, and in proteomics and catalysis due to their excellent magnetic responsiveness, enormous specific surface area and readiness for surface modifications. Through a carefully designed surface modification of Mag‐MSNs, the performance and application prospects of the material are greatly improved. Typically, the introduction of various molecular matrices into the shell of Mag‐MSNs facilitates the combination of surface modifications and magnetic separation technology. So far, as sustainable chemistry is concerned, it is important to recover the functionalized core‐shell Mag‐MSNs after the reaction and reuse them without losing activity. In this review, the design conceptions and the construction of core‐shell Mag‐MSNs are discussed. Furthermore, various surface modification approaches of core‐shell Mag‐MSNs are summarized, and recent applications of these functionalized nanomaterials in the fields of biomedicine, catalysis, proteomics and wastewater treatment are exemplified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous multiprocessor systems on a chips (MPSoCs) consisting of cores with different performance/power characteristics are widely used in many real-time embedded systems, where both soft-error reliability and lifetime reliability are key concerns. Although existing efforts have investigated related problems, they either focus on one of the two reliability concerns or propose time-consuming scheduling algorithms that cannot adequately address runtime workload and environmental variations. This paper introduces an online framework which is adaptive to runtime variations and maximizes soft-error reliability while satisfying the lifetime reliability constraint for soft real-time systems executing on MPSoCs that are composed of high-performance cores and low-power (LP) cores. Based on each core’s executing frequency and utilization, the framework performs workload migration between high-performance cores and LP cores to reduce power consumption and improve soft-error reliability. Experimental results based on different hardware platforms show that the proposed approach reduces the probability of failures due to soft errors by at least 17% and 50% on average compared to a number of representative existing approaches that satisfy the same lifetime reliability constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional nanomaterials for cancer therapy has attracted researchers' attention for decades. In this study, a unique oxidative method using KMnO4 or K2MnO4 as oxidizing agents to oxidize dopamine (DA) to polydopamine (PDA) was reported. The oxidizing agent was reduced to MnOx to form MnOx/PDA composite NPs. Afterwards, the MnOx/PDA composite NPs were surface‐modified with bovine serum albumin (BSA) to form a multifunctional theranostic agent, named MnOx/PDA@BSA NPs, with improved colloidal stability and biocompatibility. Such a material would become a photothermal nanoagent, since the PDA renders the composite NPs an admirable photothermal transforming ability with the photothermal conversion efficiency of 27.06%. Meanwhile, as a commonly used T1 contrast agent, manganese (Mn2+) endowed the MnOx/PDA@BSA NPs with MRI ability, rendering the as‐synthesized MnOx/PDA composite NPs a capability of imaging guided multi‐modal tumor therapy. Moreover, the formed MnOx/PDA@BSA NPs were used for drug loading, which was found to own the tunable drug loading and controlled drug releasing capacity. The as‐prepared composite NPs were successfully used for the combined tumor chemotherapy and photothermal therapy in vitro and in vivo. This research provides insights into the development of conjugated polymer‐based nanomaterial for various biomedical applications, especially in imaging guided cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With an increasing demand for complex and powerful system-on-chips, modern real-time automotive systems face significant challenges in managing on-chip-temperature. We demonstrate, via real experiments, the importance of accounting for dynamic ambient temperature and task-level power dissipation in resource management so as to meet both thermal and timing constraints. To address this problem, we propose RT-TRM, a real-time thermal-aware resource management framework. We first introduce a task-level dynamic power model that can capture different power dissipations with a simple task-level parameter called the activity factor. We then develop two new mechanisms, adaptive parameter assignment and online idle-time scheduling. The former adjusts voltage/frequency levels and task periods according to the varying ambient temperature while preserving feasibility. The latter generates a schedule by allocating idle times efficiently without missing any task/job deadline. By tightly integrating the solutions of these two mechanisms, we can guarantee both thermal and timing constraints in the presence of dynamic ambient temperature variations. We have implemented RT-TRM on an automotive microcontroller to demonstrate its effectiveness, achieving better resource utilization by 18.2% over other runtime approaches while meeting both thermal and timing constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]