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The development of highly effective bio‐lubricant coatings for arthritis treatment is extremely demanded. Herein, inspired by the efficient lubrication of articular cartilage, acrylic acid (AA) with (3‐(methacryloylamino) propyl) dimethyl (3‐sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide (MPDSAH) hydrogel coatings containing nanoparticles on Ti6Al4V substrate were designed and fabricated via UV grafting technology. SiO2 and SiO2 grafted with PAA polymer brushes (SiO2‐g‐PAA) were separately doped into the PAA‐PMPDSAH hydrogel. The PAA‐PMPDSAH/SiO2‐g‐PAA exhibits good tensile and compressive properties compared with PAA‐PMPDSAH/SiO2 hydrogel, with an enhancement of 183.4% in tensile modulus and 60.8% in compressive modulus. The PAA‐PMPDSAH/SiO2‐g‐PAA hydrogel coatings exhibit a low wear volume, 2.9 ± 0.16 × 106 μm3, representing a decline of 32.1% and 61.3% compared with the PAA‐PMPDSAH and PAA‐PMPDSAH/SiO2 hydrogel coatings, respectively. The antiwear performance has obviously improved. The hydrophilic PAA polymer brushes prevent the agglomeration of nanoparticles and promote homogeneously dispersion within the hydrogel. The three‐dimensional crosslinked network structure of hydrogel effectively protects the structural integrity of the polymer brushes, thereby facilitating enduring lubrication properties. This work provides a strategy for promising artificial joint lubrication in biomedical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR) is a medicinal herb commonly used in China and Eastern Asia. Recently, the discovery of hepatotoxicity in PMR has received considerable attention from scientists. Processing is a traditional Chinese medicine technique used for the effective reduction of toxicity. One uncommon technique is the braising method—also known as 'Wen‐Fa' in Chinese—which is used to prepare tonics or poisonous medications. Braised PMR (BPMR)—also known as 'Wen‐He‐Shou‐Wu'—is one of the processed products of the braising method. However, the non‐volatile components of BPMR have not been identified and examined in detail, and therefore, the hepatotoxic advantage of BPMR remains unknown. In this study, we compared the microscopic characteristics of different samples in powder form using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), investigated the non‐volatile components, assessed the effects of different processed PMR products on the liver, and compared the differences between BPMR and PMR Praeparata recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition). We found that the hepatotoxicity of BPMR was dramatically decreased, which may be related to an increase in polysaccharide content and a decrease in toxic substances. The present study provides an important foundation for future investigations of the processing mechanisms of BPMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately predicting whether a short video will be liked by viewers is a topic of interest to media researchers. This study used an electroencephalogram (EEG) to record neural activity in 109 participants as they watched short videos (16 clips per person) to see which neural signals reflected viewers' preferences. The results showed that, compared with the short videos they disliked, individuals would experience positive emotions [indexed by a higher theta power, lower (beta – theta)/(beta + theta) score], more relaxed states (indexed by a lower beta power), lower levels of mental engagement and alertness [indexed by a lower beta/(alpha + theta) score], and devote more attention (indexed by lower alpha/theta) when watching short videos they liked. We further used artificial neural networks to classify the neural signals of different preferences induced by short videos. The classification accuracy was the highest when using data from bands over the whole brain, which was 75.78%. These results may indicate the potential of EEG measurement to evaluate the subjective preferences of individuals for short videos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Memory is a dynamic process that is based on and can be altered by experiences. Integrating memories of multiple experiences (memory integration) is the basis of flexible and complex decision‐making. However, the mechanism of memory integration in neural networks of the brain remains poorly understood. In this study, we built a recurrent spiking network model and investigated the neural mechanism of memory integration before a decision is made (retrospective memory integration) at the neural circuit level. Our simulations suggest that retrospective memory integration accompanies reconfiguration of neural cell assemblies. Additionally, partially blocking neural network plasticity leads to failure of memory integration. These findings can potentially guide the experimental investigation of the neural mechanism of retrospective memory integration and serve as the basis for developing new artificial intelligence algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) based materials possessed with both excellent biocompatibility and antibacterial activity show potential advantages for biomedical applications. Here, the silver‐doped BCP/Alginate (AgBA) microclusters were first fabricated using the double‐emulsions method. First, BCP nanoparticles were incorporated into the alginate network to form BCP/Alginate microclusters via the emulsion process. Then, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were in situ involved in BCP/Alginate networks to obtain the final AgBA microclusters. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy confirmed that BCP nanoparticles and AgNPs were uniformly distributed in AgBA microclusters. The morphology of AgBA microclusters could be regulated by adjusting emulsion power, and microclusters using the medium powder (500 W) showed a regular spherical shape. Furthermore, CCK‐8 analysis identified that AgBA microclusters were cytocompatible culturing with human bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells. Qualitative antibacterial tests exhibited the excellent inhibition effects of AgBA microclusters against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram‐positive) and Escherichia coli. (Gram‐negative). Lastly, the doxorubicin (DOX)‐loaded AgBA microclusters presented adjustable loading efficiency of DOX and controllable release profiles. The cumulative release could reach 73.3% after 72 h in PBS. The above results raised a new route for antibacterial microclusters development for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve an efficient lubricated interface on titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) alloy, polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) polymer coatings, based on poly(ethyleneimine)/poly(acrylic acid) (PEI/PAA), were fabricated on the surface of Ti6Al4V alloy substrates using the layer‐by‐layer (LbL) assembly technique. Their composition and morphology were confirmed by Fourier‐transform infrared/attenuated total reflectance (FTIR/ATR) spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The tribological properties were investigated by a ball‐on‐disk rotating tribometer using deionized water, saline, and calf serum. The results exhibit that (PEI/PAA)*n coatings have the internal cross‐linked network and porous structure on the surface. The surface of PEI/PAA coatings‐modified Ti6Al4V shows the sufficient wettability. The polymer‐bearing interface of (PEI/PAA)*10 exhibits a low friction coefficient, 0.059, for 2 hr, and represents an 88% decline compared with bare Ti6Al4V. Moreover, the wear track on the polymer‐bearing interface is superlow. There is no obvious wear volume, which indicates effective wear resistance. The hydrated layer, the cross‐linked network structure, and the porous structure of PEM coatings are the main factors for efficient tribological properties. The multilayer PEI/PAA coating shows the potential uses of developing the lubricated‐bearing interface on Ti6Al4V alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Neuroticism has been found to specifically modulate amygdala activations during differential processing of valence and motivation while other brain networks yet are unexplored for associated effects. The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether neural mechanisms processing valence or motivation are prone to neuroticism in the salience network (SN), a network that is anchored in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the anterior insula. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and an approach/avoid emotional pictures task to investigate brain activations modulated by pictures’ valence or motivational status between high and low neurotic individuals. We found that neuroticism‐dependent SN and the parahippocampal‐fusiform area activations were modulated by motivation but not valence. Valence in contrast interacted with neuroticism in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex. We suggested that neuroticism modulated valence and motivation processing, however, under the influence of the two distinct networks. Neuroticism modulated the motivation through the SN while it modulated the valence through the orbitofrontal networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium phosphate nanoparticles are suitable as scaffolds for bone regeneration; however, few reports on available calcium phosphate-based biomaterials with an antibacterial property as drug carriers. Lei Nie and colleagues developed silver-doped biphasic calcium phosphate/alginate microclusters using the double-emulsions method. The cover image shows an SEM micrograph of prepared microclusters in which the spherical shape and surface roughness are influenced by emulsion power. [Extracted from the article]