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High-precision isolation of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) from biofluids is essential toward developing next-generation liquid biopsies and regenerative therapies. However, current methods of sEV separation require specialized equipment and time-consuming protocols and have difficulties producing highly pure subpopulations of sEVs. Here, we present Acoustic Nanoscale Separation via Wave-pillar Excitation Resonance (ANSWER), which allows single-step, rapid (96% small exosomes, >80% exomeres) fractionation of sEV subpopulations from biofluids without the need for any sample preprocessing. Particles are iteratively deflected in a size-selective manner via an excitation resonance. This previously unidentified phenomenon generates patterns of virtual, tunable, pillar-like acoustic field in a fluid using surface acoustic waves. Highly precise sEV fractionation without the need for sample preprocessing or complex nanofabrication methods has been demonstrated using ANSWER, showing potential as a powerful tool that will enable more in-depth studies into the complexity, heterogeneity, and functionality of sEV subpopulations.

Previous efforts to evaluate the detection of human papilloma viral (HPV) DNA in whole saliva as a diagnostic measure for HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OPC) have not shown sufficient clinical performance. We hypothesize that salivary exosomes are packaged with HPV-associated biomarkers, and efficient enrichment of salivary exosomes through isolation can enhance diagnostic and prognostic performance for HPV-OPC. In this study, an acoustofluidic (the fusion of acoustics and microfluidics) platform was developed to perform size-based isolation of salivary exosomes. These data showed that this platform is capable of consistently isolating exosomes from saliva samples, regardless of viscosity variation and collection method. Compared with the current gold standard, differential centrifugation, droplet digital RT-PCR analysis showed that the average yield of salivary exosomal small RNA from the acoustofluidic platform is 15 times higher. With this high-yield exosome isolation platform, we show that HPV16 DNA could be detected in isolated exosomes from the saliva of HPV-associated OPC patients at 80% concordance with tissues/biopsies positive for HPV16. Overall, these data demonstrated that the acoustofluidic platform can achieve high-purity and high-yield salivary exosome isolation for downstream salivary exosome-based liquid biopsy applications. Additionally, HPV16 DNA sequences in HPV-OPC patients are packaged in salivary exosomes and their isolation will enhance the detection of HPV16 DNA.

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), as novel electronic devices for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy, are better suited as signal-testing sensors or as components within larger wearable Internet of Things (IoT) or Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, where they handle small-device power supply and signal acquisition. Consequently, TENGs hold promising applications in self-powered sensor technology. As global energy supplies become increasingly tight, research into self-powered sensors has become critical. This study presents a self-powered sport sensor system utilizing a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), which incorporates a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film doped with graphene and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as friction materials. The graphene-doped TPU nanocomposite film-based TENG (GT-TENG) demonstrates excellent working durability. Furthermore, the GT-TENG not only consistently powers an LED but also supplies energy to a sports timer and an electronic watch. It serves additionally as a self-powered sensor for monitoring human movement. The design of this self-powered motion sensor system effectively harnesses human kinetic energy, integrating it seamlessly with sport sensing capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent primary liver cancer often associated with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) and liver cirrhosis (LC), underscoring the critical need for biomarker discovery to improve patient outcomes. Emerging as a promising avenue for biomarker development, proteomic technology leveraging liquid biopsy from small extracellular vesicles (sEV) offers new insights. Here, we evaluated various methods for sEV isolation and identified polysaccharide chitosan (CS) as an optimal approach. Subsequently, we employed optimized CS‐based magnetic beads (Mag‐CS) for sEV separation from serum samples of healthy controls, CHB, LC, and HBV‐HCC patients. Leveraging data‐independent acquisition mass spectrometry coupled with machine learning, we uncovered potential vesicular protein biomarker signatures (KNG1, F11, KLKB1, CAPNS1, CDH1, CPN2, NME2) capable of distinguishing HBV‐HCC from CHB, LC, and non‐HCC conditions. Collectively, our findings highlight the utility of Mag‐CS‐based sEV isolation for identifying early detection biomarkers in HBV‐HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of fractures has emerged as one of the most prevalent injuries in the human body. In bone reconstruction surgery, after the implantation of porous hydroxyapatite materials, there is an initial infiltration of body fluids into the porous implant, followed by biomineralization-mediated apatite crystal formation and the subsequent ingrowth of bone cells. Despite extensive research efforts in this field, previous investigations have primarily focused on the formation of apatite crystals on exposed surfaces, with limited literature available regarding the formation of apatite crystals within the internal microstructures of bone implants. Herein, we demonstrate the occurrence of dynamic biomineralization within a three-dimensional porous hydroxyapatite/wollastonite (HA/WS) skeleton, leading to the abundant formation of nano-sized apatite crystals across diverse internal environments. Our findings reveal that these apatite nanocrystals demonstrate distinct rates of nucleation, packing densities, and crystal forms in comparison to those formed on the surface. Therefore, the objective of this study was to elucidate the temporal evolution of biomineralization processes by investigating the microstructures of nanocrystals on the internal surfaces of HA/WS three-dimensional porous materials at distinct stages of biomineralization and subsequently explore the biological activity exhibited by HA/WS when combined with cell investigation into apatite crystal biomineralization mechanisms at the nanoscale, aiming to comprehend natural bone formation processes and develop efficacious biomimetic implants for tissue engineering applications. The simultaneous examination of bone cell attachment and its interaction with ongoing internal nanocrystal formation will provide valuable insights for designing optimal scaffolds conducive to bone cell growth, which is imperative in tissue engineering endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oncogene SET Domain Bifurcated 1 (SETDB1)/ESET, an H3K9 methyltransferase, was originally discovered over two decades ago; however, its function in the immune response was not first reported until 2011. SETDB1 immune functions include B cell maturation, T cell activity regulation, and immune escape in cancer cells. In B lymphocytes, SETDB1 mediates the transition from pro‐B to pre‐B cells and represses endogenous retroviruses (ERV) to encourage B cell lineage differentiation and maturation. SETDB1 alters T cell function by methylating IL‐2 and IL‐17 promoters and mediating T cell lineage commitment and development. In addition, SETDB1 plays a critical role in ERV silencing within a variety of immune cells, which can indirectly weaken the immune response. Although SETDB1 is critical for normal immune cell function, overexpression in cancer cells negatively impacts immune cell fights against cancer through decreased tumour immunogenicity. Within cancer cells, SETDB1 overexpression represses production and infiltration of antitumour immune cells, mediates immune escape through TE and ERV silencing, represses the type I interferon pathway, and interferes in immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) outcomes by regulation of PD‐L1 expression and IFN signalling. In this review, we further discuss the immunological mechanisms of SETDB1 in normal and cancerous cells and its implications in cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]