Development of a Nanohybrid Peptide Hydrogel for Enhanced Intervertebral Disc Repair and Regeneration.

Effective therapeutic approaches to overcome the heterogeneous pro-inflammatory and inhibitory extracellular matrix (ECM) microenvironment are urgently needed to achieve robust structural and functional repair of severely wounded fibrocartilaginous tissues. Herein we developed a dynamic and multifunctional nanohybrid peptide hydrogel (NHPH) through hierarchical self-assembly of peptide amphiphile modified with biodegradable two-dimensional nanomaterials with enzyme-like functions. NHPH is not only injectable, biocompatible, and biodegradable but also therapeutic by catalyzing the scavenging of pro-inflammatory reactive oxygen species and promoting ECM remodeling.

Injectable bioorthogonal hydrogel (BIOGEL) accelerates tissue regeneration in degenerated intervertebral discs.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is a leading cause of back pain and precursor to more severe conditions, including disc herniation and spinal stenosis. While traditional growth factor therapies (e.g.

Advanced theragnostics for the central nervous system (CNS) and neurological disorders using functional inorganic nanomaterials.

Various types of inorganic nanomaterials are capable of diagnostic biomarker detection and the therapeutic delivery of a disease or inflammatory modulating agent. Those multi-functional nanomaterials have been utilized to treat neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system (CNS) injuries in an effective and personalized manner. Even though many nanomaterials can deliver a payload and detect a biomarker of interest, only a few studies have yet to fully utilize this combined strategy to its full potential.

Advanced Drug Delivery Modulation via Hybrid Nanofibers Enhances Stem Cell Differentiation.

Seamlessly integrating soluble factors onto biomedical scaffolds with a precisely manufactured topography for efficient cell control remains elusive since many scaffold fabrication techniques degrade payloads. Surface adsorption of payloads onto synthesized nanoscaffolds retains bioactivity by removing exposure to harsh processing conditions at the expense of inefficient drug loading and uncontrolled release. Herein, we present a nanomaterial composite scaffold paradigm to improve physicochemical surface adsorption pharmacokinetics.

Ultrasensitive Electrochemical Detection of Mutated Viral RNAs with Single-Nucleotide Resolution Using a Nanoporous Electrode Array (NPEA).

The detection of nucleic acids and their mutation derivatives is vital for biomedical science and applications. Although many nucleic acid biosensors have been developed, they often require pretreatment processes, such as target amplification and tagging probes to nucleic acids. Moreover, current biosensors typically cannot detect sequence-specific mutations in the targeted nucleic acids.

Predictive Biophysical Cue Mapping for Direct Cell Reprogramming Using Combinatorial Nanoarrays.

Biophysical cues, such as nanotopographies of extracellular matrix (ECM), are key cell regulators for direct cell reprogramming. Therefore, high-throughput methods capable of systematically screening a wide range of biophysical cue-regulated cell reprogramming are increasingly needed for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Here, we report the development of a dynamic laser interference lithography (DIL) to generate large-scale combinatorial biophysical cue (CBC) arrays with diverse micro/nanostructures at higher complexities than most current arrays.

Nanotechnology for Targeted Detection and Removal of Bacteria: Opportunities and Challenges.

The emergence of nanotechnology has created unprecedented hopes for addressing several unmet industrial and clinical issues, including the growing threat so-termed "antibiotic resistance" in medicine. Over the last decade, nanotechnologies have demonstrated promising applications in the identification, discrimination, and removal of a wide range of pathogens. Here, recent insights into the field of bacterial nanotechnology are examined that can substantially improve the fundamental understanding of nanoparticle and bacteria interactions.

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-Mediated Amplification-Free Detection of Viral DNAs Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy-Active Nanoarray.

Nucleic acid biomarkers have been widely used to detect various viral-associated diseases, including the recent pandemic COVID-19. The CRISPR-Cas-based trans-activating phenomenon has shown excellent potential for developing sensitive and selective detection of nucleic acids. However, the nucleic acid amplification steps are typically required when sensitive and selective monitoring of the target nucleic acid is needed.

Safety and efficacy of lenabasum in a phase 2 randomized, placebo-controlled trial in adults with cystic fibrosis.

Background: Few therapies specifically address the chronic airway inflammation in cystic fibrosis (CF) that contributes to progressive destruction of lung tissue and loss of lung function. Lenabasum is a cannabinoid type 2 receptor (CB2) agonist that resolves inflammation in a number of in vitro and in vivo models.

Methods: A Phase 2 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study assessed the safety and tolerability of lenabasum in adults with CF.

Effective Modulation of CNS Inhibitory Microenvironment using Bioinspired Hybrid-Nanoscaffold-Based Therapeutic Interventions.

Central nervous system (CNS) injuries are often debilitating, and most currently have no cure. This is due to the formation of a neuroinhibitory microenvironment at injury sites, which includes neuroinflammatory signaling and non-permissive extracellular matrix (ECM) components. To address this challenge, a viscous interfacial self-assembly approach, to generate a bioinspired hybrid 3D porous nanoscaffold platform for delivering anti-inflammatory molecules and establish a favorable 3D-ECM environment for the effective suppression of the neuroinhibitory microenvironment, is developed.

Detection of Neurotransmitters from Stem Cell-Derived Neural Interface at the Single-Cell Level via Graphene-Hybrid SERS Nanobiosensing.

quantitative measurements of neurotransmitter activities can provide useful insights into the underlying mechanisms of stem cell differentiation, the formation of neuronal networks, and neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, neurotransmitter detection methods suffer from poor spatial resolution, nonspecific detection, and a lack of analysis. To address this challenge, herein, we first developed a graphene oxide (GO)-hybrid nanosurface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) array to detect dopamine (DA) in a selective and sensitive manner.

Combinatorial biophysical cue sensor array for controlling neural stem cell fate.

Biophysical cues, such as electrical stimulus, mechanical feature, and surface topography, enable the control of neural stem cell (NSC) differentiation and neurite outgrowth. However, the effect of these biophysical cues on NSC behavior has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we developed an innovative combinatorial biophysical cue sensor array combining a surface modified nanopillar array with conductive hydrogel micropatterns.

Large-Scale Nanoelectrode Arrays to Monitor the Dopaminergic Differentiation of Human Neural Stem Cells.

A novel cell-based biosensing platform is developed using a combination of sequential laser interference lithography and electrochemical deposition methods. This enables the sensitive discrimination of dopaminergic cells from other types of neural cells in a completely nondestructive manner. This platform and detection strategy may become an effective noninvasive in situ monitoring tool that can be used to determine stem cell fate for various regenerative applications.

Controlling differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells using combinatorial graphene hybrid-pattern arrays.

Control of stem cell fate by modulating biophysical cues (e.g., micropatterns, nanopatterns, elasticity and porosity of the substrates) has emerged as an attractive approach in stem cell-based research.

Synthesis, Structure, and Conformational Dynamics of Rhodium and Iridium Complexes of Dimethylbis(2-pyridyl)borate.

Rhodium(I) and Iridium(I) borate complexes of the structure [MeB(2-py)]ML (L = (tBuNC), (CO), (CH), cod, dppe) were prepared and structurally characterized (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene; dppe = 1,2-diphenylphosphinoethane). Each contains a boat-configured chelate ring that participates in a boat-to-boat ring flip. Computational evidence shows that the ring flip proceeds through a transition state that is near planarity about the chelate ring.

A retrospective study of two Lapidus groups, each with a different method of rail application.

To date, few studies discussing the use of rail external fixation for the Lapidus procedure have presented acceptable complication rates. At least 1 study has suggested the technique is not recommended for routine use with this procedure. We present 2 methods of external fixation application and 2 protocols of early postoperative weightbearing in 25 patients, with a marked decrease in complication rates from previously published studies.

Control of emission colour with N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands in phosphorescent three-coordinate Cu(I) complexes.

A series of three phosphorescent mononuclear (NHC)-Cu(I) complexes were prepared and characterized. Photophysical properties were found to be largely controlled by the NHC ligand chromophore. Variation of the NHC ligand leads to emission colour tuning over 200 nm range from blue to red, and emission efficiencies of 0.

A Three-Stage Mechanistic Model for Ammonia Borane Dehydrogenation by Shvo's Catalyst.

We propose a mechanistic model for three-stage dehydrogenation of ammonia borane (AB) catalyzed by Shvo's cyclopentadienone-ligated ruthenium complex. We provide evidence for a plausible mechanism for catalyst deactivation, the transition from fast catalysis to slow catalysis, and relate those findings to the invention of a second-generation catalyst that does not suffer from the same deactivation chemistry.The primary mechanism of catalyst deactivation is borazine-mediated hydroboration of the ruthenium species that is the active oxidant in the fast catalysis case.

A Ruthenium-Catalyzed Coupling of Alkynes with 1,3-Diketones.

Ruthenium(III) chloride hydrate is a convenient catalyst for the addition of active methylene compounds to aryl alkynes. These reactions are rapid, operationally simple, and high yielding in cases. Most significantly, no precautions are required to exclude air or water from the reactions.

A robust, air-stable, reusable ruthenium catalyst for dehydrogenation of ammonia borane.

We describe an efficient homogeneous ruthenium catalyst for the dehydrogenation of ammonia borane (AB). This catalyst liberates more than 2 equiv of H(2) and up to 4.6 system wt % H(2) from concentrated AB suspensions under air.

Dehydrogenation of ammonia-borane by Shvo's catalyst.

Shvo's cyclopentadienone-ligated ruthenium complex is an efficient catalyst for the liberation of exactly two molar equivalents of hydrogen from ammonia-borane, a prospective hydrogen storage medium. The mechanism for the dehydrogenation features a ruthenium hydride resting state from which dihydrogen loss is the rate-determining step.

Thermochemistry and molecular structure of a remarkable agostic interaction in a heterobifunctional ruthenium-boron complex.

A boron-pendant ruthenium species forms a unique agostic methyl bridge between the boron and ruthenium atoms in the presence of a ligating solvent, acetonitrile. NMR inversion-recovery experiments enabled the activation and equilibrium thermochemistry for formation of the agostic bridge to be measured. The mechanism for bridge formation involves displacement of an acetonitrile ligand; thus, this is a rare example of a case where an agostic C-H ligand competitively displaces another tightly binding ligand from a coordinatively saturated complex.