Biologically inspired bioactive hydrogels for scarless corneal repair.

Corneal injury-induced fibrosis occurs because of corneal epithelial basement membrane (EBM) injury and defective regeneration. Corneal fibrosis inhibition and transparency restoration depend on reestablished EBM, where the collagen network provides structural stability and heparan sulfate binds corneal epithelium-derived cytokines to regulate homeostasis. Inspired by this, bioactive hydrogels (Hep@Gel) composed of collagen-derived gelatins and highly anionic heparin were constructed for scarless corneal repair.

An Integrated Dual-Layer Heterogeneous Polycaprolactone Scaffold Promotes Oral Mucosal Wound Healing through Inhibiting Bacterial Adhesion and Mediating HGF-1 Behavior.

Recently, the high incidence of oral mucosal defects and the subsequent functional impairments have attracted widespread attention. Controlling scaffold geometry pattern has been proposed as a strategy to promote cell behavior and facilitate soft tissue repair. In this study, we innovatively construct an integrated dual-layer heterogeneous polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold using melt electrowriting (MEW) technology.

Ferroptosis is involved in the damage of ocular lens under long-term PM exposure in rat models and humans.

Epidemiological studies show a positive association between air pollution and age-related cataracts, but the pathogenic mechanism remains unclear. This study first demonstrates that fine particulate matter (PM) induces ferroptosis in the lens, leading to morphological and functional disorders, through human, animal, and cellular samples. In 3-week PM-exposed rat models (10 µl 1 mg/ml PM suspension per eye, 4 times a day), we find that many vacuoles form in the lens equatorial region by analysis of haematoxylin and eosin staining after PM exposure.

Involvement of /Galectin-3 in Choroidal Neovascularization and Subretinal Fibrosis Formation.

/galectin-3 plays a pivotal role in many vascular diseases. However, the involvement of /galectin-3 in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) remains unknown. In the laser-induced CNV model, a whole mount retina stained with Isolectin B4 and collagen type I revealed the vascular bed and CNV-associated subretinal fibrosis on day 7 after laser treatment.

Evidence-based Guidelines for Keratorefractive Lenticule Extraction Surgery.

Topic: Development of evidence-based guidelines for keratorefractive lenticule extraction (KLEx).

Clinical Relevance: KLEx refers to various corneal refractive procedures involving removal of refractive lenticules of intrastromal corneal tissue, typically through a small incision, thereby eliminating creation of a corneal flap. This technique has rapidly gained popularity as a possible alternative to flap-based procedures; however, no clinical practice guidelines exist for KLEx.

Metal-phenolic nanoparticles enhance low temperature photothermal therapy for bacterial biofilm in superficial infections.

Bacterial infections, especially induced by multidrug-resistant pathogens, have become a significant global health concern. In the infected tissues, biofilms not only serve as a source of nutrients but also act as protective barriers that impede antibiotic penetration. Herein, we developed tea polyphenols epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) Au nanoparticles (E-Au NPs) through direct one-step self-assembly methods by EGCG chelating with Au ions to eradicate antibiotic-resistant bacteria methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and prevent the formation of biofilm under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation.

A Practical and Safe Model of Nitrogen Mustard Injury in Cornea.

Purpose: Sulfur mustard (SM) is an alkylating agent used in warfare and terrorism that inflicts devastating ocular injuries. Although the clinical symptoms are well described, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, hindering the development of effective treatments. One major roadblock is the lack of a suitable model due to the extremely hazardous nature of SM, which requires strict safety measures.

A tissue bandage for pelvic ganglia injury.

Neurogenic bladder often occurs after pelvic ganglia injury. Its symptoms, like severe urinary retention and incontinence, have a significant impact on individuals' quality of life. Unfortunately, there are currently no effective treatments available for this type of injury.

Dronedarone hydrochloride inhibits gastric cancer proliferation in vitro and in vivo by targeting SRC.

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is a significant global concern, ranking as the fifth most prevalent cancer. Unfortunately, the five-year survival rate is less than 30 %. Additionally, approximately 50 % of patients experience a recurrence or metastasis.

3D Printing of Tough Hydrogel Scaffolds with Functional Surface Structures for Tissue Regeneration.

Hydrogel scaffolds have numerous potential applications in the tissue engineering field. However, tough hydrogel scaffolds implanted in vivo are seldom reported because it is difficult to balance biocompatibility and high mechanical properties. Inspired by Chinese ramen, we propose a universal fabricating method (printing-P, training-T, cross-linking-C, PTC & PCT) for tough hydrogel scaffolds to fill this gap.

Reversible cold-induced lens opacity in a hibernator reveals a molecular target for treating cataracts.

Maintaining protein homeostasis (proteostasis) requires precise control of protein folding and degradation. Failure to properly respond to stresses disrupts proteostasis, which is a hallmark of many diseases, including cataracts. Hibernators are natural cold-stress adaptors; however, little is known about how they keep a balanced proteome under conditions of drastic temperature shift.

Generation of Functional Lentoid Bodies from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

The pathological mechanisms of cataract remain largely unknown due to the lack of appropriate in vitro cellular models. We developed a stable in vitro system, namely, a "fried egg" differentiation method to generate functional lentoid bodies (LBs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The iPSCs-derived LBs exhibited crystalline lens-like morphology and a transparent structure, and expressed lens-specific markers.

Immunocompatible elastomer with increased resistance to the foreign body response.

Polymeric elastomers are extensively employed to fabricate implantable medical devices. However, implantation of the elastomers can induce a strong immune rejection known as the foreign body response (FBR), diminishing their efficacy. Herein, we present a group of immunocompatible elastomers, termed easy-to-synthesize vinyl-based anti-FBR dense elastomers (EVADE).

Impact of fermentation by Saccharomyces Cerevisiae on the macronutrient and in vitro digestion characteristics of Chinese noodles.

This study examined the impact of live bread yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on the nutritional characteristics of Asian dried noodles. Micronutrient analysis of fermented noodles revealed a 6.9% increase in the overall amino acid content, a 37.

Millimeter-wave high-wavenumber scattering diagnostic developments on EAST and NSTX-U.

A pioneering 4-channel, high-k poloidal, millimeter-wave collective scattering system has been successfully developed for the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). Engineered to explore high-k electron density fluctuations, this innovative system deploys a 270 GHz mm-wave probe beam launched from Port K and directed toward Port P (both ports lie on the midplane and are 110° part), where large aperture optics capture radiation across four simultaneous scattering angles. Tailored to measure density fluctuations with a poloidal wavenumber of up to 20 cm-1, this high-k scattering system underwent rigorous laboratory testing in 2023, and the installation is currently being carried out on EAST.

Pain perception, aqueous humour cytokines, and miosis response following first and second eye femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery: A randomised, prospective, intraindividual study.

Background: To compare pain perception, pupil behaviours, and cytokine levels during first-eye and second-eye femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) and determine which is better regarding a short or long interval for bilateral FLACS.

Methods: Notably, 96 eyes of 48 patients with bilateral cataracts underwent the first surgeries in the left or right eye, according to a random sequence. They were further randomised into 2- and 6-week subgroups based on surgery intervals.

Achieving dendrite-free growth of Zn anode by electrodepositing on zincophilic gold-furnished mesh for aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Here, we report a gold-furnished mesh as the current collector for Zn electrodeposition, which is used as the anode in aqueous zinc-ion batteries. The anode exhibits excellent cycling performance without obvious dendrite growth, and the full cell shows an outstanding specific capacity and long-term durability, surpassing those of bare Zn.

Truncation mutations of CRYGD gene in congenital cataracts cause protein aggregation by disrupting the structural stability of γD-crystallin.

Congenital cataracts, a prevalent cause of blindness in children, are associated with protein aggregation. γD-crystallin, essential for sustaining lens transparency, exists as a monomer and exhibits excellent structural stability. In our cohort, we identified a nonsense mutation (c.

Association between glaucoma and stroke: A bidirectional mendelian randomization study.

Purpose: Observational studies have reported positive associations between glaucoma and stroke; however, controversial results exist. Importantly, the nature of the relationship remains unknown since previous studies were not designed to test causality. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the possible causal relationships between glaucoma and stroke.

Rosmarinic acid-grafted gelatin nanogels for efficient diquafosol delivery in dry eye disease therapy.

Dry eye disease (DED) is a prevalent ocular disorder characterized by unstable tear film condition with loss of aqueous or mucin, excessive oxidative stress, and inflammation, leading to discomfort and potential damage to the ocular surface. Current DED therapies have shown restricted therapeutic effects such as frequent dosing and temporary relief with potential unwanted side effects, urgently necessitating the development of innovative efficient therapeutic approaches. Herein, we developed rosmarinic acid (RosA) conjugated gelatin nanogels loading diquafosol sodium (DQS), DRGNG, for simultaneous ROS-scavenging and mucin-secreting DED treatment.

Lens autophagy protein ATG16L1: a potential target for cataract treatment.

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness and low vision worldwide, yet its pathological mechanism is not fully understood. Although macroautophagy/autophagy is recognized as essential for lens homeostasis and has shown potential in alleviating cataracts, its precise mechanism remains unclear. Uncovering the molecular details of autophagy in the lens could provide targeted therapeutic interventions alongside surgery.