Bacteria repellent protein hydrogel decorated with tunable, isotropic, nano-on-micro hierarchical microbump array.

We report the development of ordered shape-controllable microbump structures on protein hydrogels using polystyrene honeycomb templates. Addition of protein nanogels results in the formation of hierarchical nano-on-micro structures and increases surface hydrophilicity by over 55%, exhibiting bacteria repellency 100 times stronger than a flat hydrogel surface composed of the same protein.

Efficacy of face masks against respiratory infectious diseases: a systematic review and network analysis of randomized-controlled trials.

During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, face masks are among the most common and practical control measures used globally in reducing the risk of infection and disease transmission. Although several studies have investigated the efficacy of various face masks and respirators in preventing infection, the results have been inconsistent. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) of the randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the actual efficacy of face masks in preventing respiratory infections.