Dental plaque-inspired peptide engineered to control plaque accumulation.

Effective control of plaque accumulation is an important strategy for reducing the risk of both localized oral health issues and systemic diseases associated with plaque. However, existing approaches for preventing plaque accumulation exhibit some limitations, such as insufficient compatibility with the oral microbiota and tissues, as well as inconvenience in their use. Herein, inspired by dental plaque, a new class of peptides featuring excellent anti-fouling performance is successfully developed.

Chargeable photoconductivity in van der Waals heterojunctions of black phosphorus and quasi-two-dimensional electron gas.

Nowadays, there is a surge of research reports on photovoltaic cells and photodetectors based on van der Waals (vdW) heterojunction. However, there are very few reports on the simultaneous realization of photoelectric conversion and storage in a single device. Herein, a simple method was utilized to successfully prepare a van der Waals heterojunction with a chargeable photoconductivity (CPC) effect between black phosphorus and quasi-two-dimensional electron gas.

Efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban in preventing venous thromboembolism in postoperative patients with gynecological malignancies: protocol for a randomised controlled open-label trial (G-alfalfa trial).

Introduction: Compared with the guideline-recommended use of low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) for 28 days to prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE) after cytoreductive surgery, oral rivaroxaban avoids the pain and inconvenience of daily injections and reduces medical expenses. The proposed randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to compare the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban and enoxaparin in preventing VTE in patients after surgery for gynaecological malignancies and to provide a reference for clinical medication prevention.

Methods And Analysis: This is a single-centre, randomised, controlled, open-label and assessor-blind clinical trial.

Global burden and attributable risk factors of inflammatory cardiomyopathy and myocarditis from 1990 to 2019.

Background: Our understanding of the global burden distribution of inflammatory cardiomyopathy and myocarditis is very limited.

Objective: To comprehensively assess the global burden distribution and attributable risk factors of inflammatory cardiomyopathy and myocarditis from 1990 to 2019.

Methods: We extracted the data on death, disability-adjusted life years (DALY), and age-standardized rate (ASR) of inflammatory cardiomyopathy and myocarditis from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, including the comprehensive data and the data classified by age/sex.

The enhancement mechanisms of chondroitin sulfate on α-amylase activity: Exploring the interaction using in vitro and in silico studies.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAG) are bioactive polysaccharide rich in -SO- and -COO- groups, also known as acidic mucopolysaccharides. In this study, the feasibility of three structurally distinct forms of chondroitin sulfate (CS-A, CS-C, and CS-D) from the GAG family was explored as a potential strategy to enhance industrial α-amylase activity. All three CSs were found to increase α-amylase activity to varying degrees, with CS-D showing the most significant increase, exceeding 78 %.

Synergistic catecholamine and coordination chemistry for enhanced bioactivity and secondary grafting activity of zirconia dental implants.

The inherent bioinertness of zirconia (ZrO) hinders its early bone integration, presenting a significant obstacle to its widespread use in dental implant technologies. Addressing this, we developed a surface coating leveraging the synergistic effects of catecholamine and coordination chemistry inspired by the mussel byssus cuticle. This coating, named PDPA@Sr, is enriched with strontium ions and amine groups, resulting from a simple immersion of polydopamine (PD)-coated ZrO in an alkaline strontium chloride and poly(allylamine) (PA) solution.

Elucidating the Mechanism of Large-Diameter Titanium Dioxide Nanotubes in Protecting Osteoblasts Under Oxidative Stress Environment: The Role of Fibronectin and Albumin Adsorption.

Background: Large-diameter titanium dioxide nanotubes (TNTs) have shown promise in preserving osteoblast function under oxidative stress (OS) in vitro. However, their ability to enhance osteogenesis in vivo under OS conditions and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the osteogenic potential of 110 nm TNTs (TNT110) compared to 30 nm TNTs (TNT30) in an aging rat model exhibiting OS, and to investigate the mechanisms involved.

Le Petit Prince Hong Kong (LPPHK): Naturalistic fMRI and EEG data from older Cantonese speakers.

Currently, the field of neurobiology of language is based on data from only a few Indo-European languages. The majority of this data comes from younger adults neglecting other age groups. Here we present a multimodal database which consists of task-based and resting state fMRI, structural MRI, and EEG data while participants over 65 years old listened to sections of the story The Little Prince in Cantonese.

Near-Infrared Responsive Biomimetic Titanate/TiO Heterostructure: A Therapeutic Strategy for Combating Implant-Associated Infection and Enhancing Osseointegration.

Implant-associated infections and delayed osseointegration are major challenges for the clinical success of titanium implants. To enhance antibacterial effects and promote early osseointegration, we developed a synergistic photothermal (PTT)/photodynamic (PDT) therapy strategy based on near-infrared (NIR) responsive biomimetic micro/nano titanate/TiO heterostructure coatings (KMNW and NaMNS) in situ constructed on the surface of titanium implants. Specifically, KMNW and NaMNS significantly enhanced photothermal conversion capabilities, achieving localized high temperatures of 48-51 °C and promoting substantial amounts of reactive oxygen species production under 808 nm irradiation.

The Alfalfa-inpatient-CAT assessment model: a thrombotic risk assessment model for inpatient cancer patients.

Purpose: To construct a venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk assessment model specifically for inpatients with cancer.

Method: Patients were included according to the inclusion criteria. Univariate and multivariate analyses of all variables were included to develop a VTE risk assessment model applicable to the derivation cohort.

Development of a Routine Serological Test Index Panel for the Surveillance of Gastric Cancer Risk in a High-Risk Population.

Objective: This study aims to develop a predictive model for the detection of gastric cancer risk utilizing non-invasive parameters and to assess the model's effectiveness in risk stratification for gastric cancer (GC).

Methods: A case-control study was conducted among inpatients with various gastric diseases. These individuals were categorized into two groups: the gastric cancer group (138 cases) and the chronic non-atrophic gastritis (CNAG) group (319 cases).

Efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants for preventing venous thromboembolism in hospitalized cancer patients: a national multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Studies on the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) in hospitalized cancer patients are lacking. Therefore, we conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DOACs versus low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) for the primary prevention of VTE in hospitalized cancer patients.

Methods: Clinical outcomes included thrombosis, VTE, other thrombosis, all bleeding, major bleeding, nonmajor bleeding, and all-cause death.

Personalized PLGA/BCL Scaffold with Hierarchical Porous Structure Resembling Periosteum-Bone Complex Enables Efficient Repair of Bone Defect.

Using bone regeneration scaffolds to repair craniomaxillofacial bone defects is a promising strategy. However, most bone regeneration scaffolds still exist some issues such as a lack of barrier structure, inability to precisely match bone defects, and necessity to incorporate biological components to enhance efficacy. Herein, inspired by a periosteum-bone complex, a class of multifunctional hierarchical porous poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/baicalein scaffolds is facilely prepared by the union of personalized negative mold technique and phase separation strategy and demonstrated to precisely fit intricate bone defect cavity.

Blood Coagulation-Inspired Fibrin Hydrogel for Portable Detection of Thrombin Based on Personal Glucometer.

As one of the biomarkers of coagulation system-related diseases, the detection of thrombin is of practical importance. Thus, this study developed a portable biosensor based on a personal glucometer for rapid detection of thrombin activity. Fibrinogen was used for the detection of thrombin, and the assay principle was inspired by the blood coagulation process, where thrombin hydrolyzes fibrinogen to produce a fibrin hydrogel, and the amount of invertase encapsulated in the fibrin hydrogel fluctuates in accordance with the activity of thrombin in the sample solution.

Mussel byssus-inspired dual-functionalization of zirconia dental implants for improved bone integration.

Zirconia faces challenges in dental implant applications due to its inherent biological inertness, which compromises osseointegration, a critical factor for the long-term success of implants that rely heavily on specific cell adhesion and enhanced osteogenic activity. Here, we fabricated a dual-functional coating that incorporates strontium ions, aimed at enhancing osteogenic activity, along with an integrin-targeting sequence to improve cell adhesion by mussel byssus-inspired surface chemistry. The results indicated that although the integrin-targeting sequence at the interface solely enhances osteoblast adhesion without directly increasing osteogenic activity, its synergistic interaction with the continuously released strontium ions from the coating, as compared to the release of strontium ions alone, significantly enhances the overall osteogenic effect.

Exploration of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor resistance in the treatment of BRCA1/2-mutated cancer.

Breast cancer susceptibility 1/2 (BRCA1/2) genes play a crucial role in DNA damage repair, yet mutations in these genes increase the susceptibility to tumorigenesis. Exploiting the synthetic lethality mechanism between BRCA1/2 mutations and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition has led to the development and clinical approval of PARP inhibitor (PARPi), representing a milestone in targeted therapy for BRCA1/2 mutant tumors. This approach has paved the way for leveraging synthetic lethality in tumor treatment strategies.

Efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation combined with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Currently published studies have not observed consistent results on the efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) use in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) combined with atrial fibrillation (AF). Therefore, this study conducted a meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of DOACs for patients with AF complicated with CKD.

Methods: Database literature was searched up to May 30, 2023, to include randomized controlled trials (RCT) involving patients with AF complicated with CKD DOACs and vitamin K antagonists (VKAs).

Flexiplex: a versatile demultiplexer and search tool for omics data.

Motivation: The process of analyzing high throughput sequencing data often requires the identification and extraction of specific target sequences. This could include tasks, such as identifying cellular barcodes and UMIs in single-cell data, and specific genetic variants for genotyping. However, existing tools, which perform these functions are often task-specific, such as only demultiplexing barcodes for a dedicated type of experiment, or are not tolerant to noise in the sequencing data.

Multifunctional Sensors Made with Conductive Microframework and Biomass Hydrogel for Detecting Packaging Pressure and Food Freshness.

Food packaging detection devices have attracted attention to optimize storage situations and reduce food spoilage. However, low-cost and highly sensitive multifunctional sensors for detecting both food freshness and packaging pressure are still lacking. In this study, a multifunctional sensor was developed consisting of a MXene coated alcohol-soluble polyurethane fiber network (MXene/APU) and composite biohydrogel films made of konjac glucomannan, chitosan, and blueberry anthocyanin (KCB).

Addition of konjac glucomannan improves spraying efficiency on fruits and vegetables: Effect of surface hydrophilicity and molecular weight.

Biomacromolecules have attracted interest as spraying additives due to their degradability, renewability, and non-toxicity. However, microscopic mechanism of the biomacromolecules regulating the droplet behavior on fruits and vegetables is still unclear. In this study, konjac glucomannan (KGM) was used to improve the spraying efficiency and the fresh-keeping performance of tea polyphenols solution.

Large-area, size-controlled and transferable graphene oxide-metal films for humidity sensor.

The lack of low-cost methods to synthesize large-area graphene-based materials is still an important factor that limits the practical application of graphene devices. Herein, we present a facile method for producing large-area graphene oxide-metal (GO-M) films, which are size controllable and transferable. The sensor constructed using the GO-M film exhibited humidity sensitivity while being unaffected by pressure.