Customized Corneal Cross-Linking with Microneedle-Mediated Riboflavin Delivery for Keratoconus Treatment.

In this study, a novel customized corneal cross-linking (CXL) treatment is explored that utilizes microneedles (MNs) for targeted riboflavin (RF) administration prior to the CXL procedure. Unlike the conventional "one-size-fits-all" approach, this protocol offers an option for more precise and efficacious treatment. To simulate a customized corneal crosslinking technique, four distinct microneedle (MN) molds designs, including circular, semi-circular, annular and butterfly shaped, are crafted for loading an optimized RF-hyaluronic acid solution and for the subsequent fabrication of MN arrays with varying morphologies.

Interleukin-17F suppressed colon cancer by enhancing caspase 4 mediated pyroptosis of endothelial cells.

The combination of anti-angiogenic treatment and immunotherapy presents a promising strategy against colon cancer. Interleukin-17F (IL-17F) emerges as a critical immune cell cytokine expressed in colonic epithelial cells, demonstrating potential in inhibiting angiogenesis. In order to clarify the roles of IL-17F in the colon cancer microenvironment and elucidate its mechanism, we established a mouse colon carcinoma cell line CT26 overexpressing IL-17F and transplanted it subcutaneously into syngeneic BALB/c mice.

CRISPR-CasRx-mediated disruption of Aqp1/Adrb2/Rock1/Rock2 genes reduces intraocular pressure and retinal ganglion cell damage in mice.

Glaucoma affects approximately 80 million individuals worldwide, a condition for which current treatment options are inadequate. The primary risk factor for glaucoma is elevated intraocular pressure. Intraocular pressure is determined by the balance between the secretion and outflow of aqueous humor.

Genome Editing VEGFA Prevents Corneal Neovascularization In Vivo.

Corneal neovascularization (CNV) is a common clinical finding seen in a range of eye diseases. Current therapeutic approaches to treat corneal angiogenesis, in which vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) A plays a central role, can cause a variety of adverse side effects. The technology of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 can edit VEGFA gene to suppress its expression.

Advancing botanical safety: A strategy for selecting, sourcing, and characterizing botanicals for developing toxicological tools.

Increases in botanical use, encompassing herbal medicines and dietary supplements, have underlined a critical need for an advancement in safety assessment methodologies. However, botanicals present unique challenges for safety assessment due to their complex and variable composition arising from diverse growing conditions, processing methods, and plant varieties. Historically, botanicals have been largely evaluated based on their history of use information, based primarily on traditional use or dietary history.

A new sesquiterpene from endophytic fungus sp. B-89.

A new sesquiterpene, named (1, 4a, 7 , 8 , 8a) Decahydro-1,4a-dimethyl-7-(1-methylethyl)-1,8-naphthalenediol (), and six known compounds (-) were obtained from sp. B-89, an endophytic fungus isolated from collected at Xishuangbanna, Yunnan. Their structures were elucidated by detailed analysis of comprehensive spectroscopic data, and the structure of was further determined by X-ray diffraction analysis.

Multifunctional Hydrogel Eye Drops for Synergistic Treatment of Ocular Inflammatory Disease.

Uveitis is a complex ocular inflammatory disease with a multifactorial etiology that can result in blindness. Although corticosteroid eye drops are the primary treatment for anterior uveitis, their efficacy is limited by low bioavailability, adverse effects, and a narrow focus on inflammation. In this study, the multifunctional hydrogel eye drops (designated as DCFH) were developed by incorporating the anti-inflammatory agent dexamethasone (DSP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger cerium-based metal-organic frameworks (Ce-MOFs) into thermosensitive triblock copolymer F127 for the synergistic treatment against uveitis.

Two new diketopiperazines from the Cordyceps fungus Samsoniella sp. XY4.

Two new diketopiperazines, namely samsoniellain A (1) and samsoniellain B (2), together with two known compounds (3, 4) were isolated from Cordyceps fungus Samsoniella sp. XY4. The planar structures of 1 and 2 were determined by HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy.

Development and Validation of a Self-Administered Screening Test for Betel Quid Use Disorders in Betel Quid Chewers in Hunan, China.

Introduction: Processed betel quid product chewing is a public health problem in areca non-plant areas in China. However, there is no valid instrument to screen for betel quid use disorder (BQUD) in mainland China. We developed a self-administered screening test for betel quid use disorders (SST-BQUD) and tested its reliability and validity in a sample of betel quid chewers (BQCers) in Hunan, China.

Assessment of corneal biomechanics in anisometropia using Scheimpflug technology.

To investigate the relationship between corneal biomechanical and ocular biometric parameters, and to explore biomechanical asymmetry between anisometropic eyes using the corneal visualization Scheimpflug technology device (Corvis ST). 180 anisometropic participants were included. Participants were divided into low (1.

Engineering Oxygen Vacancies on Mixed-Valent Mesoporous α-MnO for High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

Intrinsically poor conductivity and sluggish ion-transfer kinetics limit the further development of electrochemical storage of mesoporous manganese dioxide. In order to overcome the challenge, defect engineering is an effective way to improve electrochemical capability by regulating electronic configuration at the atomic level of manganese dioxide. Herein, we demonstrate effective construction of defects on mesoporous α-MnO through simply controlling the degree of redox reaction process, which could obtain a balance between Mn/Mn ratio and oxygen vacancy concentration for efficient supercapacitors.

Nonmetal Graphdiyne Nanozyme-Based Ferroptosis-Apoptosis Strategy for Colon Cancer Therapy.

Ferroptosis-apoptosis, a new modality of induced cell death dependent on reactive oxygen species, has drawn tremendous attention in the field of nanomedicine. A metal-free ferroptosis-apoptosis inducer was reported based on boron and nitrogen codoped graphdiyne (BN-GDY) that possesses efficient glutathione (GSH) depletion capability and concurrently induces ferroptosis by deactivation of GSH-dependent peroxidases 4 (GPX4) and apoptosis by downregulation of Bcl2. The high catalytic activity of BN-GDY is explicated by both kinetic experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations of Gibbs free energy change during hydrogen peroxide (HO) decomposition.

High Energy Density in Combination with High Cycling Stability in Hybrid Supercapacitors.

Hybrid supercapacitors are considered the next-generation energy storage equipment due to their superior performance. In hybrid supercapacitors, battery electrodes need to have large absolute capacities while displaying high cycling stability. However, enhancing areal capacity via decreasing the size of electrode materials results in reductions in cycling stability.

Research on the Impact of Regional Economy on Industrial Development from the Perspective of Big Data.

In order to study the driving force of China's rapid economic development in the past ten years, the study takes Guizhou, Yunnan, and Guangxi as a case study, focusing on the big data assets exchange (GBDEx) and Beibu Gulf Economic Zone, and discusses the impact of Internet plus economic and government data and the big data system on regional economy. Finally, it is believed that the Internet and big data fully avoid the disadvantages of traffic distance between the western region and the eastern region, make full and efficient cooperation between enterprises and institutions in the central and western regions and Chinese and foreign economic entities, and strengthen the control of economic behavior from the big data level with the support of the service-oriented government. The information entropy output from the Internet big data system has led to a significant entropy reduction process in China's economic environment and a more orderly economic system, which is also an important reason for the rapid development of China's economy.

Complexation of Sulfonate-Containing Polyurethane and Polyacrylic Acid Enables Fabrication of Self-Healing Hydrogel Membranes with High Mechanical Strength and Excellent Elasticity.

Artificial hydrogel membranes with good biocompatibility are strongly needed in biological fields. The preparation of biocompatible hydrogel membranes simultaneously possessing high mechanical strength, excellent elasticity, and satisfactory self-healing properties remains a challenge. Herein, we demonstrate the preparation of such hydrogel membranes by complexation of sulfonate-containing polyurethane (SPU) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) in the presence of Zn ions followed by swelling in water (denoted as SPU-PAA/Zn).

Silver Peroxide Nanoparticles for Combined Antibacterial Sonodynamic and Photothermal Therapy.

Metal peroxide nanoparticles designed to elevate the oxidative stress are considered a promising nanotherapeutics in biomedical applications, including chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and bacterial disinfection. However, their lack of specificity towards the therapeutic target can cause toxic side effects to healthy tissues. Here, silver peroxide nanoparticles (Ag O NPs) capable of controlled reactive oxygen species (ROS) release are synthesized.

Pomegranate-Like CuO@SiO Nanospheres as HO Self-Supplying and Robust Oxygen Generators for Enhanced Antibacterial Activity.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced nanosystems represent one of the most essential, efficient, and encouraging nanobactericides for eliminating bacterial infection concerning the increasing resistance threats of existing antibiotics. Among them, Fenton-type metal peroxide nanoparticles are exciting nanomaterials with intriguing physiochemical properties, yet the study of this antimicrobial agent is still in its infancy. Herein, a robust pH-responsive Fenton nanosystem is constructed by the assembly of copper peroxide nanodots in pomegranate-like mesoporous silica nanoshells (CuO@SiO) that are capable of self-supplying HO and sustainably generating O.

Seeded 2D epitaxy of large-area single-crystal films of the van der Waals semiconductor 2H MoTe.

The integration of two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals semiconductors into silicon electronics technology will require the production of large-scale, uniform, and highly crystalline films. We report a route for synthesizing wafer-scale single-crystalline 2H molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe) semiconductors on an amorphous insulating substrate. In-plane 2D-epitaxy growth by tellurizing was triggered from a deliberately implanted single seed crystal.

Degradable Poly(vinyl alcohol)-Based Supramolecular Plastics with High Mechanical Strength in a Watery Environment.

It is challenging to fabricate degradable poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-based plastics that can be used in watery environments because PVA is soluble in water. In this study, PVA-based supramolecular plastics with excellent degradability in soil and high mechanical strength in watery environments are fabricated by the complexation of vanillin-grafted PVA (VPVA), hydrophobic humic acid (HA), and Fe ions (hereafter denoted as VPVA-HA-Fe complexes). Large-area PVA-based plastics can be easily prepared from a solution of VPVA-HA-Fe complexes using a blade-coating method.

Polymeric Complex-Based Transparent and Healable Ionogels with High Mechanical Strength and Ionic Conductivity as Reliable Strain Sensors.

Transparent and healable ionogels with very high mechanical strength, ionic conductivity, and resilience were fabricated for use as strain sensors with satisfactory reliability. The ionogels were fabricated by casting an aqueous solution of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) complexes and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide ([EMIm][DCA]), followed by evaporation of water at room temperature. The use of [EMIm][DCA] endowed the resulting ionogels with ionic conductivity at room temperature as high as 19.

Self-assembled nanogels of luminescent thiolated silver nanoclusters and chitosan as bactericidal agent and bacterial sensor.

Multifunctional theranostic agents with the features of good biocompatibility, long-term antibacterial efficacy, and rapid bacterial detection are the desired future medicine for infectious diseases, but which poses huge challenges on the design of such multifunctional nanocomposites in a single entity. Herein, self-assembled nanogels of thiolated silver nanoclusters (Ag NCs) and chitosan was designed and synthesized, which combines the desirable biocompatible, targeting specific, luminescent properties. This nanogel displays an amplified luminescence via strong matrix-ligand coordination between thiolate ligands and chitosan matrix to rigidify the molecular structure on the surface of Ag NCs.

Gold nanoclusters decorated amine-functionalized graphene oxide nanosheets for capture, oxidative stress, and photothermal destruction of bacteria.

Gold nanoclusters decorated amine-functionalized graphene oxide (Au-GO-NH) nanosheets were designed as a highly efficient visible light active antibacterial agent. This assembled nanosheet is positively charged and of high specific surface area that captures bacteria through physical adsorption and electrostatic interaction. Under visible light irradiation, this photoactive nanosheet concurrently generates massive heat and produces substantial reactive oxygen species to inactivate bacteria.

Antibacterial Activity of Graphdiyne and Graphdiyne Oxide.

From manufacture to disposal, the interaction of graphdiyne based nanomaterials with living organisms is inevitable and crucial. However, the cytotoxic properties of this novel carbon nanomaterial are rarely investigated, and the mechanisms behind their cytotoxicity are totally unknown. In this study, the antibacterial activity of graphdiyne (GDY) and graphdiyne oxide (GDYO) is reported.

Mechanically Robust, Elastic, and Healable Ionogels for Highly Sensitive Ultra-Durable Ionic Skins.

The fabrication of highly durable skin-mimicking sensors remains challenging because of the unavoidable fatigue and physical damage that sensors are subjected to in practical applications. In this study, ultra-durable ionic skins (I-skins) with excellent healability and high sensitivity are fabricated by impregnating ionic liquids (ILs) into a mechanically robust poly(urea-urethane) (PU) network. The PU network is composed of crystallized poly(ε-caprolactone) and flexible poly(ethylene glycol) that are dynamically cross-linked with hindered urea bonds and hydrogen bonds.