Latest ArticlesAndrogenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of hair loss in clinical practice. Currently, the approved clinically used regimens for the treatment of alopecia include topical administration of minoxidil and oral finasteride. However, the two treatment approaches always demonstrate adverse effects and safety concerns. In the study, an aqueous transdermal delivery system (AqEDs) of Cacumen Platycladi essential oil (EO) was developed for the treatment of AGA, using deep eutectic solvent (DES) to solubilize the complex components of EOs. The AqEDs can stabilize EOs and allows transdermal delivery through lipid extraction with keratin conformational changes. AqEDs induced more significant hair regrowth effects in AGA model mice at a lower dosing frequency compared to minoxidil. This study potentially provides a safer and more effective strategy for the treatment of AGA.
Breast cancer (BRCA) is a multifaceted and extremely diverse condition, with conventional diagnostic and therapeutic methods encountering considerable obstacles. With the increasing amount of medical data and the ongoing development of computer technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) has become widely used in BRCA medication research and clinical decision-making. Specifically, AI helps anticipate therapy responses, makes it easier to choose the best treatment regimens based on the molecular and pathological features of tumors, and allows for more accurate risk assessments for BRCA. AI is also essential to drug development, including the identification and prediction of novel therapeutic targets, the screening and prediction of compound structures, the repurposing of existing drugs, and the creation of combination treatments. From static assessments based on molecular subtypes to dynamic tracking of disease development, AI’s role in BRCA diagnosis and therapy has changed throughout time. It has transitioned from experience-based therapeutic approaches to data-driven clinical decision-making. In addition to improving patients’ quality of life, this shift is essential to turning cancer therapy into a "prevention-prediction-personalized" paradigm. This review article thoroughly examines the developments in AI applications for important fields such as molecular subtype identification, metastasis and recurrence prediction, BRCA risk stratification, and the creation of new medications. It delves deeper into current technological constraints and clinical translation pathways, emphasizing the need for advances in clinical applicability and technical standardization through tactics like large-scale multi-center clinical trials, innovative cross-modal data integration, and algorithmic architecture optimization.
Glycopolymers with a brush architecture that are immobilized on material surfaces can mimic the natural glycoconjugates found on cell surfaces, with potential biomedical applications including antimicrobial, anticoagulation, anti-nonspecific adhesion, cellular communication and protein purification. To facilitate the clinical translation and applications of glyco-engineered materials, it is essential to achieve a comprehensive understanding of synthetic strategies and surface-immobilization techniques from a holistic perspective. This review highlights recent advances in the covalent immobilization of glycopolymer chains onto materials through methods like surface-initiated polymerization and interfacial coupling reactions. It provides a detailed summary of the synthetic routes for reactive glycopolymers and interfaces, as well as the technologies used for immobilization on various surfaces, including plastics, metals, silica materials, carbon materials, and living cells. The challenges and opportunities for the future development of glycopolymer-engineered materials and interfaces are also discussed. We believe that this review can serve as a valuable resource for researchers interested in the interdisciplinary field of glycoscience and materials.
The multidrug resistance and robust biofilm-forming capacity of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) present significant challenges to clinical therapy, underscoring the urgent need for the effective antibacterial strategies. While synergistic approaches combining photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) exhibit considerable promise, their efficacy is frequently constrained by limitations in targeted delivery to bacteria and biofilms. This study developed a multifunctional nanoparticle (BDPV) through the conjugation of vancomycin (VAN) with distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine-polyethylene glycol 2000 (DSPE-PEG2000) and the encapsulation of a 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene derivative (BODIPY) possessing both photodynamic and photothermal properties. BDPV employs a dual-targeting mechanism: (1) VAN enables specific targeting of peptidoglycan in the bacterial cell wall; (2) under the conditions of infection microenvironments, BODIPY undergoes protonation, resulting in charge reversal from negative to positive, thereby enhancing electrostatic interaction to bacteria. Upon irradiation with the near-infrared (NIR) laser, BDPV synergistically generates potent photodynamic and photothermal antibacterial effects, which facilitates highly efficient targeting and effective eradication of drug-resistant bacterial infections. Furthermore, BDPV demonstrated remarkable therapeutic efficacy in both deep-tissue infection models (pneumonia) and superficial infection models (skin wounds). This strategy provides a promising new approach for overcoming drug-resistant bacterial infections and treating associated biofilm-related diseases.
Palladium (Pd)-based catalysts are commonly used for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) in direct ethanol fuel cells, but their performance is hindered by sluggish kinetics and CO poisoning. Engineering p-d orbital hybridization between p-block metals and Pd can optimize the electronic properties and thus boosting the electrocatalytic activities. Therefore, Pd8Sb3 intermetallic nanodisks (NDs) with an unconventional trigonal phase are synthesized through a simple hydrothermal method, promoting a strong p-d hybridization between Pd and Sb. These Pd8Sb3 NDs exhibit exceptional EOR performance with a mass activity of 4.6 A/mg, approximately six times as high as commercial Pd/C. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm that p-d hybridization optimizes intermediates adsorption and reduces reaction energy barriers. This work provides an effective pathway to fabricate strong p-d orbital hybridization and enhance the catalytic performance of Pd-based catalysts for renewable energy applications.
Diabetic wounds are characterized by local oxidative stress, bacterial infection, and persistent inflammation, all of which hinder effective clinical healing. To address these challenges, we developed a glucose/reactive oxygen species (ROS) dual-responsive hydrogel (hyaluronic acid-phenylboronic acid (HA-PBA)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/mangiferin (MF), HPM) composed of HA-PBA and PVA. This hydrogel incorporates MF, a bioactive compound with multiple therapeutic properties, through dynamic boronate ester bonds, enabling stimulus-responsive drug release tailored to the diabetic wound microenvironment, thereby enhancing wound repair. Physicochemical analyses demonstrated that HPM exhibits a favorable porous structure, excellent swelling behavior, appropriate rheological characteristics, and self-healing capability. In vitro studies revealed that HPM effectively scavenges ROS, inhibits bacterial proliferation, attenuates inflammation, and promotes angiogenesis. In a diabetic rat model, HPM significantly accelerated wound closure, as indicated by enhanced epithelial regeneration, increased collagen deposition, improved neovascularization, and suppressed inflammatory. Moreover, biocompatibility evaluations confirmed the excellent biosafety of HPM both in vitro and in vivo. This multifunctional hydrogel dressing, combining glucose and ROS sensitivity with robust therapeutic efficacy and biocompatibility, offers a promising strategy for diabetic wound management.
Venous thrombosis (VT) is defined by the formation of a blood clot within a vein, leading to partial or complete obstruction of blood flow. This condition may result in severe sequelae, including chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and post-thrombotic syndrome. As a multifactorial and episodic disorder, VT constitutes a significant contributor to global morbidity and mortality. In this review, we first seek to provide a comprehensive understanding of the intricate pathophysiological mechanisms underlying VT. Next, the diagnostic challenges posed by the nonspecific nature of clinical signs and symptoms were explored, offering an overview of current strategies aimed at enhancing diagnostic accuracy. Furthermore, treatment modalities for VT, primarily consisting of anticoagulation therapy, along with thrombolysis or surgical intervention when indicated, are discussed in detail. Considering the urgent need for safer and more effective therapeutic options, the development of nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems (DDS) capable of specific sites of thrombosis is crucial. Thus, this review further examines recent advancements in DDS for the treatment of VT. Finally, we will evaluate the prospects and significant challenges currently facing the field, offering a comprehensive overview of the research and treatment of VT.
Chronic skin wounds with persistent bacterial infections present a formidable clinical challenge, characterized by recurrent infections and delayed healing. These issues stem from incomplete bacterial eradication, a lack of sustained antibacterial ability, and slow tissue repair. We developed a dual-responsive nanocatalytic membrane to address these limitations for advanced infected chronic wound management. This platform integrates MXene/CuO2 bio-heterojunctions (MX/CO bio-HJs) with polydopamine (PDA) and electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds, creating a multifunctional system that synergistically enhances debridement and regeneration. Diverging from traditional dressings, this membrane leverages near-infrared (NIR) light to trigger robust antibacterial action through synergistic photodynamic (PDT) and photothermal (PTT) therapies, ensuring complete sterilization. In the absence of NIR, it autonomously responds to the infection microenvironments (IMEs) by initiating Fenton-like cascades via chemodynamic therapy (CDT) and metal-ion therapy (MIT), sustaining reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and Cu2+ ions release to prevent recurrent infections. Simultaneously, the released Cu2+ ions enhance vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, fostering angiogenesis and hastening wound closure, thus reducing infection risks linked to prolonged exposure. In vivo studies demonstrate rapid bacterial elimination, significant remodeling of the wound milieu, and enhanced epithelialization, collagen deposition, and vascularization. This innovative design overcomes the deficiencies of existing modalities, offering a NIR/IMEs dual-responsive approach to managing chronic infected wounds with precision and efficacy.
Lymph nodes (LNs), as specialized secondary lymphoid organs with highly organized micro-architecture containing various immune cells, play a pivotal role in antigen presentation and immune cell activation. Compared to traditional immunotherapy delivery methods, LN-targeted delivery demonstrates greater effectiveness in modulating the immunosuppressive environment within tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLNs), thereby activating anti-cancer immunity, and reducing potential systemic side effects. This review summarizes various types of LN-targeted nanoparticles (NPs) and factors influencing targeting efficiency as well as outlining recent advances in LN-targeted immunotherapeutic agents. It is expected that this review will provide a comprehensive understanding of the current research landscape and emerging trends in this field, offering guidance for future studies.
Hyperbranched polymers (HBPs) comprising polyether and polyacrylate segments are effective for enhancing the performance of polyether and polyacrylate blends. However, this approach is limited by difficulties associated with efficient synthetic strategies and structural modifications. Herein, we develop a strategy for synthesizing HBPs through the copolymerization of epoxides and acrylates, wherein glycidyl acrylate (GA), a bifunctional monomer comprising epoxy and acrylate groups, was added as the branching point. The dinuclear Cr-complex-catalyzed copolymerization of epoxides and acrylates occurred in a monomer reactivity-determined manner. By varying the feed ratio of GA, HBPs with various branching degrees were accessed, attaining HBPs with different molecular weights. Furthermore, the obtained HBPs are effective in promoting the mechanical performances of polyether and polyacrylate blends. Morphological characterization revealed that the incorporation of HBPs into blends improved the microphase fusion of immiscible domains within the blend, highlighting their excellent compatibilization performances.
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