Search Results (419)

Efficient removal of tetracycline (TC) from antibiotic-contaminated wastewater remains a significant challenge. In this study, a nitrogen-doped carbon modified cobalt ferrite (C@CoFe₂O₄, CF) composite was synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal method, and its adsorption–catalysis dual-function performance was systematically evaluated. Structural characterization revealed that CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were locally encapsulated by an N-doped carbonaceous layer, providing a high specific surface area and abundant nitrogen-containing active sites. Under optimized conditions, the CF-3/PMS system achieved 93.44% TC removal within 45 min, while CF-3 exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 486.5 mg·g⁻¹. Radical quenching experiments suggested that singlet oxygen (¹O₂) and superoxide radicals (O₂•⁻) played major roles in TC oxidation, while sulfate radicals (SO₄•⁻) and hydroxyl radicals (HO•) also contributed, indicating the coexistence of radical and non-radical oxidation pathways. TC adsorption was driven by surface complexation, π–π electron donor–acceptor interactions, and hydrogen bonding. The enhanced TC removal performance may arise from the cooperative contributions of N-containing carbon sites, accessible Co/Fe-containing regions, and interfacial electronic interactions, which promote TC enrichment and PMS-mediated oxidation. This work provides a promising strategy for designing bifunctional materials for antibiotic wastewater treatment. Full article

Given the urgent need to regulate oxidative stress microenvironments in chronic wound healing, hydrogel dressings that simultaneously integrate antioxidant, antibacterial, mechanically adaptive, and biocompatible properties are highly desirable. In this study, a natural polymer-based composite hydrogel dressing loaded with zinc-quercetin nanozyme (Zn-Q) was designed. The gel skeleton was constructed via a dual network of photocrosslinked methacrylated silk fibroin (SilMA) and mercaptolated hyaluronic acid (HA-SH) via thiol-ene click chemistry, with the catalase (CAT)-like Zn-Q nanozyme encapsulated in situ within the network, thereby achieving synergy between chemical crosslinking and dynamic metal-polyphenol coordination. Systematic characterization revealed that Zn-Q nanozyme adopted a stable octahedral coordination configuration, and its continuous porous structure exposed abundant catalytically active sites. The composite hydrogels exhibited a highly interconnected, three-dimensional (3D) porous morphology, with swelling ratios that increased significantly with Zn-Q nanozyme content (up to around 1082%). Rheological and mechanical tests demonstrated that although incorporating the nanozyme reduced the storage modulus, the reversible physical crosslinks formed via hydrogen bonding and coordination interactions endowed the material with excellent tensile toughness and energy-dissipation capacity, exhibiting typical Mullins softening behavior. Functional evaluation showed that Zn-Q nanozyme conferred superior free radical scavenging capability to the hydrogels and exerted dose-dependent inhibition against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Furthermore, the hydrogels exhibited favorable adhesion to various wet organs and heterogeneous material surfaces, with hemolysis rates below 5% and cell viability exceeding 100% after 3 days of culturing with fibroblasts, confirming their excellent hemocompatibility and cytocompatibility. This study provides an experimental basis for developing a new type of wound repair materials that integrate antioxidant, anti-infective, and mechanically adaptive properties, holding significant application potential in oxidative stress-related tissue repair fields. Full article

Spatially separated dual-bioactive delivery platform from electrospun polyhydroxybutyrate/poly(ethylene oxide) fibers loaded with rutin (PHB/PEO/RUT) and decorated with zein/Melissa officinalis particles (zein/MO) were obtained by simultaneous electrospinning/electrospraying. The morphology of the materials, their thermal properties and chemical composition were systematically studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR–FTIR). The incorporation of PEO into the fabricated fibrous materials enhanced their wettability. It was demonstrated that the newly developed materials had high encapsulation efficiency (99.8 ± 0.1%) of RUT and/or MO. The architecture of the materials affected the in vitro release profile of the bioactive agents. RUT exerted its DPPH^• scavenging capacity upon incorporation into the fibers. An increase in antioxidant activity was observed in the fibrous mats loaded with both RUT and MO. Moreover, the developed materials decreased the viability of SH-4 melanoma cells to a greater extent than that of non-cancerous HaCaT keratinocytes. The combined rapid release and sustained release of bioactive agents and the antioxidant and anticancer activity of the newly developed materials render them promising candidates as platforms for local drug delivery. Full article

Background: The highly heterogeneous and dynamically evolving tumor microenvironment leads to the development of drug resistance and recurrence in traditional therapies. Although immunotherapy demonstrates unique advantages, its clinical utility remains constrained by the suboptimal immunogenicity and the limited effect of monotherapy. Herein, a hybrid drug delivery system based on a spatiotemporal hierarchical controlled-release strategy was proposed to achieve dual immunotherapy with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and immunogenic cell death (ICD) to promote synergistic anti-tumor therapy. Methods: A liposome–micelle hybrid drug delivery system (RUT-RPP-LP) was constructed using a lipid bilayer composed of dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine/hemisuccinyl cholesterol to encapsulate rutin (RUT) and to form an inner cavity-encapsulated resveratrol micelle (RPP). RUT-RPP-LP was characterized, and its pH sensitivity and release behavior were investigated. Subsequently, a colon cancer tumor-bearing mouse model was constructed to evaluate the in vivo targeted anti-tumor effect and biological safety. On this basis, the combined mechanism of ICB and ICD was preliminarily explored. Results: RUT-RPP-LP possessed excellent formulation characteristics, stability, and biocompatibility, achieving graded controlled release of drugs via responding to the TME and lysosomal acidity, respectively. Obviously, RUT-RPP-LP could specifically target the tumor site, induce the occurrence of ICD, and simultaneously block the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint signaling pathway, thereby enhancing the function of T cells and inducing apoptosis of tumor cells. Conclusions: The RUT-RPP-LP based on the hierarchical controlled-release strategy exerted a spatiotemporally coordinated enhancement of anti-tumor immunity, and may provide a novel combinatorial approach to overcome the low response of immunotherapy in solid tumors. Full article

Background: Capsular contracture is driven by self-amplifying foreign body response (FBR) where inflammatory and fibrotic signals from fibroblasts and macrophages reinforce each other. We hypothesized that cogradient simultaneous blockade of NF-κB as an inflammatory node and TGF-β/Smad as fibrotic node could attenuate the FBR. Emodin has dual inhibitory activity but suffers from poor delivery. Methods: Emodin liposomes (Emo-Lip) were characterized and tested on TGF-β1-stimulated NIH/3T3 fibroblasts and LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. In a rat silicone implant model, periprosthetic injections were given for four weeks. Fibrous capsule formation was evaluated by histology, immunofluorescence, and FAPI-PET/CT. Transcriptomic analyses were performed to verify and predict relevant pathways. Results: Emo-Lip had uniform size and high encapsulation efficiency. In vitro, Emo-Lip inhibited fibroblast migration, ROS production, myofibroblast differentiation (α-SMA⁺) as well as Ctgf expression, while suppressing M1 polarization and reduced IL-12/IL-6 secretion in macrophages. In vivo, Emo-Lip reduced capsule thickness, collagen area, and α-SMA/Col I expression, comparable to dexamethasone. Transcriptomics showed coordinated downregulation of inflammatory/fibrotic genes, and Western blot confirmed suppressed phosphorylation of Smad3. Conclusions: Coordinated two-node blockade of NF-κB and TGF-β/Smad by liposomal emodin reprograms the FBR and effectively prevents capsular contracture in rats, offering a translational strategy for implant-associated fibrosis. Full article

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) represents a highly promising modality for cancer treatment; however, its clinical success is significantly restricted by the hypoxic nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Hypoxia also upregulates hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression, thereby exacerbating tumor malignancy. To tackle this challenge, we engineered a hypoxia-activatable supramolecular nanoplatform (GH@CyNPs) capable of dual hypoxia reversal and amplification of PDT efficacy. The nanoplatform was constructed via host–guest interactions between a water-soluble pillar[5]arene (WP5) and an azobenzene-linked cyanine/YC-1 conjugate (Cy-G), followed by the co-encapsulation of glucose oxidase (GOx) and catalase (CAT). Upon entering the cancer cells via endocytosis, the azobenzene linker is specifically cleaved by the hypoxic TME, facilitating payload release. Concurrently, the released GOx/CAT pair drives in situ cascade reactions to generate oxygen (O₂), while YC-1 effectively suppresses HIF-1α expression, thereby achieving synergistic alleviation of hypoxia. Under irradiation, the released cyanine acts as a potent photosensitizer, generating abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS) to kill cancer cells. Both in vitro and in vivo evaluations corroborated that GH@CyNPs exhibit preferential tumor accumulation, profound antitumor efficacy, and excellent biocompatibility. This study presents an innovative paradigm for overcoming TME hypoxia to optimize photodynamic oncotherapy. Full article

Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) was used to induce ulcerative colitis in a porcine model to investigate the transcriptional responses in inflamed colonic tissue. Eleven pigs were divided into two groups, of which five pigs were administered an oral dose of DSS daily for five days, whereas six non-treated pigs served as a control group. Differences in transcript expression between treated and control pigs identified 425 down-regulated and 780 up-regulated mRNAs in response to DSS treatment. Fifty-nine differentially expressed miRNAs were also identified, comprising 20 up-regulated and 39 down-regulated miRNAs. The top enrichment KEGG pathways for the up-regulated genes were breast cancer (ssc05224), gastric cancer (ssc05226), focal adhesion (ssc04510), and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway (ssc04151). The top gene ontology terms for the up-regulated genes were blood vessel development (GO:0001568), extracellular matrix and external encapsulating structure (GO:0031012). Protein–protein interaction network analysis identified three hub genes, including LOXL1, MFAP2, and FSTL3. Seventeen high-confidence miRNA-mRNA pairs were recognized, and two genes (CD101 and AVL9) have been confirmed as targets for ssc-miR-24-3p by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Our study provides a better understanding of the key roles of mRNAs and miRNAs in regulating DSS-induced colitis in pigs and defines sets of coding and non-coding RNA transcripts, which may serve as intervention targets or biomarkers for ulcerative colitis. Full article

This study investigates citrus peel powder (CP) as an environmentally friendly admixture to regulate plant-derived urease (with soybean powder (SP) as the urease source) and to promote bio-mediated CaCO₃ mineralization, thereby improving the mechanical and freeze–thaw (FT) resistance properties of cement-based materials. When CP is combined with urea and soybean urease, it exhibits a regulatory effect on urease activity. For the CPUD (CP-encapsulated urea combined with soy powder)-modified material with SP dosage in cement content of 0.2 wt%, the CP–urea modification treatment can effectively improve their mechanical properties and FT durability. The flexural and compressive strengths at 28 days are increased by 10.53% and 11.19%, respectively, compared to the blank group. After freeze–thaw cycles, the strengths are still 27.08% and 26.67% higher than those of the blank group, and their respective strength loss rates are 7.58% and −5.77% (negative indicating a net strength increase), compared with 21.31% and 9.48% for the blank group. X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy analyses reveal that CP–urea promotes the formation and effective packing of calcium carbonate. Mechanistically, CP establishes a stable hydrogen-bonding network with both urea and urease, exerting a dual regulatory effect: it enhances the electrophilicity of urea while also creating a physical mass transfer barrier to precisely control biomineralization. Notably, CP can be directly used without pretreatment, offering a sustainable strategy for citrus peel waste valorization. Full article

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management via conventional monotherapy is often limited by poor transdermal flux and suboptimal articular accumulation. This study seeks to bridge a critical gap in monotherapy by engineering chitosan-coated nanobilosomal gel co-encapsulated with thymol and silibinin (CH-TH+SB-BG) in a 3:1 stoichiometric ratio. Compared with monotherapeutics, the CH-TH+SB-BG showed the highest drug content and a sustained drug release profile, accompanied by higher skin permeation and deposition, indicating the fluidizing effect of thymol and the dermal reservoir of silibinin. Interestingly, CH-TH+SB-BG was cytocompatible, owing to its higher IC50 than that of the pure drugs. A marked reduction in the paw volume and arthritic score and significant normalization of hematological, biochemical, and inflammatory biomarkers, compared with the monotherapeutics, indicate the synergistic anti-inflammatory potential of the developed gel. Furthermore, the dual loading effectively reduced oxidative stress, confirmed by a significant decrease in malondialdehyde level along with the restoration of glutathione and superoxide dismutase levels. The Bliss independence model mathematically validated pharmacological synergy. Radiographic and histopathological analysis confirmed the near-complete articular restoration and marked reduction in pannus formation. In conclusion, the developed transdermal gel can be a more effective and safer alternative to long-term oral administration, opening the way for novel topical management of RA. Full article

Background: Hydrogel membranes are highly effective biomaterials with huge potential for advanced wound management, offering the dual advantage of maintaining a beneficial moist environment while serving as a localized reservoir for antibacterial agents. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are particularly notable in this regard, possessing potent antibacterial capabilities and intrinsic tissue-healing properties. Methods: In this study, we report the successful fabrication of a novel locust bean gum (LBG) hydrogel encapsulated with ZnO NPs, utilizing AlCl₃ as a cross-linking agent. The synthesized nanocomposite hydrogels were structurally and chemically characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) followed by in vivo studies using experimental animals by creating wound model. Results: Physicochemical evaluations revealed a concentration and pH-dependent swelling profile, achieving a maximum swelling capacity of 97% at pH 9. In vitro kinetic studies depicted a highly desirable initial burst release of the active therapeutic, subsequently followed by a continuous, sustained release phase that was strictly governed by non-Fickian diffusion mechanics. Furthermore, the optimized formulations achieved excellent entrapment efficiencies (>95%) and substantial free-radical scavenging antioxidant potential (>86%). Biological assessments confirmed the safety and efficacy of the nanocomposites. The formulations exhibited zero cellular toxicity against fibroblast cell lines and demonstrated complete biocompatibility during tissue histopathological evaluations. Significant antimicrobial activity was also observed, as demonstrated by reduction in the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) against critical pathogens, including S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and resistant MRSA strains. Crucially, in vivo studies using experimental animal models demonstrated accelerated tissue remodeling, achieving complete wound healing by day 11 and vastly outperforming the control groups. Finally, in silico molecular docking simulations corroborated these empirical findings, revealing strong and favorable binding interactions of the nanocomposite with key target proteins to elucidate its underlying antibacterial mechanisms. Conclusions: Collectively, these results establish the ZnO-loaded LBG hydrogel as a safe, multifunctional, and highly efficient topical drug delivery platform for cutaneous wound healing. Full article

To address the robustness limitations of three-vector model predictive current control (TV-MPCC) in permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drives under parameter variations and external disturbances, this paper proposes an improved sliding mode observer (SMO) based on a novel dual power-rate reaching law combined with a hyperbolic tangent function (PTHSMO) for back-EMF estimation and feedforward compensation. The proposed reaching law integrates a terminal attractor term and a nonlinear power-rate term to achieve fast convergence, while the tanh-based switching term continuously approximates the sign function to suppress chattering without requiring a downstream low-pass filter. The estimated back-EMF, which encapsulates the combined effect of parameter mismatch and actual back-EMF, is fed forward into the TV-MPCC prediction model to actively compensate for residual disturbances (denoted PTHESMO). The stability of the observer is verified via the Lyapunov method. Compared with the traditional SMO-based TV-MPCC, the proposed method reduces startup overshoot by approximately 46%, decreases speed recovery time under a 0.3 Nm load disturbance from 46.2 ms to 24.5 ms, and reduces rotor position error from 0.1358 rad to 0.1266 rad, providing an effective solution for high-performance sensorless PMSM drive control. Full article

To satisfy the demands of 5G communication and reliable data connectivity for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a novel two-element dual-band MIMO antenna with an inherent self-decoupling property based on orthogonal linear polarization diversity is proposed. Distinct from conventional designs relying on extra decoupling components, the antenna realizes isolation enhancement via coupled currents between annular strips and S-shaped strips without additional decoupling structures, representing the core design novelty. Fabricated on a low-cost 1.6 mm thick FR4 substrate, the antenna features compact overall dimensions of 60 mm × 30 mm × 1.6 mm, covering the 2.40–2.73 GHz ISM band and 3.38–3.63 GHz 5G Sub-6 GHz band. Measured results demonstrate that the reflection coefficient remains below −10 dB across the entire operating bands, with port isolation exceeding 27 dB for the 2.4 GHz band and 20 dB for the 3.5 GHz 5G band. The measured realized gain is 0.7–1.5 dB in the lower band and 2.3–2.9 dB in the upper band. The radiation efficiency, which is obtained exclusively from ANSYS HFSS 2025 R1 simulation, is higher than 90% for the lower band and over 80% for the upper band. The calculated envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) is less than 0.15 throughout the working bandwidth, which effectively suppresses inter-channel electromagnetic interference and mitigates channel fading caused by varying UAV attitudes to improve system channel capacity. Further verifications via epoxy encapsulation and co-simulation on an eight-rotor UAV platform prove slight frequency drift after packaging and installation, whereas its bandwidth and isolation still meet practical engineering requirements. Benefiting from a compact layout and omnidirectional radiation performance, the proposed low-cost MIMO antenna is convenient for conformal integration into a UAV fuselage, improving the practicability of UAV-aided emergency communication, equipment inspection and 5G network coverage. Full article

The combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy represents a promising approach that leverages their complementary benefits. However, the side effects resulting from off-target effects and the low efficiency of immune activation remain a significant concern. Herein, we developed a zinc-doped calcium phosphate (ZCP) nanocarrier for the delivery of the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX). By further encapsulating whole proteins from 4T1 breast cancer cells, we constructed a novel nanodrug delivery system named ZCPDM. This system enables specific targeting of tumor cells and undergoes intracellular degradation to release DOX, Zn²⁺, and Ca²⁺. As a chemotherapeutic agent, DOX induces apoptosis while significantly elevating intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby enhancing cytotoxicity. This leads to DNA damage and the release of chromosomal fragments. These DNA fragments, together with Zn²⁺, activate the cGAS-STING signaling pathway and trigger pyroptosis, which promotes more efficient recognition and clearance of tumor cells by the immune system. Through these dual mechanisms, ZCPDM effectively combines chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The anti-tumor efficacy and underlying mechanisms were validated at the cellular level. Furthermore, studies in tumor-bearing mice demonstrated its robust anti-tumor performance and ability to suppress tumor recurrence, along with good biosafety. This targeted drug delivery system achieves safe and synergistic chemo-immunotherapy through homologous targeting-mediated pyroptosis and activation of the cGAS-STING pathway, offering a novel and promising strategy for cancer treatment. Full article

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have emerged as popular nucleic acid delivery systems, yet the dynamic mechanisms related to their self-assembly and structural maturation remain insufficiently understood due to the limitations of traditional offline characterization tools. This study establishes a time-resolved (TR) in situ small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) methodology to monitor the structural evolution of LNPs during microfluidic formulation and subsequent maturation. By integrating a dual-channel microfluidic mixing system with a SAXS measurement platform, we successfully captured the real-time scattering profiles of both empty and messenger RNA-loaded nanoparticles (mRNA-LNPs). The results demonstrate distinct assembly pathways for empty-LNPs and those encapsulated with mRNA. The empty-LNPs undergo a gradual transition toward periodic nanostructures, whereas mRNA-LNPs exhibit rapid complexation into stable subunits followed by hierarchical assembly. Furthermore, the platform effectively tracked nanoscale structural rearrangements during a microfluidic dilution process, revealed by subtle shifts in scattering peaks and internal periodicity. Overall, this time-resolved approach provides a robust experimental framework for capturing transient intermediate states, offering a valuable tool to elucidate molecular assembly mechanisms and facilitate the rational design of next-generation nanomedicines. Full article

Incorporation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components into bioinks can enhance biological functionality but often compromises print fidelity and structural stability. This study developed a dual-stage calcium chloride (CaCl₂) crosslinking strategy to incorporate Wharton’s jelly-derived ECM (WJ-ECM) into a gelatin-alginate bioink for bioprinted scaffold fabrication. A baseline formulation (BGA) and a WJ-ECM-supplemented formulation (BGAE, 1 mg/mL) were pre-crosslinked with 14 mM CaCl₂ prior to extrusion, followed by secondary crosslinking in 0.5 M CaCl₂ post-printing. Both formulations exhibited comparable viscosity (20–180 kcP) and high print fidelity (Pr = 0.99 ± 0.01 for BGA; 0.95 ± 0.01 for BGAE), with scaffolds displaying well-defined architecture and over 84% of pores within the target range (160–270 µm). FTIR analysis confirmed WJ-ECM incorporation without detectable alteration of the primary matrix structure. Both scaffolds were non-cytotoxic and supported fibroblast viability; BGAE constructs showed greater cell coverage over 14 days when surface-seeded and more stable fluorescence intensity through 28 days when encapsulated. In a murine thermal burn model, BGAE-treated wounds demonstrated more advanced re-epithelialization and more continuous epidermal coverage at day 14 compared to controls. These findings indicate that dual-stage crosslinking enables WJ-ECM integration while preserving printability, offering a practical platform for bioactive skin tissue engineering applications. Full article