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Repair and preservation of the injured meniscus has become paramount in clinical practice. However, the complexities of various clinic stitching techniques for meniscus repair pose challenges for grassroots doctors. Hence, there is a compelling interest in innovative therapeutic strategies such as bioadhesives. An ideal bioadhesive must cure quickly in aqueous and blood environments, bind strongly, endure arthroscopic washing pressures, and degrade appropriately for tissue regeneration. Here, we present a tetra‐poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐based hydrogel bioadhesive, boasting high biocompatibility, ultrafast gelation, facile injectable operation, and favorable mechanical strength. In view of the synergistic effects of chemical anchor and physical chain entanglement to tightly bind the meniscus, a seamless interface was formed between the surrounding meniscal tissues and hydrogels, enabling the longitudinal tear of the meniscus fused in situ to withstand large tensile force with the adhesive strength of 541.5 ± 31.4 kPa and arthroscopic washout resistance of 29.4 kPa. Superior to existing commercial adhesives, ours allows sutureless application and arthroscopic assistance, without requiring specialized clinical skills. This research is expected to significantly impact our understanding of meniscal healing and ultimately promote a simpler process for achieving functional and structural recovery in torn menisci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a main carrier mode for the sustainable development of the construction industry in China, prefabricated building may lead to problems such as cost overruns, project delays, and waste of resources due to unreasonable selection of prefabricated components. Therefore, we quantitatively analyze the contribution rate of quality optimization of prefabricated components using QFD-SEM. Under the constraints of prefabrication rate, quality optimization contribution rate, and expected values of various sub-goals, we propose a multi-objective optimization method for prefabricated component combinations based on cost, duration, and carbon emissions. By using NSGA-II to solve the model, we can obtain a set of optimal Pareto solutions for prefabricated component combinations. Based on the optimal Pareto solution set, we establish a multi-objective evaluation model using simulated annealing optimization projection tracing method, and select the optimal prefabricated component combination solution according to the projected eigenvalues of the solutions. An empirical study is conducted using an eleven-story framed building in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China as a case study. The results show that: (1) Using this method, optimal solutions can be obtained in an unbounded solution space, with the optimal solution having advantages over both fully cast-in-place and fully prefabricated solutions. Compared to the fully cast-in-place solution, the duration and carbon emissions are reduced by 36.62% and 12.74% respectively, while compared to the fully prefabricated solution, costs are reduced by 4.15%. (2) There is a certain negative correlation between the cost of prefabricated component combinations and duration, carbon emissions, and quality optimization, while there is a certain positive correlation with the prefabrication rate. (3) The size of the optimal projection direction vector based on the optimization objectives indicates that carbon emissions have the greatest impact on the evaluation results of the solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The burgeoning urbanization of major cities has precipitated a critical examination of deep foundation pit projects, with escalating costs, protracted construction phases, complex site conditions, and specialized technical requirements. Selecting the optimal design scheme from multiple alternatives in a multiattribute decision-making environment poses a significant challenge. This study presents a novel model tailored for the design of deep foundation pits in design-build (DB) contracting projects. The model combines multiattribute ideal point theory with the analytic hierarchy process to evaluate 22 key factors and their uncertainties. It computes the deviations of potential design schemes from ideal benchmarks across all considered attributes. By employing the lexicographic hierarchy aggregation operator, the model aggregates group-level deviations and linguistically weighted evaluations to calculate a comprehensive score for each design scheme. This approach aids in identifying the most suitable design to meet the deep foundation requirements of DB projects. The effectiveness of the model is demonstrated through its application in the decision-making process for a commercial hotel's deep foundation pit design scheme. The empirical findings affirm the model's ability to identify critical factors and accurately assess their impact on engineering design decisions in DB contracting projects. Among the four evaluated designs, the continuous retaining wall scheme achieved the lowest group deviation score, marking it as the preferred option. Consequently, this research offers a robust framework for making informed decisions in the design of deep foundation pits within DB contracting projects, effectively handling the complexities of uncertain linguistic evaluations and the collaboration of multiple attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disease characterized by progressive degeneration of articular cartilage. A challenge in the development of disease-modifying drugs is effective delivery to chondrocytes. The unique structure of the joint promotes rapid clearance of drugs through synovial fluid, and the dense and avascular cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) limits drug penetration. Here, we show that poly(lactide-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles coated in chondrocyte membranes (CM-NPs) were preferentially taken up by rat chondrocytes ex vivo compared with uncoated nanoparticles. Internalization of the CM-NPs was mediated primarily by E-cadherin, clathrin-mediated endocytosis, and micropinocytosis. These CM-NPs adhered to the cartilage ECM in rat knee joints in vivo and penetrated deeply into the cartilage matrix with a residence time of more than 34 days. Simulated synovial fluid clearance studies showed that CM-NPs loaded with a Wnt pathway inhibitor, adavivint (CM-NPs-Ada), delayed the catabolic metabolism of rat and human chondrocytes and cartilage explants under inflammatory conditions. In a surgical model of rat OA, drug-loaded CM-NPs effectively restored gait, attenuated periarticular bone remodeling, and provided chondroprotection against cartilage degeneration. OA progression was also mitigated by CM-NPs-Ada in a canine model of anterior cruciate ligament transection. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using chondrocyte membrane–coated nanoparticles to improve the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of anti-OA drugs. Editor's summary: Osteoarthritis (OA) lacks effective disease-modifying treatments partially because of the difficulty of delivering drugs to dense and avascular cartilage tissue. Here, Deng et al. disguised drug-carrying nanoparticles with chondrocyte membranes to increase the interaction of the nanoparticles with cartilage. These membrane-coated nanoparticles retained critical chondrocyte proteins that supported cell and matrix interactions in explanted rat and human cartilage. These nanoparticles were retained in rat knee in vivo for at least 34 days. In rat and canine models of injury-induced OA, release of a Wnt-pathway inhibitor from these nanoparticles improved cartilage and subchondral bone morphology. These findings support the further development of chondrocyte-mimicking particles for cartilage drug delivery and OA therapy. —Molly Ogle [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are problems with an inadequate quality assurance system and non-standard construction organization and administration while creating prefabricated buildings. There are currently fewer quality assessments employing prefabricated component combinations as the research focus, and the quality evaluation methodology is more subjective. We propose a method for evaluating the quality of prefabricated buildings using an ant colony algorithm and a simulated annealing algorithm to optimize the projection pursuit model: firstly, create a prefabricated building quality index system; secondly, questionnaires were distributed, tested for reliability and validity to avoid the influence of questionnaire subjectivity on the results, and structural equation modeling was used to calculate the weights of the quality influencing factors; thirdly, quantify the quality factors of prefabricated components by using the quality function development method, and construct a quality optimization model for the prefabricated component combinations; fourthly, use the ant colony algorithm to solve the quality optimization model to obtain a set of prefabricated component combinations to satisfy the quality requirements; and lastly, use a simulated annealing to optimize the projected pursuit method for evaluating the quality of prefabricated component combination solutions. The results show that (1) The use of optimization algorithms can successfully avoid the issue of a more subjective evaluation approach and increase the efficiency and accuracy of evaluation. (2) Residential Comfort (RC), Usage Durability (UD) and Structural Reliability (SR) have a substantially negative association, but Residential Comfort (RC) and Installation Stability (IS) have strong positive correlations. (3) Based on the magnitude of the vector of the ideal projection direction of the quality indicators, it was determined that the Installation Stability (IS) indicator had the greatest influence on the evaluation of the program, and the Structural Reliability (SR) indicator had the least influence on the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prefabricated buildings are gradually being promoted from pilot demonstration to scale, to combat climate change and improve energy conservation and emission reduction in the building sector. Despite the carbon emission of assembled structures being substantially lower than that of cast-in-place buildings due to the significant reduction in energy demand during the materialization process, there is still a lot of room for improvement. This study looks at the strategy choices made by manufacturers of prefabricated building components in relation to lowering carbon emissions from the standpoint of manufacturing prefabricated building components. By building a dynamic evolutionary game model between two parties, we investigate the evolutionary process of the strategy chosen by prefabricated building component manufacturers and the government, analyzing the evolutionary stability of each side's strategy choice, and finally using Matlab tools to simulate the effectiveness of the evolutionary stability. The study findings indicate that (1) low-carbon production costs, local government incentives and sanctions, and corporate low-carbon production benefits are the main influencing factors for manufacturers of prefabricated building components to adopt low-carbon production techniques; and that (2) the cost of regulation under low-carbon production methods and the local government performance assessment system are the key elements affecting regulations by the local government. Based on this finding, we suggest corresponding countermeasures in three areas, including investigating new low-carbon technology options for businesses, developing a new carbon emission accounting subsidy mechanism, and improving the regulatory framework of the government, to provide an efficient pathway for the growth of a low-carbon economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autologous tumor cell membrane antigen-based vaccines (TMVs) have garnered extensive attention as personalized immunotherapy. However, patients who take TMVs therapy usually undergo various treatments prior to surgery, and these processes modulate the immunogenicity of the tumor membrane and the tumor immune microenvironment. Herein, we investigate the impact of preoperative chemotherapy on the efficacy of TMVs. Liposomal doxorubicin ameliorates the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and enhances immunological molecule expression on the tumor membrane. This has driven TMVs to elicit a more robust immune response than doxorubicin, resulting in more effective immune protection. The TMVs formulated from liposomal doxorubicin-treated tumors induce superior dendritic cell maturation and T cell activation compared to doxorubicin, thus demonstrating better efficacy in preventing recurrence and metastasis in the postoperative murine model. Collectively, our study suggests that chemotherapy can induce immunomodulatory changes that augment the therapeutic potential of immunotherapy and provides valuable insights into the clinical utilization of TMVs., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)