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Abstract Melanoma is a malignant skin tumor. This study aimed to explore and assess the effect of novel biomarkers on the progression of melanoma. Differently expressed genes (DEGs) were screened from GSE3189 and GSE46517 datasets of Gene Expression Omnibus database using GEO2R. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses were conducted based on the identified DEGs. Hub genes were identified and assessed using protein–protein interaction networks, principal component analysis, and receiver operating characteristic curves. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to measure the mRNA expression levels. TIMER revealed the association between aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) and tumor immune microenvironment. The viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion were detected by cell counting kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine, wound healing, and transwell assays. Total 241 common DEGs were screened out from GSE3189 and GSE46517 datasets. We determined 6 hub genes with high prediction values for melanoma, which could distinguish tumor samples from normal samples. ALDH2, ADH1B, ALDH3A2, DPT, EPHX2, and GATM were down-regulated in A375 and SK-MEL-2 cells, compared with the human normal melanin cell line (PIG1 cells). ALDH2 was selected as the candidate gene in this research, presenting a high diagnostic and predictive value for melanoma. ALDH2 had a positive correlation with the infiltrating levels of immune cells in melanoma microenvironment. Overexpression of ALDH2 inhibited cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion of A375/SK-MEL-2 cells. ALDH2 is a new gene biomarker of melanoma, which exerts an inhibitory effect on melanoma.

Oral diseases include oral cancer, periodontitis, endodontium infection, and caries. The oral cavity is prone to the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria and infectious diseases owing to its unique environment. During the drug-based treatment of oral diseases, saliva can dilute the drug formulation, reduce the interaction between the drug and site of action, and weaken drug efficacy. Therefore, searching an effective drug delivery approach is extremely critical and urgent. Stimuli responsive hydrogels respond to altered environmental conditions under disease states, allowing specific drug delivery. Accordingly, smart drug delivery systems can prolong the duration of drug action, reduce adverse reactions, decrease the frequency of administration, and improve patient compliance, thereby accelerating recovery. In this review, we discuss the different types of stimuli responsive hydrogels for smart drug delivery, focusing on their application in oral disease management. Further, we present current challenges and provide suggestions for future research on stimuli responsive hydrogels for oral disease treatment.

In this review, we report investigating photothermal hydrogels, innovative biomedical materials designed for infection control and tissue regeneration. These hydrogels exhibit responsiveness to near-infrared (NIR) stimulation, altering their structure and properties, which is pivotal for medical applications. Photothermal hydrogels have emerged as a significant advancement in medical materials, harnessing photothermal agents (PTAs) to respond to NIR light. This responsiveness is crucial for controlling infections and promoting tissue healing. We discuss three construction methods for preparing photothermal hydrogels, emphasizing their design and synthesis, which incorporate PTAs to achieve the desired photothermal effects. The application of these hydrogels demonstrates enhanced infection control and tissue regeneration, supported by their unique photothermal properties. Although research progress in photothermal hydrogels is promising, challenges remain. We address these issues and explore future directions to enhance their therapeutic potential.

Cartilage injury affects numerous individuals, but the efficient repair of damaged cartilage is still a problem in clinic. Hydrogel is a potent scaffold candidate for tissue regeneration, but it remains a big challenge to improve its mechanical property and figure out the interaction of chondrocytes and stiffness. Herein, a novel hybrid hydrogel with tunable stiffness was fabricated based on methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) and iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3) through chemical bonding. The stiffness of Fe2O3/GelMA hybrid hydrogel was controlled by adjusting the concentration of magnetic nanoparticles. The hydrogel platform with tunable stiffness modulated its cellular properties including cell morphology, microfilaments and Young's modulus of chondrocytes. Interestingly, Fe2O3/GelMA hybrid hydrogel promoted oxidative phosphorylation of mitochondria and facilitated catabolism of lipids in chondrocytes. As a result, more ATP and metabolic materials generated for cellular physiological activities and organelle component replacements in hybrid hydrogel group compared to pure GelMA hydrogel. Furthermore, implantation of Fe2O3/GelMA hybrid hydrogel in the cartilage defect rat model verified its remodeling potential. This study provides a deep understanding of the bio-mechanism of Fe2O3/GelMA hybrid hydrogel interaction with chondrocytes and indicates the hydrogel platform for further application in tissue engineering.

Mixed dimensional 2D/3D halide perovskite solar cells practically deliver poorer efficiency, and the 2D fragments have been considered responsible. Here, the authors unveil a photoinduced carrier blocking effect at the 2D/3D perovskite interface that could truly jeopardize device parameters.

BackgroundNecrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe inflammatory bowel disease that may lead to perforation, causing high morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. Abdominal ultrasound (AUS) has been shown to provide benefits in diagnosing and managing NEC in recent years.ObjectiveThis study focused on the utility of AUS in the diagnosis and evaluation of surgical NEC.Patients and methodsIn this retrospective study, available data of the patients diagnosed from January 2019 to June 2022 were reviewed. The sensitivity and specificity of AUS in diagnosing a perforation were analyzed. Typical cases for the application of AUS in monitoring and evaluating the progression, complications, and sequela of NEC were described.ResultsThere were 69 neonates diagnosed with NEC and examined by AUS, of whom eight patients developed a perforation. AUS was used for diagnosing a perforation in eight patients with key features of pneumoperitoneum and/or complex ascites, allowing us to find four locations of perforation, with a sensitivity and specificity of 100%.ConclusionAUS plays an important role in diagnosing and evaluating surgical NEC in newborn infants, with good sensitivity and specificity.

Abstract Tumor killing and wound healing are two complementary and influential processes during the treatment of melanoma. Herein, a two-layered microneedle platform was developed with bifunctional effect of chemo-photothermal synergistic melanoma therapy and skin regeneration. The bifunctional platform composed of embeddable curcumin nanodrugs/new Indocyanine Green/hyaluronic acid (Cur NDs/IR820/HA) microneedles and sodium alginate/gelatin/hyaluronic acid (SA/Ge/HA) supporting backing layer was prepared through a two-step casting process. With uniform incorporation of curcumin nanodrugs and IR820, the microneedles exhibited excellent photothermal performance under external near-infrared (NIR) light stimulation and tumor co-therapy ability. Once the embeddable microneedles were inserted into skin, they would rapidly dissolve and activate drug release successfully for tumor treatment. Moreover, the SA/Ge/HA supporting backing layer was left behind to cover the wound and promote the proliferation of endothelial and fibroblasts cells for enhanced skin regeneration. The two-layered microneedles platform can simultaneously eliminate the tumor and accelerate wounding healing, which may be potentially employed as a competitive strategy for the treatment of melanoma. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background As one of the leading threats for health among women worldwide, breast cancer has high morbidity and mortality. Surgical resection is the major clinical intervention for primary breast tumor, nevertheless high local recurrence risk and breast tissue defect remain two main clinical dilemmas, seriously affecting survival and quality of life of patients. Experimental We developed a thermoresponsive and injectable hybrid hydrogel platform (IR820/Mgel) by integration of co-loaded porous microspheres (MPs) and IR820 for preventing postoperative recurrence of breast cancer via photothermal therapy and promoting subsequent breast reconstruction. Results Our results suggested that IR820/Mgel could quickly heated to more than 50.0 ℃ under NIR irradiation, enabling killing effect on 4T1 cells in vitro and prevention effect on post-surgical tumor recurrence in vivo. In addition, the hydrogel platform was promising for its minimal invasion and capability of filling irregularly shaped defects after surgery, and the encapsulated MPs could help to increase the strength of gel to realize a long-term in situ function in vivo, and promoted the attachment and anchorage property of normal breast cells and adipose stem cells. Conclusions This photothermal hydrogel platform provides a practice paradigm for preventing locally recurrence of breast cancer and a potential option for reconstruction of breast defects. Graphic abstract

Monitoring the long-term human expansions in coastal zones and evaluating their associated environmental impacts are critical to promoting a sustainable transformation of a society. This paper evaluated the long-term human expansion of reclamation, aquaculture ponds (saltern) and artificial surface in the Circum-Bohai Coastal Zone (CBCZ) of China based on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform and time-series land use (LU) function classification, and analyzed the impact of human expansion on the sustainability of coastal environment. Results show: (i) human activities in this coastal zone have expanded dramatically during the past 30 years, including an increase of 1555.50 km2 (+76.9%) for the reclamation area, 2065.53 km2 (+51.33%) for the aquaculture pond area, and 14329.99 km2 (+308%) for the artificial surface area; (ii) there are substantial spatial and temporal variations in human expansion in this coastal zone, mainly for Bohai Bay, Laizhou Bay, and Liaoning Bay, with the most intense expansion in the period 2003-2013, (iii) the spatial and temporal evolution of human activity expansion is strongly related to changes of water environmental quality and wetland loss, with the coupling degree of 70.73% and 79.41%, respectively. The expansion of human activity has led to a considerable loss of wetland number (from 2666.54 km2 to 1698.27 km2), indirectly affecting changes in offshore water quality. We found that human expansion is mostly driven by economic interests such as port construction, industrial parks, resource development, and tourism development, as well as a direct response to coastal zone development and protection policies.

Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor, which often occurs in adolescents. However, surgical resection usually fails to completely remove the tumor clinically, which has been the main cause of postoperative recurrence and metastasis, resulting in the high death rate of patients. At the same time, osteosarcoma invades a large area of the bone defect, which cannot be self-repaired and seriously affects the life quality of the patients. Herein, a bifunctional methacrylated gelatin/methacrylated chondroitin sulfate hydrogel hybrid gold nanorods (GNRs) and nanohydroxyapatite (nHA), which possessed excellent photothermal effect, was constructed to eradicate residual tumor after surgery and bone regeneration. In vitro, K7M2wt cells (a mouse bone tumor cell line) can be efficiently eradicated by photothermal therapy of the hybrid hydrogel. Meanwhile, the hydrogel mimics the extracellular matrix to promote proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. The GNRs/nHA hybrid hydrogel was capable of photothermal treatment of postoperative tumors and bone defect repair in a mice model of tibia osteosarcoma. Therefore, the hybrid hydrogel possesses dual functions of tumor therapy and bone regeneration, which shows great potential in curing bone tumors and provides a new hope for tumor-related bone complex disease.

Abstract Photothermal therapy (PTT) has been regarded as a promising strategy considering its advantages of high inherent specificity and a lower invasive burden. Since the photothermal killing of cells/bacteria showed different patterns of death depending on the varying temperature in PTT, the temperature change of PTT is vital to cell/tissue response in scientific research and clinical application. On one hand, mild PTT has received substantial attention in the treatment of cancer and soft/hard tissue repair. On the other hand, the high temperature induced by PTT is capable of antibacterial capacity, which is better than conventional antibiotic therapy with drug resistance. Herein, we summarize the recent developments in the application of temperature‐dependent photothermal biomaterials, mainly covering the temperature ranges of 40–42°C, 43–50°C, and over 50°C. We highlight the biological mechanism of PTT and the latest progress in the treatment of different diseases. Finally, we conclude by discussing the challenges and perspectives of biomaterials in addressing temperature‐orchestrated PTT. Given a deep understanding of the interaction between temperature and biology, rationally designed biomaterials with sophisticated photothermal responsiveness will benefit the outcomes of personalized PTT toward various diseases.

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has revolutionized the treatment of various types of cancer. However, even promising systemically administered ICB agents can cause immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The management of irAEs has been a significant concern. In addition to the risk of compromised immune function with corticosteroids and other immunomodulatory regimens used to treat irAEs, the complex mechanisms of irAEs make management of the “off-target” effects extremely challenging. Various materials with high biocompatibility, controllable degradability, and the ability for local and targeted delivery and controlled and sustained release of drugs have been explored to limit irAEs. Herein, we briefly review the fundamental mechanisms and clinical applications of immune checkpoint inhibitors and the potential mechanisms and clinical treatment of irAEs. We also highlight the application of emerging materials in the management of irAEs through “prevention” and “treatment”.

Phototherapeutic agent-based phototherapies activated by light have proven to be safe modalities for the treatment of various malignant tumor indications. The two main modalities of phototherapies include photothermal therapy, which causes localized thermal damage to target lesions, and photodynamic therapy, which causes localized chemical damage by generated reactive oxygen species (ROS). Conventional phototherapies suffer a major shortcoming in their clinical application due to their phototoxicity, which primarily arises from the uncontrolled distribution of phototherapeutic agents in vivo. For successful antitumor phototherapy, it is essential to ensure the generation of heat or ROS specifically occurs at the tumor site. To minimize the reverse side effects of phototherapy while improving its therapeutic performance, extensive research has focused on developing hydrogel-based phototherapy for tumor treatment. The utilization of hydrogels as drug carriers allows for the sustained delivery of phototherapeutic agents to tumor sites, thereby limiting their adverse effects. Herein, we summarize the recent advancements in the design of hydrogels for antitumor phototherapy, offer a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in hydrogel-based phototherapy and its combination with other therapeutic modalities for tumor treatment, and discuss the current clinical status of hydrogel-based antitumor phototherapy.

Abstract Background The biomedical field has used gold nanorods (GNRs) for decades; however, clinical trials and translation is limited except gold nanoshells. The preparation of gold nanoshells is more complex than that of polyethylene glycol-modified GNRs (PEG-GNRs), and it is difficult to ensure uniform thickness. It is important to encourage and broaden the use of the star member (PEG-GNRs) of gold nanoparticles family for clinical translation. Existing studies on PEG-GNRs are limited with no relevant systematic progression in non-human primates. Herein, we assessed the systematic biocompatibility of PEG-GNRs in rats and clinically relevant Macaca fascicularis. Results In this small animal study, we administrated multiple doses of PEG-GNRs to rats and observed good biocompatibility. In the non-human primate study, PEG-GNRs had a longer blood half-life and produced a negligible immune response. Histological analysis revealed no significant abnormality. Conclusions PEG-GNRs were well-tolerated with good biocompatibility in both small animals and large non-human primates. The information gained from the comprehensive systemic toxicity assessment of PEG-GNRs in M. fascicularis will be helpful for translation to clinical trials. Graphical abstract

Lung ultrasound (LUS) can be used to diagnose various neonatal lung diseases. It more sensitively diagnoses pulmonary edema, pneumothorax, pulmonary consolidation, and atelectasis than traditional X-ray and quickly determines the cause of dyspnea. As a component of severe ultrasound, LUS enables rapid bedside visualization of lung diseases and plays a major role in guiding the differential diagnosis of disease, ventilator treatment, and lung recruitment. This study introduced the application of LUS in the diagnosis and treatment of critically ill neonates with lung diseases.

Abstract Issues caused by maxillofacial tumours involve not only dealing with tumours but also repairing jaw bone defects. In traditional tumour therapy, the systemic toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs, invasive surgical resection, intractable tumour recurrence, and metastasis are major threats to the patients’ lives in the clinic. Fortunately, biomaterial-based intervention can improve the efficiency of tumour treatment and decrease the possibility of recurrence and metastasis, suggesting new promising antitumour therapies. In addition, maxillofacial bone tissue defects caused by tumours and their treatment can negatively affect the physiological and psychological health of patients, and investment in treatment can result in a multitude of burdens to society. Biomaterials are promising options because they have good biocompatibility and bioactive properties for stimulation of bone regeneration. More interestingly, an integrated material regimen that combines tumour therapy with bone repair is a promising treatment option. Herein, we summarized traditional and biomaterial-mediated maxillofacial tumour treatments and analysed biomaterials for bone defect repair. Furthermore, we proposed a promising and superior design of dual-functional biomaterials for simultaneous tumour therapy and bone regeneration to provide a new strategy for managing maxillofacial tumours and improve the quality of life of patients in the future.

Abstract Bone tumors, especially those in osteosarcoma, usually occur in adolescents. The standard clinical treatment includes chemotherapy, surgical therapy, and radiation therapy. Unfortunately, surgical resection often fails to completely remove the tumor, which is the main cause of postoperative recurrence and metastasis, resulting in a high mortality rate. Moreover, bone tumors often invade large areas of bone, which cannot repair itself, and causes a serious effect on the quality of life of patients. Thus, bone tumor therapy and bone regeneration are challenging in the clinic. Herein, this review presents the recent developments in bifunctional biomaterials to achieve a new strategy for bone tumor therapy. The selected bifunctional materials include 3D-printed scaffolds, nano/microparticle-containing scaffolds, hydrogels, and bone-targeting nanomaterials. Numerous related studies on bifunctional biomaterials combining tumor photothermal therapy with enhanced bone regeneration were reviewed. Finally, a perspective on the future development of biomaterials for tumor therapy and bone tissue engineering is discussed. This review will provide a useful reference for bone tumor-related disease and the field of complex diseases to combine tumor therapy and tissue engineering.

Background MRSA is a major concern in community settings and in health care. The emergence of biofilms and persister cells substantially increases its antimicrobial resistance. It is very urgent to develop new antimicrobials to solve this problem. Objective Idarubicin was profiled to assess its antimicrobial effects in vitro and in vivo, and the underlying mechanisms. Methods We investigated the antimicrobial effects of idarubicin against MRSA by time-kill analysis. The antibiofilm efficacy of idarubicin was assessed by crystal violet and XTT staining, followed by laser confocal microscopy observation. The mechanisms underlying the antimicrobial effects were studied by transmission electron microscopy, all-atom molecular dynamic simulations, SYTOX staining, surface plasma resonance, and DNA gyrase inhibition assay. Further, we addressed the antimicrobial efficacy in wound and subcutaneous abscess infection in vivo. Results Idarubicin kills MRSA cells by disrupting the lipid bilayers and interrupting the DNA topoisomerase IIA subunits, and idarubicin shows synergistic antimicrobial effects with fosfomycin. Through synergy with a single dose treatment fosfomycin and the addition of the cell protector amifostine, the cytotoxicity and cardiotoxicity of idarubicin were significantly reduced without affecting its antimicrobial effects. Idarubicin alone or in combination with fosfomycin exhibited considerable efficacy in a subcutaneous abscess mouse model of MRSA infection. In addition, idarubicin also showed a low probability of causing resistance and good postantibiotic effects. Conclusions Idarubicin and its analogs have the potential to become a new class of antimicrobials for the treatment of MRSA-related infections.

Abstract The possibility that nuclear matter at a density relevant to the interior of massive neutron stars may be a quarkynoic matter has attracted considerable recent interest. In this work, we construct a phenomenological model to describe the quarkyonic matter, that would allow quantitative calculations of its various properties within a well-defined field theoretical framework. This is implemented by synthesizing the Walecka model together with the quark-meson model, where both quark and nucleon degrees of freedom are present based on the quarkyonic scenario. With this model we compute at mean-field level the thermodynamic properties of the symmetric nuclear matter and calibrate model parameters through well-known nuclear physics measurements. We find this model gives a very good description of the symmetric nuclear matter from moderate to high baryon density and demonstrates a continuous transition from nucleon-dominance to quark-dominance for the system.

Tissue repair after trauma and infection has always been a difficult problem in regenerative medicine. Hydrogels have become one of the most important scaffolds for tissue engineering due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability and water solubility. Especially, the stiffness of hydrogels is a key factor, which influence the morphology of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their differentiation. The researches on this point are meaningful to the field of tissue engineering. Herein, this review focus on the design of hydrogels with different stiffness and their effects on the behavior of MSCs. In addition, the effect of hydrogel stiffness on the phenotype of macrophages is introduced, and then the relationship between the phenotype changes of macrophages on inflammatory response and tissue repair is discussed. Finally, the future application of hydrogels with a certain stiffness in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering has been prospected.

Abstract Heavy quark production provides a unique probe of the quark-gluon plasma transport properties in heavy ion collisions. Experimental observables like the nuclear modification factor $$R_\mathrm{AA}$$ RAA and elliptic anisotropy $$v_\mathrm{2}$$ v2 of heavy flavor mesons are sensitive to the heavy quark diffusion coefficient. There now exist an extensive set of such measurements, which allow a data-driven extraction of this coefficient. In this work, we make such an attempt within our recently developed heavy quark transport modeling framework (Langevin-transport with Gluon Radiation, LGR). A question of particular interest is the temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficient, for which we test a wide range of possibility and draw constraints by comparing relevant charm meson data with model results. We find that a relatively strong increase of diffusion coefficient from crossover temperature $$T_c$$ Tc toward high temperature is preferred by data. We also make predictions for Bottom meson observables for further experimental tests.

At present, an oral tumor is usually treated by surgery combined with preoperative or postoperative radiotherapies and chemotherapies. However, traditional chemotherapies frequently result in substantial toxic side effects, including bone marrow suppression, malfunction of the liver and kidneys, and neurotoxicity. As a new local drug delivery system, the smart drug delivery system based on hydrogel can control drug release in time and space, and effectively alleviate or avoid these problems. Environmentally responsive hydrogels for smart drug delivery could be triggered by temperature, photoelectricity, enzyme, and pH. An overview of the most recent research on smart hydrogels and their controlled-release drug delivery systems for the treatment of oral cancer is given in this review. It is anticipated that the local drug release method and environment-responsive benefits of smart hydrogels will offer a novel technique for the low-toxicity and highly effective treatment of oral malignancy.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau serves as an important ecological security shelter in China and across Asia. During the past two decades, the patterns of land development and conservation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have undergone significant changes under the impacts of global climate change and human expansion. This paper analyzes the evolution of land development and conservation patterns and potential ecological implications on the Tibetan Plateau from 2000 to 2020 based on urbanization, agricultural and pastoral patterns with multi-source data, such as long-term time series land use data, ecological indices, environmental pollution, and population and economics. It was found that: (1) Coinciding with the agglomeration of population and economy, the urban development pattern on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has spatial-temporal differentiation. Urban development in the 2010s was more significant than that in the 2000s, with the intensity increased by 63.31%, and the development pattern varies spatially, which can be seen from the finding that central Tibet (the Yarlung Tsangpo, Lhasa river, and Nyangchu basins) and Huangshui River Basin in Qinghai Province were developed in a planar pattern, while other node cities and border towns in a dotted pattern. (2) The agricultural production pattern is relatively stable, the grain yields have increased by 34.68% in the past 20 years, but the total amount of arable land is shrinking, and the degree of fragmentation has increased. The pattern of pastoralism has changed greatly, showing a migration trend from west to east spatially, and there is a serious problem of pasture overload, with an increase of 18.4% in livestock products. Regardless of the pattern of urbanization or agricultural and livestock development, the intensity of human activities on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has shown an intensified trend in the past. (3) It shows that Lhasa City area and the middle and lower reaches of Huangshui show a trend of diffusion of atmospheric and water environmental pollution. The western part of the Ali region and the northern foothills of the Himalayas and other regions, under the combined impact of climate change and human activities, have undergone significant ecological degradation. Accordingly, this paper proposes policy recommendations for optimizing production and living space, advancing the establishment of national park clusters and nature reserve systems, and the integrated recovery of mountain, water, forest, lake, grass, sand, and ice with ecological value achievement.

Under the joint influence of climate change and human production and living activities on land and sea, the morphology and use function of the coastline have undergone notable changes, triggering more significant environmental and ecological effects. In this paper, we quantified the evolution characteristics of the coastline over the past 30 years and measured the possible environmental pollution and ecological degradation by means of spatiotemporal coupling analysis in terms of spatial form and land-use function. The Chinese Bohai Rim region was taken as an example, and the Google Earth Engine was applied to achieve a long time series of interannually continuous land use function classification of the coastal zone. The study shows that: (1) from 1987–2020, the coastline of Bohai Rim showed an overall trend of seaward expansion, with the length of the coastline increasing by 15.6%, most significantly from 2003 to 2011; (2) the proportion of construction function coastline increased from 14.66% to 42.8%, while the proportion of cropland coastline decreased from 52.01% to 18.16% during 2000–2020, with the natural ecological coastline decreasing in the early stage and recovering in the later stage, thus becoming more stable overall; (3) 82.73% of coastal districts and counties showed a linear correlation between changes in coastline function and water quality level, and 77.8% showed a consistent degree of change of coastline function and loss of ecological land, indicating that changes in the coastline have triggered significant problems in terms of environmental pollution and ecological degradation. With the exception of localized areas such as the Yellow River Delta, where coastline change is somewhat more significantly influenced by environmental climate change, most other coastline changes are primarily due to human land-based development; therefore, coastal policy constraints bring obvious mitigation.

The long-term accumulated remote sensing data and the emerging cloud-based geospatial processing platform Google Earth Engine (GEE) enable the mining of the spatiotemporal pattern of land-use (LU) functional changes in the contiguous area of large coastal cities. This study proposes a spatiotemporal pattern mining technique for land use function in a large area, which consists of two parts: (1) long-term time series land cover mapping based on the random forest (RF) classification algorithm in the GEE platform and a pixel-by-pixel temporal consistency correction, and (2) spatiotemporal pattern mining based on the constructed spatial temporal cubes (STCs). Specifically, for each LU functional series, we constructed the STC and applied change point detection, time series clustering, and emerging hot spot analysis to mine the spatiotemporal change patterns of LU functions. The study shows that (1) the construction land in the Bohai Sea region from 1990 to 2020 expanded significantly, with the development intensity increasing from 2.08% to 9.77%, having formed a contiguous area of large cities; at the same time, the arable land area decreased significantly, from 57.94% to 47.83%; (2) the emerged construction land experienced three periods: fluctuation, rise, and decline, with 2004 and 2014 being the change points during the period; and (3), the spatial and temporal pattern of the expansion of construction land shows a spatial gradient change in the scale and rate of expansion along the central cities and major axes. This study demonstrates the potential of using long-term time series remote sensing data towards cognizing the generation mechanisms of contiguous coastal big cities.

Clown nose-like lesion refers to the manifestation of a reddish or skin-colored bulge on the tip of the nose or the manifestation of bulbous tip of the nose. More and more clinical cases show that clown nose-like lesion can also be the indication of some genetic syndromes, not just the manifestation of metastatic visceral tumor as it initially proposed. However, the clinical features of clown nose-like lesion indicated by metastatic malignancies, genetic cancer predisposition syndromes or primary diseases involving the nasal tip are lacking. In this study, patients with clown nose-like lesion in our clinical practices and from published literatures were collected and reviewed. We found that clown nose-like lesions caused by metastatic malignancies including lung cancer are often solitary and more common in male (24/31) older individuals (average age 62.3, ranging 40–78 years old). In addition, they usually appear for a short time, and are prone to be misdiagnosed as primary nasal diseases, leading to a poor prognosis (all patients with data available died within 4 months). Clown nose-like lesions associated with genetic cancer predisposition syndromes usually develop at a young age (mean age 15.3) with female preference (9/10). They are accompanied by multiple-systemic involvements, including low hair volume, developmental delay, cancer predisposition or neurological diseases. They show slow development and often positive family history (6/10). These two kinds of clown nose-like lesions are often asymptomatic, which delays the diagnosis and treatment of underlying malignancies or syndromes. In brief, the term of clown nose-like lesion is underrecognized, and should be updated. Clown nose-like lesions can serve as indicators to at least three categories of clinical issues: metastatic visceral tumors, genetic syndromes, and primary diseases involving the nasal tip. Increased awareness of clinical features of updated clown nose-like lesions can alert physicians to these underlying malignancies or syndromes, render earlier detection of associated medical issues, and allow for genetic counseling of family members.

Cancer is a life-threatening disease, and there is a significant need for novel technologies to treat cancer with an effective outcome and low toxicity. Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a noninvasive therapeutic tool that transports nanomaterials into tumors, absorbing light energy and converting it into heat, thus killing tumor cells. Gold nanorods (GNRs) have attracted widespread attention in recent years due to their unique optical and electronic properties and potential applications in biological imaging, molecular detection, and drug delivery, especially in the PTT of cancer and other diseases. This review summarizes the recent progress in the synthesis methods and surface functionalization of GNRs for PTT. The current major synthetic methods of GNRs and recently improved measures to reduce toxicity, increase yield, and control particle size and shape are first introduced, followed by various surface functionalization approaches to construct a controlled drug release system, increase cell uptake, and improve pharmacokinetics and tumor-targeting effect, thus enhancing the photothermal effect of killing the tumor. Finally, a brief outlook for the future development of GNRs modification and functionalization in PTT is proposed.

Recently the STAR Collaboration reported measurement of the “subatomic swirls”, that is, the most vortical fluid flow structures in the quark–gluon plasma produced via the AuAu collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). This result has attracted significant interest and generated wide enthusiasm. For such an important finding, it is crucial to look for additional evidences of confirmation and to critically test the current interpretation of the global polarization measurement. We suggest that the CuCu and CuAu colliding systems at RHIC provide such opportunity. Interestingly, our calculations reveal that the fluid vorticity in the CuCu or CuAu collision is comparable to that in the AuAu collision. We find the computed Λ hyperon polarization effect is stronger in the CuCu and CuAu systems than the AuAu system at the same collisional beam energy and centrality class, with an interesting hierarchy CuCu > CuAu > AuAu due to interplay between Λ production timing and the time evolution of the vorticity. These predictions can be readily tested by experimental data.

The repair of infected bone defects (IBDs) is still a great challenge in clinic. A successful treatment for IBDs should simultaneously resolve both infection control and bone defect repair. Hydrogels are water-swollen hydrophilic materials that maintain a distinct three-dimensional structure, helping load various antibacterial drugs and biomolecules. Hybrid hydrogels may potentially possess antibacterial ability and osteogenic activity. This review summarizes the recent progress of different kinds of antibacterial agents (including inorganic, organic, and natural) encapsulated in hydrogels. Several representative hydrogels of each category and their antibacterial mechanism and effect on bone repair are presented. Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages of antibacterial agent hybrid hydrogels are discussed. The challenge and future research directions are further prospected.

Oral diseases present a global public health problem that imposes heavy financial burdens on individuals and health-care systems. Most oral health conditions can be treated in their early stage. Even if the early symptoms of oral diseases do not seem to cause significant discomfort, prompt treatment is essential for preventing their progression. Biomaterials with superior properties enable dental therapies with applications in restoration, therapeutic drug/protein delivery, and tissue regeneration. Graphene nanomaterials have many unique mechanical and physiochemical properties and can respond to the complex oral microenvironment, which includes oral microbiota colonization and high masticatory force. Research on graphene nanomaterials in dentistry, especially in caries, periodontitis therapy, and implant coatings, is progressing rapidly. Here, we review the development of graphene and its derivatives for dental disease therapy.

A strong magnetic field influences significantly the masses of the charged light mesons. For example, the mass of charged pion increases with the magnetic field increasing. We propose this mechanism as a possible way to extract the magnitude of magnetic field at freeze-out in heavy ion collisions and thus help constrain its lifetime which is currently a major open question to resolve. Specifically we show that the ratio between the yield of charged pions and that of charged rhos is very sensitive to the magnetic field value at freeze-out. By using a viscous-hydrodynamic framework (iEBE-VISHNU) to simulate heavy ion collisions and implementing magnetic-field-dependent meson masses, we compute their yields and predict the dependence of such ratio on the magnetic field. We suggest to use this ratio of charged rho yield over charged pion yield as an experimental observable to extract the possible magnetic field at freeze-out in heavy ion collisions.

Recent STAR measurements suggest a difference in the global spin polarization between hyperons and anti-hyperons, especially at relatively low collision beam energy. One possible cause of this difference is the potential presence of in-medium magnetic field. In this study, we investigate the phenomenological viability of this interpretation. Using the AMPT model framework, we quantify the influence of different magnetic field evolution scenarios on the size of the polarization difference in a wide span of collision beam energies. We find that such difference is very sensitive to the lifetime of the magnetic field. For the same lifetime, the computed polarization difference only mildly depends on the detailed form of its evolution. Assuming magnetic polarization as the mechanism to enhance anti-hyperon signal while suppress hyperon signal, we phenomenologically extract an upper limit on the needed magnetic field lifetime in order to account for the experimental data. The so-obtained lifetime values are in a quite plausible ballpark and follow approximately the scaling relation of being inversely proportional to the beam energy. Possible implications on other magnetic field related effects are also discussed. Keywords: Heavy ion collision, Vorticity, Global polarization, Magnetic field

Recently there has been significant interest in the macroscopic manifestation of chiral anomaly in many-body systems of chiral fermions. A notable example is the Chiral Magnetic Effect (CME). Enthusiastic efforts have been made to search for the CME in the quark-gluon plasma created in heavy ion collisions. A crucial challenge is that the extremely strong magnetic field in such collisions may last only for a brief moment and the CME current may have to occur at so early a stage that the quark-gluon matter is still far from thermal equilibrium. This thus requires modeling of the CME in an out-of-equilibrium setting. With the recently developed theoretical tool of chiral kinetic theory, we make a first phenomenological study of the CME-induced charge separation during the pre-thermal stage in heavy ion collisions. The effect is found to be very sensitive to the time dependence of the magnetic field and also influenced by the initial quark momentum spectrum as well as the relaxation time of the system evolution toward thermal equilibrium. Within the present approach, such pre-thermal charge separation is found to be modest.

Human activities along with climate change have unsustainably changed the land use in coastal zones. This has increased demands and challenges in mapping and change detection of coastal zone land use over long-term periods. Taking the Bohai rim coastal area of China as an example, in this study we proposed a method for the long time-series mapping and change detection of coastal zone land use based on Google Earth Engine (GEE) and multi-source data fusion. To fully consider the characteristics of the coastal zone, we established a land-use function classification system, consisting of cropland, coastal aquaculture ponds (saltern), urban land, rural settlement, other construction lands, forest, grassland, seawater, inland fresh-waters, tidal flats, and unused land. We then applied the random forest algorithm, the optimal classification method using spatial morphology and temporal change logic to map the long-term annual time series and detect changes in the Bohai rim coastal area from 1987 to 2020. Validation shows an overall acceptable average accuracy of 82.30% (76.70–85.60%). Results show that cropland in this region decreased sharply from 1987 (53.97%) to 2020 (37.41%). The lost cropland was mainly transformed into rural settlements, cities, and construction land (port infrastructure). We observed a continuous increase in the reclamation with a stable increase at the beginning followed by a rapid increase from 2003 and a stable intermediate level increase from 2013. We also observed a significant increase in coastal aquaculture ponds (saltern) starting from 1995. Through this case study, we demonstrated the strength of the proposed methods for long time-series mapping and change detection for coastal zones, and these methods support the sustainable monitoring and management of the coastal zone.

Current research on the use of carbon dots for various biological systems mainly focuses on the single carbon dots, while particles that contain multiple carbon dots have scarcely been investigated. Here, we assessed multiple carbon dots-crosslinked polyethyleneimine nanoparticles (CDs@PEI) for their in vivo biodistribution, clearance, biocompatibility, and cellular uptake. The in vivo studies demonstrate three unique features of the CDs@PEI nanoparticles: (1) the nanoparticles possess tumor-targeting ability with steady and prolonged retention time in the tumor region. (2) The nanoparticles show hepatobiliary excretion and are clear from the intestine in feces. (3) The nanoparticles have much better biocompatibility than the polyethyleneimine passivated single carbon dots (PEI-CD). We also found that pegylated CDs@PEI nanoparticles can be effectively taken up by the cells, which the confocal laser scanning microscope can image under different excitation wavelengths (at 405, 488, and 800 nm). These prior studies provide invaluable information and new opportunities for this new type of intrinsic photoluminescence nanoparticles in carbon dot-based biomedical applications.

Joint diseases that mainly lead to articular cartilage injury with prolonged severe pain as well as dysfunction have remained unexplained for many years. One of the main reasons is that damaged articular cartilage is unable to repair and regenerate by itself. Furthermore, current therapy, including drug therapy and operative treatment, cannot solve the problem. Fortunately, the micro-/nanoparticle hybrid hydrogel platform provides a new strategy for the treatment of articular cartilage-related diseases, owing to its outstanding biocompatibility, high loading capability, and controlled release effect. The hybrid platform is effective for controlling symptoms of pain, inflammation and dysfunction, and cartilage repair and regeneration. In this review, we attempt to summarize recent studies on the latest development of micro-/nanoparticle hybrid hydrogel for the treatment of articular cartilage-related diseases. Furthermore, some prospects are proposed, aiming to improve the properties of the micro-/nanoparticle hybrid hydrogel platform so as to offer useful new ideas for the effective and accurate treatment of articular cartilage-related diseases.

Photothermal treatment (PTT) is a promising strategy to deal with multidrug-resistant bacteria infection and promote tissue regeneration. Previous studies demonstrated that hyperthermia can effectively inhibit the growth of bacteria, whereas mild heat can promote cell proliferation, further accelerating wound healing and bone regeneration. Especially, hydrogels with photothermal properties could achieve remotely controlled drug release. In this review, we introduce a photothermal agent hybrid in hydrogels for a photothermal effect. We also summarize the potential mechanisms of photothermal hydrogels regarding antibacterial action, angiogenesis, and osteogenesis. Furthermore, recent developments in photothermal hydrogels in wound healing and bone regeneration applications are introduced. Finally, future application of photothermal hydrogels is discussed. Hydrogels with photothermal effects provide a new direction for wound healing and bone regeneration, and this review will give a reference for the tissue engineering.

Abstract Gold nanomaterials have attracted considerable interest as vehicles for intracellular drug delivery. In our study, we synthesized three different shapes of methylpolyethylene glycol coated-anisotropic gold nanoparticles: stars, rods, and triangles. The cellular internalization of these nanoparticles by RAW264.7 cells was analyzed, providing a parametric evaluation of the effect of shape. The efficiency of cellular uptake of the gold nanoparticles was found to rank in the following order from lowest to highest: stars, rods, and triangles. The possible mechanisms of cellular uptake for the three types of gold nanoparticles were examined, and it was found that different shapes tended to use the various endocytosis pathways in different proportions. Our study, which has demonstrated that shape can modulate the uptake of nanoparticles into RAW264.7 cells and that triangles were the shape with the most efficient cellular uptake, provides useful guidance toward the design of nanomaterials for drug delivery.

Matter with chiral fermions is microscopically described by theory with quantum anomaly and macroscopically described (at low energy) by anomalous hydrodynamics. For such systems in the presence of external magnetic field and chirality imbalance, a charge current is generated along the magnetic field direction — a phenomenon known as the Chiral Magnetic Effect (CME). The quark–gluon plasma created in relativistic heavy ion collisions provides an (approximate) example, for which the CME predicts a charge separation perpendicular to the collisional reaction plane. Charge correlation measurements designed for the search of such signal have been done at RHIC and the LHC for which the interpretations, however, remain unclear due to contamination by background effects that are collective flow driven, theoretically poorly constrained, and experimentally hard to separate. Using anomalous (and viscous) hydrodynamic simulations, we make a first attempt at quantifying contributions to observed charge correlations from both CME and background effects in one and same framework. The implications for the search of CME are discussed.