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Abstract Surgical site infections (SSI) are major post‐operative complications following surgery. Reducing SSI is a global urgency as they account for huge pecuniary, physiological, and emotional burdens for patients. Antibiotic resistance is the main challenge for surgeons dealing with SSIs. Aggregation‐induced emission photosensitisers (AIE PS) with their distinct optical characteristics, biocompatibility, low toxicity, and target specificity, hold the potential for the treatment of SSI. Herein, a synergetic strategy combining plasma polymerization and AIE PS is adopted to develop coatings that can eradicate SSI‐causing bacteria. These coatings can preferentially kill Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria over mammalian cells after triggered by light irradiation. The cell viability and immunostaining studies confirmed their biocompatibility on mammalian cells. The antibacterial mechanistic studies explored their ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is crucial for overcoming antibiotic resistance. Thus, this study opens an avenue toward antibacterial coatings to decrease the prevalence of SSI.

Chronic wounds often result in multiple infections with various kinds of bacteria and uncontrolled wound exudate, resulting in several healthcare issues. Advanced medicated nanofibres prepared by electrospinning have gained much attention for their topical application on infected chronic wounds. The objective of this work is to enhance the critical variables of ciprofloxacin-loaded polycaprolactone-silk sericin (PCL/SS-PVA-CIP) nanofibre production via the process of electrospinning. To examine the antibacterial effectiveness of PCL/SS-PVA-CIP nanocomposites, the material was tested against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. The combination of PCL/SS-PVA-CIP exhibited potent inhibitory properties, with the most effective concentrations of ciprofloxacin (CIP) being 3 μg/g and 7.0 μg/g for each bacterium, respectively. The biocompatibility was evaluated by conducting cell reduction and proliferation studies using the human epidermal keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells and human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) in vitro cell lines. The PCL/SS-PVA-CIP showed good cell compatibility with HaCaT and HGF cells, with effective proliferation even at antibiotic doses of up to 7.0 μg/g. The drug release effectiveness of the nanocomposites was assessed at various concentrations of CIP, resulting in a maximum cumulative release of 76.5% and 74.4% after 72 h for CIP concentrations of 3 μg/g and 7 μg/g, respectively. In summary, our study emphasizes the possibility of combining silk sericin (SS) and polycaprolactone (PCL) loading with CIP nanocomposite for wound management.

Sleep plays a role in maintaining our physical well-being. However, sleep-related issues impact millions of people globally. Accurate monitoring of sleep is vital for identifying and addressing these problems. While traditional methods like polysomnography (PSG) are commonly used in settings, they may not fully capture natural sleep patterns at home. Moreover, PSG equipment can disrupt sleep quality. In recent years, there has been growing interest in the use of sensors for sleep monitoring. These lightweight sensors can be easily integrated into textiles or wearable devices using technology. The flexible sensors can be designed for skin contact to offer continuous monitoring without being obtrusive in a home environment. This review presents an overview of the advancements made in flexible sensors for tracking body movements during sleep, which focus on their principles, mechanisms, and strategies for improved flexibility, practical applications, and future trends.

Abstract Centrifugal and shear forces are produced when solids or liquids rotate. Rotary systems and devices that use these forces, such as dynamic thin‐film flow technology, are evolving continuously, improve material structure‐property relationships at the nanoscale, representing a rapidly thriving and expanding field of research high with green chemistry metrics, consolidated at the inception of science. The vortex fluidic device (VFD) provides many advantages over conventional batch processing, with fluidic waves causing high shear and producing large surface areas for micro‐mixing as well as rapid mass and heat transfer, enabling reactions beyond diffusion control. Combining these abilities allows for a green and innovative approach to altering materials for various research and industry applications by controlling small‐scale flows and regulating molecular and macromolecular chemical reactivity, self‐organization phenomena, and the synthesis of novel materials. This review highlights the aptitude of the VFD as clean technology, with an increase in efficiency for a diversity of top‐down, bottom‐up, and novel material transformations which benefit from effective vortex‐based processing to control material structure‐property relationships.

Abstract Over the two decades, RNA drugs have gradually made their way from bench to bed. Initially, RNA was not an ideal drug since RNA molecules degrade easily and have a relatively short half‐life in the circulation system. Nevertheless, the chemical modification extended the half‐life of RNA in recent years, which makes RNA drugs a new star in drug discovery industry. RNA molecules hold many properties that facilitate their application as therapeutic drugs. RNAs could fold to form complex conformations to bind to proteins, small molecules, or other nucleic acids, and some even form catalytic centers. Protein‐encoding RNAs are the carriers of genetic information from DNA to ribosomes, and various types of non‐coding RNAs cooperate in the transcription and translation of genetic information through various mechanisms. To date, three mainstream RNA therapies have drawn widespread attention: (1) messenger RNA that encodes therapeutic proteins or vaccine antigens; (2) small interfering RNA, microRNA (miRNA), antisense oligonucleotides that inhibit the activity of pathogenic RNAs; and (3) aptamers that regulate protein activity. Here, we summarized the current research and perspectives of RNA therapies, which may provide innovative highlights for cancer therapy.

In order to address the issues of energy depletion, more resources are being searched for in the deep sea. Therefore, research into how the deep-sea environment affects cement-based materials for underwater infrastructure is required. This paper examines the impact of ocean depth (0, 500, 1000, and 1500 m) on the ion interaction processes in concrete nanopores using molecular dynamics simulations. At the portlandite interface, the local structural and kinetic characteristics of ions and water molecules are examined. The findings show that the portlandite surface hydrophilicity is unaffected by increasing depth. The density profile and coordination number of ions alter as depth increases, and the diffusion speed noticeably decreases. The main cause of the ions’ reduced diffusion velocity is expected to be the low temperature. This work offers a thorough understanding of the cement hydration products’ microstructure in deep sea, which may help explain why cement-based underwater infrastructure deteriorates over time.

In the quest to curtail the spread of healthcare-associated infections, this work showcases the fabrication of a cutting-edge antibacterial textile coating armoured with aggregation-induced emission photosensitisers (AIE PS) to prevent bacterial colonisation on textiles. The adopted methodology includes a multi-step process using plasma polymerisation and subsequent integration of AIE PS on their surface. The antibacterial effectiveness of the coating was tested against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus after light irradiation for 1 h. Furthermore, antibacterial mechanistic studies revealed their ability to generate reactive oxygen species that can damage bacterial cell membrane integrity. The results of this investigation can be used to develop ground-breaking explanations for infection deterrence, principally in situations where hospital fabrics play a critical part in the transmission of diseases. The antibacterial coating for textiles developed in this study holds great promise as an efficient strategy to promote public health and reduce the danger of bacterial diseases through regular contact with fabrics.

Cryopreservation is a technique to maintain biological materials’ physiological and genetic stability at an ultralow temperature. For commercially important livestock or aquatic species, gamete and embryo cryopreservation could play a significant role in breeding programs and commercial production. For example, it could help overcome key problems such as asynchronous maturation and an unbalanced sex ratio. However, the physiochemical stresses imposed by cryopreservation can negatively affect gametes and embryos, leading to a poor survival rate. Recent studies on cryoinjury have demonstrated that the cryosensitivity of lipids is one of the key causes of cryodamage in mammalians, as lipid compositions in membranes of gametes and embryos are closely related to their cryoresistance. In addition, the cryotolerance of gametes and embryos in some mammalian species has been improved by lipid modification. However, studies on the role of lipids in the cryopreservation of gametes, embryos, and larvae are rare in fish and shellfish. Therefore, this review focuses on recent methodological advances to improve cryotolerance by lipid modification, including lipid application or manipulation in human and livestock sperm, oocytes, and embryos, and how these novel approaches could improve cryopreservation techniques in aquatic species, especially for oocytes and embryos.

Composite helical springs (CHSs) are mainly used in transportation and aerospace fields, such as automobile suspension, railway bogie and aircraft engine systems. It has become a trend to replace the traditional metal helical springs with CHSs with the advantage of energy conservation during service and emission reduction during manufacturing. The advantages of CHSs such as low weight, high specific strength, high specific modulus, corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance and high strain energy storage capacity mean that it has great development potential. The static and dynamic performances of CHSs together determine whether they can be used on a large scale in the engineering field. The static performance of the CHS determines their service-load range and the dynamic performance determines the service life and safety performance of CHSs under dynamic load environmental conditions. Therefore, it is an important task to optimize the static and dynamic performance of CHSs. To provide a reliable reference for the development of CHSs, this review analyzes the important factors affecting the static and dynamic performance optimization of CHSs from the perspectives of theory, finite element method (FEM), and experiment. In addition, the outlook in the research of CHSs are discussed.

Nanocomposite hydrogels are the combination of known components that are a hydrogel and nanometre-sized fillers, typically leading to improved mechanical properties or new functionalities. With simplicity of design and ease of synthesis, recent advances have highlighted that this family of hydrogels holds the significant promise of application in diverse biomedical and engineering fields. The elaborate design and investigation as well as suitable application of nanocomposite hydrogels require the synergy of mechanics, materials science, engineering, and biology. Despite similarities in design and fabrication, the data of mechanical properties for nanocomposite hydrogels scatter in a large space. It is worthwhile comparing various nanocomposite hydrogels for similarities and differences in mechanical properties to aid in designing novel hydrogels with extreme properties, and guide practical applications. This review aims to fill, in the literature, the missing gap of addressing mechanical measurement methods and comparison of mechanical properties in this ever-evolving broad area of research. Finally, the challenges and future research opportunities are highlighted.

As calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) is the main binding phase in concrete, understanding the doping behavior of impurity elements in it is important for optimizing the structure of cementitious materials. However, most of the current studies focus on cement clinker, and the doping mechanism of impurity elements in hydrated calcium silicate is not yet fully understood. The hydrated calcium silicate component is complex, and its structure is very similar to that of the tobermorite mineral family. In this study, the effects of three different dopants (Mg, Sr and Ba) on a representing structure of C-S-H—tobermorite—was systematically explored using densify functional theory (DFT) calculations. The calculations show that Mg doping leads to a decrease in lattice volume and causes obvious structure and coordination changes of magnesium–oxygen polyhedra. This may be the reason why high formation energy is required for the Mg-doped tobermorite. Meanwhile, doping only increases the volume of the Sr- and Ba-centered oxygen polyhedra. Specifically, the Mg-doped structure exhibits higher chemical stability and shorter interatomic bonding. In addition, although Mg doping distorts the structure, the stronger chemical bonding between Mg-O atoms also improves the compressive (~1.99% on average) and shear resistance (~2.74% on average) of tobermorillonite according to the elastic modulus and has less effect on the anisotropy of the Young’s modulus. Our results suggest that Mg doping is a promising strategy for the optimized structural design of C-S-H.

To address the thermal comfort needs of the human body, the development of personal thermal management textile is critical. Phase change materials (PCMs) have a wide range of applications in thermal management due to their large thermal storage capacity and their isothermal properties during phase change. However, their inherent low thermal conductivity and susceptibility to leakage severely limit their application range. In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG) was used as the PCM and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as the polymer backbone, and the thermal conductivity was increased by adding spherical nano-alumina (Al2O3). Utilizing coaxial electrospinning technology, phase-change thermoregulated nanofiber membranes with a core-shell structure were created. The study demonstrates that the membranes perform best in terms of thermal responsiveness and thermoregulation when 5% Al2O3 is added. The prepared nanofiber membranes have a melting enthalpy of 60.05 J·g−1 and retain a high enthalpy after 50 cycles of cold and heat, thus withstanding sudden changes in ambient temperature well. Additionally, the nanofiber membranes have excellent air permeability and high moisture permeability, which can increase wearer comfort. As a result, the constructed coaxial phase change thermoregulated nanofiber membranes can be used as a promising textile for personal thermal management.

Abstract Calcite surface was modified with stearic acids, and the interaction between them was investigated both experimentally and theoretically. Stearic‐acid‐modified calcite powders were investigated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, zeta potential analyser and contact angle measurement. Then, the density functional theory calculations were performed to explore the interaction at the atomic scale. The experimental results and simulation indicated that stearic acids interact with calcite surface via chelation between the double‐bond O atom of –COOH and the Ca atom on calcite surface. The terminal methyl group of the stearic acids decreases the hydrophilicity of the calcite surface, and the interaction between different crystal faces of calcite is different.

In this work, a portable medical platform is developed to monitor fluorescence assay for in-field and point of care (POC) analysis of albumin levels in urine. The platform can rapidly and efficiently measure the fluorescence intensity yielded from the mixture of recognising reagent and the biomarker. After mixing with the recognising reagent and placing under a certain optical excitation wavelength, the sample containing the target biomarker emits a fluorescent signal, which is captured by a Raspberry Pi Camera and analysed in real time to evaluate the Red Green Blue (RGB) values of the image and give an estimation of the biomarker concentration in the sample. Each biomarker, in testing for fluorescence, requires different excitation wavelengths and sensitivities for detection. The developed platform has been designed with flexibility for customization to suit the different requirements of various fluorescence reactions. In this study, we perform two stages of evaluating the device. In stage 1, we demonstrate the developed platform can detect known concentrations of albumin in artificial urine samples by using different recognising reagents. In stage 2, we confirm the developed platform can detect unknown concentrations of albumin in patients' urine samples and provide comparative accuracy results compared with current laboratory testing results. This study provides proof of concept that the developed device can measure the concentration of different biomarkers if the biomarker detection follows the rules of fluorescence sensing.

The penetration of external stimuli (microorganisms, ions, etc.) following to the pore is the key reason for the deterioration of cement and concrete structures. Although the traditional methods such as improving the chemical composition of cement and concrete materials can delay the erosion rate, the inevitable pore structure still makes its deterioration a challenge. Based on this, we reported a protective coating for cementitious materials based on phenol and Ti3C2 MXene-modified polyacrylate (MXene-PG/PA). The introduction of phenols enhanced the waterproof properties of polyacrylate by increasing the interaction among molecular chains. Moreover, the introduction of Ti3C2 MXene also endows the MXene-PG/PA coating with good light-induced antimicrobial properties. Beneficial to these designs, the MXene-PG/PA coating exhibited good waterproof properties (the water absorption ratio in seawater decreased by 58.2%) and antimicrobial properties (inhibition of E. coli and S. epidermidis activity under light). These results not only confirm that the MXene-PG/PA coating is a potential candidate of protective coating for cement-based materials, but also provide a new strategy for the design of multifunctional protective coatings.

Hydrogels have various promising prospects as a successful platform for detecting biomarkers, and human serum albumin (HSA) is an important biomarker in the diagnosis of kidney diseases. However, the difficult-to-control passive diffusion kinetics of hydrogels is a major factor affecting detection performance. This study focuses on using hydrogels embedded with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorescent probe TC426 to detect HSA in real time. The vortex fluidic device (VFD) technology is used as a rotation strategy to control the reaction kinetics and micromixing during measurement. The results show that the introduction of VFD could significantly accelerate its fluorescence response and effectively improve the diffusion coefficient, while VFD processing could regulate passive diffusion into active diffusion, offering a new method for future sensing research.

Lightweight, durable waterproof and breathable membranes with multifunctional properties that mimic nature have great potential for application in high-performance textiles, efficient filtering systems and flexible electronic devices. In this work, the fluoride-free triblock copolymer poly(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene) (SBS) fibrous membrane with excellent elastic performance was prepared using electrospinning. According to the bionics of lotus leaves, a coarse structure was built onto the surface of the SBS fiber using dip-coating of silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs). Polydopamine, an efficient interfacial adhesive, was introduced between the SBS fiber and SiO2 NPs. The hydrophobicity of the modified nanofibrous membrane was highly improved, which exhibited a super-hydrophobic surface with a water contact angle large than 160°. The modified membrane retained super-hydrophobic properties after 50 stretching cycles under 100% strains. Compared with the SBS nanofibrous membrane, the hydrostatic pressure and WVT rate of the SBS/PDA/SiO2 nanofibrous membrane improved simultaneously, which were 84.2 kPa and 6.4 kg·m−2·d−1 with increases of 34.7% and 56.1%, respectively. In addition, the SBS/PDA/SiO2 nanofibrous membrane showed outstanding self-cleaning and windproof characteristics. The high-performance fibrous membrane provides a new solution for personal protective equipment.

Reproductive and sexual health issues, including infertility and sexual dysfunctions (SD), are common concerns affecting millions of reproductive age worldwide. Scattered literature reports that marine animals such as oysters, sea cucumbers, seahorses and spoon worms have unique bioactive compounds like saponins, steroids, seahorse-derived hydrolysates, polypeptide, oligopeptides and essential trace elements that significantly improve infertility, hormonal imbalance, SD, and impotence. In addition, these compounds have exhibited pharmacological properties against reproductive problems due to diabetes and exposure to electromagnetic fields, cyclophosphamide, or a high exercise load. This review presents the first critical assessment of the advances in understanding and applying bioactives from marine organisms to support human reproductive health. Key knowledge and technical gaps have been identified for future research to improve the lack of in-depth understanding of the mechanism and action of these bioactives in human clinical studies. There is a need to develop simple, selective, low-cost, and scalable processes to isolate and purify individual bioactive compounds for industrial applications. The optimizing culturing and farming conditions for specific bioactive compounds from targeted species are suggested for sustainable production. The review indicates a promising future of extracts and marine-derived bioactives as functional foods in preventing and managing human reproductive health issues, but mechanistic studies and further clinical trials are urgently required to evaluate their efficacy and safety.

Chemotherapy resistance plays a major role in treatment failure of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Exosomes are closely related to tumor drug resistance. Herein, the expression of exosomal proteins in DLBCL and their roles in chemotherapy resistance of DLBCL are explored. Tandem mass tag labeling proteomics was used to perform proteomic profiling in exosomes from DLBCL patients’ serum. The expression of carbonic anhydrase 1 (CA1) in parental, chemo-resistant DLBCL cells and DLBCL patient exosomes was detected. Proliferation of DLBCL following CA1 knockdown was investigated both in vitro and in vivo, along with the effects on nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathways. We identified 54 differentially expressed proteins. We validated that the expression level of exosomal CA1 was higher in chemo-resistant DLBCL cells than in chemo-sensitive counterparts. Knockdown of CA1 inhibited the growth of DLBCL via inhibiting the activation of NF-κB and STAT3 signaling pathways both in vitro and in vivo. An increased expression level of exosomal CA1 was associated with poorer prognosis, and exosomal CA1 could be used as a biomarker to predict chemotherapeutic efficacy. Our study suggests that exosomal CA1 can promote chemotherapy resistance in DLBCL via the NF-κB and STAT3 pathways, and it can serve as a biomarker for DLBCL prognosis.

The helical spring is one of the fundamental mechanical elements in a wide range of industrial applications. In this study, a novel helical spring made of multistrand carbon fiber/epoxy composite were designed and fabricated by an integrated formation process to achieve flexible adjustment of the spring constant without changing geometric size. Five types of composite helical springs were fabricated by controlling different reinforcement twist and fiber volume content (Vf), forming three twistless composite multistrand helical springs (CMHSs) with Vf of 45%, 50%, and 55% and two multistrand twisted CMHSs with twist coefficient of 4 and 6r/10 cm and Vf of 55%. Quasi-static compression tests showed that the spring constant could be adjusted effectively by changing the Vf and reinforcement twist. By applying finite element analysis, the general correlation of the effects of Vf and reinforcement twist on the spring constant of the CMHSs were further analyzed and discussed. It was proved that the increase of reinforcement twist and Vf can both improve the spring constant, among which the effect of reinforcement twist dominated due to the stress homogenization of the twisting structure. Furthermore, a prediction of spring constant as a function of twist ranging from 0 to 40r/10 cm were conducted based on experimental and simulation results, which was of engineering significance for the application of composite helical springs.

Intramolecular motion-associated biomaterials (iMAB) are developing rapidly in the field of image-guided cancer surgery by virtue of their easily regulated photophysical property. Through manipulating the energy distribution after absorption of light, we can easily control the maximal energy decay of iMAB through radiative pathway or non-radiative pathway for optimized fluorescence guidance or promoted photoacoustic imaging guidance. Therefore, iMAB provide an opportunity to utilize the maximum potential of imaging reagents for precise guidance of cancer surgery. In this short review, recent progress in this field has been summarized and discussed to illuminate the design and regulation principles of iMAB for advanced precise cancer surgery.

As an emerging contaminant, microplastic is receiving increasing attention. However, the contamination source is not fully known, and new sources are still being identified. Herewith, we report that microplastics can be found in our gardens, either due to the wrongdoing of leaving plastic bubble wraps to be mixed with mulches or due to the use of plastic landscape fabrics in the mulch bed. In the beginning, they were of large sizes, such as > 5 mm. However, after 7 years in the garden, owing to natural degradation, weathering, or abrasion, microplastics are released. We categorize the plastic fragments into different groups, 5 mm–0.75 mm, 0.75 mm–100 μm, and 100–0.8 μm, using filters such as kitchenware, meaning we can collect microplastics in our gardens by ourselves. We then characterized the plastics using Raman image mapping and a logic-based algorithm to increase the signal-to-noise ratio and the image certainty. This is because the signal-to-noise ratio from a single Raman spectrum, or even from an individual peak, is significantly less than that from a spectrum matrix of Raman mapping (such as 1 vs. 50 × 50) that contains 2,500 spectra, from the statistical point of view. From the 10 g soil we sampled, we could detect the microplastics, including large (5 mm–100 μm) fragments and small (

Flexible, lightweight and practical luminous fibers have aroused great interest in the field of smart textiles. In this study, we report flexible aggregation induced emission luminogen (AIEgen) fibers which can be produced in a continuous and large-scale way. Fluorescent nanofibers prepared by conjugate electrospinning are wrapped on the surface of flexible core fiber to form a skin-core AIEgen fiber. The electrospinning parameters including spinning concentration, traction rate, spinning rate and tetraphenylethylene (TPE) concentration were designed and optimized via the non-interactive orthogonal experimental design. The optimized flexible AIEgen fiber retains the excellent mechanical properties of core fiber and is equipped with the fluorescence properties of the wrapped fluorescent nanofibers. In addition, the fabricated AIEgen fibers can still exhibit good fluorescence characteristic after being stretched, bent, washed and rubbed, displaying excellent durability. Different from reported luminescent fibers which required an external power supply or complicated preparation process, the flexible AIEgen fibers fabricated in this study can be prepared continuously in a large-scale way and exhibits effectiveness in clothing display, anti-counterfeiting, information transmission and hazardous gas detection, which shows great application potential for wearable smart textiles.

Urine biomarkers are important in monitoring diseases related to human kidney function. The current processes for measuring biomarker levels in urine samples require patients to regularly visit clinical facilities, which is inconvenient and sometimes impossible for patients in rural areas. Therefore, portable analysis devices for the measurement of urine biomarkers are urgently requested. In this study, a portable platform using colorimetry, a common and simple-to-operate chemical analysis technique, was developed to measure urine biomarkers. The device, using commercial test kits as recognising reagents and a 96-well microplate as a solution container, provides quantitative measures of biomarker concentration. Moreover, the proposed device introduces a calibration method to minimise the dependence of regular maintenance. The device’s performance was evaluated with urine from 73 renal patients and its results matched with clinical results well. The device has the potential for measuring urine creatinine, in addition to performing a variety of commercial assays for biomarker detection in human body fluids in general.

Helical springs are indispensable mechanical parts widely used in industry. Lightweight is one of the development trends of helical springs. In this study, three kinds of lightweight polymer matrix composite helical springs (PMCHSs) with unidirectional, multistrand, and wrapped textile structural reinforcement (PMCHS-U, PMCHS-M, and PMCHS-W) were designed, manufactured, and evaluated. The performance of these PMCHSs and the relationship between their performance and their corresponding polymer matrix composite spring wire rods (PMCRs) were studied through the torsion test of the PMCRs and the compression and resilience tests of the PMCHSs. The results showed that the performance of the PMCHSs could be effectively improved by using the wrapped structure as the reinforcement. The compression capacity of PMCHS-W was 72.6% and 137.5% higher than that of PMCHS-M and PMCHS-U, respectively. The resilience performance of the PMCHSs decreased with the increase in the spring constant. The performances of the PMCHSs and a steel spring were compared. The results showed that the spring constant of the steel spring could be achieved when the masses of PMCHS-U, PMCHS-M, and PMCHS-W were only 75%, 63%, and 49% of the mass of the steel spring, respectively. This research is of great significance to the improvement in lightweight spring performance.

Abstract Proteins are the building blocks of life, regarded as one of the most complex and crucial biomacromolecules in biological systems, and playing a significant role in executing genes and transferring genetic information. According to recent research, due to the structural intricacy of proteins and their sensitivity to physical and chemical degradation processes, they could be utilized as biomarkers or therapeutic agents in the diagnosis, treatment, or even prevention of different diseases. Therefore, modern pathways have been developed for understanding the function of proteins, resulting in intriguing approaches in the field of protein‐related diseases. The diagnostic strategies to deal with such diseases, including protein analysis, protein quantification, and protein imaging, were argued in depth. Meanwhile, the aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) concept and its potential applications for real‐time imaging make AIE luminogens (AIEgen) attractive for protein imaging. In general, AIEgens refer to those luminogenic chemicals that are nonluminescent in solution, but luminescent in either the aggregated or solid states. This review is focused on the emergence of AIE materials in protein tracking, detecting, and imaging for medical applications.

In this study, a brush-like polymer with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) features was synthesized for drug delivery and intracellular drug tracking. The polymer consisting of tetraphenylethene (TPE) chain-end as well as oligo-poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) and hydrazine functionalities was successfully synthesized through copper (0)-mediated reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (Cu0-mediated RDRP). Anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was conjugated to the polymer and formed a prodrug named TPE-PEGA-Hyd-DOX, which contains 11% DOX. The hydrazone between DOX and polymer backbone is a pH-sensitive linkage that can control the release of DOX in slightly acidic conditions, which can precisely control the DOX release rate. The drug release of 10% after 96 h in normal cell environments compared with about 40% after 24 h in cancer cell environments confirmed the influence of the hydrazone bond. The ratiometric design of fluorescent intensities with peaks at 410 nm (emission due to AIE feature of TPE) and 600 nm (emission due to ACQ feature of DOX) provides an excellent opportunity for this product as a precise intracellular drug tracker. Cancer cells confocal microscopy showed negligible DOX solution uptake, but an intense green emission originated from prodrug uptake. Moreover, a severe red emission in the DOX channel confirmed a promising level of drug release from the prodrug in the cytoplasm. The merged images of cancer cells confirmed the high performance of the TPE-PEGA-Hyd-DOX compound in the viewpoints of cellular uptake and drug release. This polymer prodrug successfully demonstrates low cytotoxicity in healthy cells and high performance in killing cancer cells.

Fouling is the accumulation of unwanted substances, such as proteins, organisms, and inorganic molecules, on marine infrastructure such as pylons, boats, or pipes due to exposure to their environment. As fouling accumulates, it can have many adverse effects, including increasing drag, reducing the maximum speed of a ship and increasing fuel consumption, weakening supports on oil rigs and reducing the functionality of many sensors. In this review, the history and recent progress of techniques and strategies that are employed to inhibit fouling are highlighted, including traditional biocide antifouling systems, biomimicry, micro-texture and natural components systems, superhydrophobic, hydrophilic or amphiphilic systems, hybrid systems and active cleaning systems. This review highlights important considerations, such as accounting for the effects that antifouling strategies have on the sensing mechanism employed by the sensors. Additionally, due to the specialised requirements of many sensors, often a bespoke and tailored solution is preferential to general coatings or paints. A description of how both fouling and antifouling techniques affect maritime sensors, specifically acoustic sensors, is given.

Artificial photosynthesis can provide valuable fuels and positively impact greenhouse effects, via transforming carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) into hydrocarbons using semiconductor‐based photocatalysts. However, the inefficient charge‐carrier dissociation and transportation as well as the lack of surface active sites are two major drawbacks to boosting their activity and selectivity in photocatalytic CO2 reduction. Recently, ReS2 has received tremendous attention in the photocatalysis area due to its intriguing physicochemical properties. Nevertheless, the application of ReS2 in photocatalytic CO2 reduction is scarcely covered. Herein, a heterojunction formed between ReS2 nanosheets and CdS nanoparticles is reported, achieving an apparently raised CO production of 7.1 μmol g−1 and high selectivity of 93.4%. The as‐prepared ReS2/CdS heterojunction exhibits strengthened visible‐light absorption, high‐efficiency electron–hole pair separation/transfer, and increased adsorption/activation/reduction of CO2 on in situ created sulfur vacancies of ReS2, thus all favoring CO2 photoreduction. These are corroborated by advanced characterization techniques, e.g., synchrotron‐based X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure, and density functional theory–based computations. The findings will be of broad interest in practical design and fabrication of surface active sites and semiconductor heterojunctions for applications in catalysis, electronics, and optoelectronics.

Nowadays, a particular focus is using microalgae to get high-valued health beneficiary lipids. The precise localisation of the lipid droplets (LDs) and biochemical changes are crucial to portray the lipid production strategy in algae, but it requires an in vivo tool to rapidly visualise LD distribution. As a novel strategy, this study focuses on detecting lipid bioaccumulation in a green microalga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii using the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) based probe, 2-DPAN (C24H18N2O). As the messenger molecule and stress biomarker, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) activity was detected in lipid synthesis with the AIE probe, TPE-BO (C38H42B2O4). Distinctive LDs labelled with 2-DPAN have elucidated the lipid inducing conditions, where more health beneficiary α-linolenic acid has been produced. TPE-BO labelled H2O2 have clarified the involvement of H2O2 during lipid biogenesis. The co-staining procedure with traditional green BODIPY dye and red chlorophyll indicates that 2-DPAN is suitable for multicolour LD imaging. Compared with BODIPY, 2-DPAN was an efficient sample preparation technique without the washing procedure. Thus, 2-DPAN could improve traditional fluorescent probes currently used for lipid imaging. In addition, the rapid, wash-free, multicolour AIE-based in vivo probe in the study of LDs with 2-DPAN could advance the research of lipid production in microalgae.

Customarily, retarders serve as the setting time regulators of cement-based composites to meet the demands of various construction environments. However, the limited ability to adjust the setting time restricts the application of polysaccharides in special environments. In this study, we reported a naturally high-efficiency retarder, konjac glucomannan (KGM), and studied the mechanism of its effect on the hydration of ordinary Portland cement. Incorporating KGM could significantly prolong cement hydration without strength damage. Furthermore, the active hydroxyl group (−OH, rich in KGM) could chelate with Ca2+ (released from cement hydration) to form a cross-linking network, which is adsorbed on the surface of cement clinker, thereby being conducive to delaying the process of cement hydration and reducing the heat of hydration. The findings of this study are critical to the ongoing efforts to develop polysaccharide-cement-based composite materials for application in various special environments.

The current study describes a new technology, effective for readily preparing a fluorescent (FL) nanoprobe-based on hyperbranched polymer (HB) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorogen with high brightness to ultimately develop FL hydrogels. We prepared the AIE nanoprobe using a microfluidic platform to mix hyperbranched polymers (HB, generations 2, 3, and 4) with AIE (TPE-2BA) under shear stress and different rotation speeds (0–5 K RPM) and explored the FL properties of the AIE nanoprobe. Our results reveal that the use of HB generation 4 exhibits 30-times higher FL intensity compared to the AIE alone and is significantly brighter and more stable compared to those that are prepared using HB generations 3 and 2. In contrast to traditional methods, which are expensive and time-consuming and involve polymerization and post-functionalization to develop FL hyperbranched molecules, our proposed method offers a one-step method to prepare an AIE-HB nanoprobe with excellent FL characteristics. We employed the nanoprobe to fabricate fluorescent injectable bioadhesive gel and a hydrogel microchip based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The addition of borax (50 mM) to the PVA + AIE nanoprobe results in the development of an injectable bioadhesive fluorescent gel with the ability to control AIEgen release for 300 min. When borax concentration increases two times (100 mM), the adhesion stress is more than two times bigger (7.1 mN/mm2) compared to that of gel alone (3.4 mN/mm2). Excellent dimensional stability and cell viability of the fluorescent microchip, along with its enhanced mechanical properties, proposes its potential applications in mechanobiology and understanding the impact of microstructure in cell studies.

Inspired by the fundamental mechanics of an ancient whirligig (or buzzer toy; 3300 BC), a hand-driven rotational triboelectric nanogenerator (HDR-TENG) was designed and optimised, guided by our recently reported mathematical modelling. This modelling indicates that the power generated by HDR-TENG is a function of the number of segments, rotational speed, and tribo-surface spacing with different weighting sensitivities. Based on the simulation results, additive manufacturing technology was combined with commercially available components to cost-effectively fabricate the HDR-TENG. The fabricated HDR-TENG can provide stable and adjustable rotational speed up to 15,000 rpm with a linear hand stretching. The output voltage of HDR-TENG maintains a constant value within 50,000 cycles of testing when using Nylon 66 and PTFE as the triboelectric material. It can charge a 47 μF capacitor to 2.2 V in one minute. This study provides a cost-effective portable HDR-TENG device with adjustable high rotational speed, high power output, and long durable life, creating opportunities to provide a power supply for point-of-care devices in remote or resource-poor settings and applications in science and engineering education.

Protein folding is important for protein homeostasis/proteostasis in the human body. We have established the ability to manipulate protein unfolding/refolding for β-lactoglobulin using the induced mechanical energy in the thin film microfluidic vortex fluidic device (VFD) with monitoring as such using an aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen), TPE-MI. When denaturant (guanidine hydrochloride) is present with β-lactoglobulin, the VFD accelerates the denaturation reaction in a controlled way. Conversely, rapid renaturation of the unfolded protein occurs in the VFD in the absence of the denaturant. The novel TPE-MI reacts with exposed cysteine thiol when the protein unfolds, as established with an increase in fluorescence intensity. TPE-MI provides an easy and accurate way to monitor the protein folding, with comparable results established using conventional circular dichroism. The controlled VFD-mediated protein folding coupled with in situ bioprobe AIEgen monitoring is a viable methodology for studying the denaturing of proteins.

The detection and monitoring of biomarkers in body fluids has been used to improve human healthcare activities for decades. In recent years, researchers have focused their attention on applying the point-of-care (POC) strategies into biomarker detection. The evolution of mobile technologies has allowed researchers to develop numerous portable medical devices that aim to deliver comparable results to clinical measurements. Among these, optical-based detection methods have been considered as one of the common and efficient ways to detect and monitor the presence of biomarkers in bodily fluids, and emerging aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) with their distinct features are merging with portable medical devices. In this review, the detection methodologies that use optical measurements in the POC systems for the detection and monitoring of biomarkers in bodily fluids are compared, including colorimetry, fluorescence and chemiluminescence measurements. The current portable technologies, with or without the use of smartphones in device development, that are combined with optical biosensors for the detection and monitoring of biomarkers in body fluids, are also investigated. The review also discusses novel AIEgens used in the portable systems for the detection and monitoring of biomarkers in body fluid. Finally, the potential of future developments and the use of optical detection-based portable devices in healthcare activities are explored.

Owing to highly tunable topology and functional groups, hyper-branched polymers are a potential candidate for toughening agents, for achieving supramolecular interactions with hydrogel networks. However, their toughening effects and mechanisms are not well understood. Here, by means of tensile and pure shear testings, we characterise the mechanics of a nanoparticle–hydrogel hybrid system that incorporates a hyper-branched polymer (HBP) with abundant hydroxyl end groups into the matrix of the polyacrylic acid (PAA) hydrogel. We found that the third and fourth generations of HBP are more effective than the second one in terms of strengthening and toughening effects. At a HBP content of 14 wt%, compared to that of the pure PAA hydrogel, strengths of the hybrid hydrogels with the third and fourth HBPs are 2.3 and 2.5 times; toughnesses are increased by 525% and 820%. However, for the second generation, strength is little improved, and toughness is increased by 225%. It was found that the stiffness of the hybrid hydrogel is almost unchanged relative to that of the PAA hydrogel, evidencing the weak characteristic of hydrogen bonds in this system. In addition, an outstanding self-healing feature was observed, confirming the fast reforming nature of broken hydrogen bonds. For the hybrid hydrogel, the critical size of failure zone around the crack tip, where serious viscous dissipation occurs, is related to a fractocohesive length, being about 0.62 mm, one order of magnitude less than that of other tough double-network hydrogels. This study can promote the application of hyper-branched polymers in the rapid evolving field of hydrogels for improved performance.

This paper is devoted to the random vibration analysis of jacket platforms under wave loads using the explicit time-domain approach. The Morison equation is first used to obtain the nonlinear random wave loads, which are discretized into random loading vectors at a series of time instants. The Newmark-β integration scheme is then employed to construct the explicit expressions for dynamic responses of jacket platforms in terms of the random vectors at different time instants. On this basis, Monte Carlo simulation can further be conducted at high efficiency, which not only provides the statistical moments of the random responses, but also gives the mean peak values of responses. Compared with the traditional power spectrum method, nonlinear wave loads can be readily taken into consideration in the present approach rather than using the equivalent linearized Morison equation. Compared with the traditional Monte Carlo simulation, the response statistics can be obtained through the direct use of the explicit expressions of dynamic responses rather than repeatedly solving the equation of motion. An engineering example is analyzed to illustrate the accuracy and efficiency of the present approach.

Three-dimensional braided composite has a unique spatial network structure that exhibits the characteristics of high delamination resistance, damage tolerance, and shear strength. Considering the characteristics of braided structures, two types of high-performance materials, namely, aramid and carbon fibers, were used as reinforcements to prepare braided composites with different hybrid structures. In this study, the longitudinal and transverse shear properties of 3D braided hybrid composites were tested to investigate the influences of hybrid and structural effects. The damage characteristics of 3D braided hybrid composites under short beam shear loading underwent comprehensive morphological analysis via optical microscopy, water-logging ultrasonic scanning, and X-ray micro-computed tomography methods. It is shown that the shear toughness of hybrid braided composite has been improved at certain degrees compared with the pure carbon fiber composite under both transverse and longitudinal directions. The hybrid braided composites with aramid fiber as axial yarn and carbon fiber as braiding yarn exhibited the best shear toughness under transverse shear loading. Meanwhile, the composites with carbon fiber as axial yarn and aramid fiber as braiding yarn demonstrated the best shear toughness in the longitudinal direction. Due to the different distribution of axial and braiding yarns, the transverse shear property of hybrid braided structure excels over the longitudinal shear property. The failure modes of the hybrid braided composite under the two loading directions are considerably different. Under transverse loading, the primary failure mode of the composites is yarn fracture. Under longitudinal loading, the primary failure modes are resin fracture and fiber slip. The extensive interfacial effects and the good deformation capability of the hybrid braided composites can effectively prevent the longitudinal development of internal cracks in the pattern, improving the shear properties of braided composites.

In recent decades, microfluidic techniques have been extensively used to advance hydrogel design and control the architectural features on the micro- and nanoscale. The major challenges with the microfluidic approach are clogging and limited architectural features: notably, the creation of the sphere, core-shell, and fibers. Implementation of batch production is almost impossible with the relatively lengthy time of production, which is another disadvantage. This minireview aims to introduce a new microfluidic platform, a vortex fluidic device (VFD), for one-step fabrication of hydrogels with different architectural features and properties. The application of a VFD in the fabrication of physically crosslinked hydrogels with different surface morphologies, the creation of fluorescent hydrogels with excellent photostability and fluorescence properties, and tuning of the structure–property relationship in hydrogels are discussed. We conceive, on the basis of this minireview, that future studies will provide new opportunities to develop hydrogel nanocomposites with superior properties for different biomedical and engineering applications.

Controllable feature and size, good mechanical stability and intelligent release behavior is the capsule products relentless pursuit of the goal. In addition, to illustrate the quantitative relationship of structure and performance is also important for encapsulation technology development. In this study, the sphericity and size of millimeter-scale calcium sodium alginate capsules (mm-CaSA-Caps) with aqueous core were well tuned by manipulating the viscosity, surface tension, and density of CaCl2/carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC) drops and sodium alginate (SA) solution. The well-tuned mm-CaSA-Caps showed significant mechanical and control-releasing property effects. The results showed that the prepared mm-CaSA-Caps were highly monodispersed with average diameter from 3.8 to 4.8 mm. The viscosity of the SA solution and the viscosity and surface tension of the CaCl2/CMC solution had significant effects on the mm-CaSA-Caps sphericity. Uniform and spherical mm-CaSA-Caps could be formed with high viscosity CaCl2/CMC solution (between 168.5 and 917.5 mPa·s), low viscosity SA solution (between 16.2 and 72.0 mPa·s) and decreased surface tension SA solution (by adding 0.01 wt.% poloxamer 407). The diameter of the mm-CaSA-Caps could be predicted by a modified Tate’s law, which correlated well with the experimental data. The Caps with sphericity factor (SF) < 0.07 had better mechanical stability, with the crushing force 2.91−15.5 times and the surface Young’s modulus 2.1−3.99 times higher than those of the non-spherical Caps (SF > 0.07). Meanwhile, the spherical Caps had a more even permeation rate, which was helpful in producing uniform and sustained releasing applications in foodstuff, medicine, agriculture and chemical industry.

There is a rising imperative to increase the operational availability of maritime vessels by extending the time between full docking cycles. To achieve operational efficacy, maritime vessels must remain clear of biological growth. Such growth can cause significant increases in frictional drag, thereby reducing speed, range and fuel efficiency and decreasing the sensitivity of acoustic sensors. The impact that various stages of fouling have on acoustic equipment is unclear. It is also unclear to what extent antifouling techniques interfere with the transmission of acoustic signals. In this study, to examine this effect, neoprene samples were coated with three antifouling coatings, namely, Intersmooth 7460HS, HempaGuard X7 and Hempasil X3. Other neoprene samples were left uncoated but were imbedded with the biocide, 4,5-dichloro-2-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT) during the mixing and curing process. Uncoated nitrile samples that had varying levels of fouling from immersion in Port Phillip Bay, Australia, for 92, 156 and 239 days were also extracted. The acoustic properties of these samples were measured using an acoustic insertion loss test and compared to uncoated neoprene or nitrile to ascertain the acoustic effects of the applications of antifouling coatings as well as the fouling growth itself. A T-peel test was performed on all coated samples in an attempt to understand the adhesive properties of the coatings when applied to neoprene. It was found that the application of antifouling coatings had little effect on the transmission characteristics of the neoprene with approximately 1 dB loss. The embedment of DCOIT, however, has a chance of causing aeration in the neoprene, which can heavily hamper transmission. An assessment of the effect of the fouling growth found that light and medium fouling levels produced little transmission loss, whereas more extreme fouling lead to a 9 dB transmission loss. The adhesion properties of the coatings were investigated but not fully ascertained as tensile yielding occurred before peeling. However, various failure modes are presented and discussed in this study.

The identification and classification of acoustic emission (AE) based failure modes are complex due to the fact that AE waves are generally released simultaneously from all AE-emitting damage sources. To fully understand the occurrence of damage and the damage evolution law of 3D braided composites, the tensile response characteristics and failure mechanisms of such composites were revealed by experiments, followed by frequency domain analyses. The results indicated good correlation between the number of AE events and the evolution of damage in 3D braided composites. After an AE signal was decomposed by the Hilbert⁻Huang transform (HHT) method, it might extract and separate all damage modes included in this AE signal. Additionally, the frequency saltation in the HHT spectra implied changes in the failure mode of the 3D braided composites. This study provides an effective new method for the analysis of the tensile fracture mechanism in 3D braided composites.

This investigation examines the combination of poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) and bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers to synthesize hydrogel hybrid composites used for wound dressing application. Amoxicillin (AM) was also grafted onto the composites for drug release. Fourier transform infrared analysis and scanning electron microscopy conducted revealed the structure and porosity of the composite being developed, as well as the successful fabrication of BC-PAA composites. The results of mechanical testing and hygroscopicity revealed that the composite shows higher stability than hydrogels which are currently used worldwide, albeit with a slight reduction in swelling capabilities. However, the composite was revealed to be responsive to a rise in pH values with an increase in composite swelling and drug release. These results together with their morphological characteristics suggest that BC-PAA hydrogel hybrid composite is a promising candidate for wound dressing application.

Three-dimensional (3D) cells in vitro culture are becoming increasingly popular in cancer research because some important signals are lost when cells are cultured in a two-dimensional (2D) substrate. In this work, bacterial cellulose (BC)/gelatin hydrogels were successfully synthesized and were investigated as scaffolds for cancer cells in vitro culture to simulate tumor microenvironment. Their properties and ability to support normal growth of cancer cells were evaluated. In particular, the human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MD-231) was seeded into BC/gelatin scaffolds to investigate their potential in 3D cell in vitro culture. MTT proliferation assay, scanning electron microscopy, hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunofluorescence were used to determine cell proliferation, morphology, adhesion, infiltration, and receptor expression. The in vitro MDA-MD-231 cell culture results demonstrated that cells cultured on the BC/gelatin scaffolds had significant adhesion, proliferation, ingrowth and differentiation. More importantly, MDA-MD-231 cells cultured in BC/gelatin scaffolds retained triple-negative receptor expression, demonstrating that BC/gelatin scaffolds could be used as ideal in vitro culture scaffolds for tumor cells.

Although poly vinyl alcohol-poly acrylic acid (PVA-PAA) composites have been widely used for biomedical applications, their incorporation into double-layer assembled thin films has been limited because the interfacial binding materials negatively influence the water uptake capacity of PVA. To minimize the effect of interfacial binding, a simple method for the fabrication of a double-layered PVA-PAA hydrogel was introduced, and its biomedical properties were evaluated in this study. Our results revealed that the addition of PAA layers on the surface of PVA significantly increased the swelling properties. Compared to PVA, the equilibrium swelling ratio of the PVA-PAA hydrogel increased (p = 0.035) and its water vapour permeability significantly decreased (p = 0.04). Statistical analysis revealed that an increase in pH value from 7 to 10 as well as the addition of PAA at pH = 7 significantly increased the adhesion force (p < 0.04). The mechanical properties—including ultimate tensile strength, modulus, and elongation at break—remained approximately untouched compared to PVA. A significant increase in biocompatibility was found after day 7 (p = 0.016). A higher release rate for tetracycline was found at pH = 8 compared to neutral pH.

Corrosion deterioration of steel can heavily degrade the performance of marine and offshore structures. A typical steel protective device, which has worked for a dozen years in a river estuary, is selected as the research object. Its current corrosion response is measured on site and its further corrosive response is predicted based on measurement data and the structure’s current state. Nonlinear finite element method is utilized to analyze the degradation of the protective device’s anti-collision performance. Meanwhile the rubber buffer effect has been investigated for its anti-collision on the protective device. A prediction method is proposed that can accurately forecast degradation of the anti-collision performance of a protective device as time progresses.

Biosensors that detect and convert biological reactions to a measurable signal have gained much attention in recent years. Between 1950 and 2017, more than 150,000 papers have been published addressing the applications of biosensors in different industries, but to the best of our knowledge and through careful screening, critical reviews that describe hydrogel based biosensors for biomedical applications are rare. This review discusses the biomedical application of hydrogel based biosensors, based on a search performed through Web of Science Core, PubMed (NLM), and Science Direct online databases for the years 2000–2017. In this review, we consider bioreceptors to be immobilized on hydrogel based biosensors, their advantages and disadvantages, and immobilization techniques. We identify the hydrogels that are most favored for this type of biosensor, as well as the predominant transduction strategies. We explain biomedical applications of hydrogel based biosensors including cell metabolite and pathogen detection, tissue engineering, wound healing, and cancer monitoring, and strategies for small biomolecules such as glucose, lactate, urea, and cholesterol detection are identified.

The Fip1-like1 (FIP1L1)-platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha fusion gene (F/P) arising in the pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell (HSC),causes 14% to 60% of patients with hypereosinophilia syndrome (HES). These patients, classified as having F/P (+) chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL), present with clonal eosinophilia and display a more aggressive disease phenotype than patients with F/P (-) HES patients. The mechanisms underlying predominant eosinophil lineage targeting and the cytotoxicity of eosinophils in this leukemia remain unclear. Given that the Janus tyrosine kinase (JAK)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (Stat) signaling pathway is key to cytokine receptor-mediated eosinophil development and activated Stat3 and Stat5 regulate the expression of genes involved in F/P malignant transformation, we investigated whether and how JAK proteins were involved in the pathogenesis of F/P-induced CEL. F/P activation of JAK2, Stat3 and Stat5, were confirmed in all the 11 F/P (+) CEL patients examined. In vitro inhibition of JAK2 in EOL-1, primary F/P(+) CEL cells (PC) and T674I F/P Imatinib resistant cells(IR) by either JAK2-specific short interfering RNA (siRNA) or the tryphostin derivative AG490(AG490), significantly reduced cellular proliferation and induced cellular apoptosis. The F/P can enhance the IL-5-induced JAK2 activation, and further results indicated that JAK2 inhibition blocked IL-5-induced cellular migration and activation of the EOL-1 and PC cells in vitro. F/P-stimulation of the JAK2 suppressed cells led to a significantly reduction in Stat3 activation, but relatively normal induction of Stat5 activation. Interestingly, JAK2 inhibition also reduced PI3K, Akt and NF-κB activity in a dose-dependent manner, and suppressed expression levels of c-Myc and Survivin. These results strongly suggest that JAK2 is activated by F/P and is required for F/P stimulation of cellular proliferation and infiltration, possibly through induction of c-Myc and Survivin expression via activation of multiple signaling pathways, including NF-κB, Stat3, and PI3K/Akt.