Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Mengjiao Zhou, Xiao Liu, Fangmin Chen, Lili Yang, Minjian Yuan, Ding-Yi Fu, Weiqi Wang, Haijun Yu
Summary: Phototherapy, including PTT and PDT, has gained attention for cancer treatment due to its non-invasive nature. Researchers are actively developing stimuli-activatable nanomaterials to enhance the therapeutic effects of phototherapy and minimize side effects.
BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Polymer Science
Siyang Wang, Qianhui Liu, Lei Li, Marek W. Urban
Summary: Responsive polymers, known for their adaptability and capability of transport control of molecules, play a significant role in advancing scientific discoveries. Recent developments in commodity polymers with stimuli-responsiveness to various factors have diverse applications, ranging from drug delivery to color-changing coatings. Current technological advances and future opportunities and applications in stimuli-responsive chemistries are also discussed in this review.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Nianhua Wang, Zhongyi Zhao, Xuan Xiao, Lei Mo, Wang Yao, Huikang Yang, Junxia Wang, Xinhua Wei, Youyong Yuan, Ruimeng Yang, Xinqing Jiang
Summary: This study designed a ROS self-activatable nano system (PTKPa) based on poly(thioketal) conjugated with photosensitizers (Ppa) for suppressing aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) and enhancing photodynamic-immunotherapy. The release of Ppa is initiated by ROS generated from laser irradiated PTKPa, which in turn accelerates degradation of the remaining PTKPa, resulting in oxidative stress to tumor cells and achieving immunogenic cell death (ICD). This work provides a promising solution to improve tumor photodynamic therapeutic effects.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2023)
Review
Automation & Control Systems
Yusen Zhao, Mutian Hua, Yichen Yan, Shuwang Wu, Yousif Alsaid, Ximin He
Summary: This article reviews recent progress in the use of stimuli-responsive polymers for soft robotics. Different types of representative stimuli-responsive polymers are introduced, and their actuation mechanisms and performance evaluation are discussed. Examples of soft robotic applications based on stimuli-responsive polymers are presented. Current opportunities and challenges of stimuli-responsive soft robots for future study are discussed.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF CONTROL ROBOTICS AND AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qinghao Zhou, Debabrata Dutta, Yufei Cao, Zhishen Ge
Summary: In this study, polymeric metal-organic framework nanoparticles were used as carriers for the combination of photodynamic therapy and enhanced STING activation, resulting in improved immunotherapeutic efficacy. The nanoparticles showed excellent stability and could release the STING agonist and induce cell apoptosis under light irradiation. The combination of photodynamic-immunotherapy reversed the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and enhanced endogenous STING activation, effectively suppressing the growth of primary and distant tumors.
Review
Chemistry, Applied
Herbert Musarurwa, Nikita Tawanda Tavengwa
Summary: Stimuli-responsive polymers, with easily adjustable physicochemical properties, have attracted the attention of researchers due to their potential for recovering from bulk samples after separation processes. pH-responsive, thermo-responsive, and light-responsive polymers have been applied in adsorption studies, aqueous two-phase systems, and membrane systems. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the applications of various types of stimuli-responsive polymers, along with summarizing their advantages and limitations. Furthermore, it explores the challenges and future prospects of stimuli-responsive polymers in detail.
REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Luizetta Elliott, Erika E. Salzman, Julia R. Greer
Summary: The research focuses on utilizing benzyl methacrylate-based SMPs to create 3D structures with shape transformation capabilities through two photon lithography. The structures exhibit features such as 500 nm thick petals and 2.5 µm unit cells in cubic lattices.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yu Zhu, Hanqiu Jiang, Weiwei Wu, Xiao-Qin Xu, Xu-Qing Wang, Wei-Jian Li, Wei-Tao Xu, GengXin Liu, Yubin Ke, Wei Wang, Hai-Bo Yang
Summary: This article presents a novel type of polymer, rotaxane-branched dendronized polymers, with tunable thermal and rheological properties. These polymers have reversible thickness modulation ability and can serve as attractive platforms for the construction of smart polymeric materials.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Leo K. B. Tam, Lin He, Dennis K. P. Ng, Peter C. K. Cheung, Pui-Chi Lo
Summary: In this study, a multifunctional photodynamic molecular beacon (PMB) was designed and synthesized, which can target cancer cells and be selectively activated through stimuli-responsive mechanisms, showing promising potential in precise antitumoral photodynamic therapy.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Jing Ping, Jun Du, Ruizhuo Ouyang, Yuqing Miao, Yuhao Li
Summary: Stimuli-responsive catalytic therapy using nano-catalysts has gained significant attention in the field of biomedicine for tumor therapy. However, challenges such as the complex tumor microenvironment and rapid charge recombination in the catalyst have limited the effectiveness and development of catalytic therapy. To overcome these limitations, effective heterojunction nanomaterials have been developed, which can adjust the band gap to enhance charge separation efficiency and preserve the function of the original catalyst while achieving enhanced synergistic therapy ability.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Krisada Auepattana-Aumrung, Treethip Phakkeeree, Daniel Crespy
Summary: Corrosion is a significant issue for metals and alloys, but can be reduced by adding corrosion inhibitors to coatings, leading to the development of polymer-corrosion inhibitor conjugates. Different fields of applications require different levels and types of metal protection, where beta-thiopropionate and ester linkages play a role in providing suitable protection for varying corrosion levels.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alexander B. Cook, Paolo Decuzzi
Summary: Materials that respond to endogenous stimuli play a crucial role in enhancing spatiotemporal control in biomedical applications. These materials can be designed to undergo morphological or chemical changes in response to specific biological cues, offering promising opportunities for improving therapeutic efficacy and developing personalized healthcare systems. They can be engineered across different length scales to respond to endogenous signals such as enzymes, pH, glucose, and hold great potential for a wide range of applications.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shameer Pillarisetti, Veena Vijayan, Jayakumar Rangasamy, Rizia Bardhan, Saji Uthaman, In-Kyu Park
Summary: We report a multi-stimulus responsive alginate nanogel that responds to changes in pH and redox potential in the tumor microenvironment. Combined with chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT), this nanogel enhances the therapeutic effect in breast cancer and melanoma by releasing a hydrophobic photosensitizer and a cytotoxic agent.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Jelena Viculin, Marina Degoricija, Katarina Vilovic, Ivana Gabela, Lucija Frankovic, Eduard Vrdoljak, Jelena Korac-Prlic
Summary: The study shows that the STING-cGAS signaling pathway is upregulated in immunologically active advanced laryngeal cancer, and targeting this pathway may improve current therapeutic approaches. The elevated expression of STING can also serve as a predictive biomarker for future clinical trials involving STING agonists.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qishu Jiao, Yaxin Zheng, Qinqing Xie, Xuan Luo, Shuyao Zhou, Shicheng Pei, Tingting Zhang, Xiaoxing Wu, Keming Xu, Wenying Zhong
Summary: This study develops an enzyme-responsive nanoplatform using a lonidamine (LND)-derived self-assembling peptide for self-delivery of LND and GSH-activated photosensitizer PSD. This nanoplatform not only enhances the precision of PDT but also mitigates the risk of side effects associated with nonspecific photosensitizer accumulation, and also has a significant positive impact on patient outcomes and the overall field of cancer nanomedicine.
Article
Neurosciences
Biqiu Tang, Wenjing Zhang, Jiang Liu, Shikuang Deng, Na Hu, Siyi Li, Youjin Zhao, Nian Liu, Jiaxin Zeng, Hengyi Cao, John A. Sweeney, Qiyong Gong, Shi Gu, Su Lui
Summary: Understanding how structural connectivity alterations affect dynamic function in schizophrenia patients, this study investigated the capacity of brain regions/networks to shift the system into easy-to-reach states. The results showed reduced controllability in default mode network, visual network, and subcortical regions, and increased controllability in somatomotor network. These alterations were also associated with impaired functional topology and increased temporal variability in dynamic functional connectivity.
Article
Psychiatry
Hengyi Cao, Xia Wei, Wenjing Zhang, Yuan Xiao, Jiaxin Zeng, John A. Sweeney, Qiyong Gong, Su Lui
Summary: This study provides an in-depth characterization of cerebellar dysconnectivity in early schizophrenia, revealing a common bidirectional dysconnectivity pattern that may be related to genetic factors.
SCHIZOPHRENIA BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Xinyue Wan, Pengfei Zhang, Weina Wang, Xintong Wu, Qiaoyue Tan, Xiaorui Su, Simin Zhang, Xibiao Yang, Shuang Li, Hanbing Shao, Qiang Yue, Qiyong Gong
Summary: This study used rs-fMRI to investigate the temporal features of functional connectivity states and changes in connectivity strength in sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy (SHE). The results showed that SHE patients exhibited two dFC states, with state 1 characterized by stronger connections within networks and state 2 characterized by stronger connections between networks. SHE patients had increased fractional time and mean dwell time in state 2, as well as a higher number of state transitions. The NBS analysis revealed increased connectivity strength between networks in SHE patients. These findings suggest that the patterns of dFC may represent adaptive and protective mechanisms in the brain against epileptic seizures.
CNS NEUROSCIENCE & THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jing Jiang, Lei Li, Jinping Lin, Xinyu Hu, Youjin Zhao, John A. Sweeney, Qiyong Gong
Summary: Structural neuroimaging studies have found brain areas involved in the development of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the results have been inconsistent due to variations in illness duration and effects of antidepressant treatment. This meta-analysis compared gray matter (GM) volumes in MDD patients with different medication status and illness duration, revealing potential effects of treatment and illness duration on brain structure. The analysis included 70 studies with a total of 3682 patients and 3469 controls, and identified decreased GM volume in frontal, temporal, and limbic regions of MDD patients. Drug effects were associated with larger GM volume in the right striatum and smaller GM volume in the right precuneus, while longer illness duration correlated with smaller GM volume in the right temporal gyrus. Similar GM decreases in the bilateral medial frontal cortex indicated a persistent alteration over the course of illness and treatment.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Xueyang Xiao, Hao Cai, Qiaorong Huang, Bing Wang, Xiaoming Wang, Qiang Luo, Yinggang Li, Hu Zhang, Qiyong Gong, Xuelei Ma, Zhongwei Gu, Kui Luo
Summary: In this study, a dual-modality contrast agent, Gd-DOTA-TPBP, was successfully synthesized using an amphiphilic block polymer as a carrier. The contrast agent exhibited high resolution and sensitivity, making it a promising tool for early-stage tumor diagnosis.
BIOACTIVE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaoling Li, Zhenyu Duan, Xiaoting Chen, Dayi Pan, Qiang Luo, Lei Gu, Gang Xu, Yinggang Li, Hu Zhang, Qiyong Gong, Rongjun Chen, Zhongwei Gu, Kui Luo
Summary: Targeting the metabolic vulnerability of tumor cells is a promising anticancer strategy. Researchers have developed a nanomedicine called pOEG-b-D-SH@NP, which encapsulates maleimide-modified doxorubicin (Mal-DOX), to improve overall delivery efficiency and inhibit tumor metabolism through multiple pathways. The nanomedicine effectively depletes energy in colorectal cancer cells and shifts cell death from apoptosis to necroptosis. It also inhibits cellular oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis, suppressing cancer growth in mouse models.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Feifei Zhang, Hongsheng Xie, Song Wang, Fei Li, Qiyong Gong, Zhiyun Jia
Summary: This study found that the volume of the right orbitofrontal cortex was negatively correlated with exercise addiction. The function of the right orbitofrontal cortex played an indirect role in exercise addiction and affected it through its volume. The volume of the right orbitofrontal cortex mediated the relationship between ability motivation and exercise addiction.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Xipeng Long, Lei Li, Xiuli Wang, Yuan Cao, Baolin Wu, Neil Roberts, Qiyong Gong, Graham J. Kemp, Zhiyun Jia
Summary: This study conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of gray matter volume alterations in adolescents with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. The findings suggest that distinct patterns of GMV alterations in these two populations could aid in differentiation and provide potential diagnostic biomarkers.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Lekai Luo, Lizhou Chen, Yuxia Wang, Qian Li, Ning He, Yuanyuan Li, Wanfang You, Yaxuan Wang, Fenghua Long, Lanting Guo, Kui Luo, John A. Sweeney, Qiyong Gong, Fei Li
Summary: This study uses sparse canonical correlation analysis to identify four distinct patterns of dynamic functional brain activity associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It also finds that cognitive deficits mediate the relationship between brain dynamics and ADHD-related behaviors. These findings provide important insights into the behavioral and cognitive features of ADHD.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Zaixiang Fang, Ling Lin, Zhiqian Li, Lei Gua, Dayi Pan, Yunkun Li, Jie Chen, Haitao Ding, Xiaohe Tian, Qiyong Gong, Kui Luo
Summary: This study utilized nanotechnology to co-deliver chemotherapeutic drugs and photosensitizers using heparin as a carrier for synergistic cancer therapy, enhancing the efficacy of combination therapy. The co-assembled HP-PP nanoparticles significantly increased the stability and photostability of the drugs, resulting in enhanced cytotoxicity and a remarkable synergistic antitumor effect.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Xiqin Liu, Yajun Zhao, Xueling Suo, Xun Zhang, Nanfang Pan, Graham J. J. Kemp, Qiyong Gong, Song Wang
Summary: This study aimed to identify functional brain markers of COVID-specific vicarious traumatization (VT) and explore the psychological mechanism underlying the brain-VT link. The results revealed that VT was negatively correlated with functional connectivity density (FCD) in the right inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), and psychological resilience mediated the associations of ITG FCD and ITG-default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity with VT. This study provides new evidence on the brain basis of VT and underscores the importance of psychological resilience in the brain-VT relationship.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Lei Gu, Zhenyu Duan, Xue Li, Xin Li, Yinggang Li, Xiaoling Li, Gang Xu, Peng Gao, Hu Zhang, Zhongwei Gu, Jie Chen, Qiyong Gong, Kui Luo
Summary: Emerging nanomedicines can eliminate cancer cells by promoting excessive intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. However, tumor heterogeneity and poor penetration of nanomedicines often result in varying levels of ROS production, where low levels of ROS can actually promote tumor cell growth, reducing the effectiveness of these nanomedicines. In this study, a novel amphiphilic and block polymer-dendron conjugate-derived nanomedicine (GFLG-DP/Lap NPs) was developed, incorporating a photosensitizer (Ppa) for ROS therapy and Lapatinib (Lap) for molecular targeted therapy. By combining ROS therapy with Lap, the synergistic effect effectively kills cancer cells, even in deep tumor regions.
BIOACTIVE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Wenjing Zhang, Naici Liu, Youjin Zhao, Chenyang Yao, Dan Yang, Chengmin Yang, Hui Sun, Xia Wei, John A. Sweeney, Huilou Liang, Miaoqi Zhang, Qiyong Gong, Su Lui
Summary: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is increasingly used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the exact mechanism of action remains unclear. In this study, the impact of inhibitory and excitatory rTMS on laminar diffusion profiles of neocortex was investigated. Different patterns of changes were observed, with increased fractional anisotropy (FA) in inhibitory rTMS and decreased FA in excitatory rTMS. Laminar analysis revealed the specific effects of rTMS on different cortical layers. These findings provide novel insights into the acute neurobiological effects of rTMS and its potential applications.
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Yuting Jiang, Haojie Gu, Zhongyuan Cai, Shengxiang Fu, Yingzi Cao, Lingling Jiang, Changqiang Wu, Wei Chen, Chunchao Xia, Su Lui, Bin Song, Qiyong Gong, Hua Ai
Summary: Researchers developed a facile method to synthesize poly(acrylic acid)-coated manganese oxide nanoparticles (MnO2/PAA NPs), which exhibited good biocompatibility and high longitudinal relaxivity. The MnO2/PAA NPs with a particle size of 4.9 nm showed higher longitudinal relaxivity. In vivo magnetic resonance angiography experiments demonstrated that MnO2/PAA NPs had better angiographic performance and rapid clearance compared to Gadovist (Gd-DO3A-Butrol).
BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Simin Zhang, Xibiao Yang, Qiaoyue Tan, Huaiqiang Sun, Di Chen, Yinying Chen, Hongjing Zhang, Yuan Yang, Qiyong Gong, Qiang Yue
Summary: This study investigated the changes in whole-brain cortical myelin and thickness induced by diffuse midline glioma and found significant differences among different groups. Additionally, a short-term survival prediction model was constructed using cortical features and tumor radiomics, which showed high accuracy in predicting patient survival.
