Stem cells have attracted increasing research interest in the field of regenerative medicine because of their unique ability to differentiate into multiple cell lineages. However, controlling stem ...cell differentiation efficiently and improving the current destructive characterization methods for monitoring stem cell differentiation are the critical issues. To this end, multifunctional graphene–gold (Au) hybrid nanoelectrode arrays (NEAs) to: (i) investigate the effects of combinatorial physicochemical cues on stem cell differentiation, (ii) enhance stem cell differentiation efficiency through biophysical cues, and (iii) characterize stem cell differentiation in a nondestructive real‐time manner are developed. Through the synergistic effects of physiochemical properties of graphene and biophysical cues from nanoarrays, the graphene‐Au hybrid NEAs facilitate highly enhanced cell adhesion and spreading behaviors. In addition, by varying the dimensions of the graphene‐Au hybrid NEAs, improved stem cell differentiation efficiency, resulting from the increased focal adhesion signal, is shown. Furthermore, graphene‐Au hybrid NEAs are utilized to monitor osteogenic differentiation of stem cells electrochemically in a nondestructive real‐time manner. Collectively, it is believed the unique multifunctional graphene‐Au hybrid NEAs can significantly advance stem‐cell‐based biomedical applications.
Multifunctional graphene–Au hybrid nanoelectrode arrays (NEAs) are developed. Owing to the combinatory effect of graphene and biophysical cues, the graphene–Au hybrid NEA shows highly improved cell adhesion and spreading behavior, which results in enhanced osteogenesis. Additionally, improved electrochemical sensitivity allows the monitoring of osteogenic differentiation in a nondestructive real‐time manner.
Layered double hydroxide (LDH) has been a big challenge in exploring new hybrid materials by intercalating inorganic, organic, or bio molecules into their lamellar lattice, those which often showed ...dual functions from each other or new mutative properties. Recently, nano‐bio convergence technology becomes one of the most extensively studied research fields in the view point of developing advanced drugs and diagnostic agents to fight against disease and eventually to improve the lives of human beings. Therefore, LDH as one of the nanomaterials have been intensively investigated not only as biocompatible drug delivery vehicle for cancer chemotherapy but also as diagnostic and imaging agents. In the present review, we have attempted to summarize theranostic functions of drug‐LDH hybrid nanoparticles including their synthetic methods, physico‐chemical and biological properties, and their unique mechanism overcoming drug resistance, and targeting properties based on in vitro and finally in vivo results.
This article is categorized under:
Diagnostic Tools > Diagnostic Nanodevices
Diagnostic Tools > in vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging
Since the DNA‐LDH nanohybrid was first published in 1999 by Choy et al., many attempts has been steadily made to develop new bio‐LDH systems for drug and gene delivery. The layered double hydroxides with theranostic functions have been rapidly increasing in the last 10 years.
For the early diagnosis of several diseases, various biomarkers have been discovered and utilized through the measurement of concentrations in body fluids such as blood, urine, and saliva. The most ...representative analytical method for biomarker detection is an immunosensor, which exploits the specific antigen-antibody immunoreaction. Among diverse analytical methods, surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based immunosensors are emerging as a potential detection platform due to high sensitivity, selectivity, and intuitive features. Particularly, SPR-based immunosensors could detect biomarkers without labeling of a specific detection probe, as typical immunosensors such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) use enzymes like horseradish peroxidase (HRP). In this review, SPR-based immunosensors utilizing noble metals such as Au and Ag as SPR-inducing factors for the measurement of different types of protein biomarkers, including viruses, microbes, and extracellular vesicles (EV), are briefly introduced.
The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after implantation of drug-eluting coronary stents remains undetermined. We aimed to test whether 6-month DAPT would be noninferior to ...12-month DAPT after implantation of drug-eluting stents.
We randomly assigned 1443 patients undergoing implantation of drug-eluting stents to receive 6- or 12-month DAPT (in a 1:1 ratio). The primary end point was a target vessel failure, defined as the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or ischemia-driven target vessel revascularization at 12 months. Rates of target vessel failure at 12 months were 4.8% in the 6-month DAPT group and 4.3% in the 12-month DAPT group (the upper limit of 1-sided 95% confidence interval, 2.4%; P=0.001 for noninferiority with a predefined noninferiority margin of 4.0%). Although stent thrombosis tended to occur more frequently in the 6-month DAPT group than in the 12-month group (0.9% versus 0.1%; hazard ratio, 6.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.72-49.96; P=0.10), the risk of death or myocardial infarction did not differ in the 2 groups (2.4% versus 1.9%; hazard ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.60-2.47; P=0.58). In the prespecified subgroup analysis, target vessel failure occurred more frequently in the 6-month DAPT group than in the 12-month group (hazard ratio, 3.16; 95% confidence interval, 1.42-7.03; P=0.005) among diabetic patients.
Six-month DAPT did not increase the risk of target vessel failure at 12 months after implantation of drug-eluting stents compared with 12-month DAPT. However, the noninferiority margin was wide, and the study was underpowered for death or myocardial infarction. Our results need to be confirmed in larger trials.
URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00698607.
Recent trials demonstrated a benefit of multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for noninfarct-related artery (non-IRA) stenosis over IRA-only PCI in patients with ST-segment elevation ...myocardial infarction (STEMI) multivessel disease. However, evidence is limited in patients with cardiogenic shock.
This study investigated the prognostic impact of multivessel PCI in patients with STEMI multivessel disease presenting with cardiogenic shock, using the nationwide, multicenter, prospective KAMIR-NIH (Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction-National Institutes of Health) registry.
Among 13,104 consecutive patients enrolled in the KAMIR-NIH registry, we selected patients with STEMI with multivessel disease presenting with cardiogenic shock and who underwent primary PCI. Primary outcome was 1-year all-cause death, and secondary outcomes included patient-oriented composite outcome (a composite of all-cause death, any myocardial infarction, and any repeat revascularization) and its individual components.
A total of 659 patients were treated by multivessel PCI (n = 260) or IRA-only PCI (n = 399) strategy. The risk of all-cause death and non-IRA repeat revascularization was significantly lower in the multivessel PCI group than in the IRA-only PCI group (21.3% vs. 31.7%; hazard ratio: 0.59; 95% confidence interval: 0.43 to 0.82; p = 0.001; and 6.7% vs. 8.2%; hazard ratio: 0.39; 95% confidence interval: 0.17 to 0.90; p = 0.028, respectively). Results were consistent after multivariable regression, propensity-score matching, and inverse probability weighting to adjust for baseline differences. In a multivariable model, multivessel PCI was independently associated with reduced risk of 1-year all-cause death and patient-oriented composite outcome.
Of patients with STEMI and multivessel disease with cardiogenic shock, multivessel PCI was associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause death and non-IRA repeat revascularization. Our data suggest that multivessel PCI for complete revascularization is a reasonable strategy to improve outcomes in patients with STEMI with cardiogenic shock.
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•Supercritical lignin was sequenced into five lignin fractions using four organic solvents.•Each fraction represent different chemical compositions.•The fraction with a higher MW exhibited improved ...thermal stability.
Crude supercritical lignin (SCL) extracted from hardwood (Quercus mongolica) treated via supercritical water (SCW) oxidation was subjected to sequential fractionation with four organic solvents; five lignin fractions (F1−F4 and FIN) were thus obtained. The molecular weight (MW) of the fractionated lignins gradually increased as fractionation proceeded. However, the content of methoxyl groups and phenolic hydroxyl groups tended to decrease with increasing molecular weight of the lignins. The functional groups of SCL and the fractionated lignins were very similar based on Fourier-transform infrared analysis. The syringyl/guaiacyl ratio (S/G ratio) of the fractionated lignins increased with an increase in the MW. The thermal stability decreased with decreasing MW of the fractionated lignins, and all fractions except for F1 had a maximum degradation temperature of around 360 °C. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the fractions increased from 83 °C to 137 °C with increasing MW.
•WSi2N4 monolayers with nitrogen (N) vacancies are investigated theoretically as catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).•The surface N vacancies can introduce active sites for HER.•The Si p ...orbitals near the N vacancies enhance H adsorption on WSi2N4 layers.•The defective WSi2N4 with the vacancy concentration of 12.5 % is predicted to exhibit the highest catalytic activity.•The introduction of N vacancies in the monolayer of WSi2N4 leads to Zeeman-type spin splitting and the generation of magnetic moments.
The recent synthesis of two-dimensional layered WSi2N4 has attracted considerable attention owing to its potential applications in diverse fields. In this study, we use first-principles density functional theory calculations to investigate the catalytic performance of WSi2N4 monolayers with nitrogen (N) vacancies in the hydrogen evolution reaction. The calculated Gibbs free energies of the WSi2N4 monolayers are –0.09 eV and –0.10 eV at the vacancy concentrations of 5.6 % and 12.5 %, respectively, which are close to the zero optimal value. The results indicate that the defective WSi2N4 monolayers can exhibit remarkably high catalytic activity comparable to that of platinum catalysts in the hydrogen evolution reaction. In addition, our electronic structure calculations demonstrate the emergence of spin-polarized states near the Fermi level upon introducing N vacancies, which can be attributed to isotropic Zeeman-type spin-splitting.
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Background
Understanding cancer treatment–related cardiovascular (CV) events is important for cancer care; however, comprehensive evaluation of CV events in patients with lung cancer is limited. This ...study aimed to assess the cumulative incidence and associated risks of various CV event types in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Methods
A total of 7868 individuals aged 40 years and older, recently diagnosed with NSCLC (2007–2018), were assessed with data obtained from the National Cancer Center, Korea. This study included nine types of CV events. A 2‐year cumulative incidence function (CIF) of CV events was estimated, with death as a competing event. The associated risks were assessed by subdistribution hazard ratio (sHR) in the Fine–Gray competing risks model.
Results
CV events were observed in 7.8% of patients with NSCLC, with the most frequently observed types being atrial fibrillation and flutter (AF) (2.7%), venous thromboembolic disease (2.0%), and cerebrovascular disease (CeVD) (1.5%). Overall, all CV events were highest in the group treated with systemic therapy (CIF, 10.6%; 95% confidence interval CI, 9.5%–11.8%), followed by those treated with surgery (CIF, 10.0%; 95% CI, 8.6%–11.6%); the incidence of AF (CIF, 5.7%; 95% CI, 4.6%–7.0%) was highest in patients treated with surgery. Individuals treated with systemic therapy were found to exhibit a higher CeVD risk than those treated with surgery (sHR, 4.12; 95% CI, 1.66–10.23). Among the patients who underwent surgery, those with lobectomy and pneumonectomy had a higher AF risk (vs. wedge resection/segmentectomy; sHR, 7.79; 95% CI, 1.87–32.42; sHR, 8.10; 95% CI, 1.60–40.89).
Conclusions
These findings revealed treatment‐related CV event risks in patients with NSCLC, which suggests that the risk of AF in surgery and CeVD in systemic therapy should be paid more attention to achieve a better prognosis and improve cancer survivorship outcomes.
Plain Language Summary
Atrial fibrillation and flutter (AF) is the most common cardiovascular event, particularly at a high risk in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing surgery.
Patients receiving surgery with poor performance status, diagnosed with regional stage, and undergoing lobectomy or pneumonectomy are at a high risk of AF.
Systemic/radiotherapy is associated with cerebrovascular and ischemic heart disease in patients with NSCLC.
This study revealed that cardiovascular events occurred in approximately 8% of patients with non–small cell lung cancer during 2‐year treatment periods, with atrial fibrillation and flutter, venous thromboembolic disease, and cerebrovascular disease being the most common types. The findings further emphasize the importance of monitoring atrial fibrillation in patients receiving surgery and cerebrovascular disease in those treated with systemic therapy to enhance cancer care and survivorship outcomes.
Graphene, a single atom thick layer of two-dimensional closely packed honeycomb carbon lattice, and its derivatives have attracted much attention in the field of biomedical, due to its unique ...physicochemical properties. The valuable physicochemical properties, such as high surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, remarkable biocompatibility and ease of surface functionalization have shown great potentials in the applications of graphene-based bioelectronics devices, including electrochemical biosensors for biomarker analysis. In this review, we will provide a selective overview of recent advances on synthesis methods of graphene and its derivatives, as well as its application to electrochemical biosensor development. We believe the topics discussed here are useful, and able to provide a guideline in the development of novel graphene and on graphene-like 2-dimensional (2D) materials based biosensors in the future.
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