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HighlightsAn artificial macrophage with hierarchical nanostructure (BaSO4@ZIF-8/TRF NMΦ) is constructed as an alternative to immunoactive macrophages.The Zn2+ chemical messenger as an “artificial cytokine” is released from the artificial macrophage to induce tumor anoikis and enhance immunogenicity.The artificial macrophage can efficiently capture tumor antigens for antigen presentation and T cell activation to fabricate long-term antitumor immunity, successfully mimicking the basic functions of natural immunoactive macrophage.Artificial cells are constructed from synthetic materials to imitate the biological functions of natural cells. By virtue of nanoengineering techniques, artificial cells with designed biomimetic functions provide alternatives to natural cells, showing vast potential for biomedical applications. Especially in cancer treatment, the deficiency of immunoactive macrophages results in tumor progression and immune resistance. To overcome the limitation, a BaSO4@ZIF-8/transferrin (TRF) nanomacrophage (NMΦ) is herein constructed as an alternative to immunoactive macrophages. Alike to natural immunoactive macrophages, NMΦ is stably retained in tumors through the specific affinity of TRF to tumor cells. Zn2+ as an “artificial cytokine” is then released from the ZIF-8 layer of NMΦ under tumor microenvironment. Similar as proinflammatory cytokines, Zn2+ can trigger cell anoikis to expose tumor antigens, which are selectively captured by the BaSO4 cavities. Therefore, the hierarchical nanostructure of NMΦs allows them to mediate immunogenic death of tumor cells and subsequent antigen capture for T cell activation to fabricate long-term antitumor immunity. As a proof-of-concept, the NMΦ mimics the biological functions of macrophage, including tumor residence, cytokine release, antigen capture and immune activation, which is hopeful to provide a paradigm for the design and biomedical applications of artificial cells.

Developing dedicated nanomedicines to improve delivery efficacy of anti-inflammatory drugs is still a formidable challenge. In this study, we present an extremely simple yet efficient approach to obtain hybrid nanodrugs through metal-drug coordination-driven self-assembly for carrier-free drug delivery. The resulting metallo-nanodrugs exhibit well-defined morphology and high drug encapsulation capability, allowing for the combination of magnetic resonance imaging and anti-inflammatory therapy. In the case of osteoarthritis (OA), the metallo-nanodrugs remarkably alleviate synovial inflammation, preventing cartilage destruction and extracellular matrix loss. In addition, it led to significantly improved therapeutic efficacy compared with intra-articular administration of the same dose of free drugs in OA mouse model. This work provides a very simple approach for the development of anti-inflammatory nanoformulations by exploiting coordination-driven self-assembly.

More than 1 million tuberculosis (TB) patients are receiving directly observed treatment strategy (DOTS) therapy in China every year. As to the profile of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) due to DOTS therapy, no consensus has been reached. There is no report regarding ADRs due to DOTS therapy with a large Chinese TB population. This study aimed to determine the incidence and prognosis of ADRs due to DOTS therapy, and to evaluate their impact on anti-TB treatment in China. A prospective population-based cohort study was performed during 2007-2008. Sputum smear positive pulmonary TB patients who received DOTS therapy were included and followed up for six to nine months in 52 counties of four regions in China. The suspected ADRs were recorded and reviewed by Chinese State Food and Drug Administration. A total of 4304 TB patients were included in this study. 649 patients (15.08%) showed at least one ADR and 766 cases in total were detected. The incidence (count) of ADR based on affected organ was: liver dysfunction 6.34% (273), gastrointestinal disorders 3.74% (161), arthralgia 2.51% (108), allergic reactions 2.35% (101), neurological system disorders 2.04% (88), renal impairment 0.07% (3) and others 0.05% (2). Most cases of ADRs (95%) had a good clinical outcome, while two with hepatotoxicity and one with renal impairment died. Compared with patients without ADRs, patients with ADRs were more likely to have positive smear test results at the end of the intensive phase (adjusted OR, 2.00; 95%CI, 1.44-2.78) and unsuccessful anti-TB outcomes (adjusted OR, 2.58; 95%CI, 1.43-4.68). The incidence of ADRs due to DOTS therapy was 15.08%. Those ADRs had a substantial impact on TB control in China. This highlighted the importance of developing strategies to ameliorate ADRs both to improve the quality of patient care and to control TB safely.

Lichenoid amyloidosis (LA), a subtype of primary cutaneous amyloidosis (PCA), is featured by intensely pruritic, hyperkeratotic papules which lacks standardized treatment. Dupilumab, a human monoclonal antibody targeting for interleukin (IL)-4/13 receptor α chain, is widely applied in type 2 inflammation diseases treatment. This article reported two cases of refractory LA successfully treated with dupilumab and reviewed publications reporting dupilumab treatment for PCA.

The hybrid structures of graphene with semiconductor materials based on photogating effect have attracted extensive interest in recent years due to the ultrahigh responsivity. However, the responsivity (or gain) was increased at the expense of response time. In this paper, we devise a mechanism which can obtain an enhanced responsivity and fast response time simultaneously by manipulating the photogating effect (MPE). This concept is demonstrated by using a graphene/silicon-on-insulator (GSOI) hybrid structure. An ultrahigh responsivity of more than 10  A/W and a fast response time of 90 µs were obtained. The specific detectivity D was measured to be 1.46 ⨯ 10  Jones at a wavelength of 532 nm. The Silvaco TCAD modeling was carried out to explain the manipulation effect, which was further verified by the GSOI devices with different doping levels of graphene in the experiment. The proposed mechanism provides excellent guidance for modulating carrier distribution and transport, representing a new route to improve the performance of graphene/semiconductor hybrid photodetectors.

Acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau (ACH) is a rare pustular psoriasis subtype, characterized by recurrent sterile pustules on digits, progressive nail deformation and atrophy. ACH is often refractory to different therapeutic modalities, presenting challenges in clinical practice. Emerging evidence indicates that elevated IL-17 levels modulate keratinocyte proliferation and immune cell infiltration, contributing to ACH pathogenesis and representing a promising therapeutic target. Herein, we presented a case of ACH successfully treated with vunakizumab, China's first self-developed anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody, and reviewed publications reporting IL-17 targeted therapies for ACH, highlighting the potential benefit of IL-17 targeted therapy in ACH management.

Organic single crystals (OSCs) exhibiting excellent flexibility and unique optical properties are particularly promising for applications in optical/optoelectronic devices and sensors. Nevertheless, the fabrication of flexible OSCs with radical luminescence remains a major challenge, as most radicals are non-emissive in the condensed state. Here, we propose a photoactivated radical self-doping strategy to simultaneously achieve radical emission and flexibility in OSCs. By simple UV irradiation in air, the nearly non-emissive crystalline naphthyl benzoate derivative ( NPBr ) produces intense blue fluorescence with a high solid-state photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 47.7%, representing a remarkable 60-fold enhancement from its initial value of 0.8%. The combined experimental and theoretical analyses reveal that the observed luminescence arises from trace oxygen-centered radical species, which are generated via the photodissociation of NPBr and stabilized by the spatial confinement of the crystalline matrix. Moreover, the synergistic effects of hydrogen bonding, halogen interactions, and π-π stacking endow the resulting crystal with high elasticity and bendability under external stress, as evidenced by Young’s modulus of ~9.76 GPa. Notably, this photodissociation process achieves two objectives concurrently: yielding stable oxygen radicals and preserving the intrinsic crystal flexibility, thereby enabling the crystal to function as a flexible optical waveguide with low loss coefficients of 0.584 and 0.806 dB mm −1 for the straight and bent states, respectively. This proposed strategy is conceptually innovative and operationally straightforward, offering a universal route for designing flexible OSCs with radical luminescence. Photoinduced radical doping strategy enables blue luminescence and elastic bending (>180°) in organic crystals. Confined oxygen radicals and dynamic π-π/Br···O interactions enable flexibility with low optical loss, advancing flexible optoelectronics.

Anti-tuberculosis drug induced liver injury (ATLI) is emerging as a significant threat to tuberculosis control in China, though limited data is available about the burden of ATLI at population level. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of ATLI, to better understand its clinical features, and to evaluate its impact on anti-tuberculosis (TB) treatment in China. In a population-based prospective study, we monitored 4,304 TB patients receiving directly observed treatment strategy (DOTS) treatment, and found that 106 patients developed ATLI with a cumulative incidence of 2.55% (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 2.04%-3.06%). Nausea, vomiting and anorexia were the top three most frequently observed symptoms. There were 35 (33.02%) ATLI patients with no symptoms, including 8 with severe hepatotoxicity. Regarding the prognosis of ATLI, 84 cases (79.25%) recovered, 18 (16.98%) improved, 2 (1.89%) failed to respond to the treatment with continued elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase, and 2 (1.89%) died as result of ATLI. Of all the ATLI cases, 74 (69.81%) cases changed their anti-TB treatment, including 4 (3.77%) cases with medication administration change, 21 (19.81%) cases with drugs replacement, 54 (50.94%) cases with therapy interruption, and 12 (11.32%) cases who discontinued therapy. In terms of treatment outcomes, 53 (51.46%) cases had TB cured in time, 48 (46.60%) cases had therapy prolonged, and 2 (1.94%) cases died. Compared with non-ATLI patients, ATLI patients had a 9.25-fold (95%CI, 5.69-15.05) risk of unsuccessful anti-TB treatment outcomes and a 2.11-fold (95%CI, 1.23-3.60) risk of prolonged intensive treatment phase. ATLI could considerably impact the outcomes of anti-TB treatment. Given the incidence of ATLI and the size of TB population in China, the negative impact is substantial. Therefore, more research and efforts are warranted in order to enhance the diagnosis and the prevention of ATLI.

To investigate alternations in spontaneous brain activities reflected by functional connectivity density (FCD) in patients with corneal ulcer (CU) using resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC). We recruited 24 patients with CU (12 males, 12 females), and 24 healthy controls (HCs; 12 males, 12 females) matched for age, gender and education status. Functional magnetic resonance imaging examinations were performed on all subjects in a resting state and the following parameters determined: rsFC, long-range FCD (longFCD) and short-range FCD (IFCD). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were then used to differentiate patients with CU from HCs. Compared with HCs, CU patients showed significantly reduced rsFC values in the right cerebellum posterior lobe gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus/inferior frontal gyrus/superior frontal gyrus and left inferior parietal lobule/precuneus. Significantly reduced longFCD values were found in the right hippocampus/inferior temporal gyrus and the left inferior temporal gyrus. Moreover, compared with HCs, IFCD values were significantly reduced in the left inferior temporal gyrus/middle temporal gyrus, left limbic lobe/medial frontal gyrus, and left precuneus/limbic lobe, but were significantly increased in the right insula/superior temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus/inferior frontal gyrus/insula, right superior temporal gyrus/postcentral gyrus, and left precentral gyrus. Patients with CU exhibited alterations in spontaneous brain activities in several brain areas. These novel findings may help to reveal the neuropathological mechanisms underlying CU. This study provides a direction for further exploration of underlying neural mechanisms of CU and facilitate the clinical diagnosis and treatment of CU.

Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV are two worldwide public health concerns. Co-infection of these two diseases has been considered to be a major obstacle for the global efforts in reaching the goals for the prevention of HIV and TB. A comprehensive cross-sectional study was conducted to recruit TB patients in three provinces (Guangxi, Henan and Sichuan) of China between April 1 and September 30, 2010. A total of 1,032 consenting TB patients attended this survey during the study period. Among the participants, 3.30% were HIV positive; about one quarter had opportunistic infections. Nearly half of the participants were 50 years or older, the majority were male and about one third were from minority ethnic groups. After adjusting for site, gender and areas of residence (using the partial/selective Model 1), former commercial plasma donors (adjusted OR [aOR] = 33.71) and injecting drug users(aOR = 15.86) were found to have significantly higher risk of being HIV-positivity. In addition, having extramarital sexual relationship (aOR = 307.16), being engaged in commercial sex (aOR = 252.37), suffering from opportunistic infections in the past six months (aOR = 2.79), losing 10% or more of the body weight in the past six months (aOR = 5.90) and having abnormal chest X-ray findings (aOR = 20.40) were all significantly associated with HIV seropositivity (each p<0.05). HIV prevalence among TB patients was high in the study areas of China. To control the dual epidemic, intervention strategies targeting socio-demographic and behavioral factors associated with higher risk of TB-HIV co-infection are urgently called for.