Centrifugal microfluidics has emerged as a promising platform for automated bioanalysis, such as nucleic acid testing and immunoassays. In particular, real-time centrifugal microfluidic PCR provides a highly effective solution for point-of-care molecular diagnostics in resource-limited settings. However, during the development of these systems, monitoring their operational state for evaluation or calibration is difficult due to the inherent conflicts among thermal, optical, and centrifugal interactions. To address this challenge, this study presents a wireless, in-situ calibration 'chip' with multiple functions for system calibration and evaluation by being operated in a way similar to a normal disk chip. The calibration 'chip' consists of multiple different structural layers, e.g., sensing, optical, fluidic and electrical layers, integrating multiple functions including temperature calibration, fluorescence signal simulation, dynamic fluid monitoring, and mechanical sensing. To allow the in-situ calibration 'chip' to reasonably fit the centrifugation platform, it is powered by embedded rechargeable batteries and meanwhile Bluetooth-based wireless data transmission is adopted. Experimental results demonstrate that the calibration 'chip' is capable of performing multiple different tasks based on comprehensive sensing and actuation mechanisms, which is helpful to conveniently perform in-situ monitoring of the centrifugal microfluidic system with an on hand 'tool'.

Radiotherapy is widely used to treat malignant and benign brain tumors. A major constraint, however, is the low tolerance of normal brain tissue to radiation. Cranial irradiation-induced injury manifests as inflammatory responses and neurodegeneration, which jointly contribute to progressive cognitive decline. These complications can restrict the delivery of optimal therapeutic doses, cause persistent neurological symptoms, and ultimately compromise quality of life. Thus, neuroprotective agents have emerged as a strategy to safeguard normal tissues from radiation-induced neurotoxicity. This study investigated the efficacy of a highly soluble [60]fullerene (C60) derivative, C60-ser, a carbon-based nanomaterial, to mitigate radiation-induced brain injury. Oral administration of C60-ser 24h after cranial irradiation of male C57BL/6 mice restored spatial working memory, as evidenced by significantly improved performance in the Y-maze test conducted 45days after irradiation. At the cellular level, immunohistochemical analysis revealed that irradiation alone activated microglia for up to 84days after exposure, indicative of generating a sustained pro-inflammatory microenvironment. Critically, this activation was markedly alleviated in mice treated with C60-ser; CD68 reactivity was restored to levels similar to unirradiated mice. Together, these behavioral and molecular findings suggest that C60-ser can mitigate radiation-induced neurotoxicity by suppressing neuroinflammatory responses when administered 24h after cranial irradiation.

The clinical translation of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapies remains limited due to rapid cell clearance and stress-induced viability loss during injection. These limitations emphasize the need to develop delivery systems allowing MSCs to persist in the tissue and exert their biological effect. Cell microencapsulation within alginate (Alg) biomaterials is a promising strategy, where arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)-coupled alginate (RAlg) hydrogels have recently demonstrated improved bioactivity. However, achieving precise encapsulation and injectability while preserving cell viability remains an ongoing challenge. This study presents an injectable delivery platform using electrosprayed RAlg microcapsules that enhance viability and sustain the release of MSCs. Electrospray parameters were optimized to yield a microcapsule size of 175.4 ± 21.1μm with high uniformity and consistent spherical morphology. Electron microscopy images of the microcapsules revealed a highly ordered microporous architecture. Physicochemical characterization confirmed that the presence of RGD peptides did not significantly alter the swelling, viscoelasticity, and encapsulation efficiency of Alg. Successful encapsulation of MSCs were observed, with cells assuming a round morphology within the microcapsule. After 14 days, RAlg maintained significantly higher cell viability at 91.3% than Alg alone (84.9%). Furthermore, a time-dependent release of cells was observed, with intact microcapsules at day 1, partial degradation with 59-61% cell release at day 7, and extensive degradation with 78-81% release by day 14. Both RAlg and Alg had comparable release performance. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of electrosprayed RAlg microcapsules as a biocompatible and injectable platform for the sustained delivery of viable MSCs in regenerative medicine applications.

Advances in microfabrication technology have enabled precise control of surface geometry, which strongly influences cellular behavior, including adhesion, alignment, and differentiation. However, previous studies have employed diverse substrate materials and fabrication conditions, making it difficult to rigorously evaluate the pure geometric effects of the microstructures. Consequently, variations in physicochemical and mechanical properties, such as surface chemistry and stiffness, have confounded the interpretation of geometry-specific effects. To clarify the influence of microgeometry on cell behavior, particularly cell differentiation, stripe- and mesh-patterned polystyrene substrates were used to systematically investigate the relationship between surface geometry and cell behavior. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and C2C12 myoblasts were seeded on the substrates, and their adhesion morphology and alignment were observed using calcein-AM staining. Osteogenic and myogenic differentiation were subsequently induced, and the expression of differentiation markers was analyzed by immunostaining and RT-qPCR. In hMSCs, osteogenic differentiation was promoted in geometries that facilitated intercellular contact, whereas it was suppressed in highly confined geometries, such as stripes and meshes with greater ridge heights. In C2C12 myoblasts, a clear enhancement of myogenic differentiation was observed on striped substrates, where cells exhibited elongated morphologies aligned with the grooves, accompanied by an elevated expression of myogenin and dystrophin. These findings indicate that the differentiation-promoting or differentiation-suppressive effects of microgeometry are cell type-dependent and are governed by cellular alignment, intercellular interactions, and adhesion morphology. The insights gained from this study may contribute to the rational design of next-generation regenerative scaffolds and highlight the potential applications of microgeometric substrates in drug-screening platforms.

Roughly 5% of the population is affected by hearing loss. In case of a functional middle ear impairment with decreased transmission, different types of active middle ear implants may restore hearing. To drive the round window membrane (RWM) for example, bone anchored actuators or floating mass transducer (FMT) have been used in clinics. Bone anchored devices are usually too big for the round window niche and FMTs display low displacement and force at low frequencies. This paper focuses on the stimulation of the RWM by a stator-based actuator that combines small size and bone anchoring. The design features a rotational-symmetric balanced armature core with flexible membrane parts manufactured micro technologically. Membranes and assembled prototypes were evaluated on the bench in the range of 0.1 kHz – 10 kHz and prototypes tested in human temporal bones. We demonstrate the feasibility of a balanced armature actuator of appropriate size for RW placement. With 1.4 mm outer diameter and 4.9 mm length, the actuator fits the anatomical constraints. Acoustic stimulation of the RWM resulted in a maximum output of approximately 80 eq. dB SPL at 300 Hz increasing to > 100 eq. dB SPL above 5 kHz. The measured output is comparable to clinically used devices. The design lacked sufficient robustness leading to a low yield in manufacturing and failures in experiments, although the output level was insensitive to static force loading up to 30 mN. Future developments require an increased maximum output level and improved robustness.Graphical abstractSupplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10544-025-00766-x.

Radiotherapy (RT) is widely used for malignant tumors ablation in the clinic. However, redundant doses of X-rays might cause irreversible side effects in the periphery of tumor sites. To address this, the convergence of low-dose RT with a novel therapeutic method is promising. Here, a hydrogel system was created that combines nanozymes with NIR-II photothermal therapy and RT sensitization. Meteor hammer-like nanozyme Au-MnOx and agarose hydrogel were mixed to form multifunctional nanozyme hydrogel (MNH). The system experienced a reduction in MNH hardness when exposed to 1064nm laser irradiation, allowing the release of Au-MnOx to react with H2O2 in the tumor microenvironment, resulting in the production of ·OH, which destroys bioactive substances and increases oxidative stress. This process also improves the effectiveness of hyperthermia in photothermal therapy (PTT). In addition, MNH-baed PTT enhances the RT sensitivity. Additionally, Au, with a high atomic number emits X-rays, leading to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through preexisting processes, which enhances radiation-induced DNA damage. Notably, the in vivo results indicated that MNH + NIR + RT could achieve a potent tumor inhibition rate with negligible side effects to normal tissues. This work paves a new avenue for novel nanozyme-based radiosensitization.

Breast cancer (BC) continues to be the most frequently diagnosed malignancy and the primary cause of cancer-related deaths among women globally. The traditional treatment modalities, such as chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy, are often associated with significant toxicity to healthy tissues and systemic side effects, highlighting the pressing need for safer and more targeted therapeutic strategies. Recently, microneedle innovation has become an evident alternative for delivering anti-neoplastic agents, offering minimally invasive, transdermal administration that can bypass hepatic metabolism and reduce systemic toxicity. Microneedle (MNs) arrays hold potential not only for drug delivery but also for vaccination, diagnostic sampling, and targeted therapy in BC management. However, despite these promising attributes, there exists a notable gap in the scientific literature specifically addressing the application of microneedles in breast cancer therapy, with relatively few comprehensive studies in this domain. This review aims to bridge that gap by summarizing recent advancements in MN-based strategies for breast cancer treatment. It highlights the ability of MNs to enable simultaneous drug loading, controlled release, and improved patient compliance through non-invasive administration. Furthermore, the review discusses MN properties, mechanisms of action, therapeutic benefits, relevant clinical trials, patents, and future challenges, thereby providing a valuable resource for researchers and promoting the translation of MN technology into clinical practice for breast cancer management.