Biomimetic nanofibrous scaffolds mimicking important features of the native extracellular matrix provide a promising strategy to restore functions or achieve favorable responses for tissue regeneration. This review provides a brief overview of current state-of-the-art research designing and using biomimetic electrospun nanofibers as scaffolds for tissue engineering. It begins with a brief introduction of electrospinning and nanofibers, with a focus on issues related to the biomimetic design aspects. The review next focuses on several typical biomimetic nanofibrous structures (e.g. aligned, aligned to random, spiral, tubular, and sheath membrane) that have great potential for tissue engineering scaffolds, and describes their fabrication, advantages, and applications in tissue engineering. The review concludes with perspectives on challenges and future directions for design, fabrication, and utilization of scaffolds based on electrospun nanofibers.

There has been a dramatic increase in the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacterial strains, which has made antibiotic choices for infection control increasingly limited and more expensive. In the U.S. alone, antibiotic resistant bacteria cause at least 2 million infections and 23,000 deaths a year resulting in a $55-70 billion per year economic impact. Antibiotics are critical to the success of surgical procedures including orthopaedic prosthetic surgeries, and antibiotic resistance is occurring in nearly all bacteria that infect people, including the most common bacteria that cause orthopaedic infections, such as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Most clinical cases of orthopaedic surgeries have shown that patients infected with antibiotic resistant bacteria, such as methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This paper reviews the severity of antibiotic resistance at the global scale, the consequences of antibiotic resistance, and the pathways bacteria used to develop antibiotic resistance. It highlights the opportunities and challenges in limiting antibiotic resistance through approaches like the development of novel, non-drug approaches to reduce bacteria functions related to orthopaedic implant-associated infections.

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Interleukin 12 (termed IL-12p70 and commonly designated IL-12) is an important immunoregulatory cytokine that is produced mainly by antigen-presenting cells. The expression of IL-12 during infection regulates innate responses and determines the type of adaptive immune responses. IL-12 induces interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production and triggers CD4+ T cells to differentiate into type 1 T helper (Th1) cells. Studies have suggested that IL-12 could play a vital role in treating many diseases, such as viral and bacterial infections and cancers. The unique heterodimeric structure, which IL-12 shares with its family members including IL-23, IL-27, and IL-35, has recently brought more attention to understanding the mechanisms that regulate the functions of IL-12. This article describes the structure and biological activities of IL-12 in both the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system, and discusses the applications of IL-12 in treating and preventing infections.

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Rechargeable lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are receiving ever‐increasing attention due to their high theoretical energy density and inexpensive raw sulfur materials. However, their rapid capacity fade has been one of the key barriers for their further improvement. It is well accepted that the major degradation mechanisms of S‐cathodes include low electrical conductivity of S and sulfides, precipitation of nonconductive Li2S2 and Li2S, and poly‐shuttle effects. To determine these degradation factors, a comprehensive study of sulfur cathodes with different amounts of electrolytes is presented here. A survey of the fundamentals of Li–S chemistry with respect to capacity fade is first conducted; then, the parameters obtained through electrochemical performance and characterization are used to determine the key causes of capacity fade in Li–S batteries. It is confirmed that the formation and accumulation of nonconductive Li2S2/Li2S films on sulfur cathode surfaces are the major parameters contributing to the rapid capacity fade of Li–S batteries.

Prevention of postsurgery infection and promotion of biointegration are the key factors to achieve long-term success in orthopedic implants. Localized delivery of antibiotics and bioactive molecules by the implant surface serves as a promising approach toward these goals. However, previously reported methods for surface functionalization of the titanium alloy implants to load bioactive ingredients suffer from time-consuming complex processes and lack of long-term stability. Here, we present the design and characterization of an adhesive, osteoconductive, and antimicrobial hydrogel coating for Ti implants. To form this multifunctional hydrogel, a photo-cross-linkable gelatin-based hydrogel was modified with catechol motifs to enhance adhesion to Ti surfaces and thus promote coating stability. To induce antimicrobial and osteoconductive properties, a short cationic antimicrobial peptide (AMP) and synthetic silicate nanoparticles (SNs) were introduced into the hydrogel formulation. The controlled release of AMP loaded in the hydrogel demonstrated excellent antimicrobial activity to prevent biofilm formation. Moreover, the addition of SNs to the hydrogel formulation enhanced osteogenesis when cultured with human mesenchymal stem cells, suggesting the potential to promote new bone formation in the surrounding tissues. Considering the unique features of our implant hydrogel coating, including high adhesion, antimicrobial capability, and the ability to induce osteogenesis, it is believed that our design provides a useful alternative method for bone implant surface modification and functionalization.

This review systematically summarized Li-rich layered oxides and states the strategies to enhance such materials when used in Li-ion batteries.