Central nervous system (CNS) maintains a high level of metabolism, which leads to the generation of large amounts of free radicals, and it is also one of the most vulnerable organs to oxidative stress. Emerging evidences have shown that, as the key homeostatic cells in CNS, astrocytes are deeply involved in multiple aspects of CNS function including oxidative stress regulation. Besides, the redox level in CNS can in turn affect astrocytes in morphology and function. The complex and multiple roles of astrocytes indicate that their correct performance is crucial for the normal functioning of the CNS, and its dysfunction may result in the occurrence and progression of various neurological disorders. To date, the influence of astrocytes in CNS oxidative stress is rarely reviewed. Therefore, in this review we sum up the roles of astrocytes in redox regulation and the corresponding mechanisms under both normal and different pathological conditions.

Dent's disease is a nephrolithiasis disorder associated with hypercalciuria and low molecular weight proteinuria that is caused by mutations in the voltage-gated chloride channel ClC-5. Because the exact cause of hypercalciuria in this disease is unknown and could come from a renal, intestinal, or bone origin, we have investigated overall calcium handling in the ClC-5 knockout mouse (ClC-5 KO). On a high calcium diet, ClC-5 KO mice had elevated serum 1␣,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1␣,25D 3 ), alkaline phosphatase (AP), osteocalcin (OC), and urinary deoxypyridinoline (DPD), but serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium, and intestinal calcium uptake was similar to that of wild-type (WT) mice. A 30-fold decrease in dietary calcium intake caused elevation of serum PTH and urinary cyclic adenosine monophosphate in ClC-5 KO mice and decreased the renal calcium excretion, which still remained 2-fold above that of WT mice. On this low calcium diet, both groups of mice had the same serum 1␣,25D 3 , with similar increments in intestinal calcium absorption, serum AP, OC, and urinary DPD. These data indicate that the hypercalciuria in the ClC-5 KO mice on low and high calcium diets is of bone and renal origin and is not caused by increased intestinal calcium absorption, despite an elevated serum 1␣,25D 3 . These mice data suggest that young patients with this disease may have a propensity for altered bone homeostasis that should be monitored clinically. (J Bone Miner Res 2003;18: 615-623)

Multifunctional nanocarriers based on the magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticle core and bis-(3-carboxy-4-hydroxy phenyl) disulfide modified mesoporous silica shell were synthesized for cancer treatment through passive targeting and enzyme-sensitive drug release.

The distribution and cellular localization of the alpha1C subunit of cardiac L-type calcium channel suggest it is probably involved in intracellular and membrane calcium signaling.

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A facile approach is reported for manufacturing morphing hydrogel structures based on solvent‐cast‐assisted printing. Poly(stearyl acrylate‐co‐acrylic acid) (P(SA‐co‐AAc)) ethanol solution is printed into fibers in air, where evaporation of the solvent led to sol–gel transition of the “ink”. The printability of ink can be effectively regulated by polymer concentration (Cp) and nozzle diameter. After swelling the printed structures into water, the alkyl chains of SA units are segregated into hydrophobic domains, crosslinking the tough hydrogels. The swelling ratio and mechanical properties of printed gel varied with evaporation time before being swollen in water. Smooth hydrogel fibers with a diameter of ≈200 µm and good mechanical properties can be obtained by evaporating 70–80 wt% of the solvent in 1 h. The upper layer of printed fibers, undergoing less evaporation period, exhibits higher swelling ratio yet reduced modulus than the bottom one. Using this swelling mismatch, diverse morphing hydrogel constructs are achieved by controlling the printed patterns. After swelling, these hydrogel constructs show controllable deformations with bioinspired morphologies. This facile strategy could be applicable for the printing of other tough physical hydrogels that are soluble in low boiling‐point solvents, with controllable architectures and morphing capacity under external stimuli.

The development of broad-spectrum anti-bacterial tough hydrogels without antibiotics remains a challenge in biomedical applications. In this study, we synthesized a novel tough anti-bacterial complex hydrogel based on Cu2+ coordination....

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