The objective of this study is to do a meta-analysis of the literature and compare the safety and efficacy of endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) and open carpal tunnel release (OCTR) for idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). A comprehensive literature search of the electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Controlled Trial Register was undertaken for randomized studies reporting carpal tunnel syndrome treated with ECTR or OCTR. The quality of randomized trials was critically assessed. Pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for safety and efficacy outcome variables were calculated by fixed-effect or random-effect methods with RevMan v.5.1 provided by the Cochrane Collaboration. A total of 13 randomized trials were included by total retrieve and riddling. The results of our meta-analysis showed no significant difference in the overall complication rate (RR = 1.34, 95% CI [0.74, 2.43], P = 0.34), subjective satisfaction (RR = 1.0, 95% CI [0.93, 1.08], P = 0.92), time to return to work (mean difference = −3.52 [−8.15, 1.10], P = 0.14), hand grip and pinch strength, and the operative time (mean difference = −1.89, 95% CI [−5.84, 2.06]) between patients in the ECTR and OCTR groups (P = 0.16, 0.70, and 0.35, respectively). The rate of hand pain (RR = 0.73, 95% CI [0.53, 0.93], P = 0.02) in the ECTR group was significantly lower than that in the OCTR group. ECTR treatment seemed to cause more reversible postoperative nerve injuries as compared with OCTR (RR = 2.38, 95% CI [0.98, 5.77], P = 0.05). Although ECTR significantly reduced postoperative hand pain, it increased the possibility of reversible postoperative nerve injury in patients with idiopathic CTS. No statistical difference in the overall complication rate, subjective satisfaction, the time to return to work, postoperative grip and pinch strength, and operative time was observed between the two groups of patients.

Biomaterials with porous structure and high surface area attract growing interest in biomedical research and applications. Aerogel-based biomaterials, as highly porous materials that are made from different sources of macromolecules, inorganic materials, and composites, mimic the structures of the biological extracellular matrix (ECM), which is a three-dimensional network of natural macromolecules (e.g., collagen and glycoproteins), and provide structural support and exert biochemical effects to surrounding cells in tissues. In recent years, the higher requirements on biomaterials significantly promote the design and development of aerogel-based biomaterials with high biocompatibility and biological activity. These biomaterials with multilevel hierarchical structures display excellent biological functions by promoting cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation, which are critical for biomedical applications. This review highlights and discusses the recent progress in the preparation of aerogel-based biomaterials and their biomedical applications, including wound healing, bone regeneration, and drug delivery. Moreover, the current review provides different strategies for modulating the biological performance of aerogel-based biomaterials and further sheds light on the current status of these materials in biomedical research.

Checkpoint blockade immunotherapy has demonstrated significant clinical success in various malignant tumors. However, the therapeutic response is limited due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (ITM). In this study, a functional nanomaterial, layered double hydroxides (LDHs), carrying specific functional miR155 is developed to modulate ITM by synergistically repolarizing tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) to M1 subtype. LDH nanoparticles loaded with miR155 (LDH@155) exhibit superior ability in cellular uptake by murine macrophages, miR escape into the cytoplasm and TAMs specific delivery when introtumoral administration. Meanwhile, upon exposure to LDH@155, TAMs are significantly skewed to M1 subtype, which markedly inhibits myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) formation and stimulates T‐lymphocytes to secrete more interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) cytokines in vitro. Introtumoral administration of LDH@155 reduces the percentage of TAMs and MDSCs in the tumor and elevates CD4 + and CD8 + T cell infiltration and activation, which can promote therapeutic efficiency of α‐PD‐1 antibody immunotherapy. Furthermore, it is found that LDH@155 significantly decreases the expression level of phosphorylated STAT3 and ERK1/2 and activates NF‐κB expression in TAMs, indicating that the STAT3, ERK1/2, and NF‐κB signaling pathways may involve in LDH@155‐induced macrophage polarization. Overall, the results suggest that LDH@155 nanoparticles may, in the future, function as a promising agent for cancer combinational immunotherapy.