Magnetically Actuated Microscaffold with Controllable Magnetization and Morphology for Regeneration of Osteochondral Tissue

Magnetic microscaffolds capable of targeted cell delivery have been developed for tissue regeneration. However, the microscaffolds developed so far with similar morphologies have limitations for applications to osteochondral disease, which requires simultaneous treatment of the cartilage and subchondral bone. This study proposes magnetically actuated microscaffolds tailored to the cartilage and subchondral bone for osteochondral tissue regeneration, named magnetically actuated microscaffolds for cartilage regeneration (MAM-CR) and for subchondral bone regeneration (MAM-SBR). The morphologies of the microscaffolds were controlled using a double emulsion and microfluidic flow. In addition, due to their different sizes, MAM-CR and MAM-SBR have different magnetizations because of the different amounts of magnetic nanoparticles attached to their surfaces. In terms of biocompatibility, both microscaffolds were shown to grow cells without toxicity as potential cell carriers. In magnetic actuation tests of the microscaffolds, the relatively larger MAM-SBR moved faster than the MAM-CR under the same magnetic field strength. In a feasibility test, the magnetic targeting of the microscaffolds in 3D knee cartilage phantoms showed that the MAM-SBR and MAM-CR were sequentially moved to the target sites. Thus, the proposed magnetically actuated microscaffolds provide noninvasive treatment for osteochondral tissue disease

Wearable Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance-Based Biosensor with Highly Sensitive and Direct Detection of Cortisol in Human Sweat

Wearable biosensors have the potential for developing individualized health evaluation and detection systems owing to their ability to provide continuous real-time physiological data. Among various wearable biosensors, localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)-based wearable sensors can be versatile in various practical applications owing to their sensitive interactions with specific analytes. Understanding and analyzing endocrine responses to stress is particularly crucial for evaluating human performance, diagnosing stress-related diseases, and monitoring mental health, as stress takes a serious toll on physiological health and psychological well-being. Cortisol is an essential biomarker of stress because of the close relationship between cortisol concentration in the human body and stress level. In this study, a flexible LSPR biosensor was manufactured to detect cortisol levels in the human body by depositing gold nanoparticle (AuNP) layers on a 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES)-functionalized poly (dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) substrate. Subsequently, an aptamer was immobilized on the surface of the LSPR substrate, enabling highly sensitive and selective cortisol capture owing to its specific cortisol recognition. The biosensor exhibited excellent detection ability in cortisol solutions of various concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 1000 nM with a detection limit of 0.1 nM. The flexible LSPR biosensor also demonstrated good stability under various mechanical deformations. Furthermore, the cortisol levels of the flexible LSPR biosensor were also measured in the human epidermis before and after exercise as well as in the morning and afternoon. Our biosensors, which combine easily manufactured flexible sensors with sensitive cortisol-detecting molecules to measure human stress levels, could be versatile candidates for human-friendly products