Extracellular vesicles are cell-originated lipid bilayer membrane vesicles that play vital roles in cell-to-cell communications. While extracellular vesicles hold substantial biomedical potential, conventional methodologies for isolating extracellular vesicles require elaborate preprocessing and, therefore, remain labour intensive and limited by throughput. To overcome these challenges, we present a facile fabrication route for generating a meso-macroporous hydrogel matrix with pores of ~400 nm for customizable extracellular vesicle isolation. By combining surface charge-selective capture of extracellular vesicles within the hydrogel matrix and their recovery by high ionic strength, we report direct extracellular vesicle isolation with a throughput range from microlitre to litre scales, without preprocessing, for various biofluids, including whole blood, plasma, ascites, saliva, urine, bovine milk and cell culture media. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the meso-macroporous hydrogel also serves as a solid-phase matrix for preserving extracellular vesicles for on-demand downstream analyses, making it applicable for therapeutics, cosmeceuticals and disease diagnostics.

The creation and characterization of large-area ultrathin highly pliable free-standing PDMS membranes and their application to the study of cellular epithelia is described. The ultra-thin membranes permitted the straight forward calculation of cell monolayer moduli, derived from measured stress-strain curves. These measurements allowed the unprecedented detection of cellular-level injury in the epithelia caused by the rupture of cell-cell tight junctions in response to stretching.

Robust induction of realistic angiogenesis into a 3D matrix material under simultaneous imaging and a stably controlled concentration gradient of chemoattractants is presented. The formation of a 3D vascular network is demonstrated to be a direct consequence of surface treatment of the region of the device-containing matrix material. Detailed facts of importance to specialist readers are published as ”Supporting Information”. Such documents are peer-reviewed, but not copy-edited or typeset. They are made available as submitted by the authors. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.

Extracellular vesicles are cell-originated lipid bilayer membrane vesicles that play vital roles in cell-to-cell communications. While extracellular vesicles hold substantial biomedical potential, conventional methodologies for isolating extracellular vesicles require elaborate preprocessing and, therefore, remain labour intensive and limited by throughput. To overcome these challenges, we present a facile fabrication route for generating a meso-macroporous hydrogel matrix with pores of ~400 nm for customizable extracellular vesicle isolation. By combining surface charge-selective capture of extracellular vesicles within the hydrogel matrix and their recovery by high ionic strength, we report direct extracellular vesicle isolation with a throughput range from microlitre to litre scales, without preprocessing, for various biofluids, including whole blood, plasma, ascites, saliva, urine, bovine milk and cell culture media. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the meso-macroporous hydrogel also serves as a solid-phase matrix for preserving extracellular vesicles for on-demand downstream analyses, making it applicable for therapeutics, cosmeceuticals and disease diagnostics.

The creation and characterization of large-area ultrathin highly pliable free-standing PDMS membranes and their application to the study of cellular epithelia is described. The ultra-thin membranes permitted the straight forward calculation of cell monolayer moduli, derived from measured stress-strain curves. These measurements allowed the unprecedented detection of cellular-level injury in the epithelia caused by the rupture of cell-cell tight junctions in response to stretching.

Robust induction of realistic angiogenesis into a 3D matrix material under simultaneous imaging and a stably controlled concentration gradient of chemoattractants is presented. The formation of a 3D vascular network is demonstrated to be a direct consequence of surface treatment of the region of the device-containing matrix material. Detailed facts of importance to specialist readers are published as ”Supporting Information”. Such documents are peer-reviewed, but not copy-edited or typeset. They are made available as submitted by the authors. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.

The cover shows confocal images of 3D sprouting into matrix material in microfluidic channels. Roger Kamm and co-workers report on p. 4863 that robust induction of realistic angiogenesis into the 3D matrix material under simultaneous imaging and a stably controlled concentration gradient of chemoattractants can be achieved. The formation of a 3D vascular network is demonstrated to be a direct consequence of surface treatment of the region of the device-containing matrix material.

Background: While epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are a cornerstone of therapy for advanced EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), resistance remains a major clinical challenge. The genomic landscape of early-stage (ES) EGFR-mutant NSCLC and its evolution to advanced-stage (AS) disease is not fully understood. This study aimed to characterize the molecular disparities between ES and AS EGFR-mutant NSCLC and to identify genomic alterations associated with EGFR-TKI treatment outcomes. Methods: We have collected and profiled the complex genomes of 121 ES and 74 AS NSCLCs to determine their molecular and clinical disparities. Furthermore, we analyzed 84 EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients who were treated with EGFR-TKIs to identify potential molecular correlates that could predict the treatment response within the clinic. Patients were stratified by progression-free survival (PFS) and overall response rate (ORR), and hazard ratio analyses were performed. Results: In the study, significant enrichment of mutations in MTOR, ATRX, STAG2, ABL1, and SPEN was observed in AS tumors, whereas ES tumors predominantly exhibited mutations activating JAK2, ERBB2, and FGFR4. In the EGFR-TKI cohort, poor responders harbored frequent mutations in TP53, KIT, and ALK, and these were associated with worse clinical outcomes. Conversely, favorable responders showed enrichment of MTOR, ATM, EP300, and PIK3R1 mutations. ALK and FANCA were linked to increased hazard, while EP300 and PIK3R1 mutations correlated with improved prognosis. Conclusions: Given the growing importance of biomarker-driven treatment in the field of oncology, our results collectively open up new therapeutic opportunities for ES NSCLC patients.

Conventional absorbent pads are widely employed for oil spill cleanup; however, their microporous structures face challenges in absorbing low-sulfur fuel oil (LSFO), especially at lower temperatures when LSFO solidifies owing to its high-viscosity shear stress. In this study, we developed a macroporous absorbent with bihydrophilic layers (MABL), i.e., a central hydrophobic layer sandwiched between two hydrophilic layers, with improved LSFO absorption efficiency. Unlike conventional hydrophobic absorbents, which remain predominantly afloat on the water surface with minimal submersion, the MABL achieves partial submersion owing to the wettability contrast of the bottom and central hydrophobic layers. This configuration ensures that the water surface aligns within the thickness range of MABL. The optimal pore size for LSFO absorption is determined to be 2.8 mm; pores smaller than 2.8 mm hinder LSFO absorption because of high-viscosity shear stress, while larger pores result in easy release of the absorbed LSFO. Notably, as the temperature decreases and LSFO solidifies, the MABL with 2.8-mm pores demonstrates significantly higher LSFO absorption capacity than conventional absorbent pads. Furthermore, a retention capability experiment reveals that the MABL with a pore size of 2.8 mm retains absorbed LSFO effectively under rotational flow in water and high-acceleration vibration in air, demonstrating its stability under dynamic conditions.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) has been recognized as the most reliable diagnostic tool. However, there is a need to develop multiplexed assays capable of analyzing multiple genes simultaneously to expand its application. To address this, a multiplexed RT-qPCR using a double emulsion (DE)-based carrier and a polymer microparticle reactor, termed primer-incorporated network tailored with Taqman probe (TaqPIN) is developed. The DE securely stores nucleic acid reagents like primers and probes within the polymer network until heating releases them for the reaction. The TaqPIN RT-qPCR demonstrates an amplification efficiency of 93.8% and can detect as few as 20 copies/µL. By loading the multiple microparticles into a single reaction, a multiplexed assay with only one optical channel is enabled. In practice, a nine-plex assay is designed to distinguish between variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Even subtle variations of a single nucleotide can be simultaneously detected. Testing on 75 nasopharyngeal swab samples yields 100% sensitivity and specificity for SARS-CoV-2 detection and 94% accuracy in variant discrimination.