This review article explores the developments and applications in agar-based composites (ABCs), emphasizing various constituents such as metals, clay/ceramic, graphene, and polymers across diversified fields like wastewater treatment, drug delivery, food packaging, the energy sector, biomedical engineering, bioplastics, agriculture, and cosmetics. The focus is on agar as a sustainable and versatile biodegradable polysaccharide, highlighting research that has advanced the technology of ABCs. A bibliometric analysis is conducted using the Web of Science database, covering publications from January 2020 to March 2024, processed through VOSviewer Software Version 1.6.2. This analysis assesses evolving trends and scopes in the literature, visualizing co-words and themes that underscore the growing importance and potential of ABCs in various applications. This review paper contributes by showcasing the existing state-of-the-art knowledge and motivating further development in this promising field.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a highly disabling neurological disorder. Its pathological process comprises an initial acute injury phase (primary injury) and a secondary injury phase (subsequent chronic injury). Although surgical, drug, and cell therapies have made some progress in treating SCI, there is no exact therapeutic strategy for treating SCI and promoting nerve regeneration due to the complexity of the pathological SCI process. The development of novel drug delivery systems to treat SCI is expected to significantly impact the individualized treatment of SCI due to its unique and excellent properties, such as active targeting and controlled release. In this review, we first describe the pathological progression of the SCI response, including primary and secondary injuries. Next, we provide a concise overview of newly developed nanoplatforms and their potential application in regulating and treating different pathological processes of SCI. Then, we introduce the existing potential problems and future clinical application perspectives of biomedical engineering-based therapies for SCI.

The corneal eye diseases such as Keratoconus cause weakening of the cornea, with this disease the cornea can change in shape. This condition affects between 1 in 3,000 to 1 in 10,000 people. The main reason for the development of such conditions is unknown and can have significant impacts. Over the last decade, with advancements in computerized corneal topography assessments, researchers have increasingly expressed interest in corneal topography for research as well as clinical activities. Up till now, several aspheric numerical models have been developed as well as proposed to define the complex shape of the cornea. A commonly used term for characterizing the asphericity in an eye is the Q value, a common indicator of the aspherical degree of the cornea. It is one of the critical parameters in the mathematical description model of the cornea as it represents the cornea\'s shape and the eye\'s characteristics. Due to the utmost importance of this Q value of the cornea, a couple of studies have attempted to explore this parameter and its distribution, merely in terms of its influence on the human eye\'s optical properties. The corneal Q value is an important factor that needs to be determined to treat for any refractive errors as corneal degeneration are disease that can lead to potential problems with the structure of the cornea. This study aims to highlight the need to understand Q value of the cornea as this can essentially assist with personalising corneal refractive surgeries and implantation of intraocular lenses. Therefore, the relevance of corneal Q value must be studied in association with different patients, especially ones who have been diagnosed with cataracts, brain tumours, or even COVID-19. To address this issue, this paper first carries out a literature review on the optics of the cornea, the relevance of corneal Q value in ophthalmic practice and studies corneal degenerations and its causes. Thereafter, a detailed review of several noteworthy relevant research studies examining the Q value of the cornea is performed. To do so, an elaborate database is created, which presents a list of different research works examined in this study and provides key evidence derived from these studies. This includes listing details on the age, gender, ethnicity of the eyes assessed, the control variables, the technology used in the study, and even more. The database also delivers important findings and conclusions noted in each study assessed. Next, this paper analyses and discusses the magnitude of corneal Q value in various scenarios and the influence of different parameters on corneal Q value. To design visual optical products as well as to enhance the understanding of the optical properties of an eye, future studies could consider the database and work presented in this study as useful references. In addition, the work can be used to make informed decisions in clinical practice for designing visual optical products as well as to enhance the understanding of the optical properties of an Eye.

Exosomes, nanoscopic extracellular vesicles produced by cells, are pivotal in mediating intracellular communication by transporting nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and other bioactive molecules, thereby influencing physiological and pathological states. Their endogenous origin and inherent diversity confer distinct advantages over synthetic vehicles like liposomes and nanoparticles in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Despite their potential, the clinical utility of exosomes is hampered by challenges such as limited storage stability, yield, purity, and targeting efficiency. This review focuses on exosomes as targeted therapeutic agents, examining their biogenesis, classification, isolation, and characterisation, while also addressing the current limitations in yield, purity, and targeting. We delve into the literature to propose optimisation strategies that can enhance their therapeutic efficacy and accelerate the translation of exosome-based therapies into clinical practice.

Hydrogel is a kind of degradable hydrophilic polymer, but excessive hydrophilicity leads to larger volume, lower elastic modulus and looser structure, which further affect its use. Especially in the field of biomedical engineering, excessive swelling of the hydrogel can compress the nerves and improve degradation rate resulting in mismatch of tissue growth and released ions. Therefore, anti-swelling hydrogel has been a research hotspot in recent years. This paper reviews the recent research progress on anti-swelling hydrogel, and expounds the application mechanism and preparation method of hydrogel in biomedical engineering, aiming to provide some references for researchers in the field of anti-swelling hydrogel.
水凝胶是一种可降解亲水聚合物，但亲水性过大导致体积变大、弹性模量降低以及结构松散，影响其使用；尤其是在生物医学工程领域，水凝胶的过分溶胀会压迫神经，且降解速率过快，导致释放的离子与组织生长不匹配等问题。因此，抗溶胀的水凝胶是近年来的研究热点，本文综述了抗溶胀水凝胶的近期研究进展，从水凝胶的溶胀机制和制备方法出发，详细阐述其在生物医学工程领域的应用发展，以期为抗溶胀水凝胶领域的研究者提供一些参考与借鉴。.

Nanoscience-often summarized as \"the future is tiny\"-highlights the work of researchers advancing nanotechnology through incremental innovations. The design and innovation of new nanomaterials are vital for the development of next-generation three-dimensional (3D) printed structures characterized by low cost, high speed, and versatile capabilities, delivering exceptional performance in advanced applications. The integration of nanofillers into polymeric-based inks for 3D printing heralds a new era in additive manufacturing, allowing for the creation of custom-designed 3D objects with enhanced multifunctionality. To optimize the use of nanomaterials in 3D printing, effective disaggregation techniques and strong interfacial adhesion between nanofillers and polymer matrices are essential. This review provides an overview of the application of various types of nanomaterials used in 3D printing, focusing on their functionalization principles, dispersion strategies, and colloidal stability, as well as the methodologies for aligning nanofillers within the 3D printing framework. It discusses dispersive methods, synergistic dispersion, and in-situ growth, which have yielded smart 3D-printed structures with unique functionality for specific applications. This review also focuses on nanomaterial alignment in 3D printing, detailing methods that enhance selective deposition and orientation of nanofillers within established and customized printing techniques. By emphasizing alignment strategies, we explore their impact on the performance of 3D-printed composites and highlight potential applications that benefit from ordered nanoparticles. Through these continuing efforts, this review shows that the design and development of the new class of nanomaterials are crucial to developing the next generation of smart 3D printed architectures with versatile abilities for advanced structures with exceptional performance.

Deoxyribonucleotide (DNA) is uniquely programmable and biocompatible, and exhibits unique appeal as a biomaterial as it can be precisely designed and programmed to construct arbitrary shapes. DNA hydrogels are polymer networks comprising cross-linked DNA strands. As DNA hydrogels present programmability, biocompatibility, and stimulus responsiveness, they are extensively explored in the field of biomedicine. In this study, we provide an overview of recent advancements in DNA hydrogel technology. We outline the different design philosophies and methods of DNA hydrogel preparation, discuss its special physicochemical characteristics, and highlight the various uses of DNA hydrogels in biomedical domains, such as drug delivery, biosensing, tissue engineering, and cell culture. Finally, we discuss the current difficulties facing DNA hydrogels and their potential future development.

Responsive hydrogel microfibers can realize multiple controllable changes in shapes or properties under the stimulation of the surrounding environment, and are called as intelligent biomaterials. Recently, these responsive hydrogel microfibers have been proved to possess significant biomedical values, and remarkable progress has been achieved in biomedical engineering applications, including drug delivery, biosensors and clinical therapy, etc. In this review, the latest research progress and application prospects of responsive hydrogel microfibers in biomedical engineering are summarized. We first introduce the common preparation strategies of responsive hydrogel microfibers. Subsequently, the response characteristics and the biomedical applications of these materials are discussed. Finally, the present opportunities and challenges as well as the prospects for future development are critically analyzed.

Infertility is a rising global health issue with a far-reaching impact on the socioeconomic livelihoods. As there are highly complex causes of male and female infertility, it is highly desired to promote and maintain reproductive health by the integration of advanced technologies. Biomedical engineering, a mature technology applied in the fields of biology and health care, has emerged as a powerful tool in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility. Nowadays, various promising biomedical engineering approaches are under investigation to address human infertility. Biomedical engineering approaches can not only improve our fundamental understanding of sperm and follicle development in bioengineered devices combined with microfabrication, biomaterials, and relevant cells, but also be applied to repair uterine, ovary, and cervicovaginal tissues and restore tissue function. Here, we introduce the infertility in male and female and provide a comprehensive summary of the various promising biomedical engineering technologies and their applications in reproductive medicine. Also, the challenges and prospects of biomedical engineering technologies for clinical transformation are discussed. We believe that this review will promote communications between engineers, biologists, and clinicians and potentially contribute to the clinical transformation of these innovative research works in the immediate future.

Exposure of cell membranes to reactive oxygen species can cause oxidation of membrane lipids. Oxidized lipids undergo drastic conformational changes, compromising the mechanical integrity of the membrane and causing cell death. For giant unilamellar vesicles, a classic cell mimetic system, a range of mechanical responses under oxidative assault has been observed including formation of nanopores, transient micron-sized pores, and total sudden catastrophic collapse (i.e., explosion). However, the physical mechanism regarding how lipid oxidation causes vesicles to explode remains elusive. Here, with light-induced asymmetric oxidation experiments, the role of spontaneous curvature on vesicle instability and its link to the conformational changes of oxidized lipid products is systematically investigated. A comprehensive membrane model is proposed for pore-opening dynamics incorporating spontaneous curvature and membrane curling, which captures the experimental observations well. The kinetics of lipid oxidation are further characterized and how light-induced asymmetric oxidation generates spontaneous curvature in a non-monotonic temporal manner is rationalized. Using the framework, a phase diagram with an analytical criterion to predict transient pore formation or catastrophic vesicle collapse is provided. The work can shed light on understanding biomembrane stability under oxidative assault and strategizing release dynamics of vesicle-based drug delivery systems.