Dendritic cell (DC) modification to enhance antigen presentation is a valuable strategy in cancer immune therapy. Other than focusing on regulating interactions between DC and antigens, we intend to promote cell interactions between DC and T cell by cell surface engineering. T cell activation is greatly improved and generates higher tumor toxicity with the aid of the synthetic glycopolymer modified on the DC surface, although the glycopolymer alone shows no effect. The great promotion of DC–T cell attraction is revealed by cell image tracking in terms of both frequency and duration of contacts. Our findings provide a new method of T cell activation by these engineered “sweet DCs.” This strategy is beneficial for developing more efficient DC-based vaccines.

The emergence of “superbugs” is not only problematic and potentially lethal for infected subjects but also poses serious challenges for the healthcare system. Although existing antibacterial agents have been effective in some cases, the side effects and biocompatibility generally present difficulties. The development of new antibacterial agents is therefore urgently required. In this work, we have adapted a strategy for the improvement of poly­(hexamethylene guanidine) hydrochloride (PHMG), a common antibacterial agent. This involves copolymerization of separate monomer units in varying ratios to find the optimum ratio of the hydrocarbon to guanidine units for antibacterial activity. A series of these copolymers, designated as PGB, was synthesized. By varying the guanidine/hydrophobic ratio and the copolymer molecular weight, a structure-optimized PGB was identified that showed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and excellent biocompatibility in solution. In an antibacterial assay, the copolymer with the optimum composition (hydrophobic unit content 25%) inhibited >99% Staphylococcus aureus and was compatible with mammalian cells. A polyurethane emulsion containing this PGB component formed transparent, flexible films (PGB-PU films) on a wide range of substrate surfaces, including soft polymers and metals. The PGB-PU films showed excellent bacteriostatic efficiency against nosocomial drug-resistant bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). It is concluded that our PGB polymers can be used as bacteriostatic agents generally and in particular for the design of antibacterial surfaces in medical devices.

A superhydrophobic Mg alloy was obtained by depositing SiO2-F NPs in the presence of PDA, presenting excellent capability against corrosion.

The open circuit potential, working potential and current efficiency of Al-5Zn-0.5Bi and Al-5Zn-0.5Bi-0.015Ga alloys in artificial seawater were tested by constant current method. The corrosion characteristics of the anode alloys in 3.5% NaCl solution were studied by polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectra. The surface corrosion morphology and microstructures of the alloys were observed and investigated by metallographic microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive analysis. The results show that the open circuit potential shifts towards negative, working potential becomes stable and the current efficiency becomes high through the addition of gallium in the alloy. Gallium can be uniformly dissolved in aluminum alloy and effectively reduce the segregation of Bi. The cations can deposit back to the anode surface forming into the Ga-Al amalgam, which promotes its homogeneous dissolution and improve comprehensive electrochemical performance.

As a biodegradable and biocompatible biomaterial, aliphatic polycarbonates (APCs) have attracted substantial attention in terms of post-polymerization modification (PPM) for functionalization. A strategy for the introduction of sulfur(VI)-fluoride exchange (SuFEx)...