Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound derived from Curcuma longa, has gained significant attention as a potential anticancer agent due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor properties. Despite its therapeutic potential, the clinical application of curcumin is limited by its poor aqueous solubility, rapid metabolism, and limited bioavailability. To address these limitations, various nanomaterial-based encapsulation strategies have been developed, including polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, micelles, dendrimers, and hybrid nanomaterials. These formulations aim to improve curcumin's solubility, stability, cellular uptake, and controlled release, thereby enhancing its targeted delivery to tumor sites. Such approaches not only reduce systemic toxicity but also improve therapeutic efficacy. Recent studies demonstrate that curcumin-loaded nanocarriers exhibit enhanced antitumor effects, selective cytotoxicity toward cancer cells, and minimized side effects. However, challenges such as achieving tissue specificity, evaluating potential toxicity, and the need for thorough clinical validation persist. Future research should prioritize the development of tissue-specific delivery systems, assess safety profiles, and ensure biocompatibility to optimize curcumin's clinical efficacy. This review provides an overview of the latest advancements in curcumin nanocapsules, critically comparing their advantages and limitations in cancer therapy.

Infections related to implanted medical devices have placed a heavy burden on public health and require feasible solutions. In this study, a simple approach is reported to fabricate an antifouling and antibacterial dual-functional coating. One-step aqueous supramolecular assembly of bovine serum albumin (BSA) is employed to immobilize ε-polylysine (ε-PL) and form a coating (PTB@ε-PL). Based on amyloid-like protein aggregation through the rapid reduction of the intramolecular disulfide bonds of BSA by tris(2-carboxyethyl) phosphine, a dense PTB@ε-PL nanofilm with controllable thickness and ε-PL loading density can be covered on virtually arbitrary material surfaces by simple aqueous dipping. In vitro and in vivo experiments show that this coating not only exhibits effective antibacterial activity against Gram-positive/Gram-negative bacteria, but also imparts excellent antifouling property to the surface. As a pure biopolymer coating, the PTB@ε-PL nanofilm shows negligible cytotoxicity and hemolysis. In addition, due to the various functional groups exposed on the surface of the nanofilm, the coating shows excellent interfacial bonding stability and can maintain bactericidal and antifouling properties under harsh conditions including ultrasound, autoclaving, organic solvents, and physiological body fluids.

To evaluate the changing trend and cross-country inequality of bladder cancer (BC) burden over the past 30 years and further predict the trend until 2036. Based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study, the global incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of bladder cancer from 1990 to 2021 were obtained. We described the distribution of BC at global, regional and national levels and overall/local trends. The age-period-cohort analysis, decomposition analysis and inequality analysis related to socio-demographic index (SDI) were conducted. Additionally, we predicted the future trend of BC burden using Bayesian age-period-cohort model. In the GBD 2021, the global incidence number of BC was 540,310, doubling compared to that in 1990. However, the age-standardized rate (ASR) drops from 6.90 to 6.35. The changes in bladder cancer mortality and DALYs are similar. The ratio of ASRs of burden between males and females is approximately 4:1. Interestingly, in regions with middle SDI, low-middle SDI, and low SDI, the ASR of incidence has shown an upward trend to varying degrees in recent 10 years. Central Europe has the highest ASR of DALYs. China bore the heaviest burden of bladder cancer and experienced the greatest increase in the burden of bladder cancer. Globally, population growth, aging, and epidemiological changes accounted for 89.83%, 83.91%, and − 73.74% of the changes in DALYs respectively. The absolute inequality related to the SDI increases significantly. The slope index of inequality for DALYs increases from 79.84 to 115.60, and the concentration index slightly decreases to 0.26 in 2021. The prediction showed that the ASRs of the three indicators of bladder cancer would continue to decline from 2022 to 2036. Despite a downward trend in ASRs from 1990 to 2021, the global bladder cancer burden has generally increased with regional and country variations. The burden growth pattern driven by population growth and aging may potentially increase the burden number in the future. Burden is concentrated in high-SDI countries and there are signs indicating a shift towards lower-SDI countries. These findings highlighted challenges in BC prevention and management.

Erythroblastic islands are a specialized niche that contain a central macrophage surrounded by erythroid cells at various stages of maturation. However, identifying the precise genetic and transcriptional control mechanisms in the island macrophage remains difficult due to macrophage heterogeneity. Using unbiased global sequencing and directed genetic approaches focused on early mammalian development, we find that fetal liver macrophages exhibit a unique expression signature that differentiates them from erythroid and adult macrophage cells. The importance of erythroid Krüppel-like factor (EKLF)/KLF1 in this identity is shown by expression analyses in EKLF-/- and in EKLF-marked macrophage cells. Single-cell sequence analysis simplifies heterogeneity and identifies clusters of genes important for EKLF-dependent macrophage function and novel cell surface biomarkers. Remarkably, this singular set of macrophage island cells appears transiently during embryogenesis. Together, these studies provide a detailed perspective on the importance of EKLF in the establishment of the dynamic gene expression network within erythroblastic islands in the developing embryo and provide the means for their efficient isolation.