Background: Macrophage-dependent immune remodeling and altered lipid metabolism are closely related to liver cancer behavior. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the survival relevance of macrophage-associated lipid metabolism genes (MLMGs) remains insufficiently characterized. This work evaluated MLMG-related molecular features connected with HCC progression and prognosis. Methods: Public HCC transcriptomic and single-cell cohorts were analyzed. Macrophage-related differential genes (MRDGs) extracted from GSE149614 were combined with TCGA-HCC differentially expressed genes1 (DEGs1) and lipid metabolism-related genes (LMRGs). Shared candidates were screened through univariate Cox analysis and machine-learning procedures to obtain prognostic MLMGs and build a risk-score model. Immune profiling, enrichment analysis, cell-cell communication inference, pseudo-time reconstruction, and RT-qPCR validation were then performed. Results: FABP5 and ECHS1 constituted the final two-gene prognostic signature. Risk categories were accompanied by altered immune components, including activated B cells, and pathways such as “fatty acid omega hydroxylase activity”. The high-risk group suggested potentially stronger immune escape-related features and higher checkpoint expression. Communication analysis suggested stronger interactions between CD8+ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, whereas pseudotime analysis showed that MLMG expression may be associated with changes in CD8+ T-cell states. RT-qPCR preliminarily validated increased FABP5 expression and decreased ECHS1 expression in patients with HCC. Conclusion: FABP5 and ECHS1 were selected as prognostic MLMGs in HCC. This two-gene model may provide clues for survival assessment and subsequent mechanism-oriented research.

Injectable self-healing hydrogels are promising biomaterials for wound management, as their ability to autonomously repair enables conformal sealing of irregular wounds. In this study, an injectable hydrogel was fabricated through Schiff base cross-linking of acrylamide-modified chitosan (AMCS) and 50% oxidized alginate (ADA). To enhance its mechanical robustness and hemostatic performance, chitin nanogels (CNGs) were incorporated as a reinforcing component. The structure-property relationships of the resulting hydrogel were characterized using infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and rheological analysis. Rheological studies confirmed that the composite hydrogel (AANGH) exhibited a superior storage modulus and more robust self-healing recovery compared to the base hydrogel (AAH3). MTT assays using L929 fibroblast cells demonstrated outstanding cytocompatibility, with cell viability maintained at over 100%. Furthermore, in vivo hemostatic assessment demonstrated effective hepatic hemorrhage control, characterized by significantly reduced blood loss, shortened hemostasis time, and favorable antibacterial properties. This work establishes that AANGH is an effective strategy for creating a mechanically robust, self-healing, and highly biocompatible chitosan-based hydrogel with strong potential for hemostatic applications.