Clinical efficacy and safety of two concentrations of intravenous nicardipine hydrochloride for nicardipine-related phlebitis in patients with preeclampsia.

To evaluate the effect of two concentrations of intravenous administration of nicardipine hydrochloride on nicardipine-related phlebitis in patients with preeclampsia. A total of 100 preeclampsia patients were administered with nicardipine hydrochloride and divided into the low-concentration (LC) and high-concentration (HC) groups. The incidence and severity of phlebitis, time from treatment to onset of phlebitis, skin temperature, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, induration, and systemic adverse reactions were compared between two groups. The incidence rate of phlebitis in the LC group was 20% (10/50), significantly lower than 42% (21/50) in the HC group (P < 0.05). Ridit Analysis showed that the severity of phlebitis in the LC group was remarkably lower than that in the HC group (P < 0.05). In the LC group, the time from intravenous administration to onset of phlebitis was longer, the average skin temperature was higher, the VAS score was lower, and the indurated area was smaller than those in the HC group (all P < 0.05). Intravenous infusion of nicardipine hydrochloride with constant and low concentration reduces the incidence rate of phlebitis, prolongs the time from treatment to onset of phlebitis, alleviates the severity of phlebitis and pain, maintains skin temperature, and minimizes induration in preeclampsia patients without systemic adverse reactions.

Fabrication and Characterization of π-π Stacking Peptide-Contained Double Network Hydrogels.

Since the physical properties are similar to native extracellular matrices, double network (DN) hydrogels have been studied extensively in the tissue engineering. However, the double chemical crosslinked DN hydrogel is limited by poor fatigue resistance. π-π stacking is a non-covalent bonding interaction, which is essential to maintain and self-assemble the three-dimensional structure of biological proteins and nucleic acids. In this study, a robust polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA)/FFK hybrid DN hydrogel was prepared by Michael addition and π-π stacking. The hybrid DN hydrogels with π-π stacking interactions have excellent mechanical strength and fatigue resistance. The DN FFK/PEGDA hydrogels reveal great biocompatibility and hemocompatibility. The DN hydrogels containing π-π stacking have the potential to fabricate robust hybrid DN hydrogels in drug release and tissue engineering.

Recent progress and applications of poly(beta amino esters)-based biomaterials.

Poly(beta-amino esters, PBAEs) are a promising class of cationic polymers synthesized from diacrylates and amines via Michael addition. Recently, PBAEs have been widely developed for drug delivery, immunotherapy, gene therapy, antibacterial, tissue engineering and other applications due to their convenient synthesis, good bio-compatibility and degradation properties. Herein, we mainly summarize the recent progress in the PBAEs synthesis and their applications. The amine groups of PBAEs could be protonated in low pH environment, exhibiting proton sponge and pH-sensitive abilities. Furthermore, the positive PBAEs can interact with negative genes via electrostatic interactions for efficient delivery of nucleic acids. Moreover, positive PBAEs could also directly kill bacteria by disrupting their membranes at high doses. Finally, PBAEs can augment the immune responses, and improve the bioactivity of hydrogels in tissue engineering.

Asphaltene-Derived Graphene Quantum Dots for Controllable Coatings on Glass, Fabrics, and Aerogels.

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) derived from natural asphaltene byproducts can produce controlled hydrophobic or hydrophilic interfaces on glass, fabrics, and aerogels. A set of facile solvent extraction methods were used to isolate and chemically prepare materials with different surface functionalities from a commercially derived asphaltene precursor. The organic-soluble fraction was used to create hydrophobic and water-repellent surfaces on glass and cotton fabrics. The GQD solutions could also penetrate the pores of a silica aerogel, rendering it hydrophobic. Alternatively, by extracting the more polar fraction of the GQDs and oxidizing their surfaces, we also demonstrate strongly hydrophilic coatings. This work shows that naturally abundant GQD-containing materials can produce interfaces with the desired wettability properties through a straightforward tuning of the solvent extraction procedure. Owing to their natural abundance, low toxicity, and strong fluorescence, asphaltene-derived GQDs could thus be applied, in bulk, toward a wide range of tunable surface coatings. This approach, moreover, uses an important large-scale hydrocarbon waste material, thereby offering a sustainable alternative to the disposal of asphaltene wastes.

Effectiveness and Predictors of Poor Prognosis Following Intravenous Thrombolysis in Patients with Wake-Up Ischemic Stroke Guided by Rapid MRI.

PURPOSE: Our aim was to investigate the effectiveness and predictors of poor prognosis in WUIS patients who received alteplase thrombolysis under the guidance of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)-T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) mismatch. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We recruited patients within 4.5 h of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and WUIS patients with uncertain onset times from two stroke centers. To evaluate effectiveness, we compared National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores between the two groups at admission and at 24 h, 3 days, and 1 week thereafter. We also compared the two groups with respect to the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 90 days after thrombolysis. The WUIS patients were divided into a favorable prognosis group (mRS score: 0-1 points) and a poor prognosis group (mRS score ≥2 points). Data were compared between the two subgroups to identify factors that influence poor prognoses. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of factors related to poor prognosis. RESULTS: A total of 114 patients with WUIS and 316 patients with AIS were enrolled in the study. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of NIHSS or 90-day mRS scores (p > 0.05). Baseline NIHSS score (odds ratio [OR] = 1.490, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.248-1.779, p < 0.001) and atrial fibrillation (OR = 3.825, 95% CI 1.218-12.016, p = 0.022) were identified as independent predictors of poor prognosis following thrombolysis in WUIS patients. The combined ROC diagnosis of these two variables had an area under the curve of 0.850. CONCLUSION: The DWI-T2WI sequence is an effective method to guide intravenous thrombolytic therapy for WUIS. Baseline NIHSS score and atrial fibrillation were identified as independent predictors of poor prognosis following thrombolysis in WUIS patients.

Cathepsin L-containing exosomes from α-synuclein-activated microglia induce neurotoxicity through the P2X7 receptor.

Uncontrolled microglial activation is pivotal to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), which can secrete Cathepsin L (CTSL) to affect the survival of neurons in the PD patients; however, the precise mechanism has yet to be determined. We demonstrated for the first time that CTSL was mostly released by exosomes derived from α-Syn-activated microglia, resulting in neuronal damage and death. The elevation of CTSL activity was blocked by GW4869, suggesting a critical role for exosomes in mediating CTSL release. Furthermore, the P2X7R/PI3K/AKT signalling pathway was identified as the underlying molecular mechanism since specific antagonists of this signalling pathway, P2X7R knockdown and exosome release inhibitors significantly reduced the injury to cultured mouse cortical neurons. Our study suggests that increased extracellular release of CTSL from α-Syn-activated microglia through exosomes amplifies and aggravates of the neurotoxic effect of microglia, implying that CTSL may be involved in a fresh mechanism of PD pathogenesis, and serve as a potential biomarker and a target for PD drug development.

In-situ fabrication of metal oxide nanocaps based on biphasic reactions with surface nanodroplets.

HYPOTHESIS: Surface-bound nanomaterials are widely used in clean energy techniques from solar-driven evaporation in desalination to hydrogen production by photocatalytic electrolysis. Reactive surface nanodroplets may potentially streamline the process of fabrication of a range of surface-bound nanomaterials invoking biphasic reactions at interfaces. EXPERIMENTS: In this work, we demonstrate the feasibility of reactive surface nanodroplets for in situ synthesis and anchoring of nanocaps of metal oxides with tailored porous structures. FINDINGS: Spatial arrangement and surface coverage of nanocaps are predetermined during the formation of nanodroplets, while the crystalline structures of metal oxides can be controlled by thermal treatment of organometallic nanodroplets produced from the biphasic reactions. Notably, tuning the ratio of reactive and nonreactive components in surface nanodroplets enables the formation of porous nanocaps that can double photocatalytic efficiency in the degradation of organic contaminants in water, compared to smooth nanocaps. In total, we demonstrate in situ fabrication of four types of metal oxides in the shape of nanocaps. Our work shows that reactive surface nanodroplets may open the door to a general, fast and tuneable route for preparing surface-bound materials. This fabrication approach may develop new nanomaterials needed for photocatalytic reactions, wastewater treatment, optical focusing, solar energy conversion and other clean energy techniques.

"Desire Is Like a Dreadful Monster": Analysis of Extended Metaphors in L2 Argumentative Essays by Chinese Learners of English.

This article explores the use, function, and understanding of extended metaphors in L2 argumentative essays by Chinese learners of English. The analysis starts with the identification of linguistic metaphors and extended metaphors in 72 argumentative texts produced by 37 intermediate Chinese English majors. The function of extended metaphors is then analyzed by adopting the bottom-up approach of establishing systematic metaphors from those identified extended metaphors, to draw learners' communicative intentions in producing extended metaphors. To understand learners' thinking processes behind using extended metaphors while writing, four of nine writers were interviewed about the process of writing extended metaphors in their texts in the stimulated recall interviews. It is found that extended metaphors, expressed through similes or direct metaphors at strategic stages in L2 argumentative essays, are often the result of learners' conscious manipulation of L1 in producing L2 for various communicative purposes, such as the desire for vividness, coherence, comprehensibility, when there is a knowledge gap between L1 and L2, and for evaluative and persuasive power. These communicative functions are consistent with the ideational, interpersonal, and textual functions of language, which also coincide and interact with the rhetorical goals of moves and stages in L2 argumentative essays. Metaphoric thinking, L1 influence, and struggling to express meaning and persuade, cited in learners' thought reports, are major factors triggering extended metaphors. The findings of this article can contribute to the knowledge of learners' metaphoric competence in L2, which can, in turn, enrich teachers' metaphor knowledge and draw teachers' attention to learners' creative ways of using metaphors and then raise metaphor awareness in L2 writing, teaching, and learning.

Potential contribution of microRNA-125b targeting p38MAPK to relieving intermittent hypoxia-induced dementia of rat models.

Allowing for the correlation between intermittent hypoxia and impaired cognition, we intended to figure out whether and how dementia-relevant biomolecules (e.g. miR-125b and p38MAPK) might participate in weakening of intelligence in the context of intermittent hypoxia. Within this investigation, four groups of rat models were established, including rats treated with none, 10% continuous hypoxic (CH), 10% chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) and 5% chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH). Moreover, the learning, memorizing and cognitive abilities of rats were evaluated through performing morris water maze, spatial navigation test and spatial probe test, respectively. Furthermore, expressions of miR-125b and p38MAPK were determined based on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or western blotting. And the luciferase reporter gene assay was prepared to validate the targeted relationship between miR-125b and p38MAPK. Consequently, our study results showed that intermittent hypoxia generated more serious cognitive impairment to rats than persistent hypoxia (P < 0.05), and the rats treated with intermittent hypoxia were observed with down-regulated miR-125b expression and up-regulated phospho-p38MAPK expression (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the in-vitro tests exhibited that down-regulated expression of miR-125b and phosphorylation of p38MAPK could promote apoptosis of SH-SY5Y cells, and also depress their viability and proliferation (P < 0.05). The luciferase reporter gene assay also validated a targeted relationship between miR-125b and p38MAPK in SH-SY5Y cells. In conclusion, miR-125b targeting p38MAPK might be involved with modifying learning, memorizing and cognitive abilities of rats that were managed with intermittent hypoxia, which might provide theoretical basis for treating intermittent hypoxia-related dementia.