Fire needle pretreatment with 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy combined with low-dose isotretinoin in the treatment of severe refractory nodulocystic acne.

BACKGROUND: Nodulocystic acne is a severe form of acne, which is commonly treated with oral isotretinoin, hormones, or antibiotics. However, drug therapy often has some side effects and poor compliance. Fire needle combined with 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) is a simple, effective, short-term treatment with few adverse reactions, which is expected to be an effective physiotherapy for nodulocystic acne. Moreover, the combination with isotretinoin can reduce the dosage of the drug, thereby reducing the side effects of isotretinoin. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of fire-needle pretreated ALA-PDT combined with low-dose isotretinoin in the treatment of severe refractory nodulocystic acne. METHODS: This study reported 10 patients with refractory nodulocystic acne who received combined treatment. During the treatment period, all patients received a low dose of oral isotretinoin capsules daily. The acne lesions were pretreated with fire needle before ALA-PDT treatment. The number of acne lesions, including papules, pustules, and nodular cysts, was documented at weeks 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 to assess the therapeutic efficacy. Concurrently, adverse reactions such as pain, pruritus, and pigmentation changes were recorded and evaluated throughout the treatment course. RESULTS: After combined treatment, all patients achieved good therapeutic effects, with an overall effective rate of 90 % at week 12. After treatment, skin lesions such as nodules, and cysts subsided significantly. The combination therapy has no serious adverse effects and has a favorable safety profile. CONCLUSION: Fire needle pretreatment ALA-PDT combined with low-dose isotretinoin is effective and safe in the treatment of severe refractory nodular cystic acne, which is worthy of clinical promotion and research.

Dermatology Consultation in the Geriatrics Department of a Tertiary Hospital in China: A Retrospective Study of 178 Patients.

Objective: Dermatological consultation plays an important role in diagnosing and treating skin diseases in the Department of Geriatrics. The objective of this study is to provide an analysis of the factors leading geriatric inpatients to seek dermatological consultation, aiming to facilitate accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of skin diseases by healthcare professionals specializing in geriatrics and dermatology. Methods: The electronic health records of hospitalized patients in the Department of Geriatrics who applied for dermatological consultation at the Second Hospital of Shandong University from June 1, 2022, to June 1, 2023, were retrieved. Sex, age, number of consultations, reason for dermatology consultation, and final diagnosis by dermatologists were reviewed. Results: A total of 216 consultations of 178 patients (n=178, 95 men and 83 women) were collected in this study, of whom 153 (86.0%) required only one consultation, 19 (10.7%) required two consultations, and 4 (2.2%) required three consultations. The reasons for dermatology consultations were divided into three categories: the first was for the definitive diagnosis of a new skin condition that developed during the patient's hospitalization (n=165, 76.4%), the second was for the follow-up of the condition and adjustment of medication (n=40, 18.5%), and the third was for the evaluation of the patient's disease that existed before admission to the hospital (n=11, 5.1%). In 165 consultations, most of these diseases (n=131, 79.4%) can be diagnosed by patients' conscious symptoms and clinical manifestations. Some of them need to be diagnosed or differentially diagnosed with the help of supplementary examinations, such as microscopic examination of scabies or fungi, and pathological examination. Conclusion: This study summarized the reasons for dermatology consultations for geriatric inpatients and found that dermatitis/eczema and infectious diseases were the common types of diseases consulted. The findings of this study contribute to the enhanced comprehension and management of dermatological conditions in hospitalized patients by geriatricians, as well as facilitating more efficient diagnosis and treatment by dermatologists.

Ozonated Hydrotherapy Combined with LED Yellow Light Irradiation and Oral Minocycline Treatment for Mild to Moderate Papulopustular Rosacea: A Comparative Retrospective Study.

Objective and Design: The treatment of recurrent rosacea has always been a problem. Oral minocycline has been widely used in the treatment of rosacea. However, the efficacy and safety of ozonated hydrotherapy combined with LED yellow light irradiation and oral minocycline for mild to moderate papulopustular rosacea (PPR) has not been thoroughly studied. Methods: Patients with rosacea who met the criteria and had complete clinical statistic admitted to our hospital from April 2021 to September 2022 were retrospectively collected and divided into combined therapy group and oral only group. The patients in the two groups were treated with minocycline for 8 weeks. In addition, the patients in combined therapy group were treated with ozone hydrotherapy once a week, followed by LED yellow light irradiation for a total of 4 weeks. The Investigator' s global assessment (IGA) score was used to assess the condition. The efficacy was evaluated using the patients' subjective symptom scores. Skin lesion images and adverse reactions were recorded. The recurrence rate was observed after 24 weeks of follow-up. Results: A total of 39 patients included in the study. After 4 weeks of treatment, the effective rate was 90% in combined therapy group and 52.63% in oral only group (p<0.05). After 8 weeks of treatment, the total score of the patients' subjective symptom scores and the scores of itching and burning sensation in combined therapy group were lower than those in oral only group (p<0.05). After 24 weeks of follow-up, the recurrence rate of combined therapy group was 5%, and that of oral only group was 26.32%. The mild adverse reactions experienced by both groups disappeared during follow-up. Conclusion: This combination therapy has a significant, rapid and safe therapeutic effect, especially in relieving itching and burning sensations, and may reduce the recurrence rate.

Ternary Blends from Biological Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate), Poly(propylene carbonate) and Poly(vinyl acetate) with Balanced Properties.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBH) has gained significant attention because of its biodegradability and sustainability. However, its expanded application in some fields is limited by the brittleness and low melt viscoelasticity. In this work, poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) was introduced into PHBH/poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) blends via melt compounding with the aim of obtaining a good balance of properties. Dynamic mechanical analysis results suggested that PPC and PHBH were immiscible. PVAc was miscible with both a PHBH matrix and PPC phase, while it showed better miscibility with PHBH than with PPC. Therefore, PVAc was selectively localized in a PHBH matrix, reducing interfacial tension and refining dispersed phase morphology. The crystallization rate of PHBH slowed down, and the degree of crystallinity decreased with the introduction of PPC and PVAc. Moreover, the PVAc phase significantly improved the melt viscoelasticity of ternary blends. The most interesting result was that the remarkable enhancement of toughness for PHBH/PPC blends was obtained by adding PVAc without sacrificing the strength markedly. Compared with the PHBH/PPC blend, the elongation at the break and yield strength of the PHBH/PPC/10PVAc blend increased by 1145% and 7.9%, respectively. The combination of high melt viscoelasticity, toughness and strength is important for the promotion of the practical application of biological PHBH.

The combination treatment of ozone water, superficial shaving, and photodynamic therapy in recalcitrant plantar warts: A successful case.

In this work, we report the treatment of a patient with recalcitrant plantar warts with aminolevulinate photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT), pretreatment with ozone water, and superficial shaving. Following a single treatment session, the lesions completely disappeared after three weeks and did not reappear during the two-year follow-up. Photodynamic therapy has been reported to be successful for plantar warts with a low recurrence rate, while ozone water is an emerging treatment for infectious skin diseases, which can modulate immunity without obvious side effects. Pretreatment with ozone water and superficial shaving before PDT is a potential new strategy for treating recalcitrant and large plantar warts.

A Rigid and Planar Aza-Based Ternary Anhydride for the Preparation of Cross-Linked Polyimide Membrane Displaying High CO2/CH4 Separation Performance.

In this study, based on the preparation of hexaazatriphenylene-ternary-anhydride (HAT-T), polyimide membranes were prepared by reaction of 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA), 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl sulfide (SDA), 2,2'-bis (trifluoromethyl)diaminobiphenyl (TFDB) and 5-amino-2-(4-aminophenyl) benzimidazole (PABZ). Polyimide films with a hexazobenzo structure have good film-forming properties, high molecular weight (Mn = 0.79-11.79 × 106, Mw = 1.03-16.60 × 106) and narrow molecular weight distribution (polymer dispersity index = 1.17-1.54). With the introduction of rigid HAT-T, the tensile strength and elongation at break of polyimide films are 195.63-510.37 MPa and 4.00-9.70%, respectively, with excellent mechanical properties. The gas separation performance test shows that hexaazatriphenylene-containing polyimide films have good gas selectivity for CO2/CH4. In particular, the separation performance of PIc-t (6FDA/PABZ/HAT-T) surpasses the "2008 Robeson Upper Bound". The selectivity of 188.43 for CO2/CH4 gas reveals its potential value in the separation and purification of methane gas.

Ternary blends from biological poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxyvalerate), poly(L-lactic acid), and poly(vinyl acetate) with balanced properties.

Herein, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxyvalerate) (P34HB), poly (L-lactic acid) (PLA), and poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) were initially melt compounded to prepare a ternary blend with balanced properties. Further, the miscibility, phase morphology, thermal and crystallization behaviors, and rheological and mechanical properties of the blends were studied. The dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) results indicated that P34HB and PLA were partially miscible; however, PVAc showed full miscibility with PLA and P34HB. PVAc would selectively disperse in the PLA phase when considering low content, whereas it would gradually diffuse into the P34HB phase with the increasing PVAc concentration. A phase-separated morphology was observed for all the blends using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the diameters of the dispersed phases increased with the increasing PVAc concentration. The crystallization of P34HB was enhanced by the presence of PLA alone and was restrained by the simultaneous incorporation of PVAc and PLA. The rheological properties of P34HB were significantly improved because of the PVAc phase. Unexpectedly, the toughness and stiffness of the P34HB in ternary blends clearly improved because of the incorporation of PLA and PVAc.

Effect of loadings of nanocellulose on the significantly improved crystallization and mechanical properties of biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone).

Biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/nanocellulose (NC) nanocomposites were prepared using solvent-free melt processing techniques with various NC contents. Both the nonisothermal and isothermal melt crystallization processes of PCL/NC nanocomposites were significantly accelerated by adding NC. The nonisothermal melt crystallization peak temperature obviously increased from 18.8 °C for neat PCL to 30.9 °C for the PCL/NC nanocomposite with 10 wt% NC content at a cooling rate of 10 °C min-1; moreover, the half-time isothermal crystallization at 40 °C significantly decreased from 12.2 min for neat PCL to 2.0 min. Apparently, NC enhanced PCL's crystallization rate. The crystalline morphology study confirmed the increased nucleation density of PCL spherulites, indicating the role of NC as an efficient nucleating agent. Moreover, the loading of NC did not change the crystal structure of PCL, and with increase in NC content, the Young's modulus and yield strength increased; however, the elongation-at-break and the breaking strength decreased. Compared with pure PCL, the thermomechanical properties of PCL/NC nanocomposites were significantly improved. These biodegradable PCL/NC nanocomposites showed excellent crystallization capabilities and tailored mechanical properties, thus proving their potential as a substitute for traditional commercial plastics.

Morphological, thermal, rheological and mechanical properties of poly (butylene carbonate) reinforced by stereocomplex polylactide.

Fully biodegradable blends of poly (butylene carbonate) (PBC) and a bioresource-based stereocomplex polylactide (sc-PLA) were prepared by melt compounding at a temperature far below the melting point (Tm) of sc-PLA, and above the Tm of PBC, poly (l-lactide) (PLLA) and poly(d-lactide) (PDLA). sc-PLA was uniformly dispersed in the PBC matrix as spherical particles. Interestingly, the size of the dispersed sc-PLA particles did not increase significantly with increasing amounts of PLLA and PDLA. sc-PLA accelerated the non-isothermal and isothermal melt crystallization of PBC. Simultaneously, the thermal decomposition temperature of the PBC/sc-PLA blends increased by about 46 °C. The solid filler sc-PLA could reinforce the PBC matrix over a relatively wide temperature range. Consequently, formation of the percolation network structure of spherical sc-PLA in the blends significantly improved the rheological and mechanical properties of PBC after incorporation of sc-PLA. This report may open a new avenue to achieve higher-performance biodegradable polymer blend materials.

Uniaxial stretching and properties of fully biodegradable poly(lactic acid)/poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) blends.

In this work, fully biodegradable poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB-co-4HB)) blends of various compositions were uniaxially stretched at different stretch ratios above the glass transition temperature (Tg) of PLA. These stretched blends exhibited a closed microvoid structure, as evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry and wide-angle X-ray diffraction analyses verified that stretching-induced crystallization in the α-form could be achieved in the PLA matrix. This hierarchical structure could improve the multifunctional performance of PLA blends. The density of drawn blends with a P(3HB-co-4HB) content of 30 wt% and stretch ratio of 6 was reduced by 20% as compared to neat PLA. The excellent combination of strength, modulus, and ductility of drawn blends with a P(3HB-co-4HB) content of 10 wt% and stretch ratio of 6 was demonstrated; compared to neat PLA, these parameters increased by 300%, 320%, and 317%, respectively in breaking strength, modulus, and elongation at break (172.2 MPa, 4200 MPa, and 18.4%), respectively. Meanwhile, control over the degradation rate and thermomechanical-property improvement was achieved by adjusting the stretch ratio and/or blend composition. In practical terms, this processing technique provides a new way to manufacture lightweight and high-performance microvoid-containing biopolymers.

Enhancement of the properties of biosourced poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) by the incorporation of natural orotic acid.

The aim of this study is to use natural orotic acid (OA) as a sustainable, environmentally friendly additive to improve the crystallization, rheological, thermal, mechanical, and biodegradation properties of bacterially synthesized poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P34HB). OA was found to be an efficient nucleating agent for P34HB, and dramatically enhanced both non-isothermal and isothermal crystallization rates. The incorporation of OA increased nucleation density and decreased spherulite size, but had little effect on the crystalline structure. The rheological properties of the P34HB were greatly improved by the solid filler OA, particularly when a percolation network structure was formed in the blends. The thermal stability of P34HB was strongly enhanced, as exemplified by the ~23 °C increase in the onset thermal decomposition temperature (To) for the blend loaded with 5 wt% OA compared to that of pure P34HB. Moreover, the yield strength and elongation at break of P34HB containing 0.5 wt% OA increased by 25% and 119%, respectively. The most intriguing result was the clear enhancement in the enzymatic hydrolysis rates of the P34HB/OA blends compared to that of neat P34HB. The synergetic improvement in these properties may be of significant importance for the wider practical application of biosourced P34HB.

High-performance biodegradable polylactide composites fabricated using a novel plasticizer and functionalized eggshell powder.

A novel polyester poly(diethylene glycol succinate) (PDEGS) was synthesized and evaluated as a plasticizer for polylactide (PLA) in this study. Meanwhile, an effective sustainable filler, functionalized eggshell powder (FES) with a surface layer of calcium phenyphosphonate was also prepared. Then, PLA biocomposites were prepared from FES and PDEGS using a facile melt blending process. The addition of 15 wt% PDEGS as plasticizer showed good miscibility with PLA macromolecules and increased the chain mobility of PLA. The crystallization kinetics of PLA composites revealed that the highly effective nucleating FES significantly improved the crystallization ability of PLA at both of non-isothermal and isothermal conditions. In addition, the effective plasticizer and well-dispersed FES increased the elongation at break from 6% of pure PLA to over 200% for all of the plasticized PLA composites. These biodegradable PLA biocomposites, coupled with excellent crystallization ability and tunable mechanical properties, demonstrate their potential as alternatives to traditional commodity plastics.

LY2109761 reduces TGF-ß1-induced collagen production and contraction in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts.

Hypertrophic scars (HS) are fibro-hyperproliferative dermal lesions with effusive continuous accumulation of extracellular matrix components, particularly collagen. They usually occur after dermal injury in genetically susceptible individuals and cause both physical and psychological distress for the affected individuals. Transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) is known to mediate wound healing process by regulating cell differentiation, collagen production and extracellular matrix degradation. The sustained high expression of TGF-ß1 is believed to result in the formation of hypertrophic scars. Inhibition of TGF-ß1 signaling pathway may represent one of effective strategies for limiting excessive scarring. LY2109761, an orally active TßRI/II kinase dual inhibitor, has been previously reported that it had inhibitory effects on carcinomas and attenuates Radiation-induced pulmonary murine fibrosis. Our results revealed that LY2109761 reduced TGF-ß1-induced collagen production and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression, and attenuated TGF-ß1-induced cell contraction in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts. The data from this study provide evidence supporting the potential use of LY2109761 as a novel treatment for hypertrophic scars.

Polycaprolactone nanocomposite reinforced by bioresource starch-based nanoparticles.

Biodegradable polymer nanocomposites with bioresource starch-based nanoparticles (SNPs) as reinforcing fillers for polycaprolactone (PCL) were prepared by melt blending. Scanning electron microscopy observation revealed that SNPs as spherical particles were evenly dispersed in the PCL matrix without any aggregation even with the content of SNPs increasing to 10wt% in the nanocomposite. Consequently, the rheological performances of PCL have been improved efficaciously after incorporation with SNPs as well as mechanical properties, especially with a percolation network structure of SNPs in the PCL matrix formed. In addition, the enzymatic hydrolysis experiments showed a more interesting behavior that the hydrolysis rates had been accelerated apparently in the nanocomposites than that in the neat PCL as observed. Such high performance nanocomposites may have great potential in expanding the utilization of starch from sustainable resources and the practical application of PCL-based biodegradable materials.

The physical properties of poly(l-lactide) and functionalized eggshell powder composites.

Aiming at improved crystallization performance and simultaneously enhanced solid-state properties of poly(l-lactide) such as mechanical properties and enzymatic hydrolysis. A novel functionalized eggshell powder decorated with calcium phenylphosphonic acid (NES) was synthesized via the chemical reaction between phenylphosphonic acid and calcium ion on the surface of eggshell powder to form effective nucleating surface for poly(l-lactide). The resultant NES was incorporated into PLLA matrix to form fully biodegradable composites by melt blending, which exhibited superior crystallization, mechanical properties, and enzymatic hydrolysis. Upon the addition of 20 wt% NES, the crystallization half-time of a PLLA/NES composite decreased from 27.09 to 0.69 min at 130°C, compared to that of neat PLLA. The storage and tensile moduli of the composites increased with increasing NES loadings. Even with 20 wt% NES, the composite still exhibited good mechanical properties with tensile strength of 53.4 MPa, tensile modulus of 2460MPa and elongation at break of 2.5%, respectively. Moreover, it was interesting to find that the enzymatic hydrolytic degradation rates had been enhanced pronouncedly in the PLLA/NES composites than in neat PLLA. Such high performance biocomposites have great potential in expanding the utilization of eggshell powder from sustainable resources and practical application as PLLA-based bioplastic.