A Phosphorous-Based Bi-Functional Flame Retardant Based on Phosphaphenanthrene and Aluminum Hypophosphite for an Epoxy Thermoset.

A phosphorous-based bi-functional compound HPDAl was used as a reactive-type flame retardant (FR) in an epoxy thermoset (EP) aiming to improve the flame retardant efficiency of phosphorus-based compounds. HPDAl, consisting of two different P-groups of aluminum phosphinate (AHP) and phosphophenanthrene (DOPO) with different phosphorous chemical environments and thus exerting different FR actions, exhibited an intramolecular P-P groups synergy and possessed superior flame-retardant efficiency compared with DOPO or AHP alone or the physical combination of DOPO/AHP in EP. Adding 2 wt.% HPDAl made EP composites acquire a LOI value of 32.3%, pass a UL94 V-0 rating with a blowing-out effect, and exhibit a decrease in the heat/smoke release. The flame retardant modes of action of HPDAl were confirmed by the experiments of the scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetry-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (TG-FTIR-GC/MS). The results indicate that the phosphorous-based FRs show different influences on the flame retardancy of composites, mainly depending on their chemical structures. HPDAl had a flame inhibition effect in the gas phase and a charring effect in the condensed phase, with a well-balanced distribution of P content in the gas/condensed phase. Furthermore, the addition of HPDAl hardly impaired the mechanical properties of the matrix due to the link by chemical bonds between them.

[A clinical study of thunder-fire moxibustion combined with meibomian gland massage in treatment of meibomian gand dysfunction].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of thunder-fire moxibustion combined with meibomian gland massage in improving meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and explore its mechanism. METHODS: Seventy-two MGD patients with 144 eyes in the Jinhua Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from February 2019 to January 2021 were selected and randomly divided into an experimental group (n=36,72 eyes) and a control group (n=36, 72 eyes). Patients in the control group received 0.1% fluo-rometholone eye drops and 0.1% sodium hyaluronate eye drops, 1-2 drops per time, four times per day, and the meibomian glands were massaged once per day. Patients in the experimental group received additional thunder-fire moxibustion on the basis of the treatment of the control group, 10 cones per time, once per day. One month after treatment, meibomian gland function was assessed, and the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and prostaglandin E2(PGE2) in tears were detected. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of Ocular Surface Disease Index, meibomian hyperemia, meibomian gland opening, meibomian gland loss, and meibomian gland secretion function were lower than those before treatment in the two groups, and the scores of the experimental group were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the tear break-up time and tear meniscus height were higher than those before treatment in the two groups, which were higher in the experimental group than those in the control group (P<0.05). The post-treatment levels of IL-6 and PGE2 were lower than those before treatment in the two groups, and the levels in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Thunder-fire moxibustion combined with meibomian gland massage can significantly improve the function of the meibomian glands and lower the levels of IL-6 and PGE2 in tears.

Speckle Tracking Echocardiography Verified the Efficacy of Qianyangyuyin Granules in Alleviating Left Ventricular Remodeling in a Hypertensive Rat Model.

BACKGROUND: Global longitudinal strain (GLS) can be assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) to express the degree of cardiac fibrosis. Qianyangyuyin (QYYY) granules can effectively improve GLS in hypertensive patients. Using a hypertensive rat model, we carried out speckle tracking echocardiography to validate the effect of QYYY in diminishing LV remodeling. METHODS: We randomly divided 16 spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) into SHR, SHR + valsartan (SHR + V), SHR + low-dose QYYY (SHR + QL), and SHR + high-dose QYYY (SHR + QH) groups, with four rats in each group. Another group of 4 Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were selected into a normal control (WKY) group. At the 8th week, conventional echocardiographic parameters were measured by GE Vivid E95 ultrasound (12S probe, 10-12 MHz) and GLS by speckle tracking echocardiography with EchoPAC (version 203) software. HE and Masson's trichrome staining were performed to detect the cardiomyocyte width and collagen volume fraction after rat sacrifice. Collagen I, α-SMA, S100A4, TGF-ß, Smad 3, MYH6, and MYH7 were further analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: The absolute values of GLS significantly increased in the SHR + QH group compared to the SHR group, while the CVF and CW values significantly decreased. In addition, Collagen I, α-SMA, S100A4, TGF-ß, Smad3, MYH7, and MYH7/MYH6 ratio remarkably reduced in the SHR + QH group. The value of GLS could be repetitively measured and positively correlated with the collagen volume fraction of the myocardium and the cardiomyocyte width of the left ventricular free wall. CONCLUSIONS: GLS is a reliable indicator to evaluate the therapeutic effect on left ventricular remodeling in hypertension. QYYY granules can inhibit the development of cardiac fibrosis in the hypertensive rat model.

[Effect on the pain and tear film stability in patients after pterygium excision treated with intradermal needling].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of intradermal needling for pain and tear film stability in patients after pterygium excision. METHODS: A total of 76 patients (98 affected eyes) with primary pterygium were randomly divided into an observation group (38 cases, 53 affected eyes) and a control group (38 cases, 45 affected eyes).In the control group, only pterygium resection was performed, in the observation group, intradermal needling after pterygium resection was applied at Cuanzhu (BL 2), Yuyao (EX-HN 4), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Sibai (ST 2), Hegu (LI 4), removed after 24 h and changed three times a week. The pain level of 3 days after surgery, dry eye symptoms, the basic tear secretion test (Schirmer-Ⅰ), and the tear-break time (BUT) changes before surgery, 2 weeks after surgery and 4 weeks after surgery were compared between the two groups, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: The pain level of 3 days after surgery in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). The dry eye symptom scores at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after surgery in the two groups were significantly lower than those before surgery (all P<0.05), and the dry eye symptom scores in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (both P<0.05). The Schirmer-Ⅰ test at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after surgery was significantly prolonged than that before surgery(all P<0.05), and the Schirmer-Ⅰ test in the observation group was significantly longer than that in the control group (both P<0.05). The BUT at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after surgery in the two groups was significantly longer than that before surgery (all P<0.05), and the BUT in the observation group was significantly longer than that in the control group (both P<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 89.5% (34/38), which was higher than 71.1% (27/38) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Intradermal needling can effectively reduce the pain level of patients after pterygium resection, improve dry eye symptoms, promote the secretion of tears and improve the tear film stability.