Low Molecular Weight Shuttle Molecules Enhance Polychloramide Antimicrobial Activity.

Investigated were the influences of succinimide (SI), 5,5-dimethylhydantoin (DMH), and 3-(hydroxymethyl)-5,5-dimethylhydantoin (HDMH) on the biocidal activity of chlorinated, water-soluble polyamide prepared by the reaction of isopropylamine with poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride). The resulting polymer was a negatively charged, water-soluble polymer bearing a carboxylic acid and an isopropylamide moiety on nearly every repeat unit. Subsequent treatment with NaOCl chlorinated the polymers to up to 4.4% Cl while inflicting some polymer chain scission. SI, DMH, or HDMH increased the biocidal activity of polychloramides toward planktonic Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Independent solution studies confirmed that oxidative chlorine spontaneously transferred from aqueous polychloramides to small molecules. We concluded that SI, DMH, and HDMH acted as shuttles that extracted oxidative Cl from the polymer chloramides and transported oxidative Cl more efficiently to microbial surfaces. Succinimide was the most effective shuttle. These results warn that some low molecular weight soluble molecules in antimicrobial testing solutions may exaggerate the effectiveness of the polymer or immobilized antimicrobial agents.

Selective bioaccumulation of polystyrene nanoplastics in fetal rat brain and damage to myelin development.

Micro(nano)plastic, as a new type of environmental pollutant, have become a potential threat to the life and health of various stages of biology. However, it is not yet clear whether they will affect brain development in the fetal stage. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential effects of nanoplastics on the development of fetal rat brains. To assess the allocation of NPs (25 nm and 50 nm) in various regions of the fetal brain, pregnant rats were exposed to concentrations (50, 10, 2.5, and 0.5 mg/kg) of PS-NPs. Our results provided evidence of the transplacental transfer of PS-NPs to the fetal brain, with a prominent presence observed in several cerebral regions, notably the cerebellum, hippocampus, striatum, and prefrontal cortex. This distribution bias might be linked to the developmental sequence of each brain region. Additionally, we explored the influence of prenatal exposure on the myelin development of the cerebellum, given its the highest PS-NP accumulation in offspring. Compared with control rats, PS-NPs exposure caused a significant reduction in myelin basic protein (MBP) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) expression, a decrease in myelin thickness, an increase in cell apoptosis, and a decline in the oligodendrocyte population. These effects gave rise to motor deficits. In conclusion, our results identified the specific distribution of NPs in the fetal brain following prenatal exposure and revealed that prenatal exposure to PS-NPs can suppress myelin formation in the cerebellum of the fetus.

An experimental study of a novel external fixator based on universal joints for the rapid initial stabilization of mandibular comminuted fractures.

PURPOSE: Shaping and assembling contemporary external fixators rapidly for the severe mandibular fractures remains a challenge, especially in emergency circumstance. We designed a novel external fixator that incorporates universal joints to provide the stabilization for mandibular comminuted fractures. This study aims to confirm the efficacy of this novel external fixator through biomechanical tests in vitro and animal experiments. METHODS: In vitro biomechanical tests were conducted using 6 fresh canine with mandibular defect to simulate critical comminuted fractures. Three mandibles were stabilized by the novel external fixator and other mandibles were fixed by 2.5 mm reconstruction plates. All fixed mandibles were subjected to loads of 350 N on the anterior regions of teeth and 550 N on the first molar of the unaffected side. The stability was evaluated based on the maximum displacement and the slope of the load-displacement curve. In animal experiments, 9 beagles with comminuted mandibular fractures were divided into 3 groups, which were treated with the novel external fixation, reconstruction plate, and dental arch bar, respectively. The general observation, the changes in animals' weight, and the surgical duration were recorded and compared among 3 groups. The CT scans were performed at various intervals of 0 day (immediately after the surgery), 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, 21 days, and 28 days to analyze the displacement of feature points on the canine mandible and situation of fracture healing at 28 days. The statistical significance was assessed by the two-way analysis of variance test followed by the Bonferroni test, enabling multiple comparisons for all tests using GraphPad Prism10.1.0 (GraphPad Inc, USA). RESULTS: The outcomes of the biomechanical tests indicated that no statistically significant differences were found in terms of the maximum displacement (p = 0.496, 0.079) and the slope of load displacement curves (p = 0.374, 0.349) under 2 load modes between the external and internal fixation groups. The animal experiment data showed that there were minor displacements of feature points between the external and internal fixation groups without statistic difference, while the arch bar group demonstrated inferior stability. The CT analysis revealed that the best fracture healing happened in the internal fixation group, followed by the external fixation and arch baring at 28 days after fixation. The external fixation group had the shortest fixation duration (25.67 ± 3.79) min compared to internal fixation ((70.67 ± 4.51) min, p < 0.001) and arch baring ((42.00 ± 3.00) min, p = 0.046). CONCLUSION: The conclusion of this study highlighted the efficacy and reliability of this novel external fixator in managing mandibular fractures rapidly, offering a viable option for the initial stabilization of comminuted mandibular fractures in the setting of emergency rescue.

A retrospective study of occlusal reconstruction in patients with old jaw fractures and dentition defects.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the methods and clinical effects of multidisciplinary collaborative treatment for occlusal reconstruction in patients with old jaw fractures and dentition defects. METHODS: Patients with old jaw fractures and dentition defects who underwent occlusal reconstruction at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University from January 2018 to December 2022 were enrolled. Clinical treatment was classified into 3 phases. In phase I, techniques such as orthognathic surgery, microsurgery, and distraction osteogenesis were employed to reconstruct the correct 3-dimensional (3D) jaw position relationship. In phase II, bone augmentation and soft tissue management techniques were utilized to address insufficient alveolar bone mass and poor gingival soft tissue conditions. In phase III, implant-supported overdentures or fixed dentures were used for occlusal reconstruction. A summary of treatment methods, clinical efficacy evaluation, comparative analysis of imageological examinations, and satisfaction questionnaire survey were utilized to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy in patients with traumatic old jaw fractures and dentition defects. All data are summarized using the arithmetic mean ± standard deviation and compared using independent sample t-tests. RESULTS: In 15 patients with old jaw fractures and dentition defects (an average age of 32 years, ranging from 18 to 53 years), there were 7 cases of malocclusion of single maxillary fracture, 6 of malocclusion of single mandible fracture, and 2 of malocclusion of both maxillary and mandible fractures. There were 5 patients with single maxillary dentition defects, 2 with single mandibular dentition defects, and 8 with both maxillary and mandibular dentition defects. To reconstruct the correct 3D jaw positional relationship, 5 patients underwent Le Fort I osteotomy of the maxilla, 3 underwent bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy of the mandible, 4 underwent open reduction and internal fixation for old jaw fractures, 3 underwent temporomandibular joint surgery, and 4 underwent distraction osteogenesis. All patients underwent jawbone augmentation, of whom 4 patients underwent a free composite vascularized bone flap (26.66%) and the remaining patients underwent local alveolar bone augmentation. Free gingival graft and connective tissue graft were the main methods for soft tissue augmentation (73.33%). The 15 patients received 81 implants, of whom 11 patients received implant-supported fixed dentures and 4 received implant-supported removable dentures. The survival rate of all implants was 93.82%. The final imageological examination of 15 patients confirmed that the malocclusion was corrected, and the clinical treatment ultimately achieved occlusal function reconstruction. The patient satisfaction questionnaire survey showed that they were satisfied with the efficacy, phonetics, aesthetics, and comfort after treatment. CONCLUSION: Occlusal reconstruction of old jaw fractures and dentition defects requires a phased sequential comprehensive treatment, consisting of 3D spatial jaw correction, alveolar bone augmentation and soft tissue augmentation, and implant-supported occlusal reconstruction, achieving satisfactory clinical therapeutic efficacy.

Novel GNAI3 mutation in a Chinese family with auriculocondylar syndrome and treatment of severe dentofacial deformities: a 5-year follow-up case report.

BACKGROUND: Auriculocondylar syndrome (ARCND) is an extremely rare autosomal dominant or recessive condition that typically manifests as question mark ears (QMEs), mandibular condyle hypoplasia, and micrognathia. Severe dental and maxillofacial malformations present considerable challenges in patients' lives and clinical treatment. Currently, only a few ARCND cases have been reported worldwide, but most of them are related to genetic mutations, clinical symptoms, and ear correction; there are few reports concerning the treatment of dentofacial deformities. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we report a rare case of ARCND in a Chinese family. A novel insertional mutation in the guanine nucleotide-binding protein alpha-inhibiting activity polypeptide 3 (GNAI3) was identified in the patient and their brother using whole-exome sequencing. After a multidisciplinary consultation and examination, sequential orthodontic treatment and craniofacial surgery, including distraction osteogenesis and orthognathic surgery, were performed using three-dimensional (3D) digital technology to treat the patient's dentofacial deformity. A good prognosis was achieved at the 5-year follow-up, and the patient returned to normal life. CONCLUSIONS: ARCND is a monogenic and rare condition that can be diagnosed based on its clinical triad of core features. Molecular diagnosis plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of patients with inconspicuous clinical features. We present a novel insertion variation in GNAI3, which was identified in exon 2 of chromosome 110116384 in a Chinese family. Sequential therapy with preoperative orthodontic treatment combined with distraction osteogenesis and orthognathic surgery guided by 3D digital technology may be a practical and effective method for treating ARCND.

Low-Cost, High-Strength Cellulose-based Quasi-Solid Polymer Electrolyte for Solid-State Lithium-Metal Batteries.

Solid-state lithium-metal batteries are considered as the next generation of high-energy-density batteries. However, their solid electrolytes suffer from low ionic conductivity, poor interface performance, and high production costs, restricting their commercial application. Herein, a low-cost cellulose acetate-based quasi-solid composite polymer electrolyte (C-CLA QPE) was developed with a high Li+ transference number ( t L i + ${{t}_{{{\rm L}{\rm i}}^{+}}}$ ) of 0.85 and excellent interface stability. The prepared LiFePO4 (LFP)|C-CLA QPE|Li batteries exhibited excellent cycle performance with a capacity retention of 97.7 % after 1200 cycles at 1 C and 25 °C. The experimental results and Density Function Theory (DFT) simulation revealed that the partially esterified side groups in the CLA matrix contribute to the migration of Li+ and enhance electrochemical stability. This work provides a promising strategy for fabricating cost-effective, stable polymer electrolytes for solid-state lithium batteries.

Modeling the Impact of Polychloramide Solution Properties on Bacterial Disinfection Kinetics.

Anionic water-soluble polychloramide biocides are of interest because, compared to conventional cationic antimicrobial polymers, anionic biocides are less likely to be sequestered or deactivated by contact with non-microbial soil. Although electrostatics can prevent anionic polymers from adsorbing on microbes, water-soluble polychloramides appear to transfer oxidative chlorine during transient contacts between polymer chains and microbe surfaces. The Chick-Watson model of disinfection kinetics has been modified to account for the contributions of polychloramide molecular weight (MW) and the polychloramide configuration in solution estimated from the overlap concentration, C*, below which dilute polymer chains exist as discrete objects in solution. The key assumption in the modeling was that the transfer rate of oxidative chlorine from polychloramide chains to microbe surfaces impacts the disinfection kinetics. Because both C* and MW are measurable, the polymer-modified Chick-Watson (PCW) model has one less unknown parameter than the two-parameter Chick-Watson equation. The PCW model predicts that lower MW polymers are more effective biocides compared with high MW counterparts. Additionally, polymers with more compressed configurations in solution are more effective biocides. Experimental evidence supports these conclusions. Based on the estimated time scale of bacteria/polymer collisions compared with disinfection kinetics, arguments are made that bacteria surfaces must be contracted many times by polychloramide chains to achieve sufficient Cl transfer to deactivate bacteria.

Recovery of Acid and Alkaline from Industrial Saline Wastewater by Bipolar Membrane Electrodialysis under High-Chemical Oxygen Demand Concentration.

Actual high saline wastewater containing concentrated organics and sodium chloride is a bioenergy and renewable resource. This study compared two different bipolar membrane electrodialysis membranes from two companies' stacks to recover HCl and NaOH from sodium chloride solution and actual chemical wastewater. The results demonstrated that the electrolysis rates were around 1.5 kg/m2h, the HCl and NaOH production rates were about 0.9 kg/m2h, energy consumption was in the range of 1.05-1.27 kWh/kg, and the economic benefits were above 1 yuan/h in BMED systems. From analyzing the performance of seven different BMED membrane stacks, the B2 stack was chosen for electrolyzing actual high salt wastewater to observe the effect of chemical oxygen demand on BMED systems, where electrolytic salt performance, HCl-NaOH alkali production rates, and energy consumption show linear dependence on time for 5000 mg/L chemical oxygen demand wastewater. It illustrated chemical oxygen demand can enhance energy consumption and reduce electrolytic salt performance and the acid and alkali production rates, due to improving the membrane area resistance. In this study, the effect of high COD saline wastewater on the performance of a BMED membrane stack was clarified and the mechanism was analyzed for its practical application in treating chemical high salt wastewater.

Early osseointegration of micro-arc oxidation coated titanium alloy implants containing Ag: a histomorphometric study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate bone response to micro-arc oxidation coated titanium alloy implants containing Ag. METHODS: 144 titanium alloy implants were prepared by machine grinding and divided into three treatment groups as following, SLA group: sand-blasting and acid-etched coating; MAO group: micro-arc oxidation without Ag coating; MAO + Ag group: micro-arc oxidation containing Ag coating. Surface characterization of three kind of implants were observed by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer, scanning electron microscopy, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope and roughness analysis. The implants were inserted into dog femurs. 4, 8 and 12 weeks after operation, the bone response to the implant to the bone was evaluated by push-out experiment, histological and fluorescent labeling analysis. RESULTS: MAO + Ag group consisted of a mixture of anatase and rutile. Ag was found in the form of Ag2O on the surface. The surface morphology of MAO + Ag group seemed more like a circular crater with upheaved edges and holes than the other two groups. The surface roughness of MAO and MAO + Ag groups were higher than SLA group, but no statistical difference between MAO and MAO + Ag groups. The contact angles in MAO + Ag group was smallest and the surface free energy was the highest among three groups. The maximum push-out strength of MAO and MAO + Ag groups were higher than SLA group at all time point, the value of MAO + Ag group was higher than MAO group at 4 and 8 weeks. Scanning electron microscopy examination for the surface and cross-section of the bone segments and fluorescent labeling analysis showed that the ability of bone formation and osseointegration in MAO + Ag group was higher than that of the other two groups. CONCLUSION: The micro-arc oxidation combination with Ag coating is an excellent surface modification technique to posse porous surface structure and hydrophilicity on the titanium alloy implants surface and exhibits desirable ability of osseointegration.

Crowding-Induced DNA Translocation through a Protein Nanopore.

A crowded cellular environment is highly associated with many significant biological processes. However, the effect of molecular crowding on the translocation behavior of DNA through a pore has not been explored. Here, we use nanopore single-molecule analytical technique to quantify the thermodynamics and kinetics of DNA transport under heterogeneous cosolute PEGs. The results demonstrate that the frequency of the translocation event exhibits a nonmonotonic dependence on the crowding agent size, while both the event frequency and translocation time increase monotonically with increasing crowder concentration. In the presence of PEGs, the rate of DNA capture into the nanopore elevates 118.27-fold, and at the same time the translocation velocity decreases from 20 to 120 µs/base. Interestingly, the impact of PEG 4k on the DNA-nanopore interaction is the most notable, with up to ΔΔG = 16.27 kJ mol-1 change in free energy and 764.50-fold increase in the binding constant at concentration of 40% (w/v). The molecular crowding effect will has broad applications in nanopore biosensing and nanopore DNA sequencing in which the strategy to capture analyte and to control the transport is urgently required.

Removal and recovery of silver nanoparticles by hierarchical mesoporous calcite: Performance, mechanism, and sustainable application.

The widespread use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) inevitably leads to the environmental release of AgNPs. The released AgNPs can pose ecological risks because of their specific toxicity. However, they can also be used as secondary sources of silver metal. Herein, hierarchical mesoporous calcite (HMC) was prepared and used to remove and recover AgNPs from an aqueous solution. The batch experiments show that the HMC has high removal percentages for polyvinylpyrrolidone- and poly (vinyl alcohol)-coated AgNPs (PVP- and PVA-AgNPs) over a wide pH range of 6-10. The adsorption isotherms indicate that the maximum removal capacities are 55 and 19 mg g-1 for PVP-AgNPs and PVA-AgNPs, respectively, corresponding to partition coefficients (PCs) of 0.55 and 0.77 mg g-1 µM-1. Furthermore, the removal performance is also not impaired by coexisting anions, such as Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, and CO32-. Their removal mechanisms can be ascribed to the electrostatic attraction and chemical adsorption between the HMC and polymer-coated AgNPs. Calcium ions on the HMC surface serve as active sites for coordination with the oxygen-bearing functional groups of AgNP coatings. Moreover, the AgNPs adsorbed onto HMC show high catalytic activity and good reusability for the reduction of the organic pollutant 4-nitrophenol. This work may pave the way not only to remove metal nanopollutants from waters but also to convert them into functional materials.

Differential responses of molecular mechanisms and physiochemical characters in wild and cultivated soybeans against invasion by the pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum Schltdl.

Cultivated soybean (Glycine max) was derived from the wild soybean (Glycine soja), which has genetic resources that can be critically important for improving plant stress resistance. However, little information is available pertaining to the molecular and physiochemical comparison between the cultivated and wild soybeans in response to the pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum Schltdl. In this study, we first used comparative phenotypic and paraffin section analyses to indicate that wild soybean is indeed more resistant to F. oxysporum than cultivated soybean. Genome-wide RNA-sequencing approach was then used to elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying the differential physiological and biochemical responses of the cultivated soybean, and its relative, to F. oxysporum. A greater number of genes related to cell wall synthesis and hormone metabolism were significantly altered in wild soybean than in cultivated soybean under F. oxysporum infection. Accordingly, a higher accumulation of lignins was observed in wild soybean than cultivated soybean under F. oxysporum infection. Collectively, these results indicated that secondary metabolites and plant hormones may play a vital role in differentiating the response between cultivated and wild soybeans against the pathogen. These important findings may provide future direction to breeding programs to improve resistance to F. oxysporum in the elite soybean cultivars by taking advantage of the genetic resources within wild soybean germplasm.

Mandibular Coronoidectomy Could Significantly Accelerate the Healing Process of Infratemporal Fossa Abscess.

PURPOSE: Management of an infratemporal fossa abscess (IFA), which is a specific form of severe and advanced deep fascial space infection (DFI), is based mainly on traditional methods. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of mandibular coronoidectomy in accelerating IFA healing. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This research is a single-center retrospective study composed of 23 patients with IFA. The predictor variables were gender, age, diabetes, severity score, and mandibular coronoidectomy. The outcome variables included hospitalization time (HT) and irrigating time (IT). A comparison of treatment outcomes between the improved and traditional surgical interventions for IFA was performed. RESULTS: Compared with patients who did not receive mandibular coronoidectomy (NC group; HT, 17.54 ± 1.80 days; IT, 38.54 ± 3.73 days), patients who underwent mandibular coronoidectomy (AC group) had significantly decreased HT (7.20 ± 1.19 days) and IT (15.10 ± 1.27 days; P < .01). In addition, 4 patients (31%) in the NC group received reoperation for osteomyelitis, whereas no osteomyelitis and DFI recurrence occurred in the AC group. CONCLUSIONS: Mandibular coronoidectomy with extra intraoral drainage could considerably accelerate the healing process of IFAs and obviously decrease the reoperation rate for osteomyelitis.

Preparation of a novel weak cation exchange/hydrophobic interaction chromatography dual-function polymer-based stationary phase for protein separation using "thiol-ene click chemistry".

A novel dual-function mixed-mode stationary phase based on poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) microspheres was synthesized by thiol-ene click chemistry and characterized by infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The new system displays both hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) character in a high salt concentration mobile phase, and weak cation exchange (WCX) chromatography character in a low salt concentration mobile phase. It can be used to separate proteins in both ion-exchange chromatography (IEC) mode and HIC mode. The resolution and selectivity of the stationary phase were evaluated in both HIC mode and IEC mode using protein standards. In comparison with the conventional WCX and HIC columns, the results were satisfactory and acceptable. Protein mass and bioactivity recoveries of more than 96% can be achieved in both HIC mode and IEC mode using this column. The results indicate that the novel dual-function mixed-mode column in many cases can replace the use of two individual WCX and HIC columns. In addition, the effects on protein separation of different ligand structures in the dual-function stationary phase and the pH of the mobile phase used were also investigated in detail. The results show that electrostatic interaction of the ligand with proteins must match the hydrophobicity of the ligand, which is an important factor to prepare the dual-function stationary phase. On the basis of this dual-function mixed-mode chromatography column, a new two-dimensional liquid chromatography technology with a single column system was also developed in this study, and was used to renature and purify recombinant human interferon-γ from inclusion bodies. The mass recovery, purity, and specific bioactivity obtained for the purified recombinant human interferon-γ were 87.2%, 92.4%, and 2.8 × 10(7) IU/mg, respectively, in IEC mode, and 83.4%, 95.2%, and 4.3 × 10(7) IU/mg, respectively, in HIC mode. The results indicate that the dual-function mixed-mode stationary phase prepared in this study may aid in the development of new two-dimensional liquid chromatography technology with a single column for intensive proteomic studies, and it may also find applications in recombinant protein drug production since it can save column costs and simplify the biotechnological processes.

Bovine serum albumin surface imprinted polymer fabricated by surface grafting copolymerization on zinc oxide rods and its application for protein recognition.

A novel bovine serum albumin (BSA) surface imprinted polymer based on ZnO rods was synthesized by surface grafting copolymerization. It exhibited an excellent recognition performance to bovine serum albumin. The adsorption capacity and imprinting factor of bovine serum albumin could reach 89.27 mg/g and 2.35, respectively. Furthermore, the fluorescence property of ZnO was used for tracing the process of protein imprinting and it implied the excellent optical sensing property of this material. More importantly, the hypothesis that the surface charge of carrier could affect the imprinting process was confirmed. That is, ZnO with positive surface charge could not only improve the recognition specificity of binding sites to template proteins (pI < 7), but also deteriorate the bindings between sites and non-template proteins (pI > 7). It was also important that the reusability of ZnO@BSA molecularly imprinted polymers was satisfactory. This implied that the poor mechanical/chemical stability of traditional zinc oxide sensors could be solved by the introduction of surface grafting copolymerization. These results revealed that the ZnO@BSA molecularly imprinted polymers are a promising optical/electrochemical sensor element.

[Precision of digital impressions with TRIOS under simulated intraoral impression taking conditions].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the precision of digital impressions taken under simulated clinical impression taking conditions with TRIOS and to compare with the precision of extraoral digitalizations. METHODS: Six #14-#17 epoxy resin dentitions with extracted #16 tooth preparations embedded were made. For each artificial dentition, (1)a silicone rubber impression was taken with individual tray, poured with type IV plaster,and digitalized with 3Shape D700 model scanner for 10 times; (2) fastened to a dental simulator, 10 digital impressions for each were taken with 3Shape TRIOS intraoral scanner. To assess the precision, best-fit algorithm and 3D comparison were conducted between repeated scan models pairwise by Geomagic Qualify 12.0, exported as averaged errors (AE) and color-coded diagrams. Non-parametric analysis was performed to compare the precisions of digital impressions and model images. The color-coded diagrams were used to show the deviations distributions. RESULTS: The mean of AE for digital impressions was 7.058 281 µm, which was greater than that of 4.092 363 µm for the model images (P<0.05). However, the means and medians of AE for digital impressions were no more than 10 µm, which meant that the consistency between the digital impressions was good. The deviations distribution was uniform in the model images,while nonuniform in the digital impressions with greater deviations lay mainly around the shoulders and interproximal surfaces. CONCLUSION: Digital impressions with TRIOS are of good precision and up to the clinical standard. Shoulders and interproximal surfaces scanning are more difficult.

Design of berberine hydrochloride sustained-release cold sol using hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose K100M to achieve superior drug dissolution and transdermal absorption.

In this study, berberine hydrochloride (Ber) was used as model drug to prepare a sustained-release cold sol using hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) to achieve superior drug dissolution and transdermal absorption effects. For comparison, a Ber cold sol without HPMC was also prepared using the same method. The preparation process was optimized based on the in vitro release and transdermal permeability of the drug. The results indicated that 1.67 wt% Carbomer 940 and 1.33 wt% HPMC K100M were selected as matrix components with the best sustained-release effect, and drug dissolution of cold sol prepared by combination of these two matrices was significantly slower than the cold sol without HPMC. In addition, transdermal absorption result demonstrated that 0.67 wt% glycerin and 1.33 wt% peppermint oil were the best osmotic enhancers for the optimization of Ber sustained-release cold sol. Herein, HPMC K100M performed important functions in the external application of Ber.

Pediatric H3K27M­mutant diffuse midline glioma with vertebral metastasis: A case report and literature review.

H3K27M-mutant diffuse midline glioma (DMG) is a type of high-grade glial tumor, which occurs in the midline structure and develops mostly in children. Extraneural metastases (ENM) are exceedingly rare in patients with H3K27M-mutant DMG. A 9-year-old male patient presented with a headache, nausea and vomiting. Following magnetic resonance imaging and immunohistochemical molecular testing examination, the patient was diagnosed with H3K27M-mutant DMG and received chemoradiotherapy plus five cycles of chemotherapy with temozolomide intermittently as an adjuvant therapy. The treatment resulted in a slight reduction of the tumor volume. However, 2 months later, the patient was admitted to hospital with complaints of drooping of the mouth, and waist and back pain. Magnetic resonance imaging and positron-emission tomography-computed tomography revealed an unusual presentation with multiple vertebral metastases and craniospinal leptomeningeal dissemination. Following discussion between the members of a multidisciplinary medical team, the patient underwent one cycle of chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine and cisplatin. However, the condition did not improve and the patient died 4 weeks after the diagnosis of ENM. The mechanisms underlying the development of these rare metastases remain unclear. The present case report provides insights into the clinical characteristics and potential metastasis mechanisms of this aggressive disease and may help to elucidate new pathways for the management of ENM.

OrthoCalc: The six degrees of freedom measurement workflow of rotational and displacement changes for maxilla positioning evaluation.

BACKGROUND: This study is undertaken to establish the accuracy and reliability of OrthoCalc, a 3D application designed for the evaluation of maxillary positioning. METHODS: We registered target virtual planned models, maxillary models from pre-operative and post-operative CT scans, and post-operative intra-oral scans to a common reference system, allowing for digital evaluation. To assess rotational changes, we introduced a novel measurement method based on virtual cuboid models. Displacement errors were calculated based on proposed registration matrices. We also compared OrthoCalc to established commercial medical software as a benchmark. RESULTS: Statistical significance calculated showed no significant differences between OrthoCalc and commercial software. the biggest error of 0.04 degree in rotation change was found in the yaw. A maximum displacement change of 0.75 mm was found in the X direction. CONCLUSIONS: Our study validates OrthoCalc as a precise and reliable tool for assessing maxillary position changes with six degrees of freedom in orthognathic surgery, endorsing its clinical utility.

Biocompatibility and osteogenic capacity of additively manufactured biodegradable porous WE43 scaffolds: An in vivo study in a canine model.

Magnesium is the most promising absorbable metallic implant material for bone regeneration and alloy WE43 is already FDA approved for cardiovascular applications. This study investigates the cyto- and biocompatibility of novel additively manufactured (AM) porous WE43 scaffolds as well as their osteogenic potential and degradation characteristics in an orthotopic canine bone defect model. The cytocompatibility was demonstrated using modified ISO 10993-conform extract-based indirect and direct assays, respectively. Additionally, degradation rates of WE43 scaffolds were quantified in vitro prior to absorption tests in vivo. Complete blood cell counts, blood biomarker analyses, blood trace element analyses as well as multi-organ histopathology demonstrated excellent biocompatibility of porous y WE43 scaffolds for bone defect repair. Micro-CT analyses further showed a relatively higher absorption rate during the initial four weeks upon implantation (i.e., 36 % ± 19 %) than between four and 12 weeks (41 % ± 14 %), respectively. Of note, the porous WE43 implants were surrounded by newly formed bony tissue as early as four weeks after implantation when unmineralized trabecular ingrowth was detected. After 12 weeks, a substantial amount of mineralized bone was detected inside and around the gradually disappearing implants. This first study on AM porous WE43 implants in canine bone defects demonstrates the potential of this alloy for in vivo applications in humans. Our data further underscore the need to control initial bulk absorption kinetics through surface modifications.