Isolation and identification of hoylesella marshii causing pleural infection: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Hoylesella marshii can be isolated from human oral cavities affected by dental pulp and periodontal infections, as well as from the dental plaque of healthy individuals, making it a common bacterium within the oral microbiota. However, its role in causing pleural infections in humans is rare. CASE PRESENTATION: A case of purulent pleural effusion occurred shortly after discharge in an elderly patient who had undergone surgery for gastric cancer. The infection was identified as being caused by an obligate anaerobe through laboratory culture, and was further identified as Hoylesella marshii causing pleural infection through 16 S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Susceptibility testing guided precise treatment with cefoperazone-sulbactam and metronidazole. The patient's clinical symptoms improved rapidly, laboratory test indicators gradually returned to normal, and the patient ultimately recovered. CONCLUSION: Hoylesella marshii can cause pleural infections in humans. Clinical microbiology laboratories should pay special attention to the cultivation of obligate anaerobes when routine aerobic cultures do not show bacterial growth but bacteria are visible on smear staining, and when conventional identification methods fail to identify the bacterium, analysis based on the highly conserved 16 S rRNA gene sequence can accurately and specifically identify the bacterium, guiding clinicians in formulating precise anti-infection strategies.

Near-Infrared Absorbing Para-Azaquinodimethane Conjugated Polymers Synthesized via the Transition-Metal-Free Route toward Efficient Photothermal Conversion.

Conjugated polymers with strong absorption in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window have multiple applications. However, the development of new type of NIR-II conjugated polymers via facile and green methods remains challenging. Herein, this work reports a mild and convenient transition-metal-free method to synthesize near-infrared absorbing quinoidal conjugated polymers containing para-azaquinodimethane (AQM) moieties. The AQM quinoidal conjugated polymers with unique molecular structures and tunable optoelectronic properties can be synthesized by combining the Knoevenagel polycondensation of aromatic dialdehyde monomers with commercially available 1,4-diacetyl-2,5-piperazinedione and the following alkylation reaction. The resultant polymer PQ-DPP shows remarkable NIR-II absorption with a narrow band gap of about 1.08 eV. PQ-DPP nanoparticles exhibit high photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 48% under 1064 nm laser irradiation (1 W cm-2) endowing this polymer with potential in bio-related applications.

Improved Antitumor Activity of Novel Redox-Responsive Paclitaxel-Encapsulated Liposomes Based on Disulfide Phosphatidylcholine.

The microtubule inhibitor paclitaxel (PTX) is used to treat a wide range of solid tumors. Due to the poor aqueous solubility of PTX, a continuous demand for safe, efficient PTX formulations with improved antitumor activity exists. Here, we report a novel form of redox-sensitive paclitaxel (PTX)-encapsulated liposomes based on the previously developed disulfide phosphatidylcholine (SS-PC). PTX-loaded stealth liposomes (PTX/SS-LP) composed of SS-PC, 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-PEG2000 (DSPE-PEG2000), and cholesterol were prepared using the reverse-phase evaporation method. The characterization of the PTX/SS-LP liposomes using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy confirmed their uniform particle size and typical unilamellar vesicle structure with an average bilayer thickness of approximately 4 nm. Changes in the size and morphology as well as the rapid release of PTX triggered by the addition of dithiothreitol revealed the redox sensitivity of PTX/SS-LP. Finally, evaluations in MCF-7 and A549 cells in vitro and in BALB/c mice in vivo revealed the improved anticancer efficiency, biodistribution, and safety of PTX/SS-LP compared with those of Taxol and nonredox-sensitive PTX/LP. In conclusion, PTX/SS-LP displays a redox-responsive release of paclitaxel with improved antitumor activity and has great potential as a next-generation stealth liposomal PTX delivery system.

Passively fitting implant-supported complete-arch interim restoration.

This article presents a technique for fabricating a passively fitting implant-supported screw-retained complete-arch interim restoration with resistance to early fracture. Two gypsum casts were obtained from an implant impression using the splinting technique. The complete-arch interim restoration with abutment access holes, which was reinforced with a glass fiber splint, was fabricated on one cast and connected to restorative abutments on the other cast extraorally to eliminate stresses from the polymerization shrinkage of resin.

Enhanced chemo-immunotherapy against melanoma by inhibition of cholesterol esterification in CD8+ T cells.

Cholesterol facilitated the formation of T cell receptor on cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes (CTLs). However, the activation of CD8+ T cells always resulted in the upregulation of acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase-1 (ACAT-1) and enhanced the esterification of cholesterol. To relieve the suppression on CD8+ T cells, an ACAT-1 inhibitor avasimibe was combined with chemo-immunotherapy. Paclitaxel and immunoadjuvant αGC were co-encapsulated in liposomes modified with pH sensitive TH peptide (PTX/αGC-TH-Lip). After intravenous injections, the combination of avasimibe significantly elevated the free cholesterol level and relieved the inhibition of CD8+ T cells caused by PTX/αGC-TH-Lip, leading to enhanced CTL responses and anti-tumor effects of PTX/αGC-TH-Lip in B16F10 melanoma xenograft and lung metastasis models. The adoptive immunotherapy further confirmed the enhanced anti-tumor immune responses of the combined strategy. The combination of avasimibe and PTX/αGC-TH-Lip was proven as a feasible approach to enhance the antitumor effects of chemo-immunotherapy by relieving the inhibition of CD8+ T cells.

Synergistic tumor microenvironment targeting and blood-brain barrier penetration via a pH-responsive dual-ligand strategy for enhanced breast cancer and brain metastasis therapy.

Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) which shape the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the presence of blood brain barrier (BBB) remain great challenges in targeting breast cancer and its brain metastasis. Herein, we reported a strategy using PTX-loaded liposome co-modified with acid-cleavable folic acid (FA) and BBB transmigrating cell penetrating peptide dNP2 peptide (cFd-Lip/PTX) for enhanced delivery to orthotopic breast cancer and its brain metastasis. Compared with single ligand or non-cleavable Fd modified liposomes, cFd-Lip exhibited synergistic TME targeting and BBB transmigration. Moreover, upon arrival at the TME, the acid-cleavable cFd-Lip/PTX showed sensitive cleavage of FA, which reduced the hindrance effect and maximized the function of both FA and dNP2 peptide. Consequently, efficient targeting of folate receptor (FR)-positive tumor cells and FR-negative CAFs was achieved, leading to enhanced anti-tumor activity. This strategy provides a feasible approach to the cascade targeting of TME and BBB transmigration in orthotopic and metastatic cancer treatment.

Generation and evaluation of 3D digital casts of maxillary defects based on multisource data registration: A pilot clinical study.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Digital techniques are not clinically applied for 1-piece maxillary prostheses containing an obturator and removable partial denture retained by the remaining teeth because of the difficulty in obtaining sufficiently accurate 3-dimensional (3D) images. PURPOSE: The purpose of this pilot clinical study was to generate 3D digital casts of maxillary defects, including the defective region and the maxillary dentition, based on multisource data registration and to evaluate their effectiveness. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve participants with maxillary defects were selected. The maxillofacial region was scanned with spiral computer tomography (CT), and the maxillary arch and palate were scanned using an intraoral optical scanner. The 3D images from the CT and intraoral scanner were registered and merged to form a 3D digital cast of the maxillary defect containing the anatomic structures needed for the maxillary prosthesis. This included the defect cavity, maxillary dentition, and palate. Traditional silicone impressions were also made, and stone casts were poured. The accuracy of the digital cast in comparison with that of the stone cast was evaluated by measuring the distance between 4 anatomic landmarks. Differences and consistencies were assessed using paired Student t tests and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). In 3 participants, physical resin casts were produced by rapid prototyping from digital casts. Based on the resin casts, maxillary prostheses were fabricated by using conventional methods and then evaluated in the participants to assess the clinical applicability of the digital casts. RESULTS: Digital casts of the maxillary defects were generated and contained all the anatomic details needed for the maxillary prosthesis. Comparing the digital and stone casts, a paired Student t test indicated that differences in the linear distances between landmarks were not statistically significant (P>.05). High ICC values (0.977 to 0.998) for the interlandmark distances further indicated the high degree of consistency between the digital and stone casts. The maxillary prostheses showed good clinical effectiveness, indicating that the corresponding digital casts met the requirements for clinical application. CONCLUSIONS: Based on multisource data from spiral CT and the intraoral scanner, 3D digital casts of maxillary defects were generated using the registration technique. These casts were consistent with conventional stone casts in terms of accuracy and were suitable for clinical use.

Water in water emulsion stabilized by liposomes developed from whey protein isolate and xanthan gum: Environmental stability and photoprotection effect for riboflavin.

The purpose of this work is to explore the feasibility of water in water (W/W) emulsion stabilized with liposomes as a water-soluble nutraceutical carrier. A W/W emulsion system composed of xanthan gum (XG) and whey protein isolate (WPI) with different amount (0.2 %, 0.4 %, and 0.6 %) of liposomes as stabilizer was constructed. Fast green staining observation showed that XG was the internal phase and WPI was the continuous phase respectively. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that with the increase of liposomes concentration from 0.4 % to 0.6 %, the interface thickness of the W/W emulsions was approximately twice that of the 0.2 % liposome-stabilized emulsion.The emulsions remained stable under neutral and weakly alkaline conditions. The droplet sizes of the emulsions were little affected by ionic strength. The binding constant (Ka) for XG to riboflavin (12.22) was approximately 5 times that for WPI to riboflavin (2.46), suggesting that riboflavin had a stronger binding affinity for the XG molecule compared to WPI. The fluorescence spectra of riboflavin showed that 0.4 % and 0.6 % liposome stabilized emulsions could effectively retard the photodegradation of riboflavin under ultraviolet irradiation. The successful construction of liposomes stabilized W/W emulsion provides a novel strategy for delivering water-soluble bioactive substances.

Mucoadhesive liposomal delivery system synergizing anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation for enhanced treatment against dry eye disease.

Dry eye disease (DED) is a common and frequent ocular surface disease worldwide, which can cause severe ocular surface discomfort and blurred vision. Inflammation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) play decisive roles in the development of DED. However, existing treatments usually focus on anti-inflammation while ignore the role of ROS in DED. Ever worse, the clinical preparations are easily cleared by nasolacrimal ducts, resulting in poor therapeutic effect. To circumvent these obstacles, here we designed a phenylboronic acid (PBA) modified liposome co-loading immunosuppressant cyclosporin A (CsA) and antioxidant crocin (Cro). The CsA/Cro PBA Lip achieved mucoadhesion through the formation of covalent bonds between PBA and the sialic acid residues on mucin, and consequently improved the retention of drugs on the ocular surface. By inhibiting ROS production and blocking NF-κB inflammatory pathway, CsA/Cro PBA Lip successfully promoted the healing of damaged corneal epithelium, eventually achieving the goal of relieving DED. CsA/Cro PBA Lip is proven a simple yet effective dual-drug delivery system, exhibiting superior antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects both in vitro and in vivo. This approach holds great potential in the clinical treatment of DED and other related mucosal inflammations.

Bushen Formula promotes the decrease of HBsAg levels in patients with CHB by regulating Tfh cells and B-cell subsets.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Bushen Formula (BSF) is the effective traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) according to our previous researches. However, the special effectiveness of BSF treating CHB patients in different stages and the immunoregulatory mechanisms remain to be explored. AIM OF THE STUDY: To compare the therapeutic effects of BSF in both treatment-naive patients and Peg-IFN-α-treated patients, and explore the potential mechanism of immunomodulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole electrostatic field-orbital trap high resolution mass spectrometry and the TCMSP database were used to determine the main components of BSF. Two hundred and sixty-six patients were enrolled in the retrospective study, and they were divided into the treatment group (T-Group, BSF plus Peg-IFN-α) and the control group (C-Group, Peg-IFN-α monotherapy). Within each group, patients were further grouped into subgroups, namely T1/C1 groups (treatment-naive patients, T1 = 34, C1 = 94) and T2/C2 groups (Peg-IFN-α-treated patients, T2 = 56, C2 = 82). Serum HBV markers, serum HBV DNA levels, serum ALT/AST and TCM symptoms were obtained from the record. Bioinformatics analysis was employed to obtain the potential immunoregulatory mechanisms of BSF treating CHB patients. Among patients in T2 and C2 group, peripheral mononuclear cells from 36 patients were used to analyze the characteristics of peripheral follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and B-cell subtypes by flow cytometry. Preparation of BSF-containing serum in rats. In vitro, the co-culture system of CXCR5+ cells and HepG2.2.15 cells was built to investigate the immunoregulatory effects of BSF. RESULTS: A total of 14 main active compounds were detected in BSF, which were deemed critical for the treatment of CHB. Our findings indicated that the T2-Group exhibited the higher percentage of HBsAg decline ≥ 1-log10 IU/ml and rate of HBeAg seroclearance compared to the C2-Group (35.7% vs. 15.9%, P = 0.033; 33.9% vs. 11.0%, P = 0.002). Additionally, the T2-Group demonstrated the higher percentage of HBsAg decline ≥ 1-log10 IU/ml and rate of HBeAg seroclearance compared to the T1-Group (35.7% vs. 14.7%, P = 0.031; 33.9% vs. 2.9%, P = 0.000). The total effective rate based on TCM clinical syndrome in T1-Group and T2-Group were significantly greater than those in C1-Group and C2-Group (85.3% vs. 61.7%, P = 0.012; 89.1% vs. 63.4%, P = 0.000). Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the immunoregulatory mechanisms of BSF treating CHB patients were mainly linked to the growth and stimulation of B-cell, T-cell differentiation, and the signaling pathway of the B-cell receptor. Furthermore, the frequencies of Tfh cells and its IL-21 level, and the IL-21R expressed by B-cell were all increased after BSF treatment. Additionally, in the co-culture system of CXCR5+ cells and HepG2.2.15 cells, HBsAg and HBeAg levels were decreased after BSF-containing serum treatment，as well as the up-regulating of Tfh cell frequencies and down-regulating of B-cell frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: BSF have the higher percentage of HBsAg decline and HBeAg seroclearance in Peg-IFN-α-treated patients compared with treatment-naive patients. The potential immunoregulatory mechanism may correlate with promoting the interaction between Tfh cells and B-cell through IL-21/IL-21R signaling pathway.

Genipin crosslinked quaternary ammonium chitosan hydrogels for wound dressings.

Bacterial infection can lead to various complications, such as inflammations on surrounding tissues, which can prolong wound healing and thus represent a significant clinical and public healthcare problem. Herein, a report on the fabrication of a novel genipin/quaternized chitosan (CS) hydrogel for wound dressing is presented. The hydrogel was prepared by mixing quaternized CS and genipin under 35 °C bath. The hydrogels showed porous structure (250-500 µm) and mechanical properties (3000-6000 Pa). In addition, the hydrogels displayed self-healing ability and adhesion performance on different substrates. Genipin crosslinked quaternized CS hydrogels showed antibacterial activities againstE. coliandS. aureus. The CCK-8 and fluorescent images confirmed the cytocompatibility of hydrogels by seeding with NIH-3T3 cells. The present study showed that the prepared hydrogel has the potential to be used as wound dressing.

[Preliminary analysis on the prevalence and causes of breakthrough hepatitis B virus infection among children in Shandong province, China].

OBJECTIVE: To know the prevalence and probable causes of breakthrough hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among children born after the introduction of universal infant hepatitis B vaccination in Shandong province, China. METHODS: The subjects of this study were selected from the provincial hepatitis B serosurvey conducted in 2006, who were born between 1992 and 2005 (aged 1-15 years) and were confirmed to have completed three or more doses of hepatitis B vaccine. Finally 3527 subjects were involved in this study and were investigated using a unified question are. Blood samples were collected from them to detect hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody against HBsAg (Anti-HBs) and antibody against hepatitis B core antigen (Anti-HBc). The parents of children positive for HBsAg were followed up. Blood samples were collected from their parents to detect for HBsAg. The rate and correlative factors of breakthrough HBV infection were gotten by single-factor and multiple-factor analysis. RESULTS: For the 3527 subjects, the overall prevalence rates of breakthrough HBV infection were 3.15% (111/3527), which decreased while birth year grew (χ(2)(Trend) = 44.83, P < 0.01) , the rate of subjects born in 1992 was the highest (9.9%, 16/161) , subjects born in 2000 was the least (0.8%, 2/258) , the rate of the self-report positive HBsAg status of mother, father and the other family members (15.22%, 7/46;34.09%, 15/44;17.65%, 6/34) were higher than the negative (2.99%, 104/3481, 2.76%, 96/3483, 3.01%, 105/3493) (χ(2) values were 22.28, 13.97, 23.68, respectively, all P values were < 0.01) , timely first dose of hepatitis B vaccine (5.37%, 41/763) was higher than the subjects that not in time (2.53%, 70/2764) (χ(2) = 15.596, P < 0.01) . The overall prevalence rates of breakthrough chronic HBV infection was 1.08% (38/3527), which decreased while birth year grew (χ(2)(Trend) = 9.96, P < 0.05) , the rate of subjects born in 1992 was the most (3.1%, 5/161) , subjects born in 1997 was the least (0.4%, 1/261) , the rate of the self-report positive HBsAg status of mother, father and the other family members (13.04%, 6/46;29.55%, 13/44;17.65%, 6/34) were higher than the negative (0.92%, 32/3481;0.72%, 25/3483;0.92%, 32/3493) (χ(2) values were 62.62, 338.80, 88.44, respectively, all P values were < 0.05) , timely first dose of hepatitis B vaccine (1.83%, 14/763) was lower than the subjects that not in time (0.87%, 24/2764) (χ(2) = 5.16, P = 0.02) . Multiple factors analysis showed that compared to the negative, the self-report positive HBsAg status of father, mother increased the risk of breakthrough HBV infection,OR (95%CI) values were 3.73 (1.09-12.75) and 26.76 (11.86-60.37) , respectively (all P values were < 0.05) , compared with eastern cities, the risk of western cities were the highest (OR (95%CI) = 6.00 (2.50-14.40) , P < 0.05) the risk of children born in 1992-2001 was higher than those born in 2002 ( (OR (95%CI) = 1.91 (1.10-3.32) , P < 0.05) . Compared to the negative, the self-report positive HBsAg status of father, mother and the other family members increased the risk of breakthrough chronic HBV infection,OR (95%CI) values were 7.51 (1.44-39.17) , 99.99 (34.29-291.62) , 8.94 (1.81-44.10) , respectively (all P values were < 0.05) , compared with eastern cities, the risk of western rural areas were the highest (OR (95%CI) = 12.51 (2.78-56.25) , P < 0.05) , sharing tooth brush with the others increased the risk (OR (95%CI) = 8.67 (1.14-66.14) , P < 0.05) . Among HBsAg-positive children, those with HBsAg positive mother and father accounted for 12/23 and 6/19, respectively. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of breakthrough HBV infection and breakthrough chronic HBV infection among children was low in Shandong province. Mother to infant transmission might be the main reason for the infection while the role of the horizontal transmission within the family shouldn't be ignored.

Curbing Exosome Communications via Introducing Artificial Membrane Receptors for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Therapy.

Tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs) carry various biomolecular cargos and play crucial roles in metastasis. TDEs migrate to distal organs for intercellular communication and induce the formation of pre-metastatic niches (PMNs) to support tumor implantation and proliferation. Precise interference in the bioprocess of TDEs is expected to be efficacious for suppressing tumor metastasis. However, targeting both TDEs and the primary tumor is challenging. Here, based on metabolic glycoengineering and bio-orthogonal click chemistry, a two-step delivery strategy is designed to overcome this. During the first step, the tetraacetylated N-azidoacetyl-d-mannosamine-loaded nanoparticle responds to the metabolic activity of tumor cells in the primary tumor, tagging both tumor cells and TDEs with azide groups; dibenzyl-cyclootyne-modified nanoparticles then can, as the second step, specifically react with tumor cells and TDEs through a bio-orthogonal click reaction. This strategy not only inhibits tumor growth in pancreatic cancer models but also curbs the communicative role of TDEs in inducing liver PMNs and metastasis by tracking and downregulating the exosomal macrophage migration inhibitory factor.

Kawasaki disease with peritonsillar abscess as the first symptom: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Kawasaki disease (KD), also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, is an acute, self-limiting vasculitis of unknown aetiology that mainly involves the medium and small arteries and can lead to serious cardiovascular complications, with a 25% incidence of coronary artery aneurysms. Periton-Sillar abscesses are a rare symptom of KD and is easily misdiagnosed at its early stages. CASE SUMMARY: A 5-year-old boy who presented to a community hospital with a 3-d fever, difficulty in opening his mouth, and neck pain and was originally treated for throat infection without improvement. On the basis of laboratory tests, ultrasound of submandibular and superficial lymph nodes and computed tomography of the neck, the clinician diagnosed the periamygdala abscess and sepsis that did not resolve after antibiotic therapy. On the fifth day of admission, the child developed conjunctival congestion, prune tongue, perianal congestion and desquamation, and slightly stiff and swollen bunions on both feet. A diagnosis of KD was reached with complete remission after intravenous immunoglobulin treatment. CONCLUSION: Children with neck pain, lymph node enlargement, or airway obstruction as the main manifestations are poorly treated with intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics. Clinicians should not rush invasive operations such as neck puncture, incision, and drainage and should be alert for KD when it cannot be explained by deep neck space infection and early treatment with aspirin combined with gammaglobulin.

A polar corundum oxide displaying weak ferromagnetism at room temperature.

Combining long-range magnetic order with polarity in the same structure is a prerequisite for the design of (magnetoelectric) multiferroic materials. There are now several demonstrated strategies to achieve this goal, but retaining magnetic order above room temperature remains a difficult target. Iron oxides in the +3 oxidation state have high magnetic ordering temperatures due to the size of the coupled moments. Here we prepare and characterize ScFeO(3) (SFO), which under pressure and in strain-stabilized thin films adopts a polar variant of the corundum structure, one of the archetypal binary oxide structures. Polar corundum ScFeO(3) has a weak ferromagnetic ground state below 356 K-this is in contrast to the purely antiferromagnetic ground state adopted by the well-studied ferroelectric BiFeO(3).

Copper-thiosemicarbazone complexes conjugated-cellulose fibers: Biodegradable materials with antibacterial capacity.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is vital in battling bacteria crisis, but conventional PPE materials lack antimicrobial activities and environmental friendliness. Our work focused on developing biodegradable and antibacterial fibers as promising bioprotective materials. Here, we grafted highly effective antibacterial copper-thiosemicarbazone complexes (CT1-4) on cellulose fibers via covalent linkages. Multiple methods were used to characterize the chemical composition or morphology of CT1-4 conjugated-fibers. Conjugation of CT1-4 maintains the mechanical properties (Breaking strength: 2.35-2.45 cN/dtex, Breaking elongation: 7.19 %-7.42 %) and thermal stability of fibers. CT1 can endow cellulose fibers with the excellent growth inhibition towards Escherichia coli (E. coli) (GIR: 61.5 % ± 1.28 %), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (GIR: 85.7 % ± 1.93 %), and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) (GIR: 87.6 % ± 1.44 %). We believe that the application of CT1 conjugated-cellulose fibers is not limited to the high-performance PPE, and also can be extended to various types of protective equipment for food and medicine safety.

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose hydrocolloid systems: Effect of hydroxypropy group content on the phase structure, rheological properties and film characteristics.

This work investigates the structure, processability, and film performance of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) hydrocolloids affected by hydroxypropy substitution degree and blending with hydroxypropyl starch (HPS). The hydroxypropylation of HPMC could increase inter-chain hydrogen bonding, thereby promoting its gelation, and improve film-forming, but reduce the mechanical properties of the films. HPMC-HPS mixed hydrocolloid system showed a typical "sea-island" morphology with the continuous phase changing with blend ratio. The content of hydroxypropy groups of HPMC affected the compatibility between HPMC and HPS, the morphology of the discrete phase, and the rheological properties of the blends. The fluid-like HPS enhanced the gel strength of HPMC when they had better compatibility. With a higher degree of hydroxypropy substitution, blend films exhibited a much denser structure, better oxygen barrier property, and appropriate mechanical properties. The knowledge obtained from this work could guide the development of edible packaging materials with desired properties and functionality.

Diurnal Cortisol in Left-Behind Adolescents: Relations to Negative Family Expressiveness and Internalizing Problems.

Despite the accumulating evidence for increased risks for behavioral problems in left-behind adolescents in China, little research has explored their HPA axis functioning, which is hypothesized to play a central role in the association between early adversity and health. In the present study, we designed a longitudinal study to examine HPA axis function in left-behind adolescents and its mediating role in the association between family emotional expressiveness and internalizing problems. Participants were 81 adolescents (44 female; 37 male) aged 11-16 years. Salivary cortisol samples were collected six times a day for two consecutive days on regular school days. Negative family expressiveness (NFE) and internalizing problems were measured using self-report questionnaires. The results showed that NFE was negatively associated with diurnal cortisol, and diurnal cortisol was negatively associated with internalizing problems. Further analysis showed that diurnal cortisol secretion measured by AUC (area under the curve) mediated the association between NFE and internalizing problems. Our findings extended the existing literature about left-behind children via a psychoneuroendocrinological perspective, documenting the negative consequences of the family environment for youth health and development.

The effect of hydroxypropyl starch on the improvement of mechanical and cooking properties of rice noodles.

The convenient preparation of rice noodles with excellent mechanical and cooking properties remains a challenge for the food industry. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different hydroxypropyl starch additions on the quality, performance, and structural characteristics of rice flours and noodles by mechanical property testing, cooking characteristic analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), and other methods. SEM evaluation revealed that the addition of hydroxypropyl starch created rice noodles with a denser network structure. XRD analysis indicated a decrease in the noodle crystallinity from 11.37 % (control noodles) to 3.94 % (noodles containing 10 % hydroxypropyl starch). LF-NMR characterization confirmed an enhanced water-holding capacity of noodles containing hydroxypropyl starch. The noodle tensile strain increased from 54.97 ± 0.45 % in control noodles to 100.63 ± 1.58 % in noodles containing 3 % hydroxypropyl starch. The cooking loss of dried noodles decreased from 8.30 ± 0.57 % (control noodles) to 5.67 ± 0.16 % (noodles containing 3 % hydroxypropyl starch), and the broken rates were reduced from 77.50 ± 1.54 % of the control noodles to 12.50 ± 1.54 % of the noodles containing 3 % hydroxypropyl starch. The addition of 3 % hydroxypropyl starch can improve the quality of rice noodles and promote the development of the rice industry.

Incontinentia pigmenti with intracranial arachnoid cyst: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Incontinentia pigmenti (IP) is a rare X-linked dominant genetic disorder that can be fatal in male infants. It is a disease that affects many systems of the human body. In addition to characteristic skin changes, patients may also have pathological features of the eyes, teeth, and central nervous system. Therefore, the lesions in these systems may be the first symptoms for which patients seek treatment. To date, no cases of IP complicated by intracranial arachnoid cyst (IAC) have been reported. This paper aims to report a case of IP with IAC in order to share the diagnosis and treatment experience of this rare case with other clinicians. CASE SUMMARY: An 11-year-old female patient suffered intermittent limb convulsions for five months and was sent to hospital. In the initial stage, the patient was considered to have primary epilepsy. Further investigation of the patient's medical history, physical examination and imaging examination led to the diagnosis of IP combined with intracranial space-occupying lesions, and secondary epilepsy. The patient was treated with craniotomy, and postoperative pathology revealed an IAC. The patient recovered well after craniotomy and had no obvious surgery-related complications. During the follow-up period, the patient did not have recurrent epilepsy symptoms. CONCLUSION: IP is a multi-system disease that presents with typical skin lesions at birth, but the long-term prognosis of this disease depends on the involvement of systems other than the skin, especially nervous system and ocular lesions.