Enhancement of PVDF Sensing Characteristics by Retooling the Near-Field Direct-Write Electrospinning System.

This research aimed to develop a direct-write near-field electrospinning system (DW-NFES) with three-axis positioning of controllable speed, torque and position to produce sizable and high-quality piezoelectric fibers for sensing purposes. Sensor devices with high electrical response signals were developed and tested. To achieve DW-NFES purpose, a servo motor controller was designed to develop a high response rate, accurate positioning, and stable mobile device through the calculation of bandwidth and system time delay. With this retooled system of DW-NFES, controllable and uniform size fibers in terms of diameters, stretching force, and interspaces can be obtained. Sensor devices can be made selectively without a complicated lithography process. The characteristics of this DW-NFES platform were featured by high response rate, accurate positioning, and stable movement to make fibers with high piezoelectric property. In this study, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) was used to explore and enhance their sensing quality through the platform. The parametric study of the process factors on piezoelectric sensing signals mainly included the concentration of electrospinning PVDF solution, high voltage electric field, and collection speed. Finally, the surface morphology and piezoelectric properties of the as-electrospun PVDF fibers were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and characterized by electrical response measurement techniques. The results showed that the fiber spinning speed of the DW-NFES system could be increased to ~125 from ~20 mm/s and the accuracy precision was improved to ~1 from ~50 µm, compared to conventional step motor system. The fiber diameter reached ~10 µm, and the electrospinning pitch reached to as small as ~10 µm. The piezoelectric output voltage of the electrospun fibers was increased ~28.6% from ~97.2 to ~125 mV; the current was increased ~27.6% from ~163 to ~208 nA, suggesting that the piezoelectric signals can be enhanced significantly by using this retooled system. Finally, an external control module (Arduino-MAGE) was introduced to control the PVDF piezoelectric fiber sensors integrated as a sensing array. The behavior of long-term sedentary patients can be successfully detected by this module system to prevent the patients from the bedsores.

Advantages with prophylactic PEG-rhG-CSF versus rhG-CSF in breast cancer patients receiving multiple cycles of myelosuppressive chemotherapy: an open-label, randomized, multicenter phase III study.

BACKGROUND: PEG-rhG-CSF reduces neutropenia and improves chemotherapy safety. In China's registration trial (CFDA: 2006L01305), we assessed its efficacy and safety against rhG-CSF, and prospectively explored its value over multiple cycles of chemotherapy. METHODS: In this open-label, randomized, multicenter phase 3 study, breast cancer patients (n = 569) were randomized to receive PEG-rhG-CSF 100 µg/kg, PEG-rhG-CSF 6 mg, or rhG-CSF 5 µg/kg/d after chemotherapy. The primary endpoints were the incidence and duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia during cycle 1. Secondary endpoints included the incidence and duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia during cycles 2-4, the incidence of febrile neutropenia, and the safety. RESULTS: A once-per-cycle PEG-rhG-CSF at either 100 µg/kg or 6 mg was not different from daily injections of rhG-CSF for either incidence or duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia. Interestingly, a substantial difference was noted during cycle 2, and the difference became bigger over cycles 3-4, reaching a statistical significance at cycle 4 in either incidence (P = 0.0309) or duration (P = 0.0289) favoring PEG-rhG-CSF. A significant trend toward a lower incidence of all-grade adverse events was noted at 129 (68.98%), 142 (75.53%), and 160 (82.47%) in the PEG-rhG-CSF 100 µg/kg and 6 mg and rhG-CSF groups, respectively (P = 0.0085). The corresponding incidence of grade 3/4 drug-related adverse events was 2/187 (1.07%), 1/188 (0.53%), and 8/194 (4.12%), respectively (P = 0.0477). Additionally, PFS in metastatic patients preferred PEG-rhG-CSF to rhG-CSF despite no significance observed by Kaplan-Meier analysis (n = 49, P = 0.153). CONCLUSIONS: PEG-rhG-CSF is a more convenient and safe formulation and a more effective prophylactic measure in breast cancer patients receiving multiple cycles of chemotherapy.

[Occurrence Characteristics of Microplastics in Multi-environmental Media and Bellamya aeruginosa of Manao River].

Microplastic pollution poses threats to aquatic ecosystems and human health. In this study, in order to investigate the characteristics of microplastic occurrence in different environmental media, the abundance, particle size, shape, color, and composition types of microplastics in the water column, sediment, riparian zone soil, and the benthic snail Bellamya aeruginosa of the Manao River were analyzed using field sampling, microscopic observation, and Fourier infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that the average abundance of microplastics in the surface water of the Manao River was (5.9±0.26) n·L-1; the abundance of microplastics in the upper sediment (by dry weight) was (1.35±0.1) n·g-1, and that in the lower sediment (by dry weight) was (0.93±0.12) n·g-1. The abundance of microplastics in the near riparian zone soil (by dry weight) was (0.68±0.16) n·g-1, and that in the far riparian zone soil (by dry weight) was (0.69±0.14) n·g-1, and the abundance of microplastics in the B. aeruginosa was (2.06±0.25) n·g-1. The analysis results showed that the abundance of microplastics in the upper and lower sediments were positively correlated; the abundance of microplastics in B. aeruginosa was positively correlated with the abundance of microplastics in the upper and lower sediments, respectively; and the abundance of microplastics in the near and far riparian zone soils were also correlated. Most of the microplastics within each environmental medium and B. aeruginosa were <0.1 mm in size, mainly in the form of fibers and fragments, mainly blue and black in color, and mainly composed of polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE). It was found that microplastics in riparian zone soils mainly originated from the fragmentation and decomposition of agricultural plastic films. The results of this study shed light on the accumulation of microplastics in macrobenthic organisms through the investigation of microplastics in multi-environmental media and in the B. aeruginosa, which helps us to understand the potential ecological risk of microplastics in a comprehensive manner.

Chemical recycling technologies for PVC waste and PVC-containing plastic waste: A review.

The extensive production and consumption of plastics has resulted in significant plastic waste and plastic pollution. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) waste has a high chlorine content and is the primary source of chlorine in the plastic waste stream, potentially generating hazardous chlorinated organic pollutants if treated improperly. This review discusses PVC synthesis, applications, and the current types and challenges of PVC waste management. Dechlorination is vital for the chemical recycling of PVC waste and PVC-containing plastic waste. We review dehydrochlorination and dechlorination mechanisms of PVC using thermal degradation and wet treatments, and summarize the recent progress in chemical treatments and dechlorination principles. This review provides readers with a comprehensive analysis of chemical recycling technologies for PVC waste and PVC-containing plastic waste to transform them into chemicals, fuels, feedstock, and value-added polymers.

Evaluation and influencing factors of oral health-related quality of life of middle-aged and elderly in Chengdu.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the oral health-related quality of life of middle-aged and elderly in Chengdu and analyze the influencing factors. METHODS: Six hundred middle-aged and elderly people in Chengdu were randomly selected, and their demographic and social characteristics, general health status, oral health behavior, and other information were investigated. The oral health-related quality of life of these individuals was evaluated using the oral health impact profile (OHIP-14). RESULTS: The score of oral health-related quality of life was 3.91±6.67, and regression analysis results indicated that its influencing factors included income level (OR=0.387, P<0.05), chronic diseases (OR=0.665, P<0.05), oral diseases (OR=0.260, P<0.05), self-evaluation of mental health status (OR=0.338, P<0.05), brushing teeth twice a day (OR=1.846, P<0.05), smoking (OR=0.566, P<0.05), oral health awareness (OR=2.431, P<0.05), and convenience of medical treatment (OR=0.499, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Oral health-related quality of life is affected by multiple factors. Comprehensive oral intervention measures should be actively carried out to improve the oral health behavior of residents and oral health-related quality of life of middle-aged and elderly people in communities.

[Distribution Characteristics of Microplastics and Their Migration Patterns in Xiangxi River Basin].

Microplastics as a prevalent pollutant in water bodies have recently attracted widespread attention. To investigate the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of microplastics in freshwater rivers and their migration patterns, the surface water, sediments, and subsidence zone of the Xiangxi River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, were sampled and analyzed in November 2020 and April 2021, respectively. The results showed that the average abundance of microplastics in the surface water of Xiangxi River was (6.64±1.32) n·L-1 in flat water and (5.00±1.07) n·L-1 in dry water, the average abundance of microplastics in sediments was (0.56±0.13) n·g-1 in flat water and (0.41±0.09) n·g-1 in dry water, and the average abundance of microplastics in the subsidence zone was (0.53±0.15) n·g-1 in flat water and (0.68±0.18) n·g-1in dry water. There were significant differences in the abundance distribution of microplastics in the surface water, sediments, and subsidence zone (P<0.05). In the surface water and sediments, the particle size of microplastics was mainly distributed in the range of 0.1-0.5 mm, and in the subsidence zone, it mainly ranged from 1-5 mm. The color of microplastics was mainly transparent in the surface water and subsidence zone and blue in sediments. The morphology of microplastics in the Xiangxi River basin was mainly fiber, and the materials were mainly polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). There were many factors affecting the distribution of microplastics. The analysis results showed that the abundance of microplastics in the surface water was negatively correlated with the flow rate of the water body. The abundance of microplastics in the sediment was related to the substrate type of the riverbed and negatively correlated with the substrate particle size. Combined with the microplastic abundance data of each sampling site, it was found that there was a significant migration process of microplastics in the spatial distribution of the Xiangxi River in the watershed. Along the river longitudinal direction, the longitudinal migration of microplastics in the surface water was along the river direction, and in the vertical direction, it showed the mutual migration between the water body and the subsidence zone and the water body and sediments.

[Efficacy comparison of primary percutaneous coronary intervention with biodegradable polymer- and durable polymer-based sirolimus-eluting stents for patients with acute myocardial infarction].

OBJECTIVE: This prospective random control study was performed to compare the efficacy and safety of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with biodegradable polymer (Excel) and with durable polymer (Cypher Select) sirolimus-eluting stents in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: Consecutive patients with STEMI underwent primary PCI were randomly divided into Cypher group (n = 113) and Excel group (n = 115). The primary endpoints were major adverse cardiac events (MACE, including death, reinfarction and target vessel revascularization) within 12 months. The second endpoints included late luminal loss and restenosis at 9 months. RESULTS: Angiographic follow-up data at 9 months were available in 43 (38%) patients in Cypher group and 48 (42%) in Excel group. The rates of in-stent restenosis and in-segment restenosis were 2.3% vs. 2.1% (P = 0.937) and 4.7% vs. 6.3% (P = 0.738), respectively. The late luminal loss of in-stent and in-segment were (0.17 ± 0.26) mm vs. (0.18 ± 0.33) mm (P = 0.483) and (0.19 ± 0.36) mm vs. (0.20 ± 0.42) mm (P = 0.419), respectively. There were no significant differences in death (3.5% vs. 2.6%, P = 0.692), reinfarction (1.8% vs. 2.6%, P = 0.658), target vessel revascularization (1.8% vs. 2.6%, P = 0.658), MACE (5.3% vs. 6.1%, P = 0.788) or stent thrombosis (4.4% vs. 3.5%, P = 0.692) at 12 months between Cyper group and Excel group. CONCLUSIONS: Excel and Cypher Select stents may have similar mid-term efficacy and safety in patients with STEMI treated with primary PCI.Further investigation is warranted to validate the long-term efficacy and safety.

Multi-link Vision and MiniVision stent registry in Asian patients with coronary artery disease: a prospective, multi-center study.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have showed that the fine mesh stents are associated with a significant reduction in both clinical and angiographic re-stenosis of the coronary arteries. To maintain a very satisfactory radio-opacity using the stents, Guidant of the USA has designed a new type of bare metal stents (BMS)-Multi-link (ML) Vision/ML MiniVision stents. The clinical outcomes of Asian patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) after implanting the Multi-link Vision or MiniVision stent were investigated in this study. METHODS: An observational, prospective, multi-center, non-randomized post marketing registry was conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of the BMS-ML Vision/ML MiniVision stents. The primary end point of the registry was clinical target lesion revascularization (TLR) at a 6-month follow-up. The major secondary end points included the rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and serious adverse events (SAE) in hospital and at 6 months; and the rate of clinical TLR as a function of the type of angina. A total of 429 Asian people with 449 lesions from 14 centers were selected for this study. The average reference diameter of the lesions was (3.0 +/- 0.5) mm, and the mean length was (15.7 +/- 5.0) mm. RESULTS: The successful rate of the procedure was 99.3%. Twenty-five percent of the lesions were treated by direct stenting without pre-dilation. Eighty-six percent of the lesions were implanted with ML Vision stent. After the 6-month follow-up, the rate of clinical TLR was 1.4%. The MACE, SAE and target vessel revascularization (TVR) were 6.8%, 3.5% and 1.4% respectively. CONCLUSION: The current registry showed the excellent 6-month clinical outcomes of ML Vision/ML MiniVision stents in Asian patients with CAD.

Development of surface imprinted core-shell nanoparticles and their application in a solid-phase dispersion extraction matrix for methyl parathion.

Applying molecular imprinting techniques to the surface of functionalized SiO2 allows the preparation of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with accessible, high affinity and surface exposed binding sites. This paper demonstrates a new strategy for producing such hybrid organic-inorganic surface imprinted silica nanoparticles for specific recognition of methyl parathion. The technique provides surface grafting imprinting in chloroform using amino modified silica nanoparticles as supports, acrylamide as the functional monomer, γ-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxy silane as the grafting agent, and methyl parathion as a template. The amino propyl functional monomer layer directs the selective occurrence of imprinting polymerization at the silica surface through copolymerization of grafting agents with functional monomers, but also acts as an assistive monomer to drive the template into the formed polymer shells to create effective recognition sites. The resulting MIPs-SiO2 nanoparticles display three-dimensional core-shell architectures and large surface areas. The molecularly imprinted shell provides recognition sites for methyl parathion, with the materials exhibiting excellent performance for selecting the template. Using MIPs-SiO2 nanoparticles as a matrix of solid-phase dispersion extraction sorbents, trace amounts of methyl parathion are selectivity extracted from pear and green vegetable samples while simultaneously eliminating matrix interferences, attaining recoveries of 84.7-94.4% for the samples.

Anti-inflammatory effects of arsenic trioxide eluting stents in a porcine coronary model.

Previous research from our group has demonstrated arsenic trioxide eluting stents significantly reduced neointimal area and thickness compared with bare metal stents. In the present study, the anti-inflammatory effects of arsenic trioxide in vitro and arsenic trioxide eluting stents in a porcine coronary model have been explored. Sixty-five pigs underwent placement of 139 oversized stents in the coronary arteries with histologic analysis, endothelial function analysis, and immunohistochemical and western blot analyses. Arsenic trioxide eluting stents effectively inhibited local inflammatory reactions, while no significant difference in endothelialization and endothelial function between arsenic trioxide eluting stents and bare metal stents was observed. Arsenic trioxide eluting stents favorably modulate neointimal formation due to less augmentation of early inflammatory reactions, and quick endothelialization of the stent surface, which might contribute to long-term safety and efficacy of drug eluting stents.

Nell-1 enhances bone regeneration in a rat critical-sized femoral segmental defect model.

BACKGROUND: Effective regeneration of bone is critical for fracture repair and incorporation and healing of bone grafts used during orthopedic, dental, and craniofacial reconstructions. Nel-like molecule-1 (Nell-1) is a secreted protein identified from prematurely fused cranial sutures of craniosynostosis patients that has been found to specifically stimulate osteogenic cell differentiation and bone formation. To test the in vivo osteoinductive capacity of Nell-1, a critical-sized femoral segmental defect model in athymic rats was used. METHODS: A 6-mm defect, which predictably leads to nonunion if left untreated, was created in the left femur of each rat. Three treatment groups (n = 8 each) were created consisting of rats treated with (1) 1.5 mg/ml Nell-1, (2) 0.6 mg/ml Nell-1, and (3) phosphate-buffered saline only as a Nell-free control. Phosphate-buffered saline or Nell-1 was mixed with demineralized bone matrix as a carrier before implantation. All animals were euthanized 12 weeks after surgery, and bone regeneration was evaluated using radiographic, three-dimensional micro-computed tomographic, and histologic analysis. RESULTS: Both Nell-1-treated groups had significantly greater bone formation compared with the Nell-free group, with bone volume increasing with increasing Nell-1 concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Nell-1 in a demineralized bone matrix carrier can significantly improve bone regeneration in a critical-sized femoral segmental defect in a dose-dependent manner. The results of this study demonstrate that Nell-1 is a potent osteospecific growth factor that warrants further investigation. Results also support the potential application of Nell-1 as a bone graft substitute in multiple clinical scenarios involving repair of critical bone loss when autograft bone is limited or unavailable.

The use of BMP-2 coupled - Nanosilver-PLGA composite grafts to induce bone repair in grossly infected segmental defects.

Healing of contaminated/infected bone defects is a significant clinical challenge. Prevalence of multi-antibiotic resistant organisms has renewed interest in the use of antiseptic silver as an effective, but less toxic antimicrobial with decreased potential for bacterial resistance. In this study, we demonstrated that metallic nanosilver particles (with a size of 20-40nm)-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) composite grafts have strong antibacterial properties. In addition, nanosilver particles-PLGA composite grafts did not inhibit adherence, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, or mineralization of ongrowth MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts compared to PLGA controls. Furthermore, nanosilver particles did not affect the osteoinductivity of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2). Infected femoral defects implanted with BMP-2 coupled 2.0% nanosilver particles-PLGA composite grafts healed in 12 weeks without evidence of residual bacteria. In contrast, BMP-2 coupled PLGA control grafts failed to heal in the presence of continued bacterial colonies. Our results indicate that nanosilver of defined particle size is bactericidal without discernable in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity or negative effects on BMP-2 osteoinductivity, making it an ideal antimicrobial for bone regeneration in infected wounds.