Cr(VI) anion-imprinted polymer synthesized on mesoporous silicon via synergistic action of bifunctional monomers for precise identification and separation of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution by fixed-bed adsorption.

The novel Cr(VI) anion-imprinted polymer (Cr(VI)-IIP) was prepared by a surface imprinting technique with bifunctional monomers pre-assembly system based on mesoporous silicon (SBA-15). The synthesized Cr(VI)-IIP was characterized by Fourier transmission infrared spectra (FT-IR), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray powder diffractometer, N2 adsorption-desorption and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), proving to be with a highly ordered mesoporous structure, as well as favorable thermal stability. The saturated adsorption amount was 96.32 mg/g, which was 2.7 times higher than that of non-imprinted polymer (NIP). Kinetic experiments showed that the adsorption equilibrium state was obtained within 70 min. In addition, in the selectivity experiments, Cr(VI)-IIP exhibited strong specific recognition ability for Cr(VI) and could realize the separation of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) from an aqueous solution. The dynamic adsorption experiments exhibited that the dynamic adsorption efficiency of Cr(VI)-IIP was as high as 71.57%. Meanwhile, the dynamic regeneration experiments showed that the adsorption amount of Cr(VI)-IIP did not decrease significantly after repeating for five times. All of the findings suggested that Cr(VI)-IIP could achieve precise identification as well as efficient separation of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution.

The Interactions between the Antimicrobial Peptide P-113 and Living Candida albicans Cells Shed Light on Mechanisms of Antifungal Activity and Resistance.

In the absence of proper immunity, such as in the case of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients, Candida albicans, the most common human fungal pathogen, may cause mucosal and even life-threatening systemic infections. P-113 (AKRHHGYKRKFH), an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) derived from the human salivary protein histatin 5, shows good safety and efficacy profiles in gingivitis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients with oral candidiasis. However, little is known about how P-113 interacts with Candida albicans or its degradation by Candida-secreted proteases that contribute to the fungi's resistance. Here, we use solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods to elucidate the molecular mechanism of interactions between P-113 and living Candida albicans cells. Furthermore, we found that proteolytic cleavage of the C-terminus prevents the entry of P-113 into cells and that increasing the hydrophobicity of the peptide can significantly increase its antifungal activity. These results could help in the design of novel antimicrobial peptides that have enhanced stability in vivo and that can have potential therapeutic applications.

Nanocarbon material-supported conducting poly(melamine) nanoparticle-modified screen-printed carbon electrodes for highly sensitive determination of nitrofuran drugs by adsorptive stripping voltammetry.

The toxicity of nitrofuran drugs has attracted great attention, and the reported electroanalytical methods suffered limited sensitivity. In this work, a sensitive electrochemical assay in the cathodic region is developed to determine four nitrofuran derivatives, including nitrofurantoin (NFT), nitrofurazone (NFZ), furaltadone (FTD), and furazolidone (FZD). The screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was used as the electrode substrate, and the sensing surface was composed of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and conducting poly(melamine) (PME). The overoxidation-pretreated MWCNTs affect the surface morphology of the electrodeposited PME and, thus, the interaction with nitrofuran drugs. The characteristics of the nanocomposite-modified electrode surfaces were well characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and surface water contact angle experiments. The nanocomposite-modified electrodes exhibited excellent adsorption and electrochemical reduction of nitrofurans by cyclic voltammetry. The proposed assay exhibited a linear range of sub-micro to micro molar concentrations for the four drugs under the optimized differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) technique. The detection limits were found to be in the nanomolar ranges. The developed assay was applied to detect NFT in two real samples, and the results showed good recoveries that ranged from 99.0 to 104.8% and 98.0 to 103.2% for milk and lake water samples, respectively. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Development of a Screening Tool for Oral Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a Screening for Oral Frailty Tool (SOFT) and evaluate its reliability and validity among Chinese community-dwelling older adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The study was conducted as part of an ongoing community-based prospective study in Shanghai. A total of 307 older adults, aged between 60 and 96 years, participated in the study. METHODS: This study was conducted in 3 stages: item development, scale development, and scale evaluation. This study was based on a visual model depicting the deterioration of oral function, and a draft scale was generated based on a literature review, existing scales, expert consultations, and cognitive interviews. Between December 2023 and February 2024, the validity and reliability of the SOFT were evaluated using a questionnaire administered to 307 community-dwelling older adults. Data including demographics, frailty, and sarcopenia were collected. RESULTS: The oral frailty scale comprises 6 items, including number of teeth, difficulty in swallowing, difficulty in chewing, difficulty in articulatory oral motor, dry mouth, and oral pain, and is assessed using a yes or no question. The correlations ranged from 0.40 to 0.66 when correlating each item with the total score of the scale. Using frailty and sarcopenia as criteria, the area under the curve for the SOFT was 0.71. The optimal cutoff for the SOFT was 2, using frailty as a criterion, with a higher Youden index and a high negative predictive value (94.9%), but a low positive predictive value (19.3%). The SOFT showed low internal consistency (Kuder-Richardson formula 20 coefficients 0.50) and good test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients 0.86). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The SOFT does not require specialized equipment and is not affected by cultural differences. It can be used for oral frailty screening in Chinese community-dwelling older adults and is simple and rapid.

A capsule-based scaffold incorporating decellularized extracellular matrix and curcumin for islet beta cell therapy in type 1 diabetes mellitus.

The transplantation of islet beta cells offers an alternative to heterotopic islet transplantation for treating type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, the use of systemic immunosuppressive drugs in islet transplantation poses significant risks to the body. To address this issue, we constructed an encapsulated hybrid scaffold loaded with islet beta cells. This article focuses on the preparation of the encapsulated structure using 3D printing, which incorporates porcine pancreas decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) to the core scaffold. The improved decellularization method successfully preserved a substantial proportion of protein (such as Collagen I and Laminins) architecture and glycosaminoglycans in the dECM hydrogel, while effectively removing most of the DNA. The inclusion of dECM enhanced the physical and chemical properties of the scaffold, resulting in a porosity of 83.62% ± 1.09% and a tensile stress of 1.85 ± 0.16 MPa. In teams of biological activity, dECM demonstrated enhanced proliferation, differentiation, and expression of transcription factors such as Ki67, PDX1, and NKX6.1, leading to improved insulin secretion function in MIN-6 pancreatic beta cells. In the glucose-stimulated insulin secretion experiment on day 21, the maximum insulin secretion from the encapsulated structure reached 1.96 ± 0.08 mIU ml-1, representing a 44% increase compared to the control group. Furthermore, conventional capsule scaffolds leaverage the compatibility of natural biomaterials with macrophages to mitigate immune rejection. Here, incorporating curcumin into the capsule scaffold significantly reduced the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ) secretion by RAW264.7 macrophages and T cells in T1DM mice. This approach protected pancreatic islet cells against immune cell infiltration mediated by inflammatory factors and prevented insulitis. Overall, the encapsulated scaffold developed in this study shows promise as a natural platform for clinical treatment of T1DM.

A 3D bioprinted decellularized extracellular matrix/gelatin/quaternized chitosan scaffold assembling with poly(ionic liquid)s for skin tissue engineering.

Currently, a suitable bioink for 3D bioprinting and capable of mimicking the microenvironment of native skin and preventing bacterial infection remains a major challenge in skin tissue engineering. In this study, we prepared a tissue-specific extracellular matrix-based bioink, and dECM/Gel/QCS (dGQ) 3D scaffold assembling with poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) (dGQP) was obtained by an extrusion 3D bioprinting technology and dynamic hydrogen bonding method. The morphologies, mechanical properties, porosity, hydrophilicity, biodegradation, hemostatic effect, antibacterial ability, and biocompatibility of the hybrid scaffolds were characterized and evaluated. Results showed that the rapid release (2 h) of PILs on the dGQP scaffold can quickly kill gram-negative (E. coli) and gram-positive (S. aureus) bacteria with almost 100 % antibacterial activity and maintained a stable sterile environment for a long time (7 d), which was superior to the dGQ scaffold. The hemostasis and hemolysis test showed that the dGQP scaffold had a good hemostatic effect and excellent hemocompatibility. In vitro cytocompatibility studies showed that although the cell growth on dGQP scaffold was slow in the early stage, the cells proliferated rapidly since day 4 and had high ECM secretion at day 7. Overall, this advanced dGQP scaffold has a considerable potential to be applied in skin tissue engineering.

Sol-gel coating loaded with inhibitor on ZE21B Mg alloy for improving corrosion resistance and endothelialization aiming at potential cardiovascular application.

To improve the service performance of vascular stents, we designed/selected a series of organic compounds from commercial drugs, natural plants, and marine life as the potential corrosion inhibitors for ZE21B alloy. Paeonol condensation tyrosine (PCTyr) Schiff base was found to be the most efficient inhibitor among them. The biocompatible, self-healing, anti-corrosive sol-gel coating loaded with corrosion inhibitor was fabricated on the Mg substrate through a convenient dip-coating tactic. The corrosion resistance, self-healing ability, cytotoxicity, and hemocompatibility of the coated sample were evaluated. These results suggested the potentiality of Schiff base inhibitor-loaded sol-gel coating for enhanced corrosion protection and desired biocompatibility of bioabsorbable cardiovascular implants.

Clinical applications of concentrated growth factors combined with bone substitutes for alveolar ridge preservation in maxillary molar area: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical effects of concentrated growth factors (CGFs) combined with bone substitutes for alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) in the maxillary molar area. METHODS: Thirty-six patients who underwent extraction of the upper molars were recruited and randomly divided into three groups: 1. Grafted with CGFs combined with deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) and covered with CGFs membrane (CGFs/DBBM group), 2. Grafted with DBBM alone and covered with collagen membrane (DBBM group), 3. Control group spontaneous healing. The area of the alveolar bone in center (C-), mesial (M-) and distal (D-) section was compared with preoperative in radiography. Bone cores were obtained for histopathology observation and comparison. RESULTS: In C-, M- and D-section, the alveolar ridge area in all three groups was significantly reduced at 8 months postoperatively compared to the baseline (P < 0.05). The alveolar ridge area declines in the CGFs/DBBM group (C-12.75 ± 2.22 mm2, M-14.69 ± 2.82 mm2, D-16.95 ± 4.17 mm2) and DBBM group (C-14.08 ± 2.51 mm2, M-15.42 ± 3.47 mm2, D-16.09 ± 3.97 mm2) were non-significant differences. They were significantly less than the decline in the control group (C-45.04 ± 8.38 mm2 M-31.98 ± 8.34 mm2, D-31.85 ± 8.52 mm2) (P < 0.05). The percentage of newly formed bone in the CGFs/DBBM group (41.99 ± 12.99%) was significantly greater than that in DBBM group (30.68 ± 10.95%) (P < 0.05). The percentage of residual materials in the CGFs/DBBM group (16.19 ± 6.63%) was significantly less than that in the DBBM group (28.35 ± 11.70%) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Combined application of CGFs and DBBM effectively reduced the resorption of alveolar ridge and resulted in more newly formed bone than the use of DBBM with collagen membranes.

Denture Wearing and Malnutrition Risk Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Most studies have associated denture wearing with a higher risk of malnutrition and lower nutritional intake in the elderly. As the effect of wearing dentures remains debatable, the aim of this study was to determine if older adults wearing dentures have a higher risk of malnutrition. We recruited 294 Japanese community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years from two elderly welfare centers in Sapporo. The Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) was used to assess their nutritional status. Their demographic characteristics, eating habits, and health status were assessed using a questionnaire. Moreover, salt-impregnated taste paper and bioelectrical impedance analysis were used to obtain salt taste sensitivity and body composition (body mass index and protein mass). The mean age of older adults was 75.8 ± 5.8 years and 71.1% were women. We found that 74.1% of the older adults wore dentures. The proportion of the whole population with a risk of malnutrition was 23.5%. Multivariate analysis revealed that partial denture wearing could be protective against the risk of malnutrition. In this study, we found more partial denture wearers with normal nutritional conditions and cooking by themselves than non-denture-wearing older adults. Furthermore, complete denture wearers were eating significantly less meats or fish every day. This study suggests that using partial dentures to replace the lost teeth to meet the dietary needs of the elderly is critical to maintaining a healthy nutritional status. Moreover, it also indicates the importance of providing education to older adults who wear complete dentures.

Fabrication of bacteriochlorin shell/gold core nanoparticles for the sensitive determination of trichlosan using differential pulse voltammetry.

The triclosan contamination in daily life has attracted great attention, and there is rare electroanalytical assay based on π-system dyes. In this work, a facile preparation and electroanalytical application of an organic dispersion containing bacteriochlorin dyes (LS11) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was proposed. The organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM) showing a core-shell structure with a uniform layer of dye molecules. The as-prepared nanocomposites were successfully coated onto glassy carbon electrodes, and the surface characteristics of the top most layer of the modified electrodes were examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and water contact angle experiments. The nanocomposite film-modified electrodes exhibited good electrochemical activity towards oxidation of triclosan. The oxidation of adsorbed triclosan occurred at a reduced overpotential, and the anodic current responses under a pre-concentration step prior to the potential scan were used for quantitative analysis. A good linear relationship from 0.01 µM to 0.5 µM was obtained using differential pulse voltammetry. The sensitivity and detection limit (S/N = 3) were 23.69 µA µM-1 and 0.03 µM, respectively. The proposed assay was applied to detect triclosan in two personal hygiene products using standard addition method, and the results showed good recoveries that ranged from 96.6% to 101.5% and from 99.3% to 103.8% for a toothpaste sample and a hand wash sample, respectively. A reference HPLC-UV method was used to evaluate the proposed electroanalytical method, and a good agreement was achieved.

A novel electroanalytical assay for sulfamethazine determination in food samples based on conducting polymer nanocomposite-modified electrodes.

The toxicity of sulfa drugs has attracted great attention, and the reported electrochemical methods for sulfa drugs usually employ a high oxidation potential. In this work, a one-pot synthesized conducting polymer nanocomposite containing poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and MnO2 was cast on a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE), and the modified electrode showed superior electrochemical activity over a bare electrode for sulfamethazine (SMZ) determination. The SMZ detection was based on the electrochemical oxidation product, which showed an adsorptive property and exhibited a redox couple at 0.39V in pH 3 phosphate buffer solutions (PBS). The electrode surfaces were well characterized by the water contact angle technique, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and cyclic voltammetry. By the use of square wave voltammetry (SWV), a wide linear response to SMZ, from 1.0µM to 500µM, was obtained. The sensitivity and detection limits (S/N = 3) were 0.115µAµM-1 and 0.16µM, respectively. The proposed method and a reference high-performance liquid chromatographic method (HPLC) were applied for the determination of SMZ in two real samples using the standard addition method, and satisfactory recoveries and good agreement were obtained.

Sensitive and selective determination of gallic acid in green tea samples based on an electrochemical platform of poly(melamine) film.

In this work, an electrochemical sensor coupled with an effective flow-injection amperometry (FIA) system is developed, targeting the determination of gallic acid (GA) in a mild neutral condition, in contrast to the existing electrochemical methods. The sensor is based on a thin electroactive poly(melamine) film immobilized on a pre-anodized screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE*/PME). The characteristics of the sensing surface are well-characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and surface water contact angle experiments. The proposed assay exhibits a wide linear response to GA in both pH 3 and pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solutions (PBS) under the optimized flow-injection amperometry. The detection limit (S/N = 3) is 0.076 µM and 0.21 µM in the pH 3 and pH 7 solutions, respectively. A relative standard deviation (RSD) of 3.9% is obtained for 57 successive measurements of 50 µM GA in pH 7 solutions. Interference studies indicate that some inorganic salts, catechol, caffeine and ascorbic acid do not interfere with the GA assay. The interference effects from some orthodiphenolic compounds are also investigated. The proposed method and a conventional Folin-Ciocalteu method are applied to detect GA in green tea samples using the standard addition method, and satisfactory spiked recoveries are obtained.

Comparison of Hero 642 and K3 rotary nickel-titanium files in curved canals of molars and a systematic review of the literature.

The aim of the present study was to compare the root canal preparation ability of rotary nickel-titanium (NiTi) Hero 642 and K3 files in curved mandibular or maxillary molars. A total of 40 extracted mandibular molars with two separate mesial canals, an apical width of approximately size ≤15 and a root canal curvature of 15-30° were randomly divided into two groups and instrumented using Hero 642 (n=20) or K3 files (n=20). Canal straightening, working length, transportation, cross-sectional area, minimum dentin thickness and the canal angle curvature degree were examined, and a systematic review of the literature was conducted. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups with regard to the mean degree of straightening, mean change in working length, mean transportation, amount of dentin removed or remaining minimum dentin thickness (P>0.05). The canal angle curvature decreased in the two groups postoperatively. The systematic review identified six studies, and overall the two files performed similarly in the majority of categories examined. Therefore, the rotary NiTi Hero 642 and K3 files demonstrated comparable shaping abilities and maintenance of working length.

[Identification of mutation in PAX9 gene in a Mongolian family with non-syndromic oligodontia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mutation in transcription factor paired box gene PAX9 in a mongolian family with non-syndromic oligodontia. METHODS: Peripheral blood was collected from 17 core family members (9 unaffected, 8 affected) in this Mongolian family with non-syndromic oligodontia. Mutation in exons of PAX9 gene was identified by PCR amplification and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: A point mutation c.87G > C at position 87 in exon 4 of PAX9 was identified from 8 affected members in the family, which were G/C heterozygous.While the 9 healthy members in the family were homozygous for C which was consistent with normal reference sequence in the GenBank(accession number: NC_000014). CONCLUSIONS: The mutation of c.87G > C (p. Ala240Pro) in exon 4 of PAX9 was likely to cause the non-syndromic oligodontia in this Mongolian family.