Carboxymethyl chitosan-methacrylic acid gelatin hydrogel for wound healing and vascular regeneration.

At present, wound dressings in clinical applications are primarily used for superficial skin wounds. However, these dressings have significant limitations, including poor biocompatibility and limited ability to promote wound healing. To address the issue, this study used aldehyde polyethylene glycol as the cross-linking agent to design a carboxymethyl chitosan-methacrylic acid gelatin hydrogel with enhanced biocompatibility, which can promote wound healing and angiogenesis. The CSDG hydrogel exhibits acid sensitivity, with a swelling ratio of up to 300%. Additionally, it exhibited excellent resistance to external stress, withstanding pressures of up to 160 kPa and self-deformation of 80%. Compared to commercially available chitosan wound gels, the CSDG hydrogel demonstrates excellent biocompatibility, antibacterial properties, and hemostatic ability. Bothin vitroandin vivoresults showed that the CSDG hydrogel accelerated blood vessel regeneration by upregulating the expression of CD31, IL-6, FGF, and VEGF, thereby promoting rapid healing of wounds. In conclusion, this study successfully prepared the CSDG hydrogel wound dressings, providing a new approach and method for the development of hydrogel dressings based on natural macromolecules.

Long non-coding RNAs MALAT1 and NEAT1 in non-syndromic orofacial clefts.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are thought to play important roles in non-syndromic orofacial clefts (NSOFC). Clinical diagnosis was categorized as either non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P), or non-syndromic cleft palate only (NSCPO). Tissues excised from the trimmed wound edge were reserved as experimental samples; adjacent normal control was used as a positive control, and tissue from healthy individuals was used as a blank control. Target lncRNAs in the collected tissues were identified using microarrays and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR). Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and RT-qPCR were used to verify the target mRNAs. Pathway, gene ontology (GO) enrichment, and TargetScan predictions were employed to construct competing endogenous RNA networks (ceRNA networks) and explore their potential functions. RNA-Seq revealed 24 upregulated and 43 downregulated lncRNAs; MALAT1 and NEAT1 were screened and validated using RT-qPCR. Common NSOFC risk factors were positively correlated with MALAT1 and NEAT1 expression. Bioinformatics predicted four ceRNA networks; GO enrichment focused on their potential functions. RT-qPCR and IHC data were consistent with respect to expression levels of proteins and the mRNAs that encode them. As MALAT1 and NEAT1 are associated with the severity of NSOFC, they represent potential therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers.

Virtual versus jaw simulation in inlay preparation preclinical teaching: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the effect of virtual simulation systems on the teaching of inlay experiments and to guide the experimental teaching of tooth preparation. METHODS: Participants in their second semester of the junior year were selected to carry out the unified teaching and evaluation of dental preparation theory. The age varied from 18 to 22 years (19.96 ± 0.70) and the participants were randomly divided into four groups (n = 19) with a similar male-to-female ratio following CONSORT guidelines, including a jaw simulation model training group (Group J), a virtual simulation system training group (Group V), a jaw model training first followed by a virtual system training group (Group J-V), and a virtual system followed by a jaw model training group (Group V-J). The inlay tooth preparation assessment was performed on the extracted teeth. The data were analysed according to the assessment scores by a senior clinician. The subjective feelings of the students towards the system were evaluated using questionnaires. RESULTS: The second theoretical scores of Group V-J (63.5 ± 2.89) and Group J-V (60.5 ± 3.25) were higher than those of Group V (57.5 ± 3.13) and Group J (58.0 ± 3.67). The experimental scores of Groups J-V and V-J (62.79 ± 2.84; 64.00 ± 2.85) were higher than those of Groups V and J (56.05 ± 3.39; 55.74 ± 2.53). The questionnaire survey illustrated that most students preferred the digital virtual simulation system (perfect assessment: 91.3%, accuracy: 82.6%, satisfaction: 52.2%). CONCLUSION: Virtual simulation training can facilitate the teaching effect of tooth preparation in inlay experiments, and the teaching mode of Group V-J was the best. Therefore, this teaching mode is to be popularised.

Rhein ameliorates septic lung injury and intervenes in macrophage metabolic reprogramming in the inflammatory state by Sirtuin 1.

AIMS: Sepsis is an organ dysfunction syndrome caused by the maladjustment of response to infection. Acute lung injury (ALI) appears the earliest, with urgent onset and limited treatments. Previous pharmacological studies have found that rhein (RH), an active ingredient rich in rhubarb, has multiple pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-infection and metabolic regulation. This research aimed to explore whether RH alleviates septic acute lung injury and probe possible mechanisms. MAIN METHODS: In this study, the septic ALI mouse model was established by cecal ligation and perforation (CLP). LPS-induced RAW264.7 model was selected to further explore the protective mechanism of RH. H&E staining, Western blot, qRT-PCR, and 1H NMR analysis were used to verify the protective effect of RH on ALI in vivo and vitro. KEY FINDINGS: RH could relieve pathological lung injury and pulmonary edema, reduce the serum LPS and inhibit inflammatory response in CLP mice. Further studies displayed that RH affected the metabolism in vivo, with significant changes in serum and lung metabolomics. In vitro results demonstrated that RH inhibited the expression of inflammatory mediators and factors in macrophages by affecting metabolic reprogramming and upregulating the expression of Sirtuin 1. SIGNIFICANCE: RH improved the overall metabolic condition of sepsis mice by up-regulating and activating SIRT1, and inhibited the over activation of macrophages by regulating metabolism. These findings reveal the therapeutic mechanism of RH on sepsis ALI from the perspective of metabolism.