Versatile Bioactive Glass/Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8-Based Skin Scaffolds toward High-Performance Wound Healing.

Designing a novel biomaterial for wound healing is based on biocompatibility and excellent mechanical strength. In this study, bioactive glass (BG) and zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) have been incorporated into poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PCL/PVA) composite skin scaffolds via microfluidic electrospinning. Interestingly, the addition of ZIF-8 further strengthens the BG stability and demonstrates better antibacterial effects. Utilizing the slow release of Zn, Ca, and Si ions, it also significantly promotes growth factor expression and skin regeneration. In addition, it is further demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo studies that the prepared composite skin scaffolds possess excellent biocompatibility, antibacterial capabilities, and mechanical properties. The prepared BG/ZIF-8-loaded scaffold possesses high tensile strength (26 MPa) and excellent antibacterial properties (achieves 89.64 and 78.8% inhibition of E. coli and S. aureus, respectively), and cell viability increased by 51.2%. More importantly, the wound shrinkage of the BG/ZIF-8-loaded scaffold is better than that of an unloaded scaffold, and the shrinkage rates of PCL/PVA@BG/ZIF-8(1 wt %) group is 95% with 2.2 mm granulation growth thickness within 12 days. Thus, the composite skin scaffold loaded with BG/ZIF-8 prepared by microfluidic electrospinning provides a new perspective for accelerating wound healing and is a potential novel therapeutic strategy for efficient wound healing.

Radical relay cyclization/C-C bond formation of allyloxy-tethered aryl iodides with quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones via polysulfide anion photocatalysis.

A visible-light-induced radical relay cyclization/C-C bond formation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with allyloxy-tethered aryl iodides using polysulfide anions as a photocatalyst is described. This protocol allows efficient access to a variety of complicated molecules bearing both quinoxalin-2(1H)-one and 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran motifs in high yields under mild reaction conditions with a broad range of substrates.

Risk of death and readmission among individuals with heart failure and HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The association between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status and readmissions and death outcomes in patients with established heart failure (HF) remains unclear. We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science up to March 1st, 2023, for cohort studies of adult patients (≥18 years) diagnosed with HF and recorded HIV status at baseline. Our analysis included 7 studies with 10,328 HF patients living with HIV and 48,757 HF patients without HIV. Compared to HF patients without HIV, those with HIV had a higher risk of all-cause deaths (HR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.15-1.25). HIV infection was also associated with increased risks of HF-associated readmission (HR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.03-1.75) and all-cause readmission (HR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.10-1.46). Our study highlights the independent association between HIV and poor HF outcomes, emphasizing the need for improved management in individuals living with HIV.

Perceptions toward antiretroviral therapy and delayed ART initiation among people living with HIV in Changsha, China: mediating effects of treatment willingness.

Introduction: Delayed antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation is associated with poor HIV outcomes and a higher likelihood of HIV transmission. Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed the proportion of delayed ART initiation which was defined as initiating ART after 30 days of HIV diagnosis, and evaluated the pathways influencing ART initiation among adult PLWH in Changsha, China who were diagnosed between 2014 and 2022. Results: Of 518 participants, 37.8% delayed in initiating ART. Based on the theory of reasoned action (TRA), delayed initiation was indirectly associated with perceptions toward ART through the mediating pathway of patients' treatment willingness, with treatment willingness significantly being the full mediator. Discussion: The findings may guide the development of interventions to improve timely uptake of ART in people who are newly diagnosed with HIV.

Dietary components regulate chronic diseases through gut microbiota: a review.

In recent years, gut microbiota as an immune organ has gradually become the mainstream of research. When the composition of the gut microbiota is changed significantly, this may affect human health. This review details the major microbiota composition and metabolites in the gut and discusses chronic diseases based on gut dysbiosis, including obesity, liver injury, colon cancer, atherosclerosis, and central nervous system diseases. We comprehensively summarize the changes in abundance of relevant gut microbiota by ingesting different diet components (such as food additives, dietary polyphenols, polysaccharides, fats, proteins) and their influence on the microbial quorum sensing system, thereby regulating related diseases. We believe that quorum sensing can be used as a new entry point to explain the mechanism of ingesting dietary components to improve gut microbiota and thereby regulate related diseases. This review hopes to provide a theoretical basis for future research on improving disease symptoms by ingesting functional foods containing dietary components. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Visible-light-induced C(sp3)-H thiocyanation of pyrazolin-5-ones: a practical synthesis of 4-thiocyanated 5-hydroxy-1H-pyrazoles.

A direct, aerobic and visible light photocatalytic approach to synthesize 4-thiocyanated 5-hydroxy-1H-pyrazoles via cross-coupling of pyrazolin-5-ones with ammonium thiocyanate is described. Under redox-neutral and metal-free conditions, a series of 4-thiocyanated 5-hydroxy-1H-pyrazoles could be easily and efficiently obtained in good to high yields by using low-toxicity and inexpensive ammonium thiocyanate as the thiocyanate source.

Cultivable endophytic fungal community associated with the karst endemic plant Nervilia fordii and their antimicrobial activity.

Endophytic fungi from medicinal plants with specific pharmacological functions attract much attention to provide the possibility of discovering valuable natural drugs with novel structures and biological activities. Nervilia fordii is a rare and endangered karst endemic plant that is used as medicine and food homology in Guangxi, China. These plants have been reported to have antimicrobial, antitumor, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, few studies have focused on the diversity and antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi from N. fordii. In the present study, 184 endophytic fungi were isolated from the healthy tissues of N. fordii, and their molecular diversity and antimicrobial activities were analyzed for the first time. These fungi were categorized into 85 different morphotypes based on the morphological characteristics and the similarity between the target sequence and the reference sequence in the GenBank database. With the exception of 18 unidentified fungi, the fungal isolates belonged to at least 2 phyla, 4 classes, 15 orders, 45 known genera, and 45 different species, which showed high abundance, rich diversity, and obvious tissue specificity. All isolates were employed to screen for their antimicrobial activities via the agar diffusion method against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida tropicalis. Among these endophytes, eight strains (9.41%) displayed inhibitory activity against E. coli, 11 strains (12.94%) against S. aureus, and two strains (2.35%) against C. tropicalis, to some extent. In particular, our study showed for the first time that the fungal agar plugs of Penicillium macrosclerotiorum 1151# exhibited promising antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. Moreover, the ethyl acetate (EA) extract of P. macrosclerotiorum 1151# had antibacterial effects against E. coli and S. aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.5 mg ml-1. Further research also confirmed that one of the antimicrobial compounds of P. macrosclerotiorum 1151# was methyl chloroacetate and exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus up to 1.71-fold and 1.13-fold compared with tetracycline (TET) (5 mg ml-1), respectively. Taken together, the present data suggest that various endophytic fungi of N. fordii could be exploited as sources of novel natural antimicrobial agents.

An electrocatalytic three-component reaction for the synthesis of phosphoroselenoates.

Phosphoroselenoates are important organic molecules because they have found widespread applications in many fields. Herein, an efficient electrochemical dehydrogenative approach to prepare phosphoroselenoates from (hetero)arenes and phosphonates using elemental selenium as the selenium source is reported. This approach is compatible with various functional groups and can be easily scaled up. Our control experiments revealed that electricity plays an important role in this transformation.

Effects of different concentrations of sodium hypochlorite on dentine adhesion and the recovery application of sodium erythorbate. / ä¸åŒæµ“åº¦æ¬¡æ°¯é ¸é’ å¤„ç†å¯¹ç‰™æœ¬è´¨ç²˜æŽ¥çš„å½±å“åŠå¼‚æŠ—åè¡€é ¸é’ çš„æ¢å¤ä½œç”¨.

OBJECTIVES: Root canal therapy is the most effective and common method for pulpitis and periapical periodontitis. During the root canal preparation, chemical irrigation plays a key role. However, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), the widely used irrigation fluid, may impact the bonding strength between dentin and restorative material meanwhile sterilization and dissolving. Therefore, it's important to explore the influence of NaOCl on the adhesion between dentin and restoration materials to ensure clinical efficacy. This study aims to explore the effect of NaOCl on dentine adhesion and evaluate the effect of dentine adhesion induced by sodium erythorbate (ERY), and to provide clinical guidance on dentin bonding after root canal therapy. METHODS: Seventy freshly complete extracted human third molars aged 18-33 years old, without caries and restorations were selected. A diamond saw was used under running water to achieve dentine fragments which were divided into 10 groups with 14 fragments in each group: 2 control [deionized water (DW)±10% ERY] and 8 experimental groups (0.5%, 1%, 2.5%, and 5.25% NaOCl±10% ERY). The dentine specimens in the control group (treated with DW) and the experimental groups (treated with 0.5% NaOCl, 1% NaOCl, 2.5% NaOCl, and 5.25% NaOCl) were immersed for 20 min using corresponding solutions which were renewed every 5 min. The other 5 groups were immersed in 10% ERY for 5 min after an initial washing with DW for 1 min. Then, we selected 4 dentine fragments from all 14 fragments in each group and the numbers and diameters of opening dentinal tubules were observed under scanning electron microscope (SEM). The other 10 dentine fragments from each group were used to make adhesive samples by using self-etch adhesive wand composite resin. All the above adhesive samples were sectioned perpendicular to the bonded interface into 20 slabs with a cross-sectional area of 1 mm×1 mm using a diamond saw under the cooling water, and then the morphology of 10 slabs in each group's bonding interface was observed from aspects of formation of resin tags, depth of tags in dentin, and formation of hybrid layer under SEM. The other 10 slabs of each group's microtensile bond strength and failure modes were also analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 0.5% NaOCl, 1% NaOCl, 2.5% NaOCl, and 5.25% NaOCl groups, the number and diameter of patent dentinal tubules gradually increased with the rise of concentration of NaOCl solution (all P<0.05). Among the DW, 0.5% NaOCl, 1% NaOCl, 2.5% NaOCl, and 5.25% NaOCl groups, the number and diameter of patent dentinal tubules increased after using ERY, but without significant difference (all P>0.05). Among the DW, 0.5% NaOCl, 1% NaOCl, and 2.5% NaOCl groups, the scores of formation of resin tags under SEM gradually increased with the increase of concentration of NaOCl solution, while the score in the 5.25% NaOCl group decreased significantly compared with the score of the 2.5% NaOCl group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between using 10% ERY groups and without using 10% ERY groups (all P>0.05). The scores of length of the tags under SEM in the 5.25% NaOCl group was significantly higher than the scores of DW, 0.5% NaOCl, and 1% NaOCl groups (all P<0.05), and it was also higher than the score of the 2.5% NaOCl group, but without significant difference (P>0.05). There was no significant difference between using 10% ERY groups and without using 10% ERY groups (P>0.05). The scores of formation of hybrid layer under SEM in the 2.5% NaOCl and 5.25% NaOCl groups significantly decreased compared with the score of the DW group (all P<0.05). There were significant differences between the 2.5% NaOCl±10% ERY groups and between the 5.25% NaOCl±10% ERY groups (all P<0.05). Microtensile bond strength was greater in the 0.5% NaOCl, 1% NaOCl, and 2.5% NaOCl groups, but lower in the 5.25% NaOCl group than that in the DW group (all P<0.05). There were significant differences between the 2.5% NaOCl±10% ERY groups and between the 5.25% NaOCl±10% ERY groups (all P<0.05). The incidence of type "Adhesive" of failure modes in the 5.25% NaOCl group was significantly higher than that in other groups (all P<0.05), while the incidence of type "Adhesive" in the 5.25% NaOCl+10% ERY group was lower than that in the 5.25% NaOCl group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The bonding strength to dentine increases with the increase of NaOCl concentration when the concentration lower than 2.5%; whereas it is decreased at a higher concentration (such as 5.25%). 10% ERY has a definite recovery effect on attenuated bonding strength to 5.25% NaOCl-treated dentine.

UAV system with trinocular vision for external obstacle detection of transmission lines.

External obstacle detection is a significant task in transmission line inspection and is related to the safe operation of the power transmission grid. In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with different devices have been widely used for transmission line inspection. However, because of the complex environment of transmission lines and weak power line textures in the obtained images, most existing methods and systems cannot meet the requirements for real-time and high-accuracy external obstacle detection of transmission lines. In this paper, a novel, to the best of our knowledge, UAV system integrated trinocular vision technology with remote sensing is developed to achieve better external obstacle detection of transmission lines in real time, which is composed of a DJ-Innovations (DJI) UAV equipped with a global positioning system (GPS), angle sensors, trinocular vision including three visible cameras with the same parameters, and a small processor with a pre-implanted software algorithm. In this paper, a new method for external obstacle detection of transmission lines is proposed to satisfy the requirements for real-time and high-accuracy practical inspection applications. First, the original trinocular images need to be rectified. Then, the rectified trinocular images are adopted to achieve three-dimensional reconstruction of power lines. Finally, based on trinocular vision, bag of feature, and GPS, the clearance distance measurement, obstacle classification, and obstacle location are realized. Experimental tests on 220 kV transmission lines reveal that our proposed system can be applied in practical inspection environments and has good performance.

Calibration of an underwater binocular vision system based on the refraction model.

Underwater measurement based on stereo vision attaches great importance to camera calibration. However, it is challenging to perform accurate calibration due to the significant refraction presented at the interfaces of air and water. To solve this problem, a calibration method for an underwater binocular vision system based on the optimized refractive model is proposed. First, conventional calibration is performed to obtain basic initial camera parameters using checkerboard images collected in the air. Then, an evolutionary multi-objective function is established according to Snell's law, the refractive light propagation path, and checkerboard geometric relationship. Finally, precise camera parameters and involved refraction parameters are both obtained for underwater target positioning and size measurement by the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm of the reference point. A group of experiments is performed, and the validity and effectiveness of the proposed calibration algorithm is demonstrated.

The mediating role of executive function in the relationship between self-stigma and self-injury or suicidal ideation among men who have sex with men living with HIV.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV suffer from psychosocial pressures and marginalization as a result of being HIV-positive and belonging to a sexual minority group, and self-injury or suicidal ideation are prevalent among this group. Studies have found that both perceived self-stigma and altered executive function is related to self-injury or suicidal ideation. However, the combined contribution of self-stigma and executive function to self-injury or suicidal ideation remains unclear, especially in MSM living with HIV. Therefore, this study is conducted to explore the mechanism of self-injury or suicidal ideation by hypothesizing that executive function plays a mediating role in the relationship between self-stigma and self-injury or suicidal ideation. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 448 MSM living with HIV who were recruited in the HIV clinic of a tertiary general hospital in Changsha, China, from November 2021 to February 2022. A questionnaires survey was adopted to collect sociodemographic and disease-related information and data related to executive function (including working memory, inhibition, and task monitoring), self-stigma, and self-injury or suicidal ideation. Structural equation modeling and bootstrap testing were used to investigate the potential mediating role of executive function in the relationship between self-stigma and suicidal ideation. Results: The participants were aged 18-76 years. Those who had ever had self-injury or suicidal ideation accounted for 32.8% of the total. A higher level of self-stigma and poorer executive function were associated with more frequent self-injury or suicidal ideation (p < 0.01). The mediation model analysis showed a good fit (x 2/df = 1.07, p = 0.381). The direct effect of self-stigma on self-injury or suicidal ideation (ß = 0.346, p < 0.001) and the indirect effect of self-stigma via executive function (ß = 0.132, p < 0.001) were significant, with the indirect effect accounting for 27.6% of the total effect. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that executive function mediates the relationship between self-stigma and self-injury or suicidal ideation among MSM living with HIV. It suggests that future studies targeting enhancing executive function and decreasing self-stigma may reduce self-injury or suicidal ideation among MSM living with HIV.

Effects of early rehabilitation in improvement of paediatric burnt hands function.

BACKGROUND: Hands are one of the most common burn sites in children. Hypertrophic scar contractures in hands after wound healing result in further reductions in their range of motion (ROM), motility, and fine motor activities. Rehabilitation can improve the function of hands. But the optimal time of rehabilitation intervention is still unclear. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the effects of early rehabilitation management of paediatric burnt hands and to compare the efficacy between early and later rehabilitation intervention. AIM: To investigate the effects of early rehabilitation management of paediatric burnt hands. METHODS: A total of 52 children with burnt hands were allocated into the early intervention group (≤ 1 mo from onset) and a late intervention group (> 1 mo from onset) between January 2016 and December 2017. The children received the same rehabilitation programme including skin care, scar massage, passive ROM exercises, active ROM exercises, compression therapy, orthotic devices wearing and game or music therapy. Rehabilitation assessments were performed before and after the rehabilitation treatment. RESULTS: In the early intervention group, the ROM of the hands was significantly improved after rehabilitation (P = 0.001). But in the late group the effect was not significant statistically (P = 0.142). In the early group, 38.5% of the patients showed significant improvement, while in the late group, 69.2% of the patients showed no significant improvement. The time from onset to posttraumatic rehabilitation (P = 0.0007) and length of hospital stay (P = 0.003) were negatively correlated with the hand function improvement. The length of rehabilitation stay was positively correlated with the hand function improvement (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that early rehabilitation might show better results in terms of ROM.

Secondary injuries caused by ill-suited rehabilitation treatments: Five case reports.

BACKGROUND: Increasing attention is being given to burn rehabilitation, and an increasing number of burn patients are undergoing rehabilitation. However, little attention has been given to secondary injuries caused by ill-suited rehabilitation practices. Patients, especially those in undeveloped countries, sustain injuries due to inadequate burn rehabilitation practices and the nonstandard implementation of rehabilitation treatments. CASE SUMMARY: This study reports 5 cases of secondary injuries caused by ill-suited burn rehabilitation practices in our institute, including first web space contracture caused by a single orthosis treatment, finger deformity caused by improper compression therapy with a self-adhering bandage, developmental impairment of the affected limb caused by continuous improper compression therapy, and fracture caused by overly intensive rehabilitation exercise. CONCLUSION: More attention should be given to burn rehabilitation to reduce the incidence of secondary injuries caused by ill-suited rehabilitation practices. Burn rehabilitation system should include specialized hospitals (burn rehabilitation centers), community hospitals, and family rehabilitation clinics. Precise instruments and equipment, accurate measurement methods, objective monitoring indicators and standardized guidelines and recommendations will help improve the quality of burn rehabilitation. Additionally, more attention should be given to burn rehabilitation in children.

Defect inspection for underwater structures based on line-structured light and binocular vision.

Surface defect inspection for underwater structures is important. However, the inspection technologies based on passive vision cannot meet accuracy requirements. In this paper, we propose a two-stage method based on structured light images for defect detection. In the first stage, light stripes are extracted based on the analysis of hue, saturation, value (HSV) space and gray space. Then a hole-filling method is applied to ensure stripe integrity. In the second stage, depth information for all light stripes is calculated to synthesize a depth map, which is segmented for defect localization and measurement. Experimental results have verified the feasibility and effectiveness of our method.

[Genetic diversity and antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi from Zanthoxylum nitidum].

In order to reveal the distribution and population characteristics of endophytic fungi from Zanthoxylum nitidum and the antibacterial potential,this study performed molecular identification and analyzed the genetic diversity and antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi from Z. nitidum in Guangxi. Through culture and molecular identification,35 strains,belonging to 15 genera,12 families,10 orders,4 classes,and 2 phyla,were isolated from various tissues of Z. nitidum,of which Colletotrichum and Fusarium were the dominant genera,respectively accounting for 20% of total strains. The diversity of endophytic fungi was significantly different among roots,stems,and leaves,as manifested by the significantly higher Shannon index( H') in stems( 1. 678) than in roots( 0. 882 1) and leaves( 0. 515 4). The antimicrobial activity analysis showed that 14. 28% of endophytic fungi inhibited at least one indicator pathogen. Among them,Fusarium sp. ZN-34 and Fusarium sp. ZN-26 separately demonstrated the strongest inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In general,Fusarium sp. ZN-26 and Phialemoniopsis plurioloculosa ZN-35 were advantageous in suppressing the two bacteria owing to the broad spectrum and strong efficacy. In summary,Z. nitidum in Guangxi boasts rich endophytic fungi with the majority showing strong antibacterial activity,which can be used as candidates for the extraction and separation of basic antibacterial substances and the development of natural antibacterial agents.

Trinocular vision and spatial prior based method for ground clearance measurement of transmission lines.

It is an essential task to inspect ground clearance of transmission lines in time. However, the weak texture of transmission lines and high complexity of the background make it difficult to balance efficiency and accuracy. To solve the problem, a trinocular vision and spatial prior based method is proposed, which is specifically designed for ground clearance measurement of transmission lines with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In this novel method, a perpendicular double-baseline trinocular vision module is applied to improve the accuracy of transmission line reconstruction. Then the spatial prior information of geometric models under different shooting attitudes is analyzed in detail, and it is adopted to determine the ground crossing points and compute ground clearance efficiently. Also, an interactive software is developed and tested in the simulation environment of UAV inspection. Experimental results verify the feasibility of the measurement method. Finally, we discuss in detail how to apply the method effectively in practice and give a set of recommended camera parameters.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Incident Heart Failure: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies.

OBJECTIVES: To systematically analyze available prospective evidence on the association between HIV infection and incident heart failure (HF). METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and manual search of relevant articles through June 1st, 2020, was conducted. Two authors independently performed full-text assessments and data extraction. The pooled relative risk with 95% confidence interval was estimated using DerSimonian and Laird random-effects models, with inverse-variance fixed-effects meta-analysis used as a sensitivity analysis. Heterogeneity was explored using subgroup analyses and meta-regressions. RESULTS: We included 8 reports among 8,848,569 participants with 101,335 incident cases of HF [1941 among 131,632 people living with HIV (PLWH) and 99,394 among 8,716,937 control participants]. In the overall analysis using a random-effect model, HIV infection was positively associated with incident HF [relative risk, 1.80 (95% confidence interval: 1.51 to 2.15)], although with significant heterogeneity. A similar association was observed with a fixed-effects model, 1.59 (1.50 to 1.68). In subgroup analyses, associations between HIV infection and HF were nominally stronger in younger adults (age < 50 years), women, and individuals with low CD4 count (<200 cells/mm3). Publication bias was suggested from visual examination of funnel plots, correcting for this did not abolish the association, 1.52 (1.25 to 1.85). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis provides additional evidence that HIV is associated with an increased risk of HF, particularly among younger adults, women, and individuals with low CD4 count.

Shape-controlled synthesis of planar PtPb nanoplates for highly efficient methanol electro-oxidation reaction.

In this work, novel insights into the influence of different nanocrystal structures on the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol are reported. Herein, we have successfully prepared high-yield PtPb nanoplates in the diethylene glycol (DEG) solvent. The as-obtained PtPb nanoplates with a large surface area of the (102) facet show higher MOR activity and superior durability in alkaline electrolyte compared with both zero-dimensional PtPb nanoparticles and commercial Pt/C. Further chronoamperometric (CA) measurements and discrete Fourier transform (DFT) calculations indicate that the PtPb nanoplates possess much better operation durability and CO tolerance due to the negative adsorption energy of the (102) facet.