Enhancing Cementitious Composites with Functionalized Graphene Oxide-Based Materials: Surface Chemistry and Mechanisms.

Graphene oxide-based materials (GOBMs) have been widely explored as nano-reinforcements in cementitious composites due to their unique properties. Oxygen-containing functional groups in GOBMs are crucial for enhancing the microstructure of cementitious composites. A better comprehension of their surface chemistry and mechanisms is required to advance the potential applications in cementitious composites of functionalized GOBMs. However, the mechanism by which the oxygen-containing functional groups enhance the response of cementitious composites is still unclear, and controlling the surface chemistry of GOBMs is currently constrained. This review aims to investigate the reactions and mechanisms for functionalized GOBMs as additives incorporated in cement composites. A variety of GOBMs, including graphene oxide (GO), hydroxylated graphene (HO-G), edge-carboxylated graphene (ECG), edge-oxidized graphene oxide (EOGO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and GO/silane composite, are discussed with regard to their oxygen functional groups and interactions with the cement microstructure. This review provides insight into the potential benefits of using GOBMs as nano-reinforcements in cementitious composites. A better understanding of the surface chemistry and mechanisms of GOBMs will enable the development of more effective functionalization strategies and open up new possibilities for the design of high-performance cementitious composites.

Enhanced Probe Bonding and Fluorescence Properties through Annealed Graphene Oxide Nanosheets.

Graphene oxide (GO) has been widely used in biological sensing studies because of its excellent physical and chemical properties. In particular, the rich functional groups on the surface of GO can effectively enhance the bonding of biomolecules and serve as an efficient sensing substrate. However, when biomolecules are labeled with fluorescence, the GO interface affects the biomolecules by reducing the fluorescence properties and limiting their applications in biosensing. Here, we establish an annealed GO (aGO) substrate through the annealing process, which can effectively increase the bonding amount of a DNA probe because of the accumulation of oxygen atoms on the surface without significantly damaging the nanosheet structure. Furthermore, we prove that the aGO substrate can effectively maintain its fluorescence performance and stability by exposing more graphic domains. Overall, this study successfully verifies that GO's interface annealing modification can be used as an alternative innovative interface application in biosensing.

Drug-coated balloon versus conventional balloon angioplasty of hemodialysis arteriovenous fistula or graft: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Restenosis remains a significant problem in endovascular therapy for hemodialysis vascular access. Drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty decreases restenosis in peripheral and coronary artery diseases. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the patency outcomes following DCB angioplasty, as compared to conventional balloon (CB) angioplasty for the stenosis of hemodialysis vascular access. METHODS: A comprehensive search in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases was conducted in order to identify eligible randomized controlled trials evaluating DCB angioplasty for hemodialysis vascular access dysfunction. The primary endpoint was the 6-month target lesion primary patency and the secondary endpoints were 12-month target lesion primary patency and procedure-related complications. Risk ratios (RR) were pooled and relevant subgroups were analyzed separately. RESULTS: Eleven randomized controlled trials comprised of 487 patients treated with DCB angioplasty and 489 patients treated with CB angioplasty were included. There were no significant differences in the target lesion primary patency at 6 months [RR, 0.75; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.56, 1.01; p = 0.06] and at 12 months (RR 0.89; 95% CI, 0.79, 1.00; p = 0.06). The absence of benefit for the DCB group remained, even in the arteriovenous fistula subgroup or the subgroup of studies excluding central vein stenosis. The risk of procedure-related complication did not differ between the two groups (RR 1.00; 95% CI 0.98, 1.02; p = 0.95). CONCLUSION: DCB angioplasty did not demonstrate significant patency benefit for the treatment of hemodialysis vascular access dysfunction. Wide variations in patency outcomes across studies were noted. Further studies focusing on specific types of access or lesions are warranted to clarify the value of DCB for hemodialysis vascular access. (PROSPERO Number CRD42019119938).

Gut Microbiome in Psoriasis is Perturbed Differently During Secukinumab and Ustekinumab Therapy and Associated with Response to Treatment.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Immunotherapy could change the complex host-microbial interactions. We aimed to investigate the dynamics of gut microbiome in response to secukinumab [an interleukin (IL)-17 inhibitor] and ustekinumab (an IL-12/23 inhibitor) therapy and its association with treatment response in psoriasis. METHODS: This observational, longitudinal study collected a total of 114 fecal samples from 12 healthy controls and 34 patients with psoriasis at baseline and 3 and 6 months after secukinumab (n = 24) or ustekinumab treatment (n = 10) and gut microbiomes were investigated using next-generation sequencing targeting 16S ribosomal RNA. RESULTS: Secukinumab treatment causes more profound alterations in gut microbiome, including increases in the relative abundance of phylum Proteobacteria and decreases in Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, than ustekinumab treatment. The relative abundance of family Pseudomonadaceae, family Enterobacteriaceae and order Pseudomonadales also increased significantly following secukinumab therapy. In contrast, there was no significant change in gut microbiome composition following ustekinumab treatment, and only genus Coprococcus significantly increased after 6 months of ustekinumab therapy. Moreover, we observed significant differences in baseline gut microbiome between responders and non-responders to secukinumab treatment. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that gut microbiome is altered differently after anti-IL17 and anti-IL12/23 treatment. Secukinumab (anti-IL17) therapy is associated with distinct and more profound gut microbiome shifts than ustekinumab therapy (anti-IL 12/23) in patients with psoriasis. Moreover, gut microbiome would serve as potential biomarkers of response to secukinumab treatment.

Wound Healing in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats Using Atmospheric-Pressure Argon Plasma Jet.

In this study, we used an argon-based round atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) for enhancing wound healing in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. The APPJ was characterized by optical emission spectroscopy. We induced Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in rats with different amounts of STZ combined with normal and high-fat diets, respectively. The wound area ratio of all the plasma-treated normal and diabetic groups was greatly reduced (up to 30%) compared with that of the untreated groups during healing. Histological analysis revealed faster re-epithelialization, collagen deposition, less inflammation, and a complete skin structure in the plasma-treated groups was found as compared with the untreated control groups. In addition, the new blood vessels of plasma-treated tissues decreased more than untreated tissues in the middle (Day 14) and late (Day 21) stages of wound healing. The plasma-treated wounds demonstrated more transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) expression in the early stage (Day 7), whereas they decreased in the middle and late stages of wound healing. The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) increased after plasma treatment. In addition, plasma-treated water had a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide, nitrite and nitrate when the plasma treatment time was longer. In summary, the proposed argon APPJ based on the current study could be a potential tool for treating diabetic wounds.

Author Correction: Wound Healing in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats Using Atmospheric-Pressure Argon Plasma Jet.

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