Clinical Study of Rh-bFGF Combined With Collagen Sponge in the Treatment of Maxillofacial Deep â ¡ Degree Burn.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the clinical effect of recombinant human alkaline fibroblast growth factor (rh-bFGF) combined with collagen sponge in the treatment of maxillofacial deepⅡ degree burn. METHODS: From January 2019 to January 2022, 96 patients with maxillofacial deep Ⅱ degree burns were randomly divided into a control group (N=48) and an observation group (N=48). The observation group was treated with rh-bFGF and collagen sponge after debridement, whereas the control group was treated with silver sulfadiazine ointment after debridement. The healing rate and healing time of the wounds were observed, interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-10, epidermal growth factor (EGF), endothelial growth factor growth factor (VEGF), and metalloproteinase tissue inhibitor 1 (TIMP-1) were measured. Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) was used to evaluate the local scar at 6 months after wound healing in both groups. RESULTS: On the 10th, 14th, and 21st day of treatment, the wound healing rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05), the wound healing time in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05), and on the 14th day of treatment, the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of IL-10 in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of EGF, VEGF, and TIMP-1 in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05), and the scores of VSS in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Rh-bFGF combined with collagen sponge can decrease the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 and increase the levels of IL-10, which can control the inflammation effectively, at the same time, it can increase the level of EGF, VEGF, and TIMP-1, promote wound healing, and reduce scar hyperplasia. The treatment protocol is simple, safe, effective, and suitable for clinical application.

Research on phytotoxicity assessment and photosynthetic characteristics of nicosulfuron residues on Beta vulgaris L.

Nicosulfuron is a common herbicide used to control weeds in maize fields. In northeast China, sugar beet is often grown as a subsequent crop after maize, and its frequently suffers from soil nicosulfuron residue damage, but the related toxicity evaluation and photosynthetic physiological mechanisms are not clear. Therefore, we experimented to evaluate the impacts of nicosulfuron residues on beet growth, photochemical properties, and antioxidant defense system. The results showed that when the nicosulfuron residue content reached 0.3 µg kg-1, it inhibited the growth of sugar beet. When it reached 36 µg kg-1 (GR50), the growth stagnated. Compared to the control group, a nicosulfuron residue of 36 µg kg-1 significantly decreased beet plant height (70.93 %), leaf area (91.85 %), dry weights of shoot (70.34 %) and root (32.70 %). It also notably reduced the potential photochemical activity (Fv/Fo) by 12.41 %, the light energy absorption performance index (PIabs) by 46.09 %, and light energy absorption (ABS/CSm) by 6.56 %. It decreased the capture (TRo/CSm) by 9.30 % and transferred energy (ETo/CSm) by 16.13 % per unit leaf cross-section while increasing the energy flux of heat dissipation (DIo/CSm) by 22.85 %. This ultimately impaired the photochemical capabilities of PSI and PSII, leading to a reduction in photosynthetic performance. Furthermore, nicosulfuron increased malondialdehyde (MDA) content while decreasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities. In conclusion, this research clarified the toxicity risk level, lethal dose, and harm mechanism of the herbicide nicosulfuron residue. It provides a theoretical foundation for the rational use of herbicides in agricultural production and sugar beet planting management.

Thymol-loaded Zein-pectin composite nanoparticles as stabilizer to fabricate Pickering emulsion of star anise essential oil for improved stability and antimicrobial activity.

The aim of the present study was to prepare a new antimicrobial Pickering emulsion of which the star anise essential oil was added to the oil phase, and to investigate the effect of stabilization by bio-based active nanoparticles consisting of zein and pectin loaded with thymol. First, the thymol-loaded zein/pectin composite nanoparticles (ZTNPs) were fabricated as uniformly distributed spherical nanoparticles with an average diameter of 200 nm through antisolvent precipitation. Second, the effects of nanoparticles' concentration, oil phase ratio, and storage time on the stability of emulsions were explored according to particle size potential, interfacial tension, rheology, and micromorphology. Finally, the antibacterial results showed that Pickering emulsion inhibited Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus compared to the control group by nearly 7 log colony-forming unit/g at 36 h, which was twice as much as the inhibition by thymol or star anise essential oils and ZTNPs. Therefore, the proposed Pickering emulsion with star anise essential oil could be used as a green and safe plant-derived antimicrobial agent in the food industry.

Meat-derived Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fragi manage to co-exist in dual-species biofilms by adjusting gene-regulated competitive strength.

Pseudomonas fragi and Escherichia coli are considered as common colonizers of fresh and spoilage meat, where they tend to live in the proximity. In this study, we primarily tested interplay patterns between different isolates of these two species in two-by-two combinations grown on stainless steel surfaces as dual-species biofilms. Results showed that these two species presented competition as major observed interplay patterns as biofilms progressed independent of bacterial strains and growth temperatures (15 °C and 25 °C). One dual-species combination was proposed as a representative to further explore dynamic patterns of interaction strength between these two species, with species colonization order taken into consideration as a biological effector. We firstly reported that prior colonization of one species significantly decreased the initiatively colonized cell counts of counterpart species by one to three orders of magnitude when competing for limited adhesion surface, under which E. coli was observed to be more aggressive in surface colonization as compared to P. fragi. However, the spatial structure and microbial composition of mature dual-species biofilms were not observed to be significantly affected. Our findings also shed new light on the evidence that E. coli and P. fragi, respectively, enhanced their biofilm formation capabilities by upregulating expression level of genes that encoded Type 1 fimbriae and phosphate response regulator as dual-species consortia progressed, which could serve as a crucial factor that improved the difficulty of food biocontrol.

Study on phytotoxicity evaluation and physiological properties of nicosulfuron on sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.).

Nicosulfuron is an herbicide widely used in corn fields. In northeast China, sugar beet is often planted adjacent to corn, resulting in frequent phytotoxicity of nicosulfuron drift in sugar beet fields. This study was conducted by spraying nicosulfuron to assess the phytotoxicity and clarify the mechanism of nicosulfuron toxicity on sugar beet. The results showed that nicosulfuron impaired growth and development by reducing photosynthetic capacity and disrupting antioxidant systems at a lethal dose of 81.83 g a.i. ha-1. Nicosulfuron damaged the function of photosynthetic system II (PSII), lowered photosynthetic pigment content, and inhibited photosynthetic efficiency. Compared with the control, the electron transfer of PSII was blocked. The ability of PSII reaction centers to capture and utilize light energy was reduced, resulting in a weakened photosynthetic capacity. The maximum net photosynthetic rate (Amax), light saturation point (LSP), and apparent quantum yield (AQY) decreased gradually as the nicosulfuron dose increased, whereas the light compensation point (LCP) and dark respiration (Rd) increased. Nicosulfuron led to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in sugar beet leaf, a significant rise in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, electrolytic leakage (EL), and considerable oxidative damage to the antioxidant system. This study is beneficial for elucidating the effects of nicosulfuron toxicity on sugar beet, in terms of phytotoxicity, photosynthetic physiology, and antioxidative defense system.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is challenged by the presence of Pseudomonas, but successfully co-existed in dual-species microbial communities.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Pseudomonas were considered as common colonizers of fresh and spoilage meat, where they tended to live in the proximity. In this study, we tested the interplay between different isolates of E. coli O157:H7 and Pseudomonas in random two-by-two combinations grown as dual-species consortia. Results showed that the growth fitness of E. coli was not facilitated by the presence of all tested Pseudomonas strains, and vice versa. Representative combinations were further selected to investigate the property changes following the time course of biofilms formation as compared to single species. Cell counting confirmed that the growth of E. coli O157:H7 was challenged by the presence of Pseudomonas strains as previously described. Our findings shed new light on the evidence that the pathogenicity of E. coli O157:H7 was negatively affected by the presence of Pseudomonas according to the evaluation of spatial organization and genetic expression of virulence factors, which might be a naturally existing biological phenomenon constraining the safety risk of former strains in meat processing and preservation. Intriguingly, we observed that E. coli managed to stably co-exist at low cellular abundance in the progress of dual-species consortia, indicating successful adaptive mechanisms that need further investigations to uncover.

Chitosan based film reinforced with EGCG loaded melanin-like nanocomposite (EGCG@MNPs) for active food packaging.

In this study, EGCG loaded melanin-like nanoparticles (EGCG@MNPs) were incorporated into chitosan matrix to prepare an active nanocomposite food packaging film, chitosan-EGCG@MNPs (CH-EM). The influence of EGCG@MNPs on the physical and biological properties of the chitosan film was investigated. The EGCG@MNPs nanoparticles were cross-linked with chitosan through intermolecular hydrogen bonds and uniformly distributed in the matrix. Besides, the incorporation of EGCG@MNPs tremendously improved the solubility, swelling ratio and water vapor barrier properties of the film, and permitted superior ultraviolet rays blocking property. In addition, the mechanical properties, thermal stability and surface hydrophobicity have also been significantly improved. The CH-EM2.0 nanocomposite films also showed excellent oxidation resistance (58.4 ± 4.4%, DPPH and 92.4 ± 1.3%, ABTS+), and strong inhibitory ability against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The experimental results comprehensively showed that the prepared chitosan-EGCG@MNPs nanocomposite film offering excellent potential for eco-friendly active food packaging.

Preparation, characterization and releasing property of antibacterial nano-capsules composed of ε-PL-EGCG and sodium alginate-chitosan.

Aquatic products with high moisture and protein content are susceptible to bacterial growth and spoilage. Searching for efficient and safe natural antibacterial agents to preserve aquatic products has been concerned widely. In this study, ε-poly-lysine-epigallocatechin gallate/sodium alginate-chitosan nanoparticles (ε-PL-EGCG/SA-CS NPs) were prepared using sodium alginate and chitosan as wall materials and ε-PL-EGCG as core material. The size of nanoparticles was about 200 nm and the encapsulation efficiency was 78.2%. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images confirmed the prepared spherical nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and multifunctional polycrystalline X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra indicated that ε-PL-EGCG was encapsulated in the nanoparticles. Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) illustrated that the thermal stability of encapsulated ε-PL-EGCG was improved more than that of bare ε-PL-EGCG. In addition, in vitro release assays showed that the ε-PL-EGCG was released continuously over 36 h. Bacteria inhibition results showed that the ε-PL-EGCG/SA-CS NPs significantly inhibited specific spoilage bacteria E3 that screened out of aquatic products, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In conclusion, ε-PL-EGCG/SA-CS NPs are an effective antibacterial means with wide application prospects in the field of aquatic products preservation.

Erythropoietin combined with traditional Chinese medicine for chemotherapy-induced anemias: A protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: As far as we know, several systematic review and meta-analysis have assessed the safety and efficacy of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in the patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA). But no study assesses the safety and efficacy of ESAs combined with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The aim of our study is to assess the efficacy and safety of ESAs combination with TCM for patients with CIA and will provide a higher level of evidence for clinical applications. METHODS: This protocol adheres to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis protocol statement. The source of literature will be a structured search of the following 7 electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Wanfang Database. Records will be independently evaluated by 2 reviewers. Disagreements will be resolved through consensus or third-party adjudication. Review Manager 5.3 software (Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen Denmark) will be used to perform meta-analysis. For dichotomous variables, odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals will be obtained by the Mantel-Haenszel method. For continuous data, mean difference with 95% confidence intervals will be used. P < 0.05 will be considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: This study will be performed to test the efficacy and safety of ESAs combined with TCM for CIA in patients with cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The result of this study will be promoted mainly in 2 ways: publish in peer-reviewed journals in the fastest way; and promotion in domestic and foreign conferences. INPLASY REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY202080041.

Oral Curcumin via Hydrophobic Porous Silicon Carrier: Preparation, Characterization, and Toxicological Evaluation In Vivo.

Curcumin has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticarcinogenic activities. However, the clinical application of curcumin has been restricted by the poor water solubility and low bioavailability of this molecule. In this work, hydrophobic porous silicon (pSi) particles were prepared by electrochemical etching method and grafted with the different hydrophobic groups on their surfaces. The loading efficiency of curcumin in pSi has been investigated. The properties of pSi particles have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The highest loading efficiency of curcumin can be obtained with pSi surface modified with the octadecyl silane group. The release properties of curcumin in hydrophobic pSi have been researched in vitro and in vivo. The curcumin in the hydrophobic pSi surface keeps a high antioxidant bioactivity. The toxicological evaluation of the hydrophobic pSi particles indicates they have a high in vivo biocompatibility within the observed dose ranges. The hydrophobic pSi particles could provide an effective and controlled release delivery carrier for curcumin, which may provide a new tool platform for the further development of curcumin.

Porous Silicon Carrier Delivery System for Curcumin: Preparation, Characterization, and Cytotoxicity in Vitro.

A novel carrier delivery system for curcumin based on porous silicon (pSi) has been developed. The pSi film was prepared by electrochemical etching method and the microparticles of pSi were obtained by ultrasonication. The pSi film and particles of pSi were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Sodium nitrite can induce curcumin into pSi and improve the drug loading (DL) and encapsulation efficiency (EE) of curcumin in double-distilled water loading buffer solution. Curcumin on the pSi surface was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV-spectroscopy. The optimal loading conditions of curcumin in pSi are investigated. The curcumin in pSi keeps more than 95% bioactivity for 3 h and good repeatability. The cumulative release ratio of curcumin from PSi can reach 35% after 10 h. The in vitro cytotoxicity of curcumin loaded pSi was evaluated with HT-29 and NCM460 cell lines. The pSi delivery carrier can provide a controlled release and efficacy system for curcumin.

Incorporation of zinc oxide nanoparticles improved the mechanical, water vapor barrier, UV-light barrier, and antibacterial properties of PLA-based nanocomposite films.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized using zinc chloride and NaOH and they were incorporated to prepare PLA/ZnO NPs composite films. The SEM images showed that the ZnO NPs were cubical in shape with size ranged from 50 to 100 nm, and the PLA/ZnO NPs composite films were smooth and compact. The composite films exhibited strong UV-light barrier property with a slight decrease in the transparency. The thickness, tensile strength, and water vapor barrier property of the films increased significantly after incorporation of ZnO NPs. The TS of PLA films increased by 37.5%, but the WVP decreased by 30.5% from 3.11 × 10-11 to 2.16 × 10-11 g m/m2·Pa·s when 0.5 wt% of ZnO NPs was incorporated. The composite films exhibited potent antibacterial activity against food-borne pathogenic bacteria, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. The developed films were applied to the packaging of a minced fish paste and showed strong antibacterial function. The prepared composite films could be used as antibacterial and UV-light barrier films for food packaging and biomedical applications.

Protective Knee Braces and the Biomechanics of the Half-Squat Parachute Landing.

INTRODUCTION: Knee injuries are common among paratroopers and skydivers during landing maneuvers. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dropping height and the use of protective knee braces on parachute landing biomechanics. METHODS: The study cohort consisted of 30 male elite paratroopers with formal parachute landing training and more than 2 yr of parachute jumping experience. Each participant was instructed to jump off a platform at two different heights (40 and 80 cm, respectively) and land on force plates in a half-squat posture. All participants tested three different knee brace conditions (no-brace, elastic brace, and semi-rigid brace) at each height. RESULTS: With an increase in dropping height, peak vertical ground reaction forces (GRF), peak flexion angle, peak flexion angular displacement, peak abduction angle, peak abduction angular displacement, peak extorsion angle, and peak extorsion angular displacement of the knee joint all increased. As compared without the use of a brace, use of an elastic or semi-rigid knee brace significantly reduced peak flexion angle, peak flexion angular displacement, peak abduction angular displacement, and peak extorsion angle, while there were no significant differences in peak vertical GRF or peak extorsion angular displacement. The semi-rigid brace provided the greatest restriction against peak abduction angle (3-6°). DISCUSSION: The elastic and semi-rigid knee braces both effectively restricted motion stability of the knee joint in the sagittal and coronal planes. The semi-rigid brace had a more marked effect, although the comfort of this device should be improved.Wu D, Zheng C, Wu J, Wang L, Wei X, Wang L. Protective knee braces and the biomechanics of the half-squat parachute landing. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(1):26-31.

Spatial trends and pollution assessment for mercury in the surface soils of the Nansi Lake catchment, China.

Surface soil samples collected from Nansi Lake catchment were analyzed for mercury (Hg) to determine its spatial trends and environmental impacts. Results showed that the average soil Hg contents were 0.043 mg kg-1. A positive correlation was shown between TOC and soil Hg contents. The main type of soil with higher TOC contents and lower pH values showed higher soil Hg contents. Soil TOC contents and CV values were both higher in the eastern catchment. The eastern part of the catchment, where the industry is developed, had relatively high soil Hg contents and a banding distribution of high Hg contents was corresponded with the southwest-northeast economic belt. Urban soils had higher Hg contents than rural soils. The urbanization pattern that soil Hg contents presented a decreasing trend from city center to suburb was shown clearly especially in the three cities. Soil Hg contents in Jining City showed a good consistency with the urban land expansion. The spatial trends of soil Hg contents in the catchment indicated that the type and the intensity of human activities have a strong influence on the distribution of Hg in soils. Calculated risk indices showed that the western part of the catchment presented moderately polluted condition and the eastern part of the catchment showed moderate to strong pollution level. The area with high ecological risk appeared mainly along the economic belt.

Preparation and properties of carbohydrate-based composite films incorporated with CuO nanoparticles.

The present study aimed to develop the carbohydrate biopolymer based antimicrobial films for food packaging application. The nanocomposite films of various biopolymers and copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) were prepared by solvent casting method. The nanocomposite films were characterized using SEM, FTIR, XRD, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The thermal stability, UV barrier, water vapor permeability, and antibacterial activity of the composite films were also evaluated. The surface morphology of the films was dependent on the types of polymers used. The XRD revealed the crystallinity of CuONPs in the composite films. The addition of CuONPs increased the thickness, tensile strength, UV barrier property, relative humidity, and water vapor barrier property. The CuONPs incorporated composite films exhibited strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. The developed composite films could be used as a UV-light barrier antibacterial films for active food packaging.

One-step preparation of banana powder/silver nanoparticles composite films.

Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) were synthesized using banana powder as a reducing and stabilizing agent, and banana/Ag-NPs composite films with different concentration of Ag-NPs were prepared simultaneously. The composite films were yellowish brown and exhibited characteristic plasmon resonance peak of Ag-NPs at 430 nm. The optical, mechanical, water vapor barrier, thermal stability, and antimicrobial properties of the composite films were greatly influenced by the concentration of Ag-NPs. The composite film with a silver concentration of 1.0 mM demonstrated the highest tensile strength, thermal stability, transparency, and water contact angle with the lowest water vapor permeability (1.36 ± 0.10 × 10-9 g m/m2 Pa s). Also, the composite films incorporated with 1.0 mM of Ag-NPs exhibited a strong antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) food-borne pathogenic bacteria.

Preparations and characterization of alginate/silver composite films: Effect of types of silver particles.

Alginate-based films reinforced with different types of silver particles such as metallic silver (AgM), silver zeolite (AgZ), citrate reduced silver nanoparticles (AgNP(C)), laser ablated silver nanoparticles (AgNP(LA)), and silver nitrate (AgNO3) were prepared using a solvent casting method and the effect of silver particles on the optical, mechanical, water vapor barrier, and antimicrobial properties the composite films was evaluated. Size and shape of the silver particles were varied depending on the types of silver source and the preparation method. The alginate films incorporated with AgNP(C), AgNP(LA), and AgNO3 showed a characteristic surface plasmon resonance absorption peaks of AgNPs around 420nm. Film properties such as mechanical, optical, and water vapor barrier properties were greatly influenced by the types of AgNPs used. Alginate/AgNPs composite films except AgM and AgNP(LA) incorporated ones exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against two food-borne pathogenic bacteria, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. The developed films have a high potential for the application as antimicrobial food packaging films.

Long-Term Fever After Hallux Valgus Surgery Secondary to Titanium Allergy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

We present the case of a patient who had experienced a fever of unknown cause for >7 months after surgical treatment for hallux valgus. A patch test revealed a positive reaction to a titanium alloy. All symptoms subsequently disappeared after we removed the implanted titanium screws. Histopathologic examination of the tissue surrounding the screws showed macrophage infiltration in the tissue. For >1 year after removal of the titanium screws, the patient's body temperature remained <37°C. These results support a diagnosis of titanium allergy in our patient. To the best of our knowledge, a long-term fever caused by an allergic reaction to mini-titanium screws of such a small size has not been reported. A review of 16 cases of titanium allergy reported in the published data confirmed that titanium allergy is extremely rare and that the clinical symptoms can vary. Titanium allergy should be suspected when a patient presents with a fever of unknown cause, delayed wound healing, dermatitis, or impaired fracture healing after internal fixation with titanium materials. A patch test for titanium or the lymphocyte transformation test could offer guidance for the clinical diagnosis of titanium allergy. Finally, we recommend that all patients should be asked whether they have a history of an allergy to any metal before surgery.