Injectable and Thermosensitive Hydrogel with Platelet-Rich Plasma for Enhanced Biotherapy of Skin Wound Healing.

The rapid and effective healing of skin wounds resulted from severe injuries and full-layer skin defects remains a pressing clinical challenge in contemporary medical practice. The reduction of wound infection and rapid healing is helpful to rebuild and repair skin tissue. Here, a thermosensitive chitosan-based wound dressing hydrogel incorporating ß-glycerophosphate (GP), hydroxy propyl cellulose (HPC), graphene oxide (GO), and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is developed, which exhibits the dual functions of antibacterial properties and repair promotion. GP and HPC enhance the mechanical properties through forming hydrogen bonding connection, while GO produces local heat under near-infrared light, leading to improved blood circulation and skin recovery. Notably, antibacterial properties against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and control-release of growth factors from PRP are also achieved based on the system. In vitro experiments reveal its biocompatibility, and ability to promote cell proliferation and migration. Animal experiments demonstrate that the epithelial repair and collagen deposition can be promoted during skin wound healing in Sprague Dawley rats. Moreover, a reduction in wound inflammation levels and the improvement of wound microenvironment are observed, collectively fostering effective wound healing. Therefore, the composite hydrogel system incorporated with GO and PRP can be a promising dressing for the treatment of skin wounds.

Effectiveness of caregiver-mediated intervention: a pilot study for children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

OBJECTIVES: Caregiver-mediated intervention (CMI), based on parent skills training, is a family-mediated intervention model for children with neurodevelopmental disorders, in particular autism spectrum disorder. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of CMI. METHODS: Thirty-three children (aged 22-69 months from our department) and their caregivers participated in a two-week training course of ten 90-minute lessons. Caregivers were encouraged to try their best to apply intervention skills in both home routines and play routines to encourage the development of cognition, motion, social adaptability, and behavior of children. Demographic information, video-recorded data, and diagnostic scales were collected at two key time points: baseline and post-training (PT - within six months). RESULTS: Three aspects were assessed - primary variables, secondary variables, and correlation analyses. Results showed an improvement in PT in (1) Adult/Child Interaction Fidelity Rating (P < 0.01) and (2) adaptability of Gesell Developmental Scale and stereotyped behaviors and limited interests of Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Moreover, a negative correlation occurred between caregiver skill improvement and parent education (P < 0.05), but without correlations with other demographics. CONCLUSIONS: As an efficacious family intervention for both children and their caregivers, CMI is worth being generalized widely.

Platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of chronic rectal ulcer: A case report.

RATIONALE: Rectum ulcer is a disease of the digestive system, the main symptoms of which includes bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, hematochezia, etc. At present, drug therapy and surgery are the most common treatments. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) contains high concentrations of platelets and has been used to promote wound healing. However, the utilization of PRP in rectal ulcers has rarely been reported. PATIENT CONCERNS: The patient had reported a complaint of blood dripping from the stool for more than 4 months. She had a history of surgery for rectal cancer with postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy 19 years prior. Mesalazine suppository was given to her for about 4 months, and glutamine capsules for 2 months, but the rectal ulcer remained unhealed. DIAGNOSIS: A rectal ulcer was observed on colonoscopy, and the biopsy result was tubular adenoma. INTERVENTIONS: Autologous PRP treatment was performed for the patient under an anorectal scope together with basic supportive care. OUTCOMES: The ulcer nearly healed within 9 days after twice PRP treatments. LESSONS: PRP treatment may bring about novel treatment options for rectal ulcers.

Coupling coordination between environment, economy and tourism: A case study of China.

How to achieve the sustainable and coordinated development of the ecological environment, the economy and tourism has already received much attention. In this paper, a comprehensive evaluation index system of the ecological environment, the economy and tourism is established, and the coupling degrees and coordination degrees of the three subsystems of 31 provinces in China from 2003 to 2017 are calculated. The results show that the average coupling degree and average coordination degree have fluctuating upward trends during the period of 2003-2017. According to the spatial distribution of the coupling degrees and coordination degrees, the coastal provinces and Chongqing, with their high ecological environment pressure and good economic development, have low coupling and extremely high coordination levels. The vast central and western provinces with good ecological environment protection and economic backwardness have high coupling and low coordination development level. From the perspective of coordinated development, only seven of the western provinces and three middle-eastern provinces possess basic coordinated development of the ecological environment, the economy and tourism. The remaining 21 provinces are over-utilizing or sacrificing their ecological environments, among which eleven eastern provinces have an advanced economy or advanced tourism and five southwestern provinces with high tourism resource endowments have an advanced tourism.

Identification of a miRNA-mRNA network associated with lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Lymph node metastasis is an important step in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC); however, the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. The aim of the present study was to identify the gene expression pattern during lymph node metastasis in CRC and to identify upstream microRNAs (miRNAs) to explore the underlying mechanisms in detail. A total of 305 differently expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 227 upregulated genes and 78 downregulated genes in lymph node metastasis. Pathway and process enrichment analysis demonstrated that DEGs were significantly enriched in 'NABA CORE MATRISOME', 'extracellular matrix assembly', 'antimicrobial humoral response' and 'Toll-like receptor signaling' pathways. The top 10 hub genes were identified by protein-protein interaction network, and sub-networks revealed that these genes were involved in significant pathways, including 'neutrophil chemotaxis' and 'Smooth Muscle Contraction'. In addition, 73 mature differently expressed miRNAs associated with lymph node metastasis were identified, of which 48 were upregulated and 25 were downregulated. Six miRNAs were identified to regulate DEGs. Additionally, based on the relationship between miRNAs and transcription factors, a miRNA-TF-mRNA network was constructed. In conclusion, DEGs, miRNAs and their interactions and pathways were identified in lymph node metastasis in CRC, which provided insight into the mechanism of CRC metastasis and may be used to develop novel targets for CRC treatment.

The Safety of Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy on Surgical Wounds: An Updated Meta-analysis of 17 Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) reduced complications such as wound infection, dehiscence, seroma/hematoma, skin necrosis/blistering, and bleeding compared with non-NPWT treatments. METHODS: This meta-analysis involved randomized clinical trials of NPWT compared with non-NPWT on surgical wound healing. The main outcome was surgical site infections; secondary outcomes were dehiscence, seroma/hematoma, skin necrosis/blistering, bleeding, and reoperation. MAIN RESULTS: Seventeen randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria, reporting on 928 NPWT and 930 non-NPWT patients. Compared with non-NPWT, NPWT was not associated with a significant reduction in wound infection (relative risk, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.74-1.24). The reduction in wound dehiscence, seroma/hematoma, skin necrosis/blistering, and bleeding in the NPWT group was significant compared with that in the non-NPWT groups. Significant heterogeneity was observed in seroma/hematoma and skin necrosis/blistering between the NPWT and non-NPWT groups. No publication bias was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with non-NPWT, NPWT significantly reduced the rates of dehiscence, seroma/hematoma, skin necrosis\blistering, and bleeding, but not surgical site infections.