Effect of pomegranate solution alone or combined with chlorhexidine against oral multispecies biofilm.

AIM: Natural bioactive products have been tested as alternative antimicrobial agents. This study evaluated the effect of Punica granatum extract (PGE) on oral multispecies biofilms. METHODOLOGY: Lyophilized extracts from pomegranate peel were prepared, and the punicalagin content was assessed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Oral multispecies biofilms from 2 donors were grown on four collagen-coated hydroxyapatite discs. After incubation for 7 days or 3 weeks, the biofilms were exposed to water (control), 2% CHX, 10% PGE, 20% PGE or 30% PGE for 3 min. The proportions of dead bacteria were assessed by the live/dead staining and confocal microscopy. After the analysis, the best PGE concentration (30%) was combined with CHX. The experimental phases were repeated using water, 2% CHX, 30% PGE and 30% PGE + 2% CHX. Five random areas of the biofilm on each disc were scanned, resulting in 20 scanned areas for each group. RESULTS: Regarding the biofilm volume, no differences were found amongst solutions (p = .111). The PGE solution killed bacteria effectively in 1-week, 2-week and 3-week-old-plaque biofilms, ranging from 37 to 55.3%, depending on the PGE concentration. The 30% PGE (a) (p = .0009) had greater antibiofilm effectiveness than 2% CHX (b), which killed bacteria in the 25.2 to 48.7% range. The 10% and 20% PGE had intermediate values (ab), without significant differences from 30% PGE (p = 1.002). Water (c) had the lowest proportion of dead bacteria (p < .00001) in a range of 5 to 6.7% and lower effectiveness in killing bacteria (p < .05). The PGE alone or mixed with 2% CHX had greater anti-biofilm effectiveness than CHX (p < .05). The old plaque biofilms were more resistant than the 7-day-old plaque (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The 30% PGE (alone or combined with CHX) exhibited a greater antibiofilm effect on oral multispecies biofilms grown on hydroxyapatite discs than 2% CHX.

A promising poly (e-caprolactone)/graphene-based scaffold as an antibacterial in regenerating bone tissue.

Scaffolds are 3D biomaterials that provide an environment for cell regeneration. In the context of bone remodeling, poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) combined with graphene has been developed as the scaffold. It is imperative for scaffolds to possess antibacterial properties in order to properly reduce the risk of potential infections.Therefore, this study aims to analyze the antibacterial characteristics of PCL/graphene scaffolds against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) in vitro. In this study, five different groups were used, including PCL (K-), Amoxicillin (K+), PCL/Graphene 0.5 wt%, PCL/graphene 1 wt% and PCL/Graphene 1.5 wt%. All experiments were performed in triplicates and were repeated three times, and the diffusion method by Kirby-Bauer test was used. The disc was incubated with S. aureus and P. gingivalis for 24 hours and then the diameter of the inhibition zone was measured. The results showed that the PCL/graphene scaffolds exhibited dose-dependent antibacterial activity against S. aureus and P. gingivalis. The inhibition zone diameter (IZD) against S. aureus of PCL/graphene 1 wt% was 9.53 ± 0.74 mm, and increased to 11.93 ± 0.92 mm at a concentration of 1.5 wt% of graphene. The PCL/graphene scaffold with 1.5 wt% exhibited a greater inhibitory effect, with an IZD of 12.56 ± 0.06 mm against P. gingivalis, while the inhibitory activity of the 1 wt% variant was relatively lower at 10.46 ± 0.24 mm. The negative control, PCL, and PCL/graphene 0.5 wt% exhibited no antibacterial activity sequentially (p = 1). Scaffolds of poly(e-caprolactone)/graphene exhibited an antibacterial activity at 1, and 1.5 wt% on S. aureus and P. gingivalis. The antibacterial properties of this scaffold make it a promising candidate for regenerating bone tissue.

[Analysis of virus gene subtypes and drug resistance monitoring results of newly reported HIV/AIDS population in Anhui Province from 2020 to 2023].

Objective: To investigate the genetic subtypes and drug resistance monitoring of newly reported human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/AIDS virus in Anhui Province from 2020 to 2023. Methods: An observational design study was used to collect blood samples from patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in the AIDS Prevention and Control Department of Anhui Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention from January 2020 to December 2023.The HIV-1 pol gene was amplified by reverse transcription-nested PCR, and the genetic subtypes were identified by phylogenetic tree analysis using MEGA 7.0 software. The mutation sites of drug resistance were analyzed by the online software tool of Stanford University's HIV Drug resistance database. The influencing factors of drug resistance before treatment were analyzed by multivariate logistic analysis. Results: A total of 335 plasma samples were collected, and 332 HIV-1 pol gene sequences were obtained successfully. The main gene subtypes were CRF01-AE, accounting for 35.55% (118/332), followed by CRF07-BC, B and B+C types [29.22% (97/332), 11.74% (39/332), 9.93% (33/332)]. The total drug resistance rate before treatment was 30.12%(32/100), and the drug resistance rate of protease inhibitor (PIs) in HIV-1 was 6.33% (21/332). The drug resistance rate of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) before treatment was 6.33% (21/332). The drug resistance rate of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) before treatment was 17.47% (58/332).The comparison of drug resistance rate of different drug types showed statistical significance (χ2=30.435, P<0.05).Among the 100 cases of drug resistance, the main mutation point of HIV-1 protease inhibitor was Q58E (21.00%), and the main mutation point of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor was M184V/I (6.00%). Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor resistance mutation points mainly K103N (22.00%).There were statistically significant differences in the starting time of antiviral therapy, the number of CD4+T cells at baseline and the drug resistance rate of gene subtypes (the chi-square values are respectively 24.152, 32.516, 11.652, P<0.05).Multivariate logistic analysis showed that the baseline CD4+T cell count was <200/µl, subtype B, subtype B+C, CRF01-AE subtype, CRF55-01B subtype and 01-BC subtype was the influential factor of drug resistance before treatment (the chi-square values are respectively 4.577, 8.202, 4.416, 5.206, 7.603 and 4.804, P<0.05). Conclusion: The newly reported HIV/AIDS population in Anhui Province from 2020 to 2023 has a variety of viral gene subtypes, and NNRTIs are the main types of drug resistance gene mutations before treatment. Attention should be paid to the number of baseline CD4+T cells, the duration of antiviral treatment, and the distribution of gene subtypes to reduce the drug resistance of HIV/AIDS patients before treatment.

Development and test of the laser blow-off impurity injection system in experimental advanced superconducting tokamak.

The Laser Blow-Off (LBO) impurity injection system is a crucial tool for studying impurity transport and plasma behavior. Conducting proactive impurity transport research is challenging on experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) due to the uncontrollable generation of impurity sources; therefore, it is necessary to develop a laser blow-off impurity injection system for injecting controlled trace impurity particles. This study presents the design and test results of an LBO system for the EAST. The system aims to provide precise and repeatable control over the timing and quantity of impurity injection. The system primarily consists of a laser source, two mirrors, a moveable focusing lens, a target material, and a vacuum system. The movement of the focusing lens is achieved by a three-dimensional displacement system. The operation of the system is completed by a remote control system. With the accurate control system, the laser spot diameter is adjustable, allowing for modification of impurity injection quantity. The test results demonstrate that the system can rapidly detect external trigger signals and ensure precise timing for the impurity injection. Furthermore, this system can also quickly change the focal point of the laser spot, addressing the requirements for impurity injections during the experiments with less than 0.4 mm position error for laser spot focusing. Test results have shown that the aluminum film material can be peeled off by the LBO system when the laser energy exceeds 650 mJ and the smallest ablation spot is about 1 mm. This study is of significant importance for conducting plasma impurity transport research on the EAST.

The role of psychotherapeutic approaches in treatment of functional dyspepsia, systematic review, and meta-analysis.

Background: Functional dyspepsia is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder that is often challenging to treat. Psychotherapeutic interventions have been proposed as an alternative or adjunctive approach to conventional treatments, but their efficacy remains unclear. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions in the treatment of functional dyspepsia. Methods: A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted, from inception to March 2023, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effects of psychotherapeutic interventions on patients with functional dyspepsia. The primary outcome measures were gastrointestinal symptoms, quality of life, depression, and anxiety. Data were extracted and analyzed using Review Manager 5.3 software. The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Results: Sixteen RCTs comprising 1550 patients with functional dyspepsia were included in the meta-analysis. The types of psychotherapeutic interventions used in the included studies were cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), hypnotherapy, and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). The control groups were usual care, placebo, supportive therapy, or no treatment. The meta-analysis showed that psychotherapeutic interventions had a significant effect on reducing gastrointestinal symptoms,depression and anxiety in patients with functional dyspepsia. However, no significant improvement was observed in the quality-of-life scores of patients who received psychotherapeutic interventions compared to those in the control group. Conclusion: Psychotherapeutic interventions, such as CBT, hypnotherapy, and MBSR, could be a useful adjunct to conventional treatments for functional dyspepsia, as they were found to significantly reduce gastrointestinal symptoms and anxiety in patients. However, further studies are needed to assess the long-term effects and generalizability of these interventions.

Development of an atomic spectra research platform based on a 30-keV electron beam ion trap.

Electron Beam Ion Traps (EBITs) serve as efficient tools for producing and studying highly charged ions. In response to the diagnostic requirements of upcoming magnetic confinement fusion devices, a medium-energy atomic spectra research platform based on a compact EBIT is developed. This platform achieves a central magnetic field of up to 1.0 T, with electron beam currents reaching 20 mA and electron energies up to 30 keV, similar to the electron temperature on fusion reactors. The developed atomic spectra platform successfully provided spectral data for elements such as argon, xenon, iron, and tungsten. This platform stands as a valuable asset for advancing research in nuclear fusion, particularly concerning impurity spectroscopic diagnostics.

[Clinical phenotyping of severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children].

Objective: To investigate and summarize pediatric patients with severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) presenting with varied clinical and chest imaging features in order to guide the individualized treatment. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. Medical records of clinical, imaging and laboratory data of 505 patients with MPP who were admitted to the Department Ⅱ of Respirology Center, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2016 to October 2023 and met the enrollment criteria were included. They were divided into severe group and non-severe group according to whether lower airway obliterans was developed. The clinical and chest imaging features of the two groups were analyzed. Those severe cases with single lobe ≥2/3 consolidation (lobar consolidation) were further divided into subtype lung-necrosis and subtype non-lung-necrosis based on whether lung necrosis was developed. Comparison on the clinical manifestations, bronchoscopic findings, whole blood C-reactive protein (CRP) and other inflammatory indicators between the two subtypes was performed. Comparisons between two groups were achieved using independent-sample t-test, nonparametric test or chi-square test. Univariate receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed on the indicators such as CRP of the two subtypes. Results: Of the 505 cases, 254 were male and 251 were female. The age of the onset was (8.2±2.9) years. There were 233 severe cases, among whom 206 were with lobar consolidation and 27 with diffuse bronchiolitis. The other 272 belonged to non-severe cases, with patchy, cloudy infiltrations or single lobe <2/3 uneven consolidation or localized bronchiolitis. Of the 206 cases (88.4%) severe cases with lobar consolidation, 88 harbored subtype lung-necrosis and 118 harbored subtype non-lung-necrosis. All 206 cases (100.0%) presented with persistent high fever, among whom 203 cases (98.5%) presented with inflammatory secretion obstruction and plastic bronchitis under bronchoscopy. Of those 88 cases with subtype lung-necrosis, there were 42 cases (47.7%) with dyspnea and 39 cases (44.3%) with moderate to massive amount of pleural effusion. There were 35 cases (39.8%) diagnosed with lung embolism during the disease course, of which other 34 cases (38.6%) were highly suspected. Extensive airway mucosal necrosis was observed in 46 cases (52.3%), and the level of their whole blood CRP was significantly higher than that of subtype non-lung-necrosis (131.5 (91.0, 180.0) vs. 25.5 (12.0, 43.1) mg/L, U=334.00, P<0.001). They were regarded as subtype "lung consolidation-atelectasis-necrosis". Of those 118 cases with subtype non-lung-necrosis, 27 cases (22.9%) presented with dyspnea and none were with moderate to massive amount of pleural effusion. Sixty-five cases (55.1%) presented with plastic bronchitis and localized airway mucosal necrosis was observed in 32 cases (27.1%). They were deemed as subtype "lung consolidation-atelectasis". ROC curve analyses revealed that whole blood CRP of 67.5 mg/L on the 6-10 th day of disease course exhibited a sensitivity of 0.96, a specificity of 0.89, and an area under the curve of 0.97 for distinguishing between these two subtypes among those with lobar consolidation. Conclusions: Pediatric patients with severe MPP present with lobar consolidation or diffuse bronchiolitis on chest imaging. Those with lobar consolidation harbor 2 subtypes as "lung consolidation-atelectasis-necrosis" and "lung consolidation-atelectasis". Whole blood CRP of 67.5 mg/L can be applied as an early discriminating indicator to discriminate between these two subtypes.

[Analysis of allergen-specific IgE in children with atopic dermatitis from 2021 to 2023 in a hospital of pediatric in Tianjin City].

Objective: To explore the distribution of allergen-specific IgE (sIgE) for children with atopic dermatitis in Tianjin City and provide the evidences of clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to analyze the children who were suspected of atopic dermatitis and tested for serum sIgE in the Tianjin Children's Hospital from March 2021 to February 2023. Using first detection results only, a total of 1 841 serum samples were tested for twenty common allergens. The method was the enzyme-linked immune capture assay. The allergen epidemiological characteristics were statistically analyzed by Chi square test based on the children's characteristics and factors such as different sexes, ages and seasons by the mass data. Results: Among the 1 841 cases, the results showed that 1 247 (67.73%) were sensitized to at least 1 allergen-sIgE, comprising to 49.86% (918/1 841) to food allergen-sIgE and 47.96% (883/1 841) to aeroallergen-sIgE. The top three food allergens-sIgE were egg 32.10% (591/1 841), milk 25.91% (477/1 841) and wheat flour 14.61% (269/1 841); the top three positive rates of aeroallergens-sIgE were house dust 24.33% (448/1 841), alternaria 20.59% (379/1 841) and dermatophagoides farinae 14.83% (273/1 841). The positive rates of food allergens-sIgE were the highest in the 1-3 years old group (64.11%, 434/677) (χ2=122.854, P<0.001), while the positive rates of aeroallergens-sIgE were higher in the 11-14 years old group (71.26%, 62/87) (χ2=134.968, P<0.001). No seasonal difference was revealed in the overall positive rate of food allergen-sIgE and aeroallergen-sIgE (χ2=4.047, P=0.256; χ2=7.549, P=0.056). The positive rates of soybean-sIgE and milk-sIgE were the highest in summer (χ2=11.329, P=0.010; χ2=28.720, P<0.001), whereas alternaria-sIgE and mugwort-sIgE were the highest in summer and autumn, respectively (χ2=8.462, P=0.037; χ2=10.641, P=0.014). Among the 1 841 cases, 32.21% were sensitized to three or more allergens-sIgE. The sIgE concentration levels of egg, milk and house dust were mainly level 1 to 2, and the proportions of level 3 and above were all under 15%; although the positive rates of crab, shrimp, and peanut were low, the proportions of grade 3 and above were all beyond 30%. Children sensitized to alternaria, dermatophagoides farinae, mugwort, and cat dander had higher sIgE concentration levels, which were 68.07%, 49.45%, 56.57% and 47.83% respectively. Conclusions: This study can reflect the epidemic characteristics of allergen-sIgE in children with atopic dermatitis in Tianjin region to a certain extent. Allergen-sIgE positivity in patients differed by age, and there were seasonal differences and grade distribution differences in the positive rates of some allergens-sIgE. It is necessary to reasonably avoid the high-risk allergens according to the epidemiological characteristics and clinical symptoms, which provide valuable information for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis.

[Clinicopathologic characteristics and survival analysis of primary large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system].

Objective: To retrospectively analyze the clinical and pathologic characteristics, response to treatment, survival, and prognosis of patients with primary large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system (PCNSLBCL) . Methods: Clinical and pathologic data of 70 patients with PCNSLBCL admitted to Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from December 2010 to November 2022 were collected for retrospective analysis. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test, and prognosis analysis was conducted using the Cox proportional hazards model. Results: Among 70 patients with PCNSLBCL, complete remission (CRs) were achieved in 49 (70.0% ) and partial remission in 4 (5.7% ) after the first-line induction therapy; the overall remission rate was 75.7%. The 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 55.8% and the median progression-free survival (mPFS) time was 35.9 months, whereas the 2-year overall survival (OS) rate was 79.1% with a median OS time not reached. After CR induced by first-line therapy, cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) was lower in patients who had received auto-HSCT than in those who had not received consolidation therapy (P=0.032), whose 2-year PFS rate was 54.4% and mPFS time was 35.9 months; comparatively, the 2-year PFS rate in patients having received oral maintenance of small molecule drugs reached 84.4% with a mPFS time of 79.5 months (P=0.038). Multivariant analysis demonstrated that Class 3 in the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) prognostic model is an independent adverse prognostic factor of OS in patients with PCNSLBCL (HR=3.127, 95% CI 1.057-9.253, P=0.039) . Conclusions: In patients with PCNSLBCL achieving CR after the first-line induction therapy, auto-HSCT as consolidation therapy would lead to a decreased CIR, and PFS time could be prolonged by oral maintenance of small molecule drugs. Class 3 MSKCC prognostic model is independently associated with poorer OS.

[Effect of peri-implant soft-tissue phenotype on peri-implant health].

Dental implant is a commonly used therapeutic option for reconstruction of edentulous space. Adequate peri-implant soft tissue is crucial for preventing biological and esthetic complications. Peri-implant soft-tissue phenotypes including supracrestal tissue height, mucosa thickness and keratinized mucosa width could reflect the quality and quantity of peri-implant soft tissue. Different soft-tissue phenotypes might impact the stability of implant restoration through altering the tissue remodeling or inflammatory response. This review will discuss the influence of peri-implant soft-tissue phenotypes on tissue remodeling and inflammatory response after implant placement.

[Analysis of therapeutic effects of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in 12 patients with DEK-NUP214 fusion gene positive acute myeloid leukemia].

Twelve DEK-NUP214 fusion gene-positive patients with acute myeloid leukemia and on allo-HSCT treatment at the Hematology Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from November 2016 to August 2022 were included in the study, and their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. The patients comprised five men and seven women with a median age of 34 (16-52) years. At the time of diagnosis, all the patients were positive for the DEK-NUP214 fusion gene. Chromosome karyotyping analysis showed t (6;9) (p23;q34) translocation in 10 patients (two patients did not undergo chromosome karyotyping analysis), FLT3-ITD mutation was detected in 11 patients, and high expression of WT1 was observed in 11 patients. Nine patients had their primary disease in the first complete remission state before transplantation, one patient had no disease remission, and two patients were in a recurrent state. All patients received myeloablative pretreatment, five patients received sibling allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and seven patients received haploid hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The median number of mononuclear cells in the transplant was 10.87 (7.09-17.89) ×10(8)/kg, and the number of CD34(+) cells was 3.29 (2.53-6.10) ×10(6)/kg. All patients achieved blood reconstruction, with a median time of 14 (10-20) days for neutrophil implantation and 15 (9-27) days for platelet implantation. The 1 year transplant-related mortality rate after transplantation was 21.2%. The cumulative recurrence rates 1 and 3 years after transplantation were 25.0% and 50.0%, respectively. The leukemia free survival rates were (65.6±14.0) % and (65.6±14.0) %, respectively. The overall survival rates were (72.2±13.8) % and (72.2±13.8) %, respectively.

Ion temperature and rotation velocity measurements of carbon and boron ions using VUV spectroscopy on EAST.

A space-resolved vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy is employed to measure impurity emission profiles (500-3200 Å) on EAST. This study successfully captures C IV (1548.20 and 1550.77 Å) lines emitted from carbon ions and derives ion temperatures using Doppler broadening and a collision model based on their intensity ratios. Both the emission intensity and ion temperature profiles are determined. However, the calculated results reveal a lower temperature of around 10-20 eV with the collision model, suggesting a potential need for further correction in subsequent calculations. Furthermore, this study explores relative rotation velocities from the Doppler shift, indicating an increase in toroidal rotation velocity with applied neutral beam injection. The measured results exhibit concordance with the charge exchange recombination spectrometer data. Furthermore, during boron powder dropping discharges on EAST, B II (1623.60, 1623.79, 1623.95, 1624.02, 1624.17, and 1624.38 Å) emission lines exhibiting a similar time behavior trend with boron powder injection are identified. Ion temperatures are measured using B II (1362.46 Å) through the Doppler broadening method. These techniques hold significant promise for future impurity analysis at the edge of EAST, providing valuable insights into the behavior of carbon and boron ions.

Quasi-optical design for the cross-polarization scattering diagnostic on the HL-3 tokamak.

As the plasma beta (ß) increases in high-performance tokamaks, electromagnetic turbulence becomes more significant, potentially constraining their operational range. To investigate this turbulence, a cross-polarization scattering (CPS) diagnostic system is being developed on the HL-3 tokamak for simultaneous measurements of density and magnetic fluctuations. In this work, a quasi-optical system has been designed and analyzed for the Q-band CPS diagnostic. The system includes a lens group for beam waist size optimization, a rotatable wire-grid polarizer for polarization adjustment, and a reflector group for measurement range regulation and system response enhancement. Laboratory tests demonstrated a beam radius of order 4 cm at the target measurement location (near the plasma pedestal), cross-polarization isolation exceeding 30 dB, and poloidal and toroidal angle adjustment ranges of ±40° and ±15°, respectively. These results verify the system's feasibility through laboratory evaluations. The quasi-optical system has been installed on the HL-3 tokamak during the 2023 experimental campaign to support the development of CPS diagnostics.

Managing ischemic and necrotic incarcerated femoral hernia contents and their risk factors.

PURPOSE: Incarcerated femoral hernia patients had high risk of hernia contents necrosis. We provide our experience of management ischemia and necrosis of hernia contents in emergency incarcerated femoral hernia patients, and to investigate its risk factors. METHODS: This is a case-control study. Eighty-nine incarcerated femoral patients who underwent emergency surgery from January 2015 to December 2021 were included, and divided into normal group (60 cases) and ischemia/necrosis group (29 cases) according to the intraoperative condition of hernia contents. The surgical methods, intraoperative and postoperative conditions were compared between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of ischemia and necrosis of hernia contents. RESULTS: Open preperitoneal tension-free repair was the most commonly used surgical methods (68.5%) for incarcerated femoral patients. The utilization rate of laparoscopic repair in the ischemia/necrosis group was lower than that in the normal group (13.8% vs. 20.0%, P = 0.475). The proportion of mesh placement in the normal group was significantly higher than that in the ischemia/necrosis group (98.3% vs 65.5%, P < 0.001). The hernia contents resection rate (55.2% vs 1.7%), operation time (90 vs 40 min), intraoperative bleeding (5 vs 2 ml), ICU admission rate (31.0% vs 1.7%), and hospital stay (7 vs 4 d) were significantly higher in the ischemia/necrosis group than those in normal group. Results of multivariate logistic regression showed that incarceration time more than 9 h (aOR = 19.3, 95%CI: 1.9-192.9) was an independent risk factor for ischemia and necrosis of hernia contents in emergency incarcerated femoral hernia patients. CONCLUSION: Open tension-free repair was the most commonly used surgical methods for emergency incarcerated femoral hernia patients. Ischemia and necrosis of hernia contents will increase bowel resection rate and prolong operation and hospital stay. Long incarceration time is an independent risk factor for ischemia and necrosis of hernia contents.

[A randomized controlled trial on the effect of early eschar dermabrasion combined with antimicrobial soft silicone foam dressing in the treatment of deep partial-thickness burn wounds in children].

Objective: To explore the effect of early eschar dermabrasion combined with antimicrobial soft silicone foam dressing (hereinafter referred to as foam dressing) in treating the deep partial-thickness burn wounds in children. Methods: This study was a randomized controlled trial. From June 2021 to December 2022, 78 pediatric patients with deep partial-thickness burns who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Department of Burns in Guiyang Steel Plant Employees Hospital. According to the random number table, the pediatric patients were divided into two groups, with 38 cases left in combined treatment group (with 20 males and 18 females, aged 26.00 (16.75, 39.75) months) and 39 cases in foam dressing group (with 21 males and 18 females, aged 19.00 (14.00, 31.00) months) after the exclusion of one dropped-out child in follow-up. The pediatric patients in combined treatment group underwent eschar dermabrasion of the wound within 48 hours after injury, the wound was covered with foam dressing after operation, and the dressing was replaced once every 7 days; for the pediatric patients in foam dressing group, the wound was sterilized within 48 hours after injury and covered with foam dressing, and the dressing was replaced once every 2 to 3 days. After the wound healing, the children in both groups were routinely applied with silicone gel twice a day for 3 weeks before started wearing elastic sleeves for more than 18 hours a day, and continuously for over than 6 months. The degree of pain during dressing change was evaluated using the children's pain behavior inventory FLACC. The adverse reactions during the treatment period, number of dressing changes, and wound healing time were observed and recorded. Six months after wound healing, the Vancouver scar scale (VSS) was used to evaluate the condition of the wound scar. Results: When changing dressing, the FLACC score for pain of pediatric patients in combined treatment group was 3.5 (2.0, 5.0), which was significantly lower than 6.0 (5.0, 8.0) in foam dressing group (Z=-5.40, P<0.05). During the treatment period, no adverse reactions such as wound edema, fluid accumulation, or peripheral skin rash allergies occurred in any pediatric patient in both groups. The number of dressing changes of pediatric patients in combined treatment group was 3 (3, 4) times, which was significantly less than 8 (7, 10) times in foam dressing group (Z=-7.58, P<0.05). The wound healing time of pediatric patients in combined treatment group was (19±5) days, which was significantly shorter than (25±6) days in foam dressing group (t=-4.48, P<0.05). Six months after wound healing, the VSS score for scar of pediatric patients in combined treatment group was 5 (2, 8), which was significantly lower than 7 (5, 10) in foam dressing group (Z=-3.05, P<0.05). Conclusions: Compared with using foam dressings alone, early eschar dermabrasion combined with foam dressings can reduce the number of dressing changes, alleviate the pain during dressing changes, and shorten the wound healing time in treating children with deep partial-thickness burns, and effectively alleviate scar hyperplasia by combining with anti-scar treatment post burns.

Magnetically propagating Hund's exciton in van der Waals antiferromagnet NiPS3.

Magnetic van der Waals (vdW) materials have opened new frontiers for realizing novel many-body phenomena. Recently NiPS3 has received intense interest since it hosts an excitonic quasiparticle whose properties appear to be intimately linked to the magnetic state of the lattice. Despite extensive studies, the electronic character, mobility, and magnetic interactions of the exciton remain unresolved. Here we address these issues by measuring NiPS3 with ultra-high energy resolution resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS). We find that Hund's exchange interactions are primarily responsible for the energy of formation of the exciton. Measuring the dispersion of the Hund's exciton reveals that it propagates in a way that is analogous to a double-magnon. We trace this unique behavior to fundamental similarities between the NiPS3 exciton hopping and spin exchange processes, underlining the unique magnetic characteristics of this novel quasiparticle.

Single-cell analysis reveals a unique microenvironment in peri-implantitis.

AIM: This study aimed to reveal the unique microenvironment of peri-implantitis through single-cell analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Herein, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of biopsies from patients with peri-implantitis (PI) and compared the results with healthy individuals (H) and patients with periodontitis (PD). RESULTS: Decreased numbers of stromal cells and increased immune cells were found in the PI group, which implies a severe inflammatory infiltration. The fibroblasts were found to be heterogeneous and the specific pro-inflammatory CXCL13+ sub-cluster was more represented in the PI group, in contrast to the PD and H groups. Furthermore, more neutrophil infiltration was detected in the PI group than in the PD group, and cell-cell communication and ligand-receptor pairs revealed most neutrophils were recruited by CXCL13+ fibroblasts through CXCL8/CXCL6-CXCR2/CXCR1. Notably, our study demonstrated that the unique microenvironment of the PI group promoted the differentiation of monocyte/macrophage lineage cells into osteoclasts, which might explain the faster and more severe bone resorption in the progression of PI than PD. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, this study suggests a unique immune microenvironment of PI, which may explain the differences between PI and PD in the clinic. These outcomes will aid in finding new specific and effective treatments for PI.

[UGT1A1 gene mutation spectrum with indirect hyperbilirubinemia in children].

Objective: To explore the relevancy between the uridine diphosphate-glucuronylgly-cosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) gene mutation and the phenotype of indirect hyperbilirubinemia in children. Methods: Sixteen cases with indirect hyperbilirubinemia who visited the Department of Gastroenterology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from July 2013 to November 2019 were retrospectively analyzed and were divided into Gilbert syndrome (GS), Crigler-Najjar syndrome type II (CNS-II), and indirect hyperbilirubinemia groups unexplained by UGT1A1 gene mutations. The differences in gene mutation site information and general clinical data were compared. The association between gene mutation spectrum and bilirubin level was explored by t-test analysis. Results: Ten of the sixteen cases with indirect hyperbilirubinemia had GS, three had CNS-II, and three had indirect hyperbilirubinemia unexplained by UGT1A1 gene mutations. A total of six mutation types were detected, of which c.211G > A accounted for 37.5% (6/16), c.1456T > G accounted for 62.5% (10/16), and TATA accounted for 37.5% (6/16), respectively. Compared with the GS group, the CNS group had early disease onset incidence, high serum total bilirubin (t = 5.539, P < 0.05), and indirect bilirubin (t = 5.312, P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in direct bilirubin levels (t = 1.223, P > 0.05) and age of onset (t = 0.3611, P > 0.05) between the two groups. There was no significant correlation between the number of UGT1A1 gene mutations and serum bilirubin levels. Children with c.1456T > G homozygous mutations had the highest serum bilirubin levels. Conclusion: The common pathogenic variants of the UGT1A1 gene sequence are c.1456T > G, c.211G > A, and TATA, indicating that these site mutations are related to the occurrence of indirect hyperbilirubinemia and have important guiding significance for the etiological analysis of indirect hyperbilirubinemia in children.