Layered Birnessite Cathode with a Displacement/Intercalation Mechanism for High-Performance Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Mn-based rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are highly promising because of their high operating voltages, attractive energy densities, and eco-friendliness. However, the electrochemical performances of Mn-based cathodes usually suffer from their serious structure transformation upon charge/discharge cycling. Herein, we report a layered sodium-ion/crystal water co-intercalated Birnessite cathode with the formula of Na0.55Mn2O4·0.57H2O (NMOH) for high-performance aqueous ZIBs. A displacement/intercalation electrochemical mechanism was confirmed in the Mn-based cathode for the first time. Na+ and crystal water enlarge the interlayer distance to enhance the insertion of Zn2+, and some sodium ions are replaced with Zn2+ in the first cycle to further stabilize the layered structure for subsequent reversible Zn2+/H+ insertion/extraction, resulting in exceptional specific capacities and satisfactory structural stabilities. Additionally, a pseudo-capacitance derived from the surface-adsorbed Na+ also contributes to the electrochemical performances. The NMOH cathode not only delivers high reversible capacities of 389.8 and 87.1 mA h g-1 at current densities of 200 and 1500 mA g-1, respectively, but also maintains a good long-cycling performance of 201.6 mA h g-1 at a high current density of 500 mA g-1 after 400 cycles, which makes the NMOH cathode competitive for practical applications.

Core-shell polymeric nanoparticles co-loaded with photosensitizer and organic dye for photodynamic therapy guided by fluorescence imaging in near and short-wave infrared spectral regions

BACKGROUND

Biodistribution of photosensitizer (PS) in photodynamic therapy (PDT) can be assessed by fluorescence imaging that visualizes the accumulation of PS in malignant tissue prior to PDT. At the same time, excitation of the PS during an assessment of its biodistribution results in premature photobleaching and can cause toxicity to healthy tissues. Combination of PS with a separate fluorescent moiety, which can be excited apart from PS activation, provides a possibility for fluorescence imaging (FI) guided delivery of PS to cancer site, followed by PDT.

RESULTS

In this work, we report nanoformulations (NFs) of core-shell polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) co-loaded with PS [2-(1-hexyloxyethyl)-2-devinyl pyropheophorbide-a, HPPH] and near infrared fluorescent organic dyes (NIRFDs) that can be excited in the first or second near-infrared windows of tissue optical transparency (NIR-I, ~ 700-950 nm and NIR-II, ~ 1000-1350 nm), where HPPH does not absorb and emit. After addition to nanoparticle suspensions, PS and NIRFDs are entrapped by the nanoparticle shell of co-polymer of N-isopropylacrylamide and acrylamide [poly(NIPAM-co-AA)], while do not bind with the polystyrene (polySt) core alone. Loading of the NIRFD and PS to the NPs shell precludes aggregation of these hydrophobic molecules in water, preventing fluorescence quenching and reduction of singlet oxygen generation. Moreover, shift of the absorption of NIRFD to longer wavelengths was found to strongly reduce an efficiency of the electronic excitation energy transfer between PS and NIRFD, increasing the efficacy of PDT with PS-NIRFD combination. As a result, use of the NFs of PS and NIR-II NIRFD enables fluorescence imaging guided PDT, as it was shown by confocal microscopy and PDT of the cancer cells in vitro. In vivo studies with subcutaneously tumored mice demonstrated a possibility to image biodistribution of tumor targeted NFs both using HPPH fluorescence with conventional imaging camera sensitive in visible and NIR-I ranges (~ 400-750 nm) and imaging camera for short-wave infrared (SWIR) region (~ 1000-1700 nm), which was recently shown to be beneficial for in vivo optical imaging.

CONCLUSIONS

A combination of PS with fluorescence in visible and NIR-I spectral ranges and, NIR-II fluorescent dye allowed us to obtain PS nanoformulation promising for see-and-treat PDT guided with visible-NIR-SWIR fluorescence imaging.

[Effect of anatomical changes of frontal recess and frontal sinus on airflow after nasalisation by image reconstruction and numerical simulation]

Objective: To describe the influence of post-operative anatomical structure changes on nasal airflow characteristics by 3D reconstruction and numerical simulation in real cases after nasalisation with Draf Ⅲ so as to explore the correlation between the changes of anatomical structure and subjective symptoms as well as airflow characteristics. Methods: Ten patients underwent nasalization with Draf Ⅲ in Department of Rhinology in Beijing Tongren Hospital from 2006 to 2018 were selected retrospectively. Postoperative follow-up of all patients was more than 1 year. All patients had no abnormalities in their paranasal sinus CT scans and Lund-Kennedy scores were 0 except scar. VAS scores including nasal obstruction, stimulation in frontal sinus, and headache were collected at the same period. The control model was a normal person. Numerical simulation was used for calculating airflow characteristics in deep inspiratory period of both models. Independent sample Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman correlation test were used by software SPSS 22.0. Results: The airflow pressure in frontal sinus ostium was (7.21±1.39)×10(4) Pa (Mean±SD), which was lower than that in normal subjects (8.99×10(4) Pa) under deep inspiratory simulation. But, the velocities in frontal sinus ostium and frontal sinus were (40.10±2.46) m/s and (28.19±1.73) m/s respectively, which were higher than those in normal one (2.70 m/s, 0.73 m/s). The airflow patterns of the two models were basically similar. There was no significant difference in the opening size and volume of frontal sinus between different groups after grouped by three symptoms respectively. No correlation could be found between the opening size and volume of the frontal sinus with the appearance and severity of three subjective symptoms. Conclusions: The airflow pattern and distribution after nasalisation with Draf Ⅲ are like those of normal person. There is no correlation between the changes of anatomy in frontal recess and frontal sinus and nasal airflow characteristics as well as subjective symptoms.

Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB) Targeted Self-Assembled Nanoparticles Loaded with Methotrexate for Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background

Nanotechnology is one of the most productive approaches for specifically delivering drug payloads to the region of interest to decrease nonspecific distribution and unwanted toxicities.

Material/Methods

We prepared glycol chitosan stearate self-assembled nanoparticles loaded with methotrexate (MTX) for NF-κB targeting in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The nanoparticles were prepared using hydrophobic modification of glycol chitosan (GC) with steric acid (SA) and was characterized using IR. The efficiency of nanoparticles after their physiochemical characterization was measured in vitro and by in vivo studies in mice.

Results

The nanoparticles thus prepared were spherical in shape, 235 nm in diameter, and had negative zeta potential. The entrapment efficiency of MTX-GC-SA was more than 70%. The in vitro higher uptake of MTX-GC-SA in murine macrophage cells (RAW 264.7) was confirmed using confocal microscopy and FACS analysis. Systemic administration of MTX-GC-SA into collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice resulted in high accumulation in inflamed joints. The MTX-GS-SA revealed significantly better therapeutic efficacy against CIA mice compared to free MTX.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the potential of using this MTX-GC-SA nanoparticle formulation in suppressing inflammatory arthritis for effective treatment of RA.

A goal programming approach for balancing diet costs and feed water use under different environmental conditions

Water is essential in livestock production systems. In typical dairy production systems, 90% of the total water used by a dairy farm is attributed to feed production. Theoretically, ration manipulation is a method to potentially reduce the irrigation water needed for feed crops without dramatically increasing diet costs. However, published quantitative studies on the relationship between feed production and water use that are integrated with linear programming models are scarce. The overall objective of this study was to develop an optimization framework that could achieve a balance between minimization of dietary costs and dietary irrigation water usage, and that could be used as a framework for future research and models for various livestock production systems. Weighted goal programming models were developed to minimize the dietary costs and irrigation water usage for a hypothetical cow under 8 different environmental scenarios. The environmental conditions used a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design, including 2 atmospheric CO₂ concentrations (400 and 550 ppm), 2 water years (dry and wet), and 2 irrigation methods (furrow and drip). A systematic weighting scheme was used to model the trade-off between minimizing diet cost and minimizing irrigation water use for feedstuffs. Each environmental condition generated a set of distinct diets, which each met the same nutrient requirements of the hypothetical cow but had a different water usage when the weighting scheme was changed from weighting minimum diet costs to minimum irrigation water usage. For water resource planning in areas of dairy production, this set of unique solutions provides the decision maker with different feeding options according to diet cost, water usage, and available feeds. As water was more constrained, dietary dry matter intake increased, concentrations of neutral detergent fiber, ether extract, and energy decreased, and the concentration of lignin increased because less nutritive but more water-saving feedstuffs were included in the diet. Mitigation costs of water usage were calculated from goal programming results and indicated that the potential value of water under water-limited conditions (e.g., in a drought region) was higher than that under water-sufficient conditions. However, a smaller increase in feed costs can initially significantly reduce water usage compared with that of a least-cost diet, which implies that the reduction of water usage through ration manipulation might be possible. This model serves as a framework for the study of irrigation water usage in dairy production and other livestock production systems and for decision-making processes involved in water resources planning in the broader area of animal production.

Anatomic reconstruction of anterior talofibular ligament with tibial tuberosity-patellar tendon autograft for chronic lateral ankle instability

INTRODUCTION

Anatomic repair of the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) is challenging when the local ligamentous tissue is severely attenuated. Anatomic reconstruction of the ATFL with tibial tuberosity-patellar tendon (TT-PT) autograft is a feasible choice that can avoid the complicated tendon-bone healing and restore ankle stability.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From 2009 to 2015, 31 chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI) patients (31 ankles), who had a serious injury on the ATFL only, were treated with anatomic reconstruction of ATFL with TT-PT. American orthopedic foot and ankle society ankle-hindfoot score (AHS), visual analog scale for pain score (VAS), Karlsson-Peterson score, Tegner activity level, and objective examination comprehending range of motion were used to evaluate the clinical outcomes before and after operation. Radiographically, talar tilt angles and anterior drawer were assessed in pre- and postoperative ankle stress views.

RESULTS

Among the 31 ankles, 17 ankles with single-bundle ATFL and 14 ankles with double-bundle ATFL were found at operation. At a mean follow-up of 42 months (24-82 months), all patients were satisfied with the procedure. Mean AHS significantly increased from 60.5 ± 8.2 to 93.5 ± 4.8. Mean Karlsson-Peterson score significantly increased from 55.2 ± 11.0 preoperatively to 91.2 ± 6.9 at final follow-up. Average VAS significantly decreased from 5.9 ± 1.6 preoperatively to 1.4 ± 1.0 at the latest follow-up. Mean Tegner activity level was 3.7 ± 0.9 before operation, compared with 7.0 ± 0.8 after operation. On stress radiographs, mean talar tilt angle was 17.0 ± 3.4° before operation and 3.8 ± 2.1° at the latest follow-up. In addition, mean anterior tibiotalar translation was 7.5 ± 2.2 mm before operation and 1.8 ± 1.1 mm at the latest follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Anatomic reconstruction of the ATFL using a TT-PT autograft allows bone-bone healing in talus and tendon-tendon/periosteum healing in fibula rather than requiring tendon-bone healing, which is an alternative choice for treating CLAI caused by single ATFL insufficiency.

Anisotropic CoFe2O4@Graphene Hybrid Aerogels with High Flux and Excellent Stability as Building Blocks for Rapid Catalytic Degradation of Organic Contaminants in a Flow-Type Setup

Macroscopic three-dimensional catalytic materials could overcome the poor operability and avoid secondary pollution of common powdery counterparts, especially in flow-type setups. However, conventional isotropic graphene-based aerogels and foams have randomly distributed graphene sheets, which may cause stream erosion and reduce the flux seriously. Herein, for the first time, we design and fabricate a novel anisotropic CoFe₂O₄@graphene hybrid aerogel (CFO@GA-A) with a hydrothermal synthesis followed by directional-freezing and freeze-drying for a tube-like flow-type setup analogous to a wastewater discharge pipeline. The long and vertically aligned pores inside the aerogel provide an exceptional flux of 1100 L m^-2 h^-1, 450% higher than that of the rough and zigzag paths in the isotropic CoFe₂O₄@graphene hybrid aerogel (CFO@GA-I), and the leaching of metal ions is obviously inhibited by relieving the erosion of CoFe₂O₄. Besides, the CFO@GA-A could sustain the scour of high-speed flowing wastewater and maintain its structural stability. Therefore, organic contaminants of indigo carmine, methyl orange, orange II, malachite green, phenol, and norfloxacin could readily flow over the nanocatalysts and be degraded rapidly within 7.5-12.5 min at varied flow rates from 60 to 120 mL h^-1. The CFO@GA-A also exhibits a much better long-term stability with removal efficiencies toward indigo carmine at 100%, 91%, and 85% for at least 30 h (60 mL h^-1), 25 h (90 mL h^-1), and 21 h (120 mL h^-1), respectively. On the contrary, the CFO@GA-I exhibits unsatisfactory removal efficiencies of <40%. Interestingly, CFO@GA-A could also serve as building blocks to stack on each other for degrading intense flowing wastewater, exhibiting an outstanding composability. The high-flux and long-term stability make the CFO@GA-A promising as an ideal catalytic material for wastewater treatments.

The My Emotions Questionnaire: A self-report of mothers' emotional responses to infant crying

The purpose of this article was to examine the psychometrics of the My Emotions Questionnaire, a self-report designed to assess mothers' emotional reactions when their infants cry. Participants were 240 first-time mothers. When infants were 6 months and 1 year old, mothers completed the new questionnaire and measures assessing beliefs and behavioral responses to infant crying, and interview-based measures of mothers' emotional reactions and causal attributions about crying were administered. Maternal sensitivity and negative behaviors were observed when infants were 6 months and 1 and 2 years old. Mothers reported on their discipline practices when children were 2 years old. Five emotion factors emerged based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the 6-month data: Amusement, Anxiety, Frustration, Sympathy, and Protective. The five-factor structure was supported via a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the 1-year data. All scales demonstrated adequate internal consistency reliability and significant stability from 6 months to 1 year. Amusement, Frustration, and Protectiveness demonstrated the best convergent validity with cry cognitions and predictive validity to parenting measures, followed by Anxiety, although effects tended to be small to moderate. Evidence for the validity of Sympathy was less compelling. The potential utility of the questionnaire for basic and applied research is discussed.

Cobalt Hydroxide Carbonate/Reduced Graphene Oxide Anodes Enabled by a Confined Step-by-Step Electrochemical Catalytic Conversion Process for High Lithium Storage Capacity and Excellent Cyclability with a Low Variance Coefficient

Transition metal carbonates/hydroxides have attracted much attention as appealing anode materials due to their considerable reversible electrochemical catalytic conversion capacity. However, their serious positive or negative trends with cycles caused by the electrochemical catalytic conversion seriously affect their practical applications. Herein, novel one-dimensional cobalt hydroxide carbonate (CHC) nanomaterials are tightly anchored on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets via a facile one-pot hydrothermal synthesis, forming surface-confined domains to further restrict the electrochemical catalytic conversion process. The analysis on the cycled electrodes at varied potentials confirms that the added capacity of CHC arises from the step-by-step reversible reactions of Li₂CO₃ and LiOH under the electrochemical catalysis of Co metal generated by the conversion reaction of CHC. The reversible reaction of Li₂CO₃ is followed closely by that of LiOH in the discharge process, while the order is opposite in the charge process. Such a step-by-step electrochemical catalytic conversion process could confine each other to accommodate the volume change and avoid side reactions. The confined effect is further enhanced by limiting the width and length of the CHC, which are determined by regulating the nucleation and growth of CHC on the surface of RGO, leading to an extraordinary cyclability. The optimized CHC/RGO hybrid maintains a high reversible capacity of 1110 mA h g^-1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g^-1, which is much higher than the theoretical value of CHC (506 mA h g^-1) on the basis of the recognized conversion reaction. Furthermore, it keeps high reversible capacities of 755 and 506 mA h g^-1 after 200 cycles at 1 and 2 A g^-1, respectively, exhibiting a high-rate cyclability with the lowest coefficient of variance of 9.4% among the reported ones. The confined step-by-step electrochemical catalytic conversion process facilitates high lithium storage capacity and satisfactory cyclability with a pretty low variance coefficient.

Validation of Zero TE-MRA in the Characterization of Cerebrovascular Diseases: A Feasibility Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Zero TE-MRA is less sensitive to field heterogeneity, complex flow, and acquisition noise. This study aimed to prospectively validate the feasibility of zero TE-MRA for cerebrovascular diseases assessment, compared with TOF-MRA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Seventy patients suspected of having cerebrovascular disorders were recruited. Sound levels were estimated for each MRA subjectively and objectively in different modes. MRA image quality was estimated by 2 neuroradiologists. The degree of stenosis (grades 0-4) and the z-diameter of aneurysms (tiny group ≤3 mm and large group >3 mm) were measured for further quantitative analysis. CTA was used as the criterion standard.

RESULTS

Zero TE-MRA achieved significantly lower subjective perception and objective noise reduction (37.53%). Zero TE-MRA images showed higher signal homogeneity (3.29 ± 0.59 versus 3.04 ± 0.43) and quality of venous signal suppression (3.67 ± 0.47 versus 2.75 ± 0.46). The intermodality agreement was higher for zero TE-MRA than for TOF-MRA (zero TE, 0.90; TOF, 0.81) in the grading of stenosis. Zero TE-MRA had a higher correlation than TOF-MRA (zero TE, 0.84; TOF, 0.74) in the tiny group and a higher consistency with CTA (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.83; intercept, -0.5084-1.1794; slope -0.4952 to -0.2093) than TOF-MRA (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.64; intercept, 0.7000-2.6133; slope -1.0344 to -0.1923). Zero TE-MRA and TOF-MRA were comparable in the large group. Zero TE-MRA had more accurate details than TOF-MRA of AVM and Moyamoya lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with TOF-MRA, zero TE-MRA achieved more robust performance in depicting cerebrovascular diseases. Therefore, zero TE-MRA was shown to be a promising MRA technique for further routine application in the clinic in patients with cerebrovascular diseases.

[Effective prevention and control of myopia in children and adolescents]

Myopia prevention and control is an important health issue related to children and adolescents, general public physical fitness and national defense security. In 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping gave instructions on students' myopia. Ministry of Education and other seven ministries and commissions issued the Implementation Plan of the Myopia Prevention and Control for Children and Adolescents. As the myopia prevalence continues to develop into an urgent situation, myopia prevention and control has become a national strategy. In the battle fighting against prevalent myopia, medical and scientific researchers, as professionals, play a key role in guiding the effective implementation of the project and coordinating among five parties including government, schools, medical institutions, families and individual students. It is of great significance to effectively prevent and control myopia for children and adolescents and to achieve the overall goal of prevention and control. This article summarizes the potential effective methods in myopia prevention and control, hoping to provide useful reference and help for the national prevention and control work. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55: 81-85).

Comparative Evaluation of the Book-Type Acellular Bone Scaffold and Fibrocartilage Scaffold for Bone-Tendon Healing

Bone-tendon (B-T) healing is a clinical challenge due to its limited regeneration capability. Fibrocartilage regeneration and bone formation at the healing site are two critical factors for B-T healing. Promoting fibrocartilage regeneration and bone formation by tissue-engineering may be a promising treatment strategy. In this study, we innovatively fabricated two kinds of acellular scaffolds from bone or fibrocartilage tissues, namely the book-type the acellular bone scaffold (BABS) and the book-type acellular fibrocartilage scaffold (BAFS). Histologically, the two scaffolds well preserved the native extracellular matrix (ECM) structure without cellular components. In vitro studies showed BABS is superior in osteogenic inducibility, while BAFS has good chondrogenic inducibility. To comparatively investigate the efficacy on B-T healing, the BABS or BAFS were, respectively, implanted into a rabbit partial patellectomy model. Macroscopically, a regenerated bone-tendon insertion (BTI) was bridging the residual patella and patellar-tendon with no signs of infection and osteoarthritis. Radiologically, more new bone was formed at the healing interface in the BABS group as compared with the BAFS or control (CTL) groups (p < 0.05). Histologically, at postoperative week 16, histological scores were significantly better for regenerated fibrocartilage in the BAFS group or BABS group compared with the CTL group, but the BAFS group showed a significantly larger score than the BABS groups (p < 0.05). Biomechanical evaluation indicated a higher failure load and stiffness were shown in the BAFS group than those in the BABS or CTL groups at week 16 (p < 0.05). This study indicated that the BAFS is a more promising scaffold for B-T healing in comparison with the BABS. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:1709-1722, 2019.

Hyperspectral Multiplexed Biological Imaging of Nanoprobes Emitting in the Short-Wave Infrared Region

Optical bioimaging with exogenous luminophores emitting in short-wave infrared spectral region (SWIR, ~ 1000-1700 nm) is a rapidly developing field, and the development of multiple SWIR-photoluminescent nanoprobes has recently been reported. In this regard, hyperspectral imaging (HSI), combined with unmixing algorithms, is a promising tool that can allow for efficient multiplexing of the SWIR-emitting nanoagents by their photoluminescence (PL) spectral profiles. The SWIR HSI technique reported here is developed to multiplex two types of nanoprobes: polymeric nanoparticles doped with organic dye (PNPs) and rare-earth doped fluoride nanoparticles (RENPs). Both types of nanoprobes exhibit PL in the same spectral range (~ 900-1200 nm), which hinders spectral separation of PL with optical filters and limits possibilities for their multiplexed imaging in biological tissues. By applying SWIR HSI, we exploited differences in the PL spectral profiles and achieved the spectrally selective and sensitive imaging of the PL signal from every type of nanoparticles. Unmixing of acquired data allowed for multiplexing of the spectrally overlapping nanoprobes by their PL profile. Both quantitative and spatial distribution for every type of nanoparticles were obtained from their mixed suspensions. Finally, the SWIR HSI technique with unmixing protocol was applied to in vivo imaging of mice subcutaneously injected with PNPs and RENPs. The applicability of hyperspectral techniques to multiplex nanoprobes in the in vivo imaging was successfully demonstrated.

Fetal and Infant Outcomes in the Offspring of Parents With Perinatal Mental Disorders: Earliest Influences

Mental illness is highly prevalent and runs in families. Mental disorders are considered to enhance the risk for the development of psychopathology in the offspring. This heightened risk is related to the separate and joint effects of inherited genetic vulnerabilities for psychopathology and environmental influences. The early years of life are suggested to be a key developmental phase in the intergenerational psychopathology transmission. Available evidence supports the idea that early exposure to parental psychopathology, during the pregnancy and first postpartum year, may be related to child psychological functioning beyond the postpartum period, up to adulthood years. This not only highlights the importance of intervening early to break the chain of intergenerational transmission of psychopathology but also raises the question of whether early interventions targeting parental mental disorders in this period may alleviate these prolonged adverse effects in the infant offspring. The current article focuses on the specific risk of psychopathology conveyed from mentally ill parents to the offspring during the pregnancy and first postpartum year. We first present a summary of the available evidence on the associations of parental perinatal mental illness with infant psychological outcomes at the behavioral, biological, and neurophysiological levels. Next, we address the effects of early interventions and discuss whether these may mitigate the early intergenerational transmission of risk for psychopathology. The summarized evidence supports the idea that psychopathology-related changes in parents' behavior and physiology in the perinatal period are related to behavioral, biological, and neurophysiological correlates of infant psychological functioning in this period. These alterations may constitute risk for later development of child and/or adult forms of psychopathology and thus for intergenerational transmission. Targeting psychopathology or mother-infant interactions in isolation in the postnatal period may not be sufficient to improve outcomes, whereas interventions targeting both maternal psychopathology and mother-infant interactions seem promising in alleviating the risk of early transmission.

[Changing trends of topical anti-glaucoma medications in the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University during the past ten years]

Objective: To investigate the changing trends of topical anti-glaucoma medications in the outpatient of the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University over the decade 2005-2014. Methods: Retrospective case series study. The medications data of glaucoma outpatients in the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were collected for the period of January 1(st) 2005 to December 31(st) 2014. SPSS 20.0 statistical software was used, mainly for statistical description of the data. The main outcome measures were the proportions of the prescriptions of different medications, and the proportions of the monotherapy and combination therapies. Results: During the 10 years, the number of glaucoma outpatients increased year by year, from 994 in 2005 to 3 266 in 2014, the gender ration was close to 1∶1, and the age were (57±18) years. The proportion of β-blockers decreased from 56.7% (750/1 323) in 2005 to 33.1% (2 120/6 407) in 2014. The proportion of cholinergic agents decreased from 17.2% (227/1 323) in 2005 to 10.3% (663/6 407) in 2014. While the proportion of prostaglandins increased from 13.3% (176/1 323) in 2005 to 36.8% (1 916/5 209) in 2011, which was close to the 37.9% (1 972/5 209) of β-blockers in 2011. In 2012, the prostaglandins proportion increased to 41.9% (2 435/5 810) exceeding the 37.2% (2 161/5 810) of β-blockers, and became the most prescribed medication. The proportion of prostaglandins continued to increase to 46.9% (3 008/6 407) in 2014. The proportion of α(2)-agonists increased from 17.0% (225/1 323) in 2005 to 22.8% (1 460/6 407) in 2014. The proportion of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors increased from 9.6% (127/1 323) in 2005 to 24.1% (1 546/6 407) in 2014.The proportion of monotherapy decreased from 78.0% (1 032/1 323) in 2005 to 58.6% (3 757/6 407) in 2014. The proportion of two drugs combination increased from 20.0% (264/1 323) in 2005 to 26.7% (1 709/6 407) in 2014. The proportion of three drugs combination increased from 2.0% (26/1 323) in 2005 to 12.3% (788/6 407) in 2014. The proportion of four drugs combination increased from 0.1% (1/1 323) in 2005 to 2.3% (150/6 407) in 2014. Conclusions: The changes of the proportions of topical anti-glaucoma medications were remarkable from 2005 to 2014 in the outpatient of the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. The β-blockers and cholinergic agents were declining, while the prostaglandins, α(2)-agonists and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors were increasing, and the prostaglandins became the most prescribed medication since 2012. The proportion of combination therapy was increasing. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2018, 54: 520-525).

[Quantitative evaluation of the relationship between femoral trochlear dysplasia and the degeneration of the patellofemoral cartilage by using T2mapping]

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between the femoral trochlear dysplasia(FTD) and the degeneration of the patellofemoral cartilage by using MR T2mapping technique. Methods: Sixty two subjects with FTD(aged 18-45 years) were enrolled in Tianjin First Center Hospital from January 2016 to December 2017,the controls which both age and gender were matched.T2mapping scan were aquired for each subject and control. Compare the differences of the T2mapping values for each area between subjects and controls, and compare Dejour types of femoral trochlear in different age groups, respectively. Results: The T2mapping value of subjects was significant lower than controls: the superficial-femoral-lateral layer (sFL) (P=0.000) and the superficial-patella-lateral layer (sPL) (P=0.009). In the group of age less than 30 years, the T2mapping value of subjects was significant lower than controls:sFL (P=0.001) and sPL (P=0.015). In group of age greater than 30 years, the T2mapping value of subjects was significant lower than controls: sFL (P=0.035). In difference Dejour types of FTD, the T2mapping value of type B-D was lowest in sFL(P=0.014),sPL(P=0.000), the superficial-patella-medial layer (sPM) (P=0.020) and the the T2mapping value of type B-D was highest in the deep-femoral-medial layer (dFM) (P=0.006). The difference was statistically significant, P<0.05. Conclusion: The FTD might cause the early degeneration of patellofemoral cartilage, which significantly appear in the young age; The type B-D of FTD is more likely to cause the wider range of superficial cartilage injure and involved some part of deep layer; the injure shows dehydration change in superficial cartilage and edema in deep layer.

[Oral hygiene maintenance of locator attachments implant overdentures in edentulous population: A longitudinal study]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the oral hygiene status of edentulous patients with locator attachments implant overdentures (IOD) and to analyze the relationship among daily hygiene behavior, oral hygiene status and peri-implant diseases.

METHODS

Edentulous patients who received IOD treatment with locator attachments from January 2012 to May 2016 were recruited. Clinical and radiographic examinations were conducted to assess the peri-implant tissue status. Modified plaque index (mPLI), sulcus bleeding index (SBI), gingival index (GI), and probing depth (PD) were recorded and peri-implant marginal bone loss (MBL) was measured using paralleling projection technique. Patients' peri-implant oral hygiene maintainence habits were investigated. The correlation between peri-implant diseases and oral hygiene status and behaviors was analyzed.

RESULTS

Fifty patients (125 implants) with an average follow-up time of 22 months (6-54 months) were enrolled. The mean values of mPLI, SBI, and GI were 1.4±1.2, 0.8±0.7, and 0.7± 0.6, respectively. Average PD was (2.2±0.7) mm. Mesial and distal maginal bone resorptions were (1.1±1.1) mm and (0.9±0.9) mm, respectively. The prevalance of mucositis and peri-implantitis of the implants were 49.6% and 0. The prevelance of mucositis in the patients with poor oral hygiene (mPLI≥2) was 11.9 times as much as that of those with adequate oral hygiene (mPLI<1). The patients who performed oral hygiene procedure on attachments at least twice a day achieved much lower mPLI scores than those who cleaned less than twice a day.

CONCLUSION

Oral hygiene condition in the group of patients with implant overdentures was poor, and it contributed to increased risk of peri-implant mucositis. The prevelance of musositis of the paitients with poor oral hygiene was 11.9 times as much as that of those with proper oral hygiene. Patients wearing IOD should pay more attention to the hygiene of the attachments.

Tendon Healing in Bone Tunnel after Human Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review of Histological Results

Most studies concerning to tendon healing and incorporation into bone are mainly based on animal studies due to the invasive nature of the biopsy procedure. The evidence considering tendon graft healing to bone in humans is limited in several case series or case reports, and therefore, it is difficult to understand the healing process. A computerized search using relevant search terms was performed in the PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases, as well as a manual search of reference lists. Searches were limited to studies that investigated tendon graft healing to bone by histologic examination after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with hamstring. Ten studies were determined to be eligible for this systematic review. Thirty-seven cases were extracted from the included studies. Most studies showed that a fibrovascular interface would form at the tendon-bone interface at the early stage and a fibrous indirect interface with Sharpey-like fibers would be expected at the later stage. Cartilage-like tissue at tendon graft-bone interface was reported in three studies. Tendon graft failed to integrate with the surrounding bone in 10 of the 37 cases. Unexpectedly, suspensory type of fixation was used for the above failure cases. An indirect type of insertion with Sharpey-like fibers at tendon-bone interface could be expected after ACL reconstruction with hamstring. Regional cartilage-like tissue may form at tendon-bone interface occasionally. The underlying tendon-to-bone healing process is far from understood in the human hamstring ACL reconstruction. Further human studies are highly needed to understand tendon graft healing in bone tunnel after hamstring ACL reconstruction.

Hierarchical mesoporous cobalt silicate architectures as high-performance sulfate-radical-based advanced oxidization catalysts

Self-sacrificial biomass-derived silica is a rising and promising approach to fabricate large metal silicates, which are practical water treatment agents ascribed for easy sedimentation and separation. However, the original biomass architecture is difficult to be maintained and utilized. Furthermore, sufficient ion diffusion pathways need to be created to satisfy massive mass transport in large bulk materials. Herein, a series of metal silicates, including cobalt silicate (CoSiO_x), copper silicate, nickel silicate, iron silicate, and magnesium silicate, are synthesized from Indocalamus tessellatus leaf as the biomass-derived silica source and investigated as catalysts in sulfate-radical-based advanced oxidization processes (SR-AOPs) for the first time. Among them, CoSiO_x presents an analogical sandwich structure as a leaf-derived template of micron-level size. More importantly, the interior hollow nanotubes assembled by small nanosheets provide numerous pathways for ion diffusion and remarkably promote the mass transport in such large bulk materials. Owing to the combination of the unique structure with the high reactivity of Co (II) toward peroxymonosulfate, CoSiO_x exhibits excellent catalytic performance with 0.242 and 0.153 min^-1 rate constants for the removal of methylene blue and phenol, respectively, which outperforms/is comparable to that of the reported nanomaterials toward organic contaminants in SR-AOPs.

Effect of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound After Autologous Adipose-Derived Stromal Cell Transplantation for Bone-Tendon Healing in a Rabbit Model

BACKGROUND

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS), as a safe biophysiotherapy, can enhance bone-tendon (B-T) healing in vivo and induce osteogenic or chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells in vitro. This study aimed to determine whether LIPUS can improve the efficacy of transplanted mesenchymal stromal cells on B-T healing.

HYPOTHESIS

LIPUS can induce lineage-specific differentiation of transplanted adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) at the B-T healing site, thus resulting in superior healing quality when compared with LIPUS or ASCs alone.

STUDY DESIGN

Controlled laboratory study.

METHODS

A total of 112 mature rabbits with partial patellectomy in the hindlimb were randomly assigned into mock sonication without ASCs (control), ultrasonication without ASCs (LIPUS), mock sonication with ASCs (ASCs), and ultrasonication with ASCs (LIPUS + ASCs). The treatment time of the mock sonication or ultrasonication was 20 minutes per day. Autologous ASCs were transplanted to the healing site by fibrin glue during the operation, and LIPUS was delivered daily starting at postoperative day 3 until euthanasia. The patella-patellar tendon junctions were postoperatively harvested at 8 and 16 weeks for radiological, histological, and mechanical evaluations. Additionally, 9 animals were used for ASC tracking with mCherry protein.

RESULTS

Radiologically, there was more new bone formation and remodeling in the LIPUS + ASCs group as compared with the other groups. Synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography showed that the LIPUS + ASCs group significantly increased bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness, and trabecular number at the healing site as compared with the other groups at postoperative 8 weeks ( P < .05 for all). Histologically, immunohistochemical staining confirmed that the transplanted mCherry-ASCs can differentiate into osteoblasts and fibrochondrocytic-like cells. Meanwhile, as compared with the other groups, the LIPUS + ASCs group showed more formation and maturity of the fibrocartilage layer and new bone at postoperative weeks 8 and 16 ( P < .05 for all). Biomechanically, the LIPUS + ASCs group showed significantly higher failure load and stiffness versus the other groups at postoperative weeks 8 and 16 ( P < .05 for all).

CONCLUSION

Autologous ASC transplantation stimulated with LIPUS can result in superior B-T healing quality when compared with LIPUS or ASCs alone.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This study demonstrates the effectiveness of using ASC transplantation stimulated with LIPUS for B-T healing and provides a foundation for future clinical studies.

Book-Shaped Acellular Fibrocartilage Scaffold with Cell-loading Capability and Chondrogenic Inducibility for Tissue-Engineered Fibrocartilage and Bone-Tendon Healing

Functional fibrocartilage regeneration is a bottleneck during bone-tendon healing, and the currently available tissue-engineering strategies for fibrocartilage regeneration are insufficient because of a lack of appropriate scaffold that can load large seeding-cells and induce chondrogenesis of stem cells. The acellular fibrocartilage scaffold (AFS) contains active growth factors as well as tissue-specific epitopes for cell-matrix interactions, which make it a potential scaffold for tissue-engineered fibrocartilage. A limitation to this scaffold is that its low porosity inhibits cells loading and infiltration. Here, inspired by book appearance, we sectioned native fibrocartilage tissue (NFT) into book-shape to improve cells loading and infiltration, and then decellularized with four protocols: (1) 2% SDS for 6-h, (2) 2% SDS for 24-h, (3) 4 SDS for 6-h, (4) 4% SDS for 24-h, followed by nuclease digestion. The optimal protocol was screened with respect to microstructures, DNA residence, native ingredients reservation, and chondrogenic inducibility of the AFS. In vitro studies demonstrated that this screened scaffold is noncytotoxicity and low-immunogenicity, allows adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) attachment and proliferation, shows superior chondrogenic inducibility, and stimulates collagen or glycosaminoglycans secretion. The underlying mechanism for this chondrogenic inducibility may be related to hedgehog pathway activating. Additionally, a novel pattern for fabricating tissue-engineered fibrocartilage was developed to enlarge seeding-cells loading, namely, cell-sheets sandwiched by book-shaped scaffold. In-vivo studies indicate that this screened scaffold alone could induce endogenous cells to satisfactorily regenerate fibrocartilage at 16-week, as characterized by fibrocartilaginous extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and good interface integration. Interleaving this book-shaped AFS with autologous ASCs-sheets significantly enhanced its ability to regenerate fibrocartilage. Cell tracking demonstrated that fibrochondrocytes, osteoblasts, and osteocytes in the healing interface at postoperative 8-week partly originated from the sandwiched ASCs-sheets. On that basis, we propose the use of this book-shaped AFS and cell sheet technique for fabricating tissue-engineered fibrocartilage to improve bone-tendon healing.

Degradable conductive self-healing hydrogels based on dextran-graft-tetraaniline and N-carboxyethyl chitosan as injectable carriers for myoblast cell therapy and muscle regeneration

Injectable conductive hydrogels have great potential as tissue engineering scaffolds and delivery vehicles for electrical signal sensitive cell therapy. In this work, we present the synthesis of a series of injectable electroactive degradable hydrogels with rapid self-healing ability and their potential application as cell delivery vehicles for skeletal muscle regeneration. Self-healable conductive injectable hydrogels based on dextran-graft-aniline tetramer-graft-4-formylbenzoic acid and N-carboxyethyl chitosan were synthesized at physiological conditions. The dynamic Schiff base bonds between the formylbenzoic acid and amine group from N-carboxyethyl chitosan endowed the hydrogels with rapid self-healing ability, which was verified by rheological test. Equilibrated swelling ratio, morphology, mechanical strength, electrochemistry and conductivity of the injectable hydrogels were fully investigated. The self-healable conductive hydrogels showed an in vivo injectability and a linear-like degradation behavior. Two different kinds of cells (C2C12 myoblasts and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC)) were encapsulated in the hydrogels by self-healing effect. The L929 fibroblast cell culture results indicated the biocompatibility of the hydrogels. Moreover, the C2C12 myoblast cells were released from the conductive hydrogels with a linear-like profile. The in vivo skeletal muscle regeneration was also studied in a volumetric muscle loss injury model. All these data indicated that these biodegradable self-healing conductive hydrogels are potential candidates as cell delivery vehicles and scaffolds for skeletal muscle repair. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Injectable hydrogels with self-healing and electrical conductivity properties are excellent candidates as tissue-engineered scaffolds for myoblast cell therapy and skeletal muscle regeneration. The self-healing property of these hydrogels can prolong their lifespan. However, most of the reported conductive hydrogels are not degradable or do not have the self-healing ability. Herein, we synthesized antibacterial conductive self-healing hydrogels as a cell delivery carrier for cardiac cell therapy based on chitosan-grafted-tetraaniline hydrogels synthesized in our previous work. However, an acid solution was used to dissolve the polymers in that study, which may induce toxicity to cells. In this work, we synthesized a series of injectable electroactive biodegradable hydrogels with rapid self-healing ability composed of N-carboxyethyl chitosan (CECS) and dextran-graft-aniline oligomers, and these hydrogel precusor can dissolve in PBS solution of pH 7.4; we further demonstrated their potential application as cell delivery vehicles for skeletal muscle regeneration.

[Evaluation of the fabrication deviation of a kind of milling digital implant surgical guides]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the deviation of digital implant surgical guides during fabrication process in the Organical Dental Implant (ODI) system.

METHODS

This study included two parts. The first part was the in vitro study. A resin block with a diagnostic template was used for the planning. After cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanning, a surgical guide with eight implants was virtually designed using the ODI system. The guide was milled by a 5-axial numerical controlled milling machine, and an optical scanning was taken to digitalize the guide to a standard tessellation language (STL) form. The STL data were then imported into an ODI software and registered with the original design. The deviation of the sleeves between the design and the STL was measured in the ODI software and set as the golden standard. Then the ODI examination table was used to measure the deviation of the guide during fabrication. Examiners A and B measured 10 times separately. The reliability and the validity of the examination table was calculated. The second part was the in vivo study: The deviation during fabrication of 12 guides designed and fabricated by the ODI system were measured using the examination table.

RESULTS

The standard deviation of the deviation measured using the examination table by examiners A and B were all below 0.40 mm (for the shell reference points) and 0.71 degree (for the angles). No significant difference was found between the two examiners for any implant sites. The result of the examination table was larger than that of the software for the shell reference point (t-test, P<0.05), but no significant difference was found for the angle deviation (t-test, P>0.05). The 45 implants positions in the 12 guides for the in vivo study were examined using the examination table. The deviations at the shell reference points were (1.06±0.29) mm (0.42-1.75 mm), and at the implant tip were (1.12±0.48) mm (0.41-2.44 mm). The angle deviations were (1.42±0.70) degree (0.29-2.96 degree).

CONCLUSION

Deviation is unavoidable during the fabrication process of the guides. The examination table of the ODI system is a reliable and valid tool to measure the deviation during fabrication of the ODI guides. More studies should be designed to research the relationship between the fabrication deviation and the implant insertion deviation.

α-Fe2O3 Nanodisk/Bacterial Cellulose Hybrid Membranes as High-Performance Sulfate-Radical-Based Visible Light Photocatalysts under Stirring/Flowing States

High activity and long-term stability are particularly important for peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based degradation processes in wastewater treatment, especially under a flowing state. However, if the highly active nanomaterials are in a powder form, they could disperse well in water but would not be convenient for application under varied flow rates. A metal oxide/bacterial cellulose hybrid membrane fixed in a flowing bed is expected to solve these problems. Herein, α-Fe₂O₃ nanodisk/bacterial cellulose hybrid membranes as high-performance sulfate-radical-based visible light photocatalysts are synthesized for the first time. The bacterial cellulose with excellent mechanical stability and film-forming feature not only benefits the formation of a stable membrane to avoid the separation and recycling problems but also helps disperse and accommodate α-Fe₂O₃ nanodisks and thus enhances the visible light absorption performances, leading to an excellent PMS-based visible light degradation efficiency under both stirring and flowing states. Particularly, the optimized hybrid membrane photocatalyzes both cationic and anionic organic dyes under a flowing bed state for at least 84 h with the catalytic efficiency up to 100% and can be easily separated after the reaction, confirming its remarkable catalytic performance and long-term stability. Even under varied flow rates during the continuous process, it efficiently degrades rhodamine B and orange II from 3 to 16 mL h^-1. When the flow rate goes back from high to low, the hybrid membrane quickly recovers its original performance, demonstrating the high activity and stability of the α-Fe₂O₃/bacterial cellulose membrane.

3D Black-Blood Luminal Angiography Derived from High-Resolution MR Vessel Wall Imaging in Detecting MCA Stenosis: A Preliminary Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

3D high-resolution vessel wall imaging is increasingly used for intracranial arterial diseases. This study compared the diagnostic performance of black-blood luminal angiography derived from 3D vessel wall imaging with source images of vessel wall imaging and TOF-MRA in detecting middle cerebral artery stenosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty-two patients with suspected MCA atherosclerosis underwent TOF-MRA, vessel wall imaging, and CTA. Intracranial black-blood luminal angiography was created from source images of vessel wall imaging using minimum intensity projection. The degree and length of MCA stenosis were measured on source images of vessel wall imaging, TOF-MRA, and black-blood luminal angiography and compared using CTA as a reference standard.

RESULTS

The image quality of black-blood luminal angiography was diagnostic in most patients. The intra- and interobserver agreement for both stenosis degree and length measurements was excellent for black-blood luminal angiography. It was comparable with that of source images of vessel wall imaging in grading stenosis. Compared with TOF-MRA, black-blood luminal angiography showed significantly higher sensitivity for the detection of severe stenosis (89.3% versus 64.3%, P = .039) and higher specificity for the detection of occlusion (95.4% versus 84.6%, P = .039). Lesion length estimated on source images of vessel wall imaging was significantly greater than that measured by CTA and black-blood luminal angiography (P < .001 and P = .010).

CONCLUSIONS

Black-blood luminal angiography is better than TOF-MRA in detecting severe stenosis and occlusion of the MCA. Compared with source images of vessel wall imaging, it is more accurate in evaluating stenosis length. Black-blood luminal angiography can be produced as a derivative from vessel wall imaging and implemented as an adjunct to vessel wall imaging and TOF-MRA without extra acquisition time.

The effects of hyperlipidemia on rotator cuff diseases: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Rotator cuff disease is a common condition that causes shoulder pain and functional disability. Recent studies suggested that hyperlipidemia might be associated with the development of rotator cuff disease. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship of hyperlipidemia and rotator cuff diseases.

METHODS

A computerized search using relevant search terms was performed in the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases, as well as a manual search of reference and citation lists of the included studies. Searches were limited to studies that explored the association of hyperlipidemia and rotator cuff diseases.

RESULTS

Sixteen studies were included in this systematic review. Ten of sixteen included studies suggested an association between dyslipidemia and rotator cuff diseases, while the other six studies did not find an association. Two studies demonstrated there were an association between statins and reduced risk of developing rotator cuff diseases or decreased incidence of revision after rotator cuff repair.

CONCLUSION

The current study suggested that there was an association between hyperlipidemia and rotator cuff diseases. Furthermore, current evidence suggested that use of statins could decrease the risk of developing rotator cuff diseases and the incidence of revision after rotator cuff repair. Future high-quality studies are highly needed to confirm these findings.

Serum relaxin as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Relaxin is a short circulating peptide hormone. The aim of this study was to understand the role of relaxin in progression of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and to assess its diagnostic and prognostic significance.

METHODS

A total of 124 patients with EOC, 46 patients with benign ovarian diseases, and 50 healthy controls were recruited. Serum levels of relaxin were determined by ELISA method. The relationship between serum relaxin level and each of the clinicopathological parameters was analyzed using the χ2 test. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method. The statistical difference in survival between the different groups was compared using the log-rank test. Survival correlation with the prognostic factors was further investigated by multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model with backward stepwise likelihood ratio.

RESULTS

The results showed that serum relaxin level was significantly higher in patients with EOC than those with benign ovarian diseases and healthy controls (p< 0.01). Serum relaxin level was associated with FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, tumor resectability, survival of the patients, chemotherapy and tumor recurrence (p< 0.05). Analysis using the Kaplan-meier method indicated that patients with high serum relaxin had significantly shorter overall survival time than those with low relaxin (p< 0.01). In a multivariate analysis along with clinical prognostic parameters, serum relaxin was identified as an independent adverse prognostic variable for survival.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicated that serum relaxin may be a clinically useful indicator for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation in EOC patients.

Tendon pathology in hypercholesterolaemia patients: Epidemiology, pathogenesis and management

Tendon pathology is a general term used to describe a group of musculoskeletal conditions related to tendons and surrounding structures. There is only limited evidence available regarding the exact aetiology and natural history of tendon pathology. In hypercholesterolaemia environments, lipids could accumulate within the extracellular matrix of the tendon and thus affect the mechanical properties of the tendon. Current evidence suggested that hypercholesterolaemia was an important risk factor in the development and progression of tendon pathology. The severity of hypercholesterolaemia was correlated with the severity of tendon pathology.

The translational potential of this article: Hypercholesterolaemia lead to the structural, inflammatory and mechanical changes in tendons, which predispose hypercholesterolaemia patients to a greater risk of tendon pathology. Measurements of serum cholesterol are suggested to be performed in patients presenting with tendon pathology. The strict control of hypercholesterolaemia would mitigate the development and progression of tendon pathology.

Multiple domains of new mothers' adaptation: Interrelations and roots in childhood maternal nonsupportive emotion socialization

This study focused on the interrelations among different domains of maternal adaptation (i.e., emotion-regulation difficulties, depressive symptoms, and couple-relationship satisfaction) over the transition to parenthood and also their associations with mothers' recalled childhood maternal nonsupportive emotion socialization. Data were obtained from a socioeconomically and racially diverse sample of 196 primiparous mothers during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and at 6 months postpartum. Results indicated that (a) mothers' adaptation in different domains had shared roots in their recalled childhood maternal nonsupportive emotion socialization; (b) maternal adaptation in various domains were interrelated with rather than independent of each other, and such associations were unidirectional rather than reciprocal (e.g., mothers' prenatal couple-relationship satisfaction was negatively associated with their depressive symptoms at 6 months postpartum rather than the reverse); and (c) mothers' adaptation in a given domain served as the mechanism via which their recalled childhood maternal nonsupportive emotion socialization shaped their adaptation in the other domains (e.g., mothers' recalled maternal nonsupportive emotion socialization was positively associated with their depressive symptoms at 6 months postpartum via its positive association with their prenatal emotion-regulation difficulties). These associations were independent of several critical covariates (e.g., child negative affect, maternal attachment). Such findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the complexity inherent within maternal adaptation over the transition to parenthood and highlight potential avenues for interventions aimed at promoting mothers' successful navigation of challenges over this transition. (PsycINFO Database Record

Predict rheumatoid arthritis conversion from undifferentiated arthritis with dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI and laboratory indexes

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the clinical value of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) and laboratory indexes in predicting conversion from undifferentiated arthritis (UA) to rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS

A total 81 DMARD-naive UA patients were studied. 37 cases were ultimately diagnosed as RA, 32 cases were diagnosed as other types of arthritis, and the remaining cases were still UA during the 1-year follow-up. The DCE-MRI and laboratory measures were fed into a logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Wash-in rate and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody served as the final variables into the regression equation (p<0.05). The area under the ROC curve of wash-in rate was 0.966. With optimal cut-off point 29.84 s-1, wash-in rate achieved a sensitivity of 94.6% and specificity of 88.6% for predicting RA conversion from UA; anti-CCP antibody positive achieved a sensitivity of 37.8% and specificity of 90.9%. The combination of wash-in rate and anti-CCP antibody positive improved specificity (100%) but not sensitivity (27.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

The conversion from UA to RA is highly predictable. The wash-in rate of DCE-MRI can be used as an important biomarker to predict UA progression.

iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis of DMH-induced colorectal cancer in mice reveals the expressions of β-catenin, decorin, septin-7, and S100A10 expression in 53 cases of human hereditary polyposis colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to explore the roles of β-catenin, decorin, septin-7, and S100A10 expression in colorectal cancer development.

METHODS

Twenty-five BALB/c mice were divided into five groups; four groups were administrated N,N-dimethylhydrazine for 0, 10, 15, and 20 weeks, and one group was administrated normal saline for 20 weeks. The colons were collected for histopathological analysis. Protein samples prepared from the frozen colon tissues of mice treated with N,N-dimethylhydrazine for the different time points were evaluated using the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) labeling technique coupled with the 2D liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Based on the proteomic analysis results, immunohistochemical staining of β-catenin, decorin, septin-7, and S100A10 was performed in paraffin-embedded mice colorectal tissue, and 53 cases of human hereditary polyposis colorectal cancer samples.

RESULTS

Colorectal cancer was observed in mice treated with N,N-dimethylhydrazine for 20 weeks, and adenomas were observed in mice subjected to the 10-, and 15-week treatments. Seventy-two differentially expressed proteins were involved in the development of cancer as per the iTRAQ and spectrometry analysis. In normal epithelium, adenoma, and cancer from human hereditary polyposis colorectal cancer, S100A10 expression (c2 = 100.989, P = 0.000) was highest in cancer, whereas decorin (c2 = 12.852, P = 0.002) and septin-7 (c2 = 66.519, P = 0.002) expressions were highest in the normal epithelium, which was confirmed via immunohistochemical staining.

CONCLUSIONS

The subcellular localization of β-catenin and decorin, septin-7, and S100A10 expressions are associated with the development of colorectal cancer in mice after N,N-dimethylhydrazine treatment and in human hereditary polyposis colorectal cancers.

Enhanced lithium storage performances of novel layered nickel germanate anodes inspired by the spatial arrangement of lotus leaves

The rapid capacity degradation of Ge-based materials hinders their practical application for next generation lithium ion batteries, which could be solved by synthesizing Ge-containing ternary oxides, with new structures and hybridizing with carbon nanomaterials. Herein, novel Ni3Ge2O5(OH)4 nanosheets were synthesized and distributed in situ on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets, with both flat-lying and vertically-grown spatial distributions to imitate the growth of lotus leaves. These two types of Ni3Ge2O5(OH)4 nanosheets enhance their efficient contact with RGO, and increase the mass loading of active materials. Furthermore, the interfacial bonds between RGO sheets and Ni3Ge2O5(OH)4 nanosheets are introduced to improve the diffusion rate of lithium ions. The RGO sheets act as a buffer matrix to sustain the volume change and prevent the nanosheets from aggregation. Consequently, the chemically bonded Ni3Ge2O5(OH)4/RGO hybrid delivers a high specific capacity of 863 mA h g-1 over 75 cycles, which is much higher than those for neat Ni3Ge2O5(OH)4 nanosheets or the hybrid without the interfacial bonding. This study provides a novel perspective for designing high-performance Ge-based anode materials for advanced lithium ion batteries.

Neuron-Inspired Fe3O4/Conductive Carbon Filament Network for High-Speed and Stable Lithium Storage

Construction of a continuous conductance network with high electron-transfer rate is extremely important for high-performance energy storage. Owing to the highly efficient mass transport and information transmission, neurons are exactly a perfect model for electron transport, inspiring us to design a neuron-like reaction network for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with Fe₃O₄ as an example. The reactive cores (Fe₃O₄) are protected by carbon shells and linked by carbon filaments, constituting an integrated conductance network. Thus, once the reaction starts, the electrons released from every Fe₃O₄ cores are capable of being transferred rapidly through the whole network directly to the external circuit, endowing the nanocomposite with tremendous rate performance and ultralong cycle life. After 1000 cycles at current densities as high as 1 and 2 A g^-1, charge capacities of the as-synthesized nanocomposite maintain 971 and 715 mA h g^-1, respectively, much higher than those of reported Fe₃O₄-based anode materials. The Fe₃O₄-based conductive network provides a new idea for future developments of high-rate-performance LIBs.

Recyclable hypervalent-iodine-mediated solid-phase peptide synthesis and cyclic peptide synthesis

The system of the hypervalent iodine(III) reagent FPID and (4-MeOC6H4)3P was successfully applied to solid-phase peptide synthesis and cyclic peptide synthesis. Four peptides with biological activities were synthesized through SPPS and the bioactive cyclic heptapeptide pseudostellarin D was obtained via solution-phase peptide synthesis. It is worth noting that FPID can be readily regenerated after the peptide coupling reaction.

Injectable antibacterial conductive hydrogels with dual response to an electric field and pH for localized "smart" drug release

Injectable hydrogels with multistimuli responsiveness to electrical field and pH as a drug delivery system have been rarely reported. Herein, we developed a series of injectable conductive hydrogels as "smart" drug carrier with the properties of electro-responsiveness, pH-sensitivity, and inherent antibacterial activity. The hydrogels were prepared by mixing chitosan-graft-polyaniline (CP) copolymer and oxidized dextran (OD) as a cross-linker. The chemical structures, morphologies, electrochemical property, swelling ratio, conductivity, rheological property, in vitro and in vivo biodegradation, and gelation time of hydrogels were characterized. The pH-responsive behavior was verified by drug release from hydrogels in PBS solutions with different pH values (pH = 7.4 or 5.5) in an in vitro model. As drug carriers with electric-driven release, the release rate of the model drugs amoxicillin and ibuprofen loaded within CP/OD hydrogels dramatically increased when an increase in voltage was applied. Both chitosan and polyaniline with inherent antibacterial properties endowed the hydrogels with excellent antibacterial properties. Furthermore, cytotoxicity tests of the hydrogels using L929 cells confirmed their good cytocompatibility. The in vivo biocompatibility of the hydrogels was verified by H&E staining. Together, all these results suggest that these injectable pH-sensitive conductive hydrogels with antibacterial activity could be ideal candidates as smart drug delivery vehicles for precise doses of medicine to meet practical demand.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Stimuli-responsive or "smart" hydrogels have attracted great attention in the field of biotechnology and biomedicine, especially on designing novel drug delivery systems. Compared with traditional implantable electronic delivery devices, the injectable hydrogels with electrical stimuli not only are easy to generate and control electrical field but also could avoid frequent invasive surgeries that offer a new avenue for chronic diseases. In addition, designing a drug carrier with pH-sensitive property could release drug efficiently in targeted acid environment, and it could reinforce the precise doses of medicine. Furthermore, caused by opportunistic microorganisms and rapid spread of antibiotic-resistant microbes, infection is still a serious threat for many clinical utilities. To overcome these barriers, we designed a series of injectable antibacterial conductive hydrogels based on chitosan-graft-polyaniline (CP) copolymer and oxidized dextran (OD), and we demonstrated their potential as "smart" delivery vehicles with electro-responsiveness and pH-responsive properties for triggered and localized release of drugs.

Clinical analysis of combined revascularization in treating ischemic Moyamoya disease in adults

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery anastomosis (STA-MCA)+encephalo-duro-myo-synangiosis (EDMS) in treating ischemic Moyamoya disease (IMD) in adults.

METHODS

A total of 30 adult patients with IMD were selected to be included in the study; they underwent STA-MCA+EDMS and were followed up for 3 months to 2 years. The digital subtraction angiography findings, modified Rankin scale (mRs) score, and complications of all the patients were compared.

RESULTS

Thirty patients successfully completed the surgery. Three patients had postoperative complications (two patients with cerebral infarction on the surgical side and one patient with poor scalp healing). The postoperative morbidity rate was 10%. Angiography conducted at 3 to 6 months postoperatively showed 28 cases of anastomotic patency; the anastomotic patency rate was 93.3%. The mRs scores of the patients' neurological function 3 months after surgery were lower than those before surgery.

CONCLUSION

STA-MCA+EDMS is effective in treating Moyamoya disease.

The Boltzmann project

The International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM), at its meeting in October 2017, followed the recommendation of the Consultative Committee for Units (CCU) on the redefinition of the kilogram, ampere, kelvin and mole. For the redefinition of the kelvin, the Boltzmann constant will be fixed with the numerical value 1.380 649 × 10-23 J K-1. The relative standard uncertainty to be transferred to the thermodynamic temperature value of the triple point of water will be 3.7 × 10-7, corresponding to an uncertainty in temperature of 0.10 mK, sufficiently low for all practical purposes. With the redefinition of the kelvin, the broad research activities of the temperature community on the determination of the Boltzmann constant have been very successfully completed. In the following, a review of the determinations of the Boltzmann constant k, important for the new definition of the kelvin and performed in the last decade, is given.