Preparation and characterization of novel chitosan and β-cyclodextrin polymer sponges for wound dressing applications.

Chitosan (CS) presents antibacterial, mucoadhesive and hemostatic properties and is an ideal candidate for wound dressing applications. This work reports the development of sponge-like materials obtained from physical hydrogels after the interaction between CS and a β-cyclodextrin polymer (PCD) in acidic conditions to provoke immediate gelation. Characterization consisted of zeta potential (ZP) measurements, rheology analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Autologous peritoneal grafts permit rapid reperitonealization and prevent postoperative abdominal adhesions in an experimental rat study.

Background: Reperitonealization has attracted increasing attention for its potential to prevent postoperative abdominal adhesions and subsequent related complications. We studied the effect of an autologous peritoneal graft on reperitonealization and prevention of adhesions in a rat model.

Methods: A standardized peritoneal lesion was induced on the parietal peritoneum by electrocoagulation and sutures.

Effect of current emission abatement strategies on air quality improvement in China: A case study of Baotou, a typical industrial city in Inner Mongolia.

The national Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan required significant decreases in PM levels over China. To explore more effective emission abatement strategies in industrial cities, a case study was conducted in Baotou to evaluate the current national control measures. The total emissions of SO NO, PM and NMVOC (non-methane volatile organic compounds) in Baotou were 211.

Use of Estradiol Promotes Graft-Bone Healing in Rabbit Model of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With a Polyethylene Terephthalate Ligament.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the local use of estradiol after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) artificial ligament graft could promote graft-bone healing. A total of 45 New Zealand white rabbits underwent ACL reconstruction with a PET ligament graft. The experimental groups were administered a local estradiol injection at either a low dose after surgery or a high dose after surgery, and the control group did not receive an injection.

Effect of perioperative goal-directed hemodynamic therapy on postoperative recovery following major abdominal surgery-a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Goal-directed hemodynamic therapy (GDHT) has been used in the clinical setting for years. However, the evidence for the beneficial effect of GDHT on postoperative recovery remains inconsistent. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of perioperative GDHT in comparison with conventional fluid therapy on postoperative recovery in adults undergoing major abdominal surgery.

A pilot study of intraocular lens explantation in 69 eyes in Chinese patients.

Aim: To study the effects of intraocular lens (IOL) explantation and demographic characteristics.

Methods: Retrospective non-comparative case series. Clinical data recorded from patient charts included the following: demographic, preoperative and postoperative characteristics; complications; surgical methods, and changes in visual acuity.

Ambient volatile organic compounds pollution in China.

Owing to rapid economic and industrial development, China has been suffering from degraded air quality and visibility. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important precursors to the formation of ground-level ozone and hence photochemical smog. Some VOCs adversely affect human health.

[Spatial Distribution Characteristics of NMHCs in Spring in Cangzhou City].

Simultaneous collections of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) were carried out at 15 sampling sites including urban, suburb and potential pollution areas in Cangzhou City in spring 2015. The results showed that NMHCs were generally higher in urban areas than those in suburb and rural areas; the highest concentration of NMHCs was observed at Cangzhou High-tech zone (urban area); the concentrations of NMHCs were significantly lower at rural sites than in most urban sites except Hejian site; vehicular emissions were the main sources of NMHCs in Cangzhou; Cangzhou chemical fertilizer plant and Cangzhou oil refinery had no significant influence on urban NMHCs during their shutdown period; Dagang Oilfield, with better oil and gas recovery systems, did not have a significant impact on urban NMHCs. In general, alkanes, alkenes and aromatics accounted for 65%, 16% and 19% of NMHCs in Cangzhou City, respectively; xylene (19%), ethylene (14%), toluene(11%), propylene (5%), isopentane (5%) and isopentene (5%) were the most dominant contributors to ozone formation potential; aerosol formation potential was mainly derived from toluene (28%), pinene (28%), xylene(16%), ethylbenzene (9%) and benzene (9%).

Doxorubicin-loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles coated with chitosan/alginate by layer by layer technology for antitumor applications.

Natural polyelectrolyte multilayers of chitosan (CHI) and alginate (ALG) were alternately deposited on doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) with layer by layer self-assembly to control drug release for antitumor activity. Numerous factors which influenced the multilayer growth on nano-colloidal particles were studied: polyelectrolyte concentration, NaCl concentration and temperature. Then the growth regime of the CHI/ALG multilayers was elucidated.

Heterologous biosynthesis and manipulation of crocetin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Background: Due to excellent performance in antitumor, antioxidation, antihypertension, antiatherosclerotic and antidepressant activities, crocetin, naturally exists in Crocus sativus L., has great potential applications in medical and food fields. Microbial production of crocetin has received increasing concern in recent years.

Effect of Melilotus officinalis extract on the apoptosis of brain tissues by altering cerebral thrombosis and inflammatory mediators in acute cerebral ischemia.

Present investigation evaluates the protective effect of Melilotus officinalis (MO) extract on the brain tissues in acute cerebral ischemia. Acute cerebral ischemia was induced by occlusion of carotid artery and rats with cerebral ischemia were treated with MO (100, 250 & 500mg/kg) for the duration of three days. Cerebral ischemia was confirmed by estimating infract volume and neurological deficit score.

Optimization and Preclinical Perception of an Artificial Simulator for Endodontic Training: A Preliminary Study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of ceramic, hybrid ceramic, and commercial plastic bloc root canal simulator (RCS) as preclinical training aids in the learning phase of endodontic treatments. A previously developed hydroxyapatite ceramic RCS was improved by adding epoxy resin to the ceramic matrix to more closely mimic the organic phase of dentin and to simulate the clinical situation as realistically as possible. The sintered hydroxyapatite ceramic RCS was vacuum infiltrated with epoxy resin, and the degree of infiltration was evaluated by methylene blue staining.

Atmospheric size-resolved trace elements in a city affected by non-ferrous metal smelting: Indications of respiratory deposition and health risk.

This study examines size-resolved heavy metal data for particles sampled near an urban site affected by non-ferrous metal smelting in China with a focus on how particle sizes impact regional respiratory deposition behavior. Particles with aerodynamic diameters between 0.43 and 9 μm were collected during winter haze episodes from December 2011 to January 2012.

Cyclodextrin modified PLLA parietal reinforcement implant with prolonged antibacterial activity.

Unlabelled: The use of textile meshes in hernia repair is widespread in visceral surgery. Though, mesh infection is a complication that may prolong the patient recovery period and consequently presents an impact on public health economy. Such concern can be avoided thanks to a local and extended antibiotic release on the operative site.

A Silver Medal Winner at the 13th World Wu Shu Championship 2015 17 Months After Selective Thoracic Fusion for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Case Report.

Study Design: Case report.

Objective: To report the successful rehabilitation and the training progress of an elite high performance martial art exponent after selective thoracic fusion for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS).

Summary Of Background Data: Posterior spinal fusion for AIS will result in loss of spinal flexibility.

Effect of Interaction Between Noise and A1166C Site of AT1R Gene Polymorphism on Essential Hypertension in an Iron and Steel Enterprise Workers.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the interaction of Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) gene polymorphism and occupational noise on the occurrence of essential hypertension (EH) in steel and iron enterprise men workers.

Methods: A case control study of 935 iron and steel enterprise men workers was conducted, which included 312 cases of hypertension and 623 cases without hypertension. The noise at the workplace was assessed.

Molecular characterization and functional analysis of a piscidin gene in large yellow croaker ().

The piscidin family, which includes potent antimicrobial peptides with broad-spectrum activity, plays an important role in the innate immune system of fish. In this study, we cloned piscidin-5-like type 3 () in large yellow croaker (). Multiple alignments with other known piscidins revealed amino acid conservation throughout the fish, especially at the signal peptide (22 amino acids).

[Overexpression of N-myc downstream regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) inhibits proliferation, migration and promotes apoptosis in SW480 rectal cancer cells].

Objective To investigate the role of N-myc downstream regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) gene in the proliferation, migration and apoptosis of rectal cancer cells. Methods Human rectal cancer SW480 cells were cultured and transfected with pCDNA3.1-NDRG2 and empty vector (SW480-Ve).

Biomarkers of the health outcomes associated with ambient particulate matter exposure.

Epidemiologic evidence supports the positive association of cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality, and lung cancer risk with exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM). Oxidative stress and inflammation have been proposed to be the major causal factors involved in mediating PM effects on both cardiovascular and pulmonary health outcomes. However, the mechanism whereby PM causes the health effects is not fully elucidated.

Deriving High-Resolution Emission Inventory of Open Biomass Burning in China based on Satellite Observations.

Open biomass burning plays an important role in atmospheric pollution and in climate change. However, the current emission inventory of open biomass burning is generally of highly uncertainty because of missing small fire data and limited resolution because of the lack of localized vegetation data. In this study, the MODIS (MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) burned area product MCD64Al combined with the active fire product MCD14 ML, as well as a high-resolution land cover data set, were applied to develop a high-resolution emission inventory of open biomass burning in China in 2013.

The antihypercholesterolemic effect of columbamine from Rhizoma Coptidis in HFHC-diet induced hamsters through HNF-4α/FTF-mediated CYP7A1 activation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the antihypercholesterolemic activity and potential molecular mechanism of columbamine (COL) that was prepared by extraction from Rhizoma Coptidis in hamsters and HepG2 cells. The results displayed that the COL from Rhizoma Coptidis was a safe natural compound with a LD 0f 1524.6mg/kg and no detectable toxic symptoms during the observation of chronic toxicity.

Triclosan loaded electrospun nanofibers based on a cyclodextrin polymer and chitosan polyelectrolyte complex.

This work focuses on the relevance of antibacterial nanofibers based on a polyelectrolyte complex formed between positively charged chitosan (CHT) and an anionic hydroxypropyl betacyclodextrin (CD)-citric acid polymer (PCD) complexing triclosan (TCL). The study of PCD/TCL inclusion complex and its release in dynamic conditions, a cytocompatibility study, and finally the antibacterial activity assessment were studied. The fibers were obtained by electrospinning a solution containing chitosan mixed with PCD/TCL inclusion complex.

Gaseous emissions from compressed natural gas buses in urban road and highway tests in China.

The natural gas vehicle market is rapidly developing throughout the world, and the majority of such vehicles operate on compressed natural gas (CNG). However, most studies on the emission characteristics of CNG vehicles rely on laboratory chassis dynamometer measurements, which do not accurately represent actual road driving conditions. To further investigate the emission characteristics of CNG vehicles, two CNG city buses and two CNG coaches were tested on public urban roads and highway sections.

Malrotated Subhepatic Caecum with Subhepatic Appendicitis: Diagnosis and Management.

Subhepatically located caecum and appendix is a very rare entity. It occurs due to the anomaly in fetal gut rotation that results in an incomplete rotation and fixation of the intestine. Appendicitis, which is a common surgical emergency, in combination with the abnormal subhepatic location, presents a great challenge in its diagnosis and management.