Healing Wounds Efficiently with Biomimetic Soft Matter: Injectable Self-Healing Neutral Glycol Chitosan/Dibenzaldehyde-Terminated Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogel with Inherent Antibacterial Properties.

The high prevalence of acquiring skin wounds, along with the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains that lead to infections, impose a threat to the physical, mental, and socioeconomic health of society. Among the wide array of wound dressings developed, hydrogels are regarded as a biomimetic soft matter of choice owing to their ability to provide a moist environment ideal for healing. Herein, neutral glycol chitosan (GC) was cross-linked via imine bonds with varying concentrations of dibenzaldehyde-terminated polyethylene glycol (DP) to give glycol chitosan/dibenzaldehyde-terminated polyethylene glycol hydrogels (GC/DP).

Acupuncture for a first episode of acute ischaemic stroke: an observer-blinded randomised controlled pilot study.

Objective: To determine the required sample size for, and feasibility of, a RCT examining the effectiveness of early acupuncture for acute ischaemic stroke.

Methods: Thirty-eight patients aged 40-85 years with a first episode of acute ischaemic stroke presenting within 72 h of stroke onset were randomly assigned to receive manual acupuncture (MA group; n=20) plus standard care or standard care only (control group, n=18). The acupuncture treatment was provided daily for 2 weeks.