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Natural polymer-based hydrogels have demonstrated great potential as wound-healing dressings. They help to maintain a moist wound environment as well as promote faster healing. In this work, a multifunctional hydrogel was prepared using keratin, sodium alginate, and carboxymethyl chitosan with tannic acid modification. Micro-morphology of hydrogels has been performed by scanning electron microscopy. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy reveals the presence of hydrogen bonding. The mechanical properties of the hydrogels were examined using a universal testing machine. Furthermore, we investigated several properties of the modified hydrogel. These properties include swelling rate, water retention, anti-freezing properties, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, hemocompatibility evaluation and cell viability test in vitro. The modified hydrogel has a three-dimensional microporous structure, the swelling rate was 1541.7%, the elastic modulus was 589.74 kPa, the toughness was 211.74 kJ/m3, and the elongation at break was 75.39%, which was similar to the human skin modulus. The modified hydrogel also showed inhibition of S. aureus and E. coli, as well as a DPPH scavenging rate of 95%. In addition, the modified hydrogels have good biological characteristics. Based on these findings, the K/SA/CCS hydrogel holds promise for applications in biomedical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report acoustic impulse-response and system function of particle vibration inside viscous, dense solids and explain the physical mechanism of intrinsic-noise generation. With an external disturbance of a harmonic force acting on particles inside viscous solid media, the system of particle vibration goes through a gradual transition from a static state to a steady harmonic vibrational state. Based on the damped oscillator model, the transition frequency spectrum resembles the intrinsic noise generated by vibrating particles in viscous isotropic solids, which delivers a crucial understanding for applications to invert stratum characteristics around the drilled oil well and its abnormal geological structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrophages are classified into classically activated M1 macrophages and alternatively activated M2 macrophages, and the two phenotypes of macrophages are present during the development of various chronic diseases, including obesity-induced inflammation. In the present study, β-elemene, which is contained in various plant substances, is predicted to treat high-fat diet (HFD)-induced macrophage dysfunction based on the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and experimental validation. β-elemene impacts the imbalance of M1-M2 macrophages by regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines in mouse white adipose tissue both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the RAW 264 cell line, which are macrophages from mouse ascites, is used to identify the effects of β-elemene on inhibiting bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. These pathways both induce and are activated by pro-inflammatory cytokines, and they also participate in the process of obesity-induced inflammation. The results highlight that β-elemene may represent a possible macrophage-mediated therapeutic medicine. β-elemene regulates the balance of proinflammatory cytokines in mouse white adipose tissue through MAPK signaling. Targets of β -elemene are predicted based on its 3D structure and include regulators of macrophage-mediated processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we constructed nanoscale graphene oxide (NGO) as a drug nanocarrier to improve the process of tumor-targeted drug releases, promote cellular uptake and accumulation of chemotherapy drugs in tumor tissues, and reduce the toxic effects of chemotherapy drugs on normal cells. Hence, great stability was obtained in the biological solution. Moreover, we designed an effective nanoparticle system for the doxorubicin (DOX) delivery targeting the oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) by mediating the HN-1 (TSPLNIHNGQKL) through hydrogen and π–π bonds. DOX@NGO-PEG-HN-1 showed significantly higher cellular uptakes and cytotoxicity in OSCC cells (CAL-27 and SCC-25), compared to free DOX. Moreover, HN-1 showed considerable tumor-targeting and competition inhibition phenomenon. As we expected, the nanocarrier showed pH-responsive drug release. In total, our study represented a good technique to construct OSCC-targeted delivery of nanoparticles and improve the anticancer medicines' efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Delayed diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) is common because the changes in renal function markers often lag injury. We aimed to find optimal non-invasive hemodynamic variables for the prediction of postoperative AKI and AKI renal replacement therapy (RRT). Methods: The data were collected from 1,180 patients who underwent cardiac surgery in our hospital between March 2015 and Feb 2016. Postoperative central venous pressure (CVP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, PaO2, and PaCO2 on ICU admission and daily fluid input and output (calculated as 24 h PFO) were monitored and compared between AKI vs. non-AKI and RRT vs non-RRT cases. Results: The AKI and AKI-RRT incidences were 36.7% (n = 433) and 1.2% (n = 14). Low cardiac output syndromes (LCOSs) occurred significantly more in AKI and RRT than in non-AKI or non-RRT groups (13.2% vs. 3.9%, P < 0.01; 42.9% vs. 7.1%, P < 0.01). CVP on ICU admission was significantly higher in AKI and RRT than in non-AKI and non-RRT groups (11.5 vs. 9.0 mmHg, P < 0.01; 13.3 vs. 9.9 mmHg, P < 0.01). 24 h PFO in AKI and RRT cases were significantly higher than in non-AKI or non-RRT patients (1.6% vs. 0.9%, P < 0.01; 3.9% vs. 0.8%, P < 0.01). The areas under the ROC curves to predict postoperative AKI by CVP on ICU admission (> 11 mmHg) + LCOS + 24 h PFO (> 5%) and to predict AKI-RRT by CVP on ICU admission (> 13 mmHg) + LCOS + 24 h PFO (> 5%) were 0.763 and 0.886, respectively. Conclusion: The volume-associated hemodynamic variables, including CVP on ICU admission, LCOS, and 24 h PFO after surgery could predict postoperative AKI and AKI-RRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignant tumor that occurs in the oral mucosa. Pathological biopsy is still the current gold standard for OSCC diagnosis; however, some drawbacks need to be overcome. Therefore, it is urgently needed to find a non-invasive targeted technology for OSCC early diagnosis. Fluorescent optical imaging using near infrared (NIR) dyes tagged to tumor specific target will benefit such developments. Gastrin releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) is an attractive target for OSCC imaging and therapy. In this study, we synthesized nano-graphene oxide (NGO) nanoparticles with GRPR-specific peptides AF750-6Ahx-Sta-BBN via hydrogen bond and π–π bonds (NGO-BBN-AF750), and investigated their receptor binding, cell uptake and internalization in HSC-3 cells. NGO-BBN-AF750 and AF750-6Ahx-Sta-BBN showed a similar binding affinity to GRPR on HSC-3 cells. In contrast to AF750-6Ahx-Sta-BBN antagonist peptide, NGO-BBN-AF750 showed cellular internalization property. Overall, this study proposes a NGO nanoclusters-based nanoprobe for GRPR targeted near-infrared fluorescence imaging for OSCC. Nanoparticle-based delivery systems have shown highly significant potential in the delivery of a wide range of therapeutic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reprogramming of somatic cells into inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provides an alternative to using embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Mesenchymal stem cells derived from human hair follicles (hHF-MSCs) are easily accessible, reproducible by direct plucking of human hairs. Whether these hHF-MSCs can be reprogrammed has not been previously reported. Here we report the generation of iPSCs from hHF-MSCs obtained by plucking several hairs. hHF-MSCs were isolated from hair follicle tissues and their mesenchymal nature confirmed by detecting cell surface antigens and multilineage differentiation potential towards adipocytes and osteoblasts. They were then reprogrammed into iPSCs by lentiviral transduction with Oct4, Sox2, c-Myc and Klf4. hHF-MSC-derived iPSCs appeared indistinguishable from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in colony morphology, expression of alkaline phosphotase, and expression of specific hESCs surface markers, SSEA-3, SSEA-4, Tra-1-60, Tra-1-81, Nanog, Oct4, E-Cadherin and endogenous pluripotent genes. When injected into immunocompromised mice, hHF-MSC-derived iPSCs formed teratomas containing representatives of all three germ layers. This is the first study to report reprogramming of hHF-MSCs into iPSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]