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Both silicone gel and quercetin are effective in scar treatment but have different action mechanisms. Quercetin is mainly applied in the gel form and can lead to poor adhesion of silicone gel sheet; therefore, they cannot be combined in clinical use. In this study, a silicone gel sheet that releases quercetin in a sustained manner for 48 hours was successfully developed. Four round scars (Ø: 1 cm) were made in the ears of New Zealand albino rabbits (n = 10). After scar healing, the rabbits were divided into four groups: blank control group with no treatment, silicone gel sheet group with dressing change every 2 days, quercetin group with dressing change three times daily, and combination treatment group with dressing change every 2 days. Scar assessment was performed 3 months later. Transepidermal water loss showed no difference between the combination treatment group and the silicone gel sheet group, but was lower than that in the quercetin group and the blank control group. Immunohistochemistry of CD 31 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen showed the following results: combination treatment group < silicone gel sheet group = quercetin group < blank control group. Polymerase chain reaction results showed that the expression of type-I and type-III collagen in the combination treatment group and the quercetin group was significantly lower than that in the other two groups. Thus, quercetin-modified silicone gel sheet combines the advantages of the two treatments and is more effective at inhibiting cell proliferation in scar tissue than either of the two treatments alone.

A ternary complex of Tb(SSA)3Phen was synthesised based on terbium(III) (Tb3+) ion and the ligands including 1,10-phenanthroline (Phen) and 5-sulfosalicylic acid (SSA). Then a series of polylactic acid (PLA)/Tb(SSA)3Phen composites were prepared by the melt-mixing process. The luminescent properties of PLA/Tb(SSA)3Phen composite films were investigated by fluorescence spectrophotometry. The spectra of all composites indicated that PLA/Tb(SSA)3Phen composites shown the characteristic bright green fluorescence which originated from Tb(SSA)3Phen. Moreover, the energy absorption and transfers of Tb(SSA)3Phen were slightly affected by the PLA matrix. The optical transmittance of the composites was measured by the UV–vis spectrometer. The results demonstrated that Tb(SSA)3Phen can ameliorate the PLA film transparence, which well dispersed in the PLA matrix. Moreover, the thermal properties, crystal structure and the mechanical properties of PLA/Tb(SSA)3Phen composite were also investigated to determine the potential usage as a green fluorescent material.

Osteomyelitis is a well-known bone infection in humans. The primary symptoms are fever, pain, weakness, and redness of the bone. l -Homocarnosine is a bioactive peptide abundant in brain and skeletal muscles. The present study evaluated the synergistic effect of vancomycin and l -homocarnosine against osteomyelitis in the Staphylococcus aureus-induced rat model of osteomyelitis. Animals were classified into the following groups: sham (group I), osteomyelitis (group II, control), vancomycin (25 mg/kg body weight, group III), l -homobrassinolide (25 mg/kg body weight, group IV), and vancomycin (25 mg/kg body weight) + l -homobrassinolide (25 mg/kg body weight) (group V). Lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), catalase, reduced glutathione (GSH), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined. Assessments of bacterial growth and histopathological analyses were carried out. Lipid peroxidation, GSH, SOD, catalase, and Gpx levels recovered to near normal levels with the combined treatment of vancomycin and l -homocarnosine. TNF-α and IL-6 levels were reduced to near normal levels. Combined supplementation of vancomycin and l -homocarnosine reduced bacterial growth in bone and wire. Furthermore, bone infections and histopathological scores were also reduced. In summary, we showed that combined treatment of vancomycin and l -homocarnosine was more effective against bacterial growth and bone infection compared to monotherapy with vancomycin or l -homocarnosine.

Zr-based bulk metallic glasses (BMG) Zr65+xCu17.5Fe10-xAl7.5 (x = 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5) with high zirconium content were prepared by an injection copper-mold casting method. The influence of Zr partially substituted Fe and isothermal annealing on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the Zr65+xCu17.5Fe10-xAl7.5 BMGs has been systematically studied. The as-prepared BMG with a Zr content of 70 at.% achieves superior glass forming ability with a large supercooled liquid region width of 82 K and compressive performance. An optimized isothermal annealing (0.5 h) below the glass transition temperature of the as-cast Zr70Cu17.5Fe5Al7.5 BMG contributes significant enhancement in compressive fracture strength and plasticity, from 1845 MPa and 7.4% (as-cast) to 2096 MPa and 12.7% (annealed), respectively. The result of the present study provides a new strategy for designing high-performance BMG-based alloys.

Hydrogen isotope catalytic exchange between hydrogen and liquid water is a very effective process for deuterium-depleted potable water production and heavy water detritiation. To improve the characteristics of hydrophobic catalysts for this type of reaction, foamed and cellular structures of hydrophobic carbon-supported platinum catalysts were successfully prepared. Separation of deuterium or tritium from liquid water was carried out by liquid-phase catalytic exchange. At a gas–liquid ratio of 1.53 and exchange temperature of 70 °C, the theoretical plate height of the hydrophobic catalyst (HETP = 34.2 cm) was slightly lower than previously reported values. Changing the concentration of the exchange column outlet water yielded nonlinear changes in the height of the packing layer. Configurations of deuterium-depleted potable water and detritiation of heavy water provide references for practical applications.

Tao Tang,1,* Hao Jiang,1,* Yuan Yu,2,* Fang He,1 Shi-zhao Ji,1 Ying-ying Liu,1 Zhong-shan Wang,1 Shi-chu Xiao,1 Cui Tang,3 Guang-Yi Wang,1 Zhao-Fan Xia1 1Department of Burn Surgery, The Second Military Medical University Affiliated Changhai Hospital, 2Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, The Second Military Medical University, 3State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’sRepublic of China *These authors contributed equally tothis work Objective: To accelerate wound healing through promoting vascularization by using reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive nanoparticles loaded with stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α).Methods: The ROS-reactive nanomaterial poly-(1,4-phenyleneacetone dimethylene thioketal) was synthesized, and its physical and chemical properties were characterized. ROS-responsive nanoparticles containing SDF-1α were prepared through a multiple emulsion solvent evaporation method. The loading capacity, stability, activity of the encapsulated protein, toxicity, and in vivo distribution of these nanoparticles were determined. These nanoparticles were administered by intravenous infusion to mice with full-thickness skin defects to study their effects on the directed chemotaxis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, wound vascularization, and wound healing.Results: The synthesized ROS-reactive organic polymer poly-(1,4-phenyleneacetone dimethylene thioketal) possessed a molecular weight of approximately 11.5kDa with a dispersity of 1.97. ROS-responsive nanoparticles containing SDF-1α were prepared with an average diameter of 110nm and a drug loading capacity of 1.8%. The encapsulation process showed minimal effects on the activity of SDF-1α, and it could be effectively released from the nanoparticles in the presence of ROS. Encapsulated SDF-1α could exist for a long time in blood. In mice with full-thickness skin defects, SDF-1α was effectively released and targeted to the wounds, thus promoting the chemotaxis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells toward the wound and its periphery, inducing wound vascularization, and accelerating wound healing. Keywords: reactive oxygen species, stromal cell-derived factor-1α, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, wound healing

Rapid repair of vascular injury is an important prognostic factor for electrical burns. This repair is achieved mainly via stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1α promoting the mobilization, chemotaxis, homing, and targeted differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into endothelial cells. Forming a concentration gradient from the site of local damage in the circulation is essential to the role of SDF-1α. In a previous study, we developed reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive PPADT nanoparticles containing SDF-1α that could degrade in response to high concentration of ROS in tissue lesions, achieving the goal of targeted SDF-1α release. In the current study, a rat vascular injury model of electrical burns was used to evaluate the effects of targeted release of SDF-1α using PPADT nanoparticles on the chemotaxis of BMSCs and the repair of vascular injury. Continuous exposure to 220 V for 6 s could damage rat vascular endothelial cells, strip off the inner layer, significantly elevate the local level of ROS, and decrease the level of SDF-1α. After injection of Cy5-labeled SDF-1α-PPADT nanoparticles, the distribution of Cy5 fluorescence suggested that SDF-1α was distributed primarily at the injury site, and the local SDF-1α levels increased significantly. Seven days after injury with nanoparticles injection, aggregation of exogenous green fluorescent protein-labeled BMSCs at the injury site was observed. Ten days after injury, the endothelial cell arrangement was better organized and continuous, with relatively intact vascular morphology and more blood vessels. These results showed that SDF-1α-PPADT nanoparticles targeted the SDF-1α release at the site of injury, directing BMSC chemotaxis and homing, thereby promoting vascular repair in response to electrical burns.

A new prenylated indole diketopiperazine alkaloid, cristatumin F (1), and four known metabolites, echinulin (2), dehydroechinulin (3), neoechinulin A (4) and variecolorin O (5), were isolated from the crude extract of the fungus Eurotium cristatum. The structure of 1 was elucidated primarily by NMR and MS methods. The absolute configuration of 1 was assigned using Marfey’s method applied to its acid hydrolyzate. Cristatumin F (1) showed modest radical scavenging activity against DPPH radicals, and exhibited marginal attenuation of 3T3L1 pre-adipocytes.

The mol­ecule of the title compound, C36H28N2, adopts a propeller-like shape and possesses crystallographically imposed twofold rotation symmetry. The N atom has an almost ideal trigonal geometry, indicating that the lone electron pair is involved in conjugation with the system of aromatic rings.

A simple and reliable analytical method was developed to detect cyantraniliprole (HGW86) and its metabolite J9Z38 in rice straw, paddy water, brown rice, and paddy soil. The fate of cyantraniliprole and its metabolite J9Z38 in rice field ecosystem was also studied. The target compounds were extracted using acetonitrile, cleaned up on silicagel or strong anion exchange column, and analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The average recoveries of cyantraniliprole and J9Z38 in rice straw, paddy water, brown rice, and paddy soil ranged from 79.0% to 108.6%, with relative standard deviations of 1.1–10.6%. The limits of quantification of cyantraniliprole and J9Z38 were 18 and 39 μg kg−1 for rice straw, 2.8 and 5.0 μg kg−1 for paddy water, 4.3 and 6.3 μg kg−1 for brown rice, and 3.9 and 5.3 μg kg−1 for paddy soil. The trial results showed that the half-lives of cyantraniliprole were 3.2, 4.4, and 6.3 d in rice straw and 4.9, 2.0, and 6.2 d in paddy water in Zhejiang, Hunan, and Shandong, respectively. The respective final residues of cyantraniliprole and J9Z38 in brown rice were lower than 0.05 and 0.02 mg kg−1 after 14 d of pre-harvest interval. The maximum residue limit of cyantraniliprole at 0.1 mg kg−1 and dosage of 100 g a.i. hm−2, which could be considered safe to human beings and animals, were recommended.

Delivery of drugs and biomolecules into skin has significant advantages. To achieve this, herein, a nanomaterial-strengthened dissolving microneedle patch for transdermal delivery is reported. The patch comprises thousands of microneedles, which are composed of dissolving polymers, nanomaterials, and drug/biomolecules in their interior. With the addition of nanomaterials, the mechanical property of generally weak dissolving polymers can be dramatically improved without sacrificing dissolution rate within skin. In this experiments, layered double hydroxides (LDH) nanoparticles are incorporated into sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to form a nanocomposite. The results show that, by adding 5 wt% of LDH nanoparticles into CMC, the mechanical strength significantly increased. Small and densely packed CMC-LDH microneedles penetrate human and pig skin more reliably than pure CMC ones and attractively the nanocomposite-strengthened microneedles dissolve in skin and release payload within only 1 min. Finally, the application of using the nanocomposite-strengthened microneedle arrays is tested for in vivo vaccine delivery and the results show that significantly stronger antibody response could be induced when compared with subcutaneous injection. These data suggest that nanomaterials could be useful for fabricating densely packed and small polymer microneedles that have robust mechanical properties and rapid dissolution rates and therefore potential use in clinical applications. Refereed/Peer-reviewed