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This study compared the anti-pseudomonal effects between nephrite-impregnated contact lenses (CLs) and conventional and cosmetic CLs. After inoculation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.aeruginosa), we counted the number of bacteria on the CL surface and observed each surface using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To estimate potential harm of nephrite-impregnated CLs, we conducted a safety test using a rabbit model, treated with all CL types. Both conventional and cosmetic CLs (n = 258 ± 2.9 × 104, 368 ± 2.2 × 104) showed significantly decreased number of attached bacteria when compared with those without nephrite impregnation (n = 134 ± 0.8 × 104, 238 ± 2.5 × 104, p < 0.0001, respectively). AFM and SEM revealed that P. aeruginosa was less attached to the nephrite-impregnated CLs than to the conventional and cosmetic CLs, although those with nephrite impregnation had rougher surface. In the safety test, there were no significant differences in the findings between four groups, and the clarity and stability of all corneas were preserved. Nephrite may be used as a next-generation substance to reduce infectious keratitis caused by P. aeruginosa when added to CLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease primarily affecting the joints and requires various treatments, including medication, injection, and physiotherapy. Wu tou decoction (WTD) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescribed for RA, with several articles documenting its effectiveness in RA treatment. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of WTD for RA. We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing WTD with conventional treatments (including medication, injection, and physiotherapy) from its inception to May 2024. Primary outcomes were disease activity scores, including effective rate, tender joint count, and morning stiffness. Secondary outcomes comprised blood test results (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and rheumatoid factor) and adverse events. Nineteen RCTs involving 1794 patients were included. Statistically, WTD demonstrated better improvement than conventional treatments (18 medications and 1 injection) across the effective rate, joint scale, and blood tests, regardless of the treatment type (monotherapy or combination therapy). Adverse events were reported in 11 studies, with no statistical differences observed between them. The numerical results showed that WTD may offer potential benefits for managing RA. However, the significant discrepancy between clinical practice and the low quality of the RCTs remains a limitation. Therefore, further well-designed studies with larger patient cohorts are needed to draw definitive conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The walk score, which is widely used as an index of walkability, does not include pedestrian's perception, so there is a limit to explaining the level of perceived walkability in a neighborhood. The purpose of this study is to examine how an objectively measured walk score and subjectively measured environmental perceptions correlate with perceived neighborhood walkability. This study conducted a survey on 371 participants aged 18 or older living in Daegu, South Korea to examine perceived neighborhood walkability and perception of the built environment. We measured the walk score based on participants' location using a geographic information system. We used the quantile regression model, whereby we investigated the effects of explanatory variables (e.g., the walk score, perceptions of the built environment) by classifying perceived neighborhood walkability by quantile into Q10, Q25, Q50, Q75, and Q90. The walk score had a positive association with people with low perceived neighborhood walkability (Q10), but a negative association with people with high perceived neighborhood walkability (Q90). Regarding views of the built environment, in most quantiles, people perceived the environment as walkable if there were abundant green spaces and diverse alternative routes. Conversely, odors, smoke, hills, and stairs impeded walkability. This indicates that along with an objective walkability index, perceptions of the built environment play an important role in determining perceived neighborhood walkability. This implies that our results can help identify appropriate policies to promote walkability for citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigated the relationship between the risk of contamination during aseptic procedures performed by nursing students and the hairstyle type of the student performing the procedure. Methods: This study employed an observational design. The participants were 139 nursing students recruited from two colleges. Participants with short hair were assigned to the short-hair group (Group 1) without randomization. The remaining participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: those who put their hair in a hairnet (Group 2), those who had their hair tied back (Group 3), and those who had their hair untied (Group 4). Raters used a checklist to assess participants' performance of aseptic procedures and contamination-related behaviors. Results: Compared to the group wearing a hairnet (Group 2), more contamination occurred in the group with long hair tied back (Group 3) or not tied up (Group 4) (p<.001). Hair-related contamination risk behaviors were significantly more common in students with untied long hair (Group 4) than in the other three groups (Group 1, 2, and 3) (p<.001). Conclusion: These results suggest that when performing aseptic procedures, measures are needed to prevent hair-related contamination by restraining the hair or using a hair cap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varying geometry and layout of microposts on a cell culture substrate provides an effective technique for applying mechanical stimuli to living cells. In the current study, the optimal geometry and arrangement of microposts on the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces to enhance cell growth behavior were investigated. Human bone marrow derived connective tissue progenitor cells were cultured on PDMS substrates comprising unpatterned smooth surfaces and cylindrical post microtextures that were 10 μm in diameter, 4 heights (5, 10, 20 and 40 μm) and 3 pitches (10, 20, and 40 μm). With the same 10 μm diameter, post heights ranging from 5 to 40 μm resulted in a more than 535 fold range of rigidity from 0.011 nNμm⁻¹ (40 μm height) up to 5.888 nNμm⁻¹(5 μm height). Even though shorter microposts result in higher effective stiffness, decreasing post heights below the optimal value, 5 μm height micropost in this study decreased cell growth behavior. The maximum number of cells was observed on the post microtextures with 20 μm height and 10 μm inter-space, which exhibited a 675 % increase relative to the smooth surfaces. The cells on all heights of post microtextures with 10 μm and 20 μm inter-spaces exhibited highly contoured morphology. Elucidating the cellular response to various external geometry cues enables us to better predict and control cellular behavior. In addition, knowledge of cell response to surface stimuli could lead to the incorporation of specific size post microtextures into surfaces of implants to achieve surface-textured scaffold materials for tissue engineering applications.