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In this work, visible light response CeO2/CdS decorated cotton fabrics as durable and facile recyclable composite photocatalysts were fabricated for photo-degradation of methylene blue (MB). First of all, amino-functionalized CeO2/CdS heterojunctions were synthesized through a fast, efficient and low-cost co-precipitation method. Subsequently, the as-prepared CeO2/CdS heterojunctions were immobilized on aldehyde-functionalized cotton fabric surfaces as composite photocatalysts via "amine-aldehyde" chemical reaction. The surface microstructure and chemical composition of the CeO2/CdS decorated cotton fabric (CeO2/CdS-CF) were characterized by SEM, FTIR and XPS, respectively. The results showed that CeO2/CdS heterojunctions were successfully anchored and uniformly distributed on the surface of cotton fabric. Since the CeO2/CdS heterostructure with efficient photo-generated charge transfer and separation, the as-prepared CeO2/CdS-CF exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity, degrading MB under simulated sunlight irradiation with a degradation efficiency of 93.8% within 90 min. In addition, the degradation efficiency remained above 90.3% even after five successive degradation cycles, indicating the outstanding stability and recyclability of the obtained CeO2/CdS-CF. This work opened up a facile preparation way for the fabrication of durable and recyclable composite photocatalysts, and has a promising application in treating dye contaminated wastewater.

Although the conversion material iron oxyfluoride (FeOF) possesses a high theoretical specific capacity as a cathode material for Li/Na ion batteries, its poor rate and cycling performances, caused mainly by sluggish (Li+/Na+) reaction kinetics, restrict its practical application. Herein, FeOF with high purity, a fusiform nanorod shape and high crystallinity is prepared through a facile chemical solution reaction. The electrochemical measurements show that the present FeOF exhibits high capacity and good cycling stability as a cathode material for Li-ion batteries. Capacities of 301, 274, 249, 222, and 194 mAh/g at stepwise current densities of 20, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mA/g are achieved, respectively. Additionally, the capacity at 100 mA/g retains 123 mAh/g after 140 cycles. Meanwhile, as a cathode material for Na ion battery, it delivers discharge capacities of 185, 167, 151, 134 and 115 mAh/g at stepwise current densities of 20, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mA/g, respectively. A discharge capacity of 83 mAh/g at 100 mA/g is achieved after 140 cycles. The excellent lithium/sodium-storage performance of the present FeOF material is ascribed to its unique nanostructure.

The attachment of bio-foulants, including unwanted cells, proteins, and bacteria, to a medical device such as an intraocular lens can lead to implantation failure. Hydrophilic polymers are often used as surface modifiers in the fabrication of anti-biofouling coatings, but a hydrophilic coating can easily become swollen and peel off the substrate. In this study, we chose polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as the representative material of intraocular lenses because PMMA has better biocompatibility, a higher refractive index, better optical clarity, lighter weight, more stable performance, and lower cost than other intraocular lens materials. We fabricated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) coatings with or without a "bridge", that is, an intermediate adhesive layer (AL), to increase the adhesion bonding effect between the anti-biofouling coating and the substrate. The results indicated that the prepared coatings were transparent and noncytotoxic. Moreover, the anti-adhesion properties of the cells and the resistance properties to nonspecific protein adsorption of PMMA modified by both AL and PVA coatings were better and more durable compared with the sample only modified with a physically dipped PVA coating. The coating prepared by AL "bridging" provides a new strategy for the preparation of a transparent hydrophilic anti-biofouling coating suitable for PMMA intraocular lens materials.

Background With low response to present immunotherapy, it is imperative to identify new immune-related biomarkers for more effective immunotherapies for oral cancer. Methods RNA profiles for 390 oral cancer patients and 32 normal samples were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed. Immune genesets from ImmPort repository were overlapped with DEGs. After implementing univariate Cox analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis, key immune-related gene pairs (IRGPs) among the overlapped DEGs for predicting the survival risk were obtained. Then, the cutoff of risk score was calculated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to stratify oral cancer patients into high and low-risk groups. Multivariate Cox analysis was used to analyze independent prognostic indicators for oral cancer. Besides, infiltration of immune cells, functional annotation, and mutation analysis of IRGPs were conducted. Biological functions correlated with IRGPs were enriched by Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) method. Results We identified 698 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in response to oral cancer. 17 IRGPs among the DEGs were identified and integrated into a risk score model. Patients in the high-risk group have a significantly worse prognosis than those in the low-risk group in both training (PP=0.019) cohorts. Meanwhile, the IRGP model was identified as an independent prognostic factor for oral cancer. Different infiltration patterns of immune cells were found between the high- and low-risk groups that more types of T and B cells were enriched in the low-risk group. More immune-related signaling pathways were highly enriched in the low-risk group and Tenascin C (TNC) was the most frequently mutated gene. We have developed a novel 17-IRGPs signature for risk stratification and prognostic prediction of oral cancer. Conclusion Our study provides a foundation for improved immunotherapy and prognosis and is beneficial to the individualized management of oral cancer patients.

Implantation of blood-contacting materials/devices usually causes severe thrombus formation, inflammatory reactions, excessive hyperplasia, and ultimately, induce endothelial dysfunction. In this work, a biomimetic approach was established to address those adverse problems through constructing a catechol-mediated and copper-incorporated multilayer coating. The biomimetics was mainly obtained via two paths. The first one was structure bionics, which used polyelectrolytes (heparin and polyethyleneimine) to modify with catechol moieties and then further formed a multilayer coating via layer-by-layer assembly, so as to mimic the mussel adhesive DOPA-rich structure; the second one was function bionics, which copper ions were then incorporated to function as the catalysts to decompose the endogenous S-nitrosothiols to release nitric oxide (NO), so as to mimic the key function of healthy endothelial cells. The quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) was used to monitor the multilayer construction process and demonstrated the enhanced stability of the catechol-mediated multilayer coatings. Besides, the catechol-rich coating could also support the sustained release of heparin. Copper ions were incorporated into the multilayer coatings via the catechol-Cu coordination, and could effectively generate NO in situ at a physiological level. Due to the sustained release of heparin and continuous NO generation, the synergistic antithrombogenicity and anti-hyperplasia ability were obtained. The ex-vivo arteriovenous (AV) shunt model for blood perfusion test and metal wire implantation in blood vessels further demonstrated the high biomimetic functionality of potential applications for blood-contacting devices.

Nitric oxide generation is considered to be a key factor to mimic endothelial function in terms of anti-coagulation and anti-hyperplasia. Herein, ebselen which could play the similar role as glutathion peroxidase-like was loaded into micelles and was further assembled into a layer-by-layer coating. The ability of nitric oxide generation and corresponding biological effect were investigated. Endothelial-mimetic surface has now attracted huge attention in blood-contacting materials, due to its inherent ability of secreting nitric oxide. Among those categories, nitric oxide generation surface is considered to be safe and tunable in the modification of vascular biomedical devices. How to adsorb or immobilize glutathion peroxidase-like catalyst and maintain sustained/safe nitric oxide generation is full of interest. This study aimed at developing a functional coating constructed via layer-by-layer assembly to introduce the catalyst into the coating by pre-loading ebselen in micelles. We firstly introduced phenylboronic acid moiety into the micelle molecule backbone and grafted catechol moiety to chitosan backbone. Then, chitosan, micelles (containing ebselen) and heparin were adopted as polyelectrolytes and then alternatively assembled onto the substrate via layer-by-layer protocol. The catechol was conjugated to the amine groups of chitosan by Schiff base reaction to synthesize chitosan-catechol. The hydrophobic cholesterol was conjugated to the one end of the hydrophilic hyaluronic acid, and the hydroxymethylphenylboronic acid was conjugated to the other end via the esterification of carboxyl (-COOH) and hydroxyl (-OH). The modified hyaluronic acid could spontaneously form micelles in aqueous solution. Ebselen was the loaded into the as-prepared micelles. Chitosan-catechol, heparin, and micelles were alternatively assembled onto the substrate layer by layer to form a micelle-embedded coating. The micelle-embedded coating with ebselen was successfully obtained and the nitric oxide generation ability was in a safe level which was close to healthy endothelial cells. The coating could effectively inhibit platelet adhesion and smooth muscle cell proliferation. The use of ebselen preloaded into micelles could provide a sustained release of catalyst for in situ nitric oxide generation. Besides, this method could also be used to load diverse drugs and regulate desired properties. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the West China Hospital in Sichuan University on March 3, 2018, with approval No. K2018044.

As a promising biodegradable metallic material, magnesium (Mg) and its alloys have attracted special attention in the recent decade. However, challenges still remain due to its high corrosion rate and insufficient biocompatibility after implantation. In this work, we prepare a simple and versatile green tea phenol-metal induced multilayer conversion coating (Mg2+ incorporated epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) coating) on magnesium alloys' (AZ31) substrate by layer-by-layer (LBL) method. The surface morphology results revealed that, with the incorporation of Mg2+, the as-formed EGCG/Mg coating was rich in phenol-Mg complex and presented more homogeneous and dense morphology, with far less cracks than the pure EGCG coating. The in vitro degradation rate and corrosion resistance were studied by electrochemical corrosion tests and monitoring of the changed pH value and hydrogen evolution, respectively, which revealed that the corrosion rate was effectively decreased compared to that of bare AZ31 after it was protected by EGCG/Mg coating. In vitro and ex vivo thrombogenicity test demonstrated the EGCG/Mg coatings presented an impressive improvement in decreasing the adhesion and activation of platelets and erythrocytes, in activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and in antithrombogenicity compared to those of bare AZ31. Owing to the mild degradation rate, in combination with the biological function of EGCG, enhanced endothelial cells' (ECs') adhesion and proliferation, suppressed smooth muscle cells' (SMCs') adhesion/proliferation, and inhibited cytokine release were observed on EGCG/Mg coated AZ31 alloy. Besides, the in vivo subcutaneous embedding experiment suggested that the EGCG/Mg coating performed more mild tissue response due to the improved corrosion resistance to the surrounding microenvironment. Moreover, for in vivo abdominal aorta assay, the EGCG/Mg coated AZ31 wire presented better corrosion resistance and enhanced re-endothelialization compared to bare AZ31 wire. These results suggested the potential of using green tea polyphenol induced Mg2+-rich multilayer conversion coating for enhanced corrosion protection and desired biocompatibility of biodegradable cardiovascular implants.

Adsorbents with superior adsorption capacity and facile recyclability are viewed as promising materials for dye wastewater treatment. In this work, a novel sulfonate decorated cotton fiber as a biodegradable and recyclable adsorbent was fabricated for highly efficient removal of cationic dyes. Herein, the poly(sodium p-styrenesulfonate-co-N-methylol acrylamide) (P(SSNa-co-NMAM)) with SSNa units as adsorption sites and NMAM units as thermal-crosslinking points was synthesized for modification of cotton fibers in a large scale at high temperature (160 oC). The various characterization investigations confirmed the successful construction of the P(SSNa-co-NMAM) coated cotton fibers (PCF). As expected, the as-obtained adsorbent presented outstanding adsorption performance toward cationic dyes in the both static and dynamic states, even in the synthetic effluent. The adsorption processes of cationic dyes onto the PCF were well fitted by the Langmuir isotherm model and Pseudo-second-order kinetics, respectively. The thermodynamics study showed that the adsorption reaction of the cationic dyes onto PCF was a spontaneous and endothermic process. The maximum adsorption capacities of PCF toward MEB, RhB and MG were 3976.10, 2879.80 and 3071.55 mg/g, respectively. The responsible adsorption of dyes ontothe PCF was electrostatic interaction. Moreover, the adsorption capacity of PCF toward cationic dyes was slight influenced by pH value of solution, because of the stable feature of sulfonate moiety in acid and alkali. In addition, the as-prepared PCF exhibited satisfactory recyclability and reusability. Given the aforementioned results, the as-obtained PCF is a promising adsorbent with great potential for practical application in the dye-contaminated wastewater remediation.

Thrombus, bacterial infections, and severe inflammation are still serious problems that have to be faced with blood-contacting materials. However, it is a great challenge to simultaneously meet the above functional requirements in a simple, economical and efficient method. As such, we put forward a robust and versatile coating strategy by covalently modifying the multi-pharmacological drug honokiol (HK) with an amine-rich polydopamine/polyethyleneimine coating, through which anticoagulant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties were obtained (DPHc) simultaneously. The amine content in the DPHc coating was lower than the detection limit, while it contained abundant phenolic hydroxyl groups (49 μmol cm−2). Meanwhile, the 30 day drug release test confirmed that the drug was firmly modified on the surface of the coating without release. A systematic in vitro and ex vivo evaluation confirmed that the coating had significant anti-thrombotic properties. The antibacterial rates of the DPHc coating against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli reached 99.98% and 99.99%, respectively. In addition, subcutaneous implantation indicated that the DPHc coating also has excellent histocompatibility. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using HK as a coating material that can not only combat thrombosis and infection but also significantly inhibit inflammation associated with the use of blood-contacting materials, thus expanding the application of HK in the field of biomaterials.

To evaluate the feeding patterns of infants under 6 months of age in rural areas of Nanchong City, Sichuan Province, and to explore the driving factors of different feeding patterns.A total of 837 pairs of infants under 6 months of age(lt;183 days of age) and their primary caregivers(450 male infants and 387 female infants, with an average age of(2.9±1.8) months, most of the primary caregivers were mothers(95.70%)) were selected by multi-stage random cluster sampling in Nanchong City in 2019.An electronic tablet equipped with a computer assisted system was used to input the face-to-face inquiry questionnaire to collect information, mainly including the sociodemographic characteristics of the subjects, infant feeding patterns, mothersapos; feeding knowledge, mothersapos; feeding attitudes, family support for breastfeeding, negative support from the surrounding population and other relevant information. Using disordered multi-classification Logistic regression, excluding non-maternal nursing samples, non-lactating mothers and mothers unable to breastfeed due to disease, 789 pairs of infants and their mothers were included in the regression model. After controlling the demographic characteristics of infants and their mothers, the independent influencing factors of exclusive breastfeeding relative to mixed feeding and artificial feeding were analyzed.The rates of exclusive breastfeeding, mixed feeding and artificial feeding were 35.13%(294/837), 50.30%(421/837) and 14.57%(122/837) in rural areas of Nanchong. Compared with mixed feeding, mothers with high feeding knowledge(OR=2.06, 95%CI 1.47-2.86) were more likely to exclusively breastfeed. Compared with artificial feeding, mothers with high feeding knowledge(OR=2.48, 95%CI 1.36-4.54), positive attitude towards breastfeeding(OR=2.57, 95%CI 1.12-5.87) and high family support for breastfeeding(OR=3.01, 95%CI 1.73-5.24) were more likely to exclusively breastfeed, and mothers with negative support from the surrounding population(OR=0.37, 95%CI 0.14-0.98) were more likely to carry out artificial feeding.In rural areas of Nanchong City, Sichuan Province, three ways of exclusive breastfeeding, mixed feeding and artificial feeding coexist. Mixed-feeding is the main method, and the rate of exclusive breastfeeding is low. Mothersapos; feeding knowledge is an important factor influencing feeding patterns, and breastfeeding attitudes and breastfeeding family support are the main drivers of artificial feeding.

High-pressure jet grouting is widely used in the construction of cut-off wall in hydraulic engineering. Compared to the high-pressure jet grouting used for foundation improvement, the high-pressure jet grouting cut-off wall of hydraulic engineering has lower requirements for the advance consolidation and provision of bearing capacity, and more focus on providing an anti-seepage effect and ensuring the continuous integrity of the wall. In the past, the research on high-pressure jet grouting focused more on the application to foundation treatments, and the research on the construction efficiency of cut-off wall is relatively insufficient. Therefore, in this study, a self-developed ipsilateral multi-nozzle jet grouting machine with a large drill diameter and construction method are proposed according to the construction characteristics of the embankment cut-off wall in hydraulic engineering. Based on the dyke protection projects, Jinggangshan navigation hydropower and Xingan navigation hydropower, the large-diameter, multi-nozzle, high-pressure jet cut-off wall test is carried out, and the wall forming effect of the cut-off wall is verified through the combination of indoor and outdoor tests. The results show that the proposed construction method can adapt to the formation conditions in which it is difficult to implement conventional high-pressure jet grouting, and obtains good construction efficiency. A favorable wall quality can be obtained by using more efficient large-diameter and ipsilateral multi-nozzle jet grouting in the construction of high-pressure jet cut-off wall.

In this work, visible light response CeO2/CdS decorated cotton fabrics as durable and facile recyclable composite photocatalysts were fabricated for photo-degradation of methylene blue (MB). First of all, amino-functionalized CeO2/CdS nanoparticles were synthesized through a fast, efficient and low-cost coprecipitation method. Subsequently, the as-prepared CeO2/CdS nanoparticles were immobilized on aldehyde-functionalized cotton fabric surfaces as composite photocatalysts via "amine-aldehyde" chemical reaction. The surface microstructure and chemical composition of the CeO2/CdS decorated cotton fabric (CeO2/CdS-CF) were characterized by SEM, FTIR and XPS, respectively. The results showed that CeO2/CdS nanoparticles were successfully anchored on the surface of cotton fabric, and distributed uniformly. As expected, the as-prepared CeO2/CdS-CF exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity, which can degrade MB within 90 min with a degradation efficiency of 93.8% under simulated sunlight irradiation, due to the CeO2/CdS heterostructure with the efficient photo-generated charge transfer and separation. In addition, the degradation efficiency remained above 90.3% after five successive degradation cycles, indicating that the obtained CeO2/CdS-CF possessed excellent stability and recyclability. This work opened up a facile preparation way for the fabrication of durable and recyclable composite photocatalysts, and has a promising application in treating dye contaminated wastewater.

To evaluate the status of breastfeeding among infants aged 0-18 months in rural areas of Han, Tibetan and Yi ethnic in Sichuan Province, and to explore the relevant impact factors.Using multistage sampling method, choose two Han county, two Tibetan county and two Yi county rural 0-18 months infants and young children with their mother as the subjects in Sichuan Province, to collect mothers and infants and young childrenapos;s demography, family status, the information such as breastfeeding knowledge and behavior through questionnaires. Unconditional Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of breastfeeding.Among the 1087 infants, early initiation of breastfeeding rate was 22. 45%, among the 985 infants aged 6 months and above, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months was 35. 94%, among the 658 infants aged 12 months and above, the rate of continued breastfeeding at 1 year was 34. 50%. The favorable factors for early initiation of breastfeeding were that normal delivery(OR=2. 80, 95% CI 1. 82-4. 30) and mothers with knowledge of early initiation of breastfeeding behavior(OR=2. 48, 95% CI 1. 69-3. 64). Tibetan mother(OR=1. 56, 95% CI 1. 02-2. 39), very good family economic status(OR=2. 70, 95% CI 1. 47-4. 98), motherapos;s knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months(OR=1. 47, 95% CI 1. 07-2. 02) were favorable factors for exclusive breastfeeding behavior under 6 months. Second birth and above(OR=1. 67, 95% CI 1. 11-2. 52) and mothersapos; knowledge of weaning(OR=3. 96, 95% CI 2. 65-5. 93) were favorable factors for continued breastfeeding at 1 year.The status of breastfeeding in the multi-ethnic rural areas of Sichuan Province is poor. The motherapos;s ethnicity, delivery method, and whether they have relevant knowledge, parity and family economic status will affect the breastfeeding behavior of infant mothers.

Tunable/sustained drug loading/releasing are of significance in addressing low cytotoxicity, long-term performance, and localized mild healing response in biomedical applications. With an ingenious design, a self-healing sandwiched layer-by-layer (LBL) coating was constructed by using chitosan/heparin as adopted polyelectrolytes with embedding of micelles, in which the chitosan backbone was grafted with catechol and the micelle was modified with exposed phenylboronic acid, endowing the coating with enhanced stability by abundant interactions among coating components (e.g., boric acid ester bond formation, weak intermolecular cross-linking, π-π interactions, and H-bonding). Moreover, rapamycin and atorvastatin calcium were selected as drug candidates and loaded into micelles, followed by drug-releasing behavior study. It was found that the LBL coating maintained a linear growth mode up to 30 cycles, giving a favorable tunability of coating construction and drug loading. The coating could also support sustained release of payloads and provide wild tissue response. With the systematic in vitro and in vivo study, such catechol-phenylboronic acid-enhanced LBL coating with drug loading would also address enhanced antiplatelet adhesion/activation and direct cell fate of endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells via tuning of coating cycles and loaded drugs. With modular assembly, such coating indicated potential for achieving enhanced re-endothelialization for vascular implants.

Medical device infections have now become the major burden of healthcare, and particular administration of combating bacterial infections is of significance. In this work, robust nanoparticles-stacked superhydrophilic coatings were established through the rapid oxidation, cross-linking and aggregation of dopamine in the presence of sodium periodate. The robust superhydrophilicity was achieved and maintained due to the hydrophilic chemical components together with the micro/nano topological structure stacked by nanoparticles, resulting in an impressive nonfouling performance for proteins adsorption. Moreover, due to the presence of aromatic catechol moieties, antibiotics (e.g. norfloxacin and cephalexin) were deposited into the superhydrophilic coating in situ, by π-π stacking/hydrophobic interactions, endowing the surface with antibacterial ability. Interestingly, the superhydrophilic coatings showed a safe and effective antibacterial ability in a low dose-dependent manner because of the nonfouling platform supported killing and releasing of bacteria. The in vivo cutaneous wound healing evaluation in rats further demonstrated the synchronous effect of anti-infection and promoting wound healing. Such superhydrophilicity supported nonfouling platform was believed to open a new window to modify biomedical devices combined with wound healing and antibacterial properties.

The achievement of the desired hemocompatibility, anti-inflammatory, and rapid endothelialization properties has significantly contributed to the success of implantable blood-contacting materials, especially vascular stents. In this study, we constructed a facile and versatile superhydrophilic coating via the stepwise deposition of metal/phenolic networks (MPNs) using a layer-by-layer assembly technique. Tannic acid and copper ions were employed for the fabrication of MPNs, and the surface roughness and the number of hydrophilic phenolic groups were gradually increased, ultimately leading to the generation of a superhydrophilic coating, where the copper ions were also effectively incorporated. Owing to the superhydrophilicity of the coating, the binding of serum adhesion proteins, such as albumin and fibrinogen, to the surface was strongly inhibited, thereby conferring a potent antithrombotic ability. In addition, a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects were achieved through the deposition of a large amount of residual phenolic hydroxyl groups on the surface. The incorporated copper ions could also mimic endothelial function through the continuously catalyzed decomposition of endogenous S-nitrothiols (RSNOs) to release nitric oxide (NO) in situ in a controlled manner. The synergistic contribution effect of NO and superhydrophilicity, further inhibited the adhesion/activation of platelets. The optimized coating significantly inhibited the adhesion and activation of platelets, selectively supported the adhesion of endothelial cells, and suppressed the proliferation of smooth muscle cells. Such superhydrophilic coating with the incorporation of copper ions adequately addressed the basic requirements of vascular stents, in terms of antithrombosis, anti-restenosis, and enhanced endothelialization in vivo, demonstrating a promising approach for the clinical application of vascular implants.

Nosocomial infections resulting from bacterial attachment on blood-contacting medical devices, as well as biofilm and thrombus formation caused by fibrin crosslinking and platelet accumulation/activation are a major health concern and may lead to severe morbidity and mortality. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop facile and efficient surface coatings with both antibiofilm and antithrombotic properties to prevent medical-device associated infections as well as thrombus formation. In this study, the copolymers containing quaternary ammonium (QA) and phosphorylcholine (PC) groups were synthesized through traditional free-radical copolymerization. The cationic group of QA provides bactericidal properties, and the cell membrane-mimicking group of PC provides antithrombotic and antifouling properties. Long-term stability of the copolymer coating was achieved via simple dip coating. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and water contact angle measurement demonstrated that the QA and PC groups possessed inversion properties once in contact with water allowing for long-term stability. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated that the copolymer coating could maintain antibiofilm properties for one week in a nutrient-rich environment. Furthermore, the copolymer coating significantly decreased platelet adhesion/activation and did not cause hemolysis. The ex vivo blood circulation showed no thrombus formation which confirmed the excellent antithrombotic property of the copolymer coating. Such coatings that maintain high cell viability and exhibit both antibiofilm and antithrombotic properties present potential applications for blood-contacting devices.

Unmanned vehicles represent a significant technical improvement for ocean and atmospheric monitoring. With the increasing number of sensors mounted on the unmanned mobile platforms, the data volume and its rapid growth introduce a new challenge relative to the limited transmission bandwidth. Data compression provides an effective approach. However, installing a lossless compression algorithm in an embedded system, which is in fact limited in computing resources, scale, and energy consumption, is a challenging task. To address this issue, a novel self-adaptive lossless compression algorithm (SALCA) that is focused on the dynamic characteristics of multidisciplinary ocean and atmospheric observation data is proposed that is the extended work of two-model transmission theory. The proposed method uses a second-order linear predictor that can be changed as the input data vary and can achieve better lossless compression performance for dynamic ocean data. More than 200 groups of conductivity–temperature–depth (CTD) profile data from underwater gliders are used as the standard input, and the results show that compared to two state-of-the-art compression methods, the proposed compression algorithm performs better in terms of compression ratio and comprehensive power consumption in an embedded system.

Surfaces with dual functions that simultaneously exhibit good anticoagulant ability and endothelial cell (EC) compatibility are desirable for blood contact materials. However, these dual functions have rarely been achieved by inorganic materials. In this study, titanium dioxide (TiO2) films were treated by sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation successively (TiO2H2SO4-UV), resulting in good anticoagulant ability and EC compatibility simultaneously. We found that UV irradiation improved the anticoagulant ability of TiO2 films significantly while enhancing EC compatibility, though not significantly. The enhanced anticoagulant ability could be related to the oxidation of surface-adsorbed hydrocarbons and increased hydrophilicity. The H2SO4 treatment improved the anticoagulant ability of TiO2 films slightly, while UV irradiation improved the anticoagulant ability strongly. The enhanced EC compatibility could be related to the increased surface roughness and positive charges on the surface of the TiO2 films. Furthermore, the time-dependent degradation of the enhanced EC compatibility and anticoagulant ability of TiO2H2SO4-UV was observed. In summary, TiO2H2SO4-UV expressed both excellent anticoagulant ability and good EC compatibility at the same time, which could be desirable for blood contact materials. However, the compatibility of TiO2H2SO4-UV with smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and macrophages was also improved. More effort is still needed to selectively improve EC compatibility on TiO2 films for better re-endothelialization.

Platelets express several MMPs that modulate their activation, which in turn regulates thrombosis, but the exact mechanism is unclear. This study evaluated the platelet expression of MMP12 and platelet activation by shedding CEACAM1 mediated by MMP12. Expression of MMP12 was measured by RT-PCR, Western blot (WB), and casein zymography in platelet from whole blood by gel filtration over plateletpheresis. The site of CEACAM1 cleavage by MMP12 was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectrometry, WB and flow cytometry (FCM). Furthermore, the regulation of platelet aggregation, release and adhesion by MMP12-dependent shedding of platelet CEACAM1 was analyzed. We have observed that human platelets express MMP12. In addition, CEACAM1 as enzymatic substrates of MMP12 have also been found in this study. MMP12 can cleave the CEACAM1 exodomain at several sites and generated several short peptides. Among these fragments, one peptide, WYKG was identified, whose cutting sits were S66/W67 and A83/I84. We also found that MMP12 facilitated type I collagen induced platelet aggregation, adhesion and alpha granule secretion. Similarly, one short peptide, WYKG, facilitated type I collagen induced platelet alpha granule secretion. We conclude that platelet express MMP12 may facilitate platelet activation through shedding of CEACAM1.

Purpose In this paper, a light-weight, low-power atmospheric multi-parameter sensor (AMPS), which could be mounted on small flying platforms such as a tethered balloon, a quad-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a UAV helicopter, etc., is implemented and integrated to sample vertical distribution of aerosols with integrated parameters of aerosol particle concentration, temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric pressure. Design/methodology/approach The AMPS integrates three kinds of probes in an embedded system. A synchronous method based on GPS is proposed to drive the laser aerosol particle sensor, the temperature and humidity probe and the pressure probe to sample four channels approximately simultaneously. Different kinds of housing are designed to accommodate various flying platforms, and the weight is controlled to adapt the payload of each platform. Findings A series of validation tests show that while the AMPS achieves high precision, its power consumption is less than 1.3 W, which is essential for light flying platforms. The AMPS was mounted on different flying platforms and the difference was evaluated. For three times every five days, vertical profiles of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were observed by the AMPS mounted on a quad-rotor UAV, which revealed the significant correlation between the aerosol particle concentration and atmospheric parameters. Originality/value A new light-weight and low-power AMPS for small flying platforms is designed and tested, which provides an effective way to explore the properties of aerosol vertical distribution, and to monitor pollutants flexibly.

As a promising biodegradable metallic material, magnesium (Mg) and its alloys have attracted special attention in recent decade. However, challenges still remain due to its high corrosion rate and insufficient biocompatibility after implantation. In this work, we put forward a coating concept on AZ31 surface via mimicking a 'tea stain' formation process using a layer-by-layer approach. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) incorporating Mg2+ ions is used to form a chemical conversion coating on AZ31 magnesium alloy with enhanced corrosion protection and favorable biocompatibility for cardiovascular implants. The SEM and AFM morphology results revealed that with the incorporation of Mg2+, the as-formed EGCG/Mg coating was more homogeneous and dense, with far more less cracks than the pure EGCG coating. The in vitro degradation rate and corrosion resistance were studied by electrochemical corrosion tests and monitoring of the changed pH value and hydrogen evolution, respectively, which revealed that the corrosion rate of EGCG/Mg riched coating was effectively decreased than that of pure EGCG coating and bare AZ31 substrate. Owing to the mild degradation rate, in combination of the biological function of EGCG, enhanced endothelial cells (ECs) adhesion and proliferation, suppressed smooth muscle cells (SMCs) adhesion/proliferation and inhibited cytokine release were observed on EGCG/Mg coated AZ31 alloy. Besides, the in vivo subcutaneous embedding experiment strongly indicated that the EGCG/Mg coating performed more mild tissue response due to the improved corrosion resistance to surrounding microenvironment. Ex-vivo thrombogenicity test demonstrated the EGCG/Mg coatings presented an impressive improvement in anti-thrombogenicity compared to bare AZ31. These results convincingly demonstrated the potential of using Mg-incorporated EGCG coating as a biocompatible barrier on the biodegradable magnesium alloy for vascular implants.

Nowadays, medical device infections constitute a major healthcare burden, particular administration of combating bacterial infections is of significance. In this work, robust mussel-inspired superhydrophilic coating was established, mainly based on the rapid polydopamine formation in the presence of sodium periodate. The stable superhydrophilicity was maintained due to the hydrophilic chemical components and nanoparticles-stacked surface topography. The superhydrophilicity allowed the coating to interfere with the protein adsorption effectively, and resulted in impressive antifouling performance. Moreover, due to the existence of aromatic catechol moieties, utilizing π-π stacking/hydrophobic interactions antibiotics (e.g. norfloxacin and cephalexin) were synchronously assembled into the superhydrophilic coating, respectively, endowing the surface with antibacterial ability. Interestingly, the embedded antibiotics presented meaningful sustained release with less than 15% released amount even after 30 days incubation, suggesting effective and safe antibacterial ability in a low dose-dependent manner, due to the antifouling supported 'release killing' of bacteria. The in vivo cutaneous wound healing evaluation further strongly demonstrated the synchronous effect of anti-infection and promoting wound healing. Such superhydrophilicity supported antifouling is also believed to open a new window for modifying biomedical devices with combined wound healing, antibacterial, and antifouling properties.

Blood-contacting devices including implantation devices, indwelling medical devices, and extracorporeal circuits have been at risk of thrombus and infections, which lead to treatment failure and serious adverse clinical events. In this study, we have reported a facile and robust mussel-inspired superhydrophilic coating for use on these blood-contacting devices to combat thrombosis and infections. The coating was fabricated mainly based on the rapid formation and accumulation of polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles and in situ-synthesized using silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in the presence of sodium periodate. Therefore, the stability and long-term effects of superhydrophilicity were maintained because of the synergetic contribution of hydrophilic chemical components and surface topography of stacked nanoparticles. Different from mostly reported PDA coatings (with the water contact angle > 30°) that have good affinity to protein adsorption and cause blood coagulation, the superhydrophilic PDA coating in this work effectively reduced the nonspecific adsorption of proteins, maintained the native conformation of the adhered proteins, and further inhibited thrombus formation. Meanwhile, the superhydrophilic surface with Ag+ also demonstrated significant antibacterial properties against both Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative bacteria). Besides, the embedded Ag+ presented meaningful sustained release with less than 25% released amount even after 30 days incubation, suggesting effective and safe antibacterial ability in a low dose-dependent manner, due to the reduced protein adsorption platform supported killing and releasing of bacteria. Such a superhydrophilic surface-supported low-fouling platform will be proposed as a new strategy for combating thrombotic and infection, especially for blood-contacting devices.

Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (P5CR) encoded by PYCR1 gene is a housekeeping enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of P5C to proline using NAD(P)H as the cofactor. In this study, we used in silico approaches to examine the role of nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the PYCR1 gene and their putative functions in the pathogenesis of Cutis Laxa. Among the 348 identified SNPs, 15 were predicted to be potentially damaging by both SIFT and PolyPhen tools; of them two SNP-derived mutations, R119G and G206W, have been previously reported to correlate with Cutis Laxa. These two mutations were therefore selected to be mapped to the wild-type (WT) P5CR structure for further structural and functional analyses. The results of comparative computational analyses using I-Mutant and Autodock reveal reductions in both stability and cofactor binding affinity of these two mutants. Comparative molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to evaluate the changes in dynamic properties of P5CR upon mutations. The results reveal that the two mutations enhance the rigidity of P5CR structure, especially that of cofactor binding site, which could result in decreased kinetics of cofactor entrance and egress. Comparison between the structural properties of the WT and mutants during MD simulations shows that the enhanced rigidity of mutants results most likely from the increased number of inter-atomic interactions and the decreased number of dynamic hydrogen bonds. Our study provides novel insight into the deleterious effects of the R119G and G206W mutations on P5CR, and sheds light on the mechanisms by which these mutations mediate Cutis Laxa.

Background Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is an autoimmune disease triggered by acute rheumatic fever (ARF). Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in the modulation of immune responses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of MMP1, 3, and 12 promoter polymorphisms with RHD in a Han population in Southern China since the 3 genes are localized on the same chromosome and have a combined effect. Methods DNA samples were obtained from 90 adult patients with RHD and 90 control subjects. Polymorphisms in MMP1 (rs1799750), MMP3 (rs3025058), and MMP12 (rs2276109) were genotyped by direct sequencing. Differences in genotype and allele frequencies of these polymorphisms were compared between the cases and the controls using Unconditional logistic regression models and Chi-squared test. Results The 2G/2G genotype of rs1799750 in MMP1 was associated with a significantly higher risk of RHD when compared with the 1G/1G genotype (OR = 3.227; 95% CI:1.118–9.31; p = 0.03). The frequency of allele 2G was higher in patients with RHD compared to the controls (69.4% vs. 58.9%; p = 0.048) No significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies of rs3025058 in MMP3 and rs2276109 in MMP12 were found between the patients with RHD and the controls (p > 0.05). Conclusions Our results suggest that rs1799750 in MMP1 might be a risk factor for RHD in a Han population in Southern China, and individuals carrying the 2G/2G genotype are likely more susceptible to RHD. In contrast, rs3025058 in MMP3 and rs2276109 in MMP12 might not contribute to the risk of developing RHD in this population. Further studies with larger samples and other ethnic populations are required to confirm these findings.