This study introduces a Janus colloid surfactant catalyst platform exhibiting remarkable catalytic activity and magnetic responsiveness in Pickering emulsion microreactors. The patching of catalytic ...nanoparticles (NPs) such as Pd NPs and Ag NPs on amphiphilic Janus microparticles (JMPs) permits the control of catalytic activity for the organic reactions occurring in emulsion droplets. Through model organic reactions including oxidation, amination, and reduction, we show that the JMP catalysts assemble at the reactant–water interface of Pickering emulsions and play an essential role in enhancing the reaction kinetics and product yields. Moreover, when Fe 2 O 3 NPs were co-patched site specifically, the Pickering emulsion droplets showed magnetic responsiveness, thus leading to facile recovery of products and effective recycling of JMP catalysts. The colloid surfactant catalysts developed in our study are expected to advance the environment-friendly catalyst system for green chemistry.
Wound closure is a critical step in postoperative wound recovery. Substantial advancements have been made in many different means of facilitating wound closure, including the use of tissue adhesives. ...Compared to conventional methods, such as suturing, tissue bioadhesives better accelerate wound closure. However, several existing tissue adhesives suffer from cytotoxicity, inadequate tissue adhesive strength, and high costs. In this study, a series of bioadhesives was produced using non-swellable spider silk-derived silk fibroin protein and an outer layer of swellable polyethylene glycol and tannic acid. The gelation time of the spider silk-derived silk fibroin protein bioadhesive is less than three minutes and thus can be used during rapid surgical wound closure. By adding polyethylene glycol (PEG) 2000 and tannic acid as co-crosslinking agents to the N-Hydroxysuccinimide (NHS), and 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) reaction, the adhesive strength of the bioadhesive became 2.5 times greater than that of conventional fibrin glue adhesives. Silk fibroin bioadhesives do not show significant cytotoxicity in vitro compared with other bioadhesives. In conclusion, silk fibroin bioadhesive is promising as a new medical tool for more effective and efficient surgical wound closure, particularly in bone fractures.
Janus particles endowed with controlled anisotropies represent promising building blocks and assembly materials because of their asymmetric functionalities. Herein, we show that using the seeded ...monomer swelling and polymerization technique allows us to obtain bi‐compartmentalized Janus microparticles that are generated depending on the phase miscibility of the poly (alkyl acrylate) chains against the polystyrene seed, thus minimizing the interfacial free energy. When tetradecyl acrylate is used, complete compartmentalization into two distinct bulbs can be achieved, while tuning the relative dimension ratio of compartmented bulb against the whole particle. Finally, we have demonstrated that selectively patching the silica nanoparticles onto one of the bulb surfaces gives amphiphilicity to the particles that can assemble at the oil–water interface with a designated level of adhesion, thus leading to development of a highly stable Pickering emulsion system.
Colloidal anisotropies: Bicompartmentalized Janus microparticles were synthesized using seeded polymerization. Selectively patching the silica nanoparticles onto one of the bulb surfaces allowed the Janus particles to assemble at the oil–water interface with a designated level of adhesion, thus producing structurally stable Pickering emulsions.
When constructing a partially occupied model structure for use in density functional theory (DFT) and
ab initio
molecular dynamics (AIMD) calculations, the selection of appropriate configurations has ...been a vexing issue. Random sampling and the ensuing low-Coulomb-energy entry selection have been routine. Here, we report a more efficient way of selecting low-Coulomb-energy configurations for a representative solid electrolyte, Li
6
PS
5
Cl. Metaheuristics (genetic algorithm, particle swarm optimization, cuckoo search, and harmony search), Bayesian optimization, and modified deep Q-learning are utilized to search the large configurational space. Ten configuration candidates that exhibit relatively low Coulomb energy values and thereby lead to more convincing DFT and AIMD calculation results are pinpointed along with computational cost savings by the assistance of the above-described optimization algorithms, which constitute an integrated optimization strategy. Consequently, the integrated optimization strategy outperforms the conventional random sampling-based selection strategy.
When constructing a partially occupied model structure for use in density functional theory (DFT) and
ab initio
molecular dynamics (AIMD) calculations, the selection of appropriate configurations has been a vexing issue. We suggest a reasonable strategy to sort out this issue.
Background and Aims Perforation is the adverse event of greatest concern during colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Accurate risk prediction of perforation may enable prevention ...strategies and selection of the most efficient therapeutic option. This study aimed to develop and validate a risk prediction model for ESD-induced perforation. Methods A multicenter cross-sectional study was performed on 2046 patients who underwent colorectal ESD at 9 Korean ESD Study Group–affiliated hospitals. The enrolled patients were randomly divided into either a derivation set or a validation set. In the derivation set, a prediction score was constructed to assess the risk of perforation using preoperative and procedural-related predictors selected via logistic regression. Discrimination and calibration of the prediction model was assessed using the validation set. Results An ESD-induced perforation occurred in 135 patients (6.6%). In the derivation set, multivariate logistic regression identified endoscopist experience (≥50 ESDs: odds ratio OR = 0.59; 95% confidence interval CI, 0.35-1.00), tumor size (+1-cm increments: OR = 1.39; 95% CI, 1.19-1.62), colonic location (OR = 2.20; 95% CI, 1.24-3.89), and submucosal fibrosis (OR = 2.00; 95% CI, 1.04-3.87) as predictive factors (C-statistic = 0.678; 95% CI, 0.617-0.739). In the validation set, the model showed good discrimination (C-statistic = 0.675; 95% CI, 0.615-0.735) and calibration ( P = .635). When a simplified weighted scoring system based on the OR was used, risk of perforation ranged from 4.1% (95% CI, 2.8%-5.9%) in the low-risk group (score ≤4) to 11.6% (95% CI, 8.5%-15.6%) in the high-risk group (score >4). Conclusions This study developed and internally validated a score consisting of simple clinical factors to estimate the risk of colorectal ESD-induced perforation. This score can be used to identify patients at high risk before colorectal ESD.
Background
A subset of patients is often seen with an unusual pattern of tendon failure after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair using a suture bridge technique.
Purpose
To evaluate retear patterns in ...cases with structural failure after arthroscopic primary repairs of rotator cuff tears.
Study Design
Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.
Methods
Forty-six cases revealing retear on magnetic resonance imaging performed at least 6 months after arthroscopic repair for the treatment of full-thickness rotator cuff tear were evaluated. A single-row technique had been performed in 19 cases and a suture bridge in 27 cases. According to retear patterns on postoperative magnetic resonance imaging, cases were divided into type 1 (cuff tissue repaired at the insertion site of rotator cuff was not observed remaining on the greater tuberosity) and type 2 (remnant cuff tissue remained at the insertion site in spite of retear).
Results
In the single-row group, 14 cases (73.7%) had type 1 and 5 cases (26.3%) type 2 retear. In the suture bridge group, 7 cases (25.9%) had type 1 and 20 cases (74.1%) type 2. There were statistically significant differences between groups (P = .049). Extent of fatty degeneration of the rotator cuff did not affect retear patterns in the single-row group (P = .160). In the suture bridge group, the percentage of type 1 retear increased with severity of fatty degeneration (P = .030). Extent of muscle atrophy did not affect retear patterns of the single-row group; in the suture bridge group, the percentage of type 1 retear increased with severity of muscle atrophy (P = .904 vs .029).
Conclusion
The suture bridge technique tended to better preserve the cuff tissue repaired to the insertion site of the rotator cuff than a single-row technique did; the retear in cases with a suture bridge technique was mainly in the musculotendinous junction. Direct retear at the footprint of the rotator cuff increased with severity of fatty degeneration or muscle atrophy in cases with a suture bridge technique.
Effective therapies for erectile dysfunction (ED) associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) are needed. In this study, the effects of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)-expressing engineered ...mesenchymal stem cells (SDF-1 eMSCs) and the relevant mechanisms in the corpus cavernosum of a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DM ED rat model were evaluated. In a randomized controlled trial, Sprague⁻Dawley (SD) rats (
= 48) were divided into four groups (
= 12/group): Normal (control), DM ED (diabetes induced by STZ), DM ED + BM-MSC (treated with bone marrow BM-derived MSCs), and DM ED + SDF-1 eMSC (treated with SDF-1-expressing BM-MSCs). After four weeks, intracavernosal pressure (ICP), an indicator of erectile function, was 0.75 ± 0.07 in the normal group, 0.27 ± 0.08 in the DM ED group, 0.42 ± 0.11 in the DM ED + BM-MSC group, and 0.58 ± 0.11 in the DM ED + SDF-1 eMSC group. BM-MSCs, especially SDF-1 eMSCs, improved ED (
< 0.05). SDF-1 eMSC treatment improved the smooth muscle content in the corpus cavernosum (
< 0.05). As SDF-1 expression increased, ED recovery improved. In the SDF-1 eMSC group, levels of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and phosphorylated endothelial NOS (p-eNOS) were higher than those in other groups (
< 0.05). In addition, high stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) expression was associated with increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in DM ED rats (
< 0.05). Higher levels of phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT)/protein kinase B (AKT) (
< 0.05) and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and lower levels of the apoptosis factors Bcl2-associated x (Bax) and caspase-3 were observed in the MSC-treated group than in the DM ED group (
< 0.05). SDF-1 eMSCs showed beneficial effects on recovery from erectile function.
Subepithelial tumors are frequently found in asymptomatic patients in Japan and Korea where cancer screening tests routinely include endoscopy. Most lesions are asymptomatic and clinically ...insignificant. However, carcinoid tumors, lymphomas, glomus tumor and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are malignant or have the potential to become malignant. Inflammation due to parasitic infestation by Anisakis and poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas in the stomach rarely present as subepithelial lesions. In contrast to the frequency of gastric GIST in the gastrointestinal system, they are uncommon in the duodenum and very rare in the esophagus. The prognosis of patients with GISTs in the stomach is relatively good compared with GISTs in other organs. Along with the location of the tumor, its size and mitotic count are major factors that determine the malignant potential of GIST. Small (<2 cm) asymptomatic GISTs usually have benign clinical course. GIST is the most common subepithelial tumor to occur in the stomach. Although various methods are employed to diagnose GISTs, the risk of GIST metastasis cannot be accurately predicted before lesions are completely resected. Recently, new endoscopic diagnostic methods and treatment techniques have been developed that allow the diagnosis and resection of lesions located in the muscularis propria, without any complications. These endoscopic methods have different indications depending on regions where they are performed.
This study investigated trends in the prescription of α-blockers for patients with BPH, focusing on changing patterns of prescriptions during 2002-2013 using National Health Insurance ...Service-National Sample Cohort data. A total of 65,596 Korean males over 50 years old diagnosed with BPH were identified from the NHIS-NSC database between 2002-2013. Patterns of each α -blocker prescription were analyzed and persistence rate, switch rate, and return rate during a follow-up period of 3 years after the first prescription were calculated. A total of 28,318 men over 50 years old (64.95 ± 9.12), changed medication within six months following the first prescription of α -blocker. (1) Tamsulosin showed the highest persistence rate when compared with other α-blockers (2) Among patients who switched to a second α-blocker, tamsulosin showed the highest return rate when compared with other α-blockers. Tamsulosin has been the most commonly prescribed α1-blocker since the mid-2000s, in line with its demonstrated highest persistence and return rates. These data probably reflect patient satisfaction with α1-blockers in the management of BPH, in which the decision to stop and switch pharmacological treatments is primarily based on changes in symptoms or side effects.
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