Conventional antibiotic therapies are becoming less efficient due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Development of novel antibacterial material to effectively inhibit or ...kill bacteria is crucial. A graphene-based photothermal agent, magnetic reduced graphene oxide functionalized with glutaraldehyde (MRGOGA), was synthesized for efficient capture and effective killing of both gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria upon near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. In the present work, we took advantage of the excellent photothermal properties of reduced graphene oxide upon NIR laser irradiation and glutaraldehyde as an efficient capturing agent toward both bacteria. Its magnetic characteristic allows bacteria to be readily trapped in a small volume by the external magnet. The synergetic effects increase the heating extent by MRGOGA upon NIR laser irradiation and the killing of the captured bacteria. The survival rate and membrane integrity assay demonstrate that 80 ppm MRGOGA solution provided rapid and effective killing of up to 99% of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in 10 min upon NIR laser irradiation under batch operation mode. Graphene demonstrated better photothermal antibacterial efficiency than carbon nanotubes. Furthermore, a microfluidic chip system under continuous operation mode demonstrates the reusability of MRGOGA and offers a biocompatible platform for online phothothermal sterilization.
This study proposes a framework to understand the impacts of both value-related and transaction cost-related factors on repurchase intention from online shoppers' perspective. In particular, this ...study defines the construct of cost as a three-component conceptualization (i.e., information searching cost, moral hazard cost, and specific asset investment). Based upon empirical evidence on a survey of 887 online shoppers, this study shows that consumers' perceived value and each cost component are positively related to repurchase intention. Importantly, information searching cost exerts the most significant influence on repurchase intentions among the four relational factors. The result suggests that providing sufficient cues to reduce consumers' information searching cost is the core element of repurchase intention formation. This article closes with theoretical and practical implications.
Roselle is rich in anthocyanins and is traditionally used to prepare a bright red beverage by decoction. However, heat treatment and different pH environments are often encountered during food ...processing, and these factors are often detrimental to anthocyanins. Therefore, it is very important to understand the influence of pH and heat treatment on anthocyanins for the application of roselle. This study determined the antioxidant properties of roselle extract, explored changes in the color and anthocyanin content in different pH environments, and evaluated the thermal stability of roselle anthocyanins using kinetic equations. The results showed that the roselle extract is rich in anthocyanins and has good antioxidant capacity (DPPH IC50 = 4.06 mg/mL, ABTS IC50 = 3.7 mg/mL). The anthocyanins themselves exhibited a certain degree of heat resistance and good color stability in an acidic environment. In contrast, they degraded very quickly and exhibited significant changes in color in a low-acid environment. The activation energy (
a) ranges of the anthocyanins in the acidic and low-acid environments were quite different at 55.8⁻95.7 and 31.4⁻74.9 kJ/mol, respectively. Thus, it can be concluded that roselle anthocyanins are susceptible to heat treatment in a low-acid environment, affecting their quality and appearance; however, they can serve as a good source of functional ingredients and color in an acidic environment.
Objectives
Microscopic tympanoplasty has been the standard surgery for repairing perforated tympanic membranes since the 1950s, but endoscopic tympanoplasty has been increasingly practiced since the ...late 1990s. In this study, we compared the efficacies of endoscopic and microscopic tympanoplasty.
Data Sources
PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, and the Clinical Trial Register.
Review Methods
We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis statement. We included clinical studies that compared the efficacies of endoscopic and microscopic tympanoplasty. We assessed the risk of bias and calculated the pooled relative risk (RR) estimates with 95% confidence interval (CI).
Results
We identified four studies (involving 266 patients in total) that met the inclusion criteria. The pooled tympanic membrane closure rates and hearing results of endoscopic and microscopic tympanoplasty were comparable (85.1% vs. 86.4%, respectively; RR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.85 to 1.11; I2 = 0) (mean difference of improvements of air‐bone gaps: −2.73; 95% CI: −6.73 to 1.28; I2 = 80%). The pooled canalplasty rate of endoscopic tympanoplasty was significantly lower than that of microscopic tympanoplasty. Patients receiving endoscopic tympanoplasty had a more desirable cosmetic result than did those receiving microscopic tympanoplasty.
Conclusions
Our up‐to‐date review evidences the comparable tympanic membrane closure rates and hearing results for endoscopic and microscopic tympanoplasty. Patients receiving endoscopic tympanoplasty have a lower canalplasty rate and more desirable cosmetic result than do those receiving microscopic tympanoplasty. Laryngoscope, 127:1890–1896, 2017
Caloric restriction, intermittent fasting, and exercise activate defensive cellular responses such as autophagy, DNA repair, and the induction of antioxidant enzymes. These processes improve health ...and longevity by protecting cells and organs against damage, mutations, and reactive oxygen species. Consuming a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms can also improve health and longevity. Phytochemicals such as alkaloids, polyphenols, and terpenoids found in plants and fungi activate the same cellular processes as caloric restriction, fasting, and exercise. Many of the beneficial effects of fruits and vegetables may thus be due to activation of stress resistance pathways by phytochemicals. A better understanding of the mechanisms of action of phytochemicals may provide important insights to delay aging and prevent chronic diseases.
Biological stress such as caloric restriction, intermittent fasting, and physical exercise extends lifespan and improves health markers in model organisms by activating stress resistance pathways.Phytochemicals from fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms produce beneficial effects on health and longevity by modulating stress resistance pathways in a manner similar to caloric restriction, intermittent fasting, and exercise.Phytochemicals also promote intestinal homeostasis by improving gut barrier integrity and short-chain fatty acid production and by modulating the composition of the gut microbiota.Common sources of phytochemicals include not only fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms, but also organic foods and dietary supplements.
Toll‐like receptors (TLRs) are important sensors that recognize pathogen‐associated molecular patterns. Generally, TLR9 is known to recognize bacterial or viral DNA but not viral RNA and initiate an ...immune response. Herein, we demonstrate that infection with dengue virus (DENV), an RNA virus, activates TLR9 in human dendritic cells (DCs). DENV infection induces release of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into the cytosol and activates TLR9 signaling pathways, leading to production of interferons (IFNs). The DENV‐induced mtDNA release involves reactive oxygen species generation and inflammasome activation. DENV infection disrupts the association between transcription factor A mitochondria (TFAM) and mtDNA and activates the mitochondrial permeability transition pores. The side‐by‐side comparison of TLR9 and cyclic GMP‐AMP synthase (cGAS) knockdown reveals that both cGAS and TLR9 comparably contribute to DENV‐induced immune activation. The significance of TLR9 in DENV‐induced immune response is also confirmed in examination with the bone marrow‐derived DCs prepared from Tlr9‐knockout mice. Our study unravels a previously unrecognized phenomenon in which infection with an RNA virus, DENV, activates TLR9 signaling by inducing mtDNA release in human DCs.
Synopsis
Infection of human dendritic cells with a dengue RNA virus activates TLR9—known to recognize bacterial or viral DNA but not viral RNA—through inducing mitochondrial DNA release into the cytosol.
Infection of human DCs with DENV induces ROS generation, inflammasome activation, oxidization of mtDNA and opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pores resulting in the release of both non‐oxidized and oxidized mtDNA into the cytosol.
Cytosolic mtDNA increases TLR9 expression, binds to TLR9 and induces immune activation such as anti‐viral interferon production.
The significance of TLR9 in DENV infection is confirmed by examining bone marrow‐derived dendritic cells prepared from Tlr9‐knockout mice.
Infection of human dendritic cells with a dengue RNA virus activates TLR9—known to recognize bacterial or viral DNA but not viral RNA—through inducing mitochondrial DNA release into the cytosol.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin disease worldwide. The major causes of AD are skin barrier defects, immune dysfunction, and oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated the anti-oxidation ...and anti-inflammation effects of
extract (CAE) and its regulation of the skin barrier and immune functions in AD. In vitro experiments revealed that CAE decreased the reactive oxygen species levels and inhibited the translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), further reducing the secretion of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 induced by interferon-γ (IFN-γ)/tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Moreover, CAE decreased IFN-γ/TNF-α-induced NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), caspase-1, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), and receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) expression levels. It also restored the protein levels of skin barrier function-related markers including filaggrin and claudin-1. In vivo experiments revealed that CAE not only reduced the redness of the backs of mice caused by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) but also reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory factors in their skin. CAE also reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and immune cell infiltration in DNCB-treated mice. Overall, CAE exerted anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation effects and ameliorated skin barrier dysfunction, suggesting its potential as an active ingredient for AD treatment.
No studies have investigated the effects of irradiation-dose escalation intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with thoracic esophageal squamous ...cell carcinoma (TESCC).
We analyzed data from patients with TESCC who were enrolled in the Taiwan Cancer Registry database. To compare treatment outcomes, the patients were categorized into two groups according to their radiotherapy doses: group 1, who received CCRT<60Gy with IMRT, and group 2, who received CCRT≥60Gy with IMRT. Group 1 was used as the control for investigating posttreatment mortality risk.
We enrolled 2061 patients with TESCC without distant metastasis who received CCRT with IMRT. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that advanced clinical American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage (≥IIIA), alcohol consumption, and cigarette smoking were significant, poor independent predictors in patients with TESCC receiving IMRT-based CCRT. IMRT-based CCRT (≥60Gy; adjusted hazard ratio aHR: 0.75; 95% confidence interval CI: 0.63–0.83) was a significant independent prognostic factor for overall survival (P<0.0001). After adjustment for confounders, the aHRs (95% CIs) for overall mortality at all clinical stages were 0.75 (0.68–0.83, P<0.0001) in group 2. In group 2, the aHRs (95% CIs) for overall mortality at early (IA–IIB) and advanced (IIIA–IIIC) AJCC clinical stages were 0.89 (0.70–1.04, P=0.1905) and 0.75 (0.67–0.83, P<0.0001), respectively.
Compared with standard-dose IMRT-based CCRT, high-dose IMRT-based CCRT yields more favorable survival outcomes in patients with advanced-stage TESCC.
Population studies on trends of varicella and herpes zoster (HZ) associated with varicella zoster vaccination and climate is limited.
This study used insurance claims data to investigate the ...chronological changes in incident varicella and HZ associated with varicella zoster vaccination. Poisson regression was used to estimate the occurrence of varicella associated with the occurrence of HZ and vice versa by year, season, sex, temperature, and sunny hours.
The varicella incidence declined from 7.14 to 0.76 per 1,000 person-years in 2000-2009, whereas the HZ incidence increased from 4.04 to 6.24 per 1,000 person-years. Females tended to have a higher risk than men for HZ (p<0.0001) but not varicella. The monthly mean varicella incidence was the lowest in September (160 cases) and the highest in January (425 cases), while the mean HZ incidence was lower in February (370 cases) and higher in August (470 cases). HZ was negatively associated with the incidence of varicella before and after the varicella zoster vaccination (p<0.001), increased 1.6% within one week post-vaccination. The effect of temperature on HZ was attenuated by 18.5% (p<0.0001) in association with vaccination. The varicella risk was positively associated with sun exposure hours, but negatively associated with temperature only before vaccination.
The varicella vaccination is effective in varicella prevention, but the incidence of HZ increases after vaccination. HZ has a stronger association with temperature and UV than with seasonality while varicella risk associated with temperature and UV is diminished.
Background
Bronchiolitis is a common airway infection in young children. Hemodynamically significant congenital heart disease (CHD) predicts a more complicated course. However, the role of airway ...anomalies remains unknown.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients under 2 years old, diagnosed with CHD, and admitted between January 2011 and December 2013, before the palivizumab era. Records of bronchiolitis admissions were also extracted. Patients were grouped according to CHD condition and airway anomalies.
Results
A total of 230 patients with CHD were enrolled. A total of 180 (78%) and 71 (31%) patients had hemodynamically significant CHD and airway anomalies, respectively. A total of 52 (22.6%) patients were admitted for bronchiolitis 78 times. Among them, 33 (63.5%) had hemodynamically significant CHD, and 28 (53.8%) had airway anomalies. In patients with bronchiolitis admissions, the mean ventilator use, intensive care unit stay, and hospital stay were 1.08, 4.08, and 15.19 days, respectively. When compared, the mean hospital stay for bronchiolitis patients with airway anomalies was significantly longer than that of those without airway anomalies (19.8 vs. 9.9 days, p = 0.008). When further divided the patients by the presence hemodynamic significance, patients with hemodynamically significant CHD and airway anomaly had longer hospital stay than those who had neither. (21.7 vs. 8.3 days, p = 0.004) Airway anomaly was a significant risk factor for longer hospital stay in linear regression model (p = 0.007).
Conclusions
Airway anomalies are common in children with CHD and are associated with longer hospital stays on bronchiolitis admission. An active survey for airway anomalies and adequate prophylaxis for bronchiolitis infection might be important in the care of children with CHD associated with airway anomalies.
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