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To prevent the worldwide diseases caused by the micro-organisms, the great effort has been performed to synthesize unique CuO nanoflakes (NF) and walnut shape (W-S) CuO/CeO2 heterostructures with O vacancies by a simple precipitation technique without using any template. The morphology, structure, valance states, chemical composition and surface charge of the synthesized samples were inspected by i.e. scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX), resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and zeta potential (ζ). The expected crystallite's size was studied by XRD data i.e. for CuO NF ~5.9 nm with 0.1–0.2% error and SD is ±0.2–0.5, while for the W-S CuO/CeO2 heterostructures it is about ~6.4 nm with 0.05–0.1% error and SD is ±0.1–0.2 respectively. Both samples were tested as an antiseptic agent against E. coli and S. aureus, and it was confirmed that they had greater antibacterial effects as compared to the control group (water) which showed no response (0%). It was predicted that the CuO/CeO2 heterostructure showed excellent antibacterial activity (100%) verses pure CuO NF (80–90%) at the same 0.2 mg/L concentration for E. coli with SD (±0–1). While against S. Aureus strain the CuO/CeO2 heterostructure showed (80–90%) antibacterial action at the lowest concentration (0.2 mg/L) but 100% as the concentration increases i.e. 0.5 mg/L due to difference in bacterial strain with the SD (±0–2). After remarkable antibacterial activity, the biofilm inhibition of CuO/CeO2 heterostructure against S. aureus was also studied by crystal violet staining, and examined that the inhibition effect of the biofilm increases with the increase concentration of heterostructures. At 0.31 mg/mL, the biofilm reduced visibly and the whole structure has destroyed, indicating that it is a remarkable biofilm inhibitor. Highlights: CeO2 and CuO nanoparticles were prepared without use of any surfactant or additives at low processing temperature and less reaction time. Addition of CeO2 in CuO nanoflakes, assembled in a new shape of heterostructure i.e. walnut morphology with enhanced O vacancies. These innovative and surfactant free heterostructures are enriched with Ce3+ ions and vacancies which played an important role in their biological application. All samples showed remarkable antibacterial properties as compared to the control group and also study the mechanism of biofilm inhibition of the novel heterostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO2 is a widely used photocatalytic antibacterial material and shows good antibacterial properties under ultraviolet light. However, its antibacterial efficacy under visible light still remains limited. To develop low‐cost and biocompatible antibacterial materials, this article provides a facile method for in situ preparation of a trace amount of silver (Ag) doped TiO2 nanorods (TiO2NR–Ag) composites, which cannot only enhance the antibacterial properties under visible light, but also has good biocompatibility. Two representative epidemic strains, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, are selected for analysis of the antibacterial properties of the obtained TiO2NR–Ag composite nanoparticles. The results demonstrate that even if the Ag doping level is as low as 2.5 × 10−4 wt% (i.e., Ag/TiO2 = 2.50 µg g−1), the TiO2NR–Ag composite nanoparticle coatings are transparent and exhibit exceptional antibacterial properties, which is attributed to synergistic enhanced bactericidal effect of the active substances generated by TiO2NR–Ag under visible light. The cytotoxicity and hemolysis rate results indicate that TiO2NR–Ag composite exhibit excellent biocompatibility. This study effectively improves the antibacterial effect of TiO2 photocatalytic nanomaterials while maintaining their biocompatibility, and the prepared TiO2NR–Ag composite nanoparticles can be applied in various fields such as window glasses, medical device surfaces, furniture surfaces, and optical devices, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While a surge of research has investigated the use of reformulations and models as positive evidence feedback (PEF) in second language (L2) writing, so far no research synthesis seeking to review the status quo of this particular topic has been published. To fill the gap, the present study synthesized 23 studies on reformulations and models as PEF in L2 writing and examined the salient findings regarding three major research strands: (1) students' noticing and incorporation from reformulations; (2) students' noticing and incorporation from models; and (3) effects of PEF on L2 writing. Informed by the study findings, we suggest L2 teachers vary their feedback decisions with flexibility, consider individual and contextual factors in PEF practices, combine PEF and corrective feedback to maximize student learning, and provide guidance to support student actions in response to PEF. We also propose three areas for further research, namely going beyond linguistic issues to explore the potential of PEF, systematically investigating factors influencing students' engagement with PEF, and collecting longitudinal data to examine the long-term effect of PEF. This study enhances our understanding of this emerging research area and provides implications for L2 pedagogy, as well as suggestions for future investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disease in the elderly. Increasing evidence suggested that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) played vital roles in OA progression. This study aimed to explore the role and mechanism of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 5 (SNHG5) in OA development. Chondrocytes were stimulated with interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in vitro. The levels of SNHG5, miR-10a-5p, and H3 histone family 3B (H3F3B) were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) or western blot. Cell proliferation was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and colony formation assay. Cell apoptosis was tested by flow cytometry. The levels of apoptosis-related and cartilage-related markers were detected by western blot. The interaction among SNHG5, miR-10a-5p, and H3F3B was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. SNHG5 and H3F3B were downregulated, while miR-10a-5p was upregulated in OA cartilage tissues. Knockdown of SNHG5 enhanced IL-1β-induced apoptosis in chondrocytes. Rescue experiments verified that SNHG5 hindered apoptosis in IL-1β-stimulated chondrocytes by sponging miR-10a-5p. Moreover, H3F3B was a target of miR-10a-5p, and miR-10a-5p promoted IL-1β-induced chondrocyte apoptosis by regulating H3F3B. In addition, SNHG5 regulated H3F3B expression via sponging miR-10a-5p in IL-1β-treated chondrocytes. SNHG5 suppressed chondrocytes apoptosis in OA by regulating the miR-10a-5p/H3F3B axis, which provided a promising biomarker for OA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of osteogenic differentiation potential of osteoblasts has been associated with the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. Thus, stimulation of osteoblastic differentiation is a therapeutic strategy for osteoporosis. Relaxin‐2 is a peptide hormone with potent biological functions. However, the effects of Relaxin‐2 in osteoblastic differentiation and osteoporosis have not been reported before. Here, we report a novel physiological role of Relaxin‐2 in promoting osteoblastic differentiation and mineralization of MC3T3‐E1 cells. Our results indicate that exposure to Relaxin‐2 upregulated the expression, and elevated the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) when MC3T3‐E1 cells were cultured in osteogenic differentiation medium (OM). Additionally, Relaxin‐2 upregulated the mRNA levels of osteocalcin (ocn), osteopontin (opn), and collagen type I alpha 1 (Col1a1). The alizarin red S staining assay revealed that Relaxin‐2 promoted the mineralization of MC3T3‐E1 cells. We also found that Relaxin‐2 increased the expression of Runx‐2 as well as the epidermal growth factor (EGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Importantly, silencing of EGF abolished the effects of Relaxin‐2 in osteoblastic differentiation and related gene expression. These findings suggest that Relaxin‐2 stimulates osteogenic differentiation through activating EGF/EGFR signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the poor antibacterial performance of cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles at low concentrations, melon seed-shaped CeO 2 (MS-CeO 2 ) and holmium (Ho)-doped CeO 2 (Ho@MS-CeO 2 ) nanoparticles were synthesized using a simple precipitation method without the addition of any surfactants. The surface morphology, phase structure, crystallinity, Ce 3+ and Ce 4+ valence, lattice defects, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production of both synthesized nanostructures were examined using different techniques, i.e., scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energydispersive X-ray (EDX), resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet (UV) spectra, fluorescence spectra, and zeta potential (ζ). The results show that under certain stirring and aging temperatures, CeO 2 and Ho-doped CeO 2 nanoparticles with a melon seed-like morphology can be prepared in a short period. Both nanoparticles were tested as antiseptic agents against G + and G - bacteria ( E. coli and S. aureus ), and the results confirmed that the Ho@MS-CeO 2 nanostructures exhibited remarkable antimicrobial activity at a low concentration (0.5 mg/L) compared with the control group, which is attributed to the reversible conversion of Ce 3+ and Ce 4+ in the ceria crystal lattice, enriched oxygen vacancy, ROS species production, and positive surface charge., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of neurovascular staghorn flap for repairing defects in fingertips., Methods: Between August 2019 and October 2021, a total of 15 fingertips defects were repaired with neurovascular staghorn flap. There were 8 males and 7 females with an average age of 44 years (range, 28-65 years). The causes of injury included 8 cases of machine crush injury, 4 cases of heavy object crush injury, and 3 cases of cutting injury. There were 1 case of thumb, 5 cases of index finger, 6 cases of middle finger, 2 cases of ring finger, and 1 case of little finger. There were 12 cases in emergency, and 3 cases with finger tip necrosis after trauma suture. Bone and tendon exposed in all cases. The range of fingertip defect was 1.2 cm×0.8 cm to 1.8 cm×1.5 cm, and the range of skin flap was 2.0 cm×1.5 cm to 2.5 cm×2.0 cm. The donor site was sutured directly., Results: All flaps survived without infection or necrosis, and the incisions healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 6-12 months, with an average of 10 months. At last follow-up, the appearance of the flap was satisfactory, the wear resistance was good, the color was similar to the skin of the finger pulp, and there was no swelling; the two-point discrimination of the flap was 3-5 mm. One patient had linear scar contracture on the palmar side with slight limitation of flexion and extension, which had little effect on the function; the other patients had no obvious scar contracture, good flexion and extension of the fingers, and no dysfunction. The finger function was evaluated according to the total range of motion (TAM) system of the Hand Surgery Society of Chinese Medical Association, and excellent results were obtained in 13 cases and good results in 2 cases., Conclusion: The neurovascular staghorn flap is a simple and reliable method to repair fingertip defect. The flap has a good fit with the wound without wasting skin. The appearance and function of the finger are satisfactory after operation.

Recently, although several unconventional luminescent polymers have been synthesized, it still remains a significant challenge to prepare various new fluorescent polymers by functionalization of nonfluorescent polymers. A nonfluorescent 1 H,1 H,2 H,2 H-perfluoro-1-decanol grafted to nonfluorescent polystyrene- b-poly(acrylic acid) block copolymers through simply esterification reaction can exhibit strong blue emission. On the basis of control experiments and theoretical simulation, we have proposed that the luminescence stems from interchain n → π* interaction between the lone pair (n) of hydroxyl O atoms of carboxyl units and empty π* orbital of ester carbonyl unit. In addition, the fluorescent polymers are successfully employed for fluorescence imaging in living HeLa cell.

Objective: To investigate the role of Wnt5a in the mechanism of radiculopathy and the relation between Wnt5a and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) by observing the change of the expression of Wnt5a in the rat model of chronic compression of dorsal root ganglia (CCD)., Methods: A total of 192 adult male Sprague Dawley rats were allocated into 4 groups: shame group (group A, n = 48), CCD group (group B, n = 48), CCD + saline group (group C, n = 48), and CCD + etanercept group (group D, n = 48). An L-shaped needle (about 3.5 mm in length, 0.6 mm in diameter) was inserted into the L5 intervertebral foramen, and the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) was compressed by the needle to prepare the CCD model in groups B, C, and D, and then normal saline (5.5 mg/kg) or etanercept was injected intraperitoneally in groups C and D. The intervertebral foramen was exposed in group A. The mechanical pain threshold of the posterior paw was tested by the von Frey filaments at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after operation; the expressions of Wnt5a protein and mRNA were detected at 3 and 7 days after operation by immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR, respectively., Results: The mechanical pain threshold of groups B and C was significantly lower than that of groups A and D, and in group D than in group A (P < 0.05), but no significant difference was found between groups B and C (P > 0.05). The Wnt5a positive cells and the mRNA expression of Wnt5a at 7 days were significantly more than those at 3 days in groups B, C, and D (P < 0.05). The Wnt5a positive cells and the mRNA expression of Wnt5a in groups B and C were significantly more than in groups A and D, and in group D than in group A (P < 0.05), but no significant difference was shown between groups B and C (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: The expression of Wnt5a in the DRG is increased after CCD. The expression of Wnt5a in the DRG is decreased after the administration of the inhibitor of TNF-α.