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Abstract Background and objective: Bioindicators of drinking water are always influenced by physical and chemical factors such as turbidity and chlorine. Considering the assessment of drinking water quality is based on residual chlorine, E.coli, heterotrophic bacteria and turbidity. We aimed to evaluate the effect of pH, chlorine residual and turbidity on the microbial bioindicators. Material and methods: In this descriptive-analytic study, 324 and 32 water samples were collected from rural and urban water distribution network of Aq Qala city in 2013, respectively. All steps were performed according to standard methods. Results: In rural water supply, 5%, 9% and 33% of the samples were contaminated with fecal coliform, fecal streptococcus and the heterotrophic more than 500CFU / ml. In urban network, coliform contamination was not seen and other bioindicators were less than those of rural networks were. Turbidity of above 5 NTU in urban and rural samples was 3 and 9 percent, respectively. Bioindicators had significant relationship with residual chlorine, fecal coliform bacteria with pH and turbidity with heterotrophic bacteria (P ≤0.05). Conclusion: The presence of fecal streptococcus bacteria in some samples without fecal coliform cannot confirm the safety of drinking water. Microbial contamination in the presence of residual chlorine implies that just chlorination is not enough for having healthy water. Keywords: Chlorine, Turbidity, Biological Factors, Drinking water

Engineering biomimetic tissue implants with human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) holds promise for repairing volumetric tissue loss. However, these implants face challenges in regenerative capability, survival, and geometric scalability at large-scale injury sites. Here, we present scalable vessel-integrated muscle-like lattices (VMLs), containing dense and aligned hiPSC-derived myofibers alongside passively perfusable vessel-like microchannels inside an endomysium-like supporting matrix using an embedded multimaterial bioprinting technology. The contractile and millimeter-long myofibers are created in mechanically tailored and nanofibrous extracellular matrix-based hydrogels. Incorporating vessel-like lattice enhances myofiber maturation in vitro and guides host vessel invasion in vivo, improving implant integration. Consequently, we demonstrate successful de novo muscle formation and muscle function restoration through a combinatorial effect between improved graft-host integration and its increased release of paracrine factors within volumetric muscle loss injury models. The proposed modular bioprinting technology enables scaling up to centimeter-sized prevascularized hiPSC-derived muscle tissues with custom geometries for next-generation muscle regenerative therapies., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Obesity exerts negative effects on pulmonary function through proven mechanical and biochemical pathways. Multiple studies have suggested that bariatric surgery can improve lung function. However, the timing of these effects on lung function and its association with patient reported outcomes is not known., Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study of patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) at a tertiary care hospital was undertaken. Spirometry tests, laboratory tests, and self-reported questionnaires on asthma symptoms and asthma control (ACQ and ACT) were administered. All data were recorded pre-operatively (T0) and every 3 months post-operatively for 1 year (T3, T6, T9, T12) and were compared using a mixed-models approach for repeated measures., Results: For the 23 participants, mean age was 44.2 ± 12.3 years, mean BMI was 45.2 ± 7.2 kg/m 2 , 18(78%) were female, 9(39%) self-reported as non-white and 6(26%) reported to have asthma. Following LSG, % total body weight loss was significant at all follow-up points (P < 0.0001). Rapid improvement in forced expiratory volume (FEV)% predicted and forced vital capacity (FVC)% predicted was seen at T3. Although the overall ACQ and ACT score remained within normal range throughout the study, shortness of breath declined significantly at 3 months post-op (P < 0.05) and wheezing resolved for all patients by twelve months. Patients also reported reduced frequency of sleep interruption and inability to exercise by the end of the study (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Improvements in objective lung function assessments and patient-reported respiratory outcomes begin as early as 3 months and continue until 12 months after sleeve gastrectomy., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Response to the current available treatments of melasma, dermal type, in particular, is usually gradual and can result in possible side effects., Aim and Objectives: In this study, we aim to evaluate the efficacy of the combination of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) and topical 4% hydroquinone (HQ) in comparison with monotherapy using topical 4% HQ alone in the treatment of dermal type of melasma., Materials and Methods: This is a single-blinded, randomized, split-face clinical trial on twenty female patients with dermal type of melasma. Patients were asked to apply topical 4% HQ on both sides of their face at night for 6 months. In each participant, one side of the face was randomly chosen to receive monthly intradermal injections of PRGF for 3 sessions. Efficacy of the treatment was assessed using hemi melasma area and severity index (MASI) score, physician's global assessment (PGA), and patients' global assessment (PtGA)., Results: Both groups revealed significant improvement in hemi-MASI score during the treatment course. Mean percentage of improvement at the end of study was 40.38 ± 6.04% and 33.42 ± 3.23% in the combination therapy and monotherapy groups, respectively ( P = 0.31). PGA demonstrated excellent-to-marked improvement in melasma in 25% and 5% of patients in the combination therapy and monotherapy groups, respectively ( P = 0.31). PtGA showed high levels of satisfaction in 15% of patients in the combination therapy group (vs. 0% in the monotherapy group) ( P = 0.05)., Conclusion: Differences between the two treatment groups in terms of hemi-MASI and PGA scores were not statistically significant; however, patients demonstrated higher satisfaction with combination of PRGF and topical 4% HQ compared with topical HQ alone. Thereby, combination of PRGF and topical 4% HQ can be suggested as a safe alternative therapeutic approach and may hold promise in the development of future therapeutic options for dermal type of melasma., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Indian Dermatology Online Journal.)

Introduction: Tissue engineering is a revolutionized biotechnology that utilizes biomaterials in regenerative medicine. Nowadays, there is a trend in employing autologous-based materials in aesthetic medicine. In this review, we discuss safety and efficacy of autologous-based fillers in the fields of aesthetic dermatology, and describe the details of preparation and injection methods based on current literature., Evidence Acqusition: PubMed, Scopus, Web of science, Embase and Google scholar were searched for studies which evaluated efficacy of autologous-based filler in the field of aesthetic dermatology from January 2000 until August 2022. Nineteen articles including five randomized clinical trials, ten prospective and four retrospective studies were selected for this review., Evidence Synthesis: Most of the studies evaluated use of biofillers in rejuvenation (twelve articles) and the remaining were in atrophic scars (six articles) and striae distensae (one article). Adjuvant treatments included liquid platelet rich growth factor (PRGF), autologous cultured fibroblast, adipose tissue micrograft, microneedling, fractional carbon dioxide laser and subcision. Application of biofillers is a safe alternative therapeutic option for soft tissue augmentation., Conclusions: Application of biofillers is especially recommended in patients who seek low-cost rejuvenation methods and those with a past history of granulomatous reactions to the other fillers. It provides the advantage of immediate filling effects with long-lasting efficacy.

Aim: Volumetric muscle loss (VML) is a composite loss of skeletal muscle, which heals with fibrosis, minimal muscle regeneration, and incomplete functional recovery. This study investigated whether collagen-glycosaminoglycan scaffolds (CGS) improve functional recovery following VML. Methods: 15 Sprague-Dawley rats underwent either sham injury or bilateral tibialis anterior (TA) VML injury, with or without CGS implantation. Results: In rats with VML injuries treated with CGS, the TA exhibited greater in vivo tetanic forces and in situ twitch and tetanic dorsiflexion forces compared with those in the non-CGS group at 4- and 6-weeks following injury, respectively. Histologically, the VML with CGS group demonstrated reduced fibrosis and increased muscle regeneration. Conclusion: Taken together, CGS implantation has potential augment muscle recovery following VML.

Objective: The development of animal models, which adequately replicate the pathophysiology of chronic wounds, has been challenging. In this study, we utilized an oxidative stress (OS) murine model, which was previously developed by our group, to study the effect of a human amniotic membrane (AM) on chronic wound healing. Approach: Forty-five diabetic (genetically obese leptin receptor-deficient mice [db/db]) mice were separated into three groups. Thirty mice received an OS regimen and a 1 - × 1 cm 2 full-thickness excisional dorsal wound. The wounds were either covered with AM and occlusive dressing (db/db OS -AM) or occlusive dressing only (db/db OS ). Fifteen mice did not receive the OS regimen, and were covered with AM and occlusive dressing (db/db-AM). The wounds were photographed, and tissue was harvested at various time points. Results: Vascular density was higher in the AM-treated groups (db/db OS -AM: 34 ± 12; db/db-AM: 37 ± 14; vs. db/db OS : 19 ± 9 cluster of differentiation 31 [CD31 + ]/high power field [HPF] photograph; p  = 0.04 and p  = 0.003). Vessel maturity was lowest in the db/db OS group (21% ± 4%; vs. db/db OS -AM: 38% ± 10%, p  = 0.004; db/db-AM: 40% ± 11%, p  = 0.0005). Leukocyte infiltration was higher in the AM groups (db/db OS -AM: 15 ± 4; db/db-AM: 16 ± 4 vs. db/db OS : 8 ± 3 lymphocyte common antigen [CD45 + ]/HPF; p  = 0.005 and p  = 0.06). AM upregulated various proangiogenic factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and downregulated genes involved in chronicity, such as osteopontin, as visualized through proteome analysis and western blotting. Cell death was lower in the AM groups (db/db OS -AM: 28 ± 10, db/db-AM: 7 ± 5 vs. db/db OS : 17% ± 9% Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling [TUNEL + ]; p  = 0.03 and p  < 0.0001). Innovation: This study offers new insight on the mechanisms of action of human AM in chronic wound healing. Conclusion: AM treatment promoted healing in mice with complex chronic wounds. The AM stimulated angiogenesis through upregulation of proangiogenic factors, improving the wound milieu by increasing leukocyte and growth factor delivery and decreasing cell death.

Volumetric muscle loss (VML), which refers to a composite skeletal muscle defect, most commonly heals by scarring and minimal muscle regeneration but substantial fibrosis. Current surgical interventions and physical therapy techniques are limited in restoring muscle function following VML. Novel tissue engineering strategies may offer an option to promote functional muscle recovery. The present study evaluates a colloidal scaffold with hierarchical porosity and controlled mechanical properties for the treatment of VML. In addition, as VML results in an acute decrease in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a myogenic factor, the scaffold was designed to slowly release IGF-1 following implantation. The foam-like scaffold is directly crosslinked onto remnant muscle without the need for suturing. In situ 3D printing of IGF-1-releasing porous muscle scaffold onto VML injuries resulted in robust tissue ingrowth, improved muscle repair, and increased muscle strength in a murine VML model. Histological analysis confirmed regeneration of new muscle in the engineered scaffolds. In addition, the scaffolds significantly reduced fibrosis and increased the expression of neuromuscular junctions in the newly regenerated tissue. Exercise training, when combined with the engineered scaffolds, augmented the treatment outcome in a synergistic fashion. These data suggest highly porous scaffolds and exercise therapy, in combination, may be a treatment option following VML., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Mohamadmahdi Samandari reports a relationship with InPrint Bio LLC that includes: equity or stocks. Jacob Quint reports a relationship with InPrint Bio LLC that includes: equity or stocks. Ali Tamayol reports a relationship with InPrint Bio LLC that includes: equity or stocks. Indranil Sinha reports a relationship with InPrint Bio LLC that includes: equity or stocks., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Decreased lymphangiogenesis contributes to impaired diabetic wound healing. Although negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been shown to be effective in the treatment of recalcitrant wounds, its impact on lymphangiogenesis remains to be elucidated. In this study, the authors investigate the mechanisms of lymphangiogenesis following NPWT treatment of diabetic murine wound healing., Methods: Full-thickness dorsal skin wounds (1 × 1 cm 2 ) were excised on 30 db/db mice. The mice were either treated with occlusive covering (control group, n = 15), or received a 7-day treatment of continuous NPWT at -125 mmHg (NPWT group, n = 15). The wounds were photographed on days 0, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28. Wound tissue was harvested on days 10, 14, 21, and 28 for quantitative analysis. Functional analysis of lymphatic drainage was performed on days 14 and 28 with Evans blue dye tracing., Results: Lymphatic density and diameter, as visualized through podoplanin probing, was significantly higher in the NPWT group compared to the control group ( P < 0.001). NPWT up-regulated the expression of lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE-1) at the protein level ( P = 0.04), and significant differences were noted in lymphatic density as assessed by LYVE-1 staining ( P = 0.001). Leukocyte infiltration was significantly higher in the NPWT group ( P = 0.01). A higher speed of wound closure ( P < 0.0001) and greater wound bed thickness ( P < 0.0001) were noted in the NPWT group compared to the control group., Conclusions: NPWT increased the lymphatic vessel density and diameter with LYVE-1 up-regulation. NPWT therefore plays a positive role in lymphangiogenesis in diabetic wound healing., Clinical Relevance Statement: The authors' study investigates the association of NPWT and lymphatics and underlines the importance of a more in-depth investigation of the role of lymphatic vessels in wound healing., (Copyright © 2022 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

External volume expansion (EVE) has been shown to improve fat graft survival. In this study, we investigated the xenogenic implantation of human allograft adipose matrix (AAM) in non-immunocompromised mice in combination with pre- and post-conditioning with EVE to assess long-term adipose tissue survival. Sixty-eight recipient sites in thirty-four eight-week-old wild type (C57BL/6J) mice were separated into four groups. Thirty-four sites received no conditioning and either a subcutaneous injection of 300 μl saline ( n = 17; PBS group) or AAM ( n = 17; AAM group). Thirty-four sites received pre-conditioning with EVE (Day -7-3 pre-grafting) and 300 μl of AAM. Seventeen of these sites received immediate post-conditioning (Day 1-5 post-grafting) and 17 delayed post-conditioning (Day 28-32 post-grafting). Tissue was harvested at week 12 for analysis. At 12 weeks, immediate and delayed post-conditioning enabled higher volume retention ( p = 0.02 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Adipose Stem Cells were greater in the AAM+Del-EVE group compared to the AAM ( p = 0.01). Microvessel density was lower in the AAM group compared to the AAM+Imm-EVE ( p = 0.04) and AAM+Del-EVE group ( p = 0.02). Macrophage infiltration was lower in the AAM+Imm-EVE ( p = 0.002) and AAM+Del-EVE ( p = 0.003) groups compared to the AAM group. PCR analysis and Western blotting identified a significantly higher expression of PPAR- γ , LPL and VEGF with delayed-conditioning. Pre- and post-conditioning, particularly delayed-post-conditioning, of the recipient site optimized the microenvironment allowing significant adipogenesis and survival of neo-adipose tissue through robust angiogenesis. This study supports that xenogenic transplantation of adipose matrix allows adipose tissue formation and survival with EVE as an adjuvant., (© 2022 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a resource-intensive global pandemic. It is important for healthcare systems to identify high-risk COVID-19-positive patients who need timely health care. This study was conducted to predict the hospitalization of older adults who have tested positive for COVID-19., Methods: We screened all patients with COVID test records from 11 Mass General Brigham hospitals to identify the study population. A total of 1495 patients with age 65 and above from the outpatient setting were included in the final cohort, among which 459 patients were hospitalized. We conducted a clinician-guided, 3-stage feature selection, and phenotyping process using iterative combinations of literature review, clinician expert opinion, and electronic healthcare record data exploration. A list of 44 features, including temporal features, was generated from this process and used for model training. Four machine learning prediction models were developed, including regularized logistic regression, support vector machine, random forest, and neural network., Results: All 4 models achieved area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) greater than 0.80. Random forest achieved the best predictive performance (AUC = 0.83). Albumin, an index for nutritional status, was found to have the strongest association with hospitalization among COVID positive older adults., Conclusions: In this study, we developed 4 machine learning models for predicting general hospitalization among COVID positive older adults. We identified important clinical factors associated with hospitalization and observed temporal patterns in our study cohort. Our modeling pipeline and algorithm could potentially be used to facilitate more accurate and efficient decision support for triaging COVID positive patients., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objectives: Protecting frontline health care workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) is critical during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Through an online survey, we demonstrated variable adherence to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) PPE guidelines among health care personnel (HCP)., Methods: CDC guidelines for optimal and acceptable PPE usage in common situations faced by frontline health care workers were referenced to create a short online survey. The survey was distributed to national, statewide, and local professional organizations across the United States and to HCP, using a snowball sampling technique. Responses were collected between June 15 and July 17, 2020., Results: Responses totaling 2245 were received from doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, and medical technicians in 44 states. Eight states with n > 20 (Arizona, California, Colorado, Louisiana, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington) and a total of 436 responses are included in the quantitative analysis. Adherence to CDC guidelines was observed to be highest in the scenario of patient contact when COVID-19 was not suspected (86.47%) and lowest when carrying out aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) (42.47%)., Conclusions: Further research is urgently needed to identify the reasons underlying variability between professions and regions to pinpoint strategies for maximizing adherence and improving the safety of HCPs.

Objective: To determine if the various three-dimensional structures of bioscaffolds affect wound healing by investigating the efficacy of different porcine-derived urinary bladder matrix (UBM) structures in treating murine diabetic wound healing., Methods: The authors studied three different UBM structures: particulate (pUBM), one-layer freeze-dried sheet (fdUBM), and three-layer laminated sheet (lmUBM). Scanning electron microscopy images of the structures were used to calculate a wound-exposed surface-area-to-volume ratio. A 1.0 × 1.0-cm full-thickness dorsal wound was excised on 90 db/db mice. Mice were either untreated (blank, n = 15), treated with one UBM structure (pUBM, n = 15; fdUBM, n = 15; lmUBM, n = 15), or treated with a combination of either the one- or three-layer sheet over the particulate matrix (fdUBM + pUBM, n = 15; lmUBM + pUBM, n = 15). The authors obtained macroscopic images of the wounds and harvested tissues for analyses at multiple time points., Results: The surface area available to interact with the wound was highest in the pUBM group and lowest in the lmUBM group. Greater wound bed thickness was noted in the fdUBM, fdUBM + pUBM, and lmUBM groups compared with the blank group. Cellular proliferation was significantly higher in the fdUBM and fdUBM + pUBM groups than in the blank group. The lmUBM + pUBM group had the highest collagen deposition. The pUBM group induced significantly higher leukocyte infiltration compared with the lmUBM, lmUBM + pUBM, and blank groups. Microvessel density was highest in the fdUBM + pUBM group. Significant differences in the wound closure rate were noted between the blank group and the fdUBM and fdUBM + pUBM groups., Conclusions: Assessment of the three UBM bioscaffold structures highlighted differences in the wound-exposed surface area. Variations in wound healing effects, including collagen deposition, cellular proliferation, and angiogenesis, were identified, with combinations of the structures displaying synergistic effects. This study serves as a platform for future scaffold design and offers promising evidence of the benefits of combining various structures of scaffolds., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Poor cellular spreading, proliferation, and infiltration, due to the dense biomaterial networks, have limited the success of most thick hydrogel-based scaffolds for tissue regeneration. Here, inspired by whipped cream production widely used in pastries, hydrogel-based foam bioinks are developed for bioprinting of scaffolds. Upon cross-linking, a multiscale and interconnected porous structure, with pores ranging from few to several hundreds of micrometers, is formed within the printed constructs. The effect of the process parameters on the pore size distribution and mechanical and rheological properties of the bioinks is determined. The developed foam bioinks can be easily printed using both conventional and custom-built handheld bioprinters. In addition, the foam inks are adhesive upon in situ cross-linking and are biocompatible. The subcutaneous implantation of scaffolds formed from the engineered foam bioinks showed their rapid integration and vascularization in comparison with their non-porous hydrogel counterparts. In addition, in vivo application of the foam bioink into the non-healing muscle defect of a murine model of volumetric muscle loss resulted in a significant functional recovery and higher muscle forces at 8 weeks post injury compared with non-treated controls., (© 2021 Author(s).)

Background: Autologous fat grafting (FG) is a popular technique for soft-tissue augmentation, but the fat survival rate is unpredictable. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged as an adjuvant to enhance fat graft survival., Objectives: This literature review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of PRP on the survival rate of fat grafting., Methods: A comprehensive systematic literature search was done to identify clinical studies on PRP and fat cotransplantation in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases up to May 2020. The reference lists of selected articles were reviewed to identify any additional related articles. A meta-analysis was conducted to compare PRP + FG and conventional FG in terms of fat graft survival rate, patient satisfaction rate, and recovery time after surgery., Results: Eleven studies consisting of 1125 patients were analyzed. Patients were followed up from 3 to 24 months post-FG. The fat survival rate varied from 20.5% to 54.8% in FG alone and from 24.1% to 89.2% in the PRP + FG groups. The survival rate was significantly higher and recovery time was significantly lower in the PRP + FG group than in the FG alone group. However, there was no significant difference in the patient satisfaction rate between the groups., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that PRP-enhanced fat transplantation has better efficacy than conventional fat grafting. Further studies are required to provide the optimum concentration of PRP and the long-term efficacy of the technique. There is not enough evidence to compare the rate of complications with PRP and fat cotransplantation and conventional fat grafting., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, painful, and severely debilitating inflammatory disease that affects apocrine gland-bearing skin. There is no universal consensus on the management of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Current available guidelines are from western countries, which may be of limited use in other parts of the world. In this study, we aim to identify trends in the management of HS in the Middle East (ME) and its differences with the West., Methods: A systematic literature review was performed to identify all studies in HS management performed by experts in the ME from database inception to June 2020 using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases. Only original articles published in English language were included. Guidelines from western countries were used for comparison., Results: Fifty-four eligible studies comprising 7649 HS patients from the ME region and nine guidelines from the West were included. No established guidelines were found for the management of HS in the ME. Sex ratio of HS patients in the ME is different in that men reported to be affected at a higher rate than in the West. Different antibiotic regimens were recommended in the ME, and the experts in the ME tend to be more procedure intensive than experts in the West., Conclusions: Establishing a guideline for HS management in the ME is recommended to address unique considerations in the countries in this region., (© 2020 the International Society of Dermatology.)

Exercise is believed to be beneficial for skeletal muscle functions across all ages. Regimented exercise is often prescribed as an effective treatment/prophylaxis for age-related loss of muscle mass and function, known as sarcopenia, and plays an important role in the maintenance of mobility and functional independence in the elderly. However, response to exercise declines with aging, resulting in limited gain of muscle strength and endurance. These changes likely reflect age-dependent alterations in transcriptional response underlying the muscular adaptation to exercise. The exact changes in gene expression accompanying exercise, however, are largely unknown, and elucidating them is of a great clinical interest for understanding and optimizing the exercise-based therapies for sarcopenia. In order to characterize the exercise-induced transcriptomic changes in aged muscle, a paired-end RNA sequencing was performed on rRNA-depleted total RNA extracted from the gastrocnemius muscles of 24 months-old mice after 8 weeks of regimented exercise (exercise group) or no formal exercise program (sedentary group). Differential gene expression analysis of aged skeletal muscle revealed upregulations in the group of genes involved in neurotransmission and neuroexcitation, as well as equally notable absence of anabolic gene upregulations in the exercise group. In particular, genes encoding the transporters and receptor components of glutaminergic transmission were significantly upregulated in exercised muscles, as exemplified by Gria 1, Gria 2 and Grin2c encoding glutamate receptor 1, 2 and 2C respectively, Grin1 and Grin2b encoding N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), Nptx1 responsible for glutaminergic receptor clustering, and Slc1a2 and Slc17a7 regulating synaptic uptake of glutamate. These changes were accompanied by an increase in the post-synaptic density of NMDARs and acetylcholine receptors (AChRs), as well as their innervation at neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). These results suggest that neural responses predominate the adaptive response of aged skeletal muscle to exercise, and indicate a possibility that glutaminergic transmission at NMJs may be present and responsible for synaptic protection and neural remodeling accompanying the exercise-induced functional enhancement in aged skeletal muscle. In addition, the absence of upregulations in the anabolic pathways highlights them as the area of potential pharmacological targeting for optimizing exercise-led sarcopenia therapy., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the extent that appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, was used during the coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by health-care personnel (HCP) in Louisiana in 5 clinical settings., Methods: An online questionnaire was distributed to the LA Nursery registry. Appropriate use of PPE in each of the 5 clinical scenarios was defined by the authors based on CDC guidelines. The scenarios ranged from communal hospital space to carrying out aerosol generating procedures (AGPs). A total of 1760 HCP participated between June and July 2020., Results: The average adherence in LA was lowest for the scenario of carrying out AGPs at 39.5% compliance and highest for the scenario of patient contact when COVID-19 not suspected at 82.8% compliance. Adherence among parishes varied widely. Commentary to suggest a shortage of PPE supply and the practice of re-using PPE was strong., Conclusions: Use of appropriate PPE varied by setting. It was higher in scenarios where only face masks (or respirators) were the standard (ie, community hospital or when COVID-19 not suspected) and lower in scenarios where additional PPE (eg, gloves, eye protection, and isolation gown) was required.

Cryoinjury, or injury due to freezing, is a method of creating reproducible, local injuries in skeletal muscle. This method allows studying the regenerative response following muscle injuries in vivo , thus enabling the evaluation of local and systemic factors that influence the processes of myofiber regeneration. Cryoinjuries are applicable to the study of various modalities of muscle injury, particularly non-traumatic and traumatic injuries, without a loss of substantial volume of muscle mass. Cryoinjury requires only simple instruments and has the advantage over other methods that the extent of the lesion can be easily adjusted and standardized according to the duration of contact with the freezing instrument. The regenerative response can be evaluated histologically by the average maturity of regenerating myofibers as indicated by the cross-sectional areas of myofibers with centrally located nuclei. Accordingly, cryoinjury is regarded as one of the most reliable and easily accessible methods for simulating muscle injuries in studies of muscle regeneration., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors; exclusive licensee Bio-protocol LLC.)

Therapeutic strategies that successfully combine two techniques-autologous micrografting and biodegradable scaffolds-offer great potential for improved wound repair and decreased scarring. In this study we evaluate the efficacy of a novel modification of a collagen-glycosaminoglycan (collagen-GAG) scaffold with autologous micrografts using a murine dorsal wound model. db/db mice underwent a full thickness 1.0 cm 2 dorsal wound excision and were treated with a collagen-GAG scaffold (CGS group), a modified collagen-GAG scaffold (CGS + MG group) or simple occlusive dressing (Blank group). The modified scaffold was created by harvesting full thickness micrografts and transplanting these into the collagen-GAG membrane. Parameters of wound healing, including cellular proliferation, collagen deposition, keratinocyte migration, and angiogenesis were assessed. The group treated with the micrograft-modified scaffold healed at a faster rate, showed greater cellular proliferation, collagen deposition, and keratinocyte migration with higher density and greater maturity of microvessels. The grafts remained viable within the scaffold with no evidence of rejection. Keratinocytes were shown to migrate from the wound border and from the micrograft edges towards the center of the wound, while cellular proliferation was present both at the wound border and wound bed. We report successful treatment of diabetic wounds with a novel collagen-GAG scaffold modified with full-thickness automicrografts. Differences in cellular migration and proliferation offer maiden evidence on the mechanisms of wound healing. Clinically, the successful scaffold engraftment, micrograft viability and improved wound healing offer promising results for the development of a new therapeutic modality for wound repair., (© 2021 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

Introduction: Epidemiological analysis of traffic accidents can provide information for future plans to lower the cost and burden of road traffic accidents (RTAs). This study was aimed to determine the epidemiological characteristics of patients with RTAs., Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of RTA patients presenting in 2016 to the Emergency Department at Shahid Bahonar Medical Education Center in Kerman, Iran. A checklist including variables such as age, sex, month, in which the patient referred, final outcome, overall cost and the site of injury used to collect data. The diagnostic criteria were in accordance to ICD 10., Results: Of the total of 3277 patients who were studied, 2713 (82.78%) were men and 564 (16.66%) were women. Most of the accidents occurred at the age group of 16-30 years and the average cost of treatment in the hospital was 2152.45 USD. The most affected area was the lower limb. The majority of accidents occurred in spring and summer. The mortality rate was (2.74%)., Discussion: Injuries and deaths due to RTAs are a major public health problem, especially in young age groups. Therefore, more preventive programs targeting young adults should be considered to reduce the burden of RTAs., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2020 International Journal of Critical Illness and Injury Science.)

Introduction: Investigators have struggled to produce a reliable chronic wound model. Recent progress with antioxidant enzyme inhibitors shows promise, but mortality rates are high. We modified the dosage and administration of an antioxidant enzyme inhibitor regimen to reduce mortality while inducing a chronic wound environment., Research Design and Methods: To chemically induce a chronic wound environment, we applied modified doses of catalase (3-amino-1,2,4-triazole; intraperitoneal 0.5 g/kg) and glutathione peroxidase (mercaptosuccinic acid; topical 300 mg/kg) inhibitors to the dorsal wounds of 11-week-old db/db mice. A cohort of these mice was treated with a collagen-glycosaminoglycan scaffold. Both groups were compared with Diabetic control mice., Results: This study successfully induced a chronic wound in 11-week-old db/db mice, with no animal deaths. The antioxidant enzyme treated groups showed delayed wound contraction and significantly higher levels of inflammatory tissue, collagen deposition, cellular proliferation and leukocyte infiltration than the Diabetic control group. Angiogenesis was significantly higher in the antioxidant enzyme treated groups, but the vessels were immature and friable. Scaffold engraftment was poor but appeared to promote blood vessel maturation., Conclusions: Overall, the two in vivo groups treated with the antioxidant enzyme inhibitors appeared to be arrested in the inflammatory stage of wound healing, while the Diabetic control group progressed to the maturation phase and ultimately remodeling. This model may be instrumental for the development of new wound therapeutics., Competing Interests: Competing interests: DPO receives grant support through a sponsored research agreement through Integra Lifesciences. DPO is a consultant for Integra Lifesciences., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: We conducted a triple phase project for motorcycle helmets advocacy in Darab, a city in southwest Iran. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the project on decreasing the hazards of motorcycle accidents., Methods: Using a questionnaire, data for ICU admission rates, hospital costs for patients who required ICU admission, rate of helmet usage, mortality and the duration of ICU care for patients admitted to Darab hospital due to motorcycle accidents in Winter 2015 (before conducting the project) and Winter 2016 (after conducting the project) were gathered and compared. This feature was also separately done for patients younger than 17 years., Results: The rate of wearing helmets increased significantly in winter 2016 (from 3.4 % to 33%). Also ICU admission rate due to head trauma was significantly decreased after the project was done (from 14.5 % to 4%). However, hospital costs for patients required ICU admission were increased in winter 2016. This increase, though not significant, seems to be due to an increase in health service expenses in the year 2016 as compared with the year 2015. The mortality rate was not significantly changed between the two mentioned years results. For patients younger than 17 years, no ICU admissions were needed in winter 2016., Conclusion: Even a short period of intervention can have positive effects on increasing the safety of motorcycle drivers., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests., (© 2019 Trauma Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.)

Purpose: This study is aimed to evaluate the effects of opium dependency on testicular tissue in a rat model., Methods: Thirty-two Wistar male rats (aged 30 days and weighing 200-250 grams) were randomized into two groups. Group A, consisting of 16 rats, received dissolved oral opium tablets in drinking water for 45 days, whereas group B (control group) consisted of 16 rats that received opium-free water. After 45 days vertical and horizontal diameters of testis, number of seminiferous tubules, mean seminiferous tubule diameter, number of germ cells, height of germinal epithelium, percentage of degenerating Leydig and germ cells and glutathione density of testicular tissue (µmol/g of tissue) were compared between study groups., Results: Morphological evaluation of testicular tissue revealed a significantly higher percentage of degenerating Leydig and germ cells in the treated group compared to control group. (10.08 ± 0.351 vs. 1.83 ± 0.88, 4.50 ± 0.769 vs. 0.607 ± 0.118, respectively) (P-value<0.001 for each) Interestingly, vertical and horizontal diameter of testis, the average number of germ cells, height of germinal epithelium and number of seminiferous tubules, were significantly higher in the treated group compared to control group. Seminiferous tubule diameter and glutathione density of testicular tissue were not statistically significantly different between the groups., Conclusions: Applying a rat model, we noted that opium has a substantial effect on testicular structure and function. A significantly higher proportion of Leydig and germ cells were degenerated in treated rats despite an increase in the average number of seminiferous tubules and germ cells. These findings support the hypothesis that opium consumption adversely affects male fertility.

Background & Objectives: Leishmania parasites are sensitive to very low temperature. Cryotherapy is considered as an alternative to the existing pentavalent antimonials, for local treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Normally, liquid nitrogen (N 2 ) at a temperature of -196 °C, is used in cryotherapy of CL, but it's efficacy is not consistent. Recently, few studies have also reported the use of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) slush at -78.5 °C in CL cryotherapy. This study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of N 2 vs CO 2 cryotherapy for CL treatment in mice. Methods: In total, 21 BALB/c mice were infected with Leishmania major strain [MRHO/IR/74/ER]. Samples were divided into three groups based on the intervention provided-Solid CO 2 cryotherapy, liquid N 2 cryotherapy and control group; with seven mice randomly assigned to each group. Control group received no intervention, and in the other two groups cryotherapy was used every two weeks for maximum of three months. Follow up examinations were scheduled at the time of cryotherapy, during which the size of each lesion was measured. For three mice in each study group, the spleen parasite DNA load was quantified using real-time PCR., Results: After treatment, the liquid N 2 cryotherapy showed significant reduction in size of the lesions (p = 0.029) as compared to the solid CO 2 cryotherapy and control group. Also, Leishmania DNA load in spleen was significantly lower in the mice receiving liquid N 2 cryotherapy (p <0.001)., Interpretation & Conclusion: Liquid N 2 cryotherapy is superior to CO 2 cryotherapy, and it can be an effective method for controlling L. major infection. Further investigations are essential to find optimal number of treatment sessions and time intervals., Competing Interests: The funder had no financial or proprietary interest in any material or method used in this study and had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, or preparation of the manuscript. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests

Aerosol OT (AOT) is a commonly used surfactant and charging agent in nonpolar liquids. Properties such as the conductivity of AOT suspensions in nonpolar liquids and the behavior of charged AOT inverse micelles at interfaces have been studied recently, but still little is known about the generation dynamics of charged AOT inverse micelles. In this article, the generation dynamics of charged AOT inverse micelles in dodecane are investigated with transient current measurements. At low applied voltages, the generation rate is sufficiently fast to maintain the equilibrium concentration of charged inverse micelles, such that the current scales proportionally with the applied voltage. However, above a threshold voltage the current becomes limited by the generation of charged inverse micelles. Al2O3-coated electrodes are used to achieve these high-voltage current measurements while reducing surface generation currents. The dependency of the resulting generation-limited currents with the micelle concentration and the liquid volume is compatible with a bulk disproportionation mechanism. The measured currents are analyzed using a model based on drift, generation, and recombination of charged inverse micelles and the corresponding generation and recombination rates of charged AOT inverse micelles have been determined.

A simple efficacious topical treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is still an unresolved challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the topical use of thioxolone plus benzoxonium chloride (Thio-Ben) tincture in combination with cryotherapy in comparison with intralesional meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime) along with cryotherapy in treating anthroponotic CL (ACL). The study was conducted in Leishmaniasis Center in Dadbin Health Care Clinic, Kerman, Iran. Sixty-four CL lesions were randomly assigned to receive Thio-Ben plus cryotherapy (TC) (n = 32) or Glucantime plus cryotherapy (GC) (n = 32). Thio-Ben was used topically every other day and Glucantime was used intralesionally once a week for a maximum of 3 months. In both study groups, cryotherapy was administered using liquid nitrogen once every 2 weeks. Of 64 recruited lesions, 47 lesions completed the study protocol. Twenty lesions (91%) in TC group and 23 lesions (92%) in GC group showed complete cure. TC group showed faster clinical response. Pain, hypersensitivity reaction, dizziness, and nausea were only seen in GC group. This study showed that the topical use of Thio-Ben combined with cryotherapy has a good efficacy in treating ACL with the benefit that Thio-Ben has more patient compliance and less side effects than intralesional Glucantime., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Transient current measurements are used to characterize a wide variety of charge carriers in nonpolar liquids. The transient current method allows us to obtain both the concentration and mobility of charge carriers and therefore also the hydrodynamic radius using Stokes' law. In this article, five different surfactants in dodecane are investigated: OLOA11K, Solsperse13940, Span80, Span85, and AOT. We show that different types of currents are observed depending on the size of the inverse micelles. For large inverse micelles such as for OLOA11K, Solsperse13940, and Span80, the measurement of the transient current is straightforward because of the low steady-state current level. However, for small inverse micelles such as AOT and Span85, the current from the generation of charges is much larger such that high voltages, a small distance between the electrodes, and dielectric coatings on the electrodes are required to measure the signal related to the initially present charged inverse micelles. The estimated hydrodynamic radii of AOT and Span85, the two smallest inverse micelles, are in good agreement with the values reported in the literature. The comparison of the transient currents with simulations indicates that the dynamics of the charge transport are well-understood.

Surfactants such as Aerosol OT (AOT) are commonly used to stabilize and electrically charge nonpolar colloids in devices such as electronic ink displays. The electrical behavior of such devices is strongly influenced by the presence of charged inverse micelles, formed by excess surfactant that does not cover the particles. The presence of charged inverse micelles results in increased conductivity of the solution, affecting both the energy consumption of the device and its switching characteristics. In this work, we use transient current measurements to investigate the electrical properties of suspensions of the surfactant Aerosol OT in dodecane. No particles are added, to isolate the effect of excess surfactant. The measured currents upon application of a voltage step are found to be exponentially decaying, and can be described by an analytical model based on an equivalent electric circuit. This behavior is physically interpreted, first by the high generation rate of charged inverse micelles giving the suspension resistor like properties, and second by the buildup of layers of charged inverse micelles at both electrodes, acting as capacitors. The model explains the measurements over a large range of surfactant concentrations, applied voltages, and device thicknesses., (© 2011 American Chemical Society)

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of opium dependency on the healing of third-degree burns in rats., Material and Methods: Twenty-four rats were randomly divided to experimental and control groups. In the experimental group, opium was added to the drinking water for 21 days at increasing concentrations. The control group did not receive opium. To prove dependency on opium in the rats, naloxone was injected intraperitoneally. Full-thickness burn wounds were inflicted by applying an iron cuboid preheated to 94°C to the flank of all rats for 20 s. On day 14 after burn injury, full-thickness biopsies were taken. Blind histopathologic evaluation was performed to assess length and thickness of the re-epithelialization area, number of neutrophils, fibroblasts, mononuclear cells and new vessels, and percentage of tissue in repair (neutrophilic exudate, and granulation and fibrous tissue). Findings were analyzed using SPSS software., Results: The wound surface area was 95 ± 43.35 mm(2) in the control group and 120.4 ± 50.12 mm(2) in the experimental group (p = 0.224). The findings show that opium dependency has no significant effect on the healing of burn wounds in rats except for the number of monocytes on day 14 (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: Morphine dependency does not seem to be as effective on third-degree burn healing., (Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Surfactant molecules in a non-polar liquid form charged and uncharged inverse micelles. When a potential difference is applied over the mixture, the charged inverse micelles drift towards the electrode with the opposite polarity. The motion of charges is associated with a transient current, which can be measured in an external circuit. In this paper, transient currents and steady state charge densities are described analytically in different ranges of parameter values (applied voltage, charge density, device thickness, mobility,...). The generation of additional charged inverse micelles and the electrophoretic motion of colloidal particles in the mixture is modelled and measured experimentally.