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A high-efficiency bio-based P/N synergistic flame retardant (PVFD) is synthesized by combining furfurylamine and vanillin. The compound incorporates two different valence states of phosphorus as flame retardant structures, namely phenylphosphoiyl dichloride (PPDC) and 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10- phosphophenyl10-oxide (DOPO). PVFD and epoxy resin (EP) can cure into a cross-linked network, thus not only impro\ing the mechanical properties of EP but also achieving P/N synergistic flame retardant effects. Experimental results demonstrate that EP/PVFD-5 obtained by adding 5 wt% of PVFD to EP passes the UL-94 test and achieves V-0 grade, whose limiting oxygen index (LOI) is up to 38.0%. EP/PVFD-5 exhibits a decrease of 10.14% in peak heat release rate (PHRR), 16.90% in total heat release (THR), and 10.0% in total smoke release (TSP), while the residual carbon content increases by 8.5%. Additionally, the bending strength, bending modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break of EP/PVFD-5 increase by 3.9%, 4.9%, 45.1%, and 26.3%, respectively. Highlights * The bio-based raw materials we used are eco-friendly and readily available. * PVFD, an efficient P-N synergistic compound, was synthesized. * PVFD promotes the char formation of EP and dilutes the 02 concentration. * PVFD does not cause the degradation of mechanical properties of EP. KEYWORDS bio-based flame retardants, epoxy resins, tuifurylamine, P/N synergistic flame retardants, 1 | INTRODUCTION Epoxy resin (EP) is renowned for its remarkable mechanical properties, bonding capabilities, and chemical resistance, (1-3) making it a prominent choice in various domains including coatings, electronic [...]

Background The elderly are at high risk for COVID-19 and incontinence, as well as a vulnerable population for incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD). There has been a continuous exploration of how to provide good incontinence care to improve the effectiveness of preventing and treating IAD. Objective To investigate the effectiveness of two incontinence care plans based on guidelines for elderly COVID-19 patients with incontinence, in order to provide a reference basis for good incontinence care and prevention of IAD in such patients. Methods Using an exploratory intervention study design, 60 eligible patients with COVID-19 were selected as the study subjects from the surgical and internal medicine departments of Eastern Theater General Hospital, PLA, Daping Hospital, Amy Medical University, PLA, and Sir Run Run Hospital, Nanjing Medical University from December 26, 2022 to March 30, 2023. The study subjects were nonrandomly divided into the intervention group and control group, with 30 patients from the Eastern Theater Command General Hospital of PLA included in the intervention group and 30 patients from the other two hospitals included in the control group. Patients with IAD in both groups were also included in the intervention and control subgroups. The characteristics and types of incontinence in elderly COVID-19 patients were analyzed, the "AIMS Four Step Improved Incontinence" care plan (AIMS care plan) for the assessing incontinence and skin (A), identifying and managing risk (I), managing incontinence (M), and skin care (S) was modified based on the recommendations of the guidelines. The intervention group adopted the modified AIMS care plan, while the control group adopted a structured skin care plan, with continuous intervention for at least 14 days. The skin was inspected every shift and international standards were used to determine the occurrence of IAD and changes. The primary outcome indicator was the incidence of IAD in both groups of patients, and the secondary outcome indicators were the healing rate and healing time of IAD. The relevant clinical data of the two groups before and after intervention was collected and compared. Results The general data of the both groups of patients showed no statistically significant differences, which included gender, age, types of incontinence, frequency of incontinence, chronic comorbidities, serum albumin, hemoglobin, blood glucose, pulse oxygen concentration, and Braden scores (P>0.05). The incidence of IAD in 60 elderly COVID-19 patients with incontinence was 33.3% (20/60), of which the incidence of IAD was 43.3% (13/30) in the control group and 23.3% (7/30) in the intervention group; There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of IAD between the two groups of patients (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the grading, and healing rate of IAD between the two subgroups of patients (P>0.05). Patients in the intervention subgroup had a delayed time to IAD occurrence (t=3.225, P=0.005), shorter time to IAD healing (t=2.644, P=0.020), and shorter hospitalization time (t=4.364, P

In this study, an intrinsic flame-retardant epoxy resin (TA-VAN-EP) containing a Schiff-base structure was prepared by using vanillin (VAN), tyramine (TA) and epichlorohydrin (ECH) as raw materials. The chemical structure of the resultant TA-VAN-EP was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and its curing behavior, mechanical performance, thermal stability, flame - retardant performance, and other important properties were investigated. The results indicated that the synthesized TA-VAN-EP exhibited a desired structure. Compared to pure epoxy resin, TA-VAN-EP obtained a significant improvement in the mechanical properties, in which there is an increase in the tensile strength by 82.0 %. Moreover, it also showed an increase in the glass-transition temperature from 152 to 190 °C. In addition, TA-VAN-EP achieved a UL94 V-1 rating in the vertical burning experiment, along with an increase in the limiting oxygen index value from 24.7 % to 28.4 % . Furthermore, TA-VAN-EP presented a significant reduction in the total heat release, smoke production rate, and total smoke release. Owing to the presence of a dynamic Schiff-base structure in its structure, TA-VAN-EP exhibited good biodegradation performance under acidic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high‐efficiency bio‐based P/N synergistic flame retardant (PVFD) is synthesized by combining furfurylamine and vanillin. The compound incorporates two different valence states of phosphorus as flame retardant structures, namely phenylphosphoryl dichloride (PPDC) and 9,10‐dihydro‐9‐oxa‐10‐ phosphophenyl‐10‐oxide (DOPO). PVFD and epoxy resin (EP) can cure into a cross‐linked network, thus not only improving the mechanical properties of EP but also achieving P/N synergistic flame retardant effects. Experimental results demonstrate that EP/PVFD‐5 obtained by adding 5 wt% of PVFD to EP passes the UL‐94 test and achieves V‐0 grade, whose limiting oxygen index (LOI) is up to 38.0%. EP/PVFD‐5 exhibits a decrease of 10.14% in peak heat release rate (PHRR), 16.90% in total heat release (THR), and 10.0% in total smoke release (TSP), while the residual carbon content increases by 8.5%. Additionally, the bending strength, bending modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break of EP/PVFD‐5 increase by 3.9%, 4.9%, 45.1%, and 26.3%, respectively. Highlights: The bio‐based raw materials we used are eco‐friendly and readily available.PVFD, an efficient P‐N synergistic compound, was synthesized.PVFD promotes the char formation of EP and dilutes the O2 concentration.PVFD does not cause the degradation of mechanical properties of EP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infertility is a major reproductive health problem. Approximately 50% of all documented cases of infertility are attributable to male factors, such as poor testicular function and semen quality. The recent significant global decline in sperm counts has serious implications for male fertility, but the armamentarium for improving testicular function and semen quality is limited. Natural products have a wide range of activities and are a major source of drugs for disease prevention and treatment. To provide ideas and a theoretical basis for the research and development of therapeutic drugs for male infertility, this review summarizes natural products (mostly monomers) that have been shown to improve testicular function and semen quality and their possible mechanisms of action. These natural products primarily improve testicular function and semen quality via antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and anti‐inflammatory effects, in addition to increasing serum testosterone and reducing DNA damage in spermatozoa and testicular cells. Prospects for the application of natural products in the treatment of male infertility are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the performance and reliability of the face recognition algorithm that is based on deep learning technology, this study utilizes a density-based noise-applied spatial clustering algorithm to cluster a large-scale face image dataset, resulting in a self-constructed dataset. A deep separable center differential convolutional network algorithm is utilized for face recognition. The impact of convolutional parameters on the algorithm's performance is verified through experiments with ablated convolutional parameters. The study found that the density-based noise-applied spatial clustering algorithm resulted in time savings of 43.66% and 51.22% compared to the K-means clustering algorithm and the hierarchical clustering algorithm, respectively, when analyzing 8000 images. Additionally, the depth-separable center difference convolutional network algorithm had a lower average classification error rate compared to the other two algorithms, with reductions of 2.49% and 17.01%, respectively. The depth-separable center difference convolutional network technique is an advanced method for identifying the faces of people of different races, according to the experimental investigation. It can provide efficient and accurate services for the face recognition needs of various races. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are polypeptides with potent antimicrobial activity against a broad range of pathogenic microorganisms. Unlike conventional antibiotics, AMPs have rapid bactericidal activity, a low capacity for inducing resistance, and compatibility with the host immune system. A large body of data supports the antimicrobial activities of a large body of data supports the antimicrobial activities of the class of AMPs known as β-defensins. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the effects of β-defensins against various pathogenic microorganism: bacteria, fungi, viruses, Mycoplasmas and Chlamydiae. The primary mechanisms of β-defensins against pathogenic microorganisms include inhibition of biofilms formations, dissolution of membranes, disruption of cell walls, and inhibition of adhesion and receptor binding. Although further study and structural modifications are needed, β-defensins are promising candidates for antimicrobial therapy. Areas covered: This review describes the inhibitory effects of β-defensins on various pathogenic microorganisms. Additionally, we focus on elucidating the mechanisms underlying their actions to provide, providing valuable references for the further study of β-defensins. Expert opinion: The biological activities and modes of action of β-defensins provide powerful resources for clinical microbial infection management. Addressing the salt sensitivity and toxicity of β-defensins may further enhance their potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cerebral autoregulation (CA) plays a fundamental role in the maintenance of adequate cerebral blood flow (CBF). CA monitoring, through direct and indirect techniques, may guide an appropriate therapeutic approach aimed at improving CBF and reducing neurological complications; so far, the role of CA has been investigated mainly in brain-injured patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of CA in non-brain injured patients.Methods: A systematic consultation of literature was carried out. Search terms included: “CA and sepsis,” “CA and surgery,” and “CA and non-brain injury.”Results: Our research individualized 294 studies and after screening, 22 studies were analyzed in this study. Studies were divided in three groups: CA in sepsis and septic shock, CA during surgery, and CA in the pediatric population. Studies in sepsis and intraoperative setting highlighted a relationship between the incidence of sepsis-associated delirium and impaired CA. The most investigated setting in the pediatric population is cardiac surgery, but the role and measurement of CA need to be further elucidated.Conclusion: In non-brain injured patients, impaired CA may result in cognitive dysfunction, neurological damage, worst outcome, and increased mortality. Monitoring CA might be a useful tool for the bedside optimization and individualization of the clinical management in this group of patients.

Traditional epoxy resins are made from non‐renewable fossil resources, which are difficult to reprocess and recycle, and their flammability makes them unsafe during use. In this experiment, an epoxy resin containing Schiff base (TA‐VAN‐EP) was synthesized successfully with biomass‐derived raw materials. This new material not only had favorable mechanical properties but also had good flame retardancy and degradation properties. The chemical structure of TA‐VAN‐EP was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Its mechanical properties, thermal stability, flame‐retardant properties, and other properties were tested. The results showed that, compared with the pure epoxy resin (EP), the mechanical properties of TA‐VAN‐EP were significantly improved, and the glass transition temperature (Tg) was increased from 152°C to 190°C. Additionally, TA‐VAN‐EP reached a V‐1 rating during the UL‐94 test, and the limited oxygen index (LOI) value increased from 24.7% to 28.4%. Also, the total heat release (THR), smoke production rate (SPR), and total smoke release (TSR) decreased extremely. Moreover, TA‐VAN‐EP demonstrated good degradation performance under acidic conditions. In conclusion, this work provided a new idea for the production of bio‐based flame‐retardant epoxy resin with promising degradable abilities and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of methyl methacrylate (MMA) on the properties of transparent flame retardant unsaturated phosphate ester copolymer (poly[UPE-co-MMA]) prepared by bulk polymerization technique was investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectra, gel fraction (G) test, and dynamic mechanical analysis revealed the structure and crosslinking density of poly(UPE-co-MMA) copolymers. The thermal degradation and flame retardancy of copolymers were indicated by thermogravimetric analysis, limiting oxygen index (LOI), and microscale combustion calorimeter (MCC) test. Besides, the mechanical properties and transparency were tested with testing machines and solid ultraviolet absorption spectra. As the MMA content increased to 50%, the copolymer contained 50 wt% MMA showed the maximal G (88.93%) and transmittance was up to 91.72%. From the poly(UPE-co-MMA) copolymers, the tensile strength increased from 14.62 to 26.95 MPa, assigned to the increase of crosslinking density of copolymers. The char yield of poly(UPE-co-MMA) was up to 21.18 wt%, which was a result of decomposition of phosphate groups, producing a phosphorus-rich layer that increased the thermal stability of the residues. LOI and MCC results confirm that the introduction of MMA can retain the flame retardancy of copolymer remarkably., INTRODUCTION Polymer materials have been widely used as advanced composite matrices in various areas such as building construction, automobiles to space vehicles, shipping, and electronic/electrical industries for their outstanding properties, [...]