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Objective: Narrowband ultraviolet B (NB‐UVB) has been recommended as first‐line therapy for early‐stage mycosis fungoides (MF) in international guidelines. NB‐UVB can be used as monotherapy or part of a multimodality treatment regimen. There is limited evidence on the effectiveness and optimal patients of NB‐UVB in combination with systemic therapies in MF. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of the combination versus NB‐UVB monotherapy in early‐stage MF and if plaque lesion status was related to these effects. Methods: This observational cohort study included 247 early‐stage MF patients who had received NB‐UVB combined with systemic therapies vs. NB‐UVB monotherapy from 2009 to 2021. The primary outcome was partial or complete response. Overall response rate and median time to response were calculated. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using the Cox model. Results: In 139 plaque‐stage patients, the response rate for combination therapy group was higher than that of monotherapy group (79.0% vs. 54.3%, p = 0.006). The adjusted HR for combination therapy compared with NB‐UVB monotherapy was 3.11 (95% CI 1.72–5.63). The combination therapy group also showed shorter time to response (4 vs. 6 months, p = 0.002). In 108 patch‐stage patients, the response rate and time to response in two treatment groups showed no significant difference. There was therefore an observed interaction with patients' plaque lesion status for the effect size of NB‐UVB combination therapy. No serious adverse events were observed. Conclusions: Adding systemic treatments to NB‐UVB did not improve the treatment outcome of patch‐stage patients, but it surpassed NB‐UVB monotherapy for early‐stage patients with plaques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The properties of Pickering emulsions is affected by many factors, one of the most typical of which is the ionic environment. Existing studies have mainly focused on the effect of ions in the continuous phase on oil-in-water Pickering emulsions, and usually only single species of ions are studied. The water-in-oil Pickering emulsions are commonly used to encapsulate a variety of water-soluble functional substances, which often contain various of ions. Therefore, it is necessary to study the effect of ions in the internal phase on the properties of inverse Pickering emulsions. The inverse Pickering emulsions with an average droplet size of 100 μm were prepared using hydrophobized calcium carbonate particles. Subsequently, Na+ and Ca2+ were introduced into the internal phase to investigate their effects on the emulsion. The results show that the presence of Na+ can aggravate droplet coalescence, and Ca2+ can cause severe damage to the emulsions and even lead to phase inversion. It was speculated that Na+ can weaken the surface charge of particles by compressing the electric double layer, resulting in lower electrostatic repulsion between particles, thus changing the dispersion state of the particles and ultimately affecting the properties of the emulsion. And Ca2+ can combine with and release stearate from the particle surface through chemical reactions, thus changing the wettability of the particles and resulting in breaking and phase inversion of the emulsions. The present work is informative for the setting of the phase composition and the prediction of stability during the application of inverse Pickering emulsions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth dynamics of Ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro) are intricately linked to nitrogen availability, a pivotal nutrient. Escalating global nitrogen deposition, primarily driven by anthropogenic factors, is reshaping nutrient fluxes and productivity within forest and bamboo ecosystems. Such alterations bear significant implications for the growth equilibrium and yields of rapid-growth species such as Ma bamboo, thereby influencing their sustainable management strategies. This investigation delves into the responses of Ma bamboo under varying nitrogen deposition scenarios (0 g·clump−1, 11.2 g·clump−1, 13.5 g·clump−1, and 22.5 g·clump−1), examining stoichiometric attributes in bamboo shoots, leaves, and soil across distinct growth phases. Our empirical findings reveal that in the early growth stage, nitrogen enrichment markedly augmented N and P concentrations in the foliage and shoots, alongside a corresponding enhancement in soil P content. This was paralleled by a substantial reduction in the C:N ratio in leaves and the C:P ratio in shoots and soil, indicating an amplified uptake of P and N in both plant and soil matrices. During the middle stage, all nitrogen treatments boosted nitrogen levels across various plant tissues, while concurrently, soil C content exhibited a notable decline with increased nitrogen supplementation. In the late stage, leaf and soil N content continued to ascend; however, alterations in C content in both soil and leaves were not pronounced. Contrastingly, N and P levels in shoots showed a gradual decrement. Yield assessments disclosed that during the early stage, the N3 treatment (22.5 g·clump−1) not only delayed shoot emergence by 14 days but also surged the yield by 115.87% in comparison to the control (CK). In the late stage, the N2 treatment (13.5 g·clump−1) extended emergence duration by 10 days, with the yield apex under N3 treatment (22.5 g·clump−1) evidencing a 116.67% yield augmentation over CK. In summation, this study elucidates the stoichiometric balancing and distribution strategies within the plant–soil system of Ma bamboo, investigating its adaptability and responsive feedback to diverse nitrogen deposition gradients. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of plant nutrient adaptation mechanisms in the context of nitrogen deposition, enriches the discourse on plant population stoichiometry, and offers valuable insights and scientific underpinnings for broader-scale community or ecosystem stoichiometry studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Older to solve the problems such as difficult to control the gelation rate, fast and dense surface gel and uneven cross-linking structure affecting the swelling and mechanical properties of hydrogels during the preparation of conventional temperature-sensitive composite hydrogels by two-step method, N-isopropylacrylamide monomer (NIPAm) and sodium alginate (Alg) were selected as the main materials, aim CaCO3-GDL system produced by CaS04 and D-gluconolactone (GDL) was used as calcium source to provide ionic crosslinking agent for Alg. Temperature sensitive hydrogel (PAGel) with calcium alginate poly (n-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) cross-linked interpenetrating network structure was prepared by one-step method. The structure, morphology and volumetric phase transition temperature (VPTT) of hydrogels were characterized by Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy ( SEM ), rheometer and differential scanning calorimeter ( DSC ) . The effects of different NIP Am monomer and cross-linker N, N-methylene bisacrylamide ( MBAA) contents on swelling and temperature-sensitive shrinkage properties were investigated. The results show that The VPTT of PAGel selected by various properties is all near 32°C . The hydrogel structure of CaCO3-GDL slow release system presents a uniform network and dense honeycomb structure with excellent mechanical properties. The swelling mass ratio, VPTT and temperature sensitive shrinkage rate are 29. 1, 33. 1°C and 35. 37%, respectively. This structural property can reduce the load and release of chemical drugs, and promote the contraction of skin tissue around the wound by physical methods of volume contraction, providing the possibility of creating a low-toxic healing microenvironment and accelerating wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]