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The aim of this review is to summarise the related characteristics of the natural history of female urinary incontinence (UI) using a narrative descriptive approach. PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science were searched for articles published from 1 January 2010 to 1 January 2020 on the natural history of female UI, which including incidence, persistence, progression, remission, and regression of a single subtype of UI and the mutual influence of different UI subtypes. This literature review includes 15 articles published, indicates that UI is highly dynamic, with symptoms varying according to disease severity and subtype and influenced by multiple factors at different disease stages. Recent studies have increased our understanding of the natural history of UI. Future research should systematically analyse the progression of each subtype of UI and interactions between subtypes to prevent the progression of UI across females life course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of ultrasound with different frequencies on the degradation, crystallization behavior, and mechanical properties of polypropylene were investigated by means of intrinsic viscosity, gel permeation chromatography, dynamic rheological measurements, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, and tensile and impact measurements. The results demonstrated that the degradation extent of polypropylene (PP) increased with increasing sonication time, especially for the samples treated in more than 5 min. Meanwhile, PP treated at 20 KHz was more easily degraded than other two frequencies. On the other hand, β-form PP could be induced by ultrasonic irradiation, its amount increased as the sonication time increased to 3 min and then decreased as the time further increased due to the degradation of PP. Likewise, β-phase was more easily formed when PP was treated at 20 KHz. The results of mechanical properties showed that the toughness of PP could be enhanced by the formation of β-phase, while the mechanical properties would be weakened by the substantial degradation under ultrasonic irradiation with higher intensity. Therefore, it was believed that the effects of both sonication time and frequency should account for the balance between toughening and degradation of PP. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:2566-2575, 2015., INTRODUCTION Polypropylene (PP) is a semicrystalline thermoplastic with advantages of corrosion resistance, ease of processing and relatively low cost, so it is one of the most highly consumed resins in [...]

Introduction and hypothesis: Urinary incontinence (UI) is prevalent among women, including young women (18–30 years old). This article aims to explore the prevalence of UI, as well as toileting behaviors and other factors that are associated with UI, in female college students in central China. Methods: We used convenience sampling to recruit 1000 students from five institutions of higher education. We distributed pencil-and-paper questionnaires to obtain demographic, environmental, and general health information, including whether UI was present or not, and information regarding toileting behaviors used by the respondents. Results: Most students, n = 929, responded to the questionnaire. Their ages ranged from 18 to 26 years old (average: 20.5 ± 1.6); 23.6% of these respondents reported UI, 52.7% often/always worried about public toilet cleanliness, and 25.3% often/always delayed emptying their bladder when they were busy. Respondents who were between 21 and 26 years old had a lower probability of UI (odds ratio [OR] = 0.867 and 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.771–0.975) than younger respondents (18–21 years old). Respondents who reported constipation (OR = 2.395, 95% CI = 1.494–3.839), drank alcohol (OR = 1.763, 95% CI = 1.114–2.792), often/always delayed urination (OR = 1.738, 95% CI = 1.306–2.313), and/or often/always strained to urinate (OR = 1.433, 95% CI = 1.111–1.849) had greater odds of having UI than respondents who did not have constipation or engage in these behaviors. Conclusions: UI is prevalent in young Chinese women who are attending college. These women should be asked and given culturally appropriate information about UI and associated factors that include toileting behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The ultrasonic disintegration behavior of polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene- co-butylenes)-block-polystyrene (SEBS) in polypropylene (PP) melts was studied by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic rheological measurements. A disintegration kinetics model of the dispersed phase in polymer matrix was proposed to explain the ultrasonic disintegration kinetics, and it is in accordance with the equation: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertrophic scars affect a significant number of individuals annually, giving rise to both cosmetic concerns and functional impairments. Prior research has established that an imbalance in the composition of gut microbes, termed microbial dysbiosis, can initiate the progression of various diseases through the intricate interplay between gut microbiota and the host. However, the precise nature of the causal link between gut microbiota and hypertrophic scarring remains uncertain. In this study, after compiling summary data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) involving 418 instances of gut microbiota and hypertrophic scarring, we conducted a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the potential existence of a causal relationship between gut microbiota and the development of hypertrophic scar and to discern the directionality of causation. By utilizing MR analysis, we identified seven causal associations between gut microbiome and hypertrophic scarring, involving one positive and six negative causal directions. Among them, Intestinimonas , Ruminococcus2 , Barnesiella , Dorea , Desulfovibrio piger , and Ruminococcus torques act as protective factors against hypertrophic scarring, while Eubacterium rectale suggests a potential role as a risk factor for hypertrophic scars. Additionally, sensitivity analyses of these results revealed no indications of heterogeneity or pleiotropy. The findings of our MR study suggest a potential causative link between gut microbiota and hypertrophic scarring, opening up new ways for future mechanistic research and the exploration of nanobiotechnology therapies for skin disorders., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Xue, Zhang, Li, Zeng, Li, Wang, Zhang, Lin and Mao.)

Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) is an NAD + -dependent deacetylase belonging to the sirtuin family. It has been shown to participate in wound healing and some inflammation-related disorders. However, the effect of MDL-800, a highly efficient and selective SIRT6 activator, on wound healing and inflammation has not been reported. Therefore, this study investigated whether MDL-800 confers anti-inflammatory effects and promotes wound healing and uncovered the molecular mechanisms involved. This was achieved using mouse models of full-thickness wounds. Results showed that MDL-800 significantly downregulated inflammation by attenuating the release of inflammatory mediators and improved collagen deposition and neovascularization of wounds, thereby accelerating cutaneous wound healing. Furthermore, MDL-800 significantly downregulated expression levels of TNF- α and IL-6 in the dorsal skin tissue of mice via the NF- κ B pathway. These results demonstrated that MDL-800 exerted anti-inflammatory and prohealing effects, indicating that the SIRT6/NF- κ B/I κ B signaling pathway may play an important role in wound healing., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Xiaoqi Jiang et al.)