Adsorption of DNA by Bacteria and Their Composites with Minerals

Previous studies revealed the thermodynamic properties of DNA adsorption on pure minerals or biomasses; however, there has been little attempt to develop such studies on bacteria–mineral composites. Equilibrium adsorption experiments, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and isothermal titration calorimetry were employed to investigate the adsorption of DNA by Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas putida, and their composites with minerals. Similar capacity and affinity were observed for DNA adsorption on two bacterial cells. However, different patterns were found in the adsorption of DNA by bacteria–mineral composites. The Gram-positive bacterium B. subtilis enhanced the adsorption of DNA on its mineral composites compared with their individual components, while the composites of Gram-negative bacterial cells with kaolinite and goethite bound lower amounts of DNA than the predicted values. The thermodynamic parameters and the Fourier transform infrared spectra showed that van der Waals force and hydrogen bonding are responsible for the DNA adsorption on B. subtilis–minerals and P. putida–kaolinite. By contrast, the entropy increases of excluded water rearrangement and dehydration effect play key roles in the interaction between DNA and P. putida–montmorillonite/goethite composites.     

Sampling dust from human dwellings to estimate the prevalence ofDermatophagoides mite and cat allergens

Summary Quantification of specific allergens in household dust samples may provide important information for selecting appropriate allergen control methods, and monitoring efficacy and compliance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the source of variation in mite and cat allergen measurements associated with dust sample collection. Discrete and composite dust samples were collected on a filter using a special vacuum sampling device. Aqueous extracts of the dust samples were prepared thenDer p I,Der f I, andFel d I were quantitated by enzyme immunoassays (EIA). Mite and cat allergens were frequently detected in dust samples from human dwellings, and the amounts of these allergens varied significantly (p<0.01) among dwellings. The differences of allergen measurements among duplicate samples taken immediately and up to three weeks later appear to be much smaller than differences among houses and between rooms. Variation among dust samples taken from living rooms and bedrooms of the same dwelling suggest differences in allergen reservoirs. Composite samples formed by sampling specific objects within a room may provide a reliable estimate of allergen exposure in that room. Dust samples from discrete objects are useful to find and monitor specific reservoirs of mite and cat allergens.     

Marginal proportional hazards models for clustered interval-censored data with time-dependent covariates

The Botswana Combination Prevention Project was a cluster-randomized HIV prevention trial whose follow-up period coincided with Botswana's national adoption of a universal test and treat strategy for HIV management. Of interest is whether, and to what extent, this change in policy modified the preventative effects of the study intervention. To address such questions, we adopt a stratified proportional hazards model for clustered interval-censored data with time-dependent covariates and develop a composite expectation maximization algorithm that facilitates estimation of model parameters without placing parametric assumptions on either the baseline hazard functions or the within-cluster dependence structure. We show that the resulting estimators for the regression parameters are consistent and asymptotically normal. We also propose and provide theoretical justification for the use of the profile composite likelihood function to construct a robust sandwich estimator for the variance. We characterize the finite-sample performance and robustness of these estimators through extensive simulation studies. Finally, we conclude by applying this stratified proportional hazards model to a re-analysis of the Botswana Combination Prevention Project, with the national adoption of a universal test and treat strategy now modeled as a time-dependent covariate.     

Controlled release of adeno-associated virus from alginate hydrogel microbeads with enhanced sensitivity to ultrasound

Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy holds promise as a fundamental treatment for genetic disorders. For clinical applications, it is necessary to control AAV release timing to avoid an immune response to AAV. Here we propose an ultrasound (US)-triggered on-demand AAV release system using alginate hydrogel microbeads (AHMs) with a release enhancer. By using a centrifuge-based microdroplet shooting device, the AHMs encapsulating AAV with tungsten microparticles (W-MPs) are fabricated. Since W-MPs work as release enhancers, the AHMs have high sensitivity to the US with localized variation in acoustic impedance for improving the release of AAV. Furthermore, AHMs were coated with poly-l -lysine (PLL) to adjust the release of AAV. By applying US to the AAV encapsulating AHMs with W-MPs, the AAV was released on demand, and gene transfection to cells by AAV was confirmed without loss of AAV activity. This proposed US-triggered AAV release system expands methodological possibilities in gene therapy.     

Smart hydrogels based on semi-interpenetrating polymeric networks of collagen-polyurethane-alginate for soft/hard tissue healing,drug delivery devices,and anticancer therapies

In this work, hydrogels based on semi-interpenetrating polymeric networks (semi-IPN) based on collagen-polyurethane-alginate were studied physicochemically and from different approaches for biomedical application. It was determined that the matrices in the hydrogel state are crosslinked by the formation of urea and amide bonds between the biopolymer chains and the polyurethane crosslinker. The increment in alginate content (0–40 wt%) significantly increases the swelling capacity, generating semi-crystalline granular structures with improved storage modulus and resistance to thermal, hydrolytic, and proteolytic degradation. The in vitro bioactivity results indicated that the composition of these novel hydrogels stimulates the metabolic activity of monocytes and fibroblasts, benefiting their proliferation; while in cancer cell lines, it was determined that the composition of these biomaterials decreases the metabolic activity of breast cancer cells after 48 h of stimulation, and for colon cancer cells their metabolic activity decreases after 72 h of contact for the hydrogel with 40 wt% alginate. The matrices show a behavior of multidose release of ketorolac, and a higher concentration of analgesic is released in the semi-IPN matrix. The inhibition capacity of Escherichia coli is higher if the polysaccharide concentration is low (10 wt%). The in vitro wound closure test (scratch test) results indicate that the hydrogel with 20 wt% alginate shows an improvement in wound closure at 15 days of contact. Finally, the bioactivity of mineralization was evaluated to demonstrate that these hydrogels can induce the formation of carbonated apatite on their surface. The engineered hydrogels show biomedical multifunctionality and they could be applied in soft and hard tissue healing strategies, anticancer therapies, and drug release devices.     

Environmental conditions during glycerol bioconversion affect 3-hydroxypropionic acid bioproduction by Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938

3-Hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) is a platform molecule whose biological production was carried out by the bacterium Limosilactobacillus reuteri according to a two-step process: first, a growth phase in batch mode on glucose, then a glycerol bioconversion into 3-HP in fed-batch mode. With the objective of improving 3-HP bioproduction, this study aimed at defining the operating conditions during the bioconversion phase that increases the bioproduction performance. A central composite rotatable design allowed testing various pH levels and specific glycerol feeding rates. By establishing response surfaces, optimal conditions have been identified that were different depending on the considered output variable (final 3-HP quantity, 3-HP production yield and production rate). Of them, 3-HP final quantity and 3-HP production yield were maximized at pH 6.0 and at specific glycerol feeding rates of 60 and 55 mg_gly g_CDW⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. The specific 3-HP production rate was the highest at the upper limit of the specific substrate feeding rate (80 mg_gly g_CDW⁻¹ h⁻¹) but was not affected by the pH. An additional experiment was carried out at pH 6.0 and a specific glycerol feeding rate of 80 mg_gly g_CDW⁻¹ h⁻¹ to validate the previous observations. In conclusion, the results showed a significant improvement of 3-HP concentration by 13%, of specific production rate by 34% and of 3-HP volumetric productivity by 39%, as compared to the initial values.     

适用于获取最优化配方的一种算法

本文应用印楝种仁提取物（F3）与敌敌畏混配为例,以斜纹夜蛾（Spodopteralitura）为目标害虫,介绍一种适用于获取最优化配方的算法,在二次通用回归旋转组合设计的基础上,经参数辨识,获取二次回归方程,经失拟性、回归显著性检验,本方程基本能够反映杀虫剂用量与斜纹夜蛾幼虫死亡机率值之间的关系．在害虫防治实践中,要求在防治费用最小的基础上,目标害虫有最大的死亡率.因此,以防治目标害虫的费用作为优化算法的目标函数,以害虫死亡机率值最大作为约束条件,有如下的一组优化算式为目标函数约束条件式中a1,a2分别为参试杀虫剂1,2最低用量,b1,b2则为相应的最高用量．C1,C2分别为杀虫剂1,2的单价,N1,N2为杀虫剂l,2的用量．Y为目标害虫死亡机率值回归方程．本文所依据的试验设计中,以对数函数关系变换编码值与使用浓度之间的关系,所以应用拉格朗日求极值原理求取最优化配方．由计算所得的混配比例与其他方法所获结果一致．     

Thermosensitive heparin‐poloxamer hydrogel encapsulated bFGF and NGF to treat spinal cord injury

The application of growth factors (GFs) for treating chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) has been shown to promote axonal regeneration and functional recovery. However, direct administration of GFs is limited by their rapid degradation and dilution at the injured sites. Moreover, SCI recovery is a multifactorial process that requires multiple GFs to participate in tissue regeneration. Based on these facts, controlled delivery of multiple growth factors (GFs) to lesion areas is becoming an attractive strategy for repairing SCI. Presently, we developed a GFs‐based delivery system (called GFs‐HP) that consisted of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), nerve growth factor (NGF) and heparin‐poloxamer (HP) hydrogel through self‐assembly mode. This GFs‐HP was a kind of thermosensitive hydrogel that was suitable for orthotopic administration in vivo. Meanwhile, a 3D porous structure of this hydrogel is commonly used to load large amounts of GFs. After single injection of GFs‐HP into the lesioned spinal cord, the sustained release of NGF and bFGF from HP could significantly improve neuronal survival, axon regeneration, reactive astrogliosis suppression and locomotor recovery, when compared with the treatment of free GFs or HP. Moreover, we also revealed that these neuroprotective and neuroregenerative effects of GFs‐HP were likely through activating the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase and protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) and mitogen‐activated protein kinase/extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) signalling pathways. Overall, our work will provide an effective therapeutic strategy for SCI repair.     

组织工程用纤维增强天然多糖水凝胶的进展

天然多糖水凝胶具有良好的生物相容性,然而其力学性能调节幅度小,无法满足组织工程应用巨大的需求。通过纤维增强法,不仅可显著提高天然多糖水凝胶的力学性能,还能调节复合水凝胶的降解性能、促进细胞粘附、增殖与分化行为及其组织沉积。常用的天然多糖组织工程水凝胶的纤维增强方法有物理共混法、化学作用法、静电驱动法与自组装法等。本文综述了纤维增强水凝胶的结构与功能特点,讨论了纤维增强对组织工程水凝胶的意义,以期对纤维增强组织工程水凝胶的发展起到促进作用。     

不同内固定方式治疗老年踝关节骨折的临床研究

摘要 目的：探讨老年踝关节骨折患者的内固定方式的选择情况及不同内固定方式的疗效,进而指导临床医师根据患者的具体情况选择合适的内固定方式。方法：本研究为回顾性研究,选取我院2016年1月~2018年12月期间收治的老年踝关节骨折患者40例作为研究对象,统计患者一般情况,内容包括骨折块情况、骨折类型、骨质疏松情况、软组织情况与体质。术后随访12个月,评价所有患者末次随访时的踝关节跖屈度、踝关节背伸度、美国足踝外科协会（AOFAS）踝-后足功能评分,记录所有患者的骨折愈合时间。结果：40例研究对象中,使用克氏针张力带11例,Herbert螺钉10例,解剖锁定钢板7例,解剖复合钢板6例,1/3管型钢板6例。骨折块较小、外踝撕脱性骨折的患者主要应用克氏针张力带;伴有骨质疏松的患者主要应用解剖锁定钢板;软组织条件不佳或受损的患者主要应用Herbert螺钉或1/3管型钢板;超重或肥胖患者主要应用解剖复合钢板;瘦弱患者主要应用1/3管型钢板。末次随访时,5种内固定方式患者的踝关节背伸度、踝关节跖屈度、AOFAS踝-后足功能评分比较未见显著性差异（P＞0.05）。5种内固定方式的骨折愈合时间对比差异存在统计学意义（P＜0.05）。结论：老年踝关节骨折应根据患者具体情况选择合理的内固定方式,不同内固定方式患者的骨折愈合时间虽存在差异,但最终均可获得较为满意的疗效。