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International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Curcumin is a natural compound that is considered safe and may have potential health benefits; however, its poor stability and water insolubility limit its therapeutic...
Curcumin is a natural compound that is considered safe and may have potential health benefits; however, its poor stability and water insolubility limit its therapeutic applications. Different strategies aim to increase its water solubility. Here, we tested the compound PVP-curcumin as a photosensitizer for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) as well as its potential to act as an adjuvant in antibiotic drug therapy. Gram-negative K12 and Gram-positive were subjected to aPDT using various PVP-curcumin concentrations (1-200 µg/mL) and 475 nm blue light (7.5-45 J/cm). Additionally, results were compared to aPDT using 415 nm blue light. Gene expression of and were analyzed via RT-qPCR to assess effects on the bacterial SOS response. Further, the potentiation of Ciprofloxacin by PVP-curcumin was investigated, as well as its potential to prevent the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Both bacterial strains were efficiently reduced when irradiated with 415 nm blue light (2.2 J/cm) and 10 µg/mL curcumin. Using 475 nm blue light, bacterial reduction followed a biphasic effect with higher efficacy in compared to K12. PVP-curcumin decreased expression but had limited effect regarding enhancing antibiotic treatment or impeding resistance development. PVP-curcumin demonstrated effectiveness as a photosensitizer against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria but did not modulate the bacterial SOS response.
Topics: Curcumin; Photosensitizing Agents; Rec A Recombinases; Ciprofloxacin; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Photochemotherapy; SOS Response, Genetics; Escherichia coli K12; Escherichia coli Proteins; Povidone; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Escherichia coli; Light; DNA-Binding Proteins
PubMed: 38892328
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116140 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... May 2024Although the presence of female contact sex pheromones in . has been hypothesized, to date its existence has not been proven. To gather more evidence of their...
Although the presence of female contact sex pheromones in . has been hypothesized, to date its existence has not been proven. To gather more evidence of their existence, cuticular liposoluble extracts were obtained from the following samples of adult females to be used as the experimental treatments: (1) ventral exoskeleton of immature female (VI), (2) dorsolateral exoskeleton of immature female (DI), (3) ventral exoskeleton of mature female (VM), and (4) dorsolateral exoskeleton of mature female (DM). Polyvinyl chloride tubes (artificial females; AF) were coated with each extract and the behavior displayed by sexually mature males in contact with the AF was recorded and classified as follows: 0 = no response; 1 = contact; 2 = pushing; and 3 = prolonged contact (≥10 s). To test the hypothesis that the extracts collected from the ventral portion of the abdomen exoskeleton have a higher effect on the behavior of males than the extracts collected from the dorsolateral portion of the abdomen exoskeleton, the experiment was divided into two bioassays: Bioassay I (VI vs. DI) and Bioassay II (VM vs. DM). In each bioassay, all experimental treatments were significantly different ( > 0.05) from the CTL group (AF coated with hexane). Notably, the pushing behavior was significantly higher ( < 0.05) in the VI treatment compared to the CTL and DI treatment. These results provide evidence of the existence of contact female sex pheromones with sexual recognition function located primarily in the ventral portion of the abdomen exoskeleton of . .
PubMed: 38891570
DOI: 10.3390/ani14111523 -
Polymers May 2024To enhance the ecological properties of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products, the fabrication of PVC-based composites using biofillers with acceptable performance...
To enhance the ecological properties of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products, the fabrication of PVC-based composites using biofillers with acceptable performance characteristics could be considered. In this work, plant-filled PVC-based composite materials were fabricated and their optical, structural, thermal, and mechanical properties, depending on the nature of the filler, were studied. Spruce flour, birch flour, and rice husk were used as fillers. Optical measurements showed the selected technological parameters, allowing films with a uniform distribution of dispersed plant filler in the polymer matrix to be obtained. Using the plant fillers in PVC films leads to a reduction in strength characteristics; for instance, the tensile strength changed from 18.0 MPa (for pure PVC film) to ~7 MPa (for composites with 20 wt.% of fillers), and to ~5-6.2 MPa (for composites with 40 wt.% of fillers). Thermal investigations showed that the samples with plant fillers could be used at low temperatures without changing their operating characteristics. Thus, plant-filled PVC-based composite materials have a wide operating temperature range, from-65 °C to 150 °C. TGA analysis has demonstrated that the rice husk affected the thermal stability of the composites by increasing their thermal decomposition resistance. The ability to absorb water was observed during the investigation of water absorption of the samples. And the highest degree of water absorption (up to 160 mg/g) was detected for the sample with 40 wt.% of rice husk. In general, plant-filled polymer composites based on PVC can be used on an equal basis with unfilled PVC plastic compounds for some applications such as in construction (for example, for design tasks).
PubMed: 38891497
DOI: 10.3390/polym16111551 -
Polymers May 2024The utilisation of cotton waste as precursors in the synthesis of nanocrystalline cellulose has gained significant attention. This approach suggests a sustainable...
The utilisation of cotton waste as precursors in the synthesis of nanocrystalline cellulose has gained significant attention. This approach suggests a sustainable solution to address the growing concern of textile waste accumulation while simultaneously producing a valuable material. The main aim of this study is to examine the properties of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) obtained from postconsumer polyester-cotton waste and assess the effect of different fabric structures on the extraction and these properties. To acquire nanocellulose, a thorough decolourisation pretreatment process was utilised, which involved the treatment of polyester-cotton waste with sodium dithionite and hydrogen peroxide. Consequently, the postconsumer material was then treated with an acid hydrolysis method employing a 64% (/) sulphuric acid solution at 50 °C for 75 min, resulting in the formation of CNCs with average yield percentages ranging from 38.1% to 69.9%. Separation of the acid from the CNC was facilitated by a centrifugation process followed by dialysis against deionised water. Uniform dispersion was then achieved using ultrasonication. A variety of analytical techniques were employed to investigate the morphological, chemical, thermal, and physical properties of the isolated CNCs. Among these techniques, attenuated total reflection-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EF-TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were utilised to analyse the CNCs. The findings indicated that the separated CNCs exhibited a rod-shaped morphology, measuring between 78 and 358 nm in length and 5 and 16 nm in diameter, and also exhibited high crystallinity (75-89%) and good thermal stability. The extracted CNCs were mixed with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and glycerol to assess their reinforcing effect on plastic films. The prepared composite film exhibited improved mechanical properties and thermal stability. Incorporating CNCs led to a 31.9% increase in the tensile strength and a 42.33% rise in the modulus of elasticity. The results from this research proved that CNCs can be extracted from postconsumer mixed fabrics as a potential solution to effectively address the mounting concerns surrounding waste management in the textile industry and also provide avenues for enhancing the qualities of eco-friendly composite films.
PubMed: 38891442
DOI: 10.3390/polym16111495 -
Polymers May 2024Polymer gels are cross-linked polymer networks swollen by a solvent. These cross-linked networks are interconnected to produce a three-dimensional molecular framework....
Polymer gels are cross-linked polymer networks swollen by a solvent. These cross-linked networks are interconnected to produce a three-dimensional molecular framework. It is this cross-linked network that provides solidity to the gel and helps to hold the solvent in place. The present work deals with the fabrication of polybenzoxazine carbon (PBzC)-based gels that could function as a solid electrode in flexible supercapacitors (SCs). With the advantage of molecular design flexibility, polybenzoxazine-based carbon containing different hetero-atoms was synthesized. A preliminary analysis of PBzC including XRD, Raman, XPS, and SEM confirmed the presence of hetero-atoms with varying pore structures. These PBz-carbons, upon reaction with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and acrylamide (AAm), produced a composite polymer hydrogel, PVA/poly (AAm)/PBzC. The performance of the synthesized hydrogel was analyzed using a three-electrode system. PVA/poly (AAm)/PBzC represented the working electrode. The inclusion of PBzC within the PVA/poly (AAm) matrix was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements. A substantial increase in the CV area and a longer charge/discharge time signified the importance of PBzC inclusion. The PVA/poly (AAm)/PBzC electrode exhibited larger specific capacitance (C) of 210 F g at a current density of 0.5 A g when compared with the PVA/poly (AAm) electrode [Cs = 92 F g]. These improvements suggest that the synthesized composite hydrogel can be used in flexible supercapacitors requiring light weight and wearability.
PubMed: 38891410
DOI: 10.3390/polym16111463 -
Polymers May 2024Touch serves as an important medium for human-environment interaction. The piezoresistive tactile sensor has attracted much attention due to its convenient technology,...
Touch serves as an important medium for human-environment interaction. The piezoresistive tactile sensor has attracted much attention due to its convenient technology, simple principle, and convenient signal acquisition and analysis. In this paper, conductive beads-on-string polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polyaniline doped with dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid (PANI-DBSA) nanofibers were fabricated via the electrospinning technique. Due to the special nanostructure of PVA-coated PANI-DBSA, the tactile sensor presented a wide measuring range of 12 Pa-121 kPa and appreciable sensitivity of 8.576 kPa at 12 Pa~484 Pa. In addition, the response time and recovery time of the sensor were approximately 500 ms, demonstrating promising prospects in the field of tactile sensing for active upper limb prostheses.
PubMed: 38891394
DOI: 10.3390/polym16111449 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Anthocyanin-based smart packaging has been widely used for food freshness monitoring, but it cannot meet the requirements of smart films with antibacterial properties....
Anthocyanin-based smart packaging has been widely used for food freshness monitoring, but it cannot meet the requirements of smart films with antibacterial properties. This study aimed to enhance the antibacterial properties of intelligent films by incorporating essential oil (AEO) for mantis shrimp spoilage tracking and keeping the product fresh. A smart film was designed by introducing AEO and purple potato anthocyanin (PPA) to a polyvinyl alcohol/cellulose nanocrystal (PVA/CNC) polymer matrix. Our findings revealed that APP and AEO imparted the smart film with a favorable oxygen barrier, UV protection, mechanical properties, and antioxidant and pH/NH-sensitive functions. Interestingly, the PVA/CNC-AEO-PPA film achieved 45.41% and 48.25% bactericidal efficacy against and , respectively. Furthermore, a visual observation confirmed that the target film (PVA/CNC-AEO-PPA) changed color significantly during mantis shrimp spoilage: rose red-light red-pink-light gray-dark gray. Meanwhile, the PVA/CNC-AEO-PPA film retarded the quality deterioration of the mantis shrimp effectively. The PVA/CNC-AEO-PPA film shows great application potential in mantis shrimp preservation and freshness monitoring; it is expected to become a rapid sensor for detecting seafood quality non-destructively and a multifunctional film for better preservation of product quality.
PubMed: 38890874
DOI: 10.3390/foods13111638 -
Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and... Jun 2024Periprosthetic joint infection after total joint arthroplasty has a large incidence, and it may often require two or more stages of revision, placing an additional... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Periprosthetic joint infection after total joint arthroplasty has a large incidence, and it may often require two or more stages of revision, placing an additional burden on clinicians and patients. The purpose of this network meta-analysis is to evaluate the effect of four different preventive strategies during total joint arthroplasty on the prevention of periprosthetic joint infection.
METHODS
The study protocol was registered at PROSPERO (CRD: 42,023,448,868), and the literature search databases included Web of Science, PubMed, OVID Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, OVID EMBASE, and OVID MEDLINE (R) ALL that met the requirements. The network meta-analysis included randomized controlled trials, retrospective cohort studies and prospective cohort studies with the outcome of periprosthetic joint infection. The gemtc R package was applied to perform the network meta-analysis to evaluate the relative results of different preventive strategies.
RESULTS
This network meta-analysis study included a total of 38 articles with 4 preventive strategies and negative controls. No improvement was observed in antibiotic-loaded bone cement compared with negative controls. Chlorhexidine showed the highest probability of delivering the best preventive effect, and povidone iodine had the second highest probability. Although vancomycin ranked after chlorhexidine and povidone iodine, it still showed a significant difference compared with negative controls. In addition, the incidence after applying chlorhexidine was significantly lower than that after applying negative controls and vancomycin. In the heterogeneity test between direct and indirect evidence, there was no apparent heterogeneity between them.
CONCLUSION
The study indicated that chlorhexidine, povidone iodine and vancomycin showed significant efficacy in preventing periprosthetic joint infection after total joint arthroplasty, while antibiotic-loaded bone cement did not. Therefore, more high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to verify the results above.
Topics: Humans; Prosthesis-Related Infections; Network Meta-Analysis; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Arthroplasty, Replacement; Vancomycin; Bone Cements; Chlorhexidine; Povidone-Iodine; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 38890743
DOI: 10.1186/s13018-024-04738-4 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Hybrid structures made of natural-synthetic polymers have been interested due to high biological features combining promising physical-mechanical properties. In this...
Hybrid structures made of natural-synthetic polymers have been interested due to high biological features combining promising physical-mechanical properties. In this research, a hybrid dressing consisting of a silk fibroin (SF)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers and sodium alginate (SA)/gum tragacanth (GT) hydrogel incorporating cardamom extract as an antibacterial agent was prepared. Accordingly, SF was extracted from cocoons followed by electrospinning in blend form with PVA (SF/PVA ratio: 1:1) under the voltage of 18 kV and the distances of 15 cm. The SEM images confirmed the formation of uniform, bead free fibers with the average diameter of 199 ± 28 nm. FTIR and XRD results revealed the successful extraction of SF and preparation of mixed fibrous mats. Next, cardamom oil extract-loaded SA/GT hydrogel was prepared and the nanofibrous structure was placed on the surface of hydrogel. SEM analysis depicted the uniform morphology of hybrid structure with desirable matching between two layers. TGA analysis showed desired thermal stability. The swelling ratio was found to be 1251% after 24 h for the hybrid structure and the drug was released without any initial burst. MTT assay and cell attachment results showed favorable biocompatibility and cell proliferation on samples containing extract, and antibacterial activity values of 85.35% against S. aureus and 75% against E. coli were obtained as well. The results showed that the engineered hybrid nanofibrous-hydrogel film structure incorporating cardamom oil extract could be a promising candidate for wound healing applications and skin tissue engineering.
Topics: Alginates; Nanofibers; Fibroins; Polyvinyl Alcohol; Hydrogels; Tragacanth; Plant Extracts; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Elettaria; Animals; Escherichia coli; Mice; Staphylococcus aureus; Biocompatible Materials
PubMed: 38890349
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63061-4 -
Nano-micro Letters Jun 2024Solar-driven interfacial evaporation from seawater is considered an effective way to alleviate the emerging freshwater crisis because of its green and environmentally...
Solar-driven interfacial evaporation from seawater is considered an effective way to alleviate the emerging freshwater crisis because of its green and environmentally friendly characteristics. However, developing an evaporator with high efficiency, stability, and salt resistance remains a key challenge. MXene, with an internal photothermal conversion efficiency of 100%, has received tremendous research interest as a photothermal material. However, the process to prepare the MXene with monolayer is inefficient and generates a large amount of "waste" MXene sediments (MS). Here, MXene sediments is selected as the photothermal material, and a three-dimensional MXene sediments/poly(vinyl alcohol)/sodium alginate aerogel evaporator with vertically aligned pores by directional freezing method is innovatively designed. The vertical porous structure enables the evaporator to improve water transport, light capture, and high evaporation rate. Cotton swabs and polypropylene are used as the water channel and support, respectively, thus fabricating a self-floating evaporator. The evaporator exhibits an evaporation rate of 3.6 kg m h under one-sun illumination, and 18.37 kg m of freshwater is collected in the condensation collection device after 7 h of outdoor sun irradiation. The evaporator also displays excellent oil and salt resistance. This research fully utilizes "waste" MS, enabling a self-floating evaporation device for freshwater collection.
PubMed: 38884682
DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01433-1