The Promising Future of Fluoropolymers

This article aims at showing the usefulness of fluoropolymers (FPs), supplying an overview of their synthesis, applications, and recycling. FPs are currently prepared by conventional radical polymerization of fluoromonomers. These specialty polymers, produced in low tonnage compared to that of commodity ones, display outstanding properties, such as chemical, oxidative, and thermal resistances, low refractive index, dissipation factor, permittivity, and water absorptivity, and excellent weatherability and durability. More recent routes for their preparations are suggested, controlled or not, leading to random, alternated, block, graft, dendrimers, or multiarm copolymers, as well as their applications ranging from coatings to high performance (thermoplastic) elastomers, energy related‐materials (e.g., fuel cell membranes, components for lithium‐ion batteries, electroactive devices, and photovoltaics) to original and surfactants, optical devices, organic electronics, composites, and shape memory polymers.     

Significance of bilayer-forming phospholipids for skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial function

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), which make up the bulk of mammalian cell membrane phospholipids, are recognized for their importance in metabolic health. Perturbations in the ratio of PC:PE can affect membrane integrity and function, which thus have serious health consequences. Imbalance in the hepatic PC and PE membrane content can be linked to metabolic disturbances such as ER stress, fatty liver and insulin resistance. Given that impaired insulin sensitivity underlies the pathology of many metabolic disorders and skeletal muscle is a significant regulator of energy metabolism, it is likely that aberrant phospholipid metabolism in skeletal muscle affects whole-body insulin sensitivity. Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ ATPase (SERCA) activity and mitochondrial function respond to alterations in PC:PE ratio and are associated with glucose homeostasis. Moreover, PC and PE content within the mitochondrial membrane influence mitochondrial respiration and biogenesis and thus, metabolic function. As skeletal muscle phospholipids respond to stimuli such as diet and exercise, understanding the implications of imbalances in PC:PE ratio is of great importance in the face of the rising epidemic of obesity related diseases. This review will summarize the current state of knowledge signifying the links between skeletal muscle PC:PE ratio and insulin sensitivity with respects to PC and PE metabolism, SERCA activity, mitochondrial function and exercise.     

The influence of Gelatin/PCL ratio and 3-D construct shape of electrospun membranes on cartilage regeneration

Scaffolds play an important role in directing three-dimensional (3-D) cartilage regeneration. Our recent study reported the potential advantages of electrospun gelatin/polycaprolactone (GT/PCL) membranes in regenerating 3-D cartilage. However, it is still unknown whether the changes of GT/PCL ratio have significant influence on 3-D cartilage regeneration. To address this issue, the current study prepared three kinds of electrospun membranes with different GT/PCL ratios (70:30, 50:50, 30:70). Adhesion and proliferation of chondrocytes on the membranes were examined to evaluate biocompatibility of the membranes. Cartilage with different 3-D shapes was engineered to further evaluate the influences of GT/PCL ratio on cartilage regeneration. The current results demonstrated that all the membranes with different GT/PCL ratios presented good biocompatibility with chondrocytes. Nevertheless, the high PCL content in the membranes significantly hampered early 3-D cartilage formation at 3 weeks in vivo. Unexpectedly, at 12 weeks, all the cylinder-shaped constructs formed mature cartilage-like tissue with no statistical differences among groups. To our surprise, ear-shaped cartilage regeneration obtained quite different results again: the high PCL content completely disrupted cartilage regeneration even at 12 weeks, and only the least PCL content group formed homogeneous and continuous cartilage with a satisfactory shape and elasticity similar to human ear. All these results indicated that the high PCL content was unfavorable for 3-D cartilage regeneration, especially for the cartilage with a complicated shape, and that GT/PCL 70:30 might be a relatively suitable ratio for ear-shaped cartilage regeneration. The research models established in the current study provide detailed information for cartilage and other tissue regeneration based on electrospun GT/PCL membranes.     

Placental pathology and neurological morbidity in preterm infants during the first two weeks after birth

Background

The placenta plays a crucial role during pregnancy and dysfunction causes long-term neurological problems. Identifying placenta-related risks for neurological problems shortly after birth may provide clues for early interventions aiming to improve neurological outcome.

Objective

To determine the association between placental pathology and neurological morbidity in preterm infants during the first two weeks after birth.

Study design

Placentas of 52 singleton, preterm infants (GA: 25–31 weeks, BW: 560–2250 grammes) were examined for histopathology. The infants' neurological condition shortly after birth was determined by assessing the quality of their general movements (GMs): normal, abnormal, or hypokinetic, on days 5, 8, and 15. A motor optimality score (MOS) was also assigned.

Results

Examination of the placentas revealed maternal vascular underperfusion (n = 29), ascending intrauterine infection (AIUI) (n = 19), villitis of unknown aetiology (n = 6), chronic deciduitis (n = 11), foetal thrombotic vasculopathy (FTV) (n = 9), and elevated nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) as a marker for foetal hypoxia (n = 7). None of the placental lesions were significantly associated with the quality of GMs or MOS.

Conclusions

This study indicated that placental lesions were not associated with infants' neurological condition as measured by the quality of their general movements during the first two weeks after birth.     

Clinical Outcomes Following Regenerative Therapy of Non‐Contained Intrabony Defects Using a Deproteinized Bovine Bone Mineral Combined With Either Enamel Matrix Derivative or Collagen Membrane

Background: The purpose of this study is to compare clinical outcomes in the treatment of deep non‐contained intrabony defects (i.e., with ≥70% 1‐wall component and a residual 2‐ to 3‐wall component in the most apical part) using deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) combined with either enamel matrix protein derivative (EMD) or collagen membrane (CM). Methods: Forty patients with multiple intrabony defects were enrolled. Only one non‐contained defect per patient with an intrabony depth ≥3 mm located in the interproximal area of single‐ and multirooted teeth was randomly assigned to the treatment with either EMD + DBBM (test: n = 20) or CM + DBBM (control: n = 20). At baseline and after 12 months, clinical parameters including probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) were recorded. The primary outcome variable was the change in CAL between baseline and 12 months. Results: At baseline, the intrabony component of the defects amounted to 6.1 ± 1.9 mm for EMD + DBBM and 6.0 ± 1.9 mm for CM + DBBM sites (P = 0.81). The mean CAL gain at sites treated with EMD + DBBM was not statistically significantly different (P = 0.82) compared with CM + DBBM (3.8 ± 1.5 versus 3.7 ± 1.2 mm). No statistically significant difference (P = 0.62) was observed comparing the frequency of CAL gain ≥4 mm between EMD + DBBM (60%) and CM + DBBM (50%) or comparing the frequency of residual PD ≥6 mm between EMD + DBBM (5%) and CM + DBBM (15%) (P = 0.21). Conclusion: Within the limitations of the present study, regenerative therapy using either EMD + DBBM or CM + DBBM yielded comparable clinical outcomes in deep non‐contained intrabony defects after 12 months.     

循证护理在胎膜早破合并感染低体重早产儿中的应用

目的探讨循证护理在胎膜早破合并感染低体重早产儿中的应用效果。方法选择2015年6月至2017年1月我院新生儿科室及门诊就医的100例胎膜早破合并感染低体重早产儿,按照就医时家长的自愿原则进行建档,等分为观察组和对照组。选择同期的50例足月儿作为健康对照组。对照组采用常规护理模式,观察组患儿给予循证护理模式。采用患儿神经行为发育评估法对两组早产儿在矫正月龄3,6,9,12个月行神经行为发育评估,健康对照组同时进行发育评估。三组患儿在12个月时进行发育商测评。统计分析患儿不同模式下神经行为发育的情况及12个月后两组患儿成活率比较。结果(1)观察组与对照组在3,6个月时植物神经调节系统、行为调节系统、运动发育评分显著改善但仍低于健康对照组(P<0.05)。(2)三组智力发育指数(MDI)、运动发育指数(PDI)变化在12个月时指标变化比较均有显著性差异,对照组PDI,MDI明显低于观察组和健康对照组(P<0.05);观察组与对照组比较MDI,PDI明显升高。(3)观察组患儿12个月后成活率高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论对胎膜早破合并感染低体重早产儿采用循证护理模式,可以明显提高低体重早产儿的成活率,同时改善了患儿神经行为发育,更好地保证了产妇及患儿的后期健康。     

外周血淋巴细胞亚群、细胞因子在未足月胎膜早破孕妇中水平变化及与绒毛膜羊膜炎发生的相关性研究

目的 探究外周血T淋巴细胞亚群、B淋巴细胞亚群及细胞因子在未足月胎膜早破(preterm premature rupture of membrane,PPROM)孕妇中水平变化及与绒毛膜羊膜炎发生的相关性.方法 选取2018年1月—2019年12月于本院就诊的PPROM孕妇50例作为研究组,以同期未发生胎膜早破孕妇5...     

胎膜早破对母儿结局的分析

目的探讨胎膜早破对孕产妇及其新生儿结局的影响.方法对我院2004年1月至12月住院分娩的胎膜早破病历进行回顾性分析.结果住院分娩2918例的孕产妇中有397例单胎头位妊娠发生胎膜早破,占13.6%.其中孕产妇发生感染率为3.53%(14/397),感染部位以生殖道为主,占34.2%(6/13).难产率56%(222/397),其中包括阴道助产和剖宫产.新生儿感染率为3.02%(12/397),感染部位以下呼吸道为主.占52.13%(6/12).结论胎膜早破是造成孕产妇感染和难产及新生儿感染的高危因素,孕周越小、破膜时间越长对母儿结局的影响越大.     

Bioconjugation Strategy for Ceramic Membranes Decorated with Candida Antarctica Lipase B—Impact of Immobilization Process on Material Features

A strategy for the bioconjugation of the enzyme Candida antarctica lipase B onto titania ceramic membranes with varied pore sizes (15, 50, 150, and 300 kDa) was successfully performed. The relationship between the membrane morphology, i.e.,the pore size of the ceramic support, and bioconjugation performance was considered. Owing to the dimension of the enzyme (~33 kDa), the morphology of the ceramics allowed (50, 150, and 300 kDa) or did not allow (15 kDa) the entrance of the enzyme molecules into the porous structure. Such a strategy made it possible to better understand the changes in the material (morphology) and physicochemical features (wettability, adhesiveness, and surface charge) of the samples, which were systematically examined. The silane functionalization and enzyme immobilization were accomplished via the covalent route. The samples were characterized after each stage of the modification, which was very informative from the material point of view. As a consequence of the modification, significant changes in the contact angle, roughness, adhesion, and zeta potential were observed. For instance, for the 50 kDa membrane, the contact angle increased from 29.1 ± 1.5° for the pristine sample to 72.3 ± 1.5° after silane attachment; subsequently, it was reduced to 57.2 ± 1.5° after the enzyme immobilization. Finally, the contact angle of the bioconjugated membrane used in the enzymatic process rose to 92.9 ± 1.5°. By roughness (S_q) controlling, the following amendments were noticed: for the pristine 50 kDa membrane, S_q = 1.87 ± 0.21 µm; after silanization, S_q = 2.33 ± 0.30 µm; after enzyme immobilization, S_q = 2.74 ± 0.26 µm; and eventually, after the enzymatic process, S_q = 2.37 ± 0.27 µm. The adhesion work of the 50 kDa samples was equal to 136.41 ± 2.20 mN m⁻¹ (pristine membrane), 94.93 ± 2.00 mN m⁻¹ (with silane), 112.24 ± 1.90 mN m⁻¹ (with silane and enzyme), and finally, 69.12 ± 1.40 mN m⁻¹ (after the enzymatic process). The materials and physicochemical features changed substantially, particularly after the application of the membrane in the enzymatic process. Moreover, the impact of ceramic material morphology on the zeta potential value is here presented for the first time. With an increase in the ceramic support cut-off, the amount of immobilized lipase rose, but the specific productivity was higher for membranes possessing smaller pores, owing to the higher grafting density. For the enzymatic process, two modes of accomplishment were selected, i.e., stirred-tank and cross-flow. The latter method was characterized by a much higher effectiveness, with a resulting productivity equal to 99.7 and 60.3 µmol h⁻¹ for the 300 and 15 kD membranes, respectively.