Enhanced healing of full-thickness diabetic wounds using bioactive glass and Yunnan baiyao ointments

In order to accelerate the chronic wounds healing, we investigated the healing effects of bioactive glass and Yuunan baiyao ointments in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The ointments were prepared by mixing 45S5 bioactive glass powder （16% weight） with Vaseline and different weight percentages of Yurman baiyao. Full-thickness defect wounds were created on the back of 130 SD rats and were randomly divided into 8 groups. The wound healing rates were calculated at 4, 7, 10, 14 and 21 days after surgery. The samples were harvested for further observations. Considering the wound closure rate, group 6 （with 5% Yuunan baiyao） has better wound healing performance than other diabetic groups. The lower inflammatory response was observed by gross observation and confirmed by the results of H＆E staining and TEM observation. Besides, the proliferation of fibroblasts, the formation of granulation tissue, as well as the vascularization, were improved in group 6 compared to other diabetic groups. All results suggest that bioactive glass and Yunnan baiyao ointments can accelerate the recovery of diabetes-impaired skin wounds, and comparing to other diabetic groups, group 6 （with 5% Yunnan baiyao） has better healing effect.     

自噬在肾间质纤维化小鼠中的表达趋势

目的: 观察肾间质纤维化单侧输尿管梗阻模型（UUO）术后不同时间点自噬的表达趋势。方法: 32只清洁级健康雄性ICR小鼠随机分组：假手术（Sham）组、UUO模型（UUO）组,分别在 UUO术后 3、7、14 d 处死小鼠,假手术组7 d处死,每组小鼠8只。留取血清检测血肌酐（Scr）、尿素氮（BUN）,肾组织行HE和Masson染色,观察光镜病理结果,电镜超微结构观察自噬体的形成,Westernblot检测肾组织LC3蛋白和P62蛋白的表达。结果: UUO术后梗阻侧肾脏皮质变薄,小管萎缩,间质纤维化,单个核细胞浸润,肾小球无明显病变,病理变化以UUO术后14 d最突出。与Sham组相比,LC3-Ⅱ蛋白含量从3 d开始逐渐增高,7 d时达峰值,14 d时下降;而P62与LC3-Ⅱ相反,3 d开始下降,7 d达最低值,14 d又逐渐恢复,表明自噬在7 d这个时间点表达最显著。电镜显示UUO术后7 d出现自噬小体和吞噬泡现象。结论: UUO术后自噬的表达有一定的时间依赖性,在7 d时表达最显著,自噬与病理严重程度不平行。     

Feature selection based on rough sets and particle swarm optimization

We propose a new feature selection strategy based on rough sets and particle swarm optimization (PSO). Rough sets have been used as a feature selection method with much success, but current hill-climbing rough set approaches to feature selection are inadequate at finding optimal reductions as no perfect heuristic can guarantee optimality. On the other hand, complete searches are not feasible for even medium-sized datasets. So, stochastic approaches provide a promising feature selection mechanism. Like Genetic Algorithms, PSO is a new evolutionary computation technique, in which each potential solution is seen as a particle with a certain velocity flying through the problem space. The Particle Swarms find optimal regions of the complex search space through the interaction of individuals in the population. PSO is attractive for feature selection in that particle swarms will discover best feature combinations as they fly within the subset space. Compared with GAs, PSO does not need complex operators such as crossover and mutation, it requires only primitive and simple mathematical operators, and is computationally inexpensive in terms of both memory and runtime. Experimentation is carried out, using UCI data, which compares the proposed algorithm with a GA-based approach and other deterministic rough set reduction algorithms. The results show that PSO is efficient for rough set-based feature selection.     

Light‐Responsive Biodegradable Nanorattles for Cancer Theranostics

Cancer nanotheranostics, integrating both diagnostic and therapeutic functions into nanoscale agents, are advanced solutions for cancer management. Herein, a light‐responsive biodegradable nanorattle‐based perfluoropentane‐(PFP)‐filled mesoporous‐silica‐film‐coated gold nanorod (GNR@SiO₂‐PFP) is strategically designed and prepared for enhanced ultrasound (US)/photoacoustic (PA) dual‐modality imaging guided photothermal therapy of melanoma. The as‐prepared nanorattles are composed of a thin mesoporous silica film as the shell, which endows the nanoplatform with flexible morphology and excellent biodegradability, as well as large cavity for PFP filling. Upon 808 nm laser irradiation, the loaded PFP will undergo a liquid–gas phase transition due to the heat generation from GNRs, thus generating nanobubbles followed by the coalescence into microbubbles. The conversion of nanobubbles to microbubbles can improve the intratumoral permeation and retention in nonmicrovascular tissue, as well as enhance the tumor‐targeted US imaging signals. This nanotheranostic platform exhibits excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, distinct gas bubbling phenomenon, good US/PA imaging contrast, and remarkable photothermal efficiency. The results demonstrate that the GNR@SiO₂‐PFP nanorattles hold great potential for cancer nanotheranostics.     

Microfluidic 3D Printing Responsive Scaffolds with Biomimetic Enrichment Channels for Bone Regeneration

Tissue-engineered scaffolds have been extensively explored for treating bone defects; however, slow and insufficient vascularization throughout the scaffolds remains a key challenge for further application. Herein, a versatile microfluidic 3D printing strategy to fabricate black phosphorus (BP) incorporated fibrous scaffolds with photothermal responsive channels for improving vascularization and bone regeneration is proposed. The thermal channeled scaffolds display reversible shrinkage and swelling behavior controlled by near-infrared irradiation, which facilitates the penetration of suspended cells into the scaffold channels and promotes the prevascularization. Furthermore, the embedded BP nanosheets exhibit intrinsic properties for in situ biomineralization and improve in vitro cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. Following transplantation in vivo, these channels also promote host vessel infiltration deep into the scaffolds and effectively accelerate the healing process of bone defects. Thus, it is believed that these near-infrared responsive channeled scaffolds are promising candidates for tissue/vascular ingrowth in diverse tissue engineering applications.     

Purification and characterization of a dipeptidase from Lactobacillus curvatus DPC2024

A dipeptidase was purified to homogeneity from a cell-free extract of Lactobacillus curvatus DPC2024 by chromatography on diethylaminoethyl-sephacel, phenyl sepharose, chelating sepharose fast flow and MonoQ. The purified dipeptidase was a monomer of ∼52 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration chromatography. The enzyme was optimally active at pH 8 and 50°C and retained ∼10% of its maximum activity after pre-heating for 10 min at 70°C. The enzyme was a metallopeptidase, strongly inhibited by 0.1 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and o-phenanthroline and reactivated by a number of divalent metal ions. The enzyme was also inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate and β-mercaptoethanol. The enzyme was a strict dipeptidase, capable of hydrolysing a range of dipeptides but not tri-, tetra- or pentapeptides, p-nitroanilide derivatives of amino acids nor N- and C-terminal-blocked dipeptides. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the first 20 residues showed significant homology with dipeptidases from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis DSM 7290 and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris MG1363.     

Expert systems: A survey of their use in UK business

A number of surveys have been carried out in the past ten years on the use of expert systems in business. This paper compares previous survey findings with a new one undertaken in the Spring of 1994; it finds significant differences in the level of use of expert systems. One thousand companies across the UK were surveyed regarding their use of information systems in general and expert systems in particular, and the results are discussed in this paper. A response rate of 22.5% showed that 50 out of 214 organisations, use expert systems for a variety of applications, ranging from strategic to operational. The analysis identifies users of expert systems by organisation size and industry sector. It also highlights their reasons for use. The paper concludes by identifying the perceived business benefits and the relative costs involved with the purchase or development of an expert system, as identified by the organisations.     

Structural engineering of hierarchically hetestructured Mo2C/Co conformally embedded in carbon for efficient water splitting

Developing low-cost and high efficient electrocatalysts for both oxygen and hydrogen evolution reaction in an alkaline electrolyte toward overall water splitting is still a significant challenge. Here, a novel hierarchically heterostructured catalyst composed of ultrasmall Mo₂C and metallic Co nanoparticles confined within a carbon layer is produced by a facile phase separation strategy. During thermal reduction of CoMoO₄ nanosheets in CO ambient, in-situ generated nanoscale Co and ultrafine Mo₂C conformally encapsulated in a conductive carbon layer. In addition, some carbon nanotubes catalyzed by Co nanoparticles vertically grew on its surface, creating 3D interconnected electron channels. More importantly, the integrated C@Mo₂C/Co nanosheets assembled into the hierarchical architecture, providing abundant active surface and retaining the structural integrity. Benefiting from such unique structure, the constructed hierarchical heterostructure shows low overpotentials of 280 mV and 145 mV to reach a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² for OER and HER in an alkaline electrolyte. Furthermore, the symmetrical electrolyzer assembled with catalyst exhibits a small cell voltage of 1.67 V at 10 mA cm⁻² in addition to outstanding durability, demonstrating the great potential as a high efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting.