Design of Lubricant-Infused Surfaces Based on Mussel-Inspired Nanosilica Coatings: Solving Adhesion by Pre-Adhesion.

Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPSs) have attracted wide interest with regard to their excellent liquid repellency properties and broad applications in various fields associated with anti-adhesion. However, the preparation processes depending on the chemical properties of the substrate and the poor stability of the lubricant layer hinder the practical applications. In this work, a facile method to fabricate SLIPSs based on the mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA)-mediated nanosilica structures is demonstrated. A variety of substrates can be decorated with SLIPSs by successive treatment of PDA-assisted sol-gel process, fluorination, and lubricant filling. The robust uniform and nanotextured silica coating, mediated by the pre-adhered PDA layer, shows enhanced lubricant-locking ability even when subjected to increased evaporation and high shear from flowing water or spinning compared with hierarchical silica rough structures. The obtained SLIPSs exhibit high transparency and excellent resistance against adhesion of liquid/solid contaminants and biofoulings through this pre-adhesion of PDA strategy. The well-defined nanosilica coating of high decoration covering micron-scaled pore walls enables improved durability of the slippery surfaces for antifouling of the porous membrane under pressure-driven filtration and this may be employed as a potential candidate for fouling resistance of porous materials.

[Preventing role of warmth-promotion needling in reducing intracellular Ca2＋ overload of in vitro hippocampal neuronal cells of vascular dementia rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the underlying mechanisms of warming-promotion needling (WPN) for vascular dementia (VD) by observing its effect on the expression of L-type calcium channel current (Ica.L), changes of intracellular [Ca2＋]i in neurons and pathomorphological changes of brain in VD rats. METHODS: One hundred and eight male SD rats were randomized into normal control, model, medication, WPN, uniform reinforcing-reducing needling (URRN), and needle-twirling groups (n＝18 in each group). The VD model was established by repeated occlusion and reperfusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries. Rats of the medication group were treated by gavage of Nimodipine twice a day for 14 days. For rats of the 3 acupuncture groups, WPN or URRN or needle-twirling was applied to "Dazhui" (GV14), "Baihui"(GV20) and "Shuigou"(GV26) for 30 min, once a day for 14 days. Changes of Ica.L in hippocampal neurons were observed by whole-cell patch clamp technique, and levels of [Ca2＋]i in neuronal cells of living brain slice of hippocampal CA1 area were observed by laser confocal microscope. Histopathological changes of hippocampal CA1 area were observed under light microscope after H．E. stain. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the current density of Ica.L, and the intracellular[Ca2＋]i levels were significantly increased (P<0.05), and the I-V curves of Ica.L was apparently shifted down in the model group. In comparison with the model group, the current density of Ica.L was obviously reduced (P<0.05), the I-V curves of Ica.L shifted up and the intracellular Ca2＋ content notably decreased in the medication, WPN, URRN and needle-twirling groups (P<0.05). The effect of WPN was significantly superior to those of URRN and needle-twiiling (P<0.05). H．E. stain showed a reduction in the number of hippocampal neurons, dilation of intercellular space, swelling of cell body, karyopyknosis, disordered arrangement and increased number of gliacytes in the model group, which was apparently milder in the medication and 3 acupuncture groups (the WPN group in particular). CONCLUSION: The WPN can reduce Ica.L current density and [Ca2＋]i content of hippocampal neurons in brain slices of VD rats, which may contribute to its effect in relieving VD by suppressing calcium overload.

[Warming-promotion needling improves learning-memory ability by up-regulating expression of hippocampal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit in rats with vascular dementia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of Warming-promotion needling underlying improvement of vascular dementia (VD) by observing its effect on learning-memory ability and expression of hippocampal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor(nAChR)subunit proteins and mRNAs in rats with VD. METHODS: Sixty male SD rats were randomized into normal control, model, medication, warming-promotion needling(WPN), uniform reinforcing-reducing needling (URRN), and needle-twirling groups (n=10 in each group). The VD model was established via repeated occlusion and reperfusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries. Rats of the medication group were fed with Nimodipine twice a day for 14 days. For rats of the 3 acupuncture groups, WPN, or URRN or needle-twirling was applied to"Dazhui"(GV14),"Baihui"(GV20) and"Shuigou"(GV26) for 30 min, once a day for 14 days. The learning-memory ability was detected by Morris water maze tests, and the expression levels of nAChR α4, α7 and ß2 subunit proteins and mRNAs in the hippocampus were detected by Western blot and real-time PCR, separately. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, the escape latency of Morris water maze tests was significantly prolonged (P<0.05), and the number of the original safe-platform quadrant crossing was significantly reduced in the model group (P<0.05). The expression levels of nAChR α4, α7, ß2 subunit proteins and mRNAs (except ß2 mRNA) in the hippocampus were significantly decreased in the model group relevant to the normal group (P<0.05). Following the interventions, the increased escape latency, and the reduced safe-platform quadrant crossing times, and the down-regulated expression levels of hippocampal nAChR α4, α7, ß2 subunit proteins and mRNAs in the medication, WPN, URRN and needle-twirling groups were all reversed (P<0.05). The effects of WPN were significantly superior to those of URRN and needle-twirling in up-regulating nAChR α4, α7, ß2 subunit proteins and mRNAs (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The warming-promotion needling can improve the learning and memory ability in VD rats, which may be related to its effects in up-regulating the expression of nAChR su-bunits in the hippocampus.

Design and cytocompatibility of chitosan-based thermoresponsive cell culture plates.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to develop a novel thermoresponsive material suited for tissue engineering and investigate the growth and harmless detachment of cells cultured on the surface of thermoresponsive tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS). METHODS: Thermoresponsive N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and biocompatible chitosan (CS) were grafted onto the surface of TCPS by ultraviolet (UV)-induced graft polymerization. The chemical composition, surface morphology and thermoresponsiveness of the modified TCPS were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atom force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle (CA), respectively. Furthermore, the growth and detachment behaviors of mouse fibroblast cells (L929) on the surface of the modified TCPS were studied by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. RESULTS: The modified TCPS exhibited good hydrophobic/hydrophilic property alterations in response to temperature. The cytocompatibility of the materials was improved due to the introduction of CS. Cells could be spontaneously detached from the surface without any damage, by controlling environmental temperature. The viability of cells obtained by temperature induction was higher than that obtained by enzymatic digestion. CONCLUSIONS: This study developed a simple and economical method to fabricate thermoresponsive cell culture dishes and provided new thoughts and experimental bases for exploring novel material applied in tissue engineering.

[Analysis of personality characteristics of sudden deafness patients].

OBJECTIVE: To Study the personality characteristics in patients with sudden deafness. METHOD: Thirty-eight sudden deafness patients and 45 healthy volunteers were assessed by Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ). RESULT: The standard scores of P, E, N dimensions of patients with sudden deafness were greater than healthy volunteers. The standard score in L dimensions of patients with sudden deafness was less than healthy volunteers. The difference of the standard score of P dimension revealed statistical significance (P < 0.05). The difference of the standard score of N dimension revealed statistical significance (P < 0.01). The difference of the standard scores of E, L dimensions revealed no statistical significance (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Sudden deafness patients have emotional instability and psychoticism personality characteristics.

[One case of laryngeal pleomorphic adenoma].

A male patient, 55 years old, suffered from intermittent sound,voice depression and shortness of breath for one year,and from dysphagia for 3-4 months. Through fiber laryngoscopy,we could see tumor in the left posterior aryepiglottic fold. The tumor's surface was smooth. A portion of the tumor protruded to the laryngeal cavity and the aryepiglottic fold external,it also covered most of the glottis. Bilateral vocal cord were smooth and had good mobility. Throat CT demonstrated an irregular soft tissue mass on the left side of the aryepiglottic fold in supraglottic area with obscure normal boundary from adjacent structure. The left side of pyriform sinus became shallow without obvious bone destruction. The pathological report showed pleomorphic adenoma. The diagnosis was laryngeal pleomorphic adenoma.