The characteristics of dopamine self-polymerization were used to cover the nano-titanium dioxide (TiO2) surface and produce nano-titanium dioxide-polydopamine (TiO2-PDA). The reducing nature of dopamine was then used to reduce silver nitrate to silver elemental particles on the modified nano-titanium dioxide: The resulting TiO2-PDA-Ag nanoparticles were used as antimicrobial agents. Finally, the antibacterial agent was mixed with silicone to obtain an antibacterial silicone composite material. The composition and structure of antibacterial agents were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron energy spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Microscopy and the antibacterial properties of the silicone antibacterial composites were studied as well. The TiO2-PDA-Ag antimicrobial agent had good dispersion versus nano-TiO2. The three were strongly combined with obvious characteristic peaks. The antibacterial agents were evenly dispersed in silicone, and the silicone composite has excellent antibacterial properties. Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) adhesion was reduced from 246 × 104 cfu/cm2 to 2 × 104 cfu/cm2, and colibacillus (E. coli) reduced from 228 × 104 cfu/cm2 leading to bacteria-free adhesion.

BACKGROUND: Incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) is a tough problem in clinical settings, not only increasing the risk of complications like catheter-related urinary tract infections and pressure ulcers in elderly and critically ill patients, but also prolonging hospital stays, raising hospital costs, and possibly leading to medical disputes. This study is aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of silicone dressing combined with topical oxygen therapy on IAD in a rat model.
METHODS: An IAD rat model induced by synthetic urine with trypsin was established. Hematoxylin & eosin staining was carried out to examine skin histology. Using immunofluorescence, the microvessel density in the affected skin tissues was determined. ELISA was performed to measure the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines and angiogenic factors in serum. The mRNA expression of EGF, PDGF, and VEGF was detected via qRT-PCR. Western blotting was employed to determine NF-κB p65/STAT1 pathway-related protein levels.
RESULTS: Compared to single therapy, silicone dressing combined with topical oxygen therapy could significantly reduce the severity of IAD, improve skin histology, inhibit inflammation, and promote angiogenesis in IAD rat models. Additionally, the results showed that relatively speaking, the combined therapy suppressed the NF-κB p65/STAT1 signaling pathway more effectively.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicated that silicone dressing combined with topical oxygen therapy can alleviate IAD through promoting wound healing and inhibiting inflammation via NF-κB p65/STAT1 signaling pathway in a rat model, which provided a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of IAD in clinic.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of silicone earplugs in protecting workers exposed to noise in a typical manufacturing environment, and to provide training interventions for workers who do not achieve the anticipated noise reduction levels, as well as examining the spectral characteristics of earplug attenuation. Methods: From June to August 2022, a total of 294 noise-exposed workers in two manufacturing enterprises equipped with the same type of earplug were studied by cluster sampling method, by conducting questionnaire surveys, collecting data, fitting tests, and providing trainings, the current noise exposure levels of workers in the industry as well as the perception about the earplug were understood. Additionally, the attenuation before and after intervention in workplace were measured, the spectral characteristics of noise reduction were were described and compared. Results: The percentage of workers with Personal Attenuation Rating (PAR) of 0 is 32.7% (96/294), and the baseline pass rates are all below 60%. There were no significant differences in pass rates based on gender, age, noise exposure, education level, or cognition of earplug effectiveness. After adjusting the way that earplugs are worn or changing the type of earplugs, all workers were able to meet their noise reduction requirements. The median PAR improvement for both companies is above 10 dB. The noise attenuation of the earplug vary with frequency, with lower attenuation at 4 000 Hz and higher attenuation at 8 000 Hz, showing some deviation from the nominal values. Conclusion: The difference between the actual sound attenuation value of earplugs and the nominal value is related to the noise frequency. When using silicone earplugs, attention should be paid to the spectral composition of the noise in the workplace.
目的： 评估制造业企业噪声暴露工人佩戴某预制型硅胶耳塞的防护效果，对未达到预期降噪水平的工人进行培训干预，并了解耳塞衰减的频谱特征。 方法： 于2022年6至8月，选择两家配发同种耳塞的制造企业，采用整群抽样方法选择294名噪声暴露岗位工人作为研究对象，通过问卷调查、资料收集、声衰减测试及培训干预，对企业工人声暴露现状及对佩戴耳塞的主观认知、耳塞佩戴的实际衰减及干预后的衰减及硅胶耳塞降噪的频谱特征进行描述与组间比较。 结果： 基线个人声衰减值（personal attenuation rating，PAR）值为0的工人占32.7%（96/294），两企业PAR基线通过率均不足60%；不同性别、年龄、接噪工龄、受教育程度及工人对耳塞主观认知差异的PAR基线通过率差异均无统计学意义（P>0.05）。干预后两企业工人PAR提升值中位数均>10 dB；不同频率的PAR差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；PAR与标称值在4 000 Hz处差距较大。 结论： 耳塞的实际声衰减值与标称值之间的差值与噪声频率有关，使用硅胶耳塞时需要关注场所噪声的频谱成份。.

Stimuli-responsive adhesives with on-demand adhesion capabilities are highly advantageous for facilitating wound healing. However, the triggering conditions of stimuli-responsive adhesives are cumbersome, even though some of them are detrimental to the adhesive and adjacent natural tissues. Herein, a novel stimuli-responsive adhesive called shear-stiffening adhesive (SSA) has been created by constructing a poly(diborosiloxane)-based silicone network for the first time, and SSA exhibits a rate-responsive adhesion behavior. Furthermore, we introduced bactericidal factors (PVP-I) into SSA and applied it as a wound dressing to promote the healing of infected wounds. Impressively, the wound dressing not only has excellent biocompatibility and long-term antibacterial properties but also performs well in accelerating wound healing. Therefore, this study provides a new strategy for the synthesis of intelligent adhesives with force rate response, which simplifies the triggering conditions by the force rate. Thus, SSA has great potential to be applied in wound management as an intelligent bioadhesive with on-demand adhesion performance.

Subconjunctival fibrosis is critical to the outcomes of several ophthalmic conditions or procedures, such as glaucoma filtering surgery. This study aimed to investigate the anti-fibrotic effect of celastrol on subconjunctival fibrosis and to further reveal the underlying mechanisms. We used celastrol-loaded nanomicelles hydrogel hybrid as a sustained-release drug. A rabbit model of subconjunctival fibrosis following silicone implantation was used for in vivo study, and TGF-β1-induced human pterygium fibroblast (HPF) activation as an in vitro model. The effects of celastrol on inhibiting TGF-β1-induced migration and proliferation of HPFs were evaluated by scratch wound assay and CCK-8, respectively. Immunofluorescence and western blotting were used to examine the effect of celastrol on the expression of α-SMA, collagen I, fibronectin, and the targets of the Hippo signaling pathway. We found that in vivo celastrol treatment reduced the expression of YAP and TAZ in subconjunctival tissue. Moreover, celastrol alleviated collagen deposition and subconjunctival fibrosis at 8 weeks. No obvious tissue toxicity was observed in the rabbit models. Mechanistically, celastrol significantly inhibited TGF-β1-induced proliferation and migration of HPFs. Pretreatment of HPFs with celastrol also suppressed the TGF-β1-induced protein expression of α-SMA, collagen I, fibronectin, TGF-βRII, phosphorylated Smad2/3, YAP, TAZ, and TEAD1. In conclusion, celastrol effectively prevented subconjunctival fibrosis through inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad2/3-YAP/TAZ pathway. Celastrol could serve as a promising therapy for subconjunctival fibrosis.

The two patients included in the study had mixed and refractory post-tuberculosis tracheobronchial stenosis (PTTS), having experienced unsuccessful interventional therapies such as balloon dilation and V-shaped stent placement before the operation. Following the secure placement of L-shaped silicone stents, examinations with a fiberbronchoscope during the first and third months post-operation revealed a significant reduction in bronchial mucosa inflammation for both patients. Additionally, the opening diameter of the upper and lower branch segments increased, and chest CT scans indicated a noticeable absorption of left pulmonary lesions. Three months post-operation, fiberbronchoscopy confirmed the stable fixation of the stent without any movement. The patients exhibited substantial improvements in pulmonary function, dyspnea index, and blood gas analysis, with no reported adverse complications. After 7 months, a follow-up fiberbronchoscope for one case revealed excellent stent fixation. Simultaneously, the chest CT scan indicated favorable re-expansion. The placement of L-shaped silicone stents proves effective in preventing displacement, alleviating airway stenosis or obstruction, and ensuring the safety and efficacy of PTTS treatment - particularly in cases where V-shaped silicone stent placement has failed. To our knowledge, this is the first study describing the L-shaped silicone stent in two patients with PTTS.
Successful treatment of severe airway narrowing due to tuberculosis using special L-shaped silicone stentsThis article tells the story of two patients who suffered from a complex lung condition called post-tuberculosis tracheobronchial stenosis (PTTS). Imagine your airways - the tubes that carry air to your lungs - getting severely scarred and narrowed due to a past bout with tuberculosis. These two patients had tried previous treatments like balloon dilation (where a small balloon is inflated inside the narrowed airway to widen it) and using V-shaped stents (flexible supports placed in the airway to keep it open), but these methods didn’t provide lasting relief. In this innovative approach, doctors used L-shaped silicone stents specifically designed to fit in the affected parts of the patients’ airways. After placing these stents, regular checks showed remarkable improvements. The swelling in the airway lining reduced significantly, and the openings leading to the upper and lower parts of the lungs got wider. Chest X-rays (CT scans) even showed that the patient’s left lung was healing well. Three months later, the stents stayed firmly in place, and neither patient experienced any problems. Breathing became easier, lung function tests improved, and blood tests showed better oxygen levels. Seven months down the line, one patient continued to do extremely well, with the stent securely fixed and the chest scan showing good lung expansion. This groundbreaking study shows that using L-shaped silicone stents can effectively treat PTTS when other methods fail. Not only do they stay in place, preventing blockages, but they also safely and effectively alleviate narrowing of the airways. It’s the first time such L-shaped stents have been used successfully in PTTS patients, offering new hope for those facing similar challenges.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the design and fabrication methodologies employed in creating a personalized cleft lip simulation model, primarily intended for enhancing surgical training and diverse applications. The study further sought to assess the viability of integrating this simulation model into undergraduate oral experiments and instructional settings.
METHODS: Facial data from individuals with cleft lip conditions were acquired using a scanner. Subsequent stages involved reverse engineering and the utilization of 3D printing technology to generate a cleft lip silicone simulation model. The molding process entailed injecting silicone into a polylactic acid mold. The study enrolled 53 undergraduate students majoring in dentistry, who were randomly assigned to either a control or experimental group. A dedicated instructor guided each group independently, employing a combination of multiple-choice tests and surveys to gauge real-time evaluations and discern inter-group disparities.
CONCLUSIONS: We successfully designed and produced a personalized cleft lip simulation model, demonstrating notable efficacy in the context of cleft lip experimental teaching. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the scores of the experimental group students on multiple-choice questions pertaining to cleft lip surgical procedures. Survey outcomes indicated that the experimental group students exhibited higher confidence levels in cleft lip surgery, as reflected from their responses to relevant questions, compared to the traditional group students. These differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The simulation model developed in this study emerges as a reliable and cost-effective training and teaching tool for cleft lip surgery.

Objective: To explore the effect of early eschar dermabrasion combined with antimicrobial soft silicone foam dressing (hereinafter referred to as foam dressing) in treating the deep partial-thickness burn wounds in children. Methods: This study was a randomized controlled trial. From June 2021 to December 2022, 78 pediatric patients with deep partial-thickness burns who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Department of Burns in Guiyang Steel Plant Employees Hospital. According to the random number table, the pediatric patients were divided into two groups, with 38 cases left in combined treatment group (with 20 males and 18 females, aged 26.00 (16.75, 39.75) months) and 39 cases in foam dressing group (with 21 males and 18 females, aged 19.00 (14.00, 31.00) months) after the exclusion of one dropped-out child in follow-up. The pediatric patients in combined treatment group underwent eschar dermabrasion of the wound within 48 hours after injury, the wound was covered with foam dressing after operation, and the dressing was replaced once every 7 days; for the pediatric patients in foam dressing group, the wound was sterilized within 48 hours after injury and covered with foam dressing, and the dressing was replaced once every 2 to 3 days. After the wound healing, the children in both groups were routinely applied with silicone gel twice a day for 3 weeks before started wearing elastic sleeves for more than 18 hours a day, and continuously for over than 6 months. The degree of pain during dressing change was evaluated using the children\'s pain behavior inventory FLACC. The adverse reactions during the treatment period, number of dressing changes, and wound healing time were observed and recorded. Six months after wound healing, the Vancouver scar scale (VSS) was used to evaluate the condition of the wound scar. Results: When changing dressing, the FLACC score for pain of pediatric patients in combined treatment group was 3.5 (2.0, 5.0), which was significantly lower than 6.0 (5.0, 8.0) in foam dressing group (Z=-5.40, P<0.05). During the treatment period, no adverse reactions such as wound edema, fluid accumulation, or peripheral skin rash allergies occurred in any pediatric patient in both groups. The number of dressing changes of pediatric patients in combined treatment group was 3 (3, 4) times, which was significantly less than 8 (7, 10) times in foam dressing group (Z=-7.58, P<0.05). The wound healing time of pediatric patients in combined treatment group was (19±5) days, which was significantly shorter than (25±6) days in foam dressing group (t=-4.48, P<0.05). Six months after wound healing, the VSS score for scar of pediatric patients in combined treatment group was 5 (2, 8), which was significantly lower than 7 (5, 10) in foam dressing group (Z=-3.05, P<0.05). Conclusions: Compared with using foam dressings alone, early eschar dermabrasion combined with foam dressings can reduce the number of dressing changes, alleviate the pain during dressing changes, and shorten the wound healing time in treating children with deep partial-thickness burns, and effectively alleviate scar hyperplasia by combining with anti-scar treatment post burns.
目的： 探讨早期磨痂联合自粘性软聚硅酮银离子泡沫敷料（以下称为泡沫敷料）治疗儿童深Ⅱ度烧伤创面的效果。 方法： 该研究为随机对照试验。2021年6月—2022年12月，贵阳钢厂职工医院烧伤科收治78例符合入选标准的深Ⅱ度烧伤患儿。按照随机数字表法将患儿分为2组，剔除1例随访脱落患儿后，联合治疗组纳入38例患儿［男20例、女18例，年龄26.00（16.75，39.75）个月］，泡沫敷料组纳入39例患儿［男21例、女18例，年龄19.00（14.00，31.00）个月］。对联合治疗组患儿在伤后48 h内行创面磨痂术，术后用泡沫敷料覆盖创面，7 d更换1次敷料；对泡沫敷料组患儿在伤后48 h内行创面消毒后用泡沫敷料覆盖创面，2~3 d更换1次敷料。2组患儿创面愈合后均常规涂抹硅酮凝胶，每天涂抹2次，连续应用3周后佩戴弹力套，每天佩戴18 h以上，连续佩戴6个月以上。采用儿童疼痛行为量表FLACC评估患儿换药时疼痛程度；观察并记录治疗期间的不良反应、换药次数及创面愈合时间；创面愈合后6个月，采用温哥华瘢痕量表（VSS）评估创面瘢痕情况。 结果： 换药时，联合治疗组患儿疼痛的FLACC评分为3.5（2.0，5.0）分，明显低于泡沫敷料组的6.0（5.0，8.0）分（Z=-5.40，P<0.05）。2组患儿治疗期间均未发生创面水肿、积液或周边皮肤皮疹过敏等不良反应。联合治疗组患儿的换药次数为3（3，4）次，明显少于泡沫敷料组的8（7，10）次（Z=-7.58，P<0.05）。联合治疗组患儿的创面愈合时间为（19±5）d，明显短于泡沫敷料组的（25±6）d（t=-4.48，P<0.05）。创面愈合后6个月，联合治疗组患儿瘢痕的VSS评分为5（2，8）分，明显低于泡沫敷料组的7（5，10）分（Z=-3.05，P<0.05）。 结论： 与单纯使用泡沫敷料相比，早期磨痂联合泡沫敷料治疗深Ⅱ度烧伤患儿可减少换药次数、减轻换药痛苦、缩短创面愈合时间，结合后期抗瘢痕治疗能够有效减轻瘢痕增生。.

Silicone surfactants have garnered significant research attention owing to their superior properties, such as wettability, ductility, and permeability. Small-molecular silicone surfactants with simple molecular structures outperform polymeric silicone surfactants in terms of surface activity, emulsification, wetting, foaming, and other areas. Moreover, silicone surfactants with small molecules exhibit a diverse and rich molecular structure. This review discusses various synthetic routes for the synthesis of different classes of surfactants, including single-chain, \"umbrella\" structure, double chain, bolaform, Gemini, and stimulus-responsive surfactants. The fundamental surface/interface properties of the synthesized surfactants are also highlighted. Additionally, these surfactants have demonstrated enormous potential in agricultural synergism, drug delivery, mineral flotation, enhanced oil recovery, separation, and extraction, and foam fire-fighting.

Plasticizers (PLs) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) are ubiquitous in the environment due to their widespread use and potential for leaching from consumer products. Environmental exposure is a critical aspect of the human exposome, revealing complex interactions between environmental contaminants and potential health effects. Silicone wristbands (SWBs) have emerged as a novel and non-invasive sampling device for assessing personal external exposure. In this study, SWBs were used as a proxy to estimate personal dermal adsorption (EDdermal) to PLs and OPFRs in Belgian participants for one week; four morning urine samples were also collected and analyzed for estimated daily intake (EDI). The results of the SWBs samples showed that all the participants were exposed to these chemicals, and the exposure was found to be highest for the legacy and alternative plasticizers (LP and AP), followed by the legacy and emerging OPFRs (LOPFR and EOPFR). In urine samples, the highest levels were observed for metabolites of diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) among LPs and di(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHT) for APs. Outliers among the participants indicated that there were other sources of exposure that were not identified. Results showed a significant correlation between EDdermal and EDI for DiBP, tris (2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPhP). These correlations indicated their suitability for predicting exposure via SWB monitoring for total chemical exposure. The results of this pilot study advance our understanding of SWB sampling and its relevance for predicting aggregate environmental chemical exposures, while highlighting the potential of SWBs as low-cost, non-invasive personal samplers for future research. This innovative approach has the potential to advance the assessment of environmental exposures and their impact on public health.