Aims: The efficacy of computer-aided technologies in the design and manufacture of maxillofacial prostheses has not been fully proven. This paper presents research into the evaluation of direct and indirect additive manufacture of a maxillofacial prosthesis against conventional laboratory-based techniques.Methods: An implant/magnet retained nasal prosthesis case from a UK maxillofacial unit was selected as a case study. A benchmark prosthesis was fabricated using conventional lab-based techniques for comparison against additive manufactured prostheses. For the computer-aided workflow, photogrammetry, Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Additive Manufacture (AM) methods were evaluated in direct prosthesis body fabrication and indirect production using an additively manufactured mould.Qualitative analysis of position, shape, colour and edge quality was undertaken. Mechanical testing to ISO standards was also used to compare the silicone rubber used in the conventional prosthesis with the AM material. Results:Critical evaluation has shown that a Computer-aided workflow utilising can produce a prosthesis body that is comparable to that produced using existing best practice. Technical limitations currently prevent the direct fabrication method demonstrated in this paper from being clinically viable.

Apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide (AG), an active flavonoid derivative isolated from the agricultural residue of Juglans sigillata fruit husks, possesses multiple pharmacological activities, including anti-oxidant, anti-complement, and aldose reductase inhibitory activities. To date, no report has identified the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of AG. This study was therefore designed to characterize the molecular mechanisms of AG on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory cytokines in RAW 264.7 cells and on endotoxin-induced shock in mice. AG suppressed the release of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages in a dose-dependent manner without affecting cell viability. Additionally, AG suppressed LPS-induced mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and TNF-α. AG treatment decreased the translocation of c-Jun into the nucleus, and decreased activator protein-1 (AP-1)-mediated luciferase activity through the inhibition of both p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation. Consistent with the in vitro observations, AG protected mice from LPS-induced endotoxin shock by inhibiting proinflammatory cytokine production. Taken together, these results suggest that AG may be used as a source of anti-inflammatory agents as well as a dietary complement for health promotion.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand how the contextual factors of health crisis information needs are different from a general health context and how these factors work together to shape human information needs.Design/methodology/approachThis study collected the COVID-19-related questions posted on a Chinese social Q&A website for a period of 90 days since the pandemic outbreak in China. A qualitative thematic approach was applied to analyze the 1,681 valid questions using an open coding process.FindingsA taxonomy of information need topics for a health crisis context that identifies 8 main categories and 33 subcategories was developed, from which four overarching themes were extracted. These include understanding, clarification and preparation; affection expression of worries and confidence; coping with a challenging situation and resuming normal life; and social roles in the pandemic. The authors discussed the differences between a health crisis and a normal health context shaping information needs. Finally, a conceptual framework was developed to illustrate the typology, nature and triggers of health crisis information needs.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, only the Baidu Zhidao platform was investigated, and caution is advised before assuming the generalizability of the results, as the questioners of Baidu Zhidao are not representative of the whole population. Furthermore, since at the time of writing the COVID-19 is still in an emerging and evolving situation (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020), the collected data included only a relatively small sample size compared to the post-pandemic period, and this might have impact on the interpretation of the study’s findings.Practical implicationsThe study’s taxonomy of information needs provides a reference for indexing and organizing related information during a disaster.Social implicationsThe study helps authoritative organizations track and send information in social media and to inform about policies related to the pandemic (e.g., quarantine and traffic control policies in our study) to the right people in the right regions and settings when the next disaster emerges.Originality/valueThe taxonomy of information need topics for a health crisis context can be used to index and organize related information during a disaster and support many information agents to enhance their information service practices. It also deepens the understanding of the formation mechanism of information needs during a global health crisis.

Wheat bran-derived polysaccharides have attracted particular attention due to their immunomodulatory effects. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying their functions are poorly understood. The current study was designed to examine the effect of wheat bran polysaccharide (WBP) on RAW 264.7 cells and the underlying signaling pathways, which have not been explored. In addition, we also investigated the immuno-enhancement effects of WBP on cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppression in mice. WBP significantly increased the concentrations of intracellular nitric oxide (NO) and cytokines such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in RAW 264.7 cells. The result of RT-PCR analysis indicated that WBP also enhanced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and TNF-α expression. Further analyses demonstrated that WBP rapidly activated phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and the transcriptional activities of activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB via toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Furthermore, in vivo experiments revealed that WBP increased the spleen and thymus indices significantly, and markedly promoted the production of the serum cytokines IL-2 and IFN-γ in CTX-induced immunosuppressed mice. Taken together, these results suggest that WBP can improve immunity by enhancing immune function, and could be explored as a potential immunomodulatory agent in functional food.

The extraction and solvent partition of roots of Incarvillea compacta, a traditional Tibetan folk medicine, and repeated column chromatography and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography for n-butanol fraction yielded four phenylethanoid glycosides, crenatoside (1), 3 000 -O-methylcrenatoside (2), leucoseceptoside A (3), and martynoside (4). The chemical structures were identified on the basis of spectroscopic data analyses including NMR and MS. All compounds were isolated for the first time from the plant. Compound 1 exerted better 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity. In addition, compounds 1-4 were evaluated for their hepatoprotective activity on carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced liver injury in HepG2 cells. Pretreatment of HepG2 cells with compound 1-4 significantly increased the viability on CCl 4 -induced cell death. Furthermore, compounds 1-4 also alleviated CCl 4 -induced hepatotoxicity by enhancement of the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase and reduction of the malondialdehyde content, intracellular ROS as well as NF-jB transactivation. Our results suggest that phenylethanoid glycosides ameliorate CCl 4 -induced cell injury, and this protection was likely due to antioxidative activity and down-regulation of NF-jB.