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Antibacterial and wound healing stimulant nanofibrous dressing consisting of soluplus and soy protein isolate loaded with mupirocin.
Get PDFSevere cutaneous injuries may not heal spontaneously and may necessitate the use of supplementary therapeutic methods. Electrospun nanofibers possess high porosity and specific surface area, which provide the necessary microenvironment for wound healing. Here in, the nanofibers of Soluplus-soy protein isolate (Sol-SPI) containing mupirocin (Mp) were fabricated via electrospinning for wound treatment. The fabricated nanofibers exhibited water absorption capacities of about 300.83 ± 29.72% and water vapor permeability values of about 821.8 ± 49.12 g/m2 day. The Sol/SPI/Mp nanofibers showed an in vitro degradability of 33.73 ± 3.55% after 5 days. The ultimate tensile strength, elastic modulus, and elongation of the Sol/SPI/Mp nanofibers were measured as 3.61 ± 0.29 MPa, 39.15 ± 5.08 MPa, and 59.11 ± 1.94%, respectively. Additionally, 85.90 ± 6.02% of Mp loaded in the nanofibers was released in 5 days in vitro, and by applying the Mp-loaded nanofibers, 93.06 ± 5.40% and 90.40 ± 5.66% of S. aureus and E. coli bacteria were killed, respectively. Human keratinocyte cells (HaCat) demonstrated notable biocompatibility with the prepared nanofibers. Furthermore, compare to other groups, Sol-SPI-Mp nanofibers caused the fastest re-epithelialization and wound healing in a rat model. The findings of this study present a novel nanofiber-based wound dressing that accelerates the healing of severe skin wounds with the risk of infection
Possibility Above Actuality in Sartre’s Ontology Existential Thoughts on Education
Get PDFSystematic philosophies and practices of education, more often than not, tend to define the nature of the human being in terms of an immutable essence. For example, a manipulable organism within the learning environment or empty vessel to be filled with the knowledge it lacks. Systematic education, for the most part, is based on the uncritical acceptance of such antecedent ontological/biological conclusions regarding human being; views which leaves little room for the exploration and experience of human freedom. In response to this aforementioned problem, the pressing issue grounding this essay, which educators seeking to better serve their students should consider, is the existential pursuit of the reconceptualized understanding of the human being as an active and evolving perennial learner. Such a view might better inform the potential critique and reconstruction of our institutionalized and standardized education system. This essay unfolds in three main sections focused on: (1) The existential challenge to the metaphysical distinction between possibility (potential) actuality (actualization) and the privileging of the latter over the former; (2) Conscious intentionality in Sartre and its intimate relationship to human freedom and the potential or “the possibility” expressed through nothingness for self-transcendence, and (3) The potential, albeit speculative, implications that might be drawn from a detailed reading of Sartre’s ontology, which includes analysis of both the learning process and the theorizing and re-making of the curriculum in terms of a view inspired by existentialism’s embrace of freedom, subjectivity, and the ever-present and open possibilities for enacting self-transcendence, or the student’s always unique vision and pursuit of a life-project grounded in a reconceptualized view of learning and education. In the attempt to remain true to the tone and tenor of Sartre’s existentialism, the essay offers intimations of a view to education understood as “existential” in nature. However, there is no attempt to establish definitive and indelible principles of education. For to do so, would betray the fundamental understanding of existentialism derived from Sartre’s philosophy
Single-Molecule Studies Reveal the Off-Pathway Early Paused State Intermediates as a Target of Streptolydigin Inhibition of RNA Polymerase and Its Dramatic Enhancement by Gre Factors
Get PDFAntibiotic streptolydigin (Stl) inhibits bacterial transcription by blocking the trigger loop folding in the active center of RNA polymerase (RNAP), which is essential for catalysis. We use acoustic force spectroscopy to characterize the dynamics of transcription elongation in ternary elongation complexes (ECs) of RNAP in the presence of Stl at a single-molecule level. We found that Stl induces long-lived stochastic pauses while the instantaneous velocity of transcription between the pauses is unaffected. Stl enhances the short-lived pauses associated with an off-pathway early paused state intermediates of the RNAP nucleotide addition cycle. Unexpectedly, we found that transcript cleavage factors GreA and GreB, which were thought to be Stl competitors, do not alleviate the Stl-induced pausing; instead, they synergistically increase transcription inhibition by Stl. This is the first known instance of a transcriptional factor enhancing antibiotic activity. We propose a structural model of the EC-Gre-Stl complex that explains the observed Stl activities and provides insight into possible cooperative action of secondary channel factors and other antibiotics binding at the Stl pocket. These results offer a new strategy for high-throughput screening for prospective antibacterial agents
Comparing Functional Outcomes Between 3D Printed Acetabular Cups and Traditional Prosthetic Implants in Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta Analysis
Get PDFOBJECTIVE: The primary research aim was to determine if the use of traditional or 3D printed prosthesis resulted in better functional outcome scores in hip arthroplasty.
METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted utilizing the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Six databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, WebOfScience, and Cochrane Library, Google Scholar) were searched yielding 1117 article titles and abstracts. Rayyan.ai was used to detect duplicates (n = 246) and for manual screening for inclusion and exclusion criteria. Included were controlled studies of any publication time that assessed Harris Hip Score (HHS) at baseline and twelve months. Six papers were sought for full text review of which three studies totaling 195 hips met final inclusion.
RESULTS: Mean HHS in the control group went from 38.15 (± 6.02) at baseline to 80.30 (± 4.79) at twelve months follow-up, while the 3D group saw a change from 37.81 (± 5.84) to 90.60 (± 4.49). Significant and large improvements between time points were seen within the control group [p = .02, Cohen\u27s d = 8.57 (1.48, 15.56)] and 3D group [p \u3c 0.01, Cohen\u27s d = 9.18 (3.50, 14.86)]. The HHS score of the 3D group improved by 10.64 points more than the HHS score of the control group, which is a statistically insignificant (p = 0.89) amount.
CONCLUSION: Group differences in pooled mean HHS scores at twelve months follow-up surpassed established minimum differences for clinical importance. High quality research should be further pursued to elucidate these findings
FOREIGN-BORN BLACK MALES: AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THEIR PERSISTENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to explore the academic and social integration experiences of foreign-born Black male students who persist at a four-year research institution. Research has shown that foreign-born Black males do not self-identify, and, as a result, their experiences in higher education have been grouped in with the persistent experiences of native-born Black males (Nesbett, 2002; Williams, 2005). This phenomenological study examines the lived experience of foreign-born Black males in higher education. Ten face-to-face interviews were conducted in order to describe the essence of this phenomenon. The findings from this study revealed five themes that explained the lived experience of foreign-born Black males in higher education is complex and challenging. These five themes are family influence and expectations, coping with language proficiency challenges, discovering the race card, bridging the gap through campus support programs, and mixed interactions with faculty. In addition, this study provides a narrative about the experience of foreign-born Black men in a predominantly White institution. Lastly, this study provides insight to aid policymakers, higher education practitioners, and others connected to foreign-born Black males to better understand how unique their experiences are in American higher education
Poster: ORCID Integration at Rowan University
Get PDFRowan University wanted a single, streamlined point of access to information about research activity by all our faculty. The Technology Services Librarian proposed leveraging our ORCID membership to integrate faculty research information in ORCID with university identity management services. Information Resources & Technology (IRT) worked with the Division of Research and the Libraries to design and implement a solution that achieved this goal
DIY Delivery Systems Rethinking Self-Sponsorship Through Extracurricular Literacy Narratives
Get PDFThis essay reconsiders the role of the “self-sponsored” writer in the attention economy by suggesting that contemporary do-it-yourself publishers have not only attempted to negotiate a public sphere which has linked self-sponsored to entrepreneurial, but contend with a digital environment that makes it difficult to parse authorial desire from neoliberal rationality. Ultimately, this essay suggests that materialist models of circulation should be accounted for in studies of extracurricular literacies, specifically by drawing from the literacy narratives of public writers such as zine authors. It thus provides a method of analysis for understanding how these writers, who must necessarily exist within a broader political economy, have developed publishing strategies to negotiate an alternative position — a stance which can benefit not only our disciplinary research on literacy and public writing, but our publicly-oriented composition classrooms as well
Open Access Publishing at Rowan University: Fall 2024 Workshop
Get PDFScholarly publishing is an important part of a faculty member’s academic and scholarly lifecycle. With the rise of digital and open access publishing, however, it is important to have an understanding of open access especially in the context of the changing scholarly communication system. In this workshop, attendees will learn the current challenges in the scholarly communication system, understand the different pathways to open access and learn about the open access publishing opportunities that Rowan University Libraries has made available to Rowan authors via publisher agreements
Reliability-based analysis of horizontal curve design by evaluating the impact of vehicle automation on roadway departure crashes and safety performance
Get PDFRoadway departure (RwD) crashes are significant safety concerns, especially at horizontal curves. The design of these curves plays a crucial role in mitigating RwD crashes. Thus, a thorough understanding of the interaction between driver behavior, vehicle automation, and geometric design is vital. Substantive safety, which emphasizes the inherent safety in a road\u27s design and function, serves as the foundation of our approach. Building on this, the study employs a safe system approach to investigate the performance of horizontal curves under both non-automated and partially automated conditions, using a reliability-based analysis focusing on Stopping Sight Distance as the primary driver demand. Factors including Perception-Brake Time and Take-Over Time for automated vehicles are examined. The analysis covers horizontal curves, characterized by their geometric design and crash data. Our findings highlight a shift in the performance of horizontal curves under automation, emphasizing the need to consider automation in roadway design within the safe system approach. This study demonstrates how a reliability-based analysis can guide designers in making informed decisions regarding the geometric design of horizontal curves to reduce RwD crashes. To enhance transportation safety in the era of increasing automation, ongoing exploration of the relationships between driver behavior, automation, and road design is indispensable