SODIUM CHLORIDE

Pyogenic granuloma (PG) is a common benign vascular lesion characterized by rapid growth and a tendency to bleed. This case series presents 5 patients with solitary PG lesions successfully treated with the topical application of table salt under occlusion. All patients achieved complete clinical and dermoscopic resolution without scarring or recurrence, and treatment was well tolerated with high patient satisfaction. Given its simplicity, safety, and cost-effectiveness, topical salt application may represent a valuable noninvasive alternative for managing PG.

This study examines how citric acid crosslinking density in Canna edulis ker. starch (CEkS) governs electrosteric stabilization of ZnO nanoparticles under saline stress. Citric acid-modified CEkS polymers spanning degrees of substitution (DS = 0.26-0.67) were synthesized and used to cap ZnO nanoparticles via aqueous co-precipitation. FTIR and XRD confirmed ester formation and ZnO crystallinity, while thermal analysis indicated enhanced thermal resilience of the crosslinked polymer-ZnO system. Colloidal stability was quantified by hydrodynamic diameter (DLS), zeta potential, and UV-Vis turbidity during storage across 0-200 mM NaCl. An intermediate-crosslinked formulation (CA35%) provided the most robust salt tolerance: at 200 mM NaCl, CA35% reached 1271 ± 5 nm after 7 days, whereas the non-modified CEkS control grew to 2633 ± 18 nm. In salt-free dispersions, CA35% remained 301 ± 2 nm at 7 days, while the control reached 2896 ± 6 nm. Higher-crosslinked samples formed stiffer shells that were less tolerant to ionic compression, accelerating aggregation despite more negative surface charge. Overall, the results establish a practical crosslinking-stability design rule for polysaccharide-capped ZnO nanocolloids in ionic media and provide a foundation for subsequent, application-specific validation where safety or regulatory testing is required.

The seedling stage is one of the stages during which rapeseed is most sensitive to saline-alkali stress. Enhancing the tolerance of rapeseed seedlings is crucial for achieving high biomass and yield when cultivating rapeseed in saline-alkaline soils. This study utilized the salt-sensitive rapeseed variety Yangyou 9 as experimental material to investigate the physiological and molecular mechanisms by which foliar application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) improves salinity tolerance under salt stress during the seedling stage. The results indicated that the 150 mM NaCl stress significantly inhibited the growth of rapeseed seedlings. However, foliar application of ZnO NPs at the concentration of 100 mg L -1 resulted in significant increases in biomass, plant height, leaf width, and leaf area of the above-ground parts of the plants. Furthermore, the contents of soluble sugars and soluble proteins increased by 57.03% and 33.43%, respectively. Under salt stress conditions, the application of ZnO NPs significantly enhanced the activities of POD, SOD, and CAT compared to the untreated control, reduced the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and decreased electrolyte leakage by 27.7% as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) content by 30.7%. These findings indicated that ZnO NPs treatment could significantly alleviate oxidative stress and damage to cell membranes. Non-destructive micro-measurement techniques showed that after ZnO NPs treatment, the rates of K + efflux and Na + influx in the root tips and leaf mesophyll tissues of rapeseed seedlings were significantly reduced, thus maintaining the sodium-potassium ion balance and enhancing the salt tolerance of rapeseed during the seedling stage.

Postoperative complications of cataract surgery are uncommon, and accidental entry of topical ointment into the anterior chamber is a particularly rare event. We report the case of a 67-year-old male with bilateral cataracts and old macular scar in the right eye asteroid hyalosis in the left eye, who developed intraocular migration of 6% sodium chloride ointment following uncomplicated small-incision cataract surgery. On postoperative day 1, a whitish, semi-solid, free-floating material was observed in the anterior chamber, accompanied by mild corneal edema and 1+ anterior chamber cells (SUN classification), initially raising suspicion of early toxic anterior segment syndrome. Due to diagnostic uncertainty, anterior chamber irrigation was performed, during which the material's consistency confirmed the diagnosis of intraocular ointment entry. This case highlights a rare but important postoperative complication and underscores the need to recognise potential routes of ointment migration, including subtle wound gaping or side-port entry, particularly in patients who may squeeze the eye postoperatively. Résumé Les complications postopératoires après une chirurgie de la cataracte sont rares, et l’entrée accidentelle d’une pommade ophtalmique dans la chambre antérieure constitue un événement particulièrement inhabituel. Nous rapportons le cas d’un homme de 67 ans présentant une cataracte bilatérale et une ancienne cicatrice maculaire avec hyalose astéroïde à l’œil gauche, qui a développé une migration intraoculaire d’une pommade de chlorure de sodium à 6 % après une chirurgie de la cataracte par petite incision non compliquée. Au premier jour postopératoire, un matériel blanchâtre, semi-solide et librement mobile a été observé dans la chambre antérieure, associé à un œdème cornéen léger et à une réaction inflammatoire de la chambre antérieure à 1+ (classification SUN), évoquant initialement un syndrome toxique du segment antérieur (TASS) débutant. En raison de l’incertitude diagnostique, une irrigation de la chambre antérieure a été réalisée. L’aspect et la consistance du matériel observés en peropératoire ont permis de confirmer le diagnostic d’entrée intraoculaire de pommade. Ce cas met en évidence une complication postopératoire rare mais importante et souligne la nécessité de reconnaître les voies potentielles de migration des pommades, notamment une discrète béance de la plaie ou une entrée par un orifice latéral, en particulier chez les patients susceptibles de comprimer l’œil en période postopératoire. Les complications postopératoires après une chirurgie de la cataracte sont rares, et l’entrée accidentelle d’une pommade ophtalmique dans la chambre antérieure constitue un événement particulièrement inhabituel. Nous rapportons le cas d’un homme de 67 ans présentant une cataracte bilatérale et une ancienne cicatrice maculaire avec hyalose astéroïde à l’œil gauche, qui a développé une migration intraoculaire d’une pommade de chlorure de sodium à 6 % après une chirurgie de la cataracte par petite incision non compliquée. Au premier jour postopératoire, un matériel blanchâtre, semi-solide et librement mobile a été observé dans la chambre antérieure, associé à un œdème cornéen léger et à une réaction inflammatoire de la chambre antérieure à 1+ (classification SUN), évoquant initialement un syndrome toxique du segment antérieur (TASS) débutant.

The UNESCO-listed Bochnia Salt Mine in Poland is a heritage site whose galleries remain coupled to surface air, generating warm, humid, salt-laden summers and cool, dry, ion-poor winters. Airborne halophilic archaea were recently reported here but their seasonal behaviour remained unknown. We quantified physicochemical parameters and airborne microbes at three underground stations and an outdoor control site. Winter measurements of air samples were compared with previously published summer data from the same transect. Winter relative humidity (~42%-63%) was lower than summer values (~65%-77%). Furthest from the intake shaft, the combined Na + + Cl - aerosol load fell from 2665 to 1280 μg/m 3 (~52%), and cultivable halophilic archaea dropped from 7164 to 528 colony-forming units/m 3 (~93%). Averaged across the underground stations, halophilic archaeal densities declined by at least 13-fold between seasons. Halophilic richness contracted from seven to two taxa. Only Halalkalicoccus subterraneus and Halococcus hamelinensis persisted through winter. Non-halophilic bacterial loads varied by 3.5-fold but species richness was relatively high. The visitor-intensive chamber was dominated by skin-associated bacteria, underscoring anthropogenic control of non-halophilic communities. This first demonstration of seasonally responsive airborne halophilic archaea shows that their abundance and diversity are strongly influenced by microclimatic water availability in subterranean salt environments.

Umbilical granulomas are common in newborns. In The Netherlands, they are commonly treated with silver nitrate. Elsewhere, table salt (sodium chloride) is also used for this purpose. We investigated whether treatment with table salt is effective and feasible for parents. For this study, we approached parents of newborns with an umbilical granuloma. We demonstrated the treatment once and asked the parents to apply table salt to the granuloma twice daily for three days. We assessed the results 14 days after the start of the treatment. We asked parents about the results, side effects, their satisfaction, and whether they found the treatment feasible. Twenty-eight children participated in this study, and after fourteen days, the granuloma had disappeared in 25 (89%). In nine children (32%), the surrounding skin showed transient reddening. According to 24 parents (86%), the treatment was feasible, and 23 of them (82%) were satisfied with the results. Parental application of table salt is an appealing alternative to silver nitrate in the treatment of umbilical granuloma.

Transcutaneous electrical stimulation for therapeutic applications relies on electrodes that interface with the human skin. Alongside hydrogel and rubber electrodes, textile electrodes are becoming increasingly important. We introduce a novel textile electrode based on conductive silicone yarn and analyse the electrochemical characteristics. We consider two realisations of the electrode, one with a snap lead button and one where the yarn itself is used for contacting to a cable. Characterisation was done in contact to 0.9% sodium chloride solution. Impedance spectroscopy was performed over 24 h in the frequency range from 0.1 Hz to 1 MHz. Open-circuit potential measurements were taken over 12 h. Voltage and current noise were analysed in the time domain for one hour, and the power spectral density was calculated for a frequency range from 0 to 500 Hz. Our new textile electrodes showed median impedances of 19.6 kΩ at 0.1 Hz and 98 Ω at 1 MHz, which are similar or lower compared to previously introduced stimulation electrodes. The conductive silicone yarn exhibited higher impedances. Noise characteristics and potential stability of the electrodes and the electrode material were comparable to conventional types. In addition to their electrochemical performance, the new textile electrodes offer the skin compatibility of rubber electrodes and the high comfort of textile electrodes, rendering them a promising, sustainable and user-friendly alternative for bioelectrical stimulation applications.

Xanthelasma-like periocular plaques are rare adverse reactions following injectable collagen stimulators and may be challenging to manage in cosmetically sensitive areas. To describe a rare xanthelasma-like reaction after polymer-based collagen stimulator (poly-L-lactic acid or poly-D,L-lactic acid) intradermal injection and its management using fractional non-ablative lasers and stem cell-derived conditioned media. A 49-year-old woman with Fitzpatrick skin type IV developed bilateral infraorbital yellowish plaques (~1 × 2 cm) approximately two weeks after a collagen stimulator injection and presented four months later with persistent lesions, after showing minimal response to a prior 577-nm yellow laser treatment performed at another clinic. Our first treatment approach consisted of a fractional 1550-nm erbium glass laser combined with intralesional 0.9% sodium chloride and a short course of oral corticosteroids. A subsequent session incorporated combined fractional 1550-nm erbium glass and 1450-nm diode lasers, followed by intradermal stem cell-derived conditioned media. Partial improvement was observed after the initial treatment. Further improvement was achieved following combination laser therapy with adjunctive stem cell-derived conditioned media, with marked lesion flattening and reduced erythema within two months and sustained improvement at four-month follow-up. This case highlights a rare xanthelasma-like reaction following polymer-based collagen stimulator injection and demonstrates that a staged, non-ablative fractional laser approach with adjunctive stem cell-derived conditioned media may be an effective and minimally invasive management option.

Lactic acid (LA) is utilized across multiple industries, including polymers, chemicals, cosmetics, and food. Its production from lignocellulosic biomass offers a promising solution to overcome challenges in the production process, such as reducing costs and enhancing environmental sustainability, while also increasing the value of biomass. However, the required pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials to release fermentable sugars generates inhibitory compounds that affect microbial fermentation, alongside the potential risk of contamination by mesophilic and neutrophilic microorganisms. In this study, a strain of B. licheniformis was isolated, selected, and identified as a lactic acid producer utilizing corn steep water (CSW) as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen for LA production. This selection was based on the strain’s tolerance to high temperatures and inhibitory compounds, including sodium metabisulfite, sodium chloride, sodium acetate, and formic acid. Sequential optimization of substrate, culture medium, and fermentation parameters was performed using both classical and advanced statistical techniques, without the need for additional nutrient supplementation. Thermo-Alkaline lactic acid production with a pilot-scale assessment was evaluated. Using multi-pulse fed-batch fermentation in a 50 L bioreactor, the system was operated at 45 °C with pH controlled at 8.49 ± 0.30, achieved LA concentration at 152.6 ± 1.15 g/L with a high yield of 0.93 ± 0.02 g/g, and a total productivity of 0.940 ± 0.005 g/L/h after 162 h., starting with an initial CSW concentration of 80 g/L. To our knowledge, this represents the first report of B. licheniformis being utilized for LA production from untreated CSW as a low-cost substrate, without any additional treatments or supplements.

Systemic type 1 interferon (IFN1), which is regulated by intestinal homeostasis, shows potential in inhibiting the immunoglobulin E (IgE) production and Th2 response in vivo . This study aimed to determine the effect of a high-salt diet (HSD) on systemic IFN1, gut microbiota and tight junction protein zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), intestinal serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase-1 (SGK1), and epithelial sodium ion channels (ENaCs) in atopic dermatitis (AD) mice. MC903 was applied topically to establish AD in wild-type C57BL/6 mice; in mice with IFN1 receptor-1 ( ifnar1 ) knockout, sgk1 conditional knockout (cKO) in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), or stimulator of interferon genes ( sting ) cKO in dendritic cells (DCs); and in BDCA2 -DTR mice with plasmacytoid DC (pDC) deletion. HSD significantly promoted AD accompanied by higher levels of serum IgE, IL-4/IL-13, ileum SGK1, phosphorylated SGK1, βENaC and γENaC, and skin sodium, but lower levels of serum IFN1, ileum ZO-1, gut Lactobacillus_murinus , and Lactobacillus_reuteri . Lactobacillus gavage alleviated AD, reduced serum IgE and IL-4/IL-13, and increased serum IFN1 and ileum ZO-1 in AD mice on HSD, which were largely counteracted by ifnar1 knockout, pDC deletion, or sting cKO in DCs, but not in IECs. cKO of sgk1 in IECs alleviated AD, slightly reduced the serum IgE and IL-4/IL-13, and significantly reduced the ileum βENaC and γENaC and the skin sodium in mice on HSD without changing the gut microbiota, ileum ZO-1, and serum IFN1 levels. HSD promotes AD by partially impairing the systemic IFN1 production that is orchestrated by STING signaling in DCs by reducing the gut Lactobacillus and by partially increasing the sodium accumulation in skin lesions via driving the ileum SGK1 phosphorylation and βENaC and γENaC expression. Further research is necessary to assess the effect of Lactobacillus supplementation on clinical AD patients with an HSD habit.

Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) has been linked to increased skin cancer risk. However, comparative evidence across racial groups remains limited. Using TriNetX, a global database, we evaluated the association between thiazide diuretic use and skin cancer risk across whites and other races within a single analytic platform, including both HCTZ and non-HCTZ thiazides. To determine if the skin cancer risk associated with thiazide diuretics varies by racial group. Using the TriNetX platform, we analyzed adults with newly treated hypertension, applying propensity score matching for baseline covariates, and calculated adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for skin cancers. Comparing to non-diuretic antihypertensive drug (NDAH) use, HCTZ increased the risk of keratinocyte carcinomas (KC) (aHR 1.44), squamous cell carcinoma (aHR 1.67), basal cell carcinoma (aHR 1.43), and malignant melanoma (aHR 1.54) only in the White population. No increased risk was found in the Asian, Hispanic, or Black populations. Chlorthalidone showed a similar pattern for KC, with increased event rates only in the White population. HCTZ is associated with an increased risk of skin cancers only among whites, while similar associations were not observed in other races. These findings may be considered when prescribing thiazide diuretics in this population.

Salinity stress severely limits crop production, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study explored the potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) as a priming agent to enhance castor (Ricinus communis) seedling growth under salt stress (100 mM NaCl), focusing on metabolic reprogramming and storage reserve mobilization. ZnO-NPs priming significantly improved seedling vigor by enhancing lipid mobilization, reducing triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation, and promoting fatty acid breakdown, especially in the cotyledons. This was accompanied by upregulation of key enzymes in the glyoxylate and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycles, facilitating the conversion of stored lipids into soluble sugars for energy. Furthermore, priming restored ATP levels, particularly in the radicle, thereby improving energy metabolism. ZnO-NPs also mitigated oxidative stress, reducing lipid peroxidation and preserving membrane integrity. Transcriptomic analysis revealed upregulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism, stress responses, and energy conversion, supporting the biochemical changes observed. These findings highlight ZnO-NPs as a promising strategy to enhance seedling establishment and crop resilience under salt stress, contributing to sustainable agricultural practices and improved salt tolerance in oilseed crops.