Search Results (4,365)

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a clinically and molecularly heterogeneous subtype defined by the absence of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression. In this study, tumor specimens from 104 TNBC patients were analyzed to characterize molecular and clinicopathological features and to assess the expression and therapeutic potential of four key surface markers: epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), tissue factor (TF), and trophoblast cell surface antigen (TROP2). Multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) demonstrated elevated EGFR and TROP2 expression in the majority of samples. Significant positive correlations were observed between EGFR and TF, as well as between TROP2 and both TF and EpCAM. Expression analyses revealed increased EGFR and TF levels with advancing tumor stage, whereas EpCAM expression declined in advanced-stage tumors. TROP2 and TF expression were significantly elevated in higher-grade tumors. Additionally, EGFR and EpCAM levels were significantly higher in patients with elevated Ki-67 indices. Binding specificity assays using single-chain variable fragment (scFv-SNAP) fusion proteins confirmed robust targeting efficacy, particularly for EGFR and TROP2. These findings underscore the therapeutic relevance of EGFR and TROP2 as potential biomarkers and targets in TNBC. Full article

Since carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) is a significant biomarker for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer, a sensitive sandwich-type immunosensor was proposed with an epoxy functionalized covalent organic framework (EP-COF_TTA-DHTA) as the antibody carrier and an electroactive COF_{TTA-2,6-NA(OH)2} as the signal amplification probe for the sensitive detection of CA 19-9. The flexible covalent linkage between the epoxy-functionalized EP-COF_TTA-DHTA and the antibodies was employed to improve the dynamics of the antigen–antibody interaction significantly. Meanwhile, AuNPs@COF_{TTA-2,6-NA(OH)2} with abundant electroactive sites enhanced the current response of the immunoreaction significantly. After optimizing the incubation time and concentration of the antibody, CA 19-9 was quantitatively detected by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) based on the sensitive sandwich-type immunosensor with a low detection limit of 0.0003 U/mL and a wide linear range of 0.0009–100 U/mL. The electrochemical immunosensor exhibits high specificity, stability and repeatability, and it provides a feasible and efficient method for the pathologic analysis and treatment of tumor markers. Full article

Increasing the discharge of saline wastewater from an industrial field poses a challenge for applicable Anammox-based technologies. This study established the integrated partial sulfur-driven denitrification and Anammox (SPDA) system to explore the effects of different salinity levels on nitrogen conversion features. The results of batch tests suggested that sulfur-driven denitrification exhibited progressive suppression of nitrate reduction (97.7% → 12.3% efficiency at 0% → 4% salinity) and significant nitrite accumulation (56.4% accumulation rate at 2% salinity). Anammox showed higher salinity tolerance but still experienced drastic TN removal decline (97.6% → 17.3% at 0% → 4% salinity). Long-term operation demonstrated that the SPDA process could be rapidly established at 0% salinity and stabilize with TN removal efficiencies of 98.1% (1% salinity), 72.8% (2% salinity), and 70.2% (4% salinity). The robustness of the system was attributed to the appropriate strategy of gradual salinity elevation, the promoted secretion of protein-dominated EPS, the salinity-responsive enrichment of Sulfurimonas (replacing Thiobacillus and Ferritrophicum) as sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB), and the sustained retention and activity of Brocadia as AnAOB. The findings in this study deepen the understanding of the inhibitory effects of salinity on the SPDA system, providing a feasible solution for saline wastewater treatment with low cost and high efficiency. Full article

Porphyra-derived polysaccharides (PPs) are promising prebiotic candidates due to their capacity to modulate gut microbiota and promote host health. However, their interactions with and utilization by probiotic microorganisms remain unclear. In this study, the fermentability of PPs by murine-derived lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains was investigated, with particular attention to strain-specific metabolic activity, carbohydrate utilization, and potential exopolysaccharide (EPS) production. All tested strains were capable of utilizing PPs to varying extents, with strain A10 exhibiting the highest level of carbohydrate consumption. Notably, strain A5 showed increased mannose concentrations following fermentation, suggesting the biosynthesis of mannose-rich EPSs. HPLC analysis confirmed the presence of high-molecular-weight polysaccharides ranging from 2.6 to 8.1 × 10⁵ Da, indicative of EPS production. FT-IR spectroscopy further revealed spectral features consistent with EPS structures. The antibacterial activity of postbiotic compounds produced by LAB strains fermenting PPs against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was observed. These findings demonstrate distinct metabolic adaptations of LAB strains to PPs and emphasize their potential as prebiotic substrates. Full article

Korea has a high population density, considering the size of its territory. Therefore, the importance of convenient and comfortable apartment buildings and high-rise residential–commercial complex buildings has been rising. In addition, because of the improvement in the standard of living along with continuous national economic growth, the interest in well-being and the expectation of a quiet life with a comfortable and pleasant residential environment have also been increasing. However, Koreans have a lifestyle involving sitting on the floor, so floor impact noise has been occurring more and more frequently. Because of this, neighborly disputes have been a serious social problem. And lately, damage and disputes from noise between floors have been increasing much more. The present work, therefore, used waste tire chips as a resilient material for reducing floor impact noise in order to recycle waste tires effectively. Also, a compounded resilient material, which combines EPS (expanded polystyrene), a flat resilient material on the upper part, with waste tire chips for the lower part, was developed. After constructing waste tire chips at a standardized test building, experiments with both light-weight and heavy-weight floor impact noise were performed. The tests confirmed that waste tire chips, when used as a resilient material, can effectively reduce both light-weight and heavy-weight floor impact noise. Full article

This study introduced basalt fibres as a reinforcing material and employed notched beam three-point bending tests combined with digital image correlation (DIC) technology to comprehensively evaluate key fracture parameters—namely, initial fracture toughness, unstable fracture toughness, fracture energy, and ductility index—of expanded polystyrene (EPS)-based geopolymer concrete with different mix proportions. The results demonstrate that the optimal fracture performance was achieved when the basalt fibre volume content was 0.4% and the EPS content was 20%, resulting in respective increases of 12.07%, 28.73%, 98.92%, and 111.27% in the above parameters. To investigate the toughening mechanisms, scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the fibre–matrix interfacial bonding and crack morphology, while X-ray micro-computed tomography enabled detailed three-dimensional visualisation of internal porosity and crack development, confirming the crack-bridging and energy-dissipating roles of basalt fibres. Furthermore, the crack propagation process was simulated using the extended finite element method, and the evolution of fracture-related parameters was quantitatively analysed using a linear superposition progressive assumption. A simplified predictive model was proposed to estimate fracture toughness and fracture energy based on the initial cracking load, peak load, and compressive strength. The findings provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the engineering application of basalt fibre-reinforced EPS-based geopolymer lightweight concrete. Full article

HIV disproportionately affects key populations (MSM, transgender people, sex workers and psychoactive substance users), who face greater social vulnerability and limited healthcare access. This study aimed at analyzing sexual orientation and gender identity and their association with sexual practices, sexually transmitted infections and psychoactive substance use among PrEP users. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2018 and June 2021 with 736 Brazilian PrEP users from a health service in São Paulo. Sociodemographic data, sexual behaviors, STI history (past 3 months) and psychoactive substances use (past 3 months) were extracted from clinical records. The associations were analyzed using binomial logistic regression (p < 0.05). Results: Most of the participants were cisgender men (93.4%) and homosexual (84.8%), with a mean age of 34.9 years old. Condomless sex was reported by 98.5%, and 18.4% had some recent sexually transmitted infection, mainly syphilis. Psychoactive substance use was reported by 55.4%, especially marijuana, club drugs, erectile stimulants and poppers. Transgender and cisgender women were more likely to report sex work and crack use. Homosexual and bisexual participants had higher odds of using erectile stimulants. Conclusions: The study reveals key links between gender, sexual orientation and risk behaviors, highlighting the need for inclusive, targeted prevention. Full article

Coatings that are tolerant of poor surface preparation are often used for rapid, real-time maintenance of aging steel surfaces. In this study, a modified epoxy (EP) anti-rust coating was proposed, utilizing methyl gallate (MG) as a rust conversion agent, graphene oxide (GO) as an active functional material, and epoxy resin as the film-forming material. The anti-rust mechanism was investigated using potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), and the scanning vibration electrode technique (SVET). The results demonstrated that over a period of 21 days, the impedance of the coating increases while the corrosion current density decreases with prolonged soaking time. The coating exhibited a maximum impedance of 2259 kΩ, and a lower corrosion current density of 8.316 × 10⁻³ A/m², which demonstrated a three-order magnitude reduction compared to the corrosion current density observed in mild steel without coating. LSCM demonstrated that MG can not only penetrate the tiny gap between the rust particles, but also effectively convert harmful rust into a complex. SVET showed a much more uniform current density distribution in the micro-zones of mild steel with the anti-rust coating compared to uncoated mild steel, indicating that the presence of GO not only enhanced the electrical conductivity of the coating, but also improved the structure of the coating, which contributed to the high performance of the modified epoxy anti-rust coating. This work highlights the potential application of anti-rust coating in the protection of metal structures in coastal engineering. Full article

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne disease caused by Theileria equi, Theileria haneyi and Babesia caballi. It affects equids, representing significant health and economic concerns for the equine industry. EP is endemic in Portugal, so developing and implementing preventive strategies is essential. Accessing veterinarians’ knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) through a survey is a suitable approach, and no such studies have been conducted in Portugal until now. A KAP survey was applied to 41 Portuguese equine vets, representing mainly the Alentejo region. The average knowledge score went from medium to high, correctly identifying the causative agents, transmission routes and clinical signs. Knowledge gaps mostly concerned the identification of T. haneyi as an agent, transplacental transmission, duration of infection and diagnostic methods. Reported practices were appropriate overall, including enhancing breeders’ awareness of the disease and its prevention. Diagnostic and treatment protocols were generally consistent with current recommendations; however, these protocols are not yet fully standardized. Our findings highlight key areas where increasing expertise is needed and could serve as a foundation for future evidence-based guidelines to improve EP control in Portugal. Full article

Phospholipase A1 (Ves a 1), a major toxin from Vespa affinis venom, poses significant risks to allergic individuals. Nevertheless, the epitope determinants of Ves a 1 have not been characterized. Thus, identifying its linear B-cell epitopes is crucial for understanding envenomation mechanisms. In this study, we predicted and identified B-cell epitopes EP5 and EP6 as potential candidates. EP5 formed an α-helix at the active site of Ves a 1, whereas EP6 adopted an extended loop conformation. Both synthetic peptides were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory effects using immune-inhibitory assays with polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) targeting both native (nVes a 1) and recombinant (rVes a 1) forms. The Ves a 1 polyclonal antibodies (pAb-nVes a 1 and pAb-Ves a 1) were produced, and their specificity binding to Ves a 1 was confirmed by Western blot. Next, ELISA inhibition assays showed that EP5 and EP6 significantly blocked pAb binding to both nVes a 1 and rVes a 1. Dot blot and Western blot assays supported these findings, particularly with stronger inhibition toward rVes a 1. Furthermore, enzymatic assays indicated that nVes a 1 and rVes a 1 retained phospholipase activity. Immunoinformatics docking showed that EP5 and EP6 specifically bind to a single-chain variable fragment antibody (scFv) targeting Naja naja PLA2. Molecular analysis revealed similar amino acid interactions to the template, suggesting effective paratope–epitope binding. These results support the potential of EP5 and EP6 for future diagnosis and therapy of V. affinis venom allergy. Full article

The exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides SJC113 is a glucan with α-1,6 and α-3,6 branched glycosidic linkages that may promote human health. The aim of this study was to investigate in vitro the antioxidant, cholesterol-binding, and prebiotic activities of this EPS and its effect on the gut microbiota. The EPS exhibited moderate antioxidant activity, showing free radical scavenging activity (10.94 ± 1.33%) and hydroxyl scavenging activity (6.29 ± 1.59%) at 1 mg/mL. Notably, it showed high cholesterol-binding activity, lowering cholesterol levels by 40% at 1 mg/mL EPS. Ln. mesenteroides SJC113 showed strong adhesion to mucin, and its EPS enhanced the adhesion of the probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG. The application of this EPS stimulated the growth of several lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains in vitro, indicating its potential as a prebiotic. In addition, the use of a human gastrointestinal simulator inoculated with fecal microbiota showed that the EPS favored the growth of Bifidobacterium spp. and lactobacilli while reducing Enterobacteriaceae. These results emphasize the multifunctional nature of the EPS produced by Ln. mesenteroides SJC113 with antioxidant, cholesterol-lowering, and prebiotic properties. Further research is required to investigate the specific mechanisms of action and health benefits in vivo. Full article

Since its publication in the 1960s, the Kalman Filter (KF) has been a powerful tool in optimal state estimation. However, the KF and most of its variants have mainly focused on the state estimation of smooth systems. In this work, we propose a new algorithm called the Discrete Unilateral Constrained Extended Kalman Filter (DUCEKF) that expands the capabilities of the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to a class of hybrid mechanical systems known as systems with unilateral constraints. Such systems are non-smooth in position and discontinuous in velocity. Lyapunov stability theory is invoked to establish sufficient conditions for the estimation error stability of the proposed algorithm. A comparison of the proposed algorithm with the EKF is conducted in simulation through a case study to demonstrate the superiority of the DUCEKF for the state estimation tasks in this class of systems. Simulations and an experiment were developed in this case study to validate the performance of the proposed algorithm. The experiment was conducted using electronic hardware that consists of an Embedded System (ES) called “Mikromedia for dsPIC33EP” and an external DAC-12 Click board, which includes a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) from Texas Instruments. Full article

Background/Objectives: Liquid biopsy is a minimally invasive alternative to tissue biopsy and is used to obtain information about a disease from a blood sample or other body fluids. In the context of cancer, circulating tumor cells (CTC) can be used as biomarkers to determine the nature of the tumor, its stage of progression, and the efficiency of the administered therapy through monitoring. However, the low concentration of CTCs in blood (1–10 cells/mL) is a challenge for their isolation. Therefore, a minimally invasive medical device (BMProbe™) was developed that isolates CTCs via antigen–antibody binding directly from the bloodstream. Current investigations focus on the process of detaching bound cells from the BMProbe™ surface for cell cultivation and subsequent drug testing to enable personalized therapy planning. Methods: This article presents two approaches for detaching LNCaP cells from anti-EpCAM coated BMProbes™: enzymatic detachment using TrypLE™ and detachment through enzymatic pretreatment with supplementary flow-induced shear stress. The additional shear stress is intended to increase the detachment efficiency. To determine the flow rate required to gently detach the cells, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation was carried out. Results: The experimental test results demonstrate that 91% of the bound cells can be detached enzymatically within 10 min. Based on the simulation, a maximum flow rate of 47.76 mL/min was defined in the flow detachment system, causing an average shear stress of 8.4 Pa at the probe edges. The additional flow treatment did not increase the CTC detachment efficiency. Conclusions: It is feasible that the detachment efficiency can be further increased by a longer enzymatic incubation time or higher shear stress. The influence on the integrity and viability of cells must, however, be considered. Full article

Background/Objective(s): Post-discharge clinical needs of extremely preterm (EP) infants are not well defined. The aim of this study is to evaluate healthcare utilization after discharge in infants born EP and compare it to the general pediatric population. Methods: This study involved a post hoc analysis of infants born 24-0/7 to 27-6/7 weeks’ gestation enrolled in the Preterm Erythropoietin Neuroprotection (PENUT) Trial who had at least one follow-up survey representing their course between 24 and 60 months of age. The results were compared to the general population data from the Kids’ Inpatient Database, Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Results: Maternal, infant, and hospitalization characteristics for PENUT infants who survived to discharge (n = 828) compared to those with follow-up (n = 569) were similar except for race and maternal age. Overall, EP infants had an overall lower rate of ED visits (31% vs. 68%) but a higher rate of hospitalizations (11% vs. 3%). EP infants were less likely to go to the ED for gastrointestinal (5% vs. 12%) and dermatologic (1% vs. 6%) concerns but more likely to go to the ED for procedures (7% vs. <1%). EP infants had a higher rate of medication use (56% vs. 14%) in all categories except psychiatric medications. Conclusions: While EP infants had higher rates of specialty healthcare utilization relative to the general pediatric population, they were less likely to visit the ED overall, particularly for common concerns in this age range. This may reflect improved access and navigation of the healthcare system by EP caregivers. Full article

Renovating existing buildings is a key strategy for achieving the EU’s climate targets, as over 75% of the current building stock is energy inefficient. This study evaluates the environmental impacts of three façade renovation scenarios for an office building at the Technical University in Zvolen (Slovakia) using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. The aim is to quantify and compare these impacts based on material selection and its influence on sustainable construction. The analysis focuses on key environmental indicators, including global warming potential (GWP), abiotic depletion (ADE, ADF), ozone depletion (ODP), toxicity, acidification (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), and primary energy use (PERT, PENRT). The scenarios vary in the use of insulation materials (glass wool, wood fibre, mineral wool), façade finishes (cladding vs. render), and window types (aluminium vs. wood–aluminium). Uncertainty analysis identified GWP, AP, and ODP as robust decision-making categories, while toxicity-related results showed lower reliability. To support integrated and transparent comparison, a composite environmental index (CEI) was developed, aggregating characterisation, normalisation, and mass-based results into a single score. Scenario C–2, featuring an ETICS system with mineral wool insulation and wood–aluminium windows, achieved the lowest environmental impact across all categories. In contrast, scenarios with traditional cladding and aluminium windows showed significantly higher impacts, particularly in fossil fuel use and ecotoxicity. The findings underscore the decisive role of material selection in sustainable renovation and the need for a multi-criteria, context-sensitive approach aligned with architectural, functional, and regional priorities. Full article