Search Results (82,325)

Dental resin composites are widely used for direct restorations, yet their longevity remains limited by biofilm accumulation and secondary caries at the tooth–restoration interface. Unlike previous reviews that have primarily organized antibacterial dental materials according to antimicrobial agents or mechanisms, this narrative review evaluates antibacterial resin composites from a polymer-composite design perspective, integrating molecular architecture, network immobilization, filler–matrix interactions, polymerization, and aging. Leachable agents such as chlorhexidine provide early antibacterial effects but are constrained by reservoir depletion, water sorption, and release-related material changes. In contrast, covalently immobilized quaternary ammonium monomers provide sustained surface-associated activity without continuous release, although their performance depends on molecular structure, concentration, degree of conversion, and network properties. Antibacterial nanoparticles and bioactive glass fillers provide composition-dependent ion-mediated, photocatalytic, pH-modulating, and remineralizing effects, while their performance depends strongly on particle characteristics, dispersion, and formulation. Multifunctional systems further combine antibacterial activity with protein repellence, mineral protection, and rechargeable ion release. Overall, the evidence indicates that durable antibacterial performance cannot be considered independently of polymerization, mechanical integrity, aging stability, and biocompatibility. Future development should therefore prioritize clinically relevant multispecies biofilm models, standardized aging protocols, structure–property analysis, and long-term in vivo and clinical validation. Full article

Seaweed polysaccharide films are potential alternatives to petroleum-derived flexible packaging, but literature data are sparse and heterogeneous. This study evaluates whether composition-only machine-learning models can prioritize reported seaweed formulations for experimental follow-up near a nominal low-density polyethylene (LDPE) mechanical target of 15 MPa tensile strength and 300% elongation at break. A published dataset of 115 formulations with 41 compositional predictors was analyzed using a regularized linear baseline (ridge regression), random forest, and a deliberately shallow, regularized XGBoost model. Model performance was estimated using repeated five-fold cross-validation (10 repeats; 50 test-fold evaluations). For tensile strength, mean $R^2$ was 0.617 ± 0.174 for random forest and 0.628 ± 0.150 for XGBoost, with corresponding RMSE values of 12.35 ± 3.52 and 12.27 ± 3.84 MPa. For elongation, random forest and XGBoost reached mean $R^2$ values of 0.498 ± 0.194 and 0.470 ± 0.188, respectively. The linear baseline was materially less stable, indicating that the available composition-property relations are not adequately represented by a global linear model. The maximum observed elongation was 172.5%, which is 42.5% below the 300% screening target; equivalently, the target lies 73.9% above the dataset maximum. Consequently, the model cannot establish LDPE equivalence or credible extrapolation to the target. Residual diagnostics, learning curves, and SHAP analyses were added to bound interpretation. The defensible outcome is experimental prioritization within the observed domain, not inverse design or material substitution. Full article

This study developed alkali-activated binders based on biomass power plant ash (BPPA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) for potential application in coal-mine goaf backfilling. Five precursor proportions, ranging from 100% BPPA to 100% GGBFS, were investigated to clarify the influence of precursor composition on fresh properties, mechanical performance, reaction-product evolution and microstructural development. Increasing the GGBFS content reduced slump and shortened both initial and final setting times, indicating accelerated precursor dissolution and early structural build-up. Compressive strength increased nonlinearly with GGBFS incorporation. Multiscale characterization consistently demonstrated that GGBFS promoted the transformation of the initially quartz-rich and weakly reactive BPPA system into a calcium-rich aluminosilicate binding matrix. This transformation was accompanied by changes in the Si-O-T bonding environment, increased formation of hydrated reaction products and progressive filling and bridging of the spaces between residual precursor particles. Consequently, the hardened matrix evolved from a porous particle-supported structure containing isolated reaction regions into a compact gel-supported network that contributed to more effective stress transfer within hardened matrix. Among the investigated mixtures, the formulation containing 25% BPPA and 75% GGBFS exhibited a favorable combination of BPPA utilization, processability, and mechanical performance, indicating its potential for further evaluation in coal-mine goaf backfilling applications. Full article

Background: The oral application of adenovirus is hindered by its poor in vitro storage stability and rapid degradation by gastric acid. To address this, a biomimetic oral adenovirus delivery system (CSP-AdV@LYO) was constructed based on three key properties of natural chrysanthemum sporopollenin (CSP): chemical inertness, intelligent “acid-shrinking/alkali-swelling” responsiveness, and mucosal adhesion via its spike structures, aiming to enhance oral stability and delivery efficiency. Methods: First, low-allergenic chrysanthemum pollen was screened using proteomics and a zebrafish allergy model. High-purity sporopollenin (SPO) was then extracted via an acidolysis method, followed by systematic characterization of its morphology, particle size, zeta potential, contact angle, and reversible acid-shrinking/alkali-swelling behavior. Subsequently, a CSP-AdV@LYO formulation was prepared by optimizing a cryoprotectant formulation (sucrose:gelatin = 1:1) and a vacuum loading process. Its protective and release properties were evaluated in vitro using simulated gastric and intestinal fluids, and its long-term stability was assessed. Further in vivo studies in mice assessed its intestinal colonization efficiency. The adhesion mechanism of the sporopollenin spike structures was investigated through mucosal retention experiments. Results: Mucosal retention experiments confirmed that the spike structures on the sporopollenin surface enhanced retention by approximately 3-fold through mechanical interlocking compared to smooth particles. In long-term stability tests, the viral genome copy number retention rate was improved more than 10-fold compared to the virus stock solution. The system enabled a steady and controlled release of the virus in simulated intestinal fluid, with the released virus maintaining its infectivity. In vivo studies demonstrated that CSP-AdV@LYO promoted efficient intestinal colonization and reduced acute mortality from 75% (AdV@LYO group) to 25%. Conclusion: By leveraging the unique physicochemical properties of chrysanthemum sporopollenin, this study successfully developed a biomimetic oral delivery system for live adenovirus that provides gastric acid protection, intelligent pH-responsive release, and mucosal adhesion. This system significantly enhances the oral stability and intestinal delivery efficiency of adenovirus while reducing systemic exposure risks. It offers a novel biomimetic strategy for the oral delivery of adenovirus and other biological macromolecules. Full article

Ta-2.5W alloy is a promising liner material for high-performance shaped-charge warheads because of its high density and excellent dynamic mechanical properties. However, conventional machining and hot-forming routes suffer from low material utilization, limited dimensional accuracy, and oxidation-related defects. In this study, near-net-shape cold pressing and annealing treatments were investigated for Ta-2.5W liners. The initial microstructure and mechanical properties of the starting sheet were characterized, compression tests were performed to establish a room-temperature constitutive model, and 16 combinations of deformation and annealing temperature were designed to clarify the evolution of grain morphology and crack sensitivity. To compensate for elastic die deformation and blank springback, a coupled simulation-based die correction strategy was further developed. The results show that the starting alloy exhibits an excellent strength–ductility balance with weak anisotropy. Increasing cold deformation refines the grains, whereas increasing annealing temperature initially promotes grain refinement but subsequently causes grain coarsening. Excessive deformation combined with high annealing temperature increases crack susceptibility. Based on the single-specimen screening experiments in this study, a preliminary processing range of 20–40% cold deformation and 1200 °C annealing produced the most favorable microstructural condition without obvious cracking. After iterative die compensation, trial-manufactured parts satisfied the target contour requirements and showed uniform, crack-free microstructures after annealing. Full article

An acylation reaction was performed on the crystalline surface of cellulose in a composite consisting of microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) and hydroxyapatite (HAP) with an inorganic weight fraction of 68%. The composite was acylated using acetic anhydride, propanoic anhydride, and butanoic anhydride in pyridine in the presence of potassium carbonate at 120 °C for 1 h. The formation of ester linkages was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the crystalline structure of cellulose was retained after acylation. From the intensity of the carbonyl stretching vibration in the infrared spectra, the degree of substitution of the acetylated sample was estimated to be approximately 0.2. The acylated MFC–HAP composites were uniaxially hot-pressed at 120 °C and 300 MPa, and the resulting molded specimens were subjected to three-point bending tests. A yield point appeared at a bending strain of 1.1–1.4%, followed by plastic deformation and final fracture, indicating that they exhibited ductile fracture. The elastic moduli were 5.9 GPa (acetyl), 7.6 GPa (propanoyl), 7.4 GPa (butanoyl), 3.6 GPa (hexanoyl), and 7.1 GPa (before acylation), indicating that acyl groups with medium chain lengths did not reduce the rigidity of the composites. When the molded specimens were immersed in water at room temperature for 24 h, the water absorption ratios were 29% (acetyl), 24% (propanoyl), 17% (butanoyl), and 18% (hexanoyl), demonstrating that water resistance improved with increasing acyl chain length. In summary, propanoylation and butanoylation improved the water resistance of the composites without compromising their rigidity in the dry state. Full article

Traditional high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) require high protein dosage and exhibit poor thermal-saline tolerance, limiting their application as clean-label food carriers for lipophilic nutrients. Sanxan (SAN) possesses unique gelling and emulsifying properties, while its application in HIPE systems remains largely unexplored. This study fabricated curcumin (Cur)-loaded HIPEs using SAN and whey protein isolate (WPI) at lower concentrations. A stable gel network formed at 0.8% SAN and 3% WPI. The oil-binding capacity reached 97.39%, remaining 96.74% and 97.03% after 0.1 M NaCl and 90 °C heating for 30 min. Cur encapsulation efficiency attained 83.23% at 3.5 mg/mL. FTIR verified non-covalent interactions, including hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic and electrostatic forces among SAN, WPI, and Cur. The SAN-WPI (SW)-HIPEs improved the antioxidant activity of Cur; compared with the WPI-HIPEs, ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging capacities increased by approximately 36.94% and 66.22%. In vitro digestion showed merely 1.06% Cur release in gastric fluid; the final intestinal release and bioavailability were 94.77% and 80.46%. This work clarifies the synergistic stabilization mechanism of SAN-WPI binary HIPEs and provides a low-protein formulation strategy to encapsulate and orally deliver lipophilic bioactives for functional food production. Full article

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics are major aquatic contaminants due to their high persistence, mobility, and potential ecological impacts. In this study, PET–NPs and PS–NPs were prepared by nanoprecipitation, and the adsorption of both types of nanoplastics by graphene oxide–chitosan (GO–CS), graphene oxide–microcrystalline cellulose 50µm (GO–MCC50µm), and graphene oxide–microcrystalline cellulose 90µm (GO–MCC90µm) composites was systematically investigated. The structural and physical properties of the materials were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), pH_pzc analysis, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), zeta potential, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Batch adsorption experiments evaluated the effects of pH, contact time, initial concentration, and temperature on adsorption efficiency, while the adsorption mechanism was analyzed through kinetic, isotherm, and thermodynamic studies. The maximum Langmuir adsorption capacities for PS–NPs were 13.60, 12.59, and 11.19 mg·g⁻¹ for GO–CS, GO–MCC50µm, and GO–MCC90µm composites, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacities for PET–NPs were 56.17, 33.33, and 23.20 mg·g⁻¹ for GO–CS, GO–MCC50µm, and GO–MCC90µm composites, respectively. This study provides new insights into the effects of adsorbent surface chemistry, particle size, and nanoplastic morphology on adsorption processes, highlighting graphene oxide–polysaccharide composites as promising eco-friendly materials for nanoplastic removal from aqueous media. Full article

This work is a theoretical study aimed to address the lubrication failure of Tom-Pac TP-2557 gel lubricant on the textured high-entropy alloy coatings (THEACs) under wide-temperature-range operating conditions; the rheological lubrication properties of the surface are investigated in this work. Based on lubrication theory and non-Newtonian fluid mechanics, a gel lubrication viscosity model considering temperature dependence and a thermo-mechanical coupled constitutive relationship for the THEACs are established. The results show a significant shear-thinning behavior of the gel within a moderate low-to-medium temperature range, and the onset temperature of thermal degradation is identified. Optimal geometrical and distributional parameters of the surface textures, along with a favorable surface energy range, are determined to achieve desirable interfacial shear strength. Moreover, an anchoring-slip synergistic mode arising from surface energy heterogeneity is found to further enhance lubricating film stability. This research provides a theoretical basis for the gel lubrication design of the THEACs. Full article

In the context of deepening data assetization, this paper explores the strategic role of data assets in sustaining corporate competitiveness. Utilizing a dataset of China’s A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2023, we examine the influence of data assets on continuous innovation from a synergistic perspective of robust anchoring and dynamic reconstruction. The findings indicate that data assets can significantly empower continuous innovation, with the effect being more pronounced in specific contexts defined by ownership, regional marketization, the intensity of intellectual property protection, and market structure. In further analysis, we also found that this effect extends to green continuous innovation, offering more direct evidence for the sustainability implications of data-driven innovation. Crucially, our mechanism analysis reveals that data assets facilitate innovation through two pathways: (1) a “de-financialization” pathway, which reduces reliance on financial speculation and consolidates the real economy; and (2) a capability-building pathway, which enhances firms’ dynamic capabilities. These findings offer practical implications for policymakers and managers seeking to promote sustainable corporate growth, as they demonstrate that embedding innovation continuity into core strategies serves as a foundational driver of long-term environmental, social, and economic resilience. Full article

Polysaccharides are well known for their immunomodulatory properties and gut microbiota-regulating functions; however, their digestive stability and structure-dependent biological mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated the in vitro enzymatic resistance and intestinal regulatory effects of a novel L-β-galactoglucan (Mw 400–520 kDa) derived from Agrobacterium sp. FN01, and further evaluated the in vivo effects of its corresponding crude fermentation product on growth performance and intestinal metabolism in pigs. Twenty-seven-day-old weaned piglets were randomly allocated to three treatments, with 16 pens per treatment and 13 piglets per pen, and fed basal diets supplemented with 0, 200, or 400 mg/kg of the crude product. The results showed that L-β-galactoglucan exhibited strong resistance to pancreatic α-amylase and glucoamylase under the tested in vitro conditions, with minimal release of low-molecular-weight oligosaccharides during hydrolysis. The 400 mg/kg crude product supplementation significantly improved growth performance, reduced the feed-to-gain ratio, and increased the apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, and gross energy (p < 0.05). In addition, dietary supplementation with this crude product increased intestinal microbial diversity, enriched Halalkalibacter urbisdiaboli, and increased colonic concentrations of isobutyrate and isovalerate (p < 0.05). Functional metagenomic analysis further revealed enhanced microbial carbohydrate metabolism and energy metabolic pathways. In conclusion, under the in vitro conditions tested in this study, the novel L-β-galactoglucan exhibited resistance to the two tested enzymes. In the pig trial, this polysaccharide improved growth performance and nutrient utilization, and modulated the intestinal microbial composition. These observations suggest that the fermentation product may be promising for animal feeding applications. Full article

Background/Objectives: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subtype with limited targeted therapeutic options. Although the anticancer and pro-apoptotic properties of boswellic acids have previously been reported, the interaction profile of chemically defined β-boswellic acid (BA) with doxorubicin (DOX) remains insufficiently characterised in the murine 4T1 TNBC-like model. This study quantitatively evaluated BA–DOX drug interactions using different reference models and characterised the cytotoxic and apoptosis-associated cellular phenotype accompanying combined exposure. Methods: Cytotoxicity was assessed using the MTT assay and BA–DOX interactions were evaluated using the Chou–Talalay combination index (CI), highest single-agent (HSA) and Bliss independence models. Apoptosis and cell-cycle distribution were analysed by flow cytometry and mitochondrial membrane potential was assessed by JC-1 staining. Caspase-3/7 activity, RT-qPCR, live/dead Calcein-AM/PI staining, 4′,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) nuclear staining, and cytokine measurements were also performed. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and STRING-based protein–protein interaction (PPI) analyses were used to explore putative molecular pathways associated with experimental findings. Results: The 48 h selectivity index of BA was 1.28, indicating only modest differential cytotoxicity between 4T1 cells and HaCaT keratinocytes under the experimental conditions rather than definitive cancer-cell selectivity. Drug-interaction analyses revealed concentration- and model-dependent effects, with the Chou–Talalay analysis indicating synergism in selected intermediate and higher concentration pairs. Under the selected phenotypic-characterisation condition, BA + DOX produced a greater apoptotic response than either single treatment, accompanied by increased G2/M and Sub-G1 fractions, mitochondrial membrane depolarisation, and increased caspase-3/7 activity. This treatment condition was not included in the drug-interaction analysis and was therefore not interpreted as a pharmacologically validated synergistic combination. RT-qPCR demonstrated increased mRNA expression of Bax, Casp3, and Casp9, decreased mRNA expression of Bcl2, and a marked increase in the Bax/Bcl2 mRNA ratio. Calcein-AM/PI and DAPI analyses further demonstrated increased cell death and apoptotic nuclear alterations. The measured concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6 in culture supernatants were lower after BA + DOX treatment, whereas IL-10 remained unchanged; however, these cytokine measurements were not normalised to viable cell number and therefore require cautious interpretation. Exploratory bioinformatic analyses identified predicted associations with apoptosis-, mitochondrial-, and cell-cycle-related processes and pathways; however, these database-derived findings were considered hypothesis-generating and not evidence of BA-dependent target engagement or pathway activation. Conclusions: Combined BA and DOX exposure produced greater cytotoxic and apoptosis-associated responses than either single treatment in 4T1 cells, whereas formal drug-interaction classifications varied according to concentration and analytical model. The accompanying changes in mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase-3/7 activity, and apoptosis-related gene expression describe a treatment-associated cellular phenotype but do not identify a direct molecular target of BA or establish a causal molecular mechanism. The findings also do not demonstrate TNBC-specific selectivity. Further studies using additional breast cancer and tissue-matched non-malignant models, together with direct target-engagement and functional pathway-validation approaches, are required. Full article

In this study, the effect of data augmentation on machine learning (ML) models that predict the natural frequency of human long bones from the spectrogram of bone-conducted sound was investigated. Bone-conducted sound was recorded from the tibia of 45 healthy university students using a custom-developed hammering device. Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT) was applied to the recorded sounds to generate spectrograms, from which six ML models were examined to predict the natural frequency. Ground-truth natural frequency was defined as peak values identified from Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) spectra obtained by recorded waveforms of sounds. Data augmentation was performed by shifting bone-conducted sound waveforms, expanded to 5 levels, i.e., 3-fold (3×) to 11-fold (11×). All models showed improved accuracy by data augmentations compared to the original dataset, with a particularly substantial improvement observed in many models when the dataset was expanded from the original to the 3× level. Among the ML models examined here, DenseNet-121 with 11× data augmentation achieved the lowest MAE and the highest R² (10.00 ± 2.27 Hz; R² = 0.927 ± 0.046), followed by PeleeNet, which is constructed on a lightweight DenseNet architecture, with 7× data augmentation (MAE = 10.37 ± 2.91 Hz, R² = 0.920 ± 0.059). Full article

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, such as laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), allow for rapid fabrication of geometrically complex components that would be difficult to create using traditional casting or subtractive fabrication processes; however, research into AM metals has shown that fabrication defects resulting from LPBF processes (i.e., voids, un-melted particles, etc.) can have deleterious effects on mechanical behavior. Material testing using traditional macro (coupon-scale) volumes may not accurately capture scalable material behavior in LPBF metals, as the distribution of fabrication defects is volume-dependent. To understand fundamental material behavior at scales independent of geometrical fabrication defects (including print-induced material arrangements), in situ micro-mechanical testing of AM LPBF 17-4 PH stainless steel materials is conducted, opening possibilities for future bottom-up material simulation scaling. In this study, the tensile and compressive behavior of LPBF-fabricated 17-4PH stainless steel is characterized at the micron scale to aid future efforts in the predictive upscaling of structural components, while eliminating void effects and micro-scale print-induced material arrangements in any characterizations. Not surprisingly, behavior comparisons between multiple length scales (micro and macro scales) indicate strength reductions in larger bulk volumes. Micro-tensile measurements resulted in ultimate tensile strength (1359 MPa ± 99.9 MPa standard deviation) and strain before failure (0.31 ± 0.063 μm/μm) values that exceeded those of the macro-tensile specimens (1025 MPa tensile strength and 0.190 μm/μm strain at fracture, respectively). Full article

Herein, vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC)-grafted styrene-butadiene (SB) copolymers, with high contents of VBC (22–32 mol%), were synthesized and blended with low amounts (n = 3–10 wt%) of unfunctionalized poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO). Being well-known for its great chemical compatibility with polystyrene, PPO was selected as non-conductive, hydrophobic and mechanically robust component to be blended with graft copolymers in order to reduce their water uptake, thus improving their dimensional and mechanical stability after quaternization with trimethylamine. The resulting blend membranes were characterized in terms of thermal, mechanical, and ex situ electrochemical properties. Blend membranes generally presented improved mechanical properties, as well as reduced water uptake with respect to AEMs not containing PPO, while retaining ion conductivity values of 11.3–16.6 mS cm⁻¹, higher than that of a commercial hydrocarbon-based benchmark. Among the investigated blend AEMs, g-VBC-32/PPOn membranes were found to have the highest conductivity values (>15 mS cm⁻¹) and the best trade-off between water uptake, mechanical properties and hydrogen permeability. Overall, these results highlight pristine PPO blending as a cost-effective, simple and scalable route to improve the mechanical and dimensional stability of hydrocarbon-based AEMs. Full article