Search Results (55)

A novel bio-gelatin fiber-reinforced composite (BFRC) was first developed by incorporating industrial bone glue/gelatin as the matrix, magnesium oxide (MgO) as an additive, and natural or synthetic fibers as reinforcement. Systematic tests evaluated mechanical, impact, and thermal performance, alongside microstructural mechanisms. Results showed that polyethylene (PE) fiber-reinforced composites achieved a tensile strength of 3.40 MPa and tensile strain of 10.77%, with notable improvements in compressive and flexural strength. PE-based composites also showed excellent impact energy absorption, while bamboo fiber-reinforced composites exhibited higher thermal conductivity. Microstructural analysis revealed that coordination between Mg²⁺ ions and amino acids in gelatin formed a stable cross-linked network, densifying the matrix and improving structural integrity. A multi-criteria evaluation using the TOPSIS model identified the BC-PE formulation as the most balanced system, combining strength, toughness, and thermal regulation. These findings demonstrate that ionic coordination and fiber reinforcement can overcome inherent weaknesses of gelatin matrices, offering a sustainable pathway for building insulation and cushioning packaging applications. Full article

Background: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare and aggressive subtype of breast cancer that accounts for 1–5% of BC patients and regularly affects women under 40 years of age. Approximately 50% of IBC cases are HER2+ and can be treated with the monoclonal antibody-based therapy Herceptin (trastuzumab). However, resistance to Herceptin develops within a year, and effective second-line targeted therapies are currently unavailable for IBC patients. Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is a promising therapeutic target for IBC due to its role in promoting tumor invasiveness, angiogenesis, and the inflammatory tumor microenvironment characteristic of IBC. Objective: We developed Herceptin-conjugated liposomes loaded with LCN2-targeted small-interference RNA (siRNA) for HER2+ IBCs. Methods: We synthesized DSPE-PEG(2000)-maleimide-Herceptin in a three-step process and formulated the liposomes together with DOPC, PEG(2000)-PE, cholesterol, and siRNA. Results: Dynamic light scattering confirmed the liposome size distribution, which was 66.7 nm for the Herceptin-conjugated liposome versus 43.0 nm in a non-functionalized liposome. Here, we report efficient internalization of this formulation into HER2+ IBC cells, reducing LCN2 levels by 30% and disrupting tumor emboli formation. RNA sequencing revealed 139 genes that were differentially expressed upon LCN2 knockdown, with 25 canonical pathways identified through Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Conclusions: These findings suggest that LCN2-targeted siRNA within Herceptin-targeted liposomes represents a promising therapeutic strategy for IBC. Full article

Real-time tumor-tracked radiotherapy with a linear accelerator-magnetic resonance (linac-MR) hybrid system requires accurate tumor delineation at a fast MR imaging rate. Various autocontouring methods have been previously evaluated against “gold standard” manual contours by experts. However, manually drawn contours have inherent intra- and inter-observer variations. We aim to quantify these variations and evaluate our tumor-autocontouring algorithm against the manual contours. Ten liver, ten prostate, and ten lung cancer patients were scanned using a 3 tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner with a 2D balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) sequence at 4 frames/s. Three experts manually contoured the tumor in two sessions. For autocontouring, an in-house built U-Net-based autocontouring algorithm was used, whose hyperparameters were optimized for each patient, expert, and session (PES). For evaluation, (A) Automatic vs. Manual and (B) Manual vs. Manual contour comparisons were performed. For (A) and (B), three types of comparisons were performed: (a) same expert same session, (b) same expert different session, and (c) different experts, using Dice coefficient (DC), centroid displacement (CD), and the Hausdorff distance (HD). For (A), the algorithm was trained using one expert’s contours and its autocontours were compared to contours from (a)–(c). For Automatic vs. Manual evaluations (Aa–Ac), DC = 0.91, 0.86, 0.78, CD = 1.3, 1.8, 2.7 mm, and HD = 3.1, 4.6, 7.0 mm averaged over 30 patients were achieved, respectively. For Manual vs. Manual evaluations (Ba–Bc), DC = 1.00, 0.85, 0.77, CD = 0.0, 2.1, 2.8 mm, and HD = 0.0, 4.9, 7.2 mm were achieved, respectively. We have quantified the intra- and inter-observer variations in manual contouring of liver, prostate, and lung patients. Our PES-specific optimized algorithm generated autocontours with agreement levels comparable to these manual variations, but with high efficiency (54 ms/autocontour vs. 9 s/manual contour). Full article

Bacterial cellulose (BC) synthesized by Acetobacter xylinum has gained significant attention due to its unique structural and functional properties. This study focuses on the simple, facile, and cost-effective synthesis of bacterial cellulose films from Acetobacter xylinum and evaluates their impact on selected properties. The BC films were prepared through a series of controlled fermentation, purification, and drying processes, optimizing their porosity and structural integrity with different stabilization forms (the BC films supported by polyester nonwoven (PES NW) fabric) by a static culture method keeping with the sustainability. The selected properties like density, porosity, surface roughness, thermal conductivity, and the wetting properties of surfaces are tested. These properties were chosen because they significantly impact the performance of BC aerogels in the potential application of aerogels in biomedical, insulation, and filtration industries. The results indicated that the synthesized BC aerogels exhibit a highly porous network, lightweight structure, and excellent thermal conductivity, making them suitable for advanced material applications. This research highlights the potential of bacterial cellulose aerogels as sustainable (without any additives/chemicals) and high-performance materials, paving the way for further advancements in bio-based aerogels. Full article

Biochar, an eco-friendly soil amendment, holds promise for remediating contaminated soils, yet its impacts on coastal wetland soils under combined microplastic (MP) and heavy metal (HM) pollution remain underexplored. This study examined the efficacy of 2% Spartina alterniflora-derived biochar (BC) in rehabilitating soils co-contaminated with cadmium (Cd) and two MPs—polyethylene (PE) and polylactic acid (PLA)—at 0.2% and 2% (w/w). The results indicated that biochar significantly elevated soil pH (8.35–8.43) and restored electrical conductivity (EC) to near-control levels, while enhancing organic matter content (up to 130% in PLA-contaminated soils), nutrient availability (e.g., phosphorus, potassium), and enzyme activity. Biochar reduced bioavailable Cd by 14–15% through adsorption and ion exchange. Although bacterial richness and diversity slightly declined, biochar reshaped microbial communities, enriching taxa linked to pollutant degradation (e.g., Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota) and upregulated functional genes associated with carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling. Additionally, biochar boosted Suaeda salsa (S. salsa) biomass (e.g., 0.72 g/plant in A1B) and height (e.g., 14.07 cm in E1B) while reducing Cd accumulation (29.45% in shoots) and translocation. Remediation efficiency was most pronounced in soils with 0.2% PLA. These findings bridge critical knowledge gaps in biochar’s role in complexly polluted coastal wetlands and validate its potential for sustainable soil restoration. Full article

Colostrum is a nutrient-dense food rich in proteins, immune modulators, and growth factors essential for neonatal development. Its lipids serve as a key energy source and facilitate cellular functions. While yak colostrum (YC) and buffalo colostrum (BC) exhibit high nutritional value, their lipid compositions remain unclear. This study employed lipidomics to analyze and compare the lipid profiles of YC and BC with cow colostrum (CC), identifying 872 lipids across 33 subclasses. Differential analysis revealed 137, 100, and 131 lipids, with significant expression differences between YC vs. CC, BC vs. CC, and YC vs. BC, respectively. YC exhibited higher levels of α-linolenic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, suggesting a potential role in enhancing neurodevelopment and cognitive function. In contrast, the upregulation of specific lipid components in BC, such as phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylinositol (PI), coupled with the downregulation of specific lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE), indicated a potential benefit for lipid metabolism and inflammatory regulation. These findings suggest that YC may be particularly suitable for neonates requiring enhanced energy support, while BC may offer advantages in lipid metabolism modulation. The study provides critical insights into the distinct lipid compositions of YC and BC, laying a scientific foundation for the development of tailored nutritional supplements. These results also hold significant implications for the dairy industry, driving innovation and optimization of colostrum-based products to meet diverse nutritional demands. Full article

Background/Objective. Breast Cancer (BC) is a growing medical concern that may heavily influence sexual functioning (SF) and body image (BI) in BC patients. In healthy individuals, physical exercise (PE) has been proposed as a crucial factor to improve BI. However, little is known about the effects of PE on BI and SF in BC patients. Therefore, the aim of this study is to summarize the extant literature regarding the effects of PE on BI and SF in these populations. Methods. Our review, conducted using the PRISMA extension for a Scoping Review, was carried out in three databases: PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. Only Randomized Control Trials (RCT) evaluating the effects of different types of PE on BI and/or SF in a population affected by or who have survived BC were included. Results. The literature search yielded 488 studies. Twelve studies resulted in being eligible for inclusion in this review. The effects of aerobic exercise on BI and SF were scant. Studies employing resistance training as PE provided contrasting results. Conversely, studies using holistic approaches yielded larger benefits on BI and SF. Conclusions. Our results showed that PE has marginal effects on BI and SF. PE interventions longer than six months and based on holistic activities should be implemented to improve BI and SF in BC patients. To safely draw conclusions on the effects of PE on BI and SF, future studies should consider more accurate monitoring of exercise intensity, and a thorough evaluation of the possible mediators of the effects of PE in these populations. Full article

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among women, with an incidence of 85–94 per 100,000 people annually in Europe. Despite the increasing incidence of BC, advancements in early detection and novel therapeutic approaches have improved survival rates. However, adjuvant treatments are associated with side effects, including a reduction in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), which can result in severe cardiac damage and progress to heart failure. Methods: Thirty-eight women undergoing BC treatment were included in the study. Eighteen women (47.2 ± 5.4 years old) participated in a supervised physical exercise (PE) program for 60 min/day, twice weekly, at moderate to high intensity (5 min joint mobilization, 20 min predominantly aerobic training, 30 min of strength training, and 5 min cooldown). The remaining 20 women (51.5 ± 9.5 years) were advised to remain active during treatments, but without specific supervision. In the PE group, a slight reduction in the LVEF was observed after chemotherapy (63.73 ± 3.34% vs. 61.00 ± 6.54%, p = 0.131). In contrast, the control group showed a statistically significant reduction in the LVEF (64.93 ± 4.00% vs. 60.57 ± 4.86%, p = 0.008). Although the results suggest a potential protective effect of regular physical exercise during BC treatment, the study was inconclusive regarding its role in preventing cardiac dysfunction. Further research with a larger sample size and longer follow-up is warranted. Full article

Background: Dialysis patients face multidimensional challenges that affect their quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the association between dialysis duration and various physical, cognitive, and psychosocial parameters, including fatigue, pain, sexual satisfaction, bowel control, vision, cognitive deficits, mental health, social support, quality of life, and life satisfaction, while incorporating sociodemographic data for greater context. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using validated instruments such as the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), Pain Effect Scale (PES), Sexual Satisfaction Scale (SSS), Bowel Control Scale (BWCS), Impact of Visual Impairment Scale (IVIS), Perceived Deficits Questionnaire (PDQ), Mental Health Inventory (MHI), Modified Social Support Survey (MSSS), WHOQOL-BREF, and Cantril Ladder. Associations between dialysis duration and these parameters were analyzed. Correlations between current and future life satisfaction were also examined. Results: Dialysis duration significantly affected sexual satisfaction, with scores worsening over time (p = 0.029). Cognitive deficits in planning and organization exhibited a near-significant trend (p = 0.072). Patients with low current life satisfaction anticipated significant future declines (p = 0.001). However, no significant associations were observed between dialysis duration and fatigue, pain, bowel control, vision, mental health, social support, overall quality of life, or life satisfaction. Conclusions: Prolonged dialysis negatively influences sexual satisfaction and may impact specific cognitive domains. The relationship between current and expected life satisfaction highlights the importance of addressing psychological health in this population. While other parameters remained unaffected, individualized care strategies focusing on sexual, cognitive, and psychological support could improve outcomes. Future research should focus on exploring these relationships further and developing targeted interventions to address vulnerable areas, such as sexual, cognitive, and psychological health. Full article

Bamboo is widely distributed around the world as an excellent renewable resource. However, the structural and morphological changes in the bamboo samples in extracting bamboo cellulose fiber using alkaline-acidic sodium chlorite are unclear, and the potential for preparation of cellulose packaging films is yet to be explored. In this paper, the changes in micro-morphology, chemical structure, and pyrolytic behavior of moso bamboo powder during alkaline and acidic sodium chlorite pretreatment were intensively investigated. The bamboo cellulose fiber (BC) diameter decreased from 14.41 to 11.79 µm with the treatment as a result of the removal of amorphous materials such as lignin and hemicellulose. The BC was dissolved in NaOH/urea aqueous solution, and all-cellulose composite films were obtained with excellent mechanical properties and high transparency. When the BC contents reached 4 wt%, the resulting films had a light transmittance of about 90% in the visible light range (400–780 nm), and the tensile strength was as high as 57.9 MPa, which was much higher than that of the polyethylene packaging film (PE, 35 MPa). In addition, the film also suggests superior biodegradability compared to PE films. Therefore, the current shortage of raw materials and environmental pollution faced by plastic packaging materials may be expected to gain new inspiration in this study. Full article

The paper presents an interdisciplinary study based on an experimental model for investigating clay sources to identify prehistoric human behavior regarding resources. The study focuses on the Middle Bronze Age (1955/1773–1739/1614 cal. BC) settlement of Siliştea-Pe Cetățuie in eastern Romania, where archaeological materials from the Costișa and Monteoru cultures were discovered. Standard criteria for macroscopic analysis and analytical techniques, such as optical microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Micro-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (µ-FTIR), and thermal analysis (DTA and TG), were used to investigate the ceramic material from multiple points of view. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the ceramics of the two communities. Putting together the data obtained from macroscopic and physico-chemical analyses helped in partially reconstructing ancient human behaviors related to the production and use of ceramic vessels. Full article

Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) are typically composed of liquid lipids, solid lipids, and surfactants, enabling the encapsulation of lipophilic drugs. Butamben is a Class II anesthetic drug, according to the Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS); it has a log P of 2.87 and is considered a ‘brick dust’ (poorly water-soluble and poorly lipid-soluble) drug. This characteristic poses a challenge for the development of NLCs, as they are not soluble in the liquid lipid present in the NLC core. In a previous study, we developed an NLC core consisting of a solid lipid (Crodamol^TM CP), a lipophilic liquid with medium polarity (SR^TM Lauryl lactate), and a hydrophilic excipient (SR^TM DMI) that allowed the solubilization of ‘brick dust’ types of drugs, including butamben. In this study, starting from the NLC core formulation previously developed we carried out an optimization of the surfactant system and evaluated their performance in aqueous medium. Three different surfactants (Crodasol^TM HS HP, Synperonic^TM PE/F68, and Croduret^TM 40) were studied and, for each of them, a 2³ factorial design was stablished, with total lipids, % surfactant, and sonication time (min) as the input variables and particle size (nm), polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential (mV) as the response variables. Stable NLCs were obtained using Crodasol^TM HS HP and Synperonic^TM PE/F68 as surfactants. Through a comparison between NLCs developed with and without SR^TM DMI, it was observed that besides helping the solubilization of butamben in the NLC core, this excipient helped in stabilizing the system and decreasing particle size. NLCs containing Crodasol^TM HS HP and Synperonic^TM PE/F68 presented particle size values in the nanometric scale, PDI values lower than 0.3, and zeta potentials above |10|mV. Concerning NLCs’ stability, SBTB-NLC with Synperonic^TM PE/F68 and butamben demonstrated stability over a 3-month period in aqueous medium. The remaining NLCs showed phase separation or precipitation during the 3-month analysis. Nevertheless, these formulations could be freeze-dried after preparation, which would avoid precipitation in an aqueous medium. Full article

Research on associations between student performance in pharmacy programs and entry-to-practice milestones has been limited in Canada and in programs using a co-operative (co-op) education model. Co-op exposes students to a variety of opportunities both within direct patient care roles and in non-traditional roles for pharmacists, such as policy, advocacy, insurance, research, and the pharmaceutical industry. The purpose of this research is to analyze associations between student grades and evaluations achieved in the University of Waterloo (UW) Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) co-op program and success rates on entry-to-practice milestones, including the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) Pharmacist Qualifying Examination and performance on final-year clinical rotations. Grades and evaluations from courses, co-op work terms, clinical rotations, and PEBC exam data from three graduating cohorts were obtained. A multiple regression analysis was performed to explore associations between student evaluations and PEBC Pharmacist Qualifying Examination and clinical rotation performance. Holding all other variables constant, grades in anatomy/physiology were negatively correlated with scores on the PEBC Pharmacist Qualifying Examination, while grades in one of the professional practice courses showed a positive relationship with the same examination. Students with higher grades in a problem-based learning capstone therapeutics course, in their first co-op work term, and in the direct patient care co-op work term tended to score higher on clinical rotations. Co-op performance was not significant in predicting PEBC performance. However, complimentary descriptive analysis underscored that students with a co-op rating of good or below were more likely to fail courses, midpoint evaluations, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), and PEBC measures. Multiple predictors of performance on final-year clinical rotations and the PEBC Pharmacist Qualifying Examination were identified. This predictive model may be utilized to identify students at risk of underperforming and to facilitate early intervention and remediation programs, while also informing curricular revision. Full article

Grapefruit (GF) processing generates significant nutrient and economic losses due to the production of 50% by-products, primarily peels. GF peels are a rich and sustainable source of bioactive compounds (BCs), such as essential oils (EOs) and phenolic compounds. Thus, finding value-added solutions based on a circular economy is paramount. This research aims to assess the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties of a hydroethanolic polyphenol-rich extract from crude GF peels (GF-CE), essential oil (GF-EO), and polyphenol-rich extract from GF peels after essential oil extraction (GF-PE). The GF-CE and GF-PE showed high concentrations of naringenin (7.71 and 48.60 mg/g dry extract (DE)), narirutin (15.03 and 28.73 mg/g DE), and hesperidin (0.67 and 0.29 mg/mL), respectively. Extracting firstly EOs from GF improved the release of phenolic acids (p-coumaric, ferulic, and chlorogenic acid). The GF-CE exhibited stronger free radical scavenging activity mainly in DPPH (IC50 = 75.69 ± 0.81 µg/mL) than GF-EO (1271 ± 0.85 µg/mL) and GF-PE (113.45 ± 0.85 µg/mL). The GF-EO demonstrated moderate antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria compared to the reference standard (amoxicillin) and strong activity against the yeast Candida albicans (inhibition zone of 16 mm). The major compounds in the GF-EO included D-limonene (25%), nootkatone (24%), and β-pinene (8%). Both polyphenol-rich extracts showed promising activities as COX1 and COX2 inhibitors with IC50 values of 25 ± 0.1 and 0.28 ± 0.00 µg/mL (compared to celecoxib (97.5 ± 0.1 and 0.31 ± 0.01 µg/mL) and indomethacin (6.25 ± 0.00 and 0.52 ± 0.01 µg/mL) as the standards), respectively. The study concludes that GF peels are a valuable source of BCs with significant bioactivities, offering a sustainable multi-cascade approach to recovering value-added compounds from GF peels in alignment with circular economy principles and open opportunities as functional ingredients for food applications. Full article

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging environmental pollutants worldwide, posing potential health risks. Moreover, MPs may act as vectors for other contaminants and affect their fate, transport, and deposition in the environment. Therefore, efficient and economical techniques are needed for the removal of contemporary MPs and contaminants from the environment. The present research study investigated the sorption of phosphorus (P) and ammonium (NH₄⁺) onto date palm waste-derived biochar (BC) from an aqueous solution in the presence of polyamide (PA) and polyethylene (PE) MPs. The BC was prepared at 600 °C, characterized for physio-chemical properties, and applied for P and NH₄⁺ removal via isotherm and kinetic sorption trials. The results of the sorption trials demonstrated the highest removal of NH₄⁺ and P was obtained at neutral pH 7. The highest P sorption (93.23 mg g⁻¹) by BC was recorded in the presence of PA, while the highest NH₄⁺ sorption (103.76 mg g⁻¹) was found with co-occurring PE in an aqueous solution. Sorption isotherm and kinetics models revealed that P and NH₄⁺ removal by MP-amended BC followed chemisorption, electrostatic interaction, precipitation, diffusion, and ion exchange mechanisms. Overall, co-existing PA enhanced the removal of P and NH₄⁺ by 66% and 7.7%, respectively, while co-existing PE increased the removal of P and NH₄⁺ by 55% and 30%, respectively, through the tested BC. Our findings suggested that converting date palm waste into BC could be used as a competent and economical approach to removing P and NH₄⁺ from contaminated water. Furthermore, microplastics such as PE and PA could assist in the removal of P and NH₄⁺ from contaminated water using BC. Full article