Search Results (12,667)

Background/Aim: Rifaximin is a gut-selective antibiotic with minimal systemic absorption that exerts its effects primarily within the gastrointestinal tract. Beyond its antimicrobial activity, rifaximin has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) is a premalignant lesion associated with chronic gastric inflammation and Helicobacter pylori infection and is considered an important step in gastric carcinogenesis. Given the regulatory effects of rifaximin on the gut microbiota and mucosal inflammation, its potential impact on gastric histopathological alterations remains poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of rifaximin therapy on gastric histopathological findings, particularly gastric intestinal metaplasia. Methods: In this retrospective single-center study, patients who received rifaximin therapy for various gastrointestinal indications and underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with gastric biopsies both before and after treatment were included. Demographic characteristics, rifaximin treatment data, and histopathological findings were obtained from hospital records. Pre- and post-treatment biopsy findings were compared with respect to gastric intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia, and Helicobacter pylori positivity. Results: A total of 80 patients (mean age: 62.4 ± 11.9 years; 58.8% male) were included. Following rifaximin therapy, gastric intestinal metaplasia demonstrated significant regression (p < 0.001). Complete regression was observed in 45 patients (56.2%), partial regression in 12 patients (15.0%), stable disease in 14 patients (17.5%), and progression in 9 patients (11.3%). Helicobacter pylori positivity decreased from 42.5% to 31.2% (p = 0.041), whereas no significant change was observed in dysplasia rates (p = 0.564). No significant correlation was found between biopsy interval and the degree of intestinal metaplasia regression (Spearman’s r = −0.057, p = 0.617). Conclusions: Rifaximin therapy was associated with regression in both the presence and severity of gastric intestinal metaplasia. These findings provide preliminary evidence supporting further investigation of rifaximin in gastric intestinal metaplasia. However, the results should be considered hypothesis-generating, and larger prospective controlled studies are required to establish a causal relationship and further elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Full article

Peritoneal metastasis (PM) is the most frequent and lethal pattern of dissemination in gastrointestinal malignancies. Despite advances in systemic chemotherapy, outcomes remain poor because the unique biology of PM, characterized by poor vascularization and the peritoneal–plasma barrier (PPB), limits drug penetration and contributes to treatment resistance. To address these challenges, several locoregional treatment strategies have been developed, including cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS + HIPEC) and pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC). However, their widespread adoption is constrained by invasiveness, strict patient selection, and inconsistent survival benefits. Normothermic intraperitoneal and systemic treatment (NIPS) has emerged as a practical and less invasive alternative, particularly in East Asia. Through an implanted intraperitoneal port, NIPS enables repeated drug administration, providing sustained regional exposure while imposing minimal procedural burden. Importantly, it can be readily integrated with systemic chemotherapy, making it suitable for long-term multimodal treatment. Among available agents, paclitaxel (PTX) is particularly well suited for intraperitoneal administration because of its prolonged retention within the peritoneal cavity and limited systemic absorption. These pharmacokinetic properties allow high local drug concentrations with relatively low systemic toxicity. Consequently, PTX-based NIPS represents a biologically rational and clinically feasible treatment strategy for PM. This review summarizes the pharmacological rationale, clinical evidence, and emerging innovations in drug formulation and delivery that may further enhance the efficacy of PTX-based intraperitoneal chemotherapy for this challenging disease. Full article

With the introduction of Navarixin in clinical trials, the role of squaric acid derivatives as bioisosteres gained popularity. Because of their distinctive electronic properties and hydrogen-bonding capacity, these compounds hold considerable promise for medicinal chemistry applications. In this study, a series of novel furan- and thiophene-containing squaric acid derivatives was synthesized via base-catalyzed nucleophilic substitution and characterized by spectroscopic techniques. The structures of three compounds were additionally confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Density functional theory calculations showed good agreement with the experimental vibrational spectra. In silico evaluation predicted favorable drug-like characteristics, including compliance with Lipinski’s rule of five and high gastrointestinal absorption. The cytotoxic activity of the synthesized compounds was assessed against HeLa, HT-29, HL-60, A-549, and MCF-7 cancer cell lines, as well as the non-cancerous CCL-1 cell line. Several derivatives displayed moderate to strong antiproliferative activity with selectivity toward malignant cells. Compound 3d exhibited the most pronounced improvement (five-fold) over Navarixin in HL-60 cells 5.81 µM, while compounds 3a and 3c demonstrated superior potency and selectivity in A-549 cells (10.33 µM and 9.65 µM). These findings identify squaric acid derivatives as promising candidates for further anticancer drug development and structure–activity relationship studies. Full article

Waste biomass powders and waste oils are promising sustainable modifiers for asphalt binders, but solid-phase biomass powders and oil-phase modifiers often have competing effects on high-temperature stability and low-temperature relaxation. In this study, peanut shell powder (PSP) and waste cooking oil (WCO) were combined at a fixed mass ratio of 1:1 to modify No. 70 base asphalt binder, and the material characteristics, physical properties, rheological responses, and chemical interactions of unaged PSP/WCO-modified asphalt binders with total modifier dosages of 5%, 10%, and 15% were evaluated. The results showed that PSP had a rough, wrinkled, and locally porous lignocellulosic structure and showed no obvious thermal decomposition near the preparation temperature of approximately 150 °C. As the PSP/WCO dosage increased from 0% to 15%, the softening point increased from 50.2 °C to 53.9 °C, while penetration decreased from 66.2 to 62.6 (0.1 mm) and ductility decreased from 74.0 mm to 69.5 mm, indicating increased binder consistency and improved high-temperature flow resistance. DSR and MSCR results showed enhanced high-temperature deformation resistance; at 15% dosage, Jnr at 3.2 kPa decreased from 2.35 to 1.25 kPa⁻¹, while R increased from 0.51% to 1.36%. However, BBR results showed increased creep stiffness and decreased m-value, indicating reduced low-temperature relaxation capacity. FTIR spectra showed no new strong characteristic absorption peaks, suggesting that the modification was mainly associated with physical blending, compositional regulation, and weak intermolecular interactions. The main novelty of this work is that it demonstrates a fixed-ratio PSP/WCO composite modification strategy that combines biomass-powder reinforcement with oil-phase regulation to improve the unaged high-temperature rheological performance of asphalt binders while promoting the resource utilization of peanut shells and waste cooking oil. Full article

Plant extracts in vegetable oils are foundational and eco-responsible for skin care, combining their emollient properties with other additional benefits, derived from their antioxidant, antimicrobial and UV-absorbing activity. The present research conducted a complex investigation of Usnea barbata extract in Karanja oil (KO), aiming for its further incorporation into various cosmetic formulations. The lichen extract (UBKO) was obtained through cold maceration. Phytochemical screening was performed using the Folin–Ciocalteu method and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (GFAAS). Physicochemical properties were evaluated via Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The rheological behavior and oxidative stability of the oil samples, UBKO and KO, were also investigated. UBKO had a slightly lower density (0.827 vs. 0.955) and pH (4.22 vs. 4.86) than KO, and a slightly higher oxidative resistance, quantified as the induction period (IP) value (6.45 vs. 6.00). The total phenolic-equivalent content (TPC, µg GAE/mL oil sample) was significantly greater in UBKO than in KO (567.16 ± 14.96 vs. 433.26 ± 22.96, p = 0.001). The values of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC, mg/mL) indicated significantly higher antibacterial effect against S. aureus and antifungal effect against C. albicans for UBKO than KO (9.62 ± 2.87 vs. 31.25 ± 18.75, p = 0.049, and, respectively, 5.06 ± 1.68 vs. 37.50 ± 12.50, p = 0.01). Finally, our results showed that UBKO had an estimated sun-protective factor (SPF) of 30.9, slightly higher than 29.8 for the base oil formulation, KO; these findings represent baseline in vitro UV-absorbing trends. All of these results suggest that U. barbata extract in Karanja oil may exhibit complementary bioactive properties with potential applications in skincare. Full article

We report the study of Cur@HKUST-1 composites, obtained through one-pot infiltration of HKUST-1 with curcumin (Cur) as a guest-sensitizing molecule. Cur features a HOMO energy above the valence band (VB) of HKUST-1, enabling modulation of the electronic structure of the host framework by introducing additional energy states within the bandgap. Structural characterization, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), confirmed successful guest incorporation and preservation of HKUST-1 crystallinity. An initial Cur amount of 50% (relative to the BTC linker) was added to the synthetic mixture, and differential UV-vis analysis has shown an infiltration efficiency of 28.0%, corresponding to an infiltration degree of 14% in the Cur@HKUST-1 composite, highlighting a challenging loading process, primarily due to the size and conformations of the Cur structure. Textural analysis revealed a reduction in surface area and pore volume, consistent with a high degree of guest infiltration. Optical properties evaluated by diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectroscopy revealed new absorption bands and a notable decrease of 1.83 eV in the bandgap energy from 3.68 eV (HKUST-1) to 1.85 eV (Cur@HKUST-1) due to guest molecule infiltration. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations supported the experimental findings, showing that guest HOMOs promoted the formation of a new valence band (VB), while the original VB remains lower in energy. Density-of-states analysis confirmed that the new VB originates from 2p orbitals belonging to the guest, while the conduction band remains predominantly Cu-based from the HKUST-1 framework. Photoelectrochemical characterization revealed that the guest-modified material exhibits an enhanced photocurrent response compared to HKUST-1. Cur@HKUST-1 displayed higher stability and stronger photocurrent density, attributed to its narrower bandgap and increased charge carrier density. These results demonstrate the potential of rational guest selection to engineer band structure and improve the light-harvesting performance of MOFs in solar-driven applications. Full article

In this study, five Fe-rich scoria-based glass compositions were prepared using natural scoria, recycled glass cullet, limestone, and magnesite through the melt-quenching technique at a temperature of 1400 °C for 2 h. The effect of Fe₂O₃ content (2.9–14.5 wt%) on the thermal behavior, crystallization, density, and predicted optical properties of glass was investigated. Differential thermal analysis revealed that increasing Fe₂O₃ content leads to a variation in glass transition (Tg = 632–669 °C) and an increase in softening temperatures (Ts = 711–737 °C), accompanied by an expanded thermal stability window (∆T = Tx − Tg) up to 254 °C, indicating enhanced resistance to crystallization and improved thermal stability. The density measurement showed a non-monotonic variation with composition, due to the combined effect of Fe₂O₃ enrichment and network structural modification. The crystallization behavior of the Fe-rich scoria-based glass (H50) was further studied after heat treatment at 900 °C and at 950 °C using XRD and SEM analysis. The heated samples exhibited the formation of crystalline phases including diopside, gehlenite, wollastonite, maghemite, and anorthite. While SEM observation revealed progressive crystal growth and microstructural densification with increasing heat treatment temperature, indicating the transformation from glass to glass–ceramic. In addition, a semi-empirical optical assessment based on literature-derived models suggested increased absorptance from 97.26% to 98.83% and reduced reflectance with increasing Fe₂O₃ content. However, these optical parameters show theoretical estimates and require experimental validation. These findings demonstrate the potential of Fe-rich scoria-based glasses as thermally stable materials for high-temperature and energy-related applications while using natural and industrial waste sources. Full article

In this study, the effect of the epoxy resin and mineral filler ratio on the density, compressive strength, flexural strength, water absorption, and structure of polymer matrices was investigated. The combined effect of Portland cement and microsilica on the structure–property relationship of epoxy matrices remains insufficiently understood. The control mixture was made from 100% epoxy resin with a hardener. Various types of mineral fillers, Portland cement (PC), microsilica (MS) and their mixtures were introduced by volume from 0 to 50% in increments of 10%. Experimental findings indicate that an optimal resin addition to a polymer matrix enhances strength and, consequently, decreases expenses. Epoxy–polymer matrices with an optimal mineral filler content of up to 30% demonstrate the highest durability. The increases in compressive and flexural strength for the matrix with 30% PC were 7.3% and 11.5%, for the matrix with 30% MS they were 4.1% and 4.4%, and the increases were 11.2% and 13.2% for the matrix with 15%PC+15%MS. Introducing a mineral filler increases the density of epoxy–polymer matrices up to 50%. Water absorption of polymer matrices increases as the amount of mineral filler in the matrix increases. The microstructure of polymer matrices with mineral fillers is dense and homogeneous, with a small number of pores. In optimal quantities, the mineral filler is evenly distributed in the polymer binder, improves the particle packing density, and creates additional stress redistribution centers. The polymer matrix of 70% epoxy resin, 15% PC and 15% MS is the most optimal in terms of the properties obtained: a density of 1282 kg/m3; compressive strength of 54.7 MPa; flexural strength of 20.6 MPa; and water absorption of 0.94%. In the future, it is planned to use this epoxy–polymer matrix composition in the development of high-performance concrete intended for manufacturing machine tool beds. Full article

This study evaluates the performance of major types of conventional and bio-based plastic items commonly used in agriculture to provide comprehensive insights into their key structural and functional properties, including the chemical composition of the polymer matrix and additives, mechanical behavior, and thermal and radiometric properties. Twelve agricultural plastic (AP) items were analyzed: covering mulch films, geotextile ground cover, protection fleece and low tunnel fleece cover, fertilizer sack, fly trap, irrigation pipe, tree binding net, guide for tree, silage film and hay bales protection fabric. This selection of APs also encompasses a broad range of basic polymers, including conventional materials (mainly polyethylene and polypropylene) and bio-based formulations (primarily starch- or lignocellulose-containing blends). Mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy analyses were performed to assess polymer composition and additives. Mechanical properties were assessed through tensile and puncture tests; in addition, radiometric, thermogravimetric, surface wettability, water absorption and permeability tests were also performed to assess other relevant physical characteristics. The study identified significant differences among bio-based biodegradable APs and compared them with their conventional polyolefin-based counterparts. Material composition and structure were found to critically influence water interactions, shaping the balance between durability, degradation, and crop protection performance. Notably, bio-based mulch films exhibited higher water vapor permeability (0.6–1.1 × 10⁻¹³ g/m Pa s), reduced penetration resistance (12.1 N) and lowered impact and tensile strengths (21.8 MPa). Water interaction tests showed that the starch-based mulch film displayed very high swelling (above 100%), favoring biodegradation, whereas a biodegradable blend based on polyhydroxybutyrate and polybutylene succinate exhibited minimal swelling (<3%). Material composition and morphology were also key determinants of water vapor transport: dense polymer films provided superior moisture barriers (permeability range 0.013–0.04 × 10⁻¹³ g/m Pa s), while fibrous or biodegradable materials allowed enhanced vapor permeability. The results of this study, highlighting functionality, advantages and limitations of biodegradable APs versus conventional APs, are intended to guide future innovation in AP design, ensuring alignment with both the operational demands of modern agriculture and environmental sustainability goals. The data obtained from this study can support scientific advancements and policy recommendations on the use and management of plastics in agriculture. Full article

This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of transferring alkali activation technology to the ceramic tile production by developing tiles based on metakaolin and ceramic tile waste by uniaxial pressing. Optimization of the tile formulations was achieved by adjusting precursor composition (metakaolin or combination of metakaolin and ceramic tile waste), NaOH molarity, and overall water content. After uniaxial pressing at 50 MPa, alkali-activated tiles were consolidated at 50 °C for 24 h. Physical and mechanical properties were assessed following ISO test methods for ceramic tiles, allowing direct comparison with the ISO classification requirements. The more promising formulations highlight a water absorption by vacuum test method (ISO 10545-3) equal to 15%, thus allowing a BIII classification according to ISO 13006. Finally, thermal stability up to 850 °C was determined, thus allowing alkali-activated tiles to be industrially glazed. Full article

This study investigated whether salinity during cultivation of the aquatic plant Lemna minor (duckweed) influences the phytochemical composition of plant extracts and the properties of green-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). Duckweed was cultivated under 0, 10, and 100 mM NaCl, followed by Orbitrap metabolomic profiling, nanoparticle synthesis, physicochemical characterization, and evaluation of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Orbitrap analysis revealed pronounced salinity-dependent changes in extract composition, including increased abundance of several flavonoids, glycosylated flavones, and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives in the order 0 < 10 < 100 mM. ZnO nanoparticle formation was supported by UV–Vis spectroscopy, which showed characteristic absorption features around 360 nm, and by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), which indicated the predominance of the hexagonal wurtzite ZnO phase in all samples. SEM–EDS analysis revealed Zn- and O-rich materials consisting of micron-scale aggregates and finer submicron structures. Raman spectra were dominated by fluorescence, which increased with salinity treatment and may reflect differences in surface-associated phytochemicals rather than substantial changes in the ZnO crystal structure. Nanoparticles synthesized using extracts from salt-stressed duckweed exhibited higher total phenolic content (up to 66.79 ± 0.15 µM GAE g⁻¹), antioxidant activity (up to 55.01 ± 0.21%), and antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus haemolyticus D4-2-100/1 (inhibition zone up to 1.55 ± 0.05 cm). Although the mechanisms underlying these differences remain to be fully elucidated, the results suggest that salinity-induced changes in duckweed metabolism may influence the biological properties of the resulting nanomaterials. Overall, this study highlights the potential of manipulating cultivation conditions to modulate plant extract composition and, consequently, influence the characteristics and functionality of green-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles. Full article

Uncontrolled hemorrhage remains a major challenge in trauma care and surgical interventions, where rapid hemostasis and wound sealing are essential for improving patient survival. Natural polymer-based hydrogels have emerged as promising hemostatic materials owing to their excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and biomimetic properties. However, their clinical translation remains limited by insufficient mechanical robustness, wet adhesion, and functional responsiveness. To address these challenges, considerable progress has been achieved through rational material design and structural engineering strategies. Representative natural polymers, particularly polysaccharides and proteins, exhibit distinct physicochemical and biological characteristics that determine their hemostatic mechanisms and design strategies. Based on these material platforms, molecular modification strategies, including charge regulation, hydrophobic modification, and bioactive functionalization, have been widely employed to modulate interfacial interactions, platelet adhesion, coagulation activation, and tissue adhesion. In parallel, advanced structural architectures, such as porous, particulate, fibrous, multicrosslinked/multinetwork, and nanocomposite systems, have significantly enhanced fluid absorption, mechanical resilience, stress dissipation, and hemorrhage sealing efficiency. Beyond conventional hemostasis, increasing efforts have focused on integrating multifunctional properties, including antibacterial activity, inflammatory regulation, oxidative stress modulation, tissue regeneration, dynamic monitoring, and stimuli-responsive behaviors. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in natural polymer-based hemostatic hydrogels from the perspectives of advanced material modification strategies, structural engineering approaches, and functional integration, with particular emphasis on the relationships among material characteristics, interfacial behavior, structural organization, and hemostatic performance. Finally, current challenges and future perspectives for clinical translation are discussed, aiming to provide valuable insights for the rational design and clinical implementation of next-generation hemostatic biomaterials. Full article

Quartz is widely employed in optoelectronic and sensing applications owing to its excellent mechanical and chemical properties. However, its intrinsic transparency up to 5 μm limits its direct use as a photodetection substrate across the near- and mid-infrared spectral regions. Laser surface texturing for the fabrication of the so-called black quartz represents a promising strategy to overcome this limitation. In this work, different femtosecond (fs) laser texturing strategies were investigated on a 1 mm thick α-quartz wafer, namely uniform milling, grid-patterned grooves, and localized arrays of ablated craters. The fs-laser-treated quartz samples showed a transmittance reduction of up to 60% within the quartz transparency window in the infrared range, with crater matrices providing the most effective blackening performance. The enhanced absorption was attributed to light-trapping effects induced by the tapered crater geometry, which promotes multiple internal reflections and increased optical confinement within the substrate. The proposed strategy demonstrates a reliable, maskless, and chemical-free surface functionalization strategy for the fabrication of quartz-based substrates for broadband infrared photodetection in sensing applications. Full article

The growing demand for sustainable construction materials has spurred the use of recycled aggregates in cementitious composites to reduce the consumption of natural resources and the generation of construction waste. This study investigates the combined effects of recycled glass (RG), recycled brick (RB), and recycled concrete (RC) aggregates used as partial replacements for natural aggregate (NA) on the fresh properties of mortar. A multi-factor experimental design was employed, with RG, RB, and RC replacing NA at levels of 5–25%, 15–45%, and 10–30% of the total aggregate content, respectively. The fresh properties evaluated included the final water-to-cement ratio (w/c), fresh density, and air content. The results indicated that increasing the proportion of recycled aggregates, especially RB and RC, increased water demand and air content, which is likely attributed to their higher porosity and water absorption. Consequently, the final w/c ratio increased, while the fresh density decreased by up to 12%. In contrast, mixtures with higher NA and RG contents exhibited improved compactness and higher fresh density. Furthermore, the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and sensitivity analysis framework established in this study provide a robust quantitative tool (R² up to 0.95) for optimizing the proportioning of multi-source recycled aggregate mortar. The findings confirm the feasibility of using multi-source recycled aggregates to develop optimized and sustainable mortar mixtures with predictable fresh-state performance. Full article

In this work, the structural, optical, vibrational, and stability properties of a series of Al_xAs_x nanostructures are systematically investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). Starting from the fundamental cubic-like Al₄As₄ building block, progressively larger nanostructures were constructed through directional elongation and structural rearrangements, allowing for the exploration of one-dimensional chains, two-dimensional planar structures, and several exotic geometries. The calculated UV–visible absorption spectra reveal that structural dimensionality and topology strongly influence the electronic transitions of the nanostructures, with elongated and distorted configurations exhibiting broader absorption features and richer spectral distribution. Vibrational analysis shows that increasing structural complexity and reducing symmetry lead to a higher density of IR-active modes and more complex infrared spectra. The stability of the nanostructures is evaluated through binding energy calculations, which indicate a clear size-dependent stabilization trend, with the Al₂₄As₂₄-L1 configuration exhibiting the highest stability among the examined systems. In addition, the calculated HOMO-LUMO gaps reveal the semiconducting character of the clusters and demonstrate their sensitivity to geometric topology. The present results establish clear structure–property relationships between dimensional growth and the optical response of AlAs nanoparticles and provide theoretical reference data for future experimental investigations of III-V semiconductor nanostructures. Full article