Search Results (30)

This study evaluated the performance of terrestrial LiDAR (TLS) for post-fire forest inventory across two large wildfires in Spain as a function of burn severity. We analyzed tree-level diameter at breast height (DBH), plot-level above-ground biomass (AGB), and the influence of burn severity on return intensity. DBH of segmented trees was accurately retrieved across severities, with overall accuracies of 92.1%, 95.0%, and 94.4% and RMSE of 1.19, 0.94, and 0.93 cm in unburned, moderate, and severe plots, respectively (rRMSE = 7.97%, 6.46%, 6.94%). AGB showed lower agreement, with accuracies of 93%, 88%, and 74%. After adjusting by quadrant-level biomass consumption, mean post-fire AGB values were 76.29, 65.07, and 32.90 Mg ${\mathrm{h}\mathrm{a}}^{-1}$, with mean absolute errors of 4.55, 6.38, and 6.11 Mg ${\mathrm{h}\mathrm{a}}^{-1}$. Return intensity decreased with burn severity, reducing the number of returns by 14.9% in moderately burned and 54.3% in severely burned plots. These results support the use of TLS for post-fire forest inventory in low-to-moderate severity conditions. However, in high-severity plots, return intensity reduction limited tree segmentation and DBH extraction, introducing uncertainty in plot-level AGB estimation. Full article

Anesthesia is the gold standard for immobilization of tumor-bearing mice before radiotherapy which potentially induces stress and distorts disease progression. Irradiation of preclinical cancer models with clinical MV linear accelerator (LINAC) beams can benefit the translation of new strategies in radiation oncology. However, logistical constraints prohibit widespread use of clinical facilities. Currently, there is no detailed protocol on how to safely introduce mice to a clinical environment to be intervened on using hospital equipment. Here, a facile and high-throughput handling method is described that eliminates anesthesia and enables fractionated radiotherapy of multiple mice simultaneously for high-throughput studies. Subcutaneous breast tumor-bearing BALB/c mice were restrained in plastic restraint cones within a containment tray and received four fractions of 4 Gy X-rays from a 6 MV LINAC source over two weeks (two fractions/week). Both short- and long-term follow-up revealed no identifiable health issues or complications associated with the restraint procedure or radiation exposure in terms of body weight loss, skin burns or body condition scores. This method not only benefits animal welfare but also data quality by reducing stress/discomfort levels and confounding effects of anesthetics. It can be applied to a broader range of studies where mice need to be immobilized before intervention. Full article

This study examined the structural and ecological drivers of burn severity during the March 2025 wildfire in Uiseong County, Republic of Korea, with a focus on developing a predictive framework using the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR). Seventeen candidate variables were evaluated, among which the forest type, stand age, tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were consistently identified as the most influential predictors. Burn severity increased across all forest types up to the 4th–5th age classes before declining in older stands. Coniferous forests exhibited the highest severity at the 5th age class (mean dNBR = 0.3069), followed by mixed forests (0.2771) and broadleaf forests (0.2194). Structural factors reinforced this pattern, as coniferous and mixed forests recorded maximum severity within the 5–11 m height range, while broadleaf forests showed relatively stable severity across 3–21 m but declined thereafter. In the final prediction model, NDVI emerged as the dominant variable, integrating canopy density, vegetation vigor, and moisture conditions. Notably, NDVI exhibited a positive correlation with burn severity in coniferous stands during this early-spring event, diverging from the generally negative relationship reported in previous studies. This seasonal anomaly underscores the need to interpret NDVI flexibly in relation to the forest type, stand age, and phenological stage. Overall, the model results demonstrate that mid-aged stands with moderate heights and dense canopy cover are the most fire-prone, whereas older, taller stands show reduced susceptibility. By integrating NDVI with structural attributes, this modeling approach provides a scalable tool for the spatial prediction of wildfire severity and supports resilience-based forest management under climate change. Full article

Women with silicone-gel breast implants may be at risk of burns on reconstructed tissue due to inadequate blood flow and heat transfer after mastectomy. This study employed thermal imaging and numerical simulations to examine the impact of external heat on silicone breast implants. By applying infrared radiation across three spectrum ranges, detailed thermal maps were created and analyzed with MATLAB software (Mathworks, Natick, MA, USA) version release 2020b. Implants were heated to simulate body and external conditions, enabling thermal imaging to assess temperature distribution. The Finite Element Method was utilized for heat transfer simulations. Our results indicated deeper thermal penetration in the implanted breast model compared to a standard model. This study highlights thermal imaging as a reliable, non-invasive method to evaluate implant responses to heat and suggests strategies to reduce heat-related injuries in patients with breast reconstruction. This method has the potential for comfortable and safe home monitoring of patients using handheld thermal imaging cameras that are now available as attachments for smartphones. Full article

Objectives: We aimed to study the efficacy of fractional CO₂ laser for genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) symptoms in breast cancer (BC) survivors through a randomized, sham-controlled study, followed by an open-phase study assessing the impact of additional treatments. Methods: BC survivors with GSM were randomized to receive either three sessions of intravaginal CO₂ laser or sham treatment every 3–4 weeks. The laser’s energy was 45–60 mJ/pixel. Outcomes were compared one month following the last session. Participants initially receiving laser treatment were offered three more sessions, while those receiving sham had six laser sessions in an open-label study. Results: Thirty-four BC survivors were randomized to laser (n = 19) or sham (n = 15) treatments. Dyspareunia and intercourse dryness scores improved in both groups one month post-treatment, without a significant advantage of laser over sham. The laser treatment resulted in a reduction in daily dryness (−1.30 ± 0.55, p = 0.017), an increase in vaginal hydration (3.24 ± 1.13, p = 0.004), and an increase in Vaginal Health Index (VHI) (2.26 ± 0.50, p < 0.001). Most participants (18/19 and 9/15, respectively) opted to continue laser treatments after unblinding, resulting in 27 patients receiving six laser treatments. Increasing the number of laser treatments was associated with a constant improvement in Visual Analogue Score (VAS) scores for dyspareunia, intercourse dryness, daily dryness, burning, discomfort, itch, and average VAS, as well as pH, VHI, and hydration. Conclusions Three fractional CO₂ laser treatments for BC survivors reduced daily dryness but did not improve dyspareunia and sexual dryness when compared to sham in this randomized trial. Increasing the number of treatment sessions seemed to improve outcomes; however, it remained clinically insufficient, even after six treatments. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the role of trees outside forests on agricultural land (TOF-AL) in preserving the initial aboveground biomass (AGB) of forests within the agricultural landscape of Mongala province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2024, tree inventories were conducted over four months in the forests and agricultural lands of Mongala province to analyse AGB. The effects of artisanal logging and charcoal production activities on the AGB conservation rate were considered. This study indicates that 78.3% of the trees encountered in agricultural lands were large-diameter trees (diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 60 cm). In forest areas, large-diameter trees accounted for 55.9% of tree density. The average AGBs are 66.8 Mg ha⁻¹ for TOF-AL and 373.5 Mg ha⁻¹ for forest trees. The AGB of TOF-AL accounts for 17.9% of the AGB of the total forest trees. The AGB conservation rates vary by region, with Lisala having the highest at 22.1%, Bumba the lowest at 11.2%, and Bongandanga at 20.5%. Artisanal logging and charcoal production reduce the AGB conservation rate of TOF-AL. The AGB conservation rate is positively correlated with the distances to major cities. These results prove that conserving trees in agricultural landscapes can reduce the AGB losses associated with slash-and-burn agriculture and contribute to mitigating climate change effects. Full article

Forest fine fuels are a crucial component of surface fuels and play a key role in igniting forest fires. However, despite nearly 20 years of long-term prescribed burning management on Zhaobi Mountain in Xinping County, Yunnan Province, China, there remains a lack of specific quantification regarding the effectiveness of fine fuel management in Pinus yunnanensis forests. In this study, 10 m × 10 m sample plots were established on Zhaobi Mountain following one year of growth after prescribed burning. The plots were placed in a prescribed burning (PB) area and an unburned control (UB) area. We utilized indicators such as forest stand characteristics, fine fuel physicochemical properties, and potential fire behavior parameters for evaluation. The results indicate that prescribed burning at one-year intervals significantly affects stand characteristics, particularly in metrics such as crown base height, diameter breast height, and fuel load (p < 0.05). However, the physical and chemical properties of fine fuels did not show significant differences. Notably, the mean range of spread (RS) of PB fuels downhill was 43.3% lower than that of UB fuels, and the mean flaming height (FH) was 35.2% lower. The fire line intensity was <750 kW/m, categorizing it as a low-intensity fire. These findings provide data on the composition of fine fuels and the variables of fire behavior affected by prescribed burning, demonstrating that low-intensity prescribed burns can regulate fine fuels in the understory and maintain a stable regional fire risk level. Full article

Background and Objectives: Postmenopausal women are often treated with exogenous female hormones to alleviate physical symptoms and support mental health. We posit that women treated with estrogen fare better following burn injury. Materials and Methods: De-identified patient data were obtained from TriNetX, a global healthcare research network. Adult postmenopausal women were enrolled if they were diagnosed with burn injury within 10 years after menopause onset. Patients with pre-existing abnormal uterine bleeding, gynecologic cancer, and chronic liver or heart disease were excluded. The population was grouped into those who received and those who did not receive estrogen treatment (ET) for evaluation of subsequent complications. Cohort balancing was performed using the exact match approach of Inverse Probability Treatment Weighting (IPTW). The average treatment effects (ATEs) and confidence intervals were computed for these balanced cohorts. Results: Postmenopausal women with ET had a lower risk of endometrial hyperplasia and malignancy 3 months (ATE = −0.005, −0.006) and 3 years (−0.007, −0.008) after mild burn injury (less than 20% of total body surface area) (p < 0.05), regardless of age. At the 3-month timepoint, postmenopausal women aged 45–65 with ET exhibited preventive effects against acute kidney injury (−0.0332), cerebral infarction (−0.0279), breast cancer (−0.0278) and severe sepsis (−0.011) after mild burn injury (p < 0.05) compared to women who did not receive ET. After 3 years, 45–65-year-old women with ET exhibited decreased rates of breast cancer (−0.0479) and endometrial hyperplasia (−0.0116) (p < 0.05) compared to those without ET. Conclusions: Estrogen treatment decreases the risk probabilities of breast cancer and other complications in postmenopausal women from 3 months to 3 years after mild burn injury. Full article

The objective of this study was to assess the health and welfare of 70 commercial broiler flocks (transport batches) in three distinct slaughterhouses based on various indicators including emaciation, dirty feathers (DFs), footpad dermatitis (FPD), hock burn (HB), breast burn (BB), breast blister, breast ulcer, ascites, septicemia/abnormal color, cellulitis, extensive traumatisms, dead on arrival (DoA) and condemnation rate. Assessment scales ranging from 0 (absence) to 2 (severe) were used for DFs, FPD, and HB, while a 0 (absence) to 1 (present) scale was applied to BB, breast blisters, and breast ulcers. The prevalence of total condemnation causes (emaciation, ascites, septicemia/abnormal color, cellulitis, and extensive traumatism) and DoA were recorded and presented in percentages. Three flocks presented condemnation rates higher than 4% and 11 flocks presented DoA rates higher than 0.5%. Twenty-one flocks achieved grade 1 (warning) for FPD and 14 achieved grade 2 for FPD (alarm). Extensive trauma was observed in 0.01% of the slaughtered animals, and no flock reached the threshold of 2%. Breast blisters and breast ulcers lesions were not observed in the studied flocks. The significant positive associations observed for the presence of severe footpad dermatitis (FPD2), severe hock burns (HB2), and breast burns (BB1) indicate simultaneous occurrences. Absences of hock burns (HB0) and breast burns (BB0) were also associated. Eleven houses that obtained the worst results for welfare indicators at slaughterhouses were audited. FPD, HB, DoA, and the condemnation rate were the most crucial indicators for identifying farms with inadequate welfare conditions. These indicators should be systematically integrated into the welfare monitoring of broilers in slaughterhouses. Audits conducted on farms detected some noncompliance with regulatory welfare standards and suggested improvements in environmental and structural conditions, as well as the reduction in stocking densities and improvements in the water systems. Full article

Background: This study evaluates the role of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablative therapy in treating primary breast cancer. Methods: PubMed and Scopus databases were searched according to the PRISMA guidelines to identify studies from 2002 to November 2022. Eligible studies were selected based on criteria such as experimental study type, the use of HIFU therapy as a treatment for localised breast cancer with objective clinical evaluation, i.e., clinical, radiological, and pathological outcomes. Nine studies were included in this study. Results: Two randomised controlled trials and seven non-randomised clinical trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The percentage of patients who achieved complete (100%) coagulation necrosis varied from 17% to 100% across all studies. Eight of the nine studies followed the treat-and-resect protocol in which HIFU-ablated tumours were surgically resected for pathological evaluation. Most breast cancers were single, solitary, and palpable breast tumours. Haematoxylin and eosin stains used for histopathological evaluation showed evidence of coagulation necrosis. Radiological evaluation by MRI showed an absence of contrast enhancement in the HIFU-treated tumour and 1.5 to 2 cm of normal breast tissue, with a thin peripheral rim of enhancement indicative of coagulation necrosis. All studies did not report severe complications, i.e., haemorrhage and infection. Common complications related to HIFU ablation were local mammary oedema, pain, tenderness, and mild to moderate burns. Only one third-degree burn was reported. Generally, the cosmetic outcome was good. The five-year disease-free survival rate was 95%, as reported in two RCTs. Conclusions: HIFU ablation can induce tumour coagulation necrosis in localised breast cancer, with a favourable safety profile and cosmetic outcome. However, there is variable evidence of complete coagulation necrosis in the HIFU-treated tumour. Histopathological evidence of coagulation necrosis has been inconsistent, and there is no reliable radiological modality to assess coagulation necrosis confidently. Further exploration is needed to establish the accurate ablation margin with a reliable radiological modality for treatment and follow-up. HIFU therapy is currently limited to single, palpable breast tumours. More extensive and randomised clinical trials are needed to evaluate HIFU therapy for breast cancer, especially where the tumour is left in situ. Full article

Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation interplay with the pathogenesis of cancer. Breast cancer in women is the burning issue of this century, despite chemotherapy and magnetic therapy. The management of secondary complications triggered by post-chemotherapy poses a great challenge. Thus, identifying target-specific drugs with anticancer potential without secondary complications is a challenging task for the scientific community. It is possible that green technology has been employed in a greater way in order to fabricate nanoparticles by amalgamating plants with medicinal potential with metal oxide nanoparticles that impart high therapeutic properties with the least toxicity. Thus, the present study describes the synthesis of Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) using aqueous Terenna asiatica fruit extract, with its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. The characterisation of TiO₂ NPs was carried out using a powdered X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDX), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta-potential. TiO₂ NPs showed their antioxidant property by scavenging 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals in a dose-dependent manner with an IC₅₀ value of 80.21 µg/µL. To ascertain the observed antioxidant potential of TiO₂ NPs, red blood cells (RBC) were used as an in vitro model system. Interestingly, TiO₂ NPs significantly ameliorated all the stress parameters, such as lipid peroxidation (LPO), protein carbonyl content (PCC), total thiol (TT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) in sodium nitrite (NaNO₂)-induced oxidative stress, in RBC. Furthermore, TiO₂ NPs inhibited RBC membrane lysis and the denaturation of both egg and bovine serum albumin, significantly in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting its anti-inflammatory property. Interestingly, TiO₂ NPs were found to kill the MCF-7 cells as a significant decrease in cell viability of the MCF-7 cell lines was observed. The percentage of growth inhibition of the MCF-7 cells was compared to that of untreated cells at various doses (12.5, 25, 50, 100, and 200 µg/mL). The IC₅₀ value of TiO₂ NPs was found to be (120 µg/mL). Furthermore, the Annexin V/PI staining test was carried out to confirm apoptosis. The assay indicated apoptosis in cancer cells after 24 h of exposure to TiO₂ NPs (120 µg/mL). The untreated cells showed no significant apoptosis in comparison with the standard drug doxorubicin. In conclusion, TiO₂ NPs potentially ameliorate NaNO₂-induced oxidative stress in RBC, inflammation and MCF-7 cells proliferation. Full article

The skin is the organ that serves as the outermost layer of protection against injury, pathogens, and homeostasis with external factors; in turn, it can be damaged by factors such as burns, trauma, exposure to ultraviolet light (UV), infrared radiation (IR), activating signaling pathways such as Toll-like receptors (TLR) and Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), among others, causing a need to subsequently repair and regenerate the skin. However, pathologies such as diabetes lengthen the inflammatory stage, complicating the healing process and, in some cases, completely inhibiting it, generating susceptibility to infections. Exosomes are nano-sized extracellular vesicles that can be isolated and purified from different sources such as blood, urine, breast milk, saliva, urine, umbilical cord bile cells, and mesenchymal stem cells. They have bioactive compounds that, thanks to their paracrine activity, have proven to be effective as anti-inflammatory agents, inducers of macrophage polarization and accelerators of skin repair and regeneration, reducing the possible complications relating to poor wound repair, and prolonged inflammation. This review provides information on the use of exosomes as a promising therapy against damage from UV light, infrared radiation, burns, and skin disorders. Full article

Forest disturbances and restoration are key processes in carbon transmission between the terrestrial surface and the atmosphere. In boreal forests, fire is the most common and main disturbance. The reconstruction process for post-disaster vegetation plays an essential role in the restoration of a forest’s structure and function, and it also maintains the ecosystem’s health and stability. Remote sensing monitoring could reflect dynamic post-fire features of vegetation. However, there are still major differences in the remote sensing index in terms of regional feasibility and sensibility. In this study, the largest boreal primary coniferous forest area in China, the Greater Hinggan Mountains forest area, was chosen as the sampling area. Based on time series data from Landsat-5 TM surface reflectance (SR) and data obtained from sample plots, the burned area was extracted using the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR). We used the pre- and post-fire difference values (dNBR) and compared them with survey data to classify the burn severity level. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) (based on spectrum combination) and the Disturbance Index (DI) (based on Tasseled-Cap transformation) were chosen to analyze the difference in the degree of burn severity and vegetation restoration observed using various methods according to the sequential variation feature from 1986 to 2011. The results are as follows: (1) The two remote sensing indexes are both sensitive to fire and the burn severity level. When a fire occurred, the NDVI value for that year decreased dramatically while the DI value increased sharply. Alongside these findings, we observed that the rangeability and restoration period of the two indexes is significantly positively correlated with the degree of burn severity. (2) According to these two indexes, natural vegetation restoration was faster than the restoration achieved using artificial methods. However, compared with the NDVI, the DI showed a clearer improvement in restoration, as the restoration period the DI could evaluate was longer in two different ways: the NDVI illustrated great changes in the burn severity in the 5 years post-fire, while the DI was able to show the changes for more than 20 years. Additionally, from the DI, one could identify felling activities carried out when the artificial restoration methods were initially applied. (3) From the sample-plot data, there were few differences in forest canopy density—the average was between 0.55 and 0.6—between the diverse severity levels and restoration methods after 33 years of recovery. The average diameter at breast height (DBH) and height values of trees in naturally restored areas decreased with the increase in burn severity, but the values were obviously higher than those in artificially restored areas. This indicates that both the burn severity level and restoration methods have important effects on forest restoration, but the results may also have been affected by other factors. Full article

(1) Background: Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a medical condition that can affect breast cancer survivors (BCS). This is a complication that often can occur as a result of breast cancer treatment, causing symptoms such as vaginal dryness, itching, burning, dyspareunia, dysuria, pain, discomfort, and impairment of sexual function. BCS who experience these symptoms negatively impact multiple aspects of their quality of life to the point that some of them fail to complete adjuvant hormonal treatment; (2) Methods: In this systematic review of the literature, we have analyzed possible pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for GSM in BCS. We reviewed systemic hormone therapy, local hormone treatment with estrogens and androgens, the use of vaginal moisturizers and lubricants, ospemifene, and physical therapies such as radiofrequency, electroporation, and vaginal laser; (3) Results: The data available to date demonstrate that the aforementioned treatments are effective for the therapy of GSM and, in particular, vulvovaginal atrophy in BCS. Where possible, combination therapy often appears more useful than using a single line of treatment; (4) Conclusions: We analyzed the efficacy and safety data of each of these options for the treatment of GSM in BCS, emphasizing how often larger clinical trials with longer follow-ups are needed. Full article

Five different silica nanoparticles functionalized with vitamin B12, a derivative of coumarin found in green plants and a minimum content of an organotin(IV) fragment (1-MSN-Sn, 2-MSN-Sn, 2-SBA-Sn, 2-FSPm-Sn and 2-FSPs-Sn), were identified as excellent anticancer agents against triple negative breast cancer, one of the most diagnosed and aggressive cancerous tumors, with very poor prognosis. Notably, compound 2-MSN-Sn shows selectivity for cancer cells and excellent luminescent properties detectable by imaging techniques once internalized. The same compound is also able to interact with and nearly eradicate biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus, the most common bacteria isolated from chronic wounds and burns, whose treatment is a clinical challenge. 2-MSN-Sn is efficiently internalized by bacteria in a biofilm state and destroys the latter through reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Its internalization by bacteria was also efficiently monitored by fluorescence imaging. Since silica nanoparticles are particularly suitable for oral or topical administration, and considering both its anticancer and antibacterial activity, 2-MSN-Sn represents a new dual-condition theranostic agent, based primarily on natural products or their derivatives and with only a minimum amount of a novel metallodrug. Full article