Search Results (362)

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disorder of the oral mucosa recognized as an oral potentially malignant disorder, with a pooled malignant transformation rate of approximately 1–1.4% that is highest in atrophic-erosive and tongue lesions. Its most feared outcome, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), remains associated with a 5-year survival below 50% and a substantial clinical, functional, and economic burden. Because conventional management, like topical corticosteroids for OLP and surgery with or without radiotherapy for OSCC, entails cumulative toxicity and limited long-term efficacy, non-pharmacological strategies are attracting growing interest. This narrative review critically appraises the available evidence across the OLP-to-OSCC continuum, examining high-power ablative lasers, low-level laser therapy/photobiomodulation, photodynamic therapy, nutraceutical and phytotherapeutic agents (including melatonin, curcumin, aloe vera, coconut, zinc, and vitamin D), cryotherapy, ozone therapy, probiotics, and psychological interventions, alongside supportive measures in OSCC such as oral hygiene management, photobiomodulation for treatment-related toxicity, and post-treatment rehabilitation. Evidence is strongest and most consistent for photobiomodulation in OLP, whereas most other modalities remain promising but limited by small samples, heterogeneous protocols, and scarce placebo-controlled data. A multidisciplinary, evidence-graded approach is essential to optimize early detection, disease control, and quality of life. Full article

Reliable detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) in water is essential for public health water quality assessments, yet culture-based methods remain challenged by high background flora. This study compared the performance of mPA-C agar and the commercial RAPID’ P. aeruginosa (RAPID PA) agar in (ozone-) treated wastewater effluent and (spiked) swimming pond water and evaluated how presumptive colony colour definitions and confirmation steps affected performance characteristics. mPA-C showed strong matrix dependence and high observer variability due to a broad colour colony variation (of both PA and non-PA). RAPID PA produced clearer and more consistent pigmentation with relatively limited background growth and performed more consistently across matrices. Expanding the presumptive colony colour definition significantly improved sensitivity of RAPID PA with minimal loss of specificity. A quick subculturing step on RAPID PA for visual confirmation further enhanced specificity and markedly reduced false-positive rates. Extended incubation to 48 h increased performance only for swimming ponds. RAPID PA performed more consistently across matrices. Overall, using RAPID PA with expanded colour criteria and subculturing as a low-effort confirmation step enabled effective culture-based detection of P. aeruginosa in high-background-flora water samples. This medium represents a practical and robust alternative for routine monitoring. Full article

This study proposes a self-condensing water-electrode plasma device in which ambient water vapor is condensed on a cooled needle-tip electrode within a strong electric-field region, forming continuously renewed water droplets, Taylor cones, or water-film interfaces that participate in the discharge process. The effects of ambient humidity, needle-tip temperature, and applied voltage on the self-condensation behavior were investigated. The discharge modes at different applied voltages and discharge gaps, the generation of reactive species, and the inactivation efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus were also analyzed. The results showed that increasing ambient humidity, decreasing the needle-tip temperature, and increasing the applied voltage all promoted water condensation at the needle tip. The electric field shortened the droplet formation time and reduced the droplet detachment size. As the applied voltage increased, the device sequentially underwent water condensation, electrospray, stable Taylor-cone, water-film discharge, and bare-electrode discharge stages, while the boundary voltage of each stage increased with the discharge gap. The ozone concentration remained below the instrument’s limit of detection during discharge with the self-condensing water electrode, whereas hydroxyl-radical generation was significantly enhanced. Compared with a conventional metal electrode, the self-condensing water electrode exhibited greater inactivation of S. aureus at the same applied voltage, with a more pronounced advantage under low-voltage conditions. These findings demonstrate that introducing a self-condensing water interface can regulate the local discharge morphology and reactive-species composition, providing a new strategy for developing low-temperature plasma sterilization technologies with low ozone production and high bactericidal activity. Full article

The poor stability and limited water dispersibility of ozonated oil constrain its antifungal applications. To overcome these limitations, we formulated an ozonated oil nanoemulsion (Nano-Ozo) and elucidated its antifungal mechanism against Candida albicans. Nano-Ozo was characterized by particle size, zeta potential, microstructure, and ozone retention capacity. Antifungal efficacy was assessed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), membrane integrity assays, reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection, metabolomics, and a murine model of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). The nanoemulsion had a uniform size (98.28 ± 5.23 nm), a high zeta potential (53.20 ± 0.28 mV), and prolonged ozone stability. It showed potent antifungal activity (MIC = 31.25 μL/mL) by disrupting membrane integrity, provoking an ROS burst, and inducing ferroptosis, as indicated by changes in SOD, MDA, LDH, and GSH levels. Metabolomic analysis revealed the inhibition of glycolysis and the TCA cycle. In the VVC model, Nano-Ozo markedly reduced vaginal fungal burden and ameliorated tissue inflammation. Given its excellent stability, biological efficacy, and multi-targeted antifungal action, Nano-Ozo holds great potential for developing localized antifungal therapies, such as topical or vaginal formulations. These findings underscore Nano-Ozo as a promising nanoengineering-based antifungal strategy. Full article

Background/Objectives: To evaluate the clinical and microbiological effects of adjunctive gaseous ozone therapy combined with full-mouth ultrasonic debridement and scaling and root planing (FMUD–SRP) in patients with generalized periodontitis. Materials and Methods: Thirty-nine patients with stage II–IV generalized periodontitis were enrolled in a randomized split-mouth clinical trial. Quadrants were assigned to receive FMUD–SRP alone or FMUD–SRP plus adjunctive gaseous ozone therapy. Ozone (2100 ppm, 80% oxygen) was applied subgingivally immediately after instrumentation during three treatment sessions. Clinical parameters were recorded at baseline, 45, and 90 days. Subgingival plaque samples were analyzed using qualitative polymerase chain reaction to detect six periodontal pathogens. Results: Both treatments resulted in significant clinical improvements over time (p < 0.05). At 90 days, ozone-treated sites showed greater probing pocket depth reduction (−1.6 ± 0.8 mm vs. −1.2 ± 0.8 mm; p = 0.02) and clinical attachment level gain (−1.1 ± 1.0 mm vs. −0.6 ± 1.0 mm; p = 0.03) compared with control sites. No significant intergroup differences were observed for bleeding on probing, plaque index, or gingival recession. A significantly greater reduction in the detection frequency of periodontal pathogens was observed in the ozone group, including complete suppression of Treponema denticola and marked reductions in other anaerobic species. Conclusions: Adjunctive gaseous ozone therapy enhances the clinical outcomes of non-surgical periodontal treatment and exerts a selective antimicrobial effect against anaerobic periodontal pathogens. Full article

Ground-level ozone (O₃) has become a major air pollutant in China following PM_2.5, particularly in the southeastern coastal region, where the frequent interaction of typhoons and the subtropical high complicates pollution control. In this paper, spatial autocorrelation and a multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model were employed to estimate the spatiotemporal heterogeneity and driving mechanisms of O₃ in the Southeast Coastal urban agglomerations from 2015 to 2024. Temporally, the annual average O₃ concentration exhibited a fluctuating trend of an initial increase, followed by a decrease and a subsequent rebound. A bimodal monthly pattern was observed, with peaks in May–June and August–September and minima in winter. Diurnally, the concentration showed a consistent pattern of being higher in the daytime and lower at night, peaking in the afternoon, driven by solar radiation and temperature. Spatially, O₃ exhibited a distinct north–south gradient, with the highest in Jiangsu Province, followed by Shanghai, Zhejiang and Guangdong, and the lowest in Fujian. Significant spatial autocorrelation was detected, with hot spots in the Yangtze River Delta and cold spots in Fujian and adjacent areas. Seasonally, the most severe pollution with the greatest spatial heterogeneity, occurred in summer, contrasting with the uniformly low concentrations in winter. Compared with OLS and GWR, the MGWR demonstrated superior explanatory power. O₃ was jointly influenced by precursors, natural factors, and socioeconomic factors, with the influence intensity ranked as follows: NO₂ > average elevation > population density > annual precipitation> wind speed > built-up area > proportion of the secondary industry in GDP. Notably, the effects of NO₂, annual precipitation, and the proportion of the secondary industry exhibited strong spatial heterogeneity, operating at finer spatial scales. These findings provide scientific support for sustainable air quality management and region-specific O₃ control in southeastern coastal China. Full article

Based on the Multi-Sensor Reanalysis Version 2 (MSR-2) and ERA5 datasets, variations in monthly mean total ozone column (TOC) over Northeast China (40–53°N, 115–135°E) from 2015 to 2024 are analyzed. Local ground-based observations at the regional WMO/GAW Longfengshan Station are also used. The aim is to investigate regional seasonality in TOC pattern and the relationship between TOC and ozone concentration and air temperature in the stratosphere and at the surface. No statistically significant linear trend was found for TOC; however, the annual mean TOC in the study region exceeds the zonal mean TOC by 25 DU (7.4%), and the annual maximum in February and minimum in August are observed one and two months earlier, respectively, than in the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes. A climatological decrease in TOC from the northeastern (~415 DU) to southwestern (~330 DU) parts of Northeast China was found. We also found a strong correlation, approaching |r| = 0.8–0.9, between TOC and ozone concentration (positive) and temperature (negative) at the surface. The time series from Longfengshan Station for 2015–2022 closely match the MSR-2 data averaged over Northeast China: the monthly mean difference varies within ±15 DU (±4.2%), validating the reliability of the station data as a representative proxy for regional TOC variability. The role of the Brewer–Dobson circulation, quasi-stationary waves, and the Northeast China cold vortex in the detected patterns and quantitative associations of TOC is discussed. The findings of this work can be applied to analyze the ozone observations, TOC variability, and stratosphere–troposphere coupling in East Asia. Full article

Numerous attempts have been made to detect signs of ozone layer recovery over Antarctica, which has been expected since the beginning of the 21st century as a result of the reduction in concentrations of ozone-depleting substances in the Antarctic stratosphere, in accordance with the provisions of the 1987 Montreal Protocol and subsequent amendments aimed at protecting the ozone layer. Large year-to-year variability in the Antarctic ozone, driven by changes in atmospheric dynamics, has made it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about the rate of Antarctic ozone recovery. In this paper, we present an alternative approach to analyse ozone recovery by examining patterns in blue–red heatmaps of total ozone column (TOC) trends during the winter–spring period from 1980 to 2025. Three annual TOC time series (winter average, 15 September value, and spring minimum) were analysed to monitor the ozone hole development over the Syowa and Amundsen–Scott stations. Various sources of the daily TOC data were examined, including reanalysis data, ground-based measurements, and satellite observations. Regardless of the data source, we found that, for both stations, blue cells (negative trends) dominated in the areas of the heatmap where the TOC trends ended before 2000, while red cells (positive trends) appeared mostly afterwards. These results confirm the hypothesis of a trend reversal, i.e., a recovery beginning in the early 2000s, which was obscured in the original, noisy TOC time series. Full article

The increasing demand for food products and the implementation of sustainable development principles have encouraged the search for technological solutions that can reduce food losses and the environmental burden of food processing. Milk and dairy products are nutrient-rich matrices, but they also provide favourable conditions for microbial growth. Therefore, ensuring microbial safety during cheese production, ripening, and storage is essential. This study aimed to evaluate the potential application of gaseous ozone as a low-residue and potentially more sustainable approach for controlling surface microbial contamination in semi-hard cheese during ripening or storage. Ozone is characterized by low cost, strong oxidative properties, antimicrobial activity, and rapid decomposition into oxygen without leaving persistent chemical residues. Semi-hard cheese samples were treated with gaseous ozone at a concentration of 4.84 ± 0.22 parts per million (ppm) for 10, 30, 60, 90, and 150 min. After treatment, the counts of aerobic microorganisms, yeasts, and moulds were determined, and changes in moisture, fat, and protein content were assessed. After only 10 min of ozonation, aerobic microorganism counts decreased from 2826 ± 1911 × 10⁴ to 275 ± 184 × 10⁴ colony-forming units per gram (CFU/g). In contrast, a reduction in yeast counts was observed only after a longer treatment duration of 60 min. No clear treatment-dependent changes were detected in mould counts or in total fat and protein contents. Cheese moisture content decreased significantly after 10 min of ozonation and continued to decline as the ozonation duration increased. The results suggest that gaseous ozone may be used as an additional microbial control approach for semi-hard cheese during ripening or storage. However, the findings only partially confirmed a significant effect of gaseous ozone on surface microorganisms and its neutrality with respect to product proximate composition. Full article

Many sectors that sustain humanity’s daily life and wellbeing contribute to the occurrence and accumulation of organic micropollutants (OMPs) in the environment, making them a global concern. This manuscript presents an appraisal of existing scientific literature on removal of OMPs from water by non-thermal plasma-ozonation (NTPO) synergy with specific attention on phenolics, pesticides and herbicides and organic dyes. An overview of non-thermal plasma (NTP) degrading agents in gas and aqueous phases has been given, complemented with diagnostic systems and reactive species detection methods. A scrutiny of reactor systems and their influencing operating parameters has also been discussed. For the analysed types of OMPs, the kinetics, reaction mechanisms and the synergistic degradation effects have been explored. Several studies showed NTPO and NTP/other process synergy resulting in higher degradation efficiency than the individual processes. Most removal reactions followed pseudo-first-order and second-order kinetics while the mechanistic breakdown mainly involved the action of the nonselective OH radical. This scientific critique brings to light utilisable data, provides novel insights on NTPO of OMPs, unveils science gaps for further investigation and presents a wide spectrum of points to consider in plasma water research on OMPs. Full article

As a highly oxidizing and toxic gas, ozone (O₃) poses significant hazards to human health and the environment even at low concentrations. Therefore, the development of ozone gas sensors that can operate stably at low temperatures while simultaneously exhibiting high response, fast response characteristics, excellent selectivity, and long-term stability remains a crucial challenge in the field of gas sensing. In this work, Pure In₂O₃ and Yb-doped urchin-like hierarchical In₂O₃ microspheres were successfully synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal method. The crystal structure, morphological features, elemental composition, and band structure of the as-prepared samples were systematically characterized by XRD, FESEM, TEM, HRTEM, XPS, and UV–vis spectroscopy. Gas-sensing tests demonstrated that Yb doping significantly enhanced the ozone-sensing performance of In₂O₃. Among all the samples, the 3%Yb-doped In₂O₃ sensor exhibited the best response toward 1 ppm ozone at 40 °C, reaching approximately 1015, which was about 11 times higher than that of pristine In₂O₃. Meanwhile, the sensor showed a response time of 172 s. In addition, the 3%Yb-doped In₂O₃ sensor exhibited good repeatability, excellent selectivity, and long-term stability. The excellent gas-sensing performance can be attributed to the electronic structure modulation and increased O_V-related oxygen defect component induced by Yb doping, as well as the enhanced gas diffusion and interfacial reaction capability provided by the urchin-like hierarchical structure. Full article

Air pollution is primarily caused by human activities such as industrial emissions, road traffic, waste incineration, and fossil fuel power plants. Pollution refers to the presence of harmful substances in the air, such as nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), ozone (O₃), carbon monoxide (CO), and other environmental pollutants. Some pollutants pose health risks even at low doses. Given the critical importance of air quality, monitoring air pollution has become an urgent and essential subject. Air quality monitoring relies on accurate data, so changeable environments and sensor issues make using interval diagnostic techniques for addressing uncertainty in systems interesting. In this article, we focus on three key aspects to achieve precise and efficient results: (1) the use of an accurate fault detection method that accounts for data uncertainty while maintaining model symmetry, (2) the implementation of a reliable detection index invariant to symmetric sensor behaviors, and (3) the combination of both to improve fault localization accuracy. This paper presented a fault detection and localization framework designed for uncertain and nonlinear monitoring environments. A novel fault-sensitive detection index was developed and integrated into an elimination-based localization strategy within a reduced-rank interval kernel PCA (RR-IKPCA) model. By exploiting information contained in modified residual subspaces and explicitly accounting for measurement uncertainty, the proposed approach enhances fault sensitivity while preserving robust localization capability, as validated on the AIRLOR air quality monitoring network. Full article

Background/Objectives: Regenerative endodontic treatment (RET) depends on the release of dentin-derived bioactive molecules, which is commonly promoted by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-based dentin conditioning. However, whether adjunctive ozone delivery protocols can modify the measurable release of dentin-derived transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) remains unclear. This study evaluated the effects of two adjunctive ozone application protocols used with chelation on dentin-derived TGF-β1 and IGF-1 release, without directly assessing the in situ activation or functional bioactivity of TGF-β1. Methods: Sixty-four freshly extracted human mandibular premolars were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 16). The experimental protocols were as follows: 17% EDTA alone (Group A), 17% EDTA followed by ozonated distilled water and ozone gas (Group B), ozonated 17% EDTA followed by ozone gas (Group C), and a negative control group. Root segments were standardized. In the experimental groups, all external surfaces were coated with nail varnish, leaving only the intracanal dentin surface exposed. In the negative control group, all surfaces were sealed. After ultrasonic activation, the specimens were incubated in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at 37 °C. PBS samples were collected on day 1 to evaluate early measurable growth factor release and on day 7 to assess short-term changes in detectable growth factor levels. TGF-β1 and IGF-1 levels were measured by ELISA and normalized to internal dentin surface area derived from micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) analysis. Results: No detectable growth factor values were observed in the negative control group. For TGF-β1, no significant intergroup difference was observed on day 1, whereas a significant difference was found on day 7 (p = 0.022). On day 7, the ozonated EDTA followed by ozone gas group showed approximately threefold higher surface-area-normalized TGF-β1 values than the EDTA followed by ozonated distilled water and ozone gas group (p = 0.018). TGF-β1 values increased from day 1 to day 7 in Groups A and C, whereas no significant temporal change was observed in Group B. IGF-1 values showed no significant intergroup or intragroup differences. Conclusions: Adjunctive ozone application showed a protocol-dependent effect on dentin-derived growth factor values, mainly for TGF-β1, while IGF-1 remained unaffected. The highest TGF-β1 values were observed when ozonated EDTA was followed by ozone gas. However, these in vitro findings indicate measurable growth factor release and should not be interpreted as direct evidence of TGF-β1 activation or clinical regenerative efficacy. Full article

Taste is a critical yet under-monitored parameter influencing consumer trust in drinking water. Despite its importance, conventional systems rarely quantify taste objectively for operational management. This study introduces a novel sensor-based Taste Index (TI), developed using a potentiometric electronic tongue (E-tongue) with seven ion-selective electrodes, to enable continuous, quantitative evaluation of taste stability across treatment and distribution systems. Multivariate analyses, including principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis, characterized treatment-dependent variations and spatial heterogeneity. The TI was defined as the normalized Euclidean distance from the final treated water reference (TI = 0.00). Results showed raw water at TI = 1.00, while a temporary increase to TI = 0.38 post-ozonation indicated the formation of taste-active byproducts. Notably, distribution samples with TI > 0.4 precisely corresponded to areas with documented aesthetic complaints. This research presents the first application of a sensor-derived TI for proactive taste monitoring. By enabling early anomaly detection and process tracking, the TI supports data-driven, consumer-centered water management. Its scalability and real-time applicability position it as a practical tool for smart water infrastructure and enhanced operational control. Full article

Ensuring the effective removal of airborne particles is essential for maintaining indoor air quality, particularly in environments with limited ventilation. This study examines how ion polarity regime, voltage, and relative humidity influence aerosol particle removal in a controlled, room-sized chamber (35.8 m³) using a custom-built air ionizer. Experiments were conducted under stagnant and ventilated conditions (0.5 h⁻¹) while varying ionizer polarity (positive, negative, bipolar, alternating), voltage (6 kV, 10 kV), humidity (40%, 70%), and aerosol type (incense smoke, nebulized KCl). Positive and negative unipolar ionization achieved over 90% removal within 60 min, with decay rates of 0.04–0.05 min⁻¹, half-lives of 13–17 min, and clean air delivery rates (CADR) of 60–90 m³ h⁻¹. Bipolar ionization was less efficient due to ion-ion recombination, yielding CADR values below 25 m³ h⁻¹, while alternating polarity improved deposition (40–70 m³ h⁻¹) by reducing recombination losses. Relative humidity had a minimal influence on unipolar performance but moderated efficiency in bipolar and alternating modes. Under low ventilation, unipolar negative ionization sustained high removal (96.7%), while ozone remained below the detection limits of the methods used. These findings indicate that ion polarity control and field strength strongly influence particle removal and that unipolar or alternating-polarity operation can provide effective particle removal under controlled chamber conditions, including a low-ventilation case of 0.5 h⁻¹. Full article