Search Results (227)

Introduction: Direct pulp capping (DPC) aims to preserve the vitality of the dental pulp by placing a protective biocompatible material over the exposed pulp tissue to facilitate healing. There are several calcium-silicate materials that have been designed to promote mineralization and the regulation of inflammation. These have strong potential for the repair and regeneration of dental pulp. Among them, Biodentine (BD) and EndoSequence RRM Putty (ES) have been found to promote in vitro and in vivo mineralization while minimizing some of the limitations of the first-generation calcium-silicate-based materials. Theracal-LC (TLC), a light-cured, resin-modified calcium-silicate material, is a newer product with potential to improve the clinical outcomes of DPC, but existing studies have reported conflicting findings regarding its biocompatibility and ability to support pulpal healing in direct contact with the pulp. A comprehensive assessment of the biocompatibility and pulpal protection provided by these three capping materials has not yet been performed. Aim: We aimed to quantify the inflammatory response, dentin bridge formation, and material adaptation following DPC using three calcium-silicate materials: ES, BD, and TLC. Materials and Methods: DPC was performed on the maxillary first molar of C57BL/6 female mice. Maxilla were collected and processed at 1 and 21 days post-DPC. The early inflammatory response was measured 24 h post-procedure using confocal imaging of anti-Lys6G6C, which indicates the extent of neutrophil and monocyte infiltration. Reparative mineralized bridge formation was assessed at 21 days post-procedure using high-resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and histology. Lastly, the homogeneity of the capping materials was evaluated by quantifying voids in calcium-silicate restorations using micro-CT. Results: DPC using TLC induced less infiltration of Lys6G6C⁺ cells at 24 h than BD or ES. BD promoted higher volumes of tertiary dentin than TLC, but TLC and ES showed no significant differences in volume. No differences were observed in material adaptation and void spaces among the three capping materials. Conclusions: All three materials under investigation supported pulp healing and maintained marginal integrity. However, TLC induced a lower inflammatory response on day 1 and induced similar levels of tertiary dentin to ES. These observations challenge the common perception that resin-based capping materials are not suitable for direct pulp capping. Our findings underscore the need to balance biological responses with physical properties when selecting pulp capping materials to improve long-term clinical success. Full article

Chalcone Synthase (CHS) plays a vital role in flavonoid synthesis, influencing plant growth, development, and responses to both biotic and abiotic stress. In this study, 11 CHS genes were identified in Poncirus trifoliata using bioinformatics methods, with their distribution across five chromosomes and unassigned contigs. Each gene contains 2–3 exons and 3–8 conserved motifs. In silico prediction suggested that the PtrCHS proteins are localized in the cytoplasm. PtrCHS9 and PtrCHS11 share identical protein tertiary structures. Phylogenetic analysis classified the CHS family members into four subgroups. Synteny analysis revealed one set of collinear gene pairs within Poncirus trifoliata. Between Poncirus trifoliata and Arabidopsis thaliana, two sets of collinear gene pairs were identified, while one such set was found between Poncirus trifoliata and Oryza sativa. Promoter element analysis showed the presence of various hormone response and stress response elements within PtrCHS promoters. RNA-Seq data demonstrated tissue-specific expression patterns of PtrCHSs. RT-qPCR results indicated that all CHS genes, except PtrCHS11, respond to salt stress with dynamic, member-specific patterns. Additionally, four PtrCHSs (PtrCHS3, PtrCHS5, PtrCHS7, and PtrCHS10) were significantly upregulated in response to cold treatment. Notably, PtrCHS7 and PtrCHS10 maintained high expression levels at both 6 and 12 h, implying they may be key players in cold stress response in Poncirus trifoliata. Clones of PtrCHS7 and PtrCHS10 were obtained, and overexpression vectors were constructed in preparation for gene transformation. Overall, this study provides a solid foundation for future research into the functions of the PtrCHSs. Full article

To express and purify staphylococcal enterotoxin M (SEM) using immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC), a signal peptide-truncated (ΔNsp) wild-type SEM (SEM_WT) was N-terminally fused in pET-28a(+) to a polyhistidine tag (His_6×-) and thrombin cleavage site (TCS; LVPR↓GS), generating His_6×-TCS-ΔNspSEM_WT. Unexpectedly, 4 °C desalting reduced the fusion protein’s molecular weight by ~2.0 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). N-terminal sequencing and mass spectrometry identified cleavage specifically at the arginine (R) and glycine (G) peptide bond (R–G bond) within the TCS motif. AlphaFold 3 revealed an exposed serine protease catalytic triad: histidine 172, serine 178, and aspartic acid 212 (H₁₇₂/S₁₇₈/D₂₁₂) in the β-grasp domain, suggesting intrinsic thrombin-like activity (TLA). Sequential IMAC and size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) purification eliminated contaminant concerns, while chromogenic substrate S-2238 (S-2238) assays demonstrated increasing specific activity and purification fold, supporting intrinsic TLA. Critically, the mutation of serine at position 178 to alanine (His_6×-TCS-ΔNspSEM_S178A) abolished TLA but preserved the secondary/tertiary structure, confirming the activity’s origin within the wild-type construct. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations probed the atomistic mechanism for specific R–G bond cleavage. This work establishes a foundation for understanding ΔNspSEM_WT’s TLA. Full article

Background: Post-procedural infection worsens outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). High-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) reflects myocardial injury, but its utility for infection risk prediction after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is uncertain. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether high-sensitivity troponin (hs-cTn) levels are associated with the risk of infection and systemic inflammation. Methods: We performed an exploratory pilot study of consecutive ACS patients undergoing PCI (n = 181) at a tertiary interventional cardiology unit in Romania. Herein, hs-cTn was measured at 24- and 48-h post-PCI. The primary outcome was in-hospital infection (clinical and/or microbiological documentation), with the acknowledgment that nearly half were clinically diagnosed without microbiological confirmation. We assessed discrimination for hs-cTn48h using ROC analysis and explored associations with systemic markers (CRP, ESR, and leukocytes) and NT-proBNP using Spearman correlations. Results: Infections occurred in 9/181 patients (5.0%; 95% CI, 2.6–9.2). Notably, hs-cTn48h showed AUC = 0.49 (approx. 95% CI, 0.30–0.68) for infection discrimination. Correlations between hs-cTn48h and inflammatory markers were weak and non-significant (CRP ρ = 0.126, p = 0.091; ESR ρ = 0.119, p = 0.111; fibrinogen ρ = 0.134, p = 0.073), whereas hs-cTn48h correlated modestly with NT-proBNP (ρ = 0.232, p = 0.002). Conclusions: In this cohort, hs-cTn48h did not predict in-hospital infection after PCI in ACS. These negative findings highlight that troponin should be interpreted primarily as a marker of myocardial necrosis, not infectious risk. Larger multicenter studies with microbiological adjudication and broader biomarker panels are warranted. Full article

Background/Objectives: Personality traits in patients with cluster headache (CH) remain understudied compared to migraine patients. This could help improve diagnosis, identify comorbidities, and provide more personalized management of CH. This study aimed to characterize the personality profiles of patients with CH and compare them with those of patients with migraine. Methods: This cross-sectional, case–control observational study was conducted at a tertiary hospital’s headache unit (May–August 2024). Patients with CH were compared with migraine patients and healthy controls. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3) was administered. Results: The study included 28 CH patients (17 with episodic and 11 with chronic CH), 55 migraine patients (34 with episodic migraine and 21 with chronic migraine), and 54 healthy controls. Both patient groups reported significantly more somatic and cognitive complaints than controls (p < 0.05). Compared to controls, the migraine group exhibited greater emotional dysfunction, social avoidance, demoralization, introversion, and social anxiety (p < 0.05), while the CH group showed greater impulsivity (p < 0.05). Directly comparing patient groups, migraine patients displayed greater social avoidance, emotional dysfunction, demoralization, and introversion than the CH group (p < 0.05). CH patients also showed a non-significant trend towards behavioral disinhibition, hypomania, a favorable self-image, juvenile conduct problems, substance abuse, and aggressiveness. Patients with CH did not present a higher risk of suicide compared to migraine patients. Conclusions: This study identified distinct personality profiles: Migraine patients exhibited greater emotional and interpersonal dysfunction (internal distress and withdrawal), while CH patients exhibited greater externalizing behavioral dysfunction, predominantly involving impulsivity. Full article

The wastewater treatment (WWT) industry is currently facing challenges imposed by the revised urban WWT directive, particularly in terms of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) removal. This implies the need for mandatory tertiary treatment, for which microalgae cultivation shows great sustainability promise. This study investigated the impact of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on nutrient removal in open-air microalgae cultivation for tertiary WWT under winter conditions. Two pilot-scale semi-continuous raceway systems were operated with indigenous microalgae, natural sunlight, and no pH control. HRT values of 4, 5.5, and 7 days were tested, and N, P, and carbon (C) removal and recovery were measured. All conditions allowed nitrogen removal, complying with the revised urban WWT directive. Regarding P, only the 7-day HRT condition consistently complied with the directive’s lowest limit (<0.5 mg P·L⁻¹) in the treated water, while 5.5 and 4 days left up to 0.7 and 1.0 mg P·L⁻¹, respectively, in up to 25% of the samples. A stable microalgae consortium was established under variable light, pH, and dissolved oxygen conditions, albeit with variable biomass productivity. Elemental mass balances revealed that nutrients were mostly recovered in the produced biomass, particularly at high HRT, including effective CO₂ capture from the atmosphere. Full article

Commercially relevant processing conditions, including protein concentration, pH and shearing and their impact on the solubility, heat stability, and secondary structure of faba bean proteins (FBPIs), were studied. Most of the examined properties, including protein solubility and heat stability, were due to the simultaneous effects of pH and concentration. The shearing rate played a crucial role in determining the heat stability of FBPI during thermal processing through protein molecular activities, such as inter- and/or intramolecular force interactions. Under the heat treatment conditions (temperature of 95 °C and time of 30 min), the shearing rate of 1000 s⁻¹ enhanced the heat stability, compared to 100 s⁻¹. Meanwhile, concentration and pH shift contributed to the conformation of various protein structures of faba bean protein isolates. This study revealed that these structural changes involve the unfolding of the protein’s native tertiary structure, which likely exposes hydrophobic and sulfhydryl (–SH) groups, ultimately leading to protein aggregation. It also provided a comprehensive understanding of faba bean protein functionality by studying various interactions of FBPI proteins under thermal processing systems. Full article

Background/Objectives: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) in children is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, partly due to coexisting blood pressure (BP) disturbances. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is recommended for detecting subtle BP abnormalities, yet the relationship between glycemic control, T1D duration, and specific BP disturbances remains unclear. This study evaluated associations between HbA1c levels, T1D duration, and ABPM-derived BP parameters in a pediatric population with T1D. Methods: We included 357 children and adolescents (aged 7–18.8 years) with T1D treated at a tertiary center. All participants underwent 24 h ABPM. Glycemic control was assessed using HbA1c; values > 6.5% were considered suboptimal. We analyzed associations between HbA1c, T1D duration, and various BP parameters, including daytime and nighttime systolic and diastolic BP, nocturnal dipping, and hypertension defined by ABPM criteria. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of elevated HbA1c. Results: Arterial hypertension was confirmed in 10% of patients, and 41% showed a non-dipping BP profile. There were no significant differences in HbA1c or T1D duration between dippers and non-dippers. However, patients with HbA1c > 6.5% had significantly higher 24 h diastolic BP and were more likely to meet hypertension criteria (p = 0.009). In univariate regression, both longer T1D duration (OR = 1.086; p = 0.033) and higher 24 h diastolic BP (OR = 1.065; p = 0.0068) were associated with elevated HbA1c. Both remained significant in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Impaired glycemic control in children and adolescents with T1D was independently associated with higher 24 h diastolic BP and longer diabetes duration. Full article

Background: Severe scoliosis can lead to chronic low back pain (cLBP) and may progress in adulthood. While day-time bracing is commonly used to alleviate pain and improve function, the role of night-time bracing remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the six-month effectiveness of a custom-made night-time brace in reducing pain in adults with scoliosis, compared to a prefabricated brace worn for 2–4 h during the day. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary outpatient clinic specializing in spinal deformities. Adults with scoliosis (≥30° Cobb) and cLBP were divided into two groups: the study group used a custom-made night-time thoracolumbosacral orthosis (TLSO), while the control group wore a prefabricated brace (Peak) for 2–4 h daily. Pain and functional outcomes were assessed at baseline and after six months. Results: The study group included 25 women (mean age, 62.3 ± 9.5 years; Cobb angle, 60.4 ± 17.7°) who wore the night-time brace for an average of 7.2 ± 2.2 h per night. The control group comprised 20 women (mean age, 67.8 ± 10.5 years; Cobb angle, 61.9 ± 12.6°). At six months, the worst pain significantly improved in the TLSO group compared to the Peak group (F = 6.32, p = 0.0158). However, no statistically significant differences were observed between groups for back pain, leg pain, Core Outcome Measures Index (COMI), or Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Conclusions: Night-time bracing shows interesting results on pain at six months in adults with severe scoliosis and back pain. These preliminary results open a new perspective that needs further verification and will help design more robust studies to verify what we found and identify the population more responsive to this approach. Full article

The results of this study, which involved treating cotton fabrics with three fluorescent hyperbranched polymers modified with 1,8-naphthalamide (P1), acridine (P2), and dansyl (P3) groups, could have applications in the development of antimicrobial textiles with self-disinfecting ability. The polymers, dissolved in DMF/water solution, were deposited on the cotton fabric using the exhaustion method. The fabrics were thoroughly analyzed by reflection spectra, CIEL*a*b* coordinates, and color difference (∆E). The release of the polymers from the cotton surface was studied in a phosphate buffer with pH = 7.4 and an acetate buffer with pH = 4.5 at 37 °C for 10 h. It is shown that at pH = 7.4, the release of the three polymers occurs slowly (about 4–5%). In contrast, in an acidic medium, due to protonation of the tertiary amino group of 1,8-naphthalimide, P1 passes significantly more readily into the aqueous solution (35%). The possibility of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) generation by the polymers and the cotton fabrics treated with them under sunlight irradiation was followed using an iodometric method. The microbiological activity was investigated against Gram-positive Bacillus cereus and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa as model bacterial strains in the dark and after irradiation with sunlight. The antimicrobial activity of the polymers increased after light irradiation, as ¹O₂ attacks and destroys the bacterial cell membrane. Scanning electron microscopy showed that a stable bacterial biofilm had formed on the untreated cotton surface, but treatment with hyperbranched polymers prevented its formation. However, many bacteria were still observed on the fiber surface when the microbial test was performed in the dark, whereas only a few single bacteria were noticed after the illumination. A virucidal effect against respiratory viruses HRSV-2 and AAdV-5 was observed only after irradiation with sunlight. Full article

The covalent interactions of polysaccharides and protein can improve the emulsification and stability of Pickering emulsions, which are promising systems for the delivery of active substances. Okra flowers, which commonly represent agricultural waste, have high-viscosity polysaccharides that can be used for the development of protein–polysaccharide-based emulsifiers. In this study, the Maillard reaction was performed under optimized conditions (70 °C, pH 10, and 12 h) with a 1:1 mass ratio to generate pea protein isolate (PPI)–okra flower polysaccharide (OP) conjugate with the highest grafting degree of 22.80 ± 0.26%. The covalent binding of OP facilitated variations in the secondary and tertiary structures of PPI, decreasing its particle size (from 535.70 to 212.05 nm) and zeta-potential (from −30.37 to −44.39 mV). The emulsifying stability of the emulsion stabilized by OP-PPI conjugates was significantly improved due to the formation of a stable interfacial layer, showing an 80.39% increase compared to that of free PPI. Simultaneously, the emulsions prepared with the conjugates demonstrated excellent stability across diverse environmental conditions by enhancing the interaction between the lipid and protein. Moreover, the conjugate-stabilized emulsion not only exhibited a higher encapsulation efficiency of 91.52 ± 0.75% and superior protective efficacy but also controlled the release of apigenin (API) during gastrointestinal digestion, achieving the highest API bioaccessibility (74.58 ± 1.19%). Furthermore, it also contributed to the absorption and transmembrane transport efficiency of API in Caco-2 cells, improving its bioavailability. These results confirmed that covalent conjugation with OP is a valuable strategy for enhancing the emulsifying features of PPI. The PPI–OP emulsion delivery system holds great potential for nutrient delivery. Full article

The application of circular economy principles to the sustainable management of waste from the pulp industry presents significant environmental challenges. In this context, using biological sludge as a raw material for producing activated biochar (BC) emerges as a promising and sustainable alternative. This study evaluated the valorization of biological sludge through the synthesis of activated BC for the removal of color, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and conductivity from the industry’s effluent. BC was produced using chemical activation with phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) and potassium hydroxide (KOH), followed by pyrolysis at 500 °C and 450 °C, respectively. A central composite rotational design (CCRD) was applied to optimize the process. The optimized BCs were characterized by proximate analysis, FTIR, BET surface area, higher heating value (HHV), and SEM. Adsorption assays showed that H₃PO₄-activated BC achieved removal efficiencies of 52.2% for color, 23.9% for COD, and 46.2% for conductivity at a dosage of 5 g L⁻¹. Conversely, KOH-activated BC did not perform effectively. The results highlight the influence of activation and pyrolysis on BC properties and confirm the potential of this approach for the tertiary treatment of industrial effluents, contributing to waste valorization and environmental sustainability. Full article

Alginate lyase degrades alginate through the β-elimination mechanism to produce alginate oligosaccharides (AOS) with notable biochemical properties and diverse biological activities. However, its poor thermostability limits large-scale industrial production. In this study, we employed a rational computational design strategy combining computer-aided evolutionary coupling analysis and ΔΔG_fold evaluation to enhance both the thermostability and catalytic activity of the alginate lyase VxAly7B-CM. Among ten single-point mutants, the E188N and S204G mutants exhibited increases in T_m from 47.0 °C to 48.9 °C and 50.2 °C, respectively, with specific activities of 3701.02 U/mg and 2812.01 U/mg at 45 °C. Notably, the combinatorial mutant E188N/S204G demonstrated a ΔT_m of 5 °C and an optimal reaction temperature up to 50 °C, where its specific activity reached 3823.80 U/mg—a 31% increase. Moreover, its half-life at 50 °C was 38.4 h, which is 7.0 times that of the wild-type enzyme. Protein structural analysis and molecular dynamics simulations suggested that the enhanced catalytic performance and thermostability of the E188N/S204G mutant may be attributed to optimized surface charge distribution, strengthened hydrophobic interactions, and increased tertiary structure stability. Overall, our findings provided valuable insights into enzyme stabilization strategies and supported the industrial production of functional AOS. Full article

Directionally solidified (DS) superalloys have become a primary material choice for turbine blade applications. Due to the complex shape of the blades, certain regions inevitably experience stress axes oriented orthogonally to the crystal growth direction. Therefore, this study explores the creep characteristics of a DS superalloy in different orientations (transverse (T) versus longitudinal (L) with respect to grain growth direction) under intermediate and high temperatures (980 °C and 1070 °C), while simultaneously analyzing their respective deformation mechanisms and microstructural transformation behaviors. Experimental findings reveal pronounced orientation-dependent variations in creep performance, deformation modes, and microstructural development. Notably, the T specimen exhibits higher creep resistance at 980 °C, which can provide a basis for the design of some components that require high creep resistance and maintain small deformation. At 980 °C, L specimens primarily undergo γ′ phase shearing via antiphase boundaries (APBs) pairs, whereas T specimen exhibits APB pairs and superlattice intrinsic stacking faults (SISFs) shearing mechanisms. At 1070 °C, the L specimen exhibits dislocation shearing of γ′ alongside dislocation bypassing of tertiary γ′, while the T specimen demonstrates dislocation climbing within the γ channels. Additionally, the L specimen exhibits significant N-type rafting, while the T specimen shows significant Ostwald ripening characteristics, with an Ostwald ripening rate constant of 1.04 × 10⁻²⁰ m³/h. Full article

In this study, polymerized silicone surfactants were modified with polyether and tertiary amine groups with the aim of improving the surface performance. Various PSiEO/(PO)-OH(CH₃) surfactants were synthesized and their structures and performance were characterized through ¹H NMR, FTIR spectroscopy, static surface tension, dynamic surface tension, zeta potential, and dynamic light scattering measurements. Subsequently, the modified silicones were incorporated as surfactants in aqueous solutions with different pH values. The surfactants with different hydrophobic/hydrophilic groups and end-capping groups exhibited different surface performances over a wide pH range. Thermodynamic parameters indicated that the micellization and adsorption of these surfactants were endothermic and spontaneous processes driven by entropy. The processes were hindered by increasing the solution pH and modification with hydrophobic groups. The aggregation behavior was significantly different under acidic, neutral, and basic aqueous conditions. Full article