Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) nanocomposites modified with even and odd chain length polyhydroxyalkanoates.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) was blended with medium-chain-length PHAs (mcl-PHAs) for improving its flexibility while nanocellulose (NC) was added as a reinforcing agent. Even and odd-chain-length PHAs, having as main component poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate) (PHO) or poly(3-hydroxynonanoate) (PHN) were synthesized and served as PHB modifiers. The effects of PHO and PHN on the morphology, thermal, mechanical and biodegradation behaviors of PHB were different, especially in the presence of NC.

SAW Hydrogen Sensors with Pd/SnO Layers.

Pd/SnO bilayers for surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors were obtained using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Bilayers were made at several deposition pressures in order to observe the influence of the morphology of the sensitive films on the response of the sensors. The morphological properties were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Do Cognitively Impaired Elderly Patients with Cancer Respond Differently on Self-reported Symptom Scores? A 5-Year Retrospective Analysis.

Objectives: An increasing number of elderly subjects with cancer were admitted to the palliative care unit and they have suffered both distressing symptoms and cognitive impairment. We aim to identify the prevalence of cognitive impairment among elderly cancer patients receiving in-patient palliative care and to examine any difference between patients with cognitive impairment on self-reported symptoms.

Materials And Methods: Subjects' age ≥65 admitted to a palliative care unit from 01 September 2015 to 31 August 2020 was included in the study.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) as Biomaterials in Tissue Engineering: Production, Isolation, Characterization.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable and biocompatible biopolymers. These biomaterials have grown in importance in the fields of tissue engineering and tissue reconstruction for structural applications where tissue morphology is critical, such as bone, cartilage, blood vessels, and skin, among others. Furthermore, they can be used to accelerate the regeneration in combination with drugs, as drug delivery systems, thus reducing microbial infections.

Effect of Pd/ZnO Morphology on Surface Acoustic Wave Sensor Response.

Laser deposition was used to obtain Pd/ZnO bilayers, which were used as sensing layers in surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors. The effect of laser deposition parameters such as deposition pressure, laser energy per pulse, laser wavelength or pulse duration on the porosity of the Pd and ZnO films used in the sensors was studied. The effect of the morphology of the Pd and ZnO components on the sensor response to hydrogen was assessed.