Probing the complexity of wood with computer vision: from pixels to properties.

We use data produced by industrial wood grading machines to train a machine learning model for predicting strength-related properties of wood lamellae from colour images of their surfaces. The focus was on samples of Norway spruce () wood, which display visible fibre pattern formations on their surfaces. We used a pre-trained machine learning model based on the residual network ResNet50 that we trained with over 15 000 high-definition images labelled with the indicating properties measured by the grading machine.

Sustainability in Wood Products: A New Perspective for Handling Natural Diversity.

Wood is a renewable resource with excellent qualities and the potential to become a key element of a future bioeconomy. The increasing environmental awareness and drive to achieve sustainability is leading to a resurgence of research on wood materials. Nevertheless, the global climate changes and associated consequences will soon challenge the wood-value chains in several regions (e.

Reconstructing radial stem size changes of trees with machine learning.

Like many scientists, ecologists depend heavily on continuous uninterrupted data in order to understand better the object of their study. Although this might be straightforward to achieve under controlled laboratory conditions, the situation is easily complicated under field conditions where sensors and data transmission are affected by harsh weather, living organisms, changes in atmospheric conditions etc. This often results in parts of the data being corrupted or missing altogether.

3D printing of shape-morphing and antibacterial anisotropic nanocellulose hydrogels.

We report on a procedure for the preparation, printing and curing of antibacterial poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) nanocellulose-reinforced hydrogels. These composites present a highly anisotropic microstructure which allows to control and modulate the resulting mechanical properties. The incorporation of such nanoparticles enables us to modify both the strength and the humidity-dependent swelling direction of printed parts, offering a fourth-dimensional property to the resulting composite.

Association of Osteonecrosis of the Jaw With Zoledronic Acid Treatment for Bone Metastases in Patients With Cancer.

Importance: Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) affects patients with cancer and metastatic bone disease (MBD) treated with bone-modifying agents (BMAs), yet the true incidence is unknown.

Objective: To define the cumulative incidence of ONJ at 3 years in patients receiving zoledronic acid for MBD from any malignant neoplasm.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This multicenter, prospective observational cohort study (SWOG Cancer Research Network S0702) included patients with MBD with either limited or no prior exposure to BMAs and a clinical care plan that included use of zoledronic acid within 30 days of registration.

Risk factors for bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaw in the prospective randomized trial of adjuvant bisphosphonates for early-stage breast cancer (SWOG 0307).

Purpose: Bisphosphonates reduce bone metastases in postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer but carry the risk of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ). We describe risk factors for BRONJ and compare BRONJ provoked by infection or trauma with spontaneous lesions, which carry a better prognosis.

Methods: SWOG 0307 randomized women with stage I-III breast cancer to receive zoledronic acid (ZA), clodronate (CL), or ibandronate (IB) for 3 years, implemented BRONJ prevention guidelines, and collected information about dental health and development of BRONJ.

Enzyme immobilization inside the porous wood structure: a natural scaffold for continuous-flow biocatalysis.

Enzymes are often immobilized on solid supports to enable their recovery from reaction solutions, facilitate their reuse and hence increase cost-effectiveness in their application. Immobilized enzymes may even be used for flow-through applications in continuous processes. However, the synthesis of traditional immobilization scaffolds and immobilization techniques lack sustainability as they are often based on fuel-based materials and tedious synthesis- and immobilization approaches.

Phase III Randomized Trial of Bisphosphonates as Adjuvant Therapy in Breast Cancer: S0307.

Background: Adjuvant bisphosphonates, when given in a low-estrogen environment, can decrease breast cancer recurrence and death. Treatment guidelines include recommendations for adjuvant bisphosphonates in postmenopausal patients. SWOG/Alliance/Canadian Cancer Trials Group/ECOG-ACRIN/NRG Oncology study S0307 compared the efficacy of three bisphosphonates in early-stage breast cancer.

Oral Complications of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

The increasing clinical indications for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and improved clinical care throughout and following HSCT have led to not only long-term survival but also to an increasing incidence and prevalence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Chronic GVHD (cGVHD) affects almost 50% of adult patients post-HSCT, with increasing incidence in pediatric patients as well. Oral cGVHD specifically has a reported prevalence ranging from 45% to 83% in patients who develop cGVHD and is more extensive in adult patients than in children.

Chemosensory changes and quality of life in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Purpose: To assess magnitude and characteristics of changes in chemosensory function and quality of life (QOL) for patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Methods: Patients (aged 18 years and above) scheduled to undergo HSCT at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance were tested for chemosensory function at three time points: pre-transplant (baseline), 30 ± 5 days (day 30), and 80 ± 5 days (day 80) post-HSCT. Gustatory function was assessed following procedures developed at the Monell-Jefferson Taste and Smell Clinic.

Enzymatic Synthesis of Lignin-Based Concrete Dispersing Agents.

Lignin is the most abundant aromatic biopolymer, functioning as an integral component of woody materials. In its unmodified form it shows limited water solubility and is relatively unreactive, so biotechnological lignin valorisation for high-performance applications is greatly underexploited. Lignin can be obtained from the pulp and paper industry as a by-product.

Application of response surface methodology to tailor the surface chemistry of electrospun chitosan-poly(ethylene oxide) fibers.

Chitosan is a promising biocompatible polymer for regenerative engineering applications, but its processing remains challenging due to limited solubility and rigid crystalline structure. This work represents the development of electrospun chitosan/poly(ethylene oxide) blend nanofibrous membranes by means of a numerical analysis in order to identify and tailor the main influencing parameters with respect to accessible surface nitrogen functionalities which are of importance for the biological activity as well as for further functionalization. Depending on the solution composition, both gradient fibers and homogenous blended fiber structures could be obtained with surface nitrogen concentrations varying between 0 and 6.

Softwood Lignin Self-Assembly for Nanomaterial Design.

Lignin is a natural, renewable biopolymer synthesized by plants. It is a macromolecule consisting of aromatic structures with high density of functional groups making it an ideal precursor for the design of sustainable biomaterials for applications such as drug delivery. The rational design of these materials requires an in-depth understanding of the underlying lignin self-assembly in solution.

Engineered Bacillus pumilus laccase-like multi-copper oxidase for enhanced oxidation of the lignin model compound guaiacol.

Laccases and laccase-like multi-copper oxidases (LMCOs) are versatile and robust biocatalysts applied in a variety of oxidative processes, and various studies have attempted to improve their catalytic activity. Here we report the engineering of a bacterial LMCO for enhanced oxidation of the lignin-related compound guaiacol by a combination of structure-guided mutagenesis and DNA shuffling. Mutant L9 showed a 1.

Dental health status and patient-reported outcomes at baseline in patients participating in the osteonecrosis of the jaw registry study, SWOG S0702.

Purpose: SWOG S0702 was a cohort study of patients with cancer with bone metastases due to any cancer. Using baseline data from S0702, this report characterizes the oral health and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: S0702 case report forms captured dental assessment and patient-reported outcome (PRO) data.

Penetration and Effectiveness of Micronized Copper in Refractory Wood Species.

The North American wood decking market mostly relies on easily treatable Southern yellow pine (SYP), which is being impregnated with micronized copper (MC) wood preservatives since 2006. These formulations are composed of copper (Cu) carbonate particles (CuCO3·Cu(OH)2), with sizes ranging from 1 nm to 250 μm, according to manufacturers. MC-treated SYP wood is protected against decay by solubilized Cu2+ ions and unreacted CuCO3·Cu(OH)2 particles that successively release Cu2+ ions (reservoir effect).

Oral mucosal injury caused by mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors: emerging perspectives on pathobiology and impact on clinical practice.

In recent years oral mucosal injury has been increasingly recognized as an important toxicity associated with mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, including in patients with breast cancer who are receiving everolimus. This review addresses the state-of-the-science regarding mTOR inhibitor-associated stomatitis (mIAS), and delineates its clinical characteristics and management. Given the clinically impactful pain associated with mIAS, this review also specifically highlights new research focusing on the study of the molecular basis of pain.

Low-level laser therapy/photobiomodulation in the management of side effects of chemoradiation therapy in head and neck cancer: part 2: proposed applications and treatment protocols.

Purpose: There is a large body of evidence supporting the efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT), more recently termed photobiomodulation (PBM) for the management of oral mucositis (OM) in patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC). Recent advances in PBM technology, together with a better understanding of mechanisms involved and dosimetric parameters may lead to the management of a broader range of complications associated with HNC treatment. This could enhance patient adherence to cancer therapy, and improve quality of life and treatment outcomes.

Low level laser therapy/photobiomodulation in the management of side effects of chemoradiation therapy in head and neck cancer: part 1: mechanisms of action, dosimetric, and safety considerations.

Purpose: There is a large body of evidence supporting the efficacy of low level laser therapy (LLLT), more recently termed photobiomodulation (PBM), for the management of oral mucositis (OM) in patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC). Recent advances in PBM technology, together with a better understanding of mechanisms involved, may expand the applications for PBM in the management of other complications associated with HNC treatment. This article (part 1) describes PBM mechanisms of action, dosimetry, and safety aspects and, in doing so, provides a basis for a companion paper (part 2) which describes the potential breadth of potential applications of PBM in the management of side-effects of (chemo)radiation therapy in patients being treated for HNC and proposes PBM parameters.

Micronized Copper Wood Preservatives: Efficacy of Ion, Nano, and Bulk Copper against the Brown Rot Fungus Rhodonia placenta.

Recently introduced micronized copper (MC) formulations, consisting of a nanosized fraction of basic copper (Cu) carbonate (CuCO3·Cu(OH)2) nanoparticles (NPs), were introduced to the market for wood protection. Cu NPs may presumably be more effective against wood-destroying fungi than bulk or ionic Cu compounds. In particular, Cu- tolerant wood-destroying fungi may not recognize NPs, which may penetrate into fungal cell walls and membranes and exert their impact.

TEMPO-Oxidized Nanofibrillated Cellulose as a High Density Carrier for Bioactive Molecules.

Controlled and efficient immobilization of specific biomolecules is a key technology to introduce new, favorable functions to materials suitable for biomedical applications. Here, we describe an innovative and efficient, two-step methodology for the stable immobilization of various biomolecules, including small peptides and enzymes onto TEMPO oxidized nanofibrillated cellulose (TO-NFC). The introduction of carboxylate groups to NFC by TEMPO oxidation provided a high surface density of negative charges able to drive the adsorption of biomolecules and take part in covalent cross-linking reactions with 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide (EDAC) and glutaraldehyde (Ga) chemistry.

Laccase-Catalyzed Surface Modification of Thermo-Mechanical Pulp (TMP) for the Production of Wood Fiber Insulation Boards Using Industrial Process Water.

Low-density wood fiber insulation boards are traditionally manufactured in a wet process using a closed water circuit (process water). The water of these industrial processes contains natural phenolic extractives, aside from small amounts of admixtures (e.g.

Mandibular inferior cortical bone thickness on panoramic radiographs in patients using bisphosphonates.

Objective: The goal of this study was to detect dimensional changes in the mandibular cortical bone associated with bisphosphonate (BP) use and to correlate measurements of the cortical bone with the cumulative dose of BPs.

Study Design: Mandibular inferior cortical bone thickness (MICBT) was measured under the mental foramen on panoramic radiographs of patients with and without bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (BRONJ) taking BPs and controls.

Results: Patients with BRONJ had the highest mean MICBT (6.