Polymeric Anti-Antibiotic Microparticles to Prevent Antibiotic Resistance Evolution.

Vancomycin (VAN) and daptomycin (DAP) are among the last-resort antibiotics for treating multidrug-resistant Gram-positive bacterial infections. They are administered intravenously (IV); however, ≈5 - 10% of the total IV dose is released in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract via biliary excretion, driving resistance emergence in commensal Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) populations.

Plant Cell Wall-Like Soft Materials: Micro- and Nanoengineering, Properties, and Applications.

Plant cell wall (CW)-like soft materials, referred to as artificial CWs, are composites of assembled polymers containing micro-/nanoparticles or fibers/fibrils that are designed to mimic the composition, structure, and mechanics of plant CWs. CW-like materials have recently emerged to test hypotheses pertaining to the intricate structure-property relationships of native plant CWs or to fabricate functional materials. Here, research on plant CWs and CW-like materials is reviewed by distilling key studies on biomimetic composites primarily composed of plant polysaccharides, including cellulose, pectin, and hemicellulose, as well as organic polymers like lignin.

Resonance frequency prediction of dielectric antennas for liquid sensing via support vector regression.

This paper presents a slot antenna integrated with a split ring resonator (SRR) and feed line, designed to achieve a high Q-factor while maximizing channel capacity utilization. By incorporating a lens into the dielectric resonator antenna (DRA), we enhance both bandwidth and directivity, with the dielectric material's permittivity serving as a key control parameter for radiation characteristics. We explore water and ethanol as controllable dielectrics within the terahertz (THz) frequency range (0.

Nano-enabled dynamically responsive living acellular hydrogels.

As a key building block of mammalian tissues, extracellular matrices (ECMs) stiffen under shear deformation and undergo cell-imparted healing after damage, features that regulate cell fate, communication, and survival. The shear-stiffening behavior is attributed to semi-flexible biopolymeric ECM networks. Inspired by the mechanical behavior of ECMs, we develop acellular nanocomposite living hydrogels (LivGels), comprising network-forming biopolymers and anisotropic hairy nanoparticle linkers that mimic the dynamic mechanical properties of living counterparts.

Evaluation of Oncogene Expression in Human Breast Cancer and Its Relationship with ACSL4 and Lipin-1 Expression.

Background: Disturbances in lipid metabolism are one of the hallmarks of cancer cells. Fatty acid synthesis and oxidation play a crucial role in the proliferation, growth, and survival of cancer cells. Several enzymes are involved in lipid metabolism.

A microstrip bandpass filter using coupled lines loaded by open stubs.

A compact simple structure bandpass filter based on terminated three coupled line structures with high selectivity is introduced through odd and even-mode analysis. The proposed filter consists of three coupled lines loaded by open and short circuit stubs. The parallel-coupled lines structure is used to obtain high selectivity with transmission zeros near the passband.

Anti-PD-L1 chimeric antigen receptor natural killer cell: Characterization and functional analysis.

Like their natural counterparts, chimeric antigen receptor-engineered cells are prone to suppression by inhibitory signals, such as PD-L1, expressed by tumors or suppressor cells in the tumor microenvironment. Consequently, they become impaired, resulting in immune cell exhaustion, tumor progression, and resistance to other therapies. In this study, we developed an anti-PD-L1-CAR NK cell with efficient activity and a notable PD-L1-specific response toward tumor cell lines.

Engineering Microgel Packing to Tailor the Physical and Biological Properties of Gelatin Methacryloyl Granular Hydrogel Scaffolds.

Granular hydrogel scaffolds (GHS) are fabricated via placing hydrogel microparticles (HMP) in close contact (packing), followed by physical and/or chemical interparticle bond formation. Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) GHS have recently emerged as a promising platform for biomedical applications; however, little is known about how the packing of building blocks, physically crosslinked soft GelMA HMP, affects the physical (pore microarchitecture and mechanical/rheological properties) and biological (in vitro and in vivo) attributes of GHS. Here, the GHS pore microarchitecture is engineered via the external (centrifugal) force-induced packing and deformation of GelMA HMP to regulate GHS mechanical and rheological properties, as well as biological responses in vitro and in vivo.

Antiscaling Pickering Emulsions Enabled by Amphiphilic Hairy Cellulose Nanocrystals.

Nucleation and growth of sparingly soluble salts, referred to as scaling, has posed substantial challenges in industrial processes that deal with multiphase flows, including enhanced oil recovery (EOR). During crude oil extraction/recovery, seawater is injected into oil reservoirs and yields water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions that may undergo calcium carbonate (CaCO) scaling. Common antiscaling macromolecules and nanoparticles have adverse environmental impacts and/or are limited to functioning only in single-phase aqueous media.

Move for Life an intervention for inactive adults aged 50 years and older: a cluster randomised feasibility trial.

Background: Move for Life (MFL) is a theory-informed intervention that was developed to augment established physical activity (PA) programmes and enable inactive adults aged 50 years and older to be more active. This study examined the feasibility of MFL and sought to provide evidence of its potential for improving PA and associated health outcomes.

Methods: A 3-arm cluster randomised feasibility trial compared MFL intervention, usual provision (UP) and control (CON) groups at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, at 8, 10 or 12- weeks) and 6-month follow up (T2).

The Road Less Traveled: The Marham National Health Institute's Journey on Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery Missions.

Congenital cleft lip and palate represent the prevailing craniofacial birth anomalies on a global scale. Notably, a substantial proportion of patients within remote regions of Iran defer corrective surgery until later stages of life, often in childhood or adulthood, primarily due to intricate financial and cultural constraints. In response to this pressing healthcare challenge, a dedicated collective of volunteer plastic surgeons was established in 2009 with the explicit aim of providing medical care to these underserved patients.

The relationship between the World Index for Sustainability and Health (WISH) score and mental health in women: a cross-sectional study.

Diet quality has been associated with mental health, and recently, there has been growing interest in the association between the sustainability of diets and human health. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship between a newly developed dietary index for health and sustainability and psychological disorders among Iranian women. Participants in this cross-sectional study included 479 women living in Tehran with no history of chronic disease.

Assessment of peri-implant bone stress distribution with the effect of attachment type and implant location using finite element analysis.

Background: The objective of the current research was to evaluate how stress is distributed in the peri-implant bone of a mandibular overdenture with implants placed asymmetrically to the midline.

Methods: A 26-year-old male's mandible, with missing teeth, was examined using computed tomography (CT) scanning. Two implants were inserted at right angles to the occlusal plane, in the positions of the right canine and left lateral incisor of the mandible, with an internal connection.

Investigation of class-F power amplifier in the presence of the second and fourth harmonics of input voltage.

In this paper, a thorough theoretical investigation of high-efficiency class-F power amplifier (PA) is undertaken to drive, considering the second and fourth harmonics of input voltage. The precise analytical expressions of the gate-source voltage, drain current, output power, and efficiency are extracted. Maximum normalized output power and maximum drain efficiency from the initial phase and amplitude of the second and fourth harmonics of input gate-voltage can be achieved.

Upcycling plastic waste into fully recyclable composites through cold sintering.

Plastics have substantial societal benefits, but their widespread use has led to a critical waste management challenge. While mechanical recycling dominates the reuse of post-consumer plastics, it is limited in efficacy, especially for composites. To address this, we propose a direct reprocessing approach that enables the creation of hybrid, long-lasting, and durable composites from difficult-to-recycle plastics.

Findings from a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled feasibility trial of a music and dance programme for community dwelling older adults.

Introduction: Functional decline, chronic illness, reduced quality of life and increased healthcare utilisation are common in older adults. Evidence suggests music and dance can support healthy ageing in older adults. This study explored the feasibility, potential for effect and cost effectiveness of the Music and Movement for Health (MMH) programme among community-dwelling older adults using a pragmatic cluster-randomised, controlled feasibility trial design.

Local Flap Reconstruction of Burn Contractures in Extremities and Neck: A Nine-Year Experience with Long-Term Outcome Evaluation in Southwestern Iran.

Background: Treating burn scar contractures remains challenging for reconstructive surgeons; no clear guidelines declare the optimal and most effective technique. We evaluated the efficacy of local flaps in treating patients with post-burn contractures.

Methods: This retrospective study included 243 patients with post-burn contractures referred to Taleghani Hospital (Khuzestan, southwest Iran) for local flap reconstruction from 2011 to 2020.

Addressing food insecurity: An exploration of wheat production expansion.

Wheat plays a crucial role in global food security, serving as a vital food crop that feeds billions of people worldwide. Currently, Russia and Ukraine are responsible for exporting approximately 25% of the world's wheat, making any issues in these regions a cause for concern regarding global wheat supply. The problems faced in these areas have led to a surge in wheat prices worldwide.

Iron inhibits glioblastoma cell migration and polarization.

Glioblastoma is one of the deadliest malignancies facing modern oncology today. The ability of glioblastoma cells to diffusely spread into neighboring healthy brain makes complete surgical resection nearly impossible and contributes to the recurrent disease faced by most patients. Although research into the impact of iron on glioblastoma has addressed proliferation, there has been little investigation into how cellular iron impacts the ability of glioblastoma cells to migrate-a key question, especially in the context of the diffuse spread observed in these tumors.

Differential roles of regulatory T cells in Alzheimer's disease.

Regulatory T (Treg) cells interact with a variety of resident cells and infiltrated immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS) to modulate neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide deposition and secondary persistent inflammation due to activation of microglia, astrocytes, and infiltrated immune cells contribute to Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related neurodegeneration. The majority of evidence supports the neuroprotective effects of Treg cells in AD.

Contemporaneous SARS-CoV-2-Neutralizing Antibodies Mediated by N-glycan Shields.

Mutations and the glycosylation of epitopes can convert immunogenic epitopes into non-immunogenic ones via natural selection or evolutionary pressure, thereby decreasing their sensitivity to neutralizing antibodies. Based on Thomas Francis's theory, memory B and T cells induced during primary infections or vaccination will freeze the new mutated epitopes specific to naïve B and T cells from the repertoire. On this basis, some researchers argue that the current vaccines derived from the previous strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus do not increase immunity and may also prevent the immune response against new epitopes.

Accelerating Patterned Vascularization Using Granular Hydrogel Scaffolds and Surgical Micropuncture.

Bulk hydrogel scaffolds are common in reconstructive surgery. They allow for the staged repair of soft tissue loss by providing a base for revascularization. Unfortunately, they are limited by both slow and random vascularization, which may manifest as treatment failure or suboptimal repair.

Dynein-Powered Cell Locomotion Guides Metastasis of Breast Cancer.

The principal cause of death in cancer patients is metastasis, which remains an unresolved problem. Conventionally, metastatic dissemination is linked to actomyosin-driven cell locomotion. However, the locomotion of cancer cells often does not strictly line up with the measured actomyosin forces.

Factors responsible for mortality among burns patients in Islamic Republic of Iran.

Background: Burns is one of the most important causes of death, and the best way to reduce mortality due to burns is prevention.

Aims: To investigate the factors responsible for mortality due to burns in south-western Islamic Republic of Iran.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 400 burns patients admitted to different wards of Ayatollah Taleghani Trauma and Burns Hospital, Ahvaz, Islamic Republic of Iran, from October 2020 to September 2021.