Unique effect of aspirin on local 15-oxo-eicosatetraenoic acid synthesis in asthma patients with aspirin hypersensitivity.

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs-exacerbated respiratory disease (NSAIDs-ERD) is characterized by altered arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism. Aspirin hypersensitivity is diagnosed using aspirin challenge, while induced sputum is collected to perform cell counts and to identify local biomarkers in induced sputum supernatant (ISS). This study aimed to assess the levels of a newly identified eicosanoid, 15-oxo-eicosatetraenoic acid (15-oxo-ETE), in ISS at baseline and during aspirin-induced bronchospasm in patients with NSAIDs-ERD.

MXene/Bacterial Cellulose Hybrid Materials for Sustainable Soft Electronics.

This work evaluated bacterial cellulose (BC) as a possible biodegradable soft electronics substrate in comparison to polyethylene terephthalate (PET), while also focusing on evaluating hybrid MXene/BC material as potential flexible electronic sensor. Material characterization studies revealed that the BC material structure consists of nanofibers with diameters ranging from 70 to 140 nm, stacked layer-by-layer. BC samples produced are sensitive to post-treatment with isopropanol resulting in a change of structural and mechanical properties.

Interpretable machine learning for time-to-event prediction in medicine and healthcare.

Time-to-event prediction, e.g. cancer survival analysis or hospital length of stay, is a highly prominent machine learning task in medical and healthcare applications.

Hydrogel Dressing Biomaterial Enriched with Vitamin C: Synthesis and Characterization.

Materials engineering has become an important tool in the field of hydrogel dressings used to treat difficult-to-heal wounds. Hydrogels filled with bioactive substances used as a targeted healing system are worthy of attention. Vitamin C has healing and supporting effects in the treatment of many skin problems.

Aging Process of Biocomposites with the PLA Matrix Modified with Different Types of Cellulose.

In the modern world, many products are disposable or have a very short lifespan, while at the same time, those products are made from materials that will remain in the environment in the form of waste for hundreds or even thousands of years. It is a serious problem; non-biodegradable polymer wastes are part of environmental pollution and generate microplastics, which accumulate in the organisms of living beings. One of the proposed solutions is biodegradable polymers and their composites.

The Potential of Sheep or Camel Milk Constituents to Contribute to Novel Dressings for Diabetic Wounds.

Impaired wound healing is a complication of diabetes, which constitutes a serious problem in clinical practice. Currently, there is a high demand on the market for local treatment options for difficult-to-heal wounds caused by diabetes. The development of dressings that accelerate wound healing has recently been the subject of much research.

Novel Polyurethane-Based Systems Modified with Starch and Phase Change Materials for Bone Tissue Regeneration.

Novel polyurethane-based materials have been synthesized by a two-step process using poly(ε-caprolactone) diol (PCL) and 1,3-propanediol/starch (PDO/ST) systems as chain extenders/cross-linkers and 1,6-hexamethylane diisocyante (HDI) as a potential material for bone tissue replacement or bone cements. A poly(ethylene glycol)/starch (PEG/ST) system has been applied as a form-stable phase change material (PCM) to decrease the maximum setting temperature, while hydroxyapatite (HAp) has been used as a bioactive nanofiller. FTIR and SEM-EDX analyses were performed to investigate the structure, surface morphology, and thermal properties of the obtained polyurethanes.

Edible chitosan-alginate based coatings enriched with turmeric and oregano additives: Formulation, antimicrobial and non-cytotoxic properties.

In our study we developed the edible chitosan and alginate coatings with turmeric or oregano additives. The objective of the research was to evaluate the dose-dependent cytotoxicity of films. In cell line studies on HepG2 and BJ cells, they were shown to be non-cytotoxic materials (IC50% was not reached).

Acute pulmonary embolism with coexisting right heart thrombi in transit-surgical treatment of 20 consecutive patients.

Objectives: The presence of right heart thrombi in transit (RHTiT) in the setting of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is associated with high mortality. The optimal management in such cases is inconclusive. We present the results of surgical treatment of 20 consecutive patients diagnosed with high- or intermediate-high-risk PE with coexisting RHTiT.

Influence of UV Ageing on Properties of Printed PLA Containing Graphene Nanopowder.

The present paper analyses the properties of printed polylactic acid (PLA) samples with admixtures of graphene nanopowder (GNP) at wt. 1%, 2% and 4%. The pure polylactide and admixed polylactide printed samples were examined to determine their chemical-physical properties, stiffness, and strength parameters.

Biocomposites with Epoxy Resin Matrix Modified with Ingredients of Natural Origin.

This study aims to present various forms of cellulose, whose shape depends on the source of origin, and to demonstrate the differences in the influence on the properties of materials produced with its participation. For this purpose, composites with various plant additives have been designed and obtained. Some of them have undergone chemical and pyrolytic modifications.

Newly crosslinked chitosan- and chitosan-pectin-based hydrogels with high antioxidant and potential anticancer activity.

Monoaldehydes, due to natural origin and therapeutic activity, have attracted great attention for their ability to crosslink chitosan hydrogels for biomedical applications. However, most studies have focused on single-component hydrogels. In this work, chitosan-based hydrogels, crosslinked for the first time with 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzaldehyde (THBA), were modified with pectin (PC), bioactive glass (BG), and rosmarinic acid (RA).

Preparation, Characterization, and Bioactivity Evaluation of Polyoxymethylene Copolymer/Nanohydroxyapatite-g-Poly(ε-caprolactone) Composites.

In this work, nanohydroxyapatite (HAp) was functionalized with poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), using 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) as a coupling agent, and then incorporated into the polyoxymethylene copolymer (POM) matrix using the extrusion technique. The obtained POM/HAp-g-PCL composites were investigated using FTIR, DSC, TOPEM DSC, and TG methods. Mechanical properties were studied using destructive and non-destructive ultrasonic methods, wettability, and POM crystallization kinetics in the presence of HAp-g-PCL.

Fly Ash as an Eco-Friendly Filler for Rigid Polyurethane Foams Modification.

There is currently a growing demand for more effective thermal insulation materials with the best performance properties. This research paper presents the investigation results on the influence of two types of filler on the structure and properties of rigid polyurethane foam composites. Fly ash as a product of coal combustion in power plants and microspheres of 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt.

Mechanical Properties of Polylactide Admixed with Carbon Nanotubes or Graphene Nanopowder.

The aim of this work was to verify the material properties of polylactic acid (PLA) with an addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or graphene nanopowder (GNP). The pure polylactide and admixed polylactide samples were subjected to chemical-physical tests to determine their stiffness and strength parameters. The tensile and impact tests were performed on samples without UV (ultraviolet) treatment and after UV treatment, in a physiological saline solution.

Checklist for responsible deep learning modeling of medical images based on COVID-19 detection studies.

The sudden outbreak and uncontrolled spread of COVID-19 disease is one of the most important global problems today. In a short period of time, it has led to the development of many deep neural network models for COVID-19 detection with modules for explainability. In this work, we carry out a systematic analysis of various aspects of proposed models.

Effects of Process Parameters on Structure and Properties of Melt-Blown Poly(Lactic Acid) Nonwovens for Skin Regeneration.

Skin regeneration requires a three-dimensional (3D) scaffold for cell adhesion, growth and proliferation. A type of the scaffold offering a 3D structure is a nonwoven material produced via a melt-blown technique. Process parameters of this technique can be adapted to improve the cellular response.

Nuclear factor-κB - importance, induction of inflammation, and effects of pharmacological modulators in Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that covers the entire digestive tract and occurs with periods of remission and clinical exacerbation. CD is most common in North America and Europe, but its incidence is rising rapidly in Asian countries. The pathogenesis of CD is unclear, while genetic predisposition, immune imbalance, and host-intestinal microbiota interactions are taken into account.

Influence of ZnO, SiO and TiO on the aging process of PLA fibers produced by electrospinning method.

The aim of this work was to study the effect of ceramics particles addition (SiO, ZnO, TiO) on the ultraviolet (UV) aging of poly(lactic acid) nonwovens fabricated using electrospinning method. The resistance to aging is a key factor for outdoor and medical applications (UV light sterilization). Nonwovens were placed in special chamber with UV light.

Fluidized bed combustion fly ash as filler in composite polyurethane materials.

Fly ash (FA) is a waste material having great potential as modifier of mechanical and thermal properties in polyurethane (PUR) technology. There are very few reporting the use of fluidized bed combustion (FBC) FA in the production of PUR foams. In this work, authors have used the as received FBC FA as an additive to PUR rigid foams.

Role of the rs2274907 allelic variant of the ITLN1 gene in patients with diabetic foot.

INTRODUCTION Diabetic foot (DF) is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) that occurs due to neuropathy or atherosclerosis of the lower limbs. Omentin (encoded by the ITLN1 gene) has been implicated as a protective factor in vascular complications of diabetes, likely due to its endothelial vasodilator activity and its anti‑inflammatory actions. However, susceptibility to DF with respect to the allelic variants of the ITLN1 gene has not been studied so far.

Outcome of Medically Versus Surgically Treated Patients With Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is an ominous disease leading to progressive right heart failure. Selected patients can be treated by pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA). We assessed long-term clinical outcome of patients with CTEPH who underwent PEA and patients who remained on medical treatment alone.