The Role of Bitter-Tasting Substances in Salivation and Swallowing: Results of the Pilot Study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of caffeine, vanillin, and epigallocatechin gallate on salivation and swallowing and to find ways to correct their negative effects. Solutions of these substances with an equivalent intensity of bitter taste were compared for this purpose. To compensate for their effect, solutions of adenosine monophosphate, saliva substitute, and their combination were used.

Structure and properties of polysaccharides from tetrasporophytes of Mazzaella parksii.

The structure and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of sulfated polysaccharides (Mzpt) obtained in high yield (60 %) from tetrasporophytes of Mazzaella parksii were studied. Stepwise fractionation with KCl showed that Mzpt consisted of eight (MzptF1-MzptF8) carrageenans fractions, differing in structure and molecular weight. The yield of non-gelling MzptF8 was 58.

Global, regional, and national burden of primary liver cancer attributable to metabolic risks: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2021.

Background: The global burden of metabolic diseases is increasing, but estimates of their impact on primary liver cancer are uncertain. We aimed to assess the global burden of primary liver cancer attributable to metabolic risk factors, including high body mass index (BMI) and high fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels, between 1990 and 2021.

Methods: The total number and age-standardized rates of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from primary liver cancer attributable to each metabolic risk factor were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2021.

TracMyAir smartphone application for modeling exposures to PM and ozone - Integration with air quality networks and location-activity sensors.

Epidemiologic studies of ambient fine particulate matter (PM) and ozone (O) often use outdoor concentrations from central-site monitors or air quality model estimates as exposure surrogates, which can result in exposure errors. We previously developed an exposure model called TracMyAir, which is an iPhone application that determines seven tiers of individual-level exposure metrics for ambient PM and O using outdoor concentrations, home building characteristics, weather, time-activities. The exposure metrics with increasing information needs and complexity include: outdoor concentration (C, Tier 1), building infiltration factor (F, Tier 2), indoor concentration (C, Tier 3), time spent in microenvironments (ME) (T, Tier 4), personal exposure factor (F, Tier 5), exposure (E, Tier 6), and inhaled dose (D, Tier 7).

Effects of Particle Shape and Surface Structure on the Adsorption Properties of Polystyrene Microplastics.

Model spherical polystyrene particles are studied to understand the interactions of microplastics with organic pollutants. Analysis of the experimental results presented in the literature is complicated since researchers use different types and concentrations of particles, durations of tests, etc. In addition, there is little information on the effect of the structure of the surface layer of polystyrene particles on the processes under study, and the question of the effect of the shape of polystyrene particles remains open.