Enhancing compatibility of polylactic acid and lignin through acetylation for improving controlled release of pesticide.

Background: Improving the compatibility between polylactic acid (PLA) and lignin is crucial for developing innovative PLA-based controlled release systems for pesticides. This study addresses the challenge of enhancing the compatibility of alkali lignin (AL) with PLA by acetylated lignin (ACL). The main aim is to synthesize and evaluate pesticide-loaded microspheres for controlled release performance using fluazinam (FZ) as the model pesticide.

Primary Dentin Conditioning with Methylene Blue Activated Photodynamic Therapy, Phytic Acid, and Er,Cr:YSGG to Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer Cement in Comparison to Conventional Polyacrylic Acid.

Impact of surface conditioner phytic acid (IP6) Er,Cr:YSGG laser (ECYL) methylene blue photodynamic therapy (MB-PDT) on the microleakage and shear bond strength (SBS) of resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) to primary sound dentin. Overall, 80 extracted sound primary molars were collected followed by their submergence in self-cure acrylic resin. The dentin surface was exposed and made flat and was assigned into four groups based on the surface conditioning.

The Perceived Handism Discrimination Scale (PHDS): Development and factor analysis.

While discrimination based on race, gender, and other factors is well-documented, the discrimination faced by left-handed individuals is often overlooked. To address this gap, a study developed the Perceived Handism Discrimination Scale (PHDS) to assess how left-handed people perceive discrimination related to their hand preference. The original questionnaire consisted of 20 items using a 7-point Likert scale and was evaluated by experts using Lawshe's methodology.

Examining Baseline Relations Between Parent-Child Interactions and STEM Engagement and Learning.

Several studies suggest that children's learning and engagement with the content of play activities is affected by the ways parents and children interact. In particular, when parents are overly directive and set more goals during play with their children, their children tend to play less or are less engaged by subsequent challenges with the activity on their own. A concern, however, is that this directed interaction style is only compared with other styles of parent-child interaction, not with a baseline measure of engagement or learning.

Exploring a Novel Adsorbent for CO Capture and Gas Separation.

The urgent need to mitigate carbon emissions has spurred research into small-pore zeolites as cost-effective options for CO capture by solid adsorbents, particularly in postcombustion and biogas separation applications. In this study we investigate levyne (LEV-type) zeolite, a largely unexplored material for CO adsorption, as a novel adsorbent for CO capture and gas separation. Using seed-assisted synthesis approaches and different synthesis conditions, nanosized and micron-sized LEV zeolites were synthesized and characterized in terms of synthesis pathways, morphology, crystal size, and chemical composition.

Midterm Outcomes of Endovascular Pulmonary Artery Debanding in Children.

Background: Pulmonary artery banding (PAB) palliates pulmonary over-circulation, while endovascular debanding (ED) offers a less invasive alternative to repeat surgery.

Objectives: To evaluate our experience with ED.

Aims: Retrospective review of single-center data (2015-2023) on children with single, multiple, or "Swiss-cheese" muscular ventricular septal defects (MVSDs) undergoing ED.

Enhancing Tolerance to Combined Heat and Drought Stress in Cool-Season Grain Legumes: Mechanisms, Genetic Insights, and Future Directions.

The increasing frequency of concurrent heat and drought stress poses a significant challenge to agricultural productivity, particularly for cool-season grain legumes, including broad bean (Vicia Faba L.), lupin (Lupinus spp.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.

Auricular Mucormycosis: Comprehensive Literature Review.

Auricular mucormycosis is an exceptionally rare and aggressive fungal infection primarily affecting immunocompromised individuals, particularly those with poorly controlled diabetes. This report presents the case of a 54-year-old diabetic woman with isolated auricular mucormycosis and facial nerve palsy. The patient developed right auricular edema, necrosis, and severe pain, progressing over 10 days, with no history of trauma.

Post hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) outcomes in pediatric intensive care unit, experience from a referral center for cellular therapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Patients who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are considered at high risk for pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission. Therefore, this study aimed to assess outcomes and mortality-related risk factors among pediatric HSCT recipients admitted to the PICU.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a Saudi Arabian tertiary care center and involved pediatric patients (aged 4 weeks to 14 years) who underwent HSCTs between January 2015 and December 2019 and were admitted to the PICU.

A Boosting Strategy of Photovoltaics by Stacking Monolayer InSe and β-Sb into Heterostructure.

Identifying two-dimensional (2D) high-efficiency solar photovoltaic devices remains an urgent challenge in addressing current energy demands. Considering the limits of isolated 2D systems in photovoltaics, one most effective solution is stacking them into van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs). However, the favorable factors for photovoltaics in vdWHs is still uncertain, nor the intrinsic principles is clear.

Mental Health Vulnerabilities and Environmental Justice: A Collaborative Online International Learning Experience.

Collaboration and intercultural interaction and engagement are relevant to all aspects of higher education including distance/remote/virtual courses. Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) experiences connect students in different countries and provide them with meaningful and significant opportunities for global and intercultural exposure. Such an educational environment enhances students' cultural awareness and knowledge, and guides their personal, relational, and professional actions.

Reinforced High-Entropy Fluorite Oxide Ceramic Composites for Thermal Barrier Coating Application.

High-entropy ceramics hold promise for application as thermal barrier coating materials. However, a key challenge in practical applications lies in the low fracture toughness compared to that of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ). Herein, we designed (Hf,Zr,Ce,)O-AlO (M = Y, Ca, and Gd) ceramic composites by following a set of fundamental guidelines.

Exploring the Resilience, Strengths, Coping Strategies, and Cultural Influences in African Families Impacted by Intimate Partner Violence: A Scoping Review.

Efforts to ascertain the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Africa have been ongoing, but comparatively, scant attention has been directed toward investigating the coping strategies utilized by families affected by IPV as well as the cultural dynamics that influence their actions. This scoping review examines the literature on the coping strategies and cultural influences that affect families experiencing IPV in Africa. Using the methodology outlined by Arksey and O'Malley, we conducted a comprehensive search across multiple databases, identifying 35 articles conducted across 10 African countries that met our inclusion criteria.

Hyperelastic constitutive modeling of healthy and enzymatically mediated degraded articular cartilage.

This research demonstrates a systematic curve fitting approach for acquiring parametric values of hyperelastic constitutive models for both healthy and enzymatically mediated degenerated cartilage to facilitate finite element modeling of cartilage. Several widely used phenomenological hyperelastic constitutive models were tested to adequately capture the changes in cartilage mechanics that vary with the differential/unequal abundance of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Trauma and physiological conditions result in an increased production of collagenases (MMP-1) and gelatinases (MMP-9), which impacts the load-bearing ability of cartilage by significantly deteriorating its extracellular matrix (ECM).

Trajectory of Cardiogenic Dementia: A New Perspective.

The functions of the heart and brain are closely linked and essential to support human life by the heart-brain axis, which is a complex interconnection between the heart and brain. Also, cardiac function and cerebral blood flow regulate the brain's metabolism and function. Therefore, deterioration of cardiac function may affect cognitive function and may increase the risk of dementia.

Efficient Photocatalytic Propane Direct Dehydrogenation to Propylene Over PtO Clusters.

The direct dehydrogenation of alkanes to olefins under mild conditions is challenging due to the inert nature of alkyl C─H bonds. Herein, an efficient photocatalytic system is developed for propane direct dehydrogenation (PDH) to propylene, consisting of ≈1.30 nm sized PtO clusters immobilized on a layered double hydroxide -derived ZnO/AlO support (LD-Pt).

Combined Short-Long Axis Versus Medial Oblique Axis for Internal Jugular Vein Cannulation: A Prospective Single-Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective(s): Previous literature suggested the advantage of combined short-long axis (CSLA) technique to avoid posterior wall puncture during internal jugular vein (IJV) cannulation. The purpose of this study is to define the best ultrasound-guided IJV cannulation technique regarding the success rate in the first trial of insertion, time to successful central line placement, number of attempts, procedural complications, and operator satisfaction.

Design: Single-blinded, prospective randomized clinical trial.

The person-centered medical care in pediatrics: A scoping review.

Introduction And Objectives: The medicine development demonstrates that the traditional bioethical medical care model is not the most adequate. On the other hand, the person-centered clinical method has been winning more space in the medical practice, since it is a humanized method of care that allows best results. In pediatrics, the patient-centered care works a little bit different, since it requires not only the physician-patient relation, but also the integration of the physician-family-patient relation.

Fiber and polyphenol enriched biscuits using date palm byproduct: Physiochemical characteristics, sensory properties, in vitro digestion, and storage stability.

Functional biscuit was formulated by fortifying them with polyphenolic extract and fiber-rich residue of defatted date seed powder (DDSP) obtained through microwave-assisted extraction. Effect of particle size (small, medium, and large) and substitution level (2.5%, 5%, and 7.

[Migration of Metals Contained in Laminated Films for Food Packaging].

Multilayer laminated films are widely used as food packaging materials. The substances contained in these films have the potential to migrate into food in contact, but the actual situation is unknown. In this study, we first determined the contents of 24 elements in 42 food laminate bags by ICP-OES and ICP-MS.

Gold Nanoparticles and Induction of Structural Alteration and Enhanced Oxidative Stress in Rat Lens.

There is an emerging wide use of nanotechnology in the medical fields. The information regarding distribution and clearance of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in the ocular tissue is insufficient. We investigated the cumulative effect of AuNPs on rat lens structure and their effect on the redox state and aquaporin-0 (AQP0) expression.

Is the potential for bioaccumulation of cannabinoids underestimated? Insights from biomimetic chromatography in cannabinoid exposure evaluation.

The use of cannabis-related products is currently experiencing extraordinary growth in popularity in the European and US markets. A wide variety of cannabis-related products have emerged, including oils, tinctures, edibles, topicals, cosmetics, and even beverages and sweets, offering the purported medical benefits without the psychoactive effects associated with Cannabis sativa. However, there is a significant gap in our understanding of bioaccumulation processes and their long-term effects, particularly as cannabinoids are highly lipophilic molecules.

Evaluating Variability in Decision-Making Among Spine Surgeons Treating Adult Spine Deformity.

Background Context: Significant variability in the management of Adult Spinal Deformity (ASD) has been observed among spine surgeons worldwide. The variability among Canadian spine surgeons, a country with universal public healthcare, remains unknown.

Purpose: The study aims to evaluate areas of variability in the peri-operative optimization and surgical management of ASD among Canadian spine surgeons.

The complexities of aeronautical transfer of acutely unwell neurosurgical patients.

Objective: Neurosurgical care is difficult to access in many scenarios. Aeromedical evacuation of acutely unwell neurosurgical patients from remote, isolated or poorly equipped locations can be considered. This article aims to provide a framework of logistical factors which deserve special consideration in the preparation of these patients for transfer.