New Methodology of Human Health Express Diagnostics Based on Pulse Wave Measurements and Occlusion Test.

Nowadays, with the increase in the rhythm of life, the relevance of using express diagnostics methods for human health state estimation has significantly increased. We present a new express diagnostics method based on non-invasive measurements (the pulse wave shape, heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation of blood vessels and tissues). A feature of these measurements is that they can be carried out both in the hospital and at home.

Preparation, Characterization, and Performance of Natural Zeolites as Alternative Materials for Beer Filtration.

The clarity of the beer is essential to its marketability and good consumer approval. Moreover, the beer filtration aims to remove the unwanted constituents that cause beer haze formation. Natural zeolite, an inexpensive and widespread material, was tested as a substitute filter media for diatomaceous earth in removing the haze constituents in beer.

Immunomodulatory Effect of Novel Electrospun Nanofibers Loaded with Doxycycline as an Adjuvant Treatment in Periodontitis.

The immunomodulatory effect of a novel biomaterial obtained through electrospinning, based on polylactic acid (PLA) and nano-hydroxyapatite (nano-HAP), loaded with doxycycline (doxy) was evaluated in an animal model. The treatment capabilities as a local non-surgical treatment of periodontitis was investigated on the lower incisors of Wistar rats, after the induction of localized periodontitis using the ligature technique. Following the induction of the disease, the non-surgical treatment of scaling and root planing was applied, in conjunction with the application of the new material.

In Vitro and In Vivo Characterisation of a Mucoadhesive Buccal Film Loaded with Doxycycline Hyclate for Topical Application in Periodontitis.

Mucoadhesive films loaded with doxycycline hyclate (Doxy Hyc), consisting of mixtures of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) E3, K4 and polyacrylic acid (Carbopol 940), were prepared by casting method, aiming to design a formulation intended for application in the oral cavity. The obtained film formulations exhibited a Doxy Hyc content between 7.52 ± 0.

Yellow Mealworm () Powder Promotes a High Bioaccessible Protein Fraction and Low Glycaemic Index in Biscuits.

Traditional biscuits are considered products with poor nutritional value because of their large share of rapidly digested starch, which results in an elevated glycaemic index. This paper explores the improvement of the nutritional value of biscuits by adding yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) powder. Four biscuit recipes containing 0%(R1), 10%(R2), 15%(R3), and 20%(R4) of yellow mealworm powder were prepared and subjected to sensorial analysis.

Anticancer Drugs Paclitaxel, Carboplatin, Doxorubicin, and Cyclophosphamide Alter the Biophysical Characteristics of Red Blood Cells, In Vitro.

Red blood cells (RBCs) are the most numerous cells in the body and perform gas exchange between all tissues. During the infusion of cancer chemotherapeutic (CT) agents, blood cells are the first ones to encounter aggressive cytostatics. Erythrocyte dysfunction caused by direct cytotoxic damage might be a part of the problem of chemotherapy-induced anemia-one of the most frequent side effects.

Lithological distribution of rare earth elements in soils in the As-Sb-Tl Allchar mining area, North Macedonia.

Despite the growing interest, the information available on rare earth elements (REEs) in the last two decades is relatively premature and sparse. The importance of these elements as indicators of soil and physiological processes and responses have contributed to the increased interest in these previously less considered elements in the environmental sciences. This study provides an overview of the content and distribution of rare earth elements in the soil in the vicinity of the hydrothermal volcanogenic As-Sb-Tl deposit of Allchar, North Macedonia.

Influence of SiO Embedding on the Structure, Morphology, Thermal, and Magnetic Properties of CoZnNiFeO Particles.

(CoZnNiFeO)(SiO) samples obtained by embedding CoZnNiFeO nanoparticles in SiO in various proportions were synthesized by sol-gel process and characterized using thermal analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, and magnetic measurements. Poorly crystalline Co-Zn-Ni ferrite at low annealing temperatures (500 °C) and highly crystalline Co-Zn-Ni ferrite together with traces of crystalline FeSiO (800 °C) and SiO (tridymite and cristobalite) (1200 °C) were obtained. At 1200 °C, large spherical particles with size increasing with the ferrite content (36-120 nm) were obtained.

Recent Trends in Hydroxyapatite Supplementation for Osteoregenerative Purposes.

Bone regeneration has gained attention in the biomedical field, which has led to the development of materials and synthesis methods meant to improve osseointegration and cellular bone activity. The properties of hydroxyapatite, a type of calcium phosphate, have been researched to determine its advantages for bone tissue engineering, particularly its biocompatibility and ability to interact with bone cells. Recently, the advantages of utilizing nanomolecules of hydroxyapatite, combined with various substances, in order to enhance and combine their characteristics, have been reported in the literature.

Mobile measurements of black carbon: Comparison of normal traffic with reduced traffic conditions during COVID-19 lock-down.

A mobile monitoring campaign was conducted (by bicycle) to assess the black carbon (BC) concentrations in Cluj-Napoca city, Romania, in 2020, before, during and after COVID-19 lock-down. Over the entire study period, the BC concentrations ranged between 1.0 and 25.

In Vitro Studies Demonstrate Antitumor Activity of Vanadium Ions from a CaO-PO-CaF:VO Glass System in Human Cancer Cell Lines A375, A2780, and Caco-2.

In this research, we investigated the structural and biological properties of phosphate glasses (PGs) after the addition of V2O5. A xV2O5∙(100 − x)[CaF2∙3P2O5∙CaO] glass system with 0 ≤ x ≤ 16 mol% was synthesized via a conventional melt-quenching technique. Several analysis techniques (dissolution tests, pH, SEM-EDS, FT-IR, and EPR) were used to obtain new experimental data regarding the structural behavior of the system.

Direct Band Gap AlGaAs Wurtzite Nanowires.

Wurtzite AlGaAs is a technologically promising yet unexplored material. Here we study it both experimentally and numerically. We develop a complete numerical model based on an 8-band method, including electromechanical fields, and calculate the optoelectronic properties of wurtzite AlGaAs nanowires with different Al content.

Quantification of elements in spent nuclear fuel using intrinsic radioactivity for sample excitation and chemometric data processing.

Quantitative analysis of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is a very challenging task. High radioactivity, complex chemical composition and personnel safety requirements severely limit the number of analytical tools suitable for this problem. There is an urgent need for the methods that would provide for remote on-line quantification of elements in spent nuclear fuel and its reprocessing technological solutions.

Fluoroplast Doped by AgO Nanoparticles as New Repairing Non-Cytotoxic Antibacterial Coating for Meat Industry.

Foodborne infections are an important global health problem due to their high prevalence and potential for severe complications. Bacterial contamination of meat during processing at the enterprise can be a source of foodborne infections. Polymeric coatings with antibacterial properties can be applied to prevent bacterial contamination.

Inhibition of JAK1,2 Prevents Fibrotic Remodeling of Pulmonary Vascular Bed and Improves Outcomes in the Rat Model of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a rare complication of acute pulmonary embolism with poor clinical outcomes. Therapeutic approaches to prevention of fibrotic remodeling of the pulmonary vascular bed in CTEPH are limited. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that Janus kinase 1/2 (JAK1/2) inhibition with ruxolitinib might prevent and attenuate CTEPH in a rat model.

In Vivo Penetrating Microelectrodes for Brain Electrophysiology.

In recent decades, microelectrodes have been widely used in neuroscience to understand the mechanisms behind brain functions, as well as the relationship between neural activity and behavior, perception and cognition. However, the recording of neuronal activity over a long period of time is limited for various reasons. In this review, we briefly consider the types of penetrating chronic microelectrodes, as well as the conductive and insulating materials for microelectrode manufacturing.

High-Pressure Supercritical CO Pretreatment of Apple Orchard Waste for Carbohydrates Production Using Response Surface Methodology and Method Uncertainty Evaluation.

This study's objective was to separate cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin after high-pressure supercritical carbon dioxide pretreatment for further valorization. The study investigated the supercritical carbon dioxide pretreatment of apple orchard waste at temperatures of 160-200 °C, for 15-45 min, at a pressure of 10 MPa. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the supercritical process and to improve its efficiency.

Impact of Ni Content on the Structure and Sonophotocatalytic Activity of Ni-Zn-Co Ferrite Nanoparticles.

The structure, morphology, and sonophotocatalytic activity of Ni-Zn-Co ferrite nanoparticles, embedded in a SiO matrix and produced by a modified sol-gel method, followed by thermal treatment, were investigated. The thermal analysis confirmed the formation of metal succinate precursors up to 200 °C, their decomposition to metal oxides and the formation of Ni-Zn-Co ferrites up to 500 °C. The crystalline phases, crystallite size and lattice parameter were determined based on X-ray diffraction patterns.

Quality and Health Risk Assessment of Groundwaters in the Protected Area of Tisa River Basin.

This study was conducted in order to assess the chemistry (41 metalloids and heavy metals and 16 physico-chemical indicators) of groundwater sampled from the protected area of the Tisa River Basin during the months of 2021. Pollution indices were used in order to determine the potential metal pollution level. Consequently, a non-carcinogenic risk assessment of metal through the ingestion of water was done.

Molecular genetic detection and differentiation of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola, bacterial leaf streak agents of rice.

The genus Xanthomonas comprises phytopathogenic bacteria which infect about 400 host species, including a wide variety of economically important plants. Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Fang et al.

Volatile Organic Compound Fragmentation in the Afterglow of Pulsed Glow Discharge in Ambient Air.

Glow discharge (GD) source gained an increased level of attention in relation to the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) since past work showed that this soft ionization method allowed direct analysis of VOCs with minimal fragmentation, however, the issue of fragmentation was not previously studied in detail. The aim of the present work was to investigate the effect of discharge conditions on VOC fragmentation in the system consisting of the cell with pulsed glow discharge and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Ionization of VOCs of different classes (hydrocarbons, alcohols, esters, and carboxylic acids) was investigated.

Optimization of Lipid Extraction from spp. by Ultrasound Application and Mechanical Stirring Using the Taguchi Method of Experimental Design.

The present study uses the Taguchi method of experimental design to optimize lipid extraction from Spirulina spp. by ultrasound application and mechanical stirring. A Taguchi L9 orthogonal array was used to optimize various parameters, such as methanol: chloroform (M:C) ratio, biomass: solvent ratio, and extraction time for lipid extraction.

Lithium Accumulation in Free-Floating Aquatic Plant.

The new context of the intensive use of lithium-based batteries led to increased production of Li and Li-containing wastes. All these activities are potential sources of environmental pollution with Li. However, the negative impact of Li on ecosystems, its specific role in the plants' development, uptake mechanism, and response to the induced stress are not fully understood.

Analysis of Volatile Compounds, Composition, and Thermal Behavior of Coffee Beans According to Variety and Roasting Intensity.

This study aimed to investigate the ways in which the thermal behavior, composition, and volatile compound contents of roasted coffee beans depend on variety and roasting intensity. The thermal analysis revealed various transformations in coffee composition, namely, drying, water loss, and decomposition of polysaccharides, lipids, amino acids, and proteins. The results showed that volatile compounds are released differently in coffee depending on coffee type and degree of roasting.