The State of the Art of Theranostic Nanomaterials for Lung, Breast, and Prostate Cancers.

The synthesis and engineering of nanomaterials offer more robust systems for the treatment of cancer, with technologies that combine therapy with imaging diagnostic tools in the so-called nanotheranostics. Among the most studied systems, there are quantum dots, liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, inorganic nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, dendrimers, and gold nanoparticles. Most of the advantages of nanomaterials over the classic anticancer therapies come from their optimal size, which prevents the elimination by the kidneys and enhances their permeation in the tumor due to the abnormal blood vessels present in cancer tissues.

In vitro analysis of prosthetic abutment and angulable frictional implant interface adaptation: Mechanical and microbiological study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate, in vitro, the microbiological sealing at the implant and different angles frictional prosthetic abutment interface, submitted or not to mechanical cycling, as well as the deactivation force and evaluation of the implant-abutment interface by scanning electron microscopy. For this study, the sealing capacity of eighty sets of abutments/implants of each angle, with and without mechanical cycling, with internal conical connection (locking tapper) (4.3 mm × 9.

Functionalized mesoporous silicas SBA-15 for heterogeneous photocatalysis towards CECs removal from secondary urban wastewater.

The photocatalytic activity of TiO nanoparticles (NPs) supported on mesoporous silica SBA-15 (TiO/SBA-15) was evaluated for the photodegradation of sulfadiazine (SDZ), as target contaminant of emerging concern (CEC), using either pure water solutions (PW) or a real secondary urban wastewater (UWW) spiked with SDZ. For this purpose, TiO/SBA-15 samples with 10, 20 and 30% TiO (w/w) were prepared by the sol-gel post synthetic method on pre-formed SBA-15, using titanium (IV) isopropoxide as a precursor. The TiO/SBA-15 materials were characterized by HRTEM, SAXS and XRD, nitrogen adsorption isotherms and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.

Microfluidic caging lipase in hyperbranched polyglycerol microcapsules for extracorporeal treatment of enzyme pancreatic insufficiency.

Lipase cartridges are currently the mainstay of treatment to improve fat absorption related to pancreatic insufficiency (PI) in patients receiving enteral nutrition feedings. Enzyme immobilization is an essential prerequisite for designing lipase cartridges systems for efficient enzymatic fat hydrolysis. A microfluidic approach has been adopted to produce lipase (LIP) caged in hyperbranched polyglycerol microcapsules (HPGly).

Head-to-head comparison between 68Ga-PSMA and 18F-FDG-PET/CT in lymphomas: a preliminary analysis.

Purpose: Isolated case reports mention the uptake of radiolabeled PSMA in lymphoma. However, it is not clear if the intensity of 68Ga-PSMA expression varies among different histological subtypes or if it correlates with 18F-FDG uptake. This study compared both tracers in patients with diverse lymphoma subtypes.

Nile tilapia skin (Oreochromis niloticus) for burn treatment: ultrastructural analysis and quantitative assessment of collagen.

Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) skin is a well-known biomaterial used as an occlusive dressing for burn treatment. It is also an inexpensive and important source of collagen. This study aims to describe the ultrastructural aspects of Nile tilapia skin, assess its collagen amount and organization, and compare quantitative methods of histochemical and immunohistochemical analysis (in all sterilization steps for use in burn dressings).

Influence of Filler Composition on the Refractive Index of Four Different Enamel Shades of Composite Resins.

Aim And Objective: The purpose of this study was to measure the refractive index of four commercially available enamel resin composites, using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and their relationship with the atomic composition of the composite resin fillers utilizing an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (EDX).

Materials And Methods: Four different enamel composites, namely Enamel HRi color UE3, Enamel HFO color GE3, Vit-l-escence color Pearl Frost, and Amelogen Plus color Enamel White were tested. For each composite, disks with different thicknesses were fabricated and then light-cured according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Stepwise stress testing of different CAD-CAM lithium disilicate veneer application methods applied to lithium disilicate substructures.

Statement Of Problem: Whether a computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture (CAD-CAM) fabricated high-translucency lithium disilicate veneer on a lithium disilicate substructure would increase the strength of the restoration compared with a traditional feldspathic porcelain veneer is unclear.

Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of different lithium disilicate veneer application methods on a lithium disilicate substructure on their biaxial flexural stress (BFS).

Material And Methods: Lithium disilicate disks were fabricated so that when combined with the veneering disks, they had a dimension of 12×1.

Amazonia as a carbon source linked to deforestation and climate change.

Amazonia hosts the Earth's largest tropical forests and has been shown to be an important carbon sink over recent decades. This carbon sink seems to be in decline, however, as a result of factors such as deforestation and climate change. Here we investigate Amazonia's carbon budget and the main drivers responsible for its change into a carbon source.

Oxygen vacancy engineering of TaO-based resistive memories by Zr doping for improved variability and synaptic behavior.

Resistive switching (RS) devices are promising forms of non-volatile memory. However, one of the biggest challenges for RS memory applications is the device-to-device (D2D) variability, which is related to the intrinsic stochastic formation and configuration of oxygen vacancy (V) conductive filaments (CFs). In order to reduce the D2D variability, control over the formation and configuration of oxygen vacancies is paramount.

Microwave-Assisted Preparation of Luminescent Inorganic Materials: A Fast Route to Light Conversion and Storage Phosphors.

Luminescent inorganic materials are used in several technological applications such as light-emitting displays, white LEDs for illumination, bioimaging, and photodynamic therapy. Usually, inorganic phosphors (e.g.

Analysis of enamel/restoration interface submitted cariogenic challenge and fluoride release.

The treatment of high-risk patients still is a challenge. The understanding and development non-invasive, non-destructive, and non-ionizing techniques, can help to guide the treatment and the diagnosis of primary and recurrent caries. The present study evaluated the behavior of enamel/restoration interface after a cariogenic challenge by Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination, and the fluoride release of the different restorative materials.

Photobiomodulation therapy combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer-bearing mice.

This work investigated the effect of photobiomodulation therapy (PBM) combined with radiotherapy (RT) on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)-bearing mice. Female BALB/c mice received 4 T1 cells into a mammary fat pad. Local RT was performed with a total dose of 60 Gy divided into 4 consecutive sessions of 15 Gy.

Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular docking studies of novel 1,2,3-triazole-quinazolines as antiproliferative agents displaying ERK inhibitory activity.

ERK1/2 inhibitors have attracted special attention concerning the ability of circumventing cases of innate or log-term acquired resistance to RAF and MEK kinase inhibitors. Based on the 4-aminoquinazoline pharmacophore of kinases, herein we describe the synthesis of 4-aminoquinazoline derivatives bearing a 1,2,3-triazole stable core to bridge different aromatic and heterocyclic rings using copper-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction (CuAAC) as a Click Chemistry strategy. The initial screening of twelve derivatives in tumoral cells (CAL-27, HN13, HGC-27, and BT-20) revealed that the most active in BT-20 cells (25a, IC 24.

Characterization and evaluation of the enzymatic activity of tetanus toxin submitted to cobalt-60 gamma radiation.

Background: Tetanus toxin blocks the release of the inhibitory neurotransmitters in the central nervous system and causes tetanus and its main form of prevention is through vaccination. The vaccine is produced by inactivation of tetanus toxin with formaldehyde, which may cause side effects. An alternative way is the use of ionizing radiation for inactivation of the toxin and also to improve the potential immunogenic response and to reduce the post-vaccination side effects.

Biomonitoring as a Nature-Based Solution to Assess Atmospheric Pollution and Impacts on Public Health.

The control of air pollution remains a challenge to the planning of cities and fossil fuel burning is the main cause of air degradation. Particulate matter (PM) is the contaminant commonly used as an indicator of pollution, but environmental agencies may face difficulties in operating surveillance networks due to the lack of resources and infrastructure. As an alternative to conventional networks, scientific studies have pointed out that nature itself can contribute to the diagnosis and reduction of air pollution.

Monte Carlo simulation to assess free space and end-weld thickness variation effects on dose rate for a new Ir-192 brachytherapy source.

A new Iridium-192 seed for brachytherapy is under development. Specific dose rate contribution by two different factors were evaluated: the effect from movement of the core in the free space within the seed and the effect of the end-weld thickness variation. Both were investigated through use of the Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNP6 and an in-house routine programmed with MATLAB.

X-ray diffraction and thermoanalytical datasets of precursors of the GdUO phase processed by combined mechanochemical-thermal routes.

The datasets presented here are related to the research paper entitled GdUO [1]. The datasets complement the findings [1] on the effect of the combined mechanochemical-thermal processing of the stoichiometric mixture of solid precursors (3GdO + UO) on the formation of GdUO phase. In this article, we provide (i) X-ray diffraction (XRD) data of the 3GdO + UO mixture milled for 12 h, (ii) the refined XRD data of the non-milled 3GdO + UO mixture after annealing at 1282 °C for 3 h in air, and (iii) the thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) data for non-milled and mechanically preactivated 3GdO + UO mixture measured in air at a heat rate of 10 K/min.

Development of collagen/nanohydroxyapatite scaffolds containing plant extract intended for bone regeneration.

In this study scaffolds of nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) and anionic collagen (C) combined with plant extracts intended for bone tissue repair were developed. Grape seed (P), pomegranate peel (R) and jabuticaba peel (J) extracts were used as collagen crosslinker agents in order to improve the materials properties. All crude extracts were effective against Staphylococcus aureus, but only for CR scaffold inhibition zone was noticed.

Proposal of new distribution coefficients (K) of potentially toxic elements in soils for improving environmental risk assessment in the State of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil.

Soil solid-solution distribution coefficients (K) are used in predictive environmental models to assess public health risks. This study was undertaken to determine K for potentially toxic elements (PTE) Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in topsoil samples (0-20 cm) from 30 soils in the State of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. Batch sorption experiments were carried out, and PTE concentrations in the equilibrium solution were determined by High Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (HR-ICPMS).

Preliminary Assessment of Plastic Litter and Microplastic Contamination in Freshwater Depositional Areas: The Case Study of Puerto Misahualli, Ecuadorian Amazonia.

We quantify plastic litter (PL, > 2 cm) and microplastics (MP, < 5 mm) from the sediments of a beach formed at a riverine depositional area, at the upper Amazon River basin, Ecuador. In the collection area (4400 m), the PL density was 0.045 items m, where low-density polyethylene bags were the prevalent PL.

A new method for measuring pen pressure in forensic handwriting analysis - a proof of concept study.

This work describes a new method for the analysis of handwritten documents through a system composed of a pre-selector optical analyser equipped with light sources of different wavelengths coupled with bandpass filters combined with an optical coherence tomography (OCT) instrument. The optical analyser identifies regions with different pen pressures on the paper using specific wavelengths from ultraviolet (UV) to infrared (IR) and bandpass filters. Then the selected regions are analysed with a coherence tomography analyser to measure the depth of grooves and capture three-dimensional images.

Physical and biological characterizations of TiNbSn/(Mg) system produced by powder metallurgy for use as prostheses material.

Titanium scaffolds with non-toxic β stabilizing elements (Nb and Sn), Ti-34Nb-6Sn (TNS), and with magnesium as spacer (TNS/M), were processed by powder metallurgy, and sintered at 800 °C. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern showed that materials are biphasic alloys, presenting 45 to 42% (wt %) in hcp (α-phase) and the rest is bcc (β-phase), and the presence of a slight peak relating to TiO in both materials. Pores of approximately 50 μm for TNS and 300 μm to TNS/M were observed in the micrographic analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Is ionizing radiation effective in removing pharmaceuticals from wastewater?

Wastewater and effluent discharges are the main causes of receiving water body pollution and important challenges in water quality management. Among the emerging contaminants, pharmaceuticals have increasingly drawn attention due to their incomplete removal during conventional biological treatment, inducing potential and actual risks to living organisms following residue discharges in river effluent. Electron beam irradiation (EBI) is a clean process technology for organic compound degradation and mineralization, as well as persistent pollutant detoxification.