2D disposable stochastic sensors for molecular recognition and quantification of maspin in biological samples.

Three disposable stochastic sensors using nanolayer deposition of a graphene nanocomposite comprising graphene nanoparticles and gold nanoparticles, on different supports: silk, plastic, and paper, and modified with chitosan, were characterized and validated for molecular recognition and quantification of maspin in biological samples. Very low limits of determination (of pg mL magnitude order) were recorded (5.12 pg mL for the sensor based on silk at pH 7.

Webcams and Social Interaction During Online Classes: Identity Work, Presentation of Self, and Well-Being.

The well-being of children and young people has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The shift to online education disrupted daily rhythms, transformed learning opportunities, and redefined social connections with peers and teachers. We here present a qualitative content analysis of responses to open-ended questions in a large-scale survey of teachers and students in Romania.

Network controllability solutions for computational drug repurposing using genetic algorithms.

Control theory has seen recently impactful applications in network science, especially in connections with applications in network medicine. A key topic of research is that of finding minimal external interventions that offer control over the dynamics of a given network, a problem known as network controllability. We propose in this article a new solution for this problem based on genetic algorithms.

Treatment of Wastewater Containing Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Using Activated Carbon Material.

This study presents an adsorbent material (activated carbon) used in the treatment of wastewater with the role of removing ibuprofen, acetaminophen, diclofenac and ketoprofen pollutants. The wastewater treatment efficiencies of the activated carbon were systematically investigated using adsorption kinetics. The parameters studied were: pH (4 and 6 values of pH), initial concentration of wastewater (1, 5, and 10 mg/L), contact time (10 min), adsorbent quantity (0.

An Up-to-Date Review of Natural Nanoparticles for Cancer Management.

Cancer represents one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, imposing an urgent need to develop more efficient treatment alternatives. In this respect, much attention has been drawn from conventional cancer treatments to more modern approaches, such as the use of nanotechnology. Extensive research has been done for designing innovative nanoparticles able to specifically target tumor cells and ensure the controlled release of anticancer agents.

Applications of Chitosan-Alginate-Based Nanoparticles-An Up-to-Date Review.

Chitosan and alginate are two of the most studied natural polymers that have attracted interest for multiple uses in their nano form. The biomedical field is one of the domains benefiting the most from the development of nanotechnology, as increasing research interest has been oriented to developing chitosan-alginate biocompatible delivery vehicles, antimicrobial agents, and vaccine adjuvants. Moreover, these nanomaterials of natural origin have also become appealing for environmental protection (e.

Cellular and Molecular Targets for Non-Invasive, Non-Pharmacological Therapeutic/Rehabilitative Interventions in Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Background: Cerebral circulation delivers the blood flow to the brain through a dedicated network of sanguine vessels. A healthy human brain can regulate cerebral blood flow (CBF) according to any physiological or pathological challenges. The brain is protected by its self-regulatory mechanisms, which are dependent on neuronal and support cellular populations, including endothelial ones, as well as metabolic, and even myogenic factors.

PEG-Functionalized Magnetite Nanoparticles for Modulation of Microbial Biofilms on Voice Prosthesis.

This study reports the fabrication of nanostructured coatings based on magnetite, polyethyleneglycol, and biologically active molecule (polymyxin B-PM) for producing biofilm-resistant surfaces (voice prosthesis). Magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) have been synthesized and functionalized using a co-precipitation method and were further deposited into thin coatings using the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique. The obtained nanoparticles and coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis with differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy with selected area electron diffraction (TEM-SAED), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and infrared microscopy (IRM).

Giant Sternal Chondrosarcoma in a 50-Year-Old Patient.

Chondrosarcomas represent approximately 20% of primary malignant bone cancers, being known as the most frequent neoplasia of the anterior thoracic wall. In our case, we present a case of a primary sternal chondrosarcoma in a 50-year-old female patient that has been polychemiotherapy and radiotherapy treated for breast cancer. Despite the initial treated malignancy of breast cancer in the personal pathologic history of the patient, it was discovered that the sternal tumor was not a metastatic disease from the breast neoplasm.

Development of New Collagen/Clay Composite Biomaterials.

The fabrication of collagen-based biomaterials for skin regeneration offers various challenges for tissue engineers. The purpose of this study was to obtain a novel series of composite biomaterials based on collagen and several types of clays. In order to investigate the influence of clay type on drug release behavior, the obtained collagen-based composite materials were further loaded with gentamicin.

Bioactive Coatings Loaded with Osteogenic Protein for Metallic Implants.

Osteoconductive and osteoinductive coatings represent attractive and tunable strategies towards the enhanced biomechanics and osseointegration of metallic implants, providing accurate local modulation of bone-to-implant interface. Composite materials based on polylactide (PLA) and hydroxyapatite (HAp) are proved beneficial substrates for the modulation of bone cells' development, being suitable mechanical supports for the repair and regeneration of bone tissue. Moreover, the addition of osteogenic proteins represents the next step towards the fabrication of advanced biomaterials for hard tissue engineering applications, as their regulatory mechanisms beneficially contribute to the new bone formation.

Evaluation of the Behavior of Two CAD/CAM Fiber-Reinforced Composite Dental Materials by Immersion Tests.

Fiber-reinforced composites are used as restorative materials for prosthetic oral rehabilitation. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is an accustomed affection with various oral manifestations. This study aimed to evaluate the behavior of two high-performance CAD/CAM milled reinforced composites (Trinia™, TriLor) in artificial saliva at different pH levels through immersion tests, and to determine if changes in mass or surface morphology at variable pH, specific for patients affected by GERD, appear.

Simulation of the Hybrid Carbon-Aramid Composite Materials Based on Mechanical Characterization by Digital Image Correlation Method.

As hybrid carbon-aramid composites become widely used in various industries, it has become imperative to mechanically characterize them using accurate methods of measuring the entire deformation field such as the digital image correlation (DIC) method. The accuracy of the numerical simulation of carbon-aramid composite structures depends on the accuracy of the elastic constants. Therefore, the goal of this research is to model and simulate the mechanical behaviour of the composite based on epoxy resin reinforced with carbon-aramid woven fabric by considering the mechanical properties investigated by tensile test combined with DIC and the bending test.

Non-invasive, non-pharmacological/bio-technological interventions towards neurorestoration upshot after ischemic stroke, in adults-systematic, synthetic, literature review.

Considering its marked life-threatening and (not seldom: severe and/or permanent) disabling, potential, plus the overall medico-psycho-socio-economic tough burden it represents for the affected persons, their families and the community, the cerebrovascular accident (CVA)-including with the, by far more frequent, ischemic type-is subject to considerable scientific research efforts that aim (if possible) at eliminating the stroke induced lesions, and consist, as well, in ambitious-but still poorly transferable into medical practice-goals such as brain neuroregeneration and/or repair, within related corollary/upshot of neurorestoration. We have conducted, in this respect, a systematic and synthetic literature review, following the "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)" concept. Accordingly, we have interrogated five internationally renowned medical data bases: Elsevier, NCBI/PubMed, NCBI/PMC, PEDro, and ISI Web of Knowledge/Science (the last one to check whether the initially identified articles are published in ISI indexed journals), based on a large (details in the body text) number of most appropriate, to our knowledge, key word combinations/"syntaxes"-used contextually-and subsequently fulfilling the related, on five steps, filtering/selection methodology.

Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO(MgO)-CaO-SiO-PO Bioglass Obtained by Sol-Gel Method in Presence of Surfactant Agent.

Bioglass (BG) is a class of biomaterials increasingly approached in biomedical applications, such as in regeneration of hard tissues, due to the properties of bioactivity, osteoinductivity, osteoconductivity, but also the high rate of biodegradation, both in vitro and in vivo. The present paper addresses the obtaining of bioglasses from the ZnO(MgO)-CaO-SiO-PO system by the sol-gel method and the use of a surfactant to ensure a specific surface or high open porosity, starting from S53P4 bioglass (53% SiO, 23% NaO, 20% CaO, 4% PO), also known as BoneAlive. The precursor powders were analyzed from the phase composition point of view by complex thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction, the vitreous powders were assessed from the compositional point of view by X-ray diffraction, morpho-structural by scanning electron microscopy, specific surface area and the pore size dimension by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, dispersion by laser granulometry, and also cell biology and surface mineralization tests were performed by immersion in SBF (simulated body fluid).

3D Printing of Alginate-Natural Clay Hydrogel-Based Nanocomposites.

Biocompatibility, biodegradability, shear tinning behavior, quick gelation and an easy crosslinking process makes alginate one of the most studied polysaccharides in the field of regenerative medicine. The main purpose of this study was to obtain tissue-like materials suitable for use in bone regeneration. In this respect, alginate and several types of clay were investigated as components of 3D-printing, nanocomposite inks.

Facile Synthesis of Cobalt Ferrite (CoFeO) Nanoparticles in the Presence of Sodium Bis (2-ethyl-hexyl) Sulfosuccinate and Their Application in Dyes Removal from Single and Binary Aqueous Solutions.

A research study was conducted to establish the effect of the presence of sodium bis-2-ethyl-hexyl-sulfosuccinate (DOSS) surfactant on the size, shape, and magnetic properties of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles, and also on their ability to remove anionic dyes from synthetic aqueous solutions. The effect of the molar ratio cobalt ferrite to surfactant (1:0.1; 1:0.

Shallow Donor Impurity States with Excitonic Contribution in GaAs/AlGaAs and CdTe/CdSe Truncated Conical Quantum Dots under Applied Magnetic Field.

Using the effective mass approximation in a parabolic two-band model, we studied the effects of the geometrical parameters, on the electron and hole states, in two truncated conical quantum dots: (i) GaAs-(Ga,Al)As in the presence of a shallow donor impurity and under an applied magnetic field and (ii) CdSe-CdTe core-shell type-II quantum dot. For the first system, the impurity position and the applied magnetic field direction were chosen to preserve the system's azimuthal symmetry. The finite element method obtains the solution of the Schrödinger equations for electron or hole with or without impurity with an adaptive discretization of a triangular mesh.

A Large Ascending Aorta Thrombus in a Patient with Acute Myocardial Infarction-Case Report.

We present the case of a 50-year-old male, with no cardiovascular risk factors other than smoking, that presented with acute chest pain, revealed to be an acute myocardial infarction with a large thrombus located in the ascending aorta. Such findings are rare in a patient with no other afflictions, such as atherosclerosis, aortic aneurysm, or aortic wall injury (surgical or traumatic). There is no specific pathway regarding the management of ascending aorta thrombus in such a patient; therapeutic options include surgical, interventional, or medical methods.

Surface Modification to Modulate Microbial Biofilms-Applications in Dental Medicine.

Recent progress in materials science and nanotechnology has led to the development of advanced materials with multifunctional properties. Dental medicine has benefited from the design of such materials and coatings in providing patients with tailored implants and improved materials for restorative and functional use. Such materials and coatings allow for better acceptance by the host body, promote successful implantation and determine a reduced inflammatory response after contact with the materials.

Polymer-Based Nanosystems-A Versatile Delivery Approach.

Polymer-based nanoparticles of tailored size, morphology, and surface properties have attracted increasing attention as carriers for drugs, biomolecules, and genes. By protecting the payload from degradation and maintaining sustained and controlled release of the drug, polymeric nanoparticles can reduce drug clearance, increase their cargo's stability and solubility, prolong its half-life, and ensure optimal concentration at the target site. The inherent immunomodulatory properties of specific polymer nanoparticles, coupled with their drug encapsulation ability, have raised particular interest in vaccine delivery.

Modulation of the PLLA Morphology through Racemic Nucleation to Reach Functional Properties Required by 3D Printed Durable Applications.

This paper presents an alternative for enhancing the durability of poly (L-lactide) (PLLA) by racemic nucleation following stereo-complexation with a selected poly (D-lactide) (PLDA). The compounds are obtained by melt blending of a PLLA grade, previously designed for 3D printing but with a low heat deflection temperature and impact resistance, with grades of PLDA differing in their molecular weight (Mw), D-lactide content (DS) and concentration. Our method considered how to reveal the racemic nucleation caused by stereo-complexation and its influence on functional properties.

Analysis of the Possibility to Detect Road Vehicles via Bluetooth Technology.

As road traffic networks become more congested and information systems are implemented to manage traffic flows, real-time data gathering becomes increasingly important. Classic detectors are placed in one point of the network and are able to provide information only from that area. As useful as this is, it lacks the big picture of the routes the vehicles usually travel.

Biofilm-Resistant Nanocoatings Based on ZnO Nanoparticles and Linalool.

Biofilms represent an increasing challenge in the medical practice worldwide, imposing a serious threat to public health. As bacterial strains have developed antibiotic resistance, researcher's attention has been extensively focused on developing more efficient antimicrobial strategies. In this context, the present study reports the synthesis, physicochemical characterization, ex vivo biodistribution, and in vitro evaluation of the capacity of nanostructured surfaces based on zinc oxide (ZnO) and biologically active molecules to modulate clinically relevant microbial biofilms.