Workshop on the Latest Advances in Biomedical Applications of Octacalcium Phosphate.

The first workshop on the "latest advances in biomedical applications of octacalcium phosphate (OCP)" was organized as a satellite symposium to the Bioceramics33 conference in Solothurn, Switzerland, in October 2023. The event brought together leading researchers and industry representatives to present and discuss their latest groundbreaking research aimed at developing and commercializing advanced OCP-based biomaterials for bone regeneration. The topics presented by the six invited speakers ranged from a fundamental understanding of the OCP crystal chemistry to advanced processing and characterization methods, functionalization, biomineralization, and commercialization.

Unveiling underlying factors for optimizing light spectrum to enhance microalgae growth.

Emerging research highlights the potential of specific light spectral regions to significantly enhance microalgae biomass production compared to conventional white light illumination. However, conflicting results of existing studies on the most optimal wavelengths reveal a knowledge gap regarding the underlying factors for optimal spectrum. The present paper aims to address this gap by critically analyzing existing studies on light spectral quality and its impact on microalgae growth.

Novel radionuclides: demand, production and distribution for translational research in Europe.

Background: In the field of medical and scientific research, radionuclides are used to investigate various physiological and pathological processes. PRISMAP - the European medical radionuclide programme was created to bring together production facilities including intense neutron sources, an isotope mass separation facility, high-power accelerators, biomedical research institutes, and hospitals to support medical research. The aim of this article is to introduce readers with the current status of innovative radionuclides in Europe.

Soluble Proteins From Conventional and Organic Eggshell Membranes With Different Proteomic Profiles Show Similar In Vitro Biofunctions.

The eggshell membrane (ESM), resembling the extracellular matrix (ECM), acts as a protective barrier against bacterial invasion and offers various biofunctions due to its porous structure and protein-rich composition, such as ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, collagen, soluble protein, and antimicrobial proteins. However, the structure of ESM primarily comprises disulfide bonds and heterochains, which poses a challenge for protein solubilization/extraction. Therefore, the method of dissolving and extracting bioactive protein components from ESM has significant potential value and importance for exploring the reuse of egg waste and environmental protection.

Efficient removal of lipophilic compounds from sewage sludge: Comparative evaluation of solvent extraction techniques.

Municipal sewage sludge, a by-product of wastewater treatment plants, presents environmental challenges due to its complex composition. Particular concern is the lipophilic and aliphatic compounds that pose risks to the environment and human health. This study focuses on the efficient removal of those compounds from sewage sludge using several organic solvents (hexane, toluene, chloroform, dichloromethane, acetone, hexane-methanol mixture, ethanol, and methanol) and ionic liquids (ILs) like tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium chloride and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate by solvent extraction techniques.

Aspen Wood Characteristics Following Thermal Modification in Closed Process Under Pressure in Nitrogen.

Using a pilot-scale chamber with an interior capacity of 340 L, European aspen () wood boards were thermally modified (TM) under pressure in nitrogen at a maximum temperature of 160-170 °C, for 60-180 min, and with an initial nitrogen pressure of 4-5 bar. After the TM process, aspen wood was characterised by dimensional changes, mass loss (ML), equilibrium moisture content (EMC), antiswelling efficiency (ASE), cell wall total water capacity (CWTWC), modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), and Brinell hardness (BH). This work offers fresh insights into the characteristics of aspen wood following a closed TM process in pressurised nitrogen.

The Use of Recycled Cement-Bonded Particle Board Waste in the Development of Lightweight Biocomposites.

Cement-bonded particle boards are gaining popularity globally due to their durability, strength, and, more importantly, environmental sustainability. The increasing demand for these materials has also created the necessity for the sustainable recycling of these materials. In this study, the potential to recycle wood-wool cement board (WWCB) waste into new lightweight insulation biocomposite material was examined.

Mimicking the Bone Extracellular Matrix through a Calcium Phosphate-Containing Thiol-Ene Cross-Linked Gelatin Composite.

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) and amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) nanoparticles were incorporated into a thiol-ene clickable gelatin network to elucidate to what extent osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp- and adipose-derived stem cells (HDPSCs/HASCs) could be further boosted. ACP nanoparticles increased the specific surface area by 23% and reduced the density by 13% while maintaining a comparable particle size (ACP: 25 ± 3 nm; HAP: 27 ± 3 nm). Overall, the incorporation of ceramic nanoparticles did not significantly alter the mechanical properties of the ceramic-containing composites compared to the unsubstituted thiol-ene network.

The Influence of a Deep Learning Tool on the Performance of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiologists in the Detection of Apical Radiolucencies.

Title: The Influence of a Deep Learning Tool on the Performance of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiologists in the Detection of Apical Radiolucencies.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the impact of a deep learning model on oral radiologists' ability to detect periapical radiolucencies on periapical radiographs. The secondary objective was to conduct a regression analysis to evaluate the effects of years of experience, time to diagnose, and specialty.

Microplastics in aquatic systems: A comprehensive review of its distribution, environmental interactions, and health risks.

Microplastics (MPs) have become a critical pollutant, accumulating in aquatic ecosystems and posing significant environmental and human health risks. Approximately 5.25 trillion plastic particles float in global oceans, releasing up to 23,600 metric tonnes of dissolved organic carbon annually, which disrupts microbial dynamics.

Search for violation in decays in proton-proton collisions at .

A search is reported for charge-parity violation in decays, using data collected in proton-proton collisions at recorded by the CMS experiment in 2018. The analysis uses a dedicated data set that corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 41.6 , which consists of about 10 billion events containing a pair of b hadrons, nearly all of which decay to charm hadrons.

Creating Single-Cell Protein-Producing Mutants Using Chemical Mutagen and Amino Acid Inhibitors.

Due to population growth and climate changes, there is a rising need for alternative food and protein sources to reduce protein scarcity and the environmental impact of food industries. Single-cell proteins (SCPs) have the potential to partially or fully substitute plant- and animal-derived dietary proteins. is an appealing bacterium for SCP production because of its fast growth and ability to obtain high protein and essential amino acid (AA) content in its biomass.

Stakeholder perspectives on the costs and benefits of circular construction.

The construction industry significantly impacts the environment through natural resource depletion and energy consumption, leading to environmental degradation. Circular Economy (CE) material efficiency strategies-such as material reuse, design for disassembly, prefabrication, and recycling-offer promising solutions for reducing resource consumption and waste. This paper explores stakeholders' perspectives on the costs and benefits of implementing CE material efficiency strategies in the construction industry, using the 3-R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) framework.

Exploring the impact of calcium phosphate biomaterials on cellular metabolism.

Calcium phosphate (CaP) biomaterials have been widely used in hard tissue engineering, but their impact on cell metabolism is unclear. We synthesized and characterized hydroxyapatite, β-tricalcium phosphate, and biphasic calcium phosphate composites to investigate material effects on NIH/3T3 cell metabolism. The intracellular metabolites were analyzed employing LC-MS metabolomics, and cell metabolic status was assessed comparatively.

The Use of Rubber-Polymer Composites in Bitumen Modification for the Disposal of Rubber and Polymer Waste.

The use of rubber-polymer composites ELTC (End of Life Tire Compound) for bitumen modification was investigated. ELTC contains not only devulcanized rubber from used car tires, but also used plastics (polymers) such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). ELTC is obtained using the method of rubber devulcanization using a selective catalyst that allows selectively decomposing sulfide bonds at relatively low temperatures, while preserving most of the macromolecular chains.

Utilisation of By-Product Phosphogypsum Through Extrusion-Based 3D Printing.

Phosphogypsum (PG) is a phosphate fertiliser by-product. This by-product has a low level of utilisation. Calcium sulphate is dominated in PG similar to gypsum and, therefore, has good binding properties (similar to natural gypsum).

COVID-19-related research data availability and quality according to the FAIR principles: A meta-research study.

Background: According to the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable), scientific research data should be findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to massive research activities and an unprecedented number of topical publications in a short time. However, no evaluation has assessed whether this COVID-19-related research data has complied with FAIR principles (or FAIRness).

Synthesis and preliminary cytotoxicity evaluation of water soluble pentacyclic triterpenoid phosphonates.

Synthesis, solubility and cytotoxicity evaluation of anionic phosphonates derived from betulin, betulinic acid, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid is reported. Phosphonate moieties were successfully installed at terpenoid C28 by carboxylic acid deprotonation/alkylation sequence using (dimethoxyphosphoryl)methyl trifluoromethanesulfonate as alkylation reagent. Also, betulin-derived and ether-linked bis-phosphonate is obtained and characterized.

AI-Assisted Detection and Localization of Spinal Metastatic Lesions.

Objectives: The integration of machine learning and radiomics in medical imaging has significantly advanced diagnostic and prognostic capabilities in healthcare. This study focuses on developing and validating an artificial intelligence (AI) model using U-Net architectures for the accurate detection and segmentation of spinal metastases from computed tomography (CT) images, addressing both osteolytic and osteoblastic lesions.

Methods: Our methodology employs multiple variations of the U-Net architecture and utilizes two distinct datasets: one consisting of 115 polytrauma patients for vertebra segmentation and another comprising 38 patients with documented spinal metastases for lesion detection.

Clinical Efficacy of CBCT and 3D-Printed Replicas in Molar Autotransplantation: A Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background/aim: To evaluate the efficacy of the combined cone-beam (CBCT)/3D-replicas protocol on the clinical and radiographic outcomes of autotransplanted molars.

Material And Methods: Controlled clinical trial registered ISRCTN13563091 from August 2019 to September 2022. Patients aged 13-22 years requiring permanent premolar extraction and having at least one non-erupted third molar were enrolled at the Institute of Stomatology, Stradins University, Riga, Latvia.

Phosphorus removal from municipal wastewater using calcium/iron oxide composites: Adsorption efficiency and impact on plant growth.

Phosphate minerals are crucial for the production of fertilizers, but limited availability does not meet the growing agricultural demand. At the same time, the discharge of phosphorus by municipal wastewater treatment plants leads to eutrophication. Removal and recovery of phosphorus from wastewater can both provide nutrients to agriculture and decrease eutrophication.

Immunomodulatory activity of red algal galactans and their partially depolymerized derivatives in RAW264.7 macrophages.

Funoran and furcellaran were isolated through a successive cascade extraction process, followed by the depolymerization of extracted polymers via an auto-hydrolysis process. The molecular weight and structural peculiarities of both native and partially depolymerized polysaccharides were investigated using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), FTIR, and NMR spectroscopy. Immunotropic effects of the native and partially depolymerized polysaccharides were explored through various in vitro assays.