Contrast efficacy of novel phase convertible nanodroplets for safe CEUS imaging.

Microbubble contrast agents in ultrasound/echocardiography are used to increase the echogenicity of the target tissues, thereby raising the contrast resolution of the resultant image. Recently, the trend has shifted toward the development of phase-convertible nanodroplets as ultrasound contrast agents due to their promising theragnostic potential by switching capability at the active site. Herein, we fabricated pre-PGS- perfluoropentane phase convertible nanodroplets and checked their in vitro and in vivo enhancement and safety profile. For this, we performed experiments on 20 male Wistar rats and 2 dogs. Biochemical assays of both rats and dogs included complete blood profiles, liver function tests, and renal function tests. For rat vitals, monitoring and histopathological analysis were also performed. Converted nanodroplets showed excellent contrast enhancement, better than Sonovue upon in vitro testing, with an enhancement time of up to 14 min. In vivo, experiments showed comparable opacification of the ventricles of both rats and dogs. All biochemical assays remained within the normal range during the study period. The histopathological analysis did not show any signs of drug-induced toxicity, showing the safety of these nanodroplets. Pre-PGS-PFP nanodroplets hold great potential for use in echocardiography and abdominal imaging in both human and veterinary applications after clinical trials.

Distortions to the passage of time for annual events: Exploring why Christmas and Ramadan feel like they come around more quickly each year.

BACKGROUND: Commonly heard statements such as "Christmas comes around more quickly each year" suggest that the passage of time between annual events can become distorted, leading to the sensation of time passing more quickly than normal. At present however, it is unclear how prevalent such beliefs are and, what factors are predictive of it. AIM: To explore the prevalence of beliefs that annual events such as Christmas (Study 1 UK sample) and Ramadan (Study 2 Iraqi sample) feel like they come around more quickly each year. To establish the association between distortions to the passage of time between annual events and emotional wellbeing, event specific enjoyment, memory function and self-reported attention to time. METHODS: Participants completed an online questionnaire exploring their subjective experience of time in relation to Christmas and Ramadan. In addition, measures of attention to time, memory function, quality of life and event specific emotion were also taken. FINDINGS: There was widespread agreement that Christmas and Ramadan appeared to come around more quickly each year. In both countries, this belief was associated with greater prospective memory errors, greater attention to time and greater enjoyment of the event. Furthermore, in the UK greater belief that Christmas comes around more quickly was associated with lower social quality of life and in Iraq, greater belief that Ramadan comes around more quickly each year was associated with lower age and female gender. CONCLUSIONS: Distortions to the passage of time for annual events are widespread, occur across multiple cultures and are consistently predicted by prospective function, event enjoyment and attention to time. The absence of an association between older age (above 55 years) and a faster passage of time suggests that caution should be taken when concluding that time passes more quickly with increasing age.

Racial and gender differences in relapse potential and treatment acceptance among rural residents in a substance use disorder treatment program.

PURPOSE: To examine racial and gender differences in treatment acceptance and relapse potential among rural residents admitted to a substance use disorder (SUD) treatment program. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using data collected from a sample of 1850 rural residents admitted to a South Carolina state-run SUD treatment center between the years of 2018 and 2020. Chi-square and t-tests were used to compare treatment acceptance and relapse potential by race and gender. Multivariate logistic regression analyses was conducted to further examine the relationship of race and gender with treatment acceptance and relapse potential after adjusting for potential confounding variables. FINDINGS: Approximately 50% of participants were classified as being accepting of their treatment and committed to changing their substance use, and there were no racial or gender differences in the bivariate and multivariate analyses. Approximately 25% of participants were classified as having low/no potential risk for relapsing, and there were no racial or gender differences in the bivariate analysis. However, the adjusted odds ratio of relapsing risk were lower among White compared to Black adults [AOR = 0.49 with 95% CI (0.31-0.77)]. CONCLUSION: This study suggests there are no gender or racial differences in treatment acceptance for SUD but that Black adults are at greater risk of relapsing relative to White adults. Additional research is needed to identify factors that increase Black adults' risk for relapse to inform interventions that can improve SUD treatment outcomes in this population.

Structural investigations and antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer studies on zinc salicylaldimine complexes.

Aim: Zinc salicylaldimines may act as multidrug agents. Results: Three zinc salicylaldimines C1-C3 and respective ligands HL1-HL3 were examined for antimicrobial/anticancer drug action and C3 was structurally analyzed (tetrahedral, triclinic). Against two fungi, C1 inhibited Candida albicans with 12 mm (21 mm for amphotericin B). Among four bacteria, two ligands inhibited Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli (9-10 mm), but the complexes inhibited all bacteria with 10-14 mm (21-26 mm for ampicillin). The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations for the ligands, complexes and doxorubicin were 195.5-310.7, 22.18-70.05 and 9.66 µM against cancerous MCF-7 cells and 186.4-199.9, 14.95-18.87 and 36.42 µM against normal BHK cells. Conclusion: The complexation produced pronounced enhancement in the ligand antimicrobial/anticancer activities, despite these activities are moderate comparing with standards.

[Box: see text].

Exploratory factor analysis of shared trauma in psychiatric-mental health nurses using the Shared Trauma Professional Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (STPPG).

INTRODUCTION: The Shared Trauma Professional Post Traumatic Growth Inventory (STPPG) was developed by Tosone et al. (2014) to help understand shared trauma (ST) in social workers. ST occurs when the healthcare professional and client both experience the same collective traumatic event. This inventory has been adapted for use with mental health nurses. A cross-sectional study of N = 552 mental health nurses was completed in the spring of 2023 to assess the feasibility of using the STPPG to explore shared trauma in mental health nurses. METHODS: An exploratory factor analysis was run for the STPPG using squared multiple correlations with the maximum likelihood method. RESULTS: The alpha coefficient ranged from 0.82 to 0.89 for 2-factors and 0.73 to 0.89 for 3-factors. The results indicated that all correlations were significant among the total scales and subscales. All correlations were positive, ranging from 0.81 to 0.95 for two factors and 0.58 to 0.89 for three factors. CONCLUSION: The STPPG has confirmed a two-factor analysis for mental health nurses. The STPPG is a valid inventory to measure ST in mental health nurses and will allow the concept to be further studied.

Proteinaceous Lymphadenopathy Masquerading as Malignancy: a Rare Case Presenting a Diagnostic Dilemma.

Proteinaceous lymphadenopathy (PLD) is a rare poorly defined, underrecognized entity of uncertain etiology, characterized by massive deposition of amorphous, acellular, eosinophilic, PAS-positive material within an enlarged lymph node. We report an unusual case of a 46-year-old female with a large abdominal lump in the left lumbar region with inguinal lymphadenopathy. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) showed multiple variable-sized lobulated non-enhancing soft tissue attenuated masses showing multiple peripheral and central calcific foci in the right para-aortic, bilateral iliac region, pelvis on the left side and left inguinal region. No evidence of any abnormal hypermetabolic focus was found in the neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis on fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. A large, well-defined, non-FDG avid mass lesion with significant central and peripheral calcification in the left iliac fossa, abutting the descending colon, was seen. A biopsy of left-sided inguinal lymph nodes revealed large masses of an amorphous, acellular, eosinophilic material with areas of mature lymphoid cell aggregates interspersed between the pink amorphous materials. A final impression of proteinaceous lymphadenopathy was given. Proteinaceous lymphadenopathy is a benign condition with often a large mass masquerading as malignancy. It is a major therapeutic challenge for pathologists and clinicians. Histopathologists need to be vigilant in such cases and be aware of the morphological appearances in such cases.

Characterization of the Mechanical, Biodegradation, and Morphological Properties of NBR/Biopolymer Blend, Integrated with a Risk Evaluation.

Biopolymer blends have attracted considerable attention in industrial applications due to their notable mechanical properties and biodegradability. This work delves into the innovative combination of butadiene-acrylonitrile (referred to as NBR) with a pectin-based biopolymer (NGP) at a 90:10 mass ratio through a detailed analysis employing mechanical characterization, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and morphology studies using SEM. Additionally, biopolymer's biodegradability under aerobic and anaerobic conditions is tested. The study's findings underscore the superior tensile strength and elongation at break of the NGP/NBR blend in comparison to pure NBR, while also exhibiting a decrease in puncture resistance due to imperfect bonds at the particle-matrix interfaces, necessitating the use of a compatibilizer. In anaerobic conditions, evaluation of biodegradable properties reveals 2% and 12% biodegradability in NBR and NGP/NBR blend, respectively. The degradation properties were also aligned with TGA results highlighting a lower decomposition temperature for NGP. Additionally, this research integrates the application of a conditional value-at-risk (CVaR)-based analysis of the blend's tensile properties to evaluate the uncertainty impact in the experiment. Under risk, a significant enhancement in the tensile performance (by 80%) of the NGP/NBR blend was shown compared to pure NBR. Ultimately, the study shows that adding pectin to the NBR compound amplifies the overall performance of the biopolymer significantly under select criteria.

Exploratory factor and confirmatory analyses of the polycystic ovary syndrome health-related quality of life questionnaire (PCOSQ-50).

BACKGROUND: A condition-specific instrument is necessary to measure the health-related quality of life among those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common chronic endocrinopathy among women. The first instrument was developed in 1988, followed by several revisions. However, further recommendations from all versions include additional application and measurement among different cultural populations of women with PCOS and psychometric testing based on use among larger samples of women with PCOS. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the factor structure of the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Questionnaire (PCOSQ-50) using an international cross-sectional survey data from women with PCOS aged 18-42 years. METHODS: Using data from the largest known international cross-sectional study of women with PCOS aged 18-42 years (n = 935) to date, exploratory factor and confirmatory analyses were conducted for the PCOSQ-50, followed by factor labeling using a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: Respondents were 31.0 ± 5.8 years of age, mostly White (72%), well-educated (56% had a college degree), married (69%), and employed full-time (65%). Three-quarters (74%) of the sample had one or more chronic conditions in addition to PCOS. Approximately 20% of the respondents originated from countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, etc. The PCOSQ-50 demonstrated good reliability but may be best described using a 7-factor model. The 7-factor model revealed goodness-of-fit. Thematic analysis suggested the following labels of those seven factors: hirsutism, fertility, isolation/trepidation, sexual function, self-esteem, emotional, and obesity. CONCLUSION: More research is needed to adapt the current PCOSQ-50, as well as to create an age-appropriate PCOS-specific HRQoL instrument for peri-postmenopausal women with PCOS.

Modifying performance of solar still, by using slices absorber plate and new design of glass cover, experimental and numerical study.

By utilizing novel techniques on the absorber plates as well as the glass cover, this effort attempts to increase the distilled water productivity of a modified pyramid solar still. Under the climatic conditions of Iraq, the use of basin absorber plates with slices along its length, and a W-shaped glass cover was investigated experimentally and numerically. In this work, two comparable solar stills with basin absorber plates of 1 m2 have been planned and built using regional resources. Two absorber plates made of stainless steel were produced, first one was solid and the second was sliced. Two covers made of glass were produced one has a pyramid-shaped glass cover and the other a W-shape. According to experimental and numerical findings, forming slices and changing the glass cover resulted in a 20 % increase in the amount of distilled water. when compared to a pyramid glass cover and a standard sort of absorber plate.

PCOS health-related quality-of-life and depressive symptoms across the lifespan: Comparative study.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and depressive symptoms among peri-postmenopausal women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) aged ≥43 years relative to premenopausal women with PCOS aged 18-42 years. An online survey link comprising questionnaires about demographics, HRQoL, and depressive symptoms was posted onto two PCOS-specific Facebook groups. Respondents (n = 1,042) were separated into two age cohorts: women with PCOS aged 18-42 years (n = 935) and women with PCOS aged ≥43 years (n = 107). Data from the online survey were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multiple regression via SAS. Results were interpreted through the lens of life course theory. All demographic variables, except for the number of comorbidities, significantly differed between groups. HRQoL among older women with PCOS was significantly better as compared to those aged 18-42 years. Results indicated significant positive linear associations between the HRQoL psychosocial/emotional subscale and other HRQoL subscales and a significant negative association with age. The fertility and sexual function HRQoL subscales were not significantly associated with the psychosocial/emotional subscale among women aged ≥43 years. Women in both groups had moderate depressive symptoms. Study findings demonstrate the need to tailor PCOS management to women's life stage. This knowledge can inform future research about peri-postmenopausal women with PCOS and age-appropriate and patient-centered healthcare, including requisite clinical screenings (e.g., depressive symptoms) and lifestyle counseling across the lifespan.

A comprehensive simulation framework for predicting the eCLIPs implant crimping into a catheter and its deployment mechanisms.

Tubular flow diverters (FDs) represent an important subset of the endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms (CAs), acting to reduce aneurysm inflow, eventually resulting in aneurysm thrombosis and occlusion. eCLIPs (product of Evasc Neurovascular Enterprises, Vancouver, Canada), an innovative non-tubular implant causes flow diversion by bridging the neck of bifurcation CAs. However, in a small subset of challenging bifurcation aneurysms with fusiform pathology, the currently available eCLIPs models do not provide sufficient neck bridging resulting in a gap created between the device structure and the aneurysm/artery wall. To overcome this challenge, a new design of the eCLIPs (VR-eCLIPs) was developed by varying the rib length to cover such an inflow gap. To optimize the new product development process, and avoiding expensive and time-consuming iterative manufacture of prototype devices, we have developed a new finite element model to simulate the crimping and expansion processes of the VR-eCLIPs implant, and assess the possibility of plastic deformation. Results indicated that neither eCLIPs nor VR-eCLIPs experience plastic deformation during the crimping process. Upon full expansion, the ribs of VR-eCLIPs interact with the aneurysm and artery wall to cover the inflow gap that exists in certain challenging anatomies. This process serves as a basis to expedite design development prior to prototype manufacturing.

Mapping the Heartbeat of America with ChatGPT-4: Unpacking the Interplay of Social Vulnerability, Digital Literacy, and Cardiovascular Mortality in County Residency Choices.

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States (US). Although high-quality data are accessible in the US for cardiovascular research, digital literacy (DL) has not been explored as a potential factor influencing cardiovascular mortality, although the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) has been used previously as a variable in predictive modeling. Utilizing a large language model, ChatGPT4, we investigated the variability in CVD-specific mortality that could be explained by DL and SVI using regression modeling. We fitted two models to calculate the crude and adjusted CVD mortality rates. Mortality data using ICD-10 codes were retrieved from CDC WONDER, and the geographic level data was retrieved from the US Department of Agriculture. Both datasets were merged using the Federal Information Processing Standards code. The initial exploration involved data from 1999 through 2020 (n = 65,791; 99.98% complete for all US Counties) for crude cardiovascular mortality (CCM). Age-adjusted cardiovascular mortality (ACM) had data for 2020 (n = 3118 rows; 99% complete for all US Counties), with the inclusion of SVI and DL in the model (a composite of literacy and internet access). By leveraging on the advanced capabilities of ChatGPT4 and linear regression, we successfully highlighted the importance of incorporating the SVI and DL in predicting adjusted cardiovascular mortality. Our findings imply that just incorporating internet availability in the regression model may not be sufficient without incorporating significant variables, such as DL and SVI, to predict ACM. Further, our approach could enable future researchers to consider DL and SVI as key variables to study other health outcomes of public-health importance, which could inform future clinical practices and policies.

Using biologically synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles as potential remedy against multiple drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus of bovine mastitis.

Presently, there is considerable emphasis on biological synthesis of nanoparticles containing bioactive reducing compounds with an aim to mitigate the harmful effects of pollutants. The approach under study is simple and ideal for the production of durable antimicrobial nanomaterials by novel single-step green synthesis of TiO2 metal oxide nanostructures using ginger and garlic crude aqueous extracts with bactericidal and catalytic activity. A variety of experimental techniques were used to characterize the synthesized nanomaterials. As demonstrated using x-ray diffraction and ultra-violet visible spectroscopy, the produced nanoparticles exhibited high absorption at 318 nm with size varying between 23.38 nm for ginger and 58.64 nm for garlic in biologically-reduced TiO2. At increasing concentrations (500, 1000 µg/50 µl), nanoparticles reduced with garlic exhibited enhanced bactericidal efficacy against multiple drug-resistant S. aureus and effectively decomposed toxic methylene blue (MB) dye. In conclusion, biologically-reduced TiO2 nanoparticles may prove an effective tool in the fight against microbial illnesses and drug resistance.

Substance use disorders among African-American men in the rural south: A scoping review.

African American (AA) men in the rural South may be at high risk for experiencing adverse health outcomes from substance use (SU). We conducted a scoping review to explore the research on SU among rural AA men in the rural South of the United States (US). Ten articles addressed the following thematic areas pertaining to SU: factors associated with SU (n = 6), associations between substance use and health outcomes (n = 2), and the influence of impulsivity on SU (n = 2). Additional research on SU among AA men in the rural South is needed, particularly pertaining to treatment-related considerations.

In vitro biological activity of cobalt(II) complexes with salicylaldimine ligands in microbial and cancer cells.

Background: More studies using cobalt complexes as drugs are needed. Results: The drug action of two cobalt salicylaldimines was determined. The complexes and amphotericin B (20 mg/ml) inhibited Candida albicans at 9-15 and 21 mm. This concentration of both ligands inhibited Staphylococcus aureus at 10 mm and one ligand inhibited Escherichia coli at 9 mm, but the complexes and ampicillin inhibited four bacteria at 9-20 and 21-26 mm. The ligands were inactive against cancer and normal cells, but the complexes and doxorubicin provided IC50 values of 28.18-54.19 and 9.66 µM against MCF-7 cells and 15.76-20.49 and 36.42 µM against BHK cells. Conclusion: The ligands' activity was much improved by complexation, although they remained substandard.

Liquid-Templating Aerogels.

Modern materials science has witnessed the era of advanced fabrication methods to engineer functionality from the nano- to macroscales. Versatile fabrication and additive manufacturing methods are developed, but the ability to design a material for a given application is still limited. Here, a novel strategy that enables target-oriented manufacturing of ultra-lightweight aerogels with on-demand characteristics is introduced. The process relies on controllable liquid templating through interfacial complexation to generate tunable, stimuli-responsive 3D-structured (multiphase) filamentous liquid templates. The methodology involves nanoscale chemistry and microscale assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) at liquid-liquid interfaces to produce hierarchical macroscopic aerogels featuring multiscale porosity, ultralow density (3.05-3.41 mg cm-3 ), and high compressibility (90%) combined with elastic resilience and instant shape recovery. The challenges are overcome facing ultra-lightweight aerogels, including poor mechanical integrity and the inability to form predefined 3D constructs with on-demand functionality, for a multitude of applications. The controllable nature of the coined methodology enables tunable electromagnetic interference shielding with high specific shielding effectiveness (39 893 dB cm2 g-1 ), and one of the highest-ever reported oil-absorption capacities (487 times the initial weight of aerogel for chloroform), to be obtained. These properties originate from the engineerable nature of liquid templating, pushing the boundaries of lightweight materials to systematic function design and applications.

Metronidazole Potentiation by Panax Ginseng and Symphytum officinale: A New Strategy for P. gingivalis Infection Control.

The important periodontal disease pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis produces thick biofilms that increase its pathogenicity. Finding natural antimicrobial agents is crucial because of the rise in antibiotic resistance. The purpose of this study was to determine if plant extracts such as Symphytum officinale (S) and Panax Ginseng (G) were effective against P. gingivalis separately and in combination with a common antibiotic, metronidazole (F). Six different dilutions were produced using the plant extracts in different concentrations and antibiotics separately and in combination with F, G, and S using the two-fold serial dilution technique. To evaluate the effects of these substances, biofilm inhibition experiments were conducted. Plaque samples were collected from periodontitis patients to isolate P. gingivalis, and a standard strain of P. gingivalis (ATCC 33277) was purchased. Additionally, Acylated Homoserine Lactones (AHLs) detection was carried out to look for any activity that would interfere with quorum sensing. GraphPad Prism was used for statistical analysis with a p-value < 0.05. The combinations of Symphytum officinale and metronidazole (S+F) showed the maximum effectiveness in biofilm inhibition (98.7%), which was slightly better than G+F (98.2%), with substantial variations in biofilm inhibition levels in different treatment regimes. Notably, the patient isolate was more active than the standard strain. Additionally, the plant extracts and their combinations at particular dilutions had notable inhibitory effects on the generation of AHL (p < 0.05). The study highlights the possibility of Symphytum officinale and Panax Ginseng as effective treatments for P. gingivalis biofilm and AHLs, both on their own and in combination with metronidazole. These organic substances may open the door to cutting-edge methods of treating periodontal disorders.