The Influence of Citrus Pectin and Polyacrylamide Modified with Plant-Derived Additives on the Properties of α-TCP-Based Bone Cements.

Materials based on highly reactive α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP) powder were developed and evaluated. Furthermore, the impact of different polymeric additives, such as citrus pectin or polyacrylamide (PAAM) modified with sago starch, neem flower, or rambutan peel, on the physiochemical and biological properties of the developed materials was assessed. The addition of modified PAAM shortened the setting process of bone cements and decreased their compressive strength. On the other hand, the addition of citrus pectin significantly enhanced the mechanical strength of the material from 4.46 to 7.15 MPa. The improved mechanical properties of the bone cement containing citrus pectin were attributed to the better homogenization of cementitious pastes and pectin cross-linking by Ca2+ ions. In vitro tests performed on L929 cells showed that 10% extracts from α-TCP cements modified with pectin are more cytocompatible than control cements without any additives. Cements containing PAAM with plant-derived modifiers show some degree of cytotoxicity for the highly concentrated 10% extracts, but for diluted extracts, cytotoxicity was reduced, as shown by a resazurin reduction test and live/dead staining. All the developed bone substitutes exhibited in vitro bioactivity, making them promising candidates for further biological studies. This research underscores the advantageous properties of the obtained biomaterials and paves the way for subsequent more advanced in vitro and in vivo investigations.

The Antioxidant Power of a Diet May Improve the Quality of Life of Young Women with Acne Vulgaris.

Acne vulgaris (AV) significantly reduces the quality of life (QoL) of young people, so it is important to look for factors that can improve their QoL. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between dietary antioxidants measured using the new DAQI index and QoL measured using standardized tests. The DAQI included the following elements: antioxidant vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, polyphenols, phytosterols, lignans, and the total antioxidant capacity of the diet. The study involved 165 young women with AV, mainly students. A self-report survey was used to collect basic data on their sociodemographic status, anthropometric information, and lifestyle. The energy value of the diet and the content of vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids with antioxidant activity in the diet were estimated using 3-day food diaries and the Diet 6.0 program. The antioxidant potential of the diet and the content of polyphenols, phytosterols, lignans, and selenium were calculated based on the consumption of individual food products and available databases. The results of this study showed that the QoL of the young women with AV was impaired. However, greater adherence to an antioxidant diet reduces the risk of AV impact on the QoL by approximately 30-32% and the risk of depression by 33%. The DAQI may be used as a new indicator of diet quality in acne vulgaris.

Detraining among Athletes-Is Withdrawal of Adaptive Cardiovascular Changes a Hint for the Differential Diagnosis of Physically Active People?

An athlete's training aims to achieve the highest possible sports results by improving physical dispositions which lead to cardiac adaptive changes. The annual training cycle is divided into periods. The preparatory period begins with gradually increasing training intensity and volume until the competitive period occurs, when the athlete's maximum performance is expected. Finally, the athlete enters a phase of loss of fitness, which is called detraining. Detraining is a time of resting both physically and mentally from the training regime and usually lasts about 4 weeks for endurance athletes. We collected data from much research on athletes' detraining. According to these data, the earliest change after detraining seems to be a decrease in left ventricular wall thickness and left ventricular mass, followed by decreased performance parameters, diastolic diameter of the left ventricle and size of the left atrium. A reversal of adaptive changes affects the left heart chamber first, then the right atrium and, finally, the right ventricle. Training reduction is often proposed as a method of differentiating an athlete's heart from cardiomyopathies. The aim of this study is to consider the diagnostic value of detraining in differentiating athletes' hearts from cardiomyopathies. We suggest that detraining cannot be conclusive in differentiating the disease from adaptive changes. Although a withdrawal of the characteristic morphological, functional and electrocardiographic changes occurs in healthy athletes during detraining, it can also concern individuals with cardiomyopathies due to the lower expression of abnormal features after decreased training loads. Therefore, a quick diagnosis and individual assessments using imaging and genetic tests are essential to recommend a proper type of activity.

Dietary Antioxidants May Support Cosmetic Treatment in Patients with Rosacea.

Rosacea is a chronic skin disease that significantly reduces the quality of life (QoL) of patients. The aim of this study was to assess whether dietary antioxidants can support the effect of cosmetic treatment in improving the QoL of patients with rosacea. Basic data about participants (N = 160) were collected using a self-reported survey. QoL was assessed using the standardized Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire. An interventional cosmetic treatment was performed using cavitation peeling and sonophoresis with a commercial capillary repair serum. The study was registered as a clinical trial (NCT06271135). To assess antioxidant diet quality, for the first time, a new dietary antioxidant quality index (DAQI) was developed, which consisted of 12 items: dietary total antioxidant capacity, dietary polyphenols, phytosterols, lignans, vitamin C, vitamin E, ß-carotene, zinc, iron, copper, manganese and selenium. It was found that the highest tertiles of DAQI diminished the odds about 40-45% of the moderate, large and extremely large effect of rosacea on QoL and about 8-11% of the occurrence of rosacea symptoms compared with the lowest tertile. This study showed that rosacea has a negative impact on QoL, but a comprehensive approach to treatment, including antioxidant cosmetic treatment and dietary antioxidants, can improve the QoL of patients with rosacea.

Exfoliated graphite with spinel oxide as an effective hybrid electrocatalyst for water splitting.

The aim of the conducted research was to develop hybrid nanostructures formed from MnCo2O4 and exfoliated graphite. Carbon added during the synthesis allowed for obtaining a well-distributed MnCo2O4 particle size with exposed active sites contributing to the increased electric conductivity. The influence of the weight ratios of carbon to a catalyst for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions was investigated. The new bifunctional catalysts for water splitting were tested in an alkaline medium with excellent electrochemical performance and very good working stability. The results for hybrid samples show better electrochemical performance compared to the pure MnCo2O4. The highest electrocatalytic activity was for sample MnCo2O4/EG (2/1), where the value of the overpotential was 1.66 V at 10 mA cm-2, and also for this sample a low value of Tafel slope (63 mV dec-1) was denoted.

Green algae and gelatine derived nitrogen rich carbon as an outstanding competitor to Pt loaded carbon catalysts.

The development of effective catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a significant challenge in energy conversion systems, e.g., Zn-air batteries. Herein, green-algae- and gelatine-derived porous, nitrogen-rich carbons were extensively investigated as electrode materials for electrochemical catalytic reactions. These carbon-based catalysts were designed and optimized to create a metal-free catalyst via templating, carbonization, and subsequent removal of the template. The additional incorporation of graphene improved electronic conductivity and enhanced the electrochemical catalytic reaction. Porous carbons with heteroatoms were used as effective platinum-free ORR electrocatalysts for energy conversion; the presence of nitrogen in the carbon provided more active sites for ORR. Our catalyst also displayed notable durability in a rechargeable Zn-air battery energy system. More importantly, the nitrogen-containing porous carbons were found to have comparable ORR performance in alkaline media to commercially available electrocatalysts. The manuscript demonstrates that nitrogen atom insertion is an appropriate approach when aiming to eliminate noble metals from the synthesis route. N-doped carbons are competitive materials compared to reference platinum-based catalysts.