Release of ions enhanced the antibacterial performance of laser-generated, uncoated Ag nanoparticles.

Identifying the antibacterial mechanisms of elemental silver at the nanoscale remains a significant challenge due to the intertwining behaviors between the particles and their released ions. The open question is which of the above factor dominate the antibacterial behaviors when silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with different sizes. Considering the high reactivity of Ag NPs, prior research has primarily concentrated on coated particles, which inevitably hinder the release of Ag+ ions due to additional chemical agents. In this study, we synthesized various Ag NPs, both coated and uncoated, using the laser ablation in liquids (LAL) technique. By analyzing both the changes in particle size and Ag+ ions release, the impacts of various Ag NPs on the cellular activity and morphological changes of gram-negative (E. coil) and gram-positive (S. aureus) bacteria were evaluated. Our findings revealed that for uncoated Ag NPs, smaller particles exhibited greater ions release efficiency and enhanced antibacterial efficacy. Specifically, particles approximately 1.5 nm in size released up to 55 % of their Ag+ ions within 4 h, significantly inhibiting bacterial growth. Additionally, larger particles tended to aggregate on the bacterial cell membrane surface, whereas smaller particles were more likely to be internalized by the bacteria. Notably, treatment with smaller Ag NPs led to more pronounced bacterial morphological changes and elevated levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). We proposed that the bactericidal activity of Ag NPs stems from the synergistic effect between particle-cell interaction and the ionic silver, which is dependent on the crucial parameter of particle size.

Analyzing the Surface Topography of Hafnium Nitride Coating on Titanium Screws: An In Vitro Analysis.

Background The use of surface coatings to enhance the properties lacking in titanium has attracted significant focus in recent times. Hafnium nitride (HfN) coatings could be explored as promising in the osteoinductive properties of titanium implants. HfN exhibits excellent mechanical attributes, such as hardness and wear resistance, and is often used as a coating on high-end equipment for protection. The findings from this research may carve a new path for the production and optimization of HfN coatings to enhance the longevity and augment properties of implant materials. Thus, the present study was orchestrated to elucidate the surface morphology of HfN coating, ultimately contributing to the advancement of dental implant biomaterials. Materials and methods A total of twenty samples of medical grade commercially pure titanium screws (2 mm diameter and 7 mm length) were procured from G. R. Bioure Surgical System Pvt. Ltd., Ravali, Uttar Pradesh, India, and ten samples were reacted with HfN (0.1 M) (Nano Research Elements, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India) in 100% ethanol and stirred continuously for about 48 hours. Then these screw samples were immersed in the prepared colloidal suspension and sintered for two hours at 400 degrees centigrade. The implant screws were affixed onto metal supports. The magnifications for photomicrographs at ×30, ×200, ×1,500, ×3,000, and ×5,000 were standardized. Elementary semi-quantitative analysis of both dental implants was conducted using energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) coupled with the field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) equipment (JEOL Ltd., Akishima, Tokyo, Japan). The software used for the analysis of the obtained images is SEM Center. Results The surface analysis using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed the coating of HfN over titanium screws. The difference in surface morphology of both the group of implant screws can be visualized under 40.0 and 10.0 mm working distance (WD) for both groups. The surface analysis using the EDX of uncoated titanium screws shows five elements in the spectrum: titanium (Ti), oxygen (O), aluminum (Al), carbon (C), and vanadium (V). The EDX of the HfN-coated screws has two additional metals dispersed in the spectrum, hafnium (Hf). The element characteristics are tabulated with their apparent concentration, k ratio, line type, weight percentage, standard label, and factory label for uncoated titanium screws and HfN-coated titanium screws. Conclusion The study evaluated HfN coating over medical grade commercially pure titanium. The surface topography of coated versus uncoated was visualized. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed a homogenous coating over the titanium surfaces, and the EDX showed elemental dispersion of the coated implant. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the coating's surface morphology, which will aid in the development of more durable and biocompatible implants. This thereby provides a promising scope for further research of this novel metal coating for use in the biomedical sectors, specifically for dental implants.

Evaluation of Corrosive Properties of Hafnium Nitride Coating Over Titanium Screws: An In Vitro Study.

Background Varied surface coatings have been studied time and again in medical sciences. Whether general or dental, studying the performance of coatings aims to assess their potential to improve the durability and longevity of titanium implants, thereby advancing implant technology for enhanced patient outcomes. Various analytical techniques are utilized to assess the performance of the coating, providing insights into its effectiveness in preventing corrosion. The findings of this evaluation will contribute to our understanding of corrosion mitigation strategies for titanium implants and pave the way for the development of more durable implant materials. This article aims to evaluate the corrosion resistance of an innovative metal compound coating applied over titanium implants.  Materials and methods In this study, a total of 20 medical-grade, commercially pure titanium screws were collected. The dimensions of the titanium screws were 2mm x 7mm. Around 10 of these commercially pure titanium screw samples were used as the control group. Hafnium nitride (HfN) (0.1 M) was mixed with 100% ethanol and stirred using a glass rod for about 48 hours. Then 10 of the implant screw samples were immersed in the prepared sol and sintered at 400o C for two hours. The HfN-coated samples were then used as the test group. The corrosion resistance of both groups was tested using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization studies. The Nyquist, Bode impedance, and Bode phase angle plots were obtained and studied.  Results Using the Stern-Geary equation, the corrosion current density was calculated. On analysis, these values indicated that the higher impedance in HfN-coated titanium screws showed higher mean corrosion potential (Ecorr = -0.452 V) and corrosion current density ( icorr = 0.0354 µA/cm2) than the uncoated titanium screws.  Conclusion It was concluded that the corrosion properties of HfN-coated titanium screws had higher impedance and consequently the highest corrosion resistance. This thereby provides a promising scope for further research of this novel metal coating for use in the biomedical sectors, specifically for dental implants.

Sensitive and rapid analysis of plasmid DNA topology isoforms by capillary gel electrophoresis with laser induced fluorescence in uncoated capillary.

The work describes the use of SYBR Gold to improve the detection sensitivity of plasmid DNA topoisomers by capillary gel electrophoresis with laser induced fluorescence in an uncoated capillary. The impact of different dyes, including ethidium bromide, SYBR Green and SYBR Gold, was compared based on detection and separation of DNA plasmid topoisomers. Use of SYBR Gold enabled improvement of detection sensitivity by 15-fold while maintaining good separation resolution of the different topoisomers. The baseline dropped with the use SYBR Gold but was overcome by the employment of a capillary with longer ineffective length (40 vs. 20 cm). Separation resolution and reproducibility were impacted by the concentration of SYBR Gold and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. With the use of a short capillary (10 cm effective length and 50 cm total length), fast separations of supercoiled, linear, open circular, and other isoforms were accomplished within 8 min. Appropriate capillary cleaning with 0.1 M sodium hydroxide/0.1 M hydrochloric acid and capillary storage with 0.1 M hydrochloric acid ensured good separation reproducibility of 217 runs during an extended period of use.

Comparison of Surface Morphology and Tool Wear in the Machining of Ti-6Al-4V Alloys with Uncoated and TiAlN Tools under Dry, Minimum Quantity Lubrication, Flood Cooling, and Low-Temperature Spray Jet Cooling Conditions.

TiAlN-coated carbide tools have been used to machine Ti-6Al-4V alloys in aviation workshops. However, the effect of TiAlN coating on surface morphology and tool wear in the processing of Ti-6Al-4V alloys under various cooling conditions has not been reported in the public published literature. In our current research, turning experiments of Ti-6Al-4V with uncoated and TiAlN tools under dry, MQL, flood cooling, and cryogenic spray jet cooling conditions were carried out. The machined surface roughness and tool life were selected as the two main quantitative indexes for estimating the effects of TiAlN coating on the cutting performance of Ti-6Al-4V under various cooling conditions. The results showed that TiAlN coating makes it hard to improve the machined surface roughness and tool wear of a cutting titanium alloy at a low speed of 75 m/min compared to that achieved by uncoated tools. The TiAlN tools presented excellent tool life in turning Ti-6Al-4V at a high speed of 150 m/min compared to that achieved by uncoated tools. From the perspective of obtaining finished surface roughness and superior tool life in high-speed turning Ti-6Al-4V, the selection of TiAlN tools is feasible and reasonable under the cryogenic spray jet cooling condition. The dedicative results and conclusions of this research could guide the optimized selection of cutting tools in machining Ti-6Al-4V for the aviation industry.

A useful species identification and quality control using volatile patterns of ssajuari-ssuk and sajabal-ssuk (Artemisia princeps Pamp. cv. ssajuari and Artemisia princeps Pamp. cv. sajabal; Korean mugwort) according to air-drying term by fast gas chromatography with uncoated surface acoustic wave sensor.

INTRODUCTION: Ssajuari-ssuk and sajabal-ssuk have many clinical benefits. It is difficult to discriminate between these two species based on general characteristics aside from the shapes of the leaves. Thus, species identification and quality control between ssajuari-ssuk and sajabal-ssuk are of great concern in plant science and clinical therapy. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine whether fast gas chromatography with uncoated surface acoustic wave sensor (GC-SAW) can be a useful technique for performing species identification and quality control using volatile patterns of ssajuari-ssuk and sajabal-ssuk air-dried for 4 months and 2 years and 4 months. METHODOLOGY: Fast GC-SAW sensor provides second unit analysis, simple, on-line measurements that do not require pretreatment of the sample and rapid sensory information. Headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was employed to confirm the identification of the volatiles and compared to fast GC-SAW sensor. RESULTS: In air-dried sajabal-ssuk, the concentration of 1,8-cineole was higher than that in air-dried ssajuari-ssuk, while the level of α-thujone was considerably lower than that of air-dried ssajuari-ssuk. Each of ssajuari-ssuk and sajabal-ssuk air-dried for 4 months and 2 years and 4 months has its own characteristic volatile pattern owing to its individual chemotypes or chemical compositions. CONCLUSION: Consequently, the fast GC-SAW sensor can be a useful technique for species identification and quality control using volatile patterns of ssajuari-ssuk and sajabal-ssuk air-dried for 4 months and 2 years and 4 months. This method can be used for the standardisation of quality control using volatile patterns of herbal medicines.

Shared and Non-Shared sIgA-Coated and -Uncoated Bacteria in Intestine of Mother-Infant Pairs.

The infant gut microbiota is critical for promoting and maintaining early-life health. The study aimed to analyze the composition of sIgA-coated and sIgA-uncoated bacterial communities at genus level and lactobacilli and bifidobacterial communities at species level in human breast milk (HBM) and infant and maternal feces. Eleven pregnant women were recruited successfully. HBM; infant feces during colostrum, transition, and mature stages; and maternal feces within the mature stage were collected. sIgA-coated and sIgA-uncoated bacteria were separated with magnetic-activated cell sorting. Then, 16S rRNA sequencing, bifidobacterial groEL gene sequencing, and lactobacilli groEL gene sequencing were performed to analyze the bacterial community. PCoA revealed that the compositions of sIgA-coated and sIgA-uncoated bacteria were different among HBM and infant and maternal feces. Higher relative abundance of sIgA-uncoated Bifidobacterium was found in the three lactation stages in infant feces compared to the corresponding HBM, and a higher relative abundance of sIgA-uncoated Faecalibacterium was found in maternal feces compared to HBM and infant feces. For bifidobacterial community, sIgA-coated and sIgA-uncoated B. longum subsp. infantis and B. pseudocatenulatum was dominant in infant feces and maternal feces, respectively. The relative abundance of sIgA-uncoated B. longum subsp. infantis was significantly higher in infant feces compared to that in maternal feces. For the Lactobacillus community, L. paragasseri and L. mucosae were dominant in infant and maternal feces, respectively. HBM and infant and maternal feces showed distinct diversity and composition of both sIgA-coated and sIgA-uncoated bacteria at genus level. Infant and maternal feces showed similar composition of Bifidobacterium at species level. The same Bifidobacterium species could be detected both in sIgA-coated and -uncoated form. This article provided deeper understanding on the microbiota profile in HBM and infant and maternal feces.

A scoping review on the impact of hydrophilic versus non-hydrophilic intermittent catheters on UTI, QoL, satisfaction, preference, and other outcomes in neurogenic and non-neurogenic patients suffering from urinary retention.

BACKGROUND: For patients suffering from urinary retention due to neurogenic [e.g., spinal cord injury (SCI), spina bifida (SB), multiple sclerosis (MS)] or non-neurogenic [e.g., cancer, benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH)] causes, intermittent catheterization is the primary choice for bladder emptying. This scoping review compared hydrophilic-coated intermittent catheters (HCICs) with non-hydrophilic (uncoated) catheters in neurogenic and non-neurogenic patients with respect to satisfaction, preference, adverse events, urinary tract infection (UTI), quality of life (QoL), cost effectiveness, pain, and discomfort. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Embase, and available clinical practice guidelines and was limited to systematic reviews/meta-analysis and clinical studies (randomized trials, cohort and case-control studies) published in English between 2000 and 2020. A narrative synthesis was performed, comparing HCIC with non-hydrophilic catheters in each pathology. The articles where critically appraised and weighted according to their level of evidence based on the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Levels of Evidence grading. RESULTS: Thirty seven original articles and 40 reviews were included. The comparison of HCICs versus non-hydrophilic catheters was well-documented in patients with mixed pathology, SCI, and to some extent SB. The available evidence predominantly indicates better outcomes with HCICs as reported by study authors, particularly, greater UTI reduction and improved satisfaction, cost-effectiveness, and QoL. However, SB studies in children did not report reduction in UTIs. Children complained about slippery catheters, indicating possible touching of the surface during insertion, which may compromise cleanliness of the procedure and affect outcomes such as UTI. Limited studies were available exclusively on BPH and none on MS; however, most studies performed on mixed pathologies, including BPH and MS, indicated strong preference for HCICs compared to non-hydrophilic catheters. CONCLUSIONS: The findings generally support HCICs over non-hydrophilic catheters; however, most studies were fairly small, often used a mix of pathologies, and the conclusions were often based on studies with high drop-out rates that were therefore underpowered. Larger studies are needed to support the general finding that HCICs are the preferred choice in most populations. Additional training in children or redesigned catheters may be necessary for this age-group to fully benefit from the advantages of HCICs.

Collection of propagating electromagnetic fields by uncoated probe.

Understanding light-matter interaction at the nanoscale by observation of fine details of electromagnetic fields is achieved by bringing nanoscale probes into the nearfield of light sources, capturing information that is lost in the far field. Although metal coated probes are often used for nearfield microscopy, they strongly perturb the electromagnetic fields under study. Here, through experiment and simulation, we detail light collection by uncoated fiber probes, which minimize such perturbation. Second-harmonic light from intensely-irradiated sub-wavelength sub-surface features was imaged to avoid otherwise dominating fundamental light background, yielding clear nearfield details through a 50 nm aperture uncoated probe with ∼23 nm optical resolution. Simulations show how a metallic coating distorts optical nearfields and limits optical coupling into the probe in comparison to an uncoated probe.

Optimization of the Dry Turning Process of Ti48Al2Cr2Nb Aluminide Based on the Cutting Tool Configuration.

Titanium aluminides are one of the most promising materials in aeronautical and automotive applications. However, their low machinability makes the processing of these alloys quite difficult under sustainability conditions, specially without lubrication. The current study focuses on the turning process of the Ti48Al2Cr2Nb gamma titanium aluminide under dry conditions. As far as we are aware, dry cutting is the most sustainable feature, although it has not been traditionally applied on titanium aluminides due to the accelerated tool wear that the material promotes. The main novelty of this work consists of providing a simple solution for reducing the tool wear based on the inclination of the cutting insert, what is evaluated in terms of tool wear and tool life, cutting forces, cutting temperature, surface integrity of the machined part, as well as its microhardness and microstructural effects. The results shown here clearly point out a better performance of the machining process. This fact could be understood if we take into consideration that an increment of the clearance angle from 6.3° to 11.6° and 15° increases the tool life by five and six times, respectively, using efficient cutting speeds, whose values have increased by 50% with respect to the original cutting conditions. This improvement is explained according to the reduction in the cutting temperature and friction forces in the flank face of the tool. In addition, the use of uncoated carbide inserts may lead to a better behaviour than the coated ones, considering the results obtained for a PVD TiAlN + AlCr2O3 coated insert herein researched.

Safety and efficacy of drug-coated balloon for peripheral artery revascularization-A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The relative merits of the drug-coated balloon (DCB) versus uncoated balloon (UCB) angioplasty in endovascular intervention for patients with symptomatic lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) remains controversial. METHODS: Online databases were queried with various combinations of keywords to identify relevant articles. Net adverse events (NAEs) and its components were compared using a random effect model to calculate unadjusted odds ratios (ORs). RESULTS: A total of 26 studies comprising 26,845 patients (UCB: 17,770 and DCB: 9075) were included. On pooled analysis, DCB was associated with significantly lower odds of NAE (OR: 0.47, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.36-0.61), vessel restenosis (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.37-0.57), major amputation (OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.47-99), need for repeat target lesion (OR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.31-0.47) and target vessel revascularization (OR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.47-0.81) compared with UCB. Similarly, the primary patency rate was significantly higher in patients undergoing DCB angioplasty (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.19-1.75), while the odds for all-cause mortality (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.85-1.09) were not significantly different between the two groups. A subgroup analysis based on follow-up duration (6 months vs. 1 vs. 2 years) followed the findings of the pooled analysis with few exceptions. CONCLUSIONS: The use of DCB in lower extremity PAD intervention is associated with higher primary patency, lower restenosis, lower amputation rate, and decreased need for repeat revascularization with similar all-cause mortality as compared to UCB.

Toward the Specificity of Bare Nanomaterial Surfaces for Protein Corona Formation.

Aiming at creating smart nanomaterials for biomedical applications, nanotechnology aspires to develop a new generation of nanomaterials with the ability to recognize different biological components in a complex environment. It is common opinion that nanomaterials must be coated with organic or inorganic layers as a mandatory prerequisite for applications in biological systems. Thus, it is the nanomaterial surface coating that predominantly controls the nanomaterial fate in the biological environment. In the last decades, interdisciplinary studies involving not only life sciences, but all branches of scientific research, provided hints for obtaining uncoated inorganic materials able to interact with biological systems with high complexity and selectivity. Herein, the fragmentary literature on the interactions between bare abiotic materials and biological components is reviewed. Moreover, the most relevant examples of selective binding and the conceptualization of the general principles behind recognition mechanisms were provided. Nanoparticle features, such as crystalline facets, density and distribution of surface chemical groups, and surface roughness and topography were encompassed for deepening the comprehension of the general concept of recognition patterns.

Artificial Weathering Mechanisms of Uncoated Structural Polyethylene Terephthalate Fabrics with Focus on Tensile Strength Degradation.

In the past five decades, reinforced coated textile membranes have been used increasingly as building materials, which are environmentally exposed. Thus, their weathering degradation over the service life must be taken into account in design, fabrication, and construction. Regarding such structural membranes, PVC (polyvinylchloride)-coated PET (polyethylene terephthalate) fabric is one of the most common commercially available types. This paper focuses on the backbone of it, i.e., the woven PET fabric. Herein, weathering of uncoated PET, as the load-bearing component of the composite PET-PVC, was studied. This study assessed the uniaxial tensile strength degradation mechanisms of uncoated PET fabric during artificial accelerated weathering tests. For this purpose, exploratory data analysis was carried out to analyze the chemical and physical changes which were traced by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and molecular weight measurements. Finally, with the help of degradation mechanisms determined from the aforementioned evaluations, a degradation pathway network model was constructed. With that, the relationship between applied stress, mechanistic variables, structural changes, and performance level responses (tensile strength degradation) was assessed.

A useful quality control using herbal volatiles of Artemisia princeps Pamp. cv. ssajuari (ssajuari-ssuk; Korean mugwort) according to air-drying time by fast gas chromatography with uncoated surface acoustic wave sensor (Electronic zNose).

INTRODUCTION: Korean mugwort has been used as a traditional medicine. Specifically, air-dried Artemisia princeps Pamp. cv. ssajuari (ssajuari-ssuk; Korean mugwort) has been used as moxa in moxibustion therapy. Thus, the evaluation of high quality ssajuari-ssuk containing herbal volatiles is of great interest in clinical therapy and the food industry. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine whether fast gas chromatography with uncoated surface acoustic wave (fast GC/SAW) sensor can be a useful technique for performing quality control using herbal volatiles of ssajuari-ssuk air-dried for different times. METHODOLOGY: Fast GC/SAW sensor, called "Electronic zNose", is also a headspace sampling method and is an effective simple analytical method with a second unit analysis providing on-line measurements without the need for pretreatment of the sample. Headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was employed to confirm the identification of the volatiles and compared to fast GC/SAW sensor. RESULTS: Artemisia princeps Pamp. cv. ssajuari air-dried for 2 years and 4 months (the third year), containing the highest total amount of herbal volatiles, was superior to the others (the first year, the second year, the fourth year) in quality. Moreover, fast GC/SAW sensor shows a high repeatability (relative standard deviation 0.77% âˆ¼ 6.23%), excellent sensitivity (limit of detection value of 0.47 pg/mL), and good linearity (correlation coefficient r2 = 0.997) over the range of nanogram for α-thujone. CONCLUSION: Therefore, the fast GC/SAW sensor can be a useful analytical method for the discrimination and quality control of volatiles of herbal and medicinal plants according to air-drying time, as it provides a simple and second unit analysis.

Comparison of efficacy and safety of drug-eluting versus uncoated balloon angioplasty for femoropopliteal arterial occlusive disease: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This quantitative meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of drug-eluting balloon (DEB) vs. uncoated balloon (UCB) in patients with femoropopliteal arterial occlusive disease. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared DEB and UCB till November 2018. The random-effects model was used for conducting pooled analyses. RESULTS: Seventeen RCTs with 2706 patients were included in the final meta-analysis. Patients who received DEB had higher levels of minimal luminal diameter (MLD) at 6 (WMD: 0.77; 95%CI: 0.53 to 1.02; P < 0.001) and 12 months (WMD: 1.33; 95%CI: 0.93 to 1.73; P < 0.001) than those who received UCB. DEB reduced the late lumen loss (LLL) levels after 6 (WMD: -0.57; 95%CI: - 1.07 to - 0.06; P = 0.029) and 12 months (WMD: -0.95; 95%CI: - 1.28 to - 0.62; P < 0.001). DEB was found not superior over UCB on primary patency after 6 months (RR: 1.44; 95%CI: 0.88-2.35; P = 0.149), whereas DEB increased the primary patency after 12 (RR: 1.51; 95%CI: 1.25-1.83; P < 0.001) and 24 months (RR: 1.51; 95%CI: 1.30-1.77; P < 0.001). Patients who received DEB had reduced the risk of restenosis after 6 (RR: 0.47; 95%CI: 0.33-0.67; P < 0.001) and 12 months (RR: 0.55; 95%CI: 0.35-0.85; P = 0.008). DEB reduced the risk of major adverse events after 6 (RR: 0.30; 95%CI: 0.14-0.61; P = 0.001), 12 (RR: 0.49; 95%CI: 0.32-0.76; P = 0.001) and 24 months (RR: 0.62; 95%CI: 0.41-0.92; P = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: DEB yielded additional benefits on MLD, LLL, primary patency, restenosis, TLR, and major adverse events than UCB in patients with femoropopliteal arterial occlusive disease.

[Real time release testing of disintegration time of uncoated Tianshu Tablets].

In this paper, a real time release testing(RTRT) model for predicting the disintegration time of Tianshu tablets was established on the basis of the concept of quality by design(QbD), in order to improve the quality controllability of the production process. First, 49 batches of raw materials and intermediates were collected. Afterwards, the physical quality attributes of all materials were comprehensively characterized. The partial least square(PLS) regression model was established with the 72 physical quality attributes of raw materials and intermediates as input and the disintegration time(DT) of uncoated tablets as output. Then, the variable screening was carried out based on the variable importance in the projection(VIP) indexes. Moisture content of raw materials(%HR), tapped density of wet masses(D_c), hygroscopicity of dry granules(%H), moisture content of milling granules(%HR) and Carr's index of mixed granules(IC) were determined as the potential critical material attributes(pCMAs). According to the effects of interactions of pCMAs on the performance of the prediction model, it was finally determined that the wet masses' D_c and the dry granules'%H were critical material attributes(CMAs). A RTRT model of the disintegration time prediction was established as DT=34.09+2×D_c+3.59×%H-5.29×%H×D_c,with R~2 equaling to 0.901 7 and the adjusted R~2 equaling to 0.893 3. The average relative prediction error of validation set for the RTRT model was 3.69%. The control limits of the CMAs were determined as 0.55 g·cm~(-3)<D_c<0.63 g·cm~(-3) and 4.77<%H<7.59 according to the design space. The RTRT model of the disintegration time reflects the understanding of the process system, and lays a foundation for the implementation of intelligent control strategy of the key process of Tianshu Tablets.

Visible-light reduced silver nanoparticles' toxicity in Allium cepa test system.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in consumer products due to their antibacterial property; however, their potential toxicity and release into the environment raises concern. Based on the limited understanding of AgNPs aggregation behavior, this study aimed to investigate the toxicity of uncoated (uc-AgNP) and coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP-AgNP), at low concentrations (0.5-100 ng/mL), under dark and visible-light exposure, using a plant test system. We exposed Allium cepa seeds to both types of AgNPs for 4-5 days to evaluate several toxicity endpoints. AgNPs did not cause acute toxicity (i.e., inhibition of seed germination and root development), but caused genotoxicity and biochemical alterations in oxidative stress parameters (lipid peroxidation) and activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) in light and dark conditions. However, the light exposure decreased the rate of chromosomal aberration and micronuclei up to 5.60x in uc-AgNP and 2.01x in PVP-AgNP, and 2.69x in uc-AgNP and 3.70x in PVP-AgNP, respectively. Thus, light exposure reduced the overall genotoxicity of these AgNPs. In addition, mitotic index alterations and morphoanatomical changes in meristematic cells were observed only in the dark condition at the highest concentrations, demonstrating that light also reduces AgNPs cytotoxicity. The light-dependent aggregation of AgNPs may have reduced toxicity by reducing the uptake of these NPs by the cells. Our findings demonstrate that AgNPs can be genotoxic, cytotoxic and induce morphoanatomical and biochemical changes in A. cepa roots even at low concentrations, and that visible-light alters their aggregation state, and decreases their toxicity. We suggest that visible light can be an alternative treatment to remediate AgNP residues, minimizing their toxicity and environmental risks.

Complications and patient satisfaction with urethral clean intermittent catheterization in spina bifida patients: comparing coated vs uncoated catheters.

INTRODUCTION: Many types of catheters are available in market for clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). Each company claim superiority of their products, but strong evidence is lacking. PURPOSE: To assess the complications due to CIC in spina bifida children and its possible relationship to hydrophilic-coated catheter (HCC) or uncoated catheters (UCCs), with a view to decrease catheter related complications, and improve patients experience and compliance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed the spina bifida patients aged between 0 and 16 years, who had no surgical intervention, and were performing CIC urethrally for at least 6 months. General information was recorded from electronic patient record, followed by telephonic/outpatient interview. Patients were divided into two groups: UCC or HCC. Patients in both groups had also used catheter from the other group at times. This study recorded the type/size of catheter used, its duration, complications, and their possible relation to type of catheter. Carer/patients overall satisfaction was recorded on a scale of 1-10 and their preference about the type of catheter they wish. The data were analyzed using SPSS (P-value < 0.05 as significant). RESULTS: One hundred one patients were included in the study: 53 UCC and 48 HCC. There was no significant difference between gender/associated conditions/age at start of CIC or duration of CIC. The mean time taken to perform the procedure was similar in both groups: UCC 9.7 min vs HCC 8.8 min. Difficulty in insertion was felt in 20, UCC 12 vs HCC 8 (P = 0.15), recurrent UTIs UCC 12 vs HCC 17 (P = 0.09), median patient satisfaction UCC 8/10 (3-10) and HCC 10/10 (7-10) (P = 0.63). Request for change of catheter was made by 10 from UCC group to HCC vs none from HCC (P ≤ 0.05).When given a choice, 28/53 (52.8%) in UCC and none (0%) in HCC group (P ≤ 0.0001) preferred to change to the other type of catheter, mainly for convenience of use of the product. Per year per patient cost was UCC US$ 389 vs HCC US$ 2820. DISCUSSION: Many un-modifiable factors contribute to the outcome of CIC. Despite claims of superiority by manufactures of some catheters over others, strong evidence is lacking especially in children. This study has shown no difference in the complications between UCC and HCC. CONCLUSION: There is no significant difference in complication rates with urethral CIC in patients using either UCC or HCC. A significant majority would prefer to use HCC mainly because of convenience of use of the product though at a seven times higher cost.

A Method for Estimating Time-Dependent Corrosion Depth of Carbon and Weathering Steel Using an Atmospheric Corrosion Monitor Sensor.

In this study, a time-dependent corrosion depth estimation method using atmospheric corrosion monitor (ACM) sensor data to evaluate time-dependent corrosion behaviors is proposed. For the time-dependent corrosion depth estimation of uncoated carbon steel and weathering steel, acceleration corrosion tests were conducted in salt-spray corrosion environments and evaluated with a corrosion damage estimation method using ACM sensing data and corrosion loss data of the tested steel specimens. To estimate the time-dependent corrosion depth using corrosion current by an ACM sensor, the relationship between the mean corrosion depth calculated from the weight loss method and the corrosion current was evaluated. The mean corrosion depth was estimated by calculating the corrosion current and evaluating the relationship between the mean corrosion depth and corrosion current during the expected period. From the test and estimation results, the corrosion current demonstrated a good linear correlation with the mean corrosion depth of carbon steel and weathering. The calculated mean corrosion depth is nearly the same as that of the tested specimen, which can be well used to estimate corrosion rate for the uncoated carbon steel and weathering steel.

A comparison of poly-ethylene-glycol-coated and uncoated gold nanoparticle-mediated hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in Sprague Dawley rats.

BACKGROUND: Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and their functional derivatives are of great interest because of their many biomedical applications. GNPs are increasingly being incorporated into new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in medicine. Consequently, there has been a strong push to fully understand their interactions with blood components. The agglomeration of cells reflects the interaction of nanoparticles with blood components. METHODS: The main aim of this study was to compare the effects of poly-ethylene-glycol (PEG)-oated and uncoated GNPs on the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS); on the actions of distinct hepatotoxicity biomarkers such as alanine (ALT) and aspartate (AST) aminotransferases, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP); and on the histology of liver tissues in the rat model. Four distinct doses of PEG-coated and uncoated GNPs (12.5, 25, 50, and 100 µg/kg body weight) were used. Each group consisted of three rats receiving an oral administration of PEG-coated and uncoated GNPs for 5 days with one dose per 24 hours. The control group consisted of three rats that received deionized water. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, samples were collected following standard procedures. RESULTS: PEG-coated and uncoated GNPs enhanced the generation of ROS and the activity of serum aminotransferases (ALT/AST) and ALPs relative to the negative control. A liver histology assessment of GNP-exposed rats revealed statistically significant responses in the variation of the morphologies of tissues relative to those of the negative control. Nonetheless, uncoated GNPs demonstrated enhanced hepatotoxic outcomes relative to those of PEG-coated GNPs. The results demonstrated that both GNPs may be able to promote hepatotoxicity in Sprague Dawley rats through mechanisms of oxidative stress. However, uncoated GNPs have more harmful effects than PEG-coated GNPs relative to the negative control. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the results of this study indicate that PEG-coated GNPs may be safer to use in nanomedicinal applications than uncoated GNPs. However, more studies must be performed to confirm the outcomes of PEGylation.