Molecular interactions in aqueous biphasic systems composed of polyethylene glycol and crystalline vs. liquid cholinium-based salts.

The relative ability of cholinium-([Ch](+))-based salts, including ionic liquids (ILs), to form biocompatible aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) with polyethylene glycols (PEGs) was deeply scrutinized in this work. Aqueous solutions of low molecular weight PEG polymers (400, 600, and 1000 g mol(-1)) and [Ch](+) salts of chloride, acetate, bicarbonate, glycolate, lactate, dihydrogenphosphate, dihydrogencitrate, and bitartrate can undergo liquid-liquid demixing at certain concentrations of the phase-forming components and at several temperatures. Cholinium butanoate and propanoate were also studied; however, these long alkyl side chain ILs are not able to promote an immiscibility region with PEG aqueous solutions. The ternary liquid-liquid phase diagrams, binary water activities, PEG-salt and salt-H2O solubility data, and binary and ternary excess enthalpies estimated by COSMO-RS (COnductor-like Screening MOdel for Realistic Solvation) were used to obtain new insights into the molecular-level mechanisms responsible for phase separation. Instead of the expected and commonly reported salting-out phenomenon induced by the [Ch](+) salts over the polymer, the formation of PEG-[Ch](+) salt ABS was revealed to be an end result of a more intricate molecular scenario. The multifaceted approach employed here reveals that the ability to promote an ABS is quite different for the higher melting salts vs. the lower melting or liquid ILs. In the latter systems, the ABS formation seems to be controlled by the interplay of the relative strengths of the ion-ion, ion-water, ion-PEG, and water-PEG interactions, with a significant contribution from specific hydrogen-bonding between the IL anion and the PEG hydroxyl groups.

An Eastern County from an European Eastern Country-The Characteristics of Cutaneous Microbiome in Psoriasis Patients-Preliminary Results.

The cutaneous microbiome represents a topic of high interest nowadays. Multiple studies have suggested the importance of the skin microbiome in different dermatological pathologies, highlighting the possible implications of cutaneous microorganisms in either the pathogenesis or prognosis of skin maladies. Psoriasis represents a common inflammatory skin disease, with a high prevalence in the worldwide population. The role of the cutaneous microbiome in psoriasis could explain a number of pathogenic theories and treatment objectives of this incurable skin disease. Our interest in the characteristics of the cutaneous microbiome, especially in psoriatic patients who attended a tertiary dermatological centre in Galati, Romania, is reflected in our current study, of which the preliminary results are discussed in this article. Using three types of skin sampling techniques (swabs, adhesive tape, and punch biopsies), we tried to characterise the microorganisms harboured in the skin of psoriatic patients and healthy individuals. This study was performed using culture-based probes, which were analysed using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer equipment. Our preliminary results suggested that the greatest diversity was observed in the perilesional areas of psoriatic patients. The lowest cutaneous diversity was obtained from sampling psoriatic plaques. These results are similar to other studies of the cutaneous microbiome in psoriasis. The most frequent microorganisms found in all groups studied were of the Staphylococcus species: Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus hominis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Analysing the living environment of each individual from this study, our preliminary results suggested different results from other studies, as higher diversity and heterogenicity was observed in urban environments than in rural living areas. Regarding the differences between sexes, our preliminary results showed higher quantitative and qualitative changes in the skin microbiome of male participants than female participants, opposite to the results found in other studies of the cutaneous microbiome in psoriasis. Given these preliminary results, we can conclude that we have found important differences by studying the cutaneous microbiome of psoriatic patients and healthy control individuals from a population that, to our knowledge, has not been yet studied from this point of view. Our results showed important characteristics of the skin microbiome in an Eastern European population, where cultural and environmental living habits could influence the cutaneous microbiome.

Ionic liquid processing of cellulose.

Utilization of natural polymers has attracted increasing attention because of the consumption and over-exploitation of non-renewable resources, such as coal and oil. The development of green processing of cellulose, the most abundant biorenewable material on Earth, is urgent from the viewpoints of both sustainability and environmental protection. The discovery of the dissolution of cellulose in ionic liquids (ILs, salts which melt below 100 °C) provides new opportunities for the processing of this biopolymer, however, many fundamental and practical questions need to be answered in order to determine if this will ultimately be a green or sustainable strategy. In this critical review, the open fundamental questions regarding the interactions of cellulose with both the IL cations and anions in the dissolution process are discussed. Investigations have shown that the interactions between the anion and cellulose play an important role in the solvation of cellulose, however, opinions on the role of the cation are conflicting. Some researchers have concluded that the cations are hydrogen bonding to this biopolymer, while others suggest they are not. Our review of the available data has led us to urge the use of more chemical units of solubility, such as 'g cellulose per mole of IL' or 'mol IL per mol hydroxyl in cellulose' to provide more consistency in data reporting and more insight into the dissolution mechanism. This review will also assess the greenness and sustainability of IL processing of biomass, where it would seem that the choices of cation and anion are critical not only to the science of the dissolution, but to the ultimate 'greenness' of any process (142 references).

Coagulation of chitin and cellulose from 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ionic-liquid solutions using carbon dioxide.

Chemisorption of carbon dioxide by 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2 mim][OAc]) provides a route to coagulate chitin and cellulose from [C2 mim][OAc] solutions without the use of high-boiling antisolvents (e.g., water or ethanol). The use of CO2 chemisorption as an alternative coagulating process has the potential to provide an economical and energy-efficient method for recycling the ionic liquid.

Basal Cell Carcinoma Perineural Invasion and Suggestive Signs of Perineural Invasion-Findings and Perspectives.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a malignant tumor with a rising incidence and is the beneficiary of several innovative evaluation techniques. Histopathology remains the gold standard for assessment, having the possibility of addressing multiple high-risk factors such as perineural invasion (PNI). The current study included a number of 244 BCC patients and targeted the identification of positive PNI and its suggestive signs, and whether they correlated or not with other high-risk tumor signs. PNI was found in 20.1% of patients, with 30.7% of patients having perineural chronic inflammation (PCI), which is a suggestive sign of PNI. PNI was also found in larger tumors, with deeper Clark levels, in high-risk BCCs and high-grade tumors. PNI and PCI are both important for pathology reporting, aiding in treatment choice and further patient management, with possibly positive outcomes concerning morbidity and mortality.

Epidemiology of Injuries in Men's Professional and Amateur Football (Part I).

Background (1): Football is the most popular sport among men, associated with a certain risk of injury, which leads to short- and long-term health consequences. While the injury profile of professional footballers is known, little is known about the injury profile of amateur footballers; amateur football is a major and diverse area, the development of which should be a priority for football associations around the world and UEFA. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of epidemiological literature data on injuries in professional and amateur football players belonging to certain leagues. Methods (2): A systematic review according to the PRISMA guidelines was performed until June 2023 in the databases PubMed, Web of Science, Google Academic, Google Scholar, and Diva portal. Forty-six studies reporting injury incidence in professional and amateur men's football were selected and analyzed. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed study quality using an adapted version of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement and the Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) to assess risk of bias for the quality of external validity. Results (3): The overall incidence of injuries in professional male football players was 7.75 ± 2.28, 95% confidence interval, injuries/1000 h of exposure and that of amateur football players was 7.98 ± 2.95, 95% confidence interval, injuries/1000 h of exposure. The incidence of match injuries (30.64 ± 10.28, 95% confidence interval, injuries/1000 exposure hours) was 7.71 times higher than the training injury incidence rate (3.97 ± 1.35, 95% confidence interval, injuries/1000 h) in professional football players and 5.45 times higher in amateurs (17.56 ± 6.15 vs. 3.22 ± 1.4, 95% confidence interval, injuries/1000 h). Aggregate lower extremity injuries had the highest prevalence in both categories of footballers, being 83.32 ± 4.85% in professional footballers and 80.4 ± 7.04% in amateur footballers: thigh, ankle, and knee injuries predominated. Conclusions (4): Professional and amateur football players are at substantial risk of injury, especially during matches that require the highest level of performance. Injury rates have implications for players, coaches, and sports medicine practitioners. Therefore, information on football injuries can help develop personalized injury risk mitigation strategies that could make football safer for both categories of football players. The current findings have implications for the management, monitoring, and design of training, competition, injury prevention, especially severe injury, and education programs for amateur football players.

Epidemiology of Injuries in Professional and Amateur Football Men (Part II).

Background (1): Men's football is a physically demanding contact sport that involves intermittent bouts of sprinting, jogging, walking, jumping and changes of direction. The physical demands of the game vary by level of play (amateur club, sub-elite and open club or international), but injury rates at all levels of the men's football game remain the highest of all sports. Objective: The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review of data from the epidemiological literature regarding the profile, severity and mechanisms of injuries and the frequency of recurrent injuries in professional and amateur football players. Methods (2): A systematic review, according to PRISMA guidelines, was performed up to June 2023 in the databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Google academic, Google scholar and the Diva portal. Twenty-seven studies that reported data on the type, severity, recurrence and mechanisms of injury in professional and amateur men's football were selected and analyzed. Two reviewers independently audited data and assessed the study quality using the additional and adapted version of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement and the Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) to assess risk of bias for the quality of external validity. Results (3): In professional male football players, the mean prevalence of muscle/tendon injuries was 39.78%, followed by joint and ligament injuries-21.13%, contusions-17.86%, and fractures-3.27%, and for amateur football players, the prevalence's were 44.56% (muscle/tendon injuries), 27.62% (joint and ligament injuries), 15.0% (contusions) and 3.05% (fracture), respectively. The frequency of traumatic injuries was higher in amateur football players (76.88%) compared to professional football players (64.16%), the situation being reversed in the case of overuse injuries: 27.62% in professional football players and 21.13% in amateur football players. Most contact injuries were found in professional footballers (50.70%), with non-contact injuries predominating in amateur footballers (54.04%). The analysis of the severity of injuries showed that moderate injuries dominated in the two categories of footballers; the severe injuries in amateur footballers exceeded the severe injuries recorded in professional footballers by 9.60%. Recurrence proportions showed an inverse relationship with the level of play, being higher in amateur footballers (16.66%) compared to professional footballers (15.25%). Conclusions (4): Football-related injuries have a significant impact on professional and amateur football players and their short- and long-term health status. Knowing the frequency of severe diagnoses, such as strains, tears and cramps of the thigh muscles, ankle ligament sprains and hip/groin muscle strain requires the establishment of adequate programs to prevent them, especially in amateur football players, who are more prone to serious injuries.

The Impact of Competitive Sports on Oral Health: Exploring Their Relationship with Salivary Oxidative Stress in Children.

This article explores the correlation between salivary biomarkers, such as glutathione peroxidase (GPX), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and their association with oral health for children in competitive sports. Saliva has emerged as a valuable resource for evaluating physiological and pathological conditions due to its non-invasive collection method and easy storage. This study examines the potential of GPX, TAC, and SOD as salivary biomarkers for assessing the impact of competitive sports on children's oral health. It discusses the potential implications of increased oxidative stress due to intense physical activity and the role of antioxidant defense mechanisms in maintaining oral health. In total, 173 children aged between 6 and 17 were divided into three groups, 58 hockey players, 55 football players, and 60 in the control group, and examined to assess their oral hygiene and dental and periodontal health. Saliva was collected, centrifuged, and the supernatant was analyzed for the relevant biomarkers. The findings seem to suggest that salivary biomarkers, like GPX, TAC, and SOD, might serve as indicators of the physiological response to competitive sports in children, as well as indicators of oral health, especially dental cavities, and periodontal disease. Statistical analysis showed significant differences between the groups, with better values for athletes, regardless of age, sex, or activity type. Understanding the relationship between salivary biomarkers and competitive sports in children can have significant implications for monitoring and optimizing the health and performance of young athletes. Further research is needed to establish the specific associations between these biomarkers and the effects of several types and intensities of sports activities on oral health in children.

Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance of ESKAPE Pathogens Over Five Years in an Infectious Diseases Hospital from South-East of Romania.

PURPOSE: This study aimed at identifying the main antimicrobial resistance of ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli) pathogens in a Romanian infectious diseases hospital. This antimicrobial resistance is a global threat, having high rates of multidrug resistance and limited treatment options. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study (2016-2020) assessed the antimicrobial resistance of ESKAPE pathogens isolated from the patient's biological samples. The microbiological diagnosis was performed by classical culture methods. The antimicrobial susceptibility analysis used the Kirby-Bauer disk-diffusion method and the method of minimum inhibiting concentration with the automated Vitek, according to the CLSI (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute) standards. RESULTS: Included in this study were 4293 bacterial isolates: 67% Gram-negative bacilli, 31% Gram-positive cocci and 2% other morphotinctorial bacteria. ESKAPE pathogens were found in 97% of the bacterial isolates strains; E. coli (38.26%) and Staphylococcus aureus (26%) were the most prevalent. Most bacterial strains were isolated from urine cultures (45.6%), skin and soft tissue secretions/collections (35.9%) and also blood cultures (4.2%). Increased antimicrobial resistance was observed for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)s, extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing (ESBL) Enterobacterales, carbapenem-resistant (CR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. No vancomycin resistance was found for Enterococcus faecium. The highest prevalence rates of multidrug resistance were found in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (86.6%), Acinetobacter baumannii (36.8%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (29.1%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (24.4%). CONCLUSION: ESKAPE pathogens are frequently isolated in the infectious diseases hospital, with main antimicrobial resistance: ESBL, MRSA and CR. The local antimicrobial resistance pattern is essential in updating the local protocols and for appropriately prescribing antibiotics. Streamlining microbiological diagnosis and aligning with the European standards for antimicrobial susceptibility testing are necessary steps in harmonizing the regional network for good antimicrobial resistance control practices.

Ionic liquids in cross-coupling reactions: "liquid" solutions to a "solid" precipitation problem.

To alleviate the problem of solid salt precipitation when using inorganic bases in cross-coupling reactions, basic anions were combined with the trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium ([P66614]+) cation to ensure an ionic liquid byproduct. If the starting base is also an ionic liquid, as is the case for [P66614][OH]·4MeOH, it can be used as both base and solvent.

"Practical" Electrospinning of Biopolymers in Ionic Liquids.

To address the need to scale up technologies for electrospinning of biopolymers from ionic liquids to practical volumes, a setup for the multi-needle electrospinning of chitin using the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, [C2 mim]-[OAc], was designed, built, and demonstrated. Materials with controllable and high surface area were prepared at the nanoscale using ionic-liquid solutions of high-molecular-weight chitin extracted with the same ionic liquid directly from shrimp shells.

Transdermal Bioavailability in Rats of Lidocaine in the Forms of Ionic Liquids, Salts, and Deep Eutectic.

Tuning the bioavailability of lidocaine was explored by its incorporation into the ionic liquid lidocainium docusate ([Lid][Doc]) and the deep eutectic Lidocaine·Ibuprofen (Lid·Ibu) and comparing the transdermal absorption of these with the crystalline salt lidocainium chloride ([Lid]Cl). Each form of lidocaine was dissolved in a vehicle cream and topically applied to Sprague-Dawley rats. The concentrations of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in blood plasma were monitored over time as an indication of systemic absorption. The concentration of lidocaine in plasma varied between applied API-based creams, with faster and higher systemic absorption of the hydrogen bonded deep eutectic Lid·Ibu than the absorption of the salts [Lid]Cl or [Lid][Doc]. Interestingly, a differential transdermal absorption was observed between lidocaine and ibuprofen when Lid·Ibu was applied, possibly indicating different interactions with the tissue components.

Acyclovir as an Ionic Liquid Cation or Anion Can Improve Aqueous Solubility.

Six ionic liquid (IL)-forming ions (choline, tetrabutylphosphonium, tetrabutylammonium, and trimethylhexadecylammonium cations, and chloride and docusate anions) were paired with acyclovir as the counterion to form four low melting solid salts and two waxes; five of these compounds could be classified as ILs. All of the newly synthesized acyclovir ILs exhibited increased aqueous solubilities by at least 2 orders of magnitude when compared to that of neutral acyclovir. For three of the prepared compounds, the solubilities in simulated body fluids (phosphate-buffered saline, simulated gastric, and simulated intestinal fluids) were also greatly enhanced when compared to that of neutral acyclovir. Acyclovir in its anionic form was more water- or buffer-soluble than acyclovir in its cationic form, though this might be the effect of the particular ions, indicating that the solubilities can be finely tuned by proper choice of the cationic or anionic form of acyclovir and the counterion paired with it.

Efficient dehydration and recovery of ionic liquid after lignocellulosic processing using pervaporation.

BACKGROUND: Biomass pretreatment using certain ionic liquids (ILs) is very efficient, generally producing a substrate that is amenable to saccharification with fermentable sugar yields approaching theoretical limits. Although promising, several challenges must be addressed before an IL pretreatment technology can become commercially viable. One of the most significant challenges is the affordable and scalable recovery and recycle of the IL itself. Pervaporation (PV) is a highly selective and scalable membrane separation process for quantitatively recovering volatile solutes or solvents directly from non-volatile solvents that could prove more versatile for IL dehydration. RESULTS: We evaluated a commercially available PV system for IL dehydration and recycling as part of an integrated IL pretreatment process using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2C1Im][OAc]) that has been proven to be very effective as a biomass pretreatment solvent. Separation factors as high as 1500 were observed. We demonstrate that >99.9 wt% [C2C1Im][OAc] can be recovered from aqueous solution (≤20 wt% IL) and recycled five times. A preliminary technoeconomic analysis validated the promising role of PV in improving overall biorefinery process economics, especially in the case where other IL recovery technologies might lead to significant losses. CONCLUSIONS: These findings establish the foundation for further development of PV as an effective method of recovering and recycling ILs using a commercially viable process technology.

Phytochemical Screening: Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of Potamogeton Species in Order to Obtain Valuable Feed Additives.

The alcoholic extracts from three submerged perennial plants Potamogeton crispus L., P. pusillus L. and P. pectinatus L. were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled with solid phase microextraction (SPME-GC/MS) and by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and their volatile fingerprint and polyphenols composition was mutually compared. Twenty-nine chemical compounds were detected and identified in ethanolic and methanolic extracts; the highest abundance (over 5%) in descending order, was detected for 9,9-dimethyl-8,10- dioxapentacyclo (5,3,0(2,5) 0(3,5,)0 (3,6) decane (21.65%), phenol 2,6 bis (1,1 dimethyletyl) 4-1-methylpropil (20.8%), pentadecanoic acid (14.3%), 2-(5-chloro-2-Methoxyphenyl) pyrrole (8.66%), propanedioic (malonic) acid 2-(4-methylphenyl) sulfonyl ethylidene (5.77%), 2 hydroxy-3 tert butyl-5-isopropyl-6 methyl phenyl ketone (5.76%). The highest total polyphenols and flavonoids content was found in the methanolic extract of P. crispus (112.5±0.5 mg tannic acid/g dry extract; 64.2±1.2 mg quercitin/g dry extract). Antioxidant activities (2,2-difenil-1-picrilhidrazil, hydrogen peroxide and reducing power assays) of obtained extracts are comparable with the standard compounds, butylated hydroxytoluene, rutin and ascorbic acid. Antibacterial efficiency of methanolic extracts was notably demonstrated against Gram negative (Escherichia coli, Enterobacter hormaechei) and Gram positive bacteria (Enterococcus casseliflavus). The data reported for the first time for Romanian Potamogeton species, provides extensive support for the chemical investigations of these plants of the aquatic anthropogene ecosystems in order to obtain valuable bioadditives for animal feed and/or pharmaceutical/food industry.