Hydrogel immobilized bacteria@MOFs composite towards Bisphenol A degradation and the interconnection mechanism elucidation.

Bisphenol A (BPA) degradation efficiency by bacteria or by metal-organic-frameworks (MOFs) catalyzed persulfate (PMS) oxidation have been studied intensively. However, their synergistic effect on BPA degradation was less reported. In this study, we combined previously synthesized CNT-hemin/Mn-MOF with an BPA degrading bacteria SQ-2 to form a composite (SQ-2@MOFs). CNT-hemin/Mn-MOF in the composite catalyzed little PMS to promote the degradation efficiency of SQ-2 on BPA. Results indicated SQ-2@MOFs significantly accelerated BPA degradation rate than SQ-2 alone. Furthermore, SQ-2@MOFs composite was successfully immobilized in hydrogel to achieve better degradation performance. Immobilized SQ-2@MOFs could almost completely degrade 1-20 mg/L BPA within 24 h and completely degrade 5 mg/L BPA at pH 4-8. Besides, degradation byproducts also reduced by immobilized SQ-2@MOFs, which promoted the cleaner biodegradation of BPA. Metabolomics and multiple chemical characterization results revealed the interconnection mechanism between CNT-hemin/Mn-MOFs, SQ-2 and hydrogel. CNT-hemin/Mn-MOF helped SQ-2 degrade BPA into more biodegradable products, promoted electron transfer, and augmented BPA degradation ability of SQ-2 itself. SQ-2 enabled the surface electronegativity of SQ-2@MOFs more suitable for BPA contact. Meanwhile, SQ-2 avoided the loss of Fe and Mn of CNT-hemin/Mn-MOF. Hydrogel augmented the above synergistic effect. This study provided new perspective for the development of biodegradation materials through interdisciplinary integration.

Decellularized tympanic membrane scaffold with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells for repairing tympanic membrane perforation.

BACKGROUND: Tympanic membrane perforation (TMP) is a common disease in otology, and few acellular techniques have been reported for repairing this condition. Decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds have been used in organ reconstruction. OBJECTIVE: This study on tissue engineering aimed to develop a tympanic membrane (TM) scaffold prepared using detergent immersion and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) as repair materials to reconstruct the TM. RESULTS: General structure was observed that the decellularized TM scaffold with BMSCs retained the original intact anatomical ECM structure, with no cell residue, as observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and exhibited low immunogenicity. Therefore, we seeded the decellularized TM scaffold with BMSCs for recellularization. Histology and eosin staining, SEM and immunofluorescence in vivo showed that the recellularized TM patch had a natural ultrastructure and was suitable for the migration and proliferation of BMSCs. The auditory brainstem response (ABR) evaluated after recellularized TM patch repair was slightly higher than that of the normal TM, but the difference was not significant. CONCLUSION: The synthetic ECM scaffold provides temporary physical support for the three-dimensional growth of cells during the tissue developmental stage. The scaffold stimulates cells to secrete their own ECM required for tissue regeneration. The recellularized TM patch shows potential as a natural, ultrastructure biological material for TM reconstruction.

Role of metabolic equivalent between calcium intake and vertebral fractures: a cross-sectional study of NHANES 2013-2014.

BACKGROUND: This study was to analyze the association of calcium intake and metabolic equivalent (MET) with vertebral fractures, and to explore the role of MET between calcium intake and vertebral fractures. METHOD: This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) 2013-2014. The study involved individuals aged ≥ 50 years old with complete information on vertebral fracture, calcium intake, and physical activity. Vertebral fracture assessment is obtained using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry to perform a lateral scan of the thoracolumbar spine. Calcium intake included total nutrient intake and total dietary supplements. The total MET is the sum of the METs for each activity (Vigorous/ moderate work-related activities, walking or bicycling for transportation and vigorous/ moderate recreational activities). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were utilized to investigate the effect of calcium intake, MET, and their combined effect on vertebral fracture. RESULTS: A total of 766 participants were included in the analysis, and 54 participants had vertebral fractures. The median calcium intake and MET were 8.43 mcg and 280.00, respectively. Multivariate results showed that neither calcium intake nor MET as continuous or categorical variables was significantly associated with vertebral fractures. MET < 160 and calcium intake ≥ 670 mg group was associated with the decreased risks of vertebral fracture [odds ratio (OR) = 0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.26-0.83, P = 0.032] after adjusting for age, race, energy, total femur bone mineral density (BMD), and femoral neck BMD. In the group of MET < 160, increased calcium intake was associated with a reduced risk of vertebral fracture, with a decreased OR value. In the group of MET ≥ 160, increased calcium intake was associated with an increased risk of vertebral fracture, with an increased OR value. CONCLUSION: The combination of MET < 160 and calcium intake ≥ 670 mg was associated with decreased risks of vertebral fractures. There may be an interaction between calcium intake and MET on vertebral fracture risk.

Puerarin Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles: Optimization Processes of Preparation and Anti-alcohol Intoxication Effects in Mice.

To improve the bioavailability of puerarin in liver, the optimized preparation method of puerarin-PLGA nanoparticles (Pue-PLGA-nps) and the effect of Pue-PLGA-nps on alcoholism mice were studied. The preparation of Pue-PLGA-nps was optimized by the Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology (RSM). To estimate the anti-alcoholism of Pue-PLGA-nps in vivo, drunkenness incubation period and sober time of mice were detected, and Morris water maze (MWM) test was performed. AST, ALT, and SOD were used to determine the damages and oxidative stress in the liver, as well as histopathological observation of the liver. The optimal preparation conditions of Pue-PLGA-nps in RSM were as follows: the drug-material ratio was 1:1.4, the reaction temperature was 65°C, and the reaction time was 13 min. The drug entrapment efficiency of Pue-PLGA-nps was 90.6% and closely up to 98.9% of the standard prediction value. The results in vivo showed that the Pue-PLGA-nps significantly increased the drunkenness incubation period in comparison with the model group and decreased drunkenness sober time and landing time in MWM in comparison with the model group and puerarin group (P<0.05) . The contents of AST and ALT in the liver of Pue-PLGA-nps group were significantly lower than those of model group and Puerarin group (P<0.05), and the activity of SOD in the liver of Pue-PLGA-nps group was higher than that of model group (P<0.05). By histopathological observation, moreover, Pue-PLGA-nps significantly attenuated the impairment of the liver caused by alcoholism. In conclusion, through BBD and RSM, the process conditions of the Pue-PLGA-nps were successfully optimized. The Pue-PLGA-nps exerted higher bioavailability and better effect of anti-alcoholism than puerarin, indicating PLGA nanoparticles could be potential to deliver drug.

Charge-Transfer-Induced Noncoalescence and Chain Formation of Free Droplets under a Pulsed DC Electric Field.

Electrocoalescence technology is an important method for the demulsification of crude oil emulsion, but its development is restricted by the short circuit caused by droplet chain formation. To reveal the formation mechanism of droplet chains, the electrocoalescence behaviors of two droplets and droplet clusters under pulsed direct current (DC) electric fields are experimentally studied. The two droplets usually successively undergo complete coalescence, partial coalescence, and noncoalescence as the electric field strength increases. The critical electric field strengths for complete coalescence under pulsed DC electric fields with different frequencies are obtained. The effects of the electric field waveform and frequency on the noncoalescence characteristics of two droplets and the stability of droplet chains are explored. The droplet chains under a high-frequency electric field are more stable and longer than those under a low-frequency electric field due to the reduction of the movement distance and the generation of daughter droplets from tip streaming. The reversal of the composition of electric forces due to charge transfer is the fundamental mechanism of noncoalescence of two droplets and chain formation in the emulsion under a pulsed DC electric field.

Continuous Movement Mechanism of Oil Droplets Adhered on Surfaces with Different Wettability in the Flow Field.

In this aticle, the continuous movement patterns and characteristic parameters of oil droplets on surfaces with different wettability immersed in a laminar flow field were observed, and the change rules of the geometric parameters of oil droplets under different experimental conditions were obtained. Then, the factors influencing the continuous moving behaviors of the oil droplets were analyzed, and the continuous movement velocity of the oil droplets under different experimental conditions was demonstrated. On this basis, the change law of the continuous movement velocity of oil droplets with the flow velocity was discussed. In addition, the coupling effect of the oil drops' height, surface properties, and water flow velocity on the continuous movement of oil droplets was studied, and the critical conditions for the continuous movement were obtained. According to the critical conditions, the mathematical model which described the law of continuous motion of the oil droplets adhered on surfaces with different wettability in the laminar flow field was established. The quantitative relationships among the average continuous moving velocity of oil droplets, physical properties, geometric parameters, water flow velocity, and surface wettability were obtained, which defined the necessary conditions for the uniform and accelerated movement of oil droplets, providing an important basis for choices of suitable surface wettability and flow field conditions in practical engineering applications.

Migration and Adherence of Oil Droplets on Surfaces with Different Wettability in a Laminar Flow Field.

In this article, the rising trajectories of oil droplets near the substrates of small channels in the laminar flow field were observed using a high-speed camera. Chemical modifications were made on the surfaces of the brass sheets to change the surface properties, and the controllable regulation of the superoleophilic-superoleophobic wettability gradient was achieved. The adhesion behaviors of the oil droplets on surfaces with different wettabilities at different flow velocities were observed as well. According to the adhesion behaviors of oil droplets on surfaces with different wettabilities, a mathematical model was established to analyze water film thinning and the adherence of oil droplets on the wall in the laminar flow field. Then the quantitative relationships among the adhesion times tf of oil droplets on different wetting surfaces, oil and water properties, and surface wettability were acquired.

Arginine promotes porcine type I muscle fibres formation through improvement of mitochondrial biogenesis.

The present study aimed to investigate whether arginine (Arg) promotes porcine type I muscle fibres formation via improving mitochondrial biogenesis. In the in vivo study, a total of sixty Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire weaning piglets with an average body weight of 6·55 (sd 0·36) kg were randomly divided into four treatments and fed with a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 0·5, 1·0 and 1·5 % l-Arg, respectively, in a 4-week trial. Results showed that dietary supplementation of 1·0 % Arg significantly enhanced the activity of succinate dehydrogenase, up-regulated the protein expression of myosin heavy chain I (MyHC I) and increased the mRNA levels of MyHC I, troponin I1, C1 and T1 (Tnni1, Tnnc1 and Tnnt1) in longissimus dorsi muscle compared with the control group. In addition, ATPase staining analysis indicated that 1·0 % Arg supplementation significantly increased the number of type I muscle fibres and significantly decreased the number of type II muscle fibres. Furthermore, 1·0 % Arg supplementation significantly up-regulated PPAR-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), sirtuin 1 and cytochrome c (Cytc) protein expressions, increased PGC-1α, nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1), mitochondria transcription factor B1 (TFB1M), Cytc and ATP synthase subunit C1 (ATP5G) mRNA levels and increased mitochondrial DNA content. In the in vitro study, mitochondrial complex I inhibitor rotenone (Rot) was used. We found that Rot annulled Arg-induced type I muscle fibres formation. Together, our results provide for the first time the evidence that Arg promotes porcine type I muscle fibres formation through improvement of mitochondrial biogenesis.

Bifidobacterium infantis Relieves Allergic Asthma in Mice by Regulating Th1/Th2.

BACKGROUND Bifidobacteria are among the probiotics used in treating intestinal diseases and are rarely used for allergic asthma treatment. The present study investigated the mechanism of B. infantis in treating allergic asthma in mice. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 40 male Balb/c mice were randomized into control, ovalbumin (OVA), montelukast (Mon), and B. infantis (B10) groups, and allergic asthma was induced in the OVA, Mon, and B10 groups. Airway reactivity was measured on day 29 by methacholine at various doses. The numbers of total cells and inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were counted by blood cell counter and Diff-Quik staining. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to observe inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissues. Total IgE and OVA-specific IgE in serum were measured by ELISA. Mucin 5AC expression was detected by Western blot to evaluate airway obstruction. The levels of Th1 (IFN-γ, IL-2) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) cytokines in BALF and tissues were detected by ELISA and qRT-PCR, respectively. RESULTS The mice in the OVA group had airway hyperreactivity, while the symptoms in the B10 group and Mon group were effectively relieved. B10 reduced the number of inflammatory cells in BALF as well as inflammatory cell infiltration in tissues. Moreover, the levels of total serum IgE, OVA-specific IgE, and Mucin 5AC were increased in the OVA group, but were reduced in the Mon group and B10 group. B. infantis increased the levels of Th1 cytokines and decreased those of Th2 cytokines. CONCLUSIONS B. infantis can reduce the infiltration of inflammatory cells induced by OVA-specific antibodies in mice. B. infantis has therapeutic effects on allergic asthma by promoting Th1 and inhibiting Th2 immune responses.

Associations between family characteristics and influenza vaccination coverage among children.

BACKGROUND: To assess the associations between family characteristics and influenza vaccination coverage among children. METHODS: Data were used from the National Health Interview Survey 2011-2016. RESULTS: The number of children ranged from 10 720 to 12 991 per year from 2011 to 2016. After adjustment for the high-risk status of influenza complications, sex, age, region, race and office visits of children, children of adults who received influenza vaccination were 3.83-4.79 times (the lowest and the highest odds ratios from 2011 to 2016) more likely to be immunized for influenza. Health insurance (1.36-1.61) was also associated with vaccination in children. However, the education level of family adults (0.59-0.79) and marital status of being widowed/divorced/separated (0.74-0.79) were negatively associated with vaccination uptake in children. The following characteristics were not major concerns with influenza vaccination in children: class of worker, years on the job, physical activity, drinking, smoking, hepatitis B immunization, number of family members aged ≥65 years and the ratio of family income to the poverty threshold. Overall, results from the pooled analysis (2011-2016) were consistent with the above-mentioned findings. CONCLUSIONS: Promoting parental influenza immunization and access to health insurance may be the most effective tools to promote the coverage of influenza vaccine among children.

Influenza vaccination coverage among US children from 2004/2005 to 2015/2016.

BACKGROUND: Quantify the influenza vaccine coverage is essential to identify emerging concerns and to immunization programs for targeting interventions. METHODS: Data from National Health Interview Survey were used to estimate receipt of at least one dose of influenza vaccination among children 6 months to 17 years of age. RESULTS: Influenza vaccination coverage increased from 16.70% during 2004/2005 to 49.43% during 2015/2016 (3.18% per year, P < 0.001); however, the coverage increased slightly after 2010/2011. Children at high risk of influenza complications had higher influenza vaccination coverage than non at-risk children. Boys and girls had similar coverage each year. While the coverage increased from 2004/2005 to 2015/2016 for all age groups, the coverage decreased with age each year (-0.64 to -1.58% per age group). There was a higher and rapid increase of coverage in Northeast than Midwest, South and West. American Indian or Alaskan Native and Asian showed higher coverage than other race groups (White, Black/African American, Multiple race). Multivariable analysis showed that high-risk status and region had the greatest associations with levels of vaccine coverage. CONCLUSIONS: Although the influenza vaccination coverage among children had increased remarkably since 2004/2005, establishing more effective immunization programs are warranted to achieve the Healthy People 2020 target.

Characteristics associated with influenza vaccination uptake among adults.

BACKGROUND: Annual influenza vaccination has been recommended for all adults since 2010. This study aimed to identify characteristics associated with influenza vaccination among adults. METHODS: Data from the National Health Interview Survey from 2011 to 2016 were analyzed. RESULTS: Influenza vaccination coverage among adults increased from 38.28% in 2011 to 44.75% in 2016 (1.50% per year on average). In multivariate analysis, the largest magnitude of association was found with pneumococcal vaccine (lowest and highest odds ratios from 2011 to 2016: 3.37-3.78), followed by physician visits ≥4 in the past 12 months (2.33-3.03), age ≥65 years (1.69-2.07), having a usual place for sick care (1.41-1.94), insurance coverage (1.52-1.79), hepatitis B vaccine (1.48-1.71), ratio of family income to the poverty threshold ≥4 (1.19-1.54), race of Asian (1.24-1.47), number of years on the job ≥21 (1.21-1.41), class of worker (Federal government: 1.23-1.32, State government: 1.15-1.38), high-risk conditions (1.13-1.26), physical activity ≥5 times/week (1.11-1.25) and being female (1.13-1.20). However, adults living in West, and adults of Black/African American, never married, high school education, self-employed and current smokers had lower vaccine uptake. CONCLUSIONS: Several characteristics were identified to be associated with influenza vaccination uptake, which could be useful for targeted efforts to improve influenza vaccination coverage among adults.

Graphene-Based Nanocomposites for Neural Tissue Engineering.

Graphene has made significant contributions to neural tissue engineering due to its electrical conductivity, biocompatibility, mechanical strength, and high surface area. However, it demonstrates a lack of biological and chemical cues. Also, it may cause potential damage to the host body, limiting its achievement of efficient construction of neural tissues. Recently, there has been an increasing number of studies showing that combining graphene with other materials to form nano-composites can provide exceptional platforms for both stimulating neural stem cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation and neural regeneration. This suggests that graphene nanocomposites are greatly beneficial in neural regenerative medicine. In this mini review, we will discuss the application of graphene nanocomposites in neural tissue engineering and their limitations, through their effect on neural stem cell differentiation and constructs for neural regeneration.

Investigation on Transient Oscillation of Droplet Deformation before Conical Breakup under Alternating Current Electric Field.

In this paper, the conical breakup of a water droplet suspended in oil under the alternating current (ac) electric field was experimentally studied with the help of a high-speed video camera. We observed three stages of transient oscillation of deformation characterized by deformation degree l* before the conical breakup that were described in detail. Then a theoretical model was developed to find out the dynamic mechanisms of that behavior. Despite a very small discrepancy, good agreement between model predictions and experimental observations of the evolution of the droplet deformation was observed, and the possible reasons for the discrepancy were discussed as well. Finally, the stresses on the interface were calculated with the theoretical model and their influence on the dynamic behavior before the breakup was obtained. The differences between the droplet breakup mode of ac and direct current electric field are also discussed in our paper.

Folate-decorated and reduction-sensitive micelles assembled from amphiphilic polymer-camptothecin conjugates for intracellular drug delivery.

It is one of the challenges for a wide clinical application of polymer micelles to address the structure disintegration and premature drug release before reaching a pathological site. In the current study, folic acid (FA)-decorated polymer-drug conjugates (FSC) were synthesized with disulfide linkages between camptothecin (CPT) and amphiphilic poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PECL) copolymers. FSC conjugates were proposed to assemble into micelles with a hydrophobic core of PCL segments and CPT and a hydrophilic corona of PEG segments. The addition of hexadecanol during micelle formation (FSC-16) was proposed to modulate the interactions of hydrophobic segments in micelles and enhance the reductive sensitivity. FSC-16 micelles were obtained with critical micelle concentration of around 2 µg/mL and an average size of around 200 nm, and the conjugated CPT was rapidly released out in response to glutathione. The reductive sensitivity was also demonstrated with respect to the changes of micelle size and morphologies as well as the fluorescent intensity of pyrene loaded in micelles. Benefiting from the FA receptor-mediated uptake and the reduction-sensitive release of CPT, significant cytotoxicity and cell apoptosis were identified for FSC-16 micelles against SKOV-3 cells with strong expressions of FA receptors. Flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy analyses demonstrated that CPT was distributed into nuclei after cellular uptake and intracellular release from FSC-16 micelles. Thus, the FA-decorated and reduction-sensitive micelles assembled from polymer-drug conjugates show advantages in inhibiting premature release during circulation, enhancing cellular uptake at the tumor tissues, and promoting intracellular release and nuclei location of the active moieties.

Promoting antitumor activities of hydroxycamptothecin by encapsulation into acid-labile nanoparticles using electrospraying.

PURPOSE: Acid-labile nanoparticles are proposed to enhance the tumor targeting and anti-tumor therapy of hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) in response to the acidic microenvironment within cells and tumor tissues. METHODS: HCPT was entrapped into matrix polymers containing acid-labile segments and galactose moieties (PGBELA) through an electrospraying technique. The antitumor activities of HCPT-loaded nanoparticles were evaluated both on HepG2 cells and after intravenous injection into H22 tumor-bearing mice. RESULTS: The electrosprayed nanoparticles were obtained with enhanced loading efficiency and extended release of HCPT compared with other nanoparticle preparation methods. The acid-lability and targeting capability of PGBELA nanoparticles resulted in a 5 times higher inhibitory activity after incubation in pH 6.8 media compared to that of pH 7.4. Animal studies indicated that both the blood circulation time and tumor distribution of PGBELA nanoparticles were significantly increased. HCPT/PGBELA nanoparticles indicated a superior in vivo antitumor activity and fewer side effects than other treatments on the basis of tumor growth, animal survival rate, tissue necrosis and cell apoptosis evaluation. CONCLUSION: Biodegradable PGBELA nanoparticles are capable of achieving site-specific drug delivery by active targeting and triggered release by acidic pH both in tumor tissues and after internalization within tumor cells, thereby providing a novel strategy for cancer treatment.

Electrosprayed microparticles with loaded pDNA-calcium phosphate nanoparticles to promote the regeneration of mature blood vessels.

PURPOSE: The lack of control over microvasculature formation remains a key roadblock to the therapeutic vascularization and regeneration of functional tissues. In the current study, the integration of plasmid DNA (pDNA) condensation and electrospraying technologies was proposed to promote the regeneration of mature blood vessels through injectable or infusible administration of microparticles. METHODS: Calcium phosphate (CP) nanoparticles with encapsulated plasmids encoding vascular endothelial growth factors (pVEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (pbFGF) were synthesized using reverse microemulsions. Electrosprayed microparticles with the loading of CP-pDNA nanoparticles were evaluated on both endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells and after subcutaneous infusion into animals. RESULTS: CP-pDNA nanoparticles was obtained with an average size of around 110 nm and electrosprayed into microparticles, resulting in high loading efficiency and extended protection on pDNA from external DNase environment. The inoculation of poly(ethylene glycol) into microparticle matrices realized a gradual release for 4 weeks of CP-pDNA nanoparticles, leading to an incremental transfection efficiency and strong secretion of extracellular matrices. After subcutaneous infusion of microparticles with encapsulated both CP-pVEGF and CP-pbFGF nanoparticles, significantly higher densities of blood vessels were achieved than those containing individual nanoparticles, and induced a rapid generation of mature blood vessels with few cytotoxicity and inflammation reactions. CONCLUSIONS: Electrosprayed microparticle with CP-pDNA nanoparticles encapsulated promoted the formation of vascular networks, providing clinical relevance for therapeutic vascularization and regeneration of functional tissues after injection to ischemic sites or entrapment into tissue engineering scaffolds.

Central imaging based on near-infrared functional imaging technology can be useful to plan management in patients with chronic lateral ankle instability.

BACKGROUND: Near infrared brain functional imaging (FNIRS) has been used for the evaluation of brain functional areas, the imaging differences of central activation of cognitive-motor dual tasks between patients with chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI) and healthy population remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluated the role of central imaging based on FNIRS technology on the plan management in patients with CLAI, to provide insights to the clinical treatment of CLAI. METHODS: CLAI patients treated in our hospital from January 1, 2021 to June 31, 2022 were selected. Both CLAI patients and health controls were intervened with simple task and cognitive-motor dual task under sitting and walking conditions, and the changes of oxygenated hemoglobin concentration in bilateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), premotor cortex (PMC) and auxiliary motor area (SMA) were collected and compared. RESULTS: A total of 23 participants were enrolled. There were significant differences in the fNIRS ΔHbO2 of barefoot subtractive walking PFC-R and barefoot subtractive walking SMA-R between experimental and control group (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in ΔHbO2 between the experimental group and the control group in other states (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in ΔHbO2 between the experimental group and the control group in each state of the brain PMC region. CONCLUSION: Adaptive alterations may occur within the relevant brain functional regions of individuals with CLAI. The differential activation observed between the PFC and the SMA could represent a compensatory mechanism emerging from proprioceptive afferent disruptions following an initial ankle sprain.

Flotation mechanism and performance of air/condensate bubbles for removing oil droplets in the presence of acetic acid.

Flotation technology is widely utilized to remove emulsified oil droplets from Produced water. Organic acid adsorption on the oil droplet surface affects bubble attachment, reducing oil removal efficiency. This investigation exploited the principle of similar dissolution to synthesize condensate bubbles (CB). The surface properties of oil droplets and CB and air bubbles (AB) were appraised using FTIR, zeta potential, interfacial tension, and contact angle measurements. The research also investigated the effects of acetic acids (AA) on the adhesion of oil droplets to AB and CB along with the underlying mechanism via the Extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (EDLVO) interaction theory and the Stefan-Reynolds model of liquid film thinning, integrated with adhesion times. Flotation efficiency and kinetic dissimilarities between AB and CB were also examined. The results indicated that CB exhibits superior lipophilic hydrophobicity compared to AB, reduced induction and spreading times upon oil droplet attachment, and maximized oil removal efficiency. Furthermore, CB could mitigate the impact of AA on adhesion. The interaction barriers between CB and oil droplets were minimal, and the thinning rate of the hydration film was quicker than in AB. The conventional first-order model proved effective in fitting the AB flotation, whereas a delay constant was applied to the model of the CB flotation rate.