Subgingival 0.75% boric acid vs 1% povidone-iodine adjunctive to subgingival instrumentation in stage II and III periodontitis-A double-blind randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of subgingival irrigation with 0.75% boric acid (BA) and 1% povidone-iodine (PVP-I) as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) on clinical and microbiologic parameters in the management of patients with periodontitis after a 12-month follow-up. METHODS: Sixty systemically healthy individuals diagnosed with periodontitis were included in this double-blind randomised clinical trial. The patients were randomly allocated to treatment groups: (1) SRP plus 0.75% BA and (2) SRP plus 1% PVP-I. Whole-mouth periodontals were clinically examined, and the counts of bacteria including Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn), Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Treponema denticola (Td), Tannerella forsythia (Tf), Solobacterium moorei (Sm) and Streptococcus salivarius (Ss) were tested by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: All periodontal parameters and the counts of Aa, Fn, Pg, Td, Tf, Sm and Ss in both groups showed statistically significant reductions at T3, T6 and T12 compared to T0. Whole-mouth or moderate or severe PD and CAL improvements were significantly found in the 0.75% BA group compared to the 1% PVP-I group at T3, T6 and T12. The reduction in Aa or Fn and the reduction in Ss were significantly higher in the 0.75% BA group at T6 and T12 than in the 1% PVP-I group. CONCLUSION: This study shows that subgingival irrigation with 0.75% BA may be an alternative to 1% PVP-I because it promotes greater PD reductions and CAL gain, particularly up to 12 months after treatment.

Multivariate Statistical Analysis for the Classification of Sausages Based on Physicochemical Attributes, Using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Sausage is a convenient food that is widely consumed in the world and in Vietnam. Due to the rapid development of this product, the authenticity of many famous brands has faded by the rise of adulteration. Therefore, in this study, principal component analysis (PCA) was combined with chemical analysis to identify 6 sausage brands. Sausage samples were dried and then ground to a fine powder for both instrumental analyses of attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Dried measurements of ATR-FTIR was performed directly on the ZnSe crystal, while elemental data were obtained through microwave digestion before the ICP-MS analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) within the framework software of XLSTAT and STATISTICA 12 was performed on the spectroscopy and elemental dataset of sausage samples. PCA visualized the distinction of 6 sausage brands on both datasets of ATR-FTIR and ICP-MS. The classification on the spectroscopy profile showed that although more than 90% variation of the dataset was explained on the first two PCs, the difference between several brands was not detected as the distribution of data overlapped with one another. The PCA observation of the elemental composition on PC1 and PC3 has separated the sausage brands into 6 distinctive groups. Besides, several key elements contributed to the brands' identification have been detected, and the most distinctive elements are Na, K, Ca, and Ba. PCA visualization showed the feasibility of the classification of sausage samples from different brands when combined with the results of FT-IR and ICP-MS methods. The experiment was able to differentiate the sausages from the 5 brands using multivariate statistics.

Diagnostic algorithm for glioma grading using dynamic susceptibility contrast­enhanced magnetic resonance perfusion and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

The present retrospective study aimed to investigate the diagnostic capacity of and design a diagnostic algorithm for dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced MRI (DSCE-MRI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in grading low-grade glioma (LGG) and high-grade glioma (HGG). This retrospective study enrolled 57 patients, of which 14 had LGG and 43 had HGG, five had World Health Organization grade 1, nine had grade 2, 20 had grade 3 and 23 had grade 4 glioma. All subjects underwent a standard 3T MRI brain tumor protocol with conventional MRI (cMRI) and advanced techniques, including DSCE-MRI and 1H-MRS. The associations of grade categorization with parameters in tumor and peritumor regions in the DSCE-MRI were examined, including tumor relative cerebral blood volume (TrCBV) and peripheral relative (Pr)CBV, as well as Tr and Pr cerebral blood flow (CBF) and 1H-MRS, including the creatine (Cr) and N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) ratios of choline (Cho), i.e. the TCho/NAA, PCho/NAA, TCho/Cr and PCho/Cr metabolite ratios. The data were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test, independent samples t-test, Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses. Decision tree analysis established an algorithm based on cutoffs for specified significant parameters. The PrCBF had the highest performance in the preoperative prediction of histological glioma grading, followed by the TrCBV, PrCBF, TrCBV, PCho/NAA, PCho/Cr, TCho/NAA and TCho/Cr. An algorithm based on TrCBV, PrCBF and TCho/Cr had a diagnostic accuracy of 100% for LGG and 90.7% for HGG and a misclassification risk of 7%. The cutoffs (sensitivity and specificity) were 2.48 (86 and 100%) for TrCBV, 1.26 (83.7 and 100%) for PrCBF and 3.18 (69.8 and 78.6%) for TCho/Cr. In conclusion, the diagnostic algorithm using TrCBV, PrCBF and TCho/Cr values, which were obtained from DSCE-MRI and 1H-MRS, increased diagnostic accuracy to 100% for LGGs and 90.7% for HGGs compared to previous studies using conventional MRI. This non-invasive advanced MRI diagnostic algorithm is recommended for clinical application for constructing preoperative strategies and prognosis of patients with glioma.

Sociodemographic, biological, and timing characteristics of dental caries and fluorosis using mixed-type cluster analysis on 12-year-olds in Ho Chi Minh city, 1989-2019.

Objectives: In 1990, Ho Chi Minh City started Community water fluoridation (CWF) at 0.7 ppm F, and in 2000, it was adjusted to 0.5 ppm F. Here, we analyzed dental caries and fluorosis data in Ho Chi Minh City to explore commonalities associated with CWF among 12-year-old children. Methods: Dental caries and fluorosis data were collected in 1989, 2003, 2012, and 2019 (N = 4773). Trained dentists scored dental caries using the WHO detection criteria and fluorosis using Dean's Fluorosis Index. We used these data and the k-prototypes method by the R package to identify clusters of participants with shared clinical and water fluoride levels. Results: We used datasets 1 (4773 participants) and 2 (4194 participants, missing fluorosis data in 1989). K-prototypes analysis identified three clusters in each dataset. Cluster 1, with 80 % of the sample at 0.5 ppm F area characterized by low caries and fluorosis scores. Cluster 2 with 60 % of the sample non-fluoridated area had high caries and low fluorosis scores. Cluster 3, with 75 % of the sample in 0.7 ppm area, had low caries but borderline high fluorosis scores. Conclusion: Identifying three clusters based on clinical and environmental scores supports the decision to fluoridate the water to prevent caries (0-0.7 ppm) and the shift from 0.7 to 0.5 ppm to keep the caries preventive effect while reducing the risk of fluorosis. Clinical significance: Our results support the effectiveness of CWF in preventing dental caries and the appropriateness of changing the F concentration to reduce the risk of fluorosis while maintaining its effectiveness.

Classification of Vietnamese Cashew Nut (Anacardium occidentale L.) Products Using Statistical Algorithms Based on ICP/MS Data: A Study of Food Categorization.

Fingerprinting techniques, which utilize the unique chemical and physical properties of food samples, have emerged as a promising approach for food authentication and traceability. Recent studies have demonstrated significant advancements in food authentication through the use of fingerprinting methods, such as multivariate statistical analysis techniques applied to trace elements and isotope ratios. However, further research is required to optimize these methods and ensure their validity and reliability in real-world applications. In this study, the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analytical method was employed to determine the content of 21 elements in 300 cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale L.) samples from 5 brands. Multivariate statistical methods, such as principal components analysis (PCA), were employed to analyze the data obtained and establish the provenance of the cashew nuts. While cashew nuts are widely marketed in many countries, no universal method has been utilized to differentiate the origin of these nuts. Our study represents the initial step in identifying the geographical origin of commercial cashew nuts marketed in Vietnam. The analysis showed significant differences in the means of 21 of the 40 analyzed elements among the cashew nut samples from the 5 brands, including 7Li, 11B, 24Mg, 27Al, 44Ca, 48Ti, 51V, 52Cr, 55Mn, 57Fe, 60Ni, 63Cu, 66Zn, 93Nb, 98Mo, 111Cd, 115In, 121Sb, 138Ba, 208Pb, and 209Bi. The PCA analysis indicated that the cashew nut samples can be accurately classified according to their original locations. This research serves as a prerequisite for future studies involving the combination of elemental composition analysis with statistical classification methods for the accurate establishment of cashew nut provenance, which involves the identification of key markers for the original discrimination of cashew nuts.

Association between IRF6, TP63, GREM1 Gene Polymorphisms and Non-Syndromic Orofacial Cleft Phenotypes in Vietnamese Population: A Case-Control and Family-Based Study.

This study aims to identify potential variants in the TP63-IRF6 pathway and GREM1 for the etiology of non-syndromic orofacial cleft (NSOFC) among the Vietnamese population. By collecting 527 case-parent trios and 527 control samples, we conducted a stratified analysis based on different NSOFC phenotypes, using allelic, dominant, recessive and over-dominant models for case-control analyses, and family-based association tests for case-parent trios. Haplotype and linkage disequilibrium analyses were also conducted. IRF6 rs2235375 showed a significant association with an increased risk for non-syndromic cleft lip and palate (NSCLP) and cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) in the G allele, with pallele values of 0.0018 and 0.0003, respectively. Due to the recessive model (p = 0.0011) for the NSCL/P group, the reduced frequency of the GG genotype of rs2235375 was associated with a protective effect against NSCL/P. Additionally, offspring who inherited the G allele at rs2235375 had a 1.34-fold increased risk of NSCL/P compared to the C allele holders. IRF6 rs846810 and a G-G haplotype at rs2235375-rs846810 of IRF6 impacted NSCL/P, with p-values of 0.0015 and 0.0003, respectively. In conclusion, our study provided additional evidence for the association of IRF6 rs2235375 with NSCLP and NSCL/P. We also identified IRF6 rs846810 as a novel marker associated with NSCL/P, and haplotypes G-G and C-A at rs2235375-rs846810 of IRF6 associated with NSOFC.

Cytocompatibility and cell migration evaluation of calcium silicate-based root canal sealer compared to epoxide-amine resin sealer in stem cells from human apical papilla: An in-vitro study.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a calcium silicate-based sealers (CeraSeal) and an epoxy resin-based sealer (AH Plus) on cytotoxicity and cell migration of stem cell from the human apical papilla (hSCAPs) by using the Alamar Blue, Annexin V-FICT and wound healing assays. In Alamar Blue assay, hSCAPs exposed to undiluted CeraSeal extract had significantly higher cell viability compared with that observed when cells were treated with AH Plus in all experimental period (p < 0.001). The flow cytometry analysis confirmed the comparison on viable cells and indicated that AH Plus increased apoptosis compared to CeraSeal and the control groups (p < 0.001). Additionally, AH Plus exhibited significantly lower level of cell migration than CeraSeal and the control for up to 48 h observation (p < 0.01). In summary, calcium silicate-based sealer (CeraSeal) is less cytotoxic and more biocompatible than epoxy resin-based sealer (AH Plus).

Investigation on removal of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) using water treatment sludge and biochar.

This work assessed the adsorption performance of three common PFAS compounds (PFOA, PFOS and PFHxS) on two water treatment sludges (WTS) and two biochars (commercial biomass biochar and semi-pilot scale biosolids biochar). Of the two WTS samples included in this study, one was sourced from poly-aluminium chloride (PAC) and the other from alum (Al2(SO4)3). The results of experiments using a single PFAS for adsorption reinforced established trends in affinity - the shorter-chained PFHxS was less adsorbed than PFOS, and the sulphates (PFOS) were more readily adsorbed than the acid (PFOA). Interestingly, PAC WTS, showed an excellent adsorption affinity for the shorter chained PFHxS (58.8%), than the alum WTS and biosolids biochar at 22.6% and 41.74%, respectively. The results also showed that the alum WTS was less effective at adsorption than the PAC WTS despite having a larger surface area. Taken together, the results suggest that the hydrophobicity of the sorbent and the chemistry of the coagulant were critical factors for understanding PFAS adsorption on WTS, while other factors, such as the concentration of aluminium and iron in the WTS could not explain the trends seen. For the biochar samples, the surface area and hydrophobicity are believed to be the main drivers in the different performances. Adsorption from the solution containing multiple PFAS was also investigated with PAC WTS and biosolids biochar, demonstrating comparable performance on overall adsorption. However, the PAC WTS performed better with the short-chain PFHxS than the biosolids biochar. While both PAC WTS and biosolids biochar are promising candidates for adsorption, the study highlights the need to explore further the mechanisms behind PFAS adsorption, which could be a highly variable source to understand better the potential for WTS to be utilized as a PFAS adsorbent.

Phosphorus adsorption and organic release from dried and thermally treated water treatment sludge.

The study investigated water treatment sludge (WTS) as a phosphorus (P) adsorbent and examined the release of organic matter during the P adsorption process. Previous studies indicated that WTS is an effective adsorbent for P but also releases organic matter, which may affect the organoleptic properties of treated water, but no study has characterised organic release and conducted an in-depth study on its behaviours. This study characterised the organic release during the P adsorption process from four different WTS samples. This study also offers results from a 60-day column experiment that indicate that WTS columns effectively removed the majority of P from the 2 mg/L feed solution. The total organic carbon (TOC) release was gradually reduced from 24.9 mg/L on day 1 to stable levels of 4.4 mg/L to 4.1 mg/L from day 22 onwards. After 60 days, when the organic matter was nearly exhausted, WTS columns were still effective in P adsorption from the solution. In addition, the thermal treatment of WTS at different temperatures was investigated to reduce TOC release and increase P adsorption. The results showed that thermal treatment not only minimized TOC release but also enhanced the P adsorption capacity of the sludge. In a 24-h batch experiment, WTS treated at 600 °C showed the highest P adsorption (1.7 mg/g) with negligible TOC release when compared to sludge treated at 500 °C WTS (1.2 mg/g), 700 °C WTS (1.5 mg/g) and dried WTS (0.75 mg/g). However, the release of inorganic compounds slightly increased after thermal treatment. Future studies could focus on determining whether the thermal processing of WTS which can enhance the WTS's adsorption to emerging pollutants like per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances and other contaminants. The findings of this study could influence the management practices of water authorities and contribute to the water sector's sustainability objectives.

Untargeted Metabolomics Approach for the Differentiation between Panax vietnamensis var. vietnamensis and Panax vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus.

Panax vietnamensis var. vietnamensis (PVV) and Panax vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus (PVF) both belong to Panax vietnamensis species and are chemically and morphologically similar, making it hard to distinguish for the consumer. Herein, 42 PVF and 12 PVV samples were collected in Quang Nam and Lai Chau Province, respectively, and subsequently characterized by ITSr-DNA sequence data to verify their origins. Next, untargeted metabolomics combined with multivariate statistical analysis was developed to differentiate PVV and PVF. The metabolic profiles of PVV and PVF were found to be distinct and classified well using Partial Least-Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) in the training set. Among them, seven ginsenosides were of high abundance in PVV, while six were of high abundance in PVF. Next, the test set was used to validate 13 putative differential markers found in the training set, illustrating a complete match with the expression patterns of these ginsenosides in the training set. Finally, PLS-DA and linear Support Vector Machine models both indicated distinct ginsenoside profiles of PVV and PVF without misclassification in the test set. Conclusively, the developed untargeted metabolomics approach might serve as a powerful tool for the authentication of PVV and PVF at the metabolome level.

Assembly of the Mitochondrial Translation Initiation Complex.

Mitochondria maintain their own translational machinery that is responsible for the synthesis of essential components of the oxidative phosphorylation system. The mammalian mitochondrial translation system differs significantly from its cytosolic and bacterial counterparts. Here, we describe detailed protocols for efficient in vitro reconstitution of the mammalian mitochondrial translation initiation complex, which can be further used for mechanistic analyses of different aspects of mitochondrial translation.

Evaluating fundamental biochar properties in relation to water holding capacity.

Biochar products that hold and release water within a stable carbonised porous structure provide many opportunities for climate mitigation and a range of applications such as for soil amendments. Biochar that are produced from various organic feedstocks by pyrolysis can provide multiple co-benefits to soil including improving soil health and productivity, pH buffering, contaminant control, nutrient storage, and release, however, there are also risks for biochar application in soils. This study evaluated fundamental biochar properties that influence Water Holding Capacity (WHC) of biochar products and provides recommendations for testing and optimising biochar products prior to soil applications. A total of 21 biochar samples (locally sourced, commercially available, and standard biochars) were characterised for particle properties, salinity, pH and ash content, porosity, and surface area (with N2 as adsorbate), surface SEM imaging, and several water testing methods. Biochar products with mixed particle size, irregular shapes, and hydrophilic properties were able to rapidly store relatively large volumes of water (up to 400% wt.). In contrast, relatively less water (as low as 78% wt.) was taken up by small-sized biochar products with smooth surfaces, along with hydrophobic biochars that were identified by the water drop penetration test (rather than contact angle test). Water was stored mostly in interpore spaces (between biochar particles) although intra-pore spaces (meso-pore and micropore scale) were also significant for some biochars. The type of organic feedstock did not appear to directly affect water holding, although further work is needed to evaluate mesopore scale processes and pyrolytic conditions that could influence the biochemical and hydrological behaviour of biochar. Biochars with high salinity, and carbon structures that are not alkaline pose potential risks when used as soil amendments.

Human mitochondria require mtRF1 for translation termination at non-canonical stop codons.

The mitochondrial translation machinery highly diverged from its bacterial counterpart. This includes deviation from the universal genetic code, with AGA and AGG codons lacking cognate tRNAs in human mitochondria. The locations of these codons at the end of COX1 and ND6 open reading frames, respectively, suggest they might function as stop codons. However, while the canonical stop codons UAA and UAG are known to be recognized by mtRF1a, the release mechanism at AGA and AGG codons remains a debated issue. Here, we show that upon the loss of another member of the mitochondrial release factor family, mtRF1, mitoribosomes accumulate specifically at AGA and AGG codons. Stalling of mitoribosomes alters COX1 transcript and protein levels, but not ND6 synthesis. In addition, using an in vitro reconstituted mitochondrial translation system, we demonstrate the specific peptide release activity of mtRF1 at the AGA and AGG codons. Together, our results reveal the role of mtRF1 in translation termination at non-canonical stop codons in mitochondria.

Review of diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and management of retroperitoneal lymphangioma.

Lymphatic malformation (LM) is the currently preferred term for what was previously known as lymphangioma. Retroperitoneal LMs are extremely rare, benign, cystic masses that arise from lymphatic vessels. They can be challenging to diagnose because they resemble other retroperitoneal cystic tumors. The development of treatment strategies for rare diseases, including retroperitoneal LM, requires the acquisition of new knowledge to enhance our understanding of the disease progression. Therefore, we present an update regarding fundamental and advanced issues associated with retroperitoneal LM. This review describes the epidemiology, histopathology, biomedicine, clinical manifestations, radiological features, differential diagnosis, and management of this lesion.

A Portable Band-shaped Bioimpedance System to Monitor the Body Fat and Fasting Glucose Level.

With better quality of life, obesity is becoming a worldwide disease due to over-eating and sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, daily monitoring of the glucose and body fat percentage (%) is vital to keep track of one's health. Currently, separated devices are required to monitor each parameter at home and some are still invasive to measure the glucose level. In this study, a portable band-shaped bioimpedance system is proposed to measure both parameters. The system is battery run with two main modules: the current source and the voltage recording, with minimal design to fit into a band of 150 mm x 40 mm in dimension. The impedance is measured at the frequency of 1 kHz at 30 kHz sampling frequency and in 1000 signal cycles to flatten noises. The final average impedance is calculated and evaluated in correlation with the body fat and the fasting glucose. The system was tested on 21 volunteers and 4 locations were picked for the impedance measurement: the arm under the triceps, the side of the belly, the back on one side and the thigh under the bicep femoris. The results show promising results with the arm being the best location for predicting the body fat (correlation coefficient: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.73-0.95), while the thigh impedance best correlated with the fasting glucose (correlation coefficient: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.81-0.97). These preliminary results indicate the feasibility and capacity of the proposed system as a home-based, portable and convenient system in monitoring the body fat and glucose. The system's performance will be verified and replicated in a future larger study.

Structure of the mitoribosomal small subunit with streptomycin reveals Fe-S clusters and physiological molecules.

The mitoribosome regulates cellular energy production, and its dysfunction is associated with aging. Inhibition of the mitoribosome can be caused by off-target binding of antimicrobial drugs and was shown to be coupled with a bilateral decreased visual acuity. Previously, we reported mitochondria-specific protein aspects of the mitoribosome, and in this article we present a 2.4-Å resolution structure of the small subunit in a complex with the anti-tuberculosis drug streptomycin that reveals roles of non-protein components. We found iron-sulfur clusters that are coordinated by different mitoribosomal proteins, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) associated with rRNA insertion, and posttranslational modifications. This is the first evidence of inter-protein coordination of iron-sulfur, and the finding of iron-sulfur clusters and NAD as fundamental building blocks of the mitoribosome directly links to mitochondrial disease and aging. We also report details of streptomycin interactions, suggesting that the mitoribosome-bound streptomycin is likely to be in hydrated gem-diol form and can be subjected to other modifications by the cellular milieu. The presented approach of adding antibiotics to cultured cells can be used to define their native structures in a bound form under more physiological conditions, and since streptomycin is a widely used drug for treatment, the newly resolved features can serve as determinants for targeting.

Pathways to suicide or collections of vicious cycles? Understanding the complexity of suicide through causal mapping.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10-19 in the USA. While suicide has long been recognized as a multifactorial issue, there is limited understanding regarding the complexities linking adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to suicide ideation, attempt, and fatality among youth. In this paper, we develop a map of these complex linkages to provide a decision support tool regarding key issues in policymaking and intervention design, such as identifying multiple feedback loops (e.g., involving intergenerational effects) or comprehensively examining the rippling effects of an intervention. We use the methodology of systems mapping to structure the complex interrelationships of suicide and ACEs based on the perceptions of fifteen subject matter experts. Specifically, systems mapping allows us to gain insight into the feedback loops and potential emergent properties of ACEs and youth suicide. We describe our methodology and the results of fifteen one-on-one interviews, which are transformed into individual maps that are then aggregated and simplified to produce our final causal map. Our map is the largest to date on ACEs and suicide among youth, totaling 361 concepts and 946 interrelationships. Using a previously developed open-source software to navigate the map, we are able to explore how trauma may be perpetuated through familial, social, and historical concepts. In particular, we identify connections and pathways between ACEs and youth suicide that have not been identified in prior research, and which are of particular interest for youth suicide prevention efforts.

Signatures of enhanced out-of-plane polarization in asymmetric BaTiO3 superlattices integrated on silicon.

In order to bring the diverse functionalities of transition metal oxides into modern electronics, it is imperative to integrate oxide films with controllable properties onto the silicon platform. Here, we present asymmetric LaMnO3/BaTiO3/SrTiO3 superlattices fabricated on silicon with layer thickness control at the unit-cell level. By harnessing the coherent strain between the constituent layers, we overcome the biaxial thermal tension from silicon and stabilize c-axis oriented BaTiO3 layers with substantially enhanced tetragonality, as revealed by atomically resolved scanning transmission electron microscopy. Optical second harmonic generation measurements signify a predominant out-of-plane polarized state with strongly enhanced net polarization in the tricolor superlattices, as compared to the BaTiO3 single film and conventional BaTiO3/SrTiO3 superlattice grown on silicon. Meanwhile, this coherent strain in turn suppresses the magnetism of LaMnO3 as the thickness of BaTiO3 increases. Our study raises the prospect of designing artificial oxide superlattices on silicon with tailored functionalities.

An efficient and fast multi-band focused bioimpedance solution with EIT-based reconstruction for pulmonary embolism assessment: a simulation study from massive to segmental blockage.

Objective.Pulmonary embolism (PE) is an acute condition that blocks the perfusion to the lungs and is a common complication of Covid-19. However, PE is often not diagnosed in time, especially in the pandemic time due to complicated diagnosis protocol. In this study, a non-invasive, fast and efficient bioimpedance method with the EIT-based reconstruction approach is proposed to assess the lung perfusion reliably.Approach.Some proposals are presented to improve the sensitivity and accuracy for the bioimpedance method: (1) a new electrode configuration and focused pattern to help study deep changes caused by PE within each lung field separately, (2) a measurement strategy to compensate the effect of different boundary shapes and varied respiratory conditions on the perfusion signals and (3) an estimator to predict the lung perfusion capacity, from which the severity of PE can be assessed. The proposals were tested on the first-time simulation of PE events at different locations and degrees from segmental blockages to massive blockages. Different object boundary shapes and varied respiratory conditions were included in the simulation to represent for different populations in real measurements.Results.The correlation between the estimator and the perfusion was very promising (R = 0.91, errors <6%). The measurement strategy with the proposed configuration and pattern has helped stabilize the estimator to non-perfusion factors such as the boundary shapes and varied respiration conditions (3%-5% errors).Significance.This promising preliminary result has demonstrated the proposed bioimpedance method's capability and feasibility, and might start a new direction for this application.

Evaluation of the Saponin Content in Panax vietnamensis Acclimatized to Lam Dong Province by HPLC-UV/CAD.

Panax vietnamensis, or Vietnamese ginseng (VG), an endemic Panax species in Vietnam, possesses a unique saponin profile and interesting biological activities. This plant is presently in danger of extinction due to over-exploitation, resulting in many preservation efforts towards the geographical acclimatization of VG. Yet, no information on the saponin content of the acclimatized VG, an important quality indicator, is available. Here, we analyzed the saponin content in the underground parts of two- to five-year-old VG plants acclimatized to Lam Dong province. Nine characteristic saponins, including notoginsenoside-R1, ginsenoside-Rg1, -Rb1, -Rd, majonoside-R1, -R2 vina-ginsenoside-R2, -R11, and pseudoginsenoside-RT4, were simultaneously determined by HPLC coupled with UV and with a charged aerosol detector (CAD). Analyzing the results illustrated that the detection of characteristic ocotillol-type saponins in VG by CAD presented a superior capacity compared with that of UV, thus implying a preferential choice of CAD for the analysis of VG. The quantitative results indicating the saponin content in the underground parts of VG showed an increasing tendency from two to five years old, with the root and the rhizome exhibiting different saponin accumulation patterns. This is the first study that reveals the preliminary success of VG acclimatization and thereby encourages the continuing efforts to develop this valuable saponin-rich plant.