The demand for Li-ion batteries has increased because of their extensive use in vehicles and portable electronic devices. This increasing demand implies greater interaction between batteries and humans, making safety a paramount concern. Although traditional batteries are fabricated using Al, recent efforts to enhance safety have led to the adoption of AISI304. The strength and corrosion resistance of AISI304 are greater than those of Al; however, issues such as stress-induced phase transformation and low high-temperature strength have been observed during processing. Duplex stainless steel SAF2507, which is characterized by a dual-phase structure consisting of austenite and ferrite, exhibits excellent strength and corrosion resistance. Although SAF2507 demonstrated outstanding high-temperature strength up to 700 °C, it precipitated a secondary phase. The precipitation of this secondary phase, believed to be caused by the precipitation of the carbides of Cr and Mo, has been extensively studied. Research on the precipitation of the secondary phase near 1000 °C has been conducted owing to the annealing temperature (1100 °C) of the SAF2507 solution. The secondary phase precipitates at approximately 1000 °C because of slow cooling rates. However, few studies have been conducted on the precipitation of the secondary phase at approximately 700 °C. This study analyzed the precipitation behavior of the secondary phase at 700 °C when SAF2507 was applied and assessed its safety during heat generation in Li-ion batteries. The precipitation behavior was analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy for morphology, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy for composition, and X-ray diffraction for phase identification. Full article

In the search for new bioactive agents against the infectious pathogen responsible for the neglected tropical disease (NTD) mycetoma, we tested a collection of 27 essential oils (EOs) in vitro against Madurella mycetomatis, the primary pathogen responsible for the fungal form of mycetoma, termed eumycetoma. Among this series, the EO of Santalum album (Santalaceae), i.e., East Indian sandalwood oil, stood out prominently with the most potent inhibition in vitro. We, therefore, directed our research toward 15 EOs of Santalum species of different geographical origins, along with two samples of EOs from other plant species often commercialized as “sandalwood oils”. Most of these EOs displayed similar strong activity against M. mycetomatis in vitro. All tested oils were thoroughly analyzed by GC-QTOF MS and most of their constituents were identified. Separation of the sandalwood oil into the fractions of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and alcohols showed that its activity is associated with the sesquiterpene alcohols. The major constituents, the sesquiterpene alcohols (Z)-α- and (Z)-β-santalol were isolated from the S. album oil by column chromatography on AgNO₃-coated silica. They were tested as isolated compounds against the fungus, and (Z)-α-santalol was about two times more active than the β-isomer. Full article

Background and Objectives: The effective treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia leads to the restoration of proper immune system function. We aimed to investigate fluctuations in circulating cytokines, angiogenic factors and complement components in patients with CML during the first year of treatment with TKI and correlate them with the degree of achieved molecular response. Material and Methods: We recruited 31 patients with newly diagnosed CML. Peripheral blood and bone marrow samples were obtained, and concentrations of serum proteins were measured using an immunology multiplex assay. Results: The study cohort was divided into two groups of optimal or non-optimal in accordance with the European Leukemia Net (ELN) guidelines. We found significantly higher concentrations of C1q, C4 and C5a in serum after 3 months of TKI treatment in patients who achieved optimal responses in the 6 months after diagnosis. The most alterations were observed during 12 months of therapy. Patients in the optimal response group were characterized by higher serum concentrations of TGF-β, EGF, VEGF, Angiopoietin 1, IFN-γ and IL-8. Conclusions: The later plasma concentrations of complement components were significantly increased in patients with optimal responses. The changes after 12 months of treatment were particularly significant. Similar changes in bone marrow samples were observed. Full article

In this paper, a turbulent wavefront measurement model based on the Hartmann system structure is proposed. The maximum recognizable mode number of different lens units is discussed, and the influence of different lens array arrangements on the accuracy of turbulent wavefront reconstruction is analyzed. The results indicate that the increase in the aberration order of the turbulent wavefront has a certain influence on the reconstruction ability of the system. Different lens arrangements and number of lens units will lead to the effective reconstruction of different final mode orders. When using a 5 × 5 lens array arrangement and a hexagonal arrangement of 19 lenses, the maximum order of turbulent wavefront aberrations allowing for effective reconstruction was 25. When the sparse arrangement of 25 lenses or the sparse arrangement of 31 lenses was used, the maximum order allowing for effective reconstruction was 36. If the aberration composition of the turbulent wavefront contained higher-order aberrations, the system could not accurately measure the turbulent wavefront. When the order of the aberrations of the turbulent wavefront was low, the turbulent wavefront could be measured by the lens arrangement with fewer lens units, and the wavefront reconstruction accuracy was close to the measurement results obtained when more lens units were used. Full article

Foreign objects on power transmission lines carry a significant risk of triggering large-scale power interruptions which may have serious consequences for daily life if they are not detected and handled in time. To accurately detect foreign objects on power transmission lines, this paper proposes a TL-Yolo method based on the Yolov8 framework. Firstly, we design a full-dimensional dynamic convolution (ODConv) module as a backbone network to enhance the feature extraction capability, thus retaining richer semantic content and important visual features. Secondly, we present a feature fusion framework combining a weighted bidirectional feature pyramid network (BiFPN) and multiscale attention (MSA) module to mitigate the degradation effect of multiscale feature representation in the fusion process, and efficiently capture the high-level feature information and the core visual elements. Thirdly, we utilize a lightweight GSConv cross-stage partial network (GSCSP) to facilitate efficient cross-level feature fusion, significantly reducing the complexity and computation of the model. Finally, we employ the adaptive training sample selection (ATSS) strategy to balance the positive and negative samples, and dynamically adjust the selection process of the training samples according to the current state and performance of the model, thus effectively reducing the object misdetection and omission. The experimental results show that the average detection accuracy of the TL-Yolo method reaches 91.30%, which is 4.20% higher than that of the Yolov8 method. Meanwhile, the precision and recall metrics of our method are 4.64% and 3.53% higher than those of Yolov8. The visualization results also show the superior detection performance of the TL-Yolo algorithm in real scenes. Compared with the state-of-the-art methods, our method achieves higher accuracy and speed in the detection of foreign objects on power transmission lines. Full article

Road traffic transportation has flourished in the process of urbanization due to its advantages, but concurrently it generates harmful environmental vibrations. This vibration issue becomes particularly crucial in production workshops housing precision instruments. However, limited research has been undertaken on this matter. This study aimed to investigate the influence of road traffic-induced vibration on micro-vibrations within a workshop housing precision instruments. A field test was conducted to assess the vibration levels originating from both machinery operation and vehicular traffic. The results indicated that ground-borne vibrations caused by road vehicles decrease with increasing propagation distance, peaking around 10 Hz. Machinery operation vibrations were primarily concentrated above 20 Hz, while vehicular traffic vibrations were more prominent below 20 Hz. Notably, the passage of heavy trucks significantly impacted both ground and workshop vibrations, with vertical vibrations being particularly significant. Within the workshop, the second floor experienced higher vibrations above 20 Hz due to the presence of installed instruments. Importantly, the micro-vibration levels on both floors exceeded the VC-C limit (12.5 µm/s), highlighting the need to account for road traffic and machinery vibrations in workshop design. These data can be utilized to validate numerical models for predicting road traffic-induced vibrations, aiding in vibration assessment during road planning and design. Full article

Ultra-thin ZnO thin-film transistors with a channel thickness of <10 nm have disadvantages of a high threshold voltage and a low carrier mobility due to a low carrier concentration. Although these issues can be addressed by utilizing the strong reducing power of tri-methyl-aluminum, a method is required to control parameters such as the threshold voltage. Therefore, we fabricated a ZnO/Al₂O₃ thin-film transistor with a thickness of 6 nm and adjusted the threshold voltage and carrier mobility through the modulation of carrier generation by varying the growth temperature of Al₂O₃. As the growth temperature of Al₂O₃ increased, oxygen vacancies generated at the hetero–oxide interface increased, supplying a free carrier into the channel and causing the threshold voltage to shift in the negative direction. The optimized device, a ZnO/Al₂O₃ thin-film transistor with a growth temperature of 140 °C, exhibited a μ_sat of 12.26 cm²/V∙s, V_th of 8.16 V, SS of 0.65 V/decade, and I_ON/OFF of 3.98 × 10⁶. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was performed to analyze the properties of ZnO/Al₂O₃ thin films. Full article

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disease commonly associated with metabolic disorders in females. Leonurine hydrochloride (Leo) plays an important role in regulating immunity, tumours, uterine smooth muscle, and ovarian function. However, the effect of Leo on PCOS has not been reported. Here, we used dehydroepiandrosterone to establish a mouse model of PCOS, and some mice were then treated with Leo by gavage. We found that Leo could improve the irregular oestros cycle of PCOS mice, reverse the significantly greater serum testosterone (T) and luteinising hormone (LH) levels, significantly reduce the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level, and significantly increase the LH/FSH ratio of PCOS mice. Leo could also change the phenomenon of ovaries in PCOS mice presented with cystic follicular multiplication and a lacking corpus luteum. Transcriptome analysis identified 177 differentially expressed genes related to follicular development between the model and Leo groups. Notably, the cAMP signalling pathway, neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, the calcium signalling pathway, the ovarian steroidogenesis pathway, and the Lhcgr, Star, Cyp11a, Hsd17b7, Camk2b, Calml4, and Phkg1 genes may be most related to improvements in hormone levels and the numbers of ovarian cystic follicles and corpora lutea in PCOS mice treated by Leo, which provides a reference for further study of the mechanism of Leo. Full article

Herbivorous insects rely on volatile chemical cues from host plants to locate food sources and oviposition sites. General odorant binding proteins (GOBPs) are believed to be involved in the detection of host plant volatiles. In the present study, one GOBP gene, ScinGOBP2, was cloned from the antennae of adult Semiothisa cinerearia. Reverse-transcription PCR and real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the expression of ScinGOBP2 was strongly biased towards the female antennae. Fluorescence-based competitive binding assays revealed that 8 of the 27 host plant volatiles, including geranyl acetone, decanal, cis-3-hexenyl n-valerate, cis-3-hexenyl butyrate, 1-nonene, dipentene, α-pinene and β-pinene, bound to ScinGOBP2 (K_D = 2.21–14.94 μM). The electrical activities of all eight ScinGOBP2 ligands were confirmed using electroantennography. Furthermore, oviposition preference experiments showed that eight host volatiles, such as decanal, cis-3-hexenyl n-valerate, cis-3-hexenyl butyrate, and α-pinene, had an attractive effect on female S. cinerearia, whereas geranyl acetone, 1-nonene, β-pinene, and dipentene inhibited oviposition in females. Consequently, it can be postulated that ScinGOBP2 may be implicated in the perception of host plant volatiles and that ScinGOBP2 ligands represent significant semiochemicals mediating the interactions between plants and S. cinerearia. This insight could facilitate the development of a chemical ecology-based approach for the management of S. cinerearia. Full article

The effect of electromyographic (EMG) activity on agonist muscles during exercises performed on stable and unstable surfaces remains uncertain. We aimed to review the literature regarding the comparison of the EMG activity of the agonist muscles of exercises performed on stable and unstable surfaces. Eighty-six studies that evaluated the EMG activity of 1783 individuals during exercises for the lower limbs, upper limbs, and core were included. The EMG activities of the pectoralis major (SMD = 0.28 [95% CI 0.09, 0.47]) and triceps brachii muscles (SMD = 0.45 [95% CI 0.25, 0.66]) were significantly increased when the unstable device was added to the exercise. Likewise, the EMG activity of all core muscles showed a significant increase with the unstable surface during the exercises, such as the rectus abdominis (SMD = 0.51 [95% CI 0.37, 0.66]), external oblique (SMD = 0.44 [95% CI 0.28, 0.61]), internal oblique (SMD = 1.04 [95% CI 0.02, 2.07]), erector spinae (SMD = 0.37 [95% CI 0.04, 0.71]), and lumbar multifidus (SMD = 0.35 [95% CI 0.08, 0.61]). However, the lower limb muscles did not show greater EMG activity during the exercise with unstable surfaces compared to the stable surface. In conclusion, unstable conditions increase the EMG activity of some upper limb and core muscles compared to a stable surface. Full article

Background/Objectives: Tuberculum sellae meningiomas (TSMs) constitute 5–10% of intracranial meningiomas, often causing visual impairment. Traditional microsurgical transcranial approaches (MTAs) have been effective, but the emergence of innovative surgical trajectories, such as endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs), has sparked debate. While EEAs offer advantages like reduced brain retraction, they are linked to higher cerebrospinal fluid leak (CSF leak) risk. This meta-analysis aims to comprehensively compare the efficacy and safety of EEAs and MTAs for the resection of TSMs, offering insights into their respective outcomes and complications. Methods: A comprehensive literature review of the databases PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Ovid EMBASE was conducted for articles published on TSMs treated with either EEA or MTA until 2024. The systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Meta-analysis was performed to estimate pooled event rates and assess heterogeneity. Fixed- and random-effects were used to assess 95% confidential intervals (CIs) of presenting symptoms, outcomes, and complications. Results: A total of 291 papers were initially identified, of which 18 studies spanning from 2000 to 2024 met the inclusion criteria. The exclusion of 180 articles was due to reasons such as irrelevance, non-reporting of selected results, systematic literature review or meta-analysis, and a lack of details on method/results. The 18 studies comprised a total sample of 1093 patients: 444 patients who underwent EEAs and 649 patients who underwent MTAs for TSMs. Gross total resection (GTR) rates ranged from 80.9% for EEAs to 79.8% for MTAs. The rate of visual improvement was 86.6% in the EEA group and 65.4% in the MTA group. The recurrence rate in the EEA group was 6.9%, while it was 5.1% in MTA group. The postoperative complications analyzed were CSF leak, infections, dysosmia, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and endocrine disorders. The rate of CSF leak was 9.8% in the EEA group and 2.1% in MTA group. The rate of infections in the EEA group was 5.7%, while it was 3.7% in the MTA group. The rate of dysosmia ranged from 10.3% for MTAs to 12.9% for EEAs. The rate of ICH in the EEA group was 0.9%, while that in the MTA group was 3.8%. The rate of endocrine disorders in the EEA group was 10.8%, while that in the MTA group was 10.2%. No significant difference was detected in the rate of GTR between the EEA and MTA groups (OR 1.15, 95% CI 0.7–0.95; p = 0.53), while a significant benefit in visual outcomes was shown in EEAs (OR 3.54, 95% CI 2.2–5.72; p < 0.01). There was no significant variation in the recurrence rate between EEA and MTA groups (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.19–4.46; p = 0.89). While a considerably increased chance of CSF leak from EEAs was shown (OR 4.47, 95% CI 2.52–7.92; p < 0.01), no significant difference between EEA and MTA groups was detected in the rate of infections (OR 1.92, 95% CI 0.73–5.06; p = 0.15), the rate of dysosmia (OR 1.25, 95% CI 0.31–4.99; p = 0.71), the rate of ICH (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.20–1.87; p = 0.33), and the rate of endocrine disorders (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.69–1.95; p = 0.53). Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggests that both EEAs and MTAs are viable options for TSM resection, with distinct advantages and drawbacks. The EEAs demonstrate superior visual outcomes in selected cases while GTR and recurrence rates support the overall effectiveness of MTAs and EEAs. Endoscopic endonasal approaches had a higher chance of CSF leaks, but there are no appreciable variations in other complications. These results provide additional insights regarding patient outcomes in the intricate clinical setting of TSMs. Full article

The toxicity of emerging organic pollutants to photosystems of aquatic plants is still not well clarified. This study aimed to develop a novel ecotoxicological experimental protocol based on nanoscale electrochemical mapping of photosynthetic oxygen evolution of aquatic plants by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The protocol was also checked by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), the traditional Clark oxygen electrode method, and the chlorophyll fluorescence technique. The typical persistent organic pollutant 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in a water environment and the common aquatic Microsorium pteropus (M. pteropus) were chosen as the model organic pollutant and tested plant, respectively. It was found that the SECM method could discriminate the responses of stoma micromorphology and spatial pattens of photosynthetic oxygen evolution on single stoma well. The shape of stoma blurred with increasing 2,4-DCP concentration, which was in good agreement with the CLSM images. The dose–response curves and IC₅₀ values obtained from the SECM data were verified by the data measured by the traditional Clark oxygen electrode method and chlorophyll fluorescence test. The IC₅₀ value of single-stoma oxygen emission of plant leaves exposed for 24 h, which was derived from the SECM current data (32,535 μg L⁻¹), was close to those calculated from the maximum photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) measured by the chlorophyll fluorescence test (33,963 μg L⁻¹) and the Clark oxygen electrode method photosynthetic oxygen evolution rate (32,375 μg L⁻¹). The 72 h and 96 h 2,4-DCP exposure data further confirmed the reliability of the nanoscale stoma oxygen emission mapping methodology for ecotoxicological assessment. In this protocol, the procedures for how to collect effective electrochemical data and how to extract useful information from the single-stoma oxygen emission pattern were well established. This study showed that SECM is a feasible and reliable ecotoxicological tool for evaluation of toxicity of organic pollutants to higher plants with a unique nanoscale visualization advantage over the conventional methods. Full article

Tumor associated fibroblasts (TAFs) play a key role in tumor growth and metastatization. TAFs overexpress different biomarkers that are usually expressed at low levels in physiological conditions. Among them are the fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) that bind the fibroblast growth factors (FGFs). In particular, the overexpression of FGFR-2c in tumors has been associated with advanced clinical stages and increased metastatization. Here, we developed a non-invasive tool to evaluate, in vivo, the expression of FGFR-2c in metastatic cancer. This is based on ^99mTc-labelled FGF-2. Methods: ^99mTc-FGF-2 was tested in vitro and in vivo in mice bearing allografts of sarcoma cells. Images of ^99mTc-FGF-2 were acquired using a new portable high-resolution ultra-sensitive gamma camera for small animal imaging. Results: FGF-2 was labeled with high specific activity but low labelling efficiency, thus requiring post-labeling purification by gel-filtration chromatography. In vitro binding to 2C human keratinocytes showed a Kd of 3.36 × 10⁻⁹ M. In mice bearing J774A.1 cell allografts, we observed high and rapid tumor uptake of ^99mTc-FGF-2 with a high Tumor/Blood ratio at 24 h post-injection (26.1 %ID/g and 12.9 %ID) with low kidney activity and moderate liver activity. Conclusions: we labeled FGF-2 with ^99mTc and showed nanomolar Kd in vitro with human keratinocytes expressing FGF-2 receptors. In mice, ^99mTc-FGF-2 rapidly and efficiently accumulated in tumors expressing FGF-2 receptors. This new radiopharmaceutical could be used in humans to image TAFs. Full article

Human activity recognition (HAR) remains an essential field of research with increasing real-world applications ranging from healthcare to industrial environments. As the volume of publications in this domain continues to grow, staying abreast of the most pertinent and innovative methodologies can be challenging. This survey provides a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art methods employed in HAR, embracing both classical machine learning techniques and their recent advancements. We investigate a plethora of approaches that leverage diverse input modalities including, but not limited to, accelerometer data, video sequences, and audio signals. Recognizing the challenge of navigating the vast and ever-growing HAR literature, we introduce a novel methodology that employs large language models to efficiently filter and pinpoint relevant academic papers. This not only reduces manual effort but also ensures the inclusion of the most influential works. We also provide a taxonomy of the examined literature to enable scholars to have rapid and organized access when studying HAR approaches. Through this survey, we aim to inform researchers and practitioners with a holistic understanding of the current HAR landscape, its evolution, and the promising avenues for future exploration. Full article

In this paper, we propose a three-layer distributed simulation network architecture, which consists of a distributed virtual simulation network, a perception and control subnetwork, and a cooperative communication service network. The simulation architecture runs on a distributed platform, which can provide unique virtual scenarios and multiple simulation services for the verification of basic perception, control, and planning algorithms of a single-robot system and can verify the distributed collaboration algorithms of heterogeneous multirobot systems. Further, we design simulation experimental scenarios for classic heterogeneous robotic systems such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). Through the analysis of experimental measurement data, we draw several important conclusions: firstly, the replication time characteristics and update frequency characteristics of entity synchronization in our system indicate that the replication time of entity synchronization in our system is relatively short, and the update frequency can meet the needs of multirobot collaboration and ensure the real-time use and accuracy of the system; secondly, we analyze the bandwidth usage of data frames in the whole session and observe that the server side occupies almost half of the data throughput during the whole session, which indicates that the allocation and utilization of data transmission in our system is reasonable; and finally, we construct a bandwidth estimation surface model to estimate the bandwidth requirements of the current model when scaling the server-side scale and synchronization-state scale, which provides an important reference for better planning and optimizing of the resource allocation and performance of the system. Based on this distributed simulation framework, future research will improve the key technical details, including further refining the coupling object dynamic model update method to support the simulation theory of the coupling relationship between system objects, studying the impact of spatiotemporal consistency of distributed systems on multirobot control and decision making, and in-depth research on the impact of collaborative frameworks combined with multirobot systems for specific tasks. Full article

Non-isocyanate polyurethane synthesis by non-Sn catalysis is an essential challenge toward green polyurethane synthesis. Bismuth compounds are attractive candidates due to their low cost, low toxicity, and availability to urethane chemistry. This work applied various Bi catalysts to the self-polycondensation of a bishydroxyurethane monomer and found BiCl₃ to be an excellent catalyst through optimization. The catalytic activity and price of BiCl₃ are comparable to those of Bu₂SnO, while its toxicity is significantly low. BiCl₃ is, therefore, a promising alternative to Sn-based catalysts in non-isocyanate polyurethane synthesis. Full article

This paper develops a Stein-like combined estimator for large heterogeneous panel data models under common structural breaks. The model allows for cross-sectional dependence through a general multifactor error structure. By utilizing the common correlated effects (CCE) estimation technique, we propose a Stein-like combined estimator of the CCE full-sample estimator (i.e., estimation using both the pre-break and post-break observations) and the CCE post-break estimator (i.e., estimation using only the post-break sample observations). The proposed Stein-like combined estimator benefits from exploiting the pre-break sample observations. We derive the optimal combination weight by minimizing the asymptotic risk. We show the superiority of the CCE Stein-like combined estimator over the CCE post-break estimator in terms of the asymptotic risk. Further, we establish the asymptotic properties of the CCE mean group Stein-like combined estimator. The finite sample performance of our proposed estimator is investigated using Monte Carlo experiments and an empirical application of predicting the output growth of industrialized countries. Full article

In recent years, there has been a significant focus on the green synthetization of metal oxide nanoparticles due to their environmentally friendly features and cost-effectiveness. The aim of this study is to biosynthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) through a green method, utilizing crude banana peel extract as reducing and capping agents, to characterize the synthesized ZnO NPs and test their antibacterial activity. ZnO NPs were biosynthesized using the peel extract of banana with various concentrations of zinc acetate dihydrate salt, followed by annealing at 400 °C for 2 h. The synthesized ZnO NPs were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), attenuated total reflectance–Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Also, its antibacterial efficiency against different bacterial strains was tested. ZnO NPs were biosynthesized successfully using the extract of Musa Acumniata (cavendish) fruit peel with a UV-Vis wavelength range of 344 to 369 nm and an electrical band gap ranging from 3.36 to 3.61 eV. The size varied from 27 ± 4 nm to 89 ± 22, and the negative zeta potential (ζ) ranged from −14.72 ± 0.77 to −7.43 ± 0.35 mV. ATR-FTIR analysis showed that the extract phytochemical functional groups were present on ZnO NPs. XRD results confirm the formation of a highly pure wurtzite hexagonal structure of ZnO NPs. Moreover, the best obtained size of ZnO NPs was selected for the antibacterial tests, giving the highest inhibition growth rate against Staphylococcus epidermidis (98.6 ± 0.9%), while the lowest rate was against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (88.4 ± 4.4%). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were reported and compared to previous studies. The unique properties of greenly synthesized ZnO NPs and their antibacterial activity have potential for reducing environmental pollution and the use of antibiotics, which may contribute to solving the problem of bacterial resistance. Therefore, studies that aim to design an applicable dosage form loaded with biosynthesized ZnO NPs might be conducted in the future. Full article

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are bioactive factors that benefit neonatal health, but little is known about effects on growth in very preterm infants (<32 weeks’ gestation). We aimed to quantify HMO concentrations in human milk fed to very preterm infants during the neonatal hospitalization and investigate associations of HMOs with infant size and body composition at term-equivalent age. In 82 human-milk-fed very preterm infants, we measured HMO concentrations at two time points. We measured anthropometrics and body composition with air displacement plethysmography at term-equivalent age. We calculated means of individual and total HMOs, constructed tertiles of mean HMO concentrations, and assessed differences in outcomes comparing infants in the highest and intermediate tertiles with the lowest tertile using linear mixed effects models, adjusted for potential confounders. The mean (SD) infant gestational age was 28.2 (2.2) weeks, and birthweight was 1063 (386) grams. Exposure to the highest (vs. lowest) tertile of HMO concentrations was not associated with anthropometric or body composition z-scores at term-corrected age. Exposure to the intermediate (vs. lowest) tertile of 3FL was associated with a greater head circumference z-score (0.61, 95% CI 0.15, 1.07). Overall, the results do not support that higher HMO intakes influence growth outcomes in this very preterm cohort. Full article

Recently, due to the advantages of superior compatibility, fewer interface defects, and a high electric breakdown field, all-organic dielectric composites have attracted significant research interest. In this investigation, we produced all-organic P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) terpolymer/PI (terp/PI) composite films by incorporating a small amount of terpolymer into PI substrates for high energy density capacitor applications. The resulting terp/PI-5 (5% terpolymer) composite films exhibit a permittivity of 3.81 at 1 kHz, which is 18.7% greater than that of pristine PI (3.21). Furthermore, the terp/PI-5 film exhibited the highest energy density (9.67 J/cm³) and a relatively high charge–discharge efficiency (84.7%) among the terp/PI composite films. The energy density of the terp/PI-5 film was increased by 59.8% compared to that of the pristine PI film. The TSDC results and band structure analysis revealed the presence of deeper traps in the terp/PI composites, contributing to the suppression of leakage current and improved charge–discharge efficiency. Furthermore, durability tests confirm the stability of the composite films under extended high-temperature exposure and cycling, establishing their viability for practical applications. Full article

Human milk provides bioactive compounds such as milk fat globules (MFGs), which promote brain development, modulate the immune system, and hold antimicrobial properties. To ensure microbiological safety, donor milk banks apply heat treatments. This study compares the effects of heat treatments and homogenization on MFG’s physicochemical properties, bioactivity, and bioavailability. Vat pasteurization (Vat-PT), retort (RTR), and ultra-high temperature (UHT) were performed with or without homogenization. UHT, RTR, and homogenization increased the colloidal dispersion of globules, as indicated by increased zeta potential. The RTR treatment completely inactivated xanthine oxidase activity (a marker of MFG bioactivity), whereas UHT reduced its activity by 93%. Interestingly, Vat-PT resulted in less damage, with 28% activity retention. Sialic acid, an important compound for brain health, was unaffected by processing. Importantly, homogenization increased the in vitro lipolysis of MFG, suggesting that this treatment could increase the digestibility of MFG. In terms of color, homogenization led to higher L* values, indicating increased whiteness due to finer dispersion of the fat and casein micelles (and thus greater light scattering), whereas UHT and RTR increased b* values associated with Maillard reactions. This study highlights the nuanced effects of processing conditions on MFG properties, emphasizing the retention of native characteristics in Vat-PT-treated human milk. Full article

Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) is rarely discovered early due to low sensitivity of screening imaging and tumor markers, however, earlier identification may improve outcomes. This study assesses risk factors and time to recurrence of PC and implementation of a surveillance system. Patients with stage II–III colon adenocarcinoma undergoing curative colectomy between 2005–2022 were retrospectively reviewed at a single tertiary care institution. Patients were divided into three cohorts: no recurrence (NR), PC, and other types of recurrence (OTR). Baseline characteristics between cohorts were compared with univariate analysis. Overall survival and PC risk were assessed using multivariate analysis with Cox’s proportional-hazard modelling. 412 patients were included; 78.4% had NR, 7.8% had PC, and 13.8% had OTR. Patient demographics, comorbidities, tumor side, and histologic features were similar between cohorts. Patients with PC were more likely to have microscopic tumor perforation (25% vs. 8.8% vs. 6.8%, p = 0.002), margin involvement (25% vs. 8.8% vs. 4.6%, p < 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (56.2% vs. 33.3%, vs. 24.5%, p < 0.001), perineural invasion (28.1% vs. 15.8% vs. 11.5%, p = 0.026) compared to OTR or NR. Median time to PC after colectomy was 11 months. Tumor characteristics of stage II–III colon cancer define a high-risk profile for PC. An early surveillance program sensitive for peritoneal disease should be adopted for these patients. Full article